Glitter Mommies

Moving...

2009-03-18T16:48:00.001-06:00

We are in the process of moving Glitter Mommies over to Wordpress. Our new name and url will be...

Seven Little Monkeys

http://sevenlittlemonkeys.wordpress.com

Bear with us during the move. Hopefully it won't take too long!

A Rainbow of Colors

2009-03-11T12:07:00.005-06:00

Is it just me, or is everyone posting about rainbows lately?? Maybe it's a March or St. Patty's Day thing to do? Well I decided jump on the bandwagon... kind-of. Today the girls and I talked about primary colors and the color wheel, and then made our own.

Paper Plate Rainbow...

We started by painting a rainbow to get us in the mood. Cut a paper plate in half, paint with correct colors (in order).

Primary Color Circles
I took a large sheet of paper and a bowl and traced 3 circles at the top. The girls painted the circles the primary colors.

I then traced overlapping circles and the girls painted the primary colors and then the color that those two colors make.

Age-Appropriate Color Wheel...

Finally I traced a pizza pan and then divided it into sixths. We painted the primary colors first, so it was easy to figure out where the other colors fit in.

Educational Art... Love it!

Cute (home-designed) Frame

2009-03-02T13:52:00.003-07:00

I am having a lot of fun adding simple accents to things around the house to really make it personal. We are going to Cancun in May, and I wanted a fun, "summery" frame to put a picture of the kids in, but let's face it, I didn't want to spend a fortune!

So I bought a simple wood frame from Michael's, and 2 ready-to-go knick-knack things (I don't know what the official name is). I paid less than $5 for everything.

I painted the frame white (removed the glass, left the paper in attempt for less mess), let dry, and glued the knick-knacky things on.

Simple, cute, and inexpensive!

Simple Message Board

2009-03-02T12:05:00.008-07:00

Here is a fun and simple way to *spice-up* a message board!

We started by tearing small-ish pieces of tissue paper (perfect for little fingers to do!). I then painted Mod Podge all over an old picture mat I wasn't using, and the girls covered the mat with the tissue paper pieces. When they were satisfied with their work, I then covered the entire mat with another coat of Mod Podge. Let dry for about 45 minutes, then turn over and Mod Podge the pieces to the back that are hanging over (don't worry, you won't see the back).

I found a magnetic white board on clearance at Target for $4.68, and it just happened to be the right size (11"x14"). Score!

Next step was to remove the pen holder at the top of the white board (it was in the way of our frame) and then hang the white board to the back door where we will see it everytime we go somewhere. I used the double-sided foam sticky tape that came with the board. I also had some dry erase markers that were attached to magnets from another random shopping trip.

Attach several pieces of double-sided foam sticky tape around the edges of the white board...

Stick your fancy border to the board, write a little note, and....

Ta-Da!

A sweet little message board to write special notes.

(My girls were *oh*so*excited* to write a note to Daddy as soon as the board was finished!)

Kid-Friendly Salads

2009-03-01T15:20:00.002-07:00

Family Fun has posted some incredible salads to try this Spring & Summer. It makes me even more excited for fresh fruits and veggies! Here are a few of our favorites... {Click on the picture for the recipe}

{Red, White, and Blueberry Fruit Salad}

{Citrus-Sesame Noodle Salad}

*

{Granny Smith Slaw}
*

{Confetti Couscous Salad}
*

{Peanut Butter, Banana, and Berry Salad}
*

Organizing Cubes

2009-02-17T09:08:00.004-07:00

I've had these wonderful shelving units with cubes/bins for over a year now. They are perfect for stashing anything and everything into. However, the kids never had any idea what was in them, so they would...

(a) go ignored (meaning toys were not played with) or

(b) get dumped out to see what was inside (meaning a nice big mess for me to clean up) or

(c) my lovely "helpful" husband would shove anything on the floor into any bin looked good that day (meaning yet another unorganized hidden mess).

A couple months ago I had the idea to take pictures of the inner contents. Great idea, right? Sure, but I couldn't come up with a way to attach the pictures with anything but packaging tape (too tacky, I wanted cute!). A couple nights ago it hit me: contact paper and ribbon! I put contact paper on both sides of the pictures, hole-punched, and tied ribbon to the handles of the cubes. It's cute, it's organized, and (everyone cross your fingers with me here) will help my kids play with and put away their toys!

President's Day, by Anne Rockwell

2009-02-14T13:51:00.001-07:00

We really enjoyed this book.

ABC Pretzels

2009-02-14T10:52:00.002-07:00

Maybe I'm new, but I just found these at Meijer a couple days ago... ABC Pretzels. They are nothing short of fabulous. My kids love spelling names and words, looking for letters, playing "I Spy", etc. The novelty of the pretzel is back!

