Kalmia Mom

Author: KalmiaMom3

  • “The Circle Maker,” My review on the book by Mark Batterson

    “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson

    “Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears”

    Zondervan, 2011

    ISBN: 978-0-310-34692-0

    The Circle Maker

    In The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson takes an in-depth look into prayer. He emphasizes the importance and power of prayer. More than that, he describes in detail how to pray, and why that is important. At the beginning of the story, Mark Batterson retells the story of the original Circle Maker.

    Ask and Pray

    The Circle Maker is an inspiring book. It is a wake-up call for those who pray. In the book, Mark Batterson gives a very powerful look into how to pray. He explains how, “bold prayers honor God, and God honors bold prayers. If your prayers aren’t impossible to you, they are insulting to God.” It is important to ask God, to pray and not to hold back on the magnitude of prayer. “God won’t do it unless you pray for it. We have not because we ask not…we have not because we circle not. The greatest tragedy in life is the prayers that go unanswered because they go unasked,” Batterson writes.  

    Personally, this book has changed the way I pray and given me a fresh perspective. “Imagination is the road less taken, but it is the pathway of prayer. Prayer and imagination are directly proportional: the more you pray the bigger your imagination becomes because the Holy Spirit supersizes it with God-sized dreams,” Batterson explains, “God does not answer vague prayers.” I highlighted, starred or underlined Mark Batterson’s words on over 50 pages of this book. As a believer in the power of prayer to God, the author’s experiences, thoughts and ideas encouraged a new way to pray. Specific prayers, in which what we pray for is larger than what we are able to do, are what God wants from us.

    “The size of our prayers depends on the size of our God,” Mark Batterson explains, “Prayer is the difference between the best you can do and the best God can do. And when God does immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, we’ve got to be careful to give Him all the glory! We must also recognize that what God does for us isn’t just for us. There is a ripple effect to the third and fourth generations! Just as the blessings, breakthroughs, and miracles in your life are an answer to someone else’s prayer, your prayers will impact nations and generations.” That puts a whole lot of weight on what and how we speak to God.

    40 Day Prayer Challenge

    After reading, “The Circle Maker,” I read and used the accompanying journal, also by the same author. The title is “Draw the Circle Prayer Journal – The 40 Day Prayer Challenge.” This challenged me to pray very specific prayers. Not only to pray them, but to intensely lift up my heart’s desires to God. In my prayer journal I call them my ‘circle prayers.’ Also, I say that I ‘circle pray’ for [the specific request]. Mark Batterson writes, “Each prayer is like a seed that gets planted in the ground. It disappears for a season, but it eventually bears fruit that blesses future generations. In fact, our prayers bear fruit forever.”

    My own “The Circle Maker” Prayer

    An example of one of my ‘circle prayers’ was when we were looking for a new home. At the time we were outgrowing our current home. I did not pray that we find a bigger house. Nor did I pray for the schools that my children would one day go to. Instead, I prayed specifically for all of it. I asked God for a home that was a good size for our family to live in. Also, I prayed for my kids’ schools- that they would be the best match for our family. Additionally, I prayed for our future neighbors. I did not ask God for good neighbors. I asked for neighbors that would be a blessing to our family and our family would be a blessing to them. This was my ‘circle prayer’ for months.

    We put our ‘then house’ on the market in October. With several offers to choose from, we were excited to put our house under contract. The buyer agreed to wait until the end of the year to officially purchase the home. In doing that, we were able to continue looking for another house. By Christmas we had not found another house, despite putting offers on 7 houses. We gave the highest offer for all but 1 of the houses. However, many other people waived inspections. We were not comfortable in doing that.

    The day after Christmas we moved into a 2-bedroom apartment. We were grateful for the people that came to help us move right after Christmas day. The apartment was tight with two adults, two kids, a baby and a large dog. However, we managed and enjoyed the walking trails, dog parks, playgrounds, neighbors, pond and more.

    I continued to ‘circle pray’ for our home, neighbors, school and neighborhood. Meanwhile, we still went to see some houses. Eventually, in February, we went to a house and felt right at home. I prayed for the neighborhood, neighbors, the house itself to be the best for us and more. We got a phone call from our realtor not long after that. The sellers wanted to know if we would consider waiving inspections.

    Even though we were excited about this house, we were not going to waive inspections. Much of the house had recently been updated, so we did not think there was an issue. After that phone call we honestly thought we had lost the house. However, a couple of days later we received another phone call from our realtor. She was calling to tell us that we got the house. It has been everything I had prayed for and more.

