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How to paint, When you have no paint!

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For bathtub finger paint

1/3 cup mild liquid dish detergent

1 tbs corn starch

food color

1. mix detergent and cornstarch

2. pour into several plastic ice cube trays

3. add different colors of food coloring to each section and stir with a small spoon.

Last…paint the tub !

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like oil paint

2 TBS. liquid dish detergent

2 TBS. tempera powder paint

1/2 tsp. water

Mix together and paint!

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pudding paint

1 large package of instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz)

2 cups ice cold water

food color

1. whisk pudding and cold water together for 2 minutes.

2. refrigerate for 5 minutes.

3. divide pudding into several small bowls or muffin tins.

4. Add food coloring to tins or bowls. 5 to 7 drops should do it.

Now paint! If you eat it it’s OK too.

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Shaving cream paint

1 can shaving cream

food color

Squirt small amounts of shaving cream into muffin tins and add food color.

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Face and body paint

2 TBS. solid shortening

1 TBS cornstarch

4 or 5 drops of food color

1. mix shortening and corn starch until smooth.

2. add food color and stir till smooth.

It washes off with soap and water.

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Jiggler paints

1 package of sugar free flavored gelatin

2 tbs. hot water

Mix and cool then paint.

If you use unflavored gelatin you can add different colors.

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I Let Them Know My Secret Dessert.

I Let Them Know My Secret Dessert.

I am not sure if this was a good idea or not, but I let my kids know my fast and easy secret dessert that only Mommy eats after the kids go to bed. I shared it with them. You ask–”Why?” “What was I thinking at the Moment I decided to divulge this information?” I must have lost it. It was one of those nights when you just want to spoil the kids with a dessert and the only thing you have in the house is your own special dessert for yourself. Hmmm! The dilemma. I gave in and let the kids in on my special secret dessert. They loved it. They thought that his was the best dessert that they have ever had. I started out making in one way and needed to improvise due to lack of the original ingredients. I have changed the recipe, if you could call it that, a few times. Dump Cake (The first way I learned to make this) 1 box of cake mix–I usually use white or yellow cake mix1 stick of butter or margarine1 package of frozen fruit Get a microwaveable container with a lid. The first time I did this I used a Tupperware container. It worked great. Put in the frozen fruit first. Then add the cake mix. Last add the sick of butter or margarine on the top. Cover and cook in the microwave for about 10 minutes. The cake is super moist. I loved it so much! My guests that were over loved it so much too. I could hardly get enough of that cake. It was so fast and easy and tasted wonderful. Well–the next time I went to make it, I did not have any frozen fruit. This is where I improvised. I used a little bit of the cake mix this time because I was making a Personal Dump Cake just for me. I, of course, used the special guessing way of measuring. I poured some cake mix into the bowl that I was using. I added some margarine and some juice since I was out of frozen fruit. I put it in the microwave to cook for about 1 minute so that I could watch it carefully. Again, this cake tasted sooo very good. It was fast too. I made my secret dessert for my children. They were so excited to know my secret. They were even more excited because it was dessert. I made them each their own personal, little cakes. They loved it and asked for more. They are looking forward to us eating Mommy’s Special Secret Dessert again. ————————————————————————————— Stacey Walker has a Homemade Gourmet Home Business. She uses her Homemade Gourmet products regularly for cooking fast and easy to prepare meals. She is currently using Homemade Gourmet in her meal planning and when teaching her children to cook. Visit her website at www.4minutemeals.com

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Love is Love is Love

I was nineteen years old, a freshman away at college, and having the experience of a lifetime when I discovered that I was carrying with me the most precious and delicate package I could image.? I was pregnant.? While I was familiar with unplanned pregnancies, since many of my friends had faced this challenge, I had learned from my friends mistakes.? I knew that this could happen and how devastating it would be, that is why I was particularly careful.? I was a responsible, young lady and this was not supposed to happen. This was not my plan and it all seemed so much bigger than my self and what I could handle.? I never really knew what hit me.

