Just For Fun

I Am Relocating!

2009-09-15T10:19:00.002-04:00

I know that I tried this before, but this time it's for real! I am moving to my new home and I hope that you will join me! Come on over to Moments of Mommyhood!

Homemade Fingerpaint

2009-09-14T11:49:00.002-04:00

We're feeling a bit under the weather at the Adams house today, so I thought I would share our recipe for fingerpaint instead of a craft. Hopefully everyone will be feeling well again soon so that we can share a few fall projects!

Ingredients:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
cold water
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 tablespoons dishwashing liquid
food coloring
4 to 6 wide mouth jars

Directions:
1. Stir the gelatin into 1/3 cup cold water; set aside.
2. Measure the cornstarch into a saucepan and stir in 2 1/2 cups cold water until dissolved.
3.Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir until thickened.
4.Remove the pan from the heat and blend in the gelatin mixture and the dishwashing liquid.
5. Allow the mixture to cool and spoon it into jars.
6.Stir in a generous amount of food coloring.
7. Store at room temperature in airtight containers.

Memorial Wreaths

2009-09-11T10:33:00.007-04:00

In remembrance of those who died in the 9/11 attacks, we made memorial wreaths. Although my girls were not born until a few years after that day, I feel that this is a day for us to unite as one and remember those lives lost on that day.

I first traced the girls hands and cut out several from red, white, and blue construction paper.

Then I cut the center from a paper plate to make a base for the wreath.

Next, the girls glued their hands around the outside of the paper plate.

When they were finished, I cut out stars and glued them to the wreath with the words "We Will Never Forget". I then added a piece of ribbon to hang the wreaths.

*This is a re-post from Sept. 11, 2008.

Pp-Pony

2009-09-09T10:07:00.003-04:00

After taking a break for most of the summer, we are now getting caught up on our alphabet book. Our next letter is P so today, we made Pp-Pony!

1. Cut out a letter p and glue it to a piece of construction paper.

2. Trace your child's foot with their shoe on.

3. Cut out the traced foot and glue it to the paper along side the P. Be sure to point the toes down toward the bottom of the paper. I also added another small piece of paper in the shape of the pony's neck.

4. Add details to your pony and you are all finished!

Apple Trees

2009-08-31T08:49:00.002-04:00

Madelyn and I are working on the letter A this week. Here is A-Apple Tree!

1. Paint your child's hand with brown paint, extending the paint to just above the wrist.

2. Print it on a piece of construction paper.

3. We then used a bath poof to paint the top of the tree.

4. Make apples for your tree by dipping one finger in paint and printing it on the tree top.

5.There you have it! One fabulous apple tree:0)

Lacing Cards

2009-08-28T11:25:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but at our house, I can always find an old greeting card of some type laying around. My girls are collectors of old cards and they never want to throw any away. So, this is a great way to recycle these cards into something fun!

1. Select a card or postcard.

2. If using a folded card, glue it closed.

3. Using a hole punch, punch some holes around the outside edge.

4. Now your child can "sew" around the outside using a shoe lace or a piece of yarn with tape around the end.

*If you would like to reinforce your lacing card a bit more, you can cover it with clear contact paper before punching the holes.

Nothing Says Back to School Like an Apple!

2009-08-27T11:07:00.006-04:00

Back to school time is here! We thought an apple would be the perfect way to start off this wonderful time! So here we go! Let the fun begin!

1. Trace an apple and a worm shape on a piece of card board or construction paper. (I used an empty cereal box!) Then cut them out.

2. Tear up a piece of red construction paper into little pieces. (Madelyn really enjoyed ripping the paper!)

3. Paint or color the worm green.

4. Cover the apple with glue.

5. Glue the pieces of paper to the apple.

6. Don't forget to color the leaf!

7. Glue your silly little worm to the apple:0)

Madelyn is so proud of her apple! She can't wait for Felicia to come home from school so she can share it with her:0)

Coming Back Soon!

2009-08-11T12:13:00.003-04:00

With much debate about what to do about Just For Fun, I have decided to keep it! I love this blog and really enjoy sharing the fun things I do with my kids to teach them while having fun! School will be starting for my big kids soon, so Madelyn and I will be home alone together! It's an exciting time for us, as she and I have NEVER been alone. She is thrilled to have me to herself and I am just as excited to start teaching her some new things! So, stay tuned for some new lessons that I plan to teach her! I am sure we will have some fun adventures to share:0)

I Know That I Have Been Absent....

2009-07-26T13:33:00.002-04:00

..here's something that has inspired me!

Great News!

2009-07-16T13:04:00.001-04:00

Fishful Thinking is now on Facebook! If you're on Facebook, please join the Fishful Thinking Fan page! It's a great place to get all the latest information about Fishful Thinking!

The Foamerator

2009-07-15T20:09:00.002-04:00

One of the things my kids love to do in summer is blow bubbles. Such a simple thing, but it provides hours of entertainment. This project is blowing bubbles with a twist. We first made these foamerators last summer and they quickly became a big hit.

You will need:
an empty soda or water bottle
a washcloth
a rubber band

1. Cut the bottom off of the bottle.

2. Fold the washcloth in half and cover the bottom of the bottle with it. Secure with the rubber band.

3. Dip the bottle in some bubble solution or dish soap and blow! The foamerator creates long foam snakes. Lots of fun!

Paper Plate Watermelon

2009-07-14T12:38:00.002-04:00

Around here, our favorite summertime fruit is watermelon! So, we decided to pay tribute to our favorite snack by making a paper plate watermelon slice!

1. Paint the center of a paper plate with red paint. We just finger painted it because sometimes we just like to get messy!

2. Using our fingers dipped in green paint we painted the outside edge of the plate.

3. Last we used a Q-Tip dipped in black paint for the seeds.

4. Here you have it! Our watermelon!

* This would be the perfect project for this finger paint recipe!

Oo-Octopus

2009-07-13T15:12:00.003-04:00

Onward to letter Oo! An octopus is the perfect addition to our alphabet book!

Muffin Tin Monday-Soup and Sandwich Style

2009-07-06T12:57:00.002-04:00

After a weekend of picnics and pigging out on tons of goodies, we are enjoying a nice soup and sandwich lunch today. Here it is:

We have Goldfish crackers, chicken noodle soup, almonds and raisins, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomatoes. Delicious!

To participate in Muffin tin Monday or to check out what everyone else is having, head on over to Her Cup Overfloweth!

Flag Cake

2009-07-05T08:48:00.004-04:00

Every year for Independence Day, we make this yummy cake! I know I am a day late posting it, but YOU can make it anytime! It's very simple!

You will need:
1 yellow cake mix
1 large box of Jello
1 cup of boiling water
Cool Whip
strawberries
blueberries

Prepare the cake according to the directions on the package. Allow it to cool. When the cake is cool, mix the Jello and boiling water. Poke holes all over the cake and slowly pour the Jello on. Refrigerate the cake for about 10 minutes. When it's chilled, cover the top with Cool Whip and decorate it with the strawberries and blueberries!

Nn-Numbers

2009-06-30T17:08:00.001-04:00

Moving on through the alphabet!

