.

Family Fun!!!

2012-02-10T07:49:00.000-06:00

Third Thursday Thoughts: A Chip Off the Old Block

2011-07-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

This month's Heart's at Home Blog Hop question is:
How are you like your mom? How are you different?

I love my mom so much, she is such a wonderful, Christian example to me. She is a great mom, wife, friend, and Christian and is just plain fun to be around! She has the patience of a saint and a really looooonnnngggg fuse. I asked her how she managed both of these things once and she told me her secret. She used to be a hot head and impatient, some qualities I possess, but said that one day she realized it was wrong and asked God to take those things away from her.....and being the faithful God He is, He did just that. Obviously there are still times when she has to really work at it, but God really helped her realize that He wanted better things for her. I always seem to be praying for patience and I know with time He will help me too!

We are both compassionate people that love to get involved and help others and we both love to volunteer to serve when we see a need. We are both hard workers and have great work ethics and morals. I'm thankful that I received some of her positive qualities and pray that God will bless me with more as I grow as a mom, wife, and Christian!

3 Weeks!!

2011-07-02T16:53:00.003-05:00

I can't believe our new little lady is almost 3 weeks old!!! She has grown so much in these short weeks and has really been a blessing to our family!

Thank you Lord for sending this little bundle of joy our way, she is truly a blessing!!

Paige!!!

2011-06-22T21:15:00.004-05:00

Third Thursday Thoughts: Back in Time

2011-06-21T11:04:00.002-05:00

This weeks Hearts at Home Blog Hop question is:
If you could go back in time and tell your teenage self one thing, what would you say?

I think I would tell myself to remember to always rely on God, because He always has my best interest at heart. Even during the rough, hard times, He is growing me, refining me, and shaping me into the Christian woman He wants me to be.

What would you have told yourself??? Join the Hop!!!

My Woogie is 2!!!!

2011-06-10T21:55:00.005-05:00

My little guy is two and Mama isn't ready for him to be this big!!! It seems like just yesterday that God sent us this fiery bundle of spunk!! The first 6 months of his life were spent sitting on the couch from 8pm- 3am screaming and crying. Mommy was so worried that there was something wrong with you, but nothing ever came of it.....I think you just wanted an excuse to stay up late!!! Woogie is so smart and sneaky, I'm always amazed at how he can figure things out and what he can get into in such a short time. He is silly, ornery, and a cuddle bug all rolled into one. He is talking like crazy and can count to two on his own but with a little encouragement from Bubba he knows that nine comes after eight!! Morgan loves Bubble Guppies, Curious George, Team Umizoomi, and Max and Ruby!!(He is just like Max!) We are so thankful God sent you our way and we have had a great 2 years with you in our lives!!! We can't wait to see you continue to grow into the sweet little man that God made you to be!!

My sexy boys!!!

Whatcha doin??

Hi there!!

I know how to use the camera!!!

My sweet baby!!

Painting with Daddy!!!

I love my Bubba!!!

My little Pigpen!!!

We love you Woogie!!!!

Third Thursday Thoughts: Favorite Recipe

2011-05-19T02:32:00.000-05:00

This week's post was so hard for me to write.....I love food, I love to cook, I love to bake!! So picking one recipe to share was really hard! I finally narrowed it down to something that is easy, can be frozen, and is a favorite at our home.

Southwest Casserole

In a skillet cook either

1 lb of hamburger meat

2 chicken breasts

After meat it cooked, drain and then add the following:

Half a log of Velveeta Cheese, cubed (I use the Wal-mart brand)

1 can of cheese soup

1 can of milk

3 T of Southwest Marinade Seasoning

Let everything melt together in the skillet on low. Stir.

Tear up 6 large tortillas and line bottom of a 9X12 baking dish with some of them.

Pour in half of your cheese/meat mixture, then layer with the rest of our tortilla shreds. Pour in the rest of your mixture, making sure to cover all the tortillas.

Top with shredded chesse.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Let it set up for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

This filling is also great to wrap inside tortillas, then top with extra sauce, shredded cheese and bake. I love to double this and then after it sets up, cut it into meal sized portions, wrap in tin foil, and freeze. Just throw your tin foil packet in the oven and you have a quick dinner!

Giveaway: The Extraordinary Mother

2011-05-06T13:48:00.004-05:00

In honor of Mother's Day, I'm giving away a copy of John MacArthur's The Extraordinary Mother! It is a fabulous little hardcover devotional book with stories of wonderful mother's of the Bible. They are short, yet interested, quick, yet profound! It is something you can read to have a devotional on mornings when you don't feel like the best mom or wife, it is very encouraging!!

Grace to You says,

"John MacArthur offers this insightful, Scripture-based look into what makes mothers truly extraordinary. The book's contemporary design appeals to modern women's sophisticated tastes, while the message of mothers' faith unfolds. Among the extraordinary mothers in this book are Eve, Sarah, Hagar, Jochebed, Hannah, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, Huldah, Mary, the mother of John Mark, and Eunice. None of these mothers is perfect, but their strength is shown in their children and in their own lives."

If you would like to win a copy of this for yourself or to use as a gift for someone else, perhaps a friend, a brand new mom, or maybe your mom, here's how you can get it!

1) Leave a comment here about one of your favorite Bible Moms!

2) FB or Twitter about this giveaway and then come back and leave a comment that you did.

3) Write about this giveaway on your blog and then leave a comment that you did.

4) Extra Bonus: Leave a comment on what you love most about your mom or most about being a mom.

Hearts At Home: Miracles

2011-04-20T19:59:00.007-05:00

I've been a member/supporter of Hearts at Home for some time now, but just recently they have regrouped to start a wonderful Third Thursday Blog Hop! It's a great way to share one's thoughts on a certain topic, get encouraged by other people's posts, and support one another in our journey as moms! I hope you will enjoy these discussions and be renewed by the topics!

Have I experienced any miracles in my life?

Yes, as a Christian, I think the most amazing miracle in my life has been that God chose me to be one of His children. I think alot of times I forget and take for granted that being saved was not my choice. God didn't just offer this fantastic gift to everyone in the world and then it was my great idea to accept this amazing gift. When I think about the awesome God that chose to bring me into His family as one of His children, I realize the amazing miracle that has occurred in my life.

I've also seen God's miracles in my everyday life. I've seen my husband walk away from a wreck that totaled our vehicle and should have killed many. I've seen Him provide for our family when we thought a door had slammed shut on us. He opened a fantastic new life for our family and gave us the wake up call we needed to remember that He is in control of our lives, not us. I've seen Him miraculously multiply our resources in order to take care of our family, bless others, and grow more dependent on Him. I've seen Him bless us with two healthy little boys and protect another little one still growing that will hopefully make her appearance sometime in June.

I think miracles happen to us everyday, but we take for granted the fact that God always takes care of His children and always gives us what it best for us. Miracles may seem like a negative or a trial sometimes, but what a miracle it is that God loves us enough to take the time to mold, chisel, and refine us to be more like Him everyday.

Hot Spot #3: Toys and Clothes

2011-03-28T14:09:00.003-05:00

Please don't take my toys!!!

So I'm a little late posting the pictures but this got completed early last week! This is the closet in the play room. This is where we keep all the toys, craft supplies, and school stuff! I have been cleaning out other spaces and have found things that belong in here and have just been stuffing them in random places, so it was SOOO time to clean and reorganize this closet!

Before:

After

I'm so excited to have much more space in here, to get rid of unused items, and to have space for curriculum that will be moving in late this summer! It also makes it so much easier to put things away when they have a home and there is space for everything!

Crafty Creations: Little Bench

2011-03-24T02:43:00.000-05:00

Last fall the boys and I were on a morning walk when I saw these cute, but dirty and rusted bench pieces leaning up against a trashcan down the road from our house. I love little projects but was reluctant to take them.

I circled the block but decided to go back and shove the into them stroller. The worse thing that could happen is that I ended up throwing them away later!

Tom thought they were cute, so into the shed they went.....just waiting for spring to call their number!! With a $2.50 can of spray paint and $6.00 in wood we transformed these little dumpster finds into a sweet bench!!

I chose to make it a small bench that the boys could sit on together or that one person could fit on with plenty of room.

I'm still trying to decide on the perfect location but we are very happy with our Thrifty and Nifty Crafty Creation!!

Crafty Creations: Nursing Cover

2011-03-22T03:56:00.000-05:00

I got a burst of energy last Wednesday during nap time and decided to complete this nursing cover before the boys woke up!

I used my blue one I made for Woogie alot so I knew this was a great use of my fabric.

I've seen these online starting around $10 all the way up to $40 or more. The total price including boning and the D rings was under $7 and it matches all my other accessories!! Can't beat the price!!

This time, I even sewed this pocket in the bottom corner for breast pads. I never know where to stick them when I'm nursing so hopefully this will be a great place to stash them!!

Spring is in the Air, Spring is Everywhere!

2011-03-20T14:15:00.000-05:00

It was truly a beautiful day and with Tom being post call, it was an even better day to get things done!!! When we started the day, everyone was in pants, but as the day went on, it was definitely time to change into shorts!!

What a cute crew!!

Those are some BORING beds!!

But after a little TLC, voila!!!

Atwoods had 3 pack plants for $0.69 which made it a great time to add a punch with just a little dough! I love my yard guys!!!!

Crafty Creations: Sleeping Bag and Matching Jammy Pants

2011-03-18T05:16:00.001-05:00

On our little night out (when the boys stayed at Nana's house for a sleepover) we checked out the new Joann's down by 169 and found this cute and fun fabric. They had some great sales going on and were giving out good coupons!!

Before:

We have sewed so man things for Paige that I just HAD to make something for my sweet boys!!
So at 8:30 last night we decided to take the plunge and complete Grant's little sleeping bag as a last minute present! I hope to start/finish Woogy's sometime before the night of his party!!

And here is how it turned out!!! It's super adorable!! The blanket is folded in half in this picture so he has plenty of covers to wrap up in!!

After:

I can't wait to make two more!!

With the leftover scraps I was trying to figure out what to make, so I found a super easy tutorial online for making jammy pants and now Grant has a pair that matches his sleeping bag!! These only took 10 minutes from start to finish, including cutting and pinning!!

Project Simplify/ 40 Bags: Paper Work

2011-03-17T04:18:00.000-05:00

Paper piles are my nemesis, so I have to work extra hard to stay on top of them!!

Fridays are my normal day for filing and dealing with paperwork, but since I don't have much each week, it usually ends up getting stacked on the top of our little bedroom TV until the 2nd Friday of the month when I pay all the bills for the month.

When the mail comes I try to open it right away while standing by my kitchen island, that is where I sort it into piles, bills and things that need to be dealt with, trash, and file.

The things that need to be filed get moved to the TV.

(I picked this location as it is high enough where little hands won't scatter my pile)

We use a cardboard file box, so that each year when we are finishd filing things away, we can just stick the entire box in our storage area and we will know where everything is. I move things like warrantees and other ongoing files to the next year's box so I don't have to open the old box all the time.

Things that need to be paid or dealt with, go on my cute bulletin board in my laundry room until the 2nd Friday and then I go online, pay all the bills, and then I file it away with my TV stack!!! It's nothing exciting, but it seems to work.

It's Time to PARTY!!!

2011-03-16T08:37:00.000-05:00

Here's the party pad!!

Daddy created this fun CROWN for the kids to wear on each birthday!!

I think he likes it!!

It's time to get the drinks flowing!!

The cookie cake was a huge hit!!

Grant couldn't wait to get the new-to-us toys off of it!!!

And he huffed and he puffed....

He was unsure about tearing the paper and kept looking to check if it was ok!!

Mommy and Daddy snuck in the bike and it took him quiet a while to see it, but man was he excited!!!

Nana and Papa got him a cool soccer set!!! Goal!!!

Thanks for the Sleeping Bag, Nay-nay and Uncle Eric!! He can't wait to camp-out in his fort!

Happy Birthday Little Man!

2011-03-15T03:08:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the world Who-poo!

