The Vintage Mama

Have you checked out the NEW BLOG?

2010-09-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

Just in case you forgot dolls, the new home for all things vintage and lovely for moms and kiddies is now at TheVintageMama.com. There is SO MUCH more going on there including many giveaways and how-to's so head on over there and let's get this party started!

Mama's Movin'! Plus One More

2010-02-28T13:19:00.000-08:00

Hiya mama's! Things have been especially quiet around here (the blog that is...not my house full of boys!) and for good reason. I've been planning a great move for this here blog (as well as my other one) to wordpress. For those who have blogs, wordpress is something your probably already familiar with. For those of you who aren't, wordpress is a blogging platform that...well,um...for lack of a better term...ROCKS! It's the preferred platform for professionals, and if Vintage Mama is gonna deliver the goods, I better have a platform that can give my readers what they need. So very soon, perhaps even tonight, I'm making the move. I'm going to apologize ahead of time for the bare look, it's going to take some time to make it all pretty, but I guarantee it's gonna be wonderful!

Plus one more...

I've been toying with the idea of a newsletter and I wanted to find out what you ladies think about that. What sorts of old-fashion memories are you looking to give your lovies?

Free eBook: Draw Nothing

2010-02-17T00:56:00.000-08:00

Betsy Streeter, a cartoonist and illustrator, created this lovely little ebook to inspire the whole family to have fun doodling. So cute and original! Click here for your free copy!

This Is How We Do Olympics

2010-02-12T00:18:00.000-08:00

As a little girl, I dreamed of one day competing in the Olympics just like Mary Lou Retton. Of course that never happened, but we did the next best thing...the Olympics came to us!

My cousins and I would have Olympic competitions for all kinds of games, from running to skipping to leap frog. I don't remember us actually giving out medals or anything but it sure was a blast!

So in honor of the Olympics that start tomorrow, here's a list of silly competitions that you can do with your little guys and dolls:

Crab Walk (crawl on your hands and knees facing up)
Camel Walk (crawl on your hands and feet with your bottom lifted up)
Create an Obstacle Course (you can do this indoors if it's snowy or rainy)
Jumping Jacks Marathon
Balancing A Book On Your Head
Pop a Balloon By Sitting On It
How Many Times Can You Say Your Favorite Tongue Twister
Skate Around The Tile Floor In Socks
Indoor Hocky (use a balloon and clean fly swatters)
Discuss (throw paper plates)

When the games are all done give everyone a certificate for participating, snuggle up with some fudge brownies and milk and enjoy the opening ceremonies!

The Best Money I Ever Spent

2010-02-03T23:22:00.000-08:00

When my Noah-the-Pooh was born we were pretty tight on money so we weren't able to take as many professional photos of him as we wanted to. I do have tons of pictures that I took of him myself, which I cherish dearly, but I really wish I would have made more of an effort to save money for more professional ones.

Well I'm not making the same mistake twice! For Christmas we took beautiful photos at a studio of my 3 rascals, and most recently we had Our365 Photography come to our home and take photos of Baby Carlitos.

Oh my goodness! He looks so beautiful! Take a peek at some of our photos:

I know money is tight for many of us, but if there's one thing that's never a waste of money, it's photographs of our precious little ones.

Creating An "I Love You" Journal

2010-01-28T01:45:00.000-08:00

We love our children deeply, but do our children know how deep our love is for them? Why not create an "I love you" journal to let them know just how much you cherish them.

Here's how to get started:

Get a lovely little journal, perhaps this adorable "Mommy Journal", and each day write down one thing that you love about them. I also like to include a prayer of thanks for that special something.

Here are some examples of what I have written in my boys journals...

Noah-the-Pooh, I love that you are curious and that you ask me a million questions. Thank you Lord for making Noah-the-Pooh curious of the world you created for him.

Jack-Jack, I love your sparkling eyes that you bat at me. Thank you Father for giving jack-Jack beautiful eyes that make me happy,

Carlitos, I love how you caress my face as I nurse you. Thank you Jesus for making Carlitos so cuddly and loving.

Try to do it as often as you can, even if that means just once a month. When you've filled the journal, wrap it in a pretty ribbon and give it to your little one to cherish for a lifetime.

Yes, Even Chores Create Wonderful Memories

2010-01-23T00:57:00.000-08:00

Noah-the-Pooh and I have been reading Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls (yes the same Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie). It is such a lovely book and Noah-the-Pooh is just loving every minute of it.

One of the things that I found interesting was how Laura Ingalls cherished the memories of everyday chores.

She describes in detail how much she enjoyed helping Ma make butter. I'm sure at the time Ma didn't think that her homemade butterpats with strawberry imprints were going to be one of Laura's cherished memories, but they were.

And when Pa was making bullets and cleaning his rifle oh so carefully, he sure wasn't thinking how this everyday chore was shaping his daughter's childhood, and later, her womanhood. But it did.

I've been thinking a lot about this lately, especially since I've been slacking on making sure the boys chores are done. Reading this book gave me a new perspecive on chores. Doing chores keeps the house clean and teaches life skills, as well as teaching character and creating lovely childhood memories.

