As many of my regular readers know, Papa Bear is a police officer and this week has a special meaning for us that most people don't recognize. May 15 was the official Peace Officers' Memorial Day, but we are joining in a local remembrance tonight. I especially look forward to getting to hear my amazing husband sing during the ceremony. My boys' favorite part is at the end when the Scottish bagpipes play and then we move outside for a moment of silence filled with dozens of flashing red and blue lights, followed by a 21-gun salute. It is very heart-stirring.

If you have the opportunity to attend one of these events in your community, I highly recommend it. It is a great way to teach your children to respect and honor those who have lost their lives in the line of duty and those who continue to put their lives at risk to protect your family and other local citizens.

Even if you are unable to participate in a memorial service near you, here are some ways that you and your children can still observe National Police Week and learn more about police officers:

• Read Officer Buckle and Gloria.
• Watch Courageous. Great movie!!
• Take homemade thank-you cards to your local police department or personally thank them. While baked goods may be well-received, it would be a good idea to call and ask first. I'm sure you can understand why they may not accept them.
• Pray for your local law enforcement officers and department personnel.
• Teach little ones more with these police coloring pages and crafts for kids or preschool activities. Make a police lapbook or these cute little paper police dolls.
• For elementary age kids, use these free police learning printables or do a police K-9 unit study.
• Get to know more about those who have sacrificed their lives at the Officer Down Memorial Page.
• Check out current LEO prayer requests at The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry blog.
• Find out more about National Police Week and view a slideshow from last year's event at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Matthew 5:9

DIY Molded Crayons

Chances are very good that you have seen this before. Shaped crayons make unique gifts and are just more fun to color with. And it's a great way to recycle your old crayon stubs that no one wants to use. Or you could just buy a dozen boxes of new 24-count crayons in August when they are 25 cents each. We happen to have a shoe box full of old, broken crayons, but, yes, I melted perfectly good crayons instead.

 

Before you start, make some spaghetti sauce. Well, that's what I did because I needed some cans. You may already have some cans set aside for recycling. Make sure they are clean and dry. Place as many will fit into a saucepan and fill the pan with a few inches of water, enough that your cans won't bob around.

Sort your crayons according to tones. For example, I combined yellow and dandelion, purple and indigo, blue and cerulean, red and scarlet, etc. Have the kids peel the wrappers off. You can help them out by using an exacto knife to slice it open first, but be very careful. I have a scar on my left hand from a box cutter incident many years ago.

If you don't have enough cans for each separate color, start with the lighter colors first or a primary color and then a secondary color that is made with it. Melt yellow, then orange or pink, then red.

Let the kids break up the crayons and put each color/tone in its own can. Heat on low and once they begin to melt, stir with a craft stick (one for each color) until liquified.

 

Carefully, pour into silicone ice cube trays or candy molds. This is a job for an adult because the hot wax pours quickly and may splatter. Let sit until solid or place in freezer to speed up the process. You'll probably have to help pop the crayons out of the silicone molds, but the ones in candy molds should fall right out when you flip it over. I recommend doing it over a towel to soften their landing. No matter which type of mold you use, you won't be able to use it for anything else after making crayons.

I bought a two-pack of silicone heart ice cube trays in the dollar spot at Target with intentions of giving them as Valentine's gifts. Wouldn't these be cute bagged up with a tag that says "You color my world, Valentine"? 

The silicone molds left more of a matte finish. Personally, we like the super smooth feel of the candy mold crayons. We were only slightly tempted to eat one because they reminded us of cute little chocolates.

DIY Pompom Magnets

What do you get when you glue pompoms to magnets? Pompom magnets, of course!

But what do you do with them, you ask? Well, they are an excellent sensory manipulative for little ones. Toddlers and preschoolers love to match colors, count them, cover do-a-dot pages with them, make patterns on the fridge or a cookie sheet, and use them as game pieces (bingo, tic-tac-toe, etc.). And if your toddler is like mine, they will enjoy knocking them off of the fridge and throwing them too.

I had seen these before over at Mama Jenn's (she calls them puff balls), but didn't get the urge to make them until last week. Boy, am I glad I did! M2 and LJ love them!