    “But Moses told the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13-14, NLT)

  • “My Natural History” My Review on the book written by Liz Primeau

    My Natural History, Liz Primeau

    The evolution of a Gardener

    Greystone Books, 2008

    ISBN: 978-1-55365-376-9

    In her book, “My Natural History,” Liz Primeau describes her gardening journey through her life. As she went through life, growing and maturing, her garden changed, too. She learned more about herself as she gained knowledge about her favorite past time.

    Beginning of Gardening Interests

    The author begins the book by describing how she gained an interest in gardening. Liz Primeau, as an adolescent, lived with her mom, dad and sister in Manitoba, Canada. Her dad’s Victory Garden sparked an interest in her.  She and her mom would sneak green onions from her dad’s vegetable garden. Then they would enjoy the onions in sandwiches with mayonnaise. The primary purpose of his garden was to make (grow) food for their family to eat. In addition to that, this vegetable garden also encouraged a young Liz Primeau to gain an interest in plants.

    After her father died from the effects of a stroke, her mom moved their family. Their new residence was in southern Ontario, where her mom grew up. Now they were near her mom’s family for support. Though he could never replace her father, Liz Primeau’s Uncle Ren quickly became her garden mentor. While her father enjoyed vegetable gardening, her Uncle Ren had a fondness for annuals and perennials.

    In “My Natural History,” the author goes into detail about specific plants. No matter what changes came throughout her life, gardening was her constant. Though her garden was different everywhere she moved to in Canada, gardening always had a part in her life. She wrote about her gardening experiences writing for a magazine. Then, she used her experiences when she was on a TV show. All of her gardening adventures were in Canada. Her work in the media took her all over the country.

    A Bit of Biodiversity

    Liz Primeau wrote about biodiversity in the garden and how it is beneficial. Also, how it can benefit nature as a whole. She also wrote about invasive and introduced animal species. For example, she wrote about the grey squirrels’ effects on England. Also, she wrote about the European startlings and Gypsy moths in North America and raccoons in Germany.

    In Conclusion: My Natural History

    “The garden is not the place for control freaks and perfectionists, and yet I know that in my callow youth I tried to make mine conform. I used to wish for the time when it would be finished, when it would reach the perfection I envisioned.” This was a thought she had near the end of the book. With that in mind, she included “The Six Stages of Gardening.” Of this, she said, “these stages echo the stages in our lives, from the desire for immediate gratification in our youth to the deeper and mellower pleasures of maturity.” In conclusion, Liz Primeau determined, “that life, as well as gardening, is indeed a journey with many worthwhile stops along the way, if you’d only you take your eyes off the road long enough to recognize them. And if you do, you’ll never have to ask if that’s all there is.”   

    “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:15-20, NLT)

  • Honeycomb Blanket (by Lana y Ovillos)

    Click here for the Honeycomb Blanket pattern by Lana y Ovillos.

    My niece decided on the honeycomb blanket for her baby. She was living in Germany, as her husband was stationed there.  As they were visiting in the U.S., she called me to tell me that I had someone to make a baby blanket for.  She was going to have a baby!  Of course, at the time when she told me she was going to have a baby she did not know the gender.

    Choosing the Pattern

    After giving it some thought and searching many baby blanket patterns, I asked her what kind of design she would like, what colors and if she had a theme picked out for the nursery.  She wanted a gender-neutral look with a theme of Classic Winnie-the-Pooh, with muted colors.  Now that I had an idea of what I was looking for, I found some patterns that I thought were appropriate with her theme and sent them her way via messenger. Patterns I sent her included a feather and fan design; a honeycomb; Winnie the Pooh; a shell-looking pattern and an elongated honeycomb pattern.  She decided on the regular honeycomb pattern, which was written for two colors. 

    Choosing the Colors

    I had a small tag with Classic Winnie-the-Pooh picture on it. With the tag, I went to check out some yarn options.  I sent my niece pictures of several yarn colors. In addition to the colors I included the tag in front of it for comparison.  She liked 5 of the colors, all in Bernat Softee Baby.  The colors were Lemon, Antique white, Soft peach, Jacquards Tree Fort and Jacquards River Ripples. I decided to use the Lemon color as the main color, for the honeycomb pattern, as that was similar to the color of Winnie-the-Pooh.  The other colors I used in a pattern as follows: Tree Fort, Antique White, River Ripples and Soft peach, two sections of each, with a 15-row moss stitch border in the Lemon color.

    Finishing the Honeycomb blanket

    When I was finished with the main body of the blanket, I picked up and knit a 2” moss stitch border on each side.  This was the first time I had attempted this type of pattern and enjoyed the variety.  My least favorite part of knitting anything is weaving in the ends.  With all of the color changes (every 16 rows) there were plenty of ends to weave in. 

