Life with Dylan

Category: creativity

  • How you can make a difference and have fun at the same time

    So often I hear people say that they don’t know how to help or they don’t have the time to do a big fundraiser.  They say the small amount they have to give wouldn’t make a difference, so why bother. Well, this is where I usually get on my soapbox and start talking about how one person can make a difference and that you don’t need to give thousands of dollars to help save endangered wildlife or the habitats they live in.

    My family is by no means wealthy. In fact, for many years we lived paycheck to paycheck – just barely getting by. However, I always managed to do something to make a difference, even if it was only recycling the cans and water bottles we used. It was better than them ending up in a landfill right? As I learned to stick to a budget, I was able to give more monetarily. Still not a lot, but something. It felt good to give and know that I was making a difference and helping to save an endangered animal. I taught these values to my son and as you may know, he has become quite the little philanthropist.

    Making a difference in the world can be fun too – Just get creative!

    Dylan currently has three different San Diego Zoo Global fundraisers going on and I was getting very confused with what money went where, so we grabbed some jars (re-purposed from our kitchen), some mailing labels and our Sharpie pens. Not only do the jars make it easier to keep the money separated, but they make us smile and look pretty darn cool on the counter!

    Cans for Critters is a recycling fundraiser that will help Dylan meet his conservation requirement for Cub Scouts. All the money he gets from recycling gets put in this jar for the critters.

    Animal Care Wish List is a monthly list of wishes from the keepers at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park for the animals. Sometimes it’s feeding the animals, buying special toys for animal enrichment, or helping the conservation projects around the world. This jar collects all of our spare change and pays for monthly items on the wish list.

    I Read for Wildlife is the latest and greatest fundraiser where Dylan has promised to read 1500 pages of fascinating animal facts in 100 days. Money from his sponsors or that he has raised gets put in this jar.

    Now that you see how easy (and fun) it can be to help endangered species, what will you do to make a difference? Will you start a fundraising jar?

    Remember, there is no time limit and no rule that says you need to raise thousands of dollars. Find something that you are passionate about and start saving your spare change. Coins add up quickly and many items on the Animal Care Wish List cost less than $10.

    EVERYONE can make a difference – YOU just need to pick a day to start – Why not TODAY?

  • The art of drawing and being creative

    I am a firm believer in nurturing a child’s creativity and supplying the tools needed for a child to express their creativity. A few months ago when Dylan showed interest in drawing I thought great, maybe he got my creative gene.

    Sure, he has made some pretty good things in school, but what mom doesn’t love what their kids bring home from school. It often requires the obligatory You made that for me? I love it.

    So when Dylan wanted to draw on his own and asked if he could start using my art pencils and sketch book I knew it was something he had a real interest in.

    What started as simple drawings have turned into actual sketches with detail and shading. He sits for hours at a time trying to get each one just right.

    Last week we made a trip to Michaels and purchased a real artist book. One that would teach him step by step how to draw. What? You thought he would draw something other than animals?

    Not a bad start for a 9-year-old – I love having something in common that he and I can enjoy together. 


    What do you do with your child that sparks creativity and imagination?

  • The Dark Side of Halloween

    This Halloween was one of the best we have had. We started celebrating in early October by decorating the house and getting in the ghostly mood. Then it was time to start making the rounds … visiting the Irvine Railroad Pumpkin Patch, previewing OC Zoo-tacular, attending the ENC Fall Faire, and finally some Brick-or-Treat fun at LEGOLAND California! Whew, I’m exhausted just writing all of the things we did.

    But it didn’t stop there. We still had a pumpkin to carve and some trick-or-treating to do!

    Pumpkin carving has always been something I look forward to doing. It’s another outlet for my creativity – this year, I let Dylan be the creative one. I know, so selfless of me huh?

    He chose a simple design that he thought would be just scary enough for the neighborhood. Evil eyes, no nose, and a monsterish looking mouth filled with sharp teeth.

    The initial cut is always exciting because you never know what you will find inside. Will it be filled with seeds and “guts” that will take major elbow grease to get out, or will it be a hollow pumpkin that only takes a few scrapes to clean out? Dylan’s pumpkin was just about in the middle this year and it didn’t take too long before we started carving away.

    (more…)

  • How Does Your Garden Grow?

    I have always loved gardens and the peace I feel when my hands touch the soil. I don’t think of it as getting dirty because it’s not dirt … it’s soil. A place where my plants will call home and flourish. Living in an apartment certainly has limitations when it comes to a garden, but after my recent visit to The Dragonfly Shops & Gardens the creative juices are flowing again.

    Located in historic Old Town Orange, The Dragonfly Shops & Gardens is nestled away from the busy streets and shops. When you walk through the archway of this vintage 1920’s house that has been converted into a retail store, you are instantly transported to a land of nymphs and fairies. I could have spent an hour just wondering through the front yard. Inside the house, you will wander through various rooms filled with unique treasures made by local artisans.

    Can I just take this entire collection home?

    Dylan and I had the opportunity to attend a class with OC Family and learn how to make our very own fairy garden in Dragonfly Hollow. Yes, I said fairy garden. What, you don’t believe in fairies? How else do you think those little rocks get moved in your garden?

    Dylan said he didn’t want to get his hands dirty … haha

    Carefully placing the rocks

    He refused to have fairy dust put in his garden because it was purple.

    Ever try getting 7 kids to look at the camera?

    Dylan’s garden, complete with a pirate!

    The kids had so much fun and I can’t wait to go back so I can make a garden or two of my own in Dragonfly Hollow. Just look at all of the items you can choose from.

    These are my favorites…

    Dragonfly Hollow Fairy Garden classes ($10) are offered the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month at 10:00 am and Children’s Fairy Garden classes ($20) are offered on the 3rd Saturday of the month at 9:00 am. Call 714-289-4689 to reserve your spot in the garden.

    If you are in Orange County, you should definitely visit The Dragonfly Shops & Gardens … I promise you won’t leave empty handed or disappointed.


    The ladies of Dragonfly Hollow were so nice and they even offered all of my readers a 20% discount just for mentioning Life with Dylan.

    You can find The Dragonfly Shops & Gardens on Facebook and Twitter

  • #Lego Minifigures Come to Life

    Wondering what to do with all those Lego Minifigures your child has collected? You know, the ones that come in those shiny little bags … the ones you have to feel and desperately try to guess which one is inside?

    Well, Dylan spent almost all day creating his very own scenes for some of his favorite Lego Minifigures. He still amazes me at what he can create with these little plastic bricks.

    Surfer Girl riding a wave. This one is my favorite and I have been told that I can take it to work and put it on my desk.

    Werewolf howling at the moon in a graveyard.

    Frankenstein coming out of a grave.

    Hockey Player scoring the wining goal on the ice.

    Sailor and Fishing Lawn Nome lost at sea.

    Looks like he caught a shark and was using chum as his bait. (That would be the red stuff in the water)

    High above the water looking out for sharks.

    Hazmat Guy rescuing the Tennis Girl from a contamination at the tennis courts.

    Sumo Wrestler vs. Karate Man in a Japanese hut burning into flames.

    It is Dylan’s dream to work at @Legoand_CA and build his creations.

    All descriptions of these Lego sculptures were given by Dylan.