Valentine’s Day is coming, which means you likely need ideas for Valentine’s gifts for your partner. We don’t make a huge deal of Valentine’s Day at our house, but I always make sure to get my husband and kids a little something to make them smile.
So far in our relationship, I have always made one homemade Valentine’s gift for my husband, and then one store-bought gift. Each year, though, I struggle in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s trying to think of the perfect gift for him.
This post is based on my research for the perfect Valentine’s gift for him, and since I know some of you need a Valentine’s gift for her, I’ve included some of those ideas, too!
Valentine’s Day Gifts for Him
Whether you are looking for a Valentine’s gift for a dad, husband, brother or any other man, I’ve got you covered!
Click on the image for more information about these cute Valentine’s Decor items.
Valentine’s Gifts for Him and Her (+ some cute décor)
Valentine’s Day Gifts are sometimes tricky to decide on. Keeping it fun and simple is the way to go. Which gifts on this list would you consider giving or which ones would you like to receive? Leave a comment to let me know!
When my son brought the book ‘Hedgehugs’ home from school last year, I was so excited. I’d never heard of it before and it quickly became a favorite. While deciding on some Valentine’s Crafts, this book immediately came to mind.
It’s a cute story about a couple of hedgehogs that want to hug but can’t find a comfortable way to do so. By the end of the story, the hedgehogs find a way to hug by wiggling into the end of a torn sock. The sock covers their sharp parts so that they can share their love.
With National Hugging Day on the 21st and Valentine’s Day less than a month away, I figured it was the perfect time to have some fun with this one. If you want to buy this book for your home library, you can get it on Amazon by clicking HERE or by clicking on the photo below.
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
Valentine’s Crafts 1 – Paper Hug
This craft is SO easy and we had everything on hand to make it ahead of time. Even more exciting, our teenager participated in this one!
Draw or print a large oval onto white paper and have your kids paint it brown.
Draw or print a medium-sized oval, a medium sized heart, two small ovals for feet, and two long, skinny ovals for arms. At the end of each long, skinny oval, make it flat instead of rounded. (I know, this isn’t an oval anymore).
Mix brown and white paint to make a light brown or tan color. Then, paint the rest of the shapes with this color.
Then, cut out a couple of hearts onto pink or red paper.
Once all of that is done, assemble the hedgehog by beginning with the large brown oval. Using glue, add the medium-sized tan oval next, more toward the bottom of the large oval leaving about half an inch of space at the bottom.
Then add the tan heart so that the top half of the heart is on the brown oval and the bottom half is on the tan oval.
Next up are the feet, which should be put on the very bottom.
Finally, add one of the red or pink hearts right into the center of the tan oval and put the arms so that the flat side of the arms are on the edge of the oval and the rounded parts are overlapping the red or pink heart.
Add a second red or pink heart overtop of the first one and add the googly eyes to the tan heart.
For the final steps, add a pom-pom to the point of the tan heart to make a nose and add claws to the feet using a black marker.
That’s it!! You’re done and you’ve created a cute hedgehog hugging a heart.
Final Thoughts on Valentines Craft Based on the Book Hedgehugs
Valentine’s Day is such a fun holiday to celebrate with your kids. It’s a good time to teach kids fun ways to celebrate rather than spending money to celebrate.
Which craft are you going to do with your kids? Let me know in the comments!
While you’re at it, parents, go ahead and treat yourself this Valentine’s Day with some pampering and self care.
MLK Day is approaching and as I was planning a Martin Luther King Jr craft and activity, I decided to quiz my kids a little to see what they knew about him. My littles really had no idea and their answers were as follows:
5: I saw him at my school once. Me: Like, a picture of him? 5: No, the real him. Me: I don’t think that was him, kiddo, Martin Luther King Jr isn’t alive anymore.
4: Umm, I knew when I was a baby but I forgot now.
2: I see those M&M’s mom. Can I have an M&M, please?
With those kinds of answers, our 12 year old was on his own. He was the most knowledgeable, of course, and gave us the run down. In case your kids are still a little too young to already know, here is a run down you can summarize for them.
