Worthwhile

Glanced up while reading a bedtime story to the Boy and saw this on his easel. I'm the luckiest mom in the world!

Easter Experiments

This year, the Boy and I decided to get crazy with the Easter eggs: instead of using a packaged dyeing kit, we chopped and mixed and boiled a number of other common substances to make dye baths for the little guys. Here's Superboy hard at work coercing some orange peel into service:

Extolling the virtues of my Tupperware orange-peeling tool:

Which can also be used as a display device:

The next day: preparing for the unveiling. We used vinegar as a mordant in all six dye baths, for which we used (from left to right) turmeric, beets, red cabbage, grape juice, coffee and orange peel. They all worked to some extent except the orange peel, which was a total flop. I chalk this off to method of preparing the dye bath--macerating the peel in boiling water. Perhaps it would have worked much better if we'd boiled the peel in the water.

Ta da!

They turned out so cool, we decided to do more research and do it again next year. The Boy has deemed the color of the blue eggs (courtesy of our friend the humble red cabbage) the most beautiful, and I must say, I think I agree.

Boob Tube

Ah, yes, the television...I've never been a huge fan myself, and when each of my kids was born I just couldn't imagine it would have much of a place in their lives. Which, thankfully, it doesn't. However...as many parents of young children know, it is hard to resist the precious extra few moments a well-chosen television program can buy for them to, say, eat? Bathe? Brush their teeth? Sigh. I am no exception. I snapped this not-so-flattering shot of Supergirl zoned out on Sesame Street not long ago, which reminded me of a couple I'd taken of the Boy years ago now. Let's hope no lasting damage is done!