So I thought, "Why not start out with a 'J' and teach Joe how to spell his name?" I poked my tongue out and, with the intense focus of a surgeon, after a mere fifteen minutes I had managed to craft a semblance of a "J" impressive enough to be called "a-h-rt". Damn, I'm good.
[caption id="attachment_1093" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Backwards J"]
[/caption]But hmm, something seems wrong here. Joe said, "Ohh, a J...", so I could tell his toddler brain was soaking up the lesson. A-ha! I've got it! I think "J" 's are supposed to face the other way! More like this...
[caption id="attachment_1096" align="alignnone" width="199" caption="The Letter J"]
[/caption]There, that's better. :-D (As you can see, Miss Lily is oh-so-impressed by her Mommy's teaching abilities.) And while we're at it why not strategically place one more little plastic comb thingy dealmabob on the long part of the stuff and really hit this "J" thing out of the ballpark?!?
[caption id="attachment_1098" align="alignnone" width="199" caption="Capital J Alphabet Toys"]
[/caption]Perfect! Joe and Lily were really impressed as well.
*******************************************************
Emboldened by my giant leap forward in the field of educational play, yesterday I decided to further enrich my childrens' lives with some holiday crafting fun in the form of rice art.
What you will need:
Construction Paper
Elmer's Glue
Rice (the cheaper the better!)
Here's the idea. Whip out a sheet of construction paper. Feel proud that you remembered to purchase construction paper the other day to have on hand for these brilliant bursts of creative recollection*. (*I can't say inspiration as I saw this technique demonstrated while web surfing the other day.) Whip out your glue and draw something.
In spirit of the upcoming Halloween holiday I chose to draw a spiderweb, although I find spiders to be vile, venemous little freaks of nature.
[caption id="attachment_1100" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Halloween Kid Crafts Spiderweb"]
[/caption]Yes, I realize spiderwebs are not square. Err... I realize that now. Work with me here. Then gently place rice on your drawing, covering all of the glue. I mean just blanket that sucker. Overdo it. This is where a lot of the fun is!
[caption id="attachment_1101" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Halloween Craft Rice Art"]
[/caption]At this point, take a moment to sprinkle rice upon your child's noggin in the manner of gentle rain. Wonder if you should feel guilty about this, then shake it off and move on.
[caption id="attachment_1102" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Fun With Babies"]
[/caption]Gently pick up the construction paper and dump the excess rice back into your rice container, and viola! Rice art!
[caption id="attachment_1104" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Halloween Kids Craft Spiderweb"]
[/caption]Joe & Lily had fun with their own creations. :)
[caption id="attachment_1105" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Joe the craft kid"]
[/caption][caption id="attachment_1106" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Joe rice art"]
[/caption][caption id="attachment_1107" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Lily baby crafting"]
[/caption]*************************************************
Later in the day Joe had a little burst of creative inspiration of his own. We left him in the bathroom to bask in the afterglow of pooping on the big boy toilet (YAY!!!), but I soon realized that it had grown quiet, too quiet, in there. I opened the door and...
[caption id="attachment_1108" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Joe's panty liner art"]
[/caption][caption id="attachment_1109" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Joe's panty liner exhibit"]
[/caption]There are but a few moments in my life that have driven me to stunned silence. This was one of them.
Happy Friday! Wishing you a great weekend! Huggles, Heather xo
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ulhjpe90Ih0hrzGIhgQXT4l6Oiev4JTB-Ggo_p8N4oYnvC5xHqSaZoA3DwAXgLoCPqc6s_YhXzaIF39Lrqqed5OuXkCEuU7n0p1UhSYAfxVI51lw4p-IH_e9Xb-HuSz_5YuScdl_7IKBkpauNF00XH=s0-d)
I love it! :D Yes, I laughed out loud and received the strangest look from my dog.
