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ideas

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For The Kids

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love. The Levitator is so cool.
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Last week my sister-in-law had asked me to make Star Wars inspired footprint crafts out of my nephews feet. I was so excited being that I am a bit of a Star Wars geek. I was happy with the results & so was she.

Star Wars Inspired Footprint Crafts - Adorable Keepsakes made out of kid's feet

The post was very popular & after a lot of feedback on our Star Wars project, I realized that a new generation of Star Wars fans were here. Star Wars is a favorite of both young & old & with the new movie coming out it is just gaining more fans every day. I can remember being a young girl and playing with my action figures. Leah was my favorite, of course. I loved her so much, that my mother had to put my hair in those famous side buns every day.

The holidays are upon us. If you have a little one that embraces the force as much as I did, I know that they will love these great Christmas gift ideas inspired by the movie.

JEDI MIND TRAINING

Use science to suspend and move things in air with this …

Star Wars Jedi Force Levitator

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

Challenge your mind or a friend with this 3D maze puzzle.

Death Star Maze & Puzzle Box

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

ITS ALL FUN & DROIDS

Now why didn’t they have these when I was little. I am half tempted to buy these for my daughter just so I can play with them.

Darth Vader Potato Head or Storm Trooper Potato Head

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

 

What child doesn’t like Legos? They always make the perfect gift.

Star Wars Legos

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

FOR YOUR LITTLE WOOKIE

Chewbacca Slippers

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

 

TO DECORATE YOUR DEATH STAR

All of these would be great for a Star Wars themed room.

 

Star Wars Peel & Stick Wall Decals

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

Star War Night Light

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

Darth Vader Alarm Clock

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

Light Saber Motion Lamp

 

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

FEELING CRAFTY

I am a huge fan of hand, foot & finger print crafts. This is adorable & all of the creations look like so much fun to make.

Star Wars Thumb Doodles Kit

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

Make 30 different folded flyers.

Star Wars Folded Paper Flyers

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH FOOD

I am sure a few little Star Wars fans will love waking up to a waffle in the shape of the Death Star.

 

Death Star Waffle Maker

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

If your child enjoys helping you cook, check out this adorable measuring set.

R2D2 Measuring Cups

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

Star Wars & candy.. two great things that go great together.

Star Wars Jelly Belly Dispenser

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

This R2D2 lunch box has both light & sound.

 

R2D2 Light Up Lunch Kit

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

LUKE, I AM GOING TO READ TO YOU

See the gentler side of Vader in these sweet & funny children’s books.

Darth Vader & Son or Good Night Darth Vader

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

AND FOR THE STOCKING

If your child is anything like mine than they love Bandaids. My daughter fakes boo boos just to be able to put them on & just a plain Bandaid won’t do.

Star Wars Band Aids

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

Add a little fun to tooth brushing with these cool toothbrushes.

Star Wars Toothbrushes

20 Star Wars Themed Gifts For Christmas That The Kids Will Love

Thank you as always for stopping by.

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Photo Name Frame For Mother’s Day

Photo Name Frame

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We wanted to do something special for my mother-in-law aka Nana for Mother’s Day. Mai & I had some different ideas of crafts we could make for her Nana for Mother’s Day, but then I came across the most fabulous idea on Pinterest. I could not find the original source to credit it, but found it on a greatest gift ideas list from Tips From A Typical Mom.

It was so beautiful, I knew I had to try it.

All you will need is a camera, wooden letters and a frame.

We only needed to buy the “N’ & the “A”. They were in natural wood & only cost a few dollars each. I bought the frame while I was there too.

I told Mai that we were going to make a special project for Nana & she was excited. I gave her the letters & asked her to do a number of different poses for me. She did a great job for her Nana. She hammed it up and lit up the camera with her dimply smile. We took about 50 pictures & picked the best 4 from the bunch.

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I cropped them & changed them to black & white & arranged them in the frame.

The project came out beautifully.

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My mother-in-law absolutely loved her gift.

Mother’s Day might be over, but this is a great gift idea for any occasion & you can change the lettering to spell any word that you would like. I have even seen this done holding words instead of letters to spell out a message.

Thank you as always for stopping by. Please follow us on Facebook as well.

Play-Doh Birthday

Play-doh birthday party ideas

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Picking a theme for Mai’s 3rd birthday was an easy decision. You have all heard me talk about our daughter’s love for Play-Doh. It only made sense to celebrate her special day with her favorite activity.

