tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83866039715006472082024-02-07T19:41:34.778-07:00Mama DramaTales and trials of a mommy to three princesses.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger272125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-6832847039588842522013-04-07T08:22:00.003-06:002013-04-07T08:22:27.599-06:00Never tell a child what they can't achieveI am sure so many of you now know the aspirations of my sweet lil girl. But I still feel the need to put it to words.<br />
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Mostly because I believe my sweet 7 year old is wise beyond MY years!<br />
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It all started a little around Christmas time. Alia had been particularly crabby. I didn't think much of it other than to call her a 7 year old going on 17. But that all came to a shocking light the night of her little sisters birthday.<br />
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we had just enjoyed a wonderful day at the aquarium for Alyssa's birthday. That evening something seemed particularly bug Alia. When I asked her what was up, she finally put to words what she had been feeling. "Mommy, how can I be happy on birthdays?" she asked.<br />
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"What do you mean?" I answered. "Well," she began, "how can I be happy when I know there are children out there celebrating their birthdays and they don't even have enough clothing to wear"<br />
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I was stunned with her answer. I really had no idea she was so burdened by this. I asked a dear friend who works with a local shelter to help me out. So she took her under her wing a bit and gave her thoughts direction.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqjGFvCCmwjBb-8KBlU2OJrZD7UEVZJ6fvsPSe9fcdGFBWQV-y9rKYpsgwfc-BCpCvvV3nqaD-c6zJAKg5dxbtG2TxRZBWgu-zSGpeghvk4jfoJfD25AixKli6I6WPvReAOj7VBxcaiM/s1600/photo(109).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqjGFvCCmwjBb-8KBlU2OJrZD7UEVZJ6fvsPSe9fcdGFBWQV-y9rKYpsgwfc-BCpCvvV3nqaD-c6zJAKg5dxbtG2TxRZBWgu-zSGpeghvk4jfoJfD25AixKli6I6WPvReAOj7VBxcaiM/s320/photo(109).JPG" width="239" /></a>On her own Alia created "Simply 7" that very next day.<br />
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"Well mom, it is because I am 7. I want to hand out 7 birthday bags EVERY month, AND I want to ask/tell 7 people EACH month to do the same thing. If I do that lots of kids will have happier birthdays and know they are loved by someone"<br />
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how could I say no to this dream? So instead I took the mom approach. Ok honey I answered. I said she could earn allowance from me (something I haven't done thus far) and I would help her put some bags together each month. And the asking part, that was her own to do. It was a sweet lil arrangement.<br />
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That is until the next week when I went out with this same dear friend and Alia overheard us talking and heard that for Easter there were going to be 80 or so children at a park event. The next day she decided "I want to give EVERY child a bag there too!"<br />
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I told her ok, but this one I was not going to fund. She needed to write her own letter and pass it out and ask all on her own. She got right to work (this was about 3 weeks before the event) and handed letters out. She received lots of oh how sweet, sure I will see if I can do something.<br />
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but as a wise adult I advised her to not be disappointed with her results. That most likely she was just going to receive like 10 maybe 20 sets to create bags.<br />
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Little did I know that God had a MUCH GREATER plan. He was going to use "the faith like a child" to bless beyond measure. Bless the children in need, bless their parents, bless us adults, bless me.<br />
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Her goal was reached....and exceeded...she was able to hand bags to every child she could find there, and has half left over!!<br />
Some of her grand totals (which are short because I found several items I forgot to include later, when I was counting)<br />
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101 KIDS shampoos<br />
154 Boys and girls socks<br />
172 KIDS toothbrushes<br />
138 KIDS toothpaste<br />
100 mini beanie toys<br />
181 snacks<br />
1 large blanket made by <u>kindergartners</u><br />
48 single packs of Kleenex<br />
27 additional toys<br />
3 undershirts<br />
3 underpants<br />
80 adult toothbrushes<br />
80 adult toothpaste<br />
10 boxes of Ziploc bags (to fill)<br />
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Like I said even these numbers are short, they are just an estimate...</div>
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Pretty amazing. I figured however, after all this she would be tired, bored and frankly not want to do it anymore. And I told her that was ok because she had done so much already.<br />
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Not so. Simply 7 was truly born. She informed me that was her original plan and she was sticking to it, this was just extra.<br />
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The even more amazing part. With her recent "fame" with the new article and a soon to be print article she was VERY concerned. You might wonder with what, since being "famous" might be fun for a kid. Well it is fun, but she asked me tonight; "Mom are you sure I should do all this?" Why not I asked. "Because I want to be really sure everyone knows it is NOT me. I want them to know it is God"<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="330" scrolling="no" src="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/embed/iframe?aspect_ratio=3x2&auto_next=1&auto_start=0&page_count=5&pf_id=9207&pl_id=20010&rel=3&show_title=0&tags=news&va_id=4004666&volume=8&windows=1" width="425"></iframe>
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Amazing. Simply stated. Faith like a child.</div>
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Wise. Very very wise.</div>
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So in case you want to help, do your own, or just simply follow her story..........she now has a blog, I will write and she also wants to write her own stuff.<br />
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We will track as other people in other states partake, and use Simply 7, so she/you can see just how many states, just how far, one little girls dream of "making a child smile: can go!<br />
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simply7birthdaybags.blogspot.com<br />
simply7@ymail.com<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-87865093962010236262013-03-06T13:47:00.000-07:002013-03-06T13:47:28.540-07:00Raising DaughtersAs my girls are growing I am finding that raising them can be hard. It just isn't as clear cut as you were thinking when they were in the womb.<br />
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There is esteem, even though you give your daughter every affirmation that she is great, even if you do everything right, there is this thing, their God given personality. And there is Satan. And to us they are both very real, and can get in the way of that perfect plan you have.<br />
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My middle girl is my little girl. She is such a sweetheart and full of cuddles and love. She is also my spirited child who has a fire about her. But beneath that, at JUST 6 years old, she has expressed some self confidence issues.<br />
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This is REALLY hard as a mom to deal with. Because all I see is beauty, love, light, fire, strength, and a fun loving girl. But she felt something else. She didn't love what she saw in the mirror. i know she had expressed it before, but I would shift the conversation a new direction after a quick affirmation.<br />
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I feel that wasnt' enough as she expressed how she hated her looks.<br />
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I am a FIRM believer of it is the heart that matters, and not letting little girls change themselves. that being said, I learned a lesson. Sometimes a little love on the outside does wonders on the inside.<br />
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It is just like us moms, who need pampering and we feel like a million bucks, there is nothing wrong with letting your daughter give herself a little love as long as you enforce the beauty God blessed her with on the inside, and that the two together are what make up beauty.<br />
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Alyssa hated her hair, I had always cut her bangs, and I will admit they weren't even or cut correctly. so we had a Lissa day. We went to a professional, not a kiddie place, but a big girl place, and had the stylist cut her hair. All she did was redo her bangs, cut a few long layers, and blow her hair straight and gave her own bottle of little shine stuff.<br />
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Then we went to the mall and my girl helped me pick out some stuff for her sisters and she got a new outfit. Even better, we just had a girls afternoon. I am mom 99.9% of the time, and I believe this is how it should be. However, just for a brief moment in time, I feel just being their friend can reap its rewards in gold!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKc7x8KlgnK0C-osXjJ87h9ZbUXzfVLjIBymCnAt_lNPqm9xxy9wnMDuUljQSkJdWXV_4juN_dos13uhXbJ4-whVIdJfTLZFbbmgPgxywVwIqChpZ2FyK5vuzXPy0P0qlozRWkF0CzAM/s1600/wishing+well.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKc7x8KlgnK0C-osXjJ87h9ZbUXzfVLjIBymCnAt_lNPqm9xxy9wnMDuUljQSkJdWXV_4juN_dos13uhXbJ4-whVIdJfTLZFbbmgPgxywVwIqChpZ2FyK5vuzXPy0P0qlozRWkF0CzAM/s320/wishing+well.JPG" width="320" /></a> Let me tell you, girls are girls are girls. know how a new shirt, hair do, makeup, nail polish, shoes, anything, makes you feel on fire? Well a little lovin like that gave her such confidence that even her teacher said this week she has seen a confidence and ability to express her own feelings like she hasn't witnessed before!<br />
