Hand Vibes–Review and Giveaway

Have you ever heard of Hand Vibes?  They’re bound to become the next craze for kids.  They come in several different colors and have over 30 different sayings on them. 

They are little rings with fun things on them such as BFF, {thumbs up}LIKE, Bro, Fresh, Epic, Dude, Boo-yah, and much much more. 

I have to be honest, I was glad we didn’t get the one that says OMG.  To me that means Oh My Goodness but I know for many people it means something else that would require taking and speaking a very sacred name in vain. 

Aside from that, I think they are so fun. 

They come packaged in sets of three.  Two are visible and one is hidden…. a ‘mystery ring’!  PLUS… one out of every six ring packs will include a ring with a fun, collectible emoticon design.  There are 10 different emoticons to collect.  Hard to find but certainly not impossible ;)

We were not lucky enough to find an emoticon ring.

They come in one size only which means they don’t quite fit little ones such as my C and B and they also don’t fit Anthony.  They were just a little tight on him.  He was disappointed… he wanted to be ‘cool’ like us girls! 

These fun rings can be found in Target, Toys R Us, and other stores. 

But YOU could win some right now!  They would make fun stocking stuffers for the kiddos.  The nice people at Hand Vibes have agreed to give TWO sets of Hand Vibes to ONE lucky winner.  That’s a total of 6 rings!!!  Winner will be chosen this Friday. 

There are four ways to enter.  Be sure to leave a separate comment here on this post for each entry. 

1. Leave a comment telling me the best thing Santa’s ever left in your stocking.
2. Follow my blog via GFC (over on the right) or become a subscriber – leave a comment.
3. Like my facebook page – leave a comment HERE to let me know you did.
4. Tell your friends about this giveaway via Twitter, Facebook or your own blog – leave a comment HERE!

I received no compensation for this post.  I was sent free product in order to write an honest review and host a giveaway.  All opinions expressed herein are my own.

 

An emotional weekend

You’ll remember in my last post I very briefly mentioned that Santa had made an early appearance at our house.  I just never told you the story behind it.  Are you ready?  I don’t know how ready I am to tell it because I am afraid I’ll cry… again. 

But it’s a story that simply MUST be told because it’s a story about real life and real angels and real people. 

Anthony and I have struggled.  Our marriage, our faith, our family, our spirituality, our emotional well-being, and our hope have all been tested over the years.  How?  Mostly financially. 

We’ve been married for 11 years now and I would say that our financial status as a whole over the years has not been anything for anyone to be envious of.  We had almost two years of financial comfort when Anthony first started his construction company back in 2005.  Then the economy took a dive.  Other than that, we’ve had years that were hard but manageable, and we’ve had years that we just didn’t know how we were going to make it.  The past few years have been really rough. 

Christmas seems to sneak up on us every year and it’s a fight to make sure Santa shows up.  We’ve had many ‘angels’ come to the rescue over the years.  It’s never something we solicit for.  I believe that there are certain people in our lives at certain times for a reason.  And I believe that when people are in tune with the spirit, they just know when there is a need.  And often, we don’t even know who these angels are.  They give of themselves anonymously.  I can’t tell you how grateful we are to them!  ALL of them!

We are usually able to provide something for the kids.  It’s just not much and maybe not what they really wanted.  (Either kids are asking for more expensive things these days or things are just more expensive than they used to be.)  That is where these Christmas angels come to the rescue and make it all happen!  Somehow, the kids all end up with at least one main toy on their list.  I always tell them that Santa decides what he thinks will be best for them.  He can’t give them every big item on their lists. 

But anyway, this year was another one of those years that we worried and wondered how we would make it happen.  Anthony was working as an insurance agent for about a year and a half when the company he was with raised their rates and people stopped buying.  Even veteran agents were having a hard time.  So, when the money stopped coming in, we came to the realization that it wasn’t going to get any better any time soon.  He quit and now works as a framer, again (his true dream job! – seriously… he’s done it for so many years, he absolutely loves it!).  The pay is better than the commission he was earning as an agent but still not enough to stay on top of everything. 

Still, we were determined to do Christmas on our own.  We’d been helped in the past but couldn’t let it happen this year.  We just couldn’t! 

Then Santa showed up this past Friday around 8:00 in the evening.

With presents!

 

And a letter saying something like (I’m paraphrasing because I don’t have it right here in front of me):

Santa heard that you were worried he might not show up this year so I stopped by early so you can stop worrying.  I only do this with special families…….

It goes on and says to continue praying and doing the things we should be doing.  I’ll have to pull the letter out tomorrow…

It was signed from Santa.

It was really neat.  It made me cry!  Unfortunately, the girls were not at home when he came.  

I have no idea who sent Santa to my house but I want to let you all know that I have a true testimony of angels living here on this earth!  Mortal angels!  They have come to my rescue as Christmas angels many times over and I can’t thank them enough for that.  They’ve even come at other times of the year. 

