Celebrate {57 Things To Do With a Tree}*

In case you missed it, last Friday was Arbor Day.  Arbor day began in 1972 with a simple mission to "inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees." Sadly, during one of our recent windstorms, an old pine tree next to the house blew down. This has been a common event since we purchased the house about three years ago. We live in the woods surrounded by trees, but it still makes me a bit sad to see a one laying on the ground helpless.  My house is over a hundred years old, but these trees have been around far longer.  As my husband was sawing the tree up into pieces, I wondered "how can we celebrate this tree?"

Of course, this was a perfect task to discuss with my trusty sidekick. The following is a transcript of the Saturday night text conversation between Ally and Karen:
A: We were outside all day today!  It was great!  Brian is going to make stools out of the tree that fell! 
K: Ooooo nice!!! Can he make tree cookies for the fairy garden?
A: I'm hoping to get a lot of things out of this tree.
K: A mobile?
A: Let's keep thinking.  Charley is so cuddly right now.**
K: A blog entry entitled "It was Saturday night so we thought of 57 things to do with a tree"

And, this list was born!  Karen and Ally bring you the beginning of Not Quite {57 Things to Do with a Tree}

1. Stools
2. Fairy Homes
3. Pathway
4. Giant Outdoor Blocks
5. Wind chimes
6. Mobiles
7. Paint the branches and stick them in a vase
8. Branch instruments
9. Gods Eyes
10. Use the teeny tiny twigs as toothpicks for cheese
11. Marshmallow sticks!
12. Build a fort with the branches
13. A Planter
14. Woodchips
15. Bark rubbings
16. Magic Wands
17. ? 

In school, we teach our children not to waste things.  At some point during your child's life, they will learn of the way that Native Americans used each and every part of the buffalo in their culture.  In a way, this tree is our buffalo.  There are many lessons to be learned from nature, and this tree is going to teach Lucas and Chuck the value of imagination and resourcefulness, and that sometimes fun can come from the most unusual circumstances.  Right now, the logs are piled up neatly in our backyard to dry out a bit, just waiting to be celebrated!

*This is still a work in progress.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

** Ok, ok, this has nothing to do with trees.

Guest Post {Getting There is Half The Fun}

Traveling with kids can be daunting. There’s always SO. MUCH. STUFF. To pack, to carry, to think about. My husband and I both have pretty serious wanderlust and we’re not usually happy unless we have at least one upcoming trip- near or far- on the calendar. Because of this our kids are pretty well traveled. At the tender ages of 2 and 3, my kids have been on more airplanes and logged more road trip hours than I had by the time I was 20.

So needless to say, when we were invited to Toronto to spend Passover with my husband’s cousins we immediately accepted. We have very close friends there as well, and since our kids were out of school for a week it was perfect timing. We had planned to drive (tips on long road trips with kids coming soon!) but after a quick hunt we found plane tickets that totaled about what we would have spent on gas for the 1,000-mile round-trip drive. A total score, especially given the propensity towards car sickness my munchkins have. 

A trivial matter for some but one I find quite annoying is managing the car seats. I hate them for the pain in the you-know-what that they are to uninstall and reinstall. But, since we were fortunate enough to have use of a car for the duration of our stay, it made sense for us to bring our own car seats as opposed to rent them upon arrival. It’s a bit of a pain but it doesn’t take long to uninstall them and pack them in travel bags. You can check car seats for free and they don’t count towards your baggage allowance.

In my experience, at many airports they will pull families with small children to the front of the security line. Don’t be afraid to ask, especially if the line is brutally long! We had plenty of time and minimal lines this time. My rules for surviving the airport are this:

1. Bring a lot of snacks. Well-fed kids are happy kids. 
2. If ever there was a time for an ipad/ipod/dvd this is it. 
3. Walk as much as you possibly can before boarding the plane. I do whatever I can to tire them out while we are able to move around freely. We have played Red Light/Green Light and I Spy for hours in airports. Sometimes I let them run up and down the hallways. (Go ahead. Judge me. I promise this is better than screaming kids with too much energy and no way to displace it on the upcoming flight.) 
4. Let them walk around the plane. For this flight it didn’t really matter since we were up and down within 80 minutes, but we’ve done quite a few transatlantic flights and you’ll usually find me walking up and down the aisles with one or both of my kids. Same rule applies. Better we are up and moving and pretty quiet than strapped into the seat and screaming. 
5. Lollipops are ideal for takeoff and landing. The swallowing helps those little ears deal with the changing pressure. 
6. Keep the sick bag handy. (My kids have been known to puke at inopportune times. Like right before landing after a long flight and 3 hours into a 10 hour drive. I guess every time is inopportune when it comes to vomit.) 

