{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama, {this moment} is a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Apple Picking

Last Friday, we went apple picking at a nearby orchard with some friends.  We've eaten a few of the huge bag of apples we got, made a batch of applesauce, and I'm planning a sour cream apple pie this weekend.

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama, {this moment} is a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Weekend project: Fabric Crib Rail Cover

I discovered last week that Piper had been quietly standing up in her crib and chewing up the rails!  When Cadence started doing this same thing, we bought some clear rubbery plastic guards that fit on the front rail, and that solved the problem.  But with Piper, she likes to chew on the sides...anyway, it was time for me to make these fabric crib rail guards.  Inspired by this project.

I found a variety of fabric scraps that go with the colors in her room.  I didn't have time to get anything new for this project, so I cut up an old crib mattress pad that had lost its elastic to make the lining underneath the pretty fabric. Bonus: it's waterproof if she does continue to chew.

I sewed on some thin white grosgrain ribbon for the ties.  I found just the perfect amount in my ribbon box.

Here's the longview.  Hm.  All the handmade stuff seems to have ended up in this corner of her room.  See the details on the fabric bird art here and the ribbon mobile here.

 

 Linking up to: A Glimpse Inside, Friday Favs at Nap Time Crafters, Five Days...Five Ways, Ladybird Ln, and Tatertots and Jello

Theme of the Month: Fall Farm Fun

Now that Cadence is going to preschool two mornings, plus dance class on Mondays, and storytime and sometimes playgroup each week, we don't have as much time at home to do our "theme of the week" activities.  Cadence has adjusted to this schedule very well, but it's taken me some time to figure out how things were going to go.  Anyway, we're going to theme of the month now, instead of theme of the week.  I almost always have more activities for each theme than we get to do anyway.  This month: Fall Farm Fun!

Books: 

Fall Mixed Up by Raczka

 The Cow Loves Cookies by Wilson

Punk Farm by Krosoczka

And if we can find them at our library: Big Chickens by Helakoski, Moo Who? By Palatini, and One Cow Moo Moo! by Bennett (a great participation story)

Music: Sing "Old McDonald Had A Farm" to Piper

Fingerplays: Five Little Farmers and some other farm fingerplays

Art Project: melted crayon stained glass apples and pumpkins (using this method from The Artful Parent)

Field Trips: Visit the farm animals at the county fair (done! we had a great time last Friday!), go apple picking at a local farm (also done!  more pics coming soon!)

Letter Recognition: Practice "spelling" fall and farm words like pig, cow, leaf, farm, barn, etc.  When we do this, I write the words in large, clear letters on a scrap paper and then she uses the letters from her foam alphabet puzzle to match the ones I wrote.  Since this is a more academic activitiy, we usually do a few and then move on when she is ready to do something else - no pressure.

Watch: Barney: Let's Go to the Farm 

Extras: Some printables from here, or here, or here

Linking up to I Can Teach My Child Show and Share Saturday and No Time for Flashcards Link and Learn

County Fair

Friday we went to the county fair.  This was your typical rural county fair, I think.  No rides, lots of livestock.  Here's the photo highlight reel...

Dressed appropriately in cowgirl boots. Piper's were pink.
Want to cheer up every oldtimer at the fair?  Put a baby in pink cowboy boots.

Giant shopping cart.  Support NC agriculture, y'all.

Petting a sheep,

Piper contemplates the pigs. 

Oink, oink.

Cadence said the goats were her favorite.

Piper liked the goats too.  Their ears were soft.

Bunnies!

Racecar.  On display from the local arcade.

I don't know why that pumpkin has a blue ribbon that says "church", but this is the Bible belt.

Cadence spontaneously felt the need to hug this giant pumpkin.

She looks good driving a tractor, huh?

So apparently there are people who collect vintage tractors, like vintage cars.  Who knew?

Cadence loved the fair - she asked to go back today, but I told her we could come back next year.  Piper is usually happy anywhere there's lots of people and things to see.  Wait, she was not a fan of the chickens.  I think their squawking scared her.    I got to eat kettle corn and admission was free, so I was pleased with the whole outing.  

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama, {this moment} is a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Cadence is 4!

An interview with Cadence ~
What do you like about being 4? being a birthday princess...and that's all
What do you like to do at school? be a princess, play on the playground, practicing letters, doing art projects...
What do you like to do with Daddy? Daddy games and play the Wii
What do you like to do with Mommy? I like to do everything - bake, ride in the car cart in Ingles
What do you like to do with Piper? play and play and play
Favorite game?  Hide and Seek
Favorite color?  Pink and Purple
Favorite food? peanut butter and jelly
Favorite book? Cinderella and Ladybug Girl
Favorite toy? new princess Cinderella set
Favorite song? the abc song, Cinderella songs...I like the Backyardigans song we used to hear...I like lots of songs.  Okay?
Favorite show? Dinosaur Train and Pocoyo and Dora and Backyardigans.  That's a lot.  And Frances.
Anything else you want people to know about you? being friends and eat m&m's.

She wanted to open her presents as soon as she woke up.

The big smile is because Cinderella called her to wish her a happy birthday.  (I signed up for a free Disney Enchanted Call.  Then Cadence had a lot of questions about how and why and I had to explain that princesses are very busy and can only call on special occasions.)

Cake!  That's a heart on top in chocolate chips.

the fashion choices get pretty crazy...

when we know we are home all day...

you should have seen my get-up!

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama, {this moment} is a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

First Day (Double Ice Cream Birthday Party!)