Saturday, February 23, 2008

Make a Craft Monday - Foamies

So I am posting today because tomorrow (Monday) we will be on an airplane down to Sunny Florida. We love Foamies. They are these great foam crafts that you can get most anywhere including Michaels, Walmart, and JoAnn's. They have foam stickers in many different themes (animals, princess, flowers, bugs, Easter, Christmas...). We made these great sun visors for our Florida trip and then made some door hangers. A box of the stickers cost $4.99 put can make about 30 different crafts. The visors were only $1.00. So fun and it is an easy craft for little ones. Ella really likes these since she still struggles with the glue and scissors.


Friday, February 22, 2008

A new meaning to going potty.

Ella is now potty trained!!!! YEAH!!! But going potty for a 2 year old girl is not the same as it is for us. For most of us it is just something we do but for my 2 year old princess it is fun, fun, fun. She likes to check out all the public bathrooms (GROSS). But all in all I am so proud of her because she decided this on her own. Last week she told me she wanted to wear big girl undies. So here you have it a big girl on the potty with safety glasses on.

Baby it is cold outside.

Baby it is cold outside and boy am I sick of it. We have had temps in the teens for many days in a row. This is how I found Ella today when Ethan and I were playing with Lincoln Logs (great toy for boys 3 or older). She was cold so she just decided to bundle herself up and get warm. But honestly the end of the winter is in sight. We are headed to Florida on Monday for a week and a half. By the time we get back it will be March and hopefully rid of the snow and bitter cold. Praise the Lord we are all feeling better. I would say that we are all back to at least 90%. Thanks for all your concerns and prayers.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Make a Craft Monday - Giraffe Puppets

Here we go again at a new craft. This is a quick one to make but the kids are still having fun doing a puppet show. It is pretty funny the noises that toddlers think giraffes make.

Materials Needed:
~a paper lunch bag
~a printer
~some crayons
~scissors
~glue
~paper for the printer -- I used Yellow paper to print - you could use white and then color the yellow pieces.

For Giraffe Template Click here and print.

Have Fun -- I am sure I will make some more puppets coming up since I had to buy a bunch of lunch bags.



Friday, February 15, 2008

Happy Heart Day!!

So, yesterday was a great imporvement for us and our health. Ethan went to school today. They had a V-day party but I was not able to come because I did not want to expose Ethan's classmates to Ella and her sicknesses. He was disapointed that I could not come but another mom took a few pictures for me and that made him very happy. He took all his valentines that he made and gave them out to his friends. Ethan even got a huge hug from one of the girls in his class when he walked in (he did not know what to think about that, with him being so shy and all). On Valentines day Ella decided that she was not going to wear diapers any more. We had a compleaty accident free day (although today we have already had one - I still think that is pretty good for a sick girl).
This first picture is Ella posing for all those she loves. She is very proud to say "I am wearing undies".

These last 2 pictures are of Ethan and Ella begging for those valentines day cookies I was making. Yes Ella only has on a shirt and tights - weird I know but she got her dress dirty and did not want to put anything else on. She is 2 and very opinionated.I hope you all had a great day. LOVE and HUGS!!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Call to all MOMS!!

This is a call to all Moms. All you are wonderful out there and deserve to read this. It is a devotional that Mary told at my MOPS meeting a week ago. It was to funny and wonderful not to share. I hope this brightens up your day like it did mine.

Getting Better

So Ella is feeling so much better today. I know it will take a few more days to get my spunky Ella compleatly back but I am so thankful for the antibiotic shot. It was very painful for Ella and was in both legs so she did not walk at all yesterday but today I got a few smiles as you can see in the picture. She even ask for applesauce and at 3 spoonfulls and had about 5 spoonfulls of yoguart. She has had virtually nothing to eat since Thursday, so this in itself was a huge sucess. Please keep praying that the antibiotic they sent us home with works to get rid of the rest of the bugs.


Also please keep praying for my dad - he was released from the hospital yesterday. They did many tests ond have determinded that his heart is healthy. They have him on blood thinners so that he does not form any more blood clots that they believe were causing the heart problems. Last night my dad suffered some sever abdominal pains again. They are thinking his gallbladder is going to have to go. Please pray for the Dr's to have wisdom in figuring this all out. Thanks for all the emails, calls, comments, and food. God graced me with wonderful friends.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Pneumonia

My baby girl has pneumonia. I took her to the Dr this morning because she just was not getting any better from the flu (which she still also has). They took some blood work. Ella was so sad when they drew her blood - I felt so mean to make her go thru that. Then they sent us over to get some chest x-rays. The whole time Ella is softly crying "I want to go home". Because Ella was so miserable and just wanted me to hold her, they had to put her in this tiny tube thing to take her x-rays. She was standing up with her hands over her dead in the tight tube. Crying the whole time for me to pick her up. I could not help but cry for her. She is just so precious. The results came back as a positive so we are headed back to the Dr. to get a shot of antibiotics. Please please pray for my baby. She is so miserable. Satan is really attacking me and my family. God is stronger than any other force so I know I am in good hands but please pray for our strength.


