Second Talk (featuring Ginger Art)

A few months ago Ginger gave her second Primary talk, which means she was assigned a topic, and prepared a 2-minute talk to give in front of all the children at church, ages 3-11.  I helped her brainstorm and organize, but she wrote and memorized the words, and drew her own prompt cards.  She has such a cute little voice, it was precious.

"I Feel My Savior's Love When I Try to be Like Jesus"

by Ginger Hickman

April 22, 2012

When Jesus visited the Nephites in 3 Nephi 27, he said, "Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am."

One day recently my family went to the park.  A girl about my age came over and asked me if I would be her friend.  I liked her and we played together.

 Jesus loves everybody, so I was like Him when I made a new friend.

Every morning our family reads the scriptures.  I liked the story about the stripling warriors so much that I asked to read it two days in a row. 

Jesus loves the scriptures, so when I read them I become more like him.

Jesus taught us to pray.  Every night when I pray at dinner, I pray for Dad at work that he will come home safely and it happens. 

When I pray with faith, I'm trying to be like Jesus and I feel His love. 

Every day I try to be like Jesus, and when I try my best, I feel the Savior's love.

Gift Guide: What to Get the "Experienced" Mom

Many of my closest friends around here are expecting.  And this time, instead of the thrill of a first baby, it's their third, fourth or fifth.  And whether a traditional shower is held for her or not, I think each arrival is cause for celebration, and to me part of that means gifts.

So I've done some thinking.  What do you get such a Mom, someone who is well-versed and well-stocked, who has developmental toys for every age, the parenting books she knows and likes, clothes in every size for both genders, and receiving blankets coming out her ears?  There is still plenty, and you would be a very thoughtful friend to get her something she will actually need and use (read: not blankets.  Or stuffed animals.)  I nudged a few friends for ideas, and added them to my own.  And here I give you a pretty darn good resource list.

DISPOSABLES

I don't care how many kids she has; she will need diapers (unless she's gone cloth - doesn't hurt to find out.)  You could get her any size from 1 to 4 and they will be much-appreciated and definitely used.  One friend told me she had a baby shower for her second that was just diapers - she said they didn't have to buy diapers for almost a year!  Amazing.  What a gift.

Other disposable-type things a new Mom always needs:

• Baby wash (my favorite is California Baby calming)
• Diaper cream (fav - Weleda Calendula cream)
• Nursing pads (fav - Lansinoh)
• Diaper pail liners - just find out what kind she has and get some liner refills - not glamorous, but very thoughtful!
• Wipes

REPLACEMENTS

Along a similar vein to disposable, are things that she may already have, but it's nice (and sometimes necessary) to have new ones for the new kid.  This includes things like:

• Baby washcloths
• Board books (don't be afraid she'll already have the one you picked - if she does, it is probably all chewed up and falling apart and a new one is great; if she doesn't, bonus!)
• Bibs
• Pacifier clips
• Baby spoons
• Sippy cups
• White onesies
• Burp cloths

"LUXURY" ITEMS and NEW GADGETS 

Two categories in one here, and these comprise more traditional baby gifts.  But since this Mom has so many of the necessities, it can be nice to get her a not-so-necessity, maybe something she's always wished for but could never justify buying.  But, it still has to be useful!  Just for example:

• A PBK chamois crib sheet - so soft!  
• Wipes warmer (especially for winter babies)

The baby item industry is always booming, and there is constant and endless innovation happening there.  Which means there are always new cool things coming out, and she may not have something that's come out in the last few years.  One time when I was pregnant with Poppy, in 2010, I spent a whole afternoon alone at Babies R Us, walking up and down every single aisle just to see what was new since Ginger had been born in 2007.  I found some of my favorite new stuff that way.  A few new-ish things she might not have, but that I think are clever and useful, are:

• Teether jewelry
• Stroll-Away stroller hook
• Mommy Hook (I love mine)
• A subscription to Brain, Child: the magazine for thinking mothers  

CLOTHING

Is now a good time to address clothing?  Because here's what happened.  I recently attended a shower for a woman having her third girl in three years.  It was well-attended but I was so surprised that every gift but two that I remember was clothes.  It's true a third might like a thing or two of her own, but I am positive that family did not need that many new girl clothes.  The two gifts that weren't clothing were mine - a baby timer (with batteries) - and a gift containing home pedicure things for the mom.  Which I'll talk about in a minute. 

