Block Zoo

During Christmas vacation, when the kids started to get bored, I pulled out a set of new blocks .  

Eli later built a copy of the picture on the cover of the box:  

Now I don't often do the "directed play" thing.  I much prefer to let them do their own thing most of the time.  But the older kids had a game they used to play years ago, and I thought it would be fun to introduce it to the younger kids.  

I told the kids, "Bring down 3 small animals, and meet me in the playroom."

Then I got out all our blocks, not just the new set.  

Several years ago, we gave away our accumulation of blocks to a woman who was setting up a daycare.  Somehow, we've managed to replace them.  

Most of the animals brought down were Beanie Babies, but this game would work with any small stuffed animals or Safari Toobs or Schleich animals or whatever little animals you have around the house.

Then I told them to build a zoo for their animals.  

It's always interesting to watch the group dynamics and see who chooses what, and what alliances form.  

It was decided that Hannah's bear and Sam's bear could inhabit the same cage at the zoo.  

Hannah, after making an enclosure for her rooster, asked me, "Mom, what does this thing eat?"  She then tried to swipe some of Jack's little yellow blocks from his pathway to use as corn to feed her rooster.  

Brianna set up a zoo train and a moat.

Oh, look, there's swiping.  Yeah, that didn't go over well.  She already had all the little purple blocks.  I wish I'd thought to suggest she trade some of the purple ones for some yellow "corn" instead.  

And what was Lukey doing during all this?  Rocking and tapping his beads.  He actually got a little lamby in his stocking, since the texture page he pays the most attention to in touchy feely books is the lamb one.  But he's shown no interest in the stuffed animal at all.  He's big on the familiar.  

So there you go.  A simple suggestion, using things you probably already have around the house, that could potentially keep your kids entertained quite a while.  What's nice, is that with a group of kids, you can set the game in motion and then wander off to do other things, and they continue to play.  Maybe this directed play thing is not so bad after all.  

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Teaching Brianna to Sew with Pixie Candy's Projects DVD

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. 

Pixie Candy's Projects is volume 1 of a 7 part series:  Candy's, Mandy's, Pandy's, Sandy's, Tandy's, Zandy's, and Andy's.  There are 3 other discs, as well:  Getting Started, Pixie Doll (where you can make each of the dolls named in the 7 project DVDs), and Pixie Clothing.

We were selected to review Pixie Candy's Projects.  This is a beginner level disc, suitable for children.  The back of the case lists all the materials needed for the activities on this disc.  My well-stocked sewing room abounds with supplies, so we did not need to purchase anything to complete all the patterns.  In Pixie Candy's Projects, designer Katrina Marie takes students through 5 basic projects.

The first project is the Hair Bow.  Since we happen to have 2 hair bow wearing little girls in our house, this was a great first project for us.

Both my little girls have atypically shaped heads, likely due to spending a lot of time in their cribs as babies, so headbands either don't stay on, or look odd on them.  Brianna and I opted to put our Hair Bows for them onto alligator clips.  After doing one full-sized, we realized that we needed to downsize the pattern to make it more appropriate for Hannah and Katie.  This was a great opportunity for me to jump in and explain altering patterns and trial and error in sewing.  The full size bow would be perfect for an '80s costume.  I had about a dozen huge hair bows back then!  It would also be a sweet addition to a dress or a bag.

This little one is a better fit for Hannah, and it's based on the same principles taught in the DVD.

The next project we did is Plush Pillow.  Brianna chose to make her pillow out of turquoise Minkee, which is a super soft furry fabric that sheds like crazy when you cut it.  You can see Brianna watching the step by step instructions on the DVD.  I was very pleased to find myself in the "consultant" role, instead of "teacher" with this program.  She was able to do most everything with minimal input from me.

The final project we're showing today is Pretty Purse.  When we met Katie in China, she came to us with a small purse, and she has had a fondness for bags and backpacks ever since.  I knew she would be a grateful recipient for the Pretty Purse, however, upon completion, Brianna realized that the Pretty Purse is the perfect size for the Leap Pad that Jack recently passed down to Hannah.

Pretty Purse was the most complex project on the disc, and in hindsight, I should have supervised Brianna while she made it.  But she'd done the pillow almost entirely on her own, and when she asked if she could go work on a project, I said yes, even though I was busy with something else at the time.  I think I'll invite her to make another one with me so that each of the girls will have one, and I'll help her get the kinks ironed out next time.  She's happy with her attempt, and that's what counts!

The DVD Pixie Candy's Projects contains good instruction and sound techniques, and I would love to see Brianna (and eventually Hannah and Katie) do the other discs as well.  Doll sewing has always seemed "too hard" to me, so I'm wildly curious about the doll DVD.  I'd like to try making the Mandy doll for my Asian girls.  There are dolls of all colorings, which I appreciate, and even a boy doll.

The DVD series is sold on the website, and is also available on Etsy, where Pixie Candy's Projects sells for $29.95.  Be sure to "favorite" their shop while you're there so you can easily find them again later!  My readers can use the coupon code "She20" to save 20% off ANY of the Kids Sewing DVDs through the Etsy site until 1/31/14.  You can connect with Katrina Marie and Kids Sewing via Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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Weekly Wrap Up - 2 weeks of winter break

This is 2 weeks worth, since I didn't do a post last week.  I'd intended to do some school work, but that didn't really happen.  We've all enjoyed the break.  

I'm guessing most people would get in trouble for posting a picture of their husband in the bathtub online.  

