Helping Hands

It's really wonderful when the kids like helping around the house. Grace, for instance, has been on an "I help Mommy" kick. While I love her enthusiasm for housework, it does take some creativity to come up with little tasks for her to do, while I get the actual chore done. Last night I was in the kitchen folding laundry. Here comes Gigi, "I help you Mommy, I help you!" She proceeds to take the folded stack of dishtowels and unfold each one, laying it very smoothly over the arm of the couch. No prob, I can re-fold. I hand her a stack of baby washcloths.

"Here Gigi, can you take these into the bathroom?"
"Yes,Mommy!"
She runs off, I go back to folding, and of the sudden we hear the toilet lid slam. I look at my husband and groan. She comes running back, yelling "I did it, I did it!"
Oh, she's such a good helper. She put the washcloths away...in the toilet. Sigh.


And here she is with four pairs of Devon's (clean, I promise) boxer briefs around her neck.

I just wanted to share a fun and easy project with all of you. I did these with the kids a while back, and they loved it. Rachael Ray had Rosie O'Donnell on her show in the spring, and they made dough out of a cup of flour, a half-cup of salt, and half-cup of warm water. Knead it together until it reaches a good doughy texture, and then let your kids have fun with it. I helped the kids shape the dough into circles, and then made impressions of their handprints. I used a toothpick to write their name and the date around the edge.

You can make bowls, animals, whatever you like. When finished creating, bake your pieces on a cookie sheet at 200 degrees for about 2 hours. When cool, they can be painted with acrylic paint. Here's Seamus showing off his handprint, he painted it red.

Just a warning, although these will look like gigantic, soft sugar cookies, do not eat! Here's Grace after she gave her "cookie" a lick...yuck!

I love looking at their little hands every day perched above my sink. And I'm sure many of you can agree...there's just nothing cuter than an achon handprint!