Birthday Time!

  • March 30, 2009 9:31 PM

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April Fools Day Ideas!

  • March 29, 2009 12:20 PM

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Recipe for APRIL FOOLS corn-on-the-cob:

  1. –Three Cupcakes + Frosting
  2. –JellyBellies (popcorn and pina colada flavors)
  3. –Butter (aka known as melted starburst candy)

Or you can make a FAKE food platter– like we did for our THANKSGIVING theme Family Fun Night– construction paper can make some pretty darn realistic food!  Both of these ideas were from the Family Fun magazine, of course!

I’m not exactly sure what I will implement this year?  I’d like to do a complete dinner swap (dinner looks like dessert and vise-versa),  fill Mason’s closet with balloons and do at least one major prank?!  This looks really fun.  Happy Foolin!

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Emerson's 1st Brithday Grin

  • March 27, 2009 8:29 PM

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The birthday girl 365 days ago.

New Crock Pot Recipe

  • March 26, 2009 7:59 AM

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Emerson's 1st Birthday Cake

  • March 25, 2009 10:27 AM

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Oh my goodness—  2nd birthday is getting closer.  I don’t know if I’m ready for a 2 year old + a teen + plus a four year old + a baby??  I never imagined my life would be like this… so full… so rich… so wild!  My dreames were never this big, this rich, this fun, this overwhelming?

So when I think of Emerson’s birthday I am overcome with joy and gratitude.  Okay, yes, I am ready.  Ready for two year old tantrums & two year old fun.  Bring it on!  I like the quote— “I’m a mom, you don’t scare me!”

Here’s to EATING FROSTING!!!!!

The Shape Box!

  • March 24, 2009 11:36 AM

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We took a recycled Play Mobile Box and punches out various sizes of rectangles, squares, stars, circles & triangles.

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Note of caution:

 This activity is not the faint at heart.

  YOU WILL make a colorful mess… easy clean-up at least!

  This is one of those projects that is as fun to set up as it is to use.

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I used my favorite adhesive—modge podge— to personalize the front of box.  Big brother K helped me add a inspiration template that sits underneath the shapes—sketches for collage themes: trains, buses, houses, castles…

  Now we can go shape {collage} crazy!!!

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Shape collage art is such a fantastic rainy-anyday art activity.

 It works great for us because almost ANY age can enjoy, create and participate.  

  Thank so much for the idea— LETS EXPLORE!

Little Writers Center

  • March 22, 2009 2:57 AM

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Here’s our Little Writers {and Illistrators} Center!! I really wanted a place where the kids could easily access the tools they need to write, draw & create.

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I dressed up this old shelf by adding a fresh coat of blue paint, curtains and a chalk board.

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Our center includes:

  1. Jars of chalk, crayons, pens & pencils
  2. Collection of vintage chalkboards
  3. Lined  &  construction paper
  4. Box o mini notes books
  5. Box o letters (from old boardgames…)
  6. Top secret words (Rolodex)

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lil-writers-335lil-writers-335-alil-w-tall My inspiration for this project: Playful Learning and The Write Start —- both of whom have magnificent writing centers for their kiddos!!

Birthday time on my mind

  • March 21, 2009 7:53 PM

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Emerson’s birthday is in a week… so naturally I’ve got celebrating on my mind!  I’m doing almost all recycled or handmade items for her presents this year… so far I’ve collected-

  1. Vintage Doll Buggy with a bunch of timey dolls
  2. Training Ice Skates
  3. Jolly Little Mail Carrier Set (this is INCREDIBLE-just wait!!!)
  4. Pink Mail Box made from a OJ box
  5. Puppets
  6. And if I get really ambitious a puppet theater made from a huge cardboard box

This photo is actually MASON on his first annual cake smash!

Oh ya and someone else has a birthday coming up— we will soon be living with a 40 year old!!!!