Thursday, December 29, 2011
Christmas Eve
On Christmas eve morning I took the boys to the playground to feed the ducks and play outside for a while. Logan got to sit in the grass and was pretty enthralled with pulling it out of the ground. Stirling had more fun stomping the dirt than anything else! It was nice day and a good way to distract from Christmas presents and goodies!
In the evening, we took the boys for a walk around the neighborhood to see all of the Christmas lights. Living in such a warm climate means people are more willing to spend time outdoors putting up lights. There is one house nearby that has its lights computerized to blink and dance in time to a Christmas radio station. It is really neat. Both boys enjoyed all of the lights and just being outside for a walk in the dark. I wore Logan in the baby carrier, and by the end of the walk was wishing for the stroller. He is getting so big!
In the evening, we took the boys for a walk around the neighborhood to see all of the Christmas lights. Living in such a warm climate means people are more willing to spend time outdoors putting up lights. There is one house nearby that has its lights computerized to blink and dance in time to a Christmas radio station. It is really neat. Both boys enjoyed all of the lights and just being outside for a walk in the dark. I wore Logan in the baby carrier, and by the end of the walk was wishing for the stroller. He is getting so big!
Advent Days 18-24
On Day 18 of Advent, Stirling did a hand and foot print reindeer. The reindeer's face was a footprint, and the antlers were handprints. I forgot to take a picture before we gave it to Stirling's daycare teacher as a Christmas card.
For Day 19, I borrowed an idea from the kindergarten team at school and made a little coloring book titled, "Santa Claus, Santa Claus, What Do You See?" Anyone familiar with the "Brown Bear" books will be familiar with the pattern of this story. Stirling colored a little, but mostly wanted to "write" on the back cover of the book.
Day 20- another matching game. Not much interest in this one.
On Day 21 we did a math game. We rolled the dice and graphed squares according to the picture on the dice. It didn't last long- we each only did a few rolls before Stirling lost interest.
Day22- candy cane alphabet match. We did some, but not all of the letters.
Day 23 was reindeer food day. We mixed oats, seeds, mini-marshmallows, and glitter to leave outside for Santa's reindeer.
Our Christmas Eve activity for the last day of Advent was reading Christmas books. I found a little book that I printed off the internet that told the Bible story in a simple way, and also had a variety of other books, both religious and secular. We read "Santa Cows" and "An Angel Came to Nazareth" as well as "The Night Before Christmas."
For Day 19, I borrowed an idea from the kindergarten team at school and made a little coloring book titled, "Santa Claus, Santa Claus, What Do You See?" Anyone familiar with the "Brown Bear" books will be familiar with the pattern of this story. Stirling colored a little, but mostly wanted to "write" on the back cover of the book.
Day 20- another matching game. Not much interest in this one.
On Day 21 we did a math game. We rolled the dice and graphed squares according to the picture on the dice. It didn't last long- we each only did a few rolls before Stirling lost interest.
Day22- candy cane alphabet match. We did some, but not all of the letters.
Day 23 was reindeer food day. We mixed oats, seeds, mini-marshmallows, and glitter to leave outside for Santa's reindeer.
Our Christmas Eve activity for the last day of Advent was reading Christmas books. I found a little book that I printed off the internet that told the Bible story in a simple way, and also had a variety of other books, both religious and secular. We read "Santa Cows" and "An Angel Came to Nazareth" as well as "The Night Before Christmas."
Saturday, December 24, 2011
December Images
Isn't this sweet?
My little bit of grown up Christmas decor.
Logan is such a cutie pie. Since he is a confident sitter, he can come with me into the kitchen now when I am cooking. He is much happier that way!
The boys playing together!
My little bit of grown up Christmas decor.
Logan is such a cutie pie. Since he is a confident sitter, he can come with me into the kitchen now when I am cooking. He is much happier that way!
The boys playing together!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
The Boys
Stirling's new big bed with DINOSAUR sheets and comforter!!
Mommy and Logan.
Packing foam "snow-bot."
Stirling has been really into punching, fighting, kicking, karate, etc lately- especially robots that do all of those things!
Logan has started eating carrots with his rice cereal-yum!
And look who is sitting all by himself!
Mommy and Logan.
Packing foam "snow-bot."