Last Minute V-Day Ideas

2009-02-14T10:42:00.003-07:00

Jell-O with (frozen) raspberries in heart cups
(found these at JoAnn's - $6/12 cups)

Homemade pink mint ice-cream
(using same heart cups)

Heart Cake!
(1 cake mix, 9" square pan, 9" circle pan, conversation hearts)

Valentine's Strawberry Brownie

2009-02-13T07:00:00.002-07:00

This is what Jacob's preschool teacher is getting for Valentine's - an extra large heart shaped brownie, topped with pink frosting (8 oz cream cheese mixed with 1/2 cup jam and 1/2 cup pwd sugar) and decorated with candy hearts. I saw giant heart pans like this for $5.99 at Target this week - good for birthdays and "thinking of you" gifts, too.

Valentine's Breakfast

2009-02-11T15:40:00.001-07:00

This is a picture from our breakfast on Valentine's two years ago - pancake mix with red food coloring thrown in and chocolate chips on top. I think I'm going for a repeat this year, with PINK MILK on the side.

Tic Tac Toe Hearts

2009-02-05T05:23:00.002-07:00

Directions here.

Special thanks to Marie

@ Once Upon a Holiday

Candy Bar Tarts

2009-02-02T16:45:00.001-07:00

Oh my yummy goodness!

Directions here.

whose shoes?

2009-02-02T10:41:00.004-07:00

Just a tip to help with the smooth running of your household...

My kids are all 17 months apart, and they are to the age where the difference in their sizes is shrinking, especially with shoes. So I adopted a little organizational strategy to help keep all of us sane: the dot strategy. Kylie is 1 dot, Stella is 2 dots, and Chasen is 3 dots (yes, birth order).

Let me demonstrate my favorite example...

This is what we see when it's time to put the kids' boots on. Kind-of hard to figure out whose is whose, right?

So on the bottom of the boots I put their personal dots...

Now, when it's time for the kids to put on their boots, they have no problems finding their own pair. Even Chasen (23 months) can find his own! And when Kylie outgrows her pair, I'll just add a dot, and poof! -Stella has a new pair of boots.

This works really well with practically anything that will get passed down through the kids, and let me tell you it makes sorting laundry a lot easier when I need help (like from the husband or grandparents) since the size doesn't always tell you who the shirt might belong to!

Art Gallery

2009-02-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

My girls absolutely love to do art projects. They don't need anything fancy, sometimes just coloring or drawing keeps them happy. But they literally make about 5 "pieces of art" a day, some really cute, others kind of sloppy. I have a husband who adamently refuses to let me clutter the fridge or kitchen cabinets with the girls' "artwork", and after filling the stairway to the basement, I finally decided to make an Art Gallery for them to display their finest art to date. I love how the wall turned out... so much that I'm thinking of not only adding more frames to that wall, but finding more walls to turn into Art Galleries!

I started with ever-so-sweetly convincing Scott to build 4 frames. He used some cheap wood from Lowe's, cut to size, and drilled together.

The next step was for me to spray paint the frames black (note: spray paint goes everywhere and gets on everything and is best not to do in a finished basement, regardless of how cold it is outside!) .

I hung the frames where I wanted them on the walls, then lightly traced inside the frames with a pencil, taped just outside the lines, then painted the insides white (2 coats was all it took. Oh, and I used a small foam roller to keep it as smooth as possible).

Hang the frames again, and you have an art gallery just waiting to be filled! (for now I'm using blue painters tape to hang the artwork. I was going to do clips, but didn't want to be stuck with only being able to hang the pieces a certain way. That may change in the future, or if you have any ideas, please share!)

Introducing... Our Art Gallery!

Woven Hearts: 6 Ways

2009-02-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

I can remember doing these when I was little! I'm so glad I found the template on maya*made, I was nervous I'd have to figure it out on my own, ha.

Instructions here.

Favorite Cereal

2009-01-30T11:16:00.003-07:00

This is *oh so very* Sid the Science Kid...

This morning I put 3 different cereals in dixie cups for the kids, and we recorded which cereals they liked, without milk and then with milk. We charted the results and then talked about the findings. It was fun to see them get so excited about which cereal they liked or didn't like, and why!

Heart Mobile

2009-01-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

1. Paint a large piece of this paper, covering the entire piece (I used the back of office calendars my husband brought home from work).

2. To add a little dimension and flair, when the paint had dried for about 20 minutes, we dipped heart-shaped cookie cutters in white paint and stamped.

3. I let the paper dry overnight, then traced 2 different sized hearts on the back, and then my 4 year-old cut them out (my 3 year-old isn't that "smooth" with her cutting yet). It really doesn't matter how many hearts you cut, as long as you have an even number of each size. Cut a piece of string or yarn to desired length.

4. Lay out the yarn and position half of the hearts, face-down. Tape each heart to the yarn like shown below.

5. Glue the leftover hearts to their counterparts.

6. I put heavy books over the hearts while they dried (overnight) to make sure they were flat. Hang up and enjoy!

car ramp

2009-01-27T10:27:00.004-07:00

Tomorrow we're getting new window treatments, so I had to remove the old wood valance above our living room blinds. I had no idea what to do with it, but knew I didn't want to throw it away. I can't stand to throw stuff away when it could come in handy someday. I set it up on the couch and Chasen immediately started driving cars down it. Perfect! Chasen played all morning with his cars and the new ramp. I have to admit that this is especially exciting for us because up until now Chasen could care less about cars. All he ever wants to play with are balls: footballs, tennis balls, superballs, basketballs, soccer balls etc. Today is a good day; we've turned over a new leaf!

