Merry Christmas!

Tip of the day:
  Remember (or Google, if you don't know) what today is all about & act accordingly. 
Love,
Me

Ps.  I'm posting this as a reminder to myself as well.

The lucky girl (pt 3)

This lucky girl wants to brag about the lucky GUY!

The man of the house won 25 town bucks in a drawing!  Yep, 25!!  Saaaa-weeeeet!!

  I proudly picked them up for him at the chamber office today. 

We live in such a lovely town. 

I will *try* to force him to spend them on himself.  He's such a do-gooder.   He will probably want to spend the money on the kids, but he so deserves this, he like never buys stuff for himself.

The lucky girl series (pt. 2)

The smell of fresh bread is filling the house while it bakes in the other room.
I was blessed with a bread maker from a very sweet woman this year.
I'm a lucky girl!  & I should really make some bread for her soon!

The lucky girl series

I am so thankful for the garbage man who comes once a week & hauls away whatever I put out, no questions asked. 
This morning I filled a bag with expired car seats & couldn't even tie it shut.  He just swoops the bag up and tosses it in the truck. 
After a good month of feeling like I should let them go, not knowing where to take them, and mostly being tired of looking at them, he really came through for me. 

Wow,   I'm a lucky gal.

I'm Embarrassed. Sorry-Not Sorry

I am so tired of this scenario:

Store clerk: "What do you think Santa is going to bring you this year?"  Or "Have you been a good kid this year? Is Santa going to visit your house ?"

My child: *scowling*

Me: *embarrassed, turning red, but smiling & stumbling on my words*

"Oh, we don't do Santa, but we are really excited for Christmas" or my worst one yet that just came out "He actually doesn't believe in Santa" (talking about my 4 year old).

 

The look on the faces of these innocent people just trying to make conversation is enough to make me want to burst into tears and yell "I'm sorry!".
But if I'm being honest, I'm really not sorry, not even a little bit.
I grew up believing in  santa at our house, actually there is probably still a homemade santa suit in my dad's closet.  My husband and I led our daughter to believe in santa for years and years, and even did for a of couple years with our son.

I just got tired of it all.  Personally, I know that it is exciting to wait up, wishing and hoping for santa and listening carefully  to hear his sleigh on the rooftop.
There are so many truly great experiences in life.  I don't think I'm depriving my children by telling them that Christmas time is about the birth of Jesus Christ , our Lord and Savior and really so much more.

I guess I don't really know why I'm writing this other than to get my embarrassed feelings out there on the table and say:
I don't judge you.
I don't think any less of you.
I would like the same respect. Please quit dropping your jaws & treating me like I'm screwing up my kids. I'm happy and excited for you guys to all celebrate having Santa at your house.

  I remember the thrill of putting out reindeer food at night and waking up early in the morning to make sure the camcorder was ready to catch the smiles of children excited to see what Santa had brought for us. 

I just wish I could tell the store clerk of all the wonderful things my children do for other children, maybe even for their children.  From donating their own boots, shoes, coats, hats, gloves countless toys, packing up shoe boxes for operation christmas child & giving with a gracious heart that is so rarely seen in school age children these days.
Instead, I stumble over my words I feel embarrassed and I leave everyone feeling very uncomfortable. For that awkward feeling, I am sorry. I'm not sorry for telling my children that Christmas is about Jesus Christ and making that the main focus. It works for us.

There's an app for that.

I've had my smartphone for a good part of the year now.  There are so many great apps, from educational, to games, to organizational. 
My most loved app is the Bible.   I still much prefer my real bible, however I love the feature of listening to the scripture.

Last night before bed my husband and I read together while listening.  We paused after a few minutes & talked about what we heard.  It was time well spent.
He has been spending so much time with his Bible lately.  I love it.

Learning something new.

My friend J came over last weekend and taught me how to knit. 

I'm thankful for this new activity, & getting to spend time with her. 

I'm not sure if it is something I will keep up, but it has been fun to try.

As I struggled with how to hold the needles and where to put the yarn, I realized what my daughter must be going through as she is so often trying to learn something new in school.  I must begin to show more compassion.  Learning something totally foreign is difficult & takes time, but is not impossible.

Glovely rhymes with lovely

While I was driving up town today I felt something poke at my finger inside of the mitten part of my glove. The half glove/half mitten thing was a great invention.
I pulled back the mitten to feel inside and see what was poking me, it felt like a piece of wood.
I smiled when I realized that yes indeed it was a little piece of wood.
It reminded me that I have a wonderful husband who has built so many great things out of wood for our family.  Even when it was too cold for my hands to be out, he hauled all of his tools to the garage & built us bookshelves & cubbies.
This year I will try not to let it bother me when he borrows my gloves & doesn't return them to the proper spot.  He's probably just finished a big project outside for us & from his perspective, it feels so good to be back in the warmth of our home.

Want vs. Need

A timely reminder.

We had a pancake playdate here this morning & now I'm doing some baking for Thanksgiving.  Today I'm thankful for our dishwasher, that is on its THIRD run of the day.

What are you thankful for?

Mobile blogging

Thanks to a friend I am now able to blog from my cellphone.  Look for many more posts to come.  Yay!!

Science? Art? Fun? Yes... Fun!

What would you do with an ice cream bucket FULL of crayons? 

Well I'll tell you what I did.  I sorted them by color and save all of them longer than 2 inches for precious little hands to color with. The ones under about 2 inches went back in the bucket to be melted into new exciting shapes!

I did this a few years ago with my playgroup friends.  At the time it was just about Easter & we made butterflies, eggs, and girly/spring things.  

But today it's just me and my little guy, so we are making dinosaur shapes!

So far I have had them at 170 (the lowest my oven will go) for about 20 minutes.  I checked them at 15 and they weren't totally melted yet.
I'll post an update when they're completed!  I hope they turn out well, but if they don't, I'm not too worried about it.  These were just pieces of crayons that had already had lots of love.  And really, more than anything it's something for the short guy and I to do together until his big sister comes home from school.


*Update:  My dinosaur took FOREVER.  I know this is because I didn't break mine into little pieces.  So the result was it took longer (about 50 minutes), and the back of my dinosaur looked like it had bones and a horn where there were still pieces that hadn't melted.  The front of both looked just right though!  Mine is the brownish/red (I used all the dark crayons I was sure the kids wouldn't want to use). 

Now the two creatures are playing with each other and the little guy is occupied because it's like he has a new toy.  Success!

