The Busy Little Squirrel

This is Babe-ala's favorite book!
We read it at least four times a day!

Every Mom has at least a dozen books memorized and this is one I can tell in my sleep.
Getting to that point is what makes reading it really fun!
I can play with the words and the story as we read it and see who notices or who cares.
And Babe-O has also come to really enjoy this book with us. He has it memorized too, so he can jump right in and Babe-ala really loves that!

The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tarfuri begins like this:

"The leaves are falling. The air is getting cold."
Through out this picture book, the little squirrel is very busy gathering food for the winter.

What better excuse for making cookies? That's what I say.
So we did! The three of us! Babe-ala's first batch of  "I made these" cookies! (But no picture of that because cookies with a four year old and eighteen month old is a whole lotta crazy in the kitchen, no room for a camera!)

Honey Frosted Cutout Cookies made with Spelt Flour

I found the recipe for the cookies here and they are seriously delicious!
(The recipe calls for sprouted spelt flour but I didn't have that so I used regular spelt flour.)

For the frosting:
I used 1/4 cup of softened butter, enough honey for your desired level of sweetness, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix it all together until incorporated. SO delicious!!!!

They have a sort of nutty flavor that is perfect for fall. But I am going to use this recipe for Winter cut outs too.

I used cookie cutters like this one, this one, and this one to cut out red birds, squirrels, owls, leaves, and pumpkins.
We ate some right out of the oven - delish!
And then played with some - Food Fun!
We matched them to the pictures, made the various animal sounds, and played out the story.
Of course we did it all right on the reading couch. Because well, it's comfy, it's our favorite reading spot, and we can look out the big window at all the birds and squirrels that are getting ready for winter in our very own yard!

Are you too busy to make and play with these delicious cookies? I hope not.
They are worth it!
Happy Autumn!

Want an extra bonus?
Here are a few of our other favorite fall books! Some have squirrels!(They all do except for Ghosts in the House).
(We love it when we don't have to return our favorite books to the library. Click on the picture to buy them for your family. )

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Top Five Excuses for My Absence

Maybe you have noticed that I have been slacking in the blog department?

Maybe you have missed me a little?
Maybe you have missed seeing my cute kids once in a while? 

Well, I am making a come back. Slowly. 

And I thought, maybe I should explain my absence a bit. 

So here are my top five reasons excuses for being absent. 

5. Birthday Parties 

My last post was April 8. That means 5 months have past! Babe-ala's First birthday was only a few days after that last post. First birthday's take lots of preparation folks! Well, any birthday takes lots of preparation if you want to do it right! And we did! It was absolutely a BEST THING! 

And just a few weeks ago was Babe-O's 4th birthday! It was Bat-tacular! 

Out of towners, multiple days of celebration including parties and beautiful cakes! (Yes, I made those myself!) So birthday bookends is my number five excuse. 

4. SUMMER FUN! 

We have been busy!  Vacationing in the woods! Making a very first catch! Boat rides! Hog rides! Beach going and sun bathing! How amazing to get away from it all and have fun together!

3. Sabbatical. 
Diet Coke Papa is on sabbatical. This means lots more family fun! And when the Babes are sleeping we get to spend some time together, even if we are half asleep. So, I have spent that late night time with him, rather than here.

2. 12-17 months! 

Babe-ala is on the move! And it's hard to keep up! She is walking... running forwards and backwards. (As you can see she broke her arm in August.) She is sweet as ever and smiley (most of the time)! She is mischievous in all the best ways! She LOVES outside and playing and anything that Babe-O loves. She is saying all kinds of words. ("Bee-Bee" = birdie, "Nu Nu = Noodle," "Mango" = Mango, "Bob-O"= Babe-O,  "Moy" = More, "Dude" = Dude).  She brings so much laughter, fun, and action to our lives everyday. I can't believe how fast she is growing and how much my heart bursts with love when I look at these pictures. She deserves every minute of attention away from this blog that I can give her! 

1. As in, ONE MORE baby! 

Yup, ONE MORE baby on the way!

Our new baby girl is due on March 8th, 2015! 

How's that for a super late announcement! 

Anyway, morning sickness has passed. Fatigue is getting better. 

We are all excited for our new Babe! 

I am glad to be back. 

Thank you for the encouraging words while I have been gone! 

Keep coming back for more of our Best Things! (And you gotta love the kid pics!)

A Moment with The Babe-O

We have a nasty, rotten cold.
It has been cycling through our house.
Babe-O and I are fortunate enough to have it at the same time.
This means lots of cups of tea, lots of "spicy stuff" (an oil I use to help us breathe at night), and plenty of tissue. It also means Babe-O makes frequent trips to the "big bed" to visit me in the night. Last night he joined me for a sleepover. We blew our noses together, applied more spicy stuff, and propped ourselves up as high as we could on a stack of pillows.
In the quiet darkness and in between sniffles Babe-O said,
"This means we get to spend the whole night together snuggled up in the big bed. Won't that be fun?"

