Elle Belle's Bows

Halloween Learning

2011-10-24T09:55:00.005-04:00

Hi to all! I hope you are enjoying your October! We are definitely in full Halloween mode! Here are a few a Halloween inspired works to share.

Magnet Fun with Frankenstein

E loves this!! I had this Frankenstein pan and then purchased a small magnet with bolts. She transfers from top to bottom.

Plastic Pumpkin Transfer

Pumpkins are from Target and Spoon and Thumb Operated Tong from Montessori -N-Such

The thumb operated tongs really provide an extra challenge.

Matching with Printables from Montessori Print Shop

Head over to their shop to check out their wonderful selection and a few freebies too!

Head over to Living Montessori Now to enter a giveaway to MPS Printables along with Montessori at Home Book!!

Creating Patterns

I used free pattern strips from Pre-K Pages (Thanks!) along with Halloween shaped pasta! We also used the pasta for stringing and for crafting (future post)

Crafting with the Pasta

Through recent experience and from fellow bloggers, I am learning that it can be a bit distracting to try to take photos while doing works with E. So, you are seeing a bit more trays now rather than photos of E. I did include a fun picture below.

E playing in her club house.

Happy Halloween!

***Want a chance to win a free book??? Head over to Barb's Usborne Books and like her FB page for a chance to win! ****

Linking to:

Montessori Monday

After School Party

Show and Tell

Montessori Monday- Pumpkin Activities

2011-10-03T09:27:00.010-04:00

Hello to all! I thought I would share some recent fun activities and what we have "out on the shelf".

We belong to a CSA. Elle has been lucky to receive a pumpkin with our share the last couple of weeks. She gave her pumpkin a "bath". The second bowl was for E to squeeze the excess water from the sponge.

Elle getting in all the dirt from the creases with a toothbrush.

Sifting Flour for cookies to take as a Thank You to her school. She has the smaller sifter and does well with it now. However, we needed to use the large one to get through this recipe. I would hold the sifter after she transferred the flour. E would then turn the crank on the sifter. Definitely try these Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies! Amazing. Thanks to Erin's Mom for introducing them to us!!

E is slightly obsessed with flashlights right now! We placed this activity out to help out with her need to explore light in a fun way!

All you need: Construction paper, Mini Flashlight, and Cupcake/Cookie Stencils

You can go through the stencils and have your child identify each one, you can go through a poem or song with them (see bottom of post for a few more of my favorite Montessori Blogs), this set also pairs well with the Five Little Pumpkins book!

Tactile Numbers with Pumpkin Counters.

Pumpkins in Decorative Containers with Tweezer for Transfer

We also made time for fun at a local pumpkin patch! How fun for sensory play? A huge sand box filled with corn and loads of fun toys!!

Zipping along to feel the wind in her face! FUN!

Have a great week!

Sharing a Few of My Favorite Blogs for Inspiration:

Counting Coconuts, The Work Plan, Leptir Montessori Blog, Little Literacy Learners, Lily Tots

Check out The Seeds Network and Teaching Heart Blog to join in the Llama Llama Red Pajama Read for the Record Campaign

Linking to:

Montessori Monday

Cohosted by: Living Montessori Now and One Hook Wonder

After School Link Party

International Day of Peace

2011-09-21T09:01:00.005-04:00

E's school is participating in Pinwheels for Peace to honor the International Day of Peace. We feel so blessed that her school has introduced this day of commitment to peace to E and to us. We decided to expand on this dedication of world harmony at home.We could not think of a better book for this day than The Yellow Balloon. It has been in our home for a couple months. It is a wordless picture book. I thought that E may not like it, but she fell in love with it. The book takes the reader on a journey to every corner of the world and your imagination. We love that the book represents various cultures. That is why we chose it to represent world peace. Is that not the foundation of world peace??..... Acknowledging and understanding other cultures and their beliefs. Since the book is wordless, it gives us the opportunity to change the dialogue a bit. However, it is funny when Elle reminds us that we missed a "part". The Yellow Balloon allows a young reader to relish in the search for the yellow balloon and a few other objects along the way. We find a new detail every time that we read the book. As parents, we definitely get a chuckle out of a couple of the illustrations.
We made the craft super easy. Balloon print outs, glue, stick for spreading the glue, sequins, glitter, tweezer for sequin transfer and then a whole lot of fun. The discussion was that the balloon would bring peace to all areas of the world in the book. We propped the book and the craft up at the kitchen table. It was the first thing E wanted to talk about at breakfast. Does she totally get the idea of world peace??? Of course not, but she knows that it is a good/favorable idea. Her school gave her simple but beautiful ideas on how peace can be different for everyone. They explained that it could be a kind act or a moment that brings a sense of peace to your own world.

I hope that you have a wonderful day and will pause to not only reflect on peace for the world, but to find a moment of serenity in your own life.

Balloon Printables- Coloring and DLTK

To Celebrate Peace at Home- Pinwheel Template

Beautiful Song of Peace (Elle is singing at school)- Light a Candle for Peace

Linking to:

Kids Get Crafty

Whatever Goes Wednesday

Fun with Chalkboard Paint

2011-09-14T04:30:00.000-04:00

Hello there! I thought that I would share some recent fun with chalkboard paint. We use it lots and have so much fun with it! I recently held a shower for a dear friend with her MIL and SIL. They told me it was not necessary to do anything special, but I was able to pull this little party together with out much effort and I was happy with the end result. Most importantly, it was a very special day spent with fabulous friends and family! Check out the end of the post for "credit" on some of the party items.

The Scoreboard! The board is beyond belief easy. I used two coats of chalkboard paint on a cake board. I allowed each coat to dry and then allowed 24 hours after the last coat for the board to cure. You will definitely get your use out of it! It makes a perfect track for matchbox cars and a portable way to practice numbers and letters.

The yummy cinnamon shortbread cookies!

Finally, my favorite use for the chalkboard. Ella's First Day of School picture!!

Party Credits:

Inspiration: Catch My Party

Free Banner Printables: Piggy Bank Parties

Free Baseball Printables: My Grafico

Spicy Peanut Recipe: CDKitchen

Cookies: Dandy Delights (try the cinnamon shortbread!!)

First Day of School Credits:

Inspiration for the Board: Sugar Bee Crafts (check out the tutorial there)

E's Dress: Palm Tree Princess

E's Headband- Elle Belle's haha! Hoping to post a tutorial on it!

Linking Up:

All Things Wonderful

Whatever You Want Wednesday

Wow Me Wednesday

Creating Success Around The World

Have a great week! Will be posting some recipes, crafts, school posts, and tutorials soon!

Oh My Baby, Little One

2011-09-07T12:37:00.006-04:00

It has been awhile.....I wish that I could say that I could juggle it all, but I needed to take the summer off from blogging and making bows. This was E's last summer off before starting school and we had loads of fun. Maybe one day I will update on the blog. For now, I am easing back into blogging with a stART project.I read Oh My Baby, Little One to E almost every night during the last trimester of my pregnancy. It may sound silly, but I loved reading to her before I could even hold her. When she was born, I still read it to her. Then, she started to develop her own interests in books. She pulled it back off the shelf this summer. It was soon after she had preschool orientation. Maybe it was her way of needing some reassurance from me. If you are not familiar with the book, it is about a Mama explaining to her baby that separation is only temporary. You are always bound by love.

The book has a heart tied into each illustration. Elle loves looking for the hearts. The book also mentions love being tucked in a pocket or shoe. E asked for a heart in her shoe. I thought about drawing one in there, but then I decided to make felt hearts with her. I know! It is not the most original project, but it is a very special one.
Elle had fun picking out her felt. I am so surprised that she chose pink and purple! Haha! I cut out the hearts and started the sewing. Elle loved stuffing them! It was easy, but oh so sweet!

Love pictures of busy hands!!

I placed the hearts on a plate with flowers the first morning of school. Do you not just love the flowers in the cat creamer?? Makes it look like it has a silly hat on! It was Elle's decision as to whether or not she wanted to tuck one in her pocket. We read the book and played with the hearts twice before breakfast that morning. She happily decided to leave them on the table. We dropped her off at school. No tears just a happy little wave to us and a "Bye!". I guess Mommy was the only one with tears. Hopefully, the rest of the week will go as well.

Have a good week!

Linking to:

Strawberry Fools!

2011-06-21T07:30:00.009-04:00

Not the dessert strawberry fool....WE have been strawberry fools! We took Elle for the first time last year. She loved it then and enjoyed it even more this year. We have been busy eating lots of strawberries!

Searching for her treasures

Snack Plate of Strawberry Cheese with Graham Crackers and Bananas

Pouring Tray for Elle's Juice

The "strawberry cheese" is a huge hit at our home and easy to make. I definitely recommend giving it a try! You could use any berry! Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 32 ounce carton Stonyfield Whole Milk Plain Yogurt

(do not use low fat; it will not turn out as thick. I use Stonyfield because it is organic and I earn lots of yogurt, Whole Living, and Martha Stewart Food for free from their frequent buyer program)

1 to 1 1/4 Cup Strawberries (Chopped)

3 TBS Honey

Directions:

Pour the honey over the strawberries. Stir to blend. Fold the yogurt into the strawberries. Fold to the consistency that you feel is best for your child. You can crush the strawberries to make the cheese a bit more smooth in texture. Line a strainer with about 5 sheets of plain white paper towels (leave the edges of the paper towels hang over the strainer) Place the strainer over a bowl. ( I use a glass bowl to show Elle how it is draining) Spoon your yogurt mixture on top of the paper towels and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about ten hours. Remove the strawberry cheese from the strainer and spread on graham crackers or bagels.

YUM!

Other Ways We Have Been Using Our Berries:

Strawberries dipped in Sour Cream and then Brown Sugar

Strawberries dipped in Honey then Fresh Ground Pepper

(Thanks Amanda for introducing me to this)

Strawberry "Soup"

Cantaloupe, Strawberry, Mint, Blended with Lime and Perrier to make a smoothie, but I pour it in a bowl for Elle. She thinks it is funny!

The End!

I hope that you enjoy some of our strawberry favorites. You can check out how we made strawberry jam last year. This is another item that we are crossing off our summer bucket list.

Linking to:

Summertime Fun Party 2011

Fun for Kids Friday

It's Playtime

The Dollar Aisle Makes Me Smile

2011-06-16T13:39:00.006-04:00

Hi to all! How many of you get sucked in by the dollar aisle at Target? I will admit that it draws me in every time! On our most recent trip, E gravitated to these cheery flowers. I am certain if I were a better seamstress that I could make them. However, they were only $1. How do I pass them up? I allowed her to choose one flower. Pink was her choice. Shocking!
As we were ready to leave the aisle, I remembered that her two dear friends were having their dance recital that evening. I told her that she could choose four more flowers for her friends and to pick out two bottles of bubbles. I thought it would be nice to bring her friends flowers for their performance!
We brought the supplies home and I made them into bouquets for the gals. I twisted the wired stems around the bottles of bubbles. Elle helped by adding scrapbooking flowers (that I had on hand) to the bottles (to hide the labels). With excitement, she packed them in a gift bag to take to the recital. She gave them to her pals and they appeared to love them.

It was an inexpensive and easy gift! The best part for me was that Elle never once asked why her friends were getting two flowers each and a bottle of bubbles each. She has a very easygoing and generous spirit. I am amazed by her everyday!

I am writing this as my precious gal naps. She has croup and is very "out of sorts" and weak right now. I am blessed for every moment that I have with my little girl. I feel terrible that she as been ill on such beautiful sumer days. However, moments like this make me have zero regrets about cutting back on my bow business. I appreciate all the support ( I never imagined it would turn out as well as it did) but my E will only be this age once and I don't want to miss a moment with her this summer. I will post about bows here and there (hope to do some tutorials too), but for now....it needs to be all about the family. So, be prepared for more family based posts!

I am also having a proud Mom moment by finally embracing that it is "OK" to admit that there are times in your life that you just cannot do it ALL!

Happy Summer!

Linking to:

Somewhat Simple

Fun For Kids Friday

Sesame Place Fun

2011-06-11T08:26:00.005-04:00

Happy Summer (almost) to all! I have been a bit behind on the blogging. Hoping to get caught up here and there! We are starting to cross items off of our Summer Bucket List. We took a second trip to Sesame Place at the end of May. (our first was last August). We had a blast!

