My boys are crazy for Star Wars, they love it! I just picked up the box set of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi for them for Christmas. It was one of their lightning deals for only $22!
Recently, I came across a crafts section of the Star Wars website. They had a fun R2D2 craft made from felt. I had tons of foam squares so we pulled them out and the boys went to work…
R2D2 Craft
They used construction paper for his top part and colored it silver. They also used construction paper for his body. The rest was made from foam and they glued them onto a foam base. Elmers glue worked well.
They enjoyed it and I think they turned out really cute. Thanks Star Wars!
In our city we have an amazing several acre outdoor garden, complete with different landscapes and habitats. I blogged about our field trip there in September. It is a great place!
Last year they teamed up with Colorado Outdoor Arts to create an award winning display or displays I should say. Last Christmas season I was planning on taking the family but with the schedule juggling and all we didn’t make it until the week of Christmas, which was cold. We got out of the car and decided it was way too cold to take the kids.
a grand Christmas tree
This year we went the first week it was open in November. Still cold but bearable for the kids. Especially with the hot chocolate stand at the entrance!
Preston enjoying hot chocolate
We had a great time, they have a music light show, amazing displays, a huge miniature train track, PLUS Horse Carriage rides! So much fun, great way to get in the mood for Christmas and relax with family.
Cool InflatablesHudson Holiday LightsOliver, can you see the joy?!
Last weekend we were invited to a Jewish Festival to celebrate Hannakah. It was a fun opportunity to engage another culture. The music, food, people were all great!
They had plenty of activities for the children, all of them were fun but one in particular had me very excited. It was an activity similiar to SandArt but it was edible sand, colored sugar. All the kids swarmed the table and had a blast creating tubes of edible art.
Oliver making his creationConcentratingTime for BluePreston with his tube of Sandy CandySandy Candy
You can purchase directly from Sandy Candy or I just found a 10 person kit on Amazon. I will be ordering soon, look out for another post.
I have been looking around the web for ideas to celebrate Advent. In addition to a cute book we purchased a couple of years ago, I wanted another way to add some more fun.
The book is the Usbourne Advent Nativity Book. It features 24 really detailed cardboard cutouts and a story. You read a page a day and take out the corresponding days cutout and add it to the 3-D.
Days 1-4Our 3-D Display
Christmas Advent Calendar idea from The Rusted Chain blog, she got it from this adorable blog, that has many more ideas from other sites that are way too cute. All the ideas are fantastic and a great way to count down to Christmas. Each day, remembering and focusing on the true reason for the season. The birth of our Savior!
I loved this the moment I saw it! Since we do not have a mantel or bureau I decided to use our white board. I picked up 8 pairs of socks and a pack of 9 suction hooks from the Dollar Tree. I had an extra hook so I added a Paper Treat Cone to the first day we will start counting down with the socks. I think I will add some chocolates, some gold dollars, and some other little items from Target Dollar Spot.
In my family, the Fall means more than beautiful trees, colors, apples, pumpkins and cider. It also means it is time for green chiles to come up from Southern Colorado and New Mexico.
My mom used to get to actually go pick em with her parents but we just venture down the street to a temporary produce stand. The smell… AMAZING! Have you ever had fresh roasted chiles in your car? It is quite heavenly!
This year we chose a mix of Pueblo Mosca Hot and a Hatch Medium, we had them fired and bagged together, it makes for a nice mix.
The boys really enjoyed watching the process, we got to pick our chiles out and then the lady put them in the roaster and fired them up. Then we watched her pour them into a bag, then into our car. When we got home we bagged them, about 5-6 per bag, then froze them.
nice variety!yum!freshly roastedOliver watching the roasting
I happened to be making french bread pizza that night so I took a couple of chiles, chopped them up, added garlic salt, then spread on the bread after the sauce and before the cheese……. yum!
There are so many things you can put green chiles on, the possibilities are almost endless. I will be sure to post some recipes once I start pulling them out of the freezer.
Some more shots of the produce stand – the boys got to pick out a mini-pumpkin to decorate.
Chile Stand in SW DenverOliver found his pumpkinBoys with the pumpkins
skittles
As I mentioned in the previous post, my sister-in-law’s baby shower was today. I made chocolate covered pretzels and then added store bought candy to the table and made what I call a mini candy buffet. I have seen some amazing candy buffets on the web and was really wanting to try one. It is not as grand as I would have liked but it seemed to be a hit.
