Celebrate Winter: Birdie Party

As winter approaches, it becomes harder for our feathered friends to find their food.  Why not help them?  Kids love to make things - and these things you won't have to throw away when little eyes aren't looking because you have no more space left.  I mean, Not. Even. One. More. Inch. For. Craft. Projects.

Yes, I have a 6 year old girl :)

This idea could easily be adapted to a family night activity, or a winter birthday party, or even just a no-reason-to-party party. 

Items needed for making bird seed treats:  Bird seed, peanut butter, popcorn, cranberries, dried fruit, bread, bagels, ribbon, pinecones, needle & string, etc.

How cute are these bird seed wreaths?!?

Very easy tutorial here

This is also very simple, this is just a pine cone, peanut butter and bird seed!  source

Why not make homemade "ornaments" to hang on your trees outside?  Too cute!  So simple - it is made from bread, peanut butter, and bird seed! 
The how-to

String popcorn, peanuts and cranberries for a special birdie treat!

If you make a lot of treats, you could decorate a whole tree outside!  Could be the best decorated Christmas tree ever!  At least the birds would think so :)

Or you can hang a few outside your window, where you can bird watch easily.

If you want to tie this into a Birdie Birthday Party, the decorations would be key:



Think birds, bird houses, bird cages, fun colors, branches. 

Yes, branches. 

Very fun!  And another branch!  From this blog

The kids could take home their bird treats as a party favor.

Sometimes the simplest ideas really are the cutest and most fun!  



Family Night: Dance Party

I love to dance.  When I was in high school and college, I was on the dance team.  But that was SO 20+ years ago.  (But who's counting?!?!)

I refuse to let my grown-up-ness stop me from my first love.  Okay, I admit it, the moves aren't quite there anymore.  Maybe I feel like an old person when I try to move it and shake it and throw my hands in the air and wave 'em like I just don't care.  Darn age.  But hey - this old girl still has her groove on, at least on the inside :)

So.... We have Family Dance Parties in the living room.  We started when our kids were really young. (So they didn't know any better!)  We crank up the dance music and dance our butts off.  For hours.  I'm not kidding.  Now the kids don't know any better and think it is fun.  In fact, if we have gone too long without a dance party, they request one!

SO much fun dancing with them!

Costumes are optional :)

I'd highly encourage it!  Let yourself go.  Really.  Let. Yourself. Go!  Stop being so grown up.  Crank up your old cassette player (or if you must stay modern, your ipod!), get out that 80s music and go to town.  Call it a party and your kids will be thrilled.  They won't care that no one else is invited, it's like your own private family party.  And family conga lines - too much fun for words.

Just Dance makes Family Dance Night so much easier.  That way you are not responsible for your own dance moves!  If you do not have this game for the wii or XBox, it is a great investment.  You will not believe how much fun your family will have cracking up at each other's moves. 

A family that dances together stays together :)