Random Stuff to Share

Afrim’s is running a Spring Break Action Camp (multiple sports played for ages 3 to 11–click link for times & prices) and a Technical Training Camp (soccer skills for the 8 and up crowd–9:15 am-12:15 pm at $30/day or $125/week).

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Did you know that there’s a Ramona and Beezus movie coming up in July?  I didn’t, and I’m so excited.  Looks very much like a Li’l Chick Flick, which, really, is right up our alley in this household.  We are all tremendous fans of Beverly Cleary’s.  And with actresses from some of Mommy’s favorite tv shows (Ginnifer Goodwin from Big Love and Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy–which, I acknowledge, has jumped the shark) . . . well, I might not even wait for a gloomy day.  You might just find us all tossing back the Milk Duds and popcorn just as soon as it opens.   Woo, hoo!

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The next session of Music Together from Music Box Arts begins April 12th, and they’ve added a second Troy location.

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I went into a mild Easter freak-out this morning.  We’re so busy this weekend, and we’re taking a family road trip all the way to Georgia for spring break.  So I’ve got to have all of our Bunny supplies jam-packed and hidden with everything else we’ll be stuffing into the back of the car.   Plus, I realized that we hadn’t even decorated eggs yet.

I think that decorating eggs every year is the reason why I still love the smell of vinegar.   We go the traditional route for eggs, even though I see all those super-clever magazine articles and websites about how to make truly gorgeous Easter eggs.  But, you know, we’re not there.  The girls don’t have the patience for any of that, and I don’t have the energy to have some sort of separate Mommy activity on my own (although, let me tell you:  I make a fabulous Christmas wreath every year.  Oh yes it’s true!).  Anyway, I’m fine with the dip-and-dye, although I resent how the various companies act like every single thing that they include is such a treasure.  The magical dye-resisting marker, which is a freakin’ crayon.  The extra-special drying rack, which is actually the cardboard box with the perforated circles punched out.  And, my personal favorite:  twirly tops. Stick a toothpick in the center of the torn-out cardboard circles and you have an exciting new toy!  Hooray!  I mean, really:  it’s like, insulting.  Am I the only one who gets irritated by this?  And how about those shrink-wrap things?  I mean, after my kids have waited for me to boil the eggs, there’s no way that they’re going to relinquish them and wait for me to cook them up again.

So although I approach the Easter kits with exasperation, I have to tell you that I got sucked into the Dudley’s Roll It Easter Egg Decorating Kit that I found at Target.   The teensy-weensy little rollers were cheap and flimsy, but they were also adorable and they got the job done.  And I am so cheap that I rinsed it out to save for next year.  The packets of paint were small, too, but we had plenty to decorate our dozen eggs.

Cheap, But Still Reusable!

But the best part was that it was hands-on craftiness with immediate gratification.  With the dip dye, you spend a lot of time waiting around for your eggs to soak in plenty of color.  With the little rollers, it was easy to make patterns or little dots with bright color right away.  The kit also came with little plastic rings for holding your eggs in place (you can see the egg below’s on one).

M goes for stripes

Are they cheap, cheesy little things?  Well, yes, but they’re way better than using the box with the circles  popped out.  For one thing, I believe that this was the first year that nobody’s wet egg touched anyone else’s wet egg and Ruined It Forever, which is always a hazard when they’re crowded onto the box.

Anyway, if you see egg decorating in your future, I’d recommend this kit.  You know, if you and the kids aren’t going with one of Martha Stewart’s ideas.

2 Comments

  1. Kristin

    I had this exact conversation with Steve about how annoying the claims are on the easter egg box. Punch out the circles and make a fantastic necklace! Seriously? This is not a bonus feature, this is something that my kids are going to throw at each other before I throw them in the trash.

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