Lunch. Lunch can become boring for kids and they become uninterested and picky. At least that is what has happened to my kiddies. While browsing blogs I came across 2 really cute blogs FULL of ideas on making fun lunches. They are:
Inspired by other blog moms once again, I set out. I had cutters so I didn’t need to get any. I did pick up the muffin tins at the Dollar Tree and then some cupcake liners at my local grocery store. I picked up 10 packs of fruit leather (.50/each), pretzels, crackers, cheese, almonds, turkey and cookies.
Our Muffin Tin Lunch:
Cut Fruit Leather into Rectanglesuse small cutters to punch out shapeOliver helping outfun muffin tin lunch
3-Cheese Cheese Slice, cut out with extras chopped up… Fruit Leather cutouts… Almonds, Turkey Rolls on fancy toothpicks… Goldfish and Mini Oreos
lunchtime
**In this last picture I show my 2-year old with fruit leather – MISTAKE! Do not give to toddlers, trust me**
It was fun and the kids were so excited when they came to the table, that is a first! Thanks for the inspiration ladies!
On a recent field trip to, we visited a new children’s garden play and discovery area. It has fantastic stations all around to encourage interactive play and learning. 2 stations caught my eye and more importantly, caught the boys eyes and kept ’em too!
Wood blocks, real wood blocks only they aren’t the kind we are all used to. These are more rustic and authentic and fun for boys. One set had big tree rings cut into chunks, the other set was Aspen tree trunks chopped into different thicknesses to stack. This gave me some great ideas for gifts and toys for my boys. The possibilities are endless.
We are probably going for 3 field trips to study the Fall. We have already gone to the Botanic Gardens, this trip was to Hudson Gardens, next one is straight to the mountains.
Hudson Gardens is a great place. This “about” is from their own website:
The Gardens reflect the multitude of plants, flowers and trees and thrive in the dry Colorado climate, and include land that varies from high, dry prairie to wetlands near the river.Thirty acres of gardens are arranged in a continuous flow featuring ponds, wildlife, sculpture, a garden railroad, adventure hideaways and spectacular natural displays along a mile-and-a-quarter walking path. Quite simply, The Gardens are an oasis of serenity in the midst of the City that allow visitors to simply enjoy their distinct beauty or learn how to beautify their own yards and businesses.
We visited them this past Friday, the month of September only requires $1 for admission, we simply could not pass it up.
We checked out a Family Explorer pack which added to the fun. Also, you will notice 4 boys in the pictures, cousin Adam got to come along!
Paying the $1 admissionLeaf Lookout Explorer Pack, came with Sun BraceletsSun BraceletsSun Bracelets- white beads that turn colors in the sunWalking with Dad to the "Treehouse"a Bridge"Hold yous" Samuels way of asking to be heldBridgeSamuel using the Binocularsthe Mazethe 4 year olds finish!Giant PumpkinsSamuel and the Giant PumpkinsPreston having a quiet momentby the Frog pondChecking out the MapTiny Gourd
I had never been before and I will certainly be going back. Thanks Hudson Gardens!
The library. I love the library. Love it.
We go to the library about once a week and what a treat it is. The boys get to play with puzzles and games, look at the fish, sometimes they get to do crafts and listen to story-time. Those things are nice but the best part about the library is being able to borrow books from them, every week, every day if you want!
We wander the aisles looking for titles or covers that catch our eye, we usually grab them and sit down to sort through. I also get several books on subjects we are studying. Some we can read and look it while we are there, we keep a separate pile for take-homes. We usually go to 2 local libraries which are great but about every 3 months we head to the Denver Public Library, Downtown Denver branch. It has so many cool things to see inside and out.
Downtown Denver LibraryKids AreaPuzzles, Animals and Games at the libraryDenver Art Museum is next doorArtwork outside of the DPL and DAM
Today we went to the Belmar Library in Lakewood, it is a nice, cute library with fantastic views.
We Returned:
Foods of Italy
Foods of Germany
My Dad, the Giant (fiction picture book)
All About Submarines
Thomas the Train Splish Splash Splosh DVD
Papa and the Pioneer Quilt (fiction picture book)
We Checked Out:
People and Places 5 (encyclopedia on North America)
Weather Mania (homeschool)
Star Wars: A New Hope (chapter book)
Digging Tunnels (homeschool, we are studying “what’s underground?”)
Igloos (homeschool, for fun)
Travels with My Family (fiction chapter book)
Little House on the Prairie Season 3 DVD
Magic School Bus on Space DVD
National Geographic Space Exploration DVD
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s Farm (Book on CD)
Can’t head out and see the world? Head to your local library! It’s close and it’s free!
