Family Fun
Family Celebrations: Valentine’s Date with My Man!
Winter Jam 2011 at Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, SC! Jake and I had the opportunity to celebrate Valentine’s Day on Friday, February 11, 2011. We had friends swap babysitting duties with us so we knew the girls would be in good hands while we were out for the evening. While we were brainstorming fun and unique ways we could spend our Valentine’s Date we realized that it was the same night that Winter Jam 2011 was coming to Greenville. Since neither of us had ever been to any concerts before we decided to give it a try since it only cost $10 per person to get in.
After deciding what to do we talked with a couple friends and realized that the concert usually sells out so we had backup plans just in case. That night Jake picked up Subway sandwiches and we ate while standing in line to get into the Bi-Lo Center. When we arrived the lines were pretty defined but after only a few minutes it soon became a crowd with standing room only. I am not a tall person and thankful that I don’t get claustrophobic in large crowds standing because every one was standing close together.
We made it into the Bi-Lo Center and managed to get front row balcony seats! When I went to the restroom Jake left a small pretty gold package on my chair…… I hadn’t realized it but he had saved up his money to buy me a necklace that I could wear with the other one he gave me for our 7th Anniversary for dressier events! He is so sweet and thoughtful! I share will with you in a later post a little more about the necklace!
We have never been to a concert much less a Christian Concert with so many people and artists! It was neat hearing their songs and testimonies throughout the night. The night starting off with Chris Sligh who is from Greenville, South Carolina. We also heard songs from Chris August, Sidewalk Prophets, NewSong, Red, Francesca Battistelli, Kutless, David Crowder Band and the NewsBoys. Tony Nolan gave an encouraging and challenging message and KJ-52 was an entertaining MC. Here are some pictures from our Date Night. It was a neat experience and moving to see so many people in attendance worshiping together.
Chris Sligh from Greenville, SC started the Winter Jam 2011 evening. 
Chris August at Winter Jam 2011 
"Sidewalk Prophets" started with their backs to us! 
"Red" had neat fire and smoke shooting through the air at various times. The speakers were blown on our side after their performance, it was pretty loud! 
KJ-52 was a great MC at Winter Jam 2011! 
"Newsong" at Winter Jam 2011! 
Francesca Battistelli at Winter Jam, neat songs and her husband plays the drums in her band! 
Tony Nolan sharing scripture & his testimony with everyone at Winter Jam 2011 
David Crowder Band at Winter Jam 2011 
Winter Jam 2011 - "Kutless" performing! 
"Newsboys" drummer at Winter Jam 2011! 
Newsboys singing at Winter Jam 2011 
Newsboys on risers at Winter Jam! 
Winter Jam 2011 was a sold out crowd at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, SC! Book: “God Gave Us So Much” by Lisa Tawn Bergren
I recently read the book treasury “God Gave Us So Much” by Lisa Tawn Bergren to my twin daughters. “God Gave Us So Much” is a limited-edition treasury of three books. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the depth into creation, love, and heaven the author went into for a children’s book. The author created a pretty steady stream of “Questions” and “Answers” dialogue between Little Cub, her parents, and grandparents.I read the books to my girls in three separate settings. The first book “God Gave us the World” which was a huge hit with the kids. One of my daughters is fascinated with earth, planets, traveling and science so she had a lot of wonderful questions about the story. It was neat hearing Little Cubs questions about all the different types of bears that live around the world and how God made each bear unique.
The second book was “God Gave Us Love” which I read to the girls on Valentine’s Day. It was a great reminder of all the people who love us in life and especially that God loves each one of us. It had practical applications on ways to show love to others. Ultimately I liked how the book encouraged the kids to know that God loved them.
“God Gave Us Heaven” was the third book in this treasury and it paints an amazing picture of heaven! Little Cub asked a series of common questions kids ask regarding heaven and the author did well in answering them. I especially liked the analogy of Jesus being our “bridge” to our forever home. She painted a pretty clear picture for children regarding heaven and salvation.
