Make: Fall Suncatcher (Video)

I shared this activity last Fall, so many of you may have already seen it, or even (fingers crossed!!) already done it with your kiddos! I just finished this video though, and thought that I'd post it on here too. If it's new to you, it's super easy, lots of fun, and makes a pretty Fall decoration.

Move: Exploring the Great Outdoors

Well, we moved (hence, the super long hiatus)! It was a big process, but things are finally settling down, and I wanted to share what we've been up to lately. North Idaho is beautiful, and we've been enjoying all that it has to offer. This has worked really well, being outside and incorporating more "MOVE" activities into our days, as Landon is getting bigger, and becoming more and more physical.

So, here are some of the ways that we've been enjoying the really great outdoors. Hopefully, some of them are possible where you are too. We thought they were lots of fun!

Family Bike Ride

Wildlife Watching

Rock Hunting

Digging in a Sandy Beach

Night Fishing

Munch: Snow Ice Cream

This is what we woke up to yesterday. It might just be the last big snow of the year (I hope so!), so we decided not to let it go to waste. But, to enjoy this fresh powder, we didn't pull out our gloves and hats. Instead...

we got out these ingredients!

1 Gallon fresh-fallen snow

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

2 Cups Milk

(We added strawberries)

Blend and mix! 

Enjoy and STAY WARM! :)

Munch: Indoor Smores

Smores are WAY too yummy (and easy to make) to only enjoy when it's nice outside. If you've got a wood-burning fireplace (thankfully we do!!), then you can enjoy some INDOOR SMORES!

Make: Bagel for Birds

This is an easy activity to do with your kids, and one that you (and your feathery friends) will feel good about! 

Ingredients: 

1/2 of a bagel

Peanut butter or honey

birdseed

yarn

Make: Heart Art

At least once a week I try to do a crafty little project with Landon. Paint is definitely his favorite medium...I'm sure you're surprised. :) If you're brave enough to pop those acrylic caps, here's a fun way to decorate your house with genuine love this Valentines Day.

Step 1:

Let your child paint a large piece of paper. We used red, brown, and white.The great thing about this project is there are no "lines" to stay inside of, or particular shapes or outlines to create. Just let your little one enjoy covering the paper with color!

Helpful hint: Paper Plates make great paint trays (in a home or in a classroom).

Step 2:

Trace various sizes of heart-shaped cookie cutters all over your child's painting. If your child is old enough, he or she can do this step too. The more mixed colors, the better!

Step 3:

Cut out the hearts and find fun ways to display them around your house! Here's my favorite way to show off Landon's love-ly art!

Make: Peek-a-boo Groundhog

Happy Groundhog Day! 

We Pennsylvanians are partial to good ol' Phil every February 2nd (did you know he's a Steeler fan?!), but this morning we had an extra bit of love for him. No shadow! Hooray! We're ready for Spring.

No matter where you're from though, this holiday is a great opportunity to teach your kids a few things about history, animals, science and weather. Here are some fun ideas.

1. Make! Landon created this adorable little Peek-a-boo Groundhog at preschool today. Very easy, and super cute! 

Make a cute, little brown blob on a stick...otherwise known as a groundhog. :)

Cover a styrofoam cup in some nice green grass (or leave it white to represent snow...much more authentic, actually).

Poke Phil's stick through the bottom of the cup. Play peek-a-boo as you push him up and down.

2. Sing! Most children learn through song. Try this one. 

"I'm a Little Groundhog" 

(to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little Groundhog,

fat and brown.

Popping up, 

above the ground. 

I sure hope my shadow, 

doesn't show.

'Cause if it does, 

we'll have more snow.

by Diane Thorn

3. Watch! This video is just right for little ones, and very informative. Even I learned a few new things about dear Phil. Helpful hint...let it buffer for a few minutes while you round up the kiddos. 

Welcome Spring!! Thanks, Phil! :)

Move: Sledding

This face pretty much seals the deal that, in his eyes, we just shared the absolute, hands-down, BEST day ever. 

