JDaniel4's Mom

Nothing Could Be Finer Than An Afternoon in Carolina

2012-02-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was a mixture of wonderful sunshine and a bit of cold rain. While we wish the cold rain had been snow, we loved the days of sunshine that allowed to be outside in light fleeces and long sleeved shirts.

My husband and I sat and watched JDaniel try to catch pretend butterflies as well as swing around just enjoying the feeling of the soft breeze though the net. There is something magical about watching your child spin in sunbeams.

It was grand to sit on a sun warmed driveway and watch your son find such joy. It is moments like this that make me reflect on how big he is getting and how he is aging right before your eyes. It is as if each spin moves he one step forward in time.

When the net is tucked away, it becomes time to aid JDaniel in the gathering of sticks for his beaver dam and find hiding places that will keep the big beaver (my husband) from depositing them in the woods. It had been awhile since we had gathered sticks. There were many to pick up from under the great beach trees and carry to safety. Gathering sticks is something so simple and yet fills him with such a sense of accomplishment and the bushes with stacks of twigs. Thankfully the big beaver returns them to woods often.

Following the branch collecting we finally held our heart hunt. JDaniel and I had both been sick earlier in the week and the hunt had to be delayed. I don’t know who was more excited about finding chocolates in the hearts Jdaniel or my husband. They both love chocolate.

What do you do to top an afternoon of stick gathering, butterfly catching and heart hunting? You are left with sweeping the yard. Yes, our yard in the front has now been well swept as has the curb. There wasn’t much to sweep in the grass this time of year.

After having very little fly up from the ground when JDaniel was sweeping the grass, he decided he would fly himself. What fun it was to watch him zoom from the front yard to the backyard! It made me want to grab a broom from the garage and fly around the yard myself.

We have been blessed with many warm days this winter that I haven’t captured in pictures. I am so glad that I was able to capture this wonderful afternoon. It was definitely one to remember.

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock's Alphabe Thursday, Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, and Memories Captured.

Children at Play- Teddy Needs More Turtle Skating Practice

2012-02-22T00:00:00.001-08:00

Last week as I put away the red sled made of cardboard we played with during Read. Explore.Learn JDaniel headed upstairs to grab Teddy and my husband’s turtle slippers (which now live in JDaniel's room). He had a another idea of what to do with the bubble wrap ski slope on the living room floor.

The slope wasn't a slop anymore I was informed. Jdaniel declared that it was now an area for Teddy to skate on. The turtle slippers were to be Teddy’s skates.

While Teddy seemed willing to try skating, his feet didn’t seem to agree. It was very hard to keep Teddy’s feet in the slippers. They just kept slipping out.

Teddy’s feet don’t have a large enough surface area to stay in the slippers. I tried to explain that to JDaniel but, the whole concept of surface area went right over his head.

I suggested that JDaniel hold Teddy’s feet in the slippers. The pressure from his arm muscles might keep Teddy’s feet in.

JDaniel was willing to try this in fact he pressed down on Teddy’s legs as hard as he could. The slippers did stay on but, now his feet won’t move do to the pressure.

It seemed Teddy would never be able to skate. There were just to many things for JDaniel to do to help him move and keep his slippers on.

Instead of getting frustrated, grabbing Teddy up and flinging slippers, JDaniel did a very wise thing. He decided it was time to get more helpful ideas from me.

We discussed all the variables involved in Teddy skating down the bubble wrap with slippers. It was a very lively discussion. The kind many of you have probably had with your children when everything seems to be going wrong and every idea that comes to mind is a possibility.

Ultimately JDaniel decided it was my job to make it happen and his job to cheer from the edge of the bubble wrap. I really tried to keep pressure on Teddy and move his feet while sliding my feet behind his. This approach really should have worked. It really should have.

For some unknown reason Teddy kept falling. He gallantly kept trying with me to make JDaniel vision come to be but, it just didn’t happen.

After several attempts it was decided that we should put the bubble wrap away and try to have Teddy skate another day.

Pause Life for a Moment- Kir Corner

2012-02-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone needs people in their lives that will encourage and cheer for them when they are down or blue. People need others who will give them high fives when they are done something well too. Kir of Kir Corner kind of blogger that does both. She encourages her words in comments as well as posts that make you want to cheer and cry. Sometimes it can happen in the same post.

She does all this while working, raising twin boys, and being a wonderful wife. Kir is quite a lady.

I am so thrilled to have Kir sharing with us today. After reading her post here, please stop by her blog and read a post or two.

When my friend asked me to write for PAUSE LIFE for a MOMENT, my first thought was a favorite song of mine by country singer, Kenny Chesney.

“Don’t Blink” is a story of a man on his 102^nd birthday who after being asked for advice about “what life is about?” answers with these two words.

“Don’t Blink”.

I find it inspiring and moving and encourage you to seek out the lyrics or the song online and spend a few minutes listening to its words.

Thank you so much for asking me to be here today, it is truly an HONOR to be in your space my friend.

***********************************************************************************

As a self professed lover of TV I am quite familiar with the Pause Button. I often like to imagine that DVRs were an invention with me in mind.

The truth is I very rarely watch anything in “REAL TIME” anymore. I mean, really who has the time for it? I can sleep, or fold clothes or make dinner or watch CARS 2 for the 117^th time with my twin sons and never really miss a thing. Later I find I can fold clothes or make dinner or work on a blog post and still keep up with my favorite shows, the remote never far away from my hands.

