Month: February 2019

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DIY Chalkboard

One of my favorite DIY projects is my Chalkboard. I love how BIG it is. I recently moved this doll from behind my couch to it’s current home on the wall by my dining room table. It looks absolutely perfect here. It would look amazing with my Springtime Succulent Wreath hanging from the middle too!

The best thing about my chalkboard is how easy and inexpensive it was to make. I had searched online for one this size. Not cheap! So I decided to make one so that I could get exactly the size I needed and wouldn’t have to break the bank.

This big guy is a whopping 39″ x 74″ beautiful piece of artwork. And it was so easy to make. It was harder hanging it than building it – believe me!

So here is how I made my DIY Chalkboard. You just need to adjust your measurements to the size that you would like for your home.Supply List:

Supplies For DIY Chalkboard

  • 2 1x2x34 boards
  • 2 1x2x74 boards
  • 4 flat corner braces
  • 37×72 Luon precut board (trimmed by associates)
  • screws, hanging wire
  • stain for wood frame

Choose Your Wood

I chose Pine for my project. It is lightweight which is what I need because of the size chalkboard I wanted. Plus it is a softer wood so it was easy for me to work with when I screwed in braces, etc. Key for my girlie muscles. 😉

Getting The Wood Cut for FREE

I had an associate cut my boards to the sizes I need. They will cut anything for you as long as it is a straight cut. Mine doesn’t have corner (picture frame type) cuts, because of this. But I like how it turned out. I also had them trim my luan board to appropriate size to leave one inch on my pine board frame.

You will find the precut luon pieces in this section of the store by lumber. I actually painted my luon board with chalkboard paint. Now they offer chalkboard painted boards so you can skip that step.

Staining and Bracing your Boards

Stain your boards using directions on can. Allow for drying. Be sure to stain all sides of board. Add more coats until desired color.

You need four total angle braces for the 4 corners. As you can see in pictures of my project, I put 2 shorter boards inside the longer boards to make my frame. (If you prefer to make your frame more of a ‘picture frame’ joint, you will have to cut corners yourself. @younghouselove.com has a simple DIY on how to do this.) Be sure to allow for the luon board to fit into the frame as well. When you add the luon board to frame, it will make an even more secure chalkboard.

Now add your hanging kit and wire on back of board to put up on the wall. And your done! So easy and way cheaper than buying the premade board.

I love changing up the sayings or adding holiday bunting and wreaths. It is such a cute way to add something special to my décor.

If you like this you might want to check out my DIY Lakehouse Décor here. Or my DIY Spring Burlap Wreath idea here. It’s is so easy to make with my step by step directions.

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Bingeing – The Struggle is Real

Sometimes I get this nervous feeling inside. My mind begins to think of grabbing ANY food, usually a craving type vice. Chips, cookies, icecream, peanut butter. Doesn’t matter. I’m not hungry. My brain is telling me to eat.

I didn’t know that this was a problem in my past. I believed that I ate like that because I was hungry. Not because I had an eating disorder.

Denial

When my doctor diagnosed me 2 years ago, I was in denial. I didn’t have an eating disorder. I liked to eat. I ate when I wanted to eat and wasn’t ashamed. I ate when normal people ate. Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Oh, and then the evening snack of course.

I eat when I am at parties. I eat when I’m out with friends. Don’t all friends go out to dinner and eat and drink in excess? That’s normal, right?!

I eat when I go to the movies. I mean come on…popcorn and candy bars are part of the whole experience. It doesn’t matter that you just got finished eating dinner out not more than 30 minutes before. It’s part of the dating process after all.

I eat when I’m happy. I eat when I’m sad. I eat because everyone else is eating. I eat when I’m drinking. I eat when I’m relaxing. I eat when I shop at Sam’s on a Saturday morning. I eat when I’m hungry. I eat when I’m full.

Holidays and family get togethers are all about the food. What are you bringing for your side dish? Then tasting everyone else’s dish.

I eat when I’m with my family at a meal. I eat when I’m with my friends. I go out to eat with my husband. I eat when I’m alone.

