Christmas!!!

Christmas is right around the corner and I am already planning my FAVORITE time of the year. I am thinking of new traditions to start with my kiddos and one of them will be an advent calendar.
I am going to buy a box with 25 drawers like this one:
Box of Treasures on Amazon

It is about 30.00 plus shipping but it is wooden and (hopefully) will last a long long time.
Im going to paint it and decorate it...
Here is my list of things to do each day

12/1 The legend of the Candy Cane- read story and color a picture
12/2 Listen to a Christmas Cd (a kids one) and do a craft
12/3 Go to the mall and register for the Angel Tree- Talk about how the season is about giving to others.
12/4 Watch a Christmas movie and drink Cider
12/5 Bake cookies with Gigi
12/6 Play a Christmas game
12/7 Go to the bookstore and buy a new Christmas book
12/8 Christmas character finger puppet theater (http://www.theidearoom.net/2010/12/christmas-character-finger-puppets.html)
12/9 Make and send out homemade cards and pictures to all family but especially the ones who wont be with us for Christmas.
12/10 Santa’s Ranch with Gigi, Pop, Mama, and Dada (http://santasranch.net/)
12/11 Fiesta Texas Christmas day (maybe just for mama and dada this year and if we dont get passes again I will change this one for next year )
12/12 Make a gingerbread house
12/13 Wear new Pj’s to bed
12/14 Make snowman soup (hot cocoa with marshmallows)
12/15 The legend of the Snowman- read story and color a picture
12/16 Make/Order a pizza and watch a Christmas movie
12/17 Drive through Nativity
12/18 Drive around and see Christmas lights
12/19 Poinsettia craft with Gigi
12/20 Make Great Great Great Aunt Bessie Toffee
12/21 Nativity finger puppet theater (http://www.theidearoom.net/2010/12/nativity-finger-puppets.html)
12/22 Make reindeer food (http://www.theidearoom.net/2009/12/magic-reindeer-food.html)
12/23 Read The Nativity Story- color pictures
12/24 Read The Night Before Christmas – color pictures
12/25 Color Christmas Pictures (afternoon/early evening)

Hope this helps some if you are planning your own advent calendar!

Pumpkin Picture Painting

We painted pumpkins today. I printed off some pumpkin pictures and we sponge painted them. The kiddos had a blast.

We also read a poem called Pumpkins, Pumpkins On The Vine, it is a poem about the cycle of pumpkins. I made cards with pictures that went along with the poem.
I cant find the poem to post the link so here it is:

Pumpkins, pumpkins on the vine

Pumpkins, pumpkins on the vine
Growing big - taking their time.

First a seed, then a sprout.
Then, a vine that spreads way out.

Next, two flowers on the vine.
Then, two pumpkins in a line.

Two green pumpkins on the ground
At last turn orange, big and round.

Now it's time to harvest them.
I pick them up and cut their stems.

Two big pumpkins just for me.
What will I do? Wait and see!

One I'll make into a pie
Then eat with whipped cream, that's no lie!

The other one, I'll scoop it out.
Then, turn it slowly all about

And when I find the perfect place
I'll carve out holes to make a face.

Pumpkins, pumpkins on the vine.
Are worth the wait, every time.

Here is the link for the cycle pictures I used for the flash cards: http://www.kizclub.com/Topics/food/pumpkin.pdf
I added the jack-o-lantern one.

We had a nice little snack I called fall sticks. Graham crackers with a LITTLE frosting and a few fall sprinkles.



Fall

I know!! I know!! Its been a while since I last posted. We have been busy, we went to the beach for a week and played in the water and sand. The babies LOVED IT!! We went to the aquarium and had so much fun looking at all the fish!
Now its time for Fall. I made our fall tree today.
I bought this tree limb wall decal from a place on ebay, I left the swinging kids off and the birds off.

I put the decal on poster board added some fall leaves and turned it into a tree.

 I think Im going to add "what I am thankful for" leaves later for thanksgiving. I am hoping the tape I used wont damage the decal and I can use it year round. If not I can just buy another one I guess.

I have been looking at this website today www.hubbardscupboard.org/ for ideas for the next few weeks with the Fall theme. I need to get back to doing something.I think alot of their fussyness is because they are bored.??? So back to the planning board.