Tuesday, October 29, 2013

FREE Thanksgiving printable to make your own thanks GIVING tree to help you focus on gratitude !

Just saw this this morning and wanted to make sure you didn't miss out on this great FREE printable from Ann Voskamp author of "1000 gifts, a dare to live fully right where you are" .
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Go to her blog "A Holy Experience"  to get this free printable to make your own thanks GIVING tree.  A great exercise for the whole family.  A chance to be creative and focus on being grateful during this often busy but beautiful season of gratitude.  Ann is a mom of 6, wife to a farmer and best selling author so you may want to stick around and see what else she has to say..... I am always blessed whenever I read her stuff.
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Monday, October 28, 2013

The face of hunger...BE A HERO TODAY!!

"Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children who faint from hunger at every street corner." Lamentations 2:19 These 23 children do not have sponsors and live in Shanto Ethiopia.  
They NEED YOU!!!
                                    Click this link to sign up to sponsor a child  www.hopechest.org/community/shanto/sponsor .  Your $35 a month goes so far to a starving child.  PLEASE prayerfully consider how you can help RIGHT NOW before you get distracted.  May we never get so comfortable that it is easy to look the other way.  Starvation has a cure.. it is YOU! I have researched and been involved with this group for almost 2 years now.  They are legit and the money you send goes exactly where you think it does.  To feed, and help with school.  BE A HERO..it is easy!
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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

RV remodel on a dime!

We have a family of 5 and a small budget.  Last summer we really wanted a little RV we could take the family camping in.  Our requirements?  Small enough that we can afford the gas and big enough to sleep most of us (we can always pitch a tent).  We also wanted something with low miles.  We read all we could and found that Toyota Dolphins had a great engine that got up to 18 miles per gallon, a great layout and might be affordable if in bad enough shape on the inside.  This is what we found... a 1983 Dolphin.
Yep.. Clearly in bad enough shape.  I forgot to get more photos, but it was in sorry shape.  The back end was missing the mattress and had only a small blow up mattress on a sheet of plywood.  Everything was 80's from the floral wallpaper to the wood paneling cabinets.  UGLY!  The good part?  It was cheap and though it was a 5 hours drive away (found on craigslist) the engine only had 60,000 original miles on it!!!!

So first things first.. We pulled the disgusting carpet out and painted the floors with floor paint.  Then my husband built a cool stool/ bench behind the front seat for out little ones to climb into the overhead bed.  We then pulled out the non functioning closet to make for more end of bed space on the bed in back (pictured below).
 We then started painting...everything! the cabinets got painted with Annie Sloan chalk paint so we wouldn't have to sand, and the walls were painted blue as was the floral wallpaper in the bathroom.  We replaced the skinny air mattress with a nice piece of foam we had and covered it with a sheet in a matching color.  When  it was completed we grabbed some throw pillows from a garage sale to bring the color scheme together.
 We removed those annoying blinds that were always clanging around and replaced them with curtains.  We mounted a clock and Josh secured a seat belt system for the two car seats.
 I recovered the bench that the two car seats are on with foam and fabric I had on hand.  This is the bench pictured in the first photo.  Sure looks a lot different with some new fabric!  I just stapled gunned it on.
 Those delicious tomatoes pictured below are from my husbands garden and they were SO delicious.  I mean who goes camping with out a pile of fresh tomatoes right? I must say they didn't travel well there and we had to move them into the sink.
 We ripped out the broken curtain divider that was between the above cab bed and the rest of the rv.  We also used beadboard paneling to recover the fridge, and go around the camper at waist height to cover some interior wall damage, and give the place some style.
 We love our cozy little Rv and the whole makeover was pretty darn cheap!
 It did take a few man hours though!  Just goes to show what you can do for under $200!  We finished it last summer and I just kept forgetting to blog about it, but thought those of you remodeling might like a little inspiration!  There is a light at the end of the tunnel!  We had a GREAT trip around Colorado last summer and hope to do something great again this year like hitting up the peach orchards again or going to Pagosa Springs.  What do you think?
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Thursday, May 30, 2013

DELICIOUS 100% Whole Grain Kamut - Spelt Bread Recipe

Recently I discovered that some of my stomach troubles were caused by wheat.  I am not allergic, but just intolerant enough that it was messing with my digestion and making my nauseated and bloated.  I LOVE bread so that was a big bummer.  The good thing is that I discovered 2 amazing grains related to wheat, spelt and kamut that could be tolerated well by most wheat intolerant people.  Both of these grains can replace modern wheat in most recipes.  Over the years modern wheat has been hybridized to make it easier for farmers to grow, easier to harvest and cheaper. I still think modern whole wheat is healthy and full of good nutrients but it bothers my stomach.  So now I just bake with these grains instead.

