Waiting is never easy, but manageable. (Photo by Angie Quantrell, 2016)
Stand – lean – patient forms.
Windblown tractor ride groupies.
Next in line, we wait.
– Haiku by Angie Quantrell
Bill’s Berry Farm tractor ride extravaganza, 2016 (Photo by Angie Quantrell, 2016)
I do. Rubber stamping! I love to hang out with my girl friends and use rubber stamps, tools, supplies, and miscellaneous papers and trinkets to create greeting cards. Rubber stamping!
I don’t feel guilty for pursuing this crafty hobby. One reason is that I don’t spend tons of money on supplies. In rubber stamping, a little goes a long way. One of my stamping buddies and I just recently finished up a roll of foam tape (3-D effect) that we had been collectively using for at least 10 years.
Another reason I allow myself to indulge? The cards. I distribute my handcrafted cards through many venues – a set becomes a gift for my sister, a dozen goes into an auction basket, birthdays are celebrated, thanks are sent, holidays are enjoyed, and encouragement is mailed. I even create cards for my husband to use at work. I am – gasp – a supplier. In a good way.
As I work on updating my blog and web site, I thought it would be fun to have a giveaway and celebrate hobbies.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Sign up to follow this blog. You knew there was a catch, right?
2. Comment above. Tell me that you’ve followed. View the slideshow of cards and let me know which card you like best and why. I’d love to hear about your favorite hobby!
That’s it.
On Friday, October 21, I will randomly choose 3 followers* to receive a packet of 5 handcrafted cards, mailed to your home. How fun is that?
Thank you for visiting. Have a great day!
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First Steps in Missions, Ideas and Activities for Preschoolers and Teachers, Volume 22 |
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
I’m so excited about First Steps in Missions! This resource has 12 months of ideas for activities teachers can do with preschoolers to teach them about missions around the world.
One of my favorite activities in Chapter 1 is Washing Clothes (page 9). Chapter 1 focuses on the Philippines. Some families in remote areas of the Philippines wash clothes in rivers. While I wouldn’t want to wash our laundry in the river because it sounds like a lot of hard work, I am fascinated and admire the many families who must use local resources to wear clean clothes. I also know preschoolers enjoy water play.
The Washing Clothes activity suggests preschoolers wash clothes in two plastic tubs. One tub should have smooth stones for washing and the other have clean water for rinsing. Set up a drying rack for clothes to hang while they dry. My favorite tool for preschoolers from this activity? BAR SOAP!
Do you know how many fun activities you can do with BAR SOAP? Maybe some of the children you come into contact with have never used BAR SOAP. Think about it. We are a culture committed to cleanliness. This often comes in the form of hand sanitizer, liquid soap dispensers, and all sorts of gels, sprays, and goop. BAR SOAP is a great resource for preschool (and other age level) rooms.
Fun with BAR SOAP
1. Car Wash. I just did this with my grandson. Fill a plastic tub with warm water and put it on a thick towel. Use toothbrushes dipped in the water and raked across BAR SOAP to clean the cars. Rinse in water and drive on the towel to help cars dry.
2. Rock Scrub. This is one of my favorite summer activities, but you can do it anytime. Kids will rewash the same rocks for hours at a time. All you need is a tub of water, a variety of rocks (I like to use rocks big enough so little hands can grip them), BAR SOAP, and toothbrushes. You have a rock washing station. This can later transform into a rock painting station.
3. BAR SOAP Boats. Any old BAR SOAP will float, but experiment to find your favorite brand. Open up BAR SOAP, use a screw driver or butter knife (no sharp tips) to scoop out a center (you can skip this step), and add toothpick flags. Have boat races in the bath tub or sink. Get clean and have fun!
These activities show that one can use just about anything to have fun. Let’s get creative!
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If you would like to order your own copy of First Steps in Missions, call 1-800-968-7301 or visit www.wmustore.com. Thanks! |
Thanks for visiting. Feel free to share these ideas with your friends.
