Camping Activities for Kids

Here are just a couple I have. If anyone else has some I'd love to hear them. We're not taking video games....

Ideas:

Photo Scavenger Hunt - I will of course be with the kids but it gets my oldest thinking.

Puppet Shadows

Flower Pressing

Nature Journals

Identification - we'll be taking our field guides:)

Identifying constellations - I've actually never done this before. I'm very excited!

Drawing messages in the sand and taking pix.

Rock and shell collecting.

We'll also be doing all the "normal" stuff like playing at the beach, etc...

What a lovely find!

A neighbor of ours was having a garage sale and come to find out she had been a teacher. She had a lot of wonderful and amazing books. One that i have fallen in love with is by Herman and Nina Schneider - both now deceased. If you know me perosnally you will know that science is not my strong point. However, this couple found a way of helping even someone like me more easily grasp concepts. You're never too old to learn:)

Anyway I highly encourage you, if you are a teacher or homeschool parent to purchase Let's Find Out about Heat, Weather and Air by Herman and Nina Schneider as well as their other books. Nina was very poetic while Herman was very grounded in science. Together they wrote many amazing books for children.

I know I can't wait to have the extra funds to pick up more of their books. I'm sure I won't get them for .25 like I did at the garage sale though. lol!

Repainting the desk.

While we're waiting for the last coat of white paint to dry on Lyshies dresser and then needing to put a coat of varnish on - we're going to start a new project. We're going to take her old desk which is in the picture here, nix the hutch on the top and paint it a glossy black for in the den. We are going to paint the den a darker sage green and have cherry bookcases and a desk in there for us adults. We're taking out my sewing area and moving in a bigger desk for the kids imac we got for an amazing price of $25.00. Anyway, we're super excited about it and I'm going to head out right now to exchange a can of white paint I didn't use for a can of black.

We've taken off the funky gold trim and handles to replace them with new ones. Probably something like a brushed nickel. Can't wait! See you all very soon. Picture's for Lyshies dresser should be up and ready in about 2 days!

The Psalmist's Profession of Uprightness.

Psalm 101 NASB (New American Standard Bible)


A Psalm of David.


1I will sing of loving kindness and justice,
To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
2I will give heed to the blameless way
When will You come to me?
I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.
3I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not fasten its grip on me.
4A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will know no evil.
5Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy;
No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.
6My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me;
He who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me.
7He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;
He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me.
8Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
So as to cut off from the city of the LORD all those who do iniquity.

Repainting the dresser - Part I and II

Before

After

Part I
Garage sale went well but we only sold Lyshie's bed. So...instead of selling her dresser and buying a new one, we're going to repaint. Above is the pix how it currently looks. I hope to soon have an updated picture. I started priming today but my spray can ran out. Arg!!!! I'm also not putting her desk back up in her room because her room is so small. I'm repainting that a nice eggshell or semigloss black and it will go in our den. It well be used as the kids desk for their computer, and Lyshie's school books. Yeah!

Part II
So it's completed. there's one hole I forgot to fill and I didn't quite get the hang of the spray on lacquer - but - i'm still pleased with it. It looks oodles better than before. Woo hoo! Lyshie loves her "new" dresser.

Don't let these moments pass you by....

Today was the first day of our garage sale and as you can imagine we have been so busy for the past week. Last night especially. We were working away and getting ready to walk in the house when I spotted this beauty on our boxwood bush. I was thrilled and went to get my daughter as well as my camera. Matt, Lyshie and I stood watching this beautiful creature for a few minutes.

How many times are we in such a rush that we miss God's beauty all around us. Take the time to "smell the flowers".

I will survive....

Wow things are hectic. I'm hosting a co-op online where I have not been given the same information twice from the supplier so things are getting slightly hairy.

We're getting ready for a garage sale this weekend and are still cleaning out the garage. Thankfully we did a lot of that last night and got it all out for trash today. Talk about a HUGE trash pile.

Also trying to catch up on laundry, dishes and all the other fun stuffs.

I have a lady coming today to hopefully buy Allysha's current bedroom set so we can purchase a bunk futon bed for her. This will come in very handy when company comes over. - woo hoo! So much to do and so little time. Plus we're schooling year round this school year.

Wowsa...so yeah, if you think about it, pray for me this week/weekend:) Thankfully on Tuesday St. Vincent De Paul is coming out to pick up anything I have leftover. Woo hoo! At least I'll be rid of most of this stuff. lol!

So in the meantime, in case you don't hear from me at all from now till Sunday, don't take offense. Just know we're crazy busy.

Has your child or someone you know had adverse reactions to vaccines?

I'm getting information together for another article which I hope will someday be put into a book. This one will be on straight facts from families of children who after they received vaccines, had adverse reactions. If you feel this is something you'd like to help me with I'd be more than appreciative for what information you can give me. Pictures, videos and articles can all be submitted to me at mandikaake @ gmail. com (remove spaces). What I'm primarily looking for is how it affected your life and a picture of what that time in your life was like. I know this is very personal and may be very hard. I'm hoping to someday make this into a book after I've compiled enough information to help other parents. Please also email me your first or last name and what city or state you live in that way I can give proper credit for the article and hopefully come out with a book. It'd also be helpful to have your e-mail address or other way to contact you in case I need to contact you before this is all put together. Thank you in advance. I'd already received several stories and know this will go to help many people.

Can one person change the world?

I believe one person can change the world in more ways than one. Take an inventor, Jesus Christ, Hitler and other's. They made a huge impact on the world. Then I look at other's who tout funny things of this and that thinking they'll change the world - or at least are very opinionated (i'm not at all - lol). Why do they not voice their ideals louder? Why, if they think they are doing good for all mankind do they not speak what they know? Is it fear, or is it because they know that in reality they would not stand tall?

What things are worthy of fighting for, changing for?

Can a person change the world by being quiet in their little home with their families - one person at a time? I think so - especially if they are saved and pray to their God in heaven as well as do what He wills in their life.

Change - when should it take place, what should take place?

Philippians 4:6 (NASB) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

I guess in ending all I have to say is - if you feel you're doing something God wants you to do, then do it and do it boldly.

American Made Products

My daughter and I have made it a habit to try to find products in our local stores that are American Made to support people in this country. If you have anything to add please feel free to let me know so I can add it to the list. The easier we make this, the easier it is for everyone to purchase American Made here in the U.S.
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Toothbrushes for Infants/Toddlers:
Oral-B Stages - Baby Einstein $2.57
Meijer Brand $.99
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Paper Products:
Index Cards - Oxford
Sticky Notes - Post-it
Tape - Scotch brand tape
Paper Clips - ACCO
Pencils #2 - Papermate, USA Gold
Mechanical Pencils - Papermate (yellow only)
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American Made Directories:
http://usamade.wordpress.com/


http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/

http://www.madeinusa.org/

http://www.usstuff.com/

http://www.devvy.com/made_inthe_usa.html