Bath Time Paints

2009-06-23T21:59:00.002-04:00

With summer activities in full swing, we have been collecting our fair share of dirt! These girls like to dig for worms, make mud pies and collect rocks just like their big brothers always did. They don't, however, want to stop their play to come inside for a bath! So, when the day is done I must wrangle to two dirt collectors in to scrub away the grime. But, I have found a new tool to make this process a bit easier....bath paint! It's very simple,

2 TBS. liquid soap or baby bath
food coloring

Mix it together and allow your little ones to paint a masterpiece on the shower walls! When they are finished, just rinse it down the drain! Bath time suddenly has become a whole lot easier:0)

Mm-Moon

2009-06-22T15:19:00.003-04:00

I'm here! I know I have been absent a lot recently and I thank all of you who have stuck around. Our summer has started off being very busy! I hope that I have the new schedule down so that I can post regularly again. Whew! I am starting back slowly with an addition to our alphabet book. Mm-moon! Very simple! I'll be posting a few more letters this week so that we can soon wrap up this book:0)

Catching Up on Awards!

2009-06-12T08:29:00.003-04:00

Wow, I have been so busy lately! I just can't seem to fit everything I do into one day. Unfortunately, blogging seems to be the thing that is left out of my day, more often than not. I hope I can start getting back in my groove soon. With that said, I have some awards to claim and some awesome bloggers to acknowledge!

This first award I received from the lovely Anissa of Our Chaotic Life! I was not that long ago that I found her blog, but I am loving it! Thank you so much Anissa! I really appreciate it:0)

I received the next award from Michelle at Lollypops and Lizards! Michelle is also fairly new to me, but I have enjoyed reading her blog as well. Thanks Michelle!

This last award is from my dear friend Vickie from Vickie Scrapbooking and Tidbits! We have been bloggy friends for quite some time now and I really value her friendship! Thanks Vickie!

I do apologize for taking so long to post these awards. That does not at all mean I don't appreciate them! Thank you so much for your kindness:0)

Read This Please!

2009-06-11T19:57:00.002-04:00

Here is a great article about how NOT to talk to your kids! Let me know what you think:0)

Re-Post Feeding the Birds

2009-06-10T08:59:00.000-04:00

I thought I would share an old post about making bird feeders to go along with our bird theme for the week!

We spread some peanut butter on a few pine cones.

Then we rolled them in bird seed.

Be careful, it can get a little messy;0)

We then strung some Cheerios on a piece of yarn. Don't forget to tie a knot in the end. I also put a piece of tape around the end so that it would not fray.

After we finished the bird feeders, we hung them on the trees outside. I'm sure the birds will enjoy their treats:0)

Hand and Foot Peacock!

2009-06-08T10:18:00.004-04:00

We are really trying to get back in the swing of things here, now that the end of school year craziness has died down. Whew!

This week is for the birds! My girls love all kinds of birds! They love feeding them and making their own bird sounds! So I thought a whole week dedicated to birds would be perfect!

Our first feathered friend this week is the Peacock! Many of you know that I love doing projects with hands and feet, so here is another fun way to do that!

1. Using your child's hand dipped in blue paint, print several hand prints to form a rainbow on a sheet of paper.

2. Repeat step 1 on the inside of the blue rainbow using green paint. Be sure to overlap the colors.

3. This is the tail feather of your peacock.

4. Trace your child's foot on a piece of construction paper.

5. Add eyes, a beak, and feet.

5. Glue the body of the peacock to the tail feathers and now you have a peacock!

Sidewalk Paint!

2009-06-02T21:38:00.003-04:00

We have been enjoying some family time lately! Here is one of our favorite outdoor activities! I hope you enjoy it:0)

This is always a big hit with my kids. They could do this for hours. Just combine 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup water. and 6-8 drops of food coloring. Give them a bunch of paint brushes and turn them loose on the sidewalk. The paint dries to look just like a sidewalk chalk creation!

I'll Be Back Soon!

2009-05-30T19:27:00.002-04:00

I'm so sorry for my lack of posts this week! The end of school year seems to be extra busy and I have also been spending a great deal of time helping my grandparents this week. Please be patient with me. I'll be back to normal on Monday:0)

Felicia's Storybook!

2009-05-30T17:11:00.002-04:00

Here is a storybook that I made for Felicia using the Storybook maker!It's so easy!

How Would You Like To Win A $10,000 Scholarship?

2009-05-27T08:41:00.001-04:00

Go here to find out how!

Happiness Is Contagious!

2009-05-26T21:39:00.002-04:00

This is something I have always believed, now here is proof!

Muffin Tin Monday!

2009-05-25T10:02:00.003-04:00

We have really been missing out on Muffin Tin Monday lately, so today I surprised the kids with a Muffin Tin Breakfast! We had some eggs, toast, bananas, bacon, and juice! As always it was a huge hit:0)

For more Muffin Tin Monday visit:

Take Time To Remember and Honor...

2009-05-25T08:38:00.004-04:00

Friday Book Project-Bubbles

2009-05-22T08:29:00.003-04:00

It's Friday again and now time for another book themed activity. We have been spending a great deal of time outside this week, just enjoying the warm weather. One of our favorite activities outside is blowing bubbles! So here is a great book about blowing bubbles!

To go along with the book, I wanted to share our favorite bubbles recipe!
1 cup water
2 tablespoons light Karo syrup
4 tablespoons dish washing liquid

Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy!

* You don't have to use just a regular old bubble wand, just about anything that has holes in it can make bubbles. We use berry baskets, wire clothes hangers, and cans with both ends cut off(be careful if your can opener leaves a sharp edge). If your extra adventurous, make a super large batch of bubbles and fill the bottom of a kiddie pool. You can use a Hula Hoop as your "wand"! It makes gigantic bubbles! The important part is to have FUN!

If you have an activity inspired by a book, add your link to Mr. Linky! Happy Reading!

The Blog Link A Thon!

2009-05-19T20:24:00.007-04:00

Check out this amazing mega blog roll! This week I participated in the blog link a thon at MomDot! There are some awesome bloggers here and I can't wait to visit them all! Check them out:0)