Who is Martin Luther King Jr?
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr had a dream of equality and worked hard to make that happen in America. As a husband and father of four, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wanted his children to live in a world where they wouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin.
To give his kids the life he dreamed for them, MLK lead the civil rights movement by leading peaceful protests, marches and bus boycotts. His most famous march was the March on Washington where he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in front of 250,000 people.
He went on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and, after he died, the Congressional Medal of Freedom. Since 1983, we celebrate MLK Day in honor of his birthday. While his birthday was the 15th of January, however, we observe MLK Day on the 3rd Monday in January.
Martin Luther King Jr Book
We started our MLK activities with a book called Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It focuses on the dream idea and kids in the book tell what their dreams are. I think it really helps kids understand that Martin Luther King’s Dream speech wasn’t about dreams when you’re sleeping because my littles struggled with that at first.
Our craft, like the book, went with the dream idea.
Materials:
Blue cardstock or construction paper
White paper
Glue sticks
Markers
Glitter
Directions
1. Cut the blue paper in half
2. Cut out a cloud from the white paper.
3. Write the dream on the cloud
I wrote Josie and Liam’s for them. Syas insisted on doing his own and who am I to say no, so a translation is on the back. He dreamed that everyone would be nice. Liam was just not participating well and only wanted the M&M’s that we were going to use on the experiment.
4. Glue the cloud to the blue paper, leaving space at the top to write.
5. Write “I have a dream…” at the top of the blue paper, above the cloud.
6. Add glitter.
Martin Luther King Jr Experiment
I’ve seen so many of these experiments that use one brown egg and one white egg, but since my little guy has an egg allergy I needed a different option. We decided to use some Christmas M&M’s we had leftover. You could use any color M&Ms, and I honestly would have preferred using a regular pack with more colors.
In the first box of the printable, the kids laid out their different coored M&Ms and drew what they saw. Then, they took one bite of each M&M and put them in the second box where they drew what they saw on the inside.
Once they were done, we talked about how, like M&Ms, we all look different on the outside but the same on the inside. The kids loved this and really seemed to get it!
Heres the free Martin Luther King Jr printable that I created! Feel free to print it for personal use or to share.
Final Thoughts On Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft and Activity
I feel like Martin Luther King Jr Day doesn’t get enough attention sometimes, so I want to ensure that my kids know and understand the sacrifices Martin Luther King Jr made and how much courage he had. MLK changed America for the better and left us with an amazing message to pass on to our kids.
What do you and your family do to observe Martin Luther King Jr Day? Tell me about it in the comments.
I love home décor and I love adding pieces to my collection whenever possible. While I like seasonal or holiday items, it’s also important to have beautiful pieces throughout my home during the rest of the year, too. These pieces can also be used WITH your seasonal pieces, making them year-round options.
This set of 3 vases is versatile and could really be used in any room of a home or office. It’s a nice addition to other décor items and adds height difference.
This light-up letter would be cute in any room, but I envision it in a bedroom for some reason. It could be hung on the wall or sat on a shelf, and it would be cute either way.
Succulents are super popular amongst home décor lovers and wall-hanging planters are even better. This set of 2 doesn’t actually come with the succulents, so if you aren’t a plant lover, you could put something else inside. If you do love succulents, you can grab some of those to put in this planter right over here —-> succulents link.
These cute succulent canvas prints are perfect for any room of the house and can match many different décor styles. It comes as a set of 3 and could be used separately or together.
Every décor lover needs decorative shelving to put their other décor on, right? This 3-tiered shelf is perfect because it’s versatile, can be used in any room, and has enough space to hold multiple items on each shelf.
I’ve been wanting this wooden window pane to put on my fireplace mantle for soooo long. I love the way they look and how much you can do with it, and it can be worked into any seasonal display you may have, too. My birthday is coming up so I’m hoping to get something like it. (Hint, hint, Christopher).
How fun are these décor boxes for the bathroom?! I’ve been wanting one that says ‘nice butt’ for a while and when I found this double sided one I fell in love. I love changing up my décor every once in a while and what better way than by just turning something around?
