Christmas Card Tree

A fun idea to hang up Christmas cards, I found on Pinterest.

For this project:

Star

Washi Tape

String or ribbon

clothes pins

push pins

CHRISTMAS CARDS

One thing that I really like about this great way to display cards is that you and do so much to change it up. It doesn't have to look just like mine. Your could do a twig star or have a felt star or what ever you wish. There are so many options with washi tape, good luck choosing! You can use twine or fishing line or what ever color ribbon you wish.

I was so proud that I found this star on sale and then received an extra 30% off so that I could do this fun little project. Since we have a clothes line it wasn't a big deal for me to buy the clothes pins. And for the first time I used washi tape. I stood in Staples debating which one to use... have you seen how many options there are? But when I think of christmas I think about red and black flannel pajamas and how comfy cozy they are.  Plus it was a real bonus that they had a special on the red star and some red string from last year.

 I ended up needing to use push pins to hold the string on with the card and clothes pins since it weighed too much for the tape to hold it up.  The only way that they would fall is when my little rascals would pull on them, but after time like all things, they learned not to mess around with the string or cards.

The boys started to hang up the cards instead of rip them off. What a joy to read all of the cards to them or sometimes them to me.  Since I adore Christmas, the meaning of Christmas, and the spirit of Christmas it means a lot that they are starting to love it too!I Really there  is nothing better. 

With two days until Christmas the Christmas Card Tree looks beautiful! Can I tell you a secret? I LOVE sending out christmas cards!!!! It is so much fun... for me!!!!  It is a way to show how much God loved us and the commandment to share that love with his people. I think about my Grandmothers who would call me as soon as they received a card filled with joy. Another secret is that I love to get mail and I have given that joy to my boys.  It is always an adventure to see what is in the mailbox and who got what. 

Frozen Oreo Pudding Pops

Frozen Oreo Pudding Pops with NANA in Denver

Oreo Pudding Pops

1 box (6 oz) chocolate

1 box (6 oz) vanilla pudding

6 cups of milk

8 crushed Oreo cookies

Popsicle molds or dixie cups

1. Prepare the pudding in separate bowls, following the direction on the box. Split the crushed cookies in the chocolate pudding and the vanilla.

2.Fill popsicle molds, (we used dixie cups and popsicle sticks) with a layer of chocolate and vanilla. It looks really fun when there is three or more layers.

3. Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours. Enjoy on a hot summer day with some people you LOVE!

Chocolate pudding with crushed cookies and vanilla with the crushed cookies, There are ready to be put in the molds (dixie cups).

MJ help his Nana's pour chocolate layer.

JD helps Nana with vanilla.

Nana reviles the first one!!!!

MJ takes his first bite...

Then JD tries his....

It's a hit!

Thanks you Nana!

LEAF Turkeys

First off we had to start a leaves collection for this project. The boys had lots of fun doing this and frankly had a bigger collection than we need! Isn't hat how it always works though? 

Now I am starting to feel a little guilty because I usually take photos of my oldest boy working on the project. With the younger son I am either I am frantically trying to  do everything in the right order and not destroy the house once he wakes up from his nap or trying to do to many things at once with MJ (older) and JD (younger). Maybe one of these days I will do a better job of catching both of them doing the projects. As for now I have to know that it is good that I did the best that I could and our house is still standing! 

The boys divided up the leaves and then choose a fall colored piece of construction paper. I cut out the body of the turkey, which was a brown piece of contraction paper in a figure eight shape. I also cut the legs and nose out of felt. The boys put on there googly eyes. Sure is cool that we can use a little bit of nature to make our craft on a little bit different.

Pretty AWESOME!!!! I really like seeing them work as the project turns out. I let MJ have control of the glue and he thought he was so BIG! This Mama is having a hard time with that but like I tell him, God has big plans for you today and tomorrow and all the days after that as you get bigger and older. 

JD will have to wait a few more years! for glue control ;).

I have to remind myself of this verse when ever I start to feel anxious. Even about not taking photos of JD doing his project. I don't have to have it all together and I don't. I know that my GOD take me as I am, and forgives me when I ask.