Elle with Abby

If your child loves Sesame Street and the characters, they will love Sesame Place. I will admit that it does not have the glitz and pageantry of Disney. However, you have loads of access to the characters, great shows, age appropriate rides for tots, and a super waterpark! The picture taken with Abby was at 1-2-3 Smile Studio. They always have a character or two available there to meet and take photos. You are more than welcome to take your own snapshots, but they are set against a green screen. You can pay to have the picture placed against a backdrop. TIP: We found that purchasing the Sesame USB drive was the cheapest way for us to collect all the pictures. Trust me, you will get lots of pictures around the park. They have photographers walking around with the characters. They give you a slip for each shot and then at the end of the day have all the pictures transferred to your USB. Easy!

Mommy, Ella, and Elmo!

The picture was taken at a Memorial Day Barbecue with all of the characters. We also had this downloaded to the USB drive. I highly recommend doing as many meals with the characters as you can. As I mentioned, you will see them all over the park and in the shows too. The dinners are fun because the children get to dance and sing with the characters. Elle loved the shows last summer but preferred to ride and do the waterpark this year. The meals (although definitely not gourmet but edible) gave her the chance to see all of her "friends" and we had not one problem getting her to eat:-)

Random Shot that Ella took

This picture was taken at a character breakfast and it made me laugh. It was fun to see a shot from her vantage point. It almost looks as though Ernie is eating the man in the background. Tip: It gets very hot at Sesame Place due to lack of shade. You are allowed to bring in a small cooler. We took advantage of this for waters and fruit. They do sell fruit salad and watermelon slices at some of the restaurants too!

Bouncing Away
This was a favorite spot for Ella. They also have great climbing ropes, but she is not a "fan". I never was as a child either. Her dress is from Kanes Chic Boutique. I love it because the other side is Bert! Extra use! Stephanie at KCB is amazing! (she also does adorable Disney dresses). She has done several dresses for Ella and I am always thrilled with them! You can check her out on Facebook too. It is great to follow her on FB to check out her current sales!

Elle and Cookie!!

Another favorite shot and fun dress. The dress was from Blossom Blue Boutique. Lisa was awesome to work with on this dress. Her listing was for a twirl skirt, but I really wanted a dress. So, she made a dress from the skirt material! CUTE! There is a better picture below and of course the headband is an Elle Belle's (although I have cut back a great deal to enjoy summer)

Elle in her Cookie Dress with Rosita

This picture was taken outside of our hotel. Tip: We always stay in a hotel that is set up like a suite (Residence Inn/Homewood Suites). It is what works best for our family. It gives Elle her own bedroom (easier for her to get to sleep) and it is wonderful to have a kitchen. We take advantage of the kitchen for yogurts, kefir, milk and light lunches. We generally eat dinner out. We have stayed in Langhorne and in Newtown while at Sesame Place. Both towns are nice. Langhorne is a bit more commercialized. You will definitely find better local restaurants for dinner in Newtown!

Elle and Oscar!

Oscar was a huge treat! We did not see him at the park on a previous visit! He was sitting out on our way into breakfast. Ella was thrilled! She is in another sweet dress from Kanes Chic Boutique. Tip: By booking a breakfast, you are given earlier access to the park. This is an advantage to be able to get the best chairs (in the shade) at the waterparks after breakfast! Another tip: Water shoes are a MUST!

Elle dancing with Ernie

We are so happy that we bought a two year season pass last summer! The value was unbelievable!!

Getting a Hug from Rosita after playing in the Count's Waterfall

Last Tip: We used PlaneGo from Just Another Day In Paradise to keep Ella occupied on the flight to Sesame Place. She loved it! Check it out!

Linking to:

Summertime Fun Party 2011 at Little Wonders' Days

Head on over to check out all the fun that other families are having this summer!

HAPPY SUMMER!

ENJOY!

4 and 25 It is!!

2011-05-14T18:25:00.005-04:00

Thanks to all who participated in the Cherished Blessings giveaway. If you missed the giveaway, head over to Maureen's store or Facebook page to check out her adorable works!

Ella helped with the drawing of the numbers. I just went straight down the comment line from Blogger and labeled 1-26. I also added a number 27 from a FB entry. Blogger was down and I truly hope that I did not miss anyone. Blogger was not a cooperative friend this week:-(

She did know number "4" but said that "2" & "5" won for "25"!

The official winners are #4 and #25

#4 is Maryanne from MamaSmiles and she wins the boy cake

#25 is Ashley from Ashley and Olivia and she wins the girl cake.

I will pass your information on to Maureen! Thanks ladies and Congrats!

I also decided to post a few Easter picture on this post. I was a blog slacker around Easter and just did not get to it! We took Elle on a train ride to see the Easter Bunny! Is the dress just not the sweetest? It is from Dolce Mia. Check the store out! ADORABLE!

She was able to hunt for eggs at the depot. Don't you just love a dress and rain boots?

Me and Elle Belle!

Homemade Headband Holder

2011-05-09T14:49:00.003-04:00

Hi to all! Elle's Headbands are starting to get out of control. Hhmmm? Wonder why? Haha! So, I decided I needed to find a way to store them on her dresser.

I started to look around the house. I had some empty containers that I had been saving and some extra scraps of materials.

I cut the material to cover the container lengthwise. I wrapped the material around and hot glued both ends of the material to the container.

I cut circles out of the material and hotglued them to top and bottoms of the container.

Then, I just piled on the hairbands. SUPER EASY and Ella can even take them on and off:-)

Have a good week!

Check out my current Giveaway!

Linking to:

Pink Hippo Party, Homemaker Monday

Motivate Me Monday

Tip Me Tuesday

Summer Bucket List

2011-05-07T13:37:00.004-04:00

We are so excited for summer this year! Elle is becoming such a "big girl" and we are really looking forward to a summer filled with laughter and fun. Join us as we get ready for summer with our Summer Bucket List hosted by Kelly from Little Wonders Day. I am a "list girl". So, I love the idea of having a list to remind you of all the fun activities you want to try or visit again. We all know summer goes way too fast and we do not want to miss anything!! Head over and link up!

1) Visit Sesame Place again

2) Buy a Hula Hoop and have lots of fun with it! (You may not see pics of that...haha)

3)Visit a Topiary Garden

4) Eat LOTS of veggies from our CSA and visit a couple local farmer's markets too

5) SWIM, SWIM, SWIM at pool, beach, water parks

6) Makes fun cold treats....Shave Ice, Ice Cream, Fruit Pops

7) Use our fun bag from Aunt Michelle to catch bugs, examine them, and then release them

8) Visit Storybook Forest or Cedar Point or Kennywood Park

9) Try lots of crafts and painting outdoors

10) Go to an airshow or visit a local airport to watch a few rounds of takeoffs and landings

11) Fly a kite and make some fun paper airplanes too!

12) Continue to nurture our outdoor garden. Use the herbs and veggies for new recipes!

13) Go to Story Time on the Farm and attend our local library story times!

14) Attend a baseball game....Major, Minor, Farm or Little Leagues (Go Collin and Caden)

15) Visit a metro park in our area that we have not visited yet and use our parks for hikes more

16) Make some yummy foil packet dinners on the grill!

17) Enjoy time with Friends and Family and enjoy outdoor Birthday parties:-)

18) Visit the Santa Maria

19) Outdoor picnics....At the Park, Backyard, or Outdoor Concert/Plays or Zoo

20) Visit the Amish farmer who grows our CSA food and visit Farm At Walnut Creek

21) Make Smores (hoping to find a non chocolate alternative) or just roast marshmallows

22) Have some outdoor pictures taken of Ella (hopefully from Captured By Christine)

23) Visit a couple of our favorite berry farms- make jam and maybe try other canning???

24) Make a Huge Bubble Wand

25) LAUGH LOTS AND LOTS!

I am sure that we will add as the summer goes on! I am hoping to not take away! I am also including a list of summer fun for Mommy and Daddy:-)

1) Enjoy some movies at Wexner Center for the Arts

2) Schedule one "date night" a week on our patio complete with drinks and appetizer:-)

3) Take in some old movies and concerts through CAPA (also Saturday morning cartoons)

4)Shakespeare in the Park

5) Recreate our First Date

6) LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

Also a List just for Mommy! We need to take care of "us" too to be the best Mommies and Wives!

1) Fun facials and afternoon girlfriend time with a friend at Mockingbird Meadows

2) Sushi lunches either with the gals or by myself with a magazine (love eating alone at times)

3) Continue to get my Yoga and TRX on at PaiYoga

Thanks again to Kelly for hosting this Summer Bucket List!

Enjoy and I cannot wait to see all of your Summer Fun Too!

Llama Llama Red Pajama Craft

2011-05-05T14:46:00.015-04:00

Hi to all! I know that Llama Llama is a favorite (past or present) in a majority of your homes. It is the book that will just not stop in our house. Llama Llama has been hanging around our home for about 6-9 months now. Thanks so much to our Public Library! It was on my list of books to buy for Elle, but it continued to get pushed down the list. So, I was thrilled to open our Sunday circular and see that Kohl's was offering the book and stuffed animal for $5 each. The best part is that 100% of the net profit will benefit kids' health and education programs. Check it out!I have been wanting to do a Llama Llama Craft for awhile. Giggles and Crayons did a craft for another book that got me thinking about it! Ella also associates the quilt to the Llama Llama Book. So, I could relate to their post!!

I had some left over curtain lining in white and lots of felt. I cut a rectangle and the ends were frayed. I was just going to hand stitch the ends, but the Hubby chimed in (more about that later). I cut various colors of felt into 4X4 inch squares. I then cut smaller squares from scraps of felt. I glued the scrap pieces on the white rectangle with proper spacing to place the squares.

Elle then matched the large squares to the small squares by color.

After she had them all placed, we glued them down. It took FOREVER, but was fun ( I am also not sure why my hand is missing from my sweatshirt sleeve in the pic???)

We used it for a scavenger hunt too! Elle came back with little trinkets from around our home and placed them on the corresponding colors. I am planning to print out color words and have Ella match them to the quilt.

Now about the hubby! Yep! That is my husband sewing. The sewing machine was left at our house courtesy of Grammy. My Mom has always been an excellent seamstress, but somehow that gene passed over me. I hand sew or "stitch witch" everything. I even stitch witched the lining into the curtains. When I said I was going to hand stitch the little quilt, my hubby said "That is nuts!" I am not sure why he decided to jump in. The picture is actually of him trying to figure out the bobbin. I think he felt taunted by the only piece of machinery in our home that he has never used. He found an online instruction manual for this 1978 Kenmore and had my frayed ends gone in no time! Sshh! Don't tell him that I posted this!
And REALLY don't tell Grammy that he touched her sewing machine! The picture of Ella is of her in one of Grammy's sewing masterpieces!

Feeling LUCKY?

ENTER my GIVEAWAY HERE

Linking to:

stART @ A Mommy's Adventures

Creative Juice Thursday

It's Playtime

High Paw

Read Explore Learn

Preschool Corner

Fun For Kids Friday

Made By Little Hands Monday

GIVEAWAY!!! CLOSED

2011-05-05T13:54:00.008-04:00

Hi to all!! It has been awhile since I have blogged! I hope that you all had a Blessed Easter and are enjoying spring! The hubby was on vacation and we shared some wonderful family time together. Hopefully, I will post some pictures soon!

I thought hosting a giveaway from one of my favorite stores would be a fun way to start one of my best loved months of the year!! (May is my Bday month) The store is called Cherished Blessings. I first blogged about Maureen's fabulous store in this post. Maureen created the super adorable favor bags for Elle's Birthday Party! Maureen has been gracious enough to offer TWO prizes to Elle Belle readers!!

The prizes are Birthday Favor Cakes. One prize is for a girl themed party and the other prize is for a boy themed party! Are they just not the sweetest ever?? Each cake "serves" 22 people. The cakes will be sent to you from Maureen just as you see them. You only need to provide the favors for inside the slices. I know that you all are super creative and could come up with fantastic favor ideas for filling them!! Even if you do not have a party coming up, I am certain that your children would love having one of these creations in your home!