Letters and words are so much fun, and they add a nice change to your other décor. These wooden ‘HOME’ letters can be hung on the wall or put on a shelf, and there are different color options available, too.
Throw blankets are always a safe gift for a home décor lover. I love the color of this one and how it could go with so many different color schemes, and the pom-poms are the cute little embellishment this blanket needed to be perfect.
10. Artificial Eucalyptus Wreath
Not everyone knows this, but you can do SO much with a wreath. From hanging it alone on a door or window to adding it to a empty decorative window frame (remember #6 on this list?!), this realistic looking wreath would be perfect for a home décor lover to add to their collection.
I have this exact basket, and I literally want 6 more of them. It’s heavy duty, super cute, and can hold anything from toys to throw blankets. There are different sizes and shapes available, too.
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
Final Thoughts on The Best Amazon Finds For the Home Décor Lover
I love home décor and I’m always asking for it for holidays. The only problem with that is that my husband and kids never know what to actually buy me! If you find yourself in that same situation, this guide should give you some options or at least point you in the right direction.
Do you like home décor? If so, what style do you like best and what are your favorite pieces? Tell me about it in the comments!
I’ve always loved trivia so when I found out that January 4th is National Trivia Day, I knew I had to celebrate in some way. I decided to create a kids trivia printable, and then I became inspired to create one for adults, too! So — here are two free trivia printables.
Free Trivia Printables
Trivia for Kids
This printable is perfect for siblings or for parents to quiz their kids. You can even play parents vs. kids and read the kid questions to the kids and the adult questions (see below) to the adults.
The Answers:
1. How many points are scored during a touchdown in football? Answer – 6
2. Which famous painter cut off a part of his ear? Answer – Van Gogh
3. Which character’s nose grew bigger each time he lied? Answer – Pinocchio
4. What is the world’s largest mammal? Answer – Blue whale
5. What is a baby goat called? Answer – Kid
6. Where can you find the Eiffel Tower? Answer – Paris
7. What is the money called that is used in Germany? Answer – Euros
8. Who sings the song ‘Shake it Off’? Answer – Taylor Swift
9. Who was left alone in the movie ‘Home Alone’? Answer – Kevin
10. Who was the first president of the United States? Answer – George Washington
Trivia for Adults
For a night with friends or an easy date night with your partner, trivia is a fun way to spend your time together. This trivia printable has questions for everyone, so feel free to split up into teams and determine a winner at the end!
The Answers:
1. In which year was the first iPhone released? Answer – 2007
2. What is the shortcut for the “paste” function on a computer? Answer – Ctrl + V
3. In what year was Tupac killed? Answer – 1996
4. When did the Great Depression occur? Answer – 1930’s
5. What is the diameter of the earth? Answer – 8,000 miles
6. Where is the largest desert located? Answer – Antarctica
7. Which author first became a billionaire by writing books? Answer – J.K. Rowling
8. In which state did Roseanne and the rest of the Connor family live? Answer – Illinois
9. What is the Richter scale used for? Answer – Measuring earthquakes
10. On the TV show Family Ties, who did Michael Fox play? Answer – Alex P Keaton
My Favorite Trivia Games
Trivia is a common game night theme in our house, and we have two trivia games that we play over and over again.
I honestly couldn’t choose between the two, it really depends on who I’m playing with.
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
Final Thoughts: Free Trivia Printables
Trivia is such a fun game, and it’s a great way to bond with your kids, your spouse, or your friends. Do you like to play? Is there a certain trivia game you prefer? Tell me about it in the comments.
Gone are the days of going out for New Year’s Eve or having a house party with a group of friends. Now, our New Year’s Eve festivities involve our kids and while it is a big change from the past, I wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, celebrating New Year’s Eve with kids is the best way to bring in the New Year.
I love coming up with new ideas to make the night exciting, and it’s also fun to continue with old traditions. A mix of both together make for the perfect New Year’s Eve with kids.
How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve With Kids
1. Don’t overwhelm them early in the night.
If you throw every activity or event at them right in the beginning of your evening, they’ll quickly become burnt out. Instead, try to spread out all of the fun and introduce new activities one at a time as the night goes on.
