Archery Cupcakes

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I can't help myself. I naturally think in themes. It's fun and frustrating all at the same time. So, when my boys told me we needed to bring food to our last archery session for this semester, my brain immediately started picturing archery-themed food even though I had never seen such a thing.

After thinking through a few possibilities, I settled on cupcakes. Somehow I was going to make an archery target with arrows, but still had no clue. I didn't feel like making a bunch of icing, especially red, so I thought of m&ms of course. I knew they'd work because I needed red, yellow, and blue for the archery target. Hmmm, pretzels for arrows and fruit roll-up stuff for the fletching.

Supplies: cake mix, frosting, large bag of mini m&ms, large bag of regular m&ms, bag of stick pretzels, fruit roll ups (I think it's called fruit by the foot - can this stuff legally even be called food??)I cheated on the cake part for this and did NOT make it from scratch. I did make my own frosting, though, with powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla.

Making the Targets: After the cupcakes cooled from the oven, I frosted one at a time and immediately arranged the m&ms - big yellow m&m in the middle, a row of mini red m&ms around the yellow one, and a row of blue mini m&ms around the red ones. I repeated this over and over again until they were done.

Making the Arrows: I hoped that all I'd have to do was wrap the fruit roll-up around the end of the pretzel, but it just wasn't sticky enough. So, I used a scissors and cut tons of tiny squares from the fruit roll-ups, applied dabs of frosting to the ends of the pretzels, and stuck 3 fruit roll-up squares to the frosting on the ends of each pretzel.

I filled a bowl with my homemade pie weights (beans and rice) because it made a nice place in which I could stand up my pretzel arrows while the icing dried.

After I'd finished all the "arrows" I stuck them in the cupcakes. In some I only put one arrow, others 2, and the rest 3. The one drawback with using m&ms instead of icing to make the targets is that I couldn't stick the arrow right on the target.

Tips

• These cupcakes do not freeze well.
• Don't make too far in advance - ends of arrows will become soggy if left in the cupcakes for too long.

Linked to Tasty Tuesday, Try a New Recipe Tuesday.

Rich Mullins Movie & My Firstborn's Namesake

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My hubby and I were so excited to find out that a Rich Mullins movie is in the works!

Honestly, I don't even think I knew who the guy was until I started dating my hubby. (Which was a looooong time ago - like 1994!) Because he loved Rich so much, it was hard for me not to become a fan, too. :)

I was fortunate enough to be able to go to one of his concerts shortly before his death on Sept. 14, 1997. I truly enjoyed hearing him and the Ragamuffin Band play in person. Loved how real Rich seemed to be. And how in love with Jesus he was. And how he seemed to really grasp how incredible God's grace is.

I can remember like it was yesterday how devastated my husband was when we heard the horrible news that Rich Mullins had been in a tragic and fatal accident. Even though my hubby never knew him personally Rich was, in a way, like a mentor to him.

So, in December of '98 when I found out I was pregnant, we decided that if we had a boy we'd name him Mullin -- after Rich Mullins, of course. And indeed, we found out our first child was going to be a BOY!

 

The brand new daddy even personalized one of the scrapbook pages in Mullin's Creative Memories baby album. He included a photo of Rich, Rich's song, "Growing Young," a picture of him putting Mullin's footprints on a Rich Mullins T-shirt, and our reason behind naming our son after Rich Mullins.

 

Here's what my hubby wrote:

 

"When your Mother and I named you after Rich, it had nothing to do with the fact that he was famous or talented or successful. Though all of those things are very true, something far greater set him apart in my life to the degree that I wanted to honor him by giving you his name. Son, as I've told you before, this world is full of liars, and they will do whatever they can to steal your soul, your joy, and your purpose for living. But Rich Mullins told me the truth, and he told it clearer and truer and more beautifully than anyone ever had before. He told me that God was undeniably awesome, that He loves filthy sinners with a reckless, raging fury, and that He is ever watching and waiting for His wandering children to come back home to Him.