The books mention God and many of the questions little ones ask regarding God, the world, love and heaven. I really like how Lisa emphasized on how our world was designed by God, that he loves us and wants us to live in heaven with him. The only thing that caught me off guard was there is no mention of “Little Cub’s” gender until the end of books and all three of us assumed by the conversation that Little Cub was male so we were surprised to find out Little Cub was actually a female. These books had a good mixture of adventure and giving credit to God. Each book peaked the curiosity of my girls enough to allow us the opportunity to continue the conversation for several minutes after reading the book and answer their additional questions about life, love, and heaven.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher through the Waterhouse Multnomah. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Recipe: Friendship Bread
A friend, Jan Thornton, gave me my first Friendship Bread at my bridal shower and it was delicious. I have always wondered about the starter for that recipe then a couple years ago Jake’s cousin Mandy gave me another starter recipe. Here’s the starter recipes as well as the steps you need to follow to make the Friendship Bread:- 1 (.25 ounce) package Active Dry Yeast
- 1/4 cup warm Water (approximately 110 degrees)
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup granulated white Sugar
- 1 cup Milk
Dissolve yeast in water and let stand for 10 minutes. In a non-metal bowl combine flour and sugar. Mix thoroughly. Slowly stir in the milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover the bowl loosely and let stand until batter is bubbly. Do not refrigerate batter.
- Consider this Day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature or store in a ziplock bag.
- Day 2 – Squeeze Bag
- Day 3 – Squeeze Bag
- Day 4 – Squeeze Bag
- Day 5 – Squeeze Bag
- Day 6 – Add 1 cup of Sugar, 1 cup of Flour, and 1 cup of Milk and Mix in a Non-Metal Bowl
- Day 7 – Squeeze Bag
- Day 8 – Squeeze Bag
- Day 9 – Squeeze Bag
- Day 10 – Add 1 cup of Sugar, 1 cup of Flour, and 1 cup of Milk and Mix in a Non-Metal Bowl
Scoop out 4 (1 cup) portions for of the starter mixture and put each cup in a separate ziplock bag. Give 3 of the bags to friend and keep one for your family. With the left over starter mixture add the following ingredients:
- 1 cup Oil
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Mix together thoroughly then add the remaining ingredients to the mixture:
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1 large box of Vanilla Instant Pudding
- Optional Items to Add – 1 cup nuts, Chocolate Chips, Coconut, Raisins and more!
Mix the dough thoroughly then divide into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Once you have made the starter (the 1 cup you kept for your family) you can consider it Day 1 and proceed to Day 2 the next day. One of the problems I encountered the last time I did this recipe is that before long you have more Friendship Bread then you can give away. If you are getting too much and want a break from doing Friendship Bread for a couple weeks you can freeze the starter batch measured out into 1 cups for later use. The frozen starter bread will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using. This gives you the ability to always have it to restart but also an opportunity take a break for a little bit too! Just remember to pull it out and start the process since it takes several days if you are planning on using it on a specific day! You’ve hear the saying that “Good things come to those who wait…..” this friendship bread is so delicious it is always worth the wait!
Photo by Binder of Daemons
Happy Birthday Brina & Karlie!!!
Today is my little ones birthday! It seems like it was yesterday we were in the hospital and NICU with them. Even though their due date was in April they decided to come 7 weeks early. They have brought so much joy and laughter to our life! It has been wonderful watching them learn and grow. We pray daily that God will continue to develop them into beautiful young women with a heart for Him.
Happy 6th Birthday Brina & Karlie!!!
Our sweet girls - Karlie and Brina! This picture was taken a couple months ago. Now both girls have glasses!
Giveaway Today (2/18): TWO 20% Off Amazon Mom Diaper Coupons!!!
In honor of my Twin Daughters Birthday today I am giving away
TWO Amazon Mom Diaper Coupons for 20% Off!!!
Two lucky winners will receive the codes for an additional savings on their diapers by the end of today! All you have to do to enter this giveaway is sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below by 10 PM EST on Friday, February 18, 2011 telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied. You can get a BONUS entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing with us one of your biggest joys in raising little ones! After 10 PM EST on February 18th I will randomly draw a winner from those who have entered the giveaway. The codes are good through February 28, 2011.
Sign into your Amazon Mom account to receive 30% off diapers everyday (15% that Amazon Mom‘s receive, plus the 15% from Subscribe and Save). This coupon will allow you to save an additional 20% Off your diaper purchase. Giving you an 50% discount!
Amazon Mom is a free membership program offered by Amazon for Moms, Dads, parents, and caregivers of children from pregnancy through the toddler years. Amazon Mom gives members discounts on products for the family. You can join by signing into your Amazon account if you already have one and indicating it you’re a Mom, Dad, or caregiver of a child. To learn more about this program check out my earlier post.
