Tag Archives: fun

Take a Moment to Remember

25 May

I live with a constant reminder of how blessed I am to of been born and raised in a free country. It is an awesome responsibility to live in such a way that it is never in vain. I am so grateful for the brave men and women who headed the call and left what was familiar and comfortable for a life of upheaval and uncertainty. Today I pause with reflective prayer to honor those who gave their all…the fallen brave who courageously breathed their last breath defending the country and the people they so loved.

To the families who gather around a grave rather than a grill-my prayer is that our Heavenly Father will fill them with grace, peace, and healing. That they would find comfort in each other and that the sweet memories of their loved ones will sustain them until they are reunited in Heaven. Thank you, for your great sacrifice also!

Regardless of your feelings of the military, president, or war we are one family bonded by the American Flag and we should support our soldiers and let them know we appreciate them. A simple “Thank you for your service”, will really show that you stand united with them. Continue to pray for them, for their safety, for our safety, and for their families.

Pray for our wounded country. Pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will help us to turn our faces to Him once again and that He will Bless and unite us.

Thank you to our fallen, to our veterans, and to those serving……..it’s not in vain!

I will leave you with a quote I found.

“Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you….Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.”

~Author Unknown~

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Photo credit, Google Images

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I am my Beloved and My Beloved is Mine

23 May

12 years ago on a beautiful Colorado day I married my very best friend and the love of my life! I thought I couldn’t be any happier than I was at that moment but each year proves to be better than the last. We have been on such an adventure from births, deaths, illnesses, college, graduations, teenagers, moves, job changes, aging parents, and everything in between. With the constant changes of life, the one thing that has remained, is that we have clung to each other through all of it.  We have grown from a couple of crazy love-struck kids to a couple who are weathering the storms and enjoying every rainbow together. We have learned to appreciate that each day together is a gift.

There is no one I would rather spend time with or journey this life with. I am so blessed to married to a man of honor and integrity! A man who puts his family first and works hard to give us a good life. He is a man that I adore, respect and love! Without the grace of God none of this would of been possible!  I thank God for sustaining us and for constantly working on my heart as a wife. Happy Anniversary, Sunshine! Thank you for choosing me!

I would love to connect on Pinterest!

Copyright © 2015 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

To All the Mama’s……

10 May
To all the mama’s who do this alone, to all the mama’s who chose life, to all those mama’s who chose to give that life to another woman, to all those women who wake to feel the sting of empty arms, to al those mama’s who never felt life grow in their bodies but love the children who grew in their hearts just the same, to all those mama’s who stepped in to raise another woman’s child because they were no longer able to, to all those mama’s who have angel babies, to all the mama’s who are caring for children with special needs, to all the ladies who don’t have the official title of mom but love just the same, and to all the people who think of their mama’s in heaven today………He sees you, sees every tear, and holds you in the palm of His hand. Today I honor you and pray that the love of God will bring you strength, comfort, and joy!
Happy Mother’s Day!
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Summer Vacation is Over…..

4 Aug

One of the reasons I love homeschooling is that it offers us limitless flexibility in our schedule.  I noticed a few weeks ago that my kids were starting to get restless-which means that they stop finding productive or fun things to do and instead come up with new and creative ways to annoy one another (anyone relate, lol?).  It was time.  Starting now also gives us an opportunity to get a head start and take some time off in the Fall and do some fun field trips with less of a crowd.

I am not one to prepare and plan ahead of time (you can read about that here), I am forever in a last minute hustle, I am getting better, but still. 

So after a week of preparations here we are at yet another first day of school! 

Introducing the 5th Grader!  She hopes to be an actress and singer one day.

Introducing the 5th Grader! She hopes to be an actress and singer one day.

 

Introducing the 2nd Grader, Jacob! He wants to be a Doctor when he grows up.

Introducing the 2nd Grader! He wants to be a Doctor when he grows up.

 

Hard at work! I love their eagerness and enthusiasm to learn!

Hard at work! I love their eagerness and enthusiasm to learn!

Who says you need to sit at a desk to learn?  The couch is perfect place to snuggle and read.

Who says you need to sit at a desk to learn? The couch is a perfect place to snuggle and read.

