While still dawdling in the bug's life unit, we crafted some binoculars in search of the winged varieties. We used two toilet paper rolls, some printed paper, stickers to decorate, glue stick, paper clips to hold the rolls together, a hole puncher, and some ribbon.
She refused to call them anything but "bugnoculars", so we had to revisit this little Sesame Street clip (who doesn't love Julie Bowen??):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvT4Hgsg2K8]
It's all about the simple moments in life...
We spent an hour at an empty public school yard last week just messing around. My husband and I love playing roller hockey one-on-one, but this was the first time we brought Freida along for the ride. Some snacks kept her busy in her stroller while we got competitive, and after that we let her play around a bit as well. Was one of the yummiest, most special afternoons I had had in a while...
As I said... the little things. :)
Loving the long-awaited heat blast out here! We spent all morning yesterday at Mother's Beach, and I relished in finally having a child big enough to play on her own. I lay in the sunshine on a beach towel up on the dry sand while Freida frolicked at the sea shore, attempted a sand castle construction, dug giant holes, and ran to and from the waters edge filling and lugging back buckets of salty sea water for 2 whole hours. Bliss!
Here are some things I've been meaning to share:
- Remember the tree bookshelf? It's finally here!
- This "TweetSeat" made me smile.
- This even-more-exciting TV news makes me want to dance!
- My latest article over at the Algemeiner.
- Those Appaman suits + vans sneakers!
- I'm thinking about this breakfast for Sunday night dinner... mmm!
Wishing you all a fabulous sunshine-soaked weekend!
I printed some of the pictures from our little model-Seder last week, and used them to make a mini Haggadah-style picture book to help keep Freida involved during the Seder. While assembling the photos, I realized that I could use a harder lamination and that the book would likely end up being a long-lasting member of her little library - something she could reference and look through all year long, and, hopefully, as a keepsake for years to come...
I found the cutest (actually, the only cute) Seder-Plate illustration on Kveller from Design Pocket. I let Freida color it up and used it as the first page in the Haggadah, but it would make for a great coloring page for the kids to do the day before the Seder. You can download and print it here.
A few months ago, I helped my brother out with a linguistic job he was doing for Matisyahu (mazel tov on the newest little man!!). The religious reggae/rapper wanted a Sefirah chart made hip by using more modern, theme-related one-word ways to describe the 10 Kabbalistically-famous attributes (e.g. for "Kesser" we went with "Bejeweled"). Inspired by that minimalistic logic, I came up with 13 easy-to-read, easy-to-recognize words to navigate the many often-over-complicated steps of the Seder: Drink, wash, dip, break, ask, wash, bite, cry, remember, eat, search, thank, and sing.
Some colorful card-stock paper + card-stock frames, a little lamination job, and 2 metal rings later, the whole thing came out super-cute, and Freida is supremely proud and excited for Monday night!!
Chag Sameach dear Mamas!!
Walk into any kosher restaurant the week before Pesach and find them brimming with tables of families trying to keep it simple by eating out in an attempt to avoid the last-minute kitchen transformation. While it may save our pre-holiday sanity, taking kids out to dine is not always the easiest of family pursuits - especially when the chosen joint is bustling with heaps of rowdy other children. Keeping the kids happy, settled, fed, and in their seats is likely quite the challenge. Here's a few things to up the fun factor on a public family outing when the menu reads BYOE.
1. Jaq Jaq Bird Chalkboard Placemat
Table tic-tac-toe gets an upgrade from pen and napkin.
2. Hint Mints
After dinner mints that slip into everything - from the slimmest of evening clutches to the most overstuffed of diaper bags.
The little rubber rugrats fit over all sorts of chopsticks to tame stubby digits and keep them going for more Lo Mein.
Reach into your jean pocket and unfold a wreath of Asian artistry - just waiting for shades of teenybopper color!
When BYOB crosses BYOE.
6. Hello Hanna Get-Set Placemat Sets
With stickers to customize and icons to recognize, these placemats just might teach them a thing or two about dining etiquette... for robots!
7. Strawz
Let them get a little beverage-crazy with these DIY crazy straws.
8. Think-ets
A tiny little trinket tin filled with directions for unlimited game-playing on the go.
Give peas and spaghetti some serious personality - food never got this much face-time!
