Three Little Jewells
Archive for the category “Toys”
Christmas 2008
Merry Christmas!
We’ve had a wonderful one so far.
On Saturday, 12/20 my family came here for Christmas. We had 11 here for a non-traditional Christmas dinner- Hawaiian steak shish-ke-bobs, marinated vegetable shish-ke-bobs, mahatma rice, a yellow squash, zucchini and onion stirfry, salad and homemade breadsticks. For dessert we had all kinds of stuff. After opening presents the kidlets were sent off to bed while the adults stayed up playing games. Fun night! The adults draw names and no one buys for the kids except grandparents. I got a large frame that holds three vertical 5×7 pictures. I wanted one so I could frame my three favorite pictures from the photography session in August. I’ll post a picture of it when I’ve got the pictures in and the frame hung. Oh, also I got a subscription to Readers Digest which I love. I’ve been getting RD since I was in college. My Mom gave Mary the Melissa and Doug IceCream set, Nathan a rocket ship set with astronauts and Savvy a set of the three little pigs- it’s three nesting houses and the three pigs and the wolf. All very cute and the children were thrilled.
On Wednesday, 12/24 we celebrated Christmas Eve and Kip’s 46th Birthday! My sister and nephew came an hour earlier than everyone else so that we could carry on our family tradition of reading “Twas’ The Night Before Christmas”- my parents always read us the version that was illustrated by Tasha Tudor. It’s out of print now but through some nefarious dealings I was able to obtain a copy for myself. So, we set the grandkids up on the couch and read the story just like when we were kids. Then the kids each got to open their present from PapPap (my Dad). Mary got the most awesome mail set, Nathan got a Dominoe set and Savvy got the sweetest little dolly you ever saw. Just right for her size.
Not the best picture of Savvy- she was tired and hungry and we were trying to hold her off with crackers. But you can see her clutching her sweet baby doll.
Everyone else arrived a few minutes later. We had 15 for dinner that night- our family, Sarah, Bob and Alec, Mel and Carolyn, Billy (Carolyn’s son), Cheryl and their kids- Caitlyn, William and Chelsea. We had seven kids that night- 10,10,7,5,4,3,1. It was wild. For Kip’s birthday dinner we had lasagne, butterhorn rolls and salad. There was dessert craziness here. I made: German Chocolate Cake, Lemon Pie, Coconut Cream pie, cut out sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles and peanut butter fudge. My sister brought a delicious banana-sour cream bread. We had spiced pecans from my Mother, homemade peaunut brittle from a neighbor and Carolyn brought Chocolate Walnut Fudge. And let’s not forget the Scotcheroos that I made Kip for his birthday.
After much eating and opening of presents all the kids went outside and spread the “reindeer food” that the kids and I had made earlier in the day (a combination of oatmeal, glitter and Craisins). Then we went in and followed the Norad Tracks Santa website. The kids and I had been watching all day as Santa traveled from China, Australia, Russia, through Europe. When we saw he was out over the Atlantic, Billy and Cheryl left with their kids and we hurried ours into their pj’s and on to bed. Santa was almost here!
Christmas morning was SUCH fun!
We usually limit the gifts to three from us and three from Santa + one big gift. This year we did a little more. We saved a lot of money by shopping at Toys and Co.’s 20% off October sale and then Gifted Imaginations ran a 25% your entire order + free shipping sale so we had money left over and used it for extas.
Each child got a stack of three books and each child got a different set of blocks to add to our every growing collection (can you really ever have enough blocks?). Mary and Nathan also each got a puzzle, a game and a baseball glove and ball set.
The Big Gift for all the kids was a new kitchen set, refrigerator and wooden food. There was also an Indian set with 4 teepees, 6 indians, 4 horses, 2 buffalo, 3 totem poles, camp fires, etc. set out for the kids as a group gift.
Then each kid got their own separate gifts- Nathan got a REAL tool box with tools from For Small Hands- it had a hammer, saw, drill, sanding block, head lamp, measuring tape, safety glasses, etc. He also got some pirate stuff, the space base set that goes with the rocket ship he got for his birthday last year and this fishing game which all the kids have loved and had fun with. Mary got a princess dress, some more of the Snap N’ Style dolls, a changing table for her dollys, a set of audio books that included Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden and Little Women. Savvy got the Haba Sticki Blocks which are perfect for her size. A cute little mushroom house with some figures, etc. in it, a Snap N’ Style doll and pounding toy. Her two favorite gifts were a toy telephone and a little wool ball from Little John Lane.
