Oh The Places We’ll Go!

I love to travel. I really do. In fact one of my ‘goals’ in life would be to visit every one of the 50 states. Because im a travel-loving dork. If i had a bucket list for my life, visiting all the states would definitely be on there. Soooo when i saw this idea over at A Step in the Journey i knew i HAD to make it!
So i did!
(more pictures below)
Fun isn't it?
Here’s what i did:
I bought a bunch of different colored scrapbooking paper that looked good together (i liked Laura Beth’s colors so i copied hers). I also bought some little buttons.
Then one night when the kids were fast asleep i took one of my their U.S. puzzles and traced every.single.piece. onto the different colored paper. I traced it on the back so you wouldn't be able to see the pencil lines on the front. And i made sure to write the name of each state on the back too.
Then i waited about 2 weeks. Ha! And finally bought a white canvas (always 40% off at my joanns store) and some modgepodge, which ive been meaning to buy for like ever.
On another night the kids were fast asleep, i laid out all the pieces on the canvas, to make sure i had room at the bottom for Alaska and Hawaii and enough room at the top for Maine. Once i was set with all that i used a glue stick and stuck on every piece (leaving them where i had set them to check everything out). When they were all glued on i modge-podged the heck out of it. It was my first time using it and i wanted to make sure i got it all good!
I did.
I let it dry overnight and in the morning it was all nice and modge-podged on there. I took some small letter stickers from my scrapbooking supplies and stuck the words “Oh the places we’ll go!” on it. And that was it! Here are a couple more pics:

My hubbie and i have been to lots of states growing up, but we wanted to ‘start’ this new journey with only the places we’ve gone together as a married couple :)
Together we’ve gone to Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York (city) and D.C. (not a state i know!). We’ve also been to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean but there wasn't room to make those on the canvas :)
So there you have it. I love seeing crafty things on Pinterest and then finding the courage to actually make it. Don’t you?
Linking up at A Bowl Full of Lemons

Oval, Number 1 And Letters H And I

Ok so i was supposed to write my Letter Hh and Oval post 2 weeks ago…whoops. Soooo im doubling up… 4 weeks worth of pre-k in one post! Sorry everyone :P

Here we go!

Letter Hh:

Science:

Listen to heartbeats (or pretend to anyway!)-

Measure height (i measured her height with a tape measure)

Large Motor:

Hop on letter H-

Art:

Handprint mural-

Small Motor:

Playdoh hotdogs and hamburgers-

Worksheets:

Oval:

Art:

Make oval prints with potatoes-

Paint on ovals-

Small Motor:

Lace an oval-

Cooking:

Oval baked potatoes! (no pic)

Worksheets-

Letter Ii:

Science:

Measure using inches-

Large Motor:

Explore instruments-

Move like an inchworm-

Art:

Igloo painting (using a little square block)-

Ice painting (after adding water, drop a few colors of food coloring into different ice cube tray squares, stick a popsicle stick in, lying on the edge so its somewhat standing and let freeze. Then use the cubes to paint with)-

Worksheets-

She finished learning about shapes and before she started on number 1, she did a little

review-

She can name all of these shapes!

Number 1:

Large Motor:

Put 1 apple on a tree-

Art:

Make a frog puppet with 1 fly-

1 double-sided fish-

Language:

Sing ‘There Is Only 1 Me’-

“There is only one Brianna,

one Brianna, one Brianna,

There is only 1 Brianna,

and there she is.

Brianna is smiling, Brianna is smiling,

There is only 1 Brianna,

and there she is.”

Worksheets:

Misc:

She learned about Martin Luther King Jr and winter-

Life Word 2012: Gentle

I have never been big on New Years resolutions. I'm not sure why. Maybe because i rarely keep them? Ha! However this year i feel so led by the Lord to work on changing my life in one specific are. But before i get to that, let me explain something that happened a couple of weeks ago-

During a Wednesday night church service our song leader was giving a short devotion about the new year coming up. He gave everyone a challenge: Instead of making petty New Years resolutions that people will rarely keep, and will forget about, try praying that GOD would show you what He wants you do this new year. What He maybe wants you to work on, or what His will may be for your life the upcoming year.