I just love it when our

junk turns to treasures!

watercolor initials (or anything else!)

2009-01-27T08:07:00.001-07:00

I'm digging these from Blissful Kids. Directions

Valentine Conversation Heart Frame

2009-01-26T19:04:00.002-07:00

This was quick and fun yesterday! We painted popsicle sticks red, which I don't know if I would do again, since you can't see much of the red anyway. After the paint was dry, I had the boys glue on large and small conversation hearts. Joshua, my 2 year old, ate way more than he glued on (ew). To finish the project, grab a picture - I think close ups of faces work best - and glue it to the back. The finished size of the inside of the frame is close to 4" square, so keep that in mind when printing your pictures out. We're going to send ours to the Grandmas.

Chinese New Year Cupcakes

2009-01-26T18:56:00.004-07:00

I know, it's not a cake wreck, but close, huh? Here was my attempt at a Chinese New Year cupcake. We used yellow cake mix with extra yellow food coloring to get a really nice "gold" cake, and then I went to town with the red food coloring to get a nice red buttercream. I forgot, however, to save some white buttercream to tint bright yellow to write with. Instead, I used yellow piping gel, which didn't show up well at all.

Hint: If you're not using Wilton (or other "real") cake decorating color, get the gel food coloring at any grocery store. They make much more vibrant colors than the normal, liquid dropper food coloring (that I'll never buy again after discovering the gel stuff!)

Directions for Chinese Good Luck character here

Crayon Hearts

2009-01-26T17:19:00.003-07:00

Materials:

crayon pieces

heart-shaped muffin pan

double-sided foam mounting tape

colored cardstock

scissors

markers

Directions:

Heat oven to 250

Fill each mold with crayon pieces and bake until melted (10-15 minutes)

Once cooled, remove from molds.

Using foam tape, attach "love notes" to the hearts, much like picture above.

special thanks to FamilyFun.com

Chinese New Year Pendant

2009-01-25T14:34:00.002-07:00

My kids are a bit too young to cut these out well, so we'll skip this project this year, but maybe your kids are a bit more adept with scissors in small places.

The link and all the templates are here.

Chinese New Year Clip Art

2009-01-25T14:13:00.002-07:00

Chinese New Year 2009, the year of the OX, starts tomorrow, January 26. Grab this cute FREE clip art here.

KidsGardening.org

2009-01-23T19:21:00.002-07:00

I know it's way too early for a lot of us to be thinking about gardening (we are seeing the first sidewalks since early December here!), but we might have some friends reading from Arizona or Texas, and this is their big gardening season.

I found a fun new website tonight - kidsgardening.org. The Family Room has all kinds of ideas - from how to get started gardening with kids to more advanced family projects. FUN.

mitten math

2009-01-23T14:32:00.001-07:00

Another fabulous freebie from the Hybrid Kid! Click here to link through.

What I Love Wall

2009-01-23T09:52:00.003-07:00

Our pantry door has been white and plain ever since we took down our Thankful Turkey. I had been thinking that in February, we could do a "What I love" door instead. I was going to wait until February 1st, but that only gives us 14 days. So I just decided. We're starting today.

I'm about to head down to the basement where I get to watch Joshua play trains, and I'm taking stacks of pink, purple and red construction paper with me to cut out plenty of hearts. I'm thinking at least one heart per day per vocal person in the family. 23 days X 4 talkers = 92 hearts Sometimes, I really wish I had that cricut that's so popular here. Anyway, we're just going to write one thing we LOVE each day on the heart and stick it on the door. Come to think of it, 92 hearts is a lot for the door, so we might let them flutter all around the kitchen.

I also want to make a list where we can write things we LOVE about other family members.

I'll update with pictures after we start sharing the love.

Heart Twinkies

2009-01-21T21:49:00.001-07:00

How cute is THAT? A twinkie, cut on an angle, with frozen berries and watered down seedless raspberry jam. Cute enough we might even buy a box of twinkies for the first time in forever.

From Think at 2 Clever

Our White House: The Web Site

2009-01-20T15:33:00.002-07:00

Whatever you are celebrating today - the new president, the peaceful transition of power, or both, today is definately a day to celebrate.

I did a little book review on my personal blog that I should have cross posted here. Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out is a FAB book to have around right now with the Inauguration and upcoming presidential birthdays in February - or to have around any time, really.

Today I learned that the book has a web page, and it's wonderful. Check it out here.

(and happy inauguration day)

Inauguration!

2009-01-19T06:02:00.006-07:00

History will be made tomorrow, and I cannot wait to share it with my kids. Here are some fun ideas to help celebrate!

It's not a party at my house without cupcakes!

{cupcake flags}

{Obama cupcake toppers}

{"Change" cupcake toppers}

many thanks to SkiptomyLou.org

And don't forget Ben & Jerry's Yes Pecan! ice cream

Obama "Change" Plate

{template here}

For this project I traced the symbol in a paper plate, then outlined in glitter glue. Let dry, and paint in-between lines. (We used Elmer's Squeeze & Brush)

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out

Biography of Barack Obama... click here.

