Paper Plate Turkeys

Here is an easy, fun Thanksgiving craft for anyone with a young kiddo.

I realized how technology dependent I had become when I had several craft ideas I wanted to do but all required printing some item from the computer and my computer/printer connection was not working. So.....I took this image from a website and freehanded it onto the paper plate.

NOT COMPLICATED! Don't know why it took me 1/2 hour of messing with the printer to figure out this 30 second solution was a better idea! Of course, the idea on the web had the child color the turkey face first, cut it out, and glue it on the paper plate - all of which might have been fun steps. But....we just jumped into the painting!!!
The original idea was that the child use their fingers to print the feathers around the edge of the turkey. Finger paint is SO not Jaden's style - so we went for the brushes - which he LOVES! He wasn't too interested in the feathers though....that one is mommy's!

After taking a break he discovered the foam brushes in the supply box (didn't get it put away fast enough) and was interested in the round ones that work kind of like stamps. He LOVES stamps put on his hands - but we don't own any. The "stamping" revitalized his interest in painting and the turkeys got a bit more colorful before we were done.

Our little turkey family!

Cool Baby Cakes

We've been so blessed even before the arrival of our baby girl.

The church Stephen is serving a vicarage at threw us a beautiful and sweet baby shower - best unique part - the reading of the book "I'll Love You Forever" that had EVERY mom in the room shedding tears.

Some of our dear friends threw us a baby shower full of fun games, creative decorations, YUMMY food, and LOTS of love - funniest/grossest part - a game where diapers full of "poop" (aka melted candy bars) are passed around and guests have to try to guess the most kinds of candy bar correctly. GROSS - but it is pretty funny to see everyone sniffing poopy looking baby diapers and TRYING not to make funny faces!

We hear there is another shower in the works for us at our home church that we never get to go to anymore but still have lots of friends at.

And, someone else brought us another cute baby cake.

I could share with you pictures from the showers but, let's be honest.

1. I'm just trying to catch up with some blogging before I have TWO little cuties to post about.

2. Have YOU seen even a Halloween costume blog yet??!?!?!?!??! That sort of seems like a requirement from a blogger mom of a kid, don't you think?

3. Who, besides the momma-to-be's mom really wants to look at a bunch of pics of opening presents and table decorations anyway!??!

So - here, at least, are the cool baby cakes we've gotten to eat!

From the 1st shower at our vicarage church - homemade by a member. Note - the blue cake on the right is the "big brother cake" and BOY oh BOY was Jaden super excited that he got his very own!

Shower #2 cake - I believe from Sam's - a cupcake cake. SO cute! I had not seen one like this! And, if you love frosting, THIS is the kind of cake for you! BOY do they lather it on!

Another cake made by a friend. Super cute! And SOOOOOO yummy - a bit coconut, a bit pineapple...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Don't you love the booties?
Jaden did!
Under the frosting they were made of giant marshmallows held together with toothpicks - that surprised Stephen a bit when he went to bite off the top of one and had a WEIRD texture!!!

Thanksgiving Sequencing Game

I had made this game last year for a road trip but the pieces just were thrown all over the floor.

This year, it had a bit more appeal.

Jaden wanted to match the objects by placing them on top of the demo strip. However, the magnets I got for the backs don't seem to be strong enough to go through TWO layers of cardstock with lamination. So.....I convinced him to line them up underneath. I also have a set with cornucopias and pie.

Hopefully they'll get some action this week! It's been awhile since we've played refrigerator games!

Pumpkin Patch

So, a few weeks before Halloween we went to the pumpkin patch.

Jaden was SO excited about this adventure because we had been reading books about pumpkins. He couldn't stop talking about going to the pumpkin patch. In fact, a month later, he STILL hasn't stopped talking about it! He wants to go back! Maybe next year we'll have to go TWICE!

First we rode the "hayride" (with no hay) out to the field.

There were rows and rows of pumpkins, Jaden didn't know where to begin exploring.
Sitting on them helps to test them out you know.
Pumpkin preggo daddy.
It didn't take Jaden long to find HIS pumpkin

Some of these are ours, some (the big giant one) Grandma H's
Checking out the ones others had brought in from the field and decided not to take home.
Then, there was the giant "pillow" jumping balloon! I had never seen anything like this - fun - but kind of difficult for a 2 yr old! Daddy had to help him on becuase there was no way mommy was getting on a giant, inflated, bouncing floor!
Fun romping

We didn't make it into the corn maze that is also at the pumpkin patch. It was a bit too dark and we hadn't brought flashlights. But, daddy and Jaden took a few trips through the toddler sized hay bale maze by the light of cell phone. Of course, one hay bale took Jaden by surprise and knocked him over face first. Oops!

Back at home with our picks! Can you tell the guys are proud of their GIANT WHITE pumpkin!!?!?! Isn't it tough!

A few days later my hubby got some beautiful flowers for me and we had this fun fall display for weeks!
The giant white pumpkin got lovingly patted every day with words of affirmation like "this is the best pumpkin ever," "what a COOL pumpkin," etc. It currently still lives on but has moved to Grandma H's house where it awaits it's destiny under the knife. Poor pumpkin!

Cheese Muffins

For the record - these were DELICIOUS! They were pretty easy and I had all of the things on hand. I'd post the recipe, but you can just click here to find it.

I didn't have colby jack so I used straight cheddar. And, like the site says, they are better warm. They don't do the greatest heated up as leftovers, but they were tolerable. But, fresh....mmm........crispyish outsides, moist yummy insides!

MMMMMMM....

YUMMY with a bowl of soup!

Big Boy Bed

So, now that this is nearly 2 month old news......

Phase One of preparing for baby #2's arrival was to transform Jaden's room from "pile of outgrown clothes, odds and ends that haven't found homes in closets, and other miscellaneous junk" to actually being "Jaden's Room!"

Somewhere I had a before picture - that honestly, I would be embarrassed to post even if I could find it! (whew!) Step one was sort and pack away. Step two, THROW away. Step three....

find a BIG BOY BED!

and then decorate!

He's happy AND he sleeps in his ROOM! MOST of the night, MOST nights! ;-) Improvement for sure!

Bowling

Tonight I was totally exhausted so Stephen got the idea to take Jaden bowling with Grandpa. When Jaden heard the word "bowling" he got really excited and started talking really loudly and enthusaistically about it saying:

"I'm going to throw those wrecking balls and pinch those milking bottles!!!"

Who teaches him these things anyway?

Translation:

- wrecking balls is what he decided bowling balls were called last time we went bowling and had just watched a Thomas movie involving a wrecking ball.

- pinch is the word he uses to describe almost any action that involves actual pinching, bumping, squeezing, or knocking over

- milking bottles is what he decided the bowling pins looked like the last time he went bowling. Of course, I also have no idea how he would even know what a milking bottle looks like....

Oh - and he made sure to be really excited that his cousins were going to be there ... even though they aren't! He has only been bowling with them! Hopefully Daddy and Grandpa can be just as fun!

Now I'm off to rest - or make a grocery list - or work on a Christmas stocking - or watch a TV that actually gets channels after 2 years of not - or all four. Or, maybe I'll just go to bed!