Women's History Wednesday

We've been wondering where many of you have been lately, I hear it has been nice weather across the country so maybe you've been playing outside and enjoying the sunshine, but since today brings cold and rain hopefully you'll be back to posting and engaging with one another about today's topic.

As each of you know we've dedicated Wednesdays during the month of March to sharing our creative inspirations. I was lucky enough to grow up with the most creative woman I've ever met. My Mom. That might sound corny but it is so true.

Have you ever met those people you feel were just made to have children or work with children? My Mom is definitely that person. She was the local teenage babysitter in high school, had 7 children of her own, has been the child care for my older sister's four children, housed many a resident floating friend, and now watches a sweet little toddler named Jacob. I for one can't picture my Mom without a child in her arms, in her lap, or at least in her home. Raising 7 children meant that my Mom was always having to think of creative ways to do everything, stretch the budget, get us out the door on time, and most importantly keep 7 children entertained. At this my Mom is masterful.

Here are some of her go to ideas that I think you will all appreciate:

• At Christmas my Mom would go to the remnant fabric bucket at walmart and get scraps of Christmas fabric for 10 and 20 cents. Then she'd get some 4" styrofoam balls and set us to work making our Christmas ornaments which would become our Christmas gifts for teachers. Using small pieces of fabric, we'd push the edges down into the styrofoam with a butter knife. Then we'd pick another fabric design and push it into the ball. At the end we'd add a loop of ribbon and we had a beautiful patchwork ball perfect for anyone's tree and we had spent the afternoon getting in the Christmas spirit as a family.

• When it comes to potty training my Mom takes the cake. Believe it or not she asserts that each of us was potty trained before the next child came along. That is most amazing because many of us are a mere 15 or 16 months apart. So of course as mother of a toddler I've been picking her brain for ideas and here are her creative fun tricks for all you Moms out there...for boys she always floated cheerios in the water for them to sink or put a few drops of blue food coloring in the potty so that when they successfully used it the water turned green. She insists that the way to go is to use the thick fabric training pants with the plastic covers, evidently it makes it uncomfortable for them and they want to get trained faster. Finally she isn't afraid to act like a fool, doing the potty dance, singing a song, or showing the toddler just how much fun it is to go potty.

• A final fun idea I've been remembering lately is that when my Mom struggled with us writing on the walls (one of my personal struggles right now with Lily), instead of getting upset and saying no more crayons, markers, etc... she turned to the handy dandy brown bag and took action. She opened up four brown bags and layed them flat on the wall surrounding each with masking tape, then she set us loose with chalk. This let us feel the excitement of writing on the walls and the freedom to go out of the lines a little bit (chalkwipes right off of most semi-gloss paints) but still gave us boundaries that we could appreciate. What has me excited now is that fact that we don't even have to turn to brown paper bags to make my Mom's fun idea come to life. Target is currently selling peel and stick dots (17" in diameter) that are chalk board material for only $14.99 and online you can get them from Wallies in every size and shape most as low as $9.99. So, peel and stick a few of them in your little one's room and let them know that they can write on the walls to their hearts content. Or if you don't have little ones how about using a peel and stick chalkboard as your memo board, to-do list, or calendar? I can think of a million uses....what might you use them for?

Announcements

Cookbook: Tera hasn't had many submissions turned in yet for the first ever HLA cookbook. Don't forget to send her all your creative (or just scrumptious!) recipes by 3/18 so she can get it pulled together for Mother's Day. Email them to tmichalski05@jcu.edu.

Surprise Surprise!: Our first Surprise Surprise! stunt is just around the corner. Don't forget to create your rainbow that says "Follow "your name's" rainbow to highlowaha!" and drop it in the mail to Julie Schnepp (16630 N. Reems Rd. #1064 Surprise, AZ 85374) no later than 3/13 so that she receives it before St. Patrick's Day. Remember that if your rainbow is followed you will be entered to win a fabulous prize and everyone who participates will get a rainbow patch for their "Patchwork Denim".

Women who Take the Cake: Don't forget about this easy way to honor a woman in your life. Send nominations by 5pm on March 18th to highlowaha218@gmail.com remember it is 200 words or less and the woman we choose will be presented a cake on your behalf.