Homemade Sugar Scrub

Here's another fun idea that we did at one of our M.O.P.S. meetings--homemade sugar scrub!

This would make a great gift for a new mom, for Mother's Day, a birthday, or even for a stressful mom (we all may know one, eh?). This would make her day!

It's so easy to put together, too. Mix one cup white sugar with one cup brown sugar in a bowl. Then, add one cup vegetable oil to the mix. Add a couple drops of a scented oil (mine has eucalyptus in it.) That's all there is to it. When you're done, the scrub will look like this:

When you're mixing a batch to give away, why don't you make some for yourself, too. :)

A's 100th day of school

This is a little late in posting, but I wanted to share what we did for A's 100th day of school. It took place about a week before Valentine's Day, but it didn't happen on the day she thought it would. You see, we had a huge snowstorm which cancelled school. When I told her that morning, she was disappointed, but I reassured her that the 100th day of school would still happen next Monday morning.

To get ready, I had an idea for a special gift for her teacher--100 kisses in a jar. She counted them by placing them in sets of ten on the table.

Then, we made mini donuts. I didn't make 100 of them, just enough for each child to have two. Because I had made them the day before the snow storm, I knew that they wouldn't last over the weekend. So, A made deliveries to our neighbors. It was a welcome treat on a very snowy day.

On Sunday afternoon, we worked on another batch--still as yummy as the first. I found the recipe here. They have the perfect touch of lemon in them!

We melted vanilla bark coating and dipped each one. A had fun adding the sprinkles. Her class loved them!

As for her 100th day project, she came up with something very different--nothing like what I saw when I taught school. She counted out 100 Q-tips and put them in a jar! Have any of you ever heard of that project? She did a great job and had a fun day at school celebrating 100 days of growing smarter.:)

Awesome possum!

Here's a fun project that I did at my M.O.P.S. group right before Christmas. We were given a clear plate to decorate with paint markers. The goal of this was to design a plate that can be used for a celebration--a birthday, holiday, or a big accomplishment.

One of my favorite things to say to a child when they do something great is "Awesome possum!" I used it all the time when I taught, and now I say it to our girls. I knew that's what I wanted to do on my plate, so I first drew a little girl and wrote the saying on the plate. Others did their own drawings like I did while others used a print-out of a favorite cartoon character to embellish theirs.

We traced our design using a black dry erase marker. Then, we were able to trace the lines on the underside of the plate using paint markers. We used a clear sealant so that the paint doesn't wash off. They are still delicate and can only be hand-washed, so be careful if you do this.

Here's what my plate looks like:

It was such a fun and relaxing way to get creative with the ladies in my group. It will be awesome to use this when the girls accomplish something great. From having a great day at school to doing a job without being told (and perhaps in the midst of potty training this summer with Little S!), this plate can be a huge way to encourage the recipient. They can use it for a meal, a dessert, or even all day--yipee! I can't wait!:)

Listening sheets

I've been using listening sheets with A for the past couple of months as a way to train her to listen carefully to a sermon in church. It has been a wonderful thing to keep her involved and quiet during the church service.

When she first came to live with us (last March), I put together a bag of things for her to do during the service. Inside of it would be a coloring book, pencils, crayons, and a Bible. But, when I found this link to the listening sheets, I eliminated the coloring book. If she needs to have a change of pace for a while, then I photocopy a Bible coloring sheet. I want her focus to be on things of the Lord, and not just "fillers" that she can do at home, school or anywhere else.

So, are you ready to check it out for yourself? There are a few options to choose from (readers, non-readers and older children), so click on the link and print away! I know these will be a blessing to you as they have been to us and others we have shared them with in our church.