Nephite Easter Activity

Buys a ton of candy.  The only specific candy you have to buy is 3 Cadbury eggs which will represent the Godhead.  The rest of the candy can be whatever your family likes.  Other required supplies include a bag and a blindfold for each participant.  We've never been fancy with this - we've just used grocery bags and strips of fabric or t-shirts for blind folds.

Wait until it was dark for this activity because it symbolizes the darkness the Nephites experienced after the Savior's death.  The scriptures say absolutely NO light could be seen and so we used the blindfolds to make the darkness absolute.

Send them all out on the front porch while you prepared the house.  While they wait turn furniture upside down and move things all around to symbolize the destruction of the land after the Savior's death.  Scatter the candy, which symbolized our family members, everywhere.  When the house was sufficiently wrecked, go get everyone on the porch and tell them what had happened using the story from the Book of Mormon.  (It might be a good idea to read it and bring out whatever points you think are important for your family.) 

Say things to the effect of "there's been terrible destruction.  The whole face of the land has been changed.  You have been separated from your family members.  You must find them."  Continue to narrate the story and end by telling us that there were 3 special eggs that represented Heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost.  They are to try and find them, our family and then try and get to the highest place (usually a stack of couch pillows) which represented the temple (this is, of course, where the Nephites gathered).  Then blind fold them and give them their  bags.  Then go into the house and get down on their hands and knees (it's much safer this way!) and crawl around stuffing candy (family) in our bags.  When they have been at it a while and they are pretty sure most of the candy had been collected then have them all make their way to the "temple".  This has been a GREAT activity that seems to appeal to ALL ages.

Article of Faith Easter Egg Hunt

    

     Divide everyone into two teams. Place all of the articles of faith on the same color paper. Choose a color for each team. Place the articles in the eggs with the candy. Tell everyone that they may only keep the color of their team. If they find another color have them replace it into the egg and move on. When the team has assembled all 13 pieces of paper have them place the articles in order. So by now you know that you do not place a number on the article. The team has to work together to order the articles. First team to have all the articles in order is the winner.

     What I did was print two copies of the Articles of Faith cards without the numbers and cut them out into individual articles. I had 42 old plastic eggs, which I could divide by "warm colors" and "cool colors" (pink, yellow, orange and green, blue, purple) into 2 teams. I put each Articles of Faith in an egg, along with some candy, for the other eggs, I just put candy (no chocolate, because we live in Arizona). Then I hid the eggs in my backyard.  Each team had to find only their color eggs, and then, when all were found, dump out each egg into a bowl, get the papers, and number the articles from one to thirteen. Then they split the candy evenly into Ziploc baggies. 

     I did one the other day that turned out pretty well. I divided each Article of Faith up into seven pieces. Then I numbered the eggs. Each girl was assigned specific numbers to look for. For example, one had to look for eggs number 1, 2, and 3. It was a lot of fun because they tried to not let the other girls see where they were looking if the egg wasn't theirs. Anyway, after all the eggs were found then we went in and tried to put them into order. I of course helped, I had a couple of older girls who happened to be there and so they helped the younger ones. After they were done putting them into order we read them out loud to make sure we put them together right. The 13th egg I divided so each girl had to find only 2 pieces of it and then we put it in order together. It was a lot of fun!

Emotional Spring Cleaning

Emotional Spring Cleaning
The light of springtime often inspires the cleaning out of clutter in your home and yard, and exposes the cobwebs and dust bunnies that have been collecting during the winter months. It's also a good time to consider cleaning out your emotional space: your thoughts and feelings. Just as it feels good to walk into an organized closet or enjoy a sparkling hardwood floor, emotional spring cleaning can provide a boost and a sense of relief and accomplishment. So, put down your mop and storage bins because I've got a different kind of spring cleaning for you.


