Well, almost wordless!
Having your nails "painted" by Bethany is the best pedicure ever! :-D
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Good devotional for moms (and dads!)
I have been reading Daily Guideposts 2010 this year, which is a daily devotional book, not written specifically for moms, but just anyone, man or woman, young or old. My mom has bought this version and other years for me. She enjoys reading the book/ devo as I do. It is amazing how many days the devotional applies to where I am and what I need on that specific day. I like this devo because it is not TOO in-depth, but I am still reading the Bible (even if it is just a verse) and praying after I read. With my busy life, it is almost all I can handle each day. I do Bible reading/ lessons with my kids in homeschool each day, and so I am learning with them in His Word too.
Here is a devo I read recently that I enjoyed:
Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. -1 Peter 2:2-3
Here's a note on the nuttiest gift we have ever been given by the Coherent Mercy: diapers.
Imagine a world without them, without the first parents back there at the dawn of time, even before cassette tapes, realizing whoa! they better use some of that cedar underbark for infant hygiene or else! So they did, and then came burlap, and cotton, and thousands of kinds of plastic, and such engineering marvels as diaper pins, and those deft little adhesive flaps, and such entrepreneurial feats as potty chairs, and cartoon and college logos on pull-up pants, and sweet insanities as talcum powder in a tin as big as a refrigerator, and small white tables specially designed for changing diapers on small wriggling people, and buckets with cool little foot pedals.
Who would have thought I would ever in a million years say that I miss changing diapers, after a million hours changing diapers? (My note: I am still changing them...) But this morning, just for a moment, I do miss the wrestle and redolence, the powder and burble, the motions and gestures or the ancient craft, the fresh-bread smell of your tiny crazy naked children, the way you rubbed your capacious nose in their bellies to make them do that walrus laugh, those infinitesimal utterly intimate moments between you and your kids. Now they are gone forever, and you'll never have the chance to tickle your grinning child the size of a sneaker, and stare, and wonder what incredible generosity handed you this joyous soul.
Dear Lord, for all the gifts that we never see clearly or understand much, or appreciate hardly at all, bless You.
-Brian Doyle
This made me think about finding joy in the day-to-day things, such as changing diapers, and taking time to tickle and smile with my kids-- some of my favorite things to do. Sometimes I think I get dragged down by my full schedule and busyness of my days, always feeling like there is so much to do and not enough time to do it all. But then I remember God put me here "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14), and do enjoy the time He's given me, and that someday I'll miss this. I am so thankful that His mercies are new every morning, and He is so faithful to me. I am truly blessed, and it is easy to forget it. I love the author's words and way he reminds me that God has been generous to me. I hope you've enjoyed it too!
Here is a devo I read recently that I enjoyed:
Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. -1 Peter 2:2-3
Here's a note on the nuttiest gift we have ever been given by the Coherent Mercy: diapers.
Imagine a world without them, without the first parents back there at the dawn of time, even before cassette tapes, realizing whoa! they better use some of that cedar underbark for infant hygiene or else! So they did, and then came burlap, and cotton, and thousands of kinds of plastic, and such engineering marvels as diaper pins, and those deft little adhesive flaps, and such entrepreneurial feats as potty chairs, and cartoon and college logos on pull-up pants, and sweet insanities as talcum powder in a tin as big as a refrigerator, and small white tables specially designed for changing diapers on small wriggling people, and buckets with cool little foot pedals.
Who would have thought I would ever in a million years say that I miss changing diapers, after a million hours changing diapers? (My note: I am still changing them...) But this morning, just for a moment, I do miss the wrestle and redolence, the powder and burble, the motions and gestures or the ancient craft, the fresh-bread smell of your tiny crazy naked children, the way you rubbed your capacious nose in their bellies to make them do that walrus laugh, those infinitesimal utterly intimate moments between you and your kids. Now they are gone forever, and you'll never have the chance to tickle your grinning child the size of a sneaker, and stare, and wonder what incredible generosity handed you this joyous soul.
Dear Lord, for all the gifts that we never see clearly or understand much, or appreciate hardly at all, bless You.
-Brian Doyle
This made me think about finding joy in the day-to-day things, such as changing diapers, and taking time to tickle and smile with my kids-- some of my favorite things to do. Sometimes I think I get dragged down by my full schedule and busyness of my days, always feeling like there is so much to do and not enough time to do it all. But then I remember God put me here "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14), and do enjoy the time He's given me, and that someday I'll miss this. I am so thankful that His mercies are new every morning, and He is so faithful to me. I am truly blessed, and it is easy to forget it. I love the author's words and way he reminds me that God has been generous to me. I hope you've enjoyed it too!
Monday, September 27, 2010
SMOOTHIES!
Ingredients laid out, ready to mix (banana in blender!) |
On Sunday nights, we love to have a casual, easy dinner: Smoothies and popcorn. Smoothies are the main reason I use my blender!