Kamut has a sweet nutty flavor and is my favorite.  It bakes nicely and 1/4 cup uncooked has 7 grams of protein.  Kamut is actually the brand name of Khorsan wheat. It is chock full of minerals and is a good source of selenium, zinc, magnesium and iron.  Spelt is also high in protein and can replace wheat in many recipes.  It is also high in magnesium, zinc and iron as well as phosphorus.  The best part is that all of my family (my plethora of kids and husband)  all LOVE this bread.

We bought a bosch bread mixer and make this bread in large batches that will make 5 loaves at a time.  This way we can eat some fresh and slice the rest and freeze it.

Kamut-Spelt Bread

This makes 5 loaves, and you can use all kamut or all spelt if you choose. This recipe came from a cookbook called "Healthy Recipes from the Heart of our Homes" a cookbook developed especially for the bosch mixer.  You can of course adapt this for a different mixer but cutting the recipe in half.
Preheat oven to 375.
In the bosch mixer with dough hooks in place: 
5 cups of warm water
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup oil (I use organic olive oil or coconut oil)
1 Tbsp dough enhancer
4 cups freshly ground spelt flour
3 Tbsp yeast
Mix thoroughly for 15 seconds.  Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes until bubbly.
Add: 2 Tbsp Salt 
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
4-6 cups freshly-ground  kamut flour
4 eggs (I use local cage free eggs)
Enough spelt or kamut flour to clean the side of the bowl.
Knead on speed 1 for 3 minutes. (Please note that you should only knead spelt and kamut for only 3 minutes or you will overdevelop the gluten and have flat loaves.) Form into 5 loaves. Place into well oiled loaf pans. Let rise until double. Lower heat to 350. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.

Enjoy and let me know how yours turns out!
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Saturday, May 25, 2013

Shoes, Orphans and Ethiopia


This is a guest post by a friend of mine Ingrid who works tirelessly with a very trusted group 
that serves the poorest of the poor in Ethiopia.  Ingrid's blog can be found here

Famine, Poverty and Injustice...

Right now I'm raising $6,000 for 300 pairs of shoes for my little friends in Ethiopia.  
Fundraising scares me, I feel very inadequate to raise the funds but I know that 
God loves these children WAY more than I do and HE will provide for them.

I visited these children this past March and almost immediately knew that this shoe 
project needed to happen ASAP!  The reason is the picture below.

January 2011

I actually took this picture on my first trip to Ethiopia in January 2011. 
 These shoes belonged to a precious boy named Israel.  When I got him a new pair 
of shoes from our donations he cried.

I cried.  

My life was changed.


January 2011 

As I held him, both of us crying, I knew that I simply could NOT go home and ever be the same.

This past March I had the privilege of seeing Israel again and oh my, he had grown, 
he was taller than me!  HUGE testament to how much these children are benefiting
 from the feeding program.

Within moments of walking into the school, I spotted Israel's face.  After I hugged him, 
I soon noticed something that

broke

my

heart,

Israel was barefoot.

This boy has a special place in my heart and I REALLY wanted to bring him shoes. 
 Children's HopeChest and FOVC have asked that we try to give donations/gifts that
 are similar for all the children.  Therefore, I wasn't able to bring Israel shoes because 
we didn't have enough room to bring 150 pairs, one for every child.  Throughout the week, 
Israel would smile at me and I often wondered if he was thinking about the shoes
 because I was. 

After he outgrew the pair from 2011, he receive another pair from FOVC in 2012.  
Unfortunately, because of lack of funding this past year, FOVC couldn't provide shoes in 2013. 
 Therefore, many of the children are barefoot or wearing very worn shoes.

Ugh!  My heart is broken and I SO desperately want to provide new shoes. 
 $6,000 will provide 300 pairs of shoes, 2 pairs per child for the next year.

PLEASE donate a pair (or 2) today.  Follow THIS LINK to make a donation.  
I, along with Israel and 149 other of my little friends in Ethiopia, greatly appreciate your support.

