Posted in About me, Kids, Parenting, Uncategorized, tagged back door shoes, children's shoes, children's shoes shoes at back door, image of children's shoes, Marilyn Monroe quote, quote about shoes, the right shoes, what about this blog on September 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »
“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.”
Marilyn Monroe
Small shoes sit by my back door waiting for their next adventure. Sorry, no time to write to a blog post today, Charlotte and I are out conquering the world.
Check back with What About This? on Friday!
Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Gift Ideas, In The Kitchen, Kids, Parenting, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged activities for kids, bubble making, bubble solution, bubble wands, bubbles, DIY bubble solution, DIY bubble wands, fun with kids, homemade bubble solution, Homemade bubble wands, making bubbles on September 1, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Yipee! Charlotte’s coming over and we’re going to have some bubble fun. I’ve got everything all set: homemade bubble solution that creates super-duper large bubbles, homemade bubble-making devices, and some gadgets from my kitchen with which to experiment. Who do you think is going to have more fun playing with bubbles, little Charlotte or me?
Basic Bubble Solution
Recipe from the Unbelievable Bubble Book by John Cassidy
INGREDIENTS
Bubble Solution
1 clean container/pail
1 cup Joy or Dawn dish detergent (no substitutions)
3 to 4 tablespoons glycerin (can be purchased at a drugstore)
10 cups clean, cold water (up to 50% more on dry days)
DIRECTIONS
1. Measure 10 cups of water into the pail.
2. Add 1 cup Joy or Dawn dish soap.
3. Add glycerin. In most atmospheres, it makes the bubbles more durable by reducing evaporation.
4. Stir, but not too much. You don’t want froth on the top because it tends to break the bubbles. If you get any, skim it off with your hand.
5. Gather or make any wand materials.
6. Pour bubble solution into non-breakable shallow containers such as pie pans, baking pans, dish pans, depending on the size of your bubble wands.
7. Select a wand, dip it in solution, and let excess solution drip off.
Possible Bubble Wands
1. Straws and String: thread a string through two straws and tie a knot at the ends. Move the knot until it is hidden inside one of the straws.
2. Water Bottle and Sock: cut the bottom of the bottle off. Place a sock over the cut edge and secure with a rubber band.
3. Assorted Cans: cut the tops and bottoms cut off. Make sure there are no sharp edges. If there are, you can either tape the edges with duct tape or file/sand them off.
3. 2-liter Soda Bottles: cut bottom cut off and tape bottom edge if there are any sharp jagged edges.
4. Wire Coat Hangers: bend them and form them into different shapes. I bent the handle up at a 90 degree angle to make it easier to dip.
5. Pipe Cleaners: bend them into different shapes. These are a little messy to use, since the fibers pickup a lot of excess solution.
6. Kitchen Colanders and Sieves
7. Strawberry Baskets
8. Hula Hoop: for BIG-time fun, fill a wading pool with an inch or two of solution and use a hula hoop as a wand. An alternative to this is to have the child carefully step into the pool in the middle of the hula hoop. Very slowly lift the hula hoop up from the solution, until the child is in the middle of the bubble.
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. Safety first: bubble activities should always be supervised. Bubble solution is slick and slippery. If any bubble solution gets on the floor, make sure that it does not become a slipping hazard.
2. Make sure that any solution is rinsed off of children’s hands before they touch their face, particularly their eyes.
3. Check for any sharp edges on any homemade wands or kitchen gadgets.
4. The sky’s the limit when it comes to bubble fun. Use your imagination.
Have fun!
Posted in About me, Aging, Creativity, Entertainment, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged aging, body image, building blocks, C. JoyBell C. quote, changing your body, child's play, close-up photography, inner child, Legos, Life-size Legos, losing inner child, quote about children, Theme from Shaft, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, ukuleles on August 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Playfully, I stick a hair curler in my granddaughter’s hair. Charlotte innocently strikes a quick girly-girl pose for me and then pulls the curler out of her hair and goes about her busy job of playing. Watching her play, I marvel at the curiosity that babies have and at the wonder and excitement that they exude over the simplest of things. This observation makes me ponder, “What happens to these qualities as we age?”
