Health Questions Answered LOL

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... Don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually.. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable).

Q:How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q:Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! .... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

This information was sent to me by my mother last week. Use at your own risk!

mmm...Delicious Cookies

Delicious Cookies

(thanks mom!)

Heat Oven to 375 deg.

Mix Together:

• 1 Cup butter or margarine
• 1 Cup brown Sugar (You can use a little less!)
• 1 Cup white Sugar (You can use a little less here too)
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract (optional)

Add:

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup coconut (optional)
• 1 cup nuts (optional)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup cereal (rice crispies, muslix or whatever - optional)*
• 1/2 cup bran or wheat germ (optional)
• *I usually add 2 extra cups of oats rather than the cereal. I like oats*

Drop onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 deg for approx 12 min (though in my oven they are done in exactly 8 minutes).

I love this recipe simply because it is such a basic recipe and I can throw in a little of this and a little of that. I sort of clean out my pantry leftovers into it. Sometimes I add raisins or sunflower seeds too....and they are soooo yummy! (and you can make them healthy!)

Our Learning Poster

At some point in my blog-reading journeys, I came across the idea of a learning poster. I adapted it a bit to fit our family's needs and wanted to share it with you. It certainly Works for Me!

For those who don't know, I have a two year old, an eight month old and I watch a little girl, who is also two, a couple days a week. Needless to say, with two 2 year olds, we spend a lot of time in the bathroom as we learn to go potty. In an effort to encourage them to want to go potty, and of course to make the most of teachable moments, the Learning poster was born!

When Chloe was 18+/- months I put up the learning poster. It is just Bristol board with some headings glued on it. We have a theme, color, verse (and eventually) a number. I say eventually because we tried the number this past fall and weren't quite ready for it. We'll incorporate it this spring. Anyway, we have a little basket on the back of the toilet with all our pictures and a ball of stick-tac. When we go potty, we get to put something up. It's all very exciting!

We also work on our verse. I try to think of a song or some actions that go with the verse to help them remember. We have been recycling our verses over and over so that we learn them and not forget them. So far we have done:

• God is Love
• Children Obey
• Be Kind
• Fishers of Men
• God Made the World
• Jesus is Risen

We also go to the library every 3+/- weeks to get books on our current theme. The girls love to go to the library! Because they are only two, I find that changing the theme every 2-3 weeks is often enough though as they get older, it will need to be more frequent to keep them interested.

I also try to incorporate coloring pages or some sort of craft that is related to our theme into the week. We also have a reading time.

While we don't have any sort of structured learning in our days, I try to get the little ones involved in everything I do from cooking, baking and laundry to cleaning the floors and vacuuming. In everything we do, I try to find little things to teach them.

Did I mention that I always wanted to be a teacher growing up? The littles in my care are much more eager pupils than my little brother and sister ever were!!

A couple of sites that I have found helpful are:

Shirley's Preschool Activities : She has all sorts of great stuff but the thing I used most were her ready to go printable memory verse pages!

A Kids Heart: This site has wonderful bible themed coloring pages, verses and craft ideas.

What sorts of things are you working on with your little ones? Do you have a great site to share? Leave a comment or link up to Works for Me Wednesday!

See Kai Run: Announcement of an Upcoming Review & Giveaway

A package arrived in the mail on Thursday...'Kaya' from See Kai Run! Let me tell you, I was excited. Chloe put them on immediately and modeled them. She likes shoes too!

This is the first pair of shoes that we've tried from See Kai Run. From the efficient and friendly customer service, the speed of shipping, the accuracy of their printable page to determine sizing and the initial look of the product, thus far I am impressed.

Chloe, my sweet little princess, is also a rough and tumble toddler. She managed to scuff them up almost immediately. I was happy to discover that the leather wipes clean pretty easily! I'll be back in a month+/- with an official review of these adorable shoes and how they stand up in real toddler life!

In the mean time, why don't you pop over and have a peek for yourself. Don't forget to sign up for their newsletter on the home page, you don't want to miss the deals to be had!

See Kai Run has generously provided the opportunity for one reader to win a pair of these fabulous shoes in their choice of style and size! You won't want to miss it so be sure to check back for the "official review" post!

