Spring Break Day 1 & 2

Ahhhh, glorious Spring Break. Still feels like winter to me and I'm sick of it! I was never ready for the cold in the first place this year and it is lingering WAY too long. Despite the cooler weather, I have tried to plan a fun activity for each day this week. Of course each day must begin with a chore or two and piano practicing. But I am enjoying a break from teaching piano this week. I really need it!

Yesterday we went to Monkey Island- a fun, jumphouse, slide place. The kids had fun and played and sweat hard. Kate mostly had fun but by the end was lying on the floor crying over the dumbest things. Then last night our good friends, the Huff's, surprised us with a visit and the kids loved playing with them. Of course we did too!

I'm not sure why all these pictures are a little blurry, but here are all the kids in the "Princess" bounce house, where Kate threw a fit when any other children tried to enter. Apparently it was OUR house!

Today the boys got a haircut and then we went to a movie with Grandpa Kevin. We saw the movie "HOP" and had a fun time!

Somehow I think that during this week I am going to find time to paint a bedroom and switch kids rooms around. Wish me luck on that one! More to come later.....if I get around to it!

Messes

Having children (and a dog) is messy. It just is. Sometimes I am amazed at the amount I can sweep off the kitchen floor in a day.l Sometimes I am baffled at the stains on their clothes. Sometimes I am repulsed by the smells they give off. This is all my children, not just my 2 year old. But she is in a very messy stage right now. These pants are from yesterday's putty adventure. We went to a family night at the school and there was a putty making station. Good idea.....in theory. But not reality. Kate was playing nicely with hers while I was making dinner and the next thing I know, well....you see the picture. Richard got it out with really hot water and dish soap, but it was not an easy task. I made all the other kids throw their putty away immediately.

This week Kate has also dumped half a box of baking soda on the floor. (That stuff is so fine, I could taste it in the air!) She also pulled off a poopy diaper (fortunately it was dry nuggets) which was flung all over the family room and exclaimed, "Look what came out of my body!" I found a few stray nuggets late that night that I had missed. I wondered why it still smelled downstairs. Today while I was teaching piano she found a permanent marker and colored all over our nice TV. I was freaking out. PERMANENT! Guess what? Windex and a paper towel and some gentle rubbing. Worked like a charm. You'll thank me someday.

That little girl is the best part of my day! My next post will be about all the reasons I love her. These are not those.

Pinewood Derby 2011

This year both Landon and Daniel participated in the Pinewood Derby. The past 2 years when Landon has done it (with a little help from Richard and me) he has pretty much come in dead last. Hey, we're not derby experts! This year Richard asked our super cool neighbor (who IS a derby expert) if he could use his "shop" to help our boys. That turned into a major project, which the boys loved, and he really helped them. Their cars were super awesome and Landon finished in 3rd place overall and Daniel in 5th. Each race (of about 5 cars) had them winning 1st or 2nd and they were so happy and proud. Our super cool neighbors son was the one that won 1st place. This guy really knows his Pinewood Derby stuff! I had no idea you could spend so much time on the cars or that it would make such a difference. Needless to say, the boys had a great experience and we were so thankful for a little (okay, a LOT) extra help!

This is the man that made it all possible- Dave!

It's hard to tell in this picture, but Landon even had tail lights that lit up!

Watching the races!

Landon's is the orange one, named Firebolt and Daniel named his Spee-ider. I guess that's from Megamind (?)

Easter Decor- Part 2

This is something I kind of forgot about. I had this old, metal lantern. I spray painted it white (which took forever because I had to tape off every. single. window. because the glass doesn't come out) and filled it with plastic eggs, threw a bow on top, and there ya go!

After I already started my project I remembered I wanted to do a bit of a "how to". So here are the things you'll need to make this Easter topiary.

A great pot (if it has a drain hole in the bottom, be sure to plug it up with putty)

A 12 inch dowel (painted green)

A 6 inch styrofoam ball

Tuelle

Round (make sure you don't get flat- they won't work) toothpicks

About 4 bags of Hersheys chocolate eggs. (This will be the most expensive part)

Plaster of Paris

Easter grass

Mix up your Plaster of Paris (we added a little extra powder to make it thick and it set up really fast!) Put your dowel in and push the ball onto it- about half way through the ball) We hot glued our ball in place. Cover ball with tuelle and tie at the bottom.
Start putting chocolates on toothpicks and cover the ball! I am sad that they now only make these eggs in 3 colors. They used to have gold and purple.
The finished product!
It is a decoration until Easter and then we snack on it afterwards! Just save the base and do it again next year. When you take the toothpicks out, you'll need to use pliers. They don't come out very easy. I love this craft, and I hope you do too! :)

Easter Decor- Part 1

Time to decorate for Easter. In keeping with my holiday sharing theme, here are some of my favorites!

I made this years ago and it is so easy. The bottom is a clay saucer and the face is a clay pot. (Super cheap at Roberts!) Just paint and add a felt nose. The ears are also felt and I did put floral wire inside the ears to make them stand or bend. Those Cadbury Eggs don't last very long...they're my favorite!

These frames were ones I had and spray painted. Scrapbook paper on the back and I found these silhouette shapes on Martha Stewart (Easter templates) and just traced them straight off the computer screen!

I didn't make these eggs, but I found them at Tai Pan a few years ago. I love them because they work with my red wall.

I didn't make this either, but so cute!

Little touches of Spring!

I will post Part 2 later this week after I finish making my other craft. It is something I do every year, but my "base" broke and I am having to re-do the whole thing. Stay tuned.....

New shirt!

I'm not trying to share a picture of my chest here, but rather the shirt. I wanted to buy a new shirt, but had no time or money, so I got creative! I made these rosettes with some muslin* I already had and simply safety pinned them to a tank top that was just hanging out in my closet. It was relatively easy and I think it turned out so cute! And since I used safety pins, not glue or sewing, I can easily reposition them or put them on another top. Fun, huh?

*Funny side story about muslin. (Hope you don't mind Heather!) My sister, Heather, went to the fabric store one day and called my Mom saying, "Mom, the lady doesn't know what I'm talking about. I'm trying to find that one fabric, you know, buddhim." My Mom laughed and laughed and said, "Heather....it's MUSLIN!" Wrong religion I guess. I love you Heath! :)

Another craft!

I shared my favorite Christmas decorations in December. Then I showed you my Valentines craft and here is yet another craft. I think I will post my favorite holiday decorations this whole year because I always love seeing other peoples ideas and copying them! Here are my St. Patrick's Day decorations. I've never had any decorations for this holiday, so it was kind of fun to make these!

First, you must be a Harry Potter fan to appreciate this, but for the "Lucky"holiday, I thought some Felix Felicis was appropriate. It is "Liquid Luck" and I found this cute little bottle at JoAnns for $1.

This is basically the same craft as I did for Valentines, just with shamrocks and fun green paper! I love the touch of the gold bow. I used white beans for my filler, but you could also use split peas! That would be cute....maybe a little overkill on the green!

I had this cute little silver frame and I spray painted it white. I actually did have a valentine thing in it last month, but this was so easy to make. I think I will keep using it for each holiday as a little accent. Plus, there is so much cute scrapbook paper, this is a fun way to use it!

We're not really Irish, but you can kiss me anyway!