Pink Paper Peppermints - Craft. Create. Celebrate.

the adventures of the cereal box boys

The boys had a blast cutting up giant cereal boxes (we have to buy cereal by the cubic ton) and making helmets out of them the other day. 

One of the millions of reasons that I am so appreciative of the ability to homeschool (no matter how I spell homeschool spell check doesn't like it??) our boys. 

They would never get the opportunity to be so close if they were both in an institution all day.  One would be in kindergarten and one would be in high school and they probably would never even see each other, never mind enjoy each other's company.

Teen-O is so sweet with his little brother and Little-O just adores him.  It blesses me so much that the main role models in my little guy's life are his brother and dad, kind, loving, men of God.

   

I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the life God has given me on a day like this, watching them laugh and play and learn together.  And I am humbled that God trusts me with this. deeply humbled and grateful.

Who knew cereal boxes could elicit such introspection?

♥ M~
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"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do His work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve Him...Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus."
-1 Timothy 1:12 & 14

tuesday ten - 4

ten random thoughts on tuesday

one

I heard birdies singing this morning...birdies I tell you!  I am so excited spring is coming soon!

two

You might've noticed there's been a slight name change in my ezine.  It is now "heART & Soul".  That's because there is another neat ezine named "The Heart of the Matter". 

So to avoid confusion I decided a name change was in order. I kinda like the new name even better because I think it describes what the zine will be all about (Heart, ART & Soul!).  If you haven't subscribed, head over there now! It's freeeeeeee!

three

I have recently become aware that there is a large, gaping chasm between what I *think* can be accomplished in a day and what can *actually* be accomplished in a day by a normal human woman.  This is only complicated by my apparent lack of any concept of time. 

Case in point.  I was just thinking I would like to have this posted by noon today so that I can finish up some other things.  I look down at my computer clock (yes...I have a clock *right on my computer*) and it is 2:00 pm.  This has the potential for causing some serious disappointment as you can imagine.  Something I need to work on.

four

I need to start cleaning up for the holidays, no not Easter...Christmas!  It's only 309 days away you know.

five

Did you see my 'Neat-O new thing' button?  I stole borrowed the idea from my friend Elizabeth. She has a "link of the week" in her sidebar and I love it.  I am alway running across neat, new things online(well new to me anyway) so I thought the button would be a great way to share it with you!

six

Little O has been cracking me up lately because he thinks the word for "dizzy" is "bizzy".  This makes for some very interesting conversations.  In the grocery store after seeing me rub my temples due to an impending headache..."Are you gettin' bizzy, mama?"  *weird look from the lady across the aisle*

seven

I found such a great, new place for homeschool moms!  It's called "The Homeschool Lounge" and it's kinda like facebook for homeschoolin' mamas.  It is soooo neat!  If you are a homeschooling mama you have to go sign up right now!  And come and find me if you do, I go by "OneHappyMama" there. 

There are all kinds of fun groups to join and you can post photos and videos and it's all private, member only and *freeeeeeeee*.  Also, if you sign up and like it, be sure to blog about it because they are having a giveaway for bloggers!

eight

I've had some inquiries about the buttons I make, so I thought I'd try something.  I'm going to be the "Button Girl"! (you know..."hey, who made your button?" "oh, I found this great button girl".)

So the first person to comment on this post gets a free one.  After that, I'm going to make them for a mere five buck-a-roonies ($5.00 ea) (evil spell check is fine with "buck-a" but "roonies" is freaking it out) There will be some limitations with that of course which we can discuss in email. 

We'll see how it goes, I might have to charge more later (or you know, pay *you* to take one).  But if you're one of the ones who wanted a button for your group or blog or whatever just send me an email with what you need/want and we'll go from there.  I'll take paypal and maybe I can figure out how to make a paypal button even!  {Oh...and I promise I won't actually turn you *into* a button.  heh-heh}

nine

Yesterday my Little O woke up earlier than usual and came in and climbed up in my lap while I was checking email.  This is what I saw when I looked down.

I never want to forget this. ever. 