Tune-Up Tuesday: Down Days - Where to Focus?

A google search of the word 'Tune-Up' revealed the following definition:
An Adjustment for Better Functioning
A search for the definition of 'Adjustment' revealed the following:
A Small Change, A Minor Correction, A Modification
More on Tune-Up Tuesday here.
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While we have been looking at the book The Love Dare for a couple weeks, we are going to take a break this week simply because I wanted to share my about a disastrous week and the 'tune-ups' I need to do.

Do you ever have a "down day"? I do. I have them a couple times a year. They creep up from nowhere it seems and catch me unaware. They usually last a day or so and then pass. Well, this time it was a week!

My "Down" Week:

I think it started 2 weeks ago. Everything in life was just peachy and I felt like I really had a handle on life. We were attending all church services again, my home was caught up in order, I was tackling my bigger projects like the garage, desk and the yard.

Is it the time of year? Horomones? Belated Baby Blues? Not enough sleep? Then the littles were sick and we missed church. I am also having a tough time getting out to evening and Wednesday night services as the little ones are always tired and grumpy. It also tends to throw them off for a day or so afterwards. I want to attend both services on Sundays, and also the Tuesday ladies bible study and the Wednesday night bible study. I also want to work in the nursery, sing in the Choir and be involved in other things such as clean-up day at church and visitation. I want to be a part of it all and be a contributor.

I want to have my home perfectly in order, I want to be caught up on laundry. I want to have wonderful meals ready for my husband each evening. I want to bless my children, husband and others. I want to have everything caught up on my to-do list.

So when all of this isn't happening and I am not reaching my own ridiculously high standard, I am setting myself up for failure. It started with one day of "down" and suddenly my focus was no longer up where it should be. I began to focus on all things I wanted to do, all that I haven't been able to do. Focusing on all the negative things and the areas I feel behind in, I fell into a week long slump.

The Realization:

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit with a new friend. When I left, I pondered our visit and realized that I had just dumped a lot of negativity on this poor woman (which is very uncharacteristic of me)! I was appalled and on the drive home I began to pray.

The Solution:

2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Why am I dwelling on the fact that I 'feel' that I am failing in so many areas? I need to refocus. The Lord knew I would feel incompetent and weak. He wrote this verse for me! I need to do only the things he has called me to do, in HIS strength!

Some Practical Steps:

• Let go of that silly "I need/can do it all" idea. (I battle with this a lot!)
• Remember Right Priorities. God is first. When we forget this (even without intending to), things go sour fast! Evaluate and make sure that your thoughts line up with His thoughts.
• Remember Yourself! We tend to put others, and tasks ahead of ourselves. But if you aren't eating right, getting enough sleep, water, exercise - you're going to run out of steam fast!
• Focus on one task at a time, one day at a time. It's good to have an idea of what the big picture is but sometimes it can be overwhelming!
• Choose 3 small things to accomplish each day. I am guilty of writing out a huge to-do list (which is more of a wish list) and then feeling like I've failed at the end of the day when I haven't accomplished it.
• Don't focus on your failures and weaknesses. Take them to the Lord. When I start focusing on the church services I miss or all the things I am not doing, it brings me down! That is where I am susceptible to all sorts of negative thinking.
• Work on big tasks 15 minutes at a time (or each day). Use a timer.
• Remember the season you are in and adjust accordingly. Right now my little guy still nurses every 2 2/1 hours+/- at night. My toddler is potty training and still learning to obey. I need to be at home. After talking to my husband, we've decided that now is not the season for Wednesday night services. It is too late for our little ones. It is also not the season for ladies bible study, choir or the other things I desire to do. For right now, success will be attending two services on Sunday. Play dates will be limited to 2 per month, library trips are once a month and grocery shopping once a week. This is not to say that I am chained to my home but rather, with the exception of the above, I will strive to be home. My family is my ministry right now and I can best serve and care for myself and them by being home.

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Do you have a tune-up you are working on? Leave a comment to let us know or add a direct link to your blog post below to encourage and inspire others. Don't underestimate the power of accountability - it's a great motivator!

