A Word From Romans

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:26-28

Homeschool: Reading Incentives

It's no secret that I am an avid follower of Confessions of a Homeschooler.  Her blog posts and YouTube videos have been a great inspiration in our homeschooling journey.  If you haven't checked out her homeschool room tour, you've just got to do it... like right now... Well, you know, after you finish reading this! 

Last month I stumbled over THIS POST she had about reading incentives.  She had adapted it from another blog post that she saw.  Isn't that great how us women can keep on encouraging, adapting and sharing?  I love it!

I've shared here before that my oldest daughter (The Fashionista) has dyslexia.  The Fashionista has made great big strides in reading, but it can still be a struggle to get her to set aside time to read. 

She is the type that is highly motivated by a prize.  I don't like rewarding everything (in fact, that's a pet peeve of mine!), but this is one area I think it's okay to give a little encouragement. 

If you're a teacher (homeschool or other) looking for a way to encourage your students I highly suggest you check out Confessions of a Homeschooler for details on how to make your own reading incentive area. 



Because we have a huge whiteboard already on the wall, we just didn't have room for a bulletin board too.  Instead we used push pins to stick the reading necklaces in the tree on the wall. It works perfectly for our family! 

I think this idea could easily be adapted to whatever your child needs an incentive for: Behavior, chores, school work, feeding the pets, etc. 

If you take on this little #DIY project, I'd love to see it!  Post a picture to my facebook page: www.facebook.com/ASlightlyBetterWife



This picture was taken before we added our reading incentives, but you can see our beautiful whiteboard.  It was a $5 garage sale find from a friend.  Thank you Aimee!  It's been SO helpful in our schooling. 

Fitness: Shake Your Groove Thing

When it comes to fitness, are you motivated by others? 
For me the answer is yes, and no.
Yes, seeing pictures/videos of people working out motivates me.
& No. Anyone near me when I'm working out and suddenly I go brain dead and can't function enough to even jog in place.
Although I don't actually go brain dead.. it's more like my brain goes into overdrive & I over think every single thing. Especially my breathing.  Who on Earth over thinks their breathing??
Weird, I know.
Well tonight we had a family dance party, as we often do.  This time I took a short Instagram video of the kids each doing their thang. Afterwards The Fashionista said, "Now let's do a video of mom and dad!".  Wanting to be fun, I agreed to it. 
I  switched to the regular camera so it wouldn't end up online, and told my husband I'd promptly delete it. My husband and I shook our groove things or whatever, but once I viewed the video my thoughts were confirmed.  My groove thing shook more... like a lot more. It's probably still shaking.

I'm challenging myself to get fit.  Not thin, not skinny, not pretty (beauty is fleeing).  I just want to make fitness a priority. I'd love if you want to join along. 

You can link up with me on Instagram using hasgtag: #ASBWGetFit

◄ Proverbs 31:30 
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised

Facebook Fasting: My Personal Account

I'm doing a little experiment right now. 

I kind of got sick of people basing their opinions of me because of what they saw on my Facebook.
 They were mostly all good, that wasn't the problem.  But it's like that's all they knew of me and assumed that's all there was to me. 
Then a friend would say they talked to another friend and they were talking about what I posted on Facebook. I don't want to be fuel for your conversations.  Especially conversations that have no meaning. 


If I posted something controversial or that didn't completely agree with a friends opinions (even if I didn't know their opinion on the topic)  it was automatically about them (I get a lot of inbox messages like this..."I saw what you posted, are we okay?" I've even had people delete me because my opinion on something.  Even family members!...Sometimes I don't even respond to these messages.  People, It's okay to disagree.  Just do it kindly).


Another thing about FB that gets me.  If I hadn't posted that we were doing something then I was probably making it up and we were just staying home- so I might as well be doing whatever they needed me to do because I was "just at home anyway".  don't.go.there.


I also got sick of seeing people copy my posts. Not identically, but the same idea.  Like I post a picture of a dessert, then someone else posts a dessert AND a million reasons why it's healthier, more delicious, from a better restaurant or whatever.  You've got your cake- now eat it!


This probably doesn't make sense to most of you, but to some of you you're nodding your head like "yes, finally someone understands".  I know this because I've heard you mention it or we've talked in depth about it and it drives you crazy too.  But you don't know what to say because, it's just how social media works. 


I never intended to use Facebook as a popularity contest.


 Some how it turned into that for me. 
Like- Okay so I post a scenery picture and it gets 14 likes, but then a friend posts one and theirs gets 24 likes.  Now I'm frowning because A. They copied me.  B. More people liked their picture.
I haven't always felt this way.   And I am not really feeling this way right now. Once I realized it, and thought about "why" it was happening (what the other person was thinking by doing it, their need for attention, etc.), I got over it. 


It's an internal issue some of us have once in awhile and it's dumb. But I just wanted to put it out there so you know, that's why I'm not posting on my Facebook right now.  I just gotta sort out WHY I'm there and what I want out of it. Otherwise it kind of controls me. 


Ps.  No inbox messages asking if we're okay.. This is about me.. and I'm okay. :)  Oh and I copied the picture for this post.  ;-)


Anyone else struggle with what the heck Facebook's purpose is in their life?

Marriage & Family: Where's the fun?

