A Thanksgiving Craft and Giveaway

Today's post features a super "Fun Mom" - Leslie from FunMoms.org

She writes: As moms, Thanksgiving should be one of our favorite holidays. Sure, there's a lot of cooking and cleaning involved, but it is also a time when family is treasured, and our Father is praised! What a great opportunity to share with our kids how blessed we are, and who deserves the praise for those blessings!


This month I'm teaching Landon 1 Chronicles 16:34, which says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good...". This verse is a good reminder (for he and I both) to count our blessings...our mercies. Webster's defines 'mercies' as, "something for which to be thankful; a blessing that is an act of divine favor." Divine favor...for us! Matthew 6:26 tells us that God cares for us because He loves us, and because we are valuable to Him.


Here's how I'm teaching these important truths to my little boy this year...


1. We made a (yummy!) Mayflower Mercies Ship. Here's the steps:

* Cut a half-gallon carton lengthwise (I used an X-acto knife).

* Lather it with chocolate frosting, and then cover with pretzel sticks.

* Eat as many 'chocolate covered pretzels' as you can, and be sure everyone is having fun!

* Cover two Dixie cups with frosting. Poke small dowel rods, kabob sticks, or skewers through the tops. Once the frosting is dry, you can hot glue the cups down if needed.

* Add sails. Simply fold a medium-sized piece of cardstock or construction paper in half, hole punch both sides, and slide down the sticks. You (or your kids) and personalize your sails too!


*At dinner each night before Thanksgiving, have family members think of one mercy they are thankful for that day. Add each blessing to the Mayflower, and then, on the big day, take turns reading them aloud over the festive feast!
2. We explored this amazing website. Very neat! http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/voyage/


3. I read this book to him. He LOVED it. We've actually read this for 3 nights in a row...his choice. The book gives a great overview of the pilgrims journey on the Mayflower and settlement in Plymouth. Tonight after we finished reading, Landon looked up at me and said in a completely genuine and sincere voice, "Mama, do you think we could invite Squanto to come to OUR Thanksgiving dinner?" I laughed aloud, and then starting considering the idea of trying to convince my father-in-law to wear a headdress to our family meal...talk about history coming alive! To be entered to win this book for you and your kiddos, please click over to FunMoms.org, and leave a comment under the "Mayflower Mercies" post.

Thank you Leslie for your crafty ideas!!! Now let's all take a little time this weekend to have some fun with our kids. Make memories and be sure to take pictures - because they grow so fast!

Walk with the King!

I Want To Be A Fun Mom!

One of my desires is to be a fun mom! I have to be honest. I know without a shadow of a doubt my kids think their Dad is super fun. My husband is funny, silly, goofy, creative, and would turn the house upside down creating some amazing game that they can all play. They laugh hard, run hard, wrestle hard and play hard. My husband and I work in the nursery on Sunday mornings and he is outrageously goofy and the babies LOVE him. He can take a child who is out of control crying and turn their frown upside down. He just has a knack for entertaining children. (which comes in handy for me I must admit!)


But I on the other hand need some help! Recently I discovered Leslie at FunMoms.org. Crafts are NOT my forte but her ideas are truly easy and fun! So, rather than trying to come up with something creative to do, I'm following her lead.


So let me introduce you to her and recommend her to mommies like me who want to be more fun - but just aren't very creative.(and by the way she's a huge fan of Sally Clarkson as I am - so that knit our hearts together immediately!!):


Leslie: is a stay-at-home-working mama to a very active and imaginative little boy (Landon, 3). She enjoys her morning (okay, and afternoon) coffee, is crazy about her high-school-sweetheart-turned-hubby, loved (just about) every minute of being an elementary teacher before becoming a mom, thinks sleep is overrated, and has a passion for all things colorful and creative. She is SO thankful for Jesus, is being stretched by secondary infertility, and is usually in the midst of about 8 projects. She started http://www.funmoms.org/ in May of 2010 to encourage moms to have messy, silly, crafty, good ol' fashioned FUN with their kiddos.

So the first craft I chose from her website is one I made as a child - Fall Placemats and Suncatchers. We went for a walk collecting leaves. The children loved this part and I explained to them that just as each leaf is different and beautiful in its own way, God has created them different and beautiful in their own way.Then I wrestled with the contact paper and won woohoo!!

And voila - instantly I was a fun mom! Check out Leslie's website here and go be a fun mom!

