How to Honor Those Who Serve Our Country On Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a national holiday celebrated every year throughout our country. It is a time to really honor those who have sacrificially served our country.

I remember when I was in Middle School having the honor to be the drummer for the veterans in our local parade. At the time I didn't know what a privilege it was to be asked to march with them - in fact, I was pretty sure these old guys chose me because I was the only female drummer in our band at the time and they got a kick out of having me join their group. I LOVED it! These memories are some of my favorite from Memorial Day.

Marching with the veterans, tapping out a cadence, and enjoying their company along the parade route was amazing - until we came to the local cemetery. I remember how their faces, posture, and a sense of serious respect flooded over them as soon as we got within sight of the cemetery. As a kid, I didn't know what was happening and was a little frightened at this sudden change. I just marched on drumming out the cadence until we halted.

Their service and the memories they carried so selflessly became once again so real as we stood among the gravestones and small American flags. These "old guys" stood rigidly at attention waiting to fire off their salutes to their fallen soldiers. As they presented their arms, firing off in joined succession I remember having tears stream down my face as the emotion of this ceremony hit me full on.

Fast forward to the present - and this is where I ask myself - how can I pass along to my kids the meaning of Memorial Day? They love going to our annual parade, especially since they know there will be candy thrown at them by those marching in the parade. I still get choked up every time the Veterans march by. It feels just like yesterday when I was playing my drum, marching along with these heroes.

Here are some ideas to help you as a parent teach your kids how to honor our veterans and pass along the meaning of why we celebrate Memorial Day.

Read Stories of American History To Your Kids

Find stories documenting the experience our soldiers had while serving. Hearing about the danger, sacrifice and the reality of being a soldier through stories can help your child gain a better understanding of Memorial Day and why we as a country celebrate it. 

Find it HERE

Find it HERE

Talk To Veterans

My guess is that there is someone in your family, church, or circle of friends who is a veteran. Learning firsthand from someone a child knows is a great way to teach kids how to respect and honor Veterans. 

My grandpa, a fighter pilot in the Korean war used to tell us grandkids that his hair became wavy on top from flying under and over bridges in the war. He had a great sense of humor and as kids, we loved to hear this story (over and over and over....). Later as we got older and began to learn more about the war in Korea, and heard small conversations from aunts/uncles about grandpa's tour(s) in the war I realized how dangerous it was for him and how hard he fought. He dropped bombs, he dodged bullets and he survived to come home and raise his family. 

Listening to the oral history straight from the mouths of those who walked those steps can be a way our kids (and us) honor our vets.

Learn About the American Flag

The history of our American Flag is fascinating. Exposing kids to how all those stars got there, why there are red and white stripes, and what each star and stripe symbolizes is a great way to start teaching why we should honor our veterans.

Click HERE

Kids love to craft so why not help them make their own American Flag that they can proudly display at your local parade or in the house. 

Here are some ideas to get you started:

via: Crafty Morning

Via: Housing a Forest

Show Your Thankfulness to A Vet

Monkey see monkey do - your kids are watching your every move, right? Why not show them how they can be thankful. It can be as simple as just telling a veteran (or police officer, firefighter, or member of the coast guard) "thank you for your service". As a parent, you will have to take the lead in teaching how to vocalize thankfulness but I guarantee this small act will stick with your kids forever. 

How about paying for their meal at a restaurant? Make sure you tell your kids what you are doing and why. Make cards and deliver them to your local Veteran's Home. The ideas of showing thankfulness are endless - it just takes some effort on your part to get it started.

However, you celebrate Memorial Day don't forget to use this day as a way to teach your kids how to honor our current and past veterans. It is truly what it is all about! 

Thank you Veterans & Happy Memorial Day 

10 Tips & Tricks for an Awesome Bridal Shower Party That Won't Break The Bank

Planning, hosting and paying for a bridal shower can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to! Of course you want to throw your BFF the best bridal shower ever so with a little creativity and hard work you can pull of the party of the year and still have some cash left in the bank.

My sister in law is getting married in a few months and I volunteered to help host a bridal shower for her. She comes from a fairly large family so I knew this would be a well attended and semi-large gathering - the "kicker" is that the budget for the shower is tight but I still want it to be a classy party.

Tasked with the challenge of throwing an epic bridal shower within budget I sat down and let the creative juices start to flow (with the help of Pinterest of course!).

