Art Themed Birthday Invitations

For both our daughter and son's birthday parties we decided to do an art theme. I made mini easels with paint brushes as their birthday invitations and received many compliments on them. What surprised me is that people though I put a great deal of time, effort, and money into making them when in reality it took maybe 30 minutes in total.

I thought I'd share how easy they really were with the few steps it took to put them together.


1. What you need:  paintbrushes, popsicle sticks, paint, a glue gun and paper printed with the party details.

2. Start by using the glue gun to glue the 3 popsicle sticks together at the top and then one laid across the others  to make an A shape.

3. Have your child add some colour to the invitation by painting around the edges. Then use the glue gun to glue it to your easel frame and glue the paintbrush on as well.

Literally you'll be done all this in about 30 minutes and the cost is minimal. I paid a little extra to get colourful popsicle sticks ($8 for a multicoloured package at Michaels) but you could easily buy cheaper ones and paint them yourself. A package of paintbrushes also only cost me about $3 at Michaels and we already had the glue gun, paint, and computer paper so in total these babies cost me maybe $11 to make!

December Book Reviews

It's this > < close to the end of January and I still haven't posted my December book reviews! Better late than never:

1.  Love Anthony - Lisa Geneva: I loved Lisa's other books so was really excited that she had a new one out. I felt that this book really diverted from the successful components of her other two books. What I loved about her other books is she really made the main characters understandable, and relateable. In this one I felt she lost some of that when she added a bit of a supernatural component in order to tell the story of a boy with autism. It's still a decent read but not near on par with her other works.

2. The Austere Academy - Lemony Snicket: I love this series! Get it for your kids and read it with them when they're about 8 or 9.

3. The Hobbit -   J.R.R. Tolkien: I believe I read this book when I was in jr. high so to say it was a bit fuzzy is being generous! I figured with the movie coming out I wanted a refresher and I'm so glad I picked it back up again. Tolkien had such a rich imagination that allows the reader to feel that Middle Earth is part of our past. Such a wonderful novel that needs to be read by all generations!

4. The Ersatz Elevator - lemony Snickey: Same comments as #2!

5. Walking Dead - Robert Kirkman: I love the TV series so figured I would give the graphic novels a try. Unless you're a fan of both graphic novels and the series I wouldn't suggest it as it does leave much to the imagination; the dialogue is sparse.

6. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo: I read the unabridged version and all I can say is that Hugo was in desperate need of a good editor. There are many sections that are really unnecessary to the true theme of the story and just weigh it down. Still there are some good characters and the storyline has good bones. It's a classic for a reason. Give it a read but definitely pick up the abridged version!

November Book Reviews

September until mid-February is always our eye-twitch season. Hubs is away A LOT. Both of our kids have their birthdays in there along with 10 nieces/nephews/aunts/uncles; not to mention friends!
After mid-February we can usually breathe fairly nicely until the next September as most other things are spread out more.

Even with hectic rush I still find time to read as much as I can. I carry a book with me in the car at all times so I sneak in a few minutes when I pick the kids up from school or wait at appointments. I don't fit in as much as I'd like but I did get these five completed this month:

1. The Wide Window - Lemony Snicket: This is book 3 and I love this series! It's super sweet and I can't wait until the kids are a little older so I can read these books with them. There's not much point to go into detail in any of these books as they absolutely have to be read in order.

2. Grimms' Fairy Tales - Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm: I can honestly say I had no idea they wrote so many famous fairy tales. I knew they had done a handful but basically they supplied Disney with the majority of their bread and butter. I'd suggest getting the book so you can read the real versions of Rapunzel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, etc. One thing I would suggest is that you don't read the entire book front to back. Take your time, read a few, and come back to it after a few days or a week. I read it without a break and started to find some of the tales repetitive. Still a book with great value.

3. The Miserable Mill - Lemony Snicket: This is book 4 and as above there's not much point to telling you the plot unless you've read the first 4. But I must say that I love all the new scenarios and characters the author comes up with.

4. The Secret Keeper - Kate Morton: I loved Kate's previous 3 books so had high hopes for this one. It's about Laurel who witnesses her mother kill a man when she's in her teens and how in the future when he mother is about to pass she can't give up on what she saw and wants to know the truth of what happened. In typical Kate Morton style the story continuously flips between the present and the past. The characters are interesting as is the storyline. About just over halfway through the book I woke up in the middle of the night and realized what I thought the twist was; what fun! Got to love a book that makes you think about it in the middle of the night.

5. The Voluntourist - Ken Budd: Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Ken tells us how the loss of a loved one spurred him on to want to do something more meaningful with his life. He did something the majority of people would never think to do; he gave up his holidays and used them to volunteer and make a difference in another part of the world. I found his writing to be very candid, humourous and informative. He takes us through several different areas of the world and several different types of volunteer projects. All the while we get to know about Ken's struggles with the acceptance of his father's death and reality that he and his wife will not be having children. It's a very inspiring book that I'd certainly recommend!

Because Edmonton Cares - Year Two

It's officially been two years since I started Because Edmonton Cares so I thought I'd do a year in review for our second year of running.

