Thursday, April 29, 2010

Yes, your children will eat fish.. and so will you! Part Four

So I am loving this series on healthy fish recipes. As I said before it's been my goal to get our family eating fish twice a month and we seem to be finally getting there. Although I must admit, it seems like those two fish meals come in the last weeks of the month. But still it's improvement.

I sent to Shape Magazine this month for a little inspiration. Tilapia was on sale at the beginning of the month so I had some in the freezer and a direction to start in. And then I saw it... This Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia with Lemony Green Beans was just too much to resist.

Ingredients
For the Tilapia
4 skinless tilapia fillets (1 pound total)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried basil
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
For the Green Beans
½ pound green beans, ends trimmed
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Cut the tilapia fillets lengthwise into two pieces, then pat dry with a paper towel and season to taste with pepper. In a small bowl, combine basil and Parmesan cheese; set aside. In a large saucepan, bring water for beans to a boil.
Heat olive oil in a 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté the fish for 3 minutes or until brown. Flip the fillets over and remove the skillet from heat. Dust the tilapia with the cheese mixture. Place the skillet under the broiler to finish cooking the fish and slightly brown the cheese, about 3 to 4 minutes.
As the fish cooks, add beans to boiling water. Lower heat and cook for 5 minutes or until bright green (beans should still be crisp). Drain beans and run under cold water. Shake off excess water and set aside.
Mix lemon juice, lemon zest, pepper, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Add green beans and toss to coat; warm for 30 seconds in the microwave. Divide fish fillets and green beans on two plates and serve.

We replaced the green beans with broccoli. I've never been much of a green bean fan and the kids love broccoli so it was a natural replacement for us. All in all, the four of us loved it. My four year old who "hates" fish said he really "appreciated" me making such a nice dinner. And my two year old said, "This is good chicken, Mommy." I didn't bother to correct her.

The broccoli had too much lemon and not enough other flavoring, which was really too bad. It made it too bitter to really be edible. So we added left over parmesan and basil from the fish to tame it out a little. I was hoping the flavor would have been like the broccoli at Red Lobster. If anyone has tips on how to get that taste, I'd love to hear them. That's my favorite broccoli.

This will definitely go back on our menu. It was fantastic. And not only did both of my kids eat it, they both actually liked it. That's a keeper in my book.

I'd love to hear if you have any fish recipes to share. So leave me a comment if you have one or if there's anything you'd like to see in this series. In the meantime, I'll keep doing searches and hopefully come up with something that will help your family out as well.

For January's recipe, see Shrimp Stir-fry.
For February's recipe, see Shrimp Quesadillas.
For March's recipe, see Fish Tacos with Lemon Butter Sauce.

Linked to these Parties.
Linked to Tasty Tuesday.

Saving Money in Today's Economy

Frugality is a big topic in today's economy. Pinching pennies, being thrifty, making every dollar count,... whatever you want to call it, many of us are doing it. Gone are the days of a booming economy only to be replaced by discussions of keeping jobs and keeping homes. From time to time, I try to post a few ideas centered around saving money. Funny thing is we've been strapped for cash for so long, it's become second nature. I'm going to try to get more post of that type up soon, but those of you who have missed them, these are just a few of my favorites:



Frugal Fish Dishes Series (with a new post coming tomorrow)





linked to Kelly's Korner

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

No New LOST???


Sorry guys... LOST was a re-run last night. Can you believe it? Whatever will I do without my LOST fix?

You know it's so funny how little things can just knock you off your game. I have so many ideas roaming in my head that I could blog about, but Wednesdays are LOST days. I was sitting at home last night thinking, "I'm really not at a loss for material, but I'm just not in the mood. I wanna blog LOST."

Anyways... all that to say, nothing too exciting in the way of a post today. I'm crazy, hectic busy today. Three hours of volunteering at the YMCA, picking up a preschooler, dashing home for lunch and a little play time, running to gymnastics after nap, dropping the kids off at a friend's, and then to a meeting at a charter school. Oh, yeah, and bed time, and working out, and keeping the house clean... and hoping to do some crafting this evening.

To be quite honest, I'll probably skip the workout for chocolate and find myself falling asleep in front of the TV instead of getting my scrapbooking done. But a girl can always dream.

Life is catching up with me today... Hopefully it's giving you a break.

So talk to me... what are you up to these days?

Monday, April 26, 2010

Friendship Book

I've been picking up some of those little scrapbook/notebooks as they go on sale. You know the little books that are all bound together with a pretty cover and maybe a few stickers or what nots. You can usually find them for around $1-$2 at Michael's or Jo-Ann's. And when they clearance out they go down to $.25-$.50.

I've found a few here and there, tucked them away and thought, "Some day I'll get around to do something with those." But I never could think of a really good idea. My mom scrapbooks already so the idea of making a grandkid book was out. And I like having my photos in the 12x12 format. So what to do? What to do?

When I went on a retreat in March, I realized I had way too many of these little books and still hadn't done anything with them. I didn't want to just toss them. So that when I came up with the idea of making a friendship quote book. I have a close friend that moved away last summer and I've been mindful to take photos of us every time we get together. I had lots of material to work with; it was just a matter of putting it together.

Materials:
Small scrapbook
Scrap printed and solid paper and cardstock
Scrapbooking adhesive
Embellishments
Quotes
Photos



I wanted the first picture to really stick out. So I chose my favorite one for the cover. I matted it on cardstock and centered it to fit the frame.

For each set of pages after that, I measured 2" strips of cardstock/printed paper to serve as a border. I then mounted a photo on cardstock and centered it on the left hand page.


On the right hand page, I looked up a quote about friendship that seemed to symbolize the photo. I wrote it on cardstock as well as a quick thought as to how it fit our friendship. Mounted it and embellished both pages.

I was running one photo short so I decided to make the final quote about the future. Then I left a blank mat spot for a future photo of the two of us.

All in all I'm really happy with the way it turned out. It's not the most spectacular little gift out there, but it reminded me of how much I appreciate her. And hopefully reminded her of how much I enjoy our friendship. Not bad for a clearanced notebook and items from my stash.

What do you do with these little notebooks you find in craft stores?

Linked to these Parties.