Just a little FYI....I have in NO WAY been compensated or given a discount or free items by Maureen of Cherished Blessings. I just truly believe she is an excellent crafter and want to spread the "word" about her store. I also do not expect any future discounts or compensation from Maureen for hosting this giveaway

Giraffe/Safari Themed Cake in "Girly" Colors

Giraffe/Safari Themed Favor Cake in Boy Colors

How to Enter:

Open to US residents ONLY (sorry to the intl readers, I hope to have another giveaway soon that is open to all readers)

1) Head over to Cherished Blessings come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite item in Maureen's store. It should be hard to choose just one! She has so many cute items!!

2) Like Cherished Blessings on Facebook. Tell Maureen that Elle Belle's sent you!

3) Become or tell me that you are already a public follower of Elle Belle's via Google Friend Connect AND tell me if you prefer a GIRL cake or BOY cake

4) Like Elle Belle's on Facebook and let me know

5) Of course, blogging or sharing on FB always earns bonus comments:-)

This Giveaway ends at 1800 EDT on May 13

The TWO winners will be announced on this blog.

PLEASE make sure you leave a way for me to contact you. Leave an email or a link to your own blog via your profile.

THANKS AND GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Young and Adult Animal Activity

2011-04-19T14:26:00.012-04:00

Hi to all! I recently had the opportunity to review a product from the Montessori Print Shop. They were kind enough to allow me to choose our review set. I spent a great deal of time looking around their website. I felt that Ella would be able to relate well to all of the items in their Toddler Section. It was so hard to decide on just one! However, I settled on their Young And Adult Cards.
The set included 12 Labeled Baby Animal Cards and 12 Labeled Adult Animal Cards. I introduced them to Ella by showing her the cards one by one in their groups. Since I knew the adults would be more recognizable to her, I started with that grouping first. She knew the majority of the adults. The goose was a bit tough for her. The picture of the goose is not the same breed that "E" is used to seeing around our neighborhood. However, this ended up being a really positive point. This opened up the conversation to talk about breeds of animals and their differences. The talk was very basic, but I truly believe that she understands it.
After we talked about each card individually, I presented them to Ella in pairs. We talked about the "Mommas" and "Babies" a bit and then I placed them on her table with just the baby cards down. She matched the adults to the babies fairly well. We had a couple stumbling blocks, but I talked her through it.
I printed out two sets of the cards. When she was done matching the adults to the babies, I gave her the second set of cards to match to each animal. This was a great time to work on the correct pronunciation of each animal too. In the picture, she realized that she was matching two birds and needed to bring "Big Bird" over to see his fellow friends. (smile)
I definitely chose the right set of cards for Ella. She LOVES them. It is an activity that we have done many times in less than a week. I can definitely see improvement with each period of working with them. (we should be very surprised that she could match anything against that very "loud" Easter tablecloth). We vary which sets (adult or young) that we place down first and we are also working on memory style game too. We do not use all of the cards for that yet!
I love this set for a variety of reasons. The color photos are lovely and a very high quality! I also appreciate that the photos are realistic and that Ella was able to connect to them. The cards also helped us to expand her vocabulary and work on pronunciation. They even helped us to establish areas to expand on our teaching with Ella. We know that we will definitely purchase the Toddler Frog Life Cycle Book. The tadpole/frog set were really hard to explain to Ella. So, we want to broaden her understanding of it. (If anyone knows a great tadpole/frog book, please let me know!) I highly recommend the Montessori Print Shop. Check out their FB page. You will be the first to know about their sales and fun freebies like this Easter Freebie.

Check out two other Montessori Print Shop Reviews at Two of My Favorite Blogs:

The Work Plan

Homeschool Escapade

Disclaimer: In exchange for my review, I was given this set and two other materials. The review and opinions were not influenced by me receiving the materials free of charge. All opinions are my own!

In the spirit of Young and Adult Animals, we did a couple crafts related to the theme. Head over to Handprint and Footprint Arts to see the instructions on this craft!
Our Mommy and Me Handprint Lambs are a bit different. Someone did not want to stop with the cotton balls:-)
We also made a Kangaroo and Joey stick puppet. E has been using them along with her Irish Dancer Paper Doll. She places them in her play doh I cannot remember where we got the print off for it. If anyone does, let me know.
While I was baking one day, Ella decided to place her Duck on the windowsill. This ledge is usually not available due to the blind blocking it. However, I pulled open the blinds for extra light that day. It was cute because she said that "He needed sun". She also brought over her bear heads and told me each of their emotions.
She then mimicked each bear head. This was her happy face. (as if you could not guess)

Ella got a special surprise from her Great Gram. She got a box filled with Clifford Books and....

CLIFFORD TOO! She is a very happy gal!!

Linking to:

Tot School

Preschool Corner

High Paw

Paper Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-13T07:30:00.011-04:00

Hi to all! Can you believe that we are less than two weeks away from Easter? Here is an easy and fun craft that will keep your little one busy! All you need is construction paper, stickers, glue, markers, and masking tape.
Start off with a construction paper base and pre-cut grass strips. If you do not want to cut the strips, fold the paper accordion style (length wise) and then have the child tear along the folds.
Lay a couple strips at the bottom of the paper. Guide your child to place the stickers above the strips. Your child could also draw their favorite Easter items rather than use stickers. E loves taking the backs off of stickers. Good busy work and great for the fine motor skills. (Thanks Grammy for all the stickers!)
Once the child is finished with the stickers, remove the strips that you placed horizontally over the paper. Fill that area in with glue. Have your child lay the strips vertically. E needed a bit of guidance on this to slide them into place. When you have all the strips down, place masking tape over the bottom portion of the strips. This makes the strips more secure.
Now you are ready to start searching. It kind of turns into a game of "memory". "Can you find the brown bunny?" or "Do you remember the color of the large egg here (point to a specific section of the paper and then have them pull the grass back to see if they are correct)?"
It is a great craft to keep her busy while I make lunch. Can you see her Kefir mustache??
We also use it as a counting tool. "How many yellow flowers do you see?" or "How many striped eggs?"

This book and "Miss Jody" inspired the craft. E has been going back to some of her lift a flap books. I almost gave them away! Guess they will be hanging around a bit longer. The book centers around children on an egg hunt. You lift the grass to see if there are eggs behind the grass. It ends with a nice message to share with you friends.

You can also turn it into a zoo theme. E has this book to use with this craft. You can add tissue paper and more construction paper to the base paper. It makes it a bit more colorful. I think our next one will be an ocean theme.

Enjoy!

Linking To: Kids Get Crafty, Pink Hippo Party,

stART at A Mommy's Adventures,

It's Playtime, High Paw

Read, Explore, Learn, Preschool Corner

Fun For Kids Friday

For the Kids Friday, Made By Little Hands Monday

Easter Egg Centerpiece Used as an Open/Close Activity

2011-03-29T08:00:00.010-04:00

Hi to all! Here is another activity that E has been greatly enjoying! It is a fabulous fine motor skill. Best part is that it has dual purpose. The little one can play with it until Easter. On Easter, you can use it as the centerpiece for the children's table. The inspiration to make the flower eggs came from an illustration in My "e" Sound Box Book. It is E's favorite series of books.

Taking a First Try (knew she would choose blue for the first)

Not As Easy As It Looks......

All The Eggs Are Mounted On A Slant

Extra Challenge But Happy Gal!

Last One

Now To Get To The Chicks!

Centerpiece

You will need

*Basket/Vase/Container

*Floral Styrofoam (Found mine at Dollar Store)

*Wooden Skewers

*Scrapbook Paper

*Paper Punch (Think mine is 2 inch circle)

*Plastic Eggs with Holes in the Bottom

Assemble your base container with styrofoam. Cut four circles per egg. Place circles on the skewer and then follow with the eggs. I cut about two inches off the bottom of the skewer and the point that was showing through the egg bottom. (used wire cutters...not certain if you are supposed to use them on wood but it worked!) Arrange the skewers into the base and decorate to your liking.

If using as an open close activity, present to the child with the tops off. I placed the tops on a tray next to the arrangement.

Place Card

With the extra materials, I created place cards for the children's table.

Place Card with Chick in the Egg

Straw with Felt Butterfly

I got this idea from Little Wonders' Days.

I had the butterflies left over from Valentine's Day and just used a hole punch to thread them though.

Linking to:

A Little Birdie Told Me, Show&Tell, Kids Get Crafty, It's Playtime, Tip Me Tuesday, Creative Juice Thursday

Easter Egg Sound Set (Two Year Old Style)

2011-03-27T13:11:00.039-04:00

Hi to all! This is our Easter Egg sound set. I know... not an original idea! (link backs at the end). It was just too much fun not to share our version of it!

Mom's Overly Ambitious Egg Sound Set

Egg Fillings- Sea Salt, Large Google Eyes, Sequins, Ping Pong Ball, Mini Plastic Eggs, and Button Shapes

I originally saw the egg sound set over at Yoga in My School's FB Page. I found this site through Montessori For Learning . I instantly knew that I would need to try it with Elle.

In "my over the top style" (remember my sensory box on showgirl steroids??), I went all out with gathering eggs and items to fill them. I was quite proud as I sat down and presented it to E. I explained that we were going to match by sound and held the eggs up to my ears and then to her ears. After I presented, Ella started to match them by color. Hmmm?? Followed by PSSST (the sound of my "Mom Balloon" deflating). I felt a "Mom just failed moment" coming on!! I let her go with it. However, not all the colors had a match or they had more than one match. E gave me a quizzical look that read; "Are we pairing other than in pairs now"?? I knew it was time to "re-sort" my plan.

Egg Sound Set Revamped for E's Two Year Old Mind

I guess you can always learn something new from your Tot. This time Ella reminded me that less is more. I got it down to six eggs and I made certain that none of the eggs had a matching color. I thought that would be easier for E to help to realize that it was not a color matching activity. I also experimented with E and all the fillings from the original set. The ping pong balls, sequins, and mini eggs were what she identified with the best. I did not seal them because Ella responded better when she could open them up to confirm that she did make a match.(keep in mind they are choking hazards) It also allowed us to use the eggs for expanded activities.

Making a Correct Match

Color Sorting the Eggs

Ella color sorted the mini eggs using empty paint container cups. We have also used them here.

Hey these make noise too!

Sorting in pairs using an Ice Cube Tray (from our Time for Tots set)

Ella used her fingers at first.....

Tweezing the Mini Eggs

But the Confidence Grew......

SUCCESS!!

Yeah for Ella!

Placing Sequins from Eggs on Top of Numbered Blocks

E had lots of fun with this activity! Silly Mom Moment!! When I originally presented to E, how you see the blocks in the picture is how they looked on her side. She kept telling me she saw an "L" (7 upside down on her side). What?!?! She knows her numbers? I came around to her side and saw the the numbers were upside down. Way to Go Momma! (Hope you can learn from my Mom mistakes). Quick flip and all was better in number land!

Brushing off the sequins

E later used the brush to brush the sequins into a bowl that I held.

Lacing

The activity came full circle back to a favorite activity!

You can Find MORE SOUND EGG FUN HERE:

Playing House found via Leptir's Facebook Page

Counting Coconuts found via Leptir's Facebook Page

One Hook Wonder via my Google Reader Search

Tired, Need Sleep via my Google Reader

Another favorite that I have not done but admire are Resurrection Eggs:

Check them out HERE:

Teaching Heart Mom

Love and Lollipops

Sowing 3 Seeds

Linking to:

Come Over to Play At The Childhood 101 We Play Linkup,

Tip Me Tuesday, Creative Juice Thursday, Fun For Kids Friday,

High Paw

This Post Was Featured On:

EASTER GET CRAFTY at Red Ted Art's Blog

Quirky Momma

High Paw and

Living Montessori Now Inspired Spring Activities

Head on Over to the Blogs for Lots of Easter and Spring Fun!

A Fine Motor and Printable Fun Kind of a Post

2011-03-27T12:16:00.008-04:00

Hi to all! Well.....we have a "Tweezer" in our Home. YEAH!! Ella finally mastered the task and is having way too much fun with it. She is using tweezers from Montessori N Such and her flower tweezing set from Time for Tots (check out some of their new items....FUN)

Showing off the new skill

In Action

Cookie Monster Fun

You all know E is a Sesame Street Fan! She had lots of fun with many Cookie Monster print outs from Making Learning Fun. However, she is not a fan of the chocolate chip cookie cereal. Guess who ate them?? ME. That adds on another 20 minute run:-) You can check out some more Cookie Monster fun at Hart 2 Hart.