Opening My Eyes

My 50 year check up opened my eyes. I knew that I was chubby. But other than that, I was in pretty good shape I thought. No diabetes. No heart problems. Nothing new to add to my medical history.

My petite little doctor lady had the nerve to tell me that I was OBESE, borderline morbid obese. I was not happy to say the least. Embarrassed and in shock, I lashed out and told her that no one has ever said that to me. I didn’t say it in a sweet, surprised way. I said it in a pissed off, how dare you kind of way.

After a series of questions she diagnosed me with an eating disorder. Binge Eater. And she wanted me to talk to a counselor about my disorder. I could NOT believe it. I did not agree with her. I didn’t have a problem. I liked to eat and I wasn’t hiding my eating. So why would she even think that?

What Is Binge Eating?

Behavioral and emotional signs and symptoms of binge–eating disorder include: Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time, such as over a two-hour period. Feeling that your eating behavior is out of control. … Feeling depressed, disgusted, ashamed, guilty or upset about your eating

My Journey to be Healthy

My life as I knew it changed that day. I began my weightloss journey thanks to a doctor that truly cared about my health. I am down almost 80 pounds since then. WOW! That is like the average size of a 7th grader! See My Keto Journey here.

7 months on Keto Journey

It took me a lot longer to accept and deal with my bingeing. I didn’t believe that I had a problem. But after researching what a binge eater was and what bingeing is, I have come to the realization that my doctor was right.

What Bingeing is Like For Me

Because of my weight management now, my binge eating doesn’t happen often. But when it does, I know it is happening and I try to use skills to get through it. Skills that I have developed on my own. These are the times that I wish I’d listened to my doctor and gotten help. Someone to talk to and give me guidance on how to make it through a binge.

Until the bingeing feelings pass, I pace and talk to myself. My heart rate increases. My mind is telling me to eat. Now. Fast. Hurry. I try to stay in control. I tell myself, “here it comes, eat something good for you at least.” It is almost like a panic. This is my addiction. Food is my drug.

I don’t even remember what I ate or how much. It is so bad that I dont WANT to remember. It was too much. Did I taste it? Did I talk outloud to myself the whole time? Am I crazy?

My stomach hurts. My head hurts. I’m sad. I’m disappointed with myself. I’m struggling to get control. I’m hiding. I’m ashamed.

I’m A Stronger ME!

As my thoughts become clearer. I calm down. I take in what just happened. I acknowledge to MYSELF that I do have an eating disorder. I am not crazy. I will work on getting stronger. I will work on being more prepared the next time. I will be ok. ~ Susie Pea

Reading Up on Bingeing Eating Disorder

Here are a few articles and posts about how to manage bingeing episodes. How to Stop Yourself in the Middle of a Binge by @karidahlgren.net. How to Recover from a Binge Eating Episode by @ownitbabe.ca. How I Finally Stopped Binge Eating by @ariellevolve.com. I am planning on taking the time to read these and help myself get better, healthier in my head. If you are having some of these same types of feelings and symptoms, talk to your doctor. Happy, healthy eating my friends.

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Keto Cake & Cake Pops


Brooke and the sweet peas stopped by today to bake a cake with me. I wanted to try to come up with a KETO yellow cake recipe that was good. One that wasn’t so dry like the other recipes that I had tried. Or one that didn’t fall apart coming out of the pan.

I also needed to come up with a frosting that was tolerable – Key for me! Brooke has her own cake business and makes beautiful wedding cakes and birthday cakes. Her Butter Cream Frosting is phenomenal. It would take a great recipe to come close to what my pre-KETO taste buds were used to.

We came up with a great Keto Yellow Cake Recipe that I think you will love. It’s easy to make and delicious! I know that this will be my new go-to for cupcakes and birthday treats. I am excited that I don’t have to feel deprived when it’s time to indulge in a beautiful birthday cake at a party. Or I don’t have to feel guilty if I decide to have a slice.

Keto Friendly Cake Recipe

Keto Yellow Cake Recipe

  • 4 teaspoons coconut flour
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup Stevia or sugar substitute
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and almond flour pan

In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.

