In which we are saved from a grim and grisly fate by a package of party cups

We've been planning a fishing trip all week. Everyone has been super psyched. 
And then. 
We woke up this morning - last official day of spring break - to this kind of a day. 

I think it made it up to 20 degrees around 1pm. Major Bumming. 
The kids reluctantly donned their snow gear for some "FUN in the SNOW!" (I did my best enthusiastic mom thing... ), and went out to muck through the muddy ice. 
That lasted about 20 minutes. (approximately half the time it took me to find all the snow pants and coats and matching boots and mittens, and get them all dressed and out the door) 

And then, suddenly, we were looking at the business end of possibly the longest, most miserable day ever.

I wracked my mommy brain for some kind of fun cold-weather activity we haven't already done 3,584,695,212,800,000 times. (nothing came to mind)


So I let the boys build a fire in the fireplace. (they're getting pretty good at it by now) and I put on some hot chocolate. And for a while, we looked at books. 

Until the boys started arguing about something, and I had to negotiate a reconciliation. Which took forever. And then I looked at the clock at it was only 10:30. 

IN THE MORNING!!

So we pulled out the decks of cards and played go fish and speed and I taught the boys how to play war and solitaire. 


Which was great until war became more than just the name of the game. Nix the cards. ... after picking three decks up off the floor... and under the couch, and behind the bookshelves... sigh. 


LUNCH! 


Then naps for the girls... who weren't in the mood to nap, since we hadn't really done anything all morning. 


Temptation to turn on the Spongebob... growing with each passing second. 


Till I opened the cabinet under the sink to get out a clean dishtowel and spotted ... an unopened package of party cups. SALVATION. 


Now to some, an unopened package of party cups is just... well, an unopened package of party cups. But to a desperate mama, and her relentless pack of wolves lovely children, it's an unopened package of possibility and fun. I'm not even kidding. 


This entertained us ALL AFTERNOON. 


First, Owen decided he wanted to make the most gigantic pyramid of cups ever. 

It took a while. 

And a lot of tries. 

Like, 14.

But eventually, he (with the help of his brother) made it to the top. And placed the final piece.

They were so excited. Especially when I told them they could knock it down by throwing stuffed animals at it. 

As we were picking up all the cups, Max had an inspiration for a craft he wanted to make with the cups. It turned out pretty awesome, and he's here to tell you about it. Take it away, Max!

(transcribed by mom)  Hi. It's Max. I made a rocketship today out of these red cups my mom found under the sink. That's where she keeps the stuff we're not 'sposed to touch. 

This is what I used to make the Space ship. Three red cups, that thing from the paper towels, some clear tape, and some scissors. 

First, you have to take one of the cups and cut out the sides like this. The pieces you cut out are going to be the wings, so make them wing-shaped. Throw away the part that's in the picture. Mom, we should have taken a picture of the wings instead. Why did you take a picture of the trash part? (me: sorry.) 

You tape the wing parts to the side of one of the cups. You have to do this first before you put on the top cup. Mom, you don't have a picture of that part. *big sigh. (me: sorry.) Well, after you have the wings on - they need to be so they can move up and down... like wings. 

After that, you tape the top part on, but only tape where the wings aren't. otherwise they won't move. When you do all that, it should look like this:

And it's cool 'cause the wings stay up when you put them up because they get like stuck on the white part of the cup. The wings are 'sposed to be up when the rocket goes off. Then, after it's in space, you can put them down. 

{Animated gif maker}

To make the rocket frushters... wait. What are they called? (me: thrusters) Thrusters, you cut off a piece of the tube. Then cut it so it opens up.

Then you have to cut in in half so you can have two... what are they again? (me: thrusters)  thrusters. I wanted to make four, but my mom said no. You should make four. That would be a lot better. (me: sorry.) 

Then you kind of roll the pieces up so they're smaller tubes and tape them so they can stay. Moooom! You didn't take a picture of that EITHER?! (me:... sorry.)

*Big sigh. Well, hopefully they know what I'm talking about. But then you tape the thr -thrusters to the bottom of the Rocketship. 

Here's a picture of what it looks like when it's done. MOM! Why did you have to put THAT picture on here? I look WEIRD! (me: ... sorry.) 

Well, just tell them to look at this instead. I like this movie. They can even see Logan on the couch. 

