• 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.

  • Song: “Love Never Fails” by Brandon Heath

    It isn’t encouraging to know you are loved.  “Love Never Fails” is a great way to put it. God is love and he allows us to experience love on earth as well through our relationships with our spouses, kids, family, and friends.

    Happy Valentine’s Day!

    May you be able to enjoy time with someone you love today!

  • Savings with an “Amazon Mom” Membership

    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.

    Some benefits to having an Amazon Mom account:

    • Free Membership
    • 30% off Diapers & Wipes
    • FREE Two Day Shipping with Amazon Prime
    • Exclusive Offers
    • Discounts & Special Promotions on Products
    • Automatic Additional 15% Discount on Subscribe & Save
    • No Fees, Risks or Obligations
    • Age Appropriate Product Recommendations

    You should receive a confirmation email shortly after you sign up for Amazon Mom, make sure to click the link in the email to confirm your subscription to Amazon Mom in order to start receiving benefits.  Any caregiver of children can qualify for an Amazon Mom membership.  The majority of savings are targeted to those who are pregnant through the toddler years although you can still join even if you have older kids!   You can often find additional coupons in magazines to stack on top of the Amazon Mom savings.

    For more information regarding the benefits of an Amazon Mom account click here.

  • Getting My Attention

    Do you ever have those wild stressful days?  Recently I had one of those days when I had a lot going on and the girls were trying to help but they were slowing down the process.  Since we had to get going soon I told them to relax quietly together so I could finish up the last few items then we could leave.  It was one of those rushed days that are more stressful than usual and I had over committed myself.

    After completing the necessary tasks I went to find the girls,  they had been quiet the past fifteen minutes so I was interested in finding out what had captivated their attention.  My heart about burst when I went into the dining room.  They were standing at the table taking turns reading The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm together.  As I stood there listening to them share story after story and point out the pictures on the pages I was so happy that they were  sharing this time together.  It was amazing how much they remembered from going through the book with them even though it was several devotional books ago.

    However, at the same time I was convicted because it was a fast paced day and I hadn’t taken the time that morning to do my devotions.  God used my sweet girls to grab my attention and gently remind me of the importance of having quiet time each day.  How I chose to live my life has a ripple effect on my family and the people around me.  I am thankful for these quiet reminders.  I trust that God will continue to do a work in my life.

    We do devotions with the girls in the evenings before bed (most nights).  They always look forward to reading together.  Typically,  Jake will read them a chapter from a book we are going through together then I will do the devotional book with them.  If time is tight we just do the devotional book.  During the Holidays we were staying up too late so we would just pray with them before tucking them into bed at night.  We are excited to get back into the routine and see all the neat things that they will learn this year.

  • FREE Tag Book from LeapFrog!

    You can get a free LeapFrog Tag “Ozzie and Mack”, or a LeapFrog Tag Jr. “Animal Orchestra” storybook when you link your LeapFrog toy(s) or DVD(s) on the LeapFrog’s Learning Path site.  Free shipping included!  This book is totally FREE ($9.99 value)!

    • Go online and type in shop.LeapFrog.com/freebookk

    Rules & Information:  Limit one per household. The offer is valid from 7/1/10 though 3/1/11 or while supplies last. Valid only in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia and Canada, excluding Quebec. We are not able to ship to P.O. Box, APO or FPO addresses at this time.

    Most families have at least one of the LeapFrog toys, games, or DVD’s that will qualify them for this offer.  All you have to do is sign up and get your free book!

    We got the girls a Tag Reader for Christmas and they LOVE it!  They will be thrilled to get another book to read and I love that it’s free!

  • New Upromise eCoupons for February 2011

    Upromise has posted their new eCoupons for the month of February 2011.  Remember to activate them to get additional savings.  If you have not yet signed up for Upromise you can get more information regarding on our experience or at directly at the Upromise website.

