How to Make Play Makeup

My little girl loves all things girly, but I do too, so I suppose that is where she gets is from. The sparkly shoes, the ribbons, the nail polish...she loves it all.

Lining up all the nail polish is a favorite activity

So it is no surprise that she loves to put on makeup with me, just as much as she loves to organize it (hm...wonder where she gets the need to organize from?) She sits on the bathroom counter and duplicates what I do.

However, as you can see from the photos, the makeup I wear is not so flattering on my little girl as she applied it to look like she had a black eye!!  (I hope I did not look like that on this particular day!) 

After we got that cleaned off (Baby Oil- a miracle invention!) I thought maybe she needed her own makeup. I gave Bundle her own brushes and empty containers, however, that was not exciting enough. So I made it more realistic by giving her colored "make up."

I have an abundance of nail polish and thought I would use some of the mostley empty bottles up

All I did was pour the nail polish into the containers I already had and let it dry (this took about a whole day), careful to remove the metal balls that also poured out of the nail polish.

 Now Bundle's "make up" is much more fun!  She loves it!

This was a huge hit and very simple! It took more time to blog about than to actually make them!

 ~Angela

Autumn Gifts

I am glad to live in the midwest where we get very four very distinct seasons. I enjoy all of the seasons, but this fall- the warm weather (up until a few weeks ago), the colorful leaves, some still in the trees and some underfoot- was pure bliss. We have taken full advantage of autumn this year, slowing down and filling our days and evenings with nature walks, jumping in leave piles, bike rides, runs, hikes and boat rides around the lake. Armed with my camera, I've been able to capture the trees bursting with color, the hidden but beautiful trail behind our home, dates with my husband and the delight of my little girl as we've taken advantage of these simple gifts of autumn.  Most importantly, I have captured my family and our friends soaking up nature the best way we know how- together...

 

 

 

 

 

My little girl with "nature" in her hair, worn proudly by someone who truly loves the outdoors.

~Angela

Northshore Inline Marathon

For 13 years I have skated this race, followed by a weekend spent with my extended family who cheers me on at the same spot at the last curve of mile 26, just before the finish line. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a sucker for tradition, not willing to give up on the tradition even skated this a few years ago while I was 4 months pregnant. I've participated in this race with friends, strangers who later became friends and my husband. But really, I prefer to skate it alone.

This year, I did not have my my mom, grandma and aunt with me (which I really missed!) and I skated the race alone, taking advantage of the scenery along the north shore of Lake Superior. It was about a two hour break from reality, a break from my phone, from a schedule and time to just enjoy my skate. I don't listen to  music while I skate, I listen instead to the sounds around me...to the waves along the shore of Lake Superior, the wheels spinning on my skates and of those around me, the cowbells, the cheering, the wind in my helmet. It is a peace I rarely find in my day to day life.

Other highlights of the day included discovering a note from my husband and daughter wishing me luck, tucked into my skate only to be found just before the start of the race.




And seeing my daughter and husband (AKA my superfans) cheering me on along the way.



 I do love surprises such as these...

~Angela 

Jack-o-lantern Pedicure {Halloween}

My little girl loves all things girly, especially manicures and pedicures. When asked what color she wanted on her toenails, she replied "pumpkin!"  I took this literally and thought I would try it out on myself to see how well it worked out before I gaver her a pumpkin pedi.


Here are the colors I used...



Start with a base coat of orange


Then I cut teeny tiny shapes from stickers. I used the "Q" which is always left over from my projects.


Adhered the teeny tiny shape to my toes





Painted on a stem with green polish and a clear coat on top


Of course, by the time I was done with my own silly toes, my little girl decided she wanted rainbows instead... So, I am the ridiculous adult walking around with pumpkin toes:)


~Angela

You've Got Mail!

My daughter loves getting cards in the mail. Who doesn’t love mail? Especially the unexpected card? I get excited and make a big deal out of it so it becomes a big deal. There is something about opening an envelope, not knowing what is inside- the suspense, the anticipation, lifting the flap on the envelope to open it… Can you tell I love the Hallmark commercials? This is also what spurred the idea for our Annual Christmas Card Contest.

My little girl loves her cards. She reads them over and over and knows who most of them came from. There is the Valentines card that accompanied a dancing sock monkey from our good friends. There are the teddy bear postcards from her Geegee and Papa. There is the homemade card from her cousin. There is the Elmo card she got from her Yaya, the cards from her birthday. She reads them all. She can pick out some of the letters and points to them. They are getting a bit tattered. These cards are loved.

I am not a saver. I don’t attach a value to stuff. As much as I value getting cards, I don’t save them all. I am constantly trying to simplify and organize. My first instinct was to file the cards my little girl has received away in her box of keepsakes to store. But she loves them so much, I couldn’t bear to do that. Why not enjoy them now? Feel the love behind the cards? Read them and be reminded of the people that cared enough to send them?

So that is exactly what we are doing. We enjoy them now. Over and over…
~Angela