Vacation: “Catamaran Adventure” on Philipsburg, St. Maarten (Part 2 – Pictures)
We enjoyed visiting the beautiful island of St. Maarten!
Here are some pictures we took during our excursions that day!
A map of St Maarten in the port! When we got out at each port there were maps of the location and usually a lot of people offering to “help” us see the island. We had our excursions planned the day before so it allowed us the freedom to say “No Thank You” to all the offers. Plus one of the many benefits to going on an excursion that was through the cruise line was that they guaranteed that you would arrive back on the ship in time or they would hold the boat for you. When you go on an independent excursion if you don’t make it back to the port on time they just leave you!
Mom and Dad in St Maarten! Mom, Dad, Jake, and I walked through the town. It was neat seeing all the different shops and talking with the people that lived on the islands.
Spending time together in St. Maarten! (Jake & Bridgette) It was difficult getting a picture near signs without having other tourists in the middle of the shot. This sign was further on away from the port so we were able to get pictures without a group of random people being in it. This picture was taken on the edge of a little park in Philipsburg.
Huge private boat docked at the same port! We were told that it was Steven Spielberg's boat! This boat was huge and docked near our ship, it was Steven Spielberg’s boat (or so we were told)! You know a private boat is big when they have garages on their boat for smaller boats!
Snorkeling near St Maarten, somehow I was one of the first people in the beautiful water! Snorkeling was a fun adventure! It always takes some time getting use to the gear but everyone had fun swimming around!
We saw some schools of Black & Yellow striped fish and pieces of metal during our snorkeling adventure! Our camera is waterproof so Jake was able to bring it into the water and take some pictures of the fish. They were a little harder to see with all the sand in the water but we still found a few.
We saw several beautiful and huge boats on our excursion! We saw some amazing ships while on the catamaran. I had no idea that there were so many private boats. It was a beautiful place to visit.
The airport was so close to the beach it literally looked like the airplanes were landing on the beach with all the people! It was really neat watching an airplane land in St Maarten. The plane really looked like it was going to land on the beach with all the people.
Helicopter that had crashed on the port....now retired! We saw this helicopter on the port on our way back on the catamaran. It had a rough life that ended in a crash and was being stored on the pier. We knew our little one who enjoys cars, trucks and planes would get a kick out of seeing this one.
One of the Beach Taxi Boats going back and forth all day! If you are planning on going to the beach these Beach Taxi Boats were a great choice. You could ride them as much as you like all day for $6. They went back and forth every few minutes. You could spend the morning at the beach go to the boat for lunch then come back to the beach and hang out for the rest of the afternoon.
A Vacation To Remember series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed. 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. Go with a good attitude and looking 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!
Life Simplified: Laundry Day
For those who don’t know me…….I am NOT a big fan of doing laundry. Don’t get me wrong , it gets done in our house because I don’t like wearing dirty clothes but doing laundry everyday is almost like torture to me. Before discovering a system that worked for our household I would delay doing laundry until the last possible moment (ie…someone was out of underwear) then do a huge batch. The laundry would then sit on the guest bed waiting to be folded and put away. Many times if you wanted to wear a certain shirt or were looking for clean underwear you had to dig through a massive pile in search for an item.Thankfully, we had a season in our life that forced me to get organized in the laundry department as well as other areas. Several years ago my husband took a contract position in a town an hour and half away from our home. Since the girls were young and not yet in school the entire family commuted with him on the contract. The company gave him an allowance for an apartment and we were able to find one less then the amount we were given so we could save a little bit extra. A couple of the downsides to the apartment being less expensive is that it was tiny and it didn’t have a washer and dryer hookup. Since we came “home” on the weekends it wasn’t that big of a deal, however, that meant we had to keep track of groceries in two houses plus carting laundry back and forth every week. During this season in our marriage I learned a lot about organizing and planning especially with living in two places at one time, an apartment during the week and at home on the weekends. There were several benefits to our family doing laundry only once a week:
- Less Stress for Mom because once laundry was completed on Saturday it was done for an entire week.
- More Cost Efficient as far energy, water, and laundry soap.
- Only 4 Loads of Laundry per week (on a typical week we do 4 full loads of laundry for an entire week: 1 – Sheets & Towels, 2 – Light Clothes, 3 – Dark Clothes, 4 – Whites)
- Saves Time when I do everything all from start to finish in one day. The laundry gets washed throughout the day and for about an hour in the evening I take the time to fold, hang up and put away the items.