March 2013

Thank you Ingrid for working so tirelessly for these little ones and being bold
on their behalf!  I would love to help her raise the funds by spreading the word! 
 Please help if you can and please share this on pinterest and on facebook 
to put shoes on these little ones feet.  Shoes are just one of the many blessings
we take for granted every day.  Lets celebrate our gratitude for these things 
by sharing what we have and spreading the word!


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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Wheat & Sugar Free Lemon Cranberry Chia Seed Scones...SO GOOD!!!


I have been eating wheat, sugar, and dairy free (except plain yogurt) for almost a month now.  I had my 5th baby in January and am really trying hard to get the last pounds off that seem particularly fond of sticking around.  I must say that giving up these foods (even fruit other than grapefruit) has helped.  I have also been hitting the gym 4-5 days a week and loving it.  In the meantime I would love to tell you that I just don't even care about food. but a foodie ALWAYS loves good food healthy or otherwise.

So while eating wheat and completely sugar free (a temporary thing for me till the baby weight drops off)  I still need a baking fix!  I was feeling like a lemon poppy seed muffin but the traditional recipes are laden with sugar, wheat and dairy.  So I settled on the idea of a spelt lemon cranberry chia seed scone with no sugar and made with stevia, coconut oil and  nutrient packed chia seeds.  I merged and tweaked a spelt scone recipe and a healthy lemon poppy seed muffin recipe.  It was delicious the first time around but I knew I could do better. So after church today I whipped up the recipe once more with a few tweaks.  I love it!
 This is what I came up with....

Spelt Lemon Cranberry Chia Seed Scones
(Wheat and Sugar Free)

4 Cups spelt flour
2 Tbsp Chia seeds
2-3 Tbsp of stevia mixed with fiber I use "Stevia plus"
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil warmed
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup water
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice ( a little more for a stronger flavor)
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1/2 cup frozen cranberries
Mix all dry ingredients together.  Mix all wet ingredients including the warmed coconut oil so it is in liquid form, and beat in the two eggs.  Now mix the two together.  Then fold in the cranberries.  If they are large chop them up in to smaller parts.   I use organic ones from "Azure Standard" and they are smaller than conventional ones so I don't bother to chop them.  
Pat the dough into two balls then pat them down into two circles as shown above.
Now slice the raw dough into 8 slices as you would a pie.
Then separate out the scones to bake so that they do not touch.
Bake at 350 for 18-23 minutes till slightly golden brown.
Now just try to resist them... no wait don't worry about it... they are good for you!
They were a  hit with my sugar loving, wheat eating friends as well.  YUMMY!

Have a great wheat and sugar free recipe?  Share it with us in the comments below!
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

DIY lux face, hand, and diaper cream homemade from whipped coconut & shea butter!

I love, love love this stuff!  I cannot get enough of it.  You know it has to be good if I am bothering to make it with 5 kids and homeschooling! Ok it doesn't hurt that it is really fast and easy and works for a plethora of uses.  Yes I did say plethora! Pretty sure I learned that word from the movie "The Three Amigos" in the early 90's.   Anyway...this all natural moisturizer is not only highly effective, free of unwanted chemicals and additives, but it is made from 2 of natures most amazing products coconut oil and shea butter.  
Coconut oil and shea butter are some of the best possible ingredients when it comes to skin care!  If you aren't familiar with coconut oils miraculous healing powers be sure to read my earlier post  "One of nature's best healers! 20 NEW reasons to love coconut oil!". I can't go on with this recipe without letting you first know why it is so fabulous for your skin.  This combo is unlike most commercial moisturizers in that most commercial moisturizers are filled with water so the lotion becomes ineffective as soon as the water dries on your skin.  They are also often filled with additives, and petroleum byproducts that are carcinogenic and can suffocate skin causing breakouts.  Coconut oil and shea butter on the other hand are rich and truly moisturize your skin down at the deepest levels where they are even responsible for strengthening the underlying tissue .  They are both excellent at treating acne as they kill off bacteria and acne is a bacterial infection   Coconut oil also helps remove the dead, dry, flaky layers that causes rough and dull skin.  Convinced? Not yet?  Well African Shea (pronounced shay) butter has been proven to reduce the appearance of lines, scars and stretch marks as well as ease a host of skin irritations such as psoriasis, eczema, and sunburn.  WHAT IS NOT TO LOVE!