Made by Me Monday

Hey gang,
How was your weekend? I don't know where mine went. We spent quite a bit of time running around and getting stuff ready to redo the bathroom. But I'm excited to see it all coming together. I need to take before pictures this week so I can show you the transformation. Remodeling the bathroom wasn't in the first year plan of this house. But it's happening and I'm just thankful that we have some money set aside to do it.

Saturday was hectic busy. We had some friends watch the kids while we did our shopping and then visited at their house when we picked up the munchkins. They are so good to us and our kids. And I was extra blessed by the fact that they got both my kids to eat tuna. I haven't been able to get Noah to eat tuna in the past two years! Yeah!

That evening we went over to another family's house for dinner. They have four boys so Noah was in the height of his glory. Chickens, dog, cat, and four boys... we barely saw him all night. Lydia even got brave and was chasing the boys down.

Sunday rolled around with Lydia not feeling well. So she and I stayed home from church. I actually felt a little guilty. She's such an easy kid; I actually did some scrapbooking while she laid on the couch. Easy day, we ended the evening with a game of Uno and smoothies. I was hardly on the computer at all this weekend and didn't do any blog work. It was a nice break.

But enough about me, what have you been working on?
What have you been crafting this week? New recipe, new project, something fun you've been working on... Let's start sharing!
Write a blog post highlighting your project with a link back to this post so others can join in on the fun. Then add a link with McLinky to your blog post- not to the blog itself, but to the individual post! You can post more than one project; just add more links! And don't forget to invite your readers to join in as well.


Sunday, April 25, 2010

Menu Monday 4/26-5/2

AHHH!!! It's a short week and I still can't think of anything to cook. Hum...

Breakfasts:
Pumpkin bread
Yogurt
Oatmeal and bananas
Cinnamon Rolls


Lunches:
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
Tuna Sandwiches
Cool Couscous Salad
Carrots and dip
Celery and peanut butter
Fresh fruit
String cheese

Dinners;
Monday: Chicken Quesadillas

Tuesday: ???

Thursday: Angel hair pasta with pesto and veggies

Friday-Saturday: Out of town

Sunday: Taco Salad

Extras:
Smoothies
Fruit
Wheat Thins

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Frugal Family Fun: Kool April Nights

Last Friday, Dave and I packed the kids up and headed for a night out on the town. It wasn't completely free, but pretty close to it and could have been if I'd done a little more planning. You see once a year, our town hosts Kool April Nights. It's a week long car event with Park and Shine, Car shows, and events all over the city. The funnest part of Kool April Nights is the cruise on Friday night. It's loud, packed with people, and ... best part... absolutely free! You can make your plans as elaborate or as simple as you want.

Our plans were spur of the moment so they were humble, but the kids still thought it was a great time. We ran to In 'N Out before the cruise and grabbed some burgers and fries. I'm still lucky enough to share a meal with Lydia, but my days of sharing with Noah are long gone. I swear that child has a hallow leg. I don't know what I'm going to do when he's a teenager.

Then we found a parking spot in Safeway and walked along the route till we found a spot to sit. I saw families that had made a day of it, complete with lawn chairs and coolers. Luckily we found a spot pretty close to the parking lot and Safeway as we made multiple potty breaks.


Here are Noah, Lydia and myself. Trying to keep the kids entertained before the cruise started was quite a feat. I must remember to pack some bubbles and cars if we decide to do this again.


But once they got started, the kids thought it was great. They made a game out of looking for Monster Trucks and Snot Rods and then screaming as loud as they could when they saw one.

I wasn't sure how Lydia would handle it with the noise, but she loved it. Especially the screaming. We never knew she could be so loud.


Here they come!




We had fun. I haven't been to Kool April Nights since I was pregnant with Lydia so it'd been awhile. We almost skipped this year as I was tired and leary of taking two little ones out in the crowds. But it really turned out alright. And for the cost of a few burgers and fries, we had a really great evening. Just goes to show that if you keep your eyes peeled, you can find frugal family fun around the corner.

Linked to these parties

Rainbow Cupcakes

I came across these rainbow cupcakes some time in the fall and thought, "What a great idea!" We've found so many uses for them already, besides the fact that they're just fun all around. The kids and I had a few parties to attend around St. Patrick's Day so these were our rainbow dessert. And they loved it!

They are actually very simple to make and absolutely stunning when they're done. I felt like a little kid when we made them.

You'll need:
1 box cake mix (I used yellow; super moist)
Food coloring
Frosting
Sprinkles

1. Follow the directions on the box for making the cake batter (eggs, water, oil, etc).

2. Divide your batter into several glass bowls and dye with food coloring.
I used the regular stuff you get in the supermarket, but the Wiltons would come out more colorful. I had a hard time getting a true green. You want 5-6 different colors.


Aren't they pretty? My kids loved seeing all the colors like this.

3. Start spooning your batter into your cupcake liners. Start with one color and add colors one by one, offsetting the colors as you go.


4. Bake according to directions on box. Cool on a wire rack.


5. Don't forget the frosting and rainbow sprinkles!


6. Take the wrapper off and admire them for a moment.
Fun aren't they?


7. Break them open to find super pretty color.

We loved these! I've been trying to think of other excuses to make them: holiday parties, family reunions, Girl Scouts, St. Patrick's Day. I have a friend who is planning a Wizard of Oz birthday party and I think these would be an excellent addition. Do you think I could talk one of my kids into a Wizard of Oz party? Hum...


Linked to these Parties

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

LOST (6x13)--Let's Recap


Wow! If you haven't watched the episode from 4/20, stop reading. It was chalk full of information!

*Jack asks Smokie if he ever took his father's form--yes, Smokie led him to water--- Smokie says all I've ever been interested in is helping you leave... it has to be all of us... Smokie is insistent that they stay together.. This reminds me of the quote from Season One, "Live together, die alone." Later in the episode Jack decides not to leave. He reasons that if Smokie wants them to leave, then staying on the Island is the way to contain the evil.

*Ben rides in the ambulance with Locke... the arrive at the same time as Jin and Sun,... Sun recognizes Locke and says, "Oh, no, it's him." For a moments she recognizes him. Will they get to LA in their realities and still remember each other? Is he Locke in this reality or Smokie?