Check out this blog called TeachingGoodThings were you can get a free 7 day course on how to teach your little guys and dolls practical (and fun!) skills that they are sure to cherish.

Sing Me A Lullaby Mama

2010-01-06T22:32:00.000-08:00

I love singing and rocking my little rascals to sleep. Unfortunately, I found myself doing it less and less as my eldest rascal got older. But one special moment that Noah-the-Pooh and I shared last year reminded me that my rascals are never too old to hear their mama sing them a sweet lullaby.

Last year Noah-the-Pooh and I dove into out first year of homeschool. Rather than overwhelming ourselves with all sorts of subjects, we simply started with literature, a subject that we were both comfortable with. To our delight, our first lessons in literature would consist of learning new lullabies. We sang "Over The Rainbow", "Away In A Manger", and "Brahms Lullaby".

But the most precious moment came when we were learning "Baby Of Mine". He sat on my lap and I rocked him as I sang the lullaby to him. By the time I was done, Noah-the-Pooh was fast asleep! My 6 year old baby, rocked to sleep with a gentle lullaby.

Here are some lullaby collections that my little rascals enjoy :

Traditional Lullabies - classic lullabies

Rock Music Renditions of Lullabies - we love U2 from this collection.

Country and Folk Music Renditions of Lullabies - check out Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline!

Jazz Lullabies - with Judy Garland, Nat King Cole and June Christy!

Lullabies & Peaceful Worship - has beautiful prayers too!

Daddy's Lullabies- Now daddy can have sweet lullaby memories too!

This clip makes me cry whenever I see it *sniffle*.

Noah-The-Pooh Discovers "Dick and Jane"

2009-12-29T22:13:00.000-08:00

Last year Noah-the-Pooh and I started our homeschooling adventure. Of course one of the measures of my success was teaching my little guy to read. We're doing it the old fashion way with phonograms and such, but it was still a slow go. He's quick in science and math, but struggles with reading.

I promised him that I would find the book that I learned to read from "Fun With Dick & Jane". I asked around at teacher stores and at the the library. Everyone gave me blank stares. Has the world forgotten Dick & Jane?

Well my sweet mama remembered. She gave Noah-the-Pooh a whole collection of Dick & Jane stories called The Storybook Treasury of Dick and Jane and Friends for Christmas and he can't stop reading it!

He is just so thrilled that he can read this big book all by himself that he actually told me "mama, you should write about this book on your blog. Everyone should have this book!". How sweet is that?

Now I know your probably wondering why I didn't search on Amazon. The truth is I don't know why. If I did I would've found a slew of Dick & Jane books at killer prices!

Here are some more Dick & Jane books you may like:

The World of Dick and Jane and Friends

Dick and Jane Fun with Our Family

Dick and Jane: We Play and Pretend

Dick and Jane: We Play Outside

All Aboard Reading Dick and Jane

Oh how wonderful it is that Noah-the-Pooh and I can share the memory of learning to read with Dick & Jane.

Do you have memories of having fun with Dick & Jane?

Food That Sticks To Your Ribs

2009-12-28T21:32:00.000-08:00

On my last post I kinda' teased you about my yummy Sweet Bourbon Ham, Green Beans With Hickory Smoked Bacon and my newest edition, Fantasia Cheesecake. The first 2 dishes have been a holiday tradition for several years while the Fantasia Cheesecake was new this year and has been a HUGE hit. My family has already requested this for New Years!

I prefer to save some dishes, like the ham, for special occasions. I think it adds to specialness of the dish, plus it helps to solidify the connection between happy memories and family holidays.

Here's a little background on the dishes. My Sweet Bourbon Ham was inspired by a recipe by Chef Alton Brown (well technically his aunt), to which I tweaked just a bit to give it an extra sweetness and tang. My Green Beans With Hickory Smoked Bacon was inspired by my sisters recipe, which again, I fudged a little to take it to the next level of heavenly.

The Fantasia Cheesecake comes from a cookbook full of recipes from the makers of happy memories, Disneyland And Disney World! This perfect cheesecake is served at the Plaza Inn on Main Street, USA in Disneyland (I can actually hear the fireworks from Disneyland as I write this post!) I love it for it's ease and my family loves it because it's SO DELICIOUS!

So next time you want to make some yummy comfort food that really sticks to the ribs, try these 3 winning recipes!

Cherished Childhood Memories {12/24/09} plus 1 more

2009-12-24T14:20:00.000-08:00

Hooray for Christmas! Usually I'm running around like a mad woman trying to get everything baked, kids ready and myself ready to rush over to my mother-in-laws house. My Hunny usually works Christmas eve in the morning so i have to do this all myself. But this year...aaahhh, my Hunny is home, the kids are clean and dressed, my in-laws will be coming over to our place this year and I've cut down on the cookin' and bakin'. I'm making my famous Sweet Bourbon Ham, Fantasia Cheese Cake and Green Beans with Hickory Smoked Bacon. I usually only make these dishes for Thanksgiving and Christmas so my family is very excited. I'm taking pictures to share the recipes with you next week!