So here it is... your super simple 2 ingredient beauty wonder,,,

Combine 1 cup African shea butter and 1/2 cup coconut oil. 
Mix on medium high with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes till you get a nice whip cream texture.  I make  big batches to jar in several containers so I have diaper cream, body butter, and portable hand cream.
That is it!  Now you have an AMAZING face, body, hand and diaper cream that moisturizes at the deepest level, clarifys skin, strengthens the underlying tissue, reduces the signs of aging, scars, lines and stretch marks while treating eczema, psoriasis, and other irritations!  I buy my coconut oil at Costco for a very inexpensive $22 for 78 ozs and the African shea butter I got from amazon for around $18 for 32 oz. with shipping.  I will never go back to a commercial face or diaper cream again!  My face feels amazing after using this.  I use it every morning and night.  I used it on my baby when he was a newborn with a terrible rash that nothing would touch!  The secret was this cream plus a few shakes of corn starch each diaper change.  It is all we ever use now.  You can use it as chap stick, hand cream, body butter, for stretch marks, for acne, sun burn cream etc....  Let me know how it works for you!
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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Taking off the weight - What really works

Little Minnow (AKA Trek) now at 10 wks
With a masters degree in natural health and a love for all things healthy it is easy to give nutrition advice.  This time, however, after the birth of our fifth kiddo I find myself  14 pounds over my normal weight and needing to shed the weight myself.  So I am not only giving advice I am sharing what I am currently doing to help loose that weight myself.

I had our 5th child January 6th Trek Anderson Neeley.  I LOVE HIM TO PIECES!  He is so precious.  The one thing I do not love is the extra weight he left me with!  Now that he is a few months old I am working to take it all off.  I had 17 pounds to go when he was around 6-7 wks old.  I now have 14 lbs and am so glad it is not more!  One thing I noticed when searching the web for post natal weight loss ideas was that a lot of the tips were only helpful if you weren't already making healthy choices. Suggestions to give up soda and fast food although good ideas aren't that helpful if you already subscribe to a healthy lifestyle.  So if you haven't already start by eliminating the obvious junk like soda, candy, and processed foods.  Now if you are already past that I discovered there were not a lot of  new ideas really, just the same tried and true stuff that applies to all of healthy living.  So here is where I am at in the process and what I am doing to shed this weight as fast as possible!.

Make time for you!

The first thing I did to start that process was to get my sweet little minnow on a 2 1/2 to 3 hr feeding schedule so that I have the freedom to leave "little minnow" with daddy while I work out.  A bit of set aside time makes a big difference.  If you plan exercise ahead of time it will happen.  If you expect it to just happen it won't.

Drink to your health

I try to drink a lot of water and herbal tea and throw in some lemon to keep bloating at bay and detox the system.  I know you have all heard this a million times!  However keeping track of how much you drink a day and using a sports bottle with a straw really helps me.

Exercise

I joined a gym... That was a biggy for me as we don't have extra cash lying around with 5 kids, but it allows me to focus on working out and keeps me from having to stop every few minutes to help kiddos.  I try to go early before my husband leaves for work.  He is great about filling in for me that hour and gets the kids fed and going on their morning routine.  One thing that helps in that department is to have the kids know what is expected of them.  Every day is the same in that they all know to get dressed, make beds, and clean rooms up before breakfast.  Then they eat and do their chores (bathroom and dishes) before we start homeschool at 8 to 8:30.  So whether it is me or dad they can keep the morning moving along.

Find alternates to the gym that you can do if you can't get help with the kids. Here are a few I like..

Fight the Fat and Win!
SHAPE magazines Top 10 Moves to Tone Your Trouble Zones
Need to get rid of saddlebags, arm flab, or a muffin top? Use these moves to fight flab at home—and win!"
Workout at home with these workouts posted on my blog that don't require a gym or expensive equipment.

Work out with a video series like Turbo Jam, Insanity or P90X
Work out with free online workout videos from netflix, hulu, youtube, etc,,

Visit six sisters stuff a great blog for a complete list of 25 workouts you can just click on!  Thanks girls!
Grab your dumbells and throw a few reps in between commercials while you are watching TV at night.  Take the kids for a hike, push that huge stroller all over town, dance with the kids to pandora, or just set the timer for 30 minutes and do whatever exercises come to mind till it goes off.

Take advantage of FREE APPS that help you with free workouts, diet and exercise logs, motivate you or track your progress.  I like the free Nike Training Club app from itunes so far the best, but there is A LOT out there!
Photo from Total Beauty
Follow this link from Total Beauty for "12 apps that will make you skinny".  Great resource!

