nativity ornaments

I colored some nativity figures on the computer and made them into shrinky dinks for ornaments for a small tree I sent Brady to decorate for Christmas on his mission:

On the backs I have some Christmas sayings and a few scriptures:

And I added ornament hooks to Reisen Candies with the saying 'Reisens to love your mission' and then labeled a bag of Reisens to hang on the tree as well:

Colored nativity figures found at www.jackshandsjillsheart.com

I wrapped all stocking stuffers in Christmas paper and put them in a Christmas stocking, wrapped a Angry Birds blanket in Christmas paper with Santa all over it . . .
And then I got this email from Brady:

Hey Mom!!!! I got your two Christmas packages today!!! :D THANKS SO MUCH! But...I kind of failed and opened all of the presents.... -.- I made the mistake of reading the red letter you gave me AFTER....then I realized you wanted me to wait.... I'm sorry mom :(( haha. My bad.... But I love everything!!! Lots of good stuff that will come in handy! And I absolutely LOVED the angry birds blanket!!! It's awesome!!!!!!!!! I left my camera at the classroom and I opened them in the residence so Elder Broadhead took some photos of me opening the stuff! He did that for me so you could see some pics of me with them! :) Thanks again mom and Jonathan! you guys rock! I fit my tree into my suitcase! I can't wait to decorate it in Nicaragua! Oh and I got your Dear Elder today; I'm good on bags! I sent dad more pictures a few days ago. He probably got them by now! Talk to him! :D love ya mom! 

Seriously?  Neither Brady or his companion had even the tiniest clue that he shouldn't be opening the CHRISTMAS gifts before Christmas????  LoL  Silly boys!

paper ornaments

Our ward's Christmas theme is Lasting Christmas Gifts.  Here's an ornament I designed for each family to take home:

I printed out Christmas themed sayings on velum and sewed them to 4x7 inch sized cut cardstock leaving the top open - then we cut three 6 1/4x1 inch strips per ornament to write 3 ways to give service as a family - 3 since that's how many gifts Jesus received when he was born - and added those through the opening.  We looped a jingle bell through an ornament hook at the top.

want the image?  There are 3 on an 8.5x11 size for bulk printing.  It's found at www.jackshandsjillsheart.com 

bubble gum gelato

consistency is better (softer and creamier) than ice cream:

3 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk (I used non-fat and it worked!)
10 egg yolks
2 cups or less (like 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups) super fine sugar
140 grams of bubble gum - I used the longer pieces of double bubble, I used 24 of these

Mix cream and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil - remove from heat.
Chop bubble gum while you're waiting for mixture to come to a boil.  Add chopped bubble gum to saucepan (I chopped mine into fourths) and let flavor seep in for at least 10 minutes - I let mine sit for 30 minutes.
Strain mixture and discard bubble gum.
Mix egg yolks and sugar until fluffy - probably 5 minutes is good
Beat in dairy mixture until combined.
Add mixture back into saucepan and cook stirring constantly until it thickens - maybe took 10 minutes. Just thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon or to 100 degrees.
Cool the mixture overnight or 6-8 hours.
Transfer to ice cream maker and follow directions from there for your specific ice cream maker.
I added chiclet bubble gum pieces on top to give it a finished look.

The kids said the bubble gum should have been on the bottom - such great feedback =)  Even adults that tasted this liked it a lot!

Primary 2, ctr A - lesson 43

Primary 2 CTR A - lesson 43 Jesus Christ will come again - I made a game board - the kids love when we play a game . . . I might have to design more ;)  Keaton drew Jesus for me =)  Print out on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper.  Directions included:

lesson helps found at www.jackshandsjillsheart.com - only need to purchase it once, then print as many as you need.  Do not redistribute or share original work that is purchased from this site - thanks!

primary 2, ctr a - lesson 42

primary 2, ctr a - lesson 42 - The Church of Jesus Christ is on the earth lesson helps:

lesson helps found at www.jackshandsjillsheart.com - only need to purchase it once, then print as many as you need.  Do not redistribute or share original work that is purchased from this site - thanks!

Primary 2, CTR A - lesson 41

Primary 2, CTR A, lesson 41 - Jesus Christ is our Savior lesson helps

lesson helps found at www.jackshandsjillsheart.com - only need to purchase it once, then print as many as you need.  Do not redistribute or share original work that is purchased from this site - thanks!

Primary 2 CTR A - lesson 40

Primary 2 Choose the Right A - lesson 40 - I can forgive others lesson helps:

lesson helps found at www.jackshandsjillsheart.com - only need to purchase it once, then print as many as you need.  Do not redistribute or share original work that is purchased from this site - thanks!

Primary 2, CTR A lesson 39

Primary 2, Choose the Right A lesson 39 - I can follow Jesus Christ by serving others:

lesson helps found at www.jackshandsjillsheart.com - only need to purchase it once, then print as many as you need.  Do not redistribute or share original work that is purchased from this site - thanks!

Primary Theme 2013 boy

I am a Child of God Primary theme 2013 design for boys

Design found at www.jackshandsjillsheart.com - only need to purchase it once, then print as many as you need.  Do not redistribute or share original work that is purchased from this site - thanks!

finished project:

Primary Theme 2013 girl

I am a Child of God Primary theme 2013 design for girls

Design found at www.jackshandsjillsheart.com - only need to purchase it once, then print as many as you need.  Do not redistribute or share original work that is purchased from this site - thanks!

finished project:

cacti

jonathan loves this fish hook and then we saw a statue one in Kauai!

the biggest koi I've ever seen

 pretty colored orchid

 funny growing shaped cactus

 a finch enjoying the fruit of a cactus

 up close - these thorns were huge

 pretty bunch of tiny flowers

  interesting cactus flower

huge cactus tree

 lots of lizards in the cacti

vibrant pink plumeria

 cool looking things growing . . . I don't know what they are ;)

and then we saw some Japanese White-Eyes

eating nectar of a hibiscus

 these are so cute

pit bull vs monk seal

what is it - a view?  a rock?

it's a seal!

and we watched a pit bull walk past it as well as a few people:

jonathan and the monk seal getting some sun ;)

how cute am I?

and then a pit bull joins the party

the seal barks at the pit bull

but the pit bull keeps pestering the seal and the seal eventually goes back into the water

he probably found a different beach to take a nap on - signs say to let the seals rest on the beach and not to bother them - I think that means yer dogs too!

red billed duck

and a different one that has something growing on its left leg =(

hibiscus growing out of a hibiscus

yellow plumeria

pink plumeria

this is the mostly private beach we scouted out today:

the same beach that 6 days and 7 nights was filmed at

a silly pose from a plover

Napali Coast

an 8 mile round trip hike on a rocky, rooty, muddy, slippery hike to Hanakap'ia Beach and Falls . . . we definitely ran out of steam on the last mile back down!

we probably crossed 6 or more different spots in streams

42 visitors who were killed swimming at this beach:

and all eyes were fixated on this swimmer until he made it back to shore - I seriously had chills watching the waves push him closer to the rock ledge, he tried many routes and it was crazy watching him swim against the currents:

there was another guy who was surfing - still crazy if you ask me ;)

rock towers at the beach

one of many beautiful stream paths we had to cross to follow the trail to the falls:

lots of little water falls along the way

the biggest falls is in the background

 jonathan at the bottom of the falls

on the way down

an egret in a screwpine:

view - the ocean was an amazing color blue