A List Maker's Life

Summer Fun List '12

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 02:27:00 +0000

The act of hanging the summer fun list holds just as much anticipation as our stockings in December. The kids and I get giddy dreaming of all the excitement June, July, and August bring. Opportunities to call the friends we haven't played with in months, to say "Yes" without checking the clock first, and to try the kids crafts piling up on my Pinterest boards - bring it on!

We've been gathering ideas since we took down our empty Summer '11 list, so our lines are especially loaded this year.

I even made the hanging tents half the size of last years' and they still look crowded. Can't wait to start * ~~wasting~~ playing, crafting, experimenting, visiting, enjoying our time, and exploring!

*The quote on our June calendar is appropriate...

"The time you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted time. ~Bertrand Russell

Grab a Brush

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:49:00 +0000

Holiday weekends are known for catching up on projects...right?!

This project has been patiently waiting for our attention since February. Dear friends of ours gifted Anne Hope with a lovely piece of antique furniture for her birthday with the understanding we would freshen it up to make it very special for our girl.

Right away we started our search for the perfect hardware and waited for warmer days to set up our sand and paint shop in the garage. Our spring garage sale got in the way of our workshop, but we were finally able to get at it this past weekend. Originally we planned on keeping it white.

However, after being inspired by someone else's bold use of color Anne Hope and I hit up the paint sample aisle with her bedroom curtains in hand.

Once home we sanded until our arms felt like they were power sanding even after it was turned off. Then we painted until ~~all of our limbs were covered~~ the entire piece was covered.

We added the special hardware we've been holding on to. There is also a beautiful mirror we will attach when she has a room without slanted ceilings.

The finished product is happily situated in the rightful place - Anne's bedroom.

She is tickled...pink!

On a Whim

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 31 May 2012 01:19:00 +0000

I've painted favorite phrases on cast off pieces of wood before.

Hanging above our kids' room

BLESSINGS

Above the door we most often walk out

SHARE HOPE

After reading a friend's How To post on painting a piece of discarded barn wood, I decided to "make lemonade" from one of the many the broken slabs of our neighbors' neglected fence that keep dropping in our driveway.

{add a splash of WHIMSY}

This cheerful reminder of Love Does, where Whimsy is the hallmark of a life lived with extraordinary, fanciful, playful love, is currently propped on our freshly painted bathroom wall.

Signs of a Happy Holiday

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 28 May 2012 03:13:00 +0000

#97 pinwheels dancing in the wind

#99 beach volleyball

#100 throwing one more burger on the grill

#104 generations around the table

#105 a spot in the sun

#106 bubbles

#117 remembering the reason

#107 homemade tire swings

#108 the first catch of the season

#109 the first catch ever!

#110 bright orange life vests

#111 steps in the sand

#112 chocolate mint marshmallows by the bonfire

#113 taking time

#114 saying "yes"

#115 slowing down

Welcome Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 26 May 2012 03:25:00 +0000

Today is the first day, in a LONG time, I have felt like myself.

Grades were due today for the ridiculous class I have been wrapped up in since January. The work on my end was as finished as it could be. All responsibility transferred to the professor doing the grading. Not only was it a huge relief, the promise of reclaiming the short hours during the kids' rest time was energizing. No longer consumed with the assignments I should be working on list.

The sun was shining. The breeze coming in every window. Time to indulge in the want to dos. The only reason I had to open my computer was to cue up my playlist.

As a warm up I sorted through many favorite pictures of Gavin to put together his birthday month display. This is something I truly enjoyed doing, especially after witnessing his appreciation during the after school reveal.

With her homework and quiet time behind her, Anne Hope joined me for some crafting in the sunshine. We decided to turn our dinner date with friends into a summer picnic experience. We started folding and foofing (totally not a real word, I know) flowers to hang on the pergola.

Following a tutorial we cut and glued rows of mini pinwheels - assembly line style - to create a summer garland.

With the decor ready to roll we set up tables and started in on the food preparation for our picnic party. {Menu: Pulled Pork BBQ, Broccoli Salad, Watermelon, Chips & Dip, Sparkling Water}

The rain clouds held off. There was visiting. There was laughing. There was ice cream with loads of sprinkles, eaten by the most lovely princesses.