I immediately became a new person.? My innocence was gone and I would never look at life the same.? There was this overwhelming sense of “knowing” in my life now.? I knew things about what I needed to do that I didn’t want to know.? It was rather unsettling for the next nine months because there seemed to be this force driving me to make decisions about things that I couldn’t even absorb.? How was I supposed to take all of this in, process it and then create a conscience solution? ? I know this force was God because making these choices at nineteen was truly beyond my self.? I tried with all I had to not think about my circumstances and just be who I once was.? I wanted my life to be so different but I kept having these realizations that I really didn’t have a choice and I was either going to be honest with myself or I was going to continue adding more difficulty into my life.? For six months I made very tentative plans to keep my baby.? This baby was my blood and I would keep him and raise him.? If nothing else he would have me and I would have him.? I hoped that my mother’s instinct would kick in when he was born and I would miraculously be able to provide all of his needs.? While the plans were completely unreasonable, they were my attempt to grasp a hold of my life and make choices for myself.? These plans were one of my many efforts to deny what I knew in my heart was the inevitable.? I couldn’t bear to face the fact that I could not be a mother to my baby.? All the love in the world was not going to make us a house and money to pay the bills.? Love would not provide emotional support, a college degree or a great job that allowed me to spend time with my child.? More importantly than anything else, his father was completely out of the equation.? I did not have what he needed and there was a bigger purpose happening in my life that I had to be true to.

Once I surrendered to this overwhelming message that had been with me all along, I knew I would give my baby up for adoption.? Contrary to what I thought would happen, I had such peace in this path.? I had zero support from anyone to even carry this child to term but this force from God inside me overpowered any distraction that stood in the way of this path I was now on.? From that moment forward I knew what I was doing.? Every choice and decision was made on my own and I never looked back once.? I met many adoptive parents and it was the last couple I met that I chose.? Not a doubt entered into my mind about them.? I will never forget the look in their eyes.? It was the same as every other couple.? Their eyes told how eager they were to love a child.? Their eyes yearned to pour love, opportunity and a bright future into my baby.? This is when I realized that this was the bigger purpose here.? This was not about me at all.? I had a responsibility to do right by my child and though it hurt, it felt right.? When my son was born, there was pain that will never end that came with that surrender but there has always been a peace.? I was given a new strength in that peace and it still sustains me today.

Now that I have been blessed with another son, Sam, I am constantly reassured that I was not equipped at 19 to raise a child.? Seeing the extent of Sam’s needs brings such clarity to my “knowing” that I could not be a mother to my first son.? All children are a gift to us from God and deserve nothing short of parents who are eager to nurture the blessings that every child brings to this world.? When I was expecting Sam I was ready.? I was as ready as any parent can be.? I was devoted really.? Devoted to nourish this child and provide for him so he can achieve his purpose in this life.? My first physical investment (aside from the many most important prayers for Sam to grow to know God and live in his ways) was making the decision to store his umbilical cord blood at birth.? This is called cord blood banking (CBB) and it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to provide a child with the most advanced health care possible and it is specific just to that child.?

Umbilical cord blood contains stems cell that have the unique ability to adapt into other cells and stimulate new, healthy growth among specific cells throughout the body.? To date, cord blood is used to treat over 40 diseases including cancers, genetic diseases, immune system deficiencies and blood disorders.? Technology and research? have advanced cord blood into? an extraordinary? power and it continues to flourish.? ? This is can be even more important for an adopted child because they will most likely never have even the slim chance of a genetically matched sibling.?

I have become an advocate for umbilical cord blood banking because? I feel it is? essential for every parent to, at least,? be aware? of this potential.? I do research on a regular basis to determine the best cord blood banking company to make this investment with.? It is very important that you place this gift into the most secure and capable hands.? I do see this as a gift to provide for your child and strongly encourage every parent to make plans to store your child’s umbilical cord blood.? As a birth parent I see this as the most beautiful gift to supply for an adopted child to make their family most complete.? I only wish I had known of this potential ten years ago when I gave my son up for adoption.? ?

In being a parent, love is all the same. Love is Love is Love.? My favorite quote by Elizabeth Stone, “Making the decision to have a child is momentous.? It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”? This says it all.? We all make the choice to have a child or not and it is then the choices we make for their best interest that we are accountable for.? We all will make sacrifices and we will do anything to protect the well-being of our child.? While you are holding the most precious package you may ever receive you will have no regrets and only be thankful that you chose umbilical cord blood banking for your child. ?

Erinn Foster

www.BankForYourBaby.com

To learn more about Erinn’s choice and receive an exclusive savings on umbilical cord blood banking at visit www.BankForYourBaby.com.

