Happy Mother's Day!

We celebrated pancake style! 
Baby girl wanted purple....
Big sister wanted green.....so we went with rainbow!
I had fun making them for my favorite mother's day gifts ever. =)

To mix, I used complete pancake mix (just add water).
1/2 cup mix, with generally 1/4 cup of water.  (we like ours a little runny rather than thick.  So just add less water for thicker and more water for thinner pancakes)

I made each color of the rainbow in batches.
Mix batter, add a few drops of food coloring, cook, rinse mixing bowl, and repeat.

Colors of the rainbow

V : Violet
I : Indigo
B : Blue
G : Green
Y : Yellow
O : Orange
R : Red

Mix in small batches unless you want 100 pancakes!

Each batch made 3 - 4 pancakes.

Arrange in order of the rainbow.  Watch out for little fingers =)

Smiles!



Everyone loves to help.

Yum

We had to take a few liberties with colors because the only food coloring I had was neon and a few of the regular primary colors.  Nothing substatues the real red! (ours is neon red)

Egg Carton Sheep: Luke 15: 1-7

I am always looking for ways to help my children understand our faith. So when I read about turning egg cartons into "sheep" I was excited! Sheep are fun! Time to look in the junk drawer for supplies! The junk drawer did not disappoint. =)

 So here is my version of egg carton "sheep" with very few supplies. Hubby is just going to shake his head at the bowl of eggs in the fridge,  because I needed the egg carton n.o.w.....he is used to me.....

Supplies

scissors 

crayons

glue

coke bottle top (I used 2 liter)

paper

bible

Trace circles using bottle top. Draw your best imitation of a sheep's face (I used the color black)

Repeat until you have enough sheep faces.

Trim off sides to make sheep's ears.

Glue faces onto egg cartons.  Place so that your sheep have "legs" Color some wool on your sheep.  Or you could use cotton balls, coloring is just our favorite =)

Read the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15: 1-7

Hide your sheep then find them!

Line your sheep up for counting! (They are also fun to stack)

We talked about Jesus being our Shepard and taking care of us.  He also finds us when we disobey and brings us back.  What else would you teach your child using this story or other Bible passages?
 
You could also color the sheep (practicing your colors) and discuss how everyone is different but God made us all and wants us to love (and pray) for each other.  Discuss different friends and family in your life.  If you are like us you have a lot of "extended" family that are not necessarily related genetically or by marriage.  

We also had to practice our sheep sounds of course!  In truth these little sheep will probably find their way to lots of places around our house.  So search and rescue is not if but when.

Have fun, don't be afraid to make a mess, more to come soon!

Video Save (Getting Bigger)

So baby boy is getting bigger and playing more and more. We have been gone longer than I realized (as I told myself every week that I needed to update the blog).

Doing what? Mostly changing our working schedules, learning to deal with that, and homework with our oldest daughter. I have to say that I'm terrified that the homework keeps getting harder every year. (Because I've had to learn how to have a homework schedule all over again...eek)

Anyways blah blah blah...The etsy store is on vacation because I'm getting all my scarves made and ready to photograph just in time for fall. If you have any requests please feel free to comment.

We are still saving saving saving for the cochlear. We try to do even the little things like not buy that 1.50 coke I see at the gas station and put all that money in the jar towards his cochlear. We also gave up ALL meat on Fridays during lent which allowed us to save a little more than buying that fish.

I will have to admit saving for this has made us more aware of each other. Comparing that 1.50 coke or giving up fish is not so hard when you put it in light of what we will be gaining....Chris' hearing =)So thank you all and more to come (sooner rather than later)

Crochet Pansy Flower Pattern

I love little pansy's. It is one of the things that gets me through the winter.
So here is my little pattern for the pansy flower.
(Pattern with pictures below also)
Let me know of any discrepancies in the pattern please.
Also if you like this pattern and would like to donate towards Chris' Cochlear please click on the donate button to your right----> Any amount is greatly appreciated! =)

Select 2 different colors from your yarn stash
Start with the magic ring.

1: chain 3

2: (puff stitch)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (1 time)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (2nd time)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (3rd time)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (4th time)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (5th & last time) (11 loops on hook)
YO and pull through all the loops
chain 1 to lock the loops in place
slip stitch back into magic ring

3: chain 3 & repeat puff stitch

4: slip stitch back into magic ring

5: pull tail and tighten magic ring (you should have 2 puff stitches on magic ring. These are the 2 bottom flowers of the pansy)

6: fasten off yarn & leave the 2 long tails. You will need these later.
Turn flower over.

