whispers in the the silence: 3 gifts on Thursday

Showing posts with label 3 gifts on Thursday. Show all posts

Thursday, May 17, 2012

3 gifts on Thursday: what are you doing this summer? edition

With summer vacation fast approaching, I'm beginning to anticipate a couple of activities we'll be doing during the summer months and thought it would be fun to share it. And then give you a turn to share what you'll be doing this summer too.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of keeping active

One thing I've loved about putting Brianna and Reese back into school is the daily routine of walking their and back and it's something I want to try doing most days during vacation. One idea I've come up with to help us meet this goal is forming a Moms & Kids Hiking Club. Here's the idea: invite a bunch of moms with kids we know to meet us once a week at local spots to go for a hike with the occasional picnic lunch thrown in for good measure. I've decided we'll try for the same day of the week, but will be flexible in case of rain. We'll also visit hiking locations with varying degrees of difficulty so we can increase our endurance. For example, the first spot I'm planning on is a super easy trail with a playground nearby so we'll have plenty of time for everyone to get to know one another. I'm also thinking a celebration picnic/party at the end might be fun. Like the idea? I'd love to know if you try it out and how it goes. :)

2. the gift of a kids-in-tow Bible study
I'm really looking forward to our Moms & Kids Bible study which will start again in June. I started this a few years ago when I found it hard to find a Bible study that either didn't offer childcare or occurred at a time that didn't work for us. This summer, we have one friend who will host on the days when the weather allows us to be outside and another friend to host on the indoor days. During the study, the kids play together while we talk. Yes, it's chaotic and we get interruptions aplenty, but the kids enjoy playing with one another and we enjoy the fellowship. This summer, we're doing a Kay Arthur study from her New Inductive Study Series. I love this approach because it really encourages you to meet with God over His Word. She has other studies too which you can check out here.

3. the gift of sharing
Your turn now. :) What are one or two fun free/cheap things you're going to try this summer? What summer gifts do you hope God has in store for you?

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

3 gifts on thursday

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of entering to win

I read about this Healthy Kids Sweepstakes in Delicious Living magazine. A prize pack of healthy items...yes, please! All you need to do is go here and fill out your info. Easy Peasy. Don't wait too long...winners are picked the first week of June, and you know how time flies...

2. the gift of DIY blog buttons
Ever since Courtney and I did the first Reap to Sow series, I wanted to figure out how to do a blog button. Why I didn't google how back in the Fall I'll chalk up to sheer procrastinating. But now that Courtney and I are gearing up for the next R2S installment...details coming next week...I thought it high time to move that pot to the front burner. So I googled and found this ehow article on how to do your own blog button. As you can now see on the right side of my blog, I created a button for the new "going plant strong" series I'm doing on Wednesdays. Happy button creating!

3. the gift of a good magazine
I love Organic Gardening Magazine. I've both subscribed and borrowed copies from the library. It's always full of great tips, beautiful pictures and fun articles and I'm hoping to try out this tutorial for a raised bed garden.

Friday, May 4, 2012

3 gifts on thursday (on Friday)

Ever since we found out my Dad has multiple blockages in his heart and one in his neck, our family's been taking stock of our health. After all, this discovery was a complete shock since my Dad was not experiencing any symptoms. Yes, there is a history of high cholesterol and high blood pressure in his family, but still, he's paid much more attention to healthy eating and exercising in the past eight years.

Which makes me think, we can never assume good health based on life style and lack of obvious symptoms.

Though I may post more extensively about this in the future, for now I want to share three gifts with you that may provide food for thought (no pun intended) on these food-and-your-health related gifts.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of preventing and reversing heart disease

My mom learned of this resource a couple years ago. In my pride I couldn't understand why she would think we needed to pay attention to the information in the book or follow the diet - after all none of us was exhibiting signs of heart disease. Boy, was I wrong and the Lord placed a huge slice of humble pie on my plate. If you or someone you know has a history of heart disease, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, you may wish to check out "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.