*Claire and Jack start talking. For a change Claire seems to snap out of it, thinking Jack is going with them. He says he hasn't decided if he's going. She says yeah you have, you decided the moment you let him talk to you... you're with the rest of us now. This seems to carry on with the theme of NOT talking to Smokie.

*Sawyer and Kate are sitting in the police station... Sawyer comments that someone must be trying to bring them together... she comments that he let her go in the airport 'cause he went to Australia and didn't want anyone to know he was there... Miles and Sawyer start working on the homicide in the restaurant and end up looking Sayid caught on video leaving the restaurant... So many intersections in this episode. Someone does seem to be bringing all of them together. Desmond connects Claire with Iliana who is reading Christian's will to Jack. Brother and sister are finally united.

*Sawyer and Kate go on an "errand" for Smokie... Sawyer takes Jack aside and tells him to split off from the others and bring back Jack, Sun, Jin, Hurley, and Frank... Smokie takes Sayid and tells him to kill Desmond... for a moment, Sayid hesitates...Desmond asks him,"What will you tell her (Nadia)?"

*Sayid and Smokie connect later and there's still a question of wheather or not he killed Desmond. Sayid says he did, but... still I gotta hold out some hope for Sayid...

*Jack still doesn't feel right about leaving the Island... he remembers feeling empty after leaving... his reasoning "if Smokie wants us to leave, maybe he's afraid of what will happen if we leave." Before Jack jumps off the boat, he apologizes for getting Juliette killed.. remonicent of the moment when Michael apologized for killing Libby. Kate freaks out and insists they go after him. Sawyer: "We're done going back"

*Sawyer and his Losties encounter Widmore's gang. Jin and Sun are reunited in the most heart felt moment (wow!)... she gets her voice back in that moment. Could Jin be the chosen candidate? If Smokie took Sun's voice and Jin brought back???

*Jack looses his hearing in the explosion. Smokie saves Jack from a second explosion... Smokie says..."it's going to ok... you're with me now."

*Widmore's gang is turning on Sawyer and his group. So I'm still trying to figure out who's good and who's bad. I tend to not trust Smokie, but it's Lost. Anything can happen. Especially as it would seem that no one is "good" in this situation. Like real life, but still I want some answers!

My favorite quotes of the night:
Sawyer (referring to Frank):"That pilot who looks like he stepped off the set of a Burt Reynold's movie.."

Sawyer (in referrence to Claire) "before she started drinking locke's kool-aid"

Monday, April 19, 2010

Bring on Spring


By now I'm sure you've seen all these cute little spring banners popping up. I've seen nearly every shape and style out there, as well as every tool used to make them. And this one cost me nearly nothing.
Materials:
Cricut (or any paper shape cutter, even larger punches)
Scrapbook paper in varying colors and prints
Adhesive
EmbellishmentsRibbon
1. I started by cutting out two different style flowers in 5 in. One style flower I cut in print and one in color. If you use a punch, you can cut circles or flowers in varying sizes as well. One banner I saw cut the inner circle in 4 in while the matting circle was 5 in. At this size you can get about 4 out of a 12 x 12 piece of paper.

2. Next I cut out my letters for the word in a coordinating color. I thought of using a second print, but it was just too busy.
3. I adhered my layers together, trying to twist the flowers so the petals came out opposite. Then I added a center circle and my letters. You could also use rub-on letters as well.
4. Embellishment was the fun part. I added punched shapes and stickers, but you could also use gems, glitter, Jolee's, yo-yos, buttons, etc.

5. Finally I hole punched my flowers, two holes in each. This allows them to "lay" better on the ribbon, especially if you're going to hang it on the wall. And I threaded the ribbon through. After spacing the flowers evenly on the ribbon, I knotted each end to keep them centered, even after I put it in storage. I personally like the way the extra ribbon hangs on the end, but you could trim it off.

All in all, this project cost me $0. I had everything in my stash. The paper and ribbon were items I'd had laying around for awhile and the adhesive is one that I use regularly.

If you don't have a cricut, check out your local scrapbook store. May will offer free use of their equipment for buying your materials in their store. It's always worth checking.
So there you have it: a little something to brighten up our home. Quick and affordable... my mind is already churning with other ideas.



Linked to these Parties

Made by Me Monday

Hey y'all,

How was your weekend? Mine was full as always. Seems like the more I try to slow things down around here, the faster they go. We did some major cleaning on Friday, took the kids to Kool April Nights, some planting in the backyard, and I snuck away for a little R&R time on Saturday.
Much needed I might add. The past couple of weeks have been so fast paced that it's been several weeks since I've been out without the kids. It was time.
Found some time to wander Barnes and Noble, get a cup of coffee by myself, and home in time to take a nap with them. Perfection!
I'm much more sane now.
But enough about me, what have you been working on?
What have you been crafting this week? New recipe, new project, something fun you've been working on... Let's start sharing!
Write a blog post highlighting your project with a link back to this post so others can join in on the fun. Then add a link with McLinky to your blog post- not to the blog itself, but to the individual post! You can post more than one project; just add more links! And don't forget to invite your readers to join in as well.



Sunday, April 18, 2010

Menu Monday 4/19-4/25

Monday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal and fruit
Lunch: Sandwiches, salad, fruit
Dinner: Bake Potato Bar

Tuesday:
Breakfast: French Breakfast Puffs
Lunch: Chicken Salad mix on greens, Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches, carrots and dip

Wednesday:
Breakfast: Yogurt and fruit
Lunch: Egg Salad sandwiches, celery and peanut butter
Dinner: Grilled cheese sandwiches, salad, tomato soup???

Thursday:
Breakfast: French Breakfast Puffs
Lunch: Soup, homemade bread
Dinner: Eggplant Lasagne

Friday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal and fruit
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Dinner @ Kozlowski's

Saturday:
Breakfast: Gingerbread Waffles
Lunch: BBQ???
Dinner:Parmesean Encrusted Tilapia, green salad

Sunday:
Breakfast: Leftover waffles
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Slow Cooker Carnitas, green salad

Extras:
Cinnamon and Sugar Twists
Smoothies
Homemade Popsicles

Link Love

Check out these creative 13 Ways to Celebrate a Landmark Birthday (@Giver's Log). I'm using this one as a great resource for the future.