2 Ways To Be Romantic

I picked up a book at the thrift shop (this is a great place to find books for all ages) several months back . The book I picked up was called 1001 Ways To Be Romantic by Gregory J.P. GodekActually I first handed it to my mom and said, “Hey you should get this for dad!”. After we had a good laugh I set it back down… then picked it up again, this time putting it in my cart.
I thought, well surely I could read even a half a dozen of these to my husband and he would be bound to hear at least one of the ideas and it would be magical.
So I bought it, brought it home, and put it on the bookshelf in our bedroom. It must have looked pretty good there, because nobody touched it again after I first placed it there.
Today I opened it and these are the first things I read:
#51 Carry stamps in your wallet at all times! (Preferably several LOVE stamps!) I really don't think anyone does this, and if they do, it's probably by coincidence, not because they are really trying to be romantic.
#557 Be extra nice to her during her menstrual periods. (Mark the dates on your calendar as a reminder!)  umm, okay...
　
　
At that point I had another good laugh, just like the day in the store with my mom.
Then a quote on the bottom of page 238 jumped out at me:

“The root of our problems- all of our problems- is a lack of love.

-GJPG

After I read that, I felt like the book was worth the 25 cents I paid for it. & really, it’s so true, we all just need to show some love. I LOVE YOU WORLD!


Thank you God for creating me, and loving me.  Please God, guide my heart  to express love to everyone who I am blessed to cross paths with.  Amen.

Problem Solved!

Alright, have a sense of humor here...

I have now found a solution for all of my problems!

Check out this web-site Magic Eight Ball

So I just ask the 8 Ball any question that is on your mind and click submit.. Poof!  No thinking neccessary, it does all the problem solving for you.  Why oh why did it take so long to find this wonderful tool?

haha!

Happy Wednesday!

My Friday Thoughts

Here is what is on my mind:

• Visiting a Farmers Market tomorrow with my little family & my fun niece.

• I'm feeling content with the stage the basement is at.  I'm thrilled with being able to actually go down there and use the space!  LOVE that the kids have their own hang out to explore, be creative and bond with each other.

• Thankful to be back at church where our children can go and learn about Gods love while my husband and I get time for us.  Then getting to worship as a family, it's wonderful.  Praying for all of those volunteering and leading to have patience with the little ones and that they themselves would grow spiritually from the experience of helping others.  Wishing I could help, but also knowing that my marriage needs to be the priority and our weekly chats cannot be compromised.

• Happy that MOPS has started back up for the year, and I'm getting used to not being on the steering team (I stepped down at the end of last year when I thought we would be homeschooling and I wouldn't be able to attend meetings).  I miss it greatly, but feel like there is a wonderful group of women leading the group and I know they will all do an awesome job this year.  I do like getting to just go and enjoy a meeting without tons of prep work and clean up.  Praying for the women who are leading that they can easily balance their roles between MOPS and their families.

• Oh, SO grateful for "us" time! :)

• Wishing bedtime was easier for our prince, but so happy that he is starting to outgrow his shyness.  He is such a delight & we enjoy our days together.

• Best of all, I'm feeling blessed that my little princess is reading & proud of her for reading most of her book by herself last night.  ♥ I love that she is making so many friends in the neighborhood and think that they are helping her to mature and work on her social skills.

• Feeling discontent with our decision to send the girl back to public school, but trying to pray on it and make the very best of it & not show her my fears.  Wondering how the transition would go if we did decided to bring her back home & wondering if God could equip me to provide for her educationally and be sure she learns all that she needs to learn.  

• Considering adding a cupboard with counter where my hutch is (it would match the kitchen).  I'm wondering if it would make the kitchen seem bigger and tie the room all together, or if it would look ducky and I'd be stuck with it.  If we don't do that I would like to get cupboards put in down stairs.  I have a ton of kitchen stuff.  I ♥ kitchen stuff!

• Oh lastly, I'm so hooked on pinterest.com (Thanks A LOT Courtney!  Really, thanks!)

Back to Blogging

I would love to get back to blogging!  I can't blog from my phone (although it can do just about everything else!).  I can bring up the web-site but I can't type anything in. :(  So I am going to make an honest effort to turn on the laptop at least once a week & blog.  It makes me feel good to write out my thoughts & it makes me feel bad to realize I haven't been doing it.  But we have had an awesome summer and kept very busy.

Okay- My goal of becoming a better homemaker has been going well. 
A wonderful woman from church has given me her bread maker.  Making fresh, nutritional bread for my family is amazing!
I've realized in the past year how seriously important the food we eat really is.  I can tell what types of food my kids have eaten based on their attitudes & attention span.  My body feels so different based on the food I've put in it.  I compare it to how your car would run if you filled your tank with water instead of gasoline.

Starting Sept. 26th I'm joining in on Menu Planning with Keeper of the Home.  I'm hoping that doing this will help me be more prepared for meal time so I can serve nutritional food & save money on our food.  Because saving money is always a good deal. :)

Time flies when...

Time flies when...You're having fun!  You knew that already didn't you?
Well it's been just over a month since I've blogged, and I can tell you it's because I have been having A BLAST!
We learned a few months back that my daughter is dyslexic. Praise God!  I sound crazy, right?  Well it feels like a giant blessing to now understand (sort of) what is going on and why her work wasn't progressing at grade level.

By the way, I'm the one who had to tell the school I thought she was struggling and have her evaluated.  They didn't pick up the dyslexia even with the evaluation (they suggested she was ADD, her pediatrician agreed that with the information from the school that was probably it and to have her further evaluated & medicated.  I stopped there.  I mean, their primary treatment for that is drugs, and if you can't tell by my previous posts, I'm far to "crunchy" to medicate my children for something that they can learn how to deal with (my opinion here, don't hold it against me).  I thank the school for trying, they really did do their best.  But in this case, their best, wasn't good enough for my little girl. 

Thankfully, my husband and I trusted our hearts and kept looking for more answers!  The neighbor/eye doctor suggested having her tested for dyslexia in his office. 

Can I be honest here and tell you I only had it done hoping to rule it out.  I was pretty sure we wouldn't figure out what was going on this easily.  And in my head, clearly it couldn't be dyslexia because she could read words like "cat" and "dog".  She COULD figure out small words, but man was it slow and emotionally hard on her and me both!

She was tested, and the letter from the optometrist came in the mail...Yes, we were dealing with dyslexia.
Initially after the diagnosis I was crushed.  I felt very defeated.  I first felt like she would never learn to read, and certainly not at her level.  I think I cried for almost 2 days before I came to terms with it and did what I knew I should do "Let go and let God".
 That's when I started to do research on Dyslexia and how her brain may be processing things.  Yes, this diagnosis makes perfect sense!  If you're having trouble following along with what everyone else is reading you might as well be looking outside at the birds or twirling your hair, right?  At least if you're 8 that's what you'd do.
 It was that nasty attitude of mine that kept us from success.  I should've known better, but I was caught up in the moment of feeling sorry for myself.
I felt like a terrible mother for not being able to teach my daughter.  I was disappointed in myself for leaving her education up to the school. 
Then I grew up and got over it.
Flash forward a few months.  We've been doing vision therapy with the eye doctor, which my daughter thinks is supper fun (at least most of it).  We set up a bedroom in our house as a "homeschool room" and bought lots and lots of curriculum when it was on sale. 
All of this is seriously fascinating to me.  The transformation has been remarkable.
Once I took on an attitude of gratitude we saw big changes. 
On her first try my princess read Barbie: Story Collection in 53  minutes, this week it was in 24 minutes!  She shaved 29 minutes off of her time!!  And best of all, she did it without crying or giving up!  Oh and she actually read it herself, no help! 
I love teaching my children!  My 3 year old is sort of liking learning, but it's been a big adjustment for him.  Right now he's doing lots of fun things and learning his letters.  We're working on ways to keep him busy while his sister is studying.  I am happy to say we have only a couple of times had to do this with using TV as a distraction, otherwise he is learning right along side of her! 
We're going to keep trying out homeschool through the summer and possibly into the school year.  It has been such a rewarding experience for all of us and brought our family so much closer together. 
My husband has been a great support and even enjoys teaching too! 
This has been a wonderful summer! 