2. the gift of a plant strong diet
Related to gift number one, the Engine Number 2 diet was developed by the Dr. Esselstyn's son to help a fellow fire fighter lower his dangerously high cholesterol levels. I think men may struggle the most with a plant-based diet - I know my husband equates it to rabbit food, and as he points out, "rabbits only live a couple years." :) So perhaps knowing that firefighters took this on will eliminate some of the resistance to the idea of going on this type of diet. Great, great resources on this site including PDFs of foods to eliminate, where/what to buy, recipes and they encourage parents of "plant strong families" to write in too to show it is possible to adapt this eating style.

Note: This diet eliminates refined sugars but does allow for sugar sources such as molasses, honey, maple syrup, agave. When my mom spoke with Dr. Esselstyn this week (they want to consult with him on my dad's health), he said the latest research indicates even these sugars can cause health problems and recommends cutting out all sugar sources except those naturally occurring in the fruits and veggies. I'd be curious to know his thoughts on stevia since it's an herb, though.

3. the gift of picking your own
If you're going on this type of diet, you may want to explore where you can get local sources of fresh fruits and veggies. Visit pickyourown.org to learn about farms near you. The best part (for me) is easily identifying which farms use organic practices.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

3 gifts on Thursday: "re"gift edition

***Remember: silent auction over at Jen's til midnight this Saturday.***

No, I'm not re-gifting previous gifts. Nor will you be receiving something I've already gotten (not sure about the grammar on that one, but we'll run with it anyway). To continue with the green theme of last week's gift, here's are three gifts in the form of reducing, reusing and recycling.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of reducing

I saw in a recent Heifer's World Ark magazine (I think it was in their 2011 Holiday issue) that industrialized countries throw away a ridiculous amount of food - 925 million tons! With people starving in this world that just is unacceptable. Our family is guilty of it, and I've tried to reduce our percentage over the years. One thing I've found which helps immensely is planning our meals weekly. Since starting this practice a several years ago, I no longer arbitrarily buy items thinking they'll come in handy for a meal. Now I know what I need and on what day I'll use it.

Bonus side effect: No longer wondering what we'll have for dinner one hour before we need to eat. The hardest thing to account for is whether one or more child will decide they no longer like the food item placed in front of them.

Further reduce waste going to landfills by composting your plant-based foods and eggshells. Even if you don't use it in your garden, you may be surprised how much less garbage you toss away.

2. the gift of reusing
Ever buy food items that come in resealable bags (e.g. craisins)? Instead of tossing the packaging, try using them in packed lunches or when you need to bring a snack on the go. I was going to make Brianna and Reese cute reusable sandwich keepers when they started school, discovered these resealable bags did the trick and saved me time.

3. the gift of recyclying
When my husband recently began a job with Habitat for Humanity we discovered a large part of their funds come from their ReStore - a shop which resells donated items for the home. It's a mystery how this store remained undiscovered by us for so long given our close proximity to its location and that fact that we've renovated so many homes. If you've never heard of this yourself, you can see if there's one near you by clicking here. Consider it as a good place to donated new and gently-used household goods and building materials too. So far we've found a new back door for our garage, a great kitchen chair and vintage white ceramic drawer pulls for my third floor update project. Happy hunting!

Friday, April 20, 2012

3 gifts on thursday (on friday)

Sunday is Earth Day, so I thought it only appropriate to have "green" gifts this week.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of buying organic

Organic food is healthier for you and for the earth. It tastes better too. (If you haven't tried the organic difference already, choose at least one organic fruit or veg to buy for one month. After the month, try the non-oganic kind...you can almost taste the chemicals). Admittedly, until and unless organic becomes a way of life in our food production chain, organic produce can be a bit pricier. However, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) developed a list of 12 non-organic fruits and veggies, known as "the dirty dozen," which are known to have high pesticide contamination levels. Perhaps if enough people avoid buying these pesticide-laden foods, producers will switch to organic practices. :) The EWG also has a list of "the clean 15" so you can see which non-organic produce items have low pesticide levels present. I printed out this list and put it on my refrigerator so when I make my shopping list, I note which items I want to buy organic, and which I'm okay with buying "regular."