These Antique Metal Signs (@ Peppertowne) would look great in an old farm house. Love the idea of using them in the laundry room.

Some cute ideas for an Around the Clock Bridal Shower (@Creative Party Place). Very fun cake idea.

Great Spring Wreath (@ Larsen Loves). Makes me want to replace mine.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Traveling with Littles


I remember fondly those days of traveling. Driving to my mom's or my in-laws in the middle of the night. My husband would get home from work and we'd just decide to leave. Throw a few things into a suitcase, gas up and be gone. Our life was full of family get togethers, trips to the mountains, visiting friends in Sacramento. Driving here and there... it was never really a problem. Everything seemed so simple then. We'd just pick up and go whenever we wanted. Easy!

Fast forward four and half years later and we're still traveling, but boy does it look different. Two kids don't pack quite as lightly as we used to. Middle of the night travel is rare. And spur of the moment trips are a thing of the past. But still traveling.

These are just a few of the things that we've learned over the years that's made all of this possible:

*Plan--This might sound like a simple one, but really it's your first challenge. Making that mental change from being carefree to planning can be a tough step. But it's important to remember that once you start planning, you can have a bit of that old "carefree" lifestyle back. It'll just look different.

*Pack for the occasion--We try not to overpack, but with kids that can be a challenge. Still try to pack for what you need, not every possible situation. Believe me, I did this with my first child. And any 6 month old does not need the swing, the walker, and the stroller for a three day trip to Grandma's (mine was never put down that long). If you're going to be gone for three days, think about how many clothes you go through at home and plan accordingly. Yes, there will be accidents, but if you're visiting family or friends, there nearly always a washer and dryer available. Along the same lines, if you're going to the beach don't pack the stroller. If you're going to the lake, don't pack the swing. Think about where you're headed.

*Don't forget the medicine--On the other hand, don't forget the little things that you don't use every day. I've often thought, "Oh, I don't want to pack the Tylenol (or the sunscreen or the teething tablets)" thinking I won't need them and it's a waste of time and space. TAKE THE TIME TO PACK IT. I currently have 3 bottles of half used Tylenol in my cupboard because I keep needing them when I haven't packed them. What a waste!

*Pack snacks-- Even the shortest trip in our family neccessitates snacks. It amazes me how quickly these kids can become hungry and at the most inopertune moments. Like when we're miles from anything and they're screaming in the backseat for food. Goldfish, graham crackers, string cheese, granola bars and fruit are all great options and take little time to pack.

*Teach your children to entertain themselves--I've never owned a new car. Which in turn means my kids have never been in a car with a DVD player (ok, once in a rental). We drive once every 5-6 weeks to either my mom's or my in-laws' which can mean a 3 hr or 5 hr drive. How do we do it? Lots of books, doodle pads, crayons, magnet toys and car games. And this is another trick I learned from a friend...Keep the toy bag in the front seat with you. If the bag is in the backseat, your kids will go through it in 5 minutes and be bored with it. If it's in the front seat, they're more likely to really use what they have and ask for more when they're truly done.

*Plan in a few stops--This is the hardest for my husband and I. I get in the car and don't want to stop till I'm there. I just want to be there. But with little ones, they need to stretch their legs, run off some energy, see you face to face. And honestly it's great for all of us. Sometimes we pack lunches and stop at a park in Sacramento. Some times it's a stop to see friends along the way. Sometimes it's just knowing we'll get gas at a particular place and running around for awhile.

And other that, traveling really isn't bad with little ones. The biggest thing for us has been making a mental change to understand that it's not the same as it was before kids. But then again, nothing's the same as it was before kids. So why should traveling be any different?

If anyone has any experience traveling by plane or train with kids, I'd love to hear your tips. Most of our travel has been in the car, although we did once take a cruise with a 18 month old. That's an experience I'll have to tell you about another time. So how do you make traveling do-able with your little ones?

We have a Winner, folks!

I ran the numbers from our String Bean Studios giveaway through www.random.org and this is what I came up with...








#18....



Congratulations, Kristen!


I'm in the midst of contacting you right now. Let's get in touch and I'll get Janine your information.

Thanks to everyone that participated for making it a wonderful success. Keep your fingers crossed as I have another giveaway in the works. Stay tuned!

Yeah for Sunshine

I need a little sunshine around here. I know it's only April and I really am grateful for the rain. It's Redding. It's april. The sun should come out once in awhile. the sun should at least try to be my friend. Come on! I need a little sunshine.

And since it's not coming out on it's own, I'm going to make a little bit of my own. Hallelujah, Sunshine!

Thankfully, Amy @ Keeping up with the Schultz Family is blessing her readers with some sunshine. The timing is perfect.

So in the spirit of things, I want to spread some sunshine of my own. If you're a reader, feel free to pick up some sunshine of your own and spread it on your blog.



Have a "Sunny" day!!!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

LOST (6x12)--Let's Recap




If you haven't watched the LOST episode from 4/13, read no further. I figured it all out.

Everybody loves Hugo-- how true that is!

We find that the sideways Hugo really is successful, in every area of life except love. Looking back on the Island, he still misses Libby. Luckily sideways Hugo runs into Libby at a restaurant where we learn that she remembers him. As her dr says, she has issues with "reality." Hugo doesn't remember her, but persues her nonetheless. When they finally go on a date, she kisses him and he remembers. This reminds me of the conversation about "constants" several seasons back. Desmond had Penny as his "constant". So when the Island was flashing between times, he called her and as his "constant," she kept him sane. Anyone else remember that? Think there could be a connection?

We hear the whispers and Michael appears. I still have the feeling that the whispers are Smokie, but later Michael says it's the voice of those who can't move on. He can't move on because of what he did to Ana Lucia and Libby. He tells Hurly not to blow up the plane. Iliana continues on with the plan and in the ultimate irony is blown up by dynamite. Again, the Island stepping in, Smokie making a mysterious appearance, or circumstances of Life? Might I add that Iliana was talking about how evil Smokie is when she blows up. Sounds suspicious to me.

Smokie tells Sawyer they all have to leave together, just as they came together. Hum...

