Friday Fav: Homemade Play Dough

Olivia is having her 3rd birthday party tomorrow and the theme is Olivia the Pig.  If you have never heard of Olivia the Pig you need to check it out.  It is a TV show that comes on Nick Jr.  Olivia the Pig's favorite color is RED.  Anything she can have red, she does!  We are going to try to have as much red as possible at Olivia's birthday party.  So for the party favors at the birthday party I decided to make red play dough.

I went off the recipe on this blog, and this blog, and this video.  Most of the recipes I found called for Cream of Tarter.  I looked at Winn Dixie and Walmart and could not find it at either place!  After watching the video and reading the blog I scrolled down to read all of the comments.  Some people said that they replaced the Cream of Tarter with Lemon Juice and one person even said they added a little Vinegar to help slow bacteria growth.  I used these two suggestions but there were also others suggestions such as using Kool-aid packets to color and different extracts to scent.  I really wanted to add glitter but I couldn't find what I needed at Walmart.

These are the ingredients I ended up using:

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups water
1 cup non-iodized salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 splash vinegar
1 splash vanilla extract
red food coloring

Put all of the ingredients into a medium or large sauce pan on the stove and used a whisk to mix them together.  Turn the stove on medium heat and use a wooden spoon to stir constantly.  After about 2 or 3 minutes the spoon will start to scrape some thickness up from the bottom of the pan.  Keep stirring making sure you scrape the bottom on the pan each time.

(The color looks a little different because the flash was used on some of the pics)

Your mixture will get thicker and thicker.  Just keep stirring.  Eventually all of the liquid will turn to a thick goo.  When this happens, take it off the stove and let cool for a couple of minute.

When the mixture cooled slightly scrapped it onto some plastic wrap onto the counter.  While it is still hot, fold and need it a few times.  This will help the texture become more like play dough.  I then separated it out into nine small balls, but you can keep it in one large lump.  You can also cut this recipe in half or wait until the end to add your color so you can have more variety in colors.

It was pretty easy and fun to make.  I took the balls and put them in zip lock baggies so I can give them away as party favors at Olivia's party.  Have fun with making this homemade play dough!

Friday Favorite: The Smoothie Life

Last week Clint found out that he got the full-time job he has been pursuing at McLean Engineering.  We will be making more money now but we didn't want that money to just go to whatever.  We decided to dedicate some extra money to our health.  We started our YMCA membership back and all this week we have been making smoothies.  Smoothies have been a trend in Moultrie for a few weeks now.  Beans and Strings have fresh fruit smoothies and a green smoothie that has spinach in it.  Also Carrie Viohl (my sister-in-law) has been making some crazy health smoothies and posting her creations on Facebook.  So we decided to try eating healthy smoothies either with our meal or as a snack in an attempt to eat less during lunch and supper.

Here are the smoothies we have made so far...


1st smoothie
Normal fruit smoothie with papaya.
Ingredients: 1/2 of a papaya, about 15 strawberries, 1 banana, Ice, milk
Tasted like a normal strawberry/banana smoothie.
2 1/2 servings

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2nd smoothie
Orange smoothie with papaya
Ingredients: 4 carrots, 1/2 of a papaya, strawberry yogurt, milk, ice
Tasted like carrots.  I added a little orange juice afterwards and it tasted more like oranges. We will put orange juice instead of milk next time.
2 1/2 servings

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3rd smoothie
Green smoothie carrots.
Ingredients: 2 carrots, 1 large handful of spinach, 1 kiwi, 1 banana, orange juice, ice
Too much of a carrot taste.  I added more juice so it would taste more like oranges.
2 1/2 servings

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4th smoothie
Orange smoothie with strawberries (Olivia's invention)
Ingredients:  1 carrot, 1 banana, about 10 strawberries, strawberry yogurt, milk, ice
Tasted a hint of strawberry
1 1/2 to 2 servings