After going thru just a few tests my heart really goes out to the moms and dads of little ones with serious illnesses. So please say a prayer for those children as well. God bless you all and thanks for the prayers.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Make a Craft Monday - Valentines


So, in the spirit of the week my craft for this week is valentines. Ethan has to bring them to school on Thursday for his Valentines Party. They are fun, funny, and a little different than your normal valentine. We got his fantastic kit from JoAnn Fabrics for only $4. Ethan had a blast making these for his friends at school. There are lots of great craft ideas at JoAnn and Michaels. Sorry we are not more creative this week - we have been battling the flu, broncitis, and ear infections - not a fun week in our house.
So - go pick up yourself some fun valentine crafts to do with your kids. What a great holiday to celebrate with you kids. And another chance to make sugar cookies - this time in the shape of hearts.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Corn, Raisins, Peas, and Crackers?

So you wonder "what do these four foods have in common"? I could tell you they are all you need for a healthy diet but that would be a lie. These are the only 4 foods Ella will eat right now. We have been pretty sick here at the Andrews house. Blake has the flu, Ethan has the flu and an ear infection, Ella has the flu, and I have broncitis (and am guessing the flu but they did not test me). Today is a bad day for Ella and the only things I can get her to eat are corn, raisins, peas, and crackers - does not sound good to me but at least I am getting a little energy in her. Ethan was really sick on Tuesday and Wed but is feeling a little better today as you can tell from the picture. Poor Ella - I even ask her to smile and she just could not find it in her to smile for one second.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

When it rains it pours...

When it rains it pours... but God sees us thru. Yesterday was a very trying day for my family. A day of constant prayer and worries. Yesterday morning I got the news that my dad was admitted to the ER on Sunday night due to sever abdomen pain. After some tests they determined that his gallbladder was infected and diseased, his colon was not working, he had a blood clot in his leg, and the worst news was that the atrium of his heart was not pumping.

Now to top everything off Blake was home sick with the flu, Ethan came down with the flu and I was anxiously awaiting the results of an MRI I had last week. Yesterday became a day of constant prayer. Knowing that God can do anything I was praying for a miracle. I was reading in Matthew 17 - the disciples were trying to heal a man but could not so they came to Jesus to ask why - Jesus relied "because you have so little Faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move." So with faith many of us were praying for my dad. As the day progressed we found out that his colon was fine, there is a small blood clot in his lung (they gave him blood thinner to help with that, his gall bladder is not diseased, and then to top all the good news off my dad's heart started beating again on its own. WOW God heals today - there is no doubt about that.

Blake is back at work today and Ethan is doing ok, but still pretty run down and lethargic. My MRI results came back and I am going to be referred to an endocrinologist for further tests but it is believed that things are ok. So yes it rained and poured yesterday but today there is a rainbow and a promise that God never gives us more than we can handle. Plus my sister had her first ultrasound and saw the face of her precious one. To hear about that go here later today. I hope this story of God's glory brings happiness to your day - He is so amazing!!

Monday, February 4, 2008

When I get big....

Since I do not keep a journal, this is my journal. Today Ethan told me "Mommy, when I get big, I want to be a fireman." I then ask Ella what she wanted to be and she said "princess mommy - oh no dancer." Could they be more different -- Ethan is such a boy and Ella is such a girl. Of course we all had hopes and dreams for when we got older. I remember always saying that I wanted to be just like my mommy - I wanted to be a mommy. Well, I sure got my wish. What about you and your kids? What did you want to be? Did you accomplish that? What do your kiddos want to be when the get big?

Make a Craft Monday - Soap Crayons


Here is an easy thing for you to make for your kids - my kids are a little young to help but they enjoyed the outcome. All kids love drawing and coloring - so why not make them clean at the same time.
Mix about 1/2 cup of soap flakes ( you can etheither buy soap flakes or grate your own). Of course I suggest one from a natural food store or Melaleuca. Ok so mix that with 1-2 Tablespoons of very HOT water. Stir well. Divide into bowls and miz with food coloring. Place in mold (I used ice cube trays). Let dry until very hard. This could take as long as a week, depending on the humidity. Let you child draw on your bathtub wall - while getting clean all at the same time.
I have decided to turn Make a craft Monday into -- Make a craft or snack Monday. I have some good kid friendly healthy recipies that I would like to share and some that I want to try so stay posted for my successful meals.