So, how do they REALLY feel about the first day of school?  Giddy with goofiness ;)  It's going to be a great year!

So, how do they REALLY feel about the first day of school? Giddy with goofiness 😉 It’s going to be a great year!

Three hours and then we were free to enjoy the beautiful summer day. We rounded off the day with breakfast for dinner and a trip through the sprinklers. A wonderful day indeed!

When does school start for you?  Any tips or tricks in making your day run smoother? I would love to hear from home and public school families….because both are awesome!  

Thanks for sharing in our day!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

I would love to see what you’re Pinning!  

 

“Image courtesy of [digitalart] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

For the Kingdom of Heaven Belongs to Such as These

22 Jun

Tomorrow will mark my third year as a teacher for first and second graders at my church’s vacation Bible school.  We see many faces walking through our doors, many familiar , and because we offer a free program, many new faces. For some, this will mark their first time in a church and others will learn that Jesus is more than just a derogatory expression.  What an awesome responsibility this is. This week, 15 hours to be precise, to plant these precious life giving seeds in these precious little ones.

What I really love about this week is that while we are planting seeds in these little ones, the children are going home and sharing the stories, singing the songs, and sharing and practicing their memory verses.  They are planting seeds in their own family, even if they don’t know it.

This marks the biggest and most important outreach event in our church every year.  According to the current Barna study (2004) ” indicates that nearly half of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (43%), and that two out of three born again Christians (64%) made that commitment to Christ before their 18th birthday.”  In order to pull off such a big feat we need the whole village to participate.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these (Matthew 19:14).”  Evangelizing to these little ones is imperative, not just for the children but for generations to come.

Would you please lift our churches up in prayer during the busy Vacation Bible School season?!  Pray for leaders to have pure hearts and intentions as we disciple and lead little hearts to Jesus and pray for families to have tender receptive hearts as their children share with them scriptures and stories, and pray that many lives will be led to Christ.

 

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am Pinning!

 

 

 

 

 

Image courtesy of [ digitalart] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Shrek Sauce

11 Oct

Sometimes giving things a creative and yes, even gross names inspires little ones to try something new.  Shrek Sauce is nothing more than an avocado dip or spread. With a few variations to the recipe we enjoy this sauce as a sandwich spread or as an alternative to guacamole on burrito/taco night.

This is all you need! Of course adjust ingredients to suit your sized family or
occasion.
2 ripe avocado’s
1 Roma (Plum) tomato
3-4 Tbsp mayo (we used light)
garlic powder to taste
Slice each avocado in half and give the pit a good whack with the knife, give it a twist and the pit should come right out.
Scrape out the flesh of the avocados into a bowl and add the mayo. This is
a smooth sauce so I am using my emulsion blender. You
can use a hand mixer, potato masher, and if ripe enough, a fork.
Mix away until silky smooth.

                                                                               Finely dice the tomato and it and the garlic powder to
                                                   the bowl. I used about a 1/2 tsp of garlic powder but use as
                                                   much or as little as you like.

Serve with chips, spread on a tortilla, or use it as a sandwich spread.
*To use as a sandwich spread I use just the avocado, tomato and mayo.
Shrek Sauce
2 ripe avocado’s
1 Roma tomato
3-4 TBSP mayo
Garlic powder
Slice each avocado in half and give the pit the pit a good whack with your knife to easily remove it. -Scrape out the flesh of the avocados into a bowl and add the mayo. This is a smooth sauce so I am using my emulsion blender. You can use a hand mixer, potato masher, and if ripe enough a fork. Mix away until silky smooth. –Finely dice the tomato and it and the garlic powder to  the bowl. I used about a 1/2 tsp of garlic powder but use as  much or as little as you like.  

Have you creatively named a food or recipe to make it more appealing or fun for your family?  I would love to hear about it.  Leave a comment or a link to your recipe, I would love to see it!  Thanks for visiting!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Let’s be Pinterest friends!

Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Awww Shucks!