Edith Shaeffer says in the Art of Homemaking "If you have been afraid that your love of beautiful flowers and the flickering flame of the candle is somehow less spiritual than living in starkness and ugliness, remember that He who created you to be creative gave you the things with which to make beauty and gave you the sensitivity to appreciate and respond to his creation. Creativity is his gift to you and the 'raw materials' to be put together in various ways are His gift to you as well."

Walk with the King!

Back-To-School Organization Tips and Link-Up

Are you ready for school to start? It's time to get organized!


If you Follow Me On Facebook, then you know that I have been working on a new school schedule. It starts with me rising at 5am - ugh! But it seems to be the only way to get it all done. I will post my schedule after I've lived it and tweaked it a bit.


But today I want to share some organizational tips from a friend I've known since high school (pictured on the right is Erin and her lovely family!). I want to invite other bloggers to link up any organizational posts they have below. If you do not blog - feel free to write in the comment box any good tips you have.


I'm looking to learn something here! Organization of stuff is not my forte.


Here's Erin's tips:

1) Cups - I was finding that some days there would be 10 kid cups in the dishwasher after one day at home. I bought cheap (3/ $1 at Flower Factory) stretchy bracelets, and the kids use those to label their cups. We have extras for friends/cousins. This way each kid uses one cup for water all day. Less to wash, and less mess!

2) Back of doors. I think the backs of our doors are great places to hide things and to keep organized. There are 3 pictures from doors in my home.


a. The backpacks/lunchbox are on the inside of our basement door. I bought heavy duty 3M adhesive hooks. They have been hanging for 2 years w/ no problem. This may not work as well with very heavy backpacks, but it's great for the lunchboxes, dance shoes bag, etc.

b. Costume jewelry is inside my closet door on a horizontal towel rack. Bracelets hang from plastic baby toy links. Works perfectly- no tangles, full view of everything, and in the same space where I dress.

c. Hairbows are inside my daughter's bedroom door. The flowers are attached to small 3M adhesive hooks. I hung strips of 1 inch grossgrain ribbon from the flowers and clip all of her hair bows to the ribbon.

Aren't those great!!! Now join me below in the link-up. There are no rules...link-up any post new or old below that has to do with getting organized. You do not have to link back to me. If you are not a blogger, share in the comment section below any tips you have. I simply want to have a good resource of organizational ideas.

Honestly, this is one of my weakest areas and my husband wishes I improved in this area. I am good at making schedules and keeping them, I am good at waking early, exercising, having a consistent quiet time, keeping a blogging schedule, homeschool schedule, loving on my man and reading the Bible to my kids BUT when it comes to managing stuff - well lets just say my closets are SCARY lol! Helpppppppp!


Walk with the King!

How To Make Headbands With Silk Flowers

I love these silk flower headbands that my friend Kelly (pictured below) made for Alexis. So when we were on a retreat, I took a photo of her making one!
First you buy some silk flowers and plain headbands at Target (they came 5 in a pack for around $3)

Then you remove the stem and take the flower apart.Then you hot glue gun any parts of the flower you want kept together.And you add any little extra frills you'd like. She hot glue gunned shiny rhinestones to each one and then glued the flower to the headband.Here is my Alexis sporting her new silk flower headband and messy bun(click here for a tutorial on how to do a messy bun).Have a great weekend! We are expecting a missionary family as overnight guests for the weekend! The kids are excited! Missionaries are my heroes!!!

Walk with the King!

Inexpensive Teacher Gift Ideas

The picture above was taken from The Executive Homemaker. And if you go there you will find the template to print the label for these s'mores! It is just too cute to not share with my readers!

I also found the most FANTASTIC list of thrifty gift ideas - I just had to share them with you!!! These would be great to give to your children's Sunday School Teachers, Pastors, and School Teachers.

I found these on Skip to My Lou during teacher appreciation week...

