tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39097052002945469962024-03-05T08:55:37.553-05:00The Fun MommiesFun in the suburbsFun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.comBlogger224125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-87126312532839615292010-05-10T14:27:00.001-04:002010-05-10T14:28:07.493-04:00Easy Vacation Memory Keeper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPI-Ax8edKtojWh_macqKkzbw6ZWacQ7Acycxme6NwTNT6UeyY2G1t9T4qvQZF8HDVN7x7oHZ6Z0FvXWFiYJifvGacGfKCSrUyD1DAxchKUwU5EvjB_iemXAX3n97l7zJUKISWvkva8w/s1600/P1000009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPI-Ax8edKtojWh_macqKkzbw6ZWacQ7Acycxme6NwTNT6UeyY2G1t9T4qvQZF8HDVN7x7oHZ6Z0FvXWFiYJifvGacGfKCSrUyD1DAxchKUwU5EvjB_iemXAX3n97l7zJUKISWvkva8w/s200/P1000009.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>A couple of years ago my Mom hosted our entire family for an amazing trip to Italy. We stayed in a town called Montecatini Terme in an amazing house with a pool. We participated in passegelato after dinner every evening ("passegiata"=evening walk, "passegelato"=evening walk to get gelato).<br />
<br />
It was lovely. Thanks, Mom!<br />
<br />
During this trip we were faced with the challenge of collecting some souvenirs for the kids that would remind them of the amazing trip without taking up an amazing amount of space in our luggage.<br />
<br />
We noticed that there were these great tourist-y pins at many of the stops on our journey and decided they were just the thing to collect. Small, inexpensive, and available just about anywhere our travels would take us. Sold!<br />
<br />
When we returned home from the trip, I was determined to find a way to display the pins so that Sprout and Tater could enjoy and add to their collections over time. After considering different materials and ideas, we ended up with this super-easy combination of felt and cork board.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWy1t0P-hk4Ru9iGNiQ1ZzEemHqSQx6LgXV-_DA6PvcaoAdPgNWxez-_2nuCfJjbNcVpA1WB6ZBa3JWSVd6ZXKLEPeoIDRIdCm4oqnMmr0Vq5tiH76FKJA8Gptd_pjYvyO_t-J1soa26U/s1600/P1000010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWy1t0P-hk4Ru9iGNiQ1ZzEemHqSQx6LgXV-_DA6PvcaoAdPgNWxez-_2nuCfJjbNcVpA1WB6ZBa3JWSVd6ZXKLEPeoIDRIdCm4oqnMmr0Vq5tiH76FKJA8Gptd_pjYvyO_t-J1soa26U/s200/P1000010.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>To make these we took a tile of self-adhesive cork and cut it in half (that made one for each child). Then we cut a piece of black felt to the same size and stuck it to the cork (using the adhesive from the cork to stick it on). This (not good) picture shows the side of the felt/cork sandwich.<br />
<br />
I bought a length of canvas-like ribbon and sewed it to the back of each "plaque" so that it could be hung up. I had to fiddle with them a little bit to get the ribbon spaced properly so that the center of the cork wouldn't sag.<br />
<br />
Then we just stuck the pins through the felt and cork and used their backs to hook them on. The backs really have to be smooshed on pretty hard to get them to click together, but eventually we got them all hooked.<br />
<br />
This has been a really fun collection to add to over the intervening years.<br />
<br />
Here is one of the originals from Florence:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJf4H_3K6Iod3_tMiLLZHDmarHUSuvUpRH6l8cMGD-SxdYnUt34gaVoiVjPLK81Hih9iTNcLvUmRjz45Euy4La1slrPaTfuiw9uxS4iA-pAPixnrwyLsdDyHrhTf5D_nN-1KELxumt7g/s1600/P1000020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJf4H_3K6Iod3_tMiLLZHDmarHUSuvUpRH6l8cMGD-SxdYnUt34gaVoiVjPLK81Hih9iTNcLvUmRjz45Euy4La1slrPaTfuiw9uxS4iA-pAPixnrwyLsdDyHrhTf5D_nN-1KELxumt7g/s200/P1000020.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Rome (we didn't go there - but my parents did):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBSDwNGTV2AAffVxN1R_1VIinDkU618EgNVjxKdtpGNBRuptf6IFwWHE8ZcNVKNl4gP6JBwPZivkebucZ7rBCwi9RQIE6GZiwrZCeoPs2JH7jElGE-_8mGuQwwjP4HTdo-YdQbdkQDlE/s1600/P1000013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBSDwNGTV2AAffVxN1R_1VIinDkU618EgNVjxKdtpGNBRuptf6IFwWHE8ZcNVKNl4gP6JBwPZivkebucZ7rBCwi9RQIE6GZiwrZCeoPs2JH7jElGE-_8mGuQwwjP4HTdo-YdQbdkQDlE/s200/P1000013.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
There's also one on the side there from a Phillies game. And the one on the far left is from Munich (we were in the airport on the way back from Italy, the kids figured that was pin-worthy).<br />
<br />
There are also more domestic destinations represented in their collections. Nashville: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0bwn_oEY6-nco5fklWbh3g0AvJ1JTXKGrAnWeOnhaL5fkGgTLytNijJTVeAgfsuZvKHIwjascLCgCxN7EZDi3LOVS1ny1TLUJxlweDn0fWdV-symbxQ3rnIadiXvzEKZK3ZDDdZYxAY/s1600/P1000012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0bwn_oEY6-nco5fklWbh3g0AvJ1JTXKGrAnWeOnhaL5fkGgTLytNijJTVeAgfsuZvKHIwjascLCgCxN7EZDi3LOVS1ny1TLUJxlweDn0fWdV-symbxQ3rnIadiXvzEKZK3ZDDdZYxAY/s200/P1000012.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
The Mote Aquarium in Sarasota (no, I don't know what those manatees are doing...):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oxgFklwGPtchyphenhyphenI-zXiMZz8Ie4IbsYPxan6FmvuHrIJGrqyxQCBLvcCyZrTvhXenl7aUwf0VBsG9_Aj-c-eUnYFipLED1QS6BIjbCevBnFJieF5xWDal6DpqD5I0z3VvG-hva2SOgjOY/s1600/P1000019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oxgFklwGPtchyphenhyphenI-zXiMZz8Ie4IbsYPxan6FmvuHrIJGrqyxQCBLvcCyZrTvhXenl7aUwf0VBsG9_Aj-c-eUnYFipLED1QS6BIjbCevBnFJieF5xWDal6DpqD5I0z3VvG-hva2SOgjOY/s200/P1000019.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
These are fun mementos of trips that we have been on, and it is fun to get souvenirs from the travels of friends and family, too.<br />
<br />
How do you commemorate your travels? Do you have a collection, too?Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-56132606761058928192010-04-23T15:05:00.001-04:002010-04-23T15:07:45.655-04:00Dinotopia at the Delaware Art Museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36EMZh6NJmCzb_JAvcGnfA9yhf0tKDNFs70kEDAFv8ymdFbhpMZ4vAFM_zIUlT6GeOwW5zulDd0IsBWwLu7wdeluhu1cKg7wvtMDfDwh1SfLtDCzrx5O8OTDrUuIbMvklH5yFTkbBsIA/s1600/dino_cutaway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36EMZh6NJmCzb_JAvcGnfA9yhf0tKDNFs70kEDAFv8ymdFbhpMZ4vAFM_zIUlT6GeOwW5zulDd0IsBWwLu7wdeluhu1cKg7wvtMDfDwh1SfLtDCzrx5O8OTDrUuIbMvklH5yFTkbBsIA/s200/dino_cutaway.jpg" width="170" /></a></div>We were looking for something fun to do with the kids last weekend and in my Googling around for events for kids, found that there was an exhibit at the <a href="http://www.delart.org/home.html">Delaware Art Museum</a> of original artwork from the book series <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dinotopia-James-Gurney/dp/0060530642?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dinotopia</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060530642" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. My mom had actually given me a clipping about the exhibit a few months ago, but I had forgotten about it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, we set out for our drive down to Wilmington via scenic Route 52 through West Chester, hoping all the way not to set off a bout of carsickness in Tater. The boy is not so good on scenic roads.<br />
<br />
Luckily he was OK (whew) and we made our way to a lovely lunch at the Cosi in Greenville and then into Rockford Park to the museum.<br />
<br />
The kids and I had been to the Delaware Art Museum last summer (I think) to see a sculpture collection, which was very cool. This time we skipped the other stuff and just went in to the <a href="http://www.delart.org/exhibitions/dinotopia.html">Dinotopia exhibit</a>.<br />
<br />
We had a lovely tour guide who told us all about how James Gurney originally started doing paintings of this imagined world where dinosaurs and humans lived peacefully together and then started to develop them into stories. The level of detail in his works is completely amazing, as is the amount of imagination that went into building this entire world.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TulvJfzQ8Rn12hcIJ5jB4q1MqS2gnFR0OdJrFSgrFw5_rRwPGjpYkK2LsiI5dLfTkzwODfWG5aUmAZZA_yK1XIca0koWTM2hCljCSYO-P_X2a_LvXo8tDVd9r1cYNnz5kZpGtSG8HVw/s1600/dinotopia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TulvJfzQ8Rn12hcIJ5jB4q1MqS2gnFR0OdJrFSgrFw5_rRwPGjpYkK2LsiI5dLfTkzwODfWG5aUmAZZA_yK1XIca0koWTM2hCljCSYO-P_X2a_LvXo8tDVd9r1cYNnz5kZpGtSG8HVw/s320/dinotopia.jpg" /></a></div>The exhibit included original oil paintings, sketches, and models that were built so that Gurney could study how light and shadow would play off of his imagined creations. The kids especially liked the stories about how Gurney would have his friends and family act out some of his ideas to see how they worked.<br />
<br />
The "viewing of artwork" got a little tedious for the kids after a while, but they were troopers about the whole thing and really enjoyed seeing the world of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dinotopia-James-Gurney/dp/0060530642?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dinotopia</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060530642" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. Apparently there are a few books and also <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dinotopia-Erik-von-Detten/dp/B0000YEE6W?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">some movies</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000YEE6W" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> about this imaginary world. We are going to have to work on getting some of them so we can see what it is all about!<br />
<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.delart.org/exhibitions/dinotopia.html">Dinotopia exhibit</a> is on display at the <a href="http://www.delart.org/home.html">Delaware Art Museum</a> until May 16th, so if you get a chance, you should definitely go check it out.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNafDxzK1ba_Xx1dsN6DW8FeHZFQxkb-uxekQekGou9IWFpqy8F1WokTvJHyWb8DjSSY8_ZorBbTZon4dho0XQmWu64-H4WjmUfeXUAf2iRU9AZTAGkJH05sJfrGlIA5on1wDwwbkI_k/s1600/stoppingtime1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNafDxzK1ba_Xx1dsN6DW8FeHZFQxkb-uxekQekGou9IWFpqy8F1WokTvJHyWb8DjSSY8_ZorBbTZon4dho0XQmWu64-H4WjmUfeXUAf2iRU9AZTAGkJH05sJfrGlIA5on1wDwwbkI_k/s200/stoppingtime1.jpg" width="200" /></a>While we were there, we also stopped in to take a look at <a href="http://www.delart.org/exhibitions/harold_edgerton.html">some photographs by Harold Edgerton</a>, which capture things that the eye can't even see, The kids loved these amazing photos, possibly even more than the dinosaurs!<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, this exhibit is only there through April 25th, but if you get there before then, make sure to take a look!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17Nu6sNCQs2-pdulryvdDpYbWTL_AcbiEI3N1sGQjIuRVkcMWKb8_XOinxFsRyWgwBgDL0eSdgpU4tWO2NcyMPekPwMu4W0bX9Knp0t92AxdyZc36PGIiPcf26egdGbkV1gjMAcEFY6k/s1600/OtternessCryingGiant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17Nu6sNCQs2-pdulryvdDpYbWTL_AcbiEI3N1sGQjIuRVkcMWKb8_XOinxFsRyWgwBgDL0eSdgpU4tWO2NcyMPekPwMu4W0bX9Knp0t92AxdyZc36PGIiPcf26egdGbkV1gjMAcEFY6k/s200/OtternessCryingGiant.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Finally, we walked out through the <a href="http://www.delart.org/collections/sculp_garden/index.html">Copeland Sculpture Garden,</a> We think this guy belongs in our yard. He's only about 40 feet tall. I think the neighbors would love that!<br />
<br />
The Delaware Art Museum is a fun day trip and offers quite a few interesting collections and exhibits. It makes for a less overwhelming introduction to art for little kids than a huge museum like the Philadelphia Museum of Art. You should go.Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-40218728782754792672010-04-13T14:24:00.001-04:002010-04-13T14:27:10.530-04:00Jell-O Suncatchers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwv40SvHtVY-jzchyphenhypheno5mkVRNr-RCxSigAh-z6dza0AMfXrez-5Rt7Njeq6z7gF1R7XtFIcOO6nuCWMEPB72MRVkxh0V_wYJWgFJIenlNlfiAqQOEjK5aTSAx-Ah73uhKo_96L4xk9ICt0/s1600/IMG_1558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwv40SvHtVY-jzchyphenhypheno5mkVRNr-RCxSigAh-z6dza0AMfXrez-5Rt7Njeq6z7gF1R7XtFIcOO6nuCWMEPB72MRVkxh0V_wYJWgFJIenlNlfiAqQOEjK5aTSAx-Ah73uhKo_96L4xk9ICt0/s200/IMG_1558.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Back before Easter, I was flipping through the newest issue of Family Fun Magazine and found <a href="http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/pretty-plastic-light-catchers-860024/">this fun idea to make "plastic" sun catchers</a> using gelatin and food coloring. Fun, right?<br />
<br />
I asked the kids if they wanted to try it out and they gave me kind of a hard time about it, but eventually gave in when I told them they could squirt in the food coloring. Food coloring is fun!<br />
<br />
So we gathered our materials:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxZMLRbcad2kgOvW1Y2p8mfiMMHnT9HS8tIBQEJErUon7xExS9nOvyKxgBP748ifQRNoHqL7_MInMtGKxvaRy9t96XN0CWu09X155Ky7kXqjFMsQ6eOO2aAvK1or8EzhUZUy2aTJ7-nQ/s1600/IMG_1553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxZMLRbcad2kgOvW1Y2p8mfiMMHnT9HS8tIBQEJErUon7xExS9nOvyKxgBP748ifQRNoHqL7_MInMtGKxvaRy9t96XN0CWu09X155Ky7kXqjFMsQ6eOO2aAvK1or8EzhUZUy2aTJ7-nQ/s200/IMG_1553.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><ul><li>A box of unflavored gelatin</li>
<li>Some food coloring</li>
<li>Some glitter</li>
<li>Some plastic plates</li>
<li>Little bowls (make sure they are heatproof so they don't collapse when you add boiling water)</li>
<li>Spoons for mixing</li>