1. Lori@Not Always Charming

2. Fairy Blog Mother

3. Crazy Adventures in Parenting

4. Engineer a Debt Free Life

5. Sweet ‘n’ Sassy Girls

6. Good Golly Miss Blondie

7. SavvySuzie

8. For The Love of Baby!

9. Tammy@lovemy2dogs

10. Blessings Abound

11. Coupons, Deals and More

12. Hairstyles For Girls

13. Stacie @ The Divine Miss Mommy

14. A latte in the morning

15. KiddiesCorner Deals

16. 3 Kids and Us | Mom Blog

17. The Ohana Mama

18. Coupon Queens of Laurel Run

19. Today’s Journey

20. Eve @ Confessions of a Housewife

21. My Charmed Life

22. Laurie@DoubleBugs

23. Lisa @ Final Score boys3 girls2

24. New Sue Review

25. Suzanne Calling

26. Just For Me…and You

27. Time Slides By

28. Babes and Kids

29. Declutter a Little Each Day

30. Grocery Savings for Real Families

31. Life Starring Ellie and Eve

32. So Cute Crafts

33. Brea’s Mommy

34. Are Muffins Just Ugly Cupcakes

35. It’s A Beauty Filled Life

36. The crazy suburban mom

37. Donna’s World

38. Momma’s Gone Over the Wall

39. Mommy’s Quiet Time

40. Joyce (Saving My Cents)

41. My Trendy Tykes

42. The Not-So-Blog

43. Confessions From HouseholdSix

44. SiPPyCuPSand FiNGerPriNTS

45. Jennifer@CouponMommie

46. Shasta @ Crackers&Chaos

47. Giftfully Simple

48. Just For Fun

49. Digital Mommy

50. Me And Craig

51. Parenting Princesses

52. Shan@Last Shreds Of Sanity

53. Inside My Head

54. Petit

55. My Love Lucy

56. FreckleBox personalized gift

57. Baby Lulu Dress

58. Blog 4 Mom

59. 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires

60. Jolly Mom

61. My Life My Journey

62. Maman And Gourmand

63. Jess - Life @ 30

64. The POSHpreneur

65. A Blog of Goodies

66. Christy aka The Write Gal

67. LookWhatMomFound

68. Peanut Butter & Smelly’s Dad

69. Lucy

70. Angry Julie Monday

71. The Mogul Mom Blog

72. Angela

73. Deal-ectible Mommies

74. Christy’s Creations

75. Lisa

76. Courtney@Booksnboys

77. Wannabe Supermom

78. Thre Craft Momma

79. Internet Toddler

80. Jennifer@Life is a Sandcastle

81. Kristen of La Dolce Vita

82. Cranberry Fries

83. Toni @ The Mud Bug

84. The Mom Buzz

85. Tricia @Nightowl Mama

86. Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls

87. Mommy Cracked

88. EclecticBird

89. Mama Mentor

90. Moomettesgram’s Musings

91. Moomette’s Magnificents Reviews

92. Moomettesgram’s Favorite Recipes

93. Diaries of a Domestic Goddess

94. Go Graham Go!

95. NerdFamily Things

96. NerdFamily Blog

97. Making Money Keeping Money

98. NerdFamily Food

99. Flying Giggles & Lollipops

100. Gena @ Morris Bunch

101. Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy

102. A Kindred Spirit’s Thoughts

103. Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House

104. D-Lo’s Lounge

105. Free Sample Freak

106. What Mommies Need

107. Mom of 2 Boys, Wife of 1

108. icefairy’s Treasure Chest

109. Cheaper Than Therapy

110. Therapeutic Reviews & Giveaways

111. Lily Bean Designs

112. Dirty Diaper Laundry

113. Dance Momma

114. JamericanSpice

115. Mombalance

116. A Pocket Full Of Buttons

117. Ordinary and Awesome

118. Reviews and Giveaways

119. Subjective Beauty

120. Tales From A Shopaholic Mommy

121. Mommiemayhem

122. IE Mommy

123. Nikki @ Blasian Baby Notes

124. Amber Woodward

125. Grammy Janet’s Place

126. Outnumbered 3 to 1

127. ShimmerMeBlue

128. Dev’s Favorite Giveaways

129. Joyful Money Saving

130. 1stopmom

131. A Modern Mama

132. PourSomeSugarOnMe

133. Fancast

134. Lollipop Baby

135. Lola & Ben

136. idoby2celebrants

137. Sue Jackson

138. Cackleberry Kids

139. Gifts By The Stars

140. Jemma

141. Handmade Kids

142. Ollie Rose

143. Babasfarmlife

144. Banquet Manager

145. Monkey’s Momma

146. This Mom Can Shop

147. EcoLabel Fundraising

148. Divine Chaos

149. baby kakes ink alphabet onesie

150. tee from recycle me

151. Elizabeth @ Suzy Q Homemaker

152. marla mandell bread (5/17)

153. ozone socks 5/15

154. Belly Bumps to Baby Hugs

155. Hip T

156. ThenComes Baby

157. Homemade Gourmet

158. Fresh Pure and Simple

159. MomDot Mom Blogs

160. MomDot Mom Reviews

161. Bloggers Give Charity

162. Organic Baby Resource

163. Potamus Prefers

164. The Army Wife

165. Through Hazel Eyes

166. Frugal Rhode Island Mama

167. Just Jingle

168. And Twins make 5!

169. Frugal Plus

170. Christie

171. What Happened To My House?

172. Miracles on Mama Street

173. Heck Of A Bunch

174. Blog Designs by Susan

175. mommy23monkeys

176. Hanna

177. Got Kids Need Valium

178. Womb At The INNSANE

179. Katie & Kimble Blog

180. Kim @ Adventures SAHM

181. The Frugalicious Mommy

182. Penny Pinching Diva

183. Another day. Another thought or two

184. Beauty4Moms

185. Nikki @evilflu.com

186. Little Miss Julia

187. Mrs Zeee

188. Cheryl

189. Frazzle Dazzle SuperMom

190. Florida Mealtime Savers

191. Inspiration Station

192. Mommy’s Kitchen

193. Saving with MamaNordy

194. Saving SAHM Sanity

195. A Little Piece Of Perfect

196. Nodin’s Nest

197. Lil Miss Eco

198. Laryn Strickland

199. HeatherMama

200. The Gerber Babies Blog

201. WhateverSuccess

202. Women Who Win

203. Kat @ The Burb Blog

204. Happy Healthy Families

205. Sweeps4Bloggers

206. dramaqueensmum

207. The Mom Trap

208. Multitasking Mama

209. Mama Michies Musings

210. Little People Wealth

211. Belly Beyond

212. Kim Kihega

213. Mom Fuse

214. Juanita

215. Adopt a Do

216. On the Refriderator Door

217. Christine

218. Little Diva

219. My Household Junk

220. I’m Here….Really

221. Brittany@The Greer 5

222. mary

223. Nicole @ Nicole’s Nickels

224. Lori Newman

225. Kris @ NSQSA

226. Debb

227. Shawn Ann’s World

228. Peke Moe -NZ made baby sleep sacks

229. A Simple Kinda LIfe

230. Sweet Serendipity

231. Bouncing Off The Walls

232. Jane Loedding

233. Msbuildingupdabenjamins

234. Msbuildingupdabenjamins

235. Msbuildingupdabenjamins

236. Musings from Me

237. Veronnica

238. The Adventures of Miss V

239. Mudd Kids

240. Mom Most Traveled family travel

241. Relishing the Dirt

242. Good, True and Beautiful

243. Deb @ Frugal Living and Having Fun

244. The Last Blog on Earth

245. A Wrestling Addicted Mommy

246. Rae

247. kimert@diaries of a coach’s wife

248. Dore’s Diaries

249. Blog by Donna

250. Lisette

251. Pillaging With Buffie

252. Mom of Faith

253. GODSOWN

254. flutterbyechronicles

255. shelley

256. Life In A House Of Blue

257. kristen

258. Alex the Fey Thriller Series

259. MamaCheaps!

260. Donalacasa

261. A Jewish Journey

262. Anissa @ Our Chaotic Life

263. BethinNC

264. Stuttering Shell

265. Don’t Blink

266. Life is Sweet

267. Lisa

268. Sue@Stay At Home Mom

269. m.e (cathie)

