I’ll be honest, at first I thought it was a city official that had done the job and was photographing their work because they were planning on charging me for it, but then I realized it was only about 9 o’clock and it was pretty unlikely that they would be doing that so early. I went outside to try and see who it was, and that’s when I noticed the snow angel carved into the snow in our front yard.

What a nice way to start the day and I will tell you it brought me so much joy! I later found out the Shoveling Snow Angel was my friend and former boss, David. The shoveling was great, but the best part was the little angel left in the snow. What a clever way to brighten someone’s day.

This time of the year when things are so busy this thoughtful act was a nice reminder to take a moment to contribute my own small acts of kindness. I hope that I can brighten someone else’s day as much as my Shoveling Snow Angel brightened mine!

Have you done something kind for someone else, or had someone do something nice for you? Post a comment and share it with me, I’d love to hear about it!

I love books! I remember staying up late at night when I was a child so I could finish reading The Boxcar Children. Then as I got older my interest turned to the Christopher Pike young adult novels. Into adulthood I read a variety of books including some of my favorites, such as The Red Tent and She’s Come Undone.  A good book really does sweep you up, and the act of reading is such a ritualistic experience.

I’m thankful that Evey also loves to read.  Every night before putting her to bed, Michael and I snuggle up with her while we read the three books she’s chosen.  Lately she’s picking out the long ones so we’re usually up there for awhile.  But I don’t mind – I love every minute of it!  Apparently this bedtime reading routine isn’t enough for her, because lately we’ve heard the sound of her little feet at night, pitter-pattering across the floor when she’s supposed to be sleeping.  We’ve discovered she is sneaking books into her bed and “reading” them before falling asleep.  I guess it could be a lot worse!

I hope she continues to be swept up by books and enjoys them even more when she learns to actually read them herself.  It fills Michael and I with such joy when she asks for books over anything else. In fact, that’s what she asked Santa to bring her for Christmas last year.

It’s my wish to see a love for books continue to grow, for all children and all adults. I guess that’s one reason I became an author.  I get to add my voice to the mix and maybe my book, Snickeyfritz inspires some late night book-sneaking of it’s own!

Michael and I have thought a lot about giving back lately, as we feel so fortunate to be able to do what we’ve been doing for the last year.  But whenever we’ve talked about donating a portion of book sales to a certain organization or group, it didn’t feel quite right.  We finally realized why; we want to inspire reading in other people, but we also want to inspire the act of giving.  So we’ve created a new donation program that I am so excited to introduce. We call it The Incredible Book Give-Away.

For every book ordered through our website, The Incredible Book Give-Away program offers an additional free book to the buyer with the expectation that it will be donated to a person or place of his/her choosing. Through this process of giving we hope to inspire literacy through charity.  I mean what could be better than two children sneaking books into their bed for some late-night reading?

This program is launching just in time for the holiday season, when many people renew their commitment to giving.  We hope that many children will get to open up a package containing a book and have the experience of reading it with loved ones over the holiday season.

I’m lucky enough to have written my own book and I get to share it with the world.  I hope through this program the world will pass it on and share it with each other!

Happy reading and happy giving!

Keeping children entertained while flying is the key.  Restlessness and dare I say, boredom, will soon cause your little traveler to be kicking the seat in front of her or peering behind, disturbing the people in the back. It’s taken me a couple of tries but I think I have mastered the activity sack.  On our first trip I took everything but the kitchen sink and found I really didn’t need to.

This trip I took a very calculated activity bag containing…

Roll of masking tape
Book of stickers (lots of stickers)
Post-it notes
Crayons
Small plastic animals
Kid’s scissors (these did not seem to be a problem at security checkpoints)
Pipe cleaners
Evey’s two favorite dolls, The Man & Her

These nine items along with Michael’s iPhone, which I have to say, is pretty amazing and a must if you have children, kept Evey entertained throughout all 14 hours of flying.  We didn’t have any outburst, no kicking of the seats, and not even a glance at the people behind her.  She was at times, a better traveler than some of the adults on the plane.

To Walk or Not to Walk, That is the Question

We were already aware that Evey would most likely want to walk around Barcelona, at least for a few minutes here or there.  But we knew that she wouldn’t make it walking for six to eight hours a day, like Michael and I knew we would be doing. We also knew that due to the festival in the city (La Merce), it would be very crowded at times, not allowing accesses for a stroller.  We started looking for a great umbrella stroller that could fold up and be carried by a permanent shoulder strap.  After reading reviews, we settled on a McLaren Volo, and it seemed we were on the right page, as every parent of Barcelona, seemed to be chauffeuring their child around in a McLaren.
The year before, when Evey was smaller, we took a Kelty backpack/stroller to Italy.  This was ideal for Venice as having a stroller for the constant up and down of the stairs over the canals wouldn’t have worked.  She stayed on our back most of that trip, but whenever we got to even payment and needed a break for our back, we had the option to change the backpack to a stroller and push her.
Getting a stroller for a trip is definitely an investment, but trust me, it will be well worth it when you get to your destination.