In the past year we have grown from around 35 members to over 130 members. That's HUGE! Partially this is due to the fact that our group was featured in City and Baby,  MODCITY  and Edmonton Examiner . But I also think the word is getting out about our group through friends of friends. It makes me happy to know that our volunteers are enjoying their experiences enough to tell their friends about us.

 

We volunteered at a number of non-profits but it was our first time helping out at the Jeans and Jerseys event for the Alberta Diabetes Federation, Basically Babies (we went twice!), and we went to the Food Bank twice as well.

The members of this group is really what makes it so great! One of my favourite additions to the group is a couple who attend some of our outings as a version of Date Night; how sweet is that??

A great big THANK YOU to all our volunteers. Everyone is busy, but those people who pause for a few hours to give back to their community make my heart swell.

Great work Edmontonians!

October Book Reviews

As per the usual the fall tends to offer less opportunities to read. Even so I did finish five books so here's what I thought of them:

1. My Left Foot - Christy Brown: This is one of the 501 Must Read books as well as our book club selection. I'm so glad I finally got to read this book. I remember when the movie came out and I thought it sounded interesting but I never got a chance to see it. The book is the story of Christy Brown, an Irish boy who was born with cerebral palsy. He recounts the courage and determination of his mother as she f0ught to keep him in her care and show the world that he was of value. His remarkable life really started when he realised he could paint with his left foot. From there he began to explore writing. The book follows his life from birth until around age 20ish. It's very interesting, and encouraging. I'd certainly recommend it!

2. Bobcat and Other Stories - Rebecca Lee: This is bad. I only read this book less than a month ago and I don't have much recollection of it. I do remember that it's a collection of short stories that are not at all related. There does seem to be a theme of infidelity and there's teachers involved in many of the stories. I remember they were all fairly depressing stories. Well, there's not much more I can say when they didn't leave enough of an impression to discuss in detail.

3. Gold - Chris Cleave: Well timed Chris, well timed. With the Olympics having just wrapped up I was certainly in the mood for this book. This story follows 3 main characters and a child over the span of about 20 years. The adults are all Olympic cyclists and it covers their journey through training and setbacks over the years. The characters are enjoyable and the story is interesting, though at times a little predictable. Though cycling is a major focus of the book it's really the story of the friends/lovers that make the book. Pick it up if you liked his other best seller Little Bee.

4. Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling: This book is a far departure from her Harry Potter series. Certainly it's an adult themed book with much swearing, drugs, sex, etc. The premise is that after the sudden passing of a town official there becomes an opening on the Parish Council. It follows the fallout of his passing and the fight for his spot on the Council. Really that aspect is quite small as compared to all the side story lines of the multitude of characters. It's a bit of a hodge-podge but still enjoyable.

5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky: I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Many people like to use the term 'coming-of-age' when they read books like this and I can see why. Where the Breakfast Club was popular for this in the 80's, this book would have similar themes for kids of the 90's. The main character narrates this story through a series of letters to an anonymous person. He relates the span of about 1 year of his high school life. Pick it up.

August and September Book Reviews

August was a good reading month! I got through more books than I thought I would which will make up for my slow reading in September.

1. The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett: I saw the mini-series and figured it was worth a read. It was likely a bit easier to read since I already knew the characters and the premise of the story. It starts out by following Tom the Builder and his quest to care for his family while trying to fulfill his dream of building a cathedral all in the middle of a British war for the throne. The story has many twists, turns, is full of backstabbing and many sub plots unfold. It is well written and the characters are certainly likable or detested depending on the author's purpose for them. I'd definitely suggest it.

2. The Power of Six - Pittacus Lore: This is the 2nd book in the Legacy Series. If you've seen the movie you know the general premise of the series. It's about an alien race that came to Earth to escape another alien race trying to annihilate them. This part of the series gives the back story of another one of the 9 Loriens left to protect Earth. If you enjoyed the first book you'll certainly enjoy this one. It's a good form of escapism!

3. A series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1, The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket: Ever since I saw the movie a few years back I was excited about reading the entire series. If you haven't seen the movie you really should.This book is the beginning of the story of the Baudelaire orphans and their unfortunate placement with their nearest relative who wants their fortune. I think the writing is brilliant and the characters are rich and unique. I'm hoping to read these again with my kids when they're a little older.

4. Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K Jerome: This is one of our 501 Must Read Books. I found it to be more of a collection of funny quips and short stories that make up the bigger picture of the story. It was amusing but I must admit that some of the language/sayings escaped me so I feel I missed some of the humour. It's probably not a story that most would pick up to read but it was cute.

5. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce: I really enjoyed this book. It's the story of a man who finds out that a woman he knew in his past is dying of cancer. He believes if he walks to her (hundreds of km away) that she will live longer, at least until he gets there. His journey brings him in contact with many characters that teach him things about himself while looking back at his past. It's well written and sweet.

6. The Lost Files, I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore: Another book in the series follows the story lines of other survivors. I won't say much about it as once again you won't have any interest unless you've read the rest of the series but it's still a great escapism series.

