Black Friday

This is about a week late BUT it's worth mentioning. 


I don't do Black Friday! I do shop online but I avoid stores. I can not deal with crowds of people, standing in lines and packed parking lots. The commercials that flooded the TV last week left quite an impression on Son # 1. He's recently had a lot of questions about Holidays, specifically St. Patrick's Day. Random?! Completely, considering the time of year. 


Trying to explain to a 5 year old that St. Patty's Day is several months away is difficult. Luckily he's decided that wearing green can be an anytime deal and that the need to ask several times a week isn't necessary since he is now dressing himself.


Thanksgiving morning, while we were getting ready to go to Grandma's, Jaxon asked me what Black Friday was. Here's how it played out!


JAXON: "Mom, is Black Friday a Holiday?"


ME: "Sort of! It's a shopping holiday where people get up really early and wait in big, long lines to buy things for super cheap."


JAXON: "Do you have to wear black?"


ME: "No... but that's a really good idea!"


Love his innocence! And speaking of Holidays, Pinterest has made one of my wishes come true by adding a HOLIDAYS category... YAY!

Snowmen Milk Jugs

Snowmen Milk Jug Craft

24 MORE DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!! I'm just a lil' bit excited!!! I'm also a lil' strapped for cash having to buy for 2 boys this year! I have been "pinning" away, scouring Pinterest for inexpensive decorating ideas (like this) and gift ideas. These are super cheap and really easy to make. Ask the kids for help, just not w/ the glue gun!


Here's what you'll need...

• empty, washed out really good milk jugs (we chose 3 but you could do as many as you like)
• scissors
• black & red paint
• pipe cleaners (we chose black but you can match the color to your own decor)
• yarn (again match to your decor)
• hot glue gun
• orange construction paper

Here's what you do...

1. Save your milk jugs! And like I said before, make sure you wash them out real good, if you don't they will stink! The kids loved this part because I let them do this in the bathtub! 
2. After your jugs are good and clean, cut a hole in the back of them where the label is to insert your lights. I cut my holes the size of the label.
3. Make the yarn earmuffs by folding your yarn in half several times in a bundle and tying a knot around itself. After you've tied the knot, cut the looped ends so the ends stick out. Or any other way you choose! Big, fuzzy pom poms would work too!
4. Paint the snowman's eyes and mouth on the jug w/ black paint and give him some red, rosy cheeks.
5. Hot glue the pipe cleaner on one side of the jug and hold till it dries. Now hot glue the other side down and again hold while it dries... try not to burn your fingers!
6. Glue your earmuffs over the ends of the pipe cleaner, it'll hide any unsightly mess you've made w/ the glue gun!
7. Finally, cut out a, orange nose and glue it to your snowman's face.

There you have it... stick your light in the backs and set them out for display!

Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest to check out all the other fun, cheap, kid-friendly craft and gift ideas I'm finding! 

What's For Lunch?!

I get asked this a lot! The boys LOVE Mac n' Cheese so when I found this recipe on Pinterest, I just knew we had to try it! This is Paula Dean's recipe so you know it's gonna be good! I did tweak it a bit though... gotta make it somewhat healthy! 

I used whole wheat pasta, low fat butter and sour cream, omitted the eggs and used low fat mozzarella instead of cheddar cheese AND it is still amazing!!!

http://www.food.com/recipe/paula-deen-crock-pot-macaroni-and-cheese-257276

Mystery Bag - Letter "J"

I think I get more excited when Jaxon brings home the Mystery Bag from PreSchool, than he does! The Mystery Bag is homework for PreSchool age kids. Every other week it's Jaxon's turn to bring the bag home and have a turn. 

Last year when he'd bring the bag home there would be a color, shape or number written on a paper bag and he was to find things around the house that he could bring back to class w/ him (that fit in the bag), to share w/ his classmates. 

This year he is assigned a letter. He practices writing that letter, sounding it out, making both upper and lower case versions of the letter, writing a tongue twister that goes w/ the assigned letter and choosing something to take back to class that starts w/ the letter.

Yesterday he got to choose whatever letter he wanted from the alphabet... surprisingly, he chose "J"! So, he decided to make "J" shaped, Jello Jigglers!

Here he is getting ready to make the Jigglers! 

Surprisingly he chose green Jello!

Max kept reminding us both that it was "HOT"! One of his favorite words!

Fast forward to today... here's Jaxon getting ready to cut out the "J" Jigglers!

This is also a fun treat for parties... we made trucks and trains one year!

Press hard!

 

He had to make sure it tasted OK!

8 "J" shaped Jello Jigglers ready for the Mystery Bag showing!

And since we have left overs we made some "M's" so both boys would have some for lunch today!

Kitchen Aid

My number one "Mommy Pet peeve" at the moment is my kitchen aid, or aids, I should say! I need a door on my kitchen, one w/ a "CLOSED" sign hanging up! Every time I am in there so are Sons # 1 & 2. I created this monster, I often ask for their help, just not every, stink'n time! For instance, while I'm making breakfast and drinking my coffee... no help needed! When I'm chopping veggies w/ a sharp knife... no help needed! 

Or when I'm busy cleaning up after dinner, loading the dishwasher and your Dad is home to play w/ you.... no help needed!!! Luckily, I caught this before the water cycle turned on! OH, and look I have voicemail! Thanks Max... Mommy's got this!!!