Christmas Eve- all ready for the kids in the morning…
Christmas Morning…
We still have Christmas with Kip’s family this coming Sunday and then Nathan’s 4th Birthday next Saturday (1/3) so more parties to come- after that we’ll have a four week break until Mary’s 5th Birthday. I’m always partied out by February!
Random Daily Pictures
Somehow this post got lost in the unfinished drafts section. Oops! So, I’m posting it now… This is from a week or so ago.
Savvy…. has 6 words now!
Kitty
Mommy
Daddy
Get it!
Meow!
Hi
Recent Kid Funnies
1, Mary, at the beach- “Watch your attitude Nafan!”
2. Whenever Nathan doesn’t like the answer he’s been given he says “That’s not a good idea!”
So, for example- Me: “No, Nathan, you can’t have any cookies now” or “Nathan, let your sister go first”. His response is always “But that’s not a good idea!” The funny thing is that Kip taught Nathan to say “It wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture” instead of “It’s not a good idea”. It’s way funny to hear that come out of his little three year old mouth!
Pictures
Do we have way to many toys out right now or what? The top shelf is baby toys for Savvy. The second shelf has books, the paisly bin is full of baby doll stuff, some baby toys and a wicker basket of play food. Bottom shelf has the farm, Mary’s piano and one of Savvy’s baby toys. I think we need to put a bunch of stuff away and rotate some new things onto the shelves from the toy closet.
Isn’t this a cute picture of Savvy? I love it! Friday 8/22.
Savannah’s Birthday Pictures
The Birthday Girl! ONE YEAR OLD!
Sweet profile.
Opening PawPaw’s present- PLAN TOYS Matching Animals and HABA’s Building Blocks Torrino
There were so cool- way neater than I expected. The kids have been having a blast playing with them!
Opening PapPap’s present- HABA\’S Fantasy Land Blocks. These are just the most gorgeous blocks- worth every penny. Perfect size for little hands.
Opening presents from Daddy and Mommy-
Clothes, Creanimaux blocks, a wooden Chelona Book.
Her Birthday Cake.
Playing with her new toys!
This was Savannah’s BIG present from Daddy and Mommy- this beautiful “heavy” baby from Joy’s Waldorf Dolls and the Haba Doll Stroller/Walker. She just holds her baby and babbles away to her. Very sweet. The baby doll smells heavenly- it’s filled with millet and lavender so not only does it smell good, it feels like a baby, which I think she likes.
Savvy’s Birthday Dinner-
I made The Pioneer Woman’s Roasted Ricotta Roma Tomatoes, Marlboro Man Sandwich and Fresh Corn Cassarole. Also salad with homemade croutons and yellow cake with homemade chocolate cream cheese frosting.
These are from her “family” party in early August-
Savannah Marie- 11 months old, almost 12 months old. sniff, sniff…
We had “family dinner” with my family on Saturday, August 2nd. We celebrated Savvy’s first birthday, my nephew’s 10th birthday, my sister’s 31st birthday and my brother’s 30th birthday.
Savvy with Uncle Mikey
Savvy, uninterested in her birthday cupcake. Papa James is holding her- looking at Mema.
Opening her present from Mema.
It’s a LOUD Noah’s Ark! Cute, but seriously, it’s loud.
Cute little profile.
Another cute profile.
Christmas
Yeah. You read that right. Christmas. A sure sign that most of you will think I’m crazy. It’s August and I’m already thinking about and planning for Christmas.
I’ve got a folder in my bookmarks specifically for Christmas/Birthday links. Anytime I see anything that might be a good gift for Kip, the kids, me or anyone I know, I bookmark it and put it in this folder. I’ve got a long list already.
In my defense, Toys and Co. has a big sale in October. 20% of everything in the store. Toys and Co. carries a lot of the same things as Magic Cabin, Oompa, etc. that I like. IF I plan ahead, I can save a fair bit of money by shopping at T&C during their big sale. Not only can I buy from a local store which makes returns/exchanges easier, I don’t have to pay shipping and handling, everything is 20% off AND I have a Coupon from the Entertainment book that I’ve been saving all year for this sale. SO- that really means that I need to know what I plan to purchase for the kids Christmas by October which is only two months away. There is MUCH planning involved so that we can get the most bang for our buck.
