Spring Break!

 This week away from my desk and away from my computer have been so nice!

Of course, I started off with  an optimistic week by getting to sleep late and then accompany my sweet thing to get his first COVID vaccination. (I'm showing the sticker from my vaccination last month, since Mike didn't get one!) It just feels like a sigh of relief that some level of protection is near and we can venture out doing different things soon. The only time I have felt such a protective mode was when my children were small and I tended to hover a lot. They were within arm's reach when we went food or clothing shopping. I sat in the car while they practiced various activities so that if they were hurt, I could rush them to get medical attention. This has felt sort of like that only I am a bit wiser about risks and more careful about the risks I take.

While watching the SEC tournament one evening, I stuffed about 100 Easter eggs in preparation for the family egg hunt. About half-way through I was asking myself why I thought those plastic eggs were a good idea! Each has candy inside and I think all of the grands will enjoy them. I also got some that were stuffed with fun things like tiny plastic puppies and farm animals and some with dinosaurs. We have some gold eggs we will add a bit of money to and that always makes for excitement.

One day this week we had a visit from one set of the grands. I had ordered some playground balls for them to play with on Easter.  So, we had to make a quick trip to the local hardware store and pick up a hand pump and needle to blow them up and a quick kick ball game ensued. It even brought out another part of our grands as they saw the front yard game and decided to walk down and join in. I think a quick game of hide-and-seek followed the kick ball game and lots of running and giggling took place. 

One little snaggle-puss brought me a fist full of daffodils while she was here. So, we had to find a vase and add a little bit of spring to the dining table. That sort of prompted me to let a little more spring pop in here and there. 

I added some faux florals with a springy look to coordinate with the daffodils in the kitchen. I've had the Forsythia for years and recently gave these pink peonies a whirl to see if they might brighten things up when my grocery store flowers had faded.  I think I kind of like them! I will probably add my bunnies to the springing up the house later this afternoon.

I added some green to the den to say hello spring. I had made the floral pillow covers last year at about this time and as I was searching for those I stumbled across these striped linen covers I'd created a few years back. So, the den began some wearing of the green on Saint Patrick's Day and it truly looks like spring, I think. 

I took the Forsythia theme a bit further and ordered a wreath and a garland to add some cheer to the cute little bunny face Bridgette gave me a couple of years ago.  I just love how happy he makes our front door and porch! I think that after Easter I can leave the wreath and garland on the door for a bit to just herald spring!

I started a craft project that I will share when I get it finished. I painted some sweet little hearts for the grands for Valentine's Day and decided I'd do something similar for Easter. It is fun and sort of relaxing even if it isn't fancy. I've enjoyed doing it and I hope they feel like it is a sweet hug when they get them.

I've got a couple more days to enjoy some time off from work. So, I'm going to get away from this computer and see what other spring break nonsense I can stir up!

Valentine's Day Craft

 I guess it was being cooped up inside or maybe I just needed to feed the need to create that I sometimes get. I recently did a little bit of crafting for Valentine's Day.  I sent cookie creating packages to the grands for Valentine's Day. So, I thought I'd do a little bit of heart decorating myself.  

I just used little wooden heart cutouts and painted designs on them. Then, covered them with a coat of Mod Podge and put them in the mail.  The three larger hearts are also wood cutouts. I drilled a hole in them and strung some twine through. Then, hung them on the front door.  They were great till the wind started blowing in a snow storm and I was afraid they would beat our new front door up, so I brought them in.  

They were really cheerful while they were out there, though! I just used really simple strokes and some sponge circle paint brushes that I bought years ago for crafting. 

Sweet little hearts!

Happy Birthday, Corey!

 

Hope it is a great one!

Happy Birthday, Bridgette!

 

Hope it is as fun as you are!

Wise Words!

 If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but still the same amount of snow.

I choose to have joy!

Happy, Happy!

 

Valentine's Day Treats!

We always send treats and gifts to the children and grands for holidays and special occasions when we cannot be with them to share those times. Sometimes we send them something that will be an experience - like a trip to the zoo for the family. However, this year the experiences have been something that got put on the back burner in some ways. When I sat down to try to think of what I could send for Valentine's day, I sort of hit a wall for a bit. 

At Father's Day I sent a bunch of snacks - some salty and some sweet. As it turned out, that was a gift for the whole family! Halloween I sent a five pound bag of candy. That was a gift for the whole family as well but the parents of the littles sort of let me know it was an overindulgence that was a bit overwhelming and distracting.  (By the way, those are not the exact words that were used but that was the message I heard!)

So, as I was thinking about Valentine's Day, I tried to think about what might be an experience and what might be well received as well. So, a big bag or box of chocolates was out. Then, I started seeing lots of blog posts where folks were making Valentine treats that included cut-out cookies with icing and decorations. That's when I knew I had hit on a good idea. That could kind of be an experience as well as a treat!

I turned to my go-to for shipping treats inexpensively and began looking for a way to make that cookie cutting and decorating experience for the grands. I found this cute set of cookie cutters that included a little set of hearts. Then, I added a pouch or two of a cookie mix, a couple of squeeze containers of pink and red icings, and some sprinkles. Later, I found another recipe that looked relatively simple and emailed a link to the parents just in case they wanted to extend the experience!

Cassie and Evie's Cookies

Evie intensely studying her work!

Cassie's opinion of the action is expressed with a look.

You can see the cute little tin of cookie cutters just behind the dough that Evie is  working in the photo above. I kind of wish I had ordered me these treats!

Beautifully decorated treats!

Linley's decorating technique.

Harris and Linley's serious attention to detail!

I loved the cookie that was round and had the little heart cut-out in the center. I was also very impressed with the perfect roundness of the cookies on the plate above. Mom told me they had used a glass to cut out the circles and the cutter to get the heart shape inside. So clever! I was thrilled to get photos of the experience and the treats they created! Doesn't that look fun? And delicious? (And just enough messiness that only a grandmother can love when it is in photos and not her kitchen!)

UPDATE:

Another set of grands shared photos and I wanted them to be posted here as well. It looks like rolling out the dough is serious business.

Then comes the cutting and it looks like there was some thinking involved there, too.  After all, you want to get the most you can out of that flattened dough!

And the decorating must have taken the most time. With all those options, I'll bet they sure were tasty!

Looks like there were plenty of tubes of icing and lots of sprinkles and that is really what makes that kind of treat a special one. I think this last bunch used a snow day for cookie baking. I know that their mother got asked every day after school about making cookies till the day finally arrived for the fun to take place. Don't you know I was getting love vibes from mother?!