Summer Adventures

     Last weekend, we took the kids to The Memphis Zoo. It was Lala's first trip to that zoo and her first trip out of the state. It wasn't that far out of state but I am counting it anyway. I was a little worried about her riding in the car for that long but she was perfect.

     It's really a great time to visit because of the new additions. They have built a new hippo exhibit for baby Winnie and her mother. Lala enjoyed getting to see little Winnie. We also got to meet and feed the giraffes. That was a tad overwhelming for Ella since their faces are bigger than her. She did end up being OK after seeing the other kids not being eaten.

     She was so excited to see all of the animals. There is no way I can deny her since I get just as excited. With everything going on, she did not worry about her teething pain which was great.

     When taking the little ones out in the summer heat, you have to make sure they are safe. Sunday was incredibly hot and, with all the excitement, Ella did not give us the usual hunger signs like she normally would. The older kids will tell you that they are hot or thirsty but the little ones can't. You must stay on top of things. Make sure that they are drinking enough and that you have sunscreen. Ella and I are both very light. I got burned, as usual, and she did not.

     The highlight of Ella's day was the sting rays. She loved watching them glide around their pool. If I would have let her, she would have jumped in with them. We missed being able to feed them by about an hour but the touch tank was open. Next time we are going to make sure to see them a tad earlier.

          It was a great day out with the family. If you are looking for a fun summer adventure, you may want to look around your area. Check out your local zoo, parks, or museums. During the summer they are likely to have special events and programs for children and families. 

Have fun Exploring! 

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Make Your Own Monogram Bow Holder

                My hubby likes to make fun of me for this but my little princess must always have something in her hair. I get it from my mother and if you have ventured over to my Facebook page you are sure to see several wonderful examples. Anyway, Lala has quite the collection of hair bows and head bands that need a place to go.

                While, yes, you can put them in a drawer but where is the fun in that? Plus, I can’t stand digging for the right bow and they are surely going to get crushed. I will show you how you keep those bows safe and up where you can easily find what you want.

                You will need:

o   Wooden letter (I have chosen the letter E for Ella)

o   Paint in your little one’s favorite color

o   ¾” Ribbon in a color that complements your paint and gems

o   Flat back gems

o   Glue 

o   Brushes

You will want to paint the letter first and let it dry completely. Once the paint is dry you and the little ones can lay out the gems in the pattern that you like best. I used single rhinestone but you don't have to if you don't want. If you would like, your local craft store will have rhinestone stickers in all sorts of shapes and colors that you can use instead.

Once you have your stones in place, you can glue them down with the tacky glue. Aleene’s tacky glue is nontoxic and cleans up easily so the kiddos can absolutely help. The glue will need time to set so make sure that it can sit without being disturbed. Usually, I allow my projects to sit for about 24 hours.

After the glue is dry, attach strips of ribbon cut to 2ft in length to the bottom. If you are hanging headbands, you can add loops in the ribbon to hold them. For a cleaner look, double up your ribbon and stitch them together with 1” to 2” between each seam. I have used blue thread for the seams to be seen more easily but you will want to use thread that matches. The seams will help if you have heavier bows, or ones that do not have strong clips, to hang. They are not going to be sliding down the ribbon.

I used hot glue to attach the ribbons to the back of the letter. For the crown, I took the band off a tiara and attached it to the top. Embellish it any way you wish to make it perfect for your little one. To hang it up, I used a command strip because I don’t like holes in my walls. If you want to use a nail, you can also add a loop of twine or ¼” ribbon to the top and attaching it the same as your lower ribbons.

You are now ready to hang up those bows. Clip each one on to the ribbons and you are all set.  As always, there is no wrong answers so have fun creating!

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