In Which I Explain...

Just a few things.


One ~ I enjoy blogging.

Two ~ I am thankful for all the wonderful friends
I have met in this bloggy world ~
Each one of you is a blessing to me!

Three ~ I wish there were more hours in the day.

Four ~ It might be good if there were two of me ~
Do you ever feel like that? :)

Five ~ Life has been crazy!

It has been my unspoken policy to visit all the lovely friends
who take the time to come and visit with me here.
I so enjoy visiting with you at *your place*.

I don't always get to return the visit
as quickly as I would like.
And lately, I haven't been getting to it much at all.
For that, I am sorry.

Life has been so full of family things ~
My first priority and calling.
After the LORD, of course.


One of our children has recently
been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.
It is a nasty thing, but God is good.
All the time!

How precious it is to belong to HIM!
HE is faithful and leads us so gently along.

We have chosen to pursue a natural course
of treatment for the time being ~
with encouraging results.

Thank you so much for your continued friendship
and for your patience with me.
There are so many demands on my
time at the moment.

I do plan to continue to post,
but it may take a little longer than
I would like to repay your visit
or even to post your comments here.


I just wanted you all to know the reason why.

Many Blessings to you all!
In HIS Love,
Camille

Shooting Stars!

Space craft-tivity of the week:  shooting stars!  Very simple to make (just takes a little prep work to cut all the ribbon), and the kids will have a BLAST making them fly!  

Directions:  

1. Cut 2 different lengths of banner strips (any color), and 3 or more different lengths of curling ribbon.  {Curl one or 2 of the curling ribbons with your scissors!}
2. Have the kids gather all of the ribbons together at one end, then twist together tightly, and tape to a square of aluminum foil.
3. Crumble up a paper ball, then wrap the foil (with ribbons attached) around the paper ball.  
4. Tie a piece of yarn to the ribbon bunch found right underneath the foil ball. {This is your flying string.}
5. Take the shooting stars outside to watch them fly!

They are AWESOME!!!!

Challenge No. 7 - Embossing

We had a huge amount of entries for our sketch challenge last week and a good number of interested parties for our DT call.  We will post the winner and top 3 for the challenge later today (hopefully) but the DT winners will take a little longer.  I would aim to have the winners contacted  and announced by Thursday 31st March.

Anyway, onto this week's challenge which was set by the lovely Alison.  We want to see some embossing on your card.  We don't mind whether it's dry-embossing or heat-embossing or any other type if embossing you like, just let us know what you've done so we can find it.

We are welcoming a new sponsor this week in the form of Paper Pretties.

Paper Pretties is a full-service online crafting store.   We have many exclusive stamp lines, from elegant to whimsical, sweet to clever; there is something for every stamper in our Prettie Boutique!

In case you haven't heard yet, Paper Pretties has a BRAND NEW owner, Heather Lee-Reppen.  Now located in Madison, WI, we are pleased to offer you amazing customer service, faster and cheaper shipping, and a wider variety of stamping "must have" products to go along with all of our fun new stamps!! All orders are shipped within 24 hours.

Paper Pretties have donated a wonderful clear stamp as the prize.

The Design Team were lucky enough to work with some images from Paper Pretties and here's what we came up with for your inspiration:

Shirley

Sarah 

Alison 

Donna 

Mandy

Kitty

Patricia

So there you have it.  Can't wait to see your ideas. And the rules:

1. Your card must be for a man/boy
2. It must follow the theme/sketch set
3. It must be a new card for our challenge.

The challenge will close at 12 Midnight (GMT) on 10th April 2011.  Leave your name and a direct link to your project (not just your blog) in the link tool below.  If the link tool is not there for some reason, then please leave details in the comments and I'll add you in before I do the draw.

Grain Free Nut Bars ~ Oh YUM!

Really, you HAVE to give these a try.
They are sooo yummy!
Like a candy bar, but without any of
the *scary* ingredients.
In fact, you can feel GREAT about having one of these.
They are soooo good for you!

