Make Your Own Water Table

I posted this on my Fireflies and Jellybeans blog , (that is why the water marks on on all the pics) But I thought it would work here too!

I am taking a break from the Love Budget this week because we are having fun playing outside! :)

It is getting HOT here! And that means more time outside playing with water! I would LOVE to have a water table but I do not want to spend the $30-$60 to get one... so I made my own for FREE! I had ALL of this stuff at my house and I bet you do too!

Here is what you will need to make a little water table!

One big storage tote ( This is a sweater tote 41 gallon... but use you what you have!)

Water

Cookie sheet to act as a tray

Various water toys/cups:

Measuring cups

mini-strainer

watering can

foam fish stickers

bath toys

I looked around my kitchen and bathroom for about 5 minutes and found lots of fun things

I placed my big storage tote on two outdoor foot stools (little tables or chairs would work too. Or you could just leave it on the ground!) I filled it up with water and put all the toys in to play. All done! It is all ready to play with!

You can scoop out some fish with the net (mini-strainer)

Or pour water out of the watering can

Or watch your little one have hours of fun with the water!

It was a great summer activity. My son had SOOOOO MUCH fun! He was soaking wet too, so next time I think I will put him in his swim suit!

The other great thing about this water table is that it is easy to store! Just put all of your stuff back and store some stuff in your tote and you are set!

Off the Wall

I am not great when it comes to decorating, and since we've moved into our house I have had a terrible time trying to decide what should go on the walls. While reading a magazine the other day I noticed an article about a designer's house, and there was a picture of the wall behind the headboard in her bedroom. She had hung several framed postcards in a nice pattern there, and it looked really neat. As I read the article, it struck me that this particular designer doesn't buy expensive art for her home, but she uses images that she likes, frames them, and they become art.

That was when the lightning bolt hit. When my dear grandmother passed away, we had the opportunity to sort through her belongings. She lived through the Depression, and she kept nearly everything she ever received. In a box in her bedroom I found a treasure trove of the neatest recipe books from the 30's that she must have gotten for buying a certain brand of sugar or baking chocolate, canning jars or other baking products. I have been storing them in a binder to protect them, but when I read this article it dawned on me that those cute little books have been boxed away for far too long. I put three of them into frames, and now every time I walk into the kitchen I get to think of my Grandma. (The booklet titled, "50 Ways to Use Marshmallows, A Household Necessity" always makes me smile!)

We also found a good-sized portion of my Great-Great-Granmother's post card collection, and I can't wait to do something with those, too. There is one card that has a picture of a toddler riding an alligator, taken back in the day when they thought it was OK to do things like that. Once I figure out the perfect place for that one, it is leaving it's protective plastic sleeve and going on the wall for all to see!

So, do you have any non-fine art related ways to decorate your walls? I need some help, and I would love to hear them!

"It's Deductible!"

I've been sick for over a week now, which means my house has been falling apart for at least that long. I still don't feel well, but have decided today is the day to suck it up, pull my hair back, and get some chores done!

I've already itemized our donations over at "It's Deductible" (a service of Turbo Tax online) this morning, so I can finally drop off these garbage bags full of donations to the Care Center. We never have yard sales anymore. Mostly because I'm too lazy, but also because most of the stuff we get rid of can benefit someone in need (lots of kids stuff and household goods, and LOTS of adult clothing) and we get a tax deduction. Another issue I have with yard sales is where to store it all until I have enough to warrant holding a sale. I'd much rather itemize my stuff on "It's Deductible" as I weed it out than price it for a yard sale and have to deal with the headaches involved in that. Their site has almost every item categorized with low, medium and high quality values already assigned, so at the end of the year, we know exactly how much we've donated. It's great!

I'm off to deliver these goods (and get them the heck out of my dining room...finally!).

What do you do with your cast-offs?

TOYS: To Play Or Not To Play...

My son has MANY toys... sometimes too many.

He has some REALLY REALLY nice toys. So nice that I don't want him to play with them because I don't want him to ruin them or lose pieces.

When he got these toys as gifts I was like:
"Oh, look at this great toy... wont that be so fun to play with?..... No- don't touch it!"

I know that it defeats the purpose of the toy to have it and NOT play with it... but I can't help it that I want to keep them nice. It is not like I NEVER want him to play with it... just not until he is old enough to respect the toy! (which will probably be too old to enjoy playing with it. )

I am not too worried about it right now since I can easily distract him with an empty 2 liter bottle. He can bang on that thing all day! Why is that kids like to play with containers (AKA garbage) more than other toys?


