I have such mixed feelings about Valentine’s Day.  I love boxes of candy.  I love roses.  I love the pink and red combo.  I love cards.  I love cute, homemade stuff.  I love my kids.  I love my husband.  I should love Valentine’s Day, right?  Well, I do.  Really, I do.  But, I don’t really love the thought of giving more toys, right after Christmas.  I’m kinda over that…so, I usually give the kids a new book.  And, I’m out of gift ideas for the husband, I used every one of them for Christmas, and his birthday that’s just four days before.  Rough life, I know.  See what I mean about mixed feelings?  It’s like, “oooh, fun!” and “ugh” all jumbled together.

Hey, remember when kids used to secretly leave Valentines at your door?  They would ring the door bell and run away, remember??  That was awesome.  What happened to that??  Or, is it still around, and I just haven’t clued into the fact that I’m the only one not getting secret Valentines?  Maybe y’all have piles and piles of love notes covering your door steps.  Sad.

Anyhoo, something else that I love is traditions.  So far, on Valentine’s, the kids will have a treasure hunt, with clues written on hearts that lead them all around the house, until at last they find their new book and a little treat.  We also write a card/love note to each one of them, to include with their Valentine. (I blogged about it, here.) It’s way fun, but that’s pretty much the extent of our festivities…so, I decided that I would come up with a new tradition, to prolong the whole love theme, so it lasts the rest of the day.   After that, they’re back to being called “little terd-butts,” until Valentine’s Day rolls around again.  Just kidding.  Juuuuuuust kidding.

So, here’s what I’m thinking we’ll do this year…

I’m going to type up a paper, as follows:

For breakfast, I love…

For lunch, I love…

For dinner, I love…

For snack, I love…

To drink, I love…

To read, I love…

To watch, I love…

To play, I love…

I’ll cut them into little wordstrips, and put them in a bag.  A couple days before Valentine’s Day, I will have every kid draw out two papers, without showing anyone else.  I’ll probably add a couple duplicates of “to read” and “to play,” since I have a plethora of children.  The kids will then need to fill in the blanks, and give them back to me, so I can start planning our Valentine’s Day.  I want to fill the whole day, doing things that are LOVED, by different family members.

So, for all I know we could be eating Cookie Crisp for breakfast, Cookie Crisp for lunch, and McDonalds for dinner.  Snack might be beef jerky, and Bug Juice to drink.  We’ll probably read something like ‘Go Away’ Big Green Monster, play bowling on the Kinect, and watch iCarly.  But, I don’t care.  It will be awesome, because everyone will get a couple things that they love.  And, Valentine’s is about love, right?  Or, was it chocolate?  I get mixed up.

To jazz it up, I’m thinking of not telling who picked the designated food or activity, and having everyone take a guess.  Maybe whomever gets the most guesses right, will win an extra little Valentine.  Or, maybe just a love tap.  And, of course we’ll still do our traditional Valentine’s treasure hunt.

I’m excited.

Do you have any fun Valentine’s traditions??

Valentines seems to come and go so quickly. Once February starts, I’m only thinking of what candy to buy and cards to make for my children’s classmates. I thought it would be fun to do more as a family this Valentines, counting down the days and turning it into a holiday of service. We’re going to participate in a 14 Acts of Love activity, leading up to Valentines Day!

I’ve asked design ninja, Juliann of PB J&J, to see what she could come up with for a Valentine’s day printable to go along with my 14 Acts of Love. It turned out perfect! Look at these lovely heart designs. There is also a fun black and white version of the printable so you and your kiddos can color them in, making them your own.

For the project to work, having a lovely heart on one side and the “act” on the other, you will need to print out 2 pages double-sided or simply glue the the words on the back. It’s also possible to just print out the hearts and come up with your own “acts of love” to add to the back. I’m sure your kids could help come up with some fun ways to love and serve one another!

You can really display these fun paper hearts any way you’d like, but I thought it would be fun to make them a centerpiece in our home. They are placed right where everyone can see and pick one for each day. We’re doing them as a family. One member of the family picks out a heart and we all do the service for each other. For example: if someone chooses  ”write someone a note” then we all will write a note to someone that day. I’m hoping it all works itself out and everyone gets a chance to serve and love one another.

