Advent is the four-week season of the church year that precedes Christmas. It is a time when we focus on preparing our hearts and we celebrate the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love that God has already given us through Christ. How can we find peace in this chaotic season? Here are 3 suggestions:…
Author: jaroldandmarcia
Native American games you can play with your children
November is when school children typically learn about the history of Thanksgiving in the United States, often accompanied by a unit of study about Native Americans. When our daughter was a 2nd grader she participated in a program sponsored by Texas Parks & Wildlife in which she researched and developed Native American games of Texas…
Play with your food: Personal pizzas
Pizza is in itself the entire food pyramid. Great for parties and fun for kids of all ages, personal pizzas can turn meal prep into play. The homemade dough takes a few hours to rise, so allow plenty of time. It’s great for a holiday, weekend, or bad weather day off. Activate the yeast. Getting…
Fun and (nearly) free: Dress-up party
You worked hard on making or finding just the right Halloween costume for your child last year and now it’s too small. Your house is overflowing with Superhero costumes or you have a trunk full of tiaras and princess gowns. Round up costumes and props. Why not get a group of parents and children together…
Fish stories and a life of discipleship
Waves splashed against the side of an old row boat and rocked us gently from side to side. My eyes were fixed on my red and white bobber as it floated on a shimmering cobalt blue Minnesota lake. I gripped my fishing rod with both hands and tried as hard as a small child was…
Is there time for church?
Some people say that families are busier than ever these days, but I’m not convinced that’s really true. I grew up in a family with six children all born within 10 years, and our house was a hub of activity. My mom did an amazing job caring for us, and my dad worked full time…
Whose toy is that, and are transitional objects okay?
Did you or your child have a favorite toy or comfort object? Apparently my big brother had a favorite. It was a teddy bear he called Ruby. Here’s a picture of my brother holding Ruby, me squeezing a cat, and my sister with her cute smile between us. It wasn’t until a few years ago…
First days of school, a mom’s memories
At this time of year social media is filled with firsts. Preschoolers may be taking their first steps away from the security of home, kindergartners are beginning “big school,” teens are heading off to high school, and college freshmen may be settling into their first dorm rooms. Those big moments are frequently captured in photos…
17 observations after painting my office
No matter where you place your drop cloth, paint will fall on an area that is not covered. A painting project takes twice as much paint as you thought you would need and will be twice as challenging as you expected. Painters who plan to work in small closets or between built-in spaces should have…
I’m lost.
Some words seem to have a different meaning for kids than they do for adults. One of those words is “LOST.” Getting lost means a lot of different things to grown-ups. If grown-ups don’t know where we are, we say we’re lost. If we don’t know where we’re going, we say we’re lost. If we…
Ms. Marcia's Mom-ologues 