Practical Life

E loves helping with anything in the kitchen. Mashing is a favorite.

Avocado Salad

I made this for a Happy Friday Night Link Up but never got a chance to post it ( Sorry Kelly). It is delicious and enjoyed by everyone in the family! You can find the recipe here.

Sorting

E is sorting beads and Easter Bunnies from a make your own bracelet set. I found it at Michael's on sale for $1. Gotta love a great deal. Her tray is from Montessori N Such. Ella did this activity by finger sorting from one bowl. This was before she discovered her new found tweezing ability. (Same outfit as another tweezing day though...Love Carter's for play clothes!)

Alphabet Fun

We have been using the Princess Printable Sets a great deal! It is an uppercase/lowercase matching set that is pictured. It is so adorable! You match the crown/hat to the princess. So, be certain to head over to Little Piles Everywhere and show her some blogging love for her printables. Also, check out her cute cakes!

Silhouette Matching

You can find this activity and more Train Fun from Lauren over at Lawteedah. E loves all the items in the set but only recently started to take an interest in the silhouette matching.

Number Matching

This activity came from a Farm Tot Book found over at 1+1+1=1. I know the majority of you are followers but definitely take time looking around Carissa's site. She has so many wonderful resources. With this activity, Ella started by placing the cards in the proper sequence. She then identified all of the names on the cards and counted each animal on the different cards. She then matched up her wooden letters to the cards.

****Printable Notes****

I just went through a major "purge" of the starred items in my reader. I printed out and then laminated at Lakeshore Learning all the printables that I had starred in reader. (I had their largest laminating order ever...not sure if I should be proud, embarrassed or if that means it is time to buy my own laminator???) I am keeping them in file folders and allowing Ella to lead on what she may want to work on. I try to rotate them as much as possible. With that all said, I want to Thank all of you who share your printables with your readers. I am hoping to give you all some link backs soon. However, I want you to know that it is appreciated.

Outdoor Fun

We made time for fresh air. Yes! That is an original Fisher Price school house from the 70's. Grammy pulled it out of the attic and I was able to clean it up with some goo gone and magic erasers!

My Cutie!

Thought I would throw in a favorite photo

Easter Egg Sound Set

You can read more about it HERE.

LINKING UP TO:

TOT SCHOOL

Spring and Easter Bows

2011-03-26T14:38:00.005-04:00

Hello to all!

It has been awhile since I have posted anything and a very long while since I have posted bows. The bows are still here, but I have been using facebook, email, and my store accounts a bit more than my blog. So, I thought that I would share some Easter and Spring items today. I varied my Easter bunny a bit from last year and I have added some flowers. The flowers are to remind us of the joy, growth, and renewal of Easter and the Spring season. Hopefully, I will be able to complete a few more additions to the bow collection and get them posted in April. Happy Spring!

Chocolate and Pale Pink Bunny Head

Pale Pink Polka Dot Bunny Head

Turquoise Polka Dot Butterfly

Dark Pink Flower (my favorite)

Lavender on Purple 2 inch Bow Set

You can view the entire Easter/Spring Collection here. I will be hosting a sale soon. So, be sure to check back in the next week or so. As always, my family is my priority. So, Elle Belle's will be closed from about April 16 to April 30. I do appreciate all of the support.

Thanks!

Kerri

Girl Scout Thin Mint Cheesecake

2011-03-14T14:01:00.006-04:00

Hi to all! I am not sure the origins of this recipe. My Mom sent it to be about 7-10 years ago. She cut it out from her local paper and mailed it to me. It was one of those small gestures that instantly made my day. Nothing fancy. It was just a newspaper clipping with a simple post it note attached. I even kept the post it note. That is what I love about food and recipes. They always originate from the heart. Amazing how food can generate so much love. This is a favorite in our home and I hope in yours too!

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup Thin Mint Crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tbs Butter Softened

Filling Ingredients:

2 Pounds, cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 tsp peppermint extract

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chopped Thin Mint cookies

1/2 cup chopped Andes candies

Topping Ingredients (Optional- I prefer it without the topping):

1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

Crust: In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter. Blend well with fingers. Press onto the bottom of a 10 inch well-buttered springform pan. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes.

Filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and whipped. Add sugar. Mix. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add peppermint extract and heavy cream, blend until smooth and creamy. Stir in cookies and candies. Pour mixture into the springform pan. Place the pan inside larger pan filled with 1 inch of water and bake in preheated 325 F oven for 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven off, open door, leave cheesecake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely. Refrigerate overnight.

Topping: In a small saucepan, place cream and chocolate pieces. Heat over medium heat until chips are melted. Stir frequently. Remove from heat just after it comes to a boil. Let cool for 30 minutes. Pour over cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate.

ENJOY!

Linking to:

11th Heaven's Homemaker Mondays

Sharing Time at Raising Memories

A Little Birdie Told Me

Fun For Kids Friday

Tot School and Savannah

2011-03-13T12:30:00.011-04:00

Hi to all! This post is a bit tot school and a bit of our travels too.

Ella doing her tactile letters on a flight. She slept two of the four roundtrip legs. The tactile letters and playdough mats really occupied E on the other two legs. As I have mentioned before, we do not use the playdough mats often with playdough. We use them for practice with letter recognition, phonetic pronunciation, and letter to word association.

***Travel Tip***For us, we always use a car seat on the flight. We believe that it helps to set boundaries on flights.

Exploring flowers in Forsyth Park.

This trip was a leisurely getaway for us. We used to live in the Savannah area. So, we have been to the majority of the major attractions there. This trip was for relaxing and catching up with old friends.

The amazing Forsyth Park Fountain. E referred to it as the "pretty waterfall".

Forsyth Park now has a cafe in the park (located next to the playground). They serve coffee, light meals, wine, and beer too. Bonus.... Great public bathrooms too.

Ella enjoying the toddler playground in Forsyth Park.

If you need to walk to the park from the Bay Street area, I recommend stopping at Gallery Espresso for a latte, iced tea, or chai. I am partial to locally owned coffee stores. I have faithfully been visiting this shop for over ten years. I have never had a negative experience! I am always in awe of the original art on display there. I also love when I look down and see a little latte art going on in my cup.

Ella on the swing. (Love the moss in the background.)

After you are done at the park, head to Gryphon Tea Room for lunch or afternoon tea. If it is dinner time, head to Juarez for authentic Mexican food. Plus.... It is cheap!

Ella catching up with a family friend at the ArtZeum .

Playing and reading at the magnetic wall.

Back home and Back to her favorite PJ's. (they were too warm for Savannah)

Scooping pebbles from our Montessori N' Such set that we found through Counting Coconuts. Well....the bowls are actually ours. E did not like the idea of using their bowls at first.

After some practice, they grew on her. Initially, she was tipping them over.

E matching her letters to the Clover Letter Match Printable from 2 Teaching Mommies. (we chose not to cut the clovers in half for now)

Head over to Amber and Madonna's blog for printables, devotions, family theme night and snack ideas!

While I was making breakfast, I heard a noise in the office. Ella found some papers that I had in a pile to file away (part of my recent organization kick). She came across an extra that I printed a Sesame Street Tot Book from Dinosaurs and Trains. She started matching her shape buttons to the page.

So, I brought her and the buttons into the kitchen. I have been waiting to do this activity for awhile. I found it at Mas alla del infinito, Crecer sin Escuela. (Beyond Infinity, Growing Without School). They have fabulous homeschool ideas. If you do not speak Spanish, do not worry! She has a translator tool in her sidebar! E loved this activity. We did it first by color and then by shapes.

We finally had a "warm" day at home. We played outside a great deal that day. E loves sidewalk chalk! So, I put together this little impromptu game. I wrote the alphabet on the driveway and then she ran to each letter as I called them out. She loved it and laughed the entire time. It must have wore her little legs out! She slept like a champ!

****Special Note****

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Japan!

I recently won a prepaid credit card over at JDaniel4's Mom. It arrived right before we left. I am appreciative of it, but have decided to donate it along with my own personal donation to the American Red Cross Relief Fund for the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami. Stop on over there if you would like to help.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great week!

Linking to:

Tot School

Come On Over To Play at We Play at Childhood 101

High Paw

Phonics and Fine Motor Fun

2011-03-04T09:00:00.003-05:00

When I saw this activity (about a month ago) over at Dinosaurs and Trains (one of the first blogs that I ever followed and have loved since using her Sesame Street tot book), I knew that it would be a hit with E. We have been working on fine motor skills and she is very curious about colors. So, we decided to do it on a cold day that Daddy was home to enjoy too!

We started with E adding the drops of yellow and blue food coloring to white vinegar in two small jelly jars. She went a little over board on the blue. So, it almost looked purple. However, the end result was still green. I placed the baking soda in a dishpan. E started with yellow and then added the blue. As the experiment progressed, we found that it was easier for E to have the jars of colored vinegar about the same level as the top of the dishpan. An upside down mixing bowl made it perfect to keep it level. When we had the jars on the table, she would bump her hand on the handle of the dishpan and lose her concentration.

The activity appealed to all of her senses. She also enjoyed "making bubbles" too. It will definitely be an activity that we revisit quite often!

E has been practicing a great deal with dressing herself. She is great with zippers on jackets, pants, hats, hairbows (crooked most of the time...sigh...haha) but she always wants to wear one of my tank tops. I think because it is so easy to get on for her. Hopefully, our snowman days are over and spring will be here soon!!

We use the above play dough mats from Homeschool Creations all the time!! We do not use them as play dough mats often. However, they are a constant fixture at our kitchen table! E goes through all of the mats. She will state the letter, make the phonetic sound, name the item on the mat and often add her own words for each letter. Thanks to Jolanthe for this wonderful tool that she has offered to her readers!! We definitely appreciate it in our home!

The Melissa and Doug See and Spell is another favorite in our home right now. Ella is always pulling it off the shelf.

She is so proud when she finds all the letters and then spells and sounds out the word!

We have been very organized with using trays lately. We do not follow a theme. We just have a bit of this and that. This tray is for spooning flour. We used two bowls that we already had in our home. The tray and the blue mini sifter are from Montessori N Such. They have reasonably priced Montessori items. Our items arrived very quickly. I am very happy with them and would definitely recommend them. I found the company through Mari-Ann over at Counting Coconuts. She has this fabulous recommendation box in her right hand column of her blog. If you are not a follower, head on over and check it out. You will find so many fun ideas easily arranged in her right hand column!

I obviously purchased the sifter in the hopes that E would use it as a sifter. As of now....no such luck. She spoons into it but then lifts the sifter out and taps the flour out with her palm on the side instead of using the crank. I figure as long as she is happy to just let her go with it!

A favorite photo for the week! Ella wearing my tank as a babushka like Grammy and GG. Silly girl!

Have a great week!

Oh and have I mentioned how often I use the blogging tips from Raising Memories?? I love that I can now write a blog and set the time to publish!!! YEAHHH!!!

LINKING UP TO:
PRESCHOOL CORNER

TOT SCHOOL

Little Blue Truck Felt Mat

2011-02-21T14:27:00.012-05:00

Hi to all! I have been saying for awhile that I want to do a felt related craft. I have been buying and storing felt for about six months. However, I was finally spurred to action while reading The Little Blue Truck to Ella.

She really responds to the book. So, I thought the felt mat would be a perfect complement to the book. I chose the hot glue method that I saw over at A Girl and a Glue Gun. This method is so easy. Honestly, it took me less than an hour to make over the weekend! I also liked the idea of making it airline tray size as seen here. The mat will come in handy for a future airline trip or long car ride. Plus... making it smaller=less time and investment. If your little one really does not like it, then it does not feel like a waste of time. So, I am using this as a tester for possible larger projects. I also used a placemat that we no longer use and then affixed the felt pieces to it. The decorative side of the placemat shows when it is rolled up. CUTE!

I found the book through The Book Children. Head over to Joy's blog for fabulous book recommendations. Ella enjoys all the animals and the two trucks in the books. The message of the book is: The kinder that you are to others... then they will be more apt to help you out.