    The finished blanket, woven ends and all, was very lovely.  I will make the Honeycomb blanket again, but with just two colors, as the pattern is written. Those would be the main color and the contrasting – two colors that stand out but look good together. This could be a solid for the main color and a variegated for the contrasting color or other variety.  I will only make this for a very special baby (like my niece’s sweet baby girl). 

    Though this pattern looks a little difficult, it is just a series of knits, purls and slipped stitches.  Knit the main color loosely or the slipped stitches will pull too much. That will cause some puckering or tension issues, so pay attention to the tension throughout. 

    “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:12-14, NLT)

  • Nativity time for Scout

     We believe the reason to celebrate Christmas centers around the birth of Jesus Christ. The nativity is a representation of that. On December 6th, Scout had found a clever spot to hide. This was not where my kids would have looked. They never would have guessed that he would be visiting one of our nativity sets. Along with him, he left a note mentioning to our family how the nativity represents the meaning of Christmas. That meaning, he said, is the most important of all. This hiding spot and note did encourage some dialog with my kiddos. For instance, they asked some questions about nativity.

    The Note from Scout:

    GREETINGS, FAMILY!

    I AM ENJOYING MY TIME WITH YOU.  THERE ARE SO MANY TRADITIONS, MEANINGS AND ACTIVITIES WITH THIS TIME OF YEAR. REMEMBER ALWAYS THAT THIS, RIGHT HERE, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.  GOD SENT HIS SON, JESUS, TO THE EARTH AS A BABY. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME TO CELEBRATE HIS BIRTH.  FROM LUKE 2 IN THE NEW LIVING TRANSLATION BIBLE:

    7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 

    11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

    14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 

    17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

    I DO LOVE IMAGINING THAT WHEN I READ IT. CHRISTMAS IS WONDERFUL FOR MANY REASONS, BUT THIS IS THE BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT REASON.  REMEMBER THAT ALWAYS!

    -SCOUT

    “After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.” (Matthew 2:9-12, NLT)

  • How to prepare Pierogies and Sausage

    My husband and I both grew up in Pennsylvania, but in different parts of the Commonwealth.  We both remember pierogies as a yummy potato-filled food, but learned to make them differently. I had pierogies with vegetables and a meat, or just alone. He had pierogies and sausage, similar to how we eat them as a family now.

    Pierogies and Sausage for him

    He was used to having pierogies fried in a skillet with onions.  When he was a child he did not like onions so he did not eat them, but enjoyed the flavor they added to the pierogies. When fried, the shell or dough of the pierogies become crunchy and crispy when cooked this way. As mentioned, the onions give this dish more flavors, whether or not they are eaten along with the pierogies.  He had them with sausage links, which was also cooked in the skillet, usually before the pierogies. 

    Pierogies for me

    I grew up boiling pierogies in a sauce pot with water, similar to making pasta. When they were flimsy and steamy the water was drained and we ate them with vegetables and meat, the pierogies being the starch of the meal, served with sour cream, of course. My husband did not have sour cream on them when he was a child, but now enjoys pierogies topped with the condiment.

    How we eat them now

    We usually make them fried now, as my husband is the cook for this meal. He cooks up Italian sausage links or country sausage links in the skillet to have with it. However, we have them without the onions. Some of my family likes pierogies served with sour cream. Sausage and a steamed vegetable like green beans or mixed vegetables complete this meal.  The few times I prepare pierogies for my family they are boiled. My picky eater likes them either way. Fried or boiled, pierogies are enjoyed by our whole family. Sometimes the sausage is not a favorite, though.

    Tell me how you make and eat pierogies.     

    “But Samuel replied, ‘What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or you obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.” (1 Samuel 15:22&23, NLT)

  • UNDAUNTED, My review on the book written by Christine Caine

    Undaunted by Christine Caine

    Daring to do what God calls you to do

    Zondervan, 2012

    ISBN: 978-0-310-33387-6

    Overview of ‘Undaunted’

    In the book, Undaunted, Christine Caine depicts how, when she put her whole trust in God, He is faithful to see the plan through. She was led to begin a program to help victims of human trafficking. Although they were told it would not succeed, she and her husband, Nick, followed God’s leading.

    Daunted

    When she was an adult, Christine Caine found out that she and her brother were adopted.  Because of that, at one point in her life, she was just a number.  When her biological mother gave her up, the author was not wanted and did not have a name.  She was just identified as a number.  She stated, “Even though I only just found out that I was adopted, God has always known, and he has always loved me.  And since that has never changed, therefore nothing has essentially changed.  I may not be who I thought I was, but I still am who he says I am. And I am more. I am loved. I am his.”