Is that it? (me: You could say goodbye.) Oh. Goodbye. I hope you make a rocket like mine 'cause it's really cool and I like it a lot. And kids can do it theirselves, too, so they won't always have to be bugging their moms.

   {Make a gif}

Not to be outdone by his little brother, Owen made a little rocket ship of his own. No fancy cutting involved. 

They got out some guys and played with these for a good long time. Then they went online to check out stuff about real rockets and ended up on This Lego Rocket Game where you have to build a rocket and then launch it and see if it will make it into space. They all got really into it, and when their rocket finally made it 190,381 miles up, and the meteors were flying by, an impromptu conga line broke out and they were all dancing around the room singing 'We made it into space - yeah! We made it into space - yeah!' 

And so, we managed to survive the day thanks to some extra party cups and a little ingenuity. 

And we'll reschedule that fishing trip as soon as possible.

Thanks for Playing, folks.

Rhinos and Ranunculus,

-shawnacy

Learn how to make animated pictures Here. (it's a LOT easier than you think!)

linking up with:

Thanks, Max!!

Grow; and, Evidently, I am a Surrealist Doodler

Squeezing this little post-io in this afternoon while the kids are locked in their rooms, screaming napping. 


Sarah over at Atlantic Atlantis has a fun little art challenge going on this month. And since I've recently discovered how much I miss drawing and doodling (more than those little flowers down the side of the page as I'm talking on the phone) I signed up super-quick. (not that i have time for this, you understand... the three blankets i have going are sitting in my knitting bag unattended. the dishes in my sink are piled high ((ok, well, that's just kind of normal...)) and i haven't gone to bed before 3am in a week. ... fine, i can't blame all of that ((or any of it really)) on this doodle, but i'll do it anyway. That's right. Livin' on the edge.) 


The project is called Grow, and basically you start with something small and 'grow' a picture around it. 


The challenge for this week was this: 

Start with a quarter-sized circle in the center of the page, and kind of work your way out from there.  Look how awesome hers turned out:

It's really amazing and detailed. and it's all one thing. Which makes me laugh really hard when I look at mine. 

It's ok, you can laugh too. It's bizarre. I started out with the pocket watch, and then - squeezing doodles in at odd moments of the day - kind of added a little at a time. I definitely didn't keep to one theme. or picture. or style. 

ah well. 

it was fun, and i'm excited for this week's challenge. 

Check out Sarah's post to see more about her drawing, and stay for the challenge. Pick up a pen and draw something wonky (or wonderful. or wonderfully wonky) today.

Love and Armadillos,

-shawnacy

quiverfull... what's in a name.

Kick a weasel! 

I recently heard about a movement in the conservative Christian community called ... shockingly... Quiverfull. I chose the name because I do obviously have quite a large family, and because I've always enjoyed the Biblical imagery found in the passage in Psalms that states, "as arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of the youth." Not in the sense of ... flinging our kids around like weapons... necessarily ... but in the sense that a 'mighty man' (or woman) has the ability to direct (to some extent) the trajectory of our children's lives. As parents we shape their personalities, tastes, activities, and aversions, as much as we decided what they are (and are not) exposed to, what they eat, what they talk about, and how they view the world. We fit them into the bowstring of ourselves, and our families, and from there they are able to shoot out into the world. We hope, to become the dazzling, amazing, kind, and creative people that they are. 

I still like the idea. 

But, as I am reading more about the Quiverfull movement (check out the Wikipedia article Here, if you want), I find that there are a few things I don't agree with, and perhaps don't want people to assume of me because of the name... Namely this, copied from the article. 
 It promotes procreation, and sees children as a blessing from God,^[2][3][4] eschewing all forms of birth control, including natural family planning and sterilization.^[5][6] Adherents are known as "quiver full", "full quiver", "quiverfull-minded", or simply "QF" Christians. Some refer to the Quiverfull position as Providentialism,^[7] while other sources have referred to it as a manifestation of natalism.^[8][9] Currently several thousand Christians worldwide identify with this movement.^[5] It began to receive significant attention in the U.S. national press in 2004.

