What happens when you mush all the neon playdough together?

This post is dedicated to Sarah, the Queen of Tie-Dye.

That medium purple color?  That’s the final color, when they’re all mixed.  WAY better than the yucky brown that comes from primary colors!

I made some playdough.

Seriously, I did.  And it. was. awesome.

And so easy!

It really makes me wonder why people purchase playdough at all.

Rae Ann suggested giving Ariel playdough a few weeks back.  Ariel went through a phase where she was ladling wet foods onto chairs and her sister’s head

Every. Single. Day.

Cereal. Yogurt. Cottage cheese.

It was…  infuriating.

I vented to Rae Ann, and she assured me that this was simply a phase of discovery that kids go through, and that she needed playdough so that she could explore texture without angering Mommy.  It sounded like sage advice, so, this past Tuesday, I went for it!

I used this recipe from Apartment Therapy, and it took only a few minutes to make a thick dough out of stuff I already had in my cupboard.  Then I used some neon food coloring to make some really great, girly colored playdough.

Ariel, as you can probably imagine, was enthralled when I presented her with her first lump.  She didn’t really know what it was, but it was mushy and it was hers!

After I was done coloring all four lumps of dough (it’s really fun kneading food coloring into dough and watching the colors become brighter and brighter!), I got down on the floor with her and demonstrated the wonders of playdough, by rolling balls and ropes and fashioning a little playdough girl.  This was so cool!  Ariel immediately requested that I make a boy and Grandma.

Once all three little people were spread out in front of her, she got to work on what she considered the most important task in building people: embellishing them with fanciful “pees.”

By the time she was done, Grandma looked like a very well-endowed man.

We’ve gotten out the playdough every day since.  It’s ridiculously easy to clean up, and, since it’s made of food, I don’t have to worry about Felicity sticking a little in her mouth.  We’ve made balls and snakes and cups and trees and flowers – I can make a killer rose! 🙂

It’s so fun watching my daughter come up with new and creative ways to use playdough, and it stretches my own mind as I try to come up with new things to show her.

Today, I made a teddy bear!

Is it silly that I still feel a sense of pride when my little sculptures turn out well?

More Palin Stuff

This is not generally a political blog, but there is so much fascinating Palin-related stuff out there, and I really want to help the public become as informed as possible.  I think it’s important that as many Americans as possible know as much as possible, so that we can make informed decisions in November.  And so, without further ado, here are a few little nuggets of Palin goodness:

Okay, that was more funny than informative, but I think that the huge LACK of information in this interview really says something about what kind of information the McCain administration actually has (or doesn’t have?  or doesn’t want to share?) about Sarah Palin.

Also, if you have a minute, you should check out this article by a woman who knows Mrs. Palin personally.  I found it very enlightening.

Obviously, while these things paint a certain picture of Palin, they don’t tell the whole story.  In fact, it’s hard to get “the whole story” about anyone, ever.  If you have more info that would further enlighten me or my lovely readers, regardless of which political party it looks good for, please feel free to post your links in the comments section.  I really do want to know as much as I possibly can about this woman.

Luna Bella’s Birthday

Ariel’s closest friend is Luna, and my closest friend is her mommy, Navi.  Monday was Luna’s second birthday, and I wanted to take this time to show you her gift.  I really wanted to do something heartfelt, meaningful, and unique.  So here’s what I came up with.

For the few of you who may not know, “Luna” means “moon” in several languages.  In her case, it’s Italian, a language that her daddy loves.  Her mom has always been in love with the moon, and they chose her name as a nod to both parents’ passions.

Included with the moon, which is meant to be hung from her ceiling, is a blessing:

Waxing:

May you treasure your name and the love with which it was chosen.

May your hands help the needy and comfort the sad.

May you blossom like a flower, growing and opening to reveal your inner beauty.

May you see and love the beauty of those who are different from you.

May you take pride in your unique heritage.

May you find beauty in the simple things.

Waning:

May angels watch over you.

May you create beauty out of utility.

May you never doubt your great value.

May you remember that, just as the moon reflects the sun, so your beauty, intelligence, charm, and grace reflect Someone far greater than yourself.

May your feet be quick to run from evil and rush to those in need.

May you be seen and admired for the perfect rose you are – beautiful, complex, delicate, and fierce.

May you remember that your life, like the moon, waxes and wanes. May you never boast in the good times, nor despair in the bad, but may you always be ready for the next phase in the cycle of your fortune.

May you wield with discernment the passive power that you command, for though the moon sits peacefully in the sky, it silently commands the oceans, the crops, the cycles of women and the minds of men.

May you shine.

Nearly every item on the moon has a meaning which directly corresponds to one of the blessings.  All but one of the items were objects found around the house.  I felt that scavenging for the decor added a touch of… sincerity?  I can’t find exactly the right word, but, essentially, it helped make the moon the very opposite of “canned.”

Making this moon was so therapeutic.  It was wonderful to watch it come together and take pride in something that I was creating.  I haven’t spent nearly enough time expressing my creativity in recent years, and the feeling of euphoria that I got from this project has inspired me not to put the hot glue gun away quite yet!

Happy Birthday, Luna!  We love you!