Author: Jessi Rose

24 Month Old Sleeping Beauty Toddler Photos

Disney’s Sleeping Beauty is fun because of the 3 good fairies. They make the movie fun, and Storm likes to rewatch their songs.

Princess Aurora is full of the grace and beauty that the fairies blessed her with. She also loves her aunts and desires to have a romantic love as well. She unknowingly meets the prince and falls in love with him. In the end it is his kiss that breaks the spell of her deep sleep.

Storm doesn’t red, let alone sleep. She is awake for hours in the middle of each night, and can go go go all day long. She is definitely learning what love is and tries to give us toddler kisses often.

We went to our local Rose Garden to take her pictures again this year. She wanted to touch all of the roses, but we were at a public rose garden so I tried to keep her from grabbing them. One of the gardeners cut a rose just for her to match her dress and brought it over to give to her.

We bought her this new Sleeping Beauty dress on Amazon, and we love it. It came with a crown and necklace too.  I curled her hair before we left the house, and it was gorgeous. Lastly we put in the gold and pink earrings that I had bought a few years ago for these photoshoots. Then she just held the single red rose too.

Psalm 4:8 “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety”. 

Below she is Sleeping Beauty 1 year apart in each photo…

You might enjoy Storm’s other Sleeping Beauty photoshoots:

Or some of her other Princess Photoshoots:

Storm (X-Men) Party -2

Storm (X-Men) party this year. With rainbows, lightning bolts, and tornados added!

Storm Dress

They all wore their “Storm X-Men” Shirts.

Birthday Girl’s shirt says “TWO NADO”, and mine says “STORM CHASER”.

I tried my very best to give her a zigzag lightning bolt part in her pigtails! She is also wearing her lightning bolt earrings that we got for our X-Men Family Halloween Dress up.

Storm Decorations

I used pool noodles to make a rainbow. White pom-poms for the clouds, then I cut out lightning bolts for the clouds. A cloud table cloth for the background. Then I used a black umbrella with paper rain drops hung with fishing wire.

I used the “Xavier’s School” that I made for our X-men Family dress up last Halloween. Then I printed out X-Men Storm posters and made some “X” symbols with paper.

Crepe paper rainbow with white pom pom clouds. I put in the extra lightning bolts and rain drops that I had.

Cloud and lightning bold balloons.

TWO nado… I hung gray crepe paper from the ceiling fan and then turned it on medium.

Storm Food

We had lots of Storm themed foods!

We had “Rain Water”, “Mini Marshmallow Hailstones”, “Nacho Bugle Tornados”, “Cheetos Lightning Bolts”, and “Cotton Candy Sunset Clouds”!

Rainbow Flavored Drinks

Fruit dip is made with cream cheese and marshmallow cream.

Pizza is made with pepperoni, olives, and cheddar to create and “X” symbol.

Storm Cake

I followed the directions on the white cake box then covered it in my buttercream and then marshmallow fondant. Last I used black buttercream to spell her name and make cracks with the lightning bolt.

Buttercream Icing

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup Crisco
  • 4 cups powdered sugar (2 lbs)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon milk (if thick)

Directions:

  1. Cream together the butter and Crisco with a mixer.
  2. Slowly add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time.
  3. Add the vanilla, if it seems too thick you can add a bit of milk.

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz. Mini Marshmallows
  • 3 TBSP water
  • 2 lbs Powdered Sugar (4 cups)
  • Crisco

Directions:

  1. Grease a large glass bowl with Crisco.
  2. Pour in the marshmallows and water; then microwave at 30- second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted.
  3. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar. Place the rest of the powdered sugar in a large bowl of a standing mixer.
  4. Grease the paddle attachment with Crisco and pour in the melted marshmallows on top of the powdered sugar.
  5. Beat until a dough form; there will be a lot of loose bits and sugar in the bottom of the bowl.
  6. Grease a clean work surface with Crisco and dump out the fondant and all the loose bits. Grease your hands liberally with Crisco and knead the mixture together, just like kneading bread, for about 5 minutes until smooth.
  7. Grease hands again as needed. As the fondant becomes smoother, use the reserved powdered sugar to coat the surface to keep it from sticking.
  8. Once smooth, you can divide and color the fondant. While working with one piece, cover the remaining fondant with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
  9. When you have your colors finished coat the fondant in a light layer or Crisco; wrap in plastic wrap and place in a large baggie for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
  10. Store at room temperature for several months. To us it, dust the surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar and roll out to 1/8 of an inch.