 

Mullin, Rich wasn't perfect, and neither are you. Even still, God used his life and his gifts to draw people to Himself and His amazing grace! I pray that, like Rich, you will intimately know the matchless love of Christ and that you will demonstrate that love wherever your life and talents take you."

Our son will be 14 later this summer. It seems like yesterday that I was watching Rich sing live. It seems like yesterday that we heard the news of his death. It seems like yesterday that our son, Mullin, came into this world. Wow, how the time flies.

Right now my son is going through what I am sure many other kids go through when it comes to their names. He wishes it was different. Some people have trouble pronouncing it. Some people ask him to repeat it. And it isn't a very common name, which I like, but I guess when you're a 13-year-old kid, those things are pretty bothersome. Online he's known by half of his middle name, which I admit sounds cool, but he will always be Mullin to me.

It does make me a little sad that he doesn't love his name, but I also went through a similar phase. I wished my name was Misty of all names. I was younger than my son is now, though, when I wanted to change it. Hopefully someday he will come to love his name again.


Do you plan to see the Ragamuffin movie? Here's a trailer for you to watch. We can't wait!



"Love is found in the things we have given up more than in the things that we have kept." ~ Rich Mullins

K is for Kinesio Tex® Tape

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I've been a patient of chiropractors and an employee of chiropractors. I've had back and hip issues since I was 14. Chiropractic care has helped tremendously over the years.

Well, from about the age of 23-33, give or take a couple of years, I didn't see a chiropractor at all. Just wasn't in our budget. My back started hurting again, especially my mid back where a pinched nerved cause quite a bit of pain and irritation. A couple of years ago, I was able to start going to see a chiropractor again due to our flexible spending account. Yea!

So, what does this have to do with Kinesio Tex® Tape? Well, my current chiropractor uses this tool, and I have to admit, the first time it was applied to my back, I had doubts that this tape would do anything. Boy, was I wrong. I love Kinesio Tex® Tape!!

This tape has helped my mid-back and lower back feel much better when I was experiencing chronic pain. Obviously, I can't give all the credit to the tape since I was getting adjusted regularly as well. The tape was icing on the cake!!

Kinesio Tex® Tape is based on the science of Kinesiology. Basically, the tape will lift the skin to increase the space between your skin and muscles. This reduces pressure which helps promote circulation and lymphatic drainage.

The tape can be worn for about 3-4 days and is designed to allow the body and muscles move while assisting rehabilitation. An hour after application, you can resume normal and even athletic activity and shower. It will start to come off after 3-4 days. If the Kinesio Tex® Tape has been applied properly, it will have natural wrinkles when you are in a relaxed state.

It's rather skin-friendly. I didn't have any reaction to it, and I have pretty sensitive skin.

Kinesio Tape can be used to:

• reduce pain
• reduce selling
• reduce muscle spasms  (The tape really helped me with this one!)
• support tired, weakened, and strained muscles
• enhance performance of tasks or movement
• support weak or ineffective joints or muscles
• protect body parts from injury
• promote body's natural healing process

What's great about this tape, too, is that you don't have to go to a chiropractor to get it or use it. It can be ordered on Amazon for a decent price. I am definitely considering ordering some since I am having to take a break from chiropractic care to pay for my kids' braces. :(

It comes in different colors - I've included two of them here:


           Red                   Beige


The information in this post comes from a pamphlet from my chiropractor's office.



Be sure to check out other K's at Ben and Me!

Also linking to Works for Me Wednesday since Kinesio Tex® Tape works for me!!





 
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Affiliate links included in this post

J is for Jam {Homemade Strawberry - Cooked and Freezer}

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My friend, Heidi, from church loves to make jam, and she's really good at it, too. This past Thursday after Bible Study, she was gracious enough to teach me how to make homemade strawberry cooked and freezer jam. I swore I'd never attempt jam-making again after my epic apple jelly fail last summer, but that was before someone was willing to walk me thru the process step-by-step. Heidi made it look so easy!

