Timothy's Donut Shoppe

We didn't have much money at all, so I knew I'd have to make something special to make up for the lack of presents.  Not that I think every kid need tons of stuff, but they are used to a certain relative amount and it wouldn't be fair to give one child so much less than the others.  I do not at all think things must be perfectly even, but I try to keep things close to the same level. 

This is a shoe box, covered with layers of tissue paper (and modge podge).  The lid also becomes a serving tray for the food.  I made some felt donuts and eggs and pancakes with a pat of butter.  (I have to make the syrup to sit atop the pancakes also. It will just sit on top, not be attached).  I washed a coffee cup and lid & straw (with holders) to go with the donut shop theme.  I think I'll be making more felt food for Christmas!

PS. Thanks to Claire and my Mom for getting me out so I could get the supplies to make this (just barely) in time!!

Sharks!

Sharks and a Killer (Orca) whale.  And a little diving guy, with equipment and a boat. Omigosh, they've been having so much fun in the tub with Jacob's new toys!  It's interesting, Jacob seems to share more personal characteristics with Justin, particularly their fascination with animals with sharp teeth! 

Wooden birthday cake, anyone??

He loved it so much he had to fall asleep holding it!! 

Guerilla Art

I've been reading Leanna's birthday present book: The Guerilla Art Kit by Keri Smith

It's not written for a child, but I love the idea, and with adult guidance, I think it could really be a neat tool.  Plus it has instructions for craft type projects.  I'm looking forward to opportunities to try this with her!  Admittedly, I recommended this book to Claire to get for her, so it's not surprising I like it.   The idea is that some type of anonymous work is created, installed, performed, or attached to a public space with the distinct purpose of affecting the world in a creative or thought provoking way.  It can be done to beautify the area, to question or challenge the status quo, or to interact with the environment or people.  Some examples of guerilla art: you could leave a note in a public place, leave a chalk drawing on the sidewalk or a building, insert a note in a book for someone to find, plant flowers in a sidewalk crack, doodle in the margins of a book, leaving political posters somewhere, leaving a poster or notebook somewhere with instructions for others to add comments, etc. etc.  I love the idea of leaving something to brighten someone else's day.  Just random kindness bombs thrown about! 

Some quotes I like:

"Public art says 'the human spirit is alive here."
"Modern culture with its overwhelming wealth of advertising,mass media, and mass communication often teaches us to tune out, or disconnect, because there is a limit to how much information we can process on a given day.  In many cases we have no choice about the quality or quantity of what we take in."
"For a moment I am taken out of my known world and presented with an alternative, one that is unexpected and daring, one that makes me think about the space a little differently.  These little gestures encourage me to not take our world so seriously, to contemplate for a moment something outside the predicable.  They reawaken a sense of connection to the environment by pointing out something I might not have seen, by adding a new image to the world that is unexpected, or by presenting an alternate point of view."

Birthday Bike

New birthday present from Nanny Sue and Pop-Pop J

Play Doh fun

Nothing better than a slice of play-doh pizza!

Leanna's lovely hat

All Leanna's play doh creations and Timothy with his new play doh monkey (birthday present from Aunt Laura)

Presents!

Playing with presents-Timothy LOVED the food set-sandwich version-seen here.
This one is Timothy receiving a card Leanna made him.

Opening Nanny Sue & Pop-Pop's present.

Just after opening the Pirate set, found in the clearance aisle at Walmart! (from me and Tom)

Jacob crashed finally, and had a nice nap during the party.

Timothy didn't give a huge reaction to anything he opened. This didn't have anything to do with his enjoyment of the presents though, he just wasn't in a mood to yell or react strongly. He looked so serious! He was happy with everything though and he received a lot of nice gifts!

Birthday Boy & presents

Jacob had the most original response to present time! First we gave him the gifts his siblings had made for him. He gleefully grabbed them and promptly ran over to the rolltop desk and shoved them in a drawer. I have no idea why. It a drawer I use to store manuals from all the items we buy/are given.

He wasn't really into opening the presents themselves, but then he kept running around with the gifts. He was just so excited and happy. It was like he was just overflowing with energy and happiness and could not contain it, so he had to get up and run. Quite a contrast with Leanna and Justin who were just so embarrassed to open presents in front of a room full of people that they would barely look at their gifts! It was just really fun to see.

Timothy and Justin enjoyed playing with Jacob's gifts as well, the dinosaur and penguin bath toys were big hits with everyone. And a crayola thermos I picked up from Walmart on a whim was a huge hit too-Jacob kept running it over the floor as though it was a car! It's always neat to see what actually catches their fancy.

Two birthday presents

Appropriately enough, presents from both grandmothers. First is Leanna with two of her three Cabbage Patch kids-the one with lots of hair is her birthday present from Nanny Sue. (The other one pictured is a baby Cabbage Patch that I got her the Christmas after Timothy was born so she'd have a baby to take care of too. And the third, not picured, was one I got for $5.00 at a thrift store while I was pregnant with Leanna. I knew I was having a girl and when I saw it I couldn't resist getting the baby one!)

And here is a Rose from Leanna's trip to the Farmer's Market with Grammy and Aunt Cindy on her birthday. Very pretty.

Still not sure about when/if we're doing a party this year........I'd really really hate not to, but we just may not be able to swing it this year.

Getting Crafty

I've started on Leanna's birthday quilted wall hanging. I made one for Justin two years ago-Nemo, and both Leanna and Timothy have complained that they want one too. When I told Tom that he said, "I want one too! With Tigers!"
So I guess I have my work cut out for me!

When I opened the cutting tool (pictured) Justin said, "Wow! Cool tool!" We're thinking he'll be Tom's helper at work one day. : )