Armless Snowman and Family Time

Nothing beats the holidays like the extra special family time! Usually our family nights are Tues and Fridays. With the holidays here we have been catching the specials on tv or renting holiday movies (if I have to watch the Island of Misfit Toys one more time.....Micah's favorite for some reason...luckily went back to the movie place tonight!) When we do our special things together I like to make the kids a special treat. Like these impromptu snowmen. Just using on hand supplies...mini marshmallows leftover from Thanksgiving dinner, melted choc chips and sprinkles. Couldn't find anything for arms, but the kids enjoyed them nonetheless.

Tomorrow night we are all doing a craft and the special snack will be hot chocolate and white chocolate popcorn (take microwave buttered popcorn and pop, pour in a bowl, drizzle melted white choc over and toss....SUPER yummy!) We will be our own ornaments. Most years I let the kids make a special ornament or make the 'Baby's First Christmas' ornament with clay. I get clay from Hobby Lobby and roll it out with a rolling pin and cut shapes with cookie cutters (don't forget to use a straw to make a hole on top), let harden overnite and then let the kids paint them. Here are some past year's examples:
In 2005 I cut out stars for Z and K and they painted them. After they dried, I then painted their name and date and hung them with ribbon.
This was Kalla's I made her for her first Christmas. I cut out a large circle, then I pushed the edges in with my fingers to make a scallop edge, used a straw to make all the holes, pushed K's little baby hand into the clay and let dry. Then I strung ribbon through the holes and painted her name and date.
This was the first year I had the idea to do the clay ornaments. I cut out a train for Z who loved Thomas. He was 2yrs and obviously painted them. He proudly hung those on our tree this year (4years later) together.
This was Micah's first Christmas ornament. Instead of pushing his foot in the clay I painted the clay then painted his foot to make a print.

This year I let thd kids look at all my cookie cutters (I have a ton) and pick what shape they wanted. Z is doing a lion, K a kitty, Micah a puppy and I made a heart shape for Maressa where I'll paint her hand. Matt and I are doing one too...Matt has a round one for a basketball and I picked out a rollerskate shape. They are drying out now and we will paint them tomorrow and try to catch Frosty on the tv.