Little Things on Valentine’s Day

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So many years I was single.  Valentine’s Day wasn’t fun.  Back then nobody was really doing Galentine’s Day.

Then I started enjoying Valentine’s Day by loving on the married women in my life.  Just sharing with them how they had impacted me.

Then I got married.  Valentine’s Day is fun – and never going out is a key to that!  We do low-key – which is so good!

Then, I started doing special things for my girls that I had discipled over the years, married or single.  Just to share with them that I love them and am so thankful for them!

This year, I wanted to do something with our boys.  Just love on women who impacts our lives on a daily basis.  So, this morning, Trader Joe’s had single roses for 1$.  We bought 4.

One went to one of the ladies at Trader Joes who loves on us every Monday and has for almost 3 years.

The second one went to my son’s afternoon bus driver.

The third and fourth went to the girl who has been serving in the kid’s club at the healthy gym I go to in the afternoons.  My boys definitely give her the right to get roses.

When we gave them the roses – all of them were so surprised.  Its just little things yall.  Live in the little things. Love on people.  It took 4$ to make 3 peoples’ days.  I always want to teach my boys to love on others in little and big ways!

Helping Your Children Be Adventurers (Book Giveaway)

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Good Night Little Love

One of the biggest delights I get as a mommy to littles is their “wow” or the “oooooh” when they see new things.  Or how they exclaim “the lions” when they know we are going to the zoo.  Or when my little is watching How To Train Your Dragon and he pretends he is a dinosaur breathing fire.

Their little imaginations are fantastic.

And I want to help them be adventurers with their imaginations.  So, we color, and read, and watch cartoons to help them learn to see new worlds.  We go to the zoo to help them learn about animals.  We go to parks to play with friends who might not look exactly like us.

I want to take them to see the world…some day.  But until then maybe we can just pray for missionaries who are serving Jesus around the world.  And eat guacamole with the hopes of going Mexico one day (wait, that may be a dream of mine to return to the country that gives me my favorite appetizer).

The new book that Tommy Nelson sent me – just in time for Valentine’s Day – is all about you, your little love, and the many adventurers you will have.  Here are some examples from the book and how you can do them in your own home or with your own little love:

“Stars shimmer in the sky” – when we leave the gym and if it is dark, we look at the sky and try to find the moon.  Maybe we’ll see some stars.  I want to tell them how God created all we see and he created them for his glory and our good.

“What happy paths we’ll take” – getting out and getting physical activity is not only fun but also healthy.  There are several trails around our city and we like exploring them and finding sticks, rock, leaves, and bugs (I have boys, right?).

“Our friends will tag along.” – This is a great one to start insisting to your children that the friends they make will influence them.  This is an important message in the Proverbs.

“We’ll look at mirrored faces” – We go to a local pond and look in the water.  We waive at ourselves.  This is a good point to make: our outward countenance should reflect what is in our heart.  Like the songs says, I’ve got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart…”

“We’ll smell the pretty roses.” – This would be a good investment: teach your children to love on others by simple acts of kindness – like bringing flowers to widows in your neighborhood or church, or to single mothers (especially this time of year), or bring donuts! Yum.  Just teach them to be a blessing to others – even with a homemade card.  Some friends were watching our boys yesterday and my boys delivered homemade valentines when they returned to our house.  What a sweet gesture.

“We fold our hands to pray.” – Our littler boy – when we go to pray at the dinner table, bows his head and folds his hands.  That’s the cutest little clasp.  But, I love it, so sweet.  I pray that he will grow up to love Jesus with all his heart, even more than he loves cookies and balls.

God has a great adventure awaiting your child.  Help them see it.  What is something you like doing with your toddler to help them be on an adventure.  Answer this question and I’ll a book to give away to one winner.  Will pick it on Sunday!

Breakfast Ideas for your Valentine

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Valentines Day Breakfast

The most important meal of the day is breakfast right?  And one of the best holidays is Valentine’s Day, right?  Then why not combine the two and serve a delicious themed breakfast on Valentine’s Day.  I’m glad that it falls on a Friday this year, my Mister’s day off.  That way we can all linger over the breakfast table a little while longer.  Here are three recipes that you can whip up in no time flat for your Valentine. Enjoy every moment of the day!

