Blog Share: Bringing Social Justice to Her Closet

Read what my friend has to say about bringing social justice to her closet.  I love the simplicity of this method and the idea behind it.
  I am great about cleaning out my closet every few years, but not about refilling it with practical pieces that reflect my style (whatever that is).  As a result I have a lot of random items, but still wear the same things over, and over, and over... I think her tips will help me, and maybe you too.

http://do-walk-love.blogspot.com/2014/08/bringing-social-justice-to-my-closet_5.html?m=1

Diva Cup

TMI ALERT: I'm taking the plunge & giving this menstrual cup a try...  ahhh I feel like I'm a teenager again.. super freaked out by this... Hopefully I love it & it functions as described though!

Simple Craft: DIY Brag Tags

Hey Guys, Today's simple crafts is making brag tags!
Last school year my kids earned brag tags by reading on their own. I'll link to that when I edit this. 
For this school year I decided we would make some of our own tags in addition to using the ones from last year.
Instead of only getting them for reading they will also get one when they accomplished a goal.  My kids are highly motivated by earning "stuff".  I don't love it, but it's just how it is.  So these little tags are perfect for our family.

Here's how you can make these:
Trace a tag onto cardstock (or design your own shape) .
Design the front with the goal you want to accomplish.
Cut them out.
Sign your name on the back so you know who's it is.
Laminate them.
Cut them out again.
Punch or cut a hole for a necklace to go through.

Viola!

What are your goals for your kids this year?  What are theirs?  Ask them, you may be surprised!

DIY Lavender Sleep Spray and a Real Mom Confession

I picked up this tiny spray bottle for just under $1 @ Wal-Mart tonight.  I filled it with water and added 15 drops of lavender.
I'm going to mist this on my sheets and breathe deep the beautiful aroma as I  drift off to Dreamland and try to forget that I just lashed out  on my husband for checking out another woman at the store.  {lashed out seems vague. Let me explain, I threw a temper tantrum right in the isle it happened in, then stomped away....oy! Yeah, bad move}.
You see what happened was I smiled to myself when I noticed her check him out... but shit hit.the.fan when I saw it go back the other way.  #keepingitreal #tomorrowisanewday #pmsHormones #psycholady

PS.  I still think I'm right in being upset, but I cannot let this consume another minute of my life. It already ruined what is usually a pleasant 45 minute drive together.

Break our heart for what breaks yours: One mom's uproar over an "unflattering" bathing suit picture.

Can you relate to this story I read last night?  It's about a mom who finds a picture of herself  {in a bathing suit} that her son took with her cell phone.  She's upset that it is an unflattering picture, but the boy doesn't see it that way.  To him, it's a picture of his beautiful momma relaxing on the beach.  Oh sweet boy, never change your gentle heart. 

I know I can relate to this plenty well!  Last week I sweat my rear off at the park rather than putting on a tank top and showing my arms (in hindsight, my "jiggly" arms were nothin' offensive compared to the massive amounts of sweat dripping off my face and drenching my shirt). 
 This week, I got over it and it felt soooo good!  Tank tops are where it's at on these hot days!  I've learned to embrace the camera from another mommy friend who learned of the challenge on another blog. Now I'm learning to embrace the mirror and my real self too.

Here's a link to the original story.  Please give it a read and allow it to soak into your soul for a minute before you move on.  You probably learned long ago to love others as Jesus loves us.  But what about LOVE OURSELVES, as Jesus loves us?  As our kids love us?  As our husband or friends love us? 

Here is a picture of my kids and I at the beach a few weeks ago.  The day it was taken I could tell you all the things I despise about the picture.  Today, when I look at this picture, I'm just so thankful to God that I got to be THERE in that moment, with my kids, and that we have a photo of it to remind us of the good times we had. 

My prayer today comes from the song titled Hosanna, which means Praise & JOY.

Oh Dear Heavenly Father,

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity.

Amen