We were so blessed to be given you on March 15, 2007!

"These people keep dress me in the strangest things!"

Daddy's always been my fav!!

"What is with all the ears mom?"

Just discovered that waffles are "yum"

Who needs toys?

I've got teeth!!! Roarrrr!!!

Egg head!

Don't I look like a big boy?

I'm 1!

First time having cake!!

I'm 2!

I'm 3!

Look at how fast I'm growing!!

I can't believe my little guy is 4 today! It seems ust like yesterday that we brought you home. You are a laid back kid and are a super sweet big brother! Right now you are obsessed with anything Disney Cars related, you can't stand to have to come inside from playing out in your fort, and brown sugar cinnamon pop-tarts are still your favorite stand by! You are so silly and fun loving yet you are quiet and reserved. We love you just the way you are and can't believe the God is letting us borrow you!!!!

Happy 4th Birthday Grant!!!

Staycation

2011-03-11T08:43:00.000-06:00

February was an amazing month for our family! So much family and bonding time, it was truly a blessing from the Lord. If we had known what this month would have been like, we would have tried to move it to June when our new baby was due!

Feeding the turtles at the aquarium is something Grant had always wanted to do, so we splurged! I'm thinking we should have packed our own carrot strips!

Woogy loved the turtles too!!

Grant had to have a picture with the sharks and this is the one he wanted me to post, "Shiny" he said!!

Playdough is always fun, but with Dad making wonderful "abstract" creations, the boys thought it was fabulous!

We made cupcakes and ate all but 2 that same day!! Those last two were eaten by little Monsters for breakfast the next morning.....thanks for letting me sleep in honey! :)'

Sewing with Daddy!!

We also made a trip to the zoo on a beautiful day, visited Chuck E. Cheese, played at the mall, had picnics, went to the park, library, and had tons of fun while still staying under our normal family fun budget of $60!!! A staycation can be a super way to do some wonderfully fun things as a family but not spend a lot of money.

February's Fabulous Fabric Festivities

2011-03-10T02:22:00.000-06:00

Well the festivities have drawn to a close and I just realized I had forgotten to post our last creation! I think it is officially my favorite! Between the fabric and the shape, its a true beauty!

I love this wrap style because I can size it on her and then place the snaps accordingly and then as she grows, I can move the snaps and add some sweet leggings and it will last for a while!!

I love to sew and I was so blessed to have February with my Bunny home during the day! I got tons of things finished and really got a chance to rest as well. We made 6 dresses, two pairs of shoes, many little flowers for hair, hats, bags, and dresses, a diaper bag, changing pad, 5 burp cloths, 2 bibs, an ironing board cover, recovered our headboard, and some other odds and ends.

I do hope to finish a blanket, lovey, sew some tops and a couple other dresses, and make some additional pillows with the left overs from the headboard. Now I just have to find some time!!

Crafty Creations: Wipe Case

2011-03-08T20:53:00.002-06:00

We headed to Baby Fest this past weekend, nabbed some fun free stuff, got a free 3-D ultrasound and got to see our sweet baby platypus, entered some drawings for neat prizes, and had a fun time all for Free!

I received a free wipe case in some of the samples from St. Francis, which was such a blessing since I had wanted to make a pretty wipe case with some of my leftover scraps! Here it is, so simple yet so beautiful and practical! I love things like this, it truly is the simple blessings that make life so sweet!

I Hate Waiting!

2011-03-07T13:11:00.003-06:00

So I'm combining two challenges that I am wanting to participate in....the 40 Bag Lent Challenge and Simple Mom's Project Simplify! I love challenges!!

Anyway, my goal is to get 40 bags of stuff out of the house and I'll be following the hot spot challenges from Simple Mom to get the job done! Lent doesn't start until Wednesday, but I just couldn't wait!

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Here is my mound of stuff I'm getting rid of!! I got a lot of extra space, one empty drawer, and almost an entire shelf left empty!! This added 5 bags of donation things to tally and I had a bag of trash! I already have 4 bags of donations sitting on our porch and I already dropped of 2 huge boxes of donations earlier this week which probably equal around 6 bags!! I'm just super excited to see the floor in the bottom of my closet!!!

Total Tally: 16 Bags

Lent Challenge!

2011-03-04T17:33:00.004-06:00

So I found this great blog and I loved her idea of purging for Lent. Her goal, 40 bags in 40 days!! It could be donations, things to sell, or just trash and junk. I have been in a nesting mood for a while now and already have piles of things to donate and give away, not to mention tons of trash!! Lent starts on March 9th, so you have plenty of time to gear up with trash bags and boxes! :)

Every day for 40 days my goal will be to lighten our load in order to have an easier place to clean, a happier place to live, and encourage a heart for giving in our family. We have so many things that we could bless others with and now is a perfect time to focus on Jesus' gift and sacrifice for us. This is a really good hands on way to let go of some things that may be weighting us down, share with others, and focus our attention on not being materialistic!!

I would love for you to join too!! Don't forget to take before and after pictures to share! Check out Clover Lane, she has some great ideas!!!

Crafty Creations: Purple Snap-Collar Dress

2011-02-27T13:48:00.000-06:00

I love this little dress, well I've loved all of them, so no big surprise. The beautiful pleats in the front and the sweet collar are just to die for.

Again the beauty of this dress is that it can go with capris, or shorts as she gets taller. This was a pattern on line for a little summer top but easily made a dress just by extending the hem.

Crafty Creations: Headboard

2011-02-26T08:10:00.001-06:00

Before:

After:

I have been wanting to recover our head board for sometime but with most interior fabrics costing around $25/yard or more, it was just too expensive! I had gotten this leather-like fabric about 5 years ago on clearance and man was it looking worn. Thanks to a tip from fabulous Desiree, I headed to the 71st Joann's that is closing it's doors to try to scope out some bargains!! I was so excited to find this beautiful silky fabric for 75% off!

Grand Total $11.97

Crafty Creations: Ironing Board Cover

2011-02-24T19:59:00.002-06:00

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

My old cover was getting so dingy, burnt, and just gross looking. Have I been cooking grilled cheese sandwiches on that thing?? I had looked at the store for a cover that was cute, but they looked so doubty and frumpy, and I wanted something pretty and fun!!

So I headed to Joann's and picked out this fun cotton floral. It's heavy duty interior decorator fabric, but was on sale and with the fabric and the cord, it was still cheaper than buying one from Wal-mart!! I'm lovin' it!

I think this would make a great gift or home warming present and you could coordinate it with any decor'!

Cutie-patootie Sundress

2011-02-22T14:20:00.000-06:00

Here is another of this weeks projects! It took about an hour and a half to make and was super simple. What took me the longest was drawing out the pattern and working on the sizing!

The thing I love about this dress the most is that as she gets bigger I can put it with bloomers, carpi pants, or little pants as a top.

That was the main reason when we found this tutorial online, we just had to make it.

The other great thing about this dress is that the simplicity made it super cheap to make as well. Bias tape was $1.89

Fabric $2.19

(which I still have enough to make a bow or flower and some other accessories)

Thread $0.25

Grand Total: $4.33

I've just started a new dress that I totally designed the pattern for and can't wait to see if it turns out. I will keep you update!!

Zoo Day, Beautiful Zoo Day!

2011-02-21T16:51:00.002-06:00

The weather was so lovely last week, we just couldn't pass up a trip to the zoo! I acutally got hot in my capri pants and t-shirt!

The petting zoo was the hit of our day!!
My sweet monkeys!!

It was a little chimp's birthday and the boys were really mezmerized by all the crazy monkeys playing with the party decor'! They were crazy!!

Even though he was scared at first, Morgan loved the goats and even planted some kisses on some lucky nannies!

This is how I felt by the end of the day, but I was so happy to spend the day with my lovely family!

The Long Awaited Diaper Bag!

2011-02-19T10:11:00.000-06:00

My camera totally washed out the beautiful pink color of this bag, but I can't believe how it turned out! I am super thrilled and can't wait to carry it starting in June!

Here is another one of the flowers that I made for my bag. I made it bigger than the ones I made for the baby's hair and used a button I found in my sewing box! I love it!

There is a magnetic snap under the flower to close the bag with the flap that snaps to the front of the bag.

Today's Projects

2011-02-16T22:01:00.002-06:00

We made some sweet flowers today, they were so easy to make that we made four of them! I put them on a barette so they could go in her hair, on a headband, or on this sweet hat!

We also made this cute dress and it is reversable, so it's two dresses in one! I have to add some embellishment to the other side and then I will take some pictures!

Here is another one that goes with another outfit!

See, you can put them in hair too! :)

Crafty Creations: Newest creations

2011-02-15T15:44:00.005-06:00

Here is the latest addition to my collection! I think these are just beautiful, hopefully she won't be a burpy baby and stain them! hehe

Tommy sewed most of these little shoes and did a fabulous job!

I was present for support while working on the burp clothes.

I can't wait to try these on her little feet!

More Snow!

2011-02-11T07:32:00.000-06:00

Going sledding with Daddy!

Seems all we have done lately is go sledding, build snowmen, and drink hot chocolate.....and I wouldn't want it any other way!!!

The boys and I are having a blast with Daddy home and all the fun weather!!

Thrifty and Nifty Thursday: Sweet Deals!

2011-02-10T06:33:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, the Children's Place had some awesome sales going on and for one day they had a code for free shipping and you could also stack a 15% off code with it, making the deals even sweeter!!

I was so excited to get some things for the boys and baby for really cheap (ie. $2.99 for tops and bottoms) and I was super excited to pick up this beautiful coat for the new baby. It was originally $29.50 but I got it for $7.75!! It has soft fir on the collar, bottom, and cuffs....I had to grab it up, since it was such a great deal!

I usually buy clothes from Wal-Mart mostly but when I plan ahead, I can get special things from places we couldn't normally afford!!

I think that's Thrifty and Nifty!

Platypus at 21 Week!

2011-02-09T14:02:00.002-06:00

Here are some pictures of our sweet baby girl at 21 weeks!! The tech said that she was measuring in at 15oz and right at 21 weeks! Our Dr. said everything looked awesome and right on track.....(he said I was a super baby maker, tee-hee-hee)

She had her arm up like this when they took the last pictures too, maybe she likes to pose!

Doesn't she have an adorable nose??

Here is her sweet little foot! I can't wait to try her little shoes on her!!

Snow Day Fun

2011-02-05T04:20:00.000-06:00

Getting all ready to head out and play!!

Let's go people!

Sliding was a little difficult but they finally pushed the snow down the slide!

A cold weather (poor person) treat ~ Biscuit Donuts!

This is a fun treat my mom used to make for us when we were little and it's super cheap and easy! Just buy the cheapest, saddest looking can of biscuits you can find, use something to punch out the middle (I use a pump hair spray plastic lid), and throw them in a skillet of hot oil until brown. I brown one side, then flip. I shake mine in a bowl of cinnamon and sugar or top with chocolate cake icing. The doughnut holes were the first to go!

When using up everything in you cabinets it forces you to be creative ~ and fun!

Crafty Creations: Baby Girl Stuff

2011-02-04T15:56:00.005-06:00

Here are my latest creations!

I am LOVING Tom being home during the day!! He has helped me sew, cut, iron, clean, and entertain little ones!! These are some of the projects we have completed so far!

A diaper changing pad for the matching diaperbag!
(pics coming soon)

Tiny Shoes

A Reversable Bib! Yes, the pattern is sideways, but I was trying to use up some scraps.

Another view of the shoes.

The shoes are not perfect by any means, but for a first try and being so difficult and small to deal with, I am pretty happy with how they turned out.

Organizing on a Budget

2011-02-03T00:48:00.000-06:00

In my Fresh Start post, I talked about how I really wanted to get on top of the house and get things on a schedule and organized. Well, getting organized sometimes means buying things to stash your stuff in and that can get really expensive. I love bins, baskets, and tubs but our budget just doesn't allow for my house to look like an ad out of Pottery Barn, so I decided to use what I already had on hand.