Homemade Musical Instruments

2009-01-15T07:58:00.003-07:00

Stuck inside with an insane cold snap? Throw together a preschool family-room band. Lots of ideas for homemade instruments here.

Coloring Circles

2009-01-13T06:37:00.005-07:00

Take a piece of paper (we used the big floor paper) and draw circles of all different sizes with a black sharpie, some overlapping, some inside one another, some just out on their own. Then color each portion of the circle it's own color, making sure not to let the same color touch.

This is a perfect winter afternoon activity because everyone can lay on the floor and color together and everyone gets to be creative... the more colors used the better! It also takes awhile to complete and can be put away and finished later without much effort.

The other reason I really liked this activity is it really helped enforce the concept of "coloring within the lines" (what a concept, huh?!).

Snow Painting

2009-01-12T19:06:00.002-07:00

This is a cheap and easy time killer if you're LUCKY enough to live where the snow never melts. (ok, it's not that bad here - we haven't seen the grass in a month, but it could always be worse!)
I mixed up some colored water - just food coloring with the instruction to PLEASE not get their clothes dirty - in condiment and squirt bottles.

Then I send the kiddos outside and let them loose. Ok, ok - I played, too.

The kids liked the water in condiment bottles better, but I preferred them to have the squirt bottles. The water came out too fast in the condiment bottles for my liking - wasn't as easy for them to have control, especially when Jacob was trying to write his name, and also - they ran out much quicker, which meant more trips for me inside to refill.

Snowman Counting

2009-01-12T08:37:00.003-07:00

Using the snowman above (click on it to get to the printable link), Ramblings of a Crazy Woman had a fun snowman counting game. I put 4 snowmen on each page, printed out 2 pages (well, 3 but the snowmen weren't big enough to have more than 8 buttons) and drew faces and a different number of buttons on each snowman. Then I made a simple construction paper hat with the corresponding numerals and let the Joshua match them up.

donut snowmen

2009-01-10T07:25:00.002-07:00

Might be fun for a lazy Sunday breakfast tomorrow. Details.

Easy Valentine's Wreath

2009-01-08T09:34:00.002-07:00

My head is already all about VALENTINE'S. If I could finally get healthy I have some fun ideas. Until then, here's a cute wreath tutorial to do with the kiddos. Use tissue paper for a less expensive, but not outdoor friendly option.

All the directions here on Little Birdie Secrets.

New Years Kids Journaling Page

2009-01-06T19:44:00.002-07:00

We love our This Is Me journal, but I've used it more for inspiration to come up with our own pages. Jacob writes or draws on blank 8 1/2 X 11 paper and I'm saving them all in a manila envelope until I have enough to bind - probably in a couple years.

I found this link today that has a list of questions that would be fun to do once or twice a year; maybe in January, maybe on a birthday, maybe whenever. It's up to you, but it's sure fun to look back even one year later. I can't wait to pull these things out when my kiddos are in high school.

Corndog Muffins

2009-01-06T04:41:00.003-07:00

Fun for the kids to help you make, and always a hit at the lunch table!

photo courtesy of cookinme

2 (8.5 oz) pkg cornbread mix
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
9 turkey dogs, cut-up
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

*Stir mix and brown sugar. In another bowl, whisk eggs and milk, then stir into dry mix (until moist). Mix in cheese. Spoon into muffin tins and add turkey dog pieces to each.

*Bake @ 400 for 14-18 minutes.

Edible New Year's Hats

2008-12-29T10:48:00.002-07:00

Cute dessert for New Year's Eve!

Directions here.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T05:00:00.002-07:00

From our families to yours - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Julie's kids - Joshua (2 1/2), Ainsley (7 months), Jacob (4 1/2)

Shanelle's kids - Chasen (21 months), Stella (3), Kylie (4 1/2)

"Real Snow"-cones

2008-12-23T15:42:00.003-07:00

Sorry, you're out of luck for this one if you live somewhere that's warm and sunny all year round! We got about a foot of snow yesterday, which my 2 year old loves to run outside (in bare feet and pj's!) and eat. All day long. To keep his trips to a minimum, we've started making snow cones - packed snow in cup sprinkled with Torani flavored syrups we had in the cupboard. Pretty good and Josh's toes stay warm.

Any other ideas for flavoring the snow?!

reindeer sandwiches

2008-12-23T15:38:00.002-07:00

Slice a piece of bread into two triangles and slather with peanut butter. Add 2 pretzels for antlers, and raisins for eyes and a nose. If you're a really nice mom, make a Rudolph with a maraschino cherry nose.

Button Wreath Ornament

2008-12-22T15:35:00.002-07:00

Oh my ever-loving cuteness!

leave it to Martha!

tissue paper christmas tree

2008-12-21T06:57:00.001-07:00

Do you need a last minute art project or card? (you could also use construction paper strips)
Source: Art Projects for Kids

winter bird feeders

2008-12-21T06:45:00.004-07:00

I thought for a minute about giving the birds outside the burned popcorn from yesterdays garland before I decided against it. Then I saw all these this morning.

