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Handprint and Footprint Aprons – Homemade Gifts from Kids

February 5, 2009 By Laura 8 Comments

One of the gifts the kids did for their paternal grandparents for Christmas, was this apron set. We found the denim aprons right at our favorite place….Michael’s Arts & Crafts. Then, we just picked up acrylic paints in the colors we wanted. Their grandparents are both FANTASTIC cooks (they even make their own pastas), and take turns in the kitchen cooking, or cook together. So we thought this idea of an apron set, with the kids hands and feet prints, would be cute for them. I only took photos the night we did feet, which was first. The kids had a good time, and never stopped smiling and giggling.

First, we coated the bottom of a foot really well with paint. You need to work quickly though, because it starts drying pretty fast.

They stepped on the apron with their painted foot, putting their weight on it. Then they lifted their foot off the apron, going straight up!

Then they went hopping off to the tub, to wash their foot.

Our kids are color coded (from the triplets birth), so their grandparents would know anyway, whose prints were whose.

They all giggled from the tickles, while their feet were having paint put on – you might notice the firm grip on this ankle, because for some…

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…it was practically torture!!!

But didn’t they come out so cute??

I wanted to keep them for myself. lol

But, I knew the kids would be HAPPY to do it again sometime.

Now, on to a related topic: I’m not sure if anyone happened to notice the yellow on our boy’s cheek in this photo we showed above? :

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That’s from a couple of days before. I was out on a job, and when I came home and walked in, they all came running in to meet me with excitement. That’s not unusual. But they wanted to show me what their big sister spent quite awhile doing for them….

She did face painting for them. I was impressed with her work!! {S and O} got something on each side of their face. {S}, above, got that puppy on one side….

…and a bumble bee on the other.

{O} chose a unicorn, and…..

…a flower.

{J} just wanted a dolphin.

And then {A} did her own arm!

She always has such creative ideas to spend time with them, and they LOVE it!

They are blessed to have her as their big sister.

Well, that’s it for this edition! Dang….that took me a long time to get together! lol. We sure hope you enjoyed it, and perhaps it sparked some inspiration for you, or an idea of your own!

See you soon!!

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Groundhog Day; Shadow Games in the Street, and a Treat! – Homeschooling

February 2, 2009 By Laura 6 Comments

Happy Groundhog Day!

First of all, we have been meaning to express our appreciation for the commenting that’s been happening here at our blog, FINALLY!! Who knew a little whining could go such a long way?? I mean, it doesn’t work for our kids, so we’ve been a little surprised. lol. All we know is that we are having a lot more fun, sharing bits and pieces of our crazy fun life on our blog here, and getting to chat a little bit with all of you who come to ‘visit’ us. You all have had so much to share with us, with your own creative ideas, witty humor and kind, encouraging words. We love it!! So a heartfelt thanks to you all!

Today we thought we would actually share our day, on the same day it all happened. That usually doesn’t happen, because I have too many photos to go through and edit, which takes time, and just blogging it takes another chunk of time. But it’s nothing a little work-hooky can’t fix. lol. I was at my computer by late afternoon, as I needed to be. But just not doing what I was supposed to be doing. But it’s been a fun day we were looking forward to blogging about.

The kids got all of their ‘book and written’ school work done lickity-split today, knowing we had Groundhog Fun on the agenda! First, we got to searching on the computer, if Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania there, saw his shadow or not. As you all know by now, NATURALLY he DID. It’s hard to remember a year when he didn’t, but it seems it has happened twice in the lifetime of our oldest child’s life, in 1999, and 2007. (Does anyone remember if we actually DID get an early spring??) But it’s been a great winter, so Phil’s shadow wasn’t going to ruin OUR day! Besides, we have our wood stove! lol. So we then read a little of the history of Groundhog Day, which like every holiday, has much more to it than people in general realize (or care to know, in some cases, I suppose. lol) But we can tell you that the groundhog tradition stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day, and the days of early Christians in Europe. For centuries the custom was to have the clergy bless candles and distribute them to the people. Even then, it marked a milestone in the winter and the weather that day was important.

As the old English song goes:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.

Today, February 2nd, also marks the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord.

Next the kids colored Groundhog coloring pages, while we got some groundhog puppets started to use outdoors.

And then we got outdoors. It was SUCH a beautifully warm and sunny day for our antics in the street, that it was easy to accept the whole ‘6 more weeks of winter’ thing.

