play Archives - and then they...

Homemade Playdough with Real Mom Vlogs

Posted by Carolyn on August 8, 2017 Leave a Comment

So, I’ve never made playdough before. I’m basically a stay at home mom of two girls who love any sort of sensory play more than anything else. How can I not have made playdough? Well, I haven’t, okay? UNTIL TODAY! Megan and I had plans to do a different crafty project with the kids, but it didn’t work out. Luckily, Megan had everything on hand to make playdough, so we did.

Here’s a recipe I found a few places online. One thing I love about this one is that it doesn’t need to cook or use hot water, so the kids can actually help mix it all up. Also, like I said, Megan had all these things in her kitchen already.

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup cold water – bonus if you use hose water like we did
1 Tbs oil (we used fractionated coconut oil)
A few drops of essential oils (we used Peace and Calming, and Peace and Calming II)

Directions are pretty easy.

Mix flour and salt.

Add water and oil.

Knead well. Add more flour or water if needed.

Mix and knead until it comes together and is smooth, like playdough.

Add some Essential Oils. We picked Peace and Calming II for half the batch, hoping it would turn everything orange, and Peace and Calming, hoping it would turn bluish/green.

As you can see, the colors in the oils didn’t really color the playdough, but the smell certainly came through! These two three-year-olds played nicely with this playdough for close to an hour.

I think I’ll do this again. It was easy, quick, and the kids really had fun playing with it.

Megan will ~~post a vlog~~ posted a vlog of the kids playing with the playdough if you want to see more about this whole thing! Here’s a behind-the-scenes photo of Megan making the vlog.

Ballet

Posted by Carolyn on May 21, 2015 Leave a Comment

There are some things we do in our lives that seem to define us. For me, ballet is one of those things. I danced from when I was three until high school, and a little in college. So much of who I am stems from my dancing. The way I walk, the way I move, the way I hear music, the way I stretch.

I was never particularly great, but I didn’t know that. To me, my dream of being a real ballerina was a possibility. A real possibility. I loved all of ballet, but I especially loved the leaps. I would do leap turns around and around the studio, trying to get higher, faster.

When we finally learned to do fouette turns, and I felt like I was finally a real ballerina. I could hop onto pointe, use my other leg to send me in turn after turn after turn.

My dance recitals are some of my favorite memories of childhood. I loved the preparation as our teacher would choreograph and teach us the moves. We would pour over the costume catalogs and memorize our music. Then we would practice. Those days were the best. We would do our barre work, then rush to practice.

Dress rehearsals and photographs meant the recital was almost there.

Then the day came.

We would go in the stage door of the Hult Center (like real ballerinas). We would go to the dressing rooms (like real ballerinas). We would go up to the wings and wait for our music to start (like real ballerinas).

Then, for a few minutes, with the stage lights shining, we were real ballerinas. The audience was watching us, counting our fouettes, cheering us on.

Those things, those experiences, made me who I am today.

Those things are helping make my children who they are today.

Last weekend was Alma’s first ballet recital. Those moments that I experienced over and over in my childhood were upon us in Alma’s young childhood. I was backstage with Alma and her group. I got to watch her experience those same things. She watched as the big girls got their hair done. She had a woman put her crown in her hair. She posed for the photographer. She was silly with her friends. She went into the wings. She watched the dancers. She saw magic happen before her eyes. She heard her music and went on stage. She heard the audience react to what she was doing. She was a ballerina.And the whole experience is making her into a person, a girl, a woman, a ballerina. And it’s changing who I am, too.

The things we are doing are defining who Alma will become. It’s magical.

(Alma is second from right, at least in the beginning… I told her to jump up and down if she forgot the steps…)

In Order to Go Forward, One Must Go Back

Posted by Carolyn on April 22, 2015 Leave a Comment

So, here we go. I was trying to think of something to write about and I remembered all my amazing writing I did in college. Then I jumped on into a college-era rabbit hole. I found some great poems and stories that I will share below. I also found some incredible photos. You will notice that early-2000s Carolyn really loved to dress up. Mid-2010s Carolyn might need to reinstate this form of entertainment.