    Don’t Put Limits on What God has Planned

    Christine Caine said, “If we allow other people to tell us what we are and are not qualified to do, we will limit what God wants to do with us.” Sometimes when God calls people to do His will, those people feel inadequate. Other times they allow other people to influence the direction they go in.  In turn, that prohibits those that are called to a purpose from completing that purpose.  For instance, someone they were to help does not get that assistance needed.

    “We should be sensitive to the possibility, if we lack those gifts (music, speaking, maintenance, etc..), that God may be leading us in a different direction. But once we find that direction, we must not allow ourselves to be deterred. What is impossible with people is possible with God.”  She gives examples of Moses, Gideon and Jeremiah. God says in Isaiah 55:8 & 9, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD, “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”(NLT)

    Becoming Undaunted

    In Undaunted, Christine Caine shares of how she felt unwanted.  She shares how she overcame her own abuse. Also, she talks about her suffering of losing a child. Her trials allow her to connect with others that are suffering or to empathize with others’ hardships. Christine Caine and a friend visited Auschwitz, the site of a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.  She saw evidence of torture and oppression and was moved emotionally. After her visit she felt God calling her to help the oppressed in the world around her.

    Direction to Go

    As a speaker, Christine Caine went to conferences.  She was on her way to Greece to speak at a Women’s Conference.  It so happened that, after the plane landed and the passengers got off the plane, there was a delay in getting their luggage.  During that delay she wandered around that part of the airport and saw posters of missing people.  She felt a strong attachment to helping the people oppressed, kidnapped, sold and abused. She realized that the horrific treatment of people at Auschwitz and throughout Nazi-controlled areas was not just of days past.  People-many of them young girls- are being oppressed, kidnapped, sold, abused, tortured and more right now due to human trafficking. 

    She did not know where to begin. Eventually she realized that, “…when we give what we have, and don’t overthink it, God-the God of hope-delivers the rest.”  Her main point of the book is, “Don’t let Difficulty keep you from daring to go where God wants you to go.  God will make a way.” Don’t be daunted by the seemingly large task that God calls you to.  Be Undaunted. If He calls you, He will make a way.

    “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free..” (Luke 4:18, NLT)

  • The Elf on the Shelf

    The Elf on the Shelf was a phrase I had heard shortly before my oldest son was born. I did not look into it at all and had no desire to do this activity. If you are familiar with the Elf on the Shelf, you know having one can be as simple or as involved as you make it. Personally, I did not want to add another activity to the already busy month of December. Other kids talked about their Elf on the Shelf. I saw posts of the shenanigans of friends’ elves.

    Our Intro to The Elf on the Shelf

    My oldest son came home from pre-school one day. He was talking all about their classroom’s Elf on the Shelf. After hearing his excitement, I took notice when others shared ideas and photos about their Elf on the Shelf’s daily activities. My interest began to grow and I was a little open-minded about this activity.

    That time of Year

    One year we made our annual visit to see a particular Santa Claus. This was pre-COVID, so there was no social distancing. In the few years after COVID, before seeing this Santa, it is required to schedule the visit. At the time of our early visits we did not have to sign up for a certain day and time to go. Therefore, the line was long, mostly in the evening.

    To pass the time one parent would usually stand in line while the other parent took the kids around to the different activities. One activity was making a craft. That usually included some type of ornament for the Christmas tree. Another thing to do was to build with Lincoln Logs. My two older kiddos competed against each other to see who could build the tallest tower without it falling down. My oldest son enjoyed building the most.

    Kids could do target practice with archery and shooting. There was also a kinetic sand station. My middle son enjoyed all that there was to do, but mostly playing in the Kinetic sand. Many children also enjoyed watching the large fish in the big tank. Of course, there was also the fun of climbing on the boats and ATVs. Finally, kids could color while watching a movie.

    As I stood in line I watched part of the movie, which was The Elf on the Shelf. Through watching some of that I was able to gain some additional insight into the story of the Elf on the Shelf. I was not completely focused on the movie, but caught bits and pieces of it.

    The Movie’s Plot

    The scout elves are sent by Santa to specific families. In the movie’s plot, a certain scout elf was sent to a specific family because the oldest child was beginning to not believe in Santa. The scout elf was tasked with trying to get the child to believe in Santa again, like he did when he was younger. As the movie went on, I learned a few details. The family gives the elf its name. That gives the elf its Christmas magic to fly to and from the North Pole every day. No one is permitted to touch the elf or it loses its magic and can’t fly back to the North Pole. When the elf gets back to the North Pole it must stay there in sick bay until it regains strength.