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Loving My Children Part 4

Name: Rayelle

Age:? 2 1/2

Personality: Extremely calm and even tempered. My other two will have more tamtrums today then she will have all month!! But she is very stubborn and has already perfected the silent treatment!

Her Love Language: Physical Touch

At this age, it is harder to determine what their love language is, she is just learning to talk and interact with the world around her. Most children this age are probably still using touch as their primary love communicator: hugs, kisses, cuddles, etc. I am starting to think that this may indeed be Rayelle’s love language because she is “cuddly” in a way neither of her siblings were. This may also be because she is the baby of the family, that remains to be seen. But at this stage of her life, physical touch is her love language.

Using Her Love Language: Bonding

Well, that’s pretty simple. She loves to sit on my lap, even if I am just working. Or she will stand on a chair behind me and lean on my, watching and plying with my hair for long periods of time! She still likes to be carried places, and still sleeps in our bed most nights. Never leave the house without giving her a kiss, it would leave her in tears!

Using Her Love Language: Discipline & Growth

Well, part of the reason that I think this is probably her love language is that physical discipline is the most effective with her as well. Now before you all jump on your soap boxes: I am not talking about spanking! There are other forms of physical, non violent punishment. For example, one of the most effective punishments for her is like a time out, but instead of sending her for one, I pick her up and plant her gently but firmly in the corner myself. Seems like a pointless detail, but that little difference but it really matters! If I send her, she thinks it’s a game but when I take her there myself, she understands that I am serious.

I have also learned that some lessons she will only learn by experiencing them physically. For example, I love candles and burn them often but she would not leave them alone, no matter what I did. Until one day she managed to stick her finger in the flame of one. She got a very minor burn and had I been watching, I would have stopped her. But after that experience, she never went near it again! Another example iswith our cat: Rayelle used to drag him aound by the tail and I would stop her and warn her that he woudl scratch if she did that. She never listened so one day I didn’t stop her: and sure enough, he scratched her hand to get away. She doesn’t pull his tail anymore. Now this is not always a good solution: I am not about to let her touch a stove top element to learn it is hot, or fall off a counter to learn that it isn’t safe to climb up there. That would be very poor parenting. But I think you get what I mean:)

Ariel’s love language is gifts, and we can encourag her to grow and learn using little gifts. Kahlan’s is Words of Affirmation and well placed praise has done wonders for his drive to learn and grow. Rayelle’s is Physical Touch and we have applied it in the same way: when she does something? new, or learns to do something on her own, we congratulate her? hugs, kisses, high fives, etc. And she loves it! When she first started putting on her own boots,? she would put them off and on, just so she could get another hug!? So cute:)

Next week we will be starting our first book “club”. We will be reading and discussing one chapter of Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman each week here on the blog. If you would like to read and discuss along with us, that would be wonderful! You can let us know at dcakru@mts.net and if you need help getting the book, we can help you find it. Next week will be chapter one! Watch for that!? You should be able to find it at most bookstores. It is called The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, ISBN:1-881273-15-6. We also found it for $4.38 on Ebay’s Half.com.

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Dave’s French Fry Tacos

Monday, we didn’t have time to pick up groceries and the freezer contained fries and hamburger - so Dave improvised - the result was amazing!!!!! He fried the hamburger up with seasoning salt and cooked the fries like normal. Then, he topped the fries with the hamburger, salsa, tomatoes and green onions. He sprinkled grated cheese on top and returned it to the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. We ate it with sour cream on top - it was AMAZING!!!!!

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Pot of Gold

I can’t believe I almost forgot that it was St. Patrick’s Day! Here’s a quick bonus activity from the Family Education Newsletter that reminded me St. Patrick’s Day was coming.

Pot of Gold

Either make this yourself and let your kids have a treasure hunt looking for it, or you can each build your own.

