Praises of a Wife and Mommy

I am so excited to be a part of this neat opportunity with Hair Cuttery!  You read that picture above correct- All you need to do is share this post with the button above and you will donate a hair cut to a child in need.  Perfect timing for Back to School- Let those kids go to school with some self esteem.  The average cost for back to school ages K-12 is $668!!  So lets help out all the parents and cut the cost back with free hair cuts!  It's simple and will make a difference for each family.   SHARE THIS POST!!  Make sure you click the picture in this post!   :)  Also there are 10 bloggers participating in this event and the blogger who gets the most clicks will be able to donate to donorschoose.org   All the donations on that site are to help schools.  With budget cuts in most school districts this site allows teachers to set up a way to get donations for the items their classroom needs.    I was able ...

I have been getting in a good habit of walking up early and praying with a lady from my church.  It has been one of the best ways to start my day.  :)  I LOVE IT!  Yesterday morning I woke up and I was in awe of the beauty of God's artwork.  This sunrise was AWESOME. I encourage you today to make more time for prayer!  Spend some time with your Heavenly Daddy.    

Cotswold Fayre  have provided this great summer treat recipe. A simple and delicious salted caramel ice cream recipe. 1 1/4 cups sugar, (to use in different steps of the recipe) 2 1/4 cups heavy cream, (again split between different steps) 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon Maldon salt (or any flakey salt) 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup whole milk 3 large eggs An ice cream maker First of all you'll want to chill your machine down for around 18-24 hours or as per the instructions of your machine. If you have a fancy machine you may not need to do this step. It is important to note that a couple of the steps do take a few hours as they involve cooling down the mixture so you may want to make this around 24 hours before you intend to eat the ice cream - the wait is worth it though, really! Get a heavy bottom large saucepan or a wide but deep ish frying pan (non stick is better as you won't want to scrape the bottom). Make sure the bottom is dry as you don't want water mixing with ...

As a single mom, it can be scary to navigate the medical world. Obviously  medical attention is often necessary, but insurance terminology and a lack of  clarity on out-of-pocket cost induce stress and anxiety– especially when you’re the only breadwinner of the family. Even though you’re leading the family on your  own, you may not be alone when it comes to confronting your medical needs and  fears. If you’re struggling with the cost of medical bills for you or your family, take  a look at your community resources to find out if one of these options might be  available for you. Government Funded Programs The government offers many assistance programs for which single mothers can  qualify. With the added expenses of being a single mother, it can be difficult  to afford the insurance provided by your workplace, and private insurance  companies have even higher premiums that can seem even more impossible  to obtain. Health ins...

It was nice having family come for a visit this weekend  to see our new place in our new town and our new state but it always becomes bitter sweet when they leave.   Ice Cream, Grilling, bonfire, walking trails, out to dinner, movie, and good quality time together created some memorable moments.  LOVE YOU!!!

Synopsis: The Circle Maker for Kids, written by New York Times bestselling author Mark Batterson and illustrated by Antonio Caparo, reveals the true legend of Honi the circle maker, a man whose bold prayer for rain saved a generation. Book Description: “One prayer can change everything.” A terrible drought had hit the land. Gardens died, rivers ran dry; the Israelites had one last hope: Honi the Rainmaker. So they called upon him to pray, and Honi did something strange … something bold. Would God send the rains and save the people? Basing this story on his adult bestseller The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson shares the ancient Jewish legend of Honi the Rainmaker with children to teach them about the power of prayer. My Review: One aspect I want to teach my children and the children in my church is the power of their prayers.  This book is a great introduction to the power of prayer.  I like how the story starts out by the towns people only trusting the prayer...

The weather has been perfect this week so we have had some fun with glitter sidewalk chalk painting.  I saw this all over Pintrest the last few weeks and I have done chalk painting in the past but adding glitter was a whole new experience.  All you need: Muffin Tin Corn Starch Food Coloring Water Glitter Paint Brushes My son and daughter first started on the sidewalk making rainbows and other fun paintings.  Then we started painting on some scraps of lumber we no longer need.   Some other Chalk Ideas from Praises of a Wife and Mommy: Chalk Paint   Evangelize  through Chalk  Chalk Roads and Signs Chalk Mosaic   Shapes and Colors Liquid Chalk Spray   Fizzy Sidewalk Chalk

I'm not sure if my daughter or I was more excited about finding these easy to use math games on Power My Learning.   In the last two days my daughter has asked about a million times to play these games.  So far we have only been exploring the math section under Kindergarten.   She seemed to really enjoy most of the counting games until she got into geometry and was working on  2D versus 3D shapes.  It was nice to see where she struggled so I could in turn find some new ideas on how to teach that portion to her.  I adore being her first and forever teacher and tools like this make it much easier. There are so many games that I'm sure if your kid likes dinosaurs they probably have a dino game!  My daughter wanted to play all the Curious George games.   I also have a touch screen computer and that made playing the games more interactive rather then a traditional mouse.  I did try to have her play on my tablet but for some reason the ...

Thank you Summit Toys for sending me part of the Backyard Safari Collection to review.  I was not paid for this review and all opinions are 100% mine.   If you have not taken a moment and looked through all the gear that the Backyard Safari collection offers kids then go and take a moment.  I think it wold be called something like endless fun because they have it all.   My box of goodies came on the perfect day.  We were getting ready to paint the church building and I needed some toys to keep my kids happy and playing instead of painting.      My kids immediately took on the role of a bug finder.  My daughter put on her new safari vest and my son grabbed the bug Lazer Light Bug Vac.  The two set out for finding bugs. The first bug hunt was a success!  The kids found some rollie polie's, a leaf bug, a couple spiders, and flies.   I was really caught off guard at how much fun my daughte...