2. the gift of safer waste disposal
Reese helped me come up with this one - he learned it in school. :) In the past, I've always tossed used up batteries in the garbage without a second thought. Reese shared that it's better to create a "battery box," or whatever container is handy, and use it to collect the dead batteries. When the box is full take it to a local disposal facility so they can be recycled and made into new batteries. For more information on recycling batteries, visit this link.

3. the gift of a free green bag
Seventh Generation is running an offer to receive a free reusable tote. It's called the Lorax ChicoBag(R). To get the bags, you need to buy two specially tagged Seventh Generation laundry, cleaner or dish products, visit their site and enter the product codes and then they'll send you a bag.Target carries their line and I'm sure most health food stores selling household products will as well.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

3 gifts on thursday

A little later in the day than usual, but here it is. :)

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of giving your brain a break

I always thought multi-tasking was a good thing - a skill to be honed, and, as a mom, necessary for survival. But then I heard a quip on the John Tesh radio show last week about the negative effects of multi-tasking on the brain and found this NY Times article on the subject from a couple of years ago. Having been in hyper-multi-task mode for the past two years and finally reaching burnout, I believe the truth of these articles. Counter-cultural though it may be, it is a gift to slow down and focus on only one thing at a time.

2. the gift of great audio stories
One of the radio stations we tune into hosts a Saturday morning children's program featuring audio stories. I love this lower-tech approach for entertainment - the stories are well done and I think it teaches our children to listen carefully and use their imaginations to picture the action and characters. Lamplighter Theater is one of the segments (you can listen to free audio clips here - find it in the middle of the page). Adventures in Odyssey is another feature and you can listen to past shows in the right column of their main page.

3. the gift of a Dayspring giveaway
My friend Courtney is hosting a Dayspring giveaway on her blog through Sunday. Visit here to enter.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

3 gifts on thursday: sweet strawberry love

Ever notice how strawberries emulate the shape of heart? Which makes them a LOVEly thing to give, and eat, on Valentine's Day.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of muffins

Whether for breakfast, a snack or paired with a warm drink (tea for me!), muffins put the comforts of home in the palm of your hand. We've been eating a lot of Morning Glories lately, but I came across this recipe for Meyer Lemon Strawberry Muffins which may greet the kids at breakfast on Valentine's Day.

picture source: my baking addiction

2. the gift of hidden treasure
I discovered Radical Culinary on etsy last week when I saw this yummy item favorited by someone in my circle:

Hidden Treasure Strawberry Cupcake from Radical Culinary

While the strawberry-in-cupcake would be a delightful treasure, reading Sam & Carey Walker's profile and see the other yummy treats they cook up is equally a pearl.

3. the gift of fruit like candy
Instead of giving more candy and sugar...how about something just as sweet but so much healthier...freeze-dried strawberries (organic is best)? Here are a couple of links to online sources of organic freeze-dried strawberries: North Bay Trading & Just Tomatoes. Trader Joe's also carries packets if you have a store near you. (though I can't remember if they are organic)

Thursday, February 2, 2012

3 gifts on Thursday...

...will be back next week. I'm working on a devotion for Lent (which I'll share about in the next week) and need a little extra time to polish it off. In the meantime, you can click this link to see previous 3 Gifts posts.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

3 gifts on Thursday: love never fails edition

The next three weeks of 3 Gifts on Thursday will have a Valentine's Day theme. This week I'm starting off with one of my favorite things to do - incorporate Scripture into everyday life. So this 3 Gifts post focuses on the passage in 1 Corinthians 13 which describes the attributes of love.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of finding it on etsy

In looking through etsy, I found a number of beautiful items which contain some or all of the words in this love passage. Here are some of my favorites (all pictures are sourced from the owner's etsy shops):

Framed embroidery from PA Country Crafts

Typography print from Define Design

Coasters from The Gracious Home

Metal wall art from The Word Within

Large wall art from Empire City Studios

2. the gift of making it yourself
Though I posted this back in October, it's worth sharing again, especially if you'd like to make a 1 Corinthians garland for yourself and/or for someone else. Please read this post for the instructions on what to do.

