New Year's Eve in the Nuthouse

We have a different tradition in our family. Instead of doing new PJs on Christmas Eve, we do them on New Year's Eve. We take the kids to the store and let them pick out their own set of PJs. Then as soon as we get home, they get to change into them and wear them all day and night.

Toasting the New Year (with apple juice and plastic cups)
Showing off their new PJs--even Squirt got some new ones---not that she noticed until she saw the bug feet:)

Happy New Year! (just a bit early)

They are all set up in the playroom for Movie Party and a sleepover in the playroom. (Squirt is sleeping in her bed, and probably Munchkin too.)

Maybe not. It is 7:15 and Munchkin is asleep.

Hubby took someone's shift at the restaurant so I am flying solo...if it can really be called solo with 4 kids.

Sitting Teeth

ET finally let me rip his loose tooth out last night. The tooth fairy brought him a box of pop-its and Cars tattoos. The kids had never had the snaps before and could barely wait to try them out. Thumbelina was afraid and only popped a few. ET and Munchkin loved it and finished off that box in just a few minutes--which was great because it was so cold this morning!

Squirt can sit! She is so excited about it...

Until she falls over and wonders what went wrong.

Totally Worth It

We have breakfast for dinner on Christmas Eve. I found this idea on a blog earlier that day. We were tired of shopping so we worked with what we had. Santa pancakes! I think next year we will do French Toast Christmas trees.

We let the kids sleep in the playroom. Munchkin didn't make it very long before she asked to go in her bed. Then ET and Thumbelina were smashed together on the couch.

We were finished setting everything up by 11:30. We decided that Santa fills their stockings, and brings them a wrapped present and a present already set up. So Santa brought them each an art set and books. Munchkin got her trike, Thumbelina got the barbie house, ET got a Nerf gun set, and Squirt got some ball popper toy.

Santa's helper is setting up Thumbelina's new Barbie Dollhouse,
The dolls were a hit. Munchkin named her's 'Fuzzy' and Thumbelina named her's 'Princess.' Squirt's has yet to be named.

Munchkin--the one woman band. We tried to get the tambourine to balance on her head but her head was too big.

Those little arms and legs are the perfect size for chewing. I stuffed them extra full so it would be a good chew.

Munchkin got a tricycle so she can work on getting ready for Thumbelina's old bike. Everyone took turns on it. ET's skateboard was also much coveted.

It was a good Christmas this year. We started a cousin gift exchange. My kids really liked picking out presents for their cousins. (It was kind of weird on my side of the family because I have 4 kids and my sister has one and my brother has one. So 2 of my kids bought for their siblings.) We also got a bunch of games and have been playing game after game since yesterday. Hubby's parents went in on computer games for the kids. (We got a new computer so the kids are getting the old one in a corner of my craft room.) It is so much fun watching them get so excited about their presents...and then everyone else's presents, and try to share.

Merry Christmas!

Another One Bites The Dust

I finished another project yesterday. These are for my Visiting Teaching Partner and the ladies we visit. (My sister found the idea on a blog and I modified it a bit. They did it in a picture frame with half the stuff behind the glass and half on top of the glass so it was a bit more dimensional. I'm going to try that over the break once I get my new craft room set up.)

Harder

The only harder than growing out your own bangs in trying to grow out your kids bangs!

Please remind me of that once this one's hair stops sticking straight up...
I cut the other girls' hair last week. Thumbelina had a bunch of layers that had all grown out to resemble a shelf on the back of her head. And Munchkin's sides grow super slow so she was kinda growing a mullet. So please let me introduce you to Bob #1:

And Bob #2

Busy Busy Busy

Life is so busy right now and it's all my fault. I keep seeing crafty things and thinking, "I can do that!" So I am! My current obsession is Black Apple Dolls. I made a Santa and Mrs. Claus for Thumbelina's teacher. ET had her last year and we love her!

Here is how they turned out:

Mrs. Claus was going to have red arms and white gloves like Santa but the red fabric I bought that felt like felt was so not felt and I ripped through it trying to turn it right side out. So I had to go back and line every single piece with cotton fabric so it would hold together and hold its shape. But my favorite thing about these dolls is how cute her shoes are!

They were so cute, I decided to make us a set too. Since I only have a basic pattern, I had to figure out all the embellishments myself. So the first Mrs Claus took me a good 4 hours to figure my way through, but I was able to get the second one done in 45 mintues. And after finishing Santa, I need to redesign the body to be fatter and more jolly.

Tomorrow I am going to try and recreate (my own version) of a project for my Visiting Teaching ladies. I made a card using some of the techniques and it turned out super cute. Hopefully the vision in my head matches the end product.

In other news... Hubby went to the store to pick up some things. One of the things on his list was hand soap for the bathrooms. He came home with a big bottle of the clear purple-tinged Softsoap. The very same soap that made me nauseous when I was pregnant with Munchkin. I tried. Nope, still can't stand the smell. With Thumbelina it was apple spice soap--and I still hate that smell too.

Blah

After weeks of

Sick

Sick

Sick

Now I am just

Tired

Tired

Tired

And old!

Happy Birthday to me!

All I am asking for is a nap...and since hubby is finished with finals, I think I may get my wish!

Life Lessons by Munchkin

This is her pre-Curly Sue hair do and she loves it!