My feelings are: if she's having her first of a gender, clothes are a great way to go - of course she will need them!

If she's having a gender she already has clothes for, but you just must get clothes because they are so cute and fun (and I don't judge or blame you for that), elevate.  Skip Carter's and Target.  She will probably be shopping there herself. Get less for more and buy quality, somewhere she wouldn't normally shop, and get this kid something really nice.  Almost every mom I asked responded how nice it is to have at least some new, clean things for the baby.

FYI American Apparel is one of my favorite brands for soft, unadorned baby separates, especially for boys.  I love their karate pants and onesies.

And. One friend suggested getting a baby bathing suit, swim diapers, and sunscreen (hand me down swimsuits are always a little loose and pilly.)

HELP & SERVICES

Dude, you know what this mom needs most?  Some help.

• Dinner - get her a gift card to a place that delivers (i.e., pizza, Thai), has easy pick-up (i.e. Panera, Chipotle, etc.), or a meal delivery service.  Some examples are Grandma's Chicken Soup, Let's Dish, and Send-a-Meal.  And of course you could always make them something yourself.  One of the best gifts ever was a woman I didn't know well emailed me a month after Poppy was born, when all the meal-bringing had stopped and I was drowning.  She told me she was bringing me dinner and gave me three dates to choose from.  It was no-fuss, no-frills, and I will remember her thoughtfulness forever.  Another best-ever gift was when a friend brought us dinner...and a huge shopping bag full of paper plates and plastic cups.  We ate off those for months, and it was the only way I could stay on top of the dishes.
• Massage - I can't think of anything better than a prenatal massage.  Unless it's a post-partum massage.  You know some hospitals offer that service?  What a gift that would be, if you found out where she's delivering and arranged to gift her a massage while she's in the hospital.  That is a true friend.
• Mommy Relief - If I ever have another baby, please oh please, someone get me a g/c for these guys!  I know they're local but I bet most areas have something similar.
• Mani/ Pedi - Just a simple treat almost any woman would love.  But, get her a gift card to a salon.  In reference to the home-pedi gift mentioned above, um, what 7-9 month pregnant mom can paint her toenails and also breathe?  And what new mom has time or thoughts of painting her own nails?  But a salon outing, that is a treat.
• Gift Cards - besides food, help, and nails, the experienced mom needs clothes.  For herself.  Post-partum is a dark time for a woman's wardrobe, as she mysteriously morphs into whatever surprise shape and size she's going to be this time around, but she still has to wear something!  And you know her nursing bras are in a sad, sad state by the third or more child.  My best suggestion here is a mall gift card, so she can buy whatever, wherever. 

GROUP GIFT

Consider pitching in with friends to get her one big nice thing.  Something like:

• a rockin' rad double stroller (she probably has her eye on one)
• a gift card (see above) to a:
•  restaurant
• store 
• mall
• website (my fav - Diapers.com)
• local photographer (for an infant photo shoot - so thoughtful!)
• bookstore (especially Amazon, really)

OK, see?  All is not lost.  So what if she has a girl, two boys, and lots of baby gear?  There are still A TON of really thoughtful gifts you can give her, in any price range!  Hope this was helpful.  And in case you still need more, here are my own Top 5 favorite things to give new and repeat Moms (but step off if you are going to the same shower as me because I get dibs on giving these!)

 1 - Itzbeen Baby Timer (you've heard me sing its praises before; I always include batteries)
2 - Patemm pad (one of the coolest baby things I own)
3 - Chew beads (my favorite "new" baby invention)
4 - Books (kid-approved favorite board and picture books are always the right gift, with the bonus aspect that siblings can enjoy them now, and baby, later)
5 - Happiest Baby on the Block DVD (this is usually a first-time Mom gift, but I lend mine to many "experienced" moms.  Most helpful information I've ever gotten regarding babies' first three months.)

AND.  If you STILL need ideas, I love perusing Cool Mom Picks baby shower gift guide, if nothing else, the ads are always so cute!

Mother's Day

Exactly once a year I voluntarily step in front of a camera and agree - even ask - to have my picture taken.  Despite all my self-conscious insecurities, I cannot resist an annual visual record of my motherhood.