Menu Plan Monday - April 13

Breakfasts:

• This week we have leftover waffles from Sunday. Pop them in the toaster - yum! We also have toast and cereal.

Snacks:

• Since the bunny came to visit, we have a few extra little sweet treats this week!
• We have apples, oranges and bananas as well as strawberries (Chloe loves berries!)
• And of course staples like gherkin pickles, cheese and goldfish crackers. The girls go crazy for those little pickles!
• We also have raisins but we want to be careful how many we eat since the seem to... well, pass right through them!
  

Lunches:

• Leftovers
• In cleaning out our overstuffed freezer - I found some Pickerel (it's a fish for those who don't know). Scott isn't crazy about fish but I really enjoy it. We were supposed to eat it last week ad didn't!
• Scott also made smoked sausages last week (He got a sausage stuffer!) They were sure yummy. We'll eat those one day too.
• When all else fails, we always have a good stock of Kraft Dinner. It's the one prepackaged food that Scott has OK'd :) The girls love pasta so this is always a hit!
  

Dinners:

• Monday: Spaghetti & Meatballs
  Tuesday: Sticky Chicken, Rice and Corn
• Wednesday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
  Thursday: Home Made Pizza. We're trying out Crystal Paine's recipe from her e-book Simply Centsible Suppers. (Didn't do it last week!)
  Friday: Burgers out
  Weekends: Saturday we have a wedding to attend in London. How fun. I love weddings! I don't actually plan meals for the weekend. Since my husband loves to cook and create, this is his opportunity to come up with culinary masterpieces. A few weekends ago he made the most divine home-made ice cream!! He's not a dedicated poster but be sure to check out his blog for interesting food experiences!
  

Join in on Menu-Plan Monday. Do a post on your blog and link to here. Don't have a blog? Just leave a comment!

Jesus is Risen

In preparation for Easter we dyed eggs, coloured pages of empty tombs, talked about the Easter story and put up pictures of Easter related things on our learning poster.

We also are working on the verse "Jesus is Risen" based on Matthew 28:6, Mark 16:6, and Luke 24:6. Though the verses say "He is risen", I wanted to make sure the girls learned who were were talking about so we changed 'He' to 'Jesus'.

Chloe is doing really well in learning it. Throughout the day I ask her, "What happened at Easter?", or sometimes I'll ask "Why was the tomb empty?". Most times she says "Jesus is Risen" but sometimes she says something about the Easter Bunny (well actually she calls him the "Easter Babbit"). But since she only turned two in January, if she mostly understands that Easter is about Jesus then I think that we've done well.

Frugal Friday: Free Diaper Sample

Those of you who know me, know that I love my cloth diapers! But I do still use disposables on occasion. They are handy to have tucked in the van for emergencies or if we are out and about and I know I don't want to carry a messy diaper around.

Huggies has a new Pure & Natural Diaper out. You can read more here or get a free sample here. Mine is on it's way! Who doesn't like free samples?

An Egg-cellent Morning

We had an Egg-cellent morning!

(Yes, that pun was intended to crack you up. HA HA!)

A Big thanks for all the egg suggestions yesterday. My friend brought over an egg coloring kit this morning. We tried to use crayons but the girls are too little and not quite gentle enough. We lost 4 eggs today. Not a bad loss considering we made out with 20 good eggs right? We simply made solid color eggs and later we're going to put some stickers on them. The girls LOVED it. This also have us a great opportunity to work on our colors. Chloe thought everything should be pink. I heartily agree. The world would be a happier place if more things were pink!

We had no spills or incidences and I thought I was home free. The eggs were back in their cartons and I had just put the dye cups on the counter when I heard a splash and "Ooosies Mommy!" Chloe had dumped the bowl of water from the eggs on her head. What would possess her to think that it would be a good idea? Who knows. I'm just thankful it was water and an easy mess to take care of!

With that, we had lunch and everyone went down for a sleep after a busy morning.

We've also been talking about what Easter really is. We're working on learning "Jesus is Risen" based on Mark 16:6. Eggs are fun, chocolate is even better (yum!) but praise the Lord, Easter is so much more than that!

How are you balancing the extra fun of Easter with teaching the Truth as well? This mommy always welcomes new ideas!!