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So here is what I am saying. Remind your girl that she is a child of God. That He created her in His image and that means she is beautiful. That those voices in her head that put her down are NOT of him. That you and everyone think she is beautiful. Tell her why, pick one physical feature...say her eyes. Then follow up that compliment with two inner beauty compliments. Say, I love how you always think of the shyest person in your class, that is SO beautiful of you to do, and I also love how you always give mommy the snuggliest biggest hugs. It always makes me smile.<br />
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Once you have done these things, if she is in need of a little boost, ask her what she would like. And wit in reason try with all your might to make that small thing happen in the next week or so. Make it more about the time you are spending with her and less about what you are doing. This way she gets the boost from what she wants/needs, but she sees the time as the important part. Ii promise you it will lift both your spirits up. It is never too late to start spending a little more time with your girl!! She will be a woman before you know it!<br />
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Any questions? Really, about raising girls? Please ask me, mine are still young, but man am I learning fast what it means to raise three daughters of God.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-6035267970292158142013-02-27T19:18:00.000-07:002013-02-27T19:18:08.001-07:00Love affirmation seriec ~ Affirmation Door<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Love Affirmation Mini Series</b></span></div>
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So as we chatted about the other day, you don't need a major holiday to show your family you love them. I know I know you are thinking you're the CEO of your house, you are mom. That is showing them love daily.<br />
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True. Very very true. However, I believe very strongly in the book "The Five Love Languages". If you haven't read it, you can get it here on amazon, for your <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Five-Love-Languages-ebook/dp/B0032CVAQQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361649048&sr=8-2&keywords=five+love+languages">kindle </a>or this is the<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Love-Languages-Secret-Lasts/dp/0802473156/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361649048&sr=8-1&keywords=five+love+languages"> hard copy version</a>. I HIGHLY suggest reading it, if you or your spouse doesn't feel totally "fulfilled". It is how we each give and receive love differently and sometimes, we give how WE would like to be loved, not necessarily how THEY like to be loved. There are also love languages of children, and this is what this project is for...<br />
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My kiddos are very different, while they have some similarities my middle girl especially loves to be told what is lovable about her. It is another "words of affirmation".<br />
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So in the spirit of carrying on this series, I am going to show you what I did for Valentines day for them. My Affirmation Door<br />
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I plan on doing it every year, however I also plan on carrying it out in future years, all of February, I mean it IS the shortest month of the year!! And my girls woke with a bound each morning!<br />
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The best part, you don't need any fancy tools, though they are fun. I did use my Silhouette Cameo for this, but you can just as simply cut your own hearts out.<br />
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I would suggest taking one night and cutting out ALL your hearts, so you aren't like me scrambling each night to make em . It really will save you some time! But I took a heart for each girl and every night I would write things I love about them on it. I would title their mane and what day number they were on.<br />
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They LOVED hunting for their new heart each morning. </div>
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My oldest asked that I don't throw them away, so at the end of the month, I plan on taking them and putting a hole punch in the top and taking just a small ring, the cheap kind you get at Hobby Lobby in the jewelry making section...and putting it through so they have a little book to look at through the year with everything I love about her/them.<br />
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Go ahead, try it for just two weeks, and see how it fills your child's love tank up!!<br />
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Let me know what you find :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-65241652928971497042013-02-25T15:30:00.000-07:002013-02-25T15:30:01.133-07:00Love affirmation series ~ Love jar<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Love Affirmation Mini Series</b></span></div>
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I am going to kick off a two series of posts that were originally geared toward my family for Valentines day. But I am a VERY firm believer that you need to show you love ESPECIALLY on the <i>non </i>holidays. The just because occasions. You don't need Valentines day to show your love...<br />
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I mean think about it. How often do you wish you got something small. Just because. No reason. Other than you are <i>awesome</i>. Or your loved one is awesome for giving it to you.<br />
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This first one is for the hubby. You could adapt for anyone...my buddy is adapting for his wife..really you could even do your kiddos, but I say hubby because a lot of men out there, whether we like to admit it or not aren't necessarily a gifting person.<br />
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They like to be <b>affirmed</b>. They like to hear how awesome they are and what they mean to you. They work hard for the family and it is in their make-up to want to provide the best for their families. But for some reasons it is so hard to tell them this on a consistent basis. Whether it is because we expect what we expect from them, life, marriage, or because it isn't "our love language" it's still a very important aspect of a fulfilled marriage.<br />
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This little gift is actually pretty darn simple and very inexpensive. Find a bag of Hershey kisses...a cute jar, some sticker paper, and a 3/4 " punch and you are done! Cost me a total of about $6.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Its my "Things I love about you" jar.</span></div>
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He even took it to work. My hubby is NOT a gifts guy, but he loved this one, because it was useful, he can eat it!, and it wasn't costly, and most of all it hit his pride button :)<br />
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So I have included the sheet I used to punch out for you to download if you want. Otherwise you can make your own....just make a 3/4" circle and put whatever you want in it.<br />
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Print it out on a single sheet of sticker paper.</div>
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Use your punch and cut it out and stick to bottom of the kiss.</div>
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Present to your love as a gift of honest expression.</div>
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<i>If you decide to do this, please please let me know what you did and how it turned out!!</i> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-26605907727599348972013-02-23T14:11:00.003-07:002013-02-23T14:11:22.105-07:00Weekend Review ~ Read and Build Books By LegoSo I am back with my reviews, I know I love knowing what I am getting into, so I feel it is an important part of my blog. Is there a product you want a review on? I probably have it. Especially if it is a little girls product! I swear I have every thing for girls known to woman! So ask away, and I will review it if I have it!! Or maybe I'll buy it :) I seem to always have one girl or another with a want or need. <br />
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I would like to come back every weekend and do this, so let me know if you find it helpful!!?? <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Today I"d love to introduce you to<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>the Read and Build books from Lego</b></span></div>
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They were pretty new on the market and I was curious because my youngest LOVES books, and she loves creative things. So she got one for Christmas and one for her birthday a few weeks later. And let me tell you she LOVES them!! She constantly wants to play with them, she creates her own things with them but her favorite part is following the book along. Then after the build and story she plays with them as a toy and the story has sparked her imagination. <br />
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The book actually has incredibly clear pictures showing each step of the way how to add another piece on. And with each step is a cute little story. <br />
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Even my older girls love it, though I would not recommend it for much older than 5ish. I will say tho my 5 year old gets a new sense of fun with it as she is learning to read, because instead of just making the toy, she can now read the story on her own as she builds, it gives her a new sense of confidence.<br />
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There you have it...<br />
All and all i would say go out and buy every one because they are well worth their money!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-20419658942611989582013-01-23T13:23:00.004-07:002013-01-23T13:23:31.544-07:00AND the FINAL days of Christmas were...OKOK I guess I can be thankful I have so many good friends who actually read this! THANK you.<br />
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I do have a journal of posts I wanna make, and I am going to try to organize how I do this so maybe it becomes much more steady!! <br />
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With out further adoo, the final days of Christmas were............a shock. And the BIGGEST blessing of all!!<br />
