Valentine's Day...our way {Toddler art}

For some reason, I never associated Valentine's Day with traditions, until recently.  Other bloggers were asking their readers to share one of their Valentine's day traditions and it took me a minute to think about ours.

As a kid, I don't remember our classroom Valentine's Day parties, filling out all the cards to my friends, or even all the chocolate.  I remember going shopping on Valentine's Day with my mom and sisters.  Now, my memory tells me this was a tradition of ours, but I may only remember the years that we actually did this (at least one year, I'm sure!)  

As a wife, I have yet to establish any traditions for Valentine's Day in this house and I am not sure that we ever will.  Not because I don't like traditions, but because Valentine's Day has never been a big deal to me or Jeff. Tonight I plan to make a "nothing-fancy" dinner.  We won't share a bottle of nice wine (although I would like to do that!).  We probably won't even exchange cards.  Valentine's Day around here is just another day.  Hallmark doesn't tell me what to do.  

But as a mom to a toddler, I will take every opportunity to make our days special, as I know she will grow up too fast.  

I just love this sun catcher Leila made!  It's perfect for this San Diego sunshine. 

We spent yesterday morning with friends making Valentine's Day crafts.  Kari, from Mommy to Elodie, is the BEST when it comes to planning toddler art activities.

Isn't this "I love you" card adorable?!

Leila doesn't know Valentine's Day from Saturday, but that didn't stop her from enjoying herself!  She won't really understand why she's giving Daddy that card, and she'll probably assume it's his birthday.  But like I said, anything to make our days together a little more special...even if it is just a Hallmark holiday.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  Are you celebrating?

Salt dough ornaments {New traditions}

Last Christmas I attempted to make salt dough ornaments with Leila.  I was proud of my accomplishment, but they are so easy to make, I decided to step it up a notch this year.  I saw these adorable Santa hand print ornaments on Pinterest (of course) and knew they would be the ornaments we made this year.

Aren't they adorable?

They were super easy to make too!  The most difficult part was keeping these two friends entertained while Amy and I kneaded, rolled, and cut out the dough into the shapes we wanted.

I used the same recipe I used last year to make the dough.

Salt Dough Santa Claus Ornaments

This recipe makes 12-16 toddler hand sized Santas.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 1/2 cups water

sturdy cardboard

parchment paper

Acrylic paint- skin tone, red, white, black/brown, blue, pale pink

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Combine the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Knead the dough for 15-20 minutes (knead on the counter, it's easier)
4. Separate dough into equal sized portions and set aside.
5. Roll out one portion of dough onto a small piece of parchment paper.
6. Trace your child's hand onto a piece of cardboard and cut out carefully.
7. Dust one side of the cardboard cut-out hand print with flour to prevent sticking.
8. Cut around the cardboard hand with a knife.
9. Use a straw or similar object to make a hole at the top (base of the hand) for hanging on the tree later.
10. Poke holes with a skewer around the perimeter of the ornament to prevent bubbling.  Poke all the way through the dough for the best results.
11. Place parchment paper and ornament on a baking sheet.
12. Bake at 300 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden. 
13. Let them cool completely before painting. 

Salt dough Santa Claus Ornament painting guide:

(As you can see in the pics above, I also made stars for Leila to paint herself since she is not ready for the detailed Santa painting.  Read these tips on painting with toddlers...no muddy brown if you follow my instructions!)

1. Start by paining the section just above the fingers using the skin tone colored acrylic paint.  (You can see in my close-up picture that the paint I used for the face cracked.  I did not use acrylic for the skin tone which was a big mistake.  Regular washable paint just doesn't work as well.)
2. Paint the hat and the thumb red leaving the tip of the thumb unpainted until later.
3. Let these two colors dry.  (You may need more than one coat.)
4. Paint the fingers and sides of the ornament white.  Leave a little bit of the skin tone paint showing for the mouth.
5. Paint the fur trim on Santa's hat and the tip of the thumb white.  I definitely needed more than one coat of white paint.  For best results let it dry between each coat.
6. Use pale pink for the cheeks and mouth, blue for the eyes, and black/brown for the pupils,
7. Mix a bit of pale pink with the skin tone paint for the nose.
8. Let them dry completely overnight.
9. Add a ribbon or ornament hook and wrap them as a gift of hang it on your tree. 

Next year I'll be making ornaments again!  With inspiration from Pinterest, I'll be tackling something new for our homemade Christmas ornament tradition.

What are your holiday traditions?  Have they changed since having children?

The Great List {12.07.12}

I have been so excited for this Great List all week!  We are busy, busy, busy here and I like it!

