Archives for February 2011

I mundanely drove through the pick up line, getting the eldest child from Pre-K and marveling in the beautiful weather, I promptly decided to enjoy a park before going home,  after all the plastic dump trucks were rattling in the back seat. Why not let the kids run a bit and enjoy the sunshine? Living in the Golden Isles our choice of parks is broad and ever broadening. I quickly skimmed the choices near our house and decided on an old park with lots of memories. The name is Lookout Park – it looks over the Saint Simons’ bridge and is a lovely sum of marshes, land, and water, occasionally accented with birds and wildlife.

The park is a large green area with picnic table and benches, it is a favorite spot for lunchers, hence the convenience of several fast food restaurants right around the corner. The kids immediately began to run and laugh enjoying the warm sun and refreshing breeze. I began to slowly walk up and down the lookout area while they raced with the trucks. I remembered picnics with my family, senior pictures and countless other past time events at this park.

My gaze shifted downward and I was appalled to notice the endless amount of trash that had blown into the edge of the marsh grass. I prided myself in how often I talk to the kids about “not littering” and “keeping God’s world beautiful” after all I never throw trash on the ground... I was really getting good and full of myself when I heard – “Why don’t you get the kids and pick up all this trash?” I quickly dismissed the request, but the thought wouldn’t leave. I was reminded of a prayer I often pray “Lord, please use me to bring your kingdom to earth.” Here I was, closed off to the idea of picking up trash. I knew I had been given a mission. I succumbed to obedience. Then I promptly named this mission: Operation Trash Pick Up in classic Cyle Augusta fashion. Yes, I name everything- especially chores.

I gathered the kids in the van. I explained the mission and they were totally in. We drove the whole 33 seconds to our house and grabbed a trash bag and gloves. We came back and talked through the mission: To pick up all trash we could find and make the park beautiful. The boys and I high fived each other and we after a game time chant we were off to complete the mission.

I was not expecting the excitement the boys expressed, they were truly thrilled to remove trash from the park. They searched and crept into places I wouldn’t have gone to get trash, they most often shrieked at all the McDonalds’ bags and wrappers.

My heart was warmed as the older brother encouraged the younger with, “good eye, your doing great” I think there was a bit of a competition to see who could fill their truck up first- when the youngest was far behind in the game the older brother would give him trash for his truck. They were really showing some encouragement to one another- I think they liked the whole name of the mission. They did the happy dance when we filled up the bag and counldn’t find any more trash.

We went home and washed our hands and the trucks, all the while my heart was full and blessed by the simple act of picking up trash. Today’s adventure got me thinking: what other kinds of service projects could I do with a three and a five year old? I often overlook community service and mission oriented projects thinking the kids are too young. After today I am convinced they are not. Does anyone out there have any ideas on service projects to do with small kids? any thoughts are welcome…

What if I had not been obedient to the Lord’s tender, soft voice? It saddens me to think that I would have missed seeing my boys excited about serving. I admit I was a tad concerned about their precious hands touching all that trash. When I rattled my excuse off to the Lord, he simply reminded me that I had a box of yellow gloves at home under the sink. Those yellow gloves were put to good use even if they were a bit big!

(Though I didn’t realize it at the time, this blog fit well with ABeachCottage.com’s post on “Good Life Wednesday“)

It has been said by a certain prince charming in our house, that the healthy treat I’ve been making is “better than ice cream”,  ” one of the best desserts on the planet”… or maybe these were just excuses to escape my wrath when I noticed he had eaten half  the pan of banana pops, they were intended for the kiddos- nonetheless, compliments or just plain niceness merits forgiveness in my book. Actually, I was honored that he liked them enough to eat half the pan.

Getting to the point: I have been making a delicous treat with frozen bananas. I always freeze bananas to throw in the vitamix for smoothies or healthy ice cream. Banans frozen and mixed with other things will take on that flavor while emulating the consistency of ice cream. Pure brilliaance, I tell ya- that thing called a banana.

So, what you need.

1. bananas

2. A pan

3. Sprinkles of all kinds

4. popsicle sticks

I used five bananas and cut them in half.

Next, I rolled them in various kinds of sprinkles- some were left over from Christmas and Valentines.

then you simply insert the popsicle sticks into the bananas- taking care that the bananas are not touching when placed in the freezer. Freeze for 4-6 hours before eating. I would recommend using smaller popsicle sticks, I accidentally bought the big ones!

the frozen banana really does taste like ice cream and the sprinkles add a nice crunch to the pop. Since these banana pops have been such a hit at my house I decided to share it here on the blog. I have made 4 pans full in the past two weeks. I am always trying to think up desserts that are healthy- My boys love a treat after dinner!

There are a million other ways to make these pops- If you make them or have made them another way please leave a comment and spread the good ideas.

Happy Monday: Hope it was a relaxing and restful holiday. Our crew was delighted to play outside all day in the sunshine, I also had a stay-in date with my husband tonight and it was lovely. See you again on Wednesday!

Well, well- here we are celebrating another Valentines day. If I was gonna buy the perfect card for my hubby it would say I love having fun with you! Let’s try to have as much fun as possible in this crazy life! I think I can say we have become pretty good at it…. I have been cured from the serious and intense disease. I still relapse from time time to time… though rarely, it’s not any fun!

For the sake of pure fun,  we had a Valentine adventure party yesterday. This party involved me begging Lowes for a large stove box. Request granted. Then propse that the mister get out his tools and cut some cute doors and heart- shaped windows in the box. The box was meant for a photobooth for the kids. What do ya know, the adults ended up invading the kiddo love house and getting in on the camera action.

