Valentine's Day

I Love, Love, Love holidays.  It gives me an excuse to do a little extra and have a little fun.  Although if you ask almost anybody around me (especially my husband) and he'll tell you I go overboard.  I absolutely LOVE all the blogs out there with all the creative people that share their ideas.  I am one that loves to make things, but I'm not usually the one that originates the ideas.  In truth that is why started this blog is to share what I do (and where I got the idea from).  The only problem I see with this is that my friends will learn my secrets and all the teachers will be getting the same gifts :)  I won't look as creative then will I?


Holiday meals tend to be the color of the holiday.  We always have pink pancakes for Valentines Day.  Now I know that people often make them in heart shape, but if the truth be told I tried that once and they didn't look much like hearts.  Maybe I better practice before next year.  This year I did add to our pancake breakfast and made some heart shaped sausage patties.  I just purchased the sausage you slice into patties, sliced them up, molded them into hearts, and then fried them.  The kids loved this new addition.

I had all the links up where I received my inspiration for the items I made below, but my browser crashed and I lost the sites.  I'll try to find them all (because most weren't my ideas) to give credit where credit is due!


Boo's Valentine Idea I actually found last year here.  We already had our valentines then, but I LOVED it so much I knew I would do it the next year.  Then I found something else I LOVED and decided to combine the two.
I started with the picture complete with the design from the second site listed (the first time I used photo shop - I really want to figure out how to use it now) and stuck in some suckers.  I had these heart suckers already so I used them (this picture is smaller so a smaller sucker works better):

 

Then I added the card-stock and Fun Dip:

 

I had Boo write who it was to/from on that little flap holding in the fun dip.

 

 The completed class set:

 I made my boys in my Special Ed class at school bubble Valentines:

U Blow Me Away Tags

And for the Kindergarten class that two of my (meaning special ed) boys are in and the majority of the time I was in I made these:

The shovel idea I had from FamilyFun.com years ago (I don't even think sis was in school yet) and I always wanted to do it, but wasn't willing to spend that much on shovels in January/February. At the end of summer last year I found a bunch of shovel sets at the dollar store on clearance.  Yay!  I finally could make them.  I didn't want to fill them with candy because there is so much given already, but I ended up throwing in a fruit roll up.

I Dig You Tags

Sis in middle school is obsessed with mustaches right now.  When I saw these I knew she would LOVE them.  She did.  She even traced and cut out enough for her friends, her homeroom class, and her brother's class: (This is the only link I need to find)

 

 

 

 

Sis took these to her teachers at middle school (I bought them the year before as a two pack in the Target dollar section):

You Light Up My Life tags.

Bugs and Boo gave their teachers/paraprofessionals these:

After school there was pink hot chocolate:

The table was decorated with a Valentine's Day table cloth, my roses my husband gave me, red candles, white plates, a pink heart cake (the other half of the cake mix was made into heart cupcakes for the lunch boxes ~ oh and speaking of lunch boxes they also had strawberry jam sandwiches the shape of hearts, strawberries, Doritos [as close to red chips as I had], and pink gogurts), and some fun straws:

Then for dessert we didn't even have the cake.  Instead I took some Pillsbury Cinnamon twist and tried to twist them into hearts:

After they are baked:

Then I dyed the frosting pink:

 I fed the kids and them had them ready for bed.  When hubby came home we put them to bed and had our Valentines dinner.  Since Valentine's day was on Monday this year we went out to dinner on Saturday then did something at home Monday night.  I threw together this from here:
 

 We had picked out a movie to watch after dinner.  Unfortunately we were too full to enjoy the treats.  I didn't eve realize until the kids opened the red hots the next day that they were red, pink, and white.  If I would've know that I would have bought more.  All sorts of ideas were popping in my head with those fun colors.  I'll have to watch for them next year!

 I also made this for the hubby (we just bought ourselves a bedroom set so that was our Valentine's Day present ~ this and the red hot basket and a card was all I bought this year).  Inside was 24 reasons why I loved him.  Oh, and I just printed it from here.

