Go Fly a Kite

The weather in VB was absolutely perfect this weekend. After a long, hard winter, I wanted to spend as much time as possible out in the glorious sunshine.  Which meant we had to come up some fun outdoor activities.  After doing the park (a couple of them at that), the zoo, and even the beach in recent days, I was looking for something a bit different.  So we made kites!
These were the easiest, most basic kites you could probably ever make.  And if you're a little crafty like me (or maybe even if not), you'll likely have all the supplies on hand.  All you need is:

• large paper or even a grocery bag
• scissors
• wooden dowels or skewers
• tape
• yarn
• crayons to decorate

To make them, simply cut out a kite shape from paper.  Tape dowels or skewers along the edges and across the middle as shown.

Truthfully, you probably don't even need the outer edges ones, but I found it helped to hold the kite better together.  Tie and/or tape (I suggest doing both) yarn across the kite lengthwise.  Finally, tie another long piece of yarn to the one you just tied.  And voila, you have a kite...

I let the boys decorate their kites (which lasted all of about 2 seconds).

And then we took them outside to fly.

We quickly realized there really wasn't enough wind, though, for our kites.  Luckily, Mt. Trashmore (VB's lovely man-made mountain) is only a few minutes away, so we packed ourselves up and headed there instead.

You may not be able to tell, but we were more successful there (despite the fact that I lost my keys on top of the mountain and then we spent a half hour tracking them down...).  As easy and low-budget as our kites were, they certainly held up well enough to entertain these boys and give us a good morning!

Twinsies

It always surprises me when people ask me if my two boys are twins.  With nearly two years between them, I feel like it is fairly obvious there is an age difference between the two, but it is a question I get pretty frequently!
And lately it seems the boys have started embracing the idea (even though they are unaware of the questions to begin with!). It all starts each morning when it is time to get dressed.  My diva-in-training (Levi) is going through a major phase in which he is very insistent on what he wears.  Some days it's Crocs, some days exercise pants,sometimes a white t-shirt to be like Daddy, but most days it's a character shirt, and more specifically his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (an affinity he picked up from Colton who picked it up from who knows...all of a sudden, my boys were both obsessed with TMNT and (at least to my knowledge) had never seen anything TMNT). I've learned with our strong-willed Levi that you have to choose your battles, so I go along with it for the most part.

And then it's time to get Colton dressed.  He's definitely the more easy-going of my two children, so most days I pick out his clothes, he puts them on without paying any attention to what it is, and we are off.  But if Levi is sporting his TMNT or a few other character shirts that they happen to share (Superman, Batman, etc), Colton generally insists on wearing his as well.  Again, choose your battles, right?  So frequently now, my children leave the house in matching outfits...

Obviously, I have tried buying them different shirts, but that backfired on me recently as well when Colton threw a fit that he didn't like the TMNT shirt I had gotten him and wanted the same one Levi had gotten. In one of my not-so-proud parenting moments, we headed back to Children's Place to exchange it.  And because I feel like I should justify that a bit, I should explain that Levi and I got the shirts while Colton was at his first day of soccer. He was already in tears when we got there (he has since learned to love it...thank goodness!) and became even more distraught when he noticed Levi's new shirt that he was already wearing. Let's just say, it wasn't even worth it!
I've always thought it was kind of corny to dress your kids the same, but now I guess, the joke is on me! If given the opportunity, I am usually quick to mention that I didn't choose to dress them the same, but oh well! I'll just keep repeating my mantra: choose your battles!

Erupting Snow

There's a familiar punchline around here that if you don't like the weather to wait 24 hours!  Case in point: it was in the mid-70s, sunny, and beautiful Sunday...on Monday, temperatures plummeted to the 20's, we got ice (which you can see accumulating in the picture below), and snow on top of that.  For the record, I liked the Sunday weather waaaayyy better!

                        

The bad weather didn't really start rolling in until lunch-time, but schools were closed all day in anticipation (lucky me).  So I had yet another day stuck inside with the boys...although, at least, this time we were able to get out to the gym and grocery store before hunkering down!

