Crafting Along With needle and thREAD

Remember this sweet baby doll dress from last week's sewing? My sister had asked me to make it for the doll they had bought her little girl (my niece) for her 2nd birthday. 

The very next day... YES as I was packing to leave for the beach, I made a matching dress for Birdy!

(best pic we have of both wearing the dresses)

What am I reading? Ummm.. can I claim getting ready for, going on, and coming home from vacation at the beach... and being 35.5 weeks pregnant.... and nesting... and working fulltime at our playschool as enough reasons for NOT reading???? Please...... 

Maybe if I added a nice beach picture or two, you would forgive my lacking of reading???

(she felt the need to return the seaweed to the ocean lol)

Hanging out with: WIP Wednesday, needle & thREAD, Creative Fridays,

Delicately Constructed Friday, The Cure for the Common Monday, 

Tip Toe Thru Tuesday, Whimsy Wednesday, and Keep Calm Craft On.

I am a featured blogger at Wednesday Adorned From Above Blog Hop

Wonderfull (Full of Wonder) Wednesday

Looking for the wonder in everyday life!  I'd love for you to join me on this journey. 

If you find wonder along the way, please leave a link in the comments,

so others can share in your wonder!

Having cousins to play with is a wonderfull thing!

It's extra wonderfull to have them with you on vacation!

 

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder without any such gift from the fairies, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in” ~ Rachel Carson

Hangin' out with: Family Frolics, Outdoor Play, Happy Family Times,
Country Kids, and Magic of the Mundane!

How to Tuesday: Kale Chips

We like kale chips, from time to time.. salty and greasy enough to "feel" like junk food.. yet between the kale and the coconut oil and the sprinkle of sea salt, they are very healthy!  And better yet.. the kale comes straight from my grandpa's garden.. hand picked by us (and with the playschool children eating it as we pick, it is hard to have enough to make anything at home!)

kale and spinach... just picked

rinse in cold water

separate out spinach for a salad later (gorgeous, huh?)

melt coconut oil (2 tablespoons per cooking sheet) in 300* oven

lay kale on sheet (single layer) and smoosh around in the oil a bit.. coating both sides

bake at 300* until desired crispness (usually 12-15 mins)

turning and sprinkling with sea salt, after 5-10 mins

Linked up to: Teach Me Tuesday, Let's Pour Tea, TGIF Linky Party,

Delicately Constructed Friday,and ABC and 123 Show and Tell!

Beach Belly

  

Linked up with My Pregnancy Journal Link-Up, Summer Bucket List Party,  and Happy Family Times!!

Summer Links~Week Two

It has been so much fun looking through the various "Summer Links" submitted to the All Year Round Blog Carnival: Summer.  I thought it would be fun to pick a few of my favorite links from the previous week and highlight them each Sunday (I normally don't blog on Sundays, so this would be short and sweet!)

Our mud volcanos were a huge hit--

but... sometimes we want to be less involved and allow the children to "do their own thing". Setting up this Mini Volcano Experience has been added to the lst of "must-dos" this summer!

This is an amazing, magical idea that I intend to use!  I am thinking a beach theme to start with... and maybe some windchimes!  Go take a look at the Magic Tree!

We LOVE watermelon.. at 35 weeks pregnant, I not only eat a lot of watermelon... but look like I swallowed one whole LOL, so this "Watermelon" Dessert appeals to me. A lot!

What child doesn't LOVE dandelions.. and over the years I have grown to love them too.. (Or maybe regained my love for them!)

So when Sunnydaytodaymama had this great  Dandelion Post, I knew I'd love it!!!  I am looking forward to painting with the playschool children soon!


We (myself and all the co-hosts) would love if you'd join us in this fun sharing of summer ideas!  Be sure to visit my All Year Round Blog Carnival: Summer Page (at the top of my my blog) and link up all your fun summer posts!!

An Enchanted Childhood Playschool ~ May 21st-May 25th

Now that warm weather had decided to stay, we spend more and more of our playschool hours outside. Taking nature walks is a favorite thing to do.  We have named the various paths.. Nature Path, Bear Cave Path, etc.  The children are such quick learners and love to show off their knowledge!  Several times a day they run to us saying "Look!" and then they tell us the name of their discovery!

Red Clover

Moss!

Baby Berries!

A Fern!

A GIANT fern!

Down The Nature Path!

Jumping in the mud!

Look closely--two boys on Two Tree Mountain!

"Watch me!"

Friends!

Fun times!

Having fun with Learning Laboratory, Teach Me Tuesdays,  Let the Childen Play,
Kids Co-Op, For the Kids Friday, Fridays Nature Table, and ABC and 123 Show and Tell!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by SouleMama. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see!

See why we love our beach so much!

August 8th, 2008

And exactly two years later-

Soon, my love, Very, very soon!

We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch -

we are going back from whence we came.

~ John F Kennedy