Falling asleep on the job

The great part about traveling with your child is experiencing new and fun things together.  But after a full day of you, your spouse and the kid(s), you’ll probably want to experience some adult time.  Which is where the other great part of traveling comes in.  Traveling & exploring (if you do it right ) takes a lot out of you, and by the end of the day you are so tired you could fall asleep anywhere.  Fortunately, this happens to children faster than it does for adults.
After a couple of hours of exploring the city, Evey would crash out in her stroller.  If we timed it right, we could have a romantic lunch or dinner with wine and ambiance, and almost child-free!  Evey would be so tired that not even the street performers who danced and sang next to our patio table would wake her.  It was a much needed moment for adult conversation and a much desired break from Evey’s endless ‘why’ questions.  After Evey had her nap and Michael and I had some time by ourselves, we were all recharged for the second half of the day or night.

The Giants are Coming!

Before leaving for Barcelona Evey was glowing with excitement (I’m so cited Mom!) because she was about to see the Giants (Gegants) and the Big Heads (Capgrossos).  Since deciding to go to Spain, we had been showing her youtube videos of the La Merce Festival and the Giants from Barcelona.  When we originally decided to go to Barcelona we did not know that these things existed, but after returning I see how closely related these folk characters are to the characters in Snickeyfritz.

Exploring the city was only made better by our fortunate timing.  Michael and I don’t like to plan out our trips, rather we read about a few things that sound interesting and we just start walking.  Where we end up is pretty much unknown (although we do carry a map so we can get back to where we are staying).  Sometimes this strategy backfires and we miss something great we would’ve like to have seen, but on this trip the Gods were working in our favor and we managed to see some amazing things.

The second day we were there we stumbled upon sailors on stilts and a big wooden submarine, and leading this mini parade were the Sailing Gegant couple.  Later that day we were walking through the narrow streets when we heard fireworks shooting off, we followed the sound and ended up in a crowded plaza and had front row streets to an amazing light and video show which was projected onto the state building in Saint James square.  After we watched the breathtaking show shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Spaniards, we decided to stop for a drink a couple streets away.  After enjoying our cerveza, sangria and chocolate milk we took care of the bill and as soon it  was paid we heard a band playing music just one-hundred feet ahead of us. We made our way to the next street to witness a nighttime parade of all the giants heading into the state house.  It was absolutely amazing!

The next day we had similar things happen such as, stumbling upon another giant parade, seeing some exceptional musicians and dancers perform, strolling through the park and seeing the most creative wooden, hydraulic dragon controlled by three local artists, and ending with a light and fountain show set to music.

Traveling in good company

The trip was unbelievable and I think that even though Evey is only 3 years old, the giants and the big heads will stay present in her memory.  Traveling with a child is definitely more challenging, but the bonds you share during this exploration is better than anything else I have found.  I have heard that you can make or break a relationship by traveling together.  Michael and I have always traveled great together and we are very fortunate that Evey fits right in.   Exploring new places and meeting new people is made even better when we are able to travel in good company and we look forward to many more trips together in the future.

Since Evey was little she was always fascinated with tattoos and liked to draw on her arms with markers.  We accidentally cured her of her fascination when she accompanied me to the tattoo parlor  as I got a small tattoo on my wrist to celebrate my 30th birthday.  After that experience, she now refuses to get temporary tattoos or even face painting at festivals.

With all her fuss about tattoos we were quite surprised when she became intrigued by the faux tattoo her Papa was sporting for the Milwaukee Bike Rally this past week.  My dad, the hard-core biker, decided it would be hip to purchase one of those fake nylon sleeves with tattoo images all over it and wear around to all the rally events.  We weren’t convinced, but Evey sure was.  She kept asking if she could make one of her own.

So after Nana and Papa left and the rally was finished, I decide to indulge her interest and started digging through my drawers to find an ancient pair of pantyhose.  We gathered up my old nylons, some markers and paint and got to work.

Thinking that it would be better to keep them on our arms as we painted and leave them intact as a stocking, they soon began to take on the appearance of some very strange puppets.  In the end we had a very painted stocking and an equally painted arm.

Evey had a great time making her tattooed sleeve and loves to wear it around the house, but when asked if she wanted to wear it out in public, she replied “That would be silly mom!”  I guess she has a little more fashion sense than her Papa!

Wanna get inked too?
Here’s what you need to do…

Materials:

Tube socks
Nylons
Markers
Paint
Scissors
Newspaper

Directions:

1. Use an old tube-sock as the base as to not get your arm covered in paint.  First put the old tube-sock on your arm and then proceed to cover it with your pair of pantyhose.

2. Use washable paints to paint designs on your sleeve or if you would rather it be a puppet (which I did) paint the entire stocking to resemble your character.

3. Use markers either right away or wait until your paint dries.  Outlining with markers and filling it in with paint will give you a nice look.

4. After you’re finished painting your stocking, remove it from your arm and use newspaper to stuff it while it dries to help it keep its form and dry properly.

