Picking Oranges

While in Florida, we found a place nearby to pick oranges and grapefruits. I think the kids were as excited about that as they were about going to Disney World.

Our New Year's Eve Celebration

I've had an idea for New Year's Eve in my planning stuff for at least a couple years, but never managed to find the time to do it. I think it was in Family Fun magazine and I've seen several people on the Five in a Row message boards do it. I didn't think I was going to get to it again this year because I still hadn't gotten the bags ready at 2:00, but I decided to just go ahead and quickly get them together. I had already gathered things for us to do and my hubby helped me come up with rhymes for them.

Here are the bags with clocks telling the kids what time to open each and a little rhyme about what is in the bag.  

Bag #1
Today is the last day of the year.
Get ready to have fun and cheer.
Let's make some friends to help celebrate the day;
Be careful though, sometimes these friends try to run away.

Inside the bag: candies, icing, and gingerbread people

Bag #2
Attention girls and boys,
Use things in this bag to make some noise.

Inside bag: paper plates, markers, beans

Since we had the markers out, we went ahead and decorated a Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011 sign

Bag #3
Now that you've had some food,
Use this stuff to get into the party mood.

Inside bag: necklaces and I gave them their party hats

You can see pictures of them below.


Bag #4
We've traded victories through the year,
Open this bag and the final champion will appear.

Inside bag: games

I was gone for a few minutes and came back to find them playing blackjack and betting beans.

Molly was the big winner

Then it was time for Uno, one of the kids' favorite games.

Molly was too worried about the cookies to play much.

Bag #5
It's dark now so there isn't any sun.
That's okay because we're just wearing these for fun.

Inside bag: 2011 glasses

Game playing continued with Hedbanz, a game Molly got for Christmas. They all really like it. You try to figure out what you are by asking everyone else questions.

Molly trying to cheat and see what her card is

Bag #6
With all this fun going on, the house is probably a wreck.
Let's not worry about that and sit down to watch Shrek.

Inside bag: Shrek movie and popcorn

Kids in our theater with popcorn and drinks ready for the movie

Bag #7
The end of the year has come at last,
Open this bag to have a blast.

Inside bag: sparklers, poppers

Colin's lego ball drop he made

Bag #8
Snuggle up with the ones you love most,
It's time for the New Year's toast.

Inside bag: plastic wine glasses

Happy New Year!

Even though we did pretty much the same things we always do on New Year's Eve, the kids really liked the bags and have already asked to do them again next year. I'm going to really try to get them done ahead of time next year.

Christmas Pictures

Christmas Activities

Being gone for over a week in December and all the usual things that need to be done for Christmas didn't leave us as much time as I would like for holiday acitivities, but we managed to fit in some fun things.


Decorating a gingerbread house

Decorating ice cream cone Christmas trees

Using stickers to make a nativity scene

Foam Crafts

Making gingerbread people

(My good friend gave the kids the jars in the pictures above as a gift. She painted their names on the jars. I think they're so cute.)



I made playdough that the girls have loved playing with.

We also got to go see The Nutcracker with some friends. It was our first time seeing it. The girls and I really enjoyed it. I don't think Colin felt the same.