Happy New Year!
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“Count Your Blessings” Activity
Throughout the year, I have my children write out prayer requests and put them in a decorative box. I teach them that this symbolizes presenting our requests to God. On New Year’s Day, my family gathers around our kitchen table, and we take turns reading aloud the prayer requests from the prayer box. After reading each individual request, we discuss it and decide if God answered our prayer. If we feel our request was not answered yet, we place it back into the prayer box for the following year.
I love this activity because it teaches children that God may take years to answer a prayer or He may answer it differently than we ever expected. So many times we tend to pray for something and focus on that particular need or want without realizing all the prayers that have been answered. This is a wonderful activity that the entire family can participate in that demonstrates how God is working in your lives. You can literally count your blessings from answered and unanswered prayers.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ~Philippians 4:6 (New International Version)
I love this activity because it teaches children that God may take years to answer a prayer or He may answer it differently than we ever expected. So many times we tend to pray for something and focus on that particular need or want without realizing all the prayers that have been answered. This is a wonderful activity that the entire family can participate in that demonstrates how God is working in your lives. You can literally count your blessings from answered and unanswered prayers.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ~Philippians 4:6 (New International Version)
Christmas Morning French Toast Casserole
Many years ago a co-teacher shared this recipe with our school faculty and then almost every teacher was making this recipe for Christmas morning. My family has continued this tradition for 15 years. We make it on Christmas Eve, place it in the fridge, and then pop it in the oven before opening presents on Christmas morning. It makes the house smell wonderful, and I get to spend the morning with my family and not in the kitchen. After the kids finish unwrapping their gifts, we all eat a nice warm breakfast together. It is absolutely delicious!
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| 1 loaf fresh bread (1 lb.) cut into cubes |
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| Layer half the bread cubes and half of the cream cheese. |
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| In a bowl, beat eggs, add milk, and maple syrup.Pour atop the bread and cream cheese. |
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| Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. |
French Toast Casserole
1 loaf fresh bread (1 lb.) cut into cubes
1 bar cream cheese (cut into small cubes- kinda hard to do so I just pinch small pieces)
1 dozen eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. pure maple syrup (and more for serving)
Grease a 9 x 12 Pyrex. Layer half the bread cubes and half of the cream cheese. Repeat layers with remaining bread and cream cheese cubes. In a bowl, beat eggs, add milk, and maple syrup. Mix. Pour atop the bread and cream cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm with additional maple syrup.
Enjoy!
I also take this to morning socials. It is always a hit!
The VERY addicting white trash recipe
This is my family's favorite Christmas recipe. It is also a great gift for friends, teachers, family, & neighbors. But use this recipe with caution. It is VERY addicting! You just can't eat one bite! Once you give some white trash away, that person will request it every Christmas. I promise. This year we made over 25 batches because of its growing popularity.
What I love about this recipe besides its perfect sweet and salty combo is it's so quick and easy that my kids can help!
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| A friend even joined in on the fun this year. |
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| The sweet and salty ingredients- yum! |
Classic White Trash Candy Recipe
1 c. M&Ms
1 1/2 c. corn chex cereal
2 c. pretzel sticks
1 c. cocktail peanuts
14 oz. vanilla almond bark
Mix the first four ingredients together in a large bowl. Melt the vanilla almond bark in the microwave, and pour it over the mixed ingredients. Mix well without breaking the cereal and pretzels and spread it thin on wax paper. Let it cool off and harden then break into chunks and place in cute containers.
TIP: You can use different colored M&Ms to make this treat extra festive, such as: pink and red M&Ms for Valentine's Day, red and green M&Ms for Christmas, and pastel-colored M&Ms for Easter.
Enjoy!
UPDATE: Check out this new variation my kids made- SPRING TRASH CANDY
My Favorite Christmas Sites
My kids love visiting www.santaclaus.net daily to see if they have been naughty or nice.
I have used www.freelettersfromsantaclaus.com in the past for free Santa letters for my kids.
I have saved the best for last-
Jodi at Fun in First introduced me to this AWESOME site that creates videos for your kids. YOU HAVE TO CHECK THIS OUT! It even personalizes your videos with your child's name, what they are improving on, where they live, if he/she is on the naughty or nice list, and what gift they are requesting from Santa. A VERY real-life looking Santa is the one who speaks directly to your child in a video.
I made videos for two of my older boys and even my semi-skeptical child believed that it was the real deal. I even made a video for my toddler who is trying to stop sucking his thumb and I keep reminding him what Santa told him. It really is working! I will have to remember to use this site in a few months for potty training soon, too. And I made one for my husband who was a little naughty because he likes to text when I am talking to him. lol. You will not be disappointed by the quality of these free videos.
Share your favorite Christmas sites below. ☺
Enjoy!
North Pole Floats- what a hit!