My favorite to make have always been the peanut butter on pine cones rolled in birdseed
but maybe we'll try something different this year.

Click on photo to get to original source/directions.

Nativity "Go Fish"

2008-12-20T20:26:00.002-07:00

Click here to choose between the black and white or color version of the cards to print out.

Directions: Shuffle the deck of cards. Deal each player four cards and place the remaining cards face down. Each player takes a turn asking another player for a specific card. (Players can only ask for cards from a set that they already have a card of.) If the person has any cards of that set they must give up all of them to the person who asked for them. If the person doesn't have the card they're being asked for they say, "Keep Trying" and the player then draws a card from the stack and their turn is over.

When a player has a complete set of four cards they show the rest of the group and place them in front of them on the table or floor. Play continues until all the cards have been placed down. If a player has no more cards they draw one from the deck. If the deck is gone the person must wait until the game is over.

Example: There are three players. Player one has a card with the baby Jesus and asks player three if they have any cards with the baby Jesus. Player three doesn't have any and says, "Keep Trying" and player one draws a card. Player two (who also has a card with the baby Jesus) asks player one if they have any, which player one gives to player two. Player two's turn is over. Play continues until all the sets of cards have been placed down. The player with the most sets wins.

Notes: You can print the cards on card stock, cut them out, and then laminate them so they will last longer. They're also easier to play with when they're not rough.
For younger children you can remove half the cards (in sets) from the deck and only deal two cards per player. When someone has two in a set they can discard them.

Source

popcorn garland

2008-12-20T11:52:00.001-07:00

*Prints for Rudolph

2008-12-20T09:53:00.004-07:00

foot*print for head

hand*prints for antlers

finger*prints for eyes

thumb*print for nose

Paper Lanterns

2008-12-20T09:13:00.006-07:00

This was fun, multi-step project that all of my kids got to participate in (that's not as easy as it sounds when the kids are 21 mo, 3 yrs, and 4 1/2 yrs!).

1. We started by painting red and green construction paper with white paint, using paint/clay rollers (I still wonder how we ever got along with these!)

2. Fold paper in half, long-ways, painted side facing out. Cut along folded side, about 1" apart, stopping about 1" from edge. Cut the last strip off to use for the handle later.

3. Open paper, then glue short sides together. Glue handle to inside.

*We used red and green paper, but this is certainly something that can be used year-round with different colors. I keep thinking bright colors, glitter, and jewels for Cinco de Mayo!

Santa Pancakes

2008-12-20T07:10:00.003-07:00

How awesome! We make lots of things with pancakes, but I don't think I would ever have come up with this on my own! We're making this Wednesday morning for Christmas Eve Breakfast, and I can't wait.

Original Link

Christmas Tree Art Projects

2008-12-20T07:06:00.003-07:00

I found two cute Christmas tree art projects this morning and let Jacob pick which one we'd do (Josh is still sleeping so he can pick the next project). He picked the popsicle stick one, and I'm a bit bummed - that puzzle one looked really different. Click the picture to go to the original link.

Peanut Butter Balls

2008-12-19T16:41:00.003-07:00

This was so much fun for the girls and I to make! I made the "batter" with Chasen while the girls were in preschool, then they got to roll the balls and dip them in chocolate. Perfect for those little fingers who always insist on helping!

Recipe & Directions at Hot 'n Steamy

Holiday Memory Game

2008-12-19T14:10:00.004-07:00

Here's a simple Memory game for you to print out for the holidays! I made it using DJ Inkers clipart (love DJ Inkers!). Click on the link below (or pic above) and it should take you to a pdf file (let me know if it doesn't). Print 2 copies on cardstock, or glue to cardstock (I did this b/c I didn't have white cardstock), cut, and you've got a simple memory game for your little ones. There are just 8 cards, but sometimes that's plenty. If you have a child who is still too young for Memory, try having them match the cards. You'd be surprised how much they like this! Enjoy!

*Holiday Memory Game*

last minute teacher/neighbor gift

2008-12-19T10:36:00.002-07:00

At 6:45 last night I realized that WHOOPS, I needed a teacher gift STAT for Jacob to take to preschool in the morning. We whipped up a quick batch of minty marshmallows, and I took some store bought (shhhh) mint hot chocolate and spooned it into a glass jelly jar. I printed a sticker in a Christmas pattern to cover the ugly lid, tied on a bow with directions and VOILA - done! It's not a Target gift card, but I think it's cute and something I'd love to get.

minty marshmallows

2008-12-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

I saw the idea in a magazine - I'm pretty sure it was the Dec 08 Better Homes and Gardens. Mix 1 cup of sugar and 3 T of water to make a glaze. Dip the bottom half of a large marshmallow in the glaze, and then roll in crushed candy canes. Let them dry on waxed paper. Voila! The kids loved to do it (and lick their fingers after), and it makes a quick gift - perfect in hot chocolate!

Magic Reindeer Food

2008-12-19T10:28:00.002-07:00

This was the perfect thing for Jacob to take to his preschool friends today. We had everything to do it at home and it took 15 minutes from start to finish.

