The how-to details were a bit fuzzy so I moved from the TV screen to the computer screen to google "How to make snowshoes" in order to get my children away from the aforementioned screens. SCREEN. I found this site and began to follow the directions.
So, here we go. Scrounge around in your garage for an old cardboard box. Find nothing and look in your basement. The website's directions said to start with a piece of cardboard 12 by 24 inches.
Ours was close enough. Say goodbye to your good pair of scissors and cut out two panels this size. Now go feed your younger children who are screaming at you for lunch.
Ignore your husband when he says he thinks the cardboard is too thin and will not work.
After lunch, get another child involved and cut out panels for him as well (a little smaller for his smaller feet). Cut ovals from the panels and let the decorating begin. Note the two-handed coloring technique. Efficient, my son. Don't worry about the poor lighting, just snap pictures anyway.
Find some spare boots since you just remembered your son left his good boots and snowpants at school yesterday. Say a silent prayer that they will show up in Lost and Found. Place the boot in the center of the oval and mark for holes on either side. (Now, here's something I would do differently if there ever is a next time. Two holes were not enough. There should be four holes, two on each side of the boot, so you could criss-cross fasteners more securely.)
Search, search, search until you find some spare elastics for your moonshoes (thanks, Heidi!) and slip these through the holes you marked and made with a sharp instrument of sorts. In the slight chance that you don't have moonshoes lying around, you can use any strong elastic or rope.
Bundle up your kids and send them on their way.
If you are very lucky, you might get five minutes out of these flimsy things before they buckle and bend or become saturated and tear right through the holes you made. But the point was to get your kids outside, right? Success!
9 comments:
Priceless!
You are such a great mom! Your boys are so lucky to have a creative mom who helps them broaden their minds :)
whew..i'm tired out just reading about it..good thing you're their mom and not me..and good thing we don't have snow here...
Your craftiness and ambition never cease to amaze me.
I love this! Even if they were out there for 1 minute...it would have been worth it to keep them busy for that long. And...to entertain us with pics and commentary :) Love love love it!
Liane-- you truly are the most creative,awesomest mother that I know. Number one, I never would have thought to ever be this creative Number two, I would have given up on the project after trying to find some frickin'(see I would have been cursing)cardboard, then I would have either needed a nap or a cup of coffee, then I would have spent the rest of the day feeling guilty for failing my children because thy would have still been in front of Barney or Teletubbies. Oh well.
Um, you guys are MUCH to kind...I told you I got the idea from the TV! And yes, I did need a cup of coffee (or two) after this!
Liane, try weaving snowshoes next time.
Coffee? I'd be hitting the brandy? And I second your friend Vals' comment. You have the patience of Job, my dear.
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