For it never fails that LIFE intervenes.

“I need more milk mommy!”

“Please come and watch me go potty mommy!”

“Can you tell me the story about Finn McMissle one more time mommy?? “

Each time the stories I get lost in are PAUSED for a moment, while I handle the duties of being a mother. I revel in that role so much so that even if my sighs are loud and my footsteps heavy on the stairs as I go to fetch something for one of them, my heart is light and happy that I get to do it.

You see my life was paused for four years as I waited to see if I would ever become a mom. Many times you’re life moves at a lightning fast pace and you cannot keep up, that wasn’t the case for me as I battled infertility. My days, months and years had become one long, drawn out moment in the dark where I truthfully could never see a light at the end of that tunnel. In truth I would have done anything to be able to hit the PLAY button and continue the show.

It’s funny to look back and see how slow and sad that time of my life was, especially now when I’m working full time, writing a blog, attempting a book, raising my beautiful sons and trying my best to be a good wife.

I need that Pause button now more than ever.

I look around me these days and see life racing by, my sons growing in every moment of every day and my mind packed with little moments, little instances, little significant stages that I want to write down so I don’t forget.

Once again the ability to stop and take a breath, to stand still for a moment and take everything in for better or worse is welcome. I used to find the sound of my own heartbeat so lonely but with the addition of two more that beat in time with it, it is an echo I love to hear.

Life is never really that accommodating anymore.

It passes and takes your little moments with it. Like a stream that looks calm on the surface, it is forever flowing underneath carrying those precious seconds with it. I find that in those times, I am grateful for the sparkles on the water, those small shimmers of memories that will fill up my heart for the time when I have the rare but sweet opportunity to reach the remote and press PAUSE.

Muffin Tin Monday- Mardi Gras Lunch

2012-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras! I thought is would be really fun to construct a bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich into a Mardi Gras mask.

This is a little over the top! I know! I probably got a little carried away with the lettuce part of the mask. JDaniel would probably agree with you if you think so. He didn't really like either of the lettuces used in the sandwich. I am grateful that he was willing to try them.

The other parts of the sandwich were a big hit. He loves bacon, the grape tomatoes, and tortilla bread. JDaniel wanted seconds of all of those foods. Due to there being only a little of each in the sandwich I willing obliged.

Along with the sandwich JDaniel got veggies straws. I thought they looked a little like confetti. Thankfully he didn't think they tasted like confetti. He really enjoyed them.

Do you foods favorite Mardi Gras foods?

Maybe you have favorite foods you try to inhale before Lent begins instead.

Either way I hope you have a wonderful Fat Tuesday tomorrow.

This post is linked to Muffin Tin Monday!

Morphology Game Review

2012-02-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

I usually stick to review products that I know moms with children the same age as my son would be interested in but, when I was given the opportunity to review the game Morphology I made an exception. Morphology is a game that is recommended for children over thirteen and it is super fun and very challenging. It has been recognized by many as an award winning game. Morphology was awarded Time’s #2 Toy of the Year amongst many other awards.

When I took out the pieces to figure out how to play the game, JDaniel wanted to claim some of them for his treasure box. They are really cool. You are given wooden pegs, glass pebbles, rubber circles, string, mini popsicle sticks, plastic cubes, and a giant wooden bead to create objects that your team will illustrate words with. JDaniel would love to play with these but, the pieces were safety tucked away so my husband and I could play the game later with friends.

I mentioned the game is fun. It really is. You get all the wonderful tools above to create an illustration of the word on a card that you teammates will try to recognize.

I mentioned that it is challenging.

Here is why:

You have to come up with something and have your teammates guess it in a specific time. I didn’t do well with a time limit. I did much better practicing on my own before the game.

You have to roll a die to see how you will create the illustration.

If you roll a one, all the teams get to play in that round.

If you roll a two, you have to build the word with your eyes closed.

If you roll a three, you have to build with your less dominate hand.

If you roll a four, you can only use the piece of string to create your word.

If you roll a five, you can only use five pieces.

If you roll a six, you can only guess the word if the other team can’t.

Oh! Here is another challenge some of the words are really tough like wart, flamingo and secret. Thank goodness there are some words that are easy like bicycle and angel too.

This is a really high level of thinking game. Morphology really uses both sides of brain. You have to analyze and synthesize information very quickly was the morphologist ( the person creating) and the team members using the word. At the same time you have to tap into the creative side of your brain.

Morphology will be perfect to take to my family reunion and other gathering. I just hope I get the easy words to illustrate.

For more information on Morphology please visit www.morphologygames.com

　

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of this game to review. All comments and opinions about the game are my own.

Read.Explore.Learn.- red sled Fun

2012-02-17T04:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Read.Explore.Learn.! This meme was designed to be a place for you to share the learning opportunities, crafts, field trips, and other activities you have done this week that tie-in to children’s books. I look forward to seeing ways you have learned with and explored books.

Steps:

Link your activity below.

Please place the Read.Explore.Learn. badge on your post or create a link back to this meme.

Please try to visit at least three of the other people that have placed links below and leave a comment. I will visit each of you and leave a kind comment.

If you are not linking up an activity and are just visiting, please try to stop by a few of the links below.

