Toddler Suncatchers

In an attempt to scratch a few items off of our summer to do list before fall officially gets rolling (:D!), the boys and I tried our hand at making a sun catcher craft.

After seeing this one on Pinterest, it looked easy enough for my two year olds to try. We gathered 2 embroidery hoops, vellum paper cut into triangles, clear page protectors, and a glue stick.

Word from the wise: don't let your toddler put the wooden hoops around his neck. Very difficult to get off. Not that this happened to us....

 

Finished product!

Ohhh pretty

 

Also works as toddler chew toy. Obv.

As per usual, ignore fingerprints on window.

 

 

happy end of summer and ALMOST FALL to y'all!

-beth

Summer Learn & Play Activities

It only took us until mid-June, but I think we're finally starting to fall into a summer routine at home with the boys. It's not much different than the rest of the year with them since I stay home with the twins year-round, but I guess between the boys turning two (and therefore able to do more activities that I see on Pinterest, etc), and it being sooo hot outside (and therefore I'm trying to keep them entertained indoors as much as possible during the mid-day hours), this season has granted us more opportunity for more structured and more creative playtimes.

And since little two year olds are just so cute when they're playing happily, I thought I'd share their recent experiences:

No Mess Finger Painting:

 (great for learning colors, mixing colors, and "writing")

Cookie Cutter Playdoh:

(great for learning the letter/shape they are cutting)

 

 

Apple Paint Stamps:

I guess we're all about shirtless play during this hot weather, huh?

Thanks, Pinterest! (Sorry I don't have links for specifically where I saw these ideas- they're just things I saw in passing which didn't require any directions besides a quick look at the picture.)

Happy Summer!
-beth

"Cookies and Milk Mustaches" 2nd Birthday Party!

Eli and Asher are turing TWO this week! Dan and I love calling the boys our "little men," especially as they keep growing up so fast and keep surprising us daily with all the new things they can do and say! So a "little man" (mustaches, bow ties, etc) birthday party theme seemed to fit them quite well. However, I really wanted a book to tie into the theme so that we could continue the tradition of using an actual children's book as a guest book at their parties each year (last year was Very Hungry Caterpillar). For some reason, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" kept coming to mind, so I decided to expand the little man theme to include cookies and milk. Hence, the "Cookies and Milk Mustache" theme was born!

 The set up!

 Cupcakes

 Cookie Platter

 Cokes - in the bottle!

 Mustache Straws

 "Cake!" Made from Oreos and donuts

 Fun!

 Sweets!

 Candy Cigarettes - ha!

 Cookies in a Jar Party Favors

 Cupcakes!

Cupcake toppers - glitter 2's and polka dot mustaches!

 

 Mustache water bottles

"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" guest book

 Photo booth props!

Attempt at a family photo ;)

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDS! WE LOVE YOU!

 

 

-beth

Easter 2013

 

Not everything gets easier as the twins get older, but most things definitely do. Holidays would be at the tip top of that list! Easter was so much fun this year with brother friends who could dye eggs, Easter egg hunt, explore Easter baskets, and visit family together. Here's a quick photo recap of how our family spent Easter this year:

 

Dying eggs:

 

 

Easter baskets:

 (of course the wooden cars were the biggest hit)

 

Early morning egg hunt:

 

Visiting family:

(close up of the outfits I made for the boys)

Our family:

 

Happy Easter from the Hembree's!

Oh death! Where is your sting?
Oh hell! Where is your victory?
Oh church! Come stand in the light:
Our God is not dead, He's alive! He's alive!