Entertaining a toddler on a dime: Enjoying Christmas crafts year-round

Whoops, so it's February. Baby #2 is five months old, and, well, we've been inside a LOT. Thankfully, I have a toddler who loves crafts and has a rather long attention span. I should have posted these project ideas while we were doing them before the holidays, but I'm going to fudge it and tell you what we did and how you can adapt it to enjoy any time of year.

I decided that to have a safe Christmas tree (and preserve my good ornaments), my toddler should make all of the ornaments this year, so we got busy making messes. However, these projects don't have to be constrained to the Christmas tree, especially now that we're looking at Valentine's day. With some simple modifications, you can enjoy these projects year round.

Salt dough ornaments

Nothing new here--80% of my Facebook feed in December was pictures of friends' kids making salt dough ornaments. But it's still fun. I've tried a few salt dough recipes, but this is the one that I like best:

1 cup (288 g) salt 

2 cups (125 g) all-purpose flour 

1 cup (8 oz) lukewarm water 

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil (to make the dough easier to knead)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice (to make the finished product harder) 

After we baked the ornaments (like, a week later), we painted them. During nap time, I took them outside and sprayed them with acrylic so they will last forever. On another day, we pom-pomed the bejesus out of these things. He told me where each pom-pom should go, I applied a dab of glue, and he applied the pom-pom. We went through a whole bag.

C-section or VBAC: My choice

Well, here we are six weeks postpartum. My second bouncing baby boy was born at the beginning of September, five hours past his due date--or as I say, fashionably (but not rudely) late. Pretty much right up until two weeks before he was born, I struggled with a major decision. Because my first son was born via C-section, I had to decide whether to have another C-section or try a vaginal birth after Cesarian (VBAC). I had agonized over this decision for months, and my obstetrician couldn't give me conclusive advice until late in the third trimester, when it looked like everything was A-OK.

When there is a will, there is a way: Protect your children with a last will and testament

Updated 8/30/2013

My husband and I recently had our wills drawn up. We are young and healthy, so why worry? Because our children are worth it. I learned that pretty much anything can happen to your kids if you and your spouse die unexpectedly. They could end up being raised by someone you would never choose. Rather, a judge who doesn't know you or your family gets to choose their fate. Sure, they go to your self-centered sister who's never cooked a meal in her life, and when she and the children overcome their differences and learn to work together, it becomes a heartwarming novel some day, but that's not the reality you want for your kids.*

If just one of you kicks the bucket, those unspoken wishes can cause rifts in the extended family that may never get repaired. You don't want your in-laws fighting over your spouse's assets in the wake of his or her death. A lot of people assume that if their spouse dies, they will automatically get the house and the car and anything else they consider valuable, but the reality is that you could end up a single, homeless, car-less parent unless these things are explicitly stated in a legal document.

The best advice I can give a pregnant lady: Cook and freeze meals ahead

We're T-minus five weeks with baby #2, and I can honestly say that we are not terribly prepared. I bought some clothes to fill in the gaps from baby #1's wardrobe and a gliding rocker and crib--all second hand. The crib sits in pieces in the "abyss," the nursery is nowhere near done, and we still lack a double stroller and monitor. But whatevs--as long as the nursery is done by the time baby #2 is ready to start kindergarten, I have no complaints. It's not for lack of trying, but you know--there are dishes to be washed, laundry to be folded, a toddler to raise, work to be done. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

But one area where I am prepared is freezer meals. Judging by all the food in there, you'd probably guess that I like to cook, but au contraire,. I've been freezing and storing meals simply because I don't like cooking and don't want to have to do it once the baby comes. It's the not-lazy-person's way of being lazy. This was absolutely the best advice I got about preparing for a new baby when I was pregnant with #1. Not "rest when the baby sleeps" or "hire some help to get through the first few weeks." It was "prepare and freeze meals ahead of time." Of course, the woman telling me this said her mom did all of the cooking and freezing for her--lucky girl. Here are some of the recipes sitting in my freezer awaiting consumption:

More practical projects for the crafty mama: Nesting edition

Nesting. It's a real thing. Seriously. With baby #2 on the way, I've been unstoppable with sewing and crocheting for the last seven months because I want both of my children to have items that mommy made just for them. Maybe they won't care when they are teenagers, but it's important to me right now, so I don't fight the hormonal instinct.

I went a little crazy with hat and bootie sets, mainly because I was teaching myself how to crochet and needed lots of practice. I decided to pick up crochet, because as much as I love quilting, I can't take my sewing room with me on vacation or while waiting at the doctor's office. I wanted a hobby that provided practical results that I can fit in a tote bag. Voila.

Unfortunately, the pattern I used to make my first hats (the green and orange below) is no longer available online, but here is a free comparable newborn hat pattern, which I am excited to try next.

Another great project for beginner crocheters is the apple beanie hat. I made a 3-6 month size with matching fleece slippers for baby #2, and a matching hat for big brother (I predict a photo opp in the fall). The fleece slippers, (also pictured at left made from flannel) I have made in every color and size because they are just plain awesome. My son couldn't kick them off, they kept his feet warm, and they wear well. The orange crochet slippers were a fun and quick project (once I got the hang of it).

Entertaining a Toddler on a Dime: Make Your Recycling Work For You

I love a bargain, but I love free stuff even more. And if the kids have a blast with the free stuff, it makes it all the more gratifying. Below, I've shared some fun things to do with your common recycling that will keep the kids entertained:

Cereal boxes and paper bags: When it comes time to paint, either with fingers or brushes, I open up the seam on an empty cereal box to flatten it out, tape it to the easel with the plain inside facing out, and let Junior have at it. Cereal boxes hold up to gobs and gobs of paint much better than your standard construction or art paper, and when they're done, you can just throw it in the recycling bin. Paper bags are great if you have sliding glass doors--cut the bags down the seam to open them up and tape them to the doors for a mural-style art session. (And if some paint gets on the glass, no big deal. It wipes right off the glass.)

6 Slow Cooker Recipes for the Busy Mom

My slow cooker has been working double time. I've been using it at least three times a week, trying different recipes. I don't want to sound like I'm the first person who has ever used a slow cooker, but seriously, this thing is changing my life. I spend 10 to 20 minutes prepping dinner when my toddler goes down for his nap, and then I have the rest of the afternoon free. No more spending the later half of the afternoon stressing over what to make and trying to throw it together. It's dinner for lazy people, and I LOVE it.

Now, before I share the results of my experiment with you, I just want to make a couple of things clear. 1) I am not a foodie, nor do I pretend to be. Rather, I consider myself a reluctant (sometimes begrudging) chef who is simply trying to make dinner work for our family. I have a tumultuous relationship with food, and I married someone who couldn't care less about food--so we're kind of stuck with whatever I come up with.  2) I'm not one for taking pictures of my food. You've seen food before. Use your imagination.