(The Great Bartholdi Statue: Liberty Enlightening the World, 1886 source)
Happy Birthday, Statue of Liberty! The Statue of Liberty, designed by French sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi, was a gift from France and took 21 years from its conception (1865) to its completion in New York Harbor. After years of struggling to raise the money for the pedestal (France required the US would provide), the statue finally made its way to America on June 17, 1885 and by April of 1886, the pedestal was complete and construction began placing Lady Liberty on her outlook from Bedloe’s Island. The Statue of Liberty opened on October 28, 1886 with a dedication ceremony led by President Grover Cleveland and a parade that traveled from Madison Square to the southern tip of the Manhattan!
Today is also another special day for The Statue of Liberty: today, the statue reopened exactly one year after closing due to the damage caused from Hurricane Sandy! In honor of its 127th birthday and reopening, I put together some old photos and illustrations of The Statue of Liberty under construction and at its unveiling. Click on images to enlarge.
I used to love the musical spelling activities my piano teacher Mrs. Weedon would assign me so I decided to start making some for The Bird Feed. Here is the first!
For beginners, warm up with this C Major Scale Activity for Kids.
Ready for more of a challenge? Try Musical Spelling-Level 2!
Last night, I finally tried a recipe I pinned months ago from Chocolate-Covered Katie, ”Homemade Krispy Kreme Doughnuts- The Healthy Version“. I am in love! Don’t be fooled by the title- they don’t taste like Krispy Kreme but they are so delicious and really easy to make. From prep to finish, mine took only about 45 minutes.
I used almond milk for the doughnut mix and added a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg to the batter for a little extra flavor. I also opted to make a different glaze (recipe below). I was so excited to finally use the pans I ordered months ago when I first found the recipe! Here
After the doughnuts cooled, I finished them 3 ways: Cinnamon Sugar, Coconut, and Powdered Sugar. For the powdered sugar doughnuts, just throw each in a ziplock bag with some confectioners sugar and shake. For the Cinnamon Sugar and Coconut, I dipped them in a vanilla glaze then flipped them on plates with cinnamon and sugar or shredded coconut and pressed until they were coated.
The glaze was simple to make: I whisked together almond milk (you can use any non-dairy milk) and confectioners sugar until I got the consistency I wanted then added a bit of vanilla extract.
These doughnuts are so light that it’s hard not to eat the whole batch in a day! Happy baking!
[Insert Banksy Here, NYC click to enlarge]
When I spotted this sticker on Jersey Street in Soho, I had to snap a photo to share! Like lots of New Yorkers, I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled, hoping to find a Banksy somewhere on the streets of NYC during his month-long residency. No luck so far!
Photo credit: Carina Zimmerman
Happy Birthday, Rita Hayworth! Rita was born Margarita Carmen Cansino on October 17, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. She was one of the biggest stars of the 1940s and her story is fascinating. Today, I came across an article called “Scandals of Classic Hollywood: Rita Hayworth, Tragic Princess” and couldn’t believe how interesting her life was. From her transformation from Latina Margarita into red-headed Rita, to her many rocky marriages and hardships…I hadn’t known about the woman behind the pin-up picture and upbeat dance numbers with Fred Astaire. I just ordered her biography so I can learn more!
Click here to read the article.
Click here to get lost on YouTube watching Rita videos.
I created this Halloween coloring sheet for you to download and print for your kids! Click on the image below for your free PDF copy!
Coloring inspiration:
[Duane Street, NYC: October 14, 1891 source | enlarge photo ]
I love these photos of construction on Duane and Barclay Streets taken 122 years ago today!
[Barclay Street, NYC: October 14, 1891 source | enlarge photo]
We made this lollipop spider to hang above our YummyEarth jar at TLB Music. All you need is a lollipop, black pipe cleaners and adhesive eyes! It’s so easy to make: wrap 4 pipe cleaners around the lollipop stick, bend them into little legs, then apply the eyes. If want to hang your spider, just use monofilament line!
