Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas | DIY Ornaments

We've been feeling really cooped up with the cold weather and a project was way overdue.  We found the homemade paper ornaments project in the Family Fun Magazine.  You can check out the full instructions on their site at HERE
Items needed:
3 sheets of colored construction paper (for 1-2 ornaments)
Cookie cutters
Blender
Towels
Seive
Ribbon, glitter

We laid out a plate with a kitchen towel on it and topped it with paper towels to put our cookie cutters on.  The boys went to work tearing the pieces of paper up.  They really enjoyed ripping it up.  For about one sheet worth.  Then I was given the honor of ripping up the rest. Yay me.

We added the paper to the blender (we used our bullet) then added boiling water and let them soak for 5+ minutes.  Then blend to a pulpy mush.  Strain the water out of the pulpy mush using a seive; then fill your cookie cutters - be sure to fill in the crooks and angles well!  Press it all in nice and tight and blot with a towel to get excess water out.  Gently remove the ornament from the cookie cutter, sprinkle with glitter, and place on a cookie sheet in a 200 degree oven for at least two hours.  I think we did ours for more like 6 hours.

While you wait for the ornaments to dry out feel free to get creative.  Wear socks on you hands. Underwear on your head.  Lay around and sigh a lot like your mom is torturing you with the waiting game.  Or go the more dignified route of entertaining yourself with legos and playtime while you wait.

He took the underwear off his head when he saw the camera.  I need to work on my sneakiness when hunting with a camera.

Hang the finished product on the tree.  It looks homemade.  I think that's a good thing.  The kids are pretty bummed that they couldn't eat them.  I guess if it comes out the oven it should be edible by their reasoning.

The Christmas decorations are up.  We've done cut out snowflakes; put up the tree and hung the ornaments; sent Christmas cards out, played in the snow; and been to see Santa... Its definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. 

Building a fort

The boys have really wanted to build a fort.  Usually we use cardboard boxes for forts but the only boxes we have are pretty small and so there's a lot of fighting over who's turn it is.  Today I decided we were going to turn their whole room into a fort.  After searching the house for random items to use as support rods, and stealing some clamps from the workshop, plus a whole lot of clothes pins, ribbon ties, and creative tucking, we pulled it together.  We added the lights that the boys have been begging to put up somewhere now that they've been seeing Christmas lights everywhere.  The fort turned out great.  They loved the lights.  They played and had pillow fights.  They had snack time and story time.  They want it to stay up "forever".  And yes, my kid is in his underwear (we're potty training) and shorts (he's seasonally challenged).

There were no injuries in the making or testing of this fort.  I did laugh along with them.  I did smile during and not after.  I did yell once, when they tried testing the weight limit by throwing a bunch of stuff on top of the 'roof'.  I'm amazed it did not all come crashing down.  They were fascinated by the lights.  Once it started getting dark we added another night light and it was like a whole new fort for them. 

On a side note my camera is sick.  I know I need to send it off for repair but I'm too afraid my baby won't be home in time for Christmas (or the cost of her repairs will wipe out Christmas). I have been using my camera less since its illness has made getting a decent shot so difficult, hence the lull in posts (and the complete lack of Futhey family Thanksgiving pictures, sorry!).  But now I've decided I'm content with less than perfect pictures rather than no pictures. 

A letter to my boys....

Dear Boys:

I'm sorry that I actually said the words "stop playing" to you today.  In hindsight it was a totally ridiculous thing to say to two young brothers. playing together. in the play room.  What I meant to say was "Mommy is tired and the noise level of your playing is making my head hurt".  What I realized, in hindsight, is that you are two and five year old, rough and tumble boys, and it is your job to play.  What I should have done is joined in the playing because its hard to notice how loud you're being when I'm laughing right along with you.  I failed today.  I've done it before. I'm pretty sure I'll do it again.  But I promise for every fail, I will attempt to make it up ten-fold. Tomorrow we will play. You two will probably yell (a lot).  I will try not to yell.  At the end of the day when you both are quietly sleeping it is so easy to look back and laugh. And smile.  How can this not make me smile?

This is a picture of happy kids.  You make me happy.  I hope someday you are lucky enough to have kids that make you laugh and smile.  I hope that tomorrow I will remember to laugh and smile with you when you're awake to see it.

Love,
Mom