Religious Education/Sunday School Teacher Gifts

You shared your divinity with me... Now I share mine with you.

I wanted to make some treats for my kids' RE teachers on their last day of class. I spent way too much time looking over recipes for fudge, bark, cupcakes, etc... Then I realized I've been wanting to make divinity for a few weeks, what better treat than divinity. I mean the definition is 1) the state of quality of being divine; 2) the study of religion; theology. Perfect! Except divinity is very, very hard to make in humid climates and we live in a humid climate. I thought I'd defy the odds and give it a go. The first batch, Chocolate Butterscotch Divinity, worked rather well. The 2nd batch never even started to hold it's form, even after 30 minutes of beating. The 3rd batch didn't form perfectly, but while beating this batch, I found out a storm was blowing in. So even though they weren't all perky like my mom's, I knew I did better than most could on a rainy day.

Since I spent all day on the candy, I didn't have much time to make the cards. They said, "You shared your divinity with me....Now I share mine with you."

Another ADD Morning

Well, we almost made it out the door without an ADD meltdown. We were so close, but then Lauren found the paper measuring chart she made yesterday. Caleb bought a How-to draw Angry Birds book at the book fair yesterday (with his own money). After school, while Abby and Spencer were napping, Lauren cut several sheets of paper in half and attached them lengthwise. Then she carefully used a ruler to make inch marks. At each foot, she made a picture of a different Angry Bird. Caleb took part in it, but I'm not sure what he did.

Last night, when Lauren and Caleb were in bed, Abby drew a rainbow and a black bird. That is what set Lauren into a panic. She screamed at Abby and told her she ruined it. I tried to calm her down, but I swear she can't hear me when she is like this. Caleb stepped in and tried to help. I can't believe how good he is at trying to fix these situations whenever they arise and he is only 7! He told Lauren, "Abby did a great job! She wanted to help and I like it, thanks, Abby!" To which Lauren replied, "Look, she made a rainbow, too, ugh!" Caleb actually told Lauren that he made the rainbow, but I know that Abby did it last night. I told Lauren I didn't want the day to start out this way, I asked her if we could turn it around and start out happy.

I took the chart away from her and told her she could make another one after school if she wanted to do her own thing, but this was a family project and she wasn't going to treat Abby that way. She was definitely "hyper-focused" as she continued to cry, scream, and shout about how it was ruined and she worked so hard. Caleb continued to tell her is was wonderful just the way it was. I lost my patience COMPLETELY and told her we had to walk out the door and if she said another word about it, I'd spank her 8 spanks (because she is 8). I really didn't want to do it, but that threat didn't deter her. I hate to admit she is really the only one who pushes me so far over the edge that I spank. I just don't know how to get her to snap out of it. Even after the 8 "spanks" (they were not full force), she went on and on so I told the others to get in the van and not to talk about it anymore. We all filed out the door and she followed us saying, "I really feel like trash."

As I was debating whether or not to address her, I decided to address her self esteem. We got into the van and it continued. So before even pulling out of the garage, I cranked up the Christian song on the radio and asked God to bring peace to the situation. I sat there and prayed. When I turned the radio down and started down the street, I heard Caleb trying again to convince Lauren. "Lauren, Abby did a good job, the chart isn't ruined. We can do things together."

How can I have 2 children only 18 months apart that are 180 degrees different? I mean, I do know the answer, I know that identical twins can be complete opposites, but really?

Lord, please show me how to understand Lauren and love her more.  Help me be more patient when she is hyper-focused and guide me in my thoughts, actions and words. Help Lauren to always know how much she is loved, even when she pushes me over the edge. Let her feel Your presence and always know she was created in Your image. Amen!

Summer Bucket List Part 2

If you haven't seen part 1, click here.

#209 Modern Art found on this site. Supplies needed: black tempera paint, Elmer's glue, watercolor paper, watercolor paints.

#210Watercolor ATC found at Art Projects for Kids. Supplies needed: watercolor paper, watercolors, brush or eyedropper, lemon juice, tissue, ballpoint pen.

