Letter to Santa

I posted this on my Simply Complicated blog, but decided to post it here as well.  I have seen a really cute letter out there, but didn't want to spend a ton of money...so I decided to make my own.  I used a scrapbooking kit called Christmas Whimsy.  My boys loved filling out their letter this year.  I hope your little one's do too!  So, if you want to use it...just click on the picture & print.

Santa's List Day is coming up on December 4th...so this is right in time!

Stay tuned...

I am just about done Christmas shopping {squeal}!  I am almost back on my game & have started compiling some fun things for Christmas.  I am excited to get crafting with the kiddos again.  If you follow my other blogs...you may have already seen my latest project.  I decided to create my own Ugly Dolls for my boys for Christmas.  I can't wait until they open them on Christmas morning.

My favorite thing is the cute little heart that I put on their backside.  I love it!!! 

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!!!!!

Honesty

Ok.  I am going to be honest here.  I am having to cut some things back for my sanity.  I don't know how long this is going to last.  I am hoping not for too long.  I had great intentions of doing things for Halloween.  We still have done some fun things, but the crafting isn't happening.  Muffin Tin Monday isn't happening.  I have far too much on my plate & I have felt a little crazy.  So, to be a good mom...I am going to simplify things.  I will be back when I can, but I don't want to leave everyone hanging.  To be honest...this has been a tough bit for us & it will probably be for a little bit longer.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel & that gives me great hope.  However, I hope that you look back through my past posts for fun ideas until I come back with some new ones!

Halloween Stuff...

It has been crazy busy this month.  My house is not decorated for Halloween.  Muffin Tin Monday has been no existant in our house.  We have not been crafting lately.  I can hardly stay on top of dishes & laundry as it is.  I am sorry for my lack of posting, but I am sure that things will settle down & I will be back shortly.  I do have a few ideas floating around in my head.  But, I will leave you with a few past Halloween posts....

Spookley Square Pumpkin

A Monster For Your Monster

Pumpkin Garland

Paper Plate Mummies

Tissue Ghost

Is It Halloween Yet

 Paper Plate Spider

Five Little Pumpkins

Egg Carton Spiders

Egg Carton Bats

Egg Carton Pumpkins

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Aaaaaaaargh!!!  Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day!  Ye land lubbers get hunting for treasure & eating pirate grub.

Yesterday, we had a fun pirate party.  We made pirate swords out of newspaper & cardboard. {Thanks Alpha Mom!}  The swords were a HUGE hit!

We had sword fights.

& a treasure hunt which included a walk on "walk the plank" & some nice pirate booty in the treasure chest.

National Cheeseburger Day

There is something about a really good cheeseburger that just makes my mouth water!  Make yourself a yummy cheeseburger or go & let someone else make one for you!  I know what we are having for dinner!

National Play-doh Day

So, I am going to be very honest here...I am not the biggest fan of play-doh.  With that being said...the boys LOVE it & it does keep them entertained for hours.  When I was looking for a picture to post, I just had to go with this one.  This is what play-doh makes me think of.

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While looking at this picture...I notice a great idea by Spincushion.  I love how she thought outside of the box to create such a cute picture {below}!

I am going to swallow my dislike for play-doh & let me kids go crazy.  I suppose that you could make your own as well, but we have enough canisters that I have no intention of going there!

Collect Rocks Day

I don't know about your kiddos, but mine LOVE to collect rocks.  We even have a special place to put our"special" rocks that we collect when we are camping.  Rock collecting isn't exactly the easiest thing to do in our neighborhood...so we took a jaunt over to a fun little nature park.

Make a Hat Day

Today is Make a Hat Day.  I have a few ideas up my sleeve for today...so just stay posted!

Fortune Cookie Day

Today is...

Fortune Cookie Day!

I love fortune cookies!  They taste yummy & there is something fun about opening up the cookie & reading your fortune!

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Muffin Tin Monday...Movies

Today's MTM theme is...movies. I asked the boys what their 3 favorite movies were. Peter Pan was one of Kaden's favorite movies. We actually haven't watched Peter Pan for a bit...so that is the movie that I chose.

So...here is what we had {while watching Peter Pan}.

top row: telescope {PB&J roll up}, sword {celery}, cannon balls {grapes}
bottom row: sky & pixie dust {blueberry yogurt with yellow sprinkles}, clouds {kettle corn}, pirate ship {string cheese & a cheese sail} & pixie dust sprinkled all of everything {yellow sprinkles}

Check out other Muffin Tin Meals over at Muffin Tin Mom!

Chocolate Milk Shake Day

Yum!!  Today is Chocolate Milk Shake Day.

I had every intention of making us some chocolate milk shakes today, but sadly...my blender didn't survive a fall thanks to a very helpful 4 year old.  So, I will have to just allow my mouth to water while thinking about one.

Teddy Bear Day

I don't know about your kids, but mine LOVE their Teddy Bears. Let your kids take their Teddy Bears with them everywhere, have a Teddy Bear picnic, have a Teddy Bear tea party, or read stories with their Teddy Bears.

Read a Book Day

It's Read a Book Day..not that we really need a set day for this. We are going to have a "read-a-thon" at home with the kids.

Cheese Pizza Day

It's Cheese Pizza Day. I don't know about you, but I like ANY excuse to eat pizza!!!

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Muffin Tin Monday...Numbers/Counting

Wow...it has been a while!!! I haven't done very well with Muffin Tin Monday, but I hope to be back in the swing of things again. I honestly had NO intention of doing Muffin Tin Monday today, but when I saw the theme...I knew that Preston would love it. He loves to count everything!!! I am in desperate need of going grocery shopping this week, but I think that I did ok.