270. Run DMT

271. Princess Ratbag

272. Michelle G

273. CF Mama @ Nathan’s Fight

274. Moody Mama Says

275. Laurie Ann

276. Cooking During Stolen Moments

277. A Simple Walk

278. Vanessa

279. middleagedmom

280. Ramblings Of A Wannabe Writer

281. Oh My Baby

282. Fordcast Sunny

283. Lisa Miller

284. Stacie @ The Divine Miss Mommy

285. Bibs & Cribs {very cute stuff}

286. My Lil’ Budget Book

287. Misadventures in Baby Raising

288. My Mommy Said

289. Milk & Honey Mommy

290. Milk and Honey Mommy

291. Amy O’Neal

292. Parenting Children

293. A Girl And Her Life

294. MarieLynn Boutique Blog

295. Born Fabulous Boutique Blog

296. The Pitter Patter Boutique

297. Stephanie Deese

298. Brea’s Baby Boutique Blog

299. digiscrapping.net - Heather Manning

300. Kids Activities Blog

301. Two Little Whales Cloth Diapers & More

302. 3 boys & a dog

303. Karen ~Georgia Angel

304. JenniferB @ my not so hurried life

305. Shannon Blogs Here

306. A Virtuous Woman

307. Secrets of a Southern Kitchen

308. Dreamer

309. Lollipop Book Club

310. Mommie Daze Virtual Baby Shower

311. Heck Of A Bunch

312. MomSaves4U

313. Barely Domestic Mama

314. Emilie @ Baby Loving Mama

315. Professional Family Manager

316. Kathleen

317. Coaching The Family

318. Frugal Creativity

319. Easy Being Green

320. Dandelion Bubbles

321. Shelly aka The Attic Girl

322. Foxtoybox-Discovery Toys

323. Ashley @ Beauty4Moms

324. Colleen - Mommy Always Wins

325. Playground for Parents

326. World of Discovery

327. Kati @ Country Girl City Life

329. A Little Bit Nutty

330. Mahayla’s Mommy

332. If I Could Escape . . .

333. The Shopping Mama

Book Project Friday-Ten Little Fish

2009-05-15T13:18:00.004-04:00

As I mentioned during last weeks book theme post, my girls were really enjoying the ocean theme. So this week we continued on with that and read the book "Ten Little Fish"! What a fun book it is:0)

To go along with our book, we made an ocean picture with "ten little fish".

1. Tear up some blue tissue paper.

2. Lightly spray a piece of white construction paper with water.

3. Stick the tissue paper pieces to the wet paper. Allow it to dry.

4. After the paper is dry, peel off the tissue paper.

5. Add some fish cut out of construction paper.

6. The fish in the book were all different colors, but Madelyn wanted all orange fish!

If you have a book inspired activity add your link to Mr. Linky! As always, Happy Reading:0)

Hand Print Octopus

2009-05-14T12:19:00.003-04:00

The girls enjoyed our ocean theme from last week so much that we decided to extend the fun for another week. The ocean would not be complete without an Octopus, so here is the octopus that we made.

1. Paint your child's hand without painting the thumb.

2. Print it on a piece of construction paper.

3. Do the same thing with the other hand, overlapping the palm.

4. Add some eyes and cut it out:0)

A Little Something To Keep In Mind For Mother's Day!

2009-05-09T11:46:00.001-04:00

Book Project Friday

2009-05-08T08:10:00.005-04:00

This week we have an Ocean Theme going on at our house. We have been studying ocean creatures and talking a lot about the beach! The girls are really enjoying this, so we may do it for another week! Here are two of the projects that we made this week: hand and foot lobster and foot print fish! Here is a fun book that we have enjoyed while doing the ocean theme! It's called Commotion in the Ocean!

Today we are going to make some sand castle clay! To make this, you will need:
1 cup sand
1/2 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup liquid starch

Combine the sand and cornstarch in an old pot. Stir in liquid starch. Cook this mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken and turn into a dough. Remove from the stove and allow to cool. Remove the clay and knead for 30 seconds. After creating your sculptures, allow them to dry until hard.

If you have a book inspired activity that you would like to share, please add your link to Mr. Linky! As always, Happy Reading:0)

Foot Print Fish

2009-05-06T15:29:00.004-04:00

We have been diving deep into the ocean this week and today we made some pretty tropical with! What better way to make them than our feet!

1. Paint the bottom of your child's foot with two different colors of paint! I love this giggles that this causes:0)

2. Press the foot on a piece of construction paper.

3.Add some details and your fish will be swimming!

Hand and Foot Lobster

2009-05-05T12:20:00.003-04:00

This week we are exploring the underwater world. I love the beach and all that comes with it so this is fun for me. Our first under sea creature that we made is the lobster!

1. Paint your child's foot and print it on a piece of construction paper.

2. Above the heal end of the foot, print your child's hands. Fingers together, thumb apart to make a claw.

3. Using a marker, connect the claws to the body.

4. Add details and you have a very silly lobster.

What Do You Treasure?

2009-05-01T19:35:00.005-04:00

As many of you already know, I am an ambassador for Fishful Thinking! The activities highlighted on the Fishful Thinking site are fun for the kids and are designed to teach them optimism and other ways to cope with life's every day challenges. What kid would not benefit from that?

Today, we took advantage of a rainy day to do one of the many great activities that Fishful Thinking has to offer. We made a Treasure Box! The full instructions can be found here. The idea of the Treasure Box activity is to teach optimism and emotional awareness. It's a great way to get your kids talking about what they are feeling! So, if you have chance to make a Treasure Box with your child, come back and let me know how it went! It was a positive experience for us! I am sure you will enjoy it:0)

I am an ambassador for Fishful Thinking through RepNation and could earn incentives for my participation.

Ll-Ladybugs

2009-04-30T20:52:00.003-04:00

It seems some ladybugs have landed on our L page today! You can make these too by dipping your thumb in some red paint and pressing it on the paper. Then, just add details with a black marker:0)

Foot Print Butterflies

2009-04-29T21:13:00.004-04:00

This is a project that we have been doing since the kids were babies. From tiny foot prints to some big kid feet they are always cute.

1. Dip your child's feet in some colorful paint and print them on a piece of construction paper.

2. Add the body, face and antennae. Then cut them out:0)

You Could Win A $10,000 Scholarship For Your Child!

2009-04-25T15:46:00.004-04:00

For a while now I have been telling you all the great things that Fishful Thinking has to offer, parenting advice and activities to help raise more optimistic children. Now, Fishful thinking has introduced something new and fantastic! It's called Storybook Maker. It a place to make a customized storybook about your very own child. The best part, by creating a Storybook, you are entered in a sweepstakes to win a $10,000 college scholarship for your child. Isn't that fabulous?

So go ahead, click the little blue book to get started!

I am an ambassador for Fishful Thinking through RepNation and could earn incentives for my participation.

Egg Carton Flowers and Caterpillars

2009-04-22T15:14:00.004-04:00

In honor of Earth Day, we made a couple of projects today using some egg cartons. I try to save as much as I can to reuse at craft time. Egg cartons, milk jugs and cartons, cans, paper towel tubes, bottles, etc. are great to make a variety of projects. Here are just two examples of thing you can make with egg cartons.

The flowers were made by cutting individual sections of the egg carton and painting them. I then added a pipe cleaner for the stem by poking it through the egg carton section. I added buttons to the center to give it more color.

You can make a caterpillar by cutting an egg carton in half and painting it. Add a pipe cleaner for the antennae and some eyes. You could also make an ant by cutting it into a three section piece and painting it black. Happy Earth Day!

Celebrate Earth!

2009-04-20T15:26:00.002-04:00

In honor of Earth day this week, we are planning to do some special activities. Most of those will be crafts made using recycled materials. Today we started our Earth Week off by making the Earth.

For this activity, you will need a paper plate and some green and blue paint.

1. Paint the paper plate with the blue paint.

2. Using your child's hand dipped in green paint, make the "land".

3. There you have it! Our Earth:0)

How Sweet It Is!

2009-04-20T12:29:00.004-04:00

I have received this super cool new award from Jen at Creative and Curious Kids! It's awesome! Thank you so much:0)

Here are the rules for this award:
Tape it up on your blog somewhere.
Pass it along to 5 fellow super bloggers, and comment on their blog to let them know how lucky they are today!
When you present your Super Blogger awards, link back to the super blogger who gave it to you.

Here are the five blogs I think are super!