#1 – Just One Question
“If you could change one thing about your body what would it be?” Responses to that question were captured in this short video and they reveal how many of us become more self-conscious as we age. If you were asked this question, what would your answer be?
#2 – Never Too Old for Blocks
When my children were young, they would spend endless hours playing with Lego building blocks. Piles of these small blocks would be strewn all over the floor and my children would create imaginative worlds of their own. Now, thanks to Arnon Rosan, adults can still “play” with interlocking blocks. EverBlocks, life-size blocks similar to Legos, can be used to build furniture, room dividers, modular buildings, and even emergency shelters. These blocks prove that you are never too old to play with blocks and, like when you were a child, you are only limited by your imagination.
#3 – Too Close
No matter how often I vacuum my carpet, Charlotte always finds a tiny particle of debris on it. Babies have keen eyes, but not as keen as artist Pyanek’s camera lens. For his project Amazing Worlds Within Our World, he photographed everyday items extremely close-up. You’ll never look at a sponge the same way again.
#4 – Ukes of Great Btitain
Every night, before Charlotte’s parents pick her up, my husband plays the ukulele and we have a little sing-a-long with her. She laughs, dances, and “sings” to her favorite songs. There’s no doubt about it, the ukulele is a fun and happy-sounding instrument. Enjoy this humorous rendition of the Theme from Shaft, as performed by the talented Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.
#5 – Respect the Child
“We not only need to have a deep respect for children; but also a deep respect for the child in everyone.”
C. JoyBell C.
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged babies growing up too fast, babies learning to walk, bag lunch recipes, caring for a grandchild, coloring pages for adults, Connie Schultz quote, free coloring pages, glass art, glass artists, how to complain less, mason jars, quote about joy, salad recipes, salads in a jar, stop complaining on August 14, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Resembling a drunk, my granddaughter Charlotte teeters back and forth on unsteady legs as she walks towards me. Deciding to carry the largest and heaviest toy in the room, she makes frequent balance adjustments as she plows her way through a minefield of toys on the floor. I smile at the scrunched-up-nose grin on her face; that happy grin appears during moments when she is most proud of herself. “Slow down little one,” I say to her, not wanting her to fall, but, in a grander sense, not wanting her to grow up too fast. Although she’s not quite a year old, it’s hard for me to remember what life was like before this precious bundle of joy blessed it.
#1 – Stop Complaining!
Some days I watch Charlotte for 15 hours straight, but I’m not complaining. I consider myself lucky that I’m physically able to do it and that my son and daughter-in-law trust me enough to care for their child. The act of complaining zaps the joy out of life, so stop complaining or at least do it less frequently. Read What It’s Like To Go Without Complaining For a Month and learn a few tips on how to complain less.
#2 – Coloring Stress Away
Back in the “good ol’ days” before the invention of televisions, computers, and cell phones, kids would entertain themselves by coloring in their favorite coloring books. Remember the happy feeling you had after buying a new box of crayons and a new coloring book? Regain that happy and carefree feeling of being lost in art as you color away your day’s stress. Check out The Country Chic Cottage’s list of free coloring pages. Coloring is not just for kids!
#3 – Salads in a Jar
Vacations are over. It’s back to school or back to work we go. And that usually means back to routines. Break the monotony of bag lunches by taking out unappetizing sandwiches and substituting tantalizing salads. Better yet, make the salads ahead of time in a jar and the next morning grab a jar and go. These 20 Mason Jar Salads to Pack for Lunch will give you a few recipe ideas for next week.
#4 – Admiring Glass
One would think that glass is a cold and lifeless medium, but not in the hands of these 30 Most Amazing Glass Artists Alive Today. In their hands molten glass solidifies to become expressions of emotions and beauty. Ikuta Niyoko, one of the artists featured in the article, says this of her work, “My motifs are derived from feelings of gentleness and harshness, fear, limitless expansion experienced through contact with nature, images from music, ethnic conflict, the heart affected by joy and anger, and prayer.”