My Book Tie-Ins of the Week:

We loved reading red sled by Lita Judge. There are very few words in this book. The pictures tell the tale of a red sled that is left outside each night by a young child. Each night the sled is borrowed by a bear who likes to go on on evening sled rides.

As the story unfolds, other creatures decide to join the bear in his sled rides until seven animals are sledding under the evening stars.

Finally one moring the child notices bear footprints outside his house. The child decides to watch out his window to see if the bear returns.

When bear does the boy joins bear and his friends on a the sled! " Wheeeeee!" says the boy as he holds on to a moose antlers as the sled slides down the hill.

What did we do?

Craft- Sled Making

I built the red sled using the directions I posted in my How to Make a Cardboard Sled post last year.

JDaniel and I rolled out bubble wrap to create a path for the sled and loaded the sled with some of his lovelies.

After a few trips up and down the bubble wrap, JDaniel decided that we need to add hill to the path and see what happened.

Poor Teddy fell of the sled and didn't even make it up the first hill.

This post is linked to Lets BEE Friends, Play Academy , and Link and Learn.

Greatest Love of All: JDaniel and Others Are Our Future

2012-02-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

"Greatest Love Of All"

I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be.

I love this part of the song the Greatest Love of All. It was sung by Whitney Houston and was written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed. I sang it at the closing ceremonies of a summer reading program with a group of teachers to be when I was learning to be a teacher in college. The message is carries of the need to believe, teach, show, and give to children is one I have carried in my heart since I first heard it.

When people look into the future they see hard economic times. Others see a damaged world due to global warning. The list of horrible things people predict could go on and on. Just reading through it would fill you with dread and sorrow.

When I look into the eyes of my son, I see hope. I see a boy that can change his world.

I don't mean that I see someone who will become a president or world leader of any kind. I do mean that it is possible that this wonderful loving young boy can change his part of the world.

As his mom I truly feel the calling to help him learn to be a world changer from the inside out. Just as the song says, I need to try to show him the beauty he possesses inside and help him develop a sense of pride.

How do I plan to do that?

Try to help him cultivate a deep desire to care for others.

Help him discover the gifts that he has been blessed with and help him find ways to use them.

Provide him with a safe and secure place to share his thoughts and dreams

Look for opportunities for him to grow in the fruits of the spirit as they are listed in the Bible.

Show him by example what healthy self talk sounds like.

Display through my actions that world changing is not just a one time thing to do but, a life choice.

Share with him the pride I have in his actions and words.

Believe in his dreams and search out ways to make them happen.

Give him opportunities to lead and guide activities we are doing.

What are other ways I can do this?

This post is linked to Mama Kat's Writing Workshop.

Act of Kindness Project- Kindness to Siblings or Those You Love Like Them

2012-02-14T17:00:00.000-08:00

JDaniel asked me about why many of his friends and relatives have siblings and he doesn't last fall. I tried to explain why we only have him. He seems to understand why.

JDaniel decided after that conversation that he has been given something just as special. He informed me that he was given friends and cousins to love just like brothers and sisters. Friends are welcomed with hugs. Cousins are talked about often. JDaniel truly cares deeply for these surrogate siblings. They are a very special part of his life.

When it came to this challenge, JDaniel came up with what he wanted to do all by himself. He wanted to make Valentine's Day cards for his friends using the salad spinner just the way we made the cards we gave to his teachers in the first Acts of Kindness Challenge.He loves pushing down on the salad spinner to make the watered down tempera paint fly.

While I cut the paper into card size pieces and watered down the paint, he gathered the salad spinner and a golf ball. Once everything was ready he wanted to do all the creating himself. He put the card stock into the salad spinner and place the golf ball in. The paint had to be dumped in without any help and of course the spinner had to be spun by him alone.

When the cards were done, we laid them out to dry before adding felt sticker hearts to them. He was thrilled with the results and couldn't wait to share his gifts of brotherly love with his friends.

If you too have only child, I hope you will find surrogate siblings for them. It is not just like have a sibling, but it does teach them to learn to get along with and care for others. It would be an act of kindness for them.

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock's AlphaThursday.

Pause Life for a Moment- My Front Porch Swing

2012-02-14T00:41:00.029-08:00

I was blessed to meet Ashley of My Front Porch Swing at the Type A Conference and see her again at the SITS Bloggy Bootcamp in Atlanta last year. What an amazing lady!

Why do I say that she amazing? I could mean that she is amazing because she is a talented writer who writes not only for her own blog but for Business 2 Blogger. I could mean that she amazing because she can transfer blogs to Wordpress! I could mean that she amazing because she also holds several other jobs that are blog related while also being a devoted wife and mom.

I could say the things I listed above but, what is really amazing is the grace with which she lives her life! Ashley is an wonderful mom, terrific friend to many in the blog world, a woman who knows how to live life to the fullest, and above all a women of grace.

I am truly honored that she is sharing here today. Please take a moment to pause after reading this post to visit her blog. I promise you will be blessed if you do.

A couple of weeks ago, I woke up a half hour later than I usually do. Have you ever noticed how this can set the tone for your entire day? I work from home, so between that and juggling school schedules and events, my days rely very much on a schedule. But this particular day? That schedule was off. So, I rushed.

I rushed through our morning routine- I rushed through my morning cup of coffee. I rushed my kids through breakfast.