We may not have the rich things of this world.  We may not be able to do a lot of the recreational activities that so many other families are able to participate in (like movies, amusement parks, etc.) but my kids are happy.  They love the gospel of Jesus Christ and they love each other (even if they fight way too much!). 

We have learned so much from these trials that we have gone through.  We wouldn’t be who we are today without them.  They’re not easy, and they’re not always fun but they sure do help us to grow. 

And someday… SOMEDAY… we are going to be able to pay it forward.  We will!  Anthony and I both look forward to that day when we can pray to find another family to reach out and help for Christmas.  For now we’ll have to help in other ways.  In service.  But someday…

The Day AFTER Thanksgiving

Look who came to our house…. EARLY! 

Details to come.  This is just a sneak peak.

And a real Thanksgiving Day post too but holy cow, it’s 1:15 in the morning!  I have been too busy to blog for the past two days.  Did you think I had been institutionalized after my last post?  I’m not there… yet!  

On My Mind

Last week I was stressed out to the very max!  Way beyond what any normal person should be.  I couldn’t explain the reasoning, it was just a very stressful week for me.  Everything set me off!  I was a leaky faucet and no one could say anything that didn’t make my eyes spring a leak (or send me huffing away red-faced).

How are you doing, Brooke? 

**Sobs**

What are we having for dinner, babe?

“I DON’T KNOW!  Why don’t YOU think of something?”  

I really was fine, just stressed out… about everything!  And when I’m stressed about everything, I’m pretty much stressing about nothing.  Nothing important anyway.  It just doesn’t make any sense.

And then Anthony said something to me that made all the sense in the world.  He was waiting for the announcement…

… either I was pregnant or Aunt Flo was on her way! 

No, I’m not pregnant!  And yes, Aunt Flo made her unwelcome self very cozy here. 

Not that you wanted to know, it’s just pertinent to this particular part of the story.  Grin and nod your head… grin and nod your head ;)

In other news, I have lots of other things on my mind that don’t particularly warrant their own post so I’m going to briefly mention them here. 

First and foremost… when I look at my December calendar, I realize that December has it out for me this year.  It has pretty much thrown up all over me… already, and it’s not even HERE yet!  Does anyone else feel this way?

 

Between 3 dance recitals, 2 family parties, a ward party, a Relief Society party, a friends 50th birthday party, and a birthday within our own family, I think we’re pretty much maxed out.  That’s before I even throw in the holiday baking and the gift making (we’re poor this year so we aren’t buying anything for anyone).  How are we going to fit it all in?  I might be going slightly nutty! 

Oh, AND the kids made a mental list of all the little traditions we do each year (or at least try to do) and told me which ones are a MUST this year.  Things that just can’t be missed or else Christmas just can’t come.  Things like making graham cracker gingerbread houses with cousins, caroling, making gingerbread men, seeing the lights at Temple Square, reading certain Christmas books, delivering neighbor gifts, etc. 

December, I just might have to yack right back at ya! 

Oh, just a side note, the next time you think it might be a good idea to put your 3 girls in two different dance studios, think again.  It means double the recitals and double the recital fees!  Darn those fees, they’ll get ya every time!  However, I do think that each girl is where they need to be for proper training in their particular dance interests.  I just wish the two studios could somehow work together and know that I already paid a fee at one so I really don’t need to pay the other.  Wouldn’t that be nice?  And what if the two studios had accidentally scheduled their performances on the same night?  That could have been bad!  Luckily it didn’t happen that way but what if…?  And why in the world do we have three recitals when there are only two studios, you ask?  Well, one studio is having the ‘older’ kids perform at Festival of Trees while the younger ones get to perform at a senior center… along with the older ones.  This means that K performs twice. 

Having a baby in December might be a bad idea as well.  A’s birthday is right smack dab in the middle of all the festivities.  She refuses to celebrate early (in November) to avoid all the holiday buzz because then it doesn’t ‘feel’ like her birthday. 

So, we must accommodate.  I understand where she’s coming from.

And whoever decided that Christmas should fall on a Sunday this year (darn calendar!) is mad!  Is it just me or does it feel like having Christmas on a Sunday throws everything off?  I’m kind of excited about going to church ON Christmas, I mean, it doesn’t happen all that often.  But goodness sakes!  Trying to find a good day for a party is insane.  Everyone wants to do it the same night (the 17th) because most people have their own traditions on Christmas Eve.  I know we do.  We couldn’t go to a party on the 24th!

Ok, so this is kind of turning into a bit of a rant… sorry about that.  Please know that I am VERY excited about Christmas and all the festivities that go along with it.  I’m just freaking out a bit about how to fit it all in and make it all work. 

