The Domes

I visited The Domes in Milwaukee for the first time today with my parents (Don't let the outside of The Domes fool ya, see pics below). They were able to visit this weekend and we were wanting to find something new to do in the area. Going to the Domes was a great way to spend the first part of our Saturday. Especially on a cold winter day:) For those of you not from the area The Domes = Mitchell Park Conservatory. It is called the Domes because it consists of three large domes that each exhibit a different type of environment - Tropical, Desert and the Show Dome (mostly flowers and model trains running through the dome). We really enjoyed learning new plant names and seeing some really unique looking plants. I took a lot of pictures because...well...I like taking pictures especially of God's awesome creation! Enjoy the pics, I hope maybe you feel like you walked the domes with us:)

THE SHOW DOME

The Show Dome has small displays of different fairy tale mixed in around the model trains. I took picture of a few that our nieces and nephews might think are fun:)

Sleeping Beauty

Snow White

Cinderella

Winnie the Pooh

THE DESERT DOME

I liked the GIANT Yucca plant (the spiky dome one below). My junior high school was Yucca Jr. High:)

THE TROPICAL DOME

  Sausage Tree (can you see the giant sausage like pods hanging?)



I enjoyed learning the names of plants and trees that sounded like something I would like to eat:)

GREAT DAY AT THE DOMES!!!
I'd like to check it out some time when they have the live music and light show:)



Valentine's Day Creativity

This month has been especially good for me because I have had the opportunity on three occasions now to be creative while celebrating Josh for the week of his birthday, supporting his interests by turning our apartment into A Steelers Nation worthy atmosphere and today creating a private dining experience to show my love for him. I Thank God for my husband daily and I love him so much. I also thank God for the passions he has given me. Two of which are crafts and creativity.  With Josh's busy schedule, it made sense to make dinner here at home, so why not have the ambiance of a special restaurant with a personal touch. Thanks hun for taking time from your studies to share a wonderful and cherished dinner with me:) Thanks also for the thoughtful journal you gave me so I don't have to use a plain ole school notebook. What a great prayer journal it will make!

This post shares one of our favorite recipes, easy valentine's decorations and a fun way to create ambient lighting.


CRANBERRY CHICKEN: (super easy crock pot recipe)
- Mix 1 can whole cranberry sauce, half of a regular sized French dressing bottle & 1 dry onion soup packet
- Pour over chicken breasts (4-6 pieces) in crock pot
- Cook on low for 6 hours and then serve over rice


EASY VALENTINE DECORATIONS:

Candy Votives -Chose candy you enjoy and fill glass containers with candy and a votive. Glass containers with only candy in them can be used as decoration as well not just for snacking:)

Hanging Heart Cones - Start with a square piece of and fold diagonally one way and then unfold and fold diagonally the other way.  Following the beginning directions for a Water Bomb (seen below) until you have formed the water bomb base.  Then kind of like cutting a snowflake cut the opened end corners off in the shape of two mounds like the top of a heart. Punch hole through the inner folds that touch each other. A cone shape should be created because of your fold lines. Add ribbon to hang and then fill with candy. (Caution: Add a little candy to each side switching back and forth or you may topple over. Same with removing candy, eat evening from both sides:)

Decorated Candles - Any touch of ribbon, stickers, paper can make a plain candle more festive. For this candle I just taped three pieces of ribbon around the candle and then added some sparkly heart foam stickers from the craft store. And I can take it all off to decorate for another holiday.

Water Bomb String Lights - I was inspired from another one of my favorite blogs for this lighting. One I wanted to have a special ambiance for our dinner (which I thought about trying on the back porch, but decided against since it's winter:) I also wanted to attempt to camouflage the hideous fan in our dining room. I'm not sure if that worked, but the ambiance was GREAT!

Josh and I folded enough water bombs for each bulb on the string. Follow the instructions for folding the Water Bomb below. Then I hung up the lights the way that I wanted them to hang and sway. Then I attached the water bombs just by covering each bulb. Some of the holes in the top of my water bomb were a tad big and would fall off the bulb. I just played around with the angle of the water bomb and how the bulb was hanging. We managed to make it through dinner with no falling bombs...haha.

Super-Birthday-Bowl

This year I really enjoyed celebrating Josh's birthday.  Not because of a spectacular, grandiose gift or whisking him away somewhere.  I enjoyed it because I remember the "little" ways that he brings me joy in life! Each morning last week he woke up to a small note and a practical gift. The dining room table was dedicated to "Celebrating 7 Days of You" (Josh that is). On his actual birthday I decorated the apartment with streamers, balloons and a Happy Birthday sign.  Unfortunately, he got home a bit earlier from class than I expected and he caught me standing on a chair putting up the last of the streamers. I wish I had taken a picture of his face when he saw the decorations. It doesn't matter how old you are...streamers in your honor makes you smile:)

Josh enjoying a break from schoolwork and enjoying his BirthDAY under his streamers!

Josh lighting his own candles so I could take pictures...haha

 Make a wish!!!