ReplyDeleteRice on baby's head is priceless. Amanda still remembers the time the Christmas tree toppled over and onto her [she was about 4, I think]. She said, 'uh, mom, could you get this off of me?' while her arms and legs wiggled underneath. I laughed so hard I could barely get the tree off of her. And she's not scarred for life either!
.-= Anne´s last blog ..More NaNoWriMo Preparation =-.
LOL! Oh Anne, that IS priceless. I'm picturing the scene from Wizard of Oz where the witch's legs (not that your little angel is a witch!) are sticking out from under something after she gets squished. And you laughing, and she saying, "Uh, Mom..." lol!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great learning opportunity for me. I forget how easy education can be for my two toddlers. I love the glue and rice
ReplyDelete.-= Louise´s last blog ..This booth is saved for a family =-.
You are an impressive Mommy, and who could resist that cute little guy - what letter you got planned for tomorrow? :)
ReplyDeleteKristin
Bwaaaa-haaaa-HAAA!!! Sometimes LOL just doesn't do it justice.
ReplyDelete.-= Dawn´s last blog ..Random Hits =-.
Alright. I will definitely go and try the rice art, but that's as far as I'm going, lol. My kids are 14 and 10 respectively so I guess the "comb thing" whatchamacalit is also out of the question (liner exibit included, haha). What I really want to know is if it was actually Joe and Lilly having the fun, or mommy:) have a great weekend yourself..
ReplyDelete.-= DiTesco´s last blog ..What Does Google Know About You? =-.
So, we've created serif and sans-serif typefaces from these little colorful, comb-like, interlocking, funny-shaped thingumabobbers; then created a new arachisect (spider with only six legs, so it must share insect DNA); traumatized poor Lily with rice, so that she'll no doubt insist on politically- and ecologically-correct birdseed at her wedding; and got a dose of your own medicine with Joe's "bathroom art." Don't discourage the child; after all, Marcel Duchamps' "Fountain" was declared to be the most influential work of art last century. Which I think is a rather scatalogical reference to the judges' contempt for modern art, but chacun son gout. (I'm too lazy to look up the special character, so I probably just said "to each his inflamed toe." I just don't care, this morning. I have a swollen finger, so maybe it's a little wishful schadenfreude peeking out.)
ReplyDelete.-= Holly Jahangiri´s last blog ..How I Quit Smoking =-.
Very creative Heather and you had spent a good time with your kids. Bravo for you. By the way, we eat rice here....he he he...just teasing you. Have a great weekend too.
ReplyDelete.-= Jena Isle´s last blog ..My Painful Past =-.
It's so fun when they are this little. I know virtually nothing about kids (was the youngest in my family) but they are so hungry for knowledge and soak up every little thing. It's touching.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kristin! And how funny, the reminder that our job is never done! I wonder if I can squeak out an "O"? But then I'll have to explain about why it looks just like a zero and suddenly the weight of the responsibility seems all-too heavy!
ReplyDeleteYou got me, DiTesco! I was having too much fun. The best part was putting the rice on Lily's head. I'm so bad.
ReplyDeleteYou are too kind! I loves me an evil laugh.
ReplyDeleteHolly, what an entertaining comment! May I consider it a guest blog post? LOL! LOVED "traumatized poor Lily with rice, so that she’ll no doubt insist on politically- and ecologically-correct birdseed at her wedding". You just know she's going to go down that dark path, don't you? I abhor political correctness. It's so whiny and patronizing. But I can actually see value in your suggestion to use bird seed! Don't birds like rice? I thought they'd eat up all the leftovers but at this point they're still sitting out there on the patio! Oh great, now I'm choking birds to death. Yet another reason for Hollywood celebrities to take off their clothing and tape feathers to their nipples!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jena! We had a good time. Maybe next time I'll use cooked rice and bean paste and rice paper, and we can eat our rice paintings when we are through.
ReplyDeleteOh, God, as if they NEEDED another excuse...
ReplyDeleteShhhh...no, it's not a guest post. I owe Jena one already.