It was a magical day. And you know...when momma lets go for some fun everyone else does too!

Awestruck Wonder

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:55:00 +0000

When I in awestruck wonder
consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the roaring thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Quite certain I was sparing us both from the disappointment of unrealistic expectations, when Gabe was born I decided his baby book just didn't need the typical page listing developmental milestones. The one with the small blank for proud mamas to fill in the month and year next to each. I may have secretly been protecting myself from the heart ache of lines left blank or comparing Gabe to his siblings.

Gavin: Sitting Independently, 5 months
Gabe: Sitting Independently, 2 years
Would either line be any less of a miracle? Of course not.

the roaring waves
the roaring thunder
first cry
success on the second try

Why do I find myself defining miracles as extreme accomplishments and events unusual?

After all, I don't see why I am always asking for private, individual, selfish miracles when every year there are miracles like white dogwood. ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Miracle (n):

an unexplained effect in the physical world
divine intervention in human affairs
a wonder; marvel

the sunrise
the flowers bloom
surprise
Gavin's first steps, 16 months
the rooster crows
their hair grows
Anne Hope's first steps, 12 months
tiny cocoon
full moon
Gibson's first steps, 14 months
a foot wiggle
a belly giggle
I pull the fourth baby book off the shelf
picture in hand
I tape it to the back cover and add a caption
Power throughout the universe
Gabe's first steps, 19 months

Then sings my soul

A Fairy Important Correspondence

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 07 May 2012 02:04:00 +0000

Dear Tooth Fairy,

Hello, it's Gavin. You probley remember me. The last note I wrote was when my first tooth fell out. I lost my tooth again! I think it went down the drane. Please write back.

Senserly, Gavin

Now, while I am off to search for a shiny dollar coin to put under his pillow, here's a little back story quiz for you.

Do you remember where the last lost tooth ended up?

Have you ever heard of Earthpaste?

It really does work, but I admit the color is a bit disconcerting.

Any guesses on how long we were without a bathroom sink in our house?

Well, if you have visited anytime since Gabe's 1st birthday you know we've been using the kitchen sink for everything. Which means today is a happy day here even if Gav's tooth did go down the drain during the very first bathroom brushing session in 8.5 months.

A Little Like Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:47:00 +0000

Imagine with me...

Kevin and I have just returned from a relaxing trip to Central Florida where by day we enjoyed quiet conversation, clear blue skies, sitting pool side, and reading through a great collection of books loaded on our Kindles. The evenings spent strolling the Disney boardwalk, me in a simple sundress, on our way to a delicious dinner for two.

Ahhhh...Delightful.

The reality is we spent the week in our tulip lined town where the temperatures are finally creeping back up to those typical of spring in Michigan. The lively conversations reviewing the events of our days spent running in separate directions must be heard above requests for home snacks, homework help, and argument mediation. The great books are loaded and waiting bedside for another day. The Pinterest inspired dinner for six was edible. Yet, the resort wear worthy sundress still called from my closet, so I slipped it on for a walk around our yard. A satisfying glimpse of the vacations, simplicity, comfort, lazier days, dinner dates, and board walk strolls to come.

Oh Yeah.

Bring it on summer.

I chose this Beachcomber Dress in Fiji from the new line of summer clothes from Fresh Produce in hopes of taking it to the beach. However, I have already been enjoying it for many other occasions. Last minute on Easter I ditched my other outfit ideas and enjoyed wearing this dress with a pink sweater on top. It's great to have something fresh and comfortable in my closet. When ordering I hesitantly used the sizing chart on the Fresh Produce site. When the dress arrived I was especially happy with how right on the sizing was. The top fit, without being gappy (I don't know if that is really a word) in the chest or under the arms. The weight of the rayon/lycra blend is the perfect balance of comfort for warm weather, but not clingy and see though. It is also easy to pack or fold without worrying about wrinkles.

