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Preparing our home for Easter

Crown.

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I awoke this morning to the rumblings of a thunder storm and the excitement of a day in our jammies; the first day of Spring Break! As I think about our upcoming week, I commit to making this not just another Spring Break because it isn’t. This is a week in which we remember Christ’s suffering on a cross and His resurrection. Jesus knew this was His last week in earth. If you knew it was yours, what would you do? Doesn’t it make you want to read the scriptures of that final week to see what Jesus did? I’ve been rereading Max Lucado’s book called “The Final Week of Jesus” which walks you through just that.  So this is my challenge, how can I prepare my heart and home to receive and see clearly all God wants to teach us this week? I have planned a different activity for each day of this Holy week. Today we start.

DAY 1 – Simplify

I was inspired by an idea on Pinterest this morning called “Get rid of 100 things this weekend”.  Yes! Simply our surroundings. Clear the clutter so that we can breathe…think…hear. This is where our family is starting; a practical exercise in simplifying.

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I explain to my crew that God desires to be seen by us. He wants to be heard but sometimes our crowded and cluttered lives distract us from His voice. We discuss the idea of simplifying; cutting back the stuff to make more room for God.  I propose the challenge. Can we each find 100 things to give away?  It can be clothes, toys, books, toiletries. We set up bins for donations, consignment and garbage. We crank the music and begin. My 10 year old daughter, Lily, takes a mad dash for her room throwing piles of clothes and books into the donations bin. I rescue some classics and sentimentals but am impressed with the enthusiasm. My 7 year old, Campbell, approaches it from what the recipients would want to recieve. He immediately begins writing a note and coloring a picture for them which he counts as #1 of his 100. My youngest has no interest in anything except playing with the neglected toys that have just been put in the donate bin. One item put in, 2 removed. 500 items starts to sound like a big number and I begin wondering if we should have aimed for 100 total, not per person. Then I remember my overflowing closet and feel convicted. We got this.

DAY 2 Palm Frond Crosses

It’s Palm Sunday, a special day in our home because it is the source of our son’s namesake. When I was pregnant with my 3rd, with no agreed upon baby name, Lily came home from school waving a palm frond. She explained that the people waving palm fronds as Christ entered Jeruselum were called “palmers”. I went into labor on Easter and our Palmer was born the next day. ToWays to Prepare your home for Easterday we are making crosses out of palm fronds. Now I do feel compelled to tell you that Palmer thought the crosses were more fun as guns. Bang Bang. Here is a great tutorial:

How to Make aPalm Frond Cross Tutorial:

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Day 3 – Crown of Thorns

“The soldiers wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. “Matthew 27:29 “They mocked him and spit on him”.

When I think of a crown of thorns, I like to imagine it differently. I don’t like to think about the blood dripping down Christ’s cheeks or the piercing sensation of constant pain. I ask what it means to suffer at school? Has anybody ever spit on you, hit you, insulted you? How did you feel? Why did Jesus have to suffer?  We pull up grass from the ground and weave it together into a crown. We pierce it with toothpicks. The kids are both eager and reluctant to put on the crown. A few minutes later, Campbell hurts his elbow. He comes to me sprinting. There was nothing I could do, but he wanted me to know his suffering. We are each going to experience periods of suffering.  I take comfort knowing that God  knows my human suffering first hand. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all of my tears in a bottle and recorded them.” Psalm 56:8

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Day 4  Beauty for Ashes

About a month ago the forest immediately behind our home caught on fire. We watched as the fire moved from hundreds of yards away onto our property. As it crossed over our brick wall, I was advised to grab what I could.  A reverse wind came blowing the flames in the other directions permitting just enough time for the firemen to push it back. For a week the tall pine trees sizzled and smoke filled our home, but we were thankful.

For today’s project, my husband and children hopped the brick wall towards the burnt remains. They found the perfect logs.

