between loads of laundry

{ on leaving & a mother’s heart }

2012-01-23T20:50:00.001-07:00

No menu plan today and no posts the rest of this week… I’m taking a much needed break, flying away to LA with the hubs for 6 days!

It’s hurting my mama’s heart to leave the littles, especially Sawyer, but I know it’ll be great and he’ll be in good hands.

So adios… and we’ll be back next week!

{ thoughts on pink }

2012-01-20T11:45:00.001-07:00

I had my 18-week ultrasound yesterday, and although they weren’t able to completely confirm, they’re leaning towards GIRL. She told me she couldn’t tell… then glanced at hubs and me and our 3 boys… and said, “You know what, I’ll look again!” That kinda made me smile… I think everyone else wants us to have a girl more than we do!! Her final conclusion was that she simply couldn’t see any boy parts, but she couldn’t distinctly see girl parts either. So in other words, we’re basically back to square one. :)

But I got to thinking about it, obviously… and it’s just weird cuz I can’t see us with a girl at ALL. I would love a girl and hubs would too… but it’s boys that I know & understand… so much simpler because we already have all the clothes! But ultimately God decides and I’ll let Him, because He seems to have a good grip on things… lol

It also hit me what a responsibility a girl would be for me… I mean there’s obviously the fun stuff like pedicures and shopping trips as they get older, but I’m talking about raising a sweet, feminine and Godly girl… and I know God would help me, but it feels much bigger to me as a mother and female myself, than the boys, with all their testosterone…

And then… and please don’t laugh! Or do… but I don’t love pink & frills & lace. And I KNOW people are going to give that stuff to me and I’m going to have to be humble and just wear it. So I’m going to say it here, loudly and clearly that if we DO have a girl and you DO want to give us a baby gift… PLEASE go easy on the pink…

There are such cute options in coral & aqua & yellow & gray… and THIS:

{ simplifying simplified }

2012-01-18T10:26:00.001-07:00

One of the best articles I’ve read on simplifying is over at The Better Mom today. I love how she brings out the clutter problems of A) unmade decisions, and B) “planning” to be broke. Both my downfalls. God wants us to live in the here and now, and to enjoy our lives and homes, not be depressed and buried by them.

Next Tuesday we leave for Los Angeles for 6 days and a babysitter is coming in to stay with the boys (I know, totally freaking out here about leaving them!!) so I kinda feel like I need to have the house somewhat organized, food prepared and boys’ clothing sorted… and she won’t need to worry about anything.

So I think I’ll begin a little simplifying expedition over the next few days and see how much we can accomplish! Especially since it’s –34C out there (that’s –30F for you southerners) with a wind chill warning of –40 to –45 in effect. Yup, COLD.

{ menu plan 01.16.2012 }

2012-01-16T11:22:00.001-07:00

You may notice I do a lot of repeating from one week to the next. This is simply because some days we aren’t home and I don’t end up making what I’d planned. I’m really very flexible when it comes to menu planning… it’s mostly a guideline, so if I’m in the mood for something else when dinner rolls around, I don’t sweat it!

Monday Lunch: ham & cheddar chowder, homemade biscuits
Monday Supper: Jill’s pork tenderloin, baked mushroom rice, fresh green beans, fresh bread

Tuesday Lunch: chicken, bacon & avocado quesadillas, tomato slices
Tuesday Supper: Malaysian Meal (a favourite from my childhood)

Wednesday Lunch: leftovers
Wednesday Supper: grilled fish tacos, cilantro lime rice, tomato & avocado salad

Thursday Lunch: flatbread pizza with spinach, caramelized onions & feta
Thursday Supper: lasagna, Caesar salad, mixed veggies

Friday Lunch: chicken stuffed manicotti, fresh green beans, fresh bread
Friday Supper: pizza night

Saturday Brunch: pancakes, bacon & eggs
Saturday Supper: rosemary roasted pork tenderloin, potatoes au gratin, steamed broccoli

{ daybook 01.14.2012 }

2012-01-14T18:35:00.001-07:00

Outside my window... dark & cold

I am thinking... that I’m happy the house is clean & I can spend some time blogging & designing…

I am thankful for... such supportive and wonderful people in my life!

From the kitchen... fillet of sole, sweet potato fries and sautéed veggies

I am creating... a few blog designs

I am going... to LA in 10 days!!

I am reading... Praying the Names of Jesus, Grace for the Good Girl

I am hoping... that my next ultrasound goes ok and that we find out the sex of this baby!

I am hearing... the clocks ticking, some quietly happy sounds from downstairs

Around the house... hubs and the boys playing downstairs, I’m catching up on blogs

One of my favourite things... is a chai latte.

A few plans for the rest of the week: church tomorrow – I work in infant care… the ultrasound on Thursday… the usual hectic daily grind…

From The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

{ update }

2012-01-12T22:44:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to update that my doctor appointment went very well today! The doctor could hardly get a heartbeat simply because he/she was so incredibly active! And yet, somehow I’m still not feeling movement… sigh… But yes, he did find a strong heartbeat and he was rather amazed I wasn’t feeling the gymnastics!

Anyway, thanks for ALL the prayers… I was so calm and at peace even while knowing it was possible something was wrong. I felt so surrounded by love. Thank you.

Wow. Pregnancy always messes with me. I have such a hard time with faith, and somehow always imagine the worst… such a rollercoaster!

{ your will be done }

2012-01-11T22:08:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow (Thursday) I have my monthly prenatal appointment. I have to admit, I’m a little anxious. 18 weeks and still no movement, I can’t get a heartbeat on my home doppler, and I haven’t really expanded much lately. I can still button my jeans… at 18 weeks! I’ve been way larger at this stage in my other pregnancies and this is my 4th! So I’m trying not to be too apprehensive… there’s probably a good explanation for everything. Anterior placenta like last time can delay the feeling of fetal movement, my home doppler probably just sucks, and I’m probably just carrying different this time (maybe girl?!).

And yet, something deep inside me wonders… “what if…?” I feel like God has been trying to tell me something this week. A few fires I needed to walk through, a few lessons learned, preparing me for something bigger? Maybe not. But I’ve had this peace lately that IF this child was born with a deformity or handicap? It would be ok. God is my Father and he’ll be here to help me through anything that comes my way.

So God? Your will be done here, be near me tomorrow, now matter what the outcome is… I trust it all to you…

And friends? I may need a few extra prayers…

{ menu plan 01.09.2012 }

2012-01-09T13:56:00.001-07:00

Some of you commented how amazing it was that I actually had my breakfasts planned out as well… well this week I’m eliminating that since we rarely stick to a plan in the morning, in fact breakfasts are more of a come and go affair around here! Just keeping it real, folks!

Monday Lunch: sausage & veggie soup
Monday Supper: grilled steaks, smashed potatoes, sautéed veggies

Tuesday Lunch: pizza grilled cheese (found via Pinterest!)
Tuesday Supper: pork tenderloin, mushroom risotto, green salad

Wednesday Lunch: leftovers
Wednesday Supper: baked potatoes with ham & peas topping

Thursday Lunch: ham & cheddar chowder, fresh bread
Thursday Supper: fish tacos

Friday Lunch: chicken stuffed manicotti, sautéed green beans
Friday Supper: pizza night

Saturday Lunch: leftovers
Saturday Supper: chicken fingers, mac & cheese, steamed broccoli

{ so. blessed. }

2012-01-08T22:11:00.001-07:00

Today was awesome, incredible, inspired, blessed. There aren’t really words for what was today…

I prayed for something from God today… It was the first Sunday in 4 weeks that I actually got to partake of the service and I was so desperate for Him. The last time I went, something was off, my whole attitude the whole morning was definitely not in line with worship and I got nothing out of the service. And exactly that day Pastor Dan chose to preach about how our hearts need to be prepared in order to worship.

So today on the long drive in with the boys (hubs was on the worship team so he’d left earlier), I prayed that my heart would be open and that I could see and feel the beauty of God this morning. Song after song played as we drove, inspiring me and bringing the tears. And the words that spoke the loudest:

Word of God speak
Would you pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That you're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In your holiness
Word of God speak…

(Word of God Speak by MercyMe)

I felt so honoured, yet so humbled that God cares enough to answer those feeble human prayers… He knows how much it means to me to have my spirit moved, touched by his love and grace… how cleansing that emotional connection is…

Today was perfect.

Worship was beautiful. I felt happy & alive and just so thankful. My cup overflowed… I greeted friends, old and new, feeling oh so blessed. Then we had lunch at the house of new friends that are already “family” and I don’t know why God bestowed so much on us… but I’m so grateful.

Today was SANCTIFIED.

{ limiting my options }

2012-01-07T12:07:00.001-07:00

As I’ve mentioned, one of the ways I want to simplify this year is to cut back on shopping & buying unnecessary items. I’m Mennonite, born and bred, and it’s so hard for me to pass up a good deal. Nothing feels so awesome as scoring something 50 or 70% off, it’s like a high! But I’ve come to realize (much to my hubby’s delight, I’m sure) that no matter how good a deal it is, if you don’t need it, it’s wasted money. Not to mention a waste of space, something we don’t have a lot of in our 1300 square foot house with 5 (soon 6) people!

One of the first steps I took was to pare down my emails. Sure Old Navy has great deals every couple of weeks, but when we have all the clothing we need and more, do I really need to buy more $5 fleece pants for Sawyer? Dealfind, Groupon, LivingSocial and many more… they have incredible bargains, often up to 70 or even 90% off, but I found I was purchasing stuff I could’ve lived very happily without, until I saw the deal. So by unsubscribing to EVERY SINGLE mailing list that offered me sales or bargains, I simply erased the temptation.

Image source.

I’m looking forward to reaping the benefits from these changes… maybe we can save up a little extra for that sofa we need… or maybe a nice family vacation next summer?

Let me know your biggest “frugal” challenge and how you beat it. I love hearing from you guys!

{ helping out }

2012-01-05T19:31:00.001-07:00

Some of you may have noticed I have a new link under my banner, directing you to the Motivated Moms website. I just wanted to comment on that briefly. I joined their affiliate program so that every time you click through my link and buy their product, I get a little income. It’s not a lot but every little bit helps and I seriously LOVE their chore planners. Not only is there a concise list of everyday chores (e.g. wiping out bathroom sinks), but also a few extra jobs (e.g. decluttering your desk) that help out with the daily grind of keeping house. There are several options to choose from (including weekly Bible reading!) and the full year planner is only $8.

One of you, my dear readers, apparently clicked through today and I got my first sale! Thank you so much to whoever it was - I definitely appreciate it!

{ I’m hesitant to push product reviews on my blog because it feels like I’m trying to take advantage of my readers and I hate for anyone to feel pressure to buy… I’ve quit most product reviews and will only do them if it’s something I feel passionate about. }

{ daybook 01.04.2012 }

2012-01-04T13:49:00.001-07:00

Outside my window... warm and bright and windy… a chinook!

I am thinking... that I can’t wait to hang out with friends tonight!

I am thankful for... health and wealth, people to love and who love me back!

From the kitchen... sloppy joes… I need to clean up lunch!

I am creating... a baby (sorry, couldn’t resist!)

I am going... out for the evening with hubby and no kids!

I am reading... Unplanned, The Ministry of Motherhood

I am hoping... that my next ultrasound goes ok and that we find out the sex of this baby!

I am hearing... little boy hands digging through Lego, the wind outside, moments of quiet

Around the house... Sawyer is sleeping, the other boys are quietly playing… My dishes and floors await!

One of my favourite things... is time alone.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Buster heads back to school tomorrow after the holidays and we try and maneuver back into a routine…

From The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

{ defining words }

2012-01-03T11:55:00.001-07:00

On New Year’s Day, I posted my two words for the year, SIMPLIFY and SANCTIFY. But I didn’t really delve into what these words will mean for me this year.