Happy travels! 

LuCk Date {Earth Day}

Karen and I planned this fun recycled craft LuCk Date with the ladies of Fairfield County Moms Blog and The Best Time Ever to celebrate Earth Day!  Our Earth Day Playdate had all the makings of a great morning for moms and children -meaning the kids can keep themselves entertained so the moms could have a chance to make a new friend, or catch up with an old one.

In celebration of Earth Day, we decided to focus this LuCk Date on recyclables. Recycled crafts allow for endless exploration and experimentation.  We picked several projects we could make out of these commonly disposed of materials, spent a couple of weeks collecting recyclables (egg cartons, paper rolls, newspaper, corks, etc),and then got creative!

Recycled Stamp Market Tote
At the LuCk Date everyone got involved in stamping their market totes.  Each table had a sampling of recycled materials to paint their totes with.  It was so fun to watch what materials and colors each child chose to use.

Toilet Paper Roll Castle 
It was really fun building castes out of cardboard tubes!  We had all kinds of materials on hand to decorate these recycled kingdoms.

Since this was a mixed-age LuCk date with a variety of interests and attention spans, we had several sensory bins available for the kids to explore as they finished their projects.  One of the bins was filled with blue colored rice and a bunch of rocks and shells that we've collected during our walks on the beach.  We threw a couple of shovels in, and let the kids jump right in.

Because well-fed kids are happy kids, we made a butterfly snack pack for everyone to enjoy!  These were super easy to make, and a big hit.  One of our older participants even re-used the clothespin to make newspaper butterflies to take home!

After snack, we opened up another sensory bin filled with birdseed and plastic bugs.  The great thing about sensory bins is that they naturally lend themselves to independent play. The kids started using the cardboard tubes and other materials to explore the sensory bins. Watching the moms take a moment to chat with a friend or watch their child explore is what this LuCk Date was all about!

Project Guides 

When we first started thinking about LuCk, we knew we wanted to "bring moms together, one playdate at a time"(it's our tagline for a reason!)  One of the most unexpected  things I have discovered about motherhood,is how isolating it can be.  True story: when I was pregnant, I used to watch Karen walk by my house pushing a very tiny Lucas in his stroller.  I remember thinking "oh, there's a mom in my neighborhood!"  By the time Chuck was 9 weeks old, I was so desperate for human interaction that I basically shoved my daughter into her stroller and walked around the neighborhood looking for Karen. When I finally found her, I was 99% sure that I came on a little too strong and was 100% sure I was never going to hear from her again.  One day, she left a note in my mailbox with her number on it "We keep seeming to miss each other.  Give me a call!"  Most of our conversations would revolve around mommy-hood and what things we were doing with our kids.

A year later, we decided to start documenting and blogging about our adventures with Lucas & Chuck. Sure, it gives us a reason to take way too many pictures of our kids, and a great way to show friends and family what we're up to.  But,  it was always our hope to create a real-life mommy-hive to share ideas with.  At one point during our LuCk Date, I looked around and saw a sea of mommies bent over their kids, helping them assemble cardboard tube castles.  They were laughing, chatting, playing, and smiling.  I looked at Karen and thought, "we did it!" Thank you The Best Time Ever for letting us take over your awesome space!  And, thank you Fairfield County Moms for helping us "bring moms together, one playdate at a time!"

Guest Post {Take a Hike}

Since Spring has officially sprung around here, I decided to take my three-year-old daughter, Abby, on a nature hike with the dog over the weekend.  We've done smaller trail walks before, but this was our first time taking a longish hike on a trail through the woods. LuCky for us,  the area we live in has a great park system.  We have beach parks, historic parks, state parks, national parks - all of which have great trails!

Abby is curious, she likes to explore her surroundings.  We stayed on a trail that was marked by yellow reflectors on the trees. The trail markers provided a great invisible boundary that allowed Abby to explore her surroundings safely. Abby absolutely loved finding the markers and staying on the trail! We made it into a bit of a scavenger hunt. 

With Spring well underway in Connecticut, we also used this opportunity to look for signs of this new season.  We collected moss, and observed the changes in the trees.  During the winter a massive tree had fallen down, exposing its intricate root system.  Abby loved climbing and exploring the tree!  After being cooped up all winter, Abby loved balancing on the rocks, walking over small streams,  and walking along the trail.  

