Mud Pie Kitchen Project!

my new obsession... Mud Pie Kitchens!  Me and K are going to make one in the weeks ahead, I'll keep you posted! I have a seen a TON but this ones looks pretty great! To be honest K is kind of a tiddy mud pie kitchen girl, she would in no way go for the messy versions of this, even though i have explained it's GONNA get messy when you add in mud :)

However I dont think she needs it as clean as this...

To get her REALLY excited I might have to find a Mud Pie cook book!

Me and my besty when i was little would make all kinds of concoctions outside with flowers plants and grasses.  It was our little make believe wold of run aways and camp outs...I thought it would be fun to help K and S one, someting tells me S will get even more messier than K!! :)

Advent and Christmas Traditions

Dear Advent box, how I have missed you.  Last year we had a blast and Kehnley really thought you were magic how you would always have a new fun treat and instructions for a fun day ahead as we counted down the days til Jesus' birthday.  This year I can't wait to see you because she knows a little more and is going to be SO excited to see what you have in store!  Of course we have our nativity advent that helps us keep our days all in a row and as we fill the manger with all the animals and angels I can't help but get a little anxious to see what Sadie will do with you when I am not looking!

Some old some new family traditions to share, please feel free to let me know yours AND use some of ours!

25 stories of Christmas:
This year we are going to wrap a book (some old some new) that are all about Christmas and since Bry misses all the advent full all day while he's away at work, he will be the one to greet her with a new wrapped book every day when he gets home and that will be the book she gets to read at bedtime with us.  I can't wait for her to see the Grinch Stole Christmas Original, and a new book I found called God gave us Christmas!

Hidden Crown:
My husband is German and I looked up years ago German traditions for Christmas, i also asked about some that their family had when he was growing up.  Is mom shared with me how her mom, the boys Granny would decorate the tree and keep it hidden until Christmas eve!  That was the first time they got to see it!  But since I am pretty obsessed with falling asleep on the couch by only the light of the Christmas tree each year (there is just a joy that brings me that I can't express) lol  I couldn't do that one, but hiding a pickle in the tree is a tradition for many Germain homes and who ever finds it gets a special treat.  Well, this year we are hiding a crown. We did something like it last year, but I am going to REALLY hide it good this year and who ever finds it gets to put it on the cake and present it to Jesus for His birthday!  (Hopefully K will find it first! lol)

Christmas bake off:
We have a Christmas baking cookie exchange that I hope to share with some new friends and family this year!  Last year at the Blowey's K had a blast decorating "goodies"  for friends to share, she wanted to eat all those "goodies" as she called them all the time though! 

Shrinky-Dink:
Every year for many years (Bry loves this....well....he's grown to love it) we make shrinky-dink ornaments!  They are SO fun, great keepsakes and make the best gifts!  And it's just amazing seeing all those big drawings and art work shrink down to pretty little ornaments for our tree!  One day when I am old and gray i will have enough shrinky-dinks to cover a tree all on their own!  (And Bry will probably have a billion deer feeder scenes he's created from year to year on his!)

Advent Box:
I get ideas from blogs and websites and my crazy sleepless nights up for hours thinking about things to make and do on the days leading to Christmas that are fun and silly and remind us the joy of the season!  Some are the same each year... some are different.  Here is the first for this year and the sources I have for the rest I will post tomorrow.  (it's been a CRAZY week!)

W. Day 1  Make a wreath for Advent. Talk about what advent means.  Decorate the tree and Bry is bringing the first wrapped book today all about the Christmas tree!!


Speaking of Christmas Tree, this guy wanted in on the fun this year!  Happy Adventing everyone!!

Some Sources:
http://www.familyfun.go.com/ or http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/homemade-christmas-gifts/
http://www.bhg.com/
Book called New Noel
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/christmas/
http://holidays.kaboose.com/christmas/
http://christiancrafters.com/Journey-to-the-Manger-cvr.gif

           

             
 

Mess-O-Meter

This is one of many blogs i visit frequently.  I dont get all my play and teaching ideas together on my own, and this is proof of that.  I need to remember to let mess and noise be a catalyst to learning and fun.  I usually live by that moto, but sometimes I get sucked into the weird world of moms who think that their kitchen needs to be spotless and home a hum of quiet reading with soft classical music playing... i don't even like classical music that much.  Anyway, here is to the moms out there that let their kids get a little mess, and to my Gran who says " you are more precious than this thing or that"  when her kids would mess something up or heaven forbid break something that was once really important to her.  She knew that they were worth far more...

(Dont get me wrong i think i might have cried when Kehnley broke my little bird pepper shaker, but quickly remembered Gran's words and moved on)

Here are our little messes....