{ Simplify } has to be one of my favourite words ever! I’m a minimalist at heart but I have let way too much STUFF take over my life. It’s time to take it back, find a system that works for me and the hardest one of all… spend a lot less money. Argh. I love to shop! For cleaning I’m using the Motivated Moms chore planner, which works SUPER when I actually stick to it. It only gives you a few chores per day but your house feels clean ALL the time. Love it! I’m also planning to stick to menu planning and budget my weekly groceries around that plan. Next on the list is tackling the unused clutter in our home and paring down our clothing, toys, household items to the minimum that we need. I really love how this family tackled the clutter and I’d love to do the 100 day challenge as well!

{ Sanctify } is a powerful, inspiring, yet for me somehow a scary word. Defined by the dictionary “to set apart for sacred use; consecrate”, it means putting yourself out there, completely open for God to see and mould and change… and that scares me. I want to be in control of my life and where I’m headed. When I’m willing to be sanctified by God, I’m saying, “Take me, use me for your purpose, shape me into who you need me to be.” And that means relinquishing control.

What scares and inspires you about your resolutions or words for the new year? I’d love to hear from you!

{ menu plan 01.02.2012 }

2012-01-02T11:43:00.001-07:00

Monday Breakfast: toast and cereal
Monday Lunch: grilled cheese, tomato soup
Monday Supper: farmers sausage and perogies, tomato slices

Tuesday Breakfast: mushroom, asparagus, gruyere & egg casserole
Tuesday Lunch: clubhouse sandwiches, carrot sticks
Tuesday Supper: baked salmon, quinoa pilaf, roasted carrots

Wednesday Breakfast: eggs and toast
Wednesday Lunch: sloppy joes, carrot/celery sticks
Wednesday Supper: fish tacos

Thursday Breakfast: scrambled eggs, fruit & yogurt parfaits
Thursday Lunch: chicken noodle soup, fresh bread
Thursday Supper: waffles with sauce & fruit, farmers sausage

Friday Breakfast: cereal & toast, fruit
Friday Lunch: shrimp penne, steamed cauliflower
Friday Supper: pizza night ~ chicken & mango

Saturday Brunch: pancakes, bacon & eggs, as always!
Saturday Lunch: leftovers
Saturday Supper: chicken fingers, mac & cheese, steamed broccoli

{ one word.2012 }

2012-01-01T22:16:00.001-07:00

I no longer do New Year’s resolutions. Statistics say less than half of people who make them actually stick to them past 6 months. I think we set ourselves up for failure by resolving to do the impossible; we set our sights too high…

As an alternative, I’ve gone the route of picking one inspirational word for the year, inspired by such blogs as OneWord365 and My One Word.

I wanted one word to focus on this year… to tape onto the refrigerator and remember, day after day… one word to bring to God in prayer each day and ask for His help and guidance in my pursuits…

What should my word be? I look at my life and I see a mess. I see a fallen human who tries, again and again to pick herself up and fails… I see so many faults – selfishness, pride, jumbled priorities, impatience. Words fill my head and I want to get this right, this once…

Two words jump out finally… SIMPLIFY and SANCTIFY. And I think to myself, why just one word? Why not pick two? My physical life needs so badly to be simplified and my spiritual life needs so much sanctification.

So I shall blaze forth into 2012 emboldened with these two words… and hopefully inspire you as you faithfully pop by to read. (if I WERE to make a resolution, it would be to blog more faithfully… sigh…)

What is your word for this brand new year? Or did you find more than one to inspire you in 2012? Do share!

P.S. I love this blogger’s ‘one word’, don’t you?

{ power }

2011-12-10T09:31:00.001-07:00

Buster, age 8, has a habit of daydreaming. He’ll be off in his own little world, completely oblivious to the world around him. It has affected his schoolwork some and definitely affects him at home.

But I’ve come to realize that when he starts tuning out, that’s when he starts thinking Big Thoughts. Thoughts that make you stop and ponder…

One example of this was a couple of days ago as I was driving him home from voice lessons. The van was quiet and we rode along, enjoying each other’s company. Then he broke the silence by saying, “Mom, I’ve been thinking about God and people, and I realized something.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Well,” he said. “I figure God is the power source, and he gives each of us a power cord to plug in, so we can have power and shine light around us. If we refuse to plug it in, then we stay in darkness, but if we accept it and plug it in, then we have God’s power and can shine light around us.”

That was two days ago and I’m still mulling it over…

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

{Matthew 21:16 NIV}

{ on blessings }

2011-11-25T09:37:00.001-07:00

You’ll remember this post where I was trying to figure out “blessings” and whether that’s really fair to believe that God sends us babies as blessings when so many deserving people aren’t getting the babies they desire. I got one reply via email that really impressed me, and I think says it better than I ever could have…

I don't have the answers, but one thought... is that if we have healthy kids, and so many other blessings, let us recognize them as gifts from God and not take them for granted. If we aren't thankful, THAT is an insult to parents with sick children or empty arms. If we don't love our children as we ought, THAT is an insult to childless couples everywhere. If we don't thank God everyday for the blessings we have, THAT is an insult to someone somewhere who would 'give their right arm' for what we have. And by realizing how GREAT the blessings we have, we can come closer to empathizing with those who have not, by understanding how empty and hard life would be without our undeserved blessings.

This insight comes from a good friend of mine and as she says,

“It comes from back when I was soooo sick during pregnancy. Which was really the pits, but the best feeling from others came when they said they felt fine and WERE TRULY THANKFUL for that. Truly recognized what a blessing it was to feel fine during pregnancy! Nothing made me as mad ;) as someone sailing through pregnancy and not understanding how hard it could be for some of us.”

Wow, I can so relate. Thanks to my friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, for putting that out there. Truly inspired!

{ red letter day }

2011-11-24T20:21:00.001-07:00

This morning, as many other mornings, God laid a song on my heart… so I played it while trying to get Buster off to school. Tears were streaming down my face only a few lines in… this is my prayer! The lyrics are as follows:

Every day before the rush gets started
I get down on my knees
And I pray, Lord, I need You here to guide me
Please speak to me
And something happens that I can't explain
His Word starts talking to me and
I'm out to face this world again

I do believe it's gonna be another red letter day
It's gonna be another red letter day
I do believe it's gonna be another chance for me
To take His Word and walk by faith
I got a smile with every step I take
Knowing He is here with me
It's gonna be a red letter day

I had a friend call me up and tell me
How he struggles through each day
I told him that I didn't have all of the answers
This world's a crazy place
But I've learned to hide God's word in my heart
So I can have it with me when the pressures of the day start

Red Letter Day by Newsong

I do wish I could face each morning feeling like it’s gonna be an awesome day, a day full of ways to show thankfulness for God’s love and mercy…but unfortunately I’m a little more like the song says, “he struggles through each day” and I know that’s not how I’m made to live. Before hubby walked out the door this morning, he prayed over me specifically in this area. I do believe it WAS a red letter day! I had peace all day, nothing earth-shattering happened but there was praise and peace and I was happy to be here, at home with my boys today!

Praying tomorrow is another Red Letter Day!

{ overdue }

2011-11-22T20:15:00.001-07:00

No, I’m not talking about the pregnancy… I’m not quite 11 weeks. But, praise the Lord I’ve made it this far… isn’t every baby just a miracle?! When I hear that 1 in 3 pregnancies end in miscarriage, I’m sure that it must be my turn… But so far I’ve never lost a baby, to my knowledge, and I’m so grateful! I don’t take that lightly, since many of my friends have experienced miscarriage.

This is such a LONG overdue update on my life, I feel a little silly even trying to catch up… but some of you cared enough about me to email and make sure everything was ok. Do you have any idea how loved that made me feel? Thank you! Truth is, I had a little scare a couple of weeks ago but an ultrasound showed all was well. Such relief and such joy to see my little baby, only about 1” long, waving its little arm stubs and a heart that beat steadily at 160! Such a blessing!

Which brings me to another thought… I hesitate to call it a blessing… does that mean God is withholding blessings from those who have children who die, babies who never even see their mother’s face? I’ve struggled with this lately. If I say, I’m blessed because my husband loves me and my kids are healthy… what am I saying about the ones who don’t have these “blessings”? Any thoughts?

{ perspective }

2011-10-25T21:56:00.001-06:00

It’s easy to think we have it really tough sometimes. The last couple of days I’ve had a hard time finding anything to be thankful for. “Morning sickness”, what a joke… it should be renamed “24/7 sickness”! I don’t remember it ever being this bad before, but then there’s the mommy amnesia that tends to hit all of us at some point. So I sit here and think about my suffering and whine about how impossible it is to go through this and somehow be a wife and mother and fill all the slots that need to be filled.

And God comes and gives me a not-so-subtle reminder, in the form of a book, titled “Never Give Up” by Ruthe Rosen. Ruthe is a mother, like me… but she faced some really tough times when her daughter Karla was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor at the age of 14. It is tough for any mother to watch her child suffer, and I can only imagine how utterly painful and devastating it was for Ruthe and her husband Michael, when they had to say goodbye to a sweet daughter who had to suffer so much first!

What I came away with was, in one word, perspective. We are only given one day at a time, and Karla lived that motto to the fullest. Her smile, her energy, and most of all her faith kept her going, and let her live without the fears and worries that I’m sure her mother felt. I learned about love… about how important true compassion is, in this world we live in…

After Karla’s death, Michael and Ruthe created The Let it Be Foundation in her honor, lending support to families of children diagnosed with life-threatening conditions. I encourage you to pick up a copy today, not only will it enrich your life, but the lives of others, as the proceeds of every book go towards The Let it Be Foundation. Foundation.

Disclosure: I was given a copy of “Never Give Up” for the purpose of this review. All the opinions expressed are mine.

{ tears and friends }

2011-10-20T10:11:00.001-06:00

I knew this pregnancy wouldn’t be easy but I didn’t know it would hit so hard so fast… this morning was just really rotten. I guess I don’t deal with morning sickness very well, add to that a screamy toddler who seems to be teething for the nineteenth consecutive week and all I can see is the 34 long weeks ahead of me… I wished for a song or a scripture to comfort me but I lacked the strength to pray…

Then I read my friend Beth’s blog (she’s 6 weeks, just like me!) and I realized I was taking on the whole pregnancy this morning… and that I can leave it in God’s hands and not worry about tomorrow or even the next hour…

{Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 TNIV}

A car drives up and it’s a friend bearing a latte (how did she know my special pregnancy beverage of choice?!) and the tears flow again, more of unworthiness this time, touched that someone cares, and that God speaks through to the people we need, right when we need them…

And then (I’m not making this up), another friend texts and offers babysitting services so I can go for lunch… and of course, because my hormones are completely wacky, I cry a few more buckets.

You know who you are, and I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart… love you guys!!

{ apple seed }

2011-10-14T09:59:00.002-06:00

Isn’t God amazing? My baby is the size of an apple seed this week and is actually starting to form major organs (heart, kidney, liver, stomach) and systems (nervous, circulatory, digestive). How amazing is that?

We were honoured to listen to Dr. David Menton (Fearfully and Wonderfully Made) at the Creation Museum a few years back. He spoke for an hour on what happens after conception. It was amazing, and you can watch the video here. He explains so well the answer to the question, “When does life begin?” The truth is, we do not create life, we only procreate, so life doesn’t have a beginning, just a continuing on of life from the mother. It’s a question I used to struggle with, because some ask, “When is abortion ok?” And I wasn’t really comfortable with abortion but I didn’t have an actual intelligent answer. Now I can say with confidence that it’s never ok because there is no point where life isn’t, and then suddenly IS.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14 NIV)

{ question for you }

2011-10-10T21:38:00.001-06:00

I’ve had a few complaints lately that people can’t comment… that is so sad because I live for comments and pore over each and every one! So I just want you guys to help me out…. if you haven’t been able to comment, please click the envelope icon on my right sidebar, under my picture.

{if that doesn't work, just email me directly: margi.regehr@gmail.com}

Thank you!

{ number four }

2011-10-10T16:21:00.001-06:00

Today is Thanksgiving here in Canada and we are giving thanks in a whole new way! The picture pretty much says it all… yes, we are looking forward to being parents of 4, and NO, WE DID NOT GET PREGNANT JUST TO HAVE A GIRL. And I dearly wish people would stop saying that. We love our 3 boys, just as we’d love 4 boys, or 5… or 3 boys and 1 girl. We love our kids and God is in control of whether they come in pink or blue.

