Pinterest: High 5 Board

Jameson is a very smart toddler. Last week he went over to a printed pillow on the couch, pointed at the picture on it and said "FISH". There is a fish printed on it. We have never pointed at the fish on the pillow and said "FISH". Yea.. smart boy!

The other day at the store we were waiting for Nic to find something, and Jameson was pointing at shower puffs that were different colors. I was saying the color of each one he pointed at and he would giggle. As we were walking away, he pointed to a purple one and said "PURPLE". CUTE!!!

This, and my mom, the awesome, inspired me to seek out Pinterest and find him something to help with colors.

Welcome... the High 5 Board!

Here is the link that inspired the board I made for Jameson

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/67272588160142356/

 

 

 

Such a cute idea!! I HAD to make this for mini! He's a big high 5er and trying to learn colors seems to be his new favorite thing.

 

Plus this is a totally quick and easy project!

 

What you need

*Poster Board

*Glue

*Sponge Brush

*Markers (Whatever colors you want to use. I kept with the basics: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Purple, Orange, Brown, Black)

*Print out of a hand (Google!)

 

Here's the image of the hand I found on Google. I just copied it into Word 2 times,

made them a bit bigger, and printed out 5 copies (I did 9 colors)

 

 

Color each hand a single color. Don't worry about staying inside the lines bc you will be cutting them out anyways. This would be a fun part for kids to help with too. Though if they color WAY outside the lines, you may just want to print one hand on a piece of paper, or cut the hands apart first. Cut each hand out, and lay them out on the poster board how you want them organized.

 



 

Here's the not tricky, but tricky part. (I promise that will make sense in a second). Get your glue (I had craft Tacky glue on hand but you could use Elmers.) Put a decent amount in a cup and add just a bit of water. You want to make it easy to spread, but not watery. Take your sponge brush and brush it onto a small area ON THE POSTER BOARD where you are going to be putting your colored hand. The reason you want to put a thin layer on the poster board and NOT the hand is bc the hand will wrinkle terribly once it gets wet and then can very easily tear. So, you have a small area with glue on the poster board, place your hand on it and GENTLY press down all the ends of the hand. The tips of the fingers may stick up if there wasn't enough glue there, just take your sponge and lightly dap it on edges sticking up. Don't wipe, or your ink will spear into the poster board. Continue doing this for each hand!

 

See! Easy and quick to do!

 

Here's Jameson's board

 

I left it kinda plain for now. When he learns his colors better, I'm going to actually write the color underneath each hand and print out numbers to put in each hand. This is something he can use as he is growing and learning more! The only thing I think that would make this better is if I could find a giant piece of laminate so Jameson doesn't try to peel the hands off... He's a stinker like that!

 

Now... where to put this thing?!

 

High 5 Purple!

Carrie Danilla Linn

Pinterest: Meal Planning

Pinterest is covered in "5 ways to save on groceries"*, "Become a meal planning wonder woman", and "Cutting your food bill by planning ahead".

This house goes through some food. By 'some' what I really mean is a LOT! I eat more than my stick figure shows, Jameson snacks all day long, and I feed anywhere from 2-4 hungry soldiers each day of the week. If you have ever fed even one soldier, you know that it takes a full sized buffet to feed 'em!

My mom, the awesome, has been writing out a weekly meal plan for as far back as I can remember. She is very smart to do so, and has passed on her planning, office supply hoarding, print out everything, write everything down on paper, gene to me. I truly get joy out of having paper and a pen in my hand and writing down lists.

Don't judge.

ANYHOO! I enjoy meal planning. I get on Pinterest, look up recipes, and write down all the dinners we feel like having. I try to do 14-16 meals bc I prefer to shop only when we get paid. 2 shopping trips a month... that is plenty enough for this gal who is not keen on crazy rude crowds at the store.

So 14-16 meals have been picked. Now to write out the shopping list. I try to keep it all categorized together. Dairy, meat, fresh produce, baking, canned, carbs, frozen, household items, Jameson needs, HBA. I'm in the works of actually making a meal planning binder... I'm serious about the organizing, planning, and office supply hoarding! (I will make sure to blog my binder once I get it worked out, and remember to buy black ink for my printer) Then off to the store I go with my list. I try to stick to my list, with the exception of a few 'I forgot' or 'I really should have eaten, but I had minutes to escape to the store while Daddy is home watching the little person."

Ok so the list is not even close to as organized as I usually

have it. I was kind of in a hurry this morning to just run to the store

and hurry and get out before the day's adventures began.

 

The middle piece of paper is my everyday pantry stash. I use

these items often and can always throw something together as long as

I have these things on hand and any sort of meat in my freezer.