#211 Fluffy Stuff found at Play Create Explore. Supplies needed: bowl, 2 boxes of cornstarch and 1 can shaving cream, powdered tempera paint optional.

#212 MYO Rainbow crayons. Supplies needed: broken crayons, empty cans, empty pill bottles, pan, water.

#213 Gigantic Bubbles. Supplies needed:   6 cups water, 1 cup corn syrup, 2 cups regular strength Joy dish soap

#214 Backyard Alphabet Hunt by Play Dr. Mom- Supplies needed: letters, objects that start with each letter of the alphabet.

#215 Lego Maze found at this French blog. Supplies needed: legos, lego mat, marble.

 

#216 Sharpie and Solo cup stained glass found here. Supplies needed: Sharpies, clear plastic cups, hole punch, string/ribbon.
1) Color the cups with the Sharpies.
2) Place the cups on foil sprayed with Pam.
3) Melt the solo cup in a 350 degree oven for 3-4 minutes
4) Immediately after taking them out of the oven, pat them down to completely flatten them and make hole if desired.

 

#217 Smash Balls found on Time For Play blog. Supplies needed: some flour, water, food coloring and cotton balls! Place them on a greased cookie sheet or aluminum foil, bake for about 45 minutes at 300 degree's. Yep, that's it. Maybe a hammer too.

 

 

#218 DIY Outdoor Scrabble found at Constantly Lovestruck. Supplies needed: 12x12 paper, giant letters, fun friends

 

#219 Tissue Paper Stained Glass Windows found here at Kinder-Craze.  Supplies needed: tissue paper squares, 2 borders, clear contact paper



 

#220 Glowing Rainbow Rice found here at Growing a Jeweled Rose. Supplies needed: rice, ziplock bags, flourescent or glow-in-the-dark paint, rubbing alcohol.

 

#221 Glow in the Dark Slime found at Domestic Charm. Supplies needed: clear or blue Elmer's glue, water, glow-in-the-dark paint, neon green food coloring, Borax

 

 

 

 

#222 Target practice from Family Fun.



 

#223 Apple Pie Play-Doh found on Little Wonders. Supplies needed: I just used our regular recipe, a lot of red food coloring and apple pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice).

 

 

#224 Cinnamon Spice Play-Doh found on Be Organized. Supplies needed: 2 c flour, 1 c salt,  4 t cream of tartar, 5 t cinnamon, 1/2 t nutmeg,  1/2 t cloves, 2 c water,  2 T oil, food coloring

 

 

#225 Beautiful Dough Ornaments found on Pinterest. Supplies needed: 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 cup baking soda, 3/4 cup water. Bake at 175 for about an hour.

 

 

#226 Yarn embossing found at We Heart Art. Supplies needed: foil, yarn, Sharpies, and spray adhesive.

 

 

#227 Sharpie stained glass found at 2me4art. Supplies needed: Sharpies, inexpensive craft paper.

 

 

#228 Paper Plate Weaving

 

#229 Watercolor mosaic found on this blog.

 

 

Work in progress, come back tomorrow for more.

Lent 2013

 

 

I love decorating for the holidays. I have precious memories of my mom decorating and I want to do the same for my kids. I think I might have a holiday decorating obsession. Every time we go into Hobby Lobby, I quickly head to the holiday display that sweetly greets me as I enter. I don't have one Pinterest Board for all holidays, I have a separate board for each and every one and I really enjoy browsing other people's holiday boards and planning for the next year.

 

This year I finally started a Lenten display. I wanted to last year, but I just couldn't get it together. We do not have a mantle so I had to make-do atop some shelves in our living room. It is a very simple scene, inspired by my friends, but simplicity is what we are called to so I believe it is perfect. It served it's purpose of reminding my family of what was to come and to pray more than ever.

 

We also "buried" the Alleluia and it resurfaced Easter morning. I forgot to give my kids the countdown coloring sheet on Catholic Icing, but Easter morning I did start the 50 days to Pentecost countdown. They help me prepare for Divine Mercy Sunday, Ascension, and Pentecost. I only wish I had learned about the beauty of Catholicism a long time ago.