Sometimes I get so stressed trying to find things to occupy the kids that I forget the basics.
Like watercolors.
Over an hour a peace and quiet.
They’re cheap, they clean up pretty easily as long as you have down a weeks worth of newspaper, and old clothes (or in Alex’s case, no clothes), and the resulting artwork is generally quite pleasing, if you keep them away from black and browns.
How do I forget these things.
I know, summer is coming to a close already, but pretty darn hot around here, so I thought I’d share a snack we reach for all the time to cool off.
Frozen bananas are a healthy alternative to all those freeze pops that invade the stores in the hot months. And don’t worry if you’re not a big banana fan, they have a somewhat different, much creamier taste when frozen.
Just grab a bunch of bananas. Peel them. Cut them in half and put a wooden stick in the end.
For easy clean up. We place a piece of plastic wrap on a large plate and then lay the bananas towards the center and cover with another piece of plastic.
The wooden sticks can be found at any craft store for about five dollars (make sure to use the 40% off coupon), and you’ll have 1000 to last for summers to come.
For a special treat, dip them in chocolate and roll them in coconut or crushed candies before eating.
For more frozen bananas check out Neverhomemaker and Choosing Raw.
For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.
Matthew 12:34
Just look at Chirp checking out stock prices.
And Abram believed the Lord,
and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
Genesis 15:6
1. The twins were at church camp all last week, and I really missed them. I had to empty the dishwasher, feed the pets and do the cleaning myself.
2. Oh, I’m just kidding, I also really missed tucking them in at night.
3. Yet another girl/boy difference when I picked them up at camp.
Makenna begged, ‘Mom, can I please go back and give my counselors and friends another hug before we leave….Oh, and take some pictures…and get their addresees.”
When I asked Jarod if he’d like to go say goodbye to his counselors and friends he thought about it for two seconds and said, “Nah.”
God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7
If you’ve ever bought any plants for you yard then you probably have a few of these not so attractive black pots stored somewhere in your home. (You may also have an adorable, although very loud, stubborn and moody toddler, if you do, this post will not help you with that.)
But, if you’re like me, then you have dozens of them (the pots, not toddlers) floating around your garage, shed, basement and attic just waiting to be used because they’re pots and they must be useful for something. Right? So you keep them, indefinitely, and you accept more of them from friends and family, who know you like plants, because they can’t bear to throw them out either, but unlike you and me, they don’t want them cluttering up their house.
Meanwhile you go out and buy similar pots because they’re prettier colors.
Enter the always useful can of spray paint. You have your choice of any color, and one $4 can will cover a dozen or more pots depending on their size.
We’ve previously done pink and blue pots for the twins to each have their own flowers, but this year I went bland and got a terra cotta color to match my other pots.
Oh, and one last thought, as far as paint durablity goes, we’ve found that most of our pots look nice for about 3 years before we have to repaint them.
Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
Matthew 3:8
‘Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise,
like a person who builds a house on solid rock.
Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.’
Matthew 7:24-25
