Be a Duck and don't forget to P.R.E.E.N. daily!

This idea came to me years ago and I just couldn't stop thinking about it! So I made a printable and handout to remember the idea! I hope you can use it!

Click to download full letter size

Click to download handout size

D.O.T.S.- UPDATED

Hey! Longtime since I posted over here- life is sure busy! I see that my original D.O.T.S. post is still one of the most popular on my blog! Here is an updated post to see where all the downloads and printables are available. I have also done a set for the poem Footprints in the Sand with a download card in different colors as well as a bookmark! Enjoy and please feel free to comment if you have any questions!

DOTS- Button Main Theme

DOTS- Buttons with actions

Footprints in the Sand - Bookmark

Footprints in the Sand- Handout

This collection was so fun to create- don't hesitate to contact me if you have an idea YOU would like me to create for you!

Have a great day!

Easter Week {Day 5}

The Day of Fellowship

As we think of all that Christ has done for us through his perfect example and Atoning sacrifice-  here is a story to remind us of the realization of what He did for US.

For YOU 

for ME

 

The Room 

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room.    There were no features except for the one wall covered by small index card   files. These files stretched from floor to ceiling and went endlessly in  both directions. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my  attention was one that read, "Boys I Have Liked." I opened it and began  flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names on each one. I then realized  where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog  system of my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and   small, in every detail. A sense of wonder and curiosity mixed with horror   stirred within me as I began opening files and looking at their contents.    Some brought joy and sweet memories, others a sense of shame and regret so   intense that I looked over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.   A file named, "Friends" was next to the one marked, "Friends I Have   Betrayed". The titles ranged from he mundane to the weird, "Books I Have   Read", "Lies I Have Told", "Comfort I Have Given", "Jokes I Have Laughed  At", "People I Have Hurt". Some were almost funny in their exactness.  "Things I Have Done in Anger", :Things I Have Muttered Under MY Breath at My  Parents".

Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes,  fewer than I had hoped. I was overwhelmed by the volume of life I had lived.  Could it be possible that I had the time in my young life to write each of  these thousands or millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth, each was written in  my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked, "Songs I Have Listened To", I realized   the files grew to contain the contents. The cards were packed tightly, yet   after two or three yards I hadn’t found the end of the file. I shut it,   shamed, not so much of the quality of the music, but more by the amount of   time I knew it represented. When I came to the file marked, "Lustful   Thoughts", I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out inch by   inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at the   details. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. A rage   broke through me. "No one must see these cards. No one must ever see this   room. I have to destroy them." In a frenzy, I yanked the file out. Its size   didn’t matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. I took it out and   pounded it on the floor. Not a single card would come out. I desperately   pulled out a card and tried to rip it, but it was as strong as steel. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a sigh, then I saw it.  The title, "People I Have Shared the Gospel With". The handles were  brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle  and a small box fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on  one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to cry. Sobbing so deep it hurt my  stomach. I fell on my knees and cried out in shame. The rows of shelves  whirled around me. No one must ever know of this room. I must lock it up  and hide the key. But as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please,  not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus! I watched helplessly as He began to open  the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. In the moments that I could bring myself to look at  His face, I saw sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to go to the worst  boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at  me with pity in His eyes. But this wasn't a pity that angered me. I dropped my head and began to  cry again. But He didn’t say a word. He just cried with me. Then He got up  and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, he  took out a card and one by one He began to sign His name over mine. "NO!: I  shouted, rushing at Him. All I could find to say was, "NO, NO", as I pulled  the card from Him. His name shouldn’t be on those cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so   alive. The name JESUS covered mine. It was written with His blood.

He gently took the cards back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign  all the cards. I do not think I will ever understand how he did it so  quickly. But, the next instance it seemed, I heard Him close the last file  and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is  finished", I stood up and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on  the door. There are still cards to be written. --

Easter Week {Day 4}

The Day of Rest

We all have bad days- it's part of life

When those days come who do you turn to?

Aquaintances?

or

Friends?