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With day 10 we got a note saying that dinner was coming the next night at 6...<br />
There was only one problem with this. we were going on the Polar Express and weren't going to be home. So, it was so sweet, I left a note, as did Alia, saying how much she loved our named "secret Santa" and I left a cooler asking for it to be put there. I also had mentioned we were flying out Christmas Eve.<br />
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When we got home and there was nothing there I wasn't sure what to think. Dinner was meant for the 24? Or they just didn't do anything. I was stumped.<br />
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Either way, we were getting ready for bed...I had a TON to do before leaving at 8am the next morning for our flight. The night was already looking so short for me, as it was 8pm. <br />
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All of a sudden I heard a knock at the door. Something we had become accustomed to lately...so I sharply told Alia and Alyssa that NO it was just our secret people and to not go look and not answer it! I mean it!! But Alia in a pleading tone says "No mommy it's Santa." I responded with "yes Alia I know they have been doing this every night"<br />
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Alia throws back "NO MOMMY, it REALLY is SANTA!!!!!"</div>
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Brandon gets up from his chair and sure enough, there was SANTA at our door. And more so, he was waiting to come in!! So we let him in and the girls can barely contain their shrieks of excitement. <br />
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Behind Santa, was our piping hot Pizzas. Which proved to be a GREAT midnight snack for us that night. <br />
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Now for the best gift of all...no it wasn't the black garbage bag full of presents just waiting for us to open them....it was how Santa talked to the girls. He KNEW Alia was in Jazz dance, and Alyssa gymnastics, and even KK was potty training...and when he mentioned it to her, she gave him full detail of how she poops in the potty and when she does she wipes the front and mommy wipes her butt and so on and so on. Sliiiightly embarrassing! Anyhow, when he asked Alia about her dancing, he sealed a deal. And a very important one at that! One that was slowly unraveling at our household. She believed, but with skepticism since some of the kids in her class no longer believe. But after this, that PURE and SWEET innocence that is a child and their faith. It was ALL hers again. And for that I will be FOREVER thankful. If we didn't get a single one of the things we were blessed with through this journey, <i>that </i>would have been enough!!!<br />
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But....................we did get presents....12 for the TWELVE days...and it was TONS of fun opening them there under our tree with the girls, some that night and the rest that morning before we left. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABv92xa47GEFoe5n9qAnW-J2kG7wxbvYgZL27hanJmhCdfX8Sg5rurpfWycWo5fwde0R2J_uBI6kvkn0qUT9T9OF2-LuocvFObWkk-BJiv8J0fXIckn-bL69-VNv7iTWOcT5dCLGF-K8/s1600/iphone+2012+363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABv92xa47GEFoe5n9qAnW-J2kG7wxbvYgZL27hanJmhCdfX8Sg5rurpfWycWo5fwde0R2J_uBI6kvkn0qUT9T9OF2-LuocvFObWkk-BJiv8J0fXIckn-bL69-VNv7iTWOcT5dCLGF-K8/s320/iphone+2012+363.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All from our Secret Santa</td></tr>
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It truly was, for me, like Santa came. </div>
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The girls got wonderful gifts, ballerina princesses, crowns, crafts, and MY favorite for Brandon and I (maybe it was the family) was Twister. It is a game we actually don't have, and well, we played it the week we came back and Brandon and I laughed and connected like we haven't since long before the strokes. <br />
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It was a BLAST! And little giggling in the background was the perfect music!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-21542801700439877902013-01-15T14:07:00.002-07:002013-01-15T14:07:31.735-07:00Days 7, 8, 9, and 10 of my Days of ChristmasAs Christmas neared things became a blur. But one thing stood steady. My secret Santa and delivering a surprise each morning.<br />
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Well sometimes it was at night, and two of those times they down right scared us! But in a good way. But we were well into our nighttime routine and then there would be this BOOM BOOM BOOM.that you woulda thought we were prepared for. But each time it came as a new surprise. <br />
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sometimes the girls would RUN to the window trying to "catch" him. All but one time they never saw a thing, and even that one time it was just a blurr of a kid running away. <br />
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And when they would ask to open the door, I would shout NO (yes admittedly maybe a little to zealously) that they had to wait till the morning. It was so cute to see Alia wake each morning just anticipating and guessing what Secret had left us this time.<br />
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Day 7 was a neat one they still adore....7 Swans a swimming turned into the Swan Princess movie. And they have only watched it a little under 100 times!!</div>
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Day 8 was another hit, especially with my two youngest. 8 Maids a Milking. And for that one we got a gallon of Chocolate milk. SCORE another "breakfastish" item I didn't have to worry about. <br />
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Mom and Dad made sure to each have a TALL glass ourselves too!! The pre-made kind just isn't something we buy often...see even made a fun treat for all the kids I was watching that Friday :)</div>
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And day 9. Girls got to open a pretty black and white present. It was 9 Ladies dancing....at the ball...<br />
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Upon opening it, they immediately started playing with it, families can always use a strong well made ball, however this one is now waiting till spring where it can show its true colors :)</div>
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And lastly, and I think I forgot a picture of this one!! Is 10 Lords a Leaping. Or in this case, leapfrogging. A game that is now our in the car travel game that can be taken anywhere. :)<br />
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SO STAY TUNED!! I have to tell you about our last two days,especially the last one! There is even a story to go with it, and if it is all I got all season, this was the most precious gift of all!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-70648493567482116412013-01-14T13:24:00.000-07:002013-01-14T13:24:13.843-07:00The Rest of the Days of Cristmas...So we left off with the fourth day of Christmas. I bet you are waiting with baited breath wondering what happened to us....ok so even if you aren't I'm going to tell you, because this was seriously the coolest experience of my life!!<br />
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Sorry it took till now. Traveling with a family of five across country for Christmas, and then all over the state and then getting back into the swing of life once home, including but not limited to the flu can prove to throw even the most organized mom off (which i surely am not). <br />
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And hey this blog was about life as a mom right? And keeping it real? Right? So you should be smitten with me because I sure do keep it real! <br />
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Anyhow, the FIFTH and SIXTH days of Christmas were cute. The girls just loved trying to guess the next item since sometimes it just contained one word of the traditional song.<br />
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Day 5 was FIVE Crispy Creams...</div>
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Which was wonderful for this mom, another day of not having to find breakfast for the kiddos!!</div>
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Day 6 made me question what time of year it was :).....I wondered if it was Easter....six geese a laying became 6 Christmas eggs...........</div>
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Ok here's to promising you...yes you Heather, that I will be back tomorrow with another days surprises and I even have a few other topics planned for later this week and early next week!!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-91958693462622866612012-12-20T21:17:00.002-07:002012-12-20T21:17:39.288-07:00And the mystery continues...4th day of Christmas<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sAgeHk7V5rLCH9JTEu02ljfF74kQc37feT1RCdlidSltZJTpSq5gxr-bxYpUVjTPgQfkXBRFP0z-XaAQkZdw-6gppeMlHiPEX85qp0vsurBaZ5rHk4l4m94bWpPhYcbztP7QnrQ18Oc/s1600/photo+1+(14).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sAgeHk7V5rLCH9JTEu02ljfF74kQc37feT1RCdlidSltZJTpSq5gxr-bxYpUVjTPgQfkXBRFP0z-XaAQkZdw-6gppeMlHiPEX85qp0vsurBaZ5rHk4l4m94bWpPhYcbztP7QnrQ18Oc/s320/photo+1+(14).JPG" width="320" /></a>Ok so this sweet person has done something that NO ONE has been able to do for quite a long while now. and not for lack of trying. My poor sweet friend Heather has tried almost weekly, slyly suggesting it here and mentioning it there. </div>
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This person gave me a gift I hadn't realized how much I missed. Writing. I loved sharing here on the blog, and writing in general. And this has sparked that once again. <br />
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But it was this person, this Secret Santa who has me going!<br />
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Man know it or not, they sure know how to take care of the love language of gifts!<br />
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This fourth day was a ton of fun. Reminiscent of my childhood. It was four calling birds, and we got four stockings with penguins in the top.</div>
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The memory part? The toothbrushes and toothpaste in them. My parents used to do that when I was little! It has carried through with me for life. So it was kinda of a sweet reminder of childhood.<br />
