New Year's Eve FREE Printables

This year, since two of my three children can now write on their own, we're going to start a tradition of writing a letter to ourselves on New Year's Eve...and our hopes and dreams for 2014.  In researching different ways to do this, I happened upon this great little kit from run lucas run. 

Included are Resolution Cards (which include great prompts like A habit I'm going to break, A good deed I'm going to do, A book I'd like to read, and A new food I'd like to try), blank Dear Me letters to write to yourself, and Children's Cards that have plenty of space for your children to record their favorite food, singing and dancing song, storytime book, color, and a place they'd like to visit. 

I think it will be great family fun to write these out tonight...and even more fun to read through them together in 2014! 

Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year full of love and laughter!

Handprint Beanie Turkeys

With only two days to spare, I finally executed a Thanksgiving craft with my kids (it's been a bit hectic over here).  And they turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.

To create these little tom turkeys, I had my kids trace their hands on a piece of brown cardboard (not a thick corrugated cardboard, but one on the thinner side, like a cereal box...or, ahem, like the inserts in J.Crew shipping boxes...).  After they cut them out, we glued them onto their chosen color of construction paper using a glue stick so they'd remain flat.  I did press them in a book for about an hour as well to ensure their flatness, but I don't know that it was necessary. 

Next, using white glue, they glued on their googley eyes and kidney bean wattles, followed by the beans for the bodies and "feathers."  I thought that would be it, but Hazel wanted her turkey to be in grassy field, Martha found some yellow beans mixed in with the brown lentils that she thought would make a great beak and legs, and August thought his turkey should wear a hat.  I have to say, I agree. 

And there you have it, handprint beanie turkeys!  Gobble Gobble!

Fun Winter Activities

I recently stumbled upon this great list of 50+ Things You and the Kids Should Do Before New Year's Eve.  Ideas include cutting snowflakes, shopping for those in need and military overseas, taking a family Christmas light drive, creating a family tree, taking a winter picnic, and practical ideas such as updating your medicine cabinet, starting a saving plan, and decluttering your email inbox.

I've taken many of the ideas here and added them to my family's Winter Activities List.  I've found that we do a lot more as a family each season when we have a posted list of fun activity ideas.  My children and I love to gather around the table with our markers and create each season's list throughout the year...seeing all of the fun we have to look forward to!  We post our list on the refrigerator and add a star next to each activity as we make another family memory. 

Click here to view the 50+ Things You and the Kids Should Do Before New Year's Eve.

Minted Holiday Cards

It's time to start thinking about your family's holiday cards, and I'm here to help! 

I've ordered our cards from Minted the past few years and have been nothing but pleased with the results.  The only difficulty I've encountered is trying to choose between all of their amazing designs.  They have a stunning collection of layouts, color options, prints, and general esthetics.  And then there's the paper.  Hold on, the paper needs it's own paragraph...

Minted prints their cards on some impressive paper.  Paper so thick it makes you take an extra breath the first time you hold it.  Paper (and designs) sure to get your family and friends calling and sending emails to say your card is their favorite.  Paper worth reigniting a holiday card tradition for.  The only paper that is going to do your adorable family photo justice this holiday season.

This morning, I ordered our cards for this year and saved some money thanks to their current Early Bird special.  Use coupon code EARLYBIRD2012 to save 15% off your order for a limited time.

Visit minted.com to view their expansive holiday card collection.  And I wish you luck in narrowing them down to your favorite. You're going to need it.

April Fool's Day

Last year was the first year I participated in April Fool's Day with the kids. It was a fun day full of pranks...my only regret was not starting the preparations sooner. The night before I was molding Tootsie Rolls and caramels into Fakin' Bacon and dying frosting to the perfect shade of cheddar cheese...you should have seen the looks my husband gave me. This year I vowed to start sooner.

In my research I found two sites full of great ideas worth sharing. Parents magazine had some great ideas in this month's issue that I found online, including the micro meal seen here (the doughnut is a Cheerio frosted with nonpareils on top). I think I'm going to make a miniature platter of "doughnuts" and some solid milk (this ideas is from Martha Stewart) for breakfast; lunch will consist of the sandwiches, carrots and raisins.

The second site I liked was Family Fun, where I found an extensive catalog of April Fool's Day crafts, recipes, pranks and jokes! I can't wait to spend some more time on the site finding tricks to play throughout the day!

St. Patrick's Day Crafts

With a name like Shannon, St. Patrick's Day is guaranteed to be a big day for my family! This year I've come across some themed crafts that are exceptionally clever and cute! My three little leprechauns and I will be spending some time creating and crafting in the morning before we get together with our clan!