<li>And some boiling water (I was in charge of water).</li>
</ul>First we put an envelope of the gelatin (which is icky smelling stuff) into each of our little glass bowls. <br />
<br />
Then I carefully added 3 Tablespoons of boiling water to each. The steam came leaping out of my Pyrex measuring cup at one point causing me to spill a full spoon of boiling water over my hand - ouch! Be careful!<br />
<br />
The kids diligently mixed until the gelatin dissolved in each bowl. It got a bit lumpy here and there, but with more and more mixing, the lumps eventually went away. I tried zapping one of the bowls in the microwave for a few seconds to see if that would help and - oh my - that was not a good idea. There was a lot of frothing and bubbling. Very frightening. I wouldn't recommend it.<br />
<br />
Once we had the gelatin powder all dissolved the kids added a few drops of food coloring to each bowl and mixed that in well. Somehow everyone ended up with very green hands. Not sure whether that was an accident or intentional.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UDqy1C1qT8mqQ3nSoMkidM3xm06f6brjjZet6QNxtvD-fJU3JYUWcdTeGLeqLhKjpdlDkPPiWnh1iF3AMBNtcg0y656QiYzgfE44rr3zCED6OCK4WRLPG3OIpk4PzPSasXsbVFpcR18/s1600/IMG_1554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UDqy1C1qT8mqQ3nSoMkidM3xm06f6brjjZet6QNxtvD-fJU3JYUWcdTeGLeqLhKjpdlDkPPiWnh1iF3AMBNtcg0y656QiYzgfE44rr3zCED6OCK4WRLPG3OIpk4PzPSasXsbVFpcR18/s200/IMG_1554.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Then we poured each batch of colored gelatin onto an individual plastic plate. I had these strangely shaped rimmed plates. Bigger flatter ones would probably be easier to work with. It was hard to peel the dried gelatin out of the corners of these.<br />
<br />
Anyway, we spread the hot gelatin mixture out on the plates and then added a few drops of a contrasting color and swirled it around on a few. We also dusted the surfaces with a little bit of glitter.<br />
<br />
Then we waited overnight for the cooling, drying process to take place.<br />
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwv40SvHtVY-jzchyphenhypheno5mkVRNr-RCxSigAh-z6dza0AMfXrez-5Rt7Njeq6z7gF1R7XtFIcOO6nuCWMEPB72MRVkxh0V_wYJWgFJIenlNlfiAqQOEjK5aTSAx-Ah73uhKo_96L4xk9ICt0/s1600/IMG_1558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwv40SvHtVY-jzchyphenhypheno5mkVRNr-RCxSigAh-z6dza0AMfXrez-5Rt7Njeq6z7gF1R7XtFIcOO6nuCWMEPB72MRVkxh0V_wYJWgFJIenlNlfiAqQOEjK5aTSAx-Ah73uhKo_96L4xk9ICt0/s200/IMG_1558.JPG" width="200" /></a>The next day I peeled the almost dry (it was still a little rubbery) result off of the plates and laid them out to dry the rest of the way. You can see the swirls on the surface of the finished product and how they got a weird bendy, organic-type shape to them. I think this was because of the weird plates. If you had bigger ones and could just pop the dried disks off, I bet they would stay flat.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6sA3fmT_ZnhAU9KUgFbymT8wC-_znY9I4qbdGenYgw1VmTUBq9wlxlVKLSWStASLNV6fQFXnoLBpTmHBFx0USBQCHuGoi-52QYEGmDYAs8ABENBSvrt1CFLFtXamSgniJe3cwvuPVzI/s1600/IMG_1561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6sA3fmT_ZnhAU9KUgFbymT8wC-_znY9I4qbdGenYgw1VmTUBq9wlxlVKLSWStASLNV6fQFXnoLBpTmHBFx0USBQCHuGoi-52QYEGmDYAs8ABENBSvrt1CFLFtXamSgniJe3cwvuPVzI/s200/IMG_1561.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
In the magazine, they said to cut the dried "plastic" into shapes. But when I tried that with the blue one, it was too brittle and cracked all along the edges. Maybe if I had tried when they weren't quite dry it would have worked better. Or if I had a decent pair of scissors. Or talent. This picture is supposed to show the cracking.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIk527rmvithr_Kz7p7wCtnOEVcdWEpdWhWnwDqQ21q2y6z_d8R1ruCs3xXWZmleNCw3AfxZF4LDoySE516n1oY_wqN8u5sBXX0lRmxBopVuo1ms98CJqwsO_fCC5TermOBQSk8-o2Jgo/s1600/IMG_1570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIk527rmvithr_Kz7p7wCtnOEVcdWEpdWhWnwDqQ21q2y6z_d8R1ruCs3xXWZmleNCw3AfxZF4LDoySE516n1oY_wqN8u5sBXX0lRmxBopVuo1ms98CJqwsO_fCC5TermOBQSk8-o2Jgo/s200/IMG_1570.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
I like the effect of the bendy circles anyway. I think they have a blown art-glass sort of feel to them. This one reminds me of the sun.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was a fun project, but sort of dangerous and tedious for the kids. They liked the coloring part, but the boiling water part was sort of nerve-wracking and the waiting-for-things-to-dry part wasn't fun at all. But the final results were really cool. </div>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-20982177546267772722010-04-02T22:49:00.000-04:002010-04-02T22:49:28.122-04:00Disco Easter Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseIrsaD6J5R6mcLFt_PjTGx287xAMcdJ9F6FgqTAK4vBHhdphG740h7_40B7y7CCIunJdbOVeiY-XZRpeKxUCfcBbdXuyu6STNpY8sb8iRTQWsBHd81z9tc-FEKa9mq0hB1fWIloUAUs/s1600/IMG_1569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseIrsaD6J5R6mcLFt_PjTGx287xAMcdJ9F6FgqTAK4vBHhdphG740h7_40B7y7CCIunJdbOVeiY-XZRpeKxUCfcBbdXuyu6STNpY8sb8iRTQWsBHd81z9tc-FEKa9mq0hB1fWIloUAUs/s200/IMG_1569.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>I found a great idea for Easter Eggs in a<a href="http://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/easter/gorgeous-easter-eggs/?page=4"> Family Circle Magazine</a> that caught my eye last month. They wrapped double-sided tape around the eggs and then rolled them in extra fine glitter. So very cool. I ripped out the picture and saved it so we could try the technique out on our eggs this year. <br />
<br />
We have a traditional egg decorating party with our friends on Good Friday (that was today!) so earlier in the week we gathered our supplies. From the scrapbooking section of Michael's we picked up some glue dots and a roll of thin double stick tape. Then from the craft section we got a fantastic collection of 16 (!) colors of glitter for under $4. Yay!<br />
<br />
This morning I boiled two dozen eggs. I agree that that is WAY too many eggs for a family where only two people are willing to actually eat hard boiled eggs, but we have tried to split a dozen in previous years and the decorating is over in about 10 minutes. So disappointing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaj7lFKEowZxefc8uBS-tLyYyWCU9s80i4LJTa4wcFDp0J9MVuo0kzeeAxo0Y3oDD48xCnhkzck21BMx7Ra7lgBGXzzjM8cNEWHOWo-jHAVLkdFxmx9atWO9KEvsVSNFAq4UJJQwk4Wz4/s1600/IMG_1565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaj7lFKEowZxefc8uBS-tLyYyWCU9s80i4LJTa4wcFDp0J9MVuo0kzeeAxo0Y3oDD48xCnhkzck21BMx7Ra7lgBGXzzjM8cNEWHOWo-jHAVLkdFxmx9atWO9KEvsVSNFAq4UJJQwk4Wz4/s200/IMG_1565.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Our friends brought several other egg decorating kits and we all set to work.<br />
<br />
The technique for the glitter eggs was, starting with either a naked egg or one that had been dyed and dried, to place the tape or sticky dots onto the egg and then to pour some of the glitter into a little bowl. Then dipping the tape and/or our fingers into the glitter, we rubbed the glitter into the tape/dot until it was completely covered and shiny. We used a soft, dry paintbrush to brush off the extra glitter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8W5JqLeTN_YlEU9gX_NqZihdfJpCJ19NJYz8cakQy4oFCNnKz6M172z7IeIMIFCi-UgTW3bbLigoq4lKNiqBsX2VFM8eAnIGuGJVvj_E3Pbw2_P4A3VExF0Snkqf8Zym8rEhGjCJM4HY/s1600/IMG_1568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8W5JqLeTN_YlEU9gX_NqZihdfJpCJ19NJYz8cakQy4oFCNnKz6M172z7IeIMIFCi-UgTW3bbLigoq4lKNiqBsX2VFM8eAnIGuGJVvj_E3Pbw2_P4A3VExF0Snkqf8Zym8rEhGjCJM4HY/s200/IMG_1568.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Everyone really enjoyed this technique, although my kitchen looks very much like fairies have visited. Very sparkly.<br />
<br />
I am not sure what happens when you try to peel and eat the glitter eggs. Seems like there might be some residue. But I am hoping that a quick rinse will resolve that situation.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZNrAfLYPsOHJhhqQb64caH-TLd9CSwX1S4v4bLbsHwvGH-HpynvI8yUY13kvT-nU2VUFvKkZj4CMY96kAg-U2AXAINv6grwbXP8gyk7R3VWIwiHrxbTqhyphenhyphenfrzCpXNhl4r6vhhjq98Yg/s1600/IMG_1563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZNrAfLYPsOHJhhqQb64caH-TLd9CSwX1S4v4bLbsHwvGH-HpynvI8yUY13kvT-nU2VUFvKkZj4CMY96kAg-U2AXAINv6grwbXP8gyk7R3VWIwiHrxbTqhyphenhyphenfrzCpXNhl4r6vhhjq98Yg/s200/IMG_1563.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
Sprout spend so much time and care on her eggs that she had only completed half of them by the time the other kids were done. But she eventually finished them all and they are quite fabulous! She made the polka dotted egg and the one that says "Happy Easter" at the top (bad picture, sorry).<br />
<br />
Tater made this one that he called "Elvis". I did the one with silver/blue/pink stripes. <br />
<br />
Here is a gallery of our other creations. I highly recommend this technique as a new twist on egg decorating - it was really fun and so very sparkly!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM6pTCRY3YKF66c5FZCJlqOsSDLyhqS-b4JgzQ_tdB1O1hWHZM_NoAI7gCukG2ORmU2n2EXJEbcJDAwvrjO2wcWMQBakUxk2acWO54Y5gPGsCsgkLGSoi3FkTKEDApZosZ4TTWaZUyjo/s1600/IMG_1564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM6pTCRY3YKF66c5FZCJlqOsSDLyhqS-b4JgzQ_tdB1O1hWHZM_NoAI7gCukG2ORmU2n2EXJEbcJDAwvrjO2wcWMQBakUxk2acWO54Y5gPGsCsgkLGSoi3FkTKEDApZosZ4TTWaZUyjo/s200/IMG_1564.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvLRDN0y2Juo4ELm5ck3R0fvaHJ62fOZSxJjbo_souqg08OeKXZ3LUpT0_izdCQzFyx-LXlp61M5eahleMyy7-mk-9I4RcBbUlKaA6mZkh7lnjOBlOmiTmfxrYITEI2QEz7-vgGZFwDs/s1600/IMG_1567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvLRDN0y2Juo4ELm5ck3R0fvaHJ62fOZSxJjbo_souqg08OeKXZ3LUpT0_izdCQzFyx-LXlp61M5eahleMyy7-mk-9I4RcBbUlKaA6mZkh7lnjOBlOmiTmfxrYITEI2QEz7-vgGZFwDs/s200/IMG_1567.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDG-tMqXs7g7KK_nXw56RbTKnk130sSE-OR-oTorIodn1wkuxrc9Ii8LrmIv99Mwv-8ZbMjTb8Klx5u_nhcJq29ZPee4mJw-jq6Vj3KVR8eO3TBXy5vQX_-rs7AnnYwR0o6UUY_1Q3zAg/s1600/IMG_1566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDG-tMqXs7g7KK_nXw56RbTKnk130sSE-OR-oTorIodn1wkuxrc9Ii8LrmIv99Mwv-8ZbMjTb8Klx5u_nhcJq29ZPee4mJw-jq6Vj3KVR8eO3TBXy5vQX_-rs7AnnYwR0o6UUY_1Q3zAg/s200/IMG_1566.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-46183306115558599072010-03-27T15:16:00.001-04:002010-03-27T15:21:13.240-04:00Food Children are (almost) Willing to Eat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GNRPROE0SCFxTCQyUcPM66Qbn7t_QAidwojViFI70rdiJlt0dM9tz047y7v_q0Zi-sIJxSdlertwB7fVGnQ7ZwUn8Xrjt3YoRLjchjRSkisTF25FUPAztvBa3BSy0djPmMg6j-tENqo/s1600/chicken+nugget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GNRPROE0SCFxTCQyUcPM66Qbn7t_QAidwojViFI70rdiJlt0dM9tz047y7v_q0Zi-sIJxSdlertwB7fVGnQ7ZwUn8Xrjt3YoRLjchjRSkisTF25FUPAztvBa3BSy0djPmMg6j-tENqo/s200/chicken+nugget.jpg" width="182" /></a></div>I made this great <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/main-courses/slow-cooker-salsa-chicken/">Salsa Chicken</a> in the crock pot last night. Sprout ate a bite of the chicken and declared it to be "not my favorite chicken (which would be nuggets, thus the picture) but not bad." This is high praise indeed and the grown-ups thought it was quite delicious.<br />
<br />
I didn't take a picture of what we actually had. Too busy eating.<br />
<br />
I know it's not fun...but having the kids not throw themselves on the floor in fits of agony over how horribly disgusting their dinner is is about as good as it gets some days.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<br />
<b>Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken</b><br />
Put the following into a slow cooker (mine is 4 quarts):<br />
<br />
4 Frozen chicken breasts sprinkled with<br />
1 packet of low sodium Taco Seasoning<br />
1 can of Cheddar Cheese Soup<br />
1 cup of salsa (I used Chi Chi's Mild)<br />
1 tiny can of green chilis<br />
<br />
Turn the cooker on low for 6-8 hours.<br />
Shred the chicken up in the sauce.<br />
Serve over rice and topped with sour cream if you really feel fancy.Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-30074175441948711522010-03-19T15:13:00.000-04:002010-03-19T15:13:36.986-04:00Contract Law<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qLvjWTNRGiiT6VA3qEIzDddt4CUYU-blNQnsKY_t21dLhZ30bOkqmmaQSWQFpiochKmII__NmJTRA8It5tFGc27jcVlwckA8Yl9Y3f0JtYs4_2C8Ixm_qH1hOKgrPra1i8kbzhBr-Dw/s1600-h/IMG_1536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qLvjWTNRGiiT6VA3qEIzDddt4CUYU-blNQnsKY_t21dLhZ30bOkqmmaQSWQFpiochKmII__NmJTRA8It5tFGc27jcVlwckA8Yl9Y3f0JtYs4_2C8Ixm_qH1hOKgrPra1i8kbzhBr-Dw/s200/IMG_1536.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Next week my daughter, Sprout, and I are going to a orientation meeting for Middle School.<br />
<br />
I need a moment to get my head around that. OK, I am better now.<br />
<br />
Like I said, Middle School. As in, no longer Elementary School. As in, one of the more traumatic experiences of many pre-teen lives. My baby is going into the belly of the beast.<br />
<br />
Earlier this week we were talking about this big transition, and Mike said something about "soon she'll be leaving home". At which point, Sprout looked at us with panic in her eyes and said, "But we still have the contract, right?"<br />
<br />
Ah, yes. The contract.<br />
<br />
Walk with me down memory lane to about 5 1/2 years ago. Little Sprout was just turning 5 and in Kindergarten. And, being the oh-so-funny Mommy that I am, I looked into her big green eyes and said, "Pretty soon you'll have to get a job and your own apartment." Ha ha ha! I am FUNNY!<br />
<br />