2. If you want them to make it until midnight, plan a fun activity for each hour.
This goes along with not overwhelming them, and it gives them something to look forward to each hour. Simply decide what time you want the fun to start, and create an activity for each hour.
In the past, we have used bags and written a time on them (5:00, 6:00, …. midnight) and put an activity inside of each bag. If the activity wouldn’t fit in the bag, we would just write the activity on a slip of paper and put it inside of the bag.
Each hour, on the hour, the kids get to open one and we spend the next hour doing that activity. If it doesn’t last the full hour, we just find somethin else to do until it’s time to open the next bag.
3. Offer simple, child-friendly food, snacks and drinks.
While it is fine (and encouraged!) to have adult treats to indulge in, it is even more important to have child-friendly foods for New Year’s Eve. Pigs in a blanket, milkshakes, s’mores dippers, homemade pizza, punch or sparkling soda, and whatever other treats your kids will be excited for are all great ideas!
4. If you are having champagne or wine at midnight, offer sparkling soda or punch to kids.
The kids will want to celebrate, too! If they see you toasting the New Year’s with your husband or friends, they’ll want in on it. A few years ago my sister just put orange juice in a plastic champagne flute and the kids were so excited!
5. Do a countdown.
Even if you send your kids to bed early on New Year’s Eve, you can still have a countdown with them! There are YouTube videos that do an early countdown to “midnight” as well as a Netflix show that does it.
If you keep them up until the real event, turn on the Times Square countdown or another countdown that you can find, or just have your own countdown complete with shouting, screaming, and celebrating.
6. Watch fireworks.
If there isn’t a fireworks event that you can see from your home, you could always go to an event in your city that has them, or you could buy a few small fireworks to set off yourself. Sparklers are an easy firework option, too!
If none of those options will work for you, you can find a firework show on the internet that you can watch with them.
7. Have a photoshoot.
Use a tablecloth or some wrapping paper as a backdrop, add streamers and balloons, and a New Year’s banner. If you’re feeling extra celebratory, you can get photo props to go along with it.
8. Get dressed up.
Use this night as an opportunity to get our your fanciest clothes and dress up. Just think, it’s going to be the 20’s, after all, so make sure you look your best.
9. Have a dance party.
Create a playlist of your family’s favorite songs and have a dance party in your living room. You could even have a dance contest and give out prizes such as candy or party favors.
10. Set New Year’s resolutions.
Talk to your kids about setting goals and resolutions and what it means to do so. Then, have everyone in the family set one or two resolutions for themselves. Help them to make sure that the goals they are setting are realistic. You could even set a resolution for the entire family to accomplish together.
11. Build a fort.
Kids always love to build a fort, so why not make it part of your New Year’s Eve with kids celebration? You could eat snacks, watch movies, play games, or even watch the countdown inside of the fort.
12. Play board games.
Pull out a favorite board game or two, or grab one that they got for Christmas and haven’t gotten to play yet. Spend some time playing games, bonding, and laughing during your New Year’s Eve with kids celebration.
13. Do a New Year’s craft.
There are SO many options for this New Year’s activity! One of my favorites is New Year’s firework craft with card board tubes. Another idea is to have them put 4 handprints on a piece of paper (with paint), then when the handprints dry paint or write a 2 on one hand, a 0 on the next, a 2 on the third, and a 0 on the fourth hand.
14. Prepare in advance a ‘Year in Review’ photo slideshow to watch on NYE.
Spend some time in the days before New Year’s Eve going through photos from the past year. Choose your favorites and put them together in a slideshow to watch with your kids on New Year’s Eve.
15. Play dodgeball with marshmallows.
How often do you let your kids throw food in the house? Never? Me either. But, this is New Year’s Eve and we have to make it fun for them! You can make your own rules or use traditional dodge ball rules.
16. Choose a New Year’s printable to fill out.
A quick Pinterest search will bring up tons of New Year’s printables. There are some that review the year, allowing your kids to list out all of their favorites from the year past, and there are also printables that allow your kids to start looking ahead at the New Year and deciding what they want their 2020 to look like.