PS. Yes, Chloe is still in her pj's in these pictures. She has taken a liking to them. I asked her this morning if she wanted to wear a dress or pants and she said "Nemo jammies peas". Sure, why not?!?

Little Helpers, Big Rewards!

One of my favorite things about the girls is their helpfulness. It's not just that they are willing, but that they are enthusiastic! They are excited to help, they want to be a part of things.
At this age, they are so teachable and willing to learn!

I am working on creating a chore chart that works for them. I found some great help here: 20 Tips for Finding Your Routine With Kids and she also has a post about Preschool Chore Charts.

Thankfully I have two dust busters. (A long story and another example of why making decisions based on cost alone is not a good idea!) Anyway, when I say it is time to vacuum...they get so excited and immediately go to get their own vacuums. Washing the floor, dusting, sweeping, you name it and they want to be a part of it. The moment that I don my apron in the morning, they are looking for theirs too, knowing that an adventure is sure to come!

If you have little ones, I encourage you to let them help. Yes, it takes longer now but there are so many rewards to be had. Time invested in your children is never wasted.

What are they learning from you?

• The basic how-to's of a task
• That they are loved and worth your time
• That they are a vital and contributing part of your home
• A good work ethic
• Teamwork
• That there is beauty and importance in keeping a home
• And so much more I am sure!

What can you learn from them?

• Not just to be willing, but to be enthusiastic
• That joy can be found in any task, it all depends on attitude
• Patience!
• To let go of perfectionism

Washing the floor!

Setting the table - not too bad for our first attempt!

Easter Egg Help Needed!

HELP!

Tomorrow I want to make Easter eggs with the girls. They are 2 and a little clumsy at times. We need simple, easy ideas! What works for you? This is the first year that we are doing eggs so all of you Easter Egg veterans - I'd appreciate your advice!

If you have a Works for Me Wednesday link about Easter eggs - please leave it in the comments and I will visit later today. Thanks!!

The Makings of a Big Girl Room

Chloe is my daughter. She is two. Her room is one of my favorite rooms in our home. I started collecting things for her "big girl room" when she was 5 months old and still in the nursery. Her bedroom was actually the guest room then. I put her bedroom together when she was about 16 months and I was 7 months pregnant with our son. She was being evicted from the nursery in preparation for John's arrival.

Some things that worked for me:

• Scrounge: Two of my favorite items in her room are from the garbage! The pictures don't do them justice but her little desk and the chair are from 2 separate people's garbage sitting on their curb on garbage day. With the desk, I was too embarrassed to get it from the garbage pile so my wonderful parents picked it up for me. A few weeks later my sister and I were out somewhere and I spotted the chair on top of a garbage pile. I threw all my inhibitions out and promptly put on my four-way flashers, pulled over and grabbed it up before someone else saw this fabulous find. Thanks to my talented parents, both items were sanded down and refinished and they are so beautiful. An antique white with the tiniest tinge of pink. Simple and feminine! The bulletin board was being thrown out at Scott's work so he brought it home. We have her bedtime routine with pictures posted on there. We have baskets in the bathroom and bedroom - those we got from Nana, who was planning to drop them off at a charity place!


• Use what you have: I didn't like the guest room furniture but didn't want to buy more when we already had this set. It was my husbands before we got married. But you know, once I added all the pink to the room, the set actually looks very feminine and sweet. (I can assure you it looked neither when it was at my husbands apartment!) Chloe is also in a queen bed because we had just bought it when we got married and then decided to move into a king size for my king size man! (He's 6'8") My husband also had a bookshelf from his childhood. It was terribly ugly but my parents finished it to match the desk and chair and it looks beautiful! Rather than get a bed rail, my maternity pillow along the edge of the bed works perfectly.


• Ask for Help! I am not really that talented. I couldn't have pulled off this wonderful room on my own. My parents were a huge part of this room. Without their help in finishing the desk, bookshelf and chair, the room wouldn't be the same. My dad also built the little stairs to her bed so she can get up and down. Mom helped get the curtains up just right and my wonderful husband helped arrange (and rearrange!!) the room into the way it is. He also hung the bookshelf, curtain rods and put together the toy organizer. My grandparents gave us a few of the nylon butterflies and my sister found some of the Nemo stickers at the dollar store. Dad also made the little toy chest in the corner. Mom and dad sanded and refinished the baby cradle (thift store find) for her dolls and mom sewed a little crib skirt and bedding for it.
  