So, first comes a charming poem about squirrels that was written after having drunk a bunch of the new Lemon Pepsi. I felt that the Lemon Pepsi made me much more creative. But, really, I was in a poetry class where everyone kept submitting horribly depressing poems, and I wanted to lighten the mood. But, the Lemon Pepsi thing is true, too.

If Only

If only I were a squirrel I would sleep on that ledge.
That one, with the little sprout that almost looks like
a miniature maple tree.
I would sleep in its shade and put berries in it for Christmas.
Every morning I would stretch my legs and climb
down the steep rock face to the lake beneath it.
I would use the cats tails to brush my teeth and
comb my fur.

All day I would hide in the cracks of the wall and
surprise all the rock climbers with a little nibble when
they put their chalky fingers in my little caves.
They would be so surprised to find a rodent in their
seemingly perfect handholds. Sometimes I might even
tickle their noses with my fluffy tail.
They would be so impressed with how soft it is.

At night I could lure all the female squirrels into my cave by
showing them my plethora of nuts. Then I could serve them
my homemade cocktails in my acorn shells.
They would be so in awe with my moss sofas they would want
to see my bed of chamomile blossoms in the back.

If only I were a squirrel.

Next is another Lemon Pepsi induced gem, also trying to add some humor to the entry level poetry class.

“Blender”

You sit on my counter shining
and refracting light.

You just love to catch sunlight
and spray it around the room.

Sometimes you make your blades sparkle
as if you were showing them off.

You always make sure all of your little
white buttons are standing erect.

You are so proud of your
crush, chop, grind and puree buttons.

Yeah, you do more than just blend.

Your idea of a good time is
to be given the chance to make a daiquiri or a margarita.

You always are ready to invite
the challenge of making an Oreo milkshake.

You get grumpy when I don’t
keep your cord tucked neatly behind you.

Now you even insist that I keep you next to
the chrome toaster so you can see your reflection.

You didn’t used to be this vane.

You used to want to stay in the cupboard
with the mixer and the cake pans.

You would be so meek and frightened
when I would try to make a fruit smoothie.

Instead of the fierce grinding you do now,
you would gently whirl everything together.

But that was all before the party.

Before I started filling your pitcher with
rum, vodka, triple sec and other liquor.

Once I got a little alcohol in you
you were completely unstoppable.

You loved to feel your powers.

You watched as I poured the cups
of your drinks for my eager friends.

The more they enjoyed your work,
the more you wanted to make it

Soon everyone was running around
dancing laughing and singing.

It occurred to you that it was all because of you.

You realized that you could make people
do whatever you wanted them to.

That’s when you decided to stay on the counter.

Next is my favorite. I actually read this at a poetry reading that our class put on. I hope you all can understand the amount of love I felt for Dave Matthews when I was in my early 20s. It was immense, but this poem was tongue-in-cheek, it’s not real, I don’t need anyone to report me. Besides, this was over a decade ago. And I obviously don’t have a daughter named Dave… anyway…

Not Yet a Stalker

On Saturday I drove by his house.
Twice.
Slowly.
I even stopped
to take pictures.
I didn’t get out of the car
or knock on the door
or leave a dozen Krispy Kremes on the porch.
But I did take pictures.
1812 N 49^th with his calico cat
sunning herself on the front porch.
Sometimes his beat up Subaru
with Virginia plates
has been spotted in the driveway.
It wasn’t there on Saturday.
I’m not a stalker, not really.
It’s just that my friend
who lives in Seattle
knows where he lives
and wanted me to see it.
Her friend has a friend
whose sister’s
friend said
she saw him at a coffee shop
down the street from his house.
I went there too.
I sat in every chair
so I could say I’d sat
where his talented butt had been.
It does worry me-
now I have the address.
Who knows what I will do with that
Precious Information.
Birthday cards for his twins,
flower deliveries every day,
requests for songs at his shows.
I could send him my drawings of him
or our secret family recipes.
But I’m not a stalker, not really.
I would do anything for him,
name my first born after him,
give him my first born.

