Wordless Wednesday: The Happiest Place On Earth

First Letter!

I finally got my first letter from my beautiful Nimisha in India! She told me about her family. She has little siblings and her mom works in textiles and her dad is a laborer. She told me her favorite subjects, and her best friends. The best part about her letter was it was completely written in English so there was no need to translate. That makes me so excited! We can communicate with one another without the translator. This is going to be a great journey.  :) Happy Mail Call Monday!

Marie-Madeline Studio Giveaway

I just love giveaways! And here is another fun one...

Life in A Shoe is hosting a giveaway for a new skirt from Marie-Madeliene OR a $50 giftcard.

Head here to enter!

Life In A Shoe

One Tuesday Morning...

Ten years ago, the nation watched in horror as planes struck the two World Trade Centers, the Pentagon, and crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. To my young eyes, I didn't understand what was happening. I remember watching on live television the crash, watching the towers fall. At that point, I didn't realize the implications of the event or the scars it would leave on our country.

I love the $1 Bin!

I was at Jo Anns the other day looking for some good deals and of course I had to inspect the $1 bin! Here is what I found:

Ever heard of Our Compassion?

When I mention OC what do you think of? No, not Orange County, but Our Compassion! This is a website created for Compassion Sponsors to connect with other sponsors. I fondly call it a Facebook for Compassion ;) Each child development center has its own OC page, so you can connect with other sponsors in your child's area. You can also check out different groups, write journals, or prayer requests. So go check it out!

For example, my favorite Virtual Letter Writing Group is found on OC. There are so many goodies on that website. Do yourself a favor, and connect with other sponsors. You will benefit from it greatly! I know I sure did...let me know if you have any other questions! Click Here!

Introducing...

...the newest member of my Compassion Family, Nimisha from India! She is my new correspondent child and beautiful Indian teenager. Isn't she gorgeous? 

New Letter!

One of my favorite things to ever get in the mail are letters from my little girl! A few weeks ago,  I received the first letter from her in several months. She described how she celebrated the Easter holiday, and drew me a lovely picture of a cup, some bread, and a table. It makes me very happy to hear how well my little girl is doing! It is moments like these that make sponsorship worth it. Yes, it does take a good bit out of my bank account every year, and for a college student struggling to afford private school, that is a large amount. However, with each letter I am once again reminded of why I send letters and why I send money. Because it is for the love and nurture of a little girl in Tanzania whose heart if full of love for Jesus!

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

The other day I made homemade dishwasher detergent, and it was awesome! It worked just great...here is the recipe:

1 cup of Borax

1 cup of baking soda

Vinegar as a rinse aid

Mix Borax and baking soda, then use a tablespoon or two where your normal detergent goes. Use vinegar as a rinse aid. Put it in the rinse aid compartment when you add the detergent. MAKE SURE TO USE THE VINEGAR! It should keep your dishes from being cloudy...good luck! :)

I got this recipe from: TipNut

Drawing for our Kids!

Today is Virtual Letter Writing night. And we are drawing pictures of our favorite Bible verses for our Compassion Kids! :) Check out my picture:

Can you guess the verse? 

So, go forth sponsors and draw! :) 

Check out the group here: August 2011 Virtual Letter Writing Night 

I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!

While watching Lord of the Rings the other day, I decided two best friends have never been seen like Frodo and Sam. When Samwise mutters that iconic promise to Frodo "Come on Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!" I always find myself wondering if I could be a friend like that. Could I really be someone who was willing to go through the fires of Mordor for my friend? To carry them up a mountain when they have a burden so strong that they can no longer walk themselves? Then I began to think...who am I a Sam for?

You've Been Sponsored!

A few times I have wondered how sponsorship affects our children's families. I came across this video of how a family reacts when they learn their child has been sponsored. It just touches my heart, especially when they beginning singing. Check it out!

Also, check out this Compassion blog post: How Are Children Told They Have Been Sponsored? 

A Compassion Video

Here is a video I made for Compassion. Check it out! :) Special thanks to the Knudsons, de Graafs, and Compassion International! :) Enjoy!

Bite BACK!