How often does that happen?
Something that is good for you is also super duper amazingly good?

I found the recipe here.
And I tweaked it a bit to suit our tastes.
The result?

Perfect!

Now, you will have to keep them in the fridge or freezer,
they will be too soft at room temperature,
but, that seems a small price to pay for such yumminess.

Enjoy!



Grain Free Nut Bars

Courtesy of "Enjoying Healthy Foods" Blog by Lindsey
Thank you so much for letting me share these Lindsey! :)

~ The Ingredients ~

2 cups raw Almonds,
coarsely chopped

2 cups raw Pecans,
coarsely chopped

1/2 cup raw Sunflower seeds

1 cup raw Pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup dried Cranberries

1/2 cup Raisins

1/2 cup unsweetened
Medium or Shredded Coconut

1/2 cup Honey (liquid)

1/2 cup Coconut Oil
(Organic, Extra virgin, Cold pressed)

1 cup Almond Butter
(Natural, unsalted, roasted)

1 tsp Sea Salt


~ The Method ~

I make this in a 10 x 15 inch pan.
If you want to make less,
use an 8 x 8 inch pan and cut the ingredients in half.

Prepare your pan by lining it with parchment paper.

Coarsely chop the almonds and pecans.
Mix together all the raw nuts, seeds and
dried fruit in a large bowl.
Set aside.

Melt the coconut oil, honey and almond butter
together in a saucepan on the stove over low heat.
Stir the salt into it once it is melted and remove from heat.

Pour this mixture over your nut mixture.
Scrape all that yummy goodness out with a spatula.
Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

Pour into prepared pan
and set into freezer to harden.

Remove from freezer once it is firm enough to
cut into bars.
Cut and store in a sealed container
in the freezer.
Be sure to put parchment or wax paper between layers
so the bars do not stick together!

About 15 minutes prior to serving,
remove the number of bars you need from the freezer.

Serve without guilt!

Yum!!

Flying Saucers

What's that in the math station tub?  A bird?  A plane?  It's a UFO!  One of the "alien addition" themed activities this week is Flying Saucers!  The kids have a bucket full of 20 flying saucers {really they are those 25 cent machine prize pods}  and they choose a saucer, read the addition fact inside, then solve the problem on their recording sheet!  Just something a little different from the old math worksheet!  Parents, please keep working with your first grader on doubles (to 20), doubles +1 (to 20), and addition facts to 10!  If anyone has fun ideas or things you have tried for home practice with addition, please share!!!

{Click the picture above to download a copy of Flying Saucers!}

Alien Addition!

 You've seen the penguins...now meet my little green space aliens!  They have arrived just in time for "Adventures in Space" week!  I found these green pebbles at Hobby Lobby, and created unique faces on each one using a black sharpie!  I can't wait for the kids to see these!  I am thinking about giving each child one to keep as a little alien pet--they can write about them, introduce them to planet Earth, and "imagine up" a name and planet where their new and unusual friend used to live!  I will be using the rest as counters and addition helpers.  I found the cutest flying saucer notepad {pictured below} at the Parent-Teacher Store, and will have the kids create story problems using the mat and aliens.  Stay tuned for more alien addition activities this week! Space ROCKS!

Of Birthdays, Koala Bears and Chocolate Spice Tea

Mondays come and go.
The list continues to grow.
What a blessing to number the thanks
and engage in the moments of life.

Our lives are but a vapor ~
God's Word tells us that.

What are we doing with the days we have been given?
Do we rush through from moment to moment
without a thought to the ONE Who gives us
the very next breath we take?

We are upheld by HIM.
All things come from HIS hand.

What a blessing it is to notice.
The *little* things.