I rushed my son onto the bus. I rushed my daughter to preschool drop off.

I rushed through my emails and more coffee. I spent the day spinning my wheels, so to speak, trying to get things done.

I rushed to get my daughter from school on time. I rushed home and through lunch and part of the afternoon. I rushed out the door to grab my son from the bus stop.

The bus was late. On a day where I had been nothing but behind, of course the bus was late. When my son finally arrived, he came bounding off of the bus in excitement. He had gotten a prize at school and he was so excited. He chattered away with my daughter excitedly chiming in to her big brother. She grabbed his hand and they walked down the sidewalk in front of me. As I followed behind, listening to their excited conversation, I had a memory of him holding her as a newborn- now, here they were, two siblings lost in conversation.

The time goes quickly and my how things change. But that moment stunned me into realizing just how much time I spend rushing.

I walked home a little slower. I put some things away. I gathered my kids in my arms and smothered them with kisses (much to my son’s chagrin). I put laundry aside, work on hold, and everything else in the background. That afternoon, I did nothing but enjoy being with my kids. And I’m so glad I did.

Life is busy. There are things to get done, deadlines to meet, places to be, and activities to attend. But you only get to live once and every so often, you have to remember to pause life. Because it won’t pause for you.

Please stop by and visit her blog or send her a tweet letting her know how much you enjoyed this post.

Muffin Tin Monday- Homemade Granola Heart

2012-02-13T03:40:00.000-08:00

I love granola and yogurt for breakfast. I love heart shaped doilies around Valentine's Day. I love berries anytime of day or year. Today's muffin tin meal features all of those things.

I found a wonderful recipe for granola on a blog called Chocolate Carrots. I didn't follow the recipe completely. Instead of flaxseeds and puff rice cereal, I used Dulce de Leche Cheerios.* JDaniel loves the caramel flavor in this type of Cheerios. I thought it would add some zip to the granola.

JDaniel had a wonderful time helping me mix the dry ingredients. He later had a great time scraping the wet ingredient bowl with a spoon and eating the remnants in it.

When it was done, I formed the cooled granola into a heart.

Then I cleaned up the heart's rough edges and lined it with blueberries.

Since a muffin tin meal is supposed to have a muffin tin in it, I placed plain yogurt in a muffin cup along with a strawberry hear.

I thought the granola gave my breakfast muffin tin heart at doile effect. What do you think?

Oh! I decided to make my husband a heart shaped granola bar so he would have something special for breakfast too. As you can see, JDaniel was dying to get his hands on it.

*Disclaimer- I was sent a box of Dulce Leche Cheerios to review along with a prize pack. The prize pack was provided free of charge by Cheerios and General Mills, through My BlogSpark.JDaniel loved them in the granola and he adored them with milk for breakfast this week.

This post is linked to Muffin Tin Monday.

Valentine's Day Crafts: R2D2 Valentine's Day Card Box

2012-02-12T02:03:00.000-08:00

JDaniel loves Star Wars! I thought I would surprise him by crafting him a Valentine's Day card box that looked like R2D2.

I'll have to admit a felt a little like I was doing a uncover project. I worked on it during his "quiet time" and when he was playing with a friend. When he walked by as I was working on the pictures for this post, he commented that it looked like someone has a cool R2D2 online somewhere. I have to surpress a giggle knowing that it really is his.

How did I make it?

Supplies:

Paper lunch bag

White card stock

White crayon

Blue paint

Sponge

Small oatmeal container

Glue

Directions:

1. Find an outline of R2D2 online and print it out on white card stock.

2.Color every area of the card stock with white crayon that you don't want blue.

3. Sponge paint the cardstock with blue paint.

4.Cut out the outline of R2D in two pieces.

5. Lift up the flap of the paper bag to cut off the top half of the area under the flap.

6. Glue the top portion of R2D2 on the flap and the botton on the body of the bag.

7. Slip onto a small oatmeal container.

8. Place a few notes of love into R2D2 for JDaniel to find when I put out his Valentine's Day card box.

Acts of Kindess- Giving to the World Through Missions

2012-02-11T03:46:00.000-08:00

Toddler Approved is hosting a wonderful project called the 100 Acts of Kindness Project. I love the idea of JDaniel and I doing things for others between Jan. 15th and Valentine's Day.Each week she puts up a challenge for you to complete as some of your 100 Acts of Kindness.

This week's challenge was to give to world. Our church is hosting its missions conference this week. How wonderful that it is being held during Toddler Approved's give to the world challenge.

Giving a Buffet Item to an International Dinner

The missions conference started with an international dinner in the fellowship hall. The Sunday school class my husband and I belong to was to bring something from the Orient. I decided to make something quick and easy from the frozen food section at Aldi. Our dish is shrimp fried rice that was defrosted and heated up on our very own stove.

Once we got there JDaniel and I had fun checking out all the foods that people had brought to share and deciding what to put on our plates. My husband had volunteered to work the book table and so we saved him at place at the table but, didn't wait for him to come to dig into the treasures we had found.

I took this picture when we dropped off our food. The table couldn't be seen after people added their food to the table and started to fill there plates.

Learning About Other Cultures and Crafting

JDaniel loved exploring the tables set up by the various missionaries.

