The Blue Basket

Doctor Dan

2012-02-24T03:29:00.004-08:00

We celebrated Dan's birthday on Tuesday, and after seeing this little nurse kit that my friend made, I knew I wanted to make Dan a doctor kit. Since Pete is a doctor I thought this gift would be most fitting. Dan can dress up like daddy!

I started out by making this little white coat. Pete donated an old white coat for my cause, so all I had to do was adjust it to fit Dan. Much easier than starting from scratch.

These candy pill bottles were the biggest success in the kit (of course!). Made from old spice bottles.

I originally tried to find a bag at a thrift store to be used for the doctor bag, but had no success. So the night before the big day I whipped out this one with some thick vinyl I thankfully already had on hand. I thought about making a tutorial for it, but decided I'd better not stay up any later than I had to (sorry!) Then when it was done I used fabric paint to paint the cross on. Some other things we put in the kit: a small bag with band-aids, lotion and q-tips, a face mask, a stethoscope, an otoscope, a name badge and the pill bottles. Believe it or not, I didn't have to spend one penny on this gift! Just scrambled around the house and used what we had. It was a gift of time :)

Like father like son!

Some of our favorite "toys"

2012-02-21T05:40:00.002-08:00

Some of my kids favorite "toys" really aren't toys at all (imagine that!) Here are a few things they love to play with:

Beans

This is one of Dan's favorite things to play with on his own when John is at school and Joe's taking a nap. He loves to bury his dinosaurs and GI Joe's in it.

Ribbon

The kids discovered my box of ribbon earlier this week. They tied it around themselves, pulled things with it, and made a little obstacle course. Who would have thought ribbon could be so fun?!

Water

Joe could spend hours up at the kitchen sink. I put it on a little trickle and give him different spoons and cups to play with. His clothes always end up soaked, as does the floor around him, but for keeping him busy for 30 minutes+ it's worth the quick cleanup.

Buttons

We recently turned an old peanut butter container into our button container. I cut a hole in the top so the kids could put the buttons back in one at a time. John likes stringing them onto a piece of wire.

What are your favorite "toys"?

Table fort

2012-02-17T05:49:00.000-08:00

You may have seen (much cuter versions of) these on Pinterest or other places. But here is ours. A table fort. I used old bags that sheets came in for the windows, sample fabrics that a store was getting rid of for most of the top and sides (thus the patchy look) and some bias tape. It might not win the cutest table fort award, but I'm pretty sure the kids don't care. I love that this fort folds up nice and small and is easy to store, but is so easy to set up again. It's nice to have something quick to pull out on a day that we're home and the kids want something new to do.

The thing that made this fort a success were the pockets that I sewed onto the inside of the walls. The kids love having a place to put their books and small toys.

Play Stations

2012-02-16T09:24:00.000-08:00

Some mornings for some reason just don't get off to a good start. The morning starts too early, the kids wake up fighting, everyone wants something different for breakfast but wants to play with the same thing, we're one hour into the day and my patience is already nearing the end. It's mornings like these that we have to do something different or the day's going to be miserable and painfully long. It's mornings like this morning that inspired the creation of "play stations." Everyone picks a room and a few toys to bring in with them, then gets 10 minutes to an hour of time to themselves. Including me. I should probably have the kids do play stations more often (like when they're actually happy and getting along) because they usually complain about having to play by themselves initially. But by the end we are all happier and the kids are excited to play with each other again. And it gives me a chance to breathe and get some of the housework done in peace. Overall the kids get along so well, but they certainly need their alone time every once in while.

John played in the nursery with his Bionicles and Legos.

Joe lucked out. He got the bath tub all to himself. After an hour when the water was cold he was finally willing to get out.

And Dan played in his bedroom with his airplane (which he enjoys taking apart, then putting together, taking apart, putting together...) Seems monotonous to me, but it sure does keep him busy!

Valentine's Box

2012-02-14T06:08:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month I turned a clementine box into our family's Valentine's box (doesn't it always feel good to reuse stuff?) We have slowly been collecting letters from family and friends, and the kids have written letters to each other. Tonight when Pete gets home we will be having a little party to celebrate this fun day, playing Valentine's Bingo, eating tomato soup and heart-shaped biscuits, and opening all these love notes. Pete and I always go out on the 10th of February in celebration of our first-date anniversary, then spend Valentine's Day with the kids. Hope you all get to do something fun today!

And you might be wondering about the winner of the Valentine's Giveaway...

The random number generator has chosen the one and only Jess! (who just happens to also be my cute sister-in-law!) Congratulations!

Jello Beans

2012-02-13T11:57:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to check out the Valentine's Giveaway: a hand-drawn portrait!

I got this idea from a friend a couple weeks ago who gave "Jello Beans" to the kids when we were at her house. She simply poured jello into a mini ice cube tray then popped them out after firming up in the fridge. Brilliant! Her little molds looked more like jelly beans then mine do, thus the name, so we just called ours finger jello. The kids loved eating them nonetheless. Who wouldn't love eating little jiggly balls with their hands?

Just a note: the skulls and bones did not work out... we couldn't get the jello out of the molds. Oh well, worth trying.

Valentine's Cards

2012-02-10T03:51:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to check out the Valentine's Giveaway: a hand-drawn portrait!

The cupid brought the kids stickers and stamps to make Valentine's cards with earlier this week, so we have been busy making cards for friends and family. We have sat down each morning after breakfast and worked on them, making as many each day as the kids wanted. We'll send each with a picture of the kids and a piece of gum for the cousins and friends. I like how the kids' personalities each come out when we work on art projects. Joe always ends up getting his hands into everything (he stamped his little fingers all over his cards), Dan likes experimenting with layers (stickers on top of stamps, stamps on top of stamps) and has a very loose style, and John is very methodical and thoughtful and likes creating patterns.

When John was young I helped him make little turkeys to give to grandparents, tracing his hands on colorful construction paper, then using them for the feathers on the turkey. When he gave them to the grandparents, one grandparent, with a smile, said, "So did you make this, or did your mom?" I wasn't offended at all (really, I wasn't), but I realized then that, sure enough, I had pretty much done the whole project! The hands were perfectly traced, neatly cut out, and glued together just so... obviously a 2-year old had not had much to do with it. The feathers were the size of his hands, that's it. The turkey was from me, not from John. Since then, when we're making things for people, I have made an effort to give the kids the supplies and instruction they need, then sit back and watch as they make their own creations. It's less work for me and it means more to the kids and to the recipient. It might not be exactly what I envisioned, but the kids love looking at what they made and watching people's reaction when they give it to them. Messier? Yes. But more personality, thought and creativity? Definitely.

Popsicle Stick Puzzle Carrier

2012-02-09T04:36:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to check out the Valentine's Giveaway: a hand-drawn portrait!

My sweet sister made the boys a bunch of popsicle stick puzzles for Christmas. They are all church themed, and the kids have loved playing with the sticks and putting the puzzles together during church. She gave us 9 sets and, as you can imagine, they get all mixed up and end up all over the bench and floor. So, in an attempt, to keep them a little more organized, I made this carrier. I used felt and bias tape (of course!... I could really be happy putting bias tape on everything) and it ended up being a pretty fast project. Each set of sticks has their own little pocket, and then the whole thing can be rolled up, tied, and tossed in the church bag.

Thanks Brittney!

Check out other fun ideas at the Classy Clutter Linky Party

Valentine's Giveaway: A Hand-Drawn Portrait!

2012-02-08T04:12:00.000-08:00

**This giveaway is now CLOSED**

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to give away one of my hand-drawn portraits. I've been doing portraits for about 12 years, mostly for family and friends. I work exclusively in pencil from photographs and can combine more than one photograph into a single drawing. These portraits are perfect for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas... or Valentine's! The winner of this giveaway will receive one free portrait (up to 2 subjects—a $175 value!) It could be of you, your parents, your kids, a friend... whoever you choose.

Here's how to enter:
(Please leave a separate comment on THIS POST per entry)

Required:
* Follow this blog

Additional entries:
* "Like" The Blue Basket on Facebook
* Follow my portraiture blog (jessicajacksonportraiture.blogspot.com)
* "Like" Jessica Jackson Portraiture on Facebook
* Write a post about this giveaway on your blog (and leave me a link)

This giveaway will run through Monday, February 13th. The winner will be announced on Valentine's Day. Good luck!

Lego House

2012-02-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

This might be as close as our family ever gets to owning a doll house (unless things change down the road and we actually conceive a girl!) My boys LOVE Legos and have for quite some time, so when I saw something similar to this on Pinterest I knew I had to make it. And the great thing about it? I didn't spend one penny! We just happened to have a couple sheets of this "wood" (I'm not sure what else to call it... it's not pure wood) in our garage. We don't have many power tools, so I ended up using a hand saw and an exacto knife to cut it, then wood glue to put it all together. Oh, and some of the kids blocks in each of the corners to help keep it sturdy. Pete helped cut some of the pieces and John helped sand, so we were able to get it done in just a couple days. So far the kids love it. We are now in the process of furnishing the house... something that is fun for even me to do!

Check back tomorrow for a fun Valentine's Giveaway!

