Last week I ordered a couple of cool freebies. A poster map of the world, and a poster of marine life, offered free from various branches of the Canadian government (Your tax dollars at work). They both showed up in yesterday's mail. I was a little disappointed in the world map. (Brought to you by Canadian Geographic and the Canadian International Development … [Read more...]
Something to Show For My Time, or Keeping my Sanity Through Art
Back before my first pregnancy I was a fairly busy lady. I was running my own small business selling vintage toys online. I sold vintage toys and kids books on eBay and via a website I had made from scratch in html. I also occasionally sold art made from destroyed vintage kids books. I was going to University part time, finishing up my honours degree in … [Read more...]
M is for.. Make Believe
Make Believe My eldest daughter, Rainbow, has imagination in spades. Her constant sense of wonder is a constant source of joy for me. "Make-believe colors the past with innocent distortion, and it swirls ahead of us in a thousand ways-in science, in politics, in every bold intention. It is part of our collective lives, entwining our past and … [Read more...]
Bedtime Conversations in the Land of Oz…
As I mentioned before I’ve been reading the Oz books to my three year old. Each night at bedtime Rainbow and I read a chapter. Right now we're reading book five, Road to Oz. Some interesting conversations have come about from these bedtime reads… In the second book in the series, The Land of Oz, there is an uprising and General Jinjur removes the Scarecrow from the … [Read more...]
T.V. at Our House…
Five years ago when we moved from our apartment into this, our first house, we gave up satellite T.V. We had made a pretty tight budget. Plus there were all of those stupid moving expenses, like turning on the hydro and all that. At first we intended to get "TV" again down the road. It kept getting put off, and I eventually found that I didn't even miss it. It's now been … [Read more...]
Zupers ~ Strong Leggings for Strong Girls {Review}
A while back I won a pair Zupers Leggings from a giveaway hosted on Natural Baby Goods. The idea behind Zupers is: functional leggings for active girls featuring removable knee pads, rip-resistant UV fabric and comfy fit. I let Rainbow pick out the style, and I was happy when she went with the plain chocolate brown ones. Though she currently takes a size 3T, I … [Read more...]
Picnic Time {Wordless Wednesday}
The other day we ended up going for a short hike and a picnic. We parked on McHugh, just east of the WFCU centre and took a pedestrian tunnel under the roadway. I think this area is called McHugh Park. It's part of the Little River Corridor and it's quite lovely for someplace within the city. Me, walking with Rainbow, and wearing Baby Girl in wrap. Rainbow … [Read more...]
Kitchen Helper, Surviving a Preschooler in the Kitchen
Rainbow wants so very badly to help me cook. I have a gate barring access to the kitchen. 90% of the time if I am cooking she is at the gate begging me to let her come in and help. I do let her help sometimes. I should probably let her help more often. I feel guilty, but everything takes ten times longer with her "helping". I usually don't start on dinner until after my … [Read more...]
Free Amber Alert Compliant Child I.D. Program Helps Keep Ontario Kids Safe
We took the kids this morning to get IDed at the MasoniCh I. P. program at our local mall. It's a free service sponsored by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Canada, working alongside regional and national law enforcement agencies. CH I. P. stands for Child Information Program, and basically it's set up to help you get all the information you would need if your child were … [Read more...]
Soft & Cuddly Blabla Doll from Giving Gifts
Last week I lucked out and won a Blabla doll from Giving Gifts. I let my Rainbow pick which one she wanted. Personally I would have went with this guy (Peeko), but she chose Lee Lee Plum. If I had any sense I would have picked out a Blabla doll and then tucked it away for a Christmas gift. As it was though, Rainbow had a blast picking out her doll and waiting for her to … [Read more...]
Rainbow’s Art – Never Quite Wordless Wednesday
Rainbow's skills in drawing have made a real improvement over the last little while. Here's two of my recent favs. I drew the outline for the requested Cat-O-Saurus, then she added spikes and whiskers. She also drew his many little cat brothers, and one big cat sister to ride on his back. I was pretty impressed. This is Rainbow and her little sister. She … [Read more...]
Bedtime Stories…
I began reading chapter books at bedtime a little after Rainbow's third birthday. We started with Winnie the Pooh. I wasn’t sure if she was old enough yet, or if it would keep her attention, but she LOVED it. The serial, cliff hanger nature, the I wonder what will happen next aspect, and the waiting to read the next chapter tomorrow, has her completely hooked. When she’s … [Read more...]
Out of the mouths of babes…
Things you do not want to hear from your preschooler: But I don't need to clean up, we can just step right over it! I'm just putting my tongue on all of the furniture. But I'm not licking, so it's OK. I've been thinking about putting a blanket on this chair and then climbing up on it. I put the stool on the chair so I can climb higher! (Yikes!) I wasn't hurting the baby... … [Read more...]
Formula Drama, or How to (Not) Poison a Baby
The other day a full-sized container of formula randomly turned up in my mailbox. I happened to open the package in front of the Rainbow. She had never seen formula before and was intrigued. She deduced it was “baby-stuff” from the packaging and asked if I was going to give some to her little sister. I explained to her in what I thought was a fairly rational tone that … [Read more...]
Fall Mom2Mom Sale {Essex County/Windsor: Local}
This Saturday is the annual Fall Mom2Mom sale. I want to write about this just in case anyone local reading this hasn’t been to one yet. The mom2mom sales ROCK. It’s the largest indoor garage sale in southwestern Ontario. It’s like over 100 different garage sales, all in one spot, and all with kids items. It is THE place to get kids clothing. 90% of what … [Read more...]