Here is my basic smoothie recipe:
-One banana, very ripe (you can even freeze them whole when they start to get gross, and then after it is frozen, just run it under hot water, peel it, & add to smoothie)
-Yogurt, soy milk or regular milk, or any juice ( I do soy for Bethany, since she has sensitive skin.)
Smoothie mixed up & ready to drink! |
I usually add the ingredients in the above order and turn the blender on medium speed for about a minute, and see how the mixture is, if it is not grinding up the strawberries or other fruit, I add more juice or liquid. If it seems kinda runny, I add more frozen fruit. I want it to be smooth, no chunky fruit, so I stir it up to make sure all the fruit is getting ground up.
Pouring into serving cups- can you see the consistency? |
Recipe makes (approx.) two 12 ounce servings, or four 6 ounce servings. When I make this for my family, I make two batches. Sometimes I make them totally different, sometimes nearly the same except the soy milk/ yogurt.
Our kids really love them! We don't have them as much during the winter, since a very cold drink doesn't sound as good when it is cold outside. But they are nutritious- all that fruit and milk has lots of vitamins and minerals! I have some friends that make smoothies every morning, and their kids love it!
Friday, September 24, 2010
What are swagbucks?
This is from the Swagbucks web site:
"Swagbucks.com is the web's premier rewards site. Powered by Prodege LLC, Swagbucks.com allows web users to earn virtual currency by doing the things they do every day - search the web, shopping at their favorite retailers, and by engaging in other activities such as phone recycling, submitting polls, and completing special offers. Swagbucks.com is the only place on the web to get what you want without ever having to spend a dime."
So basically you earn virtual dollars for searching the web! I have gotten 9 Amazon.com gift cards over the past 6 months or so, and it is so easy! I just go to swagbucks for my search engine instead of google. I have found it to be the same or nearly the same as google for searching the web.
If you decide to sign up for swagbucks, please put me as your referral. Then I get swagbucks too! I also have a list explaining what to do each day and what all the different ways to earn swagbucks are: what the swidget is, why you need the toolbar, and all the other related jargon. You can also access swagbucks from facebook and twitter. You can look on the SB facebook page for ideas of words to search for, and what words have given swagbucks to someone else. Sometimes I just type in the season, name of the month or most recent holiday, and that usually garners some bucks for me. Once you win some SB, you need to wait a while to get a win, usually I won't win two times in a row. If I wait several hours, then most times I can get another win. Sometimes I win without even trying! :D
It is easy and fun to earn swagbucks! And Fridays are the best day to earn them, since there is a chance to earn MEGA swagbucks for searching! And I love getting something for free-- well, spending just a bit of time to do it...
Let me know if you have any questions!
"Swagbucks.com is the web's premier rewards site. Powered by Prodege LLC, Swagbucks.com allows web users to earn virtual currency by doing the things they do every day - search the web, shopping at their favorite retailers, and by engaging in other activities such as phone recycling, submitting polls, and completing special offers. Swagbucks.com is the only place on the web to get what you want without ever having to spend a dime."
So basically you earn virtual dollars for searching the web! I have gotten 9 Amazon.com gift cards over the past 6 months or so, and it is so easy! I just go to swagbucks for my search engine instead of google. I have found it to be the same or nearly the same as google for searching the web.
If you decide to sign up for swagbucks, please put me as your referral. Then I get swagbucks too! I also have a list explaining what to do each day and what all the different ways to earn swagbucks are: what the swidget is, why you need the toolbar, and all the other related jargon. You can also access swagbucks from facebook and twitter. You can look on the SB facebook page for ideas of words to search for, and what words have given swagbucks to someone else. Sometimes I just type in the season, name of the month or most recent holiday, and that usually garners some bucks for me. Once you win some SB, you need to wait a while to get a win, usually I won't win two times in a row. If I wait several hours, then most times I can get another win. Sometimes I win without even trying! :D
It is easy and fun to earn swagbucks! And Fridays are the best day to earn them, since there is a chance to earn MEGA swagbucks for searching! And I love getting something for free-- well, spending just a bit of time to do it...
Let me know if you have any questions!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Apple Harvest
Pretty Fuji apple |
A perfect Fuji apple with the tree in the background. |
Rebekah holds a Red Delicious apple |
"Trash" bin, corer/slicer on counter, apples being sliced... |
You can place the apples in a large pan on the stove, which is the best way. Last night we tried making applesauce in our crock pot all night and it turned out ok! I have some in the crockpot again today, it makes the house smell sooo good! You can almost taste the apple pie in the air!
Some peeled, cored, sliced apples in the crockpot... |
Also, if you like the applesauce sweeter, add a cup or two of sugar to the mixture. We like ours chunky and natural here! Our kids love to eat applesauce, so it is really nice to be able to make some for FREE! You know this makes my frugal, Dutch heart happy! :-D
If you have lots of apples and don't want to make applesauce, you can also core and slice them for apple pie, apple crisp or apple butter. Apple butter is usually a canned or freezer type of jam, and is really yummy too! I may need to make some of that next...
