I Couldn't Live Without...

I couldn't live without washable Crayola paint.   In the past, I have purchased other brands to save maybe a dollar, and although they claim to be "washable", they failed me completely.  It drives me bonkers when products say "washable" and they aren't.  (Liquid watercolors, off brand tempera paints, you know what you did!)  Not only is Crayola VERY washable, but the colors are vibrant, and not watery.  Crayola- I love you!

I couldn't live without these paint dishes.  I purchased them from Oriental Trading, it was one of my best purchases.  I use these so much- they clean up nicely and are small for easy storage.

Something fun is about to happen..

I also couldn't live without my stapler when it comes to art.  No drying necessary.. and let's face it.  I have no assistant to help me make sure all of the small pieces to the projects for each child remain within arms reach, so the stapler helps me prepare before hand. (At least for the younger 3 year olds.)

 

Look at these lovely daffodils!  Made out of paper plates, cereal box strips, and egg cartons. 

I love the Spring art wall.  Sometimes I wish that the kids would leave it here.  I snapped a photo before they disappeared.

Happy Friday everyone!

Art Galore

Here's my son, (remember, he NEVER wears a shirt) with his ladybug puppet.

I love Oriental Trading and order art kits and supplies online when I need some ideas or some simple crafts that don't require much preparation.  Always check the clearance- I probably purchased the ladybug kits for $1.99 for a set of 12.  We decided to add google eyes and sticks so they could be used as puppets.

 
How about some bunnies?  I found this idea online, and I'm sorry I can't locate the link again.  We learned the oval shape yesterday, so the bunny bodies were ovals.  Then each child had their hand traced and cut out, and then folded down two fingers and a thumb to create the bunny head.  Kids drew on the eyes and mouth, and I encouraged them to decorate the eggs.

Look who has been hanging out inside lately?  Even with all of the kids around.   You can read about his regular routine here.  He is on my lap as I am typing this.  Happy Thursday! ☼ (If I type the symbol of sunshine, maybe it will come out?) ☼☼

Hot Coffee?

My coffee pot is set to brew at 6AM.  It's technically the first thing up in my house.  I didn't start drinking coffee until I opened this business, actually.  I think it took a week before I realized I needed some caffeine in the morning.  Actually running the business is much more work than going to work at one.  Although the coffee brews at 6:00, I usually don't pour my first cup until 7:30 at the latest.  Early morning is my busiest time.  Making school lunches, checking the daily menu to prepare for lunch, getting the curriculum ready, emptying out the dishwasher, getting breakfast on the table for all of the kids that arrive.  By the time I actually get a taste of my coffee, it is cold.  So into the microwave it goes.  I often 'lose' my coffee in the microwave.  (Marie may get a laugh out of that.  You know what I'm talking about!)  The kids are great- they are experts at locating my 'lost' coffee.  I'm typing this post this morning because as I sit here, I actually have a cup of HOT coffee.  It's a miracle!  Now as long as I don't spill it on the computer keyboard (again), all is right in my world.  Happy Wednesday!

Gardens, Muddy Gardens!

I've been itching to get into my gardens and decided not to let the mud stop me.  It's been the coldest, wettest spring.  I started lettuce, cherry tomatoes, sweet onions, cilantro, chives and oregano indoors.

Our front flower garden has a new mini wall!  We still have quite a stretch to complete, but I love the new look.

The spearmint is coming up beautifully!  If you would like a start for your garden, I'm happy to dig some up for you.  It grows like weeds and we have mint in two places.

Irish moss is wonderful.  It spreads quickly and makes a great ground cover.  It flowers, too!

The small flower garden in the back yard is flourishing.

I started to dig up weeds and old roots in the veggie garden.  I got as far as my back could handle for an hour.  To be continued as the sun will allow.

My baby rhubarb! ♥♥♥  This will have to be widened, of course.  But to protect it from the weed eater I hastily added a barrier.

My favorite thing this year- these 'Charleston Rope Chairs'.  I loved mine so much that I purchased another one so I wouldn't have to share.  (Cough..cough.. I mean so that someone else could also enjoy one..)  There is NOTHING like relaxing in one of these with a book.  They will stretch out to hold legs and feet, too.   I strategically placed them where the afternoon sun hits.   Perfect!  This is my daughter on the left and her 'bestie'.  The chairs come in on rainy days.  ☼

Sweets For My Sweets

This is a familiar sight at our house.  Mmm mmm good!

I had small numbers one day last week.  We decided to bake chocolate chip cookies.  Aprons are the best part, I think.  I found my apron (the one on the left) for $3.99 in an antique shop.  It's very dainty- I love it.  The white aprons above came from the Albertsons I worked at as a cake decorator.  Fun times!  The frog apron was purchased at the dollar store, and the other two were made by a friend at church who is as passionate about aprons as I am. :)   I wish you could see these kids' smiles, I crop them out to protect their privacy.  I doubt moms want me posting them on the internet.

We take turns adding ingredients.

I taught them that before hand mixers, it was just a spoon and some muscle.  They got tired of mixing it that way.

I suppose that lesson made them more eager to use the mixer.

"Scoop a cookie ball onto the dot!" 

Man- I praise the Lord each and every day for this job.  Especially for the 'sweets'!  (And I don't mean the cookies.)♥♥♥

Music

We're off to paint my mother in laws kitchen a cheery yellow this morning.  Painting always goes faster with music. ♥

Apple Snack

Last year I purchased a dehydrator from someone on Craigslist for $10.00.  It was a great find for me, fits perfect under the counter, and was meant to dry the apples from our ancient apple tree.  The tree is in need of serious pruning, but we were told that it may go into shock and not produce those perfect pie apples.  We haven't pruned it yet. 

I have a sweet tooth.  The state of Washington makes sure that the menu I prepare for all of these kiddos has the correct amount of vitamins and food groups, and I like to add in some sugar.  So when I dehydrate the apples, I add a cinnamon sugar mixture to them.  It smells like apple pie when they are drying, and all of the kids are always asking where the pie is.

Here are some apples from the tree.  Mid spring I have to just go buy them at the grocery store, of course.  But the photo above was a particularly bountiful fall two years ago.  I think we had 5 buckets full.  They were canned, turned into jelly, and dried.

Add some of this stuff to the apples before they go into the dehydrator and it keeps them from turning brown.  Kids get picky if they are brown.

Look at those beautiful blossoms.  I thank God for our apple tree, and pray each year that it will produce well.  The kids enjoy learning about the different stages of growth, too.