december daily project...

I just love reading Ali Edwards blog. I especially love her idea for doing a December Daily album! The main concept is to have the album bones ready to go so all you need to add are the pictures and journalling.

I so look forward to the holidays...all the decorations, traditions and events that lead up to Christmas Day. So why not make a special little album to record all those memories! Last year was my first time doing one. I started out small though...I didn't record something everyday of December, I just highlighted a few special things. I used a small acrylic album with varying page sizes. It was different for me but I loved it! So this year I plan to do another one. I'm going to try and do 25 days of Christmas....recording 25 things we do or love that lead up to Christmas.

Deciding on what type of "album" to use is my first struggle. I like to be a thrifty crafter so I try to find something that is fairly cheap. I saw a couple ideas using mini binders and liked that idea...so off I went in search of the perfect cheap mini binder. I didn't find anything at the local craft stores so I took a quick look in the dollar store and this is what I found...

This green little binder is about 6x9....just perfect! And the price couldn't have been better....$1.00!

I also decided to try and use up supplies that I already have on hand. Here is a sampling of my paper, leftover stickers and accents.

Now off to get started creating the foundation of my album!

Letter Jj

"J" topics...jump, jet, jelly beans, jaguars

{Circle Time}

Calendar...Talk about the month and days of the week and put sticker on the day we are discussing.

Reading...days of the week book...Pigs to the Rescue by John Himmelman {...a fun one!}

...theme books...My "j" Book by Jane Belk Moncure

The Giant Jelly Bean Jar by Marcie Aboff

Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw

Jaguars by Julie Guidone

Jamberry by Bruce Degen

Songs/Rhymes...The J says..., 10 little jelly beans

{Letter Craft}

J is for Jaguar...inspired by this blog

{Activities}

Coloring...Letter Jj

Letter Identification...

find the letter worksheet

...do a dot letter printables

Spelling...We worked on spelling JET this week. I wrote the word and drew a picture on our dry erase board. Each day I had Little Bit spell and sound out the word.

...tray with magnetic letters and cards with words {JET, JAR, JAM}. Little Bit placed the corresponding letters over the letters on the cards...while sounding out each letter.

Dot to Dot...jack-in-the-box. This is a great exercise for getting letters in the correct order and drawing lines!

Activity Shelf...marble transfer to suction mat; felt clothes line; color shade matching; nuts & bolts {matching sizes & threading nut on bolt}; counting jelly beans; sorting blocks by color

Exercise...jumping!

Computer time...Starfall {we worked in the ABC section with the letter J} and Fisher Price{they have some great learning games and online coloring pages}.

...Little Bit also loves to get in some computer time when we go the library. They have computers set up in the children's area with games, stories, etc. Her favorite one to do is Just Grandma & Me by Mercer Mayer. She puts on the headphones and watches/listens to the story! Another one she is getting into is Jump Start PreK.

Creative Corner...Scrap Club

Here are my Scrap Club layouts for October...

We used the title AUTUMN and it was perfect for pictures I had taken of Little Bit at the park. {I meant to write "in the park" after the Autumn, so I will have to go back and do that!}

For the second layout I had lots of pics of fall activities so I tried to squeeze as many on as I could....and I still need to do a trick or treating layout! There are so many great outings this time of year....what are you capturing in your scrapbook layouts?

Veggie Noodle Soup

This soup is really yummy and so simple to put together!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (or turkey)

1 46 oz can tomato juice

1 can mixed veggies

1 packet onion soup mix

1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

Directions:

In large pot, brown ground beef and drain off fat.

Add tomato juice, veggies and onion soup mix and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Add macoroni and cover, continue cooking...stirring occasionally until noodles are tender.