Scrabble Elf on the Shelf

 Buddy is Back!

This time with a Scrabble Message Board.

Buddy is older now (and so are my kids), so he only makes an appearance when he's not too busy doing other fun things.  This year there will be messages of love, offers of service opportunities and of course a little mischievous behavior.

I found the Scrabble Board at Rod Works.  The letters come in this handy drawstring bag.  

Love it!  And love the holiday fun.

Grandma's Button Jar

Did your grandmother have a button jar?  Mine did.  And her mother, and her mother's mother and so on...  I come from a long line of seamstresses who over the years collected buttons in a jar.  

I remember spending hours sorting buttons, grabbing handfuls, and choosing my most favorite, beautiful buttons.  For some reason my daughters loved it as well, even without teaching them to love it. 

Now that I am a grandma, I thought it might be nice to start a button jar of my own.  You'd be surprised at how fast the button jar fills up.  New clothes often come with an extra button or two so my button jar resides in my dressing room for easy access.  

I also collect classic books like "Miss Lollipop's Lion!"

Now that my granddaughter is old enough to "play" with the buttons (not eat them), she grabs handfuls and lets them fall through her fingers.  Try it...you'll like it too!

And why you're at it, try sitting like this for a minute or two...that's all I can last!

Kendall likes to take them out of the jar and then put them right back in again.  She also likes to choose pretty bright colored ones.  My mom used to let her grandchildren choose one special button to take home with them.  Not sure what happened to those buttons but should have started the collection way back then!

Once Kendall tires of the button jar (and it keeps her entertained for a least 30 min.) she moves on to the jewelry box.  Smart girl.

Who needs to go to the toy store when buttons and jewelry will do!

The Car Mat

The Car Mat

Today I want to share with you a very special piece of my childhood. I come from a family of 7 kids. I am the 6th of the 7. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, yes, my family is pretty much the best ever. We moved around A LOT growing up. Every few years. Moving was hard but it brought out family very close. You will never see a more fiercely loyal family than ours! Guaranteed!

My Grandma & Grandpa Brague, my mom's parents, made this awesome car mat for my older brother's when they were little. My grandpa drew the designs and my grandma cut them out and sewed them onto the mat. 

When I look at this mat I have such nostalgia. I was beyond thrilled when Kellie sent this awesome mat to my son, Jackson who is the youngest grandchild. 

 He has loved playing with it!

Even my 13 year old daughter has been known to play with it!

 And our cat Roxy had a turn playing too!

Thanks for the memories Grandma and Grandpa Brague!

A Very Happy Birthday To YOU!

Rootbeer Floats and a Cute One Year Old!

Last week my daughter invited lots of adoring friends and family (including ME) to her sweet little ONE YEAR OLD's birthday party. 

Kendall was adorable.  The decorations were fun and fabulous.  The birthday treats were delicious.  And the cake...another beautiful creation from our favorite cake lady. 

Party dress and a book.  Just waiting for the big event!

IBC Rootbeer, ice cream and the SMASH Cake.

Simple is Sweet.

Bunny Bait-MMMmmm Monday

I love spring and I love the popcorn popping on the all the beautiful trees.  

When my kids were a few years younger (like 10 years ago!) and the blossoms started popping they would begin to remind me that it was time to visit our nearby "Bunny Park." 

We loved the bunny park in the spring.  The park has lots of beautiful old oak trees with acres of underbrush, perfect for baby bunnies.  There would be lots of mama bunnies hiding in the thicket protecting their babies from their enemies... and curious children.  Every once in awhile the mama bunnies emerge from the bushes and go hopping through the park.  Sometimes we would see up to 20 or 30 bunnies all throughout the huge park.  All the kids would squeal and start chasing them in all directions.   Those bunnies were so fast!  

After several trips to the park without even getting close to those quick little fur balls we finally got smart and started bringing Bunny Bait (mostly bread crumbs).  We didn't try to hold the cute bunnies but we did get close enough, with our bunny bait, to feed them.  

Sweet childhood memories of spring at the Bunny Park.  Now that my kids are older they still like bunnies but our "bait" has changed a bit.

Here's our Bunny Bait recipe:

Mix together: Bugles, Chex Mix (the cheesy kind), Reeses p-butter eggs, small pastel colored malt ball eggs, M&M's, pastel colored candy corn, and Warhead Sour Jelly Beans.

Popped the mix in a mason jar with a cute label (from simplykierste) and twine.  There you have it...Bunny Bait!

Happy Spring...and newborn Bunnies!

Four Corners-Primary Singing Time Activity

Four Corners

(We will review the song He Sent His Son CSB pg. 34-35)

This activity helps keep things fun when reviewing an already familiar Primary song.  With the Four Corner activity we sing the song many times…which offers lots of fun REVIEW!  

Thanks Sara Andersen Ferrell (Primary Chorister Facebook page) for the great idea! 