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The candy is never so bad either! And the girls LOVED everything about theirs. </div>
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As you can see from this picture, they all adore their little penguins. They carry them around all the time, and each one is safely tucked in at night....<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-20680909580538273812012-12-19T21:25:00.004-07:002012-12-19T21:25:56.353-07:00On the third day of Christmas....Well this is where I have started to wonder how on earth my Christmas Angel(s) are going to pull this off. There are some TOUGH days of Christmas I tell you!<br />
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How do you give one a french hen?</div>
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Well the French of course!!</div>
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Three french toast stick towers..............ahhh the creativity, AND my kids had breakfast on the morning of their church program. Two blessings with one stone! </div>
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Ok my dear friends and readers, who is waiting to see the next day? I know I have at least ONE friend who anxiously anticipates what is coming the next day, she texts me first thing in the morning to see what it was. So anyone else wanna make a venture as to what the next 9 days hold??? (yes I am a few days behind, I may be posting double tomorrow, but go ahead, make a gander!) Post your ideas int he comments sections. Lets see who is right!</div>
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Even my daughters anxiously try to guess what the next days blessing will be....</div>
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So until tomorrow! </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-24378319671746930532012-12-18T14:17:00.002-07:002012-12-18T14:17:34.625-07:00On the second day of Christmas...<div style="text-align: center;">
I was overwhelmed with kindness and a new excitement!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>"Your true friends give to you, two turtle doves"</b></span></div>
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Take a lookske........can you say GENEROUS??!! </div>
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See, as much as my love language is gifts, I have a hard time accepting gifts that are generous from others. But my secret Santa, no, Angel, has forced me into accepting it, and I couldn't be more excited. This gift included not only my "doves" but some extras, that just make me feel girly and special. Talk about a mood lifter! </div>
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Ps, I LOOOOVE dove chocolate covered almonds!!!</div>
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So for my second day adventure, I am grateful....</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-2368494494140129262012-12-17T16:23:00.003-07:002012-12-17T16:23:27.888-07:00On the First Day of Christmas...And this is where the song changes into a story...<br />
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"Your true friends gave to you, a partridge in a pine tree"</div>
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Yep, totally threw me off my rocker. I so would of stumbled over this cute little tree had my girls not seen it.<br />
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Little did I know, this was the start of something I haven't felt in probably 20 years! Yep I currently feel like a child at Christmas waiting for Santa! Really. I didn't know what to expect the next day, if it was a weird one time thing or not, however turns out, you get to tune in each day, because it was in fact NOT a one time thing. I wake every morning giddy as a schoolgirl wondering what my "secret Santa" left for me overnight.<br />
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We have had such a hard year, that this is a welcome change for me. I have been so consumed with change and loss I have lost myself a bit. <br />
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I have my suspicions who it is, but I don't know as if she will ever fess up. If she doesn't, well just know that this has made not only my day/week, but really it has made my entire year! And I know I know, I can be the type to exaggerate, however I am NOT exaggerating this time!<br />
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And my girls. They have gone through so much in the past few months. Christmas is Alia's favorite time of year, and she wasn't finding the joy in it this year for some reason. That is until our Christmas angel(s) appeared. Now she is so excited each day and feels that magical wonder of Christmas, that only a child can. <br />
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She is even hashing up plans of her own.........so stay tuned. I will say however, all three girls are determined to catch the gifter in the act. It is a "mystery that needs to be solved", and they spend countless time arguing about where these bits of smiles are coming from.<br />
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So....I guess until the next post........Thank you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-65819387292993129882012-12-16T22:19:00.003-07:002012-12-16T22:19:52.693-07:00Just a nugget...until the morningAnd then for once I finally feel like writing again..................all thanks to a Secret Santa, though I say angel!!!<br />
I will tell you all about it in the morning!..............................................Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-38622597321004579972012-11-02T12:25:00.001-06:002012-11-02T12:25:27.296-06:00Things I never thought...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I never knew:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That one day I would check on my husband just like you do with a newborn to see if he is still breathing</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I would <b>pray </b>for a stroke to be an answer</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I would be pissed when everything "serious" keeps turning out fine! </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I would be asked if I work in the medical field because of my knowledge and terminology</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I would quickly learn the symptoms of stroke, ms, vasculitis, among other diseases</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I would learn the terms PFO, angiogram, esophageal echo, MRA, satellite, neurology, infractions,etc</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I can tell you if you have neurological problems/stroke, by the way you smile, push your toes, touch your finger to your nose and then my finger, the way you push and pull back, etc</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That one body can go through the whole grieving process several times in a weeks time</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I would let my daughter take "daddys brain" to school for show and tell</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That my home could become so lonely when everyone is sleeping</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That my body can function for weeks at a time with only hours of sleep</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I would make myself one of the most unpopular people with the medical world due to my lack of "give up/let up"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I someday would not just "accept" what I am told by doctors or nurses</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That the minutes on the clock will take HOURS to get through just one minute at a time.... </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That to sit and watch someone you adore in physical pain, emotional pain, and fear, is the worst form of torture one can inflict on another human</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That an optometrist is better in many ways than some/most general doctors, and are many times the first to discover a neurological problem</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I would in fact be in a hospital room the day my baby was to be born,but not there for a baby, instead there to pray for my husbands health</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That I would learn to accept help in ways that I never thought would be right for someone who is capable of doing it themselves, like accepting meals being cooked</i></span><br />
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<i> That I would questions God, his plan, his nearness, </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>That I would still pray to him and seek his answers more fervently that I have in my entire life.</i>..<br />
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<br />
So it has been since August since I wrote. So much has happened since then it is hardly comprehendable.<br />
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Thank you to those of you who have checked back, and will continue to read, and thank you for your patience...<br />
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The past weeks have been something I never wanted or want to go thorugh. I have epxerienced overwhelming fear, that I have never known, and worse yet I haven't had the time to express it at times, and just keep going on going on. I have had so many hopes, ups, and downs that I really am not sure which way is up at the moment.<br />
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What I do know, is that I love my husband more than any words will ever express. That I will take every ounce of my strength and power to protect him. I will not sit idly for a vauge answer. I will research till there is no way to research, I will not just sit around. I know that we have grown closer. I know that I miss him all the time now, yes he is here, but he has been so tired I haven't been able to "see" him. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-45238586314530810872012-08-23T14:33:00.002-06:002012-08-23T14:33:30.670-06:00This too shall passOr will it?<br />
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These days I am really starting to wonder. After a LONG and not particularly good, OK, down right bad, vacation. I figured home and school starting the very next day was a fresh start. THINK again, not so much! There is this.....<br />
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Check back, it'll be empty by tonight </div>