Exercise is a HUGE component to weight loss, and body shaping, but so is diet.  By diet I do not mean to go on one! Just adjust the quality of what you eat.  I follow these rules to keep me on track..

Try to skip as much as possible packaged pre-made foods. 

 When you do by packaged foods read labels.  All natural is a good start but even sugar can claim that so look a little deeper. Keep in mind if it is not organic and it is from a large company like kraft or gm the grains may be genetically modified since they are not required to label it as such.  So try to stick to organic.  I can't afford to do everything organic so I usually make a homemade version wherever possible


 Focus on what to eat not just what not to eat.
 

I add extra veggies and beans to soups, casseroles, eggs, and most any dinner dish to up the nutrition, fiber and taste factor.  This is easier to do if you have a fridge stocked with veggies.  Right now I have cucumbers, carrots, beets, onions, garlic, celery, kale, spinach, mixed field greens, zucchini, mushrooms, and Tons of fruit in my fridge. That gives me and the kids a ton of snack options... I have lots of recipes here on this blog just check out this link to see the recipes from healthy egg rolls on the grill, homemade tortillas, to granola and other staples.  There are lots to be inspired by and they are all simple if I made them!

Go quality and eat those super foods!

I love adding quinoa, chia seeds, barley, nuts etc.. into snacks, muffins, smoothies, and meals to bump up the nutrition level.  I have a whole list of "newer" super foods on a previous post here "10 new super foods!"

Avoid white flour and white sugar

Choose whole grains and healthier sweeteners like stevia, xylitol, sucanat, and honey or date puree.  I have a whole article on all natural healthier sweeteners HERE at "The Sweet Stuff Line up" and it gives you the low down on chemical sweeteners as well. Stevia, xylitol, sucanat, and honey are all big hits at our house.  

Make it! don't buy it!

Lots of unwanted ingredients can easily be avoided by simply skipping the packaged version and making it yourself.  I make tortillas, ranch dressing mix , biscuit mix , pancake mix, tomato sauce, yogurt, granola bars, granola, humus, berry pancake syrup, smoothie packs for the freezer, Popsicles, frozen burritos, coconut milk ice cream, cough syrup, pizza sauce and crust, pumpkin spice lattes, you name it we make it!  You can find all these recipes HERE or search DIY kitchen at the side of the blog.  It saves a ton of money too!

Eat often and don't skip meals.

If you eat less you will weigh less right?  Well not exactly... You need to eat to fuel your nursing if you are a new mom, or to fuel your life and exercise.  Eat 6 small meals a day rather than 3 large ones with lots of snacks.  This keeps you full, helps you make better choices and keeps your blood sugar in check. 

Learn to cook!  It makes healthy eating so much yummier and creative!  

Eat fat and love it!

That is right... I said it...eat fat and like it!  The right fat that is.  You still want to skip that hydrogenated fat, but go for it with organic unrefined coconut oil.  Coconut oil is a delicious alternative to margarine and butter that you can bake and cook with.  We butter our toast with it and use it on everything.  It is so good for you I throw some in my smoothies!  Here is a longer explanation of all the health benefits of coconut oil and how to use it Here at an earlier post "One of nature's best healers! 20 NEW reasons to love coconut oil!  

Keep a food and exercise journal.

By keeping track of what you eat and when you get a real picture of your overall nutrition and can easily spot your weaknesses.  You can also spot when you tend to lapse in judgment and prep yourself for the next time.  I gotta say you think twice about that bite of chocolate cake if you are going to have to write it down.  Get a free printable fitness journal  from my blog  here fitness freebie -free printable fitness journal.

Rule out food intolerances.

Many people find gluten, wheat, dairy or other food intolerances to really hinder weightloss and their well being.  My digestion hasn't been good since baby arrived so I am avoiding lactose, and wheat for a while to see if I feel better and to get rid of the bloating.  These irritants often hamper weight loss as well.  Many people on gluten free diets have shown remarkable weight loss progress and great gains in their overall health.

Quit stressing about it!

I have to admit I struggle with this one.  Stress will slow your metabolism, increase the hormone cortisol which tells your body to retain weight around your belly, cause you to crave sweets, and  sabotage your efforts to make healthier choices.  So find an activity that helps you relax, take your B vitamins that stress depletes as well as your regular supplements, take a few deep breaths and find a few moments to thank the Lord for all the good in your life.  Gratitude melts stress, negativity and draws you closer to your creator.  