There, just had to get that rant out! The boys are excited, Daddy is excited and I can’t wait to hold my own little newborn again! Eeek! A mom of four just sounds so… mature… The due date is around the middle of June but I haven’t seen a doctor yet so we’ll see if that changes. So far I haven’t had much for morning sickness but I’ve been down with sinus infection most of the week so it’s kinda hard to tell…

Oh yeah, and that post about the tired 30s? Hmm… apparently more than just my age going on there! :)

{ tired }

2011-09-29T23:11:00.001-06:00

A week ago, a friend posted about the tired 30s and my body feels it now that I’m all of 30 years and 2 weeks old. I stay afloat but the loud and crazy bedtimes and intensity that comes with parenting 3 boys is overwhelming at times. Tonight the tears welled up while I tried to attend to all the needs while staying sane and I wondered if I was beginning to go slightly crazy… depression? Been there and that wasn’t fun… But no, it’s just the normal human need to stay on top of things, be in control and the emergency valve was about to blow…

Thank goodness for bedtime! For us, for the kids… who needs it more? Thank God for those moments of adult time, when you realize that was simply all you needed… an hour or two away… with silence, or better yet, a great yak session with an old friend…

Now I’m going to bed.

{ welcome fall }

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

I never get really excited about the end of summer. I like the warmth, the picnics, days at the splash park… not so much the snow and cold that comes a little too early in this country… but every year about the time the Pumpkin Spice Lattes come back, I’m pretty ready for a little cooler weather and a more relaxed pace of life. Today I got a box from Amazon.ca and I’m really ready for that hot-chocolate-and-rocking-chair weather. See why I’m so excited:

Recently I made the decision to monitor more closely what my mind absorbs… and surround myself ~~only~~ mostly with books, music and movies that actually inspire me to be a better person… better wife, better Christian, better mom… I’ve been hauling out my Bible more again and I always seem to come away with something new… So, I say “Bring on Fall!”

menu plan 09.19.2011

2011-09-19T10:00:00.000-06:00

Monday Breakfast: eggs and toast
Monday Lunch: grilled cheese, tomato soup
Monday Supper: ham steaks, grilled pineapple, garlic mashed potatoes

Tuesday Breakfast: baked oatmeal, fruit
Tuesday Lunch: clubhouse sandwiches, carrots
Tuesday Supper: taco soup, cornbread

Wednesday Breakfast: toad in the hole
Wednesday Lunch: chicken, bacon, avocado quesadillas
Wednesday Supper: ~~going out~~

Thursday Breakfast: raspberry muffins, scrambled eggs
Thursday Lunch: chicken noodle soup, fresh buns
Thursday Supper: lasagna, caesar salad

Friday Breakfast: breakfast sandwiches
Friday Lunch: taco salad/tacos
Friday Supper: pizza night

Saturday Brunch: pancakes, bacon & eggs, as always!
Saturday Lunch: leftovers
Saturday Supper: chicken potato casserole

milestones

2011-09-18T22:31:00.001-06:00

Last week I turned 30. I know, and the world kept turning. Amazing.

I don’t really mind; I feel like I’ve been really blessed this year and I have nothing to complain about, so if I’ve left my 20s behind? Not a big deal. We grow older, we live, we learn, we love…

We live, we love
We forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love

(We Live lyrics by Superchick)

I didn’t finish my 30 before 30 list. I *almost* finished a good percentage, but that doesn’t really count, does it? I’m working on a 40 version now… or maybe I should do 35? But I did do the 10k, which pretty much was beyond what I could’ve imagined so I’ll let the others go… this time. I did lose a lot of weight - 44 pounds to be exact – and no I didn’t quite hit my goal but I’m more fit and healthy than ever before and that’s worth so much!

Today was awesome. So much more awesome than I could’ve imagined! Hubs was blessed to be able to sing with the worship team at church today. We’ve only attended this church for 7 months now but God opened the doors for hubby to use his talents and it was a great experience… I love watching him flourish with his strong faith, so much more now than the first years we were married!

It’s been such a year of changes… I don’t talk about it much on the blog, but our life has had its share of upheavals this year. In the end? Good upheavals but still difficult ones. Some days I didn’t know if I’d ever make it through a day without crying, but here we are… and God has been there every minute, his love pursuing us… and I feel cherished, loved, set free…

It started with crying to God one day and God telling me, “Margi, you’re not flourishing”. And I knew I wasn’t but until that point I’d been powerless. I then began a long and painful journey to find Him and really get to know my Saviour… it involved leaving a church we’d known and loved our whole lives… knowing that hearts were breaking for us but knowing we needed to make changes to save ourselves and our kids.

Sometimes I do wonder if the sacrifices are worth it… but when I feel that peace like sunshine on my face, and I have the assurance that Heaven is my home… and I hear my 8-year-old son praying intimate prayers to Jesus, I am in awe and I praise God…

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 TNIV)

{ stitches }

2011-09-12T19:40:00.001-06:00

Don’t forget to drop by my friend Jo’s blog that she graciously let me design. She’s the most talented blogger/quilter/photographer/mommy/friend I know. Go on, give her some love! :)

http://blueelephantstitches.blogspot.com/

{ 10k }

2011-09-12T19:30:00.001-06:00

Where do I begin? September 11, 2011 and I ran my first race. It was surreal and the most amazing experience…

I was so nervous in the morning, heart racing, hands sweating; not entirely sure why… but this was a seriously big deal for me and I think it was mostly just a fear of the unknown…

What I never anticipated was how emotional the whole experience would be… the first time I cried was just after we got going and it hit me how I was part of something so much bigger than myself, and it just felt incredible. The weather was unbelievable for September in Alberta and it was seriously cathartic to run with so many amazing women in the beautiful mountain town of Canmore.

I cried a lot along the way… when I caught glimpses of my family cheering me on… when I saw the courageous woman with MS, supported by sisters/friends, walking with determination… when the 18-year-old girl was barely hanging on at 8k and her dad was at her side, her proudest supporter… and last of all, when I saw that FINISH banner at the end. I wanted to run across the finish line with my hands up, cheering but instead I was crying… I couldn’t believe I made it!

But honestly the best part? I really didn’t want to run it alone and I prayed God would send someone to be my running partner and He answered that prayer in the form of Meagan. She had trained for the half marathon with 3 girlfriends but by race day she was 13 weeks pregnant and her body wasn’t allowing her to go that distance. So we ran together for probably 7k… sometimes silent, sometimes encouraging, sometimes sharing info about our lives. Her pace was very similar to mine and we ran across that line together at the end. Thanks, Meagan, wherever you are!

Tired but exhilarated :)

My time was 1:09:54, finishing 502nd out of 665. Next time we’ll focus a little more on speed! :)

{ weekend muddle }

2011-09-10T16:50:00.001-06:00

This is gonna be a crazy weekend. My heart is pounding already and the gun, or whatever they use these days, hasn’t even gone off yet! Tomorrow is my first ever race, a 10K, and I’m incredibly nervous about it. I only started training in May or June and I wasn’t very faithful… sigh… but last night I finally hit the 10K mark on my run and now I know I can do it! I won’t be fast, but I can run it right to the end and that’s enough for now.

I haven’t been blogging much. I hope you noticed. But I’m really sorry too because what a waste of bloggy real estate. Sigh… I’m a mom of 3 boys, 2 of whom really badly need to be in school. That time is approaching, sometimes too fast, sometimes not fast enough. Buster starts 3rd grade on September 14, and Noodle only starts Kindergarten in spring, but I’m gonna homeschool him some phonics, etc until then. Sawyer is 17 months and into EVERYTHING – no joke. So that’s where I’m at.

I’ve designed a few blogs and LOVE it. I now have a “portfolio” tab at the top where you can view thumbnails of my finished product. Get the word out there because I’m in business… and the best news? I’m cheap! Until I get better and more proficient, I’m only charging $25 per design.

I really need to take some creative writing courses. Drives me crazy… so many times I have a brain chock full of inspiration but I can’t put it into words. Sorry about that. Anyway, I’m off for the weekend and I’d appreciate any prayers sent up on behalf of the race… oh and if you want to check it out, I’m running for Cause Canada and the race website is here.

daybook 8.27.2011

2011-08-27T15:57:00.001-06:00

Outside my window... warm and bright and beautiful.

I am thinking... that I can’t wait to hang out with friends tonight!

I am thankful for... so much!

From the kitchen... fresh iced tea.

I am creating... a blog design for a friend.

I am going... go buy milk.

I am reading... Little Princes, Grace Based Parenting, Room.

I am hoping... that hubby doesn’t have to leave on an emergency call right now.

I am hearing... praise and worship on iTunes

Around the house... everyone is quietly reading/eating/playing.

One of my favorite things... is a Starbuck cinnamon dolce latte.

A few plans for the rest of the week: church tomorrow, lots of decluttering and cleaning, maybe start some kindergarten work with Noodle

To see more Daybooks, visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

{ you’re beautiful }

2011-08-23T22:16:00.001-06:00

I’m a mess. Some days the depression wants to creep in… I’m not a loving enough mom, I don’t do enough “hands-on” stuff with the boys, the house is an unnatural disaster and I just don’t spend enough time in prayer. Oh, and I’m not “there” enough for my friends, my hubby, and my parents/grandparents… the list goes on and on and the devil subtly wins the war of failure… I want to pick myself up, I want to do it all right, do it all over, start fresh. But the “what-ifs” and “should-haves” cast a shadow on the hope that was giving birth to peace.

The words of a song* float into my consciousness and I dare to take a breath…

you’re beautiful… you were made for so much more than all of this…

you are more than what is hurting you tonight
for all the lies you've held inside so long
they are nothing in the shadow of the cross

Oh, it is a sweet breath of fresh air as the music caresses the parts of me that hurt, letting go of the last remains of disbelief… He thinks I’m beautiful, He made me, He died for me, He loves me! And I’m worth it. No matter what the voices in my head want me to believe…

before you ever took a breath
long before the world began
of all the wonders He possessed
there was one more precious
of all the earth and skies above
you're the one He madly loves enough to die

Have you believed lately that in His eyes, you are beautiful?

*Beautiful by MercyMe

{ the lake }

2011-08-12T11:25:00.001-06:00

This past weekend we had a very unexpected chance to hang out at a lake 8+ hours away, with several of our camping friends. We’ve never camped; neither hubs nor I grew up with it but I would love to. Hubs, not so much… but we’ve found a compromise that works. We often stay at cabins or a motel (as it was in this case) nearby. We still had the whole camping experience together with our friends but we got to go back to roomier living conditions for nights!

It really was just what the doctor ordered… we were gone 5 days, we went swimming, boating, ate like crazy (our friends could seriously be executive chefs!) and just hung out. The boys were pretty sure they were in Heaven… playing on the beach all day, and tubing behind the boat were pretty much the highlights!

Great summer memories… I know the boys will remember this summer forever and it would be dreamy to go back every year…

{ muddle }

2011-08-04T16:24:00.001-06:00

Thoughts swirling through my mind… fingers too sluggish to keep up. So many thoughts, inspirations and ideas… and no way to put them to words.

Today so far?

Crabby constipated baby, a meeting in real life with the sweetest red-haired blogger (you must visit her here!), a foiled attempt at a nap, sun and clouds in a dance of their own all day… big boys off on a daddy-date to the city, house that begs to be cleaned…

A heart that is full. Sometimes too full. I feel too much, think too much, worry too much. Try too hard to please too many. Spend too much time for myself and not enough for others. Learning to lean on Jesus, and communicate with Him… truly talk to Him, and listen… and He speaks to me in ways I can understand.

I am blessed, in the muddle that is Life, with babies and growing-up-boys, and the mess that comes with it. There’s joy in the happy baby giggles, the smeared patio doors, the mischievous grins and big-boy hugs… I’ve found my calling; it’s living in the here and now and not taking for granted even one minute. Finding the simple gifts in every day things, and always, Always passing it on.

