Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

Go on a long hike

Make S'mores in the backyard

Make Strawberry Shortcake

Have a water ballon fight in the backyard

Go to an Angel Game

Make Kabobs on the BBQ

Paint Winnie The Pooh peg dolls for Meals on Wheels

I am the Vine and You are The Branches

I made the kids in my 5th grade Religion class these boxes of m&m's. I wrapped the box of m&m's in white paper and added the Gospel reading that we are studying this week. The grape stickers add that little extra touch.

"I am the Vine and You are The Branches" - John 15:5

For snack time I made thumbprint cookies with grape jelly.

 We also made a grape themed craft - but we were having so much fun that I forgot to take a picture.

They loved the m&m's , cookies and craft. We had so much fun this week!

Bacon Wrapped Dates and My Super Busy April

Lately I have been making bacon wrapped dates every chance I get! They are so easy to make and make a perfect appetizer.

Ingredients:

dates (with pits removed)

goat cheese

bacon

toothpicks

brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Stuff each date with a small amount of goat cheese.

Cut each piece of bacon in half. Wrap the bacon around each date and secure with a toothpick.

Place the bacon wrapped dates into the pre-heated oven on a large cookie sheet for 7 minutes. Remove the dates and sprinkle each date with a little brown sugar and return to the oven for another 7 minutes.

My April has been so busy. I hosted Easter Sunday dinner for my husbands family. I bought a new car. I hosted a baby shower for my good friends daughter-in-law. I entered a tennis tournament. My neighborhood only allows a community garage sale once every two years. So I got rid of some furniture, clothes and kitchen items.  My son decided on an out of state college. And I have been super busy teaching my 5th grade Religion class. I am looking forward to May. 

The Good Shepard And Earth Day

Today I had the choice of teaching about Earth Day or The Good Shepard in Religion class. I decided to teach a little bit about both subjects.

So I made some Earth Day cookies for the snack. They are really simple to make. Make your favorite sugar cookie mix. Then dye half of the dough green.

Then dye the other half of the dough blue. I used gel food coloring.

Grab a piece of green dough and a piece of blue dough and roll into a ball.  Bake according to your recipes directions.

Then for the craft we made The Lord is My Shepard craft. The kids loved the craft and some of the kids in the class are very artistic.

We glued all different sized pearls on the sheep.

We did some scripture readings on The Good Shepard and talked about how Jesus is the Shepard and we are his sheep.

For the take home treat - Kit Kat bars. i covered the bars in green paper and tied the charm with blue ribbon in honor of Earth day, The gold charm says "Try God."

Lemon and Rosemary Soap - A Baby Shower Party Favor

I made some homemade soap for a baby shower party favor.  The soap was super simple to make and decorate.

Supply List:

Goats milk soap bar

Sharp knife

Pyrex measuring cup

Soap molds

Fresh rosemary

Lemon zest from large lemons

Parchment paper

Scissors

Twine

Paper roses

Glue gun and glue sticks

Directions:

Place some fresh rosemary into each soap mold.

Cut the goats milk bar into chunks and microwave in 30 second intervals. Once the soap is melted stir in the lemon zest. And pour the lemon zest soap into the molds.

Quick tips - I placed the molds on a large kitchen towel. And the goats milk soap base is sold at Michael's and Hobby Lobby.

Once the soap is completely hard. Pop the soap bar out of the mold.

The soap smells awesome.

Once the soap is ready to be packaged - start cutting parchment paper into strips. 

Wrap the parchment paper around the soap then wrap the twine around the bar of soap several times.

Then hot glue the paper flower onto the twine knot. These bars of soap would also make a wonderful hostess gift.

I am going to put these on a table by the front door. I have an empty picture frame and I am going to write in it "from our shower to yours."

Saint Patrick's Day Crafts for Religion Class

I painted some Saint Patrick peg dolls for my Religion class.

I looked up some painting ideas on Etsy and Pinterest.

Because Saint Patrick used the three leaf clover to teach the Holy Trinity - I wrapped Three Musketeer bars in green paper and added all different sizes of three leaf clover stickers.