• Take Advantage of Deals: Dollar Stores are a great way to go. We purchased several nylon butterflies from the dollar store and hung them around the room from the ceiling. Chloe loves them. We got some Nemo removable wall stickers from ebay as well as the dollar store. The wall stickers I found on ebay were a couple bucks. They are removable and satisfy her love of Nemo while not being permanent. They can be removed at any time. This is a great way to add characters or themes to a room without it being permanent. After all, who has the time or the money to change room decor as they grow? We also got a few things off kijiji (similar to craigslist).


• Know when to splurge: The only thing for Chloe's big girl room that I really bought was the quilt, shams and the curtains. I had them made by Quilted Heirlooms in St Jacobs. Everyone at the Log Cabin was so helpful and it was a delightful experience! While this was a significant investment, it is something that will last her a lifetime! It is a queen size and though it has pink in it, it also has green and cream. Because I have it paired with pink curtains it looks feminine. But by adding green as the main color of the room rather than pink, it could very well work in a master bedroom someday. I think that quilts are beautiful, welcoming and timeless. My husband and I have one on our bed which has been washed a number of times. It is a quality item and only gets better (softer) with age! Though I am a big fan of dollar stores, if it is in the budget, sometimes it is better to splurge.

And there you have it. My thoughts for Works for Me Wednesday and Frugal Friday!

Tune Up Tuesday: Thoughtfulness #4

A google search of the word 'Tune-Up' revealed the following definition:

An Adjustment for Better Functioning

A search for the definition of 'Adjustment' revealed the following:

A Small Change, A Minor Correction, A Modification

More on Tune-Up Tuesday here.

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Love is Thoughtful

When you were dating, you probably thought of your partner a lot throughout the day. You thought of what he was up to, or things that you would say to him next time you saw him. You thought of what you would wear for your next date and wanted to make sure it was something you thought he would like. Maybe you thought about the last date you were on, thought of ways you could surprise him for upcoming events. You did things you thought he would like and went places you thought would please him. Perhaps you thought of the future and the wonderful possibilities it contained.

Notice how many thoughts there are in the above paragraph. All of that thinking came fairly naturally back then didn't it?

Then you got married. Now you have a house to clean, clothes to wash, meals to cook, children to care for and the list goes on. I am sure that you love your spouse more now than you did when you were dating (or I hope you do!) but you know, you may think about him less in the midst of all the other pressing things in your life. I know that I do. Understandable but not excusable.

Nowadays I wake up, shower and pull on some clothes. I don't put as much thought into my clothes as I used to. This is not to say that I have let myself go but rather, I just get dressed without thinking about it. When we were dating, I was very conscious of what I wore on the days that I would see Scott. Now I don't mean to say that each day we should spend an hour getting ready, but you know, I could take a few extra moments before he comes home to freshen up. Or I could spend an extra few moments to make myself up a little if we're going out or if I am planning a special meal, or every so often just for fun.

When we were dating, I would snail mail him letters often. Scott has always loved mail so I always thought it would give him a little something to read. One time I put all sorts of pink heart confetti in the letter. It went all over when he opened it. 5+/- years later there is still a pink confetti heart embedded in the insole of one of his shoes. I thought it would be cute...he didn't think it was. So I don't recommend the confetti (especially since now I would be the one to clean it up! lol) but are there little things that you used to do that have fallen by the wayside?

If there are any men reading this...wives long for thoughtful husbands. Thoughtfulness is a key element in feeling loved.

This week let's be more thoughtful. I like to think that I am thoughtful but there is always room for improvement isn't there? You've heard the saying "to have friends you need to be a friend"? Well let's try, "To have a thoughtful spouse, you need to BE a thoughtful spouse". And even if there are no instant results, we still have the satisfaction of knowing that we are glorifying the Lord with our thoughtfulness.

