The boys made these all by themselves while I took a conference call. There was peanut butter everywhere, but they sure were proud of their snack. I thought it looked like more than any family could eat–but I managed, somehow :).
Christmas Wreath Ornaments from Stacy Makes Cents
I’d like to welcome back Stacy, from Stacy Makes Cents. She has a really quick Christmas craft to show us that is fun and appropriate for young children to do.
Hi – my name is Stacy , Queen of Mess. I am not blessed with craftiness, so I have to try really hard to be crafty. This project, however, is EASY. If I can do this, a 5 year old can do it. I’ve been making these ornaments for a few years and they are really fun to make – and they are a super easy project for children. Are you ready? Let’s mess craft!
All you need are plastic rings, green pipe cleaners, and mini bows. That’s it. No glue included….and my hands are thankful because they have a love/hate relationship with my hot glue gun. If the hot glue comes out, so do the band-aids. The best part about this project? It’s CHEAP. If I’m anything, I’m frugal…..and this ornament is right up my alley. The green pipe cleaners and mini bows always come from The Dollar Tree. The plastic rings come from……
bottles you have at home….which are FREE! Is that exciting or what?! You can come across these rings pretty easily. They’re on soda bottles, medicine bottles, and some vitamin bottles. You just have to pay attention. If you want lots of rings, ask your friends and family to save them for you. You’d be surprised how quickly you can collect a ton of them. You’ll be able to make several different sized wreaths since most of these rings are in various sizes. The hardest part of this project is getting the plastic rings off without breaking them or losing your religion.
Take a pipe cleaner and begin wrapping it tightly around the ring. The wire inside of the pipe cleaner makes it stay put, eliminating the need for glue – a huge plus for doing this project with your kids….or with an accident-prone girl named Stacy.
This was a fairly large ring, so I used two pipe cleaners total. How many you use will depend on how tightly you wrap them.
I always make sure to buy the bows that have the ties on them. That allows me to tie the bows on and eliminate the need for hot glue – are you sensing a theme here? Try to find the smallest bows you can. These are larger than I normally like, but they were the smallest ones I could find this year. The next time I find the smaller ones, I might buy all they have. I’m a bow hog. Tie your bow onto the wreath in the position that you like. Just twist it on there like a twisty tie.
Ta da! How cute is that?! I’m just tickled with myself. J You can make a lot of these very quickly. They are good for last minute gifts if you need them….or so I hear from OTHER PEOPLE. Because I would never leave any gifts till the last minute. *Cough*
You might find several different types of pipe cleaners. Here you can see I made some with a plain type and some with glitter green. I like the glitter best – but my husband has banned glitter from our house – funny that his first child was a daughter…not sure how long that rule will stick.
You can give these in a box as a great homemade gift, or you can use them yourself. We used them on my mom’s tree this year. You can add a ribbon to tie them on the tree or you can just slide them on the tips of the branches. Sometimes I just stick mine on there, letting the sticky needles hold them on.
Merry Christmas!
Time to Menu Plan for December
It’s time to make your menu plan for December! What a fun month for planning! I’m starting the Holiday Hottie Contest with Fit Yummy Mummy on the 6th. So for 21 days my menu will reflect my goals for that contest. The challenge is to keep it festive and supportive at the same time–while still keeping the intensity of the meal prep low.
Here’s a pdf menu planning sheet for you for December: December 2011 menu
Family Pictures
My cousin, Rachael, is a budding photographer and invited us to be her subjects. She has a great eye for lighting and got some fantastic shots. Here are a few of my favorites:
Do You Black Friday?
I’ve been one of those folks who gets up at 3am to stand in line for the really great deals. But year after year I was frustrated by the rude “adults” who act like 3 year olds, pushing, and shoving and stealing things out of people’s carts when they aren’t looking. And often the thing I got up early for was sold out before I could reach it.
Source: Plasticjungle.com
Not all my Black Friday shopping has been a bust. 5 years ago I stood in line and snagged a lovely pair of black boots which I finally wore out, and my husband purchased a new suit at rock bottom prices–which is still good!
I have a hard time passing up a good deal. My hands get sweaty and I have trouble thinking clearly. In hindsight there wasn’t anything I purchased at that time that I couldn’t have lived without. And sometimes living without is a happier existence, because I’m not left with the clutter.
So this Black Friday if you come to my home, you’ll find a peaceful family, listening to Christmas carols and sipping hot chocolate. After the chores are done, we’ll bring out the board games and read some books aloud. It sounds so much better to me than fighting the frenzy at the store.
If there are some Black Friday deals you can’t live without, many stores are now offering the same deals online, so you can shop at home without fighting the crowds. To take full advantage of Black Friday deals, shop with a plan. Know what you are looking for, for whom, and how much you have to spend. If what you went to the store for is sold out, ask for a rain check so you can pick up the deal later. Finally, don’t be dazzled by good deals that don’t fit in your plan. That way you can feel good about your purchase and know it won’t send you over your Christmas budget.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
I have so much to be thankful for this year! We tried to make you a video as a family. And after the 3rd take of adorable kid bytes and youtube eating it every time…we gave up to make sweet potatoes and fold laundry. But for the record:
I’m thankful for: my family, our home, and our hope for the future
Brandon (4) is thankful for panutbutter samwiches and Grant.
Dub is thankful for his new balloon, steak and Grant.
Heather is thankful for Grant and Mom.
Caleb is thankful for steak and legos.
Heidi is thankful for friends and family.
Darren is thankful for his Godly heritage and our free nation.
And if Grant could talk–Milk would be high on his thankful list, lol.
So from all of us to you, Happy Thanksgiving!
Homemade Extracts
Watch this short video on how to make flavored extracts to use in cakes, cookies, frostings, salad dressings, and marinades. They make great and inexpensive Chrsitmas gifts.
Homemade Kettle Corn
Darren: “What are you making?”
Me: “Kettle Corn.”
“Where did you buy it?”
“You don’t buy it, you make it.”
“I’m pretty sure you need a special pan for that, that keeps it from burning.”
“They didn’t say anything about a special pan.”
“Who’s they?”
“You know, the blogland people.”
“Hmm.”
“All the instructions are over there on the blog, and they promise it won’t burn if you do it just like that.”
From the other room, “Eww, mom what’s that smell?” As the kids trickle into the room, “What are you trying to make? Is it supposed to be smoking like that?” “What’s the matter, did you run out of microwave popcorn?”
“Microwave popcorn is expensive and nutritionally inferior.”
“Maybe, but it’s edible.”
Grant is 6 months
It took me awhile to take his pictures this time. I prefer outdoor lighting, but the weather wasn’t very cooperative. I’llhave to get a new plan for the winter months, lol. His 12 months onesie now fits him properly. It will have to streeeeetch to make it to his first birthday.
His mood was ever changing for this photo shoot. His front teeth are trying to make an appearance and disrupt his sleep and his pleasant attitude. It’s things like this that will make us celebrate when they finally break through!
Vote and be Inspired
The Fall Transformation Challenge is over at Fit Yummy Mummy and the finalists are posted. You can pop over there and see the amazing before and after pictures. It’s fantastic what is possible in just 12 weeks! Click here to see the photos, read the essays, and vote for your favorite finalist!