We know how easily we can fool you….So we will fess up; Those aren’t real groundhog quadruplets. lol

Then the kids (and Kid-Daddy) paired up, and made shadow poses in the street. One created a shadow pose on the street, and their partner had to copy it as exactly as they could.

Then they chased each other’s shadows, and tried to step on someone else’s….

…and would you believe, NO ONE wiped out on the sand?

Our Little Shadow Fools, and their groundhog shadow puppets.

We soon came in, made and ate lunch, and read this poem.

And THEN made and ate…..

….Groundhog Pie!!!

(Made with chocolate pudding in a graham cracker crust shell, pushed up to a little mound, with crumbled Chips Ahoy on top for ‘dirt’, surrounded by some Reddi Whip for snow (melting near our wood stove…lol) and of course…..the Groundhog himself, drawn and colored by Daddy, and taped to a popsicle stick!)

We hope you had some time to act like fools yourselves today!! It’s such a silly day, we might as well!

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Squirrel Invasion

January 29, 2009 By Laura 6 Comments

The squirrels love to hang out at our house. We’ve got many bird feeders, and the squirrels are happy to feast on what falls to the ground. Sometimes there are twice as many squirrels as this, out there. This whole area you see is going to be a beautiful bird sanctuary, when we get that far with our plans at the homestead here. We get LOTS of birds every day, and all kinds too. We love to watch the birds the most. If they only knew what a paradise we have planned for them. No doubt, the squirrels will stay too.

The kids know some of these squirrels from the others. A few even have names. We have outsmarted all but one, from getting up into our bird feeders. We don’t mind them around, but THAT is unacceptable behavior. And they know it. Only one manages to get up into one of the bird feeders, now and then. But he doesn’t enjoy his victory for long, as one of the kids always spots him, and someone is out there reprimanding.

We do love to watch their antics. They can be pretty funny sometimes.

That’s all for now. The next Christmas Craft is coming up! I’ve just been busy today with a little work. Even had a little quiet time to work today, after school and lunch, while the kids were at the youth center with Daddy ‘shootin’ hoops’. I accomplished quite a bit! But now it’s time for a good night’s sleep!

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More Time at the Horse Stables

January 24, 2009 By Laura 6 Comments

{A} has loved every minute at the stables with the horses, and learning every bit she can take in. The trainer said “She’s a natural.”

I am looking forward to her horse riding outside, come springtime, when she continues some lessons. When there will LIGHT and COLOR. And WARMTH. That will make for prettier photos, I think. These lessons have been nothing less than frigid. Even in the arena….just bitter cold. We leave with numb fingers and toes. And there’s always a smile frozen on {A}’s face, too.

She has to clean her horse’s shoes every time, before she rides him, as well as brush him. It can be a real task cleaning his shoes well, but thankfully he’s a co-operative horse. So that makes it easier than it could be.

He’s all ready to dress and ride. Handsome boy, isn’t he?

{A} has learned to ‘post’. Which is that bouncing you see English riders do, when the horse goes into a bit of a gallop. Once she learned how to stay in the saddle while ‘posting’, she was all set.

She’s been wearing her Daddy’s gloves to try and keep her hands warmer. Come to think of it, that’s my jacket she has on.

Yes, spring photos will be so much better.

These stables have little birds flying around all over the place inside. I forget what kind of birds they are. {A} would know, but she’s asleep at the moment. What a nice shelter for them though.

They also have a couple of rabbits. I approached their cage slowly, but I could tell my camera made this little guy nervous. He probably wet the hay a little, when my shutter went off. So I just took one shot. I heard rabbits can have heart attacks rather easily, and I sure didn’t want to be responsible for that!

Hey-Guess what??

On Monday I am going to start posting, intermittently over the following days/weeks, our Christmas Crafts reveals. Anybody been waiting for that? I posted the kids busy crafting gifts, right along through the pre-Christmas season. But now will come photos of the finished products, materials, tools and techniques used to make them, and where to get everything you need! We’ve been waiting to post it all, so we’re excited. Lots of COLORFUL PHOTOS and FUN!! So all you who may want to do some lovely crafty-gifts this year, for Christmas or anytime, get out your notepads! We’ve got at least a few ideas coming your way that we think you’ll enjoy. We sure enjoyed making them, and giving them to the people we love.

Until then!!