    The Elf’s Task

    The Elf on the Shelf flies to the North Pole each night to give reports to Santa about the family. Then, before the family wakes up, it flies back to the place where the family is. The elf is in a new spot every day and the kids get to search for it. In the movie the Elves on the Shelf got to know their family members and solved problems for them.

    Set Rules/Specifics Early On

    The Elf on the Shelf has become something a little different. It shows up either just after Thanksgiving or on December 1st. He or she still needs to be named by the family to gain “magic.” No one is permitted to touch the Elf on the Shelf or it loses that magic. Some parents adopt one or more loopholes for some of the rules. For example, some decide that adults can touch the elf to move it; adults can touch with oven mitts; or parents can pick up the Elf on the Shelf with tongs, if necessary.

    It is best to set the rules about touching the elf early on. It would be a sad day for your child to see you pick up the elf with oven mitts on, not being aware that it was alright. Another idea for people touching the elf is for the last day he or she are with you. The kids are allowed to give a very gentle hug to say goodbye until the next year.

    Elf Behavior

    Another thing about the Elf on the Shelf is that some of the elves get up to mischief. Some elves make lots of messes to try to be funny. They will also get themselves into a predicament. One example I have seen of Elf on the Shelf mischief is getting into a snowball fight with other toys. Another one is spilling flour on the floor and leaving tiny white footprints around the room. I was not interested in cleaning up after an elf and putting that on my ‘to do’ list. Sometimes it is also used as a scare tactic to get children to behave. I was not interested in that, either.

    Beginning with an elf

    Over the last few years my two oldest kiddos experienced the Elf on the Shelf in their classrooms. They were excited to share the elf’s names and what it was up to on a daily basis. One evening in November my husband and I were shopping by ourselves. The Elf on the Shelf kits were conveniently placed on a shelf at many adult’s eye level. My husband and I had not discussed getting one, but decided just then to purchase one. There were so many options to choose from. We could choose gender and skin color. Because we have boys we decided to get a boy elf, as well. We took him home and hid him until it was time for him to begin his assignment. It was time for my creativity to shine.

    Also, look on The Elf on the Shelf website for more ideas, crafts, free printables and more!

    Hidden in the tree

    Hidden in the dining room light

    Accidentally tried dog treats, thinking they were cookies

    Brought his favorite cookies

    Hidden among stuffies

    Hidden in the nativity scene

    Put bows on bedroom doors

    Brought treats for a movie night

    Christmas Scrabble board

    Build with gumdrops and toothpicks

    Brought slingshot (indoor snowball fight)

    Brought Rice Crispy treat ingredients

    Candy cane hunt

    Gift-wrapped kitchen cabinets and drawers

    Disguised as a Poinsettia plant

    Eggcellent message

    Made and hung up snowflakes throughout our home

    Made a snowman out of clean socks

    Candy food groups

    Brought Christmas trivia cards

    Toilet paper snowman

    Hidden in a Christmas stocking

    Zipline into tree

    Toy donation basket

    Made a gingerbread house

    Inside a snowglobe

    Melted snowman

    Brought Christmas stampers and “Peas on Earth” riddle cards

    Marshmallows and toothpicks to make snowmen

    Gummy bear tree, hidden with bear stuffies

    Make origami stars

    Felt danish hearts with candy inside

    Yummy tree cakes

    “Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on you lips.” (Proverbs 22:17 & 18, NLT)

  • Easy to do Pokémon birthday Party Ideas

    Pokémon interest

    My two older kiddos are currently into Pokémon. If I am being honest, I believe one of my son’s interest is because his brother is into Pokémon. Also, many of their friends like and trade cards. My kiddos battle cards against each other. One of them has read many Pokémon books. He knows lots of trivia about many of the Pokémon and trainers.

    Initial Pokémon in our home

    Pokémon in our home began when my oldest son was in second grade. One of his classmates gave all of their peers two Pokémon cards as a Valentine. That peaked a small interest in him. Then, for Cub scouts, all of the scouts in his ‘den’ were to bring in something they collected. My oldest took in his rock collection with fossils, gems, shark teeth and more. Two of his fellow scouts took in their Pokémon card collections. They were neatly filed in card guards inside 3-ring 2” binders. My son looked through his friends’ binders at the cards and asked questions. After that, the number of Pokémon cards in our home grew quickly.

    Though I don’t understand how the card battles work and how the score is kept, I have learned some things from my sons’ interests. Also, I have learned some things by playing Pokémon Go! with them a little bit. I can identify about a dozen Pokémon.