I also have a snazzy framed chalkboard I hung on one of my kitchen cabinets. I write down all the dinners after each shopping trip, and Nic and/or I pick the meal we want for the night. No guessing. No wondering what we have in the house that we can make. No having to run to the store multiple times each week. No extra spending on the randoms you pick up every time you walk in the store (you can never get JUST milk!). It's truly great!!

 

This is usually what my menu board looks like...

sometimes with or without the football foods

 

This is the menu when the Army refuses to release my husband from work

except for about 5 hours to sleep... which several times he just

had to sleep in his chair/on the floor of the arms room

This is the menu that happens when Ranger husband has to work everyday

for 2 months and I begin to throw myself a birthday pitty party.

 

The cake was amazing by the way.

 

 

Ok so it's looking a bit of a mess right now. I'm usually better about having my shopping list organized, but like stated I kinda threw it together this morning since toddler meltdowns have been the norm in this house lately. I promise to get the awesome looking menu binder posted shortly and you all will see how organized, crazy, and possibly a little genius that I feel I am.

 

I know what's for dinner tonight!

Carrie Danilla Linn 

 

*I applaud the coupon clippers! Seriously there is so many hours that go into it and I know they can get AMAZING deals. I am not on of those women. I do have the coupons.com app and clip a few from there, and whatever may come in the Sunday mail that I know I will use. But lets face it. I'm cheap. I'm happy to admit I'm cheap. And in being cheap I almost always get the store brand of items, which I found out even with a pretty good coupon, I can get the store brand cheaper than the name brand. There are a few things I always go name brand and get lucky to find coupons for them often to help with the cost. 

Pinterest: The 52 Week $ Saving Challenge

Alright. Here it goes. The first Pinterest challenge of the year! What better way to start the year off than saving back a few pesos for rainy days. This is not our long term saving plan, but just a way to put some $ back for whatever reason we feel we want to. Jameson's first gun, Mommy and/or Daddy's next guns. Little vacation savings. Emergency need a new tire fund. Whatever it may be.

Jameson isn't being left out either.

THE 52 WEEK MONEY CHALLENGE

This is a very basic yet effective way to put a good small chunk of change away in a year. We are modifying it just a bit though. Instead of a $ amount each week (which lets face it I will forget to put $ in it unless written down or scheduled) I have decided to make it just $50 each paycheck. This way on pay day I go to the bank, get that crisp $50 and it goes into our piggy bank. It will become a priority just like paying a bill. Why $50 though. Well we get paid 2 times a month. Which makes that 26 pay periods in a year. 26 pay periods x $50 = $1,300. We would be $78 short of the above list, but I feel keeping it a single amount certain times a month will keep it on track and I wouldn't forget it. I actually have it printed out on our monthly bill schedule (If you would like to see how I have that planned out in another post feel free to let me know and I will Pinterest post that too!). I like things easy and planned when reoccurring!

Now we can't forget a little $ saving for Jameson too! We already empty our change into his piggy bank. Well ok I pick up Nic's change from around the house and put in there, and empty my wallet and car out of change when it starts getting in the way. $689 in a year for him though (not including what randomly gets thrown in there)... that's going to equal a nice little car when he turns 16, or him taking Daddy and Mommy our for a lot of ice cream. It's honestly however he feels like spending it. I have already dropped in the first 2 quarters. Cha-ching!

How many of you would are thinking about taking the 52 Week Money Challenge?!

$ saved is $ well spent
Carrie Danilla Linn

The Pinterest Challenge

So my mom, the awesome, messages me this morning on FB with lots of cute ideas from Pinterest. She said she is trying to stay off FB bc she is tired of the negative posts and drama.

AMEN TO THAT!

So I start looking around and ideas start popping to my head, and crafts I've been wanting to do but just haven't start lurking into my view. Then the thought hit me.

I need to start living more of my Pinterest and less of my FB. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing friends and families lives on FB and that how I catch up with the people that mean the most to me and how I keep up to date and plan for Thursday Bible study with my FABULOUS ladies.

Then the bored scrolling begins.

That's when the drama, hateful posts, things I don't really care to see, and things that get my blood bubbling come from. Why do we feel the need to post this stuff?! It's toxic to our minds.

So I have decided that Pinterest is going to start taking over FB. Not just the "repining". The actual living out my boards! I'm going to challenge myself to do 2 things minimum from my boards every week. One food item and something else. Then review it for y'all to "That looks so good", "That is pretty", "I need to try that now", and of course the infamous PINTEREST FAILS!