Hey, look!  No more bathtub!  The bathroom remodel marches on.  I am considering this educational in that my kids get to see how a house is made.  (And they may or may not pick up some new vocabulary words watching Daddy haul a bathtub down the stairs.)

Miss Katie shows off one of the new books she got for Christmas.  I won a giveaway for an Usborne gift certificate, and That's Not My Tiger... was one of the books I picked.  We also have the princess, doll, panda, and penguin ones.  I'm thinking we might need That's Not My Bunny... for Easter.  

Brianna got a couple of piano books for Christmas.  I had fun picking out the right handed notes to Can You Feel The Love Tonight, from Lion King.  

The big kids spent a lot of time on the computer.

But I did catch them reading, too.  

Speaking of books!  We started a new read aloud!  Canyon of Danger (Goldtown Adventures)  This is book 3 of a series we've been enjoying ever since I reviewed the first one.  We got the second one as soon as it came out, and I bought this one for a Christmas treat.  And I'm excited to report, book 4 comes out in March!  

Brianna and I worked on some sewing projects together for a coming review.  

Paul took the middle boys to Toys fer Us to spend their gift cards from Grammy.  Legos and Nerf guns for both of them.  

Luke resumed all his therapies after a restful week off.  

The kids got some new movies for Christmas, so yes, there was some vegging out from time to time.  

You know your cat is old and tired when he lets the toddler tap him.  Wheelie just sat there and waited for us to move Luke.  

So that's our winter break in a nutshell.  Looking forward to getting back to our school routine on Monday, with more Ancient Egypt.  

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Update on Hannah's head

Doesn't it look great?  It's healing up nicely!  This was taken several days ago, after her bath.  I've been putting lavender essential oil on it, and it's looking good.

I have to confess, I really enjoyed taking the stitches out.  Always up for another badge on my Mama-scout vest, Stitch Removal is one I hope not to have to use very often, but still useful, nonetheless.

Hannah, of course, was a little trooper about it.  I showed her my scissors and tweezers, and explained what I was going to do, and then it was 5 little snips with sterilized super-pointy sewing scissors, and 5 little tugs with sterilized tweezers, and we were done!  2 pinprick sized dots of blood, and that was it.

I remember wanting to take the stitches out myself when Josiah fell off the porch (when he was 5) but Paul didn't think that was a good idea at the time, so I took him in and he was so freaked that he was way more of a handful getting the stitches OUT than when they went in!

If you missed what happened to Hannah's head, here's that story, but before you click, be warned, there are some gross, bloody pictures in that post.


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2013 Year in Review

January brought our Log In Date, or LID for Katie and Luke's adoption.  Hannah was measured for her wheelchair in January as well.

February brought us 3 new children for 2 months!  We hosted them with Safe Families.  I have a photo collage hanging over my desk of our 7 Safe Families kids that passed through our home between Sept. 2012 and April 2013.

We celebrated Chinese New Year and 3 birthdays in February, as well.

March brought our Letters of Approval (LOA) for both Katie and Luke from China.  And at the very end of March, we had Easter.

Only, in all my underachieving glory, our egg hunt didn't happen until April.

April was our anniversary, senior prom for Annaliese as well as 2 more birthdays in our house.  And we got an update on Katie.

May brought graduation, Mother's Day, and the county fair.  Oh, and TA, or Travel Approval from China for Katie and Luke!

June was largely taken up with travel to China.  Meeting Luke and then Katie and seeing the sights was amazing and exhausting.  I came home sick, so the remainder of June was a little bit of a blur.

July was full of summer camp, VBS, a visit from Grammy, and 14 medical/dental appointments.  Annaliese moved to Santa Rosa in July, and we also had Luke's birthday.  Hannah started school in July.

August only had 10 medical/therapy appointments, and was when we started getting our feet underneath us.  Katie went through serial casting for her clubfoot, and the process of getting her prosthetic made for the other leg.  Luke had more evaluations and tests and began therapy.

We also went out of town a couple days for a funeral.  Sam started school in August and we began our homeschool year then.

September found us hitting our groove, homeschool wise.  We celebrated Moon Festival.  We had 14 therapy/medical appointments.  (The photo above was taken on the way out the door to Luke's MRI.)  It was also Zachary's and then Katie's birthday month.  She got her new leg and took her first steps.

October was the start of fall weather, trips to the pumpkin patch, art lessons, and 19 medical/dental/therapy appointments.  We also had a fun field trip to Chik Fil A.  October was also the month I put the finishing touches on the panda room, Katie and Luke's shared bedroom.  Zachary moved back to California in October, too.

November was family pictures, and Thanksgiving, of course.  With most of the therapists taking Thanksgiving week off, we had only 12 medical/dental/therapy appointments.  

December brought another 12 medical and therapy appointments.  I suddenly realized how many reviews I'd been doing.  December was also Christmas, which was actually quiet and peaceful.  Not words I'd expect to use to describe having all 10 kids home.  We celebrated with our traditions and made new memories.

So that was 2013.  And now we look forward.  Personally, I look forward to spring, when the flowers bloom, and Sam's allergy medicine makes him tired, and the weather warms up so we can go outside again.  I look forward to more sunshine, more daylight.  In 2014, I look forward to Brianna starting high school, and (fingers crossed) the littles starting preschool.  I look forward to a milestone wedding anniversary, summer vacation, and getting to a place of acceptance with Luke's issues.

2013 started with excitement and anticipation for me, and ended with disappointment and depression.  It can only go up from here.


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