Now on with this weeks Cherished Childhood Memory...

When I was 10yrs old, my family had fallen into hard times. Being that I was just a child, I didn't really know what was going on. I just saw that our home seem to have some furniture missing and the Christmas tree wasn't put up that year. My mom then told my sisters and I that we could not afford any presents that year. We were heartbroken, but we understood the hardship.

We weren't completely empty handed, we did get some gifts from my extended family and from my dad and step-mom.

The morning after Christmas, my mom was mysteriously missing. When she came home she called us to the nearly empty living room and handed us each a large plastic bag. She had managed to scrape up some money and went shopping in the wee hours of the morning. She had no time to wrap, so she just had the bags stapled on top.

In my mind I remember the bag full of clothes, but it probably had just few garments that my mom lovingly chose for me. My most favorite item was a beautiful, silky, pink bra. It looked much to delicate and fancy to give to a girl that just started wearing bra's, but she gave it to me anyway.

My sisters and I were so grateful for the sacrifice my mom and step-dad made to bring a Christmas smile to our faces. I know I'll cherish that memory forever.

Have a Merry Christmas Vintage Mama's!

Take lots of pictures and journal those memories!

Remember last week when I told you about my cousins and I doing the Sound of Music? Well here's a pic! My cousin on the right is Captain Von Trapp, greeting "Froline Maria" in the middle and "Baroness Schrader" looking lavish at the far right. And whose that cute-as-a-button little girl in the middle? Why that's me playing Gretl!

50 Fun Things To Do On Rainy (or Snowy) Days

2009-12-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, southern California is not always a sunny 76 degree. We've been having quite a few rainy, chilly days this past week, which means no park days and not much visiting with family. But I have to keep my 3 rascally boys busy with something or else they will find something to stay busy with (last time it was breaking crayons). Here's your idea's list to make beautiful rainy day memories! Download a printable pdf here. Don't forget to keep your camera handy!

Build a fort or clubhouse out of sheets
Play with play dough (you can make the play dough from scratch for an additional activity)
Make rice crispy treats
Watch a movie. Don't forget hot chocolate with giant marshmallows
Play freeze dance
Cut out snow flakes and hang them from the ceiling
Do a fashion show
Have a tea party
Play dress up with vintage mama and daddy's Sunday best
Spread your fluffiest blankets and pillows on the floor to roll around in and snuggle (and perhaps the kiddies will nap!)
Write a book of poetry (yes I actually did this as a child! If you're nice I may even share one of my poems...)
Write a book or a play
Do origami
Play Olympics (trust me, it's a lot more fun then it sounds)
Sew clothes for dolls
Do a photo shoot (I'll have to scan pictures of the photo shoots my sister and I did as kids)
Puzzles
Hide n' seek
Bible study
Make a map and play treasure hunt
Look at photo albums
Take a bubble bath
Try to break a Guinness world record
Play beauty salon
Play fitness trainer or boot camp
Do a parade
Make tin can telephones
Work on a model car, plane, ship, etc.
Roast marshmallows
Karaoke
Paint a picture
Make macaroni jewelry
Color a coloring book
Play with Lego's
Make s'mores
Read a favorite book
Do a puppet show
Do a pots and pans rock band
Do a magic show
Create a dance routine
Play board games
Make a rocket or car out of a large cardboard box
"Make" clothes out of rolls of fabric (It's really more like wrap yourself in the fabric, but it's so much fun!)
Play restaurant. Don't forget to make a menu!
Make paper dolls
Bake cookies and decorate them
Camp out indoors
Play charades
Give each other facials
Recreate favorite movie scene's and post them on youtube

Our Christmas Scrapbook 2009

2009-12-22T15:09:00.000-08:00

Like my scrapbook? Make your own by clicking the link below!

What I Learned From A Rat; The Power Of Comfort Food

2009-12-19T23:31:00.000-08:00

I was wrapping Christmas presents watching one of my favorite Disney movies Ratatouille
which of course got me to thinking about food, specifically comfort food for children. In today's overweight population (ahem, finger pointing at myself), we tend to want to steer away from using food for comfort. To this I say nonsense! There's no fighting it, delicious food combined with happy memories brings comfort and that's the way the good Lord meant it to be.

Check out this clip from the movie that captures that lovely, joyous feeling that only comfort food can inspire. If you haven't seen the movie, the grim, lanky looking man is a hard to please food critic, Ego, who is about to taste a dish prepared by Remy, a chef and rat.

*turn down the music at the bottom of the page before playing clip

Wow! Powerful isn't it? Food, just like scents and music, is so powerfully connected to our memory that just one bite can bring joy, delight, euphoria and peace.

Some of my favorite childhood comfort foods are my mama's broccoli casserole, my abuelita's Mexican rice, my step mom's lasagna.

