Back in 2010, I showed you the teddy bear luau cupcakes that I made for my children’s pool party.  They were cute, easy to make, and way cheaper than a store bought cake.  The do-it-yourself luau cupcakes have been a top read each month since then so I thought I would show you the ones I made in 2011.

I was a little hesitant to show these because they’re not as cute or creative as the teddy bear luau cupcakes.  I finally gave in to the idea that we’re all in need of different ideas, no matter how easy they are.  Alligator Girl had her first sleepover and since there were just a few girls and no adults I didn’t have the pressure to produce something anything time consuming.  These cupcakes were super fast and went along with the pool party/luau theme.  They also tasted great.

As you can see from looking at the pictures, there are a few different styles of cupcakes. I mostly used pink and orange to decorate with but I also had a can of rainbow chip icing in the cabinet. Most kids like rainbow chip, so I used that too.

I put piping on some of the cupcakes.  I found the paper toppers at the dollar store.  You could probably find some cupcake toppers at an arts and crafts store or party supply store.

As you can see, these are nothing extravacant. They are simple, easy, and cute. They are perfect for a girls’ luau party sleep over.

Enjoy!

Each year when it turns warm we have a few problems.  My kids have outgrown a lot of their pants and it’s hard to find shorts that are long enough for girls.  What is up with the shorty shorts anyway?

My daughter usually has such cute jeans with embroidery, flowers, and jewels on them.  It’s a shame to let go of good pants just because they are too short.

A few years ago I decided that I would take a pair of worn out jeans and make them into shorts.  As you can see in the picture, these jeans were worn out in the knees.

I cut the jeans right above the spot where she had worn out the knees. I was just going to roll them up but then I decided they might fray and unravel so I had my mom put a stitch at the bottom.

Now we have cute shorts that are long enough and they didn’t cost us any money. Reusing old pants is a great way to save money on your summer wardrobe.

Happy Easter! The day is ending but thankfully the story never ends and it is always relevant. This is a picture I took this morning. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Resurrection Day!

“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.” John 4:10

Christian Audio is please to offer Road to the Resurrection as a free download for the month of April.   This free download is available in MP3, M4B, and one click zip formats.

Author Greg Laurie is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, one of the largest churches in America, and leader of the Harvest Crusades attended by more than 4 million people since 1990.

Laurie’s Road to the Resurrection provides a guidebook to the facts and circumstances surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Through listening, you will learn about the people, places, and timeline of the first Easter. But more than that, you will hear about the ancient prophecies of the Easter events, and the events that occurred after Christ’s resurrection. Through it, you will see God’s great love – a love that endured pain, ridicule, anguish and death for the sake of all of us – and be prompted to worship in response.

Simply add the title to your cart and log in to your christianaudio account to complete the checkout process.  Opening an account is free.

I have downloaded a few different books from Christian Audio and have always had a pleasant experience.

Many years before I had my children there was one thing I prayed — that they would know Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him.  Now that they have been with me for a few years there are other things I pray for them. I pray that they will find a Godly spouse, that they will be a good wife/husband, a good father/mother, that they will always follow God, etc. 

Source: inspiredtoaction.com via Diana on Pinterest

Today while I was searching around on Pinterest I found this free calendar.  Each day has a topic, prayer, and verse so that you can pray something specific for your children.  Of course we will always mutter prayers like, “Please let them sleep in on Saturday.”  lol  This calendar provides and easy way to pray intentionally for our children.

Enjoy and let me know what you think! 

Chef Scott Liebfried has created another kid-friendly recipe using Bumble Bee tuna. This recipe uses simple ingredients such as English muffins, cheese, basil, and tomato sauce. It also uses the Bumble Bee Foods sun dried tomato and basil tuna.

You might to try this healthier version when making pizza. I’m thinking this would make a nice lunch or easy weeknight dinner idea.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Bumble Bee Foods Bee Squad.

What a year it has been!  During this year I experienced a reduction in workforce in the public schools. Both of my parents had major surgery.  My family moved across the state and thankfully we are closer to my parents.  I am employed again, working 9-10 hour days, and commuting two hours each day.

If you’re wondering why you haven’t seen me around here, it’s because of these things. Sometimes in life it’s just best to step back from a few things so that you can survive and/or put first the things that are most important to you.

Through all of these things I can still find reason to give thanks.  I am blessed. I believe that God honors an attitude of gratitude.

Here are some of things I am thankful for (in no particular order):

1.  My husband. Like every couple, we fight and argue.  He loves the Lord and is a wonderful father to our children.  With God on our side, we’ll make it through many more years together.

