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A Mom's Year

Creating a comfortable life one moment at a time

December 3, 2018

Harry Potter Christmas Countdown: Week Three

We’ve just finished the Harry Potter Christmas Countdown: Week Two, so now it’s on to Week Three.

Day 15: Levitating Lemon Drops

I bought a good-sized bag of lemon drops on Amazon and made simple “Levitating Lemon Drops” print-outs. And then I just filled four of the incredibly useful clear cellophane bags that I keep on hand, tied them all with a bit of baker’s twine, and done. (What is it about baker’s twine that makes me so happy?)

Day 16: Patronus Ornaments

If you don’t know your Patronus, you can head over to the Pottermore website to take a quiz and find out. And then do a quick search for a template, cut it out, and tie a string so you can hang it on the tree. If you don’t have felt, you can always draw, color, or paint your Patronus.

Day 17: Gifts of the Animagi

Animagi have the power to turn into a particular animal at will. Ask your kids: What animal would you want to be if you were an animagus?

Day 18: Chocolate Pretzel “Wands”

For this, you just need those big stick pretzels, some chocolate in whatever flavor you like (dark, milk, or white) and some goodies to roll them around in. You could use sprinkles, jimmies, crushed peppermints…whatever’s your favorite. These make a nice gift, too, if you’d like to make extras to share. Just put them in those handy cellophane bags with a cute label.

Day 19: Gingerbread Dog Biscuits

In The Prisoner of Azkaban, Aunt Marge gives Harry a box of dog biscuits for Christmas. Not a great gift for a human, but our dogs would love it. So if you have a dog or know one, you can make these ginger- and cinnamon-flavored biscuits as a special treat.

Gingerbread Dog Biscuits

(Makes about 24-36, depending on the size of your cookie cutters)

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
slightly more than ¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup molasses

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, and cinnamon. Add in the oil, molasses, and ½ cup water. Roll into a ball and chill for 15 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out cookies using holiday-themed or bone-shaped cookie cutters. Transfer to the prepared sheets. Bake until firm, about 20 minutes.

We have the kind of dogs who can—and do—eat everything, but please check with your vet if you have any concerns about this recipe being okay for yours.

Day 20: Patchwork Quilt

In The Order of the Phoenix, Hermione gives Kreacher a patchwork quilt for Christmas. If you’re handy with fabric, you could make a real quilt. Or you can have everyone draw a favorite scene from one of the books or sketch out some related images like Harry’s glasses and the Sorting Hat and then tape them together. Have fun with it!

Day 21: Tea with Trelawney

Have a tea party and, if you can manage loose tea, take turns “reading the leaves” to make fun predictions for everyone. Or if you prefer tea bags, share what you wish for each person in the new year.

 

 

Filed Under: Christmas, Cooking, Holidays, Kid Activities Shannon Leave a Comment

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Welcome

Hello! My name is Shannon Taylor and I’m a mom of four, originally from Minnesota and now living in Maryland. I "published" my first newsletter when I was nine, and since then, I’ve written and edited for magazines, websites, and textbooks. I started this blog when my kids were small to reflect on life, share ideas, and preserve memories. Now that my children are grown, I continue to use this space to document meaningful moments and practical ideas.

If you're in the mood for a bit of Christmas cheer, you might enjoy THE ADVENT BOX, available wherever books are sold. You can click on the cover below to learn more.

Instagram

Pandas are back at the National Zoo! We were there within days of hearing the news. 😂 Bao Li and Qing Bao are enjoying the spruced-up panda home on the zoo`s Asian Trail.

We last saw the pandas during a trip to D.C. in May 2011. I`m not sure if it was Mei Xiang or Tian Tian who firmly kept their back to us, but it was pretty hilarious. (photo #7) Not only did we get to see those wonderful pandas, but we got to spend time with Alexandra`s godmother, Amy, who was on home leave from her job with the State Department. Amy`s a fellow Midwesterner I met when we were interns waaay back in the day. (We connected watching "Northern Exposure" at Thompson-Markward Hall, affectionately known as the Home for Wayward Women.)

Be sure to put "Visit the Pandas" on your itinerary when you come stay with us in Baltimore. ❤️

10 0
Open post by shannontaylorwrites with ID 18295977556171943
Pandas are back at the National Zoo! We were there within days of hearing the news. 😂 Bao Li and Qing Bao are enjoying the spruced-up panda home on the zoo's Asian Trail. 

We last saw the pandas during a trip to D.C. in May 2011. I'm not sure if it was Mei Xiang or Tian Tian who firmly kept their back to us, but it was pretty hilarious. (photo #7) Not only did we get to see those wonderful pandas, but we got to spend time with Alexandra's godmother, Amy, who was on home leave from her job with the State Department. Amy's a fellow Midwesterner I met when we were interns waaay back in the day. (We connected watching "Northern Exposure" at Thompson-Markward Hall, affectionately known as the Home for Wayward Women.)