Mix in Almond and Coconut flours. Add heavy cream and combine.

Pour into greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until top of cake is lightly golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans 10-15 minutes. Turn onto wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Prepping the Cake

Brooke drew her own template of a pineapple shape for a fun summer feel. Our darling cakes pops are tiny individual pineapples.

Yummy Keto Frosting

I made a delicious Cream Cheese Frosting that was easy and Keto friendly. It was the bonding for the cake pops as well as icing for the cake. We used chocolate candied melting chips as icing for cake pops. (Not KETO friendly :/ But the kids loved these fun tiny treats!)

Keto Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 8 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup Stevia

Mix all ingredients together until smooth consistency.

After shaping the cake, we used icing to bind the leftover cake pieces into pineapple shapes. Brooke then divided icing into 2 bowls and added green/yellow food coloring.

She first iced bottom section of pineapple solid yellow. She then put some icing into piping bag and made a criss cross section over the yellow icing. In each square she added a dot of icing to make pineapple look real. You can learn more about how to use icing tips here.

She iced the top part of the pineapple green before piping some leaves to make it appear like real stems of the fruit.

Icing the Cake Pops

We heated the yellow candy melting chips on stove see how to here. We then tipped each cake stick into the melted candy before inserting into the cake pop. This ensured our stick would stay in place.

Next we rolled each cake pop into the melting chips tapping the stick on side of bowl as we slowly turning cake pop. The tapping helps to knock off air bubbles and excess melting chip while chocolate is hardening.

Finally, Brooke piped on some greenery to the tops of each cake pop. They turned out so cute!

Our Keto Pineapple Cake & Cake Pops definitely were a success. Keto friendly and delicious — Kid approved!!

What a fun day with my little grandbabies. What kind of fun things do you do when you are with your kiddos? Check out my post on Mud Kitchens here. And How to Host a Grandma Camp here. Or maybe you would like to geocache with your little guys. Check that one out too! ~Susie Peas

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Last Swing Before the Ring

Last Swing Before the Ring was a fun idea for a themed bachelorette party for my daughter Becki. This was a great way to celebrate that bride-to-be that loves baseball. The last swing was a perfect plan for her last hurrah with her friends and family.

Shop for official St. Louis Cardinals fan gear from Majestic, Nike and New Era at Shop.MLB.com

The afternoon started as a tailgate party at my house and ended at the ballpark. It turned out to be a beautiful day with lots of fun memories. Here is a peek at how the whole party went down.

Surprise!

It was a surprise party – always the best kind to have! The guests paid for their ball tickets in advance. This helped lock down the rsvp’s for the evening. Plus it allowed us to get the group rate for our tickets.

Tailgating

We all parked our cars next to eachother and lifted the hatches to stage the tailgating part of the afternoon. There were red and white streamers, themed posters, cracker jacks, baseballs, and peanuts everywhere.

We set up a drink station which included a cooler full of Budweiser. The perfect drink for a Cardinal game! Ballpark hotdogs and chips were on the menu. And how about these cute cookies from Brookie Cakes?!

We asked the ladies to wear their red St. Louis Cardinal’s gear. The bachelorette was going to be in white. We got Becki a “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” t-shirt. The back of the t-shirt said Mrs. Joiner and the number 13 (year she got married). She also wore a St. Louis Cardinal’s veil that you can order here.

What fun is was to show up at a BBQ Tailgate event hosting all of her besties. We opened presents, ate, enjoyed refreshments, and laughed about the silly signs hanging everywhere. Each guest got a themed gift bag with peanuts, bottled water, Cardinal beads, bubblegum, and STL temporary tattoos to sport at the game. The guests all signed a baseball for Becki to keep to remember the amazing day.

Go Cards!

Next, we headed to Busch Stadium for an evening of baseball for her last swing. It was a great time hanging out at the Ballpark watching the hometown team win a game. I am sure she will remember her bachelorette for a long time.

Click here for some more Unique Party Ideas for Her. And here for My Favorite Party Tips. You can find out about Brooke’s Breakfast At Tiffany’s Bridal Shower here. Plus, you can read about MY Tribe on this post.