 I had a good Mother's Day, did you?  It was wardrobe karma I was able to kinda sorta coordinate outfits with the girls.  Ed and the kids made me a super nice breakfast - vegetable omelet and fruit.  We have morning church, so a leisurely breakfast in bed or brunch was not possible, but I still got to sit down to eat, which is a Sunday treat in itself. 

 The homemade gifts and crafts were in plenty this year.  They came from school, preschool, church, and our own arts & crafts room.

 I especially love this acrostic from Hazel - in case you can't make it out:

Marvelous mother
Odor impossible (she explained I never smell bad - good news)
Tells childhood stories
Her hugs are so fine
Elevates me upstairs
Really like a red ruby

There were also store bought gifts, which honestly are not as important, but still appreciated by my commercial side.  A generous Williams Sonoma gift card from Ed hit the spot, and he and the kids also got me one of those robotic floor sweepers, can you believe it?  Ginger saw it on an infomercial and has been giving Ed the hard sell for a few months, so he humored her.  But between you and me, I am wary.  It had to charge overnight so we haven't tried it yet. 

At church they gave out baggies of Dove chocolates to the moms, a decent choice.  In my sister-in-law's ward, they gave out small jars of strawberry jam the young men (age 12-18) MADE for one of their weekly activities - I was impressed.  Ed is our ward's young men president, so I'm going to plant that bug for next year.  Also, the primary (the organization that teaches children 3-11) made CD's of the children singing several Mother's Day songs, and in between the songs are recordings of each child saying why they love their mom.  What a treasure, we all love it!

In the evening, we hosted my brother's family and my parents for dinner, dessert, and gifts.  I figure if I'm taking pictures, I'm taking pictures, so I had Ed take a pic of each girl with me and my mom; I'm going to print them and put them in the girls' journals. 

It's funny about having your picture taken - I always think how old I look, but then I have to realize I'll never be, or probably look, this young again, so later, when I'm really old, I may appreciate it.  I'm long-term thinking like that.

Throughout the day I received extra hugs and unsolicited expressions of love from the girls - they were really into the day!  Also boxes of ribbons and other impromptu handmade treasures showed up here and there.  I love being a mom.  It is truly the best. 

Hope you all had a good one, too.

First Talk (featuring Ginger Art!)

You might remember when Hazel gave her first talk about a year and a half ago. In that post I explained The Gideon Method, which we use for creating and giving talks. Worked great.

So when Ginger was recently asked to give a talk in Primary at church, we decided to try the same route. The topic she was given was "The scriptures teach that the gospel shall be preached in all the world." The theme for the year is "I know the scriptures are true" so all the monthly topics have to do with the scriptures. I figured we could work with that.

So one afternoon while Poppy was sleeping, Ginger and I sat on my bed with our scriptures and a notepad to brainstorm. We talked about the scriptures. We talked about preaching the gospel and missionaries. And we pretty quickly came up with the talk. I pretty much just wrote down exactly what she said, and rearranged it slightly. Then I gave her 5x7 cards and markers and stood back. She wanted to do all the art herself, which is perfect because she knew exactly what each picture meant to her, and it made the memorizing almost effortless. We practiced the heck out of it for about a week, then on Sunday she stood up with confidence and delivered it like a pro. That's my girl.

"The Scriptures Teach that the Gospel Shall be Preached in All the World"
by Ginger Hickman
September 4, 2011

In Matthew 24:14, Jesus says, "This gospel shall be preached in all the world." He's talking about missionaries.
(Jesus is in the middle and the others are "people.")

Missionaries can be a boy or a girl. Girl missionaries are called Sisters and boy missionaries are called Elders. Missionaries work very hard to be obedient and represent Jesus Christ.
(This one is a girl missionary. You can tell from the hair. Apparently.)

This is my Aunt Natalee. Right now she is on a mission in Romania. In a recent letter she said, "Missionary work really keeps you on your toes." That means you have to be prepared for anything because you never know what might happen.
(Ed's youngest sister; you can follow Nat's missionary adventures here.)

This is my cousin Thompson. Next year he'll go on a mission. He wants to go to Russia, but he'll go wherever the Lord says.
(Taken outside the Newseum when Thompson was evacuated from William & Mary for hurricane Irene and stayed with us for the weekend.)

When I grow up and be a missionary I want to go to New York to help teach the gospel.
(The black one is Ginger - "because missionaries wear black" - and the gray one is the Statue of Liberty.)
I know the scriptures are true. I know the gospel is true because the gospel is in the scriptures and the scriptures are true.
(This one is Ginger's scripture case - it's green with pink flowers on it.)