Stirling has been really into punching, fighting, kicking, karate, etc lately- especially robots that do all of those things!
Logan has started eating carrots with his rice cereal-yum!
And look who is sitting all by himself!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Advent Days 1-11
I found a great idea for Advent on a blog that I visit (www.activitymom.blogspot.com) to do a special activity for each day of Advent. I used some of her ideas, found some other resources online, and used some of my own ideas as well to come up with 24 fun and educational activities for Stirling. Logan is a little young this year, but these are activities and materials I am going to save to use over again. Next year will be trickier to come up with activities that both a four year old and a one year old can do, but for this year I was able to think of quite a few things for Stirling. It has been fun for me to put together a calendar of activities, because I know a lot of the things we do are opportunities for memories to be made and traditions begun.
Here are the activities we have done so far (days 1-11)
I found some large white envelopes on sale and organized all of my materials for the month. Then, each night, I just hang up the envelope for the next day with the activities all ready inside. Easy!
Day 1 was a Nativity memory matching game. I didn't have the red backing on when we first played however, and we could easily see through the cards to find the matches. Not much memory involved! I added the red backs so that we could play again and really test memory and strategy skills.
Day 2 was a game with number cards. We took turns drawing number cards and placing the matching number of "snowballs" (mini-marshmellows) on our game boards. Whoever got their game board filled first "won!"
Day 3 was one of my favorites! These Christmas action cards had us up and dancing. We twirled like snowflakes, chuckled like Santa, and sneaked like elves!
Day 5 was a snowman sticker activity. The stickers actually came from his daycare teacher and she had leftovers, so I used them for making a snowman picture- stickers for all of his accessories. We added a little glitter paint, and voila! instant art!
Day 6 Christmas tree decorating.
On Day 6, Stirling enjoyed gluing sequins on his tree and adding shiny stickers.
Day 7's activity was a color the shapes snowman and tree. Stirling did pretty well at it, (though wanted me to color some of the shapes for him) but then he colored the whole snowman in with a brown marker. I didn't take pictures of that one.
Actually this is days 8 and 9. We never got around to doing the day 8 activity. One is a people/animal sort with Nativity figures, and the other is a Nativity pattern strip. Good prep for kindergarten type objectives!
Day 10 was Christmas window clings and a trip to watch the light parade in the evening. Logan came with us too, and we all enjoyed watching the bands and brightly lit floats pass by!
Santa baby!
Here are the activities we have done so far (days 1-11)
I found some large white envelopes on sale and organized all of my materials for the month. Then, each night, I just hang up the envelope for the next day with the activities all ready inside. Easy!
Day 1 was a Nativity memory matching game. I didn't have the red backing on when we first played however, and we could easily see through the cards to find the matches. Not much memory involved! I added the red backs so that we could play again and really test memory and strategy skills.
Day 2 was a game with number cards. We took turns drawing number cards and placing the matching number of "snowballs" (mini-marshmellows) on our game boards. Whoever got their game board filled first "won!"
Day 3 was one of my favorites! These Christmas action cards had us up and dancing. We twirled like snowflakes, chuckled like Santa, and sneaked like elves!
Day 5 was a snowman sticker activity. The stickers actually came from his daycare teacher and she had leftovers, so I used them for making a snowman picture- stickers for all of his accessories. We added a little glitter paint, and voila! instant art!
Day 6 Christmas tree decorating.
On Day 6, Stirling enjoyed gluing sequins on his tree and adding shiny stickers.
Day 7's activity was a color the shapes snowman and tree. Stirling did pretty well at it, (though wanted me to color some of the shapes for him) but then he colored the whole snowman in with a brown marker. I didn't take pictures of that one.
Actually this is days 8 and 9. We never got around to doing the day 8 activity. One is a people/animal sort with Nativity figures, and the other is a Nativity pattern strip. Good prep for kindergarten type objectives!
Day 10 was Christmas window clings and a trip to watch the light parade in the evening. Logan came with us too, and we all enjoyed watching the bands and brightly lit floats pass by!
Santa baby!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was great this year... on Friday! I looked in the freezer Wednesday afternoon and what do you think I saw? My turkey- totally forgotten and still frozen. I guess the silver lining of having no family around to come for dinner is that it allowed us to be flexible with which day to have our dinner! We were able to be thankful a day later than most!
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