Marshmallow/Pom Pom Shooter

2012-02-06T08:02:00.000-08:00

You may have seen this idea floating around on Pinterest. Well, so did we, and we decided to give it a try. We had all the supplies, so this gave the kids and I an hour of free entertainment!

We made just a few changes to the tutorial we found here...

We first tried paper cups, but those didn't hold up (we didn't have plastic). So I "made" the kids eat a cup of applesauce so we could use the containers from those.

I roughly cut off the bottoms of the applesauce containers.

Then tied a knot in one end of a balloon and cut off the top of the other end.

Then stretched the open end of the balloon over the top of the applesauce container.

Then we were ready to go! It was a chilly morning so we first tried the marshmallows inside. But once I saw how far they went and saw the marshmallows slipping behind and under the couches and chairs, I decided it might be best to take them outside. So we bundled up and played with the shooters as long as the kids would last.

I'm pretty sure the reason Joe and Dan were so happy was because I gave them each a small bowl of marshmallows... Joe had no desire to even try the shooter.

John, on the other hand, was a pro! We tried shooting the marshmallows as far as we could, and then as high as we could. Then ended up just shooting them at each other. I was thinking these would be fun to make at a 5 or 6 year olds birthday party.

Dan was frustrated at first, he couldn't get the marshmallows to shoot like he wanted them to. But by the end he started to catch on.

Nesting: carrier cover and burp cloth

2012-02-04T08:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I added some bias tape to my carrier cover and made a burp cloth with the scraps. When I showed Pete what I had done later that day, he said in a cute (and somewhat sarcastic) voice, "Oh... you're beginning to nest!" So yes, I guess I am! I've held off long enough. I'm now just about 33 weeks along... I was going to hold off making any preparations until Valentine's Day (if I get too excited and prepared too soon, the last weeks of pregnancy will be very long!) but I just couldn't help myself. I also realized that if this baby were to come when Joe came, he would be here in 2 weeks! But I'm trying hard not to hope for or expect that. Thankfully, not too much needs to happen to get ready for a 4th boy. But of course there a few things that I want to do. So this is where I started. I already had a carrier cover, but thought it was awful plain, so added some red bias tape around it (I'm really liking bias tape lately... gives everything a finished look). Then I dug up a scrap of the fabric I had used and decided to make a burp cloth. The bias tape adds a twist on the burp cloths I have made in the past. I look forward to sharing more "nesting" ideas over the next couple months!

Paper snowflakes

2012-02-02T03:44:00.000-08:00

John made snowflakes in school a month or two ago and has been at it ever since. When he has some free time, he will often grab the scissors and a blank piece of paper and whip out a new creation. We have started putting them up on our back sliding door. Since we haven't had much snow to look at through that window, we now at least have John's cute snowflakes to remind us that it is actually winter.

I finally decided to give it a try myself, using this tutorial for a 6-pointed snowflake. I strung mine together (along with a couple that John made with me) with thread and hung them by our stairs.

John and Dan both later decided it would be even more fun to paint a snowflake. So that's what we did.

And Joe decided it would be fun to paint his arm :)

The 14 Days of Valentines

2012-02-01T05:14:00.000-08:00

February has always been Pete's least favorite month. The snow often melts so everything is a muddy mess, it's cold, winter has been enjoyed but Christmas is long passed and spring is still a couple months away, and right smack in the middle of February is a day that makes every man out there feel pressure to do something or buy something for their special someone (not that that's a bad thing, it can just feel a little forced sometimes.) So ever since we were married I have done the "14 Days of Valentines" in an effort to make February a little more bearable. I first got this idea from my college roommate Janae whose mom did this for her when she was growing up. I don't know if they called it the "14 Days of Valentines," but that's what it is in our house. On each of the days leading up to Valentines, the cupid comes and brings Pete and the kids a little surprise. Treats, an activity for us to do together, a small toy... something to be enjoyed that day.

Read on for a list of what the cupid will be bringing over these next 2 weeks!

For the kids:
1. Chocolate covered marshmallow heart
2. Star Wars toothbrush
3. Frosted animal crackers
4. Popcorn and a rented movie (for a movie night)
5. Stickers to make Valentines cards for friends and family
6. Jello
7. Tic Tacs
8. Lego figure
9. Gum
10. Conversation Hearts
11. Gatorade
12. Star Wars Puzzle
13. Matchbox Car
14. Box of chocolates & note

For Pete:
1. Small box of chocolates
2. 20-minute head massage
3. Frosted animal crackers
4. Popcorn and a rented movie (for a movie night)
5. 20-minute hand massage
6. 20-minute foot massage
7. Tic Tacs
8. 20-minute massage of your choice
9. Gum
10. Conversation Hearts
11. Gatorade
12. 20-minute leg/arm massage
13. 20-minute back massage
14. Chocolate bar & note

It's kind of like Christmas, I love watching the kids (and Pete) come downstairs and check to see what the cupid has brought them. Should be a fun couple of weeks!

Homemade playdough

2012-01-31T05:15:00.000-08:00

Between Christmas and birthdays, we've collected a lot of "Play-Doh" brand playdough over the last few months. But I finally got tired of it drying out and crumbling and ending up all over the floor. It was time to make some homemade playdough and say goodbye to the rest. Homemade doesn't dry out as fast, has a softer texture, and I don't have to vacuum the floor every time the kids play with it. And just a few colors are all the kids really need.

Read ahead for the new recipe I used (even better than my old one!)

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/4 cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tarter
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Food coloring

* Put all ingredients in a pot and stir
* Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it forms into a ball
* Dump onto wax paper or your counter. When cool, knead until soft.

I love how simple and easy this recipe is. I store the playdough in reusable tupperware containers to keep it soft. My sister uses Kool-Aid instead of food coloring, which makes it smell good too. Something to try.

Daniel made "eggs" with his playdough

John made a huge cake, had us all sing "Happy Birthday" to Daniel (whose birthday is in a few weeks), then cut it up and gave us each a slice.

And Joe was the last survivor! Making who knows what.

Homemade laundry detergent

2012-01-28T19:11:00.000-08:00

I had never even heard or thought of making your own laundry detergent until my friend Nicole posted the recipe she uses a couple months back. Ever since then I have been excited to make my own and have waited patiently for our large box of store-bought detergent to run out. Why make your own laundry detergent? It can save you money, it can be a fun and satisfying project to do with your kids (or by yourself), it's quick and very easy, and, most importantly to me, it is great for kids/adults with sensitive skin. Joe and Dan both have eczema that comes and goes, and I have been meaning to try using a gentler detergent for quite some time. I also wanted a skin-sensitive detergent for when the baby comes, so I'm happy to now check that off my list. Read on for the recipe! You'll be amazed at how simple it is.

What you'll need:
1 cup Borax
1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 bar Fels-Neptha (or Ivory Soap)

Finely grate the bar of Fels-Neptha (or Ivory Soap). You could also use a food processor to get a more finely grated soap... wish we had one of those :)

Add 1 cup Borax and 1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda

I wasn't satisfied with having the bigger chunks of soap mixed in with the 2 finer powders, so I threw it all into my blender for a minute or two.

Pour it all into the container you want to store it in and start using it! Use 1-2 tablespoons per load, 2 for a large or heavily-soiled load. One batch of detergent should be enough for about 64 loads of laundry, but it's easy to double or triple the recipe so it will last longer. So far no complaints from me!

What to do with sea shell/rock collection

2012-01-27T04:03:00.000-08:00

Whenever we go on trips to a lake or beach, we collect sea shells and rocks and bring them home. We've added quite a few to our collection over the years as I have had a hard time throwing them away. So I finally decided to do something with them instead of let them sit in the basement. I got this idea from a magazine I was looking through at a doctor appointment (you never know when you're going to get some inspiration!) You paint a frame white, cover the cardboard with fabric, then hot glue gun your shells/rocks onto it, leaving the glass out. Pretty easy right? The one I saw had glued a single star fish on top of light blue fabric. Very simple and cute. Our guest room/nursery was in need of something on the walls, so this did the job and brings back some fun memories.

Doing this project gave me another idea that would be fun to do with the kids in the future. Save a shell/rock from each of our vacations to a lake or beach and glue that onto some kind of board. Then have the kids write underneath the shell, when and where they found it. Could be a fun collection to have. Just an idea..

Bread making day

2012-01-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon was dedicated to making our bread for the month. I took advantage of Joe taking a nap and John being at school and had Daniel all to myself in the kitchen. I normally make it with all 3 boys so they can each get their little fingers into it, but yesterday thinking about the cleanup that comes with that shied me away. I also decided to take a break from the normal wheat bread and made 5 beautiful loaves of WHITE BREAD. I have a recipe that is to die for! Makes the moistest, yummiest, melt-in-your-mouth bread you can imagine. Read on for the recipe...

