Here are few fun ideas to celebrate the holidays and special occasions together. Celebrations involve bringing those we love together. They can even form traditions and family identity. Here you will find new fun ways to celebrate with those you love.
Birthday Parties
Written By JenWe gave Kristina an awesome going away gift! It is easy and a great memory. According to Kristina, “It was one of the best gifts she has ever gotten.” We did the same thing for Scott’s Grandma’s 90th birthday. She was delighted. If you want a meaningful lovely gift here is an idea [...]
Amy Hannah (my oldest) just celebrated her 13th birthday! Yikes! It was so much fun…we had about 20 adorable girls here for a big bash. The theme….Ice Cream Parlour. Thanks to my dear friend Marsha Kay, (who I have realized is amazingly creative and resourceful!!) I borrowed this idea that she used at a [...]
Written By JenWe threw a great bash for Kristina and her family to wish them a hearty farewell a few weeks ago. I decided to rent a local park shelter for the occasion. It turned out to be a huge hit and we received many compliments. I put together a basic checklist of things that [...]
Written By JenSimply Sweet! A few weekends ago, we were celebrating our friends daughter’s first birthday. Everything was so cute, I had to run home and grab my camera. The birthday girl left her wings on for the entire party, I was so impressed! Here are a few things I liked from a [...]
Valentine’s Day
Written By JenLet us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go. Mother Teresa
Written By JenHere are some fabulous ideas for Valentine’s 2012. I would like to spend Valentine’s day at the Lincoln Center with my hubby, sounds perfect to me. I would like to unwind enjoying an opera at the Met followed by an amazing dinner at Rosa Mexicano. Mmmm. Day dreaming….. Happy Valentine’s Day to you friends!
Jen Have you seen any of these fun Valentine’s Day ideas? These are a few things, from other blogs and websites, that I found fun to look at! A quick note: Don’t forget to enter our Give Away! See the post below for details! There are some great ideas in here that you can have a [...]
I consulted my friend, the Better Homes and Gardens website, for these great ideas. After sifting through many, I pulled out the ones that I would tackle myself (which means the bar is not high) but still would be lovely and valentiney and just plain cool. Please visit their website for more ideas.WRAPPED IN LOVEThese [...]
St. Patricks Day
Written By JenHey Friends! March is here. I found this fun free printable on pinterest and designed by eighteen25. It’s so great I had to share it with you. Click here or on the image to print one out of your own. I have a designated a frame in my house for seasonal printables. It’s a fun [...]
Easter
Happy Easter! Celebrate, Christ has RISEN! Today is Book Club post day, and I am going to recommend a book that I have not read–going out on a limb, but a small one, since it’s a book that several people have mentioned to me in the last few weeks. They have said it’s a quick read, [...]
Jen Hey everyone. I have been distracted from the blog lately, sorry! I am an internal processor so when I am loaded up with life, my head and heart feel so consumed I just can’t get even the simplest of posts out. My two oldest kids have walked into friendships 101 and, we are all being schooled. [...]
Try a twist on Easter baskets, and make a paper basket bouquet for every place setting.Basket Bouquet How-ToAll you need are small brown paper bags and baby-food jars or shot glasses to hold the flowers for individual place settings. A centerpiece requires a larger bag and a mason jar or drinking glass as a vase. [...]
Written by JenGood Friday. Passover. Bread. Wine. Betrayal. A crown of thorns. A cry to God.Click here and read it for yourself right from the Bible, it’s about 3 pages, you can do it! It’s worth it! You just may be surprised at the new details that stick out to you. It seems to happen [...]
I have been reading John Pipers book called The Passion of Jesus Christ; Fifty Reasons Why He Came To Die. It has been an encouraging read in getting my head wrapped around why Jesus had to die and what is the big deal about Easter in the Christian faith. I have put the opening scripture that John [...]
Mother’s Day
Today is Mother’s Day. What does it mean to you?For me, it is a day that is significant because mothering is what I do now, its the largest slice of my “identity pie” at the moment, and it is the thing that from the moment the journey started thirteen and a half years ago, has caused [...]
Father’s Day
Written By Jen Hey friends! The Tom Kat Studio just posted these adorable free printable cards for Father’s Day. How cute! Each of my kids are choosing a card to print and give to their dad. I had to share they are so great! Father’s Day is Sunday, June 19th!
4th of July
Written By JenHere are a few of my favorite things for the 4th of July, 2011. You can click on all the pictures for more information. Happy 4th of July everyone! 4th of July Radio by Pandora
4th of July Treats All by Martha Stewart. There are 28 or so if you follow this link with the recipe. Enjoy! Beautiful and delicious! www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/red-white-and-blue-desserts#slide_1
Fall/Halloween
Written By JenLast Halloween Scott’s sister and I hung out all day together. All the cousins absolutely love to be together. Scott’s sister’s husband is in the USAF, so they move around the country every couple of years. We don’t always live in the same state, so we all feel pretty blessed when we get [...]
In our blog, we try to spend most of our time on the “meat” of life…sharing things that will cause us to grow into better people, and deepen our relationship with God. Every now and then, we need to throw in some “candy”…things that are easy and fun and you can use right now if [...]
Written By JenAmy, from Living Locurto, created a great free printable she calls, School Notes. This is a creative way for kids to express their day at school. Thanks Amy! I am a huge fan of Amy’s blog Living Locurto. These links will take you over there to check her blog out. If you click on the [...]
Written By JenHere are a few of my favorite things for Halloween this year!
