Homemade White Clay: Why we need to Fail with our kids

Homemade White Clay: Why we need to Fail with our kids, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Don't you love finding those great homemade crafts on Pinterest. My Pinspiration "White Clay" activity caught my eye because of the gorgeous bright white color of the dough. And the cute cookie cutter ornaments made with the dough, and the ability to paint the baked ornaments.... Yada Yada Yada!!! All looks nice on the PIN.

Venting time: can't do any if this fun "white clay ornaments" and painting them afterwards if the dough flakes and when you finally do get an ornament made it disintegrates coming out of the oven. Vent complete.

We totally enjoyed the mixing, measuring, stirring and talking about our science, err um, I mean fun craft. I squeeze I learning everywhere we can!!! We ate lunch as the dough cooled for about 10 minutes or so.

Project Fail, White Clay Dough
Recipie we followed:

Bright White Clay Dough

Ingredients:
2 cups of baking soda
1 cup of cornstarch
1 cup of water

Directions:
1. Combine baking soda, cornstarch and water in a medium pot and stir over medium heat until all ingredients are dissolved.
2. Continue to stir over medium low heat until mixture thickens.
3. Once thick, immediately remove from heat and transfer mixture into a mixing bowl. Be careful, mixture will be hot!
4. Cover with a cold damp dish cloth until cool enough to knead.
5. Knead dough until soft and smooth. If mixture is too dry, add a few drops of water at a time and knead until a softer, workable consistency is reached.
6. Roll out dough to 1/4" and cut into shapes as desired.
7. Bake finished creations on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet in a warm oven (I do mine at 175 degrees F for about two hours, flipping them over about half way through baking.) Allow to cool completely in the oven.
8. Once completely dry, finished creations can be painted with acrylic craft paints and sealed with a craft sealant.
9. Wrap unused dough in plastic wrap to keep it fresh.

We did make the dough by heating ingredients in the pot. My first tip that is failed was the smooth texture of our version. It should have been "stickies" and looked more lumpy. And just as every good scientist knows, you will learn during the process, and learn from your failures.

Here's younger son enjoying the warm dough.

Here my younger son is enjoying how warm it is to his hands. He's been under the weather so mommy's homemade chicken soups in the pic too.

My next indicator of failure was the lack if bonding in the clay / sticking to the table and not as pliable as it should be.

Younger son loved playing with his "mountain." He wasn't into ornaments and cookie cutter shapes. He instead had the "cat" eat the "fish" but applying one cutter image over the other. And I can't say enough about the gross and fine motor skills needed to push, press, pinch, and shape the dough.

He was not frustrated - as was the adult in the room (me) - with the dough flakes, pieces and chunks that were falling off said mountain.

Baby girl enjoyed watching us, and touching the warm dough. Otherwise he was more into the cookie cutter shapes, and less into playing with the dough.

I rolled out the dough, into thicker and thicker segments. The cookie cutter shapes would break apart. Then the dough would stick to the table. Just frustrating. Add the flaking dough and it was not fun (for mom).

However baby girl loved flaking pieces all over the floor. And throwing cookie cutters on top.

Afterwards I took my dozen ornaments in animal shapes into the oven for 60 minutes at 175.

Here's our table after the experiment. Younger son is putting flakey dough remnants into a Baggie (so older son can enjoy after school).

And like our favorite clean up time song says: "you can clean where it's small and I can clean where it's tall." For the first time my 4 year old used the vacuum cleaner and picked up the flakey pieces. Baby girl and I wiped up the table each with our own sponges.

Cleaning may have taken longer then the entire project - cooking and molding together.

As for the baking, everything went smoothly. Then I removed the ornaments, and as the tray cooled I nudged one, and the leg came off. I nudged the duck beak and it flaked apart. All the pieces disintegrated. All of them. And the little rolled "balls" of dough we thought we'd make marbles from, they cracked, and dented. So interesting flops all the was around.

But even with the failures, we had fun. And we lived a real experiment. We need to fail with our kids too. Talking about our projects. What we were making. How it felt. It was "fun mommy." And then as you know real life doesn't work 100% of the time. So my kids also need to experience failures so they know how to handle disappointment. And they can learn to persevere, and try again, and again until we reach success. And you can't beat that.

