Sweet gift

Our next group project for our secret grandmothers was making these “7 Days of Love” boxes.

We filled each pill compartment with “love and sweetness” – an uplifting thought written on strips of paper and tiny goodies.

We wrapped them up in a brown paper bag topped with a homemade pinwheel. Very fun, simple and adorable. Ideas for the love box and pinwheel bag originated here and here!

You can download my tag for the “love box” here.

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library card with corner bookmark

I was just getting some cards ready for our young women to write to their secret grandmothers tomorrow, and thought I’d share because they turned out so fun. Using the templates found at Creature Comforts, I printed up the library cards and pockets. The girls can write about favorite things they’ve been reading.

The library cards are topped with an origami heart corner bookmark, made using the video tutorial here.  A circle tag hangs from the bookmark, to help identify exactly what it is.

 

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Secret Grandmothers, Year 2

We are starting up our secret grandmother activity once again. Invitations go out tomorrow, and after four weeks of correspondence, we will have a dinner where the grandmothers and granddaughters will chat face to face.

We are using a large plastic bin in the foyer of the church to exchange items. The names of the grandmothers are decoupaged to clothespins which are to be attached to anything left in the bin – either for or from the person on the pin.

I’ve collected some ideas for the young women to possibly use for their grandmothers on my Pinterest board, which you can see here. Tomorrow I’ll be giving them the list of summer journal prompts from Simple as That. There are some great topics for letter writing to help girls that don’t know where to begin.

Our final dinner will have a gardening theme. I love the garden parties here and here and will use them for inspiration. “Plant a seed and watch a friendship grow”.

You can see what we did last year here.

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Zucchini Treats

I was so happy when a friend gave me a gargantuan zucchini this week, so I could make two of my favorite recipes. This first was this chocolate zucchini cake, recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour. It is dense and moist and marvelous. The zucchini, which you can just make out in this photo, is nearly undetectable while eating. I topped mine with whipped cream and raspberry sauce, and it was perfection.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini (I probably used 3 cups!)
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a 9″ x 13″ pan with baking spray

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the eggs.

Stir in the sour cream or yogurt alternately with the flour. Then add the cocoa, mixing until smooth. Finally, fold in the zucchini and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 35 – 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack.

I grew up with this zucchini bread, and it never disappoints!

Zucchini Bread

  • 3 eggs (beaten frothy)
  • 1 c oil
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 c flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 2 c shredded zucchini
  • Bake at 325 for 50 minutes (3 loaves)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 3 bread pans with cooking spray.

Beat eggs until frothy, then add oil, sugars and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients, then mix in. Stir in zucchini. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans.

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A Visiting Teachee Emergency Kit

Here is a little something to go with the August 2012 Visiting Teaching Message, Taking Action in Time of Need. It’s a tiny emergency kit, that includes the visiting teachers’ contact information – to encourage a sister to contact her teachers when in need.

It reads, “When in need, open for… a helping hand, a listening ear, a casserole or a cupcake.” The casserole or cupcake part is meant to be a little tongue in cheek – we don’t all make that kind of food when serving our sisters – but a lot of us do! 🙂 Contact info is to be hand written in the space provided. After that it reads, “For all other needs, check inside tin”, with an arrow pointing to the packed goodies.

The goodies I found around my house included bandages, gum, cough drops, pen, safety pins, paper clips, lip balm, rubber bands, postage stamp, coins, needle and thread, birthday candle, button, bobby pins and toothpicks. An emery board cut in half would also be a nice addition. This is nice to throw in the car or purse, and every time it’s opened, she is reminded who can be called upon when she really is in need.

I printed my file on Full-Sheet Labels, then adhered them to an empty Altoids Wintergreen Mints tin. If you don’t have label paper, you could print on cardstock, then modpodge to your tin.

You can download the printable below:

English

Portuguese

 French

Spanish (click here to see blog post in Spanish)

German

Dutch

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Knowledge Treat Jar

Here is the candy wrapper to go with the next Personal Progress value, Knowledge. It is wrapped around a sugar free Russell Stover Pecan Delight. You can download the free printable here.

This is the last of the wrappers. You can see them all by going here and scrolling down!

