Winter Fun For Kids

My son, Eugene, is obsessed with snowmen lately, and no, not because of Frozen.  Wisconsin got dumped on with snow once so far this year (odd) and I took Eugene outside to make a snowman.  It was roughly 2 inches in totality (the snow was not packing snow) and melted within the week.  It hasn't snowed since, so paper snowman crafting it was!! We had a blast making this and Eugene is very proud of his work.

Super Easy Apple Bread

Hello, world.  Did you go to the apple orchard yet this season?  Are you having a hard time coming up with yet another apple recipe?  Are you sick of apple crisp? I did, I was and I am.  So, I made some apple bread that is so easy a kid could do it.  And then I let my almost two year old practically do all of the work.  He had blast.  I even had a mini bread pan (shown in pic) so Eugene could have his own loaf.  This is one of those awesome dump all the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the apples and almonds, stir and bake kind of recipes adapted from here.  In this recipe, I used all white flour, used applesauce instead of apple butter and used brown sugar-glazed almonds.  It is so soft and so, so good!  Enjoy!

Autumn Fun: Leaf Art Project for Kids and Adults

It's that time of year again...YAHOOOO! The leaves are turning colors and are beginning to fall from the trees.  Why not grab a few of them next time you are outside for this fun sensory project?  You can go also on a nature hike to gather leaves/weeds which is what we did.  Leaf art can not be any easier to do with your wee ones.  Eugene dipped the leaves in paint and went crazy.  We leaf-stamped, used the weeds as a paint brush and got messy with the paint.  The point of this project is to use different textures to create a design and introduce your child to using nature as a tool.  The end results are always awesome.  I ended up framing Eugene's work and he is so proud of himself! Enjoy 

3-D Hanging Bird Project for Children

Hi friends! I have another fun and simple project that you can do with your kids. These will be sure to brighten your child's day and your house.  Enjoy!

To assemble birds start by cutting out various bird shapes using any cardboard type of material (we used a cereal box).  Paint both sides a fun color and let birds dry.  Poke a small hole in the middle of the bird and insert feathers on each side. We added sequins for the eyes and then hung them using lace and washi tape.  Eugene is loving pointing to them and saying "birdie".  Another fun project would be to make a bunch of trees that could house your birds.  The possibilities are endless!

Paper Bag Owl Craft Project for Children

This is a pretty self-explanatory activity to do with your littles.  It turned out really cute and was easy enough that Eugene, who is 22 months old, was able to help.  I started by tearing two holes where the eyes would go and tearing the wings out from some scrap paper.  Eugene and I used a glue stick to attach the wings.  I let him go crazy with the pink paint (acrylic...gasp! It's not washable but we were careful, sort of).  I let Eugene scribble all over the owl and I added the details using a black Sharpie.  Any number of materials can be used, including kid-friendly ones.  You could get über creative and add sparkle, sequins, feathers etc...

Food | Blueberry Coconut Energy Balls

Do you ever experience the afternoon slumps?  Is it just me because I have two kids, one who I am nursing still?  Well, these easy-to-make balls will help you get out of any energy crisis.  My husband went to seminary in Vancouver, B.C. and he refers to these as "Vancouver Balls," insisting they taste just like Vancouver.  That is a compliment, right?  So, the husband claims to like them, Eugene (our son) loves them and I need them. 

To make: Throw a large handful of each of the dry ingredients plus 2 tablespoons of honey into your food processor.  Pulse the mixture until a clumpy mass forms.  Roll the mass into bite-sized balls.  Brush each ball with honey and roll them in sweetened or unsweetened coconut (the honey helps the coconut to stick).  These will keep in Tupperware in your fridge/freezer for a good while and are awesome to have on hand for after a workout, to put in the diaper bag or to snack on whenever.  Enjoy!

You can make these with any dried fruit or nuts that you have on hand- I even use raisins to add some fiber to the diet.  You can also add your preferred nut butter to them or add flax/crispy cereal/anything else in your cupboard you want to get rid of to the recipe!!  Just be sure to add more honey if the mixture will not form into a clump.  I would love to hear your ideas on what to add into the recipe.  

Oh Darling, Let's Be Adventurers

We happened to catch a perfect fall day yesterday.  The sun was shining brightly, the trees were still holding on to bits of color + the temperatures were tolerable enough to frolic in outside.  After taking a drive through the country + fueling up on some Intelligentsia coffee it was inevitable that my camera would find its way to my hands.  We went for a hike in a great southern Wisconsin park where I immediately starting taking pictures.  We unintentionally matched the scenery + also unintentionally matched each other. I wait all year for this season to return + 2013 did not disappoint me. 

When the bleak of winter starts to wear on me I will have to find these pictures + revel in them to remind myself that color will once again reign as king.  The forest was full of vivid shades of yellow-orange leaves, back lit with endless sunshine glowing through the trees upon which they were resting. It was breathtaking. 

Eugene had so much fun playing in the crunchy leaves + then attempting to eat them when we weren't looking.  I am quite certain he would have stayed all day if we would have let him.  

I hope you have gotten the chance to be out in nature to enjoy this lovely season.  I am going to try to hold on to autumn as long as I can.  The holidays will be upon us shortly, we will find ourselves ringing in the new year + before long there will be another baby joining this little family. There is so much to be grateful for!

Autumn Wanderings

Just popping by to say hello + to show you a little of what we have been up to lately in this lovely fall weather.  I hope this finds you well + enjoying all things pumpkin!

Xoxo,

Heather