7. Kim - Rudyard Kipling: This is one of our 501 Must Read Books. It's the story of an Irish boy orphaned in India. He survives by begging and running errands but his life gets turned upside down when he decides to throw his lot in with a Tibetan Lama. From there he gets mixed up in with trading secrets with spies, and gets sent to a boarding school and eventually gets back with his Lama to finish their quest. I thought at times the story was a bit confusing but loved the little quips.

8. The Rise of Nine, I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore: the next in the series. Also still good!

9. Falling Backwards - Jann Arden: I found this memoirs to be filled with funny stories about her childhood mixed in with sad ones as well. I felt I learned so much about her childhood and career before she succeeded as an artist. Worth the read!

September

1. Madame Tussaud - Michelle Moran: I've read a number of books by Michelle Moran before so figured I would give it a try. I found the general story to be interesting and was surprised at a number of things. Enjoyable and entertaining.

2. i, Robot - Isaac Asimov: I was genuinely surprised at this one as it's nothing like the movie, and I mean nothing! This book is based on recollections of a robot psychiatrist. She recants stories she's heard or seen in her days of work before she retires. It's interesting and full of great imagination.

3. The Story of Beautiful Girl - Rachel Simon: Interesting book and a fairly easy read. The main part of the story is about a women who was institutionalized in the 60's and the abuse she suffered there. She escapes long enough to give birth to a little girl and the story follows the main characters over the next 40 years. Enjoyable.

4. A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Reptile Room - Lemony Snicket: The second in the series and just as fun as the first. Full of great imagery and interesting characters. Great series!

Preschool To Grade 1 - Things We Couldn't Live Without

 A while back I wrote a blog post called Baby to Preschool - Things We Couldn't Live Without and I thought I'd so a similar list now that the kids are a few years older. Here's my list of favs!

Preschool:

1. Oliver's Labels: My son has a allergies and after I blogged about it Oliver's Labels offered to let me try some of their allergy aware labels. What can I say, I fell in love. I LOVED the temporary wristbands that have his name, phone number and a clear NO NUTS stop sign on them. My son always takes his medi-alert bracelet off so what I love about these is that my son can't get them off unless I cut them off. I've placed these new labels on his lunchbox, and backpack and feel much more confident it will be noticed. Can be found at www.oliverslabels.com

2. CHILDish: Wee! My kids get so excited to eat off these personalized plates and use their personalized lunch boxes. Seriously, how cool it is that you can make the products resemble your kid? The kids think it's pretty neat to see themselves and it's made meals more fun (plus less of a battle over what plates to use!) *note* It's also a grade school product because the new personalized pencils worked perfectly for school; I didn't have to label anything! Can be found at http://mychildish.com/

3. Band-Aids: Yes I know you probably already have these but do you have enough?! On average I think our household goes through at least 1 a day. I put extra Band-Aids in the kids backpacks and make sure they have their favourite characters on them, it always seems to help. So, go buy more!

4. Twooth Timer: in the preschool years we started to teach the kids how to brush their own teeth. We still take a turn brushing and found the Twooth Timer helped teach them how long to brush for. We set the timer for 2 minutes and the 1st minute they brush and the 2nd minute we brush. The kids get a real kick out of it! Can be found at www.sprogs.ca

Grade 1

1. Moonjars: This product works for kids from preschool up but I think slightly older kids get it more. It's an allowance jar that helps to teach kids how to save money for specific things. We use the jar as savings for the charity of their choice (they picked the Humane Society), one for saving for themselves, and one for gifts for others (siblings, grandparents, friends, etc). Can be found at www.moonjar.com

2. Knot Genie: why didn't someone tell me about these before?!? This the only brush that DD uses and doesn't complain about. She will brush her hair wet or dry with it and not once say 'ouch!' I picked up one for both kids and I think we'll use them for many years. Can be found at www.sprogs.ca

3. Lunchskins: My daughter's school is a litter-less lunch school so they have adopted the practice of 'pack in - pack out'. This was new to me so I had to start researching ways to send her lunch in reusable containers that would all fit inside one lunch box. I found these and really love how easily the kids can open them themselves, and how well they fit in her lunchbox. I only bought two to test them out so now I'm going to have to buy a whole collection of them. The best part is that you can put them in the top shelf of your dishwasher to clean them and they are estimated to have 1000 uses. That's saving 1000 plastic sandwich bags! Can be found at www.sprogs.ca

4. Melissa & Doug Travel Toys: If you're like me you try to plan ahead and take items along if you're going to a restaurant, appointment, or a long car ride. I've found these travel toys to be among the best and they can keep my kids amused for quite a while. The items are pretty sturdy and have withstood two pretty active kids who have thrown them, banged them on tables, and stepped on them. The memory game cards can get a little bent so I'd suggest you do your best to keep them in the holder. Now that they're getting a little older they also really like the Hangman game but be prepared as the answer will like be their own name 1/2 the time. Can be found at www.melissaanddoug.com or most Chapters stores.

*NOTE* I have not been paid to advertise any of these items, they're just things I have purchased and love. The only exception is the labels from Oliver's Labels as I received a few labels to trial and I'll be going back to buy my own set!