Fun with Egg Cartons

In addition to using egg cartons for eggs, we have a lot of favorite uses....

Like as an art muse (there are rocks in each cup and we practicing counting them in):


We also like to play CSA store:

We play this because there is a cooler of eggs at our weekly CSA pickup site.  Invariably, the baby wants to play his favorite game there, "'Open and Close the Bin."

 Since we do like to get in and then out again for the pickup, we made our own cooler with (empty) egg cartons.  Quite entertaining. 

 

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Shorts

We made these without a pattern: we just traced his favorites and added a seam allowance.

The we had to add pockets. And use a zig-zag stitch...

These were made from an old t-shirt. 

 

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Garlic Braiding

We harvested our garlic last week, and then just braided it.

It is so easy to plant garlic and braid it-- we have enough for the whole year from our front yard.  We put in about 10 heads of garlic, glove by clove (pointy-side up) in the dirt in the fall.  Then we waited until the tops were brown and wilty at the beginning of summer, and pulled them.  It's that easy.

Then we followed these instructions last year, and did it from memory this year.

Love it!  

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These Boots Were Made for Walking

He is now a year old (12 mo and a week), and has taken to standing and pointing a yelling with vigor.  We assume he is saying he wants whatever is at the finger end of the point.

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Toy Recommendation: Plan Toys' Airport

Plan Toys has such great toys.  Their stuff is "green"-- wooden, sustainable, non-toxic, and understated but fun.

This toy, the airport, has been a staple at our house for a while now.  It is amazing how much action it gets.

This day, it was getting a hotel addition.  As you can see, the hotel got attached by a ramp and has its own parking garage, ramp, and rooms. 

The pilot goes up and down the elevator of the airport, then to the hotel and back. 

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Kids' Book: Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type

 

This book is one of our favorites.  It has all the elements of a good kids book: a story, some good noises the grown-up must make while reading, some big words to learn and concepts to discuss, a twist at the end, and some nostalgia to learn about. Who could ask for more?

After spending much time with Click Clack Moo, we happened upon an old typewriter in a garbage pile in the neighbor's yard, and quickly spirited it home.  Alas, the ink was out but we got to spend a morning putting paper in and out, and listening to the "clickety clack" noise.

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Beet Brownies

We love the website Nourished Kitchen and her beet brownies.  BUT we modified them slightly (we use cocoa powder instead of cocoa butter, though I really must get some cocoa butter and make them for real).

Regardless, we all enjoy these.

This batch was slightly underdone, but still delicious... 

Note: We have now gotten cocoa butter and they are AMAZING!

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Mud Table

We found this purple "table" in a neighbor's garbage pile! It has the lid, too! The plug was missing, but a wine cork did the job just right. 

We think it was a sandbox, but we don't need a sand box. We thought we could use it as a kiddie pool, but, better yet, for making MUD.

It has been nicknamed the "mud hud" and all sorts of "goodies" from the garden have found their way in. Yes, including kale, sand, water, compost, dirt, water, and a few unripe currants.  It also gets closed every night so the skunk doesn't get in...

Every day, we need to open it and water it and follow the "recipe" for making mud, which seems to include adding "ingredients" from around the garden...

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Garlic Harvest

 

This all came from the front yard.  We  put single cloves all around the yard in the fall, and they detract deer (we think), then they grow into a whole head of garlic.  Then we pluck them at the beginning of summer.

Next up: garlic braiding!

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Double Babywearing - Wearing two children at same time

 

They were both screaming for me at the same time.  
What's a mama to do?

Oh- of course:

1. Put baby in Scootababy on side.
2. Put Preschooler in Ergo on back.

Ahhhh..... peace and quiet. Instantly.

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Baby's First Birthday Cake

 Baby turned one year old today!!




















Where does the time go?
























We made him strawberry pie (grain-free) with whipped cream.  He LOVES strawberries, but bypassed them for the whipped cream today.

Go figure.

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Skunk in Chicken Yard

We have been very good about keeping our coop closed every night and opening it every morning.  Then one night we forgot, and heard a scuffle at 2:30 a.m.

Nice roost.

Lo and behold, there was a de-feathered chicken body in the yard the next morning.

Spraying the skunk.

After that, two of the chickens have been preferring to roost above the coop, in the oak tree.  Not a bad idea, really.  Especially since we first spotted them up there when we saw a skunk in their yard at dusk.

Skunk scampering away.

Another evening, we went to close the coop at dusk and the skunk was spotted eating their feed at the bottom of the coop.  My husband scared it off by spraying it with a hose.  It scampered off, under the fence, and into the neighbor's yard.

After a little research, it looks like skunks do not prefer chickens, but will eat them.  We have thought our past issues were because of raccoons, since we have seen them in the yard as well and in the neighborhood.

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Eating Hard Boiled Eggs - Kid Food

 Both kids love hard boiled eggs!!

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