Written By Jen MUMMY DOGS Ingredients: Pillsbury Crescent Rolls Hot Dogs MustardFor the Mummy Dogs, wrap a hot dog in a crescent roll. Place on baking sheet and cook according to crescent roll package. Before serving add mustard eyes to the mummies. Bones & Blood Ingredients: Pillsbury bread sticks Pizza SauceFor the Bones and Blood, [...]
Jen This is so simple and fun! All you need is paint and paper bags and you can have your own SPOOKTACULAR PUPPET SHOW! I wish I could say I thought of this myself! This was what my super star babysitter and my 3 year old put together. Thanks Alyssia!!
I found a SIMPLE and CREATIVE way to give to charity this Halloween! In the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens (one of my favorite magazines) they are offering a free download of customized pumpkin carving stencils that represent five great charities: The Humane Society, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, [...]
Thanks Giving
Written By JenDMV, 2 hours and 15 minutes and 3 kids. Need I say more? My 3, 6 and 7-year-old and I were at the DMV getting myself a new drivers license. (Later, I found out a 2nd grader found my ‘lost license’ and kept it in her backpack for 3 months, as a ‘play-date [...]
Jen What to do while you wait and enjoy family on Thanksgiving? One idea is to have some fun crafts that the family can enjoy together. I am going to post a few different ideas on fun ideas for Thanksgiving this week. For me this is about getting everyone around a table, enjoying each other, laughing, helping, and then getting [...]
Posted by Jen For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Here are some fun activities for your kids to do before or on Thanksgiving day as they wait for the meal to be served!http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-printables/thanksgiving-printable-activity-pages/thanksgiving-day-bingo-703911/http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-printables/thanksgiving-printable-activity-pages/a-thanksgiving-fill-them-in-tale-704245/http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-printables/thanksgiving-printable-activity-pages/awesome-activity-page-for-thanksgiving-704242/ And here’s a great activity that helps kids express what they are thankful for:http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-games/what-are-you-thankful-four-792378/All of these came from the Family Fun website…if you like them, head there for some more ideas.
Christmas
On this Eve of Christmas, I wanted to share a gift with you all. It is the sweet gift of Jesus this Christmas, from a perspective that will touch your heart. It is from Max Lucado’s UpWithWords daily devotional. Here it is, enjoy!Tiny Mouth, Tiny FeetGod. O infant-God. Heaven’s fairest child. Conceived by the union of [...]
Written By JenHey ya all! Just a few tips for getting great pictures this Christmas.1. Open all your blinds! Natural light in pictures is key!2. Sit close to the window with the light coming over your shoulders. Then the people you are photographing will have that nice sunlight on their faces. It is harder to [...]
As these last days wind down to Christmas, I wanted to share a few activities to keep your kids busy before the big day. My rule of thumb is they have to be easy, especially this time of year when everything is so busy! The first two ideas are printables that hopefully have a little more of [...]
Written By JenTonight snuggle up by candle light sitting by the fire and read the story of Jesus birth. Merry Christmas! For unto us a child was born. Click here to print The Story of the Birth of Jesus from the Message.
I am having a tough time maintaining perspective this Christmas season. My crazy busy life has turned my Christmas sparkle into a list of to do’s! This is the first Christmas in many years that I have had a job, which dramatically cuts down on the hours available to get my normal present-shopping, card-sending, cookie making, party-throwing, [...]
Posted by JenHey Friends! There is something amazing about giving a gift. My dear family friend Gail Squires made these beautiful Spa gifts for her friends and family this year. Our gift to you today is all the recipes and inspiration to make these beautiful gifts for the ones you love. A million thanks [...]
Written By JenI made you a fun Thank You card you can print from home and then send off with a heart full of gratitude! There is nothing like receiving a hand written note! This is a simple flat post card size Thank You. I love them! I hope you do too! Merry Christmas to you from [...]
You may be trying to think of those last few gifts for neighbors, family, or that new friend you would like to reach out to with a small something. Here are three simple but long-lasting gifts that you can give this holiday season.1. A FREE subscription to Thriving Family. This is a publication from Focus [...]
Written By JenHey everybody! Today we are giving away 4 pairs of cozy socks! They are my favorite. We fight over these in our cold Colorado house. I must admit they are pretty fun to slide across the wooden floor on too! Leave a comment here to be entered to win a pair! I want [...]
I love to put things in my house that have words…there is something so captivating about it. There is a website called WORDLE that gives you the ability to make prints with a mix of any words you want in different fonts and colors of your choice. They make fabulous gifts! I have made a couple of Wordle’s for you to print [...]
Jen and I have big plans starting in a few days. We are excited to share the Joy of Christmas with you in all sorts of ways! So, like the first lick of the tip of an ice cream cone, here is the first taste of our Christmas celebrating.You see, Christmas is about one thing. God loving [...]
Do you know the story of God? Do your children?What if we were to reflect, this Christmas, on our history of faith? There is a story here, the incredible, tragic, redeeming story of God’s incredible love for his people. And it is recorded in the Old and New Testament of the Bible. Not only do I [...]
Written By JenThis question keeps running through my mind like the ticker tape on Wall Street. Amy set the stage, by reminding us, in love God created the world, and it was good. It did not take long and things began to get messy.The Terrible Lie. Here is Sally Lloyd-Jones take on it from the [...]
New Years Eve
Written By JenMy motto for 2012 is:Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each year find you a better man. Benjamin FranklinHappy New Year Friends! We need a new year like we need a shower each morning. It is a fresh start. When I wake up with bad [...]
