Merry Christmas to all....

My wish for all of you on Christmas Day :  

Peace, Joy, and Love for you and your family!

And a very Happy New Year!  2010 is on the way!!!  I am excited about all of the possibilities!!  xoxox Jo

REINDEER PARTY- Part 2

(Just a note... our Tot school this week was mostly activities & crafts to get ready for our reindeer birthday party on Sat.) 

So, I posted about the invitations.... now I am going to show you what we have been up to the past few days. There will be a PART 3 which will show BEFORE  (tomorrow morning) and AFTER (tomorrow evening) the party and I can let you know how it went, ok?  :)

First, we made some reindeer cookies--- they are large and so we are going to put each one in a plastic baggie and it will go in the little treat box (reindeer Chinese food boxes from Dollar Tree) that each child will get to take home... We got this idea  from  Let's Explore   --- but we kind of tweaked it a bit... I just bought store bought sugar cookie dough (I know this is very easy to make- I was being lazy!! LOL) and  then just molded them into a shape... we used chocolate chips for eyes, small (broken in half) pretzels for antlers and M&M (red or brown) for the nose... I was going to do all red noses because I liked that best but Scarlett once again reminded me that there was only ONE Rudolph... sheesh!  She did finally decide to make a few red noses though...

Also inside the Reindeer Goodie boxes we have Reindeer Bells (or Santa's Belt bells) a cute snowflake plastic ring,  and Reindeer food (to guide the way to your house on Christmas eve).
I got the idea for the Magic reindeer food from Preschool Playbook.
But used this saying from another blog---(can't find where it is from!!)

Sprinkle on the lawn at night.
The moon will make it sparkle bright.
As Santa's reindeer fly and roam,
This will guide them to your home!

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We have insulated our garage and I have been using it as the girls Homeschooling "Preschool/Tot School" room- I love it!  We put in some large rugs and we have a heater (and insulated too recently- yay) and we have a nice long table for doing lots of ART!   We are using this table for the party for all the little ones to sit at and I am going to cover the table with red plastic table cloth... and these ADORABLE cups that I found on (my favorite blog) Confessions of a Homeschooler .

 

Scarlett really enjoyed making these... while I made ones with red noses... she was determined to have some brown nosed ones as well (hey, it's her party!!)

I really think they turned out cute!! These will decorate the table... at first I thought we could use them as cups for drinking but then I realized we are talking about 2 and 3 year olds... with all the "stuff on them" that might not be wise!  So... we will use them as snack cups (which is what they were intended for in the other blog) and I bought chocolate milk boxes for the kiddos instead!

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Decorations:  Red and Gold  Tinsel Garland crisscrossing the ceiling.... Balloons (a must for my parties!), Red plates and napkins, and 4 blow up reindeer (also from Dollar Tree). 
 ( Oh did I mention reindeer antler headbands for all the kiddos to wear when they arrive??) 
-NOTE: --Also from Dollar Tree!!  (thank you Dollar Tree- my shopping oasis!)

Activities- We are playing Pin the Nose on Rudolph (found a great picture to use HERE)  and then we are also making a foam reindeer ornament (very simple) from Oriental trading...  At 2 and 3 years old I didn't want to do too much and also BECAUSE..... (bells jingling in the distance)

SANTA IS COMING TO VISIT TOO!!!!!!!!!--- He is going to read them the Rudolph the Red nose reindeer book and give them their gift bags as well (doesn't that seem appropriate?) We will probably sing Rudolph the Red nose reindeer as well because that is Scarlett's favorite song... ( I used to love it too- had the record- my parents used to have to hide it from me when it wasn't Christmas or I'd listen to it all year long!)

He is just coming towards the end so we can focus on magical Reindeers and such... but I think it will be fun!

So, hopefully there will be lots of "reindeer games"... & our party will "go down in history!" (in a good way!)Look in tomorrow night (or Sunday if I get lazy) and see the "play by play"!!!

Check out where the places I linked up to as well!! :)

Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
Sugarplum Creations
Confessions of Non- Domestic Housewife
Ramblings of a Crazy Woman
Preschool Corner

3 years ago today...

My precious little girl was born... and my life was changed completely... forever...
................................and I have NEVER BEEN happier!!

Being a Mommy is the most wonderful blessing! 

Here is a picture of my darling girl a few days after she was born- my husband and I created a
Christmas/ Birth Announcement with our own camera on a dark blanket on the couch with a stocking! :)

and then at 1 year in a tutu...

and at 2 years by her Christmas tree...

