Holiday Happenings - Festival of Lights

 

Since there are only 3 more days left to visit our Zoo's Festival of Lights this year,

this post is more for me to look back at next year for reminders. 

Unless you have nothing to do one of the next three nights and you are local.

Then, GO!

Things to remember about the Festival of Lights:

1. Go early.  Although the Festival of Lights' hours are 5-9 each night, the zoo is open from 9-5.  We arrived between 4-4:30 and it was perfect.  There was plenty of parking, no line to get in, etc.  (When we left at 7:00 the entrance gate was CRAZY, the parking lots were full and traffic around the zoo was at a complete stop.)
2. Then head straight for the train.  Again, the line wasn't bad because it wasn't completely dark yet.  The kids still enjoyed it, because for them it was more about the train ride than every little light being bright. 
3. Eat beforehand.  We ate at 3:30 which meant no main meal at the zoo.  Not so much about cost as about ease.  Dining with toddlers outdoors is enough work when it's warm and you are picnicking.  Add cold weather and lots of accessories...mittens, scarves, etc. and it's just not fun.  The small snack and treat were troublesome enough.
4. Bring a blanket.  If you still tote a stroller around, add a blanket or drape one around like a scarf or something.  We had two with us and were extremely glad when it came time to sit anywhere.  Chairs and benches are COLD on the bum in 30-degree weather.
5. See the Madcap Puppet show.  Well worth it.  But again, bring a blanket.  Cement benches are another level of cold.
6. Don't expect to see a lot of animals.  Like HallZOOween, it's more about the seasonal experience than the animals during this trip.  Sure, there are animals indoors, but guess what?  Everyone goes there to get warm...extremely crowded.
7. Stop by the Talking Tigers - "Blizzard" and "Snowflake".  This is no recording.  They can actually see you and converse with you.  Stella was amazed that they thought her "pink Dora hat was too cute".
8. Stand in line for the roasted nuts.  If you don't (I didn't) you will think about them the entire next day and really wish you would have.  It will most likely haunt you until next year.  An endless craving.
9. Come up with a better answer to Stella's questions, "Why didn't Frosty talk??" (my response was something about him having trouble with his head and maybe it really was a girl with that apron and all = redirection) and "Where is the giraffe with the broken arm?"  (I focused more on the fact that her leg was broken and so she just went away because they couldn't fix it = redirection again.  Now, I'm not afraid to talk about heaven with her - have already - but it wasn't the time nor the place due to the crowd of kids and her mood.)
10. Wear socks.  Long story, but I had no socks.  Not smart.  Extremely comfortable flats, but my toes were froze.  (Not what I planned to wear!)

Great Green Room...in Real Life!

Today the girls and I spent the day with my dad who is in town visiting from Florida.  We went all over the place...Price Hill Chili, Mt. Echo Park, the Levee (Dewey's, of course), Krohn Conservatory and finished up at the zoo to meet Andy and Henry for the Festival of Lights.  But one of the best parts of the day? 

The Great Green Room!  In. real. life.

We picked up my dad's girlfriend at her business in Fort Thomas after lunch.  She was off for the afternoon and first wanted to take the girls to a local bookstore, The Blue Marble.  It was quaint.  Tons of childrens' books in rooms of an old house.  It seemed to be all on the first level.  I loved it.  It was well organized and they had a train table for entertainment, etc.  Then we were told we could check out the room upstairs...the Goodnight Moon room.  What?  Yep!

It was AMAZING.  The owner himself followed us up, took a seat, and read the book, making sure that the kids (mine and another family's) found all of the related items in the "real" room that they were reading in the book as they went along page by page.  The girls loved it.

So if you are ever over that way (heck, go there just because), be sure to stop in and check it out.  And buy a book or two or more (we left with two new Elephant and Piggie books - if you have not heard of these run out and get either Can I Play Too? or We Are in a Book right now - NOW - and a Llama Llama Mad at Mama book - because yes, Charlotte was mad at me and it just fit the moment). 

Buy something.  Because I really hope and pray that there never comes a day when the only choices we have are Barnes and Noble and Amazon.  Today was definitely an experience you might not find elsewhere.

For hours and directions and to learn more about The Blue Marble, click HERE.

After Christmas Shopping

So, most of you know by now that I LOVE a good bargain.  Yes, I've already purchased a few items for Christmas 2012.  I know, CRAZY!  But when I find something that's perfect for someone AND it's a good deal, I'm sold.  Or if I know it's something I'm going to be purchasing next November (like a holiday shirt for the girls' stockings) and I find one on clearance now and I know it will fit, I'm sold.