I asked my Hunny and Noah-the-Pooh what their favorite comfort foods that I make for them are and they chose meatloaf, sweet onion chicken, coconut chicken soup and split pea soup. Did you notice that sweets are missing from the list of comfort food. I was just as surprised. Oh yes sweets do bring plenty of comfort (the pooch on my belly is proof of that), is seems that any dish, including vegetable dishes, can be a comfort food.

On that note, I want to introduce a new category dedicated to bringing you recipes and inspiration to create wholesome, delicious comfort food for your family.

What are some of your favorite childhood comfort foods?

How about your family's favorite comfort foods?

Vintage Scrapbooking Links

2009-12-18T22:36:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

I've been scrapbooking with the Tea Time Scrapperz (that's what we call our little club, tee hee), for about 8 years now. I'm embarrassed to say that I have been working on the the same 3 albums for those 8 years and I am nowhere nearly done. I haven't even started my wedding album! Ahhh!

Well you know mama, it's tough to get around to scrapbooking when you have to nurse, dig crayons out of mouths and referee a wrestling match between the boys. But sometimes we just have to let those dishes pile up, let the kids stay in jammies and watch cartoons all day, put on some Billie Holiday and get scrappin'. Here are some lovely scrapbooking links to get you in the mood!

Vintage Scrapbooking Heaven ~ The name really says it all! Plus is has link for tons of free downloads

Scrapbook Elements ~ Gorgeous heirloom style digital layouts.

Premade Pages by Nycole ~ This etsy seller has beautiful handcrafted, premade layouts for the busy mama (my aunt made me for my last baby shower. they make it so easy!)

Heartspeak ~ Another etsy seller. She makes cute, chipboard albums. All you have to do is trim the photos to fit the page and your done!

Vintage Collage for Scrapbooking - Beautiful idea book!
Shabby & Beyond Scrapbooking Ideas - Another great source of inspiration!

Cherished Childhood Memories {12/18/09}

2009-12-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas fellow vintage mama's! I hope everyone is having a fabulous December full of classic carols and vintage angels. I've been just as busy, not only with the usual Christmas hullabaloo, but also mulling over my goals for my blogs. This is part of the reason I haven't been posting as much (the other is that I'm a busy mama!). My vision is definitely become clearer and I am so excited, thrilled and even a little scared. I appreciate your patience and I promise that I won't disappoint!

I have some fun, new projects I'm working on as well for my blogs, one of which I'm debuting now!

Cherished Childhood Memories is a series were I will be sharing with you some of my most precious memories from my own childhood or my children's every Thursday. I invite you to share your own cherished memories about childhood as well in the comments below. I look forward to reading them!

In my post about our Fancy Nancy party, I told you a bit about my artsy, eccentric family. One of my fondest memories of my eccentric family is when we did "The Sound of Music" for Christmas. Oh, honey it was incredible!

I was about 7 years old when my cousins and I put on a fantastic show for our parents. I was the youngest so they pretty much handled most of the details while I concentrated on learning my lines and music. My older sister and cousins created programs, painted backgrounds, shopped thrift stores for costumes, and even choreographed dance routines...it was a production!

It was so much fun! My family still talks about how proud they were of us. I wish I had some pictures to share. I'll ask around during Christmas with my family to see if anyone has some. We actually did several plays and even some dance routines throughout my childhood. I share more of them later!

Share your Cherished Childhood Memory below!

Quiz: Which Type Of Vintage Mama Are You?

2009-12-13T00:43:00.000-08:00

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Christmas Treats and Fun

2009-12-07T21:41:00.000-08:00

Here some idea's to put an extra bright smile on your little ones faces for Christmas:

When it's time to go buy the Christmas tree, stay behind and have some hot chocolate and freshly baked cranberry muffins waiting for them when they return.

Have commercial free holiday music playing in the background all day long (try iTunes radio or music on demand via cable or satellite).

Have some freshly mulled apple cider (or apple juice) ready in the morning. The warm spice scent will fill the house and will warm their tummies.

Place a tiny candy cane under their pillow to enjoy in the morning everyday in December (after morning chores of course!)

Have an assortment of homemade jams and marmalade's to choose from to top waffles, pancakes, biscuits and muffins.

Pop their pajamas in the dryer for a few minuets right before they dress for bed for extra coziness.

Buy a Christmas mug for each child so that they may enjoy their hot chocolate, yummy tea's and warm milk from their special mug.

Check your local TV guide and list all the holiday movies you must watch.

Okay, so this next one may not be fun, but it could be! Go through the children's toys and toss all the broken ones in the trash. Set aside the toys that they no longer play with to donate. Tell them they must make room for all the new toys they will get for Christmas!

Make it a tradition to donate toys or money (their own $ preferably) this time of year. If the donation is a gift have them choose and deliver it if possible, or have them browse a catalog to choose what type of donation they want to make. Our favorites are Samaritans Purse, World Vision and Toys for Tots.

Purchase an heirloom quality book of The Story of Christmas and read it aloud on Christmas Eve over peppermint-hot chocolate.

How do you make Christmas extra special for your little guys and dolls?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOAH-THE-POOH!