These spoon leprechauns are adorable and would make a great decoration to bring out and stick in a plant pot each year! (Photo and craft idea from Preschool Daze.)

This rainbow sponge painting idea from Teach Preschool is an easy last minute St. Patrick's Day craft with endless possibilities! Help your child add a pot of gold, birds, clouds, and the fingerprint shamrock idea found below to add personality to their rainbow!

I'm about to run to the store for a few of the items needed to make these hand-drawn leprechauns...and I need to remember to ask the clerk where they keep chenilles (the politically correct term for pipe cleaners). The last time I asked a young craft store employee for pipe cleaners she looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. Can't wait to see how these little guys turn out! (Photo and craft idea from Last Minute Mel.)

In between crafts, treat your kids to a rainbow snack similar to the muffin tin meals I posted about years ago. They'll be sure to enjoy working their way through the colors...and onto the next craft! (Photo and color ideas courtesy of justJENN.)

Any craft that enables me to capture the pint-size stage of my growing children is special in my book. If Childmade's fingertip shamrocks and clovers and Meet The Dubiens' hand print leprechauns turn out half as cute as I'm expecting, this Irish girl may just frame and hang them year round!

Meal Ideas for April Fool's Day

Tomorrow when my children wake up and ask for breakfast, they'll be given these "grilled cheese" sandwiches...and I expect a lot of groans from August who despises cheese and Martha who will ask if she's required to eat the crust. Hazel will happily dive right in because she's the third child and doesn't complain about much. I will insist they eat every last bite.

And then, when they bite in, they'll realize it's not bread and cheese but pound cake and frosting! I can't wait! I have plans for other meals as well like the faux french fries, chicken not pie, and fakin' bacon. I'm not saying it's going to be the healthiest eating day, but it will be fun!

All of the recipes can be found at familyfun.go.com/april-fools-day.

April Fool's Day Pranks

I've never pulled an April Fool's Day prank on my children (other than a little green food coloring on St. Patrick's Day), but now that they're getting a bit older, I think I may start.

Martha Stewart has some great ideas on her website, including the baked potato ice cream sundae seen here...the first prank I'm going to pull on the kids April 1st. I can't wait to see their expressions when they put their fork into it!

Visit marthastewart.com for other family friendly prank ideas your kids, spouse and you will enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today is an exciting day for our family since the kids and I have Irish blood running through our veins...I am named after the Shannon river that runs through Ireland, after all!

Last night the kids worked together to build the leprechaun trap you see here...isn't it lovely? I think this is a keeper that will be displayed for years to come! Unfortunately for them they didn't catch any leprechauns but did catch a lot of chocolate gold coins!

Then, as they sat down to breakfast they saw a box of Lucky Charms on the table...a treat for our healthy family. And when I poured in their milk, it magically turned green, as did the milk in their glasses (thanks to the drop of green food coloring in the bottom of the bowls and glasses)!

They're now dressed in various shades of green and ready for the remaining festivities planned for the day: shamrock shakes (the only purchase we make at McDonald's each year), shamrock shaped cookies from our favorite bakery, and a dinner party tonight with extended family complete with vegetarian shepard's pie, a salad named 40 Shades of Green after the Johnny Cash song, and of course, Guinness and Bailey's for the adults! I can't wait!

From my family to yours, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Merry Christmas!

I hope you are all having a wonderful day! If you celebrate Christmas, I hope it was lovely and full of faith, family and joy!

The day is coming to an end and our home is a disaster full of wrapping and new toys for our amazingly fortunate children who are surrounded by loved ones bearing gifts. And full of dishes to be done from the food we shared together with said loved ones. And it is full of the hope only the message of Jesus's birth can bring...hope and forgivenes...and who couldn't use more of that?!

It was a spectacular day! I hope yours was too!

Winter Activities

You all may remember when my family made a Summer Activities list to help guide us six months ago...it gave the kids many things to look forward to and kept my husband and focused to be sure we didn't waste away the warm days.