1266. Leaving the kitchen tidy at night with breakfast soaking
in a pot on the stove ~ ready for morning.

1267. Nebula flickering blue, green, red, yellow...
Wonder in the night sky!

1268. To bed at 8:30 pm!

1269. Boy-laughter at bedtime ~
Daddy tucking them in!

1270. Encouragement from Howie when I need it

1271. Sharing a secret with Emma ~
just us girls

1272. Her little organising ways ~
I found the bath all set up for me to wash
her hair first thing on a Saturday morning

1273. The *special* way that Emma set the table
for Daddy's birthday breakfast...
complete with balloons and straws and a Peter Pan placemat!

1274. My two journals on the kitchen counter

1275. Birthdays to celebrate!
Four of them in our immediate family in 7 1/2 weeks ~
LOTS of cake to bake! :)

1276. Too funny that Fraser thinks it would
be a good idea to have a Koala Bear for a pet!
He's been doing research and discovered that
they make good pets!
Option #2 ~ A Sea Otter...
and he was SERIOUS!

1277. Austin was able to get his former
violin teacher back...and along with that,
a spark of JOY!

1278. Heat from the registers and the taps...
so much we often take for granted!

1279. New glasses for Calvin

1280. Her running toward a flock of pigeons
and them flying away...over and over again

1281. Daddy jogging past me with the boys

1282. Boy-played Beethoven from memory

1283. Chocolate Spice Tea with cream and sugar ~ YUM!

1284. A lovely treat in the mail from a sweet friend ~
Thank you! :)

1285. Flowers from my Dad...*just because* ~
Love you! :)

1286. Another sunny day

1287. Long-ago, second-hand bought (mostly)
Playmobil still in use

1288. *Just because* special things Daddy does for
the children

1289. God's goodness always

1290. Crisp, fresh air coming inside through the slightly
open windows...refreshing!

1291. More and more and more papers to deliver ~
A wonderful job for the boys!

It's easy to count.
It begins with noticing the *little* things.
Noticing the moments.
Entering into them and writing them down.
It's as simple as that.

My journal sits on my counter.
I list as events unfold.
Sometimes many all at once,
and other times in a trickle.

Would you like to begin?
Just grab a pen and a journal,
set them out on the counter,
and list out your blessings.
Find the joy in the moments ~
As they arrive.

Enjoy the journey!

Many Blessings,
Camille

Prize-Winning Blueberry Muffins

D.E.F.I.N.I.T.E.L.Y.
There is a reason for their name.

These are
ABSOLUTELY the BEST
blueberry muffins ever!

They are sweet and tangy with a
satisfying crunch on their tops.
Just the right amount of blueberries are
added without being overbearing.


For the record ~
I didn't have the needful ingredients
on hand the other day to make these,
so I tried out another recipe.

Overbearingly BLUE!

And DENSE.

We all wished I had waited to make the *real* ones!
So, I speak from experience when I say a
blueberry muffin can have too many blueberries.
There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
These do not fall into that category.


They are PERFECT!

The children say they are like dessert.

What are you waiting for?
I'm craving more as I write.
YUM!

~ Prize-Winning Blueberry Muffins ~

As found in the Land O Lakes Cookbook ~
Treasury of Country
Heritage Meals and Menus

1/2 cup Sugar
(you may cut this by half)

1/4 cup Butter, softened

1 cup Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice ~
freshly squeezed

1 + 1/2 tsp Lemon Peel ~
finely grated

1 Egg

1 + 1/2 cups Flour
(you may substitute whole wheat pastry flour)

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 cup Blueberries ~
fresh or frozen (unthawed if frozen)

~ Topping ~

1 Tbsp Sugar and
1/2 tsp grated Lemon Peel


Heat oven to 375* F.

In large mixer bowl combine
1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup butter.

Blend in mixer until creamy.

Add sour cream, lemon juice, peel and egg.

Beat together until well mixed,
scraping bowl often.

In medium bowl,
stir together flour and baking soda.

By hand, stir flour mixture into
sour cream mixture
until just barely moistened.