Here is a peek into our school room. 

Quick & Easy Money Savers

I get asked this and sometimes even ask myself:

Family of 4 living on one income and you still stay home, how do you do it?

First I want to give a big huge thank you to God, for placing the 4 of us together.  Without Him we just couldn’t do it.  He is a mighty, wonderful God who blesses us in so many ways.  Second a big huge thank you to my husband.  I appreciate him waking up each morning and going to work for us.  I know he enjoys his job, and that helps all of us live happier.  He is a godly man who is very involved with his family.  And a third thank you to everyone who has shared their tips with me.

Okay here it is, Money Saving tips, by room:

Starting with the Laundry Room:

Wash clothing using the appropriate water level, on cold.  I’ve been doing this for years now and have found the clothes get just as clean on cold as they do on hot.  No special soaps needed.

Speaking of laundry soap, use only about half of what the package tells you to use.  It will be easier on your clothing, and save you a bundle on the soap.

Easy Step:  Shorten your drying time (stop the dryer before it gets to the cool down).

Next Step: Hang clothes on hangers and hook them on the shower curtain bar to dry in the bathroom.

Advanced Step: Line dry your clothes outside.  I’ve found this to actually be quite therapeutic. 

Also- Quit buying dryer sheets.  They’re dangerous in terms of build up on your lint screen and causing house fires, but also loaded with chemicals your precious family would be better off without.  If you do need something to make your clothes a little softer use vinegar in your washing machine.  It works, promise.

Kitchen:

This is a money and time saver; cook a double batch of whatever you’re making.  Save the leftovers for another day. 

Buy in bulk; especially beef if you like it.

Eat less… I’m not really joking here.  How often do you go for the second burger that you really don’t “need”.  If you could have that one for lunch the next day and still be satisfied you’ll be saving.

I save left overs, even when it’s literally only 3 bites.  Because that 3 bites will satisfy my toddler just fine.  Or I chop whatever it is up small and add it to our Friday night pizza. 

Yes... We do Pizza almost every Friday.  I clean out the fridge… Sometimes it’s carrots and parmesan because we don’t have mozzarella on hand (which we’ve found is actually a combination we love) other times we can add more to it. 

Soap dispenser:  I use a foaming soap dispenser.  1 part soap 5 parts water. I just refill it when needed.  This has cut our soap use by SO much!  I’m also pretty sensitive to soaps, so my hands look like I’m 70 after washing in straight soap; the foaming soap has helped this.

The next step took me awhile, but I eventually threw out pretty much all household cleaners and sprays.  We now use just a spray bottle of vinegar/water mix.  For tough things that need to be scrubbed I use baking soda.  Vinegar is a natural disinfector, and come on people, the smell does NOT stay around, so get over buying your expensive products that are attacking your body and pick up a gallon of vinegar & a cute $1 spray bottle.  Everything is getting just as clean if not cleaner than it was using the toxic sprays.  And yes… I wipe up raw meat using this spray, or soap and water.  No problemO’.

Paper towels/napkins:  We were a little crazy with our paper towels, going through about 2 rolls a week… I do not know anyone else who has ever used that much, but we did.  And at about $1 a roll, we cut just over $100 out of our yearly spending by using dish towels instead.  For napkins we bought wash clothes from Ikea that have a cute colored loop on them.  This way I know they don’t belong with the bathroom wash clothes.  I store them in a basket in the cupboard.  They’re much more absorbent and can be used more than once. 

Turn off your oven about 5-10 minutes before the timer goes off.  You’re using less energy and the oven is still hot inside.  In the winter, (if you don’t have little ones that might get hurt) leave the oven door open for a bit to let the heat into your home.

You can use this same concept on the stove top for most things.  I turn the burner off before it’s done (unless it’s rice.. that stuff is pretty picky!), my husband sometimes leaves it on even after the food is on the table…So,  I think we balance each other out here? ;)

Okay enough of the kitchen... On to THE LIVING ROOM:

Watch less TV!  Spend more time playing board games, cards, and reading.  Our TV is on a power strip that I sometimes will turn off for a week or better.  Most commonly though, it’s only off for a couple of days at a time. It’s not hard, no one misses the TV and to be honest, it’s pretty fun to go without it. 

We have a big TV and when I say big I’m not talking about the screen.  Our TV is almost 10 years old.  Sure we could go buy a new big screen, but then we’d need a new entertainment center too, and frankly I like the one I have, it serves its purpose well.  I do enjoy watching TV at friends and relatives houses though, as corny as it sounds, I feel like it’s a real treat. 

Over all tips:

Thanks to my daddy, this has been drilled into my head:  If you leave a room, TURN OFF THE LIGHT!!!

Along with that don’t use a light unless you need it.

Don’t turn on the water full blast when doing anything (showering, brushing teeth, washing hands, etc).

Take quicker showers using warm water instead of hot. 

I think you will find these things are easier to implement than you think.  Oh & I’m not a professional, so use your own discretion when trying these.  But they do work for us.

What other easy money savers can you share?  Leave your thoughts in the comments.

My Love.

I love being in the kitchen.  I love caring for the home, even if I'm not fantastic at it.  I enjoy trying my best at it.  So this morning I was in the kitchen rearranging food in the cupboards (I have some issues with consistency.. I prefer things to change often, I don't understand it, but that's just who I am).  So this song comes on the radio, which by the way, a radio is a lovely addition to any kitchen. 

The song was "Falling In" by Lifehouse. 

"Everytime I see your face
My heart takes off on a high speed chase
Now don't be scared, it's only love
Baby, that we're falling in"

This really spoke to me.  It took me back about 7 years, when my sweetheart and I started dating.  I can vividly remember the feeling of my heart feeling like it was on a high speed chase.  Oh, such a great memory.

This weekend we took a trip to Home Depot.  The princess and I were browsing the clearance isle while the boys did some serious shopping.