You also have a great opportunity for discussion with the mat. I added the trucks and a few farm animals for Ella to recreate the story. The mat also provides a great chance to incorporate a little toddler math into the story. You can count the clouds, raindrops, spots on the toad, and fence posts.

Check out the book!

For some other adorable play mats, Go to:

Smashed Peas and Carrots, Serving Pink Lemonade, The Iowa Farmer's Wife, My Delicious Ambiguity and Little Page Turners.

I will have some pictures of E playing with it in a future post. (My posts are long enough...)

WHERE I AM LINKING:

Keeping it Simple

Come over to play at the Childhood 101 We Play Link Up

A Little Birdie Told Me

SHOW and TELL BLOG HOP

One of the Sweetest Things.....My Hubby Every Did

2011-02-13T13:51:00.004-05:00

They say that love is all about the small gestures.....I could not agree more! One of the sweetest things that my hubby has done for me was to pick up a package of my favorite hot chocolate. Trust me! It is not your typical hot chocolate! It is truly a decadent indulgence. For me....it is also a very rare indulgence. You see....it is from Cafe Angelina in Paris and next to impossible to find in the United States. Unless that is....you have a an exceptional husband who will forgo seeing some of Paris to swing by Cafe Angelina.

My cup of Bliss

The Wrinkled Package in the Husband's Suitcase ....SMILES!!

My pictures do not do the cup of Chocolat L'Africain justice. So, head on over to Almost Bourdain for information on the origins of the name of this hot chocolate and how to recreate it at home. Also, head over to Cake Spy. After checking out the photos there, you will want to be on the first flight to Paris!

A picture of the BEST gift from the Hubby:

Our silly little Girl!

Do you know what the BEST thing is about TRUE love?

True love is not selfish and is all about compromise!

When you love someone, you may not share all of the same interests. However, true love will always bend and make some concessions.

Case in point....when the hubby treated me to Pret-A-Portea. Before having the little one, he surprised me by taking me there. I am certain that he probably felt uncomfortable in a room full of ladies (seriously...he was the only man), and I am very certain that he could care less about a lunch inspired by Alexander McQueen or Emmanuel Ungaro. However, he did it for me and actually ended up loving his tea and little delicacies (although I am certain he would never publicly admit it). I do not have pictures to share because it was before my digital days. I was too embarrassed to pull out the "old school" camera in such a chic spot. However, you can view pictures here. I am grateful to have found the pictures on a blog. It made me think of a truly special day!! I love my hubby and blessed to have him!

So, that brings me to the question.....What is the sweetest thing (big or small) that your partner has done for you? (or you for him...goes both ways...for me it is joining him in watching baseball) I am a true romantic and would love to hear it!

I am linking up to Happy Friday Night. Kelly will have the link up through the week. So, head on over there and share how you spend date night at home. It can be as simple as a cup of hot chocolate, your favorite take out meal, or your own creative spin on a cocktail.

Valentine's Day Treats

2011-02-10T19:21:00.005-05:00

Can you believe that we are four days away from Valentine's Day? I guess time flies when you are having fun! If you need a few last minute dessert, craft, or even gift ideas, head on over to Celebrate with Hershey's.

There you will find Hershey's Cookie 'N' Creme Valentine Miniatures. Elle and I adore anything white chocolate. When they arrived at my door, I knew that I wanted to do something different with them. (other than eat the entire bag by myself). So, I decided to make an ice cream cake out of them. Ice cream cake is a top pick for dessert in our family and our friends love when we share it. We love it even when it is below zero! :-) Seriously, we are the people at the ice cream store in a blizzard!

My little helper and her little helper were more than happy to help crush the Oreos for the crust.

Ingredients:

1 bag of Hershey's Cookies 'N' Creme Miniatures (great task for the kids to unwrap)

30 or so Oreos crushed (great task for the kids to crush)

Chocolate Cool Whip (Thawed)

Chocolate Ice Cream (Softened)

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (Softened)

Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

Hershey's Chocolate Chips (for decorating)

Directions:

Line a 9 inch cake pan with plastic wrap

Place the Cookie 'N' Creme Miniatures vertically around outside of pan

Layer bottom of the pan with the oreos (reserve about a cup)

Place about a 1 1/2 in. layer of cookies and cream ice cream

Layer about a cup of Cool Whip

Sprinkle remaining crushed oreos

Layer the chocolate ice cream

Freeze for about 6 hours or overnight

Carefully remove plastic wrap

Top with remaining Cool Whip

Decorate with chocolate syrup and use the chocolate chips to make decorative hearts

Most importantly.....ENJOY with your favorite sweetie! Check out chocolate mouth back there!

You can also make your home more festive with candy!

I was inspired by Red Couch Recipes to make this little bouquet for our table.

Head on over to Joni's blog! You will be amazed!

I used some gummy candies on skewers. (follow Joni's tips! I found it a bit easier to only skewer a portion of the back of the gummy. It helped me keep the heart shape a bit better, but play around).

I also added Jolly Rancher Heart Shaped Lollipops at the base. These are a new favorite! I "heart" anything sour. So, the green apple and pink lemonade lollipops are my preference. Elle likes the "red"! :-)

I hope that you enjoy the weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Linking to: Fun For Kids Friday

Valentine's Day Crafts and Treats

2011-02-08T13:10:00.014-05:00

Hi to all! Here are a few of our latest Valentine Day creations! We hope that you enjoy them!

Painting with a Heart Shaped Pedicure Brush

Yep! I spend way too much time in the dollar aisle at Target. I came across this pedicure brush with pumice stone there. I instantly thought of using it for painting. (I did pick up one extra to give my feet some extra TLC too! Gotta take care of Mommy!).

We used it on construction paper (1st picture) and canvas ( 2nd picture). I did not post a final picture of the canvas. It is a special Vday gift and would not want to spoil the surprise. I will admit that using it on the canvas was a bit hard for Ella. We had to help her much more on the canvas than on the paper. If your child is younger (Ella is 26 months), you will need to help them stamp it to get the perfect shape or you can just let them go wild with their creativity. Ella went wild on the canvas and it was so much fun. You can check out a similar activity with a bottle brush over at Little Learners Lounge and I have also seen cool Fireworks from a bottle brush in my Family Fun book.

Ella using a a Qtip for painting and having fun with the canvas.

You can see another great idea of Q tip painting over at Sunrise Learning Lab. Head on over and check out her blog! She has some fantastic giveaways going on and I won one!! YEAH!! I cannot wait to show you how we use our prize!

Ella helping to make bird food molds. I have seen these all over the blogging world, but the recipe that worked best for us was from Alpha Mom via Let's Go Fly a Kite. I loved that it used the gelatin and the molds.

Finished Products!

It gave us the opportunity to talk about how the birds may not have enough to eat while it is cold and snowy. We explained to Ella that it is kind to help others (even animals). It became our Valentine to the birds.

The best part was that Daddy loved helping with this craft!

I know that you may have seen this cupcake topper in our Valentine Sensory Bin. Head on over there for the origins of this fabulous idea. Ella wanted to use it in the bin, but here it is in a cupcake. It may not be the best picture but it is so cute and so easy to make! I also used an amazing recipe from Bake at 350. It a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough cupcake and even has a cookie dough in the center. You can get the recipe here and see better pictures of this delicious recipe too! My tip to add to the recipe....You need to create a hole in the center. So, I used my cannoli maker to make the hole for it. I thought that was pretty crafty on my part:-) but then again I am not a professional baker.

I won the supplies for all this cupcake glory over at Sugar Chic. You can buy some of your own over at Smidge and Pinch. Is that cherry set just not the cutest ever over there!?! Did you notice how vibrant the liners look? They are great liners but I got the idea here to double line them to really make the color POP! Thanks Dawn!

Last but not least....my Steelers cupcake. I made half Valentine's Day (we shared the Valentine ones with Ella's art class and the Moms could not get over the incredible recipe and the cute decorations)and the other half Super Bowl themed. Thanks again Moo Moo's and Tutus for the free printables. Head on over to see her free Valentine's tags.

Bummer for the Steelers fans but Congrats to the Packers fans!

Happy Valentine's Day!

May you have someone special to hug or think about that day!

Linking up to: Tot Tuesdays

Linking up to: ABC and 123

Linking up to: Virtual Valentine's Day Party by JDaniel4's Mom

Linking up to: Kids Get Crafty

Linking up to: The Play Academy

Linking up to: Preschool Corner

Linking up to: High Paw

Linking up to: Raising Memories Valentine Sharing Time

Happy Friday Night

2011-02-04T20:08:00.007-05:00

Hello to all! Happy Friday Night is a new link up from Little Wonder's Days. If you are not familiar with Kelly's blog, head on over right now! You will find her blog to be creative, fun, and it will become a fast favorite!

To start Super Bowl weekend off, I chose Spinach Artichoke Dip and what else for a Die Hard STEELERS Fan but IC Light! When I went to grab the link button, I saw that Kelly did almost the same dip! Haha! So, I am getting off easy and will just let you head over and check out her recipe!

GO STEELERS!!

Iron City Light and Spinach and Artichoke Dip

My Touchdown Taco Dip

Since we have the same dip, I will link to a recipe from an old post. It is a FABULOUS dip and I promise that you cannot go wrong with it!

Please join us in this special Friday Night tradition of sharing good food and drinks with our amazing husbands! Tonight, I am blogging in "real time" (as I wait for the hubs to come home), but you can always plan your post ahead of time and set the post to link at a specific time. How do you do this?? Head on over to Raising Memories to check out Heather's blogging tips! They have really helped me out!

If you would like more ideas for Super Bowl crafts, visit my link here.

I am linking here:

Head over! I believe the link will be open for a couple days!

Super Bowl- Crafts and Montessori

2011-02-03T20:22:00.018-05:00

Are You Ready For Some Football?!?!?!

It doesn't matter what side you are on! There is something here for everyone. Even our international friends can use these crafts. Just change the colors to your favorite sports team!

However, Can you guess that we are Steelers fans?

This first craft we found over at Teaching Heart Mom. If you are not following her, you are really missing out! Elle loves crafts with glitter. We also have a ton of it in our home. (I bet that you are not surprised after seeing our most recent sensory bin) So, we decided to give the jerseys a little sparkle. For this craft, I did the cutting and some of the assembly. Elle decorated and pasted the helmets on the heads and the heads to the jerseys.

The finished product! I drew the mouth and eyes in and then she colored them in. I guess her style of coloring kind of made them look bruised up! Hope not!

This printable was from Teaching Heart Mom's website. You can print it here. She has really great football ideas and printables! Thanks so much for sharing!

Now this may be an activity that I wish that I did not introduce. This is a mini football screwdriver set. When you take the top of the football off, it reveals five different heads. Sorry but I can only name two. Phillips and Flat! Can you tell I am handy?!?!

Well, Ella enjoys taking the different heads off and on. The only problem is that I need to hold it for balance. It does not have a flat bottom. I also showed her how to "fix" her kitchen with it, but she preferred to change the heads out instead. It is a great fine motor skills activity!

This activity definitely required a good bit of coaching from me. I used football scrapbook paper, but would probably not do it again. The numbers for the goal lines got confusing. However, she did well with her counting.

This was another favorite. The suction cup flower was from our Time For Tots set. We used perler beads for this activity and we also used football beads that I had on hand too. Can you tell she was not happy about being interrupted?

Pouring football beads

Using her tongs to transfer football beads

Cleaning up what she dropped

Another favorite activity in our home. Perler beads threaded on to a pipe cleaner. Ella later went and got her shoelace to thread, but she grabbed green (Packers) not getting a pic of that! Haha!

We made a pipe cleaner bracelet. She was not wild about wearing it. So, she gave it to her bear. We saw this idea in our Time for Tots Christmas Kit and over at Pocketful of Posies.

Sorting Perler Beads by color. Perler beads has some cute football projects on their website right now. We used our empty paint cups for this activity.

We made a Steeler suncatcher. We also did another version here.

We made a tambourine. It was inspired by one from Shining Our Lights. I cut out small shapes from foam. We sorted the shapes earlier in the day.

Ella thought that the tambourine was better suited as a trampoline for Zoe and Grover.

My hand at making chocolate covered strawberry footballs. YUM! I found this idea over at From Glitter to Gumdrops. Super cute!!

This was just a little card that we made to give to Ella's little "Packer" buddy. The Steelers football got a little droopy! Hope that is not a bad sign!