{1 cup of applesauce, 2 pieces of a peanut butter & honey sandwich, 3 starbursts, 4 tomatoes, 5 cheese circles, 6 frozen blueberries} The tomatoes are from my Grandparents garden. Preston will ONLY eat tomatoes from their garden. He cracks me up!

Check out other Muffin Tin Meals over at Muffin Tin Mom. {You can also see the themes on her side bar.}

Bean Name Activity

I have a bit of Mommy Guilt on this one. When Kaden {our oldest} was starting his first, but final year of preschool...he knew all of his letters, the sounds that they made, & how to write his name. Now Preston {our youngest} will be starting his final year of preschool & doesn't really care to learn any of that. He is a little stinker when it comes to what he knows. I will play games & ask him questions, but he will tell me the wrong answer just so that I will leave him alone. Kaden used to love tell us everything that he knew.

I am feeling Mommy Guilt that Preston doesn't know how to write his name {I think!} So, over the next 2 weeks I am going to try to work with him a little more & try to get him to get excited about learning these things.

My niece just started Kindergarten & I saw this cute little project hanging up. I knew that Preston would get a kick out of it. Kaden liked it too! This was a great hands on activity that they didn't need my help. Preston LOVES using the glue all by himself.

All you need it glue, paper, a marker, & beans.

Kaden wrote his own name on his paper with the marker & I wrote Preston's. Then, they traced each letter with glue as we went along. After they traced the letters with glue...they stuck the beans on. Preston was in a great mood & we talked about the letters in his name.

The Last Days of Summer...

I love living in Utah. We went from being at a beautiful Bear Lake with cold wet sand....



to beautiful red Moab sand.



We have spent the last few weeks of summer playing!!! It has been great. Things will be back to normal shortly!

National Creamsicle Day

It's National Creamsicle Day!!! Yum!!

National Smores Day

Today is National Smores Day. Here are some fun variations of the traditional Smores. The following cookies are fun & quick because the chocolate is already there.

Use...

Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies



or my personal favorite....Keebler Half Dipped Grahams.



If you don't have a fire pit...you can make smores in the microwave. Take one of your grahams {or cookies}...add chocolate if needed. Place the marshmallow on top & cook for about 15 seconds. Watch the marshmallow & pull it out when it starts getting big & puffy. Add the top graham {or cookie} & you are good to go!!!

Silly Holidays

I just wanted to let you know that I updated the "Silly Holidays" on the side bar. August, September, & October are now on the side bar!

We had a fun Super Hero Party...

If you want to see it...go to Simply Complicated if you want to check it out!!!

Takin' It Easy

Today was going to be our first day of "normal". We are officially past the week mark with the kids & their tonsils. They can resume "crazy boy normal" next week. But, this morning Kaden {our almost 6 year old} woke up with flu like symptoms. Poor boy has been laying in my bed & visiting the toilet all day. I feel horrible for him. The poor thing is just miserable & can't get comfy. It doesn't help that it is SO stinkin' hot!!!

So, hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for all. I will leave you with a cute picture of Kaden before the tonsil thing. His birthday is next week & he LOVES Captain America.

All Done

The babies are finished with their surgery & we are back at home after a long day. We were at the surgical center for about 6 hours. Everything went great & the boys are doing amazing. Thank you for all of your thoughts! Now, I will be snuggling & loving on these boys for the next week or so.

Gimme a Break

I am going to take a little break {through August}. I may or may not post...it depends on the situation. We have a TON going on over the next month & a half. Both boys are getting their tonsils out this week. I want to devote all of my time to pampering them & making it a positive experience. We have the freezer & fridge stocked with popsicles, ice cream, frozen fruit slushy, jello, & drinks galore. We also splurged & bought a snow cone/slushy maker. I am going to make my own syrup with Koolaid. I will post that before Thursday.

We may have an eye surgery for Kaden in the next month. Three surgeries in the next month will pretty much do us all in.

I apologize for being MIA, but I hope you can understand. We have a month left of break & I can guarantee that it is going to be crazy. We have some fun things planned & I will spill those beans when I return.

I hope that you have an amazing Summer & enjoy your babies.

I will end with sharing the super jammies that I made for the boys for their surgery. If you want to know more about how I made them check out this post about the shorts & this post about doing a freezer paper stencil on the shirt.

Teddy Bear Picnic Day

I missed Teddy Bear picnic day yesterday. I thought I had the post scheduled, but left it in draft form instead. Sorry. So, a little late, but here it is:

If you haven't had a Teddy Bear Picnic before, you HAVE to! It is so fun. We did Teddy Bear Picnic last year. Invite your Teddy Bear to join in on your picnic.

I am reposting this from August of 2009.

My boys ♥ teddy bears. They both choose teddy bears over any other stuffed animal. I thought that it would be fun to have a Teddy Bear Picnic with them. Plus it would be a GREAT excuse to use one of my NEW TEA SETS. We went to the library & I picked up some bear related stories. For lunch we had:

bear shaped pb&j sandwiches
chips
raisins
bear shaped cookies (I used THIS recipe & pre-cut a bear head out of the sheet of cookie dough...then I put the chocolate chips on for the inside ears, eyes, & nose. I also cut a little smile out. Once they were cooked, I just had to re-cut the bear head shape out.)
apple raspberry juice



The boys had no clue what their "lunch surprise" was. I invited them to grab a very special teddy bear & come outside to the picnic blanket. They were excited to have a picnic & use one of our new tea sets. While they ate their lunch with their "friends", I read them the stories that we got from the library.



Kaden held his teddy bear on his lap the whole time...it was so cute.



Preston named his bear cookie "Mr. Preston Polar Bear".



Tomorrow we are going to do a bear craft...stay tuned!!!