 I spotted my handsome husband pushing our son in the cart from all the way across the store.  Our eyes locked and I remembered what it felt like to be in love.  While I've been on a selfish hiatus I have sure missed this feeling.  I am so glad it's back :-)

Thought of the day: The Wise Woman

"The wise woman builds her house,

But the foolish pulls it down with her

 hands."

Proverbs 14:1

long, gossipy, blogpost- forgiveness, love.

There are 2 things my husband does that drive me insane.. Well to be honest, the first drives me insane, the second is just annoying.  And while I'm being honest, there are surely more than two things he does that I find reason to nag... But these are the two I'll focus on today:

First:  I watch sales for weeks, clip coupons and finally select the finest ingredients to make whatever dish I'm making. I do not settle for HFCS and white sugar/flour.  I bust my butt to serve this family healthy food and stay within our budget.  When it comes to actually cooking the meal I slave away for what seems like FOREVER, chopping veggies, measuring, watching for a boil, then simmering... and cooling for the kids... etc.  And the result is a delicious mostly organic, amazing soup that I feel I could take to the fair and win a prize. 
Here's where I get mad... He leaves the plastic (PLASTIC!.... Remember, toxins FREAK ME OUT) ladle in the soup after he dishes his up.  Leaves it IN the hot pan! 
So after numerous arguments I bought a stainless steel ladle and said I didn't want to argue about it any more. 
But now...  My sweetheart has decided to remember to remove the ladle, and place it on the STOVE (the nice clean stove) after he dishes up his soup.
 
I know it's silly, & I remember this:
1.God loves Chad just as much as he loves me. 
2.God is pretty disappointed in me when I'm screaming (yes... it makes me that angry) over a plastic ladle. 
Then I move on, and don't look back. 

Secondly- My husband prefers his shirts hung up facing the left.  I just hang the shirts, and it doesn't bother me a bit which way they go (I hang over 30 shirts a week, I just want it done, I don't care if it's done "right", really).  So for years I would put them on the hanger however I grabbed them.  Then I find him changing them around to face the "right way" (um... well, left).  I have (in the distant past, before I cared about being a better wife) purposely hung shirts up the "wrong" way.. just to catch him switching the shirts and start a fight where I knew I was right.  How pathetic, huh?

This long, gossipy, blog post is to tell you two things:
1- There is usually more than one way to do things, but that doesn't make one of the ways wrong.
2-  Pick your battles, chose wisely, and know that above all, Jesus is your defender.  You don't have to make known everything you think is right.  Sometimes ( a lot of times) silence is your best defense.


So now that I know these things about my husband, I chose to LOVE them.  I love that he cares enough to remove the ladle now, and I LOVE that he cares how his clothes look in his closet.  I love him.  And when we love someone we shouldn't be so hard on them. 
My husband makes me feel safe, he provides for our family, he is an honest person, and he loves me (and I KNOW that cannot be an easy thing to do, as I even struggle with this).

For everything I dislike, I can think of several more that I DO like.

This week, I challenge you to do the same.  Love your spouses flaws, Because they probably aren't really flaws, they're just different from how you do things.  Make list of what you LOVE about your spouse, forget about the things that you don't like.

Psalm 62:6 (King James Version)
 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

Exodus 14:14 (New King James Version)
 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

HOLD YOUR PEACE

PS- I do hang his shirts facing the left now, because it makes him happy, and I sure love it when he's happy :-)

You know what is SO cool.

 My favorite 3 year old just peeled a banana, that judging by the peel, I said was too far gone to enjoy ( I thought this first 2 days ago, but it stayed on the counter.  I had bought new bananas and placed them next to this one anyway).  But he insisted, even though I said it would be mushy, and he wouldn't like it, I said he could grab a new one.. yet he kept pushing
"Mommy, I love bananas". 
 I warned, "If you peel it, you must eat the whole thing". 
He replies "I will, I really will".

I'm cringing as he pulls back the bruised peel (thinking we'd soon be discussing him finishing it, and not throwing it away), but I stood amazed at the sight.. A perfect banana, not one bruise on the fruit.  And it actually had much more of that banana flavor that he loves.  And he DID love it, "yummy".
 
And so what, even if the fruit were a little damaged, the coolest part is that even a rotting awful banana
can be made into something wonderful...Moist, Delicious banana bread that would fill the house with the
glorious scent of goodness.  The heat from the oven would warm our bodies and we would be satisfied. 

I think back and wonder how many times I have passed up a good opportunity to meet someone (or develop a deeper relationship) based on their "peel".  That thought leaves ME feeling rotten.  What if God were to pass me up based on MY peel, and my mistakes?  It's heart breaking to think how selfish we are to judge others.  But it is our choice to do so, and our choice NOT to do so.  Today, I chose NOT to judge.

Psalm 119:18 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
Uncover my eyes so that I may see the miraculous things in your teachings
 

Are you a Facebooker?

Are you a Facebooker? 
If so, read the article found on the link below, then take a good look at your friends list.  In my opinion, it's not just the opposite sex and 'friendships that form' sort of thing, as much as the attention that you are taking away from your spouse/family by spending so much time on FB (or Internet in general) reading things that:
 A) Aren't too important, or B) Aren't any of your business. 

I have struggled in the past finding balance between hopping online for a few minutes and spending time with my family.  I'm so easily distracted.. I get online to find a recipe, 30 minutes later supper still hasn't been started ..BUT I now know the latest in the FB world, and really, why? 

Okay enough from me, here is the link

http://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/divorce-and-remarriage/facebook-divorce-stats-couples-be-wise-experts-say.html

Wasted Time? Nah

I'm just getting ready for bed and wondering, did I just waste my time?  You see, I am a multi-talented, multi-tasking "do it all" kind of gal.  Okay, I may be bragging just a little.

I'm not a fan of seeing time go by and realizing I've done nothing productive with it.

I just watched a dumb movie... I do NOT like watching dumb movies!
HOWEVER, I recognize that my husband likes spending time together.  He wanted to watch this movie, so after a few minutes of me saying no, and him restarting it... I finally gave in and watched it.  The whole dumb thing!

Ugh, So now here I am thinking that was pointless.  But not entirely.  The movie, yes,  VERY pointless.  The time with my husband, on the other hand, was quite enjoyable.

For an added bonus, I didn't even use my laptop while we were watching.  Instead I had a notebook and pen writing down any thoughts that came to mind.

Oh & the movie, in case you want to cross it off your list was "Dinner for Schmucks".



On another note, we're discussing the possibility of me getting a smart phone...More on that later.

The Question Jar

Here at our house we have what is called a "Question Jar".  It's a fancy glass pitcher I picked up at the thrift store for $2, wrapped ribbon around & threw a bunch of slips of paper into. 
Each of those slips of paper has.... you guessed it- A QUESTION on it.

So Saturday we were sitting around the table & I thought to myself, wouldn't the question jar be perfect right now!  Since honestly, for once we didn't have much else to talk about (unless bickering about how to finish the basement stairs counts... which it doesn't... so, out came the jar).