1.  We finally put up our tree!  We borrowed an artificial tree this year from my friend Lauren for a few reasons (cost and size).  Although it doesn't look like or smell like a real tree (that's what scented candles are for) it did get me into the holiday spirit!  Leila loved hanging the ornaments with us.  It was fun to watch her choose the specific ones she wanted to hang.  Her favorite...my First Christmas ornament from 1977!  It's got her favorite Disney characters right on the front.  Mickey, Donald, and Goofy haven't aged a bit.

2.  Jeff took the first step in getting the kids' bedroom ready for baby #2.  We have so much reorganizing to do to get ready for this little guy.  Luckily we have plenty of time.  I currently have four projects going and need Jeff's help for all but one. We'll get there!

3.  I had a whole day to myself!  Ahhhhhhhhhh.  Shopping is one of my favorite pastimes and although I love to shop with my mom and sister, I also love shopping alone.  I literally shopped till I dropped and am still in some pain from all the standing and walking.  Leila's Poppy will be babysitting again next week (hooray!) and hopefully I can get all our shopping done without killing myself in the process.

4.  Leila and Kennady did some crafting.  Okay, Amy and I most of the work, while they tried to eat the salt-dough.  Regardless, the ornaments turned out wonderfully!  If you follow me on Instagram (myleilaland) you saw some pictures of them.  I'll be posting the tutorial on Tuesday.  If you're interested get some flour, salt, and acrylic paints.  It took only two days/sessions to complete the project. You have time before Christmas to wrap these cute ornaments up!

5.  I received the highest compliment on my blog from a guy I've looked up to my whole life...my dad.  Yesterday his email simply said, "I enjoy reading your blog. Impressive."  I started this blog to keep in touch with faraway family and friends and am thankful to know that they are still reading.  Although knowing that they read does make me filter out some content/blog ideas, I still post embarrassing and personal stuff here (recently looking at my butt in the mirror comes to mind). Thanks to EVERYONE for reading.  I would still write if you didn't, but am sure glad you do.

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."
 -Oprah Winfrey

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Come back here each week for my newest list and don't forget to check out Betsy's list each week too.  Warning...positive thinking is addicting!

Want to write your own list?  

Just grab the button, add it to your post, and come back to tell us about it.

Share some joy...

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The Great List...is back {11.23.12}

Last week just got away from me, and before I knew it my mom was asking me what happened to The Great List on Friday.  I explained, in too many words, what was consuming all my time...all negative stuff, go figure.

This week I'm sharing my gratitude again!  With Thanksgiving yesterday, I am sure many of you reflected on what you are grateful for.  This week's list format is a little different, more of a general list of all the things, big and small, that I am thankful for. 

I am thankful...

• I have an understanding and loving husband.  Happy three years to us!
• Leila has a daddy that plays "shopping" with her, tackles her onto the couch, and thinks she is the most amazing girl in the world.
• to have a wonderful family, both here in San Diego and back in Chicago.
• for fall sunsets over the water.
• that Leila is such a happy and fun person to be around.
• to be pregnant with a healthy baby boy.
• for the stores that open before 10 am (like Michael's, Target, and Vons).
• I have the ability and desire to stay active and healthy during this pregnancy.
• that we are able to make our budget work while I stay at home.
• my mom and dad come to visit us multiple times a year. 
• for the friendships I have made in San Diego and for the ones I still have  after many years of living apart.
• that my grandmother is home from the hospital after a recent fall.
• to live to live near the beach, a dream I've had since childhood.
• I am able to laugh at myself, my mistakes, and learn from them.
• my 12 year old Toyota Corolla still runs like a champ.
• to be staying home for the holidays, where I can still wear flip flops and won't see any snow.
• for coffee...Keurig specifically.
• that we can buy the things we need and many of the things we want.
• to live just a block away from my sister.
• I am learning to let go of the little things, but not take the little things for granted.

 I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Come back here each week for my newest list and don't forget to check out Betsy's list each week too.  Warning...positive thinking is addicting!

Want to write your own list?  

Just grab the button, add it to your post, and come back to tell us about it.

Share some joy...

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{Mommy} Holiday Wish List 2012

According to Merriam Webster's online dictionary... 

Wish list (n.)  a list of desired but often realistically unobtainable items 

Just making that clear before I list a bunch of items I'd love to have on my 2012 holiday wish list.  This is for fun!  Maybe you'll even get a gift idea or two for a friend or family member.

Want to play along?  Leave me a list in the comment section or link up your blog post here.  I'd love to see what's on your list (as I'm sure we all have some difficult-to-shop-for people this holiday). 

Wish list {for moms} 

I think this parenting book is right up my alley.
I already agree with the title.

