Summer Bucket List Challenge

 

This summer we are participating in the The Summer Bucket List Challenge from TheHappyFamilyMovement.com.

 

Here is the Munchkamoo Times Two Summer Bucket List.

 

Visit Family in Virginia

Visit Family in North Carolina

Visit Family in Georgia

Take Swim Lessons

Watch Fireworks

Cook S'mores

Play With Bubbles

Visit an Amusement Park or Zoo

Go to a Splash Pad

Play in the Sprinklers

Go to the Beach

Visit the Wildlife Park

Go to a Water Park

Visit Local Parks and Playgrounds

Ride Bikes

Make Marshmallow Shooters

Make a Giant Water Blob

Go Swimming

Go Bowling

Have Mommy School

Fun Photo Shoot with the Kids

Eat Donuts for Breakfast

Have an Indoor Picnic While Watching a New Disney Movie

Go Fly a Kite

Make Cookies

Celebrate Mr. P's 4th Birthday

 

SO that's our list.  We may or may not get them all done, but it sure will be fun to try.  I hope it creates lots of fun memories for the kids and for us.  I'll be blogging about each thing as we check it off so stay tuned.

 

Want to create your own summer bucket list and join the challenge?  Just click on the link above.  Once you sign up you are registered to win weekly prizes.  AND, the more you blog, Facebook, or tweet about your bucket list the more chances to win.  Let me know if you link up.  I would love to know what is on your Summer Bucket List.

Siblings

 

Mr. P has fallen in love with his little sister and I couldn't be happier.  I feel so blessed that he has such a big heart.  That he can see what a beautiful blessing Miss A is to our family.  He is so excited to teach her new things, he loves to help out, and gives her numerous hugs and kisses everyday.  He loves to hold her, and when she is crying in the car he will sing to her.  (Often she will quiet and listen to him) 

 

 

My prayer for these two blessings from God is that they will always have this relationship.  Oh, I know they will have their moments of not liking each other.  They will pester and bug each other, and take each others toys, and probably even call each other a few names.  But at the end of everyday I pray they will remember to love each other unconditionally.  That when the going gets tough they know they can rely on each other to get through.  That they lend strength to the other one and can be their biggest cheerleader.

 

One of the reasons I did not want Mr. P to be an only child was because of the relationship I have with my brothers.  We care deeply for each other and can rely on and trust each other.  I know that down the road there will be times when we will need each others support and it will be there.  Oh, we had our moments of fighting and arguing growing up, but we always knew we loved each other, and were so proud of the other one when they accomplished something.  I pray that Mr. P and Miss A can have this same relationship with each other.

 

So far it sure appears to be going that way.  As parents I know it is our job to help foster this relationship between them.  I pray that mine and hubby's actions and words will guide our children to be the loving, supportive siblings I hope they can be.

 

 

Facebook Posts {April}

APRIL

14th) Lunches packed, clothes laid out, bottles pumped and packed, tears shed... Must be time to go back to work. Just 6 weeks and I can focus on my family again. We can do this!

19th) One week down, just 5 to go. It was a little rocky to start with but overall a success. I couldn't have done it without my amazing husband and wonderful mom! AND the house is still in pretty decent shape! Go us!

24th) Ainsley hates stop lights, and any speed under 60 miles per hour. So naturally we hit every red light on the way home. It was a noisy ride.

25th) Looking for a place to worship on Sunday? AJ and the youth will be presenting an experiential worship service at 8:30 and 10:00 at Inverness First United Methodist Church. You won't want to miss this. Let me know if I can save a seat for you. — with AJ Glenn.

27th) Brilliant move tonight. I have cut most of my dairy out of my diet because Ainsley has a sensitivity to it. So what do I go and make for dessert tonight? Strawberry Cheesecake. Only realized as I was finishing the recipe that I would not be able to have any!

Facebook Posts {March}

Apparently I did not post any status updates in February.  LOL!!

MARCH

6th)  Looks like I'll be meeting my little girl today.

21st)  Two weeks post partum and I celebrated my birthday wearing my pre pregnancy jeans. Happy birthday to me!

Facebook Posts {January}

I am going to be doing a monthly post containing all the Facebook posts from that month.  I have seen this done on other blogs and I really like this idea.  Since I am writing this blog to track our family events and milestones with the intent of making a blog book each year, this will be a great way to capture all those small moments we tend to forget about.

JANUARY

1st) Well, I have gone and done something I have been talking about for almost a year. I started a blog! It's not much yet, but I hope it will be a way for me to record all the milestones and events/activities in our life along with my crafting and projects. If you want to follow along here is the address. www.munchkamootimestwo.blogspot.com

26th) Crib is up!! Just 5 weeks to go. Give or take. :D

28th) Price ask if Dawn Glenn's breastfeeding pump was a bath trumpet... Almost wet myself.

