Author: Carrie Spritzer

Goodbye to the Summer Garden

Yesterday a frost warning flashed on my phone! Thank goodness for modern conveniences like weather applications; I’ve been so busy reacting to our pseudo Indian Summer that I’ve neglected to notice that it’s almost November. I guess it’s time to say farewell to our summer veggies (oh, how I love the mild weather here in California!) and get ready for the first frost.

So we headed out in our pajamas before bedtime to gather up all the ripe tomatoes and zucchini, and to then wrap up the potatoes in a frost cover. (Keeping our fingers crossed they’ll make it!)

We’re leaving dozens of green tomatoes on the plants, chard, lettuce and carrots in the ground, and several baby zucchini, still too small to pick.


We wonder, “Will it frost tonight? Will the frost cover insulate the potatoes well enough?” We shall see.

What we know for certain is that fall is here and winter is on its way.

I’m already planning out where I’ll plant the kale.

Backpacks for Kids

I set out to find a small, kid-sized backpack that was BPA free, Phthalate free, and PVC free. Sounds like a tall order in this day and age, right?!

Well, I stumbled on a fantastic, eco-groovy backpack perfect for toddlers:

Zoo Packs: Little Kid Backpacks by Skip Hop

My favorite part? They are sized for toddlers so that actually fit my two year old. She doesn’t look like she’s about to fall over backwards when it’s stuffed full. It’s not so heavy or bulky that she’s uncomfortable when wearing it.

My daughter’s favorite part? She can fill it up with her stuff and it’s her special bag. She wants us to bring it everywhere.

And the bag comes in other animals too!

They’re not super expensive and I think they’re adorable. Learn more.

Swallowtail Butterfly Bank Checks for Kids

When I created credit cards and play money for my daughter, I showed you a process to inspire and guide you in making your own play money for kids.

This time, I wanted to focus on a project that you could instantly download, print and share with the kids in your life.

Enter this fun Swallowtail Butterfly Bank Checks for Kids project!

After several weeks of Miss Leyba insisting that she should be allowed to write in mama’s checkbook (yes, I’m old fashioned like that and still use one!), I decided she needed a checkbook of her own.

I created these checks with a Swallowtail Butterfly theme and printed out several pages worth (each page has three checks on it). Then I cut the individual checks down to size and stapled the left hand side together to form a book of sorts for her to write her checks in. Easy!

Now my daughter has play money, credit cards, and these bank checks in her own wallet.

Download Swallowtail Butterfly Checks here!

Wondering about the “Bank of West County” and butterfly theme?

We live in Western Sonoma County, more commonly known as West County, and we have lots of Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies. (The actual butterfly images on the checks are of a different Swallowtail and come from DK Clip-Art.) The West County theme seemed fitting and a tad bit educational. (We’re all about Everyday Learning in our house!) What kids aren’t into insects?

Enjoy.

Eyeglasses = Ultimate Accessory for a Two Year Old

Another post in our First on Friday series where we share a new activity from the week.

My daughter loved accompanying us to the eye doctors. She adored trying on the glasses. She enjoyed offering advice, “Go with purple, Mom!” She reveled in the idea of bringing glasses home for her.

Of course, she was all pensive for the photos. After all, trying on glasses is serious business. So is convincing mom of the necessity of procuring glasses for the toddler with perfect vision. Evidently.

“Mom, I need glasses too. I don’t see so well.”

“We’re bringing these home.”

“Oh, I think we should get me these.”

All direct quotes.

How can I break it to her that I hope she never needs glasses?! I may have to find her some play glasses… instead of the $100 ones she tried on and just had to have.

Thrift Store Score

I’m amazed to find that the last thrift store score post was back in April! We’ve found lots of awesome stuff since then, which I’ve neglected to write about. Whoops!

Here’s my latest Thrift Store Score fulled obsession:

Pyrex dishes in the same pattern as the ones my grandmother gave me.

My grandmother gifted me many of her pyrex and corningware dishes when I graduated from college and headed off to graduate school in Arizona and my first apartment back in 2002. I’ve used these dishes almost daily over the last eight years and love them.

Despite being white, I find them incredibly easy to clean. I can take them straight from the freezer and pop them in the oven. Should I (or Miss Leyba) drop them on the floor by accident, they don’t break. Even the glass lids don’t break. I find them indispensable in the kitchen.

So when I noticed they were popping up at the thrift store (that benefits our local hospice!), I started buying them. A larger size. An extra lid. Some more of those fabulous circular ones. A more shallow pan.

My, how the collection has grown.

I love them!