Fast and Easy Angel Craft

Here's a quick angel we made before heading out for the morning. Just take a paper plate (I used the small, cake size kind). Fold it in half.

Cut that in half.

Take a cupcake holder.

Fold in half

And cut it in half too. So you should have 3 pieces.

Now assemble with glue or tape or used bubblegum or whatever your adhesive of choice is.

Stick a head on it made from construction paper.

And your angel is complete.

Unless you want to add a halo. I did this as an afterthought. Hang it somewhere for a little holiday cheer.

Christmas Round 1

(I apologize in advance for how uncharacteristicly long this post is!) We got a new tree this year, prelit, 9 ft. Treyton just stared at it. So did I. I didn't know what to do with myself with all the saved time from putting up our old one one branch at a time and then stringing up the lights. This tree reminded me of the unbrella trees from the Grinch. SO EASY AND QUICK!

Part of the reason we got the tree was to celebrate Christmas with these two people: Bryce's parents, Dennis and Sharon. In from Texas.

Here's the loot and the kids playing in it. Notice the snow outside. It fell all day.

Here's Grandma Sharon with her grandbabies. They loved her lap. And they loved reading books. Here's a three generation picture.

After waiting what seemed like forever for the kiddos, the games were to begin. Treyton moved into the "I can use a scissor" crowd now that he's in preschool.

His first gift was a giant flat bed truck from Great-Grandparents Bob and Ruth.Look at his eyes! That look says it all. Excitement personified.Next we opened the giftrs from the Great-Grandparents Ralph and Helen. It was a really neat idea. They collected all the state quarters and put them in a nice folder display. Galina especially liked them. They did this for all their great-grandkids. Can you imagine collecting all those sets? I'm tired even thinking about it. Here's my favorite:Here's where I'd like to be right now.: And here's where we live:Great-Grandpa Bob is pretty handy with tools and woodworking. He actually made this for Galina with her name on it an all!A little jewelry/treasure box.Great-Grandma Ruth filled it with some treasures: bows, barretts, and braceletts. She teaches little kids. Perhaps today is sponsored by the letter B, Ruth? We put one on her. Boy did she catch on fast!Then she wanted to share her bling with everyone. My little Fancy Nancy.Grandparents Dennis and Sharon gave Galina the cutest little purse with all the fixin's: key chain, cell phone, coin purse, lipstick, mirror, and credit card. Treyton got his first Transformer! Bryce was especially excited about that one. Galina got a doll crib. She is gonna love it.

Both kids enjoyed playing with Treyton's new race track and T-ball set. Dennis and Sharon spoiled them so much, I can't hardly believe it. Here's Missy Magoo taking off with her purse and baby in tow. I guess she's going shopping.

Kisses to the baby!

Oh, shopping is such hard work! Time to take a break. Oh Galina. Just wait until you learn what Starbucks is.

Thank you to all the grandparents for the amazing gifts. What a major blessing you are to us and our kids. We love you!

Workin' at the Carwash

"Mommy, I want a car wash for my trucks." When my precious firstborn said that I got to thinking. Could I make his little wish come true?

So I gathered some foam and cut the pieces the short way to form strips. Then I cut them in half to make the perfect size for those car wash brush thingies. Next I cut slits into the top of a box and inserted the strips.

Here's what it looked like after I got all the strips in.

Vroom! It was ready to go!

It worked on the scoop! I get chastised by my rocket scientist husband for calling anything with a scoop or bucket (or whatever those shovel like things are called) a scoop. "No, Tiffany, it's a front loader!" "It's called a back hoe. Why can't you get that?"Now were heading into big time truck washing. This is his new flat bed truck or semi or whatever..... thanks to great-grandparents Bob and Ruth. He's been playing with it straight since Sun when he got it. Even slept with it. It had to sit in the car wash for a bit to get all the ickies off. Oh my cute boy!

Taking Matters Into Her Own Hands

Galina wanted a snack. I was busy doing something world-changing, I'm sure. But after it got really quiet I started to search for her. Here's what I found.

That little missy was into the pantry (well-stocked from all the recent grocery sales, I might add).

Oh the choices. Which leftover Halloween animal crackers look good, Galina? "All of them, Mommy!"

"I want it all!"

Thanksgiving Plan B

This year for Thanksgiving we were going to spend it with Bryce's sister and parents. However, our nephew was sick and instead of bringing that upon our kids, we opted out. Good thing I was at Walmart at 5am the day before. If you've never been to Walmart at that ungodly hour, you're missing out. The sweetest people work there, it's not busy, and they are in the midst of restocking. So as I was gathering ingredients for the desserts I was to bring, I asked if I could have some of the large boxes from the storage bin isle. They were more than willing to give them away, help me take them to my car, and even offered to break them down for me. Good ol' Walmart. Nordstrom service at prices I can afford. So I brought the boxes home and for almost 2 hours, the kids played in them. I made the desserts. Tiramasu Toffee Torte and the beginning of a Chocolate Cake Trifle. (I thought Bryce's grandparents were joining us at Thanksgiving too and wanted to have enough.) After that we had a playdate at Chick-Fil-A. When I came home I decided to call in to get messages as I hadn't checked them in probably 3 days. That's when I found out about poor Ethan.