As daughters of the King, how often do we think about God during the day? Do we think about whether or not our activities, attitudes and words are pleasing Him? Or (this one hits home) what He thinks of our priorities each and every day?

Challenge #4: Thoughtfulness towards our Lord, our spouse and our families. Thinking about doing things on purpose to please them.

Verses: Psalm 139:17-18

You can follow along here, however I really recommend picking up a copy of The Love Dare for yourself. It contains so much more than what I am sharing here. You can purchase one by clicking the appropriate button on my right sidebar to go to my A-Store.
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Do you have a tune-up you are working on? Are you joining me in the Double Love Dare? How are you doing? Leave a comment to let us know or add a direct link to your blog post below to encourage and inspire others. Don't underestimate the power of accountability - it's a great motivator!

Menu Plan Monday April 6

Well last week for a variety of reasons, I didn't make a menu plan. The week didn't go so well and it just re enforces why it is worth the extra time to meal plan (thank you Org Junkie!). This week is shaping up to be super yummy (and easy)!

Breakfasts:

• Chloe's love of cereal seems to be waning and she is more interested in having toast with mommy so this week just a combination of Ham, toast and we're going to try hard boiled eggs again. Last time we had hard boiled eggs it didn't go over well but I really like them! Of course we still have cereal as an option.
  

Snacks:

• We have apples, oranges and bananas as well as strawberries (Chloe loves berries!)
• And of course staples like gherkin pickles, cheese (& keilbassa) and goldfish crackers. The girls go crazy for those little pickles!
• We also have raisins but we want to be careful how many we eat since the seem to... well, pass right through them!

Lunches:

• In cleaning out our overstuffed freezer - I found some Pickerel (it's a fish for those who don't know). Scott isn't crazy about fish but I really enjoy it. Fish and home-made potato fries are on the lunch menu.
• Left over pork chops with steamed potatoes and whatever other left overs we have from the week. I love leftovers!
• When all else fails, we always have a good stock of Kraft Dinner. It's the one prepackaged food that Scott has OK'd :) The girls love pasta so this is always a hit!

Dinners:

• Monday: Super yummy dry aged black Angus steak.Mmmm. It's from Strodes - a local butcher shop & deli. A real treat!
• Tuesday: Dinner at The Keg. Aunt Lori's birthday party. Hurray!
• Wednesday: Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes and Corn
• Thursday: Home Made Pizza (we're trying out Crystal Paine's recipe from her e-book Simply Centsible Suppers)
• Friday: Good Friday. Church in the morning. Dinner?
• Weekends: I don't actually plan meals for the weekend. Since my husband loves to cook and create, this is his opportunity to come up with culinary masterpieces. A few weekends ago he made the most divine home-made ice cream!! He's not a dedicated poster but be sure to check out his blog for interesting food experiences!

Join in on Menu-Plan Monday. Do a post on your blog and link to here. Don't have a blog? Just leave a comment!

Beautiful In Gods Eyes: Welcome Theresa!

I am excited to share with you that a new addition to the Bloggerland community. My friend Theresa has started Beautiful in Gods Eyes.
She is a young mommy with a desire to serve the Lord with her blog and her life.
I encourage you to extend a blogger welcome and pop over to say hello! It will be an encouragement to her and perhaps you'll find some blessing or encouragement yourself as you read her posts.

Happy Friday!

My Beautiful FREE Photo Book!

I have an amazing husband! Thanks to him we have never really had any 'picture chaos'. I take pictures - lots of them. I have such adorable children - how can I not take their pictures?

Anyway, I take the pictures and once a month or so my wonderful, wonderful husband takes them and downloads them from the camera onto our server and puts them in the appropriate yearly folder. So the above is a print screen of what our photos look like. Within each folder is the photos for the year in the order they were taken. (We have only been married 3 years so that helps too. It's not like we have years to go back). Looks sparse I know but we have a lot of photos, trust me!

We also have a website. Where all the photos are uploaded and sorted into quarterly albums. I've debated on whether to share this or not because it does encompass all our photos and therefore me (or my home) look less than stellar in some but for a limited time I will put this link in here. How is that for online organization? I told you he was wonderful!