Water Play

Rainbow sprinkler and bubbles.

Happy Birthday my Sweet Perfect Storm!

Insect Tot School

Color: Black

Shape: Oval

Number: 6

Letter: I for Insect

Day 1:  Insects                         

Read:  

Music: Bug Instruments

Experiment: Bug Hunt

Play:  Bug Sensory Tub

Day 2:  Ants                            

Read:  

Music: sing the ants go marching

Experiment: Ant Farm

Play:  Counting Ants

Day 3:  Ladybugs                         

Read:  

Music: sing Ladybug Ladybug fly away home

Experiment: Ladybug Habitat

Day 4:  Bees                      

Read:  

Music:

Day 5:  Inchworms                       

Read:  

Play:  Make Playdough Inchworms

Music: Itchy Inchworm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coW1OJnbut8&list=PLtcVDUfj-tZytwkA64XHNSi0PwA0TMrJM&index=9

Day 6:  Butterflies                        

Read:  

Music: sing bullfrogs and butterflies

Experiment: Raise Butterflies

Play: Butterfly Life Cycle Toys

Butterfly Sticker

I ordered a couple toddler age books from Abeka.com. Following are some of the specific books with links that are used in this Insect Tot School Unit:

Movie List:

Book List:

Music/ Poems:

Gross Motor: 

  • Move like an insect cards

Fine Motor:

Trips:

  • Butterfly House

Mouse Cookie Baking Week

I got to teach a “Baking Week” at our Summer Camp. I had about 20 kids Kindergarten-5th grade. I had 4 groups of kids in the kitchen, each with 1 older child to help the younger ones. Each day we made a food from one of the “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” books.

Daily Activity Schedule:

  1. Read Story/ Circle Time
  2. Recess
  3. Divide Teams
  4. Review Kits and Safety Rules
  5. Kitchen Cooking
  6. Activity Time
  7. Lunch
  8. Recess
  9. Quiet Time (Kids Baking Championship – Food Network)
  10. Color/ Activity Sheets from the MouseCookieBooks.com activities page
  11. Snack

Day 1:  If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Jello Cookies

Board Game

Jello Cookies

(24 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cream of tarter
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp butter at room temperature
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 tea. Vanilla
  • 3 tbsp flavored Jello
  • 1 cup of Extra sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Add the butter and 3/4 cup of sugar to a large bowl and cream together until fluffy about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs and mix
  5. Add the vanilla and mix
  6. Add the medium bowl ingredients to the large bowl and mix together.
  7. Knead in the Jello with your hands.
  8. Place the extra cup of sugar into a small bowl.
  9. Scoop 2 Tablespoons of cooties and roll them into balls, then roll them in the sugar until completely covered.
  10. Place the balls on a prepared sheet pan with 2 inches between each cookies.
  11. Bake in the oven for 10-13 minutes until the tops of the cookies are golden.
  12. Cool on the pan for 3-5 minutes.

Day 2:  If you Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff

Banana Muffins

Banana Muffins

(12 muffins)

Ingredients:

  • 1 eggs
  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 overripe bananas
  • 1 cup flour
  • ¾  tea. Baking soda
  • ¼  tea salt
  • ½  tea. Vanilla
  • 12  Muffin Cups

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix the eggs, butter, and brown sugar.
  3. Mash in the bananas.
  4. Blend in flour, baking soda, salt, and vanilla.
  5. Place muffin cups in 12  muffin holders. And fill ¾ full with batter.
  6. Bake for 16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Day 3:  If you Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff

Donuts

Make Your Own Donut

Glazed Baked Donuts

(6 donuts)

Ingredients for Donuts:

  • 1 Cup Flour
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 2 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ Cup Milk
  • 1 tsp Vanilla

Ingredients for Glaze:

  • ½ cup Powder sugar
  • ½ tsp Vanilla
  • ¼ stp Salt
  • 2  tbsp milk
  • Sprinkles

Directions for Donuts:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray donut pans
  2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, stir together the melted butter, egg, milk, vanilla.
  4. Gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined (do not over mix)
  5. Pour the mixture evenly into the donut pans filling each about halfway full.
  6. Bake for 10-13 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Directions for Donuts:

  1. Whisk together powder sugar and salt.
  2. Then stir in the vanilla and gradually add the milk.
  3. Dip the cool donuts in the icing covering about half of the donuts. Then top with sprinkles.
  4. Let the donuts cool about 30 minutes.

