Fun

  • November 30-30-30 Challenge: Saying Thanks 30 Ways to 30 People for 30 Days (Day 3)

    As I was reflecting back on the many amazing blessings in my life I realized that don’t let those around me know how much I truly appreciate them enough.  The idea of participating in a “thankfulness” challenge for the month of November was started a few months ago when I purchased cards for my family to send out for the Thanksgiving Holiday (see the picture of the front of the card below).

    It is my wish to show my gratitude to the people I interact with day to day.  For the month of November I am planning a 30-30-30 Challenge.  It is my goal to say thanks in 30 ways to 30 people for 30 days.  Each day I plan to do at least one activity expressing my thanks to one person every day for thirty days.

    Day 1

    Who:  Hair Stylist

    I needed a hair cut after putting it off for several weeks so I headed to the salon.  My hair has a pretty simple and easy cut so it usually only takes a few minutes for a hair stylist.   I had never met the person who cut my hair before, but took the time to learn a little bit about her.  She has two small kids, ages 2 and 6.  For my expression of thanks today I made it a point to give her a generous tip and tell her “thank you”.

    Day 2

    Who: My Spouse – Jake

     I am so thankful for everything Jake does for our family.  He works really hard, is an awesome Dad to our girls, and loves me.  Jake is my best friend and I am very grateful for him.  He takes good care of all of us and I don’t tell him “thanks” enough.  Today I gave him a hand written thank you card and a bag of chocolate truffles. 

    Day 3

    Who:  Daughters – Brina & Karlie

    I am very thankful for my two girls!  They light up my world, make me laugh, and help build extra character in my life.  It took many prayers and a few tears before God gave these two precious blessings in my life.  You can read more about my journey with my  Loosening My Grip: Why Can’t I Get Pregnant? series.   As a way of saying thank you to the girls I gave them thank you notes and spent time reading some of our current book Little House in the Big Woods together.

    People appreciate sincere thanks.  I want to make a positive impact on the lives of others.  As I share my 30-30-30 challenge with you I hope it will spark your imagination and encourage you to share your story too.

    In everything give thanks!

    – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

  • A Spooktacular Halloween

    Monster bags, note, and goodies on their bar stools at breakfast.  They were excited to see a little treat waiting for them at breakfast.  These bags were too cute, the package came with a variety of eyes and mouths that you could put together in any combination.

    Here is a picture of one of the pancake, sausage and bacon Halloween monsters the girls ate for breakfast.

    Jake even got festive Halloween sprinkles on his toast!

    Karlie’s goody bags to share with her class are all packed and ready to distribute!

    Brina’s Halloween class goodies are packed and ready to go!

    Teacher Halloween Gifts

    A monster and note waiting on Karlie’s seat when I picked her up from school.

    Brina had an orange monster and note waiting on her seat in the van when I picked her up from school.

    Our little Dancer and Superwoman!

    The girls were super excited to have the opportunity to meet up with their cousins (we were able to capture a picture of the adorable blue crayon….there was also a cute little monkey that joined us that evening)!

    Every day for the month of October the girls got a little treat in their pumpkins (if they did well at school, after school activities, and at home).  On Halloween Day they got their last little goodies.  Some of the items they received were Halloween socks, Halloween Underwear, books, glow sticks, crafts, and more!

  • Giveaway & Review: “Say Anything” Game by North Star Games

    I am thrilled to announce a new giveaway on Blessings Multiplied!   The winner of this giveaway will receive a Say Anything Family Game by North Star Games!  As a Mom, wife and friend I am always looking for ways to entertain my family and guests.  After playing Wits & Wagers  (see my review) and Wits & Wagers Family (see my review) both are from North Star Games I received Say Anything to check out.   My family gives Say Anything game a big thumbs up!  I know you will enjoy this one!   This game has become a favorite with our family.

    Enter the Giveaway (up to 4 entries per person)!

    1. Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied.  Put a separate comment for each way you follow Blessings Multiplied (Email, Twitter, or Facebook) plus an extra entry for your bonus answer!   Each comment counts as an entry into the giveaway.

