LAST MINUTE NOISEMAKERS

Make a noisemaker for New Year's or Birthday party with stuff you likely already have on hand.

This was made 15 years ago by my then 3 year old son at Science Central, a local science museum on New Year's eve, but it can easily be made at home from youngsters on up with the following:

•  2 Plastic cups
• Clear Packing Tape
• Dried peas, bean, rice, aquarium gravel, leftover jingle bells or any other small object.
• Markers, stickers or anything else to embellish the cup.

1. Decorate the cup with marker or stickers keeping in mind one is going to be stacked upside down on the other one.
2. Fill the bottom inch or so of the bottom of the cup with the dried peas, bean, rice, aquarium gravel, leftover jingle bells or any other small objects.
3. Stack the other cup upside down on top of the bottom cup then secure at the center with packing tape.

Shake to make noise.

Hope that everyone has a happy and safe New Year!
Decorate

KIDDE COCKTAIL FOR NEW YEARS EVE

This is a version of the kiddie cocktails that I had as a kid except we didn't have blender and it was just mixed and then a lot of ice cubes added.

I made up a pitcher for Kyle and I to celebrate the beginning of 2009.

It is a quick and easy cocktail to make for kids on special occassions and all you need is a can of grape juice concentrate from a can, ginger ale and ice cubes and blender.

For older kids and to make it look more like a cocktail, you can skewer marichino cherries, pieces of orange, lemon, or line on a toothpick and teeter it on the edge of the glass.

Blend 6 ice cubes, 1 can of the juice concentrate and slowly add the ginger ale and blend. Once you get to the top you may need to wait 30 seconds or so for the fizz to settle before adding more ginger ale. Continue to fill the blender until it gets to the top and continue to blend.

Once it is done, pour into decorative cups (we used plastic cups that we got on clearance after Halloween) and serve.