Playdough Fun!

Thought I'd share this fun recipe I had for homemade playdough!  It's so great!  We gave it away as Christmas gifts for Miles' little friends this year!  (idea from How Does She- love that site!)

yes, it's almost lunch and we are all still in our pjs!!

I had everything at the house except cream of tartar.  But trust me, you're going to need this.  I looked up why you need cream of tartar, and all I could really find is that it makes it more elastic-y and smooth.  And that makes sense, because I found a recipe that didn't have it in there and it didn't work.  It was more like playing with bread dough- and super sticky!

So here it is:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup of water

1/4 cup salt

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 drops of food coloring

Mix all ingredients over low heat, stirring constantly.  We stood there for about 5 minutes.  When it all formed together, I plopped it all in a ball and let it cool for about 10 minutes.  Then we kneaded it lots (partly because it was just fun!)  

When we gave it as gifts, we put some in leftover babyfood containers and small little plastic thingies that I had.  Then I made up some cute gifttags (or look up "free printables" and you'll find a PLETHORA of cute stuff out there!) and passed them out!  Miles' friends and our Sunday school kiddos got some as Christmas happies (we made green and red!)

HAPPY PLAYING!!!  

 a few pictures from us making ours back at Christmas time!  

me and my happy little helper!  and i know you're jealous of how good i look here...=)

and the other one!!

our red playdough...beginning stages!

 

had enough time to go get a bath, then come back and play for a few minutes!
And it's funny...he has those same pjs on today!!

adoption responses, part 1

Here are the first few responses I had back to yesterday's post! 

Keep 'em coming!!

A friend's hubby from church, Brian, replied back to me on FB:

"My parents adopted me from a children's home when I was about a month old, 

and it was the biggest blessing of my life, by far."

Then my fellow Bunko junkie and XO sister, Liz shared her family's journey to adoption here.

My friend Jessica  posted this link in the comments section.  I loved reading this blog!

So seriously folks!  Keep 'em coming!  I'll try to gather at least one story a week to share!  If you'd be interested in writing up your whole story in kind of a nutshell- I'd love to post it here!  

a piece of my heart

okay- if you've read my blog before- you know that once i talked about the desire i have to adopt.  this is not something the Lord is calling us to do at this present time...but it does not lessen the heaviness on my heart of wanting to care for those who don't have a mom and dad to call their own!  i have been sooooo unbelievably moved by so many people over just the last year who have chosen to go down this path.  and this thought of blogging about it has recurred so many times in my thoughts!  i have read complete stranger's blogs about their journey to adoption- but i would love to have a place where all the people in my world can read each other's stories and connect!

so here is what i am proposing...

i would love to share YOUR adoption story.  have you adopted?  are you in the middle of an adoption?    are you yourself adopted?  do you have any tips or websites or information you can share with someone who might be thinking about it, but doesn't know where to start?

leave me a comment or facebook msg me or email me- your story deserves to be heard {read}!  feel free to leave a link to your adoption blog if you have one!

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

James 1:27

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. 

Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

Isaiah 1:17

photo credit

Get a PEN!

Here's a potato soup recipe you are for sure going to want to write down!

It's okay...I'll give you time to go get a recipe card, index card, post it...whatever!  

Or hey-- just right click, save, and print this out so you have it! 

Isn't picnik just great?!?!  I made the recipe card just doodling around one day, then saved it.  I came back to it and added the text in just now!   (((and I just realized I forgot to fill in what the recipe IS!!)))  

We had this one Sunday after church.  It was super quick- even with the frozen potatoes!  Also- I have to give myself a pat on the back...I have done a GREAT job the past week or so of meal planning!  I have ALMOST  posted our meal plan up each week...but I am doomed for failure if I do that!  

Okay...maybe that was a little dramatic... 

So how about I back-track and tell you what we've already had?!?!  This girl is great about posting her meals each week

{{{{---oh-- that I aspire to be...}}}}

Okay- so I won't do a daily run through- just some highlights. 

Last night we had chili- YUM.  It's "Wendy's Top Secret Recipe" that I'm pretty sure was in the newspaper and my MIL passed it on to me.  I personally haven't ever had Wendy's chili- so I don't know if it really tastes like it- but it is GUUU--UUD.  We were celebrating my FIL's bday- so we did that and baked potatoes and we splurged on cupcakes!  Andrea's are just too good to try to make my own!  I told Jared once that I'll try many things- but fancy baking and cake decorating probably won't ever be one of them!  

We had BBQ last week-- crockpot, seasoned rub, Corky's bbq sauce- divine.  My mom found it for me on Kitchen Daily but I can't seem to find the exact recipe to link it...leave me a comment if you want me to get it to you!  It was delish.

And of course we've had a chicken dish-- but this one I can't decide if I like or not.  It's the 2nd time I've made it and I don't think it has enough flavor for me.  But it's one of my cousin's favorites- and she has great taste buds (lol- yes at myself)  

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (uncooked) 

-sliced mushrooms (8 oz square box or bag of fresh sliced; or, big jar of mushrooms....but i think the fresh r the best)

-swiss cheese

-1 can of cream of chicken soup

-1/2 cup of white wine (I may have added a tad bit more to make it a little more moist)

-pepperidge farm herb stuffing mix

-butter

-salt and pepper

*don't like mushrooms, so we omitted that*

*oh- and I made my own cream of chicken

And Owen is eating more and more...I kinda gave the babyfood-making a little hiatus.  He is getting lots more tub food than I thought I would do- but something had to give right now!  But he is eating so much of what we're eating and it's so easy to throw whatever into the mini food chopper and give that to him!  Plus he's eating lots of soft food- so that saves on lots of prep, too!  One of his favorites is chicken pot pie!  It's this girl's MIL's recipe I got from the church cookbook.  It is SOOOO stinking good and it makes up two pies, so I can either freeze it or take it to a friend!  (I took it to a neighbor last week- plus the best brownies you will ever put in your mouth!  I'll share that recipe later, too!)

Okay--- so chicken pot pie and brownies recipe- coming up with the next blog post!  Maybe I'll even get fancy and put them on those fancy recipe cards too!!  

So---what do YOU have cooking?!

What a fun day!

Well folks....we got it...our once a year snow!  It came a little early- but it did not disappoint!  AND we have another snow forecasted for this coming weekend!!  Who knows?!  And folks...let me tell you--- this southern girl does NOT like to be cold...but I actually bundled up (and looked ridiculous because I have no need for real snow clothes- because seriously- this MIGHT happen once a year!)  I mean...I'm sitting here at the computer wearing my heavy coat and gloves.  A little more time consuming to type with the gloves on...but I am just COLD!

Our morning consisted of running up and down the huge hill beside our house- it's PERFECT for sledding!  And this year- instead of preparing for the inclement weather with oil lanterns- Jared got something we can really use--- SLEDS!  {{{love you honey}}}{{and yes- I know we've used the lanterns...once...}}

Little brother missed out on the first round, but he was up and ready for round two!  And Meme and Jimbo stopped by and brought another sled!  I was glad they came because I am terrible about taking pictures these days!  I don't want to miss out on any of the fun, so I'm right there in the middle of things and not concerned with picture taking!  All of my pics from Christmas this year are mostly from Mom's camera!  I have a few on mine...but if you read the last post you might understand why I didn't have the energy to take pics...

ANYWAY...

Lots and lots of fun....so here's a few pics to show you just how excited we get down here in the south over SNOW!