 

 

 

Instead of giving step-by-step instructions here (Thorough directions can be found on the Sure Jell package), I am going to list a few of Heidi's tips for successful jam making.

 

 

 

1. First of all, Heidi uses 100% Natural Sure Jell Premium Fruit Pectin for her homemade jam.

 

2. Use a potato masher to crush fruit.

 

3. Measure exactly all ingredients according to package instructions.

 

4. Use suggested butter to cut down on foam.

 

5. After boiling, skim as much foam off the top of the jam as possible.

 

6. Use new metal lids for cooked jam.

 

7. It's helpful to have a second pair of hands the first time you make jam.

 

8. Basically, just follow the step-by-step directions on the Sure Jell package.

 

 

Thank you, Heidi, for showing me how to do this and for sending me home with all kinds of yummy jam! I can't wait to make my first batch, maybe peach jam with my mom's homegrown peaches? I hope it turns out as yummy as Heidi's!

 

Oh, and just so you know, cooked and freezer do taste a bit different. I love the texture of the cooked, but the freezer is a little more sweet and fresh tasting. Freezer jam is easier to make, too. Heidi doesn't recommend using peaches for freezer jam, though, as it doesn't set very well.

 

I still need to purchase a few canning items, like the potato masher, jars, that metal thing you put in the pan, the canning tongs, and the canning funnel. Heidi says Wal-Mart sells them inexpensively, so I will try there first.

 

What are some of your homemade jam tips? And what is your favorite kind?

 

 

Be sure and check out other J words at Ben and Me.

Simplified Pantry: Paperless Home Organization {Schoolhouse Crew Review}

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Simplified Pantry sent me 3 eBooks to review:

• Simplified Dinners
• Simplified Dinners Gluten Free/Dairy Free
• Paperless Home Organization

 

 I am going to focus on Paperless Home Organization, a 75-page eBook by Mystie Winckler, because I need it!

Desperately.

Overall, I am a very neat, clean, and orderly person, but when it comes to paper, I quickly end up in a swirling pool of chaotic clutter. I am way behind the times and a little scatterbrained when it comes to organizing lists and papers. (My hubby is the paper organizer here!) I still have a huge, traditional calendar hanging up in my laundry room, I keep about 5 or 6 different notebooks in which I write all kinds of information, and when I am out and need to jot down a quick note, I'll grab any old piece of paper from my purse (like an old receipt) instead of using my smartphone. *sigh*

Reading Mystie Winckler's e-book really inspired me to begin using my smartphone to its full potential. I'm taking baby steps, but I am on my way to making a lifestyle change in the area of paperless organization.

So, whether you're like me and need to start organizing digitally from scratch, or whether you just need to fine tune your existing digital system, Paperless Home Organization: A how-to guide to creating a digital homemaking binder is a great and inexpensive resource. For just $3.99, you can learn to put your gadgets to good use! (Available in Kindle and .pdf formats.)

To begin, Mystie shares about the benefits of a having a home management binder and the benefits of going paperless. Also right off the bat, she declares that it's best to keep things SIMPLE. I like that. Instead of having a bazillion apps, she uses 3 free online tools and their corresponding apps to manage everything: Evernote, Remember the Milk, and Google (mail and calendar). These specific applications don't force you to use a certain type of structure. Instead, they act like blank canvases allowing you to tailor them to fit your own needs.

After explaining that her methods are based upon the concepts in David Allen's bestseller, Getting Things Done, she walks you through the process of setting up the 3 accounts mentioned above: Evernote, Remember the Milk, and Google. It was completely painless to set up all the accounts!

Next, Mystie explains each of the 3 tools in detail and helps you implement them into your daily routine. I am highly visual, so I really appreciated all of the screenshots and photographs throughout. As always, her goal is to keep things as simple as possible. Pictures help with that! :)

Evernote is what Mystie calls "the meat of the system." It's the digital replacement for all of your notebooks, filing cabinets, binders, etc. Most of your information will be stored here and best of all -- it's searchable!