So, for now I will keep all his cute puzzles, and nicely crafted toys on the top shelf and leave the empty 2-liter bottles and boxes on the bottom shelf!

How do you handle toys in your house?

So Much To Do, So Little Time!

We have 2 days to pack for the entire summer. This past week was filled with vacation bible school, doctor visits, and last minute errands. The kids are beyond excited. My challenge: How to channel that energy to the greater good of the family?

Lists are always good to focus us on the tasks we need to complete, so I made one for each kid. KID 1 can read enough to figure out what his jobs are, but KID 2 needed a picture list. After going over her list with her to make sure she understood her jobs (a picture of a shoe for "pick up shoes," a laundry basket and some clothes for "pick up laundry," and a dolly for "pick up babies"), she very self-importantly strutted to the kitchen and "read" her list to Daddy. When he started reading it with her, she stopped him and said, "No, Daddy. I can read it all by myself." And she did.

They love having specific jobs. We can't just tell them to "go clean your room." Not even our 5 1/2-year-old can handle that. Breaking it down into smaller parts keeps each task short and sweet. Honestly, that's the way I have to make my own lists when I'm feeling overwhelmed.

After their rooms are clean, I'll sit down with them and make their packing lists. KID 1 has been begging for the last 2 weeks to start packing. "Can I pleeeeeaaase just pack my cold weather clothes? I think maybe 6 shorts outfits and 6 cold day outfits will be plenty, Mommy, because we can wash our stuff there when we need more, right? I'll just pack my six cold day outfits, okay?" He's getting better and better at using very solid reasoning to argue his points.

I'll be so glad once we're on the plane! There is so much to do, but once we're actually on the plane, I'll feel like I can relax for a few hours. Then the vacation begins (or should I say "Family Trip?").

How do you get your kids involved in family tasks?

I feel the need. The need for routine.

Last week was wonderful. We began the week with a working vacation that took us to Disney World with my mom, who our son calls Nana. We returned home and had one day before my husband's father, who our son calls Pap, flew in to see us. Both sets of grandparents live out of state and we see them maybe two or three times a year, so these were exceptionally special visits. I wouldn't change the time we had with them for the world.

The issue I'm facing this week, however, is that life is "back to normal," but we still feel like we are on vacation. I have a need to feel grounded. I feel the need for routine.

I'm going to start planning our meals this week (again), but I'm adding breakfast and lunch to the list. I'm always stumped by these two little meals, probably because they're pretty simple and I like to make things complicated if at all possible. I'm thinking "Waffle Wednesday" for breakfast and "Tuna Salad Tuesday" for lunch, etc. What do you think?

Another routine that is going to be necessary as the weather gets hotter is going to be getting out of the house earlier. Ever been to a playground in Florida once the sun has turned the slides into hot plates? Not fun. We're going to start getting up and out as early as possible so that we're ready for the summer months.

Do you have any routines I should consider? What do you do in your home that makes things run smoothly? I need your help!

Our Nest

Many of you have been to my big 'ole house. In fact, I have admitted many times to just closing doors to clean rooms (okay, the dirty ones, too - have any of you been upstairs? No? Wonder no more!) and not letting anyone in if we are having company. Sad, but true. In the last year I have just been too busy with a new baby and 2 jobs to work on our nest. Ladies, these days have come to an end!

In the last month, I have been sorting out my ideas files (I have a file for each room in the house and when I find something I like in a magazine or catalog, I file it so I can find it later) and am ready. I think I am ready, at least.

In the next couple months (probably it will take all summer) I am going to attack the master bedroom. It's a huge room facing north with a lot of light. We have a king bed and a hodgepodge of furniture. White walls. Sheer curtains. It's totally uninspired. We have a baby swing for KOTJ. A book shelf crammed with books for all of us, kids included. Wooden, dark stained floors. A bunch of laundry baskets. A recliner, for when I couldn't sleep laying down while pregnant with KOTJ, now piled with clothes. Other junk. It has taken me 5 years of living here to figure it out...and I finally have a plan.

We spend a lot of time in this room. We all sleep here, but it's also where I sort the laundry, fold the clothes, dress everyone most of the time, read many books and magazines, etc. Lots of junk gets dragged in.

So, before I start buying fabric like crazy, any ideas? I need as much help as I can get with this one! BTW, Design Mom is hosting "Ask Design Mom" week. If you need inspiration for your nest get on over there, she is great!

