PLAY – the MAD creative

SUMMER CRAFTS with KID MADE MODERN

Post author:Ashley
Post published:August 9, 2018
Post category:KIDS PLAY
Post comments:3 Comments

My girls have figured me out. They no longer ask for toys when we’re at Target. Instead, they ask for cheese sticks (completely necessary to get us through the store)… and “crafts for projects.” Because give me the craft aisle over toy aisles any day of the week. And I’ll always say yes. Target may only have a couple bays of crafts, but they also have it figured out. They only carry the best. And that’s how we discovered Kid Made Modern’s craft supplies and kits. Everything we’ve purchased from Kid Made Modern has been so much fun to make. And as we delved in further, we found their complete product line online. We picked out some items and wanted to share our Wooden Robots with you guys… and also a story told by Mya.

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SUMMER BALANCE

Post author:Ashley
Post published:July 12, 2018
Post category:KIDS LOVE PLAY
Post comments:0 Comments

I had a quinoa salad for dinner. Followed by some boxed brownies and a pint of ice cream. It’s all about balance. 😉 And that’s basically how our summer is going. Some days we’re racing around town to drop off/ pick up Mya from camp. But then most other days we’re in our pjs until 2 PM because it’s too damn hot outside and basement hangs are our jam. Our plans are tentative at best and it’s a pretty awesome way to live. I know these days won’t last forever; and I’m soaking them up while I get to have all three babes home with me. Also embracing the fact that I can easily buy their love with bomb pops.

These pics were taken after some sweaty backyard playing and they’re some of my all-time faves. Turns out if you throw some overheated kids on a beanbag in front of a window, it’s a foolproof way to get some great shots. Who knew. So here’s some documentation of how these three are growing, their current moods, and why I’m one lucky Mamacita.

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5 WAYS WE USE THE DOCKATOT

Post author:Ashley
Post published:June 11, 2018
Post category:KIDS PLAY
Post comments:2 Comments

Most baby Mamas have heard of the DockATot. It was the most registered baby product in 2017 and pictures of kids enjoying their “docks” are scattered all over Instagram. After all, a product approved by so many Moms must be a winner, right? While pregnant with Guy, I became more and more intrigued of this seemingly magical infant sleeping tool known as the DockATot. But news to me: the DockATot wasn’t originally intended for a sleeping aid. It was designed as an alternative to the baby lounger, cot, or blanket– while also being more versatile and snug, mimicking the mother’s womb.

Seemed legit.

And since I wasn’t going to be able to hold Guy nonstop (unlike I pretty much did with the girls), I liked the idea of a comforting, secure spot for him to be around us. But a couple things had me questioning the necessity of the DockATot: the size and the cost.

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CREATING a FAIRY GARDEN

Post author:Ashley
Post published:July 17, 2017
Post category:KIDS LEARN PLAY
Post comments:2 Comments

Here’s the beauty of a fairy garden: You really can’t mess it up. (Leah’s tried.) Your toddler can basically be in charge of what they do with it and there’s minimal maintenance. We threw two fairy pots together in the Spring and the girls still get enjoyment out of them. I didn’t anticipate the girls to voluntarily nurture and tend to them as they do, but it’s been a pleasant surprise on our many backyard days. Even if they’re just rearranging rocks, trading items from pot to pot, watering, or making mounds of mulch– it’s an activity that is easy, interactive, and keeps them somewhat stationary. Which translates to me sitting nearby, watching them create something they believe to be so magical.

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SUMMER BUCKET LIST for KIDS

Post author:Ashley
Post published:May 28, 2017
Post category:KIDS PLAY
Post comments:0 Comments

Mya’s final day of 3’s Preschool was last week and we’re officially having those summer vibes. After our vacation to Estes and the girls’ and my trip up to Omaha, it’s been kind of a struggle to get back in the swing of things at home. I think Mya is expecting a road trip every week, which is definitely not the case. So in an effort not to bore her out of her mind and always strive to be more fun-loving parents, we came up with a list of things we want to do with the girls this summer. Hoping that you guys send us some of your summer plans too, so we can add them to our list!

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ESTES PARK 2017

Post author:Ashley
Post published:May 20, 2017
Post category:KIDS LEARN LIVE LOVE PLAY
Post comments:2 Comments

Last week we went to Estes Park– the first time flying with both girls– and it was beautiful. Exhausting, but oh so beautiful. The weather was a perfect high of 70 degrees, Leah only had 8 full-on tantrums– nothing makes Derek sweat more than a crying baby in the wilderness–, and the girls were both angels on the plane (thanks to endless snacks and iPad movies.) Compared to all past travels, I would have to say that I planned the very least for this little getaway. Perhaps because Derek took care of the hiking logistics/ rental car/ driving, or maybe just because I was already in the vacation, laid-back Colorado mindset and figured things would just unfold. And they totally did. Some of our favorite stops were planned, some were just by chance (cue bathroom emergency at a local coffee shop.) But whether or not things happened on purpose, I was so happy just being us four, showing the girls a new place, and having them remind us that the best world is outdoors. Here are a few of our favorite findings (and a whole lot of pictures) from our little trip:

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DAYS AT HOME with BANNOR TOYS

Post author:Ashley
Post published:March 29, 2017
Post category:HOME KIDS PLAY
Post comments:0 Comments

You know how sometimes you have a plan for the day… and then you remember you have kids… and whatever vision you had was just a joke really? Pile up Mya getting sick, some gloomy weather, and post breastfeeding hormones and the past week was pretty thrown. But rainy walks around the block, lots of pajama days, and a daily dose of Moana seemed to do the trick. Last weekend, that’s exactly what happened– we stayed home to get well and recharge for the week. All the bins and baskets of playthings were thrown on the living room floor and we all just camped out by the fire. Most of the time, I have the girls pick up things as we are done playing with them because it leaves less of a mess for me after bedtime. And because #mamatired. But last weekend we just let it happen and looked past the mess to find two happy girls, perfectly content with being together at home with just us parents. Which I’m going to pretend will always be the case. Because this is my heaven.

