Kid Baltimore | Family Activities with Children in Baltimore, Maryland

Why We Are Getting Chickens

I've been threatening to get chickens for many years now. But this is the year.

It just didn't seem practical until now, given that with three kids, and a busy studio, our plates were pretty full. But I've decided I'm over-thinking the whole thing. First of all, the kids are older now. They handle a lot more responsibilities. And second, we are talking about a handful of chickens. People used to have chickens around all the time. When did we get so removed from this part of living? And third. I just like chickens.

Look at these gorgeous eggs my kids and I gathered while visiting my sister. She lives on a farm.

 

So, a few ground rules.

1. All kids will help with the chores. (They are pretty excited about this and our son has volunteered to sleep in the coop to protect the chickens from wolves. Really.)

2. There will be fewer chickens than people. I don't like to be out-numbered, and how many eggs do we need anyway?

3. The chickens are not pets. I realize, however, that they will live out their chicken-years long past their egg-laying days.

We've been spending the last few months considering coops, and trying to decide on breeds. Any suggestions?

Kid-Decorated Dishes

Every year I try and fit in a project for the kids to make as Christmas gifts. Here's what some (I think rather lucky) family members got this year — hand-decorated dishes. I bought a stack of serving trays from Target. Mugs work well too. And some Porcelaine Paint Markers from Dick Blick. After cooking, the drawings will be permanent and, fingers crossed, dishwasher-safe.

1. Wipe down the surface of the dish with rubbing alcohol.

2. Draw on the dishes to your hearts content. These are paint markers, and they take a little gentle coaxing to get them started. I had one or two that wouldn't flow, but generally, they were very easy to work with. The manufacturer of the markers does recommend keeping your design from areas that will touch the food, so while I did not let them draw on the inside of the mug, I'm not too concerned about a serving tray that will be used for cookies, etc.

The kids picked a theme for each piece (cats, kites, flowers, whatever), which I think helped keep them entertained. The other rule we decided on was to limit the number of colors on each plate. We used two colors plus black. Hey, it's never too soon to discuss color theory. Am I right?

3. Place the dishes in a cold oven, and set the temperature to 300 degrees. Once the oven reaches full temperature, bake for 30 minutes.

And don't forget to make an extra one to keep. Enjoy!

Velvlet

Recently, while visiting my parents at the beach, I found Velvlet placed on my bed. Velvlet is special. My very favorite doll from when I loved  dolls. Her real name was supposed to be "Velvet", but at age 4, I got it wrong and it stuck. She came with a big sister named Crissy that my big sister received (and hated), but I loved Velvlet and she traveled with me everywhere. I decided at some point that she needed makeup, and that explains the magic marker on her eyelids. Her hair was designed to crank in and out of her head, so that she could change hairstyles — a concept that is rather terrifying if you think about it. Now it is a knotty mess that feels like straw.

Emma, my younger daughter, seemed interested in Velvlet right away. Maybe part of it was that they both had the exact same dress. On that particular trip, Emma just happened to have brought my old flower girl dress with her, a hand-me-down that has survived many kids in amazingly good shape. Emma is quite used to hand-me-downs. In fact, she receives so many hand-me-downs (and never complains) that she has received a nick-name. Emma-hand-me-down. And before you think that her nickname isn't nice, let me tell you that she loves every single one of them. Fancy dresses from her princess cousin, or practical shirts from her big sister. Every single one of them is a brand new to her. So when Emma, who isn't all that interested in dolls, seemed interested, I gave Velvlet to her.

The two became inseparable. I find Velvlet tagging along on car rides and tucked in with her at bedtime. I love that my doll has a new home, because honestly, I hate dolls...

...but oh, do I love Emma.

 

 

Divyying Up the Garden

This hurts. I'm a mom. I share everything. But this may just go too far.

When I had one actual kid (and two babies who weren't quite actual kids yet) I didn't plan well. I gave my daughter part of the garden by the house. What could go wrong? This small child wanted to plant some seeds, watch something grow, love nature. I completely supported that.

Silly me. There were two more small children in my future, and if I have learned nothing else, being a parent for 12 (count them, 12) years, it should be this: treat them fairly.

What one gets, the next gets, so it's time to pony-up and share some more of that coveted garden space near the house. Sigh. I am officially handing over the reigns this year. I promise. I won't wince when it's full of weeds, although I might pull a few when their backs are turned. It's their space, to do what they want. But just so you know,  I get it back when they go to college.

Just because I can't possibly post without pictures, here are a few shots of last year's garden that I never shared.

 

Oh, the tomatoes. I live for the tomatoes.

 

Because of Reggie

It's tough to change the world when you are a kid. Big plans. Good plans. But no one lets you pitch in.

My daughter has been on a mission ever since we brought Reggie home. She wants to volunteer at an animal shelter. There's lots to be done, but most of the shelters don't have jobs for kids. After a lengthy internet search, she found a few that allow families to volunteer and we may do that in the future, but for right now we decided to make no-sew blankets for a local shelter, The Humane Society of Harford County.

They have quite a few ideas for school groups posted on their site (pdf brochure). Hands-on animal time requires training and a 6-month commitment and a few age requirements, but I love that they have ideas posted for the younger set as well.

These blankets for cats require just two squares of fleece, scissors and a little patience. Fortunately we had extra help this weekend. My nieces, who are two of our very favorite people in the world, visited for a sleepover. Little did they know they would be put straight to work. Actually, they pitched right in and were big helpers. Somehow projects are even more fun when there are cousins around. Before the weekend was over, there were 9 soft fleece blankets ready for delivery! Notice Reggie in the bottom right corner inspecting their work.

 We dropped the blankets off at the shelter. Job well done, kids. I am guessing there will be a lot more volunteer projects in our future, and let me tell you, my troops are ready and willing.

Cupcakes for the Birds

During the recent snow, my kids decided to whip up a batch of cupcakes for the birds. My daughter got the idea from Birds and Blooms and before I knew what was happening, the ingredients were being pulled from the pantry shelves and all three were up to their elbows in peanut butter.

Some of them got a little silly...

 but mostly, they got right to work...

and in the end, they presented quite a feast for the birds.

We waited and waited and waited, until our guests slowly began to arrive. First the titmice and chickadees appeared.

Then along came more friends, like this red-bellied woodpecker.

 I don't know what kind of bird this is. Anyone?

The one on the right is a downy woodpecker.

The birds devoured every last crumb, so I am guessing they would give the chefs rave reviews.

Here is the recipe.

Melt together:

1 cup vegetable shortening

2 cups chunky peanut butter

Mix in:

5 cups of cornmeal

Spoon into muffin tins (liners are optional, but we didn't use them) and top the cupcakes with your choice of birdseed, nuts, or dried fruit. Let them cool in the refridgerator and serve.