Showing posts with label pets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pets. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Covering The Cat Hole and Various Snowy Day Activities

What to do on yet another snowy day? You make the best of it!

Well...we had a productive day for sure today!  strangely, there was a cat theme woven through a couple of today's happenings.




Frida

I had some assistance in creating a kitty curtain to cover the "cat hole" in our basement playroom (it leads into the laundry room- and there is no heat in the basement- so the cat hole was creating quite a draft.


I'd like to thank my little pin sticker for all of her hard work....


and my little mechanical engineer-


cutter-

technical assistant as well!




after this project there was some pony riding


as well as some chimney sweeping/curling?


and while the above activities were happening- I was finishing up my little $2 garage sale find-

Before
After

So much better don't you think?

During nap time Z and I ventured into the tundra for some sliding, shoveling, and snow munching.


(yes- that is all that's left of the kids cozy coupe car peeking out of the insane snow)


our poor gutters!

We ended our day by painting yesterday's cat-project (we used scrunched up newspaper for the base with masking tape, and paper mache over top, with art paste)

This paste is magical- I used to use it when I was an art teacher all the time- you can find it at local art stores and on line!

Then my little artists went to town, Zella did the mommy cat


and Mosie did the baby



Z is bringing her creation to school tomorrow for show-and-tell:)

Monday, October 18, 2010

If I were an animal...

I would be a cat- more specifically, my cat!

This is an opening exercise I like to use to start up groups at the hospital: 
"If you were an animal- what would you be and why?"
My typical response is actually a flying squirl. The reason for that seemingly odd response is that I love trees- I really love to climb trees (although that doesn't happen much anymore), and I love being outside, and I would love to live in a cozy little nest.

With the recent fall weather- I've been longing to trade places with my dear kitty Frida- just for one day couldn't she be the Mommy and I could do this all day?????


Why, you may ask am I feeling this way....here's one great example:

I was emptying my bladder for the first time all day at 12:23 pm, while the children were eating lunch when I heard a loud "BANG!"- "what was that noise?" I asked- Zella responded "it was Mosie making a mess Momma!".  I go into  the kitchen to find this-



It was a hummus explosion- literally.  all over the walls, all over the curtains, table, chair, him.  UGGGGHHHH. I do so love being a mom- but some days, are tough!


On a another note, I had mentioned in a previous post that I had 3 projects to tackle this month- the update is that 2 are done, and I have 1 to go (Zella's costume).


Project #1: Mei Tai style baby carrier


My good friend/neighbor Claire is having a baby soon!  Very exciting!  So, for their shower gift I made them a Mei Tai style baby carrier.  For those of you who don't know- D and I are baby wearing enthusiasts.  Not only do I believe its good for a baby to be as close as possible to their parent for building a sense of security and a strong sense of attachment from birth, I believe its soooo much easier for the parent.  Both of our babies were strapped to us from birth, be it in the sling (birth to 5 months or so), the Mei Tai (4 months-1 year or so), or the Ergo (which I still use for both children now on my back).  I can honestly say that my carriers were the most used baby items to received/purchased hands down.  I cannot imagine my life as a mother without them!  and- as D is VERY quick to point out- we have successfully avoided the dreaded "flat headed baby syndrome":)

Here are a couple pictures of the carrier I made them- I modeled it after the Mei Tai that we bought when Z was born.  It has a comfy padded waist band with a large adjustable clip in back, and I added a big pocket on the front.  It's reversible and can be worn on both the front and the back.
You may recognize the fabric- It's Anna's Drawing Room Sketchbook Ivory (also the curtain fabric in Zella's room)



Another thing I added to the gift was one of these fabulous blankets- I LOVE them- although I didn't discover then until Mosie was around 6 months or so- but I highly recommend them!




Project #2: Painting

This weekend we were away (thanks you auntie Emy!!!) for our dear friends Alexa and Alex's wedding.  It was a beautiful event! They are so in love, and I was honored to be their guest! The wedding took place at this lovely lodge in Stowe Vermont.  The lodge was surrounded by gorgeous mountains- which were even topped with snow.  I did not take very many pics (left that to the professionals)- but I had to take a pictures of a couple things that were super inspiring.



These insane trees were all over the place- built into both the interior and exterior architecture of the building. They are dried out and stripped of their bark- possibly polyurethaned from what I could guess. I am convinced that we will figure out how to hook one of these suckers up in our basement playroom- how fabulous would this be for Mosie and ZZ to climb on all winter????

A very special touch were these great hand carved letters that Alex's dad made for them.  They sat on the table where the place cards were.



and last, but not least- I made a painting that was displayed as guest enteredd the living room for the ceremony.  To me- this painting represented all the things I know Alexa to love- trees, fall, Vermont, nature, and Alex of course!



I only wish I had a picture of the INSANELY delicious fall spice- gluten free cupcakes with buttercream frosting- they were unreal!