I have a cabinet in my kitchen where I stash leftover food containers - everything from french fried onion cans, Nesquik tubs, and bulk Pop-tart boxes. I don't keep a ton, just a few in all different sizes and shapes. As I buy something from the store that needs a new home I pull out a container and go to work!

This canister used to have chocolate milk powder in it. I simply washed it out and dried it and now it's ready to become a home to things like gummy snacks, goldfish crackers, or bottles of food coloring. I also used them for little toys, blocks, and hair supplies....the possibilities are endless!

My supplies are things you probably already have on hand scrapbook paper or construction paper, double sided tape, tape, and scissors. If you don't have double sided tape just use the regular tape and it will work beautifully! After holding the paper to the can to measure it I just simply cut it out and start putting double sided tape in vertical lines randomly around the can.

Then just simply wrap the paper tightly around the can and tape the seam with regular tape for extra strength. If your paper isn't long enough to go all the way around, I just simply cut an extra strip of paper and place it on the can first then tape my two sides of my wrapping paper to it.

Voila!! Finished can! It takes under five minutes from start to finish and probably cost me around $0.25 for the paper and tape, not to mention it's also re-purposing something that would go into a landfill!

Here are some of my completed canisters in my cabinets. I just decided to do fun random patterns, but you could easily coordinate your cupboards, play closet, or bath cabinet.

I also have some cute square boxes that I have covered with cheap wrapping paper. They were bulk Pop-Tart boxes and I used them to store things like Easy Mac packages, lots of Pop-tarts, and other sleeves of crackers and snacks. They fit great in my cupboards, I'm able to minimize packaging on my shelves giving me more room, and I can easily pull down the bin to get what I need to.

Here is my cute model, displaying my newest canister!! The boys love to get these down and eat Goldfish crackers out of them and I don't have to worry about the cheap paper bag getting torn or the crackers getting smashed and broken.

Remembering Warmer Days

2011-02-02T12:42:00.000-06:00

Remember those two freak days of summer weather way back forever ago.....oh yeah that was only a couple days ago! Well, we had a blast and can't wait for summer to arrive for good!!

Family Schedule: Tuesday

2011-02-01T03:04:00.000-06:00

Tuesdays mean it's time to tackle the Dining Room and Playroom!

The dining room is one of the easiest rooms to clean in the house. I wipe down the table after every meal so really all I have to do is sweep, clean the wood floors, sweep the staircase, and polish the wood. Our house was built in 1904 so we have awesome hardwood floors and this great 4 inch molding around every window in the house. As beautiful as this is, this leads to alot of cans of polish being bought month after month. Thanks so the dog, after each meal all crumbs and table scraps are cleaned up off the floor so sweeping is a breeze!

Thank goodness the dining room is so easy because it is paired with......bum, bum, bum.... the playroom!!! SO.MANY.TOYS. I go through the toys all the time and yet they seem to be procreating, especially those little toy sets with all the tiny pieces. Okay, I think I'm having a panic attack just thinking about it. I try to always have the boys sit at the dining room table when they eat and snack, but somehow crumbs seem to just find their way into every bin, crack, and crevice in that room.

Anyway, I take out the toys and sort them into Grant's bin and Morgan's bin. While sorting them, I wipe them down with a cleaning wipe and take out anything that isn't being played with, is broken, or is missing pieces. I have one bin in the craft/toy closet where I stash these items and after a couple weeks, if no one has missed them I get rid of them. I vacuum their play rug and the couch, sweep, clean the wood, and wipe down their craft table. When I'm feeling especially "nesty" I will take the rails off the train table and wipe that all down, but that's a once a month kind of activity(and if I plan it right, it will happen on a day when Morgan's lack of hand-eye coordination has already destroyed the tracks.) Tom loves to put it all back together so I leave it for him! :)

Over the years, I have inherited/accumulated tons of craft supplies, art things, and books so our large closet in the playroom is dedicated to these things. (Anyone want some supplies???) So I try to re-organize this area once a month as well.

I would LOVE some input on what YOU do in your play area and how you keep things from getting out of hand in their space. Any great tips or organizing ideas???

Family Schedule: Monday

2011-01-31T09:34:00.001-06:00

So in Part One, I showed you what a week at the Howard House looks like and in Part Two shared my reasoning for why and how I felt decluttering was a super important step before cleaning could even happen. Now I want to go into further detail on what I actually do on each day.

On Mondays I tackle the Kitchen and Laundry!

I grouped the kitchen with my laundry day that way I can scrub the kitchen, then throw the cleaning towels into my hot load. I scheduled the kitchen on Mondays because some how, over the weekend, the place just gets totally trashed. For the kitchen, I usually use Ajax to scrub my white sink(obviously someone who never has to clean a sink designed a white sink - eye roll)and counter tops. I have usually run the dishwasher the night before so that gets unloaded. I try to reorganize my shelves and take inventory of what we are getting low on. This really helps my menu planning and why not do it while I'm moving and wiping down items anyway. I wipe down the cabinet fronts and drawers, and once a month, I get out the wood polish and oil my cabinets. I try to washout the fridge and organize it while I'm taking inventory too. I sweep and use the wood cleaner on the floor and at the end of the day, I lay out the clean rug that I've washed!

When I stay on top of this and do it every week, I've found that it only takes me 30-45 minutes to clean the entire place down and be finished. I've also found that when the boys see me doing this in the kitchen, I'm blessed with a nice amount of quiet time! It's a great time to pop in a sermon tape or some praise music!! Maybe they are scared I'm going to make them work?? I haven't cleaned the inside of my dilapidated oven since moving in the house, anyone have a great way of doing this??

The laundry also got moved to Mondays because I try not to do any real work during the weekend and by Monday it is super full. I usually end up doing two loads of laundry on Monday, a warm load and a hot load. I'm so blessed to have a new washer and dryer at this house and they hold a TON! We've been dealing with a diaper rash with Morgan, so we've had to switch to disposable diapers for a while in order to heal his cute tiny heiny, but normally I would have a third load to do as well. Washing is the easy part, putting it away seems to be my nemesis. Since I've started with the schedule it has been much easier as I feel true accomplishment when I can check it totally off my list for the day! I've also found that if I get it all started early, I can carry the boy's clothes upstairs at nap time and then, poof, I'm done!!!

Are there any great tips you could share to make kitchen cleaning any easier? Anything you do in your kitchen or laundry room that has helped you get it all done faster or better?? I would love to hear!

Family Schedule: Part Two

2011-01-29T07:15:00.002-06:00

So in Part One, I talked about what my week looks like in just a quick overview form. I'm really hoping that by getting all these habits started now, by the time a third child enters our home in June it will feel like old hat. My other goal while doing all of these things is to declutter each area as I go.

I read a statistic the other day that said ~ cleaning a house that is cluttered and messy takes 40% longer to clean than an organized house!

That means if I usually spend an hour cleaning everyday, that if my house is cluttered with papers, junk I'm not using, and toys that aren't being played with, I'm spending an extra 24 minutes a day wasting my time!! I don't know about you, but I know a TON of things I could do in 24 minutes - FUN THINGS!!

My other reason for really wanting to get organized is that it's just nice to have a peaceful and welcoming home. I've always wanted to have a home where I could open my door and welcome in anyone at anytime and I'm almost there. We've be able to bless many other people with things we don't need anymore and it's just freeing to have a home for everything. Not to brag but the new kitchen island I got for Christmas has three lighters in it for candles and is TOTALLY empty other than that. I'm wondering if I can put non-kitchen items in there, you know, like off season clothes and underwear, hehe.

I'm not sure if I'm doing this stuff right, but I would love to hear what you do as I share all next week about what each day looks like. If you have suggestions, ideas, cleaning cheats, or things that didn't work I would love for you to share!

Brothers

2011-01-28T09:50:00.001-06:00

Family Schedule: Part One

2011-01-27T12:57:00.004-06:00

So the last time I blogged about goals it landed me in and out of the ER for the next three day and then an overnight admit to the hospital.....so we'll see what this throws my way! I always love that just when you think you have things figured out, God has a sense of humor and knocks you on your behind!

In an effore to meet goal #3 and #5 for the new year, I really felt like I needed to get on some sort of schedule. I always had a rough plan in mind but the weekend would roll around and I would realize I hadn't really accomplished any full tasks and I would have to OVERHAUL clean. Not only was this hard on me, but Tom, who works so hard already, was having to help out alot! He doesn't mind and does it with a happy heart, but I didn't feel this was really fair. This also started cutting into our family/free time and this is not what I wanted to spend those precious hours on.

So this past week, I really started writing down my plan. It has evolved over the week as I realized some rooms are better to do on certain days and certain rooms can't share a day with another chore.

So here is a peek into what my week looks like.

I'm hoping by sharing it will keep me accountable and I will get to hear some tips, tricks, and schedules that you follow!

Mondays: Laundry & Kitchen

Tuesdays: Dining Room & Playroom

Wednesday: Bathrooms & Living Room

Thursday: Laundry & Bedrooms

Friday: Bills & Filing

Saturday: Family Movie Time

Sunday: Family Sunday

Do you follow a schedule or does going with the flow make your life easier? Do you have a plan for the week?

Family Fun at the Bouncy Barn

2011-01-18T16:21:00.004-06:00

We were so happy to get some super cheap passes off of Groupon and were able to go to the Bouncy Barn for the first time last week!! It was such a treat and was a nice break from sleeping in the ER the night before.

It was supposed to be our long family weekend, but with two ER visits and an overnight stay at the hospital after being admitted we just barely squeezed in some fun! Daddy did all the work while I read a book and took picture!!

I love how good to the boys sleep after bouncing off so much energy!!! I hope we can visit again!!

Morgan had the best time in the ball pit!! He loves balls, and he loves saying "Ball" it's so cute!!

Playing Catch-up: Christmas

2011-01-14T02:50:00.000-06:00

Our house with the lights!

Oh Christmas Tree!!

Our "banquet hall" I mean dining room. We hosted 12 people!! It was so fun!!

Opening up presents with Mama!!

My Truck!

New jammies!! We are addicted to Cars!

I hate character clothes but jammies are the one place I can stand it!

Trying out my new scooter from Nana and Papa while wearing my new play hat!!
The boy loves hats!!

We hope your Christmas was as great as our!!

Thrifty and Nifty Thursday: 105% Savings!!!

2011-01-12T20:47:00.006-06:00

So I left the house this evening for the first time since Saturday, you know except for visiting the ER and hospital numerous times over the past 5 days!! Anyway, I had a great coupon that we had received when we moved to Sapulpa to Drug Warehouse. I was skeptical but it said it was worth $20 and to use it like cash!

So I got all the stuff above plus two ice cream sandwiches for a treat!! My Grand total was $20.23, then I had a $2.00 off coupon for the hair color, yes I color my hair, my dad just now got that....heheh! So when she hit the $20 coupon, she said, "Looks like I owe you $1.75." Huh-what??? And she proceeded to give it to me. I still can believe I got paid $1.75 to buy all this stuff, especially the $9 box of hair color!!! The Lord is good!!

A Fresh Start!

2011-01-04T13:19:00.005-06:00

I love making lists!! I love checking off the things that I've accomplished - it's so fulfilling!!! Since it is a new year and things have now slower down from the holidays, we've decided to reevaluate some things.

1.) Budgeting - our next big goal is to sell/trade the scooter and a trailer we bought in the move, and buy Tom a car. It's getting hard for me to make it to Dr's' appointments and other necessary appointments these days - I'm still on the fence about it since I only need the car about 3 times a month, but it was a good run for two years with just our one car. We also are going to try and lower other expenses in order to cover the new cost of additional gas and insurance, this way we can keep our same $500 going to savings each month. Tom said we can look at the budget tonight...I'm giddy!!

