I think a lot about my blog and am constantly “checking up” on how I am doing as a mom and wife.
I get a lot of questions about how I have time to do this here blog. I will be the first to admit that it does take a lot of time. I also want it to be known that most often my time on the blog is at night after my kids are in bed. Sabra and I sew once a week together, and my husband is gone two nights a week with his band and his calling for our church, which is normally when I work on my tutorial posts.
When I didn’t have this blog, I read a lot of books. When I didn’t have this blog, I was on the internet doing other things. When I didn’t have this blog, I watched a lot more TV at night.
I do realize that I have room for improvement, and that I need to be reminded at times that it is just a blog. I recognize that. I’m not perfect and I don’t claim to be. Sometimes I should choose something else other than blogging. Sometimes I need to be reminded to refocus on things that matter most.
I pray about it. I pray to be able to balance life. I pray that my kids and husband will feel my love and that I will spend time with them to show them I love them. I pray that my family will always be my number one passion in life.
After one such prayer, I thought of my lack of crafting with my kids as of late—kids crafts where I am involved doing the same thing with them. They LOVE crafts. They love painting, cutting, and coloring. They love to prepare food with me, decorate cookies, and make fun treats. I feel like that is one thing I’ve slacked on. I want to refocus on spending time with my kids.
So next week is Craft With Your Kids Week here. The best part of it is that things don’t have to look perfect :). Aren’t kids the best?
And we’re going to have a Linky Party so that we can help each other out with ideas. I’m planning on posting what we do throughout the week. If you want to play along, I’d love to see how you’ve spent time with your kids (or someone else’s kids if you aren’t a mom).
What qualifies as a craft? I think painting, coloring, making a fun holiday craft, cooking, baking, drawing, gluing, cutting—anything that is creating, really!
Here are some ideas from years past:
*Take photos of pictures they colored for a relative that you don’t see very often. This says We Love Grandpa B. It was his birthday and we sent him this picture. 
*Paint their faces! My kids LOVE to have me paint their faces. It isn’t totally awesome, but again, aren’t kids great? They always love it. Even when they say, “Well, it’s a little funny, but that’s ok, I still really like it!” 
*With Halloween just around the corner, there are all sorts of things you can do for the holiday. Carve or paint pumpkins. You can even cut shapes out of paper and glue on the pumpkin for a face.
*Make and decorate sugar cookies.
*This is a Christmas Gingerbread House, but you can make haunted houses with kits from the store, or just use graham crackers.
*Make a cardboard car together.
Just make sure you don’t leave them alone with markers. This happened before A Lemon Squeezy Home was created. I was probably showering or something.
I have a few things on my list already—having a plan means I can shop for whatever items I need and be prepared for next week.
There are many great websites that you can look on for ideas—I think my top two favorite ones are:
One Pretty Thing (search the kids crafts—you will find so many ideas!!!)
Anyone want to play along and Craft With Your Kids for a week? It doesn’t have to be every day– just do what you can! No tangible prizes, but the rewards will be great, and you will have no regrets. Guaranteed:).
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The top 10 Purse Entries will be posted Tuesday morning and voting will remain open until Friday at 12:00 pm (noon), 11:59 MST, October 15th. Winners announced Friday afternoon!
HI!
I love the sign your kids are holding in the first pic! Soo cute and so special!
I am having a linky party and would really love for you to link up! I need all the help I can get! Read why here :
http://dthatssewme.blogspot.com/2010/10/will-you-rsvp.html
Thanks!
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What a great idea. Here the little ones love, love, LOVE to craft together too. We do a lot of baking, but I have to admit that since the littlest one is around, the crafting together has been neglected a bit. Thanks for inspiring me to pick it up again!
Christie i know exactly what you are going through its funny we couldnt be any different. To begin with we live thousands of miles from each other, but i could really connect with this post.
I am a wife, mother of 2, a blogger, and a sewist i know EXACTLY what you are going through and i LOVE that you dedicated next week to crafting with kids. Plan on being part of it off to looking for things to plan our crafty week with my girls!
Looking forward to tomorrow to see who made it to the TOP TEN!
Mayya @ Sew Chic and Unique
I love crafting with the kiddo’s! I have finally been able to let my crafting control freak issues subside when crafting with them:)This will be fun and I know the kids will love it!
Just the reminder that I needed to get back to crafting with my kids. I’m all in this week!
you have the best thoughts and ideas!
I’m in, too.
I love crafting with kids! I host a monthly Kid’s Craft Along on my blog. I post a craft project on the first of each month for parents to do with their children. We are currently doing “candy corn” wreaths. For those who have never crafted with kid’s before, there’s a post on how to get started. We also have a Flickr group for pictures of the completed projects. I’d love to invite you and your kids to join us!
For more information about Kid’s Craft Along see http://simpleanalogy.typepad.com/simple_analogy/2010/10/what-is-this-kids-craft-along-thing.html
Christie!! what a fun idea. I’m so glad I’m not the only one who looks around and wonders if they’re being an attentive mom/wife. I struggle with that everyday. Anywho, I was just thinking that it would be fun to make some different try crafts with my girls other than the usual painting/coloring/playdough type stuff. :)
You KNOW I’ll play along! I’m so excited.
Hooray! I’m gonna be the BEST MOM EVER!
I love the pic where your boys colored on their faces. Hilarious!!
I am not a sewing or crafty type person in many ways, but I look forward to seeing what you do (and I will do the things I feel like I can do with my kids – like make sugar cookies). You are awesome!
Hi Christie,
I completely agree with you, blogging is wonderful and inspires me alot, but it also needs time. As a working mom of a 4 year old boy, time is not always the most I have. I share your passion about crafting, sewing, baking, photographie and my blog is a great opportunity to share my interests with others. Same as you I blog when my family is asleep (like now). I`m very happy that my son also loves to craft, bake, cook etc. and we spend some good times together. Yesterday we cut a pumpkin, today we made chocolat chip cookies! I love your idea of a kid`s craft week and I would love to join it! Maybe this crafty idea is something for your boys, too!
http://kikilotta.blogspot.com/2010/05/mariko-so-heit-sie.html
With best regards,
Kiki
craft week with kids next week sounds fun, i think we might play (craft) along :)
I would love to participate!
I was at Michael’s last week and I bought a whole bunch of arts and crafts for my boys.
I look forward to next week!
I love all the cute pix of your kiddos, and the ideas, too. And doesn’t everybody love oneprettything?! I do!
That sounds like a great theme for the week! While my oldest doesn’t like to craft as much anymore, my 5 yr old loves it. And all to often I find myself too busy to make the time to do those things. Thank you for the gentle reminder and I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.
Oh I’d love to join you for a kids craft along! My 4 year old begs for “projects” to do everyday. I’ve posted a couple of our projects on our blog sweetpeaandjojo.blogspot.com
I love the cardboard box car :)
Just Better Together
I think we all feel a little “guilty”from time to time about how much time we spend doing projects. But when we have a good day with the kids and do something they love it totally makes life worth while. Can’t wait to see what crafts are on here :)
What a fun idea. I am totally in. I usually teach preschool and because I am a mother of four and a photographer I decided something had to give. No more teaching preschool, but I miss doing kids projects. I am going to get busy crafting with my kiddos.
Just popping in to say thanks for the thoughts in this post…. I often forget in the humdrum of the everyday, especially having gone back to work part-time, just how fun and special the time is with the kids. Thanks for reminding me :)