What are some great ways you have celebrated the bachelorette? Let me know in the comments below. ~ Susie Pea

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Amazing Thrift Store Finds

The Diamond in the Rough

There are few things that I love more than rummaging through a great 2nd hand store. I keep to a well planned routine to ensure that I don’t miss a single bargain. First, I scour the toy section of the store. And finally, I leave no stone unturned when it comes to foraging through the clothes. I am sure to not miss any linens or housewares in between. It is almost as if I am racing, afraid that someone might beat me to that perfect well loved item dangling from it’s rack. I have to have these amazing thrift store finds!

In my 30 years of treasure hunting I have dug out countless Halloween costumes, ugly Christmas sweaters, snow suits, Jean’s for years of growing kids, board games for the lake. You name it, I found it!

Just for Fun to For Necessity

Two years ago, I lost my home of 23 years to a natural disaster flood. We lost everything and had to start over. First and foremost, it was devastating. And then, it was overwhelming. We slowly replaced things and began putting our home back together. My over 30 years of thrift shopping experience paid off. It allowed us to replace so many things for a fraction of the price.

A Few of My Favorite Thrift Store Finds

Many out there wouldn’t’ even consider purchasing someone else’s hand me downs. But I am about to show you what a wasteful mistake that is. There is beauty in recycled things. You just have to look with believing eyes. Imagine the life that is still left in the smallest of things. Here are a couple of my favorite things that I have found on my scavenger hunts. May they give you inspiration to the possibilities that await.

Dishes and Serving Pieces

Dishes. When putting together my post flood kitchen, I decided instead of buying a boxed set of dishes, I would search for mismatched pieces in the same color scheme at the thrift stores. I absolutely love how beautiful this turned out.  And it has made it so easy to add extra pieces like platters or serving bowls to my set. I never have to worry about my pattern going out of stock because they never matched in the first place.

Toys, Games, & Books

2. Toys. I have set up a great play place for my 6 grandbabies in our new home. The older kiddos still remember some of the toys from our other house, but I have tried to replace them with a mixture of new and used things. This is one of my favorite items to hunt. I want good quality, gently used, educational toys and games. I have replenished my Lego, Duplo, and mega block collections. (My grandchildren ‘s ages range from 20 months to 6 years.) I have stocked a library from cardboard books to chapter books. I have scored Melissa & Doug puzzles, Barbie’s, and potato heads. (Linking my posts on these educational toys and how they help with development.)  I once got a gallon size zip lock bag full of never used Crayola crayons for 44 cents!

Home Décor

3. Home decor. There are amazing deals on picture frames, candle holders, wall art, and knickknacks. The thrill of digging through shelf after shelf and finding that perfect piece is a great rush. I have even replaced Christmas lights and garlands from thrift stores.

Clothes

4. Clothes. For most of my children’s elementary school lives, I was a SAHM. Trying to outfit 3 little darlings that outgrew everything quickly was quite the challenge on one income. This is when I perfected the hunt of finding quality clothing. Always check for working zippers and missing buttons. Looked closely for worn out knees, rips, stains, or fading. As my children got older, I spent less time visiting these thrifty places. But when the flood changed our lives, I needed to replenish EVERYTHING. Shirts, pants, jackets, pajamas. This task took a year of seasons to accomplish. But combing through rack after rack for that perfect shade bluejean jacket or vintage hoodie is like finding a diamond in the rough. Priceless. 

Check out my post on Shop the Look here.  It shows how I made great outfits from my Pinterest inspiration board come to life all from the thrift store. Also find clothes inspiration  at my post on Dressing Room Diaries. 

Furniture

5. Furniture. If you don’t mind applying a little elbow grease, 2nd hand furniture is plentiful at these places. I have some great pieces that I have redone and spent minimal amounts of money doing it.   They have turned out prettier than the original.  Each one is of good quality materials and tie my rooms together perfectly.  Here is an easy DIY on  How to Clean Used Furniture .