All I Would Ever Need

 I had always felt like a misfit in school. My friends, although good and true friends, were not in the crowd of popular kids in school. Besides, I was sure I was funny looking. I just didn't fit the mold. Parading constantly before my eyes was "the fun group" - the popular kids  always laughing and whispering, never sad or depressed, skipping their way through school, the best of friends. Teachers loved them, boys loved them, the whole school loved them. I worshipped them and wanted to be just like them. I dreamed of the day that they would accept me. My dream came true when I turned fourteen and I tried out for the cheerleading squad. To my surprise, I was chosen. Almost instantly, I was thrust into the "in crowd".   I felt like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. I changed my hair and the way I dressed.  Everyone thought the change in me was fantastic - new clothes, a new group of friends and a new outlook on life. Almost overnight, the whole school knew who I was, or at least they knew my name. There were parties and sleepovers, and of course, cheering at the games. I was finally one of the popular kids. Everyone I had hoped to know, I knew. Everything I had wanted to be, I was. Something strange was happening to me, however. The more I was included with the "in crowd" the more confused I became. In reality, these people were far from perfect. They talked behind each others backs while they pretended to be best friends. They rarely had a truly good time but smiled and faked it. They cared about what I was wearing and who I was seen with. But they didn't care about who I was, what I believed in, what my dreams were or what made me who I was. It was a shock to see them as they really were, instead of as I had "thought" they were. I began to feel a huge sense of loss and disappointment.  But worst of all, I realized that I was becoming just like them, and I didn't like what was happening at all. I had to get my life back in order. I concentrated first on finding out who my real friends were, the ones who listened and who really cared about me. They were the only ones who really mattered. I stayed with cheerleading because I really enjoyed it. But I stopped hanging around with only the popular kids, and I widened my circle of friends. I found out that my real friends had never left me. They were simply waiting for me to come to my senses. I finally realized that my original friends were all I would ever need.

Easter Week {Day 3}

The Day of Conflict

We are all brothers and sisters - do we treat each other as such?


Today we have the lyrics from a beautiful song by Janice Kapp Perry- one of my favorite songwriters!

His Image in Your Countenance

Janice Kapp Perry

With no apparent beauty that man should Him desire,
He was the promised Savior to purify with fire.
The world despised His plainness But those who followed Him
Found love and light and purity; A beauty from within.

(chorus)
Have you received His image in your countenance?
Does the Light of Christ Shine in your eyes?
Will he know you when He comes again because you shall be like Him,
When he sees you will the Father know His child?

We seek for light and learning as followers of Christ
That all may see His goodness reflected in our lives.
When we receive His fullness and lose desire for sin
We radiate His perfect love, A beauty from within.

(chorus)
Have you received His image in your countenance?
Does the Light of Christ Shine in your eyes?
Will he know you when He comes again because you shall be like Him,
When he sees you will the Father know His child? 

The ways of man may tempt us and some will be deceived,
Prefering worldly beauty, Forgetting truth received,
But whisprings of the Spirit remind us once again
That lasting beauty, pure and clear must come from deep within.

(chorus)
Have you received His image in your countenance?
Does the Light of Christ Shine in your eyes?
Will he know you when He comes again because you shall be like Him,
When he sees you will the Father know His child?  

Easter Week {Day 2}

The Day of Authority

This is the day Christ cleansed the temple- what things do we want to 'cleanse' from our lives?

Today's story is one we all can work on- no matter what the age.

This would be a great FHE lesson as you could act out the story!

The Feather

A peasant with a troubled conscience went to a monk for advice. He said he had circulated a vile story about a friend, only to find that the story was not true.

"If you would make peace with your conscience," said the monk, " you must first fill a bag with goose down and go to every door in the village, dropping a feather at each doorstep," 

The peasant did as he was told, then came back to the monk to tell him he'd done the penance for his folly.

"Not yet," replied the monk. "Now you must take a bag and return to each doorstep to gather every feather you previously dropped."

 "But the wind will have blown them all away by now" said the peasant.

"Yes, my son," said the monk. "And so it is with your vile words. Words are like goose downs quickly dropped, but try as hard as you can, you can never get them back."

Author Unknown

Object lesson- Use down feathers and see how easy they are to blow away.