Here’s how we made our display with a jar and colored rice.

Supplies for 14 Acts of Love display:

• colored rice: click here for the how-to on coloring rice
• clear jar
• 14 straws or pencils or stick or pixie sticks
• printable: Valentines 14 Acts of Love
• scissors
• gluestick
• ribbon – optional

1. Color your rice red, pink, purple, or you can even leave it white. Click here for the how-to on coloring rice. I think I did about 20-25 drops of red food coloring to give it that rich red look. And I actually don’t have any rubbing alcohol in my house at the moment, so I just omitted it and it still came out fine. 

2. Find a clear vase or jar and make sure it’s dry inside. Pour your rice into the jar. You could layer your colored rice with different colors and it would look so cute!

3. Download and print out your hearts and “acts of love” printable.

4. Cut out your hearts and sayings.

5. Glue or tape a straw or stick or pencil or pixie stick to each of the 14 hearts, to use as the stick. I glued my saying right around my straws, helping hold them in place.

6. Add a decorative ribbon around the mouth of the jar. I also added the 14 Acts of Love words of the printable to the bottom of the jar to help us remember what this project is all about.

7. Place each heart stick into the jar full of rice.

Now it’s ready to display and enjoy for the 14 days leading up to Valentines. Choose one for each day startring on February 1st, counting down to Valentine’s Day on February 14th.

What acts of love would you add to your jar? Share them in the comments. I know there’s more ways to love and serve! 

We’re more than half-way through January. I have almost worked through the last of the snowman sugar cookies stashed in my freezer which means a couple of things:

1. The holidaze have come and gone
2. I’m most likely looking fat-tastic (that is not actually a good thing)
3. It’s time to start my New Year’s Resolutions

Wait, “start” my resolutions you ask? Yes, you heard me right. A wise sage (ok, a former boss) got me turned on to the idea of starting life improving changes in February, instead of the ever-so-clichéd New Year’s Resolve. First off, there are (usually) only 28 days – making it three days easier, if you’re trying to do something for a month.  Second, all the holiday victuals and goodies are likely out of your kitchen by this time of year (and in my case, onto my thighs providing some serious motivation.) Besides, it’s really too much to ask to start dieting (or self-improving) when your kick off date is technically a holiday. That’s just not right, people.

Which blissfully brings us to February – the month to recommit to everything you committed to do a month ago! And yes, I recognize it’s not technically February, but I want to give us some wiggle room before kick-off.

Whatever you’ve resolved to do: diet, stop smoking, be nicer to your kids, crochet sweaters for the family, etc etc. I say go for it. While you’re on the self-improvement ladder, might I suggest in adding one more rung on your ladder to the top?

My monthly challenge: ditch your pancake mix (and why not the waffle, muffin and biscuit ones while you’re at it). I know it sounds a little ridiculous, I mean this is supposed to be about sustainable living right? So perhaps you were expecting me to offer the challenge of replacing your light-bulbs, recycling your glass bottles more diligently or resolving to only eat organic produce. While all wonderful things, opting out of the Bisquick/Krusteaz/whatever other variety you’ve grown accustomed to is a much tastier way to move your family in a more sustainable direction.

First, it’s getting you into your own kitchen and out of the food-scientists concoctions and food-plants. Second, you control the ingredients – no added soybean or corn derivatives, inert gases to keep things fresh, or words you can’t pronounce. Third, it’s a great chance to get in the habit of cooking from scratch (and easy to do with kids); and since you most likely already keep the ingredients on hand, you’ve got less packaging which is usually a greener choice. (I’d say ‘always,’ but speaking in absolutes scares me.)

At our house, we use Mark Bittman’s “Everyday Pancakes” recipe, and often substitute whole-wheat flour for all-purpose flour, though the result is obviously more light and fluffy when using the white-stuff. Just six ingredients and less than twenty minutes. This will be one of the most delicious resolutions you keep!

Do you have a quick-and-easy from-scratch recipe for pancakes, waffles or muffins your family loves? Do tell, do tell!

A few weeks back I was invited by the lovely Melitsa of Raising Playful Tots to participate in a fun kid craft and book writing interview talking about my book, Make and Takes for Kids.