Fruits of Their Labors

Are you familiar with Pillow Pets? I bet if you have kids in the 3-to-7 age range that either go to public school or watch TV, you do. They are HOT HOT HOT right now. Which means I am against them.

Thanks to Qubo channel's highly repetitive, persuasive and obnoxious commercials, which also have my children asking for Pocket Copters and LifeLock, the girls started begging for Pillow Pets right after Ginger's birthday. Which poses this dilemma - too late to get one for Ginger; if I get one for Hazel's birthday that leaves Ginger in the cold; but I am not just buying these things for no reason except the girls wanting them. What to do?

I looked a little closer at the things. Turns out that, commercials aside, they are not that offensive and even kinda cute. Their worst trait is being big, but they are soft, machine washable, no batteries, and not ridiculously overpriced ($20 average on Amazon.) And in case you don't know, they have a velcro strap across the bottom, so they can be a 3-D-ish stuffed animal or, when undone, a flat-ish pillow.
Still. We already have a lot of stuffed animals. So I made the girls a deal, having NO IDEA how it would work out. If they really wanted Pillow Pets they could earn the money for them by doing extra jobs around the house. Both were enthusiastically on board at first, which I figured they would be. I was interested in if there would be staying power.

I didn't dare deal in cash - guaranteed to lose it! - so we made a chart, with $20 in 25-cent increments for each girl, and stuck it on the fridge. Ginger took off like gang busters. Jobs, jobs all the time! First tier jobs were always cleaning or running - pick up the toys, pick up the newspapers, take this upstairs, etc. Second tier were things that needed my help - watering plants, cleaning the bathroom, sweeping. Third tier, when I was desperate or busy and couldn't think of anything else, were made-up jobs - things that didn't really need doing but wouldn't hurt - usually involving a spray bottle of water and a rag - wash a door, the dining chairs, the stairs, etc. Good stuff.

Well obviously you can tell from the pictures that they gained their prize. Ginger reached $20 in about 6 weeks. Hazel took a little more time and prodding but eventually got there. She is more lazy and not home as much anyway. But watching Ginger work towards a goal with focus and motivation was a phenomenon to behold, and a great insight into her little character.

When it came time to order, Hazel chose the dolphin, "to be friends with my mermaids." And Ginger chose a cream Easter bunny, "because it's new and I like it" (limited edition at Easter time, though the ladybug was a close second.)
Of course, they take them everywhere and yes, I even like to lay on them. And of course as soon as they had them, they wanted a new chart to start earning money for Happy Nappers (thank you again so much, Qubo.) But Ed and I had a bigger vision.

We recently attended a casual game night at our church - tables with sandwiches, board games, card decks, etc. (and the best white chocolate popcorn on earth, I am getting that recipe!) They also had a couple of rooms set up with Wii's that were supposedly under adult supervision. It ended up being kind of a train wreck because Ed and I were socializing or playing games and not really paying attention to where the girls were. When it was time to go, we found Hazel in a Wii room trying to get a turn among a bunch of kids who thought they knew what they were doing, and no adult to organize them. Then someone came in and unplugged it and said the game night was over. And Hazel never got a turn. She knew it was fun, but didn't know how to do it. And was probably the only kid there who couldn't go home and play her own Wii. Cause we don't have one.

So after the mother meltdown Hazel had, Ed talked to the girls this week about earning money for a Wii. It seems to be something Hazel really wants, so it shall be interesting to see which prevails: wanting or lazy. Each girl must earn $50, and we will make up the rest. So what do you think - will they do it? Or will we just break down in 7 months and get one for Christmas? Stay tuned, only time will tell...

Oh My...

It's amazing what sounds vulgar coming out of a little kid's mouth. So when Hazel recently adopted the habit of saying, "Oh my gosh" every 5 seconds I had to prohibit it, even though I say it all the time. And when Ginger recently exclaimed, "Oh my heck!" I was a bit dumbfounded and asked her where she heard it. Aiden at school. (I thought, did his parents go to BYU? 'Cause that's the last place I heard that.) Bathroom words and body part words are out, too, at least for entertainment purposes.

Anyway, I'm curbing my own slang more than ever these days and I'm just wondering, what do you let your kids say and not say (at least around you)? They've got to be human, but holy crap, they're kinda young to be slanging!