Easter Week {Day 1}

 The  Day of Popularity

This is the day the city cheered and welcomed the Savior as He rode into town on the donkey. He recieved a King's welcome because He is the King of Kings.

Here is a story and object lesson to help us reflect how we treat others- great for a family Sunday Activity!

Fill-it Up

Prep- find a balloon, blow it up but DON"T tie it off. Write 'individual worth' or 'self-esteem' on it. Whichever you think your children will understand better. 

Object Lesson- When we say nice things about others it fills up their balloon. 

Have children think of nice things to say- 

"You look nice today", etc.

As they each say nice things add air to the balloon until it is full- again don't tie it off.

Now, ask you children to think of mean things that they say- start to let the air out of the balloon until it is all gone. 

Talk about how when we say nice things we fill up each others balloons but mean and spiteful words empty them. 

Bear them your testimony of how we each can fill up each others balloons and challenge them to be 'fillers' this week and not 'de-flaters'. 

Check back each day this week for more stories and things you can do to teach those wonderful messages Christ taught us to live by when He was here on the earth.

Getting ready for Easter week!

One of my favorite family traditions is celebrating the whole week before Easter with stories that help illustrate the many lessons Christ taught us while he was here on earth! I hope you will join along with us!

If you wish to use Easter eggs as an object reminder of this weeks activities here is what you will need-

8 plastic Easter eggs

Day 1- Red Balloon

Day 2- Feather (down if available)

Day 3- tiny mirror

Day 4- 2 pom poms

Day 5- Sacrament cup

Day 6- small string of pearls

Day 7- small wooden heart

Day 8 - leave empty- as the tomb was Sunday Morn

adapted from YW connection

What are some of your favorite Easter traditions?

Easter Freebie!

Easter is almost here!

There are NEW pretty mini hand sanitizer labels available in the shop! 

 Such a cute touch!!

 I also created this bag topper as a FREEBIE download. I hope you enjoy!

Click here to download

Happy Easter!

Are you FROZEN? Free Printable Bookmarks

Are you enduring a Frozen week sent by the Queen Elsa herself? We are here!! This is the proof!!

 If you are too, here are some Frozen bookmarks for you to use as you curl up with a good book trying to keep warm. Even if you have escaped Elsa's wrath, you can enjoy a good book with Olaf, who we all know LOVES the heat!

Click on the photo above to download your FREE copy! Color some up as a family or secretly print some out and decorate for some quick Valentines! Either way you are sure to love having some bookmarks around this holiday season!

What is your favorite book?

 I love the Harry Potter series and reading the Skippy Jon Jones and Pete the Cat books with my boys! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Harry Potter Floor Guide's {FREEBIE}

As I mentioned in my last post, I am a bit of a Harry Potter fan....nerd would probably be a more accurate term. Sadly, maybe even obsessed!

 I mean how many people do you know that can talk about a topic for 5 hours while driving home late at night trying to solve all the inaccuracies between text and film and the holes created....

um yeah...


not that I would know anything about that.....



anyway, back to today's freebie!



I have created the Floor Guides to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries and the Ministry of Magic!

I am decorating my laundry room in an Harry Potter theme- gotta do something to make being in there not so awful (laundry and I have issues). I saw a copy made by Mud in my Blood and knew that I needed one for me!

Click on the photo of the guide you want to go strait to the download and print one out for the Harry Potter lover in your life!

Which Harry Potter book or film is your favorite? 

Holiday Goodies- Free Recipe Cards

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

the one time of year we can make and eat the best candies, cookies, and treats we love! There is something magical about holiday treats and I have never been able to re-create that any other time of year! I participated in a cookie recipe exchange this month and decided to share my favorite recipes with all of you- Merry Christmas!

What is your favorite holiday goodie?

" That's What Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown" Christmas FREEBIE!

I think the Charlie Brown Christmas Special is one of the best Christmas movies ever! How can you not just feel the Holy Spirit when Linus is re-telling the nativity? "and that's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown"

Now you can display the shortened version in your home with this FREE Printable!

 Just click on the picture to go to the download.

Merry Christmas!