6 Sep

I have really enjoyed my short time here on WP and have come across some awesome blogs.  I have received a few messages lately letting me know I have been nominated for a few liebster-awardawards. Thank you, I am very humbled!  Please visit and say hello to the sweet bloggers who nominated me, you won’t be disappointed!

http://alygeorges.wordpress.com/

and

http://kristenzuray.wordpress.com/

and

http://ebun23.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/the-liebster-award/

and

http://helenaalcala02.wordpress.com/

Have  nominated me for the  Liebster Award.

Here are the questions asked by http://alygeorges.wordpress.com/

MY 10 QUESTIONS FOR MY NOMINEES

1)      How has your childhood affected you?–It has shown me that with God nothing is broken.

2)      If you went back in time, is there one particular thing you would do differently?- It has all made me who I am. So I don’t think I would change a thing.

3) Is there any particular experience that has made a significant impact on your life? Being a teenage mama of a micro-preemie.

4)    If there was one thing you could do to make the world a better place, what would it be? End abuse and famine.

5)      What are the three most important things in your life? Jesus, Husband, and my chidren.

6)   What characteristic do you admire most in a person? Honesty and kindness.

7)   Is there anything you feel people don’t know about you that you wished they knew? Hmmmm…..

8)      What’s your favourite pastime? Bargain hunting and just spending time with my loves.

9)      If you had a chance to dine with three famous people, dead or alive, who would they be and what would you say to them? Jesus, Pontius Pilate, and John the Baptist.

10)  Do you have a favourite quote? If so, what does it state? I have many but this one comes to mind-“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” ~C.S. Lewis.

and the sweet gal over at http://kristenzuray.wordpress.com/  asked these questions.

1.)  What prayer has God answered recently? School bussing for my oldest daughter. I love that God cares about even the smallest of details!

2.)  How do you wish God will use you? I have always admired missionaries who serve abroad, but God has me content where I am.

3.)  What is your spiritual gift? Service and mercy

4.)  What is something fun you like to do? Bargain hunting and spending time with my family.

The Official Rules Of The Liebster Award
If you have been nominated for The Liebster Award AND YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT, write a blog post about the Liebster award in which you:
1. thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog.
2. display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a “widget” or a “gadget”. (Note that the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog post.)
3. answer 11 questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
4. provide 11 random facts about yourself.
5. nominate 5 – 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000 followers. (Note that you can always ask the blog owner this since not all blogs display a widget that lets the readers know this information!)
6. create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.
7. list these rules in your post. (You can copy and paste them from here.)
Once you have written your post, and published it, you then have to:
8. Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it (they might not have ever heard of it!)

These are some blogs I have really enjoyed and think you will to! I nominate, in no particular order-

http://thevintagecouple.wordpress.com/

http://rebecajones.wordpress.com/

http://salruv7.com/

http://ahundredaffections.wordpress.com/

http://helianthusblog.com/

http://redhotinspirations.com/

If you so chose to accept here are my questions for you.

1. What is your favorite Bible verse?

2. Favorite place you’ve ever visited.

3. Favorite movie?

4. Who do you most admire?

5. Favorite season?

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Homemade Corndog muffins

21 Aug

I have been inspired by many Pinterest recipes some with and some without success.  Here is my version quick, easy, and delicious.  Keep reading for the printable recipe.

This is all you need!
My lovely assistant is demonstrating putting the hot dog pieces into the muffin pan.
Cover each hot dog piece up with some batter and bake for 15 minutes.

                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                 Voila!   Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes to avoid them becoming a crumbly mess .  Was it a success?  Let’s find out…..                                                 Two enthusiastic thumbs up from my boy-o-boy.  He prefers it with no cheese.  As for my Mells?…..

                                                                                                                                                  

She gives it two thumbs and two toes up! She prefers hers with cheese.
Like it spicy?  Add some chopped Jalapenos to the batter.  Want it more meaty? Go ahead and add more hot dog to each cup.  Have fun making it your own!
 
 This recipe is economical, healthier than the fried alternative especially if you use turkey dogs.  It is quick, and easy enough the kids can help!  Makes a great on the go meal.   Thanks for visiting!
~ Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Homemade Pizza

11 Aug

I know, I know- 5 dollar pizza and a slew of other pizza joints are just a phone call away-but why buy it when you can make it?! My family loves making their own little personal pizzas. I like to gather a lot of toppings and watch them create their own masterpieces! We did this recently and had ourselves a carpet picnic while watching Elf and the kiddos can’t wait to do it again! I promise yeast isn’t as scary as it sounds;) I hope you enjoy!