I hope to see you again soon.
See the little face?
Swimming amidst the wet sand.
Rocky bed for fish.
– Haiku and photo by Angie Quantrell
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First Steps in Missions, Ideas and Activities for Preschoolers and Teachers |
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
I’m honored to announce the release of First Steps in Missions, Ideas and Activities for Preschoolers and Teachers, Volume 22.
What? You already have a copy?
True. It was available in late summer. I was barely available. Thank you for going on without me and getting your copy!
My honey and I were eyebrow deep in cleaning, packing, sorting, storing, and donating our belongings. Why? We sold our home. I should say, God sold our home. In 3 days.
That was a quick sale and left us with no free time to do anything. Except move.
Never fear, we are not homeless. Many of you have already seen the pictures. We are full-time RV’ers living in a solid (though you can feel it move when walking inside), warm (we hope), and quite spacious RV with our 2 crazy kitties. The excitement and adventure is fantastic! Let’s just not mention the period of adjustment, shall we?
In the midst of this transition, First Steps in Missions was released. I’m very excited to see this work in print.
In honor of this project, I am going to take a monthly walk through each chapter and area of the world, choose my favorite activity, and flesh out additional ways to use the activity with preschoolers. So much fun!
Coming soon: September fun in the Philippines.
If you would like your own copy, I’m thrilled to direct you on the right paths. First Steps in Missions, Volume 22
Thanks for stopping by!
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
Welcome!
I should say (to myself) welcome back!
Here is a photo of what’s kept me from my KID KANDY and picture book posts. It has been THAT crazy.
So, forward and onward.
Let’s read some books!
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Happy Autumn! |
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Plastic sinks and all – it’s the RV life! |
By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
RV sinks are plastic. Did you know that?
Why, you ask, is this even important?
The last several days, 5 to be exact, we’ve had to boil water to do dishes in the plastic sink. Dirty dishes require hot water. Plastic sinks do not. The whole process was a delicate balance between boiling water and cold tap water.
We had to boil water (in the electric teapot) because the gas was off.
The gas was off because the carpet got flooded.
The carpet was soaked from the leaky hot water tank.
The hot water tank leaked because it had a tiny hole.
It’s a wonderful thing that we have an extended warranty. First, for the microwave that decided to retire early after only 3 days of us living in the RV. Second, for the leaking and flooding hot water tank.
Kevin’s trip number 2 (not including the shopping trip and picking up of said RV) back to Broadmoor RV Superstore in Pasco where the customer service was phenomenal resulted in a brand new hot water tank and assorted necessitites required for repair.
The Kevster strikes again! After a few phone conferences with the service center manager, we are back in the hot water business. Thank you, Kevin and warranty and Skylar of the Superstore, for excellent customer service and my hot showers and soapy dishwater.
The plastic sink thanks you as well.
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
We live in an RV.
That’s recreational vehicle for you wondering about the abbreviation. Our tenement on wheels is like the Big Green Rolling Turd in the Robin Williams movie RV. Without the backed up sewer, ripped off awning, and Class A drive-and-walk-around feature.
Our RV is the type you drive in, unhook, set up, and drive away.
The Quantrells are on an adventure.
Phase 1: Complete – The house is sold. Closed. Done.
Here’s a chance to say “Thanks” to our 2 fantastic realtors, Stephanie Blehm and her son Kenny Blehm! They did a fantastic job. And they survived Kevin. I mean our process. Wink, wink.
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Sorry, Kenny. Mabel thinks your card is tasty! |
Phase 2: In Process – Live full-time in RV. Settle cats and selves in for the winter. Learn to grocery shop often for not much at all (no space). Wear the same clothes all the time (no space). Store rubber stamping supplies (no space). Eat outside with guests (no space).
Search for property and research choices.
Phase 3: In the Future – Build small home (tiny is too minute) on out-of-town property.
Our lives in a nutshell.
