Another holiday tip (free of charge)(you're welcome)

Sometimes it takes a little more effort but try to be aware of the gifts you're giving and how they relate (or don't relate) to the gift receiver.

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AKA: look for gifts that match the receivers race or ethnicity. It's easier now than it ever has been. Just takes a little extra thought and effort to grab one toy off the shelf vs. another.

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*All actors were compensated** for their time.


**and by "compensated", I mean cups overflowing with goldfish crackers as previously agreed upon by this participant's actors guild.

St Pats edible craft...

My SIL Amanda came up last weekend for a visit. She watched E all day Friday and when I came home from work, they'd done St. Pat's fun all day. She made layered rainbow pudding and green kool-aid pops and had all the supplies for these cute hats! Here's a pictoral step by step:

One part marshmellow, sucker stick, vanilla wafer, candy melts, black string licorice and mini m&ms. (btdubs, we couldn't find licorice in the peel-n-string variety so we just used black gel. I don't recommend it. It added unnecessary mess.)

3 steps to a homemade Christmas present via my 4 yr old.

llaF yppaH

This was an appropriate and oh-so-telling accident.

A struggle in taking on a high needs foster kid was putting everything on the back burner that wasn't absolutely necessary. Selfishly, I was disappointed that I wasn't going to be able to take advantage of my favorite time of the year. I'd envisioned capturing amazing photos, cute activities with Eliot, etc.

But this is what you get. Ha! One night was especially rough here at Camp Mohr so Russ told me to take a break. I thought I'd take my bit of "free time" and do a quick craft. The next day it had dried and I got it ready to hang it when I realized what I'd done. Didn't really have my head in the game, I suppose.

But I left it that way. It's still there. Backwards. Kind of a craft representation of this season for us. Endearing, quirky, backwards.

It was a ghould weekend...

Pickin' up the slack

Easter and April Fool's Day have snuck up on me this year. Maybe it's the fostering stuff but I found myself scrambling today to think of/find fun ideas stuff to do with Eliot. I grabbed a popular magazine I subscribe to with the label, "Eggscellent Easter Crafts, Recipes and Games" and kept turning the pages looking for said ideas. Yeah, uh...that's not going to cut it. Lame.

So, as a favor to you and future me, I'm compiling all the blog ideas I've seen into one post. You're welcome.

April Fools:

*Heather's post from 08 on a great dinner and dessert idea.

*Heather's post from 09 with another idea to add to the last one.

*And...Heather's post from '10. She kills me!

*Lots of crazy food ideas and pranks here.

*More craft and activities.

*Design Mom had some ideas here.

*Cake Wrecks featured some great food pranks here.

Nicole and hubby surprised their kids with this idea that I think would be a good April Fools joke as well.

*Have a tween? You must look at this Chore Camp brochure! Hilarious!

Easter!

*Sara's cheap and quick easter season clothing idea. Of course. =)

*Let's Go Explore's ideas with plastic eggs (LOVE THIS ONE!)

*When you're done with the plastic eggs, check out this UNBELIEVABLY BRILLIANT idea.

*Chasing Cheerios made these bird's nests as a yummy snack.

*Amy's 09 post on more decoration ideas.

*Easter bunny handprint cards from Chasing Cheerios. And Easter bunny Smores from the same blog.

*Resurrection Eggs (DIY) from this blog.

*These AMAZING yummy rice krispy eggs from a blog I found from hop,hop,hopping around.

*These super cute egg planter thingys from one of my readers.

*A great way to make the easter egg hunt a team effort here.

Seriously, I feel like I just finished a term paper. Remind me to look at this post again in early March '11. Good luck, last minute moms!