Beat the winter BLAHS

I think every stay-at-home mom dreads the upcoming winter like the plague. Between bad weather, germs, and bundling everyone, going out is not easy, but staying home can drive a mother INSANE.

So what's a mother to do?

Make a plan and buck up.

Here are somethings that we are doing to help beat the winter:

1. Activities classes: We are continuing to be part of the activities class that the kids currently attend. The class is for 1- to 3-year-olds, so it works for us. Plus, it is only 2 blocks away. I really can't beat location and price, so till the kids out grow it, we are going once a week. We also signed the kids up for swim lessons at our local high school on Saturdays. I would not be able to take them by myself, and the kids will love doing this as a family. (Yes, I will be very pregnant and in a swim suit. Anything for the kids, right?)
2. Craft/Play date swap: I mentioned this before, but a friend and I are each hosting a craft and play  date and lunch for the kids once a month. That is then at least twice a month the kids are doing a little more than the normal play date. Adding the craft to it, really spices up the norm. 
3. Daily routine: I can not stress enough how important having a daily routine is for our family. We play in different rooms and different toys in different ways all through out the day. If we are stuck at home, I feel like this completely helps the day pass by smoothly. When we are stuck in one room, doing the same thing, the day drags, the kids whine, and I want to scream. The more routine we are the better everyone is and the MORE I get done too.



Maisie and Calan playing together at the library. We don't
 let our kids play with our computer at home yet, so the
library computer is a special treat for them. 

4. Turn on the music: I have recently realized that when we play kid-friendly music throughout the day the kids play so much nicer and Calan is not sitting there asking (whining) to turn the TV on every 2 seconds. If the music is on, he knows that it is play time. Plus, Maisie LOVES music. She could sit and listen to music all the time. Everyone is just more pleasant with "Wheels On the Bus" playing in the background. 



The kids playing at Detroit Kid City, a wonderful play area
close to us.It offers so many different things for the kids
to do and role play with. 

5. The good ole library: Seriously, who doesn't love the library with young kids. There is nothing like it in their lives. Free, fun, education, etc. the list goes on. Not only going to libraries in your area, but visit other libraries for their story times. It keeps it all interesting and fun for the kids. 
6. Special day/morning trips: There are so many play areas in our area for young kids, but they all, of course, cost money. So, for us, they are not any every week kind of thing, but we can enjoy them here and there when we need to do something more. 

So, that's the plan. The fact is my house is only 1,230 square feet and some how in the winter that feels like 600. We will try to get out regularly, pray that sickness stays at bay, and enjoy as much time as we can as a family. 

What's on your winter agenda?

Turkey Feeders

My finished turkey feeder that I used to show the boys what to do.
I found almost all my supplies at our local Dollar Tree. I got the bird seed
at our local grocery store.

In order to keep busy this winter and to keep from spending too much money on class after class, my friend and I have decided to host a craft play date for our boys twice a month alternating at each other's homes.

My friend hosted the first one at the beginning of the month where the boys put together pumpkins and decorated with stickers. We played and ate lunch together heading home just in time for naps.

Yesterday was my day and we made very simple turkey bird feeders. I just kind of took a few ideas from different blogs and came up with something that was easy and not a huge mess. Our boys are almost 2 1/2 years old. I pre-cut everything the night before so the boys just had to stick it all together.

Here is what I did:

Supplies

• Plastic container
• Different color foam sheets
• Brown contact paper
• Googly eyes
• Double stick tape and/or glue
• Scissors
• Corn syrup
• Wild bird seed

Directions

Here are the finished feeders that the boys made.

• Take the different colored foam sheets and cutout feather shapes, beak, wattle, and feet
• Take plastic container and place two strips of double sided tape or add glue along one side of the container and stick feathers to container.
• Take the brown contact paper and cutout a circle for the turkey's face. Stick to front of container. 
• Add googly eyes, beak, and the turkey's wattle (the red thing).
• Stick feet to the bottom of the container. 
• In a mixing bowl combine some bird seed and corn syrup to make the bird seed stick together. I did this so in case a squirrel tips it over, which I am sure will happen, I won't have a huge bird seed mess to clean up. 
• Place bird seed in plastic container. 

We found a nice spot for the bird feeder on our deck that Calan can watch from our family room. I'm pretty sure the squirrels will destroy the feeder, but it will be interesting to see if any birds stop by this late in the season. 

We did not get reading done, but here are a couple books that Calan
has enjoyed reading about Thanksgiving:
1. "Thanks for Thanksgiving" by Julie Markes
2. "Five Silly Turkeys" by Salina Yoon
3. "This is Thanksgiving" by Harriet Ziefert

Spring Chickens

Hand print paper plate chicken

I hosted a "Spring Chicken" play date today. I made bird nest cookies and deviled eggs and set up this cute paper plate chicken craft. The craft was a little more than what Calan is into doing, but it is good for older toddlers with a little preparation. 

Supplies

Construction paper (yellow and orange)

Yellow paper plates

Feathers (and any other fun decorations)

Googley

Glue

Fasteners

Scissors 

Hole-punch

Directions

1. Cutout two legs and a beak from the orange construction paper. (I did this in advance, so the kids just had to glue them on the plate)
2. Trace child's hand on yellow construction paper and cutout 2 hands for wings. 
3. Hole punch paper plate and hands and fasten with a fastener. (I did this so the wings were movable)
4. Glue on eyes, beak, and legs to plate. 
5. Decorate chicken. (I had feathers, stickers, crayons, pipe cleaners, and sparkle-glue sticks set out for them.)

Bird nest cookies: Melted butterscotch morsels, chow mein noodles, and jelly beans