Snoodle

Get Well Play Dough

Not to be left out of the sore throat, runny nose, coughing, upset stomach, fever epidemic that is sweeping through this January, I seem to have an ear infection.  It's bringing out my inner whiny 2-year-old, but I'm attempting to tough it out using ear drops and ibuprofen.  If nothing else, it's making me feel more connected with my toddlers.

On the onset of all of these nasty illnesses, I thought it would be nice to do something a little different with the play dough in our classroom.  I like to change out our dough every couple of weeks. Being kept in a sealed container, it can actually last much longer, but we get a little bored with the same color and smell.  We also end up throwing bits away that get dropped on the floor so there's not as much to play with over time.  Having just a wee bit of play dough is just sad!  Though, I have to admit, the toddlers I work with are quick to share.

If you're using store bought play dough, you're really missing out on a fine money-saving crafty opportunity!  (Even if you're not all that craftyt!)  Not only does making your own play dough save money, it's actually kind of fun to make.  There are so many options for color and scent and even glitter!  I even try to fit it into our theme or the season such as lilac color and scent, black glittery "space" dough, or autumn "pumpkin pie" play dough made with spices.  Tools can be changed to meet the fine motor needs of your child/ren or to go with a theme.

Here are the basics:

Play Dough

2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Food coloring and essential oil

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot and stir. 

2. Cook over low heat, stirring until a ball forms.

2. Add food coloring and essential oil and mix thoroughly.

 

It's rather enjoyable to knead it while still warm!  I used neon green food coloring (the purple in the box is my favorite.)  The scent that I used for my coughing, sneezing, runny nosed little buddies was

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Mmm, it smells just like the steamy Vicks smelling vaporizer of my youth!  I'm pretty sure it's healing us as we cut, press, poke, roll, and mold.

Warm Penguins

I finally cracked open this book before Christmas and made a couple of wooly friends for Nora.  Since seeing the penguins in Boston, she's been talking about them and doing her own penguin research.  I have to say, I think they're pretty cute.  I finished the adult and chick before Sabrina was over. 

I found Woolpets to be well organized.  Like many how-tos, it starts with easier projects and moves on to more complex sculptures while building on what you've learned and practiced.  Nora looked at the book and jumped to the end to make a mermaid!  Being a visual learner, I found both the photos and the directions easy to follow.  I highly recommend it for someone wanting to get started in sculptural needle felting.

The cover model from the book:

and here are the penguins that I made.  (I can't say "mine" because they're Nora's now!)

and Nora's mermaid:

(It's an island with a frog on it.. and a tree)

I find it funny that she found the book on my desk (it was a bit hidden, sneaky girl!) and she still seemed very surprised when she opened her penguins on Christmas morning.  

I added something purchased with all of the gifts that I made her this year, so I included the mint penguins from her school's fundraising catalog.

There Is Still Time

I found it here

Revolutions

I fell asleep at the dinner table last night.  A combination of my first day back at work after vacation, a restless night's sleep, and negative temperatures, I was just exhausted.  All resolutions were a bust... except one.  I didn't blog, I didn't work out, I didn't wait 2 hours after eating before going to bed (really blew that one!), I didn't even floss- and that's the easy one! 

I got to thinking what is the point of all these resolutions?  Sure, the mass quantities of baked goods I consumed in the last month could have been used to build a gingerbread skyscraper, so I do understand all of those health resolutions.  I also came to realize that there needs to be a point where one can take stock of what is important and January 1 is just as good a time as any.   And I reluctantly admit that it's okay to start a new diet on a Tuesday.  That being said, an anniversary is a fine time to take another look at your marriage and a birthday is a good time to look at your parenting. 

But there's something about the word "resolutions" that bothers me.  It's so serious, so easily ruined.  Maybe I just lack resolve.

Nora has been calling them "revolutions" which I like better.  Maybe if my life revolved around these goals, I'd do better with them.  Wait!  Goals?!  Now, that's a better word.  As a teacher, we're always (always) asked to come up with goals.  I can wrap my head around "goals."  Then, I read this article about setting goals vs resolutions which really made me rethink this whole resolution business should be approached:  S.M.A.R.T.  Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevent, and Timely.