The flop
We think we didn't add enough baking soda. My younger son remembers adding 1 cup of everything instead of a single 2-cup ingredient.

We will revisit this project. And try a smaller batch recipie. It's a low cost flop, but a high impact failure experiment... Again positive for my kids experiences.

Make Mistakes (like I did). Breathe. Reflect. And Laugh.Out.Loud. It helps with coping skills and failures.

Old merges with New, Part II: a Proper Apology (the Steps in the Apology Process)

Family. It's something that motivates us, drives us insane at times, but will always remain deep with in us. Even when we try to run away from it we can't. We can pretend, but family is always a part of us. 

In my last post I wrote about struggles with my grandmother. Her health fears and my ever waning strength to be of any help, anymore.

I feel guilty helping her when my kids get tossed off during that hour phone call (good luck ending a call with her quickly). There is ACTUAL needs here by my 'lil ones. Actual needs to be met. But when she acts ridiculous and denies helping herself, there's nothing more I can do. 

I have learned a lot over these last few years living so close to grandmas house. More stories about everyone in the family. Having grown closer to grandma (before we grew a little further apart). I've even spent quality time with my grandfather's side of the family whom I had Never Known Existed. Imagine that...

But I'm learning. I'm reflecting on my own life as I hear so many family stories from the generations gone by. Why did so-and-so do this or that? Why can't they handle their life issues? It's a life puzzle that you piece together with stories. And then once you know, about who and why... Let that information heal you.

Knowing WHY things happen is part of the puzzle. Once your life history and puzzle questions are assembled you have a picture of the answers you've been looking for - and then, it struck me: "what are you going to do with those answers."

My tag line in this blog includes "reflect."

I reflect on the new things I learn and take them in. The information almost grows as a new part of me for a while, I digest the information, I sit with it, In my minds eye I look at it, and then I can see how I can hopefully gain some knowledge from the information. 

Usually it's by redirecting my approach with my kids. Learning from the mistakes of those around me and adding in the awesome Rules and Life lessons I've heard too!! When I see a mom screaming, I remind myself of the times I screamed, I reflect on how awful I felt, and my kid/s felt afterwards. Note to self: don't scream.

In my last post I mentioned my sons had an argument with eachotehr. While I was on the phone with my uncle discussing the most recent issue with Babcia and the results of the doctors appointment; the older son started yelling!! I witnessed my older son in frustration, after being stuck at Babcia's house for nearly 2 hours and totally off routine, and now he has to deal with hearing mom on the phone,...well he had enough! He began to YELL at his younger brother for taking a toy. I mean screaming after he lunged across the table attempting to grab it back. 

I finished my phone call with a quick "I have to call you back." 

Without yelling... I said: I think we all need a break.

1. We handled it first by "cooling our jets" and by sending him upstairs to calm down. 

2. Then I asked my younger son what he thought happened. I agree he also deserved to toy to have and play with too.

3. We all went upstairs to talk through the toy issue. 

4. I got my older sons perspective, thru some tears.

5. Next were both boys ideas for solutions to the toy matter. And mom sprinkled in some thoughts when they hit dead ends.

6. Then we went over a proper apology steps:

1. Take responsability for what you did do. 

2. Say your sorry. 

3. Offer to make amends.

7. I lived by example: I also asked for some "private time" to talk with my older son about yelling. I took "responsibility for my own actions" explaining how I yelled when he was little (between baby girls age and younger sons) and that was wrong. And that's probably why he yells. "It's normal to get mad, but we have to control our actions. Mommy doesn't yell anymore, right? Younger son and baby girl don't either, right? Because mommy's changing. I'm not yelling anymore am I? Well you also need to try to not yell too." 

I cried a little. He did too. I said I had a bad day. He did too. I said I was frustrated with Babcia, but that's no reason to yell. He said he was too. But I told him no matter how I feel I can't take it out on the people I love. "Mom what can you do?" He said thru his teared up eyes. 

"Ask for private time. Go for a walk. Go read a book. Anything to not hurt others with your pain. Leave to situation. Sometimes we just need a break from life."

