#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Craft Time: Kiwi Crate

July 7, 2012 · Ad-Free, Craft Ideas

Kiwi Crate - What's in store
My kids and craft time are a no-brainer.  The easiest way to get a bit of peace to clean the house?  Sit them down at the table with a craft or art supplies.

‘Tis a much better alternative than a tv babysitter.

And besides, new art courtesy of the kids is usually my favorite thing.

Like ever.

Kiwi Crate - scissors

So when I was asked to review Kiwi Crate, it was seriously a no-brainer.

A fun box delivered to your front door.  Every month.  Designed for kids.  A stuffed full of creativity.

I mean, really, what more do we need?

When our box arrived, it was perfect timing.

Because my office at home needed some serious shoveling.

I set the kids up in the reading room and let them go to town.

Kiwi Crate - introduction

Kiwi Crate - contents

…

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Craft Time: Watercolor {and Salt} Art

June 12, 2012 · Narrative

Art - dynamic duo-001
My loose goal is to do one art project with the kids every week.  Some weeks are better than others, and last week ended with Nick and Madeline reminding me that we hadn’t done anything in awhile.

After a few minutes of rummaging in my desk drawers, I came up with plain white art paper and a few trays of watercolor paint.  I’ve learned over the past year or so that it’s better that each of them has their own watercolor tray.  Some are better at cleaning their brushes than others.

Using plain masking tape, I sectioned off the art paper into six smaller squares.  Although I made the sections neat, you could certainly make haphazard lines for a completely different (and fun!) effect too.

I gave them the paint, brushes, and water dishes and told them to get creative.  Although they both love art, they are very different when it comes to tackling the projects.  Nick critiques his work very mightily and always worries about it being perfect.  I always remind him that this is art, “there is no perfect!”  Madeline is always happy with her end result, needs little direction, and takes it super seriously.  She can literally spend hours painting one small 8×10 piece of paper, getting it just right.

Art - no pictures-001

…

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Craft Time: Crayola Art Project

September 6, 2011 · Craft Ideas

Crayola Art 101
This is how we spent the Friday before Hurricane Irene. Making art work. Less than ten dollars of supplies and inspiration from Pinterest, this is a reasonably kid-friendly craft that I love because a) it has the rainbow and b) you can totally customize it to use whatever colors you want. You can coordinate it to match your kids’ rooms, or a specific theme, or do a rainbow like ours. Get creative!

Supplies
With school supplies on sale, this is the perfect time of year to make this art. You will need a canvas, boxes of crayons, glue and a hair dryer. The canvas was 40% off at Michael’s for a two-pack, the crayons were 40 cents a box (I ended up using four) and the glue was $4. My grand total was $9.60 for individualized art that we could do together as a family. Which you all know is priceless, baby, priceless.

I opened up all the boxes of crayons and removed all the whites, browns, blacks, pinks, aquas and any other non-rainbow colors. Then I arranged them neatly across the top of the canvas in ROY G. BIV order, making sure the Crayola label was front and center for all of them.
Arrange by Color

Like So

Madeline helped by arranging crayons on her coloring book.
Madeline's Turn

Like so. She is not the OCD member of the family.
Madeline - Like So

She also helped me by grouping colors together.
Purples

Man, I love crayons. Especially Crayola crayons.  And crayon art even more.

Row

Green Row

Orange and Yellow
…

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Craft Time: Making Personalized Stockings

December 8, 2009 · Narrative

Ready for Santa

Years ago, before I got married, eager to start our own Christmas traditions, I bought stockings.  I bought one for me, The Husband, my stepdaughter and a few extra.  I didn’t know how many kids we would have (I wanted six.  Some days I still do.), and I wanted to make sure everyone had a matching stocking.  Even though “everyone” wasn’t here yet.  They were traditional red and green stockings, but we personalized them a bit.  By we, I mean my mom.  Have I mentioned I don’t sew?  I don’t.  Have no idea how.  Although I would love to learn.  In the new year.  In my free time.  She sewed a different type of contrasting fabric across the top cuff of the stocking and then we she wrote each person’s name on it.  Nick and Madeline weren’t born yet, so theirs were added later, carefully saving the fabric and the pen until years later.

Flash forward twelve (!) years later, it was time for something different.  I’ve grown a bit tired of the traditional red and green, and barring that, I think it was time for a change.  A fresh start.  With our stockings.

It started with these plain cream-colored quilted stockings I bought at Target.  $9.99 each.  It took two different Targets to find four of them.  I would really love to find another one or two.  Because you never know.

Prep Time

Although I loved the stockings, they needed a little something extra.  At first I bought these personalized silver monogram ornaments, and had planned to attach them to the stocking, and then adding some color with buttons.  But then my mom remembered these wire beaded letter ornaments that Martha Stewart made a few years ago.  How could I forget?

Monogram

This past weekend, we got to work.

…

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

Pinterest

#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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