They are super simple to make, especially if you use a hot glue gun. I purchased a large bag of multi-colored pompoms in a variety of sizes at Hobby Lobby for less than $4 (with 40% off coupon) and a package of 52 3/4" round magnets from WalMart for $5.97. So, for about $10, we got 52 pompom magnets and a LOT of extra pompoms for crafts and toddler activities, like transferring, matching, sorting, counting, and patterning.

To make your own pompom magnets, you will need:

• pompoms that are slightly bigger than your magnets (about 1")
• 3/4" round magnets
• hot glue gun or other strong, non-toxic glue

Hold a magnet in one hand and cover it with a zigzag of glue, then very quickly...

squish the magnet onto a pompom and hold for a couple of seconds.

 That's it!

If you use a different kind of glue, you'll have to wait for them to dry, so keep them out of sight of your kids. They will want to play with them!

Of course, they are good for keeping artwork on the fridge, too! :)

8 DIY Christmas Crafts Using Epsom Salts

It all started yesterday with this post by Melissa from The Inspired Room. I loved all of her simple DIY Christmas craft ideas, but the Jingle Bell Mason jar really caught my attention. With recycled jars and Epsom salts on hand, I only needed some twine, jingle bells, votive candles, and a couple of tiny bottle-brush trees (with the Christmas villages). All easy enough to find at your local WalMart or craft store. Hopefully, I'll find some time to work on them tomorrow. Of course, I'll post pictures. Here is some inspiration for creating your own simply snowy decorations.

Melissa @ The Inspired Room

1. Jingle Bell Mason jar

Amanda @ Crafts by Amanda

2. Epsom salt luminaries 

Amanda Formaro @ Craftown.com

3. Epsom salt ornaments

April @ You, Me & the Kid

4. Snow candles

April @ You, Me & the Kid

5. Snow-filled ornaments

Tracie @ Cleverly Inspired

6. Frosty wine bottles display

Donna @ Donna's Daze

7. Frosted window panes 

{doubles as a science experiment!}

Joy @ Thrifty Parsonage Living

8. Frosted candle & ornament display
{slight variation}

Linked to Homemaking Link-Up.

Advent-ful Ideas: Part 1

Every year, I try to do something to build anticipation for our celebration of the birth of Christ. Something that will help to plant seeds of faith in my sons' hearts. Something that will become a family tradition. Advent calendars are probably the easiest because your children will certainly remind you to do it. Every. Day. Especially if there may be something sweet hiding inside.

bhg.com

More than once, I've put one of these premade advent calendars with the little drawers into my cart at the craft store. You know, the kind you decorate yourself. As I walk through the store, I try to decide on the colors and theme and what medium I want to use. Paint or scrapbook paper? Sticker numbers or stamped? And then, inevitably, I put it back on the shelf. Because I know me. The little perfectionist that lives in my head would keep me up at night trying to decide on the "perfect" way to decorate it. Then the little procrastinator would whisper, "you can do it later", repeatedly, until it's two days before Christmas. 

Sooo...

I've been looking online for cheap, easy, cute ideas for making an advent calendar with the boys. Of course, I'll have a difficult time choosing which one to try. Artsy, craftsy people never fail to impress me. Creative, I am not (very). But I can follow instructions!

I loved this stocking advent calendar immediately. Probably because Heidi, at The Frugal Girls, uses those tiny little clothes pins that I adore. And because there is very little involved in putting it together. Simple is good.

maricucu

Cassi at The Crafty Crow has an amazing collection of advent crafts that have inspired me to make a different one each year from now on. I'm blown away by all of the beautiful creations. Be sure to scroll all the way down and check out the links to previous years' collections.

bhg.com

One of my favorite sites for decorating ideas, BHG.com, has lots of projects to choose from, ranging from cut-and-glue to break-out-the-sewing-machine, and ideas for treats and activities to fill them. I like the idea pictured above, but I don't think that it would be economical or practical to have one for each of my five boys.

Last, but not least, Tip Junkie shares 24 ways to countdown to Christmas with a collection of tutorials. There are advent calendars and simple countdown calendars. Personally, I may need to make the tea tree advent calendar for myself.

Do you have an advent tradition with your family? Do you make your own advent calendar? Leave a comment telling us about it.