3. the gift of song
I love how songs help us remember information better than speaking and here's a song that's a recent favorite of mine and one I happened to be listening to this morning. God's grace in helping me think of a third gift for this post. ;)

Thursday, January 19, 2012

3 gifts on thursday

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of rewards for frequent purchases

As much as possible I try to buy organic. Which can be pricey. So whenever I find ways to save on organic products, I celebrate. Last year I discovered Stoneyfield Organic has a rewards programs for its customers. If you buy Stoneyfield (I love their Yo Baby Yogurt), look for the rewards code on their product and then go here to sign up and enter the codes. According to their site, they are doing the reward program through June of this year, but I'll be praying it stays around for much longer. :)

2. the gift of soy milk coupons
Ever since I became lactose intolerant, I've tried to find alternatives to cow milk. Soy milk is now my "go to" product and makes a great substitute when milk is required for a dish or recipe (soy cheese, however, is not...I have yet to find a suitable replacement for that). If you are lactose intolerant, allergic to milk or just trying to cut back on fats and cholesterol, try soy milk. If you visit the Silk Soymilk site, you can find a printable coupon here when you sign up (it's free). Note: I've heard that if you're going to buy soy products it's best to go organic. And, if you're using it in recipes, getting the unsweetened version is best.

3. the gift of a great cookbook
I checked this book out of the library a few weeks ago on a whim. Reese loves looking at cookbooks and I thought he might enjoy this one given his love of apples. Turns out I rather enjoy it too and it has some yummy recipes. So far we've tried the blue ribbon apple pie (Dave made that one), sweet potato and apple latkes (delectable...the only down side was the house smelled like latkes for a few days afterwards) and morning glory muffins. One of my favorite parts of the book is the guide to apples and the stories behind some of the recipes.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

3 gifts in thursday

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of joy

I've almost finished reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts - a profound book that encourages the reader to live out the thanking of God for everything and rejoicing in Him always. And this year, she's adding a new twist to the gift list...counting 1000 gifts in one year and providing 3 specific gifts to look for each day. Dave and I are doing this together with the kids - reading the daily treasure hunt in the morning and sharing about the gifts we found in the evening. Here's the link to her post on the Joy Dare.

2. the gift of tantalizing recipes
I found this blog a couple of months ago. Beautiful photographs, yummy foods to try and a little bit of life mixed in...like this peppermint hot chocolate:

photo source: The Pastry Affair

photo source: Positively Splendid

3. the gift of simple, cheap organizing #2
Last week, I shared this tip in the category of simple, cheap organizing. And last week I was excited to discover this tutorial at Positively Splendid a) because we still are buy diapers and b) because I can always use beautiful ways to organize and stash things. Now I'm kind of excited to buy our next box of diapers, but not 100% excited because I still have to pay more money than I'd care to on something that will end up in a landfill.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

3 gifts on Thursday

There's something about a new year which must inspire us to want a fresh start...clean, simplified, spacious. Which is probably why January is named "Get Organized Month." If you're in the mood for a little organization, here are a few gifts for you to unwrap.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of great handmade tools

In preparing for this post, I created two treasuries on etsy each featuring 16 items to help you tame the clutter.

The first treasury features upcycled items: The Up(cycled) Side of Organizing.Here are a few samples from that list:

The second is an assortment of items featuring new materials: GO (Get Organized). Although some of the items are sold on this one, if you click on the shop name, you can see other comparable items available from those shops.

2. the gift of small bites
I heard about One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler by Tsh Oxenreider on Courtney's blog last year as she shared the dent she made in her list of simplifying life. Though I haven't read it yet, it's on my "to read" list when I feel the nod from God that the time is right. If this book might be an answer to prayer Tsh is giving away 10 free copies of her e-book through the Bloom Book Club on (in)courage - no end date/time for the giveaway was listed, but the winners will be announced tomorrow. If you're reading this after the entries are closed, you can get get $1off the book until this Tuesday, January 10 (type in the code HAPPYNEWYEAR) .

