Advent Calendar

This year I wanted to create an Advent calendar that included activities for our family to do together. After looking at many different ideas on the web, I decided to create envelopes using the pattern from the book, Art Connections. I traced the pattern onto Christmas paper and folded it into an envelope. Hopefully this gives the kids and the family something to look forward to everyday.

Thankful!

What a fabulous and busy Thanksgiving weekend! My mom and Scott arrived on Tuesday. That night Lovey had a sleepover with a dear friend who is moving away. They had a great time and in the morning, my mom drew the outline of their bodies on paper for them to decorate. The kids loved it.

The Thanksgiving turkey took an hour longer than it was supposed to and one side didn't quite reach 180, so we didn't eat that side. I don't know it was weird. The food was delicious. We tried a new stuffing recipe from Sunset magazine that was quite tasty and Scott made cannales. My mom made olive cookies that were good at first and then I thought they were okay. She didn't like them, but Scott did.

We went to see the Christmas Forest on Friday and then my mom and I went shopping. We went to all the stores I can't take the kids into. We spent most of our time in a nursery of all places. We laughed and talked a lot and had a great time together. I had so much fun.

Saturday Big Daddy put up the outside lights at Lovey's insistance and then after my mom beat me at two games of Nerts we went to Fantasy Lights. The kids really liked it. Favorites included the construction equipment throwing the snowballs to make a snowman, the dinosaurs, the reindeer, and the bees at the flower.

What a wonderful weekend despite our house being full of runny noses and coughing! I'm so glad my mom could stay for so long, it was a treat!

Thanksgiving Preparation

We are busy cooking here. The cranberries are made, the sugared cranberries are ready to be rolled in fine sugar, and the pie pumpkins have been pureed. We still have quite a bit of cooking to do tonight and then only turkey and horseradish carrots tomorrow. Yum!

In between this, Big Daddy has decided to invite a coworker over tonight for some homemade beer he received from another coworker. At some point I still have to make dinner.

Lots to do in the kitchen!

Happy Halloween!

The kids had a wonderful Halloween. In the morning we went to a costume contest and trick or treating at the market. A lot of the vendors were giving out candy to the kids. At the costume contest, each child received a treat bag. They didn't win the grand prize though.

Lovey was dressed up as Syndrome from the Incredibles. The only Syndrome costume we could find was $99 on Ebay. I made this for about $10. I even made the cape blue on the inside just like Syndrome's. I loved this costume. It was easy to make and it looks just like the character. It has been a few years since the Incredibles movie came out, so not many people recognized who he was. Lovey was thrilled though when one of the trick or treaters who came to the door recognized that he was Syndrome.
He even had spiky hair and a mask like Syndrome. A few minutes and some black eyeliner and you have a great mask.

Littlebit wanted to be a pink princess. This costume took me a few days to make. I was worried about the fit, but I let out the seams and it was perfect. She looked beautiful and wore her crown from her second birthday.

Both kids couldn't wait to go trick or treating. They ran from house to house and were only gone about 30 minutes because they were running. I'm glad they had such a great time. They are already talking about what they are going to be next year.

Princess Costume

Littlebit wants to be a princess for Halloween (or as she says it a "pimpess"). Not just any princess will do, it must be pink. So here I am swimming in yards of pink tulle and satin and hating it. I think I was drinking when I said yes.

I'm not impressed with the pattern, Simplicity 2569. Based on the measurements, I went up a size and it still might be too small. I might make this twice. Yeah, me.

I've ripped out a lot of seams and finally ran out of thread. The kids and I will be running to JoAnns tomorrow for more pink thread and the pattern in the next size up. (Good thing it is on sale through tomorrow.)

Oh, but the look on her face when I showed her the pattern. Love!

Wishing you a...

Happy Pi (3.14) Day!

The math teacher in me is celebrating and since my kids are too young to understand Pi, we are celebrating with pie. I made a rhubarb pie for us to enjoy today. I can't wait for after dinner because it smells yummy!

There was a House Resolution making March 14th National Pi Day! (Glad to know they are working on something important.)

Hope you have a wonderful Pi Day! Eat some pie, do some math, and celebrate pi.