Before Primary Day
Review activity with Primary Presidency.  This activity requires ACTIVE Participation and may not be appropriate for what the presidency has prepared for sharing time. 

If approved, prepare signs and flipcharts.  I just googled the signs and added my instructions for children.  Cut out, laminate (if desired) and then attach a Popsicle stick.  For easy display pop all completed signs in an unused (or clean) paint can.

Divide the song into 4 parts (1^st Q/A, 2^nd Q/A, etc. then all kids sing the last 2 lines)

Primary Day

1.  Number each corner of the room (4 corners-Stop and Sing sign).

2.    Attached corresponding flip charts to the wall of each corner (2 each).

3.    Establish rules and ask for complete cooperation from children.  I will ask children to raise their hand if they are willing to obey the reverence rules. (Quiet sign)

4.  Divide the classes to the corners and ask to stand by number (encouraging reverence).

5.     Each group will sing their Q/A then listen quietly to the other groups.

6.    Once completed a reverent child will be invited to choose a “directional sign” that will explain how we move to the next corner.  (Directional signs to "walk" to the new corner- tiptoe, and sideways shuffle, arms folded, linked arms, hands overhead, follow the leader, etc.)  Now watch for the GO sign and move to next corner.

Our Reverence Rules

1 .    Must sing beautifully and have fun.

2.    Must obey the directional signs.

3.    Watch for the Quiet Sign.  Must be completely silent for next directions.

4.    Cannot move from corner to corner until you see the GO sign.

5.     If the traffic cops (Primary Presidency-at each corner) gives you a traffic citation (a tap on the shoulder) you must return to your seat and quietly wait for the activity to be over.  You might be invited back for good behavior.

Looking forward to Sunday's Primary Singing Time!

Thanks & Giving Activity (Turkey Toss)

Thanks & Giving Activity (Turkey Toss)

Primary Singing Time

I have been serving as the Chorister in our congregation's Primary, an organization like Sunday School, for children.  Today we learned a bit about how important it is to be mindful of our blessings and to remember to be thankful for them.

I explained to the children that I brought some fine feathered friends with me to help each of us with our THANKS and GIVING singing activity and then asked them to think about these two questions:

1.      What blessings has Heavenly Father given me?

(Almost every child raised their hand to share a blessing they had been given from Heavenly Father)

2.    How can I show my thanks to Him?

·        Toss the bean bag and see which turkey you throw closest to. 

·        Read one of the blessings on the back feathers.

·        How do I show thanks to Heavenly Father for…

·        Sing the corresponding song.        

Blessings

Heavenly Father -I Need My Heavenly Father-pg. 18 CSB          

The Savior-I Have Two Little Hands-pg. 272 CSB                 

Scriptures-Scripture Power-sheet music                  

Prayer-A Child’s Prayer-pg. 12 CSB

Our Prophet-Follow the Prophet-pg. 110 CSB        

Temples-I Love to see the Temple-pg. 95 CSB

Families-Families Can Be Together-pg. 188 CSB   

The "Rafter of Turkeys" instruction came from Primarily Singing

and I have to express my thanks for making it so easy to re-create these adorable turkeys.  I love it when I see a picture of what I want and then when I create it, it looks pretty much the same!

The children enjoyed trying to "tag" the turkey with a little hacky sack (bean bag).

TRICK OR SWEET

Need a super easy, super SWEEET Halloween treat?

Pick up some bakery bags at your local party store (Zurchers, Gigis, Partyland, Party City), choose something to go inside the bag and then download this great (free) tag from Bloom Designs.

It's really THAT EASY.

I chose SWIG cookies for the treat inside my bag...because I LOVE Swig cookies.  Make sure you wrap with saran wrap (the good kind) before tucking inside the bag.  We don't want the frosting seeping through the bag.

Jen made Monster Magic Cookie Bars for her treat...

Monster Magic Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

 9 full graham crackers

  4 tbsp. butter

 1 can sweetened condensed milk

 approximately 3/4 c. oats

 approximately 3/4 c. M&Ms

 approximately 3/4 c. chocolate chips

Instructions:

1.                   In a zip top bag, crush the graham crackers using a rolling pin.

2.                  Once crushed, add the 4 tbsp. butter to the bag.

3.                  Place in the microwave and heat up for about 30 seconds.

4.                  Remove from microwave, let out the air and make sure the bag is sealed (maybe let it cool for a second or two!), and "mush" the butter and graham crackers together until fully incorporated.

5.                  Press the graham cracker crumbs into a well-greased and parchment lined 9x13 baking dish.

6.                  Evenly pour the sweetened condensed milk over the graham cracker layer.

7.                  Sprinkle the oats, M&Ms, and chocolate chips evenly over the sweetened condensed milk and gently press in a little.

8.                 Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until browned and pulling away from the edges.

9.                  Let cool and serve.