Fold in blueberries.

Spoon into paper lined
(or greased) muffin tins.

In small bowl,
mix together topping ingredients.

Sprinkle 1 tsp of topping onto each muffin.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned
and a wooden toothpick comes out clean.


Cool five minutes in pan,
then remove to cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Winner & Top 3 for challenges 4 and 5

Here I am at last with the challenge winners.  I'm really sorry not to have posted challenge 4 on time, I just completely overlooked it.  Without further ado:

Challenge 4 (Recipe Challenge)

Winner - No. 28 - Jenn

Congratulations Jenn, please email me at cardsformen@donnasden.co.uk and I'll pass your details on to Shelley to arrange your prize.

The Top 3 were

2 - Katie Tate

44 - Vicky

48 - Beth

Well done ladies, please grab the top 3 badge from the sidebar and add it to your own.

Challenge 5 (Water Challenge)

Winner - No 37 - Nicky

Congratulations, Nicky.  Please take a look at Hope Jacare and email your choice of 3 digis to cardsformen@donnasden.co.uk

The Top 3 were

6 - Hege

50 - Tip Top

52 - Maya

Well done ladies, please grab the top 3 badge from the sidebar and add it to your own.

Challenge No 6. - A sketch and DT call

Here we are again with another challenge.  I just realised that I didn't post winner and top3 for challenge 4, oops!  I'll get that sorted later today with the winner/top 3 for challenge 5.

This week's challenge is a sketch which has been designed by Mandy.  It's a really nice one to work with so hopefully you'll all enjoy it.

We are in need of replenishing our numbers on the design team and have decided this challenge would be a good way of picking some.  If you are interested in being on our Design Team just put DT after your name in the linky thing.  We'll visit all the blogs and decide after the challenge is ended.

To give you an idea of what's involved, you need to:

• submit a card for each challenge (once a fortnight)
• comment on challenge entries on a rota (2 out of every 10)
• host/devise a challenge on a rota (approx two a year)

In return you get to be part of a fabulous, creative team who have lots of fun.  It's quite hard to make Male cards week in/week out but it's a great challenge and if you up for it we'd love to see your work.

This challenge is sponsored by Letraset and the prize up for grabs is a 12 pack of Promarkers.

ProMarkers are made by Letraset and are a twin tipped, dye based alcohol marker offering a high quality product at a great price. Avilable in 148 colours, they give incredible tonal range and can be applied to a diverse range of materials, not just paper and card. ProMarkers produce vivid, bright colours right through to the subtlest pastel shades - the translucent inks can also be overlaid and blended, even further extending the range of shades and hues on offer. ProMarker's quality nibs and inks provide flawless colour lay down with consistent coverage and no unsightly streaking.

Finally let's have some ideas from our Design Team

Shirley

Sarah

Alison

Patricia

Donna

Mandy

Kitty

And the rules:

1. Your card must be for a man/boy
2. It must follow the theme/sketch set
3. It must be a new card for our challenge.

The challenge will close at 12 Midnight (GMT) on 27th March 2011.  Leave your name and a direct link to your project (not just your blog) in the link tool below.  If the link tool is not there for some reason, then please leave details in the comments and I'll add you in before I do the draw.

Error...Beware!

A little over a year ago,
a childhood friend and I had a discussion regarding the
paths we have taken in our Spiritual lives.
We hadn't been in touch with one another for many years.
I had no idea what had transpired in the years we were apart.
I was grieved to discover that she had abandoned her faith.

Through that conversation, I was exposed to some
very disturbing heresies put forward as truth by this friend
who had "grown up" and was "trained up" in the church.
We had gone to Sunday School together as children.
Her "testimony" began where the
Bible Believing Christian's would remain ~
with the Lord.

After abandoning that "fairy tale"
(her words...not mine)
there was more enlightenment and
"truth" reportedly discovered.
Unfortunately, this story is not unique ~
many have fallen away from the Truth.

