diy mama

lifestyle blog sharing diy, family, travel, organization & disney tips

Shelly

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Valentines Day Heart Garland

As I’ve said before, I’m a sucker for Valentine’s Day. I gave Valentine’s to my nieces before February because I was too excited. This year we’re having someone watch Sophie so we can have a proper Valentine’s date. I’m positive this has never happened before and I’m as giddy as a school girl. I also get excited to show my love through treats and decorations. I was feeling festive this afternoon so Sophie helped me make this 5 minute Valentines Day Heart Garland.

Valentines Day Heart Garland
Valentines Day Heart Garland

Valentines Day Heart Garland

Materials:

  • Watercolor paint
  • Watercolor paper (not necessary but the hearts lay flat with the thickness of this paper)
  • Paint brush
  • Cup of water
  • String
  • Tape (for taping the heart to the string)
  • Heart punch or scissors


Valentines Day heart punch
Valentines Day Heart GarlandValentines Day Heart Garland

I let her paint a bit on her own and helped her draw the hearts, X’s and O’s. I usually hang her crafts down low on the fridge but this garland got prime real estate above her bed. We’ll definitely be pulling this little guy out each year.


Valentines_Heart_Garland_Cut (1 of 1)
Valentines_Heart_Garland_Cards (1 of 1)

We’d also attempted some watercolor resist art the other day which didn’t work out so well but I wanted to share how we turned it into a thoughtful gift. I’d drawn white hearts with a colored pencil and Soph helped me paint over the paper. Although the hearts barely showed up, I still think these make the perfect Valentine’s cards to mail out to our family.

I’m tickled pink with how simple and fast this craft was to create with my toddler. How do you share your love on Valentine’s Day?

Valentine's Day Heart Garland

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Prairie Tykes at Conner Prairie

If you’ve ever lived with a toddler during the winter, you know that they become crazy after one day of not being able to run around outside. Even living near a major city, it’s difficult to find indoor toddler friendly venues that we can visit for just a few hours without spending a lot of money. Que the angels because we’ve found it. Conner Prairie has been hosting Prairie Tykes, a preschool class, for over 20 years. Soph and I joined their Happy Hibernating class last week and was pleasantly surprised!

The class is held every second and fourth Thursday and Friday of every month with a new theme each week. Each session includes songs, games, stories, crafts and snacks that relate to the theme of the week. I loved that the activities were interesting for each kid ranging from 2-5 years old. If you’re interested in learning more, visit my post on Indy’s Child for more information.

Prairie Tykes

Prairie Tykes at Conner Prairie

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Keep Calm and Make a List

The beginning of the year is supposed to be the time we set our goals and organize our life to be happier, more efficient people. Right? It’s the 19th of January and I feel as though everything I’ve scheduled in my planner this month has gone by the wayside to make room for, what seems like, nothing. I lost an entire week to a sick toddler and rather than being happy to snuggle my little girl, comforting her in my arms, I felt anxiety over everything I wasn’t accomplishing. Now you know my biggest guilt. I wish I would have seen this quote then. Keep calm and make a list.

Making a list, especially during a time when I can’t accomplish that task, helps my mind calm down. Even if my list is 50 items long and entirely too much to accomplish in the time frame I’ve given, it helps to just write them out and prioritize them. Many times those items that aren’t checked off at the end of the week are things that I realize didn’t need to be done anyway. It’s most helpful for me to take an hour on Sunday morning to make my meal plan, order our groceries from the store and write out my most important goals for the week. If I’m good, I’ll write them out in my planner, but otherwise will just make a list and stick it to the fridge.

Keep Calm and Make a List
Keep calm and make a list

If you’re having a hard time focusing on what you should be spending your time with, make a list. If you feel like you’re completely exhausted at the end of every day, make a list, there might be a way to better prioritize your goals. I keep a notebook by my bedside so I can let all my ramblings out of my head and onto paper for better sleep. I never look at that list but it is there to help me sleep at night. Let me know what helps calm you when you’re mind won’t slow down.

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Valentines Date Outfits

I’m a sucker for Valentine’s Day. I don’t think people should spend lots of money, or necessarily spend any money, but I do think you should show your partner why they’re special. Yes, it’s pretty much like having two anniversaries a year but why not?? I love any excuse to celebrate love, especially my love for my husband. I was thinking of what we could do this year to celebrate. We’re back to doing date night out once per month and I’m thinking Valentine’s Day is the perfect date for February. I’ve listed a few of my favorite Valentine’s date ideas for staying in or going out. I’ve paired the dates with a few Valentine’s date outfits for inspiration if you’re stuck on what to wear.

As a Mom, I rarely wear outfits that make me feel beautiful. I wear outfits that I won’t get upset if I get snot wiped on the shoulder or watercolor splattered on my blouse. I want to be able to get down on my knees to crawl in a fort and lots of layers in case there’s a spontaneous dance party. My ‘uniform’ is maroon cords with a graphic T and a long cardigan. Not as bad as it could be but no where near what I’d choose to wear everyday. I know that it makes me feel good to dress up for the right occasion though, so I’m going to make it a point to dress up for all of our date nights this year!

Valentines Date OutfitsValentine's Date Outfit

Valentines Date Outfit

Night-Out Ideas: make reservations ahead for a local eatery you’ve been dying to try, see a rom-com at the dine-and-watch theater, find discounted tickets to the symphony, theater or local music concert, go to the mall and pick out each other’s outfit before heading to dinner, stargaze at the planetarium, revisit your early dating years by playing pool, bowling or mini-golf, schedule a couples massage, book a room at a local hotel and have room service delivered, do your own photo shoot around the city, or have a few martinis before dancing the night away.

Valentine's Date Outfit

Valentine Date Outfit

Night-In Ideas: Play a favorite board game, make a chocolate fondue dessert, listen to a book on tape fireside snuggled under a blanket, make popcorn and watch the first movie you saw as a couple, plan a special anniversary vacation, buy a lotto ticket and write down how you’d spend the money, read old love notes or look through photo albums.

What are your thoughts on Valentines Day? Is it a Hallmark holiday or are you into showering your love in conversation hearts? Any plans this year?

Swoon worthy photo credits: Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3,  Photo 4

DIY Valentine’s Day Cards

Valentine Cards

 

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Best Indoor Playgrounds around Indianapolis

Although it’s just a date on a calendar, the start of the new year is always the time of year I buckle down and really plan, organize, clean and rejuvenate our home. Being a personal organizer, I am always jealous of the spaces I organize for others because I haven’t taken the time to organize our new home yet. Part of that is because I’m doing the best I can to simply keep my home in order behind the two-year-old tornado that is my daughter. I’m learning that things stay much tidier in my home if I take Sophie out to expend her energy elsewhere. Once we’re home, she’s much more in tuned to cleaning up after herself if she’s had a chance to explore, run and play that day.

Since we’re new to the north side of Indianapolis, I’ve been researching and making a list of indoor playgrounds we’ve been exploring. There are several indoor playgrounds around Indianapolis. Check out what’s near you and let me know if there are any I’ve missed! For my go-to list of indoor playscapes around Indianapolis, check out my post on Indy’s Child.

Best Indoor Playgrounds around Indianapolis

Indoor playgrounds around Indianapolis

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