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And then there was this morning, dropped the girls off and went to go along my merry way....but alas it wasn't to be.....<br />
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Thankfully there were some wonderful people around to help me out....now lets see if it starts in a half hour!!!</div>
<br />
We know God will always provide a way out for us. And when we truly need it, we can have a break in Him.<i style="color: #cc0000;"> "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). </i> Well I am about to have a conversation with him. Because I really don't know how much more I can handle.<br />
With out going into detail, I guess I just wanted to share with you, that I know we are to lean on Him in times of need. But I wanted you to know you are not alone if you do so and feel like He isn't there or isn't listening. It is these times that our "faith" is exactly that. I am in a time where my faith is being tested, I still am looking to Him, but I'd be lying if I said I knew I would make it, or I knew why, or I see the positive of what all is going on. Because at the moment I don't. Maybe in a future post I will be able to share that enlightenment.<br />
<br />
But for now, I just wanted you to know you may not be alone. That it is OK to question, or wonder the paths your life is taking.<br />
<br />
As long as you try to stay focused and on His path even if that path seems like a less traveled dirt road.<br />
<br />
Sometimes the harder the terrain, the more beautiful the scenery at the end....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-87073447173123301262012-07-25T14:56:00.002-06:002012-07-25T14:56:34.534-06:00Just a peek at crazy...So trying to find a rythm between life, potty training, work, groups, friends, family, everything in general has proven to be a harder task for me than I first imagined.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQIKKf1q4XQygwdRUs9qdqxFq3mlAwMd40S7sS01kciCpB6mOLz3klmALFlYg22bC_BW0tr_fpKptub_pluhtjlMGBBPTXy2AJLzPQ8C-JY_giuiRZOjFXB36LjIZpCN4Q8d5SKbeRd0/s1600/photo(102).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQIKKf1q4XQygwdRUs9qdqxFq3mlAwMd40S7sS01kciCpB6mOLz3klmALFlYg22bC_BW0tr_fpKptub_pluhtjlMGBBPTXy2AJLzPQ8C-JY_giuiRZOjFXB36LjIZpCN4Q8d5SKbeRd0/s320/photo(102).JPG" width="320" /></a>I have this dream, so sit down and write every day. For me first and foremosst. It is a way for me to get away from my daily drama and escape into a virtual world I really enjoy. I love you my readers, and I love the seclusion writing takes.<br />
<br />
And that is kinda where my problem is; the seclusion. I dont get much of that these days with the hubby traveling and busy busy schedules.<br />
<br />
But I vow for the millionth time to you that I am going to post 3 times a week. I plan on the next two days to do Barbie Birthday partie amongst other things. <br />
<br />
<br />
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Hopefully you still stick with me. I so appreciate you! Thanks for reading!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-79125209820713978762012-06-24T20:55:00.002-06:002012-06-24T20:57:07.610-06:00Recipe Review! Best Lasagna makeoverAnd totally healthy at that!<br />
<br />
For ANY of you who
really know me, you know I am a total pain in the butt when it comes to
cuisine. May even make you wonder how my family can survive healthy!<br />
<br />
Well
I am aware of my taste buds and I am trying to change that. Since
moving to Utah we have been so much healthier and I am learning how to
prepare <strike>foods </strike><i>some </i>foods super healthy.<br />
<br />
For example
this that I am about to share with you, with out my additions is only
about 250 in calories and is SUPER healthy!! With my changes, it only
adds about 100=150 calories!! And it is fulfilling.<br />
<br />
The
best part, my WHOLE family, from daddy who eats it all, to the K-bean
who is still regulating herself, to the all mighty picky Lissy{no clue
where she gets that from!?}, love it!! Everyone had seconds!<br />
<br />
<br />
I originally found the post on Pinterest. The original is<a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/09/spaghetti-squash-lasagna.html"> here, and she has very pretty pictures and step by step instructions</a> if you
want to check them out! I am forever indebted to her for a recipe that
provides health and taste!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
The main ingredient, instead of noodles, is spaghetti squash!<br />
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<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
So here goes:<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Spaghetti Squash Lasagna</span></div>
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<br />
3 cups spaghetti squash (2 medium ones)*<br />
2 cups marinara sauce<br />
1 cup skim ricotta<br />
2/3 cup browned hamburger<br />
8 tsp Parmesan cheese<br />
1 tsp pizza spice (or Italian seasoning)<br />
1 clove minced garlic<br />
3/4 cup finely shredded part skim mozzarella <br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 375<br />
<br />
Take an 8x8 pan and spread a little less than half the sauce on the bottom.<br />
Then add 3/4 of your squash.<br />
Add half the hamburger.<br />
Layer with all the ricotta.<br />
Add half the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. <br />
Add remaining 1/4 of squash. <br />
Add remaining hamburger. <br />
Add other half sauce, other half mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.<br />
<br />
Cover tightly with tinfoil and stick in oven for 15-20 minutes.<br />
<br />
A serving is ONE FOURTH of the dish!! I was so excited about this because it really is a fulfilling portion!! I started with about 3/4 a serving and that was enough for me.<br />
Calories: 291 with out hamburger<br />
Calories 428 with the hamburger<br />
<br />
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<br />
If you don't know how to cook spaghetti squash it is pretty darn easy, puncture it a lot maybe even a cut or two to let the air out, and microwave 8-12 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes after, then open, cut out the seeds and scrape out with a fork. That's it!<br />
<br />
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Now this is the "good stuff"...<br />
<br />
<br />
Some of the health benefits of squash are amazing too!! As a
matter of a fact I just shared it with my 82 yr old father who deals
with many of these.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>One cup of cooked spaghetti squash</b>: 40 calories, 2 grams dietary fiber, 10
grams carbohydrates,only 4 grams sugar, 1 gram protein, very low-fat content
and no cholesterol. In addition..<br />
<br />
This is the amazing part! spaghetti squash contains<br />
<br />
~omega-3 essential
fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. While the former is good for
preventing heart disease, cancer and inflammation caused by arthritis,
the latter promotes brain function.<br />
<br />
~ It contains various vitamins and
minerals, which are required for proper functioning of the body.<br />
<br />
~Recent
studies suggest that this squash is good for prostate health and it can
also be used for treating benign prostate enlargement.<br />
<br />
~It is very rich
in beta carotene, which can prevent atherosclerosis and is also
beneficial for people with insulin resistance.<br />
<br />
~While potassium helps to
lower blood pressure, foliate is good for preventing damage to blood
vessel walls. Foliate is also beneficial for pregnant women as it can
prevent some types of birth defects in the baby.<br />
<br />
~Spaghetti squash is a
good source of vitamin A and vitamin C that are antioxidants, which can
prevent cell damage. The B vitamins in spaghetti promote proper cellular
function.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Please please, pretty please let me know if you intend on making this, and if you do, come back and let me know how it turned out!!! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-85382949864040060192012-06-21T13:17:00.001-06:002012-06-21T13:18:15.750-06:00Don't leave a broken spirit...In the wake of a broken treasure... <br />
<br />
A bit of advice...<br />
<br />
Your children are only so little for so long. Make sure to not put material things before them.<br />
This is easily said "I don't" when it is matters of purchasing things, or a job, etc etc. However this lesson becomes a bit harder when said child breaks something of emotional and/or physical value of yours!<br />
<br />
My mom told me, when I had my first daughter this lesson. She said, "Don't make the same mistake I did, putting something of material value before you"<br />
<br />
I learned what she meant by that statement today. And I am proud to say, I reacted as she suggested, and I feel very good inside about it.<br />
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It all started with these cute figurines from Willowtree that my mother in law gave the girls when I had the K-bean. They are sisters who hold hands, but them come apart. They sit on their dresser, and they "touch/light play" with them from time to time, though I tell them they shouldn't. Well with each baby I have had my mother in law has given me these precious statues. So for me, they not only hold their material value, they are so sentimental special, they are from someone I love and they signify the birth of my children.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UwyGiiDCv5nqeEUmGs4hi8Eh64gQWFuzZV_QRehr0HpC_8dnzaB12r_y0NngCeBY37c_gxcAGtMjPoM1djz_x6p8F2PTF4pQmAMJnLLgHIEDPdSL6pNc6DTkaxkAU6RocdFyieaP4Rs/s1600/photo+1+%288%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UwyGiiDCv5nqeEUmGs4hi8Eh64gQWFuzZV_QRehr0HpC_8dnzaB12r_y0NngCeBY37c_gxcAGtMjPoM1djz_x6p8F2PTF4pQmAMJnLLgHIEDPdSL6pNc6DTkaxkAU6RocdFyieaP4Rs/s320/photo+1+%288%29.JPG" width="320" /></a>I have them sitting next to my TV in the fireplace room. Alia came in while I was on the phone, looking a little impatient, or was it nervous. Anyhow when I hung up I asked her what was up. She beat around the bush for a good 5 minutes. This was my first clue to something being wrong. "You know those pretty figures you have...", "Well I just love them so much and they look so neat...", and on she went.<br />
<br />
Finally she told me that she had broken one of them. And she started bawling.<br />
<br />
My instant internal reaction? To scream at her, to drag her in there and yell all the "I told you this is whys" at her.<br />