This face pretty much seals the deal that, in a mother's eyes, the camera is the absolute, hands-down, BEST invention ever. 

Though I'm pretty sure Landon would argue the sled should win that honor...

Munch: Homemade Blizzards

Recent snowfalls in Western Pennsylvania put us in the mood to make some blizzards of our own! Here's how we do it...

Step 1: Find some willing little hands to help you unwrap your candies of choice. Landon was more than happy to help with this step...

Step 2: Chop the candies into pieces. Not too small though...everyone loves to find a few big chunks of chocolate in their blizzard!

Step 3: Add ice cream and milk (to desired consistency) and BLEND!

Step 4: Pour into cups, grab a few spoons, and....

Step 5: Deliver to happy family members! :)

Move: Bowling

Have kiddos that need to burn some energy, without burning a lot of money? 

I do! With frigid temperatures here in The 'Burgh, I decided it was time to get creative. So, last week I took Landon bowling for the first time. I had no idea that it was so kid-friendly!

The attendants gave us a light ball for Landon to be able to hold easily, 

 a ramp for him to roll it down,

and bumpers (which actually helped both of us quite a bit). :)

As a sidenote, he also thought the carpet was "beautiful" (which made me laugh outloud!), and loved the "superhero shoes" they let us borrow. So funny! 

Munch: Homemade Helping-Hands Granola Bars

'Mama, I'm hungry!!' Sound familiar? Well, May (bio below) has a great solution! Her homemade granola bars keep little hands busy and growling tummies satisfied. Thanks, May! I think my ever-hungry kiddo and I are going to make a batch of cran-raisin bars for tomorrow morning! :)

Most kids love granola bars, and as convenient as they are, they are loaded

with all kinds of extra preservatives and ingredients I can't pronounce.

Couple that with my 5-year-old's interest in making pretty much anything

she likes to eat, and away we went to the kitchen to whip some up from

scratch! They were way easier than I thought and she literally did it all

herself. All I did was put it in and take it out of the oven!

Mix 3 cups of quick cook oats, 1 cup chopper nuts (we used peanuts or you

can leave them out entirely), 1 cup chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup mini

marshmallows.

Then pour 14 oz of condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 egg and 2 tbsp

butter.

20 minutes at 350, and that's it!

This recipe is a great base for adding whatever your favorite flavors are,

so your kids can have their own custom granola bars.

May is a stay-at-home mama to three active and creative wee ones (Richard is 10, Helena is 5 and Daphne is almost 2). She's fiercely domestic, hilariously traditional, and unexpectedly nerdy. Luckily married to the man of her dreams, she's big on knitting, playing in the kitchen and blogging. Getting crafty with her kids and getting domestic with her husband in the kitchen are two of her favorite things. She is thankful for God in her life and love in her home. She blogs regularly at http://www.soverydomestic.com.

Move: Wii are Movin...in more ways than one!

The new year has brought quite a few new prospects, possibilities, and projects into my life. Rather than making a list of resolutions, I began 2011 making a very exciting, but very daunting To-Do list...paint my trim (again), call a realtor, begin clearing out my cluttered basement, look into school systems 2,700 miles away. Needless to say, while there has still been time for fun in our home, it has been a little less planned out and rarely photographed.

So, I haven't created personal resolutions this January (no time for that type of deep reflection), but I have determined that winter is hard on little boys...and therefore, moms. Or maybe it's just us...but I bet there's some mom out there that will agree with me, right?!? My kiddo seems to hit a point mid-day when he simply cannot contain his pent up energy anymore, and despite the fact that the couches have never really interested him before, he suddenly sees them in a new, exciting, and opportunistic light....and his body goes flaying over them. Again. And again. And again. So, I have resolved to find a way every day to help my kiddo have some physical fun...for all our sakes (that being his, mine, and the couches).

So here's a simple way that we're moving around here. For this particular activity, it doesn't even matter if the weather outside is frightful! We're movin together, and loving it...in more ways than one! :)

For more on Wii games can get kids moving, and families connecting click here.