If I’m no longer blogging by the end of December, I may have been institutionalized.  But for now, I’ll be blogging away.  It’s therapeutic for me.  I’ll blog all about my holiday craziness.  Someday I’ll look back at it and wish to have it all back. 

And on that note, I’ll be back tomorrow!  See you then…  I need a chill pill!

 

Yeah? Yeah? Yeah? No!

B sure knows how to get what he wants.  Just watch!

B with Grandma and Grandpa

 

I actually have a second video but haven’t downloaded it yet.

Now, tell me you wouldn’t give in!

Lemon Meringue Pie

My father-in-law had his hip replaced just over four months ago… July 5th.  That meant that he had to fast after a certain time on the 4th of July.  What a day to have to fast, eh? 

Well, we asked him ahead of time what he would want as his ‘last meal’ before the big surgery.  To be honest, I don’t even remember what we had for dinner that night.  All I remember is that he asked for lemon meringue pie for dessert.  I offered to make it. 

Umm, hi.  I had never made a lemon meringue pie before, at least not by myself.  But I was brave enough to try.  That’s saying something, right?  And if it hadn’t worked out, I would have grabbed one at the store.  Actually, I would have cried, then I would have sent Anthony to the store to pick one up.  And then I would have cried some more.  Luckily, the pie was a lot easier to make than I had anticipated.  It helped that it was pretty much delicious, too.  My father-in-law was impressed.  Does that count?

Yes, the answer is yes.  Grin and nod your head for me…

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The crust I used was from The Pioneer Woman and it was so flaky and so light!  We loved it.  The only think I can suggest to make it the best is to use the butter flavored shortening.  I made two batches just to try them both out.  The one with regular shortening was a little bit bland for my liking but hey, do what suits you best!  Oh, and don’t be too freaked out by the vinegar.  Supposedly it helps the crust be more flakey.  It certainly was and I promise it did NOT compromise the taste.  This is my new ‘go to’ pie crust recipe.  LOVE!!

 

Pie Crust

• 1-1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I prefer the butter flavored)
• 3 c. flour
• 1 whole egg
• 5 T. cold water (get a cup of ice water and scoop from there)
• 1 T. White Vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt

 

In a food processor, combine shortening and flour.  Pulse several times until it starts to form coarse crumbs, about pea size.  (If you don’t have a food processor, you can combine them in a large bowl with a pastry cutter.  It will probably take about 3-4 minutes.  It should resemble coarse crumbs.) 

Add beaten egg to food processor (or bowl) followed by the water, vinegar and salt.  Pulse in food processor until it pulls together.  (Or stir in bowl gently until they are all incorporated.)  Be sure not to over mix. 

Form into 2 or 3 evenly sized balls, place each in a zip top bag and flatten slightly into a round disc.  I did 2 balls because dividing it into 3 made them too small for me to work with.  They can be frozen at this point for another time or put into the fridge for about 15-30 minutes to firm up and make them easier to work with. 

When ready to roll out, lightly flour a flat surface and the top of the dough.  Roll dough starting at the center, working your way out.  Roll until it’s larger than the diameter of your pie pan.  Once it’s rolled out, transferring to the pan can get a bit tricky.  I like to lightly roll it up on my rolling pin and then lift it over the pan and unroll.  Does that make sense?  I hope so. 

Now make sure to tuck it into the bottom edges of the pan.  Trim around the edges with scissors so it’s still slightly hanging off the edges.  Maybe 1/2 inch or so.  Now beautify the edges.  I wish I knew how to explain how to do this.  If you don’t know how, I suppose you could Google it (Google is all-knowing ;)).

Poke several holes in the bottom of the crust and even up on the edges with a  fork.  This will help prevent bubbles from forming while baking.  (This step is only for pies that need a prebaked shell)

Bake in a preheated 425* oven for 12-15 minutes or until just slightly golden.

 

The Lemon Meringue Pie comes from Alton Brown.  It really was easy and so good!

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Filling:

• 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
• 1/3 c. cornstarch
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 T. butter
• 1/2 c. lemon juice
• 1 T. finely grated lemon zest

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and set aside.

Combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Use a whisk to stir. Turn to medium heat and bring mixture to a boil. Stir frequently.  Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add small spoonfuls of hot mixture to yolks whisking between each spoonful to temper the eggs.  Return egg mixture to saucepan, turn heat to medium low and cook, stirring constantly.  Boil again for 1 more minute – this should be very thick.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and even onto the crust.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Cool pie completely before slicing and serving. 

Meringue Topping:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Add sugar gradually.  Continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 1 to 2 minutes. 

**I used the back of a spoon to lift the meringue into peaks in some spots.**

I really hope you get a chance to make this soon!  Thanksgiving is coming up next week and my father-in-law is requesting that I make this again.  How could I say no?  I’m looking forward to it!