We also used our hike to take a deep breath, and soak in our natural surroundings: the way the wind whistled through the trees, the sounds of small creatures rustling through the forest, the way the Earth smells fresh and "earthy" this time of year.  

With our dog in tow, we made it about a mile through the woods.  I was very impressed by Abby's ability to navigate her way through the woods with such little guidance.  Our nature hike was a great time to unplug a little bit, and really enjoy everything that Spring has to offer! 

Creative Spaces {Welcome to Chuck's World}

We moved into our home when I was six months pregnant with Chuck.  Our home is "an adorable hundred and six year old cottage"(at least that's how the realtor described it).  I instantly developed an intense crush on the house; I imagined my soon-to-be daughter experiencing so many of her firsts in this home. 

A hundred years ago, there was no such thing as a "family room", a "living room" and a "play room".  The ground floor of my home consists of 3 main spaces: the main room, the dining room, and the kitchen.  I'm an "organizer"; I attempt to keep my sanity by having "a place for everything and everything in its place". I am happiest in my home when the beds are made, the laundry is folded, and the clutter is all as it should be (by that, I mean pushed and piled into its appropriate corners and areas of the house).  

For the past two years, I have attempted to maintain a harmonious relationship between Chuck's stuff and Mom/Dad's stuff; however, there is no mistaking that a toddler lives in my home. There is a play kitchen in my kitchen, toys where books should be on shelves, a teepee on my front porch, and a booster seat firmly attached to the head of the dining room table.  There was also an unorganized mountain of arts and crafts materials stored under my kitchen counter.  Not only was it "taking over" my kitchen, but Chuck couldn't safely or freely get to any of it.

A couple of weeks ago, she stood by the gate at the kitchen entrance asking for "Pay-nt, Mama.  Pay-nt".  While I was elbow deep in dinner preparations, I had a one of those mommy a-ha moments: 1) My daughter wanted to paint, 2) My daughter wasn't asking to paint with me, 3) My daughter could be painting happily while I was making dinner.  

As you've probably picked up, I don't have much space, so I had to be very thrifty with the amount of square footage this endeavor was going to take up. We bought Chuck a little table a while ago, but until this moment it pretty much acted as an end table in my main room.  Sure, Chuck sat at the table and colored, but I also put my coffee on it in the morning.  If I wanted Chuck to play and be creative, I needed to give her a creative space. I also had to think about what materials I wanted to let Chuck have free reign over.

One day during nap, I decided to tackle this project. For my own sanity, I needed to maintain that balance between Chuck-land, and Mom/Dad-land.  In other words, I didn't want my living room looking like my class room. I started simple; I moved her table away from the sofa and gave her a space of her own. So, this is Chuck's Creative Space.  It's pretty simple, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Small Creative Bins:

I bought some Kraft Paper bins from the Dollar Spot at Target.  I didn't know what I wanted them to be, then I remembered that I had some chalk board paint, so I decided to label them.  Using the chalk board paint also allows me to change the label any time.  Right now they are filled with crayons and Do-A-Dot Paint Markers.  I also labeled some mason jars and filled them with small art materials such as plastic gems, pom poms, pipe cleaners, and stickers.

Large Creative Bin:

I've been saving these fruit crates for years for no apparent reason, until I realized that they made great art crates.  I filled the large bin with paper, paper scraps, recyclables, doughs, etc.  Basically, anything that is to big for the small bins goes in the big bins. 

Art Work:

In order to define Chuck's space as her own, I decided to give her some art work to look at while she's at work.  I found some pictures of her favorite books, framed them, and hung them on the wall with Command Strips (this way, if we decide to move her space, I won't have to fill in any holes).  I placed these on the walls while she was sleeping.  The next morning, she immediate noticed her beloved "Via" (Olivia) "Mad-a-lye-in" (Madeline), and "Choo-choo" (The Little Engine That Could).  Yes, she tried to pull them off the wall, but I am happy to say they are still firmly in place! 

Chuck happily explores her Creative Space independently.  My favorite is when she notices that I've placed new things in her large bin.  She is usually very good at keeping the art materials away from the furniture.  Last week she told me she wanted to "Pay-nt like Via", and I caught her trying to use her Do-A-Dots on the wall.  I'm not going to lie, it took all my motherly instincts not to laugh out loud at my creative little lady.  