Though I am a Christian, and firmly believe in the inalienable right to a chance at life, I am not anti-contraceptive. I know it may appear that way... given the size of the family I tote around, but believe it or not, I did everything short of surgery to prevent more pregnancies. (finally opting for surgery after the last... because... well, seven is a big enough number even for me.) Which is not to say that any of my kids was unwanted. Unexpected, perhaps, but always anticipated and received with joy. 

Here's my opinion on the matter (...not that you asked, but just to put it out there, since we're on the topic). I do not believe that birth control is unbiblical. Some people believe that using contraceptives is a way to take the control away from God, and that you should leave it to Him to decide how many children you ought to have. I see this as very similar to the thinking that states that it is wrong to go to the doctor or take any kind of medication. Those in this camp believe that God can and will heal, if He chooses. (usually there's also a contingency in there somewhere which tells people that if God DOESN'T heal, it is due to a lack of faith on the part of the sick... which IS unbiblical.) 


Ok, so how are these similar? I see the similarity in that in both situations we have a choice. An option. An opportunity. If you get cancer, or diabetes or you child has a brain tumor, you have within your small measure of control, the option to seek medical help. If you are an adult, who is perhaps uneasy about the possibility of having children, or who knows that it would be financially irresponsible at this time, or that you are simply not ready... you have within your scope of control, the ability to do something to prevent a pregnancy before it happens. (not talking about abortion. abortion as a form of birth control is wrong by anyone's standards) 

As I see it, the ultimate result is still completely in God's hands. Some cancer patients survive, some do not, whether or not they underwent all possible medical treatment. It is still possible to become pregnant while using birth control. Trust me on that one. :) But as much as it is in our power to act, I think we have the responsibility to act in the most prudent and wise way we can. (Understand too, that I intend no disrespect to those who embrace the no birth-control lifestyle. It is very natural and beautiful. I just don't happen to believe it is the ONLY way.)

Some couples marry with the intention of a large family from the beginning. Fantastic! I LOVE big families. But I honestly never thought I would have one. I had/still have huge aspirations of what I would do in the world. For the most part, this didn't include having children. But then I met my amazing stepkids, and knew that they were meant to be in my life. And I was happy with our family. Three kids is a lot for a new wife of 22 to just jump into. I didn't need babies. And then I found myself pregnant. And had a miscarriage. 

And had to watch a tiny life floating in a mess of blood and tissue in my bathroom toilet while I sobbed all night with my head on the sink. I was done. After that I didn't want to get pregnant ever again. I couldn't go through that again. 

I did everything possible to prevent it. And then I missed a few periods. I did my best not to become too attached to the notion of a baby. A task at which I failed miserably. Then Owen was born, healthy and beautiful. And I was hopelessly smitten. I was also done. I had four kids and a full time job teaching high school. 

And then came Max, 14 months later. And I was absolutely done. (are you seeing a pattern here?) We scheduled a tubal, but there was a muck-up with the insurance, and we weren't able to do it. 

And a few years later, Annika came. And I was REALLY absolutely done. This time, a technicality in paperwork was the reason my tubal was cancelled. 

And when I found out I was pregnant with Naomi I thought my head was going to explode.  But it didn't. And despite a really difficult pregnancy, and a lot of weird circumstances, I felt more calm and peaceful and joyfully expectant with her than I had with any of the others. And this time, the tubal went off without a hitch. 

Each time a new child came along, I panicked a little and worried and had a few anxiety attacks about 'how in the WORLD am I going to do this!!!???' and then the baby came. And our home and family and lifestyle stretched to fit the new addition. And I've been forced to get my head out of itself and focus on these unbelievable little people I've been entrusted with. I've had to be resourceful and creative in ways I never thought I could. I've learned patience (or... at least a smidgen more than the 'none-at-all' I had before) and forgiveness and to find the wonder and joy and beauty in each and every moment. Even the yucky ones. 

Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for each of my kids. Disabilities, struggles, attitudes, conflicts and all. 

I know this has been long and heavy and I don't mean to wax controversial (though a little controversy can be good for the blood, and we're all adults here who can appreciate different perspectives, and embrace them with grace); and I'm grateful for those who have read this far. :)

Mostly, I just wanted to let you know that I am not affiliated with the Quiverfull movement going on, and that, if it becomes a big deal, I might end up changing the name. ... boo on me for not researching it first. Lesson learned. 

