February 14, 2012

A Family Night

I speak only truth when I say, letting your little toddlers help in the kitchen is messy, frustrating, and messy. Did I mention is was messy, or that it was messy?

Just checking.

But sometimes I'm okay with that. Sometimes I just don't care. Especially when the dinner I'm making has already turned my kitchen into a junkyard of dirty bowls and appliances, flour has been scattered clear across my counter tops, and oil has painted my stove with splatters.

I won't be making THAT recipe again for a while, that's for darn sure.

Savannah usually doesn't show much interest in helping me cook (she doesn't like to get her hands dirty) but last night, when I offered to let her"beat" the chicken, she was all for it!

She started out a little timid,


but she soon got the hang of it and let that poor chicken have it!


Once the fun part of beating the chicken was accomplished, she took it upon herself to be my "recipe reader".

"Mom, you need to do this now... Did you do that right... Are you burning it!?!? That's wrong! You're not suppose to burn it!!"


Oh ya, so helpful.

She even read all the comments at the bottom of the recipe and later, while we were eating, she said, "Mom, you need to leave her a comment and tell her you messed up, cause you burned this chicken."

Thank you.... thank you very much for that.

New rule. No body's allowed to help me cook, unless flattery falls from the mouth at all times. "Wow mom, you're so great to burn the chicken so that we can remember to be thankful for all the times you don't burn it. Thank you for being such a great mom like that."

I do what I can.

It was almost bedtime before we got around to our family home evening activity which was, helping the kids make their valentines!



They took this very seriously and despite my efforts to insist that everyone stop fighting and have fun because hang it all, this is going to be fun, Savannah and Joseph didn't allow anyone to touch the ones that were "theirs". All that was missing was a, "But he's looking at mine!" That would have made my night complete.


 When I found this idea and thought I was so smart and clever and cheap for choosing it, it wasn't until we were ready to start making them that I realized three things.

One, my printer is almost out of ink.

Two, by the time we printed out enough capes and masks, we would be broke trying to pay for all that ink. (Okay not really, but it sure seemed like it.)

And three, cutting out all the masks would be a pain in the royal bum. (not to be confused with a royal pain in the bum)

So Hubby came up with the cheap solution.


What they are suppose to look like.
Original idea, instructions, and print outs, HERE

What the teachers are getting.


I think the tape sticking out like alien ears is a nice touch.

What all the other kids are getting.


I think the construction paper is very classy, don't you?.

I still can't decide if my exceptional drawing skills make the "mask" look like an actual mask, or a pair of nerdy glasses.

And despite my desire to have everyone love and adore me for my great and marvelous creativity and exceptional skill in all things crafty, let's face it.

I'm just too darn cheap and lazy to ever achieve that.

The end.

10 super cool people speak:

Jennifer said...

Serene,

Not sure if you aren't worried about it or didn't notice, but in one of the pictures you can read the first and last names of several kids on the class list. Just a heads up! Love your crafts and admire you SOOOO much for letting them make a mess. You're awesome!

Serene is my name, not my life! said...

Thanks for pointing that out!! I actually had crossed out the names but must have uploaded the wrong file and didn't notice.

What would I do without all of you to look out for me!?

Amy said...

That's the problem with cute things. They're so dang time consuming!

Susan Anderson said...

Hey, I'd be happy for a tootsie roll pop either way, the "model" picture, or the real thing!

=)

Sarah said...

Okay, that was stinking hilarious! I especially love the alien ear tape sticking out! :)
DARN CUTE!!!!
This is more what I envisioned Valentine's Eve looking like at our home, you know, quarrels and all. However, it was generic, multiproduction all over the place. The kids wrote their names on the packages. :) That was good! :)
I love you Rene!

Unknown said...

You. are. so. awesome. X)

Mama Smith said...

I LOVED when you kids made things...especially cards...I still have a few of them...and you just can't help but...smile...over the simplicity and character of each project! (smile)

Kyle Larsen said...

Silly Serene.

You buy super cheap clearance valentines on Valentines day for next year. Suckers hold up best. Laffy Taffy not so much, it's hard 364 days later.

And that my friend, is how it's done. None of this cutting and gluing. No glitter. No scissors. Just a permanent marker (with two Sunday papers
worth of paper under them) to write names on the plastic candy and/or card and VIOLA!!!! D-O-N-E.

Much love,

Gina

But they are cute. And clever.

Kira said...

I think they are perfect.

the Gardners said...

I thought about doing the exact same thing and didn't for the same reasons and the fact I wasn't in the mood to cut out the mask! lol I like the drawn on one. That made it simple. I think if my kiddo can't make most of the Valentine, then it must be too hard!

Yours look perfect and I am sure the kids loved them!

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