Friday night was the first night of Chanukah. We lit our menorah at home, gave the boys their gifts from Bubbe and Grandpa and allowed them to play while dinner was in the oven. For the longest time, we had no clue what JL’s parents could get the boys for Chanukah. We thought about asking for money toward season passes to Six Flags, but knew that they would likely prefer something else.
One day, it suddenly dawned on me, so I called JL to tell him my thought. NHL had a difficult time using the Nintendo DS, perhaps we should look into the Leap Frog Didj or Leapster. We opted for the Didj because it was more age/grade level appropriate. Then, it was time to find something for the little guy. For some reason, we had never seen the Leap Frog ClickStart until this year. It has been around a while and is a first computer for toddlers. This seemed like the perfect early learning tool for him. It was compact and looked easy to set up.
We got an amazing holiday deal on the systems (package deals) and a few extra games. The boxes arrived minutes before we were going to light the menorah. The boys kept clawing (literally) at the boxes trying to get inside. NHL was even more eager when he saw that they were from Leap Frog – kids that can read take the fun out of things! Here they are just after they finally opened the boxes.
We set the little guy up and he just "played" by clicking and pressing on keys. He really liked the Tree game because he could connect that by pressing on the keyboard it made the computer talk and the puppy move to catch the fruit. At first, NHL was really frustrated with the Didj. The machine kept turning off as it was getting set up. He was not happy about trying, learning and practicing something new. This quickly changed. By Saturday, there were huge spans of time that we would find his nose at the Didj playing away. Even the adults had fun testing out the Star Wars and racing game. Of course, we also took the ClickStart and JSL was able to show that to everyone.
After dinner on Friday, we went over to Nana and Papa’s house. We lit the candles with them (see above menorah photo) and the boys got another present. NHL received Rush Hour Jr and loved it. He enjoys puzzles and this was a fun challenge for him.
We allowed the boys to play with their toys for a little while. Then, we decided to have my birthday cake that was postponed thanks to all of the events from Wednesday. Since I knew a storm was coming, I asked for an ice cream cake since it would not go bad if we did not have it that day. These were not the typical Carvel cakes, they were specialty ones. One was Strawberry Shortcake and the other Cinnabon. Both were quite delicious.
Soon after the cake, we packed the boys up and went home. The little guy wanted to play his "Pup Pup Puter" before bed. We let him try it while big brother got ready for sleeping. Then, they both went to bed. They had to rest up for fun with Cousin S who was coming in for our family Chanukah party the next day.
Disclosure: All items were purchased by us or relatives and are linked up to our Amazon affiliate to share with other people who may be interested in the items.
Each of us probably has a birthday that we will always remember. I have several of those from my childhood, when I first met TechyDad and as a mother. Yesterday, I added another memorable one into the group.
As if turning another year older is not enough, add being sick. My Neti Pot and I became very good friends by the end of the day. I was up most of the night not feeling well. Poor TechyDad was up with me and felt lousy in the morning. He had a headache and sore throat. He called in sick to rest up and try to feel better. Then there was the snow. The reminder of winter and the frigid months that are ahead came back fast and furious. The 1-2 inches turned into at least 5-6 inches of very heavy/wet snow.
NHL’s school was closed, along with pretty much every other school in the area and beyond. The two little guys were anxious to get outside. Too bad TechyDad and I were not feeling as excited about it thanks to illness. To delay going out TechyDad got the boys to give me my birthday presents. The boys gave me a Snuggie since I am always freezing in our house as we attempt to save the planet and cut costs. TechyDad had already bought me the "Forget Me-Knot" charm for my Pandora bracelet. In addition to this, he gave me a subscription to Picnik Premium. I had been toying with this for a while, but he splurged and now I get to play.
After breakfast, we found all of the snow gear so the boys went out. TechyDad focused his attention on the roof. He raked the snow to try to avoid the ice damn issues of the past few years.
Meanwhile, the boys had fun. NHL kept pegging JSL with snow and eventually the little guy caught on and did some sneak attacks on him. Once TechyDad was done with the raking and sidewalk in front, he helped the boys to make a snow creature and sled down the street for a few rides. Here is a photo show I created using Picnik.
When the boys came in, they were soggy and cold. So hot chocolate came out and then it was time for lunch. Eventually, TechyDad figured it was best to get our cars out from under the snow. NHL went outside to help Daddy. Meanwhile the little guy and I set out to bake a cake. We had planned on going out for a nice birthday dinner and then to have cake with my parents. Since I felt awful and so did hubby, we asked for a raincheck.
While the cake was baking, I heard a scream of "Oh no!" come from outside the window by my laptop. I looked outside and saw TechyDad grab NHL and scream to me to come to the door quickly. I ran and grabbed tissues expecting something to be bleeding. By this point, NHL was howling in pain. The boys were digging out the driveway together. NHL walked in front of hubby as he was looking down. TechyDad did not know he was back there and lifted up a big shovel of snow just as NHL bent down. The shovel got NHL right on the outside edge of his eyebrow.