Oh, and by the way… you’d never know he had anything wrong with hip, ever.  He was back to riding a bike within just a couple of weeks.  He amazes me!!

Rocket Boot Heaven

You might remember C’s Rocket Boots from this post.  He still calls them RockaBoops.  Well, the other day the boys and I headed to Target… again.  We go there quite often while the girls are at Liberty Girls.

While there we decided to take a gander at the ‘Rocket Boot aisle’. 

C was in Rocket Boot Heaven!!  Just look how happy he was! 

He kept pointing out all of his favorites to me.  Luckily, only one pair of his favorites was pink, or was it purple?  I don’t remember, I just know they were girl boots.  The rest were big boy Rocket Boots.  Unfortunately, we’re poor.  No new Rocket Boots that day. 

For now, he’ll continue sporting around the lovely, too big, absolutely charming, hot pink ones.  He doesn’t mind, although I’m positive he’d happily give them up for some awesome big boy ones.  That will make Anthony happy as well. 

Someday… Santa? 

Homemade Oreos

A young man in my ward is leaving to go on a mission this Wednesday.  He is truly a remarkable kid and we’ve enjoyed watching him grow up for the past six years.  Back then I was still taller than him.  I think he’s a good foot taller than I am now.  That is NOT an exaggeration. 

His mom and dad held an open house for him at their home today for anyone that would like to come and wish him well.  We were happy to do so.  After all, it will be another two years before we see him again. 

I offered to bring something to the open house and I decided that Homemade Oreos would be PERFECT for the occasion.  Why?  Well, no particular reason really.  I just know that I love them and it’s been almost a year since we’ve made them.  Plus, Anthony was really in the mood to frost some of the evil little treats.  How do I know?  When you’ve been married for 11 years, you just know…  I could see it in his eyes.  Because he really is the master froster.  I try to frost them and make a mess all over myself and the filling ends up oozing out of the cookies.  It’s just a much cleaner process if I make the chocolate cookie part and let him handle the filling.  Teamwork!

This recipe comes from Christmas with Paula Deen.  She calls them “Chocolate Sandwich Cookies” but I still like Oreos!

You’ll love them.  Give ‘em a try!

Homemade Oreos

Two pkgs. chocolate cake mix (I’ve used Devil’s Food, Chocolate Fudge and plain Chocolate… they all work great!)

4 eggs

2/3 cup cooking oil

Preheat oven to 350*

Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer.  The batter is very thick and stiff.  Pinch off pieces and roll into 1-inch balls.  Bake on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper for 8-10 minutes.  {This makes a lot of cookies – great for parties - , you could half this recipe if needed.}

**8 minutes is always perfect for my oven.**

FROSTING:

one 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. (1 stick) of butter

3 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix cream cheese and butter together.  Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.  Stir in vanilla. 

Once all the cookies are cooled, frost half the cookies and top with the other half to form ‘sandwiches’. 

Store cookies in the refrigerator in airtight container.

We usually only end up using half of the frosting.  The other half goes on our cinnamon rolls that I am forced to make in an effort to not be wasteful.  We wouldn’t want to have to throw that extra frosting away…  Cinnamon rolls, here I come!

**Anthony’s little tidbit… He frosts the cookies in a unique way.  He uses a spoon to dollop the right amount of frosting on each cookie in a heap and ‘spreads’ it by taking the other cookie, setting it on top of the frosting and twists it with gentle pressure until the frosting has come almost to the edges but not quite.  This technique works well for him.**

{Affiliate link used.  If you choose to purchase by clicking on my link, I will receive a small percentage.  Thanks so much!}

 

 

Helping Hands Milk Bank

We’ve probably all seen the heart wrenching pictures of sick and/or premature babies whether it be on TV, the internet or maybe you know someone that has had experience with a baby who was born ill.  Maybe YOU are the mommy of a baby who is currently or was once in the NICU. 

I personally have been pretty fortunate and never had to deal with the devastating effects that prematurity can offer and my kids have all been born healthy.  However, I’ve known many moms who have had to deal with babies in the NICU.  Most of whom feel lucky that their baby ended up pretty healthy.  You’d never know they had been born premature or sick.  And most of whom also were able to pump their own breast milk in order to provide nutrition to their infants. 

I personally breastfed each one of my babies for varying lengths of time.  For us it came down to cost.  I could NOT afford formula so I had to make breastfeeding work (plus I just produce a TON… I’m pretty much a cow!).  It was definitely a trial and I’ll admit that I didn’t always love it.  However, I felt a responsibility to give my children the best I could offer both nutritionally and otherwise.  For some, this is not an option and I understand that.  Some women don’t produce milk, others may work and breastfeeding would be difficult, and others just may not be comfortable with it or just aren’t able to breastfeed emotionally.