Level: Easy

Time involved: One to two hours, plus hunting time

Materials:

• Newspaper
• Unfinished wooden or cardboard treasure chest (You can buy a wooden treasure chest or use a wooden or cardboard box.)
• Green craft paint
• Paintbrushes
• White glue
• Water
• Disposable cup
• Gold glitter
• Acrylic gemstones
• Glue gun
• Candy coins wrapped in gold foil
• Pieces of copy paper
• Scissors
• Glitter pen

1. Cover your work area with newspapers to protect it. Paint the treasure chest with green craft paint and allow it to dry. Make a mixture of 1/3 cup glue and 2 tablespoons water in the disposable cup and mix together. Paint the glue mixture onto the painted chest. Sprinkle the glitter onto the chest and allow it to dry. Glue the acrylic gemstones around the chest. Place the candies inside the chest.
2. Cut three pieces of copy paper in half. Using the glitter pen, write clues to locations inside or outside your home that the kids can figure out. For example, you could write “Dad’s Favorite Hobby” and lead them to his golf bag. The next clue will be placed in this golf bag, and so on, until the treasure chest is found.

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Crafts Gone Natural

Here in the northern hemisphere the date that marks the official start to spring is fast approaching. Trees turn green and grow blossoms, flowers start to peek their heads out of the ground, and the song of birds fills the sky. In the southern hemisphere it is the beginning of fall, a time when the earth again changes to a colorful and rich palette. But why should all the fun happen outdoors? Try some of these ideas for bringing nature into your crafts and bring spring or fall into your home today.

Easter Egg Tree - From Crayola.com

Holiday trees aren’t eggs-actly just for Christmas anymore! Celebrating spring and Easter with an egg tree is a natural when you have creative kids.

Use modeling clay to create eggs or other shapes to hang from your tree. Help your child to find a small branch outside and put it in a container to use as your tree.

For complete instructions click here.

Painted Plant Prints - From Crayola.com

This is actually a lesson plan used to identify trees by their leaf shapes and structures then capture leaf symmetry with painted leaf prints. But you can also create beautiful works of art with just a few leaves and some paint.

If you are celebrating fall, try to match the color of your prints to the actual colors of the leaves.

Create a print collage like the one to the right or cut out the individual prints and add them to a tree.

For complete instructions click here.

Easter Egg Mosaic - From Kaboose

Do you take time to dye easter eggs each year? Why throw away the egg shells when you can reuse them to create beautiful works of art.

Simply save the shells after peeling the eggs, break them into small pieces, and then glue them onto some construction paper.

For complete instructions click here.

Home Made Paper You Can Plant - From ThriftyFun.com

Do you want to share your garden with your friends? Here is a really fun way to do it.

Make some handmade paper and then add seeds to it for your favorite flowers, herbs, or vegetables. When you plant the paper the seeds will grow!

Use your handmade paper to make fun greeting cards, ornaments, or other gifts for your friends. Don’t forget to include instructions on how to plant the paper.

For complete instructions click here.

Do you have any other fun outdoor crafts that you like to do? What other natural supplies do you like to use? Leave us a comment and share your favorite spring or fall crafts.

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Loving My Children Part 3

Name: Kahlan

Age:? 4 1/2

Personality: A mom’s boy, very shy, but with a massive temper!!

His Love Language: Words Of Affirmation

If you knew Kahlan, you would understand why it surprised me that this was his love language. Kahlan refused to talk as a toddler. When he was just 2, we had his hearing checked because his voculbary was basically non-existant. Then one day he started talking - not just? a few words either. He went from no words to full sentences in under two weeks!!! Now, we can’t shut him up. One of the sweetest things he does, is out of the blue, he will come up to me and say: Mommy, You’re My Best Friend.

Using His Love Language: Bonding

Bonding is fairly simple with this guy, lol. He’s a momma’s boy through and through. He loves to hear I Love You and to be complimented on his work/efforts. So I look for special oppurtunities to praise him, because I know it means even more to him then it does to his sisters.

Using His Love Language: Discipline & Growth

Kahlan is one of those children who would rather not learn stuff. For example, the not talking issue I mentioned before. Other examples - he is learning to print letters in school but refuses to do more then copy the existing ones. He can zip his jacket and buckle his seat belt, but he pretends he can’t. He can draw cars almost as good as I can but asks me to anyway. Over the last few weeks, I have been using his love language to respond to these issues and it has been wonderful! A few weeks ago, they learned K and he actaully did one by himself!!! I got very excited, told him how wonderful and smart he is, and within 2 hours, he could write his whole name by himself!!! Now he asks me how to spell other names as well and as long as I praise his efforts, he keeps trying! This would not have worked on my older daughter. We’ve been trying the same thing with other things like buckling up and zippers, and it has worked better then any time out or other punishment we’ve tried!

