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Awful Awful Milkshakes!

May 23, 2008 By Laura 4 Comments

Today was a busy day, and not all full of fun. Lots of school work to be done, 2 boats to letter (work), and TWO allergy appointments. Now, if you knew how long it takes to go through just ONE of these appointments…..

So every time we go by this place (see photo below) in the area of all of our pitstops today, the kids ask to stop to have an ‘Awful, Awful Milkshake”. We went here with {A} when she was 3 or 4, and took her mini golfing next door to this stand, as well. So she’s the told the little ones all about this memory of when she was little, and naturally she made the milkshake sound like Heaven in a paper cup. {J}, {O}, and {S} have wanted to go ever since (and {A} has wanted to go back!), and really, there’s never any sneaking by it, if you take a look at the place. You can spot it a mile away! It’s just never been a good day or time to stop. So today, we thought we deserved the treat…..and stopped to have that ‘Awful, Awful Milkshake.” Right before dinner time. <gasp!>

In their ads, their shakes are described as “awfully thick, awfully good”. On their menu, they are listed as “Awfully Big Milkshake”. But we’ve always referred to them as we do.

As we ordered them, the server asked me what flavor we wanted them in. Now, I think it says something about me to realize, the question stumped and confused me. I think there was 10 seconds of silence as just I stood there staring at her, completely puzzled. What did she mean? CHOCOLATE of course! Were there other flavors? And if so….do people order them? I couldn’t imagine.

The shakes were indeed ‘awfully big’, and so we split them up into smaller cups. The kids enjoyed them to the very last drop, and so did we. I had my camera with me, and was all about getting a couple of shots of this moment they have waited for, for so long. One very interesting thing we learned today; it’s not easy to suck and smile at the same time! : ) There’s an experiment for you! Try it!

Everyone agreed the milkshakes were awfully, awfully good. No doubt we’ll be back again this summer, and next time we’ll probably play a game of mini-golf as well! Hopefully, we won’t suck there, too.

Kids FUN Plant Makeover, with Buttons! – Kids Craft

May 15, 2008 By Laura 2 Comments

Be fore-warned. There are LOTS of photos in this post. And the reason is simple: Me and my camera were having way-too-much-fun, taking photos of the kids doing this fun plant makeover, with buttons!

This is the other craft I bought supplies for weeks ago. I saw this neat idea in Family Fun Magazine called Bloomin’ Buttons, and if you happened to read this post, then you know how I feel about buttons. So….one way or another I was doing this. It’s not not only a fun project for the kids, but it’s really great for their fine motor skill development.

I just happened to have this lovely Cyclamen plant (see photo below) that my father and brother brought me for Christmas. (Wasn’t that sweet?) Yes, it’s still alive. A little research described this plant as ‘a flowering house plant that requires very little care’, so I’m not too proud of myself. Mine flowers white and scarlet flowers. I just love it. It lives on the ledge between our kitchen and school room, where it gets just the right amount of light, and maximum enjoyment.

But…the basket was looking a little….Christmasy. Especially now that it’s spring. So I had planned on spraying the basket a solid color anyway. But now I had this whole new make-over idea that I was way too excited about, for my age.

So yesterday, while Michael and {A} were out on a job, I asked my little helpers {J}, {O} and {S} (5 year old triplets) if they wanted to help me with a craft. (And then covered my ears to protect them from the inevitable piercing cheers). Of COURSE they did! So I sprayed the basket outside, and left it out there to dry. Then we got out all we needed ( just buttons, wire and wire cutters), plopped down on the floor, and got to work.

First we sorted through the buttons to find the colors we wanted (mainly primary) and the sizes we needed, to work together.

Then we got to threading them with 26 gauge green florist’s wire. It had to go up through and back down through, making a few good twists right below the buttons.

The kids loved making differing color combinations, and doing something different each time. We must have sat in a circle, just chatting, giggling and working (perhaps like quilters! lol) for over an hour. About the time it was time to put our little button bouquets into the plant soil, their show was on. That worked out good, because it wasn’t easy putting them in even for me. What a mess I made. But look how CUTE it came out!! …….

4_button-plant-kids-craft

Now that I had sprayed the basket all white, I decided it needed a little something at the bottom. So I added some tiny colored cord, because it was all I had. But I may pick up some colorful thin ribbon that might look better. Still….I love it as it is. It is so…..qUiRky, and FuN! Like me! (Well….some do think so.)

