Last year while playing a game of Candy Land with my kids, my 6 year old daughter at the time, Iris asked if a place like Candy Land really existed.
My reply was, “Yes!”
I want my children’s minds to be filled with lovely, magical thoughts and dreams and it really wasn’t a lie.
One year, before I had children of my own, I did recreate a Candy Land for my nieces and nephews. My mom and I strung hundreds of pieces of candy from trees in my parent’s backyard. We made signs and hung balloons. Granted, it wasn’t as breathtaking as stepping onto the set of Willa Wonka and the Chocolate Factory but we put forth good effort. I really couldn’t think of a way to recreate that chocolate river!
I fully intend on doing this for my own children as soon as I can find a way to sneak away and thread hundreds of pieces of candy without them knowing about it!
I love making my children’s wishes come true; especially when they are sweet, innocent ones and not ones of material things and are simply experiences they wish to achieve.
Iris brought me this note yesterday and said she was mailing it to Santa:
To Santa Claus,
Merry Christmas! I have a question. Can I ride in the sleigh with you on Christmas night? If I can, make sure when I fall asleep I go home.
Thank You!
Iris
P.S. Bring Rudolph. I like all the stories of you and him. I have tons of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer books.
I’m not sure how I’m going to go about pulling this one off!
Motherhood Is An Art 
You re-created Candy Land? Awesome! NOTE TO SELF: Never ever ever let my kids see this blog post because if they do they will immediately petition to be adopted by you. Wait a minute . . . that may not be such a bad idea. Do you have room for four more kids? They are “mostly” house broken.
haha!!! I would probably have a thousand more kids if they didn’t require bathing, putting to sleep and feeding. If it was just the fun stuff…So yes, by all means send your kids over, just don’t be surprised if I send them back…dirty, tired and hungry!! LOL!!
Oh! That is so sweet! I love the Candy Lane and the letter to Santa. Do you know anyone with a horse and cart? Get a Santa costume and have Santa tell him that kids aren’t allowed to ride in the real sleigh, but he can give rides on the ground. It’s wonderful that you keep their imaginations so fertile!
That is actually a really grand idea and I think really quite believable! I may be on a mission to find that horse and cart….and a Santa too of course!
Cool! I hope it all works out!
I just love your imagination! You actually follow through with all of this wonderful stuff-I get the ideas and never follow through to fruition.
You should reblog the unicorn post sometime. That was the first blog post of yours that I ever read! I thought of you when I wrote my post about unicorns farting glitter and pooping rainbows. 😀
Thank you! Oh yeah, that unicorn day was a fun day! I actually even had another unicorn post early on that I’m going to be linking in with an upcoming post because something happened recently that ties into it. Our whole life seems to be about unicorns! Yesterday, Iris read an article to her class about North Korea recently finding a unicorn lair there. I think it’s just a scam but Iris thoroughly believed it and wanted to share it with her class. Anytime, there’s a way to prove that unicorns are real, she’s on it!
That could be a bumper sticker or something: My whole life is about unicorns. 😀
Wow! That is really neat!
Thank you!!
So very creative! It’d be an awesome activity in the house in January (or February or March — you know how winter drags on sometimes!) to play a life-sized Candyland game!
Does Santa write back to your kids? He has written notes to ours, especially with answers to the burning questions they have. 🙂
That WOULD make a great in-house game!
Well, Santa actually did leave a note last year on Christmas morning after she wrote him one with a lot of “burning questions.” That may be the answer to this solution! Although, Iris and the Tooth Fairy have a had a weekly pen pal thing going for the past year. It just never stops! I’m afraid Santa might be too busy to keep up with what I know Iris will have in store for him! She won’t leave it to one letter she’ll write over and over and expect responses the next day! Oh, I bet it makes Santa tired just thinking of it!!! LOL!!
Good luck making the Santa wish come true! If anyone can pull it off, you can.
I don’t know, this is going to take some serious work!!!
You really are the coolest mom ever! Dying to hear how you sort out this pickle though!! lol.
Oh thanks, I think I will be waiting on a miracle with this one! You always find the coolest inventions…let me know if you run across anything…maybe in Japan!
Recreating Candyland, now that is pretty awesome! Riding in the sleigh with Santa is a bit more tricky. Let me know how you pull that one off, will you? 🙂
I will let you know for a small fee! I’m pretty sure if I can pull this off, I could become a millionaire!!
It’s official – you ARE Super Mom. My kids are not allowed to read your posts and find out how underachieving their mother is.
Can’t wait to see how Rudolph shows up and your house…..
No, I really think we’re even! Remember, you have that cookie thing going on at your house!! I wouldn’t dare let my kids see that post and see how short changed they are!!
Cookies have got nothing on a real live Candyland. I want to go!!
Candyland…what a great idea! But I have to say, Iris’s letter to Santa was the best!
Thank you! I asked Iris what she would do if Santa didn’t have time to drop her back off at home and she said she was fine going back to the North Pole to live with him and Mrs. Claus for awhile!
What you and your mom did is really cool!
Thank you! It was a lot of fun!
Another notch in your belt, Melissa! Recreating candyland the second time around should be easy as pie for you. Now, that you have your own kids seems like your creative juices are being multiplied by the minute. Love Iris’ letter too. I think it’s wonderful that you foster her imagination!
Thanks Anka! Yes, having the kids certainly did get the creative juices flowing in ways I didn’t even expect! Before kids, I used to do a lot more stuff in the way of refinishing and repurposing furniture but all of that has been put on the back burner until they get a bit older and I have more time! All this kiddie stuff is fun too!
such a sweet note. I have actually thought about doing a Candyland theme birthday for one of mine because it’s kind of an original idea! I may come to you for ideas when/if the time arises!
That would really be an awesome birthday party! The possibilities are endless!!
Very awesome…” I love to make my childrens wishes come true ” Yes, yes we all do ! What a lovely little letter your daughter came up with… and good job ‘Mom’…that she has such an imaginative wish !
Thank you! My life would be so boring without these kids!! They definitely keep me busy!! LOL!!
Wow you seem like a super fun mom! So happy to have found your blog
Thanks! I just ran quickly through your blog too! It seems we have a lot in common! When I get more time I am going to go read more!! Glad we found each other!
Brilliant idea Mel – such imagination. Christmas is for the kids and especially trying to make their wishes come true 🙂
You are the best mommy !!! 🙂 wow! 🙂 + I really loved the card 🙂
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