Before we knew we would see way too much real snow this winter, we made some indoor snow.  It wasn't really a big hit with the boys as they couldn't get it to stick together enough to make snowmen or snowballs.  But I saw another recipe that involved baking soda instead of cornstarch (mixed with shaving cream in about a 1:1 ratio).  Because this one was made with baking soda, we could pour some vinegar on our creations and get some pretty cool eruptions!

Truthfully, the kids really didn't care any more about the indoor snow than they did the last time I tried it out with them.  But they did totally dig the bubbles and fizzes!

Levi was a bit tentative at first...

but then decided it was pretty cool!

We were running  low on vinegar, so our fun only lasted a few minutes, but it did keep them entertained temporarily.  Now fingers crossed that they actually have school today...on time and everything!  Hurry up Spring...we are totally ready for you!

A Day that Will Live in Infamy

A few weeks back, the boys and I made a quick pit stop at Food Lion.  That's not our regular grocery store (we're Harris Teeter loyalists around here), but Food Lion happens to be the only store that carries my ice cream.  I usually swing by there with Colton after I've picked him up from school (and before I get Levi) and he has gotten into the habit of picking out a box of fruit snacks when we do.  In fact, he thinks Food Lion is the only store that sells fruit snacks!
Anyway, on this particular day, I happened to have both boys with me as we made our quick Food Lion stop.  Of course, Colton was thrilled because that meant he got to get fruit snacks.  And because Colton was thrilled, Levi was too...and wanted to pick out his own special box of fruit snacks.
But when we got to the store, Levi insisted on bringing his dee-dee into the store with him.  He actually never does this, and in an attempt to thwart it, I told him that if he brought his dee dee in, he would not get fruit snacks.  Well, he chose to bring the dee dee.  And much to my amazement, he was perfectly content with that choice...even when Colton picked out his box of fruit snacks.
Seems like a pretty mundane day, right?  Well, apparently not to my boys!!!  I now hear this at least once a day:
Colton: V (his...and our...nickname for Levi) brought his dee dee into Food Lion.
Levi: Dee dee in food Lion.
Colton: He didn't get fruit snacks.
Levi: No fruit snacks for me.

Sometimes they're spurned by driving by a Food Lion, and sometimes they just come out of nowhere.  But either way, it's clearly a day that really left an impression on my children...and I have no idea why!

Tradition: Yay or Nay?

As a  Pinterest-loving, DIY enthusiast, creative (if I don't say so myself) mommy, I have had a little dilemma arise when it comes to holidays.
It started with Halloween.  There were all of those adorable, handmade costumes circulating.  I was pretty sure I could craft my kiddos something cute and unique.  But they didn't want cute and unique.  They wanted to be super heroes.  And even though I probably could have DIYed a superhero ensemble, I quickly realized it was a. not worth effort and b. it would never stand up to the very authentic ones sold in stores.  Plus, I remembered how much fun it was each year to go and pick out that perfect Halloween costume, and figured my kids should have the same experience.  So that's what we did!  And they very happily sported their store-bought costumes!  Sure, I cringed a little when we were at Colton's Halloween parade at school and there were those few kids in their mom-made originals, but I quickly got over it.

And now that Valentine's Day is here, I'm faced with another quandary. If you've logged on to Pinterest at all, I'm sure you've been bombarded with the adorable, hand-made Valentine options out there.  The photo cards, the homemade, color-coordinated snack mix, the options for toys instead of candy...the possibilities are endless.  But when we were at Target a couple weeks back, my boys spotted the boxes of Valentines and very quickly got excited about what box they were going to get (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spongebob, various superheroes...again the possibilities were endless, which is really weird cause I honestly can't tell you how they even know who the TMNT or Spongebob are!). So when it came time to sit down this weekend and do their class Valentines, guess what we ended up with?  Yep, the good ole box kind.

And again, they were thrilled!  We spent a few minutes at Target a few days before where they each excitedly made their final selection (Lego Star Wars for Colton and Superman for Levi) and proudly carried them through the rest of our shopping trip.  