We talked thru options: how to "tell and not yell." Talk try options, but If your mad you need to walk away first, and then if you can't think of how to trade toys or take turns, if that doesn't work ask an adult for help.

8. We called in the other two (who were playing in baby girls bedroom but constantly walking in on our talk [which was allowed because kids learn by observation, and seeing mom stay calm and talk it out is really really good observation]). I said older son would meet us downstairs while he figured out what to offer younger son (3rd step in the apology process). Meanwhile I coached younger son to take whatever he's given [since this is the first time practiceing this process] and say thanks, cause we can trade it for something else tomorrow. [just in case my bright ideas need a little nudge, I give a little push!]

9. Older son apologized for yelling while offering a toy up for play as an offering. 

10. After that it was clearly over. The boys shook hands. 

And I felt better. If even for a Moment. I thought after such a strange day, and "dealing with the old," I felt there was a blending in me of all the good I'd learned. I am going to teach my kids - as best I can - the better way of doing things in life. And that's a great place to be.

Make mistakes (because you will). Breath. Reflect. And Laugh.Out.Loud (or cry like I did today with my son)

Old Merges with New, in Me. Part I

Old Merges with New, in Me, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

I saw this quote today from Socrates and it so powerfully captured the essence of my day - even unintentionally.
"The Secret of Change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new."

My Babcia is 83 years young. She doesn't look her age, she doesn't feel her age (except when her body does), an she most certainly doesn't act her age!! Grandma is a work of art all her own. I seriously don't know anyone else like her. And I know a lot of people and I can read people pretty well, putting everyone sniffly into a category of my choosing.

No one else has her vicious passion and defense of her family (I can say stuff about them but dot you dare!). No one I know can argue you into the ground like her, after words you will have an emotional hangover! You can't finish a sentence or a response because she's already on to the next thought that SHE has. It's rude, and obnoxious, but that's her. Stubborn as a bull, she can laugh you into tears, and be as empathetic and gentle as a new puppy. Morbid in her sense of sharing CNN type news: I tell her I can't believe the recent story of the women who fell asleep drunk on her newborn, she has to "top my story" with "there's a 2-year old baby in Poland that fell out a window and dies of a broken neck...(then to seemingly relate to me)... Where were her parents then?"

And no one is at all illogical like she is, (which explains a lot about my parents). Yet she has "successfully" raised 3 kids, enjoyed partial parenting of 3 out of 5 grandkids and now sees her 3 great grand-children often. Not to say Sunday dinner at her house with the family.

Today I sacrificed a little, enough where it hurt. I had a headache, flu like symptoms, and a sick younger son. Yesterday Babcia wasn't "feeling well." She does have a heart condition, post by-pass surgery, post newly diagnosed A-Fib, consistent high blood pressure, and consistent anxiety. She does always remember what prescriptions she needs to take, she just chooses to regulate her meds as She Thinks she needs them. "I'll take less of this Blood Pressure pill because my Blood Pressure is lower today." Then she'll complain like my 4 year old son how her tummy hurts or she has a headache from "that pill" which she's been taking for a year with no problems. "Take Tylenol," I say. "And add more pills to the mix? No thank you," she replies. My all time favorite is when she goes to a doctors appointment she'll say: "I'm not taking my meds today because I want my Doctor to see what symptoms I have in real life." (You see dear reader, the pills will make the the symptoms stop, isn't that a problem?).

So today Wednesday Babcia calls to take her to a Doctors appointment (which I encouraged her to make). She's suffering from ever worsening anxiety issues and now, I think, she depressed rather often. Her hearts "beating rapidly, pounding," and she "can't live like this!" Not to mention her cheeks burn up and Blood Pressure sky rockets (were talking160-180/90-100). She also gets emotionally crazed, talking loud, stressed out, scared she's gonna die. All understandable.