- Happy Family – no more digging through piles of clean laundry on the bed looking for underwear or a shirt, etc…. everything is cleaned, put away and ready to be worn.
- Cleaner Home when the piles of laundry are no longer stacked on our guest room bed or in front of the washing machine our home is neater.
- Items are Pre-Treated prior to being put in the laundry basket instead of trying to remember which ones to spray when I am putting them into the wash machine.
- Organized System – having a specific day and task to accomplish enables me to get it done for the week and move onto the other tasks that demand my time and attention
On the weekend we had to get the laundry done in order to have clothes to wear for the next week so it was a great motivator. Even though that was several years I still do all our laundry in one day. I no longer have to get it done on the weekends so currently laundry days are Monday’s at our house. Everything is washed, folded and put away all in one day. Since starting this organizational task it has allowed additional freedom in my week plus it has been a blessing to my family. I no longer dread doing laundry because I know it will be done completely on “laundry day” and I will not have to think about it again until next week. My family no longer has to dig through piles of clothes looking for something to wear. It was a win-win situation for everyone.
Even though that season in our life was difficult balancing the two households looking back on it I realize how many rich blessings and memories were created during that time as well. It is during the times of stretching and change in our family when we discover new ways to make life more enjoyable for ourselves as well as those around us. Having the opportunity to look at our organizational system from a different perspective may be all it takes to make it more efficient.
Do you like doing laundry? What works for one family may not work for another. What are ways you use to help make your time doing laundry more efficient?
Photo by Jon Yu
Finding a Warm Spot!
Our little feather friend found a warm spot between our storm door and back door! She was surprised to see us heading out to play in the snow! Recently we had a good 6 plus inches of snow in South Carolina which is pretty rare. The whole family was out for a little bits throughout the day. Brina and I lasted the longest the first round of snow playing. I ended up carrying her up the hill to the house after sledding. We got inside had hot chocolate, read books, ate lunch, had Snow Ball Ice Cream, did some laundry and relaxed before heading back out.
The next time when the girls were all bundled up ready to head outside Jake opened the back door to let them out and we were startled to find a “friend” that must have tried to follow Brina and I inside to find some warmth! We weren’t too excited about having a small bird flying around our house so we sent the girls out the garage then Brina came around to the back of the house to free the bird who was caught between the storm door and the back door of our house. I think the bird was happy to find such a warm spot until she encountered us. I am sure she was very glad find another warm spot away from the house! Even the birds are looking for warmth on the snowy days. I am thankful for a warm home especially during these cold days.
Family Celebrations: Valentine’s Day
We had a blast celebrating Valentine’s Day together as a family. The day was so packed full of fun that I didn’t have time yesterday to post what we were up to so I am doing it today! Here are little snip-its of our family celebrations!
Brina and Karlie's Valentine Breakfast Goodies While Brina and Karlie were getting dressed for school we set out a little box of sweethearts and heart necklaces for them to enjoy. They ate heart shape blueberry pancakes and saved their candy until after school. Although they did wear their heart necklaces ALL day!
Special Valentine's Surprise on my Steering Wheel! Jake went with the girls to pick out something special for me. They left these little goodies on my steering wheel. When I got into the van to drive Brina and Karlie to school I noticed my Valentine’s surprise. They picked out a flower, kitten candy and a Valentine’s Day card. They each wrote their names and drew me a picture. In my card I had a heart family of four, so cute!
Valentine's Day Gifts Daddy and the girls each received a package of “Nerf Darts” for Valentine’s Day. Now when we have our little nerf wars we won’t be knocking each other over to get a dart, hopefully. Karlie was so excited she hugged the package, spun around, and ran out of the room (to get her nerf gun, of course). Brina had her nerf gun loaded first and Mom was the primary target since I was cooking and couldn’t defend myself, don’t worry I got them back!
Expression of "love"! I had a package of Starbursts so I spelled the word “Love” on the table. The girls thought this was so neat. They were excited that they could read the word and could barely wait for Daddy to come home so they could eat the word!
"I Love You" Balloon I picked up an “I Love You” balloon at Dollar Tree for $1. The girls thought this “ape” was so adorable and managed to drag it almost everywhere they went for the rest of the night!
