If you're wondering what we do all day...

Take a look...

Since Little is pretty interactive now - by that I mean, getting into everything she's not supposed to - I've had to get pretty creative with our days. No more of this sitting in one place while I shake a rattle in front of her face business, no way.  Boy, do I miss those days! Sweet, innocent days. (Why yes, I am wearing my rose colored glasses as I type! How did you know?)

Recently we've tried to go on as many play dates as possible, take trips to the park, and occasionally visit the church nursery. They say interaction with peers does a kid good, right? Well, as long as her peers have mommies like the ones I've found, I think it does a kid's momma good too!

But there are days that we stay home, too. Many, many days that we stay home. And on days when all we have to do is look at each other, and the dishes, and the laundry, and the floor that needs vacuuming, our house can seem a little boring and mundane. Just saying. When daddy's at work and Ellery is begging for something besides her zebra and a magazine to chew on, Pinterest can show an unforeseen productive side.

One night, after the kiddo was in bed, when I should have been sleeping, I let myself get lost in the DIY/craft section, and found a website that got my creative juices going. It listed activities by age appropriateness, and I thought I was in internet heaven.  I swear, I was like a college freshman who just found out she was failing, I was taking notes, non-stop. With my pen going a mile a minute, I wrote down activity, after activity, after recipe for homemade finger paint. 

Bucket o' Rice:

She loved it. LOVED it, but then tried to stand up and slipped on the rice, resulting in a busted lip. Oh well. Good try, though, right?

And she only ate about 2 handfuls. I was only briefly worried about her ending up like the birds who died after eating wedding rice.

 

Paper Wads.

Oh, Ellery loves paper. In any form. It's pretty much her best friend. So, after this activity, I'm quite certain she thought I was the coolest mom ever! She was entertained for quite a while. Paper, paper, MORE paper!

 
Homemade finger paint:
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 cups water
food coloring

I'm sure you can find a better recipe than this one if you're looking to actually paint a picture, but boy did Ellery enjoy getting her hands (and feet and face and every other inch of her body) messy with this one!