When they arrived at the door, there was blood all over the place (faces are brutal like that). I grabbed more tissues (could not find gauze). We removed the pressure for an inspection. I could see there was a deep gash. Still in my PJ’s, I called my mother. She came to our rescue. While TechyDad finished getting his car uncovered, I got NHL ready to go to the ER. He was in a panic because of past stitches history (and removal). The boys picked up Nana on the way.
Long story short, they went to a new ER and it was a good experience. The people there were amazing and in the end NHL did not need stitches. They were able to use glue to put the skin back together. Now we just have to be careful to watch for an infection and to make sure it holds. We go back to the doctor on Monday for a check to see how things are going.
So after that eventful day, I used my Neti Pot (with an audience amazed to see the magical event) before bed and curled under my flannel sheets to bid adieu to my birthday for 2009.
P.S. TechyDad wrote about yesterday here. He has photos from the ER and of my cake right before we ate it.
Numerous times in the past, I have admitted to being a Crayola snob. As a teacher, I would specify that students should buy Crayola crayons, markers, and colored pencils. To me, it was worth the extra money up front if they lasted longer, worked better and were high quality. This Mommy also has lots of Crayola products at home for the boys.
When I was asked by MyBlogSpark and Crayola to test out some of their new items for the Crayola Holiday Gifts Spark, I jumped at the chance. One day, we came home to a rather large package sitting on our front steps. When we went inside, it was like an early Chanukah for the boys. Here are NHL (6) and JSL (2) with their new Crayola items.
Crayola Beginnings Color Me A Song:
The Crayola Beginnings Color Me A Song lets little ones draw to the beat of their own drum, trumpet, piano or guitar. This portable drawing and music creation station features a pressure-sensitive board that matches a melody to the artist’s pace. Draw fast, and the tempo picks up. Slow down, and so does the music. Four instrument buttons let kids pick their favorite sound. Color Me a Song was named a “Toy of the Year” by FamilyFun magazine and one of American Baby magazine’s picks for “Best Toys of the Year.” For children 24 months and up; suggested retail price is $24.99.
As soon as my 2 year old son, JSL, saw the package he knew that this was for him. He refused to eat lunch and wanted to get into his seat to test out his new "Doodle" as he called it.
The little guy quickly figured out that pushing the crayons across the top altered the way the music was playing. He liked going in and out of the little drawer to put his "colors" away and get new ones. Here is the little playing. Note that he is so involved he will not reply to me.
What I liked as a parent was that everything was self contained within the unit for quick clean up. We could easily put new crayons inside, paper clipped onto the outside and we were good to go. Another nice touch were the triangular washable crayons that were included. These are fabulous for little fingers that are learning to properly grasp crayons and other writing utensils.
Crayola Glow Station:
The Crayola Glow Station illuminates children’s imaginations through the magic of drawing with light on a large-size glow-in-the-dark canvas. Using a light wand, children can either draw freehand or use stencils and texture sheets to create more realistic drawings. A diamond-shaped tip can be snapped on the end of the light wand for stamping unique starburst designs on the canvas. Drawings magically disappear over time, or can be “erased” by turning on the lights, so kids can create again and again for limitless fun. For children ages six and up; suggested retail price is $29.99.
NHL (6) was very excited to try this toy out. He is fascinated with items that glow. It was still daylight when he tried this for the first time. Even in the day, NHL was able to experiment quite a bit.
NHL liked using the stencils that came with it, the pen to make stars and just writing/drawing various things.
As a parent, I liked that there is a large space for NHL to be creative on. He can practice his writing, math problems (he’s obsessed with this) and loves the fact that they glow. The Glow Station has knobs on the bottom to hang up the stencils that come with it, so it helps with storage. We hope to find a way to secure the Glow Station on the back of NHL’s bedroom door. This will be fun at night to practice spelling word writing while glowing in the dark room.
Crayola Color Explosion Glow Dome:
The Crayola Color Explosion Glow Dome is sure to bring wide-eyed wonder to kids’ faces when the lights go out and they watch their artwork glow and spin on a moving, two-layered dome of light. Kids control the “glow-motion” fun and can dial up slow, medium or warp speed to create a wild, animated scene. For ages six and up; suggested retail price is $29.99.
NHL was really nice, he shared the Color Explosion Glow Dome with me. While he was off using something else, I set this up. I decided to draw an underwater picture and then called the boys over to see what I had created. When NHL arrived he asked to add some items onto the dome. He put some things on and we turned it on to see how it worked together. Here it is in the daylight:
Later on at night, I wanted to check it out with darker conditions. Here is a clip to see the difference:
This is a great creative toy. Lots of fun and endless possibilities. My only concern is buying replacement markers to use with it. I still have to research that a little more since I am not sure if we can use other Crayola markers or not. NHL and I both liked using this together and I can even see JSL joining the fun.