The Sunday school director decided that it would be fun for the children to create cards and gift for the missionaries. I volunteered to be downstairs with JDaniel's class during the opening session of the missions conference so, I got to help make fun things too.

Read.Explore.Learn.- Curious George and Valentine's Day Flowers

2012-02-10T01:21:00.000-08:00

Link your activity below.

Please place the Read.Explore.Learn. badge on your post or create a link back to this meme.

Please try to visit at least three of the other people that have placed links below and leave a comment. I will visit each of you and leave a kind comment.

If you are not linking up an activity and are just visiting, please try to stop by a few of the links below.

My Book Tie-Ins of the Week:

There is just something wonderful abuot Curious George! We love him at our house. We loved Happy Valentine's Day George too.

Curious George decides to celebrate Valentine's in a big way for those he carries for and they with him. There is crazy cooking. There is wild decorating. There is card making with a small mess.

What did we do?

Craft- Flower Arrangement

How did I make it?

Materials:

Detergent bottle top

Decorations

Green Pipe cleaners

Buttons

Hearts cut out of tag board with holes punched at the narrow end

Styrofoam ball

Directions:

1. Decorate the outside of the detergent bottle cap.

2. Pull a pipe cleaner up through the top of a button so that it extends about three inches

3. Beneath the button push about 5 hearts onto the pipe cleaner.

4. Pull the top end of the pipe cleaner back through one of the remaining holes in the bottom.

5. Fan out the hearts into petals around the button.

6. Twist the end of the pipe cleaner you pulled through around the long end of the pipe cleaner.

7. Twist the end tight enough to hold the heart in places.

8. Push the flower into the styrofoam ball.

9. Place the styrofoam fall into detergent lid.

This post is linked to Lets BEE Friends, Play Academy , Kid Bloggers Valentine's Day Hop and Link and Learn.

Running Out? Run In! Publix $25 Gift Card Giveaway

2012-02-09T00:04:00.000-08:00

So many of you wanted to win the last $25 Publix Giveaway that I offered, that when the opportunity came to offer you another one I jumped at the chance.

I know I have told you how much I like shopping at Publix! I think I told you just that a few weeks ago when I offered the last giveaway. It is such a pleasant experience to shop there.

JDaniel's preschool is not to far from a Publix! While he is in school, I am literally able to run into the store and grab what I need without stopping by the bakery to get JDaniel's free cookie. I can weave quickly down the aisles rather than slowly walking at the pace of a three year old child nibbling on the afor mentioned cookie.

Publix is featuring an event called Running Out! Run In!

Here is more about the event:

From Feb. 9th through Feb. 14th, look for the “Running Out? Run In.”event at your local Publix store and “run in,” to take advantage of the great savings available on some of your favorite brands from General Mills and Procter & Gamble, including Yoplait yogurt, Cheerios, Charmin, and Crest

Also, don’t forget to look in-stores for over $14 in coupon savings – coupons are valid Feb. 6 through Feb. 25

Receive a $5 Publix® gift card to use on your next shopping trip when you purchase $30 or more in participating items during the event (2/8 – 2/25); simply mail in the rebate form found in-store or online at runningoutrunin.com along with your original receipt(s).

For more details on this great rebate, visit RunningOutRunIn.com

I buy a lot of the products they are featuring and love the idea of getting a rebate on them while stocking up!

Would you like to win a $25 Publix Gift Card?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The information and gift cards were provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Valentine's Day Activity- Looking for Love

2012-02-08T04:12:00.000-08:00

Love can be tricky thing to find. Sometimes it doesn't look like it is present but, if you hunt for it truly can be found.

You may have to look past the treasures you have gathered to see that love it there.

You may find that it you have to stand on your tiptoes and stretch to find it.

You may find that it is just outside your window waiting to be seen.

You may find that love grows when you reach out and help others.

You may find that it is waiting right beneath where you usually set your gaze.

You may find that love is sent to you from people faraway.

You may also find love is waiting for you to sit down beside it on a warm winter's day.

Is this part of some for JDaniel?

These pictures are were taken while I set up for a heart scavenger hunt for JDaniel. He loves hunts for things in the yard. He will have a wonderful time seeking and finding these tokens of love.

The plastic hearts were found at Dollar Tree and held chocolate hearts as their treasures.

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock's Alphabe Thursday and Mama Kat's Writing Workshop.

Pause Life for a Moment- Early Morning Blogging Stress

2012-02-07T07:19:00.000-08:00

Sometimes things just don’t work out! Today instead of sharing a Pause Life for a Moment post I was supposed to be a part of a Valentine’s Day Hop with Kid Bloggers and hosting an Alouette Cheese giveaway tied to visiting the other blogs on the hop.

This morning I woke up and found that the post had gone up but, the script for you to link up wasn’t visible. I could see it in the html but, on the live post there wasn’t anything.

I tried for almost an hour to figure out what was wrong and couldn’t. Tension started climbing up my back and into my head. I asked my husband to look at it and he couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Neither of us are even close to being experts in html but, we did what we could. Tension continued to tighten up my body.

Thankfully JDaniel slept through the whole event. If he had gotten up at this usual time, he would have wanted breakfast and to play with mom. I would have been more stressed out than I was and he could had the pleasure or displeasure of starting the day with a stressed out mom.

So, I ended up pulling the post and reworking the giveaway to just being a traditional giveaway on my site all before Jdaniel got up.