How does this happen?
Were they ever really saved?
Can a true believer of the Lord Jesus Christ
ever be snatched away by the Evil One?
According to God's Word,
the answer is an emphatic NO!

"My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them me,
is greater than all:
and no man is able to pluck them out of
my Father's hand."
~ John 10:27-29 ~


We are all sheep.

Who or what are we following?

I am so thankful that my husband patiently walked
with me through this process and
directed me to portions of Scripture that
settled and calmed my soul.

What a blessing that God's Word is "quick and powerful"!
That word "quick" could also be translated living.
God's Word is Living ~
the only book in the Universe of it's kind!

The verses to follow are what my
Precious Saviour used to minister to my heart.

"But there were false prophets also among the people,
even as there shall be false teachers among you,
who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them,
and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
And many shalll follow their pernicious ways;
by reason of whom
the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of."
~ II Peter 2:1-2 ~

"While they promise them liberty,
they themselves are the
servants of corruption:
for of whom a man is overcome,
of the same is he brought in bondage.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions
of the world through the knowledge of the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
they are again entangled therein, and overcome,
the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning.
For it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness,
than, after they have known it,
to turn from the holy commandment
delivered unto them."
~ II Peter 2:19-21 ~


And, regarding the infallability of the Bible,
(which was another attack made),
the following verses were a comfort ~
They address the inspiration of both
the Old and New Testaments.

"That ye may be mindful of the words which
were spoken before by the holy prophets,
and the commandment of us the
apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
Knowing this first,
that there shall come in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts."
~ II Peter 3:2-3 ~

And regarding the apparent "contradictions"
among the writings of Paul and even the Gospels,
the following verses were a comfort ~

"And account that the longsuffering of
our Lord is salvation;
even as our beloved brother Paul also
according to the wisdom given unto him
hath written unto you;
As also in all his epistles,
speaking of them of these things;
in which are some things hard to be understood,
which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest,
as they do also the other scriptures,
unto their own destruction.
Ye, therefore, beloved,
seeing ye know these things before,
beware lest ye also,
being led away with the error of the wicked,
fall from your own steadfastness."
~ II Peter 3:15-17 ~

**In all the Scripture quoted above,
the emphasis is mine.**


My husband began writing his blog as a direct result of these
charges brought forward against God's infallible Word.
He patiently and graciously worked through this knotty subject
with me and my precious childhood friend.
What a blessing!

Are you interested in reading more?
His posts are much more *in depth* and thorough
than my treatment of the subject here.

Click here
to get to the series he
diligently laboured over.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to get to the first post
and read up ~ typical blogger style.

May the LORD guide you each one to
HIS perfect and infallible TRUTH.
And those of us that belong to HIM ~
May we boldly proclaim the LORD Jesus Christ
as the ONLY Way of Salvation
for this lost and dying world.


Many Blessings,
Camille



**Sheep photo in this post is
courtesy of my friend Christa @
Country Hearts at Home
Thank you so much!

Long i fries!

{"I'm lovin' it...} Here is a fun little word sorting activity using letter combinations that make the long vowel i sound!  The kids will read the words on each "fry" and then decide in which box to put the fry. 

A pile of  long i fries.  {Just use fun scrapbook paper!}

And...sort. 

Where My Brain Lives

Some girls keep fancy journals.
They make them really pretty ~
Creative works of art.

I would *love* to do it that way,
but for now, my style is simple.


Two journals sit on my counter
between the fridge and the stove.
There is a pen there too...for recording things
as they happen or pop into my head.

I have a little joke.
It goes like this ~
*My brain lives on paper/in the drawer.*
Really, I believe it must!

I rely on my calendar in the drawer to
keep track of upcoming events.
I keep a running grocery list on the fridge.
And then, there are these two journals on the counter.

Little checkboxes are inked in for keeping track.