If you’re not already familiar with the site Raising Playful Tots, you need to head over right now. Melitsa does a weekly podcast, interviewing all kinds of fabulous early childhood experts, giving us ideas on how to be more playful with our tots!

Click to download my podcast and check out the post over at Raising Playful Tots!

Download my podcast here

Here are a few more great podcasts from Melitsa on early childhood:

• Traveling with kids
• Cultural diversity in the home
• Unexpected playtime and learning experiences
• Playing with your food

When it comes to New Year’s Eve, I’m generally so worn out from Christmas, that all I want to do is curl up in bed with the husband, watch a few episodes of Parks and Recreation on Netflix, and fall into a deep slumber…by 9:00.  Oh, and somehow the 5 kids are all in bed sleeping, too.  That’s how fun I am, at this time of the year.  But, I keep hearing about all of these hilarious and fun group games, and I’m thinking I might…MIGHT…summon my inner wild-child and do the whole New Year’s thing.  Midnight, pots, pans, kissing, and all.   Ooooh, crazy.  I know.

I’ve been getting after my friends to share with me their favorite group games, check it out…some fun stuff!

Cheetos Head

Have the group split into two evenly numbered teams, preferably with the same number of men on each team.  Each team will need a can or two of shaving cream and a container of cheese puffs or bag of puffy Cheetos.  Have two chair set up across the room and a line of tape on the floor several feet away (your preference.)  For round 1, each team chooses one man to sit in the designated chair, across the room.  That man will then get a hefty dose of shaving cream on his face, as if he had a full beard.  The remaining team members have to stand behind the tape line, on the floor, and toss Cheetos at their teammates face, for one minute.  Whichever team gets the most stuck Cheetos, wins round 1.  Move on to round 2, with another teammate to take the chair.  Obviously, the Cheetos beard could be done on a woman, but you can keep that information private, if you want.  The team with the most Cheetos on the face, after totaling the rounds, wins!  This is one of those games where a camera is so necessary!

Rain in the Face

Everyone sits in a circle, with a designated “it” person standing in the middle.  Whoever is in the middle is holding a cup with a small amount of water in it.  They will announce that they are thinking of something.  Such as, “I’m thinking of a country,” or “I’m thinking of a famous woman,” or “I’m thinking of an animal.”  They will walk around to each person in the circle, and that person gets one guess as to what “it” is thinking of.  Basically, you DON’T want to guess the right answer, if you do, you get “rain in the face,” or a cup of water in the face (only fill the cup a little, unless you’re feeling crazy-nuts.)  So, what’s funny is everyone will be trying to come up with the most obscure answers to be able to avoid the water.  But, you never know…maybe “it” came up with an obscure thing in their mind.  They keep going around the circle until someone guesses, and that person will be “it” next.  You may want to have a limit of how many times “it” can go around the circle, before they have to think of something else.

Cookie on My Forehead

You may have heard of this one, and there are a variety of ways to set up the game.  But, here’s mine…have everyone split into two teams.  Each team send a member to the middle of the room and is given a cookie to place on their forehead (they will have to tilt their head back).  You can just use Oreos or Chips A’hoy to make it easy.  At the count of 3, the opposing team members have to try and maneuver the cookie from their forehead to their mouth.  Whoever gets it first, earns a point for their team.  If it falls on the floor, they can pick it up and start over.  Or, you can say “they’re out,” whichever you prefer.  This is another fun game to pull out the camera.  You will see some crazy body contortions going on!

Left Center Right Dice Game

My sister-in-law was just telling me about this dice game, Left Center Right (or LCR), that sounds like a riot!  It’s also a fast-paced game that is easy enough for kids to play too, assuming they know “right” and “left.”

To play, you need at least 3 players with 3 chips each.  To take the intensity up a notch, many people suggest using quarters (or dimes), rather than the chips, so there is a fun reward for the winner.  If you’re not into playing with money, you could even use pieces of wrapped candy.  When a player has all 3 chips, they roll all three dice.  The number of “L” dice that show up determine how many of the chips/quarters are passed to the left.  The number of “R” dice determine how many chips/quarters are passed to the right.  And, “C” means a chip/quarter is placed in the middle of the table.  A player can only roll the number of dice that reflect the number of chips they have.  Everyone is anxious to have new chips/quarters passed to them, because it ensures they stay in the game longer, giving them a chance to win the pot in the center.  The player who is last left with chips, wins the pot.  Whoo!  I have seen this game sold at Target, or if you get it from Amazon, they have the two-day shipping or overnight available.