Regardless of who wins....Just ENJOY the game!

If you are planning a party head over to Smashed Peas and Carrots (free downloads) Moo Moo's and Tutu's (free downloads), Maddycakes Muse or It's Always a Party at the Parkers for some inspiration!

Also, stop back tomorrow night to see a new spot that I will be linking up!

GO STEELERS!

I am linking to the following spots:

Valentine's Day Sensory Bin

2011-02-01T13:36:00.008-05:00

Hello to all my Blogging Friends!

Here is our Valentine's Day Sensory Bin

Caution Alert:

It may look like a Vegas Show Girl on Steroids

but it SO much fun

For this bin, I wanted to use a mixture of shapes, textures, and sizes. I would to be able to vary the selection to enable Ella to choose between sorting with hands, scoops, or tongs.

I knew that she would go straight for the feathers. She loves to talk about them being soft and how they tickle. She always shows her stuffed animals how the tickle.

I also wanted to be able to use the bin for sorting the items by the letter that the shapes begin with, how they feel, and how they look. I know that I do not have the fanciest print outs, but they work. I originally only expected to use the letters "B" and "H" to sort the butterflies and the hearts. Well, Ella surprised me and placed the ball (silver pom pom shown) on the "B" too. "Mama, Ball is B". I also printed out a sheet for sounds, (noisy and quiet because a couple of the items crinkle with touch) sparkly vs plain in color (we love the sparkles in our home) and the colors (pink, red, and white). Initially I was going to print just red and pink and use colored fonts, but I decided to just use black font as to help Ella recognize the word associated with the color.

It was a long process getting this bin together. I wanted to add items that we made to the bin. I have been very inspired by Mama King over at 4 Crazy Kings and her clay creations. So, I decided to google a clay recipe. I found a few and then noticed that everything that I found appeared to be the same as all the Salt Dough Ornaments that I admired this past Christmas. I had never heard of salt dough before, but knew I eventually wanted to try it. Here are some of the ones that I admired at Christmas: Beautiful Calling , Little Wonder's Days, Worms Eye-View, and Lawteedah. You can find a recent post and recipe over at Local Fun For Kids.

I am not certain if you can tell from the picture, but I decided to use candy molds for our hearts. TIP: the less ornate ones seem to work better. So, I sprayed them a bit with cooking spray and then had Ella press them into the molds. She LOVED that part. TIP: I did need to coax them out with a butter knife. I would get them out and then she would place them on the cookie sheet.

The painting was fun, but a bit of a slow and tedious process. It took us a few days to paint the hearts. The drawback of using the molds and Elle helping is that some of the hearts are not flat and that makes it a bit harder for her to paint. So, I would hold them down as she painted them.

Our finished products! Stay tuned for what we do with the hearts when we are done with our bin.

Another picture of sorting and counting. Guess I need to make some counting sheets!

Do you recognize the items attached to the lollipop holder? They are cupcake holders ! I won them over at Sugar Chic. Stop by Smidge and Pinch to see all their adorable items and stay tuned on how I use my giveaway items in an upcoming February post. The idea for using the cupcake holders in this manner came from Icing Designs via It's Always a Party at the Parker's. While you are there check out Amanda's FREE Valentine's Day Classroom Pack. All of you homeschool or homeroom Mommas will love it!

And if by chance....you are wondering what happened to the lights from our December Sensory Bin.....they have now joined us at our Valentine's Day table....per Elle's request. We eat each meal by candle light and she is much better at turning them off and on!

I am linking to:

Back in the Swing of Things- Tot School

2011-01-30T12:54:00.016-05:00

Well, this is how our January started out. We got hit with a stomach thing/ flu HARD. It seemed to last forever!

I am happy to report that it is gone and we hope to not see "it" for a VERY long time!

Elle's appetite is back a bit but she still favors popsicles.

We are now back in Tot School "mode".

We try to limit her time with TV and electronic gadgets. However, Santa left Alphie at Grammy's house for Elle. It is now a favorite! Some of the cards are a bit above her right now, but she enjoys naming the alphabet cards, the objects on each card, and is very good with her colors and shapes. It also helps a bit with patience and the fine motor skills to place the cards in Alphie. He is a bit loud, but we fixed that by placing clear packing tape over the speaker. Also, can you tell that Ella is picking out her hairbows now??? FUN!!!(could she just maybe choose two??)

Ella is matching her shapes using a printable from Itsy Bitsy Learners. We love their printables and use them a great deal. Stop over at their site and check out the sale they have going on right now!

Working on her suncatcher.

Pretending to be her music teacher. Elle is pretending to play her autocarp (autoharp). She attends WeJoySing. Check out their blog for some wonderful articles and information.

Helping in the kitchen! POSSIBLE ODD ALERT (we have not dined out as a family since Dec 18. When I say that to some people, they think that is really crazy. However, I find it to be way more relaxing and I always know what we are eating) I hope to share some of recipes this week.

Using her peg and marble set from Time for Tots. We use their kits very often. (I would bore you with the pictures) Way to go to The Activity Mom and The Shafer Family for such great products!

Elle placing picks in styrofoam balls. You can find similar activities at The Work Plan , Olives and Pickles, A Mommy Talks, Counting Coconuts, One Hook Wonder,Musings of the Monroe Family and The Shafer Family. Doesn't it always feel good to spread some bloggy love? All of you ladies are amazing!

Working with her snowmen alphabet cards from Itsy Bitsy Learners. We have found that it is best to lay them out in a straight line on the floor. Ella has a red bucket of magnetic uppercase letters and numbers. She pulls them out one by one. She states the letter and the sound of the letter or the number.....

and then places it down.

We also visited the zoo a good bit. We love it in the winter. It is like our own private playground!!

Fun picture of the flying foxes. (They are usually never awake)

Valentine's Day Color Match from Lawteedah. Check out her entire Valentine's Day kit!

This is our first time using their items but will definitely return! Thanks Lauren!

Working on her snowman puzzle (Aunt Michelle spoils her with seasonal puzzles)

Alphabet Puzzle

My favorite picture. Ella found my hot roller clips. She started to name them by color and asked me to place them in her hair. Of course, I would never post a picture of myself like this!

Have a Wonderful Week!

To see what other Tots are up to this week check out 1+1+1=1

Valentine's Day Suncatchers

2011-01-21T13:27:00.009-05:00

We were very late in getting our Christmas decorations down. Since the house seems bare, I thought I would get started on Valentine's Day. This craft is super easy!

A close up shot of one of the sun catchers. I could have chose a better time for brighter light, but I think they look great against the snow.

For this craft you will need:

Clear Take Out Container Lids (various sizes)

Tissue Paper (Red and Pink)

Pipe Cleaners (Silver and Red)

Hot Glue

Instant Decoupage

Paintbrushes

Directions:

Form Hearts from the Piper Cleaners. Hot glue the hearts to the take out lids. Brush on Decoupage and then add tissue as desired. Hang in the sun and ENJOY!

I thought we would try to do some scissor work but Elle was not interested. So, I cut the tissue paper and she ripped some of it.

Making piles.

Painting the decoupage on the lids. Mommy hot glued the heart shaped pipe cleaners onto the lids.

More Painting

Creating a halo or crown from the pipe cleaners.

Hanging in the sun

So PRETTY!

PLEASE CHECK OUT:

BEHIND THE BINKY

Rhonda and her little girl did some super cute variations of the craft.

Rhonda also found that Elmer's Glue works just as well as the decoupage.

So, give it a try and it is less expensive too!

Check out some other fun suncatchers at a couple of my favorite blogs

Superheroes and Princesses & You Know How We're and Art Family

I am linking HERE:

Valentine's Day Collection

2011-01-13T19:49:00.003-05:00

Hello to all! I hope that you enjoy the Valentine's Day collection. I appreciate all of your support this past year! I am offering this collection to my Facebook and Blogger fans for a limited time at 20% off. You may view the entire collection here. As always, as a fan, you receive a free 2 inch flower hairbow with your purchase of $20 or more. Thanks again! xxoo

Valentine's Day Infant Headband

Pink Valentine's Day Hat

Heart Shaped Hair Clips

Happy New Year!

2010-12-30T19:25:00.008-05:00

Hello to all! I wanted to share a little of my good fortune from 2010 with all of you. In the last couple months, I won two blog giveaways! So, it has been a very lucky 2010 forme. Not only have I been blessed in luck but I am blessed with health, happiness, and love. I have a wonderful family and great friends. I also feel blessed to add all of my new blogging friends to my list of blessings for 2010. I wish all of you a Happy, Healthy, and Blessed New Year! You all inspire me in so many different ways! I am amazed by the creativity and intelligence that I see in the blogging world everyday. The thing that most amazes me is the compassion that I see through blogging. I see so many bloggers reaching out to lift one another up. Whether it is in a crisis or a moment of joy, it always seems as though we are all pulling for one another! Thanks for all the kind words and support. I feel honored to know you all!

The first giveaway that I won was from Megan at Somewhere Along a Winding Path. Show Megan some blogging love and stop by her blog. She has great ideas and is a superb crafter! She also has a shop where you can view these adorable crochet stars. (Sorry Megan, my picture does not do them justice) Megan sent along white with red trim, pink with white trim, and white with purple. Her packaging is perfect for gift giving!

Close up of the white crochet star on our tree

Elle loved pointing out all the different colors and naming them. I plan to keep them out past Christmas! They are ideal to work with Ella on colors and matching. They are great Christmas gifts but would also work well as learning tools and for nature tables or sensory bins. Another fun part is that they come international post from Australia! Thanks again Megan! Please swing by her blog and Kalaedoscope on Madeit .

The next giveaway that I won was a joint giveaway sponsored by Dandy Delights and Little Ladybug Designs. The first part of the giveaway was to win 6 snowmen cutouts in cinnamon shortbread. Sara over at Dandy Delights contacted to me to see if I preferred male, female, or a mix and if I would like them customized! (How sweet is that?) They arrived Christmas Eve perfectly intact and in cute packaging. Even as I was unpacking them, I could smell how great they were going to be!!!

Here is a close up of the snowmen! Look at the sparkly detail of the snowflakes on the snowmen. I knew they looked super, but I was not prepared for how delectable they would be while tasting them! Oh my goodness! I have never had a flavored shortbread but WOW! Sara really has the cinnamon down! She has a wide selection of other flavors that you need to check out! The mojito looks like a must try! Thanks again to Sara and make sure that you become a fan of Dandy Delights on Facebook! She always is hosting or promoting a fun giveaway!! Oh and this just in.....it looks like she even has handmade marshmallows now!!

The second part of the giveaway came from Kim over at Little Ladybug Designs. The prize that she gave away was a custom Frosty the Snowman party invitation. (Kim, I am sorry that my picture is not the best). Kim was so easy going to work with on the invite. Please stop

by her blog and see her unique and original designs! My favorites are The Owl Valentine's Day Photo Cards, Miracle Holiday Birth Announcement and The Retro Kitchen Bridal Shower Invites. Thanks again to Kim for the sweet invitations. We will now be hosting a Snowman Party!!

We celebrated New Years a bit early! An old favorite....Cheese tray and a New Favorite. Christmas Sparklers. Delicious!! I used Cherry Pomegranate for ours. Very good! We enjoyed ours at home.

A Favorite Shot of Elle on Christmas!

HOWEVER..... If you do go out to celebrate the New Year, think of all the beautiful children, family members and friends in your life. PLEASE be responsible should you drink. PLEASE designate a driver or call a cab. You would not want to leave loved ones behind or ruin another family's life just for one reckless moment. Thanks!

Peace, Blessings, and Happy 2011!!

Kerri

Tot School- Merry Christmas

2010-12-20T13:34:00.015-05:00

Hello to all! I hope that this post finds you all warm, well, and enjoying time with your friends and family during this blessed month. Here are the activities that we have been doing lately.

The first activity was inspired by Leptir Montessori Blog. Her post on the citrus activity goes into much more detail and even explains the benefits of citrus during this time of year. If you are not following her blog, you are really missing out. I just logged on to another one of my favorite blogs The Work Plan and while leaving a comment saw the "you may like this" suggestions. It was the same activity but with a few extra fun twists. So, I had to come back and add it. Check out The Work Plan! You will love it too!!