The next day, the Kindergarten teacher reported that Sprout had spent much of their naptime crying. Something about how she didn't want to have to get a job and move out?<br />
<br />
Doh!<br />
<br />
Of course I reassured her that I had been TOTALLY KIDDING about the whole job/apartment thing. Totally! And that she could always, ALWAYS live with us. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkMTfhqj8hk6Ovekcp7qIYDKpKqFDNBPkuiBu5yFdtY07cOPnfc0U49Y8ZkdNY3o35IEmS4PaQbRmmJrkfAGSZh85uq9C7tbwipzSfbl0Qikk1aged1pjRBnKxUX8QxWUOHc6vMQ0uGg/s1600-h/IMG_1537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkMTfhqj8hk6Ovekcp7qIYDKpKqFDNBPkuiBu5yFdtY07cOPnfc0U49Y8ZkdNY3o35IEmS4PaQbRmmJrkfAGSZh85uq9C7tbwipzSfbl0Qikk1aged1pjRBnKxUX8QxWUOHc6vMQ0uGg/s320/IMG_1537.JPG" /></a></div>But a mere verbal contract was not sufficient to re-assure her. So we drew up an official document showing that she could always live with us. Signed and everything. <br />
<br />
Not notarized. We might need that loophole later with this whole contract thing comes back to haunt us.<br />
<br />
This official document has now been filed away for all of those years. But when faced with the impending (like, 8 years from now!) end of life-at-home, Sprout went and dug it out and put it on the counter. Just so we won't forget that we promised.<br />
<br />
We won't forget. I am in no hurry to get rid of her permanently.<br />
<br />
I am assuming that by the time she is able to leave, she'll want to. She probably will choose a college far far away. (Sob.) She'll probably seek her fortune in a big city somewhere. (Sob.)<br />
<br />
But I am happy for her to have this piece of mind that if ever the road points her back toward home, there will be room at the inn for her. Always.Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-90718205378841044792010-03-13T15:07:00.000-05:002010-03-13T15:07:58.755-05:00Fun with Egg Cartons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidi7f9D8M4HH1V53_JADHqwEZMef6WG2Gr7R1fWTTPyxbfBtb15NF3DUTe0n5HYgkLj_Cik5OqGKyVDHDkZuQKmQsXb7bJ47iIUP8ldMEs__H6ZDuOKXX-MuSMPK4KeFHv4df667556PA/s1600-h/IMG_1238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidi7f9D8M4HH1V53_JADHqwEZMef6WG2Gr7R1fWTTPyxbfBtb15NF3DUTe0n5HYgkLj_Cik5OqGKyVDHDkZuQKmQsXb7bJ47iIUP8ldMEs__H6ZDuOKXX-MuSMPK4KeFHv4df667556PA/s200/IMG_1238.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Since we haven't done anything fun in a long time, I am digging back into old things I never managed to write about.<br />
<br />
Which brings us to this guy.<br />
<br />
Tater did this almost entirely on his own. He found the idea in some book, I wish I could credit it properly, but it was months ago, so I have no idea where it came from.<br />
<br />
He cut out a little cup from an egg carton. Well, actually I did that part because he tried and it kept coming out the wrong shape and I was afraid he was going to start throwing things (like scissors) around the kitchen. So I intervened.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60cAZEVcGD-B0Un1ydxQJMLL1w_AR6fToGgukWhcK8i8Xh4EdggtGU0R3akE-t7GH1Xds48msrkAGr6uv8CIiaXwS0OrhrvuWm_Awc64yxPBBXeVyL5_Hx72as9vEEQNlCOQIMj9MemM/s1600-h/IMG_1239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60cAZEVcGD-B0Un1ydxQJMLL1w_AR6fToGgukWhcK8i8Xh4EdggtGU0R3akE-t7GH1Xds48msrkAGr6uv8CIiaXwS0OrhrvuWm_Awc64yxPBBXeVyL5_Hx72as9vEEQNlCOQIMj9MemM/s200/IMG_1239.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>I don't like it when people throw scissors.<br />
<br />
Once we got the body to be the right shape, he used a permanent market to draw on the face and stripes. We glued googly eyes on the face and cut another little piece of foam from the egg carton and glued it on for a tail. <br />
<br />
Voila - raccoon!<br />
<br />
The book showed a cardboard-type egg carton, and that might work even better. We had the foam kind and I wasn't going to buy some different kind of eggs just for the carton. Stubborn, yes.<br />
<br />
This could work for little cats, dogs, cows, pigs...really any animal if you embellish it properly. Tater was really happy with the end result and proud of himself for doing it (almost) all by himself.Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-48873779355063562672010-03-12T10:12:00.000-05:002010-03-12T10:12:10.656-05:00InspirationI apologize in a huge way for being MIA around here. I have stumbled into some freelance projects that have kept me busy along with working on my <a href="http://43resolutions.com/">resolutions project</a>. <br />
<br />
I have a little pile of activity ideas that is growing on the counter, but we just haven't gotten ourselves together to do any of them in a while. We are planning on some really fun Easter Eggs, but we can't do that just yet!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Neighbors-at-Bikini-Bottom/dp/B001GN6XI8?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Good Neighbors at Bikini Bottom" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B001GN6XI8&tag=thef0a8-20" /></a>Today is a rainy day and the kids are home from school, so we are trying to figure out what to do with ourselves. Tater says he wants to go shopping and buy a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Neighbors-at-Bikini-Bottom/dp/B001GN6XI8?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Spongebob Lego Set</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001GN6XI8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001GN6XI8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and that will be his "craft".<br />
<br />
I don't think he is the spirit of things.<br />
<br />
I was just checking out a website, which I think saw in Woman's Day Magazine - <a href="http://instructables.com/">Instructables.com</a>. It seems like a great resource with wide gamut of different projects. I just haven't figured out which one to do. The magazine suggested <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Vegan-Marshmallows/">Vegan Marshmallows</a>, but the instructions include a bunch of ingredients that I a) don't have and b) don't know where to get. So that's not going to happen.<br />
<br />
I will have to come up with something stunningly original and exciting and reclaim my Fun Mommy title!<br />
<br />
Stay tuned!Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-4447102571312720312010-02-24T14:05:00.000-05:002010-02-24T14:05:21.196-05:00Aqua Sand Review<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Sand-Creation-Ocean-Adventure/dp/B002ED1XO8?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Aqua Sand Creation Kit Ocean Adventure" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B002ED1XO8&tag=thef0a8-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002ED1XO8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Check out our experience with <a href="http://funmommyreviews.blogspot.com/2010/02/aqua-sand-review.html">Aqua Sand on the Review page.</a>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-1465365867915301602010-02-12T11:25:00.001-05:002010-02-26T10:31:57.771-05:00Olympic Bead Projects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSar6F74YyP5DIW5pYkTwQrspKpcB1g6-KmQ1skq60ivtqjQOJb2hFX6oBwcmXlSHQ7i497wfkIwOtmMicN-QSLkyVI8Htg0SD3Ca9E4v0G8j0E8H52fEdzNwpsqXes6u9LlwU1njSQps/s1600-h/olympic_rings_fuse_bead_pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSar6F74YyP5DIW5pYkTwQrspKpcB1g6-KmQ1skq60ivtqjQOJb2hFX6oBwcmXlSHQ7i497wfkIwOtmMicN-QSLkyVI8Htg0SD3Ca9E4v0G8j0E8H52fEdzNwpsqXes6u9LlwU1njSQps/s200/olympic_rings_fuse_bead_pattern.jpg" width="174" /></a></div>My friend, Jen, who is a far funner Mommy than I, just sent me this <a href="http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/olympic_fuse_bead_patterns.htm">link to some Olympic themed fuse bead patterns</a>.<br />
<br />
This could be a way to salvage our third snow day in a row!<br />
<br />
Thanks, Jen!Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-66112010174974570182010-02-10T15:51:00.000-05:002010-02-10T15:51:35.255-05:00Snow Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ExJZLS67CWou0eMcpMt4eMWJmAF_Zkf3gN7VW9xNTq1Pfd3qIDHBnlwWD9928uTEY24b6JdWjwQirepSwjdfLJSEKHXtj65luHwgPsT8xThQVgLKbDsk36Gr0N91k-ERLUNH3-EU8NA/s1600-h/Simply-Cookie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ExJZLS67CWou0eMcpMt4eMWJmAF_Zkf3gN7VW9xNTq1Pfd3qIDHBnlwWD9928uTEY24b6JdWjwQirepSwjdfLJSEKHXtj65luHwgPsT8xThQVgLKbDsk36Gr0N91k-ERLUNH3-EU8NA/s320/Simply-Cookie.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>We, like most of the East Coast, are in the midst of a big big BIG blizzard. So Tater and Sprout are home from school. Again.<br />
<br />
We had our traditional Snow Storm French Toast for breakfast. I assume that's what everyone makes with the eggs, milk and bread that they hoard pre-storm.<br />
<br />
We have watched a ridiculous amount of TV. Again.<br />
<br />
The snow is blowing sideways and so I am hesitant to let them go outside to play. Not to mention that Sprout has a "boot" on her broken foot and therefore can't wear a snow boot. Seems like frozen toes would be unavoidable if she goes out.<br />
<br />
Right now they are playing with a mixture of cornstarch and water and food coloring (3/4 cup cornstarch + 1/3 cup of water + a few drops of food coloring = weird slime). I fear that they will have blue hands for several days. Smurf-like.<br />
<br />
Yesterday, during my pre-storm preparations, I bought this new Pillsbury cookie dough. It has only the ingredients that you would actually put in cookies if you were motivated enough to bake them from scratch. So when I asked the kids if they wanted to bake the cookies they said, "YES!" Of course.<br />
<br />
So Sprout said, "Can I mix them?" as she grabbed the whisk. Um...there's no actual mixing involved.<br />
<br />
Then Tater said, "Can I measure things?" as he went to get the measuring spoons. Nope...no measuring either.<br />
<br />
Sprout: "Can I scoop them out and roll the little balls?"<br />
<br />
Nope - pre-formed.<br />
<br />
Sprout: "These cookies are NO FUN."<br />
<br />
Sorry.<br />
<br />
We put them on the tray and did the little fork crosses on top and they are in the oven now. I am guessing they'll think they're more fun in about 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
There are a bunch of coupons available on the <a href="https://www.pillsbury.com/coupons-promotions/CouponsPromotionsLanding.htm">Pillsbury site</a> (for other products, too) and if you Google for <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=pillsbury+simply+cookie+dough">Pillsbury Simply Cookie Dough</a> there seem to be some coupons there, too.<br />
<br />
Happy sort of baking.Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-36510282481649342272010-02-07T17:14:00.000-05:002010-02-07T17:14:27.954-05:00Kideos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUnjIV1F4Lz0O8KEdjKFksTwCkobunSSilsuS3ET3l6iGbm8FAd5_ihtFbBTtCA8-9FHRPoK6Z2pwycFy09OWjfTK_CJPKY-GjB_5Cb9YD4IAFklkSJjTFf6gOkKOsPWcCEABK1U04Qc/s1600-h/Kideos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUnjIV1F4Lz0O8KEdjKFksTwCkobunSSilsuS3ET3l6iGbm8FAd5_ihtFbBTtCA8-9FHRPoK6Z2pwycFy09OWjfTK_CJPKY-GjB_5Cb9YD4IAFklkSJjTFf6gOkKOsPWcCEABK1U04Qc/s200/Kideos.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div>My kids love to play on the computer. And I have bookmarked all sorts of kid-appropriate sites for them.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pbskids.org/">PBSKids</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://home.disney.go.com/tv/">Disney Channel</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nick.com/">Nickelodeon</a><br />
<br />
But my friend just found this kid version of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a> and I think the kids will love it. It's called <a href="http://www.kideos.com/">Kideos</a> and they have kid safe videos filtered out from YouTube. Nothing rude or inappropriate, just a bunch of funny animals and cartoons. The videos are divided up by age group, and go from baby to 10+. <br />
<br />
I think Sprout would like this one of the <a href="http://www.kideos.com/content/black-eyed-peas-i-got-feelin-oprah-winfrey">crowd at the Oprah show dancing to the Black Eyed Peas</a>.<br />
<br />
Tater would probably enjoy this one with a <a href="http://www.kideos.com/content/weiner-dog-riding-skateboard">dog riding on a skateboard</a>.<br />
<br />
Of course they spent last night laughing hysterically at <a href="http://fredfigglehorn.com/#/freds-corner/special/1">this guy</a> - which is probably not at all appropriate. Somehow he didn't get filtered into Kideo. <br />
<br />
Hmmmm...Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-9004173414403861502010-01-23T17:40:00.003-05:002010-01-23T17:50:04.034-05:00Where is the fun??<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxqGXF_31KmVYd8DYXm6eSBFZKFeQEHTh_PpDJVlbApF9B1IFQC_-uX_bfnkfVEvOE-ggyzRk424OEJG7JR35IhJtlL1Yzr_gRLijWKgIc_7RPl6cp1ylpZ7spVNaOZn5e2qL84L09jM/s1600-h/CIMG2848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxqGXF_31KmVYd8DYXm6eSBFZKFeQEHTh_PpDJVlbApF9B1IFQC_-uX_bfnkfVEvOE-ggyzRk424OEJG7JR35IhJtlL1Yzr_gRLijWKgIc_7RPl6cp1ylpZ7spVNaOZn5e2qL84L09jM/s200/CIMG2848.JPG" width="200" /></a>I have totally fallen off of my fun bandwagon, it is sad. We have been busy keeping warm, cleaning up after our dog, going to basketball practice, writing reports about the rainforest and the Dewey Decimal system, and of course watching way too much TV.<br />
<br />
We figured out how to get movies from <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix on our XBox</a> and the kids have been demanding regular movie nights. First we watched Benji, then Bolt and just now Tater and his dad finished watching some Tom & Jerry. Lots of animal flick action!<br />
<br />