When he called to see if it was morning yet, the changes had been made and I was able to do our morning snuggle. The tension started to fade a little.

I was still carrying some of the tension about having to make the change and trying to think about what I could have done to fix it when I put together his breakfast. When the honey bear container dripped honey on the table instead of on JDaniel’s bagel, I felt the tension start to rise again.

Honey on the table isn’t something to be frustrated about in a house where a boy spills things on the table and the floor often. Breathe! I reminded myself that I just needed to breathe.

My husband gave me a kiss good-bye and gave me the look as he headed out the door to go to work. The look that reminds me that I need to pause to pray. The look that communicates that it is time to grab my Bible and hand my day over to God. The look that says that it is going to get better if I just let go of trying to control things I can’t change.

So after taking JDaniel to preschool I did all of the those things that my heart told me my husband was communicating in his loving look.

Things look a whole lot better now.

Please if you get a chance stop by and see that wonderful creations the Kid Bloggers have made along with others who have link up. Here is a link to Mama Peapod post on the Valentine's Day Hop.

Alouette Cheese Giveaway (2 winners)

2012-02-07T03:34:00.000-08:00

Alouette has two wonderful new products I am excited about sharing with you. Their Sharp Cheddar Flavored Soft Spreadable Cheese and Bacon Cheddar Flavored Soft Spreadable Cheese!

Both products are wonderful tasting and super easy to spread! The easy to spread is really important to me. I have had bad experiences trying spread so called spreadable on crackers and had the crackers shatter beneath the cheese. What a mess!

These new Alouette cheeses really are soft and easy to spread. I have tried them on crackers and bread. Both the crackers and bread stayed in one place and the cheese stay on them into of falling into my hand. Jdaniel was able to spread them without cracker or bread failure too.

JDaniel loves cheese. I think it might be his favorite food. He was thrilled to get to try the new cheese with me. While he loved both of the cheeses, the Bacon Cheddar was his favorite. The bits of bacon add a savory flavor to the tang of the cheddar cheese. He has continued to ask of it to be spread on a tortilla as part of his lunch all week.

If you, your spouse or your kids love cheese, this would be a wonderful product to spread on crackers and serve as part of Valentine’s Day meal or to share with your special someone while watching a Valentine’s Day movie.

You can find these products and other Alouette products in the deli section of your local grocery store. I hope you will try these wonderful new cheese for yourself and let me know what you think about them.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Muffin Tin Monday- Valentine's Day Robot

2012-02-06T00:48:00.000-08:00

My son loves robots so, I decided to make him a Valentine's Day robot tin. It won't be Valentine's Day for a number of days but, I decided to celebrate it with him a little early.

The robot is made of many of his favorite foods. The robot's head is an Arnold's sandwich thin with a thin layer of cream cheese on it. The facial features are made up of a strawberry, blueberries, and red grapes.

The center of this body is made of an Arnold's sandwich thin with a layer of Alouette's new Bacon Cheddar Cheese Spread. JDaniel really loves it. The bits of bacon mixed into the cheese really make this wonderful cheese even better. A ham heart was placed over the cheese. I guess you could say the robot has a "pork belly."

The robot's arms and legs are graham crackers. The feet and chomping hands are strawberries.

I decided to add extra fruit into the muffin tin along with plain non-fat yogurt with sprinkles.

JDaniel inhaled this meal. I think it was because it contained food that he likes but, it could be that preschool left him really hungry.

Disclaimer: I was sent the Bacon Cheddar Cheese Spread along with a Sharp Cheddar Cheese Spread by Alouette Cheese. You can find my review on both products up later in the week.

This post is linked to Muffin Tin Monday and What's for Lunch Wednesday!

Acts of Kindness- Giving Others a Heart Attack

2012-02-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

It doesn't look yummy but, I really was.

Chocolate Dump Cake

Ingredients:

1 box of double chocolate cake mix

2 can of cherry pie topping

2 sticks on butter

Directions:

1. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

2. Spread the cherries evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish.

3. Spread the dry cake mix over the cherries.

4. Cut the two sticks of butter into small pats and spread the over the cake mix.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes.

My mother in-law (JDaniel's Nana) got red velvet cake. I didn't do anything special to make it. I just followed the directions on the box and made butter cream frosting. The cake isn't really pretty. I think I am going to cut into slices and take the slices on a platter to her house.

Read.Explore.Learn.-Valentine's Day

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Link your activity below.

Please place the Read.Explore.Learn. badge on your post or create a link back to this meme.

Please try to visit at least three of the other people that have placed links below and leave a comment. I will visit each of you and leave a kind comment.

If you are not linking up an activity and are just visiting, please try to stop by a few of the links below.

My Book Tie-Ins of the Week:

The little girl named Cornelia Augusta in The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond is amazing. She takes to the time collect hearts that rain down one day and she uses them to create wonderful valentines for each for her friends.

I love how Cornelia Augusta takes the time to send cards to the people she care about not only the year hearts rained down but, every year after that.

The children in Anne Rockwell's Valentine's Day create wonderful valentine's to a classmate that has moved faraway. Each child decorates their card with a memory they have that is tied to the student.

What a wonderful way to share memories with a friend and let them know they are important.

I loved getting see what each child picked and how they decorate their card to represent their memory.

What did we do?