Now let me tell you, I'm crafty. But I also have a crazy toddler whose height allows him to literally take photos off our walls, and cheap sheet rock walls that barely allow those photos to hang in the first place. So as far as house décor goes... either there will only be a few things done in that board or several of you will be getting beautiful homemade house décor! (Comment with your address and birthday and you may get something! LOL)

The recipe part will be a piece of cake... pardon and don't pardon the pun! I use Pinterest every week to meal plan anyway. The rest y'all may have to remind me... or tell me that you demand I do this craft so you can find out easier ways to do the same thing. I will take suggestions! Each week I could do a craft, makeup tip (no to contouring, maybe to clean smoky eye, yes to zit stoppage and dark circle cures and maybe the puuurrrrfect cat eye for a date night.), cleaning/organizing tips, potty training tips (that's about to start!), care package ideas (yea... that's coming around again too. Boo), Bible study ideas, date ideas. Pretty much any and everything on Pinterest! I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty darn excited about this! I mean I have already gotten several ideas from there that I use, so why not just make it something of a routine.

So here's the real question... what would you like to see done and who wants to come over and have Pinterest days?!

*Note that I don't have a lot of power tools to do the awesome wood work with pallets and such that would be beautiful to have in my house. I also don't have a garage to do such work like that. I guess that's where we light a fire under my dad's lazy boy chair and make him join in too if need be. I would like to keep these things to about a hour-ish each week... bc Jameson does climb all furniture now and runs around like a crazy, yet adorable, Neanderthal in his diaper while telling the dog No. I guess taming the crazy in him will be something I need to look up on Pinterest too!


PIN ALL THE THINGS
Carrie Danilla Linn

Is that a grey hair...

... and other proof that we moms need a break.

Ok so no grey hair for me! Then again I spend as little time as I can with my hair as possible. Growing it out from a pixie cut=horrible looking hair for the next several months...

ANYWAY

The other day I attempted to watch Mom's Day Out. Mini was fighting his one nap of the day, climbing on me, falling off of everything, crushing cheese puffs into my jeans, and well everything else he enjoys doing. I restarted the movie about 5 times and still have yet to watch the entire movie (even pieced together I'm sure I've missed out on 30 minutes of the movie).

The opening scene, without giving away any spoilers, is my inner life. And by inner life, the narration by Allyson is what plays in my head almost 24/7! I'm not quite the germ obsessed person that she is, but the MOMENTS.

BOY DO I HAVE SOME MOMENTS!

Sadly Nic is usually the victim with my MOMENTS. And it usually happens while I'm cleaning. Counter tops get scrubbed, dishwasher drawer gets slammed, laundry gets folded, floors get swept... all while telling him to leave me alone and I GOT THIS!

But seriously, it's not just me. Right ladies.

RIGHT?!

Anyone.

*cricket*

But seriously I know we all have our own way of dealing with MOMENTS. Having snot in your hair, Peanut Butter on your jeans, an unknown sticky spot on the floor, and singing the Bubble Guppies theme song for the 9th time today pretty much gives you the right to angry clean your house while Mini and Ranger are on lock down in the living room together.

I mean the other day I was ready for Mini to take a 900 hour nap. I was doing my bible study homework in the morning. 4 minutes before he was sitting on the couch, drinking his juice, and watching Veggie Tales. Then I hear water and blocks banging together.

Mini was on lockdown in the living room 4 minutes ago.

HELP ME!

I get up and look in the living room. He is NOT in there! Now there are two entry ways into our living room. One is blocked off by the couch and the other by a baby gate. His new obsession is climbing over the back of the couch into the dining room, getting on the dining room table and playing while scaring me.

He was NOT in the dining room.

I hear more clinking. Walk through our bedroom door (that was for some reason on the rare occasion left open) and spot the bathtub water running. Walking into the bathroom I see Mini in his diaper, IN the bathtub, with the cold water running, putting giant legos together!

HE CLIMBED OUT OF THE LIVING ROOM AND INTO THE BATH TUB!

Thank goodness I always pull the plug out of the tub.

Seriously though kid!

So what do I do? Strip the cold water soaked diaper off the crazy tiny human in my tub, make the water warm, and give the kid a bath. After he was clean and still playing I scrubbed the gross dry skin off my feet.

HEY! It was either that or start pulling hair out one at a time from my head!

That is just one of the everyday adventures I get to endure in the House of Ranger.

Now don't get me wrong. Yes I NEED a break, but it doesn't mean I don't love my son and husband! Come on though, what kind of blog is all "Life is awesome! Rainbows and flowers everyday! Waking up with perfect hair and no morning breath! Sing birds sing!"

 

 

Life is real. It can be awesome! There can be singing birds! But NOT 24/7. Do I dwell on the crazy parts of my life. Eh... sometimes. We all do! If you tell me you don't, then I want the secret to your medication cabinet.