    My oldest asked for a Pokémon-themed party. His birthday is in the Summer, so we had is party outside. The only Pokémon related items were the few decorations I purchased and a pokéball piñata filled with candy. For decorations, I went with black, white and red colors. I was trying to match a regular pokéball. Table cloths were red and black. I found red, black and white pompom garland for added decorations. The cupcakes had red and black frosting. We had red, white and black tissue balls hanging from the deck roof. The rest of his party was water play. Therefore, when my middle son asked for a Pokémon-themed party, I went to Pinterest for ideas. His birthday is in the winter, so inside activities were necessary.

    Inside Pokémon Party

    The winter Pokémon party had some of the same decorations. This was a little different, though. For my middle son’s party I decided on dark blue, yellow and an aqua color. Paper cups were solid aqua and solid yellow. Pokémon plates were used to serve cake. For the second party we purchased a cake with yellow, blue and aqua, with four Pokémon characters on it. Plastic disks with Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle accompanied a light-up Pikachu on top of the cake. There were five Pokémon-themed activities for the party guests to enjoy. My son requested certain games to be played at his party. These included, “Pin the tail on Squirtle,” “Bean Bag Toss” and “Tin Can Knock Over.”

    Game-Pin the tail on Squirtle

    The first game was Pin the tail on Squirtle. To make this game, I drew Squirtle on a poster board, including the tail, and colored it in. Then, using copier paper, I traced the tail. The copy paper was thin enough to see the tail underneath. I was able to put the copy paper on top of the poster board and trace the tail. My husband made copies of the tail. There were enough tails for every guest plus a few extra. One evening I cut out the blank Squirtle tails. My plan was for the kids to color or decorate their own tail. For the blindfold my husband and I cut strips of fabric. Because sickness was going around, we made a blindfold for each guest plus a few extra. Each kid had their own blindfold.

    One by one, the guests lined up to take their turn at Pin the tail on Squirtle. One grown-up secured the blindfold on the next person in line. Meanwhile, another grown-up put a piece of painter’s tape on the back of the tail. Then, one by one, each guest tried to put the tail on Squirtle. I drew the tail on the poster board to identify the correct placement for the tail.

    Bean bag toss Pokeball Game

    The second game my son asked for was a bean bag toss game. The idea of this game is simple. There is a large poster board with a few holes cut out. The player tosses a bean bag and tries to get it into one of the holes. Looking at the game, I determined what items I needed and got to work. First, I went online and printed off a few pictures of Pokémon characters onto regular printer paper. At JoAnn, I purchased a black piece of poster board. I did not have bean bags on hand, so I chose something I did have. Plastic practice baseballs with holes were cleaned and converted into pokeballs. The desired size of the hole was cut out three times on the poster board. Then, the pictures of Pokémon characters were added around the holes.

    My husband made something that resembled a fort out of a large cardboard box. In the front of the fort he attached the poster board with Pokémon on it. This held up the poster board and allowed the pokeballs to go through the holes.  At first many of the guests enjoyed this game as it was to be played. After a little while their interests turned to playing with this game as a fort. Soon the whole thing was demolished. This was a fun game and was enjoyed by many. However, I would suggest making the cardboard into a triangle shape. It would work better to be used only as a support for the game and not large enough to be used as a fort.

    Tin Can Knock Down

    The third game my son asked for was to knock the tin cans over. To prepare for this game, our family had to eat lots of soup. I did not have a stockpile of empty cans on hand. However, we did have some cans with soup and vegetables in them. After emptying the contents of the cans, taking the labels off, then running the cans through the dishwasher, the cans were ready to be decorated. I measured the height and circumference of the can. Then, cut a piece of white paper to the right size, about 1/8 inch shorter in height and 1/8 inch longer in circumference.

    I found uniform pictures of Pokémon faces, printed them and cut them out. The faces were then taped to the paper, then the paper was wrapped around each can. My husband secured the papers on the cans with two pieces of packing tape. I had ten small cans and six larger cans. Therefore, there were two stations of this game.

    The tin cans required something harder to knock them over than the plastic practice baseballs with holes. Therefore, I used something else I had on hand. They were plastic practice baseballs without holes in them. Like the balls being used in place of bean bags for the other game, these were also converted into pokeballs.

    Pokémon Activities

    In addition to the games, we had a couple of activities. These were quiet things that each guest could do on their own, as they wanted. They could also do these activities with their grown-ups or other guests.  One was a guessing game and the other activity was a coloring station.  

    Guess how many Pokeballs

    The first activity was to guess how many pokeballs were in a jar. I purchased a pack of 100 mini ping pong balls from Amazon. We had some small circle stickers on hand. Each ball had a center seam line. I put one of the circle stickers on the seam. Then, with a black permanent marker, drew around the circle sticker and around the ball on the seam. After that, I filled in one side of the seam with a red permanent marker and removed the sticker. When completed, that made a mini pokeball (or 100 of them). Because he was turning 7, I wanted to have 77 ping pong balls in the jar. However, that many would not fit. Fifty-seven pokeballs fit nicely, though! I had that activity on a windowsill.

