Little Birdies

If you're looking for a really easy craft, here it is.  I took a paper grocery bag and cut out nest shapes.

Kids glued them onto a background sheet.

I was planning on letting them glue on some shredded wheat to create "texture" and a more realistic looking nest.  But honestly, I just didn't have it in me.  Oh well.  Better luck next time, kids.

As they were gluing cotton balls onto the tops of the nests to form the birds, I worked on the beaks.  To make the birds' beaks I just folded a piece of orange paper.

And cut out a triangle shape.

Glue them onto the cotton ball birds, add eyes with a Sharpie, and there you have it.  Three birdies in a nest.  Without shredded wheat.  Texture is overrated.

I started singing, "Rub-a-dub-dub three birds in a tub."  Don't start.  I guaranteed you will be singing it for at least an hour.  :)

Birthday Party

We had a few kids over from Treyton's preschool class to celebrate Treyton and Galina's birthday.

We tried out the slip and slide for the first time.  It was a hit, of course.  How can you go wrong with a slip and slide?

Back when I was a kid (did I really just say that?),we used a sprinkler and as much plastic as we could scrounge up.  Kids these days have it easy.  We had to work for our fun.

They enjoyed Bryce's freshly redone swingset too.

We got 'em all squirt bottles.  That one, Eli, didn't put it down. He especially enjoyed tormenting the girls.

Addison, Treyton's girl, didn't miss the party.  How cute are they?  I can't stand it!  Put a veil on her and a tux on him right now.  She's the sweetest thing.  Good choice, my boy.

As the party progressed, weird things began happening.  Like a wheelbarrow on the slip and slide.

And turning squirt bottles on oneself.

And mommies snatching up babies that were not their own.  This is my friend Andrea.  She's such a thoughtful and loving woman.

But all that stopped when cake time came.

It's dangerous having me be in charge of the cake.  My favorite treat in the entire world is bakery style cake.  I want more kids just so I can buy more cakes for birthdays.  Yum!

Such serious candle blowing.

I loved having an outside table filled with kids.  If it were inside, it might have been a different story, however. Thank goodness for a nice sunny day.

Notice Galina is absent from this photo. Poor thing. She ended up getting sick! What a way to end your birthday party, huh?

I just can't believe my babies are 3 and 5 already. Where does the time go?

Book Review - Searching for God Knows What

Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller is a book intending to shake the traditional Christian’s belief about the way things are in many churches today. Miller is not apprehensive to knock organized religion. Being a Christian is all about relationship, about falling in love, about the person of God. The language, duties, ceremonies, etc that go with church are secondary. That idea is not new to me, but several insights in the book were.
This book was somewhat political. And political in a liberal-leaning way which bothered me somewhat. Miller dissed Fox News and talked highly of Clinton and Carter, for example. Those things made me mad, to be honest. However, his engaging conversational tone, relevant stories, unique observations, and keen analogies kept me compelled.

To be entertained, to learn, to make you think are all reasons to pick up this book. Just beware of the liberal lean which Miller warns is not a reason to negate things either.

This book was given to me to be reviewed by Tommy Nelson Publishing.  The above thoughts and ideas are mine and were not for profit.

Flower Cupcakes

I'm finally getting back to this blog.  It was a busy month and honestly, this blog took the bottom spot on my things-to-do list.  That would be true if I actually made a list.  So it goes.

I wanted to share a very simple but cute cupcake idea.  I made these for the end of the year party for Treyton's preschool class. 

I just took a pink marshmallow and cut it into 5 pieces.  Then I placed them on the frosted cupcakes.  I simply stuck an M&M in the center to finish it off.  And there you go!  Simple and cute as promised

I've noticed that kids like to eat things that are pink so I chose to make strawberry cupcakes with pink frosting but you could do whatever.  Chocolate with a white marshmallow flower would be fun for fall, I'd think. 

Fun for any occasion!