Card Making

I cut out six pink and two green hearts out of tag board. JDaniel was able to push the pink heats up the lollipop stick to create a petal effect.

We added the green hearts as leaves with a Valentine message of the largest leaf.

This lollipop man is so easy to make. You just cut four small slits in the an old playing card for the red pipecleaner through. A simple heart is the head and a lollipop is placed in one of the hands.

Here are some of the cards we decorated. I colored in the robot and JDaniel put stickers around the heart on these cards.

Hearts 4 Kids

Our local radio station His Radio is sponsoring a program called Hearts 4 Kids. We sent our cards that didn't have candy to that project. The project is open until Feb. 6th at midnight. Click here for more details.

Surprise a Neighbor

We took the cards with candy to the older lady that lives next door.

This post is linked to Lets BEE Friends, Play Academy and Link and Learn.

Pinterest- Leaping into Groundhog's Day

2012-02-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Groundhog's Day! Whether the ground sees his shadow or not, I think spring has arrived in South Carolina. The temperatures have been in the 50's or 60's all week.
I thought it would be fun to celebrate Groundhog's Day with JDaniel anyway. I made a leaping groundhogs game due to the fact that it is a leap year too and searched Pinterest for Groundhog's Day crafts and snacks.
The leaping groundhogs game is the only thing I really made myself. You will find links to the others ideas I found under each picture.

Leaping Groundhogs Game
Supplies:
Sections of a white milk jug
Brown felt
Green felt
Wiggly eyes
Black construction paper
A margarine tub

Directions:
1. Cut three inch long sections out of a white plastic milk jug for as many groundhogs as you will need
2. Fold each strips into thirds.
3. Cut out a groundhog shaped head out of brown felt
4. Glue the head onto the front third of the strip with his nose facing away for the bend.

5. Cut a black circle out of construction paper.
6. Glue two wiggly eyes and a black nose onto the groundhog head.
7. Cut a green rectangular piece of felt that will fit around your margarine tub and is a little taller than the tub.
8. Snip off some of the green felt that reaches above the tub to make it look like grass.

How to play:
1.Bend the groundhog into thirds.
2. Place your thumb on the groundhog's nose.
3. Watch him fly into the margarine tub or back into his hole.

Here are some wonderful ideas I found on Pinterest:

This is a really cute craft from Playschool Playbook. Here is its link on Pinterest.

Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons came up with this really cute snack. Here is its link on Pinterest.

Two Bears Farm made this really cute Groundhog's Day lunch. Here is its link on Pinterest.

Gourmet Mom on- the Go made this wonderful drink! Here is its link on Pinterest.
Click on the word Pinterest if you would like to follow me. I will follow you back. This post is linked several places including Mama Kat's Writing Workshop and Link and Learn.

Knowing There is Scar Tissue on My Heart

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Recently we have been talking about letting God heal old scars in our lives in the mom’s group I’m in at church. We have discussed how most people don ‘t even notice that you have any scars or that many have gone below the surface of your skin.

This discussion reminded me of the scar JDaniel has on his forehead.

Last Halloween JDaniel tripped and fell into a coffee table at a friends house during a playgroup Halloween party. We had to rush to the hospital so he could get internal and external stitches. (I wrote about it on a guest post I wrote for Mom of a Monster and Twins.)

When we got home, he looked like Frankenstein for a few days. The external stitches stood out on his head.

Over time the external stitches dissolved and wore away. There was still a scar there and we don’t know if it will ever really go away.

Internally we can’t see the stitches or the scarring . We can feel the scar tissue that formed above them. It is like a ridge right below the surface.

We are supposed to massage it and try to break down the scar tissue two times a day for fifteen minutes each time. JDaniel hates it when I massage it . He does a better of tolerating it when my husband does it.

I am so glad he lets someone massage the scar tissue. We really don’t want him to keep it. Although it may be that no one never notices the scar tissue, we will know that it is there and that we at least tried to make it go away.

Mental, spiritual, and emotional scar tissue behaves in the much the same way that JDaniel’s physical scar tissue has. It forms calluses that can create very real scaring on our heart and minds.

I carried into adulthood calluses caused by the scars of my parents divorce and several other things from childhood.

I am going to be honest with you I am just like JDaniel is when I am trying to massage his scar tissue. I tried to avoid it, limit the time I allow for it to be broken down, and fussed at God for making me finally deal with.

Being challenged to hand over something old that you have been come used to is hard but, I am so glad that much of the scar tissue has been broken down and the areas under those old calluses has been allowed to heal.

Do you have calluses you need to have massaged by God? Are you ready to hand them over to him?

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock's Alphabe Thursday.

Pause Life for a Moment- Green Grandma

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

I am so blessed to have Green Grandma here today to share this amazing post. I hope that you will pause a moment after reading it to visit her wonderful blog and read about her new book Vinegar Fridays.

She truly is wonderful writer and storyteller.

The Misuse of Imagination

“I’m going back to Iraq,” my brand-new son-in-law said.

I stopped breathing. Tom and our daughter, Bethany, informed us they had something they needed to tell us and as we sat around the dining room table with hopes of a grandbaby on the way or something else equally wonderful, a cloak of worry descended upon me.

“My unit’s been deployed,” the Marine sergeant continued, “and I volunteered to go with them.”