<br />
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Instead I calmly went into the room and examined the damage. Getting a tiny big angrier when I realized it was several small pieces not just one. I calmly picked them up, took the glue and went in my room. I sat there thinking about the tears running down my sweet girls face.<br />
<br />
Did she mean to do it? No Does any child ever mean to do it? I doubt it.<br />
<br />
I worked on the figures and eventually they came back together. Not perfect, but good.<br />
<br />
I took this time to sit both girls down, but especially Alia next to me, to ask them why they think I make the rules I do. She got it right, to not break anything and to keep them safe. I told her I loved her, I was disappointed in how she knew better but acted anyhow. She repeated how sorry she was. She was afraid I wouldn't forgive her.<br />
<br />
I explained to my sobbing daughter that of course I would forgive her, and reminded her of Jesus forgiveness. How he died to forgive our sins. So how could I not forgive her, when she was a gift from the very Man who taught all us forgiveness in the first place.<br />
<br />
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As a matter of a fact, I am in some ways glad that arm is broken on that figurine. It was to represent my children. With out that imperfection right now, would mean maybe no children to create it in the first place. They are my life, and that crack reminds me of the small life I am helping to develop. The small live that God has entrusted not only her physical well being with, but her emotional, and most importantly spiritual well being with! I look at it and know I have wonderful children to love instead of what I would feel is an empty life with out them.<br />
<br />
Thank you God for not only lessons for my daughter but lessons for me.<br />
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Have you ever learned anything like this? Especially as a parent? Hope this can help you today! :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-39312323221156607652012-06-20T14:04:00.000-06:002012-06-20T14:07:14.967-06:00DIY Quick and pretty Carnations ~ From Kleenex!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvfu2T72G1c__d9bnhyphenhyphenhWcOWxi8MXhq02wHNQsMgbbF_FV37o569HdVBY_RH9EhiZlfE-QhwwEjIZRt9K0PCaKL5hRxvAf4NwXgE5eo8nySx00ILgYLswuS3BhNIWP0WPQNWDQAF2cWc/s1600/photo(100).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvfu2T72G1c__d9bnhyphenhyphenhWcOWxi8MXhq02wHNQsMgbbF_FV37o569HdVBY_RH9EhiZlfE-QhwwEjIZRt9K0PCaKL5hRxvAf4NwXgE5eo8nySx00ILgYLswuS3BhNIWP0WPQNWDQAF2cWc/s400/photo(100).JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
I first stumbled upon these amazing flowers over at <a href="http://www.themotherhuddle.com/diy-tissue-kleenex-flowers/">The Mother Huddle on this post.</a> She has some really amazing ideas!<br />
<br />
A few weeks back Lissy wanted to give these to our neighbor for mothers day, and they couldn't have been more simple to make!! And They were stunning!!<br />
<br />
I have done the tissue paper ones before, so the basics are the same, however they turn out SO much more realistic and pretty!!!<br />
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I figured I would share with you since they were easy enough for a 5 and 7 year old to accomplish.<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kleenex Carnation's</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Supplies:</span><br />
<i>Tissue</i><br />
<i>Sharpie markers</i><br />
<i>Dollar store flowers (for the stems)</i><br />
<i>Duct or gardener's tape</i><br />
<i>Bobby pins</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Getting Started:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUpAP6mqOhVoh36MEfmpALvQiGwXmfygL_1dfPQEJzdINc3U6WfKlt-OE9N8U0NtlCp7FvgrsonGE8QOrezSVTtMhcqguq7_gjJvDc-DmGzZCeckFmBZs8VuN1rHERNc2BQw4htPLPgQ/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUpAP6mqOhVoh36MEfmpALvQiGwXmfygL_1dfPQEJzdINc3U6WfKlt-OE9N8U0NtlCp7FvgrsonGE8QOrezSVTtMhcqguq7_gjJvDc-DmGzZCeckFmBZs8VuN1rHERNc2BQw4htPLPgQ/s320/photo+5.JPG" width="320" /></a> First you want to take about three (double ply) tissue and lay on top of one another. Then start to accordion fold them...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBULy8eKvtzoQgbmkmUah218ob68H3M0kZSQzuy6P8cQjJJQYwhzFUsNLOXkgEzxewk8J_nUTKW2GOXI75ya1-Bax8UR6DCSQIqZFN1biFDD7JFVH9KolNmI2Vz5xmKnyp9FNrg4yrmCw/s1600/photo+4+%283%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBULy8eKvtzoQgbmkmUah218ob68H3M0kZSQzuy6P8cQjJJQYwhzFUsNLOXkgEzxewk8J_nUTKW2GOXI75ya1-Bax8UR6DCSQIqZFN1biFDD7JFVH9KolNmI2Vz5xmKnyp9FNrg4yrmCw/s320/photo+4+%283%29.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Once you are done hold together in the middle...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDPbYvKY3ZxIacorWo6LT9DhsWr9SSHiSw127AgZxXkBNRF_Y9vtPWSJch6EyScQUHG5x3gnTCFh7Uqi0hRP6-tdvliMCpyb2CjyGN3bW9YXNmOMJi81sCeZpwcorvKj6Annf7utogkA/s1600/photo+1+%287%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDPbYvKY3ZxIacorWo6LT9DhsWr9SSHiSw127AgZxXkBNRF_Y9vtPWSJch6EyScQUHG5x3gnTCFh7Uqi0hRP6-tdvliMCpyb2CjyGN3bW9YXNmOMJi81sCeZpwcorvKj6Annf7utogkA/s320/photo+1+%287%29.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Take your bobby pin and slide it in the middle to hold it all together...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYalGEYiLy33fWKfwoTSu_asiN_Slv8TCZmV0VsXBIq9vRD2djn-vEpa_oed4Af5mu1m-qIOXohvdyfa4EVGAgja9me_72XYT-zrR_XBYRW2lIJh_bhChUH0cigeqw4v7Mx6jYwM7Mk5Q/s1600/photo+2+%288%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYalGEYiLy33fWKfwoTSu_asiN_Slv8TCZmV0VsXBIq9vRD2djn-vEpa_oed4Af5mu1m-qIOXohvdyfa4EVGAgja9me_72XYT-zrR_XBYRW2lIJh_bhChUH0cigeqw4v7Mx6jYwM7Mk5Q/s320/photo+2+%288%29.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div>
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Next you want to
tear off the ends of either side. the more you tear the smaller the
flower. A medium flower is about perfect... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkttvN-Yd6BlFv3IVmKDO_X6ajDP2cGYM0ZII8jHJb_qeJxpX1ZLtFa2_9-qLu_rxcl_mZNV4mOfXoldfGyEboxCeru5AZdTfrjeZ9DXxu4QOoMvhmP6t8lxW5ZjuRqKdu58pbJCIafio/s1600/photo+3+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkttvN-Yd6BlFv3IVmKDO_X6ajDP2cGYM0ZII8jHJb_qeJxpX1ZLtFa2_9-qLu_rxcl_mZNV4mOfXoldfGyEboxCeru5AZdTfrjeZ9DXxu4QOoMvhmP6t8lxW5ZjuRqKdu58pbJCIafio/s320/photo+3+%25287%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a>Now is time to take your sharpie and color the ends on both sides...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6zP4HLT55eokwv-5q7an3XtneN6Mt0RU4Pii98uU5X2YlrHJzHjqifnysRi6FQhWhUltgazLYgc9LDkdysAQOl7HDbuEuxRU4jyYZXNcRTUYFq4dl1gueAqCa6gUizqb9MpIFG_Qcdc/s1600/photo+4+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6zP4HLT55eokwv-5q7an3XtneN6Mt0RU4Pii98uU5X2YlrHJzHjqifnysRi6FQhWhUltgazLYgc9LDkdysAQOl7HDbuEuxRU4jyYZXNcRTUYFq4dl1gueAqCa6gUizqb9MpIFG_Qcdc/s320/photo+4+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a> Make sure to color the tip/ends as well, like such. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyCCDcGQburTqr9ZOjFyu-tysP_mdQLuCkcSBReUqsxjXgFIw-bWn639efbPLD9ScPCiEtoKRVVNzfnnWKDKEBbCAsfTl3iRGmjyRRoiN7Sl_g3260dLu3q4zZYUTdaBsxoi53mqB3Q0/s1600/photo+3+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyCCDcGQburTqr9ZOjFyu-tysP_mdQLuCkcSBReUqsxjXgFIw-bWn639efbPLD9ScPCiEtoKRVVNzfnnWKDKEBbCAsfTl3iRGmjyRRoiN7Sl_g3260dLu3q4zZYUTdaBsxoi53mqB3Q0/s320/photo+3+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a> All that is left is
to open your flowers up, one layer at a time. Pull up toward your body,
and as you add layers they create a carnation "effect"..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLwvKkyBzs23JTsedMNDckKgwjVpOeI_SUvAnLBaayBOdpsLPwADRlTr1LDGH_vb1Nhyphenhyphen6CuINpSLfZqGEXU-9kG1qUZeX-PXRsCOoclbXXcJYoK_l6GZ7lE9x8ALOJ6T6NaI9xva0v_A/s1600/photo+1+%286%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLwvKkyBzs23JTsedMNDckKgwjVpOeI_SUvAnLBaayBOdpsLPwADRlTr1LDGH_vb1Nhyphenhyphen6CuINpSLfZqGEXU-9kG1qUZeX-PXRsCOoclbXXcJYoK_l6GZ7lE9x8ALOJ6T6NaI9xva0v_A/s320/photo+1+%286%29.JPG" width="320" /></a> And here are your finished flowers...all that is left to do is pop the
flower off your dollar store flowers, and tape your carnations on by the
bobby pin sticking out</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiH_HzS_XRV1Gal_bwgOkt8rEZCikjLRw3m27DvYjUDSHc3xyz3ujEdC4wyQl5KTISmgQH5tBH4XxW-3731ZY7Ndf2h4EvDxlXRzhJoeF4T3zEimOnk7Hb-18_JsS2Mu3l4os9CWC2rw/s1600/photo+2+%287%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiH_HzS_XRV1Gal_bwgOkt8rEZCikjLRw3m27DvYjUDSHc3xyz3ujEdC4wyQl5KTISmgQH5tBH4XxW-3731ZY7Ndf2h4EvDxlXRzhJoeF4T3zEimOnk7Hb-18_JsS2Mu3l4os9CWC2rw/s320/photo+2+%287%29.JPG" width="320" /></a> . </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MXwc1d6j69w0WbH4vrR41m90Pi8MNiQNPlXz1WcHO9Wit-qKaN5DigLz_ADMKiSlxiqRWfunJINHimxJV2UXmIcDFCKHNEunUDOFlMFG3NBMG8YCccpZcvvMZSnEJ-R2Nl7340daiDw/s1600/photo+5+%282%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MXwc1d6j69w0WbH4vrR41m90Pi8MNiQNPlXz1WcHO9Wit-qKaN5DigLz_ADMKiSlxiqRWfunJINHimxJV2UXmIcDFCKHNEunUDOFlMFG3NBMG8YCccpZcvvMZSnEJ-R2Nl7340daiDw/s320/photo+5+%282%29.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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The end result? A beautiful flower to put in a vase or to give as gifts! Its that simple!!<br />
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So what do you think? Hey if you try it out let me know how it turned out! Thanks for reading. Please come back soon as it is finally officially summer and I will be posting more!! What a concept!1 ;)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-67410171807776455422012-06-07T08:30:00.000-06:002012-06-07T09:10:21.661-06:00Summer Bucket List ~ DIY (Glitter) Slime!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgdy8AGY9RApUn4L8GPLIjUJ7RSofmFhoFjdq1zqswz3uC1zdIfAXCmUB1J19Tj8tFB2dB0kWB8eJSJnN4EjIWglXucz5h7p8b8Lk40FHhQXdU8yPJoXFQwODNJtHWi-dWCCIegmS0fA/s1600/photo+2+%285%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgdy8AGY9RApUn4L8GPLIjUJ7RSofmFhoFjdq1zqswz3uC1zdIfAXCmUB1J19Tj8tFB2dB0kWB8eJSJnN4EjIWglXucz5h7p8b8Lk40FHhQXdU8yPJoXFQwODNJtHWi-dWCCIegmS0fA/s320/photo+2+%285%29.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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What kid, girl or boy, young or old, doesn't love slime?! My girls needed a project to "sell" for school and this one was a HIT!
You can totally customaize it how your kiddos want it. You can make it opaque and solid colors, or clear, girly and glittery...my personal favorite.
