Handmade Gifts

When it comes to giving gifts to children (or really anyone) I get a bit nervous.  I want them to like the gift, especially when it is handmade.  When it comes to five-year-old boys, giving a cape with their initial is always a hit. Not to mention cheap inexpensive.  Girls also like wearing capes, especially if they're pink and you call it a Princess cape.

As for a pattern, I copied a cape that I'd seen at a preschool but this tutorial will help you if you can't hold a cape in your hands.  My fastening device at the neck was simply velcro.

Mr. Intensity gave the cape in this personalized recycled up-cycled bag.  We used painters tape to make the initial and he colored over it.  Warning: The tape doesn't always come off so easily.

The next handmade gift we gave to his homeschool co-op teachers.

Marshmallows.

The whipping got a bit messy so I had to cover the mixer to keep marshmallow fluff from going everywhere.

This tutorial is very helpful.  Marshmallows are super easy to make.

Last year I gave the marshmallows in a tin.  This year I opted for jars, because that's what I had.  Definitely tins are the better receptacles.

The humidity was high when I made the marshmallows and by morning it was raining.  The marshmallows were very sticky.  I'm not sure if the humidity has anything to do with the stickiness or if I did something differently from last year.  A year ago we were living in the desert and the marshmallows were perfect.

The above basket and below bowl I found at Goodwill.  Also included are chocolate chip as well as ginger cookies to add to the jar of marshmallows.

See what others are making inexpensively for the holidays at The Nourishing Gourmet.

Short Vowel Word Game

Thanks to itty bitty love, we played a new game today.  Who lives in the house?

Quickly I free handed a house and he couldn't understand why I didn't make it on the computer.  Somethings are faster by hand - believe it or not!  :)

He ate it up!

He loved making "books" to go along with the words, many of which were new vocabulary.

"What is a rut, Momma?"

It's like when you can't stop rhyming or singing a silly song.  A rut can also be when you ride your bike through the mud.  What does the bike leave behind?

He put the remains in a plastic bag.

If you'd like to use the document I made, download it here. It's nothing fancy but it will save you a few minutes.


This will probably be something we'll repeat in the future with more challenging words.

Thankfulness

I'm so thankful that the nausea is mostly gone!  Suddenly I have a burst of energy and our house needed that energy.  We even had friends join us for lunch after church, which hasn't happened in a loooong time.

On Friday, Mr. Intensity and I managed to get a Thankful Tree on the wall.  He's really into it this year.  I wasn't sure if he'd like the idea but he's been the driving force behind it from the get-go.  Last year he wouldn't say anything (ever) that he was thankful for so the idea tanked.  This year he's enjoyed tracing and cutting out leaves as well as writing out his gratitude.

Lastly, I wanted to encourage you to think about people in your circle of influence who might not have Thanksgiving plans and invite them to join you.  It is such a holiday of togetherness; not much is stinker than being lonely on Thanksgiving.  

Like last year, we are hosting a young adult (i.e. singles) Thanksgiving dinner.  So far we've had very positive, grateful feedback - especially from those college students who can't go home for the feasting.

Ready for Service

These five pairs will last a bit longer... maybe.  The boy is ROUGH on his pants.

How to Draw a Turkey

Art Projects for Kids has a great step by step tutorial on how to draw a turkey.

I meant for Mr. Intensity to draw with pencil then fill in with color but I was preoccupied when he decided to do the project.  He'd finished before I knew he'd begun and didn't want to add color.

Operation Christmas Child

One of the things I look forward to during the holidays is stuffing a box for Operation Christmas Child.  The organization, Samaritan's Purse, delivers these boxes to poverty stricken children all over the world. This activity helps Mr. Intensity get his eyes off himself and we're able to talk about other people with bigger problems.

He helped choose the gifts for the box.  I was pleasantly surprised when he added some of his precious Halloween candy.

At a women's pot-luck for my church last night, I learned that if you include a bar of soap, it should be double zip-lock bagged so that the candy does not taste like soap.  I also got a copy of coloring pages for Mr.  Intensity to introduce himself to the recipient.

Most fun of all, was learning that if you can follow your box! Go here to print your shipping label and Samaritan's Purse will email you which country received the box.  We are very excited!

Veterans Day Recap

Wanting to honor veterans and be patriotic, we went to the capitol building yesterday.  The Veterans Day ceremony was on the 2nd floor of the rotunda. I quickly realized we wouldn't last long with the adult crowd.

A little more wiggle room was found on the 3rd floor - and the view was much better.  Three kids in tow, we lasted through the National Anthem, pledge and a few words of Governor Beebe's address.

I tried.

It was time for lunch.  We found the Little Rock Nine.  The last time we came to the capitol, I didn't know about this memorial but thought it would be a fitting site to visit on Veterans Day.

Sadly, it was the military that prohibited these nine African American students from entering the doors of Central High School in 1957.  After President Eisenhower talked several times with the Arkansas governor (Faubus), it was under federal protection the Little Rock Nine finished the school year.  Our Veterans ensure freedom - that I love.

The kids were much more interested in climbing on the Liberty Bell and dancing around the fountain.

Thank you to all the veterans who make it possible for me to enter a government building, take pictures, write about and educate my son.

This shouldn't happen till my belly is much bigger!!

Yard Art, Church, Twist on Favorite

Yard Art
This was Mr. Intensity's afternoon activity yesterday. He had a wooden mallet to bam the Montessori rods in the ground, along with a few wooden stakes and a sword from the Czech Republic.  Not sure we've used the Montessori rods correctly in a while.  :)  He also smashed several acorns with the mallet.  Love this kind of independent play.

Church
Secondly, our church service yesterday was very meaningful. The focus was on the Persecuted Church as well as orphans. One way to help the little man stay engaged was to write out a few words and let him copy.  Edith Schaeffer did a masterful job with her children in church services - she drew pictures that correlated with the sermon topic.  More details in her book, The Hidden Art of Homemaking.

Twist on a Favorite
While Hubby was in Rwanda a friend invited me and Mr. Intensity for dinner.


She made chicken salad and added shredded cheese. She put a dill pickle slice on top of the salad in a bun with then wrapped the whole thing with foil and baked in the oven till heated through.


OH MY.


It was super yummy.


We had it for dinner last night - Hubby loved it, too.


For lunch today, I heated my sandwich in the toaster oven - open faced, without foil - and it was just fine.  My sister reminded me that Martha doesn't let foil touch her food due to safety concerns.  She puts parchment paper on first then the foil. I'm crazy scared about Alzheimer's so I try not to use aluminum when I can avoid it.


[Another yummy I made over the weekend: Garam Masala Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk.]


Pregnancy Update
Today begins 14 weeks and I heard the heartbeat in the doctor's office.  I'm hopeful the nausea is coming to an end, as I feel better today than I have in a long while.

Mr. Intensity @ Work

Hubby made it home safe and sound.  He's adjusting to the seven-hour time differential which translates to an early bedtime.

Last night when I came to bed after him, I tried to slip into the bathroom and turn on the light without waking him.  The door wouldn't shut.

Mr. Intensity had been at work.