2.) Menu Planning - in order to start from scratch and get us back on track, January is going to be an official "Eat us out of house and home" month. My goal is to not buy anything besides milk and things that are a MUST to complete a meal I already have in my cabinets!! I'm so excited, my goal is to spend under $100 on groceries this month to recoup some money from hosting 12 people twice over November and December, not to mention we have plenty of food in the house and I would love to have empty cupboards to scrub and clean at the end of the month!!!

3.) Cleaning - With baby number 3 on the way, I'm feeling the need to nest and get organized!!! I'm beginning to get some strength back on some days, so I've jumped in full swing with packing away outgrown clothes, cleaning out cabinets in the laundry room and bathroom, and have even re-organized the school/play closet. My goal is to have us pared down to essentials by the end of the month so that my life will be easier and our family time wont be wasted on cleaning and tidying the house constantly. I'm also hoping to implement a new weekly schedule to stay on top of the cleaning, just so I'm not overhauling the house one day a week, who has the time and energy??

4.)Prep for Baby - I'm also trying to get a jump on sewing new things for the baby. With Morgan, I waited until about month 7 to really get things completed, but I'm hoping that throughout January and February I can get most of my things sewn together. I've already got the diaper bag pieces all cut out and they are ready to assemble. Now all I have left is two pair of little slippers, a changing pad, blanket, and some bibs.

5.) Family Time - We have had so much on our plate lately that family time as slipped to the very bottom. We have had a house full of company, been driving here and there, and I did quite a bit of contract work in December. I'm ready to go back to quiet evenings at home together and just relax. This helps the budget too, so it's a win win!! Most nights this month Tom has been home around 5:30 which is a great improvement over the last 3 months AND he has TWO long weekends this month (on call Thursdays). Next month he is house officer and we are really looking forward to him being home most days!!

I can't wait to check these goals off by (hopefully) the end of January!

Have you set any goals for this month???

I'd love to hear about them!

I'm trying to keep my lists short for each month in an effort to not get overwhelmed and burnt out. Hopefully by the end of 2011 we will accomplish all the things that God has laid on our hearts as important goals for our family!!

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-24T09:47:00.000-06:00

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward man! Luke 2:14

Christmas Train

2010-12-23T06:34:00.000-06:00

All of us on the way into Christmas train! Grant had already heard the train, so getting him to look at the camera was impossible! Come on people, let's go!!!

None of my pictures turned out from the big train, but Grant wanted me to post this picture of him riding the little train!! He loved it!

This is where we enjoyed a delicious hotdog, french fries, water, cookie, and a can of coke. I haven't had a can of coke in forever, man it tasted great!!

I just love hats with ears!!

Waiting for the train!!

Riding the carousel!!

It was a last minute decision to go for my birthday because the weather was so nice that day. I'm so glad we decided to go, we had a great time as a family!!

Wrapping it up!

2010-12-22T11:36:00.002-06:00

Aren't these the cutest little boxes? They were for gift cards, I think, but they were just the perfect size for the cute little ornaments Grant made! I just wrapped a little tissue around the ornament and slid it in, perfect fit!!

Only 3 days left!!!

Daddy's on Watch

2010-12-21T18:21:00.003-06:00

So I always try to have Grant paint while Morgan takes his nap, but Daddy does things differently......not badly, just differently (that's my mantra!)

I had been assured things were taken care of while I was resting on the bed, but then I heard Morgan saying, "Uh oh, uh oh" and looked up and there he was!! Paint in the hair, on his hands, all over his pants.

Why is my son not wearing a shirt??? Oh, because 5 minutes before this, Morgan had smeared paint all over his shirt. Anyone seeing a pattern??

Well the boys all had fun in the tub!! :) I was just thankful for the rest!

Platypus Howard

2010-12-17T09:21:00.007-06:00

So I'm finally getting around to scanning this picture in, took me long enough!

Here is our newest little blessing!!! Baby three is on it's way!!!!

I'm at 13 weeks right now and we head back to the doctor on December 29th to find out what we are having, hopefully not a platypus.....we've been joking that that is what the picture looks like.

Yummy Goodness!!

2010-12-16T20:56:00.003-06:00

Here are the awesome ornaments that Grant made! He did such a great job using the cookie cutters for the first time and he painted them with the glitter glue all by himself!!

I just love making gift baskets, I wish I had more call to make them more often.

Aren't ginger bread cookies just delicious?? They are my fave, I don't know why I don't make them more often. I always seem to make them mostly when I'm pregnant because they really help with th nausea!

Some assembly required!

2010-12-16T09:05:00.000-06:00

Daddy always has his little helper with everything he does and boy does this boy want this play place put together TODAY!!!

Christmas Goodies

2010-12-15T12:40:00.002-06:00

I'm so excited that I finally finished all the resident's gifts for Christmas!! Now all I have left is to put together the gift basket for our program director, make 8 dozen cookies for everyone on Friday at academics, and make sure my husband remembers to TAKE it all to work!!

As always, I had a cute little helper elf helping me!!! He cut the ribbon for me and handed me jars and the little tags to finish them up!!

The Simple Life: God Provides

2010-10-06T13:45:00.004-05:00

I think we often forget that God is interested in even the most insignificant details of our lives and that He does work EVERYTHING for our good!

Last night we were watching a show on food network and we both commented on how long it has been since we went out and enjoyed a really good bowl of chicken alfredo pasta WITH BACON, YUMMY!!! This is something that we both really enjoy, but only comes as a treat!

Tom called me at lunch time and said, "Don't make dinner, I'm bringing home a surprise!!" We chatted a little more and as always I was nosy and said, "Do I need to cook something for the boys or do we all like it?" Tom said he couldn't hold the news in any longer!! The lecturer today at work had brought Johnny Carino's! Yummmmm, I thought and then Tom said, "It's chicken alfredo pasta.....with bacon!!"

Isn't God great??? He supplies our needs and even some of our wants. Tom is bringing home a lovely FREE dinner, because no one else wanted any! Remember God knows what is best for us, He knows our likes and dislikes, He knows our needs and wants, you don't even have to ask.

GOD PROVIDES!

GIVEAWAY!!!! YES ANOTHER ONE!!!

2010-09-16T21:18:00.001-05:00

It must be that time of season!!! Go here to win a cute cinch sac!!

Allison's Giveaway!!

2010-09-10T16:04:00.002-05:00

Head on over to Allison's page and enter her fun giveaway!!! I hope I win!!

Giveaway!!!

2010-08-20T17:25:00.001-05:00

Don't forget to head over and register to win this great prize!!!

We have signed with both of our boys and have found it a great way to communicate before all the vocabulary is there...........not to mention it's just fun!

The Simple Life: Needs

2010-08-14T03:51:00.003-05:00

I really enjoy eating brown sugar cinnamon Pop-tarts, yummmm. Anytime of day, I can't think of a more delicious snack to have. They are perfect at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even as a bedtime snack!!! OK, so you get my obsession, I NEED a Pop-tart!!

Oh, how far from the truth that is. In America, most of us have no idea what a need is. Have most of us ever gone to bed hungry because there was absolutely nothing to eat and no money to buy something? Have we been so long out of work that we depended on housing from a shelter or food from the food bank? Have we lived in a hut and slept on the dirt or mud depending on the season? Have we been afraid that our children might not live to be two years old because of a deadly disease that here in America there is a simple vaccine for?

Many see a need as a designer purse, name brand clothes, or the latest and greatest electronic gizmo. Some people believe that having a bedroom for each child, having a cell phone, or even having two cars is a need. When we were first married, we believed many of these things. We had no thought of the future and no focus on what being a good steward meant. We've look back on many purchases we have made in the past and see the total waste of money.

We made many mistakes but graciously the Lord has extended His mercy and continued to bless our family.

A need is a necessity. To our family the only things that are a necessity are nourishment, clothing, shelter, and the Lord. These items don't have to be the best of the best, top of the line, and depending on your place in life, might go against the norm. When we were still in college and still newly weds, I was an Resident Assistant on my floor. This gave me a huge meal plan and free room and board. Many thought we were crazy to continue to live in the dorms, but this saved us a fortune. Many thought we were crazy for managing apartments for family and living there free for two years, but again, it was such a blessing.

We only have one car, yes, Tom has a scooter that he rides to work and again, many people think we are crazy. But in the process I have been blessed with the ability to just enjoy being home. There are many times things have had to be passed up or planned out, but in being intentional about our trips out, we spend less and save more. We save more of ourselves for our family. We save time by getting things all at once. We save money and in such have enjoyed being able to give to others more due to all the money we have saved in gas, insurance, and the money one spends on running around town.

We are content with this life that God has given us.

We really feel that life is simple, easy, and enjoyable just the way it is. Yes, there are hard times, but we have every NEED met and also have so much more. We are blessed to live in America, have a fabulous family, have a job, and have a home, food, and clothes. We are also blessed to have been chosen to be a child of the King, which when it boils down to it, is really the only TRUE need in life!

But my God shall supply ALL your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

The Simple Life: Contentment

2010-08-07T00:06:00.003-05:00

I think being content is one of the best things in life, it may also be one of the hardest things as well. I love this post from Money Saving Mom, I encourage you to read and think about it. I think to live simply one has to start at the heart of the matter. All the good intentions in the world will not get one to the place of being happy with the simple things unless their heart is in it.

I went to an event last week with many longtime doctor's wives, and the conversation dwelt on stuff, the need for it, the desire for it, and the "pain" of delayed gratification. As I left the event, I felt so downcast. I had let those women, who could now have almost anything they wanted and had already too much stuff, drag me down into thinking how "bad off we were." But then I realized with even all the money they had, they weren't happy or content. They were looking for more, hunting for fulfillment, and complaining because of needs/wants that weren't being met.

There is never enough time, never enough money, and never enough stuff to keep one happy. Only true fulfillment comes from the Lord above. He supplies ALL we need. Jesus Himself gave us an example of how to pray...."Give us THIS day our daily bread." Just as God supplied manna every day in the wilderness for His people, He will supply all we need. We don't need to be concerned about what tomorrow will bring or how we will provide for our family tomorrow, God will take care of everything! I'm not saying it will be easy or a cake walk, but we can rest on the fact that God will supply all our needs, we don't have to concern ourselves with what we don't have or what we think we need.

I know that it is very easy to look to the future as our hope and see the present as a (hopefully) short time of heartache, delayed gratification, and sacrifice. But what if today is all you have? What if the raise never comes, the easy times never come your way? What if the heartache continues for a lifetime? Can you be content that God knows exactly what He is dealing you?

I know there has been many times when I now look back and realize those hard times were the best times. They brought me closer to God, closer to my husband, and brought me many times to my knees.

Are you content with where you are in life?

Are you content with the big things like:

~being home with your children?

~the home you've been blessed with?

~the job your husband has?

~the money God has lent to you?

Are you content with the small things like:

~the clothes/shoes/purses in your closet

~the car you drive

~the food you eat

~the stuff you own

I would love to hear the battles and successes you have had over discontentment.

The Simple Life

2010-07-31T00:00:00.004-05:00

I long for the days of sitting on the veranda with a good book, corresponding through snail mail with family and friends, and hitching up the buggy on Sunday to "go to meetin' " as they say. I crave a simpler time, a simpler place where life was about family and faith. I'm tired of the fast paced hustle and bustle of many trying to impress, fulfill themselves with things, and the need to buy the latest and greatest......

Starting in August, I will be writing a series on living simply. This topic has been on our hearts lately and in an effort to get our actions where the Lord is leading our family, I thought it would be fun to blog about some of the convictions God has laid on our hearts.

If you want to link up and share some of the ways God has led you in these areas, I would LOVE to hear about them! My goal is to encourage and gain insight from others and the convictions our family have may not be right for you and vise versa.

These are just some of the topics I will be talking about.

~Contentment
~What is a need
~Treasures
~Stuff
~Budgeting
~Sacrificing
~Being Busy
~Blessings

The Aquarium

2010-07-30T05:24:00.001-05:00

During our vacation time with Daddy last month, we headed over to the aquarium in Jenks and had a blast! It was great to get out of the heat and spend some family time together! (See we do spend money, JK)

Since we are residents of Jenks right now, we got a super cheap deal to get in, so decided to jump on it!