#5 – Be Surprised
“We get a limited number of milestones in life, but we never run out of opportunities to be surprised by joy.”
Connie Schultz
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged BBC Planet Earth, decomposition of garbage in water, DIY water wall, how long until it's gone, importance of water, planet Earth, Plastic Free July, quote about water, repurposing plastic bottles, single-use plastic, swim gear for babies, video of Earth, W.H Auden quote, water activity for kids, water on Earth on July 3, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Baby Charlotte is going swimming. Fun in the sun and water involves planning and responsibility. Gone are the days when we could just grab a towel and go. Experience provides us with the “why and when” and technology provides us with the “what and how.” Swimsuit? Check. Hat? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Rash guard? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Reusable swim diaper? Absolutely! Enjoy cooling off at the pool, lake, river, or ocean, but be responsible for yourself and the Earth.
#1 – How Long Until It’s Gone?
The pollution of our precious water goes on and on. Take a look at the infographic (click on the image above to enlarge it to a readable size) and see how long it takes certain objects to decompose in water. The lifespan of some of the items may shock you. The next time you take a cruise or relax at a beach or on a boat, please think twice about leaving garbage in the water.
#2 – Water Wall
During the drought here in California, it’s hard to condone any of the usual ways that kids play with water to cool off in the summer. Building a water wall is a clever way that allows children to play with water, while recycling it.
#3 – Plastic Free July
I have a friend who reuses plastic takeout boxes. She carries them in her car for when the need arises. When she dines out, she just carries one in a bag into the restaurant. What a brilliant way to cut down on plastic garbage and help planet Earth. It’s the collective impact of all the little things we do that counts. On that note, can you rise to the challenge of refusing to use a single-use plastic item during the month of July? The website for the movement Plastic Free July states that its goal is “to raise awareness of the amount of single-use disposable plastic in our lives and challenges people to do something about it. You can sign up for a day, a week or the whole month and try to refuse ALL single-use plastic or try the TOP 4: plastic bags, water bottles, takeaway coffee cups and straws.”
#4 – Earth, the Water Planet
Watching this brief video will make you feel gratitude and respect for the gift of water on our beautiful planet.
#5 – Without Love and Water
“Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.”
W. H. Auden
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in Holidays, In The Kitchen, Kids, Parenting, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged berry recipes, fourth of July treats, frozen fruit bars, frozen fruit treats, frozen treats, fruit and yogurt, fruit and yogurt pops, homemade popsicles, ice pops, popsicle molds, relief for teething babies, strawberry and blueberry frozen treats, strawberry recipes, summer dessert, summer treats on June 30, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Sweet ripe berries of summer combine with wholesome yogurt to create swirling frozen treats. These ice pops will refresh you even on the hottest days of summer. They’re pretty good at soothing the mouths of teething baby granddaughters too!*
Firecracker Ice Pops
Martha Stewart
INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered (1½ cups)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 pound blueberries (1½ cups)
1¼ cups low-fat plain yogurt
DIRECTIONS
1. In a food processor, purée strawberries with 1 tablespoon sugar. Transfer to a small bowl.
2. In processor, purée blueberries with 1 tablespoon sugar.
3. In another small bowl, whisk together yogurt and 2 tablespoons sugar.
4. Pour the 3 mixtures, alternating, into ten 3-ounce ice-pop molds, making 3 to 5 layers in each.
5. With a skewer or thin-bladed knife, swirl mixtures together in an up-and-down motion.
6. Insert ice-pop sticks and freeze until solid, 2½ to 3 hours (or up to 1 week).
Cook’s Notes: for tropical pops, use 4 kiwis and 1 large mango (about 1/2 pound each) instead of the berries.
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. Taste your fruit before adding any sugar. There’s no reason to add extra sugar, if the fruit is already sweet.
2. I used nonfat plain yogurt, because that is what I had on hand. The pops turned out fine without the additional fat.
3. My ice pop molds are smaller, so I was able to get a dozen pops from one batch of recipe.
4. *These pops are great for teething babies, providing that your baby is able to eat dairy products.
Enjoy!
Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged Charlotte, child's play for adults, disposing old toys, grandparenting, images of children playing, joys of grandparenting, kids' play around the world, Lois, Lois Wyse quotes, new life for old toys, Photography, poem about raising children, quote about grandchildren, raising children, upcycling toys, ways to be childlike on May 22, 2015| 2 Comments »
Even though she can’t walk yet, my granddaughter Charlotte loves to play fetch with me. You know the game – baby throws objects from the high chair and you fetch them. After bending over for the umpteenth time, I looked up to see Charlotte grinning at me with a bit of cracker stuck between her eyes. In that moment, as I watched her search her tray for the missing piece of cracker, I realized more than ever that I want to live to be a ripe old age. Then Charlotte and I can share as many silly moments together as possible.
#1 – If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again
Whether you’re raising young children now or have grown-up children, you might relate to the sentiment expressed in this poem by Diana Loomans: 
#2 – Child’s Play For Adults
Why should kids have all the fun? Read 33 Ways to Be Childlike Today and select a few things from the list to do. Reread one of your favorite childhood books, jump rope, be creative, sit cross-legged, or make a spontaneous playdate with friends. Sound like fun?
#3 – New Life For Toys
The author of 21 Ideas for Upcycling Kid’s Toys places the blame for massive toy accumulation on grandparents. Hardly a true statement, but toy accumulation can be a problem in many households. The article presents clever ways to transform toys into objects with new uses. If upcycling doesn’t appeal to you, check out Eco-Friendly Disposal of Kids’ Toys and Electronics for helpful suggestions.
#4 – Kids’ Play Around the Globe
The magic of child’s play is captured in the collection of 30 Amazing Photos of Kids Playing Around the Globe.
#5 – Connecting the Dots
“Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation.”
Lois Wyse
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Aging, Art and Crafts, Creativity, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Photography, Recipes, Style and fashion, Uncategorized, tagged 1990s party ideas, being a grandparent, change, digitized children's art, enhancing children's art, Grandchildren better than kids, Leo Tolstoy quote, quote aboute changing, Telmo Pieper, The more things change the more they stay the same, things that get better with age, things that improve with age, throwing a 90s party on April 17, 2015| 1 Comment »
Looking at a selfie of my granddaughter and me, I experienced a déjà vu moment. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what the selfie reminded me of, until yesterday. Yesterday was my birthday. When I checked my Facebook page, an image of me and my daughter appeared on the computer screen. The image showed a much younger me, sporting a short hairstyle, carrying my infant daughter. The hairstyle in the photo is almost identical to the haircut I just got a few weeks ago. Other than carrying different babies in my arms, having a few more lines around my eyes, and showing a more generous sprinkling of freckles now, the two moments, 25 years apart, illustrate the proverb, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
#1 – Reincarnated Art
Artist Telmo Pieper, from the Netherlands, took drawings he made when he was 4-years-old and reincarnated them with the help of digital effects. Check out the transformations of his art here.
#2 – Reliving The ’90s
If the ’90s was your favorite decade, you might enjoy reliving it by throwing a party. Here are 29 Essentials For Throwing A Totally Awesome ’90s Party.
#3 – Children Versus Grandchildren
Before my granddaughter was born, numerous friends and family members told me that being a grandparent was better than being a parent. Could that possibly be true? The article Are Grandchildren Better Than Kids? attempts to answer that question. If you are a grandparent, let me know what you think.
#4 – Things That Get Better With Age
Amazingly some things actually improve with age. Would you like to know what these possibly could be? Check out this list from Prevention on 50 Things That Get Better With Age.