    Guess Game Set up

    There were a few items included in this activity. First, there was the glass jar with pokeballs in it. I tried a few different sizes of jars and containers before choosing the one that best fit for our activity. I set the jar filled with the pokeballs on the windowsill.

    Beside the jar I placed a sign for the activity. The sign read, “Guess: How many Pokeballs are in the jar? Write your name and guess on a paper and drop it into the Eevee can! (0-100) *Kids Only.” The ‘0-100’ meant that their guess could not be over 100.

    The ‘Eevee can’ was a tin can with a picture of the pokemon Eevee on it, placed beside the sign. In front of the sign there were strips of paper for guesses to be written onto. On the paper I wrote ‘Name’ and ‘Guess’ to identify which guest guessed which number. There was a wide range of guesses for this activity. They guessed from in the 30’s up to 99. One child did write down the correct amount.

    Design Your Own Pokeball

    The other activity we did was fairly simple to set up and do. On Pinterest, I found blank Pokeball templates. Using cardstock I printed out enough for each child to design at least three pokeballs. This activity was placed on the table.  Many crayons were placed on the table along with the papers and a sign inviting the guests to create. The sign read, “Decorate and design your own pokeball!” Most of the kiddos put lots of time and thought into creating their own designs.

    Some of his friends brought their pokemon cards. They looked through cards, traded some and enjoyed being together. Maybe someday I will learn more about the characters and the game and battles. For now, I am grateful that my kiddos enjoy time with friends and family.  

    “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)

  • A French Toast Bake on the menu for dinner

    Breakfast for dinner is a change from the normal meal. Though it sounds fairly jump simple, this may prove to be a little tricky at first.  Sometimes when we serve breakfast for dinner, or Brinner, as some call it, my boys are hungry soon is ti this oneafterwards.  Some ideas for this include scrambled eggs with sausage links or bacon and fresh fruit on the side.  We have done frame eggs with bananas, sliced peaches or sliced pears. French toast bake is a delicious option, as well.  

    Breakfast favorites

    Two options in particular that my boys enjoy are a French toast bake and Chunky monkey pancakes.  Both are fairly easy, and they love making pancakes with their daddy.  The pancakes have nuts, chocolate chips and bananas in them.  If you prefer blueberries or another mix-in, you could go that route, instead. 

    I first had the French toast bake at church.  Oftentimes, someone will make or bring food to munch on, like doughnuts, fruit or muffins.  One day there was a casserole dish with pieces of bread cooked together, topped with cinnamon and more.  I cut some out, put it on a plate, added butter and enjoyed the sweetness of French toast with a little more to it. 

    Where I found the recipe

    I asked my friend for the recipe and she directed me to Dinner then dessert‘s website. The recipe calls for certain bread, but whatever is available is suitable.  That morning at church the casserole was made with left-over hot dog buns from a picnic they had prior.  Sometimes I get a loaf of texas toast bread, located in the bread aisle, other times I get some French bread from the bakery.  Whatever works to give enough bread to soak up the egg mixture and fill the casserole dish is good. Sabrina Snyder is the author of this recipe, Easy French Toast Bake.

    Serve with fresh fruit like melons or berries on the side.  Let me know how you like it and what kind of bread worked or did not work for you.

    Easy French Toast Bake
    Print

    Easy French Toast Bake

    Recipe by Sabrina Snyder, dinnerthendessert.comCourse: Meal Ideas for Picky Eaters
    Servings

    12

    servings
    Prep time

    15

    minutes
    Cooking time

    45

    minutes

    Ingredients

    • 1 loaf texas toast

    • 8 eggs

    • 2 c. milk

    • 1/2 c. heavy cream or 1/2 &1/2

    • 1/4 c. sugar

    • 1/2 c. brown sugar

    • 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

    • 2 tsp. cinnamon

    • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

    • 1/2 c. flour

    • 1/2 c. brown sugar

    • 1/4 tsp. salt

    • 1 tsp. cinnamon

    • 1/2 c. unsalted butter, cold and cut into small squares

    Directions

    • Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    • In a large bowl, add eggs, milk, cream, sugar, 1/2 c. brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
    • Chop the bread into 3/4 to 1 inch cubes and put it in the bowl with the egg mixture. Toss well until all the liquid is absorbed.
    • In a small bowl or food processor add flour, remaining brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix.
    • Cut in the butter with a fork or pulse in the food processor 5-10 seconds or until the butter and brown sugar mixture is crumbly.
    • Pour the bread and egg mixture into the pan, cover evenly with the brown sugar & butter topping. Bake 45-50 minutes or until the top is crispy and center is no longer wet.

