What is your dunk style?

MAJOR debate in our house, and we need you to weigh-in. 
What is the appropriate dunk style? How do YOU dunk?
You know what I'm talking about.  Everyone has their own way of eating the chips & dip. 

Me? Well I'm the SPIKE + BUFFER.  I like to jam the chip in & then eat an extra chip before redipping as a buffer.

The Mr.? Well he's perfected the OCD SCRAPE.  He gently & methodically scratches along the surface in a circular motion so that there is always a level dip surface that slowly moves down the edges

These two styles, as you can imagine, do not mix well.  We always laugh when we open the chip dip, peanut butter, ice cream, etc. because you can tell who ate it last by how it looks. We're so different in our dunking!

So who is right? How do you dunk???? Tell me :-)

Donut Dice + FREE Printable

This IS a brilliant (+FREE) way to start celebrating Valentine's Day with your preschooler.  I SO want to claim this idea as my own, but it isn't. I found this donut activity, & knew that my little ones would have fun while learning, and since they did, I want to share how we're using our wiggles to our advantage (instead of trying to stifle them).
First, I printed off this donut activity.  Then I laminated the graphing sheet and I put the donut cards in one of these cubes.  (Though, the printable comes with a way to fold up a dice if you want).  I purchased some little hearts in the dollar section at Target and I was ready to go. 
I let the kids take turns throwing the dice down the hallway.  Then they had to run back to me & put a heart on the donut they rolled.  What they loved most was seeing which donut was going to "win".  What I loved most about this was that we got to talk about Valentine's Day, graphing, more vs. less, matching, colors, shapes......all while using our wiggles!!! We've had this in our morning basket for the past few weeks and we are still loving the "Donut Game" after breakfast every morning. Go here and get this FREE printable and let me know what your toddler thinks!

Glow In The Dark Fun

I REALLY want to claim this idea as my own, but I can't.  I want to, but I can't.  Right before Christmas I realized that I forgot to get gifts for the kids stockings, so I text my bestie, "Quick, I need ideas for educational stocking stuffers!!!"  And this BRILLIANT idea is what she suggested:
She told me to get the kids glow in the dark duck tape & flash lights (I got this one & this one).  Then using the box that these arrived in, I wrapped the duck tape (I used 3 rolls) around a piece of the cardboard.
As a craft, the kids got to help me make this & now we use the flash lights to "write" our letters & numbers, to draw shapes, & practice sight words.  Not only has this been fun for handwriting & recognition, but it's also been fun to quiz each other (Dutch likes to be the teacher for me).  This affordable & easy craft turned into something fun that we could use over & over again.



During this winter or on a rainy day when all you want to do is curl up under a blanket & snuggle with your little one, bring this for some educational fun.  Not only was this a great stocking stuffer, it would be a really fun birthday gift for your favorite toddler.  Because, I don't know about you, but I think my toddlers pretty much love flash lights lol

How awesome is this?! Can't you see what I want the credit for this; so brilliant!  See it's times like these when my bestie ALWAYS pulls me through the holidays!!!  I'm SO grateful!

A New Series- The Small Things

If we were to go for coffee, either in a coffee shop by ourselves or around my kitchen table, what would I tell you?  I would share with you about the small things in my life that are just making life easier or more joyful.

With the new year, I wanted to start a new series of posts around LWTH.  I used to do a series on Wednesdays: "What I'm Lovin' Wednesday"...yea, I know really creative.  But this new series is less regimented & more of a conversation, as if we had a coffee date together & we were sharing the latest things in life that are really small but just make life more manageable.So today if we had a coffee date scheduled it would be around my kitchen table because I don't have a sitter for my kiddos.  But, I would be sure to tell you about 2 (well 3 if I'm being honest) splurges I made for myself in November that I don't regret one bit!