Slowing Down

Somedays I don't know which way is up. Seriously. I just seem to spend all my time spinning my wheels. I add more to my "To Do" list than I cross off. I juggle a lot of stuff.

Just like every mom I know.

One thing that has really been life changing is to make time just to be with my kids every week.

A couple weeks ago, I took my planning period and went to help with THE Princess's class study on Dr. Seuss. After reading The Foot Book, THE Princess and her classmates rolled up their pant legs and got their feet painted.

Then, they listened to the story being read again, acting out with their feet what they heard.

There was a lot of giggling. Paint went all over the place, but mostly on the paper.

This was a rare moment where THE Princess didn't mind getting dirty (painty, actually). We cleaned up by giving each child pedicures (tubs of warm soapy water to soak their feet in) while they waited to have their feet scrubbed clean.

Last week, we made no-cook play clay. It's easy and fun. THE Princess mixes hers in a zip-top baggie to minimize the gooeyness. KOTJ and I mashed it up with our bare hands. Our recipe makes a great kid-sized amount and the more you mash it, the better it is.

[Play Clay: Mix together 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon oil & as much food coloring as you like in a cup. Mix 6 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons salt in another cup or bowl (or baggie). Dump it all together and smoosh! ]

In another turn of events, KOTJ has discovered our dog's water bowl. He has taken to dumping and playing in the water about once a day. I just keep a towel nearby and let him splash it up!

I'm trying not to sweat the small stuff.

What fun stuff have you been up to lately?

Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick...Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring!!!! - All the Ways I Love My Timer

I love my Big Timer. Its uses go beyond the typical timeout session or cooking project. Our timer is a motivator, a time-saver, and a non-negotiator. I've decided it's a device I simply can't live without! I also have a Timex digital watch with a timer...it's great, too!

Here are a few ways we use the timer around here:

1. Bathroom Monitor: I've mentioned our son's propensity to linger in the bathroom, water running, for upwards of an hour. To curtail these little bathroom binges, I brought the timer into the bathroom, set it for 5 minutes, and invited him to "race the timer!" He loves a challenge, so this worked great. Some kids may need additional incentive to beat the clock (M&Ms, stickers, extra time at the park) or consequences (timeout, lose some playtime, do a job - the bathroom usually needs straightening after they've been in there too long, so let them clean it up!) A timer can also help during teeth-brushing. I'm considering getting a timer dedicated to the kids' bathroom!


2. Cleanup Countdown: The kids love racing the timer during cleanup. I set the timer for 3 minutes and we race around, putting things away and picking up trash. If they are good workers, at the end of 3 minutes they earn one M&M and we set the timer again. Even our 2-year-old loves this method of cleaning!


3. Centertime Sentry: I often set the timer during playtime for 15-20 minutes. At the end of that time, the kids clean up their area and find something else to do. If they're really playing nicely and want more time, I give it to them, but more often than not, they're ready to try something new when the timer rings. It's really just a reminder to clean up their mess before moving on.
4. Quiet Time: I set my digital timer for 55 minutes every day for our 5-year-old's quiet time. He doesn't take a regular nap anymore, but we all need a break from each other after lunch and storytime. Our 2-year-old naps, I like to put my feet up and read or sometimes nap, and our 5-year-old is required to lay still and quiet until his timer beeps. He usually prepares a huge stack of books for his quiet time, but only gets about halfway through them before he's snoozing! If he's still awake when the timer beeps, he can get up and play quietly.
5. Computer Timer: For those of you with kids old enough to play on the computer or video gaming systems, the timer can help you set limits for your child and stick to them.
6. Potty Training Timer: I love my Timex digital watch. It reminds me to get my toddler to the bathroom. I call it my "potty watch." I'm very forgetful and it's so easy to simply forget that my toddler is wearing underwear and needs to go potty. While they're learning, they don't always identify their urge to go, so getting them to sit on the potty every 25 minutes or so can help in the early stages of potty training. This is another good use for a bathroom timer, especially for the resistant toddler: set it for 2 minutes. If she hasn't done anything after 2 minutes, but you know it should be about time for her to go, let her try again in 10-15 minutes.

Any other great uses for your timer?

Fast and Easy

No. I'm not talking about myself.

Actually, if you are like me, then you must like to cook fast and easy things. The best is if you can find a great, easy recipe that can feed a whole bunch of people at once without breaking the bank.

