Comments (4)

By kcharles, December 6, 2011 2:03 am

Meet Barnabas.  A rather humble little bear with a propensity for travel.

Barnabas was the creation of a first grade class I had 13 years ago.  He was our mascot and travelled everywhere with us, my students, their families, etc.  He carries a backpack that documents his adventures in a journal and with photographs.  Back in the day, we created  a bulletin board in his honor, charting his travels across the states or world. 

Since the kids and I are homeschooling this year, we have dug poor dusty Barnabas out of the basement.  (I love Barnabas for social studies especially and he wasn’t learning too much in his confinement!)  So now he is back at it again, pen in hand, ready to document his adventures. 

In fact, I caught him eating clam cakes last night and double fisting it with a Dunkin D’s in one hand and a Del’s lemonade in the other.   Hmmmm…. where on earth could he be? 

Read more up on how Barnabas can be used for Family Ministry here.

Comments (4)

By kcharles, December 2, 2011 12:55 am

My mom and I had a funny relationship as a teenager.  I loved her dearly, but I never knew how to show it. 

She loved hugs.  I didn’t.  She expressed her love through field hockey to ballet shuttles, healthy dinners, and a clean home;  acts of service, really.  I am embarrassed to say that I rarely picked up a finger to help. 

But one Christmas, I got it. 

I knew that my mom responded to words.  Bible verses, quotes from the pastor, music lyrics, lines in literature, funny sayings,  my own writing, words of encouragement from each of our family members, etc. 

And so I wrote.  And I wrote.  And I wrote.  With my own hand on scrap pieces of paper, I wrote out 365 notes of encouragement.  It took me forever, but it was my act of love. 

And it was the best Christmas present I’ve ever given.  I still remember how she opened it up and cried.  And every day she told me how much it meant and cried some more.  That would have been 20 something years ago. 

Since then, 365 Days of Love has made a couple other appearances.  We have given one to Paul’s dad (a pastor), his mom, and another to my mom last year.  Thankfully, the computer does shorten the time it takes to make these, but it still is time consuming – personally selecting 365 quotes.  However, I would do it all over again in an instant.

Especially to see those smiles.  And to express love and encouragement each day for the next year. 

365 Days of Love would be perfect for a loved one, a pastor, a missionary, military personnel far from home, a beloved teacher, a college student, a widow, someone battling an illness, a close friend.  If making it with kids, allow them to decorate the bucket however they want.  Older children can also help by finding quotes and cutting out the slips. 

Let me know if you give this a try!

Comments (3)

By kcharles, November 29, 2011 8:35 am

Time spent together as a family.  Messy.  Laughter ringing loud.  Antagonizing.  Whining.  Sweet.  Quirky.  Much Grace given.  More received.  A great treasure.

If you’re looking for a Christmas gift that kids can make this year, consider a Family Treasure Chest that highlights time spent together.  Have your kids decorate it, however they want.  Little hands will LOVE you! 

Give it away to a treasured loved one – mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc.  Throughout the year, they will collect and store small momentos of time spent together.

Include a ticket stub, a bracelet from a museum, a picture from a photo booth, a map, a prize won, etc. 

Every Christmas, go through the treasure chest and re-live your memories.  Create a new family tradition!  I LOVE this gift because it places more value on TIME SPENT TOGETHER as opposed to gifts given. 

That makes me smile:)

Comments (0)

By kcharles, November 27, 2011 12:05 am

1.  Decorate a maybe real tree (if I can coerce enough!)
2.  Go see lights - Talk about  The Light and being a light
3.  Make a Christmas gift for a loved one
4.  See a live nativity
5.  Donate food items to a family in need
6.  Have a family Christmas movie night with buttered popcorn
7.  Cuddle up with a cup of hot chocolate and the Crippled Lamb, by Max Lucado
8.  Write our Compassion children
9.  Have fun with the Elf on a Shelf (just with his silly antics, not the good/bad thing)
10.  Bake and Decorate cookies to donate to the Homeless Shelter (and keep some for ourselves:)
11.  Read about the birth of Jesus – Celebrate with a birthday cake
12.  See the Nutcracker with Selah (the boys will probably do something manly)
13.  Help address cards and watch old Christmas classics
14.  Have a Christmas Tea Party with Selah’s Grandmothers
15.  Send something special to our missionaries
16.  Make a new ornament for our tree
17.  Skype with friends around the world to wish them a Merry Christmas (Miss Carolyn – that’s you!)
18.  Make a simple Gingerbread House
19.  Deliver Christmas treats to our neighbors
20.  Make a Jesse Tree and do the Advent readings
21.  Celebrate Jesus’ birth at the candlelight service at church
22.  Deliver hot chocolate to a Salvation Army bell ringer
23.  Stuff each other’s stockings with encouragement and thanks
24.  Pray for the persecuted church every day of December
25.  Choose a gift from the Compassion Gift Catalog

How do you celebrate Christmas with your family?  What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?  I would love to hear!