So on Thanksgiving, my wonderful Rocket Scientist Husband got out his box cutter thingie, rulers, and tape and created houses from the boxes.

The kids loved them! We had a great day off. I felt like we were cheating or something.

Treyton was soooo interested in the parade. The music and dancing combined with the balloons and clowns....a fun show for the whole family. He watched most of it from his house.

All in all we had a great family day which we really needed, come to think of it. With pizza and desserts galore. Can't complain!

ABCs of Prayer

The ABC's Of Prayer Helping children talk to God can be as easy as A-B-C. Use this simple guide to add some spark to your family's prayer life. Adore God. Start the day by showing God love and honor. Greet God in prayer with words that show you love him and know he is wonderful. Talk about words that describe God, such as all-powerful, loving, and creative, then use those words in adoration. Believe in God's abilities. Before we ask for God's help, we must believe he can help. Over breakfast, talk about God's ability to solve problems. In prayer, tell God you believe he can do everything! Confess sins. Get your hands dirty, then wash them. Talk about how God washes our hearts when we confess sins. Have each person think about something he or she did that hurt someone, then ask for forgiveness. Delight in God and his creation. Romans 1:20 teaches that when we look at what God made, we learn about God. Take a nature walk and thank God each time you stop to look at something he made. Express the need for God. In humility seek the truth of Christ's words in John 15:5: "Apart from me, you can do nothing." Talk to your child about why you need God. Ask your child why he needs God. Together thank God for always being with each of you. Focus on one need. There is no need to rush through a wish list of all the problems you want God to solve—he already knows. A mind crowded with problems will feel stressed. For today, think of the need weighing on you the most. Let God give you peace about that one problem. Give thanks to God. Help your child think of the blessings in her life and thank God for each one. Write them in a journal. This helps develop an attitude of gratitude. Humor lightens the heart. Tell God the funny things that happen, too. Look back and find the funny side of frustrating moments and laugh. God, who created monkeys and cuckoo birds, likes to laugh with us. Invite the Holy Spirit to guide each of you. Take your child on a blindfolded walk, guiding him around obstacles. Discuss how God sent the Holy Spirit to guide us around problems, including ones we may not even see. Journal as a form of prayer. Let your children write or draw a prayer. Encourage them to write whatever God puts in their minds. Have younger children tell you what they want to say and record their words for them. Keep knocking. Read about the poor widow who kept knocking in Luke 18:1-8. Make a doorknob hanger with a prayer request on it and tell your child to pray about that request every time he sees the hanger. Love God and express that love in words. Expressing love for God and remembering his love helps us look beyond our problems and hold on to his promises. As you pray, fold your arms across your chest as though you are hugging—and being hugged by—God. Mean what you say. Honesty is important in any relationship, especially your relationship with God. Read Psalm 102 and talk about how it's okay to tell God how we feel, even when we are sad or angry. Practice being honest with God as you pray. Never give up, but persevere in your prayers. If you've got an unanswered prayer, continue taking it to God. If you're dealing with a difficult situation, ask God to give you the strength to deal with it. Trust that God will answer your prayers in his way and in his time. Offer yourself and your talents to God. Make a list of your child's talents, from a great smile to a nice singing ability to being a fast runner. Then pray with your child, asking God to show her how to use these abilities to serve him. Use one of those talents for God today. Praise the Lord. Rejoice for what God has done and will do. Sing or listen to a praise song as part of your prayers. Quietly listen and wait for God's response. Read Psalm 46 and then sit still and let your heart feel God's love. Listen for God to speak to your hearts. Share anything God may have told you, reflect on memorized verses, or read a passage from the Bible. Help your child discover that God speaks through his Word. Repent. Repentance is an act of regret and turning away from sin. To stop doing the same bad things takes strength. Help your child make a "God can help me" sign and post it in her room as a reminder to ask for God's help to resist sin and repent of wrongdoing. Seek God's help for others. Our concern for others touches God's heart. Write the names of people who need God's guidance and comfort. Pray for each. Trust God and expect answers. Read the words on a penny about trust. Talk about how trust grows just like a pile of coins can grow, a little at a time. Post a paper on your refrigerator to jot down answers to prayer, and watch the paper fill up! Unite your will with God's. God knows what is best. Talk about your prayer requests and why they might or might not be in God's will, then pray for God to show you his will and to help you accept his plans for you. Value yourself. As you end your prayers today, realize that God values you. Read Psalm 139 as a reminder of how much God loves you. Worship God. Think of worship as blowing kisses to God. Take turns saying something great about God. Blow kisses toward heaven after each praise. X-ray hearing; that is, listen intently. Prayer is a two-way communication, so stop and listen for God's voice in your heart. Read about how Elijah listened and heard God whisper in 1 Kings 19:11-13. Yearn to learn from prayer and be changed by it. Even as you end today's prayer time, yearn for the next time. Think of God as a friend you can't wait to talk with again. Make a plan to pray again soon. Zealously share. Share joy by sharing love with others. Share answers received, telling others of God's greatness in providing answers.Prayer is a continuous adventure in drawing closer to God and developing a relationship with him. It involves the desire to know, listen, and serve God, as well as sharing experiences and needs. Master these basic skills and make your family's communication with God a joyful celebration of his goodness. (source http://www.livingfortodaymom.com/search/label/Prayer)