Archives for December 2011

Advent {Day 14}: Packing with Littles

December 14, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

As you know {I talk about it the ALL the time}, our family travels a lot with our littles (~3.5, 2, and 1)! I've learned a few helpful hints that help us making sure we have everythings we need when we travel 3+ hours from home and have to entertain for that drive time.

I'm sharing these simple hints over at homemakerschallenge.com! Go check'm out. Hope they help!!!

I'm sure I missed tons of helpful packing hints. PLEASE SHARE!

Filed Under: Advent 2011 {Series}, Holidays, Parenting, The Ones about Homemaker's Challenge, The ones about the Rothacher Home Tagged With: entertainment, helpful hints, traveling during the holidays

Advent {Day 13}: A Rock’n Angel Tree Gift

December 13, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

Yep, Pinterest Inspiration once again!

This year one of our Angel Tree children wanted a rocking horse! Not to hard to find, right? We shopped all day, all the while looking at every store for a rocking horse. Did I mention it also needed to be big enough for a 4-year-old who wears size 5T? Yeah...

After shopping, we went to pick up our kids from their Nanna's house and I was explaining to my daughter that the only thing we didn't find was a rocking horse for one of our friends. Nanna just said, "That's okay. We can just ask Jesus to help us find one." That night we prayed for Jesus to simply help us find one so we could bless our friend on Christmas day. We tucked in our babes and decided to search Craig's List! SCORE!!! We found several. So the next day we started with the cheapest priced big wooden horse listed. Yep, SCORE! This is the listing picture:

Solid Wood! Still Available! $15.00!!!

I was so excited my husband was willing to drive ~2 hour round trip to pick up. When he got it home, he painted with some white house paint we had left over. After a second coat the next day we tightened up the screws and I hot glued on a feather bowa I had from a formal in college and Matt painted on her eyes! Walla!!!

Woop Woop! Awesome Christmas gift for $15.00!!!

Have you found any awesome deals this Christmas? Do share!

Filed Under: Gifts Ideas, Holidays, The Ones about things Jules tried off Pinterest Tagged With: Angel Tree, Craig's List, Pinterest, rocking horse, shopping

Advent {Day 12}: eBook for ANY Woman

December 12, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

I've been raving about this book called "31 Days to Clean" for months now! Some know what I'm talking about and some are about to!

Let me tell you a little bit about the e-book:

“Life-giving is about receiving from God in order to give to others.” Barbara Mouser, Five Aspects of Woman
31 Days to Clean is about loving others well.
It’s about the “why” and the vision and the heart for taking care of our domains (Mary) with some spring cleaning thrown in (Martha).
The heart of our homes is not in the ability to keep it perfect at all costs; the heart of a home is love. We live in a thing, a non-eternal structure that needs to be maintained. The thing is worthless without the life we bring to it and through it. This book is about bringing life to the mundane in order to love well.

-Sarah Mae {click here to learn more about the book, author, see the table of content, and read a sample “day”

The book walks you through 31 days of encouragement and challenges both for the heart and taskful cleaning. She now has an easier more routine version for helping set a cleaning routine for yourself. This is so practical!

This is an affordable and thoughtful gift idea for almost any women in your life. It speaks to the heart of the woman! PLUS, did I mention it's only $4.99!!! Perfect!

To see more about how I've done this book, check out "The Ones about Cleaning" on the side bar!

Buy it by clicking on the button on my side bar!!! Let me know what you think of the book!

Filed Under: Advent 2011 {Series}, Cleaning, Gifts Ideas, Holidays Tagged With: 31 days to clean, cleaning tips, Gift Idea

Advent {Day 11}: Relentless Christmas Party

December 11, 2011 by Jules 2 Comments

Did I mention our month of December is PACKED with Parte's!?!?!

Some times it may be overwhelming preparing for each one, remembering what I'm supposed to take, when we're supposed to be, and where it's hosted {1/2 are @ my house...that would be BAD if I forgot}. We are having lots of fun so far though. My kids LOVE going! Izzie wakes up every morning asking to put on her shoes and "ja-ket!" and Mags keeps asking if today is "Jesus' birthday!?" I have to remind her we are still in the fun, preparing part of December in anticipation for His big day!

In anticipation we've baked TONS, made lots of homemade gifts, gone shopping for a needy family, prepared Operation Christmas Child boxes, bought our personal family gifts in their honor, attended a deacon/staff Christmas dinner, shopped for Angel Tree children, and hosted our 1st outrageously fun party!

Just to give you a peek into our party, I'd like to teach you how-to play "Dirty Santa"!

PREP:

Ask everyone attending your party to bring a generic gift ~$10.00 {if hosting, have a spare just in case someone forgets}
When guest arrive, place all gifts in one place {on a table or under the Christmas tree}
After everyone has arrive, munched on some goodies you are ready to play!
Have everyone sit together in a circle {or simi-circle}
Have numbers {according to the number of gifts/guests} in a hat to draw
Everyone draws a number

RULES:

Start the game with the person who drew #1, they chose a gift to open
#2 get the choice to steal #1's gift or pick new gift to open
Each person after that can steal a previously opened gift or may open a new gift
If a person's gift is 'stolen' they may not steal directly back but may steal someone elses or chose a new one to open
once a gifts been stolen 3x it's frozen
once all the gifts have been open #1 has the last chance to steal
ANY QUESTIONS?
Let the merriment of stealing begin ;o)

Helpful Suggestions for selecting THE gift that wants to be stolen by all:

Gift Card {Sonic Happy Hour makes $10 go a LONG way!}
Toy
Silly Info-mercial item

What take on "Dirty Santa, Yankee Swap, Chinese Gift Exchange, Thieving Secret Santa, Parcel Pass, Christmas Swamp Thing, or Pollyanna" do you and yours have? PLEASE SHARE!

Filed Under: Holidays, The Ones about Post Series Tagged With: Christmas Party, Dirty Santa, how to

Advent {Day 10}: Snack Mix (Gift Idea Series)

December 10, 2011 by Jules 1 Comment

Today I'd like to focus on waste management employees {I don't know the PC term for trashman...sorry!}.

These people serve me in unimaginable ways! I can't thank them enough for taking care of all the TRASH I don't want to deal with. Really!
A few years ago when I was asking some friends how to make sure they knew I'd left a gift so it didn't accidentally get thrown away they said, "You know our trashmen are prisoners, right?" {NOT all are} and I my reply was, and still is, "YEP! Even more of a reason I want to show them extra love especially around Christ birthday!!!" Let give them something to crunch and munch on while they travel around town.

Wanna know How-To Decorating Cans? Click over HERE for step by step instructions.!

Filling Cans

Snack Mix:

Make snack mix (my favorites are chex mix or muddy buddies) {recipe link(s)}
Place desired colored tissue paper inside
Add snack mix
Place bow on top of the lid or printable tag (click Girly Lid Tag for free printable)
To be sure they recognize their gift, tie some balloons on the can and place it on top of your trashcan the day of your neighborhood trash pick up. {You don't want it to accidentally get trashed ;o) } ---> not necessarily birthday ones though...

Not too many people remember those who serve them silently {well...as silent as you can be in that noisy truck} so take the time to show your gratitude with a simple gift that will show the love of Christ and make someone feel appreciated.