Since I was playing vacation while everyone else in my house was busy working, schooling, or napping I didn't get any full body pictures of the dress. Here is the image (in another color option) from the Fresh Produce site. You can't see it here either, but there is a V neck in the front and back. I like it.

Fresh produce carries a colorful and comfortable selection of cute simple dresses, resort wear for women, and even party dresses. Fresh Produce makes sizing, ordering, and shipping (to over 200 countries) a breeze. If you are looking for a wardrobe spruce up at this changing of seasons Fresh Produce offers options for many style types, ages, and occasions.

Make life feel a little more like vacation everyday!

Disclosure: Fresh Produce invited me to choose any item from their online store in exchange for sharing about their clothing line here on ALML. All opinions are my own.

Love Does

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:16:00 +0000

Love Wins by Bell
Crazy Love by Chan

These two books have spent months on my bedside table. The promise that they are full of outside the box thinking and great group study discussion points is intriguing. Of course, I want to learn more about crazy, winning True love. Who doesn't? I've dipped into each of them, skimmed chapters, thought through some portions with highlighter in hand and grappled with how to love BIG.

Then I was sent a copy of Love Does by Bob Goff. I could not put it down.

As I read, I dreamed...
...of sharing whimsy
...of showing love
...of ways to thank the people I see as living secretly incredible lives
...of taking the ideas and facts I've read in those other love{ly} books and DOing something about it.

Now, "that'swhatIstalkingabout!" (an AnneHopeism for you all)

Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World is a compilation of stories from someone who understands love does not just nod its' head and agree when something needs to be done to transform our ordinary world, instead love takes action. Through his meaningful, whimsical, and sometimes humorous recollections Bob teaches us when Love Does, life gets interesting.

You know the saying, "When one door closes..." Bob would finish the saying with, "Kick it down!" He applied this to his personal life by sitting on a bench outside the dean's office for seven days until they finally agreed to let him enroll in law school. Now, his office is a picnic table on Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland and some of his favorite clients are children in Uganda's youth prisons. Intrigued?

Two of my favorite lessons from ~~the book~~ the introduction include:
~You don't need a plan, you just need to be present! (Can I get an AMEN?)
~We need a change of attitude, not more opportunities. (So much for "Well, we would do all of these things if only we had...")

This book is incredible! Despite being very profound, it is unique and engaging to read. I would confidently say it is the best book I've read. Ever. I really hope you get a chance to read it. Although, if we ever bump into each other on the side lines of a Little League game, in the waiting room at the pediatricians' office, or watching the Dutch dancers downtown (these are the places I am spending most of my time these days;) you can be sure I will work at least one of Bob Goff's stories into our conversation!

"That's the way love rolls, it multiples!"

Disclosure: Thank you so much to Thomas Nelson Publishers, Book Sneeze, for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. They sent me a free copy in exchange for my honest review. I will also note this is the best book I've ever read with the exception of the Bible, which I thought would be understood without being stated specifically above. Finally, I promise my blog isn't A List Maker's Life turned Book Review's Life. When I finish up with some of my blogging commitments I look forward to sharing more about my list-y life and loves!

Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:08:00 +0000

Drunk Driving,

Grief,

Depression,

Forgiveness,

and Restoration...

These are all key themes in Karen Kingsbury's Forever Faithful Series (Book 1), Waiting for Morning.
The book's main character, Hannah Ryan, is the mother of two girls and wife to a doting husband. Her life seems perfect until the night her family is struck by a drunken driver. With the death of her husband and oldest daughter, Hannah is torn by rage. Her faith is tested to the limits. She must learn to forgive and to discover God's mercies, which are new every morning.

Waiting for Morning is an incredibly emotional text! Once the tragedy hits (very early on in the story) you will not want to put the book down until you know there is some sort of healing for Hannah Ryan – which makes this a quick read.

While this story is fiction the circumstances and emotions are very true to life. Kingsbury is known for making her characters seem like your next door neighbor, your sister, or your best friend. It is likely that as you read about Hannah Ryan you will hurt for her as if you really know her. It is just as likely that you know someone who has lived a similar tragedy.