I recently made this when I had a friend over with her kids. The kids actually helped me make it and it came out delicious! It is so easy and so yummy!

Maria's Baked Ziti

INGREDIENTS

1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta
32 ounces part-skim Polly-O ricotta cheese (whatever the big size carton is)

1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs, beaten (I use cage-free eggs)
1 1/2 jars (use the big, 3 lb. jars) spaghetti sauce (I like Prego Chunky Garden)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, mix ziti, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, eggs and 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce.
Lightly grease a 10' x 15" pyrex baking dish and spoon in ziti mixture. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes; let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

That's it!

Pair it up with a healthy salad and garlic bread and you now have a beautiful meal completed.

By the way, I got a version of this recipe (and most of my other recipes) from http://www.allrecipes.com/. Donna, I think you told me about this site -thank you! You can save your favorites in your very own online recipe box. I love it!

Happy cooking!

Questionable Quote for the Day

Thought I'd share a quote from my week, which has been unusually cold and filled with lots of whining, sneezing, coughing, fevers, and mucous...gotta love cold season. It's the only time I have hypochondriac tendencies.

This was me, after a loooooong day of wiping noses...and I was serious as I probed under my chin:

"I can't tell if my glands are swollen, or my turtleneck is too tight! "

Paul and I just cracked up when I realized how blonde mom that sounded (no offense to my blonde mommy friends)! In my defense, I almost never wear turtleneck tops. Stacy and Clinton would agree, they really make me look like the turtleneck is the only thing holding my head up!

Have a terrific weekend! I have to run to the drugstore to restock our Cold Season Arsenal!

Dollhouse Horror Flick In the Making: Why it's good to let boys play with dollhouses

I fear our daughter will never play with dolls the way most little girls do...not with her big brother modeling such interesting scenarios as this, the ultimate clash of Christmas presents:





And the close up:

Yikes!

Criticism Gets You...More Housework

Saturdays are great for getting housework and yardwork done. Much as we'd love to go into our weekend with a clean house, we just haven't figured out how to achieve it during the work week. I always end up with a pretty messy house by Friday. So now you know what we're doing today.

But there's something I'm not doing today. Maria’s post on Wednesday inspired me to share a little secret with my Motley friends: My husband does all of the laundry around here. All of it. Occasionally, I will surprise him and move a load from the washer to the dryer, or even from the dryer to our bedroom where we sit and fold at night (while watching TV). But I rarely have to do a whole load, from start to finish, myself. It’s wonderful.

It wasn’t always, though. A few years ago, maybe even before we had children, if Paul did a load of laundry, I always had some criticism, or, as I like to call them, “help points.” As in, “I think there are too many clothes in the washer. If we put too many in there, they won’t agitate properly and they won’t get clean.” Or, “It helps to check the clothes before they go into the dryer. If something stains them in the washer, the stain will just set in when it dries" (this usually as we folded a load of pink socks, underwear, and towels, plus a red sock).

I also had a lot of rules about what could be dried in the dryer and what could not: bras need to hang-dry, my wool sweater lays flat, and that nice shirt with the diamond buttons is dry-clean only.” Funny thing is, I ended up doing most of the laundry when I criticized and nit-picked.

These days, I’ve learned that I’d rather wear only the things that can be washed AND dried and let Paul handle the laundry. I also try to be very cautious about criticizing when he helps around the house. Sometimes it’s hard because I know how I like things done. I’ve developed systems over the years since I’ve been lucky enough to stay home with our children. Sometimes stupid little things grate on me: I open the bag of diapers from the top so I can pull them out of the bag by the fold. He opens the bag (without fail) by ripping open the bottom so that the diapers have to be yanked out by their tops, usually pulling several others along with them and/or tearing the little tabs off in the process. Will I say anything? NO WAY. He’s doing it his way and he’s getting the job done. It’s worth a few casualties along the way (I’m talking diapers, not kids). And I love that he’s pitching in and giving it his best.

He knows I appreciate the help, and now I can even gently remind him (at the beginning of sweater season) which sweaters dry flat. Offered as information, rather than criticism, he takes it in stride and tries to remember before it all goes in the dryer. And again, if I end up with a doll-size sweater from the Gap, my kids will be thrilled and I will gladly stow it in the doll case with minimal grumbling (I'll try really hard to supress it!)…a small price to pay for never having to do the laundry.

OAMC: What IS that?