This is all you need to make dough: 3/1/2-4 C of flour (bread flour will
give you a crispier crust, all purpose will give you a chewier crust). 1 Pkg.
dry yeast, 1 tsp of sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 2 TBSP olive oil, 1 1/2 C really warm water
110 degrees (run water on wrist water should be just shy of hot feeling).
You gotta wake your yeast up! I used 1/2 of my warm water, the sugar,
and the package of yeast. Give it a quick stir and let in proof for about 10
minutes. This is what it should look like. Bubbling over with happiness.
Add 3 1/2 C of your flour, salt, oil, remaining warm water, and yeast mixture to a large bowl
or in my case my stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix all ingredients
well in large bowl and then turn out dough on a well floured surface and knead
until smooth like a baby’s tushie and elastic-when you stretch it long it
shrinks back quickly to its previous size. Takes about 5-10 minutes. If you have a stand mixer-just throw
all ingredients in bowl and using your dough hook mix about 5 minutes. The results should be the same
as with the hand kneading technique.
Oil a large bowl and place the dough in it and brush the top of the dough lightly with oil.
Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and it will need to nap for about 1 hour or until
doubled in size.
*If dough is too sticky knead in the remaining 1/2 C flour.

                                          Punch down your dough, literally, and turn out on a flat surface.
                                                  Divide dough accordingly to your family. The kids’ pizza dough was
                                                  measured about baseball size (2 of those) and hubby and I split the
                                                  remaining dough in half. Work the dough into whatever shape and
                                                  thickness you want.
                                                  *Preheat oven to 500 and if you have one preheat your pizza
                                                    stone. Baking pan works fine too!

                                          Lay out your ingredients and let your family have fun creating thier
                                                   own pizza.

                                          Getting ready to bake!

                                          About 15-20 minutes later-it’s ready! See, happy faces and sweet memories!

Ta da! Easy Peasy!
I hope you enjoy!
Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Talking to our kids about Boston

9 Jul

This was something I wrote and shared on our MOPS blog right after the Boston bombing. My thoughts on talking to our children about such things

It seems more and more we are having to be so deliberate to shield our children from never ending bad news. Shooting, war and now a bombing.

I still remember the morning more than a dozen years ago when I turned on the TV just in time to watch live as a plane took out the second tower. It was the first time I knew that I couldn’t hide the bad news from my then five year old, Alison. Minutes later my nightgown wearing barefoot daughter made her way sleepily to the living room. As she snuggled down deep next to me she knew that this morning was different. You don’t necessarily think when you are cradling your baby in your arms that one day you would have to explain evil to them. You are not prepared and I don’t think you can be. It is just one of those jump in head first and pray that what comes out is sufficient enough to be truthful and satisfying without ruining the innocence and wide eyed curiosity that only childhood can yield. How do you remind them the that here and now in my arms or at school or at grandma’s they are safe? I know we need to filter but most of the time it is unavoidable.

Several months ago. Another school shooting. This time it was Brouke’s turn to see what evil looks like. And now, an all American wholesome activity marred by destruction and devastation is plastered everywhere. The horror and destruction is all over the TV and on the lips of every adult.

It is a fine line and letting your kids steer your conversation will generally give you parameters to work with. Kids usually ask great questions and beyond what they ask is most of the time unnecessary. They will clue you in to what is in their heart and how much they can handle. With the little ones be selective, you don’t want to compromise their sense of safety. Older kids will be able to process more but all children will need extra love and reassurance. Speak scripture to them. Remind them not be worry or be anxious (Matthew 6:27) that God will deliver us from our fears (Psalm 34:4). Tell them that God will give them peace and that He is in control (Phillipians4:6-7). Remind them for every bad person their are thousands of good people. Let them get involved in making the world a better place by giving them opportunities to serve others and their community. It helps channel all their fears and gives them a sense of control over their environment. Mostly, trust your instincts. God gave you the children you have for a reason.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

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