Family White Bread

8 C. flour
2 1/2 T. salt
1 C. sugar
2 1/2 T. dry yeast
1/3 C. mashed potatoes (Secret ingredient! Makes the bread very moist)
6 C. warm water
1 C. oil
4-8 C. additional flour
*You'll also need a Bosch mixer or equivalent*

Stir flour, salt, sugar and dry yeast together in your mixer. Then add the potatoes, water and oil. Using your bread hook, knead for 5 minutes. Then add 4-8 C. flour as needed until the dough cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl. Let the mixer knead the dough for 10 more minutes. Pour dough onto floured surface. The dough can be very sticky, I use flour liberally.

I pulled a chunk off for Daniel and let him go at it. He rolled out the dough, cut it into strips with the pizza cutter, then sprinkled cinnamon sugar over the top.

Form into 5 loaves and place in bread pans sprayed with nonstick spray. Turn oven to warm. When heated, turn oven off. Place pans in oven, shut door, and set timer for 30 minutes.

When 30 minutes is up, turn the oven on to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

And out comes golden deliciousness! Turn the loaves out onto a cooling rack and brush the tops with butter. Once they're cool I cut them into thin slices, put them in bread bags and freeze them. Then whenever we need another loaf of bread I can take one out and stick it in the fridge.

The best part about this bread? Eating it! The kids always devour bread fresh out of the oven. And who can blame them.

Dan enjoyed his "cinnamon sticks" dipped in frosting. Yum!

Toddler bed quilt

2012-01-25T03:55:00.000-08:00

We recently kicked Joe out of the nursery and moved him in with his older brothers in preparation for the baby (8 weeks and 6 days to go! But who's counting?) We set up the toddler bed next to the bunks, and I decided to give my hand a try at quilt making. Here's the final outcome in all its glory. It's made from scraps of the bunk down comforter covers, some fabric I used years ago to make pj's for Pete and John, some old pajamas of mine, and some of Pete's and Dan's old jeans. This was my first quilt, and I really didn't know what I was doing, but I'll tell you what I did anyway: First I cut all the fabric into 6" squares, laid them all out in the pattern I wanted, sewed them in strips, then sewed those strips together. Then I bought flannel fabric for the bottom side and batting for the inside and taped each layer, one on top of the other, to our basement floor, making sure to get all of the wrinkles out (a method my friend Alison told me about so you don't have to use a quilting frame... works well on smaller quilts.) Then I pinned the layers together every 6-8 inches, took off all the tape, tied floss in every corner of each square, then finally sewed bias tape around the entire quilt. Done. I worked on this over the course of a few weeks, an hour or so at a time, so it didn't seem quite so overwhelming. Consider it a success! Not the last quilt I'll be making.

Growth Chart

2012-01-24T05:39:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting some kind of a growth chart to keep track of how much the kids are growing each year. It's been on my mental list of things to do for quite some time. So I lucked out when my sister drew my name for Christmas and made this for me! I love how simple it is and how portable it is. She gave it to me rolled up in a cute little cylinder-shaped container with permanent markers to track the kids' growth. I had each of the kids pick out the color of marker they wanted, and that's what we'll use to measure them each year. She made it using vinyl and stick-on vinyl for the letters and tick marks, then used modge podge to ensure the vinyl didn't come off. Love it. Thanks Brittney!

New Year Organization: the kitchen pantry

2012-01-23T06:26:00.000-08:00

We bought these can organizers years ago, and they have been well worth the money. The racks rotate the oldest can to the front/bottom, and they make it so easy to find what you're looking for and to know exactly how many you have. At the beginning of this new year we set some money aside for food storage, and one of the first things we did was buy enough cans to refill these racks. So now as long as I keep them full I can feel rest assured that we at least have 80 cans or so of food in our pantry in case there were an emergency. Not an entire 3-month supply, but a good start!

Holiday Pillowcases

2012-01-20T19:25:00.000-08:00

My mom made these for all the grandkids a couple years ago, and my boys have absolutely loved them. We recently switched out the Christmas pillowcases for the Valentines ones, and it has made them that much more excited for the coming holiday. And I love the embroidered names... with the 3 boys now sleeping in the same room, we can actually keep track of who's pillow is who's!

Valentine's Wreath

2012-01-19T19:07:00.000-08:00

With February right around the corner, I thought I'd share this Valentine's wreath I made last year. It only took about 5 hours to make (blah! I really hate spending that much time on a single project, but now that all is said and done, I guess I can say it was worth it). I made the felt flowers using this tutorial, then glued them all onto a styrofoam wreath. Pretty simple? Yes, it was. Making all those darn flowers just takes forever, so if you're going to attempt this project, make sure you have a few good movies to watch!

Heart banner garland

2012-01-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

I got this idea off of Etsy and thought it would be perfect hanging across the window above my sink. Nothing too fancy or bright, but something for me to look at when I'm doing the dishes (which seems like a constant chore these days.) I used canvas-type material, printed paper, string and a glue gun. That's it! No sewing required. And I was even able to finish it in one sitting while the kids ate breakfast one morning. Felt like a productive way to start my day.

A dress-up mirror

2012-01-18T17:32:00.000-08:00

I got the book The Creative Family by Amanda Soule for Christmas and have loved all the new ideas! I finished it in a few days and feel inspired to bring more creativity into our home. I thought I'd share one idea I got from the book that is so simple and easy to do and encourages the kids to use their imagination: putting a mirror next to the dress-up box. John especially loves to dress up, and invites his friends to join him whenever they're over. Pirates, super heroes and ninjas are the latest. And a mirror makes dressing up and becoming a different person that much more fun!

Gotta love unfinished basements... not very pleasing to the eye, but with 3 little boys, it sure is nice to have a place they can run around without me worrying about anything breaking!

New Year Organization: the office closet

2012-01-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

With our computer and desk in our front living room, this closet organizer is a must! When we first moved into our house, we knew we wanted the computer in the main room so that it was easily accessible, we could play music from it, watch movies, and not have the kids locked up in a room or the basement playing games on it. What we didn't want was all the "stuff" that goes along with the computer and office space to be in the front room. So to try to keep the living room as clean and simple as possible, this is what we came up with. One of my favorite organizers in the entire house, hands down. Since we don't have an official "office closet," we simply hung it in the coat closet that is just a few steps away from the desk. Everything is easily accessible and can be seen in a glance. I put a few of the kids things near the bottom (sunglasses, card games, flashlights), and things I didn't want them touching near the top (permanent markers, scissors, stamps, etc.) We've turned this into something much more than your average shoe organizer!

New Year Organization: the morning routine

2012-01-14T12:09:00.000-08:00

This isn't really house organization, but I thought I'd throw it in here anyway, because I love what it has done for us. This list of things to do has made it so I don't have to nag my kids all morning to get dressed, make their beds, brush teeth... blah, blah, blah. John, who loves routine and lists, has especially taken to it and has rubbed off on his brothers. If the kids want to watch TV or play the computer in the morning I simply ask them if they have finished the things on their list, and that distracts them... honestly, pretty much all morning. It doesn't take them all morning to complete these things, there are just always toys they run into along the way or other things they find to do before they ask about screens again. I'm hoping that we can stick with this long enough that it will just become habit for the kids to get themselves ready without me telling them to... doesn't hurt to wish, right?

Everyone probably has a different routine in the morning, but you can print this one I made below if you want to. I made little illustrations to go along with each task for the non-readers in the family, so I don't have to read it to them.

New Year Organization: the bathroom drawer

2012-01-13T09:04:00.000-08:00

With this New Year has come the desire to organize different parts of my house and create spaces that work better, make things easier to get to and hide some of the clutter. I don't claim to be a great decorator, I don't think anyone will ever walk into my house and say it looks like a Pottery Barn magazine, but I do enjoy (yes, enjoy!) finding new places to put things and new ways to organize. When my house is in order and I know where to find things and where to put things, I feel like my life is a little bit more in order... at least as in order as it can be with 3 little ones running circles around me. So over the next few days or weeks (we'll see how far I get), I thought I'd share a few things I have done to organize various parts of my house. Many times after I've put things in new places and figured out something new that works I pat myself on the back... and then I realize that I have simply done exactly what my mom has done! She is the queen of organization and I have to give her credit for most of my organizational successes! :)

I'm starting with the bathroom drawer. A place where bobby pins, elastics, earrings and Q-tips can get lost in the back corners, never to return for years. The solution? A simple utensil tray. Perfect for storing makeup, pins, combs, jewelry, whatever it is you might have in your drawer. One tray worked for me only because I don't have too much to put in there, but you could easily have one drawer with a tray in it for makeup, another drawer for jewelry, one for hair accessories, etc. And these trays are perfect for kids bathrooms too. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, bows, elastics, floss... all would fit perfectly into one of these and make things easy to find. In a desk drawer: pens, tape, stapler... try it in any drawer in your house for that matter!

Unfortunately we don't have a drawer in our bathroom, so this tray has found a place under the sink where it can be brought out and set on the counter when I'm getting ready.

Felt flower frame

2012-01-06T04:56:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this idea because there a lot of fun things you could do with it. I made this frame for my sister-in-law for Christmas by gluing felt flowers to an old frame. You could also buy a simple frame (like this one, for example), then add felt flowers, or any kind of fabric flowers for that matter. This site has some cute felt flower tutorials. Makes for a fun, thoughtful gift!

