The last few years we have had caroling with Santa at the library.  This year we decided to change it up a bit and go out into the community!

Everyone met at the library to pick up song sheets before we headed out to sing.

Click here to see our song sheet.

One of the wonderful things about being an in-town library is that we could walk to nearby houses.  We planned ahead, and let the families know that we were coming at a certain time.  This worked out well because it kept us moving at a quick pace…no time for anyone to lose interest!

One of houses we visited even prepared us hot spiced cider!  It was a nice treat to keep us warm out in the cold.

After caroling, we headed back to the library to enjoy some homemade cookies and a do-it-yourself hot chocolate bar. (Prior to caroling, we made a large carafe of hot chocolate so that it would be ready to go when we got back.)

For the hot chocolate bar, we put out a carafe of hot chocolate & cups and spoons.  We also had a fun selection of toppings:

• Kraft Peppermint Mallows
• Kraft Marshmallow Bits
• Galerie Edible Snowflakes
• Crushed Candy Canes

It was a fun night for all!  Happy Holidays!

-Leah

FAMILY PROGRAM

Last night we held a Halloween Family Night!  We had about 40 people attend and all of the kids came in costume.  (And of course, Miss Mollie and I were in costume as well – we were Minnie Mouse & Little Red Riding Hood.)

OPENING

To begin the program, we had the children take a seat on the floor and, one at a time, stand up and tell us about their costume.  If they didn’t want to say who they were dressed up as, we all guessed.  I think they enjoyed getting to show off their costumes :)

Then we read Brooms are for Flying by Michael Rex.  I wanted a quick book with lots of actions that would keep the groups attention, and this one fit the bill.

TRICK-OR-TREATING

Next, we lined up and went trick-or-treating in the library.  Of course, we had to practice saying “trick-or-treat” very loudly first.  We stopped at both service desks and took a group picture along the way.  (We chose to give out stickers and spider rings instead of candy.)

PARTY TIME

Once trick-or-treating we finished, it was time to party!  Mollie and I set up several different stations around the room so that everyone didn’t have to do the same thing at the same time.

Station #1:  Crafts
For the craft we made very simple trick-or-treat bags.  We set out brown paper sacks, Halloween foam stickers, and crayons.  No mess.  No glue. No cutting.  And then the children had a sack to take their treats home in!

Station #2: Mystery Boxes
For this station, Mollie covered three boxes in Halloween paper and cut a hole in each one.  Then she hot glued some felt over the opening so that the kids couldn’t peek at was really in the box.  Box 1 was labeled “Eyeballs” and inside was a bowl of peeled grapes.  Box 2 was labeled “Tongues” and inside was a bowl of dried apricots.  Box 3 was labeled “Brains” and inside was a bowl of spaghetti noodles.  We asked the kids to try to guess what was really in each box – and they loved it!    (Having wet wipes out on the table was a must for wiping off sticky fingers.)

Station #3: Witch’s Hat Ring Toss Game
We stuffed a witches hat with newspapers and then tapes a piece of cardstock over the opening to keep the newspapers in.  Mollie made “rings” by twisting two chenille sticks together.
Credit: A Girl and a Glue Gun

Station #4: Food
We served clementines, grapes, Halloween cookies, Halloween snack mix (recipe below), and Creepy Halloween punch (recipe below).

Halloween Snack Mix
1 bag pretzel sticks
1 bag corn chips
2 bags candy corn
1 bag candy pumpkins
1 bag fall colored M&M’s

Creepy Halloween Punch – Credit: 7 Layer Studio
1 can frozen lemonade (I used Minute Maid)
2 cans water
1 pkg black cherry Koolaid
1/2 c sugar
2-liter bottle of Ginger Ale
Lots of ice
Gummy worms to drape over the sides of the bowl
Floating eyeballs (these seriously make the punch cool!)

❤ Leah

This family night started out with the lights out!  Children and parents were told to bring flashlights with them (and we had some extras for those who forgot.)

In order to set up we:

• Set up a small tent with a sleeping bag inside
• Put a blow-up campfire in front of the tent (from Oriental Trading)
• Put tea lights around the fire, so that when the lights were off the fire glowed
• Set up several battery operated lanterns around the room, so that it wouldn’t be too dark and scary for the kids
• Put glow-in-the dark stars on the ceiling and walls of the room
• Set up a table with the supplies for making no-bake s’mores
• Set up a craft table with the supplies to make raccoon masks

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This summer we had a Stuffed Animal Sleepover at the library.  Eighteen stuffed animals spent the night at the library!  We started out by reading a few bedtime stories.  Both of these books are about bedtime and they also have stuffed animals in them – perfect!

BOOK 1:  Sweet Dreams Maisy by Lucy Cousins

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FAMILY PROGRAM

Yee Haw! Last night we had a Cowpoke Hoedown at the library and we had a grand ol’ time!  We kicked up our heels and did some line dancing and made some very realistic no-bake cow pie cookies.

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