{ busy }

2011-07-28T23:15:00.001-06:00

Photo source.

The lazy hazy days of summer… who came up with that line? I’ve hardly stopped to take a breath… Yesterday the piles of laundry were conquered, all 12 of them. The piles of ironing are halved. Yet the sun beckons and I can’t resist. The stroller and bikes are put to good use. We walk; the baby smiles and neighbors say hi. I love summer. It may not be lazy. We may feel like we’re going crazy at times… but it’s good and happy and full.

Ice cream cones, swimming… lemonade stands, finding new parks to try, dripping popsicles…. sunscreen and water bottles, brown arms and legs, tired bodies in sleepy beds… late night runs on warm nights, sitting around friends’ fires, sprinklers under trampolines… always little swim trunks hanging to dry.

Sometimes I sigh, because everyone is so busy and I don’t see my friends as much. But we’re busy making memories… me and my littles… and it’s precious time spent….

{ quotable }

2011-07-27T10:41:00.001-06:00

One of my greatest finds as a parent has got to be My Quotable Kid Journal. I discovered it only recently and ordered a copy from Paper Source. Ever since I became a mom, I wished for a way to log all those cute little observations in a keepsake… and this one is just adorable! In one of my favourite color combinations, aqua and red, it actually reminds me a little of a Dr Seuss book and every page has word bubbles to record quotes in. I can’t wait to get started!

Oh, and while we’re on the topic of things kids say… I was up at 5:30 this morning, getting a bottle for my 15-month-old. All I can say is, it was worth it when I handed him his “bubba” in the crib and he said, “Thank you” in his own cute way… sigh…

{ fruits }

2011-07-20T14:00:00.000-06:00

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (TNIV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4 (TNIV)

Again, God has worked through the internet to get His point across to me… sometimes I am just in awe how all these blogs line up to bring me just the message I needed to hear.

Yesterday I was thinking about the secrets of great parenting; truly loving them for who they are and taking the time to LISTEN… somehow I stumbled across this post and felt smitten and inspired all at once. And then today I remembered it was Wednesday and how I wanted to link up with A Holy Experience. I check out her post for the day and here it’s exactly down the line I was headed!

If there’s just one thing I could pass on to a new parent, it would be to remember Christ’s unending love and grace toward us, and pass that on to our kids. When our first was born, we were (as many first time parents are) idealistic and expecting perfection… this does not come naturally from kids and it was a tough go for the first few years, resulting in depression and Prozac for a brief time. We were so tough on him, and I have a lot of regrets over how rigid we were. By God’s grace, I know we’ve changed. We hug a lot more and spank a lot less. We try to listen more and talk less.

I am by no means perfect. I rage at my kids over trivial matters, like messes and dirt and small spats and being late… but as Ann says,

Deep breathe. Love is patient.
I can smile here — because really — there are no emergencies.

Emergencies are wildfires, screeching sirens, and gaping wounds. In everyday life, we rarely experience emergencies.

It really isn’t that urgent. They are kids. They will mess up, be loud and crazy, and drive us crazy. But hey, don’t you think Jesus could say that about us too? We don’t follow the rules perfectly either, and His love still reaches the messed up little disasters that we all are.

And then, finally… I remember one more post this week that tugged and my heart and convicted…

People are here in our homes and in our lives for relationship, for a glimpse of Jesus in each other. So I open my doors, welcome them in and let their kids dump the toybox out in the hallway. We yak over a cuppa tea, they change their babies on my carpets, we have Veggie Tales dance parties. And then we pick up a bit and go to the playground or draw on the driveway with sidewalk chalk.

I love that. I want to be that home… Love, unconditional, I-accept-you-as-you-are love… for my kids, for my neighbors, for the people I feel have wronged me…

God, I understand what you’re trying to tell me… it’s not important anymore… the clean floors, the sparkling kitchen, the smudge-free windows… if I’m pushing aside my kids and family and friends in pursuit of a perfect house… Forgive me, Father God… remind me every day… Bless my home with Love, with Patience, Gentleness. Give me an open heart and open arms so others can see You through me…

Amen.

{ 1000 gifts. 31-40 }

2011-07-18T20:36:00.001-06:00

#31. refreshing rain after a hot day
#32. family as overnight guests
#33. early bedtimes for little ones
#34. music from my gifted husband’s hands
#35. the greatest gift of forgiveness – from the cross
#36. the chance to forgive… even when it hurts
#37. a happy birthday party for the firstborn
#38. eight years of motherhood!
#39. my first real blog design project!!
#40. Facebook friends who inspire…

{ another writer }

2011-07-12T21:54:00.001-06:00

I feel like I’m about 8 years old sometimes. Still trying to discover who I am and what I’m going to “be when I grow up”. I mean, obviously I’m a mom and I love that and wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’m also a wife and a child of God (in no particular order) and those are really the defining parts of my life. But I do think that we’re all blessed with at least a talent or two and it’s great to embrace that if it doesn’t take away from the more important calling(s) in our life.

I have a few loves, and one of them is writing. In school, I wrote poems, songs, essays. A clean sheet of paper and a pen were my best friends. I loved to go where it was quiet and write while the world faded from my thoughts…

And what makes me smile now? I have a little clone in my house! Buster will be 8 this Sunday and he loves to write. Stories, jokes, comic strips, journal entries… and yesterday? He came up to me and asked, “Mom, can I start a blog?” And I said, “I don’t know why not!” And the light just shone through his eyes.

Ladies and gentlemen… the first blog of Buster! (And just to note, I did not do any corrections of spelling or grammar. This is completely original work!)

{ 1000 gifts. 21-30 }

2011-07-11T09:00:00.000-06:00

#21. boys on bikes, no more training wheels!
#22. pools on hot days
#23. summer bible school with free lunch :)
#24. baby first random wobbly steps
#25. money for needs supplied
#26. God’s grace, so amazing!
#27. shopping date with a friend
#28. a clean house :)
#29. so many good memories…
#30. clean slate every morning

{ blog design winner }

2011-07-10T22:23:00.001-06:00

I couldn’t be happier to present the free blog design to my good friend and fellow Albertan (although transplanted to California!)… Jen over at A Prairie Girl in California.

Congrats Jen! Contact me when you’re ready to go ahead with design… can’t wait to work with you!

{ friday manifesto }

2011-07-08T08:47:00.001-06:00

I got the inspiration for this from Sarah Markley. I copied and pasted and I was going to edit it to suit me personally when I realized it said all the things I wanted to say. So Sarah, I hope you don’t mind but I’m sharing your thoughts here today! And for my readers, I encourage you to go visit Sarah’s site and read her story of pain, sorrow, forgiveness and God’s faithfulness.

Today I want to be a good mother. I want to be the type of parent who is fair, caring and affectionate. And I want to be fun today. Seriously fun.

I want to be a good wife. Right now I’m not even functioning in half the capacity I should be so the only place I can go is up.

Today I want to get the things done I have set aside in my mind to do. I don’t want to allow myself to be distracted.

I want to eat right today and I want to exercise. Healthy feels so good.

Today I want to be a right and good friend.

I want to be kind and quiet, truthful and peaceful, wise and loving. I want my heart and mind and spirit to be balanced today.

I want to breathe in the kind of air that heals me and the breathe out the worry that poisons me.

Do you have a manifesto for today? What do you want to BE or DO today?

{ micah 6:8 }

2011-07-06T10:00:00.000-06:00

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NIV

That’s it. It’s not really that complicated, although we do tend to make it that way in our minds. So much of the journey God has taken me on lately has been to show me what is good. And all he requires is that I

1. Act justly
2. Love mercy
3. Walk humbly with my God

I don’t know about you, but I think that is one of the clearest and most beautifulverses in the Bible. It’s laid out in three easy steps. Let’s address them.

1. Act justly. The adjective just is defined in Webster’s dictionary as having a basis in or conforming to fact or reason. I like that. It pretty much rules out gossip, doesn’t it? And as women, we tend to view things through emotional glasses; sometimes we drop that little thing called reason.

2. Love mercy. Mercy means compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; also lenient or compassionate treatment. Oh, how much happier this world would be if we spread mercy like we spread gossip! How much sweeter our relationships would be if we truly loved mercy and showered the undeserving with compassion. How much like Jesus we would be…

3. Walk humbly with my God. There’s that word. I have a love-hate relationship with humility. I love it in others but it’s so hard to incorporate into my own life! Yet is there anything more important than to simply humble ourselves before God, walk with Him, commune with Him? Be still and listen to Him?

{ design wrap-up }

2011-07-05T21:50:00.001-06:00

I see that my scatter-brained self didn’t put a time limit on the design giveaway… I will leave it open until the end of the week (Saturday, July 9 at 11:59 pm) and then some-lucky-body will be getting a FREE bloggy design! Woohoo! If you haven’t yet, please go leave a comment now...

good stuff

2011-07-04T16:48:00.001-06:00

Sometimes contentment comes in those noisy moments at the McDonald's playplace... with the big boys shooting hoops for 25 cents and the baby crawling around happily on well used equipment. Everyone relieved to be out of the van, if only for a moment... 4.5 hours behind us and another 2-3 hours ahead. A busy revitalizing weekend in our memories and a fresh new week ahead.
Good stuff.

{ prayer }

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

I heard this little snippet on our local Christian radio station the other day… thought it was such a great summary of why we pray:

We don’t pray to inform God or to make our needs known to Him… we pray to communicate, to interact, to have a relationship with our Lord.

I aspire to take this to heart… to really be still after I pray and let Him speak to me.

Photo source.

{ setting limits }

2011-06-28T23:07:00.001-06:00

Are we the only family that struggles to get our kids outside in summer? I’m so tempted to have one week where no one is allowed to turn on a computer. Yeah, like that’s gonna happen with hubs and me… but still! I’m hoping to get the boys out in the sun, sprinklers on, sand castles built, imaginary forts in the trees, enough that they forget all about electronics! And yes, there are the rainy days that I cave and let them play a little… we don’t have TV so that definitely helps but between Minecraft and Netflix, they could be zoned out all day!

I found the answer in the form of an online egg timer. It works for me as well! You just type in the length of time and then do your blogging or gaming or whatever floats your boat… then when the time is up, the timer screen pops up in your face and beeps in its annoying alarm clock style; you really can’t ignore it! It’s worked wonders for the boys taking turns… after all, you can’t argue the timer! Mom may be wrong but apparently electronics never are…

{ 1000 gifts. 11-20 }

2011-06-27T10:37:00.001-06:00

#11. a godly heritage
#12. grandpas celebrating 60 years!
#13. peaceful home
#14. the gift of hearing
#15. weekly sermons that speak to the heart
#16. good health
#17. great times with extended family
#18. financial blessings
#19. friends that care
#20. blogging inspirations

{ masquerade }

2011-06-25T23:07:00.001-06:00

I’ve been thinking about the lyrics of the Casting Crowns song Stained Glass Masquerade… There’s so much in these few lines! I challenge you to read them, really take the time to read them… and then take it to heart this week!

You can also hear it with lyrics here.

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small
Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong
So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

*Chorus*
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart
But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be
Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Are we brave enough to be real?

{ becoming }

2011-06-22T07:48:00.001-06:00

In the wee hours of the morning… I wake, and rise… against my will, but I do rise. And I putter with laundry. And I think about getting back into bed. But I give myself a stern lecture and then I hit the track. 6.2 miles per hour, my new record… and I pound that track and push myself and my brain whirs… and God comes in the quietness before 6 am, He comes and He’s near and I feel him. Why do I cry in the presence of my great God? I feel loved, secure, yet unworthy. I feel awe, respect, humility… I’m quiet, still, listening. And God doesn’t say a word, but He’s there and He keeps me company as my feet dance in the fresh summer morning air.

