I pinned it, I made it.

7.09.2011

I've been doing a lot of pinning lately. It is a great place to find inspiration. One day I came across a pin this pin



so I decided I needed to do something with all my pinspiration. We have done a few projects but this one is my favorite.




It is the Deluxe Kid Wash from Family Fun Magazine and was very easy to make. Shopping for all the pvc parts took the most time. I cut all the pieces using a jigsaw but a scroll saw would work great. If you had more time and nice workbench with a clamp the kids could eaisly cut some of the pieces with a hacksaw. The girls used a Friskars hand drill to drill all the holes and they had no trouble.









Not a bad way to spend the afternoon.

Being a mom means always having a plan B.

1.31.2008

I was out playing in the snow with the girls on Sunday, Maddie wanted to make a snowman but the snow was not cooperating and no amount of rolling was producing a ball. We went with plan B....building a nice rectangular snow person using the snow fort builder.
Add some hardware and odds and ends from the garage and a snowman becomes a snowbot.



There must have been something to the squareness of the snowbot, as soon as I snapped a few pictures the girls knocked him right down. We also had a great time making snowballs with this handy gadget. Such fun.



Monday I planned a little outing for some sledding and a winter picnic before the snow all melted. After packing the basket with cocoa, apples and crackers we started to get all bundled up. When I looked out the window it was raining. I can handle the cold, the snow and the cold snow but I really wasn't up for a cold wet picnic. Time for a little plan B.

We laid out the blanket in front of the (fake) fireplace. Warmed our toes, enjoyed some snacks and got in a good game of Uno. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon.





Hope all your plan B's come out as well.

Feeding the birds.

1.21.2008

I tossed all my gourds and squash into a bag while taking down my fall decorating. I was saving them for a little bird feeder project. Well, November became December and December January and still those gourds sat. I realized I better make use of them before the hubby discovered my stash (my "garbage" hording is one of his main irritants with me). Last week the forcast started calling for Arctic Like Temperatures so if those gourds were gonna get used it had to be on the last warm day (30 degrees). Not sure where I saw this little project but I know it was out there in blogland. It felt so good to be outside messing around, I forget how much I need a little fresh air.


Scoop out the seeds


Fill with peanut butter mixed with cornmeal and then top with bird seed. Stick skewers across and add wire to hang. (making a huge mess that doesn't get swept up until the next day is the best part)


Hang outside for the birds.


You can skip all the skewer and wire part and just set out on the deck.





Make a few winter mudpies and have a good swing while you wait for your feathered friends to come visit.

Advent Blog: Enjoying the Season

12.06.2007

Our Advent Garland Wednesday was "go to the play museum". I added "or go sledding if it snows." Gotta love the pre-readers.

I find that I still get all giddy for a good snowfall. I rushed in the house tuesday night and tried to wake both of the girls. I was really going to take them sledding at 9:00 at night but they wouldn't budge. We got our fill of snowy fun on Wednesday. The girls are finally old enough to spend extended amounts of time in the snow. We trekked and sledded, tried to build a snow person and ate lots of snow. It was crisp and bright with rosy faced children and cold noses and it was perfect. I'm definitly dreaming of a white Christmas.

One swings and one climbs

10.16.2007

We went to one of our favorite fall festivals on Sunday. They had a set-up for climbing 30 feet or so up in a tree using ropes and a foot ascender. We waited in a fairly long line and watched many kids shimmy up the ropes and some struggle up the ropes.
Maddie took the first turn and was too small to climb but got high enough to take a brave swing over mommies head.



Annie ended up on the tallest rope and was determined to climb to the top. I had my doubts and the man belaying wasn't sure she could even get going. But get going she did. I watched as she climbed



and climbed

and climbed



and climbed



all the way to the top, all the while smiling away. In the end I didn't think we were going to get her down. Who could argue with her after such and accomplishment and such a wonderful of view from the tree.