It costs more than you think to be part of a wedding even if you aren't an actual bridesmaid. As a close friend or family member you have to consider the costs of a shower(s), wedding gifts, attire, lodging....you get the point!

Here are some great ways to throw a bridal shower on a small budget that is still memorable, fun and classy.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my disclaimer page. Thanks!

10 Ways to Throw a Bridal Shower That Won't Break The Bank

Party Venue

Be creative when considering a venue for the shower. If the budget doesn't allow for something like a restaurant or hall think about other options like a state or local park with a pavilion. Also consider asking one of the guests to "borrow" their home as the shower venue. All you need is a big living room or if the season is right, a big porch to throw a great shower.

Invitations

Sending out custom paper invitations can be quite costly. The options to send out free invitations online are endless so why not try doing this to save a few bucks. For those guests who aren't very tech savvy and aren't able to receive an "e-vite", grab a package of pre-printed invites to send to them.

Here are a few free electronic invitation sites you should check out:

EVITE - easy to use, customizable invites for any type of gathering you need to send invitations.

PAPERLESS - not only do they provide online invitations but they can track RSVP's and link directly to a gift registry.

If you love the old fashion paper invites here is a great deal I found on Amazon:

via: Amazon

Party Planner

Skip hiring a party planner to do the work of setting up a party - you can do this with the help of a few friends or family members all by yourself. Assign each person a task like setting up the shower space, decorating, plating food and organizing games.

Here is an excellent party planning checklist from Fantabulosity I'm sure you will find useful.

Decorations

Party decorations do not have to be brand new or extravagant. Use what you have around the house like a small mason jar with jute twine wrapped around the center as a vase - add a few sprigs of baby's breath and prest-o-chang-o, you have a simple and elegant floral arrangement.

Also, spray painting mismatched vases the same color will give your decorations a sense of unity and style. Gold or silver are great wedding themed colors to stick with.

Pull out those twinkling white Christmas lights from storage you already have and string a few strands around to decorate.

Balloons and even streamers in the wedding party colors can be great party decor.

  Food

Food is a big budget item for any party especially if it is wedding related. If catering is out of the question consider asking a few guests to help prepare food ahead of time.

Depending on the time of day that the shower is being held you could serve finger foods versus a full meal. A brunch or late afternoon shower where you only serve appetizer style foods could really help keep cost down.

If the shower is in the winter serving soup can really help you stretch your budget without sacrificing quality.

Here are some simple finger food ideas you might like to try at your next shower:

Festive Fiesta Bites via: Kraft Recipes

Pinwheel Sandwich

Mojo Pork Kabobs - via: marthastewart.com

Beverages

Keeping the drinks simple can help keep the cost of a bridal shower down. Boxed wine or pre-mixed pitchers of cocktails in a punch bowl are much cheaper than hiring a bartender. Coffee, tea, water and soda are also acceptable drinks to serve if you want to stay away from the more expensive alcoholic beverages.

Need a simple punch recipe? Here you go:

Fancy Party Punch

• 2 quarts of cranberry juice
• 2 quarts of ginger ale
• 46 ounces of pineapple juice
• 1 cup of lemon juice
• 1 container orange sherbet

Mix together in a punch bowl, add ice and it is ready to serve.

Dessert

Everyone looks forward to dessert at a bridal shower but you don't have to break the bank with a custom bakery cake. Whipping together homemade alternatives like fruit pizza cookies, brownie/marshmallow/strawberry kabobs or chocolate dipped pretzels rods can keep you within budget while still offering guests a sweet treat. Still want cake - how about dressing up a grocery store cake with your own decorations and frosting accents.

Here are two ideas we used at the shower for my sister in law

Strawberry, Marshmallow & Brownie Kabobs via: clipzine

Fruit Pizza Sugar Cookies via: cookingclassy

Shower Games

Shower games don't have to cost a lot (if anything) and can still be quite a hoot! Here are a few that have a high fun factor but low to no cost:

• What's In Your Purse - have a list of items with point values and ask guests to tally up how many points they have based on what is in their purse from items on the list.
• Mad libs Wedding Themed- there are lots of examples on Pinterest that you can use for the mad lib game. Ask the bride to select her favorite of the completed mad lib vows to select a winner. Click here for a bunch of free mad lib ideas.
• Toilet Paper Wedding Dress - divide guests up into groups and give them a few rolls of toilet paper. One guest per group is the "bride" and the rest have to create a wedding dress with the toilet paper to display on the "bridge". The real bride votes for the best toilet paper gown.