    This month they have 29 coupons you can activate for bonus savings.  Once you activate your eCoupons all you have to do is scan your rewards card or purchase the items at the store and the cash will be added to your account.  You don’t even have to carry any coupons to get the rewards!

    You can go to their website for more information on the Upromise program, it’s free to join.

  • Be My Valentine: “I Love You” Memory Jar

    A gift I made for Jake many years ago! The rose is from one of our college dates!

    Are you looking for a unique Valentine’s gift this year packed full of love and memories?  I have created jars (or containers) full of memories for various occasions in the past and they have always been a huge hit with both kids and adults.  These little containers are easy to make and will be treasured by those who are on the receiving end.  It gives your family something to remind them your love and appreciation for them.  There are 5 super easy steps on how to make your own Jar of Memories:

    • Step 1 – Find 1  jar or container with a lid per person you want to create this gift for.  We have used anything from a cleaned out peanut butter jar to cute boxes on clearance from the Dollar Store.  Make sure it is a reasonable size so you can easily fill it up.

    Karlie's decorated "Memory Jar"! (Made out of a peanut butter container).
    • Step 2 – Decorate your container.  You can decorate with about anything paint, stickers, markers, ribbons, a simple written message on the outside or any other creative decorations.
    Papers for the girls "Memory Jars"!
    • Step 3 – Once you know the size of the container sit down for a few minutes and start writing a list (on paper or the computer) of positive attributes you appreciate in your spouse or child, great memories you’ve shared, phrases of love, and special times  with the person your giving the jar to.  Put each one on a separate line.  I usually keep my list on the computer or with me so I can fill it out over several days as I think of new things to add to it. It is fun to have a good mix of attributes, memories,  nicknames, events, etc…. be creative!
    Filling up Brina's "Memory Jar"!

    • Step 4 – After creating a list that is long enough to fill the container you have chosen print the phrases on colorful paper.  Cut out the phrases and fold them at least once then stick them into the container.  It is a good idea to do this a couple days before in case you need to add more to fill the container.  Fill up the container to the top.  I like to have it so full it is almost spilling out because when they open the gift it gives them a small visual picture of my overflowing love for them.
    Wrap your Memory Jar!
    • Step 5 – Wrap the container in tissue paper and tie it with a bow or give it to them as is. Take time when they open it to have them to pull out and read some of the great things you have written about them.  It is fun to hear them read out loud some of the memories, laughs, and phrases you have included in their jar packed full of memories.  Write a special note or favorite saying on the inside.  It is sure to bring a smile!

    It is important to reflect on the positive traits and memories you have with those you love.  I have done this for Valentine’s Day in the past as well as for other special events in our lives.  It is a great treasure chest full of positive memories for everyone to enjoy.  My husband still has the one I gave him years ago and the girls have theirs on the dresser.  Occasionally we will sit together and read through some of their memory notes.  When a person knows that they are loved and treasured it allows them the freedom to share the joy with others.

    “Be My Valentine” is a series of creative ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with those you love.  You can make it a special Holiday without spending a lot.  Spread a little extra cheer to those around you this Valentine’s Day!  Surprise your loved ones with a fun and thoughtful gift from the heart.  It is a great time to reflect on sweet memories as well as create new ones with whole family.  May this Valentine’s season be bursting with love for you!

  • Book: “My Good Night Devotions” by Susan Lingo

    We purchased “My Good Night Devotions” by Susan Lingo at Goodwill for $0.25 after reading through a couple stories, our copy has a couple markings in it but otherwise in great condition.  It has 45 devotional stories for kids.    The girls LOVE it!  Each lesson has a short scripture verse, a story, thinking time (with a 1 to 3 questions), prayer and sleeping time game or activity for them to go to bed thinking about.  Brina and Karlie’s favorite character is “Night Light” a little firefly that is hidden in each picture and throughout the devotional.  If you are looking for a neat devotional that shows how God’s Word works in everyday situations for your young kids check out this book.