You think if I just close my eyes real tight and pretend it's not happening I can keep him from growing up?  Naaah.  I guess I don't wanna do that anyway. (well, maybe a little)

ten

When I have to call someone and figure out why they are not doing something they are supposed to be doing, I make a quick list so I don't forget what to ask and if I'm *really* upset I scribble a reminder of how Jesus would like me to handle it at the top of the page.

If I don't do this...well..."Christ like" is  not a good description of my behavior. An example is below (it's in my messy *be angry but sin not* handwriting...heh-heh) from one of my many conversations with doctors and nurses over the fiasco with my dad's surgery.

One of the cool things about blogging is that I probably would've never even noticed this little habit of mine if I hadn't been looking for number ten.  :)

Grace and Peace friends,

M~
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"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven;"
-Ecclesiastes 3:1

oh the snacky happiness

Cupcakes!

Here they are fresh from the oven:

I got the recipe from a site I just recently found and I really should delete it from my bookmarks because it is *dan*ger*ous*.  Know what I mean Vern? (oh my gosh, I am *so* old.  Please tell me someone else remembers those commercials?)

Anyway the site is Cupcake Bake Shop and this woman is just a cupcake genius (I just misspelled the word 'genius' *and* the word 'misspelled'...evil spellcheck is mocking me). 

I am warning you *Do Not* click that link if you are hungry, or like cupcakes...or you know...have an oven and some sugar....because you will be sorry...(I'm just kidding...go there right now...so many pretty cupcakes!!)

Here is the recipe:

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cupcakes
24 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

    3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
    2 cups sugar
    3 eggs
    2 cups flour
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    3/4 cup cocoa powdered
    2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
    1-1/2 cups milk
    2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition.
3. Measure the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and espresso powder into a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Measure the milk and vanilla into a measuring thing.
5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
6. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 2/3’s full.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

After I made the batter I realized I had just put *coffee* in cupcakes for kids who will most likely be eating three tons of sugar and chocolate... I feel bad, but you know, they are *mini* cupcakes...and it's really not *that* much.... only 2 Tablespoons in like seventy-five little cupcakes....and.... please don't tell the other homeschool moms ok?

I made buttercream frosting using a recipe I've had (and tweaked) since I taught cake decorating classes years ago:

Buttercream Frosting
    1 1/2 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter
    6 cups powdered sugar
    1/4 cup milk
    1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1. Beat butter until softened.
2. With mixer on low, alternately add milk, sugar and vanilla
3. Beat until mixed thoroughly
4. Be sure not to over mix or you will create air bubbles in the icing.

Here they are in all their frosted and sprinkled glory.

In spite of my own recipe saying not to over mix I *did* in fact over mix the icing and created a bunch of air bubbles, but other than that I think they turned out pretty cute. 

I'm ashamed to admit how many pictures I took of them.  In fact I'm not going to tell you. 

Here's a sliced one.  I was trying to get a shot like the cupcake lady, but it didn't turn out quite as good as hers.

So now off to lick the icing bowl do a final load of laundry and get myself to bed.

I will not be here tomorrow, but I have cleverly *scheduled* a special valentine post just for you.  I think you will like it.  (if you've been reading my blog for awhile it may be a repeat, but it's so, so good I just had to post it again.)

Happy Heart Day Eve!

M~
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"When you're given a box of candy, don't gulp it all down; eat too much chocolate and you'll make yourself sick..."
-Proverbs 25:16 the message

valentine-y fun

We are baking and scrapping and gluing and having so much valentine-y fun!

{can you tell I'm learning to use the f-stop on my camera?}

50 valentines for homeschool friends.

Cupcake photos coming soon!   MMMM...you should smell the chocolatey smell in here. (evil spellcheck says chocolatey is not a word....too bad for him....hmmph.)

Oh, by the way, Quirky wanted to know why so much baking.  We are going to our Homeschool Co-op's Valentine's Party tomorrow! 

Have a sweet day.

M~
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"Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love Him with all that's in you, love Him with all you've got!"
-Deuteronomy 6:5

and the award goes to....

