Advent

This Christmas season, we started the Jesse Tree Advent with Ryan.  Growing up, it was a tradition we looked forward to every year.....following the line of Jesus from the very beginning with Adam and Eve all the way to baby Jesus's birth.  

Since I was not able to make an advent calendar this year, we read "The Jesse Tree" by Geraldine McCaughrean every night before bed.  

The other night as part of our advent, we sat down as a family, turned all the lights off except for the ones on the Christmas tree and sang Christmas songs and read the story of baby Jesus (from his bible storybook).

We drank hot chocolate during the story.  We told him about the gift of baby Jesus and why he had to come. Then we asked him if he wanted to open  presents early.....

DID HE! 

He loved it.

And he's been sleeping in it ever since.

Walking in a winter wonderland Party

Sleigh bells ring....

are you listenin'?

In the lane, snow is glistnin' (Like, for real too, it snowed today)

 A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, playing in a winter wonderland.....

Today was Ryan's party day!  Technically, he won't be three until next week, but it's hard to get people together for a party two days after Christmas.  While we were busy creating an indoor winter-wonderland, mother nature was busy dusting everything with snow outside.

The games included playing musical ice-bergs (the ice-bergs are not shown here, but I put out large pieces of styrofoam which can be bought very cheaply at Home Depot) around the "Ice lake" and the kids hopped around to Christmas music.

The igloo was a hit.  At one point there were about three kids in the Igloo.  We turned the lights off and Ryan's "star" turtle made a beautiful star pattern inside.

It wouldn't be a wonderland without snowmen.  We played pin the carrot on the snowman.  A lot of the kids had never played this game before and so we nixed the blindfold and just tried to get the nose on the snowman's face.

Speaking of which, there was no shortage of snowmen at Ryan's party.  I loved this idea from Pinterest using powdered donuts and candy corn.....among other treats.

When we were done playing the games, it was time to sit down for some of these snacks.  Then, we pulled out the "Ice cave" (also from Pinterest.com) but I first saw it on a friend's blog.

Basically, the kids eyes grew as big as saucers when we brought up and inflated (using just your average fan) what is basically two painting tarps duct taped together and filled it with balloons. 

They jumped in it.  They rolled in it.  They batted around the balloons and hit them with glow sticks.  They played ring-around-the-rosy in it.  They loved it.   And as always when playing or putting your child in a large plastic bag, this activity was only performed under constant adult supervision. 

Then, it was time for the grand finale: cake and ice-cream.  

and of course presents....

Happy "Third Birthday" Ryan!  can't believe you are SO BIG!

A Problem

On Sunday mornings I like to sleep in as late as possible before church.  It's a beautiful thing to sleep in, especially with a warm snugly infant who will also sleep in as long as he is nestled close by.

 It is not a beautiful thing that the two year old wants the ipad on awakening.  And the ipad is stored in our room every night. And every morning he trots in wanting the ipad.  Every morning I growl at him to please be quiet and not wake the baby and remind him I am sleeping.

On this particular Sunday morning, Ryan trotted in the room asking for the ipad.  I woke up enough to tell him to go see his father and reminded him I was sleeping.  He left. 

Later, his dad shared this exchange with me:

Ryan went downstairs to see him as I had directed and stated, "I want the ipad." 

Josh: Well, go get it. It's upstairs with Mommy.

Ryan: NOooooo, you go get it daddy.

Josh: No, YOU go get it Ryan.

Ryan: Mommy sleepin.

Josh:  Well, why can't you go get it from Mommy?

Ryan: Mommy sleepin. She wake up 'an she get mad, and then she's a PROBLEM. 

WHAAAAT?  My son thinks I am a PROBLEM? I didn't even know he knew the word "problem!"

The Igloo

Today I continued some preparations for Ryan's upcoming party with the idea that our craft today would not just be for his party but also just for fun throughout this month and maybe next month--if it lasts. 

I got two large boxes from home depot for a little more than a dollar each and taped them together.  In the back of one of the boxes I poked holes in the top of the box and pushed some Christmas lights through so it could be "lit" inside.  Then I covered them in paper and white pastic trash bags to make an "igloo."  Unfortunately, I was not able to figure out how to make a round top on my igloo.  So our igloo has a flat top. 

Ryan helped tape the paper on the igloo and made himself right at home.  He took a pillow, blanket, and his ipad inside and shut the doors. 

I guess inside every little boy is a little man who needs some "man cave" time. 

Other thoughts on the igloo:  I may line the inside of the igloo with white paper and attach a place for crayons.  Then on the day of the party, the kids can decorate inside the igloo.  

Ice Fishing Game Take 2

Yesterday I was  pretty happy with how my ice fishing game turned out.  But it was not perfect.  

I decided my ice fishing game needed something more....icy.  

I sent Josh to Home Depot to pick up some styrofoam.  

I cut it to fit the inner edge of the tupperware bucket.

Then I cut out two fishing "holes." 

The styrofoam cutout holes can easily be removed to "fish." 

Then, when it's time to put everything away, the lid still fits over the entire thing and everything can be stored inside. 

I think I'm finally happy with it.

Shhhh......It's a secret.....

Ryan's  birthday is coming up.  He will be three.  As a big three year old, I am planning to throw him an official birthday party this year, complete with invitations and games.   Since he has a winter birthday, I thought we could do a winter theme.  

In preparation for his party, I had a little "craft" for us to do today.  We painted fish.   I found a template of a fish online.  I was hoping to get lots of different types, but ran out of ink  I used neon tempra paint.

Ryan, however, used black watercolor. 

Then he told me his fish was hiding.

We didn't need six fish anyway.  We could just use my five.  We decorated the fish with glitter.  Then I laminated them and glued magnets on the body.  It was just Elmers glue, so I did end up needing to tape the magnets in place as well, but they still "stuck" just fine.

The next part I did while Ryian was sleeping.  For his party we will go "ice fishing."  So now that we have our fish, I needed to make an "ice pond.

I found a long shallow tupperware at Big Lots (which I completely plan to re-use at some point for something else) and a cheap string of about 50 blue lights at Michaels Craft Store ( $4.00).

Other materials used included: blue cellophane, blue pipecleaner, tin foil, cardboard.

First, I cut the cut the cardboard to fit inside the tupperware.  I wrapped the cardboard in tinfoil and taped the string of lights on top with the cord hanging outside so it could be plugged in to an outlet.  Then I put the blue cellophane paper on top to create the bottom of the "pond."

Then I worked on the tupperware lid.  I wrapped it in tinfoil, cut out a circle of cellophane and lined it with pipecleaner.   Here is a side view:

Ta-da.  An ice fishing pond.  And the best part is the fishing poles and fish can stay inside when it's not in use.

I have some "fluff" downstairs for snow to surround the pond on the day of the party.  And of course.....there is more to come.  I think I may be more excited than Ryan.....