Breakfast

I love to cook. Clean-up isn't my favorite, but the act of cooking is quite peaceful. However, breakfast is the exception. I love breakfast food, but I'm not a morning person. That's probably putting it lightly. I really hate mornings, so often my family is forced to fend for themselves. Thank goodness cereal is loved by all.

For that exact reason, I was so glad when I learned through MyBlogSpark.com that General Mills is making a commitment of further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving, while increasing nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D, and providing whole grain.

Cereal is actually shown to be a top source of key nutrients in a child's diet. And even presweetened cereals only account for 5% of sugar in a child's diet.

So, I will feel better about the fact that I do buy Fruit Loops every once in a while for my family, and I'll continue to enjoy my Chocolate Cheerios. And thanks to General Mills, I was able to buy some cereal for my family...everyone got a choice, and I couldn't say no!

For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.

Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals.

Please note that the information on breakfast cereals as well as coupons for complimentary cereal was given to me by General Mills through myblogspark.com

Advent

Since Ali is three this year, she really gets the idea of Christmas. I am really enjoying the wonder of Christmas this year since everything is new and wonderful to her. To help her understand Advent and help with the countdown to Christmas, we made an Advent calendar for our wall. Nothing fancy this year (although I love to make a permanent one for next year. We shall see). Here is what we did:Each number was written on an index card with glitter glue and a red or green circle was drawn around it. This card is taped to another card with our activity of the night on it. The activities include reading stories, cooking with Mom, and making crafts. Ali loves looking at the card each day and counts down the days to Christmas at least three times a day.

Some of our decoration include Ali's paper chains.

Ali and I working on a Christmas tree decoration. Ali was very excited about the glitter.




Here are some cards that Ali made to give to someone special. She worked very hard on them and was super excited to use my "special markers"; the scrapbook ones that sparkle.

Christmas sewing is underway!

Super Beckett cape for my nephew


Tinkerbell PJs for Ali.


Farm PJ's for Josiah.

Still to come: PJ pants for Jed and I, some purses and gift card holders, and some felt food and doll clothes.

Tinkerbell

My daughter knew, without a doubt, that she wanted to be Tinkerbell for Halloween. So, here she is, flying away.



I wish I could take credit for the great car Josiah is sitting in, but I had nothing to do with it. It's just cute.

I'm currently working on PJ's for the family for Christmas. I have a few other presents I want to make; we will see if they get done. And, if Ali had anything to do with it, I'd be making Princess costumes now also. She thinks she wants to be Snow White, Cinderella, or Belle. She told me I could make all the dresses, and then she could decide!

A little bit of my work...

A tutu a made a while ago for Ali. She had given one to a friend for her birthday and wanted her own.


Her doll and the clothes, diapers and bag I made for her. The baby's name is Curly, for reasons I still don't understand.

Ali in her "purple twirly dress". It's a bit short for a dress, so we wear pants under it. It's the Gracie pattern from Portabellopixie.

Neglecting

Not only have I been neglecting my blog, but my machine is feeling a bit lonely as well. I've started, but not finished a bunch of projects. My daughter is getting a new doll for her birthday next week, and I'm almost done with about a wardrobe of clothes for it (as well as some matching clothes for Ali). I'm also trying to figure out the crafts for the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) this year. I've got some ideas, but I'm trying to get myself all organized.

So, hopefully pictures will be up next week of the things I finish (before the birthday, I hope) and my sample projects for MOPS will show up as well, I'm sure. I also need to figure out what my almost one year old boy would like Mommy to make him for his birthday...and I've got a few dresses I would love to make for myself. We will see...

No Sewing...

My family and I went of vacation and since I got back I've been dealing with this:
about fifty pounds of peaches from the tree in our backyard. After lots of freezing, jam making and peach crisp baking, the peach situation is under control...until we pick the next thirty pounds still hanging on the tree.