Prizes & Party Favors

The Dollar Store is your best friend when it comes to gifts for prizes. You can really find some great items for cheap! Think candles, bath soaps, oven mitts, spa items - the Dollar Store has it all!

If you aren't into giving store bought prizes how about whipping up a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies and packaging them in a cute gift bag to give as prizes. (Need a good chocolate chip cookie recipe? Click HERE for my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe)

Individual party favors for your guests can really add up so why not turn it into a make-n-take activity for the guests and bride to do together. 

Small terracotta pots and colorful sharpie markers passed around for all to sign make a great memorable party favor that won't break the bank. Throw in a pack of flower seeds and you are all done!

* * *

No matter what your budget - using your creativity and enlisting a few friends to help is always a good idea when it comes to throwing a party or a shower. Have fun with it! 

How to Make Lasting Memories With Your Children and Grandchildren

Recently my grandmother passed away at the age of 95. She lived a long full life, raising 7 kids in the suburbs of Detroit. She is survived by 17 grandchildren and 22 (and counting) great grandchildren! Wow, that is a lot of family and I'm so glad I get to be a part of it.

Reflecting back on the years of memories with my grandmother has reminded me how intentional she was with each of her grandkids. After 7 kids I think she became an expert in making every moment count even with very simple activities or gestures.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure here.

As a parent I hope that the small and big things I do with my kids are all part of the great memories they will cherish as they grow up. Some of my most embarassing moments witnessed by my kids will probably be memories they will have forever (and never let me live down!).

Kids seem to remember our most embarasing moments like it happened yesterday! Know what I mean? So of course one of my favorite memories of my grandma is when she had something embarassing happen to her while spending some time with my sisters and me.

Fun With Grandma

We convinced my grandma to go out on the lake we lived on in a small paddle boat. We wanted to show her how good we were at navigating our little boat and show off the places where we loved to fish. My two sisters and I let grandma sit in the back of the paddle boat while two of us paddled out to the drop off and the big weed beds so we could look for fish.

It was a partly cloudy day, great for spotting fish in the water below. We were all leaning out over the water watching for fish. Suddenly we heard a small splash, followed by a ("#@!!&") angy explitive from grandma!

Knowing my grandpa was on shore watching, my grandma very quietly told us her glasses just fell into the water and sunk to the bottom. Not wanting to alarm grandpa (or even let him know this had happened) she asked that we make a few passes over the spot where they fell hoping to spot them.

We all felt bad for grandma but knew that this was her problem and she would deal with it all on her own (a.k.a don't tell grandpa). When we arrived back on shore and grandpa asked how the boat ride went, my grandma, with a big smile and sparkling eyes complimented my sisters and I on our excellent paddle boating skills and told how much fun it was to spend time with her granddaughters.

We instantly forgot about the glasses basking in the compliments.

Over the years memories of time spent together, cards, gifts and advice have been made leaving me with a full list of memories of my grandma.

My grandma loved to read action and mystery novels (Clive Cussler, Mary Higgins Clark were two of our favorite authors) and she and I would swap books whenever we came to visit her. Our enjoyment of this book genre was something we had in common that none of her other grandkids shared. I think each one of us (all 17) can attest that each shared something special like this with her.

Creating Lasting Family Memories

So how do you go about creating these types of long lasting memories with your kids or grandkids? Spending time with them is the first step but if you are too far to see each other you might have to get creative.

With the advancement of technology there are so many ways to stay in touch - email, Facebook, Skype, Face Time, ect. Don't underestimate the power of technology - use it to your advantage.

Here is a list of five ways you can begin to create lasting memories with your children and /or grandchildren:

1. Scrapbooking 

click HERE

Creating a scrapbook with a collage of pictures of you and your children/grandchildren with their help is a great way to make a memory together. Reminising over pictures is a great way to talk about past adventures or memories all while creating one with them.

2. Pen Pals

Make a simple cardboard mailbox and put it somewhere in the house where you and your children can write letters to each other and put them in the mailbox. Get ready for some super special artwork, letters and notes from your precious children!

If you are a grandparent and don't live close to your grandkids why not become pen pals. Even if you do live close (maybe down the block) getting a letter in the mail from someone special is a treasure to be kept for a long time.

