Score! Another great Birthday Gift....

 This Christmas Henry received the Melissa and Doug Cookie Baking set from his Grandma Charlie (maker of that adorable apron) and Grandpa Ed.  It was a HUGE hit.  Both boys have played with it a TON!

 

 

So when it came time to shop Grandma Charlie knew she was going to get him more of these awesome cooking sets.  However, I couldn't resist the cupcake set.  So we got him that one!  It even comes with markers that they can decorate the frosting with...and then wipe off!

 

 Today in the mail Henry received this ice cream making kit that is spectacular.  With magnets he gets to scoop and present cones of all flavor.

 

He is also baking up some yummy pizza!

 

And of course serving birthday cake! Plenty of cake!

 

 

He also received the sandwich making kit but he was smiled out by this point!

So all afternoon the two have turned our front room into a restaurant.  And they are serving up spectacular concoctions.  Note the baskets and other tools that my mom gave this Christmas (Team Grandma thinks a like!)

 

Charley was both a customer and cook.  Here he is putting mustard on his burger.

 

Ed had to work a little later this evening and walking in the door he could tell I am tuckered out.  We did a lot of playing and thank goodness all this food is pretend...because I started my healthy eating today...did the elliptical for 30 minutes...and am sore from working my muscles.  All good things...but makes for one tired mama!

Thanks Grandma Charlie and Grandpa Ed for such a fun gift!  All of it will be enjoyed immensely.  And if you are skeptical that these toys are worth it...take the chance...I was skeptical and even told my sister not to go this route at Christmas- which proves that sometimes you should just go with what YOU want to give and not what the mom is suggesting!

I wish I had bought stock in Melissa and Doug because this Christmas we have accumulated much of what they sell. Many of these sets were purchased at www.toysandgamesonline.com

Dot Art Kinda Day

Our morning was spent enjoying a fun gift that Ed and I got Henry.  At his ECFE classes they often times have a table set up for dot art.  I found some of the dot makers (a kid version of the bingo dotters) and so this morning Henry, Charley, and I were very busy.  Henry's most proud of the picture in the first column on the left...second one down.  I drew a face with pencil and he tried to dot on the marks.  He did really good with the eyes and nose and got close with the smile.  

 

Jackpot!

Henry's birthday has arrived.  Big Brother Charley has been obsessed all day with the presents.  Partly, due to the fact that he didn't know what Ed and I got Henry.  Charley picked out some Star Wars guys that are perfect for our two year old Star Wars enthusiast.  Ed and I managed to come up with a couple fun things for him. 

I know that because of where his birthday lies, we will forever struggle with ideas...since it so closely follows the Christmas season.  I am so excited with the ideas that I gave to family and the ideas that Ed and I came up with because he received all toys that will grow with him and be enjoyed for YEARS!  Proving this with the excitement Charley showed for each item. 

One of the gifts I will share with you today. 

I read about these people on one of my favorite blogs.  You can find her post here.

Her post got me so excited because my boys LOVE "guys."  For Christmas they got a bunch of Star Wars "guys."  Which they LOVE!  BOTH OF THEM!  Henry's favorites are Chewy (I am sure I am spelling it wrong) and Ben.  He carries them around and talks about them.  LOVE. IT.

I struggle with the Star Wars Guys because I don't enjoy the movies and therefore know very little detail about them.  Therefore, with my five year old son, Charley, I am unable to play Star Wars "right/correct." 

So when I read her post I got excited.  I figured these people would give the boys a break from the Star Wars play.  Henry would totally understand these figures - he knows Grandmas and Grandpas and brothers and sisters.  He knows babies, boys, girls, moms, and dads.  And similar to this other blogging mom - I do worry that our life doesn't expose them to as much diversity as I would like.  So why not throw five families of people into a bin and let the play begin. 

So my mom and dad, my brother, and sister (and family) went in together and got these.  TOTAL last minute gift idea that my mom, of course, magically made happen.  THANK YOU! 

Each family (there are five families: a Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American) arrives in it's own package.  Each family has a Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, sister, brother, toddler, and baby.  Ed and I quickly opened them and poured them all together in a bin that I previously purchased for these very people.  Henry immediately found this fellow:  

and announced:  "SANTA!  SANTA!" He has since carried him around and even baked a cookie for the gentleman!

And my heart pitter pats because I LOVE these people and the fun that we are going to have - the fun I am going to have playing "right".  They will invade our castle, play hide and seek, pose for family pictures, go to school, and they might even battle Chewy, Luke, and Darth Vader someday! 

Thank you family for such a great gift. 

Toys that are enjoyed daily in our house...

The time has arrived to fill stockings, shop for loved ones, wrap presents, donate to those in need, be Santa....etc.  I thought I would post a few of the gifts that we have given our children or that they have received.  The following gifts are items that I bend over and pick up DAILY!  They are favorites.  The sticker book isn't played with every day but it is an item that has organized an otherwise annoying collection.  A few other items that I did not include are "guys" of any kind, the castle Charley just got for his birthday, a Big Digger ride on truck, puzzles, and Quatro lego blocks (the big ones).   

If you have something that you have given or received that is a huge hit comment and share.  I know we are all looking for great ideas. 

 Crazy Forts these are like huge tinker toys...they actually work with tinker toys.  The boys still need help building actual forts with sheets but Charley can use these to build pet cages when he plays pet store.  He also uses them to invent larger tinker toy creations.  A great investment!

TinkerToys  Both our boys enjoy these daily.  They invent and build things.  Even daddy has built elaborate ferris wheels and robots.  I actually would love to get another set so that they can build bigger!

Play-Doh Burger Builder   This actual toy is a little dippy but it has kept Charley busy for 45 minute chunks of time.  We have gathered playdoh toys from garage sales. This one we got Charley for his birthday.  They also have an ice cream shop.  I remember this particular toy from when I was little.  Playdough is always fun.  Henry loves it too now. 

The Twilight Turtle  both boys have one of these.  Charley has the Ladybug.  They use them every night.  They have a timer that shuts off automatically after 30 minutes.  Friends have an older version and the stars aren't clear but the ones we have are awesome.  Very peaceful!

 
Board games...you can't go wrong.  Start with Candy Land...I think Charley started playing this when he was two...Henry is just about ready to give it a try.  Other favorites:  Caribou, Trouble, Zingo, Chutes and Ladders, Memory, Go Fish, Sequence for kids, Cootie, Elefun, etc....We love games. 

These are in the kids bath aisle at Target.  You drop one in the bath water and it changes the color...you drop two and your child will learn about mixing colors.  Great stocking stuffer...and they are not 10 dollars...more like 2-4 I think!

Give your child a baking mix.  Tell them that it is theirs to bake.  They pick the afternoon and you will be their assistant chef!

An old style photo album...the kind that have the plastic you pull back and stick the picture under and then try with all your might to get it to lay flat again.  Make it their "Sticker" book...maybe you had one when you were a child.  They can stick all the stickers in it as they collect them in life.  I know they sell cute ones...but I like these because you can stick an entire sheet in these and then go take them off if you want to use one.  Or they can remove and stick them on top of the plastic.  Might solve the problem of finding stickers where you don't want them.