The question was:

  If you could invent anything to make your life easier, what would it be?

I hardly even had to think about it!
Of course, I would invent one machine that washed, dried, and folded the clothes. 
Then I thought for a minute what I would invent for each member of my family to make their lives easier....

For my children I would invent a toy box with a large diameter vacuum hose on it.  That way when they were done playing all they needed to do was take out the vacuum and suck up all the toys into the box.  The hose would have to fold in accordion style, so it didn't look ugly.. & the box would have to be huge, and have some type of sorting 'thing' in it so the toys wouldn't all bunch into one spot.  Great idea, I know!

But it gets better, for my husband I would invent a magical shelf that every time he put something on it, it put ITSELF away!  That would end the c.on.s.t.a.n.t "I didn't know where it went, so I left it there".  Then when the laundry was washed, dried and folded in my super machine, I could just set the clothes on his shelf and they'd put themselves away.

It'd be wonderful.  I cannot wait for someone to take my ideas and make them a reality.. please.. at least the super laundry machine?  :)

Alright, I'll stop, but it is fun to dream!  Have a great week!!

Oneness

A year ago at this time my husband and I attended a marriage conference.  Last night I was looking over my notes and in the first few pages I found this:

ONENESS
Oneness in marriage involves complete unity with each other. It is more than a mere mingling of two humans- it's a tender merger of body, soul and spirit.
-Dennis Rainey

The web defines oneness as "the quality of being united into one".

Either way.. That's pretty powerful stuff.  I mean, think about it... Oneness.  Not being two people that just enjoy each others company and don't mind being together, but really working towards a tender merger.   Sounds pretty romantic to me. 

When my husband and I were dating I thought this stuff was a cake walk.  Even a few years into our marriage this still came pretty easily. 

Then all of a sudden our lives looked something like this: Sunday school, church, ball practice, MOPS meetings, bowling night, play group, school concerts, friends house for dinner, Thanksgiving here, Christmas at the in-laws, and every other commitment that seemed like fun, but pulled us in every direction, except closer.  Sometimes I don't know how we have managed to eat and sleep the past year. 

So it's been a year since I was reminded that my goal with my husband is oneness.  And you know how it goes, "out of sight out of mind". 

This isn't magical, it takes work... YOU have to work to achieve ONENESS. (And I sure do too!)

Ephesians 5:22 (King James Version)

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Bathroom Upgrade: Shower Filter

Last night we installed a shower filter.  This should have taken about 5 minutes, but quickly turned into 20.  Oh how I wish I would learn to read the directions FIRST.

It all started yesterday, Sunday, when went to Home Depot for a few pieces of lumber we forgot to order from the local lumber yard on Saturday (when they were open and we ordered the rest of the lumber we needed).

  I was browsing and decided to look for a new shower head & hose for the kids' bathroom.  Theirs has been broke for quite some time, so they've only been using the bath in there. 
After MUCH comparison (mostly on the gallons per minute, and the "looks"), I decided the $12 shower head was just as good as the $74 one.

So it was settled, until..... I saw a shower filter!  This is something I've been meaning to look into.  So there I was again, now comparing shower filters for our grown up bathroom (the one that doesn't have rubber ducks everywhere).  I decided on the Sprite Slim Line.
This brand claims to do quite a bit, you can read about that HERE.

Total cost of upgrade, about $20 and 20 minutes

Oh, and the lumber there didn't work out for us... So I'll be ordering that from the local lumber yard today ;-)

Activity Calendar

Last Thursday I unplugged the TV... literally.. I disconnected the DVD player, VCR, converter box, Wii, & UNPLUGGED the whole stinkin' thing from the wall.  I even covered up the entertainment center with a huge piece of fabric. AND put the couch in front of it so it is NOT easy to get to it. 

It's  not that we don't like our TV... You see, we are a little hooked on so many shows that really aren't doing anything for us.  For me, watching TV even just a 30 minute episode is taking away from time I could be spending helping my daughter become a better reader, or teaching my son the right way to use his scissors and draw a straight line.  Or ummm.. I could be doing laundry!

Having the TV on as background noise isn't something we do here, so any time it is on, it is very distracting to the little people in this house. 

I came up with this cute little chart, inspired by a friend who made a much more adorable one  for her boys. 

We are using this as a FAMILY activity chart, so even Daddy played Barbies with us last night.   By having a plan in place we are less tempted to run to the TV to entertain us.  I am especially excited for warmer weather so we can add in things like...Dinner at the park, riding bikes, and other outdoor activities!

Total cost about $17. All items from Wal-Mart.
$7.88- Magnetic Dry Erase Board
$5.44- Plastic Name Badges
$2.97- Week Day Magnets

...Used 3 sheets of card stock & some markers for the pictures. I measured for the grid & applied it with perm. marker.

Subliminal Messages

On our way home from a fun day out yesterday, my husband and I were explaining subliminal messages to our 8 year old.  We were talking about the fast food that we ate and why we wanted to eat it.  Simply put, it came down to advertising.   We are led to believe that Wendy's french fries (delicious, in my opinion) are healthy because they are called "natural cut" and use sea salt.  There is nothing healthy about those things! At about 420 calories for a medium you might as well... I don't know, just skip the fries and order that frosty (410 calories) your guilty conscience never lets you order.
I mean, the fries have more calories, more fat, slightly lesser carbs but 310 more MG of sodium.

Anyway- This post actually isn't about food at all, I guess I'm just in a typing mood :-)


  So last night before bed my husband says "Lets fold laundry tomorrow night".
I respond "But... We don't even have any clean laundry to fold??"
He says, "I know, but I can help you with folding"
I said "okay.."  blew it off and went to bed.

This morning it hits me.. I think he's trying to tell me to take care of the giant over flowing hamper and stash of towels in the bathroom needing to be washed.  I mean what husband volunteers to fold laundry, when there isn't baskets of clean laundry taking up his spot in front of the TV?

It's just about 1pm and I have pretty much all of the laundry washed, dried, and even put away.  I wonder what he'll come up with for fun now! haha!

I want you to think about what your husband is indirectly telling you.  Does he want more time with you?  His laundry washed? His kids to respect him, and a wife who encourages that?  Or maybe a little more time to relax on his own?

Inspiration

Have I ever told you what inspired me to start being better?  It was a silly book I bought for a buck at Dollar Tree in the Mall of America.  Yes, I went all the way to the MOA and still shopped at Dollar Tree... What can I say, I LOVE that place.

So, this silly book is titled: 1,000 Ways to Be a Slightly Better Woman.  It's full of lists. My obsessively organized personality can sure appreciate a good list!

I seriously could not put it down.  If it weren't for the toddler in the house, I would've read right through it in one sitting.

