Make your very own slice of heaven in a sock. Oh yeah, I promise that this simple and inexpensive hot/cold sock filled with rice and a couple drops of essential oil is your ticket to a better life. They are great for back aches, stomach cramps, leg tightness, leg pain, or just a relaxation enhancer.

They are especially good for pregnant ladies, because back aches are a biggie- so be sure to make these for all of those peeps in your life that find themselves expecting. I got these at my first baby shower from a friend and it was the one thing that fit me during the whole pregnancy, that I looked forward to more and could use after the baby too! I can't say enough, try it.

Instructions for Homemade Rice Sock Heat pack or Cold Compress:

What you need:

*One pair of (I recommend two so you have a back up when your husband steals yours!) thick men's socks. Just regular tube socks will do, they should be sport or working man thickness though. The bigger the better.
*Rice as needed to fill the socks half full. Get the cheapest you can find.
*Flannel or other fabric to cover your men's sized rice socks.
*Funnel (optional but recommended).
*Essential Oils to your choosing (optional but recommended).

How to work it:

1.) Roll down the top of one of your socks, stick the funnel in and dump cups of rice into the sock until it is full until the half way point.

2.) Add drops of essential oil to the rice inside your sock (picture below). I added vanilla, about 10 drops- but whatever you like to smell would work. Also herbs would work as well, some lavender leaves and flowers or whatever.

3.) Cut fabric, I like flannel because it is warm already to the touch and soft but you could use cotton or fleece. Remember it will need to be washed and it will be microwaved along with the rice sock as well.  The size of your sock will mean you need a bigger or shorter fabric slice. I cut mine at 6 inches wide and 18 long. I had the fabric folded so I wouldn't have to sew the bottom of the cover, but I am lazy so it doesn't really matter if you do it that way, it is only about 5 inches to sew.

4.) Sew the top hem first, before you do the sides or bottom. Then turn fabric wrong side out or right sides facing each other and sew up the two long sides and the bottom. Right the fabric  and you are done. DONE! Slide (more like wiggle) your rice sock in and you are ready to head to the micro!

That would be right, it means that now you can enjoy. Start up your kettle, grab a good book or a stack of magazines and settle in  for a good relaxing time.

Heating and Cooling Instructions:

Heating: As sizes will vary, you'll need to figure out how long your sock needs to be heated in the microwave. It will depend on how big it is and how much rice is in it, and how hot you want it, but mine takes 3-4 minutes- as it has quite a bit of rice in it. I recommend heating one at a time if you have two, it just kind of works better that way. Wash the cover when needed.

Cooling: If you want this for a cold compress- put it in the freezer and let it get cold. Simple right? I would go with at least an hour- but that just depends on how cold you want it.

Live it up, and share with a friend!!

Re-posted from original post here at dreadlockgirl.com: Homemade Heat Pack and Cold Compress, on 28th of January 2010 . I will be making another couple of these at least this season for my back and any friends or family who may need an update. You should too, the fam loves them. Enjoy! 

A Handmade Christmas: I will keep posting ideas for a non-tacky handmade christmas. This is the first so far, I am a little slower this year as my babybelly is making me tired. I will still try and get quite a few ideas up before Christmas that you can make for family and friends I will re-post from the years gone by as well.

Previous Ideas from my Handmade Christmas Craft Series:  Pretty Dress Book Page Origami Ornament * Jesse Tree Advent Ornaments *Kid Friendly Stained Glass Craft * Homemade Heat Pack or Cold Compress (Rice Socks)* Knit Granny Washcloth (or Dishcloth) Pattern * Reading Pillow for the Bookaholic(s) in Your Life * True Love Heart Ornaments * Bath Salts Soak Recipe* Coffee or Tea Sleeve Patterns * Rosemary Sea Salt Recipe * 

 Above all, enjoy this season- and remember what it really is all about: the Birth of Christ. 

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by Elisabeth Jvanovsky

To grow up in Spain,  is to know there is a Saint for every day. Yes, and they used to (and probably still do) name their children after the saint of their birthday. An even more amazing tradition in Spain is celebrating BOTH your birth date and your saint--thus giving each kid 2 birthdays every year, if you were named after a saint. I was always a little jealous that my parents didn't name me after a saint as a kid, I am over it now.

Now that I am older I still am not up for celebrating all the roman catholic saints days, but there are some saints that really do deserve mention. Today is the day of  such a man. Nicholas famous for his love of children and generosity. He helped the poor and gave of himself beyond what was required. But what stirred him when so many others of his day were stagnant  and only interested in the collection plate??  To leave out the rest of his story is to forget the true passion of a hero of the faith. It is to celebrate a fat Santa with all the good intentions and none of anything else.

In 325 Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea, over 300 bishops were called upon  in order to debate the true nature of the Trinity. Bishop Arius of Egypt argued that Jesus Christ was not an equal to Christ . As he went on and on Nicholas became so enraged that something so essential was misrepresented that he lost his temper and smacked Arius on the face. Because he lost his temper in such a setting, Nicholas was  stripped of his bishop's status and chained in a jail.

The final verdict of the Council of Nicaea declared that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal. Three in one. The following creed was what came out of the council in 325. Many Christians memorise this creed, it is in worship songs, printed on church bulletins, it is powerful in listing what is common ground for those who call themselves followers of Christ. Nicholas although flawed, desired to serve God with passion and practicality and to see Him represented just as he should be. That is truly noteworthy.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

If you want to know more information about this man who although flawed, desired to serve God with passion and practicality here is an amazing website: St. Nicholas Center. They even have pages for the kids!