    All comments must be made by November 30th at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing.

    More information about “Say Anything” game:

    Say Anything is a great party game to play with your family and friends!  You will find yourself laughing as you read the wide variety of answers to each question.  The game is made for 3 to 8 players and takes about 30 minutes to play.  I would recommend if younger kids are playing that they are able to read and write answers independently (otherwise they may need additional help).  The game is recommended for ages 10 and up.

    1. Ask any question from the card you draw, such as “What’s the best movie of all time?” or “If I could have a BIG anything, what would it be?”
    2. Everyone else writes an answer and turns it face-up.
    3. Secretly choose your favorite of these answers. Then everyone tries to guess which one you picked.

    Where do I purchase “Say Anything” for myself or as a gift?

    This game would be a perfect game to play during the upcoming Holidays or to give as a gift to family and friends!  You can purchase this game on Amazon or at major retailers like Books-A-Million, Target, or local game stores found on North Star Games retailer locator.  To learn more about the game and those who created it you can visit North Star Games website.  You can get the most update to date information on North Star Games by following them Facebook and Twitter.

    *A special thanks to North Star Games, specifically Dominic Crapuchettes and Luke Warren, for the providing this game for the giveaway!

  • Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

    Green cat with a “K” on it….wonder who that one is for?  We also found a purple cat with a “B” on it too! 🙂

    While Grandma Penny and Great Grandma Willa were here visiting we made some delicious rice krispie treats.  I made regular rice krispie treats and cut them out with Halloween (pumpkin, ghost, and cat) cookie cutters then the kids and Grandmas decorated them.  It was a lot of fun making these tasty treats together.

    Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treat

    Someone ate a Black Cat…….Karlie!

    Brina enjoying one of the rice krispie treats after she finished helping decorate!

    Colorful pumpkin!

    Spooky green rice krispie ghost!

    Decorating rice krispie treats with Grandma Penny and Great Grandma Willa.  The decorating team was MUCH faster than the cookie cutter, ha! 🙂

    A plate full of decorated rice krispie treats!

    Another tray full of pumpkins, ghosts, and cats…….

    After the girls got a chance to taste test one cookie we sent some of the treats home with the Grandmas, 1 went into each of the girls lunches for the next day, and the rest we brought to Community Group to share with friends.  This was a fun and easy Halloween activity for everyone to do.

  • Family Activities: 3 Big Pumpkins with 6 Different Faces!

    One side of the pumpkins had a Mr. Potato Head type face on it! Karlie’s “serious” pumpkin, Grandma Penny & Great Grandma Willa’s “silly” pumpkin, and Brina’s “puppy dog” pumpkin! This side of the pumpkin took a lot less time to do.  It was super easy and if you don’t want to mess with carving or cleaning out a pumpkin this is a great alternative. The girls loved picking out the pieces for their pumpkins and designing a face.

    We were super excited to have Grandma Penny and Great Grandma Willa come visit us for a few days in October.  During their visit we were able to squeeze in a lot of fun activities.  One of the activities was carving pumpkins!  The girls had a blast hanging out with both Grandmas and have a lot of great memories of their time with us.  Thankful that they were able to come visit us.  🙂

    The other side of the pumpkins had the carved version on it which was perfect for the evening.  Karlie’s “scary” pumpkin, Grandma Penny & Great Grandma Willa’s “cat” pumpkin, and Brina’s “happy” pumpkin sitting on the front porch.

    The PROCESS……

    Scooping out the pumpkin seeds

    Gross……slimy pumpkin hands!

    Karlie designed her own “scary” pumpkin face complete with eyelashes!  She drew her face on a piece of paper and Jake helped her transfer it to her pumpkin.  So proud of her scary pumpkin!

    Brina wanted a “happy” pumpkin!

    Trying to get Skip-A-Doo to pose with them in front of the pumpkins…..ha!  Skipper wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but I have to give them credit for trying to get her to cooperate for the picture!