My little deep sea divers! Everyone LOVED the sharks!

Is this a relative?

The turtles were a favorite as well!

They had some new exhibits opening soon, so if you haven't been in a while, you might want to head back! I saw that the first week of August is SHARK WEEK!! Should be exciting!

Thrifty & Nifty Thursdays: Shopping

2010-07-29T13:40:00.000-05:00

This week I scored some fabulous deals at the store!!

At CVS I got:

6 bottles of Palmolive

1 box of Kotex U tampons

2 bottles of Biotrue contact solution

TOTAL $25.61

After sales, coupons, and ECB = $1.07 spent

I also scored a $25 giftcard for when I fill my next prescription

At Target I got:

4-8pk of Juicy Juice

2 boxes of Bagel Bites

6 cans of Chef Boyardee (all free)

4 -9pk of Bic pens (all free)

1 box of Cars gummies -not on list :(

1-4 pack of Easy mac

2 boxes of Hamburger Helper

1lb of Strawberries

2 tubes of Aquafresh toothepaste

1 gl of milk

1 bottle of syrup

TOTAL $47.41

After sales and coupons = $22.29 spent

At Walgreens I got:

6 bottles of Ajax

1-pk of glue

9 pks of Dentine Gum

TOTAL $20.00

After sales and coupons = $6.42

Love Dare: Day 1

2010-07-29T10:57:00.002-05:00

Can I go all day without saying something negative to Tom? Can I be patient and understanding? It's better to keep your mouth totally shut than say something that tears someone down!

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building each other up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Completing Him: Letting Him Lead

2010-07-28T00:00:00.002-05:00

This week's challenge was to talk to our husbands about the goals they have for our families. Where do they see us in 1 year, 5 years, and even 10 years down the road. Our goals as wives should be to support that vision any way we can, and most times that means stepping back and letting our husband's lead and being the behind the scenes helper.

In our family I try to always clear things through Tom first and with his busy schedule, sometimes that means waiting. This past week Tom has been super busy. Well, many things had transpired during that time, so I had a lot to run by him. My friend had offered us a dog house, I had some shops available, and I had seen some items on clearance we needed. I ran those all by Tom because he likes to know where the money in the envelopes is going. He worked on the budget and set the amounts up and we both feel that he is ultimately responsible for bringing in the money, making sure we are being good stewards of what the Lord has blessed us with, and seeing that wise decisions are being made. This doesn't of course mean that he is paying the monthly bills, stocking up on good sales, or buying our groceries. I do all of that but he has the lead in that department.

Now maybe this seems extreme to many of you, but personally, I don't want to have that kind of responsibility. This is one of many areas we feel the Lord wants the man to be in charge of, but I work with Tommy's vision for our family and try to carry it out to the best of my ability. You see, one of our vision is to be debt free in the next five years. That's where we know God wants us to be and we know that it is doable. Tom's goal is that we continue to save now and once he starts practice continue to live like we always have. Just because we might get a raise, doesn't mean our budget should. Once we are debt free we can continue to give, but on a much larger scale and bless those in need. Yes, once we have our student debt and home paid off, we would love to enjoy some extra blessings for our family but our life wont change that much. If we are happy and healthy with a resident's salary, then we don't need anything else.

Another part of our vision is to see that our children love the Lord and we feel one of the most important aspect of that goal, is to model behavior that is pleasing to God. It takes work to be purposeful in everything one does, but to us, that is why we are still on this earth. We will homeschool them, teach them about God's gifts to us, and how to pass those treasures onto others around them.

I personally love setting goals. I love seeing the dedication and hard work go in and the payoff at the end. Do you have a vision for your family?

Fun at Anay-nay's

2010-07-24T15:34:00.003-05:00

I'm a little behind with pictures but right after we got back to Oklahoma my sister Annie (Anay-nay to Grant) had us out to their farm in Mannford. We had a great time together, had some wonderful food and had fun splashing in the water.

The boys had never been on a slip-n-slide before and thought this was great! The men had shot guns earlier in the day beofre the womenfolk had arrived with the chillins. Shooting Tom broke his finger and then later he twisted his leg really bad on the water slide.....maybe country livin' ain't for my man!

Completing Him Challenge: Make Him a Priority

2010-07-23T16:49:00.003-05:00

So this week, in an effort to make Tommy a priority, I have been making sure he has time to rest when he gets home. I'm bad at trying to immediately get him involved in whatever the boys and I are doing, but he needs time to unwind and clear his mind so he can spend quality time with us! He deserves a break too!

Tom is a food-aholic, so I've also been trying to cook food he loves, this isn't hard since he loves almost anything, but I've gotten some of his favorites out.

It's not hard to make someone a priority when you love them, it's just easy to forget! I love you Bunny!

Chance meeting? I think not!

2010-06-15T15:52:00.005-05:00

This weeks challenge is to share how we met our wonderful husband, so here goes....

I was a 2nd semester freshman, Tom was a second semester Junior. He had been the floor president on the 3rd floor in Willham North for a couple years, a vacancy had just come available on my floor, the 2nd floor, and I stepped up to take the job. I had gone to only one hall wide meeting and met a few people, but I had made a lasting impression on a guy I'd never even seen or spoken to.

Tom says that the moment he saw me at the meeting, he knew he had to meet me, so a couple of days later when an incident happened on his floor, he saw his chance. Tom's RA was a pot head that was univolved and never present on his floor. Tommy called me to help him when a problem arose a week later. There were some guys smoking pot on his floor and he asked me to come help. I said I would be right up, but in my head I was thinking, "Why are you calling me? I've been a president for one week, I don't know what to do?"

I was soon in his room and we discussed what we would do. We decided we should verify for sure what the huge cloud of smoke was coming from and then we would call the hall leader and the police. Out we trudged down the hall. Tommy knocked on the door and the "brainiacs" actually opened the door to see what we wanted. After being knocked over by billowing smoke, we called the authorites and allowed the professionals take over.

While still in his room, after finishing our reports, Tommy asked me if I wanted to come back later that evening to watch a movie with his floor! Way to take advantage of the situation! And here we are today! A couple months later Tommy asked me to marry him and on June 12, 2004 we were married at Theta Pond on the OSU Campus!

God had a plan for our lives, He had a perfect plan! I learned from this experience that SOMEONE is always watching. I went to a meeting to help out when a floor president was needed, but a guy I didn't even know was watching and liked what he saw. God is always there watching too! No matter how small the role, no matter what situation, remember someone is watching you and hopefully they are encouraged with what they see. Our lives are always a tool to witness and share God's love. Remember - even our smallest action can influence those around us.

To The Love of My Life!

2010-06-13T18:32:00.004-05:00

It seems like only yesterday we met on a drug bust at college! The years have flown by and I am truly blessed to have a caring, compassionate, and loving husband like you!

We've had such a ride together! It hasn't always been easy, but together we have battled many things together, only making ou love grow stronger!

You always make me laugh and always have a helpful action of encouraging word for me! Six years has flown by and our love has produced an amazing little family!

I thank God for you and all the hard work you do for our family. We are so blessed to have a great spiritual leader in our home that guides us in the ways of Christ! Our life together has been very difficult at some points, but we have trusted in God and rested on the fact that He has a great plan for our family!

I hope God blessed us with man more years together!!

I also hope He sends us more silly monkeys!!! I love you!

One Year Later!

2010-06-13T17:56:00.004-05:00

Morgan, I can't believe you've been in our lives for over a year now! You are so special to us and we wouldn't trade you for anything. God truly blessed us when He sent you our way!The first six months of life were hard on you (and me) with you being so colicky and upset. You screamed from 8pm to 3am every night for nearly 3 months. It made us so sad to see you in such pain, and once we finally got you on some medicine the screaming got toned down a bit.

You have just grown so quickly and have a sweet ornery streak! You can climb up anything, figure out how to get into the strangest places, and are super smart when it comes to figuring out how things work!! You learned to walk over a month ago and there has been no stopping you!
You can say "Caaa" when you see Brody, "Dah" when you see Brinkley, and can say Dada and Mama really clearly when you want something! You LOVE LOVE LOVE to drink out of cups and are thirsty all the time!

You love to cuddle and will sit and look through books, just like you know what they say. Your a great dancer and can dunk a mean basketball!!

We love you so much!!

Be the Woman Your Man Needs!!

2010-06-09T12:43:00.002-05:00

Join Women Living Well for the Completing Him Challenge!!

Here's the Topic Schedule for those who want to link up each week:

June 7 - announce to your readers you are participating by posting the button on your site and leaving your link below.

June 14 – Post Pictures from your dating days (or tell us all about it!). Think about one thing you used to do or have as a couple that you have lost in the shuffle of life. How can you regain it?

June 21 - Remember Your Vows - post pictures of your wedding day. We will review the sacredness of this day.

June 28 - Ask your husband every morning how you can pray for him that day. Bonus: Fast and pray for him one day this week.

July 5 - Admire Your Husband. Write this post and then show it to him! He will smile!

July 12 - Make a list of 5 things you currently do and ask him to prioritize them for you of what is important to him. For example - a clean home, home cooked dinner, coupon clipping, service at church, having friends over for dinner, watching/doing sports with him, etc.

July 19 - Make him a priority. Ask him what his favorite dinner, dessert and drink are. Be sure to serve him all three one night this week. Bonus: cook his favorite dishes all week long!

July 26 - Support his vision. Discuss his vision for your family. Where does he see your family in 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. Share with us how you let your husband lead.

August 2 - R-E-S-P-E-C-T! No complaining, criticizing, rolling your eyes, nagging, or giving him any friction this week. Enjoy a week of peace in your home!

August 9 - Kiss Him Like You Mean It (and be sure the door is locked!)

Gratefulness

2010-05-09T14:25:00.003-05:00

I'm so grateful on this Mother's Day! I have been truly blessed in so many ways! In our society we get so wrapped up in the rush of everyday life, we often forget how easy we have it and how many things we have that others never experience.

Have you ever taken the time to think about what you really have??? Have you ever really thought about what other families are going without?

I'm grateful I have a working washer and dryer - can you imagine leaning over a washtub for hours hand scrubbing your families clothes? Don't even get me started on having to hand wash our cloth diapers! :)

I'm grateful for our one car and scooter that God has blessed us with! I've not only learned that it's a want to have two vehicles, not a need; but, I've also learned I need to be home with my babies! (Also, when I leave the house I not only spend gas money, but we spend money on food and other things we don't need!)

I'm grateful to be able to stay home and raise my babies! I can't imagine allowing someone else to shape and mold them. I can't imagine someone else seeing their first step or hearing their first word and then being told about it.

I'm grateful for a hard working husband who gives his time and energy to help others. It is a sacrifice for us, but we know that God is using him to heal bodies and lead others to the Lord! I'm so lucky to be married to my best friend!!!

I'm grateful for two silly, healthy, crazy, goofy, sweet, caring, dirty, cuddly, and lively boys!!! I know there are many couples that are never blessed with their own babies or who have babies that are sick or handicapped. I can't believe that God blessed us so much by giving us our own sweet babies!!!

I'm grateful for my family and friends! I'm truly blessed to have a great support system that is always there for me through the ups and downs. I'm thankful for my parents who instilled God's love in me and who has moved me to and from EVERY place I have lived.

I'm grateful for a beautiful, warm home to raise my family in! I can't even imagine what being homeless would be like. I can't imagine how a mother feels when her babies are cold and living in filth. Can you imagine living in a hut with bugs and mud around you?

I'm so grateful for cabinets full of food when many people go to bed hungry. How do you comfort family members with empty bellies?

I'm grateful to live in a free country, where I can worship my Lord, vote as I see fit, own a gun, and not be afraid of a bomb exploding in my back yard. I know that many of these freedoms are under fire right not, but we still have it so much better than most people do.