It’s been great so far. Things did get a little tense every now and then (sorry, honey). We relieved ourselves of many possessions. That felt good. Now we can see what we really need to survive.
An outdoor catio is a definite NEED. Poor kitties have adjusted well, but opportunites for exercise in the RV are limited. And, well, I just need them-who-love-outside-time to be out in the fresh air. Soon, babies, daddy will have it all done. It’s going to be great! I’ll post pictures when it’s complete.
Pumpkin season is here, and despite the lack of space indoors, the big beautiful world beyond the RV walls has plenty of space to display my favorite seasonal produce.
Anyone else out there living in an RV? Who else loves kitties, pumpkins, and fall? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
SO many events and changes going on in our lives right now, I’m having a difficult time choosing what to share. Let me just be honest and tell you that I’ve been avoiding posting just because of the vast plethora of options.
There. Got that off my chest.
It may take me months to fill you in. Or just a day. Let’s see, shall we?
Life in Quantrell Land has been tornado-like in the sense that every day has been consumed with a whirlwind of activities, decisions, stressors, excitement, responsibilities, and cat fur. Truly. At times, we just had to grab something – anything – and hang on!
But it’s ALL good.
Because now, we are living in the RV full-time with 2 insane cats. Which if you want some more truth, makes us the insane ones. 2 shedding, clawing, racing, sneaking, messy, loving, snuggly kitties. In. A. Small. RV.
This classifies as an adventure for sure. I kid you not.
When folks used to show up late for church spouting, “The cows (dog, birds, chickens, pigs, horse) got out and we had to chase them down,” I would nod in agreement. But now I REALLY understand the stress and anxiety produced by such an event!
MONET, the sneak, wants out. Not just a little want, but an all-consuming desire of wanting out. Of the RV. The problem is Tiger, who is resident cat on the property. Tiger is very territorial and has been seen chasing off and beating up other cats. She’s a sweetheart to adult people, but not other cats. So we don’t want the girls out unless we can protect them from each other.
MONET, who cares she thinks. I want out. So she watches the door and our feet and if the door is open, ZIP, there she goes. Oh, the anxiety and interesting language on our part! She is having a great time, but we are watching for the arrival of Tiger and trying to lure the naughty girl back in…
Last Sunday, to connect you to what I was sharing, she did it again. Kevin was being nice to the moth and trying to get it out (before MONET, the best moth-catcher west of the Mississippi, ate it). MONET saw the open door – a mere 3-4 inches – and zip, she was out.
Church day. Big luncheon to prepare. Stuff to take (we still forgot the meat and cheese). A wonderful guest speaker to hear. Responbililty to get there first to unlock the building. And we had a loose cat.
I understand, all of you chasing-of-escapees people! Arrrggghhhh!
We won. This time. Even made it on time (except the meat and cheese, which had to arrive with our son).
So goes our tornado lifestyle. Adventures around every corner and open RV door.
By the way, RV doors are difficult even when not dodging the cat. Narrow, steep, metal shaking steps. I cringe just waiting for one of us to biff the landing and go sprawling face down in the gravel.
But for now, we are good. It’s ALL good.
Because He is good.
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Happy to see this new article, Into the World, in Missions Mosaic. |
It has been a whirlwind summer!
Selling our home, moving into an RV, fixing the RV set-up, sorting belongings, giving away stuff, acclimatizing the kitties to living in said RV, learning how to cook in an RV, . . .
The list is much longer, but just that much lets you know why I have been lost in cyberspace.
On to fall. The dust is settling, and in just a few more days, we will have only 1 home to care for.
Writing is back on the menu, boys! (Can you name that movie reference? Comment below!)
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Into the World |
Here is something I’m happy to see, rewards from past labors. I love this magazine, Missions Mosaic, and am honored to write for Woman’s Missionary Union in several different areas.
You might want to check them out here.
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Missions Mosaic |
Happy reading!
Back to the chaos.
Love, Laughter, and Life 