Kiwi Crate- crafts delivered to your door

http://www.kiwicrate.com/

This is such a great idea! Instead of going overboard buying the Christmas gifts this year we simplified. The kids got a pair of shoes, books, and one dress-up outfit each.

Then we decided to get the Kiwi Crate - craft projects delivered to your door each month. We have received two months and the kids have loved them! Both boxes come with enough supplies for both kids (an option we added on) and each box has two projects. Last months theme was "Family Game Night' with a board game, they colored and put together (we weren't very good at playing, but had fun creating!) The second was ring toss- That was a BIG winner! This month is "Playful Pets". Create a "pompom" pet (they loved this) then build a playground for it - we haven't done this part yet. So far the projects have needed a lot of parent help, (cutting, gluing or taping things together so that they stay and work) but I love helping and watching them be creative! And they LOVE doing the projects, too!

It's a little expensive upfront, but we used Christmas gift money to help pay for it and love that we don't have to hunt around the house or at a store for all the pieces needed to do the crafts. 

22 Toddler hairstyles

This blog was life changing for me- ok I've exaggerated, but it's still AWESOME!
NEVER before have I fixed C-baby's hair wet/ damp- never considered it!!! It is the only way I do her hair now!!! The mom who wrote this has some mad hair-styling skills. I will never attempt or accomplish most of what she has done, however, she has some great cute ideas vs. my 4 styles for C (one pony, two side ponies, one half pony, two half ponies). I didn't post a pic because she's not my kid, but here is the link.

http://www.simplysadiejane.com/search?q=hair&x=0&y=0

First night in a hotel... as a family of four!!!

We dared to be adventurous this Christmas break.... we took a mini-vaca to visit family outside of Austin. We also decided to go down a night early and stay in Fredericksburg, all FOUR of us, in ONE hotel room, result.... it wasn't that bad!

C-baby (2 yrs)  K-Man (3 1/2 yrs)

 New books and hat provided a lot of entertainment- no iPhone, no DVD, not much else required!!!

 Only potty stop needed (yep we travel with a port-a-potty, most brilliant idea ever!!!)

 Fredericksburg had a very pretty little Christmas light area to play around in- kiddos loved it!

 

 The "new" thing lately is T-Rex arms, they are hilarious- this is jammie breakfast at the hotel the morning after everyone slept super well in the hotel together... except momma! We were right next to the stairwell on the 2nd floor (of 3) from 9:45p-12:30a all I heard were the elephants that paraded up and down the stairs and over head, anticipating our light sleepers to wake up - no one did. I got three hours of sleep. :)

 We let the kids watch cartoons while we got ready- this was the host of one of the shows.. could this be Josh Hamilton and Will Ferrell's love child? We think so!

 The cousins!

 K taking C for a ride in the barbie jeep -they had so much fun with the cousins, jumping on the trampoline, playing games and running around. The big girls are so great at playing with the little kids which allows the adults to have conversations!!!

It was such a great trip, the kids did just as well driving the 5 hours home as they did on the way down - the first movie request came an hour from the house! This has released us to be able to travel more now and I couldn't be more excited. Although a second hotel room for myself would be nice...