10 things to keep your toddler/preschooler entertained while traveling

2012-01-05T03:05:00.000-08:00

Flying with 3 little boys is always an adventure. Especially when you're by yourself and 6 months pregnant! We flew to Seattle for Christmas and Pete had to come home early for work. With or without Pete there, it's not easy to keep little ones entertained for an almost 5 hour flight, so I tried to be as prepared as possible. Every kid is different as to what will keep them busy and happy, but these are 10 things I brought that worked for us. The night before we left, I spread everything I had prepared out on the table and let each of the kids pack their own backpack. Not only did that get them excited to travel, but it helped them be more independent on the flight since they knew where everything was and knew exactly what we brought.

1. Pom pom container
I made of few of the toys we brought, this being one of them. Pete kept calling me a little elf when he saw me cutting and taping and trying different things. This pom pom container was a winner for my 2-year old. I used a baking powder container, cut it in half to make it smaller so it wouldn't take up so much room, cut a small square in the lid, and filled it with pom poms. Joe loved pouring them all out then pushing them through the small hole over and over again.

2. Snack packet & water bottle
I gave each of the kids a gallon size ziploc bag to fill with snacks. We included fruit snacks, fruit leather, mandarin oranges, raisins, squeezable applesauce, and animal crackers, to name a few things. In addition, I brought a few things for us to have for lunch (bagels, string cheese, apples). Then a small empty water bottle for each of us that we filled up after we were through security.

3. Cheerio necklaces
Another homemade container, made from a cocoa container, then filled with cheerios and shoelaces to be strung.

4. Art pocket
Drawing is one thing that can keep my kids busy for a very long time. I bought these clear zipper pockets for $1 each then filled them with markers and colored pencils.

5. Small sketchbook
I found a small spiral bound sketchbook to work well. Stays open while drawing and doesn't take up a lot of room.

6. Small board books or Touch & Play Cards
These touch & play cards are one of my favorite things, and they're good for a lot of different ages. Joe likes to just take the cards out of the box then put them back in, John and Dan can go through them and find the cards that match. Even better they're educational!

7. Stickers
Is there any kid that doesn't love stickers? I bought small sticker books for the kids, but for Joe I prefer these circles because he can get them off by himself.

8. Small bowl
I didn't know a simple small bowl would be so useful, but it sure was! Great for keeping little snacks in.

9. Magnetic army guys
Another toy I made. I cut a hot chocolate container in half, again not wanting it to be bigger than necessary, then glued army guys to a magnet. After seeing that one broke when I dropped it on the ground, I taped it on to the magnet as well. The magnets stick to the metal parts of the container.

10. iPhone
I downloaded a few new games onto my phone before leaving. We don't normally let the kids play the games on our phone, so being able to play is a special treat for them. My favorite game as of late is 123 Color. I think Dan could play this game all day every day if I let him!

The key isn't to bring a million things, but to be thoughtful about what you do bring. Quality over quantity, things that will keep your child entertained, busy and happy the longest. Good luck in your future travels!

30-minute stockings

2011-12-25T17:36:00.000-08:00

I thought I better post these stockings before Christmas is over. Well, I guess it pretty much is over, but better late than never, right?! We have been using random stockings over the last few years... I made mine and Pete's when we were first married, and the kids stockings were given to us by family... none of them matched of course. So I decided to whip out some matching stockings for the whole family (and the newest member-to-be.) I made these in November, just when the Christmas busyness was beginning, so decided to keep them as simple as possible. They literally took me less than 30 minutes each (which still added up to 3 hours, but I thought that was pretty good!) And I even have some fabric left over in case of any later additions to the family :)

I didn't take pictures for a tutorial because I thought they were pretty self-explanatory, but here are the instructions in a nut shell.

What you'll need:
* Quilted fabric
* Bias tape
* Sewing machine

Instructions:
* Trace an old stocking for your pattern. Cut two stocking shapes out of the quilted fabric. With right sides together, sew them together, leaving the top open.
* (I didn't do this, but if you want to add a lining, it would be super easy at this point... simply cut two of the same stocking shapes out of a thinner fabric, sew right sides together leaving top open, then insert into the quilted stocking. You could then sew the tops (the quilted fabric and thinner fabric) together... then continue on to the next step.)
* Sew bias tape around the top. Make a small loop with the bias tape and sew on one end of the top of the stocking so it can be hung.

It really is that easy! I was able to take a picture of our stockings on my parents' mantle... sadly we have no fireplace in our house, so had to hang them on hooks that we stuck to the wall. Someday!

Christmas cloth napkins

2011-12-16T09:48:00.000-08:00

I was making our family some cloth napkins to use this Christmas season and thought they would make fun gifts as well. I'm always on the lookout for gift ideas that people can actually use and won't just take up space, so I thought these would be perfect! I gave a set of 8 to my sister and sister-in-law who both have kids, in hopes to make their meal times a little more festive. I originally got the idea from my friend Nicole (thanks Nicole!) and had never even thought to make cloth napkins before, but our family has loved using them. I didn't post a tutorial, but they seem pretty self-explanatory. I made mine double-sided, with green on one side and red on the other, cut them into 10.5"x14" squares, and sewed them basically the same way I made my burp cloths. Thinking ahead, they would make fun Mother's Day presents as well! But with a flower pattern of course.

Homemade ornaments

2011-12-15T10:51:00.000-08:00

Last week the kids and I made these ornaments for our Christmas tree and to give to grandparents. Dan helped me make them while John was at school and Joe was sleeping... Dan's becoming my craft/baking buddy in the afternoons, I love it! He loves following me around and helping me with whatever I'm doing. Then the next morning the kids all got busy painting them.

Here's how you make them:

* Combine 4 cups flour, 1 cup salt, and 1 1/2 cups water in the mixer and knead for 10 minutes (or knead by hand for 15-20).
* Roll dough out and cut out with cookie cutters or use kids hands to make handprints (if you need to roll out dough a second time you can add a little water to soften it a bit).
* Use a straw to poke a hole in the top so it can be hung and prick with a toothpick to prevent air bubbles.
* Transfer shapes to a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and bake at 300 degrees for about 1 hour (times may differ depending on the thickness of the dough).
* Paint away!
* You can glue felt or cardstock to the back for a more finished look, then hang with a piece of string.

A simple Christmas card display

2011-12-14T04:49:00.000-08:00

I love getting Christmas cards from friends and family and am always trying to come up with a good way to display them. This was the solution this year. I ran two ribbons from the top of our pantry door to the bottom, using a flat thumbtack to secure them. Then I simply have to staple the cards on to the ribbon as they come. It doesn't take up counter space (which is very limited in our house) and makes it easy to see all the cards.

What do you do with your cards?

Painted block presents

2011-12-12T07:12:00.000-08:00

I did these last year, but thought I'd share this idea again. Painted block presents. A fun Christmas decoration for a table, desk, counter or simply under the tree. They could also make a fun gift. All you do is paint a block of wood, sand the edges once the paint is dry to give them a distressed look, then cut a long strip of fabric to use for the bow. You can leave it like that or attach a wooden tag with twine. I really like the look of the fabric bow, I might just use that idea to wrap some of my own presents this year!

20-Minute Santa Hats

2011-12-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

Last week, while John was at school and Joe was down for his nap, Dan suggested we (I) make some Santa hats. We had about an hour before John was going to get home from school, so I set to work and came up with a hat that could double as a hat to wear out in the cold. I had some fleece leftover from the kids Christmas PJ's, so I used that. It even came out looking somewhat Santa-ish, and I was finished with all 3 in 1 hour! Dan and Joe wore their hats for the rest of the afternoon and have worn them on many outings. Joe has even taken a couple naps with his hat on, so I consider it time well spent.

Read ahead for the tutorial...

First of all, you're going to have to excuse the awful quality of these pictures. An iPhone just doesn't take good pictures without the right lighting. Someday I'll get a nice camera.

What you'll need:
* Fleece... 2 contrasting colors if you want the band at the bottom to be a different color
* Sewing machine
* 20 minutes!

Start by cutting out the pieces. I just used a ruler and a marker to draw the pattern on the fabric, then cut them out. This size is suitable for 2T-5T. One size fits all toddlers/preschoolers.
You'll need two triangles that are 14 1/2" high and 11 1/2" wide at the bottom, one long strip that's 21 1/2"x4 3/4" and four small strips that are 7"x1/2".

Overlap the 4 small strips to make a star and put a stitch in the center to hold them together.

Sew the two triangles with right sides together leaving the bottom open and about an inch open at the top.

From the inside of the triangles, push the center of the small strips through the 1" hole at the top.

Sew over the strips, closing the 1" hole.

When you turn the triangles right side out, the strips will be sticking out the top.

Fold the large strip in half and sew the two ends together (sorry, this pic is hard to see).

Now fold that strip in half lengthwise so the seam is hidden and pin the edges onto the bottom of the triangle pieces, right sides together (although the strip at the bottom won't necessarily have a right side). Sew them together. And call it good!