I had called her electro-cardiologist (fancy) over the last 30 days 3-4 times and asked him to check the Halter monitor she'd been wearing for signs of what's causing these symptoms... And... Nothing. No irregular sinus rhythm, no A-Fib, no flutters (all issues that were
legitimate 30 days ago pre medication controls). Every night shed press the button on the halter to report "heart pounding." She couldn't get to sleep until 1: am nearly every night for days until she'd pass out at 9pm from exhaustion on day 4 or 5. She denies this tho.  We've been through this "pounding heart, heart feels like it's gonna jump out of my chest" many times since her by pass surgery 3 years ago. And each time she's wearing a halter monitor for these self reported "symptoms" nothing appears medically wrong. No other symptoms either, like dizziness, shortness of breath, weakness, chest pains etc. All signs of heart related issues.

Finally, after years and tears of us all explaining to her she is Anxious and gets herself "worked up" she finally did start taking anti anxiety Xanex for her attacks. And she felt better. Dare I say - and don't tell anyone this - she loved it. "It relaxes me, it calms me, I've never felt like this." Can you imagine if my Babcia ever for high in her life? That'd be a funny movie...

Before leaving on a flight to Poland she'd be taking the Xanex up to two days before departure to help "calm her nerves." She gets so excited, and anxious, about the good and bad of her trip, her blood pressure sky rockets!!! She gets extremely hyper in her actions and speech! It's a little amusing to watch. And for 83 - she's not slowing down, well a little.

So back to the doctors appointment call: Tuesday I finally I hit my support wall. Her phone calls are becoming weekly!! Weekly!! No longer at 9:00 am like they Once were, not even8:00 am ("so we could get to the Emergency Room before your son gets out of school [at 2:45 you mean?]"). Now she calls at 7:00 ambefore we are waking up to get ready for school!! Ironically these calls from Babcia are the opposite of my mother-in-law who calls always has a "problem" I the weekend (coincidentally when she knows my husband is home.) she called when I had to get my sons report card this week. He was already going there to sit with them for an hour, but she called anyway at 7:00 am.

After I came back to fetch my kids on Tuesday, she starts right in again, literally as I walk through the door with tears in her eyes. I tell Babcia she's depressed, and her racing heart is caused by her emotions. She won't hear of it... "Something's wrong, something's wrong with my heart won't you believe me." I believe you feel this way, but you are so worried you, yourself, make its beating worse, harder, faster... "But I'm so hot this time, I'm burning up." True. She was red in the face, and wearing her house robe, house dress, a turtle neck and undershirt. Long johns and thick socks, all perfectly matched in off whet and light blue - which being dressed to "stay warm" because she's having chills and the layers of clothes has "[yelling in her normal tone] nothing to do with the warm feeling in my chest!" I won't get started on the temperature related issues, or allergies here in this post.

I'm crying too. What can I do? I can't talk anymore about this. There is no progress. I can't be her therapist. I see her often and I am always exhausted afterwards. And I'm feeling guilty for not wanting to help her anymore. My kids suffer when they are there, watching TV or hours, there like little joking beans when I pick them up again... And each phone calls at least an hour because to her, it's all "new symptoms, different this time."

I was done. "Babcia," as I raise my wrists to her in a hand-cuffed motion, "I can't help you anymore. Everyone can have mental health concerns, except you right? Your older son gets depressed during winter. So does your younger son. Your daughter has her mental issues, and your other daughter can't even deal with anything so she's moved / run far away to another state. But you, your perfectly healthy! You have no mental health issues. Yet these are your kids! Your genes!! I have news for you,.... You also have these issues. The halter motion shows it's NOT YOUR HEART! I've told you this is emotions running wild - you say no! I've told you to call our doctor to get new anxiety meds to help you with this issue - you say no! Then there's nothing more I can do for you." And I left her house.

So today, Wednesday she's going to her doctor, to ask "what could these heart signs be?" My idea, my idea, my freaking idea!!!! So we go. So he gets a new script because yes the Xanex could make her feel uncomfortable as she's reported. I won't get into what I think is her trying to understand. She thinks "maybe the Metropolol dose is too high so the Xanex doesn't work right? And this time my chest gets so warm and my heart just won't stop pounding. I get a headache from the amlodopine so, my granddaughter doesn't know until now, I stopped taking it." Ok, so I got into her head a little.