So, I've revamped my resolutions.

*    Loose 10% by the first day of Spring

*    Mend for 15 minutes per day until the giant box is empty

*    Stick to the cleaning schedule and take Sundays off

*    Get my CDA

*    Go to bed before 11:00  (this is the one that I actually did yesterday!) 

*    Read, read, read!  A book a week... at least. 

*    Floss every day. 

There's plenty more that I want to do this year, but they're those wishy-washy "resolution" types, and I'm not going to get bogged down with things that I feel I must do.  This is a fine start.

****

Much more exciting than goal-setting (and speaking of revolutions) is the film release of Les Miserables.  I've seen it twice: once last year and once this year... or twice in one week depending on how you look at it!  Yes, it really is that good. 

If you do go, here are the rules:  do NOT eat popcorn, bring tissues, share with those around you after "On My Own", clap at the end. 

Oh, and yes, that is "Borat" as Thenardier. 

Enjoy.

 

 

2013

She wanted to stay up until midnight. 

At midnight there are fireworks.

She slept in late.

Trudged through the snow to downtown Burlington.

She enjoyed Himalayan food: mango lassi, somosa, and momo.

She sang along with favorite musicians,

Watched Irish step dancing and asked for lessons.

And dampened our jeans as she jigged and reeled in the slush.

She petted dragons in the parade and cheered on her school.

She ran outside mid California roll to see the 6:00 fireworks.

The "kids'" fireworks.

NOT the midnight fireworks.

She thanked us for a "wonderful time" already.

She listed to A LOT OF BANJO.

She got a little sleepy.

She sang along to show tunes.

And at the theater, watched cartoons.

She pulled on her snowpants and descended the hill.

It was almost time.

She waited

And waited

And waited

And waited.

6-5-4-3-2-1

Mama and daddy kissing.

Ewww.

Mama and daddy kissing her.

Ahhhh.

She made it to the fireworks at midnight.

Happy New Year!

That was a Funny Date!

Yea!  I already checked off our November date night.  David thought it was a little too close to our last one, but November gets busy too quickly and we had a volunteer babysitter (thanks grandma!), and we got a check rebate check from the co-op, and we were needing something to perk us up post-election.  No, not everyone was psyched about the results!  So, off we went to Vermont's ONLY comedy club!

See what they did there with the logo?! 

It took me months to realize it myself!

 

Hitting the comedy club is not our usual thing... you know, being Catholic Conservatives who don't like to laugh and all!  No, actually, it's because there's not much for comedy around here.  I remember going to a show before we were married at a hotel lounge.  And then, there was the night in NYC when we stayed out waaaaaay too late and had a few too many beverages on my birthday and the comedians got crazier and crazier as the night went on... or angrier and angrier.  To the point when the audience was looking at each other like, "is he a comedian or just a raving looney off the street?"

So, I was really psyched to find this new club as good as I hoped!  While they host local talent, we saw a group of comics all the way from Maine... so local.  They were all really funny and we enjoyed ourselves tremendously.  I promised David that we could leave if things got too political or anti-religious and he didn't need to take me up on the offer! 

I'll leave you not with one of the comics we saw but one of my quotable favorites as well as a strong recommendation to add a little funny to your next date night.

 

 

Merida's Potato

After an hour of hair curling, Nora was in ready shape for a night of trick-or-treating as Merida from movie, Brave.  It is so unlikely that she would choose to dress as a princess and from a movie no less, but Pixar's Scottish archer-princess won over her heart this summer.  No doubt it was the actual large screen which drew her in.  Brave was only the second movie that she has seen at the theater.  The first was Charlotte's Web when she was just a toddler... really, too young, but how could I resist bringing her to a film based on my favorite children's book?!  In defence of literacy, she has read the "junior novelization" just about every day since she got it soon after seeing the movie, so I'm feeling good about this year's costume pick.  Except maybe for that hour of hair curling!

Totally worth it!

The dress she wore was the same dress my flower girl wore in my wedding.  The broach was a gift from David when we went to the Quichee Scottish Festival years ago.  Of course, she just slung her bow over her shoulder like a natural and declared that she felt like Merida.  Easiest costume ever!  Well, except for that hair curling.