Loosing weight is a valid goal but try to relax and make choices that help you become healthier overall rather than choosing actions that lead to short term weight loss at the expense of your overall health.  

Enjoy who you are at any weight and remember you are so much more than the number on your scale!

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Monday, March 25, 2013

EASTER - free dress patterns,printables and fun ideas!

Easter is coming up REALLY fast!  So to help you out I have compiled a huge list of fun things to do and cute dresses to make so that you will be ready for Easter! The patterns are after down below the printables and Easter ideas so just keep scrolling if that is what you are looking for!
Homeschool and preschool Easter freebies and ideas for the week before Easter!


What's In The Bible
Veggie Tales creator's blog "What is in the Bible" series for Easter week "What is Holy Week".
A great explanation of all the church history that goes with this week.  A great way to focus on Christ this Easter season and learn Biblical history.

Make an Easter lent garden with your kiddos as a visual parable.  You complete different parts on the corresponding days of Holy Week.  It has clear detailed directions.  This one is from an EXCELLENT blog called A Holy Experience written by a homeschool mama who wrote the book called One Thousand Gifts an amazing book on gratitude.

You can find a ton of Easter and Spring printables for tots here at 1plus1plus1equals1. It is GREAT homeschool blog with tons of printables, great ideas, and inspiration.

Here are some great learning activities and ideas from  the blog We are That Family to make sure Easter is celebrated for what it is...a celebration of Christ's Resurrection. Teaching our kids the reason we celebrate is a great way to spend your day.

Great printable worksheets for Easter from Mama's Learning Corner that work for pre K to 2nd grade.


This is an Easter learning roundup that includes crafts, worksheets, games, etc... from My Delicious Ambiguity.  She has a lot of fun things on her blog so you will have to check it out.

Two Teaching Mommies has a great lesson plan with a ton of free printables to go with it.  There is a printable memory verse with picture, worksheets, number maze, clip cards for math, etc... Hope you have some fun with it!
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Two Teaching Mommies has created a 12 days of Easter lesson plan as well that coincides with  resurrection eggs for a 12 day lesson on Easter for your kiddos.  What a fun way to go through the meaning of Easter with your little ones and have them really get it.  They recommend combining Days 5-9 have been combined for those that are younger and will find the topic of Christs suffering too much to spread out over those days.  So you still have time to get this lesson done before Easter!

I hope this has helped you get a few new ideas for the week before Easter, so you and your kids can enjoy the deeper meaning of Easter and learn at the same time.

Now for you seamstress' here are some beautiful fun free Easter or Spring dress patterns! 

These are the "party dresses" I made for my girls last year.  See post HERE for more photos and tutorial link.

Best FREE patterns with tutorials for Easter or spring dress'!

If you get started right away you still have some time to make an Easter dress or two (or 3?) for your little girls.  I looked through tons of free online patterns and tutorials to come up with a list of what I think are the best ones out there so you only have to go to one place to find the perfect dress' for Easter.  Most of these are fairly simple and all have a pattern or instructions to create the pattern so there is nothing to buy except the fabric and notions!   Last year we chose the "Party Dress" by The Cottage Home and I let the girls pick out their fabric. Hope you find something special for your special little girls!

The Party Dress tutorial by The Cottage Home

Twirl Dress tutorial by From an Igloo
Charlotte dress tutorial from IveyC95
A Line Ruffle Front Dress tutorial by IveyC95
Reversible Ribbon Dress by Couturier Mommy
A very clear tutorial but asks for an A-line pattern.  Just use a simple dress in the size you want to make the pattern by folding it in half and tracing it with a seam allowance. Then put that pattern on folded material to cut out the A line dress.

DSCF5868
Poppy Sundress tutorial by A Lemon Squeezy Home
Lucky Layers Sundress tutorial by Moda Bake Shop

Project Run and Play Dress tutorial by Simple Simon & Co.
Let's Fly A Kite Sundress tutorial by Craftiness Is Not Optional

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Sunny Little Miss Dress tutorial by Made it on Monday
Retro Ruffle Dress tutorial by Simply Modern Mom
petal dress tutorial
Petal Dress tutorial by Ucreate
Hope you were inspired! If you have time add this cute little caplet to top it off.

 Do you have a free one I should have included?  If so just put a link in the comments!

HAPPY EASTER!!!


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