Here's what scary. I can't help her anymore. I've told her when she wants to stop taking a med to call her doctor first. But it's her life, it's her choice. You can't talk to an illogical person about logic. Her doctors use shock and awe, also amusing, yet scary, to watch.

And the quote. I didn't fight the old today. I went, to her appointment, knowing that I'm done feeding the unhealthy behavior. As for the new, I gave counsel. I witnessed my older son in frustration, after being stuck at Babcia for nearly 2 hours and totally off routine, YELL at his younger brother for taking a toy. We handled it  and I talked thru a lot with him. Practice a proper apology and gave lots of hugs and kisses.

My lesson? I think I know I can't change my Babcia, but I can only try to help move her along a path where she can help herself. As much as that's possible.

I know of my grandmas mistakes in raising her kids, not only from my mom, and uncles and aunt, but from my grandmas own words. I also know a lot of positive things to DO with my kids from her.

Lastly I know how my mom was, and wasn't, with me. While I had a mostly wonderful childhood, I could've done without the yelling. And that's where I am trying to focus my energy on the new - my kids - and showing them how to do things the right way. Handling arguments. Giving time to the elderly. Balancing time between  Family issues. And not yelling and handling things calmly. Trying, always trying.

Make Mistakes. Breath (deep). Reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud!!!


This is a nice reference article on elderly counseling and depression related issues and meds. http://www.mhaging.org/info/olus.html

Stick Together: my Momism

A simple rule and something I say often. When we are at a store, or a large play area: "kids, let's stick..." And they reply "together." 

I want the kids to be independent, I'm their due time. But for safety sake, and my own sanity, there's a time and a place for wandering. The hu-mungus-monster-mall with 150 stores is NOT a place for kids to wander. In a store or out!!

We walked into Spencer's gifts at the mall which caught our attention with a Jamaican flag poster. We are planning a trip there for a family wedding and the kids are soooo excited. We went in, to show kids what they saw already, even more tshirts and hats galore with cartoon themed stuff from this generation. No Bart Simpson or Metallica here. However many other middle finger appropriate slang-cursing tshirts on the higher up shelves. 

As we walked and whirled between aisles and tall stand alone shelves, I turned a corner and both boys were gone. "Check check?"  I said. No reply.

 

The song lyrics were pipeing LOUD in the stereo ironically "stick together, la la la la la.." So I yelled "stick"... And they replied while walking back to me "together." Phew! What a relief. After that I made more of an effort to keep them close(r) to me.

Make Mistakes. Breath, Reflect. and Laugh.Out.Loud

Baby Supplies... Part II... What Do You Really Need for Growing withBaby?

And more importantly change your habits around their (baby) needs. 

Along with making new habits for you, comes the basics of caring for a new person.

- Feed baby

- Clothe baby

- Change baby's diaper

- Let baby sleep, regularly.

When you walk into a chain baby supply store it can be overwhelming. Do I buy or register? If both, what do I buy? Do I need a diaper disposal system? Which Crib is best? What kind of Stroller do we need? What’s a travel system? Look at all these cute clothes!!! Bathing in a bath tub or a sink? (Is the sink thing a typo? Nope) Register for a college fund? Already!? And life insurance? UGH! 

Below I tried to outline the most common items that we did need and the some good questions to think about when you are shopping. This blog is called "are you sure about that..." So I my comments on what you don’t need and why. I've included my baby registry list. It's what we really needed for baby.

Saving Money

Oh yeah, and then there is saving money. I know that many, many, many people can buy the most expensive stroller, crib set and designer cloths for baby. But I am a practical mom, and I am going green (environmental stuff). So I don’t want to spend my hard earned cash on all baby stuff (which I won't need anymore within one-year). I just want the things I need, and then some of what I really want.... of course!

Still reading? Good. Just keep an open mind, we are on a journey right? Well, along the way on this trip you are going to hopefully hear some great ideas, and some you might think are strange. But stick with me, and you can decide which ones you like for your lifestyle. Deal? OK, keep reading.

A real practical easy to remember tip is you want things to “grow with baby.” Convertible, Stretchable, Changeable. Cloths, Strollers, chairs, cribs, you name it. Get the one that will covert and “grow with baby.”