I loved this! Over the next week or so i began telling others about this great idea and how they should do it too. But after a short time went by i realized i hadnt prayed and asked God to show me this yet! So i did. Twice. That same week i had one of those go-to-bed-feeling-guilty-because-i-was-such-a-bad-mom kind of nights. But every night that week. It was awful. So one night as i was reading my Bible i felt the Lord really tugging at my heart to stop and pray. Right then. After putting it off for a few seconds i did stop, even though i had no idea what i should pray about. But in the next moment i felt this rush of guilt for how i had been treating my kids and i immediately started to cry and beg God to help me be a better mom. I have prayed this many times, but never like this. The tears kept coming and i kept pleading. Pleading with God to give me the strength i need to hold my tongue. Pleading that He would give me patience in the most impatient situations. I realized in that moment that over the past 5 years i have been trying to be a good mom, but on my own. With my own tactics. Which is why i have failed. That night i realized i cannot be a good mom without the Lord. I will fail miserably every time. My eyes were opened so much and i felt so refreshed and so weak. Weak in that i need the Lord so very much. A wonderful kind of weak.

I didnt realize it until about a week later but that was most definitely God answering my prayer as to what He wants from me this year. He wants me to become gentle. Something i rarely am im sorry to admit. I anger easily, fly off the handle and i am very impatient at times. Unfortunately its almost always with my kids and my husband. Ive gotten alot better over the years but not nearly where i need to be. Being gentle has been a struggle i have dealt with for a very long time. But this year with God's help i know that can be changed. I can and will become gentle. A gentle wife and a gentle mommy.

Already the Lord is working in my heart and i am so thankful. I asked Him to show me when i am being harsh and He has. And i immediately let my pride down and change it. I talk to my kids in a more gentle tone and try not to discipline them out of anger. Im working on lashing out at my husband and just not saying something when my pride wants to. It will be a long road and i know it will be a lifetime battle to become gentle. But i pray that with God's help i can drastically change my ways and become the gentle woman i need to be for the Lord and my family this year.

I have already begun some different studies and started a binder/notebook where i keep bible verses, notes from sermons or blogs, quotes, anything about gentleness that speaks to me. I am also going to jot bible verses about gentleness onto index cards to leave around the house or in my purse, car, places like that so i can read them often and hopefully memorize some as well. I am going to seek out christian books about gentleness too. Also i HIGHLY reccomend checking out Courtney's gentleness challenge (from Women Living Well). Every week she posts about a different parenting topic that will help moms become 'gentle'. Perfect timing for me of course! God works that way :) Courtney also posts a video every week and its such an encouragement! I will be following along with this challenge in a section of my binder as well. After i have a bit more in my binder i will do a post all about it, in case you'd like to make one too! I cant take the credit for it though. Courtney had the original idea for something similar. And my friend Laurie too ;)

So that's it for now. I would LOVE any prayers out there as i start on this journey of becoming gentle. And i would love to hear from any of you out there about any tips you might have for me or any 'life words' you may be working on! And i will keep you posted on my progress and such!

Love to you all!
Rebecca

Recently Pinned~

Here’s my first 'Recently Pinned’ post of 2012!

If don’t know, that means i show you some of my most recent ‘pins’ ive put onto my Pinterest account. Things i think you will like too. If you don’t have a Pinterest account, get one my friends!!

Adorable Valentines Day snack-

Winter activity sticks would be great when the after Christmas excitement wears off and they are getting bored of winter-

I love these fridge organizers. Just trying to decide if the price is worth it ;) Or if i can maybe buy something similar somewhere else.

Check out this step by step guide on making an A-frame tent for your kiddos!

Um does this cookie dough dip look amazing or what?

I really want to (try) to make this owl hat for Makenna for next winter!

Does anyone else hate that their wedding cards are stuck in a box somewhere? I do! So i want to make this wedding card book and leave it out on my dresser. Would make a great coffee table book too.

I want to crochet this cup cozy! Especially love the look with the big brown button :)

Window + scrabpook paper + pretty knobs= LOVE!

Buy some wooden X’s and O’s from a craft store for an easy but oh so cute Valentine’s Day decor!

Im going to be reading Stone Soup to Connor soon and here are some cute Stone Soup printables!

This is such an easy thing to make and can not only save space in your kitchen but make it so easy to find and grab those cutting boards!

To make this adorable dress up space it only cost the woman $15!! Someday when i do the girls room, i think i will have my hubby make this!

Hope you enjoy these recent pins of mine!

Playing With Pinterest~ December 2011

So i only made 2 ideas from Pinterest in December. It was quite a busy month for obvious reasons :)

Go here to see my post for these peppermint cocoa jar gifts-

And here to see how i made these ornaments-

Already busy creating new things this month so check back!