DIY pom-pom sorter

So back in February, my 18 month old went in for surgery.  I'm sure he'd love me later for blogging about this, so I won't say exactly what it was for, but it was a pretty simple procedure and we were in-and-out within a few hours. He's doing great. The night before, I was frantic though, worried about how he would deal with everything (especially about the part where I abandon him to strangers), and what I could do to keep him happy and distracted during the wait before and the recovery after.  I needed something new.

I knew he liked filling things and dumping them out, and I remembered seeing something like this on pinterest somewhere, so I stayed up late and made one myself.

 

It's a pom-pom color sorter!

Now, to be real, my 18 month old does not do the color thing, but he really gets a kick out of pushing those little puff balls through the holes over and over again.

I made mine out of an empty cashew can, covered it with fun paper, melted the holes in the lid with my wood burner and painted the colors around the holes on the underside of the lid. (note: although that is what's pictured, acrylic paint does not stay on the plastic for long, I ended up having to use sharpies to redo it a few days later --the red one in the picture is sharpie because I didn't have any red paint).

It was the perfect waiting room toy, since he was already a little antsy when the nurses came near.  This totally distracted him.  It was also really funny how when they gave him some kind of medicine to prep him for the surgery he was so loopy and thought everything was super hilarious, especially disappearing pom-poms. 
After the procedure though, he was mad.  Upon waking, they wanted to calm him down a little before they brought me in, but they decided it would be best to just go get me because he was totally inconsolable. However, even my attempts to console him were futile.  But then, I brought out the pom-pom sorter and just like I turned off a switch he was suddenly calm and happy.  I immediately felt that staying up so late to get that finished the night before was totally worth it.  In fact, I think the whole thing was inspired.

It's a fun and easy toy to make. True, you'll end up finding pom-poms everywhere, and before long they learn that it's much more fun throwing them and poking them down heater vents.  Still, every once in a while we pull it out and he sits there and pushes them all in.  I also hope that as he learns his colors it'll give him lots of great practice.

Just Hangin' Out

(This was February, now it's April. My first line pretty much sums it up.)

I haven't felt like blogging lately.  Perhaps I will get back into the swing of things as the weather gets warmer.

Poor kid. I know how he feels, I wish I could go climb trees too.

He's a quick study though, and is full of his own shenanigans.  This is his new favorite place.  It's great motivation for me to clear the table anyway.

He's apparently developed a taste for granola bars.

as well as ketchup

And washable markers for that matter.  Good thing they're non-toxic.


Valentines day we made heart-shaped personal pizzas.

A few days later we celebrated our 7 year anniversary. 7 years!

However, recently, the wind blew over a mirror I had set out for a DI drive pick-up.

7 years bad luck.  Hopefully it's retroactive, and the future will be bliss. (I'm not really superstitious). My wonderful husband picked up the pieces. 

The snow left, 

and came back

and left,

and came back again.

Notice my husband's solution to gloves being pulled off --duct tape.

We try to make the most of it no matter the weather, but some days that's easier said than done.

It's so nice to know that even when I don't feel like being adventurous, my efforts in the past have not been in vain. The kids planned and packed and executed this lovely spring picnic all on their own!  (notice the snow in the background of the above picture, but they were determined not to waste a sunny day.)

Success!

Hand-made Christmas

We made special Christmas gifts for my brother-in-law's family this year.  Again we had help with the sewing and wood-cutting, I just came up with the plan.

This was for the one year old, as she grows and learns to do the different kinds of fasteners.

This is a thrifted box with two games in one. My dad cut the blocks and we sanded them and wood-burned words on them. It was patterned after a fun scrabble sentence cube game from the 70's that I found at the thrift store a while back.

The other game is an even older game from Britain that we adapted and made out of walnut shells and some other thrifted items.

The last thing in our christmas package was actually some toys I was returning after they had accidentally been sent to us in boxes of hand-me-downs. I should have returned them months and months ago, but I kept forgetting.  I found a cute way to make up for that though, and gave them back "with interest."

 Click on the bottom right-hand corner for full screen. Sorry about the weird formatting, I couldn't figure it out.

Here and Gone

I haven't posted for a while.  

I skipped over Thanksgiving, overwhelmed by all the things I'm thankful for.

I was too busy for Christmas.  Too busy having fun to pick up the camera.

We traveled South for New Years, and found there was more snow and colder temperatures there.  More fun and family too though.

We came back, bringing the cold with us (and the colds that inevitably come when large groups assemble for the holidays).

Then, my grandma died.

I wasn't going to go at first.  I don't care for funerals, and it's a long trip to L.A.. How could I leave my little family for a weekend while the kids are sick?

But that night I sat down at the piano, and I knew I needed to go.  I needed to play at my grandma's funeral.  I could feel that she wanted me to.

We used to play duets.  She would send me music. I made copies of my music for her.  It was a special bond we shared. To my knowledge, I was the only grandchild who stuck with the piano. It pleased me to see how happy it made her.  Often, she would cry.

What should have only taken 6 hours to drive, took me eleven.  It was a bad storm.  Roads closed, and I had to take an alternate route, often going half the speed limit.  For most of the trip, no lines on the roads were visible, just white and grey.

I think my mother-in-law felt I was throwing my life away. "If you stop now, I will pay for a hotel... You've got people who count on you... those sweet babies need their momma!"

Despite the fear, I felt peace that I would make it ...eventually.

And I did.  First to my parent's home, then another 11 hours to CA in a van with a few of my siblings.

We stayed at her place, sleeping on couches and uncomfortable hide-a-beds.

Except for a little cleaning my aunt did, it was just as she left it.
I wandered around my grandmother's house, noticing things I had never noticed before, remembering things long forgotten.

I think she planned to live to 100 considering all her plans and projects.  Her body betrayed her in the end.

The funeral was well attended, mostly by her numerous posterity.  Not all were there, but she had 6 children, 34 grandchildren, and 85 great grandchildren!  What a legacy. 

My mom and others spoke.  We all cried, but laughed a little too.  I played, although the music notes got a bit bleary at times.

They laid her body to rest on a hill under a majestic oak.

I am so glad we visited my grandparents earlier this Spring so that my kids could meet her.

It was no coincidence that we went this year.  I didn't think the sense of urgency was for her though.  I kind of thought it would be our last chance to see my grandpa.  He's still kickin' -although in an assisted living center.
Now I wish I had spent more time talking to her.

But life's too short for regrets.

The morning before we left, I went out back and looked at her forlorn patio flowers. From the outside I took in the view of her glass bottle-lined windowsills and lacy curtains for the last time. I hadn't realized I was humming but suddenly the words to match the melody came into my head and I choked.  "Wishing you were somehow here again..."

She wouldn't want me to be sad.

I doubt she is. She is free from physical pain and suffering.
Not to mention that with previously departed family members and all the genealogy she did, I bet she had quite the welcome on the other side.

I took home a bucket containing a several bulbs of beautiful Amaryllis plants.  A silly thing to do, but I couldn't see why it had to die, just because she did.

Things like that, should be enjoyed and appreciated while you have it.

Like life.

Or a delicate frost that's here and gone.