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Fall baseball!
Caleb ready to be catcher |
Caleb #2 hitting, Uncle Brett pitching |
Caleb showing off his uniform at home |
Monday, September 20, 2010
Weekend in Durango!
So this past weekend, we spent a few days in Durango (Thur. eve to Sat. eve). We had a great time relaxing, hanging out, reading, playing with the kids, looking at old books, doing a little school, seeing my Mom and Dad, and eating VERY well. We even had a date of going to Starbucks and a few art galleries. It was so leisurely and relaxing with no kids! Thanks MOM!
My mom took out Mallory's stitches. She had a fall last Tuesday night and we spent a few hours in the ER getting her patched up. She was a trooper and so brave. She had a spot on her upper lip that wouldn't stop bleeding-- it bleed for an hour and a half! They couldn't put glue on it since it wasn't dry long enough. So they put in one black stitch, and we were good to go. We thought she broke her nose, and we aren't sure about that yet. She fell on it pretty hard and cried about it for 40 minutes or so. So we decided we better get it checked. Well, since it was so swollen, they couldn't x-ray it, so we will wait a few weeks and see if it looks broken. (They told us symptoms of that...) She had a band-aid mustache for about 5 days. Since my mom is a nurse, and we were there we had my Mom take the stitch out. Mallory did get a little worried about the pain, but she relaxed and it was done! We're so glad that she is better, it was quite a trauma for us all.
My mom took out Mallory's stitches. She had a fall last Tuesday night and we spent a few hours in the ER getting her patched up. She was a trooper and so brave. She had a spot on her upper lip that wouldn't stop bleeding-- it bleed for an hour and a half! They couldn't put glue on it since it wasn't dry long enough. So they put in one black stitch, and we were good to go. We thought she broke her nose, and we aren't sure about that yet. She fell on it pretty hard and cried about it for 40 minutes or so. So we decided we better get it checked. Well, since it was so swollen, they couldn't x-ray it, so we will wait a few weeks and see if it looks broken. (They told us symptoms of that...) She had a band-aid mustache for about 5 days. Since my mom is a nurse, and we were there we had my Mom take the stitch out. Mallory did get a little worried about the pain, but she relaxed and it was done! We're so glad that she is better, it was quite a trauma for us all.
Also while we were there, we went for a drive to see Lake Nighthorse. Some of you may not recognize the name, but this project has been in the works in Durango for 15-20 years! It is also known as the Animas- La Plata Project. It is a man-made reservoir that was made by diverting water off of the Animas River in Durango. They are still working on the access road and roads around the lake, but we could see it from Wildcat Canyon Road. It is really big- about the size of Vallecito Lake, and it's not even full yet! We look forward to going back again sometime soon and seeing it totally completed! It was beautiful!
Daddy & Bethany walking down to lookout point |
Lake Nighthorse |
Kids playing, lake in background |
Friday, September 17, 2010
Favorite Childhood Family tradition
Since I am at my parents' house for a few days, and enjoying relaxing here, I am remembering fun things that we did when we were kids. There were lots of great traditions we had, usually involving lots of extended family. I loved that we got Chicago pizza every Saturday night when we lived there. I loved that we saw lots of family on all of the holidays- something we definitely missed after we moved.
But my favorite tradition was the Stoub family Christmas party. Most of you know that I come from a large extended family. I have 50+ cousins. My mom is one of twelve kids. It was lots of fun to be a part of a family like that. So we would all on the Stoub side(or almost all) go to my grandparents big house for Christmas day and play, play, play with cousins, eat potluck dinner, and open one gift from my grandparents, which was given by a SANTA that they HIRED for the party! How cool is that?! We loved our time getting to sit on Santa's lap. When we were older, we figured out who it was one year-- a man from our church. :-D I remember singing Christmas carols with my cousins Jennifer and Drea. I remember the food was always really good. I remember playing games and hiding in the closets talking with my cousins. There is still a Stoub Christmas party each year, and it is not the same. It was moved to the church, since all of my cousins are getting married and having kids, there is no way we could all fit in one house. It is still really good food, and really fun to get together with my cousins to talk. I wish we could go every year!
My hubby loves my big family too, esp. since he has about 5 cousins. :-D He loves getting to see friends that he's made in my family and hear stories. He thinks having a big family is kinda cool, since he never had that.
Another thing we did in our family was play, "I'm thinking of a relative, whose name starts with..." on road trips. There are a lot of names to go through for each letter! Amanda, Andrea, Alex, Arnie, etc., You can't play that kind of game in a small family!
What are your favorite family traditions from your childhood? I love reading your comments!
