Cookie Dough Dip!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?? Are you sure?? It

Source: chocolatecoveredkatie.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

               certainly looks like it.  Well, I came across this fabulous website, http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/.  She has some yummy looking and HEALTHY dessert options.  I tried the above "cookie dough" recipe and made it for my girls.  They loved it and it was healthy for them.  Check out these recipes, I know I will be making more of her recipes!

**Warning--I will not be held responsible for excessive drooling**

This dip is high in protein, gluten-free, and it can even be sugar-free!
Cookie Dough Dip
Inspired by this awesome recipe.

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas (1 can, drained) (250g)
• 1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt
• tiny bit over 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup nut butter (You can get away with using only 3 T. If you use peanut butter, it’ll have a very-slight “pb cookie dough” taste, so if you don’t want this, you can sub oil.)
• up to 1/4 cup milk of choice (Start with 1 T, and add more as needed)
• Sweetener (see note below, for amount)
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips or Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips
• 2 to 3 T oats (or flaxmeal) (You can omit, but also omit the milk if you do)

Add all ingredients (except for chocolate chips) to a good food processor (not blender), and blend until very smooth. Then mix in the chocolate chips.
See the following link for a Sugar-Free Version.

Sweetener Notes: I used 2/3 cup brown sugar when I first made this for the party. Liquid sweeteners (agave, maple, etc.) are fine as well, as is evaporated cane juice. You can easily get away with less sugar– some people will be perfectly fine with just 3 T for the whole recipe! And if you don’t want any sugar, be sure to check out the “no-sugar” version linked above. (You can also use stevia, if you like the taste of stevia-sweetened desserts. Try 2-3 packets of NuNaturals stevia, and add more sweetener if needed. I wouldn’t recommend serving an all-stevia version to party guests, though.)

Life Cycle of the Frog

Today we did our science craft on the life cycle of the frog.  I picked up some colored posterboard to make the project more life size.
Here is a great template for the project   http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mfroglifecycle.htm

Our Favorite Journal Prompts

1st grade journal prompts:

1.  If you could stay up til midnight...what would you do??
2. What season is your favorite and why?  Draw a picture.
3. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
4. If you made dinner tonight, what would you make and why??
5. My home is happy because....
6. If I were the teacher..I would??
7.  I am proud of myself because I can...??
8.  If I had $1000.00, I would.....
9.  Describe a time when you showed kindness to someone.
10.  If you could have any pet...what would it be and why??
11. Jesus made me special because....
12. I am thankful for........
13. If I could have lunch with anyone in the Bible, it would be?? Why??
14. My favorite book is__________, because.........
15. If I could learn to do anything it would be........
16. If I lived on a farm, I would like.....
17. My favorite foods are???? Draw pictures of each.
18. My favorite game is........
19. If I woke up to a dinosaur in my backyard, I would............tell what kind.
20. My favorite place to go is................

Make journal prompts after certain holidays, seasons, field trips and other events.....
What was your favorite part about the field trip??  If it snowed today, what would you do??  I love Hanukkah because??? If I had a turkey for a pet, I would??  My favorite part about church yesterday was....

Have fun, let them be creative and encourage them to draw pictures and color them to bring their entries to life.  Have them write the date above every page and check grammar and punctution.

Blind Bartimaeus Mark 10:46-52

Welcome Kids/Ask about their week
Prayer/Requests
Worship
Review previous weeks lesson
Lesson:  Blind Bartimaeus Mark 10:46-52 (read story or act out)
http://www.childrenstory.info/biblestoryforchild/chdbbltheblindman.html

-What do you see?? Ask the kids if they are seeing with their spirtual eyes.
 Have a half glass of water:  Is it half empty or half full?
 Pic of a rainy day: Is it a dreary day OR is it God watering the earth

-Ask Yeshua, with Faith--Blind Bartimaeus KNEW with all his heart that Jesus could heal him and he was not going to give up. He loudly presented himself with all his faith.  If you were in the dessert and you were SO thirsty...and someone offered you water, how would you react...ho-hum..I don't know if I want it or not....well..maybe...I am kinda thirsty...OR YES!! Please!!! I am so thirsty, can I have a drink of water!  I want it so much, please!! pretty please!!  Pray with a fervent heart. (Need: a glass of water.)

Memory Verse:  "Your faith has made you well."  Mark 10: 52
Tape piece of verse to various objects they can feel and know what it is.
blindfold a volunteer and have them put the verse in order.

Craft:  Blind Bartimaeus Puppets
 Need: paper plates
            yarn
            glue
            crayons
            wooden craft sticks
         
Have flaps pre-cut to flip up.  Have another piece of paper taped behind flaps.  When eye flaps are opened , have kids draw in new eyes.  Glue on hair and decorate.

Hebrew Word:  Heal--RAFA     write letters: Aleph  Fey  Resh

coloring page:  Have the kids color blindfolded

Game:  Blindman--blindfold volunteer and have a friend lead them around the room

Happy Habitat

Today, Naomi did a habitat for 3 animals for our science lesson.  We have learning about the zoo and how they have to create a habitat for animals to comfortable and feel like they are in the wild.  We are thankful for the zoo because it allows us to study and see animals up close and keeps safe those that are endangered.

A nice watering hole for Mr. Alligator.

A wooded jungle for Mr. Monkey to swing from.