I couldn’t speak. Fear gripped me with its threat of impending doom. After all, I was widowed at just 32. Was history going to repeat itself? Would my daughter hug her husband goodbye, never to see him again?

I was scared.

For the next month, I struggled to sleep. I worried constantly. I played out scenes in my head – the knock on my daughter’s door, the primal scream, I knew too well, emerging from the depths of her soul. My rushing to get there to offer her comfort that was impossible to give. My own collapse onto the floor as I heard the news. Would he be killed, or would he come home severely maimed, altering their lives forever?

I had this worrying thing down to an art.

One day, as I ripped the previous day’s saying from my inspirational page-a-day calendar, I read these words:

Worry is the misuse of imagination. – Anonymous

I paused and read it again. Something started to happen in me … I could feel it. I started to weep.

At that moment, my life changed. Dramatically. Hopefully, forever.

As a writer, I never take for granted the gift of imagination with which God blessed me. After all, what fiction writer can be without it? It is a necessary tool of our trade; one in which, I believe, we are born with. God planted the desire to write in me from the time I was a small child. Imagination. What a blessed gift! A gift I turned into a curse.

Before my first husband was killed in a flash fire, I worried about him all the time. If he was ten minutes late, I was pacing. Fifteen minutes, I was crying. Twenty minutes, I was calling the local hospitals. What a rotten way to live … for both of us. I was just so worried that he was going to die. And he did. Worrying did not prevent his death; it simply made his life with me a bit on edge. That is something I will regret forever.

Quite honestly, however, I didn’t know I had a choice.

“I’m just a worrier,” I would say, excusing this flaw in my character as an inborn trait I had no control over. “It’s just the way I am.”

The fact is I did have control over this character flaw. We all do. We can choose not to worry. For me, it was as simple as realizing I was misusing the gift God gave me. I admit it -- I have a rather vivid imagination … and I was wasting it on worrying.

That morning, over five years ago, I came up with this strategy:

When I start to feel anxious, I ask myself this question – Am I projecting into the future and imaging things that might happen, or is this a legitimate concern that requires some action on my part?

If there is no real basis for my worry, I dismiss it. If, on the other hand, I’m concerned about catching a cold or whether or not I paid a bill, I proactively take steps to alleviate the concern. I take extra vitamins or wash my hands more often or I check my online bank statement to see if the payment went through. Do you see the difference? Concern often requires action.

There was nothing I could do to keep my son-in-law safe. No amount of sleepless nights would prevent my daughter from early widowhood. So I rode out Tom’s deployment in prayer for him, leaving his safety in the hands of his Heavenly Father and leaving my worry in His hands, too. After all, He’s God, and He was more than happy to take it off me.

And you know what? Tom made it home safely and is now co-parenting an active little boy who, no doubt, will challenge this ‘no worry’ approach to life his grandma has. But for now, I’m worrying less and enjoying life more … letting my imagination lead me into the wonderful world of fiction.

Hana Haatainen Caye, agency principal for

SPEECHLESS, is an award-winning writer, editor and voice-over talent serving the creative needs of clients worldwide. She leads Writers at Work, a Pittsburgh-based monthly writing workshop and leads workshops at writers’ conferences. Her first book, Vinegar Fridays, based on a popular feature of her blog, Green Grandma, was released in November 2011.

Super Bowl XLV: Patriots vs. Giants Muffin Tin Meal

2012-01-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

JDaniel really isn't into football but, I thought it would be fun to have muffin tin lunch with a Super Bowl theme anyway.

Let me start by saying that I don't usually serve JDaniel bread with a fruit chew on it. It was really hard to come up with a way to create the symbol for the Patriots. I must have thought through five different ways to do it but, they seemed even more complicated than the way I ended up with.

Creating the Patriots logo was one of the hardest things I have done to create a muffin tin element. I had to trace the symbol onto cardboard and then trace it onto the fruit chew. The red elements were easy to trace onto a red fruit chew. Placing the cheese under the logo for the face and star were the easiest of all.

I am so thankful that the Giants are in the Super Bowl. Why? They have an easy symbol recreate. It was so easy to trace their logo onto American cheese.

The rest of the meal is made of ham rolled into a cylinder help in place with toothpicks and football shaped Oreos.

I really thought about trying to try and make the bread into a football shape but, I was afraid it wouldn't be big enough to hold the symbols if it was cut down.

While this isn't the healthiest of meals, I think it contained enough healthy elements in it.

What would you serve in a Super Bowl lunch?

This post is linked to Muffin Tin Monday?

Acts of Kindness- Montessori Style

2012-01-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

He followed his interest of car care. How? JDaniel used a pretend gas pump to fill all the Cozy Coupes up with gas and test out the seats in all the wagons and cars.

Act Two

JDaniel practiced transferring coins with chopsticks into a baby bottle that I was given at church. The money in the baby bottle with go to help a local women's center.

Act Three

Our third task was laundry. JDaniel helped me fold laundry into almost neat piles. We will need to keep practicing this skill.

Acts Four and Five

JDaniel helped me pour more soap in our soap dispensers. He loved using a funnel.

We tried just dumping it in but, it went in to slowly for JDaniel.

He decided to help the soap along by pushing it in.

Finally he squeezed the remaining soap into the bottle.

For more information on the 100 Acts of Kindess Project please visit this post on Toddler Approved.