3. the gift of simple, cheap organizing
A few years ago, after losing track of food staples stored in bags in my cupboards, having them fall out of the cupboard as I dug for the bottom bag and spilling their contents in the cupboards and on my counter from small tears, I knew I needed a better system. The solution? Mason jars.

Easy to keep organized. Perfect for tracking when I get low on an item. Budget friendly. And they provide an excellent cover for items and appliances tucked behind them. ;) The only thing they can't do is prevent random items from appearing where they should not be - like on the bottom shelf. Ahem

Thursday, December 29, 2011

3 gifts on thursday

The gifts for today's post are themed around making New Year's resolutions, though, typically, I don't make them myself. At least, not all at the beginning of the year for the entire year. My resolutions take the shape of dreams and goals - some long held, some just born - and grow through the annual dance of days. A few of these goals I will seek hard after, while others I'm more patient to achieve.

Here are three gifts which reflect my not-resolutions ;) for this year and the ones to come. And, if you'd like to share, I'd love to hear a few of your resolutions, dreams or goals for 2012.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of guidance

A couple of years ago, I felt God nudging me to ask Him for an "annual verse" - a specific Word from the Bible to encourage and guide me through the upcoming year. If you've heard about asking Him for a life verse, this is the same idea only for a much shorter span of time. Last year I again prayed He would give me a word to sustain me through 2011 and I'm asking Him again this year for this gift. Since beginning this practice, it's helped hold me fast to His promises and keep trusting Him for the future. I know He will be faithful for you too if you ask Him for this gift.

2. the gift of keeping up with the kids (a.k.a. staying in shape)
With four exuberant children, my energy level for chasing after them hovers often around the "boy, that couch looks inviting" level. However, when Dave and I were training for a triathlon earlier this year, I learned the difference between working out and working out. The latter being an amped up version of what I used to do which lead to an increase in my energy levels.

This year, Dave wants to add something new to the usual workout routine...something which increases agility, foot speed and reduces proneness to injury - three important attributes when outnumbered by children 2:1. Something called "plyometrics." You Tube has many videos on plyometric routines and you can google it for more information. Here's one video we watched and one we tried - so much harder than it looks.

3. the gift of not misplacing ideas
Here's something I'm going to try this year ...using my online calendar and other technology to capture ideas and remind me of them at the right time. Perhaps you'll find this useful too, if, like me you constantly get ideas for things you'd like to try out, especially ideas centered around holidays or special occasions, but forget about them or start on them too late. My idea is to capture the idea somewhere, whether in MS Word, through bookmarks or even low tech pen and paper, then create a reminder in my online calendar referencing the idea and where I stashed it. (I don't "pin" so I'm not sure if Pinterest has a built in reminder for working on pinned ideas - but if it does, please let me know and I may be convinced to finally sign up for it.)

Thursday, December 22, 2011

3 gifts on Thursday

I prayed about this post today, wrestled over the gifts to give on this Thursday before we celebrate God's immortal-clothed-in-mortal entry into this world. After toying with a few ideas, I realized there are no gifts I can give which are greater than the ones He already has given...the gifts of His Word, telling the story of this God birth. (And isn't it funny, that though there are four gospels, perfectly three of them tell this natal story...perfect for a post which gives three gifts.)

So I invite you to take some time in the next few days to slowly unwrap what He has given. If these stories are well familiar, consider reading one or all in a new translation or ask God to give you one line to savor. If these straight-from-the-Bible stories are newer to you, take some time to read what He actually says, forgetting what you think you know happens from all those Nativity stories and plays told through the years - the experience is eye-opening.

The links within these gifts are to the NIV 1984 edition of the Bible (my favorite as it was my first encounter with God's Word) at biblegateway.com if you like reading online and love checking out other translations. May God give you new revelation of Himself this Christmas...rejoice!

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the Gift of Matthew

Reading for Chapters 1-2. Have you ever noticed how Matthew's genealogy names five woman? Reading their five stories is a blessing too.