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5th smoothie
Super green smoothie with blueberries
1 Banana, 1 handful of spinach, 1 green apple, 1 kiwi, 1 handful of blueberries, apple juice, ice
Tasted like green apple.  This one is a keeper.
2 1/2 servings

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6th smoothie
Peach smoothie
Ingredients: 3 peaches, 1 frozen banana, 1 handful of blueberries, vanilla yogurt, milk, ice
Tasted like peaches with specs of blueberries in it.
1 1/2 to 2 servings

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7th smoothie
Orange smoothie with mango
Ingredients: 2 carrots, 1 Mango, about 8 strawberries, vanilla yogurt, milk, ice
This one is my favorite so far!  It had a beautiful color.  I could really taste the mango and I didn't taste the carrots at all. Clint put a little extra yogurt than normal, that probably made it sweeter and pulled out the mango flavor.
2 1/2 servings

Another good thing about these smoothies is that Olivia loves them too!  She doesn't eat many vegetables by themselves so this is a good way to get her some of those good nutrients as well.

Allene Drue: baby dedication (on earth day)

Today is April 22nd, Earth Day.  Television commercials, celebrates, and news stories are talking about the environment telling us we need to plant a tree, take shorter showers, and use less plastic.  But I just look back at Genesis one.  God gives us dominion over all birds, fish and every living thing that moves over the earth and has given us every plant yielding seed and every tree yielding fruit with seed.  In the middle of all that, God made man in his image.  So perhaps Earth day should be less about using reusable bags and wearing the color green and more about our relationship with God, the responsibilities he has given us here on earth, and being good stewards of what he has given us.

That is why we planned on this earth day (although I didn't know it was earth day when I set the date!) to have Alle's baby dedication.  For different reasons we chose to have it at my parents home with our families and close friends.  We ended up having 16 adults and 12 children join us in the dedication of our baby to the Lord.  The weather was great and there was something special about having everyone stand around while we had the mini-ceremony.

Here is a transcript of what was said at the dedication:

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Psalm 127:3-5:
Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

This passage shows us that Children are a gift and blessing from the Lord. As with all the gifts from God, some people are given more, some are given less. Some appreciate and adore the gift and some reject or abuse the gift. Our response as christian parents should be thankful for these gifts, love and adore them. Cherish and take care of them and give them the training and teaching that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Proverbs 22:6 says:
Start children off on the way they should go, 

and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Anna and I are making a public declaration today, in front of our friends and family, that we will do what the Proverb 22 passage speaks of:

::We commit to loving, protecting, and when necessary disciplining Alle as she grows up.

::We commit to teaching Alle the value and importance of Family by loving being actively involved in our extended families.

::We commit to to teaching Alle the value of having Christian friends by having and sharing our lives with our Christian friends.

::We commit to teaching Alle the importance of being a part of the body of Christ by actively loving and serving in and among our church family.

::We commit to teaching Alle the value and importance of the marriage relationship by, as her parents, loving and serving each other as long as we both live.

::Most importantly We commit to teaching Alle the scripture and training her up in the ways of the Lord, and understanding that while we are given stewardship over her for a season, she ultimately belongs to the Lord.

Now we ask you as our family and friends to help us maintain these commitments. If you agree with the previously spoken statements and you agree to holding Anna and Myself accountable, but also assisting us whenever it is within your power, to help us follow through with these things, would you signify by say “We Will”

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We also asked the grandfathers to say a prayer or a blessing over Allene Drue

After the ceremony we all enjoyed a meal together and visiting with our family and our friends.  It was a lovely thing to have this dedication service to be with the people who mean the most in our lives.  

On a side note.... Olivia and Alle wore dresses that used to be mine when I was a little girl and they were supper cute! 

For today's Friday Favorite.... it is me as a little girl in two of my favorite pictures.  I have always loved this first picture.  I am at a Zoo somewhere looking out at a field of elephants.  The reason why I love this picture is because I L-O-V-E elephants... always have.

This one my mom showed me a few years ago.  It is me as a little baby.  There is a story behind this picture of where we were and who took the picture... but I forget what it is.  Either way I like this picture as well.