So I know you really get the idea by now, but just because I didn’t want the fun to end, I kept taking photos. I love detail shots. Indulge me………..

It’s like a Button Garden!….

With unique little button buds……

Now I’ve seen those ‘room make-over’ shows, so I know a nice way to end these things is to show a split screen of before and after.
So here it is……..What do you think??

Now I think it’s time for ME to have a makeover.

The next couple of days are on the busy side for us, so not sure we’ll have much time to blog. But you never know! Thanks for stopping by today!

Mother’s Day and Pentecost Sunday

May 12, 2008 By Laura 1 Comment

Sunday was a day full of celebration (and surprises for me). In our continued family efforts to live out the Liturgical Year, and being both Mother’s Day and Pentecost Sunday, we had a few enjoyable things on our agenda that we had planned. It was also an end to our 50 Days of Easter celebrations.

My husband and kids had gotten up early, but I was sleeping in. That is, until all 4 of my kids came jumping on my bed announcing (seemingly extra-loud when you were sleeping…) that it was time to get up. I stumbled out of my room to to this glorious sight:

Wow! It’s just beautiful, and still putting a smile on my face. But the cards really touched me. The sweet messages written inside all of them had me choking back the tears. I love the heart put into all of them, so expressive of their individual personalities. Even my husband’s. Below was my very favorite flower in the bunch, until this morning when a stargaze lily bloomed wide open, and now-well…I’m kind of torn.

A big breakfast was made me for as well: coffee (the best part for me), stuffed french toast and 12 Fruit Salad! (below) This is a Pentecost salad and is symbolic of the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-control, and Chastity. Not as easy to come up with 12 ripe fruits we thought! (Come to think of it, maybe that was symbolic too. lol) But we managed.

After breakfast we went to mass, which was nice as always. {A} voluntarily alter served, as she does most every Sunday, because it means so much to her. The presiding priest was Fr. Bob who the kids have really come to love, so that worked out nice, and we stayed a bit after to chat with him.

The night before the kids made 7 flames out of card stock, and labeled them with the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, for our table for Pentecost Sunday. Didn’t they do a nice job?

We also had a Pentecost Cake. I actually came across the idea online, and loved all of the symbolism it entailed. My kids love cake of course, but my husband REALLY, really loves cake. And I have to admit — in the end, he made every bit of it. He is amazingly creative anyway-with any project he gets involved in. And he easily gets involved with a lot–he just gets sucked right in and can hardly help himself. (You should see the Easter eggs he has made over the years–just amazing. But I digress.)

So let me share with you the symbolism of this Pentecost Cake: It’s a white cake with white frosting to represent the purity of the Holy Spirit. The ‘butter cream’ frosting we all wanted wasn’t as white as we were hoping it would be, but close enough, and also too late. : ) The cake had 12 whole strawberries around it that again, represented the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit (mentioned above), and the 7 heart-shaped strawberries for the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Understanding, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. The center candle represents Christ our Light. The 12 smaller candles represent the 12 Apostles, and the flames of course, are the tongues of fire.

It not only came out beautiful, but it was absolutely delicious!

The kids supplied ‘the rushing wind’ and blew out the candles.

So that was our Sunday in a nutshell. It was just another good day of getting a little more in touch with our faith, and celebrating as a family, which we are really good at, if I do say so myself. My husband and I were talking about how enjoyable it has been trying to live the Liturgical Year in a more involved way, with the kids. Much of what the kids are learning as we go here, WE, the parents, are truly really learning about as well. Though we both have always been Catholic, we have realized how much we paid such little attention to through the years. Taking the time to really study each liturgical day and season more, and celebrate them together as a family, is an amazing experience. It brings such appreciation, fascination, and a great deal more respect, to it all. It grows your faith, and well, ‘rekindles the fire’. Just like the prayer I’m reminded of:

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in us the fire of your Love.”

I think doing these things does call forth the Holy Spirit. That must be what we feel inside, and what makes us just want to do more and more of this stuff. It’s a good feeling-that just feels right.

But now for some Ordinary Time. Which just sounds……..restful.

Mother’s Day Thoughts & Wishes

May 10, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

Another double-whammy day coming up for us tomorrow. Pentecost Sunday, and Mother’s Day. I will be busy LIVING the day of celebrations, and will be sure to blog about it later. Meanwhile, I thought I would leave some of my own personal thoughts regarding Mother’s Day, a little early here.