Vickie's Scrapbooking and Tidbit s
Crayons, Glue and Scissors
Everything Except The Grill
Book Worms BookNook
Superheroes and Princesses
Casa Camacho

Do It For Your Children:0)

2009-04-18T00:00:00.001-04:00

Friday Book Projects-Bugs, Bugs, Bugs

2009-04-17T12:45:00.005-04:00

Wow, what a week we have had! Our house is undergoing some major renovations and with Easter, we have been very busy. We had not be staying at home for a week and just got back yesterday. It's great to be home and getting settled back into our normal routines. So of course I had to make sure to do a Friday Book Project! The book we read is Bugs, Bugs, Bugs and in honor of the girls favorite bug, we made ladybugs!

For this project you will need: a paper bowl, red and black paint, black construction paper, glue, and a black pipe cleaner.

1. Paint the bottom of the paper bowl red.

2. Paint a small area on the side of the bowl with black paint for the face.

3. Glue some spots cut from construction paper to the back of the ladybug.

4. Add some eyes and the pipe cleaner antennae.

If you have a book inspired project that you would like to share, add your link to Mr. Linky:0)

We Have Had a Makeover!

2009-04-17T09:27:00.002-04:00

How fabulous is our new look? I love it! This wonderful blog makeover is brought to you by the fabulous April Showers Blog Design! I could not be any happier! April is a pleasure to work with and always gives you exactly what you want. If you are in the market for a new blog design, she is your girl. I promise you will love her:0) Go visit her and tell her how wonderful she is! You won't be sorry, she is having lots of great giveaways this month:0)

p.s. Don't forget to grab our new button!

We Have a Winner!

2009-04-13T12:33:00.003-04:00

The winner of the Fishful Thinking giveaway is Shanda! Congrats! You have won the $25 Macy's gift card! Thank you to everyone who entered. Please continue to visit the Fishful Thinking site for some great tips and fun activities:0)

Kk-Kites

2009-04-09T13:00:00.004-04:00

Onward and upward to the letter K! We made kites on our K page for the alphabet book we are creating:0)

Tissue Paper Easter Eggs

2009-04-07T14:28:00.003-04:00

Wow, Easter is less than a week away and we are so behind on our decorating! We are in the midst of a major renovation and it's kind of getting in the way of crafting. But, today we found a somewhat quiet corner of the room to work and we made some brightly colored Easter eggs. The girls love anything involving glue and tissue paper so this was perfect.

1. Cut out an egg shape from a piece of construction paper.

2. Cut some tissue paper into small pieces and glue them to the egg.

3. These eggs will brighten any room! Even in midst of a construction nightmare!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for Fishful Thinking!

Fishful Thinking Giveaway!

2009-04-05T15:48:00.007-04:00

Several weeks ago, I was introduced to the Fishful Thinking website by a couple of other bloggers. I checked it out and immediately realized how wonderful it is. Soon after, I became an ambassador for Fishful Thinking! Fishful Thinking is a great initiative, sponsored by Pepperidge Farm, that helps parents gain the skills needed to instill optimism in their children. The site is full of activities that are designed to incorporate into every day life.

Fishful Thinking is comprised of five ingredients:
Optimism
Emotional Awareness
Goal Setting/Hope
Resilience
Empowerment

I am very excited to announce that I am having my very first giveaway on Just For Fun! But it's not just any old giveaway, it's a chance for me to share the fabulous things that can be learned by visiting the Fishful Thinking website.

The prize for this giveaway is a $25 Macy's Gift card!

Here is what you need to do to be eligible for the drawing:

First entry: Show me what you have learned about Fishful Thinking! Go visit the Fishful Thinking website. Take some time to explore the site, then come back here and leave a comment about what you have learned. You must visit the site to qualify!

*Update- Due to an amazing response to the Fishful Thinking ambassador program, they are no longer accepting new ambassadors. Those of you who earned the extra entries for becoming an ambassador will still receive those entries.

This contest will end Sunday, April 12 at 11:59PM(EST). I will announce the winner sometime on Monday, April 13.

Good Luck!

Handprint Bunnies

2009-04-01T15:41:00.005-04:00

What says spring like a cute, little bunny? Today we made an adorable bunny with our hand prints.

1. Paint the palm of your child's hand and the index and ring fingers.

2. Using a thumb dipped in pink paint, make a nose in the center of the palm.

3. Add some eyes, mouth, and whiskers to your bunny:0)

After my post about the ducks made with feet, I received a comment asking where I get all my hand and foot print ideas. Occasionally, I find some online, but most of these ideas I used when I worked in the baby room at a daycare center. We always tried to have art from children of all ages hanging on the walls and the babies did a lot of hand print things because it was easy. Hands and feet can be turned into many things, just use your imagination:0)

Jj-JellyBeans

2009-03-31T10:40:00.003-04:00

We kept things very simple for the letter J. We made thumbprint jellybeans! I'm not sure why Madelyn is looking so grumpy in this picture. She really did have a great time making jellybeans and naming all the colors as she went along:0)

Muffin Tin Monday

2009-03-30T19:51:00.003-04:00

Yay, it's Muffin Tin Monday! If you have not tried having a muffin tin meal, you should! This is the best way to get my kids to eat. They love it! Madelyn is even eating vegetables now! Back before I started to participate in Muffin Tin Monday, it was a real struggle to get her to eat veggies. Now she does! WooHoo!

Here is our tin for the day:

Top row: creamed cucumbers, baked potato, butter bread
Bottom row: steak sauce, steak, corn

To participate in Muffin Tin Monday or to see what others have in their tin, please visit:

Sorry I've Been Absent!

2009-03-29T07:04:00.002-04:00

This past week, we have been trying to do a lot more playing outside and going for walks. We had been cooped up way too long over the winter. I hope to get back to regular posting tomorrow and I promise we will have Friday book projects again on Friday:0)

Have You Heard of Fishful Thinking?

2009-03-24T13:31:00.002-04:00

What is Fishful Thinking? Well, let me tell you:0) Fishful Thinking is a resource for parents, brought to you by Pepperidge Farms, to teach kids a few very important lessons.

Optimism
Emotional Awareness
Goal Setting/Hope
Resilience
Empowerment

All of these ingredients can make a happy child, ready to face the challenges of life! Please take a moment, if you will, and visit the Fishful Thinking site by clicking on the fish below. Let me know what your thoughts are. I would love to hear what you think:0)

Muffin Tin Monday-Rainbows

2009-03-23T11:52:00.002-04:00

We have not done a muffin tin meal in a while. The girls have really missed it, so today we got back in the game! The theme for today's Muffin Tin Monday is rainbows! As you can see by the picture, Madelyn was thrilled to have her tin again:0)

We had RED-tomatoes

ORANGE-oranges

YELLOW-bananas

GREEN-bell peppers

BLUE-cup

with

PURPLE- juice

...and an extra special treat...a RAINBOW of fruit snacks:0)

For more Muffin Tin Meals, please visit Her Cup Overfloweth!

Ii-Ice Cream Cones

2009-03-23T09:58:00.004-04:00

Today we moved on to our next letter for our alphabet book. We made Ii-ice cream cones! Very simply, we used our shape sponges to create our favorite two scoop ice cream cones:0)

Awarded! Thank You!

2009-03-22T19:41:00.005-04:00

This Award was given to me by Keeling from Confessions of a Mommy Blogger!

The rules for this award are to list 7 things that I love and then pass the award on to 7 blogs I love to read!

7 things I love:

1. family-I would not be who I am without them! They are awesome:0)

2. books-I have always had such a great love of reading and I really try to pass that on to my kids.

3. flowers-Spring has sprung and the flowers are magnificent!

4. long walks-Quiet walks with my family are the best!