 And now my 3 year old Birthday Girl!! It looks like the stocking is a little too small after 3 years! :)

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

xoxoxo Mommy & Daddy (and your stinky little sister too)

Wordless Wednesday- TWINS (but not really) :)

REINDEER PARTY- Part 1

I have been dying to post this!  I am throwing a birthday party for Scarlett (she will be 3 this week) on Saturday with approx.  ten little 2,3, and 4 year olds attending.  I gave Scarlett a choice of different party themes, Dora, Princess, Reindeer, Snowman, and she chose Reindeer-- I was surprised she didn't want the Princess party-isn't that usually what every little girl picks?

But I was excited too because I have so many fun ideas for the party!

We made reindeer invitations- you need- Red pom-poms (for nose), Google eyes, brown construction paper (cut in a heart shape), hole punch, and brown or black chenille stems

1.  Cut a heart shape out of brown construction

2.  Glue on Google Eyes and a cute red pom-pom nose at the bottom of the heart shape for a nose.

 

3. Punch a hole a the top of the heart (reindeer) and put a brown chenille stem through the hole- bend in half and twist for antlers! 

On the back I typed up a the information for the party it said:
Now Dasher, Now Dancer, Now Prancer and Vixen,
On Comet, On Cupid, on Donder, and Blitzen!
To Ruby's 3rd birthday, we're ready to go!
Rudolph's excited- see his nose glow?
(then date, time, address, etc!)

We sent out the Reindeer invites about a month ago (sent early because it is holiday season and people are busy!)
I will be sending out Part 2 in the next day or so-- it includes what I am doing for all the party festivities!
Part 3 will be the actual party and how it turned out! :)

Meditation in the car... :)

A conversation today in the car while running errands (listening to Christmas music).
Scarlett :  "Mommy when I grow up I want to be a saint/angel."
Me:  "That is wonderful Scarlett I want you to be a saint too and Mommy also wants to be a saint!"
Scarlett: "And I want Lily to be Baby Jesus when she grows up". 


I love the things that she thinks up!!!   LOL  

xoxoxo

ONLY FOR TONIGHT!! NURSING COVERS FOR MOMMIES!

Hi!! My friend just forwarded this to me and I'd thought I'd pass it along... the coupon code still worked as of today.

Go to : www.uddercovers. com Enter coupon code "cute" to get the cover for free ($32.00 value!) and just pay $8.95 shipping! I don't know how long this offer lasts, as it was shared with me by a friend, but this is a great deal on these cute nursing covers!! Let me know if it works for you! :)

Tuesday and Thursday Tot School Week 6

TOT SCHOOL during the holidays!

 What's in our workbox this week?

First, Scarlett chose to make a reindeer-- we made triangles and then glued on wiggly eyes  a red nose (for Scarlett's and a black nose for mine)-- this was decided upon by Scarlett who told me there can only be one reindeer with a red nose- OF COURSE!  We cut a brown pipe cleaner in half and wrapped it around the top of the triangle for antlers!  Next Scarlett wants to hang them on the tree.

  

 

I found this cute game on Make Learning Fun- I really like some of the things I have found there! :)

 So Scarlett rolled the dice... I love these dice!  They are rubber and enormous- great for counting games (I got them a long time ago... probably at some type of dollar store but I honestly don't remember!) And while she counted and added M&M's to Santa's beard.... guess who climbed up on another chair and helped herself to a few M&M's....

This was quite a treat for Miss Lily- she has never had those before.... I think I have created another Choco"holic" in the family... uh oh!

Next Scarlett finished a letter that she had been working on for her 2nd cousin, who she had SOOO much fun playing with during Thanksgiving- they have been sending cards and letters (or in Scarlett's case pictures) back and forth to each other.  Pretty cute!

Next, Scarlett did a tree matching game- I love this game! I laminated it and cut them out then we placed the big trees in cups and she had to match the trees correctly- some of the patterns where a little similar and she had some trouble but ended up doing them correctly and was soooo proud of herself! :)

 

Scarlett LOVES to stamp!

 AND  Paint with Watercolors! This was some type of reindeer?  :)  Love her little pieces of art!

We also matched nativity scenes this week- she had to match the colors- which really was too easy for her but still good practice and while she did that little Miss Lily played with the alphabet magnet game!

 Finally, we worked on our letter for the past 2 weeks- letter C!  Scarlett wrote the letter C in shaving cream which she loves to do- I don't mind it either because.....

  

after a messy day of TOT SCHOOL--- it cleans the table up just great and leaves everything smelling clean!   (This is Scarlett helping me clean up the table!)

 

 HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

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Wordless Wednesday- Rub a dub dub 2 SANTAS in the tub!

                                                  

 

HO! HO! HO!

Celebrating St. Nicholas Day (yesterday!)

OUR ST. NICHOLAS STATUE
(To read more about him see my previous blog! Thanks!)
Happy Saint Nicholas Day! Scarlett woke up and ran out to find that St. Nick had filled the stockings and left behind a picture of himself as well!

