Crayon Wishes and Popsicle Dreams

Kids’ Cake

Cindy — Sat, 04 May 2013 23:06:27 +0000

(Otherwise known as Pineapple Angel Food Cake)

So you’ve probably already tried this one, right? Well, if not, it’s the perfect treat to have your kids make you for Mother’s Day.

I saw someone post it on facebook last week and thought, “I should try that!” But the reality is, I knew I’d probably wouldn’t do it right away and thus forget all about it.

Then last night, a friend sent me a text, saying that she just tried the same recipe and how delicious and light it was! Perfect timing since I was heading to the store anyway.

I picked up the two simple ingredients: a box of Angel Food Cake Mix and a 20 oz can of Crushed Pineapple.

Then this morning, I handed them both to my kiddos and said, “Here you go. Mix these two together, pour them in a pan and we’ll bake it.” {9×13 ungreased pan, baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes}

Immediately, they declared that it should be called “Kids’ Cake” because it’s something that kids can make all by themselves (or, with only a little help with the hot oven anyway).

Something tells me that my kiddos are going to want to make this for me often ; ) And I’m ok with that! Two ingredients. Two prep dishes (bowl and a spoon) that they actually washed and put away all by themselves. Delicious results. Sounds like a winning combination to me!

Bedtime Math

Cindy — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:38:42 +0000

Have you heard of Bedtime Math?

Maybe we are just behind the times, but I first learned about it recently while my youngest and I were visiting the library.

In just a few short weeks, it has become one of the most highly requested parts of our day! Seriously, my girls ASK for bedtime math everyday! I even overheard my 5-year old ask her grandpa last weekend if he knew about bedtime math.

Bedtime Math is an exceptional website with a perfectly fabulous mission: “to make math a fun part of kids’ everyday lives, as beloved as the bedtime story”. It all began when a fellow mama started giving her kiddos math problems each evening. Now, we are blessed to have her and her team share daily math problems with all of us.

Each day they post a new little informative story and a set of math problems on a variety of levels to go with it. You’ll find problems for Wee Ones (which my preschooler answers), Little Kids (for my 1st grader), Big Kids (which we actually end up discuss together, because my kiddos just can’t get enough), and sometimes even The Sky’s The Limit (which present the biggest challenge).

Wanna join in?

Simply visit their website: www.bedtimemath.org

Or even download a printable calendar to help serve as a reminder to do Bedtime Math.

Hope you all enjoy it as much as we do! And THANK YOU, Bedtime Math Team for providing us with such an awesome resource!!

Simple {But Meaningful} Resurrection Crafts

Cindy — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:34:04 +0000

We have really enjoyed reading through the Jesus Storybook Bible throughout Lent. Every story, in the way it’s told, just captures my heart and blesses my soul. But the truth that I hope gets embedded in my kiddos hearts is how God loves His people with a “Never Stopping, Never Giving up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.”

Here are three simple activities…ideas that we borrowed from fellow bloggers…to help serve as reminders of that amazing love in which Easter is all about. We thought you might enjoy them too! The wondeful thing is that they are all super simple, using supplies you probably already have at home. Just click on the headings for links to the directions and/or free printables.

Stain Glass Watercolor Crosses

Paper Cross Craft -

This one will amaze your kiddos! Fold a sheet of printer paper, make two simple cuts, and you end up with a cross and the word “Life”.For God so loved the world that he gave his and and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal LIFE.” John 3:16

Where is Jesus? Magic Watercolor Art

Have you done any simple Resurrection activities that you’d like to share? Feel free to leave a link in the comments.

Benjamin’s Box and Resurrection Eggs

Cindy — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:35:02 +0000

We bought our first set of Resurrection Eggs before we even had children. We picked them up at the Weekend to Remember conference that my husband and I attended shortly after we found out we were expecting our first. As soon as we saw them, we knew we wanted to include them in our family’s Easter traditions, and have been using them ever since.

But last year, we decided to change things up a bit. It all started with the book, Benjamin’s Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs.

Note: Personally, I love using this story with my children, told from the perspective of a child who was there witnessing the events. However, we have been very careful to talk about how Benjamin is just a character that the author made up to help tell the story of Jesus’s death and resurrection, even though he is not part of the REAL story from the Bible. Since we have read the Bible story many times before and my children know the events by heart, I wasn’t concerned with it confusing them, but it is something think about if you do consider using this book.

Before we begin, I hide a set of Resurrection Eggs for each of the kids.