Richard and Hugo continue to want to blow up the plane after Hugo finds a bag of something in camp. I'm assuming it's ashes that Iliana collected when Jacob died. Any other guesses?

Desmond does a lot of meddling in the sideways scenes. He meets Hurley and tries to tell him "the truth." He encourages Hugo to search for answers.

Smokie takes Desmond to a well and tells him that the people who dug this well were looking for answers. Why did the compass spin? They never found their answers. Smokie states that Widmore is not interested in answers, only power. Then asks why Desmond's not afraid. Desmond asks "what's the point in being afraid?" Smokie pushes him down the well. I guess that was the point. I could have told him that was going to happen.

Ben starts stirring up trouble. If the Island was done with Iliana and she was blown up. What will it do with this group?

Libby's dr. says LIbby has issues with reality...is this why she was in the mental institution before? Is that why Hugo was there before? Is this all circular reality?

Desmond tells Smokie "this Island has it in for all of us" just before Smokie sees the young boy following him and Desmond sees him too. Is the boy a personification of the Island? Did I just say that? I think I need a life.

Hurley says that Jacob says they have to talk alot (to Smokie).. Richard asks..what's the Island? Jacob told Richard ... Richard also discovers that Hurley is lying as "Jacob never tells us what to do"...Everything's over if we don't keep that thing on the Island.. The group fractions again... Richard, Ben, and Miles in one direction... Sun, Frank, Shepard, and Hugo toward Locke... so it looks like the other Losties are playing right into Smokies hand.

We see Michael later in one of the most touch moments of the episode... tell Libby I'm sorry.

Desmond sees Hurley and Libby united on their date. He's watching them from his car making me wonder if he works for Widmore or Smokie in this scene.

Smokie returns to camp...just before the other Losties arrive.. Hugo, Jack, Sun, and Frank. Hugo recognizes that he's not Locke and says we have to talk to you. They call a truce and Smokie gives Hugo his knife.

And the Granddaddy finale of the night:
Locke appears in the closing scene in his wheelchair, working at a school. Ben is there too and sees Desmond sitting in his car. Ben tries to scare him off. Desmond squeals out of the parking lot and hits Locke. Ben rushes to help him. The episode closes with Locke lying on the ground... Wow!

Too many good quotes tonight...

Miles... "some warning would have been nice there, Hugo"

Hugo ..."Dead people are more reliable than live people"

And the ultimate:
"Ever since Julie died--ever since I got her killed--all I wanted was to fix it. But I can't. I can't ever fix it. You have no idea how hard it is for me to sit back and listen to other people tell me what I should do. But I think maybe that's the point. Maybe...maybe I'm supposed to let go." --Jack

For more intelligent conversation on LOST, check out Rocks in my Dryer.

Giveaways in the air

Be sure to check out this giveaway at Keeping up with the Schultz Family. A giveaway from Kristen's Custom Creations would be a great one to win.

And don't forget to enter the Giveaway from String Bean Studios, right here at Creative2xmom. I'm so excited for the exposure that their story is getting. Check them out.

Play it again, Mama: Nutrition for Littles

I've been trying to gather information on what snacks my kids should be eating and how often they should be eating. My husband and I are having a debate about whether or not our son should be having a snack after his nap, even though it's close to dinner. And it got me thinking about how monotonous our snacks have become. We seem to eat the same stuff all the time and I've been looking for new ideas. This is what I've discovered.



1. Between the ages of 1-5, children should be getting 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies in a single day. What constitutes a serving? The serving size should be about the size of a child's fist. So as they grow, so does their serving size. This helps me a lot. I hear those visuals "The size of a deck of cards." That never makes sense to me. Now I can sit a deck of cards next to my hand and see they are the same, but the hand comes with me. Maybe my serving sizes will be more accurate now as well.



2. Allow grazing. Preschoolers should be eating up to 10 small "meals" a day. Now these aren't 4 course meals, but a little something here and there. Grazing allows them to all the nutrients they need through out the day. It keeps their metabolism and blood sugar steady. A fun idea I read was to make grazing trays. For children 1-2 years old, fill ice cube trays with snacks. For older children, fill muffin tins. Things like raisins, eggs, apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, carrots, broccoli, etc. Provide 1-2 dipping sauces such as guacamole, hummas, salsa, yogurt, peanut butter, etc. Make it available to them throughout the day.




3. Educate them early on about healthy choices. The more you expose them to healthy snacks and educate them, the more likely they are to continue these healthy habits later on in life. The snacks and foods they are exposed to now will train their taste buds for the future. The reverse is true as well. Eating junk food at an early age will train their taste buds as well.



4. Make nutrition fun for them. Provide them with "apple wheels" and "broccoli trees." See nutrition through 2 year old eyes.



5. Never use food to bride or appease your child. This connects food with emotions. Emotional eating can become a lifelong problem.





Here are some great snack ideas that I've come across. Feel free to comment with any additional ideas you've tried. frozen bananas on stick, dripped in yogurt
baked chips
granola bars
sunflower seeds
raisins
fig newtons
frozen fruit bars
frozen grapes
fudsicles
fruit juice (in moderation)
fruit shakes
Trisuits
Wheat Thins
light popcorn
nuts
homemade popsicles

Monday, April 12, 2010

Licensing and Chocolate... what a great combination!



This past Sunday, we had a big celebration at our house. No not a belated Easter dinner, but rather a party for my husband's licensing. Yes, after reading and studying, he received his pastoral license. We're so proud of him. We had a great time with a total of 12 family members at our house for lunch that day. It was yummy! Egg salad and chicken salad sandwiches, green salad, pasta salad, brownies with melted white chocolate, and Oreo truffles.

If you haven't tried these Oreo Truffles yet, you have to. We couldn't keep our hands off of them. They were incredible.

Oreo Truffles
1 (16 oz) package of Oreo cookies (or any chocolate sandwich cookie)
1 (8 oz) package of Cream Cheese
2 (8 oz) bars of semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Crush your oreos and mix in the cream cheese. Roll into balls. Place on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 min. Dip in melted chocolate. Sprinkle some crushed oreos on the top. Return to refrigerator and chill until hardened. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Everyone raved about them and they were so simple. I'll definitely be making these again.