 

However, in my old age, I won't fight the crowds and chaos anymore.  I did not go out shopping the day after Christmas because I knew everyone else who had the day off would be there as well.  And I heard it was just nuts.  All for only 50% off.  ;)

 

Last night I ran out to Kohl's quickly for a return and was pleased that no one was there at 8:00.  However, neither was the Christmas clearance.  It was GONE.  Picked-over and scarce...a broken ornament or two left behind.  I was there 10 minutes.  Same at my Target.  I was bummed. 

 

This morning on my way to work I popped into another Target and Kmart to see what was left.  SCORE.  Tons of items and just what I was looking for.  Cookie Exchange prize stuff, holiday t-shirts for the girls and ornaments for next year's grandparent gift craft at the Target and then LOTS of holiday books at the Kmart. 

 

Speaking of holiday books.  Let me digress.  Remember how I wrapped all the holiday books and we were going to open 1 each day?  Well...it was AWESOME!  Best. idea. ever.  We didn't do it every day.  Sometimes we forgot and sometimes the privilege was lost due to behavior.  And we usually opened 2 at a time - each girl unwrapped one.  And I don't think we EVER had to read a book twice.  Which was perfect for us.  Last year the girls got so stuck on the Disney Princess holiday book that we missed out on so many of the other great books we have.  So I definitely wanted to pick up a few more.  Here are some of what I found today at 50% off (all photos from Amazon):

 

 

 

So back to my shopping this morning.  Items were still only 50% off, but exactly what I was looking for.  The Target (Hunt Road, ladies!) was actually re-stocking pallets and pallets of holiday items.  I overheard the workers telling each other that the price slashing would most likely be on Friday.  That's when I'll head back for wrapping paper, tissue paper and gift bags.  I ran completely out this year and it's time to restock.

 

So, do you stock up on anything for next year? 

 

Or are you finished with the holiday shopping for good?

 

Holiday Breakfast and Baking

The one thing I don't stress about during the holidays is what I eat.  Between Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Day I eat whatever I want, whenever I want.  A fourth cookie?  Don't mind if I do, thanks.  Now, truth be told, my pants are fitting kind of tight today and I'm getting slower and slower at grabbing those cookies.  That just means my plan is working...by January 1st I'm not going to want another sweet for MONTHS...which will keep the rest of the winter weight gain to a minimum and get me back in gear for spring/summer.

 

But speaking of food...this year I made lots of little goodies and yummy casseroles for Christmas.  I spent some time baking with the kids on one of my day's off.  Here are some of our creations.

 

First up, Christmas morning breakfast for the kids.  I found both of the donut ideas on Pinterest.  They suggested using icing and other major-work decorations.  However, I had extra brown and blue mini M&Ms and orange Mike and Ike's on hand from our ice cream cone turned into Christmas tree decorating plus red M&Ms from the Crispix mix and we always have pretzels in the house, so voila!

The blue reindeer eyes looked a bit creepy, but the kids LOVED them.

For brunch later that morning, I served both a Baked French Toast Casserole...

and a Sausage and Egg Casserole.

Both were even more awesome because I had put them together the night before

and only had to pop them in the oven on Christmas morning.

And we also had lots of cookies on hand.

I love Christmas cut-out cookies.

These were my grandmother's recipe.

The girls helped with some of the icing and decorating:

And I made some of ModHousewife's Gooey Butter Cookies.

YUM.

Did you do any baking?

O Christmas Tree!

A picture-heavy post!

Sugar Cones $1.79

Icing $1.69

Mini M&Ms $2.79

Mike & Ikes $1.50

Food Coloring and other sprinkles already in the cupboard

Watching my girls entertain themselves for 1.5 hours = PRICELESS

Stella spent the whole time precisely "painting" each tree and

 methodically placing each "ornament".

Charlotte spent 15 minutes decorating her six trees and

75 minutes eating all the candy off of them.

A craft I actually did NOT get on Pinterest!

(Wait....there was life before Pinterest? Yep.)

Naughty or Nice? I Think I Have One of Each...

 

It's no secret that Charlotte has given us a lot less confidence when it comes to our parenting skills.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you apparently are a new reader/friend.  Click HERE and HERE for some background.  Overall, things are better as she gets closer to turning three.  However, she is still feisty and stubborn and a great back-talker.

We've tried every parenting approach with her...postive parenting, time-outs, redirection, proactive parenting, being nice, being mean.  There is no consistency with what works for her.  One day alone-time and being soothing works, but the next day that causes her to thrash, kick, and dump her dresser and closet.  Andy and I have learned a lot about patience and how siblings can be so very different.

We've talked to her daycare director, pediatrician and others.  Nothing triggers a "condition".  It apparently really is the terrible twos and I've been warned about the trying threes and reminded that Stella was quite the exception to toddler behavior.

Her teachers say she also acts like other kids in the class.  In fact, she still is usually really good at school.  Until recently when she's gone through some transitions...new room, new teachers.  What works for them one day also doesn't work the next.  Last week her teacher was trying to soothe her by just loving on her...hugs, etc. which worked the day before.  Charlotte finally freed herself from the woman and screamed "WALK AWAY FROM ME!"  So it's not just us.