I used glitter glue in a baggy (I didn't have sparkle sugar or regular glitter) and mushed it up with oats - I did a batch of gold oats and a batch of sparkly green oats. After they dried, I put a small scoop of plain oats in a snack sized bag with a bit of gold sparkle oats and green sparkle oats, then stapled the label on and wrote Jacob's name. DONE! and Jacob and I are both excited. The poem on the back says

Sprinkle on your lawn Christmas Eve night,

The moon will make it sparkle bright!

As Santa's reindeer fly and roam,

This magic food will guide them to your home.

and Jacob is sure this is going to work.

I got the idea and the FREE download for the label here.

Idea for a neighbor (with small kids) gift: take one of these baggies, along with some "human reindeer food" (Muddy Buddies in a bag with a pretty bow and a tag). Food for the people and the reindeer!

snowman boxes

2008-12-19T10:26:00.002-07:00

How cute? Grab some take out boxes, have your kids art them up, and stick some homemade yummies inside.

Directions here.

Macaroni Menorah

2008-12-19T10:24:00.002-07:00

If you know me, you know I'm not Jewish, but sometimes (especially during Hanukkah, Passover and the High Holy days) I like to pretend I am. So we do Christmas AND Hanukkah crafts and celebrations at our house. And I love that one.

Directions here (scroll down a bit).

more Christmas math

2008-12-18T16:20:00.002-07:00

Click here for the download.

gingerbread math for the littles

2008-12-18T16:16:00.002-07:00

Click here to grab the link to the FREE download.

paper wreath

2008-12-18T16:13:00.003-07:00

I just found a new blog today with lots of really cute kids crafts and ideas. How easy is that wreath? Cut the middle out of a paper plate, let your kids go nuts with squares of crepe paper (she used printed scrapbook paper) and glue, then add beads or pom poms or whatever. Ta-da!

Ice Cream Snowballs

2008-12-18T11:09:00.002-07:00

I forgot to take a picture! (the horror)

We rolled vanilla ice cream into small balls, and then rolled those in shredded coconut. Stuck them on a plate, put them in the deep freeze to harden, and viola - ice cream snowballs. It was extra fun to stick a toothpick in between and make a snowman.

Cornflake Christmas Wreaths

2008-12-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

What a cute treat for the holidays!

Ingredients
1 bag (10.5 ounces) mini marshmallows
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
Green food coloring
4-1/2 cups cornflake cereal
Jumbo red nonpareils
Light corn syrup
Red sour belts

Directions
1. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick foil or parchment paper. Lightly coat a 1/3-cup measure with nonstick spray.
2. Stir marshmallows and butter in a large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and tint with 5 or 6 drops of food coloring. Gently stir in cornflakes.
3. Scoop 1/3 cupfuls of the mixture and drop into 6 piles on each baking sheet. Let cool 5 minutes. Spray fingers with nonstick cooking spray and shape each pile into a wreath, gently compressing the flakes together. Refrigerate until firm.
4. Decorate wreaths with nonpareils or candy balls, attaching them with a dab of corn syrup.
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from parentsmag.com
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Christmas & Winter books

2008-12-17T17:48:00.004-07:00

I just realized in the middle of dinner that I forgot to put up a Christmas and winter bookshelf! Whoops! It's at the top of the page, just like last time. Please make sure to click on "next" in the bottom right corner to see all of the wonderful books that our kids are loving (there are over 20... sorry, we love to read)!

And as always, please let us know if you have any favorites that aren't listed.

snowflake ornament

2008-12-17T11:07:00.003-07:00

Materials: craft sticks, white paint, glue, sequins, pipe-cleaner

Paint sticks white. Let dry.

Glue sticks together in desired shape.

Glue sequins to sticks.

Glue looped pipe-cleaner to back for hanger.

stained glass

2008-12-17T09:00:00.005-07:00

This might be a little too "classroomy" for some, but my kids loved doing it, and they turned out pretty cute! Plus, if you're a teacher, it's super easy and not that messy! (yes, I did this in my classroom when I was teaching... hey! I was a teacher long before I was a mother!)

*Draw a picture on white paper and trace with a black sharpie*

(Kylie drew a picture in pencil and I traced it for her)

*Color picture with crayons*

*Rub baby oil over entire picture. Let dry. Hang in window.*

Meringue Snowmen

2008-12-17T07:17:00.002-07:00

Somehow, even though the high never reached freezing yesterday, a lot of our fresh new snow melted, leaving icky ice everywhere. We didn't get outside to make a snowman, just to throw snowballs. We're making these meringue snowmen today. I don't think the boys will mind that they're not the real deal.

Directions.

Like Meringues? Try this recipe, too. Once you make them, it's easy to create your own recipes - mint, chocolate, lemon, whatever you want.

Paper Flower Ornaments

2008-12-16T15:36:00.003-07:00

So cute. You could do them blue and silver for Hanukkah or throw some up fast for Christmas or New Years. I'm going to wait and do these for Valentines day and hang them from the arch between my kitchen and family room. I'll update with pictures.

Directions.

snowman and reindeer cookies

2008-12-13T10:38:00.004-07:00

Directions and recipes here. My favorite is the snowman, how about you?