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Resisting Sin

Here is a teaching aid for YW Manual 1 lesson 28: Resisting Sin. It talks in the lesson about how the adversary uses snares and lures to entice us to sin. Elder M. Russell Ballard relates the lures a fly fisherman uses to the cunning plan of Lucifer here:

The goal of the fly fisherman is to catch trout through skillful deception. The adept fisherman studies trout behavior, weather, the water current, and the types of insects trout eat and when those insects hatch. He will often craft by hand the lures he uses. He knows these artificial insects embedded with tiny hooks need to be a perfect deception because the trout will identify even the slightest flaw and reject the fly.

What a thrill it is to watch a trout break the surface of the water, inhale the fly, and resist until it is finally exhausted and reeled in. The test is the pitting of the fisherman’s knowledge and skill against the noble trout.

The use of artificial lures to fool and catch a fish is an example of the way Lucifer often tempts, deceives, and tries to ensnare us.

Like the fly fisherman who knows that trout are driven by hunger, Lucifer knows our “hunger,” or weaknesses, and tempts us with counterfeit lures which, if taken, can cause us to be yanked from the stream of life into his unmerciful influence. And unlike a fly fisherman who catches and releases the fish unharmed back into the water, Lucifer will not voluntarily let go. His goal is to make his victims as miserable as he is.

I made some “lures” to share in my lesson – feathers, beads and ribbon tied together – and will use them as we discuss. As we finish up I will attach them to the “Overcoming Temptation” handout (that is supposed to resemble a fish tail!) that you can download here.

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Scripture Bookmark

Here is a bookmark to go with YW manual 1 lesson 27: Scripture Study. It is taken from the “Pondering isn’t Ponderous” part of the lesson:

“As I read the scriptures … , I learned some of the basics of pondering and searching.

  1. Pray always before you begin to read the scriptures. Slow your mind down and be free from this world. Also, pray all the while you read—as certain concepts of the gospel illuminate your soul or as you have questions. Don’t hesitate to call upon your Father.
  2. Keep a paper and pencil handy while you read. This is a stimulating activity, and often goals, exciting ideas, or original thoughts will creep into a stale mind.
  3. Go slowly! This study is not a race. No longer do you have to finish a prescribed number of chapters before you go to bed. Spend several days with a single chapter or verse. Memorize scripture and it will bloom with hidden meanings you hadn’t been cognizant of, meanings pertinent to your life today.
  4. Ask questions as you read the scriptures. … Question and then call upon the Lord. As I questioned, the doors of my heart unfolded and left room for the Holy Ghost to dwell in me.
  5. Stop many times during the day and ponder the single thought that you have searched out in depth. For instance, consider the truth ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ Repeat the scripture, question your every action, and keep the thought with you on a small card.

You can download the bookmark here.

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Nature Walk Activity

Our ward is having a day-long 4th of July celebration today, complete with nature walk, river float and barbeque. I’ve collected some ideas for the nature walk, along with the printable shown above that you can download here.

photo from The Taylor House - click for link

I found the scavenger hunt list from the Taylor House – but wanted a black and white version, so made my own. The items could be collected in a sack, or simply checked off once spotted.

photo from Family Fun - click for link

You could also collect some pretty leaves and petals and make fairy people.

photo from Little Family Fun - click for link

I also love these nature name creations.

photo from 5 orange potatoes - click for link

This cootie catcher nature game is something my girls would have a lot of fun with – both creating it and then using it.

photo from Kid World Citizen

I can see some of the younger kids loving this nature bracelet using duct tape.

I will have cardstock, glue, the scavenger hunt list and duct tape out on a table so people can select an activity or two, and do whatever suits them. Happy 4th!

 

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Demonstrating Love by Remembering Dates

The Visiting Teaching Message for July 2012, Demonstrating our Love through Discipleship and Service, shares some ways we can become more like the Savior through loving service. It mentions remembering names, birthdays and special dates, so I made a folder to keep a perpetual calendar. The calendar is an adorable free printable from theprettyblog.com. When you go to download, don’t forget to leave a comment thanking them!

To fold the file you will first need to print and trim out the calendar. Place it on the overturned file printout as shown.

Fold the bottom of the file up to make a pocket.

Remove the calendar and fold the file in half longways so you can get a nice crisp fold.

Put the calendar back in the folder and secure with whatever nifty office supplies you have on hand. I particularly like the jumbo paper clip bent to resemble a heart.

It’s a nice echo of this “loving” visiting teaching message. You can download the folder printable below:

English

German

Dutch

Spanish (click here to download entire post in Spanish)

Portuguese

French

 

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