But my favorite tradition was the Stoub family Christmas party. Most of you know that I come from a large extended family. I have 50+ cousins. My mom is one of twelve kids. It was lots of fun to be a part of a family like that. So we would all on the Stoub side(or almost all) go to my grandparents big house for Christmas day and play, play, play with cousins, eat potluck dinner, and open one gift from my grandparents, which was given by a SANTA that they HIRED for the party! How cool is that?! We loved our time getting to sit on Santa's lap. When we were older, we figured out who it was one year-- a man from our church. :-D I remember singing Christmas carols with my cousins Jennifer and Drea. I remember the food was always really good. I remember playing games and hiding in the closets talking with my cousins. There is still a Stoub Christmas party each year, and it is not the same. It was moved to the church, since all of my cousins are getting married and having kids, there is no way we could all fit in one house. It is still really good food, and really fun to get together with my cousins to talk. I wish we could go every year!
My hubby loves my big family too, esp. since he has about 5 cousins. :-D He loves getting to see friends that he's made in my family and hear stories. He thinks having a big family is kinda cool, since he never had that.
Another thing we did in our family was play, "I'm thinking of a relative, whose name starts with..." on road trips. There are a lot of names to go through for each letter! Amanda, Andrea, Alex, Arnie, etc., You can't play that kind of game in a small family!
What are your favorite family traditions from your childhood? I love reading your comments!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Sewing!
I have enjoyed sewing different projects over the years. I got my sewing machine shortly after we got married as a gift from Joshua. It's not the greatest, doesn't have lots of bells & whistles, but it does just what I need! I've made curtains, pillowcases, followed a few patterns to make shirts for Rebekah and I, pillows, and gift bags. I also made warm windows for our old house, which were great, I took a class about it and learned a lot there! I have only made one quilt and found it to be tedious, and I had help making it! :-D
Gift bags are soooo easy to make! They are a wonderful, frugal substitute for wrapping paper. When I see fabric on close-out, for sale, the end of the rolls, I look to see if I like the design and I buy it. I have made some pillowcases from fabric that I bought for cheap, but usually I make gift bags. I've made them all sizes, because we do have gifts of all sizes to give! I have some skinny ones, fat ones, small, medium and large. They are wonderful for Christmas! Just be careful so they aren't see-through!
All you do to make a gift bag is get a square or rectangle of fabric, fold it evenly with right sides together and sew on three sides. Turn it inside out and use pinking shears for the open edge, to keep from fraying. I usually just use ribbon to close them, by tying a bow. You could make a little case for the ribbon and thread it into the bag so it stays.
Also, I made an apron for Joshua for his birthday, today! It was used from a free pattern book I got online. It used a burlap coffee sack, and is lined with another fabric I had in my fabric bin. I made ties for it, and it turned out SOO cool! I am always excited when my projects turn out well, and go so easily! Since I don't sew too often, I have to figure it out a little bit when I start again. But it usually is fun! I hope you enjoy sewing too. What projects have you all made? Will you try gift bags?
Gift bags are soooo easy to make! They are a wonderful, frugal substitute for wrapping paper. When I see fabric on close-out, for sale, the end of the rolls, I look to see if I like the design and I buy it. I have made some pillowcases from fabric that I bought for cheap, but usually I make gift bags. I've made them all sizes, because we do have gifts of all sizes to give! I have some skinny ones, fat ones, small, medium and large. They are wonderful for Christmas! Just be careful so they aren't see-through!
All you do to make a gift bag is get a square or rectangle of fabric, fold it evenly with right sides together and sew on three sides. Turn it inside out and use pinking shears for the open edge, to keep from fraying. I usually just use ribbon to close them, by tying a bow. You could make a little case for the ribbon and thread it into the bag so it stays.
Joshua's birthday gifts in gift bags |
Joshua trying on his new arpron. |
checking it out... |
Monday, September 13, 2010
7 guilty pleasures...
There are times as a mom when you just need something for yourself. I don't get a lot of time alone, and that is just fine. I love my kiddos and being with them lots. I love getting to see their smiling faces first thing on a Monday morning, I love getting to see the light click on when they learn, I love seeing their creativity and laughter. I love when they are kind, sweet, gentle and have fun together. (doesn't happen all that often, but it does!)
There are some things that I have in my life that are just pleasurable for me-- guilty pleasures so to say. Here is a list of my top 7:
1. Chocolate- I gotta keep it around...
2. Ice cream- Hubby keeps telling me not to buy it, but I love it!
3. Naps- I take more than I should!
4. Staying up late- my fav time to read, do x-word puzzles, why I need naps!
5. Books- I have piles to read, love to when I can...
6. MOPS- my mommy time with friends is important, I am sad when we're sick and can't go...
7. My blog- I post when I probably should be making a meal!
So there are my top 7, I am sure there are more, but I really gotta make lunch! Do you have any guilty pleasures? Any better than mine? :-D
There are some things that I have in my life that are just pleasurable for me-- guilty pleasures so to say. Here is a list of my top 7:
1. Chocolate- I gotta keep it around...
2. Ice cream- Hubby keeps telling me not to buy it, but I love it!
3. Naps- I take more than I should!
4. Staying up late- my fav time to read, do x-word puzzles, why I need naps!
5. Books- I have piles to read, love to when I can...
6. MOPS- my mommy time with friends is important, I am sad when we're sick and can't go...
7. My blog- I post when I probably should be making a meal!
So there are my top 7, I am sure there are more, but I really gotta make lunch! Do you have any guilty pleasures? Any better than mine? :-D
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Birthday season begins...