2.  My kids. They are both healthy, smart, and love Jesus. What more could a parent want?

3.  My parents. They taught me to be kind, considerate of others, to help those in need, and to love God.

4.  My health. I am so very thankful that I have the strength to complete my job each day and care for my family.

5.  My family. I am blessed with a brother, cousins, aunt, uncles, in-laws, and grandparents.

6.  My friends. I have a few really true and loyal friends in my life.  They are the ones that you can talk to about anything and they will be there to steer you in the right direction or just to listen.

7.  My Savior. Some people don’t understand why I talk about the Lord so much.  It is because of the joy that comes from serving Him.  It really is hard to explain.  You don’t understand it until you’ve experienced it.

8.  My job. I know I commute and it is not ideal, but I do have a job. I spent months this summer looking for a job and it really helps one to appreciate employment.

9.  A place to live and food to eat.

10.  Freedom. Though our country has it’s faults, it’s still a pretty great place to live. I am thankful for the freedoms I have.

If you are struggling with finding reason to give thanks or simply want more information on having an attitude of gratitude, check out this message from Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church.

What are you thankful for?

“Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

image sraburton from sxc.hu

Restaurant.com is having another 80% off sale.  Get $25 dining gift certificates for only $2.  Simply enter the savings code PUMPKIN at the checkout and hit “apply”.  This offer ends Monday, October 31, 2011.

If you are new to Restaurant.com: Restaurant.com is a service that provides printable dining certificates to restaurants. You can type in your local zip code (or the zip code of your vacation destination) and browse the available restaurant certificates for that area. There is usually a minimum purchase required when using the certificates. For example, if you purchase a $25 certificate then you would probably be required to spend $35 at that restaurant. Also, a 18% gratuity is sometimes included at the restaurant on the pre-certificate amount. I have never encountered a problem with using these certificates and they provide a nice way to try out different restaurants.

Fall is one of my favorite times of year.  It cools off a little and makes outdoor time comfortable.  There’s a crisp smell in the air and it makes me long for hayrides, pumpkin patches, and beautiful fall colors.

Along with fall comes end of summer sales. It’s a good thing I had a little money set aside because I have found some great deals lately.

Monday I went to Lowe’s Home Improvement to see if their patio furniture was 75% off yet.  It was only 50% off but they only had three tables left of the one I wanted so I went ahead and purchased the table for $23.  I heard that the furniture was going 75% off on Wednesday so I went Wednesday morning to get the chairs I needed.

I have shopped around for a while for a table and chairs set I wanted.  I made due with a set I got for cheap on Craigslist until I could find just what I wanted.  Sure, there were other more attractive sets that looked more like dining room furniture but I decided on this set because it is durable, comfortable, and attractive (to me).  It also matches the firepit I got last year for my birthday.

Wednesday I purchased the chairs for $8.75 each.  I went ahead and got 8 of them because we plan to get another table to match this one.  We like to have the extra seating for company.  And let’s face it, you can hardly buy the cheap plastic chairs for the price I got for these metal ones.  The rude store manager almost sold these out from under me but thankfully my friend managed to snag them before he hauled them off.

As you can see in the picture I found some cushions for the chairs. These were only $5.25 each. They have a nice design on them but I’m not sure if I’m keeping them. They don’t exactly fit the whole seating length of the chair. I set them in the chairs to mull it over. What do you think?

I also got a 4 foot bench for only $20.  I’m excited about this bargain too! 

It’s not put together yet so I’ll just show you the picture of the box. Soon it will be a nice addition to my yard.

Lowe’s also had some cute (and some very tacky) yard ornaments and accessories.  Two weeks ago I purchased three lanterns at 75% off for only $11 each.  I got two of them for my brother’s birthday present. I was so pleased that I was able to get him an $80 gift for only $20.

Wednesday I found this chicken for $4. And no, I am not a collector of chickens.  I just thought this one was cute and she made me smile.

My outdoor yard furniture is finally coming together. I am so pleased by the bargains I got.

Have you found any deals lately?

Earlier I posted a story I wrote about Chris. Today is his birthday so I thought I would also share a poem I wrote for his parents.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a young boy
Small among your kind
With a mischievous grin
And a love for mankind

Longing for adventure
With an internal drive to succeed
If you set your mind to something
Nothing could stop your need

Always playing sports
You had such energy and talent
Not wanting to attract a crowd
The heart of a daring gallant

The baby of the family
We had that and more unspoken
We were of the same age
Our moms’ friendship was a lasting token

A brave young man now
Filled with courage and drive
You joined the Navy
The most elite, their pride

You served quietly and secretly
We did not ask questions
Your parents could not boast of you
And the Navy’s dangerous missions

I cannot imagine the life you lived
Or the menace you incurred
To set the oppressed ones free
And a safer world for the innocent unheard

It’s time to say goodbye
My mind can’t believe that it is true
You left a courageous hero
Our lives were all changed by you

My heart aches for your family and friends
And especially your daughter
May God’s comfort for us transcend
Despite the pain and sorrow

~Karen Buckhalter Weideman