Emotional Spring Cleaning Checklist:
1. Cultivate quiet time
Ask yourself: Do I take time to reflect on my internal world? Am I able to identify how I am feeling and what I am thinking? What can I clear out of my internal home that will allow me to become a calmer, more centered person?
Plan some alone time to take an internal inventory and identify what has been cluttering your heart and mind. Meditation, prayer, hiking, and yoga are excellent examples of external acts that promote internal reflection. Spend time visualizing how you want to feel in your life and in your relationships.


2. Jot it in a journal
Ask yourself: What am I feeling and thinking? Is there anything that has been bothering me or weighing me down?
Putting pen to paper and identifying your thoughts and emotions helps clear out your emotional space, make emotions seem more manageable, and gives you a different perspective. You may not realize how cluttered your insides have become until you start articulating them. Emotions (E-motions) are "energy in motion" and they are designed to move through you, not to stay stuck in your body. Next time you feel emotionally burdened write it down. In my therapy practice, I keep a stack of small notebooks to give away to clients as "homework" assignments in which they can practice identifying and expressing thoughts and feelings.


3. Give up a grudge
Ask yourself: Am I holding on to past hurt that I'd be willing to let go of? Why am I still holding on to this resentment?
Releasing your grip on a gripe can free up emotional energy that you can then invest in other, more positive, areas of your life. I've heard it said that holding onto resentment is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. While having a range of emotions is normal, including anger and hurt, letting those feelings take up permanent residence in your heart ultimately hurts you. A recent couple I worked with realized the power of giving up a grudge. The wife kept bringing up how angry she was when her husband was quiet and how he "froze" when she was upset. She was resentful and hopeless until she realized her husband's silence stemmed from his fear of making things worse, not because he didn't care about her.

4. Offer an apology
Ask yourself - Is there someone in my life that, when I see them, stirs up feelings or regret or awkwardness about something I've said or done? Do I know that I've made a mistake that has hurt someone that I haven't "clean up"?
If you feel unsettled about something you've said or done to another person, offer a sincere apology to clear the air. Even if it was unintentional on your part, a generous and heartfelt apology can remove unnecessary discomfort inside of you and repair damaged connections with others. I can attest to the relief that comes from taking ownership of a mistake or misstep. A few months ago I spoke with a friend about a lingering misunderstanding between us and owned up to my insensitivity. Though it was a fairly minor incident, I didn't realize until it was resolved how much space it was taking in my internal life.


5. Forgive your faults
Ask yourself: Is there something that I've said or done, or a trait that I don't like about myself that seems to clutter my mind? Often, it is easier to overlook other's faults than it is to let go of your own shortcomings. Over time it's easy to collect evidence for negative self-evaluations like, "I am never good enough" or "I'm always putting my foot in my mouth" or "See! I'm not good at relationships". Dwelling on your past mistakes or clutters the present and leads to self-critical thoughts and feelings. Humans aren't inspired to do better by criticism, and this applies to self-criticism. How freeing it is to acknowledge that you will make mistakes and have weaknesses as a human, but that it is possible to learn from personal experiences and still maintain a sense of self-acceptance. When my therapy clients are able to achieve this self-acceptance in spite of their own weakness, I call this becoming an "emotional grown-up".


6. Tell the truth
Ask yourself: When someone asks me how I'm doing, do I say that "I'm fine" even when I'm not?
A willingness to be emotionally honest with those we love can deepen our connections and allow our loved ones to offer support and encouragement to us. Recently, a young adult therapy client discovered when she "told the truth" to her parents she not only felt relieved but it also improved her relationships with them. If you are afraid that being more emotionally honest in your relationships will hurt them, think again. Not sharing your truth for long periods of time leads to emotional build up that eventually erupts, causing further breakdowns in communication and relationship break-ups.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

1. Use a good roll dough recipe for 24 rolls, let it rise till double, then carefully turn dough out onto table top.
2. Gently roll out to a 24X15 rectangle.  Spread with melted butter and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Brown Sugar mixed with 2 tsp Cinnamon.  Cut dough with pizza wheel into 10 long strips and cut those strips in half (20 shorter strips).  Place 1 strip on top of another = 10 double decker strips
3. Cut them into squares and place in muffin pans so there are 2 double deckers - like butter flake rolls.  let rise about 20-30 min.  Bake 15 min at 375.  Remove from oven and drizzle glaze on top.