You can get as creative as you want. I just used items from around the house that can be easily replaced if something gets lost.

1 – The Donkey – a tuft of fur (gray thread)

2- The Coin – a coin

3 – The Cup – a small disposable communion cup from church, but I have also used thimbles when I didn’t have the cups available

4 – Praying Hands – a twig (from the Garden of Gethsemane)

5 - Whip – a leather strip

6 – The Thorn – a tiny stick broken from one of our bushes

7 – The Nail – nail (I used a screw instead because it’s what I had on hand)

8 - The Die – a game die

9 – The Spear - made from part of a toothpick with aluminum foil glued on the end in the shape of a spear head

10 - The Cloth – gauze from a first aid kit

11 – The Stone – a small rock

12 – Empty Tomb – empty

Then as we begin the story, each of the kids get a small wooden box that I picked up at the Dollar Tree. Inside is a small bundle of raffia, since in the story, Benjamin’s grandfather, a shepherd, had given him a box containing a small bundle of straw from the a baby he visited in the manger.

As we read through the story, the kids look for the hidden eggs one by one, corresponding with the egg colors on the pages of the book. For the past two years, we’ve ended up hunting them in our living room due to chilly outdoor weather, and it never fails…we always have a hard time finding them all! But that only adds to the challenge and the fun if it!

This year, I’d thought about starting 12 days before Easter and hiding one egg each day, but it just didn’t happen. And honestly, I think it all worked out for the best. To my surprise, the kids were fully engaged the entire time, and I think they’d have been disappointed not to continue on with the story. Even my two-year-old stayed involved, talking about what he found in the eggs, repeating words as I read them, even sticking his head with the “thorn” and realizing some of the pain involved!

The thing that I love most about the Benjamin Box is that not only do my kids each get their own set of eggs to hunt, but instead of keeping them hidden away in separate eggs in an egg carton, they have all the objects right before them in their very own treasure box. Last year, I watched them go through their treasures multiple times in the days leading up to and following Easter. And this year, their treasure boxes were the first in their hands when they woke up the next morning.

We also added something new this year. Once we had finished the story and filled our treasure boxes, the girls began working on creating these beautiful little story eggs that fit perfectly inside their boxes. (You can find the awesome printable on Teaching Heart Blog.)

And my little guy had fun going through his treasures and matching them with the illustrations in the book.

Our Resurrection egg activities continue to be one of my very favorite annual traditions!

Whiter than Snow

Cindy — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 21:39:51 +0000

After enjoying a spring break that felt more like it should be winter break, we spent the weekend watching several inches of snow fall so beautifully.

And while part of me thought that it seemed unreal that Easter was only a week away, the other part of me decided that the timing of this snowfall was absolutely perfect…a gentle reminder as we prepare our hearts for Easter and celebrate the One who makes us whiter than snow.

Surprisingly, this late-March snowstorm resulted in cancelled church services for us this morning. So, we spent the morning celebrating Palm Sunday at home.

I was grateful to have documented our celebration last year……because we drew on it to celebrate once again: reading the story of the Triumphal Entry from all 4 Gospels (and from two Children’s Bibles as well), laying out our blankets, waving palm branches, and singing praises.

Then we read The Colt and the King again, too, and talked more about the significance of Jesus making his triumphal entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt. So different than a king who rides his noble war horse into battle, this King, the King of Kings, came humbly on a lowly donkey. He came proclaiming himself as the Prince of Peace. Not to condemn us, but to offer us love and forgiveness.

And all the while, as we read through these passages, this song (How Many Kings by Downhere) kept playing in my heart and mind…

I am so excited about focusing on the greatest story ever told and celebrating the Resurrection with my family this week! We are starting this afternoon with our Resurrection Garden…I just hope we didn’t wait too long! I remember having to trim our wheat grass last year because it grew so quickly, so I’m hopeful that it will still come up in time! What plans do you have for celebrating this week?

39 Things…

Cindy — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:11:27 +0000

I’ve thought about making a birthday bucket list for the past few years, but never actually got around to sitting down and doing it. I guess I’m feeling a little more inspired this year…after all, turning 39 does seem a little more significant.

Here’s what made my list (in no particular order)…

1 – purchase an SLR camera

2 – take a photography class

3 – definitely run a 5K and 10K…perhaps even a half-marathon?

4 - wake earlier: goal = 6 a.m.

