Creative Ideas and Family FunCheck out some fun and practical ideas that will help make family life fun! If you have any helpful tips or funny family stories that you would like to share, please send it to kristi@entrustedministries.com. You may see it on our website!

Creative Ideas and Family Fun

TueTuesdayDecDecember25th2012

Keeping Our Savior, Jesus Christ in Christmas

Posted Tuesday, December 25 2012 @ 8 AM byBetsy Corning Tagged Activities Budget Handmade Holiday 0 comments Add comment

Looking for a fun, yet meaningful Christmas activity to do when the entire family gathers this Christmas? So was I, until I called my creative friend, Brenda to pick her brain. She had just planned the activities for the staff Christmas party at their church and told me of this activity that I plan to do with my family.

She bought lots of inexpensive play-dough, or you can make your own. (Every mother needs a great play-dough recipe. Click HERE if you don’t have one. This comes from our very own Nancy McDonaugh, and I have used it for years with my grands!)

For their party they separated into teams and drew a different component or person of the Nativity. It made for a great time of creativity and laughter. After they finished, they each added their piece to the Nativity scene upon a cardboard platform. No instructions were given as to scale. I heard from more than one attendee that it was amazing how everyone lingered over the scene.

Our thanks to Trisha Martinez who sent us some photos of their personal Nativity and to Diana C. Kim who took the photos. And of course, to Brenda, who is a great resource of ideas to elevate the celebration of Christmas in keeping with its true meaning.

May you and your family appreciate the true meaning of Jesus’ birth as you celebrate this special time of year with your loved ones.

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

With love,
Betsy

FriFridayOctOctober19th2012

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Posted Friday, October 19 2012 @ 9 AM byKristi Jezek Tagged Activities 0 comments Add comment

I love autumn! The beautiful hues of red, orange, and dark green. The rustling of fallen leaves in the wind. The crunch and earthy smells enjoyed on a hike through the woods. And of course all of the baked treats made from apples and other gourds in season right now.

To encourage my kids to engage with the great outdoors, I recently made this Nature Scavenger Hunt, printed enough copies for each of us, and set out into the woods in search of the items. What a fun way to explore!

On the list you'll find simple items to check off like an acorn, a pinecone, a "helicopter" maple seed, and more. There are items to "spy" (like a squirrel and a spiderweb) and items to "collect" (like a red leaf and a mushroom). Older children might enjoy adapting this to a photo scavenger hunt and taking pictures of each of the items on the list.

What a simple way to make some memories together this weekend at a local hiking trail or forest preserve while likely sparking some curiosity in your kids along the way! We had fun finishing our evening around a campfire with some hotdogs and campfire eclairs. Yum!

To download a copy of our Nature Scavenger Hunt, click here.

FriFridayJulJuly27th2012

Decorating for a birthday party for under $5

Posted Friday, July 27 2012 @ 9 AM byStephanie Hickox Tagged Budget Decorating 0 comments Add comment

I am so blessed to stay at home with my son, but let’s be honest--it has it’s budgeting challenges! To celebrate my son’s first birthday, I set out to decorate with only $5. To complete 3 projects I used some typical household items, and purchased only a few supplies. Here’s what you’ll need:

scotch tape
cotton balls
photos of your child (about 20-25)
2-3 pieces of scrapbook paper
tissue paper
thread or wire

I created a number one out of photos of my son. I sign-up for email alerts from Walgreens, and I just happened to get 25 free photos before the big bash. If you don’t get blessed with this amazing timing, use photos you’ve already printed or search for the best deal for printing. I arranged the pics with scotch tape on the wall. Total cost: Free! (About $2 if you don’t have the pics)
The tissue paper pom pom is becoming quite popular. Hanging them from archways or setting on a table will create a lot of bang for your buck! Examples are all over Pinterest. Martha Stewart has a helpful tutorial. I picked up 3 packs of colored tissue paper (25 sheets each) at the Dollar Tree. This made about 15 pom poms (6 large and 9 small). To really stretch your dollar: as you are cutting off the ends for the pom poms, save the extra tissue paper as confetti to decorate the table! Total cost: $3
Whenever an idea displays your child’s face, it is a guaranteed success. That is why I was drawn to make little paper hats I saw on Pinterest. First print out several pictures of your little ones face. It is best to zoom in as much as possible. We don’t have a color printer, but I was quite pleased with the look of the black and white pics anyway. Next cut a triangle of scrapbook paper, gluing it to your child’s forehead. Add a cotton ball or colored pom pom to the tip, and a little tissue paper around the rim and you have some adorable decorations! You can connect these and hang from a banner or keep separate and hang from archways. Total Cost: $1 (for Scrapbook Paper)

I will admit that I did buy some balloons at the end to finish off the decor, but I was quite pleased with how I stretched my dollar at this party. Hope you are inspired!

