A Christmas Tale for Moms

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas…Mom Style

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the abode
Only one creature was stirring & she was cleaning the commode.
The children were finally sleeping, all snug in their beds,
while visions of X-Box & Barbie flipped through their heads.

Yes, and dad was snoring in front of the TV,
with a half constructed bicycle propped on his knee.
So only the mom heard the reindeer hooves clatter,
which made her sigh, “Now what is the matter?”

With toilet bowl brush still clutched in her hand,
She descended the stairs, and saw the old man.
He was covered with ashes & soot, which fell with a shrug,
“Oh great,” muttered the mom, “Now I have to clean the rug.”

“Ho Ho Ho!” cried Santa, I’m glad you’re awake.”
“Your gift was especially difficult to make.”
“Thanks, Santa, but all I want is time alone.”
“Exactly!” he chuckled, “So, I’ve made you a clone.”

“A clone?” she muttered, “What good is that?”
“Run along, Santa, I’ve no time for chit chat.”
Then out walked the clone – The mother’s twin,
Same hair, same eyes, same double chin.

“She’ll cook, she’ll dust, and she’ll mop every mess.
You’ll relax, take it easy, watch TV and rest.
“Fantastic!” the mom cheered. “My dream has come true!”
“I’ll shop, I’ll read, I’ll sleep a night through!

“From the room above, the youngest did fret.
“Mommy?! Come quickly, I’m scared and I’m wet.
“The clone replied, “I’m coming, sweetheart.”
“Hey,” the mom smiled, “She sure knows her part.

“The clone changed the child and hummed her a tune,
as she bundled the small one in a blanket cocoon.
“You’re the best mommy ever. I really love you.
“The clone smiled and sighed, “And I love you too.

“The mom frowned and said, “Sorry, Santa, no deal.
That’s my child’s LOVE she is going to steal.
“Smiling wisely, Santa said: “To me it is clear,
Only one loving mother is needed here.

“The mom kissed her child and tucked her in bed.
“Thank You, Santa, for clearing my head.
Sometimes I forget, it won’t be very long,
before they’ll be too old for my cradle and song.

“The clock on the mantle began to chime.
Santa whispered to the clone, “It works every time.
“With the clone by his side, Santa said: “Goodnight.
Merry Christmas, dear Mom, you’ll be all right.”

As a mom it’s easy to get discouraged and there are days that you want to sit down and throw a temper tantrum. On the days when you wished for a clone, take some time for yourself and remember the joys of being a mom. Please have a happy holiday with friends and family. I wish for you all of the joy and peace of the season. Merry Christmas Moms from mom-stuff.com

Stylish Blogger Award

I was just awarded the Stylish Blogger Award from Carla.

www.jollyjansen.blogspot.com
http://HoustonParentsMagazine.com

Thanks for the appreciation.

  I've been awarded the Stylish Blogger Award by the great blog Jansen Family Adventures. Carla is a writer and her blog is well written with great content.

Carla has been posting the things she is grateful for on her blog in celebration of Thanksgiving. Make sure you visit her blog for some great impiration at http://www.jollyjansen.blogspot.com/

Many thanks!!  I am very happy to accept it and share some blogs I've recently discovered!

Rules for accepting this award are: 

1. Thank & link back to the person who awarded you this.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pay it forward to 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about their Blog Award!

Here are the 7 Facts About Myself:

1. I am a transplant patient. I am on my second kidney.

2. I love to make crafts.

3. I love to decorate my home.

4. I love to decorate for every holiday.

5.I am a military wife. 

6. I am a Harry Potter fan

7. I am married to a gamer. 

Well, I hope you feel like you know me better!  Here are 15 blogs  that I've recently discovered and totally love.  I think you will enjoy them too.

Ashley

Check out these blogs:


1. The Wright Hair 
2. Random Things Kids Say

3.Country Cooking With Janille

4. Mom-Stuff Community

5.Happily Ever After Again

6. The Favour Shoppe

7. Just As Nice/Half the price

8. Affording Common Cents

9.It's My Life 

10.Tenny's Crafty Life

11.Karyn's Writing Log
12. Mckay Designs
13. This and That
14.One Charming Party
15. Vintage Revivals 

Glitter Pumpkins

                                                  

 Materials:

Plastic pumpkins

Glitter

Paint

Instructions:

This was a really easy project.  I picked a color for each pumpkin. I did a brown pumpkin with gold glitter. I painted the pumpkin and then before it dried I sprinkled the gold glitter on to the pumpkin then let it dry