    The girls had a lot of fun doing the pumpkins with Grandma Penny and Great Grandma Willa.  They thought it was neat having a “2 sided” pumpkin with different faces on each side.  The jack-o-lantern that they carved was their night pumpkin and the silly faces were their day pumpkins.  We used the pumpkins seeds to make 3 Seasoned Pumpkin Seed recipes.  Did you carve or decorate pumpkins?  I would love to see your pumpkins, feel free to post a link to your pictures in the comment section below!

  • Family Activities: Fall Festivals

    Jake on the spinning teacup with the girls!  The last time I went on this ride it made me so sick and dizzy I thought I was going to throw up in one of the girls pumpkins full of Halloween candy!

    One of the fun activities our family enjoys participating in every Fall is the local festivals!  The girls love getting a chance to go for a ride on carnival rides, hayrides, bouncy castles, check out ambulances, firetrucks, helicopters, pet farm animals and more (for free)!  They always have a blast at this event!

    Here are a few pictures from one of our favorite fall festivals that we try to go to every year at a local church in our area.   Although you do get a bag of candy the highlight is the fun activities (not candy).  If you are looking for a safe place to trick or treat for Halloween check to see if any of your local churches do a  “Trunk or Treat” event.

    Off they go on another ride!

    Going UP……..

    Jake and the girls flying by me on a chair swing!

    Brina flying down the slide!

    Karlie zooming down the giant slide!

    All of us went on the Thomas the Train ride together!

    Checking out the inside of the ambulance!

    They had a lot more activities going on that I didn’t get pictures of like face painting, hair glitter, carnival games and more!  Do you have fall festivals in your area that your family always looks forward to attending?  What type of activities do they have at the festival?

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week was another fun one! Our Community Group did our first overnight camping trip.  We had a lot of great food and fellowship.  The kids had a blast and wanted to know if we could do it again this weekend!  🙂  Although they will probably have to wait a while longer I am thankful that they got to hang out with friends, meet new friends, and created a lot of great memories.  Hopefully this week I will be able to tackle more items on my list!

    Last week’s goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Read to the girls and have them read to me daily – didn’t get to read on the weekend during the camp out
    2. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    3. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    4. Attend After School Activities
    5. Plan one special Activity with the Family – Camp Out Adventure!!!! 🙂
    6. Attend Parent / Teacher Meetings for the Girls

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day – didn’t drink enough the last couple of days with all the camp out preparations and cleanup
    3. Finish reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life by Crystal Paine – excellent book
    4. Finish reading Impact Equation by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith (I got a pre-release copy to read) – great book
    5. Finish reading The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith – working on it
    6. Reading / listening through my Bible – doing the 90 day plan through YouVersion – staying on track

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Start tackling my Fall Organizational Schedule – got a few items done (need to tackle a couple more this week)
    4. Pay all upcoming bills – have a couple that came in the mail during the camp out adventure so they were put on my desk until this week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Write and Send Out Alms & Legs Ministry Team Email
    4. Community Group Camping Adventure

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Payoff the Van – was able to set aside a little bit extra this month to put towards the van
    3. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.) – working on it

     

    My goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Read to the girls and have them read to me daily
    2. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    3. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    4. Attend After School Activities
    5. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    6. Celebrate Halloween with the Family

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Finish reading The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith
    4. Reading / listening through my Bible – doing the 90 day plan through YouVersion

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Tackle Fall Cleaning & Organization Project (Focus – Office / Garage)
    4. Pay all upcoming bills
    5. Finishing cleaning up from Community Group Camp out
    6. Put away all the Halloween Items

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming (November) blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Schedule November work dates

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Payoff the Van
    3. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.)

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week my Mom, Grandma, several Aunts, and cousin flew in from Kansas to South Carolina for a visit.  My Mom stayed with us the entire time and Grandma came the last half of their time in South Carolina to stay with us.  So thankful to have some time to catch up, get some projects done around the house, and have fun.  The girls loved having Grandma and Great Grandma stay with us.  A lot of great memories!  Jake was traveling for work for part of the week so it was nice having family to spend some time with me while he was away.  Hopefully this week I will be able to tackle more items on my list!