While we she sorted out her candy, we discussed all of the events of the evening. 

We saw the annual gathering of bikers (or perhaps "bicyclists"?) pedaling throughout our neighborhood dressed as crows and caw-caw-cawing.  It was very exciting and yet also a little creepy as a murder of crows tends to be! 

There was also the house where you could trade in your least favorite candy, play a bean bag toss, and pick a better candy from the bowl:  one kid's worst is another kid's favorite.  In Eleanor's case, the favorite was a Bull's Eye: apropos for the archer!

David and I, once again, were thankful for the neighbor's jello shots, or "treats for grown-ups" as they call them.

... and then there was the potato. 

Yes, one house had a bowl of candy with a potato in it.  My daughter took the potato.  She kept talking about it all night.  "Yes! Skittles!  ...but the potato is still my favorite." 

As Nora was getting to the end of her sorting, a few trick or treaters came to our door.  Nora politely gave them candy and wished them a Happy Halloween.  As I closed the door, watching to make sure they stepped off the porch safely, I overheard one little boy saying, "she is the girl of my dreams!"

Apparently, it was a pretty great Halloween for everyone!

Gut Bucket

I like pumpkin carving almost as much as trick-or-treating.  I don't have many memories of going from door to door as a child.  We celebrated All Saints Day at our church where I would dress as a saint and go to the parish hall afterwards to play games for candy.  Seriously: 

Yup, that's me back in the day when preists wore a stole over the chausable and we said "And also with you."  (Catholics understand!)  I really hope that the woman behind my father was also dressed for Halloween because... wow!

Anyway, I do remember my father carving pumpkins with us and the delightful seeds that my mother baked - always the next day because they must soak overnight. 

I do not, however remeber who designed the Jack o' lanterns that were carved.  They were usually the traditional toothy grimace probably limited by dad's ablility to jab the knife!   Nora, naturally, is the designer of our pumpkins and has been sketching for days.

A couple of years ago, I came up with the idea of using a wet erase marker to draw right onto the pumpkin.  If she doesn't like the idea or if part of the design needs adjusting, it can be wiped clean and drawn again.  Then, David would carve the pumpkin.  This year, there were a few changes to our usual carving routine.  Here are some things that were seen and heard while we worked:

It's like a fairy welcoming chime!

Where's the gut bucket?

It's a $50 Bennington Potters bowl,

but here's your gut bucket.

You want it hollow-

with a good knocking.

 

Gut Bucket would be an

excellent band name.

Hey, Nora, ever throw a knife?

[She got it first throw!]

 

Dad, do you do this at work?

Can I cut out an eye?

I designed him.

I drew him.

and I cut him out.

His name is Sheldon.

 

A Frightfully Good Anniversary Date

David and I celebrated our 12th anniversary this month. We had a lovely dinner out at our favorite restaurant, Trattoria Delia, as we have every year. Also, as usual, we had our annual "State of the Union Address". Okay, this sounds a little dorky, but we discuss how things are going in our marriage: what needs to change, what's working well, and our hopes for the upcoming year. Sure, there are the big issues and parenting matters that need to be dealt with as they come, but it's nice to have a night alone to just talk about us. 

Actually, it's so nice to be us that for an anniversary gift, I gave him a certificate for the "Date of the Month Club":  12 dates for 12 years!  I also included a clue about our first date.   It was inspired by a blog that I read, Find Joy in the Journey.  Shannon describes how she preplanned (and mostly prepaid) for her dates in advance.  She also packaged them up nicely with scrapbook pages.  So sweet!  Alas, I'm no scrapbooker and neglected to even get any photos from our first date for this neglected blog! 

But this weekend, we did honor our first date  Here's what I gave David on our anniversary:

Each month I will give him another hint like this and see if he can guess what we will be doing on our date.  The pizza fraction from one of Nora's favorite games, said "truth" on the back.  It represented dinner at a fairly new restaurant, Pizzeria Verita.  Oh, the Neapolitian style pizza was delicious!  We split a fig & gorgonzola with proscuttio: yummy crust, the flavor combinations were perfect, and the staff, though incredibly busy, was helpful and friendly.  David, ever the chef even on date night, chatted with one of the owners, who told him that the hostess' mother made the canoli: the best canoli of all canoli.  Go there and eat canoli!  They also recommended the canoli cup, but for goodness sake, I don't know how that canoli could be topped! 

