Wow, it has been a long time since I've been here! I'm still homeschooling, but have added a part-time job to that. I 'm
a little busy. :) I want to share a recipe I found in a magazine that I
plan to make with my youngest, Isabel, today. Pumpkin pie play dough.
You will need: 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 2 tsp. cream of tartar, 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp.cinnamon, 1 T. vegetable oil, 1 cup water and food coloring (they used 6 drops of red and 15 drops of yellow). I think that makes orange. Combine dry ingredients in nonstick saucepan. Add the oil, water, and food coloring and whisk until smooth. Stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, cook over medium heat until it forms a ball, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the dough onto a counter, let it cool slightly, then knead the dough until it has a smooth texture, about 1 minute. The dough keeps up to a week in a ziplock bag. Maybe, it will keep longer in the refrigerator ( this is where we usually store ours).
I'm looking forward to the smell of this one. I am really enjoying this time with the kids. It is a wonderful time to teach about meeting the needs of others. There are so many opportunities at christmas time to give. We are going to make lap blankets for elderly people we know. These are so easy and you don't have to sew, which is good since I haven't learned how, yet. We will make salsa, which we do every year, for friends , neighbors and family. I will post the recipe next time. It is worth making! We already sent our operation christmas boxes off last month. Each child picks an age range and buys the contents to fill the box. They use their money (except for Isabel), and pray for who will receive it. My kids are starting on next years boxes now. You can get the information about this at: samaritanspurse.org We will also buy items for children and the elderly. Food pantries always need food at this time. These are just a few of many ideas. Everything we do with the right heart has eternal value. I want to live my life doing what counts for Jesus. This means being the mom, wife, friend, and person God created me to be. I can only do it successfully with his help. I've tried it on my own before and I always fall short. I would love to hear your ideas on what you are doing with your kids to help lighten someone's burden. My daughter, Bethany, told her dad and I that she wants the money we plan to spend on her for christmas to buy gifts for teenagers in the area who are often forgotten. I am really proud of her for that and we are going to let her do it. I wish I could say all my kids had that same idea, but they didn't. That is okay! God made them different. They are making a difference in other ways. God gave Bethy the gift of giving. Anyway, I hope this has made some sense to someone, since I have continuously been interrupted by my 2 youngest the whole time I've been typing. Some quiet corner. If you find one, let me know. Enjoy each day as God gives it, trying not to rush. Go at your childs pace and make lasting memories that can be recalled with joy instead of regret.