My Faith Box

At the end of October, I wrote a post about a give-away that I won which was for something called "My Faith Box"  I received it in the mail the other day and wanted to share it!

Everything arrives in this great box.  It is perfect to keep those special keepsakes in.  There is place to write your child's name on the side of the box as well.

A three ring binder is included and a full packet to use to write your child's Faith Journey.

There are several sections in the book to fill out.

I will be purchasing another one of these so I can have one for each of my boys.  Someday, I think it will mean a lot to them to see this written out.  I would encourage you to go to Lake Pointe Church to purchase one for each of your children as well.

30 Days of Thankfulness

November 13, 2010

Today I am thankful for my home.  It may not be the biggest, newest, nicest house on the block but it is mine.  It is my little piece of the pie where my family gets to laugh, live, and love.  And we do a lot of all three! 

Update on Goals

40 I have to say that the month of October put my goals on hold!  I got wrapped up in working on crafts and Josh's birthday party and kinda let everything else slide.  I thought I would update my 40 x40, though, since it has been awhile.

Here's my list with updates:


1. Make a rag quilt (I bought the pattern in 2009 while in Shippshawana . .. .and I really want to make it!)

2. Learn to Belly Dance (yep, you read that right)

3. Take a ballroom dancing class with my husband

4. Be completely current on all scrapbooking projects Still working on this one - I'm trying to finish 2008 by the end of November, which I'm doing traditionally; than I have 2009 done digitally but I won't allow myself to print the pages until I finish 2008!  I will also work on finishing up 2010 while printing 2009.  So I'm on track with this one, I think

5. Finish my first quilt (that I started like 6 years ago)  My plan is to finish this the first week in December.  I just need to pin the binding on it and sew!

6. Eat at the 1913 Room (Grand Rapids only 5 Diamond Restaurant . .. actually I think it is Michigan's only one!!)

7. Learn to make the perfect Cheesecake

8. Reach my goal weight (I thought it would be funny to put this one after the cheesecake!!)

9. Read through the Bible in one year (Never have done this; started it many times though!) Still on track with this one!

10. Plant a vegetable garden

11. Can beets, pickles, tomatoes, salsa and jam Done

12. Re-learn Claire Delune on the Piano (I played it at my high school senior piano recital) I have the music on my piano and have played through the first few pages; need to find more time to practice!

13. Go to a regular season Lions Game (I would really love to go to the Thanksgiving game but any game would be fine)

14. Go to a bra specialist, get professionally fitted and buy two of the very expensive, perfectly fitting bra's (yes, ladies, you all know what I'm talking about!!)

15. Renovate my kitchen completely from top to bottom I will be starting this soon - need to finish a couple small things in the bathroom and than the painting will begin!

16. Put myself on a bone morrow transplant list (one of those things I always think about but never research)

17. Attend a Sandi Patty concert (Yes I've been to a few but want to go again!)

18. Walk on the treadmill 4 days a week for three months (I usually quit after 3 weeks so many three months would make it a habit and MAYBE I would actually enjoy it by than!)

19. Be making $1000.00 a month from home to help our family I am now babysitting for a friend 5 days a week so I am making a small dent in this one.  Wish my Creative Memories Sales would take off -  that would really help!

20. Take a cooking class (nothing major - just a one day cooking class or even a few Saturdays in a row just to learn something new)

21. Take a photography class (I've wanted to do this for years but have struggled to find one for amateurs . . hopefully I can find one!)

22. Learn to make Jewelry and make myself a necklace, bracelet, and a pair of earrings

23. Ride on one of the two Great Lake Boats that go from Muskegon or Ludington to Wisconsin and back.

24. Take a train to Chicago and stay overnight downtown

25. See "Wicked" (I love the song "For Good" and would love to see it performed live)

26. See the Rockettes live

27. Watch the Harlem Globetrotters in person They come to Grand Rapids in January so I'm hoping we can go!

28. Sew an apron (I like aprons but refuse to buy them . . need many for the kitchen, I get so dirty! Plus I would like a craft apron for when the kids and I make crafts)

29. Cook "clean" for one week (been doing research on this one - don't think it would be a lifestyle change but I would like to see what I can change to make our eating better)

30. Attend a concert in the park (Picnic Pops!)

31. Do a sole sensations treatment on my feet (you know, the little fishy's that nibble on your toes!)

32. Join a book club (on-line or in person) and stick to it for 6 months Thought about joining the one at the Library but the club meets on Wednesdays and Darryl has practice; so I'm thinking about starting one as a blog or researching to find one that is more like a blog. 

33. Invite Lisa LaPlante over for dinner, a local reporter from our local fox channel. (It is a long story - if I accomplish it, I will tell you the story, if I don't you will never know!) I have e-mailed her but got no response (she probably thinks I'm a stalker!) I haven't given up yet though.  I figure one more e-mail and than I'm done (because I'm not a stalker!!)

34. Get a German Shepherd

35. Make three specific photo books (can't give any more details - but when they are completed and given away, I will tell you!!)

36. Learn CPR Done

37. Eat at the longest breakfast table in Battle Creek (it's a festival)

38. Win a makeover from one of our local stations - either a home makeover or a personal makeover (I always see the contests, tell myself I should enter and never do; so I'm going to actively apply to all of them . . .every one; and see if I can win!!) I've applied and that's all I can do, right?