I am busy writing over here at <a href="http://www.43resolutions.com/">43 Resolutions</a>...and I did post a <a href="http://43resolutions.wordpress.com/2010/01/23/fun-with-household-appliances/">fun video of my dogs being silly</a>, so maybe that will distract you momentarily while I get my act together to post more fun stuff over here. I haven't forgotten about you! Really!<br />
<br />
Tater has been working on these little pegboard "fuse bead" projects (pictured at the top there) like a maniac. We have had them for a few years, and now he is coordinated enough to do them himself. When the kids were smaller they would make me sort the different colored beads out for them, which was a bit tedious for me, but made them feel all management-like.<br />
<br />
If you do a <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=pegboard+beads">Google search on "pegboard beads"</a> or <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=fuse+beads">"fuse beads"</a> you can find them, or they are available at any craft shop and even in the toy department at IKEA. Here are a few Amazon links to get you started: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perler-Beads-295396-Fuse/dp/B0002YM0H0?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Perler Fuse Beads</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002YM0H0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perler-Small-Pegboards-Fuse-Activities/dp/B000I0RQ68?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Perler Small Pegboards For Fuse Bead Activities</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000I0RQ68" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perler-Fuse-Bead-Bucket-Activity/dp/B001683U5C?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Perler Fuse Bead Bucket Activity Kit</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001683U5C" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>We discovered that it is most cost-effective to buy a big tub-o-beads and the basic pegboards and then go print designs from on-line. <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=fuse+bead+designs">Google "fuse bead designs"</a> and you will find tons of them for FREE!!<br />
<br />
Tater does these en masse and then makes me get out the iron and fuse them all together. I think he does this just for the novelty of seeing me with an iron in my hand.<br />
<br />
Very rare. With an element of danger that is very exciting...will I set something on fire??<br />
<br />
I haven't yet. But every time there is a chance!<br />
<br />
<br />
Never a dull moment!Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-55284052576861572692010-01-07T13:24:00.002-05:002010-01-07T13:26:30.526-05:00Showtime (and a recipe)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFrxawNMNrD3oMT27axmmouzpfvVhBCnE9qxIEP_ekIurDZbVCBFKP1cQ_c6MuLhcFxu-oDn2ERoyorV6pvpFhyxzBST3XdnLlHZL7EHyyHWXt0WSbKMBBnit1kxUGFZtNVqovm0cOnE/s1600-h/lets_celebrate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFrxawNMNrD3oMT27axmmouzpfvVhBCnE9qxIEP_ekIurDZbVCBFKP1cQ_c6MuLhcFxu-oDn2ERoyorV6pvpFhyxzBST3XdnLlHZL7EHyyHWXt0WSbKMBBnit1kxUGFZtNVqovm0cOnE/s200/lets_celebrate.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Oops. I went MIA there for a little while. With Christmas and Winter Break and my <a href="http://www.43resolutions.com/">new project</a> and cleaning up Christmas...I just got a little distracted. Sorry about that.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We did do a few fun things during the break. The whole family went to see <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneyonice/">Disney on Ice</a> at the Wachovia Center on December 28th. The kids loved the show and the skating was really impressive. They had a whole slew of Disney characters out there, including the new ones from the <a href="http://www.fandango.com/theprincessandthefrog_122018/movieoverview">Princess and The Frog</a>, which we also saw last week.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Aside from a Fantasia-like segment with skating brooms in the middle (that movie always freaked me out), the kids loved it - especially when the Toy Story characters came out near the end! <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The <a href="http://thefunmommies.blogspot.com/2009/12/disney-on-ice-deal.html">deal on Disney on Ice Tickets</a> is still going on through the end of this month, so if they are still performing near you, it's a fun event for the kids! <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Another performance that we attended was the annual "Panto" at <a href="http://www.peopleslight.org/home/index.php">People's Light and Theater</a> in Malvern. This year it was based on Snow White - but the "evil stepmother" was an aging actress and "Snow White" was her sweet young daughter. These shows are always fun - lots of audience participation. Sadly, it ended last week - but check out other performances there - they do a great job!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As I mentioned, we saw <a href="http://www.fandango.com/theprincessandthefrog_122018/movieoverview">The Princess and The Frog</a>, which was very cute - and surprisingly, the heroine's mother survived the entire movie. I think that is a Disney first!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We also saw <a href="http://www.fandango.com/alvinandthechipmunks:thesqueakquel_120667/movieoverview">Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel</a> and oh my...that is not a good movie. Although the kids thought it was SO GOOD. I wonder about them sometimes!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And, I know this is completely random, but since <a href="http://43resolutions.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/why-no-cheese/">I can't eat cheese this month</a>, I have been unable to make this meal for my family (because I would want to eat it!) I made this a month or so ago, and everyone LOVED it. And that hardly EVER happens!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So, if we can't be eating it, I thought maybe you could.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This is from the December/January issue of the <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Healthy-Cooking-Magazine">Taste of Home: Healthy Cooking Magazine</a>, which I may have to get a subscription for.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Echilada Lasagna</b><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(I seriously thought the name alone would be enough to terrify my children - so I called it "Taco Lasagna")<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 lb lean ground turkey (I use the 93% fat free kind)<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 large onion, chopped (I used frozen diced onion)<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 large green pepper, chopped (I used frozen chopped peppers)<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 small sweet red pepper, chopped (I skipped this)<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 pkg fat-free cream cheese<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 tsp. chili powder<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 (10oz) can enchilada sauce<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6 whole wheat flour tortillas<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend (I like the Kraft 2% version)<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1. In a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion and peppers over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2. Stir in cream cheese and chili powder.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3. Pour enchilada sauce into a shallow bowl. Dip tortillas into sauce to coat (I did them as I used them rather than having a big slimy pile of tortillas - and I used a brush to coat them).<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4. Place two tortillas in a 13X9 baking dish coated with baking spray; spread with half of the turkey mixture, sprinkle with 1/3 cup of cheese (I may possibly have used more...maybe)<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">5. Repeat layers. Top with remaining tortillas and cheese.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months or bake, uncovered, at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">7. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">8. Serve with salsa and sour cream (we use Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream) if desired.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">9. To use frozen lasagna: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking and then bake as directed.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yummy.<br />
</div>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-13627730226001181042009-12-31T22:53:00.000-05:002009-12-31T22:53:31.460-05:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3G2hlq_phe7arGO2Bg8rvZCAEM1eFE0yRlOeGRbqSEiLX5i7WdF16Q4v6yPfMb0A-aHLVZLiPONd6eO1gvxS0o-NQglftyN7ueOUgleOR9lBWQtMRpm2iK80WrJclUW_a80KT1NutLc/s1600-h/happynewyear2010.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3G2hlq_phe7arGO2Bg8rvZCAEM1eFE0yRlOeGRbqSEiLX5i7WdF16Q4v6yPfMb0A-aHLVZLiPONd6eO1gvxS0o-NQglftyN7ueOUgleOR9lBWQtMRpm2iK80WrJclUW_a80KT1NutLc/s320/happynewyear2010.gif" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We hope the new year brings you health and happiness and lots and lots of FUN!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">All the best,<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Kristen, Mike, Sprout and Tater<br />
</div>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-57876755292918049972009-12-29T17:45:00.001-05:002009-12-29T17:47:20.788-05:00You are My Miracle<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Tater brought this sweet poem home from school. Once I stopped sobbing, I thought I should share it. <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b>You are My Miracle</b><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your parent.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your child.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your quiet place.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your WILD.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your hot chocolate.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your marshmallow.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your nutcracker.<br />
<i style="color: blue;">I am your cookie dough.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your gingerbread.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your frosting and goo.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your paper.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your glitter and glue.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your wrapping.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your surprise.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your "Don't peek!"<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your wide eyes.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your "Bundle Up!"<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your dash outside.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your uphill pull.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your fast sleigh ride.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your fortress.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your snowball fight.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your decorate.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your tangled lights.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your helper.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your "do-it-myselfer."</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your Santa Claus.<br />
<i><span style="color: blue;">I am your Christmas elf.</span></i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your glass ball.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your popcorn string.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your pageant.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i style="color: blue;">I am your angel's wings.</i><br />
I am your steady hands.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your rising star.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your stocking.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your chocolate bar.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your caroling.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your jingle bell.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your favorite song.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your First Noel.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your old stories.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your make-believe.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your "Go to Sleep!"<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your Christmas Eve.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your "Hush now."<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your lyrical.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">I am your peace on earth.<br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>I am your miracle.</i><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">And there I go again with the sobbing...what a sap...<br />
