children

There’s a New Candy Maker in Town

candymaker2 Oooh… caramels. Bourbon caramels. That I didn’t make. Double yummy.

Our son convinced one of the elderly men at church to teach him how to make caramels. And this is Geo’s first solo flight at home. We were pretty, um, sugar high when wrapping them. (I got put to work on that part) So, I think the production team will have to work on their wrapping skills in the future. Heh. But these are sooo yummy!

candymaker1

A Blurry photo of the candy maker in action. He moves too much to get a good photo.

Question? Why are candy makers SO skinny?

Test Run: A Mother’s Day Project

silkscarf

A Mother’s Day Project

With much trepidation, I pressed the “submit” button on an order of silk scarves. I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea: spending so much money on a single art project. What if it didn’t work? What if it did work, but required more time than we have? What if it created a giant mess and instead of making lovely gifts for Mom on Mother’s Day, I sent home a passel of children stained and marked? “Here, Mom. . . for Mother’s Day I made you more laundry to do!”  

We’re a small church. A Mini-church if you will (a mini-church in a huge building and oh the stories!) — so my Sunday School class consists of children ages 5-13. On the one hand, I love it. Our conversations are varied. There is a balance between older kid and younger kid energy. I think it’s a great opportunity for siblings to interact: a chance for older children to assume leadership roles. 

But on the other hand, it drives me crazy. Finding projects that a 13 year old boy would want to do that a 5 year old can do. . . means lots of hours on the internet researching. I don’t even watch TV any more. I listen to it: while I dig through my online resources, looking for the right projects. I’m constantly pinning ideas for the future: my eyes always searching for just the right thing that will speak to every kid the ultimate truth I want them to glean: YOU ARE LOVED… and isn’t Sunday School cool?!

So, when I stumbled on a tutorial for dyeing silk using sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol I immediately pinned the idea. Hello Mother’s Day! (and um, hello gift that any mom would WANT!) And then I researched every tutorial out there on the subject. And then I asked a friend who dyes things for a living for help. You know, just to make sure. Could we do this in 50 minutes? What kind of silk should I order? Do you think I’m crazy to try this??

For me, these projects not only serve to reinforce the message. . . and give the kids opportunities to learn by doing (instead of just talking at them!)– these projects serve as a ministry opportunity beyond the message. Public schools are cutting art programs as funds dwindle. Time to do those projects has been greatly diminished with the ever growing perception that our children are falling behind the world in the areas of math and reading. So, out goes the play. Out goes the paint. In comes more testing. 

Which makes me ask the question, “If the Church is to speak to the needs of people today. . . well, what are those needs?” In the case of children, I would strongly suggest those needs include playing and creating. If I can, once a week, provide an opportunity to do so and tell them all the same that they are LOVED LOVED LOVED just as they are — it’s a no brainer, right? Challenges aside, it’s worth the effort if these children (be it 15 on a good day or 3 on a quiet day) can learn and explore and create!

The above photo is a test run. Geo wanted to try and I figured, why not? If the 16 year old can do it and love it, then it’s golden. Right? The project has ticked off all my boxes so far — I’m crossing my fingers on the rest. I’ll post photos and tips next week after we do the project on Sunday. But in the meantime, I thought you’d like a sneak peek into what constitutes my creative process these days. 

Remember

Almost 3 in a homemade costume

Historically, Halloween is big business in our home. Our house all decked out in purple lights and spider webs. Homemade costumes obsessed over for weeks. Hard-core negotiations over candy in the supermarket holiday aisle.

However, last year found us in a hotel. This year, throwing around references to gopher wood and Noah’s Ark as the rain comes down in relentless sheets. While our weather is nothing like the images being broadcast of the wreckage of Sandy (we’re praying for you East Coast) this constant downpour has my kid retreating to  a youth group candy pot-luck and me considering turning off our lights tomorrow and munching on candy in front of a roaring fire.

Despite the change in plans, there is still the issue of a costume. Going to a church function puts a real crimp in any ghoulish ideas he might have entertained. I say might, because he recently told me, “Oh, I’ve outgrown the desire to scare people on Halloween.” Yay?!

And being nearly 16 creates a whole different dynamic to the costume considerations. Gone are the years when I could say, “Look at the great costume I made you, don’t you want to be a spider?!”  Now I have to find a subtle way of suggesting that the best way to combat your “I’m a science geek prodigy” reputation, is to go BIG. Make fun of yourself. Be silly. But no LARPing costumes. 

That would be weird. 

We’ve settled on something. I hope he’ll go, have a good time, and not obsess too much on how people react to his costume. I pray the other kids get his joke and are kind, because historically they’re not so good at either of those things. And I hold my breath against the impending tidal-wave of emotions that come with parenting a child nearly grown and gone. Gone, too, are the days without a thought or care of an empty nest. Or, if the thought did come, it was in relief. Then I’ll sleep. Then we’ll be alone. 

Because now it is. . . we’re nearly there.

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