Monday, September 12, 2016
Trunk or Treat Idea
Disclaimer: Oriental Trading Inc. sent me these products for review. All opinions and experiences in this post are expressly my own.
Fall is in the air. Halloween is just around the corner. If you're like me, you are already googling Trunk or Treat Ideas. Decorated trunks have become a favorite at many Halloween festivities and especially churches. Kids are always excited to get candy. I'm always excited to see the elaborate trunk themes! We work long and hard on these trunks but finding the items to create them isn't hard at all with Oriental Trading as our Halloween Headquarters for decorations.
Let me share the details of Noah's "ARK"cade trunk. Everyone loves amusement parks, especially children. Most amusement parks have game arcades where you play the game and hopefully win a prize. At Noah's Arkcade, you play the game and ALWAYS win a prize! How cute are these Color Your Own Heart Bubble Bottles for a prize? These Mini Marker Sets are a must to color the hearts. You might get the chance to witness about how God's love is always "bubbling" up!
May I suggest these animal-themed games for your arcade? You can even buy two of each to make your Noah theme more realistic and easily accessible to more kids! The Inflatable Alligator Ring is fun for all ages trying to "ring" the alligators nose or tail. The Going Bananas Monkey Bean Bag Toss gives you a chance to have some fun with your little players by asking them to scratch their head and make monkey sounds before taking a turn. Don't forget extra bean bags! One of my favorite games is Pick up Ducks. Place these cute duckies in a tub of water. Take a permanent marker to place a number corresponding to a prize on each duck. Kids simply "pick up a duck" to win a prize. Use these or find many more at Oriental Trading Halloween Headquarters.
Your trunk might look something like this with your games in front of the ark and off to the sides.
Simply make this ark-like structure from cardboard and use these Jumbo Zoo Animal Cut-Outs for the animals in your boat. You might also want to add a balloon arch similar to the picture below to create an arcade-like arched entrance way.
A rainbow-colored arch is perfect for a Noah's Ark theme. Balloons are fun, pretty, add tons of color AND are super easy to decorate with. My family and I plan to dress up like different animals to add more excitement to the ARKcade! A Printed Animal Face Mask would also do the trick!
I hope this has stirred some creativity for your Trunk or Treat Idea. Whatever theme you decide on, (see my Alice in Wonderland theme from 2015 here) be sure to check out Oriental Trading for all your Halloween needs.
Happy Trunking,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
If you have a clever Trunk or Treat Idea you've done using Oriental Trading products, please share it with us in a comment. I'd love to see a picture too!
Fall is in the air. Halloween is just around the corner. If you're like me, you are already googling Trunk or Treat Ideas. Decorated trunks have become a favorite at many Halloween festivities and especially churches. Kids are always excited to get candy. I'm always excited to see the elaborate trunk themes! We work long and hard on these trunks but finding the items to create them isn't hard at all with Oriental Trading as our Halloween Headquarters for decorations.
Let me share the details of Noah's "ARK"cade trunk. Everyone loves amusement parks, especially children. Most amusement parks have game arcades where you play the game and hopefully win a prize. At Noah's Arkcade, you play the game and ALWAYS win a prize! How cute are these Color Your Own Heart Bubble Bottles for a prize? These Mini Marker Sets are a must to color the hearts. You might get the chance to witness about how God's love is always "bubbling" up!
May I suggest these animal-themed games for your arcade? You can even buy two of each to make your Noah theme more realistic and easily accessible to more kids! The Inflatable Alligator Ring is fun for all ages trying to "ring" the alligators nose or tail. The Going Bananas Monkey Bean Bag Toss gives you a chance to have some fun with your little players by asking them to scratch their head and make monkey sounds before taking a turn. Don't forget extra bean bags! One of my favorite games is Pick up Ducks. Place these cute duckies in a tub of water. Take a permanent marker to place a number corresponding to a prize on each duck. Kids simply "pick up a duck" to win a prize. Use these or find many more at Oriental Trading Halloween Headquarters.
Your trunk might look something like this with your games in front of the ark and off to the sides.
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| Photo Credit: www.celebrateitballoons.com |
I hope this has stirred some creativity for your Trunk or Treat Idea. Whatever theme you decide on, (see my Alice in Wonderland theme from 2015 here) be sure to check out Oriental Trading for all your Halloween needs.
Happy Trunking,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
If you have a clever Trunk or Treat Idea you've done using Oriental Trading products, please share it with us in a comment. I'd love to see a picture too!
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Should You Say the Word "Hell" to Your Pastor?
These boys were full of male DNA which makes them run and jump off of everything, have wiggle worms in their pants, pay attention only when they want to talk, explore all the room decorations to the point of destruction and melt a girl's heart like only a guy can. I'll admit it was rocky the first couple of evenings. The craft teachers voted me "Most Likely to Need a Xanax" and the music teacher (pictured) "blessed me" all week. When the pastor asked how it was going, I replied "I'm ready to get out of VBS hell!". My husband told me that was probably not appropriate so I'm hoping he thought I said VBS jail. His face told me otherwise. Should you say the word "hell" to your pastor?
I always, always, always receive inspiration and blessings at Vacation Bible School. Here's what I got this year:
- One little lad announced unexpectedly we should pray RIGHT NOW! He led the sweetest and most humble prayer ever that caused Sloane to say "He prays better than me!".
- Directly after the awesome prayer, a little one raised his hand and politely explained "I don't know how to pray". This touched my heart so much we devoted lesson time the next day to "How to Pray".
