And I’m definitely not just telling you about this because we were featured there today. But gosh, how fun and flattering to have our giving project posted.

So in that spirit, if you find today’s garden stone project beyond your craftability, you could always make a coin box together instead. Oatmeal canisters or yogurt containers (with lids) work great for this. Fun to decorate, cut a slit in the top, and pick a cause to save your pennies for. Your two year old will love it – fer sure!

It’s time to start beautifying our outdoor spaces. (Confession: I just looked around our own yard this week and grimaced at how shabby we’ve let it get in three short years. And then I remembered: TWO BABIES!) Let’s hope we can reverse the damage. Hmm, with a crawler and a runner this summer, we’re gonna need a lot of luck. Or a windfall of money. I’ll settle for either.

So my project idea for you this last Winter Wednesday is crafting your own garden stone. We will be using a fancy-schmancy kit given to me by my SIL. And I’m not gonna lie, after reading the instructions, this project is a commitment. Hopefully you are reading this blog first thing in the morning so you have time to buy a kit, or supplies in the morning (field trip!), then work on the actual stone after nap time. But if not, you could always spend a little time today drawing out your design together and maybe spend more time putting it together during the weekend. A fun family project I’m thinking, when extra hands are present to keep a kid or two out of the wet cement!

And if you haven’t already run out the door for your crafting store, I want to point you to this post. A similar idea I’ve always wanted to try. I think you could easily do this in your sand box as she mentions (and don’t get all hung up on your lack of seashells – rocks, acorns, or other nature tidbits would work well too). Or, better yet, what better excuse for a beach field trip on this gorgeous day!

In that (read: exhausted) spirit, I am going to do a bit of idea rehashing for you today. And since it is Wednesday afterall, I’m guessing you’re exhausted too. So I’m making lunch (or dinner) easy for you:

I love Muffin Tin Meals because you can trick your kid into eating all sorts of healthy things. And the challenge of filling them up makes it fun for you, I promise. I appreciate being able to actually see the distribution of food groups, too. And I like throwing in one or two brand new foods, which seem to be more readily received in this medium.

So have yourself a Muffin Tin Humpday. And now let us breath a collective sigh of relief: We only have one more Wednesday this winter!!
PS. Some good bonus activities are here. And I always love this blog for ideas – she is simply genius! (And take note, she links to many other great activity blogs on her sidebar).

Here are three simple equations, utilizing materials straight out of the recycling bin that added a little oomph to our day:

Takeout paper bag+stickers=puppet
Magazine+glue stick+cardboard=puzzle
Wrapping paper tube+scissors+paper towel holder=totem pole

All were absolutely fascinating to Bastien, ESPECIALLY the puppet.
Have fun and stay well, friends. With heavy emphasis on that last part. (Take it from us.)

And that is why music has now crept into my suggested Winter Wednesday activity for you and your two-year-old. Because who doesn’t want an hour of acceptable behavior RIGHT NOW?

This week I tried to teach Bastien Musical Chairs… with mild success. However, that does NOT mean that it wasn’t a big hit. It just means that Mommy won every time. And for some reason this is A-Ok with the two-year-olds. A-Ok with Mommy, too. See how now we all win?

We also played Hide the Music Box. This one was particularly hilarious because whenever it was Bastien’s turn to hide it, he chose exactly the same hiding spot he just found the music box in. Mommy wins again! But he was pretty good at following the sound and finding the box before it stopped playing each time. And I even felt like he was learning something. Bonus!

For these activities we used a little plastic ipod-like device that only plays tunes from The Wiggles. Deduct one point from Mommy. But, they would work just as well with your iphone or similar music-playing device.

Here’s wishing you fun of the good, clean variety!

At our very own beloved Milford Public Library, we recently scored a sheet listing 25 games to play with magnetic letters. TWENTY FIVE. And all I ever knew to do with them was spell words.

So as part of our Good Clean Fun Winter Wednesdays, I selected the best of the games, created a few of my own, and organized them into two age groups. Then, I made Jim slave away (cursing me under his breath all the while–What I won’t risk for you Internet!) to make it all look pretty for you. So here’s a PDF you can print out to hang up with your own magnetic letters – giving you some ideas to keep little fingers busy today while you cook dinner. Or while you eat bon bons. Up to you.

As a side-note, I also think this would make a swell go-to gift for all the little birthdays in your life. Laminate the lists at your favorite office supply store, glue a magnet on the back and package it all up in a cute little bag with a set or two of letters (ours were $1 at Walmart). I think they’d even make great little goodie bags when hosting the next birthday bash for your preschooler.

I knew you’d love the freeness. Enjoy!

But did we get lucky this time! This book’s a winner for sure. The author was an art teacher, so you already know she had my rapt attention from the get-go. And what she has done here is nothing short of masterful.

Tearing up “her husband’s” magazines and catalogs (leaving me to wonder about the back story there), she created all of the amazing animals and farm equipment on these pages. They are so interesting to look at. Say, isn’t that rooster sporting my J Crew plaid shirt, circa 1992?


So, in an attempt to present you another quality activity to get you and your two-year-old over the hump (as promised last week) – I thought we’d try out a “Wake Up, Big Barn” inspired collage. I ask you, what two-year-old doesn’t love a good glue stick project?
So, get out your glue sticks and your husband’s catalogs. (Not your good catalogs, for heaven’s sake). You’ve got collaging to do.

We call ours orange.
And voila! We’ve got a new favorite color up in here.