     Yes, my Babe-O. It's the most fun I have ever had being sick. 
     I hope you always want to be so close. I hope you always want to spend time with me to yourself.
     I know that time may be limited. 
    And when you no longer need me in the night I hope you will always know that I am still there. 
    When you have a cold you can take care of on your own, I hope that the smell of "spicy stuff" will    comfort you deeply and in a way you may never fully understand.
    And when I get sick and am without you, I am remembering this moment always.    

A Natural Remedy for Diaper Rash

Diaper rash has reared it's ugly head around here. Poor Babe-ala!  She is already starting to sign to use the toilet. But the journey between signing and using is a long one. Although we change her frequently and immediately, it seems her skin is super sensitive and prone to rash. We tried various ointments but nothing seemed to be working.

So I took her in to see her doctor, who diagnosed her with an external yeast infection. The prescription was for Clortimazole. It's commonly used for yeast infection, jock itch, or athlete's foot.
I just couldn't do it. While it seems relatively safe, there is no evidence of it passing through breast milk and we are still nursing. And I know there are more natural resources out there. So with a trip to the amazing local health food store we created this recipe. And it seems to be doing the trick!*

We mix up a batch of about four applications at a time.

3 Tablespoons of Plain Greek Yogurt (Sounds a little weird but its just a creamy medium for the good stuff plus it adds a little extra good bacteria. Fat content doesn't matter.)
4-5 drops of Black Walnut Extract (made from the black walnut hull, an anti-fungal.This is the brand we use.)
1/2 capsule of Acidophilus which promotes healthy bacteria growth (This is what we use. There are others out there as well. Just open the capsule and pour the powder into the yogurt mixture.)

Keep it in the refrigerator and use liberally at each change.
We kept applying for a few days after the rash disappeared.
We also give her half a capsule of acidophilus in her breakfast yogurt or some applesauce. Which is just a good idea for all of us.

When diaper rash reoccurs that seems to be non-yeast related we omit the black walnut extract.

Happy Baby!
I have just been dying to use this picture somewhere! 

*All information and resources found on The Best Things are based on the opinions of the author. Readers should consult with health care providers to make their own nutrition and health decisions. None of the information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.

Autumn Under Construction

Summer has been full of construction education in our neck of the woods!
Babe-O has never been so interested in construction and construction equipment before. (His fourth birthday cake was a delicious chocolaty construction site. I used a decorating pack like this one to make the cake below.) Anise is also fascinated with the big machines. We have never known so much about various construction vehicles before. I feel privileged to now be able to name most vehicles we encounter on daily trips in the car! (Thanks to Babe-O and Mighty Machines videos).  We spent a considerable amount of time this summer camped out by construction sites to watch the action.

As summer construction slows down, we decided to do some construction of our own.
 Step 1: Rake up a few leaves.
 Step 2: Gather up a few mighty machines!
 Step 3: Construct away!

Simple, fun, helpful even (at least motivation for getting the raking started) and definitely a BEST THING!

Here are a few of our favorite construction resources (and a few that we dream about):



p.s. I am not ignoring the fact that I have been M.I.A. A post is soon to come on The Top Five Reasons Excuses for My Absence. But if I start there I'll never start blogging again. So I chose to start with a few shorter posts to get myself going while I work on my re-entry piece. Hope you'll understand and re-join me on this journey.

Pastimes Have Passed Me By...

Welcome to the April 2014 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Pastimes
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared stories and wisdom about family pastimes. ***



...so much so that I had to look up the definition of the word.

Pastime: noun . something that serves to make time pass agreeably; a pleasant means of amusement, recreation, or sport  (dictionary.com)

Oh, yes. I remember pastimes.

Before children I had many. Drawing, painting, beading, sewing, reading, writing, running, epicurean experiments, movies, not to mention napping. All in one day.

And oh the many completed projects. And even some accomplishments: a few art shows, a few 5Ks. Even with one child I was able to “pass some time” during naps. With a drawing in an art exhibit to show for it.

 

Now, (with a three year old and a one year old) my pastimes are patchy at best.

Babe-O's unfinished baby quilt. In progress for the last 4 years.

A few stitches here. A few lines written there. Napping is out. And completing projects happens over weeks, sometimes months, even years, sometimes not at all. Like a dress for Babe-ala, some shorts for Babe-O so that I can measure just how much they have grown.

Pastimes like reading, exercising, cooking, even sewing have included little hands and a different perspective on my part.