OAMC = Over-Achievers Meet to Cook? Outlandish Activities Moms Create? Optimistic Adventurous Motley Chefs? I like that one!

I am in the throes of planning for a Once A Month Cooking (OAMC) day. This is a biggie, since we have eight families participating and we will all go home with twelve family-size meals...that's 96 meals that will feed four people each...that's 384 individual servings...which means we'll need 17 1/2 cups of chopped onion, 96 boneless, skinless chicken breasts...32 cups of cooked, chopped chicken, 64 pork chops...40 baked potatoes...16 cups shredded cheddar...8 cups of diced ham...13 cups olive oil...and so on, and so on...

It's a bit overwhelming, but once the shopping and prep work is done, my job gets easier (we have eight women assigned to different prep-ahead jobs such as washing and baking 40 potatoes, chopping all those onions, trimming the fat from the fresh chicken breasts, cooking the chicken for the recipes that require cooked chicken, boiling the pasta, boiling, peeling and chopping the eggs, grating fresh ginger...you get the idea).

With all this prep work, our cooking day will consist mostly of assembling our ingredients, bagging and labeling, and cleaning. We'll still have a bit of cooking to do the day of, but we'll have two woks, two electric skillets, four stove top burners, one oven, and several prep stations. Thankfully, we'll be working in a nice, big kitchen (my in-laws' kitchen, currently unoccupied!)...so we won't be interrupting any naptimes or bedtimes on cooking day...yea! Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Here is a list of our 12 Meals:

1. Loaded Stuffed Spuds
2. Apple Pork Chops
3. Teriyaki Pork Chops
4. Chicken Carbonara
5. Oven Sandwiches
6. Beef Stroganoff
7. Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
8. Sausage-Stuffed Shells
9. Red River Chicken
10. Moroccan Chicken
11. Chicken Tostados
12. Panko Parmesan Oven-Fried Chicken

Total cost per family: Between $60-$70 (I'll post the total next week when all is said and done, and some pics from OAMC-Day...we cook tomorrow!)

Half of the recipes we chose are chicken recipes, so we wouldn't have to deal with too many different ingredients. In my family, we like to intersperse our OAMC meals with lighter, veggie-bean meals--we don't like meat every night.

The best thing about OAMC is getting all that cooking done in one day in the company of seven other fabulous women! It's actually quite fun! Oh, and not having to stand at the stove every afternoon while my kids destroy the house like a couple of tornadoes...yeah, that rates pretty high for me!

See the post-cooking day follow-up here!

Under the Big Top

The termites are gone now, and we're taking back the house. However, I thought I'd share our conversation about extermination aesthetics:

My husband, Paul: Man, that's one big tent.

Donna: Huge. I like it.

Paul: Hm?

Donna: It really brightens up the house, you know? All those cheerful stripes. It looks like a circus tent.

Paul: Very appropriate.

ON GETTING IT WRONG by Donna

The catchy phrase "When it rains, it pours" is so catchy, it's getting caught in my throat.

I kept finding piles of wings around the house (the 1928 wood frame house we bought 2 years ago) and, yes, they are termite wings. Naively, we agreed with our FOUR-AND-A-HALF-YEAR-OLD that they kinda looked like seeds. You know, the kind that dry up inside a weedy flower and blow around in the wind. When I tried to explain these "seeds" to the termite inspector, I could tell he was struggling to keep a straight face.

Apparently, these little invaders swarm in the house, get where they want to go (a nice woody spot, I guess), tear their own little wings off, make termite whoopy, and then burrow into the beautiful wood floor my husband painstakingly stripped and refinished himself.

Sadly, the children's floor was partially eaten out before we got worried enough about all the seed piles. Whoops.

Last week, right before our July 4th cookout, I was unloading the dishwasher when I realized the cabinet above me was actually pulling away from the wall. I kept hearing a cracking sound when I closed that cabinet door. I thought it was the plastic bag of flour, so I pushed it in a little further and shut the door. The door opened again, so I gave that bag of flour a good shove. That's when I realized that the cabinet was coming down. On top of me.

So there I was, holding up my cabinet and trying to close the dishwasher with my foot, shouting for my husband in my calm distressed voice. It never actually fell, thank God. We got it down and put it on the back porch where the rainstorm that afternoon soaked it and it fell apart. Gotta love pressed wood.

The kitchen cabinet just spontaneously decided to malfunction. It actually had nothing to do with the termites. We're just lucky, I guess.