Continue Reading…

More Valentine’s Day Fun For Kids (Guest Post)

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© timolina – Fotolia.com

This guest post is brought to you from Hefty. I am happy to welcome Katie from Hefty to the Pinterested Parent today.

Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it!  Little kids love to join in the celebrations of Valentine’s Day, so here are a few more ideas for celebrating with them:

  • Wear Red  One of the easiest ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day is to simply dress your kid in red or pink.  There are always shirts with hearts, too!
  • Valentine’s Day Breakfast  If you have a heart-shaped cookie cutter, then you can try cutting toast out in the shape of hearts.  Just add some red jelly or fruit preserves for a touch of the signature Valentine’s Day color.
  • Make Cookies for a Neighbor  You and your child could make cookies together for an elderly neighbor.  The neighbor will appreciate the thoughtful gesture on this holiday, and you and your son or daughter will have fun making the cookies together.  You can give the neighbor the cookies on disposable dishes so you don’t have to worry about getting the plate back later.
  • Decorate the House  Take foam plates and decorate them by using crayons or cutting hearts out of red and pink construction paper.  You can bind multiple plates together by using ribbon.  Thread the ribbon through holes that you make in the lips of the plate.  This decoration could then be hung up above a fireplace or on a wall.
  • Make Cards  Homemade cards will surprise your family and friends, and your little ones will love giving them out.  Construction paper, colored pencils, doilies, crayons, glue, and stickers will all help to make fun Valentines.

Have a very happy Valentine’s Day!

Author Bio: This is a guest post by Katie F. on behalf of Hefty®. Visit www.hefty.com to find products like trash bags and more that can help you out with your busy life.

 Related Topics:

http://mamanistatips.com/2014/02/08/valentines-day-baking/

Turning 2 at The Zoo. A Birthday Party For My Little Monkey

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Has it really been 2 years already? The past 24 months seem almost a blur. You are no longer a baby. I will no longer have to refer to your age in months. You are 2. I still can’t believe it.

One of the disadvantages of having a winter baby, is having to be confined to the indoors. I have a fairly good sized family. I would love to be able to include everyone, but unless I want to throw 3-4 separate parties, it just isn’t possible.  Summer babies have it made, outdoor BBQ’s are ideal for large get-togethers. We wanted to keep it simple. We kept a small guest list, with only 16 attendees including the birthday girl.

Mai is an animal lover, so we chose a zoo themed party. Our party was a little last minute due to work, the holidays & an upcoming vacation. I still wanted to give her a great party ,but was limited on time & did not want to spend a ton. I think we pulled off a lovely party for our little tot, without too much stress, planning or breaking the bank.

Simple pink garland & a couple of paper lanterns were hung from the ceiling. I hand cut two number 2s out of heavy scrapbook paper & used a hole punch to dangle from the lanterns.

 

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I loved these zebra print plates & napkins. They were perfect for our party, but they are over priced & come so few in a package. I mixed & matched the zebra party supplies with lesser priced pink plates & napkins. I alternated the napkin stacks in pink, then zebra prints.

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This simple party prop was made out of old cardboard boxes & scrapbook paper.

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The letters used to spell out Mai’s name were a wall hanging we received at my baby shower. They came in handy today.

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This is a singing Happy Birthday elephant that we received on Mai’s 1st birthday. It was a perfect addition to our zoo themed day.

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Our cheese, cracker & salami platter was supposed to be a lion, but looks a little more like a mouse. It looked differently in my head, but it was still cute & tasted good.

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A tiger made out of taco cheese ball with Doritos & Blue tortilla chips.

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A monkey cupcake cake

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2? I thought I was 1. Hmmm.

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She is only interested in her ice cream & cake.

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Who gave her Doritos?

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Yes, more tissue paper.

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Precious moments!

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Happy Birthday, my sweet girl.