 Happy Birthday to my patient, practical, handsome, dedicated, joy inspiring, comforting, and cherished husband!:)

A BONUS this year was that the Steelers made it to the Super Bowl! (Setting all results aside) It was fun getting ready for the game and hanging out with Mike (Happy Birthday to Mike too!) I had to be creative with the decorations to keep costs down. So Josh's birthday streamers were gold, blue and red like the Steelers logo. I only made half of his birthday cake in the pics above and used the other half for cupcakes for the Superbowl. I bought two bags of M&M's and seperated out the gold, blue and red ones (WAY cheaper than ordering them by specific color). I used some T-Shirts as part of the table covering along with hats, homemade decals and frames to make the food table look festive. 

Spinning our Terrible Towels while the game was good!

In the end it was a sad game...

...but overall it was a good day. I can't complain when I have a reason to decorate with a theme, be creative, and hang out with family.  Next years boys, next year.

Praying for others

I am forgetful! Unless I have a plan, a sticky note, an alarm on my IPod, etc. I forget things...and even sometimes with those helps I still forget (my roommates in college and there after can vouch that I OFTEN would leave the apartment and then return within a couple of minutes because I forgot something. Now Josh sees it happen too:) 

Forgetting to pray for family and friends is something that I don't want to do and sometimes it's just because I don't make the time in my day to do it. I can only hope that I am not the only one.  I think that the more creative I can be with something the more I remember or even make the time for it.  And I thought that I would share some ideas for how you can keep your family and friends in your hearts and prayers on a regular basis.  Some simple ways to enjoy making the time to pray for others, to help you to remember to pray for others.

Days of the Week:  This idea is pretty straight forward.  Choose specific days of the week that you will dedicate to praying for one or more specific people.  If it helps you to remember, write down your list and look at it each day.  As you pray for these people regularly on the same day each week it will become natural and you'll be automatically thinking about them and praying for them on their day without looking at your list.

Prayer Rocks:  A VERY simple craft project to help you to pray for others regularly.  It can end up looking like a decorative piece on your coffee table or night stand with the purpose of PRAYER. 

Supplies needed:

- Rocks (I found some smooth, black rocks at Michael's for $2 for 2 bags)

- Fine tip paint marker (I used silver so it would show up on the black rocks)

- Plate or bowl

- Names of those you want to pray for

I used the paint marker and wrote names on the flattest side of each of the black rocks.  Then I used an extra plate we have lying around and I spread the rocks out with the names face down on the plate.  Place the plate/bowl of rocks in a place that will look as if it is a decorative element in a room that you would normally have your quite time and pray.  Each day pick one (or more depending on the number of rocks you have and how frequently you want to pray for each person).  This is how you will choose to pray for that day.  You can hold the rock in your hand while you pray for the person as if you are praying over them like you would if they were in the room with you and you hold their hand or place your hand on their shoulder.  Then when you are done with your prayer time place the rock back on the plate/bowl face up.  This is how you will keep track of who you have prayed for that week.  When you have flipped over all the rocks you can start over again.  



Prayer Verses:  This can be a short term or long term way of praying for others.  The purpose is to select a bible verse to pray over specific people.  Pray for God's wisdom to show you a verse for the person.  Also know what is going on in the person life and what they may need prayer for in the present or for a longer period of time (like during a pregnancy).  When you have selected a verse mark it in your bible, write in on an index card or on something that you can easily look at during your prayer time.  As you are praying for this person, pray the verse you have selected for them.  As you become familiar with the verse and praying God's word try putting the person's name in the verse as you say it.  Hopefully you will become familiar enough with the verse that you can pray it without looking or pray at other times in the day when the Lord puts that person on your heart.

Popsicle Prayers:  This one may be fun for involving your kids in praying for others (it was an idea a college roommate gave me).  Buy some Popsicle sticks at a craft store or dollar store.  Use markers to write the names of those you want to pray for on each stick.  Put the stick with the name ends down in a mug/cup and set it out somewhere you normally are when you have your quite time and pray.  Similar to the rocks, select one or more Popsicle sticks each day and pray for the person you have selected.  Place the stick back in the cup with the name end up so you can keep track of who you have prayed for that week.

I'd love to hear other ideas that you might have.  I'll be honest and say that I have a hard time sitting, being quiet and just praying in my head to the Lord.  So to I try ways of praying that help engage me better in the process and I feel more of a connection to God in my prayers than being distracted by other thoughts in my mind, sounds that I hear outside or feeling sleepy.  I know I'm not the only one who has been distracted or fallen asleep while trying to pray for others.  Post your ideas, I'd love to hear them!

JANUARY GOAL

My goal for January was to finish all the projects that I had started (last year) and hadn't finished.  I must say that I am not 100% successful on this goal, but 99%.  I have one very small thing to do tonight and that is to write down a verse to put in a blank frame that has been on the wall already in our bedroom. Not the most difficult project, but nevertheless was started but not finished. I am very happy about this goal because the two primary projects I needed motivation for to finish putting together our wedding album (I know, it's been 3.5 years!) and to finish the second set of drapes for our bedroom (we have two windows and I finished the first set and even had the second set all finished except for sewing on the lining.

I am happy to say both of those projects have been completed along with a few other small ones!!!

The hardest thing for me is that I get really excited about a project (especially when it involves being creative or crafty) and then before I finish it I get really excited about another project and begin something else...and so the cycle continues. Even during January, I got so excited about some of my other goals later in the year I began thinking and working on them ahead of time.

So, thankful to have completed this goal and I WILL put the verse in the frame tonight! I think it's funny that my sewing machine looks like the monorail and Disney from the side:)