I did this with the rest of my pumpkins I did a green one and a black one and then a pearl. This is easy and you can put whatever colors you would like 

Indian Corn

                                                  

 Materials:

Twinkie

2 bags of candy corn

One with brown bottoms

One with orange bottoms 

Butter knife

Lemon frosting

Plate

Instructions

This is a fun craft that you get to eat and really easy for the kids to do the first thing that you need to so is unwrap your Twinkie and place on the plate then with the butter knife frost your Twinkie all over then take the candy corn and place in the frosting with the small side down to make it look like Indian corn then in joy 

Turkey Door Hanger

Materials:

9 sheets of 12x12 scrapbook paper, in colors for the tail feathers

1 sheet of 12x12 scrapbook paper tan or light brown for the body.

Scraps of red, brown, white and yellow paper

Ribbon, 24 inches

Hot Glue gun, glue sticks and paper glue

Stapler

Oval Google Eyes

Instructions:

Print off the pattern. Pattern will be posted at mom-stuff.com. Cut out the pieces and glue the turkey together using paper glue. Glue on the eyes with the hot glue. Set aside while you make the feathers.

Take one of the 12x12 sheets and roll it into a cone shape using one corner as the point. After you have the cone shape, staple the end to hold the shape. Repeat for the rest of the feathers. Pick your color pattern for the feathers. Starting with the center one,  glue it to the back of the turkey (using your hot glue). Next glue the next feathers on each side of the center one. Glue to turkey but also along the length of the feathers. Continue with the nest two feathers lower the points to match the shape of the body. Make sure each feather is right next to the previous one.

Tie the ends together and glue across the back of the center feather at 4 inches from the tip with the knot in the middle. Glue the ribbon along both sides of the center feather up the back until you are at least 2/3 up the feather to support the door hanger. Pattern is posted at www.mom-stuff.com

Mom-Stuff Thanksgiving Pages are Live

Visit for fun ideas to help make your Thanksgiving celebration the best ever.

Glitter up your Thanksgiving table with:

Wheat Thanksgiving Arrangement

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Leafy Napkin Ring

Thanksgiving Name Tags

Ideas for family fun:

Thanksgiving Games and Songs

Thanksgiving Family Fun

Thanksgiving Recipes

Kids crafts Pinecone Hand Turkey

We will be adding more ideas for you this week so visit often.

Pinecone Hand Turkey

Materials:

Pinecone Two

Googly Eyes (10 mm)

Low temp glue gun or tacky glue

Red pipe cleaner

Orange pipe cleaner

Wire cutters

Craft foam

Scissor

Instructions:

Trace the kid's hands on the craft foam for feathers then cut them out Cut the orange pipe cleaner into two (three inch) pieces. Fold the first orange pipe cleaner into half; twist about 1/4 inches from end and open Up ends to make the feet. Repeat for second orange pipe cleaner Stick the orange feet in the turkey a little less than halfway from the largest end. Glue In place Glue turkey body (pinecone) with feet down Glue kids hands in the pinecone closest to the largest end to look like feathers Glue wiggles eyes on the head Cut a tiny piece of red pipe cleaner to use as the waddle and glue below the eyes.

If You Are NOT Ready For Halloween

NEW HALLOWEEN IDEAS

Come visit and get our ideas to  make this the best Halloween yet. We have some new pages this week and more coming. Thanks to everyone who shared their great ideas.

NEW Neighbor Halloween Gifts

NEW Pumpkin Pictures Easy Enough for Kids

NEW Fun Family Halloween Games

NEW Fun Halloween Recipes-kids crafts with food

Halloween Trick or Treat Bag re purpose T shirt

Pumpkin Craft for Small Children

Spooky Spiders

Plan your Halloween party complete skeleton theme

Halloween Party Skeleton Invitations

Treasure Hunt for Your Halloween Party with skeleton clues

Skeleton Plates, Cups and Punch Bowl

More Classmate Treats

Poodle and Dog suckers

The Cricut Create a Critter Cartridge 

Poodle, for the girl classmates

Dog, for the boy classmates

Materials:

Colored index paper in three colors. (white, pink, and black)

Tootieroll Pops

Google eyes

Glue stick

Scott tape

Instructions

This year we used the Cricket Create a Critter and the help of a three year old. She wanted to give these out at her pre school. 

Using the Cricket Create a Critter:

Cut the Poodle shapes in size 4

Cut the Dog in size 3.5

Glue all of the pieces together to make the body.

