Half Off Christmas Art Projects for Children

I found a great website (Plumb District) that is offering 50% off a 3-Month Subscription to The Happy Trunk (monthly art projects for kids).

Each carefully curated box is filled with art supplies, crafts, and scientific activities for hands-on projects good for kids ages 3 to 7. With this offer, every month for three months a new box of goodies will appear full stocked and ready to be ripped open by your tot-sized explorers. They'll build beautiful fall and holiday themed decorations, make sand into glass, and color and craft 'til their hearts are content!

I also found an extra 20% off promotion code (valid today only). spooky20

That means, you get a 3 month subscription for $23.20.

I got mine. Now it's time to cross off a child on your gift list this year, half off + some.

Greeley 4th of July

We headed up to Greeley for their 4th of July parade and the Greeley Stampede.

The parade was pretty much like every other parade that we've seen- cars, clowns, floats, horses, marching bands and color guards.


When we had our fill of that, we headed over to Island Grove Park to see what was going on at the Greeley Stampede. We arrived before the gates opened so we were able to enter for free.

We got Sam a temporary tattoo of Mickey Mouse for $3. He proudly showed it all day, but forced us to remove it during his bath that evening. It would have stayed on for a few days, but his mind was set and he wanted it GONE.

We were able to get him to put on a cowboy hat for a photo, but that's the furthest that it went. He didn't want to wear it long, so we didn't buy him one.

We talked to some carnies who told us about some changes that were made to the dart game (because of some accidents where children were injured) and tried to get us to try their games, unsuccessfully.

Then we went over to the area where tractors were displayed. Sam loved being in the driver's seat.

After all this excitement in the sun, he crashed 5 minutes after we got him into his carseat.

Mother's Day

Since my ILs live close by, we all went to brunch at The Olde Neighborhood in Arvada for Mother's Day. The brunch was okay, but the best thing was hanging out with Samuel for Mother's Day. I couldn't ask for a better present.

Then Sam grabbed the camera and started shooting some interesting photos. Nice try kiddo!

Happy Valentine's Day!

My husband is GREAT!!


I'm not one to go overboard or request an extravagant gift for Valentine's Day. Actually, even though I married, I usually try to boycott this Hallmark Holiday, but this year I'm proud to say:


Happy Valentine's Day!!



Why am I so happy?? My wonderful husband gave me a set of beautiful aquamarine (Samuel's birthstone) and diamond earrings.

 
I love them!! Thank you so much gorgeous.

Sam's Daycare Valentine's

I found these Valentine's Day printouts (DINOSAUR and LION) about a month ago, and I'm using them to distribute Valentine's Day items to Sam's Daycare class.

Since he (sort of) belongs to 2 classes, I made sure to make enough for both groups.

They came out so well!!

Christmas Decorations! Still! Really!!

Whenever I see homes around town that still have the Christmas decorations still up, I have been rolling my eyes.

Of course, that's before I realized that we still has a few items outside our front door.

99.99% of the time, I enter our house through the garage, after pulling in my SUV. My husband is the one that comes in the front door. Yesterday, he reminded me that our wreath and a Merry Christmas sign were hanging right outside our front door.

They have since been removed and I can now continue to roll my eyes.

Have a very happy Friday and a great weekend!!

Early Christmas

Because we are flying to Florida, late this week, to visit my dad for Christmas, we celebrated Christmas with Brian's parents yesterday. They are WAY too generous.


The first thing I opened from them will help save me from the wrath of my son, Samuel. No more black eyes for Mommy.

At first, Samuel wasn't interested in anything but my iPad.

I think it's so cute when Sam takes other people's
fingers to activate items.

It's also funny when he uses his nose.

The first present that really got his attention was a Fisher Price camera. I just knew that he would love it, because he has so much fun taking pictures with my camera.

Sam needed a little help from Grandpa,
but definitely learned quickly.

The next thing that he became interested in was the Thomas And Friends Wooden Railway - Misty IslAnd Adventure Set that Brian bought along with the train table I purchased from a local mom's group for only $60 (Score!!!).

Next thing that really caught his eye was a set of Sesame Street figures.

Chewing them wasn't the only thing he did.

He also had them step on each other. Poor Elmo.

Sam and Grandma with his Christmas outfit. The orange cap
was a present that says "My First Fishing Cap."

Sam also got a play mat that has a town and streets,
so that he can drive his cars (and anything else) all over it.

Sam also received a lot of other presents (Crayola Mess Free Color Wonder Sound Studio, Fisher Price Thomas' Chocolate Delivery Train Set, books, coloring pages, etc.), including an outfit from his great uncle and aunt that I'm going to make sure he wears this week. It's so cute.


Thank you, Andrea & Jay, for helping to make yesterday a great day for Samuel. I'm not sure if there are enough days in the year for him to play with everything.


We had a blast!!

Breakfast With Santa- December 3rd

Literally, 5 seconds after I opened an e-mail from Maggiano's Little Italy advertising Breakfast with Santa, at their downtown location, I called for a reservation.  I guess I opened my e-mail at the right time, because the person that answered the phone said that I was the 2nd person to call for a reservation. It must have just been sent.

 The closest that Sam would get to Santa was taking a candy cane and doing a fist bump.

The Boys (Daddy, Samuel, and Grandpa)

Other than eating, watching Elmo on my iPad, he did get a hold of my camera and took some pictures of things from his point of view.
 

We shared our table with a grandmother and two of her grand kids.
They were very nice.

Hi Grandma!!

 
Don't tell Samuel, but Santa is bring him his own Fisher Price camera, so that he can take all the pictures that he wants.  :)

Fiction VS. Reality and Apple Crinkle

Here is the look that I was hoping for for our first Thanksgiving at home. I also just love the centerpiece that I put together from items that I found while cleaning out our basement.

Of course, with a 2 year old, this won't be the reality. First off, remove the wine glasses. If he gets a hold of anything, my next post will be on Shit My Kids Ruined.

Next, take off the place mats.  Anything that would be on the place mats would end up on the floor. Then, remove the glass plates, the candles and full set of silverware (at least in front of Samuel).

While dreaming of a "perfect" table setting, I have been cooking up a storm. By "storm" I mean that my MIL made a sweet potato casserole that I just had to heat up and I had to cook the 4.5 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast and heat up the veggies.

I also made my Grandmother's Apple Crinkle recipe that will only be passed down within the family. Here are some photos of it's making, but I'll never reveal the recipe.

4 cups of apples, pealed.

I had to use the mortar and pestle to grind up Allspice.

Uncooked oatmeal and a lot of other ingredients.

Here are some other pictures that were taken of Sam today.

Sleeping while Dad and Grandpa walked around Bass Pro Shop

 Happy Thanksgiving!!!