Sometimes when I sit down to do a blog entry so many things that I want to share come rushing towards me at once that I have to actually walk away and think about it some more.  Is this just my wildly random-ish and all-over-the-place brain or do other bloggers get this too?

I'd like to say it's artistic genius, but I really think it's just a bit of unmedicated ADD. (spell check thinks that should be "undedicated"...hey maybe *that's* my problem...dedication...)

Anyway, for right now I'm going to share just one quick thing and then the rest of the flood will have to come later when I have a little more time.  Wait, ok two things....(just thought of somethin' else...see what I mean about wildly random-ish?)

The first thing is an AWARD!!!!  Sweet Deborah at "A Cup of Joy" (which, by the way is a pretty neat bloggie itself.) gave me an award! 

My first one (and I've had *four* blogs...wildly random-ish...remember?)!  I think it's pretty cool, and I haven't had time to look at all the blogs on her list, but so far I seem to be in pretty good company!

I would like to say, however, that every ounce of goodness that you might find here is directly attributable to my merciful, generous, and gracious God whose extravagant love has made me a new creation.  This is not me trying to be humble, but just wanting to give credit where credit is due...and also the idea of being eaten by worms kinda creeps me out...heh-heh

So part of the deal of accepting the award is that you are supposed to award it to ten other blogs.  I can do that pretty easily, but honestly I have *way* more than ten and if I am going to get to all my random tangents important posts today, homeschool my kids, clean the house (ha!) and make dinner I have to split this up!  So the first three awards go to:

Elaine Barnett
This girl has a heart for God that will make you smile, cry and laugh every time you read.  She has the gift of encouragement like no one else I have ever known.  I am so thankful to have met and become friends with her!  Go read her blog. :)

Susie Sincock {decorate your soul}
Another online friend with a gift.  If you like beautiful photographs then go visit Susie's blog.  She is also a talented scrapbooker and fellow believer.  (And if it wasn't *completely* wrong to take people's pictures of their kids and put them on your own blog I would totally claim her gorgeous baby daughter as my own)  Go look!

Rachel Larkin
An Aussie Kiwi (what kind of a friend mixes those two up??) friend whose banner has a picture of melted chocolate on it!  (That tells you right there that she gets it!)  She writes wonderfully inspiring articles and even has a free e-zine called "Becoming Beautiful" about being beautiful in mind, body and spirit!  You will love her!
 
That's it for now...more great blogs later though.  And thank you so much Deborah!

By the way, don't worry, that this prestigious award is going to go to my head...I just told my 15 year old son (what??!!!!  I have a 15 year old son???!!!! - sorry when I type it out like that it's a little shocking) about it and he looked puzzled and said quizzically,

"wow.  really?"

Yeah...oh the glory.

And now I am out of computer time so no second thing...but I will be back after I clean a little and check my boys' work.

M~
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“...let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
     That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
      For in these I delight,” says the LORD.”
-Jeremiah 9:23

cold night thankful {heARTs} and warm soup

brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Wow.  It is really *ccccold* in Texas tonight!

thankful thursday

What a difference a week makes!  God is so good and my dad is doing so well.  My heart is overflowing with gratitude towards those who have been praying for us.  I really do feel your prayers and I count it an honor that you would take that time in your chatting with the Lord to mention me & my daddy. Really, I do.  It's humbling.

I'm thankful for so many things, but today I'm especially thankful for this box of bolts and fuses sitting next to me (hubby is correcting me somewhere in his head right now - fuses, bolts, circuits, whatever) that has allowed me to take a peek into some of your lives, pray for you, laugh with you, go on wild, rabbitty blog trails (spell check is outraged at the word rabbitty - ha!) with you, finding other amazing women who are just trying to be good moms and not throw the tv out the window (or some other mommy impulse) every day. 

I am really grateful that God is showing me that I'm right where I need to be, doing exactly what He wants me to be doing right now. 

That being a mother is valuable.  yep.  it is. 

