::shaving cream is always fun::

Shaving cream is always fun.

Always.

We wanted to try out this craft for the up coming art party.

It was simple to make. 

Spread the shaving cream on a cookie sheet.

Add a few drops of food coloring.

See the stick in the upped corner?

We used it to move the coloring around.

Or you could just use your hands like Miss Lily had to.  

Take a piece of card stock and press it straight down onto the shaving cream.

We used an unused old linoleum tile to scrap off the extra shaving cream on the paper. 

Then just let it dry for a few minutes.

Lastly, the girls decided to take it a step further and cut out designs from their prints.

Here is how Emma cut her pages out.

And here is what Lily did with hers.  

And here is what the littlest Schaefer did while his sisters were working on their projects.  

 

 

::state fair::

I bet you can tell were we went..

Lily couldn't get behind the Fried Butter.  She thought that was just too far.

We did try out some of the fried food, but I tried to keep myself a little under control.

It was so hot!  My pit stains are hidden by kids.  

The kids got $25 worth of tickets and were allowed to pick what they wanted to ride. 

Lily is usually very chicken about rides, but Emma talked her into this one. 

I rode on a giant bee with a very handsome young man.

Max did not see the fun in this situation. 

Of course we found some crafts to do.

The girls and I thought we needed one of these for the farm.  It only costs more than my car.

Some day I want a green house just like this.

Max tested out the lemon shake ups.  They were approved.

Last time I went to state fair I was showing my horse Stanley.  

We won.  

I never walked 10 feet from the horse show area.

Too busy.

Overall -

I love county fair.

I like state fair.

It is WAY over priced, but it is a cultural event that must be experienced. 

::still life perspective::

Lily has been talking about drawing still life images lately.  I have no idea were she is coming up with this stuff.  We do lots of art, but I don't every remember saying the words "still life" to her.  

She decided to built a block tower and then draw it.  She had her pillow/blanket and crayons all set up.  She even made herself a little drawing table out of blocks to work on.  

She asked me if I liked her "grand finale" on her tower.

Of course I did.

Here is her still life model.

And here is her finish product.  

We cut off the top of it and pasted it to a piece of blue construction paper.  

She drew the background trying to make it look like it was all outside.  

I tried to teach her about perspective and I got this -

"I know what perspective is, Mom.  To an ant I am giant.  To a giant I am tiny. Or it can be how you feel about something.  I learned that already."  

(From who?  She couldn't remember.)

So this isn't my craft or my idea.  Lily gets 100% billing, but I think it has lots of applications to help kids learn about art.  

::the great bathroom remodel begins::

I have been putting this off forever.  We gutted this bathroom in December!  Seriously.  What is wrong with me?  I just can't focus on this.  We make do with our one TINY little bathroom.  But it isn't always pretty.  I promised Josh that I would get focused on this.  So here - I am beginning.  Please throw in your input.  I need it.  

What should be our "main bathroom" -

Before

It had pink C-A-R-P-E-T in it when we moved in, but that had to go.  GROSS!  Why carpet in a bathroom?

Tiles were falling off the handmade vanity.  They did last 50 years, so its not like they were crummy.

They just didn't look vintage cool.

The pink tub, sink, and toilet were cool in their own vintage way but we need two sinks.  

And the pink toilet has pieces broken off.  

Now

The gutted bathroom
This used to be called the "girls bathroom" or the "pink bathroom"
It needs a tub/shower, TWO sinks, and a private-ish toilet area
More than one person needs to be able to use it at the same time
The goal is for this to be the kids/mommy bathroom while they are little and once they get big I get my own master bathroom somewhere else.


My inspirations -

I don't have enough space for this - but it looks so amazing

The towel hook are perfect for the shorties.

Love the one sink with two faucets.  But too big for this space.  And doesn't it just look too expensive?

Or - how about this $200 sink from Ikea?  The scale is right.

Now the vanity can't just be a regular old vanity.  No way.  We have too many chances to do something interesting.  

Similar to this.  (Why do I always want open storage?  Why????  Don't I know it would be easier to close it off?  I just visualize a rainbow of towels folded up so pretty.  IN A KIDS BATHROOM?

But I got to have it.  

My Dad is a wood worker and he takes custom orders from his adorable daughter :)

This image is not one of his, but his would be even more amazing

And this wall art is WONDERFUL!  It makes me excited about this process.  I have seen things like this on Etsy, so I know find something like it.  I love the midcentury modern feel of it.  

I think it will help keep the bathroom in the right era of the house.

(fancy talk, what a fake I am)  

For flooring I am thinking 6inch by 12 inch slate tiles.  Josh is not going to like this idea, so maybe I should just consider 12/12 slate tiles.  

For walls I want classic white subway tiles with a lip at the top that is deep enough to set picture frames on.  I might consider wainscoting for this.    

(Here is my I am guessing, but I really have no idea budget)
Budget - $2,500
  New sub floor $100
  New flooring $250
  New tub/shower $500
  New lighting $200
  New vanity $free?
  New faucets $200
  Sink $200
  Toilet $150
  New drywall/wall treatments/paint $200
  Misc $300


I want to see how this budget compares to the actual budget I come up when I really do my homework at the supply stores.  

All images are from ikea website or remodelaholic

::cupcake party::

Sometimes you get a really awesome present that you were not expecting.  

Sometimes that present is the gift of a cupcake party to take home to the shorties.

Which got a predictable reaction from Lily.

Big surprise on who picked the pink one.

Max carefully licked all the icing off his.  This is him telling me about how much icing is left.  

::too many cucumbers::

Here is today's harvest

Seriously, what do you do with this 24 cucumbers?

Max says that you throw them.  

I did let him throw some into the pasture.

Lily (who decided that she had to wear this sweater thing all day) says that you put them in bags and take them to work for your friends.  

So NICU be ready.

::gum vs hair::

Lily is not allowed to have gum.  

I find it in places it doesn't belong.

Like in her hair.

Grammy already had to cut a brush she had gotten stuck in her hair out this summer.  

What happens at grammy's did not get to stay at grammy's that time.  

I was told.

But it really wasn't too bad.  

BUT I was not cutting this mass of gum out of her hair.  

She wouldn't have any left!

So, I remembered that I am controlling my temper.

DEEP BREATH

DEEP BREATH

deep breath

deep breath

It really is actually kind of funny.  

Why did it even make me initially mad?

Silly.

I guess it is every Mom's right of passage to deal with the gum vs hair fight.

Will not be the last time I deal with this.

I did let her have the bubble gum ice cream.  

She actually started yelling when I pulled out my camera

"NOT FOR YOUR BLOG!"

Tough luck kiddo

We got online together and looked up how to get gum out of hair.

Wikipedia seemed the best source.

We careful followed the exact directions.

Creamy peanut butter - Max makes sure we have lots of this

Put it on a tooth brush

Brush it through the hair.

Let it sit if needed.

Child may try to hide from camera.

Keep brushing it through the hair till the oil dissolves the gum.

WASH HEAVILY

Unless you like smelling like peanuts.

The verdict -

It actually worked.

Mostly

She still has just a little bit left, but we are working around it.  

I am glad I didn't shave her head.