Meet Our Two Newest Additions to Our Family: Cuddles & Hop! Plus a link to a Giveaway!

For some reason, shortly before or after I end up in the hospital, it generally ends up meaning that our boys get a new pet.

We got our dear pup that way, got our turtles that way, and now, we have two new little rabbit friends named Hop and Cuddles.

We had promised the boys that following my surgery, we would let them get bunnies.

However, we ended up getting them a little before my surgery, as they were available now.

We went to try to pick out the bunnies and the two that the boys selected are perfect!
The bunnies go well with the boys' personalities.
Little Bro's bunny, Hop, loves to be handled which works well, as Little Bro loves to hold her and pet her ears.
Little Bro selected a Netherlands Dwarf bunny and named her Hop.
Hop has similar strawberry-blondish coloring to Little Bro.

Then, Big Bro chose his bunny. He selected a little Mini Lop Dwarf, with salt and pepper coloring.
Big Bro's bunny, Cuddles,  is appropriately named, as she likes to cuddle, but she also loves to eat!

Both bunnies are so tiny and super soft.

The boys are very happy about their new pets.
They are working on various rabbit projects bunny themed lapbooks from Homeschool Share.

Source: homeschoolshare.com via Colleen on Pinterest

We also have started to read some fun bunny themed books that are customary at Easter time.
Big Bro has enjoyed reading two Beatrix Potter classics, The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, to Little Bro.
We have also read The Runaway Bunny and The Golden Egg, both by Margaret Wise Brown.
So all in all, a very fun, bunny filled last few days!

Well, here are some photos of our little cuties!

Currently, we have a crate designed for rabbits that has a plastic floor and metal sides.
We also still had an old play yard first that we used to use when Dear Pup was a tiny puppy.
We have foam floor squares down to make it soft for both the boys and the bunnies when they are in there playing together. Dear Hubby plans on doing a hack on an old changing table we have stored in Little Bro's closet from way, way back in the diaper changing days. Dear Hubby plans to make it over to an awesome bunny play area and hutch! That is unless, of course, we are lucky enough to have the guys from the DIY Network pop by to come Crash our yard and lanai into an outdoor classroom and play area.

Now, here is a neat giveaway that has to do with stuffed bunnies!

It is through one of our family's favorite companies, Melissa & Doug! 
Today only, 3/26/2012, they are giving away a bunny to someone on their Facebook page. 
You need to check out their adorable bunnies and vote for your favorite: 
Blossom, Brenna, or Brambles.
Since Brambles looks just like Big Bro's real bunny rabbit, we voted for Brambles!

Source: melissaanddoug.com via Colleen on Pinterest

Source: melissaanddoug.com via Colleen on Pinterest

Source: melissaanddoug.com via Colleen on Pinterest

They are all adorable though...

Full disclosure:
Sunrise Learning Lab is not involved with organizing this stuffed bunny giveaway, but we thought that all Sunrise Learning Lab readers would love to know about this giveaway...
We have done some reviews for Melissa & Doug from time to time and just love their products!

Here's a link to the Melissa & Doug Facebook page that lists the bunny giveaway.

Do you think Brambles looks like Cuddles? Pretty spot on, huh?!?

Do you purchase Easter themed items, such as stuffed bunnies and such for Easter? 

Do you have pets in your home?

Do any family members like to work on furniture hacks for things such as homes for pets? 

If you have posts on your blog about your pets, or furniture hacks, we would love to pop by to see you and your blog. Please feel free to link up with any related posts. If you enter the Melissa & Doug Facebook contest and end up winning, please be sure to let us know here!


Happy Spring!

For the Love of Gingerbread!

Do you and your children love making gingerbread? 

We do!
In the last few years, we have made all kinds of gingerbread goodies:
Gingerbread houses, gingerbread people, and even a gingerbread train.
One year, we made a whole gingerbread village!
This year, we made a gingerbread house and two gingerbread trees.
The trees slid and look more like stairs, but we know that they are supposed to be trees!

