Advent Calendar and Max

After browsing around Pinterest (it seems like many of my posts contain that phrase) I found an advent calendar that I decided to use. I took plain old wooden clothespins, holiday scrapbook paper, some red and green buttons, and some homemade mod podge and created an advent calendar that will double as a Christmas card holder. On each clothespin I attached an activity card, which I made using the left over scrapbook paper and mailing address labels. I wish I had some laminating sheets for my laminator because I should laminate them so they can be used year after year. Originally I saw to attach the clothespins to ribbon and hang it as garland. After several attempts it just wasn't working how I wanted it to so I decided to tape them to our fireplace. I used scotch tape temporarily until I get some poster putty.

Each day I hope to update about our activities that we do. I basically used activities that we would be doing anyways and I added a few ones that will be extra special. I can't wait to start the activities tomorrow!

Our fireplace would look much nicer without that gate blocking it but when you have an almost 9 month old into everything you do what you have to do - even if it isn't pretty! 

An activity like this may not be much but to a 3 year old staying up later to watch a movie and have popcorn is super cool! 

And guess who we found in the bathroom this morning - Max! He took a marker and wrote all over our mirror. 

I also wrapped up Christmas books that I already had, mostly from my classroom, and each day Alex will unwrap a book to read at bedtime. I did buy two new books back in the summer when Borders was going out of business. I got 2 books for a few dollars and they were 80 percent off at the time! So basically the cost for this activity was about 6 dollars: 3 dollars for the two books and 3 dollars for the pack of tissue paper (which will also be used in gift bags! ) Cheap and easy activities are my favorite kind!