</div>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-31587240710659060962009-12-23T10:12:00.001-05:002009-12-23T10:13:31.213-05:00Jingle Bell Wreath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTT6TTVYgkDNBNznCHmr5WQpdy-DB9c0fjyc7J29I-ZUcjgP8VITBRTxLUSuAOZwY3F_SAo-ZN7qsDuCKErikZ7FhpoejXJ_5iWIRBy7KtswRglkk_AL1bcxsbjXMpHmROycErxoE2Xs/s1600-h/IMG_1459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTT6TTVYgkDNBNznCHmr5WQpdy-DB9c0fjyc7J29I-ZUcjgP8VITBRTxLUSuAOZwY3F_SAo-ZN7qsDuCKErikZ7FhpoejXJ_5iWIRBy7KtswRglkk_AL1bcxsbjXMpHmROycErxoE2Xs/s200/IMG_1459.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was trying to remember why I had jingle bells lying around, and then I realized that it was because we made this cute little wreath last year.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Jingle bells are crazy cheap at craft stores, I think a bag of them was about $2. Or maybe I am deluding myself into thinking they are cheap. I am still firmly convinced that greeting/birthday cards cost about $1. I am always surprised that they are closer to $4. For a card!!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Anyway, maybe jingle bells cost more than $2 a bag. But they aren't very expensive.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IqWGaOpDv0t_5o5MCPj9tf3A1uXMJYkEvf26W8eibSKYf7ZJKCdxwQmY7zogl79doakfADttk23gW3Z07L4PUU9csueEXCZNVzLhaMJeSqKzj0UFay_ch6b8Q_POEYOUCMBjAKn5Aq8/s1600-h/IMG_1461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IqWGaOpDv0t_5o5MCPj9tf3A1uXMJYkEvf26W8eibSKYf7ZJKCdxwQmY7zogl79doakfADttk23gW3Z07L4PUU9csueEXCZNVzLhaMJeSqKzj0UFay_ch6b8Q_POEYOUCMBjAKn5Aq8/s200/IMG_1461.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We already had this and I thought, "How hard could it be to make that?" And really, not hard at all. Although ours isn't exactly the same. This one is on wire, the one we made is on monofilament (fancy name for fishing line).<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">To make a little jingle bell wreath you need:<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Jingle Bells - ours are all silver, but a mix of colors could be fun.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Monofilament - like heavy fishing line, you can find it in the beading section at a craft store.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ribbon<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) Cut a piece of the "string" about a foot long.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) String the bells on. They will cluster up as you go. You want them all packed together as tightly as possible. We used about 26 bells. But depending on the size of the bells and what you want to do, you could use more or less. The kids love to do the stringing.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) As you go, try circling the threaded bells into a wreath shape, when it holds the shape appropriately, stop stringing. If you make it too big, it will be all floppy and unwreathlike.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4) Tie the string tightly. Double knot. Heck, triple knot.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">5) Tie the ribbon in a nice bow (hardest part, I think). I used the wire-edged ribbon, which is really pretty, but a PITA to tie. You are probably better at it than I am.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6) You can either tie the ribbon right onto the little wreath, or use the "tails" from stringing the bells to tie the bow on. Whatever works for you. We used the tails.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">7) Trim the ends of the string.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">8) Hang up your cute little wreath.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I like to put these on doorknobs so they jingle when you open the door.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHXV5946STP4AAPplyDjiGhHWvkG_LKBstbcMp75HvwO4Zg62-QbmahM6-Edu2OKa5lk78V3Rn4B4pwoYS2SAUH94lG-RaOy5iOqWfUWIEVpCz2n2IUgQmdOuB18Jz3EcjuZUwuTBHY4/s1600-h/IMG_1460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHXV5946STP4AAPplyDjiGhHWvkG_LKBstbcMp75HvwO4Zg62-QbmahM6-Edu2OKa5lk78V3Rn4B4pwoYS2SAUH94lG-RaOy5iOqWfUWIEVpCz2n2IUgQmdOuB18Jz3EcjuZUwuTBHY4/s200/IMG_1460.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Next up - I am going to figure out how to make one of these. I have no clue where to start, but I love the "grape-iness" of the way they are clustered up.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">But right now, I have to go get gift tags, deliver a cello to school, and go for a LONG walk to unload some of the cookies that have jumped, unsolicited, into my mouth in the last few days.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Jingle on, my friends! (Like "Rock On"...but jingly...)<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-63934746112692120582009-12-20T22:43:00.000-05:002009-12-20T22:43:23.248-05:00Teacher Gifts - Candy Pretzels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEr9Gh-kXfeumHx2GvpsNMIqq7ETxX9XsfJAG4pVZlI-UHFPOfCOgObtIyogHuYsBFRDvVxP0yWzdp4XIUJocpgTVXEyDn5dZ7_trZE_bnRqOJoZxI0cz_V7dxvi3JnLN53fif7NygnFU/s1600-h/IMG_1423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEr9Gh-kXfeumHx2GvpsNMIqq7ETxX9XsfJAG4pVZlI-UHFPOfCOgObtIyogHuYsBFRDvVxP0yWzdp4XIUJocpgTVXEyDn5dZ7_trZE_bnRqOJoZxI0cz_V7dxvi3JnLN53fif7NygnFU/s200/IMG_1423.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This week we are still deep into preparations for Christmas. Sprout had her Winter Concert on Thursday night and she performed brilliantly in the chorus and orchestra (cello). The layout of her school "cafetorium" is such that about 10 people in the front row can actually see anything, so my pictures of the actual performance are awful. But she sure was cute!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Saturday brought the "Storm of the Century" to Southeastern PA and we spent the day alternating between shoveling the driveway and working on our teacher gifts. As my shoveling technique leaves much to be desired (mostly I desire not to have to use it!) I will tell you about the gift project instead. <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Candy-covered pretzel sticks!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBH-82Jy2k31fvjTCVrCyY5Y7_4tRdJ5oBvOK6PgbuFONySJlU4QoPHw5kRphbnp3AZntJmGLppOtvnOMBRYm5EIMNnMzXY9XqZ_JSGbrmyTkXbIMujA7Y0FG9RxhwjsnHsEYNJyDJVc/s1600-h/IMG_1426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBH-82Jy2k31fvjTCVrCyY5Y7_4tRdJ5oBvOK6PgbuFONySJlU4QoPHw5kRphbnp3AZntJmGLppOtvnOMBRYm5EIMNnMzXY9XqZ_JSGbrmyTkXbIMujA7Y0FG9RxhwjsnHsEYNJyDJVc/s200/IMG_1426.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I found a cute little Christmas Tree candy mold at Michael's for $1.99 and figured that melting couldn't be all THAT hard. <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So I also got these little melty candy things. <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We dumped a bunch of these into a plastic bowl and melted them in the microwave, following the directions on the package. About 2 minutes at 50% power seemed to do the trick for us. The result was this stuff that looks very much like melted crayons. Yum.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtceUq3oCGlGUbGFyGmms_MTUpkXkJT0ctq60uz5ypO0wEBrD9w8FAKG2LrIqGS8hkUdlvvnqnJC8p2Cay1w8jO8cCfR06VgXbXDoQe5Olqw9WvfzIi3qyGpOVKgxzqJ1_jEQ-w0rAvI/s1600-h/IMG_1428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtceUq3oCGlGUbGFyGmms_MTUpkXkJT0ctq60uz5ypO0wEBrD9w8FAKG2LrIqGS8hkUdlvvnqnJC8p2Cay1w8jO8cCfR06VgXbXDoQe5Olqw9WvfzIi3qyGpOVKgxzqJ1_jEQ-w0rAvI/s200/IMG_1428.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I always thought that the candy resulting from melting and forming these things would be completely gross - like white chocolate, which I hate. But it is actually quite delish if you can get beyond the color factor. Much less waxy than I would have expected. And with something crunchy and/or salty...mmmm....<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XQlW8BZciU8vjo56xME_pB2EdPkVXWcbrEeqHy929Qz6rZhjLxRvJxKOc8FzFn3YQchH-RXEjW5NnBndbJbQEWZ-1XvrtvvdUogtSS7_Qb7FXtkff6O_af-X6RgQ0aJGbIhL_dm_1iE/s1600-h/IMG_1437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XQlW8BZciU8vjo56xME_pB2EdPkVXWcbrEeqHy929Qz6rZhjLxRvJxKOc8FzFn3YQchH-RXEjW5NnBndbJbQEWZ-1XvrtvvdUogtSS7_Qb7FXtkff6O_af-X6RgQ0aJGbIhL_dm_1iE/s200/IMG_1437.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I put the kids to work putting little dots of the different colors into the molds to make "ornaments" on the trees. They used toothpicks to drop the red and green into the molds and did a very nice job.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">They are a good work crew. And very cute. Especially in their jammies. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvau6WYbsbFINknqaxnawY2Ihw0ktuEvjhO1_asOWBVbaf0bG4NewcxAnUaRApMokV6t9h2pxC3G42DMfGCJI7fjOTAcLQ9fjT7vdqexOKcP7TgYXk77fazYVsxJekxrPYxXlVKFgqDo/s1600-h/IMG_1434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvau6WYbsbFINknqaxnawY2Ihw0ktuEvjhO1_asOWBVbaf0bG4NewcxAnUaRApMokV6t9h2pxC3G42DMfGCJI7fjOTAcLQ9fjT7vdqexOKcP7TgYXk77fazYVsxJekxrPYxXlVKFgqDo/s200/IMG_1434.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The melting and dotting of the red and green took a little while, especially since they were also (of course) watching something on TV. But it seemed like on a jammie day in a blizzard, you should be allowed to take your time.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">See how un-control freaky I was being? Good, right?<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqLvr2-iLDIcKSfO_GpgiGpVc00928KdR0kC-gviOFYm0yQ_XPY98h7jR8UjzDaxWJhn5NGtaB_sn7c-KcJ6wQnDldwkN37YWje6kSi3YAh5IH4zHuBtT9dxFQDelbjr65PtyP2YVJn4/s1600-h/IMG_1439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqLvr2-iLDIcKSfO_GpgiGpVc00928KdR0kC-gviOFYm0yQ_XPY98h7jR8UjzDaxWJhn5NGtaB_sn7c-KcJ6wQnDldwkN37YWje6kSi3YAh5IH4zHuBtT9dxFQDelbjr65PtyP2YVJn4/s200/IMG_1439.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Once the dots were done and had set for a little while we melted some white (with speckles in it...fancy!) and filled the mold about 1/3 of the way up. They each did three and didn't even fight about it. I love this project.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThg3kLT7zCrrRkQcuhwLf7M31YhDj0qB6scptMimehj6BLyZ-O-wX43jWAak_VgkNymF4wij4LShw5YC-7LUnGBLOUCpXis9k6P7u16wYWFhbcRLjZnFEFOlfqCohA_Focf7q1O1yyec/s1600-h/IMG_1441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThg3kLT7zCrrRkQcuhwLf7M31YhDj0qB6scptMimehj6BLyZ-O-wX43jWAak_VgkNymF4wij4LShw5YC-7LUnGBLOUCpXis9k6P7u16wYWFhbcRLjZnFEFOlfqCohA_Focf7q1O1yyec/s200/IMG_1441.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Then we took pretzel rods and rolled the ends in some of the melted candy. <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After the first batch I just started dipping them in the little bowl, which was actually a little easier.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdX2beUPtUN1bezfQ8Sk3NO9uX_HSQGBOdyE3xg87OHUw3n15Oayldw7e9QH2kUxllVXoJ_31T_bE0pEE7DH3ApYp2roVGL2Ml3zSp0_txh31Wnn6sAeFfmlLrSGHEK1Z47QZl9j-w3M/s1600-h/IMG_1442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdX2beUPtUN1bezfQ8Sk3NO9uX_HSQGBOdyE3xg87OHUw3n15Oayldw7e9QH2kUxllVXoJ_31T_bE0pEE7DH3ApYp2roVGL2Ml3zSp0_txh31Wnn6sAeFfmlLrSGHEK1Z47QZl9j-w3M/s200/IMG_1442.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Then the dipped pretzels went into the molds, so that they were about 3/4 of the way up the little trees, and then we covered them the rest of the way with melted candy.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We had to prop the ends up so the pretzels weren't flipping out of the mold while the candy hardened. The Brookstone catalog worked nicely.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfy54-OBGNBLItXBkm1OHY3cdgq6Kg2CZShf9FhrX6BtPr8bUMsi-0iiWy8F688H9QWUBtqyzsay6xr5SsipF65kHprHSxPKn_BbZiVwq8Dddf83j3S49QZnjgKv3-orIyOpZcakplPQ/s1600-h/IMG_1447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfy54-OBGNBLItXBkm1OHY3cdgq6Kg2CZShf9FhrX6BtPr8bUMsi-0iiWy8F688H9QWUBtqyzsay6xr5SsipF65kHprHSxPKn_BbZiVwq8Dddf83j3S49QZnjgKv3-orIyOpZcakplPQ/s200/IMG_1447.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We waiting about an hour to make sure they were really and truly dry and hardened and then carefully (oh so very carefully) popped them out of the molds.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Not bad, right??<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I figured out later that popping them into the fridge briefly made them a little easier to get out of the molds. I am guessing that you could put some kind of non-stick into the molds to make them come out easier. But then wouldn't the candy be greasy??<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujZeE4-GXpD1ga_10JwpK44TpegJ0sZAGZkuNbJnb6Lcmn2IDz9DuhRX-qilx-0WSziGFsM-2PeGFsJzi17n8b5YCdLRm2InD4WYRjl5Q_JZpb1BknN0NKUiJeEFultPOgDdmXizzSCg/s1600-h/IMG_1449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujZeE4-GXpD1ga_10JwpK44TpegJ0sZAGZkuNbJnb6Lcmn2IDz9DuhRX-qilx-0WSziGFsM-2PeGFsJzi17n8b5YCdLRm2InD4WYRjl5Q_JZpb1BknN0NKUiJeEFultPOgDdmXizzSCg/s200/IMG_1449.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We also made green ones and red ones, with the other colors for the "ornaments". <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Then there was some extra melted candy stuff leftover so I hunted around for something to put it on. I came up with graham crackers. I think potato chips would have been quite fab. Wish I had had some.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I dressed them up with some sprinkles. I also tasted a few to make sure they were good. I am all about quality control.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I had purchased some cute little candy boxes, but once I realized that there were more teachers requiring gifting than I had originally planned, we moved on to plan B - some cellophane bags that I had left over from last year.