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With rope and humility, Jimmy ties the ash stricken trunks together. The mid-afternoon sky turns black. The skies thunder and gusts of wind begin blowing. We all race inside later learning tornadoes were passing over our area. We talk about the parallel between our afternoon and that Friday in Jerusalem so many years ago when the skies turn black and the earth shook as Christ died. This cross, made from the ashy wood which took the brunt of the fire that could have destroyed our home,is now a physical representation of not only God’s sovereignty over our family but the freedom to live because we are not bound by our sin.

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“He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory”. Isaiah 61:3

crossClick here for a new Holy Week post”Stinky Feet of Passover”

Click here for a new Holy Week post”Stinky Feet of Passover”Washing feet

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Peter Rabbit Play

DSC_0534 - Version 2A first grade play is one of the great joys in life. Today my 7 year old, Campbell, was in the Peter Rabbit play.  He was, brace yourself, Onion #2. My highlight of the play was not the adorably painted rabbit faces, the garden of 1st grade vegetables, or even the live bunny Beatrice Potter carried around. My joy came in the friendship between the 2 onions. They say onions can make you cry, and this pair of onions succeeded.

When the lights when down and start of the play was imminent, Onion #1 was overcome with anxiety. His mom and I quickly prayed his heart would be flooded with peace and that he would recover. Onion #2, who is also prone to anxiety over sounds, lights, and all things overstimulating, quietly whispered to Onion #1. We all waited with breathless anticipation. What was going to happen to the little onions in the garden patch.

The play began, and without a pause Onion #1’s tear stained eyes cleared as the corners of his mouth began to turn up. I whisper to his mom, “I think he’s smiling.” What had changed? He proceeded to sing louder and motion larger than any of the animals and vegetables on stage. As the children recited their lines, Onion #1’s mom points out that my Onion #2 is saying both sets of lines. After the play, I asked just what was whispered between the 2 onions and teacher in those crucial moments when the lights when down. Onion #2 had simply agreed to take his lines and reassured him with “That’s ok, I get scared too sometimes” . Onion #2 understood the burden of anxiety. His own life experience had taken him to a place where he could relate. He loved this friend and reacted accordingly. DSC_0519

There are times as adults when we are overcome with the pressures of a situation. We need a little relief to be able to see the hope that lay ahead. We need room to recover. How thankful I am for the friends in my life who have taken just a little bit off of my plate, so that I could sing louder and motion larger in the rest of my play. May our hearts be sensitive enough to see when we can offer up that same hope to those in our garden patch.

The Wrap Party

I had to post a picture of this adorable Peter Rabbit cake. Each of the children’s names is written on the side of the cake. I will find out the name of the woman who made it as I know she makes cakes for all occasions.

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My kids love any excuse to make cake pops. We made a batch by combining Key Lime cake with vanilla icing dipped in Orange colored chocolate. Peter Rabbit’s Carrot garden was complete. Here’s a picture I took at the last-minuteIMG_2727.DSC_0557

To show our support of those cast as veggies in the play, we made “I love Onion” necklaces to wear during the performance!

Great Gatsby/ Roaring 20’s Party
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Great Gatsby/ Roaring 20’s Party

Great Gatsby Roaring 20's party costumeMarch 10, 2013

What is it about dressing up in ridiculous costumes that puts us in a good mood? Last night we had the privilege of attending The Geneva School’s Roaring 20’s gala. They were celebrating their 20 year anniversary and did so in style.

When I first learned that we were to “dress the part”, I immediately thought Flapper. After sifting through my closet, I changed my tune. I came across a dress my aunt wore to her son’s wedding that screamed the Great Gatsby. I googled Great Gatsby/20’s and pieced together a list of 5 defining elements to dressing the part.

5 Musts for a Roaring 20’s/Great Gatsby look:

1. jewelry – a long strand of pearls or vintage silver sparkles are a must!

2. Gloves – white, cream or black long gloves add polish to the look.

3. Feathers – feathers are a great accessory. Grab a boa, feathery jacket, or even stick an individual feather on your clutch or in your hair.

4. Headpiece- feathers or an oversized flower can be stuck into hair with a barrette or bobby pin. A chignon or waved bob were also popular. A rhinestone necklace can be used as a headband. Also a cloche hat is perfect. Party City sells one for under $20.