I feel as though I am becoming someone new. Weight loss helps, yes, but more than that… I pray and I study the Word and I cry… and I center my life and all that I am around Him. Worship music and sermons have become the soundtrack of my busy days. God! My soul cries in adoration to my Creator. Becoming. Who? A godly woman, a loving wife, a mommy who embraces the ministry of motherhood. Becoming who He wants me to be. Becoming. Alive…

{ 1000 gifts. 1-10 }

2011-06-20T13:52:00.001-06:00

#1. baby that sleeps through the night
#2. summer holidays begin and sleeping in!
#3. popsicles dripping
#4. soft green grasses tickling baby toes
#5. boys and trampolines
#6. lazy warm breezes
#7. picnic suppers
#8. little boys and farmers tans
#9. dancing shadows
#10. pockets full of sand

{ daddy }

2011-06-19T17:35:00.001-06:00

“Today is for the dads who perch kids on their shoulders and carry sleepy ones to bed…
Today is for the guys who run behind bikes and stand behind batters trying hard to be patient, over and over and over again.
Today is for the world’s best ticklers, the human jungle gyms, and that big lump behind the curtain in a giggly game of hide-and-go-seek…”

These were the words in the Father’s Day card I gave hubby today. They are the words of my heart… One evening this past week I opened the windows and listened to the happy sounds from outside… baby jabbering on the deck, 7-year-old learning to mow lawn, 5-year-old “helping” and hubby in the midst of it all… pausing in his weed trimming to give guidance and to jump on the trampoline with the little ones. My heart just wants to burst in moments like that. I am just SO BLESSED.

And the best thing of all is that Father God loves me! Today we worshipped Him and the tears flowed… tears of unworthiness and thankfulness and overflowing joy welling up from deep within. Thank you, Daddy-God… you’ve been there all along and you’ll be there forever and ever. Your love is Amazing and we are Grateful.

{ who am i? }

2011-06-16T10:49:00.000-06:00

What is my favourite colour and why? green or aqua; they’re both calm colours, inspired by nature
If I could only choose three foods to eat for the rest of my life what would they be? avocado, mango and shrimp
What is my favourite scripture and how has it impacted my life? Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our Guide even to the end… it was the theme at our wedding and it’s relevant all the time!
What is my most embarrassing moment?
Um… honestly stumped on this one… I’m a klutz though, what more can I say?!
Who is my favourite band/singer/songwriter? Which song and why? Hmmm… tough one but I might have to say Phil Wickham. His song Beautiful gives me the chills every time!
What is one question I want to ask God when I get to heaven? I would like to watch a video of creation :)
If I could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and what would I do there? Central America and I would work with victims of human trafficking and/or in orphanages.
What is my favourite book? What are the next three books I hope to read? Fiction? I loved When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin. Non-fiction would have to be One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. The next three books on my nightstand are A Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George, Trading Places by Les & Leslie Parrott, and Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman).
What is my favourite movie? What message does it communicate and how does it connect with my life? I loved Fireproof. It’s great for any marriage and especially since I’m married to a firefighter… it addressed all those issues and emotions that go along with being involved in emergency services. It was raw and painful to watch, but such a great message!
If I woke up tomorrow and everything in my life were “perfect”, what would it look like? What needs to change in my current life in order for this to become more of a reality? I would be a lot more patient and forgiving… I would also have a cleaning service so I could spend more time with my kids… it would be awesome to be out of debt. I guess a lot of that boils down to having more money! But in the end? My perfect day would be much like it is now, surrounded by a family that loves me… a noisy house of boys that are healthy and secure, boys that want to learn more about Jesus. And a hardworking husband that comes home to me every night.

Who are you? How would you answer these questions? If you want to play along on your blog just leave the link to your post in the comments!

{ trepidation }

2011-06-15T09:00:00.000-06:00

I love to design. I love interior design, graphic design, architecture… yep, I love design. I’m not an outdoor girl, growing green things is just not my thang… but give me a computer and a design program and I’m happy!

For awhile now, you’ve probably noticed my blog design changing. A lot. And that is because I just can’t help myself. I sit down at the laptop and within minutes, I’m tweaking again.

I would love to design for pay… I think that would be the ultimate WAHM job for me. I would love to help out with finances but I really don’t want to leave my kids every day. So I toy with all these ideas…

… and I’m scared. Because I’m a perfectionist and I worry that I can’t do it well enough for clients and I’ll never learn all the html and css that I need to. But you know what? For today, I’m throwing caution to the wind and I am going to give away one free blog design. Just because. And if I just love it, I might actually open doors for business, maybe start throwing out designs for a small fee and see where it goes from there…

So, all you need to do is comment and you’re entered for a FREE blog design! This is all I want to know:

What do you love? What makes you smile and go crazy? What talents has God given you, and how have you embraced them?

{ blog hop }

2011-06-14T14:38:00.001-06:00

Who wants to join in a little homemaking blog hop?

Click here!

{ let’s talk lunch }

2011-06-14T10:38:00.001-06:00

For awhile I’ve been tempting myself with one of these lunchboxes for Buster. I put it off, thinking I would save the money… then I realized that with all the money I had been spending on zipper sandwich bags, it would quite easily be worth it to invest in something non-disposable. So I took the plunge and ordered a set of 4 containers and a cooler bag.

It really has helped with the lunch-making process, even though I only have two more lunches to make this year (yay!). And it definitely helps

with making healthier lunches! Here’s an example of a lunch I made last week:

tuna sandwich
cut up apple
granola bar

There’s a photo gallery of lunch inspiration on their website as well… Check it out here.

How do you keep your kids eating healthy, through the school year and now in the upcoming summer holidays? Meg addressed this problem on her blog last week and I thought there were some fabulous ideas in the comments…

I’d love to hear your ideas as well!

{ holy }

2011-06-13T18:07:00.001-06:00

It’s a natural human want, to be happy in life. We rearrange our lives to give us the most happiness and we talk about others and whether they seem “happy”. We want our kids to be happy and our marriages to be happy… and in the middle sometimes we just feel exhausted. What if it isn’t all about happiness? What if we’re called to be holy not happy? What if it isn’t about us being comfortable? What if, in order to live our lives to the fullest, we sacrifice “happiness” for the saving of another’s soul…

moving out of our comfort zone and feeling a little out of our league. What if we were never meant to be comfortable?

God has been working on me. I’ve been reading Ann Voskamp and learning to find my thousand gifts. I’ve sat in church and heard about human trafficking and my heart has cracked.

I think about all the years I have wasted. Feeling peevish about the neighbor kids coming over too much, having to stop and visit with a lonely soul when I’m running behind, having to give, give, give of myself as a wife and mother… wanting to be happy but somehow missing the point completely because I missed the memo on holiness.

Our pastor said, in a recent sermon, that many people are unhappy, angry and unfulfilled because they want something. And then, when they finally attain or acquire, they are unhappier, angrier and more unfulfilled. Because they don’t understand the “who” they are missing instead of the “what”.

What if we stopped wishing for happiness and instead, prayed for holiness? What if we arranged our lives around God and His will for our lives and let the rest fall into place?

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (TNIV)
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

{ thriving family }

2011-06-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

In the interest of freeing up finances, I recently cancelled all my magazine subscriptions, including my beloved Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living and Canadian Family. And somewhere in the mix, I must have signed up for Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family magazine. Which is totally awesome and totally free. It addresses real life modern-day issues and how to resolve them in a positive God-centred way. I love the creative parenting ideas, and marriage tips, plus detailed reviews on kids’ books and movies. The latest edition really inspired me with it’s article titled Teach us to Pray, which uses the Lord’s prayer as a model and goes through each part of it and how we can apply it in our personal prayers. I love the idea of making prayer cards for our kids to prompt them who/what to pray for.

Go ahead, order your free copy today!

{ not finished }

2011-06-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

Some days it just feels overwhelming… the mothering in motion, the kissing of booboos and settling of fights, the feeding and clothing of hungry clamouring bodies; some little and one not so much. I know it’s all good and purposeful and so very Proverbs 31, but it doesn’t always come so easy. And the time! It slips away and all those grand schemes of rising with the dawn to spend time in prayer, those lofty ideals of mommyhood and precious moments spent with growing boys… they slip away and the fears creep in, am I doing enough?

And I sigh as I feel, I feel too much I think. And God is ever working, working on me… to be more selfless, love my neighbour more, be more patient… I feel His Spirit and I am moved, awestruck. He cares that much!

And the words of a song dance through my head…

There is hope for me yet
Because God won’t forget
All the plans he’s made for me
I have to wait and see
He’s not finished with me yet…

…Still wondering why I’m here
Still wrestling with my fear
But oh, He’s up to something
And the farther on I go
I’ve seen enough to know
That I’m, not here for nothing
He’s up to something.

(Wait and See by Brandon Heath)

And I sigh again… only it’s a happy sigh because He’s not finished with me yet!

{ menu plan 06.06.2011 }

2011-06-06T14:20:00.001-06:00

This week’s theme is kind of ‘back to basics’ for me. Some meals, like the summer borscht, are traditional Mennonite or at least comfort food that I grew up on. Others are just family favourites and some (tortellini) are just packaged foods that we happen to like and don’t take all day to make. Enjoy!

Monday Breakfast: scrambled eggs

Monday Lunch: ham and cheddar chowder, herbed biscuits

Monday Supper: hobo dinners

Tuesday Breakfast: eggs and toast

Tuesday Lunch: clubhouse sandwiches

Tuesday Supper: steak fajitas

Wednesday Breakfast: muffins, smoothies

Wednesday Lunch: chicken quesadillas

Wednesday Supper: sausage and perogies

Thursday Breakfast: eggs and toast

Thursday Lunch: summer borscht

Thursday Supper: leftovers

Friday Breakfast: breakfast sandwiches

Friday Lunch: tortellini

Friday Supper: pizza night

Saturday Brunch: pancakes, bacon & eggs, as always!

Saturday Lunch: grilled cheese

Saturday Supper: chicken potato casserole

{ bliss }

2011-06-05T22:47:00.001-06:00

We had such a great weekend. Seriously, the weather was just perfect and we had a blast hanging out with family and friends. Friday we went along on Blake’s 2nd grade field trip and were regaled by a van full of boys who were high on sugar! Who knew they could be so hilarious? We visited an old coal mine, including a little train ride, went on a swinging bridge (oooh, tummy be still. I hate those things!) and a small ferry. Had pizza in the park and visited a teeny tiny little church that seats about 10. Fun was had by all!

Immediately after the field trip, we loaded up our van and all our boys and headed off for Grammy’s, 3 hours away. We attended the end of school program at the private school where hubs’ sister taught (they did awesome!) and then to Grammy’s for night with hubs’ sister and family that we don’t see nearly often enough! All the little boy cousins had the greatest fun! Sawyer and Paxton are only a month apart and I can just tell they’ll be inseparable!

Saturday was the school picnic and the weather was unbelievably awesome and warm. Lunch was smoked burgers, fruit salads, chips, veggies, loads of homemade bars… sometimes I’m so proud of my Mennonite heritage… the food never lets you down! Then scavenger hunts for the kids, baseball for the adults. Kids on bikes, swings, digging in the sand. Laughter, water fights, lots of talking and moms pushing strollers. Babies yawning. Moms applying sunscreen and bug repellent. It was a fun, full happy day. Picture perfect. Contentment.

Sunday… church, grilled salmon lunch. More chubby baby legs in shorts exploring the great outdoors. Cousins learning to know each other. A trip to the park and icy summer treats. Can’t get enough. In-laws who care and love… so blessed! Family. Faith. Friends. What it’s all about!

{ jesus storybook bible }

2011-05-19T10:00:00.000-06:00

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not great at sticking to a bible reading plan or devotional… I’m not even that great at picking up my Bible. I’m working on that, but I definitely still need improvement.

Recently, on Facebook, one of my mommy friends asked for advice on a devotional/bible story book for preschoolers. The answers that came in were overwhelmingly for the Jesus Storybook Bible. I had never heard of it, but I trusted what these moms were saying, so I ordered a copy for the boys. Let me just say, the boys clamour for story time (well, Nick clamours, Blake just reads for himself!) and I look forward to it as well. The tagline is “every story whispers his name” and it’s really cool how at the end of each story, the connection is made to Jesus and the plan of salvation. I’m learning things I didn’t remember reading in the Bible and spending time with my boys while doing it! The stories are written like an easy-to-understand modern story, and the illustrations are full of whimsy. I bought the regular version but there are a few versions available, including an ebook and audiobook. So if you’re looking for a good way to introduce the Good News to your child or anyone else, this is a great start!

