Teaching our Children
Fresh & Healthy: Having Fun with Produce
Fruit and Veggie Snack The girls have enjoyed helping pick vegetables and fruits from our garden this summer. They don’t get too excited about pulling the weeds but have gotten better at spotting produce and picking it. Once the fresh produce is washed they are always fascinated at seeing all the goodies spread out on the counter. Many times they pick a variety of pieces to eat at that time. One night as they were getting into their pj’s I put together a special fruit / veggie snack from the produce we had picked that day (see picture above). They giggled as they ate their special goodies from the garden and talked about how to grow food in a garden.
Smile – sliced Green Peppers
Nose – sliced Strawberry
Eyes – halved Cherry Tomato
Eye Lashes – cut up Purple Beans
It’s a simple way to get the kids excited about eating fruits and vegetables. I love surprising them with special treats and seeing their joy at getting something fun to eat.
Fun Activities on the Last Few Days at School
I was able to go spend a morning volunteering at the girls school recently. Thankful that I have had a number opportunities throughout the year to participate in their classroom. One of the benefits to having twins in the same classroom is you don’t have to split your time between several different rooms. The girls LOVE it when Mommy hangs out with them at school and Mommy is excited they still want to have me be a part of their school group. The last several days of school are always busy with extra activities. One of the days I was able to help out with was their annual Field Day which is a full day outside competing in a variety of kid games.
Karlie working at a picture for one of her friends! 
Brina thrilled that Mommy is taking a moment to watch her draw while helping with their class! 
Karlie and Brina resting in between games on Field Day! 
Brina's turn to carry the bean bag in the relay for her team on Field Day! 
Karlie was one of the few kids that made it all the way hopping down and back without losing the ball between her knees. I was pretty impressed, probably couldn't do that myself! 
Brina doing the sack race, she was a trooper for her team! 
Almost to the finish line! Go KARLIE Go!!! It is hard to believe the school is done and they are out for the summer. We have many fun activities already planned for the summer and I know we’ll come up with even more stuff to do. They have already listed several things that we did last summer tat they want to do again (guess that’s good because last summers memories were positive)! Glad they enjoy hanging out with Mom because I love these months at home with the kids!
Summer Activities: Enjoying our First Juicy Watermelon of the Season
Thanks Daddy for the Yummy Watermelon! Yes I made the girls eat it outside, we know how messy they can get with this juicy treat! As a special treat Jake brought home a watermelon recently! It was our first watermelon of the season so we were super excited to dig into the juicy melon. The last watermelon I purchased wasn’t great but this one was AMAZING!!!! Maybe the key is to have dear hubby pick them out in the future.
Eating watermelon brings back memories…..the first few watermelons the girls ate were the sweet yellow watermelons because we got a bunch on sale at the local Farmer’s Market. When we gave them the regular “pink” watermelon for the first time they didn’t believe us at first that it really was watermelon because it wasn’t yellow! Every summer season we enjoy sharing our first watermelon together, this year we kicked off the season with a traditional seedless pink one. Maybe we’ll have to head to the local Farmer’s Market and get yellow to enjoy soon.
Brina munching away on the sweet watermelon! Too busy eating to even look at the camera! 
Karlie licking off her sticky fingers! Ummm.....Mom where's the napkins? She was more concerned about the mess she was making! Thanks babe for the delicious treat, it hit the spot on a hot day! All of us enjoyed eating our first watermelon of the season and are already looking forward to the next one!
Song: “Keep Changing the World” by Mikeschair
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWQpzKHEwVg&feature=related
“Keep Changing the World” is great reminder of how one person can make a difference for in the lives of people around them. When we show the love of Christ to others in our neighborhood and community we have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of others. We can change the world we live in by helping those around us. It is hard for me to imagine “children without homes” but I know it happens. Pray about ways you can get involved and help those within your immediate community.
Fresh & Healthy: Our Garden – A Variety of Fresh Leafy Lettuce, Summer Squash, Cherry Tomatoes, Snow Peas, Pepper, Spinach, Zucchini, & More…Oh My!
We are loving the fresh vegetables from our garden!
Here are some of the fresh veggies we were able to eat and share this week:
Our very first picks of Fresh Snow Peas, Cherry Tomato, Summer Squash and Banana Pepper! Even though it is only a handful of items (including our first tomato of the summer, ha) hopefully we'll have some more coming soon and throughout the rest of summer. 
Fresh Garden Vegetables - at least 5 Varieties of Leafy Lettuce, Summer Squash, Zucchini, another Cherry Tomato, Snow Peas, Spinach, Sweet Basil (bagged), and Dill (bagged)! What are you eating out of your garden this week?