We took the first couple minutes or so to just explore the cut lemons. I showed Elle how to do it and then she followed my example. At times, she would need my help with the juicing.

She loved the pouring (of course)

She enjoyed smelling and tasting and wanted her "friends" to try too. (they have become regulars at tot school)

Getting a good smell. She did not like the taste at first (scrunch face) but then seemed to enjoy it.

The lime was a bit harder for her.

I loved this activity because it gave us so much to talk about. Color, texture, taste, smell, wet/dry, juicy, firm, sour, and she even started to Place the lemons on the table and under to talk about over and under.

We must not forget Abby!

She also enjoyed washing her hands in the juice.

I could not believe it but we ended up spending well over an hour on this activity. We will definitely be returning to it again.

Stacking her laundry. She will not place anything like a sleeper that snaps in her pile.

Inviting more friends to her activity table. This was just foam stickers on construction paper.

Lamb got a bit of decorating

Rudolph Sandwich from Funky Lunch. I love that book. It makes Ella laugh to see the creations and makes a picky eater more open to trying things. We used hummus filling for the sandwich.

Yummy!!

If you are a Tot School regular, I am sure that you have seen these adorable Baby Jesus ornaments over at Mama to 4 Blessings. I fell in love with them when I saw them. They are fun to make and represent the true meaning of Christmas! They made their ornament on foam. We made ours on card stock and Ella would not keep her fingers together, but I am happy with how they turned out. They will always be special to us.

If you are a regular follower of my blog or I follow your blog, you may know how long I have wanted a handprint craft of any kind and Ella never wanted to do it. So, I was thrilled when she let me paint her hand! I have seen tons of handprint activities lately. Musings of Me originally got me excited about it. However, Families are Fun, Meet the Dubiens and About a Girl have had some really cute ones too!

Baby Jesus in a place of honor on our Christmas Tree!

I saved the lemons from our squeezing activity and painted the bottoms and Ella used them as stamps.

She loved this craft!

The she sprinkled glitter on them.

I punched them out using my new punch set and made them into Christmas bulbs. They are on our tree and will be given as gifts too.

Santa made an early visit to our house to check in on the kids.

He read stories and sang songs. The kids were in awe and the parents felt like kids again.

I made snowmen marshmallow treats inspired from It's Always a Party at the Parker's

I also made Snowglobe Cupcakes from Hello Cupcake. Another fun food book from Grammy.

Globe with a House

Globe with a Tree

Last.....my favorite picture this week. Ella all bundled up to go to the zoo.

Merry Christmas to you all!!

If you would like to see what other tots are up to this week, please visit 1+1+1=1

Sesame Street Birthday Party

2010-12-17T14:36:00.013-05:00

In the summer, I became what I like to call a "serious blogger". It was my new outlet for creativity and became my afternoon break while Ella napped. I will admit that I first created a blog to showcase my hair bows. However, it quickly became more than that. I was amazed at all the wonderful crafts, baking, cooking, and party planning blogs. I felt so inspired by them that I decided to do a super fun party for Ella this year! I am so blessed to have made some great connections through blogging and I thank all of you for the support and inspiration that you have given to me! I hope that you enjoy the pictures from the party! Check out the blogs and businesses that helped me with it. (as always I have in no way been compensated for my thoughts on any of their products/services)

Ella became highly interested in Elmo after getting an Elmo book about this time last year. However, it really snowballed into a true passion of hers after a visit to Sesame Place. Now she adores ALL of the characters. So, we decided a Sesame Street theme would be perfect!! We had a picture taken on the stoop of Sesame Street at Sesame Place. That is what gave me the idea for the cake. Sheri at Delicacies by Sheri turned it into a reality! We could not be happier with it. She also has such delicious flavors for her cake fillings!! (Thanks to Grammy for helping place each of those M&M's down)

Wide shot of the cake, cupcakes, E's & 2's (thanks to the hubby for helping me cut them out) and the die cut characters (more on those later)

I saw this invitation on Etsy and a few blogs during the summer and knew it would be a super way to invite everyone over! You can find this invitation at Less Ordinary Designs.

I found these Favors Bags over at Cherished Blessings. Would you like to win something from this store? Head over to the Giveaway HERE Maureen was a pleasure to work with on the bags! Very speedy in getting back to me too! She has a wide array of characters to fit any child's party theme.

Close up of Grover Bag by Cherished Blessings. The Sesame Street books were found at the Dollar Store along with the crayon candy canes. I found the Elmo/Sesame Street rings at the Happy Hostess House in Columbus, Ohio. It is my new favorite baking supply store!! Each child also got an Elmo crayon (more about that later)

Elmo loves his goldfish. So, each child got a goldfish (only if the parents were ok with it and thankfully, they all were!) One family even upgraded to a large tank of several fish. Elmo diecut from Taz's Scrapping Fun House.

He of course loves his crayons too!!! The Elmo Crayons came from Gaddy Nipper Crayons. They have a huge selection of recycled crayons. They make fantastic favors or gifts!! Great customer service!!

Ella's Grammy made each child a hat that looks like Big Bird, Elmo, or Cookie! Thanks Grammy! They were a hit!

These "so adorable" (as Ella would say) cookies came from Amanda Barwick. Amanda has been a home baker for a very longtime and is just getting started in sharing her talents with the world. Head over to The Barwick Crew to support this super Mama of two sets of twins on her new adventure!! The cookies were moist and delicious! You will not be disappointed!

Amanda's Cookies and the cupcakes waiting to be passed out. The cupcake toppers are from Shindig Parties TO GO. (another talented Amanda that I will give more details on it a bit....sorry to both Amanda's for the blurry picture)

The work of the two Amanda's coming together!

Preparing all of the printables for the party. The printables came from Shindig Parties TO GO. I found this business through the owner's blog. Go over and check out It's Always a Party at the Parker's. She was such a joy to work with on the party! Amanda was very patient in guiding me through the right punches and printer settings. She also knew exactly what I wanted in a design and came up with a perfect and fun design for the party!

The Birthday Girl in her Tutu Set from The Couture Baby. Another great seller who worked with Ella's measurements to perfection!!

Dada worked his magic on these cut out feet of Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie. He even spaced them out so that Big Bird had the longest strides and Elmo the shortest! Haha! He did the drawing and I did the cutting. Fun way to share a glass of wine!

They lead to the party and die cut faces of Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie. All the die cuts that you have seen came from Taz's Scrapping Fun House. They also have a great variety of items for your party or scrapbooking needs!

The tables for the children with crayons and coloring books from the Dollar Store.

Mama made this visor. You can see them in the picture above too. I made Elmo and Cookie as the party hats because I got the visors on super duper clearance at Michael's right after the 4th of July! The foam mouths and and noses were from foam that I had at home and the eyes are ping pong balls from the Dollar Store.

Drink labels also from Shingdig Parties TO GO. So fun!! Paper products from the Dollar Store! Seriously....insted of this party being brought to you by "E and 2".....I think it was brought to you by Etsy and The Dollar Store!!

More of the fun by Shindig on the lollipops (Abby's wands)

More of Amanda's yummy cookies and Jigglers in E and 2

Yummy homemade marshmallows from Grammy's good friend.

Chocolate covered oreos made by Mama. Oscar was there too but he looked more like the Incredible Hulk. So, I left him out of the picture. Elle's favorite was Bert.

Goldfish and Zoe's Candy Necklaces.

Slimey's Pudding Pots.

Wide shot of the dessert buffet. The Birthday Banner is from The Spoiled Wall. Leslie is very talented but is going out of business for a bit. So, hurry over to her shop to grab some wonderful deals!! The banner was made from a vintage Sesame Street book! Love it!!

Help cover Cookie in Fur game. This is Daddy's handy work too!! He made the paper in to the shape of Cookie and used contact paper in the middle.

We had a pile of napkins cut in quarters (also from Dollar store but you could use tissue paper too) and the kids balled them up and added them to Cookie to cover him in his fur.

Cookie all finished. It was a fun and non competitive game too!

Singing to the birthday girl!

End of the day! Cookie, Ernie, and Oscar made it through the party! It was a magnificent day spent with family and friends. Thanks to all of you for all the love and support that you give Ella and our family every day! We love you and appreciate you more than words can say!!!

Tot School- Birthday Week

2010-12-12T12:37:00.010-05:00

Hello to all! It was a busy week with Elle's Birthday. We had a lot of activities, family in from out of town and a party too. Here are some of the activities that we got to this week and some birthday items too. Hope that you enjoy!

Ella working on sorting Christmas erasers from the Dollar Store. Love the dollar store but I can never find some plain trays to use as tot trays. I guess I will keep searching

Playing with her December Sensory Bin- Thanks to Deb over at Living Montessori Nowfor sharing it on her Facebook page. Head over to her blog for plenty of fabulous ideas for Montessori Learning.

The next few pictures came from two kits purchased through Time for Tots on Etsy. I purchased the Fine Motor Skills Kit and their Christmas Activity Kit. I need to share that the kits were a godsend this week. It was a hectic week and they helped to keep us on track with Elle's learning. A good deal of the items follow Montessori principles. However, they place a bright and fun themed twist on the activities. I truly could not be happier with their products. I genuinely believe that Ella will enjoy the kits for a long time and grow with them too. Please visit Jill and Nicole's blogs; The Activity Mom and The Shafer Family for loads of ideas for young children! (P.S.- just a reminder....I have in no way been compensated for my thoughts about the Time for Tots store. It is just my own bona fide and unrequested opinion on their products)

Ella making progress with her tongs from her new kit!

Matching her pom pom balls by color

Sorting flowers- The first day that the kits arrived.....We went through EVERY activity. Now we are limiting to just a few a day. Ella was so excited to go through the kits though!!

Concentrating on placing different colored erasers on the pencils. Who knew it would occupy her for so long? I have also seen it on other blogs that use Christmas erasers (I forget the blogs. If it was your blog, leave a comment and I will link to it) You can also find some them over at Counting Coconuts using a Valentine's Day theme from last year and get some good Valentine's Day ideas while you are there.

Checking out all the colors. Not only is this activity great for fine motor/coordination but works well for discussing colors too!!

Getting ready to place all of her marbles on the tees. Thanks again to Time for Tots for making this week a little less hectic for Mama and still fun for Ella!

Her Birthday Cake sandwich. We assembled it at the zoo. (we like to take her to the zoo on her birthday). So, the presentation is not the best. I got the idea from Funky Lunch. Check them out!! I love their stuff and have also done a reindeer from their book. Super cute!!

Shot of Ella with her Birthday sandwich

She wanted to see the monkeys but they were temporarily off of display. So, she settled for the tigers.

They are trying to mate the tigers. So, this one was rolling on a toy marked with the other tiger's scent.

We had a "big party" (pictures to come in a later post) but we also had an intimate Birthday ceremony for Ella with just family. We used a Birthday Ring from Nova Natural Toys that One Hook Wonder was gracious enough to recommend to me! The ceremony we followed out of this book. We have been reading it for about six months and have been blessed with so much information from it. Lily Tots also did this birthday celebration earlier this month. Oh! I was able to find the small globe at Lakeshore Learning Definitely check out LilyTots and One Hook Wonder!

Ella admiring the candles.

One last note:

HEAD OVER TO LIL MOP TOP. We used her Birthday printables a great deal and somehow I did not get one shot and they are even on our work shelf. Elle's favorite was matching the balloons with their strings. So, Thanks to Lil Mop Top!!

If you would like to see what other tots are doing this week, head on over to 1+1+1=1

Enjoy the week!

Christmas Card

2010-12-05T20:37:00.004-05:00

Pine Cone Frame Christmas 5x7 folded card

Make a statement with custom Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

HER EYES WERE CLOSED!

2010-12-05T14:58:00.003-05:00

Our less than perfect picture but Ella's perfect moment with Santa. Read on........