It is the beginning of birthday season in these parts! Joshua's birthday begins the fall birthday craziness next week on Sept. 15! Then Brett & Morgan's b-days, then kids b-days-- we have three of our own kiddos with b-days this fall, and two nieces here in town too! Joshua's dad's birthday is in there too!
While the adults birthdays are more low-key, we do put a bit of work into kids birthdays. We have not done many "kids only" parties (mostly for big years, like 5, 10 and have slumber party for the kids), since we have family in town. We've always celebrated with Grandpas and Grandmas, aunts, uncles and cousins, and a few close friends' families. We do have our kiddo pick the theme and go from there! Mallory's 4th birthday is coming soon, and we've already begun working on that! I've found some great web sites that help me with birthday party planning, and I have used Family Fun magazine the most. I love this magazine, it has SOO many great ideas in it, for everything including kids' parties. They frequently have pictures of cakes and party ideas. I went through my magazine stash that I had and ripped out all the party ideas, cake photos, etc., and put them all in one binder. This is great because my kids can look through the folder and see if there is something fun in there we can do. You can also look at their website, which is: www.familyfun.go.com and click on the parties tab. Loads of ideas!!
I also have a checklist that I typed on my computer and laminated, so I don't have to "reinvent the wheel" 4 times every year! I know how many invitations to print and what to buy just by looking at my handy list! Have fun with it-- it is supposed to be a FUN time! The frugal part of me has saved extra plates, napkins from year to year, so I can use them again-- Caleb had a red party for Baseball and another year for VeggieTales (with green) so I could use the rest of those napkins up. I also re-use cups and plastic silverware. I saw a fun balloon covered fabric (vinyl) at Wal-Mart, I may buy that to use on my table each time. We have a "Happy Birthday" sign that we put out on birthdays too.
Here are a few other websites that I have gathered from MOPS presentations on birthday parties.
This is a great place to start for ideas: www.birthdaypartyideas.com
This one has great printable invitations and ideas: http://www.kids-birthday-party-guide.com
Free birthday party invitations and thank you cards: www.familyshoppingbag.com
This one has lots of printables, ideas and themes for all kinds of parties:
http://www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com/
This one has lots of party ideas too: www.amazingmoms.com
Printable birthday cards and coloring pages: http://holidays.kaboose.com
Other ideas besides just a home party: www.bigkidsparty.com
For some non-free personalized party supplies: www.birthdayinabox.com
Great cake recipes and party ideas: www.brightideas.com
I have yet to figure out what I will be doing for Mallory's birthday cake, but will be spending some time looking around online. I don't own too many cake pans, but my SIL Morgan has a star pan which has been used MANY times-- Star Wars party, Rock STAR party, etc., It's amazing how well just a star pan will fit in! We usually look at Wal-mart for party supplies and just buy matching plates, napkins, balloons, streamers, etc., there. I know www.orientaltrading.com has some inexpensive party items too!
Well, before I am off to bed, I'll leave you with some photos of cakes we've done in the past for our own parties...
While the adults birthdays are more low-key, we do put a bit of work into kids birthdays. We have not done many "kids only" parties (mostly for big years, like 5, 10 and have slumber party for the kids), since we have family in town. We've always celebrated with Grandpas and Grandmas, aunts, uncles and cousins, and a few close friends' families. We do have our kiddo pick the theme and go from there! Mallory's 4th birthday is coming soon, and we've already begun working on that! I've found some great web sites that help me with birthday party planning, and I have used Family Fun magazine the most. I love this magazine, it has SOO many great ideas in it, for everything including kids' parties. They frequently have pictures of cakes and party ideas. I went through my magazine stash that I had and ripped out all the party ideas, cake photos, etc., and put them all in one binder. This is great because my kids can look through the folder and see if there is something fun in there we can do. You can also look at their website, which is: www.familyfun.go.com and click on the parties tab. Loads of ideas!!
I also have a checklist that I typed on my computer and laminated, so I don't have to "reinvent the wheel" 4 times every year! I know how many invitations to print and what to buy just by looking at my handy list! Have fun with it-- it is supposed to be a FUN time! The frugal part of me has saved extra plates, napkins from year to year, so I can use them again-- Caleb had a red party for Baseball and another year for VeggieTales (with green) so I could use the rest of those napkins up. I also re-use cups and plastic silverware. I saw a fun balloon covered fabric (vinyl) at Wal-Mart, I may buy that to use on my table each time. We have a "Happy Birthday" sign that we put out on birthdays too.