Anyway this is all fine and dandy for us to scroll through on the computer but what about a hard copy? I generally print out some photos by uploading them to Costco and picking them up the following day. But those photos are to give away to grandparents and such. I've been meaning to do something about photos for us but with a toddler, a baby, and a myriad of other tasks, where is time time?

Thanks to the Organizing Junkie's Roundup and a coupon from Shutterfly...I made a photobook of the highlights of 2008 for free...I just had to pay the shipping. It was very simple...the longest part was uploading the photos but I didn't have to sit there to do it so that didn't bother me. I want to go back and make a highlights of the year book for 2007 and a combination 2005/2006 (before we had littles we didn't have as many pictures), all I need to do is wait for another coupon.

Frugal Friday Tip?

If the idea of a photo book interests you at all, you should sign up for their newsletter. Though it can get annoying at times, a few times a year they send out a coupon for a free photobook, you just have to pay the shipping which from the USA to Canada was $6.99. My guess is that it is cheaper get a "free" photobook once or twice a year than it is to print out pictures. Right now they have 20% off using the code BOOKS20 but I am holding out for the free book coupon.

Once I get another coupon and go back and do our missing years, I will then use the additional coupons to create photobook gifts. What an amazing present for aunts, uncles, grandparents. They have all sorts of "themed" photobooks too. For 6.99 or less (shipping varies by location) you get an AWESOME personalized gift idea.

What are you waiting for? Go here to sign up! You don't want to miss the next free photobook do you?

SIDE NOTE:

Did anyone notice my frugal use of time here? Monthly Roundup and Frugal Friday combination post....

(Yes, I am impressed with my geniusness on occasion!)

When They Don't Snap, Crackle or Pop!

I was cleaning out my cupboards and came to an expired box of Rice Crispies. I don't eat cereal and Scott doesn't eat this kind. We tried it with the girls and it didn't go over well. I made a batch of Rice Crispy Squares to use some up since I also found a bag of expired marshmallows. The squares were a disaster and I actually cut the inside of my mouth trying to eat them. I'm half decently competent in the kitchen so I don't know what went wrong. I'm trying not to dwell too much on it lol.

In my new found frugalness, I no longer toss everything the way I used to. I decided to use the food processor and make a powder so my baby could eat the rice crispies. He just tried them this morning and really liked them.

I wanted to share with you my revelation of the day: Rice Crispy baby mush does not *Snap, Crackle or Pop*!

Today I have to get moving. With littles being sick, and me not feeling so hot, I feel a little behind on things.

Here is my far too ambitious to-do list for the day (in no particular order):

• Tidy Kitchen
• Dress Littles
• Laundry Away
• Spot Clean Carpet
• Floor Swept and Spot Cleaned
• Laundry Room Tidied
• Grocery List prepared (shopping tonight!)
• Out for a walk with the littles
• Plant "Forget Me Nots" in egg cartons with girls.
• 1/2 hour of sorting desk
• Final Numbers to Complete Tax Return

This weekends projects include:

• Taxes Filed
• Finishing up the Surprise for Tricia @ GraceWorks
• General Tidy of my Garage. This is my April task for the monthly roundup. I know it isn't a cupboard or a closet but when you see the photos you will understand. The first step to tackling it is a general tidy so I can at least walk in it!

mmm...Brussel Sprouts Roasted with Bacon

This week's focus is Holiday Main Dishes. As you may have gathered if you've spent any time reading my blog, I was domestically challenged when we got married. I am slowly learning but for the first couple years of our marriage, my husband did all of the cooking. It has only been in the last year that I am slowly taking over during the week. My husband loves to cook so weekends are still his to create his culinary masterpieces. Why am I telling you this? Because I don't really have any holiday mains to share unless it encompasses holiday sides as I have yet to cook a holiday main dish. My chef husband always does it and I sous-chef.

The ultimate holiday dish for me (being the veggie lover that I am) is Roasted Brussel Sprouts. Growing up we always ate steamed brussel sprouts at every holiday meal but rarely in between. After watching a cooking show about a year ago, we stepped it up. While I always have loved them - they take on a whole new taste like this! The ultimate brussel sprouts are as follows:

Steamed, then Pan-Fried

Cut your sprouts in half and steam until almost done. While they are steaming, fry up some shallot (or onion) and a little bacon in a pan. When your sprouts are almost done, toss them into the pan with the bacon and let them crisp up. Mmm.