*Thanks Marie Turner for the recipe

Family Tree

Another project that I finally finished. Memory Tree Magnet Board. The kits provide enough material to display three or four generations. The featured faces are magnetized so it's an easy way to learn family lineage. I purchased the materials from this web site and it also helped me make it.  Cool site, check it out.  http://www.storiesbyme.com/  The only thing I did different was I put both mine and my husband family tree up with my children in the middle.

"SWAP TIL YOU DROP"

I saw this blogger on the Utah TV show Studio 5 here is the link http://thisandthat-amy.blogspot.com/  You have to check it out.

"SWAP TIL YOU DROP"

  Swap parties are popping up as a fun and free way to get rid of stuff you don't really want anymore, and the best part is that you get to take home something you do want.  
  Invite some of your closest friends over for a swapping party.  Instruct each person to bring 5 to 7 items.


For example;  bracelets, a picture, a door hanging, items that you already have around the house that you either don't like anymore or don't use, cookbooks that you are done using, books you have already read, stamp sets, and scrapbook paper you have never opened, but thought someone else might like to use, perfume.  Looked through your closets, and found clothing you don't wear anymore.  Go into your storage room and found things that you've had for a while that were just tucked away that you don't use anymore in your décor.  Once you place your tagged items out for display, and got a few instructions about how to claim an item with clips, the swapping begins.


  When more than one clip is on an item, put them in a bag and draw out the winner.
"Swap ‘til you drop,"  "Just used it as a girls night out, and it is free!"

Invitation: In keeping with the Swap 'til You Drop theme Amy took a simple pink gift bag and glammed it with a feather boa around the edges and added some zebra tissue paper. Put the actual invitation inside as well as a fun poem, and tags so guests can tag their items before hand.


Poem:
We're totally in a recession,
At least that's what they say.
I don't want to face it,
Just want to play, play, play!

It is time to get the girlfriends,
All together for a bash.
We could always go shopping,
But, who has the cash.

I've got a fab solution,
to this financial jam.
Just bring all your older stuff,
Your man won't give a damn!

We'll eat and laugh and have some fun,
and drink some diet pop.
In the end we'll choose the goods,
We'll Swap 'til We Drop!

This idea will bring for sure,
Joy beyond measure!
Remember, one girlfriend's junk,
Is another girlfriend's treasure!


Tags: Every item got a tag. On it, the ladies wrote a description or "selling point" for the item.


Clips: Amy found the pink clips in Target's dollar section for half off. She then added a jewel and name she printed from her computer. You could also use clothespins, and put an initial sticker on top, or have each guest write their name on clothespins.


Favors: I found these re-usable shopping bags online (cheaptotes.com) for $1 a piece. We wanted them to match our theme, so Amy added messy bows complete with ribbon, fabric, and crepe paper as well as some paper name tags with jewels. Everyone used the bags to take home their items, and as an added bonus they'll be able to use them the next time they go to the grocery store! Amy had some extra paper, so she also made these darling candy bars. It was just one more thing everyone could take home to remember what a fun night it was.


A few other tips:

Decorations: The paper Amy chose for the invitations set the theme for the party: pink and zebra. Amy wanted it to feel like a Girls Night Out. She loves throwing parties, so she already had most of the decor. Don't go out and buy stuff for this party. Pick a theme that fits with your style. Revamp things you already have. That's what it's all about.

Inviting: You want to think about who you're inviting. Invite people who have similar tastes, that way you'll want to swap with them.

Packaging: Amy's friends did a great job packaging their items. They used cellophane, ribbons, and baskets to make their items look brand new.

Be Creative: One of Amy's friends was really worried about what to bring. She didn't feel like she had anything, so she made homemade salsa. Packaged it up on a tray, she already had and with some cellophane and it was one of the hot items that night. You could also narrow it down and have a book swap or a holiday decoration swap.