Each chapter of the book is prefaced by a verse from the Book of Lametations. The verses mirror Hannah's journey to healing and set the tone for each new chapter. I enjoyed this detail.

I appreciate that Kingsbury does not shy away from writing about sadness, anger, hurt, and tradegy in the Christian life. This book is not exception. We know that being a Christ follower does not give us a free ticket to avoid all pain. Sometimes I find it obnoxious when Christian authors spin things to be overly perfect and warm fuzzy. I also recognize that while Kingsbury brings restoration to the events she writes about in her books, the outcomes aren't always as predictable as the reader may assume.

I would recommend Waiting for Morning. The story is another great reminder for all of us to Make the Most of Every Moment.

Both the paperback version and the digital copy of this book were sent to me at no cost, in exchange for an honest review, by the Blogging for Books program from Waterbrook MultnomanPublishing Group. For more info about this book, or to learn about Karen Kingsbury and her other titles, check out her Author Bio page.

Dear Mothers,

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 03:01:00 +0000

In the fall of 2008 I had just delivered our third child, my sweet Gibson. When I read this post about a father seeking to encourage his wife, the mother of three little ones as well, I was moved to participate. I wrote that mama, a sister-friend I have never met, a heart felt letter from my trench to hers. After sending off my words of encouragement I thought little about that letter again. Although, I did look forward to one day reading the hundreds of other letters that were sent her way.

This winter I was contacted with a request to share my letter in a published collection, Mother Letters. So much has changed since that original letter was written. There have been many tears and so many messes, but also been great victories.

This artful collection of words and photos includes encouragement from some of my favorite writers: Ann Voskamp, Stephanie Precourt, Arianne, and Robin. It is also filled with wonder, laughter, camaraderie, life, love, heart break and joy. To order your copy of the Mother Letters e-book find more information here!

{from the collection of free art}

Be reminded that none of us are alone in our adventures in Motherhood.

It is a gift to be one small piece of this beautiful woven cloth.

Alive, Allelujah

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:06:00 +0000

{light and love}

{hard boiled and hidden}

{delicious and delightful}

{bright and blessed}

{glorious and green}

{purple and pastel}

{hippity and hoppity}

Linked up to You Capture: Easter

Peep Pops

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:20:00 +0000

As if Peeps are not sugary enough, we decided to roll them in some more sugar and turn them into ridiculously sweet treats.

We melted down a bag of white chocolate chips with a dash of olive oil to make the mixture smooth.

{didn't you know that bunnies hatch out of eggs too?}

After we added the sticks the Peep Pop shells needed to harden up before being arranged in their grass basket.

There you have it...
an Easter treat that will fit right in at the kids' table.

While I think they turned out cute, even my sweet tooth shivers when I look at these!

Disclaimer: Believe it or not, the kids and I invented this idea on our own, but now I am going to head over to search Pinterest and likely find that we aren't the first to dip our Peeps in piles of sugar.

Grace in the Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:33:00 +0000

The word grace trips me up.

Picturing a lovely dancer light on her feet

A butterfly against the blue skies

Effortless, perfectly timed motion

So lovely. So good.

So graceful.

It's difficult to fit those images into my picture

So clumsy. So ugly. So unfit.

Yes, tripped up.

Yet,

Grace

is sufficient

a gift given to refine even my most un-charming moments

power made perfect in my weakness

To brings beauty, even where there is very little elegance.

To grow something new right there in the dirtiest, most rock hard place.

In the garden. On the cross. From the tomb.

So Grace full.

In celebration of Holy Week the kids and I assembled our own visual reminder of His grace with this Grace Garden. For more information about this hands on Easter activity read here.

1st Day of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:14:00 +0000

I take back all those mean and nasty things I have said in the past about March.
Dreary, cold, and never ending.

This month's weather has gone a long way toward improving its' reputation for teaching long suffering
The screens are washed and in the windows
The spring clean up has begun on the yard and under our beds
We're working on our dust bunnies
Watch out cobwebs

The summer clothes have been swapped in to the kids' closets
They are actually wearing them
Tank tops. Shorts. Sunglasses.
They read on beach blankets under giant umbrellas
on grass eager to shed the top layer of dead thatch

The tulips?
Found blooming in full color in the beds of our not so sleepy downtown.
Yikes!