31st) We took Price to my Dr appointment today to hear Ainsley's heart beat. As soon as he heard it, his face lit right up and he said "That's Ainsley's heart beat!" It was so sweet. He was also playing her songs on his guitar and singing to her today. He is going to be such an awesome big brother!!!

{Preschool Friendly} Christ Centered Easter Activities

We have always talked with Mr. P about the reason behind our Christian holidays even before we knew he would really understand.  We feel that if he continues to hear it he will continue to grow in his understanding.  While egg hunts and bunnies are fun and candy is yummy, I want the first thing he thinks about when someone mentions Easter is Jesus.  Here are some preschooler friendly ways I did that this year.

 

We started the Lenten Season reading this book:

 

We have read it MANY times, mostly by Mr. P's choice, so I know it is a good book.(Wink, wink)  This year I notice he was able to retell parts of the story and make connections between what we are doing during the Lenten Season and what was in the book.  YEAH!! 

 

RESURRECTION ROLLS:

 

This one I have seen pinned all over and posted about in several blogs.  It's simple, cheap, and quick, but provides for an excellent object lesson on Jesus' Resurrection.  Mr. P even referenced back to the book we have been reading about Easter and was able to answer several of my questions.

 

Want To Make Your Own??

 

SUPPLIES:

Marshmallows

Crescent Rolls

Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture

Melted Butter (about 1/2 a stick)

The marshmallow represents Jesus' body.  Dip the marshmallow in the butter (oils) and talk about how they prepared Jesus' body with oils.

Next dip the marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar (spices).  Talk about how they covered Jesus' body in spices to prepare it for burial.

Place the marshmallow on the crescent roll and wrap it up.  Talk about how Jesus' body was wrapped in cloth to prepare for burial. Make sure you wrap them up really good with no openings.

 

 

 

Finally, put the rolls in the oven and cook as directed on the

package.  This represents placing Jesus' body in the tomb.  You can talk about how long Jesus' body was in the tomb and who discovered his body was no longer there etc. while they are cooking (takes about 10-12 minutes).

 

When they come out of the oven (tomb), the marshmallow has melted and "Jesus has risen!"  Of course my 3 year old asked me about half way through the cooking time if it was time to eat Jesus yet.  LOL!  However, we have done this activity for 2 years now and I think it started to click with him this year.

 

After we made the Resurrection Rolls we worked together to make this wreath which tells the whole story from Palm Sunday to Pentecost.  I took it as a chance to talk some more about the reason we celebrate Jesus and to share a few brief pieces of scripture with Mr. P.  (Don't you just love the coloring job?  He told me "I only like to scribble mommy!"  HA!  and I could not talk him into using any more colors.) 

I got the templates for this project over at Wee Little Miracles.

 

 

I hope you and your family had a blessed Easter.  I know I am abundantly blessed!!!

 

Mr. P's Easter Bath

I got this idea from over here at Growing a Jeweled Rose.  I will warn you though, this activity was almost a big bust with Mr. P.  He was sooooo excited that I was making him a special bath time activity.  I actually had to lock the bathroom door because he kept opening it and saying "Is my special bath ready yet mommy?"  When I finally let him in he came running and then stopped short. "What is that mommy?"  I explained the different things to him and tried to put him in the tub and he was not having any.  I explained again, and let him touch the grass with his hands and told him he couldn't do the egg hunt if he didn't get in the tub.  He finally got in and in the end he cried when my hubby told him he had to get out. 

 

Want to make your own special Easter Bath??  Here is what you need:

~ Easter Grass - I used 4 bags, I really would use a few more.  It was not quite enough to fill the tub and cover the eggs. 

~ Plastic Easter Eggs - I used mostly the mini ones and they worked well for hiding in the grass.

~ A bucket for collecting the eggs

~ Food coloring

~ 4 containers

~ Shaving cream

~ Foam paint brushes

I filled the bathtub and added blue food coloring to the water. (This did not stain the tub nor Mr. P.)

I threw the grass in and then the eggs.  I tried to get some of the eggs really hidden in the grass. (This is where a few extra bags of grass would have helped.)

To make the bath paint I put shaving cream into four containers and then mixed in some food coloring.  Easy Peasy and Done!!

Checking out the bath.  He was a little unsure of what mommy had done to the tub.

 

 

 

 

Your turn!  What kind of Easter Bath will you create for your Little??

Growing a Jeweled Rose has a TON of awesome bath time ideas.  So many in fact that she has actually started a website dedicated to just bath time fun.  It's called Bath Activities for Kids.  Here is her most recent bath post.

Doesn't it look like a BLAST in the tub!