Yes, 2020 has been quite the year! There are MANY things I have to be grateful for, many things I've discovered and grown to love. I'm prepping for a winter at home, so many of my great discoveries are things that will keep us/the minis/daycare busy during our days, on the weekends, and even during homeschooling.
1.) Since we won't have our usual Christmas time activities, parties, and events to attend, I snagged this Christmas Vacation puzzle. This should keep us busy and entertained for one weekend this December!
2.) I began buying Christmas gifts in October. Daycare is getting the usual "one new gift a week" beginning with last week's Little People Baby Playdate. LP are a hot toy for daycare right now and I'm fairly certain we simply didn't have enough sets as it was (sarcasm), so why not add to it?
3.) Sensory activities are always a hit at this house for all ages. We've been making our own slimes since before it was cool to (seriously people, first slime post was 2013, check it out. It seems old school now). The kids think it's a treat when I buy the actual slime kits instead! So, I spent some dough on the Nickelodeon Jumbo Slime Kit and an Elmer's slime kit. I'm sure they'll get a lot of use once Christmas break rolls around.
4.) We've gone through A LOT of different water bottles over the years. Our favorite to carry with us on hikes, traveling, and daily use is Camelbak bottles. The twist cap is preffered at our house. No leaks, dishwasher safe, and they can be dropped or slightly rolled over by the car with no cracks to report.
5.) Our day after Thanksgiving tradition includes baking gingerbread men and decorating them. Not one of us is particularly fond of ginerbread cookies, but we make them year after year. We use Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie mix, as it makes for incredibly soft cookies.
6.) The minis have been studying the planets and constellations. Hubs downloaded Sky Map onto the mini's phone, so they can point it up to the sky and determine where everything is all on their own! We've even used it a time or two.
7.) I needed a funny show to destress from the times and finally got around to watching Schitt's Creek. I binged the entire series in about a week or two. Needless to say, it's hilarious and just the distraction I needed!
8.) If you're looking for ornaments or wooden crafts, check out Beaver Craft Designs. My parents got us this Friends ornament for Christmas. Not only is it incredibly crafted, but it's spot on for 2020! * ornaments pictured above
9.) Spoiler alert for Christmas: my kids are getting Harry Potter Legos. As in, nearly all of the sets. That should keep them busy for at least a week. The middle mini is reading the Harry Potter series and is obsessed, so these seemed like a no brainer. I've kept my eyes for deals on Amazon and Target. I've gotten each set at least $20-$30 off regular price....it makes me feel like I pretty much didn't spend any money at all. This is how I lie to myself.
10.) Looking for a new holiday drink to try out? Bud Light Ugly Sweater variety pack is a must try for you seltzer drinkers. The peppermint pattie was surprisingly delicious--and I'm not the biggest fan of peppermint either.
11.) My weekday mornings are busy, so I don't have a lot of time to do much of anything. Including eating. My new favorite is the Kodiak pumpkin dark chocolate muffin cup for a warm and quick breakfast.
12.) We skipped trick or treating on Halloween, so we filled the mini's buckets with toys, such as Crayola scented dough. Much ike Play Doh, but a much better smell! The minis have played with it daily since then. I snagged some small containers in Target's Dollar Spot.
13.) Hubs broke out his grandma's classic Corelle sets for our Thanksgiving meal and chances are we're keeping these out for use. We're (finally) moving on from plastic plates and cups, but I'm not ready to move glass dinnerware back into our cupboards.
14.) Christmas tip: have your kids/family members/you create Wish Lists on Amazon. When people ask for ideas, send them the link and you're done.