From this book (and some other influences) I started serving my family healthier food, spending less money on materialistic things, organizing my closet, and just trying to be a better ME. 

It's not that the book was SO incredible, or some sort of best seller, but it just movitated me.  I like being motivated right where I am, and this book was great at that.

What motivates YOU to be better?


Ps- I can feel our gracious God healing my physical body, and I feel SO honored.  I am honored that He chose ME to live this life, to raise these kids, and to be a wife to this husband. 

Thank you God!

Ephesians 3:20-21

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Creative workers

"If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play"

-John Cleese

I am forever feeling like my kids don't have enough time during the week to play.  By the time my daughter gets home we do homework, make supper, eat, baths and go to bed.  It just goes too fast! 

 This week, I will work in time to play. 

What do you like to "play" with your kids?  Or what do they love to play with on their own?

Link: Info on Kids PJ's & Chemicals

http://green.yourway.net/3-ways-to-get-the-flame-retardant-out-of-your-kids-fuzzy-pajamas/
Check out the link above.  I really can't add much of anything to this great post.  Except we had a  "fire retardant" comforter that caused me a bundle of health problems.  I'm 90% certain my problems started from a certain zebra comforter that looked beautiful, but stunk like chemicals.  I guess looks can be deceiving.

And the winner is.....

The winner of the Christy Nockels CD is........

Congratulations comment #4...mrsfredknapp You are the winner of this giveaway.

James 1:17

 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Story Time

Deal Wise Mommy posted about a free online story time from Barnes and Noble.  You can check out the post here.

I hadn't heard much of this before, so I did a quick search and found there are other sites that offer this as well. 

Although I don't think this should replace a real story time in an actual library, I do think it would be a fun activity!  We'll be adding this to our weekly schedule.  You can watch them any time, we just like structure around here ;-)

Here is another site with online stories for children.

Do you regularly visit a library?
What are your thoughts on online story times?

I'm sure there are plenty more, If you see them, send them my way!

Thanks!

CD Giveaway!

Back in November I went to Hearts at Home with a lovely lady named Rebecca.  Musician Christy Nockels was singing at the event that weekend.  She was so uplifting and really touched my heart.  ♥

Rebecca bought me Christy's  wonderful CD.  Thank you Rebecca!

The kids and I love to crank this up and sing and dance to it, and just praise God for his love. 
I want to give this same CD to one of you.

To enter this giveaway simply leave a comment below, be sure to include your e-mail address. Becoming a follower is encouraged, but not required. 
Winner will be chosen using Random.org. 

GIVEAWAY ENDS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 9TH AT 12pm (noon) Central time.

I will e-mail the winner to get a mailing address.  If I haven't heard anything back within 24 hours, a new winner will be chosen.

Kitchen Uprgade: Plastic Storage Containers.

My husband mentioned that the toy isles of Wal-Mart smell when you get close.  That darn plastic smell.  Have you noticed this?

I haven't, just because I avoid those isles.  I'm always shopping with children, and rather than saying "no" all the time, we just skip it all together.

Well it got me thinking about this drawer in our kitchen that was full of plastic Ziploc storage containers.  I never noticed it until this morning, but when I open that drawer.. it STUNK, like plastic. 

Plastic smells so nasty.

I started taking out any plastic containers that were "pitted".  I ended up with just TWO that were decent.  But ended up putting all of them in the recycling bucket and nicely lining the drawer with my new adorable jelly jars (They were on clearance at Wal-Mart). 

They look so much neater than the plastic.  We use these to store food in the fridge, cupboards, snacks in the car, wherever!  we also use the larger jars as our "bottled water". 
In the fridge I date the tops with a dry erase marker, so we know when the food was made.  Oh & these awesome, adorable little jars are MADE IN THE USA.  How cool is that?  Oh, it's pretty cool!

I just read this very disturbing tip on the Ziploc Web-site:

"If you’re in need of a makeshift pillow at home or while traveling, blow some air into a Ziploc® Brand Storage Bag and then seal it. You’ll have the perfect temporary pillow and, when you’re done, you can simply open the bag and fold it into your pocket"

What a horrible tip.. and I'm pretty sure I don't need to tell you why.  But just in case, the bags are full of chemicals so you don't what those by your face all night, AND what about the danger of suffocation? 

This was a very refreshing change, one I'm happy I made!  Are you making any, or have you made any changes that you're happy about?

God is trusting us with our families, it's our job to look after their health and nutrition.

 

Psalm 20:4 (Amplified Bible)

⁴May He grant you according to your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans.

Disclaimer- I did keep a few square plastic containers my husband takes his sandwiches to work in.  I want to replace these with stainless steel containers, but haven't found them reasonably priced yet. 

Snow Days

We've had two snow days in a row here! 
Normally the kids would be terribly bored.  But this time, I was prepared.  I pulled out our cart of homeschool supplies and did school both mornings.  They both did great & even had fun! 

Yesterday the kids begged and begged to play outside with Buddy.  I finally gave in.   My husband took the snow blower to the back yard and made a great "dog run" to play in.  It took about 5 minutes for them to get bundled up, then they went outside with Buddy for oh, about 2 minutes!  Yes, 2 minutes, that's all the longer they lasted out there.

When we woke up this morning the dog run had blown shut again, we can hardly tell where it was. :( 
Big bummer.

What do you do on "snow days"?

Amazon Warehouse Deals

Just a heads up-  In your spare time check out the Amazon Warehouse Deals.  There are some good buys to be found.  I really LOVE Amazon.  Their customer service is amazing! 
Remember the wonderful deal on Organic Pumpkin?  It was delicious!  Delicious enough that I bought a 2nd case,  unfortunately almost 5 of the 12 cans were dented :-(  I wrote to let them know, and without even questioning, the price was refunded back to my card.  That is great customer service! 
So much of our Christmas shopping was done on Amazon this year.  I'm very thankful for their quick service and fair prices. 

A puppy in the house

We have a puppy at our house.  Oh my!  This is adorable little guy is on loan from my parents.  I say loan because we aren't set on adding a puppy to our family right now.  & my daddy said that if this didn't work out it was okay to give him back.  I ♥ my daddy.
Meet Buddy!  He is a purebred German Shepherd, he's playful and smart!  Very smart.  He's learning to do his business outside, and is following commands well for his age.  Speaking of age, he was born Thanksgiving day so he's about 2 months old. 

The princess loves him, almost too much.  The prince thinks he's great, but doesn't like being chased around constantly.  I'm trying to get used to the idea of having him here, but ultimately I think we just may decided that as much as we love Buddy, it'd be better for everybody if he was a dog we visited at granny & grandpa's house. 

We are busy people, and I have promised myself and my family this year to not take on more than I can handle.  Rather than having "calendar clutter" over various commitments this year (and only being halfheartedly in each one), we're going to just pick some good ones that we enjoy (and enjoy them, wholeheartedly).  It's my hope that then we can spend QUALITY time as a family. 