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIyhmbAwXH3iK3GwPrZN-QtaUww3tqWbCQ0NeFXXSm-7XSVQZxxAXZi1n4WOOwpZW4G_aOGunBMzls1qs6unHaTI5I7QvqMGdw8L_vnROPVfYVWNY3zX4hUJBK45kN5vuP_tvbCt1rTs/s1600-h/IMG_1454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIyhmbAwXH3iK3GwPrZN-QtaUww3tqWbCQ0NeFXXSm-7XSVQZxxAXZi1n4WOOwpZW4G_aOGunBMzls1qs6unHaTI5I7QvqMGdw8L_vnROPVfYVWNY3zX4hUJBK45kN5vuP_tvbCt1rTs/s200/IMG_1454.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I put one of each color tree in the bag, and then two of the graham cracker squares (which filled in the bottom nicely, I thought). I tied the tops with gold ribbon, but then I remembered that I had some jingle bells left from some other project from years ago.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And then when I was digging out the jingle bells (and dropping them all over the floor, scaring the dickens out of the dogs), I found some silver pipe cleaners, which were also left over from some other project.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCvTKr4wuA8A0YteXOzNPWNUFCgQrpxJQMP-UqAnNKZYCfYoNl2jfqd2pXO57PfXVKUJE-JmEr7wcBfui6enQmE6XnsAMiIHNHBTQDF6RupMwZetW5HocFRY4cC_yrLbCN476eQNMuK8/s1600-h/IMG_1457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCvTKr4wuA8A0YteXOzNPWNUFCgQrpxJQMP-UqAnNKZYCfYoNl2jfqd2pXO57PfXVKUJE-JmEr7wcBfui6enQmE6XnsAMiIHNHBTQDF6RupMwZetW5HocFRY4cC_yrLbCN476eQNMuK8/s200/IMG_1457.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So I put the bells on the pipe cleaners and made these funky little twisty things out of the pipe cleaners (wrapped them around a pencil). I think the final embellishment is quite Martha. Even though I am so totally NOT.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">These are all packed up now for the kids to take to school tomorrow. I am so hoping that there is no droppage or breakage. But I know that taking them in myself is way too control-freakish.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Awareness is the first step. Right?<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This candy-molding thing was fun. I would totally do it again - but it would need to be for some occasion where we give the results away. Because really, yummmmm!<br />
</div>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-40362574664477541592009-12-17T09:46:00.001-05:002009-12-17T09:46:41.507-05:00It's Beginning to Look (and Sound) a Lot Like Christmas<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1261058754810"></span><span id="goog_1261058754811"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>My name is Kristen and I have an addiction to all things Christmas. Candles scented like pine (since we have the fake tree, they are necessary), sparkly ornaments, Santa hats...and the music. Oh, how I love the music.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am not allowed to listen to Christmas music until Thanksgiving. And I have to stop on New Year's Day. But in between, it is playing on the iPod at every opportunity.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Swift-Holiday-Collection/dp/B002SQNM9A?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B002SQNM9A&tag=thef0a8-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002SQNM9A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Every year we add a new CD to the collection. This year, because my kids are big fans, we added <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Swift-Holiday-Collection-Sounds/dp/B000XD7MSW?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000XD7MSW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. This wasn't as painful as you might think. Taylor is OK. A big upgrade from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wiggly-Christmas-Wiggles/dp/B0000AYL3V?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Wiggles</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000AYL3V" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Its-Hi-5-Christmas/dp/B000AXWHQM?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hi-5</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000AXWHQM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, which were staples of Christmases past. Although I have to say I kind of loved <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Its-Hi-5-Christmas/dp/B000AXWHQM?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hi-5</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000AXWHQM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. I am sad to see them moved out of the rotation.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Waitresses-Wonderland-Thunderbirds-Poindexter-Destroyers/dp/B001LRBMNK?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Awesome 80's Christmas Party Starter / Last Christmas by Wham! / Jingle Bell Rock by Daryl Hall & John Oates / Christmas in Hollis by RUN DMC / 12 Days of Christmas by BOB & Doug McKenzie / Please Come Home for Christmas by Pat Benetar / Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You by Billy Squier / Santa Claus is Coming to Town by The Pointer Sisters / Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses / (Rockin') Winter Wonderland by Fabulous Thunderbirds / Silent Night by The Hooters / Sleigh Ride by Air Supply / Zat You Santa Claus by Buster Poindexter & His Banshees of Blue / Rock and Roll Christmas by George Thorogood & The Destroyers / Hazy Shade of Winter by The Bangles / This One's for The Children by New Kids on the Block" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B001LRBMNK&tag=thef0a8-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001LRBMNK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Last year we added the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Waitresses-Wonderland-Thunderbirds-Poindexter-Destroyers/dp/B001LRBMNK?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Awesome 80s Christmas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001LRBMNK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> collection. Sprout is a huge fan of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Wrapping/dp/B000WOUTD2?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Christmas Wrapping</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000WOUTD2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> by the Waitresses and both kids are perplexed by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-In-Hollis/dp/B0018QYXRQ?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Christmas in Hollis</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0018QYXRQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> by Run-DMC.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brad-Paisley-Christmas/dp/B000I0QK88?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="A Brad Paisley Christmas" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B000I0QK88&tag=thef0a8-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000I0QK88" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Another big winner in our collection is the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brad-Paisley-Christmas/dp/B000I0QK88?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Brad Paisley Christmas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000I0QK88" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> album. The kids love <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Penguin-James/dp/B0013CPLOY?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Penguin, James Penguin</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0013CPLOY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and request it regularly. They also enjoy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Santa-Looked-Lot-Like-Daddy/dp/B0013CSU3I?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0013CSU3I" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />...although somehow it doesn't seem to be triggering any suspicions. Ah...the innocence of youth.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We also like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Bright-Vanessa-Williams/dp/B000001END?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Vanessa Williams - Star Bright</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000001END" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Barenaked-Holidays-Ladies/dp/B0002XED3A?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked for the Holidays</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002XED3A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Johnny-Mathis/dp/B0000025SP?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Christmas with Johnny Mathis</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000025SP" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, and of course <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Chipmunks-Vol-1/dp/B000002TBE?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Christmas with The Chipmunks</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002TBE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rudolph-Red-Nosed-Reindeer-Burl-Ives/dp/B000002QUV?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002QUV" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. Gotta love Burl Ives. Really, you do.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">One of my favorites, which is not even remotely appropriate for kids is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Merry-Christmas-From-The-Family/dp/B00132TM9Y?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Merry Christmas from the Family</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00132TM9Y" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. Anything that starts with "Mom got drunk, and Dad got drunk..." is probably not quite right for the kiddies. But it sure is funny.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So that covers the music side of things.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fAiLNfnb1yFNVdeirKjuT8n1WXTvAygGu49JCFrQrjUigCOjmw1xah0PQ8oMEw-IRYs_ep4KrTvdPKVE1F3CN5f1tFrw5bWDH9AubyctLlPffgRxmHdWJVoImds0veeZTcg6Yrbpjds/s1600-h/IMG_1415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fAiLNfnb1yFNVdeirKjuT8n1WXTvAygGu49JCFrQrjUigCOjmw1xah0PQ8oMEw-IRYs_ep4KrTvdPKVE1F3CN5f1tFrw5bWDH9AubyctLlPffgRxmHdWJVoImds0veeZTcg6Yrbpjds/s200/IMG_1415.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The day after Thanksgiving we also get out our big box of Christmas books. We've been adding to the box every year. The books don't even really fit in the box anymore.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We started with classics like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Grinch-Stole-Christmas-Seuss/dp/0394800796?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">How the Grinch Stole Christmas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0394800796" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (of course), and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Night-Before-Christmas-Pop-up/dp/0689838999?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Night Before Chrismas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0689838999" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (this is an amazing pop-up version). Then we expanded to include things like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Other-Reindeer-Vivian-Walsh/dp/0811857190?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Olive The Other Reindeer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0811857190" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Longest-Christmas-List-Gregg-Spiridellis/dp/1423101944?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Longest Christmas List Ever</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1423101944" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Santa-Got-His-Job/dp/0689846681?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">How Santa Got His Job</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0689846681" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Saved-Christmas-Glitter-Surprise/dp/1402716257?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Chicken Who Saved Christmas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1402716257" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The kids love the interactive nature of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dear-Santa-Claus-Alan-Durant/dp/0763634654?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dear Santa Claus</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0763634654" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (I can't get the link to go to the hardcover edition - but that's the good one!) Each page has a letter to Santa in a real envelope and there is a little book of reindeer jokes, an advent calendar, etc. We always have to negotiate who gets to read what and who gets to open the envelopes. Good times.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jolly-Postman-Allan-Ahlberg/dp/0316017760?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Jolly Christmas Postman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0316017760" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> is a similar deal with letters in envelopes. So fun.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Crocodile-Bonny-Becker/dp/0689846665?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Christmas Crocodile" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0689846665&tag=thef0a8-20" /></a>My favorite Christmas book has to be <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Crocodile-Bonny-Becker/dp/0689846665?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Christmas Crocodile</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0689846665" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0689846665" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. "The Christmas crocodile didn't mean to be bad. Not Really." The pictures are hysterically funny as the crocodile eats his way through Christmas. Love it.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Santa-Claus-Rod-Green/dp/1416927581?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Santa Claus" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1416927581&tag=thef0a8-20" /></a>And then my most recent favorite is just called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Santa-Claus-Rod-Green/dp/1416927581?ie=UTF8&tag=thef0a8-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Santa Claus</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1416927581" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thef0a8-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1416927581" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. This is an amazing pop-up book that is presented like an encyclopedia of information about Santa. It is really well done and even my older kids think it is completely factual.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So there you go - our Christmas media list. Fun music and books that mark the season for us. Hope something in there rings a bell (jingle jingle) for you and helps make your holidays as merry as they can be!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Do you have a book that you love that you can recommend? We are always looking for good ones. Any songs I need to add to my collection? Let me know!<br />