3. Spontaneous Activities

Think trip to the park, fishing, pick-up game of ball or even going to a game together. The fun part is that it is unplanned and anything goes. As kids get older the activities can change to fit their interests. Remember though this is memory making - NOT time for you to be on your cell phone!

4. Make Meals Together

Time spent in the kitchen preparing a meal together is therapeutic and a great way to make memories. I hope my kids remember the first time they made an omelet, cake from scratch or their own mini pizza with homemade dough. If you aren't handy in the kitchen find a simple recipe to try together. Mess-ups = memories!!

Looking for a great chocolate chip cookie recipe? See my recipe here.

5. Start Traditions

One of my favorite memories as a kid are the traditions my parents did with us every year. Most of them revolved around holidays like carving pumpkins, dying eggs for Easter or decorating the Christmas tree together. Even though we did the same activity every year there were always great memories being made. If you don't have some traditions in your family why not start some new ones with your kids or grandkids.

We make homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning breakfast every year. My kids love helping with this and every year we talk about our memories of past preparations - like somone knocking over the flour or the year the rolls were left to rise so long that the oozed out of the pan!

Making memories with your kids and grandkids is so special! These memories will last a lifetime and be cherished when you are gone. Be creative and start making memories with those who are special to you today!

The Best Pancake Recipe You Will Love

This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure here.

If a food is related to cake it must be good, right? I think that is why I love pancakes so much. They can be "dressed-up" with toppings or just eaten plain (with maybe a drizzle of maple syrup). I've done so much experimenting with pancakes over the years and I think I have finally found the Ultimate Pancake Recipe that I'd love to share with you. Are you ready? Fire up your griddles and get ready to flip!

Ultimate Pancake Recipe

2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons melted butter

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until slightly lumpy (don't over stir). 

Pre-heat the griddle to medium high heat. Drop a pat of butter into the skillet and once melted spoon 1/4 cup of pancake batter onto the hot griddle. When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes, flip them over to brown the other side. A minute or two should do it. Repeat the process for the remaining batter - don't forget to melt more butter in the skillet between batches. 

Pancake Mix-Ins:

Want to take your pancakes to the next level? Try adding some mix-ins to the pancake batter. Here are some great ideas to really dress up those plain pancakes.

1. Chocolate Chips

Sprinkle mini-chocolate chips onto the pancakes after you spoon the batter into the griddle. Yummy!

2. Banana + Walnuts

Slice a banana into think slices and put the slices onto the pancake after you pour the batter into the griddle. Sprinkle some chopped walnuts over the bananas - instant banana bread pancakes.

3. Peanut Butter Pancakes

After you flip the pancakes in the griddle smear a little peanut butter of the top side that is cooked. The peanut butter will begin to melt into a perfect pancake topping as the underside of the pancake finishes cooking.

4. Blueberries

Frozen or fresh - it doesn't matter! Sprinkle blueberries onto the pancake after pouring a spoonful of batter into the griddle. If you use frozen you may have to let the pancake cook for a few seconds more than if you use raw.

5. Oatmeal + Raisins

Add 1/4 cup of instant oatmeal to the pancake batter then after you spoon some batter onto the griddle sprinkle a few raisins over the pancake. The oatmeal gives the pancake a new texture and the raisins become sweeter when cooked.

6. Apples + Cinnamon

Slice an apple into think chunks (skin on or off - your preference) and then sprinkle an additional 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon over the apples. After you spoon the pancakes into the hot griddle add a small spoonful of the apple/cinnamon mix.

7. Dried Cranberries + Flax Seed

The combination of the sweet from the cranberries and nutty flavor of the flax seed is a great compliment when sprinkled onto a pancake that has just been spooned into a hot griddle. The flax seed also gives the pancake a little crunch which is a great treat in the morning.

8. Strawberries + Pecans

Slice a few strawberries thinly and chop up some pecans into small pieces. After spooning the pancakes into the griddle add the strawberries and pecans to the pancake. Maple syrup drizzled over the top is a perfect compliment to this concoction.

9. Bacon

Use cooked and crumbled bacon and sprinkle it generously over the pancake as the first side of the pancake fries in the hot griddle. Butter + Bacon + Pancake = DELICIOUS!!

10. Butterscotch Chips

Same idea as the chocolate chips but use butterscotch chips instead. This mix in is so good with the buttery flavor of the pancake!


Alright, there you have it - the ultimate pancake recipe + 10 mix-ins to make your pancakes out of this world good!

