Glitter + Ornaments = Sparkly FUN!

We tried making our own glitter ornaments with success and a few failures, regardless it was a fun activity we could all participate in.  Here is what you need:

Floor Wax, Glitter, Glass Ornaments and a funnel is helpful.

We first put in the pledge floor wax, swirled it around until the entire interior is coated. Dump the extra wax back in the pledge container. We then pour the glitter in and shake until the ornament is nicely coated. Let dry.

Learn from our mistakes:
Plastic ornaments don't work after they dry the glitter starts to fall off.
Watch our for ornaments that do not have the traditional size opening.
The floor wax dries quickly.  If it does, we just added more wax, swirled and started over.

My favorite are the classic Christmas colors, but mixing them up was fun too. Monograms, bows...lots of ways to personalize your ornaments.  Its beginning to feel like Christmas! 

Introducing George Our Elf

George our elf came to visit last night. He arrives the first night our Christmas tree is lit with the first gifts of Christmas, elf size gifts of course.  This year I snapped a picture of him to share with the kids. Even though Brendan is to old to believe in George the elf, his response was from that 6 yr old who received George's first gift of Christmas...  "Thats what he looks like!" 

George has been visiting us for the last 10 yrs when he had to arrive early to bring Brendan a parakeet who would not have made the long ride and all the stops with Santa.  He doesn't hang around like this new elf on the block who likes to sit on a shelf. He leaves his gifts as he has much to do to prepare for Santa's big night. Though his visits are brief, the kids LOVE him, sadly I think my kids can be bought.  Glitter our Penquin is Santa's reporter, Glitter play jokes, and likes to spy on the kids but they always find her. I love Glitter she is the best pet we've had!

Tonight she hid from me, as I searched high and low, in cabinets, boxes and through
the garage looking for our little friend. I breathed a big sigh of relief when I finally found her.
 She was hiding in one of those places the kids will never find, but add a year to it and Mom can't find her either!!  Gotta love those mom moments! 

Love Our Christmas Tree



Thanksgiving was yummy and fell so nicely into place another thing I was thankful for. After the turkey is goobled it is time to decorate our Christmas tree.  I enjoyed the jellybeans ravaging the boxes and squeeling with delight if they discovered an ornament they made yrs ago, or had a picture of them on it. I  remember long ago, when I was planning on decorating my first christmas tree. That would have most likely been a peachy southwest with howling coyotes or maybe sunflowers. My mom gave me wonderful advice "Don't make it a theme tree when you have children their homemade gifts won't fit the theme."  I love the eclectic  tree we have,  many memories tied to a majority of our ornaments. It is almost a gift in itself each year as we open the boxes and remember all we have been blessed with.   Mom's really do know what they are talking about! Thanks Mom!! 

2 Ingredient Muffins

Seriously two ingredients mix together, cook for 19 minutes at 350 degrees. I think next time I'll add chocolate chips!  How easy is that! 

Preparing for Winter

On occassion it actually does freeze here in desert. I hate going outside in the cold to cover all the pipes.
Taking my Dad's advice I wrapped the pipes. I used the foam from the old trampoline. Cut it to size, then up the middle and ducktapped it secure.  Cost: 0.00  Love it when we can use what we have.

Ribbon Bookmarks

A friend sent me this cute idea she found on Pininterest, simply adorable. Thanks Barb! We love to read and now have a great way to mark our spot!

Currently our family reading is in the spirit of Halloween Goosebumps The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb.  Mondays we add a short lesson on A Smart Girls Guide to Manners for our weekly manner lesson.  I found a note and a book on my bedside table. The Hunger Games, left by my daughter Teagan who said I should read this book for myself. Love it!   We have been enjoying our Halloween picture books, with the little ones too.  Today we are off to the library to check out new books!

Spooky Dinner

It doesn't feel like fall, didn't look like fall either as I enjoyed watching the kids play on the trampoline and play pool in their bathing suits all afternoon. 

One of our favorite traditions is our spooky dinner party.  Last night the kids insisted we do spooky dinner. I hadn't really planned it completely out..but the impromptu dinner turned out fun. We used some of our crafts we did over fall break as decorations:

Our Spider chandelier

Pinata ghost the girls made

Center piece..the kids loved the dry ice

Dinner Spider burgers

Thier favorite cookies with some friends

After dinner we did the pinata and played some games. My camera died but here they are:
1.  Glow in the dark bug hunt    2.  Wind up halloween toy races
We ended the night with a Goosebumps movie.   Happy Hauntings!