A few years ago, I ordered a pair of tall brown boots for $25 from Zulily.  Since then, I wore them so much that almost every time I wore them I had to hot glue the strap that went across the top of my foot back on.  And, occasionally, it would come unglued when I was out & about.  Sad? Yes!  My bestie told me about the amazing quality of Bed Stu shoes last year, but when I saw the price tag I almost choked.  Last fall my boots kept falling apart & I was just tired of gluing my shoes together.  I'm not a cobbler!  So I took the plunge and I purchased these boots.  They are ah-maz-ing and I don't regret it at all!!!  (Of course I shopped for a 25% off coupon though! Phew!)  These are the best boots I have ever owned; real leather & amazing quality.  These boots will easily pay for themselves since I wont be buying new boots every couple years (or gluing them back together).  I have worn them almost every day since I got them too. I absolutely love them.  I should have listened to my bestie when she said to get them last year. 
Did you happen to see the amazing fall collection by Grace & Lace?! If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that I'm borderline clinically obsessed with this company.  I just love the mission of the organization with owners who love Jesus & genuinely give back, & if that wasn't enough, they had a pretty epic fall release.  These two items, the bamboo duster & the bamboo cascade, are their new Luxe items.  They are honestly the softest fabrics I have ever felt & I have been wearing them nonstop for 2 months.  I don't ever put them away because I know that I will be wearing them again soon.  I've posted about them a lot on Instagram so you need to follow me there for my outfits.  I own the mushroom cascade and both the sand and the midnight in the duster.....I think I need the other color of the cascade too because I just love it so much.  Pah-lease do yourself a favor and go check these out!
So those are my few splurges that are giving me a smile.  What small things have you done lately that are just making life more bearable?

Obligatory Blogger Disclaimer~ I was not compensated in any way for this post; I just really like these products.

Snowball Counting

I cannot believe that I even get to write this, but it has SNOWED here in Houston TWICE this winter!  I do not understand that at all but I will gladly take it. There is nothing better than an unexpected snow day to make me ridiculously giddy. (I've recorded it on my phone to replay for my sanity in August when I can't stop sweating).  Here is a fun and easy way that we incorporated the snow into our schooling.

Dutch got this Mickey felt board (from Michael's) and these felt numbers for Christmas and it was the perfect background to use, but honestly you could easily use paper numbers or a marker & construction paper for this activity.  The idea is to provide the child with a number (either with felt or writing it) and they count out the "snow" (cotton balls).  You can start with simple number recognition, and move onto counting, and even comparisons (more versus less).  For example, I gave the male characters a number & the female characters a number. Dutch then had to count out snowballs for each and then tell me who "won" the snowball fight with the most snow.  I can't tell you how much fun he had with this task.  It also gave us an opportunity to talk about the seasons and the corresponding weather patterns of each season.  Try it out and let me know what your toddler thinks.  Happy Snow Days! :-)

Family Pictures {2017}

I promise you, if it were not for Grace Hill Photography we would nev-er have family pictures.  NEVER! These pictures were an impromptu, quick 10 minute photo shoot over Thanksgiving.  The Mr. & I think this might be our favorite set of pictures because they truly capture our family as it is right now with two very active, and chatty, toddlers.  Somehow when she takes our pictures I forget about all of the toddler-isms, the dust bunnies, the boogers wiped on my leggings, how absolutely exhausted I am, the finger smudges and just general grime that is everywhere, & instead I just can't help but smile at this batch of blessings God has graced me with.  We're in an exhausting phase, but we're also in a very fun phase and these pictures remind me of that.  Thank you Grace Hill....you really are the. best.

Send Me Your Prayers

I don't think there is a better way to start the year than with prayer.  If you've been around LWTH for a while, you've probably seen the button on the sidebar to the right for prayer requests, but if you're new make sure that you check it out. 

Something that has been such a treasure with blogging is meeting new people and praying for them.  I have met so many people, made so many friends, prayed for so many people & had the privilege of watching the Lord work in the lives of others for the past NINE years!  (Can you believe LWTH is almost 10 years old?!) 

I think there is not better time than the new year to remind you that we are always praying for our readers.  If you have a prayer or a praise for the new year, please allow us to lift you up!  You can click on the button on the side bar or click here to submit a prayer request for the new year.  I want to use this blog as a way to serve others, to serve you and your prayer requests, for whatever has been placed on your heart, for the big things and the small things, for every joy and every storm you’re walking through.

You don’t have to log in or create a password, simply fill out the form here with your prayer request, and I will pray over your request.  I will keep this form active forever so you can update your prayer requests & submit more whenever you’d like.

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions,

prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people”

1 Timothy 2:1