5. Dress- A black or cream sheath is the perfect backdrop to accessorize upon. For a flapper look you can go mid-calf or even shorter. For a Great Gatsby look, think long and flowy. Lace, beads and sheer fabrics enhance the look but aren’t  necessary. A man can wear a cream morning suit, suspenders, vest, hat, or slick hair. For a more gangster look, he could wear a pin stripes suit, gangsters style hat, and a whole lot of attitude.
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So I pieced together a boa, long strand of pearls, and some white gloves I wore in my own wedding. I went to Clarie’s and bought a headband to which I attached a flower pin I already owned. After texting my mom and sister pictures of different hairstyles, they decided for me. I would still like to try a wavy bob but just don’t have those hair styling skills.

My husband is always game when it comes to dressing up. I bought a gangster hat and sequins suspenders at the Party City for his look. He added a pinstriped suit and we were ready to go!Roaring 20's Great Gatsby dress style costume

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Personalized Mugs

personalized mugs

Cups! Cups! and more Cups! That’s what I was cleaning all day long. There are only 5 of us yet 10 cups on the counter. My children also had the habit of drinking from any cup on the counter. So if one child had a cold, we quickly passed it around. That’s when I had the idea of everybody has ONE cup that they are allowed to use. If it’s next to your bed and you’re thirsty, go get it. This simple idea was so easy to implement and drastically reduced the amount of washing I was doing. Here’s how I made these:

Here is how I made these:

  1. CUT letters from vinyl – I have a silhouette cutting machine so I designed the names on that software and then cut the letters from that machine. If you do not have a machine, it is a bit harder. You can print a word document on thick cardstock, cut each letter out to use a template, trace the letters onto the vinyl and cut out letters.
  2. Transfer Paper- Stick the transfer tape on the top of your cut out name. Use a credit card to smooth it out and make it stick.
  3. Remove the backing to the vinyl (your name will now be held together on the transfer paper.
  4. Position where you want the name on the cup. Press firmly down and rub credit card to make sure it sticks. You really want to rub harder during this step to make sure it does not peel off later (If some of the vinyl does not transfer to the cup, lay the transfer tape back down and rub again).
  5. You can handwash them or put them in the top section of your dishwasher

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Monogrammed Rainboots Tutorial

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I am a little obsessed with my Die Cutting machine at the moment. So when I saw these boots on sale, I knew my sister needed them to wear as she cleared out the woods behind her house.

Here’s how I made them:

  • Lay a 12×12 sheet of  Waterproof adhesive vinyl on my cutting mat.
  • Designed initials using “Boys R Crazy” font. Increased the size of the center initial
  • After it was cut, I picked the background vinyl
  • Stick transfer tape on to of name, rubbed it for 10 seconds and then remove backing to vinyl
  • Position transfer tape on boots and stick. Rub vigorously for 30 seconds and then peel
Easter Palm Frond Cross
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Easter Palm Frond Cross

This is our Day 2 activity for Holy Week. To see the other days, click here

 Easter Jpeg

DAY 2 Palm Frond Crosses

It’s Palm Sunday, a special day in our home because it is the source of our son’s namesake. When I was pregnant with my 3rd, with no agreed upon baby name, Lily came home from school waving a palm frond. She explained that the people waving palm fronds as Christ entered Jeruselum were called “palmers”. I went into labor on Easter and our Palmer was born the next day. Today we are making crosses out of palm fronds. Now I do feel compelled to tell you that Palmer thought the crosses were more fun as guns. Here is a great tutorial:

How to Make aPalm Frond Cross Tutorial:

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Photo Coasters

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Photo Coasters are a great inexpensive but personal gift. It is a similar craft to the Patterned Coasters and Hot Plate tutorial. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 4 square bathroom tiles from Home Depot. They are about $.17 each. I like the look of a black tile with photographs, but it’s a preference.
  • mod podge and brush
  • 4 photographs
  • sealant spray 

Cut your photographs into a square just smaller than the size of the tile.  Brush on a layer of mod podge onto each clean tile. Position and then firmly press the photograph where you want it. Make sure it is perfectly flat with no air bubbles. Then apply another layer of mod podge on top of the photograph. Allow an hour to dry before adding another layer of mod podge. Not waiting an hour can cause stickiness and bubbles so try to be patience. Then add a 3rd layer of mod podge. When that is dry, take them outside and spray on a sealant which will protect them from the drink. You can package them cute and you have a great personalized gift.

