The Mitten

Today's post is going to be quick and pictureless... this was an activity we did last week and I failed to photograph the fun.

The books that will be featured today and tomorrow are both Jan Brett Books. Jan Brett has a great website that has many resources that go along with her books... you outta check it out.

Today's book is called The Mitten. This is a story about a little boy who looses his mitten in the snow... while it is lost a group of animals squeeze in the mitten to find warmth until finally a little mouse follows a bear inside. The only spot left inside the mitten for the mouse is on the bears nose... this tickles the bears nose, he sneezes, all the animals in the mitten come flying out and the little boy finds his mitten drifting in the air. It's really a very sweet story.

On Jan Brett's site, Brett provides a printable mitten and the animals in the story. Have your children assemble the mitten (glue together like a pocket), color the animals and cut them out... they will all store snugly inside the mitten. This is fun to use as you read the story together or for your child to retell the story!

Zoo Flakes - ABC

Happy Wednesday! Welcome back to the Christmas Play Activities for Preschoolers Par-tay! I hope you are having a lovely week!

Today's book and activity is centered around the book, Zoo Flakes - ABC by Will C. Howell. This is a book that we checked out at the library this past week. Zoo Flakes is a very creative ABC book. Each letter of the alphabet features a zoo animal that is cut into a snowflake shape. Some snowflakes are really quite incredible! I was hoping that Amazon would have the "choose a page" feature for this book so you could actually see the inside because it really is quite impressive.

If you have older kids, you could actually make animal shaped snowflakes... it would be a fun after dinner activity for everyone to do together! Here's one that I made... I must admit, it took some thinking! :) Here is what I could use for "L is for Lizard." Sadie was quite impressed with my skills... I was too, actually.



Since our scissor skills aren't as refined here, we made snowflakes out of Popsicle sticks, buttons, sequins and star beads... you could really stick anything on that you have around the house... noodles, pony beads, pom-poms (I totally would have used pom-poms, but we are out... I love those brightly colored poms... they take me right to my happy crafty place.).

I pre-glued the sticks together....


...and then let the kids glue on the bling.



They turned out pretty cute and with a little ribbon attached to the back, they will make a nice, cheerful decoration! :)

The Animals' Christmas Eve

I hope you all enjoyed the fingerplays and songs that were posted yesterday! Sadie and Cole loved the Santa's Chimney fingerplay and found it to be a novelty that I would actually draw a face on their little thumbkin. I also wanted to mention that last year I posted an advent idea on my blog... the link for it is right here if you are interested... it's had a lot of hits this season, so I'm hoping that families are able to use this or adapt it for their family worship times!

The story I want to share with you today is called, The Animals' Christmas Eve. It's actually a Little Golden book that I found at a second hand store a few years back... I might have a small obsession with children's books.

I think the first page of the book sums up what this sweet story is all about...

In the barn on Christmas Eve,
After all the people leave,
The animals, in voices low,
Remember Christmas long ago.

After sharing this book with your kiddos, take some time to make a paper bag barn. Here is a picture of ours.


We used a full size brown paper bag and cut open doors. The kids and I colored some animals (Cole made a sheep out of his hand print), a star, Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus.



I contemplated just printing off animals for them to color... I'm glad I didn't... have you ever seen such a sweetly drawn camel or Baby Jesus?

(Sadie shining her flashlight in so you can have a closer look.)

Lastly, we glued some of our nativity creations to the outside and some of them to the inside. Sadie wanted to leave some of them loose so she could walk them in and out of the barn... some days I just have to put my OCD ways aside... I mean, who really cares if all the animals are glued perfectly in place. :) It never needs to be perfect to be a blessing.

Christmas Play for Preschoolers...

Before Miss Sadie came along, I spent my days teaching 1st grade. I loved teaching. I loved the kids. I loved celebrating the holidays with my class and all the special things we were able to do together. Now that both of my kiddos are getting a little older, we are able to do some of those same things together... and it satisfies my teaching itch for this season of life. :) This Tuesday-Friday, I am going to feature a Christmas Story with an activity for you to do at home with your kiddos. Hopefully it will encourage you to slow down, snuggle with your little ones and read, and just have fun together.

For today.... I thought I would post a few songs or fingerplays that I have picked up along the way! Enjoy!