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Our Cozy Long Weekend

January 21, 2009 By Laura 10 Comments

We’d like to gush just a BIT more, about how much we are enjoying this wood stove. Honestly, I may never get over the sheer joy, of having it. We have gained a room to use in the winter! It’s open to our living area anyway, which is open to the kitchen, which is open the school/eating room… so it’s a perfect extension to the main space of our home. So cozy, and so beautiful too look out our windows, that surround us. We all just spend a lot of time in there — schooling, playing games, reading, chatting-all by the fireside. It’s been lovely!

This past weekend, we had a major shift of plans. We were supposed to have ONE more Christmas celebration on Sunday, gathering with my side of the family-all of whom live long distance. We were all so looking forward to it! But….the snowfall predictions put an end to everyone’s travel plans.

So instead, we had a relaxing weekend alone, together. There was plenty of good food to eat though, as we had just shopped for our big gathering!! So the eatin’ was good for days!! Still is, actually! lol

See that pan on the stove top? That is a delicious hot drink we have simmering. Want to peek inside??

It’s a hot cider drink, and we had no idea how delicious it would be. I got the recipe from another blog, but I’ll be darned if I remember where!! I must say though……I wasn’t sure I was going to love it. Or even like it. But just the thought of the citrus aroma it would likely fill our home with, was enough to encourage me to make it anyway. SOMEONE would probably like it.

We were all set to give it a sip or 2, when it was ready. But it had to simmer for awhile first.

Meanwhile, we had a few things we could get done. Like…..undecorate our very Christmas-sy home, perhaps?! Yes, our tree has been up all of this time! Along with all of our other decorations (of which many of you have all probably seen, with all of the photos I took and posted. BOY that was FUN!!) And we really enjoyed them. But…we were ready for them to get packed up again for awhile! I must say…..our home looked a little….naked….for a day or so after wards. But it seems normal again now.

By the time that packing up was done, our cider was ready!! It sure smelled good. But still….I was leery. Mine was a very cautious first sip. One of the ingredients is orange juice….and the thought of warm orange juice was making me cringe a little bit. But as it turned out…..we all LOVED IT. Everyone had TWO cupfuls, and they all want to make it again very, very soon.

We brought the woodpile in, to keep it dry. Which I didn’t mind much, because I love woodpiles. Remember? We were wondering if any bugs would thaw out in there, and come come scurrying out! But none ever did, thankfully. Nonetheless, we’ll be thinking on better wood-storing ideas, when the time comes to stock up on a huge amount of wood.

The snow was really coming down some parts of the day, and it was nice to have no place to go, and just watch it….

and sip some more.

I’ve got to tell you a little bit about this pot on our stove too………

….. Since we talked a little about treasured family pieces, this is one of our own. It was in this home when we bought it. As I mentioned earlier, we had an inset wood/coal stove in a brick wall we knocked out when we added this sunroom, (and a school room/ eating area…..and a whole second story….). It was a black iron stove, inset into a brick fireplace, with a stone hearth. I did love the look of the whole stove/fireplace, with our crooked brick mantel, but we only used the stove itself a handful of times. Reason being, there were issues with the chimney, which really needed work, if not rebuilding! We felt it posed a possible fire hazard in the chimney. It let awful smoke in the house too. What’s more, it would have been very difficult to keep little ones away from it through those years, being dangerously hot to the touch. They are older now, and know better, of course. Anyway, we never invested in getting the chimney fixed, because we were holding onto our hopes and dreams of remodeling our home anyway, which we really needed for a family of 6. We were finally able to do that, and it has been our little dream come true….even though we still haven’t finished it. (But the journey has been gratifying!) So, the day that excavator ripped that old chimney, entire wall and stove off of our house….we saved this pot of course, before it was buried in the rubble. (My 3 kids, who were 4 at the time, napped right through that event, and woke up to a HUGE gaping whole, where the wall and stove/fireplace used to be, and into their suddenly very messy yard!) I love that the pot is L.L. Bean. That company has great stuff, but we never purchase anything from them because they are beyond our budget! But…we do have this pot!! I should add…..we only keep it filled with water, and it puts some moisture into the air.

My. That was a long paragraph.

SO! Here’s a really easy COMMENT assignment for you:

Say ” I “, if you’d like me to post this DELICIOUS CIDER RECIPE for you. It smells and tastes wonderful!! And you don’t even need a wood stove to make it…..any stove at all will do. It’s a perfect winter treat!

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Happy Groundhog Day!

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