Either way SLIME is a easy way to pass time with the kiddos. It takes no more than 5 mnutes to make and probably cost around 5 cents to make!
Go ahead try it!
I originally found the recipe <a href="http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/09/kids-in-the-kitchen-slime/">here</a>, from where else but the almighty Pinterest...<br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-large;">SLIME (glitter)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>1 teaspoon borax powder (best found at wal-mart in the laundry isle, its a box)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>1 1/2 C water, divided</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>4 oz (1/2 C) Elmer’s glue, clear or white</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>food coloring</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>fine glitter </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">1. In a small bowl add
borax powder to 1 cup of water and stir to dissolve. Set aside. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAwRnFybx_9S6uYPJC9JB2lZj7EQa3kwOE9-zBBB1H7RqcrjlX_L978Ri1NzKt9CMc9nxLXD6i6rcN4vf5cOaaoM95U7hde6UbtEG5b0RripH4evNS_v9nkyZ92289-KufxT7bnUcwgw/s1600/photo+1+%285%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAwRnFybx_9S6uYPJC9JB2lZj7EQa3kwOE9-zBBB1H7RqcrjlX_L978Ri1NzKt9CMc9nxLXD6i6rcN4vf5cOaaoM95U7hde6UbtEG5b0RripH4evNS_v9nkyZ92289-KufxT7bnUcwgw/s320/photo+1+%285%29.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6XBvVXlTzkoGlP4K73TDuUCf2RLfrJldaOlHLSrABo0bqgN0VvHK8e6zF0KciL0Xs2rhs-j_7uxrhy9iQ3STbxhb0HEwfPVeIvNu5toJwVas2qvoO0JRHJlXs__5uQ-sa6itxG7bP1c/s1600/photo+1+%284%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6XBvVXlTzkoGlP4K73TDuUCf2RLfrJldaOlHLSrABo0bqgN0VvHK8e6zF0KciL0Xs2rhs-j_7uxrhy9iQ3STbxhb0HEwfPVeIvNu5toJwVas2qvoO0JRHJlXs__5uQ-sa6itxG7bP1c/s320/photo+1+%284%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">2. Pour
glue into a mixing bowl and add 1/2 C water. Add a few drops of
food coloring until desired color is reached and then stir to mix glue
solution until smooth. If you want glitter, I would get the real fine kind and add it now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">3. Pour the borax mixture into the glue mixture and
watch the solids start to form. Make sure to let sit 3-5 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">4. Stir for a few moments and then use
your hands to gather the mass. The mixture will be very soft and wet. Kind of lumpy but not a firm lump yet. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhAo4uXNevAfUuRB7qiaZYvLpwERCDFkAQFmn5648wKecQwYrG80vtOjc7QMGLY1VbTG4pSRQuGDlYxayu3Sm54eOkr3T9wDfoHQzM0wSI6JaDAsMje5l87BP8Hw07FmkgyVVsK-ptEM/s1600/photo+2+%284%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhAo4uXNevAfUuRB7qiaZYvLpwERCDFkAQFmn5648wKecQwYrG80vtOjc7QMGLY1VbTG4pSRQuGDlYxayu3Sm54eOkr3T9wDfoHQzM0wSI6JaDAsMje5l87BP8Hw07FmkgyVVsK-ptEM/s320/photo+2+%284%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb9B6KorC1uTUcR2xN1WTmnqCw9KbwEAlRiJRU1rJ3wd2G0pzeFqUeU4syJTGNRoLsgirQH6uvP7ma6d4J1129OC2M92D0BU3v_GBWJ5mDNP0TGebzhgroBbO8wrX0Awuqbiztgy6Ys0/s1600/photo+3+%284%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb9B6KorC1uTUcR2xN1WTmnqCw9KbwEAlRiJRU1rJ3wd2G0pzeFqUeU4syJTGNRoLsgirQH6uvP7ma6d4J1129OC2M92D0BU3v_GBWJ5mDNP0TGebzhgroBbO8wrX0Awuqbiztgy6Ys0/s320/photo+3+%284%29.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Keep kneading until it firms up and feels dry. There will be QUITE a bit of water left in the bowl. Empty it, keep kneading and empty again. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaPnDWe0e7qfZjdNgIjArpGK4_izO20vy9DVZ5o7WauKhUre09-QDK2Ho_osJmuu4ttMPts44RjDYWqdx-Rb9ZDuVhCuT7Sp2AKclcjxhVz-p4nSjcmdrjtbpHdqYYE1npDbYhOb6pi4/s1600/photo+4+%282%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaPnDWe0e7qfZjdNgIjArpGK4_izO20vy9DVZ5o7WauKhUre09-QDK2Ho_osJmuu4ttMPts44RjDYWqdx-Rb9ZDuVhCuT7Sp2AKclcjxhVz-p4nSjcmdrjtbpHdqYYE1npDbYhOb6pi4/s320/photo+4+%282%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">5. Store in a ziplock bag or air tight container and the slime
will keep indefinitely. If it feels too hard, just wet your hands and touch it again. A few drops does the trick.</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-57615314606956240192012-06-04T20:26:00.001-06:002012-10-05T14:14:05.631-06:00Recipe!! These are AWESOME! Healthy Banana Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHud3QQCT7gFQ7T_AvetStX1yYBzLGzKlns0n3LHIJgYzssSbk0FAJzypF0lxJlpL_cQxaw-xoYid7BVUxjQM6pUvgX9hmAtr6aU2uTRIj4NNyaDRmCXmMBUxvRzAcLcxY0hLt4lcevRk/s1600/banana+muffin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHud3QQCT7gFQ7T_AvetStX1yYBzLGzKlns0n3LHIJgYzssSbk0FAJzypF0lxJlpL_cQxaw-xoYid7BVUxjQM6pUvgX9hmAtr6aU2uTRIj4NNyaDRmCXmMBUxvRzAcLcxY0hLt4lcevRk/s400/banana+muffin.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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Ever had a taste for something sweet and yummy but struggle with the battle of overloading on sweets? I do it ALL the time. I have a love hate relationship with my food, I LOVE to eat it and I HATE to give it up!!</div>
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I have come up with this recipe which is amazing. Which I don't mind saying so myself! Did I just say that out loud? Well its yummy, try it! It is your mix of healthy with a touch of sweets in it. Yet it packs a punch with fiber (flax seed and apple peels) and wheat flour (which for your info I have never liked!) so not to worry you can't taste it! </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Healthy Banana Muffins</u></span></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 1/2 C Flour</div>
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1/2 C Wheat Flour</div>
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1 C Sugar </div>
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1 C mashed bananas (aprox 2 bananas)</div>
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1/2 C margarine</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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6 TBSP milk</div>
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2 1/2 Tsp baking powder</div>
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1/2 Tsp baking soda</div>
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1 Tsp ground cinnamon</div>
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1 Tsp Vanilla</div>
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1/2 Tsp nutmeg</div>
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1/2 Tsp salt</div>
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3 TBSP Ground Flaxseed</div>
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Optional:</div>
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Chocolate chips </div>
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Apple Crumble topping (apple skin dried in oven 250 degrees for a few hours, sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon and sugar) butter and sugar (normal crumble topping recipe is fine, just add the apple to it)</div>
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Grease muffin pan</div>
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1. In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flaxseed and set aside.</div>
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2. In separate bowl cream margarine, sugar, and eggs till smooth. Stir in milk, vanilla, and mashed banana. Mix well.</div>
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3. Fold flour mix into liquid until well combined.</div>
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4. Put in muffin tin 3/4 full. Leave as is, or add crumble topping, or I add about 4-6 chocolate chips just to the top. </div>
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4. Bake 350 for 20 minutes</div>
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Makes about 2 dozen. Approx 150 calories for one with choc chips, or crumble. About 125 calories with out. Packed full of fiber and protein and vitamins as well! Great on the go breakfast muffin.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAkeIzHyqNe6-ot6PF5jRTwgy9-HQrq0AUMZVqssC-yBRjM94UVNnSWuoRZhQXITQ60NtDd0EZbe1yKK_oN4k3NploDKfLtkbh5lddpEdOZDmMJhD_SLUmpl1Avlhkhg4Ih8iqj60DMg/s1600/banana+muffin+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAkeIzHyqNe6-ot6PF5jRTwgy9-HQrq0AUMZVqssC-yBRjM94UVNnSWuoRZhQXITQ60NtDd0EZbe1yKK_oN4k3NploDKfLtkbh5lddpEdOZDmMJhD_SLUmpl1Avlhkhg4Ih8iqj60DMg/s400/banana+muffin+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So there ya have it! Super easy, fast, healthy and YUMMY!! </div>
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If you try this recipe, pretty please let me know what you think!!! </div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-62975612673231258632012-06-02T08:01:00.003-06:002012-06-02T08:01:53.725-06:00I am still getting those posts out...But I had NO CLUE how busy you moms with school kids are at the end of the year!! GOODNESS! Its all done now! Soooooooo hopefully I can get them out on schedule this week! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-82016366314714295542012-05-29T09:47:00.001-06:002012-05-29T09:47:21.429-06:00Check back today!So lets see!! I am a blogger failure I think!<br />
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First I get excited, then I start to feel sorry for myself when I realize I only have about 30 people who read and it isn't growing that I know of, then I get busy with life, then I wish I was writing, then I start again....<br />
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Am I a pain?! Yes! <br />
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However I was discussing with hubby one of the problems is I can't write at home, with the chaos!! So we have agreed to let me go somewhere with free wifi to write a few times a week. So lets see if this helps.<br />
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This week I intend on writing about:<br />
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Little girls and their images (body) and to be aware of it<br />
How to have the perfect barbie party<br />
End of school fun-ness<br />
and TBA :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-1013553224618570602012-05-16T21:55:00.001-06:002012-05-16T21:55:24.745-06:00Hello, Hello, Hello....it's meeeeeee...showing you a Marshmallow Shooter! DIYAGAIN! Yep I am giving it a go again. I swear someday my crazy princess filled life will allow me to do the 5 posts a week that are my goal! But for now, thank you for being a faithful reader!<br />