Reindeer Pokey
You put your antlers in,
You put your antlers out.
You put your antlers in,
And you shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Pokey and you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about!
(repeat with hooves, red nose, fluffy tail)

Ring the Bells - Use with instruments
(to the tune of "London Bridges")
Ring the bells it's Christmas time,
Christmas time,
Christmas time
Ring the bells it's Christmas time,
Merry Christmas time!
(Play the drums, Pat the sticks, Clap your hands)

Here is the Chimney
Here is the chimney (make fist hiding your thumb)
Here is the top (put your other hand over the "chimney")
Open the lid (take off your hand)
And out Santa will pop (pop up your thumb... you can even draw a face on your thumb:)

Wise Men & Baby Jesus
Wise Men traveled from afar, (walk with your fingers)
Following the Christmas Star. (make a diamond with your fingers and move it through the air)
When it stopped they jumped for joy, (jump up and down)
And worshiped baby Jesus boy. (pretend to cradle a baby in your arms)

Menu Plan - Plans Bumped

Last week we ate a lot of leftovers! I am not sure how we got away with so much extra food, but it worked out great. Even my not-so-crazy-about-leftovers husband went along with the plan! That being said, this week, we have a few items bumped from last week's menu...

MONDAY
Lunch: Grilled Cheese, Carrots with Dip, Applesauce
Supper: Spicy Orange Chicken, Brown Rice, Snap Peas, Grapes

TUESDAY
Lunch: Bean Tostadas with the fixings
Supper: Chicken Noodle Casserole, Salad, Apples

WEDNESDAY
Lunch: Leftovers
Supper: BBQ Meatballs, Sweet Potato Fries, Fruit

THURSDAY
Lunch: Muffin Tin Lunches
Supper: Turkey Burgers, Grilled Zucchini, Apples

FRIDAY
Lunch: Leftovers
Supper: Mexicali Meatloaf, Green Beans, Oranges

SATURDAY
Lunch: Chicken Quesadillas
Supper: Popcorn, Cheese, Apples

SUNDAY
Lunch: Out to Eat
Supper: Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes, Fruit

Hope you all are off to a lovely start this month! Remember to slow down and just enjoy the season!

Save the Silly Bands

First off, I would like to say that if I had known shaped rubber bands were going to be the hottest trend in 2010, I would have invented them myself. They remind me of the POG craze of the 90's... they have no purpose AND they cause a lot of clutter.

As I was tidying up today I was terribly annoyed to see that we have Silly Bands all over the place. I found 2 by the coffee pot, some on the living room floor, a generous handful of them hiding in the corner of the doll house and about 6 or 7 in our bedroom (for the record, Eric and I do not wear Silly Bands). They are just the right size to be overlooked as you clean and before you know it, Silly Band's begin to take over the house.

I understand that the Silly Band clutter is partially my fault because I have not given the Silly Bands a "home." Honestly, how does one store Silly Bands??? Please, share how you organize your Silly Bands because my children's are about to find storage in File 13.

I think I'm maturing... or getting old and sentimental.

I used to have this thing with Christmas trees. In order for a tree to be beautiful they had to have white lights, coordinating bulbs and the garland hung just right. Also... they had to be without a corny angel tree topper that flashed enough to send someone into a light induced seizure.

Things have changed. I now have a 4 year old and a 2 year old who love crafting gluey and glittered ornaments that they are oh-so-proud-of. I've inherited some ornaments from our childhood and a few from my grandparents personal collection. There are memories attached to each ornament and they seem to run deep. So, this year, our tree has all the garb on it that I used to love (and still do) and old memories strewn throughout... and it's beautifully perfect.

Here's my Baby's First Christmas Ornament from 1981. I did have a white little dog like that but lacked in the hair department until about 1983... I was one bald little critter for the longest time. Maybe someday I will show you my baby pictures... wouldn't that be fun?! Back to Christmas...

This was the Mr. and Mrs. Clause that hung on my grandparents tree for as long as I can remember. I loved taking them out of their wrapping this year. I couldn't help but think that maybe my grandpa was the last one to hold Mr. and Mrs. Clause as they were wrapped up for me.


You know that I'm loosening up when Raphael makes a Christmas appearance...

Doesn't get any better than a hero in a half shell on your tree. He's hanging low getting ready to guard my gifts from sneaky little fingers.... good thing Eric picked this one out as a little guy.... hey... maybe I'll show baby pics of him too! *insert evil laugh*

Wishing you the most wonderful Christmas season yet! May we truly embrace the deep love that God has for each of us in His precious Son, Jesus.