I'm grateful for some wants that the Lord has truly blessed us with. I'm grateful for our TV's, a beautiful bedroom set, pretty dishes, and some nice shoes and purses. I'm grateful for my jar of bubble bath, for my computer, and for the beautiful flowers in my garden.

Our family has been truly blessed, maybe we don't have everything we want but we have all our needs met and so so so much more!! Our hope is to instill this kind of grateful spirit in our children, so that they can enjoy the simple things and remember that EVERY good and perfect gift is from above!!!

Motherhood Mondays: Guest Interview

2010-03-15T04:00:00.001-05:00

Today I'd like to welcome author and speaker Susie Larson. Susie's new book Growing Grateful Kids has just released and I've invited her to share a little bit about this great resource.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

My husband and I have been married 25 years and have three grown sons (all in their early twenties). Our oldest son Jake works on the business side of the Christian music industry. Our middle son Luke is married to his beautiful wife Kristen; he works full time at a bank and part time as a worship pastor. Our youngest son Jordan is studying to become a surgical nurse. My husband Kevin is a commercial construction manager by day and manages my ministry by night (and weekends). Bless his heart.  I am an author, speaker, and an on-call radio host for Christian talk radio. Together, Kevin and I serve as advocates for justice on behalf of modern day slaves and human trafficking victims.

Tell us about your new book, Growing Grateful Kids: Teaching Them to Appreciate an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Places.

Even when economic times are tight, our children enjoy an abundance of material possessions. Yet, amidst all this wealth, discontentment and competition seem to be on the rise. Instead of teaching children virtues such as gratefulness and patience, many parents are bending over backwards to get their children the latest and greatest item - or feeling guilty when they can't. In spite of the currents of materialism and entitlement that flow so strong, it is possible to raise children who are simply grateful. Though teaching perspective and gratitude to our children is critical, it is not difficult.

Why did you want to write this book?

To be completely honest, I never wanted to write a book on parenting. I wanted to protect my kids’ privacy and give them time and space to become the men God wants them to be. But in the last few years, I have been especially burdened with the level of selfishness, entitlement and disrespect I see among children today. Furthermore, moms seem more stressed than ever. When I asked my sons their thoughts on writing this book, without pausing they all said, “Do it, mom; that book needs to be written!” I think I wrote a book that not only equips young moms to raise humble, grateful world-changers, but also one that nourishes the soul of the reader and encourages her personally.

Throughout the book you remind the reader that we cannot impart what we do not possess. Can you explain?

If we never deal with our own fears, insecurities, and hang ups, but we try to teach our children to believe in their divine value, over time, our words will not ring true to them. First God wants to do His work in us before He does it through us. They say that lessons are more often caught than taught. If we parent from a place of conviction and real freedom, our children will be affected by what we teach them.

One of your chapters is titled, “Take Time to Play.” How does taking time to play teach our kids to be grateful?

To me, taking time to play says a lot about the level of faith we possess.

If our children hear us confess that we love and serve a BIG God and yet they see us striving and straining through life, they will come to believe that more is on our shoulders than on God’s. If we can trust God enough to step away from our busy-important lives, to make a fort in the basement, or play a game with our children – even in the most desperate of economic situations – we will give our children a sense of much needed security and that all is well in their world.

What do you want readers to take away from this book?

To answer this question (I hope you don’t mind), I would like to share an endorsement from one of my sample readers. She expressed my deepest desire for my reader:

“Growing Grateful Kids is such a great source of conviction, encouragement, and inspiration to spur me on to finishing this parenting race well and not sputter out along the way. This book compels me to submit my own character to the refining of the Holy Spirit that I may be equipped to impart those lessons onto my children. Thank you, Susie, for taking the time, for submitting in obedience, and writing this down for a generation in desperate need of this kind of parenting book!” –Gail Miller

Any closing thoughts?

I am very excited about the message in this book. It is my prayer that every one who reads it will be nourished, encouraged, and equipped to parent from a place of fullness, conviction, and confidence. Raising grateful, confident kids will be one of the most heroic, important things you do in your lifetime. God’s blessings to you!

Motherhood Mondays: Guest Interviews

2010-03-08T04:00:00.000-06:00

For the next two Motherhood Mondays, I will be featuring some guest interviews from the authors of two wonderful new books from Hearts at Home! I hope you enjoy hearing about these great books and the wonderful ideas they have presented in their books! Enjoy!

Today I'd like to welcome Jill and Mark Savage. Jill and Mark's newest book Living with Less so your Family has More just released and I've invited them to share a little bit about this great resource!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

We have been married for 27 years…17 of them happily. After finding ourselves in a marriage counselor’s office around year 8 or so, we realized that we really didn’t know how to be married. We worked hard to turn things around and now we like to share that hope with other couples.

We have five children ranging from 13 to 25. Our oldest three are married. Anne (25) and her husband, Matt, live in Zion, IL, and are expecting our first grandchild in April. (We are very excited!) Evan (22) and his wife, Julie, have been married a year and a half and they live just a few miles from us. Erica (19) married her husband Kendall last September. They live in Augusta, GA, and wherever else the Army takes them.

We have two teenagers still at home. Kolya just turned 16. He’s learning to drive and we’ve nearly worn a hole in the carpet on the floor in the passenger seat trying to find that non-existent brake pedal. Kolya is the newest member of the Savage family. We adopted him at the age of nine from Russia.

Austin is 13 and in the 8th grade. He wants us to make sure and tell the world that this “living with less” life is a real bummer because he’s the ONLY kid in 8th grade who doesn’t have a cell phone.

Tell us about your newest book Living With Less So Your Family Has More?

The world screams the message that bigger is always better, but we have found that is not often true. When it comes to raising a family, less materially can actually result in more relationally. Children don’t need the best houses, the best lessons, the best cars, or the best clothes. What they really need is the best home life and the best family relationships we can give them.

Why did you want to write this book?

We didn’t start out with the “less is more” mindset. We started as a double income family wanting to have the “best” of everything. Then Mark decided to pursue ministry. We went from the “high life” to the “frugal life” very quickly as we moved to another state for him to go to Bible College full-time.

That experience introduced us to the concept that less is more. We definitely had less money, but we had more time. We had less stress and more peace. We had less activities and more fun.

Since that experience, we’ve continued to live primarily on one income for the past twenty years. We’ve had to battle cultural peer pressure and make different decisions for our family than many other families in our neighborhood have made. But we’ve never felt that we were materially depriving ourselves or our kids…instead we’ve focused on what we’ve actually been able to provide for them emotionally and relationally.

What do you hope your readers will gain from this book?

We hope the reader is encouraged to evaluate how they are living their life, spending their money, and thinking about family matters. Our goal is to introduce families to the “less is more” concept and then equip them with the attitudes and actions to actually make that happen.

For families that are already committed to less is more, we hope to bolster their resolve and help them stay focused on the long-term goal of providing relationally for their kids.

In today’s economy, there are many families being forced to live with less. We want to help them see the opportunity they have with this unexpected downsizing they’ve been forced to do.

And for those who have just been a little discontent with their life and saying things like, “I’m tired of the rat race of life,” or “Is there more to life than drive-thru meals for dinner?” we hope to help them see other choices they have and how they can lead their family in a different direction.

What unique elements will the reader find in Living With Less So Your Family Has More?

For couples who want to read the book together, we’ve included discussion questions at the end of every chapter. This helps move the readers to discussion and eventually actions. Even a single parent can use the discussion questions for personal evaluation.

Readers will find this book a practical guide to changing your attitude and your actions to live a successful “less is more” life. They’ll find our writing style to be a warm, casual, honest discussion where we not only share our victories but our mistakes along the way. We are an average couple living successfully on an average income who want to help others to see the possibilities before them.

This is a Hearts at Home book. What is Hearts at Home?

Hearts at Home is an organization that encourages, educates, and equips women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home encourages moms through annual conferences, our extensive website (www.hearts-at-home.org), a free electronic newsletter, a radio program, and an entire line of books designed to meet the needs of moms all over the world!

Any closing thoughts?

It’s healthy for parents to occasionally pause and evaluate their vision for their family and the choices they are making. We hope this resource will help them do that together and that it will lead them to live a life of little regret.

Motherhood Mondays: Potty Training!

2010-03-01T04:00:00.000-06:00

So tomorrow morning we have decided to no longer put Grant into diapers. He has been going on the potty really well for a couple months now, but we were unsure how it would go leaving the house without a diaper on. So Tom and I talked and we are just going cold turkey and will see what happens. Grant is not dry in the morning, so we will still put him in something at bedtime, but hopefully the day time will continue to go smoothly. Hopefully my laundry pile won't grow at an insane rate! Grant loves to be naked and wear his cars underwear around the house....I might need to buy more undies!!!!

For those of you with boys (or girls is guess too), Grant has no trouble going pee-pee on the potty, but when he needs to poop he goes and hides and if we try to get him to sit on the potty, he just screams and panics. He really likes to stand while he is pooping.......anyone had this experience? Any ideas??

Tasty Tuesdays: Homemade Bread

2010-02-23T04:00:00.002-06:00

I had a really hard time trying to decide whether to make this a Tasty Tuesday or a Thrifty Thursday post, but since it's food Tuesday won out, but it's such a great deal.....ahhh I'm so torn!

Anyway, I love the smell of homemade bread, it makes the house feel warm and homey, it's delicious, and it's always fun to serve up a loaf of something beautiful that you created all yourself!

I roughly figured out the cost and it's surprisingly frugal!

Flour - $2.05

Eggs - $0.14

Yeast - $0.32

Sugar - $0.24

Salt - $0.17

Oil - $0.18

Water -Free, I know not really, but you know.

GRAND TOTAL - $2.96/4 loaves = $0.74/loaf!!!

Here is the recipe I use:
14 cups of flour
3 T of yeast
1 cup sugar
2 T Salt
2 eggs
1 cup oil
4 cups water

Dissolve 3 T of yeast in 1 cup of water and add pinch or two of sugar. Wait for it to foam (approx. 15-30 mins)
Add 1/2 your flour (7 Cups)
Add 2 T of salt
Add the rest of you 1 Cup of sugar
Mix well
Add your 2 eggs
Add 1 cup of oil
Add the rest of your flour gradually (7 cups)
Knead until smooth (approx 5-10) (Put flour on your counter)
Wash out your mixing bowl and place your smooth dough ball in it to rise
Let your bread rise for 2 hours, punching it down every 30 mins (4 times)
Separate into 4 balls
Make each ball into 6 ropes
Braid you bread (see tutorial)
Let the braided loaf rise for 1.5 hours on a greased pan
Brush bread with whisked egg for an crisp, shiny egg wash
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 30 mins

Here is the tutorial on how to braid it.
http://www.ehow.com/video_2341036_braid-six_strand-challah-bread-loaf.html
Let me know if you have any questions!!!!

I slice and then toast it and it makes delicious sandwiches or it makes wonderful bread for dinner just by itself, or add butter and garlic and bake! Since it makes 4 loaves, I usually freeze a couple, give one away, and then enjoy a fresh warm loaf that day! This goes really quick and is a favorite, but it makes great sized loaves!

If you are wanting freeze some, the best way I have found is by wrapping the loaf in tin foil first and then wrapping it with plastic wrap really well. When it comes time to thaw, I let it thaw wrapped for about 2-3 hours and then unwrap it so it doesn't get soggy.

I wanted to include a picture of my own loaf, but I turned on the camera and all there was was a ghostly pink screen, hmmmmm.....that's great!

Motherhood Mondays: Home Management

2010-02-22T04:00:00.001-06:00

Do you treat the blessing of being able to stay home like you would a job outside the home? Do you have objectives for each day, maybe even a checklist, or planner that you use to stay focused?

I love being home, but some days it feels like 5:30PM rolls around super quickly and I look at the house and can't remember ANYTHING that I did that day.....then there are some days that the day drags on and again, I look around at total chaos and wonder what I did that day too.

The days I find that I accomplish the most are those days that I make a checklist or write down things that need to be done and check them off. I love lists, lists for chores, lists for menu items, lists for appointments, lists for lists! Yes, I'm obsessed!