Let's Talk about Sex

There. I said it. Sex sex sex. I wonder how many porn spammers I will get for that.

When I was 8 years old I learned about sex from my friends at a slumber party. Needless to say, their half-informed explanations were full of shock-value and slim on age-appropriateness or context. I was deeply disturbed. A few years later my parents signed the permission form for me to participate in the school's sex ed program, telling me to come to them if I had any questions. Beyond embarrassing; I never went to them. And that was the extent of my education until high school, when my friends started experimenting and my church leaders danced around the topic, some coming more to the point than others. Then I grew up and learned a little more from married friends and some well-recommended books. And that was that.

I'd like to do a little better for my own girls. With Hazel starting school this year, this has been weighing on my mind for several months. We all know how playground talk goes - kids with older siblings or unfiltered parents learn shocking words and start throwing them around, either inferring or inventing meanings for them. Then other kids start repeating them, and no one knows what they're talking about except that they are dirty, taboo or funny in some way. It starts with "bathroom talk." And quickly escalates from there.

Just the other day, Hazel told me over dinner, "Mom, 'balls' is another word for bottom."

Ah. "Who told you that and what exactly did they say?"

"Genny* told me. She just said, 'Balls is another word for bottom.'"

Aha. Genny has an older brother. Well I couldn't let it go at that, and I certainly wasn't going to ignore or negativize the topic. But, as usual, I am navigating uncharted waters, so I just delved in and explained as matter-of-factly as possible what it really means. Though we are without brothers, the girls are familiar with boy anatomy from cousin babies so we started there and concluded with the explanation that while "balls" is not a bad word, it's not polite to talk about people's private parts except in our family, so she shouldn't repeat whatever Genny was saying.

One conversation down, infinity to go.

A few weeks ago I saw a Real Families, Real Answers episode about pornography. In it, Rick Schatz of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families said, regarding talking to children about sex/internet safety/pornography:

Decide what you think is the right age to talk about it. Then subtract three years, and you'll only be one year late.

Which only confirms what I already knew, which is that with her 6th birthday coming up, it's time to begin and maintain an open dialogue about sex with Hazel. I don't think it's hard. At this age, it is not embarrassing or even very detailed. In fact, a few years ago when she asked about babies, I told her everything in a true but simple way. But it's been awhile. And, with her away from me most days, around numerous adults I don't know, I also need to talk to her about what is and isn't OK for adults to do. Heaven forbid someone tries to touch her inappropriately, and it will most likely never happen, but shame on me if it does and I haven't talked to her about it. I hesitate because who wants to put suspicion in a 5-year-old's mind, and suggest she can't trust her teachers? Who wants to tell her some adults are bad, and they might be ones in her life? Not me, but who wants their child left unprotected, even in the name of innocence? Like I said, this has been weighing on me.

And while they are young now, 10 years goes fast, and I need to establish openness, honesty, expectations, and moral principles way, way earlier than they may need them. Which means now. Which means saying the "S" word. And even more that I rarely say out loud. I find this, this and this helpful, for starters. If anyone has a good book on the topic, please recommend it.

I'm just beginning this road, or rather, this one lane on the mega-wide highway of parenting. And although it's not as urgent right now as dealing with tantrums, power struggles, and mealtimes, with its far-reaching implications, it is even more crucial.

And don't even get me started on slumber parties.

(*Her name's not really Genny.)

Quiet Birthday Morning

Ed's at work. Ginger and Hazel are at school. Poppy is taking a nap, bless her. The house is quiet, quiet, quiet. I've just posted on VGP and am about to go bake something in quiet. Here are some pictures I took this morning of my very favorite people. I'm 36 today. Who could ask for anything more?**That is a rhetorical question. If you actually want to get me something, my wishlist is here.

"Just Like a Real College Person"

Hazel is obsessed with college. She's five. BUT. Last fall our favorite babysitter went away to college so we had some explaining to do. We gave her the five-year-old version, from admissions to graduation, and her mind opened up to life beyond kindergarten. She would occasionally ask me a question about college in general ("What do college people like to eat?") or my time in college ("Mom, did you miss me when you were at college?"). Because of her fascination, I've started telling more stories about my college years and she is always interested.