And for those many reasons and more, some moms of premature infants may not be able to provide breast milk for their little ones.  While I believe that formula nowadays is exceptionally nutritious in comparison to the past, I also believe that for these already tiny and fragile lives, breast milk would be the optimal choice.  And did you know that many (if not all) of these mothers with sick and premature infants would agree?  They would so love to give their babies the best start possible but maybe they aren’t able. 

Did you know that YOU can help?  It’s true!! 

I’ve recently been in contact with Bethany from Helping Hands Milk Bank.  She has provided me with some information that I feel responsible to share.  How could I not when it’s something that I know I would want for my own children should the need ever be present? 

Helping Hands Milk Bank is a service that collects breast milk from healthy moms in order to provide infants in the NICU the best nutrition possible.  And the best part is that you can donate right from the comfort of your own home!  I wish I had known about this service all five times that I was nursing before.  It’s definitely something I would have felt great about doing.  But, there’s still time because we do plan on having at least one more… but NOT YET!!  And yes, we’re nuts!

There is a simple screening process you have to go through but it’s all free to donors and once you pass, they provide you with all the freezer bags you will need in order to store your milk and send it in.  Cost of shipping is also covered!  They do not provide a pump, however.  You’ll need one of your own. 

AND… as an added bonus, for every ounce of qualified milk donated, $1 will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  Help with breast cancer at the same time that you are donating milk for infants!!  How great is that?

You can apply online.  It only takes about 15 minutes.

There is a whole FAQ section that can help you out with any questions you may have.  I hope you’ll check it out and consider donating if you’re able.  Pass the word along.  Word of mouth is great way to get it out there!  

**Disclaimer:  Let me assure you that I have no opinions, whatsoever, regarding the way that you choose to feed your baby.  Whether you breastfeed or formula feed, it makes no difference to me.  As long as your baby is eating, I really don’t care.  I am only passing along this information for those who might be interested in donating breast milk for infants in the NICU.  Also, I did not receive ANY compensation for this post.  It’s simply a cause that I believe to be worthy of a post on my blog so that maybe someone can help out these infants in need.** 

MORE Busy Bag Ideas

I really hope you need more busy bag ideas because I’ve rounded up a few more of my kids’ favorites to show you. 

{If you missed the first busy bag post, click here}

And there might be one more post of busy bags coming up… maybe.  Do you need more?  Cause I’ve got ‘em!  Remember, I came home with a whopping 47 bags last week.  To be honest, we haven’t even opened some of them (like the colored pasta or rice – I’m saving those for a project with the girls ;))

But let’s take a look at some of the busy bags that we have played with and loved. 

First up, I’ll show you the two I made.  I’m maybe a little bit ashamed to admit it because mine were soooo inexpensive to make and I know that some people had to have spent quite a bit of money on theirs.  I know I came away with a TON more than I contributed.  But hey, that’s the way it goes.  I couldn’t have done it at all if I didn’t have cheap ones. 

Anyway, back at the ranch….

Popsicle Match 

Cut felt in a variety of colors for ‘popsicles’… 2 per color.  Hot glue, or sew the two pieces of the same color together being careful not to close the bottom.  Write the name of the color of each ‘popsicle’ on the end of a large craft stick (tongue depressor) in black (for beginning readers), and on the other side, write the name of the ‘popsicles’ in the actual color of each popsicle itself (for preschoolers).  Do NOT attach the popsicles.  They are meant to be slid on and off the sticks for matching the colors and/or color names.

Worm Pick-up

You just need a bird (clothespin), a piece of ‘grass’ (paper) and some worms (pipe cleaners).  Cut the worms up and shape them.  Have the bird pick up the worms from the floor or table and put them on the ‘grass’.  {Lots more great ideas for fine motor skills here!}  C likes this one.  He had a hard time with the ‘bird’ at first but he’s got the hang of it now.

Rocks in a Bottle

I know this seems silly but I’m telling you the kids love this! Take an empty water bottle and fill it with those decorative pebbles.  You don’t need the bottle to be full.  My kids (especially C and B) like this a lot.  They dump them out and then they stay busy putting them all back in.  And then they dump them out and put them back in again.  It’s a vicious cycle! 

Actually, they really like it when I let them have an egg carton, too.  They like separating all the rocks into the different egg compartments.  H likes to separate the different colors of rocks this way, too.

Hot Glue Designs

A and H really like this one a lot.  They are already contemplating what other kinds of shapes and designs they could make.

Just take your hot glue gun and make a design on some cardboard (squiggles, shapes, smiley faces, stripes, etc – hey those all start with S… weird!).  Once it’s completely cooled and dried, you can set a piece of paper over the design and rub it with the side of a crayon (remove crayon wrapper first).