Strawberry Pancakes (I actually served these for dinner tonight).  I used Rachael Ray’s Strawberry Pancakes recipe from her magazine.  Things I would change: chop your strawberries more fine.  Use less of them.  Or puree them and lower the milk amount.  They were TOO moist.  But, they had great flavor!

Strawberry Pancakes

Heart in the Hole.  I made this yesterday for my little Valentine for lunch.  So quick and easy.  I used Great Day Farms’ organic eggs because they taste amazing and I know are healthy for my family.  Just put some butter in a heated skillet, cut out a heart shape (with a cookie cutter) of the bread, and drop the egg in.  Let it cook until your liking.  How runny do you like your egg?

Heart in the Hole

Strawberry Nutella PopTarts.  I made the smores version of these last week at a friend’s house and we gobbled them up.  Tomorrow morning I’m taking some fresh strawberries, mashing them with a fork, already made pie crust, a cookie cutter, egg wash, and delicious creamy nutella.  Amazing pop tarts await me!  Yay!

Strawberry Nutella Poptarts

See…three easy breakfast ideas.  And thanks to my friend Liz for the picture of her cute thrifted coffee mug.  Perfect morning to use that!

Link Love Special Edition: Valentine’s Day

posted in: Link Love, Uncategorized | 1

Valentine's Day Link Love

The internet is ablaze with all things love, pink, hearts, chocolate, red, wine, romance, etc.  Perfect timing as this week is Valentine’s Day.  How do you intend to spend Cupid’s Day coming up at the end of the week?  Here are some delightful things that have caught me  eye.

These Yes MaAm notecards made especially for Valentine’s Day. All of them are wonderful but I’m especially attracted to the gold foil hearts!

You can make these in any shape you want – and I’m going to be decorating them with pink icing to take to some widows in our church on Valentine’s Day.  Who doesn’t love these.  And yes, they may be as addictive as crack (though I wouldn’t know).

I am making these on Saturday for a brunch with some single ladies at our church.  They are perfect for brunch and include delicious red raspberries perfect for the special day of love.

My friend Laura has more card creativity in her little pinky toe than I have in my whole two hands put together.  Here are some of her ideas for Valentine’s Day cards for the loves in your life.

These truffles would make any fine chocolate lover swoon.  Make them soon.  I think I might.  Just to say I’ve made them and to take pretty photos of them!

Candy Truffles

If the special one in your life loves chocolate and cake – you can’t go wrong with this one for dessert any time you want to express your love.  Unless they are on a diet – then have them make an exception!

Why do all things chocolate and peanut butter scream my name?  I guess there is protein in peanut butter right?  Check out this delicious torte by Michelle over at Brown Eyed Baker.

So maybe you aren’t a chocolate fan (anyone out there, I know of at least one), so maybe lemon and raspberries are more your thing.  Light.  Springy.  Delicious combination.  And pie crust to add the borders of a scrumptious filling.

lemons

I hope I have inspired you with some of these Valentine’s Day treats.  There is still plenty of time to plan something for your love!

 

What’s Eatin’ #6

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What's Eatin?

This week will be different because of a Grain-Free 4-Day Detox (stay tuned for more on that) and a holiday and some ministry opportunities coming for the weekend. I really do love using my love of cooking for ministry opps – everyone loves food, right?

Monday: Making something similar to this pork roast and serving it with sweet potatoes and sautéed apples. Think cracker barrel.

Tuesday: Sautéed seafood with taco seasoning – think Taco Tuesday – with a salad (my husband will more than likely have it with a tortilla and cabbage).

Wednesday: Cabbage and Kielbasa.  I’m trying to win my husband over with this meal.  It is something I loved when growing up and now I’m just making it because I had the kielbasa on hand and needed a cheap meal.

Thursday: DATE DAY!  Since our marriage retreat got cancelled a few wknds back, my hubs took the day off and we are doing us-stuff.  That includes conversation, coffee shops, and lunch date!

Friday: Chocolate-covered strawberry pop tarts for Valentine’s Day breakfast, Crack Cookies to take to some widows for VDay – more on that later as well, stay tuned – and then my hubs cooks me a rather awesome steak each year on VDay and with it we are having roasted fingerling potatoes and asparagus.  Don’t know about dessert yet.  We shall see.

Saturday: Having some friends over for a brunch on Saturday morning.  These rolls will grace the table.  This sparkly beverage.  And a delicious quiche.  Keeping it simple.  But, delicious.  And about friends and conversation and a pretty tablescape.