I am always looking for great deals to add to my home and love the fact that thrift store finds are easy on the wallet. I am looking forward to the next time I go on a hunt. You can read about My Favorite 2nd Hand Stores in St. Louis here.


What are your favorite thrift store finds? Let me know in the comments below. – Susie Pea

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Easy Animal Habitats to Make with Kids

Look how proud Jase was when we finished his lizard habitat. He couldn’t wait to take it home and show his mom and dad. Even though he is young, this was a great opportunity to teach him about habitats of animals. About what animals need to survive. How to be nurturing? And about responsibility. All important skills that we need to share with our little people.

Listen for Things That Interest Them

My day didn’t start out planning to make habitats. Like most things with Jaserbugs, he brought it up. He found a rubber lizard at the bottom of the toy box. Since he has an amazing imagination (we have worked on helping him grow his imagination – get ideas here) his whole afternoon became about this lizard.

After hearing all about his new lizard friend, I decided to jump on the opportunity and turn it into a teaching moment. He was already interested so I had half the battle won.

Add a Variety of Teaching Resources

Books about Lizard and their Habitats

Books are a great place to start when you want to introduce an activity or concept to children. I had a couple of books about lizards on hand. We relaxed in great grandma’s rocker, and enjoyed some cuddle time. The local library is another resource for finding information on what your kids are excited about.

The internet is a fascinating visual for them as well. (I do have a terrible story on rotten teeth for kiddos that are fighting the whole toothbrush thing! I learned the hard way to view videos myself before I share with them. WARNING!)

Guide Their Learning

Jase and I worked on a list of what lizards need to survive. What do lizards have in their natural habitats? I asked him guided questions to help him when he couldn’t come up with some ideas. “What do you need when you are hungry?” “What about if you’re thirsty?” He was 3 when we completed our habitat. Use questions geared to the child’s age. @thecornerstoneforteachers.com does a good job of explaining this strategy here.

Making Habitats

We found supplies for our lizard habitat around the house. Easy Peasy!

  • Stick from the backyard for lizard to climb on
  • Grass clippings for a soft bed
  • pompons for ‘food’
  • a ping pong ball – Jase thought his lizard needed a toy for exercise – and that’s ok! 😉
  • a small plastic container as our cage

Other Habitat Themes

  • Farm Animals
  • Artic Habitats
  • Rain Forest Animals
  • Desert Habitats
  • Pond Life
  • Ocean

What a fun, short little mini lesson. Be on the lookout for these opportune times to throw in some knowledge and wisdom with your child. It takes a village… If you liked this post, you might want to check out Mud Kitchen Ideas . Also click on over to Fun With Kids at the St. Louis County Public Libraries. And Amazing Bean Box Fun! ~Susie Pea

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Geocaching with Kids

What is Geocaching?

Geocaching is a real life treasure hunt that is all around us, just waiting to be found. It is a scavenger hunt for all ages. Geocaching is a true game of Hide and Seek. There are people all over the world that geocache as a pastime. There are more than 3 million registered geocaches hidden in more than 190 countries. Geocaching newbies are amazed at how many caches are hidden right in their own town. And it’s so much fun, why not go Geocaching With Kids!

This fun GPS tracking game encourages us to get up off the couch and head outside for some sunshine and fresh air. It is like hiking with a purpose. A prize is waiting for you, if you can solve and follow the clues. The more caches you find, the more addicted you get.

As much fun as it is for phone toting adults, geocaching is also a mode to get kids going too. Introducing them to this exciting hobby is a great way to promote an active lifestyle. In addition, you will be teaching them lessons in GPS technology, map reading, and geography skills.


To begin Geocaching, download the Geocache app on your GPS phone. It’s free, but offers upgrades. Find caches in your area on the app. I suggest reading over the description of the cache first. You will find out if cache is small or larger and easier to find. You can also see how rough the terrain will be. There are tons of kid friendly caches out there as well. You can also find them on the geocache app. Checking these things out especially in the beginning for your tiny hunters, will help guarantee a fun time.

