Curly Birds

Lemonade?

 

Just like Christmas or Easter, the girls’ lemonade stand has become an ‘event’ at our house. 

A Quick Craft #5: How To Make A Pretty Place Card Holder

Every kid LOVES seeing their now name! These pretty place card holders make the table look festive and each little girl feel loved. 

A Quick Craft #4: How To Make Pretty Tea Bags

At the girls' Valentine's Tea Party last week, I decorated the tea pot with pretty hearts.

Paint red hearts on a piece of watercolor paper or card stock. While you are waiting for the hearts to dry, fill a linen tea bag with yummy berry tea. Punch a hole in the hearts and attach the hearts to the bag. You are ready for a tea party.

To make this craft even quicker and simpler: use pre-made berry tea bags.

(Pretty tea bags also make great gifts)

 

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Preparing for Tea - An Artsy Heartsy Party

Last Friday the girls had a special 'Artsy Heartsy Party' for two of their friends. It was so twee!

We made the invitation out of a painted heart and hand-delivered it the day before the party.

Simple painted hearts created a pretty scene and after a tea party, the girls all painted their own hearts.

New Traditions - No Turkey and Chalkboard Gingerbread

When Eric and I first got married, I was sad that we didn't have our own traditions. During the holidays we followed my family traditions when they were visiting and Eric's traditions when his family were visiting. I was itching for ‘our thing.’

Twelve years and two kids later, our own traditions are starting to emerge...

This year my sister's family is coming for Christmas and my vision of our holiday is very much seeped in Eric and I's way of doing things. Some of our own childhood favorites are maintained - we are so opening presents before breakfast. But just as special are the new traditions - like no Christmas dinner.

"No Christmas dinner?" I hear you say. That's right! A few years ago, we made the bold decision not to cook a big dinner. The girls' and I are vegetarian, we don't often roast things, and we didn't want our Christmas to be a stressful day in the kitchen. We had Christmas tacos and loved it! This year, we are having Christmas tacos again. It is our thing.

 

 

Another family tradition? These cute gingerbread chalkboard people that the girls made last year. I am looking forward to seeing how the girls' decorate them this year.

Do you have some un-traditional traditions? I'd love to hear them.

The Yummiest Lemonade Recipe for Lemonade Stands

Nola and Kira feel sure I need to include their lemonade recipe for Hosting a Lemonade Stand. This is the girls' and their Daddy's thing - a summer weekend ritual in our house.

 

Lemonade

1 bag of lemons (about 10 lemons)

1 cup of sugar

6 cups of water

 

Squeeze lemons to make 1 cup of lemon juice.

Make a simple syrup by heating 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. 

Pour lemon juice, syrup and 5 cups of water in a jug and stir.

For selling, drinking, and celebrating

25 Tips for Hosting a Lemonade Stand

This weekend the girls held their first lemonade stand. It was a family memory to be cherished forever, another event that makes our house a home, and great fun. We are all looking forward to doing it again next year...

Here are our family tips for hosting a lemonade stand:

1.  Involve your kids in the process – planning, buying, making, and setting up

2.  Plan ahead, make signs a few days before, and make lemonade/cookies the day before

3.  Let kids help make the lemonade/cookies

4.  Price it right – we made lemonade 50 cents and $1, and cookies 50 cents for two

 

5.  Waiting for the first customer is tough