Pass the Pig

Holy Cow it's been a long time since I have been on here.  I took a little break to do some painting/remodeling, and then just needed time to debrief from the holidays.  But now I am back and have some fun new ideas and projects to share with all of my friends. 

 

Since the beginning of the new year, my husband and I decided our kids were in need of some training in how to have better manners at the dinner table.  They have always been pretty good and respectful, but there were some things we were trying to stop and we were having a hard time getting through to them.  One day, I was browsing Pinterest, and saw this idea that someone had posted.  We decided to give it a try at our house, and to our surprise, it worked better than anything else ever had. With such good results, I could not keep quiet about this much longer.

 

 

 

 

We found this little toy pig which we placed on the dinner table each time we sat down to eat.  Whoever did something that we considered "bad manners" they were passed the pig.  If, by the end of the meal, you were left holding the pig, you would be in charge of doing the dishes from the meal the whole family had just finished.  Because I have a 4 year old who is a bit young still to load the dishwasher, we made him clear the table by himself.  I have come to realize that kids are okay doing chores if they can do them with others. But if you make them do those same chores alone, they seem to grumble more and more.  That turned out to be a good thing for us.  The table manners in our house have never been so good.  One day, we will ween the pig from our dinner, but for now, it looks like the pig may be a permanent guest.

 

Bring on the Elf

By now most of us are gearing up for the holiday season. I know I have been searching for ideas. I came across this idea during the summer (when I went back to the source it was no longer available. Please message me if this is your idea and I will give credit where it is due).

Most of us know the story of Eli the elf… Little elf that creates fun messes at night while you are sleeping to keep kids on track for the Christmas season. Great idea but… Christmas needs to be about Jesus. As we all know he is the reason for the season.

 

 

 

So here is the letter to go along with the Eli the elf. (However, our elf is named Harris....so if yours is named something other than Eli, substitute the new name in.

 

 

Dear ...................................,

First off, I have to tell you that I think you are all very special children. I know you are filled with love for each other, your parents, but most importantly, you are filled with love for Jesus, and I know that He lives in your hearts. He lives in mine too, that makes us all especially special!

I have to let you know something important. You know that whole naughty and nice list that you hear everyone talking about? Well… truth is, that’s not really true. I don’t have a naughty and nice list. Because I know Jesus, I also know a lot about grace and getting what we don’t deserve. I know you know all about that! Like when you make the wrong choice and when you choose to sin, Jesus gives you grace and loves you still! And sometimes I know that your parents even give you grace too… like when you deserve to be disciplined, but they give you another chance!

I know that kids are not perfect. I know that you guys are not perfect. But I know that Jesus loves you all the time, and I do too. So you don’t need to worry about being on my naughty or nice list. If you believe that I will come to your house on Christmas Eve and leave you some special surprises, then I will come!!! That’s all you need … is to believe!

To help you remember about grace and about love even when you don’t deserve it, I wanted to send you a very special treat for this Christmas season. Since it’s the first day of December, the month that we celebrate Jesus coming to earth to be our Rescuer, I thought you might enjoy a little visit from a very special friend of mine.

This is Eli the Elf......

He is a dear old friend of mine, but he tends to be a bit naughty. I have explained grace to him many many times, when he chooses to sin and be a stinker. I have told him that is why Jesus had to come… to rescue him. Because he has sin in his heart. He is beginning to learn, but I thought that if he stayed with you for the Christmas season, then you might be able to teach him some more about the way Jesus loves us even when we sin. I know that you both are learning that you get to obey and love God because He first loves you so very much. I love Eli so much and I want him to understand and believe Jesus and know that his heart can make good choices too because Jesus loves him so very much!!

One important thing about Eli… he is an Elf, and elves are not the same as humans. Eli stays still all during the day, but he comes alive at night. You can talk to him; play with him just like your other toys. Eli is quiet during the day, but loves to play at night once everyone else is sleeping. That’s usually when he can get into some trouble, so you’ll have to watch him carefully!

When I told Eli that he was going to stay with you guys, he jumped up and down in excitement! He really things you guys are so fun.

Have fun! I’ll be back to pick up Eli on Christmas Eve when I come to drop off some surprises for you!

I love you guys so very much!

Santa

 

 

 And Santa has his very own stationary for this!

 

 

 

We are having the letter delivered to us in the mail and that day, Harris will show up to spend the season in our household.  I can't wait!!

