teachable moment

I was stunned when my daughter confessed to me today that she'd been tempted to steal. As it turns out, she's envious of what other little girls her age have. We're not indulgent parents, so oftentimes there are plenty of material things other kids have that she doesn't.

I took that moment to have her think about why she wants what others have. She pondered it a while and came up empty.

I remember what it's like, and in fact, I still have those moments of envy. They are much fewer and way farther between than they used to be. While I've learned to be satisfied with either A) what I have, or B) what I can actually afford, having a seven year old claim the same understanding is another story. After all, it's taken me more than 30 years to grasp it myself.

Carefully, I encouraged my daughter to pray about being happy with the things she's already blessed with, and pray for God to continue to bless her with things and moments that bring her enjoyment.

When envy has a foot-hold in your heart, it's really hard to shake it loose.

One way my husband and I have worked to instill a giving heart in our children is to regularly go through the toys and have them choose items to donate to others. We very intentionally DO NOT replace those toys with new ones. Outgrown clothes are also handed down, and we contribute to clothing drives, canned food drives, Angel Tree, etc.

Being an example is key to instilling a giving heart in young ones, and my husband is a great example for our daughter. She said of him today, "When we were leaving Wal-Mart the other day, a man asked Daddy for $15 for a bus ticket. Daddy didn't have $15 so he gave him $20." As an aside, my mouth hit the floor that Daddy is quite THAT giving right now, but she went on to say, "And when we were walking away Daddy said, 'he better not be going to the liquor store.'"

Boy, oh, boy.

At any rate, be diligent with your kids. Encourage them with the things they already have, and find ways to put a new spin on old things. Verbally reinforce the daily blessings you're experiencing in your family. Children will always want what others have, but we have a duty as parents to raise them as grateful beings. Never forget that we're raising the next generation. Changes to society begin at home.

Photo Courtesy and Suggested Reading: http://www.sheknows.com/articles/812173/5-lessons-for-kids-about-charity

making fruity pebble treats

A few have asked for the Fruity Pebble Treats recipe. It's easy!

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 5 cups mini marshmallows
• 6 cups Fruity Pebbles

Melt the butter in a saucepan then add in the marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are liquid. Add in the Fruity Pebbles, mixing it all together. It's sticky and you must act quickly! I placed mine in cupcake liners so I wouldn't have dishes to clean up, plus they're easier to serve that way. Dip two spoonfuls of the mixture into each cupcake liner and let them set up for maybe 10 minutes or until they cool. That's it! Done! (See a photo)

a shower of purple and green

My sister-in-law is pregnant with my third niece and I was the fortunate gal who helped to throw her baby shower yesterday. (YAY!) Below are some pics of the goodies, if you're looking for any ideas.

I found the wooden words at the Dollar Tree and brought them home for prettyin' up. I painted each one with acrylic paints and touched them with silver accent paint. Since there are three of them, my SIL can choose which of the three girls she wants to have which word.

In the background are favor boxes that I made using a die cut at Memories Galore. It's awesome to be able to purchase cardstock and ribbon at a scrapbooking store and have access to their tools for free! In the boxes are either tootsie rolls or a scented tea light candle. The duck favor boxes were picked up from the Dollar Tree. (I ran out of time to go back to Memories Galore to make more boxes.)

I created single-tier diaper cakes for table centerpieces. Each tier included seven size one diapers and sprigs of silk hydrangeas, all tied up with purple and sage green ribbon and twine.

I must say, the Fruity Pebble Treats were my own pure genius. :) Rice Krispie treats just weren't colorful enough for me. These were a huge hit!

You can't tell it here, but I made purple cupcakes! I used a strawberry cake mix and added blue food coloring to it to make them purple. That's buttercream icing on top and my daughter gave each one a sprinkle for color. Thanks to my dear friend, Jane, for the use of her beautiful cupcake stand!

Photos by Casey Higgins