The girls were under the weather yesterday, and we have taken stock in Puffs Plus.  They are already on the mend, thank goodness, so we should be back to business in no time. 

A couple things promised.  Feel free to print these labels if you are doing a reindeer food buffet this year.  For last year’s North Pole party, I arranged the ingredients on a low table, accessible for kids.  We used inexpensive disposable bread pans to hold everything, and the kids were each given a small jam jar to make their reindeer food.  The ingredients are mostly self-explanatory other than “flying powder.”  Of course, that’s a magical ingredient, but I can tell you that it looks like flour.

I included a few blank labels if you’d like to create a new concoction. You should be able to click on the labels (there are two sheets), scroll over the photo in Photobucket, and “File” will appear.  From there, you can dowload original file).


Also, while Santa controls the elves that may or may not show up at your party, I’ve been told Party City has elf costumes this time of year for elves who show up without proper attire. 

I’m working on making things a bit more sharable for you. In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend!

Popping in for a little holiday prep love.  I’ll be bringing some of our favorite sponsors back as well as new ones this month to help with gift ideas.  And I’m receiving e-mails every day about specific questions for the North Pole Party.  So, tomorrow I’ll have some more specifics for anyone who’s interested in throwing one of these parties or creating a reindeer food bar, Santa scavenger hunt, etc. for your kids this year.  I’m trying to put my printables up for you as well, and I’ll share our tags and labels to help make things easier for you. 

For now, I bring you Dashing Bee who returns with more great consignment finds for your kids.  Stretch your holiday budget by shopping these beautiful second hand goods, or stock up on winter coats and accessories for a fraction of the price.

All of these finds–some favorites of mine–are currently on the Dashing Bee site.  You get the thrill of the thrift hunt with the benefit of staying in your pajamas.

And look at those stripey scores in the last row!

Dashing Bee inventory changes daily, so keep checking in.  Use Code Kelle10 for 10% off your order.

One of the gifts of having children is discovering a new identity to your own parents. By welcoming a child, you consequently also welcome a completely new character in your family’s life–the grandparent. In doing so, a wardrobe door opens up to a place you didn’t know existed until you watch your parent hold your child and see that connection. Yes, grandparenthood is a sort of Narnia–a magical place where all the things that make your mom and dad not the perfect parent dissolve, replaced by the admiration your child has for their grandparent and the affection your mother and father share toward the one you love so much.

The more my children grow, the more I connect my own childhood memories of grandparents with the ones my girls are making. They will remember certain silly things that are important in their own minds just like I remember that my grandma always whispered “Tsss, tsss, tss” when she brushed through my tangled hair or the way my grandpa looked for my “goodness glands,” tickling under arms and around kneecaps as he searched.

My dad and Gary are down from Michigan, and we let Lainey play hookie yesterday, trading school for a day with her grandpa.  Poppa took my place at Nella’s Mommy & Me ballet class…

…treated the girls to a McDonald’s breakfast…

…and Gary pointed out all the proper tree and flower names at the botanical gardens.

Silk Floss Tree

More from our adventure:

Lainey loved the way this touch-sensitive plant folded up.

The silver lining of divorced parents for both me and Brett lies in the fact that our kids have oodles of grandparents.  Looking forward to many more memories in Narnia, and thankful for the ones we have.

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And finally, a video of some of Nella’s words:

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The Shine Project returns in sponsorship this month, bringing new product made by American at-risk youth, working to pay their way through college.  Every purchase you make helps employ more kids, and the holidays is a great time to give these youth the opportunity that we all deserve–working to move ahead. 
The Shine Project store offers a new bracelet this month, a delicate bangle that can be engraved with your favorite quote, a child’s name, etc.

Use code “Kelle15” to receive 15% off your order, and find out more ways The Shine Project is helping youth here.

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Happy Day to you.