2. the Gift of Luke
Reading for Chapters 1-2.

3. the Gift of John
Reading for Chapter 1:1-18.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

3 gifts on thursday: cold edition

The sniffling, sneezing kind of cold. Because I have one right now. And its the season for them. For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1.Gift of Nourishment (a.k.a. Chicken Soup Secrets)

Old wives tale or medical fact aside, nothing comforts like a warm bowl of soup to a body run down by a cold. Here's my recipe along with a few secrets I've discovered to a good bowl of soup:

Secret #1: Make your own broth base. It's healthier and easy. All you do is buy a whole chicken (organic tastes best), making sure to remove any of the giblets or any other extras included in the chicken's cavity. Put it in a large stock pot, cover completely with water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. I like to "cook the cackle" out of my chicken, i.e. cook it until the meat falls off the bones which takes about 2 hours.

Secret #2: Skim the fat. The easier way to do this is to remove the chicken from the pot once it's cooked. Refrigerate the meat for later use. Then place the pot with the stock in the refrigerator over night. In the morning, you should see a nice layer of solid fat floating on top of the stock. Use a spoon to remove the chunks of fat - now you have an even healthier, lower fat stock.

Now you're ready to make the soup:
1. Bring the stock back up to a boil, then add a few drops of lemon juice (Secret #3) - it helps keep the liquid clear vs. cloudy.

2. Add your favorite ingredients once the stock in boiling, then turn back to a simmer. Here's what I add to mine: 1 diced onion, 1-2 garlic cloves (Secret #4), diced celery, chopped carrots, diced tomatoes, dried or fresh parley, salt and pepper. (The only "chicken" I have in my soup is what's in the broth - I like using the cooked chicken in other recipes - Secret #5) These are all to taste which is the great thing about soups. Experiment until you find your favorite combination. I've discovered it's wise to start with 1 tsp sea salt per 6 cups of water then add a little more salt as needed.

3. Here's the final and my best secret: wait until you are ready to eat the soup before adding peas and noodles.Until recently, I always added my noodles and peas along with the rest of the ingredients. This always resulted in sickly pea-green peas and mushy huge noodles if I ate the soup over several days or froze some for later use. By waiting until the day/meal when you're going to eat the soup to add these two ingredients, you will have lovely bright green peas bobbing in your bowl and firm noodles. So much more appealing.

2. Gift of No Coughing @ Night

Here's something to try that's weird but works. If you put vapo rub (I use Olbas Oil instead because I like using natural oils) on the bottoms of your feet at night, it helps suppress nighttime coughing. I don't know why it works, but most of the time, when my kids have had nighttime coughs and I've done this, they seem to make it through the night with no or very little coughing.

3. Gift of Scaring Away the Germs
The best gift of all is kicking a cold before it gets a foothold. At the first sign of a sore throat or cold symptoms and as symptoms persist, try gargling or drinking a diluted solution of apple cider vinegar (ACV). A brand like Bragg's is best and if you check out their website, you'll see a number of health benefits of ACV. It's an acquired taste, but I'll take it over a scratchy throat and foggy head any day.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

Linking with:

Thursday, December 8, 2011

3 gifts on thursday: baby edition

Because we'll be celebrating the birth of a very special baby soon (Jesus). ;) For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1.Gift of Keeping a Diaper On
We often say Ben looks like Luke but acts like Reese. When Reese was Ben's age, he took his diaper off when it was dirty - an experience I'm sure most parents face unless their child miraculously is potty trained before the 18 month mark. Now Ben is at that stage. A decidedly messy and panic-inducing one (do you clean up the child or the mess first?!). The solution? Wrapping clear packing tape around the diaper to cover the tabs. With Reese, we had to make sure it was taped at the back so he couldn't pull at the tape ends. Ben requires less. You may need scissors to cut the diaper off your child - kind of disturbing to do at first, but for the sake of keeping everything in its place...