Linked to:
Tackle it Tuesday
Talented Tuesday
Works for Me Wednesday
Made by You Monday

Made by Me Monday

Hey gang,
How was your weekend? Ours was super busy. We had a bunch of family in town to celebrate my husband's licensing. Yeah! So cooking, cleaning, not enough sleep... oh, but it was fun.

We're off and running for family photos this morning while my mom and grandma are in town. Then we have a bunch of house stuff to get done. So I have a lot to tell you, but now's not the time. I promise to post some photos tomorrow.

But for now, let's get this party started...

What have you been crafting this week? New recipe, new project, something fun you've been working on... Let's start sharing!



Write a blog post highlighting your project with a link back to this post so others can join in on the fun. Then add a link with McLinky to your blog post- not to the blog itself, but to the individual posts! You can post more than one project; just add more links! And don't forget to invite your readers to join in as well.


Sunday, April 11, 2010

Link Love

Bookmarking too many birthday ideas again. Have to share.

This Pinkalicious Party (@ Creative Party Place) is so girly. I can definitely see Lydia wanting this one in a few years.

Here's another one from Creative Party Place: Under the Sea Birthday Party. These ideas would be great to incorporate into a Nemo Party.

Faithful Homemaking brings us some great ideas for a Ballerina Birthday. What little girl wouldn't love this on?

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Come on and party with me!

Have you ever wondered what the ULTIMATE BLOG PARTY is? Well, here's your chance to find out. 5 Minutes for Mom is hosting the UBP '10 and is excited to introduce all its readers to the wonderful blogs that are out there. In addition to meeting some great new bloggers, there are some wonderful prizes as well.

As for Creative2xmom, I've been blogging for just over 2 years. Creative2xmom started out as a way to get out all the creative, crazy ideas running through my head. In the early days, it was focused on preschool activities and homemaking. In the years that have followed, it's grown into more than I can imagine. And today I'm more excited to be blogging than ever before. Between the friendships that have been made the chance to channel my inner Paula Dean, I can't believe what a great time I'm having.

Most of my posts center around being a mom to a 4 year old boy and a 2 year old girl, testing out new recipes in my kitchen, a little party planning thrown in, and a weekly LOST post (I'm not sure what I'll be obsessed with when the show ends). Really there's so much going on around here, it's hard to list it all. Lots of crafts and plenty of ideas to go around. Mostly it's anything and everything that could possibly be associated with homemaking.

And you can't forget about Made by Me Monday:


Made By Me Monday pops up every Monday morning with a chance for you to link up your favorite projects, designs, recipes, or ideas that you've been working on throughout the week. MBM Mon is pretty new, and I'm super excited about it. I've been wanting to host a link up for awhile so here we go.

Oh, and I almost forgot... I'm also hosting my first giveaway. As of publishing time, I have no entries so your chances of winning are incredible. Great giveaway, great cause.

So pull up a chair, take a look around, have a great time, and grab my button. I'm excited to join you and inspire you in your journey.




Oh and don't forget to check out the UBP '10. There are some amazing prizes out there. I'm crossing my fingers for any of the following:

Buds to Bloom Mommy Necklace

A Lot of Love Stamped Necklace

Bitty Bookworm Preschool Cirriculum

Jillian Michaels Workout Package

Or really any of the great prizes that are listed. Make sure you join the fun!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

LOST (6x11)--Let's Recap

*Disclaimer: If you haven't watched the LOST episode from 4/6, don't read any further.

*This episode opens with Widmore bringing Desmond back to the Island. He says that Desmond is the only person that he knows of that has survived an electromagnetic event and he needs him to do it again, to save the Island. He tells him that if Desmond doesn't help him, everyone he loves, will be gone.

*In Desmond's flash sidewasy, we find that he's single and working as Widmore's right hand. We also learn that Desmond's gift of seeing the future still exists. He correctly predicts that Claire's baby will be a boy.

*Eventually Desmond is put in charge of Charlie through a string of events with Widmore. Charlie tells him that he had a near death experience, seeing a woman that he was in love with, and that this isn't real. He says "I've seen the truth." And he seems to recognize that Desmond needs to see the truth too.

*Charlie tries to kill Desmond, giving him that near death experience, where he finally flashes to seeing Penny and his son. He also sees Charlie's hand and the message "Not Penny's boat." That moment reminds him of what is real. Charlie escapes, telling him to find Penny.

*Desmond is sent to Widmore's house and faces Eloise. Before he leaves, he overhears the name Penny and tries to find out who she is. Eloise tells him, "What happened, happened" (Daniel's words in trying to change the events on the Island. She also tells him that he's not ready to meet Penny, to wait.

*Daniel approaches Desmond and tells him that he's had the same experience as Charlie and Desmond. He also reveals that Penny is his half-sister and tells Desmond where to find her. Desmond goes to meet her and they set up a date.

*Desmond's flash sideways concludes with him saying he has to find the other passangers from his flight to show them the truth.

*After this flash sideways, Desmond agrees to help Widmore. He says, "I understand." He knows he has to save the life he has. But as they go into the jungle, Sayid ambushes the group and takes him. And again, he seems willing to help that side as well.

It looks like Desmond is the key to all of this. I also thought the Christian symbolism was interesting when Widmore comments that he knows about sacrifice, as he sacrificed his own son (Daniel) to save the Island.

This episode seemed like a turning point for me. Finally some people are seeing "the truth" of their reality. There was some momentum rolling toward a conclusion.

So what did you think? Anything I miss? Such a good episode. I hate to see them miss with Desmond's reality, but I loved the way this show gave some forward motion.

For more intelligent conversation, check out Lost on Rocks in My Dryer.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Giveaway: String Bean Studios

Can you believe I've been writing on Creative2xmom for over two years and we haven't had a giveaway? I think it's about time, don't you? Maybe I'm in the spring spirit, but I'm in the mood for something fun.


And something for a good cause...


You with me?