FriFridayJunJune29th2012

Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas

Posted Friday, June 29 2012 @ 9 AM byAnnette Menconi Tagged Recipes 0 comments Add comment

My husband loves bananas and chocolate. We used to buy these at Cock Robin when we lived in Chicago. I decided to try creating a recipe that would duplicate what we couldn’t find readily in North Carolina. I usually have these in the freezer once the warm weather hits but they are a great treat any time of the year. It’s also a fun way of getting your serving of fruit for the day!

8 whole, ripe bananas
18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips, if you prefer them
9 tbsp. heavy cream
3 tbsp. butter
16 wooden sticks (I buy these at the craft store)
Chopped nuts (optional)

Peel and cut each banana in half so you have two short pieces. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment or waxed paper. Insert a wooden stick in the cut end of each banana and lay on baking sheet. Make sure the bananas don’t touch each other. Place in freezer until frozen, usually several hours or overnight.

In the top of a double boiler set over hot water melt chocolate, butter and cream and stir well. Spoon the chocolate mixture over each frozen banana (and top with chopped nuts if you are using them) and place back on prepared baking sheet. Continue coating each frozen banana with the chocolate. When done return the bananas back to the freezer until completely frozen. Store in an airtight container and enjoy.

Note: You can roll in toasted coconut, sprinkles or whatever your family prefers.

ThuThursdayAprApril26th2012

Fresh Veggie Sandwich

Posted Thursday, April 26 2012 @ 9 AM byAnnette Menconi Tagged Recipes 0 comments Add comment

One of our favorite sandwiches was from a local store we frequented when we lived in Chicago. Several years ago I decided to try to duplicate it so we could enjoy them whenever we had a taste for something really healthy. This recipe makes about two good-sized sandwiches so if you're making more just adjust the amounts of everything.

4 slices whole grain wheat bread, or bread of your choice
2 cups Mesculin lettuce
1/2 English cucumber, sliced thin
1 large tomato, sliced
1-2 carrots, shredded
4 slices Muenster cheese
Mayonnaise (In the summer I chop fresh basil, oregano or other herbs from my garden into the mayo to give another layer of flavor to the sandwich)
Salt and pepper, optional

Spread bread with mayonnaise. Begin building sandwiches with lettuce, cheese, cucumber, tomato (I salt and pepper the tomatoes a little) and carrots. Adjust amounts of ingredients depending on the number of sandwiches you are making and how big you want them.

Note: Feel free to be creative with adding other ingredients, i.e., fresh spinach, pesto, sprouts, sliced avocado, different cheeses or raw veggies.

ThuThursdayMarMarch29th2012

Amos & Andy Cookies

Posted Thursday, March 29 2012 @ 10 AM byAnnette Menconi Tagged Recipes 0 comments Add comment

This recipe takes chocolate chip cookies to a whole new level. They are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside (if you don't over bake them). The coconut adds a great consistency without giving a strong coconut flavor. And, I just break the pecans with my hands so the pieces are larger and not uniform. Whenever I bring these anywhere people ask for the recipe.

3 sticks butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup Crisco shortening
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

7 ounces flaked, sweetened coconut
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 ounces pecans, coarsely chopped or broken

Cream the butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add brown and granulated sugar and combine well. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. Add coconut, chocolate chips and pecans and stir until well combined. Refrigerate until cold. Shape into 2” balls (or use a cookie scoop) and place 2 inches apart on un-greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before removing from cookie sheets.

Note: This recipe makes a large number of cookies, about six dozen. I usually mix up the cookie batter and spoon the dough onto the baking sheets and freeze. When frozen I put all the unbaked cookies in a plastic container or zip-lock bag and freeze. When I want some fresh-baked cookies, I just take the amount I need and bake them. **When baking from frozen, add about five minutes to the baking time and lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. The baked cookies also freeze well.

To make a special treat put a scoop of ice cream between two cookies and press gently to form an ice cream sandwich. Roll edges in mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts.

FriFridayJanJanuary13th2012

Aunt Martha's Chili

Posted Friday, January 13 2012 @ 9 AM byAnnette Menconi Tagged Recipes 0 comments Add comment

My Aunt Martha shared this recipe with me when I was first married, and it’s the only chili recipe I have ever used. If you make it the day before, the flavors get even better. And I usually double the recipe to serve for another meal later in the week or freeze for another dinner on those days I don't have time to cook.

1 lb. ground beef or ground chuck
2 16 oz. cans dark red kidney beans, drained
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 16 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 T. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Brown ground beef, onion and green pepper in large pot until meat is browned and onion and pepper are softened. Add remaining ingredients, stir and cover pot. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Note: This recipe works well in a crock pot. I sometimes add a little more tomato sauce to the recipe if it looks too dry. It's also fun to make a chili bar by filling bowls with shredded Mexican cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions, Rufina's Homemade Salsa, and guacamole, along with a basket filled with tortilla chips. Your family, or dinner guests, will enjoy building their own bowl of chili.

Applying Biblical Truth to Everyday Life