Because it was such a hit (and useful for me to stay on track), we've created a Winter Activities list. Winter can be very long here in Wisconsin with the bitter cold and wind and snow...I think this list will become a new tradition to give us things to look forward to. Here's what's on our list so far:

• Build a snow fort/castle
• Go for a hike
• Bake Christmas cookies
• Build a snowman
• Go sledding
• Take a long Christmas light drive with hot chocolate
• Build cars for a drive-in movie
• Watch a movie at the "drive-in"
• Make homemade marshmallows
• Go ice skating
• Have a full day of pajamas and games
• Visit the John Michael Kohler Art Center
• Go to Betty Brinn Children's Museum
• Paint our own pottery
• Stay at a waterpark hotel
• Create animals out of tinfoil
  
• Bake a pie from scratch
• Build a fort out of newspaper
• Take a trip to Chicago for a few days
• Go bowling
• Visit the Milwaukee Public Museum to see the mummy exhibit
• Go on "dates" with each child individually
• Build a gingerbread house from scratch
• Go for a carriage ride

That is our list thus far this winter...and it doesn't even technically start until later this week. We've already done a handful of these activities but instead of crossing them out we just add stars after each one so we can do them over and over. Feel free to use any of those ideas and to pass along more of your own...I'm always looking for fun things to do!

Moomah DIY Project

I was in New York City back in August and stopped by Moomah...a place I had been stalking online since it opened. I was like a kid in a candy store...I'll write more about that soon. But because Halloween is quickly approaching, I want to cut to the chase and share this great Do-At-Home art project.

The templates for the background and the black animals can be downloaded on their website...all you need to do is capture your little monsters in their costumes and cut around their photos. You'll have a keepsake sure to be treasured for mummy many years to come!

Visit moomah.com to get started!

FEED Trick-or-Treat Bag

I am LOVING this trick or treat sack from FEED! What an amazing bag, not only for your children to use as they go door-to-door wearing their Halloween costume, but also for us parents to tote around this month!

Each FEED Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF bag will generate funding to help UNICEF provide one child in the developing world with an entire year’s worth of micronutrient powder. Children can easily sprinkle the powder over their food, making this a revolutionary way to help children receive the vitamins and minerals they need. Isn't that just wonderful?!

This FEED Trick-or-Treat bag is available exclusively at HSN.com for only $13.20. And for each FEED Trick-or-Treat bag purchased, HSN will donate $3.50 to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to help support UNICEF’s nutrition programs.

Earth Day Papier-Mâché

Yesterday the kids and I worked on our papier-mâché skills in preparation for the Earth Day craft I had planned. I blew up round balloons, cut strips paper, and whipped up a batch of paste. And then we got to work on making our globes.

First, we placed our balloons in bowls to hold them in place. Then we dipped our strips of paper into the paste (recipes below), ran them through our fingers to remove the excess paste, and placed them on our balloons...over and over again.

Be careful not to do too many layers because then the drying process will take forever! 2-3 layers at a time is perfect...and you can do this a couple of times if you want yours really strong. Because we don't receive the newpaper, we used newsprint ads that came in the mail and pages from a phone book we no longer need from a city we lived in long ago.

Once we were done with our 2-3 layers of printed paper, we did one coat of plain white copy paper so that the painting process would go smoothly the next day...no print to cover with a base coat. Then, I placed the paper mached balloons on drinking glasses and left them to dry, turning them before I went to sleep so that the bottoms would dry too.

Do no try to speed up the drying process by placing them in front of a heating vent or your balloon will expand and your paper mache will crack open...I've learned this from experience.

Once they are fully dry, we popped the balloons and pulled them out. Then we painted our balls a light blue base and then darker blue for water and green and brown for land. We have a globe collection so our children looked at them for inspiration, but printing maps would be another great option. We followed up with a geography lesson because the kids were interested in learning where their ancestors came from and where I had all traveled.

The options of paper maching even just a balloon are endless! Hot air balloons will be our next project complete with hanging baskets, but masks, pumpkins, Easter eggs, soccer balls, baseballs, apples, and more are all great projects! What a great and green way to reuse paper and for your children to expand their imaginations!

Paste Recipes:

Option 1: 3/4 white glue to 1/4 water (or if using a good thick glue, like Elmers, you can do 1/2 and 1/2).

Option 2, the cooking method: 1 part flour to 5 parts water... boil about 3 minutes and let cool. This is my favorite...it's the cheapest and is nice and smooth.

Option 3: 1 part flour to 1 part water. Stir together.


The photo above is from the blog Drew Cogbill wrote when he was working on his thesis for Parson's. I thought it was lovely and inspiring and better than any photos I took while we worked on our globes.

Resurrection Cookies

Easter is the holiest day of the year for Christians. And it is all the more important to me this year as my children are now understanding the story of Jesus. We have read His story in the Bible and they have been moved to paint pictures of Him on the cross and of His empty tomb...all without any prompting. They seem to fully grasp the importance of remembering His suffering and death...and his resurrection. I have never been more proud!