Kitchen uprgrade: Strainer

For Valentines day I bought myself my husband a new strainer.  AND since I bought it early..... I've already showed him.  I just can't keep a secret. 

We had this plastic blue one, which I have never totally liked.  Mostly because when you put it in the sink and pour your pan of boiling hot water and pasta in it, the water touches the bottom of the sink then rushes back up into your cooked pasta.  YUCK. 

Also because it's plastic.. and your putting hot food into it, we know this is dangerous.

The little princess and I were at Target shopping for craft supplies for MOPS when I ran across this beautiful strainer.  oh, I just loved it!  It's stainless steel, AND it's footed, so no more nasty-bottom-of-the-sink-water touching our cooked food.    It was $8.  An inexpensive upgrade, and one I'm very glad we've made.  Even though I haven't actually used it yet, I already love it. 

Bonus:  It's cute enough that I'm not embarrassed if it's in the sink when company comes over.

What's in your bathroom?

Toxins- freak.me.out. 

They really do.
But not bad enough to totally ditch everything I own. 
I have some favorites, like my cosmetics.  Mostly because I paid a fortune for them while I was selling Mary Kay and would feel totally guilty just throwing them away.

Really though, what's in all those tubes and bottles? TOXINS!
A few months ago I cleaned the bathroom.  Not like washed the sinks & scrubbed the toilets kind of clean (that only happens when my mother comes over & does it for me).  But I just quickly (HA!  okay, it was like 2 hours) went through the cupboards and drawers and took out any lotions, body washes, sprays, etc that I didn't use or just wasn't interested in using. 
The result was fairly clean shelves, and A FULL garbage bag!


So today I decided to clean the bathroom again, this time just washing the mirror & counter top.  While I was in there I thought to myself, what would happen if I were to take out every product that wasn't good for me/my family?  Or at least not terrible for us.

I thought about it for a few minutes and realized my shelves would be empty and I would probably look horrible & stink.

But this is something I want to keep in mind, especially when buying new products.

Oh, we also ditched the bathroom cleaners A LONG time ago, because they made me physically sick (maybe I didn't use them enough, so my body wasn't used to them!).  I found that vinegar and water in a spray bottle works just as good.  And a baking soda/water paste is sufficient for scrubbing (Thanks Jessa for this tip!)

Have you made any big moves in the bathroom for the sake of protecting your family?

Our God is an AWESOME God!

Our God is an AWESOME God! & He's funny too!

Doctors are expensive.  We all know this right?  And maybe that's why we avoid them.  I may be the only one who puts off scheduling an appointment because of the cost, but I can't help it. 

I know that usually you start off with one visit to get established, another to see what is going on, then lab work, and another visit to talk about the lab work, another one to do something about whatever the lab results were, and on and on and on!

All of that adds up to BIG MONEY being spent fast, and usually no solution found, but just "wait it out" or "Call if it happens again". 

I had my appt yesterday, to get established, tell the doctor what I'm experiencing.  That was the first appointment ($$).

I expressed to my husband that we really can't afford to go through with all of this.  In my head I'm thinking, maybe this is all happening because I'm over weight.  A diet surely would be cheaper.  My husband says we'll just take one bill at a time, everything will be okay.

What do you know, we get home from the doctor and I found a $20 check from CRISCO in the mail... HAHAHA!  I won it playing an online sweepstakes.  But really... Crisco of all places!

So that took care of the first co-pay.  God answers prayers, God heals, really He does it all.

Thank you God!

Content Whatever the Circumstances

Philippians 4:13 (The Message)

Content Whatever the Circumstances

^10-14I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you're again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don't mean that your help didn't mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.

Today is the start of something new.  Asking for help.  I really struggle with this, I am such a do-er and feel like I can handle all things on my own.  But today, for the first time, in a very long time.  I'll have to ask for help.  I'll be visiting a doctor to help determine the cause of my health concerns.  And I'm hoping and praying that whatever is causing this is easily fixed. 
But I do have a bit of a nursing background, and I know that something that has been going on for a few months probably will take a bit of time to diagnose.

I'll also have to ask my husband to drive me to the doctor, and take the kids while I'm being examined.  And even though he is a great father and a wonderful husband, it leaves me feeling helpless when I HAVE to have his help. 


I am VERY confident that whatever this is, I will over come it, I will concur it, and "I can make it through anything in the one who makes me who I am".

Yes, I will beat this!  Whatever "this" is. 

Weekend to Remember Promo Code

This comes from the FamilyLife Weekend to Remember Facebook page:

"IT IS HERE! Starting today, anyone who registers for a Weekend to Remember (using the promo code BOB) gets 50 % off the regular WTR rate...plus a free gift that will put sizzle in your date nights! This offer ends Jan 31st, so register today! www.familylife.com/weekend"

I really think all married couples should at least check into this.  My husband and I did this a year ago, and if it weren't for health reasons right now I'd be signing us up again.  The whole weekend was such a blessing.  A real true blessing.

It is one "vacation" that I will never forget.  I became more closer to my husband than I even knew I could.  Our love grew deeper and became much more meaningful.  Our views of marriage and family transformed that weekend.  As a result we've lived this past year in a really great way.  I am so thankful that the time, effort and money that we put into it the weekend resulted in an abundance of blessings we, our children and our future generations will benefit from greatly. 

 

 

Godly-Givers

"If a child sees his parents day in and day out

 living without self-restraint or self-discipline

then he will come in the deepest fibers of his being

 to believe that that is the way to live"

-M. Scott Peck

Well isn't that just the truth?

Let me start with telling you that I am a purger (On a whim I decide to throw or donate tons of things, all at once, it's usually a big production).  I've always kind of known this, but a good friend pointed it out recently (because good friends can do that).  I didn't think much of it at the time, but the next time I was in a purging mood I sat down and thought hard about why I was doing what I what I was doing.

Here's what I came up with:
I wasn't doing it to provide for the needy or to give to others with a kind heart.  I was doing it as a way to cleanse the space around me, to get rid of the STUFF that was occupying my eyes.  I did it so it was easier to clean, and less to mess with.

I'm not certain, but all I can think is maybe I was doing this because I have pretty much ALWAYS had more than what I needed.  Growing up in a home that was certainly not high class, and sometimes not quite middle class, I only a few times really remember experiencing a sacrifice or struggling. 
But when we did, those times although hard, passed quickly, and without a thanks to God or a lesson from my parents about the things we did have.  (You'll know from past posts though, I have great parents, but God was not usually pointed out as being the center of our home when I was growing up).

So recently I decided to go through my home and give, when I wasn't in a mood.  I took the kids along with me and we went through each closet, drawer, cupboard and shelf.  We decided that the dining room table was our GIVE space.  We talked about the types of things we wanted to give and that we weren't giving just because it was things that we didn't need, but because we wanted to be Godly givers. 