Because Evernote is a daily used source that will be referenced throughout the day, she spends quite a bit of time discussing the principles of Evernote, how to use it, and how to get things done with it. She also explains how to use it as a filing cabinet and gives a list of examples of material you might want to digitally file.

Mystie uses Evernote to manage all of her information regarding homemaking, housekeeping, and homeschooling as well. She includes sample notes and structures for all of these. If you are a Blogger, you can even use it to brainstorm and draft posts.

Remember the Milk is a task management program that basically serves as an online to-do list. To keep from overwhelming you, Mystie gives step-by-step instructions on set-up and use. She explains principles for keeping Remember the Milk simple, consistent, and useful and shares many valuable tips and tricks.

Google is the program Mystie uses for her email and calendar. All of her email management instructions will be specific to Gmail, so if you use a different mail application, she suggests creating a Gmail account and forwarding all of your mail to your new account.

First, she explains how to forward notes directly to Evernote. Next, she shows you how to set up labels and create filters to manage your inbox, and for optimal Gmail performance, she recommends choosing several specific settings. She continues with Gmail principles, tips, and tricks which will help you manage all of your information simply and effectively.

Google calendar is a feature that is essential to staying organized. Having an online calendar makes it easier to add repeating events. Plus, if you need to change something, you don't have to erase and rewrite! Again, Mystie walks you through set up and shares lots of principles, tips, and tricks to help you keep your calendar current, consistent, and effective.

At the end of her book, she gives advice on how to keep everything running with daily and weekly reviews.

 

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As I began reading this eBook and setting up the recommended web accounts, I called my husband over to ask him a question about something I was working on. He gave me that why-are-you-doing-this look.

Uh, oh.

Basically, he told me that it would be more beneficial for me to just use what we already had. We use Outlook, and there's already a calendar and a tool called, OneNote, which I am assuming is similar to Evernote. Those 2 apps were already on my phone. Go figure. I told you I was clueless!

I decided to keep using Outlook for my email and to start using it for my calendar and list-making. (And this was already after I had typed everything for this month and next month in the Google calendar. Oh, well.) I made a couple of goals for myself to get me started on the paperless venture: 1.) start keeping a grocery list with OneNote, and 2.) start using my Outlook calendar instead of my wall one.

I am happy to report that for the past month I have completely ditched the paper grocery list for a paperless one! Now that I've done it, I realize how much easier it is to make the list! Wow, it's definitely easier to add items in as I think of more things, it's a lot neater, and it's so easy to check items off as I shop at the store.

 

I am also happy to report that I have met my other goal. I've been very consistent with using my paperless calendar, and I am finding that it really is easier than using my wall one. Getting reminders on my phone is great, too. My wall calendar never did that!

 

Also, I've been using OneNote to keep other lists besides the grocery list. I am keeping several lists on there now: Books I Want to Read, Read Alouds 2013, Blog Post Ideas, Homeschool Supplies Fall 2013, Quotes, etc. Seriously, all of these kinds of things used to be written on paper whenever and wherever! Thank you Mystie for inspiring me to stop using so much paper and to start getting it all organized!

 

I am not sure yet whether or not Remember the Milk is going to work for me. I don't keep a home binder/daily to-do list at present, so I feel like it's a lot of extra work for me to start a digital one. I might look into it more once this last week of homeschool is over. :) It's still a little overwhelming for me to be making such a drastic change.

 

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Overall, this eBook was very helpful and inspirational. It's clearly presented and extremely thorough. If you are trying to go paperless and need help organizing everything, I think Paperless Home Organization will help you do just that!

*Special Offer: Mystie is offering a 30% discount on all of her eBooks from May 20 - June 3! Enter TOS2013 during checkout.

To find out more about this homeschooling mom of 5, visit Mystie's blog, Simply Convivial.