Hats

I've been meaning to show off these hats I made last month. It's getting closer & closer to Spring now, but they sure have gotten their use so far and will be perfect for next year also. It's March in Ohio though, I'm sure they will get at least a couple more days of use!

I used the pattern from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts. It was a super easy & crazy fast to knit up. I'm already planning to make some for Christmas gifts next year. Best of all the kids really like them.

Snow Day

Another Snow Day here today, well I guess it should be called an ice day. A thick layer of ice covered everything here last night. Looks like we will spend the day crafting some Valentine's, and staying warm.

These pictures were taken last week when we went sledding-for the FIRST time. Having grown up in Cleveland, it may seem insane to family that they have never been. It's just something you do with your kids back home! If you are old enough to stand, someone will take you sledding!

Our sledding adventure lasted all of about 10 minutes. Miss {M} was the first to be "over it", quickly followed by Mr. {D} and then Little {L}. The baby was over it before it started. I think he protested the moment I tried to put his hat & coat on. Maybe you can play with the kids next year, baby J!

I can't believe you put me in this foolish hat Mama!

One more time

Swimming, one more time, before the summer is over. Live in the moment,and enjoy life!

Rainy Afternoon

Bag of fabric scraps + glue + paper + scissors= fun & creativity

I like to keep a bag of scraps for the kids. These pieces are too small to sew anything with [yeah I'm a super scrap saver, so I know], and would otherwise go in the garbage. Every few weeks when they have played with every they own, read every book twice and are so bored they can't even think of anything else to do, we break out the scrap bag. They kids can cut & college to their hearts content. Sometimes they make letters, or a landscape, sometimes they use the patterns on the fabric to make a scene, a few times they have made a picture and colored all over it with marker [yep, Little {L}].

It's a fun way to do something unique every time. This can be done with paper too. Instead of recycling your old magazines, cut the pages out and let the kids have them first. The cutting and gluing helps with hand eye coordination, and the design inspires their imaginations!

Finally

We finally have a finger painter! As an artist myself [did you guys know I majored in fine art-painting in college?], I think it's really important to give kids a chance to be creative and get dirty doing it, if they want!

I always found it funny that my oldest two kids wouldn't even think of putting paint on their hands! We used to joke that Mr. {D} might actually have a problem with the amount of times he washed his hands in a day, and freaked out if they were dirty. As a baby/toddler he actually preferred me to feed him with a spoon rather than grab at his food..yep, cause his hands got dirty!

Miss {M} was the opposite. She would rub pudding on her face like she was getting a spa treatment, felt pasta & sauce was a great hair condition and her veggies looked nice on the ceiling! I really expected her to be the messy painter, but paint was the one thing she didn't like on her hands, face or head. She would meticulously paint in little strokes with several brushes.

The other day while the kids were painting I realized Little {L} had paint on his hands! He started with a paint brush and about half way through a piece, decided to use his hands. When I said, "let me see your hands", he had the "great now, I'm in trouble look". He's one of those kids that gets into everything and Mama is always following around saying, "Ohhhh, not that L!". It was awesome to see his face light up when I said, "Good Job! Make some more!"