That loving and nurturing these two little people (well one is *hardly* little anymore, but you know what I mean) is critical to the success of the mission.  I'm needed here right now.  And I'm so thankful that I'm finally getting that.

So thankful.

{heART}

Remember my e-zine from the other blog?  "The {heART} of the Matter"?  I'm gonna start that over here.  Soon.  I have lots of ideas and a whole new implementation concept (you know, like um...actually doing it).  Anyway...look out for a little sign up dealie in the sidebar and a little treat for those who sign up first!

and more {heART}


I am so ready for Valentine's Day!!  You may have guessed from the colors of my blog that I like pink & red. No. really.  I do.

As you can imagine Valentines is my funnest!

(heh-heh, kidding...I know that's not a sentence a grown up would say - it's just fun saying it...don't freak out writer types and grammar peoples...k?) 

So I am getting ready to make lots of pretties!  Look!

The fabric & ribbon is stuff I've had for awhile.

I just picked up the above today.  Pink legal pads...isn't that the greatest??  How inspired are my notes going to be now??

I'm actually going to be sewing some fabric instead of paper for a change so I needed some straight pins and a...pin...holder...thingie.  Now I know the tomato pin cushion (there it is - pin cushion) is sort of utilitarian and *not* handmade and I actually saw some sweet ones on Etsy that I loved, but when I saw the tomato today...well...it just reminded me of my mom and being a little girl

(who refused to learn how to sew, by the way, when she had a fabulously talented seamstress of a mom willing to teach her and whose grown up self does not now appreciate that she was so hard-headed about that!)

and I don't know...I felt sentimental about it...plus...you know it's red and look how cute it looks against that pink notepad!?

So I am hoping to get lots of craftiness done this weekend and have all kinds of good papery, fabric-y things to show you on Monday!

warm soup

And finally what we had for dinner tonight:

I typically don't do packaged stuff...yuk...but this is "all natural" and really it's just the dried beans and spices, which unless you're planning on growing and drying your own beans and spices....(I know there is someone reading this who probably *does* that!)....then I think it's ok.

Besides which, it has ribbon on the package and really...how bad can a food product be that comes with ribbon??

So here it is after just pouring it in to the water.  Doesn't it look pretty?

(Just FYI, if you are the "non-instruction-reading" type and go and just pour the beans into the pot...you may end up pouring the little seasoning packet into the pot too...and then have to fish it out...not that I did that or anything...'cause...you know...I *always* read the instructions....)

I added some sauteed onions, peppers and garlic as well as a little chopped smoked ham and it turned out pretty yummy.  I think next time I will add more veggies though, like celery, carrots and more peppers. 

Alright then...snuggle up with your families and friends or just a good book and hot mug of tea and keep warm tonight!

Don't forget to enter my bloggy giveaway  if you haven't....it's the last night before I pick a winner!

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"At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way."
-Luke 10:21

ten on tuesday

I'm completely stealing the "ten on tuesday" that my friend Cathy does.  I think she may have stolen it from someone else, though, so this lessens my guilt...{heh-heh}

Hey, don't forget to enter my bloggy giveaway in the post below!  You have 'til Thursday at Midnight!

one

I have noticed that I am developing an unnatural dislike for drinking glasses.  (I know, you're thinking, "drinking glasses?" ...yes...that's the unnatural part.)  I don't know why, but when ever my son walks in the room with a glass of water with ice in it and I hear the ice rattling against the side I just get annoyed. Really, really annoyed.  Plastic cups, no problem...it's just the sound the ice makes in the glass.  Right.  I *did* say that it was unnatural.

two

There has to be an easier way to get the laundry from the dryer to the bed or the couch or wherever you're planning to leave fold it. Right?  I know, most of you probably use laundry baskets, but mine are currently all filled with other things...I'm organizing...really.  So in the situation where you have no laundry basket, there *must* be some way to get the laundry out of the dryer and to it's destination without socks and underwear trailing behind you on the floor.  Or maybe I should just clean out the laundry baskets.

