(Almost) Free at home Montessori tray for Valentine's Day

Here at the Connor house we've been working on organizing....A LOT! One of the projects that I wanted to incorporate into the kid's room as I worked on the layout was two "works" for each child that was age appropriate, educational, and seasonally themed (because everything is more fun with a theme right?) Okay, maybe not everything....but it sure makes this fun! Plus, they both have a natural love of learning that Montessori inspires. Why not keep the learning going at home?

So, while the room is FAR from done, I started this adventure in creativity; after all, I couldn't miss Valentine's Day. In came Pinterest, which led me to http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/ValentineConversationHeartCountCards.htm

Below are pictures of the finished product, and how it works. Basically, it's a visual for numbers. This is actually a great tray for the kids to do together as Madeline has this skill mastered but Ben is just learning his number recognition.

The only purchase for this project was the paper clips and beads, but sense they will be used many more times, not too shabby. I especially love my homemade lamination job. Extra wide clear packing tape is the trick. And now I don't have to worry about the cards getting ripped:-)

As for the other projects? There will be more pictures to come and I can't wait to post the final product!

Today's little Pinterest project

A few weeks ago I pinned how to make felt tea bags for Madeline's tea set. Honestly, I wanted to make them a part of the Christmas gift but time got the best of me.
Today I finally got around to making them with her. She was so excited! However, after helping trace the pattern and pick the colors she was done because cutting the felt with her safety scissors was a bit difficult. She was very into watching though. It started off as a super easy project but by the end my sewing machine and I were at odds. Don't get me wrong, I love learning with my machine and this project was simple but I didn't plan on learning how to take apart the shuttle on the machine and then do it about a million times because my machine was hungry for the bobbin thread...by the way, if you know how to fix this issue comments are SO very welcome!

At any rate, I finished and the results turned out pretty cute, if I say so. They are not perfect but the do the job:-)

PS- we put tiny dried beans in the tea bags to make it look like there is tea in them:-)

Santa, snow & German dinner

Christmas Eve

Here's a few picture from church, new pjs, reading the night before Christmas and Santa's cookies and milk

Cookie decorating night

The kids waited, not so patiently, for us to decorate our cookies for Santa. I didn't bake anything else this year because I didn't have anyone to feed it to so we didn't need it. But, you have to make Santa cookies:-) Madeline was all about it, while Ben put a few sprinkles on one cookie and then ate it the rest of the time, lol. Adam even made the Hancock building and a cubs cookie in honor of our first Christmas here. Santa's going to love his cookies!