5 Minutes Please

April Fooling the Kids — Part 1

5 Minutes Please — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:25:43 +0000

I so love to tease . . . and surprise.

Today is April Fools Day! I know it’s going to be a long day because the 4 1/2 year old will milk this “holiday” ALL DAY LONG! And he doesn’t quite getting the joking thing. So, being the good mom I am, I’ll have to go along with it ALL DAY LONG.

But I am going to get the kids good!! I made them a sponge cake. Now, in their short lives, they have had little experience. I do not think they have encountered sponge cake–so my April Fool trick might not go over as big as it should. Oh, well! I’m doing it anyway!! Be sure to come back tomorrow to read about the “playing out of the April Fool’s trick!”

Making the “sponge cake” . . . .

The Ingredients

Making the Cake

Frosting the Cake

Sprinkles!

And because I am a paper crafter, I dressed the cake up with this cake wrap that Eleanor created. You can find it at her on-line store, SVG Shop. (Love Eleanor’s creations, by the way!)

Dress it Up a Bit

REMEMBER, to come back tomorrow to read about the “playing out of the April Fool’s trick!”

One Unlucky Leprechaun

5 Minutes Please — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:43:38 +0000

I have been playing with my kids for over a week.

I made paper “gold coins” and shamrocks. I drop some on the floor at least once a day,exclaiming, “A Leprechaun must have been here! Look! He left more gold!” They come running every time! Then I say, “I’m going to catch that Leprechaun!!”

I was worried that my 4 year old is on to me!!

Today, that Leprechaun has been playing tricks in our home. From turning the milk green to rearranging furniture. The cave boys are both home today (1st grader is ill). The 4 year is enjoying this day. Now I have him convinced that the Leprechaun is indeed real. Any little thing that is out of place, is blamed upon the Leprechaun. And everything appears to have been turned to green through his eyes!!

Today is a good St Pat’s Day for me . . . Not so much for the Leprechaun!

Shortly after my daughter and her friend came home from school, I spotted that naughty Leprechaun. I chased the Leprechaun up the stairs as he dropped gold coins and shamrocks on his way. The children heard me shouting, “Catch him! Where is he?! Did you see that Leprechaun run by? I’m going to get him!!”

Ha ha! We caught that naughty little Leprechaun. Now, what to do with him?
I have included a video for you to see what that Leprechaun has done to our home!

Today is “John 3:16″ Day

5 Minutes Please — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:06:50 +0000

Monday was Pi Day. Thursday is St Pat’s Day.

Today is the 3rd month of the year and the 16th day.

Today is John 3:16 Day.

God’s Word says,

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

I found this version in the Amplified Bible. I do not read this Bible, but the message is even more beautifully proclaimed!! I appreciate how it demonstrates that YOU are wonderfully loved.

Now I want you to re-read God’s words, out loud and insert your name where it says world. Go ahead. I’ll wait . . . You ARE worth it . . . .

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the MY NAME that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

Share this with someone you know. A family member, co-worker, clerk at the store. Help spread the Good News! Share the Holy Goosebumps!

Knock Knock

5 Minutes Please — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 02:03:59 +0000

I lo-ove it when little kids are on the cusp of figuring out jokes! Especially Knock knocks. The 4 1/2 year caveboy thinks he is soooooo funny!!

Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Peach
Peach who?
(repeat 5 or more times)
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Banana
Banana who?
Aren’t you glad I didn’t say peach?!

Two things that make this even better: Every time he says the knock knock line, he adds your name. “Knock Knock, Mom.” Every time (in the same joke)! And his 12 year old sister goes in to hysterics every time!

I love that my kids enjoy life! That they can find such joy in even the simplest!

MinneSNOWta–You Can’t Slow Us Down (Story 2 in Pictures)

5 Minutes Please — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:09:54 +0000

December 9-12, 2010
Snow Storm leaves Minnesotans in 20 inches of snow, below zero temps and winds, impassable city streets, stuck cars and closed schools.
So what do you do when your preschool is closed for the day and it’s too cold to go outside??
You push the couch aside, set a blanket in front of the snowy window, add your plants, turn on the Christmas tree lights, and have an indoor picnic with mom!!!

The Yummy Spread

Ah--Snow? What Snow? I'm Enjoying My Picnic.