    “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the LORD’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the LORD is near.” (James 5:7-8, NLT)

  • How to create a Fall tree craft

    Introduction to Fall tree craft

    The Fall tree craft is fairly simple to do with most ages of kids. The fall trees add no some color and fun to a cold and dreary day when indoors is the place to be. It is also adjustable for different looks and sensory experiences.  For younger ages, fingers, cotton swabs, small sponges and paint brushes can be used as tools. Additionally, older kids can use the same tools but can be more precise when creating the leaves. They can also use markers and pens to draw details on leaves and other objects.

    Fall tree template

    First, decide on a tree silhouette or just the trunk and branches. I found one on Pinterest similar to this one. There are several options online for this. Or, if you are so artistically inclined, draw it yourself and make as many copies as needed.

    Paper for the Fall tree craft

    Next, decide what to paint onto. Printer paper, or copy paper might work well for your needs. Knowing the crafters I was going to have, I thought a thicker paper was the best option. My project was for a first grade class party. Some first graders tend to go heavy on the paint. A thinner paper would quickly fall apart with a large amount of paint. I opted for a thicker paper, such as card stock. Mixed media paper and canvas are other ideas, as well.

    Fall tree craft tools

    After the tree silhouettes are on as many papers needed, it is time to collect tools. As mentioned before, be creative with the tools, based on the age group that will make this craft. Our fall trees were created during a class party. Easy clean-up was an important factor for us. We decided to go with cotton swabs as our tool for application. They would make small circles and could be used to “draw” other objects. Also, the cotton swabs are easily disposable. Additionally, we used small paper plates to put the paint on.

    Fall tree craft paint

    Finally, the last supply necessary for this craft is paint. For colors, we chose red, orange and yellow. Other options for fall tree colors include some greens, burgundy, brown and even some grey hues. Choose any color you associate with fall leaves. In addition to paint colors, there is also type of paint to decide on. For little kids, washable paint means easier clean-up. This is especially true if it is not possible to work with each child individually. Personally, I prefer to use acrylic paints. The texture of acrylics, along with versatility, is most appealing to me. Also, acrylic paint is easily cleaned from many surfaces with the use of baby wipes. Of course, the sooner the paint is tended to, the easier it is to clean up entirely, no matter what kind of paint it is.

    Create Fall tree craft

    After gathering all of the necessary supplies, allow your artists to use their creativity. Squirt a small amount of each paint color onto a paper plate. Use an amount about the size of a quarter or half dollar. Set the paper, plate with paint and tools on the workspace. Let them create as desired. If you would rather, demonstrate for them how to use the tools.

    Be creative

    All 3 of my kids had fun with this activity. My oldest decided to also make a leaf pile under the tree. My other two kiddos saw their brother’s idea and adopted it for their own picture. Keep in mind, if the paint is too thick on the paper it will take longer to dry. This activity can be done with a tree silhouette, as described here. Another idea is to use a wreath silhouette and add oriental bittersweet or pyracantha berries with the leaves. This can also be done with other holidays and seasons, as well. For example, a green wreath silhouette with red or colorful dots for winter. Another idea is for a gumball machine and the colors representing the gumballs inside the machine. Be creative and have fun.  

    Fall Tree Dab Painting

    Fall Tree Dab Painting

    Kids of almost any age can create a picture for Fall with paper, paint and cotton swabs (or fingers, paint brushes, etc.).

    Materials

    • Card stock paper
    • Acrylic paints in Fall colors
    • Markers and pens (optional, for older kids)

    Tools

    • Cotton swabs
    • paper plate
    • paint brushes (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Add some paint to the paper plate, in desired Fall colors.
    2. Dab cotton swab into one or two colors of paint on the paper plate. Just enough to get paint on it.
    3. Dab the cotton swab with paint on it onto the paper, creating small circles.
    4. Continue with all of the colors until the tree is as full as desired.
    5. If desired, use markers and pens to add detail.

    Notes

    Card stock paper is suggested, however, printer paper or art canvas would also work, depending on your artists.

    Acrylic paints are suggested. However, kids washable paint would be fine, too.

    Markers and pens are listed as an optional material. This is for older kids that might want to add detail to the leaves or something else to their page.

    Cotton swabs are suggested. They used to create dots (leaves) on the bare tree. The paper plate and cotton swabs are used for easy clean-up. Kids can use their fingers for a similar look.

    © KalmiaMom3

    “I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12, NLT)