 

Oh look... Yogurt puffs under my desk. How long have those been there? Have they been there long enough that Mini has eaten one and I didn't notice? Ew. I did mop under there not too long ago. The guys never sit at my desk so at least I don't have their gross feet/shoe germs under there. How has that not gotten stuck to the bottom of my foot this last week?

 

This is literally 43% of the conversations in my head every day.

 

So please, when I go to the store, Bible study group, or even just check the mail... know I'm on vacation!

 

How did that fruit snack get stuck to my printer?!

Carrie D Linn

Happy...

...should be the new craze.

Strong is the new skinny.*
Real men love curves.
Only dogs love bones.
Thigh gaps.

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS CRAP?!

I am so sick and tired of seeing this spread across social media!

I have friends of every shape and size who have husbands of every shape and size that love how they look. I have friends who look different than me in every way.

Let me tell you everyone has their body they battle.

I am a skinny, pale, 34AA chest, size 5 jeans, size 2 dress, size 9+ shoe, wide shouldered, no assed woman.

But let me tell you something, I'm am HEALTHY! Can I always get better? Of course! Everyone can and should. I just didn't realize that if you weren't the perfect image of a woman (which I don't even know what that is) that you were in fact NOT a woman.

How about being a caring friend? Uplifting those around you? Seeing the positive in people? Not judging what you have no idea know about?

That sounds like a real woman to me. It's not a size or an image. Its the way you act. The way you present yourself. Its your character.

So how about...

A woman is the new woman.

Not skinny, pale, tall, healthy, or emotional
Just a woman
Carrie Danilla Linn


*Why does Strong have to be the new skinny. I didn't realize that everyone's goal was to be skinny. How about strong being just that, STRONG.

God IS....

..NOT dead.

Finally saw the movie.

WOW!

What an amazing movie. I will try not to give spoilers to those that have not and still want to see, but may have a minor "you see it coming from the beginning" slip up.


I have tried in my head a million times, like most/all, Christians to figure out how to tell those that don't know of God or try to discredit him how he created the universe. How he started it all. How he has ALWAYS been and ALWAYS will be. Time is something we measure by a year, a clock, history books... it's something that if we cant measure it we have a hard time believing and understanding it. We know the universe is so old bc of science. The hard part is telling our head that at one time there was NOTHING. NOTHING we can not grasp. How long was there NOTHING? How long did it take for NOTHING to create the world. And if there was NOTHING, how did it create the UNIVERSE?

Now don't get me wrong, I believe in science, I don't quite believe in everything in the Bible... but creation is something I can't falter on. There was NOTHING that suddenly boomed out of the middle of no where and created an extremely complex and complicated universe and everything in it perfectly...... What was in that vast space of NOTHING that created E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.? You cant take NOTHING and make something. Science says so. Yet science say the entire universe was created from NOTHING?

This is the main argument of the movie. It all comes down to how the universe was created.

So now that you are thinking, I'll get into the actual movie...

Let me tell you it was an extreme roller coaster of emotions. The first hour was cheering for the main character and being angry at most of the rest of the cast. And I mean ANGRY! I understand that some people don't believe in God or a higher being at all... fine. But the people in this movie were so hateful and rude and cruel and uncaring! It made it easy to be mad and frustrated with these characters. Even someone that was supposed to be a Christian had obviously lost sight of God and became so selfish in her ways she would lose everything in her future she had been planning for.

The professor... he's easy not to like. He tells his students that GOD IS DEAD and doesn't let them think otherwise. It's his way or you fail that section of the class. He has such a god complex that he even tells the main character "In my class I AM god!" He is rude by putting his girlfriend down, insulting her in front of his coworkers, whom do nothing about it. He talks about his freshman students like they are all idiots. He believes there is no one above him. *SPOILER ALERT* It's not because he doesn't believe in God... it's because he is so angry with God he cant see the good he does. Only the bad that happens in the world. One of the strongest points in the movie is when the main character finally realizes this and asks, no YELLS, to the professor in front of his entire class, "WHY DO YOU HATE GOD?!"

So much faith is found in this movie too though that tugs at your heart. Losing everything for God. Finding everything for God. Finding purpose. Finding hope. Finding light in the dark. That slap across the face that there is something bigger and better than you.

A son goes to visit his elder mother, who has dementia, in the nursing home and he talks about how she has undying faith. She's a wonderful person. Caring. Everything good. Then says he is a horrible mean hateful person but has everything he could ever ask for. Success, money, all the good worldly things. How could this be, he asks.

"Sin is like a jail cell except it's nice and comfy and there doesn't seem to be any need to leave. The door is wide open, until one day, it slams shut."

It slams shut.

God IS and ALWAYS will BE

Carrie Danilla Linn