Final Thoughts on How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve With Kids
New Year’s Eve with kids can be just as fun (if not more fun) than the crazy New Year’s Eve of times past. With a simple mix of activities, crafts, and yummy treats, you’ll give your kids a New Year’s Eve they’ll always remember.
What are your New Year’s Eve plans? Tell me about them in the comments!
With the new year quickly approaching, we are likely all thinking of our New Year’s resolutions and coming up with ideas of how to be happier, healthier, or more successful in 2020. I know I am! Before coming up with resolutions for 2020, however, I wanted to revisit the goals I’d set for myself to accomplish in 2019.
Some of the goals I set, I know I met without a problem while others didn’t go as planned, unfortunately. I want to revisit those that I didn’t accomplish and think about WHY I wasn’t successful and to try and think of a new plan for that goal. There’s no reason to set totally new goals if you didn’t quite meet some of your 2019 goals!
A Year in Review – My 2019 New Year’s Resolutions
To see the full blog post, click HERE. This is just a quick run-down of the goals I had set for myself to achieve in 2019.
Follow a chore chart We actually did follow this, but I think it was a bit more complicated than it could be. I also planned on writing a blog post and including a free printable, but I never got around to that part simply because I didn’t take the time to simplify it.
Start seeing a larger increase in our savings. I did accomplish this, but I think we can do better in 2020.
Hire someone for the yard work. Didn’t do this… yard still needs work. LOL. Any lawn care companies reading this, I’ll give you free ad space on the blog in exchange for mowing, weeding, and leaf removal. JK kind of.
FREAKING LAUNDRY. Nope. Definite fail.
Dates with kids weekly. We did really well with this in the beginning of the year, but then life got overwhelmingly busy when spring sports season hit and we kind of fell off.
Crunch numbers for vacations. I actually did this!! Worked out perfectly.
New blog post once a week. So, I may have missed a couple of weeks. But I think overall I did okay.
Make $150 on TextBroker weekly. I’m not even sure why I thought this would be possible, honestly. If I was a stay at home mom it would be possible but with a job outside of the home, definitely not. It is an awesome side hustle, though, and it made up a large portion of our “fun money” this year.
Lose 40 pounds. Pretty sure I actually gained weight this year.
Buy “clutter baskets”. Seriously, all year long I talked about buying these but I was never sure where to put them so I didn’t. I still want to though.
What I Will Do Differently to Achieve the Goals I Missed
My plan is to put those unachieved goals back on my list for the New Year, while also adding a few more New Year’s Resolutions. I still want to have 10 ideas for how to improve my day-to-day life, but I also plan on coming up with a specific success plan for each goal this time around.
2020 New Year’s Resolutions
1. Simplify the chore chart.
I found that key things weren’t getting done as often as they should, and I had each little piece of a room written separately on the chore chart. For example; Wiping the kitchen counters and stove is worth $2, doing the dishes is worth $2, and sweeping the floor is $1.
When the kids were asked to choose one chore, they would always choose the easiest (obviously), and the entire rooms weren’t getting done. This still left me with an overwhelming amount of house work. I want to simplify it and make cleaning the entire kitchen one chore for more money.
Doing it this way would give more time for some of the other things on last year’s list like laundry and yard work.
2. Put $20 in the savings account weekly, and then an additional $100 at the end of the month.
3. Weekly dates with kids.
This is one thing I ALWAYS want to make sure we are doing. With 5 kids in the house, it’s so hard to find one-on-one opportunities, so scheduling them is the best way for us.
4. Lose 50 pounds.
I really just need to be more active and choose healthier snacks. Easier said than done, wish me luck.
5. Buy clutter baskets.
Seriously, I just need somewhere to put everyone’s crap when they leave it around the house so that I don’t have to take care of everything for everyone.
6. Write in a journal regularly.
I used to do this and it was always so therapeutic. I just find excuses for reasons that I don’t have time to write in a journal now, and I honestly think it could help with some of my anxiety.
