Children – Page 36 – Gracious Rain

January 20, 2010February 9, 2021

Wee Knit Giveaway!!

If you know us at all–you’ll know that we–as a family–just aren’t into the noisy, flashy, spinny toys that seem to be all the thing these days. I swear, some of them seem kind of…possessed…ummm…I mean, a bit over the top. Which is why I love, love, LOVE these sweet little finger puppets from Wee Knit.

No, this is not a paid endorsement, I just really love them.

Years ago, I bought a little Gingerbread Man at Mormon Handicraft in Salt Lake City. He was so sweet and tiny and adorable that I couldn’t help myself. I soon found that he fit very nicely on top of a knitting needle that was poking out of my pencil cup. He has lived there ever since.

So then one day, I’m dinking around on Etsy (the online shop for all things Handmade) and I found the WeeKnit shop–where my little cookie man came from! Wahooo!

I contacted them to see if they could conjure up an Edward and Jacob finger puppet for our New Moon party. Jennifer was wonderful with my silly special order. As you can see–they did an incredible job!!

(Wait until you see what I’m going to order for Christmas! hee hee…)

You need to visit the shop–seriously. These gals–Tracy and Jennifer, a mom and daughter–have thought of everything. Movies, TV shows, Story books.

Recognize these little guys?

You need animals? Circus clowns? Ninja Turtles?

Pirates? Easter? Nativity?

Trust me…they’ve got them.

They even have a Valentine set—and it’s on SALE!

What a great gift for your little Valentines–hint, hint. ;]

Now–since it’s been such a long, long time since we’ve had a giveaway AND because, again, I can’t help myself–we are giving one lucky reader this adorable “Little Red Riding Hood” Finger Puppet Set–from WeeKnit.

Sooo. Dang. CUTE!!

To enter, simply go to the WeeKnit site and tell me in the comment section below, which set is your very favorite. Oh, and it has to be one that I haven’t show here.

I’ll announce the winner Monday morning January 25, 2010–first thing.

Good luck my dah-lings!

December 26, 2009February 8, 2021

Christmas Magic

Wishing you all the Christmas magic your soul can hold along with the hope that your holiday season has been joyful, triumphant, merry and bright~

love, love, love,

The Gracious Rain Cheer-Meister Committee

December 10, 2009February 7, 2021

Family Faces Match-Up

Need a cute gift for little person?

I wanted to make a baby style Memory game. You know one that they could learn things with on a couple of levels–shapes, faces, names, etc., and that they would actually care about playing with.

Big bonus that this was easy, fun and inexpensive.

I found the wooden shapes at JoAnn Fabrics—.29 cents a piece. Be sure to get two of each shape if you are making a matching game.

I even found a little box that would hold the game when it was finished.

Print out face shots of your family–and friends that the kids are familiar with. Cut out the faces.

Seal the pictures to the wood with Mod Podge.

Again, remember to make two of each face.

Let them dry and store in a sweet little plastic container–like this one–until Christmas morning.

Now, I triple-dog dare you to sing both verses of “Up on the Housetop”-right where you are–right now–just for the heck of it. Go!

Anything for That Holiday Feeling! (get it?)

Heh…

December 1, 2009October 30, 2022

Christmas Dolls

Did you have a favorite Christmas doll when you were young? Do you still remember when you first saw it under the Christmas tree?

Some of the memories of Christmas morning are so vivid to me that I swear I can still smell that new plastic whenever I see the pictures.

Oh, I remember the tinsel sparkling in the darkness as we tiptoed into the front room–long before we were suppose to. There seemed to be a tangible feeling of fresh magic just moments after Santa had left, enough magic in fact to make two covert children feel positively sick and shaky with excitement.

Then, finally, finally–when we were officially allowed to get up and the lights were turned on—oh…it took our breath away. Complete enchantment!

And even though I am many decades away from those days–I still have many Christmas morning reminders around me.

For years I kept some of my favorite dolls–from ancient days–in boxes in the basement or garage, never quite willing to give them away or give them up.

So a couple of years ago, I thought about those dolls and how rotten it must be for them to be stuffed away in those boxes. Don’t get me started on whether or not toys are alive–I’ll take you down.

ANYWAY–I took the dolls out, cleaned them up and now they decorate my room. When I wake up each day it’s like I’m reliving 15 Christmas mornings all scooped up into one.

After all these years, I’ve come to the realization that growing up is highly overrated…and in my case–

entirely unnecessary.

November 30, 2009November 9, 2022

Family Advent Calendar

Oh, I couldn’t help myself–I had to show you this cute little thing.

Twenty-four origami envelopes–each with a different family friendly activity to do sometime during the day before bedtime. You’ll want to start out by making a list of things you and the kids would love to do as a family–then pick your favorite 24.

Next, write one activity on a sheet of origami paper–or Christmas scrapbook paper then, fold each paper into a cute little envelope. I’ve included an Origami Envelope Tutorial in the post below–if you want to use the one that we did.

Each envelope is either numbered or dated–that gives Mom the ability to plan the slightly longer activities on the weekend–and to put the simpler ones on the days when you might have a bit more going on. You might want to plan something really special for Christmas Eve.

Let your kids take turns reading the envelopes each morning. You’ll be surprised at how much fun they’ll have all day long as they look forward to drinking hot chocolate by the Christmas tree, or painting each others toenails.

After all…

so much of Christmas is about anticipation–isn’t it?

Activity Ideas

Read a favorite Christmas picture book—if you love books like us, this one could work for 20 of the activities!

Paint everyone’s toenails–even dad.

Sing “Silent Night” around the Christmas tree.

Take a Christmas treat to the neighbors.

Make hot chocolate with real chocolate bars and whip cream.

Read the Nativity story by candlelight

Bundle up–go outside and find the Big Dipper.

Write letters to Santa

Act out the Nativity story

Write service swap love notes to each other

Have breakfast for dinner

Make gingerbread men

String popcorn and cranberries

Make a Christmas paper chain

Choose and wrap toys for charity

Watch a Christmas movie with popcorn

Go out for milkshakes

Drive around to look at the Christmas lights

Write “what I love about you” notes to each other

Hand make Christmas tags

Make Peppermint Bark

Most of all—just enjoy being together!