Mommy and Me Tea Party

So I haven’t posted in a LONG time so I thought it was about time to get back on the band wagon and get posting our happenings again. For mother’s day I had a mother and daughter “Tea” Party. It was super fun! All of the moms and daughters loved it.

First off I set the table with (some of) my tea pot collection, lace doilies sugar bowls with sugar cubes and of course tea cups and plates. I’ve collected dishes from thrift stores, my great grandma and borrowed some from my mother’s china collection. I also used the chair covers we made for my wedding, the fancier the better right?

For the food I made tea sandwiches. Cucumber Dill, Ham and Cheese, Bacon and Tomato, and can’t forget good old PB&J. I also served carrots with ranch dip, and fruit (strawberries, grapes, and watermelon cut bite size). For dessert I had assorted cookies (yes bought from the store) and the little cream puffs and Éclairs found in the freezer section. To drink, why pink lemonade of course, and water!

 When all the guests arrived we all dressed up! Seriously the most fun of the party. I had a variety of dresses, scarfs, jewelry, and of course hats! You can’t have a tea party without hats!

Again most of these items I found for cheap at thrift stores or family closets. Even the dollar store was great! That’s where I purchased all of the hats (around Easter time). Who doesn’t love to dress up? I even pulled out some make up (from the dollar store).

Once we were all dressed up we ate lunch, then all the girls played while the adults we able to chat for a while, when the guest left they got a tea set (purchased at the dollar store) so they could remember and have more tea parties together! Everyone had a blast and I couldn’t have been happier with the outcome! I will for sure be hosting another!

 Boo with Grandma

 Mommy, Boo, Buggy, and Bean

Dress Up Aprons...Part 1

Bean and Buggy LOVE to dress up, I love to encourage their imaginations and play but at the same time putting dress up after dress up on and off drives me crazy! I saw ideas for dress up aprons on pinterest, there are a lot out there! So I do what I do best, show daddy my idea, tell him I want them for the girls, and I put him to work! That's right Daddy does the sewing in this house! I'm all for making blankets and quilts but daddy does everything else! We came up with a list of all the Disney princesses and then added other people the girls know, we came up with 25+ ideas. We are hoping to have them all done for the girls for Christmas.

I thought I would post the first few that we have done so far and will post the others as they get done. Keep in mind these are Daddy's original ideas of what each princess/character's apron should look like. He did use a basic apron pattern for the general shape and size but has created each unique one himself...I know he is talented, much more than me in this aspect, hence he does the sewing projects! Enjoy!

 Snow White

Princess Sofia (Sofia the First)

 Merida

 Minnie Mouse

 Belle

 Strawberry Shortcake

 Aurora

 These are the ones we have done so far, stay tuned for more fun dress up aprons to come, some include: Doc McStuffins, Sally (from nightmare before Christmas), Tinkerbell, Silvermist, Jasmin, Ariel... and many more!

Christmas Countdown

I know this is a last minute post but hopefully you can use some ideas for your own fun!

This year I decided to do a count down calendar for my girls where we will do some sort of Christmas activity everyday rather than getting treats or toys! So here is my idea!

First I did the containers, it took me a while to come up with how I wanted to do them. I finally decided to use Crystal Light containers. We go through a lot of Crystal Light at my house so I started saving the containers. Next I went through all my scrapbook paper for Christmas print and also red and greens. You could also use wrapping paper to cover the containers. I glued the paper down with Mod Podge. Cut out circles with my Cricut and printed the numbers on my computer. I used fancy edge scissors to cut out the number circles. I used mini glue dots to stick them all together and onto the containers.
Next I came up with a list of activities to do. Typed up a list. I printed them on red and green cardstock paper. cut up the strips and put them into the right numbers. Make sure to print a list for yourself so you know what days are what so you can be prepared with the materials you will need. Here is the list that I came up with.

1: Put up window clings (I bought a couple sheets at the dollar store)
2: Write letter to Santa
3: Make snowflake craft(Use coffee filters, fold in a triangle, paint with water colors. Let dry then cut out little designs, unfold and hang up)

4: Make Christmas cards and take them to the post office
5: Make Christmas wreath craft (trace kids hands on green cardstock or construction paper cut out and glue together in a circle. Use finger tips in red paint to make berries. Hang up)

6: Christmas shape Pancake dinner 
7: Christmas tree craft (http://goo.gl/4tMeXK)

8: Read Christmas stories
9: Play Christmas Don’t Eat Pete (Print and Laminate)

Instructions: place a small treat (m&ms, skittles, smarties, cheerios...) on each square. Send someone out of the room and decide who "pete" will be. have them come back into the room, they choose one treat at a time and get to eat it. When they choose the designated "pete" everyone else yells "Don't Eat Pete" that person puts back that treat and their turn is over.

10: Go look at Christmas lights
11. Decorate a gingerbread house
12: Make snowman craft
13: Grow a candy cane (instructions and printables here http://goo.gl/JshgQx)

14: Color wrapping paper/wrap presents (we bought white wrapping paper to have the girls color on)
15: Color a Christmas picture and hang it up on the wall
(a great website:  http://goo.gl/zL217B)

16: Decorate Daddy like a tree (Daddy holds his hands out, wrap him up in green crepe paper and tape shapes cut out of paper onto him)
17: Make Christmas ornaments (I bought a kit for foam ornaments)
18: Have a Christmas dance (dress up the girls in their Christmas dresses and let them dance to Christmas music)

19: Make Santa face craft (make a face on a paper plate, glue on cotton balls for his beard)
20: Christmas action card game (original idea came from here but we made our own http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com)
 (Print and Laminate)

 21: Tell the Christmas story with nativity set
22: Make cookies
23: Go caroling and deliver goodies to older neighbors
24: Open a present early

Next step is to have the kids open one a day and see what fun lies ahead. I hope you enjoy these ideas and have as much fun with them as we will!