OR

Roasted
Half them, spread them cut side down on the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper and roast for 35+/- minutes. They will get crispy and yummy!

Decisions Based on Cost Alone

A Big Welcome to my sister, Sandy! She has joined the cloth diaper realm and was just saying the other day that she wished she had known about them from the get-go. Sandy is the stay-at-home mommy to 5 little boys 6 and under! Maybe one of these Wednesdays we'll have a guest post from her on what works for her family!

While I don't think that we should tout our successes as the right way or superior way to go, I think is it so important to share with other what works because it may work for them too!

Someone had shared with me how easy cloth diapering was and I am thankful that they chose to share that otherwise I may not have tried it. I wish someone had told me about BumGenius 3.0 One Size Diapers with my first too. You can read a little more about my cloth diaper experience here. It was one of the first things I wrote on my blog. When I find something that I am happy with, I tend to get very excited and of course, I love to share!

So in participating in Works for Me Wednesdays backward edition - what doesn't work for me? Making decisions based on cost alone!

While Kushies were certainly the most economical...it really isn't all about price is it? Quality and performance are big factors, along with if the product really right for your needs! If one of those is lacking then the most economical route isn't always the most economical in the long run is it?

Are you a Mrs Titus 2?

Mrs. Titus 2 is sometimes overshadowed by Mrs. Proverbs 31 however she is no less important, and maybe more important in some ways.

Do you think that Mrs. Proverbs 31 got to where she was all by herself? Of course not! While I wholeheartedly agree that Mrs. Proverbs 31 was a super woman, she was not superwoman! It was by the grace of God that she did what she did (and the same grace we have available to us!). And though Mrs. Titus 2 wasn't officially around yet, I am guessing that she was there somewhere in between those verses gently teaching, guiding and instructing Mrs. Proverbs 31.

I have been blessed with many Titus 2 women in my life. It was a much needed and unplanned chat with one yesterday morning that prompted this post. I went to ladies bible study Tuesday morning. A variety of events occured (as you may expect when getting 2 x 2 year olds and a baby out the door), then I needed gas and ending up driving behind a very, very slow truck. I did not get to ladies bible study early enough to join in. I just took my littles straight to nursery and thought I would visit with whomever was there. Well, it was one of the dear ladies in my life that I consider one of my Titus 2 ladies. She was just who I needed to see as I was battling with feelings failure. Failure of what you wonder? Many things, but on Tuesday it was about getting places on time! I was always on time for things - then I had littles. I try to plan in advance, I make lists, pack the van the night before. Try to leave early. But something always happens and I think to myself - everyone else can do it. Some people have more children than I and they're on time! What is wrong with me? Foolish thinking, I know. When we start to look around us, we're bound to get discouraged and lose our focus.

Anyway, back on topic. My Titus 2 woman didn't provide any band-aid fixes or new divine information to transform my life but she did encourage me. She also shared a small area of her when she was in a similar place to me and helped me once again find my focus.

Mrs. Titus 2 is not someone *out there* - she is us if we chose to answer the call. A call that is yet another facet of our beautiful calling to all women.

Mrs. Titus 2 is a well-rounded individual. She is both young and old. We are all "younger" than someone. There is always someone that we can learn from if we choose to be transparent and teachable. We are all "older" to someone too. God is teaching us (through His Word and the ones he places in our lives) so that we can go out and teach others...daughters, sisters, friends, the new girl at church...everyone!

Afraid that you don't have a deep and profound grasp of all the philosophical aspects of scripture? Well no worries! Though I am sure that Mrs. Titus 2 shared scriptural insights that the Lord taught her, she also shared practical basics about:

• good things
• loving your husband
• loving your children
• being discreet and chaste
• keeping your home
• obeying your husband

You do not have to have it all together (for who does?!?), nor give the illusion that you have it all together to be one of these Titus 2 women. God can use you if you're willing. That is all that is required: Willingness! We need more women to step up!