5. cooking-Anytime I can spend in the kitchen creating great dishes is wonderful. My kids are always eager to help.

6. summer days at the lake-My kids have been asking for a few weeks when we are going to the lake. I think we will wait until it's a bit warmer;0)

7. roller coasters-My boys and I ride any coaster we can together. I can't wait for summer to get here!

I also received this award from Annette at The Whipples!

Thank you both very much for the awards! I really appreciate the positive feedback that I receive here at Just For Fun! I love doing what we do and I am happy to share that with all of you:0) I am going to pass these awards on to all of my followers! There are so many incredible blogs out there and it is too hard to choose just a few.

Friday Book Project-Ducklings Love

2009-03-20T08:52:00.004-04:00

Welcome Spring! Today for this first day of Spring, we chose a book that the girls got last Easter. It's called Ducklings Love by Lisa McCue! What says spring like a sweet little duckling? So of coarse, we made some ducklings with the girls teeny, tiny feet!

1. My favorite part, paint your child's foot with yellow paint.

2. Stamp them on a piece of construction paper.

3. We did this two times per paper.

4. Fill in the details, such as, grass, feet, beaks, and even clouds or flowers.

5. There you have it! Some cute little ducklings made with your feet:0)

If you have a book inspired project that you would like to share, add your link to Mr. Linky. Happy reading:0)

You Are My Sunshine!

2009-03-19T07:33:00.002-04:00

The spring weather is upon us and we could not be happier! So, after a day of playing outside in the warm sunshine, we decided to makes the sun shine inside!

1. Paint a paper plate with yellow paint. We used our fingers to paint because sometimes we just like to get messy;0)

2. Trace and cut out several hands.

3. After your paint is dry, turn the plate over and glue the hands around the outside of the plate.

4. Add a face.

5. now you have a beautiful sun to hang inside! (Don't you just love the cheesy smile!)

Friday Book Project-Donation Day

2009-03-13T17:17:00.003-04:00

Our book project for today is going in a whole different direction. We have been buying and collecting books for quite some time at our house. When I was expecting my first child, I began buying books for him. I love to read and I always wanted to pass that love of reading on to my kids. We bought books every time we were at the grocery store, garage sales and from the book clubs that were distributed at school. Well, needless to say, we now have thousands of books filling many shelves and bins in our house.

Today, we took some time to sort through our book collection and choose some books that we would like to donate. We usually donate books to preschool or take them to good will. There are a lot of places that would be more then happy to receive some of your old books. Many children have no books at all! So, when you have the time, sort through some of your old books. I am sure you could pass some along too:0)

If you have a book inspired project that you would like top share, please add your link below. You may add your link anytime between now and next Friday:0)

Have You Found Your Pot of Gold?

2009-03-12T15:36:00.004-04:00

Rainbows and pots of gold are a must when you are decorating for St. Patrick's Day. Here is one that is made from a paper plate.

1. Cut a paper plate in half.

2. Cut the center of the plate out to form a rainbow shape.

3. Paint the half with black paint.

4. On the other piece, paint a rainbow using fingerprints.

5. Cut a cloud from construction paper and paint it white.

6. Cut some circles from yellow paper and glue them to the back of the black piece, sticking out over the edge.

7. Glue the pot of gold to one end of the rainbow.

8.Glue the cloud to the other end.

9. Add a piece of string to the top to hang your rainbow.

Leprechauns

2009-03-11T13:42:00.007-04:00

We are finally starting to work on some St. Patrick's Day decorations for around the house. My favorite color is green, so these projects are perfect;0) Today we made Leprechauns out of toilet paper tubes.

1. Paint a toilet paper tube green.

2. When it dries, trace the end of it onto green paper.

3. Make a bigger circle around the area you traced and then cut it out to form a doughnut shape.

4. Slide the circle over the top of the toilet paper tube to create a hat.

5. Paint an oval for the face, just below the hat.

6. Glue on some pieces of yarn to form a beard.

7. Add some arms cut from construction paper.

8. Draw a face on and you have yourself a "wee little Leprechaun"!

I posted the pictures of mine because the girls used so much green paint that they will probably take a day to dry so they can finish them.

Hh-Hearts

2009-03-09T11:51:00.003-04:00

Our alphabet book is really getting full. We are all the way up to the letter H! Very simply, we sponge painted some hearts on the paper and added our letter H!

Bird Watching Binoculars

2009-03-07T10:40:00.006-05:00

The past few days we have been spending a great deal of time outdoors. This morning we noticed that the birds are really coming back to our yard for spring. We are ready for them! We made bird feeders and filled our other bird feeders, so all we have to do now is wait for the birds to come. We made some binoculars so that we can get a good look at them;0)

1. Color two toilet paper tubes with crayons or markers.

2. Using some yarn, tie the tubes together and make a string to wear them around the neck. (use caution when wearing them around the neck)

3. Quietly watch for birds in your yard. We had lots of fun doing this, but the kids would squeal with delight when they saw them coming. We kept scaring them away:0(

Friday Book Project-Dr. Seuss

2009-03-06T10:16:00.002-05:00

Today in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2, we had a breakfast of green eggs and ham. I don't know any kid, or adult for that matter, that does not enjoy a good Dr. Seuss book. They are a family favorite at our house and I am sure your kids like them too.

Of course to really enjoy a green eggs and ham breakfast, you must dine in style. Before we ate, the kids made a Dr. Seuss hat to wear. I simply cut the hat shape out and the kids glued red stripes to it. I then attached it to a band made out of paper to fit their heads.

Here are my junior Cats in hats eating their green eggs and ham:0)

If you would like to share a book inspired project that you have done, just sign the Mr. Linky below:0) Happy reading!

...Out Like a Lamb

2009-03-05T10:17:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we made our lions for the phrase "In like a lion out like a lamb." Today it's time to make our lambs. I was going to do this at the end of the month, but the forcast for the weekend is very lamb-like so I was inspired to do them early:0)

1. Trace your child's hand. Cut it out.

2. Apply a generous amount of glue to the hand, leaving the finger tips glue-free.

3. Glue popcorn to the hand. I had to crush it a little for Madelyn's because her hand is so small.

4. Glue an ear to the thumb and draw an eye and a mouth.

5. ...out like a lamb!

In Like a Lion...

2009-03-04T12:25:00.005-05:00

You know the saying "March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb"? I sure hope that holds true this year. The weather has been very lion-like here. We are ready for spring:0)

Today we made a fun little lion using our hands for the mane!

1. Trace your child's hand.

2. Cut several out of brown and yellow paper.

3. While you are cutting, have your child color a circle with a brown crayon.

4. Glue the hands all the way around the outside of the circle.

5. Add a nose, some ears, and eyes.

6. Using a pencil, curl the fingers to make a curly mane.

7. Here is Madelyn with her finished lion. If you would like, you could make this into a mask by cutting out the eyes:0)

Gg-Grapes

2009-03-03T12:58:00.002-05:00

We are finally getting back into our normal routine after a few days of being sick. Thank you for all the well wishes! We are all feeling much better:0)

Today we are continuing on with our letter review by making Gg-Grapes!

1. Cut a G out of construction paper.

2. Glue it to another piece of construction paper.

3. Using a thumb dipped in purple paint, print a few bunches of grapes on the paper.

4. Add a vine! Now you have some Gg-Grapes:0)

Friday Book Projects

2009-02-27T09:53:00.003-05:00

Hi there! We are feeling a bit under the weather here at the Adam's house. I really wanted to post our book project, but we have not done one this week. Today, we will be spending the day lounging around and reading a bit. If you have a book inspired project that you would like to share, please sign the Mr. Linky below! Happy reading:0)

In the Kitchen-Banana Berry Smoothies

2009-02-25T12:29:00.005-05:00

My girls love creating in the kitchen just as much as I do! Today, we had a smoothie making day. Smoothies are the perfect snack to make with your kids. They are easy and nutritious.