Here are a few other websites that I have gathered from MOPS presentations on birthday parties.
This is a great place to start for ideas: www.birthdaypartyideas.com
This one has great printable invitations and ideas: http://www.kids-birthday-party-guide.com
Free birthday party invitations and thank you cards: www.familyshoppingbag.com
This one has lots of printables, ideas and themes for all kinds of parties:
http://www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com/
This one has lots of party ideas too: www.amazingmoms.com
Printable birthday cards and coloring pages: http://holidays.kaboose.com
Other ideas besides just a home party: www.bigkidsparty.com
For some non-free personalized party supplies: www.birthdayinabox.com
Great cake recipes and party ideas: www.brightideas.com
I have yet to figure out what I will be doing for Mallory's birthday cake, but will be spending some time looking around online. I don't own too many cake pans, but my SIL Morgan has a star pan which has been used MANY times-- Star Wars party, Rock STAR party, etc., It's amazing how well just a star pan will fit in! We usually look at Wal-mart for party supplies and just buy matching plates, napkins, balloons, streamers, etc., there. I know www.orientaltrading.com has some inexpensive party items too!
Caleb's 3rd b-day- VeggieTales theme |
Rebekah's 9th b-day horse cake |
Rebekah's princess castle cake b-day #7 |
Mallory's 1st b-day cake- Lamb |
Caleb's 4th bday- CARS theme |
Friday, September 10, 2010
Link for math circles
http://yellowmums.blogspot.com/2010/07/ff-math-circles.html
These are great little math circles that you can use with kids in homeschool, for their math box or just another way to shake up math! This gal has great ideas on her post about these circles with numbers in them. I just printed them out and think they'll be great to use with Caleb for addition, and for Mallory with counting.
And the best part is...they're free! Happy Freebie Friday!
She has other freebies on her blog too! Enjoy!
Oh... and I happen to know a lady (me!) that sells some great 1 inch and 1 1/4 inch punches from Stampin' Up! ;-D
These are great little math circles that you can use with kids in homeschool, for their math box or just another way to shake up math! This gal has great ideas on her post about these circles with numbers in them. I just printed them out and think they'll be great to use with Caleb for addition, and for Mallory with counting.
And the best part is...they're free! Happy Freebie Friday!
She has other freebies on her blog too! Enjoy!
Oh... and I happen to know a lady (me!) that sells some great 1 inch and 1 1/4 inch punches from Stampin' Up! ;-D
Frugal Friday!
We just returned from a Frugal trip out! We went to return something (Got $11 back!), walked around a store, where we did buy TP we really needed, and my hubby "did a job." He has this app on his iPhone called "Field Agent". Basically, you can accept a mission or job, and complete the job in a time frame and you get paid real money for it! Sound too good to be true? It's not! When we have free time or he knows he is going to be out, he checks for jobs. A lot of them are at big stores, like Wal-mart, Sam's Club, Target, etc., Instead of paying an agent from their company to go to the stores and see if a display is set up correctly, they allow anyone that wants to participate to check it out. There are certain displays that they will name, such as Better Homes and Gardens furniture, a certain style and you need to go take a picture of it, and answer a few questions. They give from $2 to $12 for one job. When you reach a certain dollar amount, they can deposit it into your PayPal account online. So cool! We went out and made $16 today! Love that!
Then we went to Sonic, since it is out that way, and we got half- price drinks during their "Happy Hour" from 2-4. Did you know they do that every day? Today we paid $2.67 for 4 drinks, and one was a XL, called "Route 44" drink, normally costs over $2.00 and we got it for $1.05! The kids drinks were 50 cents each! They have lots of flavors, and today we got watermelon, blue coconut (not so sure about that...) and bubble gum!
Notice all the bold F's and wonder why? Just happy it's Friday and I love being Frugal!
Then we went to Sonic, since it is out that way, and we got half- price drinks during their "Happy Hour" from 2-4. Did you know they do that every day? Today we paid $2.67 for 4 drinks, and one was a XL, called "Route 44" drink, normally costs over $2.00 and we got it for $1.05! The kids drinks were 50 cents each! They have lots of flavors, and today we got watermelon, blue coconut (not so sure about that...) and bubble gum!
Notice all the bold F's and wonder why? Just happy it's Friday and I love being Frugal!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Trash Picking?!
So I had first heard about trash picking & dumpster diving in college, and even more so in this book. I know people have gotten some great stuff in the trash. My dad was a garbage man, I should know-- he found some great stuff! It is said "One man's trash is another man's treasure."
Well, I found that to be true this week after our neighbors moved. They gave us several things- girl clothes, woman's clothes, toddler bed, sheets & mattress pads for the toddler bed and some toys. We bought a sit & spin at their yard sale, and a toy guitar. Well, they were packing on Monday and showed us that they only had their van and a small trailer hitched to the van. There was a lot of stuff that they were just not going to get in. Some of the things in their trash pile were really trash, their dog had chewed them up. A few things were broken, and there really was just bags of trash. But there was lots of other great stuff in the pile too!