God is so good!!!!

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Bee Mine... Bumble Bee Valentine Day Fun!

Bumble Bees, Writing Practice, Paint Hearts, and Pinto Bean Math

Here it is.....! MJ's sweet little bumble bee. I had already decided to that everyone in the family would do a Valentine's Day bee.

This craft was very simple. We took stuff that we already had and used them! 

What we needed:

Toilet paper roll

Craft sticks

Permeant marker 

Googly eyes

Felt for wings and nose

Glitter

Glue (I like to use a hot glue gun)

Yellow and Black construction paper

At this point my every-so-sweet 2 year old is up now. He destroyed all of the piles and what I was doing and even lost one of my googly eyes. This mad one irritated Mama! It was so much fun because he was whining and wanting to do a bumble bee too, and MJ was wondering what he could do next! So I pulled out the paint and let them paint! JD did it later and I wasn't able to get photos of him but they each made enough to send to both set of grandparents and to decorate the house with! All it took was me grabbing a bunch of typing paper and drew some large hearts on the pictures, I finished up doing my bee and work on JD work on his. Dada did his once he go home for dinner.

Now I can't remember when this happened but I am sure it was well little man was sleeping. MJ loves to tell people about our puppy! So I figure why not let him write about it! He was very proud of this when he was all done.  Then I tried to do replicate from what I remember about school and did repeat the a few of words individually.

I got this idea from Webster's Early Learning Center's Math Night about 3 years ago, when we went to go with my BBF's son. I wrote the number of beans that go in each slot and then grabbed a heaping pile of pinto beans. Then I gave him directions and that was that. Next he had to ignore the numbers and count by twos. JD even enjoyed to do this.

I really like the February/Valentine's Day mantle.

Almond Joy Pie

Yum!

Almond Joy Pic

Large graham cracker crust

1 Almond Joy pudding mixture

1 Dark Chocolate pudding mixture

4 cups of milk

1 small whipping cream

1/4-1/2 cup of sugar

Toasted almonds

Toasted coconut

If you don't like Almond Joy's... you are crazy! Ha! Anyhow, here is our adventure in making an Almond Joy pie for my Mom's birthday. My mom's favorite is coconut anything, so it seemed fitting.

Pouring in the packages of the pudding

I had picked up the Almond Joy pudding package at the store in KS and then picked up the graham cracker crust in CO.  Not realizing that there was a difference in the size of the crust. If you got the smaller one you need to use 1 pudding package, if you got the larger one you need two. You already know that  I grabbed  the larger crust because that would mean I would have to go back to the store for a second pudding package. Thankfully my brother went for me instead so that I wouldn't have to drag my little ones to grab just 1 package of pudding. They didn't have the Almond Joy pudding so he grabbed some  dark chocolate pudding.

Add the milk.

Mixing the milk and pudding mix.

The director informing me of what to do next ;)!

I am sure glad that I had my helpers!  Once the pudding was done I put it into the graham cracker crust.

MJ helped me make the whip cream! With some whipping cream and sugar. Then put that on top of the pudding mixture.

I was taking pictures on my phone, it was hard because my subject was staying still... hopefully you caught the sarcasm!

I toasted some almonds and then coconut and put it on top of the whip cream. Who is drooling!

My mom really enjoyed the pie. I am not sure if it was because of her boys who made it for her or because Almond Joy is her favorite candy bar! Maybe a little of both!

Cinnamon Bread with bananas with a hint of Nutella!

Snack time SUCESS!

We are doing our best to make eating heathy fun! Sometime for snack we will give our boys a banana or some yogurt. I know that they love to help in the kitchen. With the fruit it not hard. For our kids it's the veggies. If I am brave enough, I will possibly post us trying to feed the kids veggies. 

MJ had to be persuaded a little bit but JD was all about it! He was down to wash his hands in the bathroom bore I even gotten a bit. I wish I could of gotten a picture of his sweet face covered with Nutella.