39. Potty train both of my children (YES!!)

40. Take my husband to see the Christmas Lights and ride the train at Crossroads Village and Huckleberry Railroad. (he's never been!!) We are planning to do this the day after Thanksgiving!
 
The items underlined are in progress or things I'm hoping to finish by year end. 
 
That's the latest :-)

30 Days of Thanksgiving

November 12, 2010

Sometimes it is good to be thankful for silly little things so today, I'm thankful for McDonald Frappe's.  I don't know who thought up that idea but it was the best thing ever.  I love them.  They make a bad day better and a good day great!  And yes, we had one as a treat tonight :-)

Thanksgiving Ideas

Over the next two weeks, we'll be working on lots of Thankfulness ideas for our "Mommy School" time.  I'm slowly adjusting our schedule with the new little guy who visits us daily so that we have time for some games, stories, and activities. 

One of the things that all three boys will be making are these great turkey paintings.  Just use their little hands, paint the palm brown and, if they allow it, each finger a differant color.  Than add some feet, an eye and the beak!  I love the little poem too!

Josh is really enjoying songs and poems with motions so this will be one of the poems that we work on over the next few weeks.

Native American Thanksgiving Rhyme

Thank you, God the Father (Fold hands in prayer)
Thank you, for the sunshine (Stretch arms overhead in circle)
Thank you, for the rain (Move fingers down)
Thank you, for things that grow (Move hands up)
Thank you, for good food to eat (Make circle around tummy)
Thank you, for families that love us. (Cross arms over chest)
Thank you, God the Father. (Same as first)

I found this great blog called Totally Tots.  It has all kinds of teaching ideas for both the home teacher as well as Sunday School teachers.  There are two differant Bible Verses that we'll be reviewing the next few weeks.  One is, Ephesians 5:20 and the other is Psalm 100:4b.  Both of these include a PDF file with a printable with the verse and colorful picture; a coloring picture and even the cut apart word squares to practice with older kids.  She has lots of verses in this format to use throughout the year. 

Over at Preschool Express is a Calendar with an idea list for each day of November to do with your toddler.  Some of the ideas include struting like a trurkey, visiting a petting zoo, making animal sounds etc.  She has other ideas for the fall too. 

Don't these look good?

The Idea Room gives the full tutorial for these so check it out!  Wouldn't these be fun to make with the kids?  She also posted a great idea for keeping the kids busy on Thanksgiving day before dinner or it would just be a fun activity to do anytime!

She shows more plate ideas and gives a link to get the pattern to draw on the plates here.

Finally, over at 1+1+1=1 there is an fantastic Thanksgiving Pack.  There are some very colorful worksheets to print all based on Thanksgiving.  Check it out, download it and use it!

I'm waiting for Oopsey Daisy to post her Thanksgiving Mommy School packet (she said she would!) but I also know she is in the middle of a move so we'll see :-) 

Over the next few weeks I'll try to get some pictures of what the boys and I do to learn about Thanksgiving and as I find more great ideas I promise I'll pass them along :-)

Show Us Your Life Friday's - Bathrooms

It's another round of "Show Us Your Life Friday" over at Kelly's Korner.  I didn't miss it last week but rather she interrupted the schedule to do a special version of Show us your life and let people show off their Etsy stores.  I don't have one so I didn't post :-)

This week, we are showing off our bathrooms.  In March we started a small bathroom remodel out of necessity.  Our bathtub had a crack in it when we bought the house 7 years ago (we did not know it until we used the shower the first time).  We used some bathroom tape to seal it and it worked . .. for awhile.  Eventually though, the crack got bigger so the tub had to be replaced and thus, the remodel.  There are a few minor projects left to do but most of it is done :-)

This is the view from the bathroom door.  The cabinet is the only storage on the main floor of the house outside of the bedroom closets so I use it to its full potential and have gotten creative :-)  The long cabinet is our coat closet!!

This is the first corner in the bathroom.  I LOVE my stripe!!  The colors are so relaxing :- )

This is the view standing next to the cabinets looking down the length of the bathroom.  (And yes, that is a little blond head you see!) Someday, we will replace the single sink with a double sink which will be great since this is the only bathroom in the house!  And just an FYI, the chair is for our little guy to stand on while brushing his teeth. 

Here's my wonderful shower curtain - I LOVE it!  And I didn't really want a full view of the toilet but you can see where it is :- )

And the view from the other end of the bathroom looking towards the cabinet.  I really like my light fixtures too! 

Finally, my favorite picture :-)  Doesn't it speak volumes? I always get comments on this and it is actually just the front of a greeting card!

 So, what's left?  I have to do a bunch of touch-up painting, replace the door handle, put the stripe between the dining room floor and the bathroom floor and finish the floor in front of the tub.  I'm hoping to get that done by the end of the year so I can start on another project :-)

30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge

November 11, 2010

Today I am thankful for my country.  For the freedoms that we have and the privileges that we get to enjoy.  I am also thankful for those who serve to protect that freedom.  I have family and friends who have served or are serving - thank you for your sacrifice.