Green Eggs and Ham

Good Wednesday morning!

And the winner is... Tonya. I decided to make things more simple (and fair), so I drew the name out of a hat. Mike and Roxie were both present to make sure things were done correctly. I used the names in the comment section AND all of the e-mails I received. Congratulations Tonya. I need a list of your three favorite restaurants today (and I'll be delivering your gift certificate this afternoon or tomorrow)! If you didn't win this time, I'll probably have another contest 99 posts from now. (Don't worry. It will be here before you know it.)

My nephew Jared was a little concerned about the amount of times I had allocated Fishing on our Spring schedule. I'm sorry, Jared. Did I say 5? I meant 35! Of course, we've had to pretty much throw out the rest of the list, but hey... we'll be fishing every weekend and then some!

I've added another picture to the Gallery that goes along with next week's challenge. This is the lot at the end of my street which has become a very important part of our lives the last few years. There is something to be said for an empty lot, a group of boys and a ball. Simple and fun and uncomplicated. The way things used to be.

Moments Matter

Today's moment came as I was taking Roxie to her dance class this evening. It was still daylight, but the full moon was starting to rise over the trees. It was so beautiful, and it reminded me of the song "Moon River," which someone I love very much taught me to enjoy when I was growing up. You know... the Andy Williams' version. I have always loved the old, old songs the best... even when I was a teenager. And I've always loved moons, especially full moons. The words are in my head right now as I type this. When I got home from dropping Roxie off, I went out on the deck for a few minutes and just enjoyed the quiet... by the light of the moon.

Cell Phones vs. Bible

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bibles like we treat our cell phones? What if we carried it around in our purse or pocket? What if we flipped through it several times a day? What if we turned back to get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to kids as gifts? What if we used it when we travelled? What if we used it in case of an emergency?

And unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

In case you missed it... this is my thought-provoking article for today. This would be a good thing for teenagers to read, too.

Green Eggs and Ham

You might have guessed. This party has to do with St. Patrick's Day next week. Just as we had red food for Valentine's Day, we will have green food for St. Patrick's Day. And yes, I still serve green food for the teenagers. The main difference will be we won't read Green Eggs and Ham. But green eggs, green biscuits, green milk, vanilla ice cream with green sprinkles and ham slices make a delicious meal. And it's very, very pretty. (Don't expect a lot of cheers for broccoli and green beans. This meal is supposed to be green AND fun.)

When the kids were little, we had plastic green hats from the dollar store to wear during dinner. We wore green shirts. I've written a couple of other variations you can try below:

VARIATION #1 - You can leave a trail per child (two children would have two different trails) of green shamrock confetti leading to a small gift somewhere in the house (St. Patrick's Day pencils, gum, etc.).

VARIATION #2 - You can definitely read Green Eggs and Ham to age appropriate children.

VARIATION #3 - You HAVE to make a green bath for the kids that night. So much fun and so easy.

VARIATION #4 - You can shut the doors of the kids' rooms and turn chairs upside down, throw the pillows around, make the rug messy, etc., etc., and tell them a little leprechaun came to visit... just for fun. (NOTE: Do not do this right before bedtime. Depending on age and your child's personality, they might be a little afraid of a leprechaun running around the house... or they might be thrilled. They do need to be old enough to know Mom and Dad are just playing a joke on them!)

VARIATION #5 - Instead of ice cream with green sprinkles for dessert, you can serve bowls of Lucky Charms cereal.

VARIATION #6 - If you feel really industrious, you can buy a lot of St. Patrick's Day trinkets from the dollar store, put them all in a box and leave clues around the house like a scavenger hunt. Put a picture of a rainbow on top of the box so when the kids find the hidden treasure, it will be like the "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow." These trinkets and prizes could then be used to let the children finish decorating the table for dinner. (The hats, confetti, green plastic cups, chocolate gold coins, etc. are all decoration-worthy.)

Just have fun with it. Again, it's a simple supper to throw together. It's something the kids will remember and want to do year after year... even when they are 18 years old!

NOTE: Just for fun, next week will be "Ireland Week." We're going to have an Irish party/event, Irish food in the recipe section, a Seasonal Tradition celebrated by the Irish, an Irish date and an Irish book. (I'm also going to add some Irish games to the mix.) It will be a cultural learning experience. (I'm trying the recipes out this week. I'm having parsnips for the first time ever. But don't worry... If I don't like it, it won't make the blog!)

We've done countries before with activities and such, and it is so much fun. Sometime this summer, we'll have "Italy Week." (We actually stomped grapes and made homemade pasta. I'm all for stomping grapes again, but I'm buying the pasta!) And it is a fun and easy way for the whole family to learn about another country.

Go ahead and start planning for next Tuesday night's dinner and activities.

Tomorrow is our UNIVERSAL date. It will NOT be something that can only be done in the State of Alabama.

Are you still keeping up with your Moments? I hope so. It has really made me pay attention to my day and the people and things around me.

Thursday I will also tell you the story of the day I met John Glenn, astronaut extraordinaire! (Little known fact about me... I love astronauts and astronaut movies. LOVE them! John Glenn and I even exchange birthday and Christmas cards now... or we would if it wasn't for that pesky restraining order!)

Have a great Wednesday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.