Related Topics:

http://motherlygeekiness.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/birthday-ideas/

http://adrianorozco81.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/ashleys-1st-birthday-woodland-hills-ca/

http://allthatglitterseventplanninganddesign.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtle-themed-birthday-tmntdude/

http://breathofsunshine.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/chet-is-two/

Zoothemedbirthday.jpg

Mommy’s night out

girlsnight.jpg

As much as I love being a mother, it can be exhausting & sometimes overwhelming. It is not very often that I get a night to myself to unwind, so when my husband offered to watch our daughter for the night, so that I could get a night out with the girls, I jumped at the chance.
It had been a while since I have been away from my family other than going to work. I was looking forward to it all week. Then when the day finally arrived, I found myself feeling guilty for going out. As my work day was ending, I was second guessing my decision to go out with my friends.
I haven’t seen my daughter all day

I have to wake up with her in the morning

What if daddy feeds her Doritos for supper?

These are the things that went through my head. As much as I always complain that I need a break, the truth is the second I leave my family, I miss them. Despite all these excuses, I pulled myself together and went out with a couple of other mommies, for a girl’s night out.

My girlfriend Maura has a knack for finding fun and original things to do. She found a spot called ‘Brush it off’. It is a group painting session, where they serve beer & wine. I might never leave.

They give you a subject to paint & take you through a step by step process to achieve a great piece of DIY artwork. Our subject was the Ferber daisy.

When you arrive, they have you put on your apron & gather your paint & brushes.

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Don’t forget to grab your drink. I made mine a Shipyard Pumpkin Ale.

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They took us step by step through each part of the flower. The instructions were detailed but simple.

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After two hours of painting, a few drinks & some laughs. My masterpiece was done.

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It was a fun night with good friends . All of us, off duty mommies had a great time & don’t all of us moms deserve that once in a while.

Thank you as always for stopping by. Please follow us on Facebook as well.

Teaching Toddlers Emotions

Paper plate emotion masks

I have always been one of those people that wears their emotions right on their face. When I am having a bad day, everybody knows it. I have an expressive face. I can’t help it. It is like my heart plays puppeteer to my face & I have no control over it.

Continue Reading…

Fun Food Art

Food.jpg

Meal times are a stressful time in our house. My daughter is not the most cooperative eater and it is often a high point of anxiety for myself and my husband. She goes in phases. Sometimes she will surprise me & eat well for 3 days in a row. I get hopeful and think maybe we have had a breakthrough and then she will go into the next 3 days without touching anything on her plate again.
We try to make meal time as entertaining as possible for our finicky daughter. She is a busy little girl and is not a fan of having to sit still for a meal. We often do meal time dinner theater, where we read to her as she eats. She has a favorite selection of books reserved just for mealtime.
When possible, I serve her food in muffin or bite sized form, which she shows a preference to. We make her dips and sauces because she enjoys dipping her food. Unfortunately lately, she has realized that she can keep dipping the same piece of food without actually biting it and she just licks off the sauce. “What did your daughter have for dinner, tonight?”… “Ketchup, why what did yours eat?”

I am always trying different ideas to make meals more appealing to her.
In my Pinterest travels, I have often come across different example of toddler food art. The meals contain different healthy foods arranged to form pictures of animals, cars, cartoons, etc on the plate. This always looked interesting to me. The meals looked cute, but would cute be enough to win over our daughter. Let’s find out.

For snacktime we went with owl. The owl’s head was formed using wheat bread with peanut butter. I used american cheese, raisins and Cheerios for the eyes and a raisin for the nose. The body is made with a half of a graham cracker. The wings are formed using a heel of wheat bread and banana & the feet were slivers of carrot.

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Mommy gave this to Miss Mai . She laughed and pointed and said “bird, bird” and then very promptly looked up at me and said “phant, phant, phant” “Ok honey, an elephant it is.

I told you she was picky.

I recut and rearranged some of the pieces and added a fruit roll up for the tail.

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The elephant is served.

The verdict…

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She did like the fun shape of her snack but all our little snacker was interested in was the fruit roll up tail.

The moral…

The shape of your snack has no impact on whether they will eat their meal or not but it will sure make them smile.

Bearing that in mind, this was still a fun project & I wanted to give it one more try.

Thanksgiving is nearing, so I thought a turkey would be a suitable choice.

The turkey’s body & head are again made of bread, but this time I toasted the bread. The turkey’s wattle is made from a red pepper and the feathers are fish sticks with pieces of cheese & green pepper.

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My daughter likes fish sticks and peppers, so this one worked much better for her.

Like I said before, this was a fun project. Mai did enjoy the funny appearance of her food & I enjoyed creating them. I will continue to practice this interesting art form.

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Up next…Chick Pea french fries