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
7. Pay off 25% of our total debt.
This is something my husband and I have been talking about. I don’t have a total number or plan yet, but I’ll be figuring that our in the next week or so.
8. Go on regular dates with my husband.
Like most parents, my husband and I don’t spend nearly enough alone time together. It seems like we hardly get to talk when there is so much going on every day. We want to start having date nights together at least every two weeks.
9. Use social media less.
I find myself scrolling aimlessly through my Facebook timeline, not even interacting with people. Sometimes, I wonder how much time I waste this way and while I have no idea the exact amount of time, I do want to lessen the time spent. One way I plan to do this is by not getting on it in the mornings.
10. Practice self care daily.
I want to start doing at least five small self care tasks each day or one big one. I just want to be happy this year and minimize the depression and anxiety that seemed to consume me this year.
Final Thoughts on New Year’s Resolutions – Goals for 2020
You can’t just give up on your failed New Year’s Resoltions. Instead, figure out WHY you weren’t successful and figure out a new plan to achieve them in 2020. The key to personal growth is learning from your mistakes and trying again, so make sure your New Year’s Resolutions for 2020 reflects that!
What are your New Year’s Resolutions and were there any from last year that you didn’t achieve? Tell me in the comments!
Sensory bottle (also known as discovery bottles, calm down bottles, quiet time bottles, and many other names) are a must-have in our house. We make one for almost every holiday, and we pack them away with that holidays ornaments so that we’re sure to have them when the holiday rolls around the following year. Somehow, we have never made a Christmas sensory bottle, however.
I believe that we have at some point… but it must not have been worthy of saving or even taking pictures of. This year, though, our easy Christmas discovery bottle is perfect. So perfect, in fact, that I HAVE to share it with you!
Materials Needed for a Christmas Sensory Bottle
An empty, clear bottle
Lukewarm water
2 Containers of glitter glue, any color (I used silver and gold that I bought HERE)
Christmas glitter (I found mine in the dollar spot at Target or you can buy some HERE)
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
Directions to Make a Cute Christmas Sensory Bottle
Peel any paper from the bottle
Fill the bottle just over 1/2 way up with lukewarm water
Add the 2 bottles of glitter glue, put the lid on, and shake it up.
Open the bottle and add the glitter. Add as much of it as you want!
Fill the bottle the rest of the way up, leaving enough space for the water to still move.
Put hot glue around the ridges where the lid goes in order to keep it closed so your kiddos don’t accidentally open it.
Final Thoughts On Easy Christmas Sensory Bottle
Christmas activities don’t have to cost a ton of money, and if you’re doing Christmas on a budget or just want an easy Christmas activity for kids, a Christmas sensory bottle is the perfect way to go.
What are your favorite holiday activities to do with your kids? Tell me about them in the comments!
When you’re planning a wedding, there are rules. You need something borrowed, something blue, something old, and something new. Well, there is a similar set of fun guidelines for how to save on Christmas when shopping for kids. As a perk, sticking to them will save you loads of cash.
**Emily Graham is the creator of MightyMoms.net which offers a wide range of info tailored for busy moms — from how to reduce stress to creative ways to spend time together as a family. She believes being a mom is one of the hardest jobs around and wanted to create a support system for moms from all walks of life.**
What Is
It, Already?
The secret to a successful if scrimping
holiday season is to buy kids four things: Something they want, something they need,
something to wear, and something to read.
Something
They Want
This should be a fairly easy one. Kids typically
have no reservations when telling adults what, exactly, they want. For 2019,
the hottest gifts of the season run the
gamut from $10 Hatchimals
for the littlest present-pickers to the $300 Nintendo Switch for the tweens and
tweens. Ask about their preferences, and see if you can narrow it down to
something that easily fits within your budget. If everything hits slightly
above your spending allowance, don’t give up hope or blow your budget. Spend
some time looking at toy deals on sites that collect and
sort information on the best prices. Rakuten is one example, and even
categorizes toys by character and brand.
Something
They Need
What your children need is pretty open-ended.
This could mean anything from the dreaded socks and underwear to something more
profound, such as time with loved ones. Depending on where you live, you might
be able to provide them with experiences that will stick with them for a lifetime.