We recently made North Pole Floats (a great idea from Chalk Talk's Polar Express unit).
My kids really enjoyed sipping these while completing their Polar Express activities. All you need for this sweet treat is 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream and 1/2 cup ginger ale. My kids lightly sprinkled red and green sugar crystals on top and then added a candy cane. The candy cane will dissolve in the shake rather quickly giving it some extra flavoring. One of my sons used a peppermint candy cane but my other son wanted the cherry flavored candy cane. These floats were a big hit!
Enjoy!
My favorite Christmas crafts
I ♥ making crafts with my kids. Here are some of my children's favorite Christmas crafts that I can't wait to share with you!
Eyes of God Ornaments
Explain to your child that this ornament made of Popsicle sticks and yarn is a symbol used by Mexicans long ago, called Ojo de Dios, which means "eye of God." The design reminds us that God, the Creator, is the center of our lives.
CLICK HERE to learn step-by-step directions.
You can even glue the verse "The eyes of God are everywhere." Proverbs 15:3 on the bottom.
My older son loved making these so much that he made these for gifts for everyone in our extended family, as well as our neighbors.
Reindeer Clothespin Magnets
Glue two baby flat slotted clothespins together for the legs and one upside down for the head. Let dry. Color the feet with a black marker. Glue on wiggle eyes and a small red pompom for the nose. Last, glue on a magnetic strip on the back.
Candy Cane Mouse
This is an adorable project using felt and candy canes. CLICK HERE for step-by-step directions. Here is an adorable craft set I purchased from Oriental Trading.
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Reindeer with Hands
Cut a large triangle from construction paper for the head. Trace your child's hands, and cut and glue for antlers. Glue on other pieces of construction paper for additional features. This is such a simple and cute project.
Handprint Wreath
Dip your child's hand in green paint and press hand on Burlap. Use your child's thumbprints for red berries. Fold over the top about one inch and glue or sew the bottom. Insert a wooden dowel, and tie ribbon to the ends of the dowel to hang the wreath. These make wonderful Christmas gifts for the family.
Kids always like creating with Tri-Beads which can usually be purchased at craft stores. To create a candy cane, alternate the colors on a pipe cleaner. Twist the two ends of the pipe cleaner when finished so the beads do not slip off. Very simple and fun!
Paint the bottom of your child's thumb red. Press his thumb down on folded green construction paper in a candy cane shape like the photo above. Leave gaps in between and then fill in the gaps with white thumbprints. Add a bow when the paint is dry. These make super sweet cards.♥
Candy Cane Tri-Beads
Kids always like creating with Tri-Beads which can usually be purchased at craft stores. To create a candy cane, alternate the colors on a pipe cleaner. Twist the two ends of the pipe cleaner when finished so the beads do not slip off. Very simple and fun!
Candy Cane Fingerprint Card
Spice Ornaments
This craft will make your home or classroom smell splendid!
3/4 c. ground cinnamon
1 tbs. ground allspice
1 tbs. ground nutmeg
2 tbs. ground cloves
1 c. applesauce
Combine first four ingredients, blending well. Stir in applesauce and mix well. Roll out to at least 1/4 inch thickness on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using cookie cutters, cut dough into the desired shapes. Peel away the excess dough and reroll as necessary. Insert paper clip into top for hooks. Let air dry for at least a week, flipping every few days. Decorate with glitter and ribbons. Store in zip-lock baggies each year until you decorate your tree.
Crafts with Perler Beads
My kids are completely obsessed with Perler beads. They make magnets, ornaments, and gifts out of them. I have purchased lots of beads and templates from Amazon
craft stores, and Oriental Trading.
craft stores, and Oriental Trading.
Reindeer Handprint Ornaments
This holiday craft is my newest fave because it is absolutely cute! So cute that these photos do not do them justice. I even stared at them for a whole day before we hung them up on the tree because I felt like I was able to freeze this treasured time with my children. Do you see all the different sizes above? How precious!
Okay, now for the directions. Paint your child's hand with brown paint and then press it firmly onto thick and sturdy paper. I used file folders but you can also use cardstock. After drying, I highly recommend laminating these. You will want to save these forever so spend the extra dollar or two to laminate it. Next, glue on wiggly eyes and a small red puffy ball for the nose. I used different size eyes and noses for my children's hands since all their hands varied in sizes from 2 years old to 11 years old.
(my Christmas elf name ☺)
Reindeer Cookies- so cute!
This is super simple and cute! Spread icing on the top of a cookie and gently press two mini-pretzels into the icing for the reindeer antlers. (Or you can just press the pretzels into the cookies as they are cooling if you prefer not to use icing.) Add chocolate chips for the eyes and a maraschino cherry sliced in half for the nose.
Variation: Use M&Ms and Nutter Butter cookies (instead of round cookies).
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| My two sweet bakers |
Enjoy!
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