I know I mentioned that last week we were blessed when someone Ding Dong Ditched us and left us a basket of goodies.  This week another couple from our church stopped by and had all the back to school shopping done for my kids.  My son is not in school yet but they still made sure he got a backpack and some other supplies.  :)   I was blessed beyond words and my kids were so happy.  They each of them the back pack they were eyeing up.   God sure is providing all that we need during this transition as the new pastors.   So how have you been blessed lately?  Or how have you been a blessing to someone else?   Pass on a blessing to someone near you.  :)

How can I not share this adorable picture of my daughter and I?  I absolutely love you darling!  I love that you still love wearing dresses every day, I love that you are starting to learn to read, I love how you play with your brother, I love your boldness when you pray for others, I JUST LOVE who GOD has created you to be!   Much hugs and kisses- you are a royal princess!  :) xoxoxoxox

The summer is never complete without a trip to the beach.  My daughter was so jacked to wear her life jacket!  I bought them last fall and she has been itching to wear it.  She sure used it and was out in the deep end for a good portion of our trip.  My son on the other hand would not put his on.  He was more satisfied with a pail and shovel, no interest in the water until the very end.   I am enjoying exploring all the new areas in our new state but I was sad that this particular beach was not free.  There was a $3-$4 fee but they did offer paddle boat rentals which might be a date adventure with the hubby.  :)  I should not complain about the price since one of the people we were with paid the whole bill... BLESSED!!  

Now that we are finally feeling a bit more settled in our new home and school will be starting in a couple weeks its time for me to start thinking about what extra curricular activities my kids will be doing.  If you ever get to spend the day with my daughter you will notice she sings throughout her day.   I have been thinking about music lessons.  Start with some vocal lessons and maybe piano or another instrument if she shows and interest in one.  So to help in my search for lessons I found TakeLessons.com    About Take Lessons: The team at TakeLessons has been connecting music students with the best local music teachers since 2006. We pride ourselves on providing safe, affordable, fun music lessons to students of all ages. Our team stands for Respect, Perseverance, Embracing an Ownership Mentality, Constant and Never-Ending Improvement and Building Stuff We’re Proud Of. We also stand for Nerf-gun wars and lunchtime...

Summer is sizzling in heat right now but the Kalahari is staying cool with their Summer Splash Events!  I am so thrilled I get to go back to the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells.   Last week they sent me the Summer Splash box of goodies and one of my lucky readers will get to win the same thing.   Here's what was included in my box: 2 hats 2 shirts 2 magnets 2 pairs of sunglasses Music DVD Kalahari Mask for Crafts 1 night stay  Theme park passes Can you say BRING ON THE FUN!!! Make sure you enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post.  :)   So what is Kalahari doing for this Summer Splash Promotion: • Kalahari Resorts and Convention Centers Wisconsin Dells promises a summer   to remember with the African-themed Summer Splash! Now through Labor Day,  Kalahari will be celebrating African music, food, art and featuring an exciting  array of special events, and daily on-site activities including Afric...

The best type of project are the FREE ones!  :)  We re-used our toilet paper rolls and created these one of a kind cuff bracelets.  We decorated with string, stickers,  and bingo doter's.  You could use any other items to bedazzle yours.   We had all the supplies we needed for this fun project and the beauty of it was not needing to spend forever prepping it.    So don't throw away that toilet paper roll next time. Once you have your roll you can cut it down the middle so you can slip it on the wrist.  Then cut it to the size you want.  Then after that you can have as much fun decorating as you can.   My two year old son even had fun making one with dinosaur stickers.  

A pair of vintage eyeglasses is somewhat the bravest choice that you could try on this summer. There is a popular believe that retro look is the most classical one when you make good use of it. Vintage eyeglasses are mixed with the standard and subdued colors. So they could easily get highlighted during a nighttime or in a crowd. Excitingly, you can find your  First pair for free  for vintage eyeglasses at  Firmoo.com A perfect combination of modern fashion trends and retro look create a different formation that speaks much about the fashion and latest fashion trends. (The above model photos are all derived from  Firmoo+ .) New Customers, check  more products  for your first free pair at Firmoo right now! You just need to pay shipping. First come, first served! Furthermore, we are pleased to invite you to join  4Sponsor , a safe, easy & efficient platform which connects advertisers with social media publishers/bloggers. ...

It was another hot n humid day here in Iowa.  I determined that movies and indoor crafts was the way to go!  The UPS had perfect timing and dropped off a big box!   So we used some bingo doter's to paint, paper plates for the wheels, and cups for lights.   The kiddos sure had fun driving around and picking up their "baby" from daycare.  :)  

Summer is ending soon and many teachers and parents are gearing up with back to school shopping.  I have an excited daughter thrilled to start kindergarten and keeps asking to go shopping for her supplies.   If you have never heard of erincondren.com then you are in for a treat!  Erin Condren has lunch boxes, calenders, labels, invitations, cards, recipe boxes, and so much more for sale!  All items are adorable and are personalized!!  I go on the site and the teacher in me gets so EXCITED!!   Come on teachers, parents, and anyone else enter below to win $25 gift code for Erincondren.com to get your school year started right!  a Rafflecopter giveaway

The other day we were Ding Dong Ditched, you know where someone rings your doorbell and runs away.  Well, the person/people who did this left us a cute little basket of goodies and this ring toss game has been a great one for my kiddos.   We set it up and had a competition right away.  I thought for sure I would be the winner so I challenged the kids who ever had the most points could pick dinner.  I scored 150, my son 0, but my daughter 400!!!  I LOST!!!  So my sneaky daughter does not pick a meal but picks a restaurant!  So the laugh was on me but we enjoyed our evening out to eat.