I’m in no way affilated with this product, nor am I being paid to give this review. I just love the book and wanted to share!

{ 30 before 30 }

2011-05-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

There’s a lot of women out there compiling (and completing!) their own “30 things to do before I’m 30” lists, and I was inspired to do the same… I know I’m really late to the party, as my birthday is only 4 months away, so most of my goals aren’t that exotic. But I am addressing two of my biggest fears in #6 and 11: deep water and heights!

1. ~~Visit another country (besides the US).~~

2. ~~Run a~~ 5k (actually did a 10k!).

3. ~~Design a blog for pay~~.

4. Reach my goal weight.

5. Run 75 miles in one month.

6. Go wakeboarding.

7. Refinish a piece of furniture.

8. Take a cooking class with the hubs.

9. Design a budget and stick with it.

10. Take a WordPress class.

11. Bungee jump.

12. Learn to golf.

13. Complete an interior design job.

14. Develop the discipline of daily personal devotions.

15. Create a piece of art.

16. Sew a cute retro apron.

17. Learn to use a power saw.

18. Read through the entire New Testament.

19. Learn more about gardening.

20. Take a writing class.

21. Learn to cook a new ethnic dish.

22. Volunteer with the boys.

23. Complete and order my Tastebook.

24. Attend a women’s conference.

25. ~~Have a girls night out.~~

26. Keep our home clutter free.

27. Start making my own bread.

28. ~~Take my vitamins everyday.~~

29. Tell someone new about Christ.

30. Date my husband at least 2 times a month.

{ menu plan 5.16.2011}

2011-05-16T10:55:00.001-06:00

Monday Breakfast: western omelet potato skins

Monday Lunch: ham and cheddar chowder, herbed biscuits

Monday Supper: meatballs, rice, peas and carrots

Tuesday Breakfast: eggs and toast

Tuesday Lunch: shrimp pasta, garlic bread

Tuesday Supper: sweet barbacoa pork, rice, veggie medley

Wednesday Breakfast: muffins, fruit smoothies

Wednesday Lunch: quesadillas, fresh veggies and dip

Wednesday Supper: lasagna, Caesar salad, bread sticks

Thursday Breakfast: eggs and toast

Thursday Lunch: sloppy joes, carrot sticks

Thursday Supper: lemon grilled salmon, quinoa pilaf

Friday Breakfast: breakfast sandwiches

Friday Lunch: chicken vegetable soup, fresh bread

Friday Supper: pizza night

Saturday Brunch: pancakes, bacon & eggs, as always!

Saturday Lunch: grilled cheese

Saturday Supper: Jill’s pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus

{ the fight }

2011-05-14T10:16:00.000-06:00

rather than fighting to outlaw abortion
fight to teach our children the value of life

rather than fighting against same sex marriages
fight to save our own marriages

rather than fighting to control what is on TV
fight to spend our time wisely & keep our hearts pure

rather than fighting to allow prayer in school
fight to make prayer a part of your daily home life

rather than fighting about health care costs
fight to take preventative health into your own hands

rather than fighting to boycott immoral companies
fight to support the moral companies

rather than fighting public education
fight to teach your child a love of learning no matter where they are taught

rather than fighting big oil
fight to live a less oil dependent life

sometimes it's important to fight the big fight, but if you aren't fighting the real fight in your own family, in your own life, is the fight really worth it?!

I found this over here. Go check out her awesome blog!

{ sahm }

2011-05-13T14:15:00.001-06:00

What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “stay at home mom”? Do you envision a retro mom with an apron and fresh cookies and neatly folded laundry?

Photo source

Or maybe a more modern multitasking mom with the latest in gadgets, who blogs and facebooks and tweets with the best of them?

Photo source

I’ve always been blessed to be an SAHM, but my definition of that term has definitely changed over 3 pregnancies, births and just general life with babies to toddlers, preschoolers and elementary schoolers.

I’ve spent a lot of my time as a mom in denial that I was a mom, if that makes sense. I wanted to be able to do anything I’d done before and pour all my time into “me time”. I’m certainly not saying we shouldn’t ever take time for ourselves. In fact most moms do a lot better as moms if they are fulfilling some of their own dreams along the way. But I’ve been doing a ton of thinking lately. Maybe partly because my friend Deli just lost her little girl… and I know how short time can be… but I want to savour these moments I have at home with my boys! Whatever the reason, I’ve made it a priority to stay home more, and when I do go out, I don’t get a babysitter unless absolutely necessary. I’m learning to know my boys in a new way, and honestly? When I’m not stressed about getting them dressed and out the door every day of the week, it’s amazing how much we can bond!

We still go out some, we still have the occasional play date at the park, we still have soccer games and practices, we still have church… but I am definitely pickier about what’s important in our lives *right now* and it has made such a difference!

{ a good day }

2011-05-10T23:28:00.001-06:00

Today was such a good day. Just one of those superb days where everything goes pretty good and life just feels rad… For starters, the weather was the very warmest it’s been all spring! My sister-in-law was here for night so I got her to help me pick out bedding plants at the greenhouse. She’s an artist and has such great taste; can’t wait to plant!

I got to eat lunch out (no kids!) with one of my awesomest friends ever. It had been way too long and it was SO good to catch up and laugh and not be interrupted by spilled drink and crabby babies in high chairs…

After school I got to hang out with 2 other besties… seriously we’ve all been so busy we’ve hardly seen each other so it was unbelievable to have it all come together on one day!

Then Buster had a soccer game 30 minutes away so we headed out there and watched them win their first game 1-0! Last game they lost 5-0 so they were pretty stoked tonight! :)

I just feel so thankful and blessed and full of peace and happiness. I kinda feel like God smiled down today, y’know?

{ failure }

2011-05-08T00:25:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I failed. It felt like the boys pushed all my buttons and each other's too. I was short and cross and failed to show compassion. Failure. It's such a heavy word, laden with disappointment. And yet, some of us struggle with it every day. But why? I grew up with a loving Christian mom and I'm blessed to now be a mom myself. I have a Christian husband who supports me wholeheartedly, loves me for who I am, and makes me smile. I try to be a "good" wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend... I have high expectations for myself and I. Fail. That word again. I feel constantly like I'm letting them down. I didn't return her call right away, I didn't get up and cook him breakfast, I raised my voice at the kids, I'm not there for her like I should be, I was critical and jealous and spiteful and I don't know if Jesus can love me... These are the echoes in my mind some days, many days, and I wonder...

How does God really look at me? Because of the Lord's faithful love, we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! Lamentations 3:22-23 HCSB

Did you get that? Every single morning, there is new mercy for the day! The dictionary defines mercy as "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm". God has all the power to punish me for all my endless infractions. But. He chooses to renew His mercy daily and give me a new chance every. single. day. Every morning I can wipe that slate and come to God with renewed courage, humbly thanking Him and asking for direction for the new day. Isn't that just the most awesome news ever?

I may not feel like the world's greatest mom, and today is, after all Mother's Day... but before bed last night I knelt with my boys, all wiggly squirmy bundles of energy, their damp hair sticking in all directions, and I prayed over them. I prayed that we would all get a new chance in the morning and as the wiggles settled down and the weary bodies sighed under the covers, I thanked God that I am blessed to be a Mother.

{ encouragement }

2011-05-07T20:38:00.000-06:00

My mind has gone crazy the last week over the news of a friend who lost her little 13-month-old girl in a drowning incident. I've wept and prayed and wished there was something I could do or say to ease the pain. And really I know that praying is the most and best that I can do, especially since we live 2500+ km apart. But I just wanted to ask if my readers would be so sweet as to pop over to her blog here, and share some love and support for a hurting mama. I know she'll appreciate it!

{ hobo dinners }

2011-04-16T17:17:00.001-06:00

I’ve received quite a few comments on the hobo dinner in my menu plan. Some of you had never heard of them, and I promise once I let you in on this little secret you’ll be making it every week!

There’s a lot of variations to this recipe… I generally stick to farmer’s sausage for the meat (we have excellent fresh options available) and a lot of people do this while camping or at least over the fire, but I generally just do it in my oven or grill.

All you need is:

Aluminum foil
Meat of some kind (hamburger, farmer’s sausage, hot dogs, chicken, even salmon, shrimp, etc. possibilities are endless!)
Potatoes, quartered
Baby carrots or carrot sticks
Onions, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, etc. cut into bite size pieces
Salt & pepper
Seasoning salt

Wrap individual amounts into little foil packets and bake at 350 for about an hour, maybe a little less. Enjoy!

Photo source here.

{ menu plan 04.11.2011 }

2011-04-11T12:27:00.001-06:00

The longer I stay away from this blog, the harder it gets to put up a post! Anyway here’s my menu plan for the week…

Monday Breakfast: western omelet potato skins

Monday Lunch: clam chowder

Monday Supper: Indian spice pork skewers

Tuesday Breakfast: eggs and toast

Tuesday Lunch: shrimp pasta

Tuesday Supper: cheesy zucchini enchiladas

Wednesday Breakfast: muffins, fruit smoothies

Wednesday Lunch: quesadillas

Wednesday Supper: hobo dinner

Thursday Breakfast: eggs and toast

Thursday Lunch: homemade burgers

Thursday Supper: fajitas with lime cilantro rice

Friday Breakfast: baked breakfast taquitos

Friday Lunch: ham and cheddar chowder

Friday Supper: pizza night

Saturday Brunch: pancakes, bacon & eggs, as always!

Saturday Lunch: grilled cheese

Saturday Supper: pork tacos

{ on marriage }

2011-03-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

Last night hubs and I had the opportunity to go to a marriage seminar by Mark Gungor, author of Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage. We were "forewarned" by several married friends who had watched his DVDs but nothing prepared us completely for the raw honestly and cathartic humor. I don't think we have the worst marriage out there but let's be honest, it needed a lot of work. Almost 11 years of marriage and 3 pregnancies/kids later... and don't kid yourself (pun intended!) that our offspring don't change our marriages. They do! And I'm the prime example of a mom who puts it all into her kids and sometimes the hubby gets neglected. It was SO good for me to hear how guys operate and how to make this work without stabbing each other. (That was a joke, for the serious minded out there!) I really do think God smiled as he created the two sexes so drastically different, brought us together and watched as we tried to figure it out! I'm so inspired and I can imagine a great future... and a long & happy marriage!

If I could share one thought that stands out in my mind, it would be this: You will get what you need/want out of a marriage only after you give your spouse what they need/want. Marriage, as any other relationship, only works if you're unselfish.

{ a canadian option at last }

2011-03-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

I just had to share with my readers, since many of you are Canadian as well, the great experience I had tonight. I've been dealing with cradle cap and exploring my options online, when I decided to visit well.ca which is basically an online drugstore that is Canadian!!! The thing is, for years my American friends have been able to order stuff online, shipped to their door for a pittance and we had no options! Now my friends, we have finally caught up... we can order diapers, wipes, cosmetics, meds, cleaning supplies, etc. online and they ship to us! But my big surprise came when my order was finalized and there was no shipping cost! Granted my order was only $14 but still it's exciting to get something for free for once!

Oh, and if you're curious what I ended up ordering, it was this cradle cap scalp rub and butt paste (which I've heard SO much about!)

Disclaimer: I have not been compensated in any way for this post. Just sharing with my loyal readers a great find!

{ frugal cooking challenge #1 }

2011-02-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

Today was day one of my frugal cooking challenge. I forgot to mention part of what spurred this new venture. I heard the other day that Americans (I think that includes us!) throw away $2000 worth of food each year. Yeah. Appalling!

Lunch was leftover chicken noodle soup and cheese quesadillas, using up my tortillas from the pantry.

Supper was beef stroganoff, using up beef strips, a few different kinds of wide noodles as well as fresh ingredients like mushrooms and sour cream. And I used up some fresh veggies in a salad.