</div>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-71867322063550967802009-12-16T10:14:00.012-05:002009-12-16T10:59:41.975-05:00The Christmas Traditions Keep Coming<a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABMmWf1WyqTsTtIuOhh1J3jtpHt42ZAMCUNYSekHpGr6qcSbodmpLRPo5HNMCJrYMEIFzarkAZqALAGKkmQYIdjGvbVaQ_6WYNBI9aAnDg6-qRbI-nBbaZ74-PI7ZeeoqQ9SQ2uzU2KY/s1600-h/2009-12-15+20.26.03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABMmWf1WyqTsTtIuOhh1J3jtpHt42ZAMCUNYSekHpGr6qcSbodmpLRPo5HNMCJrYMEIFzarkAZqALAGKkmQYIdjGvbVaQ_6WYNBI9aAnDg6-qRbI-nBbaZ74-PI7ZeeoqQ9SQ2uzU2KY/s320/2009-12-15+20.26.03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415862426909439618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As I have mentioned before, I am a creature of tradition.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It makes me happy. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My tendency to do the same things each season makes it a challenge to not repeat myself now that we are in the second Christmas of this blogging thing. So...sorry.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But we visited Koziar's Christmas Village again last night. Rather than telling you all about it again, I will </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://thefunmommies.blogspot.com/2008/12/it-takes-village.html">refer you here</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It was a lot like that. But not as cold. Yay!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here are a few pictures from The Worst Cell Phone Camera Ever:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here are the kids at the outdoor train village. See how happy Sprout is?</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCZk8ywaX4k488maC9o_Ii8XyFCdkDXodDXixdxMywl5R92ljp3cRaz0GOnKsYCT4yHOPVvYc2FfDM6XWlGUT8PHQE2TYfHMlHf3f6N9lqnvhiPyiEN5aRMyyFGRNrfLRkonhw02JTRg/s1600-h/2009-12-15+19.25.50.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCZk8ywaX4k488maC9o_Ii8XyFCdkDXodDXixdxMywl5R92ljp3cRaz0GOnKsYCT4yHOPVvYc2FfDM6XWlGUT8PHQE2TYfHMlHf3f6N9lqnvhiPyiEN5aRMyyFGRNrfLRkonhw02JTRg/s320/2009-12-15+19.25.50.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415854223694464050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Watch out for the Mistle Toad! This one worried Tater a bit (where is the toad??) until I assured him it was a joke. Ha!</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXLtDxcGf_5dioc5c3nb698f8ljVax52WyxwJlh1SVnK-ShEcSln_Q0Rj5FK-8v0PKd_wlBPLz9vvbJ38r-48aXtp2Td44tAJwNaazMGGAR6qNqy-EZwlfLz5ld9GSILUwT2WsX9RpYs/s1600-h/2009-12-15+19.27.38.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXLtDxcGf_5dioc5c3nb698f8ljVax52WyxwJlh1SVnK-ShEcSln_Q0Rj5FK-8v0PKd_wlBPLz9vvbJ38r-48aXtp2Td44tAJwNaazMGGAR6qNqy-EZwlfLz5ld9GSILUwT2WsX9RpYs/s320/2009-12-15+19.27.38.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415854294837774610" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Oooooo...sparkly.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69RPl7v6qIg9QGMUn8sDwd88zzu5XlTKxJQQFtNNeI-aDwiM0U6dE9KbZDHRW68GREx7Bzs4sZXyQmiao4PFW9a1EqhNY99i1y4porpPs2rzZOcacObtKLgIwfIx5ajD-RQGTmnoz-xM/s1600-h/2009-12-15+19.28.03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69RPl7v6qIg9QGMUn8sDwd88zzu5XlTKxJQQFtNNeI-aDwiM0U6dE9KbZDHRW68GREx7Bzs4sZXyQmiao4PFW9a1EqhNY99i1y4porpPs2rzZOcacObtKLgIwfIx5ajD-RQGTmnoz-xM/s320/2009-12-15+19.28.03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415854359095836770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ooooo...even more sparkly stuff.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiTyVwR1obfvLQiy9THSJbA8NglSNrTMevJvZp43wWaTn_1ciBL4tdEJhE-KRAqqwZhJ8F_kCEg2cYlbDJbdrAuSZxQHevuF-quUVsZ1XWNPAjhd6pm6vNVUnDd5lSspceRrwtspQU94/s1600-h/2009-12-15+19.34.10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiTyVwR1obfvLQiy9THSJbA8NglSNrTMevJvZp43wWaTn_1ciBL4tdEJhE-KRAqqwZhJ8F_kCEg2cYlbDJbdrAuSZxQHevuF-quUVsZ1XWNPAjhd6pm6vNVUnDd5lSspceRrwtspQU94/s320/2009-12-15+19.34.10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415854434015723154" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Santa's Post Office.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnxduz88r8UUxi_JhMijqXX_mQMxiGwAuf5dqEW7BTBhagPepE9Y_H01VpK21wePJWGyL81t6JavSFn8kJjHdtQz1AlKz3d3e3Q90bOK1mW5ol9MK-ixk7HvZ8YQtsWNyvXe66Mko0dE/s1600-h/2009-12-15+19.50.04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnxduz88r8UUxi_JhMijqXX_mQMxiGwAuf5dqEW7BTBhagPepE9Y_H01VpK21wePJWGyL81t6JavSFn8kJjHdtQz1AlKz3d3e3Q90bOK1mW5ol9MK-ixk7HvZ8YQtsWNyvXe66Mko0dE/s320/2009-12-15+19.50.04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415854498328368514" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Indoor train village. We purchased Hot Chocolate in this little shop. We did not purchase Cotton Candy, which angered the children to no end.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTgjxFVgtdkf-8aboKbi7zL0Tv8-VgytitzxwfxlNaO-MxgFD-99Nx9ttwkiIxF2qKWb7Pv0gRe_Z3s4QckVZ2iRTNgtCrex2HIYPqynqo_bzyyUaU3cjcz7aqae1owB9C_b0kBOaz5E/s1600-h/2009-12-15+20.08.14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTgjxFVgtdkf-8aboKbi7zL0Tv8-VgytitzxwfxlNaO-MxgFD-99Nx9ttwkiIxF2qKWb7Pv0gRe_Z3s4QckVZ2iRTNgtCrex2HIYPqynqo_bzyyUaU3cjcz7aqae1owB9C_b0kBOaz5E/s320/2009-12-15+20.08.14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415854567929084594" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And here are my kids in lederhosen. Tater originally had his head on the shoulder, which would have been funny. His tiny head is pretty funny anyway.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aro7oRokHKRy3Ytc-7TikkrK3PzhDSxtHBQ3MWssNPNGRAKgqir_47ag-5V0YY9eUjvujTcssom8bmcp39q7YiIl1Gdy4V_hzmT8oDxWpJQHelP0shyphenhyphenMWJNUGTYzmDV9apMlbPquCvQ/s1600-h/2009-12-15+20.24.50.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aro7oRokHKRy3Ytc-7TikkrK3PzhDSxtHBQ3MWssNPNGRAKgqir_47ag-5V0YY9eUjvujTcssom8bmcp39q7YiIl1Gdy4V_hzmT8oDxWpJQHelP0shyphenhyphenMWJNUGTYzmDV9apMlbPquCvQ/s320/2009-12-15+20.24.50.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415854641471409666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Next time I am going to tell you about the books we read (every year) and the music we listen to (every year...but with additions each year...) It will be a multi-media holiday extravaganza.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Tomorrow.</span>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-62343720170328641062009-12-09T17:33:00.002-05:002009-12-09T17:38:09.509-05:00Elf YourselfCome on...you know you want to...<br /><br /><img style="visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bHQ9MTI2MDM5Nzg5MjYxMSZwdD*xMjYwMzk3OTkzNTQ5JnA9NDE4ODEzJmQ9MjAzNTA*Jm49YmxvZ2dlciZnPTImbz*zMTM2ZjRhNTdiZTk*YjNmOTYwZmM4ZTYyZjdkYjgyOSZvZj*w.gif" border="0" height="0" width="0" /><div style="background-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); width: 425px;"><object id="A740615" quality="high" data="http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=GF6duepQNjO5Il8t&service=elfyourself.jibjab.com&partnerID=ElfYourself" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="319" width="425"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="movie" value="http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=GF6duepQNjO5Il8t&service=elfyourself.jibjab.com&partnerID=ElfYourself"><param name="scaleMode" value="showAll"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="FlashVars" value="external_make_id=GF6duepQNjO5Il8t&service=elfyourself.jibjab.com&partnerID=ElfYourself"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></object><div style="text-align: center; width: 435px; margin-top: 6px;">Send your own <a href="http://www.elfyourself.com/">ElfYourself</a> <a href="http://sendables.jibjab.com/ecards">eCards</a></div></div>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-16659462664995000332009-12-07T21:55:00.006-05:002009-12-07T22:06:34.724-05:00Glitter and Glue Ornaments<a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1iGJ6ZSwpf6kfwM9CWXF4GdY9e78odvRN3DMlgGtJrbzsitVFfSFrWxl1hfwNlOFeiflyE7LxcrsDln-4wKtDYFJr5rfHsMY4azjtr3TjpjNp5k6ATvptYwmJ5yrPNROaX-4JhLXjuU/s1600-h/IMG_1405.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1iGJ6ZSwpf6kfwM9CWXF4GdY9e78odvRN3DMlgGtJrbzsitVFfSFrWxl1hfwNlOFeiflyE7LxcrsDln-4wKtDYFJr5rfHsMY4azjtr3TjpjNp5k6ATvptYwmJ5yrPNROaX-4JhLXjuU/s320/IMG_1405.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412693677016919138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is a quick and easy project from one of the <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Kid Concoction Books</span>. I don't know which one because Tater found it in the book, described what he was going to do, and then did it. I got the supplies out for him and provided encouragement, but besides that I was hands off on this one.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />First I need to mention that I clearly need some photography training because it is far beyond me to share with you how pretty and sparkly these are on the tree. My attempt over there is flat and lame. So noted for my developing resolution list.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Materials: Sheet of Wax Paper, White Glue (Elmer's), Glitter, Ribbon</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1) Lay the sheet of wax paper out on a cookie sheet or a piece of cardboard (so you can move it later to let it dry).</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYuw8XxlQ0QTUKIu0UCLLGXORWR2OAkdQSZfNkfGbBUGH0TqlljUSWvl-0xRSzKwU4J5_7JbqbTMRna6gZhfh2ZtP2nBYWl6jIiZqg-lKzOPfHOPcUmLtaLSRqRKIZC0J0jmvSIfVay0/s1600-h/IMG_1234.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYuw8XxlQ0QTUKIu0UCLLGXORWR2OAkdQSZfNkfGbBUGH0TqlljUSWvl-0xRSzKwU4J5_7JbqbTMRna6gZhfh2ZtP2nBYWl6jIiZqg-lKzOPfHOPcUmLtaLSRqRKIZC0J0jmvSIfVay0/s320/IMG_1234.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412695298312367090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">2) Draw shapes on the wax paper with the glue. Use a decent thickness of glue so that the end result is a sturdy-ish ornament (you are going to peel it off of the wax paper).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Tater made a diamond, a little triangle, a Christmas Tree and a star (the tree is in that pile of glitter).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">3) Cover the glue with a thick coating of glitter.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">4) Let dry overnight.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuijG3JVrmRdVpN6SJlqPETtbjI_3V2oK72YDVdgyTBnqIH40t9WFmQ5XdrzC7D5n9GFgCoeWKK8GcMkDclokfOu7XsLwbZSpte5KazpQWWVQVxuhZKA1ic8neVOJIPI4MQTcLQlanQ8/s1600-h/IMG_1240.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuijG3JVrmRdVpN6SJlqPETtbjI_3V2oK72YDVdgyTBnqIH40t9WFmQ5XdrzC7D5n9GFgCoeWKK8GcMkDclokfOu7XsLwbZSpte5KazpQWWVQVxuhZKA1ic8neVOJIPI4MQTcLQlanQ8/s320/IMG_1240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412695804010951378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">5) The next day, peel the glitter shapes off of the wax paper and flip them over.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">6) Retrace the shape with glue and cover the other side with glitter.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />7) Let dry again overnight.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">8) Loop a ribbon through for hanging.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Voila!<br /></span>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-52489046278985707822009-12-01T19:45:00.006-05:002009-12-01T22:13:10.197-05:00Disney on Ice DEAL!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-0jzUzVNKzVUOrXNPbYqVQGtVrp5AuLw5vL0Z-G4MxHvu0AsGjokBx6jEEgl90Hl_acAaMvpD7V6Z-LNK6P8-E_Q99UYoG0Oigr9hEu7Iz6Ac3GIpfrbUbdQ-xoGeloxqR7kSMMldAQ/s1600-h/Lets_Celebrate_logo-500x231.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 155px; height: 65px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-0jzUzVNKzVUOrXNPbYqVQGtVrp5AuLw5vL0Z-G4MxHvu0AsGjokBx6jEEgl90Hl_acAaMvpD7V6Z-LNK6P8-E_Q99UYoG0Oigr9hEu7Iz6Ac3GIpfrbUbdQ-xoGeloxqR7kSMMldAQ/s320/Lets_Celebrate_logo-500x231.