 

 

 

 

 

The countdown has begun

My cute little family is preparing for a trip to the most wonderful place on Earth.  DISNEYLAND!!  We can hardly stand it and my kids are practically ready to die with anticipation.  It seems like time is moving at a glacial pace.  It moves even slower every time the kids ask me "how many more days until we go."  So, to help us all out with the reality of time, I made this cute Mickey Mouse countdown chain.  I started with 14 days left to go....

and each day, they take turns tearing a piece off the chain.  It's been a fun way to keep the excitement and anticipation alive without the never ending irritation that comes with the question "is it time to go yet".

only 13 more days to go.....We can make it. 

First day of school memories

For those of you just getting ready to start school....I have discovered this fantastic idea from the most addicting website ever aka. Pinterest, that I just had to pass along with you.

Admit it, you are one who likes to take multiple photos of your soon-to-be student and document and memorialize those moments and firsts of each year.  Well, why not take it one step further and add what your kids want to be when they grow up.  I remember when I was little how much I dreamed of becoming a beautician, going to Harvard and then becoming a Cardiothoracic Surgeon.  Well, none of those dreams came true, but what a funny thing to remember and laugh at as you reflect on where life really leads.

My little girl Ella is just starting 2nd grade and right now has ambitions of being a Veterinarian.  Last year all she talked about was becoming a Doctor.  My how one's mind can change in a short 12 months.  So here's how I documented this in the year 2012.

I found a great FREE website called Picmonkey.com where you can edit and write on almost any photo.  

You simply upload a photo of your choice....

and following the easy to follow directions...you too can document some of those precious memories from you kid's childhood.

For me...... a memory and photo to cherish forever!!

Angry Bird Pizza

I decided to be a crafty mom for my kids tonight and made a " themed" dinner.  On tonight's menu, ANGRY BIRD PIZZA eaten picnic style while enjoying the ongoing 2012 Olympics.  

If a character face is required to get the kids excited bout dinner, then a character we will build.  My boy is in LOVE with angry birds so this was made with him in mind.  I had to use whatever ingredients I had on hand so that it could be a quick easy meal.  I am not an artist so don't judge the look....just enjoy the creativity.  It was as simple as a pizza crust with sauce and cheese.  Topped off with Canadian bacon (my kids despise pepperoni) a little extra dough for the eyes and olives for the pupils and eyebrows.  Shredded mozzarella would have made a better lower half of this bird's face, but all I had were slices, so they had to do.  Add a little Colby jack for the beak and VOILA!!!  Your very own angry bird pizza. 

Tonight, I was the best mom EVER!!

Getting ready for the games

As mentioned in a previous post about our quircky celebrations of epic events such as the Summer Olympic games, we are pleased to be hosting this years event in just a matter of days and the final touches to our games are being put on even as we speak. 

One of the events we will be participating in is archery.  With a homeade bow and arrows, this event is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  Let me share with you a little tutorial on how this bow and arrow were constructed and then you too can participate in your very own archery event.

I took a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe (the thinner the better.  You need one that will be good and flexibe, yet sturdy and easy to hold) some plastic wrapped wire and two 1/2" sprinkler caps.

With a hand saw, I cut the pipe to lengths that would suit a variety of people sizes and then made a slit on both ends of the pipe.

I wrapped the plastic covered wire in those slits as tight as I could

And then capped off the ends with the sprinkler caps to keep the wire from slipping out of the newly fashioned bow.

For the arrows, I grabbed some wooden dowels, and again with the had saw, made slits on the end large enough that it would sit nicely on the plastic covered wire.

With a slight tug and a good aim, this bow and arrow is ready to be used by even the youngest of athletic participants.

Enshrined toys

I was recently cleaning out our toy closet and came across these little matchbox cars.  My little guy LOVES cars and we have become the proud owners of probably close to 50 or more matchbox cars.  So, I decided to take a few of them and use them as decor in his "Route 66" themed room. 

I went to Hobby Lobby which is craft heaven for those of you who have never been, and I bought these cute 5X7 shadow boxes for $2.99 each.

I painted the back of them black....you could use any color, and then I decided to just keep the light oak color on the outside frame.

I hot glued the cars in the box and put the frame together.  Simple as that.  And now I have a cute decoration of HIS toys to remind me later of what kinds of things he liked to play with.

Isn't that crafty!

Pool toys

For the cost of your favorite Gatorade or soda, you can not only save the planet by reusing the bottles, but also give Barbie her very own boat for all of her water adventures.

I just cut out a place for them to sit and with electrical tape (you could probably use something cuter if you wanted) you connect them together and there it is.  One of the most inexpensive, yet highly excitable toys. you can make.

My girl is gonna love it!!

Refill anyone?

