In Sickness and In Snow

One of my new year's goals is to just get 'er done.  I am SO GOOD at procrastinating, it's embarrassing.  So, this year I'm just doing it.  Part of the goal is to spend less time on the computer, as it is my go-to when I am avoiding, which has made not doing the blog easier.  See, I want to catch us up over the last 4 months in which so much of life I'd like to remember has not be memorialized on Livin' Life, but then here I am once again dragging my feet in writing a simple post about today...

The past week has been different for a few reasons.  All three of us had the flu, each coming down with it two days apart.  John & I were trying to figure out last night what is easier - taking care of Helena when she feels good but we feel awful or when the roles are switched - and we honestly couldn't decide on an answer.  But, thank the Lord, our sick symptoms are almost gone. 

The other reason it's been crazy has been due to the weather.  One day - freezing cold.  Next day - supposed to be 50F but instead it's wet glorious snow.  Third day - cold.  Fourth day - barely need a jacket outside.  Fifth day - back to being frigid.  And so on.

On day 2, Helena & I went out and played in the snow while John fought the flu.



On day 4, John & Helena went and got soaked in puddles while I was in bed.

On day 8 (today), Helena wanted to build a snowman but that's not possible in green grass, so we made one inside.

Spaghetti Painting

We did an art project at John's mom's that was great. It's called Spaghetti Painting.  

Cook spaghetti according to package.  Drain it and then immediately put it in water dyed with food coloring.  Keep the spaghetti in the water until you're ready to use it.

 

Let the kids make pictures on white paper by using the spaghetti.

 Kids between the ages of 18 months and 10 had a lot of fun doing it.

We were a little nervous that the spaghetti would stain anything that it touched, but it didn't.  So there was easy clean-up too!  Any leftover spaghetti was put in a ziploc bag in case anyone wanted to do it again in a few days.

Give it a try!

Barbara Reid

We recently came across Barbara Reid's children's books.  Her illustrations are all made with plasticine clay, so they really stand out.  Here's my favorite page from her book "Two by Two".  Take a close look at it and you'll see Noah's wife collecting the chicken's eggs while standing on a turtle's shell and then handing them to a kangaroo.  There's just so much going on in the pages!

While reading her book "Zoe's Year", the illustrations just seemed a bit too familiar.  Turns out the author is from Toronto and so are her scenes! 

I was showing John the above picture and he named the location - High Park!  The nut seller, the trail, the trees, the black squirrels.  Here's the real spot:

Coloring

 

Prior to this week, she's loved pounding the bag of crayons on the table, but her life is different now.  Helena has discovered the joy of  Crayola. 

The magic really started when she learned to turn her TaDoodles upside down.

I taped her paper down and eventually put a second sheet to her right, but still...

any suggestions on how to protect my table from her art?