Bass Pro Shops: Free Family Summer Camp Events (Activities / Workshops / Crafts & More!)
Starting June 4th through July 10, 2011 Bass Pro Shops will be having Free Family Summer Camp Events.
There are plenty of fun activities, games, crafts, and workshops to participate in at Bass Pro Shops. Some variations may occur at the individual stores participating in the Free Family Summer Camp Events.
Free Activities (Tuesdays & Thursdays from 2 PM to 6 PM and Saturdays & Sundays from 12 PM to 4 PM):
- Free Shooting Gallery
- Free Shooting Range
- Free Casting Targets
- Free Photo (on Saturdays & Sundays)
- Free S’Mores Cookout (Saturdays – 7 to 8 PM)
Free Workshops (Tuesdays & Thursdays from 2 PM to 6 PM and Saturdays & Sundays from 12 PM to 4 PM):
- Archery
- Bird Watching
- Shooting Basics
- Camping Basics
- Plants & Insects
- Animal Identification
- Hiking Basics
- Outdoor Pets
- Fishing Basics
Free Crafts (Tuesdays & Thursdays from 4 PM to 6 PM and Saturdays & Sundays from 2 PM to 5 PM):
- Camp Scene Doorknob Hanger – June 4 & June 5
- Camping Photo Frame – June 7, June 9, June 11, June 12
- Leather Keychain – June 14, June 16, June 17, June 18
- Paint a Wiggle Fish – June 21, June 23, June 25, June 26
- Design Your Own Birdhouse – June 28, June 30, July 2, July 3
- Stamping Fun Animal Tracks – July 5, July 7, July 9, July 10
To learn more information go to Bass Pro or to find a location near you!
Living on a Budget: Creative Cash (May Update)
May is my fourth month tracking my Creative Cash. What is Creative Cash? Creative Cash is finding ways to come up with extra cash to share with others as well as work on our current goal. I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day, however, I feel that it is important to save money for our family by using coupons and buying items on sale but to earn a little money to help with the extra expenses and to share with others. The extra amount I bring in on top of the work is what I call “Creative Cash” which means finding ways to make money creatively or with items and talents I have already. I have tested this goal over the last couple months as I am challenging myself to make my life more simplified. I plan to continue this goal for the remaining months of the year. Despite the many financial obstacles that we have faced as a family we have been blessed with so much. We believe it is important to be accountable with our finances and give to others.Explanation: The creative cash will be made throughout the entire month through various endeavors. As it comes in the money is placed into our savings account and withdrawn at the end of the month so it can be split. It is my goal to make at least $100 extra a month to help with our goals as well as share with others. At the end of the month the money will be split 50 / 50 with half going towards our current goal we are working on (which at the moment is paying down debt) and the other half going to charity.
May was a good month even though it was extremely active in many other areas of my life. Thankfully I was able to save some extra cash however, I did not reach my my goal of $100. I want to share with you the ways we did it so if you are looking for ways to make a little extra creative cash for your family hopefully we can be an inspiration in getting your creative juices flowing:
- $23.11 – Items sold on Ebay (after fees): The all the items sold were coupons. I encourage you to look around at some of the coupons you get the mail, newspapers, magazines, in your stockpile, or other places and if you will not have the opportunity to use them then consider selling them for a little extra creative cash.
- $9.51 – A portion of the proceeds from the Upstate Women’s & Home Consignment Sale
- $29.50– A portion of the proceeds from the Taylors & Friends Consignment Store.
- $14.90 – Other miscellaneous amounts earned (rebates, returns, cash back, extra money, etc…) that was added to my stash for the month.
It was a harder month to set the extra aside because it was very busy and I was not able to participate in as many extra creative cash activities. May’s “Creative Cash” total was $77.02 which means $38.51 extra that goes towards our current goal (paying down debt) and $38.51 goes towards charity. May was the first month I didn’t hit my $100 goal but I am happy that I was able to get close to the goal and every little bit helps us get a little closer to our goals as well as helps others along the way. I have plan of action on ways to earn creative cash in June so stayed tuned, hopefully, it will be another month where we can get closer to our goal and share with others. Each month I do a variety activities to accomplish this goal, the items above are just the ones I did specifically in May. I look forward to sharing more of the things that work well for our family as I do them in the upcoming months.
I will share with you the challenges, successes, and updates as I go through this journey so you can keep me accountable or even go through it with me by participating and sharing your story. Taking the extra time to find ways to help our family as well as invest in the lives of others is important to us. I hope that we have been able to encourage you to find ways to come up with some creative cash for your household as well. Obviously, each situation and family is unique so decide what works for you and go for it! Do you know of another way to earn creative cash? I would love to hear your idea!
