This year I found a really cool game, story dice, online here on etsy and here at The Small Object site. This was perfect for my second grader.
A thin Micron pen (what I used on these) will bleed a little but not as much as a thin Sharpie.
The Small Object set has a page to write the story down. I thought this was a great idea. They also put each picture on the top of the page with the word below to help with spelling. We can all use help with spelling.
Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope this time of year has brought a minute or two of peace. I had some Christmas tub time. Just me and Calgon… oh, and a little baby throwing toys into the tub. We can’t have everything and baby was not having any long naps.
The night before Christmas was great. We have adopted the tradition of eating breakfast for dinner on Christmas Eve. Thanks to our dear friends the K’s. Oh and we had to have a little live Nativity too. India and I had been reading about Christmas in France. We read how many people purchase a new figure each year for their Christmas Creche. I am still on the search for one. We saw how to make a few figures in a book from the library. I think we’ll have to start with a homemade one, since I can’t seem to find one I like… or can afford.
So with the Nativity tradition fresh on our minds this is what our Christmas Eve looked like. We are lucky enough to actually have some family living nearby. One of Zach’s cousins and her family live about 40 minutes away. They came and shared the evening’s traditions with us:
My friend Heather is so cool. She had this idea for her Christmas cards and I was able to help her execute it. Photos by me… styling and inspiration by Heather. Check out the cute tie shirt and matching baby leg/arm warmers she whipped up for the shoot. The leg/arm warmers were made from a pair of argyle socks picked up by her hubbie (he’s pretty stylin’ too). Great tutorial here. Her son had been asking her to make something for him to wear. I think she did a great job figuring out a handmade ‘boy’ outfit, don’t you?
Because we have nothing else to make (haha) I decided we should participate in this year’s Crafty Crow ornament exchange. If you have children who love to create, this blog is chock full of ideas and projects that little hands can do well.
This year’s theme was fairy tails… without any Disney look-a-likes (which I’m very relieved about). India and I worked on these Monday night. They originally were going to be the gingerbread house from Hansel and Gretal, but the ‘houses’ looked more like bridges (“we should make a castle and this could be the draw bridge” as if!). The bridges quickly transformed into fences and our character became the fairy with leaf wings and glitter all over. She paints the glitter, don’t you know. That’s her job.
So here is one thing we have made this season that I can show you!
I had a great time this afternoon with these guys. Oh, and the people were nice too. After almost an entire week of sub zero weather, we could actually go outside without jackets. That’s Denver for ya. The sun is out and the temperature is up. Thank goodness it hadn’t been warm long enough for the snow to melt.
I don’t know dogs very well, but these three were beautiful… if only a bit young and restless. I know what that’s all about. I have three who are equally tireless… although of the human kind.
We began tame, trying to get the obligatory family portrait done before we let loose.
I love this one. Yup. we live in the West. The red sand proves it.
So sweet. This little girl has lots of energy… made me wish I was a dog whisperer.