Mating Season

Do you like that name?  I made it up.  So, this is a fun game for big groups.  For every person playing, you will need a piece of paper with an animals name written on it.  Each animal needs to be written two times.  Have everyone stand in the middle of the room and toss all the paper pieces (with the animal written on it) into the air.  Once they fall, everyone scrambles to grab one.  They immediately need to start acting like the animal and making their sound, while looking for their mate.  Once they have found their animal mate, they hurry and sit down.  The last pair standing is “out.”  And, round 2 begins…

And, there you have it.  I would love to hear about some of YOUR favorite party games!

And, what’s a party without munchies??  Here’s a couple of my very favorites…

Caramel Toffee Dip (great with cut Granny Smith apples!)

Fried Avocado with Salsa Ranch Dip (I’m obsessed!)

You can find even more group games at “Or so she says…” like Psychiatrist, Secret Adverb, Word Nerd, and M&M Pass.  See you there :)

Have a fantastic New Year!

I hope all your hustle and bustle is going well. Things are going pretty smooth at the LeBaron house. Still a few gifts to get, but hope to have it all done by Saturday, you know, just in time ;)

Here are few things we have been doing this week, like visit Santa, baking brownies, and teaching the kids about Kwanzaa. Check it:

• Santaland at Macys: Thanks to Macy’s, I met up with a few fun Seattle bloggers for pictures with Santa. Here are the kids, with 2 of the 3 looking happy. That little one would not sit or even stand next to Santa. And her little shy arm would not come down, no way. But hey, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad!

Here’s the pic with the Seattle bloggin’ mamas, and a few of the cute littlest ones as well! Tammy from Tammy’s Two Cents, Jenny from Jenny On The Spot, Kat from Mama’s Losin It, Mandy from The Haps, Allie from No Time for Flashcards, me, Loise from MomStart, and Lyndsey from The Stationery Place. It was so fun to meet new local bloggers over pictures, hot chocolate, and a carousel ride. I’m lovin’ it here in Seattle!

• Celebrate the holidays with a Brownie Sundae Bar: Over at Babble I’m sharing our fun baking day with Pillsbury and brownies. This little one wanted each and every topping piled on her brownie, that’s my girl!

• White elephant gift time: We have 2 white elephant parties to go to and I found some really fun ideas and shared them at Babble. They are all of the handmade variety, making for more hilarity! Make sure to check out the maxi-pad slippers!

• Kwanzaa crafts for kids: I’ve shared 7 fun crafts for kids to make and craft to celebrate Kwanzaa over at Babycenter. Do you celebrate Kwanzaa? Share some of your traditions.

With the new year just around the corner (ah, where has 2011 gone?!)… I’ve been thinking a lot about goals for me and my family. Each year we try to think of a new motto that my family can focus on that year. The theme we decided on for 2012 is: Together we can do great things. I absolutely love it!

I wanted to create a sign we could display in our home to remind us of our goal. These wooden signs are so fun to make and you could use them for your favorite quotes as well.

Here’s what supplies you’ll need to make your own:

• Wooden board
• Spray Paint
• Vinyl/Transfer Tape or Stencil and brush

Directions:

1. Purchase a wooden board from Home Depot or Lowes. I bought a 2×1 ft board, but a 12×12 inch would look good too. They will cut down your wood for free! :)

2. Prime and spray paint your board. I did 3 coats of spray paint to make sure it covered nicely.

3. Design your quote and cut out your vinyl (you can use a stencil for this as well).

4. Apply transfer tape to the vinyl after it has been weeded.

5. Push down vinyl on the board and peel away transfer tape.

6. Enjoy your new 2012 motto!

So what’s your 2012 motto? 

Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday!

With the countdown to Christmas approaching single digits tomorrow, chances are that at this point you’re not obsessing about how to make things more eco-friendly (that’s not a judgment, just an educated guess). Life has a sneaky way of trumping altruism, but there’s still time to make green choices before the Fat Man descends down the chimney and the ball drops in Time Square.