Cooking is an exercise in camouflaging vegetables like these squash apple muffins or our recent spaghetti without spaghetti dinner.  And an exercise in flexibility. Letting some eggshell drop in, allowing a generous amounts of spice to enter the batter, having less than perfectly shaped cookies emerge from the oven with their own piping hot glory.

Art projects can seem daunting, especially when I think about wax resist watercolor painting with collage photo transfers, or plaster casts of molded clay . Simplicity is best. Watercolors and paintbrushes make for a great any-day masterpiece. Popsicle sticks lead to hours of fun.  So do scissors and scrap paper. A few branches brought inside become a "new house" for us to play and read in.

Messy play has become very important to our family. Like action figures and paint! Mud pies and squirrel stew! Baby painting! Giving them the space to experiment, play, make a mess*, do/make something other than what was intended. Honor the process - don't just tolerate it.  Enjoy it.  Live it. Make a mess. Make magic. Together. And love it.
      * Don't do what makes you crazy. Glue makes me crazy. I "stick" with contact paperfor collage projects.

Often our projects don't turn out as I intended. Sewing on the machine often involves little feet on the pedal and wonky seams and hem lines. Projects, even recipes, get dropped mid-way because sometimes a more familiar activity is comforting. Patience. Give time. Split a project up into small parts for those whose attention is so easily directed elsewhere. Let it go. Pick it up later. Accept that I won't always see or even know what was gained.

Yes, this means I have given up that satisfying feeling of a completed project that comes after a hard day's work. Being able to step back and say ahh, that is exactly what I had imagined and I made that.  For now.

For right now, my favorite pastime is finding “something that serves to make time pass slowly, with intention and that helps me savor this time in my life and theirs - full of possibility.” My favorite pastime is witnessing my children grow, showing them my love of creating. Collecting smiles and giggles along the way. Making memories and magic.  And making sure they know that the best thing I have created has been them. 

 

 

*** Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting! Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• 8 Reasons to Go Camping with Your Kids — The weather is warmer, and it is time to think about taking a break. As you plan your family vacation, Mandy of Living Peacefully with Children, guest posting at Natural Parents Network, explains why you should consider hitting the trails with your kids.
• Crafty Cohorts — Kellie at Our Mindful Life enjoys crafting with her kids, and the skills they are learning.
• 10 Hobbies For Families With Young Children — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama knows that finding hobbies families can do together (with young children in tow) isn't always the easiest of feats. She has compiled a list of 10 family friendly hobbies that children of all ages can enjoy and that won't break the bank!
• Helping Himawari — Sophelia's family at Sophelia's Adventures in Japan share a passion for helping when a dog is abandoned at the nearby elementary school.
• The 'Art' of Having Fun — Marija Smits shares some thoughts on family art and fun.
• How we made our own Family Day — Lauren at Hobo Mama shares how her family celebrates the best day of the week, a chance for connection and adventure and endless possibilities: Family Day!
• Our Family Hobby — Survivor talks about how animal husbandry has become her family's favorite hobby at Surviving Mexico Adventures and Disasters.
• Sowing the Seeds of Passions — Christy at Eco Journey In The Burbs wonders if her interests, and her husband's, will shape her children's passions as they mature.
• Harry Potter Potions Party — One of the best activities Dionna at Code Name: Mama has ever done with her family has been a Harry Potter Potions Party. She is sharing the resources she used to create their potion recipes, the ingredients and tools they experimented with, and the recipes themselves. Feel free to use and adapt for your own budding wizards and witches!
• Pastimes Have Passed Me By — Kati at The Best Things takes a new perspective on projects that never get done.
• Food as a cultural experience for preschoolers — Nathalie at Kampuchea Crossings finds that food is a good way to engage her preschoolers on a journey of cultural discovery.
• 10 Reasons I Love Thrifting With My Children — That Mama Gretchen has always enjoyed shopping, but with a growing family she's become more frugal and thus, her little ones are now in tow on her thrift store adventures.
• Pastime with Family vs Family Pastime — You can share lots of pastimes with your family, but Jorje of Momma Jorje discovered a family pastime was much more pleasant for sharing.

Paint Like A Superhero!

Time to inspire some creativity in the hearts of aspiring super heros!

A few action figures and some finger paint is all that is needed. 

 

We had chases and mysteries to solve by following footprints. We had stuck in the muck criminals and criminals in paint-y jail. We had fun. A new way to tell the Batman story (or which ever superhero is your favorite). 

 



I tried posting the final painting. It doesn't look like much and feels wrong to emphasis the product on this one.  The story we told, the action that ensued, the mess, the giggles, the fun- these were the best parts of this project. Try it! So easy, so fun!