Homemade Christmas Cards

2011-12-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

Designing our family Christmas card is something I look forward to every year. In the past our cards have included a lot of cutting, gluing, time and energy (which, for the most part, is enjoyable to me). But this year, as a part of attempting to simplify every part of my life (something I'll write about in the future), I decided it's time to design a card that isn't going to take hours away from my time with my kids and husband. So naturally the answer was getting the kids and hubby involved! John drew the picture for the front of the card, I added the type and got them printed, all the kids helped color the fronts, and Pete helped stuff them one night after the kids had gone to bed. We also included a picture of our family and highlights from this year inside the card. The kids each colored a few every day for a couple weeks (thankfully they all really enjoy coloring!) until they finally got burned out. But they colored enough so that at least all our close family and friends could get a personalized card. And while they colored I was able to address all the envelopes. It was fun helping everyone feel apart of our card giving this year. And nice for me to not have to spend so much time on them. Success!

Christmas pancakes

2011-12-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

This isn't anything glamorous or new, but my kids sure had a fun time doing it! It was John's idea to use our cookie cutters to make the pancakes into Christmas shapes. One way to make breakfast fun and festive.

Joe woke up after the other kids were pretty much done, so he was the lucky one who got to eat all the edges and remnants. He didn't seem to mind :)

NOEL blocks

2011-11-30T04:04:00.000-08:00

We made these blocks at a Relief Society activity earlier this month. I love how they turned out! They took about 2 hours from start to finish.

Here's how you make them:
Cut 4 blocks of wood to the size you want them (these ones are 4"x5.5"x1.5") and roughly sand them down.
Paint blocks and letters (can be found at Michael's and other craft stores) the desired color.
When dry, sand edges of blocks and letters to give a distressed look.
Cut scrapbook paper slightly smaller then blocks and rip edges.
Mod podge the scrapbook paper onto blocks.
Use hot glue gun to attach letters.

That's it! And you could obviously use any word: joy, christmas, the last name of your family, peace... whatever you choose.

Christmas dice game

2011-11-27T12:51:00.000-08:00

I found this idea at Pre-K Pages and decided to make my own printout to use. It's the perfect game for a toddler who is learning his numbers. John and Dan both loved it and understood it enough that they could play by themselves (they played it one afternoon while I snuck in a quick power nap!) You simply take turns rolling a dice and cross the numbers off as you go. The first to have his numbers crossed off wins! Try it with your toddler!

Click on the image below and print your own!

The best toy

2011-11-25T03:40:00.000-08:00

The best toy is one that can be used in a lot of different ways. One that encourages imagination and creativity. One that can turn into a sword, a cave, a race track, a car, a train, a kitchen, a bed, or a target for shooting Nerf guns at. One that doesn't cost a single penny and that can simply be thrown in the recycling container when fun has been had and interests have changed. The best toy is a BOX! We have a big stash of them in our basement... moving boxes, shoe boxes, diaper boxes... that can be pulled out when the kids need something new to do or play with.

A diaper box turned into a race track with a tunnel for the cars.

A moving box made into a small kitchen.

Do you think my kids would be happy if we just gave them boxes for Christmas??? I'm pretty sure they would be just as happy with boxes as they would with any other toy... tempting...

Establishing a routine

2011-11-23T06:45:00.001-08:00

I feel like my kids behave better and are all together happier when they are given direction and know what to expect. Lately I have been trying to find the best daily routine that will help things go as smoothly as possible. Without a routine things can get awfully chaotic around here! And with the time change and with days getting shorter, we spend most late afternoons and nights indoors so have had to make some adjustments. After trying some different things (what to do right when the kids wake up, when to end play time, when to cook dinner, what to have the kids do right after dinner, right before bed, etc), I have finally found a routine that works best for us. For now at least! It seems like whenever I feel like I have things down something happens and my world is turned upside down again... like what we'll be bringing home 4 months from now :)

Here's what our daily routine looks like:

* Read books to whoever wakes up first until another little body joins us
* Breakfast
* Clean up breakfast while the kids play
* Get dressed, make bed
* At this point, up until dinner, our days vary a lot and are very flexible. Sometimes we'll meet up with friends for a playgroup, go to the library, go to the grocery store, play in the basement while I exercise or work on some project, go to the park (although our park days are almost over... sad!), color, play with playdough... whatever we need or want to do
* John goes to school from 11:45-3:30. Joe takes a nap and I get some one on one time with Dan... reading books, doing puzzles, making preparations for dinner, baking cookies or bread... I quite enjoy this time of day!
*Dinner around 5:30 or 6. I've been trying to do all the prep work and cleanup earlier in the afternoon so that all I have to do for dinner is put something in the oven or open the crockpot. This has helped a TON. The kids are usually a little tired and always hungry right before dinner and demand a lot of my attention. Being prepared for dinner is probably the thing that has helped the most with things running smoothly at night. Especially since I'm usually on my own (Pete hasn't been getting home until 7 or 8... thus the need for a good routine!)
*After the kids bring their dishes to the sink they head down to the basement or wherever they've been playing all day to clean up while I clean up dinner. This is also another part of our routine that has worked GREAT. We usually make it a race, and the kids have become mighty fast!
* Pajamas
* Brush teeth
* Read books (John has to read 20 minutes each day for school)
* Read scriptures
* Say prayers
* To bed! Phew! If I can get the kids to bed by 8 I consider it a success. That leaves 2 hours or so for me and Pete. Then it's off to bed for me and time to do it all over again!

What things do you have in your routine to help things run smoother?

Family artwork

2011-11-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

Over General Conference weekend, Pete, the kids and I worked on creating some art to put in the kids' bathroom. I found these frames at a garage sale for $1 each, then painted them red with some leftover paint from another project. I saw some similar artwork at a children's hospital and used that as the inspiration. Pete drew the smaller one for Dan to color, and I drew the bigger one for John. But half way through coloring, the kids decided they wanted to work together so they could finish faster (I don't think they understood that that wouldn't save any time in the end... oh well). I love how they turned out! The kids LOVE to color, so this was the perfect project to keep them somewhat busy so we could listen to Conference. And now their bathroom displays some very cheap (yet priceless!) artwork.

Tutorial: toddler trick-or-treat bags

2011-10-27T03:35:00.000-07:00

A couple years ago I made some trick-or-treat bags for my kids that were basically two pieces of material sewn together with a handle on each side. But I quickly realized that these bags weren't going to work very well: they dragged on the floor when the kids were holding them down by their side, and my youngest wasn't coordinated enough to open the bag with both handles to put the candy in. So this year I got a little smarter and made (what I think is) the perfect trick-or-treat bag for young hands! They have one handle, a nice big opening that stays open so the candy can be easily dropped in, and they're short enough that they don't drag when held down to your side. AND they still have plenty of room to fill up with candy. The perfect bag!

Read on for the tutorial...

What you'll need:
- About 20"x23" felt
- 1"x27" contrasting color felt (for top lining)
- Small amount of felt for pumpkin/ghost/bat
- Sewing machine

In the middle of a 20"x20" square of felt, draw a circle. I just traced a paper plate that was about 4" in diameter.

I pretty much just eyeballed this part. Divide the circle in 6 and draw 6 petal shapes (mine were about 8" long).

Cut that piece out, cutting the petal shapes all the way to the circle, then cut one piece that is 3"x13.5" for the handle and another 1"x27" piece of felt with a contrasting color for the lining of the top of the bag.

Now begin sewing the petals together. I sewed mine with wrong sides together because I wanted the stitching to show. I just used a zig zag stitch, but if you're lucky enough to have a surger you could use that too.

You end up with an awkward looking upside down bakers hat.

Trim the top of the bag.

Pin the lining on to the top of the bag.

Then sew it on. I used a zig zag stitch again.

Fold the felt you cut out for the handle in half lengthwise and sew around the entire thing.

Sew the handles on the sides of the bag.

The kids chose which Halloween figure they wanted on their bag, then I cut them out of felt and used a glue gun to glue them on. You can print out the image below if you want one of those.

And there you have it! Three little pirates who are all ready to go trick-or-treating :)

Homemaking for the modern mama

2011-10-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

My friend Nicole from The Sleepy Time Gal recently posted some thoughts and ideas for her series "Homemaking for the modern mama." She has some GREAT ideas that I can't wait to try! She also has a growing list of links to other peoples blogs that have to do with all things homemaking. So if you want to get ideas on how to save money, organize your home, how to get your kids involved in the housework, live more green, etc. then check it out!

Here are a few posts from the series that I can't wait to dry:

Homemade laundry detergent:

Homemade wool dryer balls:

Creating a cleaning station:

Making photos look professional

2011-10-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

Do you ever take a picture and wish it could look more professional? My sister recently told me about Photoshop actions you can download from The Pioneer Woman and I had to share it. It's amazing! You can download actions right into Photoshop that can give your photo a different look with one click of your mouse. The actions can be downloaded for Photoshop or Photoshop elements (so you do have to have one of those programs... sorry). But it downloads right into Photoshop... I literally had to click my mouse twice, and wahlah! There they all were, waiting for me to give them a try on my favorite photos. I've been having way too much fun with them.

Here are a few of my favorites:

First, here's my original photo:

Fresh & Colorful:

PW's B & W:

Seventies:

Old West:

Colorized:

Give it a try!

