Easter Idea That Should Start Wed March 28th

Hi all, 


This is a SIMPLE and quick way to teach children that Easter is about more than candy.  It only takes 20 minutes to put together all 12 days (if all the kids are in bed).  

It's a 12 Days of Easter activity that needs to be started tomorrow, Wednesday, March 28th.  In a nutshell, you mark 12 plastic easter eggs with numbers 1 - 12, and inside each easter egg you put a slip of paper with a scripture from the New Testament along something small to go in the egg that goes along with the scripture (like 3 dimes to represent 30 pieces of silver or a nail or strips of cloth.  The last egg is empty because He has risen).  

You could hide one egg each day and let the kids search for it.  One child will find it, and one of the other kids could be the one to open it at the end of the day. 

The author has a shorter 7-day schedule you could do.  This idea comes from a blog written by a woman who is a BYU professor with a masters in youth and family recreation.  The scriptures are all from the New Testament, so you don't have to be LDS to do it. 

Kristin, this reminds me of the scripture-a-day before Christmas that you do.  A GREAT tradition to start.

http://familyvolley.blogspot.com/2012/03/12-days-of-easter-family-activity.html

Even if you only prepare one or two eggs today (Wednesday) that will buy you time to get the other 10 made. 

I'm excited about this for my cuter than cute PERFECT grandchildren. 

LOVE YOU ALL.......

 PS:  I am willing to sacrifice playing scramble or draw it for a day so you'll have time to do this.  That's all it would take!!

Family Picture Grouping

I love this grouping of pictures.  I especially love it because I always used to sing You Are My Sunshine to you guys.  I think it is nice to put a cute quote, or a song like this that means something to you, or a family motto with the pictures of your family. Cute, huh?

Here's the link to the Sunshine  art:  http://www.sugarboodesigns.com/products/art-prints/

VERY Cool look at the Sistine Chapel

Kristin and Brooke.....remember when we saw the Sistine Chapel?  Well, now you can see it again. 


Kelli, did you go to Roma?  Sean and Nicole....did you go to Roma?  Brie....you really MUST go here.  Let's go together. : )


But UNTIL we can go..... click below.  Use your curser to move around the entire room.  In the lower left, click on the plus (+) to move closer, on the minus (-) to move away. 

http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html


Love you and wish I could take you all to Italy........someday. : )


x

When I Grow Up....

I love this idea.  What a fun way to capture their growth.....and you'll get to see what age they were when they finally decided what they wanted to be.  

Um....has Sean decided yet?   Actually, he gets that from me....I'm still deciding.   Sorry, Nicole.


I also thought I'd throw this one in to make you laugh.  

Love you all.

How Many Word Do YOU Know?

Language is important.  I don't know if it was from being raised in a home where the father always referred to everything as a  "whatchamacallit" or because I was a lazy student, but I suffer, to this day, with my limited vocabulary.  Often, I can understand things and I "get" them, but there is NO WAY I could verbalize the concept to anyone else.  Blech.  I really wish I was different. 

Today, because I had to look up the meaning of a word in a FASCINATING TED Talks talk (If you want to watch the talk, see the link below), I came across a dictionary-type website that has all kinds of word games meant to enhance vocabulary.  I love games, so naturally I loved this site.

There are even games that the kids might want to play....for example, there is one called "Where's Your Intestine: Body Parts"....Ty would probably love it if you played that with him, Kristin.  

If you click on "Elementary" under "Grade Level", there's a game called "Fancy words for things you already know words for".  

There are a lot of games that the kids might get a kick out of playing ESPECIALLY if you had them come play them with you.  The mini chefs might like "Mac & Cheese, Again? More Dinner Options"  Actually, maybe my daughters might need to play that game.  Anyone know what a "brisket" is?  Sorry that I failed you.  

You need to start thinking ACT or SAT.  College is NOT that far off. : (  (This is a way to make some of the learning a game.)

BTW, these games are NOT just for kids.  Check it out....

http://dynamo.dictionary.com/

Here's the TED Talk I referred to: 

http://www.ted.com/talks/bonnie_bassler_on_how_bacteria_communicate.html

love you....

 

St. Pat's Day FABULOUS Ideas

WARNING:  This is one of those blogposts with TOO many ideas.  Couldn't help myself. 


1st--Kelli, you should make these for one of your parties you are always having.  Directions here (really quite simple):  http://zakkalife.blogspot.com/2011/03/recipe-shamrock-chips.html

LOVE this next idea for the kids OR for teacher gifts OR friends or women you visit teach.  It's a little pot, filled with gold-wrapped Rolos, wrapped in a clear bag and tied with a ribbon and a free prinable.  There are free printables for labels for different people "I'm so lucky to have you... as my teacher, as my friend, to be in love with you"....etc.  

These are also FREE printable BINGO cards.  How cute is that? http://thecraftingchicks.com/2012/03/st-patricks-day-lucky-bingo-free-printables.html

Print this out and give it to the girls and they can teach themselves to draw shamrocks.  Maybe they can make a card for their teacher.  This came for a great blog called Art Projects For Kids: 

Here's a banner tutorial that makes making this banner seem super easy: 

Last but not least if you can't find the POTS for the pots of gold, these little boxes came from a Dollar Store. Fill them with gold-wrapped Rolos.  Still use the same free printables from above. 

Here's one that is really toooooo complicated to make, but too cute not to add to a St. Patrick's Day post. From the Hostess with the Mostess blog.  Tutorial on her blog if any of you feel this industrious.  

And finally, and Irish blessing: 

May your blessings outnumber

The shamrocks that grow,

And may trouble avoid you

Wherever you go!

Love you all.

Goin Fishin' and MORE Fun Food

I just thought this was a cute and fun food idea.....

Also, I made this for Kristin's kids around Halloween, but I'm guessing the kids would think it was fun ANY time of the year.  This snack was a BIG hit.  I just used the poppin' fresh breadsticks in the can and ties knots at both ends.  Served with marinara sauce out of a jar. 

...And finally, for a night when Cade has a game, this would be a fun dinner:

Oh...and one more, and then a link to a blog that talks about other very CREATIVE ideas for fun with food for kids. 

Here's a part of what she said on the blog...

• Layering – Let your child build their own healthy pizza on a piece of whole wheat pita, making sure to have lots of different veggies to choose from. Demonstrate how to build a sliced mushroom tower or use thinly sliced red and green peppers to make a train track across the pita. Try the My Favorite Mini-Pizza recipe; it’s perfect for stage 4 toddlers.
• Building – Building can be a fun way to help kids focus on the foods in front of them during meal and snack time. Try giving your child a few pieces of pretzel sticks and some cheese cubes and show them how to build a stick man and then eat him. You’d be surprised how quickly the stick people disappear. Another fun building activity is creating fruit skewers. Chop several different types of fruits and let your child build their own perfect fruit skewer. I like to use plastic drink stirrer as they don’t usually have a sharp pointy tip.  This is also a great way to get your toddler to try new fruits!

Here's the link to her blog:  http://www.designedtonourish.com/2011/09/fun-food-activities-that-turn-mom-into-a-magician/

Love you all!