the Thankful Tree

Brayden and I have been working on the letter L this week. I saw something similar to this on pintrest and loved it. (This was also on my fall bucket list, yahoo for checking it off)!

While we were in Marshall shopping I picked up this cute vase at Walmart for $5.00.

I also borrowed the cute scallop punches then Brayden and I went out and collected a bunch of sticks in a grove behind our house. We got home and Brayden helped me punch holes in the "leafs" and arrange the sticks in the vase.

The Thankful Tree

Sticks, vase, scrapbooking paper, twine (we ended up not using it but it was to tie the leafs' on the tree) scallop punch, scissors and hole punch

 

 I explained to him what this tree meant and what it was for. We each wrote 3 things we were thankful for on the leaf. Then he hung the leafs' on the tree.

What are you thankful for?

Hanging up the leaf on the tree

 

When Ashtyn got home he couldn't wait to tell her about it. He calls it the "Thank You Tree" she thought this was pretty awesome too! She wrote a few of her own down on the leafs' and hung them on the tree then went out to play. Not long later a few of the neighbor friends came in with her. Went straight to the counter that the tree was on and they were writing things they were thankful for and hanging them on the tree. My heart was filled with so much joy. What an awesome ministry this has become. Ashtyn was sharing Jesus with them and they were so excited about it!

We have had this tree for a few weeks now and it has been so fun to watch the kids write on the leafs'. The first few days I would ask them during dinner what they were thankful for and then it became a habit. We will be playing or crafting and they will say, Oh I have something to write on a leaf! It's amazing. God is so good and it is so wonderful to see that joy in their hearts too.

This has been the most rewarding project we have done together.

 

Freezing Apple Pie Filling

Something everyone in our family shares a love for. APPLE PIE. YUM.
This was my first time freezing apple pie filling but it seemed like the logical thing to do since we had such an abundence of apples left over after we canned applesauce.

I was a little nervous since I haven't done this before but just yesterday the kids and I baked our first frozen pie and it turned out so delicious :)

Here is what we (Anna and I) did, we ended up making 18 quarts --> thats 108 apples. WOW.

And... ENJOY IT!! :) 

Canning Applesauce

Unfortunately I was never a big fan of canning anything. So every time my parents were canning I made sure that I was no where to be found. Years later I am really regretting it.
Luckily I have some amazing girl friends who took me under their wing this year and taught me so much and we had such a blast while canning... and a LOT of canning is what we did!
Day #1. Applesauce. *This was one of the things on my Fall Bucket List to check off and we got it accomplished!
Here was the process. (I took LOTS of pictures so I wouldn't forget a single step because this is going to be a yearly tradition for the kids and I from now on).

 

And the best part....

TASTE TESTING!!!! No sugar added to the kids and they ALL loved it!! :)

Anna and I after a hard days work! We canned 12 QUARTS and 8 PINTS of Applesauce!!

 

It isn't as hard as it looks, and it is definitely worth it! :)

 

Ice Cube Paint

We accidentally found a new favorite project... ICE CUBE PAINTING!

Katie and Brayden were painting, I left them alone for just minutes and came back to find this...

They took it upon themselves to get more paint which spilled EVERYWHERE. I mean EVERYWHERE, yes all over them, the chairs and the floor.

 

After I got them cleaned up they headed outside to play while I figured out what to do with this mess.

I left the paint in the ice cube tray because there was SO much in there and had to show Ashtyn when she got home from school (and to show my hubby who didn't believe me when I texted him about this big mess).

Ashtyn got home and thought this was the COOLEST thing EVER. Within a second of looking at the mess she said, "mom put it in the freezer"! What an awesome idea! In the freezer went the tray of paint.

The next day, here is what our kitchen looked like :)

SUPER SUPER FUN!

 

*The next time we do this, I will be the one pouring the paint into the ice cube tray! It also works a little better if you spray a little PAM on the tray!

Fall Bucket List

 Is it really fall already! Where has the time gone?!

We did a summer bucket list- inspired by a friend and our entire family LOVED it! One night during dinner we all talked about things that we would love to do this summer. It was fun checking the things off the list and making memories while we were at it!

So of course...we had to do one for the fall! Here is ours, keep checking back to see the posts of the things we did...aka 'erupting pumkins'! It will be fun!

Feel free to download this or hopefully it will inspire you and your family for fun ideas this fall!

 

Click here to download

the Marry-Wed Game

Isn't it amazing just how crazy life can get after you get married. The dating and engagement stages we had so much time for each other and we were so in tune with each other, with our wants, needs...just everything. Once you get married, add in careers, real bills and children to the mix how well do you really know your spouse?

It is so important to stay connected to your spouse, the person that you knew so incredibly well when you were dating could have completely changed as life has changed over the last few years!

Here is a fun game to do on a date night with your spouse (you could do this during a quite stay in date night or out to eat)!Print them --> then Fill these out for each other -->Then write your own (truthful) answers down on a separate sheet of paper. You will have so much fun reading the answers and reminiscing old memories!!
This doesn't take long, you will NOT regret playing this game!

Click here to download a FREE printable of the game.

           Enjoy! :)

Chalkboard Frame

 

I finally got one of my projects checked off my list...the chalkboard frame.

This was a lot of fun to make, quick and easy!

Items Needed: 

*FRAME -I purchased the large frame at a
Thrift Store for $2.50
*CHALKBOARD SPRAY PAINT - Purchased at Menard's (Rust-oleum brand) for $3.90

*SPRAY PAINT- For the frame, purchased at Walmart (Krylon Brand) for $3.84 

 

What To Do:

*Take the back off the frame and remove the glass

*Using the chalkboard paint-spray the wood back

*Spray paint the wooden frame whatever color you choose

(The chalkboard paint dries very quickly, do at least 2 coats and then let dry)

- I also had plenty of spray paint left so I could do another frame! :)

 

And there you go! A super cute inexpensive chalkboard frame for $10.25