I am sure you have felt the sensation. Tiny little legs crawling across your skin, the quick prick of your flesh, then the slam as you squish that annoying little bugger before it has a chance to show its vampire like qualities and begin sucking your blood. Yep, I am talking about mosquitoes. The little blood suckers are the bane of summertime. 

But what if mosquitoes where not only annoying, but deadly? 

The Top 10 Compassion Blog Posts

Hey everyone! So, I am a member of the Compassion International Street Team, and one of my "orders" is to write up my top ten favorite Compassion Blog Posts. So here it goes!

1) My absolutely favorite article is one that introduced me to Our Compassion and the Virtual Letter Writing club. Virtual Letter Writing Club 

Wordless Wednesday: Viking Laughs

My viking date and me laughing in between takes...check out my bouquet of weeds! :)

A Birthday Card

So, what do you send a little girl for her birthday? 

Wordless Wednesday

In honor of the end of the epic tale of Harry Potter....

Getting sorted in the Great Hall. What House will I be? 

Virtual Letter Writing Night

Today is the next Virtual Letter Writing Night for our Compassion children! There are several suggestions for tonights event, such as:

 Write the verses to a childhood bible song.

 Write the verses to a favorite worship song.

 Write a poem.

 Tell what God has been teaching you lately.

 Write a favorite scripture verse.

 Tell a favorite childhood joke.

 Ask about their favorite subject in school.  Tell them yours.

Go on the Virtual Letter Writing Night group at Our Compassion to check out the rest of the letter writing ideas, along with pictures of different projects. Thanks June! 

Happy Writing! 

Whom I Have Never Met Before

Today is the Fourth of July 

Tonight there are fireworks in the sky 

But it is with heavy thoughts I ponder 

The choices of those yonder 

Whom I have never met before 

From sea to shining sea 

It is a land where I am free 

To worship my Creator and Lord 

Thanks to the men that died at the sword

Whom I have never met before 

Brave and True they were 

To fight a war on our shore 

And others had an ink filled pen 

They used it as a weapon, these men 

Whom I have never met before 

They risked it all for this land 

So that I might freely stand 

Today we honor them who signed 

That Declaration of our mankind 

Whom I have never met before 

I shall never know those brave souls 

Who risked it all on that thin scroll 

Yet it is them I honor and our country’s birth 

And that Red White and Blue with all it’s worth 

Thanks to those men

         Whom I have never met before 






I wrote this poem in honor of all those who have sacrificed for our nation. Thank you.
Happy 4th of July! 

Would You Drink 14,600 Gallons of Contaminated Water?

Did you know that, according to Compassion International, if you drink the "required" 64 ounces of water a day and live to the age of 80, you will drink 14,600 gallons of water! That is roughly the amount in your average pool, complete with a waterfall.

Now, consider the fact if every one of those gallons were brown with dirt, disease, and a whole bunch of disgusting, life-threatening things. That is the type of water millions of children drink every day.

Cinnamon Rolls

One of my favorite breakfast foods is cinnamon rolls. Luckily for me, these are super simple to make, take a few hours, and are delicious! Here are the steps:

First, put in a batch of dough. This is our family's favorite cinnamon roll dough recipe:

For 12 Rolls

1 Egg plus enough water to equal 1 1/2 cups of water
1 tsp lemon juice
4 1/2 cups of bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of oil
2 tsp of active dry yeast

Featured Friday: Neuschwanstein Castle

If you are looking for fairytale castle, none can beat Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle. This is the castle that inspired Walt Disney to create his Cinderella castle. You can't find a castle more "fairytale" than that!

Quick Facts:

Where: Fussen, Bavaria, Germany

Website: www.neuschwanstein.de

What Is It: This castle is a fairytale surrounded by mystical forests in the alpine region of Bavaria. It is steeped in legend, as the castle is only half finished, due to the fact that Mad King Ludwig died before it could be completed. The rooms that are finished, however, are amazing. The throne room is elegant, fanciful, and exactly what you would imagine a king to posses. This is one of my favorite places in Europe. If you have ever wanted to step into a fairytale, this is the castle to visit.