    Last week’s goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Read to the girls and have them read to me daily
    2. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    3. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    4. Attend After School Activities
    5. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    6. Spend extra time with Grandma, Great Grandma, and extended family

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week – only did three days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day – didn’t count
    3. Finish reading Impact Equation by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith (I got a pre-release copy to read) – almost done
    4. Finish reading The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith – reading through it

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Start tackling my Fall Organizational Schedule – got a few extra projects done thanks to the help of my Mom and Grandma!
    4. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts – had guests so took some time off last week
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Get caught up on 5 blog items – took time off with my Mom and Grandma here last week

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Write and Send Out Alms & Legs Ministry Team Email
    4. Work out the details of our Community Group Camping Adventure
    5. A Friend Challenged me to read through my Bible – since I am already through the majority of the year I am working on a plan where you can read through the Bible in 90 days by YouVersion – staying up to date

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Payoff the Van – working on it
    3. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.) – moving forward

    My goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Read to the girls and have them read to me daily
    2. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    3. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    4. Attend After School Activities
    5. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    6. Attend Parent / Teacher Meetings for the Girls

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Finish reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life by Crystal Paine
    4. Finish reading Impact Equation by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith (I got a pre-release copy to read)
    5. Finish reading The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith
    6. Reading / listening through my Bible – doing the 90 day plan through YouVersion

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Start tackling my Fall Organizational Schedule
    4. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Write and Send Out Alms & Legs Ministry Team Email
    4. Community Group Camping Adventure

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Payoff the Van
    3. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses (we are trying to build this back up because we had to take some out for unexpected expenses recently.)

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

  • Travel & Vacation: Beautiful Orange County Kabini, India

    Brilliant bright orange -red flowers found near our hut at the Orange County Kabini Resort

    Orange County Kabini captivated my attention with the all the beauty around us.  Even though there were a number of families staying on the resort it always seemed peaceful and relaxing.  Whether you were walking along the cobblestone paths lined with beautiful flowers, going for a swim, or mesmerized by the colorful sunsets there was plenty to see.

     

     At Kabini there was a kid pool and an adult pool!  The adult pool was right next to a huge tree and it looked out over the Kabini River.

    View from the other side of the pool. It was a peaceful place to swim.

    Funky tree stump by the Kabini River.

    Massive ant hill!  Now that is one you don’t want to step into, although it was fascinating to see!

    Want to relax in a hammock under a huge tree?  You can relax in the hammock as you watch the kids swimming in the pool.

    Pretty lavender colored flower at Kabini.  Not sure what it is called but it reminds me of a small thistle.

    Swimming in the pool and watching the boats cruise by on the Kabini River.

    Sunset at Kabini

    Calm, peaceful and beautiful sunset

    Enjoying the last few minutes of the sunset at Kabini

    Orange County Kabini was a beautiful place.  There were plenty of fun activities as well as ways to relax.  It was great having a chance to soak in all the amazing things at Kabini from a relaxing swim to a brilliant colored flower to an amazing sunset.  What a wonderful place to visit on our trip to India.

    The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!

  • Kids “Welcome” Buckets

    Goodies for the kids (nieces, nephew, and our girls)

    I love having family come visit us!  🙂  Earlier this year Jake’s sister and her family came to stay with us for a couple weeks.  The kids LOVED having extra time playing together.

    Before they arrived I picked out some buckets for the kids, put their names on it, and had them ready for their arrival.  Every day all five kids got a little toy, items, candy, etc…. in their buckets.  As you can see from the picture the first day the kids got their buckets, a new water bottle with their names on it, and marshmallow twist candy.

    The kids had a blast checking their buckets every day.  Before long the buckets were overflowing with goodies.  I had a lot of fun putting together the treats for the kids too!

    I am thankful for the opportunity to spend a little extra time with family.  It is always fun being able to “spoil” my nieces and nephews for a few days.  A lot of great memories were made during their time at our house!