A wide open Savannah for Mr. Giraffe run free.

We are proud of our Habitat project! Way to go girl!

need: shoebox or shoebox cover
          playdoe
          tooth picks
          pics of animal
          artificial tree branches or if seasonal search the yard!

Camel thru the Eye of a Needle Mark 10:23-27

Welcome-allow kids to tell you about thier week
Prayer/and Requests
Worship
Review Previous weeks lesson
Lesson: Story of rich man wanting to go to heaven but refuses to give up his money
-explain funny Hyperbole--exaggerations--I died laughing
                                                                   I could sleep forver
                                                                   I am so hungry I could eat a cow
                                                                  I tried a thousand times
-Introduce: It's easier for a camel to go thru the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get to heaven. Which means, it's REALLY hard for a rich man to enter heaven.  Sometimes if you have everything this earth has to offer, you think you don't need God.  You love things more than God.
-Ask them what is important to them---are they putting it above God?? Write out answers on white board
-Have things to show the kids that could become too important: money, video game or pictures of large house, cars , clothes and toys.  God needs to come 1st.
-Have a volunteer try to thread a needle, then maybe a with rope next, then a stuffed animal..then have a volunteer try to squeeze thru a small space.  Be careful not to put things before God, because they slowly seperate us from Him.

Memory Verse: "for with God, all things are possible.."  Mark 10:27b
 Seperate verse onto 6 different colored construction paper.  Have 6 regular size shipping boxes  and stack them into a pyramid shape.  Secure tape verse to the boxes.  Have volunteers take turns kicking down the pyramid and rebuilding in the right order.

Craft: Camel and Needle
Need: Brown construction paper
           Camel coloring page
           Needle coloring page
           copy of "Love God more than things"
Color and cut out camel.  Color and cut out needle. Cut and 'Love God more than things', and glue them all on the brown construction paper. Make a desert scene.
Camel pic click here   http://www.coloring-pages-kids.com/coloring-pages/animal-coloring-pages/camels-coloring-pages/camels-coloring-pages-images/camel-coloring-page-04.php

Needle pic click here    http://www.clipartof.com/portfolio/derocz/illustration/coloring-page-outline-of-a-needle-and-thread-character-1058594.html

VBS Bible Land Overview

This past summer we did a 3 day Bible Land VBS.  So this lesson can be used for a 3 week series for Children's church or your own VBS.   It consist of a play off of the orginal Candy Land game. We used the characters and made it look like our own little Candy Land scene.  The theme is, "Walking Sweetly With Yeshua(Jesus)"

Day 1- Sweet Words--make sure our words are sweet to others and pleasing to the Lord
Day 2-Sweet Friends--make sure you are being a sweet friend
Day 3- Sweet Prayer-make sure your prayers are a sweet aroma to Him


Set Up
1. Of course, make your own colored pathway from the front door to the main stage.
    Use primary colors of cardstock and secure with white or black duct tape.

2. Candy Land back drop for stage.  I was lucky enough to have my friend Heather able to paint the castle on a large sheet.  Or if you have a projector, just project an image onto the wall or screen.

3. Name Tags:  We used a gingerbread template and printed onto firm cardstock.  Printed each registered child's name on it and they decorated it upon their arrival on the first day.  Each day they hung their gingerbread name tag back up on the gingerbread tree and retrieved it every morning.

http://k2printables.com/images/gingerbread_man2.jpg    Gingerbread man name tag template

Then I made a gingerbread tree out of firm cardboard.  Used green felt for the tree and and brown felt for the trunk.  I cut slits into the green felt and stuck on little hooks to the backboard. You will not be able to see the backboard, just little hooks coming thru the green felt.  Lastly, use puffy paint to draw on the face of the Ginger bread tree.  Place him at the front door so he greets everyone as they arrive.

3. Lollipops.  Colored helium balloons on a string.  String thru white cardboard tubes and secure string at the bottom.  Wrap balloon in clear cellophan and secure with colored ribbon.  Secure bottom to sandbag or balloon weight or just secure to a wall.

4.  Bible Land Sign:  I was able to download a Candy Land Font in which I made the letters. Cut them out and glue to red paper plates.  Secure together with string or just secure to the wall with tape.

5.  Draw the characters.  I drew about 4 of the characters and displayed them around the room.  Mr. Mint was adhered to a firm poster board with the rules and he gave the rules everyday.

6. Gumdrop Mountains.  I got colorful buckets at the dollar store.  Sprayed adhesive glue over it and rolled it in real sugar and then used clear laquer spray to make it not fall apart.  Then placed on stage and surrounded with "snow" or cottonballs.

7. Candies.  I secures colored paper plates together from the dollar store, and wrapped in clear cellophane and tied each end with colored ribbon.  You can catch a glimse of one in the picture of the hanging about the Bible Land sign.  You can also just use plain white paperplates and use colored cellophane wrap.

8. Bubble Machine.  At the entrance I added an automatic bubble machine blower which made it seem so fanciful and exciting to come in. The front doors were open and bubbles were billowing out to welcome the kids.

9.  Ginger Bread Man.  I found an adorable gingerbread inflatable at Oriental Trading.  I put it on stage as decoration. We also took pictures of the kids with him and framed them for each of the kids.

http://www.orientaltrading.com/inflatable-gingerbread-boy-a2-4_4428.fltr