Mary will definitely be getting a bed and a changing table for her dolls. Maybe this changing table and this doll bed. Not sure yet. Probably this Toy Grocer’s Shop by Erzi as well. I’ve noticed that since we got rid of the JUNK toys and she has FEWER toys, she plays much better with what she does have. So- if she gets the Erzi food, which is so nice, I’m getting rid of most of her plastic food. She may get this Pizza by Melissa and Doug too. She has the M&D birthday cake, similar to the pizza, and she really enjoys it. At least one of these *gorgeous* puzzles by Beleduc at Moosekiss Toys.
The problem with Nathan is that there is so MUCH for boys. You know how when you go into a store there is always 2 or 3 times more clothes for girls than there are for boys? Well, it’s the opposite problem with toys. There are tons of really NICE toys for boys. With girls- if you’re not going to do the whole Barbie/Bratz/Fashion dolls thing or get into all that Princess trash, you’re pretty much left with kitchens and related items and baby doll stuff. Not much else. A lot of the crafty stuff doesn’t start until age 8+.
So- anyhoo- for Nathan. Maybe the PLAN Airport and either the PLAN firestation and police station or the HaPe Fire Station and Police Station. The Haba Pulley/Block and Tackle which we would put on their fort in the backyard. Definitely this FISHING GAME which I know he’d love. He’ll also get a Beleduc Puzzle from Moosekiss like Mary will and SURELY at least something from HERE. We’ll definitely get him this Space Base to go with the rocket ship that my Mom got him for his birthday last year. If you’ve got a little boy- that thing is awesome! The rocket ship and this pirate ship from PLAN toys are the two things that he still plays with the most.
BOTH kids will defintely get PLAN’s Native American Set. We’ll be getting two of these because it’ll be way more fun if they’ve each got their own. For ALL THREE kids, maybe the Cranium Super Fort which I’ve heard rave reviews about.
We STILL have to find stuff for my Dad and Kip’s Dad as we usually do the shopping for them. And also, the same for their birthdays- Nathan’s is just 10 days after Christmas and Mary’s is just 6 weeks after Christmas.
For Savannah- maybe these Haba Wooden Fantasy Blocks or these Haba Fit Together Building Blocks. Maybe Djeco\’s 14 Animal Cubes? I think this Picnic Basket from Lakeshore Learning is cute. And honestly? That’s it. That’s all I’ve got for Puddy so far so if anyone has any suggestions I’d love to hear them.
Look What Kip Found!
Look what Kip found!
You *have* to check this out below!
Kip found one for FREE- great working condition, pretty clean and way cooler than the one in the picture below- it’s black and silver. He’s been cleaning it up and putzing around with it out in the garage. We think we know of a certain young man who has a birthday coming up in January… 
Isn’t it cool???
Yard Sale Finds
| Reading: The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas (love it! But, not as good as her book “The Persian Pickle Club) Yard Sale Finds So, today I went yard saling with Mary. The Great Wild Wildebeest stayed home with Daddy and slept in until 9:00AM! Since he *never* sleeps past 6:30am this was quite the event. We’ve decided to get Nathan a train table for either Christmas or his birthday. But, the train table are just huge and take up so much space… So, we’ve decided to buy just the table board with the painted scene on it and attach it to a piece of plywood, put on come shoe moulding around the edge and caster wheels on the bottom. It will be low to the ground so it can slide under his bed for storage. While we were snootching around at the yard sales today, Mary and I found this: We also found a Step 2 Coupe Car, retails for $60.00 for $5.00.
Wait till you see the coat and hat set I bought Mary at a consignment sale last night. I’ll have to figure out how to post pictures first. Cute Kid Sayings Lately: 2. Nathan’s reaction to Daddy’s choice of breakfast items: “I like it, Daddy! POPTARTS! Yeeeaaah, Poptarts!” 3. Mary and Nathan call macaroni and cheese, “Monkey Cheese” 4. Mary’s wisdom for Nathan: On The Menu for Tonight…. Surely, this *had* to be the idea of hungry college guys or batchelors… |