“You are out of this world” tag attached to a Milky Way or Mars candy bar

“You deserve an extra payday!” tag attached to a Payday candy bar

“There is no ’sub’stitute for you!” tag attached to a gift card for the local sub shop

“You are ‘extra’ special” tag with a pack of Extra Gum

“Thanks for helping Blake ‘bloom’” tag with a bouquet of flowers

“We appreciate the ‘mounds’ of work you do!” tag attached to a Mounds candy bar

“Thanks for giving Blake a hand” tag with hand lotion

“Thanks a ‘latte’!” tag with a gift card from local coffee shop, special coffees or travel mug

“You are ’souper’! - soup mix, custom decorated soup bowls or homemade soup

“You are a ‘treasure’ tag with Treasures candy

“You really measure up” tag with a cool ruler, yardstick or measuring tape

“You are the apple of our eye” with a basket of apples (construction paper leaves with nice sayings—A+ teacher, you’re special etc. can be hot glued to the stems)

“You are ‘tea’rrific!” tag with a selection of teas

“You deserve a ‘break’ today! Thanks for your hard work” tag with a McDonald’s gift certificates

“You are a smart cookie” tag with homemade cookies

“Thanks for a ‘picture’ perfect year” tag with movie coupons or nice picture frame

“Thanks for making our school year bright” tag with a package of highlighters

“Thanks for helping Blake grow” tag with flower seeds

“You are o’fish’ally the best!” tag attached to Goldfish Crackers

“Thanks for lighting the way” or “You light up our world” with a nice candle

“We are your biggest ‘fan’!”with a cute desk fan, hand held fan or paper fan.

“Thanks for the ‘time’ you spend with Blake” tag on a cute clock, fun watch or pretty appointment book

“We are fortunate to have you!” tag with a Chinese take out box filled with fortune cookies

“You have been a ‘bright’ spot in our year!” tag with a package of highlighters

“You are a joy!” tag attached to an Almond Joy candy bar

“Thanks for giving Blake a hand!” tag attached to work or garden gloves filled with candy

“You have been just ‘write’ for Blake!” package of nice pencils or pens in a case or container

“You rock!” tag with pop rocks, rock candy, Rock Star soft drink or painted rock for a paperweight

“You have been ‘key’ to Blake’s success!” tag attached to a key ring, maybe a pretty handmade beaded one

“We are ‘nuts’ about you!” tag attached to some nuts

“You ‘float’ above the rest” tag attached to a balloon or a fun pool float for the summer

“You are worth more than a 100 grand to Blake!” tag attached to a 100 Grand candy bar

“Here is a ‘pat’ on the back for doing such a great job!” tag attached to a gift certificate for a massage

I thank the Lord for the outstanding Sunday School teachers my children have had this year. Teachers need to know that their investment in our children's lives are appreciated. Take the time to pick up something small and let your children write out the card to show show their gratitude.

Walk with the King!

Tasty Tuesday: How To Make a Candy Land Cake

I regularly read Morgan's Blog titled "Adventures In Diapering". She is currently pregnant with her 5th child AND made this amazing cake that I feel compelled to show case! Is this picture not adorable of her and her masterpiece?

Here's how she made her Candy Land Cake:

The cake was fairly easy to make, but very time consuming. If you decide to make a cake like this, you will probably find it easiest to assemble the candy by looking at a Candy Land game board. Then just use whatever candies you want.

Candy Land Cake Supplies:
*Wax Paper

*13x9 in. sheet cake (the one I used was 2 cakes put together- half yellow, half chocolate)*Buttercream Frosting:

*Purple

*Pink

*Red

*Orange

*Yellow

*Green

*Blue

*Black

*Chocolate

Various Candies, such as:

*Gum Drops

*Mini-Candy Canes

*Itty Bitty Marshmallows

*Peanut Butter Brittle

*Gummy Bears

*Licorice strings

*Suckers

*Heath Candy Bits

*Small Ice Cream Cones

*Cotton Candy

Directions:
The day before my son's birthday, I made the cake and put a base coat of frosting over the entire outside of it. I then put the cake in the freezer for an hour or so to harden up a bit before decorating. After pulling the cake back out, I started to make the background colors (grass, sky, mountains, ect.) using frosting.I traced the outline of the cake pan onto wax paper. Inside of the cake shape I had just drawn, I sketched out the Candyland path making just a simple curvy line that copied the game board. Using scissors, I cut the wax paper along the line I had drawn. I placed the wax paper cutout on top of the cake and made tiny frosting dots to make the path outline onto the cake. After the frosting outline was on, I removed the wax paper.I touched up the background scene and started making the path and bridges using the buttercream frosting. I also placed some of the candies on that wouldn't go bad before the next day.

After everything seen in the picture below was completed, I stuck the cake in the fridge until the next day.FYI- The candy assembly the next day went MUCH quicker than the pre-assembly work day.