"HER EYES WERE CLOSED! SANTA! SANTA! SANTA! HER EYES WERE CLOSED WE NEED ANOTHER SHOT. HER EYES WERE CLOSED. SANTA!" This is what I heard as I watched Ella waiting her turn to sit on Santa's lap. I will admit that I was wrapped up in my own child at that moment. Ella was peaking around a table to catch a glimpse of the "Big Guy". So, I was taking in her expression and also making sure that she did not make a mad dash into another family's picture. At first, I did not actually hear the words. It was the urgent tone that I heard. As my mind initially heard the tone my body wanted to jump into action. I came out of my trance of watching Ella and wondered if I should be doing something, but then the words registered with me. So, I looked up at the adorable children sitting with Santa. They were completely taken with him. They were listening to him so intently and he was not your "average" mall type of Santa either. I had been watching him further back in the line and he genuinely engaged the children and took time with them. I will admit that this garnered a few moans and groans from the photographer and parents from time to time (you would hear them say under their breathe...."Why is he taking so long? Does he not see this line?") As we waited in line, I felt as if we were having our own Miracle on 34th Street moment. I felt like this Santa was the "real deal"! The time actually went by faster as you watched him and the children interacting with him. The Santa never once broke his conversation with the children or even glanced in the direction of the chanting Mom or photographer. When their wish list was finished and he gave them his wish list of what he needs from them, he then straightened his hat, pointed the children in the direction of the camera and Magic.... Perfect Picture! The Mom seemed pleased and gathered her children to head home.

The incessant chanting was done and all was relatively "silent"again and we waited on. I could not help but to be left with the thought that the Mom had totally just missed that "moment". In her pursuit of the perfect picture, she had just missed the opportunity to see her children connecting to Santa. In actuality, she was the one who "HAD HER EYES CLOSED!" I know! Who am I to judge??? I don't mean to judge but it shook me to the core! Was I only captivated with Ella meeting Santa because this was the first year that she "gets" him? Will the novelty of this wear off? but Wait!! We are talking about Me! Me! The woman who actually kind of still believes in Santa ( going on almost 37 years now.....I have to be honest about age....I am talking about Santa....I want to have a nice gift for telling the truth!) It was now our turn and I wanted to be sure that I did not miss Ella's moment. She walked up to Santa without hesitation. She climbed the stairs and said "Hi!". He spoke to her in the most sweet and gentle tone. I did not hear him word for word but she was listening to him. Really listening! A part of me wanted to lean in closer to hear better but it was her moment. So, I waited for her to climb down the stairs. She waved Bye and said "I Love You Santa".

We were on our way home and I still wondered about why I was so "in the moment" while visiting Santa. Then, it struck me. My day was completely without pressure. I had a wonderful day with my hubby and daughter, made a little time for me, had a fabulous dinner, listened to Christmas carols, watched a tree lighting and saw Santa! How could I not be relaxed?! I know! I know! It cannot be like that everyday. However, I have been very blessed to be able to stay at home with my little one. I have also been blessed with a great home business that allows me to be creative and at home. I am always grateful to my customers, friends, and family in their support of my little bow business. I just never foresaw the huge demand I would have for the holiday bows (I will plan better next year...promise!) I thought that I could balance it all, but Ella is a December Birthday and my Hubby is on vacation. So, I am going to need to CLOSE shop for awhile. I have finished the last of my custom and holiday orders. You will still be able to purchase at Morgan House and Fireflies and Fairytales, but for now.....I need to close to be with my family and enjoy Ella's "moments". Thanks for all the support. It is appreciated more than you can ever know.

I know that not all of us can "close shop". I appreciate all the working Mommas out there! So, I leave you all with this thought. "Make time for yourself and your family!" and "Keep your eyes open this holiday season". Open them to yourself, your own family, friends, and even strangers. Embrace others and open your eyes to the holiday traditions or beliefs of other cultures and religions. This is truly the time of year that the "World can live as one".

Peace, Blessings, and Happiness Always!!

Kerri

December Sensory Bin

2010-12-05T14:18:00.002-05:00

Hello to all! I hope you are enjoying your first week of December! Here is our December Sensory Bin:

This may not be the best shot but it was the best one showing the flicker lights. I got the idea from Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds. Ella also wanted to hold them. She was very fascinated with how to turn them on and off. There is a switch on ours. She almost has the hang of it. Plus it is a good way to talk about on/off, light/dark, etc.

Items assembled for the bin: Snowflake and Swan made from Pipe Cleaners and Feathers. (Shhh!! Don't tell Dada's buddies, but he made them). Snowman made from foam balls and adorned with felt hat and scarves. (I was going to glue the hat and scarf on, but then I realized the felt would stick to the foam. So, I cut out four different colors of each. Elle can swap them out and a great way to talk about colors). I also used mini tree ornaments. Also great for talking about colors, textures, and counting. I included extra feathers behind the swan for a nice extra sensory element. The tub is filled with instant potato flakes to resemble snow.

The first thing Elle did was take out the mini peppermint candy ornaments. She placed them on a ceramic mitten (gift from Grammy....she found them at Gabriel's for only .49 each!) and counted them. Still skipping five, but good otherwise!

Next it was on to her swan and the extra feathers. She loved rubbing the feathers on her face, but maybe I should have cut the ends down a bit!! Watch out!

I also included an empty spice shaker. Elle has been enjoying taking the cap on and off and filling the shaker with her "snow" and creating a snowstorm of her own. Oh and the mini trees (another Grammy find for .25 for two. YEAH Grammy!)

Have a great week!

Tot School- A Bit of This and That!!!

2010-11-30T21:10:00.006-05:00

Well, we are finally getting back into the "swing" of things. Here is our post for the week.

Elle transferring beans with a spoon. She favored pouring until we found just the "right" wooden spoon for her. She of course likes to have an audience (Abby and Big Bird)

She also likes to celebrate each scoop with a dance or a cheer.

Finding the right color

Making little "masterpieces" for Christmas gifts. (Plus we really need to replace the Ghosts and Pumpkins on our fridge)

We have been stringing wooden beads on laces for quite awhile, but then I saw on a blog ( I forget which one but I know I left a comment that I was going to try it. So, if it was your blog leave me a comment and I will credit) using pipe cleaners in lieu of the laces.

It worked out perfectly. We used Perler Beads with the pipe cleaner and Elle loved it! I discovered Perler Beads through Confessions of A Homeschooler . It was a great recommendation. We purchased the Big Beads. They are a bit easier for Ella to handle. We will definitely be adding to our collection. They even have a sale going on now and if you sign up for emails, they send you great coupons too!

We also went to the airport to pick up Daddy. Ella was so excited and kept saying "We are going to see airplanes!". Poor kid! We only saw one on our drive out. Oh well. We will need to go to a small airport near our home and let her watch them there. Miss the days when you could meet your loved one at the gate and press your nose to the glass as you watched their plane come in!

We also started getting in to the spirit of Christmas by decorating the tree.

Elle reading a recorded version of Twas The Night Before Christmas from her Grammy. Hallmark's Recordable Storybooks are such a fabulous way to keep a child connected with a far away loved ones voice.

We made a snowman on black construction paper with all elements also cut from construction paper but used chalk for the stars and moon.

We have also been playing with glitter ALOT!! Here Ella is sprinkling glitter on a precut stocking that she colored on and then squeezed glue on it. We used the bowl to catch the excess and also be able to reuse it!

Her final products!

One Hook Wonder reminded me of doing this activity in their post. So, we gave it a try and it was another huge hit! Ella loves to use her craft sticks for all sorts of activities. She likes matching the Perler Beads to the color of the craft stick. This activity is perfect! We talked about colors and even did a bit of counting. It also prompted us to talk about open/close and on/off for the lid.

The first few times that she dropped them in she would say" Where did purple go? Where did red go?" Haha!

We have our traditional advent calendars that we use, but we found a free download for a countdown to Christmas chain over at You Are in Good Company. Elle thinks it is way to cool. She likes to swing it. We will take a link off everyday and color on it or exchange it for a treat. They also gave the idea of writing on it before you hang it up, but we are not at that stage yet. Time for Play also gave the great idea of using the links to countdown to vacation!!

I hope that you enjoyed our week! I wish everyone a Blessed Holiday Season! Oh and if you want to see my favorite activity this week head over to Superheroes and Princesses for a super creative craft to pair with a book. Oh and of course, check out all other tots at 1+1+1=1

Recent Finds

2010-11-20T19:46:00.007-05:00

Hi to all! I am a bit behind on blogging. Croup hit our little "belle" and it was a rough week or so. We are back into the swing of things and I hope to have a Tot School post ready for this upcoming week. So, I thought that I would share with you some recent "finds". I know that we all have gift giving on the mind and this may help a bit.

Fall Cookie Platter from Sandy's Baking Memories

Theses cookies came to me via Party Frosting. YEP! I won another giveaway! (BTW--Since I won another giveaway, I decided to do another giveaway. I will be over at a A Little Etsy Love soon with a fun giveaway)I am on a serious winning streak. Maybe I should play the lottery?!?! Anyhoo.....you really need to check out Party Frosting's blog! It is filled with fabulous cupcakes, party ideas, and tips. Now back to the cookies. Sandy sent us our platter this week. It really made Ella smile after being sick!! It came wrapped in cellophane on a beautiful plate. The cookies are way too adorable!! My favorite was the leaf with all the yummy sprinkles. It reminded me of a cookie that my Gram used to get me at a local bakery. As a child, I loved dunking the cookies with sprinkles to watch the milk change colors. So, the cookies definitely evoked fond memories! Thanks so much ladies for the fun giveaway. Check out Sandy's other goodies on her website. The S'mores cookies look so divine!!

Elmo Dress from Kanes Chic Boutique

This was an Etsy find and I could not be more pleased with it!! Stephanie was fabulous with working with me on size. The dress started at 2T and Elle is not quite there yet. She was willing to work with me and the dress fits perfectly! Plus, Ella loves it. She pulls it out of her closet everyday. Head over to her shop to checkout her Christmas Items and she even has Hospital Gowns for children. I pray none of us ever need to purchase one but if we do this is a very special way to make a little one feel more secure in a strange environment.

Momma, Dada and Elle with Ernie and "Burp"

Birthday Banners by The Spoiled Wall

I found this Etsy shop through her blog; The Chic Uniquery. Leslie is closing down her Etsy shop. So, hurry over for some super amazing deals on banners and notecards! She will still be blogging though. YEAH! She has a superb blog!

Crayon Apron from KidNAroundCreations

We got this fun little crayon apron for a niece. She can even personalize it with the child's name! Lori has so many clever ideas in her shop for gifts! You really need to check out her felt story board shapes and her puppets too! Such wonderful tools for imagination! Oh and she also has a sale going on right now too. Who does not love a sale??

Cookie Counting Set from HeartFeltCrafts

This was another birthday party gift!! I am a sucker for anything personalized but I also love fun learning tools too! This is both all wrapped up in one. The quality is outstanding too!! Check out her Dream Drop Babies. They are a perfect "lovey" for small little hands!

Items that I have my eyes on but have NOT purchased yet. So, I am ONLY going on sight and not true experience.

Christmas Printable from ShindigParties

Amanda has some really adorable printables for Holidays and Birthdays (I plan on getting some items for Elle's party there too). You can also check out her blog for all things sparkly and fabulous!!

Rainbow Gnomes from Jojoebi

I think these gnomes would be a brilliant addition to a spring themed nature table for Elle or even just everyday imaginative play. Love the bright colors! I also love her blog. If you are interested in Montessori teaching, it is a must to follow!!

Christmas Themed Activity Set from Time For Tots

Another Etsy shop loaded with useful and wonderful learning tools! She also has a marvelous blog! Go and check out her traveling tip ideas!!!

*****Just an FYI.....All my recommendations are purely my own opinions. I have in no way been compensated or asked for my opinion by any of the sellers. I am just sharing items from sellers that have provided with me great customer service and high quality products. As far as items from sellers that I have not purchased from yet, I simply love these items and do not expect to be compensated for any future purchases. I am only "paying it forward". Sorry for the long disclaimer. Just wanted to state that the above were all unbiased opinions.******

Personalized Turkey Handprint Tee from 1 BusyBee

Now I will admit that this item was sent to me from 1 Busy Bee. I have a working relationship with Brenda through the hairbow business. However, Brenda is a super sweet woman and she does do high quality work. Elle adores this turkey shirt! (Thanks Brenda) The colors are vibrant and the turkey is whimsical. Definitely check out all she has to offer.

I had to include this last picture of Elle. She was saying CHEESE so proudly!

I hope that you all enjoyed the items. Good riddance to croup and on to a Wonderful Thanksgiving and Holiday Season. Peace and Blessings to all!