DIY: Twig Spider Web

2011-10-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I made this spider web out of sticks the kids and I found on a hike. I got the idea from Pottery Barn who has one for $129! I guess there's has lights on it, but still. I didn't spend a single penny on mine. To make it, I first cut the sticks to the right lengths and laid them on the ground how I wanted them. Starting with the sticks on the outside edges, I hot glued them together then wrapped wire around each intersection. Then worked my way in, finishing with the very center where all 7 sticks come together. I was thinking this would be something I would use for one year then throw away when Halloween is over, but I might just hang onto it!

Favorite after-school snacks

2011-10-08T18:04:00.000-07:00

I am always on the search for healthy snacks for the kids and have recently found some great ones that I wanted to share. We usually have a snack in the late afternoon when John gets home from school, and I try to have the snack be one that is satisfying but not too filling so they'll be hungry for dinner. Here are a few of my favorites:

Homemade Kettle Corn

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Start with 3 kernels of corn in the oil, and when they pop add the rest of the kernels and sugar. Give everything a quick stir and then cover with lid. Once popcorn starts popping, pick it up and give it a quick shake every few seconds until popcorn slows down. Remove immediately from heat and pour in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and serve! This ended up being enough popcorn to feed our little family of 5 during a movie night. No one could stop until it was gone!

Apples With Homemade Caramel Dip

We recently went apple picking and came home with enough apples to last the winter! Seriously. I was wanting to try them with something new and found a recipe for this homemade caramel dip. It made a TON, we still have a big bowl full in our fridge. But the best part is that leftover carmel tastes almost as good as it does when first made, you simply pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds or so. The caramel isn't super healthy, but you eat it with apples right? :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the remaining ingredients, raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly (will take 5-10 minutes). Lower heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, let cool and serve with apple slices.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:
1 can (15-oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
1/3-1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Tahini
juice of half of a lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon cumin

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. If additional liquid is needed, you may add a tablespoon or two of water. Serve with crackers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, or whatever you have on hand. Healthy? Very!

What are your favorite snacks?

Nature inspired fall decorations

2011-09-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Fall is here! And the reason I know it's here is because my kids point out every tree that's starting to change colors and talk about Halloween at least a few times each day. There's nothing like kids to help you get excited for new seasons and upcoming holidays! I thought I'd share a few inexpensive and easy Fall decorations we made that were inspired by nature...

Fall leaves

We collected leaves on a walk, then tied them around a candle and a large jar with a candle inside. You could also tie them around mason jars or vases with something inside.

Grass

Our neighbor gave me this idea a few years ago: to cut a bunch of tall grass and stick it in a vase. He gave the advice to spray the ends with hairspray so they don't get everywhere. So simple!

Squash

This is one my favorites, mostly because you get to eat them when Fall is coming to a close :) I haven't come across an ornamental squash that wasn't edible yet. They'll last a couple months out on your counter, in a basket, in a bowl, wherever you put them, and add a whole lot of color. Here's how we like to cook them:

Cut the squash in half and spoon out the seeds. Fill the hole with a slab of butter and either salt or brown sugar (Pete likes salty and I like sweet, so we always do one of each). Put in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour. Then mix the insides together and enjoy!

What are your favorite Fall decorations?

Tutorial: "I'm going to be a Big Brother!" t-shirt

2011-09-23T04:43:00.000-07:00

Our littlest guy is due to be a big brother in March! Wahoo! To make the announcement we had Joe wear this shirt and sent a picture of him to family and friends (Is that lame to tell people you're pregnant in a text? Oh well, that's what we did.)

If you're interested in making your own Big Brother shirt or Big Sister shirt, here's how I did it...

Print out one of the images I designed below:

Slide the printout in between the front and back of the shirt.

I pinned mine on so the fabric wouldn't move.

Start tracing! I used fabric paint, but you could also use fabric markers.

Then throw it on your littlest guy/girl and let them tell the world the big news!

Tutorial: burp cloths

2011-09-22T11:18:00.000-07:00

My all-time favorite baby gift to give is homemade burp cloths. They're something that every mom needs, whether it's their first baby or their 5th (burp cloths are used way too much to survive through more than a few babies!) I like to make a lot of these at one time so I have a quick but thoughtful gift whenever anyone I know has a baby. They're inexpensive, easy and quick to make, and who doesn't love a homemade gift?

This TUTORIAL might bore you sewers out there. This sewing project would definitely fit in the "beginners" category. But those who like step-by-step instructions for even the easiest project, read on...

What you'll need:

Chenille fabric
Cotton or flannel fabric
Sewing machine

Start by cutting out your fabric. The size of my rectangles were about 9 1/4" x 14 1/2". One side of the burp cloth will be chenille and the other either cotton or flannel. I got my cotton fabric from a girl in my ward who sells designer fabrics. Check out her stuff! HBfabrics, on Facebook and etsy. She had so many cute fabrics, it was hard to pick just a few! I like to give a package of 3 burp cloths, each with a different fabric for variety.

With right sides together, sew around the edges.

I like to round the corners. You can draw on the fabric for your guide or just eyeball it.

Leave about a 3" hole on one side so you can flip the fabric right side out.

Trim the edges.

Turn right side out by pushing all the fabric through your 3" hole.

Iron the edges flat.

Sew the hole closed.

That's all there is to it! I like to roll up the burp cloths and tie them together when I give them.

I made 3 girl sets and 3 boy sets. I'm all set! If you're a friend or family member who's pregnant try to be surprised when you receive this when you have your baby :)

Colored soups

2011-09-20T03:48:00.000-07:00

If you've got anti-vegetable eaters like I do, then this soup is for you! Actually, if your kids love veggies then this is for you too! My kids will eat fruit by the handfuls but have become the pickiest little vegetable eaters. Does anybody else have this problem? They'll occasionally try a cooked carrot or two, but that's about as close as they get. Thus the need for our COLORED SOUPS. Last night I made "green soup" (aka broccoli soup), and they all loved it! Joe, who has become the pickiest eater of the bunch, downed his entire bowl and then moved on to his brothers. Ha! I tricked them all! And I felt pretty good about it :)

You can also make red (tomato) soup, orange (squash/carrot) soup, white (potato) soup, yellow (corn) soup, the options are endless! Here's what I generally do to make the soup:

1. Saute half an onion with a couple tablespoons of butter in a large pot.
2. When the onion is nicely browned, add the veggie (diced) and 2-4 cups of water or chicken broth (if making tomato soup you won't need a lot of water).
3. Add whatever seasonings you like then put on a lid and let simmer until the veggies are soft (30 minutes usually does it).
4. Puree the soup in a blender and put back in the pot.
5. I usually add a cup or two of milk at the end to thin it out a bit and occasionally 1 or 2 more tablespoons of butter (butter always makes it better, right?)

Pretty simple! Serve with warm bread, biscuits or rolls, and you've got a healthy, nutritious meal your kids are sure to love!

Tutorial: car shirt

2011-09-12T02:34:00.001-07:00

First of all the winner of the car shirt giveaway is...

Jen! Congratulations! Jen, if you could e-mail me your address at jessicamjackson[at]gmail[dot]com then I will send the shirt your way!

And for those of you who didn't win, I decided to make a short TUTORIAL so you can make your own! They really are pretty easy. I have printouts of the map I created and everything you'll need to know.

What you'll need:

- Plain white shirt (you can buy these at Walmart in a pack of 2 or 3 for just a few dollars each)
- Printer and paper (if you want to use the map I created)
- Fabric paint or fabric markers
- Cars to drive on your map!

If you'd like to use the map I created, the following images can be printed. Each quarter of the map needs to be printed on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. If you don't want to use my map, then get creative and design your own! I think it works best to design it on paper first, and then trace it onto your shirt (the following steps will explain how to do this). It can be fun to include things that have meaning to you. For example, I made one for Pete's dad that had a road up to Park City with a condo and the mountains (one of our favorite places to visit), a road to Bear Lake and "Grandma & Grandpa's house". One I made for my dad had a road to Seattle, and a ferry that crossed the Puget Sound over to "Grandma & Grandpa's house". If you're giving it as a gift, think about personalizing it.

Once you've printed each quarter, tape them together.

Then slide the paper in between the front and back of the shirt, with the back of the shirt facing up. This also protects the paint from bleeding through to the front.

Start tracing! I used fabric paint, but just a warning, it took FOREVER! About 3 hours longer than I had hoped :) Next time I make one I want to try fabric markers. It seems like they would make smoother lines and would save a lot of time.

Ta-da! You've created your very first car shirt!

Let the kids drive their cars all over it while you or your hubby get a nice little back tickle. Enjoy!

Car Shirt GIVEAWAY!

