Introducing Our Youngest Artist

     Tonight is windy and cold and we've retreated back into the house (is winter winding down yet?), so what did we do to entertain Froggie while Big Brother was napping? Break out a brand new box of crayons and see what she would do with them! She just moved them around her tray for a little bit until I drew on her paper, then she colored away. She did pretty well and didn't start putting the crayons in her mouth until she had exhausted her attention with it.

Coloring

Investigating the crayon

back to coloring

No More Cabin Fever!

     With the SUPER COLD weather and snow that we've had (not anything we aren't used to, but an annoyance none the less) we haven't left the house much. Froggie doesn't have snow pants (and we can't find Big Brother's old ones) so we don't go out to play in the snow much which means that we spend A LOT of time in the house.
     I think at this point we have all started to experience a little cabin fever. We leave for school every day but then once we come home re rarely leave the house. Big Brother gets pretty rambunctious since there isn't a lot of "run around space" where he isn't running over Froggie, a dog, or me.
     Today we went to tumbling like normal but decided to get out of the house in the afternoon as well. However, Big Brother decided he didn't want to go with us. He normally doesn't get a choice but my mom said he could stay with her. So Hubby, Froggie and I headed to the mall, a place we typically don't go to unless we need something so it was kind of a strange trip all around.

Testing out the set up for tumbling

Playing with Froggie before tumbling started

Hula Hoop

Hula Hoop!

     Our first stop was the craft store where we picked up some yarn for some new projects, some St. Patrick's Day craft materials and Hubby even picked out a pretzel baking kit. Then we walked around to a few other stores and picked up some small stuff (including some much needed coffee) before heading into the book store. They didn't have the book that Hubby was looking for but we got Big Brother an AWESOME dry erase work book, and we started heading back for our car.

Mmmm Oatmeal cookie from Starbucks!

     Froggie got antsy in the stroller asked to get down so we let her out and she walked a pretty long stretch of the mall holding hands with either Hubby or I. 

Walking at the mall

     When we got home we had pizza and gave Big Brother his new book, which he started using right away and did REALLY well with. He's a lefty so Hubby and I have some issues teaching him since we're both right handed. While he worked in his book Hubby and I made some pretty delicious pretzels! They turned out a lot better than I thought they would. Overall it was a nice change to sitting inside, but now I have some yarn to use up!

Big Brother testing out his new book.

pretzels before

pretzels after

DIY 1st Birthday Props

     For whatever reason I haven't done as much of my own photography lately. The biggest reason being that there really is no good light source in the house and it is just TOO cold to go out with the kids. I have gone back and forth about whether I want to go into a studio for Froggie's 1 year old pictures. When Big Brother turned 1 we took him to get a birthday portrait done and I hated it and ended up doing my own session with him. I took a few pictures of Froggie the other day so that I could set up her invitations but they weren't what I was looking for as 1 year old pictures either. So Hubby watched the sleepy munchkins and I went to Walmart to get a few things (and a new fire extinguisher since Big Brother accidentally set ours off!) so that I could make some props.
     Here's a little of what I came up with.

balloons, chalkboard, streamers 

and a cupcake

Mmmm

Happy little Princess

     And what do you do with a bunch of balloons when you're done with them? Put them in your Pack n Play and let your 3 year old and almost 1 year old play in them! 

They had a blast

It took a lot to get them out of here!

New Hobby

     When I was pregnant with Froggie I started teaching myself to crochet. I had set it aside for awhile in the hustle and bustle of having a new baby and adjusting to being a parent of 2 with exception of a pair of leggings I had worked on when Froggie was still in her harness (you can read about those here).
     I recently picked the hobby back up and have been working daily on one project or another. I finally finished a new blanket for Froggie (because I wasn't happy with the one I made while I was a beginner) and made Big Brother a hat for his birthday. I have also made a few heart appliqués, two different types of crowns, and a cute little Valentines Day hat for Froggie.

Froggie's new blankie

Valentine's hat

Crown for little girls; pattern found here.

Crown for little boys; pattern found here.

     I picked up an awesome book of projects that can be completed with a single skein of yarn and I plan on working up a bunch of the projects in it. The Valentine's Day hat was actually modified a little from a pattern in the book.

Awesome new book

   Froggie has taken to my new hobby as well and seems very interested in my supplies.

Froggie approves of my new hobby