Donate: If something doesn't get claimed. Take it directly to goodwill. You may even want to have a designated box for those items.

I am so glad that I found Amy's blog.  Thanks Amy
 

Magnetic Calendar

Here is another project I made with the help of the website at the bottom.  You can interchange pictures for the birthday's for family members.  It is magnetic also.  Cool huh 

www.storiesbyme.com

Decorating

Another decorating idea or two

Weekend Project

I needed something to hang at my office, so my husband and I made this magnetic board out of 1X4's and leftover flashing from his job site.

Easter Wreath

Materials;
40 colored eggs
grapevine or styrofoam wreath
Low temperature glue gun and glue sticks
Baby's breath white or pink or white feathers (opt)

Glue eggs onto wreath and then put baby's breath or feathers between eggs.  Tie a pretty bow on and your done.

Old Windows idea

My son, Trevor, was remodeling a old house and had some wooden windows that he gave me.  This is some ideas that I did with them.  It is really hard to find old wooden windows so good hunting.

 

This one I put mirrors behind.

 

This one I put photos of my family

 

This one I put vinyl words on.

Bathroom Update

I wanted to remodel my bathrooms but I didn't have the money to do so.  We just had plain mirrors so I got the idea to put a frame around them so I built them out of 1X4's and painted them with black paint and sanded the edges to make them  look old and then just siliconed them to the mirrors.  This is a quick remodel and cheap too.

Flower Power

I found this flower pattern on the web site diy dish they were using them as flowers for pillows, I had an idea to put the flower on a necklace.  It turned out pretty cute.  You can also use it as a hair accessory or whatever you would like.  If you would like the pattern and instructions go to the web site at the bottom.

 

 

http://www.thediydish.com/

Cooking

PIE IN A JAR

I found this cute idea searching the internet and wanted to share;
Use half-pint jars,
STEP 1:  Pie Dough
You can use any pie dough you like
STEP 2: Make a topper and line the jar
Roll out a small handful of dough.  This is just for the tops of your pies.  Grab the ring part of your jar and use that as your cookie cutter.  Cut out the tops and set aside.
Use the rest of the dough to line the jars, no need to grease them.  Make sure it's pressed all the way up to the top of the jar.
STEP 3:  Fill them up
You will need about 1/2 cup filling for each jar
RECIPE FOR 4 PIES
2 cup Fruit
2 TBS Sugar (brown or white)
2 TBS Flour
1 TBS Butter (divided between the pies)
Whatever flavorings you would like; cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, almond extract etc.
Divide filling between the jars and dot a pat of butter on top.
STEP 4:  Top it off
Make sure the top of the pie (dough) has a vent so the steam can escape.  You can cut a couple of slits or make a decorative cut on the top.  (the top piece of dough's outside edges goes up the side of the dough-covered jar a bit.  Use your finger to press the 2 pieces of dough together to seal.  Or you could us a crumb topping.
CRUMB TOPPING (for 4 pies)
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Flour
2 TBS Oats
1/4 TBS Cinnamon
3 TBS cold Butter
Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon, cut in butter.  Add oats and stir to combine.
REMEMBER brush pie tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
STEP 5:  Freeze them
When your pies are all done and topped put lids on and tighten them then they can be put in freezer.
STEP 6:  Bake them
Bake at 375 degrees for about 45-60 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the middles are bubbly.

Filling Up My Cup

Yesterday, the kids and I went to the Idaho Falls Temple and did Baptisms for the Dead for our Heiner ancestors.  We did a total of 10 males and 17 females.  It was so gratifying and rewarding.  That had been the best day off of work that I have had in a long time.  I feel that I can continue on with my work week.

Winter

I feel that I am living in a black hole in the middle of winter. Am I the only one that has the winter blues or should I say whites? I travel 45 miles north and there is no snow. I travel 45 miles south and there is no snow. Why is that?