7: pick your 2nd color and insert between 2 puff petals.
chain 3 (counts as 1 treble crochet)

8: in the same hole you chained 3 do 9 treble crochet
chain 3 and slip stitch into hole last time (11 stitches & top flower petal)

9: chain 1 and fasten off. Tie knot with same color tail behind flower. hide and clip extra yarn from top petal

10: right side of flower facing up insert hook through center hole (magic ring)
pull 1 tail of starting color (2 bottom petals) through magic ring

11: pull tail front to back through space between treble crochet
repeat 3 times in between 3 different spaces.

12: Fasten off and hide tails...enjoy!


Pattern with Pictures~

Select 2 different colors from your yarn stash

Start with the magic ring.

1: chain 3

2: (puff stitch)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (1 time)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (2nd time)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (3rd time)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (4th time)
YO insert into ring
YO pull through (5th & last time) (11 loops on hook)

YO and pull through all the loops

chain 1 to lock the loops in place

slip stitch back into magic ring

3: chain 3 & repeat puff stitch

4: slip stitch back into magic ring
5: pull tail and tighten magic ring

(you should have 2 puff stitches on magic ring. These are the 2 bottom flowers of the pansy)

6: fasten off yarn & leave the 2 long tails. You will need these later.
Turn flower over.

7: pick your 2nd color and insert between 2 puff petals.
chain 3 (counts as 1 treble crochet)

8: in the same hole you chained 3 do 9 treble crochet
chain 3 and slip stitch into hole last time (11 stitches & top flower petal)

9: chain 1 and fasten off. Tie knot with same color tail behind flower.

hide and clip extra yarn from top petal

10: right side of flower facing up insert hook through center hole (magic ring)
pull 1 tail of starting color (2 bottom petals) through magic ring

11: pull tail front to back through space between treble crochet
repeat 3 times in between 3 different spaces.

12: Fasten off and hide tails...enjoy!

Thank you!

I will keep saying thank you to many people for many things for as long as I live. But today a special thank you to my cousin who helped me come up with this idea....

An Internal Cochlear Implant Brooch / Pin...ta da.
It's a little bit funky and different, educational too! (just study the picture!)

And most importantly it will bring us closer to the ACTUAL cochlear implant.
So pick up yours today. Click on the picture to take you to the store. My personal favorite is wearing it on your hat!

Take a look =)
And the actual implant from {http://www.bcm.edu/cms_web/407//Implanted-device.gif}


More to come!

Fundraising

I recently chatted with a friend who said if I needed a sounding board for other fundraising ideas to give him a call. I fully intend to take him up on that offer...however....I have no ideas to bring to the table.

I realize that I have met many people who are fundraisers without knowing they HAVE that experience!

So I am asking for your help. If you have any ideas for fundraising please give me a call, send me an email. I love discussing ideas and I love a good challenge =).

I have searched and searched but can not find any specific fundraising sources for a cochlear implant that Chris can apply for. While I think it's great that he is a father of 3, husband, and a 31 year old, it's not a target area for fundraising.

With that being said we are at peace with patiently waiting and saving. The Etsy store has allowed us to meet people who are going through similar circumstances and offer us words of support.

Good things come from waiting also and great appreciation of what you are waiting for is one of those things. We are also greatly appreciative of everyone who has supported us in prayer, words, and financially.

More to come!
Thanks for listening!
Kim

Crochet Princess Crown

I have a hard time sticking to traditional colors. And I didn't have enough yellow when I decided to make this crown. And there was a certain person jumping up and down on my shoulder "Oh mommy make that, make that, please, please" when I was looking for pictures.

I first found an all around traditional beanie pattern and looked at lots of pics before deciding what kind of "crown" I was going to build on it.

Yes I realize I need to eventually make SOMETHING for a boy.....but I have two very vocal girls who keep giving me all their color choices. D. will just have to jump right in. But for now he is content when mommy or daddy just smile and talk. (and he has a face I can't refuse =)





Click on the pics to take you to the etsy store =)
Which picture do you think should be the etsy store pic?
More to come!
Kim