Day 4:  If you Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff

Cupcakes

The Art of the Cupcake

Chocolate Cupcakes

(12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Cup granulated white sugar
  • ¼  cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¾ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoons baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • 12 Cupcake Liners

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking power,  and salt.
  3. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla into the same bowl.
  4. Mix for five minutes.
  5. Stir in the boiling water last.
  6. Place 12 cupcake liners in the pan, filling each tin or liner about 2/3 full.
  7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Day 5:  If you Give a Mouse a Brownie by Laura Numeroff

Brownies

Brownies Recipe

(9 brownies)

Ingredients:

  • ½  cup butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 eggs
  • ½  cup flour
  • ½  cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a bowl, mix the margarine, sugar and cocoa.
  3. Add the eggs and mix well.
  4. Stir in flour; mix well.
  5. Grease a 8×8 inch pan and pour the batter into the pan.
  6. Bake . for 30 minutes or until the brownies test done with a wooden pick. Cool in pan.

Other Baking Ideas:

  • Pizza
  • Fruit Pizza
  • Pretzels with cheese sauce
  • Pancakes

Kids Baking Shows:

  • Kids Baking Championship – Food Network

Book List:

23 Months Old Ariel Toddler Photos

Disney’s The Little Mermaid  was one of my favorites as a child. Ariel’s dream is to be part of the humans world, and she even saves a human from drowning. Of course every Disney princess has an animal sidekick, and Flounder is such a fun one.

Princess Ariel is an extremely fierce, free-spirited and curious girl.

One of the songs that I sing to her is to the tune of “Mary had a Little Lamb”…

“Storm is a curious girl
Curious girl, curious girl
Storm is a curious girl
She’s my curious girl”

I used a light blue sheet for the back ground with Christmas lights behind it to give it a watery look. Then I put a brown table cloth down on the floor to look like sand. I added some of the white and blue balls from her ball pit to the floor with some sea shells.

She is wearing a Ariel mermaid dress and red bow headband in her hair with her pearl earrings.. She is bare footed for our pictures today.

Isaiah 27:1 “In that day, the LORD will punish with his sword— his fierce, great and powerful sword— Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea.”

You might enjoy Storm’s other Ariel photoshoots:

Or some of her other Princess Photoshoots:

Creation Tot School

Color: Blue

Shape: Circle

Number: 7

Letter: W for World

Day 1: God Created the Light and Dark

  • Snack: Raisins and Popcorn
  • Turn on and off Lights, 
  • Light and play with flashlights.

Day 2: God Created the Sky and Sea

  • Snack: Blue Jello and Marshmallows
  • Point to Sky and look at Clouds, 
  • Water and play with water toys.

Day 3: God Created the Dry Land and Plants

  • Snack: Chocolate Pudding with crushed cookies and Broccoli
  • Look at Trees and Plants and Dirt, 
  • Play in the dirt and plant some flowers. 
  • Play with wooden cutting fruits and vegies.

Day 4: God Created the Sun, Moon, and Stars

  • Snack: Cheese cut into starts
  • Look at Moon and Stars, 
  • Day or night?, (ask the child when they do things like go to bed, eat lunch, dream, play outside, etc…)
  • Playdough Sun, Moon, Stars
  • read “Bathwater’s Hot” by Shirley Hughes

Day 5: God Created the Birds and Fish

  • Snack: Goldfish
  • Talk about fish and birds,
  • Visit a pet store,
  • Feed the Ducks.

Day 6: God Created the Animals and People

  • Snack: Animal Crackers,
  • Visit a zoo,
  • Play with dog and cats.

Day 7: God Rested (God Made Me)

  • “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”: Point to Body Parts, draw body with sidewalk chalk.
  • Relax with Yoga.

Gross Motor:

  • Run and Play Outside
  • Bubbles Circles
  • Creation Hop Scotch

Fine Motor:

  • He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands Craft
  • Play Dough (Blue, Circle, 7, W)
  • Abeka

I ordered a couple toddler age books from Abeka.com. Following are some of the specific books with links that are used in this Creation Tot School Unit:

Book List:

Movies

Music/ Poems:

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