three

My spell check and I do not get along *at all*.  It is constantly informing me that I am simply making up words or suggesting that I must've meant "gillian" instead of "kirigami".  And even though I love the color red, I do not like the red underlines it scatters all through out my writing, made up words or not.  hmmph.

four

I'm developing an unnatural affection for my bread machine.  I know this because yesterday when I plugged it in, instead of making the lovely little piercing beep that it usually does....nothing.  Lights didn't come on, no sound...I felt a momentary sense of panic....my homemade-bread-making-life flashed before my eyes...."ahh...bread machine...not working...store bought rolls...noooo.."  Turns out the little mini breaker on the plug had popped. I pushed the button and all was well.  Still...it's mildly disturbing that I felt the same sense of panic that I do in the grocery store when I turn around and don't immediately see my youngest child standing next to me. Well, not exactly the same...but it was close...and disturbing...

five

Bloglines makes my bloggy life sooooooo much easier.  If you do not have a bloglines account you must stop what you're doing and go here (open in a new window...please come back...you're only at number five of my scintillating ten thoughts you know) and sign up right now.  It's free and so wonderful! 

It creates a little button at the top and bottom of your screen.  Anytime you read a blog that you just fall in love with and want to know when the author updates you click on the top button and subscribe.

The button at the bottom of the screen is your "notifier".  Whenever any of your bloggies are updated a happy little orange dot appears and you click and read!  You don't even have to go directly to the blog,  you can read all your blogs in one place.  (Although you wouldn't want to miss the lovely...say...pink and red colors of your favorite blog which won't show up in the reader.)
   
six

The stats for my blog are very detailed.  It's a little creepy actually, I can see where visitors are from, what kind of computer they're using, their screen resolution etc.  Anyway, whenever I look at the details and see that one of my visitors is using a Mac I feel flattered for some reason.  I have this vision of them sitting cross-legged on the beautiful hardwood floor of some spacious loft apartment in New York, sipping a latte and thinking, "wow, she's kind of creative, she is worth reading on my über cool Mac."  I don't know why...Mac people...they are usually...all...hip and design-y and stuff.  So, you know, if you're reading this on a Mac...can I have your autograph?

seven

The squirrels that have been running around on my roof are making so much noise now that I think they *must* be building something.  I hope it's a Starbucks.

eight

It makes me so uncomfortable when the people on Amazing Race rip open their clues and then throw the paper strip on the ground. Every time they do it I just cringe.

Every. time. 

I mean, I know there are probably like a million crew members hanging around and picking up after them when they leave...it just bugs me. You are a *visitor* in a foreign country for goodness sakes!  Pick up your garbage!

I didn't realize how much it bothered me until this morning while watching Dora the Explorer with my little O.  Dora and Boots started pulling sticky tape off their shoes and I cringed thinking they were going to throw it on the ground and then go on with their adventure, but the wonderful artists had drawn a little green mesh trash can beside them and they threw the tape in it before moving on. Ahhhhhh...a sigh of relief.  Yes, that is what you are supposed to do with trash. 

I just don't like litter.

nine

Moonsand is magic. Really.  How does it stay wet like that when you leave it out all the time?

ten

My husband has this made up expression that he uses to get out of an awkward moment in a conversation.  It goes like this,

"I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'".   

It seems like it doesn't make sense and actually it really *doesn't* make sense, but it works surprisingly well.  Here's an example.

hubby: "So am I the only one actually putting the dishes *in* the dishwasher today?"

me: *raised eyebrow and awkward, annoyed silence*

hubby:  "I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'"

You see, you really can't come back from that.  What is the reply to that?  The conversation just sort of ends and he actually *has* said something that he said he didn't say.

I like it.  I've started using it on him. heh-heh

Well, that's it.  There's my first "ten on tuesday".  You know, to be honest, I did it because I thought it would be a quick way to do a short blog entry, but it really seems like I just wrote *ten short blog entries*. 

I really don't know if it's worth it.

I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'.

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  "How great is the goodness
      you have stored up for those who fear you.
   You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
      blessing them before the watching world."
-Psalm 31:19 new living translation