DIY Lava Lamp

Cabin fever?  Yes, this is a constant problem in our house right now.  I do my best to keep them busy and occupied, but sometimes we just need to spice up our routine a bit. My favorite way to change things up is to do fun experiments with the kids. Not to mention, it's the most fun way to teach science when you unschool. My stepdaughter asked me the other day if I'd tried to make lava lamps with Alka-Seltzer. As a Pinterest addict, I couldn't believe I hadn't heard about this. So I looked it up and it looked super easy and super fun!

Today was a perfect day to try something new.  We already had all the supplies we needed, except the Alka-Seltzer. After a quick run to the store, we were good to go. I recommend you try this kooky experiment with your kiddos.

Supplies You Need-

empty plastic bottles (water bottles, pop bottles, etc)

water

vegetable oil (canola oil, olive oil, etc)

food coloring

Alka-Seltzer 

glitter or beads-optional

Directions-

1. Remove labels and wash empty plastic bottles

2. Fill bottle 1/3 full with water

3. Add 5-10 drops of food coloring, swirl to mix

4. Fill the rest of the bottle with oil, stopping an inch or two from the top

5. Take 6-8 Alka-Seltzer tablets and break them into smaller pieces

6. Add tablet pieces to the bottles and watch the reaction

 ***The reaction happens quickly and the tablet pieces are "used up" quickly

We decided just to put the lids back on the bottles and save it for another day when we want to try the experiment again. But the kids also had fun just shaking the bottles up and watching the oil and water swirl around and separate. I plan to do this experiment again adding glitter  and beads to one bottle and adding the liquid from a glow stick to one bottle. There are many different possibilities you could try out. I promise not only will the kids love it, but the parents will too! 

I hope you all enjoy this post and enjoy doing the experiment! Let me know in the comments how yours worked out and if you tried adding anything else to your lava lamps. Have a great day and make some kooky memories each and every day. 

Thank You For Washable Markers!!

When you spend all day with your kids, or even part of the day, you can't be attached to them at all times! Thank goodness.  We have to keep the house fairly clean and stay sane.  But then when we do leave them alone for a few minutes, it turns you into a very paranoid person. Listening closely for either screaming and fighting, or even worse...silence! Silence means they've found something to hold their attention and it's a 50/50 chance whether it's going to involve a big clean up for us parents!

Today my tired and cranky 3 year old asked for the markers to color. We've had plenty of talks, and by that I mean a lot of yelling by me, about not coloring on anything other than his coloring books. So I decided it was time to trust him and to be honest, I didn't want to hear his whining for the ninety-seventh time today. I admit it, we all of our weak moments where we just hope for the best.  I've had issues once or twice with him mistaking his skin for his coloring book. I think it's a right of passage for little kiddos to use markers all over themselves, pets or walls.

I finished the dishes, took a deep breath and headed out to the living room to check on him. But as I walked past the kids' room and heard evil giggles, my stomach clinched. And there stood my sweet, precious kiddos standing in front of the mirror. As I looked closer, I saw my son with a black marker, coloring all over his face. And right beside him was my daughter encouraging him and telling him where he should be coloring himself. What?!?!?!

I grabbed the marker and asked my daughter what was going on.  She said that it was his idea, like that made it ok. I asked why she didn't come and tell me or at least encourage him not to do it. Her response was, because it was funny. Ok, I had to give her that one. Honestly the more I looked at him, the harder it was not to laugh. I realized this wasn't the end of the world and it could've been the walls or the TV or the cat. And I remembered something else...they were washable markers! These days, most markers or paint say washable-but it's not always true.

I ran bath water, got him out of his clothes and tried not to "cry over spilled milk". My kids weren't hurt and didn't damage anything-so was it really that big of deal? When I asked him what he did, he looked so happy. And when he smiled, I realized he'd even colored his teeth, and I couldn't hold in my laughter any longer. After 20 minutes of playing in the bath and washing his face a few times-he was back to normal! Thank you Crayola for the washable coloring book markers and I praised myself for buying them, knowing that he would probably end up coloring himself at some point.

