Bubbly Wubbly!

Colored vinegar and baking soda make for a pretty simple and fun science experiment. Thanks again Pinterest!

For the Birds

While Scott and Harlie were outside on Sunday, they decided that we needed some bird feed to go along with the bird bath that sits lonely in the corner of the yard.  Off to Lowe's they went. I am so grateful that I didn't accompany them on the trip because after Harlie walked in the door with a smile on her face and her shirt soaked in blood, I learned that she had a MAJOR nosebleed in line at the store. Thank goodness I wasn't there, since Scott said I would have fuh-reaked out because it looked like so much blood. Uh yeah!

Anyway, Scott and Harlie came home with some wild bird feed and a cheap bird feeder. After lunch they hung it above the bird bath, hoping to entice some visitors. Then after Harlie's nap, she and I made some tubular (does that still mean awesome?) bird feeders that I saw on Pinterest. Toilet paper rolls are my new best friend as you can see. Waste not, want not!

Okay, Miss Sassypants.

That's better.

Spring me from this funk!

The best thing I did this weekend was get outside. I've been a funky monkey lately and not in a good way.  Scott and I took Harlie to Mather Lake twice and I was able to catch up with a good friend over some tea outside a Starbucks. Aside from just enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, the new sights and sounds offered a nice distraction from the pressures that loom.

Three-year-olds also help keep you in the moment. It's all about right now. All the time.

Sidewalk chalk...so cool because it dries instantly and becomes pastel in color. 1 part cornstarch, 2 parts water, food coloring.

Be Mine

Heart stamps made out of toilet paper rolls and Valentine's Day cards on the cheap? Yes please!

Harlie's gift for Daddy...cupcakes!

Date Night in, thanks to the hubs!  Austin was sweet enough to take a pic. :-)

Scott made the best dinner ever! I was so impressed that it may have been the best salmon I've ever had, it was so perfectly cooked.

Roasted Wild Salmon with Tomatoes, Basil, and Capers, Parmesan-Crusted Cauliflower, and Rice

I got the easy job and made some chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. 

Last year we had a pretty good V-day and this year was even better!  Maybe staying in is the way to go.  Love ya babe!

Winter Sandbox

One of my friends pinned this on Pinterest and I thought it would be a fun project for Harlie and I to do, since it sounded so easy (see: I DON'T CRAFT).  Also, I knew that I had some alphabet macaroni leftover from a bag that mom gave Harlie in her Easter basket, and I had read in the blog comments that some readers had used pasta instead of rice. So then after some google searching I came across this recipe that had a smaller yield. Colored ABC macaroni would be fun, but I only had a little bit so I decided to try both rice and macaroni!  They both worked great, and it was so easy.  Harlie ended up playing for close to an hour with the final product. I thought it would be good to document some of these fun and successful crafts on here, so I can revisit them on a rainy day.

***Reminder to self:  Do not leave play rice outside unattended....birds can eat it and die. Also, not to be ingested by humans either, as this recipe uses hand sanitizer (oh yum!).

You'll need rice (or macaroni), food coloring, rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer (an alternative I picked up from a blog comment, since I don't have rubbing alcohol handy), plastic bags, and a trusty assistant.

The original recipe called for 1 cup of rice per color, but I only had a about a cup of macaroni so I cut the recipe in half so I could use all 4 colors (2 of rice and 2 of macaroni)

Add 4-5 drops of food coloring and 1/2 Tbs of hand sanitizer to a plastic bag and then seal and squoosh around to get it mixed.

Add 1/2 cup of rice and then seal again and more squooshing.

Spread on baking sheet and then let dry (alcohol will evaporate so this only takes 30 min to an hour).

Once dry, dump the rice into a baking dish or large plastic container and let your kid let loose with some spoons, cups and bowls (or sand toys would work too, but probably with more rice).

It looks really pretty laid out all neatly, but it's even more fun once the colors mingle.

Pretty pretty rainbow!!!