We have some dear friends that have both recently been diagnosed with Lyme Disease. Here's just a little bit of their story:


As many of you know,
Jeff & I have been on a long journey with failing health. After a series of events and doctor visits it was advised to us that all our symptoms resembled Lyme disease and that we should get tested- so, Jeff and I both had our blood drawn and tested for Lyme disease. The results came back: Both of us are positive for Lyme and related co-infections. We are relieved to know what’s been making us both sick throughout the years and equally nervous over what the treatment process will look like. Lyme disease is not easy to get rid of when you've had it for a long time. We found a Lyme Literate Dr. who we will be seeing next month and we will be able to get an estimate for how long treatment will last. Most of the research has shown that treatment is typically 9 months to 3 yrs. One of the most frustrating things about Lyme disease is the political battle surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme. The short story is that because of some poorly written guidelines most Lyme patients must pay for their Lyme literate Drs. and treatment out of pocket. In 2009, as my health started spiraling down fast, we accrued over $5,000 in medical bills. With me not working, that's been a challenge. We are so glad that friends have stepped up and offered financial support, which has helped a lot! As many of you know in 2009 I also started String Bean Studios with my good friend Kerri. She also was diagnosed with Lyme in 2008. She has been a blessing beyond words to Jeff & I as she has traveled the road we are about to enter. Kerri is currently 8 months into her treatment and making progress.
In the spirit of helping out this wonderful couple, Creative2xmom will be sponsoring a giveaway. One lucky winner will receive the following:

Pink Champagne Earrings from String Bean Studios



Here's how to enter:


Required actions:
1. Become a public Creative2xmom follower or join the Facebook fan page.
AND
2. Go to Janine's String Bean Studios Etsy Shop and come back to comment on what you like.


Additional entries:
After completing the above actions, you can earn additional entries in the giveaway by doing any or all of the following:


1. Blog about this giveaway on your blog linking to this post and to String Bean Studios. Leave a link directly to your post in the comments.


2. Become a fan of String Bean Studios on Facebook.


3. Purchase an item from String Bean Studios.


4. Donate directly to the Cruz Jones fund. For more information, check out their blog.


5. Become a follower of Creative2xmom or facebook page, which ever you didn't do above.

You have until midnight April 14th to enter. Leave me a separate comment for each entry. One winner will be chosen at random and I'll announce the results on April 15th. How's that for a fun tax day surprise?

Disclaimer: I am not being compensated by String Bean Studios for this giveaway. Jeff and Janine are simply wonderful friends and we're excited to support them in their efforts.
Linked to:
Works for Me Wednesday @ We are THAT Family

Play it again, Mama: Creating a Print Rich Environment

Have you ever thought about creating a "print rich environment" in your home? It's great for building your child's pre-reading skills. Here a few helpful hints on how to get started:

1. Label, label, label- Label everything that you feel comfortable with. Sure it seems a little silly at first to put "door" on your front door, but once you get started, labeling can be fun. Using your computer and a basic word processing program, you can quickly make labels for dozens of things in your home. Go crazy!

2. Signs and charts- These don't have to be anything fancy. The dollar store usually cares a lot of this stuff. From ABC charts to maps of the US, posters of colors and shapes, decorate your child's room with education material that will make letter recognition an everyday activity. Remember to keep these items at a child's eye level.

3. Point out letters & numbers in everyday items- When you stop at a stop sign, point out the letters that make up the word. Read labels in the grocery store. Recognize numbers on money and checks. Use reading time as a chance to recognize the letter of the week. Allow your child to cook with you and utilize box instructions, recipes, etc. If you clip coupons, look for numbers and quantities while planning your shopping trip.

4. Plan playful experiences- My kids love to read before nap and bed times. Use this time to look for letters that your child recognizes. Play board games together, pointing out numbers and letters as you move around the board. Look for the same numbers and letters in the instruction manual.

5. Create a name tag for your child to be used at meal times- You can also create a "mock place mat" with printer and contact papers. Draw the times for a place setting on the printer paper and label them with the correct words (plate, fork, spoon, knife, cup, napkin). Cover in contact paper and place on the table. This will help your child learn to set the table and recognize the words for everyday items.

6. Utilize your calendar- Help your child to learn numbers by teaching them about the calendar. Point out important dates and talk about how many days until the event arrives. Use this as a counting lesson. Also if your lifestyle allows, post a daily schedule with times and events as they occur throughout the day.

7. Create a writing center in your home- Make writing materials available, such as pens, markers, crayons, paper, pencils, envelopes, stamps, etc. Encourage your child to draw, scribble, form letters, keep a journal, write to relatives, play post office, etc. Write with your child and model your own writing skills as well.

I hope these ideas will help you get started in developing your own print rich environment in your home. Remember these are just a few starting points to get your creativity going. If you think of more, don't be afraid to try them. It's all about getting your child to recognize and see the letters around them.

Have you tried anything like this in your home? What works for you?
Linked to:
Works for Me Wednesday @ We Are THAT Family

Spring To-Do List

Last year, I created Summer and Fall To-Do Lists. They kept me on such great track. I don't know what happened to the winter. Typical crazy time of year, I guess. I got a lot done, but I'm amazed at how much I've referred to the lists in the past. They've been great for reminding me of the little things I've wanted to get done. So as spring rolls around, and we're already in the thick of it, here are a few things on our plate:

*Dave's trip to China
*EASTER!!!!
*Spring Break with a few days at Grandma's
*Mom's Retirement Party
*Fixing Noah's dresser
*Cleaning out Lydia's closet
*Dave's Licensing Ceremony
*Swim Lessons
*Finishing off Alaska 2007 album
*Starting 30 Years album
*Putting in a summer garden
I'm excited. I've never been much for spring or fall. I love the heat of the summer and the excitement of the winter. But this spring I'm looking forward to moving on. Everything feels alive and I'm excited to see what's to come.
What's on your To-Do List in the coming weeks?
Linked to:

Monday, April 5, 2010

Made by Me Monday


How was your Easter? Ours was crazy busy. Hubby got home from China on Wednesday. I had no idea what time his flight was coming in so it was a pleasant surprise when we recieved a knock on our door at 1:30 that afternoon and there he was.

In a moment of spontanaeity, we decided to leave for his parent's that evening instead of waiting for the following morning. So after a nutritious dinner of peanut butter and jelly, we were off. We arrived in Tuolumne at 10:30 that night and stayed up late.