Here are some of the things that we got out of the trash pile:
-a blue stool, which I cleaned up for Bethany.
- an old style Winnie the Pooh that they got at our yard sale! :-D
-An oscillating fan that they got at our yard sale!
-A girly potty chair, which needs washing.
-A vaporizer, also needs to be washed
-Two laundry baskets full of hangers (kids and adults)
-A kitchen trash can, which I put in the garage for bats, hockey sticks, etc.,
-several glasses
-Two small rugs
-A small cooler with lid
-Two large trash cans (which we really needed!)
-A small coffee maker
-A small pink HEPA vacuum cleaner
-A fridge phonics/ letter magnet set for my two little girls (with 17 letters!)
It was a lot of stuff! Even if we donate some things to Goodwill, it is better than throwing them away! We live in such a throw-away society these days, it is kinda sad. We've thrown away things that were really broken, but not things that were still good, that could be used again.
I felt kinda silly picking in the trash, and we did check with the landlady about the trash cans. But it is nice to have some new stuff! We will really miss those neighbors and their little girls. The cul-de-sac is really quiet right now!
Well, I found that to be true this week after our neighbors moved. They gave us several things- girl clothes, woman's clothes, toddler bed, sheets & mattress pads for the toddler bed and some toys. We bought a sit & spin at their yard sale, and a toy guitar. Well, they were packing on Monday and showed us that they only had their van and a small trailer hitched to the van. There was a lot of stuff that they were just not going to get in. Some of the things in their trash pile were really trash, their dog had chewed them up. A few things were broken, and there really was just bags of trash. But there was lots of other great stuff in the pile too!
Here are some of the things that we got out of the trash pile:
-a blue stool, which I cleaned up for Bethany.
- an old style Winnie the Pooh that they got at our yard sale! :-D
-An oscillating fan that they got at our yard sale!
-A girly potty chair, which needs washing.
-A vaporizer, also needs to be washed
-Two laundry baskets full of hangers (kids and adults)
-A kitchen trash can, which I put in the garage for bats, hockey sticks, etc.,
-several glasses
-Two small rugs
-A small cooler with lid
-Two large trash cans (which we really needed!)
-A small coffee maker
-A small pink HEPA vacuum cleaner
-A fridge phonics/ letter magnet set for my two little girls (with 17 letters!)
Bethany plays with the Fridge phonics set. |
It was a lot of stuff! Even if we donate some things to Goodwill, it is better than throwing them away! We live in such a throw-away society these days, it is kinda sad. We've thrown away things that were really broken, but not things that were still good, that could be used again.
I felt kinda silly picking in the trash, and we did check with the landlady about the trash cans. But it is nice to have some new stuff! We will really miss those neighbors and their little girls. The cul-de-sac is really quiet right now!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
File Folder games
I love to use File Folder Games (FFG) in our homeschool! It is a great time-filler if we have a few extra minutes to fill, for a rainy day, an easy thing to bring in the van (be careful not to lose pieces!) and a great thing to have to brush up on a few extra learning skills. There are lots of file folder games on the internet, for all types of topics. My favorite place for FFGs is this website:
http://www.filefolderfun.com
They have FFGs for all ages and grades, and skill levels. They have some for preschoolers, like color sorting, counting and other skills. They have games for: sight words, phonics/ language, letter recognition, punctuation, numbers/ math, science, history, health & safety, seasonal games, (Fall, Christmas, spring, etc.,) They are constantly making new games and adding them to their website. I get emails from them when they add a new game. I like the games because they are compact and easy to save. It is just a game with pieces that you print, cut and glue to a file folder. Sometimes I put the pieces in an envelope, or just leave the front partially open with the glue (glue on bottom and two sides, but not the top). Here are some pics of one that I am making for Mallory to do...
Here are the two of the pages that I printed...
Here are some cut pieces...
Here are the supplies I use...
File folder, scissors, glue stick or rubber cement, that's it!
Here it is all put together!
Here is the envelope pocket for the pieces...
Here is Mallory playing the game...
Here are some of the games that we have in storage.
I love that I can use them over and over again, and keep them for many years! If I ever have my own classroom again, I hope I could use them with kids there too! I like to put them together when my little girls are napping, or when I am watching the news or a movie in the evening with my hubby. I don't have idle hands very often!
Another time I will have to tell you about LAPBOOKS! Another fun crafty thing to do with kiddos!
http://www.filefolderfun.com
They have FFGs for all ages and grades, and skill levels. They have some for preschoolers, like color sorting, counting and other skills. They have games for: sight words, phonics/ language, letter recognition, punctuation, numbers/ math, science, history, health & safety, seasonal games, (Fall, Christmas, spring, etc.,) They are constantly making new games and adding them to their website. I get emails from them when they add a new game. I like the games because they are compact and easy to save. It is just a game with pieces that you print, cut and glue to a file folder. Sometimes I put the pieces in an envelope, or just leave the front partially open with the glue (glue on bottom and two sides, but not the top). Here are some pics of one that I am making for Mallory to do...