Peeking inside her stocking!

How fun! Scarlett found adorable pink and yellow wood castanets (courtesy of Target $1.00 bins) and a Polar Bear Pez candy and a cute Puppy Dog calendar....


The girls also got some very cute wood box Dress-Up Bears (from Target as well $2.00). Lily woke up and Scarlett(in her coat getting ready for Mass) watched as she examined what was in her stocking as well!

Lily pulled out some wood castenets for herself too! She was able to figure out how to use them as well- I was really impress because that takes quite a "fine motor skill" to do it! Lily got a Snowman Pez candy... (which she won't be eating but she can play with the snowman container!)



Lily was excited to find a Kitten Calendar (this girl LOVES cats!!) She loves to say "meow" all day long- and if she doesn't know what an animal is she calls it a "meow" as well! LOL


My hubby put all the lights up outside on Saturday morning and I finished cleaning and decorating inside... Sunday morning the Christmas tree went up- but we haven't got the ornaments on it yet! I was proud we got as much done as we did (amidst 3 Christmas parties this weekend- SHEESH!) Anyway, my personal goal of getting it all done before St. Nicholas day almost went through... tonight we are putting the ornaments on with the girls and then we will be completely set! :)

** I love this picture- I walked into the living room and Scarlett was reading this little reindeer book to Lily- they were sitting so still and reading- it was PRECIOUS!!
Happy St. Nicholas Day to you!!

St. Nicholas Day

Don't forget to put out your shoes or stockings for St. Nicholas tonight!! At our house, St. Nicholas always picked up our Santa toy wish list letter... and filled our stocking with chocolate gold coins, apples and oranges! At school if the 6th was on a school day we would put our shoes out while we went to PE class and SURPRISE!! when we came back to class he would have come and put candy in our shoes! So much fun! ;)

My goal is to always have our decorations and the Christmas tree up by St. Nicholas day (which is tomorrow, Sunday, December 6th, by the way!!) Then we keep everything up until Epiphany in January... but usually I am so sad to put the Christmas stuff away we don't finally get everything put up until around the 15th of January! LOL


HAPPY FEAST OF ST. NICHOLAS!!

**To learn more about this caring and compassionate saint please click here- Saint Nicholas!

Tuesday and Thursday Tot School Week 5!

Tuesday- OUR LITTLE TOT SCHOOL!
Found this cute foam Nativity activity from Hobby Lobby... Scarlett place Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus as well as the donkey, camel and wise men in and around the stable. There are 25 stars.. each day before our calendar activity we place a star on the "Manger Calendar".

Once Scarlett started to do her activities, I noticed Lily mimicing the calendar activity- with the pointer!! It was so cute to watch her. I love seeing her pick up so many things that her big sister is doing! She is so smart! :)





Writing a letter to Santa (putting it in her stocking for St. Nicholas day- on Dec. 6th) She dictated, I wrote it for her but she signed her name- she is getting pretty good at it!
Licking the envelope (she loves this part- I don't know why!)

Another Montessori-like activity. I had these leftover ceramic stars from a make your own stepping stone activity we did for Mother's Day... so she put them in a star ice mold with tongs... this was a little difficult but she really liked doing it! The star ice mold tray was from Dollar Tree... they are great for doing little Montessori activities like organizing, classifying, etc.




THURSDAY TOT SCHOOL!--- LETTER C
I love this LeapFrog Phonics Magnetic Alphabet .. it sings a song and tells you what the letter says! We always listen to it when we are starting a new letter. This would be a great gift buy- I put a link on the right side of my blog if you are wanting something like this for Christmas!


C is for CANDY!! Candy glued onto the letter C that I drew (lots of candy left over from Halloween!!) I am thinking I saw this idea on Confessions of a Homeschooler? But I'm not completely sure??
Cute foam crafts from the Dollar Tree! Scarlett chose a wreath to decorate today- lots of cute foam stickers to put onto the wreath- letters too- she found the letters to her name and put them on as well.

Making HomeMade Playdoh..... Got idea from Our Cozy Little Book Corner- check it out!





Took a break from the playdoh to let it cool down... Saw this idea on lots of sites but looked especially at A Mommy's Adventures- very cute!
Here is Scarlett starting to paint the candles for the advent wreath! Cut paper towel rolls in half and painted 3 purple and 1 pink!

Then Scarlett "lit" the candles with yellow tissue paper... she wanted to light them all so I let her but then we talked about it later (this is the 1st week of ADVENT so only the 1st purple will be lit!) :)
Advent Wreath completed!! Scarlett being a ham with the leftover paper!

Great Montessori activity- using tongs to move the puff balls into the ice cube tray. Left to Right of course!! :)

Playdoh cooled off- and ready to be played with!
We had lots of fun this week!!

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ENJOY!