Here is what we used for our spider:
YummyEarth Lollipop: The kids (and parents) at TLB love these lollipops! They are certified organic, gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, peanut-free, casein-free, dairy-free, all-natural, and most importantly, unbelievably delicious. View YummyEarth lollipops on Amazon.
Black Pipe Cleaners: Buy at your local craft store or you can order a pack on Amazon
Wiggly Eyes: You can find these at your craft store! We purchased this pack from Amazon.
Monofilament Line: Pick this up at your hardware store or purchase a roll on Amazon. This is the one we ordered.
This past weekend, Ryan completed the first 70 miles of Project 96! The project’s mission is to raise money and awareness for Juvenile Dermatomyositis by swimming, biking, and running 96 miles in two events, seven days apart. The first event was the Half Full Triathlon in Ellicott City, Maryland. The race was held on Sunday, October 6th, at Centennial Park and the weather was unbearable. It was nearly 90 degrees and humid! In addition to the challenge of the the unseasonable weather (last year’s race it was in the 40s), this half-ironman triathlon is known for being one of the toughest courses…and this was Ryan’s first triathlon. What an accomplishment! Ryan pushed through the heat and dizziness and completed a .9 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run. The entire event was inspiring: there were athletes of all ages and sizes, cancer survivors, families, and friends. All racing for a good cause. It was amazing standing at the finish line watching everyone run across the line. We saw people running with arms linked in the air, parents holding babies, wives and husbands jogging in support, people breaking into tears, and friends screaming in support along the path. There were even dogs that made their way across the line with their owners. We were so proud when we saw Ryan come around the bend! He did it! Here are some of my pictures from the event:
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I love Fall outerwear- blazers, bombers, denim jackets, trenches, and vests! Here are some of my favorite choices for toddlers this Fall. They’re all adorable and perfect for keeping cozy when the weather gets chilly.
1. Quilted Denim Vest by Old Navy view on site
2. Hooded Canvas Jacket by Old Navy view on site
3. Quilted Jacket by Gap view on site
4. Canvas Motorcycle Jacket by Ralph Lauren view on site
5. Sweatshirt Jacket by H&M view on site
6. Classic Trench Coat by Ralph Lauren view on site
7. Ruffle Peplum Blazer by Gap view on site
8. Faux Leather Bomber Jacket by Gap view on site
9. Denim Jacket by H&M view on site
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma was born on October 7, 1955 in Paris, France. Most likely, you’ve heard of Yo-Yo Ma, as he’s one of the most well-known classical musicians alive. The child prodigy began playing the cello at age 4 and was already performing publicly by age 5. He even played for Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy when he was only 7 years old! Yo-Yo Ma attended Trinity School in NYC, before transferring to the Professional Children’s School and graduating at age 15. He went on to study at Juilliard, Columbia, then Harvard where he received his Bachelor’s degree in 1976.
So how would you recognize Yo-Yo Ma? In addition to many media appearances on television, he’s been featured on many soundtracks, including Seven Years in Tibet; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; and Memoirs of a Geisha. You probably saw him performing with Itzhak Perlman at President Obama’s 2009 Inauguration! He was also the first performer on September 11, 2002 at the site of the World Trade Center, when the names of those killed were read on the first anniversary of the attack.
In honor of his special day, watch a few of Yo-Yo Ma’s performances that showcase his talent:
This Halloween, make your own bats with your kids! This free, printable template is perfect for practicing fine motor skills while creating adorable decorations for the holiday. Crafty parents: these cute creatures can double as a wine bottle topper. See pictures below!
What you’ll need:
- Printer and paper for printing template (click PDF link below)
- Scissors (tip: cut out pieces for young kids new to scissors)
- Removable double stick tape or glue stick
- Fishing line, monofilament line, or string for hanging
Printable Halloween Activity for Kids- Create Your Own Bat PDF
Top photo: Prince Street, Soho (1985) by Matt Weber
Bottom photo: Carina on Prince Street, Soho (2013) by Katia Asthalter
