Strange Machines

Yesterday we spent the afternoon making our own snakes and ladders game. I taught the kids how to measure and use a ruler to draw straight lines and create 2x2cm squares. They had a great time drawing in numbers and their various snakes and ladders afterwards.

Happy 2012!

I know I know. I’d been fairly MIA all of 2011. You see, my weekly housekeeper quit to look after her sick mom back in December 2010 and we decided not to hire anyone new to replace her. So I’ve been doing the cleaning and laundry too, which after a year I am still doing rather poorly (but we get by). Plus when you’re so exhausted any blogging ideas kind of dissipate and disappear before they hit paper (or the iPhone).

The kids have been great. 5 and 2 have been a lovely age for each kid so far. Both are helpful with housework – they love hanging out and keeping laundry, folding and keeping clothes, and pick up their toys and keep them. When I need to do housework, they have a choice of helping or entertaining themselves. They’ve become very good at the latter!

So I have to say full-time housework has been a win-win for this family. The kids have learnt to play on their own without my having to be there but am within shouting distance in the same house. I get a bit of quiet time washing dishes and doing laundry.

The only downside for me is I need to rest a lot more during the day because it isn’t second nature for me to do housework but I trudge on because I want it to be easy for my kids, second nature, no sweat for them to do housework, not like the chore it is for me. After all, isn’t parenthood is about arming our kids with life skills? This is one skill I want my kids to have. I truly feel that life would be so much easier for them if they embrace it.

The kids asked if I could make them a gingerbread boy and girl. The faces took a while! I need to work on my embroidery…

I’ve picked up knitting again but with a round wooden knitting loom (handmade in the US from Sistermaide) instead of knitting needles which are rather sharp – not the best idea with little kids around who might like to use them as swords.

Here’s my first attempt to make a beanie. Some dropped stitches and oddly placed threads but the kids loved it. It didn’t fit either kid but fit a couple of their dolls. Still, Wolf said that he appreciated it and it would go in his treasure box. I was very touched!

I recently got 2 Waldorf dolls for Kitten from the amazing dollmaker Mim of Chestnutdolls. Kitten loves playing with dolls and I had to get a baby doll with the mama doll. Wonderful, wonderful workmanship. We love them so much!

The very talented MamaMadeThem is a single mom who admirably left her job to spend more time with her son and makes these amazing toys for a living.

Here’s a wonderful opportunity to buy her beautiful safe open-ended toys for your child.

Everything except the Little Kitchen, Sun House, Oak Bus, Hammer and Nails, Tools and Toolbox is 20% off! The coupon code is JANUARY.

Go visit her store already: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MamaMadeThem

Upcycled this old tee my son grew out of into a cute playmat!

This is one of our simple and organic breakfasts. It is fast and the kids can help to prepare it. And most of all, it is yummy!

100% organic whole wheat bread
Organic mayo
Organic free range eggs

We need:

Stainless steel cookie cutters
Stainless steel or tin pot
Stainless steel tray
Fork
Bowls

Steps:

1. Parent passes cookie cutters, tray, and loaf of bread to kids. They can cut as many shapes as they like. Smaller kids may eat cut shapes or the scrap bread but don’t fret, at least the smaller ones are entertained while you are cooking.

2. Parent put eggs to hard boil for about 7 minutes.

3. When done, soak eggs in bowl and crack one to check they are hard boiled. If not, return to 2. for another couple of minutes.

4. Peel shells off hard boiled eggs. Older kids can help if interested and smaller kids can play with peeled shells.

5. Add 1-2 teaspoons of mayo. Mash eggs with fork. Older kids might like to do this too.

6. Dish egg mayo onto single piece of cut bread or wedge between 2 slices of a similar shape. Yummy!

(Note: Parent eats the scrap bread which she forms into interesting shapes too!)

I finally found an ecofriendly safe paint for the kids! By chance I met the owner of Mulberry Paints at Isetan where she was selling her products and we had a good chat. Her paints are plant-based and tested extensively for safety.

We broke out the kits today. The kids loved it!

Kitten is now busy with cooking and marketing. She carries her basket and picks up items and pops them inside. She also loves to play with the pots and pans I bought Wolf before and I’ve seen her standing with a pan pretending to cook.

So what’s a Momma gonna do? Make her a playset of course.

I cut the pieces out but did not sew them together. Just put the pan on the black felt and cook!

Made an egg sunny side up for them to cook. More on the way!