Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!
Loose Teeth Vintage Inspired Sundress with Petticoat GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!
:) I haven't blogged in quite a while, but leave it to a fabulous blog to get me to get off my bum and at least type up a quick YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS! :) Who doesn't love a fab giveaway, right?!
This is something we have done many many times with our kids and it holds new meaning every year for us. Lane is now 14 and just asked the other day if we could please do this on Saturday night. Elijah was only about 4 the first time we made them and he really "got it" too....so I thought I would share this with everyone just in case you wanted to get the ingredients together before the weekend!....I posted this last year, but thought I would post again!
Ingredients:
1 c. whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 c. sugar
You will also need:
Bible
re-sealable baggie
wooden spoon
mixing bowl
electic mixer
cookie sheet
waxed paper
tape
Directions:
* Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
* Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
* Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
* Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life so that we could have life. Read John 10:10-11.
* Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers. Read Luke 23:27.
* So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
* Beat with a mixer on high speed for several minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
* Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
* Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
* GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20-22.
* On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! Explain how the tomb was empty on the first Easter because Christ had risen from the dead! Read Matthew 28:1-9
This is a very long overdue post. As in like 2 months overdue :(.
I am praying that the people who made this possible do not think that we were ungrateful, nothing could be further from the truth! The following people went above and beyond and out of their way to make our Christmas so very merry and bright and gave our entire family a renewed faith in our fellow "man" as it were!
A very sweet bloggy friend nominated our family for a Christmas good will event at Barefoot Mommies & Barefoot Military Mommies. All sorts of wonderful crafters from all over the etsy-web donated their time and goods to bring joy to us....from bows & dresses for Li'l T to hats and poppers for the boys, smell goods, candles, treats & sweets....nearly daily we recieved packages! I was given 3 baby tooth albums (think baby book for those lil pearly whites :D) and change purses, necklace and candles/soaps/smell goods.....It was amazing! Below is a list of all the wonderful people who reached out during one of the busiest times of the year and blessed us! My prayer is that in 2009, they will recieve a double portion of blessing for the ones they poured out on us in 2008!
Lyn at http://florspace.etsy.com for darling handmade gifts such as purses & wristlets
Suzann (aka Granny Zann) at http://grannyzann.etsy.com for adorable clothes and warm fuzzy fleece hats!
Sarah at WithCherriesOnTop.etsy.com for some of the most gorgeous (and sturdy!) bows you could ever hope to put in your little one's hair!
Gel n' Scents for the yummiest looking candles, best smelling scented beads (the boys argued over who got them!), and beautiful jewelry around! I can't even begin to describe all the goodies she "scent" us ;)
Ashley at http://crazyfroglady.etsy.com for all sorts of adorable handcrafted gifts and goodies! My kids (and myself) fell in love with her crayon pouches!
There was at least one more artisian who sent me a beautiful necklace and I cannot find the card that gave the name/webaddress :(
IF I forgot anyone PLEASE forgive me and shoot me an email so I can add them to the list! I apologize for the delay in getting this blog post up...I kept thinking "get pics so you can post them" and then didn't get all the pics I wanted so I kept procrastinating...add that to sick kids, out of whack sugars and just day to day "where did the day go" scatterbrainedness and you have a sheepish blogger/mommy begging for mercy and understanding ;)
Chelle, you are a doll and I am forever grateful to you for nominating us!
Krissy & Angela, BOTH of you are amazing and your blogs are such a blessing to so many people! (those are the Barefoot Mommies!)
The bows in the pics below are the ones from Sarah, the little Christmas Pillowcase Dress is from Granny Zann (as are the fleece hats, which the boys have got LOTS of use out of this cold cold winter!) L-dest doesn't normally look so psycho, I took his pic while he was trying to watch something on t.v....the boys wore those hats, in the house, for 2 days straight lol "they are so SOFT!"....Like I said, I did not get a pic of all the beautiful, wonderful goodies but they were appreciated just as much! Thank you thank you thank you to all the wonderful crafters, to the barefoot mommies and to Chelle....you are all amazing!
My oldest last week...
This is another one of those photos that makes me realize just how quickly his youth is progressing toward manhood. His wild thick wavy hair gives him a somewhat younger look, but the evening I took this photograph we had just straightened his hair.... where did my little boy go?
(He will be FOURTEEN in a little over a month!)
If you would like to participate in the Contemporary Portrait meme, visit I'm In Culture Shock and link it up!
Please visit my other blog :) http://fantacys365.blogspot.com/ I have actually kept up with it for an entire month!