"You guys have the perfect marriage",  "

"You guys have so much fun", 

"You two really know how to party", 

 "We always have so much fun when we get together with you guys"<--{My Favorite}

 Those are statements I USED to hear often.  Then we got pregnant.  I spent a small part of my pregnancy in bed, crying, and just trying to hang on to my baby.  Once that was over I spent the rest of my pregnant days mostly indoors (it was a SCORCHING hot summer).  I got out when I could, but I couldn't wait to get back in to the air conditioning and put my feet up!  


Once we had our third baby, we spent a year in and out of different hospitals and doctors offices hearing things like "just keep loving on her" (our sweet pediatrician)  "she'll be okay but lets keep a close eye on her" (when she broke her arm) "come back in (insert time) weeks, months etc. so we can have another listen" (the cardiologist) and mostly "you're great parents" (from so many nurses).

That last one we hear A LOT.  

Most of the time I feel we ARE great parents.  Parenting is my passion.  Raising the future generation is such an honor.  Someday these children will be someone's spouse, and a parent themselves.  I'm working hard at this, because I really don't want to screw this up.   Parenting with my husband can be kind of difficult.  Like when I say "Go to bed" and he says "Who want's to play a game?". haha.  But mostly it is an insane amount of fun. 


Over the last year my husband and I have let our "circumstances" take over way too much of our lives. We’ve put such an emphasis on our children (this is a good thing, but there needs to be a balance) So much so, that we both craved adult conversation and attention.  When we were bored, we found ways to cure the boredom.  Separately.  That was the problem.  Our friendships blossomed, but our marriage wilted. 

 Being a fun parent comes easy and natural, but being a fun wife, is something I have to work at. 

I adore my husband, but I take him for granted much more than I should.  Anyone who knows him has nothing but good to say about him.  He’s truly terrific. He snatched me up when I was just 18, and has been my best friend and role model ever since.


Last weekend in an effort to be a fun wife, I bought him a green Ninja Turtles shirt to impress our son (see, there I go again with the fun parent thing.  The boy got an Iron man costume/shirt, and for 20 minutes I was the coolest mom ever).  Anyway- yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day so I gave Mr. Awesome the shirt to wear.  While I was cleaning the baby’s room he brought me in a glass of glass of green beer!  Yes, it’s really the little things that can start a positive chain reaction. 

I need to work hard at this marriage too.  Because I refuse to screw this up by letting each day slip by without trying my best.

In The Kitchen: Go-To Potluck Recipe

Between having both sides of our family living close by and being Lutheran, we host and attend a lot of potlucks! 
I'd say for sure one a month, and through the summer even more.

Commonly on a potluck day I'm standing in the kitchen (an hour or two before it's time to leave), phone in hand, staring at this screen:

The "easy last minute recipes" always require way more time than I have to spare. 

Almost every single time, I end up settling on making one of two things: A veggie tray OR a meat, cheese and cracker tray.  Both always go over well and disappear quickly. 

No longer will I feel like I'm settling. Once I hit publish this will be an official recipe, and that's totally acceptable for a Lutheran potluck. ;)

This week for our Fat Tuesday celebration at church I took this big veggie tray & a small dip.
I used my mandolin slicer, a small cutting board and a knife.  Using a minimal amount of dishes/utensils makes clean up a snap! 
This one had:
Cucumbers
Sliced Carrots
Sweet Mini Peppers
Cherry Tomatoes
Celery
With the dip, it cost me just under $10. 

I also did a quick cheese and cracker tray that made it to the van before I could photograph it.

Recipe: Yummy Water!

I don’t love drinking water.  Some people do, I’m not one of them.  I manage to drink plenty, but I don’t always enjoy doing it.  Different types of water have different flavors to me.  Some of them make me down right nauseous.   I’m not a big soda drinker either, but I do love me some black tea or coffee.  mmm-mmmmm… Sun tea! 

When I saw this recipe on Confessions of a Homeschooler I knew I had to try it, for two reasons:  One: As a way to drink more water.  Two: Because it was an easy recipe, and making easy recipes makes me feel accomplished!  I didn't add the mint, because I didn't have any on hand. I wish I did!  I'll have to try it that way next time. 

Check out her post and read some of the comments.  There’s good info there!

You can cut your cucumber and lemon with a sharp knife.  I personally LOVE using my mandolin slicer.   My husband nags (says) that it’s one more dish to wash.  He’s right.  But I love it anyway!  I’ve had it for years and years. I think I may have picked it up at Target, or the Kitchen Collection Store.  Those are my favorite places to get kitchen gadgets.

When I was finished I realized I hadn’t eaten my tangerine from lunch (because I was busy photographing my other food).  So sliced that up and tossed some of it in my water bottle.  The rest went in my daughter’s.  Hers has been sitting untouched on the counter for a while now... She thinks it’s strange. 

We love our Camelbak bottles.  I had admired a few different friends using them before I finally broke down and bought them for our family.  Now we’ve also been buying them for gifts too!  They’re easy to clean and replacement parts if you need them, are cheap.

 Having this bottle really does help me to drink more water!  Disclaimer:  I am a water bottle addict.  I buy a new one every month or two.  I’ve had this one for probably like 6 months or so and still love it!    When we go on trips I bring along a gallon jug of water to refill our bottles.

What do YOU like to add to your water?