Terms

  • cache – the prize at the end of the hunt. It could be so minute that the cache is only a tiny log book. Or it can be a container full of trinkets to exchange and share.
  • log book – a scroll or piece of paper in the cache that you sign when you find to show that you were there.
  • muggle – a passerby that has no clue what you are doing/searching for. be careful not to let them see what you are up to. 😉
  • traditional cache – cache of container and log book.
  • multi cache – cache with usually 2 or more location, the last location holds the container.

My Tips for Geocaching with Kids

  • Wear closed toed shoes that you are ok with them getting dirty.
  • Long pants or tall socks. You normally search off the path and will come in contact with bushes and twigs.
  • Bug spray and sunscreen. Another tip, wash hands and change clothes when you are done. You may come in contact with poison ivy.
  • Water bottle and Snack. Being active makes us all hunger and thirsty.
  • No strollers. Easier for walking kiddos or carry them on your back.
  • When you get close to the coordinates, let kids have phone and find the cache.
  • Bring notepad and pen to write down clues, etc especially for multicaches and to log your information.
  • Educate kids on the “take one, leave one” ethic of caching.

Take One, Leave One.

Buggles

In most of the containers that you find, there will be trinkets or prizes inside that you can have. Cache etiquette requires that you place something in the cache if you remove something. This is an exciting part of geocaching for kids. I have seen coins, dice, pompons, stickers, tiny compasses, clothespins just to name a few. Before you head out, have kids DIY some bauble of their own to place in the cache. I have included some fun ideas to inspire you.



Look at these cute little Buggles from @makinglifeblissfull.com. The googly eyes make these tiny guys so darn cute.

They have included a DIY to carry your bug collection – in an altoid tin! This is an easy and inexpensive craft idea that wouldn’t be too heavy to tote around while hiking. Plus small enough to fit in the cache container.


Smilies

Here are some more fun ideas for geocache swag. These are small and I love how they put them in a film canister for easy carrying purposes.

If you are looking for something fun and exciting to do with your kids this summer, definitely check out geocaching. They will love it and you will too! If you liked this you might want to check out my post on A Fun Way to Celebrate a Special Birthday, Mud Kitchens or What to do on a Snow Day. There is also a fun one on Family Traditions that Bind Us. ~ Susie Pea

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Teach Them Young

22 Too Many memorial at Jefferson Barracks Park

It is our job to teach our young children to be respectful as well as appreciative to soldiers. The people that have protected us and our freedoms with their service. As caregivers, it is our responsibility to share how to be courteous towards these protectors. It is not enough to have children memorize the Pledge of Allegiance. Instill in them mindfulness of what that Pledge means. In addition we need to lead by example when honoring our past and present servicemen.

I Pledge Allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic
for which it stands,
one Nation under God,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

Programs Helping Our Soldiers

There are many projects that can help us personally thank the soldiers and their families for their service and sacrifices. I have listed just a couple here that are great ways to be supportive and encouraging in their lives.

Adopt A Soldier

Adopt A Soldier program is a non-profit organization. It helps to show the brave men and women fighting for our freedom that their sacrifices will not go unnoticed. It connects supportive civilians with deployed troops. Adopt a Soldier offers a channel by which to communicate encouragement and express gratitude to the United States Armed Forces.

There two different ways to support the deployed troops through Adopt A US Soldier.  You can adopt an individual military troop member. You support him through sending weekly letters/cards, and optional care packages for the length of their deployment. OR you can sign up for Project Frontlines for a one-time or short-term support only. I am looking forward to doing this with my grandchildren as our Grandma Camp service project. Both programs will help you show your support for deployed troops. These servicemen and women appreciate your support more than you can imagine.

Wounded Warrior Project

Warriors return home from duty and often discover an entirely new battle: recovery. Through donations, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is able to stand ready to serve them along their journey. Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) provides free programs and services to address the needs of wounded warriors and fill gaps in government care.

22 Too Many

22 Too Many is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that cares deeply and passionately about our nations military community. This group seek to serve as a living memorial, increases public knowledge and awareness of PTS, share helpful resources, and provide support and comfort to the grieving families left behind.