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410469037020917490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;">I have been trying to make some plans for what to do with the kids during the LONG week of Winter Break. Hoping to catch up with some friends, maybe do some ice skating. And then I found out about this great deal for tickets for Disney on Ice!<br /><br />The shows are playing at the Wachovia Center and open on December 23rd. If you use the coupon code MOM at <a href="http://www.comcasttix.com/">www.ComcastTix.com</a> you can get four tickets for $44 for Monday-Friday matinee shows, and $4 off Friday night and weekend shows; any additional weekday tickets are still priced at $11. That's $11 per ticket!! That's less than Monkey Joe's (sorry Joe).<b><br /></b><br />Here's the official description of the show: <i style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></i></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMKzzcQ71Ek6k2b5XQEVDtY1zkSmoGBqtTPANIJ0T1TE7SDwLzAJ0XpgjwR1Xtwo1r961ZYdLKL7xG6q5v9spWCtTkeHdAso1HdEoxwoMOf5sfieZO4v5VjZKMkD2Fz_vkcoIMoWuJAU/s1600-h/celebrations-bounce_07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMKzzcQ71Ek6k2b5XQEVDtY1zkSmoGBqtTPANIJ0T1TE7SDwLzAJ0XpgjwR1Xtwo1r961ZYdLKL7xG6q5v9spWCtTkeHdAso1HdEoxwoMOf5sfieZO4v5VjZKMkD2Fz_vkcoIMoWuJAU/s320/celebrations-bounce_07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410470722924644114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate!</i> It’s one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends! Enjoy a winter wonderland with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains, a Very Merry Unbirthday Party, a Royal Ball with the Disney Princesses and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe.<br /><br />We are going on December 28th and the kids couldn't be more excited. One day planned...seven more to go!<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I wrote this post as part of the Feld Entertainment Activator Program. In return for sharing this (awesome) news I received a free family pack of tickets to the show. Yay!</span></span><br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><br /></span></span>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-51390782368591567112009-11-29T22:33:00.016-05:002009-11-29T23:16:32.234-05:00Traditions and Obsolescence<a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDalHDgpLbVaIf7X2IoREDJG6qn2yO2PqqkWn1o3w4RypsI8ENHF2RHkhyphenhyphen6Ur1ipHps9W06KZzodS4l-kwBiHDneJb_bFkQwVEv85Tf-WjZZjsOdr3pPL_9EWiJE1lqmAb17mpvpwwbU/s1600/IMG_1403.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 151px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDalHDgpLbVaIf7X2IoREDJG6qn2yO2PqqkWn1o3w4RypsI8ENHF2RHkhyphenhyphen6Ur1ipHps9W06KZzodS4l-kwBiHDneJb_bFkQwVEv85Tf-WjZZjsOdr3pPL_9EWiJE1lqmAb17mpvpwwbU/s320/IMG_1403.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409739612509795330" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I come from a family steeped in tradition.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not like the Mayflower or anything, but what we do when. What we eat. How we celebrate. All full of traditions.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />One of the traditions we have is that on Black Friday, the kids and I build gingerbread houses.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Once Sprout and I went to a fancy gingerbread decorating event at a fancy schmancy bakery. And that was way fun. But the next year, when we tried to go back, the fancy schmancy bakery had gone belly up (the nerve). There we were, wandering the streets of Downingtown wondering what we were to do to fill the gaping tradition void (for the tradition that had been started only the year before).<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Luckily our wandering led us to a store with Gingerbread House kits. And that has been our traditional mode of gingerbread house construction for lo these many years.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTj0DNA1dtUcUDCn0kEhTExJMe3ApeIpG4RM7tkPAkWRaI42k8BMXA_gj4kUXd6neCVL74ZLd2PyO9R2hPRkbyf6Hi2r0OUmtPG_ziR1tMWEsY_E4sSIExZfaI1-1sKa4k-z3XZl98idc/s1600/IMG_1374.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTj0DNA1dtUcUDCn0kEhTExJMe3ApeIpG4RM7tkPAkWRaI42k8BMXA_gj4kUXd6neCVL74ZLd2PyO9R2hPRkbyf6Hi2r0OUmtPG_ziR1tMWEsY_E4sSIExZfaI1-1sKa4k-z3XZl98idc/s320/IMG_1374.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409739980033410674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This year, we were a little late on getting the houses built. We were busy doing stuff like this. That's Sprout sitting in Tony Romo's locker. Eat your heart out Jessica Simpson! Tater and our favorite Texan are sitting in Jason Witten's locker. How fun is that?</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />They didn't actually sit there all week. But we were traveling home from Dallas on Black Friday and, strangely, Southwest isn't big on building Gingerbread Houses during the flights.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GZjvgg1m8xRb8R4iWdxeapPsFYmpNlz1wLZKaEoUcZHM_orHcI6PsUc1gIVsilUHxbKoubvxEAaKQemR-307KYbGDuRXJRn8fMwtkET_qiXy0-otOgvrer069KhW6_ekmDjAiRmB_SE/s1600/IMG_1390.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 173px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GZjvgg1m8xRb8R4iWdxeapPsFYmpNlz1wLZKaEoUcZHM_orHcI6PsUc1gIVsilUHxbKoubvxEAaKQemR-307KYbGDuRXJRn8fMwtkET_qiXy0-otOgvrer069KhW6_ekmDjAiRmB_SE/s320/IMG_1390.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409740570154745314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But today we finally had some time and went to Target (oh, Target...how I love you) where we purchase two of these fine Gingerbread House kits ($9.99 each).</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />With...wait for it...premade icing!</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Now, if you have no experience with the powdered Royal Icing that usually comes in these kits, that may seem like no big deal.<br /><br />But, really...big deal.</span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://thefunmommies.blogspot.com/2008/12/dream-house.html"> Last year I attempted to use spray icing</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. I do not recommend this. Too squishy. Too slide-y.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />The pre-made icing was an excellent upgrade to the already convenient nature of the kit. So convenient in fact that my darling children decided that, after the initial construction phase, they did not need me to help.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Sniff. I am not needed. I'll be over here feeling sorry for myself. Or, maybe taking pictures.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sprout was carefully doling out her candies. Attempting to use as few as possible without me noticing her evil scheme to have lots of leftovers to eat.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflXIqLQ7w-SUi3yENr5n5Ev9NBrtGjhxWDUjVPsi9mnr3xrwiVY8DAXIUtLGw11TJLfF_ScQAhGtyZ7mN72Ss_7SrT1sIPBjMmaX6nfda7VQm45fJY4lNjWaMQ0IEfVyPfa6Qn1_bOMw/s1600/IMG_1385.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflXIqLQ7w-SUi3yENr5n5Ev9NBrtGjhxWDUjVPsi9mnr3xrwiVY8DAXIUtLGw11TJLfF_ScQAhGtyZ7mN72Ss_7SrT1sIPBjMmaX6nfda7VQm45fJY4lNjWaMQ0IEfVyPfa6Qn1_bOMw/s320/IMG_1385.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409743311167298834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm on to you...<br /></span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">She was also trying to watch Star Wars while building. Multi-tasking with frosting can be trouble!<br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmDSi_98qMLlPbqXQJutNPYB0v4O7tiHsrMalQuv8LpkOZxtu8PaT531uxVhr7lEVuHJ45yP6Ed3btX8F75FigCsbx_a5ffgeA_H_3W_oJcYY7LFGOJ73mxs-f6N4bFE_Z2NOmKwcZI4/s1600/IMG_1391.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmDSi_98qMLlPbqXQJutNPYB0v4O7tiHsrMalQuv8LpkOZxtu8PaT531uxVhr7lEVuHJ45yP6Ed3btX8F75FigCsbx_a5ffgeA_H_3W_oJcYY7LFGOJ73mxs-f6N4bFE_Z2NOmKwcZI4/s320/IMG_1391.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409743470820631666" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This guy has trouble written all over him. </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Or maybe that's frosting.</span> <a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysgiLxgkrJ8S56KDB3i39oDHyvi_O7vlBxo27lReVllUzWfyaUVyrrad8ABNWbvhYYetzEUo7QWAc2i0PwvlJbB8bEvcGoQtP6VX5dhEaxWhx_Ohpd29wl0wrApOO2mTBW4PzJcn3YEI/s1600/IMG_1388.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysgiLxgkrJ8S56KDB3i39oDHyvi_O7vlBxo27lReVllUzWfyaUVyrrad8ABNWbvhYYetzEUo7QWAc2i0PwvlJbB8bEvcGoQtP6VX5dhEaxWhx_Ohpd29wl0wrApOO2mTBW4PzJcn3YEI/s320/IMG_1388.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409743688535313490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Definitely frosting.</span><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZURRdnmTDidpZOo_gan5R9-c6fuI8XDvlW8D9Z9MLHf1DhZ16mmyl7inFPfI5lzjXJukJOaM9w52xlpy-aAYxhK4jxBW6_PbvuZ5ZPDH-U_CB9XH5fC2BfV-Yeynjbedw4xEarL58SFc/s1600/IMG_1394.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZURRdnmTDidpZOo_gan5R9-c6fuI8XDvlW8D9Z9MLHf1DhZ16mmyl7inFPfI5lzjXJukJOaM9w52xlpy-aAYxhK4jxBW6_PbvuZ5ZPDH-U_CB9XH5fC2BfV-Yeynjbedw4xEarL58SFc/s320/IMG_1394.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409743889554289218" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1-A4y28IBhpVzA3uJMAdGn8i-RL8R8TLlMlfQtm8XpkswNFgd2xjPzF92AFikZ7OFEomvdL4U2jDJmgI6HheSeaI81CSjFzeq4AUeNmCb8UlPoogsLJPnxlmngNygMUHuQfPkmgtZv4/s1600/IMG_1401.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1-A4y28IBhpVzA3uJMAdGn8i-RL8R8TLlMlfQtm8XpkswNFgd2xjPzF92AFikZ7OFEomvdL4U2jDJmgI6HheSeaI81CSjFzeq4AUeNmCb8UlPoogsLJPnxlmngNygMUHuQfPkmgtZv4/s320/IMG_1401.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409744378938990882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> I think the end results were quite festive. This one here is Tater's. The one at the top is Sprout's. I did manage to get her to put most of the candy on - but it wasn't easy!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The tradition carries on. Despite my apparent obsolescence. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We did have an unfortunate incident with some roof slippage on Tater's house. And I was summoned to help with the repairs - so I guess I do still have some role to play. Whew!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Next year I am going to break out the spray icing again so there will be lots of repairs for me to help with. Gotta stay relevant!</span>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909705200294546996.post-56563690072398917092009-11-18T22:58:00.004-05:002009-11-19T19:54:36.047-05:00Cookie Decorating Event - December 6th<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I wanted to let you know about this great event that benefits one of my favorite charities. </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.mommyslight.org/">Mommy's Light</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > helps kids who have lost their mothers (sob) remember special traditions that they enjoyed with their mothers when they were alive (sob again).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >They are also some of the most wonderful and committed women you will ever meet, working tirelessly to help these kids. I do some volunteer work in their office each week and I am in awe.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >The Embassy Suites in Valley Forge, PA is hosting a Holiday Cookie Decorating Party on Sunday, December 6th from 2 - 4PM and the proceeds will go to Mommy's Light to help them do all of the good work that they do.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I can't get this little flyer to be any bigger - but hopefully if you click on it, it will get big enough to see the details. I will list them out here just in case...</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF0JE53sCPSJTFnXYTuG9phf0UrdAI88caIA8-uHmrB8qMvk3FTiyIiwmZFkwoqxva55mVgi9xiXwPWfDVUnatzlcmpvY3dmazBJ1sewMLNaSkIwn4xJ_eYqErHMdac4fa5AkHjIq80E/s1600/Embassy_cookie_flyer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF0JE53sCPSJTFnXYTuG9phf0UrdAI88caIA8-uHmrB8qMvk3FTiyIiwmZFkwoqxva55mVgi9xiXwPWfDVUnatzlcmpvY3dmazBJ1sewMLNaSkIwn4xJ_eYqErHMdac4fa5AkHjIq80E/s320/Embassy_cookie_flyer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405659426106589154" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">When?</span> December 6, 2-4PM</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Where?</span> The Grille at Chesterbook - Embassy Suites Valley Forge</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > 888 Chesterbrook Blvd, Wayne, PA</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">How much?</span> $15 for each adult/child set (1 adult + 1 child)</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > $5 for each additional adult or child</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">What?</span> Hot chocolate, decorating holiday cookies and making holiday crafts.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > Entertainment by Sally's Music Circle and a special visit from Santa!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">How to Sign Up?</span> Call 610-407-7106 OR e-mail Liz.Iozzi@Hilton.com by December 1st.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >We'll be there.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Tater will be the one running away from Santa.</span>Fun Mommy Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525002963142672199noreply@blogger.com1