Snow Fun

Winter is no fun without some snow fun!

Asher and I went ice fishing for the first time.  He was thrilled to catch his first fish!  Thankfully our friend, Doug, was there, because I had no idea what I was doing.  Yes, I did put the live bait on the hook, once I figured out where to hook the minnows.  Long story short:  Asher thinks it's cold.  He's getting kind of excited.  A fish steals his bait right off the hook.  Asher decides it's not so cold and "This is more fun than I thought it'd be, mom."  Asher wants some hot cocoa, but mom says let's fish a little longer.  Little nibble.  Nothing.  Got one!  Asher stares in excitement and surprise but backs away as the trout jumps off the hook and flops on the ground.  He can't wait to get home to tell dad all about it and show brother pictures and the fish!

Saturday morning was a little chilly, but we didn't notice as much as we bundled up.  After the lower teens but negative 9 with windchill, the 30 degree weather on Sunday was like a "heat wave."  The boys enjoyed the big fluffy flakes falling and then FINALLY getting to play in the snow.  We got five inches Saturday afternoon, which adds up to a lot in the yard with all that was already there.  Looks like we will wake up to another four to seven inches tomorrow morning.

Still climbing trees, walking with their sticks, and playing with dump trucks.  Of course, in the winter, it's much more fun to build forts because of all the snow!  Asher had quite the fort set up in the yard.  Ezra is happy to climb hills and make snow angels.

Valentine's Day Cards 2014

Last weekend we spent an afternoon making Valentine's gifts.  Here is a picture of the table when we were almost done:

We figure the kids will get lots of candy from other classmates, so we try to make fun cards to go with other gifts.  I found a dozen glittery pencils on clearance for $1.  So, with the printer ink and card-stock paper I already had at home, we spent $2 on Asher's Valentine's for school.  He decided on the following three phrases for his cards:                            You've got the write stuff Valentine.

Write on, Valentine!

Valentine, you are all write by me.

Of course, it looks simple, but there's always some little unforeseen detail. I typed the cards on Word, equally spacing the sentiments so I could just cut strips with my paper cutter.  After printing, we were ready to roll.  Except that I then realized the hole puncher was too small for the diameter of the pencils and the paper was too wide for the length of the pencils (causing the cards to bow out).  No worries though.  We just trimmed a little off the left and right of the cards and then punched three or four holes in a cluster to fit the pencils through.  It went quickly after that.

Last year, Ezra didn't have that many kids in his Preschool, so we were able to get each child a Matchbox car.  One set of cards read: I "wheelie" like you.  Happy Valentine's day!  The other set of cards read: I like how you roll.  Happy Valentine's Day!  See my post "Pinspiration: Valentine's Sentiments" for links to these cards and more.

This year, Ezra decided to share one of his favorite snacks: Goldfish crackers.  His cards look like a fish bowl and say: So glad we're in the same school!  There are directions and a free printable at i heart nap time, which make these gifts really simple.  Short story... I printed a coupon for Michael's and purchased the round bags.  Then I printed a Target coupon for Goldfish that were also on sale at the time.  After that it was just click, print, cut, and have Ezra sign his name.  Then he helped me scoop Goldfish and fill each bag.

Using the same themes, I made a few of my own cards on PhotoShop for our boys, my niece, and my nephew.  The boys sent pencils and Goldfish to my niece and nephew.  We are giving Asher a gigantic pad of lined paper (like poster size) and pencils.  Ezra will get a small notebook, pencils, and some dinosaur erasers.  Their cards say: You're just write for me Valentine!

Ezra's teachers get the cards (above) saying: You are o'fish'ally the best teacher!  Asher's teacher and student teacher each get a red ruler with a card (below) saying: You rule! Happy Valentine's Day.

Asher's teacher needed some classroom supplies, so we decided to do daily gifts for her this week.  I made chalkboard sentiments to put on foam hearts I already had and packaged with string and bags that we also already had.  Monday: You are TOPS with me. (pencil top erasers).  Tuesday: We are STUCK on you! (glue).  Wednesday: You have a HEART of gold! (Dove dark chocolate hearts... because who couldn't use some chocolate now and then?) Thursday: teacher poem (below).  Friday: You Rule! (ruler)

When I was printing the chalkboard sentiments, I put the teacher poem at the bottom of the page.  The final dimensions were 5 1/2" H x 8 1/2" W.  I purchased two wood rulers and used ribbon, glue, and cardboard that I had on hand.  The rulers are cut at the 7 7/8" mark and glued together to make a frame.  It works out well that the ruler on the top already has holes in just the right place for a ribbon to hang the picture.  Ezra's teachers will get a special gift from us on Friday: this quote on a card with a bag of chocolate hearts.