Are there any special toppings you enjoy or mix-ins you and your family love? Share them by leaving a comment!

Enjoy,
Erin

10 Healthy Game Day Snacks for Kids

read about it here.

Healthy Game Day Snacks for Your Child

Spring marks the kick-off to many spring sports like baseball, tee-ball, soccer, track and many other great outdoor (and indoor) activities. Keeping your child athlete healthy means making sure they are eating healthy snack options instead of filling up on junk food.

Our two boys are both starting their spring baseball leagues and at least once or twice will be asked to bring a snack to share with their teammates.

When it comes to game day snacks for the kids I'm a little concerned about the message conveyed to a child athlete who just participated in an athletic event/game when sugary drinks and sugary snacks are passed out. Seems kind of backwards to me!

I get that a little treat now and then is ok but come on let's not take all that hard work and exercise and wash it down with sugar and other unhealthy ingredients!

Look around - it is no surprise that kids all over our great country are struggling with obesity -even young athletes. Seems like a great time to reinforce healthy eating is by encouraging it through healthy snacking as a team. Why not tap into the power of peer pressure and encourage the team to snack together on healthy foods.

Sugary sports drinks, or "adult kook-aid", as I call it, gets pushed so hard onto our young athletes. Look at the convenient "kid size" bottles it comes in - just making it so easy for a parent to grab and pass out to the team after a game. Have you read the label? Yikes! This stuff is horrible. From my little bit of research into these drinks they are useful for athletes who have been participating in a high intensity sport for more than 90 minutes.

Even the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that these sports drinks which are high in carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes and artificial flavorings can contribute to childhood obesity and tooth decay.

So as a parent what kind of snacks and drinks can we send with our kids to share with their teammates on game day? Well here is a quick list of ten healthy snacks and drinks you can encourage your child's teammates to eat after the big game

This post may contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Please see my disclosure here.

1. An apple with peanut butter or almond butter

source: joyfulhealthyeats

If you are in a hurry you could slice up the apples, pop them into ziploc bags and pair them with a small single peanut butter packet to go (Jiff To Go). To keep the apples from browning splash a bit of orange juice on them before zipping the bag closed.

2. Trail Mix

source: love bake read

If you have never made your own trail mix and are looking for a great recipe Love.Bake.Read has a simple and healthy recipe that is sure to please a crowd. If you are in a hurry it is easy to find single pack trail mixes in bulk from Costco or through Amazon.

3. Larabar

click HERE

The Larabar is a real food option if you need to but a snack for the team. It is somewhat high in sugar but it isn't the processed sugar you would find in other snacks. The sugar is a natural food based sugar.

4. Breakfast Cookies

source: spend with pennies

I know these delicious snacks are called "breakfast" cookies but really they can be eaten anytime for a healthy energy boosting snack or for a post workout/game snack. This recipe I found is super simple, healthy and downright delicious!! You can find the recipe here.

5. String Cheese + Crackers

Now here is a snack that you can easily find in bulk - Goldfish Crackers & String Cheese. Healthy and tastes great - a win for both you and your little athlete.

6. Applesauce

I just love the little plastic to-go cups you can pick up in bulk or the squeezable pouches. This is a great way to promote a healthy snack post game time all while keeping it simple for a busy parent to grab on the way to the game.

7. Turkey Cheese Roll-Ups

source: healthysnacksforwork

This is a great snack to make ahead, pop into the fridge and grab before the game starts. Stacking the easy to grab roll-ups in a tupperware container and then passing them around to the team after the game is a great way to provide a healthy snack to the team.

8. Chocolate Milk

Who doesn't love chocolate milk? Young athletes need milk especially post workout so why not add a little chocolate to up the "cool" factor to this healthy snack. Shelf stable milk doesn't even need to be refriderated however a nice cold milk always tastes good after working out!

9. Fruit Kabobs

Source: happy home fairy

Here is a make-ahead team snack you can whip up in no time and store in the fridge until game day. The mix of fruit and color makes them look so yummy any child athlete will be tempted to gobble them up.

10. Citrus Infused Water

source: lifesanity

Mix up a big jug of this citrus infused water to share with the team! It might seem a little strange to some of the kids but one sip and they might change their minds. Some teams have those big water dispensers with paper cups for the team to use during the game. Why not add some flavor (and good healthy benefits too) to the water for the team to share. Water is the best thing you can give your child to drink before, during and after the game but it doesn't have to be plain old boring water - add some flavor and see what happens.