I also had some worksheets and I bought the kids three leaf clover pens to complete the worksheets - but I forgot to take pictures.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

John 3:16 Candy Bars

I made some John 3:16 patches and glued them on a paper wrapped Hershey bar for my 5th grade Religion class this week.

Supply List:

flat candy bar (I used a Hershey bar)

thick white wrapping paper

tape

scissors

tan felt

brown felt

drinking glasses (to trace)

brown or black pen

brown embroidery thread

white embroidery thread

cross bead or button

I wrapped a bunch of Hershey bars with thick white wrapping paper. I like to leave the edges showing.

Using a glass trace circles onto tan felt. Write John 3:16  with a black or brown pen leaving room for a cross bead.

Sew over the writing with brown embroidery thread and sew a cross bead in the middle. Then sew the tan circle onto a larger dark brown circle with white thread in a running stitch.

I think they came out super cute! These patches could also be made into bookmarks by simply sewing a long piece of ribbon on the back.

Fresh Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb cherry tomatoes

2 1/2 lbs. roma tomatoes, cut into thirds

1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

2 14 ounce cans of low sodium vegetable broth

2 tablespoons balsamic 

1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet place the cherry and Roma tomatoes, onion, garlic and carrots.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Place in the preheated oven for 1/2 hour. Remove from oven and toss ingredients with a spatula.

Place back in oven for an additional half-hour.

Carefully transfer the ingredients and all the juices into a large stockpot.

Using an immersion blender, puree the the tomato mixture. 

Place the stockpot over medium heat and add the vegetable broth, balsamic vinegar, red pepper fakes and pesto. Heat for 10 - 15 minutes. 

This tomato soup has a little zing and is perfect served with a grilled cheese or green salad.

Saint Patrick Day Necklaces for Meals on Wheels

Supply List:

small round wooden disks

gold paint

small paint brush

shamrock sticker

Modge Podge

hot glue 

green pony bead

thin green ribbon

Directions:

I bought the wooden disks at Hobby Lobby.

Paint the disks with gold metallic paint on both sides and the edges.

Once the gold paint is dry add a Shamrock sticker to the middle of the disk. And hot glue a green pony bead in the sideways position.

Cover the sticker with Modge Podge.

Once the Modge Podge is dry add a ribbon loop to form a necklace.

These would make a cute school or sports team craft idea. I was excited to finish this project so early!

Hershey Bar with Praying Hands

I made some Hershey bars with a praying hands charm for the kids in my Religion class today.

I wrapped the Hershey bar with white wrapping paper. Then added a praying hands charm with a silver ribbon bow. 

I bought the silver praying hands charm from  the Oriental Trading website. And I had the thin silver ribbon in my craft cabinet. 

Charlie Brown Peg Dolls for Meals on Wheels

I made these Charlie Brown peg dolls for a Meals on Wheels Valentine project.  I packaged them with a glitter heart and a tag that said "Good Grief it's Valentine's Day!"

I think they came out super cute - but since I was making 50 a deleted a few steps. Also because I was making 50 peg dolls I ordered them from Amazon.

Supply List:

men shaped peg dolls

yellow paint

black paint

sharp pencil

small paint brushes

black fine tip Sharpie pen



Directions:

Always save pieces of cardboard to use when painting peg dolls.

Paint the body with two coats of yellow paint. Let the paint dry in between coats.

Using a sharp pencil draw the zig zag shape on the middle of the body. If you have extra time the zig zag could be moved up and a small black band could be painted on the bottom which would replicate shorts. Because I was making 50 I skipped the shorts step.

Using the black paint and a very thin teeny tiny paint brush paint inside the pencil zig zag lines. This took a really long time. 

Another step I skipped was painting the head with flesh toned paint. I used a fine tip black Sharpie to draw the face directly onto the wooden head.

Lately I have been sewing a lot of Meals on Wheels projects with felt and I wanted to do something different. And I do love a little peg doll. 

I am going to bring these to the Meals on Wheels office tomorrow and then start working on a March themed party favor.

God Bless all of the Meals on Wheels volunteers!