Let me know what you think, everyone. Had you heard about the Quiverfull thing? Did you assume I was part of it? Do you think a name-change is in order? Did you read all of this? (if  so... merit badge for you! :) 

Thanks for listening.

cupcakes and cartwheels,

-shawnacy

Something Pretty, Something Smart

I've been mulling over a new catchy title for the friday finds post each week and came up with this little rhyme. because when you rhyme stuff, it's automatically more bouncy and delicious. True Story.  


And so, I give you 'Something Pretty, Something Smart.'


Because every week should include:

Something Pretty, 

Something Smart,

Something to do,

And a bit of Art.

Pretty:


I am slightly in love with this totally rad duvet cover by not on the high street i found via Meet Me at Mikes. How fun would this be for the kiddos?! Or for mom!! (also, it looks like something that wouldn't be too hard to make... hmm...)

Or hop over to The Curiosity Group to grab a FREE DOWNLOAD (!!) of this totally hip record player calendar!!! The record turns so that the cutout shows the date! So Clever! 

I have never been so bummed that my printer is on the fritz. But, they come out with a new FREE and super cute calendar every month, so be sure to check back often. Found via How About Orange.  

and I LOVE this  Daily Dot Chalkboard Wall Calendar from Simple Shapes. Maybe with this I could get the Teens to actually write things on the calendar...

Smart:


I was introduced today to Storynory through the always helpful and informative Childhood 101. Much like ambling books which I have raved about in the past, Storynory is an incredible resource for audiobooks. Except these are really audio stories, and they're all for kids. (also, there's no need to download! Just click on a story and listen!) 
We're hooked! We listened to a few of the classic Brothers Grimm stories today, and are already on chapter 4 of The Wizard of Oz. Yay for Storynory! 

And if you're in need of academic trivia with which to amaze your friends and family, head over to the Mental Floss Amazing Fact Generator to learn things like: 

Wilbur and Orville weren’t the only Wright Brothers. They had two older brothers, Reuchlin and Lorin, plus a younger sister, Katharine.

To Do:


Make a Light Theatre  with Adventures at Home. This looks like such a sweet activity to do with (or without!) kids. Have them read a story (or write one of their own) and then craft the figures, and play it out! (be sure to have your oooh's and aaah's and 'wow!'s' down pat, as I'm sure you'll be needing all of them as a proper spectator). I am extra-infatuated by this idea, and can't wait for the right slow afternoon to make this happen. 

Reminds me a little of this scene (at 1:00 on the video below. you would not believe how long i looked for a still frame of that shot. to absolutely no avail... sheesh)  from A Series of Unfortunate Events: 

And here's another one to try: This DIY Shadow Puppet Theatre from Ohdeedoh. 

While you're enjoying the shadow-puppet fest, whip up a batch of These oh-my-soul amazing Toffee Apple Cakes. Recipe brought to you by one of my favorite blogs, Coco Rose Textiles. Don't these look ... dangerously divine?

Art:


wanna go play with the moon? join funny page net [dot] com in this series of super neat moon pictures.

Next, watch James Powderly Graffiti-up buildings in Korea with LIGHT.  or do the coolest installation/exhibition/spontaneous event ever with sticky LED lights on The Creators Project

... and just for fun:


how about these kid-themed 'keep calm and carry on' variations from Callaloo Soup.
my personal favorite:

But you might also like: 

... or any of the other bunch to be found at the store. And you can download the printables for just $4.65! 

Kids Poetry Challenge week #1

Last month was National Reading Month and we had such a great time doing our celebratory theme: 30 Days of Books, (flip through for tons of book recommendations for all ages... even grown-ups!) and participating in the Read-Along at Helping Little Hands. We read so many great books, and did a bunch of fun activities, and, though we'll be continuing to do that, of course, I was a little bummed that it wouldn't be quite as focused or intentional. ... but... I stumbled upon the beautiful and fun Brimful Curiosities Blog via the Ultimate Blog Party (yay!) and she is doing a Kid's Poetry Challenge during the month of April. (double Yay!) 

We'll do one of these each week this month, and link up with Brimful Curiosities to see what everybody else is doing! Join in!

For our first poem, we used a Chippewa Indian Song called 'A Song of Greatness.'

here's an excerpt:

"When I hear the old men

Telling of Heroes,

Telling of great deeds

Of ancient days,

...Then I think within me,

... I too, when my time comes, 

Shall do mightily."