Comments (3)

By kcharles, November 23, 2011 7:54 am

If you’re looking for a last minute kids’ contribution to the Thanksgiving spread, this may be the one. 

Grab random cookies from your pantry. 
Find something that can substitute for feathers and eyes.
Attach everything with the yummiest adhesive there is – melted chocolate chips.  (Not that I regularly ingest and rate adhesives.)

Now send the little fingers to work, sneaking candy and laughing.  They will be busy. 

And it may get messy.  Allow for it! 

You will now have time to concoct whatever Thanksgiving dish you need to prepare. 

And sooner or later, they’ll have concocted Turkey Cookies that will appeal to the small crowd at the feast. 

HAVE FUN!

Comments (0)

By kcharles, November 21, 2011 8:17 pm

As a part of our curriculum, the kids and I are in the kitchen at least once a week.  How amazing is the kitchen for math, science, health and nutrition, social studies (international foods), literature (making a favorite recipe out of a book), and general life skills? 

That being said, this recipe is not from our curriculum.  (The curriculum called for beet, radish, and spinach salad.  Yuck!)  This recipe also does not have educational value.  It’s just fun! 

We needed a quick snack and we had these items on hand.  We dumped and mixed and added what was in our cupboards.  Everything was the kids’ idea. 

So we now present to you the autumn trail mix, created by our resident four and six year old.  You would never believe it, but it’s delicious!!!!!!  As if these random foods were made to be together. 

Let us know if you give it a try:)

Autumn Trail Mix

a little of this, a little of that…
Honey Nut Cheerios
Peanuts
Reese’s Pieces (leftover Halloween candy)
Sunflower seeds
Dried cranberries
Candy Corn (leftovers also!)
Mini marshmallows
Yogurt pretzels

Comments (2)

By kcharles, November 19, 2011 8:27 pm

We made this little guy a couple years back. 

The photo isn’t the best, but you get the idea!  It’s a creative contribution that kids can do.  Kind of an appetizer of sorts.  It’s been a few years, but I venture to say we found the idea on Family Fun’s website or in their magazine.  That used to be my only go-to place for ideas. 

Have fun!  Happy Thanksgiving! 

Comments (2)

By kcharles, November 18, 2011 11:22 pm

We started this tradition 4 years ago now.  The little pieces of paper tossed in a bucket.  Giving thanks.  Making the thanks a habit.  Each day inching towards Thanksgiving. 

And then we keep the pieces in the bucket till the next year.

4 years ago, Adden was thankful for milk, sleep, orajel, singing, pacifiers, and cuddling.  (He would have been almost 6 months- awww!!!!!)  And clearly he was so verbal back then!  Today he was thankful for baseball diamonds, his puppy (stuffed, that is), and his family. 

Among the other old praises were good biopsy reports, clean water, good health, safety in traveling, jobs, Jesus, “Me the Bear”, and applesauce.

Today I am grateful.  Grateful for a bucket.  And for the years of praise treasured inside. 

That I may make the voice of thanksgiving heard and may tell of all Your wondrous works.   Psalm 26:7 
God is always, ever good. 

Comments (2)

By kcharles, November 17, 2011 3:54 pm

Our little man had all five of his fruit/veggie servings before 9 am this morning! 

Does attaining the five a day rule cause anyone else to be deliriously happy?  Granted, it was three large glasses of just raspberries and blueberries.  (And probably too much fructose.)  But I was excited about all the fruit guzzling!

These smoothies are incredible.  They’re easy to make and healthy and inexpensive.  A perfect on the go breakfast before school! We all loved them.  The recipe makes 5 tall glasses.  Between the two kids and I, the smoothie was gone in an instant.   Enjoy!

Berry Breakfast Smoothies

2 cups cranberry juice
2 containers (6oz each) raspberry yogurt
1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries
ice cubes

Place ingredients in a blender.  Cover and process until well blended.

Taste of Home August/September 2011

Comments (0)

By kcharles, November 15, 2011 11:00 pm

What could be better than balloons and candy and popping said balloons to smithereens? 

We tried this game for my nephew’s 2nd birthday and it was quite the hit!  For all five children six and under! 

Get balloons, squeeze candy inside, blow them up, and duct tape in any design you would like.  We made ours into a shape of a pumpkin.  You could make a tree for Christmas, a heart for Valentine’s day, a shamrock for St Patty’s Day, or an initial for some one’s birthday. 

My sister in law found the initial idea on Pinterest.  The original idea had children throwing darts at random balloons, but we didn’t think that would end well for our boys, so we modified to use pushpins.  The kids drew a number, popped the selected balloon, and gathered up their spoil. 

And if it was an Aunt Ashley balloon, there was some serious spoil!   If you need to know how to squeeze 7 candy bars into 1 balloon, ask her.  I still don’t know how she did it!

Let me know if you give this a try!