I hope these ideas have provided you with some inspiration as you get ready to cheer on your kids and share a healthy snack with the team. You might want to pack a few extra for siblings and friends who might be curious about these healthy (and yummy) snacks!

Maybe you have some great healthy snack ideas - yes, please share with the rest of us!! Leave a comment and tell me about it.

How To Make A Mini Greenhouse

Spring is here which means it is time to get your garden ready! Start your seeds growing in a mini greenhouse. Your kids will love to make their own mini greenhouse and watch their seeds start growing. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks. See my disclosure here.

Every spring my kids and I enjoy starting our garden seeds growing in our homemade mini-greenhouses. It is super simple to make your own little greenhouse and a good lesson in science for your kids to watch and see how long it takes for the seeds to begin growing into small plants.

Throughout the winter they collect seeds from some of the foods we eat, like cantaloupe, pumpkins, peppers and beans, and try to grow plants from them. We also make it a point to get some packets of seeds from the store just in case the ones we have on hand don't work.

We live in Michigan so the last day for frost can be hard to determine! In an effort to grow seeds but not let them die from a late frost we made our own mini greenhouses to help protect the baby seeds. 

DIY Mini Greenhouse Tutorial 

Here are the materials you will need to get started making your own mini greenhouse:

• cardboard egg carton(s) (link for biodegradable empty cartons)
• bag of good quality potting soil
• disposable aluminum lasagna pan + lid (clear plastic) 
• seeds 
• popsicle sticks
• Sharpie marker
• clear nail polish (optional)

Tutorial

To begin have your child fill up each of the egg carton sections with potting soil then poked their finger into the middle of the dirt to create a little hole. 

Sprinkled a seed or two into the hole then covered the seed with dirt and spritzed the soil with water. Make sure you don't flood the dirt/seedling.

After the seeds are planted in the egg cartons, fill the disposable tin pan with about 1 inch of water. Place the egg cartons in the tin pans and then put the clear plastic lid on.

Tip - Keep track of what kind of seeds are planted in each row by making your own seed markers. Popsicle sticks and a sharpie marker are all you need to mark the rows. If you are worried the sharpie will fade put a coat of clear nail polish over the sharpie writing to protect it from water. 

You now have your very own mini-greenhouse!

I usually set our mini-greenhouses outside during the afternoon so the sun can warm it up and get those little seeds to germinate.

If there is a chance of frost I just bring the mini-greenhouses inside to stay warm at night.

Windy day? no problem - put a large rock on top of the plastic lid so that it doesn't blow off - you could even put a large rubber band around the entire pan + lid.

Tip - You don't need to open up the mini-green house very often since the water that evaporates will just accumulate on the lid and then fall back into the soil to keep it moist.

Once the plants are big enough and the risk of frost is not longer a problem you can start planting your seedlings into a garden or pots.

Since you used cardboard egg cartons that have been soaking inside your mini-greenhouse the cardboard by this time will be soggy and easy to tear. No need to throw away the egg carton or pull your plants out of the egg carton - they are biodegradable! Yeah!

Instead just tear apart each of the egg cups that contain the soil and seedling and plant it right into your garden.

Happy Earth Day everyone - now get out and start planting!!

Nature Inspired Crafts E-book

Are you looking for more inspiring and easy to do nature projects to do with your kids?  Check out this great arts & crafts ebook, Secret Garden Crafts: 10 Nature Inspired Craft Projects,  I wrote and published on Amazon!

Click to purchase here

Included in this e-book are ten nature inspired craft projects that use simple supplies easily found around your house.  Step by step instructions and a picture of the final project are included to help you create something special.  All of the crafts in this book were inspired by nature, classical literature and the characters found within these classical books.  

As you read books like The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables or maybe Alice in Wonderland and do the crafts in this e-book the stories are sure to become more memorable and truly come alive!

Easter Sunday Prayer

Father,

Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus to die on the cross and bear the burden for our sins. Thank you that He rose from the grave and conquered death. And thank you that through Him alone we are able to come to you washed clean by His blood. 

I pray that all would put their trust in Jesus who offers everyone this free gift - the gift of salvation.We all fall short, we all have sinned and we all need to be saved from eternal separation from God. 

Thank you that every Easter we are reminded of this wonderful gift and that the sting of death is gone forever for those who have put their trust in Jesus. 

Amen

Happy Easter Everyone!

Erin