Sponge Blocks

C and B have already had a ton of fun with this one!  Just cut some sponges into strips.  It doesn’t get any easier than that, right?  My kids play with them slightly wet to help them stay.  Plus, C likes to squeeze the water out of them (over the cookie sheet, of course ;)).  This keeps my kids entertained for quite a while sometimes.  And sometimes not, you know how kids are…

Wooden Disc Memory Game

I’m sure that’s not the technical name but it’s late and I don’t want to find that particular bag (among the 47!) just to find out.  We’ll have to live with Wooden Disc Memory Game for now.

This is one of MY favorites!  I don’t know why.  It’s just so darn cute!  It’s pretty self explanatory.  Just cut shapes out of felt to fit the discs and glue them on.  Have your child turn 2 over at a time to see if they match.  Match by color and/or shape. 

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And now for a VERY serious question… is anyone else weirded out by the fact that Christmas is NEXT MONTH?!  Hey hey hey, some of these might make great gift ideas, no?  I think so…

 

Callings

I am a member of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  It is our belief that we are called to certain positions, within the organization of our church, by the Lord.  He calls us to where we need to be whether it be to help others or because we need to be there to learn something for ourselves. 

We are called to these positions after careful consideration and prayerful thought by our leaders.  There may be times that we are surprised by the positions we are asked to take on and in those instances we are certainly entitled to our own personal revelation.  Take for example my calling to be a Relief Society teacher.  Hi, I’m Brooke and I don’t teach women!!  I teach kids.  I’m comfortable with kids.  Let me teach kids!!

However, I was glad to accept this RS calling after fretting and stewing over what I thought I was going to be called to.  I knew of two positions that were opening up…. Achievement Days Leader (which I could handle) and Primary chorister.  THAT one I would definitely NOT handle well.  I don’t do music… even if it is in the Primary, with the kids.  I am not musically inclined in any way, shape or form.  The Relief Society teacher position was a surprise.  I was soooo nervous.  However, I knew the moment I was asked that it was right.  That’s where the Lord wants me right now.  For the life of me I can’t figure out why but I know that’s where I need to be.    

I believe that sometimes even the leaders themselves are a bit surprised at who the Lord wants in certain positions.  And sometimes, even if the leaders aren’t surprised, you wonder how in the world you might cope with a particular calling.  (Just FYI for those not of my faith, none of these positions are paid.) 

Let me paint the picture:

Anthony gets a call on his phone to go meet with a member of the Stake Presidency.  Leading up to the day when they would actually meet, I repeatedly asked Anthony over and over what he thought they might be calling him in for.  He was sure they were just going to release him from his Stake sports calling.  After all, if it had been a new calling, they would have called me in too.  That usually isn’t done on a ward level but we know from experience that when a Stake calling is given, they usually try to include the spouse to make sure he/she will be supportive of said calling. 

He went in that Thursday night and I anxiously waited for him to arrive home so he could tell me that they were relieving him of his sports duties. 

I knew as soon as I saw him through the window walking up to the house.  He had that look.  The look of bewilderment and overwhelming astonishment.  I think it is commonly referred to as ‘deer in the headlights’.  I knew it!!  He was being called to …..

I would wait for him to tell me.  Although it was still strange that they hadn’t called me in.  Hmm, no matter.  I was sure to hear the words “Elder’s Quorum Presidency” momentarily. 

Except that it wasn’t those words that I heard.  Instead, it was “Stake High Council”. 

Say What?!  

I thought he was kidding.  Surely not! That’s for old guys. I mean, we’re no spring chickens any more but we’re certainly not old!!  Besides, they would have called me in for sure for that, no doubt!  When I inquired about that he said that they realized it would be tough with the five kids. 

But no worries… so, he’ll be giving talks in other wards once in a while, no biggie.  That’s what I thought.  But I was quickly informed that it’s much more than that.  I still don’t know all the details but I know it’s a calling with quite the load of responsibilities. 

Speaking honestly, my first thought (once I realized it wasn’t a joke) was something along the lines of ‘What Yahoo would put a man, with five young kids (two of whom are VERY high maintenance) and an already frazzled wife, on the High Council?’

And I admit, I asked Anthony to seriously pray about this calling to find out if it truly was right.  He did, and it was.  I prayed as well and wasn’t completely comfortable with the whole thing until Sunday when he was sustained as a High Priest, ordained, and set apart for his new calling.  That’s when the Spirit testified to me that it truly was right and that the Lord really does want/need him in that position.

Sunday morning he had meetings.  He was gone for over three hours which left me to get all the kids ready on my own.  Normally, that is a task that would frustrate me to no end and be nearly impossible.  However, everything went quite smoothly.  I felt the Spirit in my home… on SUNDAY!  Sounds weird but I swear the adversary makes himself very well known here on many Sundays.  Not in a big way.  It just seems that on any given Sunday, there is a lot of bickering (amongst the kids) and whatnot going on.  And church itself seems like a daunting task so to think that Anthony will be away often at other wards or on other assignments is a little scary. 