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5 KID YOGA POSES with JoBea Kids

Post author:Ashley
Post published:March 26, 2017
Post category:HEALTH KIDS LEARN PLAY
Post comments:3 Comments

We might not always stick to a schedule around here, but we’ve got our morning routine down: The girls wake up by 6:30, we play and eat, then send Daddy off with his peanut butter and jelly breakfast sandwich. Derek feeds each girl a bite of it and kisses them goodbye for the day. Then the girls rush to the front door, Mya whips it open, and they wave and blow him kisses as Derek pulls out of the drive and down the street. It’s pretty much the most adorable thing ever. We’ve had a couple neighbors tell us they see the sendoff every day and I’m glad we have them fooled as totally calm, cool, and collected. Little do they know that when the door shuts, Mya usually has a meltdown of how she already misses Dada and Leah resumes banging on the pantry door for more food. But recently, the one thing that has been the best distraction from this and starts our girl days off strong are little yoga sessions. Mya takes out her yoga mat with this book and takes us through some “moves.” Leah pretty quickly ends up cozying up in the beanbag with another book, but Mya leads our yoga session and it’s always one of my favorite parts of our mornings together.

A couple weeks ago we met my Mom at a yoga studio and she helped us ~~play~~ document some of our favorite poses. My Mom is conveniently an Iyengar yoga instructor, so we pretty much have it made in the sense that she knows what to do and how to do it the right way. Since I can barely touch my toes, we keep it simple. These are our 5 favorite yoga poses for kids. I made myself look smarter by googling the sanskrit names and including them too:

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DADDY-DAUGHTER DATES with GOLDY BELLE (+ GIVEAWAY)

Post author:Ashley
Post published:March 8, 2017
Post category:KIDS LOVE PLAY
Post comments:1 Comment

As of late, Mya’s been super attention seeking. Most of it is for negative attention– ie “Mama, I’m picking my nails” or “Mama, when I was supposed to be doing quiet time I jumped off my nightstand.” Which explains the loud thump and tells me that we need to secure furniture to walls. And as much as it hurts my heart to see her out of her usual happy-go-lucky state, I know it’s just a stage and she’s still adjusting to life as a big sister. On the weekends, we try to make more time for one-on-one with her; and a couple weekends ago, Derek took Mya out for some extra special “Daddy time.” Leah and I tagged along at the beginning to snap some pics of them “dressed up all fancy,” but then we left them to do their own thing. Here’s how we (but mostly Derek) made the day extra special:

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GEOCACHING with MY GNOME ON THE ROAM

Post author:Ashley
Post published:February 23, 2017
Post category:KIDS LEARN LOVE PLAY
Post comments:1 Comment

Back in high school, Derek and his two brothers started a tradition whenever they went to Colorado to camp and hike: they took a troll and once they reached the top of a mountain, they would snap a pic with their colorful haired friend. When I saw My Gnome on the Roam, I was instantly reminded of Derek’s troll and knew it could be a fun way to document our family trips too. Last weekend, we stayed close to home and took “Rupert” (our gnome) geocaching– something I’ve been wanting to try with Mya for awhile… and with the help of Rupert, it was such a fun adventure!

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PICNIC READY with PLANETBOX

Post author:Ashley
Post published:February 19, 2017
Post category:FOOD KIDS LEARN PLAY
Post comments:2 Comments

Let’s be totally real here and admit that kids “helping” you cook isn’t helping you at all. Doing twice as many dishes and prepping a meal at half the pace isn’t making anyone’s life any easier. But it brings them joy, so that’s why we let them scoop out the flour, leaving a trail of it until they (finally) dump it in the bowl. I do love cooking with Mya, but most days I just need to whip up something quick because when hunger strikes, it strikes hard. The food prep times when I welcome Mya’s help more, though, are when we picnic. Building a sandwich or stacking fruit and cheese kabobs is a lot easier than baking something from scratch. Suddenly, you’re a lot less frazzled when you don’t need 15 ingredients and precise measurements. With the help of PlanetBox, we’ve put together a how-to list to be picnic prepared.

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FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES and ART STATION TIPS

Post author:Ashley
Post published:January 18, 2017
Post category:KIDS LEARN LOVE PLAY
Post comments:6 Comments

One thing I’ve learned after having two kids is that “self play” is a pretty valuable trait to instill in your child. Yes, I would love to “play cars,” pretend I’m a cat, and become a master chef by just wearing underwear on my head for the day’s entirety. But then I realize that there are dishes and laundry and dust and sometimes Mama needs to just take a breath “by herself.” Because I think people usually visit the bathroom without an audience. And yet honestly, if I didn’t have Leah hanging on my leg and Mya asking me questions about puberty, it really just wouldn’t seem right. But when I do need fifteen minutes to throw dinner in the pressure cooker, the main lifeline I use is Mya’s art station. Mya does something productive and Leah throws all the supplies on the floor. And if that fails for Leah, I just open up the tupperware or spice cabinet and we’re good to go. 😛 Here are our tips for art station success:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

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