- An aunt of one of the boys told me how impressed his mom was with our class. He went home each day giving a detailed account of the Bible stories. I was excited to hear it because she's a school teacher!
- Lisette, my granddaughter, obviously loved the story of Zacchaeus. She keeps saying "Jesus is coming". After asking my husband several times "Do you see Jesus? He's right over there.", he got a bit unnerved.
- I wore my hair down the final evening. I actually put on some mascara too. The same boy who prayed kept looking at me and raised his hand to speak. "You look beautiful today!" he said with dreamy eyes. I said "THANK YOU!" all heart-eyes.
I'm seriously wondering should you say the word "hell" to your pastor as I did? Leave me a comment and let me know if saying "The Word" to my pastor was inappropriate....
Blessed at VBS,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap.
Friday, August 26, 2016
Gross but Good
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| photo credit: Grumpy Cat |
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Thursday, July 28, 2016
When Your Kiddos Teach You
Becoming a mother is one of the most special gifts I've ever received. Everything about motherhood is hard. Everything about motherhood is easy. Take one glance at the human you grew, all the ugliness blurs. You become a yellow smiley emoticon with hearts for eyes! When you are gifted a grand, it feels like a fairy God father granted you a wish to "get it right" this time. Practice all the stuff you learned raising your own. The easy overwhelms the hard.
I enjoy my children. Laughing with them. Crying with them. Guiding them. Riding with them, not so much. Traveling with them. Making memories with them. Sharing milestones and successes. Supporting them through trials and defeat. Simply, loving them.
Everyone has special qualities that belong inherently to them; Godly gifts. I learn from these in my daughters. The special way Sydnee is the most patient individual I know. She's the one who don't know how to be mean and it's funny watching her try. She's the one that nurtures creativity in her husband and daughter when I would have never allowed it in the first place. She's the one I prayed hardest for me to accept her non-competitive, easy-going, unstructured style. She taught me how to surrender. Her patience influences me in a powerful way. It makes me proud of her. Finishing second is winning, because, hello, you finished!
Then there's the special way Sloane is the most diplomatic person I know. She cares about everyone's feelings, even animals! She's the one who won't make anyone mad (unless it's me or her sister). She's the one that worries dogs will freeze to death although Google says it's impossible. She's the one that makes herself sick wringing her hands with a flushed face if she feels she said the wrong thing. She's the one always buying gifts, sending thank you cards and making sure to include everyone or exclude everyone mutually. She taught me how to be considerate. Her people skills continually amaze and humble me. I ;love the way people love Sloane!
Then, there's my grand, Lisette. Everything about her is special. She is honestly the most caring individual I know. She's the one that says "Granmom, you be careful" if I'm doing something that concerns her. She's the one that includes me in her prayers every night. She's the one who makes me tear up when she looks at me with pure innocence.. She's the one I want Jesus to call to when it's time. How she loves me right now is like running water without a cutoff switch. Oh how I want to nurture that love! I never thought it possible but she has taught me to love more deeply than ever before..
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To my girls.
Proverbs 31:29
Proverbs 31:29
Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
All my love, Mom
All my love, Mom
Thankful for my girls 365,
I'd love to hear what your kids have taught you. Share with me in a comment...
Friday, July 8, 2016
Free Hugs
I learn something from every adventure. I learned something extra special on this outing, from this woman...
This lady has been standing on this corner at various times for the past seven years giving free hugs. Sloane spotted her first and said "Let's get a free hug!". I was apprehensive. I can hug. I like to hug but it's not a common practice for me with total strangers. Also, short in stature does not a good hugger make. You can get a little more insight into short hugger thoughts here. Since I'm always willing to experience something new and different, I hugged her.
She may be the reason my trip to Victoria was so overwhelming? Her hug was the sweetest, most exhilarating, non-invasive hug ever! She cooed to me in a bird-like song as our arms met and embraced thanking me for stopping to hug her telling me "You're such a good hugger" and "Bless you". Uh, no, Free Hug Lady, thank you! The experience of that hug still lingers in my heart.
Yesterday, God used that experience in a way I didn't see coming. Steve and I were at Emory for his checkup. A young woman in a wheelchair with oxygen was leaving the office when the doctor came out and whispered something to her. A few minutes later, I saw this same lady wiping tears from her face as she and her male companion waited for the elevator. I wondered if the doctor had told her bad news about her health. In the same instance, Godly compassion filled my heart and I began to pray for her lifting her needs to our Heavenly Father.
Can you guess what happened next? That's right. God nudged me to hug her. I gave him all the reasons why I couldn't. She's a stranger. She's black. She don't want no white girl getting in her face. There's eight people waiting in this tiny area for an elevator! My heart started POUNDING! Just as her friend was moving her toward the elevator, I did it! I asked if I could hug her, she nodded and I did it. It wasn't awkward or strange in any way. It felt good to extend the love of the Father to a fellow being. I saw her again in the lab. She looked at me and smiled. Her entire countenance had changed. She seemed more peaceful, more content.
You may hug strangers all the time, but I usually don't. God showed me that to experience him, you must seek that which is alive. I loved the beautiful scenery in Victoria. The flowers are alive now but will soon die. People are alive now but will soon die but their souls are alive forever. I Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. God's love is alive! Share the love whenever and wherever you get the opportunity... especially to strangers.
Sharing the love,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
Feel free to leave a comment with hugging tips or experiences.
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