Kids Winter Craft

My mom came up with this one, but my kidlets had so much fun doing them that I just had to share!

It's easy and they love them....

You just need big marshmallows, toothpicks, icing and any other "eyeball" makers you can think of to make Snowmen!!!

(Yes we are a little concerned with our daughters lack of arms and instead putting it through the head. We are keeping an eye on her :) )

Clam up, you !

I try to get my kids to eat good things anyway I can! If that means putting eyeballs on with black olives....well I will do it!

I found a great bag of whole wheat mini pitas at Trader Joes. I will confess, I got them partly because they were cute. (I had no idea what I could make with them but my kids like little things and they were a good prices, so I scooped them up!)

What we came up with was so cute I just had to share.

I split them halfway and filled them with sliced turkey and some shredded cheese. I then popped them in the microwave for twenty seconds and wahlah!

Clams.
I may have chased my kids around with them...but they loved it. We talked about where clams lived and what they are.

Add eyeballs with olives or make them crabs with thin carrot strips for legs. I am also thinking about added some cooked and seasoned spinach for "seaweed".

They loved them and I felt good that it was a healthy and a different lunch for them!

WFMW - Messy Parties!!

I cannot take credit for this fantabulous idea! My friend came up with this one and I am so grateful she included us in it!

Kids, even the best of em', get bored in the summertime! To shake things up, my girlfriend April, invited us to a "Messy Party". I was totally in, although wondering what we were getting ourselves into. OH MY GOODNESS, was it fantastic. The kids had a blast, took great naps and the mamas got the chance to catch up! The whole idea is to let them get messy, explore textures and just have a great time!

My friend set up stations in her yard. The first station was paper plastered the whole way across her garage. She then had big plastic containers of washable paints and a bucket of different shaped sponges. We just let the kids go wild! They put their hands in it and kept looking back to make sure it was ok :)

Next station was a oatmeal mixture where they could put their hands and feet in "goo" and screech... good times!

Station #3 was whipped cream and pudding that they could body paint with. They loved getting their hands in it and painting each other and themselves! Since everything was edible, mamas didn't have to worry about it getting in their mouths. I will spare you the "after" pics with our kids covered like rainbow children :)

(She also had a baby pool and sprinkler set up so if the kids ever got too dirty they could just jump in and clean off! )

We completed the day with cool lemon aide, sandwiches and brownies. To say that the kiddos had a great time was an understatement! I have to say that my friend has made me a fan of messy parties!! There is something so freeing that after telling your little one not to get dirty 546 times to finally tell them to go at it! And that works for this mama.....

For more great WFMW Ideas visit We Are That Family!

WFMW - Making going away a little easier for little ones!

We are BLESSED to live by the nicest neighbors in the world. (Its also not too shabby that their daughter is a elementary school teacher ((and our babysitter of choice)) and the mom is a pediatric nurse!! )

My son thinks that their house is just an extension of our own. Often times I will see him start to head over there out of the corner of my eye. Other times they will come and get him to help walk the dog, water the flowers or just taste test some cookies out of the oven. Their worth is more than diamonds and gold.

So when they told me that they would be going to Florida for ~~gasp~~ seven days I started to panic a little. My neighbor smiled knowingly and said that she would make sure he was busy while they were gone.

The morning they left, I found a little package on my doorstep. Included was a activity packet with a day for everyday they were gone and a countdown calendar.

The countdown calendar had a map where they would be staying. It helped to explain to my little cherub where his "friends" had gone to. It also had a calendar marked with the time and day they left and the same for the return. Stapled to the top were stickers with a note to place a sticker on each day they were gone. When there were no more stickers they would be home!

The activity book was filled with activities each day they were gone. Each day had.. "Today I... " Today my sister...." "My favorite thing about today..." and then an activity. On Wednesday they had " find the watering can on our porch and water the garden" On the day of their return it was " Make a welcome home sign with markers and stickers."

I don't have to tell you what a thrill this was for my little guy. I thought it was a clever way to make a loved ones time away go by quickly and of course that works for me!

For more great WFMW ideas check out We are that Family!

Works for Me Wednesday - The " I'm Bored drawer"

I have been on a bored kick lately. Maybe its because we are trying to save every penny ( I love Dave Ramsey!) and so the kids and I are sticking around the house more and more!

Anywho, I have had a drawer that we have been using alot lately. I call it the "I'm bored drawer!" It has all the fun weird stuff that you get in the goody bags from birthday parties. You know .... the dinosaurs that grow in water, aunt farms, screaming rocket balloons. I let the kids have the candy and edibles and stash the goodies in "the drawer".

In addition, I keep my eyes open at the dollar store. They also have some little trinkets that are really cool and my little ones would like. ( Why are kids attracted to the most cheapest toys? You know the ones that they cry about when they fall apart. After the second time you use them! I guess that's another post!)

When my nerves are jumpin and thin I look longingly at the drawer and wonder how much sanity it can buy me. The kids love getting a "new" trinket, it doesn't cost me very much, if anything and it buys me a solo pee pee trip. Which totally works for me!!

For more boredom busters visit We are that Family!

Works for me Wednesday- Mom I'm bored edition

I am a blessed woman indeed that my kidlets don't know what the word bored means ... yet. I can always tell when they are bored, however when they start to whiiiinnnnnneeeee and roll around on the floor. :)


To keep the whining to a minimum, I try to keep a couple craft items on hand. Potatoes stamps are easy, fun and cheap. You simply need some fabric paint, a couple of potatoes and fabric of your choice. ( You can also use Acrylic paint and paper... any cookie cutter will do as well!)

I found white flour sacks towels at the dollar store. I then cut a potato in half and pressed a star shaped cookie cutter into the exposed part of the potato. I cut away the out side excess and whalah! A perfect star stamp! The round part that they stamp with is perfect for little hand too!

I then let my little guy stamp to his hearts content. He had a blast and now I have a Forth of July towel that makes me think of my little guy every time I look at it! (He practically beamed with pride while showing my hubby.) The whole project cost $1.10 and kept my toddler entertained!

Big kids can get into the fun too... like Mamas who get bored :)

For more boredom busters visit We are that Family!