Project {Stamping & Printing}

We've been on a stamping/printing  kick lately.  It started around one of our Valentine's Day snow day adventures.  I pulled out the big box of plastic cookie cutter shapes, and decided to turn them into stamps.  Chuck was entertained for a while.  It got me thinking, "what else can we use as stamps?"

Stamps are pretty much a staple of any kids craft kit. We all know that a potato can be carved into a stamp.  But, legos, bubble wrap, veggies, hands, cardboard, corks, feathers, shells, petals, leaves, feet, recycled packaging material, combs, egg cartons, sponges, and basically anything you can find around the house all make great stamping and printing materials!

For toddlers, its best to approach stamping and printing as an open-ended art activity (aka "I don't care what the final outcome looks like").  Right now, Lucas and Chuck are just exploring as many different art materials as possible.  Letting them mess around with different materials for stamping, let's their imaginations develop and begin to understand the concept of cause and effect. There is a ton of investigating that goes along with stamping too! If I press harder on this sponge, what will happen to the print?  When we were stamping with the cookie cutters, Chuck got to practice some basic shape and color recognition too. The motion of toddler stamping is also great for developing shoulder stability (a necessary building block for fine motor skills.) 

For older kids, stamping is a great way to add a personalized touch to just about anything! Kids of all ages can enjoy creating custom wrapping paper for loved one's gifts.  With some fabric paint and a potato you can make original t-shirts, onesies, or canvas market totes! Uncrafty adults can find something satisfying about pressing stamps onto paper for some stress relief.

What DIY stamp projects have you tried with your kids?

Grown-Up Playdate {Macaron Make n' Mingle}

Happy Spring, everyone!  I am so close to packing up the snow boots, snow pants, parkas, and shovels, I can taste it!  This has been such a long and cold Winter.  Karen & I  will be sharing a ton of fresh ideas this season. But, in the meantime  I wanted to share the sweet way we decided to say good-bye to Winter and hello to Spring!

For me, each new season is a clean slate.  And, this is certainly true of Spring.  I find myself to be the most creative this time of year. I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the vernal equinox but, a couple of weeks ago, I purchased that copy of Martha Stewart Living with the technicolor stacks of macaroons on the cover claiming,  "Gorgeous macarons you can make at home".  Well, if Martha says I can do it, then who am I to say they are wrong? This sounded like a perfect idea for a Make N'Mingle!

Macarons have always intimidated me a tiny bit.  Maybe its the maringue cookies, or the multiple step baking directions.  Or the delicate nature of them, or the fact that they seem to cost so much at the farmer's market.  I needed macaron moral support team; so I rallied a few girlfriends, promised them champagne and snacks, and picked up all of the ingredients we would need to make a few different flavored batches.

I'm not going to say that everything went according to Martha's plan.  Yes, we accidentally made almond butter instead of almond meal (thank you Trader Joe's for selling bags of already ground almond meal). And maybe we accidentally made hazelnut butter as well (which we obviously turned into an "I-Don't-Need-A-Reciple-Chocolate-Hazelnut-Spread".)  We may have even had a taste test to see which knock-off Nutella worked best (homemade won!) I may have had to rip the bowl of salted caramel filling out of Karen's hands.  

What I do know is that somehow, five ladies got together and created an assortment of macarons that were out of this world delicious. Everyone went home with plenty of macarons to share with their loved ones (if they lasted that long). These tasty, little, pastel-colored pillows whispered "welcome, Spring."

LuCk on the Run {Spring Break Edition}

I get a two-week Spring Break each March. Connecticut is rich in so many things - great parks and beaches, fantastic museums, great restaurants, and a rich history.   Today, I am sharing a sampling of the things that Chuck and I did over our Spring Break.  Everything listed is free or inexpensive to enjoy with your whole family! 

Pump It Up

I am fortunate to live down the street from a Pump It Up! The first time I took Chuck, she was absolutely in awe of the giant inflatable slides, castles, and bounce houses. I always thought that Pump It Up was just for birthday parties, I was very pleased to learn that they have several Open Jump times a day.  If you have a toddler, I highly recommend taking them during the day (aka "when the big kids are in school")  Chuck can hold her own with the big kids jumping, but I just feel safer having her bounce with kids her own size.  Pump It Up features weekly Glow Bounces, Craft Projects, Family Jumps, and Sensory Bounces.  To get more information, check out their schedule here

New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show

I've been taking Chuck to the Orchid show for three years; it has become a bit of a tradition for us. The first year, I walked through the conservatory with Chuck snuggled up in her baby carrier (they don't allow strollers in the greenhouse).  The second year, I chased my new walker through exhibit as she tortured the flowers.  This year, Chuck walked through the Orchid Show at a reasonable pace, while admiring the "beautiful flowers" from a safe distance.  

