The Dream Manager

My friend Kelly suggested a book earlier this month called "The Dream Manager," by Matthew Kelly. I read it in two sittings and I highly recommend it. It is based on the management of a fictional company, so it has professional applications as well.

What is your dream?

To be honest, when I first asked myself that question, it felt like something I left behind with high school graduation 19 (not 20 yet!) years ago.

Many of my dreams have been met--to have a family, to become a teacher (however brief the career) and to be paid to write (however how part-time I choose to do it). 

I fell into the trap of thinking that dreaming of something more meant I wasn't fulfilled with the blessings I already had. Not so!

This book has me thinking about dreams again, things I want to accomplish, and places I wish to visit in my life.

You can find your own copy of "The Dream Manager" for cheap on Smile.Amazon.com.

What is your dream?

Perler bead bowls

As I was revisiting my Pinterest boards last week, I came upon several pins that I had saved a long time ago and had completely forgotten about. 

(After all, isn't that what Pinterest is for?) 

After deleting several monogram crafts (I guess I was really into monograms a couple of years ago, but not enough to actually complete a project), I checked out what I had saved for my kids.  I saw this one and knew we could do it right away that night!  Perler beads come in and out of the cabinet quite frequently at our house, but this was something new to try with them.

Teresa made a few for her friends and Nathan made one for his teacher, too.

To make a bowl, spray a glass or other oven safe bowl with cooking spray.  Pour the beads into the bottom of the bowl and press down on them.  They will spread up the sides of the bowl on their own. Be sure to just have one layer of beads if you want a bowl with a smooth bottom. (This one had a couple of layers on the bottom.)

Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until melted until desired.  Remove from oven and cool until easy to handle. The bowl will pop out when cooled.  

Experiment with different colored beads and sizes of bowls!

We just wouldn't recommend that you use these for your new set of favorite cereal bowls . . . .

Fizzy Rainbow Bubbles

Today was a good day to bring back a preschool science project blast from the past.

My older kids loved doing this, and I knew Rachel would, too.

We made Fizzy Rainbow Bubbles with vinegar, food color and baking soda!  

All you need to do is fill some small containers with about 1/2 cup of vinegar and add a drop or two of color to each one.  Sprinkle a little baking soda in the bottom of a baking pan. Then use a medicine syringe or dropper to transfer the colored vinegar to the pan.

 Ta-da! Fizzy Rainbow Bubbles!

She went through many refills of vinegar and several different pans of baking soda.

Each pan can go a long time before it finally loses all of its fizz.  Clean your kitchen sink drain with the used up one and start over again!

This is an economical and safe little science project for the preschool set. Any spilled vinegar just gives you a cleaner counter top as you wipe it up!

It's a win-win for everyone.

A New Day

When Landen was little, he would run into our bedroom and exclaim, "The sun came up!"  

Every sunrise is a blessing, and some are just simply beautiful.

January

It's January and our family is following the familiar rhythm that this month brings.

Of course, it brings a treadmill reunion while Joyce Meyer simultaneously kicks me in the spiritual butt most days, and occasionally The Biggest Loser motivates my physical one on my walk instead.  One way or another, I'm motivated for the rest of the day after my morning walk!

It brings basketball . . . Landen's season has begun and Nathan's will begin shortly.

It brings trying new Pinterest recipes (and cleaning out the freezer at the same time) with this delicious Cream Cheese Swirl Zucchini Banana Bread.

You can find the recipe HERE.

It brings watching the cows and births of baby calves on the "cow channel."

It brings time to read Giants in the Earth, a novel I somehow missed reading before! It is scheduled reading for Well Read Mom, and admittedly pretty heavy content matter for January, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and look forward to discussing it at the Well Read Mom Conference at the end of this month.

This month also tends to bring us extra memories of close loved ones who have gone before us. All of our grandparents who have passed away have either died or had their funerals in January. We also remember especially our nephew and cousin Luke who's birthday and date of his passing are both in January.

And so we begin (and are almost halfway through!) another January.

It all makes up the most bittersweet of the months.

Perhaps Giants in the Earth was an excellent choice for a January read after all.

The Homestead

We've had some beautiful hoar frost this winter.

David especially likes to comment on it, since he learned the vocabulary word last year. :)

A little ice skating

I've always wanted to ice skate up and down our creek, like Hans Brinker & the Silver Skates.

I got a little closer this weekend when I convinced the girls to explore a little farther north onto some clear ice.  Teresa was a bit concerned about the cows in the pasture, but they didn't care to join us.

Rachel is more sure on her feet when on skis, but she likes to do tricks on skates, too!

A New Year at Terry Peak

We took a 2nd annual trip to Terry Peak with our friends Doug & Deb and family this past week.

My girls and I had fun together, since my skills do not reach much beyond the bunny hill!  There are no photos of my boys because each morning they disappeared and I didn't see them again until it was time to eat or the lifts closed for the day!

Teresa and I stayed with Rachel each day until she got tired, and then we rode the chair lift to ride Little Phil (the easiest run).

After a few rides up the "magic carpet," Rachel was ready to ride on her own in front of me. Last year, she took a lesson and her teacher taught her how to make "pizza" with her skis. (That was called "snowplow" when I first learned.) When we got to the top the first time, I told her, "Remember how to make pizza!" She said, "I make french fries!"  I have a feeling she will be speeding down the slopes before I know it, too!

Here comes Teresa ready for another run!