The Day of the Party
The next day I pulled the cake out of the fridge and started assembling all the candy details. Candy Canes in the bottom right corner, along with some tiny marshmallows for snow. I stuck suckers into some of the gum drops, made a castle using 2 ice cream cones, frosting (including red to make a cherry at the top), cotton candy, and 2 toothpicks stuck into the back for support. In the right corner I made Queen Frosting's place using pink cotton candy. A licorice bridge was made using pull and peel licorice twisted and stuck in place with frosting.I sprinkled Heath candy along the side of the peanut butter brittle house. To finish the cake off, I tore little pieces of cotton candy off stuck them all along the base of the cake. Voila'! The cake was finished and the kids were thrilled!

(Look at the birthday boy with his cake - what joy!!! Visit Morgan's website for more wonderful ideas and crafts for little ones. She is so very creative! If you are looking for meal ideas for little ones she just finished a series on this topic too.)

I am participating in Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday, Dining With Debbie , Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and Tuesdays at the Table recipe exchanges. For more blogger recipes go to these links.

Walk with the King!

Thrifty Thursday: Homemade Crayons

For those of us surviving cabin fever in the northern chill, this is a cheap and easy craft for your little ones to do!

Take all the crayons you have that are worn out and have your children peel the paper off of the crayons. (This is great because it should keep your children busy for a long time while you get work done or read a good book - like your Bible!)


Once the crayons are all peeled, get out your metal cookie cutters (if you don't have these on hand you will need to purchase them - but they are usually quite cheap).


Break the crayons into pieces (the children should enjoy this part!) and pile them according to color (again another time consumer!)


Then put wax paper on a cookie sheet and foil around the cookie cutters (if you don't use the foil the crayons won't stay in the cookie cutters.)



Place the cookie sheet in a 300 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or until melted, and then place them in a freezer to cool (or in our case, out on the back porch!). The crayons should separate from the cookie cutter just enough that you can pop them out easily!

Now give the children time to color with their brand new homemade crayons and enjoy their new works of art!

Though I have very few crafty bones in my body, Genesis 1:26 says God made man in his own image. We see in God's creation the ultimate artistic display. I believe that this is why we find such joy as women when we create a beautiful scrapbook page, a sweet smelling dessert, a new set of curtains, or a bouquet of flowers. God has placed in our hearts a desire to be like him and create. As your children create with their hands, remind them of who the ultimate creator is. Remind them to create for God's glory.

Walk with the King!


*I found this fun craft over at : Me and Lu

Friday Giveaway and Craft!

I must admit I do not have a crafty bone in my body - but I have a friend Tina, who does amazing work and I have to share it with you! She has also generously donated one item from her etsy store for a giveaway! Her website is titled Little Hands, Big Blessings.

Check out her adorable pillow dresses and what she had to say about them!

"Using a pattern I found here, I have created these lovely dresses for my toddler! This pillowcase was given to me by my grandma's friend as a wedding gift. There are actually two that she hand embroidered and I used one to make a dress. Handmade and recycled!"

"I got a set of two pillowcases at TJMaxx for $3.99! This one is really cute - it's white with pale pink, dark pink and green stripes. I kept it simple and added white ribbon for the straps."
"This is a bib that I made from a plain old kitchen towel. I cut a hole for the neck, lined it with some stretchy tshirt-like material and embroidered my daughter's initial on it. I think it is really cute and I am hoping that it does a better job than some of the bibs that we currently use. I'll be putting these in my Etsy store."

"Using a tutorial from this lovely lady, I made this sweet little dress out of one of Hub's old shirts. (I asked him first, of course.) The pattern provided was for a size 2T-3T, so I had to make some adjustments since I have a tiny girl on my hands. It turned out a little differently than I had originally envisioned, but I am still pleased as punch with it! The next one will have a little more room through the bodice and perhaps some more flair at the skirt."

This monogrammed beach towel could be yours! Simply leave a comment below before midnight on Tuesday, August 25th and you will be entered to win! Random.org will help me select the winner and I will contact you to choose the color of your towel and what letter you'd like on your towel. Please check out the Twinkle Toes Boutique to see all of her adorable hair bows! She takes custom orders for hair bows - so if you do not see the colors you need - just contact her and she will make one special for you!

RULES: Starts today, Friday, August 21st and Ends Tuesday, August 25th at midnight. Open to residents of the United States who are 18 and older. Winner will be contacted via email.
BONUS ENTRIES: Become a follower of my blog and leave a second comment to let me know or for fellow bloggers, blog about this giveaway and include a link back to this post or grab my button and then let me know in the comment section for a bonus entry!

Walk with the King!

www.womenlivingwell.org