#5 – Changing
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
Leo Tolstoy
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Kids, Recipes, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged Amit Ray quote, children with cancer, codes on egg cartons, DIY Easter crafts, Easter decorations, how to read egg cartons, how to select the freshest eggs, inspirational quote, Keaton Raphael Memorial, land art, Recycling, recycling anything, remembrance boxes, where to recycle, Woodcrafters on March 27, 2015| Leave a Comment »
The woodworker stood back and looked at his project. While pouring his heart into the design and construction of it, his mind focused on only one thing – the purpose of it. At a recent meeting of local woodcrafters, a plea had been made for boxes. Keaton Raphael Memorial, a nonprofit organization that assists families with children with cancer, was in dire need of woodworkers to help make Remembrance Boxes. When a child being helped by Keaton Raphael Memorial passes away and becomes a special KRM angel, the organization gives the family a wooden box containing bereavement reading materials and oftentimes a grant to help with funeral expenses. The woodworker rose to the challenge and his expertly-crafted work reflects the beauty of fallen leaves, signifying, in my opinion, the short, but significant lives of young souls.
#1 – Land Art
Nature doesn’t need any embellishments. However, when man works with natural components, interesting art can result. You will be impressed by the scale of some of the projects in 21 Unforgettable Examples of Land Art.
#2 – Got Stuff?
With children moving hither and yon, I am left with a garage full of “stuff.” All of it is useful – to somebody. Rather than toss everything into the garbage, I’d rather find new homes or new uses for them. If you are in the same situation of having stuff and not wanting to add to our landfills, go to earth911. Type in what you would like to recycle, add your zipcode, and a listing of local recycling centers should appear.
#3 – Easter Decorations
While scrolling through the ideas in 80 Fabulous Easter Decorations You Can Make Yourself, I went into creative overload. There are so many cute and clever ideas in it, I don’t which project to start first!
#4 – Fresh Eggs
With Easter right around the corner, you’ll want to make sure you buy the freshest eggs possible. In How to Buy the Freshest Eggs Possible, learn how to read the Julian date on an egg carton. And here’s a tip from me: when selecting a carton of eggs in the grocery store, just don’t open the carton and look at the eggs. Always wiggle each egg. If an egg doesn’t move, there’s a good chance that its shell is cracked, causing it to stick to the carton.
#5 – In Every Falling Leaf
“In every change, in every falling leaf there is some pain, some beauty. And that’s the way new leaves grow.”
Amit Ray
Note: The beautiful Remembrance Box in the photo was made by Mr. Jim Hunt
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gardening, Holidays, inspiration, Kids, Photography, Recycling, tagged "smize", downtime thoughts, Easter crafts, flowers that survive, photographing children, photographing kids, plants that don't give up, smile quote, smiling through your eyes, Thich Naht Hanh quotes, thoughts while showering, tips on photographing children, Tyra Banks, upcycling, upcycling egg cartons on March 6, 2015| 3 Comments »
Model Tyra Banks coined the word “smize.” According to one of her websites, the word means: a fierce, sizzling eye expression, typically with the eyes squinting with maximum focus and intensity; the art of smiling with one’s eyes. So what’s a girl to do when she has a camera-toting grandmother? Why, she poses, of course! As I propped up six-month-old Charlotte on a chair for a 30-second photo shoot, she “smized” into the camera. I told her, “Tyra Banks would be so proud of you!” Life flies by and babies grow up fast. Don’t forget to smile through your eyes and take photos of your journey!
#1 – Photographing Kids
Photographing kids takes skill and a little bit of luck. For those of you who take photos of your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews read professional photographer Brett Harkness’s 13 Tips For Better Pictures of Babies, Toddlers and Teenagers.
#2 – Easter Crafts
Easter is a month away. As you think ahead to dying Easter eggs, also think ahead to what you will do with the empty egg cartons. Discard them? Never! Here are a few cute ideas for upcycling those cartons.
#3 – Those Downtime Thoughts
Some of my best blog ideas come to me while I blow-dry my hair. It’s a mindless task, so my mind wanders freely. Bizarrely Odd Shower Thoughts is a compilation of those types of wandering thoughts. Where do you do your best and most creative thinking?
#4 – Flowers, Flowers Everywhere
Daffodils in full-bloom sprinkle the slope of my front yard with cheerful color and Daphne blossoms near my front door provide a heavenly fragrance to those who come visit. Plants bring so much joy to our world, especially those that manage to thrive in unusual conditions. Check out Life Finds A Way: 25 Plants That Just Won’t Give Up.
#5 – Smile
“Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
Now go and spread joy!
What about this? 