How do you celebrate Saint Nicholas Day? Are there any special books you read to your kids, or traditions that you enjoy? Please let me know as we just started this tradition last year and I am a little short on ideas!!

Blessings all, and a very Happy St. Nicholas day to you!!

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Each year the day after Thanksgiving instead of shopping, this is our activity of choice: Christmas tree hunting.

I think at this point we'd drive around the world to get to this little u-cut Christmas tree location, but it is in our town, so that makes it an easier journey. Each year the trees are better.  For the last three years we've visited this exact Christmas tree place, the boys were so little when we first went.

This year they were able to carry the saw and then help with the Christmas tree carrying as well. They enjoyed the hunt much more than the first year. This year ended up going with the tree that The Husband picked out- there were so many that were beautiful it was pretty hard to narrow it down. However, the cold and the wind helped, so then we cut, carried and packed it out (after paying of course).

I love this season.

This is one of my favourite Christmas traditions. What is yours?

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We've celebrated the Christmas season with an advent Jesse tree for the last 3 years. Each year it gets better! This is my post from the first year we did it in, I am sharing again in case you are interested in doing it too. Here is a link to all my ornaments in my Flickr album: Jesse Tree Ornaments

As Christians, Christmas should be a huge celebration.  Not in the commercial way of buying as many presents as we can for as many as we can...but in meaningful celebrations with our families and in our hearts. Our joy at celebrating Christ's birth should be infectious. I love this season, I start listening to Christmas music in early November- and most of the time I can't quit until late January. It is a time meant for families to gather around and share of the most amazing miracle of all time: when God come to earth in the form of a baby- a human. God stripped Himself of all his power to be like us, thus tipping the scale in our favour. Without this amazing birth, we would still be lost, still offering the sacrifices of animals that could never cover our sins.

The meaning of Jesse Tree is from the verses in the bible in 1 Samuel 16:1-13 and then Isaiah 11:1-10. The following section of the verse speaks of the Christ coming to the world by way of Jesse, and his descendants- thus the "Tree of Jesse".

¹ There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,

And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

² The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,

The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The Spirit of counsel and might,

The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

³ His delight is in the fear of the LORD,

And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,

Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;

⁴ But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,

And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,

And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.

⁵ Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,

And faithfulness the belt of His waist.

¹⁰ “ And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,

Who shall stand as a banner to the people;

For the Gentiles shall seek Him,

And His resting place shall be glorious.” -Isaiah 11:1-5 +10

The Jesse Tree is intended to guide you through the 29 days that lead up to Christmas as a journey  towards a deeper understanding of all that took place leading up to the birth of Christ through the Old Testament and then into the beginning of the New Testament. Each evening before bed we do the scripture reading for that day and then the boys take turns getting to hang the specified ornament on the tree. They beg for it to be "time for the Jesse Tree" and love it when it is their turn to hang the ornament. We did it last year for the first time and I learned so much. It deepens my faith in Christ each time.  Going through the scripture of all the ancestors that lead up to Christ and seeing all the prophesies fulfilled to the letter really build our faith. We look forward to doing it every year as a tradition of the true meaning of Christmas with our family.

Table of Scripture Readings and Ornaments for The Jesse Tree

Click on the links to get to the ornament that I made to represent the symbol. That way, you can get an idea of what to make for your Jesse Tree Advent Celebration. Or if you want to see all of my ornaments go to my Jesse Tree Flickr album.

(I grabbed this table from  The Voice it was the most detailed that I have found )

Table of Scripture Readings for the Story

Just so you know, this is our third year with the Jesse Tree tradition, and I still have 5 ornaments left to make! Be easy on yourself, the ornaments are great for the kids and to remember- but not mandatory for a good devotional time with the family around the tree. I did some the first year, another bunch of ornaments the second year.

What Christmas traditions are you doing with your family? Did your family do any with you when you were young that you are continuing?

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Today is Three Kings Day (or Epiphany) ! It is traditionally Spain's day to give and get Christmas presents.

Weeks before today children send their letters to the three kings filled with lists of toys that they'd like to receive. Then the night before the big day every village has its own parade with the magi on a float for the kids to see and if you are willing to wait in the line at the end you can even meet them! The town where I grew up usually provided hot chocolate and Migas to keep the onlookers warm, and probably the dads bellies contented.

The children eat their Roscón de Reyes (a pastry with a hidden surprise for the lucky) and head to bed early, but not before setting their shoes by the door along with hay for the camels and food, wine and treats for the over-exhausted and long-traveling kings.

The next morning everyone awakes with hopes of finding what was on their lists. Naughty kids are rumored to receive coal in their shoes instead of candy- however there is a candy coal that is not only tasty but also leaves your teeth, lips and tongue a blue-black colour for hours after its consumption.

Now you know, maybe next year you too can celebrate the day that is remembered to be when the three kings came to worship the King of Kings. The boys got little betta fish from the kings this year and named them Prince Caspian and King Miraz- two dueling men in their beloved Chronicles of Narnia books. I also painted this little picture of the kings in watercolour for the boys, they eat that kind of thing up and I enjoy having a reason to create. We also watched  The Nativity Story, it is very powerful. I've watched it three times and have cried each of them.

The three kings traveled for a very long journey and  brought Christ: gold for the King of Kings, frankincense for the Priest of Preists, and myrrh for the sacrifice (of His own life) that He was to make.

This year I have decided to contemplate what gifts I can bring to the feet of my King. What do I need to give Him?  If you are willing, consider it too, something to bring to Him as an act of worship, today is the best day to do it.

Happy Three Kings Day!!

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