week 30/15

Make Your Own Sand and/or Water Table

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It’s easy and inexpensive to make your own Water and/or Sand Table for the summer months for those sensory moments we all need, but especially children. This is especially convenient if you live in an apartment or have a small outdoor space and can’t buy a full size table.

Start off with a container that has a good lid. I’d recommend brand names and Tupperware, Rubbermaid, and Sterlite are the best ones in my opinion.

I would recommend that you get one about the size of a fast food tray and about 12″ or more deep.

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I've used this one. It's a Sterlite 15 quart latch box

For either sand or water you will need a secure lid, especially if you’re storing it indoors.

For water:

Empty the bucket before storing, try and let the bucket and toys dry out before securing the lid to avoid mildew. If you’re storing it outside, you don’t want to leave standing water or you’ll get mosquitos. You also might get a stray animal tumble in and then you’ll have that mess to clean up.

For sand:

Take out the toys and store them in a mesh bag (you can store the toys this way for the water as well.)

Secure the lid. If you leave sand open, it will very quickly become a litter box for the neighborhood cats.

Toys should be durable plastic and should fit inside the bucket for long-term storage, but the mesh bag is good for the summertime when you’ll be using it regularly.

You can find toys at dollar stores or other thrift stores.

Look for toys that are durable and plastic. They can usually be sanitized in the dishwasher or by hand. You can use measuring cups and spoons from your kitchen including beakers that have had the measurements worn off from use. Strainers and colanders are fun as well as spoons and plastic bowls if you don’t want to buy anything new.

The dollar store will usually have small shovels and waterwheels. If you buy the toys/tools they are also very colorful.

SAFETY TIP: DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED. Young children have no sense of balance and can easily tumble and drown in as little water as this bucket will hold.

Don’t forget the sunscreen and a sun-hat to protect their fair skin. (This includes children of all races. Everyone needs sun protection.)

Have fun!

Movie Wednesday – Noah

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I was finally able to watch Noah on Netflix. About halfway through the movie, a thunderstorm and tornado warning hit my area so there was that sense-around experience. I paused the movie and hesitated briefly to look out the window at the dark sky, hoping my car windows were up, but I still pushed on through to the end of the movie.
It was still a little frightening despite knowing the end of the story, and the lasting covenant that floods would never cover the entire earth again, but in the moment it can be very anxiety inducing.

When the movie ended, so did the storm.

Coincidence? I don’t think so.

I initially hadn’t seen this movie version because I’ve avoided Biblical reinterpretations, especially of a story so well known throughout my life. I also have a terrible fear of water (among other things depicted here) and this story hits all those buttons.

I also have a dual mindset where I do believe the Biblical stories in a literal way, but I also have a scientific mind. I’m not sure that it’s possible to believe in both (I thought there was a word for that, but both my husband and I couldn’t think of what it could be) but for myself I hold those two both up as separate entities, each one held in each hand so to speak. Maybe one day I’ll figure it all out, but I imagine that’s a long time away.

MOVIE SPOILERS FOLLOW

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Tips to Stay Hydrated and Safe

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1. Drink lots of water. Not vitamin water, not flavored water, not tea, not coffee, not soda, no electrolyte replenishments (except when you’re doing serious physical activity).

Nothing beats plain ice cold water to refresh and rehydrate. If you’re just rehydrating, the temperature doesn’t matter, but ice cold water is the best.

2. It’s so important, I’ll say it again: Unless you’re doing strenuous, physical activity and you’re losing minerals and nutrients, H2O for you. Plain, unadulterated water. Save the mineral replacement until you’re losing minerals.

3. Sunscreen. Get the highest spf you find. For my kids I use 50 and above. I try to look for 70spf. Neutragena is a good product that we’ve used for years. Coppertone Sport is also highly recommended. The spray on kinds are convenient and work. Make sure you spray your kids’ hands so they can get the sunscreen on their faces.

Don’t forget eyelids, tips and backs of ears, noses, and lips.

4. Crack the windows of your car. Even with leaving them open a little, do not leave anything in your car. No kids. No pets. No electronic equipment. If you wouldn’t leave your cell phone or laptop, why are you leaving your kids in there?

5. Swim in pairs. We’ve been told since the 70s to use the buddy system. Why? Because it works. Do not go into any body of water, including backyard pools without letting someone know that you are in the water.

It is everyone’s responsibility to keep an eye on toddlers and preschoolers in and around pools. I don’t care if your friend is always an irresponsible idiot. If you see a child near water, shadow them or make sure the parent knows they’re near the water. Babies and children that young can drown in very small amounts of water.

Keep empty planters and buckets outside upside down so they don’t accumulate water that small ones can tumblr into (unless of course, you collect rain water. If that’s the case, make sure that the water areas are safe from children.)

Summertime should be relaxing and fun. Taking care and following some safety tips will ensure that it stays that way.

Monday’s Good for the Soul – Baptismal Water

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I’ve been trying to follow weekly themes. For the most part, it gives me a place to start when I’m looking at my weekly posts and prompt suggestions. This week is Water, Water Everywhere.

I have a mixed relationship with water. For the most part, I’m not a fan. I don’t like water. I take showers and wash my hands; my problem is mostly with natural bodies of water and boats. My husband tried to propose on a boat. That did not work out for us at all.

On the other hand, I do like waterfalls. I find them calming and soothing. I’ll share one of my favorite places (after Niagara Falls, which is too far for a day trip) later in the week. I discovered when we went out to Montauk Point a few years ago that I have a real problem with the ocean. It’s too big and never-ending from the shore.

When I returned to church and Mass one week ago today, the first thing I returned to was the baptismal font. I put my fingers in, and made the sign of the cross over myself, and I was back.

For my baptism (in 2014) I was not baptised in the font; an Easter pool (for lack of a better word) was built on the church’s altar. You’re supposed to get your whole body wet. I was told to bring a change of clothes for after, and I definitely needed them.

I thought today I would share the Gospel of Jesus’ Baptism as well as some of my photos from my Easter Vigil, the first one of my baptism.

The water was ice cold, and the pitcher was full and the priest poured it over my head (and the rest of me) three times: appropriately in the name of the Father, of the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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Baptism

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Confirmation

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My First Communion

The Baptism of Jesus
Matthew 3:13-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son,whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”