Perhaps there are are still a few people to check off your own naughty-or-nice gift list. Consider giving gifts that won’t someday end up in a landfill: like music or cooking lessons, or tickets to a show. And nothing says “I love you” this holiday season like Carbon Offsets! (Yes I’m being cheeky, but you’ve got to admit the idea has its merits).

Buying local is another great way to reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases. Besides steering clear of the resources used to transport a gift from China to your home, buying local usually means less packaging – one more green thumbs up for the planet.

If you’ve got a few last minute gifts to buy, you’re likely to have a little wrapping left to do too. Might I suggest green wrappings. A few years ago I tried out my first “Make and Take” by recycling old magazines into paper that (I think) would rival any hipster-chic packaging at Urban Outfitters.

For my little guy I took advantage of some Sesame Street Advertisements (just tape or glue-stick together):

And we ended up with this under our tree:

I think this year’s samples are an upgrade:

You can find additional wrapping ideas in this Gaiam Life article.

No Green Holiday article is complete without touching on the great tree debate: real or fake? Most have probably already trimmed their tannenbaum for this year, but a little education could prove useful for years to come.  My husband and I seem to have the same “discussion” every year about this (well, he calls it arguing. I call it discussing.)

Hubs favors the fake tree for its supposed savings in the long term, the ease of putting it up and because he convinced our real tree will some how spontaneously burst into flames. I say something that’s $20 – $40 each year, smells fabulous (and without the help of odd fake fragrances or Scentsy candles), is virtually free of carcinogens and can be “treecycled,” is a much better long term investment for our family and the future of the planet.

If you’re looking for a little more info on the subject, I’ve found these websites helpful.

• National Christmas Tree Association
• Earth 911
• About.com

Regardless of which tree you’ve chosen, it’s hard to have a Blue Christmas when you’re thinking green. So what are your favorite traditions to make the season merry and bright for the planet?

Are you the type of person who goes all out for your holiday cards? Dress up the family, find a cool location, and write a super witty poem that all goes together in a theme? I get some really great cards from friends and family and wish I had put a little more effort into it. Although, I recently thought up a fun Seattle/rain/umbrella idea that I’ll be doing next year! Well, to help give you some last minute ideas, here are a few fun themes any family could pull off!

• There are 9 great ideas posted over at Christmas Your Way, pictured above. My favorite is the picture in a picture in a picture!
• Wear stick-on moustaches or put a few paper moustaches on a stick to hold up during the photo. This might also be next year’s theme, with Jordan and Movember :)
• Wear festive matching PJs, like this fun photo from Nicole Hill Gerulat. Watch the video for some great photo tips.
• Put on giant glasses or feather boas and make it a dance party.
• Tip Junkie has compiled 10 ways to make your photo cards stand out. I love the photo with bright blue chairs.
• Take your photos in a photo booth and line up 2-3 lines in a row to make a fun card.
• Wear big Santa hats or fun reindeer antlers on each head.

What are your ideas for holiday cards? Have you already sent them out? Still planning to send them or are you doing a “new year” card ;)

And a BIG thanks to all who entered in for the Shutterfly Prize Pack Giveaway. I have a WINNER!!! I will be emailing the winner today, and once they’ve confirmed, I’ll announce who it is here. Thanks again everyone. May your holidays be picture perfect!

For contest rules see: Shutterfly Holiday 2011 Cards Sweepstakes Official Rules

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Shutterfly. Send holiday joy with a custom card from Shutterfly.

One of our own M&T contributors and my dear friend Kami of No Biggie, has suffered a dear loss to her family. Just over 2 weeks ago she delivered her baby girl at only 26 weeks pregnant. Little Afton Jean was born and ready to fight for her little life. But after one week of being on this earth, little Afton Jean returned to her Heavenly Father.

I can’t imagine what Kami and her family are going through, I can only send her my love and prayers. And I ask that we all rally for one of our own and do the same. Especially during this holiday season, I know they’d love to hear from you! Let’s send her our support in this trying time for her and her sweet family.

If you’d like to do more during this season of giving, there’s a donation fund that has been set up on the Bigler’s behalf. Any little bit helps, as they’ve got hospital bills out their ears! Or even add a button to your blog to show support so we can help send love to one of our own.