Here are some photos from our gingerbread day...

For more gingerbread fun, I have made up a gingerbread board on Pinterest called
Run, Run, as Fast As Fast As You Can...

If you are looking for some gingerbread inspiration, hopefully, you will find some on my board.
Hope that you will click on my board and will re-pin what looks like gingerbread goodness to you!

Would also love it if you would like to follow this board or any of my other boards.

Have you created some neat gingerbread themed projects? 

Please share a link to your post in the comments section of this post! 

Would love to see your creations!

The Smoothie Shop!

The boys have been on a smoothie kick lately, especially Little Bro.

They love buying pre-made smoothies, but they also LOVE coming up with their own concoctions.

This is not really a surprise though, as I like to do the same thing!

Ever since the boys were little, we have made a smoothie for them that we call "Sunrise Surprise"...
What is that, you ask?!?
Well, basically, it is orange juice with whatever other sort of other reddish juice or berries we have on hand, from strawberry to pomegranate...
We usually make the smoothies by just pouring a variety of juices and some crushed ice into cups and stirring or shaking.

Every once in a while, we toss in a little yogurt.
If we have fresh fruit on hand, we will puree that and add a little to the smoothie...but that is it.

Well, Little Bro decided that all this week, we should have a smoothie shop in our home.
He made up the menu, named his smoothies, created the work calendar, and set the prices.
Little Bro said that the shop will always be closed on Wednesdays because we usually do play dates on Wednesdays. Neither boy wanted to miss a play date to run the smoothie shop.

Little Bro suggested that he could be "the maker of the smoothies and the shop owner."
He then suggested that Big Bro could be "the helper of making the smoothies and the customer."
Little Bro said that Big Bro is also going to be "the guy who handles the business side of things."
Big Bro has been learning about how taxes work in his social studies lessons, so even though this is a pretend business, he will still work on figuring taxes and marketing, etc. 
Little Bro said that Daddy and I get to be customers, and we have to pay him with real money!!!

We have been doing some product testing the last few days.

Both boys' smoothies sound so good that I can't wait to try all of them! 

Berry-Grape and Berry-Berry-Banana are very yummy!
So that is the plan.

We will have this whole week as a practice week and then, next week will be the real opening.

The boys have been helping to clean up the lanai, as they plan to use it as their shop area, along with our real kitchen.

Should be a fun time!

Well, here are some photos of prepping things for The Smoothie Shop!
Real life learning at its "finest & funnest"!!!

Big Bro is making mini slush-typesmoothies.

Little Bro is filling the mini slush cups with the smoothie concoction.

Big Bro is organizing the mini slush cups before pouringing them into the freezer.

Little Bro is working on the signs and the menu for the Smoothie Shop.

What sounds good to you? Berry-Berry Banana, Berry-Grape, Sunshine Pineapple, Berry-Apple, Apple-Pineapple, or Berry-Berry-Pineapple? And do you full sized or mini slush-smoothies?

Cover of Little Bro's menu for The Smoothie Shop...

Gotta taste test before putting the products on the menu!!!

Big Bro and Little Bro having a business meeting. Big Bro is giving his input into the business here (while being wrapped up in a blankie!)

One of the staple ingredients for the smoothies...the boys chose Welch's because it is made in Erie County, where Mommy grew up, and also because Alton Brown is their spokesperson and they love watching Alton Brown on the Food Network!

Our other smoothie staples...we just love Naked Juices!

This one was a hit with Little Bro...he had a tiny bit left and offered me a sip of his test product.

Do your children like to create little businesses?

Do you let them use real products and real money or do you have them use play products and play money?

Well, if you have an idea of a business that you have done with your children as a practical life / role playing sort of thing, please feel free to leave a link in the comments section of this post.

Would love to see what you have done in your homeschool or your classroom!

And speaking of real-life learning, we entered to win a chance to have our backyard made over from a snake pit to a learning and relaxing sanctuary...we are hoping to win an outdoor classroom and play area. Would you please take a minute to click on our DIY Crash Me Please entry?
If you would like to leave a comment on our entry at DIY, that would be great too!

