So I bought an Advent Calendar...

It has been a busy start to the silly season - so much so that I decided to buy an advent calendar this year, instead of making one. I saw this one for the princely sum of $10 at K-Mart and I *needed* it! I filled it with some minifigs I had in the cupboard and some from a set they'll get at Xmas (shhhh, don't tell!). I'm loving the Woodland theme that is so strong this Christmas!

Bags On, Let's Go!

Every morning in this house is a rush. I'm sure I've talked about this before, but it doesn't seem to matter how much time we have, how early we get up, we are always rushing to get out the door. This has actually been described as Parkinson's Law - that is "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion".

It's getting easier as the boys get older and can take some more responsibility for themselves and their own stuff, but it has been a long road getting there. I've tried all manner of charts, timers and rewards, but the latest incarnation on a baking tray has been the most successful. Both boys have their own before and after school job chart; there is also a star chart rewarding good behaviour, which is changed, depending on what needs to be addressed. It is super easy to customise as seasons change, jobs change, sports start etc.

And to make it more fun, I made Lego magnets for them to use to mark off jobs done.

'Tis nearly the season

Tomorrow is December 1st. The day my brother and I used to await, way back when, with great anticipation. The day we got CHRISTMAS CALENDARS!

This is a fantastic tradition I have continued with my own wee lads (see more here). Finding the 24 (x2) bits and pieces has always been a bit of a challenge, but this year, with the boys' Lego obsession, this task suddenly became super easy!

I've become, over the past year when I have had to replace broken and lost pieces, a huge fan of BrickOwl and BrickLink - two Lego marketplaces where you can order practically any piece you want at a very reasonable price. These two sites made the hardest thing about gathering the wee presents actually choosing from the myriad of accessories and minifigures available. But then, of course, being my OCD self, I couldn't just wrap the wee presents and use last year's calendars. No, no. I had to make Lego bricks to present them in. Rather time consuming (to say the least), but they worked out pretty well :)

So the calendars are up and the boys are super excited about their first present tomorow morning! I haven't told them it's all Lego, but they suspect (and are hoping) it is!

And for those of you who want to know what's in them, the below photos show all the presents. Some days they get the same presents, other days they get things I know they've wanted for a while. Max's are on the left of the calendar boxes, Finney's on the right (except for Santa and the Queen: these are pulled apart and shared between the two of them)

Max turns 6!

Oh. My. Gosh.  Where DOES the time go? How can my wee boy, my first born, the child who turned me into a mother, possibly be turning six already.

Max LOVES Lego, so it seemed only natural to have a Lego party. Cue the hours on Pinterest hunting down the best activities and decorations. (Whatever did we do without Pinterest?)





A Lego cake with Lego lollies and construction workers. A first attempt at fondant, somewhat easier than I had anticipated, and I definitely learned what NOT to do next time.

A copied invitation idea:

Lego banners:

 Lego-themed food:

 

  Lego activities:

Goody bags:



And yes, those are indeed homemade minifigure crayons. Super easy and fun with a minifigure mould!