Consider with any baby item you think you need what's Practical vs. the Trend: Really decide how important the item you want is. Will it "grow with baby?" Is it for YOU, just to say look at my baby? Or is it for baby to live better? Well if you really want to save money, these are the hard questions.


Cloth Diapers.

THESE are not your mom’s diapers! These are new, awesome, and not gross! I am a practical mom, not hard core green tho. We use cloth diapers at home (which is an insert into an "envelope" type water proof cover) with my older first son, then when we went out and about in the world we took disposable diapers. Now, the cloth diapers I mention in the next section can easily be taken on trips with baby, but we chose to integrate with disposable.

Here you need to plan how often you want to wash this extra load of laundry. No ou shouldn't wash diapers with your baby clothes. You can use a diaper service too. We choose every other day for laundry, so we needed about 26 diapers. I also choose a brand that grows with baby - not infant size - but elastic and button options to resize them.

 

It's been 8 years since my diaper days with older so and the cloth diaper market has grown. In 2005 you could only but diapers online or through mail order parent magazine ads. Now cloth diapers are in stores like Target and Baby giant retailers. Lots of colors too - not just white like in his baby days. 

As for longevity - there great. It's 2013 and baby girl is being potty trained with the same diapers. I cared for them cautiously, so they aren't stained or falling apart. I always soaked them in a 1:1 vinager water ratio in the diaper bin while waiting to be washed. An used a gentle laundry soap to limit wear on them.

Homemade Baby Food. 

Easier then you think. There is an easy, fast, and inexpensive way to feed your baby as they grow! 

I did buy baby food books and the best was "Mommy Made." She quickly review health benefits of homemade food and eating real fruits and veggies. And there the simplest baby food ideas. It's not even really a recipie. More of a habit to incorporate into your life.

Having a baby is fun, in between the “work.” So consider what you want, what you need, and what you are about to learn you need!

Registry.

Do register for “convenience” items or in things you want to splurge on. My husband told a friend this once: “You may not really need it, but it would be nice to have.” Like we had a baby bottle warmer in the nursery. Practical, not really. You can always run downstairs to warm the milk, but who wants to walk all the way to the kitchen at 2 a.m. on the 12th night in a row? I didn’t. This item was a hand me down that I didn’t even think I needed. Glad I had it and you will to!

· Do consider the “life span” of the product – will it last through more babies that you may want?

- consider Baby Supplies that Grow with Baby

We bought a high chair from 2 months (gentle reclined position) to converting into a seat for over 1 year olds. 

Our stroller converted from a 4 month old recline position to a seated position. I also recommend splurging a little for a "terrain" stroller. A large front wheel over 8 inches - little dinky wheels are a pain I maneuver especially as baby gets bigger and heavier.

Register for visa gift cards versus store specific so ou can order from websites and places YOU prefer. 

Make sure you read Part I of this post series... About what your baby really needs: YOU!!

The Days are long, the years are short. 

Young Son Wrote the Word "MOM"

Young Son Wrote the Word "MOM", a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

I am so completely crying right now. As we eat our lunch my young son wanted to color in between bites.

After I prepped our lunch and took a few bites, I look back at his sheet and he wrote "MOM." That's his first written word, besides his name.

"Where did you learn that word?" He replied "it's in your necklace.

My Son Loves to Read, But Why?

My Son Loves to Read, Buy Why?, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Maybe I should ask How Come my older son loves to read? What makes him LOVE books so much?

I remember growing up and my mom constantly reading books. I'd be up watching late night TV and she'd be in bed, reading!

We always had a library at home too. Bookshelves covered in books, and then a whole room dedicate to books! I wish I read as much as I used to. I am still surrounded by books that I've never had a change to read, but I can't bear to part with.

As for my so , he definitely has the reading bug. We finish our bedtime book and he's off reading for another 20 minutes or so. I can only assume his love of reading comes from two factors:

My son reading in bed, after our evening story. He's really into the Diary of a Whimpy Kid Series (which he completed all 4 books since summer, over a 6 month period). Here he's feeding (yes, it's like he's feeding on it) on the Nate Series...