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And my motivation. Brooke, a friend, needed the how to on how to make these! So here ya go Brooke!! <br />
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I wanted to give you a neat "craft" if you will, today. It isn't all that girly either! <br />
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Alia needed to make something for Market Day at school. And she wanted to not only attract the girls for customers, but the boys as well. She settled on a marshmallow shooter. And then tested it out. It was awesome, super easy and super inexpensive!! A great hit at school as well.<br />
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To make your own I will post what I did here. I got the original idea from the all mighty Pinterest. It is actually a blog I really enjoy following. Come Together Kids. Her post is <a href="http://www.cometogetherkids.com/2011/09/mini-marshmallow-shooters-or-pom-pom.html">here</a>. <br />
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Soooo to make your own, here is what you need to do:<br />
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<h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemDrHnvrdCcXVZSafbrQ5RlDggJhejgPs93_XVUNLf4-uabYubBHrbVNHudviF65wXzxchWypUT879He7SobRcSG_gEQtXKJUWanEqIgLR3EA3W1ComtEPTKPKuPGBggerHEuhC7ZMN4/s1600/photo(93).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemDrHnvrdCcXVZSafbrQ5RlDggJhejgPs93_XVUNLf4-uabYubBHrbVNHudviF65wXzxchWypUT879He7SobRcSG_gEQtXKJUWanEqIgLR3EA3W1ComtEPTKPKuPGBggerHEuhC7ZMN4/s320/photo(93).JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;"><u style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Marshmallow Shooter</b></u></span></h3>
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You will need:<br />
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<i>Marshmallows</i><br />
<i>Cups </i><br />
<i>Balloons</i><br />
<i>Pom Poms if you want</i><br />
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Yep that's it!!!<br />
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First you want to take the cup and cut the bottom off. I would suggest using a little bit heavier duty cup. Don't make it the huge Solo cups because their brim is too wide, but the smaller ones seemed to work perfect for me. If your cup is too flimsy it will buckle under the pressure of the balloon.<br />
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Once it is cut, take your balloon and cut the tip off. I figured it is about 1/4 of an inch. <br />
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That's it.<br />
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now you take your balloon and tie the end just like you would if you were tying a balloon. <br />
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Once that part is tied you stretch the cut part over your cup, just like these...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FKoei5Ky3W1ccWNS2RtAN1fm2_d5RAHu6bKzbnYc_0NWmbGBwpXirLaUBY7ciyuc2kOWM1c93Gh8vvGy9lx89WXAMEf-m0qVvoIB19nX8JfW_pgkVwHsyagwHW6aOsT29lufSrXlfvg/s1600/photo(94).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FKoei5Ky3W1ccWNS2RtAN1fm2_d5RAHu6bKzbnYc_0NWmbGBwpXirLaUBY7ciyuc2kOWM1c93Gh8vvGy9lx89WXAMEf-m0qVvoIB19nX8JfW_pgkVwHsyagwHW6aOsT29lufSrXlfvg/s320/photo(94).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now you're ready to go shoot. The marshmallows (tiny are best) go the farther. Pompom's are safest in the house however. <br />
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To get the furthest distance out of your shooter you put the marshmallow right in the center of where the balloon is tied. That really give it a chance to "pop".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMIwsNa6L02wXPIoTMzTI8s4cevk7Vf2htra_x8xnfSrAM5WH7oXW5w3OgUqjZAj2S9I3RIRLAucDpfe2fNPbRqwBAkGgsdUG0HjaaULAi9b_dRjGMR6BS-yChBec2MTwAI1OPE2HEfE/s1600/photo(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMIwsNa6L02wXPIoTMzTI8s4cevk7Vf2htra_x8xnfSrAM5WH7oXW5w3OgUqjZAj2S9I3RIRLAucDpfe2fNPbRqwBAkGgsdUG0HjaaULAi9b_dRjGMR6BS-yChBec2MTwAI1OPE2HEfE/s320/photo(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Try shooting them straight up in the air, shoot them as far as you can and make it a game by drawing a line and trying to pass it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSwPyVTTUi-YBMCIBjSJyMJ8McrcQ-CgbpUpD4wDiSfiGeBiIeFFptLXc2z6QMvcAT4F5V2xPq4FcOja2vCPk3nWXhcZ3IAJoI7kIz0wNQC_tYeqw1GFndV98Ec4rN6Sq-RZ4XzGBLJE/s1600/photo(97).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSwPyVTTUi-YBMCIBjSJyMJ8McrcQ-CgbpUpD4wDiSfiGeBiIeFFptLXc2z6QMvcAT4F5V2xPq4FcOja2vCPk3nWXhcZ3IAJoI7kIz0wNQC_tYeqw1GFndV98Ec4rN6Sq-RZ4XzGBLJE/s320/photo(97).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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See how far the kids are? That was where this marshmallow, and a few others landed!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo1Zmuk0nLDgRcjEw9clbxlHMoaq8Qt_M1wtQqszsWtqU3ehmB1YbkyOErJvMmgVVmiUh0cOV0RaUe_4bnhCLsRxFeNSf-IvkoDPsrYqZ3oeO7K1pEqPus6YUHZHUFNmb04XrHGtC7yo/s1600/photo(96).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo1Zmuk0nLDgRcjEw9clbxlHMoaq8Qt_M1wtQqszsWtqU3ehmB1YbkyOErJvMmgVVmiUh0cOV0RaUe_4bnhCLsRxFeNSf-IvkoDPsrYqZ3oeO7K1pEqPus6YUHZHUFNmb04XrHGtC7yo/s320/photo(96).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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There ya go. A quick and simple way to keep the kids buys and convince them to go outside!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TXN5VMogZYXIBem4ojvZBIQBUJQonr6zMcXevk1-gwoUN6Vje_fcb3QWHGWMGlW1B75A0CwDVnZjcraDKI3G0rLJDCdmzbdB4BbMtHzq-ee22-WlT5swZInPzuWoBLhdOvdKBpgkKZs/s1600/photo(92).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TXN5VMogZYXIBem4ojvZBIQBUJQonr6zMcXevk1-gwoUN6Vje_fcb3QWHGWMGlW1B75A0CwDVnZjcraDKI3G0rLJDCdmzbdB4BbMtHzq-ee22-WlT5swZInPzuWoBLhdOvdKBpgkKZs/s320/photo(92).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let me know if you ever try it out!<br />
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How do you convince your kids to go out when they don't want to?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386603971500647208.post-54862173330368682152012-04-29T21:08:00.002-06:002012-04-29T21:08:33.040-06:00hAPPy sunday!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJesA7MiweIm3FeqI88EWUVOfS7SoQVOp9nPhvi0sge3rWBOBaL7orYjjAtmdxwLzXrKRsmHmXla886njoBKgbTvFjLIu2TzBJjgBsfKLt0MrE92NQR1T-0tUym3nc0WcQwVOMXiDLb_c/s1600/pocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJesA7MiweIm3FeqI88EWUVOfS7SoQVOp9nPhvi0sge3rWBOBaL7orYjjAtmdxwLzXrKRsmHmXla886njoBKgbTvFjLIu2TzBJjgBsfKLt0MrE92NQR1T-0tUym3nc0WcQwVOMXiDLb_c/s320/pocket.jpg" width="320" /></a>Cheesy right? Well what do you expect from a mom of three little ones?<br />
<br />
This weekend was incredibly envisioned to be productive and was exactly the opposite. So I'm kinda bummed, however tomorrow is a NEW WEEK!<br />
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That being said I thought on Sundays I could share some of my favorite Apps, since with three kiddos a tech hubby and myself I have plenty of opinions and apps to share. :)<br />
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The first one kinda compares with the almighty Pinterest...however, there is one little catchy that makes this one even more of a gem in some ways.<br />
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If you are like me you are not always where you can use 3g or Wifi, like the airplane etc. Well if you mark a web page to "read it later" by using this app. It downloads the page, stores everything, you tag and sort it and it is all there for you. Connection or not! how great is that?! I LOVE it, and it has been super user friendly. So much in fact that they revamped it from "read it later" to "pocket" and it has a whole new interface that I just LOVE.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyM85fxGCBT9hxBIIH4CGmw6GxLe2CCINF9kWhXuI_MNc9Ev2ooJ9ySTryO8jDDRwPpDq1LmSjrbiRA6gwmG_J3vS5lv8eAtf_dugbwGQVjceT6YKKObczNoPRa5jBWcm-cI2DxzRDY-8/s1600/photo+1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyM85fxGCBT9hxBIIH4CGmw6GxLe2CCINF9kWhXuI_MNc9Ev2ooJ9ySTryO8jDDRwPpDq1LmSjrbiRA6gwmG_J3vS5lv8eAtf_dugbwGQVjceT6YKKObczNoPRa5jBWcm-cI2DxzRDY-8/s320/photo+1.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
See there's all my pages with a picture, though you can choose list view if you want. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXPWx27JQNjOaZSPXEceeaRo9lMEotD1pB14Hph1L34NPXOoSAeydxj0NAKSmk-TpBtz4jGj-qiXQeWatR6Qh6QuLD64bygogZOGlvE4uwVmwSGdArF4SDqW1Dsy5K24WIhdytwQuHR0/s1600/photo+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXPWx27JQNjOaZSPXEceeaRo9lMEotD1pB14Hph1L34NPXOoSAeydxj0NAKSmk-TpBtz4jGj-qiXQeWatR6Qh6QuLD64bygogZOGlvE4uwVmwSGdArF4SDqW1Dsy5K24WIhdytwQuHR0/s320/photo+2.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
You can choose what to do with the page and favorite it if you want to find it fast.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZjddGpD2RzlqLHBYkHKbo12VVXWxbBEX7LfZZAgPeJyu_3znpeZCYDD7yJS5q91ohYSNHe0jpJrv8UYnGEz2hkXxxUFPOHyTyy5NyPjFNaYKyfTVdEj_POIGXwbfNWIOeF4CA4m8Ozo/s1600/photo+3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZjddGpD2RzlqLHBYkHKbo12VVXWxbBEX7LfZZAgPeJyu_3znpeZCYDD7yJS5q91ohYSNHe0jpJrv8UYnGEz2hkXxxUFPOHyTyy5NyPjFNaYKyfTVdEj_POIGXwbfNWIOeF4CA4m8Ozo/s320/photo+3.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
You can even tag em with anything your little heart desires. Pretty darn effective if you ask me. So you can search by type, ie, jpg, video, web page etc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7avliqOZ_NL8GTvaNMYWQbO5V3KyTMZP3Bf6gMfGNRRYEo8H-djqaHjFiYZOLjqfQvxsuxXdt1P2onVgeNRrddhhN2aEsHad-PVEi6-FlKSoJufDVK6zP1tU_8sBJaJefj9T2-noi2xU/s1600/photo+4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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So there ya have it. My lil blurb about one of my favorite apps. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Rk50kBJO54D0L2VkzOEoZIQOpl9_GGti43SjX5YyJlFzHWgr2sB9WXkVtEXxZLjlw-JqxP4QA32JKUesHwlfehqRBc_szoQBirYd3GLOJdv0tTwbEh9gXY0rFEmzV8ew5VJSC9XNEjs/s1600/pocket1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Rk50kBJO54D0L2VkzOEoZIQOpl9_GGti43SjX5YyJlFzHWgr2sB9WXkVtEXxZLjlw-JqxP4QA32JKUesHwlfehqRBc_szoQBirYd3GLOJdv0tTwbEh9gXY0rFEmzV8ew5VJSC9XNEjs/s1600/pocket1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Try it out. FREE is always a good price! </div>
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What is a favorite APP of yours?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1