Brina celebrating Valentine's Day with her class! I was able to help with the girls Valentine’s Day party. The kids had a lot of yummy treats to celebrate the day. Brina was so excited to have me come spend time with her in the classroom.
Karlie enjoying chips during thier Valentine Party! Karlie ate all the non-sweet goodies first, including a yogurt and Doritos, as you can see from her orange mouth she really enjoyed the chips. She was telling all her classmates that I was her Mom and that they should wish me “Happy Valentine’s Day”!
Homemade heart shape Valentine's Day white pie pizza! I made homemade heart shape white pie pizza with mushrooms and olives on top for supper! The girls thought it was funny the pizza was a heart and the slices were different shapes from “normal” pizza. It was a fun and easy way to spread the Valentine cheer!
Minor casualty, nerf dart was shot into the oven! I was pulling the pizza out of the oven in the middle of a nerf dart storm and this little guy didn’t survive. It managed to hit the hot oven, when I went to pull it off the dart tore. The girls were sad that a dart was broken but it gave me an opportunity to demonstrate why they shouldn’t be aiming in my direction while cooking!
It was a super fun day with the family. Having children have makes the Holidays even more of a special treat, they get excited about celebrating. I am thankful everyday for my family and the memories we create together.
Vacation: “Catamaran Adventure” on Philipsburg, St. Maarten
Beautiful butterflies & flowers at Philipsburg, St. Maarten. This butterfly fluttered around us for several minutes before landing on this flower. During our recent trip we were able to stop by Philipsburg, St. Maarten! Philipsburg is the capital of St. Maarten and on the Dutch side of the island. the island is well known for it’s most popular “must-have” ingredient….SALT! In the 17th century the Dutch settlers started harvesting the salt from Great Salt Pond and sending it by the ship load back to Europe. The natives nicknamed the island “Soualiga” or “Land of Salt”. Today the island is split with France owning the Saint Martin side and the Netherlands Antilles owning St. Maarten.
The first wildlife to greet us upon arriving at the island was a beautiful little butterfly, it must have been one from the Butterfly Farm on St. Maarten sent to welcome us to their island. St. Maarten has great “beach taxis” that will take you back and forth from the boat to the beach all day for $6. If you are looking to spend the day at the beach this was a great deal plus you could come back to the boat for lunch then head back out to the beach for free as long as you still had on your wrist band. St. Maarten is also a great place to shop and pick up some neat souvenirs for those back home. Some of our group went to the beach that morning to swim, collect seashells and relax while others went strolling down through the town and shops. It was a fun and relaxing morning at St. Maarten.
That afternoon we all went on the “St Maarten Reef Express” which took us to two snorkeling locations. On the way to our excursion we walked past a huge private boat, it was said to be Steven Spielberg’s private boat! They had a lot of wind and storms that week so the water was a little cloudy but the weather was beautiful. We were able to see some fish but didn’t get to go to the ship wrecks due to the cloudy water. The food, drinks and ride along the beach were amazing. We even got to see a plane almost land on the beach. St. Maarten’s airport is located very close to the beach and when planes land they look like they are landing on the beach while people are enjoying their time sun tanning or swimming in the ocean. Along our catamaran adventure we saw amazing boats, pastel homes, and were able to swim in its turquoise blue water.
Here are a few fun facts about St. Maarten AKA St. Martin (depending on which side of the island you were on at the time!):
- Official Name(s): St. Martin – dependency of French overseas AND St Maarten – part of the Netherlands Antilles
- Population of St. Maarten – 40,100
- Capital of St Maarten – Philipsburg
- Language of St Maarten – Dutch and English
- Currency – Netherlands Antilles Florin (although US Currency is widely accepted)
- Religions – Catholic, Protestant and Others
- Land Mass – 13 square miles
- Landforms – The island is known for its white sandy beaches and coves. They have a lot of greenery in the hills and valleys of the island, the highest point of the island is 1,200 feet. They do not have any significant rivers on the island.
- Climate – warm throughout the year, the high temperatures vary just slightly between the seasons.
Information taken from World Atlas
In an later post we will share some of the pictures we took during our adventure on St Maarten. If you ever have a chance to go to St Maarten we trust you will enjoy it as much as we did. Maybe we will have the opportunity to visit and explore their beautiful island again in the future, you never know!
A Vacation To Remember series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed. 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. Go with a good attitude and looking 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!
