Elfie flashback

It's almost that time again.....Elfie is set to arrive on Sunday and the boys are already anticipating the big day. Last year I didn't get around to posting about Elfie so I thought I would share some of our favorite pictures from his last visit:

Walking on the ceiling....that naughty elf left footprints!

Spidey Elf! Can you spot him?

A yearly favorite - hiding in the tree.

Helping himself to some nuts

Looks like Elfie had a hard time getting to sleep so his good friend Buzz helped him by reading a bedtime story :)

Some more Elfie fun from previous years:
- Elfie, Elfie, Elfie
- More Elf Antics
- Elfie's First Week
- North Pole Breakfast
- Elfie's Trip Is Coming to an End
- What's That Elf Been Up To
- Elfie Update
- Elfie is Here (how Elfie came to be in our house)

Alphabet Summer 2012 - Master List

I have been telling my husband for awhile that I needed to sit down and make a plan for this summer. I really wanted to find a way to be intentional about our time together during this season where everything slows down and commitments get put on hold. I know how easy it is to let the time slip away and wonder what happened with it all.

Considering this, it seemed only appropriate that on the last day of school I was browsing Pinterest and came across the idea of an Alphabet Summer. The gist of it is that you spend the summer doing activities based on the alphabet. It is a great chance to make memories, have fun and learn while doing it. So I used the hour an a half between dropping Nathan off and picking him up to come up with my list (why do they even bother with that last day anyway?). I then made it into a permanent list to display and mark off as we go this summer. Want to see?

Here's how I did it. I started with some basic supplies (most are pictured here):

I then painted the borders around my chalkboards just to make them more sunny. This is a summer thing after all! On the back I added strips of magnets so that they could easily be attached to the side of the locker we have in the hallway for school/kids craft supplies. I am going to use these to write what letter and activity we are doing each day.

Finally, I created the list using a large strip of freezer paper. I wrote on the waxy side using different colored markers. The kids had fun reading each activity to me as I wrote them down, all while asking a million questions about what each idea entailed. This helped them get really excited about our summer, which was the ultimate goal after all!

I also added magnetic strips to the back of the wax paper so it could hang below the chalkboards. Way too easy!

Isaiah noticed the new addition as soon as he got up from his nap!

Want to see what we have planned for the summer? Here's our list from A to Z:

Alphabet Summer Activity List

A. Build an Alphabet City

B. Bouncy Ball DIY

C. Camp Out AND Cousin Sleepover

D. Dinner and Dessert for friends

E. Extra Chore Day

F. Felt Puppet Show

G. Grandparent's Day

H. Hand Print Art

I. Isaiah Day AND Ice Cream for Dinner

J. Jordan Day AND Jet Packs

K. Kite Flying

L. Lunch with Dad at His Work

M. Movie Theater AND Minute To Win It Game Night

N. Nathan Day AND National Holiday

O. Obstacle Course

P. Pottery Bug

Q. Quiet Books
R. Race Track out of Masking Tape

S. Silverwood AND Science Experiments

T. Tea Party for Little Men

U. Under the Sea

V. Vacation Bible School

W. Water Balloon Pinatas
X. X Marks the Spot

Y. Yellow Day

Z. Zipper Pouch Blessing Bags

 

Some letters have more than one activity because I had multiple ideas and couldn't narrow it down. I am looking forward to sharing these things with you in more detail as we do them. As I write about them I will link them back here so that there is one big master list. Here's to our first Alphabet Summer!

Master List of Substitutions for Baking

Honestly, this post is mostly for myself! A place for me to keep all the substitutions I commonly use during baking so I don't have to hunt around for them when I'm in a pinch. Of course by putting it here I hope that some of the rest of you can benefit as well:)

Baking Powder Substitute (as found here)
Mix 2 parts cream of tartar with 1 part baking soda

Buttermilk Substitute  (as found here)
To make 1 cup of buttermilk:
  -Place 1 Tbsp of white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup.
  -Add enough milk to bring the mixture to the 1 cup line.
  -Let stand for 5 minutes, then use as much as your recipe calls for.

Egg Substitute
Ideas based on it's role in the recipe here 

Molasses Substitute (as found here)
Replace 1 cup of molasses with one of the following:
  -1 cup dark corn syrup, honey, or maple syrup
  -3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar *best choice if molasses flavor is vital*
  -3/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup water

Self-Rising Flour Substitute (as found here)
One cup self-rising flour equals:
  -1 cup all purpose flour 
  -1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  -1/8 tsp salt

This list will continue to grow and change as I find different or new substitutions. I would love to hear about any of your favorite go-to swap outs as well!