I think my main reason for this post is to see if anyone has any fun ideas on how to stay more focused as a home manager. I know that at an outside job I wouldn't be listening to Moody radio all day, chatting on the computer, or watching some TV.....but again, that's why I'm blessed to stay home. I do try to regulate how much I'm watching the TV or are on the computer, but some days I walk around trying to think what to do next......not that there aren't TONS of things to do, but sometimes it's just overwhelming to do the same thing again or start something that I know will be interrupted in 2 minutes.

I am really looking forward to hearing some ideas, personal triumphs and flubs, and maybe even some fun tools that you use to clean, organize, or schedule your life!!!

Thrifty and Nifty Thursdays!!!

2010-02-18T16:44:00.005-06:00

Free Auntie Anne's Pretzels this Saturday from 10am-3pm!!!! Cinnamon or regular!!! Oh, we'll be there!!! http://www.auntieannes.com/fpd/FPD.html

Also, Frugal, Freebies, and Deals is listing a free portrait package from Olan Mills on their site with 3 free portrait sheets!!! Might be the perfect package to get a few Easter pics taken with the kid! I'm going to call and check it out!http://www.frugalfreebiesanddeals.com/2010/02/free-portrait-package-at-olan-mills.html

Money Saving Mom has some great free things this week like a free Fresco Taco from Taco Bell, Free coffee or tea from Borders, free AXE body gel, and a free download of Taxact

And finally, there is a free download of an etiquette book by Emily Post, I love reading anything free and this should have some helpful tips! It is a Kindle download, but there is a free Kindle for PC download so you can read it on your computer!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SN6I8W/ref=nosim/

L-O-V-E

2010-02-17T04:00:00.003-06:00

Tasty Tuesdays: Roast Chicken

2010-02-16T09:37:00.001-06:00

So I'm always excited when I try something new in our menu and it actually works! Not to brag but not only did it work, but it was a home run for my food-aholic husband! My experiment turned into one of the most moist and flavorful dishes I've ever made.

It all started with a super cheap chicken from Save-a-Lot and my crock pot! I love crock pot cooking, there is nothing better than looking like you spent all day slaving over a hot stove but in actuality dumped a bunch of random items in and walked away. I also love the smells that cock pot cooking produces!

So I rolled up 4 balls of tin foil and set the my washed chicken on top of it. At the Howard House our favorite stand by seasonings are ranch and garlic powder, I covered the chicken in that and put the lid on......wasn't that easy? No liquid, no work, no nothin'! I let it cook for 8 hours and when I opened the lid, what came out was the most tender, juicy, melt in your mouth "rotisserie" chicken!

We ate the chicken that evening with mashed potatoes, salad, macaroni and cheese, and some garlic bread.....I felt like we were out for dinner. That night I striped the chicken down and portioned the chicken into smaller bags for use later. I was going to freeze some, but ended up making some other things sooner than I normally would.

First, I took the chicken and make it into a delicious Mexican casserole, with SW seasoning, Velveeta, tortillas, a can chicken soup, and some shredded cheese. This casserole is a family favorite and only used a fraction of my delicious chicken. This casserole freezes fantastic, so it's great to make a couple batches up and then get them out as needed.

Second, I took the chicken, added some fried rice and made some stir fry. This is one of Tom's favorite meals and again it makes a huge batch that we eat on for a few dinners and he also takes portions of it to work, CHEAP LUNCH!

Third, we had another meal of leftovers of roast chicken.....Grant loves just plain chicken, so he will eat this for lunch after lunch, after lunch after.........

I still have chicken to use in chicken salad, for sandwiches. I was thinking of making chicken pot pie or chicken and dumplings too, the possibilities are endless! All of this for a $4.59 chicken!!

Is there a recipe that your family's menu revolves around?? Any great deals that you just HAVE to share???

Be Mine!

2010-02-13T14:45:00.004-06:00

It seems crazy that it has already been over five years since I married the man of my dreams! We have experienced so much in that short time. The death of three grandparents and a father, graduation from OSU by both of us, graduation from medical school, starting of residency and relocating across country, and now moving back home. The birth of two precious little boys and all the normal family drama that comes along with life and an extra dose of family drama just for that extra push that will make a marriage thrive, if it doesn't crumble under the pressure.

June 12 ,2004

We have experienced so much in such a short time and have grown into such a happy family! We are so blessed by the Lord and pray that these few years of happiness will be the tone of our family for years to come. Through thick and thin we will be together with God's grace and mercy! Since I was in the hospital recovering from having Morgan the day after our 5 year anniversary, it is so nice to have another special day in the year to celecrate our love and life together!

December 2006 (7 Months pregnant with Grant)

Baby Grant 9 Months

9 Months Pregnant with Morgan

June 2009

Christmas 2009

Faith in Action Friday: When Plans Get Changed!

2010-02-12T07:00:00.003-06:00

Did it EVER cross our minds that we would be leaving Michigan after being here less than a year???

Did we EVER think we would be switching to an Family Medicine Residency??

Did we EVER think we would be selling our FIRST home so quickly after working so hard at renovating it?

Did I ever think I would pack things back into a box that I had gotten out less than a week ago or have boxes that I NEVER got unpacked at all?

Uhm.......NO! Well that's kinda an understatement.

We are very excited that God opened this door for us and can't wait to see the benefits. We have been praying for some time about trying to get our priorities in line. We have always tried to keep God, then family, then others in that order, but because of the hours at work, the work the house needed, and our reliance on self, we had been getting things all wrong.

So, here we are, we are excited to see where God is leading us, how this change will affect our life in the long run, and what great things He has planned. We have taken a spot back in Tulsa at OSU and are excited to get started! In the meantime, Tom is continuing to rack up internship credit here, we are trying to finish up the house, and get things together.

God has a great plan and we are ready to follow. We have learned so much during the stressful time about God, our faith, each other, and about others around us. I am so thankful that God kicks our legs out from under us sometimes so that we totally rely on Him and it's been amazing!

Thrifty and Nifty TUESDAYS!

2010-02-08T20:45:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow (2-9-10) Denny's is having it's annual FREE Original Grand Slam day! Just stop by your nearest location and get your free breakfast! No purchase or coupon is needed! Happy Eating!!

Faith in Action Friday: When Times are Easy

2010-01-29T00:00:00.000-06:00

I hate that I forget to lean on God.

I hate that I think I am in control.

I hate that I take these times for granted.

I hate that things and stuff take priority in my life.

I hate that I forget the sacrifice my Lord made for me.

I hate that I become selfish and stop seeing needs around me.

I hate that I stop praying without ceasing, but pray when it fits in.

I hate that I stop living and sharing the good news to those around me.

I hate that I focus on temporal things that mean nothing to the Kingdom.

I hate that God has to bring me to my knees all over again to bring my focus back to His glory.

I am thankful for His PATIENCE, FORGIVENESS, and MERCY!

Psalm 36:5-11
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.
May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

Thifty and Nifty Thursday: MoneyStrands

2010-01-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

For those of you trying to start the new year off right by getting your finances on track, I've found a great tool that I LOVE!! Not only does it work great, but it's FREE, which makes it even better. It's called MONEYSTRANDS and it has helped me track all my spending.

Since we use check cards for our bills, it easily tracks all of our spending and divides it up into categories. This way, I can easily see how each dollar of our income is spent and even set up alerts to let me know when we are nearing our budgeted amount. I find it very simple to use and can easily track everything, set up goals for savings, and categorize every penny so that we don't overspend.

Is there a financial tool that you love to use that helps you stay on track?

Motherhood Mondays: Less is More

2010-01-25T00:00:00.003-06:00

I've been fighting with this problem for a while. We have so much stuff!!

Where did all this stuff come from?? When we moved to Michigan we had to pack TWO moving trucks. I begged Tom, my mother and dad to go to storage and help me drag everything we owned out, go through it and donate/trash tons of items, but I think that they just thought this was the request of a crazy 9 months pregnant woman.

I think most of the problem is that we moved out of our townhouse, into my parent's house, since we were going to be on the road 7 months for out of state rotations. Then with everything, but bare essentials, packed into storage you start needing other items, so you buy them. Then you pack even less and load it into your SUV and travel from Oklahoma, to Texas, to Florida, to Pennsylvania, to New Jersey, to Pennsylvania, to home(not to mention your husband flies 8 different places during these same months to interview with programs as well) and you find you need more items........so you buy them. Do you see where I'm going with this??

We ended up with duplicates, triplicates, and tons of stuff we only needed once and will never use again. Not to mention we weren't the best judges of NEEDS when we first got married and neither were the people that bought insane items to celebrate our marriage (Did I mention we DIDN'T register for a 9 piece champagne bouquet. For those of you who don't know what this is, including me, this is a glass vase with long stem champagne glasses with NO bases-meaning you can sit the glasses down, they only stand in their vase and are multi-colored glass. For people who don't drink and aren't at the height of the social ladder, these proved to be the chocolate milk and soda cups we've ever had)

Anyway, we've finally realized what our priorities should be and stuff to tote around the country or store, didn't make the top 50. So, we are in the process of scaling back, giving away, and selling all this unneeded stuff. We found that our stuff was making my life harder, in that I had to clean it, organize it, look at it, and live with it. It started to weigh us down and after living in a house with unpacked boxes for 9 months, we realized that if we hadn't used it in months, possibly years, then we really didn't need it and it needed to stop taking up precious room and time.

We live in a country where we are so blessed by the Lord. We take so many things for granted and are so dependent on our stuff, instead of God. We are always looking for new ways to cut back, live simpler, save money and give more. That's why I was so excited when I received this email from Hearts at Home this week. I can't wait to read this book and I hope that it might bless you too!

I am excited to share a fun opportunity with you!

To celebrate the release of Hearts at Home’s newest book: Living With Less So Your Family Has More, by Jill and Mark Savage, the Hearts at Home blog is launching the Living with Less Contest.

Email Hearts at Home a story or money-saving tip that gives a peek into your daily experiences representing the humor, richness, or spiritual aspects of what it’s like to live with less.

Better yet, blog readers will benefit as many of the money-saving entries will be posted on the Heart’s blog throughout the month of February!

For contest details go here!

Faith in Action Friday: When Hard Times Come

2010-01-22T00:01:00.003-06:00

I love that God will never leave me.

I love that things all happen for a reason.

I love that each hard time I experience, grows my faith.

I love that God has a plan for every tiny detail of my life.

I love that my reaction to trials can bring others to the Lord.

I love that down the road I will be able to look back and rejoice in this suffering.

I love that my suffering is so insignificant compared to the sacrifice the Lord made for me.

I love that when I am afraid, God holds me in His hands and covers me with His protection.

I love that someday everything will be revealed and I will see God's magnificent plan for my life!

I love that every hard time I go through, I can rest in God and know that He is using this trial to being me closer to Him.

James 1:2-18

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Yummmmm!

2010-01-13T11:45:00.003-06:00

Here's my big boy, now over 7 months old!! My little calf loves his sweet potatoes, prunes, and squash! Peas-not so much!

Morgan's Room

2010-01-01T12:44:00.003-06:00

Before

After

Grant's Room

2010-01-01T12:26:00.002-06:00

Before

After

I need to take some newer pictures because his room is decorated now and is super cute!!

Just for Fun!

2009-12-18T11:57:00.008-06:00

I feel loved when...

The Five Love Languages

My Primary Love Language is Quality Time

My Detailed Results:
Quality Time:	10
Acts of Service:	8
Words of Affirmation:	6
Receiving Gifts:	4
Physical Touch:	2

About this quiz

Unhappiness in relationships is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. It can be helpful to know what language you speak and what language those around you speak.

I'm going to have Tom complete this later and see what his language is.....hmmmm, I'm guessing Physical Touch.....silly boys!!

Here's his results....

I feel loved when...