2009-12-04T00:07:00.000-08:00

This week we celebrated my Noah-the-Pooh's 7th birthday. Yes we have been celebrating this whole week with play dates, movie nights, and now Fridays cake n' ice cream with family topped off with the series finale of Monk *sniffle*.

Noah-the-Pooh was a complete surprise. My Hunny and I had just got married in December (our 8th anniversary is coming up!) and we found out we were pregnant in March.

My *ahem* monthly had been quite irregular for many months (probably wedding stress) and I guess we were naive to think that we couldn't get pregnant. I had a sneaking suspicion I was pregnant so I took a test, negative. Phew! That was a relief. A week later I needed to take a TB test for a new job. Since my monthly had not come they required me to take a pregnancy test. Positive. What!? I began to cry, not because I was sad but rather a combination of joy and fear.

I went to the movies with my mom and sis that day and it was SO HARD not to tell them, I wanted to tell my Hunny first after all. They knew something was up because I had a silly grin on my face the whole time. I guess they thought it was still the honeymoon bliss!

So my Hunny finally came home about 11pm. This is how the conversation went:

me: So I went to get my TB test done today.

Hunny: uh-huh (looking for sweat pants)

me: they said I needed to take a pregnancy test first since I haven't had a period in a few months.

Hunny: uh-huh (starts to put sweats on)

me: it came back positive (pause)

Hunny: uh-huh

me: positive

Hunny: *cough* (falls over and looks at me with eyes bugged out. Thinks I may be joking but realizes it's true when he sees me teary eyed. He gets teary eyed and we hug and kiss!)

The next 9 months were really hard. I was on bed rest for 5 weeks due to a threatened miscarriage then again for the last 10 weeks for hypertension. It was during this time of uncertainty and despair that I finally surrendered my life to Jesus.

Praise God that my beautiful, healthy son was born December 2 @ 12:50 am

Calenders For A Vintage-Inspired New Year

2009-12-02T22:49:00.001-08:00

Shopping for calenders is a real treat for me this time of year. It helps to to look ahead with bright eyes and great anticipation of all the things to come. My 2009 calender featured nostalgic wine and fruit paintings to complement my french country kitchen. My 2010 calender, which will now be in the living room, has gorgeous vintage black & white photos of Paris (I have a thing for vintage french as you can see) .

Here are some fabulously nostalgic calenders that I found on calenders.com. What will your new year look like?

Make sure to check out my other blog for even more vintage calenders!

The Way They Were: Toy Stores

2009-11-29T14:00:00.000-08:00

As a little girl, the only toy store I knew was the aisles of Fedco. And the rare times we did go to the toy store it was always Toys-r-Us...come to think of it, we probably did go that often to avoid the inevitable "Lydia whine and tantrum"...

Anyway, I always wanted to go to a toy store like the ones they show in the movies. Toys from floor to ceiling, in every nook and cranny: giant teddy bears, mysterious magic sets, wind-up robots, real tea sets, scratch-n-sniff sticker books, fairy dust, bucket-o-slime, disappearing ink,musical keepsake boxes and sparkly geodes. To my delight there are many of these mom n' pop toy shops around!

Noah-the-Pooh's 7th birthday is coming up on December 2nd, so we visited one such nostalgic toy store with a crisp, new $100 bill Grandpa Raffi gave him for his birthday. And I will never forgive myself for not taking my camera to take pictures of such a beautiful shop! Any who, Noah-the-Pooh, after much contemplation, chose a cash register, a dino egg and a wooden pistol that shoots giant rubber bands. Plus he still had plenty of money left over for a rainy day!

Yes the dino egg is missing from this photo. We think Jack-Jack kidnapped it...

If you live nearby, take a peak at The Enchanted Toy Store in Fullerton, or swing by our other favorite The Wishing Well in historical Uptown Whittier.

You can also checkout Forbes 10 Amazing Toy Stores in America for more treasured toy stores.

Know of a great mom n' pop toy shop? Please list it in the comments!

How To Party Like Fancy Nancy

2009-11-28T20:49:00.000-08:00

My family is...well, a bit artsy. Okay...really artsy and extremely eccentric. I LOVE IT! When we party, we party! We've had Renaissance Christenings, costume Christmas party, all kinds of baby showers including casino, pirate, disco, even space odyssey. Yes we live for the theme. This weekend my niece turned 5 and her parents threw her a magnificent Fancy Nancy party. Being that I have all boys, I didn't even know who Fancy Nancy was. All I knew was that she was fabulous, french and fancy!

There were feathered boas, tutus, fancy feathered headbands, boutonnieres, top hats, and tons of necklaces to dress up in.

Le toilette

Bon appetit!

Here's the ultra fancy birthday girl with my sister, nephew and Jack-Jack peaking in the corner.

My boys enjoying the hor dourves at the activity table.

My cousin passing out more "fancy".

Decorating top hats with sticky decals.

The big boys hanging out by the face painting corner.

The front garden was covered with about 400 paper butterflies. Guests had 30 seconds to pick up as many butterflies as they could to win a prize.