2. Gift of Natural Wooden Toys

I discovered Smiling Tree Toys while putting together this treasury list on etsy for items linked with charitable donations. I've always loved the idea of wooden toys for their durability and eco-friendliness and, as an extra bonus, Justin and Kathleen donate to youth development projects for every toy sold. In addition to their etsy shop, you also can check out their blog for a behind-the-scenes look of Smiling Tree: all about natural parenting, our journey towards rural sustainable living, the happenings in our woodshop, new toys, giveaways, and inspirational food for thought. As an extra bonus to you, they are offering you a 10% discount if you purchase from their shop between now through December 14, 2011. Just enter 10off4wits in the coupon code box. (They no longer are taking orders for Christmas, but you can read their shop announcements for what they can do for instead if you are intending this for December 25.) Here are some of my favorites from their shop:

3. Gift of Upcycling Baby Blankets

I saw this idea in Family Fun magazine a few years ago and tried it out for a St. Nicholas Day gift for Brianna. I can't remember the issue and couldn't find a link to it on their site - it was an idea submitted by one of their readers. Instead, here's a tutorial on making a pillow with a double sided blanket Or, as I did, take two coordinating baby blankets, trim as necessary to make them the same size, pin with right sides together and stitch leaving a 1-inch gap. Turn blankets right side out, stuff with fiber fill and stitch the opening closed. (I know these instructions are very brief - if you want more detailed instructions, please let me know and I'll do a more in-depth tutorial.) Granted, this is an idea to use after your baby has outgrown the blankets, but if, like me, you received a bazillion more blankets than you could ever use plus hate to part with fabric which contains so many fond memories, try it out.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

3 gifts on thursday

***If you previously tried to download the "Immanuel" letters and got only the first page, I corrected the mistake. Here's the link to the revised document. If, for some reason, it still does not work, please email me and I can send you the document that way.***

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1.Gift of Tradition

In a week of sharing about traditions (see this post and this one), I wanted to share my favorite tradition for this time of year: The Jesse Tree. The tradition gets its roots in Scripture from Isaiah 11:1 and usually involves reading highlights of the Bible from Genesis through the Nativity stories in the season of Advent. To simplify, we do our readings December 1-25. I like consistency...it saves brain cells. ;) As you read each story, an ornament or picture is hung on your Jesse tree (or branch) symbolizing the story's significance. A couple of years ago, I modified this and made 25 paper cones and filled each with candy. The idea was for the kids to enjoy their candy (and reduce the wiggles) during our readings and remind them that, while the candy is sweet, God's word is sweeter.

For subscribed readers of Ann Voskamp's blog, you can receive a PDF of a Jesse Tree devotional and ornaments. Please see this post on her blog for details. Or, here is a link to one we enjoyed doing a couple of years ago.

2. Gift of a Giveaway
Through Courtney's blog, I found out about this giveaway which will happen tomorrow at Simple Living Media (actually it's five giveaways in one day!). They hosted two other giveaways this week, featured 5 charities on Tuesday and are hosting a q&a party today.

3. Gift of a Printable

I love thinking of ways to creatively have Scripture displayed throughout our home - it feels like we are soaking our rooms in the Word. I was inspired by this banner to think up a word to capture the spirit of this season. "Immanuel"- God with us came to mind along with the opening verses of John's Gospel which are among my favorite Words.

The result of this brainstorm? A printable to share with you. It features the letters in Immanuel and, within each letter, Scripture from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Luke and John in the NIV 1984 version. Here is a link to the letters on my scribd account. For personal use only please. :)

Use this as you feel led...in a banner, in a card, on a wreath (my plan for them - I'll share when it's complete) or however your creative mood strikes. My only request is that you prayerfully consider how to use them. While this is a way to imitate the creativity of our Creator, it also is His sacred Word (which is why I just didn't photocopy pages of the Bible and cut into them - the words are spaced to avoid being spliced apart).

If you use these letters, I would love for you to share a picture of the results with us. If you blog and post about it, please leave a link in the comment section so we can all see what you did. Or, email me.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

linking with: KoJo Designs Friday Fun Finds