5 – try sushi

6 - go on a real date with hubby

7 – plan a girls weekend with friends

8 - go on a sunrise picnic

9 - get another stamp in my National Parks passport

10 - master bedroom makeover

11 – become a morning jogger

12 - read through the Bible (off to a good start since Jan 1)

13 – participate in the Great American Backyard Campout

14 – begin project 365

15 - name 1000 gifts

16 – read The Chronicles of Narnia

17 – take the girls to a tea room

18 – enjoy a day with my mom, strolling through the botanical gardens

19 - go to a drive-in movie (assuming a kid-friendly one comes to theaters)

20 – get family pictures taken

21 – stroll through an antique shop and buy something amazing

22 – laugh until I cry

23 - enjoy a 20-mile bike ride

24 – grow the ingredients to make salsa

25 – 15 minutes outside everyday

26 - finally find a rhythm with household chores

27 – explore a town I’ve never been to

28 - paint pottery with the kids

29 – learn how to make great Chinese food

30 - make a list of all the parks in our county and visit them

31 – submit a guest post

32 – own a pair of Toms

33 – commit to monthly missions

34 – memorize the Sermon on the Mount (I attempted this last year, but fell short.)

35 – enjoy lunch at a quaint little ”new-to-me” cafe

36 - walk to pick the kids up from school (every chance that the weather cooperates)

37 – find a wonderful little candy store and treat myself to their most amazing piece of chocolate

38 - take the kids on a monthly culture outing (art museum, ballet, symphany, etc…so lucky to live in a city with opportunities to do this for free!)

39 – volunteer

39 is going to be a great year! What items would make the top of your birthday bucket list?

A Snow Day Bag – Keeping Kids Happily Entertained on Snowy Days!

Cindy — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 20:30:05 +0000

We’ve had more snow fall during the past week than my kiddos have probably seen in their lifetime. In fact, we piled what we shoveled off the driveway to make the kids a HUGE sledding hill in our otherwise flat front yard.

It’s wonderful to get outside and enjoy the awesomeness of the snow. But unfortunately, too cold to be out for extended periods of time. So what do you do when you’re “snowed in” and are suddenly gifted 4 days with of no school?

We made a Snow Day bag!

It’s similar to our summer bag of fun, but for the sole purpose of filling unexpected indoor days with loads of creative fun. And you know what, though we spent 4 days away from school, the kids spent time reading, writing, enjoying physical activities, creating art, and doing math…without even realizing it!

I simply took a drawstring bag that the kids acquired from somewhere or other, and filled it with slips of paper containing different activities. Then whenever we were in need of another activity, we pulled out and did what it said. Perfect for those Pinterest items you’ve been wanting to try but never seem to get to!

Want some ideas to get you started? Here’s what kept us busy:

Play a Math Game (We enjoyed Addition Brr Bump.)
Flashlight Hide and Seek
Snowman Art (We used this and this for inspiration.)
Make Popcorn (Snow) Balls
Marbles!
Sew! (The girls – ages 5 and 7- made felt birds .)
Enjoy a Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa
Paint a Masterpiece
Have an Indoor Snowball Fight (We simply used rolled up pairs of socks and couch cushions to hide behind.)
Build a Puzzle
Watch Old Home Movies
Play in a Snow Box (Just fill a tub with snow and bring it inside.)
Build a Fort and Then Sit Under it to Create with Lite Brite
Write a Letter to Someone and Trudge Out in the Snow to Mail It
Make Giant Bubbles
Play a Game
Watch a Movie
Make Snowflake Tortillas
Glow Stick Bath
Build a Mini Snowman to Keep in the Freezer
Make Birdseed Feeders
Make a Snow Castle
Have a Teddy Bear Tea Party
Make an Obstacle Course (Ours started with a bean bag toss, followed by pool noodle hurdles to go over and under, a wooden block balance beam, and finally a jump rope spiral trail to walk on and then to use for 5 jumps.)

We also read books about snow in between activities, but I think next time I’ll have a chapter book on hand to read in between instead.

What activities keep your little ones happily entertained on those snowy or rainy days?

Linked to: Show-and-Share Saturday and Saturday Show and Tell.

The Snow Day Dance

Cindy — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 06:43:26 +0000

Well, I think we just came up with a fun new family tradition.

This summer, we checked out this book from the library:

Willow and the Snow Day Dance by Denise Brennan-Nelson

But after reading it myself, I decided that rather than reading it to the kids then, it’d be more fun to keep it in mind for an upcoming snowy evening…one with a weather forecast that could potentially result in cancelled school!