The kids rolled in the sand,
built castles and
chased the waves today

Washing away the blah! of winter in the chilly waters of Lake Michigan

Record breaking here,
and oh. so. wonderful.

The Voice

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 01:44:00 +0000

The Voice New Testament: Revised and Updated is a modern translation of the Bible that reads like a story or screenplay. It is presented as a collage of narratives, poetry, songs, wisdom, and Truth. The Voice is an engaging translation of the God inspired text that whispers His love and gives us hope.

This is the story of God's relentless pursuit of us, and in the story we will begin to hear His footsteps following unfailingly behind us.

In December I joined the world of e-readers with a Kindle. To begin building my bookshelf I looked to Thomas Nelson's collection for e-books to review. I was excited to download and engage in reading The Voice. Realizing that it is now mid March I see that reviewing the whole New Testament is no quick task. Truthfully, I did not read through it from front to back. I did commit to using it for all of my New Testament reading for three months. In addition, since one of my favorite book is Philippians, I spent extra time studying carefully through each verse there.

Here is a clip from Philippians 4: 5-6

Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. the Lord is every present with us. Don't be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come.

The simple to follow language makes this an effective translation to offer those who are new to reading scripture or to those who enjoy studying passages written in many different expressions. This translation maintains the integrity of the Bible, as the inspired Word, in a unique voice. Commentary and historical notes are included throughout the text to enhance devotional study.

For the reasons mentioned above, and more, The Voice would be a nice addition to a group study, especially if the group is reading passages aloud. I especially appreciated the introduction which carefully explained the reason for publishing this translation and the hope for reaching a new audience.

I would love to see The Voice include Psalms and Proverbs in future printings since there were many times I wished I could reference them. We use these books quite often in teaching and redirecting the kids. I was also a bit distracted by the embedded commentary as I felt compelled to read everything on the page. In some instances I focused too much on the extra information instead of the verse during my personal reflection time.

Overall, I enjoyed the flow of the text and found The Voice to be another welcome resource in stepping further into the story of Scripture.

Disclosure: Thomas Nelson Publishing provided me with a free download of the digital copy of The Voice in exchange for my honest review.

With Open Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:28:00 +0000

The quiet of prayer and the idle hands quickly lead me to distraction. My prayer journal becomes another to do list. Fully aware of the power of prayer, I am determined to learn the art of conversation with our Father. Just as determined to teach our own children to express themselves not just on their knees at the bedside, but throughout the circumstances of everyday.

As Neil Anderson explains in his philosophy of the three levels of prayer,

We have discovered a new dimension when we are comfortable in His presence and don't feel obligated to talk. It's much like a marriage relationship. A mature couple can ride together in the car for hours, enjoying each other's company, without having to say a word. I can just be with God and I'm learning to listen.

We are practicing visual prayer.

With quiet background music and a table full of creative supplies.

{with open hearts}

{with thankfulness}

{with listening ears}

{with reminders of newly memorized passages of scripture}

It is the beginning of a beautiful conversation.

Quiet Boxes cont.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 01:07:00 +0000

In the last several weeks of quiet boxes Anne Hope has enjoyed several prepackaged craft kits. Most of them we haven't taken pictures of because they aren't original ideas. However, we have a few other fun boxes to share.

{spirograph stencils}

{patterning cards, construction paper, scissors, paper clips}

We followed up this quiet box with some patterning play on Illuminations Shape Tool.

{plastic circus character manipulatives, early readers}

{wooden ornament coloring kit}

We pick these type of kits up at Michaels through out the year when they are on the clearance racks

{robot matching cards for storytelling or game pieces, early readers}

{various types of dried beans, measuring instruments}

{toothpicks, marshmallows}

{alphabet cards, play dough}

These supplies are from the Handwriting Without Tears program. Anne Hope used the cards and dough to build words and play with word families.