So there you have it. I hope you enjoyed my foray at poetry. Needless to say, I don’t write many poems anymore. But it sure is fun to look back at my younger days. If you guys liked these poems, I might be enticed to share a couple short stories. I even took my not yet a stalker poem and turned it into a short story with Britney Spears as the subject, but it has more spicy language, and it might cause some of you to lose some respect for me.

Such is the life of an artist… or something.

Thanks for reading. *grins* bbl *waves* (as I would have said on AIM)

Joy

Posted by Carolyn on March 25, 2015 Leave a Comment

Above all else, I wish joy for my children.

I wish that they will always know the joy of playing with a rainbow scarf, barefoot, in a sunny lawn.

March Comes in Like a Lion

Posted by Carolyn on March 9, 2015 Leave a Comment

New “Art” – Pressed Flower Hearts

Posted by Carolyn on September 9, 2014 2 Comments

A few months ago, I bought some clear contact paper and asked Alma if she wanted to make some art. She did, and we crumpled up tissue paper and pressed it onto the contact paper. Now whenever she sees the contact paper, she says she wants to make art. Apparently, to her, ‘art’ is anything made with contact paper. We might need to work on broadening her definition.

But for this project, it was perfect!

On Hattie’s birthday, we went to visit our friend Marilyn, and her lovely garden. She sent us home with a beautiful bouquet.

We took the petals off the flowers as they started to fade, and made some ‘art.’

I taped the contact paper up on a window and let the girls put the petals on it. We found that throwing the petals at the contact paper was the best, and most fun, way to attach the petals.

Once we were done, I put another sheet of contact paper on it, sandwiching the petals.

I pressed it for a few days, then cut it into hearts.

Ta-da! ART!

Dinner

Posted by Carolyn on August 27, 2014 Leave a Comment

We got to go to dinner at my aunt Nancy’s house with Nancy, my other cousin Mallory, and her fiance, Mike.

Alma and Hattie had so much fun playing in Nancy’s pool, running on her ‘mountain’ with Mallory, and eating a yummy dinner.

I didn’t realize it, but Alma’s dress matching Nancy’s, and Hattie’s outfit matches Mallory’s. How cute!

I loved catching up with my sweet aunt and cousin. I am so lucky to have such a generous extended family.

First Stop – Huntington Beach

Posted by Carolyn on August 26, 2014 Leave a Comment

Our first stop on our California Adventure was Huntington Beach to visit with my cousins and aunt. We are so lucky that we have such fun, generous, funny, and wonderful family in such a beautiful town. We got in pretty late on Friday, and my cousin Michael, his wife Michelle, and their daughter Avalon had pizza and salad waiting for us. It was nice to have such a sweet welcome after our day of travel.

Alma got right to work playing in Avalon’s amazing playroom. I think she felt right at home, and Avalon did an amazing job sharing all her toys and helping Alma figure out how to use them. It was great to see the second-cousins getting along right away. They are almost exactly a year apart.

The next morning we went down to the pier to have smoothies and bagels. The kids got to run around in the grass, then we walked to the end of the pier. It was a cloudy, warm, humid day. There were lots of surfers to watch from the pier.

Before we went to California, we had grand plans of going to Disneyland and the San Diego Zoo and a baseball game. We ended up just hanging around and playing and it was amazing. We got to relax, catch up, and play.

It was great seeing the two A’s play together, and I can’t wait until Harriet can run around with them. She tried… but isn’t quite big enough yet.

aIMG_2855 When we were done playing at the pier we went and got our first In-N-Out of the trip.

We Are Seriously Loving This Early Spring Weather

Posted by andthenthey on March 26, 2014 Leave a Comment

Like, seriously loving it.

We really have to take advantage of the spring before the spring takes advantage of us with its relentless rain and pollen. Our kids are such a great age for playing these days. Alma can almost independently play at a playground. Harriet is content to roll around on a blanket, or nap in the Ergo.