Last week was the perfect opportunity to share it with the kids for the first time.

And as we came to the note within the book describes how to do the Snow Day Dance, my little ones looked at me and asked, “Can We Do It?”

And so we did.

Watching them put on crazy PJs and then run around searching for pennies and spoons to carry out the rituals of the silly little dance was priceless.

And though they know that it’s not really the dance that’s the creator of the snow, it’s silly fun which erupts in giggles never-the-less…and just one more special memory of our hoping to be snowed in together.

Saving Nickels…Changing Hearts

Cindy — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 23:30:31 +0000

I wasn’t planning on posting an update to our involvement in Nickels for Nets this month. I was just going to silently leave a comment on Amanda’s blog so she could add our one little net ($8) to her total. You see, we didn’t do anything grand or fabulous. We didn’t ask for donations from family or friends or at church. Maybe we should have, but I’ve been there…I’ve been the one pinching pennies and cutting coupons, shopping second hand, and at times even doing without. So it’s never been easy to ask others for money…even when it’s for a great cause like this.

But you know what we learned this month? It’s not the grand total of dollars or nets that we were able to contribute. It’s how it changed us along the way.

It’s realizing that you just used your last packet of hot cocoa at the beginning of a week-long snow storm, but instead of going to the store to buy more, you decide as a family, to slip the money into your giving jar instead.

It’s watching the kids find lost change in the parking lot and excitedly exclaim, “We can put this in our Nickles for Nets!”

It’s giving a quarter to help save a life, rather than using it for the ride at the front of the grocery store.

It’s seeing my kiddos willingly increase the giving from the money they earn and then work even harder so they can give more.

It’s finding the trail of nickles I’d hidden under hearts (inspired by Christina at Momma Day by Day), and then with open hands, dropping them into our giving jar instead of adding them to a “new doll” savings fund.

It’s a month’s worth of prayers for these beautiful children…and their loving mamas, who are unable to tuck them safely to bed each night without fear.

It’s seeing and feeling hearts being changed.

It just so happens that while we have been collecting nickels this month, I have been reading Christine Caine’s book, Undaunted. In it she says, “God does not want us to full our lives with empty, obligatory good works so that we can appease our religious conscience. He desires to transform our hearts – because it is out of our hearts that all issues of life flow (Proverbs 4:12). When our hearts are changed, we see things we never saw before, and act out of compassion that we did not have before.”

And while God uses our efforts, no matter how small they may seem, to make a difference through the organizations that we partner with during these monthly missions, the real difference takes a permanent place within our hearts. And that’s what makes me so excited about continuing down this journey with my family. A journey of intentionally learning about the needs of God’s people, and then doing whatever we can, with whatever we have, to make a difference.

And maybe our story will encourage you to join in too, even if at first you hesitated because you you didn’t think you’d have much to contribute. Don’t forget how God has always used small things from flawed, imperfect people just like us, to make a huge difference!

I can hardly wait to see the ways that we’ll be stretched next month!

A Mama’s Journal – 2-26-13

Cindy — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 21:02:23 +0000

In my life this week…

SNOW!! At least a foot of it…with more falling today! I love the unexpected gift of a snow day, when activities suddenly come to a halt and our whole family is blessed enough to get to stay home together! What turned into a 4-day weekend allowed plenty of time for sledding…

and building snow caves…

God has been challenging me…

First with this post: No More Excuses

Then, with this song:

And with this book:

And finally, a Sunday morning message at church.

Messages that together remind me to intentionally and joyfully choose the path of love. To awaken to the needs around me…under my own roof…across the street…around the world. To not get caught up in feeling so small, so inadequate, or so insignificant that I fail to even try to make a difference, but to willingly give God my humble offerings and just see what He will do.

In Undaunted, Christine Caine reminds us, “The darkness surrounds us, and it is growing. But you are the light to combat that darkness. As am I. Together with God’s help, let’s beat the darkness for just one life. And then one more; and then one more.”

I’m excited about…

joining The Upside-Down Prayers for Parents book club this March. It was just one night recently, as I rocked my little guy, that I looked at him and thought…I need to be more diligent about praying for you! I can hardly wait for my book to arrive!

I’m cooking…

cinnamon roll pancakes and freshly squeezed orange juice as we enjoy yet another lazy, snowy morning. We also enjoyed Banana Coconut Muffins and lots of Green Monster Spinach Smoothies this week too! Yum!