Quiet time boxes continue to be an enjoyable part of our afternoon routine. It is also a good way for me to remember to rotate out many of the small toys and books that might otherwise be forgotten by the kids. It is also a good time for me to fit in some work on the ridiculous grad class I am taking this semester that keeps me from being able to write here as often as I would like. Although Gibson is still a faithful afternoon napper I might create a set of boxes for him as well that we can use while Gabe's therapist is visiting or during that ~~frightful~~ hour when I am trying to make dinner (wink!).

Extra! Extra!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 02:54:00 +0000

A fabulous friend of ours turned 40 this week and we enjoyed being part of her surprise celebration! The invitation encouraged each guest to bring 40 of something fun, funky, or cheap. I actually racked my brain on this one for awhile because I really didn't want to give something mean or omgyouaresostinkin'old - ish! A while back I saw a 30th birthday gift that included 30 suckers and a tag, 30 Sucks. Hmmm...not really, but clever. So, I was left thinking gift baskets, treats, and a positive message.

Here's what we came up with...

40 is EXTRA special

with

EXTRA wisdom

EXTRA smiles

EXTRA beauty

EXTRA gray hair???

EXTRA memories

EXTRA parties

...

You get the idea!

Here's the EXTRA details -

Materials:

40 {or 50, 60, 75...} packs of gum

floral foam

small gift basket

tissue paper

hot glue

popsicle sticks

colorful paper, stickers, or punches for message tags

Cut the floral foam to fit the bottom of your container. Wrap the foam in tissue paper. Line the container with tissue before wedging in the base. I made tags in my digital scrapbook program and printed them on photo paper. Once they were printed they were cut into circles using the Stampin' Up circle punch and backed with coordinated papers cut with the scallop punch.

Then my #1 crafting assistant, a.k.a. Anne Hope, lined up all of the tags and packs of gum. We hot glued a popsicle stick to the back of each item.

When they were nice and dry we picked off the crazy hot glue strings and had fun arranging the sticks by pushing them in to the floral foam base. I was excited with the way it turned out.

Extra cheerful, don't you think?

Thankfully we got a couple pictures of it before delivery because it didn't take long once it got to the party for the kids to disassemble the whole bloomin' thing.

I guess it looked EXTRA tasty.

Student of You

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0000

You appreciate a good pink fix, yet will ditch it in a heartbeat to hang out in a pirate or cowboy costume.

You care like crazy about other people and what they think, but you shy away from letting them know what you care about and what you think.

There are times your heart aches about not having a sister, yet you've made it so obvious that you would climb a ladder to the moon for any one of your brothers.

Teach me to say what I mean. To explain it until the listener understands.
Teach me to listen. To listen until the theme behind every word spoken is heard.

Love is patient Mom.

I want to know how to feel like you do.

How to share feelings without hesitation.

Continue to melt my heart.

When you weren't here at bedtime I forgot to say my prayers and sure enough I had another scary dream. That means God really does hear me on the nights when I ask him to help me be strong and courageous and not to fear.

May I continue to teach you to pray and learn to have the faith you do to trust in His answers.

I reviewed the chapter today about how much you prefer your family time and routines over extraordinary surprises.

No matter how we try to convince you that you deserve special attention once in awhile you still cringe at the thought of someone singing happy birthday.

I get lost staring into your eyes because they are undeniably beautiful to look at, but also because I want to know what you are doing with all the information they are taking in.

I want to find new ways to encourage your heart, your relationships, your passions, your gifts, and your clever mind - all just as beautiful as your eyes, my love.

{photo credit}

It took me 28 years to realize I was missing pieces of myself that I continue to discover in you! I will continue to study and I am certain you will continue to be a most amazing teacher.

Love you ~~baby~~ Hope!

A Berry Special Celebration: a Strawberry Shortcake Sleepover

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 02:46:00 +0000

Anne Hope is celebrating her 6th birthday! She requested a Strawberry Shortcake party and I was pleased to comply with plenty of sweet smelling, pink goodness! We decided to let her try her first ever sleepover with a friend! Her dear friend was very brave to stay away from home for the first time and thankfully they are both lost to the land of sweet dreams in the pink fort Kevin built for them.