Earthplace, The Nature Discovery Center

Earthplace is located in Westport, Conn.  The trails, grounds, and outdoor animal exhibits are open to the public; there is a small fee to enter the facility.  I would say that if the weather is nice, there is enough to keep your child busy outside.  Since it was raining the day we went, I decided to pay the fee and head inside for the Story and Animal Program.  

Earthplace has large indoor room called Natureplace that is filled with all sorts of hands-on activities for the kids.  It also has all kinds of spaces for the kids to run around and climb and explore the different ecosystems in Connecticut.  This is where we gathered to listen to the story.  The educators at Earthplace are always very engaging.  Chuck loved meeting a lovely guinea pig.  

Kidville

We got a Groupon to Kidville to try out a bunch of their classes.  Chuck definitely got her fill during our staycation.  We took a trip on the Rock n Roll Railroad and enjoyed climbing around their playspace.  But, perhaps my most favorite class was Toddlers and Tutus.  I'm not what you'd call a "girly girl".  In fact, the only reason my daughter has a tutu is because she was given one as a Valentines Day gift. However; I absolutely loved taking her to her first ballet class.  I loved watching her learn to walk on a balance beam, make her feet into sleepy bunnies (flex), and prance around on her tippy toes (releve).  The class ended with an adorable tea party of apple juice and goldfish.  Although her pinky wasn't up, I was just proud that she didn't spill the juice all over the dance floor. 

The Granola Bar

After our ballet class, I decided to have lunch with my girl, so we headed to The Granola Bar in Westport.  We've stopped by this spot to pick up some bars on the run, but this was our first time sitting down and eating.  It was actually my first time taking Charley out to a "step above a diner" restaurant on my own.  I mean, we were living dangerously - there were real napkins and plates.  This could have been a disaster. The Granola Bar does have a children's menu, so I ordered Chuck a Nutbutter and Jelly, and myself a Granola Tasting.  When our meal arrived, Chuck's sandwich was huge!  Like bigger than her head huge.  She happily munched on her sandwich, ate her small bowl of fruit, crunched on her sweet potato chips, and managed not to break anything.  We even had a little chair dance party to "Dancing on the Ceiling".  

Best Time Ever

The Best Time Ever is an arts and crafts studio located in Stamford, Conn.  Unless otherwise noted, you can always pop in for "open studio" during the week.  Each Tuesday, they have a Toddler Time class where  you can "Make new friends, explore different art materials, and take home a new craft each week!". Since its Spring, this week's theme was wind. We made an adorable little pinwheel and decorated a real kite. The class was absolutely perfect for toddlers. Although Chuck was the youngest one there, every kid had a blast decorating their pinwheels and kites. After the class, we took our kite straight to the park to see if it would fly. Sadly, there was no wind, but Chuck enjoyed running around the park trying to get some air.

Other Adventures

Two weeks is a long time . . . . 

Peabody Museum

The Peabody is a Connecticut Institution.  Check out our adventures here.  Make sure to check your local library to pick up free passes! 

Aldrich Museum

We kicked off our break with a little paper making at the Aldrich.  You can check out our Alrdich Adventures here.  There is no cost of admission for teachers. 

Stepping Stones

We are members of Stepping Stones, but this year we decided to check out the Pajama Storytime with Olivia.  Chuck was absolutely in love!  It was a great evening for the whole family!

Bayley Beach, Compo Beach, Calf Pasture: The great thing about Connecticut Beaches off season (other than the fact that they are empty) is that they are filled with shells and shells, more shells and rocks.  Take a bucket, and get ready to explore! 

Shake Shack

We LOVE Shake Shack! It's the perfect mix of really good food, and completely kid friendly.  I try to get there on the early side to avoid the long lines. 

Story Time @ The Library

Connecticut has GREAT public libraries, make sure to check out the calendar of events!  We've done everything from yoga to scrapbooking. The Norwalk Public Library has a fun play kitchen and dress up clothes for kids to enjoy. They also offer a special family program every Friday morning. The Westport Public Library has a fantastic "toy library" of toys that can be checked out.  When you have a two week vacation, this can be a real life saver!