Then in December her oldest cousin, a high school senior, was accepted to William & Mary, and there was a lot of hubbub around our house about it. Good for him, we're so proud, can't believe he's already 18, he'll be closer to us, it's so exciting, etc. After Christmas, that cousin and the rest of his family came to visit, and the girls referred to him exclusively as Mr. College Man* (and still do.)

Hazel, with her very tender heart, is especially focused on the aspect of college as the first time a child leaves home for good. Leaves. Goes and lives somewhere else without their family. She is emphatic that she wants to go to college in Virginia so she can always be near me. I just smile and let that idea linger as long as it will (can I get that notarized?)

Last Sunday during church Hazel nudged me, and with tears in her eyes showed me this picture she had drawn:In case you can't tell, it is her leaving for college, and all of us so sad because we will miss her. I pulled her close to me and let the tears run down her face. I kissed her head and told her not to forget her tender heart, so she added it in. Just between you and me, I don't need this. It is hard enough to watch her go to kindergarten, to have friends I don't know, to go up a shoe size. Every growth is heartwrenchingly bittersweet and I'm just not ready to think about that most poignant of days when she will go off, grown up, and be glad to be gone.

But I don't tell her that. Don't have to; she knows it. It's all there in the drawing. I just hug her and tell her I'm glad for the time we have (12 more years and ticking away), and tell her how fun college is.

So the next day I was cleaning the kitchen and I asked her to clean the sink in the nearby bathroom. I gave her a spray bottle of cleaner and some paper towels. She asked to have her hair up in a ponytail. She moved out the stepstools and all the stuff on the sink and started spraying and wiping. "Hey Mom," she said, "it's like I'm in my own apartment!"

"Uh, yeah, I guess so."

"It's like this is my apartment and I'm cleaning it. Look, I'm just like a real college person!"

Of course anyone who lived with roommates in college knows that's not at all like a real college person, but at the moment it was profound. She gets it, she has a vision for her life, a real vision. She's moved out of I-wanna-be-a-princess-butterfly to I-wanna-be-a-college-person. And with role models to look up to, time to work through her feelings, a ponytail, a paper towel and spray bottle in hand, I guess she's on her way.

*My sister wrote a super blog post about her son turning 18. Not sappy stuff, very practical, about what an 18-year-old needs to know about being a grown-up. An excellent preview for those of us in the early childhood trenches.

The Crazy Box

About 6 or 7 months ago, in my third trimester, I started to panic. What was I going to do with three girls, and one of them a round-the-clock newborn?

So one day I took down all my cute toddler activity books, which had been gathering dust on the bookshelf. Started flipping through. Started jotting down page numbers. Of course all those books have lovely, adorable, developmentally appropriate, clever and oh-so-cute ideas. But I was looking very specifically for activities that require minimal-to-no adult instruction or supervision. Basically, things I can set the girls up with, and leave the room to nurse/pee/cry/collapse/stare blankly at the wall wondering what I came in here for/etc. You know, the usual.

The list became fairly long, so over the next few weeks I compiled them and typed them up into a booklet. While I was at it, also made a list of supplies needed for the activities and started collecting them into a plastic bin. I even unearthed my label maker and put everything in labeled bags and containers.While I was at it, I kept wondering, "Am I wasting my time? Will they go for it?" Most of the activities seemed appealing, but we had never done them before, so you never know.

I finished the box before Poppy was born, and kept it in my closet even after we came home. I wanted to put off needing it as long as possible, but I was also afraid to find out if my work was in vain. Because it embodied a hope, something to turn to when all else fails, and I couldn't quite face it being a failure, too.

But things got desperate and I got over that. Broke it out one afternoon while I was making dinner. The girls were intrigued. Excited. Almost every day they asked for a new activity, but I limited it to the most difficult time of day - late afternoon, while making dinner. Because that's the CRAZY time of day. When they're driving me CRAZY. When I do not have time or energy to think up an activity or hunt down supplies. I need it typed up, in a booklet, with labeled bags of everything I need, ready to go.

Sharpening Pencils

Using tongs to move pom poms into ice cube trays

Hole punching

Moving colored water with eye droppers

Scrubbing coins with a toothbrush

These days, Hazel usually has homework in the afternoon, and we copy it so Ginger can do it too. We've done most of the Crazy Box activities so the novelty has worn off. But there are still some favorites they request on occasion so we keep it close by.

The Crazy Box: an idea that actually worked.Making paper clip chains