That One Hour is the Best Time of Day....

   I can't recall how it all started, but somewhere in the last few weeks one of my little siblings convinced me to pull out some of my old toys. Playmobils. I used to love those things and would play with them almost every day. Personally I think the prices have gone up in the few years that it's been since I would get the for every Christmas and birthday, but I wouldn't know because I wasn't the one buying them. Then again I guess all toys are quite expensive for the hunks of plastic that they are, if you ask me. But that's a discussion for another day!

   Well regardless, we've now been playing them a couple days out of each week. And I tell you, it is the highlight of her day. I had to set a certain time of the day to play, and for a certain length of time - otherwise I would get badgered more than the already 3-10 times a day before the event about "is it time yet?"

   I also want to share how the story has progressed. It's cute. First of all it started out that my people were settlers in the west. There was a market where they went to buy things. Then another sibling came in (an older one who wanted more adventure). The new addition meant the sister who was originally playing now hired the newcomer's Spanish body-guard and stable-hand to protect her family's girl from kid-nappers who were lurking in the area. This part was inspired by the old shows of Zorro, if you're wondering.

   The Spaniards finally captured the kid-nappers whom the Spaniards had actually been following for a long time. They actually weren't a body-guard or stable-hand by trade, but were under cover to "get the bad guys." The wielder or the two Spaniards got tired of playing and the game continued with just two of us after the kid-nappers were captured. Next there was alot of birthday parties, the family got snowed in at their friends' house, and a couple baby animals and people born in this time too.

   Next she decided her family was actually royalty and the king just died. So her family went to take over the castle. After this, the Spaniard-wielder decided to return to the "game". Needless to say, last time we played there was a Spaniard hiding in a secret room in the castle because a person from the past who lived in the castle wanted to kill him and now he is afraid to come out of hiding.

   He's also the son of the new kings best childhood friend who just died in the same battle as the king. Talk about...um...cross-cultural adventure?

   So don't be afraid to pick up the toys and play with the kiddos. Yes, sometimes it's boring and there are other things I need to do - but if you make a set time, you can at least plan for it. And it just makes their day! Calling siblings and mommys! Play with the little kids! They might even get you laughing by their wacky stories like the one above.

   (I'm in no way affiliated with Playmobil.)

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73 Home-made Christmas Gifts

 

   73? Yup! Don't you ever sit down and wish you could think of something really cool to make for relatively cheep as Christmas presents? So do I. So when I came up with this list, I just HAD to pass it on.

   They vary in difficulty and cost. So just scan through and see what sparks your interest. These are also SUPER GREAT to make with your kids or siblings. Good quality time ;-) And if you don't know how to make something, google it! I'm sure you can find a tutorial.

   And most of all - be creative! These are all very, very basic descriptions. Take the idea, sit down with the kids, and RUN WITH IT! Have fun!

1. Partially pre-made "photo album recipe book" with recipes in it using index cards

2. Wooden toy chest or stacking organizing boxes

3. Leather-bound book (pages home-sewed too)

4. Various (blank inside) hand-made stationary

5. Body-care kit (lotion, soap, bath salts, bath bombs, soap-cozy, lip gloss, deodorant)

6. Birdhouse

7. Hair accessories (beads, sewed, etc.)

8. Jewelry

9. Food in a jar

10. Notes in a jar

11. Quilt

12. Doll clothes

13. Simple girls' skirt/dress

14. Framed art picture, poem, or saying (painted, colored, pressed flowers, etc.)

15. Homemade play-dough

16. Pre-made healthy snack/dessert/meal (frozen, canned, dried, "just add water", etc.)

17. Sewed purse

18. Cute guitar-string wiping cloth

19. Wind chime

20. Wooden car/truck toy (ride-able size?)

21. Wooden toy blocks

22. Dog/cat treats

23. Pretty doily

24. Tool-box

25. Jewelry box

26. Family/individual picture, framed

27. Water-paints

28. Pick-up-Sticks game

29. Mancala game

30. Hacky-sacks

31. Braided rug

32. "Favorite Crafts" book with all your favorite craft ideas in it

33. Wooden toy horse barn

34. Windowsill herbs in cute pots

35. Make computer game on the program called GameMaker (I remember this neat program from my younger years)

36.Make a home-movie

37. Make a home-cd of you singing music

38. Painted coffee mug, plate, or bowl (and glazed)

39. Princess crown

40. Write on a whole roll of toilet paper for a funny (don't make holes!)

41. Wall hanging (paper, wood, metal, cloth, etc.)

42. Write a book

43. Garden seed organizer container (for big and small seeds)

44. Sewed slippers

45. Cute or manly tack-board

46. Washcloth/scrubby (knit or crochet)

47. Paint a glass vase/bottle

48. Sidewalk chalk

49. Kids' baking apron

50. Bird bath (mold from concrete)

51. Wooden bowls (via lathe)

52. Chair

53. Baby-doll bed

54. Cedar picture-frame

55. Glass board used like a white-board (hang it on the wall and it looks nifty)

57. Simple wooden bench (to put by back door for shoes, plus storage space, etc)

58. Flower arbor

59. Leather knife sheath

60. Woven bike basket

61. Bobsled

62. Cool bookends

63. Christmas ornaments

64. Kite

65. Leather-braided watch band

66. Simple wooden medicine cabinet

67. Simple hand-propelled merry-go-round (popular mechanics volume 6, back of book)

68. Outdoor rotating worm bin

69. CD holder

70. Wooden child's play house

71. Clothes hamper

72. Make essential oils

73. Hammok

   Share some of your ideas with us!