.-= Holly Jahangiri´s last blog ..How I Quit Smoking =-.
Oh, Joe and Lily are so adorable! And, btw, Joe's panty liner exhibit made me LOL. :P
ReplyDelete.-= Kelvin Servigon´s last blog ..Why I Use Globe Tattoo Broadband =-.
ok - the panty liner art is truly priceless. I am glad you are having so much fun with the kiddies and documented it too! I remember that there were days like this, but nothing about them except for one when chocolate pudding and an old shower curtain in the yard were involved.
ReplyDelete.-= Margo´s last blog ..Bon Voyage, Wish Nana Were Here =-.
ps - please do NaNoWriMo!
ReplyDelete.-= Margo´s last blog ..Bon Voyage, Wish Nana Were Here =-.
I decided today to go ahead and do NaNoWriMo. I'm hooking myself up with writing buddies today so we can keep each other encouraged. Look me up if you can. :) "Happymaker"
ReplyDeleteI was feeling silly doing personal posts about the kids until I went back to organize after the move to this address, and I realized I'd forgotten about so many of our (thankfully!) documented adventures. Chocolate pudding? Now I'm hungry!
ReplyDeleteFirst I didn't know you could stick that stuff on the wall. I may have to give that a try and see what the wife says. "What do you mean honey, ITS ART!"
ReplyDeleteSecond, it's never to early to start educating your kids. The simple fact is you will learn as much as they do and it's a great feeling every time they soak up something new.
Thirdly, what wonderful kids you have. I love those photos, and they will bring back so much nice memories in the years to come.
Lastly, I also hate spiders.
.-= Sire´s last blog ..$20 Million Dollar Halloween Superdraw =-.
He he he, I could imagine that. That would be fun....and add some banana as dessert...
ReplyDelete.-= Jena Isle´s last blog ..My Painful Past =-.
The square spiderweb looks cool though. I bet Joe can match mommy Heather's mischief soon enough if the bathroom art is anything to go by. Look at the gleam in his eyes... Lily seems a bit perplexed in her role in this art class. Can it be she's steeling herself for more of rice on her noggin in the future. Nah, just kidding. With great kids like Joe and Lily, I bet you can write that novel with lots to spare.
ReplyDelete.-= jan geronimo´s last blog ..You’re the World’s Coolest Blogger If Only… =-.
Thank you! I'm glad you had a giggle.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the validation re: my spiderweb drawing skills! I think you may be right about Lily - but can you blame her? lol
ReplyDeleteThere's wax paper on the back of those things, Sire. It can be peeled off to reveal a sticky surface that will adhere to a woman's err... undergarment. Some of them even have WIIIIINGS! Give it a try. I can't wait to imagine the look on your wife's face.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the rest of your comment. :)
BWAHAHAH!! I literally laughed out loud at the pantyliner art (i mean, i did not just type it!) and now I'm wondering if my housemates heard me and think I'm crazy laughing by myself here. lol!
ReplyDeleteYa gotta love kids.
.-= reyjr´s last blog ..Singapore Night Safari Adventure =-.
Panty liner art and rice art totally rock!!! I will definitely try both!
ReplyDelete:)
.-= Jannie the Funster´s last blog ..Like a bord on a wire, 12 — Funny Typos =-.
Aha! A "J!" It seems that there is much talk about letters. I have just busted my brains out after Holly's Wednesday Quiz Thingy and had much talk about a "bilabial" letter. he he he. Well, at least the kids would have a fond memory of learning the letter "J." Cool!
ReplyDeleteThis just brought me memories of Sesame Street, hmmm... is it still running? I haven't checked in a while, been watching too much "Fairly Odd Parents," SpongeBob, and some other animation on Nick.
Lovely kids! Not to mention artistic!
Z
.-= Zorlone´s last blog ..The Wheel of Compassionate Time =-.
Testing...
ReplyDelete