Here are the two of the pages that I printed...
Here are some cut pieces...
Here are the supplies I use...
File folder, scissors, glue stick or rubber cement, that's it!
Here it is all put together!
Here is the envelope pocket for the pieces...
Just fold it up & out of the way when you play! |
Here is Mallory playing the game...
Here are some of the games that we have in storage.
I love that I can use them over and over again, and keep them for many years! If I ever have my own classroom again, I hope I could use them with kids there too! I like to put them together when my little girls are napping, or when I am watching the news or a movie in the evening with my hubby. I don't have idle hands very often!
Another time I will have to tell you about LAPBOOKS! Another fun crafty thing to do with kiddos!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
New News!
We've gotten a few NEW things lately, and I just wanted to share...
Our little Bethany is growing up! She turned 21 months old today, and had her first haircut on Saturday! Her Nana, Joshua's Mom trimmed up the back and gave her some bangs. She looks so sweet! Here is her picture:
Also, Joshua got some wood, sanded it, and stained it for our picnic table! It looks great and is so nice to sit on outside! (It was here when we moved in, but was falling apart and very sliver-ridden! He painted the frame too!)
Our neighbors moved :( and we will really miss them since they had two little girls that were 5 and 2. But they didn't have a lot of room in their van and small trailer to carry much, so they gave us some toys, pink bean bag, girl clothes and a toddler bed for Bethany! (it didn't sell in their yard sale...) We've been wanting to move her to a big girl bed, so we just put it up and she slept in it last night! Bethany did very well and didn't even fall out of it.
Here she is all ready for bed:
Also we decided to take advantage of Labor Day sales and we got a new fire pit! It is a very warm and cozy thing to gather around and since we have a nice big backyard, we thought now is the perfect time for it! We used it last night, and made some yummy s'mores! Since we didn't go camping this year (we moved instead!) This is as close as we'll get!
We're busy with other things too, but that is a post for another day! Come on over for dessert sometime soon!
Our little Bethany is growing up! She turned 21 months old today, and had her first haircut on Saturday! Her Nana, Joshua's Mom trimmed up the back and gave her some bangs. She looks so sweet! Here is her picture:
Also, Joshua got some wood, sanded it, and stained it for our picnic table! It looks great and is so nice to sit on outside! (It was here when we moved in, but was falling apart and very sliver-ridden! He painted the frame too!)
Our neighbors moved :( and we will really miss them since they had two little girls that were 5 and 2. But they didn't have a lot of room in their van and small trailer to carry much, so they gave us some toys, pink bean bag, girl clothes and a toddler bed for Bethany! (it didn't sell in their yard sale...) We've been wanting to move her to a big girl bed, so we just put it up and she slept in it last night! Bethany did very well and didn't even fall out of it.
Here she is all ready for bed:
Also we decided to take advantage of Labor Day sales and we got a new fire pit! It is a very warm and cozy thing to gather around and since we have a nice big backyard, we thought now is the perfect time for it! We used it last night, and made some yummy s'mores! Since we didn't go camping this year (we moved instead!) This is as close as we'll get!
Caleb and Joshua enjoy new fire pit! |
Monday, September 6, 2010
More Silly Kids!
Here are some more pictures of my silly kids. This one I had to look for...
It is one of my favorites because I walked in the kitchen, and just walked right back out to get the camera (and decide what I was going to do to him!) Caleb is known to be quite the snitcher and hide candy wrappers under his bed, eat cookies and think nobody will notice, etc., He gets in lots of trouble for his sugar addiction! What a STINKER!
Caleb is also known to play with our camera a lot. He'll take it and hide in the closet and watch videos (and wear the battery down!) Here is a silly one that he took of Rebekah a while ago...
On the way home from Durango a few years ago, Joshua took this photo, when all three kids are sleeping. You can't see Mallory, but I think Rebekah's neck looks so painful. How can she sleep like that?
And one last one of little Mallory enjoying an ice cream bar, when Bethany was little... So glad we took her shirt off!
It is one of my favorites because I walked in the kitchen, and just walked right back out to get the camera (and decide what I was going to do to him!) Caleb is known to be quite the snitcher and hide candy wrappers under his bed, eat cookies and think nobody will notice, etc., He gets in lots of trouble for his sugar addiction! What a STINKER!
Caleb is also known to play with our camera a lot. He'll take it and hide in the closet and watch videos (and wear the battery down!) Here is a silly one that he took of Rebekah a while ago...
On the way home from Durango a few years ago, Joshua took this photo, when all three kids are sleeping. You can't see Mallory, but I think Rebekah's neck looks so painful. How can she sleep like that?
And one last one of little Mallory enjoying an ice cream bar, when Bethany was little... So glad we took her shirt off!
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