...Babies Wear...series

2008-12-12T15:13:00.003-07:00

We haven't read them all yet, but we're enjoying the series. Perhaps you will, too.

(clicking on the picture should take you to the Amazon page)

Candy Cane Ornaments

2008-12-11T15:19:00.004-07:00

Another "remember those?!?!" craft:

You could put them on the tree or tie them to a package. They take almost no time at all. Two pipe cleaners - one red, one white or green. Twist, bend. (then we cut ours in half) Done.

Jacob decorated the tree with his - all by himself.

reindeer handprint ornaments

2008-12-10T06:43:00.000-07:00

Details here.

Spin Art Frame

2008-12-10T05:10:00.001-07:00

Christmas gift idea!

The text above, if it's too small to read:

*salad spinner + paper + paint... and spin!
*take these little beauties... cut in half, arrange on mat, and mod podge
*add a picture & frame, and that's it!

stained glass Christmas trees

2008-12-04T08:09:00.003-07:00

I'm going to save these for a year or two, when the boys can do their own cutting, but you might like to try them this year.

Snip, snip, glue.

pom pom ornaments

2008-12-04T08:07:00.002-07:00

If you want to use her template (cut out of cardboard or a cereal box), it's here.

Frosted Reindeer Cookies

2008-12-03T18:05:00.002-07:00

Oh my word, how cute are these?!

And even better, the kids can totally help in making them!

(sugar cookies, vanilla frosting, pretzels, chocolate chips, gumdrops)

crafts from the past

2008-12-02T07:55:00.002-07:00

When you see those, don't you feel 5 years old again? Template for the mouse and more on Skip to My Lou.

Mini Felt Christmas Trees

2008-11-30T17:28:00.003-07:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I love this easy cut and paste craft to start off December. Mom cuts out 8 felt circles and small holes in the center of each one, and the kids stack and glue them to a toilet paper roll before decorating.

Templates for the rounds and all directions are here.

Apple Prints

2008-11-27T17:50:00.003-07:00

I feel like I need to throw this up here today before we move onto all things WINTER and CHRISTMAS!

My kids (and do you see an extra in the pic?!) loved finding the star in the apple. Cut the sides off the apple, so you have only the core remaining. Holding the core the "tall way", cut it in half
horizontally. Ta-DA - there's your star. Add paint, paper, and enjoy.

Fruit Gobbler

2008-11-24T16:59:00.003-07:00

Family Fun is the best. I just love them. Check this out:
We are SO making this on Thanksgiving! I don't know what you all do, but we eat a big breakfast of homemade cinnamon rolls, juice and omelets, and then just snack here and then before we eat the big mid-afternoon meal. Wouldn't this be fun to make in the morning and snack on through the day? The body calls for a melon, but I'm going to use one of the pumpkins we already have that will just be getting tossed "the day after".

Link to all the directions here.

EDIT: We did it! Not as involved while still being cute, it was the perfect activity to do while hitting "pause" on the Macy's parade to build up "Tivo juice".

teepee cupcakes

2008-11-24T07:15:00.002-07:00

A cupcake inside an upside-down ice cream cone? Love it. Directions here.

turkey art projects

2008-11-20T13:55:00.001-07:00

Cute, huh? From just for fun

Thanksgiving Poems

2008-11-20T08:32:00.003-07:00

Five Fat Turkeys Are We

Five fat turkeys are we.

We spent the night in a tree.

When the cook came around,

We couldn't be found,

And that's why we're here you see -

gobble, gobble!

Oh, five fat turkeys are we.

We spent the night in a tree.

It sure does pay

On Thanksgiving Day

To sleep in the tallest tree -

gobble, gobble!

Mighty Fine Turkey

(strut like a turkey to help get the wiggles out!)

I'm a mighty fine turkey

And I sing a fine song - gobble, gobble, gobble.

I strut around the barnyard all day long

My head goes - bobble, bobble, bobble.

On Thanksgiving Day

I run away with a - waddle, waddle, waddle

So on the day after

My head will still - bobble, bobble, bobble!

Our Turkey is a Big Fat Bird

(with movements!)

Our turkey is a big fat bird.

(hold hands out to indicate large)

He gobbles when he talks.

(move hand, thumb to fingers, like talking)

Our turkey is a big fat bird.

(hold hands out ot indicate large)

We waddles when he walks.

(wiggle hand side to side)

Our turkey is a big fat bird.

(hold hands out to indicate large)

He spreads his tail this way.

(spread fingers on hand like a fan)

On Thanksgiving Day our fat bird...

(hold hands out to indicate large)

Lifts his wings and flies away!

(flap arms to fly)

When I teach my kids new poems, I write them down on our chalkboard or on easel paper, highlighting "important" words (in this case Thankgiving words) to help with their word recognition. Plus, they love taking turns pointing to the poem and leading the rest of us as we practice saying the poems together. And then on the holiday we do our best to recite the poems to Daddy, or whoever happens to be celebrating with us.

