Portrait Project

April 12, 2014 by Summer

15/52

eloise: This week’s portrait was so hard to decide. I had two other photos I was struggling with posting… but this one stuck out for me because you look so old. Like I’m looking at you at age 8 or 10. You are becoming your very own person. Deciding what to wear in the mornings, where your toys go, what paint you’d like to use and whether you will be painting by brush or by hand. You are even starting to use your name when referring to things. “Eh-ya”, as you point to the straw hat on the store shelf. “You like that hat Ellie?” “Eh-ya” you say again and push your pointer finger against your cheek to make sure I know who you mean. As you can see, it was clearly “Eh-ya’s” hat. So we brought it home.

– joining Jodi and the 52 project

{this moment}

April 11, 2014 by Summer

A single photo. No words. Capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

– joining soulemama

Gramma’s Easel

April 9, 2014 by Summer

When I was a young child living in Hawaii (my Dad was in the air force during my early years) , my mom would take me to a local park for “play mornings”. I don’t remember much about it, but I think it was like Gymboree or Mommy and Me before there was such a thing. Anyway, at play mornings we got to do all sorts of fun things like painting and playdoh. My mom took those ideas home with her and I remember many childhood days of arts and crafts at home, my mom cooking playdoh on the stove for us or creating tabletop easels. The other day, I asked her how she made those easels so I could make one for Ellie. A couple of days later she showed up with this box, all ready for some contact paper to complete it.

She took a large box and cut it just so, to create a triangular shape, one side being larger than the other.

Then I added some pretty contact paper to cover all of the sides of the box. And then cut two slits in the top for the clothespins to attach.

I set the easel up outside (because it was such a lovely day and for easy clean up). Ellie wanted to use finger paints and not the paintbrushes so I placed the paints in a plastic bin (her palette) and let her do her thing. As you can see, she enjoyed the process very much.

Thank you Gramma (Mom)! Just like I so enjoyed painting on an easel like this one so many years ago, I’m certain Ellie will enjoy her experiences with this homemade easel as well!

20 Months Old!

April 9, 2014 by Summer

Weekending!

April 7, 2014 by Summer

It was quite the busy weekend, which I’m sure you could gather from all of the many photos! We visited the farmers market and a small local craft show (I got some crafty goodness), walked down to the beach boardwalk with Ellie’s Grandparents and watched the beach squirrels skitter around the rocks. Sunday we traveled down the 126 for one of my oldest’s friends baby’s first birthday (I made her little felt veggies, painted her an A wreath and of course had to bring her one of Cory’s lovely onesies too). We got to spend the morning with some good friends and their little ones and then the rest of the day was spent at the beach and the park flying kites! Oh what fun it was to fly a kite for the first time with Ellie.

Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let’s go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite!

How was your weekend?
-Joining the lovely Amanda over at the Habit!

Portrait Project

April 5, 2014 by Summer

14/52

eloise: Music makes you so happy. Dancing to the band last weekend at your cousin’s birthday put the biggest smile on your face. In the car, you ask for “Sugar” (A Spoonful of Sugar to be exact) or Let’s Go Fly a Kite. You have your specific requests but when that special song comes on, you certainly get into your groove.

-joining Jodi for the 52 project!

{this moment}

April 4, 2014 by Summer

“A single photo. No words. Capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.”

– joining soulemama this Friday.

On The Bookshelf

April 3, 2014 by Summer

Mama’s Reading: The Trumpet of The Swan by E.B. White
I’m a big fan of Stuart Little and Charlotte’s Web (who isn’t?), but don’t recall ever reading this one. I thought it would be the perfect spring time young adult/classic this month. (I’m trying to read more young adult/classics this year- so far I’ve read Heidi, Mary Poppins and The Snow Queen).

I’m also still working on Hands Free Mama and The Dirty Life

Ellie’s Reading: Lots of books about bunnies and ducks and Easter and bugs.

What are your favorite spring time books for toddlers? What are you reading these days?

Happy April! (and another swap)

April 2, 2014 by Summer

As always, I start every first of the month with “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit!” (A saying of good luck my family has been using for decades). I can’t believe it’s already April! My, the year is already going by so quickly.

I love switching out my calendars every month. It seems to give the month a fresh slate.

We’ve been busy around these parts. Gardening, reading, playing and crafting. After finishing up with the lovely blogger swap a couple of months ago, another blogger mentioned wanting to do one for the children. I know how much Ellie LOVED receiving the beautiful nature satchel from my swap, so I thought it might be fun to do another one especially for her. So I signed us up. Ellie, I believe, is the youngest of the children swappers but she can paint and collect rocks like the best of the them and so that is exactly what we did.

And I added in a little spring time fairy I hand sewed to complete the swap gift.

These were all rocks and shells Ellie found on the beach and one pine cone from our local park. And Ellie was happy to paint for a new friend. We packed everything up this morning and sent it off to our blogger swap buddy. We’re hoping she likes it.