So far this is pretty much fun... no one's complaining (yet) that the food is boring or weird! :)

{ frugal menu plan 02.28.2011 }

2011-02-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

I'm venturing out on a no-spend month, trying to save a little dough so we can have some semblance of a vacation this year... it's tough for me, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. I'm digging deep in the pantry and deep freeze... hoping to keep the grocery buying to a minimum this month, or at least this week! This of course doesn't apply to the milk that Sawyer guzzles at a great rate or the fresh veggies I'm trying to incorporate but there's enough selection of frozen veggies that I might even depend on those for this week. So. I won't have a menu plan as such but I will try to post as I go, and maybe you guys will even get some ideas for frugal eating.

Wish me luck!

{ ten months }

2011-02-10T11:54:00.001-07:00

Today my little Sawyer-man is 10 months old! My sweet little nose-scrunching, fun-loving sociable cuddle-bug... Right now he crawls like crazy, pulls himself up everywhere... loves to laugh & play... We're in the weaning process; very hard to let that go :( but we are hoping to go away for spring break and leave him so I have a month to get him 100% weaned!

I can't believe how quickly the last year has passed... it's been the busiest, craziest year, full of so many changes, discoveries, so much love...

{ meh }

2011-02-09T23:29:00.000-07:00

What a day. Sigh. I finally have a laptop again but I'm having issues installing Live Writer so... Android to the rescue again...

Anyway. We are having one epic virus around here - Sawyer has been sick for the better part of a month and the rest of us have come and gone with symptoms as well.

This morning hubs and I were both really feeling it but we dragged ourselves up and got Buster off to school. The day took quite a turn when hubs got to the office and found we'd been robbed. Again. This time the destruction was much worse and they made off with customers' laptops as well as inventory. Thankfully we got them on video... but it kinda made for a tough day...

Tomorrow is always another day right? ...right...?

{ juiced }

2011-01-31T23:00:00.001-07:00

There are a lot of things I love about my small town grocery store. There are disadvantages, sure, when they don’t have the selection I need, but for the most part, you can’t beat these local grocers! One of the perks I’ve enjoyed since having a baby 9 months ago… is pre-ordering my groceries. They fill my list, charge everything (yes, we do charge accounts too!) and hubby can pick it up on his way home from work without wasting time or worrying that he’s picking up the wrong thing. It has saved us so much hassle, especially when the baby’s sick or sleeping & I can’t head out!

Every year, the Associated Grocers chain of stores has a giant giveaway and I don’t always play along (I never win stuff anyway!) but this year I decided to go along with it and so far I’ve won a few little things… a re-usable shopping bag, a can of coffee, Powerade, and a box of granola bars. And today, I won this! I’m so enthused; I’ve wanted a juicer for a long time but I’ve never actually used one. The boys and I experimented a bit today… tried a recipe that consisted of sweet potato, celery, fresh ginger & oranges. Hmmm… can’t say I loved it – the ginger was a bit too strong/spicy and the oranges were not the freshest – but I’ll keep at it and find some yummy healthy combos we all love!

{ menu plan :: jan 31 - feb 4 }

2011-01-30T22:47:00.001-07:00

Breakfast:

M: Ham and Egg Cups

T: Baked oatmeal, fruit, yogurt

W: Chicken Cheese & Broccoli Quiche

T: Fresh bread from bread machine

F: Italian Breakfast Sandwich

Lunch:

M: Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

T: Roasted Pepper Soup, Grown Up Grilled Cheese

W: Skinny Turkey Cuban Sandwich

T: Chicken, Shiitake and Wild Rice Soup

F: Toasted Clubs with Dill Mayo

Supper:

M: Penne with Sundried Tomatoes and Capers

T: Cheesy Chicken, Bacon & Avocado Quesadillas

W: Coffee Crusted Steak, Italian Bread Salad

T: Spicy Shrimp Fried Rice, Healthy Fried Cabbage

F: Baked Chicken Parmesan, Caesar salad

{ recipes }

2011-01-28T17:06:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to let you all know I updated my recipes (click the “food” button on the sidebar), added a few new ones, and I’ll continue to do that as I find good ones! My recipes are actually on a separate blog (loadsofrecipes.com) so if you want to subscribe to it, you can do that separately from this blog. Here is the link to subscribe to my recipes via RSS, and I’ve added a button to the sidebar as well.

What are your family’s favorite recipes? I’m always on the prowl for new ideas!

{ menu plan :: january 24-29 }

2011-01-24T00:32:00.001-07:00

Some of you mentioned you’d like to see my menu planning again, so I’m going to try to get back into the swing of things… One of my greatest cooking inspirations right now is Gina at Skinny Taste - yummy gourmet foods that are all Weight Watchers-friendly! And for those of you who are on WW, Gina has both original points listed, and Points Plus. Most of the recipes listed here are either from her site or are easy to “lighten” by using lower-fat ingredients. Have fun!

Monday Breakfast: Muffins, scrambled eggs, oranges

Monday Lunch: Skinny Tuna Melt, garden salad

Monday Supper: Grilled chicken with Avocado and Mango Salsa

Tuesday Breakfast: Fresh bread, fruit & yogurt parfaits

Tuesday Lunch: Cobb Salad

Tuesday Supper: Slow Cooked Sweet Barbacoa Pork

Wednesday Breakfast: Asparagus and Swiss Cheese Frittata

Wednesday Lunch: Cuban Sandwich Quesadilla and Baked Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries

Wednesday Supper: Bruschetta Chicken Bake and Cauliflower Puree

Thursday Breakfast: Toad-in-the-Hole, fruit smoothies

Thursday Lunch: Nachos, Black Bean, Avocado, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Thursday Supper: Asian Glazed Drumsticks and PW’s Asian Noodle Salad

Friday Breakfast: Breakfast Squares, Orange Julius

Friday Lunch: Beef Potato and Quinoa Soup

Friday Supper: Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken and Cilantro Lime Rice

Saturday Brunch: pancakes, bacon & eggs, as always!

Saturday Supper: pizza

{ winner announced }

2011-01-22T12:25:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Rolynnie, who won the CSN Stores giveaway! Happy shopping! I’m so jealous

{conquering}

2011-01-21T14:19:00.001-07:00

It probably comes as no surprise to you that my biggest enemy is laundry. Big enough that it inspired my blog name. I keep trying to come up with ways to divide and conquer and I think I’ve finally found a viable solution.

I’ve started to divide up the laundry by person, so I’m doing 1-2 loads per day and it’s so simple to fold and put away when it’s all going to one bedroom! Here’s the schedule I use:

Monday - Buster
Tuesday - Noodle
Wednesday - Sawyer
Thursday - Hubby
Friday - Me
Saturday – Linens

It’s been working really well for me and I’m keeping up a lot better! I’m doing cloth diapers part-time which adds to the mix a little but it’s working out great and if I feel overwhelmed by my laundry room, I just use disposables. No guilt!

As far as detergents, stain removers, etc, I like to keep it fairly simple. The following are my standard supplies for everyday laundry:

Tide Free & Gentle – this is a great option if you have a baby in the house, allergies, sensitive skin, or use cloth diapers.

OxiClean – ever since Buster, 7, was a baby, this has been my favorite stain remover… and believe me, with 3 boys it gets used a lot! I’ve found it to remove stains even after they’ve gone through the dryer! I personally find the powder works better than the liquid, and currently I’m using the Power Paks, which I love, since there’s no mess!

Downy fabric softener – great for removing static in our dry Alberta winters, freshening up a load and just all-around softness.

Ammonia – this is my biggest laundry secret. You know how those loads of towels can get smelling really nasty? Wash them in super hot water with detergent and ammonia (easy on the fabric softener, if any, since that’s what causes a lot of the smell), then remove them from the washer immediately when done. Dry thoroughly.

What are your favorite laundry secrets? How do you corral the mountains of jeans & underwear & towels that come with a growing, active family?

{I was not compensated in any way for this post, by the companies named or anyone else. Simply sharing the products I love and use every day.}

habits

2011-01-17T17:30:00.001-07:00

Most of us have a few of those irritating habits… we hate them, we try to get rid of them, but they hang on like a clingy relative…

For me, it’s always been nail biting. And in the last few years, an obsession with food. Both affected my confidence, my self image, the way I viewed life. Simply because I felt like I was out of control. The habits had taken over and I was not free to be the confident woman God intended me to be.

About 16 months ago, while pregnant with Sawyer, I knew it was time to take control of my nail biting. I had been using fake nails to cover up the awful mess that were my natural ragged bleeding stubs. And I knew that while I was pregnant I didn’t want to be near those fumes anymore. Necessity dictated and through some strength I didn’t possess on my own, I completely and totally gave up nail biting. It sounds so simple, but really it was a HUGE thing for me. My entire life, all 28 years of it at that point, I had been a slave to this habit, and suddenly I was free. I know that God stepped in. There was no way I could’ve done it on my own.

Now with my weight loss, I feel the same way once again… God is there with me, cheering me on, giving me that last little strength to curb my eating, get more active & live a more healthy lifestyle. This has transferred to how I run my home… getting up earlier, getting those devotional moments in when I can, having patience with the boys, learning to be that supportive wife… I don’t have to be in control. God is so much better at it than I could ever be!

Some of you have commented on my self control. I want you to know, it’s not me. Anyone can change their life, their habits. It takes giving up our control and handing over the reins. Jesus really does care about our happiness. Weight loss, nail biting, cooking, housekeeping. Anything. Nothing is too small or too big for God. All those things that are dragging you down and keeping you from flourishing for God, just bring them to him. Dump them at His feet. Surrender. And let Him do the rest.

help

2011-01-14T13:43:00.001-07:00

So, a lot of you mentioned you’d like more housekeeping tips and I’m happy to oblige. Today I thought I’d share some of my favorite go-to websites and blogs that pertain to organizing/cleaning and keeping the home running smoothly. Most of these do focus on moms, but even if you don’t have kids, there’s a lot of good tips!

Motivated Moms has a great printable planner system you can download & print. At only $8, it’s a great buy and right now if you enter the coupon code GROUP, you get $1 off! An added bonus is some versions of the calendar/planner include Bible reading for the day!

Life as Mom is another great inspirational site that has everything Mom-related. Check out her sidebar for everything from housekeeping to cooking and she has a $9 ebook as well, which you can find here.

One of my all-time favorites is Organizing Your Way with a bunch of really nice FREE printables… The author, Mandi Ehman, has a variety of sites that are all great… And I LOVE her decorating style! Check it out here.

And last, but definitely not least, is Simple Mom. Great all-around source for housekeeping, parenting, and living frugally.

Hope you get as much inspiration from these sites as I do!

doubt

2011-01-12T10:09:00.001-07:00

Don't doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.

These are thoughts I’m thinking today… Am I the only one that muddles over stuff during tough times that was so clear when life was going well? When God comes close and gives us the direction we need… let’s not go back and say, “Hey God, you didn’t reeeeally mean it that way, did you?”

Easier said than done, I know. We are only human, after all…

changes

2011-01-09T22:39:00.001-07:00

I’m going to start off with an apology. I have been completely lacking in inspiration and I’m sorry to regularly disappoint in posting frequency and content. There are a number of reasons…

#1. I have started another blog, dedicated to my current weight loss journey. And no, I’m not going to share it here, because for now I want to keep it somewhat anonymous. Anyone can email me for the address if you’re interested. Just click on the email button above to send me a message.

#2. I’ve been spending my computer time pursuing blog design, which I’m considering as a career but that’s still up in the air. Also checking other SAHM-friendly career options to boost the finances a little…

#3. I have three kids. Enough said.

I have tremendous respect for moms of many who blog, homeschool & run a business (or multiple businesses) while still cooking, cleaning, doing laundry and caring for the emotional needs of a family. And yes, I’m looking at you, Pioneer Woman! My brain just stops.

Most of you are probably familiar with CSN stores as I’ve done previous reviews and giveaways. I can waste so much time on their site… checking out everything from their home bar furniture to kitchen appliances to this cute wall art… there’s so much I want-slash-need!