The boys love hero stories and have been in a bit of an Indian craze lately, so I thought this would be a great inspiration for art. We spent some time looking up information about the Chippewa, and found out that :

## They called themselves the Anishinabe, which means 'original person.'

## They live in North America, especially in the northern US and southern Canada. 

## They lived in wigwams or tipis depending on location. 

## They wore clothes like These.

And then we went to work on our illustrations. We used the fun watercolor colored pencil technique to make the drawings bright and colorful. 

If you've never done this before, it's super easy and ends up looking a lot like a watercolor painting, but without the mess. (less mess = happy mom). 

Quick little explanation, if you'd like to try: you just take a regular set of colored pencils, and dip them in water as you would a paintbrush, before coloring.    We've found that soaking the pencils for a few minutes before using helps the led become nice and soft and watery. Also, that normal printer-weight paper isn't really good enough for this type of technique, as it tends to rip and tear. 

Here are the finished works: 

Max's, titled: 

Young Brave Dreams of Killing a Bear Like a Great Warrior.

Annika's, titled:

An Indian Girl and her Mama in their Wigwam Doing Grown-Up Things Like Cooking and Setting the Table

And Owen's, which he calls:

Chippewa Brave Listens to the Old Men Speak, and Dreams of Brave Things

Thanks for playing, everyone, and pick up a poem today! 

If you're at a loss for where to start, here are some great ones for us big kids:

W.B. Yeats, When You Are Old

Billy Collins, I Go Back to the House for a Book

Margaret Atwood, Spelling

Dorothy Parker, A Thought For a Sunshiny Morning

to rhyme and meter and the love of cadenced words,

-shawnacy

linking up to:

Easter Ideas

Easter is fast approaching, and there are SO many cute ideas floating around this year. Wanted to get a few up early to give you time to try them out. I'll have to restrain myself to only 3 or 4, if I ever want to get anything else done... 


And a quick 'hi' to all the newcomers. We're glad to have you here at the ranch! (which, on a side note, has nothing to do with an actual ranch. we have no horses, no chickens ((though that might be cool))... narry a goat. We don't even live in a ranch-style house. We do, however, enjoy ranch dressing, if that counts.) Glad to have you aboard!


Now for the good stuff: 




## The always inspiring poppytalk has a quick tutorial on surprisingly easy-to-make easter egg fortune cookie thingies. I can't wait to try this!

## Need a perfect easter outfit for your little one? (it's sick how much we love dressing them up, isn't it...) check out the adorable vintage kids clothes at 3 ring circus.

or these from kid wonder.

## Or Make a Cute Skirt of your own with this easy tutorial from Made. I have some great fabric just waiting to be cute matching skirts for the girlys.  

## And who wouldn't love a pretty chocolate treat in their basket? Try out this Colorful Easter Chocolate Bark how-to from World Eats, via Li'l Magoolie. 

those look sooo yummy.

## Make these Easter Egg Hunt Bags with The Purl Bee (and then follow her, because her blog is loveliness)

## Make a Marshmallow Peep Softie with Dandelions and Lace 

## Grab the kids and whip up some of these Easy Yarn Easter Eggs from El Hada de Papel. (check out some of her other crafts too, the Myatrushka doll painted rocks are so cute!)

## Or for another kid-friendly craft, try A construction paper bird's nest from We Know Stuff

## And Lastly, Embroidered Easter Eggs!!?? What!?  It's for real and it's crazy! Head over to Needle and Thread to oogle. My mind is already working out the sickeningly cute possibilities. 

may your day be fabulous, and punctured by at least five moments of unexpected delight... and cookies. 

lemon drops and lemurs,

-shawnacy

super quick

Just had to share this Unbearably Fantastic Broadside called the Aardvark Manifesto by Aardvark on the Sea. I saw this first over at 123 O'Leary (which is the blog of the lovely children's book author, Sarah O'Leary), and my need to have this hanging in my house has only increased in the intervening minutes. [note: I am especially fond of the inclusion of the word "wonky" on this incendiary document. It has long been one of my more favored adjectives, and has never - in my opinion - received the acclaim it deserves.] 


Dontcha love it!?

keep it wonky, folks.