In Kahlan’s case, the need for discipline can often be minimized by gentle words and praise. But he also has a horrible temper, so when occassions arise, a raised voice does wonders! Talking to him and making him apologize are also very effective. I have to be careful though, because if the wrong thing is said in the moment, it will hurt him emotionally more then it would either of his sisters.

Next week I will finish off this series by discussing my youngest daughter and then we will be starting our first book “club”. We will be reading and discussing one chapter of Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman each week here on the blog. If you would like to read and discuss along with us, that would be wonderful! You can let us know at dcakru@mts.net and if you need help getting the book, we can help you find it. You should be able to find it at most bookstores. It is called The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, ISBN:1-881273-15-6. We also found it for $4.38 on Ebay’s Half.com.

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St. Patrick’s Day Goodies

Many families celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner. Our dinner usually includes corned beef, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage.

The key to a tender corned beef is to simmer it in a covered pot of water and spices for approximately two hours or more. First bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer. Remove the roast from the pot when it is fork tender and keep warm while you cook carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. Cut the cabbage into wedges and carefully add to pot. The cabbage should be added last as it takes less time to cook.

The spices that accompany the corned beef give it a unique flavor. I prefer not to cook my vegetables in the same water as I cook the corned beef because the spices overwhelm the flavor of the vegetables. When ready to serve, slice the meat across the grain. There are many recipes for corned beef and cabbage.

You may wonder where the term “corned beef” came from. Corning is a form of curing. In the days before refrigeration, meat was dry-cured in coarse “corns” of salt. Chunks of salt, akin to the shape and size of corn kernels, were rubbed into the beef to keep it from spoiling and to preserve it.

These days instead of dry salt, salt water is used to “corn” beef. This process is called brining. We can consider the name “corned beef” still relevant because of the spices that are added to it, one of the most prevalent being peppercorns.

Desserts are my favorite St. Patrick’s Day goodies.

1. Make cupcakes from your favorite recipe or a cake mix, chocolate cake or white cake. Frost with vanilla frosting. Place a 1-inch shamrock-shaped cookie cutter on a cupcake. Sprinkle some of the green sugar inside cookie cutter; remove cutter. Repeat with remaining cupcakes and sugar.

Colored sugar is tinted granulated sugar that can be found in the decorating section of the baking aisle of most supermarkets. To make your own, add a drop of green food coloring to granulated sugar and shake in a jar to blend.

2. Bake chocolate cupcakes. Add one cup of mint chocolate chips to batter before baking. Frost cupcakes with peppermint icing. To garnish each cupcake, cut 1 green gumdrop into 4 slices. Place 3 rounds on cupcake to make shamrock leaves; press remaining round into thin strip and place below leaves for stem.

3. Bake mini sugar cookies from a recipe or from store bought refrigerated cookie dough. Place a teaspoon full of green mint chocolate chip ice cream between two cookies and press together. Roll edges in sprinkles or green sugar. Wrap individual cookie sandwiches in waxed paper or sandwich bags and freeze.

4. If ice cream cookie sandwiches sound a little too cold for this time of year, fill two cookies with vanilla frosting that has been tinted green. If you like peppermint add a little Watkins Peppermint Flavoring to the frosting.

Eleisia Whitney is a Watkins Home Business owner. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, “Around the Kitchen Table,” that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/march1-07newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/ and
http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Super Easy “SWEET” Biscuit Idea

I came across this recipe and thought how much fun my kids would have making this “SWEET” biscuit treat.

1 package of buttermilk biscuits

1/2 stick of butter or margarine, melted

1 package of Homemade Gourmet spiced dip OR use a cinnamon and sugar mixture

Dip the tops of the biscuits into the melted butter. Spread the Spiced Dip Mix on the top OR the cinnamon and sugar mixture on the top. Bake as directed.

Mmmmm! I can smell them cooking already. My mouth is watering just thinking about how good this would taste. It is easy to make too. The kids would have a blast.
If you have some more adventurous kids, you may want to add pecans to the top. This you could also use some Homemade Gourmet Garlic Basil seasoning on the top too for a SAVORY biscuit recipe.

————————————————————————————— Stacey Walker has a Homemade Gourmet Home Business. She uses her Homemade Gourmet products regularly for cooking fast and easy to prepare meals. She is currently using Homemade Gourmet in her meal planning and when teaching her children to cook. Visit her website at www.4minutemeals.com

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