I'm going to start of this Pinned it, Did it! post by saying that this yarn bowl craft was a semi-failure. I say "semi" though because I know what I did wrong, I now know how to fix it, and I am confident that if we were to try again, it would work just fine. (even my photo turned out slightly blurry!) I saw this yarn bowl pin and thought it was totally awesome and my girls would love making it. Well, Nutty did have fun making it, but ours did not turn out so awesome. We made our flour and water paste. This was our first wrong step. The original directions call for paper mache paste. The difference? Paper mache paste dries clear, simple flour and water paste dries white. We got using a glass bowl right but I COMPLETELY forgot to cover it with Saran Wrap before we started wrapping paste covered string all over it. Yeah, I had to pry that string off with a sharp knife once it was dry. NOT cool! I almost gave up and cut it off with scissors (ruining the yarn bowl) but I … [Read more...]
You’ve Been Boo’d! (FREE download!)
Last October a friend at work was talking about how she had been Boo'd and how fun it was. Been Boo'd?? What's that? She went on to tell me that someone left a plate of treats on her doorstep with a sheet of paper that said, "You've Been Boo'd!" She then returned the favor to someone else. What's so fun and special about that? Well, it's a ding-dong and ditch thing! Essentially, you make a plate of treats, copy the sheet of instructions and the "We've Been Boo'd" sign, go to someone's house in your neighborhood, leave the plate and papers on the doorstep, ring the doorbell, and run! Two weeks before Halloween last year, Nutty, Tottie and I went out and Boo'd two neighbors. My girls LOVED the ding-dong and ditch part of this! Because we started it in our neighborhood, we did not put a "We've Been Boo'd" sign on our door right away. We were then Boo'd by another neighbor and got to Boo two more neighbors! My girls were so excited to do it 4 times and can't wait to … [Read more...]
Be The First To Know–Tide VIVID White + Bright
My sister actually convinced me to buy white capris this summer. (Insert look of sheer horror) I NEVER wear white on the bottom (and I rarely wear all white on the top)! I'm a magnet for stains and with my tom-boyish activities, white and I don't really match. None the less, she convinced me to buy them and I actually wore them. (Insert look of complete shock) Want to know a secret? I'm STILL wearing them despite it being past Labor Day! Yes, I bought white capris this summer, I wore them, I'm still wearing them (past Labor Day), and I LOVE them! (Who is this person typing and what have you done with Jamie?) My secret to helping me keep my white capris white despite high outdoor activities and the risk of getting them dirty this fall? Tide VIVID White + Bright. Though you might not recognize the name, this is not a new product. Tide plus bleach alternative is now Tide VIVID White + Bright! An easier, more catchy name, with a fun new look. With Tide VIVID White + … [Read more...]
Leaf Animals–Pinned it, Did it!
It's Friday which mean's another Pinned it, Did it! post! This pin totally caught my eye and I decided that Tottie could easily do it! She is only 4 so she needed some direction as to where to put the leaves but she had a ton of fun watching her moose come together on paper! You'll need to gather some leaves of various shapes and sizes. We simply looked at the photo from the pin and tried to find leaves that matched. It was good lesson in leaves and matching for Tottie. Then just glue the leaves like they are in the picture! The website that the pin came from has many other leaf animals on it so I highly suggest you go check it out and try some other ones with your kids! Not bad for a 4 year old huh? … [Read more...]
Chores and Allowance
Kids. Chores. Allowance. At some level we all know that these three things should go together in some way. But the how and why of it all sometimes gets lost in the sleep deprivation and “don’t do that’s” of parenthood. Let’s start with chores. The general school of thought is that kids should do chores. What those experts don’t tell us is how much work it is to make it happen! Yes, kids should do chores – for many reasons. But enforcing a chore system in your house can sometimes seem like more trouble than it’s worth. So let’s start with the benefits of chores: The positives for mom are pretty awesome - When the kids do chores, mom has a little bit less work to do – eventually. If our kids can ever get a handle on doing things like cleaning and laundry, then theoretically, our lives will get easier. The other benefit is a greater level of respect for all that Mom does and how hard she works to keep things running. The positives for kids are character rewards – … [Read more...]
Apple Painting
If you've been apple picking this fall, you probably have more apples than you know what to do with (unless you are a really good baker and can make super good apple pie or your own apple sauce). Let's turn those apples into some super fun crafts like apple painting! My daughter and her friend had a ton of fun painting with apples and there are a few different ways you can do it. Any way you decide, you'll need: Apples Paper Paints Toothpicks Paper towels A small towel Small cookie cutters (optional) Gummy worms (optional) Leaves (optional) Step 1) Cut your apples in half. If you cut the apples vertically, they will come out looking like an apple. If you cut the apples horizontally, They will come out looking round but with a star in the middle. Take the seeds out and set them aside for later. Optional step: Use cookie cutters to press shapes into the apples. (See the green apple above) You won't be able to cut out the shapes, but they will … [Read more...]