Also, I'm giving Al daily gifts.  I decided to print cards to go with snacks for him to have at work.  Monday is a tag saying: You have my heart.  I enclosed a heart sugar cookie and some Dove dark chocolate hearts.  Yes, I love these hearts.  And, I can eat some too, because I've been looking for deals.  You can't beat buying these hearts at Target on sale for $3.00 each.  Plus, I had a $1.50 Target coupon (off the purchase of two bags) combined with a 15% off Cartwheel coupon and the 5% I get off when using my Target card.  In the end, I got two bags for less than the retail price of one.  That's a delicious deal!

Tuesday and Thursday are fruit because "I'm bananas for you" and "You're the apple of my eye."  Wednesday is a donut from his favorite coffee shop with the fun quote: Donut you know how much I love you?  Friday is Godiva hot chocolate with the note: You warm my heart.  Also, I made him a gift...

This is a combination of a number of ideas I've seen on Pinterest.  It's scrabble letters spelling "LOVE" over our wedding vows.  This is a special little gift, mostly because we celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary at the end of 2013.

Pinspiration: Kindness

You know that saying about walking a mile in someone else's shoes?  Here are a few fresh takes on that perspective:

I think it's a good reminder that you never really know what another person is dealing with.  I think it's a good reminder of the pain of judgement and the power of prayer, compassion, and love.

My oldest recently read the book Hip Hop Speaks to Children: a celebration of poetry with a beat. Included in the book is this lyrical poetry:

Who Will Cry? by Antwone Fisher

Who will cry for the little boy?
Lost and all alone.
Who will cry for the little boy?
Abandoned without his own?

Who will cry for the little boy?
He cried himself to sleep.
Who will cry for the little boy?
He never had for keeps.

Who will cry for the little boy?
He walked the burning sand.
Who will cry for the little boy?
The boy inside the man.

Who will cry for the little boy?
Who knows well hurt and pain.
Who will cry for the little boy?
He died again and again.

Who will cry for the little boy?
A good boy he tried to be.
Who will cry for the little boy?
Who cries inside of me?

Let's be honest.  Everyone of us is a sinner (Romans 3:23).  Everyone of us has struggles at some point.  Everyone of us could benefit from the power of prayer and love.

Let's not just imagine how things could be different.  Let's change how we connect.  Oh the power of compassion and kindness!  

Sacrifice

The titles of my morning devotions yesterday and today were "Sacrifice Yourself to Serve" and "Sacrifice Praise."  Most of us discuss the benefits of prayer and of loving one another, but I think it's less often that we rave about the importance of self-sacrifice.

More often than not my morning devotions sing the praise of praising God before starting the day.  They speak of how praising God will start your day right.  The question is whether or not we know how to really glorify God in our our praise and in our day.  Do we praise God to get the blessings (looking toward the outcome for us)?  Or, do we praise God for who He is and how He directs our path (emphasis on his character and our relationship)? 

Hebrews 13:15 says, "Let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of the lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name."

This scripture describes praise.  Praise is "fruit of the lips," which is the action of speaking or the good gift of your words.   Praise is gratitude in recognition.  Acknowledgement is not merely knowing something, but the recognition of the existence and truth of God.  Acknowledgment is given in appreciation or gratitude.  Praise is to confess, which is to acknowledge our need for God and to declare or proclaim His goodness.  Praise is to glorify His name.

Praise really is all about glorifying God.  To glorify is to worship God, honor God, and offer praise to God.  To glorify is to exalt God.  To glorify is also to acknowledge His distinguished glory and God's superiority.  Because God is greater than us, is higher than us, is above all.

Did you see that praise is also offering up to God a sacrifice?  Did you see that praise is to be constant?  If we are to praise continually, then we are to sacrifice to the selfish desires of our flesh.  If we are to praise continually, then we are to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  Easy, right?!

It is God's will that we rejoice, pray, and give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).  Rejoice always!  Choose joy!  Choose God!  The reason that we can do all this is because God fulfills His promises.

Hebrews 8:10-11 says, "I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people... they will all know me."

In the New Testament, there is a new covenant.  We can rejoice because we have God's eternal love and presence, we have Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us, we have God's forgiveness, we have God's Spirit right here and right now.

So, honestly, it isn't easy.  But, it isn't impossible.  I think of a line I saw on Pinterest: "Did you think to pray?"

Because sometimes life needs an anthem or probably because I tend to think in song, I share with you some lyrics that I think of often.  "Less of Me and More of You" is a theme in a variety of songs, and I pray this often.  I know life isn't always sunny, and in those times I've found solace in the song "Praise You In This Storm" by Casting Crowns.  The longer I think on the line stating "I praise the God who gives and takes away," the more meaning I find in that statement.  The chorus is "you never left my side... I will praise you in this storm."  To me, that seems to encompass a sacrifice of praise.                                                                                   Given His sacrifice and love I often sing "all I have in you is more than enough" (from Chris Tomlin in "Enough").  Finally, my heart is always uplifted to hear my boys sing their favorite song "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" by Matt Redman: "Sing like never before oh my soul.  I worship your holy name.  The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning.  It's time to sing your song again. Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes."