Cuteness Overload (Baby Goats)

by Elizabeth Tromm - Used by permissionhttps://wingingthislife.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/cuteness-overload/

Last week I left for five days for Arizona. Leaving my children is always really hard, but this time I was also leaving my pregnant goat who could have her babies at any time. The day I left she lost her mucus plug, so the clock was ticking. We had everything that was needed for my mama and the babies and I told my mom to call me if Daisy went into labor.

Thankfully she didn’t and I got back home safe and sound Monday night to a goat that was still very much pregnant. My husband, Rob, left early the next morning and won’t be home until Saturday night, so I have known that delivering these goats would be up to my children and me. Today Daisy was super lethargic and kept going into the barn instead of free grazing outside of the fenced in area. We knew something was up and I would have a child check in on her periodically throughout the afternoon.

Around 4:00 Carter came running down to the house and said that Daisy was making a terrible noise and he was sure she was having a baby. Mia and Eva grabbed some towels and blankets and ran lickety-split up to the barn so sure that in fact the great moment had FINALLY arrived.



I heard a bunch of hollering, “It’s a baby! It’s a baby! Daisy has had her first baby," and, “Here comes another one!! Hurry, Mommy!”

I got to the barn and saw that the second one had been delivered but was still in the sack, unable to move or breath. I called my goat lady and she talked me through the whole process of taking care of this situation. So I busted the bag open, swiped the mucus membrane mess away from her nose and face and started rubbing her. She wasn’t crying, or breathing for that matter, so my goat lady instructed me to swing her upside down, then clear her airways, and massage her.

I did that and she still wasn’t moving, and that’s when Summer said, “Well, you will have to give her mouth-to-mouth.” Riiiightttttt….”How do I do that? I squeaked. “Just cover her mouth and nose with your mouth and breathe for her,” she calmly replied. I took a deep breath, wiped her face one more time, and then, then she bleated a fantastic little sound, lifted her head, and coughed up whatever was blocking her airways. Yes, no mouth-to-mouth on a goat this day!

As we were taking care of our two new baby goats I was talking to Daisy and helping her dry the babies off. They were just beginning to stand on very wobbly legs when Daisy started making terrible noises again, and Mia started yelling, “Something's coming out of her butt!!” And alas, she delivered TWO more babies! Yep, that would be four babies in 30 minutes, from one goat. So crazy.



We finally got everyone all cleaned up and nursing. Tonight when I went out to the barn to check on them, they were all snuggled in tight against their mama, recovering from the hard ordeal of being born. So now we have four new little balls of fur running around the farm. My children are so excited and can not wait to play with these babies.

I'm not sure they come any cuter than this!

20 Fun, Indoor Activities for Bored Kids

Used with Permission by Amanda Formaro http://www.familycorner.com/leisure-time/20-fun-indoor-activities-for-bored-kids.html

When it's raining, snowing, or just plain too cold to play outside, your household can fall victim to the "I'm Bored Blues."  With a little creativity and imagination, you can turn the tables and find fun things to do without running to the store or turning on the television. Keep this list of ideas handy, or write each idea on a slip of paper and put them in a hat. The next time the kids are bored, let them draw a slip of paper from a hat to decide which activity to do first!

1) Plate of Bubbles - All you need for this fun activity is a small plate, a plastic drinking straw, dish washing liquid and tap water. Place two drops (that's all you need!) of dish washing liquid in the center of a plate. Carefully run tap water onto plate, pointing water over the dish soap to create some foam or bubbles. Carefully place the plate on a flat, sturdy surface, such as the kitchen table, and have your child point his straw into the water. To create bubbles, blow gently and slowly into the sudsy water. Not too fast, it won't work! Slow and steady will create huge bubbles!

2) Animal Jumble - This works best with 3 or more children, but can certainly be adapted for 2 kids. Assign each child a "secret" animal part, the child choosing the animal. Have them draw their part on white or construction paper. The idea is that each child does not know what the others are drawing. For example, have Bobby draw the head (maybe he chose a dog), Cindy draws the legs (she chose an elephant), and so on. When they are all finished drawing, have them cut out their parts and tape the animal together. Have fun choosing a name for their animal. You may be the first to discover the "Dog-aphant-monk-iraffe!"

3) Cartoon Strip - Many parents will remember this from their own childhood! You will need a pad of paper and something to draw with. At the bottom of the pad, starting from the left, draw a stick figure, a box car, cartoon dog, anything you want to put into motion. On the next page, draw the figure again with a slightly different pose and a positioned a little bit to the right of the page before. Repeat this process on each page until you reach the right side of the pad. Now fan the pages with your thumb to watch your character move across the page!

4) Coffee Can Stilts - Turn 2 coffee cans upside down so that the plastic lids are on the bottom. Poke a hole on each both sides of each can using a screwdriver (parental supervision is recommended). Use rope, bailing twine, or several strands of yarn braided together for strength and thread through one hole. Thread the other end of the rope through the hole on the other side and tie off inside the can. Be sure that the rope is long enough so that when your child stands on the cans, the rope is high enough for them to hold in their hands comfortably without hunching over.

5) Cookie Cutter Glitters - Pull out the construction paper, glue, glitter, stickers and cookie cutters. Kids can trace around the cookie cutter shapes, spread glue over the shape and decorate with glitter and stickers. This can be a messy craft, so be prepared with a disposable table cloth and garbage can for scraps. Using a vacuum with a hose attachment is a much easier method of cleaning up glitter than a broom.

6) Feely Box - Use any box that closes or has a lid, a shoebox is ideal. Cut a hole in the side of the box large enough for a child's hand to fit inside. Place an object inside the box and see if they can guess what it is. If they can't guess right away, let them ask questions or provide them with clues until they figure it out.

7) Hide the Object - Using any ordinary object (stuffed animal, vitamin bottle, drinking cup, etc), play this fun hide and seek game with your children. Simply have your child hide their eyes, then place the object somewhere in plain view (on the fireplace mantel, on top of the TV, near the front door, etc) and then have them look for it. Another idea is to use objects relating to a particular theme each day. For example, if your Kindergartner is focusing on the letter "A" that week, use objects that begin with "A" (apple, alligator [stuffed of course!], etc) You can adjust this game for older kids by hiding the object a little deeper. You might place the vitamin bottle halfway behind the picture of Grandma, or maybe tucked halfway down the side of the couch.

8) Writing Box - If your house has kids, you need one of these. You can find shoe box sized plastic containers with lids from your local dollar store. Stock the box with crayons, markers, colored pencils, small plain paper pads, stickers, stencils, a pencil sharpener and an eraser. This box should be kept stocked so that when needed, everything will be at your fingertips. Explain to children that this is a "special" writing box and that everything that comes out, must go back in for the next time they want to get creative.

9) Picnic Indoors - Pack a basket with paper plates, utensils and cups. Make sandwiches, pack fresh fruit, pretzels, a thermos of juice, and yogurt for dessert. Spread a blanket on the living room floor and serve a picnic lunch indoors! Add to the fun by dressing in summer clothes or beach attire. Be sure to wear your sunglasses and your sunscreen!

10) Paper Bag Puppets - The easiest form of this requires only a paper lunch bag and crayons or markers. Simply draw on a face and you have a puppet! To make the characters more elaborate, decorate with yarn for hair, buttons for eyes, and glitter for cheeks. Ribbon can be added to the hair or made into a bow tie for the "neck." Draw on eyelashes and lips with colorful markers.

11) Collages - Save old magazines and catalogs and store them in a cabinet just for this purpose. Have the kids cut out pictures and paste them onto a piece of cardboard or construction paper. You can let them cut out whatever they want, or assign each child a letter of the alphabet or a theme to go by for a more challenging project. Keep a trash can close by for the scraps and be sure to keep a stock of glue sticks on hand!

12) Coloring Pasta - Place a handful of dry, uncooked pasta, such as ziti, rotini or farfelle, into a plastic zipper baggie. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar and 2-3 drops of food coloring. Close the baggie and have the kids shake the bag until the pasta is completely colored. Spread out onto a paper plate or paper towel and allow to dry. Use several baggies to create different colors. Once the pasta is dry, kids can use yarn to string together pieces to make necklaces and bracelets, or glue them to paper plates or construction paper to create a work of art.

13) Shadowboxes - Paint the inside of a shoe box with black or dark blue poster or acrylic paint. If you don't have any paint handy, you can glue black construction paper inside the box. Using white crayons or stickers, create a nighttime scene with stars and the moon on the black background. You can use small plastic toys to create a scene inside your shadowbox, or make your own with construction paper and glue. Cut out small pictures from coloring books and color and adhere to your scene. Hang a spaceship or shooting star with a piece of string and glue.

14) Indoor Hopscotch - If you have a cement basement floor, use chalk to draw out a hopscotch board. When you are finished playing, the chalk will wash off with a mop and warm water.

15) Family Memory Game - Play a family memory game with your kids by asking questions like "What is Grandpa's first name?" and "Who is married to Aunt Tammy?" Look through old photo albums and see if kids can guess who is who in each picture.

16) Hot Beanie - This variation of the old favorite "Hot Potato" uses a beanie type toy. Have everyone sit in a circle and toss the beanie from one person to another, never knowing where it's going to end up.

17) Name That Tune - Hum tunes from popular songs and see who can guess it first. Whoever guesses correctly becomes the next "hummer."

18) Create a Story - You can do this out loud or have kids write their entries on paper. Someone starts the story with "Once upon a time there lived a...", that person chooses the character and setting (princess in a far away land). The next child tells the next part of the story, and so on around the room, the story changing with each new addition.

19) Never Ending Adjectives - Ask your child to point out an object, then takes turns coming up with adjectives for that object. For example, you may say "a ball," your child would say "a big ball." The game might continue with "a big round ball,"  "a big round bouncing ball,"  "a big round bouncing white ball," and end with "a big round bouncing white beach ball."

20) Sardines (Reverse Hide-n-Seek) - One child is the hider, everyone else is a seeker. The hider hides while the seekers seek. However, when a seeker finds the hider, instead of pointing him out, he joins him in the hiding place. Soon, the children will all be stuffed in one place, like a box of sardines! The first child to find the hider gets to hide next.

Gone Camping: Long Distance Grandparenting

Used with permission by Barbara Baranowski

 
"Nana, when's our next camp?" eight-year old Brennan asked, as we shared a good-bye hug.  I was warmed by his enthusiasm.

If you ever attended camp as a child, you may still hum a camp song or find a wall hanging bearing a glittery Bible verse among your treasures.  I hadn't exactly envisioned myself as camp director at sixty.  But my aching muscles recounted a week's worth of fun. I thought about the events that preceded the first summer and was reminded how God answered a grandmother's prayer.

We have five grandchildren, but two do not live nearby, so I had been praying that God would help my husband and me with the challenges of "long distance" grandparenting.  It wasn't long until my prayer was answered through the pages of Treasures of a Grandmother's Heart by Esther Burroughs (New Hope Publishers).  Her idea of providing a "camp-like" Bible study experience captivated me.  Would my husband and I have the stamina to host these energetic campers ages 4-8?  Thoughts of sharing our love for God in a memorable setting swelled our hearts and danced through our longing spirits.

I formulated a daily schedule of activities then roamed through stores searching for books, stickers, coloring pages, prizes and crafts for our summer's theme.  I ordered blank-paged books for each child to decorate, illustrating the theme, Bible verse and day's activities.  I smiled, imagining their intent expressions as they busily decorated their keepsake books (and selves) with glitter glue, paint and markers.  Mornings included story and song time, crafts, and games.  Afternoons were reserved for free play or a fun activity. Each camper was honored at dinner with his/her favorite meal, and discussion of favorite color, sports, and friends. When it was nearly time for the camp experience, I mailed invitations, asking the Lord to water the seeds of truth that were being sewn in the soil of tender hearts.

Now recalling many summers of blessings, I am humbled at the way God has allowed us to be part in His life-changing work. We have relived the memories of Nana Camp as we open their precious keepsake books.

So this year again as we enjoyed our last moments together, I replied, "Remember, Nana Camp can be any day - just revisit the pictures in your special book." With a full heart, I thanked God for His special design for grandparents, and soon I was lost again in plans for next year's camp.

If you would like to start your own camp experience, here are some suggestions:
1.  Pray.  Ask God to prepare the heart of each grandchild to receive His truth.
2.  Plan.  Pick a theme and choose activities that support it.
3.  Personalize.  Create a camp experience that will work within your circumstances. Use other members of your family to add their personalities to the lessons.  For example, my father loves to read the children Bible stories.
 4.  Organize.  Plan ahead, but be flexible and willing to alter plans to meet the needs of the children. Look for teachable moments in every conversation.

Communicating spiritual truths to grandchildren is a rewarding experience.  Deuteronomy 4:9 says, "Teach them to your children and to their children after them." (NIV). Why not put up your sign that says, "Gone camping" and prepare for a wonderful adventure.

Barbara Baranowski is a published writer and inspirational speaker devoted to family, educational, and spiritual issues.  She lives with her husband John in Roanoke, Virginia, and is a retired middle school teacher.
 

Fun and Frugal Scavenger Hunts

www.stretcher.com - Used by permission from the Editor, Gary Foreman

Great ideas for youth groups, adult Sunday school classes, friends, and families.

Updated Scavenger Hunt Ideas
We did this as kids in the neighborhood too, asking for old calendars of a certain year, or a penny of a certain date. We all had the same list to work from.

But now the teens are using technology. They get a camcorder for each group and have a list of things to do at various locations. They put the list of each group in a different order so the groups don't all go to the same place at once. Then they film it for proof.

Like go to a certain gas station and help someone get gas and wash his or her windows. Go to another business and sing a song, etc. Not only is it different by going to all these various locations, but then they each watch the other's film to verify what was done and have some refreshments and laughs. You can change this any way you like to fit your group and/or location. ~ Thomas

A Hunt for Information
A couple of years ago, I organized a fun car rally/scavenger hunt for the staff at work. I concentrated on the hunters gathering information rather than things, so as not to disrupt the activities in stores and other businesses. Scavengers were asked to get dates from a building cornerstone and a gravestone, an inscription from a building lintel and a gravestone, to count the number of seats in a restaurant and the number of overhead light standards on a bridge, to identify historic community landmarks, etc.

The route was carefully mapped out to take participants around the community, with rather cryptic directions such as "turn right where Eveline meets royalty" ("royalty" was Queen Street). Setting up such an event can be just as much fun as participating in it! ~ Barbara

Bringing Back the Proof
Our church youth group did a photo scavenger hunt once. You make a list of different settings - for example, get a photo of your group doing a human pyramid, a photo of your group in front of a house with the numbers 123, a picture of a member of your group getting frisked by a police officer, etc. You set a time limit - say 2 hours - and each group get in a car and takes off. Some pictures are worth more points than others, depending on difficulty of acquiring the picture. After the time is up, you add up the points. The activity is great fun and the photos afterwards are great souvenirs. ~ Tasha

Community Service Scavenger Hunt
Here's a twist on the old scavenger hunt. For a neighborhood block party we had a Service Scavenger Hunt. We gave groups of people a list of nice things to do for someone: sweep a kitchen floor, read a story to a child, unload a dishwasher, sweep a front sidewalk, take out the garbage, etc.

The first group to meet back at Base with all the items done got a prize. We had a ball, and it was a good way to meet some of the shyer ones who weren't planning to come to the party at all. ~ Joey

175 Things to Do Together as a Family

 A Valuable Resource for This Summer and All Year 'Round!

This is not "homework, ladies, but very soon as summer vacation begins for your children, many of you will hear these dreaded words echoing through your home, "Mom!  I'm bored!  There isn't anything to do!"   If you're like most families, you sometimes run out of creative activities to do together as a family, so here are a few ideas. I enjoyed making this list, thinking back to the many fun times we had together as a couple and with our three children. We haven't done every single one of these activities through the years, but almost. Your family may already have a head start on this list!

Many of these activities are appropriate for couples before children, with children of all ages including teens, and even after you have an empty nest.  Babysitters, take note of some activities you might be able to use with the children under your care, with their parents' permission, of course.  Although quite a few are good ideas for singles while dating, married couples will be able to draw from this list for ideas of date nights as well.  Many ideas are for families with small children, but would also be fantastic activities for grandparents to use with their grandchildren during a Grandparents' Day!  It might be fun for your family to go down the list together and check the activities you have already done, and then to find some new ones to do together. Now when your children say, "Mom, I'm bored!  What can I do?" ~ you will have this valuable resource!

175 THINGS TO DO TOGETHER AS A FAMILY

by Lois Breneman, Copyright 2003

Close your eyes and try to remember the most fun your family has ever had. Now tell me, was your family busy doing something together or were you all gathered around the television set? With the ever increasing demands of school, career and church, Christian families need to relearn how to be together and have fun. When your children are grown, they will remember the special times of family togetherness. Great memories have to be created. A little effort and imagination will fill your family's free time and enrich the lives of those you love most. Here are some simple, inexpensive (or free!) activities that can be enjoyed by almost everyone. Turn off the tube and tune in to family fun.

1. Take a bicycle trip.
2. Make homemade ice cream or visit an ice cream parlor.
3. Bake a double batch of cookies and deliver one to a needy family.
4. Visit an airport and watch the planes take off and land, or go to a lake and watch the boats, while you have a picnic.
5. Go on a breakfast picnic.
6. Go to a park and hike or climb trees.
7. Make popcorn, maybe even caramel corn.
8. Enjoy the snow together by building a snowman, snow bears, a huge turtle or other animals, making a snow fort or throwing snowballs. How about making snow ice cream?
9. Go swimming or water skiing.
10. Plan a scavenger hunt for outside. Or plan one for in the house using every letter of the alphabet.
11. Bake plain sugar cookies and let each member of the family take part in decorating them.
12. Make playdough and sculpt objects or people (even from Bible stories).
13. Read a good book aloud. (C.S. Lewis' "Tales of Narnia" appeals to children and adults alike.
14. Look through photo albums or view family slides, movies, or videos.
15. Play miniature golf or croquet.
16. Make a tape recording of the most recent news and send it to a close friend or relative whom you seldom see.
17. Make a "birthday flag" for the next upcoming birthday.
18. Go fishing.
19. Play a board game that all can enjoy---Monopoly, Sorry, Scrabble.
20. Work on a jigsaw puzzle.
21. Go roller skating or ice skating.
22. Make family silhouettes. Use a slide projector or a bright lamp to project the head profile on a blank wall. Hold paper against the wall and trace the silhouette. Cut out and glue it on a contrasting sheet of paper or poster board.
23. Have a candy treasure hunt.
24. Work on a crossword puzzle.
25. Play "Start a Story." One person starts the story and talks for three minutes (use timer). The next person must continue the story, and so on. After going around the family circle two or three times, the youngest child gets to end the tale.
26. Provide old magazines, scissors and glue. Pick a theme for your collage (families, God's creations, things to be thankful for, etc.).  Everyone cuts out pictures and glues them onto a large piece of paper or poster board.
27. Go to the flea market or bright and early one Saturday morning visit 10 garage sales and see who can come home with the best bargain for a dollar.
28. Sing favorite choruses, hymns or nursery rhymes around the piano or guitar. You could even use a tape or CD to follow along.
29. Make plaster of Paris hand prints. Put name, year and age on the back.
30. Make a family banner. The banner should be made of felt or the flag fabric found in fabric stores. Decorate with pictures that illustrate interests of family members.
31. Go to the zoo.
32. Go bowling.
33. Make your own homemade pizza. Add mushrooms, peppers, onions, black olives and crushed pineapple to the pizza sauce and cheese.
34. Invite another family over for a game of charades or "Guesstures."
35. Listen to recordings of your favorite music.
36. One sunny Saturday morning, get out the gardening tools and find someone (a shut-in, perhaps) who could use some free yard work. Everyone can pitch in and help.
37. Make a collage using seeds, rice, cereal, old buttons and sewing scraps.
38. Catch fireflies together, put them in a jar and watch them light up. Let them go.
39. Do needlework: cross-stitch, crewel, candle wicking, rug-hooking, smocking.
40. String popcorn and place on a tree for the birds.
41. Write the words and music to a chorus together.
42. Make puppets out of lunch bags, old socks, felt, wooden clothespins. Put on a puppet show.
43. Have a bonfire outdoors or in your fireplace and roast hot dogs and marshmallows.
44. Go to your nearest hospital and look at the babies in the maternity nursery. (Visiting hours only).
45. Visit a shut-in or an elderly friend or relative in a nursing home.
46. Pick wildflowers and press some of them to save.
47. Read a Psalm together. Then write a psalm of praise for your own family.
48. Play "I think you're nice because..." Someone thinks of a quality he likes in the person who's "it." Other family members try to guess by asking, "Does it begin with an "A?" and so forth.
49. Listen to a tape of a Bible story. You can tape good stories from Christian radio stations. 50..Share prayer requests that affect and concern the whole family, then pray about them.
50. Make a mobile. Gather special treasures (shells, nature objects, hollow, decorated eggs, valentines). Tie thread or yarn of varying lengths to the end of each and attach to a hanger.
51. Ask your children about their greatest fear, and talk about them.
52. Encourage little ones to color a picture to send to grandparents.
53. Make a list together of all the things in your house that use electricity. You might do this when you lose power sometime.
54. Build a village using blocks, Lincoln logs or Legos. Get out the matchbox cars!
55. Enjoy a shopping trip for something little, but fun---a jar of bubbles, stickers, paper dolls, a matchbox car.
56. Play "20 Questions." One person chooses a Bible character or object to be guessed. The other members of the family take turns guessing what the secret object or person might be. No more than 20 questions can be asked and each one must be able to be answered with a simple yes or no. Whoever guesses first becomes "It" for the next round. Good for car trips too.
57. Visit a farm. Milk a cow, help to feed the animals. Take pictures.
58. Play badminton, volleyball, tennis, Frisbee, yard darts or ping pong.
59. Take the kids on a tour of where Dad works.
60. Play hide-and-seek (inside or outside).
61. Play "Bible Verse Scramble." One person chooses a favorite Bible verse and writes each word on a separate piece of paper. Scramble the order of the words and challenge each member of the family to see who can put it together the fastest. It could be one the family has memorized together.
62. Go camping in the backyard. Cook breakfast on the grill.
63. Draw a family tree on paper and complete it as a family. Add old photographs if available.
64. Go jogging or take a walk together.
65. Give each person a large piece of paper and take turns tracing the outlines of their bodies on it. Color in the outlines to look like you.
66. Using white shelf paper or the inside of brown grocery bags, design your own wrapping paper with crayons, magic markers or paints--even potato prints.
67. Go to the library. Check out books, records, tapes and art reproductions. Check out books showing how to make crafts with children.
68. Gather a variety of leaves and identify them.
69. Write a letter to a missionary family. Your children could write to a missionary's child his own age.
70. If you have a computer, create a family newspaper. Each child can write a story, Dad and Mom can write a column, and an older child or parent can edit and type. Send copies to the grandparents.
71. Make candy or caramel apples.
72. Fly a kite!
73. Jump rope.
74. Take pictures of all the houses in your neighborhood, then arrange the houses on a large poster board and identify the people living in the houses. Write their addresses and phone numbers at each house too.
75. Visit a friend.
76. Dig out a flower bed and give each family member his own "plot." Plant seeds, bedding plants, vegetables or bulbs and watch God's creations grow!
77. Read favorite poems aloud.
78. Put together a scrapbook describing a favorite vacation or any special event (pictures, writing, souvenirs).
79. Rake up a big pile of leaves to jump and play in. If it's warm outside, turn on the water sprinkler and run through it.
80. Write and act out a play centered on a specific holiday, a Bible story or a character quality. Mom, Dad or one child could be the production manager.
81. Pick apples and make apple sauce together.
82. Gather seashells. Mount and identify.
83. Make snowflakes out of lightweight white paper and hang from the ceiling with thread.
84. Create a traveling friendship basket. Fill an inexpensive basket with baked goodies, crafts, coupons, and so forth. Pass it on to a friend. Leave a note in the basket, directing it to be passed on (within the week) to someone else who could use some cheer.
85. Go to a ball game or play one---football, kickball, softball, baseball, basketball, soccer.
86. Finger paint on glazed paper (shelf paper, freezer paper) with chocolate pudding.
87. Go sledding.
88. Go skiing.
89. Take a trip to an amusement park, a museum or a planetarium.
90. Use fabric crayons to design individual T-shirts.
91. Set a Bible verse to a familiar tune and learn both the verse and song as a family.
92. Write and record an interview with a Bible character.
93. Build a tree house or fort.
94. Go horseback riding.
95. Write and illustrate a short story about an imaginary animal.
96. Build a robot out of empty boxes of all shapes and sizes. oatmeal and salt boxes work well.
97. Work together on a model kit.
98. Work on a stamp collection together.
99. Play with sand toys and trucks in a sandbox.
100. Using construction paper, write out and illustrate favorite proverbs. Join the pages to make a book.
101. Collect rocks, mount and identify, using books from the library.
102. Catch butterflies with a butterfly net.
103. Collect insects and mount with straight pins on a foam board.
104. Identify the insects using books from the library.
105. Go bird watching. Learn to identify various birds. Learn to identify them just by hearing them also. Make a bird book together.
106. Build a birdhouse and read about how to attract birds to your yard.
107. Tell your children how you first met and some of the things you did together before you married.
108. Plan and cook a meal together, where you invite the grandparents or other family or friends.
109. Play leapfrog.
110. Play jacks.
111. Have a water balloon toss.
112. Learn about safety together.
113. Have a fire drill. Discuss what to do in case of a fire.
114. Read jokes to each other.
115. Have Grandma and Grandpa tell how they met and how life was for them as children. Have them tell about their favorite toys and how they compare with today's toys.
116. Make "smores" in the fireplace or outdoors.
117. Get a book out of the library about science experiments. Do them and try to think up an application to life.
118. Learn to juggle.
119. Learn to use a yoyo.
120. Carve an animal out of a bar of Ivory soap.
121. Do origami, using books from the library.
122. Make your own card to send to grandparents.
123. Make a simple pinwheel and make it blow in the wind.
124. Make thumbprint animals. Make cards, using thumbprints.
125. Sail toy boats in a stream.
126. Wear old tennis shoes and go wading in a stream.
127. Make an inside tent, using sheets or blankets over a card table.
128. Visit an orchard and see how apple cider is made.
129. Watch a parade together.
130. Feed ducks at a duck pond.
131. Visit an antique shop with grandparents, and listen to their stories of how it was when they were growing up. Have them explain how the various antiques were used.
132. See what you can buy at a dollar store, where everything is $1.
133. Visit a fire station.
134. Go to the city market together some Saturday morning.
135. Whistle with a blade of grass between your thumbs.
136. Make banana splits together.
137. Make homemade vegetable soup together.
138. Make a Birthday cake for Jesus.
139. Make hand shadows on the wall look like various animals. Make them talk to each other.
140. Catch frogs at a pond.
141. Clean the house together.
142. Make a playhouse out of several big boxes. Decorate.
143. Share miles of smiles by making and washing doll clothes with your girls.
144. Make a water slide, using garbage bags cut to lay out flat. Place on a bank or hill, run a slow stream of water down the hill with a hose, and slide!
145. Using a big box of odds and ends and some art supplies, see what each person can create.
146. Go on a photography walk. Take pictures of each person, against a backdrop of flowers or nice scenery.
147. Take a ride on a bus, train or subway.
148. Call your local newspaper. Ask for a tour of the layout area and printing press.
149. Go to the tallest building in your area and see what landmarks you can spot.
150. Have a taffy pull.
151. Buy herb plants at the market and grow an herb garden together. Learn how to use the herbs in cooking, potpourri and decorations.
152. Draw roads in your driveway with chalk, designating your house, a school, church, hospital, railroad tracks, train station, etc. Ride tricycles and Big Wheels all around the town.
153. Have your children draw beautiful colored pictures on your driveway with colored chalk. It will wash off with the next good rain.
154. Paint your house with big paint brushes and a bucket of water.
155. Buy dress-up clothes at yard sales or Goodwill and have fun.
156. Make yeast bread together - or sticky buns.
157. Line up the kitchen chairs, one behind the other, and form a "train," and go on a trip somewhere.
158. Play "Follow the Leader."
159. Make an airplane instrument panel out of a large box. Glue on lids of all sizes and colors for the control buttons.
160. Play "Simon Says."
161. Play hop scotch.
162. Cover empty salt boxes with colored contact paper and use for building.
163. Make a walkie talkie, using two empty juice cans with string between them (15-20').
164. Make a long list of opposites and make a game out of it.
165. Make a long list of homonyms and make a game out of it.
166. Make a long list of synonyms and make a game out of it.
167. Watch bean seeds sprout in a jar with two wet paper towels and a little water.
168. Grow an indoor garden of carrot, onion, sweet potato sprouts, by cutting off part of the vegetables with sprouts, and putting them in a dish of shallow water.
169. Make an ant farm together.
170. Have a blindfolded sniffing game, using various items in custard cups or on small plates. Use such things as an onion, cinnamon, vanilla, soap, rubbing alcohol, bleach, chocolate, an orange, banana, cheese, toothpaste, garlic, etc.
171. Make drums out of oatmeal boxes, kazoos out of combs and waxed paper and cymbals out of lids. Then put them into action!
172. Make rock creatures by finding small smooth rocks, then gluing and painting them to look like animals.
173. Make a train out of shoe boxes. Paint and decorate.
174. Play grocery store, using cans and boxes from the kitchen.
175. Last but not least, go to Sunday school and church together each Sunday.

Building Happy Memories and Family Traditions / Fun Indoor Activities

        As your family and friends get together over Thanksgiving and Christmas, having several fun and creative activities planned for the children will add lots of memorable fun, for not only the children but for the entire family.  You might want to volunteer to be the "social planner" or enlist an adult to be in charge and have an older child help. 

        One idea would be to enlist a father or uncle to be in charge of a few activities before the meal while the ladies get the food ready.  If it's too cold to be outdoors, the "social planner" could gather the children together, out of the path of the food preparation, and pass out crayons and the printable Thanksgiving page below.  Find other activities with little preparation in the article below. 
        Less complicated activities to do before dinner would be numbers 6, 7, 14, 16, 17, 18, and 19.  Most of the fun activities below do require a little preparation, but a little planning will go a long way in providing a lot of fun for everyone!  Be sure to have the camera handy as exciting creative memories of togetherness are captured for years to come!  Of course, these fun ideas will also be helpful as indoor activities to do in your home anytime!      

 

A Thanksgiving Coloring Page for your Children and Grandchildren

http://www.janbrett.com/hedgie_as_a_pilgrim.htm 

 

A Garland of Gratitude

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11144 

20 FUN, INDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR BORED KIDS

by Amanda Formaro - Used by permission

When it's raining, snowing, or just plain too cold to play outside, your household can fall victim to the "I'm Bored Blues."  With a little creativity and imagination, you can turn the tables and find fun things to do without running to the store or turning on the television. Keep this list of ideas handy, or write each idea on a slip of paper and put them in a hat. The next time the kids are bored, let them draw a slip of paper from a hat to decide which activity to do first!

1) Plate of Bubbles - All you need for this fun activity is a small plate, a plastic drinking straw, dish washing liquid and tap water. Place two drops (that's all you need!) of dish washing liquid in the center of a plate. Carefully run tap water onto plate, pointing water over the dish soap to create some foam or bubbles. Carefully place the plate on a flat, sturdy surface, such as the kitchen table, and have your child point his straw into the water. To create bubbles, blow gently and slowly into the sudsy water. Not too fast, it won't work! Slow and steady will create huge bubbles!

2) Animal Jumble - This works best with 3 or more children, but can certainly be adapted for 2 kids. Assign each child a 'secret" animal part, the child choosing the animal. Have them draw their part on white or construction paper. The idea is that each child does not know what the others are drawing. For example, have Bobby draw the head (maybe he chose a dog), Cindy draws the legs (she chose an elephant), and so on. When they are all finished drawing, have them cut out their parts and tape the animal together. Have fun choosing a name for their animal. You may be the first to discover the "Dog-aphant-monk-iraffe"!

3) Cartoon Strip - Many parents will remember this from their own childhood! You will need a pad of paper and something to draw with. At the bottom of the pad, starting from the left, draw a stick figure, a box car, cartoon dog, anything you want to put into motion. On the next page, draw the figure again with a slightly different pose and a positioned a little bit to the right of the page before. Repeat this process on each page until you reach the right side of the pad. Now fan the pages with your thumb to watch your character move across the page!

4) Coffee Can Stilts - Turn 2 coffee cans upside down so that the plastic lids are on the bottom. Poke a hole on both sides of each can using a screwdriver (parental supervision is recommended). Use rope, bailing twine, or several strands of yarn braided together for strength, and thread through one hole. Thread the other end of the rope through the hole on the other side and tie off inside the can. Be sure that the rope is long enough so that when your child stands on the cans, the rope is high enough for them to hold in their hands comfortably without hunching over.

5) Cookie Cutter Glitters - Pull out the construction paper, glue, glitter, stickers and cookie cutters. Kids can trace around the cookie cutter shapes, spread glue over the shape and decorate with glitter and stickers. This can be a messy craft, so be prepared with a disposable table cloth and garbage can for scraps. Using a vacuum with a hose attachment is a much easier method of cleaning up glitter than a broom.

6) Feely Box - Use any box that closes or has a lid.  A shoebox is ideal.  Cut a hole in the side of the box large enough for a child's hand to fit inside.  Place an object inside the box and see if they can guess what it is.  If they can't guess right away, let them ask questions or provide them with clues until they figure it out.

7) Hide the Object - Using any ordinary object (stuffed animal, vitamin bottle, drinking cup, etc), play this fun hide and seek game with your children. Simply have your child hide their eyes, then place the object somewhere in plain view (on the fireplace mantel, on top of the TV, near the front door, etc) and then have them look for it. Another idea is to use objects relating to a particular theme each day. For example, if your Kindergartener is focusing on the letter "A" that week, use objects that begin with "A" (apple, alligator [stuffed of course!], etc) You can adjust this game for older kids by hiding the object a little deeper. You might place the vitamin bottle halfway behind the picture of Grandma, or maybe tucked halfway down the side of the couch.

8) Writing Box - If your house has kids, you need one of these. You can find shoe box sized plastic containers with lids from your local dollar store. Stock the box with crayons, markers, colored pencils, small plain paper pads, stickers, stencils, a pencil sharpener and an eraser. This box should be kept stocked so that when needed, everything will be at your fingertips. Explain to children that this is a "special" writing box and that everything that comes out, must go back in for the next time they want to get creative.

9) Picnic Indoors - Pack a basket with paper plates, utensils and cups. Make sandwiches, pack fresh fruit, pretzels, a thermos of juice, and yogurt for dessert. Spread a blanket on the living room floor and serve a picnic lunch indoors! Add to the fun by dressing in summer clothes or beach attire. Be sure to wear your sunglasses and your sunscreen!

10) Paper Bag Puppets - The easiest form of this requires only a paper lunch bag and crayons or markers. Simply draw on a face and you have a puppet! To make the characters more elaborate, decorate with yarn for hair, buttons for eyes, and glitter for cheeks. Ribbon can be added to the hair or made into a bow tie for the "neck." Draw on eyelashes and lips with colorful markers.

11) Collages - Save old magazines and catalogs and store them in a cabinet just for this purpose. Have the kids cut out pictures and paste them onto a piece of cardboard or construction paper. You can let them cut out whatever they want, or assign each child a letter of the alphabet or a theme to go by for a more challenging project. Keep a trash can close by for the scraps and be sure to keep a stock of glue sticks on hand!

12) Coloring Pasta - Place a handful of dry, uncooked pasta, such as ziti, rotini or farfelle, into a plastic zipper baggie. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar and 2-3 drops of food coloring. Close the baggie and have the kids shake the bag until the pasta is completely colored. Spread out onto a paper plate or paper towel and allow to dry. Use several baggies to create different colors. Once the pasta is dry, kids can use yarn to string together pieces to make necklaces and bracelets, or glue them to paper plates or construction paper to create a work of art.

13) Shadowboxes - Paint the inside of a shoebox with black or dark blue poster or acrylic paint. If you don't have any paint handy, you can glue black construction paper inside the box. Using white crayons or stickers, create a nighttime scene with stars and the moon on the black background. You can use small plastic toys to create a scene inside your shadowbox, or make your own with construction paper and glue. Cut out small pictures from coloring books and color and adhere to your scene. Hang a spaceship or shooting star with a piece of string and glue.

14) Indoor Hopscotch - If you have a cement basement floor, use chalk to draw out a hopscotch board. When you are finished playing, the chalk will wash off with a mop and warm water.

15) Family Memory Game - Play a family memory game with your kids by asking questions like "What is Grandpa's first name?" and "Who is married to Aunt Tammy?" Look through old photo albums and see if kids can guess who is who in each picture.

16) Hot Beanie - This variation of the old favorite "Hot Potato" uses a beanie type toy. Have everyone sit in a circle and toss the beanie from one person to another, never knowing where it's going to end up.

17) Name That Tune - Hum tunes from popular songs and see who can guess it first. Whoever guesses correctly becomes the next "hummer."

18) Create a Story - You can do this out loud or have kids write their entries on paper. Someone starts the story with "Once upon a time there lived a...", that person chooses the character and setting (princess in a far away land). The next child tells the next part of the story, and so on around the room, the story changing with each new addition.

19) Never Ending Adjectives - Ask your child to point out an object, then takes turns coming up with adjectives for that object. For example, you may say "a ball," your child would say "a big ball." The game might continue with "a big round ball," "a big round bouncing ball," "a big round bouncing white ball" and end with "a big round bouncing white beach ball."

20) Sardines (Reverse Hide-n-Seek) - One child is the hider, everyone else is a seeker. The hider hides while the seekers seek. However, when a seeker finds the hider, instead of pointing him out, he joins him in the hiding place. Soon, the children will all be stuffed in one place, like a box of sardines! The first child to find the hider gets to hide next.

About the Author:
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine. Sign up for her free kid's craft newsletter, Busy Little Hands, by filling out the form on left side of this article.

Tips and Tidbits

Family Movie Night ~ Hallmark has some very good movies.  Most are family oriented, though not all of them are.  Why not tape some and check them out.  Then if some are suitable for a Family Movie Night, use them to enjoy with your family.  You may be able to find some at your local library as well.  Pop some popcorn and enjoy your time together as a family!

Family Game Night ~ Some of the most fun times we've had as a family were time sitting around the kitchen table, laughing as we played many table games.  Don't let the TV, business or tiredness rob you of these memorable times.

Family Puzzle Night ~  While visiting our daughter's family last month, she had a new large brightly colored family puzzle of beach scenes, with three different sections in large, medium and small pieces.  I helped our grandson do the larger pieces, then we helped Paw Paw finish the medium sized pieces.  He and Justin moved on to other things and I continued to help Joy with the tiniest pieces.  We were down to fitting in the last three pieces, when we realized one piece of this brand new puzzle was missing!  Joy knows her dad pretty well and called to him, "Okay, Dad!  We know you have it!  Bring us that last piece!"  He pulled it out of his pocket and finished the puzzle!  He loves to say he finished the puzzle!
Longer Lasting Sharp Razor Blades ~ Wet blades become dull, but you can make your blades last and remain sharp for several months if you put your razor in a small amount of rubbing alcohol or blow it dry for a few seconds with your blow dryer. Of course, I'm not speaking of electric razors here!

Multiple Sized Patterns for Sewing ~ Many patterns now have multiple sizes on one pattern.  In order not to cut off any larger sizes, trace the pattern you need onto freezer paper and use the freezer paper to cut out your fabric pattern pieces.  Simply iron the freezer paper onto your fabric.  The shiny side of the paper will stick to the fabric, so pins are not even necessary to cut out the pattern pieces!  This not only saves your pattern, but saves you time in pinning.

Homemade Skin Scrub ~ Make your own skin scrubs for very little money by combining salt, cooking oil and a few drops of essential oil such as lavender.  This is even a nice gift, if given in a pretty jar.

Homemade Laundry Soap ~ If you are having trouble locating all three ingredients to easily make your own laundry soap for a few pennies per load, ask your grocer if you may fill out a form to special order what you need.  Let them know of the demand for Fels-Naptha soap bars, Arm and Hammer washing soda and Borax.

Watering Indoor Plants ~ Fill an old dish washing liquid bottle (with a pull-up tip) with water.  Pull out the tip and invert near the center of the plant to water slowly, possibly while you're away from home for more a week or more.  You can do the same with special outdoor plants.  Plant fertilizer can also be added for a slow dripping process.

Dinners for Eight ~ For an enjoyable evening out with three other couples once a month, take turns hosting a dinner and a possible activity.  The host would prepare the appetizer, meat, potatoes and beverage.  The other three couples would bring the salad, vegetable and dessert.  The host could call the other three couples to make suggestions of foods that would compliment the meal.  Entertainment might be a game, a good movie, or a good discussion.  This is much less costly than eating out and you get to enjoy the company of your friends.  If one couple is unable to participate one month, the host could ask another couple.  My husband and I used to head up the Fellowship Dinners in two churches we attended, where as many as 44 couples signed up and during an eight month period, each couple hosted twice, and got to be with different couples each month.

Shop in Your Own Closets ~ There is never a need to pay full price for certain items, if you buy supplies in multiples when they are on sale.  Your "closet shopping" will often save you extra trips to the store as well.  Supplies that qualify are items such as tissues, toilet paper, paper towels (if you use them at all), toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, cotton balls, buff puffs (dollar store), skin creams and lotions, chapstick, lipstick, face powder, shampoo and conditioner, hair spray, liquid hand soap, soap bars, bath and shower gels, baby wash, diapers, baby wipes, and other baby supplies, body powder, mouthwash, deodorant, razors, Bandaids, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, bleach, OxiClean, laundry detergent or the 3 supplies to make your own for 3 cents per load), fabric softener, glass cleaner and other cleaning supplies, Magic Erasers, plastic wrap, foil, wax paper, parchment paper, garbage bags, Ziplock bags and other supplies that have a long shelf life.  Some canned or bottled items can still be bought only on sale, but don't buy too much too far ahead.  Keep an eye on the expiration dates.  If your closets don't provide enough space for storing these items, organize an area in your storage space, using boxes if there aren't enough shelves. 

Long Distance Savings ~ We used to use several long distance services, but always found mistakes in their billing.  For the past eight or so years we've used One Suite at 2.9 cents per minute anytime in all of the U.S. and low rates worldwide.  We pay ahead of time Online in multiples of $10 which gives us 344.8 minutes of long distance visiting.  You can check your phone calls Online, but we have never found a mistake in all those years!  A great money saving tip - www.onesuite.com.  We have punched the numbers into our phone memory (Memory 1 for the 800 number, and Memory 2 for our pin number).  When we're away from home we can use it for long distance as well.  This makes a nice gift as well.

Saving on Freezer Bags ~ Many times I freeze smaller portions of food in storage bags or even sandwich bags, then put them all into one large freezer bag.  It cuts down on more expensive freezer bags, although you can find good freezer and storage bags, as well as plastic wrap (Glad brand) at Dollar General.

Multi-Purpose Baby and Children's Gift Wrap ~ Make the wrapping of a baby or young child's gift usable by sewing up drawstring tote bags which can later be used for toys.

Using Every Bit of the Lipstick ~ After you've used a lipstick tube until it's flat, you will find there's still a couple week's worth left in the tube.  Use a lipstick brush to reach in and use it all up.

Chapstick ~ When you've used a tube of chapstick until
it's flat, use a small knife to dig out the remainder and apply to another tube, after you have lowered the top part of the chapstick.  Smooth it out and stick it in the freezer for icy relief.

Sinus Congestion Relief ~ NeilMed can be found at Walmart for about $10.  It contains many packets of salt which is poured into the bottle which is included.  The salt water solution, with a perfect ratio, is used for squirting salt water into the nostrils for relief.  No burning, but instant relief.

Steven Curtis Chapman Singing "Cinderella" ~ His four year old daughter, Maria, unexpectedly died in a tragic accident last year.  This is a song he wrote before the accident.  On this video at about 48 seconds there will be a picture a Virginia "Heart to Heart" friend, Jen Larson's husband, Mike and daughter, Annika!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRo3-qjvZ5A 

Family Fun Relay Races

by Betty Benson Robertson - Used by permission

Even a small family can enjoy relay races together -- just for fun!

Anything Goes - No one may duplicate what someone else does. The first person may run; the second one hops; the third skips; the next runs with arms out; etc.

Backwards Walk - Walk backwards to the goal line.

Ball Bounce - Bounce a ball to the goal line and back.

Ball Kick - Kick the ball, with one foot, to goal line and back again.

Balloon Break - Run to goal line where there is a chair; sits on a balloon until it breaks.

Crab Walk - Walk sideways to designated goal and back OR walk on hands and feet with belly up.

Duck Walk - Bend down with hands on ankles. Walk like ducks, without bending the knees.

Elephant Walk - Bend over and hold hands together with arms hanging in front like an elephant.

One-Legged - Hop on one leg to goal line and run back to tag the next person.

Skip and Run - Skip to goal line and run back.

Soak and Squeeze - You need: sponge, bucket of water and large empty bowl. First person soaks the sponge and runs to the goal line where there is a large empty bowl. The sponge is squeezed with the water going into the bowl.

Spider Walk - Walk on all fours (hands and feet) to the goal line.

Walk Backwards - Walk backwards to the goal line.

After all these fun activities, head inside to view Mary Rice Hopkins & Puppets With A Heart DVD which is non-stop fun!  Available from www.MaryRiceHopkins.com. (Segments from this DVD are being aired on TBN’s “Smile of a Child.” Mary and Darcie will soon be taping with TBN for regular programming. Ralph Winter, Hollywood producer of X-men and Wolvereen, is overseeing the production.)

Family

Author unknown

Strive to be kind, considerate and respectful to those in your home, as you are to those in church!

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.

I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

 

While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger,
common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.

Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."

By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.

I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."

I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

 

175 Things To Do with Family, Photos, Proverbs Book

IN THIS ISSUE:

• 175 THINGS TO DO WITH FAMILY
• UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPHY IDEAS
• PICTURE BOOK OF PROVERBS

Dear "Heart to Heart" friends,

This is not "Homework," ladies, but if you're like most families, you sometimes run out of creative things to do together as a family, so here are a few ideas. I had fun as I made this list, thinking back to the many fun times we had together as a couple and with our three children. We haven't done every single one of these through the years, but almost. Your family may already have a head start on this list!

Many of these activities are appropriate for couples before children, with teens or an empty nest, although most of these are for families with small children. Babysitters, take note of some activities you might be able to use with the children under your care, with their parents' permission, of course. Some are also good ideas for singles - before marriage. Many ideas would be fantastic activities for grandparents to use with their grandchildren during a Grandparents' Day! It might be fun for your family to go down the list and check the ones you have already done, and then to find some new activities to do together. Now when your children say, "Mom, what can I do?" ~ you have this resource!

175 THINGS TO DO TOGETHER AS A FAMILY

by Lois Breneman, Copyright 2003

Close your eyes and try to remember the most fun your family has ever had. Now tell me, was your family busy doing something together or were you all gathered around the television set? With the ever increasing demands of school, career and church, Christian families need to relearn how to be together and have fun. When your children are grown, they will remember the special times of family togetherness. Great memories have to be created. A little effort and imagination will fill your family's free time and enrich the lives of those you love most. Here are some simple, inexpensive (or free!) activities that can be enjoyed by almost everyone. Turn off the tube and tune in to family fun.

1. Take a bicycle trip.
2. Make homemade ice cream or visit an ice cream parlor.
3. Bake a double batch of cookies and deliver one to a needy family.
4. Visit an airport and watch the planes take off and land, or go to a lake and watch the boats, while you have a picnic.
5. Go on a breakfast picnic.
6. Go to a park and hike or climb trees.
7. Make popcorn, maybe even caramel corn.
8. Enjoy the snow together by building a snowman, snow bears, a huge turtle or other animals, making a snow fort or throwing snowballs. How about making snow ice cream?
9. Go swimming or water skiing.
10. Plan a scavenger hunt for outside. Or plan one for in the house using every letter of the alphabet.
11. Bake plain sugar cookies and let each member of the family take part in decorating them.
12. Make playdough and sculpt objects or people (even from Bible stories).
13. Read a good book aloud. (C.S. Lewis' "Tales of Narnia" appeals to children and adults alike.
14. Look through photo albums or view family slides, movies, or videos.
15. Play miniature golf or croquet.
16. Make a tape recording of the most recent news and send it to a close friend or relative whom you seldom see.
17. Make a "birthday flag" for the next upcoming birthday.
18. Go fishing.
19. Play a board game that all can enjoy---Monopoly, Sorry, Scrabble.
20. Work on a jigsaw puzzle.
21. Go roller skating or ice skating.
22. Make family silhouettes. Use a slide projector or a bright lamp to project the head profile on a blank wall. Hold paper against the wall and trace the silhouette. Cut out and glue it on a contrasting sheet of paper or poster board.
23. Have a candy treasure hunt.
24. Work on a crossword puzzle.
25. Play "Start a Story." One person starts the story and talks for three minutes (use timer). The next person must continue the story, and so on. After going around the family circle two or three times, the youngest child gets to end the tale.
26. Provide old magazines, scissors and glue. Pick a theme for your collage (families, God's creations, things to be thankful for, etc.).  Everyone cuts out pictures and glues them onto a large piece of paper or poster board.
27. Go to the flea market or bright and early one Saturday morning visit 10 garage sales and see who can come home with the best bargain for a dollar.
28. Sing favorite choruses, hymns or nursery rhymes around the piano or guitar. You could even use a tape or CD to follow along.
29. Make plaster of Paris hand prints. Put name, year and age on the back.
30. Make a family banner. The banner should be made of felt or the flag fabric found in fabric stores. Decorate with pictures that illustrate interests of family members.
31. Go to the zoo.
32. Go bowling.
33. Make your own homemade pizza. Add mushrooms, peppers, onions, black olives and crushed pineapple to the pizza sauce and cheese.
34. Invite another family over for a game of charades or "Guesstures."
35. Listen to recordings of your favorite music.
36. One sunny Saturday morning, get out the gardening tools and find someone (a shut-in, perhaps) who could use some free yard work. Everyone can pitch in and help.
37. Make a collage using seeds, rice, cereal, old buttons and sewing scraps.
38. Catch fireflies together, put them in a jar and watch them light up. Let them go.
39. Do needlework: cross-stitch, crewel, candle wicking, rug-hooking, smocking.
40. String popcorn and place on a tree for the birds.
41. Write the words and music to a chorus together.
42. Make puppets out of lunch bags, old socks, felt, wooden clothespins. Put on a puppet show.
43. Have a bonfire outdoors or in your fireplace and roast hot dogs and marshmallows.
44. Go to your nearest hospital and look at the babies in the maternity nursery. (Visiting hours only).
45. Visit a shut-in or an elderly friend or relative in a nursing home.
46. Pick wildflowers and press some of them to save.
47. Read a Psalm together. Then write a psalm of praise for your own family.
48. Play "I think you're nice because..." Someone thinks of a quality he likes in the person who's "it." Other family members try to guess by asking, "Does it begin with an "A?" and so forth.
49. Listen to a tape of a Bible story. You can tape good stories from Christian radio stations. 50..Share prayer requests that affect and concern the whole family, then pray about them.
50. Make a mobile. Gather special treasures (shells, nature objects, hollow, decorated eggs, valentines). Tie thread or yarn of varying lengths to the end of each and attach to a hanger.
51. Ask your children about their greatest fear, and talk about them.
52. Encourage little ones to color a picture to send to grandparents.
53. Make a list together of all the things in your house that use electricity. You might do this when you lose power sometime.
54. Build a village using blocks, Lincoln logs or Legos. Get out the matchbox cars!
55. Enjoy a shopping trip for something little, but fun---a jar of bubbles, stickers, paper dolls, a matchbox car.
56. Play "20 Questions." One person chooses a Bible character or object to be guessed. The other members of the family take turns guessing what the secret object or person might be. No more than 20 questions can be asked and each one must be able to be answered with a simple yes or no. Whoever guesses first becomes "It" for the next round. Good for car trips too.
57. Visit a farm. Milk a cow, help to feed the animals. Take pictures.
58. Play badminton, volleyball, tennis, Frisbee, yard darts or ping pong.
59. Take the kids on a tour of where Dad works.
60. Play hide-and-seek (inside or outside).
61. Play "Bible Verse Scramble." One person chooses a favorite Bible verse and writes each word on a separate piece of paper. Scramble the order of the words and challenge each member of the family to see who can put it together the fastest. It could be one the family has memorized together.
62. Go camping in the backyard. Cook breakfast on the grill.
63. Draw a family tree on paper and complete it as a family. Add old photographs if available.
64. Go jogging or take a walk together.
65. Give each person a large piece of paper and take turns tracing the outlines of their bodies on it. Color in the outlines to look like you.
66. Using white shelf paper or the inside of brown grocery bags, design your own wrapping paper with crayons, magic markers or paints--even potato prints.
67. Go to the library. Check out books, records, tapes and art reproductions. Check out books showing how to make crafts with children.
68. Gather a variety of leaves and identify them.
69. Write a letter to a missionary family. Your children could write to a missionary's child his own age.
70. If you have a computer, create a family newspaper. Each child can write a story, Dad and Mom can write a column, and an older child or parent can edit and type. Send copies to the grandparents.
71. Make candy or caramel apples.
72. Fly a kite!
73. Jump rope.
74. Take pictures of all the houses in your neighborhood, then arrange the houses on a large poster board and identify the people living in the houses. Write their addresses and phone numbers at each house too.
75. Visit a friend.
76. Dig out a flower bed and give each family member his own "plot." Plant seeds, bedding plants, vegetables or bulbs and watch God's creations grow!
77. Read favorite poems aloud.
78. Put together a scrapbook describing a favorite vacation or any special event (pictures, writing, souvenirs).
79. Rake up a big pile of leaves to jump and play in. If it's warm outside, turn on the water sprinkler and run through it.
80. Write and act out a play centered on a specific holiday, a Bible story or a character quality. Mom, Dad or one child could be the production manager.
81. Pick apples and make apple sauce together.
82. Gather seashells. Mount and identify.
83. Make snowflakes out of lightweight white paper and hang from the ceiling with thread.
84. Create a traveling friendship basket. Fill an inexpensive basket with baked goodies, crafts, coupons, and so forth. Pass it on to a friend. Leave a note in the basket, directing it to be passed on (within the week) to someone else who could use some cheer.
85. Go to a ball game or play one---football, kickball, softball, baseball, basketball, soccer.
86. Finger paint on glazed paper (shelf paper, freezer paper) with chocolate pudding.
87. Go sledding.
88. Go skiing.
89. Take a trip to an amusement park, a museum or a planetarium.
90. Use fabric crayons to design individual T-shirts.
91. Set a Bible verse to a familiar tune and learn both the verse and song as a family.
92. Write and record an interview with a Bible character.
93. Build a tree house or fort.
94. Go horseback riding.
95. Write and illustrate a short story about an imaginary animal.
96. Build a robot out of empty boxes of all shapes and sizes. oatmeal and salt boxes work well.
97. Work together on a model kit.
98. Work on a stamp collection together.
99. Play with sand toys and trucks in a sandbox.
100. Using construction paper, write out and illustrate favorite proverbs. Join the pages to make a book.
101. Collect rocks, mount and identify, using books from the library.
102. Catch butterflies with a butterfly net.
103. Collect insects and mount with straight pins on a foam board.
104. Identify the insects using books from the library.
105. Go bird watching. Learn to identify various birds. Learn to identify them just by hearing them also. Make a bird book together.
106. Build a birdhouse and read about how to attract birds to your yard.
107. Tell your children how you first met and some of the things you did together before you married.
108. Plan and cook a meal together, where you invite the grandparents or other family or friends.
109. Play leapfrog.
110. Play jacks.
111. Have a water balloon toss.
112. Learn about safety together.
113. Have a fire drill. Discuss what to do in case of a fire.
114. Read jokes to each other.
115. Have Grandma and Grandpa tell how they met and how life was for them as children. Have them tell about their favorite toys and how they compare with today's toys.
116. Make "smores" in the fireplace or outdoors.
117. Get a book out of the library about science experiments. Do them and try to think up an application to life.
118. Learn to juggle.
119. Learn to use a yoyo.
120. Carve an animal out of a bar of Ivory soap.
121. Do origami, using books from the library.
122. Make your own card to send to grandparents.
123. Make a simple pinwheel and make it blow in the wind.
124. Make thumbprint animals. Make cards, using thumbprints.
125. Sail toy boats in a stream.
126. Wear old tennis shoes and go wading in a stream.
127. Make an inside tent, using sheets or blankets over a card table.
128. Visit an orchard and see how apple cider is made.
129. Watch a parade together.
130. Feed ducks at a duck pond.
131. Visit an antique shop with grandparents, and listen to their stories of how it was when they were growing up. Have them explain how the various antiques were used.
132. See what you can buy at a dollar store, where everything is $1.
133. Visit a fire station.
134. Go to the city market together some Saturday morning.
135. Whistle with a blade of grass between your thumbs.
136. Make banana splits together.
137. Make homemade vegetable soup together.
138. Make a Birthday cake for Jesus.
139. Make hand shadows on the wall look like various animals. Make them talk to each other.
140. Catch frogs at a pond.
141. Clean the house together.
142. Make a playhouse out of several big boxes. Decorate.
143. Share miles of smiles by making and washing doll clothes with your girls.
144. Make a water slide, using garbage bags cut to lay out flat. Place on a bank or hill, run a slow stream of water down the hill with a hose, and slide!
145. Using a big box of odds and ends and some art supplies, see what each person can create.
146. Go on a photography walk. Take pictures of each person, against a backdrop of flowers or nice scenery.
147. Take a ride on a bus, train or subway.
148. Call your local newspaper. Ask for a tour of the layout area and printing press.
149. Go to the tallest building in your area and see what landmarks you can spot.
150. Have a taffy pull.
151. Buy herb plants at the market and grow an herb garden together. Learn how to use the herbs in cooking, potpourri and decorations.
152. Draw roads in your driveway with chalk, designating your house, a school, church, hospital, railroad tracks, train station, etc. Ride tricycles and Big Wheels all around the town.
153. Have your children draw beautiful colored pictures on your driveway with colored chalk. It will wash off with the next good rain.
154. Paint your house with big paint brushes and a bucket of water.
155. Buy dress-up clothes at yard sales or Goodwill and have fun.
156. Make yeast bread together - or sticky buns.
157. Line up the kitchen chairs, one behind the other, and form a "train," and go on a trip somewhere.
158. Play "Follow the Leader."
159. Make an airplane instrument panel out of a large box. Glue on lids of all sizes and colors for the control buttons.
160. Play "Simon Says."
161. Play hop scotch.
162. Cover empty salt boxes with colored contact paper and use for building.
163. Make a walkie talkie, using two empty juice cans with string between them (15-20').
164. Make a long list of opposites and make a game out of it.
165. Make a long list of homonyms and make a game out of it.
166. Make a long list of synonyms and make a game out of it.
167. Watch bean seeds sprout in a jar with two wet paper towels and a little water.
168. Grow an indoor garden of carrot, onion, sweet potato sprouts, by cutting off part of the vegetables with sprouts, and putting them in a dish of shallow water.
169. Make an ant farm together.
170. Have a blindfolded sniffing game, using various items in custard cups or on small plates. Use such things as an onion, cinnamon, vanilla, soap, rubbing alcohol, bleach, chocolate, an orange, banana, cheese, toothpaste, garlic, etc.
171. Make drums out of oatmeal boxes, kazoos out of combs and waxed paper and cymbals out of lids. Then put them into action!
172. Make rock creatures by finding small smooth rocks, then gluing and painting them to look like animals.
173. Make a train out of shoe boxes. Paint and decorate.
174. Play grocery store, using cans and boxes from the kitchen.
175. Last but not least, go to Sunday school and church together each Sunday.
     

UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPHY IDEAS

by Lois Breneman - Copyrighted

I enjoy photography and it has been interesting to try unique photography ideas that I have either seen or thought of. Be sure to zoom in when you want a close-up. If you have a digital camera, you can zoom in even after the picture is taken. Why not try a few of these ideas:

1. Baby's hand in Daddy's hand
2. Baby's feet in Daddy's hand
3. Baby sitting, wearing nothing but a cap, turning back, as you snap the picture
4. Baby sitting in a fall basket with pumpkins and colorful autumn flowers all around
5. Child hugging pumpkin or bending down to pick it up
6. Baby, posed to look like he's just fallen out of a basket
7. Baby boy wearing only a diaper and Daddy's necktie
8. Baby sleeping on tummy, with knees under tummy - large bow with streamers on his back
9. Baby in large clay pot - baby's head sticking out among lots of silk flowers - bow around pot
10. Newborn baby held up beside Mom's face - wearing birthday suit, held discreetly, of course
11. Hold baby up so the brilliant blue sky and/or a fluffy cloud are in the only background
12. Baby holding barbell up in air (Use covered empty tin cans on a dowel rod)
13. All the family's hands together in a circle
14. All the family's feet together in a circle (with and without shoes and socks)
15. All the family's heads together in a circle
16. Two members of the family taking a bite out of the same apple at the same time - 123 - Go!
17. Small child holding a flower - close-up of chubby little hands, face and flower
18. Small child sitting on the base of a large truck or tractor tire
19. Toddler trying to pull Daddy in his wagon
20. Tiny sleeping baby on Mom and Dad's large bed - photograph entire bed
21. Small child standing behind a small chair
22. Small child sitting on a small chair
23. Small child sitting - call him from the back and snap picture as he turns around
24. Child standing with Daddy's shoes on his own little feet
25. Little girl in Mommy's high heels
26. Child holding family dog or cat
27. Child posing with pet hamster sitting on her on shoulder
28. Child leaning over, hugging a big beach ball
29. Child holding baseball and bat, wearing a baseball cap
30. Child standing by a pillar - with hand resting on pillar
31. Toddler standing in birthday suit or diaper, painting picture on easel - snap from back or side
32. Future big brother/sister with head on mommy's tummy - talking to and loving unborn baby
33. One child teaching another the hand motions of, "Here's the church and here is the steeple. Let's go in and look at all the people."
34. Child with blocks
35. Child with Teddy bear or doll
36. Baby (at about 6 months) sitting in a large stock pot, wearing chef's hat with vegetables in front
37. Child with apples all around him. (Also all kinds of fruit and vegetables around him)
38. Child with teapot and cup, all dressed up for a tea - wearing a hat with dolls and Teddy bears
39. Great-grandma and little girl, all dressed up having a tea party with a big Teddy bear
40. Oldest family member holding tiny baby or youngest member of family
41. Little girl putting rollers in Mommy's hair from behind, while Mom looks in hand mirror at self
42. Profile of a child wearing a hat
43. Daddy and child walking down a path - take picture from behind
44. Children holding hands, walking away from you - take picture from behind
45. Daddy and child fishing, then holding up fish caught
46. Child on bike - picture taken from behind wheel of another bicycle with that tire showing also
47. Person silhouetted against the moon
48. Person silhouetted against the sunrise or sunset
49. Person wearing yellow, standing by a blooming crab apple tree against the brilliant blue sky
50. Small child, bending over, picking or smelling flower
51. Small child blowing a dandelion seed pod
52. Child taking a bath with a frog - frog on side of tub and child reaching for it
53. Children in bib overalls and baseball caps - arms around each other - snap front and back
54. Family all standing together on a Japanese bridge
55. Family all standing on the stairs, behind a railing - with youngest peeking through railing
56. Lit string of lights on floor - baby on tummy or sitting in the midst of them, looking up at you
57. Young child, reaching for an ornament on the Christmas tree
58. Picture of your house - each family member sticking head outside of different windows, wearing bright colors (red and green for a Christmas card)
59. Toddler walking toward ocean waves - snap from back
60. Toddler bending over, picking up sea shells
61. Child, balancing as he walks across a log
62. Children, acting out the Christmas story
63. Children in bright colors, facing to the side, one behind another, as if in walking formation, but with the leg of one person forming an X with the leg of another.
64. Children in bright colors, standing in autumn leaves with hands full of leaves. At the count of 3, they all jump as high as they can and throw the leaves up in the air at the same time.
65. Separate close-up shots of different parts of child's body - face, hands, feet, toes, ear, nose, eye, entire body - Frame each part separately and hang together - or use a large frame with smaller frames within.
66. Four or five generations of your family
67. First day of school each year

A Few Trick Shots:

1. One person holding another person (or almost anything) in palm of his hand - Position main person closest to you on a lower lever than the person held in the hand. The tiny person or thing which will appear to be in the main person's hand must be back farther and in a higher position. The photographer will give prompting to the main person and to the one farther away, to move left, right, forward or backward, until it appears that the main person is holding the other in the palm of his hand.
2. Falling off of Pikes Peak - pose on top of a cliff as though you are hanging on for dear life. From the view of the photographer, all he can see is the cliff and you against the sky, even though you are on solid ground on the other side of the cliff. Your face should show fear and terror as though you are falling.
3. Another falling shot - Have a ladder up against a sundeck or other high location. Have a young child at the top of the ladder, with Daddy right behind. Shoot a picture of your child pretending to be falling from the sundeck with a terrified look on his face. He won't really be falling, of course, but from where you are standing, the ladder nor Daddy will be visible.

I hope you will have lots of fun trying these photography ideas. They just might put a little more spark in your scrapbooking hobby and framed family pictures!

PICTURE BOOK OF PROVERBS

by Lois Breneman, Copyright 2005

 

Through the years I have collected interesting pictures and filed them to be used in making children's story books. Although I haven't gotten very far with this, when my children were small, hopefully I will have a chance to use the pictures to make more books for my grandchildren. 

Years ago I made two small picture books using many scriptures from Proverbs. They are still family treasures many years later, and now they are laminated to preserve them for many more years. One book includes miscellaneous scriptures of wisdom, including a picture of a lovely house. The scripture to go with that picture was for my benefit as I read the book to my children: "It is better to live in the corner of a rooftop than to dwell with a crabby woman in a lovely house." Proverbs 21:9

The other book is about discipline (What God Says about Discipline and Love). My little girl suggested I add, "And Love," to the first part of the title, because as I was learning in a Bible study how to discipline my children as a young mother, I was taught to first ask the child privately why she thought she needed discipline. Then I told her that I needed to obey God as her mother, and discipline her so she would learn to obey and do right. After the discipline was administered (a spanking, if defiance was shown), I would love her and pray with her. That step about loving made quite an impression on her at a young age, in her suggesting that the words, "And Love" be added to the title. As a new mother, I was glad the love concept registered!

Speaking of Proverbs, there are 31 chapters in that book of the Bible. For extra wisdom and common sense, read the chapter that corresponds with each day's date. On the 17th of each month, read Proverbs 17, and so on. You can begin on any day of the month, so why not begin today?

Blessings be upon your family!

From your "Heart to Heart" friend,

Lois