This week I have a VERY recent portrait! Yay me! :) We had about 3-5 inches of snow, then an inch of ice, then another 5-7 inches of snow in a 48 hour period this week! My oldest was not willing to venture out in the bitter cold to play (or even have his pic taken) but the younger 2 did and we had a lot of fun :). My photo this week is, once again, a photo of my dd Tink... She LOVES snow...to play in...to make snow angels in...and of course to eat ;)
I had 3 or 4 that I absolutely loved but this was one that just stood out :) I love the expression on her face, the snow caked on her gloves and sleeves, her locks of hair sticking out from under her hat and the way her purple jacket stands out against the white snow :) This photo just epitomizes "childhood winter" to me :)
This is part of the Contemporary Portrait meme hosted by I'm in Culture Shock (see the button on my sidebar...yeah the one with Tink on it ;) )...why not post a portrait shot and link it up over there?!
Ok :) I have shown off my pouty youngest and my oh-so-rarely-smiles-for-photos eldest now is the time to let my Middle E shine :D He is my biggest challenge most days but he is also my most affectionately loving most days...He is a walking contradiction in so many ways. He loves to argue but can't stand not being in agreement...He hates disappointing anyone but never wants to work for anyone's approval...He is brilliantly intelligent but normally chooses to follow his gut before his brain lol
He is, for all his contradictions, imperfectly perfect :)
To say my life would be dull without him would be the understatement of the century!
I missed C.P. week 3, but am happy I remembered ON TIME to post week 4 ;)
If you would like to participate in the Contemporary Portrait meme click on the button on my sidebar (yeah the one with Tink on it ;) ). And could someone explain to me why why call it a "meme?"
Once again I am late posting this...grrrr! Contemp- orary Portrait is supposed to be posted on FRIDAYS (making note to self so I make it next week!) I am also going to try to make sure that I take a portrait for my 365 Project each week so that I can combine the 2! (although I am enjoying getting to show off some of my photos from last year so who knows) lol
This is my oldest, the Big L...it takes SO much to get him to smile for a photo, so I love this one for sure :D He is such a great kidlet!
Oh yes, if any of you know of anyone with a fully functioning dslr that they are looking to get rid of for fairly inexpensive please let me know! (I would LOVE a nikon or canon...even an old model as long as it is dslr and still takes good photos). There are 2 reasons for me being so gung-ho to get a "big girl" camera, 1. My cousin has asked me to take photos at his wedding, which I really really really am dreading because with a point and shoot there is no getting a decent pic in an old church... and 2ndly, I am planning on (as soon as I do get a decent camera) starting to take photos for moms who cannot afford to have their newborn's pics taken (like the birth announcement pics). I would be doing this through a local pregnancy crisis center that members of our church family help with.
I know that several people got new cameras for Christmas and several people upgraded from older dslr models, so if you know of any of those who would be interested in getting rid of their old camera please shoot me an email! I don't have a lot of money to spend, but even if we could work out a payment plan with my parents or something (I would get the money from them then pay them back a little at a time). OR if any of you know of a reputable 2nd hand camera shop that does online business, I am open for suggestions! The birth photo endeavor is something I would really love to start and be able to keep up with...I appreciate any help anyone can give!
**oh yeah, see the li'l "Contemporary Photo" button on my sidebar? That is Tink! :D I am so excited :)....Click on it and participate!**
This year I have decided to take on the 365 challenge. The challenge to take at least a pic a day that represents you day to day life...
Photos are like Lays Potato Chips though, no one can take just one.
If I have more than one good one, I will most likely post however many I feel like I want per day on my Project 365 blog, however there are some pics that definitely define my day to day life that just didn't make the cut even though we are only 6 days into it....these would be "those" photos....
This is a common site in our bathroom, my middle kidlet's UPS cap that he loves that reads "Think Brown" and even though the kid never remembers to take his cap off at the supper table, he seems to remember when he um "thinks brown"...just seems ironic every time I go in and see used matches and that cap on the back of the toilet...maybe it is just me though, not many other people seem to catch the irony ;).
Then there is this....I ask for a sincere smile....a simple half smile...or no smile at all, just a "normal" face....
This is what I get in return....Middle E my love, this will come back to haunt you at some point I am sure....oh yes, I am sure......bwahahahahaha
Just a random candid of my younger son and my hubby (who was actually scolding our youngest, thus the weird mouth thing lol). I love how much our kids love their daddy and vice versa. This is my contemporary portrait for this week (better late than never huh?). Head over to I'm In Culture Shock for other portraits posted this week :).
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