Mom & Zach

MinneSNOWta–You Can’t Slow Us Down (Story 1 in Pictures)

5 Minutes Please — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:57:44 +0000

November 23, 2010
First Snow Fall that Accumulates and Counts!
What do we do in Minnesota when snow arrives? We do not let it slow us down. We still have to get our play in. Or is that out? Depends on how you look at!

We create our own version of olympic sports--Curling with An Ice Chunk on the Driveway.

Curling

A little snow on the slide? Doesn't bother us. Just shovel it off first.

Tire Throwing

Discus

Cute Kid Competition!

Foot Prints on the Moon Competition

Mom gets in some Sun Rays and a "little" vitamin D while she judges the events.

My Son Ate My Homework!

5 Minutes Please — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 21:12:24 +0000

I let my 4 year old watch a movie on my laptop IN my craft room. He knows the rule: “Don’t touch anything in mom’s room.”

He is still very oral and puts everything in his mouth.

Alas, he munched on this finished card. He took the fibers off and chewed them up separately! I guess the fibers warranted their own attention! Fortunately, I had not yet posted the card in my on-line store. At least I can still use the cone.

Are you looking for handmade cards to warm the hearts of friends and family? Please visit Krista’s Paper Cafe at http://www.etsy.com/shop/KristaH5

They WILL Die Without Me!

5 Minutes Please — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 04:21:49 +0000

When my siblings and I hit the teen years, my mother started saying: “If I die, you’ll all follow 3 days later.” The “you” included my father. We all thought, “ha!”

Now that I am a wife and mother, I get it! Geesh!

See, the little things just don’t take care of themselves. I’ll give you just a few examples:

Change the toilet paper roll . . . with plenty of notice
Change the hand towel in the bathroom and kitchen
Laundry (do I need to mention this one?)
Throw away the dirty diaper lying on the floor
Push the trash down in the garbage can so it does not fall out (it won’t bite and you can wash your hands!)
Straighten and sort the receipts
Keep the social calendar and make play dates
Send birthday cards, holiday wishes and the such on behalf of the family
Plan family birthday celebrations—Including my own
The 12 year old girl will not go to bed unless I tell her. (I am slowly training the father to direct her to go to bed.)
My groom of 16 years will not go to bed until I come to bed. He needs more sleep then I do, but if I do not join him until 1 am, he’ll still be up.

There are other times that I feel my hubby is invisible to the children. Fellow Moms, I know you can relate:

At the dinner table all requests are directed at . . . MOM.
In the middle of the night when a dear child comes to our room in need, who do they wake? MOM.
Additionally, who do they wake in the morning demanding breakfast? MOM.
Who do they ask to help them with “xxxxx?” MOM.

You have also heard the expression, “God couldn’t be everywhere so he created mothers.” And now you know why.

Competitive Cave Boys: Competitive Just For the Sake of Being Competitive!

5 Minutes Please — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 22:09:14 +0000

Mom and Zachary are at the store.
Zach: Can I buy that?
Mom: You don’t even know what that is.
Zach: I still want it.
Mom: What would you do with it?
Zach: Put it up some place high where Jacob can not get to it.

Argh!

(Big) Boys and Their Toys

5 Minutes Please — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:51:18 +0000

What is it with men and their modern toys? We women will never get understand.
The guy kitty-corner uses his leaf blower for hours on end. He IS quite meticulous and has to blow every blade of grass off his sidewalk (into the street).

I judge the arrival of spring by the senior across the alley. Once the snow no longer flies, he uses his leaf blower religiously every Tuesday at 1 pm. Does he not remember that that is nap time? (Oh yeah, that’s the women’s department.) I’m actually surprised he does not “leaf” blow his snow.

Another neighbor does use his snow blower late at night and early in the morning (when children and adults are sleeping).

You want to know how much men love power tools? My neighbor on the corner is landscaping his yard. He rented a bobcat. BIG power tool! He has had it for over a week. He has hauled and pushed and hauled and pushed multiple hours at a time, in the early, early mornings, at 10 pm, and in the rain

I wonder about the length of time that men put into their toys:
Do they simply enjoy these toys?
Is it a feeling of power? Urghh, urghh urghh!
Or is it an excuse to shirk other responsibilities around the house? (especially the children)

(I am just having fun with the stereotype and in no way mean to offend. I do also recognize that there are exceptions to the stereotypes.)

Another story you might enjoy:

http://www.postindependent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100507/VALLEYNEWS/100509926