The cute little ghost meant that we were going on the Queen City Ghostwalk!    During the hour-long tour of our city, Thea Lewis, cloaked and carrying a lantern for full dramatic effect, told us some great ghost stories.  There was an excellent blend of Burlington's legendary characters, the macabre, and modern ghost sightings.  We learned that some of our own frequent haunts are indeed haunted!  In fact, a restaurant where David used to work is apparently haunted.  I'm going to look twice when I see someone in Burlington wearing "vintage"... might be the spirit of somone wearing clothes from their own time!

In just the couple of days since we went on our tour, I've been asked many questions about the ghostwalk.  I wholeheartedly recommend it to both locals and tourists.  It is the perfect time of year to get some tingles down your spine!  Thea is very well spoken and theatrical, but not melodramatic.  It was clear that she had done a great deal of research and has a passion for her work.   There was a mix of ages on the walk, and anyone from brave older children to longtime Vermonters would enjoy it.  I'm glad that Nora did not go as the walk started where she will be performing the Nutcracker next month.  I think performing on that enormous stage alone will be enough to give her the shivers!  My only complaint was that the hour went too quickly.  Now, I want to hear more stories.  No bones about it, I'm definately going to get her book, Haunted Burlington! 

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Here it is: Labor Day.  It tries to be a nice holiday offering up a day off.  But I'm hip to its tricks.  It tries to be friendly, but let's face it, it's the demise of summer.  Oh sure, we've got a bit to go as far as the calendar is concerned, but staying up way past bedtime, eschewing responsibilities, leaving on a whim for a new adventure...  Done.  Ah, but it was a good summer, a beautiful summer, one of the sunniest I remember. 

We hit the Freedom Trail in Boston,

Chatted with the hurdy gurdy man outside the Old State House,

And answered "yes" to some basic questions!

David stood in opposition.

Nora uncomfortably stood in the site of the Boston Massacre.

We all stood in awe of the USS Constitution/ Old Ironsides.

Nora had her own question.

Unsurprisingly, my family found time to nap... like a sailor.

Nora learned about maritime history.

She also learned the joys of the "penny squasher" and came home with many copper souvenirs.

Waiting in line for the Swan Boats, Nora danced a bit of Swan Lake.  Then, we cruised around The Public Garden.

It was Lula who found the Make Way for Ducklings statues and was first to do the traditional sit.

Nora found all of the other statues and imitated each one!

She was also quick to find the carousel.

We saw the "old school" T-Rex outside of the Science Museum and David joined in for a pose!

The "new school" dino was too scary to imitate.

Less appealing was the prehistoric poo!

Lula came along to the New England Aquarium.  I'm so glad that my little one is not too big for dolls! 

Unfortunatly, Lula did not get a chance to touch a starfish.  Nora did and also touched a stingray which darted toward her, allowing itself to be touched, then swam away splashing Nora!  Truly awesome.

Nora most enjoyed making the penguins dance as she moved a fish-shaped beam of light.  This is not a tease to the penguins, we were assured, but rather good exercise.

We were all very tired after packing so much into our trip to Boston.  Careful planning and good walking shoes were key to a pleasant trip.  The bosnus was traveling with a child who is interested in everything! 

I highly recommend a Boston CityPass.    Not only did it save us money, but we were able to skip to the front of the line of big attractions like the aquarium:  That line is looooong!  We were also very pleased with Megabus which got us there inexpensively and right on time (actually slightly early!)

Back home, there were chess lessons.

Marshmallows were roasted to celebrate my birthday!

We clebrated a Muppet Treasure Island party for my nephew's birthday.  Nora helped with some of the preparations when she stayed with my brother and sister-in-law once a week.  They had other adventures as well as Jodi has been posting (so much better than I have!) on her blog:  Making Moments Count.

 

It wouldn't be summer without a trip to the Shelburne Museum

with one last carousel ride.

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game 

-Joni Mitchell