And because it’s the beginning of a new year and I’m just feeling particularly generous today, I will give away a gift certificate worth $45 to CSN stores. So I’m giving you permission, right now, to head on over to CSN stores and pick out something you really REALLY want, for yourself, your mom, your hubby, your kids… whoever! All I ask is that you leave a comment here, letting me know any changes you’d like to see in my blog this year. Besides more posts, that is. Although you are certainly welcome to voice your opinions on that matter as well!

Again, all you need to do to be automatically entered… is leave a comment here with your email address so I can contact you. If you don’t leave any contact info, unfortunately I will have to pick another winner. Giveaway ends Friday, January 21 at 11:59 pm.

2011 handbook

2011-01-07T20:58:00.001-07:00

(Note: I received this in an email and I thought it was priceless! Feel free to pass it on!)

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2010 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away
like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.
Last but not the least:
40. Please share this with everyone you care about.

new year, new look

2011-01-05T21:02:00.001-07:00

I’ve been experimenting with different web design tools and I figured it was time for a fresh new look. What do you think? I’m not finished yet so pardon the bare look but I’m actually digging the minimalist style…

portfolio

2011-01-01T13:00:00.001-07:00

http://aprairiegirlincalifornia.blogspot.com/

http://dropping40.wordpress.com/

http://blueelephantstitches.blogspot.com/

http://oneshabbychick.typepad.com/

http://www.13woodhouseroad.com/

words

2011-01-01T12:09:00.001-07:00

I think we often underestimate the power of words. That old childhood saying”sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never harm me” could not be further from the truth!

This week I happened to end up on dish duty at a family gathering with a distant cousin of my husband’s that I really didn’t know that well. We covered a lot of topics, ones that were close to the heart. She’s a mom of all boys as well and we found we had so much in common! I admitted to her my struggles with Buster since he’s so much like me and the traits that discourage me the most are so prevalent in him… further on in our discussion she said, “You know, I really like you! I can’t imagine how you’d have any issues with accepting yourself!” If you’ve never had someone compliment you, then you maybe won’t understand what that did for my heart. I think I walked on a cloud the rest of the day…

People, words matter. You may think that little snarky comment wasn’t taking it too far. You may think that telling someone “You look great today” doesn’t do a whole lot. But I’m telling you, it can mean the world. You can make or break a relationship with one small comment. And if it was a negative comment you may spend years repairing the damage done.

If there is one thing I want to focus on this year, it is to watch my words. So quickly spoken. Such lasting effects.

2011-01-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

PR Agencies & Business Owners

I love doing reviews and giveaways for blog & family related products and services. If you would like your product or service considered for review, I would love to talk to you…please feel free to contact me.
Giveaways

Please feel free to enter my giveaways, but make sure you follow the rules:
Unless otherwise stated, you must live in Canada or the U.S. to be eligible to win.
Please enter only once per giveaway.
Make sure you read the guidelines in the post…sometimes I ask you to share a tip or something related to the product.
Please leave a relevant and meaningful comment. Comments like “Win” or “Pick me” or “I want this” will certainly not “win”, “be picked” or “get that”. I need to know you tried, guys!
Please provide a valid email address when you comment.
Winners are selected randomly.
I will contact the winner via email (no email provided, no prize!) and that person will have 72 hours to claim their prize. After that, an alternate winner will be selected.
All giveaways are sponsored by the company offering the giveaway. In the event that a giveaway is broken or not received by the chosen entrant, I am not financially responsible for the product.
That’s it. So have fun and play nice…
Disclosure Policy

Between Loads of Laundry is a personal blog written and edited by Margi Regehr. As the owner of this blog, I do at times accept forms of cash and free products for review, topic or event insertions. All products, topics and events are chosen by me based on my determination of their relativity to my readers. Compensation received does not influence the content, topics or posts made on this blog.
Between Loads of Laundry is at times given compensation to provide opinions on products or services and will clearly state that the post is sponsored as a review. All content is editorial and based on my honest opinions. There are times I will contact a company before posting a review if I feel I can not give a balanced review of the product. I only endorse products or services that I believe, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to Margi Regehr. For questions about this blog, please contact Margi at margi.regehr@gmail.com.

the bubs

2010-12-28T13:59:00.001-07:00

I’ve taken to calling Sawyer the bubs… it sorta evolved, first babes, now bubs… In any case, I figured it was time for a bit of an update. I finally have a new keyboard on my laptop and posting will hopefully happen a lot more regularly now!

Sawyer is now 8.5 months old; can’t believe how fast the time flew by and how different life is now than a year ago! Three boys, we love them all dearly but what an adjustment! No longer can we get a “table for four, please” or have one child per parent. It’s a learning curve but I think we’re rocking it so far! For one thing, the 3rd child doesn’t get half the toys and gadgets and pampering that the 1st did. Parenting gets simplified, more efficient as each one comes along…

I’ve been trying some aspects of Baby Led Weaning*, although I’m much too paranoid of choking to go all the way. I like to give him whole carrot sticks and broccoli florets to chew on, but I also mash up bananas and avocadoes with a fork. I did put away the baby food grinder though and he’s really enjoying the slightly chunky textures. He was at least 6-7 months when I started. Seriously, there is no reason to start your baby at 4 months… why push it before you have to!!

Sawyer sat at 7 months exactly and crawled at 8 months exactly! I’m not stressed that he’s late… the other boys walked at 15 and 19 months respectively… He’s a super contented and laid-back baby. I’m loving every minute!!

*You can find the book here.

holiday recap

2010-12-28T13:34:00.001-07:00

Christmas was… interesting… this year! We headed down to the in-laws (3 hour drive) on the 23rd even though bubs had been puking the night before. He seemed to recover quickly and we headed out in the evening.

On the 24th we had the turkey and trimmings, a huge spread that was delicious as always… then opened presents (we weren’t going to give much but that didn’t stop my MIL from splurging a little on us as usual…) and walked around the neighborhood caroling. Fun times were had…

Christmas morning dawned beautiful and unseasonably warm… all seemed well until I entered the bathroom to take a shower, and slipped a little on a nicely placed puddle of… well… puke. Yup, the middle child is now sick. Great. He made several more trips to the bathroom after that but recovered quickly. Hubs had the bug in the night as well and by evening my parents in law & Buster all had it as well. I sat holding my breath but miraculously never got it!!

We stayed until yesterday, cleaned and bleached everything, washed all the bedding, etc. and then left for home. So GOOD to be back. I just want to stay in my pj’s for days and days… but there are more Christmas parties to attend and New Year’s coming right up.

Hope you all had a blessed Christmas! I just love looking forward to a New Year, all clean & untarnished by poor choices and bad decisions… all ready for me to take by storm & aim high… a new year of forgiveness, mercy and grace… a new chance to show the world who Jesus is…

happy holidays

2010-12-23T14:00:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow we plan to leave for Christmas with hubby's family. In typical fashion for this household, little bubs came down with the stomach flu last night. I was up with him the entire night... every time I figured he was done puking and I could lay him down, he would start up again, sputtering & coughing each time...

Thankfully it was a quick one, he's back to keeping fluids down and his usual cheerful self. Bathed, changed and every piece of bedding & clothing in the laundry. Now I'm just praying the other boys don't get it!

In other news... this has probably been the most low-key holiday ever for us. We decided to make it less about us, and more about others. Financially we couldn't do a lot but we were able to put in an evening volunteering with the shoebox project at Operation Christmas Child. Hubs got to hear Tony Campolo speak last month on behalf of World Vision and signed us up to sponsor a child. I'm so excited to get involved, not to mention teaching the boys that the world is bigger than their needs/wants!

We had basically no gifts to buy this year which really was a welcome change. Hubby bought the boys an official size hockey net & goalie equipment so they've been making good use of that in the basement on the colder days.

We want to wish you & the ones you love the most meaningful Christmas yet... and challenge you to give a little more to the needy. Whether financial, spiritual or emotional, we don't have to look far to find needs... God bless you in your efforts!

retreat

2010-12-15T16:00:00.001-07:00

This week I saw my sister. We live almost 3000 km apart and see each other maybe once a year. I hadn't been to her house in 7 years since they usually come this way. I spent 4 solid delightful days at her house, catching up, getting to know her little family better and meeting her little 3-week-old son Preston. We didn't do a lot more than talk and feed our babies but it was so worth the time and money spent getting there! Sometimes I wonder what makes me tick... why I react the way I do, why I parent the way I do, and why I love/hate the things I do. Then I sit down with my sister and I realize that genetics are powerful and awesome... and I think of how an adopted person must feel when they meet their biological family! The flight home was rough - many delays and Sawyer didn't sleep that well... but thanks to an angel grandma who adopted us and took over the care of Sawyer, we made out OK. I hope one day I can return the favor!!

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keeping up

2010-11-29T11:13:00.001-07:00

"Your home must always be clean."
I hear this so often and it always makes me chuckle. I consider myself one of the world's worst housekeepers! Completely inconsistent, clean one day, disaster the next. And by disaster, I do mean 3 days of dishes, laundry on the sofa, a wet diaper that hasn't made it into the trash, and unmade beds.

In discovering who I am and what makes me tick, I realize that my stress & patience levels directly correlate with the state of my house. So I've been endeavoring to stay on top of things a little more. Here's a few tips I've picked up along the way:

#1. Even if your home is overwhelmingly out of control, find one spot that will be your Zen moment through the day. For me, it's my bed. When everything else is crazy, I can walk into my bedroom and my neatly made bed calms and inspires me!

#2. Clear your counters every evening. This has been a huge one for me... I was going to bed with a few dirty dishes hanging around, and I promise, it was not easy getting up in the morning to face that! No matter how tired or sick I may feel, I clear my kitchen counters and run the dishwasher last thing before I go to bed. Trust me, you'll save on anti-depressants! Waking up to a clean kitchen is such a great feeling!

#3. Aim for a load or two of laundry every day. That way, you don't end up with an overwhelming "laundry day" and piles on the sofa!

As for the rest, I try to sweep at least once a day and spend 5 minutes on each bathroom. I figure if my floors, kitchen & bathrooms are clean, I'm doing pretty good!

What are your cleaning & conquering tips?

nutshell

2010-11-22T15:47:00.001-07:00

I've been MIA again. I'm not going to apologize for it. Life has been hectic, crazy, time only to take breaths and live each moment. We've laughed, cried, talked, worked. Lived. Friends are going through rough spots. We try to stand by them. We have anger, hurt, human reactions to big issues. We pray, we eat, we sleep, we love.

Sawyer has hit a few milestones. I've started working my way into cloth diapering. Buster lost 2 teeth. I've found secrets to keeping the house in a better state. Winter (snow) has arrived. And bitter cold. All these and more... I will be blogging about shortly. And thanks only to my brand new Android phone and a certain Blogger app... that this post happened at all! My laptop has serious keyboard issues, due to events involving an accident-prone 5-year-old boy and a full glass of iced tea. Enough said.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

minimize

2010-11-08T14:38:00.001-07:00

Lifestyle… design style… parenting styles…

Along the way, I’ve learned that different methods work for different people. What works for me in my home may not be the best approach for you and your family. My eye is always drawn to the simplest, cleanest methods and styles. My ideal home would look somewhat like this:

Source.

Likewise, when my house is cluttered and messy, it tends to drag me down. So my decorating style is just plain minimalist. I have very few things on the walls, very little visual clutter and that’s the way I like it. Don’t get me wrong, my house is never spotless. I think that is, in fact, why I get so frantic about de-cluttering, because I feel out of control with my housekeeping and I figure if I have less *stuff*, I can corral it better.

Source.

I like the minimalist approach when it comes to kids and their toys as well. Give me some good old-fashioned wooden toys without batteries, a jolly jumper for the baby, and we’re good to go! Of course, in real life I don’t entirely follow this line of thinking because, well, the grandparents always want to give gifts and yes, if I find a great deal on a used Jumparoo, I will buy it!

Minimizing is not necessarily just for our physical belongings… lately I’ve had to pare down my Facebook friends, Twitter lists, and even the blogs I read daily on Google Reader. Sometimes our lives just fill up with so much clutter, we lose focus on the really important things.

What works for you? Do you love to minimize? Or are you more sentimental? I’d love to hear from you, as always!