Summer Infant Baby Touch Digital Video Monitor
This will allow Leila the freedom to play in her room by herself and
it will come in handy when the new baby arrives.

I left my gorgeous fish quilt at the park one day (hello mom-brain!). This blanket by JJ Cole is not nearly as beautiful as my quilt, but it is waterproof and it folds up easily to fit in the stroller.

Wish list {for beauty queens}

This is the best smelling lotion EVER!  It is lightweight and perfect for everyday use.
I thought I got it as a gift in an extra large size one year and it seemed to last forever.  

My sister gave me this Mega Bright serum by Origins for my birthday and I loved it! Maybe it's the pregnancy glow, but I'd like to say it improved my skin tone.

Jeff got me this blush called Orgasm by Nars two years ago for Christmas. It's a perfectly universal color and I want more.

I own many perfumes and want to add the newest one by Marc Jacobs to my collection.

Wish list {for the fashionistas}

So...this Black Calypso Canvas Wedge by TOMS may not be the most fashionable wedge out there,
but remember I do stay at home and this is about as dress as I get these days.  I saw them on a mom in our play group and they was totally appropriate for daily wear.

Maybe I should have titled this section differently.
Maternity yoga pants from Gap and fashion just don't belong in the same sentence, huh?

Add captionAll of the Original Seatbeltbag cross-body styles by Harveys are on my wish list. This one in particular is eco-friendly and could even double as a diaper bag.

That rounds out my extremely ridiculous wish list for Christmas 2012.  I could go one for days telling you about things I love... jewelry, scarves, socks, bags, music, etc.  I personally think I am the easiest person to shop for.  I love everything!

What's on your wish list this year?  

Ever own any of the things on my current list?

Anything you would recommend based on my list?

I can't wait to start holiday shopping...even if it isn't for me, shopping for gifts is just as fun!

Better late than never {Halloween 2012}

Thanks to Leila, Halloween is fun again.  

It may have taken three Halloweens to get myself back into the crazy holiday, but our trick-or-treating experience was well worth the wait.

Flashback to Halloween 2010...She slept most of the day.

Baby-blob Leila- 1 month

Flashback to Halloween 2011...The pumpkins were a hit and she had her first taste of Halloween candy.

Ladybug Leila- 13 months

Halloween 2012...Fun!  Fun!  Fun! (Photos courtesy of Jordan at mphotographer.com)

Zebra Leila- 25 months

Okay!  Ready to fill those bags!

Soooo big going to the door all by themselves!

This Mickey Mouse magic wand was a hit

Slightly obsessed with all the Halloween decorations

Checking out the loot

Looking forward to all the holidays this year with my favorite two-year old!

Thanks kid. Halloween is fun again!

Halloween hasn't been my thing since, I don't know, about 1991.  Right around the start of high school, Halloween lost it's fun factor.  Maybe it was the fact that I was too old to go trick-or-treating without feeling like a creep.  Or maybe it was that I started caring how I looked in my costume, or more importantly, how I looked to other people.

Then came college Halloween.  The parties were fun, but the candy was missing.  The costumes got skimpier and more creative.  I just couldn't keep up. I didn't care about winning any costume contests so I drank, people watched, and called it a night.

After college the trend of skimpy or creative costumes continued.  I officially gave up.  I think I wore the same pink wig three years in a row for lack of a better idea.  

As a teacher, Halloween was a holiday that made me want to drink the second the calendar changed from September to October.  I embraced the chaos, played into with the hype, and prepared myself for a long month.  At the end of the day on October 31st, I would rip down all the Halloween decor in the classroom and pretend the kids weren't going to show up half asleep or high on sugar the next day.

Now, as a mom of a two-year old, Halloween is fun again.  I know I will be knee deep in holiday craziness for years to come, but for now I am enjoying the Halloween festivities.

On Halloween morning Leila couldn't have been happier to put on her costume. She squealed with delight and was equally pumped that I threw on my tried-and- true pink wig.

Thanks Leila.  Thanks for bringing the FUN back into Halloween!

  

Simple Toddler Craft {Fall Pumpkin}

This pumpkin craft couldn't get any easier.  It required no prep on my part, just a quick trip through the Target dollar bins and a few seconds gathering supplies.

The girls were occupied for about 25 minutes, which is hours in "toddler time".

Objectives:

1. Explore the flow of the white glue
2. Develop fine motor skills
3. Work independently

Supplies:

• I found the foam pumpkins at Target (10 for $1)
• Washable white glue
• Washable markers
• Bits 'n' pieces (sequins, pom-poms, foam shapes, ribbon squares)

I have a pretty big collection of what I call "bits 'n pieces",  because I am a teacher.  I found most of these items throughout the year in the Target dollar bins.  I store each type in a Ziplock bag and use shallow paint cups to distribute them as needed.  The sequins were the biggest hit.  What girl can resist some sparkle?!