So I guess my point is that we have to pick and choose our battles. I told him not to do it again or he wouldn't get the markers anymore. As a mom who overreacts sometimes, it's easy to fall into that pattern. No, I don't want him to do it again-but I also had to remind myself that he's 3 and I'm the one who decided it was a good idea to do dishes while he had markers in another room. So no harm was done, everyone was safe and sound. Try to consider if it's really worth yelling or punishing the kids sometimes and just be thankful for washable markers!

Thanks for reading and I'd love it if you would follow my blog or follow me on social media. I hope you all have a great day and be kind to each other and yourself!!

Cheddar Bacon Pasta

Cheese makes everything better!! In my family, that's just a fact. And I'll admit I'm not the healthiest

eater. Pasta, cheese and bacon are three of my to five favorite foods.  Yummy, easy and cheesy-you can't go wrong!


Ingredients

1 pound pasta-cooked. I prefer rotini, but you could use any type

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 tbsp. butter or margarine

3 tbsp. flour

2 c milk

2 1/2 c shredded Cheddar or Colby jack cheese

1 pound bacon-cooked and chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

In a large saucepan, melt better over med heat. Add flour and whisk. Cook for 1 min. Slowly add milk while whisking. Continue to stir till it begins to thicken. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper. Now add 2 cups of shredded cheese and stir till all the cheese is melted and incorporated. Stir cooked, chopped and drained bacon into cheese sauce. In a separate large pan, cook rotini according to package directions. Drain, combine with cheese mixture till the pasta is completely covered. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour cheesy pasta into dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15 mins. Allow 5-10 mins  before serving. 

Hope you enjoy this easy, quick recipe! Follow my blog and keep an eye out for more recipes and articles. Please leave comments and I'd love it if you followed me on social media. Have a great day and be kind to yourselves and others. 

I Hope My Kids Believe In Magic!

We have established the fact that I am a proud nerd and geek, but I also have another side to me. My hippie, free spirited side still believes in magic! And I want my kids to believe also.

I know that sounds a little kooky, but that belief is also what inspires their imaginations. As our children "grow up" younger and faster these days, I want them to hold on to their innocence for as long as possible. I want them to believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. Not to use it as a tool to make them behave or to lord it over them as a threat. But to encourage that excitement and joy, not just for the holidays. I want them to look for magic in the world, each and every day.  

I want them to hold on to the hope that as we take a walk in the woods, they might catch sight of a fairy. Or maybe they'll spot a sprite fluttering around a quiet pond. But I also want them to see the magic in nature. The way flowers die each winter and then return even stronger each spring. How an octopus can change color, in the blink of an eye, in order to hide from danger. The feeling of awe and excitement and hope we feel when we see a sunset. A rainbow or the smell of rain. These are all things that we cherish and help us stay grounded when we're hurt. 

There is a scientific explanation for almost everything that happens in nature, but for some of us, it feels more like a type of magic. A type of appreciation that we tend to lose and take for granted as we get older. We get caught up in the chaos and frustration of everyday life. As a society, we grow more cynical day by day. I am a true believer in science of all of types and I am thankful for all the advances we've made. We shouldn't forget there is wonder in nature and isn't created by any human. 

This is a gift I want to pass on to my kids. I want them to value education and also value what happens, naturally, all around them. So yes I want my kiddos to believe in magical creatures and the spirit of magical characters. The excitement and happiness our kids feel during the holidays isn't just about the gifts they'll receive. It's the closeness of family and the joy in their hearts. What kids see in magic is a possibility of something amazing happening. Something that surprises them and doesn't happen every day. And I feel that the more they believe in those possibilities, the more they will look around to find those small surprises and truly appreciate them.

Thanks for reading and I'd love for you to follow this blog. You never what kooky things I'll decide to write about each day! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and please be kind to yourself and others!