His new calling is Stake High Councilman… Mine?  Survivor!  (and Relief Society Teacher ;))  ‘I WILL SURVIVE!!’  

Maybe it seems silly but I can already feel the Spirit stronger in my home.  Things seem to be running a lot smoother than normal and I feel like we are well on our way to receiving some much needed blessings.  I believe we are blessed when we accept and magnify our callings, whether it be Relief Society teacher, Primary teacher, Visiting Teacher, Bishop, Stake High Council,  Primary Chorister or anything else.  It doesn’t matter what the calling is, we will be blessed.  There truly is no calling within the Church that is more important than another.  Some may hold more responsibility than others but “God is no respecter of persons.” 

He only wants us to magnify whatever calling we have, no matter how small it may seem!

Linking up here!

 

Blog Prompt Blog Hop #3 & a 90th Birthday

Thank you to all of you that have participated in the other two blog hops I’ve hosted.  Hopefully we’ll start getting more participants soon.  Don’t be shy, friends! 

Remember, link up to your actual post, not your main URL.  Also, please link to this blog hop so others might join in. 

You can do one, two or all three.  And hey, you can even do it in one, two, or three different posts!

This week’s prompts are:

1. Talk about some memories you have of your grandparents (or a particular grandparent) growing up.


2. What makes you laugh?


3. Tell about any church callings or positions you’ve held.  Did you enjoy that/those callings? (Could be adapted for any religion.)

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My plan is to do all three this week but we’ll see ;). 

For now, I’m going to talk about my sweet Grandma who just turned 90!  I have never been to a 90th birthday party.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I get to attend a 100th birthday party in 10 years.

I’m tellin’ you, my Grandma is like SuperWoman!  Her mind is sharp as a tack still and she even drives… still… at 90!  Does that weird anyone else out?  She only drives during the day but still.  That’s insane, no? 

I can only hope to age as gracefully as she has.  And to have a mind as keen as hers still is at her age would be such a blessing.

Just look at her.  She doesn’t look a day over 80 ;)

{Ok, so I’m not photogenic, I swear I didn’t look that ridiculous.}

Some of my favorite memories include fun things I did with that side of the family growing up.  And there is a distinct smell that brings me back to those days at Grandma’s house.  I can’t really describe what the smell is, it’s not exactly a pleasant smell but it reminds me of Grandma’s house every time.  For that reason, I love it! 

Each grandchild was asked to contribute a tribute page on a standard size piece of paper for her birthday book.  Instead of writing a traditional letter, I chose to make a list of the my cherished memories with my grandma.  Not all of them relate directly to her but at least in some way, they tie back to time spent with her (and my grandpa who passed away several years ago) or at her home with cousins.



These memories I will treasure for always.  It’s funny that so many of my memories have to do with food.  I like food, what more can I say? 

 

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Now it’s your turn!

 

 

 

 

Busy Bag Exchange & Ideas

I keep seeing ideas for Busy Bags all over on Pinterest and other blogs that I come across. 

My cute friend Kristin set up a Busy Bag Exchange, you probably remember me mentioning it before, and had QUITE the turn out.  Anyone that signed up had to do so by a certain date and sign up for a specific activity so everyone would know how many bags to make of their activity.  She had 27 people sign up for the Toddler age group and 20 people signed up for the Preschool age group.  Me?  I signed up for both.  That means that I came home with a whopping 47 activities! 

47! 

I may have gone slightly insane in the process of making 47 busy bags for the exchange but I am telling you, it was SO worth it!  If you ever get a chance to do a busy bag exchange, I highly recommend it. 

My kids (including the older ones… though K and A may not want to admit it ;)) have been having so much fun with them.  We haven’t had a chance to really go through all of them yet but I wanted to show you a couple of fast favorites.

For those that may not know what a Busy Bag is, it’s basically homemade activity, usually for little ones, that fits into a gallon size zip top bag.  Whoever came up with the idea is a GENIUS!  I have no idea who to credit…

THANK YOU to the Busy Bag Goddesses!  {I figure it MUST be a woman… or women, no?}

Some busy bags are great for fine motor skills, some for learning, and some just for pure entertainment. 

And now… some of our favorites, so far:

Pipe Cleaner Fun

Just take an old food container, clean it out, poke holes in the lid (just big enough for a pipe cleaner) and VOILA!  B loves this one.  It kept him quietly busy for 20 minutes when I introduced him to it.  I think another of my cute friends made this one… Sharlee.

Pom Pom Stuff In

I think Kristin made this.  C, B, and H all love it.  Just burn a hole in the lid of an airtight container, just big enough for a pom pom to fit through.  Easy Peasy!

Gel Writer

Take a dollar store bottle of hair gel, fill a gallon sized zipper bag, add up to 1 T. of glitter and a few drops of food coloring.  Zip bag closed making sure you have no air pockets.  Mash the bag until it’s all incorporated.  I like My kids like to smash the imprint of my hand their hands into it.