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Make Your Own Bath Bombs

   These are SO much fun - for kiddos and adults alike! You can just plop one into the tub for a fun fizz! PLUS you can chose what ingredients go in it which makes it a great way to naturally cleanse your skin. Spend some time with your kiddos or siblings - have some fun girl time while you sqoosh these fun pieces of art together. You could even use something like this to make a little money. You could sell them at an online store, your local farmers market, friends and family, or even make them for gifts at different holidays (sometimes it's so hard to figure out a *good* gift to make that is actually something worth giving).

You'll need...

Dry Ingredients

-1 cup baking soda

-1 cup corn starch

-2/3 cup citric acid

-1/2 cup Epsom salts (or other salts)

Wet Ingredients

- 1/4 Tblsp. water

- 2 tsp.. essential oil (your choice of scent - we used pepermint)

- 2 1/2 Tblsp. light vegetable oil (your choice)

- 1 to 2 drops of food coloring (optional - we didn't use any)

     1. Mix together the dry ingredients and set aside.

2. Mix together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

3. SLOWLY pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture while stirring with a whisk. If you pour it too fast it will activate the ingredients and it will fizz - don't use up your fizz yet! It will probably seem like there's not enough wet mixture, but keep mixing and it should turn into a sand-like consistency.

4. Line muffin tin with muffin papers (notice we didn't do this, see tips below) and squoosh the sand-like mixture into the molds. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

 5. Next, carefully pop them out of the mold to finish dry for about 3 days.

 6. Store them in an air-tight container after they are completely dry for up to 6 months. When you're ready to use it, simply fill the tub with nice warm water, plop one in, and watch it fizz!

Tips:

- If the mixture starts to foam while adding ingredients, quickly stir the excess wet in to dilute it in the dry mixture.

- After stirring it in completely, if it needs more liquid or more dry ingredient, you can add more - just make sure you don't over-do it.

- We didn't use paper muffin cups for ours, but I'd probably suggest it because it would be easier to get them out - so really it's your choice.

- As a rule of thumb, the more surface area, the faster they'll fizzle away into the water.

   That's it! Be creative by using things around the house to make your own fun mold! Some people even use those plastic Christmas ornaments that come apart so you can fill the insides with candy.

   Try it out! It's fun. I need to seal ours up in a container because my bedroom smells like peppermint right now with them sitting out!

This post is linked up at what I think I'd call my two favorite blogs <3

Little Siblings + Books = FUN!!!!

Have you ever read any Amelia Bedelia books before? She is pretty funny! It has been a busy week and as I was browsing another blog while I unwound, it hit me. I need to read a sister a book. Does the sister want me to read a book? Of course! But I actually was the one that had the urge to want to read a book to a couple cute little kids.

I asked them if they wanted me to read a book before bed. I took them off guard. I got a funny look and then a "Sure!" I grabbed one of my own favorite "childhood" books and we headed to a bedroom. We all plopped on top of the bed and they huddled around to see the pictures while I read. As always, it was a good story. We laughed and chuckled at how silly Amelia Bedelia is and we had a good time together.

Like I said before, I'm sure the little siblings loved being read to - I could tell they were loving being read to - but I think it was actually more for me than them! It was a great way to relax and click back into "normal" after a packed week. Indeed, it was good therapy for a tired body to read a funny book with a bunch of sweet little kids huddled around together - enthralled by a good book.

So the challenge? Easy. Volunteer to read a book or two to some little ones in your life. Not only will it encourage them, but it will also strengthen you.

"She Got Me An Apple!"

Today I was out running some errands, one of which included a stop at a relative's house. As I set out on the next part of the trip I was given an apple for snacking on while I was out doing the rest of the errands.

Well, the day came and went and the apple still set next to me. When I got home I was greeted by my little brother. He came up to me and said, "What you got?"

I hadn't purchased anything to bring home during the errands so I looked by the seat next to me for something to hand him. I spotted the apple. I held it up in front of him and exclaimed, "I got an apple!" His face lit up, "You got apple for me?!?!" ...Ha ha ha! Well that wasn't the original intent, but I quickly changed the ownership of the apple in my mind, "Yup, I got it for you." He took it from my hands, face glowing, and headed for the kitchen exclaiming, "I gonna eat it right now!"...He does something to the apple, then says, "I picked off stem!" (ha ha!)

He continued in his joy by showing others..."She got me an apple! She got me an apple!"

Ah the joys of a young child! We have a bag of apples in the fridge, yet when I got the apple "just for him", it was like I gave him a giant chocolate bar with a stuffed panda to go with it! It made me realize that a gift doesn't have to be expensive, nor does it need to be candy, to make a little one's day brighter. In fact, the more I think of it, the more I realize that goes for older people too.

Your next challenge? Make something in life special for the little ones in your life. Go for a bike ride "just for them", make a funny-shaped biscuit "just for them", have him invite the other kids to play "his" game that he picked, or hey give them their own apple "just for them". Be creative.

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