We relaxed until Saturday evening when we drove home and put the kids to bed. And I went to work. I hadn't done any shopping for Easter dinner and the baskets were yet to be assembled. One am Easter morning and I'm wandering around WINCO looking for a pork tenderloin. Talk about last minute shopper.

Our Easter turned out to be cold, rainy, and windy. So much for California weather. Church was fun with a baptism after the service. They even brought in Noah's class to watch; he loved it. Came home to a leisurely afternoon. We didn't open Easter "buckets" till after nap and then hunted eggs in the house after dinner.

Pork tenderloin, sweet potato fries, rolls, cabbage salad, lime jello salad, and my grandma's frozen cheesecake... not half back for my first holiday dinner if I say so myself.

Needless to say, I didn't get a lot of crafting done this week so I don't have anything to post. But I'm anxious to see if you got anything done. So let's get ready to link it up.

What about you? What have you been crafting this week? New recipe, new project, something fun you've been working on... Let's start sharing!

Write a blog post highlighting your project with a link back to this post so others can join in on the fun. Then add a link with McLinky to your blog post- not to the blog itself, but to the individual posts! You can post more than one project; just add more links! And don't forget to invite your readers to join in as well.



Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter



Hope you're having a wonderful day, celebrating with your family.

He is Risen!!!

Friday, April 2, 2010

An Early Easter Gift

My friend Amy, over at Keeping up with the Schultz Family, has kindly dropped off an Easter basket here at Creative2xmom. But not just any old Easter basket. A virtual Easter basket filled with Hershey's Chocolate.

Really? Is there anything better than those Peanut Butter Eggs that Hershey's makes? I think not.

This is all part of Hershey's Better Basket Blog Hop.
Here's a little bit more about the program...

"This Easter season Hershey is all about helping you to create Better Easter Baskets with their special limited edition Easter candies found at Walmart.

More importantly, Hershey wants to promote the idea of going good in our own communities. The Hershey Company is committed to making a difference in the communities where we live in, and has a heritage of giving back to the community."


Thanks to Hershey's and 20 different bloggers looking to blog for a good cause, baskets like the one above were created and given to charities of each bloggers choice to spread Hershey's ongoing message around: We are ALL working together to do good in and out of our own communities!

In addition to those 20 baskets donated to charity,Hershey's is also sponsoring a Better Basket Blog Hopwhere Hershey will donate $10 per blog post entry for theChildren's Miracle Network, up to $5,000.

How fantastic is that?

If you want to be apart of the blog hop, here are the rules:


Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.

Create a blog post giving a virtual Easter Basket to another blogger – you can give as many
Virtual Baskets as you want.

Link back to person who gave you an Easter Basket.

Let each person you are giving a Virtual Easter Basket know you have given them a Basket.

Leave your link at BetterBasket.info/BlogHop comment section. You can also find the official rules of this#betterbasket blog hop, and more information aboutBetter Basket with Hershey’s there.

Hershey’s is donating $10 per each blog participating to theBetter Basket Blog Hop to Children’s Miracle Network(up to total of $5,000 by blog posts written by April 4th, 2010).

Please note that only one blog post by each blog url will count towards the donation.


So now it's my turn to give away a few baskets. Are you ready?

Bella @ Lil Daises
Kiera @ Chambersmade

Tell me now, what's your favorite Easter treat?

Thursday, April 1, 2010

April's Cheapest Fruits and Vegetables

So did you try any new fruits and veggies on March's Cheapest Fruits and Vegetables? Share some recipes with us and let us know how it went.

I wasn't too great about trying new things. Sorry I don't have a lot to share on that front. We did eat lots of fresh mangoes, broccoli salad, and greek marinated veggies.

Pineapples
Mangoes
Zucchini
Rhubarb
Artichokes
Asparagus
Spring Peas
Broccoli
Lettuce


We've been eating tons of steamed asparagus with our dinners. So good. My kids complain that they don't like it, but I've discovered they just don't like the tips (my favorite part). Seems to be a texture thing, but they love the stems.

Spring peas make a great snack food, with or without hummus. We're also loving the fact that artichokes are coming into season. Yum! Food Network has a great list of Artichoke ideas on their site. I'm going to be scanning this one for ideas on the menus in the next couple of weeks.

I'm checking out Keeper of Home's Tale of Rhubarb for some great ideas. I also have a fun Rhubarb Raspberry Cobbler I want to make. And I'm putting away some rhubarb for an ice cream dish I found in Taste of Home. Stay tuned.

For past months, check out:

Linked to:

Resurrection Cookies

Have you ever heard of Resurrection Cookies? I got this recipe last year and didn't get a chance to make them with the kids. Needless to say, we will be making them this year.

So I googled it and this is what I came up with. Here's to hoping you get a chance to check them out too.

Annie's "Resurrection Cookies" Page
~Also known as Easter Story Cookies~

This is a great recipe to teach your Children the REAL story of Easter. That the Lord Jesus Christ
our Savior is not dead but has Risen. We serve a Risen Savior......

This activity can be done as a "family" or for Sunday School. Of course the Sunday School option might
be to hand it out to the class with a note to the parents. Grandparents might considering
doing this with their grandchildren this year too!!!

So Grab your Apron and Let's Get Started!!!!!!!

You will need:
1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
a pinch salt
1 cup sugar
a zipper baggy
1 wooden spoon
scotch tape
Bible

Instructions:
These are to be made the evening before Easter. Preheat oven to 300F.
*** (this is very important --- don't wait until you are half done with the recipe).
Place pecans in zipper baggy and let children beat them with the wooden spoon
to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested. He
was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read: John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar
to drink. Read: John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life
to give us life. Read: John 10:10&11

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest
into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers,
and the bitterness of our own sin. Read: Luke 23:27

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the
sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to
know and belong to Him. Read: Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.
Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins
have been cleansed by Jesus. Read: Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.
Read: Matthew 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read: Matthew 27:65-66

GO TO BED!

Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.
Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read: John 16:20&22

On Resurrection Sunday (Easter) morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked
surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed
to find the tomb open and empty. Read: Matthew 28:1-9

~Source for these cookies is unknown. Thank you Sue for sending it to me so that I could share it with others!!!~

Source: Annie's Resurrection Cookies

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