5. When it finishes drying, cut the seam at the end of the stocking so that your hand can slip through (be sure to only cut a small hole so that the sleeve will still fit snug against your arm).  Also cut off the excess material so that it forms a single sleeve.  You can do this step first if you prefer.

If you really like how your sleeve turns out, think of using it for Halloween.  Dress up as a biker, a punk rocker or the tattooed lady/man of the circus.

Evey, who never enjoyed eating tomatoes before, is super excited to go out every morning to see if one of the tomatoes in our garden has ripened, and if it has, she eats it like an apple!

There is something about picking produce fresh off the plant, vine or bush that makes it so delectable.  Perhaps seeing how it came into existence makes both of us really appreciate what it took to get there.  We had to plant them, water them, pick off bugs and dead leaves.  It was not as simple as running to the supermarket to pick up a bag of tomatoes.  The idea might be romanticized, but I love the thought of living out in the country eating only the food we have grown ourselves.

Evey’s reaction to the tomatoes gave me an idea about how other children might start to enjoy foods, such as vegetables.  When Evey claims not to like a certain food, I have found that it changes her opinion if she is more involved in the growing, selecting & cooking of the food. If you would like to test out my theory, try the following activity…

Cookin’ Up A Storm!

Although it might be too late to plant a garden,  it’s probably still possible to visit a local farmer’s market.  Tell your children that they will be helping you to create a vegetable stew or vegetable pot-pie and that they will get to select the food that will serve as the main ingredients.  Once a hearty amount of vegetables have been selected, let them help to clean the produce and cook it.  I am pretty sure that after having such a large part in creating the dish, they are going to want to try it, and hopefully they will like it.  Plus, next spring your children may want to plant some tomatoes of their own!

My grandparents made a vegetable stew every Sunday to serve as their lunch throughout the week.  Whenever I visited them I would be treated to a hearty bowl of vegetable stew – which served me well during those cold Minnesota winters.  Here is their recipe, feel free to use it when sharing this activity with your children.

G&G’s Vegetable Stew
Slice up a couple green onions and some celery and sauté with olive oil in a frying pan and then add mix to a large cooking pot
Mix in 16 cups of chicken broth
Slice up a couple of carrots and add to the mix
Chop up 2 tomatoes and 2 red potatoes and add to the mix
Dice up 1 large parsnip and add to the mix
Add one cup of dried green split peas to the mix
Add 2 cups of diced chicken breasts to the mix
Add one package of egg noodles to the mix and season with pepper an salt.
Simmer for a few hours and enjoy!

So we spent Sunday at RenFaire – which is my favorite summer festival.  Evey and I threw together costumes an hour before we left -mine was made out of a bedspread and it probably looked like it too!  But it didn’t matter because we had just as much fun getting ready for the event as the event itself!

Evey loved the fairies and was captivated by what each fairy’s job was.  Her new appreciation for fairies may have come from our recent adoption of the ‘Clean Up Fairy’.  A concept we borrowed from a writer at Parents Magazine whose story appeared in the August 2009 edition.  In case you are unfamiliar with the Clean Up Fairy, her job is to remove any toys from our home that were not cleaned up properly.  She keeps the toys at her house for a week before returning them.  We thought the clean up fairy would help, but we didn’t expect it to work so well and for so long!  It made me want to start inventing fairies for other things that may help Evey learn or follow directions better.  But instead of creating the fairy myself, I have decided we should create some new fairies together.

Follow my lead and sit down with your children or students and create some fairies that encourage better manners, sharing or helping around the house/classroom.  Once you have decided on a fairy and the fairy’s name, work together to make a fairy wand, which will be a reminder to follow the rules.  You can use basic household materials to create a wand, such as a ruler or wooden spoon, construction paper, feathers, glitter, pipe cleaners, etc…  Evey and I made a wand for the Clean Up Fairy, whose name is Dusty, out of an old duster and vacuum attachment and then decorated it with jewels, stickers and markers.  Have fun inventing your fairies and creating their wands, and be sure to clean up after yourself when you’re finished, otherwise you may just get a visit from Miss Dusty!
Andrea

What a perfect day to write in a journal and drink a warm beverage!

Here’s a fun activity to do on a rainy day, such as this one…
Get your children or students together, dress up in all black (if you have berets, be sure to put them on!), make some cups of tea or hot chocolate and get out some writing pads and pencils.  Create a nice coffee-house mood by lowering the lights and putting on some mellow music.  Now, let’s write!  Instruct your children/students to write a story or a poem about his/her pet, or if they don’t have a pet, have them share information about a favorite animal.   If your children/students aren’t old enough to write yet, have them draw a picture.  After everyone is finished have them ’show & tell’ their project beatnik style.  The audience can snap, or beat on drums (pots work nicely if you don’t have drums).

Enjoy your day together and smile, because although I love The Carpenters, Rainy Days and Mondays don’t always have to get you down
Andrea

Check back monthly for posts containing creative ideas and projects.

See you in the funny papers!

Andrea Skyberg