Just the other day I was trying to get her to do something and had to explain consequences, yet again. 

Me: Charlotte, if you don't ABC, then XYZ is going to occur.

Charlotte: If you don't ABC, then I won't be your best friend anymore!

I wanted to scream "Parents aren't supposed to be your friends!!" but I refrained.

Me: Charlotte, I'm serious.  If you don't ABC, then XYZ is going to occur.

Charlotte: Then I'm going to take all of your clothes and give them back to grandma!

I laughed and then she laughed.  And then cooperated.  Thank goodness...otherwise I might be naked right now.

Handmade Christmas Gifts & Gifts that Keep Giving

 

Last night while catching up on the end of this season's Boardwalk Empire (holy cow that show will make you ill and I cannot imagine the season finale that we still have left to watch) and then an episode of The Good Wife I got to make the two headbands above.  They are going to be Christmas gifts for a co-worker's twin nieces.  To match some shoes.  But not just any shoes, Toms Youth Glitters!  She bought a turquoise pair (shown below but look more silvery) and a red pair so we matched up some ribbon and added a shiny silver ribbon to get some sparkle in the headbands as well.

I think handmade gifts and gifts that keep giving (Toms gives a pair of shoes to a child in need with every purchase made) are awesome.  I know some people that solely shopped handmade and local and supporting a cause for Christmas.  And I really enjoyed the customized hair accessories I put together for people.

However, I admit, I did not shop that way.  I still purchased Barbie, Disney Princess babies, DVDs, video games, etc.  I made a few items and bought a lot of gift cards.  I think next year I'll add a few more handmade things to the gift-giving list.  I'd like to balance it out a bit more.

You?  What kind of gifts were on your giving list?

Reindeer Thumbprint Ornament

 

Here's a quick and easy craft for kids that makes a great gift to give to grandparents, etc.

All you need is an ornament (got mine in a 9-pack at Michael's, but look for it with the ornaments, not the crafts), some brown paint, a black and a red sharpie and some ribbon.

Use the kids' thumbprints for the reindeer head

and draw the rest with the sharpie markers.

Add names and dates.

Tie a snazzy ribbon on top (this one is on our tree and the first one I did -

grandparents got nicer ribbon and a big bow.)

Complete!

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Rein-beer

Have a beer-lover or root beer-lover to buy a gift for this season?

This Pinterest idea came to me by way of a link from Life of a Modern Mom.

And it's super simple.

So simple that your 4-year old can help.

And it's a craft!

Just be warned that if the daycare director asks that 4-year old what "you and mom" have been doing all day when you go to pick up the other children...there is a chance that this is what the 4-year old remembers: "a craft with my daddy's beer" and NOT baking cookies, reindeer ornament crafts, handprint Christmas tree crafts, picking out presents, etc.

We took this gift to Andy's dad over the weekend.

Even Henry liked the look.

And we probably let him play with the bottle a little too long.

But he had been playing with this first:

So we thought the beer was an upgrade.

Be sure to check out other great Pinterest projects completed

on Not to Brag and It's a Small World After All.

Teacher Gifts

Having 3 kids in daycare also means having 3 kids with teachers.  And each of them currently has 2 teachers.  And then there are the directors and the piano teacher and the reading teacher and the list goes on and on.  Teacher gifts can add up quickly around the holidays. 

This year I came across a new yummy recipe - Crispix S'mores Mix thanks to www.modhousewife.com.  This yummy treat was brought to book club one night and we all munched and munched and munched.  It was super simple to duplicate and I ended up making 3 batches of it last night between other to-dos.  I've added it to the recipe blog HERE.

(I digress, but if you venture to the recipe blog you may also notice the Bacon Brittle I posted as well - pictured below.  Another addition due to ModHousewife.  Next up, I'm trying her Gooey Butter Cookies.  They were a hit at the Cookie Exchange and I hope I can duplicate them.  To get other recipes from her, read her blog or follow it on Facebook HERE.)

So back to the Teacher Gifts.  I made up the Crispix Mix, some brownies, and the Sugary Gingerbread Oat Chews.  Then I distributed them into holiday treat bags I picked up at Target.  The girls spotted some cute holiday boxes at Michael's and we got one for each teacher.  In went the treats and a Starbucks gift card along with cards the girls made.  We also packed some up for the pediatrician (um yes, Henry went for 15-month check up and again left with double ear infection diagnosis...how do we not realize this???) and the eye doctor (had to thank them for our breakfast with Santa).  Stella and I delivered goodies most of the morning and she loved it.

Do you have to/choose to do teacher gifts? 

What do you give?

I've seen lots of great ideas pinned on Pinterest!