The Five Love Languages

My Primary Love Language is Physical Touch

My Detailed Results:
Physical Touch:	9
Quality Time:	8
Acts of Service:	7
Words of Affirmation:	5
Receiving Gifts:	1

About this quiz

Unhappiness in relationships is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. It can be helpful to know what language you speak and what language those around you speak.

Christmas Pics!

2009-12-14T19:44:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas!

I Found The CAMERA CORD!!!!

2009-12-10T11:47:00.005-06:00

So here are finally some pictures of the projects that are almost completed!

Here is a beautiful garden (that is now under a foot of snow)

Before

After

Hearts At Home

2009-12-07T19:14:00.000-06:00

Everyone loves a good sale, Right? We'll let me tell you about a great one:

It’s a Hearts at Home
Black Friday after Black Friday Sale Dec. 7-11

Did you sleep in on Black Friday? Did you drag yourself out of bed, but still miss out on some awesome deals because you were standing in line too long at one store? Do you still have shopping to do, but dread the crowds, traffic, and cost? Let Hearts at Home help!

Their Black Friday sale has been extended to the week of December 7-11. Shop in the convenience of your own home and receive an unprecedented 25% off all of Hearts books and merchandise. They have great gifts for everyone in your family.

Find gifts for friends, teachers, bible study leaders, bus drivers, and everyone else on your list. You may even find something for yourself. This is a great time to stock up on all those Hearts at Home books you’ve been wanting to read.

Let your family know how much you would love a Hearts at Home gift certificate so you can use it for your Hearts at Home conference registration and/or Mom’s Night Out tickets.

Go to Heartshoppe.com, choose your gifts, and enter code “HEARTGIFT” upon checkout. You will receive 25% off your total purchase (before tax and shipping).

I also want to fill you in on a couple of other great opportunities!

Be sure to check out Jill Savage's blog this month (she is the founder and CEO of Hearts at Home). She is doing one giveaway A DAY through Christmas.

And, if you stop by the Hearts at Home blog December 8 - 11, you will have an opportunity to win a Heart's at Home prayer journal. The prayer journal is a brand new resource from Hearts at Home.

Merry Christmas from Hearts at Home!

I've Been Exchanged, Not Just Changed!

2009-10-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things are passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Isn't in wonderful that we can go to God whenever we want and talk to Him on a personal level. Can you imagine living in Old Testament times where once a year you could go confess your sins at the temple to a guy with a rope tied around his waste, (you know to pull him out just in case God struck him dead!!!) that then presented your sins to God....that's some major red tape. The freedom we have today to directly approach God is so overwhelming! We get to talk directly to the Creator of our universe because Christ bridged the gap for us by dying on the cross.

The even more exciting part is that not only can we talk to God, but that He will speak to us. The Holy Spirit is the primary way God guides His believers and this spirit indwells every believer. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, It begins to change our wants, the way we act, and the way we see things.

Lately, I have been overwhelmed with worldly distractions around me. I've been a Christian for a LONG time, but I'm embarrassed to say that I wasn't always living the lifestyle that God wanted me to. I was looking to stuff, people, and experiences to fulfill me when I should have been leaning on God. It took moving across country for God to show me the plan He had for my life and that I needed to lean on Him, not people or things.

Everyone has a conscience but when the Spirit indwells us, our tastes change and things that seemed so important last week, or even yesterday, don't seem important when we start living in the ways of God. Some examples that have been on my heart lately have been what I've been viewing, hearing, saying, and the way I've been acting.

Viewing: In God's word it says that killing and adultery are wrong, yet I was watching shows that portrayed these terrible things and sometimes even exalted them. I was also paying to see movies that supported actors, directors, and companies that have views, beliefs, and ties to things that I don't believe in.

Hearing: I was also listening to music that was talking about things that are dishonorable to the Lord and had bad language, talk of premarital sex, drinking, partying and other ungodly things.

Talking: I was using words that didn't build up others and was saying things to disrespect my husband and his role in our family. I was also complaining and "venting" about problems instead of counting blessings and thanking the Lord for each "experience" He sent my way.

Actions: I was not treating Tom with respect or acting like a Christian should. The way we act around others, is sometimes our biggest witness and I want people to KNOW without a doubt by my actions that I follow what the Lord teaches.

There are so many temptations out there to distract us from hearing the Lord and following what the Holy Spirit is leading us to do. When we yield and obey the Holy Spirit's leading in our lives, God will conform our souls to the image of Christ and will use our bodies as instruments to carry out His purposes.

Are there any areas in your life that you feel the Lord tugging at you to change or take a new route? Are there things that you struggle with, but know that the Lord is displeased with your actions? I encourage you to take them to the Lord and give them over to Him. When we started our journey, we were overwhelmed with the changes God was putting on our hearts, but once we trusted Him for support, encouragement, and guidance, we were shocked at how easy it was to let go of those things and follow His will.

Hearts At Home!

2009-10-05T09:18:00.002-05:00

Have you ever felt alone as a mom? Lost in your chosen field of mothering?

There is an organization that was created to encourage, educate and equip women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home helps thousands of moms love their lives through their many resources including conferences, website, and books.

Recently I partnered up with this organization as a blogger. Over time I hope to share with you the many resources this ministry has to offer (old ones and new). To learn more about the Hearts at Home Blogging team go here.

In the meantime I would like to encourage you to explore their website and blog for an immediate dose of mothering encouragement.

Weigh In Wednesday

2009-09-30T07:00:00.001-05:00

I'm following Sara in her Weigh In Wednesday and am desperately trying to stick with some sort of plan to help me loose some baby weight. My goal is to loose 17 lbs. putting me at a healthy 145. My 8 jeans are feeling quite snug and I would like to slim down a bit. I did a BMI calculator today and this is what I found:

Your Height: 5'11"
Your Weight: 162
Your BMI: 22.6

Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

So I still fall into the healthy category, but I would rather be near the lower end of the range. Even more important to me would be to feel more toned. Do to being so weak and fatigued, I'm very limited on what I can do but I feel my muscle beginning to atrophy, not fun. I would like my arms, core, legs to be stronger and would like a flatter tummy and smaller thighs (come on, who wouldn't!).

My question is, do you have an eating or exercising program

that you follow, used to follow, or are in love with?

I would love some advice as lately I have been watching my portions sizes closely, but then end up eating more before the day is over because I am sooooo hungry from skimping earlier. Grant literally sucked the fat right off of me, but I was more active then too. This time things are different and the lack of mobility is killing me. I really look forward to getting some great advice from you ladies!!

Faith in Action Friday: My Grown up Christmas List

2009-09-25T12:57:00.005-05:00

How often do we as Christians approach God like how as children we approached Santa Clause?

This past week, I started a Bible study at the church I attend MOPs at, titled Discerning the Voice of God. In this first week we talked about how different people believe God speaks to them. Whether you believe He speaks to you through His word, through those around you and opportunities that He opens or closes, through a silent feeling, or with a booming voice from above, God does speak to us.

The real question is, ARE YOU LISTENING? I know that I am totally guilty of going to God in prayer when a hard time arises and I need some help or I go to Him, like Santa, and say I need this, this, & could you give me a little of that. I try to manipulate God ......like we can do that.....to get what I want. I'm always talking, my husband will agree, but if I'm asking all this stuff, why am I not taking time to listen to His answer. Many times I ask for His will and direction, and then immediately go do what I think is best....why did I even consult God if I already knew what I was going to do? Also, I notice, many times, I've already made up my mind long before I even ask, hoping that somehow I'll get God's blessing on my decision, so heaven forbid, I don't get His wrath poured out on me.

It's very hard in our busy lives to truly slow down and just listen to what God's direction is for our lives. We know where WE want to be and what WE want to do, but we are missing out on God's amazing plan for our lives by pushing His will away. I encourage you to listen to God. If you ask Him a question He WILL answer. It may not be the answer you want or in the time you planned it...... but that's another week!

Are there areas in your life that you have made a snap judgment call and then regretted it or realized that you went against God's leading? I know I have, especially when it came to family decisions, it's hard, but we need to ready ourselves like Habakkuk and wait.

Habakkuk 2:1
I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what He will say to me,
and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

Please join me if you like in Discerning the Voice of God!

This post is orginally from my Faith in Action blog, but I will be sharing it with you here on

Faith in Action Fridays!

Thrify & Nifty Thursday

2009-09-17T14:05:00.004-05:00

Today was our monthly Le Leche League meeting here in Muskegon and as usual, it was very fun and informative. We talked today about the benefits of breastfeeding. This is the first session in the four part series that LLL revolves around. Sometimes they focus on benefits to mom, sometimes benefits to babies, but today we talked about the benefits to the world around us and how breastfeeding impacts our governments, families, and the Earth.

There were some startling facts thrown out that shocked many of the moms there today, here are a few. Now I have never bought formula so I'm not really sure how much it cost but after discussing all these number and facts, most of us were wondering how many people afford it and one mom brought up, how much of our tax dollars are going toward paying for formula for babies.

It cost on average $1000.00 in formula to feed ONE baby from birth to 12 months (that doesn't include bottles and other supplies you need for a formula fed baby)
It cost the government $33,000,000 each MONTH to provide formula for babies on the WIC program
By breastfeeding for 6 months a family can save $400.00 in doctor/insurance cost (all those wonderful immune boosting, bacteria killing enzymes!)
Formula containers, bottles, scoops, and all the things that go with formula feeding cause more trash that has to go into landfills (also think about the cost to create, pack, and store)
Breast milk is ALWAYS available (When Katrina happened many moms were without clean water to mix bottles so LLL worked with many families to re-lactate mothers during this terrible crisis) I think that is super exciting!

These are just a few of the highlights from our meeting today and the overall costs to families, the government and the impact that breastfeeding has on the world around us is astounding....I was shocked. So I'm grateful to the Lord that I have been able to breastfeed my baby boys, not to mention the money we have saved, the healthy start it has giving them, and the fact that I know no matter where we are, I will always be able to top off their little tanks!

How Thrifty!

Fall is on it's way!

2009-09-02T12:37:00.004-05:00

I feel fall closing in on us. I am so not ready for the cold weather. There were frost warnings on two day this past week and Tom has started wearing some layers for his ride to the hospital at 5am. We all headed to the park last night after Tom got off work and we had to put on our coats. I invested in winter coats for Grant and myself this past week, so I'm getting prepared. I love love love the summer so I'm sad to see it slipping away. We didn't have much of a summer this year, it was beautifully hot when we left Oklahoma but we had to put on the heater the first week we arrived here and there has only been one day over about 80....we went to the beach!!!

I'm so excited that it's time for the school year to start back because I get to start working with Grant on his lessons, not that we don't learn every day together, but it just signals to me that I can get back out the schedules, have a plan for each day, and not spend all my time working on silly things. I thrive on lists and structure so this gets me excited. (Man I'm lame!)

Morgan seems to be a little happier, so I'm hoping this means I will get more accomplished each day besides getting basic meals cooked, enough underwear clean to get through the week, and getting a movie popped in for Grant before I wrestle the beast the rest of the day. Please pray that Morgan stays happier this week, it's still overwhelming.

The house is coming along but there is still so much left to do. The upstairs is almost finished being drywalled and we are almost ready to paint, I cannot wait!! Then its down to the basement to work on the playroom. I'm so ready to get that spray painted graffiti of male genitalia off my wall!!! I know!!! I was hoping we would be a lot further along on everything but with Tom's schedule, Morgan being a hand full right now, and my symptoms flaring up do to lack of rest, it's about all we can do to make it through the day and working on the room for an hour to an hour and a half before bed.

We are really enjoying Michigan, despite the cold, but really miss our family being close. I am very excited about Thanksgiving because Tom will be off, my parents will be coming up and hopefully the house will be in better shape for them to see. Even though I hate the cold, I love snow, so I'm looking forward to a REAL snow this year and seeing Grant enjoy playing in it! I so want to post some after pictures of the house and especially of our front garden, it is beautiful, but I've yet to find the camera cord and now the camera is dead because that is how it charges too....so you will just have to wait and deal with the suspense, sorry!