Peanut Butter Play Dough

If you are looking for more fun recipes to make at home, this is another one that my children LOVED! Always fun to eat after you play!

Peanut Butter Play Dough

1 1/4 cup peanut butter

6 TBS honey

Nonfat dry milk powder

Mix honey and peanut butter. Add dry milk powder to make a consistency that you can work with. Store in airtight container when not using.

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Other recipes you might like: pancake and waffle mix, white chocolate mix.

And how to organize those recipes! 

Homemade Play Dough

When my {now 21 year old son} was in preschool, his teacher asked for families to make play dough to send into the classroom!  So here I am, 16 years later sharing this great recipe during the COVID-19 outbreak.  I hope that this will help keep your little ones (and you!) occupied, if even for just a little time. Oh mamas, it IS hard to be home with the little ones all day!

Best part of this play dough - although I wouldn't recommend, it is edible because all of the ingredients are edible. So if little ones tend to want to put everything in their mouths, they can enjoy!

1 cup flour

1/4 cup salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 TBS vegetable oil

1 pack unsweetened Kool Aid (for color, optional)

Add dry ingredients to sauce pan. Stir. Add water and oil.Stir over medium-low heat until mixtures becomes quite thick & resembles the consistency of play dough (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and place dough on cookie sheet or wax paper to cool completely.Once cool, knead until smooth.Store in a covered container.

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Other recipes you may enjoy: White chocolate mix, pancake and waffle mix, taco dip, chicken corn soup. And how to organize all those recipes!

The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson

The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson is a delightful fiction story, an enjoyable book! This is actually the first book I read by the award winning author!

Dillion has quite the life. Well, maybe. She has a decent job, a boyfriend and an ok life with her roommates. When her boyfriend is late to dinner again, and continually takes her for granted she knows its time for a change. Then her boss implores her to come in to work on a Saturday, again.  This is the last straw. Dillion does it! She packs up and heads to her beloved Grandpa's farm. However, surprise, her mother is there. Sadly, she has never gotten along well with her free spirited mother.  And her mother starts telling Dillion how to run her life and always takes Dillion for granted!

However, there is this gentleman who works at the hardware store.  And enter a beloved vintage camper gifted to Dillion.

The Happy Camper is a sweet story.  It is fun, delightful and engaging. A cheerful read!  You will enjoy the story of 34 year old Dillion and her transplanted life back to simpler times on the family farm.

I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review, which I was happy to do!

Made to Move Mountains by Kristen Welch

When I am asked to write a review, I am always asked to be honest. Sometimes reviews are just hard to write.  Bottom line: Did I enjoy this book? Yes and No.  Perhaps it was because I was reading this book at the height of COVID19.  Perhaps it's just the book. I'm not sure.

I had read Kristen Welch's blog a LONG time ago, before she was as influential as she is now. Perhaps it was simply a different time.  This was the first book I had read of hers.

In Made to Move Mountains, Kristen shares some of what is on her current blog, the story of Mercy House (her organization to free pregnant women from slavery), fair trade and helping immigrants.  She also dabbles in what she has shared in the past concerning her marriage, and some of her family life.  Kristen does share that this book was a hard book to write, and I don't expect her to share all of her secrets, but when as author writes that she is going to through trials, but cannot explain more, I relate it to telling someone, I have a secret but I'm not telling you.  In that case, don't even bring it up.

The focus of Made to Move Mountains is just that. The mountains in Kristen's life and how God has and will move them.  Or she will climb them. Perhaps the most impactful writing for me, was when Kristen shared sending her daughter off to college and the affect that had on her, and the wisdom and insight that Kristen gained as a mother through that experience.

I'm not sure I've read a book before that quotes more authors than this book. There was even an author quoted within another author quote. Kristen goes from quoting Tim Keller to John Piper to Joel Osteen.  (All within a few pages!)

Bottom line: Would I recommend this book? Yes and No. I would encourage you to read this for yourself and decide about Made to Move Mountains. Was there thought provoking material? Yes. Did it offer hope? Sometimes. Some of Made to Move Mountains was more focused on Kristen's mountains than moving them.

I would  encourage you to read the book for yourself and decide. I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review.

Little Words Matter Jumbo Coloring Book ~ from B&H Kids

Little Words Matter Jumbo Coloring Book from B&H Kids!

This delightful coloring book has many opportunities and simple pages for young children to color. I would recommend this for children ages 2 to 5. It begins with coloring pages that share Jesus Loves Me. It then teaches letters and offers pages showing children how to trace their letters. The Little Words Matter Jumbo Coloring book then goes through different animals that children can color and does reinforce various activities such as alike and different. There are also matching activities, color words and activities, number word and activities, Bible characters, shapes, shape activities and beginning letter sounds. As you can see it is filled with rich learning pages!

This book offers many different options for young children. The only drawback is that for a few pictures it’s hard to distinguish what the picture stands for. For example, the page where you two are to identify what starts with the letter "I" and "J", there is a picture of a girl jumping, some jelly, and a soldier.

Overall the Little Words Matter Jumbo Coloring Book is a fantastic resource for little ones. It is big, so it does offer endless hours for coloring! 

I was given a free copy to review from the publishers. All opinions are my own. 

Our of the Embers by Amanda Cabot

Out of the Embers by Amanda Cabot is book one in the Mesquite Springs series.  Evelyn always feels that someone is watching her when she must leave the orphanage and head into town.  She needs to head into town to sell the doilies that the children have made.  One of the children, Polly, is with her on her latest trip.  Ready to set home, the wagon breaks down. Once they finally are able to journey home, they discover the entire orphanage has burned to the ground. No one is left and no one from the town really cares. They never really cared for the orphanage anyway.  Evelyn must take Polly and flee. But where? How? And who is watching her? Why?

This delightful tale book you on an adventure set in the 1850's.  There are lost of exciting twists and turns and it is an intriguing tale. I did find it a little confusing on some of the characters, but if you are patient, will all come together in the end.  Out of the Embers is a fun read and best of all it's the beginning of the series, but can be read alone.  You will come to love the characters in the book and enjoy the story.

I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review, which I was happy to do.  I do recommend Out of the Embers.

Mama Kisses, Papa Hugs

Mama Kisses, Papa Hugs is a beautiful story for children ages birth to older elementary.  This story shares a mama giving her son kisses and compares them to how other animals kiss their children. Then its's papa's turn to come in and pray with his son. He gives his son hugs and they talk about how other animals hug their young.

Perhaps the most poignant part of the story is when the son asks, "Papa, how does God give us hugs?" Papa replies, "Hundreds of times throughout the day, God sends us hugs. We might miss them if we don't pay attention."

The book is full of beautiful illustrations. Even though it's a picture book it is also great for older children as well. The message is sweet and heartwarming.

I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review which I was happy to do!

Praying Women by Sheila Walsh

Praying Women by Sheila Walsh is an excellent resource on “how to pray when you don’t know what to say.” The insight provided by Sheila Walsh is valuable and meaningful. It is also extremely relevant to women today. 

As one who is heavily involved in a prayer ministry, I really appreciated what Sheila Walsh shared in Praying Women. She shares not only her personal journeys and struggles, but also biblical passages to support the need for and power of prayer. The ten insights shared through each chapter are challenging as well as encouraging. The scripture share is rich.  I firmly believe this book will be an encouragement for women who do not know how to pray, or an inspiration for women who want to go deeper in their prayer life.

I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review, which I was happy to do. I highly recommend Praying Women by Sheila Walsh.