Motherhood almost sounds like a tangible thing.

But it’s the gift of an experience, really. A very blessed period of time, I feel. A time which, once started, never really ends. It is seasons, that are always changing, as our children grow and evolve in their needs of us.

Motherhood is collectively, moments.

My days, like all mothers of young children, are chock-full of motherhood moments. Sometimes, it’s helping my children do something. Other times it’s teaching them, conversing with them, interacting or playing with them, or listening or watching them by their request. And still at other times, it is spent providing for them, or recording their childhood days for them, in some form or another. My days are filled with planning their day, their week, their year – their lessons, activities, or meals. It is spent building their creations and masterpieces with them, or more importantly, their character; to grow in being the person God created them to be. And sometimes my motherhood moments are lived just by being nearby – serving as a security of my presence, in case they need me. All moments, just being a mother.

Being a mother never really ends. Even once a mother passes, they live on as a mother – in the hearts and minds, and MEMORIES of their children. I know this, because all I have left of my own mother, is memories. That is what makes living the moments so important, and making the most of them, while we can. Our mothers will pass on eventually, and moments pass by in real time. But the moments themselves never, ever die, but live on as memories in our minds and in our hearts.

So if you’re blessed to still have your mother here with you on earth this Mother’s Day, and you are able to give her a hug, do it. And don’t do it out of habit, or sense of obligation, but mindfully, and heartfully. Tell her you love her. Consider telling her what she means to you in your life. Tell her thank you. Take in the moment. It’s another moment to live in, soon to be transformed into a memory, that you’ll want to hold on to.

It’s quite nice to have a day in the year appointed to honoring mothers throughout the world, with such a simple name: Mother’s Day. Don’t you think? As for me, on this day I will remember my own mother in the memories I have collected, and most likely cry some, for the sadness in my heart of missing her so much, and for the joy I feel as I replay the memories I have kept. I will ponder the examples I may or may not be setting in our daily life, to help prepare my own girls for possibly one day being mothers themselves. I will spend the day as I always do, with my children, and taking hold of the truth once again; just how very blessed I feel, every day of the year, to be gifted this amazing and beautiful journey, called Motherhood.

To every woman, who has ever been blessed in any way, in being a mother:

It’s a vocation. It’s a blessing. It’s a gift. Celebrate!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you!!!

Thank you dear Lord for the gift of motherhood.
This is such a blessed and dignified vocation.
Lord, we often forget just how much you trust us, by giving one of your precious children into our care.
Please help us always to appreciate the importance of being a mother.
Amen

T-Shirts with Sole – Craft

May 4, 2008 By Laura 2 Comments

( UPDATE: This T-Shirts With Sole – Craft’ was done & blogged in 2008. Now years later, with so many crafters owning Silhouette and Cricut Cutters, this craft is easier than ever!)

Finally we got to this ‘T-Shirts With Sole – Craft project we wanted to do! I got the general idea from our Family Fun Magazine, but then just came up with our own designs and cut them out as stencils.

The kids each chose their own designs and colors, helped put the paint on the soles, and did a lot of the pressing.

Below is a stencil on the shirt before painting, cut out of vinyl material.

We ended up mostly using the sole of this old sneaker for the paint pressing, because we weren’t really digging how the design from the $5 sandals was coming out. When switching to new colors for a new design, you do need to scrub wash the sole and quick blow dry it. I would recommend more dense sponges for application of the fabric paint, (like the make-up wedges maybe) because we were having troubles with these foam brushes absorbing the paint so much.

Pressing process. . . . .

After the paint was all applied, we let it set for a few minutes before we carefully removed the stencil.

Set aside to dry.

They were just washed and dried as usual.

The kids had a great time doing this t-shirt crfat project, but it does take quite a bit of adult help for the little ones (which we knew.) Especially if you don’t want paint everywhere else on the shirts (floor, furniture, walls, each other , etc.,…. : ). They really, really love their shirts. *UPDATE 7/2012: These t-shirts were bought at Michael’s Arts and Crafts, back in 2008, and we bought them as too big for our kids at the time, so they would fit for a long time. Now 4 years later, they are ‘just’ getting too small, but I have to tell you, they are still great shirts!! The t-shirts have always been so soft, and now they are extra-worn comfy. But not only have the shirts themselves held up well, so has the paint pattern! These t-shirts have been well-loved, for years. We hope your will be too.

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