The birthday girl treated up to some fancy ballet...

followed by a strut down the runway!

Happy 5th Birthday!

We also played pin the cherry on the cupcake, freeze dance, fishing, and of course the piňata. We had a blast playing all the games, but truly the best part was dressing up. I really got to do that more often...

For more Fancy Nancy fun visit this website.

Au Revoir!

Are Nursery Rhymes "Too Old-Fashion"?

2009-11-27T23:12:00.000-08:00

I recently read this disturbing article where some young London parents felt nursery rhymes were too old fashion or weren't educational.

"Britain's love affair with nursery rhymes is cooling, with parents telling a new survey that they are too old-fashioned to engage their children, a trend which educationalists say could damage reading skills."

What? Mother Goose too old fashion? Has the world gone mad? Is there such a thing as "too old fashion?"

As a vintage mama I feel that some of the best stuff out there for kids is the classic, simple, wholesome, old fashion stuff. And as a homeschooling mama I love using tried-n-true, fun, creative, this-isn't-school-we're-just-playing types of lessons.

Mother Goose is a treasure trove to a lifetime of reading. Nursery rhymes teach:

that sounds are paired with specific letters or letter groups (phonetics)

the unconscious rules governing speech

to distinguish between sounds

syllables

rhyming (duh)

that language is made up of a string of words

letters and spelling

Nursery rhymes teach all of this and so much more! The best part is that they are so fun, easy and it opens the flood gates to your kids making up their own rhymes (though this could be a curse) which builds up their language skill even more!

So go now and read your little guys and dolls some "too old fashion" Mother Goose and give them a head start in language!

Looking for more fun language builders? Noah-the-Pooh and I play games from the book Phonemic Awareness . Written by some hoity-toity PH.D's that really know how to set the foundation for successful reading and spelling, this book is loaded with super simple and fun games. One of our faves is hide the alarm clock (or in our case "the cell phone"). Noah-the-Pooh steps out of the room while I hide my ringing cell phone. He tries to locate the sound to find my phone which is tougher then it sounds!

Our Country Gives Thanks

2009-11-25T22:45:00.000-08:00

“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in number, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.
But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.
Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.
I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”
- Abraham Lincoln – October 3, 1863

HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND GOD BLESS!

Retro Christmas Wish List: Baby Carlitos

2009-11-24T23:00:00.000-08:00

Hooray, tt's Baby Carlitos first Christmas! It's kinda' tricky figuring out what this little guy likes, after all his personality is just starting to come out. But a seasoned vintage mama such as myself knows what little rascally boys like. So without further ado, here is Baby Carlitos wish list:

Cloud b Sleep Sheep ~ I just love to play music for my little guys. We already have this awesome Playskool Mp3 player that we use in the car (Jack-Jack would cry non-stop in the car with out it). But I think this precious little sheep is perfect for lulling my little lamb in his crib. Plus it also drowns out all the ruckus from the older boys!

Organic Fruit Tote ~ It's never too early to start with healthy eating habits! These cute plush toys are made with 100% organic Egyptian cotton so they're super soft and safe for my teething Carlitos to munch on. When he's older he can pretend to buy his fruits n' veggies at the farmers market just like mama!
Maple Fire Truck ~ I really love wooden toys for babies. You don't have to worry about pthalates like plastic or sharp edges like metal toys plus they look so cute and old fashion don't they. This cute fire truck will be his introduction to the wonderful world of car racing and crashing. I should probably get 2, one for Baby Carlitos and one for Jack-Jack.

Melissa & Doug Toys ~ Toys from Melissa and Doug are timeless. They have wooden puzzles, wooden play food (which I think I'm gonna add to Noah-the-Poohs wish list), puppet theaters, cute baby pianos and lovely wooden stacker's like the one above. Oh it's gonna be a Melissa and Doug bonanza this Christmas!

Vintage Theme Building Blocks ~ Ooooh, these handmade blocks are darling! A simple toy that will bring much joy!

Lavender Sock Baby Rattle ~ This snuggley little doll has a soft rattle and a pinch of lavender for extra sweet dreams. Isn't that baby precious?

It's almost Christmas! If you haven't made your list do it now. Your wallet will thank you later!

You'll Know It's Time to Turn the Page When You Hear The Chime...

2009-11-23T22:56:00.000-08:00

Remember those books-on-record you had as a kid? They were fantastic weren't they. Well last year as I was searching the web for an audio version of the classic The Carrot Seed for our homeschool, I found Kiddie Records Weekly. This wonderful website has hundreds of our beloved classic books-on-record. You can listen via audio stream, download the torrent zip file, or purchase a CD with all the stories. Here are some of our favorites:

2005 week 30

2009 Week 20

2009 Week 8

Next time you get the urge to turn on the boob tube to babysit the kids (I know I'm guilty of this), bring out some play dough, crayons & coloring books or cars and have your little guys and dolls listen to classic chidren stories instead!