2011-09-07T18:13:00.001-07:00

** This giveaway is closed ** But you make your own! I have posted the tutorial here.

This is probably the best gift you could ever give your husband (ok, maybe not the best, but pretty close!) And it could be yours! I made one of these for Pete a couple years ago and he has gotten hours and hours of use out of it. All it is is a map painted onto the back of a shirt for the kids to drive their cars on. If daddy comes home exhausted but still wants to play with the kids, he can throw this shirt on and get a nice 20 minute massage from the kids hot wheels. I even whipped this shirt out one afternoon when the 2 older kids were wanting to do something with me and snuck in a 10 minute power nap :)

The winner of this drawing will receive the car shirt shown (x-large) PLUS 2 new Hot Wheels cars! And since there are probably 3 or 4 people who read this blog, you have a very high chance of winning! :)

To enter the giveaway you must:
* Be a follower of this blog and leave a comment on the blog (required)
* For an extra entry you can like this page on Facebook (leave another comment on the blog)
Entries must be in by Sunday night! Winner will be announced Monday.

These make great birthday, Christmas and Father's Day gifts.
Good luck!!!

Rainy day activities

2011-08-26T17:43:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've had a creative block the past week or two. No matter how busy we are during the day or how much I have planned, there are always those few hours of down time during the day when Joe is napping (which, don't get me wrong, I love) when we have to find something to do. And I love coming up with new activities, but nothing has been coming to me lately. So finally we broke the monotony by going to the library and getting a book that would spark some new ideas. The library is a gold mine for ideas! They've got a book for everything: crafts to do, recipes to try, science projects, paper airplanes, art projects, you name it. The book we picked up was More Mudpies to Magnets: Science for Young Children. And it did not let us down. As soon as Joe was down for his nap, Dan and John and I got to work. Here are a few of the projects we tried...

The automatic balloon blower upper

Use a funnel to put a tablespoon of baking soda in a balloon. Fill an empty bottle with about an inch of vinegar. Then attach the balloon to the top of the bottle and let the baking soda fall into the vinegar. Then watch as your balloon inflates by itself! Dan's face says it all :)

Homemade kazoos

Use a paper punch to make a hole in a toilet paper tube. Cover one end with a piece of wax paper and secure with an elastic. Then put your mouth on the open end and hum away!

Pulley system

Use a couple hangers, two spools and a long piece of string to create a pulley system. Attach a basket or bucket to the string and use it to transport small objects. The kids liked passing small toys and little treats back and forth to each other.

A close-up of one end of the pulley.

Pendulum bowl

Tie a heavy square or round object onto the end of a string. Then attach to a tree or ceiling so that the object just barely clears the ground. We built a tower out of blocks to knock over with the pendulum.

Then pull it back and let it rip! This activity has been a great morning distraction for the kids as well. We set it up right by the dining room, so the last couple mornings the kids have finished their breakfasts and gotten right to work building a new tower to knock over. Gotta love it when 5 minutes of work on my end turns into a couple of hours of entertainment for the kids!

The box house

2011-08-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

Creating box houses was one of me and my sister's favorite pastimes growing up. We moved a lot so were often left with a huge pile of boxes. And you better believe we put them to good use! Probably the best (and biggest) one we ever built included a family room, bedroom, kitchen (stocked with food and our easy-bake oven), hallway and bathroom (for pretend use only, of course). We furnished it with whatever was small enough to fit inside and even put up pictures on the walls. Hours and hours were spent on that box house. So when we were left with a huge box from John's birthday in addition to our moving boxes, I knew I had to build one for the kids. Not just 4 walls with a door and a couple windows, but a house with multiple rooms, cubby spaces, spy holes, a place for their toys, and a secret escape tunnel. It doesn't really compare to some of the houses I made as a kid, but my boys were sure excited!

The secret escape tunnel.

A view from the inside.

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

2011-08-22T06:32:00.000-07:00

I had to post this poem. Many of you have probably seen it before, but this is pretty much the story of my life! Especially when we're trying to go somewhere... everyone needs their shoes on, and then someone has to go potty, I remember I need to change the laundry so the clothes will be dry when I get home, I decide to quickly do the dishes from breakfast so I don't have to do them when we get home, I notice a bill is due tomorrow and quickly jump on the computer to pay it... and it goes on and on and on. Finally an hour later we're heading out the door.

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
So she'll pour herself some.
The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.
She'll wipe it up.

Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do some laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper for tonight.

She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With a Pound of Hamburger.)
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow.
She will look for the checkbook.

The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two year old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old.
While she is changing the two year old the phone will ring. (Of course!)
Her five year old will answer it and hang up.

She remembers that she wants to phone a friend to come over for coffee on Friday.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.
And chances are,
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Written by Kathy Fictorie

Little book of family faces

2011-08-19T04:24:00.000-07:00

My sister Brittney gave me this idea and I absolutely love it. You print a 4x6 picture of each person in your (extended) family with their names on it (I put the names on the actual photos in Photoshop, but you could also glue a piece of paper onto it after you print them) then put them in a cheap little picture book. And there you have it... a book of family faces for your kids to look at! I especially wanted to make this as our families are getting more and more spread out so the kids can always remember everyone's names and faces. Joe especially loves this book right now and gets excited when he sees the faces of his grandmas and grandpas.

Each of these faces were printed as a 4x6. I just wanted to show all the faces and names together.

Tutorial: making a little boy tie from a grown-up tie

2011-08-11T04:30:00.000-07:00

If your husband is like mine, he has a bunch of ties that are either stained or that he simply doesn't like and therefore never wears. So put them to better use and turn them into little boy ties! Read on for the tutorial.

What you'll need:
grown-up tie
iron
needle and thread
Sew-on velcro
Sewing machine (optional)

The good news for this project is that you only need a sewing machine for the last step (and even then you could do it by hand). The bad news is, there's a lot of hand-sewing. Expect this project to take about an hour if you're quick and don't have distractions or 2 or (in my case) 3 if you have little ones running circles around you.

Start by taking the tag off the back.

Then unstitch the back seam.

From top to bottom.

Take the lining out of the tie.

And cut it the width you want your little boy tie to be. The bottom of mine (to fit my 3 and 5 year old) is about 2 1/4". You're essentially starting by turning this tie into a skinny tie.

Put the lining back inside the tie.

Fold one side over to fit around the lining and iron. Do this down the entire length of the tie.

Trim any fabric hanging over the lining.

Repeat for the other side. Fold over and iron down the entire length of the tie.

Again trim fabric, leaving enough to fold under for finished look.

Fold edge under.

And iron all the way down.

You now have your long, skinny tie.

Hand-sew the seam shut, from one end to the other.

Measure how long you want the tie and put a pin there to mark the length. I did mine about 12" long.

This is where you might need your husband. Tie a knot just above your pin. My husband was not around, so don't judge my attempt at a knot, it's sub-par at best!

You now have a little boy tie with a really large neck.

Sew the knot in place so it won't come apart.

I put a stitch in the middle of the small piece of tie so it won't fly around.

Measure how long you want the neck pieces to be. You need enough to fit around your child's neck and a couple inches more than that to sew on the velcro. I did each side of mine about 7" long.

Cut the neck pieces just above your pins.

Hand-sew the ends under.

Pin the pieces of velcro on. Sew them on or hand-sew if you don't have a machine.

Then admire your new ties on your little boys! Yay! You're done at last!

Adding color to a room

2011-08-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

We needed a bit of color in my boys' room, so this is what I came up with. Very easy and very cheap. You can buy wood frames like these at Ikea for just a few dollars each. I painted mine white, then found 12"x12" scrapbook paper that went with the room. Glued the paper on, put pictures in the middle, and there you have it! And if you need to cover more wall space, simply use 6 frames, or even 9 to cover the area.
Get creative and give it a try!

Introduction to chapter books

2011-08-09T03:44:00.000-07:00

The Magic Treehouse series was suggested to me by a friend as a good introduction to chapter books. We started borrowing them from the library a couple months ago, and we have not been disappointed! Each book has an illustration every 3 or 4 pages, teaches the child about a new place or time, and uses fairly simple language. John (5) has latched right on to them, and Daniel (3) will sometimes listen in but can't quite hang with them yet. What books do your kids like to read?

Photo courtesy of Yard Sale Mommy

Gift idea: homemade bookmarks

2011-08-08T04:46:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite gifts to help the kids make for friends or family is bookmarks. Bookmarks are something people can use, don't clutter up your house and can remind the recipient of your child each time they read. A great gift for grandparents who don't need any more "things."

Start by cutting out the desired size of bookmarks.

Have your child color a picture on the bookmark.

Laminate the bookmarks. I got mine done at Kinko's. Then cut out with an x-acto knife.

And there you have it!

I made these ones for my sister McKenzie who loves to read and included a picture of the boys on the back.

And the winner is...

2011-08-05T03:56:00.000-07:00

And the winner of the grocery list pad is...

Eliza! Congrats :) You'll be receiving your very own grocery list pad in the mail early next week. And if you didn't win but still want one, they're super easy to make! I took the file into Kinko's, had them do it all: print, cut and glue the top. All for just a few dollars. Then I stuck a magnet to the back. If you're interested, here's the file:

Happy shopping!

Make your own Oobleck

2011-08-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

Check out this week's giveaway here!

Ever read this book? We love Dr. Seuss, and this one's a classic. We've borrowed it a few times from the library, and this time around decided to make an afternoon of it and make our own oobleck after reading it.