Friday Favorites

One of my favorite healthy snacks that I try to eat every day is this fiber trail mix stuff.  It tastes so good and is healthy for you.  Each serving has 6 grams of fiber it it.

The ingredients:

1lb Raw Almonds

1lb Raw Walnuts or Pecans

1 cup unsweetened coconut

2 cups raisins

2 cups Dried Cranberries

1 pkg Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips

1 box Fiber one cereal Original

1 box Fiber one Honey clusters cereal 

Serving size is 1/3 cup - 6 grams of fiber

I don't use the nuts or the coconut.. Just not a fan.  It makes it harder to eat to me so mine isn't quite as healthy.  I also use the Golden Raisins instead of regular raisins.  This recipe makes a lot so I use two large, same size bowls and split it up half in each bowl.  Then I use my hands to fold the mix together.

Then pour each bowl in a separate gallon size baggie.  

You will need to freeze them so the mix wont go stale.  I keep them in the freezer and use a small sauce bowl to scoop out a serving when I want it.  Or you cam measure out 1/3 a cut into a snack size baggie so you can take it on the go with you.

Field trip: Farm Life

I was able to take Olivia on a field trip with her pre-school.  We went to pick fresh strawberries then to someone's home to feed goats.  The strawberry patch was pretty awesome.  We are going to go back again with Clint this time and get some more.  Olivia did really well following the rules.  She checked each one and turned it around to make sure it was red before she picked it.

The other place had goats, donkeys, dogs, cats, and a blind cow.  Olivia held out her piece of bread at different parts of the fence for about 20 minutes without the goats taking it.  It was a little sad.  All the other kids were giving out bread like candy. 

While I was watching Olivia being cute, I was also holding Alle.  It was a little windy that day so I dressed Alle in a long sleeve sleeper.  She was getting a little fussy because she had a dirty diaper and  was starting to get hungry but we were away from the car so I was just bouncing her.  However, one of the children's grandmother didn't think I was being a good mother and decided to tell me about it. She said things like "It is too cold out here for that baby.  You should always keep a hat on her.  Now she is going to get an ear infection.  I should know because I have 4 kids, 12 grandkids, and there 9 nurses in my family.  You need to get a blanket for that baby because she is going to get an ear infection."  She kept on going on.  What did she want me to say?  My goodness...  Some people will just say anything.  I just said OK and tried to ignore most of it because if the middle of all that... The goat finally eat from Olivia's hand!  She did so good and didn't flinch.  

Easter

We had a good Easter this year with our family.  On Good Friday Clint and I were able to go on a date.  Olivia and Alle had their first baby sitter at our home.  They did really well and Olivia talked about 'Ms Kasey' all day excited about being able to play.

Saturday we went to my parents home to have a bonfire and egg hunt.  The weather was beautiful and all the cousins had fun spending time together.  Olivia loves hunting eggs but she isn't that great at it.  The first egg she got she held it up so proud that she got it and opened it up.  I yelled at her to keep hunting more eggs!  then she wanted one that was up in a tree and she couldn't reach it, she started shaking the tree.



Easter morning Olivia sat in her daddy's lap and he talked to her about Jesus.  This is what he put on his facebook page:


"I was telling Olivia (my 2 1/2 year old) about why we celebrate Easter and when I said 'And Jesus was put on a cross...' Olivia interrupted me and said with a frown 'they were being mean.'  But when I said 'three days later...' She interrupted me again with her arms flung into the air 'HE GOT UP!'.  Have I ever stated that I am a blessed man?" - Clint Fleetwood

We went to my parents house for lunch with the entire 'Fountain' crew.  Olivia and Alle both got some bunny ears from my mom and the kiddos went on another mini egg hunt.  We also went to the Fleetwood's that afternoon for naps and supper.  It is a blessing to have our families close by to celebrate holidays with.

Two little bunnies!

Olivia look so grown up in her Easter dress...