Tape the sucker to the back. Placing the sucker under the head.

Glue the eyes in place.

Classmate Treats

Birthday Butterflies

The Cricut Create a Critter Cartridge  is used to make these class room treats ro give out to friends on her birthday.

Materials:

Colored index paper in two colors.

Black index paper

Tootieroll Pops

Google eyes

Glue stick

Scott tape

Instructions:

This year we used the Cricket Create a Critter. If you do not have a Cricket machine make a butterfly pattern be folding a pieces of type paper in half and cut out the shape of wings. Two make the top piece cut out the same shape ½ inch smaller. Make the body Pattern the same way.

Using the Cricket Create a Critter:

Cut the Butterflies in size 4 ½

Cut the body in size 5

Glue the butterfly wings together and onto the body.

You can let your child add any designs or embellishments.

After the butterflies are assembled tape the sucker to the back. Placing the sucker under the head. We let the birthday girl tape on the stickers.

Glue the eyes in place. 

Pumpkin Craft for Small Children

Do you have kids who want to carve pumpkins but are to small to handle a knife? This is the perfect solution.

To get your instructions and material list click here.  

Spider Sucker

These are perfect for classroom treats.

These are easier to make than they look. Get materials and instructions here.

Small Spooky Spiders

These are so cute and fun to make. Put them all over your house. For materials and instructions click here

Large Spooking Spiders

Instructions: Great for Halloween center piece or decoration.

Fun Halloween Food Crafts for Kids

This year one of our moms at mom-stuff came up with some great Halloween kids crafts using food. Come and check them out. Click here to see all of easy and fun food crafts.

Pumpkin Pictures Easy Enough for Kids

Last weekend my three year old grandaughter wanted to make a Halloween craft.

Here is what I came up with. I made some pumpkin patterns.   She was able to cut them out  with a little bit of help and glue them on to black paper.

Materials:

Pattern

Orange, green, brown and black craft paper

Glue and scissors

Instructions:

Cut the pumpkin out on orange paper. Cut the stem out of brown. Cut the leaf out of green. Glue on to black paper. You can add writing with stickers. You can also add a face using our face patterns form our Pumpkin Craft for Small Children.

Pattern for small pumpkin

Pattern for large pumpkin

Pattern for tall pumpkin

How to Scrapbook for Beginners

Scrapbooking has been around for decades. I remember my grandmother had a picture history book that was 4 or 5 inches thick.  People from all walks of life have discovered the joys of creating albums to showcase their treasured photos and keepsakes. But with all the elaborate scrapbooking techniques and myriad embellishments available, getting started can be intimidating.
The truth is, anyone that can use scissors and glue can scrapbook. And you don't have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to create attractive pages. With some basic supplies and a little imagination, you can create lovely scrapbooks that will be adored for years to come. I made my first granddaughter a scrapbook of the first year of her life. She looks through almost every time she comes to my house.
I suggest you start with just the basics to see if you enjoy scrapbooking. If you don't have the time, money or know-how to create elaborate scrapbooks, just start off simple, and learn new techniques as you go.
If you have ever wanted to try your hand at scrapbooking now is your time. There is no wrong way to do it. Just follow these steps and have fun. Click here to let the creation begin!

Ghost Lantern

Materials:

Clean plastic gallon milk jugs

Black permanent marker

Craft knife

String of 50 clear low-wattage holiday lights

Instructions:

Draw ghost eyes and mouths on the jugs (Tip: Leave the caps on while you do this so the jugs don't dent) Use the craft knife to cut a half-dollar-size hole in the back of each jug Arrange the ghosts near each other and string the lights between them (stuff several bulbs into each jug) **Craft came from www.familyfun.com 2008** 

Project made for mom-stuff.com. Visit for more great Halloween Ideas

Shrunken Heads

These decorations need to be made at least 1 week before Halloween in order for them to shrink

Materials:    

1 c. Lemon juice

Apple corer

Firms Apples

1 TBS Salt

Paring Knife

Black Pen 

Cocktail stick and a length of heavy string if you want to make garland

Instructions:

Peal and core your apples. Use the black pen to draw whatever facial expressions and features on one side of the apple. Make the drawings large so when the apple shrinks you can see them. Carve out the facial features with a paring knife. Pour salt into the lemon juice. Dip each apple into the juice solution. This will help eliminate the apple from turning too brown. Leave the apples out somewhere warm such as above a radiator or an airing cupboard. In a few days the apples will shrink and shrivel to look like wrinkled faces. **Craft came from Spooky Fun Book by Marion Haslam 2005**

Invitations for your Halloween Party

Monster Invitation Instructions

  

Materials

Paper, 1 sheet, shirt = 4 invitations

           1 sheet, pants=6 invitations

           1 sheet, head and hands=6 invitation

Index paper-Black base, 1 sheet=2 invitations

Instructions:  

In a space of 2 inches wide and 1.5 inches deep. Print your information for your party in a word program.