Thanksgiving Traditions

2009-11-22T21:46:00.000-08:00

Family traditions are wonderful, aren't they? Traditions create memories, instill values, strengthen family bonds and teach a little history all at the same time. One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is helping my Abuelita Lola make her super yummy stuffing. I love hearing all the clattering pots and smelling the delicious Thanksgiving feast fragrances as I helped Abuelita chop, slice and mix. Now that I'm older (and she's more delicate), Abuelita has passed the tradition of making her famous stuffing to me! And now that I have my own family, we are creating our own Thanksgiving traditions. Here are some of our new traditions:

As shared in a previous post, we go pumpkin hunting at the Tanaka Farm and bake our giant pumpkin into homemade pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. We use Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie recipe, though we use our fresh pumpkin (that has been roasted) instead of the canned and we also add a touch of allspice.

We read about the struggles that the Pilgrims had in their first years in the new world before the first Thanksgiving. This is an article from the Mayflower Quarterly, a poem by Hezekiah Butterworth, a virtual tour of daily pilgrim life and a bible study.

We help our church distribute Thanksgiving meals to families in need.

What are some of your Thanksgiving Family Traditions?

He's One Smooth Criminal!

2009-11-17T20:43:00.000-08:00

Doesn't my big boy look darling! He's been asking for a hat for dancing (he's been enthralled with Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal and says he need a hat like his to get the moves right). Well the other day we went to Rattle n' Roll in Uptown Whittier and found the perfect hat. This cute fedora is made by Knucklehead Clothing. I think Noah-the-Pooh was right...he did need hat to get the moves right!

It's The Little Things That Say I Love You

2009-11-09T00:25:00.000-08:00

Some people care too much. I think it's called love. ~ Winnie the Pooh

It was less then 2 years ago that Noah-the-Pooh was an only child and I seemed to have mounds of time to do those little things that said "I love you". Like snuggling on the couch and taking a nap together, throwing all our pillows and blankets on the floor and rolling around in them, or cutting his cheese sandwiches into dinosaur shapes.

The other day Noah-the-Pooh reminded me of how I used to decorate the house for every season. "I miss that..." he said as he poked at an earthworm. So even though it was tough with my two little guys, we made the trek to a beautiful farm to pick out some pumpkins (which will do a lovely job of bringing some ambiance until we bake some pies and muffins with them) and we gathered some pine cones and lovely red,yellow and orange leaves from our nature walks. I also found my precious caramel strudel grubby candle that I love to light during the fall (alas, Country Passion Candles are no more). Viola! Autumn and love have filled the Poblano home.

How do you decorate with love?

Retro Christmas Wish List: Noah-the-Pooh

2009-10-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

On my last post I shared with you some of my Jack Jacks Christmas wish list. This wish list is for 7 year old Noah-the-Pooh. I'm only going to share a few items because Noah-the-Pooh's wish list is quite extensive, and of course not everything on his list is retro (he does watch cartoons after all!). So here we go:

Star Wars Pop-up Guide to the Galaxy- Perhaps it's not vintage, but it certainly is retro! Noah-the-Pooh just LOVES Star Wars and pop-up books. He's just starting to read on his own and I think this book will definitely motivate him to do it more often!

Fun Ride Deluxe Zip Line - What boy wouldn't love to fly through the air and howl like Tarzan? Noah-the-Pooh loves riding the zip line at the park and has been dreaming of having one his own. I wonder if he would be terribly embarrassed if I zipped through the air and howled like Tarzan as well?

Real Cowboy Gear- I am convinced that every boy needs to have a pair of real cowboy boots (I remember my little brother wore his with his Superman costume), and I am ashamed to say that I have yet to get Noah-the-Pooh his pair. So before he gets too big for his britches, Vintage Mama's gonna git her cowboy some proper boots, a cowboy hat and maybe even a trick rope!

Electric Railroad Train- I'm actually going to cheat a little on this one. Noah-the-Pooh has Thomas Train on his wish list, but when I saw this train I just knew he would rather have real train. It has a real working headlight, smoke, sounds and even a lighted interior! What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon with dad!

Building Projects for Boys- Any vintage mama with boys knows that they really aren't the "crafty" type. Sure they'll paste and paint, but what they really want to do it build and create! This 3 book set by Popular Mechanics is filled with clever idea's for curious boys! Titles include The Boy Mechanic, The Boy Scientist, and The Boy Mechanic Makes Toys.

The Dangerous Book for Boys- I was quite taken back by the titles of these books when he showed them to me. Was he gonna blow up the t.v. or somethin'? Well not exactly. These books teach boys how to do all the essentials, like make slime, a smoke bomb, and yes...a stink bomb. Dangerous indeed!

Praying Mantis Kit- What is it with boys and bugs? Must they touch, poke, catch and shove them into their horrified mama's faces? Apparently they do. At least this kit will keep the critter safe so that my curious little guy can observe to his hearts content!

Have you started a wish list for your little guys and dolls?

