Stay at Home Make

We will not be having a make for the month of December so instead I thought I would share a recipe for an easy stay-at-home-make; SNOW ICE CREAM!

This might gross out some of you because it involves eating real fallen snow. If you're like me, however, as long as it's not yellow, I don't do much to stop my kids from a chomping on few flaky handfuls. I learned this recipe from my mom who made it for me a many snowy days when I was a kid.

You will need:

• fresh, clean snow
• milk
• sugar
• vanilla

I did no measuring but if you want to be precise the internet is full of recipes. I added milk to the snow until it became the consistency of soft seve ice cream then I added sugar and a bit of vanilla...time for a taste test...you might need a little more sugar, milk or vanilla...it's up to you. Enjoy!

P.S. Paula Deen's recipe contains sweetened condensed milk in place of milk and sugar! I haven't tried it yet but I am pretty much game for any recipes involving condensed milk.

Activity Advent

We decided to count down the days until Christmas with an activity-advent calendar to go along with our chocolate one.

I inserted a to-do item in each miniature box (found at a paper warehouse for 40 cents each). Then I wrapped each box with tissue, ribbon and feathers.

Each day Hendrix will find the number of the day and unwrap to revel the activity.

Today we will string popcorn for a little extra Christmas tree decor. Here's what is to come:

1. Set up Christmas tree and arrange Christmas decorations
2. String popcorn for the tree
3. Learn a Christmas song
4. Nativity puppet songs and stories
5. Reindeer Hats Craft
6. Take pictures in a homemade photo booth
7. Write a letter to Santa Clause
8. Homemade Marshmallows
9. Create Christmas cards and mail them
10. Look through toys and find something to donate
11. Make "snowball" soap
12. Bake and decorate gingerbread people
13. Take a Christmas surprise to the neighbors
14. Make ice ornaments for the great outdoors
15. Play a holiday game
16. Paint snowflakes on the window with window paint
17. Get on an airplane to visit family
18. Disneyland
19. Disneyland
20. Watch Christmas claymation movie
21. Make holiday play dough
22. Make snow ice cream
23. Neighborhood Christmas lights tour
24. Open Christmas eve gift (ornament)
25. Hooray! It's Christmas!

Nativity Puppet

I just thought I'd share this handy way of telling the Christmas story...get it...handy? (He-he). The whole thing is made from felt and a one-size-fits-all glove. Of course you can adjust the characters as you see fit on your own glove. It also makes a great (frugal) gift for the kiddies.

Well Fed Villagers

I must say that the stone soup activity we had this month might be my favorite make to date—definitely in the top 3!

The kids became the town villagers as they participated in telling a version of the Stone Soup story by placing pictures of veggies in our paper pot.

After that we made the real thing starting with just a few large stones. Everyone contributed by adding their own ingredient to the pot (pics don't do justice).

I have to admit, I really wasn't sure we would have enough veggies to make a substantial pot of soup but the veggies just kept coming and coming before we knew it we had a feast of a meal that was actually pretty friendly to our taste buds!

Thank you to everyone for the fabulous and tasty make!

Stone Soup

( image from etsy seller ForEvelyn)

For the make this month, I thought we could get cozy with some yummy stone soup. What is stone soup you ask? Why, it's soup make from stones of course...(and maybe a little magic sprinkled about for flavor)!

We will read a version of the story Stone Soup, which tells the fable of a small group of poor villagers who work together to build a delicious soup that ends up feeding their once starving town. After reading the story we will all participate in making our own soup starting with just a stone. Each child will have the opportunity to add their own ingredient (which they will have brought from home) to the pot.

While the soup simmers the children will either color their own "stone soup" coloring sheets or they can participate in a little free play. When the soup is ready we will all sit together for a lovely stone soup lunch date!

I will also provide bread, crackers and cheese, as a soup side—you really don't want to miss this one! See you there.

LET'S MEET: In the church kitchen, Friday the 20th of November at 11am

FEES SHMEES: In place of cash this month please bring an item or two from the grocery list below. Please prep food items if necessary (wash, cut, chop, etc).

RSVP: On or before the night of Wednesday the 18th of November please leave a comment on this post or by email (see sidebar). If possible, please share what food item you are planning to bring.

GROCERIES: If you would rather bring an item that is not on the list...that is fine too! Here are some options...

• 6 red potatoes (cut in slices about 1/4-1/2 thick)
• 3 carrots (peeled and sliced)
• 1 zucchini (sliced)
• 1 summer squash (sliced)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (mashed through a press)
• 1 stalk celery (sliced)
• 1/2 bell pepper (sliced/diced)
• 1 cup green beans (thawed if frozen)
• 1 large tomato (chopped up)
• 1/2 cup peas (thawed if frozen)
• 1/2-1 cup corn (thawed if frozen)

Little Pearl, Little Pearl, Let Me In!

Here is a great anytime make brought to you by our friend Pearl and her mom Natalie. All kids and bunnies know that boxes make the best toys.

By the way, one day when Grammy came to visit, I learned that the container store has some great options for house making. My mom purchased 2 over sized corrugated white boxes for for Hendrix that supplied him with months of fun (you can even fold them flat for storing)! I think they were something around $5 each. So, if you haven't made any big-boxed purchases lately, and you're in the market for some kiddie real estate, check out the container store.

(photos from Natalie's original post HERE).

Pretty Pumpkin Recap

If you weren't busy eating glue then you were using it to decoupage tissue paper onto little pumpkins!

To make these at home for your autumn decor, here is Charissa's 'pretty pumpkin' recipe:

• we-be-little pumpkins which you will cover with squares of torn...
• tissue paper using...
• white glue (thinned with water) and fingers or craft sponge. Top it off with some...
• glitter (optional)

Thank you Charissa for putting on such a great autumn time make!