Spider-Man Rain Boot Tutorial

I bought my boys a pair of rain boots that I found for a GREAT deal. They were buy 1 get 1 half off so I literally spent less than $20 for both pairs! However, they weren't anything special, just regular, plain, ole boots. What kid wants plain when there are so many non-boring ones out there?! The problem with those ones, is that you pay A LOT more for them, which I am just not willing to do. So, I came up with my own way to create special, adorable, non-expensive rain boots and I've been asked to share how I did it. I am going to share how I made boots that look like this:

<-----to look like this!

Aren't those just ADORABLE?! And so easy!

Here's what I used:

{Plain, red rain boots}

{Black Puffy Paint}

{White Puffy Paint}

You definitely want to use the Puffy Paint (fabric paint) because it can get wet and won't come off. If you use acrylics on the boots, the paint will crack and rub off when it gets wet. The puffy paint is where it's at with rubber boots!

Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of every single step as I went a long, but I broke it down in steps for you that are easy to follow.

Step 1. Grab a fine Sharpie pen (or a regular pen) and begin marking your lines. It helps if there is a line that already goes straight down the middle like the boots that I used have. I just used that as a guide for where I wanted my eyes and web lines to begin. I added the vertical lines in the front first.

Step 2. Add your eyes, and then finish making the vertical lines all the way around the boot. Then, add lines to connect your web.

Step 3. Paint! Using your black puffy paint, trace the pen marks. I did the top half first so that I could hold the boot still. Fill the eyes in with your white puffy paint.

Step 4. Let dry.

Step 5. When the paint is completely dry (it will take a few hours) outline the eyes with more black paint. Then you're done!

My boy was so happy to wake up from his nap with new Spider-Man boots and I am SO happy I didn't have to break an arm and a leg so he can have adorable boots!

He has jumped in puddles with these, played in the rain, etc. and the paint has held up so far. Soon, I will be doing little cowboy rain boots too! Stay tuned!

Intercessory Prayer for our Children

There have been only a handful of times in my Christian life that I have clearly heard the voice of God. And it seems like those times only happen at night after everyone is asleep, and even, sometimes, after I am asleep. I can't say I blame Him; the only time I can hear my own thoughts is after the house is completely quiet. But these times that He will wake me up, or come to me when I am laying in bed thinking, are proving to be the most powerful times in my walk with Him. I have been able to intercede on behalf of those I love. I am more prone to listen and then take action by pouring out my heart and soul to Him.

Last night, my almost 4 year old woke up crying. Again. He's been doing this for awhile now. We'll lay him down in his bed, he'll fall asleep, but then an hour or so later, he will wake up. And cry. And last night, I had lost my patience with it. I was tired, I knew I needed to get decent sleep so that I could be up early to workout with my husband, and I was at my wit's end. As I lay there, almost in tears because my little boy was having such difficult nights all the time (which meant mommy was too), a familiar voice spoke to me. And I thought, "Really God? Right now? I am trying to get my kid back to sleep so that I can go back to sleep! Right now is NOT a good time for me." And I turned over and let poor Buddy cry on while I tried to fall asleep through it. God wasn't finished. With gentle nudges, He softened my heart enough to get me to listen. As I listened, He was telling me to pray. Pray for your son. He needs you to pray for Him.

Okay, you win God. I turned over to face my poor, whimpering boy. I didn't know why I was praying, or what I was praying for. I just knew I needed to act on what God was telling me to do. I began to pray. "Lord, I don't know what is wrong with Buddy. But you do. I need You to bring peace to him, calm him, release him from whatever it is that is bothering him." I put my hand on him and prayed for healing. I don't know what he needed healing from, but God did. Within minutes maybe even seconds of me praying and interceding for my boy, he stopped crying. He turned over and fell asleep and didn't wake up for the rest of the night.

Parents, we need to intercede for our children. Not just when they are troubled, not only when we are fed up with them. We need to be on our knees praying for them every day. We need to be praying for them morning, noon and night. Children don't always know what to pray for. We don't always know what to pray for, but if we are invested in their souls, we won't let a day go by that we don't intercede on their behalf. There are demons that try to destroy families. They roam around looking for whom to devour. Our job as Christian parents is to stand our ground at the front lines of the battlefield and FIGHT. Even if fighting means we get less sleep. Our children need us.

It is a spiritual fight we are fighting for our children's lives and if we are not ready and willing to stand up and fight or kneel down and pray for them, we may as well condemn them to a life that has no direction, no purpose. We are our children's warriors.

Jesus has interceded for us. He intercedes for us daily. Will we take our post at the front lines and do the same?

"Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them." Hebrews 7:25

I am in the midst of planning my almost 4 year old's Birthday party. This year, I let him choose the theme. His first birthday, I threw a milk and cookie party based on the beloved (by me) book If You Give A Mouse a Cookie. It was quite the cute party. The second year, I chose an airplane/helicopter theme because he was soo into them. Which makes sense, since this was the year that his daddy decided to become a pilot. The cake was a helicopter landing pad that had a remote controlled helicopter on it and after we had sung Happy Birthday the helicopter was flown right off of it. Quite the cake extravaganza for a two year old! Last year, I threw him a dinosaur party. It was a basic themed party, but it was a HOT day that day and poor Buddy almost passed out. The dinosaur cake didn't melt, at least.

And here we are again. He is going to be 4 and my goodness, I can't tell you the emotions I have about that. On one hand, I am so stoked he is turning 4 because we'll be out of the real toddler stage finally. On the other hand, my little guy has gone through a lot since he was born. Not more than a lot/most kids have gone through, but more than my other two have for sure. He still battles asthma attacks and throwing up for no apparent reason every three months or so. The first year of his life was spent in and out of doctor's appointments and seeing specialists. It's been a road with him. And now, he's turning 4.

Like I said, I let him choose the theme of his birthday party this year. We sat down together and browsed Pinterest for party themes until he found one that he REALLY wanted. And I knew exactly what it was going to be as soon as I saw his face and heard the excitement in his voice. So what did he choose? Drum roll....

WILLY WONKA!!!!

I was not surprised at all when he chose it. He LOVES the movie. He will sit on the couch and watch the whole movie beginning to end, and want to watch it again. And now, he can't stop talking about it. Everyday for the past three days, the first thing he has said to me after waking up is, "Mom, is it my Willy Wonka party today?" Bless his heart.

This is one reason I love having kids. The innocence and the excitement they get over their birthdays! Can you say precious? Part of the excitement comes from the fact that I have started planning and shopping for it. He sees things and has been watching me make his banner (which I cannot wait to show you all!!) and all of those things are SO exciting. To a child. But now, I've caught the excitement bug. I cannot wait for him to see the big reveal on the big day!!

I promise to post pictures of the decorations that I have been making myself for SUPER CHEAP but for now, I have a 5 year old who is going to be late for soccer practice if I don't get to it!

Too-da-loo!