Fall break

The girls had fall break over this past weekend. We didn't go out of town, but stayed in and enjoyed some Memphis activities.

Peter had school on Thursday, so I took the girls to do something we wouldn't attempt with him in tow: painting pottery. They had so much fun. Caroline painted a cross treasure box and Helen picked a piggy bank. Helen was very worried about leaving Piggy behind to go in the fire, but I'm happy to report we picked him up and he was just fine. I treated them to lunch at Cheffie's afterward.

Friday, we got up and headed to the Licterman Nature Center. We had such a good time exploring and strolling around the lake there. It was a beautiful morning. Caroline participated in a 1st and 2nd grader group project at school several weeks ago. They designed and built a scarecrow. She was so proud to see their hard work on display.

 

Monday was the last day of fall break. I was grateful for an email from my friend Brittany inviting us to join her and her boys and some other friends at the zoo. My usual Monday morning activities are the grocery store and laundry. I'm so glad I neglected those tasks for a fun time with friends at the zoo!

It was a good fall break. I'm already looking forward to the next day off of school so we can have another Memphis adventure!

Spring inspiration

My friend Brittany is always finding cute inspiration on Pinterest. She does such a great job of doing some of the things she pins. I realized that we had done a few projects around here that I had pinned, so I thought I'd highlight them.

We made large Easter eggs.

 

Source: familyfun.go.com via Emilee on Pinterest

I was certain that the girls would love this project. It was an invitation to make a huge gluey, sticky mess! Nope. They spent about 2 minutes participating. Kevin and I did most of the eggs. We had a great time.

For our Easter lunch dessert the girls helped me make some little bird nests. Yum!

Source: thecurvycarrot.com via Emilee on Pinterest

Here's ours, displayed on one of my most cherished heirlooms, my great-grandmother's Limoges platter:

Helen had to bring a snack to school a couple of weeks ago. It was "R" week, so we made a yummy rainbow. I don't think I officially pinned this idea, but I know my friend Laura made this snack. It was so fun to make and everyone at school loved the idea.

The Day of Resurrection

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We've been preparing for Easter all week long. We hunted Easter eggs. We dyed eggs. We made special treats like marshmallow sheep and bunny rolls. And most of all, we are so grateful to celebrate by serving a risen Lord! We hope your Easter celebrations were as special and blessed as ours were!

The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad;
The Passover of gladness, the Passover of God.
From death to life eternal, from earth unto the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over, with hymns of victory.

Our hearts be pure from evil, that we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal of resurrection light;
And listening to His accents, may hear, so calm and plain,
His own “All hail!” and, hearing, may raise the victor strain.

Now let the heavens be joyful! Let earth the song begin!
Let the round world keep triumph, and all that is therein!
Let all things seen and unseen their notes in gladness blend,
For Christ the Lord hath risen, our joy that hath no end.

Loveliness

Happy Valentine's Day!


Craft time: Valentines for classmates, family, and friends


I added an embroidery floss tail and wrote "Have a MICE day!" on the back. Then Caroline signed them herself.


Sweet treats: sugar cookies with glaze, decorated with markers


Favorite: roses


Silliness: a "pacy" found in her safe-to-play-in kitchen cabinet

December crafts

I love finding little things that Caroline can create. She really loves it too. All I have to do is say, "Caroline, do you want a project?" and she comes running to see what Mommy has planned.

This was a card-making activity. She dipped cookie cutters in glue, "stamped" the glue onto a card, and sprinkled glitter on the glue. She loved it. I supervised her for a while to make sure she had everything under control and then went to start dinner. I heard, "Uh-oh. Mommy, I got glitter on my chair." Luckily, it was not as much of a glitter disaster as I had envisioned and the vacuum took care of it pretty well. Caroline is a very neat child.




This project was making tree ornaments by stringing beads onto pipe cleaners. This kept her little hands busy off and on for a few hours.

Indian summer

Y'all, I've got so much to post and I'm so far behind in posting it!


We really, really enjoyed every moment of the warm weather two weeks ago. It was wonderful.


I let Caroline do some art projects out on the deck.


Helen is always up to something.


We took a trip to the zoo. It was perfect - warm weather, no crowds. Awesome.

We've been busy! More to come...

Craft time

Afternoons go so much more smoothly if we have some little project. I cut a door and a window into an OJ bottle with a box cutter and after some creative interior and exterior decorating by Caroline - voila! - instant fairy house. We went to Michael's and picked out some tiny wooden things to make the fairies' abode a bit more comfy. I got some peg dolls and fashioned some wings out of pipe cleaners and faces with markers.

The great thing about this project is that it has entertained her for hours. I had been looking at fairy dolls at toy stores for around $10. This entire setup probably cost me $10 and she loves it! A toy store doll would have been boring after a day, I'm certain. This homemade version has inspired a whole lot of imaginary play, flitting about, and pixie-dust sprinkling. Happy Caroline = Happy Mama!

Play dough

Homemade play dough inspired an afternoon of creating.

Mommy made a bunny.

It was a very fun activity!

Ring sling

I made this for Helen before she was born. Having 2 free hands is key when caring for a preschooler and a baby. It was very easy to sew. I read several tutorials and then kind of did my own thing. I used 2-yards each of coordinating fabrics and 2 rings (Sling Rings). I wish I had used about 3 yards because my "tails" are a little short. But I figure in a couple months Helen will be busy looking around and I will be using the front carrier and the hip hammock.

Today we used the sling to go for a quick walk around the block. Caroline pushed her babies (yes, 2 of them - plus a panda and a duck) in her stroller and Helen was content to peek out of her snug little ride. I can actually see myself going to the grocery store with both kids using the sling. OK - maybe I'm a step ahead of myself...

Felt board and other stuff

We're taking a trip to the beach. The long car ride calls for some new activities for Caroline. So I made a felt board. It was very, very easy. I bought a cheap 8x10 canvas, 1/2 a yard of felt from a bolt, and tons of craft felt rectangles. I cut the felt to wrap around the canvas. Then I used my staple gun (so much fun) to attach it in the back. And the shapes are just free-handed from my imagination. This is the "summer day" set. I'm going to make a "sea scape" set and a shape set.


No new creation is perfect until the test user approves.


My sleeping beauty actually took a nap one afternoon! I thought the giant violet hippo made a perfect pillow.


And sometimes when I ask her to smile, I get this face instead. Her Aunt Emily must have taught her this one.

(Side note: Caroline's little dress is another that I made for her. It's strawberry pique with a lime green pique collar and shorts to match. I made it for picture day at school. I stayed up until midnight the night before because she just had to have something new and handmade for pictures. I know. I'm silly. I'll post her picture soon.)

I've got a couple more sewing projects to show you...