So here's the great debate: who is the DIY route really for? I kind of came to the conclusion that it was 100% for me...not to show up the other parents or anything, but because I genuinely enjoy doing it (and blogging about it!). But the kids...well, they're probably just as content, and arguably more so, walking into those stores and handpicking the most perfect Halloween costume/Valentine cards/etc that they can find!  So why are we trying so hard to mess with a good thing? Isn't the joy of picking these things out part of the thrill of childhood? And at the risk of getting way overly philosophical/preachy, by picking for our kids the Halloween costume they are going to wear or the Valentines they will give, are we maybe, just maybe, taking away some of the independence and sense of self we are trying so hard to embed in them? 

So yeah, we took the easy route, but you know what...I'm actually really proud that I did! I love that their choices will serve as a reminder as to where their budding personalities stand at this point!  And I'm glad that they are so proud of the choices they made and so eager to share them with their friends.

Easy Valentine's Grandparents Gift

My boys have gotten really embarrassing about holidays and gifts.  Each and every occasion, including other people's birthdays, is about what they are going to get from it.  When we picked out Valentines to give to their classes, Colton initially threw a fit because he wanted to keep all of them for himself.  On the way to any birthday party, all both boys talk about is the goody bag they will eventually receive.  And don't even get me started on Christmas and how they ripped through present after present, asking for more when they were finished (in fairness, they were fine when they realized there were no more, but still...).
I'm hoping this is purely a developmental thing, but I'm also trying really hard to teach them that occasions are about more than just them, gifts, and candy!  So we're starting with Valentine's Day.  I've repeatedly enforced that the real point of Valentine's Day is to tell and show those you care about just how much you care about them.  We've gone over and over those in their lives that are special, and not surprisingly Nene and Papa are generally near the top of the list.  So we decided to make them a little something special to show them the love.
I picked up some heart frames from Michaels for just $1 each and some red, white, and pink paints.  Once we got everything home, I instructed the boys to just use their fingerprints to dot the wooden part of the frame.

They had a really good time doing it and it was a pretty mess-free, easy, affordable project.  Plus, I love the way their personalities shine through in their frames.  Note: Colton's perfectly filled in, all red frame, while Levi's creation is a total random scattering of all three colors (the third one was a collaboration in case you're curious).

Obviously, we're going to add an adorable photo of the boys in the frame before we gift them.
And I think we may even combine them with a few of these cookie pops (which I'm also thinking we may give to the boys' teachers).
                                       

via

I don't know if this spirit of giving is really working (considering they're still most eager to check their mailboxes each morning), but I'm hoping if we keep at it, they'll start to get the point.  And hopefully, Nene and Papa (and a couple other special people) will love their presents!

Stuck Inside? Round ?

Did you hear we were snowed in last week?  If you didn't, I'm shocked you didn't catch my bitching and complaining wherever you are!  Let's just say I'm not a stay in kind of girl!  On a typical day, we are out of here around 8:30 and not home until right before nap time.  But after surviving a couple of days being stuck, I am happy to report we made it through (and even happily for the most part!).
Indoor Ice Skating (just waxed paper wrapped around their feet)...slipping and sliding all over the place and having a blast doing it!

Puffy painting: it's just equal parts flour and salt, combined with just enough water to make it the consistency of pancake batter!  The kids had a blast painting with it (we used spoons, but brushes or even a soap bottle would work), but really loved that we could pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds and they immediately dried and got puffy.  On a side note, for the next few days Levi kept wanting to put all of his art work in the microwave...

Crystal Snowflakes: Just make basic snowflakes out of pipe cleaners, tie them to a pencil/skewer and hang them into a mason jar (or other cleaned out glass jar).  Dissolve 3 tbsp. Borax into 1 cup hot water, add a few drops of food coloring (if you want) and pour the mixture into the mason jar.  Let the snowflakes sit overnight and you will find crystals growing.  Pretty cool!  

Paper Snowflakes: An oldie, but a goodie...at least to my boys.  Colton was so proud he could use the scissors, and even though, I cut Levi's for him, he was pretty fascinated to open it up!

Build a fort: One of the boys new favorite activities!  I guess what could be better than hiding out under some blankets?!?