Because of their interest and because of Easter's importance, this year I am beginning a new tradition with my family...making Resurrection Cookies the night before. These special, meaningful cookies will make the story of Jesus come to life with a tactile activity children can taste and create...all while reading the corresponding Bible verses. What a special tradition this will be!

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole pecans (or almonds)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• pinch salt
• 1 cup organic sugar
• Plastic bag
• Wooden spoon, rolling pin
• Tape
• Bible

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Do this before doing anything else!
2. Place nuts in bag and beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
3. Open the vinegar and let everyone smell it. Put 1 teaspoon into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, all He was given to drink was vinegar. Read John 19:28-30.
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
5. Sprinkle a little salt into each person’s hand. Let them taste it, then brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
6. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Sprinkle a little sugar into each person’s hand. Let them taste it, then brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
7. Beat with mixer on high speed for 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents our purity in God’s eyes because our sins are cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18.
8. Fold in nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and TURN THE OVEN OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door shut. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
10. Explain that you cannot eat the cookies tonight, but that you have to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. That might not make anyone too happy. Explain that Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
11. The next morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the third day, Jesus followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

Happy Easter!

Crayon Hearts

We're in full Valentine's Day crafting mode here in our house. Earlier this week we spent an afternoon making these crayon hearts I found on Martha Stewart's site.

They couldn't have been easier...we sharpened different shades of red and pink crayons until they were no more, sprinkled the shavings on wax paper, topped them with another piece, ironed until melted, cut out hearts in various sizes and hung them in our window.

My mom stopped by yesterday afternoon and commented on how lovely they looked and said, "I wish I could make those." My Martha said, "You can!" And you can too...and your kids will have a great time! And the best thing is that you can hang them year after year...I'm going to keep our pressed in a book for safekeeping.

See the full instructions at marthastewart.com.

Pistachio Wreath

Two weeks ago I opened the door as our mail carrier was walking up our walkway. The first words out of her mouth were, "When are you going to hang your pistachio wreath?" She always comments on her appreciation for our holiday decorations and what happy memories they'll be for our children. To her enjoyment, the wreath is now hung, along with all of the other Valentine's Day decorations we've purchased and made over the years.

The most difficult part of making this wreath with my children two years ago was trying to find red pistachios...it's so simple! All you do is hot glue the nuts on to a heart (I simply cut ours from a substantial box we had lying around). Still, two years later ours is in great condition and is still striking against our blue door. It's sure to be enjoyed by us (and our mail carrier) for many more years to come.

Visit marthastewart.com for the step-by-step instructions.

Punxsutawney Phil Pudding Pops

I love reading Junior Society's blog. And when I saw these Punxsutawney Phil Pudding Pops today I knew I had to share. Aren't they adorable?

These would be equally as cute made with simple cupcakes too. They're easy to make and so, so cute!

Even if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and we have a longer winter here in Wisconsin, these little guys will at least make me smile.

See the complete recipe and step-by-step instructions at juniorsociety.com.

Happy New Year!

2010 is here...the start of not only a new year but a new decade. What will it bring? What will you make of it?

As my husband and I put our children to bed last night we reflected with each of them how much they had grown, changed, and learned in 2009.

Our son August began school and is much more independent. He began reading and writing and is able to do most tasks on his own. Martha matured a lot and engages in reasoning with us. She's really thinking things through now. And Hazel, well she learned to walk, eat solids, drink from a sippy cup, go to sleep on her own and began talking.

This morning we all gathered into our king size bed and discussed what we wanted 2010 to be. Trips we'd like to take, things we'd like to experience and learn more about, behavior we want to improve upon, and we taught the kids what resolutions are. August and Martha said their resolutions are to be better listeners and to fight less. Perfect!

The new year bring reflection and hope. What amazing gifts! I hope you and your family make the most of them and have an amazing 2010!

Button Menorah

I am a sucker for anything button and craft related! I really should be embarrassed with the number of buttons I own for crafts and projects. I search flea markets and antique stores for jars of them and have even purchased them from overseas on different country's eBay sites.

While my family is not Jewish, I admire and respect the faith and find their traditions, practices and faith admirable and beautiful. I fell in love with this button menorah and had to share!

It was created by and posted on Junior Society's site this morning in celebration of the first night of Hanukkah. At juniorsociety.com you'll find a simple craft tutorial for making the button menorah shown here. It's a great project that will have your kids sorting by color and size as well as practicing their hand-eye coordination as they thread the buttons on the pipe cleaners (that I've heard are now called chenilles). Another great thing about this version of a menorah is that it's fire-free and is safe for children. Simply slip a sparkly button over the "wick."

Happy Hanukkah!