To make our smoothies we used:

2 cups frozen mixed berries

1 cup vanilla yogurt

1 banana

1 cup milk

Blend all the ingredients until smooth!

Mardi Gras Masks

2009-02-24T12:22:00.004-05:00

Today in honor of Mardi Gras, we made some masks. They were very easy and colorful and the girls had fun wearing them while they played.

1. I cut a paper plate in half.

2. I then cut out holes for the eyes and cut the plate in more of a mask shape.

3. I cut tissue paper into little squares.

4. Cover the mask with glue.

5. Glue the tissue paper all over the mask.

6. Tape a short dowel or a Popsicle stick to one side of the mask for the handle.

7. Your mask is finished! The girls loved hiding behind their mask to surprise everyone:0)

Where Did They Go?

2009-02-23T14:09:00.001-05:00

Beware! Followers are disappearing all over blogland! I was in a bit of a panic that I made someone mad because I lost some followers here and at The Adams Family! A lot of them:0( Of course, I did not stop to think that maybe, there was a blogger problem (that never happens)! But as I was checking up on some of my buddies, I came acrossthis post. I'm glad I did not do anything drastic like hunt down my unfollowers and give them the "what for"! Hehe! It's all good! So if I unwittingly unfollowed any of my followers, let me know, please! I love you all:0)

Muffin Tin Monday-Foods You Can Eat With A Straw!

2009-02-23T13:36:00.004-05:00

Today's Muffin Tin Monday Theme is Foods You Can Eat With A Straw! How fun is that?! Of course we had a great time making and eating our tin today. Here it is:

We made snow cones! Yum-O! For more Muffin Tin Monday please visit:

Ff-Fish

2009-02-22T00:00:00.001-05:00

We are already at the letter Ff in our letter review. The girls are really having fun with this!

1. Paste a letter F on a piece of construction paper.

2. Dip your child's finger in paint and stamp it on the paper.

3. Make several of them all over the paper.

4. Add fins, tails, eyes, lips, and bubbles. Very simple!

Handprint Penguins

2009-02-21T00:00:00.001-05:00

I think that penguins are just about the cutest creatures on Earth. Except of course my kids;0) Here is a fun penguin to make using your child's hand tracing for wings.

1. Cut out an egg shape for the penguins body, a smaller egg shape for the belly, a beak, and feet.

2. Trace your child's hand.

3. Glue the belly to the center of the body.

4. Add the beak and feet.

5. Glue on some eyes. You can use wiggly eyes or paper reinforcement stickers like I did.

6. Last, you glue the hand tracings on the side of your penguin for the wings.

7. Here is Madelyn's finished penguin. (please excuse the bedhead:0)

Friday Book Project-Franklin

2009-02-20T07:41:00.004-05:00

When my boys were younger, they loved Franklin. They had a lot of the Franklin books and we read them every day. They have now passed these books down to their sisters and they are now a favorite for the girls. Today I found a printable coloring page here. Franklin books always have a great lesson to be learned, so read them with your children. I am sure they will enjoy them.

If you have a book inspired activity that you would like to share, please add it to Mr. Linky below:0)

Ee-Elephants

2009-02-17T14:50:00.005-05:00

It is now time to review the letter Ee. We made some pretty silly looking elephants with our hands.

1. Paint your child's hand with gray paint.

2. Print the hand on a piece of construction paper.

3. Add a tail, eye, ear and mouth.

4. Cut a letter E from construction paper and attach it to the paper. Don't forget, we will be combining all of these letters from our review to make a letter review book:0)

Muffin Tin Monday

2009-02-16T12:18:00.003-05:00

It's Muffin Tin Monday! I missed last week so the girls were excited to get back into the Muffin Tin Monday groove! If you have not heard of Muffin Tin Monday yet, head on over to Her Cup Overfloweth to learn more about it. It's a lot of fun:0)

Here is our tin for today:

Top row: banana bread, raisins, more banana bread

Bottom row: yogurt, care bear fruit snacks, grapes

As always it was a big hit!

Don't forget to visit:

Showin' Some Linky Love For Valentines Day

2009-02-14T08:23:00.009-05:00

Happy Valentine's day my friends! I thought today I would share some links to a few Valentine's Day activities that I have found.

You can find some printable coloring pages here!

Jennifer at The Ramblings of a Crazy Women has some great Valentine's ideas here. She also is the host of We Made It! Saturday Showcase. You can add your own link to a craft that you have done with your children. Talk about some crafty Mamas! Go check it out:0)

Allie at No Time For Flashcards also has some fabulous Valentine's ideas for your kiddos! Fun stuff:0)

You kind make some sweet treats for your sweeties from Gourmet Mom on the Go!

Don't forget that Valentine's Day is all about LOVE! Give you kids an extra hug and kiss today and Just Have Fun!

XXXOOO

Friday Book Project-It's For The Birds!

2009-02-13T15:12:00.003-05:00

Did you know that February is National Wild Bird Feeding Month? It sure is and with the recent warm weather we have really noticed the birds chirping lately. So today, we read the book Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastmen. To go along with the bird theme, we made some bird feeders for our fine, feathered friends.

We spread some peanut butter on a few pine cones.

Then we rolled them in bird seed.

Be careful, it can get a little messy;0)

We then strung some Cheerios on a piece of yarn. Don't forget to tie a knot in the end. I also put a piece of tape around the end so that it would not fray.

After we finished the bird feeders, we hung them on the trees outside. Of course today was a bit colder and flurrying. I'm sure the birds will enjoy their treats:0)

If you have a book inspired project that you would like to share, sign the Mr. Linky below!

Kidz Kick-off Party

2009-02-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Have you heard of Kidz? It's a great blog dedicated to children with special needs. Tara, the lovely lady behind Kidz, is amazing! She is so inspiring and offers great hope! (and her daughter Chloe...ADORABLE!)

If you have not had a chance to visit Kidz, now is the time to do it! Starting February 16, Kidz is having a kick-off party! They are offering some great prizes for kids and adults! Great stuff!

Felicia's Valentines

2009-02-11T21:01:00.004-05:00

These are the Valentines that we made for the children in Felicia's preschool class. We made chocolate play dough and put it in cellophane bags. I then attached a card that read:

Although this may smell nice and sweet

It really is not good to eat.

Have some fun while you play

And have a Happy Valentine's Day!

I can't wait to hear what the kids think!

I'm Blushing!

2009-02-11T09:14:00.005-05:00

I have recently received this new award from two of my fellow bloggers, The Peterson Party and Super Fun Mama! These two blogs are so great! They do amazing things with their children to help them learn and grow and I am honored to receive this award from them! Thank you so much! I really appreciate your kindness!

Here are the rules for the award:

Thank the person who gave the award to you, post the award on you blog or on a post, nominate 10 blogs which show great attitude/gratitude, link to the people you chose on your post,and comment on their blogs to tell them about the award!

The blog that I have chosen to receive this award are:

Kidz

Blue Eyed Blessings

Everything Except the Grill

flipflops and applesauce

Her Cup Overfloweth

Little Momma and Company

My Little Gems

Nana's Kitchen

Thrifty Craft Mama

Our Crafts ~N~ Things

I really enjoy reading all of your blogs! Thank you for the inspiration!