Top 10

Here are my Pinterest Top 10 Finds this week...

#10 - guysread.com... a website that encourages literacy in boys! They have a great list of good reads for lil' guys!

#9 - This pretty much sums things up!

#8 - Thinking about making these for Thanksgiving...  super cute & delicious!

#7 - In all my years as an art student Oil Pastels were always a fave of mine... I had no idea Crayola made these. Santa might have to bring Jaxon a set of his very own!

#6 - Skinny Funfetti Cupcake recipe... where have you been my whole life?! http://www.fashionmeetsfood.com/2011/11/skinny-funfetti-cupcakes.html

#5 - Could have used this while putting up the lights!

#4 - I was just looking for tips on how to do this and "poof", there was on Pinterest!

#3 - I foresee this happening any day now!

#2 - Among other things, but I say this to Hubby at least 3 times a week!

#1 - I LOVE THIS IDEA! I have decided that when the boys go to Kindergarten I am going to do this. The day they graduate from high school I'm digging their time capsules up and we'll take a look at them then. Hopefully the dogs won't dig 'em up for me!

For more Pinterest Top Picks follow along as I waste hours of my life "pinning" creative ideas... it's easy, click my Pinterest button on the sidebar and check out my boards!

Pinterest Intervention

I AM OFFICIALLY ADDICTED TO PINTEREST! There, I admitted it, that's the 1st step right?! I can't stop myself from "pinning"! I wake up early to "pin" in the morning, I "pin" in the afternoon & every time Max needs nourishment. I pin till I can't "pin" anymore at bedtime... I've fallen asleep at the keyboard! I daydream while working out, about how I could finagle a way to "pin" while on the treadmill!!! I would be on the treadmill A LOT more if I could figure out a way to do both simultaneously!!! 

So, since I have been getting behind on my blogging due to my new addiction, I thought I'd take a moment to step away from Pinterest (for a short time) to share a few fun things we've been up to lately. 

MAX IS OFFICIALLY WALKING/RUNNING! He's been toddling around for a little over a month now taking steps here and there but he's 100% on the move nowadays! That's the other reason why I've been away for so long. Keeping up w/ the boys has become a little more interesting now that Max can get to wherever Jaxon is and snatch whatever Jaxon has! Just hand me a whistle and call me "ref"... all though I'm not too sure Jaxon would agree that he's been getting fair calls lately! 


We finally got some much needed rain the other day. Daddy decided to take a vacation day to catch back up w/ his kiddos after being away so much the month of October. He surprised Jaxon w/ a "Cars 2" movie date on the living room floor after lunch.The "snack counter" provided blue sugared popcorn and entertained Monster #2 so the movie date could be enjoyed by both!


While the weather has had it's ups and downs we continue to try our best to enjoy what's left of Fall. We had a beautiful day on the 1st and spent the afternoon putting up our Christmas lights outside. I decided that evening to reward myself with a glass of wine, can of beer, 1/5 of Crown, (whatever I could find), after the stressful time I had of hanging lights w/ a 5 & 1 year old. Memo to self: check alcoholic beverage supply before entertaining the idea of proceeding with these types of activities!!! 


And thanks to Pinterest the boys and I have been crafting & baking like crazy! I plan to post some of our newest Holiday adventures one of these days... that is as soon as I can pull myself away from the obsessive "pinning"! And be sure to follow along as I continue to "pin" my way through the holiday season... if you're a list maker like me, Pinterest is the place to be!

Happy Halloween 2011

The boys and I had a great time Trick or Treating last! Kick Buttowski and my lil' dragon made out like bandits w/ the candy... Mama's mission is to try and stay out of it! I figured while I can still get away w/ it that I would dress up too! The kids at Jaxon's party really enjoyed it and I figured the people whose houses we'd Trick or Treat at would too! PLUS I love playing dress up!!! Here are some highlights from last night!

Jaxon's costume was a lot of fun to put together! I think the kitchen gloves really completed his look!!!! 

If Daddy hadn't had to work, he would have been Mommy's 1st Mate... I'm guessing he's glad he had to work!!! What a great time we had! 

PreSchool Halloween Party

I was so excited to be part of the Halloween Party committee this year for Jaxon's PreSchool! I could buy Hobby Lobby out of their adorable Halloween Party supplies. Here's what we did to prepare for the big party!

I found this cute, cheap and easy idea on Pinterest! Jaxon helped w/ these, they were a lot of fun!

These were the treat boxes we picked out for the kids... aren't they fun?! 

Jaxon & I decided to make our own homemade candy for the party. We chose a recipe for "Monster Munch".... I will include a link to the recipe below! IT'S DELICIOUS!!!

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/10/halloween-candy-corn-cookie-bark.html

I tweaked this a bit! Instead of adding peanuts and peanut butter cups like the lady did in the recipe below, I added the bits of Candy Corn bark above! PLUS we added green food coloring to the almond bark that we put over the popcorn to make it spookier! http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/10/monster-munch.html

Here are the treat boxes ready to go!

Jaxon & his classmates at their party!

Here they are Trick or Treating at the nursing home!

Enjoying their chocolate cupcakes w/ peanut butter frosting and their vanilla cupcakes w/ orange frosting!

And their green slime punch!

FUN, FUN, FUN TIMES!!!