Four Seasons

I am a four seasons type of gal.  I need them all.  Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.  For me the cold means snow (usually - since I moved to the midwest, this has been debatable), snuggles, blankets, knitting projects and tons, I mean TONS of hot soup!

Since we are reintroducing chicken into our diets, I was incredibly excited to try out this recipe on a particularly cold, Winter day.

I love Deb's Smitten Kitchen website and could spend several lines singing it's praises.  But instead - I will leave the discovery up to you.  Deb Perlman just released her cookbook last year, of which I highly recommend.  One of these days someone will fall victim to my hinting and snag one for me (Ahem... Rick, wink, wink).  For now, I will stalk the website.

Here is the link to her wonderful Lentil Soup with Chicken Sausage and Chard (I used purple kale, it was far too beautiful to pass up and we used a fantastic basil and pine nut chicken sausage).  We did a few variations of it which is the beauty of Deb's recipes, their versatility.  Enjoy - we did!  

Donations

When is it the right time?  You know, to go through all those clothes, toys and infant accessories that you stock piled for the last couple years?

There is a different answer for everyone.  For us - I do it every few months or so.  I have honestly kept and will continue to keep the onesies I can't stand to part with (his 'breastfed' and 'made in ohio' ones are priceless!), a pair of shoes, his knitted hat and mittens I made before he was born - you know, those things.  But everything else, as hard as it is to see it go - has to.  

With me going back to school and our futures being cast a bit into the wind by it - we aren't so sure if and when we would have another wee one around.  By that time, we may feel differently about parenting styles.  I know we both would be more persisitant with tummy times and Rick would probably wear the baby more (kept the sling, Bjorn and Ergo Baby Carrier...), and we have an extra toddler seat courtesy of a very generous friend - so with the Britax we would be set.  There isn't a reason to keep the other stuff.  So I thought.

Soren felt differently.  He has been going through the bags and has picked out two of his infant toys and a sippy cup he refuses to give up.  I think we can stand to keep just a couple more things, don't you?  That face...

How did you choose to have a second?  What sort of things did you do differently the next time around?

Play Dough!

Homemade play dough - SO COOL!!  This was fun for us to make and even more fun to play with.  And to top it off, lasts at least 3 months in the fridge.

I got the recipe from this site.  I used the very first cooking recipe since they last a bit longer.  Here is the recipe, just in case you're up for cooking!

3 cups flour

6 tsp tartar

1.5 cups salt (I accidentally left this out and it turned out just fine, but I am sure salt would help with the moisture)

3 tbsp oil

3 cups water

Combine in a pot over medium heat.  Stir constantly, scraping the dough from the sides until it resembles a ball of play dough (1-3 minutes).  Pour out and let cool.  I had to knead this for a little bit until it became play dough.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge.  

*I let it cool at least 20 minutes before playing with it.

One thing I have learned about sensory play - is that it doesn't always go 'as planned'.  I got the cookie cutters out, rollers and all sorts of things.  Which worked - for awhile.  And then he went to collect his trucks.  I thought we were done with the play dough after a short 15 minutes, but I stood corrected.  

Play dough is great for trucks to run over, dump and be filled.  

We had a blast, for a couple hours.  Soren played with play dough until the Sun went down and it's sitting in the fridge for another day!

Sensory Play

I am all about this!  I was clued in by a couple Montessori mommas and now I am hooked!  I am looking forward to grabbing this read and starting a different sensory play activity everyday.  I mean, there are 365 - why not?!

I think this would be a great way to embark on a ProjectLife binder too.  Yesterday, Soren and I tore, threw and drove trucks with tissue paper:

And today - we explored flour.  Like any other toddler - Soren's first instinct was to throw it and watch it dust everywhere, but then it became snow mountains, Soren saved baby bird from an avalanche and was a perfect environment for his tractor to plow through.  We had a blast for at least an hour!

Sensory play is rather messy - but absolutely worth it.  What sort of sensory activities have you tried?  Any recommendations??

I am planning on making some homemade play dough from one of these recipes tomorrow!