I will start with husband. And while on the subject, he wrote a blog showcasing a song he wrote for me in 2003. Check it out!

Lesson learned: never underestimate the fun to be had with a large cardboard box. Little tikes doesn’t have anything on this disposable playhouse- except, um, maybe durability.

insert lots and lots of belly laughter as the adults climbed in and out of the love house.

Ok, Little Tikes, you got us beat on the durability aspect. Some little fella is not happy the window just got busted.

All pictures taken by any adult who was not in the love house or stopping 3, 4 and 5 year olds from consuming 200 cupcakes or whole containers of sprinkles or 50 red hots at once.

So to sum up the story we had fun. Even though Hubby had a minor blood pressure raising moment upon realizing the love house would not  live up to his perfection standard. He likes to do a good job on all his projects and I appreciate that. But this,  I assured him was just PURE FUN. So, fun was had by all. Even if the paper on the house is ripped and lighting was bad we enjoyed each other and had fun.

I hope you had a little fun today but most of all I hope  you know that you are loved by Jesus. Indeed he loves us.

That’s right we made it for a whole week while husband was gone. We made it amidst sickness, doctor visits, and other less-than-desirable things that accompany sickness -which we won’t mention here on the blog. Then there were some other random things like the five year old falling out of the bed nightly and the alarm going off… but we made it- not only theoretically speaking but we actually made things to add fun to our time without daddy. I have to say I really enjoyed a full week with my boys.

I was excited that Shannon was able to attend Recreate conference in Nashville. He was refreshed, inspired and inspired some more. As I type this he is less than an hour away…He told me that his head was spinning with ideas and his creativity is so churned and stirred up that it will take him weeks to process. I am excited to hear all about it!

Here is a sneak at our week and the projects we accomplished.. with the sickness we couldn’t go out much so we made, made, made.

First off I was gonna spruce up the front door with a little valentine.. lovey action.

I saved the Christmas wreath form the shed, and the attack of dustmites, I kindly gave it a new look. I had the felt on hand, the corsage pins left over from my wedding. I didn’t exactly have a plan for this- as I rarely do when crafting. I craft the way I follow recipes:) I got the inspiration for this wreath from tatertots and Jello. Theres was a burlap wreath with lots of circles cut out.

This Valentine bouquet was quite enjoyable to make. Wooden hearts from Michaels and small dowels. Paint and some glue. This corner of the living room makes me smile. The kids love to pretend they are ” picking” the heart flowers.

Jesus Paid it all: This song has been so dear to my heart lately. Shannon cut it out before he left and I made it all purty. It’s hanging in the front window and serves as a great reminder as I come and go.

The kids missed some school so we made valentines, which proved to be a million writing lessons in one.

I had found a recipe for playdough and by golly, I had all the ingredients so we made it. The boys played with it for a solid hour.

Lastly I had big plans to make valentine sugar cookies and have them all ready when hubby walked in the door. I guess this mama has been staying up too late because I mistook teaspoon for tablespoon and no it wasn’t the vanilla extract which would have been ok- you guessed, it was the baking powder. YUCK. I really wanted to cry. I had big plans of writing ” I Love You” and I missed you” on them. but the dough was ruined.

I sat and thought for a sec. The truth is, it’s the thought that counts. I was trying to let him know that I appreciate him so, The week spent away from him made this so very clear. This scripture comes to mind ” He who finds a wife, finds a good thing” and I think…. the girl who finds a good husband has found a precious thing, Indeed I have. I am thankful for him and all that he does around here. Well, I better go clean all the cookie making dishes in the kitchen. Bummer.

6 months ago I decided I wanted to learn to take pictures in manual fashion. Thanks to photographer Chris Moncus for letting me explore this burning desire using one of his no-longer-used older SLRs. Also,  thanks are in order for photographer Sarah Deshaw for letting me experiment with some no-longer used lenses. I have fallen in love with manual photography. It reminds me of my style of cooking- a little this, a little that, until its right. I am still learning and while on the subject I joined the Willete Joy of Love February Photography class. This has been WONDERFUL.

Kelly Willete sends out prompts each day with a subject example and a sample idea. The main deal is photographing your loved ones. Easy enough? Kelly says you can jump in and join anytime. So fi you want to do it just send her a message on her site and she will send you all the lessons and prompts. Some of my pics have not happened due to weather, illness etc. My next posts on this photo class will include multiple prompts and the pictures I chose and edited. For day 1 had to share this series of images that occured while I was trying to execute the lesson 1 prompt.

LESSON 1 PROMPT: WHAT THEY DO ( photograph a loved one doing what they do)

This is my sweet husband in our home recording studio. He was recording a song for Tiny Town at our church to use this Sunday. They wanted us to do a version of Jesus Loves me that was simple and easy for little ones to sing along to. We arranged a workable version and then he made a track from scratch in a matter of hours.When I snapped this he was writing a bass part- I know there is no bass, we were doing it all digitally. However, his face shows the beginnings of scientific discovery soon to unfold….

His head is moved a bit upwards as he is trying to understand what he is hearing. He continues to bang at keys and chuckle.

Now he is officially suspicious that he is hearing a sound come from the roof. He explains that everything has a frequency with which it will resonate.

He isolates the bass sound and confirms the hypothesis that the bass indeed is resonating with the roof. Being the genius that he is, the resonating boom was quickly eradicated.

Ok- No judging. I know the two pictures above are blurry. I had to include the last pics to summarize the story. The story of a mad scientist- My sweet sweet Husband. And the journey of learning continues! and the journey of finding a great 40D or 50D to purchase- any ideas??