When my children went through their toys and clothes to give, it shocked me.  When going through my daughters hair bows I stepped back, and let her decide what to keep and give.  I didn't influence one way or another.  Once she was finished I just asked her, "Are you sure your piles are right, this looks like you're giving more bows than you're keeping?".  Thinking that she'd quickly switch the piles, she instead just said "That's right, and guess what mom? I still have A LOT!"

My daughter realized that she still had more than enough.  We said several thankful prayers to God.  This was much harder with the 3 year old because everything was "This is mine" "I want to keep everything!".  But by the end of the two day event it turned into "I don't NEED this" or "Someone else can love this".  He would willingly run his un-needed items to the giving table and proudly yell out "I'm giving!". 

This experience was great for all of us. 

I was certain not to guilt the kids into giving, I wanted them to realize each of their blessings and only give what they felt comfortable giving. 

The princess and I took a car FULL to the second hand store and on the way down she said "Mommy, I really don't think I'm ready to give my Hannah Montana pillow".  We talked about it, and I told her how I had also put something in the give pile that I thought I wanted to keep.  I told her I was going to go ahead and give my item because I knew I was only thinking of keeping it because it was new, not because I had a use for it, or an attachment to it.  If she wasn't ready though, she could keep the pillow until she felt ready.  So she kept it, hasn't touched it since, BUT that's okay. :)  She recognized her feelings and expressed them to me, that made me pretty happy :)

What can you give freely and with an open heart?  If not something you possess, when and where can you give your time? 

50th Post! Not even a great one :-( Sorry!

So this is my 50th blog post!  I had thought it would be great to do something fun for this one.  But instead, I'm going to get my feelings out.  Which is really what this blog is all about anyway, saying what's on my mind, so I can think about other things, more important things.

Speaking of important things... My faith, husband, and children are all really important to me.  I think it was about 2 years ago I made a decision to cancel our cable TV.  It wasn't a financial decision, but one that I thought was a good  move to get the awful horrible media out of our home (the grown up shows my husband and I were watching, thinking the kids weren't paying attention, but they were).  At the time, it was a decent idea. 

About 3 days in, we all missed TV and, to be honest, we were BORED!  So, we got a little antenna for the top of the entertainment center, to pick up the news, which was important to m husband.  After that he discovered that if we bought a big one for the roof we could pick up several more channels.

Then 10 months ago I reactivated our Netflix subscription (we used it 4 years ago and liked it). 

For about $10 a month we could watch movies/TV episodes instantly on our TV (through our Wii)  and set up my laptop in the bedroom for the kids to watch a movie.  Cheap entertainment.

CHEAP!  Not inexpensive, but CHEAP (which to me, is kind of the same as saying crap).

I just figured out that in 10 months we've had 45 DVD's mailed to us, and watched OVER 350 TITLES INSTANTLY!

#$%$#%#$^

So, yes, it is inexpensive.  $100 in fees / 400+ movies = A quarter (or less) for each show.

What a disaster this has been.  We're watching more TV than ever, even though we're getting it at a good price.

I feel so stupid that I let it get this out of control.  And stupid that I didn't really FIX the bad habit, I just CHANGED it. 

I've begged my husband to let me take the TV out of the living room.  I know this is very 'unamerican'.  But it's something I so deeply desire. 

It's my wish that by the end of 2011 (but really, sooner would be better), we'll have our basement completed enough that we can put our entertainment center, TV, and all video games down there.

It's not that we watch anything that is really terrible, is just that there is so many other things we could be doing with our lives than watching shows we aren't really interested in, just because it's available.

Just like a cookie-  Just because it's there, doesn't mean we should eat it.  Just because the shows are available, doesn't mean we should watch it. 

I know this is so unfair to my husband, I really am very thankful for his support through this.  I'm the one who has the problem limiting my TV time, and because of this, he is missing out on so many sports and late night TV shows.  He has been great about all of this, he is so encouraging. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For those of you who are thinking of cancelling cable to save money, here is our financial break down-
Cable was $40 a month, so if we had paid that for 2 years it would've been $960
We spent $50 on a little antenna, and $200 on a great one. 

$960-$250=$710 in savings

Minus say, 1 year of Netflix, $120
Means in 2 years, we've still saved $590.. which is a great savings.  It just didn't accomplish what I had first set my sights on, which was controlling the media in our home.

I Swear.

Last night my husband was working late, so the kids and I decided to make homemade brownies and serve a candlelit dinner to daddy to show him our appreciation when he came home. 

I had the radio on, and my daughter started doing dishes, without being asked (if you knew how much food she left on the dishes, you'd know why she wasn't asked.  Oh well, the dishwasher finished what she couldn't). 

Anyway, John Michael Montgomery's "I Swear" came on.

In case you need a refresher on the lyrics, it goes like this:
"I see the questions in your eyes
I know what's weighing on your mind
That you can be sure I know my heart

`Coz I'll stand beside you through the years
You'll only cry those happy tears
And though I make mistakes
I'll never break your heart

I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky
I'll be there
I swear like a shadow that's by your side
I'll be there

For better or worse, till death do us part
I'll love you with every beat of my heart
I swear

I'll give you everything I can
I'll build your dreams with these two hands
We'll hang some memories on the walls

And when just the two of us are there
You won't have to ask if I still care
`Coz as the time turns the page, my love won't age at all

I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky
I'll be there
I swear like the shadow that's by your side
I'll be there

For better or worse, till death do us part
I'll love you with every beat of my heart
I swear

I swear by the moon and stars in the sky
I'll be there
I swear like the shadow that's by your side
I'll be there

For better or worse, till death do us part
I'll love you with every beat of my heart
I swear, I swear "
My sweet princess, who had only heard this song for the first time, but is excellent at all things musical, started humming along.  Just after the second "For better or worse, till death do us part I'll love you with every beat of my heart, I swear".  She says with the biggest smile on her face,

" I'm so excited to be a wife......someday"

Ahhh, finally, I feel like I'm doing something right!  She makes me so proud! 


Side note: It was Mac N' Cheese Monday, the noodles were mushy, the cheese wasn't stirred enough, and I served garlic toast that a certain little girl put WAY to much butter on, but it really wasn't about the food at all.  The time our little family spent at the table last night was just wonderful!

& I'm excited to be a wife too.

First off, I know this is way too forward- But I'm just going to put this out there-  I'm hearing WAY too often of couples getting divorced.  We've been close too,  we're all human and make mistakes.  Have grace for your spouse. My advice to you is something I read in a book tonight "We did WHAT WE COULD with WHAT WE HAD and THEN GOD TOOK IT from there". Think (when you're not upset) about the long term picture, is this what's best, is whatever you're upset about something that is really worth shaking your precious children's lives over.  We all know we can't change our spouses, but if YOU change, would it help the situation.  If so, do it.  You're worth it, your kids are worth it, and so is your spouse.