Primary Printables (Manual 7, Lesson 7)

This is my first attempt at posting helps I made for primary.  Most of the time I borrow others, but this week I made some cards to go with one of the Enrichment activities.  This year we (meaning the Sr. Primary) are in Manual 7 which talks about the New Testament.   This week's lesson was on Satan Tempting Jesus Christ.  The enrichment activity was to list several temptations the children receive on one card and a help on the other card.  They were to choose a 'temptation card' and a 'help card' and tell us how the item/person on the help card can help us avoid/resist what was on the temptation card.
I made them so that I could print them double sided.  Hopefully that will work for you as well.  If not just print link below listed as side one.  That one has the temptations (blue card) and helps (green card) listed.  Side two just states temptation card and help card if you want them double sided.  Since I'm new to this feel free to leave me feedback so I can continue to improve!

Side One

Side Two

These would also work as an activity in Family Home Evening.

Challenges

I started off the year challenging my class.  There are several things I did and I'll try to cover them here:

• First since this year's theme is "I  Know the Scriptures are True" I wanted them to challenge them to read the Book of Mormon.  It is 531 pages long so I gave the them the challenge to read 2 pages a day (if they read two a day it should take them 266 days - lots of extra days in there to make up reading).  This can be done individually or with their families.  I made a tracking sheet for them to keep track of what they have read.  Actually, I modified one I found here.  I just added a line of boxes below it so there would be enough boxes and wrote page numbers in the box - just the even numbers since they are to read 2 a day.  I told them that if they are reading it with their family they can finish were they are and then start it again.  Those who read it by the end of the year will be invited to a Scripture Party.  When I figure out those details I'll be sure to share! 
• I emailed all the parents asking them to be sure to send scriptures every week (they all have their own set) because we will be use them every Sunday.  They also receive a card that has activities on it covering the current week's lesson.  This is their "homework".  Some of the activities we do in class, but there is usually some extra item (i.e. scripture reading, memorize article of faith, etc) to do at home.  If they finish they get a treat/reward.  They attached these cards to their scriptures ~ another reason to bring their scriptures each week.  I laminated the cover sheet and cut a plain cardstock for a backing and laminated that as well.  I also gave them the Article of Faith card to help keep track of what ones they have memorized.  I put an eyelet through it to help make sure it isn't lost.  The rest of the cards we put hole reinforcements on.  Hopefully they will last through the year.
• The scripture party is just for those who read the scriptures, but they have a chance to earn other parties.  I still have to figure out the details, but I'm thinking a point system.  When a certain amount of points are earned we'll have a party.  As I said before when I work out a chart/details I'll be sure to share.
• My other goal is to have them memorize the books of the New Testament.  We sing the song and several have worked on it at home.  One of the cards I talked about above includes an award card for memorizing the books.  I was going to attach a candy bar to it and as they pass them off they will get their award to add to their ring of cards and a treat.  Memorizing the books will help them find the scriptures quickly in class and will prepare them for seminary.

That is the overview of my challenges.  I'm hoping that it isn't too much.  I did find out with my son (and need to share with the other parents) that the homework cards are great for sacrament.  I don't let my two senior primary kids bring extra things to do during church, but there is nothing wrong with reading the scriptures during the sacrament!  If he ends up doing one of the puzzles at least he is learning something on his level (and not driving his sisters crazy).

Valentines Ideas

I'm trying to get organized and get several things posted on here, but haven't pulled it off yet (I do have a few drafts started, now just to finish them. . .).  Since it is almost Valentines Day I wanted to share what we did last year.  We had so much fun with it.  In fact we were at Michaels today and my kids begged for the mailboxes again.  If I wasn't working this year I would have already had some of this stuff ready to go again.  My kids could stand to show a little more love to each other.

First we decided to decorate mailboxes.  We purchased some at the local craft store.  We covered them in paper and ribbon.  I fully intended to embellish them, but we never did make it back to that part.

 

We have this little half wall upstairs outside the bedrooms.  This housed our mailboxes.  The mailboxes served two purposes: 1) to collect hearts, 2) to collect special surprises from mom.  What are the hearts all about?  I'll tell you.  I took some large foam hearts and everyone in the family decorated it with their name and whatever else they wanted using glitter glue.  This served as the top for our mobile.  Every day each person took a small heart and wrote something nice or something they liked about each person in the family (one heart/saying per family member).  They left the filled out heart in their mail box and put up the flag indicating there was mail.  When I got around to it I would attach these small hearts to the big heart.  By Valentines Day we each had a mobile filled with love.

