Making Beanbag Balls

NOTE: Please excuse the pajama attire in the following photos - I DID make sure I combed their hair first :)

We did a fun project yesterday from the Family Fun magazine - June 2006 issue, page 44

"These totally tossable, squishable balls are lightweight an easy to grip, making them perfect for novice jugglers, beanbag games or a good old game of catch."

1. Stretch the first balloon [you will not see the color of this balloon] by inflating it halfway, holding it closed for about 30 seconds, and deflating it.

2. Place a funnel in the balloon's neck [I did not have a funnel and it would have been MUCH easier!] and gradually pour in 3/4 cup of lentils, pushing them in as you go. The balloon should be firm but squeezable. [They will fit even though it seems like it isn't going to happen - keep poking the beans down in towards the center of the filled balloon - we also did a little more gentle stretching and pulling to make a bit more room].

3. Snip off the balloon's thick rubber lip, Cut the neck off a second balloon [only a small circle of this balloon will be visible] and gently stretch the opening.

4. Ease the second balloon over the filled balloon, tucking in the neck as you go.

5. Cut the neck off the third balloon [the color of this balloon is most visible], stretch the opening, and ease it over the other two.

Wallah! Nine 11-inch balloons and 2 1/4 cups of dried lentils turned into this:

Winter Fun

In Tony's vocabulary these two words do not exist together. I wonder if they ever did? Something I'll have to ask his mother about. The older I get the more I prefer to be well bundled and have a little sunshine to please me. But when I was a child I couldn't wait to play in the snow.

This year, the girls did not have hand-me-down snow pants or boots that fit and I didn't get any bought in time for them to enjoy the very first snow. But we are predicted to get more snow this weekend. The weather report keeps fluctuating from 4-17 inches, so take your pick. They tend to exaggerate our snow storms down here and we rarely get what they say we will...wishful thinking on their part, I say. So in preparation for the big storm, just in case the weatherman is right, we bought brand-spanking new snow pants and the girls DID get to use them this afternoon. Lucky for me, they had enough time (and good incentive) to clean their room in order to allow a nice accumulation to fall before hitting the yard :)

Who is having more fun here?

Classic case of baby sister bullying bigger sister
(and you thought they never fought!)

And finally, the question of the day: Why is it, when they are little and Mom has to bundle them up, they only stay out 5 minutes before begging to come in and dispense of the soggy, wet clothes. But when they are old enough to dress themselves, they stay out longer?