Teach Them to be Thankful of Our Veterans



Even a child can learn to show their support for our military troops. They do not have to work with any of the above projects/programs. You can visit a veterans home and spend some time with a retired soldier, asking questions about his life. Or making cards and posters to give to veterans.

12 Ways to Help Your Children Honor Veterans from @momlifetoday.com is a great resource. Here you can find ideas for to teach your kids ways to thank the men and women that have served for our country.

I hope that you take the time to share with your kids how great our Nation is. And how we can thank the men and women that helped make it that way. ~Susie Pea

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Christmas Camp with Grandma

Every year on the first Saturday of December I host a Grandma Camp. It is a jam packed day from 8am to 8pm entertaining my little sweet peas. We play games, do crafts, and eat all day. It’s an amazing time filled with fun cousin bonding. We call it Christmas Camp.

I wanted to share this year’s Christmas Camp schedule with you along with food and crafts examples. Here are simple ideas on how you can host your own Christmas themed event. For more tips, read my post on How to Run A Successful Grandma Camp here.

Invitation to Set Up Theme

Grandma Camp Invitation

My invitation to Christmas Camp this year was a simple Christmas Card addressed to the campers. I always send invitations the week of my camp. This helps the little ones begin to get excited about the weekend event without having to wait too long for the day to arrive.

Christmas Camp Schedule

I make a schedule for all of my camps to help me plan and prepare for the day. Here is what my Christmas Camp Schedule looked like:

  • 8:00-8:30 Arrive at Camp. Decorate Take-Home Buckets
  • 8:30-9:00 Reindeer Pancakes
  • 9:00-9:30 Ornament Crafts & Bird Feeders
  • 9:30-10:15 Reindeer Games
  • 10:15-10:30 Candy Cane Hunt & Hand Bird Feeders
  • 10:30-11:00 Free time while Grandma prepares lunch
  • 11:00-11:45 Lunch and Clean up
  • 11:45-12:15 Photo Shoot
  • 12:15-1:00 Play dough fun with Christmas cookie cutters
  • 1:00-3:00 Chill Zone
  • 3:00-3:30 Snack time
  • 3:30-4:30 Free time
  • 4:30-5:15 Hang Christmas Lights on ‘Gingerbread House’
  • 5:15-6:00 Karaoke & Dance Party
  • 6:00-6:45 Dinner
  • 6:45-7:15 Christmas Lights Walk
  • 7:15-7:30 Jammies and Brush Teeth
  • 7:30-8:00 How the Grinch Stole Christmas
  • 8:00 Parent Pick-Up

Activity Breakdown

I had buckets ready for each child to decorate with Christmas stickers as soon as they arrived. This is where they kept all of their projects and treats when completed. It is a great way to keep things organized. Remember to send home with them at end of night.

Breakfast to Get the Fun Started

Reindeer Pancakes

Next we had reindeer pancakes for breakfast. It is always fun having some of your food geared around the theme.

Crafts & Service Projects

We do simple Bird Feeders and crafts during our day. I made sure to include craft ideas that were easy enough for the small ones. My ornament ideas and crafts worked on skills such as working with glue and using scissors. This is a great way to work on fine motor development. To ensure that I am not wasting time searching for supplies, I always prep my activities. I precut for the smaller kiddos to guarantee that I am ready for each activity. Here are some more Christmas ornament ideas for kids.

  • Bird Feeders
  • Service Project

It is ok to skip things that you have put on your schedule. You may need to allow for longer engagement on an activity that they are enjoying. I like to plan extra activities that I can easily fit in as well. Some of the kids finish sooner than others and may like something else to do. Being flexible, but organized is key for a fun day.

Themed Activities

We also had a candy can hunt, played board and cards games, colored, had a photo shoot, and watched a Christmas movie. Try this Winter Bingo Printable Game.

More Food Fun

Lunch and Dinner were not Christmas themed foods. It was more important to make meals that I knew my sweet peas would eat. I didn’t want to have hungry campers due to picky eaters.

Our snack later in the evening was a fun treat that did go with the theme. Here is the recipe for The Grinch Muddy Buddies snacks that we devoured during our movie.