Turkey Cookies

2008-11-19T10:06:00.005-07:00

We made these a year or two ago. This isn't our picture, I just found it on the internet, but this is exactly what they looked like. Candy corn, mini m&m's, and a sugar cookie. Voila!

oreo turkey cookies

2008-11-16T06:58:00.002-07:00

I don't think we'll make these this year but you should - and take a picture to show us!

What you need:

7 Candy Corn

2 Oreo Cookies

1 Whopper

1 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup

1 Tube of Black piping gel

1 tube of White Icing

Red & Yellow Food coloring (to make orange feet)

(from living locurto)

(almost) homemade bowl

2008-11-14T17:30:00.004-07:00

1 white ceramic serving bowl
+
porcelein markers
+
2 eager girls
=
(almost) homemade to the max

(forgive the color palette, I didn't have it in me to argue with 2 preschoolers)

bow holder

2008-11-14T16:57:00.005-07:00

My girls have bows, bows, and more bows. It's not their fault, it's mine. I get on Etsy and go to town, buying the cutest little bows. (Gals with Girls is by far my favorite). But when you have this bow addiction, as I obviously do, you start to run out of space in the drawer(s) and find them all over the house. I love the litte bow holders you can buy, but instead of spending $10/$15 to buy one, I decided to make my own.

I bought a wooden butterfly thing at Michael's for $1.50, then a yard of ribbon at JoAnn's for $1. I painted the butterfly with some paints I had, stapled the ribbon to the butterfly, and wah-lah! Our very own bow holder...

turkey placecards

2008-11-14T13:18:00.008-07:00

In need for an art project this afternoon, the girls and I thought it would be fun to make some placecards for Thanksgiving. It was simple, they worked on some small motor skills, and it took a good hour to complete. Perfect!
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Supplies: construction paper, index cards, scissors, glue, marker

handprint turkeys

2008-11-14T12:31:00.002-07:00

source

some Thanksgiving Songs and Rhymes

2008-11-11T15:02:00.003-07:00

Click here!

And here!

The second link has the song that's been my favorite since the first year I taught first grade, Albuquerque Turkey. My kids look at me like I'm a loon whenever I sing it, but it's not going to stop me!

Learning songs and rhymes is a fabulous (and fun) pre-reading skill for little ones.

sock turkey

2008-11-10T15:36:00.002-07:00

Another easy one from Parents.com.

yarn thankful turkey

2008-11-10T15:33:00.003-07:00

We've done ours in paper in the past. Shanelle was going to do one this year in styrofoam and found that it wasn't too cheap. Ta-DA! They suggest putting the yarn over a ball, but why not just roll up a thing of cheap yarn?

More directions at parents.com

Read Kiddo, Read!

2008-11-10T12:30:00.004-07:00

This website, http://www.readkiddoread.com/home, was created by author James Patterson. It helps parents and teachers develop a kid-friendly library. James' son, Jack, "scoffed at the printed word," even though his father is a best-selling author and his parents read to him every night. "As Jack, 10, puts it, the problem was the product. 'With lots of books for kids, their parents want them to read.' he says. 'But it's not something the kid wants to read.'" Thus James put together this website.

It's also really important for parents to remember that many adult books are written at a 6th grade level, meaning the content is not appropriate. Just something to remember for parents with elementary kids!

http://www.readkiddoread.com/home

hurdles for kids

2008-11-10T10:36:00.002-07:00

GOOD ONES, I promise!I was so excited to find this post, on a new-to-me blog this morning. It's raining today, and we've already had 2 good snow storms. Being cooped up for the winter with 2 lively preschoolers and a baby is already weighing me down, and I can use any good idea I can find for indoor physical activities that won't break windows, bones and don't take tons of room. If you have any more ideas along those lines, will you please PLEASE share?

paper plate turkeys

2008-11-10T09:58:00.000-07:00

Cute, easy, and not even that messy.

turkey treats

2008-11-06T12:41:00.006-07:00

Hello, Turkey! You could make these as chocolate rice krispy treats, or with carmel popcorn.

I couldn't figure out the head on the top picture, here's a close-up: Candy corn beak, gummy worm waddle and m&m eyes. Cute!

More detailed directions at alphamom.

crayon leaves

2008-11-03T16:48:00.003-07:00

This was fun, but the kids did a lot of doing their own thing by me as I did this. They helped grate the crayons on the smallest hole of the cheese grater, picked what color shavings to put into the wax paper when, and fold the towel over the wax paper (put the towel on the top AND bottom!). I cut out the construction paper outlines, and they "helped" with glue dots. Anyway, we have a bunch of pretty leaves in our window now.

Fall Tree

2008-11-02T10:24:00.003-07:00

My girls absolutely love collecting leaves that have fallen from the trees. Needless to say, we have a plethora of leaves just waiting to be used!

To start this project we read "Autumn's First Leaf" and talked about how leaves change color in the fall. Then we painted a bare tree (trunk & branches) on a large piece of paper, let dry, and glued the fall leaves on.

Fall & Thanksgiving Bookshelf

2008-11-01T16:39:00.003-06:00

Alrighty, I'm working on a bookshelf for Fall and Thanksgiving books for children, and as you can see (above), I'm having a difficult time. Please comment with some of your favorites!