How to make your own oobleck:
In a large bowl mix 1 cup water with a few drops of green food coloring. Then add 2 cups cornstarch.
Mix and dig in!

Gotta love Daniel's face on this one! The kids were hilarious, they were saying, "ooooooobleck" the whole time they were playing with it. I just happened to catch Daniel's face on the "oooooo."

Playing with oobleck... what more could any little boy want?

Even I had to dig my hands into this stuff by the end!

The art basket

2011-08-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

Check out this week's giveaway here!

I found this basket a few months ago at Bed, Bath & Beyond and have absolutely loved it! I think it's supposed to be for picnic supplies, but we use it for the kids art stuff... paper, crayons, markers, colored pencils, scissors, stencils, small notebooks, stickers, glue and water color paints. When the kids want to color or draw all I have to do is set this on the table and they can choose whatever they want to use. Everything is in one place and is easily accessible. Ahhh, how I love to feel organized :)

Chalk village

2011-08-02T06:02:00.000-07:00

Check out this week's giveaway here!

One of my favorite things to do with the kids is draw a chalk village for their cars. It's like Sim City all over again. We get to decide where the neighborhood is, the grocery store, park, airport, school, library, fire station, lake, police station, and whatever else we feel like throwing in there. And perfect for all of their ages. John can help draw the houses, and Dan and Joe drive the cars on our streets. Then when we're done, we can leave our village there to play with later. At least until the rain comes!

Grocery list pad GIVEAWAY!

2011-08-01T05:16:00.001-07:00

This giveaway is now closed. To see who the winner was or to get the file to make your own grocery list pad, go here.

A grocery list pad that you can stick on to your fridge... a must-have for staying organized and not forgetting anything you need at the store! As I was making one of these for me I thought I might as well make an extra to share. Each pad has 50 sheets so will last about a year (if you use one each week). I love having this on my fridge where I see it all the time. I most often realize I need something while I'm cooking, so with this pad I can quickly write it down so I don't forget.

To enter the giveaway you must:
Be a follower of this blog and leave a comment on the blog (required)
For an extra entry you can like this page on Facebook (leave another comment on the blog)
Entries must be in by Thursday night! Winner will be chosen Friday.

Good luck!

Curious George and paper boats

2011-07-29T04:12:00.000-07:00

The Curious George books are one of Daniel's favorite series. So after reading "Curious George Rides a Bike," we decided to make our own paper boats like George does in the book.

We used paper from a magazine instead of newspaper. Newspaper wasn't holding up well enough.

Then launched our own little fleet into the baby pool. And they did indeed float!

It wasn't long before the army guys made their way into the boats. Unfortunately they didn't last more than 10 minutes, then sunk to their death. But it was a fun 10 minutes :)

How to Raise Boys Who Read

2011-07-28T05:53:00.000-07:00

Another article from Pete's parents. This one is from the Wall Street Journal, the link can be found here.

Amen to all of that! It goes along with what Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he could be, and he will become what he should be." Have your kids read books that will teach them something and that will help them become the person you want them to become. And as for video games and other forms of electronic entertainment... I feel like it's a touchy topic for some, but I agree with everything this guy said. Just last night I saw a commercial that advertised a free Xbox 360 for students who bought a PC. Nice job Microsoft. Let's encourage our young minds to fill their time with something other than books and learning.

Homemade playdough

2011-07-27T03:33:00.000-07:00

My friend shared this playdough recipe with me last year and we have LOVED it. It's quick and easy to make, and I have found that it doesn't dry up as fast as the "play-doh" brand.

Here's the recipe:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
6 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tblsp. oil
1 cup cold water

Over medium heat, mix the first four ingredients together. Slowly add in water, food coloring and flavoring if desired (almond, mint, etc. to make it smell good). Stir until it starts to form into a ball and leaves the sides of the pan. Pour onto wax paper and let cool slightly, then knead with hands until the dough is smooth. Cool down and enjoy!

This recipe makes enough playdough for one child, so I double it when I make it for John and Dan and it is plenty. The kids love to roll it out then use cookie cutters to make cookies. I throw it all in a tupperware when they're finished playing, then it can be used again again. The gift that keeps on giving!

Painted rocks

2011-07-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to do this project for a long time now and finally got around to it last week. We used rocks we had collected on our camping trip, washed them off and let them dry. Then as soon as Joe was down for his nap we went for it. Decorated them with acrylic paints, then after they dried put mod podge over the top to give them a glossy look. This was a fun project not just for the kids but for me too! I made letter rocks that have uppercase letters on one side and lowercase on the other, number rocks, tic-tac-toe rocks with an "x" on one side and an "o" on the other, and a few rocks with shapes and pictures. The options are endless. Get creative and try it out!

John painted his own letter rocks.

Dan's painting turned into finger painting by the end, as usual.

The final display!

These rocks are a fun way to work on spelling...

and numbers...

and creating little outdoor scenes.

The kids also gave the tic-tac-toe rocks a try. I was thinking this collection of rocks would be a fun thing to bring on future campouts. A "toy" made from nature that can be educational as well. Go try your own!

Morning distraction: zip line

2011-07-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

On these lazy summer days we haven't had a whole lot going on in the mornings. Nowhere we have to rush off to. And it's on mornings like these that the kids tend to drift to the TV or computer to fill the time. Unless there's some kind of distraction. I'm not completely against the TV or (educational) computer games, but I do think that too much of anything is a bad thing. And to be honest, I don't love starting our day with them. So I have found that if I have something ready for them to play with, a toy they haven't seen in a while, a game, a picture to color, etc., I can easily avoid the screens. One thing we tried this week was building a mini zip line that I found on the blog Made By Joel. Love this blog. So many fun ideas! The kids loved watching buttons, lego guys and whatever else we could attach to the paperclip zip down the line. Kept their attention and excitement for 3 or 4 mornings. Then, like any other toy, it started to get looked past. On to the next distraction!

Nature bags

2011-07-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

We went camping last weekend and I decided to make these "nature bags" to bring along with us: a little bag for each kid to keep his treasures in. This trip we were on the search for cool rocks. The boys liked having their own bag they could open and shut and fill with whatever they wanted. They'll definitely be coming with us on future adventures!

A little structure

2011-07-19T04:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a relatively relaxing summer. Not too much going on and a lot of time to fill. I know some people prefer to have a lot of scheduled things going on to fill up the day, but I love those days when I wake up, look at my planner, and we have absolutely nothing that we have to do. It's on those days that I can go with the flow and do whatever the kids want to do (within reason). But just recently I decided to try adding a little more structure to our weeks. Structure that will help me do all the things I want to do. I gave each day of the week a subject to focus on: music, arts & crafts, cooking, reading & nature. We don't spend all day focusing on it, just an hour or two that we fit into our loose schedule. And it has proved to be really fun! It gives the kids (and me) something to look forward to doing each day without taking away the freedom of summer.

Ready for battle

2011-07-18T04:59:00.000-07:00

We made this for John's birthday from things we had around the house: carboard, aluminum foil, black tape and felt. Surely it won't pass the tests of time, but hopefully the memory of making it will!

Flag t-shirts

2011-07-15T04:43:00.001-07:00

I got this idea from my sister and thought it would be so fun to do for the 4th of July. I used old material I had on hand, cut out the sizes of strips I wanted, ironed the edges under then sewed them on. Put buttons on for stars, then walah! A unique flag shirt that can be worn for the 4th and all through the summer.

The Nesting Box

2011-07-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

Pete's parents gave us a copy of this article from the Deseret News a year or so ago. Pete and I couldn't stop laughing when we read the part about the one little rabbit struggling at the bottom of the nest, but eventually fighting his way out. It reminded us too much of Joe who is constantly at the bottom of the wrestling pile. It turns out having kids who tease, wrestle and argue with each other might not have it so bad. In fact that might be what helps them survive!

Pine cone bird feeder

2011-07-14T05:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the kids and I made bird feeders. John had made these in preschool and I thought it was a fun idea. We first tied yarn around the pine cones, then dipped them in peanut butter and bird seed. We hung them in some trees in our backyard and look forward to watching the birds!

Surviving the grocery store... with 3 little ones in tow

2011-07-14T05:14:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago after a very long, tiring, patience-testing trip to the grocery store, I swore I would never take all three of the kids with me again. I guess over time the pain of the experience wore off, because I decided to try it again. But this time I was more prepared. I decided to try and get the kids more involved instead of having them do their own thing and me my own thing. I assigned Dan to be the helper and and gave John the responsibility of crossing the items off my detailed list as we got them. I was more than surprised by how eager they were to help! Dan helped pick out the fruit, carry the milk, decide which yogurt to buy, where to put things in the cart, etc. while John sat in the cart with clipboard in hand, making sure everything got crossed off the list. Then about halfway through they decided it was time to switch jobs and try something new. And Joe? He got buckled in tight and I was more thoughtful about the toys I brought for him: magnets to play with on the cart, a small toy that plays music that he likes to dance to, and a book. I'm not quite ready to give him the freedom the older ones have yet, he's not very good at staying close and obeying me. But he didn't seem to mind staying put this time. Finally a shopping success! No one was crying by the time we got to check out!