Chill Zone

I planned “chill zone” time into our day. Some of my campers still require naps, and the older ones like to have some peace and quiet for a scheduled amount of time. This asured that I didn’t have any grinches ruining the day.

Christmas Lights

Sweet Pea’s “house”decorated with Christmas lights.

Earlier in the day, I took out all of my extra Christmas lights, gaudy garland, Christmas decorations and bows. I locate an empty cardboard refrigerator box to set up in the family room. The sweet peas went to town decorating their own “gingerbread house”.

After dinner, we bundled up and headed out for a walk around the neighborhood. The grandbabies loved seeing all of the beautiful Christmas lights.

End of a Magical Day

Christmas Camp

About 30 minutes before mommies and daddies arrived, we got on our jammies and brushed our teeth. We put pillows and blankets into our “house” and snuggled in for “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”.

I sat back and relaxed with a warm cup of hot chocolate, reflecting on my fun day with my sweet grandbabies. I hope this gives you some great ideas on how you can host your own Christmas Grandma Camp. Send me some pictures and comments when you do! 🧡 ~Susie Pea

Here are some more fun ideas that I do with my sweet peas. Mud Kitchens, Geocaching with Kids, & Easy Animal Habitats to Make with Kids. And just added, Family Traditions that Bind Us.

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Mud Kitchen Ideas

Ahhh, to be young again! I remember living in the concrete world of the city. Our Backyard was a tiny area with a little bit of dirt. About the size of your kitchen sink. But I loved to play in that dirt. Play with the bugs and ants that inhabited that space. (I made my little sister eat an ant one time before I would allow her to play with me. Sorry Melissa!) Add water to make mud pies and concoctions. Throw in some dandelions and clover ‘pickles’. Precious memories of childhood.

So naturally, when my grandchildren were big enough to play in the mud without ‘really’ eating it, I jumped at the opportunity to throw a mud kitchen together.

I wasn’t as keen on the idea with my own kids. This meant more messes than I had time to clean up. In those days, I don’t think I ever saw the bottom of my laundry baskets. Of course I wasn’t going to allow an opportunity to add to my chores unless it was unintentional. Now I know that the laundry didn’t matter. That my house would never be clean until they were grown and gone raising families of their own. What I would do to get those days back. Momma’s, take the time to do this with your kids now!

Gather your Supplies

Rob your cabinets of any extras that you were already considering donating anyway. Or you can go to thrift stores and find some great kitchen utensils and pots for next to nothing. Use an old laundry basket to store your mud kitchen supplies in for easy transport and to allow air drying after you rinse toys and kids off. Here is a list of supply ideas for your mud kitchen.

  • pots and pans
  • small bowls – can be plastic, wooden, or stainless steel
  • spoons
  • watering cans
  • pinecones, grass clippings, flowers, leaves, sticks, rocks, and DIRT

Make some play food out of rocks. Paint food images on rocks and seal with clear fingernail polish. Check out Munchkins and Moms post for the How-to’s.

Food Ideas for Mud Kitchen @indulgy.com

Mud Kitchen Design Ideas

My mud kitchen was an old hand me down Little Tykes picnic table. I placed it under a shade tree so it was perfect for an afternoon of messy fun. It was an easy clean up with some squirts of water from the hose and bubbles. (For the little guys too!)

There are tons of neat ideas on Pinterest for setting up your own muddy mayhem. Take a look at my Mud Kitchen board while you are there. Below are some nifty pictures of mud kitchens for a few quick ideas.

Your kitchen can be as simple as a tree stump to pat out mud pies. Or an over the top, fully stocked play area including running water. It’s up to you. No matter what you put together your little pigpens will love playing in the mud! Have fun and GET DIRTY! ~ Susie Pea

Here are some more fun things to do with your littles. Easy Animal Habitats to make with Kids, Christmas Camp, & Geocaching with Kids. And check out Fun with Kids at the St. Louis County Libraries. I pack Snackle Boxes when we are going out on the town for playdates too. Check those out here. Amazing Bean Box Fun! is another great fine motor activity.

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