Indoor Snow

I've mentioned it before, but winter time is tough around here, especially when it comes to keeping the kiddos entertained.  It's too cold to really spend much time outside, but the indoor activities are usually pretty costly.  Considering we are trying really hard to stick to a budget this year, I am also trying my best to find some free forms of entertainment for these two wild boys.
Enter experiment number one: indoor snow!  Considering it is iffy, or even unlikely, that we will see the real white stuff this year (or at least so I thought until we woke up to 3 inches this morning...more on that to come!), this seemed like a good project for us!  I had read that the "snow" was just two boxes of cornstarch and one can of shaving cream, so I mixed it all up and lo and behold, we had snow!

The boys, especially Levi, really enjoyed playing with it and even got the chance to build snowmen.  

Honestly though our snow was much messier than I had anticipated!  I think we may have had too much cornstarch and not enough shaving cream (despite using a whole can) because our snow was really powdery and had a hard time staying formed!  So next time, I would probably only use one box of cornstarch (it made way too much as it was anyway) and then add shaving cream until it was the right consistency.

Happy Birthday Levi Shane!

I can hardly believe it, but tomorrow my baby boy turns TWO!!!!  It's so cliche to say, but my word, his little life has just flown by.  And I can hardly believe that this little baby that entered our lives two years ago...

is now the amazing, adorable toddler that he is.

  Levi is such a fun kid.  He is spunky, funny, and a total ball of energy!  The boy is always on the move and usually into something!   He has this mischievous grin, complete with dimples, that alerts us to the fact that he's about to do something he knows he's not supposed to!   But those dimples tend to give him a little longer leash than my parenting shoudl probably admit.  Plus, he's pretty hilarious, so usually his antics provide me with a good laugh.

But beside just being fun, Levi is such a sweet, happy boy.  He is such a lover!  He gives wonderful hugs, kisses, I love yous, and even snuggles (on the rare occasions that he'll sit still for more than five seconds!).  

Levi adores his big brother, and generally lives by an "if Colton can do it, then I can too" philosophy.  He is a sweet, happy, adorable boy...one that charms the pants off of anyone he meets...and I couldn't be prouder or happier to say that he's all ours!  

We love you Levi Shane and can't wait to watch you continue to grow up!

Check in next week for details on Levi's big Messy Monster bash we're having tomorrow to celebrate our messy monster!

Holiday Happenings 2013

I don't know about you all, but this year I have felt more rushed than ever trying to fit in all our holiday fun.  Maybe it's because Thanksgiving was so late.  Or maybe it's because we devoted the first week or so of December exclusively to Hanukkah.  It's probably both...and my neurotic insistence that we absolutely do anything and everything holiday!  Well, with only a couple days remaining, I am happy to report that we've pretty much tackled our holiday to-do list (especially if you consider the few things we have planned for the next couple of days.
It's been fun...and exhausting.  So without further ado, how about a massive photo dump?!?
First stop on our holiday extravaganza was the Coleman's Nursery holiday display.  The nursery itself burned down awhile back, but they now display the legendary holiday trains, figures, etc, so we went to check them out.  The boys liked the whole scavenger hunt thing!

We went to some holiday show.  The highlight there was Colton getting his face painted like Spiderman.

We "wrote" letters to Santa.

And, of course, we got our tree.

...And decorated it.

We visited the holiday train show we go to each year.  Levi's a big choo choo man these days, so this was a big hit for him!

Speaking of trains, we also did a Polar Express night at the Botanical Gardens.  Basically, they served hot chocolate and cookies and read the kids The Polar Express.  Afterwards, we got to board the train to drive through the garden of lights, probably the best display in our area.  Besides the fact that it was just about the coldest night possible, it was a lot of fun!

We also made gingerbread houses.  Colton has a crazy memory for things and remembered exactly how this whole process worked from last year.  Levi, meanwhile, thought it was just about the greatest project we have ever done.  Icing and candy...how does it get any better?!?  He didn't even care that his house collapsed once he was done decorating it!

And, of course, there has been all our fun with Buddy (our elf) over the past month or so.  Candy cane hunts, "snowball" (cotton ball) fights, sugar cone Christmas trees, and more.

Despite sickness and a limited time frame, I think we've done pretty darn good...and had a blast doing it!  I love this time of year, and love that my boys are fast developing the same fondness for it.