Retro Christmas Wish List: Jack-Jack

2009-09-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

This will be Jack-Jack's first Christmas where he will really get to enjoy the holiday (though he probably won't understand the true reason for the season until next year). All year I keep a wish list for my boys so when it's time for birthdays, Christmas, tooth fairy or other special occasion, Vintage Mama knows exactly what to get her little rascals. Here's 18 month old Jack-Jack's Christmas Wish list:

Sky King Tricycle (pictured above). Oh baby! This 1932 reproduction has a real working head light and chrome detailing in a high-gloss, all steel body. This beauty is so much better than the plastic push car he currently has.

1932 Roadster Pedal Car (pictured below). Jack Jack loves to watch this cute cartoon called Max & Ruby. Sometimes they ride around in a car just like this, so when he saw this car he was very excited and made that vroom, vroom sound.

Jack-Jack is obsessed with balls. We must have about 30 of them tossed around our home, but even that's not enough for this little guy. These Edushape Sensory Balls have little nubbies so they're fun to touch and toss!

I recently threw away a bunch of colorful blocks because Jack-Jack would lick them like lollipops and I wasn't sure if these blocks were lead-free (I read that lead paint has a sweet taste that makes it irresistible to kids). However I found these much better and safer Fantasy Blocks by Haba that I know he's sure to love. These super colorful blocks are painted with non-toxic acrylic paint and are so much more fun than his old ones. I may have to buy this Ball Track Roll'n Roll'n Roll as well. Learn more about this German, family-owned company here.

Oh, I remember having one of these as a little girl! This classic T.V. by Fisher-Price has cute retro pictures that have the words to the 2 little tunes it plays. Jack-Jack will love this!

What's on your childrens' wish list?

5 quick n' simple frozen treats

2009-09-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Now I know the calender says Autumn, but the thermostat here in southern California says Summer (and my air conditioning bill says heat wave!). Here are my 5 favorite super quick n' simple frozen treats to make for my boys, 'cause a vintage mama always has sweet treats for her sweet boys!

Yogurt - simply stick a popsicle stick in the middle and put it in the freezer.

Pudding - same as the yogurt. Yes, homemade pudding would be best...but with a newborn, I'm just gonna reach for the ready-made pudding cup.

Grapes - wash and remove from stem. Put loose grapes in a sandwich baggy and freeze. You can also skewer them to make frozen grape pops!

Juice Box Slushy - put a juice box in freezer until almost firm. Cut box open and pour slushy into cup with spoon n' straw.

Watermelon Pops - cut watermelon into rectangles and insert popsicle stick in the watermelon. Freeze until firm.

Getting into "The Vintage Mama" mood

2009-09-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

I'm not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. My dear mother would have to drag me out of bed as a child (my sister preferred to wet my face with cold water to get me out of bed). Luckily Noah-the-Pooh quickly learned to sleep through the night and sleep in late. I was not so lucky with Jack-Jack. He's definitely a morning lark preferring to wake up at 7am (and it took alot of work to get him to sleep until then!). Now with newborn Carlitos keeping me up at night, I'm not a happy camper in the morning. So how do I shake off that urge to slumber and put on a cheery face for the kids? I put on my apron!

I know it sounds silly, but it is truly amazing how a simple apron can put you in the "mama" mood. When I put my apron on I want to bake a dozen cupcakes, do a "pots n' pans" rock band with my boys, or cuddle up with them and read a book. My apron makes me want to invite all the neighborhood kids for some milk n' cookies. If I had chickens, I'd gather and carry the eggs in my apron...okay you get the idea...aprons are more than functional...they are essential for getting in "The Vintage Mama" mood!

Don't have an apron? Check out these fabulous handmade aprons from Etsy!

Amy Butler's Happy Dots - Paloma Chic Apron by SassyApron

The Olivia Full Apron by A Bushel and A Peck

Retro Style Halter Apron by Yellow Bird Design

Retro 50s BLACK POLKA DOT full APRON by Lover Dover Clothing

Red and White Polka Dot Flared Apron by Dianne Designer Aprons

The MAGGIE Vintage Inspired Black and White Damask Full Apron by Boojiboo

Once Upon a Time...

2009-08-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a mama who loved all sorts of old fashion things. She loved wiggle dresses and Victorian weddings, victory rolls and kettle corn, Little Rascals and wing-tipped eye liner, the Model T and big band music. And so it is for this reason that people called her Vintage Mama.

Vintage Mama had 3 sons, Noah (whom she called Noah the Pooh), Joaquin (whom she called Jack-Jack) and little Carlos (whom she called Carlitos). One day Vintage Mama thought to herself how lovely it would be if her sons could enjoy old-fashion things also. So Vintage Mama and her sons played cowboys n' Indians, read classic children stories, made tasty treats from scratch, listened to some swingin' music, went cruisin' in classic cars, and even made their own 'coon skin caps.

Then something magical happened! Not only were Vintage Mama's sons loving old-fashion things, but they were also making lots of wonderful childhood memories of learning and playing with their mama. Vintage Mama wanted to share her adventures that she and her boys had in hopes that other mama's would be inspired to do the same. So she started a blog called...

The Vintage Mama