Felt Fishies

This is the one that ALL the kids love, after all, who doesn’t love to go fishing?  My friend Maria made this one but she doesn’t have a blog so I can’t link you :(

I don’t know where she got the template for the fishies – maybe she just made it up.  But just trace 2 of the same fish shape in every color of felt you plan to use.  Hot glue them together with either a small magnet, paper clip or soda can tab inside near the mouth.  She had some of the paper clips slightly sticking out.  Glue a googly eye on and you’ve got your fish! 

To make the ‘pole’, just take a small wooden dowel, tape some yarn or string near the end, glue 2 round magnets to the end, sandwiching the string.  Ta da!!

Chalk Blocks

Ok, I’ll admit it, THIS is my very favorite!  Maybe I have an obsession with chalk.  Maybe.  But you can’t tell me it’s not totally awesome!  Four small blocks of wood, painted with chalkboard paint.  So simple and yet the possibilities are endless.  C likes to take one block at a time and fill the whole block up with white chalk (hence the white-ish block in the pic).  The girls like to draw one pic and spread it amongst all 4 blocks then take their picture apart.

Felt Shapes

I think this one is totally clever.  H really likes this one.  So does C.  I haven’t really let B play with it yet because I’m pretty sure he’ll find fun in throwing the little pieces EVERYWHERE!

It’s a DVD case with a piece of white felt clipped into the clippy things (I’m sure that’s the technical name) on the inside.  Then just cut a bunch of different shapes out of felt in all lots of colors.  H likes to make designs with it.  C just thinks it’s cool that felt sticks to felt.

So, are you ready to host your own busy bag exchange?  Go for it!  Just make sure you invite me.  ;)

I’ll do another Busy Bag post once we’ve had a chance to go through a few more of them.  I need to show you the ones I did, also.

**To see more Busy Bag ideas, click here**

  

If My Head Wasn’t Attached

I have this patch of skin on my back, left side, about five or six inches wide, just behind the left shoulder… it itches like crazy!  It’s been there for about a year but it keeps spreading and getting bigger.  It feels like goose bumps but looks like nothing unless you look really closely (at least that’s what people tell me… I have a hard time seeing it.)  So, I finally made an appointment with a dermatologist.

Never been to a dermatologist.  I made the appointment last week. 

My mom had agreed to wake up way too early to come over and watch the kids for me.  The appointment was at 8:00. 

Upon arrival, the receptionist was nowhere to be found but I noticed the new patient forms carefully set out on clipboards.  I grabbed a pen and started to fill one out.  Just as I had finished writing my name, the receptionist came out with a puzzled look on her face.  She wasn’t very friendly and sternly asked me my name.  When I told her my name she informed that I did not have an appointment that day… (yesterday).  She looked at her schedule and said that my appointment was scheduled for the next day (today). 

I could have sworn it was scheduled for November 2nd.  UGH!  I told her that I would not be able to make that appointment. 

Maybe I shouldn’t have but I didn’t want to make my mom come over AGAIN when she’s already been watching my kids a lot since she’s been back.  It’s been a whole week… I know, I should give her break but seriously, these are things that just didn’t get done before because I had NO ONE to watch the kids. 

Plus, the receptionist was rude and I didn’t want to come back.  Silly?  Maybe so. 

I looked at my calendar again… sure enough, the appointment was set for today. 

SIGH

Thank goodness my head is attached!  And now I need to find a new dermatologist.  Know of any good ones?  

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In other news, Anthony is in dire need of a suit (more on that later.)  He has one but it’s way too big.  See, he bought it when he weighed over 200 pounds.  He’s now 167-ish and the darn thing just doesn’t fit anymore.  He looks like a little boy trying on his daddy’s suit. 

Thankfully, the place we bought it from does FREE tailoring on suits bought in their store.  Anthony took it in last week, they sized him and told him it would be ready last night.  So he happily went to grab it.  The tailor wasn’t in so he didn’t bother trying it on.  He would do it when he got home. 

After putting the kids to bed, he went to try on his newly fitted suit and ……………..

IT WASN’T HIS SUIT! 

Ha ha!  I had to laugh.  He was just a little stressed out over the situation until he talked to them today.  They still have his suit.  He was worried they might have given it away. 

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And now in other other news, I have lots of fun things planned, I promise.  Now that my feelings of overwhelmingness (pretend it’s a word) are over, I can get back to being me again.  Whew! 

My stress level has lowered quite a bit but Anthony’s is just beginning.  **insert evil laugh** 

Oh wait, I’m thinking that his stress may contribute to my stress… just a lot bit!  But for now, I’m stress free.  Hooray! 

But it will be well worth the stress, I’m sure. 

Have a great day!!