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Patterned Coasters and Hot Plate tutorial

coastersPatterned Coasters are similar to the Photo Coaster Tutorial except scrapbooking paper is used instead of photographs. We wanted to add pop of color, so I cut up a Lilly Pulitzer shopping bag for paper.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 4 square bathroom tiles from Home Depot. They are about $.17 each. I like the look of a black tile with photographs, but it’s a preference.
  • mod podge and brushIMG_6236
  • scrapbooking paper, wrapping paper, or even shopping bags
  • sealant spray 

Cut your paper into a square just smaller than the size of the tile.  Brush on a layer of mod podge onto each clean tile. Position and then firmly press the paper square where you want it. Make sure it is perfectly flat with no air bub

bles. Then apply another layer of mod podge on top of the paper. Allow an hour to dry before adding another layer of mod podge. Not waiting an hour can cause stickiness and bubbles so try to be patience. Then add a 3rd layer of mod podge. When that is dry, take them outside and spray on a sealant which will protect them from the drink. You can package them cute and you have a great personalized gift.

The Hot Plate below is created the same way as the coasters. The only difference is the size of the tile you purchase from Home Depot. This was a bathroom tile for about $.80.
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Sidewalk Art

My daughter was recently at a friend’s house for a slumber party. When I picked her up, I was blown away by what they had created. They had taken sidewalk chalk and completely covered the brick driveway. It was extremely cool looking.

Such a great activity for kids of all ages, that takes up a lot of time, and has a major cool factor. I’m definitely remembering this for summertime.

Craft with chalkChalk ideas

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Cake Pop Display

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A cute way to display cake pops 

Cake pops are tricky to display. To stand them up you need styrofoam but it’s just not that cute. One idea is to wrap the styrofoam with your favorite wrapping paper.  If you wrap each one individually in little bags from Michaels, you have a great Break Room treat.

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Christmas Topiary

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To make a Christmas Topiary:

  • 2 bag of peppermints
  • styrofoam ball (from Michaels)
  • Hot glue gun
  • Thick wood stick (Michaels)
  • Metal tin or container
  • green foam brick used for flower arranging (from Michael’s)
  • sealant spray

The most time consuming part of this craft is unwrapping each mint. Once you have completed this step, begin hot gluing each mint onto the Styrofoam ball. You could spray paint the foam ball red first to peep through, but I like white. Keep a one inch portion without a mint so that you have room to attach it to the stick. I used a Sealant Spray to keep it from being sticky. This step also helped enforce the “No licking the topiary” rule. Then simply put one end of the wooden stick into the topiary. I would use a thicker one than the one pictured because the topiary was very heavy. Trim the green brick to fit into your container. Secure the other side of the wood stick into green brick. Hot glue around sides. Decorate it with a bow and green shredded paper. Now you have a cute centerpiece.

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“My top 65 Memories for your 65th birthday”

IMG_5275IMG_5274What do you get a parent when they have a milestone birthday? My father was turning 65 and nothing seemed right. What gift could possibly communicate how much he means to me? There isn’t one. When I began reminiscing of him in my life, I started laughing and then crying at my memories. So I started writing them down and before you know it, I had 65 of my favorite memories. They ranged from “When you would take us to the grocery store for junk food trips” to “Our fishing trip to the Bahamas”.  I typed them, printed them on a really thick cardstock, and then cut them into stripes. I bought a neat leather and wood box from TJ Maxx and stuck them inside. After his birthday dinner, we went around and took turns reading them. It lasted hours as we reminisced together.