What a Weekend: Blog Action Day & World Food Day!

Did you know that this weekend is both Blog Action Day and World Food Day?
How about that here in the U.S.A., October 24th has been designated as National Food Day?

Well, we are just learning and can't wait to do a family project related to the theme of Food!

How has this unfolded for us as a family?

Well, today's BrainPOP movie happens to be on Blog Action Day.

(So you will know, I moved the BrainPOP Daily Featured Movie to my side bar, so that it is there each and every day for all of you to access right through my blog.
You can click on the four arrows icon to enlarge the movie to full-screen size.)

Thanks to BrainPOP for highlighting Blog Action Day and giving an overview about what a blog is in a way that makes it concrete for young children.

Had not heard of Blog Action Day until watching this movie with the boys.
See, when you homeschool, you learn right along with your children each and every day!

Following watching the movie, did a search and found out that according to Wikipedia, Blog Action Day is an annual worldwide event where bloggers write about a single topic on October 15th or 16th of every year.

From the topics I have seen listed, it seems as if they are designed to raise awareness about social justice and major issues that the world is facing:

Environment (2007)
Poverty (2008)
Climate Change (2009)
Water (2010)

This year's theme is Food.

Since October 16th has been designated as World Food Day, many people will be posting for Blog Action Day around the theme of Food on both October 15th and 16th.

The theme for World Food Day for 2011 is Food Prices: from Crisis to Stability.

According to the FAO, the organization that is spear-heading this day,

“FOOD PRICES – FROM CRISIS TO STABILITY” has been chosen as this year’s World Food Day theme to shed some light on this trend (of upswings in food prices) and what can be done to mitigate its impact on the most vulnerable.

On World Food Day 2011, let us look seriously at what causes swings in food prices, and do what needs to be done to reduce their impact on the weakest members of global society.


So what are your thoughts and ideas for Blog Action Day and / or for World Food Day? If you are an American, what are your thoughts and ideas related to National Food Day?

Since we just found out that this is the theme, will do some brainstorming with the boys to see what we can do as a family on this theme to raise an awareness as a family about issues surrounding food in the world, as well as locally, here in our community...

We could do a project for the soup kitchens or food banks in our area, or we could learn about organic produce and how it is best to eat what is grown locally and is in season...and how to encourage people to buy and eat organic and locally grown when there is a misconception that anything organic automatically means expensive...or maybe a combination of these.

Do you have any specific plans for Blog Action Day, World Food Day, or National Food Day?
National Food Day is celebrated each year here in the USA.

Here is our area, National Food Day is being celebrated on October 24th.

Sweetwater Organic Community Farm is partnering up with Whole Foods Market to have a special events for National Food Day.

According to their website, Sweetwater Organic Community Farm is set up as a non-profit community-supported urban organic farm and environmental education center.
They have an excellent Vision, Mission Statement, and Values.
Sweetwater Organic Community Farm really reaches out into the community and provides wonderful educational experiences for all.
Plus, they grow and sell wonderful organic produce.
There is a very good chance that our family project will involve something related to Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, so if we do, will share with you in the future about our visit there and the project we chose to do.

We love Whole Foods Market, although we really wish that they would build one closer to us!

We are glad that both Whole Foods Market and Sweetwater Organic Community Farm are both working in conjunction with a project for National Food Day. We can't wait to find out more about their project!

If you are doing something, do you plan to integrate something around this theme of Food into your weekend plans with your family or are you planning on doing something in your classrooms related to this theme?

Please feel free to share a link to your blog posts related to Blog Action Day, World Food Day, or National Food Day in the comments section of this post.

After we do some brainstorming and planning as a family, and after we do our family project, will do a follow-up of what we decided to do to look at the issues surrounding Food.

Would love to hear what all of you are planning to do for Blog Action Day, World Food Day, and National Food Day!