"I Love You!" Cards

2009-02-10T09:55:00.005-05:00

I have always liked the idea of giving hand made cards for Valentine's Day. When Aaron was in kindergarten, he came home with this adorable I Love You symbol made from construction paper. I decided to make these this year as our card for the grandparents.

1. Trace your child's hand.

2. Cut it out along with a small heart to fit in the palm of the hand.

3. Glue the heart to the hand.

4. Bend the middle and ring finger down to form the "I Love You" symbol.

5. Glue them in place.

6. Glue the hand to a piece of construction paper or card stock that has been folded in half.

7. Here is Madelyn with her card. She drew a picture inside for her Nana and Poppy!

Friday Book Project-Saturday Edition

2009-02-07T13:02:00.004-05:00

Our book for this week's project was Pete's A Pizza by William Steig! What a silly book this is! We sure had fun with this project. We made Pete's A Pizza Pita Pizzas!

We used small sandwich pitas. They were just the right size! You can choose any toppings you like. We used mushrooms, pepperoni, black olives, cheese, and sauce.

The girls loved making their own pizza creations!

This one was mine (I had fun too)!

I put them in a 350 degree oven for about 8 min. Just enough to melt the cheese

Here they are all finished.

If you have a book inspired project that you would like to share, sign Mr. Linky below!

Book Projects Postponed!

2009-02-06T14:18:00.003-05:00

It's been a very busy week here at the Adam's house. Because of that, I will be posting my Friday Book Project tomorrow. Sorry for the delay:0)

Valentines Candle Holder

2009-02-04T19:17:00.005-05:00

These candle holders are made in the same way that we made the Snowflake Candle Holders.

1. Cut some white tissue paper into small squares.

2. Cover a clean glass jar with the tissue paper by "gluing" it on with liquid starch.

3. Check to make sure that the jar is covered by holding it up to the light.

4. Cut some hearts out of pink and purple tissue paper.

5. Adhere them to the jar with liquid starch.

6. Continue all the way around the jar.

7. Add a candle and you are finished!

Dd-Daisies

2009-02-03T15:05:00.004-05:00

On to letter Dd we go! Today, we were thinking Spring so we made Dd daisies!

1. Using the bottom of an empty soda bottle dipped in white paint. Print several on a piece of paper.

2. Remove the lid and dip it in yellow paint to print the center of the daisy.

3. There you have it Dd-Daisies.

Happy Groundhog Day!

2009-02-02T07:30:00.004-05:00

Did he see his shadow? I don't know, but here are a few links to help you celebrate Groundhog Day!

Coloring pages to print out

Groundhog Day facts

Tasty Groundhog treats

Magnetwear

2009-01-31T08:38:00.003-05:00

Last week, Michelle from HerCupOverfloweth, was hosting a giveaway for Magnet wear! I won! Yay! Yesterday, my prize arrived. Felicia is in love with this shirt, she will probably be begging to wear it every day! It has a magnetic bug (very cute) that attaches to the front of the shirt. So fun! So thank you Michelle and Magnet Wear!

Go check out MagnetWear here:

Friday Book Project-The Very Hungry Caterpillar

2009-01-30T09:51:00.005-05:00

Who doesn't love The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle? It's always been a favorite book at our house! Today we made Very Hungry Caterpillars!

For this project you will need:

a balloon

green, yellow, and orange paint

a piece of paper

1. Pour some yellow and green paint on a plate. Blow up the balloon.

2. Have your child dip the balloon into the paint and press it on the paper.

3. Continue until the caterpillar is the length you want.

4. Dip the balloon into orange paint to make the head.

5. Add a face and antennae and cut out your caterpillar.

If you have a book inspired project and would like to play along, sign the Mr. Linky below! Happy reading:0)

Chocolate Playdough

2009-01-29T18:37:00.002-05:00

My girls just love playing with playdough. For that reason, I usually make it at home. There are so many different recipes out there and it's fun to try them all. I recently came across this recipe for chocolate playdough and I thought it would be perfect to make for Valentine's Day! The aroma is heavenly! Although it is not edible, it is still fun! I plan to make a large batch for Felicia to share with her friends at preschool.

Here is the recipe:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup salt

1/2 Tablespoon cream of Tartar

1/2 Tablespoon oil

1 1/2 cups water

Mix dry ingredients in a medium size saucepan. Add wet ingredients and stir together over low heat until a ball of dough forms. Remove playdough from the saucepan and knead by hand until dough is smooth and evenly colored. Store in an airtight container.

Cc-Circles

2009-01-27T14:28:00.003-05:00

We keep on moving through the Alphabet and now we are at letter C! Today we made C circles.

1. Dip a clean, empty can in some paint.

2. Stamp it on a piece of construction paper to create some circles.

3. Add a letter C cut from construction paper and you are done.

After we complete the whole alphabet, I'm planning to put the letters together with binder rings to create an alphabet book. This is a great way for the girls to continue to review!

Muffin Tin Monday

2009-01-26T13:23:00.003-05:00

It's Monday and that means that once again we get to participate in Muffin Tin Monday! Yay! Muffin tin meals are the best and my girls are so happy when Monday rolls around. This week there is no theme, so anything goes! Here is our tin :0)

Top row: corn, cheese hot dogs, ketchup
Bottom row: yogurt covered blueberries, tator tots

For more Muffin Tin Monday participants please visit:

Flyin' Annie is Having a Giveaway!

2009-01-26T08:57:00.004-05:00

Annie is having a giveaway that will have you flyin' to a neat and organized home! Go check it out:0)

Awarded Again? Sweet!

2009-01-24T07:45:00.004-05:00

This award was given to me by my friend Vickie! She is the kindest blogger I know! Always there for me and always the best friend I could ask for:0) Along with this award I am to list 10 Honest things about myself. I'm going to put a little twist on it and give you ten honest reasons why I will never grow up! So here goes:

1. I would rather sit at the kids table during family gatherings. They are much more enteraining than adults:0)

2. I don't want my kids to grow up because then I would have no excuse to fingerpaint.

3. I still watch cartoons. Even if the kids are not watching them. The Flintstones rock!

4. I like to hang upside down on the jungle gym at the park. It makes my kids giggle!

5. I like to sneak up on people and jump out to scare them;0)

6. The toy section of any store is my favorite.

7. I love video games and I am pretty good at them too. It shocks my boys sometimes!

8. Sledding is the coolest! The bigger the hill the better the thrill!

9. I get a gumball out of the machine every time I'm at the mall!

10. I have a strange addiction to Little People. I keep buying these sets for my girls so I can play with them!

So there you have it! Ten reasons why I think I will never grow up! Life is too short to not act like a kid sometimes! So go hang upside down at the park for a while! But not with a gumball in your mouth! That would not be good! Have a great Saturday!

Friday Book Project-Harold and the Purple Crayon

2009-01-23T11:07:00.003-05:00

Book projects do not have to be huge projects that take a lot of time. They can be very simple. Anything that gets your child involved in the book works!

Today we read Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. This is such a cute book!

We did a super simple project that involves only a piece of paper, a purple crayon and some imagination. The girls made their own purple crayon illustrations and made up a story to go along with them. They loved it!

So find a good book and have FUN!

If you would like to do your own book inspired project, sign Mr. Linky below:0)

Check Out This Awesome Giveaway!!!

2009-01-23T10:40:00.001-05:00

April is having an awesome giveaway for her 100th post! You could win some blog TLC (Check out my family blog to see some of her work) or a great gift basket full of girly stuff! Go check her out ASAP!