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Photo by StopNLook
Summer Activities: Swimming Pool Set Up & Rules
Karlie and Brina "helping" set up the swimming pool (wonder if they can even see out of their glasses)! We recently set up our swimming pool for the girls. A couple years ago we bought the pool on clearance at the end of season and it has been a wonderful investment. The girls, friends and family have enjoyed swimming in the pool and it has held up really well. When Daddy was ready to set up the pool this year the girls were eager to help! Once it was starting to fill they dove in glasses and all (see picture above)!
We enjoy finding inexpensive yet fun summer activities that our girls can do together. The pool has proven to be a wonderful source of entertainment for our girls who love to be outside on the hot summer days. One of our concerns with having a pool is safety. Although our pool is not huge it is very important we go over the rules every summer. Here are our Pool Rules:
- No Swimming without Permission of a Parent (or Responsible Adult)
- No Swimming Unless an Adult is Physically Outside with the Children
- When People Are Not in the Pool the Tarp Must Be On Top of the Pool at All Times
- No Children are Allowed on the Colored Mats Around the Pool (unless they are getting into the pool with an adult present)
- No Children are Allowed to Remove the Tarp from the Pool (they can however, assist an adult in removing the tarp)
- No Children can Touch the Pool without an Adult Present (touching the pool can result in falling into the pool which can be dangerous)
- All Children Must Go Potty Prior to Entering the Pool (prevents the accidents or short swim time due to potty breaks)
- Feet Must Be Rinsed in the Bucket Prior to Entering the Pool (helps keep down the debris)
- No Jumping Into the Pool (when kids jump into the pool they can land on another kid or pin a kid down, this prevents these types of accidents)
- No Leaning Over the Edge of the Pool (a kid could fall in or out of the pool)
- No Excessive Splashing (the adult in attendance has to use judgment on this one, splashing is normal, however if you have younger and older children in the pool at the same time it may need to be monitored more closely to make sure all kids are safe and having a good time)
- When a Pool Toy is Thrown or Falls Out of the Pool it will be Picked up by the Adult Present 1 Time (if it is thrown out a second time it can be claimed after the children get out of the pool, this helps cut down on the opps it went out again and the adult spending the next 2 hours chasing and cleaning off pool toys).
- Once Out of the Pool A Child Cannot Re-enter for At Least An Hour (this prevents the children from getting in and out all the time which increases the risk of extra debris, emptying the pool, falling into the pool, and saves the energy for the adult since the majority of the children will require help getting in and out)
I realize the rules can seem a little strict but over the last couple of summers we have realize the importance of having rules when it comes to the pool. The pool is something we want to enjoy but it can quickly become dangerous if the kids don’t respect the rules. Jake and I have had fun swimming with the girls in the pool too and have to respect the rules as well.
Some of these rules are more “flexible” then others. Rules such as swimming without permission or if an adult is not present will result in being band from the pool for several days. It is not worth the risk and the kids need to know the seriousness of a pool. We try to remind the girls of the pool rules often especially before having friends over. Do you have any specific pool rules that I haven’t covered?
Cleaning Up the Yard & Spring Bonfire
We are blessed to live in a wonderful area with a creek and woods. While the trees provide shade they also are known for dropping branches occasionally. Since we had some limbs piled up we decided to clean up the yard by building our first Spring bonfire. The girls had fun gathering the twigs and branches in the yard and bringing them to the fire. Once the fire was good and hot was roasted hotdogs, did a little more work collecting branches, followed by relaxing together and roasting marshmallows.
Sweet Sisters and Best Friends having fun gathering twigs in the yard together! 
Brina loves hanging out with her puppy - Skipper! 
Karlie telling a story while Daddy cleans the wire for her hotdog. 
Bonfire conversations with the family! 
Daddy and the girls relaxing around the bonfire! Love spending time with my family. We were able to get some work done in the yard and relax together. It was awesome having some time to talk and make new memories with the kids!
Life Simplified: Old Boots Transformed into Flower Pots
Boots transformed into a decorative Flower Pot! I love being able to creatively recycle items that have been around our house for awhile. My husband used to wear these boots! Now that they are worn out (and covered in specks of paint) I have found another use for them on my front porch….as a flower pot. The boots are a unique decoration to have on the front porch. I love seeing peoples reactions the first time they see them! I get a lot of comments like “That’s a great idea! Honey can I use your old boots once your done with them!”
Flowers Planted in Jake's Old Boots! It’s super easy to do! Find an old pair of boots, fill them with potting soil, and add a couple plants to each one and you has an inexpensive masterpiece that will be a colorful welcome to those visiting your home. I typically do seasonal flowers so I can give a fresh look to the boots in the Spring and Fall. Do you items that you recycle within your home?
