my husband=awesome

since the whole visiting the farm thing didn't pan out on Saturday and it was too cold to work in the yard, Mike decided to take on the pantry makeover.  The pantry was a great space but the shelves were short and things would just get lost in the back.  So Mike built and installed rolling shelves, you know, like you do.  Seriously, this guys is so handy and I had no idea. We (and by we I mean Mike) still need to paint them and we'll probably get a new pantry door at some point.  And maybe some cute storage containers.  But it could stay just as is and I'd be happy too.

before

big helper

goodbye shelves

hello tracks

new shelves

they work

everything back in and organized

so pretty

Hudson's shelf.  Now I won't by graham crackers when I think we're out of them and we're not.

play for toddler {day 8}

We were supposed to go to a farm on Saturday and spend the day outside picking produce and wandering through a corn maze and thoroughly enjoying fall.  And then it snowed.  So we stayed inside and I randomly came up with an activity to do with Hudson to keep us from going crazy.

Mommy & Me: Board Book Dominoes
I stood his books up in a row and then we pushed them over.  He loved it.  He wasn't always patient enough to wait for me to get a bunch in a row.  I think he just loved pushing them over.  The best part of the whole thing was when, later on in the day, he brought me a book and then signed help.  I thought he wanted to read, but then he put it on the floor and tried to stand it up.  He wanted to play dominoes again!!! So we did.

Busy Box: Poker Chips and Wipes/Yogurt Container
For this activity you just need some poker chips and a container of some sort.  I have used a wipes container and I have also cut a slit in a clean yogurt container.  The object is to put them in and then take them out.  Over and over and over again.  It amazes me how something so simple can capture his attention.

play for toddler {day 7}

Mommy and Me: Modeling Clay
Today's activity has been the favorite so far.  I found some all natural modeling clay on clearance at Target (thanks for the tip, Melissa). 

this is the clay i used.  i like it a lot.  no color left on his hands.

I knew I could make my own, but figured it was worth the few extra dollars for the ease.  I put Hudson in his high chair and then got out one of the colors.  He was a bit confused at first and did try to eat it, but I just told him no.  As we were playing, he would sometimes bring it up to his mouth and then look at me and smile. 

I showed him how to squish it and push it against his tray.  He favorite part was that he could rip it.  We played with it for almost 30 minutes.  He would have kept playing, but he was starting to throw it on the floor and I was getting tired of picking it up.  Definitely a success and an activity we will be repeating.

Busy Box: Foam Number Puzzle
One of the easiest things I put in his busy box was a foam number puzzle from the dollar store.  There was a letter one, but the pieces were smaller, so I went with the numbers.  He likes to carry them around and tries to put them in.  Some of the numbers are easier than others for him.  This is also an easy toy to bring along to a friends house. 

similar to this one, but no operation signs, and not $10.