One journal contains my gratitude list.
The other is a running list of things to do.
I used to keep *things to do*
lists on all kinds of papers.
I would consolidate and
rewrite and transfer the items ~
over and over and over again.

Well...no more!

This list is continual.
The checkboxes help keep me accountable.
And the list does get consolidated,
but within the same book.
I do not tear out pages.
If there are too many pages to keep track of
(my list is long) ~
then I consolidate on the most
recent pages and carry on.
Does that make sense?


It feels like my brain is (mostly)
in one place now!
I *love* it!

*To do list* journal idea
is courtesy of my precious husband.
What a great idea!
Thank you Sweetie! :)

What about you?
Do you keep lists?
Do you have a journal (or two or three)?
How do you keep track of all you have to do?
And of all you would like to remember?
I'd enjoy hearing about the methods you use.


May the LORD bless each of you
as you seek to keep your homes for
HIS glory!
Enjoy the journey.

Many blessings,
Camille

What is a Wonder Pug?

I am a picture book collector, and this is one I just bought for Emma *who turned ONE this weekend*!  (Can't believe it!)  Anyway, this book is one of my new favorites.  It ranks right up there with Skippyjonjones, and that is kinda a big deal {for me}.  This story begins with an adorable little chick who is reading "The Adventures of Wonder Pug", and daydreaming of a life of adventure as a super hero.  He desperately wants to be Wonder Pug.  The chick is beside himself with excitement when he runs into a real life pug (who is far from being Wonder Pug!) The story is so sweet and funny, and the pictures are incredible.  I highly recommend it for your own classroom or home libraries! 

Meet Teddy! (Our own little Wonder Pug.)

He could be a super hero, right?

Life...As it Happens

The rhythm of life as it happens ~
As it ebbs and flows.

Day in.
Day out.

We seek daily to turn
our attention to the
E.T.E.R.N.A.L.

What better way than
to fully attend to the
N.O.W.


We are called to this.
Called to live fully for HIM ~
in ALL we do!

Life in our home is never dull.
There are many things to occupy our time.
There are many people to minister to.
Never a lack of things to be done.

In the here.
In the now.

Might we all really live.
And live really well.
For HIS glory!

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
~ Colossians 3:17 ~

1241. Boy vacuum-er who smiles at me!

1242. Sugar in the cupboard

1243. Butter melting on the stove

1244. Emma creating at the table with a
"Make and Do" book

1245. Trees in the woods pointing to the Heavens ~
and us looking up in the middle of the trail

1246. Blue beyond

1247. Fresh air

1248. The children chattering and clattering on ahead

1249. Being *crowded out* by one on the walk
who comes along between us...so glad they *want* to!



1250. Boy-Man greeting me at the door

1251. Sun warming the car in winter

1252. Chocolate Mousse Royale

1253. Praline's and Cream


1254. Two hours alone in the morning...rare!

1255. Howie taking time off work to take the children
to the climbing gym

1256. Emma taking it upon herself to do dishes without being asked

1257. Finding the floor of the laundry room and sweeping it!

1258. Pushing buttons on the washing machine and it
working, working, working ~ WONDERFUL!

1259. The Doctrine of the Preservation of the saints ~
PRECIOUS Truth!

1260. Warm towels straight from the dryer

1261. People to pray for

1262. Wonderful God Who hears!

1263. Hunger pangs and the resources to satisfy them

1264. Morning quiet

1265. Steaming cup of tea

It's easy to count.
It begins with noticing the *little* things.
Noticing the moments.
Entering into them and writing them down.
It's as simple as that.

My journal sits on my counter.
I list as events unfold.
Sometimes many all at once,
and other times in a trickle.

Would you like to begin?
Just grab a pen and a journal,
set them out on the counter,
and list out your blessings.
Find the joy in the moments ~
As they arrive.

Enjoy the journey!

Many Blessings,
Camille