1. Ever since he was 6 months old we've read out loud. We've read a book every night for the first 5 years. And during the day - our before school was in our life routine included reading, as we woke, as we ate meals, before naps, and after afternoon play. Concluding the day with, yup, 2-3 bedtime books! Hmph.... I think I'm onto something.

2. Another big factor in reading at home is our own library. The kids always get to buy books when we are out thrifting. They pick whatever they like, even if the books above their age reading ability level. We had a 3rd grade school numbers math activity come home. "Count how many books you own at home." So we did.... 71 on the bookshelf, 25 on his bed night stand, 50 in the closet on the shelf, 45 in the book basket in his sisters room,... you get the idea. We also included the toy room, the kids basket in my room and our lunch time kitchen books. And the grand total was 512 kids books!

I'm still shocked! That's absurd right. Don't assume we hate read them all. Again, as we started the counting activity I didn't think that we had 512, I guesstimated it would be 150, maybe 200? As we counted the books we reminisced what each one was about. There were only a handful we hadn't read, or read fully because they were question and answer books, or reference books, or a dinosaur directory.

Why does my Older 8 year old son love to read? It could be our no TV during the week policy and being surround by 512 books.

East Kids Nature Project: Leaf Rubbing

Incorporating nature into our lives and our art is a regular activity. And so easy. Just walk outside your door for that "in-season" inspiration you may need. And some much needed exercise / energy release and running around for the kids.

On a recent walk around the block. we collected leaves of various shapes and colors. Then we proceeded to lay them out in my Older Sons particular order....we secured paper by taping it down on all sides of our cardboard, and rub impression onto paper with color crayons and viola!

This was a fairly easy project to put together. It hung in our front window after we admired it an talked about the interesting "veins" and patterns the leaves made.

Here he is just starting out the rubbing. It was a quick project to get thru, once he picked his colors he was done in 15 minutes or so.

Areyousureaboutthatblog Older Son Picking his Color Scheme

Areyousureaboutthatblog Color Scheme and Variations on the Leaf Details

Areyousureaboutthatblog Close Up of the Leaf Veins and Detail

Nature Project: Leaf Rubbing

Level of Difficulty: EASY

Time: Collecting leaves, may vary. Not including getting coats and shoes on a few minutes. More selective kids may explore the leaves longer, being VERY specific about shapes and colors. That's part of the fun, so don't rush the to pick out there leaves and quickly get to coloring. The outdoor exploring is just as vital!


What You Need:

• Bring Enthusiasm!!
• Leaves, easily collected on a walk through your neighborhood, or around the block.
• Paper, white works well
• Hard surface. Place leaves on the floor and then tape paper over it - watch out for coloring over the edges. If the floor is hard wood, or tiled, the "edges" or flooring detail may poke thru the rubbing effect / might be pretty cool!!
• Crayons, preferably with paper removed slightly or completely. When rubbing or "coloring" just using the crayon tips, less of the leaf detail comes through.

Questions to ask during the project:

When Outside Collecting Leaves - explain the project "We are going to collect some leaves. We want big ones, and little ones, and as many colors as we can find. Then we are going to do a neat magic trick and copy the leaves onto paper using our crayons. It will be amazing!"

Just conversation starters.... don't grill you child with these questions, engage them in conversation!

What color leaves did you find?
Is this a red leaf?
I wonder why the leaves are changing their colors from green to...yellow, red, etc.?
Is that leaf bigger then your foot?
Gee, good thing the leaves are on the ground, so we don't have to climb a tree to get them...why ARE Those leaves on the ground?

At Home:

Layout the project, encourage your child to pick which leaves and allow them to layout out as many or as few as they'd like to prepare for the rubbing. Their is no "right way."

Then tell them it's the "adults part of the job to do" - taping the paper down.

What colors will you pick to rub over your leaves?
What do you think will see when you start to color?
What are those lines on the paper from?
Looks like magic, the leaves are coming thru the paper...
Which one is your favorite leaf rub?
Why do you like it?....(again there are no "right" answers)


Enjoy your quality time together. This quick project will leaf memories for months to come.

The Days are Long, the Years are Short.

Make Mistakes, Breath, Reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.