If you head to any store these Crayola holiday gifts and many others are lining the shelves at retailers. Crayola is also running a Give the Gift of Creativity Sweepstakes, where you can enter to win a 7-night Caribbean cruise fr a family of 4 on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas. Entering this is easy. All you have to do is visit http://www.crayola.com/gifts/vacation and create a Crayola wish list for your child. You can choose from a list of fun wishes like Star Skateboarding, Martian Sleepovers, and Boogie Woogie. Crayola will then recommend an item from their Holiday Gift Guide that corresponds to the wish. You can enter once a day, and an extra entry is also available for those who share the wish list on Facebook.
Giveaway:
Thanks to MyBlogSpark and Crayola, one lucky reader will be able to receive their very own Crayola Color Explosion Glow Dome.
1 Bonus Entry – Follow me on Twitter @TheAngelForever and Tweet about the giveaway. Be sure to include @TheAngelForever and Crayola Color Explosion Glow Dome giveaway. Please leave a direct link to your Tweet in a separate comment for each daily entry. Example Tweet (feel free to use): Win a Crayola Color Explosion Glow Dome from @TheAngelForever http://bit.ly/5n2kf2
1 Bonus Entry – What is your favorite Crayola product?
1 Bonus Entry – Enter one of my other current giveaways. Be sure to leave a comment here telling me what you entered.
1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
1 Bonus Entry – Who will be receiving the Crayola Color Explosion Glow Dome if you win and what do you think they will draw on it?
1 Bonus Entry – Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts from the month of November/December. Be sure to leave a comment here to let me know which one.
3 Bonus Entries – Write a post on your blog linking to my blog about the Crayola Color Explosion Glow Dome giveaway. Be sure to leave 3 comments about this to get credit for all of your extra entries
To enter, please follow the rules above within the comment section. Contest starts today November 29th and ends at 10:59 EST December 8, 2009. You do not have to be a blogger to enter, but must leave a valid e-mail address for me to contact you for mailing address once the giveaway is over. I will select the winner using random.org and contact you via e-mail. You will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If there is no response, another winner will be selected. Open to U.S. residents only.
Disclosure:This post was written as part of a program for MyBlogSpark and Crayola. Crayola provided me with the free Beginnings Color Me a Song, Color Explosion Dome, and Glow Station. They are also providing the Color Explosion Glow Dome for the giveaway through MyBlogSpark. No other compensations was given. The opinions expressed in the review are my own feelings about products reviewed.
On Wednesday night, we took you to a hockey game. There was a deal that we just could not pass up. What you both may not know is that for many years Mommy had season tickets for our local hockey team. I traveled near and far with my friends to watch and cheer on the team. I miss those days a lot, but am so happy to watch both of you experience hockey now.
NHL, this was the first time that you remember being down by the ice to watch warm ups before the game. We did this when you were really little, but no doubt you do not recall that. You got to see your friend down there and the three of you had a blast watching the team skate by, bang on the sideboards and toss pucks to some of the other kids.
Then JSL was in his glory. He watched the entire post warm-up ice cleaning by the zamboni. According to Daddy you would not leave the area until it was completely finished. For each stoppage in play during the game you kept saying that the game was over. We finally realized it was because you wanted the zamboni to come back out.
Between the periods JSL watched as the zamboni went round and round. He kept waving and his smiles got bigger and bigger each time it went by our end of the ice.
NHL was funny because you were very concerned with the rough behavior of the players on the ice. Once you realized that penalties were being called you were ready to toss most of the players in there for anything. You will quickly learn that fighting is part of this sport and so is bumping each other on the boards.
Hopefully we will get to more hockey games soon so you can both watch the hockey players and zamboni do their thing.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with your family and friends. Today, the boys and I will be going to my Aunt S and Uncle M’s house to have dinner with many members of our extended family. My parents will be there, but sadly my brother and his family will not. Luckily we will see them in a few weeks for Chanukah. Since TechyDad has to work tomorrow, we were not able to be with his family.
Yesterday, JSL and I went to visit the first graders for their Thanksgiving dessert party. When it was time to eat some of the goodies, we went to NHL’s seat. His teacher even set up a place for JSL to sit down. Here is the cute Thanksgiving item that NHL made yesterday before we got there:
All of the kids enjoyed the sweet items that were sent in. They quickly and quietly gobbled up most of the things that were offered.
Once they were finished reading the kids were told to go and read a book while others cleaned up. NHL and JSL went to the main rug. The little guy seemed at home and wanted to join the first grade.
Seriously, JSL did not want to leave. He had taken on the role of teacher of sorts and the kids kept going to him.
We had a nice time visiting and celebrating with the kids. JSL enjoyed seeing the kids that he knew from last year and NHL loved having his little brother there (me too – I think).
