Prayer Pail

I came across this idea on Pinterest and I loved it.  I thought it was simple and great way to pray for other people in our lives.

Here is what you need:

• A small pail (I found mine in the dollar section at Target)
• Sticker letters
• Various ribbon
• Large popsicle sticks
• Marker

1.  Place the sticker letters on the pail - we call ours "Prayer Pail"
2.  Tie ribbons around the handle of the pail
3. Write names or whatever you would like to include in your prayer time.  We includes family names, friends names, school, church, government...
4.  Place them in the prayer pail - we will add more as we go.

Make it cute too so you want to have it in your dining room!!!!

Now it's time to pray.  We work ours out at dinner time.  My intention was to prayer for one stick per night but the kids changed it up and we each pray for a stick each night at dinner time.  It has become a highlight of dinner together.  The greatest plus out of the whole prayer pail is that the kids are learning to pray and pray for others.  It is priceless!!!

Here is the link from where I got the idea:
http://www.joyshope.com/2009/07/prayer-pail-with-supercool-guest.html
I didn't like the way the paper looked so I did the letter on the pail.

St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Next Thursday the 17th is St. Patrick's Day!  We are going to celebrate as a family.  I am starting to collect my ideas and I wanted to share them so maybe you could do some of them with your family.  B doesn't have school that day so we will be doing things throughout the day.

I was surprised about the history of St. Patrick's Day, so read up if you haven't already.

**I will continue to add as I find things.**

St Patrick’s Day Party

History: http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-history-971546/

Breakfast:

• Lucky Charms

Lunch:

• Jello Squares for Pot of Gold: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/st-patricks-pot-of-gold-685044/
• Sweet Shamrock Pretzel: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/sweet-shamrocks-685500/- I am going to try and figure out how to fill these or well have something to dip them in.  
• Fruit Rainbow (Thanks Katie- picture above) 
• Green Mac-N-Cheese
• Green Kool Aid

Dinner:

• Pesto Pasta
• Green Salad
• Rainbow Cupcakes: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/taste-a-rainbow-cupcakes-842128/

Craft:

• Leprechaun Face Mask- P 32 & 33 of Crafts for St Patrick’s Day By Kathy Ross (found at Library)
• Shamrock Pattern: http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-printables/shamrock-pattern-for-st-patricks-day-703395/

Games:

• Scavenger Hunt: http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-games/st-patricks-day-scavenger-hunt-708446/
• Place the clover in the grass- Like pin the tail on the donkey, but we will put the clove in the grass.  My kids LOVE games!!

Celebrating Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Today would be Dr. Seuss' 107th Birthday!  We LOVE Dr Seuss books so me and the kids decided to celebrate and do something fun.  So here is what we did!!!

We made yummy cupcakes!

 We decorated a little bit!

 One Fish, Two Fish

 Our Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes

 Making Green Eggs!

 Our Cat In The Hat Paper Toss Game

 The books they won on the bags

 My handsome boy!

 My precious girl!

 The most delicious cupcakes- ohhhh so much frosting!

 Got to get all the frosting!

 Not a birthday party without candles!

 Activity Sheets

Cupcakes:
I made them with a chocolate box cake and Betty Crocker Fluffy White Frosting. 
Bake the cupcakes as directed.  Use a piping tool to put on white frosting.  Add blue food coloring to the frosting and pipe the blue frosting on top of the white frosting.  I used my fingers to make it a little pointy and messy, like Thing 1 and Thing 2 hair!
Here is a great link if you want to make it from scratch and fancy:
http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/02/dr-seuss-party-ideas-dr-seuss-birthday.html

Activity Sheets and Ideas:
http://www.seussville.com/#/games - Click the activity drawer and have fun!!!

Fun Stuff- Gift "Baxes"

Gift Baxes are a mix between a gift bag and a box.  

Here is how you do it:

Supplies Needed:

• Cereal Box
• Scissors
• Tape
• Wrapping Paper
• Ribbon*
• Tissue Paper

*(For the Ribbon use as thick and wide as you want.  I used a sheer ribbon 

because it was what I have but I would go something much thicker)

1- Trim the top flaps from a cereal box

2-Wrap the box like you would wrap a present.  Leaving about 2 inches of paper free at the open end of the box. 

3- For the free paper cut at the corners down to the top of the box.  This will make it cleaner when folding it in.

4- Fold the free paper inside the box and tape to secure it

 

5- Grab your hole puncher and punch two holes in each side towards the top.  You can decide how far apart you want them.

 

6- Measure you ribbon and feed it through your punched holes to make the handle.  Knot a few times so the ribbon will not come loose when you carry it.

7- Put your gift in with tissue paper and you have your sturdy "Gift Bax"