Be sure to put "Visit the Pandas" on your itinerary when you come stay with us in Baltimore. ❤️

My mom practiced, practiced, practiced and got to sing at Carnegie Hall for the premiere of "A Vision Unfolding" by Minnesota composer Kyle Pederson. A truly beautiful, uplifting work. I hadn`t been to Carnegie Hall before, so to visit for the first time to watch my mom perform was really wonderful.

Before the concert, we met Mom and her fellow choir member, Kathy, at Patsy`s, just down the block. The traditional Italian food was perfect on a chilly, rainy day—and it was fun to see photos of the celebrities who`ve dined there over the years, from Rihanna to Frank Sinatra (the restaurant`s claim to fame is that it was his favorite).

Mom, Tim, and Will hadn`t been to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum yet, so we headed to lower Manhattan after the concert. As we walked silently through the exhibits, trying to take it all in, I was struck by the distance between the concert, "A Vision of Light," and the grief and darkness around us. I thought of the words Mr. Pederson shared in the playbill, "It is my hope that we lean into the invitation that the choir offers—that each of us might reach out beyond our comfort zone and seek to build bridges of care and connection, finding a better way of being in community." And that’s what art does—it offers light when and where we need it most.

📷: Distinguished Concerts International New York

34 9
Open post by shannontaylorwrites with ID 18047049827096632
My mom practiced, practiced, practiced and got to sing at Carnegie Hall for the premiere of "A Vision Unfolding" by Minnesota composer Kyle Pederson. A truly beautiful, uplifting work. I hadn't been to Carnegie Hall before, so to visit for the first time to watch my mom perform was really wonderful.

Before the concert, we met Mom and her fellow choir member, Kathy, at Patsy's, just down the block. The traditional Italian food was perfect on a chilly, rainy day—and it was fun to see photos of the celebrities who've dined there over the years, from Rihanna to Frank Sinatra (the restaurant's claim to fame is that it was his favorite). 

Mom, Tim, and Will hadn't been to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum yet, so we headed to lower Manhattan after the concert. As we walked silently through the exhibits, trying to take it all in, I was struck by the distance between the concert, "A Vision of Light," and the grief and darkness around us. I thought of the words Mr. Pederson shared in the playbill, "It is my hope that we lean into the invitation that the choir offers—that each of us might reach out beyond our comfort zone and seek to build bridges of care and connection, finding a better way of being in community." And that’s what art does—it offers light when and where we need it most.

📷: Distinguished Concerts International New York

Is there a more endorphin-pumping experience than working out to `80s music? I don`t think so! Thank you to @natalie_dancebody and @mindi_dancebody for a truly joyful workout this morning. So much fun to dance along with two songs the Dancing Mamas tapped to back in the day at our kids` recitals: "Footloose" and "Beat It"! I hope you do this again, @dancebody ❤️🔥🎉

30 2
Open post by shannontaylorwrites with ID 18107239066486783
Is there a more endorphin-pumping experience than working out to '80s music? I don't think so! Thank you to @natalie_dancebody and @mindi_dancebody for a truly joyful workout this morning. So much fun to dance along with two songs the Dancing Mamas tapped to back in the day at our kids' recitals: "Footloose" and "Beat It"! I hope you do this again, @dancebody ❤️🔥🎉

Happy Valentine’s Day! I approach holiday greetings with more caution than I used to because I know these occasions can be painful for people who’ve lost someone. Which is pretty much everyone, especially when you get to be my age.

This day might not be the same as it was, but I hope you still have a valentine, whether it’s a romantic partner or a friend or a much-loved pet. Or yourself. We make good valentines because we know our favorite chocolate and what books we want.

I’ll always hang the Hearts on a String for any kid who’s home on Valentine’s Day, except not this year because the puppy would tear them to bits.

What a great Valentine’s message. 😅 Well. I do hope you have some treats today and you know I’m thinking of you fondly. ❤️

14 1
Open post by shannontaylorwrites with ID 18049981502173328
Happy Valentine’s Day! I approach holiday greetings with more caution than I used to because I know these occasions can be painful for people who’ve lost someone. Which is pretty much everyone, especially when you get to be my age. 

This day might not be the same as it was, but I hope you still have a valentine, whether it’s a romantic partner or a friend or a much-loved pet. Or yourself. We make good valentines because we know our favorite chocolate and what books we want.

I’ll always hang the Hearts on a String for any kid who’s home on Valentine’s Day, except not this year because the puppy would tear them to bits. 

What a great Valentine’s message. 😅 Well. I do hope you have some treats today and you know I’m thinking of you fondly. ❤️
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