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Mommy & Me: Pretty Paper Factory

by Sara on February 20, 2012

We love Eric Carle books. Alot. They are the books that we return to over and over and over again.

One of the things that make Eric Carle books so unique are the way he makes his illustrations. They are made from paper that he has painted and added texture to himself. (You can see more about his process by watching this video.) Once he paints his tissue paper, he uses it to create collages. (You can see more about his process by watching this video.) I think his process is fascinating.

Or, maybe I’m drawn to his creation process because it is attainable for even the youngest of artists…

Jonah and I had some fun during the “Plague of 2012″. I mean, there are only so many movies a kid can watch when he is sick and it’s raining outside, right?!?! As we were painting with watercolors, I took a white crayon and made a pattern on some paper when he wasn’t looking. When he painted over the white crayon, he thought it was magic.

“Mommy, look! How did it do that?!?!?!”

I explained how, this time showing him the process. He painted over it again just as bright-eyed as before.

“Mommy, can we make more?”

And so it began…The Pretty Paper Factory.

The only problem with the Pretty Paper Factory is that eventually, papers are drying on every flat surface. And then, once they are dry, I have a stack of treasures that Jonah won’t part with.

My solution: The Collage Box

Yes, I really cut up his watercolor pages into 4 smaller rectangles. I asked permission first.

To read about the Collage Box, you’ll have to visit Totally Tots. I’m sharing about The Collage Box over there today!

Want some other Pretty Paper Factory ideas? I’ll be back with more! Subscribe so you don’t miss them!

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InstaFriday: By the numbers…

by Sara on February 17, 2012

2 sick boys

104.3 temperature for big brother

101.8 temperature for little brother

3 Trips to the doctor

Double Ear Infections times 2…plus RSV

Breathing Treatments every 4 hours

1 night spent in the recliner for Mommy and 1 night spent in the swing for Asher…0 hours sleep

225 mL of Amoxicillin for 10 days…times 2

1 yeast diaper rash, 2 bowls of baby food thrown up, countless blowout diapers

All of that adds up to…

One Super Exhausted Mommy

How was your week? life rearranged

I’m linking up with InstaFriday at Life Rearranged. My old dinosaur of a phone died and I got an upgrade, even though I swore I wouldn’t. Turns out, Mr. Happy Brown House gets a discount through his work and it hasn’t impacted our bill much. So, now I’m sending postcards of my day though Instagram. You can follow me on Instagram (@happybrownhouse)

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Most of us who stay home with the kids would hate to admit how often we are still in our pajamas in the afternoon…ahem. While I think “pajama days” are definitely one of the perks of being a stay at home mom, I’ve come to realize that I get more done on the days I shower before noon. Not to mention, I feel better. There’s something psychological that happens to me when I stay in my jammies too often. The funk sets in.

Before Asher came, it was easy. I’d turn on PBS for a few minutes and Jonah was occupied long enough for me to shower and get ready. Once Asher came, things got a little more tricky in the shower department. At first, big brother was NOT to be trusted. Jonah’s jealousy was so thick you could slice it. The boys needed a chaperone at all times. I learned my lesson one day when I left the room for a nanosecond and returned to a screaming baby and guilty preschooler. While much better, I’m still not confident in leaving them alone together for very long. Asher has also hit the stage where he notices if you leave him. And by “notices” I mean he cries.

So, what’s a mommy to do when a shower is needed, but you’re alone with a baby that needs to see you? You improvise. And somewhere between the “lightbulb moment” and the successful shower you realize that your all-time favorite tip for a new mommy was born.

How to Take a Shower When Home Alone With a Baby:

Stick the baby in something that will keep them safe and occupied. I currently use the bouncy seat.

Using a Binder Clip, clip the decorative shower curtain up so that you will be able to see the baby.

It should look something like this…

Hurry, break the record for the fastest shower ever before the baby starts crying! FYI: Shaving is out of the question.

Linking up with We Are That Family’s Works for Me Wednesday!

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Mommy & Me: Coffee Filter Snowflakes

January 23, 2012

Snow is a precious commodity around our region. We get snow, just not very often. Nor does it stay around very long once it finally snows. So, we often have to make our own. Enter…Coffee Filter Snowflakes. Jonah still needs LOTS of practice with scissors. LOTS. He keeps wanting to rotate his hand like a [...]

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6 Reasons Why I Want to Go to the 2:1 Conference

January 20, 2012

This post is completely selfish and might not mean anything to my readers. However, the motivation of winning a free ticket to The 2:1 Conference is enough to make me tap on my keyboard. After all, I am a frugal girl. Indulge me, dear readers, while I enter the giveaway over at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers  [...]

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How God Used Others to Provide for Us {Adoption Update}

January 12, 2012

{Warning: This post will be long…there’s SO much to tell! Regardless of the length, I hope you read it and praise the Lord with us!} First of all, it’s still kinda foreign feeling to me that I have a 4 month old baby and we’re in the adoption process. His ways with us have really [...]

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Yeah, that…

January 5, 2012

You know that feeling when you can’t get a baby to stop crying, no matter what you try… Yeah, that. Try feeling it for several months straight. It kinda stinks…in the worst way. It wreaks havoc on your mommy self-esteem. Rips it to shreds and then stomps on it repeatedly. Then, as if that wasn’t [...]

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