If you do not want to use a computer, you can skip this step and write on the shirts after they are copied. Print off 4 copies and paste them on the shirt pattern.  If you use white paper on the white shirt pattern it will not show the lines of the paper when copied. Make a copies on your, color paper for shirts. You will make as many sheets as needed for the number of invitations you will be making divided by four.

Now make copies of  the heads and hands pattern using your skin color paper. You will need to make one pair for each invitation. I used a silver pen to whiten the teeth and tape. 

Now make copies of pants pattern using your pants color. Again, you will make one for each invitation. I used a black sharpie to darken the shoes and hair.

Cut the black index board in half lengthwise.  Paste on your pants and shoes in the center bottom of the ½ index sheet, leaving 1/16 from the edge. Next glue on the shirt, put it on top of the pants in the center of the black index sheet. Now glue on the head. Click here for patterns.

Infant Bows

Make Your Own Infant Bows

To make hair bows for infants all you need is some narrow ribbon and Kero Syrup. Yes the kind you make candy with. Using a 9 inch piece of ribbon tie a bow. Pull it tight and cut the ends at an angle. Put it on your little girl with a small amount of Kero syrup.  To remove bow use a wet cloth. As you reuse the syrup it will stiffen the bow and keep it in shape. I have a friend who puts syrup on the bow and lets it dry with a pencil through each loop.  If you need to wash it just use some dish soap and water. I have found some small spools in matching colors at the craft store that make some really cute bows. If you have some friends to swap ribbons with or if you have a store that will sell you ¼ of a yard of the ribbon you want then these are really  to make.

If you want to purchase these we have a mom who sells them atmom-stuff. Her company is Bybee Bows. She also sells the Head glue which is food grade syrup in an easy to use bottle. For more fun craft ideas visit her bloghttp://ashleys-craftroom.blogspot.com

Gift Ideas for Friendship Day

Give with a Cookie Cutter

My wish for the whole wide world would be;

Someone could invent a cookie cutter that would magically,

create a wonderful, caring friend like you, for everyone.

LARGE CANDY BAR   

A day or two ago I thought would make a treat

For all our special friends, a sweet treat to eat.

My intentions were top notch, but my schedule wouldn't budge.

Hence, here's this year's edition of my Homemade Friendship Fudge!

  FRIENDSHIP KISSES         

You are the answer to all of my wishes
So today in celebarating Friendship day,

I give you a bag of Kisses

Fourth of July Flip Flops

Materials:

A pair of inexpensive flip-flops. I found them at Old Navy for $2.50.

3/8 inch Red, White and Blue Ribbon curled. one 3 yd spool of shoe color and 2 spools of the other 2 colors.

Glue Dots "Craft Dot n Go"

Instructions:

1. Wrap one 3/8 spool of red, white and blue ribbon around a dowel and cook them in the oven. I used one dowel per one roll of ribbon. Do not mix the colors on the dowel. There can be fading. I used Loew Cornell 5/16 dowels and I cooked them in a per heated oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool completely while you do step 2. I used tape to secure the end of the ribbons.

2. Cut the two 3/8 inch ribbon into 4-18-inch lengths. Tie one of each color together and put Craft Dot N' Go onto one side on the ribbon. Pull knot into the back edge of the flop flop and wrap the ribbons as if braiding them around the flop flop. Make sure the glue side is the one next to the shoe. Tie them to the center strip of the flip-flops. Make sure you tie a square knot so the knot does not come undone. (Left over right and then right over left) Repeat this step on the other side of the flip flop. Repeat this step for the other flip flop.

3. Unwind the curled ribbon and cut them onto four inch strips (measure the ribbon curled not pulled out straight.)

4. Using the ribbon ends from step 1 tie 3 of each color of curled ribbon onto the center of the flip flops. Trim off the ends of the ribbons into a circle.You can use any extra curled ribbon to make the Firework Side Winders or to add to a hair clip. For more Fourth of July projects visit http://www.mom-stuff.com/public/301.cfm