Slurp Your Milk!

Every night at the dinner table my girls run to the silverware drawer to get a straw for their milk. However, it is becoming this battle within me for good manners! Because of course, once they get down to the bottom there is inevitable....slurping! Ugh! Here is my delimma..is this a battle I pick?? I don't know?? I don't want to be the mom of the kid who is slurping up a storm in a quiet restaurant or at the next family gathering. I, of course want my kids to be a picture of grace and poise. HA!! Who am I kidding? Myself of course! So I have decided to try to expect less poise at home, and be more of the enforcer in public. It's OK, to not be the perfect well mannered adult or kid ALL the time! We gotta give'em some slack. I want my kids to feel comfortable to be themselves in the surroundings of our own home! This will help lay the groundwork for future discussions in hopes they will feel comfortable sharing what's on their minds, knowing I won't be concerned with how they are sitting in their chair and having their elbows on the table. So, sit back, relax and slurp your milk!!

The 8th Day

It was a wonderful Hanukkah and I pray you had an enjoyable time with family and friends this holiday season.  We ended tonight by lighting all the candles and opening presents and now we are off for a family dinner together!  Share with me what fun memories you made this year.....

Olivia lighting the first 4 candles

                                                       Naomi lighting the next 4 candles

Household Hanukkiah craft

A fun and easy Hanukkiah or Menorah craft for the kids to do!

 Have the kids paint 8 rolls of toilet paper and 1 paper towel roll.  Allow to fully dry.

 

Then I securedly them together with clear packing tape

  
decorate with ribbon and I printed off a Hanukkah decoration from Google Images as a finishing touch

Happy Hanukkah!

Yeshua my Shamash

The shamash is the center candle on a Hanukkiah and it has a very important job.  It is usually a little higher or taller candle.  Shamash mean, "guardian" or "servant".  The shamash candle is lit first and then it is responsible for lighting the other candles, and then placed back in the center.  It reminds me that Jesus/Yeshua is my Shamash.  He is the Shamash of the world.  He is the bearer of light...our salvation.  Only He can bring it and only He can give it.  We can't light ourselves, we can only recieve light, our salvation, thru the Shamash--Jesus.  Thank You Yeshua for the light of salvation!!
“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”John 8:12

Hanukkah Bags

My friend made these adorable Hanukkah bags for my girls!  She used a beautiful crushed velvet for the outside and used a fun Hanukkah print on the inside and used a gold ribbon to cinch it closed.  The girls look forward to opening their Hanukkah bag each night to see what little gift is inside.  They perch on the ledge in our front window next to our Hanukkiah! You should make one too!

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too!

This is a picture of my precious daughter Chloe, and when I saw it I immediately thought of a note to share. Chloe is REALLY enjoying her cake...and why shouldn't she?? I love her and I want her to have fun and give her good gifts. It just reminded me of how Satan tells us that we don't deserve love, joy and peace. Or it is impossible to have a healthy marriage or a good relationship with my kids! Don't believe the lies my friends, God's word tells us otherwise..."If you then, being evil(sinners), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much MORE will YOUR heavenly Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:11 God wants to give us our cake, why are you not partaking of it's goodness?????? He is a good parent wanting to give these good things to us, we just need to accept. No matter how big we get, we always love gifts from our parents. Follow God's Word to see how you can receive these gifts that keep on giving........

PEACE "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

JOY "But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for JOY, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be JOYFUL in You." Psalm 5:11

LOVE "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." 1 John 5:10

MARRIAGE ".....when I found the one I love, I held him and would not let him go............" Song of Solomon 3:4

CHILDREN "And you, fathers(and mothers), do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4

Don't stop here...there is SO much more...keep searching

Keep the Han in Hanukkah

It's time to get in the holiday spirit! Hanukkah is a few days away and our house is a buzz with excitement and planning for 8 days of Hanukkah Hoop-la! Yay!