 

This one was mine.  I loved how the messages are in their writing and spelling.

Next I made a bunch of little sayings to put with various treats.  I can't take credit for all of them, but I can't remember where I found some of the ideas or I would link to them.

A little heart shaped brownie

Nuts for the hubby and paint set for the kiddos

Soda for the hubby and Valentine Pixos for the kids.

 

Some stickers that were on clearance

 

 The top was tied to a bottle of root beer (see below) and the bottom was attached to a glow bracelet

Dynamite: aka Pringles.  Large for dad, small for kids.

Here are the bottles of pop and dynamite waiting for pick-up.  Doesn't mom's mailbox look a little left out.  Maybe I should find treats for me this year. . .

The best part of all the fun is that I had most of the items I gave my kids already.  I try to hit the sales after the holidays and so the toys I already had on hand.  I just had to think of some cute sayings to go with them.

The final picture is the Valentine treat I made for my Sunday School Class.  Last year my husband and myself were team teachers for the 12 turning 13 year old Sunday School class.  They all enjoyed their ipods.  I found this idea here.

Here (hopefully) are I'm still trying to figure out how to attach a document to the blog so you can have some of the attachments I made for the treats (I didn't save the first ones I made, but then I wised up). Since there is nothing fancy to them (they were just created in word using the available clip art) I'm going to post this and then hope that I figure out how to allow you to download a document (hopefully tomorrow when I'm more awake).

I also made my husband the cutest candy filled soda bottles that you probably have seen around.  I thought I took some pictures, but they weren't with the rest of the Valentine pics so I'll have to dig around.  We also did a countdown for us - a couples countdown.  I took that idea from a site and can't remember which so I don't feel comfortable sharing it.  But I will say that I made 14 envelopes and taped them to the wall.  Inside the envelopes I had cards that had a something typed on that we needed to do that day.  Sometimes it was silly, fun, or romantic.  Use your imagination and make your own.

A little about me

I'm so new at teaching this age group (9 turning 10).  I started teaching the sunbeams fresh out of high school (upon my request and the bishop was nice enough to listen).  I spent most of my adult life in Jr. Primary with 3 or 4 year olds until I moved from Utah to Virginia.  I had a turn in Relief Society and Sunday School and a little more Jr. Primary.  Now it is time for Sr. Primary.  My son is in my class and they called me to teach the Valiant 9's since I am the Bear Den leader.  I was called to be the Bear Den leader in Sept/Oct when our ward split.  I currently have 5 boys both in my den and in my primary class and one lovely young lady joins us on Sundays.  I'm still trying to figure out the cub stuff and now how to teach/entertain/involve the kids on Sundays.  Cub scouts meets every Wednesday from 7:30-8:30 ~ the same time the youth meet.  The activity day girls also meet during this time twice a month.  My goal is to share what I'm doing with my kids - both in scouts and in primary.  I also hope to add projects I do (if I ever have time for any) and things I do with my family.
I feel like I need to add to the above paragraph for my nonLDS audience.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or LDS for short.  Many people know us by our nickname, Mormons.  As our name states we are Christians, we do believe in Jesus Christ.  I am fortunate to be born into a family that was LDS and I was raised in the church.  At eight years old I made the decision to be baptized ~ we believe that children are not held accountable until eight years of age.  Until this time they are pure and are still learning right from wrong.  At eight we are able to make that distinction and are given the opportunity to be baptized and make covenants with our Heavenly Father.  Even though my memory of most of my childhood isn't the best, I still remember parts of my baptism and my confirmation.  I love that our church is family based.  We believe that families are eternal.  My family is the highlight of my life and I'm blessed to KNOW that I will be with them forever, even after death.  Jesus Christ has prepared the way to return to Heavenly Father.  If  I repent of my sins, follow the commandments and live my life as close as I can to the way Jesus Christ lived his then not only can I be reunited with my earthly family, but I can be reunited with my Heavenly Family ~ God and Jesus Christ.  I'm also thankful for the guidance the Word of Wisdom and the youth program gave me.  They have instilled many values that still keep me safe and healthy.  I'm thankful to be a member of this church, for a living prophet, and for all the joys and comforts I have received through being a member.
To learn more about our beliefs you may visit: mormon.org, read The Book of Mormon, visit one of our churches, or listen to some missionaries.