This is one of the best ideas I have ever seen.  No, it's not my original idea, but I am sure gonna copy it.  I hate having to buy a whole new jar of bubbles every time my kids spill theirs or use them up.  And those huge refill jugs are impossible to pour into the little bottles without losing half of the bubble solution to the ground.  So, here's what some clever person came up with, and I will for sure follow suit.  

I hit the local Walmart and bought a drink dispenser with a spout that is easy for the kids to use (and the best part about the dispenser is it's plastic, so if it falls, it won't shatter).  Add a little vinyl label so we all know what it is and now, those little rug rats can fill their own bubbles with less mess....hopefully. 

Now isn't that pretty crafty?!!!

Create your own rain

My kids are dying for it to be summer and DYING for some water to dip themselves in.  And although we have had some unusually hot days lately, I am not quite ready to bust out the pool, but, I admit, I do have a hankerin' to get some water out to play in.  My kids love the sprinklers but ever since my 6 year old has learned to ride a 2-wheeler and my 4 year old got  a "big boy" bike, they want to combine their favorite summer loves.  And as one who loves a nice yard,  I am not ready to turn my sprinklers on and have the kids ride their bike on my green lawn.  So, I had to come up with something different.

Not only does this odd looking contraption save my lawn from becoming the next big raceway, but it also helps with water conservation as only a little bit comes out at a time as opposed to the sprinklers which tend to put out far more water than is actually needed.

My little guy has given this a name already.  It's known as the "Bike Wash" instead of a car wash.

It couldn't have been easier to build.  I had some old PVC pipe sitting around that we never got rid of, as well as some other sprinkler parts left over from my past landscaping jobs. 

I cut the PVC pipe into 2 equal lengths for the tall sides, cut one to go along the top like a cross bar, and 4 smaller pieces to use as support and balance for this thing.  I was going to glue them all together, but didn't after considering storage.  Just connecting them tightly worked out just fine.

You'll need a small drill bit to make several small holes all along the top cross bar.  How many you make is up to you.

As for the support/balance pipes, you will need to cap off 3 of the 4 ends....and on the 4th end, put on a piece that will allow you to connect a hose to this thing.

Turn it on ....... and VOILA!!! There you have it.  Your own, controllable rain.

I stuck in on my driveway and the kids just went right to town riding through the water and screaming as the water trickled down their backs.

Oh how I love summer!!

A way to say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"

At our house, we try to do everything we can to make our kids feel extra special on their birthdays.  Since I am one who parties all the time, for any occasion really, I have to really step it up to show my kids how special this day celebrating them really is.  So, I try to make their birthday last for a whole week.  In addition to doing fun little things for them, like leaving notes and treats around, letting them eat on our "special" birthday plates and planning a fun party in their honor, I like to decorate my house for the week with happy birthday paraphernalia all over the place. 

Last year I made a really cute curly ribbon wreath to hang on the door to alert all who pass by that we are having a birthday.

This year, I made a really cute block sign to put in the house to remind us all that we have a birthday coming up soon.

It was so easy to do......and I am so glad I did it because it did turn out pretty cute. 

I started out with a bunch of wood blocks I cut out (still out of my scrap pile of wood) and sanded it all down so it would be nice and smooth.  Then, I painted the wood, modge podged cute paper on to it, threw some glitter on my balloons, and a little vinyl lettering for the happy birthday. I was inspired to do this after seeing a post on Pinterest, and was just recently informed that you can buy this at the Wood Connection in SLC as well.  Can't help it if great minds think alike, right.

I then hot glued it all together so that it was not a mess to display and store.....and I now have a cute sign to put out for any one's birthday to help them feel as special as they really are.

I also wanted to share a few photos of other things I like to do for my kids during the week and on the day of their birthday......

(My son who just turned 4 is obsessed with "Angry Birds" so we tried to give him an "angry party" with "angry" favors)

I made cupcakes for him to take to preschool

We wrapped his presents in these "angry bird" sacks I made.  I just copied some pictures off the Internet and cut them out and glued them to the sacks .

And best of all, he came in from playing one day to find his bead transformed into an angry bird haven. 

That is one lucky kid!  And one pretty crafty mom!

A message to our friends!

I LOVE this little sign that I made to put on our front door to let our dear neighbor friends know when the kids can and cannot play.  It's been super helpful to have no interruptions while my kids finish their homework, when mom's napping and I can't deal with a houseful of kids, or any other time you need to regulate the coming of friends. 

I went to the craft store and picked up a wooden door sign for $0.99.   You could always make one on paper and laminate it so it will stand up to the weather too.  

Pretty sure this has been one of the best crafts I have ever made!!