They kicked off their fun tonight with a silly game of dress up while I ordered their pizza of choice and put the finishing touches on our cupcakes.

After dinner the girls mixed and measured a bath of berry scented play dough. We used our favorite play dough recipe and added a package of unsweetened strawberry Kool-aid to the mix.

You know that yummy smell that stays with the Shortcake dolls no matter how long they've been around? Well, that was our goal with the play dough.

We also had the ingredients to make some strawberry flavored lip gloss, but we will have to see what the morning brings. The heavy eye lids tonight were my cue to move along to cupcakes and ice cream.

While searching cake ideas I saw the most amazing Strawberry Shortcake dessert , but since I have no experience with fondant I decided to come up with my own cake creation instead. Anne Hope was plenty pleased with our strawberry cupcake arrangement.

{Simple and Sweet}

Once they were washed and dressed for bed we did a little pampering. The girls got stylin' strawberry manicures while we watched Strawberry Shortcake: Putting on the Glitz.

{Some with seeds...}

{...and some without}

Admittedly, it is pretty fun for this momma to recapture the delight of my own childhood favorite with my 6 year old Strawberry lover!

Get These Pigs a Blanket

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:01:00 +0000

24 little pink piggies were ready to travel to kindergarten, per request

Then the birthday girl got a snow day surprise.

Now 24 pink piggies are on ice in hopes of still being edible on Monday :)

My Love is Your Love*

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:09:00 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day!

{sing it momma}

* Couldn't resist the reference to my favorite Whitney Houston song, which we've been listening to a bit this week.

Working Quietly

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:54:00 +0000

Quiet boxes are still an effective tool in Anne's afternoon routine. Although she really enjoys exploring her boxes on her own, I often join her to play along or talk about what she imagines doing with the contents in each box. Since she is now able to decode simple readers I try to include a few in each of her boxes that she can read before or after playing with her other materials. Due to Gabe's therapy schedules Anne does not get to each day's box in one week. Here are several of the refills from our January boxes:

{water beads and colored letter tiles}

{playdough, nuts & bolts, easy readers about snow}

{color word matching snowmen, easy readers about snow}

{weather poems, velcro tip gloves with felt cut outs, bendable wires}

{scissors, white paper, snowflake folding instructions}

{snowflakes, dice, snowmen die cuts, blue strips of paper}

{various greeting cards with seasonal scenes, months of the year cut outs, weather poems}

{Arthur books and paper doll character cut outs}

{Betty Spaghetti}

{easy readers about pizza, play food pizza & toppings}

{constructions paper, glue, cut yarn}

{colored pencils, activity book}

{scrabble tile letters, sight words}

Have you put together any quiet box ideas you could share in a comment?

I am always on the hunt for new ideas.

Shopping for Children - More for your Money

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Those of you who are local, may be very interested in stopping in to shop at the children's consignment sale at Central Wesleyan Church tomorrow morning from 8AM - 2 PM (446 West 40th Street). The sale is put on by the Moms and Mentors group at the church and this year it is being organized by a friend of ours.

She just told me today that there are over 45 sellers for this year's sale! Everything is well labelled and sorted by size and color. This sale is just as convenient as shopping a department store, but easier on the budget. In addition to clothing the sale features toys, strollers, baby gates, bouncy seats, carriers, and so much more (basically, everything you would put on a baby registry is available at even better prices than when you use the babies r us promotional codes) Yay! I think that each consignor is responsible for pricing their own items, so prices do vary on items based on who is selling them. However, it is still garage sale type pricing with a % of each sale going to benefit this local mothers' group.

It looks like it could be seriously dangerous for me to step foot in that room as I would find loads of adorable little outfits - in the sizes we have already donated - that I would want to purchase for no reason other than their cuteness. In fact, as Gabe finishes up with outfits and toys we have been - sometimes tearfully - boxing them up to ship out of our house. I am pretty confident that by next year's sale we could fill half the gym with our things alone. Anyway...

There is no fee for entrance to the sale and there is plenty of room for strolling your little ones through the aisles. So, if you have young children, and are free for some shopping time tomorrow, it is certainly worth your while to check the sale out!