Making Fire Starters!

 Another camp out activity we did was

make firestarters.

These are some of the BEST home made

fire starters we have ever tried.

To make them you collect cardboard

egg cartons.

 Stuff each hole with dryer lint!

Push the lint down tightly. Most kids

are pretty good at this part.

Then, once the little holes are full,

you melt paraffin wax and pour

it over the dryer lint.

As the lint absorbs some of the wax,

add more.

Allow to cool and then cut apart.

Each hole is one fire starter. 

Store in a ziplock baggie and use them

on camping trips to  get your campfire going.

Or - use them in your fireplace!

A baggie full would make a great addition

to your bug-out bag if you 

have one!

We tested ours out in the backyard

in our firepit, but we couldn't 

REALLY

light a fire due to a burn ban.

Hopefully, we'll get enough rain that

the burn ban is lifted sometime this

summer and we can have a 

REAL CAMPFIRE!

It's a Mud Pie Making Contest!

 Since we were having a backyard

camp out, I had planned some

camp activities for the girls!

 One of their favorites was a mud pie

making contest!

 They worked very hard on their mud pies!

Don't they just look lovely?

We had Uncle Deuce step outside

to judge them.

The pie on your left is Grace's

and it won:

1st Place for Most Creative Mud Pie

2nd Place for Best Mud Pie

The pie on your right is Olivia's

and it won:

1st Place for Best Mud Pie

2nd Place for Most Creative Mud Pie

However, Grace thinks the judge made

a mistake. Why? Because HE didn't even

taste the pies! How dare he!

Hers was the best and she's sure of it!

Why? Because it was the pie

that Abby and a little bug decided to eat.

And you know they wouldn't eat it

if it wasn't the best!

Olivia could care less who won.

She just had fun. 

Mother's Day Gifts

While the girls were here, they

made Mother's Day gifts!

They painted flower pots.

I didn't get a picture of Olivia or Brilyn

because while they were painting I

was wiping up messes and had

paint on my hands.

But - Grace concentrated on each stroke

and spent quite a long time painting.

You can tell by the expression on her

face that she is putting her

best efforts into making that pot special!

 Weston was content with simple

footprints!

And this is Grace's finished product.

It's almost as colorful as

her personality!

And it has pink and purple flowers

that she picked out herself. 

Backyard Campout

 Grace loves camping and next time

we go, Olivia and Brilyn would

like to go, too!

So - we did a test run!

 In a new tent!

 This tent has a "doggy door" according

to the girls. It's really supposed to

be a closet door for "gear".

It was a kid door for us!

And a peep hole. I think it's the one

thing the girls liked best about this tent.

When we go camping for real we will

use our other tent, because it has more room

and I like a sleeping side, and a 

movie & snack side.

This keeps the sleeping side clean!

It's POOL Time!!!!

The week before Mother's Day

we opened the pool!

It's still a little cool for some

people, but the girls and I like

it just fine!

 

 These pictures were taken

BEFORE Mother's Day!

And a smile that big tells

me that the water's ready!

A Favorite Meeting Place

When Heather needs me to

watch the girls - or,

I just need some Grandma time

with the girls,

Chuck E. Cheese is a favorite

place to meet.

 It's fun for the girls,

and this particular Chuck E. Cheese

in Grace's favorite!

 Why? Because it has the self

serve Cotton Candy machine!

And it's hard to resist self serve

Cotton Candy!

A Belated Mother's Day Post

I was busy with Grandchildren

the week before and right after

Mother's Day,

so there wasn't time for blogging.

But, I do hope that all of 

the wonderful women 

in the world, who love to be

called "Momma" had a great day!

 

Just before Mother's Day

I was keeping Grace and Olivia,

while Heather & Dustin attended

a Home School Book Fair!

Olivia and I were looking at all of the

new flowers in the garden and she

asked each of their names.

When we got to this one, I told her

it was "Heather".

Her eyes got big and her face lit up

as she tole me,

"Heather? My Momma's middle 

name is Heather!"

To which I replied, "Oh, really? What's

your Momma's name."

"Momma Heather McGriff!" came

Olivia's reply!

It was just so cute! She knows her

Mother's name is Heather, but to her,

that's just a middle name.

A name, not often used and of little

importance.

What's IMPORTANT is your 

first name.... your REAL name!

And Heather's real name is MOMMA,

to this little girl!

And Momma is the most important

name a woman can have!

Thank you, Olivia, for that reminder!

And thank you, Heather, for being 

Momma!

There is nothing more you could

do to make me proud and happy!