Super Hero in Training

My daughter is always running around the house flitting and flying like she is on a mission of some sort.  She says she is in training to become a superhero.  Well, I got to thinking, what better way to be a super hero than to have wings.....and since she is training a to be a super hero that runs fast and flys high, I thought it fitting to add wings to her shoes.

I found am image on the Internet of wings and determined the size I would need to fit her shoes.  I then printed them out onto iron-on paper.  With some extra vinyl fabric I had left over from a previous creation, I ironed the pattern on and cut it out leaving a fairly stiff and long lasting wing. 

However, it still needed a little flare.  So, with the use of a little glitter glue purchased from the local craft store, I added some sparkle to the wings and let them dry for about 24 hours.

Then, with the use of a fabric punch and some small scissors, I cut out the holes where the laces would go and tied them on to her tennis shoes.

Now she can run and move like a super hero in training.  Who knows, with these wings, she just might become a real super hero after all.

Now Isn't that pretty crafty!?!?!

The Tooth fairy came....

My sweet little 6 year old girl is loosing teeth faster than the tooth fairy can afford.  It seems like we are getting visited more often than most other children.  Hopefully, this trend will stop as I have no desire to start liquifiying her solid food.  Because the tooth fairy has stopped by so much lately, we decided to try and catch her in the act.

I told Ella that we would put a camera on her nightstand and perhaps it would capture the moment and we could see the tooth fairy for real.  So, I took a couple of shots of Ella in bed, telling her I needed to get the camera positioned just so.  Here's what we caught in the middle of the night!

Actually, the real story starts with a website called toothfairy.capturethemagic.com

I took a picture of Ella sleeping and uploaded to the website where you can then choose from many poses and colors of tooth fairies and simply add them to your photo.  

To some it may sound funny, but to those who still believe, it is the perfect way to enjoy the fantasy and keep the magic alive.  Check it out for your family and little ones.....

Your very own Christmas Elf

I am sure that many of you are familiar with the Christmas "Elf on the Shelf" idea.  But for those of you who are not, let me share with you for a moment.  The idea is that a little elf directly from the North Pole comes to your house to act as a spy for Santa.  When he is in your home, he is watching all the children to make sure they are nice, and if he/she leaves, it's to tell Santa they are being naughty. 

This has been one of the best behavior regulators for my two crazy kids and I wish we could make it work all year long. 

Anyway, there is a whole book and stuff you can buy to share the story with your kids and I think it comes with it's own Elf for your shelf.  I just went to the local craft store with coupon in hand and purchased my own elf who sits anywhere but on the shelf.

Harris has found the perfect look-out sitting on the dining room light.

The elf that visits us each year is named "Harris".  He is a sneaky one making sure to place himself in sight of the children at all times.  You see, I have him move around occasionally through the day as if he is actually tracking their whereabouts.  My daughter will frequently ask me "how does he move around without us seeing him?" and I tell her that he moves like the toys on toy story.  When we are looking, they freeze, when we aren't watching he plays and moves around.

We find him everyday in the craziest places and playing pranks on the kids.  Yesterday in the bath, he sprinkled fake snow over the curtain on top of their heads.

He watches them as they come in the front door to make sure they don't just drop their coats and bags on the floor, and today, my son found that he had left footprints on the table as he skipped to his next hiding place.  (the footprints were made with flour.)

As silly as this may all sound, it is so great for the kids to feel like Santa is really sending someone to watch.  Like I said, it has been the best behavior thing at our house. Perhaps you too could invite one of Santa's elves to visit your home for the holidays.  The more he moves and the more little "pranks" he can play, the more real he becomes.

Target Practice

So, those of you with kids of any age can relate to the trauma and difficulty of the dreaded potty training.  My boy is no exception.  I have almost given up.  Then I found something fantastic that seems to be working.  We are still not all the the way out of diapers, but I had to share this and hopefully you will find some gradual success too.

With my Silhouette cutter and some vinyl, I cut out an image of a spaceship and put it in the toilet.  It has now become a game of target practice.  Ahhhhh---pretty clever if I do say so myself.

I also tried on with a target...

Potty time has kind of turned into a game of sorts.  Who cares, right. As long as it promotes consistency!

Dream Bank

There is always something that we all want.  Whether it's a new couch, or especially a trip somewhere fun.  

I put together this "dream" bank.  With a picture of our dream in it, we can add money to help fund the dream.  Besides it's a good way to teach my kids to save up for things they really want.  

This is nothing more than a shadow box frame with a slit cut in the top of it for the money to fit in.  This year we are saving for a trip to Disneyland, so I put a fun picture of Mickey and Minnie in it to help get us excited. The great thing is that when we are ready for a new destination, we can just swap out the picture. 

Ya, I'd say that's pretty crafty!