Check out Leila's serious crafting face above.

The point of this project was the process, not the product.

The girls got to do each and every part themselves.  I stepped in when Charlie made a large glue puddle, and showed her how to make dots and thin lines instead.  When Leila was sticking her bits 'n pieces in places with no glue, I showed her that they didn't stick there.  Other than that they were completely independent!

I am a big fan of child-directed projects like this.  Check out my Toddler Art Ideas page for more crafty ideas to do throughout the year.



We'll be doing more simple toddler-appropriate crafts in the coming weeks...I did get 10 foam pumpkins!  I would love your suggestions on what to do with the rest of the pumpkins.

I get it now

I hate to admit it, but when I was simply just a daughter and not yet a mother, Mother's Day was just another day.

Yes, it was a day to celebrate mothers everywhere, especially mine, but not a day that I could really understand.

I get it now. I recently realized that Mother's Day is more important to me than celebrating my own birthday. (My birthday has always been an excuse for a week-long celebration!)

My feelings toward my own mother have changed since becoming a mother myself. It is overwhelming to realize how much she loves me. I am forever grateful for everything she has done (and still does!) for me.

My wish on this Mother's Day is for Leila to feel the love that I feel...forever.

Leila and Grandma, January 2012

Leila and Baba, July 2011
Leila and Grandee, September 2010

Leila and I are so lucky to have such wonder mothers in our lives!

Happy Mother's Day!

Toddler art {Mother's Day gift}

This project couldn't be easier, cheaper, or more adorable...and BONUS!...it fits right inside the cards Leila got for her Grandmas and her Great-Baba.

Materials:
paint
paper
paintbrush
craft stick
green pipe cleaner
Sharpie or other kind of marker
white glue
stickers (optional)

1. Paint your child's hand and carefully press it onto the paper. Let it dry before you cut around the outline of the handprint.
2. Paint the craft stick green to look like a stem.  I used a sponge-like paint brush but fingers, Q-tips, or a regular paint brush will do the trick.  Set it aside to dry.
3. Put glue on the back of the handprint flower and position it onto the painted craft stick.  I wanted mine were short enough to fit nicely into the card/envelope I was mailing.  Lay the flower flat to dry.
4. Make a small loop on one end of the pipe cleaner to look like a leaf and secure it to itself.  Wrap the long end of the pipe cleaner around the painted craft stick, make a loop for another leaf and tuck the remaining part of the pipe cleaner into itself.  (You can also use paper to make leaves. Melissa suggested making green footprints for leaves!)
5. Add the year, a message, and stickers if you'd like.
   

Happy Mother's Day!

Easter Faves

Be-dazzled bunny

Grandma and Leila

Hunting for eggs

Toddler art {Mixing paint}

It's getting messy in here.

Two weeks after making play-dough (a decently clean activity) I took the plunge and brought out the paints.

Stripped down to her diaper I let her "loose" with red and white paint, two paint brushes, and thick white paper.


I painted her hand and showed her how to press it on the paper. That was her favorite part!

Paint ended up in her hair, mouth, and on the floor. There is still some paint on the bookcase. Not surprised? Me either. I'm sure there is paint on the window too.

I ended up tracing hearts on the back of the dried masterpieces. Our first homemade Valentine cards were a hit. xoxox

Bonus: The mess didn't kill me!

What messy things do you let your toddlers do? Did your mom let you get messy?

I always feel like somebody's watching us.

The paparazzi must have been waiting for us.


If it were the real paparazzi sneaking photos of us to post in the tabloids, the caption would surely mention our age, weight, and a dig to our favorite sports team. So glad I am not famous. No one talks smack about the Bears.

After-Christmas Cheer

Christmas might be over, but we are celebrating the weather here in San Diego! Tourists have invaded our town and everyone seems to be in a good mood.

This week we've been buzzing around enjoying the outdoors. We walked to the end of the pier to see the Christmas tree before they took it down. Leila was very interested in all the fishermen and listening to the waves crashing.

That same day I decided I was over Christmas. I took down all the ornaments and packed them up while Jeff micro-managed my work. I'm ready for our space back. This apartment is too tiny for our family of three, a cat, a Christmas mess, and a tree.

Well, today is Thursday and our tree is still up and the lights are on. I guess Jeff wasn't on board with killing the after-Christmas spirit so soon. This is the beauty I've been looking at for the past two days.

Now instead of having a Christmas tree we just have a very large lighted houseplant that clearly looked better with ornaments.