Visit a free zoo, for example, or, if you
live in a warmer climate, plan a fishing trip for Christmas morning.
You might also consider gifting them with educational tools, particularly if
your child struggles with things like organization. Reader’s Digest lists several affordable items, including
colored pens and whimsical notebooks that make great stocking stuffers
Something
to Wear
Every child has to have a wardrobe, and Christmas is the perfect time to add something they can snuggle up in this winter. A set of new pajamas makes a great Christmas Eve present that won’t tie up your entire shopping budget. Stores like Carter’s and Old Navy tend to run great deals on sleepwear throughout the holiday season. You can stretch the meaning of this a bit by including things like backpacks, headbands, jewelry, and even nail polish.
Something
to Read
Giving your children the gift of the written
word is perhaps the most meaningful gift you can bestow. Reading has a
virtually unlimited bounty of benefits for kids of all ages, infants included.
If your independent reader is already absorbed in a series (think Percy Jackson
or Harry Potter), add to their collection or look for supplemental guides that
will add extra depth to their stories. For younger kids, you can’t go wrong
with Little Golden Book titles like
Mister Dog, Tootles, and The Pokey Little Puppy, all of which tend to cost $5
or less.
I Don’t
Like Rules!
If you would rather stick with a larger gift or a more traditional pile of presents, there are still ways to save on Christmas without draining your savings. Start by shopping at stores that offer rewards cards. GameStop, Kohl’s, and most other major retailers have loyalty programs that can help you get some cash back or other perks. GameStop’s PowerUp Rewards might be a good choice if game systems are on their wish list; Kohl’s has its YesToYou program, which gives you money back to spend at the store on the first day of the month after your purchase.
The point here is that you don’t have to
compromise your financial future to play St. Nick. If you don’t have the money
to overdo it, then don’t. Not only do you put yourself under undue stress, but
you’re also teaching the kids that the holidays revolve around the cash
register.
**I just want to take a minute to say thank you to Emily for writing this awesome post and sharing it with my readers!! This is not the first guest post Emily has written for Mom Wife Wine, and I hope it isn’t the last! If you’re interested in reading the other post then click HERE to read about the The Relationship Challenges New Parents Face After the Baby Arrives.
Before you go, leave a comment and let us know your favorite way to save on Christmas! **
There is nothing more special than a homemade Christmas tree ornament, especially when the ornaments are made by kids. A few years ago, my dad said that he wanted Christmas tree ornaments made by all of his grandkids, so these are the ones the kids made for him! The DIY snowman handprint ornament was a hit because not only did Papa love his handmade gifts, the kids also loved making them!
For the jar lids, I used lids of spaghetti and Alfredo sauce jars and painted them red with acrylic paint. I had to do several coats of red paint to cover up the words on the lids completely because I didn’t want to see anything through the paint.
Once the lids were completely covered and dried, I used white paint on the kids’ hands to make the snowmen. I painted their fingers (3 fingers for Sylas and Peyton, 4 fingers for Josie and Liam) to create the snowmen. I also painted the top of their palm to make a snowy hill underneath the snowmen.
Peyton’s hands were too big for this (he was 10-years-old), so I had him do the top half of his fingers and use a paintbrush to create the snowy hill. Once the white paint dried completely, I added the scarves with green paint, hats, eyes, buttons, and mouths with a black sharpie and the noses with orange paint. Peyton did his own, but I did this part for the babies.
Once everything is dried and ready to go, you will spray one coat of clear spray paint over the front and back of the ornament. This ensures that the paint doesn’t flake off.
Finally, you will use a hot glue gun to glue the string or ribbon in a loop at the top of the ornament. Make sure you put the glue on the back so that it is hidden from sight.
Final Thoughts On DIY Snowman Handprint Ornaments
I love the finished product SO MUCH that I wanted to keep them for myself. My dad loved them, and the kids really enjoyed making them and giving them as a gift.
I’d love to see the Christmas crafts you’ve done or are planning to do with your kiddos this season!! Please share them in the comments. 🙂
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