Toy Review Tuesday

Homemade Play dough!!!

I got this recipe from our town kindergarten teacher and I have to say... it is the BEST Recipe ever!

Here it is:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar(in spice isle)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons of oil
food coloring of choice

• mix together flour, salt and cream of tartar
• mix together in separate bowl the water, oil and food coloring. Add to flour mixture.
• cook mixture on low heat until dry and gummy.
• cool a little and knead w/hands until soft.
• Have fun!

We just made red play dough yesterday and my kids are still playing with it. It keeps well and long in an air tight container.

Go HERE to see more toy reviews ;)

God bless,
Mary

Get yourself to confession!

"While he is in the flesh, man cannot help but have at least some light sins. But do not despise these sins which we call "light": if you take them for light when you weigh them, tremble when you count them. A number of light objects makes a great mass; a number of drops fills a river; a number of grains makes a heap .What then is our hope? Above all, confession...."

-St. Augustine

Easy and cheap school idea

Here is an easy and inexpensive way to learn grouping, colors, and counting. Just buy a bag of colored goldfish and get a muffin cooking tin. You're all set! Wahla! My kids loved this activity :)

God bless,
Mary

Were we really like this?

Today our weather is unseasonably warmer than usual-it is 46* right now and was 53* this morning!

My hubby is ambitious to take the children on a bike ride today and said it would be perfect timing for me to get dinner ready and tidy up the school closet. I thought it was a good idea too!
(You can see I am doing just that right now, right?! heeee heee).

I did convince my kids that they do actually need their heavy coats on. And I hid some hats and gloves and passed them over to my hubby on his way out. As I watched out the window, to my amazement my 5 year old son is without a coat and just a sweatshirt. .."But Mom, I don't need a coat~I'm not cold!" And also my usual skirt/dress wearing daughter also says "But, Mom, I don't need to wear jeans~I'm not that cold."

Was I really like this when I was young?

Oh, the pains of motherhood.
"Are you sure you are warm enough?" I yell out, hoping they would run right in and acknowledge that I may know a thing or two and just maybe I am right.

Instead, they all hopped in the van and drove away.
I KNOW that they are not going to be warm enough and I know they will be C-O-L-D!

Someday they'll learn...maybe when they have children of their own, I guess.

God bless,
Mary

Merry Christmas 2009!

(I will have to write more later, another time, another day!-too much to write about now!!!)

Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!

May God bless you with the peace, love and joy of Christ today and forever!

God bless,
Mary

Christmas Eve 2009

Christmas Eve is here!

Advent flew by this year, for me at least.

Where were you this morning?
We were at the doctors and filling prescriptions.

My lil sweet baby has a "horrible, terrible ear infection with a bulging disc. If we waited one more day, it'd of burst." Can you believe that? So, that was the reason he was up from 1am-9am AWAKE the other night. No matter how many children one mommy can have, illnesses are always tricky. I told the pediatrician how horrible I felt that he was in so much pain and I felt horrible that I waited till today to bring him in. He reassured me that it must have happened in the last 24 hours and not to worry and he was glad I brought the lil bambino in. What a great pediatrician we have! We love him so and are so grateful to God for him!

My in-laws just left after a short but very happy and memorable visit... with gifts of course! My 3 boys got remote controlled cars and a remote controlled truck for my oldest.

"This is the BEST day ever!!!" they all exclaimed. (Just you wait till tomorrow kids!!!) and my girls got a stencil and make- up- doll -thing and a leap frog toy that teaches (in a fun way- I love these educational toys!!!). Grandparents are great!

So, what is your husband doing right now?
Is he there too?
Is he out shopping, like mine is right now?

It never fails, no matter how many times every year I tell him throughout Advent that he should go out to shop, or stop at this or that store before coming home, it never changes. My hubby always waits till Christmas Eve -ha! Funny thing is....so did MY DAD and so does my father- in -law and my brother and just about any other male I know of! haaa haaa! LOL! Men!

We are also planning to bake cookies today-probably sugar cookies that the children can decorate and some chocolate chip cookies too! yum! Have to make them for Santa-we can't forget Santa's cookies!

Best go now. Thanks for the prayers the other day. We are all on the mend-Praise God! And in time for Christmas!!!

I wonder what time my kids will actually go to sleep tonight!?!? I have LOADS of presents to wrap since my one whole week the kids have kept me busy being sick! The joys of parenting around Christmas time! I love it!

God bless,
Mary

Toy Review Tuesday

Toy Review Tuesday

Wooden Blocks

--all shapes and sizes, but especially those big natural wooden blocks we all used to play with and learn with in kindergarten centuries ago! (yikes...that makes us all feel o-l-d! sorry!)

Pros:

all ages can play

boys and girls love to play with them

even moms and dads and grandparents love to play with them

kid tested-mother approve

Cons:

heavy and can be used as a dangerous weapon (just sayin'!)

takes up lots of room to store them

Why did it take me so long to post about these? I have no idea. What I do have to say is that these are just about the best toy around-my 1 year old and even my 9 year old still plays with them. They can create doll houses, garages, apartments, towers, spaceships for Star Wars figures etc...

My kids play with them every single day-even many times a day. We got our huge stash at 2 different tag sales but for a very cheap price of like 10-20$! compared to what stores sell them at! A dear friend gave us her stash that started us off when my oldest was only about 1-2 years old and I have been adding to it every since, wherever I see them at tag sales.

Go HERE to see more!

God bless,
Mary

Setting the mood

I can't seem to put the video on this post but HERE is the link---it's setting the mood for Christmas in our house today. Hope you enjoy it too!
God bless,
Mary

This song

THIS POST is what I have been listening to today. Amazing song. Amazing words. Amazing artists.
Thank You Jesus for loving me. I will continue to hide in You. I find my refuge in Your wounds-that is where I find salvation. May I love You evermore every day.

God bless,
Mary