Bug bite misery... What do we do to stop the itch?

 It is summertime and the bugs are out in full force - apparently dining on sweet unsuspecting toddlers.  My two year old went blueberry picking on Sunday and came home with hundreds of red swollen bites on her legs.   My poor baby was crying from the itching... so what does mommy do to fix it?  

I tried an anti-itch insect bite spray... didn't work.  I tried lavender oil... didn't work, though the smell was so strong I think we relaxed the entire neighborhood.  I tried rubbing her legs down with stick deodorant... this worked better than the rest but still didn't give her complete relief.  Now we are trying Calamine lotion... the outcome is to be determined still.  

How do you take the itch out of bug bites for your little ones?

Get a free book each month for your child...

I have a true love of reading that my daughter seems to have inherited.  Her library of children's books rivals my library of books (and for those of you that know me, that really is an accomplishment).  We love to curl up together and read stories... snuggles and adventures are all rolled into one.  

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library offers a wonderful program for kids ages birth to five years.  By registering (it cost's nothing) your child will receive a new book in the mail each month.  We all know how exciting it was to get mail as a kid, so imagine how excited they will be to get a new adventure to read about.  They are absolutely adorable stories that you and your kids will enjoy reading together.

Click here to sign up.  Available to Tennessee residents only - no income requirements.

Zoo Pals

I have been so excited to discover the great kid-friendly programs our library offers.  As a matter of fact, Gia and I go to story time at least once a week now.  The combination of reading, singing, playing, and interaction with other little ones her age make it a winning mix.

Last week the library had a special program put on by the Nashville Zoo!  As much as we love animals... it's no surprise that we were there.  The kids got to meet four different animals:  Jerry the parrot, Toots the singing dog from New Guinea, Bonnie the boa from Africa, and Fricault the giant bunny.  The zookeeper who brought the animals taught the kids a little about each one.

Gia got to get up close and personal with two of the animals!  She petted Bonnie the snake (I was super shocked she did it) and Fricault the bunny.  

Thanks to the Nashville Zoo for bringing the fun to our library!

A New Way to Use an Old Book

For those of you who know me, you know that I LOVE my books!  I have shelves and shelves of them - all sizes and kinds.

I found this great idea on how to use the ones I will never read again at Redefine Creativity... by making holiday ornaments.  Alisa Burke has some other great ideas for upcycling your old books too.

Supplies needed:  styrofoam ball, old book pages, glue  (I started with stick glue, but switched to permanent fabric glue halfway through - it seems to hold better), hot glue gun, ribbon.

Start by tearing your book pages into little bits.  Next, apply little dabs of glue onto the styrofoam ball and smear around - doing small sections at a time makes it more manageable and keeps the glue from drying before you get to it.  Once you apply the glue, collage your torn book pages onto the ball.

Set aside to dry.  Once completely dry, attach the ribbon to the styrofoam ball - forming a loop to hang your ornament with.

I love this idea so much!

Making Leaf Prints

My little one and I took advantage of the crisp fall weather this week and set out for the park to collect leaves.  I've recently gotten a creative spark and decided the perfect way to start was with a fall leaf project.

We gathered all different shapes and sizes, and put them in our bucket to take home.  Gia loved this part and was a wonderful leaf collector!

When we got home, we got out our art supplies.  All you need to make great leaf prints is paper, crayons, and a collection of leaves.

First, lay the leaf (veiny side up) under the piece of paper.  Next, using the flat part of the crayon, rub it over the leaf.  Continue this with different leaves and colors until your paper is full.

If your little one is too young to get the hang of it, their own personal artwork will just add to the picture.  Gia colored what she wanted and I used contrasting colors for the leaf prints.

When we finished with our artwork, I found some extra frames that I had laying around and framed our art for fall.  I'm really happy with how it came out... and the best part was the experience of making it with my little one!  

Let me know what you think...