Time Tip: Go to the castles early in the morning. Ticket lines can get unbearably long and tours often sell out early in the afternoon. You can only enter the castle by tour. After your tour walk to Mary's Bridge (Marienbrücke) for a spectacular view of the castle.

Click here to view these pictures larger

Interesting Father's Day Gift

The other day I was trying to figure out what to get my dad for Father's Dad. I always like to find interesting ways to give him his Father's Day gifts. This year, a good friend of mine suggested this funny idea: give him his favorite candy(Swedish Fish) in a can! So, this is what the final product look like:

A can of Peaches full of Swedish Fish! :) 

The trick here is that you still want the "pop top" of the can to be unopened. 

This is how I made it: 

First, I took the bottom off a can of peaches. Then I cleaned out the can. 

Second, I took a piece of tinfoil and covered the inside of the can. 

Then, I filled it up with Swedish Fish. 

Next, I placed another piece of tinfoil over the top. 

Finally, I put the bottom of the can back on, and hot glued it to create a seal. 

And there you have it! A can full of goodies. Needless to say, my dad was very surprised to get a can of peaches for Father's Day. He was even more surprised at the fact that it contained Swedish Fish! 

So, if you are looking for something unusual for the dad who has everything, give him a can of fruit or vegetables with his favorite candy inside. 

Happy (late) Father's Day! :) 

The Importance of Writing Letters

In our technologically advanced culture, sitting down and writing letters has become almost as extinct as the dinosaurs and just about as appealing. But to our Compassion children, our letters are one of their most important possessions.

 Sadly, many sponsors don't realize the importance of writing to our children. Think about it: would you only speak to your flesh and blood child once or twice every few years? Most people talk to their children every day or at least a few times a year. Sending letters is our way of communicating with our children. And believe me, those children cherish our letters. I am just as guilty of not writing as the next sponsor.

However, our letters can change our children's lives. To me, that is worth the effort of writing a letter and the cost of stamps. One way that I manage to remember to write Bedina is I joined the Virtual Letter Writing night on Our Compassion. In that group, every month you will be given a different topic to write about. That way, you don't even have to come up with something to write! Writing to your sponsored children can build a beautiful relationship with them. And, it is the chance to show the Savior's love to a child thousands of miles away. What an awesome opportunity!

Today, I sat down to write my letter. I went to Target, and found these wonderful coloring books put out by Crayola in the Target dollar section! So, in this letter I included the book and this lovely summer themed card. I love finding goodies and fun stuff to send her!

You don't have to do anything fancy. Just write! Your child will treasure your letters, for it is their link to you. For more information, check out this blog post on the Compassion International Blog: The Impact of Letter Writing

Featured Friday: The Matterhorn

Who knew a mountain could be so amazing? :) And yes, it looks just like Disneyland!

Quick Facts:
Where? Zermatt, Switzerland is the town below the Matterhorn mountain. It is the major jumping off point for all Matterhorn climbers, sightseers, hikers, etc.

Website: www.zermatt.ch

What is it: The Matterhorn mountain itself is an amazing testament to God and His creative glory. Majestically overlooking the quaint town of Zermatt, the Matterhorn is a craggy, snowy, adventure waiting to be conquered. While only the most serious mountain climbers tackle its peak, even those us who prefer not to hike can enjoy this mountain. Simply jump on one of the many lifts and let it whisk you to the top of many surrounding mountains. The Matterhorn is one incredible mountain. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to see this mountain in person.

Warning: Zermatt (and the rest of Switzerland, for that matter) is extremely expensive. Riding the lifts will set you back a few hundred dollars. However, it is worth it! The experience of those mountains is amazing, so don't let the price deter you. It is worth every penny.

Now, for the pictures!

The train that takes us to Zermatt

No vehicles are allowed in Zermatt, so everyone travels by horses or small motorized golf carts and mopeds. 

The interior of The Matterhorn Museum 

The Matterhorn 

The Rothorn gondola that takes you up the mountain. 

These are the way up to the perfect Matterhorn viewpoint for those of us who don't want to hike! :) 

A really neat sign at the top of the view point. 

There is a goat parade in Zermatt twice a day as the goats are moved from upper pastures to lower pastures and then back again.