tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11779020310908528652024-02-06T18:12:54.342-08:00Simply LivingJoin us as we learn to live life...simplyLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-67858881867090519272012-11-21T18:51:00.002-08:002012-11-21T19:08:47.871-08:00It's That Time of Year Again!CHRISTMAS!!!<br />
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And with that comes all sorts of goodies but, I have to say one of my favourite things is the cards.</div>
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I just love getting real mail and getting updates on family and friends and seeing cute pictures of little kids in our lives! I also love the glitter that is almost mandatory on all Christmas cards. Just a note...I may just throw in an extra handful with ours this year because after all:</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"> Source: fuckyeaglitter.tumblr.com via Caroline on Pinterest</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Please just ignore that nasty work in the link:P)</span><br />
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Soooo...anyways...<br />
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Tonight I was ordering our Christmas cards and got a little notice at the end that I would receive $10 off my next order if I shared with you lovely folks that read my blog. (Hubs, that means you! Yay for saving money, right?) I would say that I love saving money as much as glitter but, well, I just don't. But it is a nice little perk!<br />
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-49965842396547165772012-07-24T20:27:00.004-07:002012-07-25T06:41:10.359-07:00Having Fun!Do you ever get so concerned with the little day to day things that you forget the big picture of life?<br />
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I know I do.<br />
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I am at a point right now where I feel so overwhelmed with all these little things that I cannot bring myself to just be happy and carefree and fun with my family.<br />
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By little things I mean keeping a clean house (clean enough so that it isn't a mad scramble when we have a possible house showing), disciplining and raising my kids to be smart, respectful, God-fearing adults, being a good and attentive wife, maintaining friendships. You know, the little things that really are big things. Each and every one of the points I just listed are so incredibly important but I have let myself become so consumed with them that I can't just let them go and have fun. Add these in with financial and life events and I am in a constant state of worry and stress.<br />
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Instead of focusing on these things as a whole, I am going to try changing my thinking of them to just a little part of my day. Discipline and teaching will never be put aside. Having three kids ages 2, 4, and 6 that is just not my reality right now. Instead I am going to look at it as just a small hiccup and then move on. Too many times I have allowed things to just put a damper on my day (<a href="http://ussimplyliving.blogspot.ca/2012/02/complaining-challenge.html">I'm a complainer remember</a>? Still working on that one.) I am going to practice grace in this home. Mistakes are going to happen. But just as my God forgives me and disciplines me and teaches me, I will do the same for those around me, especially those nearest and dearest to my heart.<br />
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This is going to be tough. I asked my husband tonight to tell me what my actions spoke about me. After a moment of hesitation he replied "impatient and short-tempered" (with a slight look of "is this a trick question?"). I was convicted today about my actions when reading Titus 1:16, "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him." I think I already knew this but I needed the confirmation from the one that knows me best here on earth.<br />
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I have been on a mission this year to simplify life. I think this is what this year has been boiling down to: focusing on what really matters the most. Casting my cares onto the Lord and actually having fun with my family. At this point I could get rid of all I owned and my house could stay clean for days but if I don't stop to enjoy life at this point in time, I am going to miss out. I have been missing out. Here is my resolution: (taken from the book, "The Resolution for Women, by Priscilla Shirer")<br />
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I do solemnly resolve to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it. I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment.<br />
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Here's to soaking up every moment and making happy memories!<br />
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God bless you today!<br />
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Linking up with Women Living Well Wednesdays. Don't forget to check out the button on the sidebar and do a little blog-hopping today!Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-60147137763541401152012-04-18T18:03:00.001-07:002012-04-18T18:03:20.758-07:00Letting Go"So then, any of you who does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple." -Luke 14:33<br />
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What am I holding on to that I need to let go of?<br />
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-Food/eating habits<br />
-Material possessions<br />
-Old habits (just the way I live life in general)<br />
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I need a change. A big change. A radical change. But how? How do I even begin to change 27 year old habits?<br />
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One at a time. Baby steps. I need to turn my life upside down and shake off all the dust that has dimmed the light inside of me.<br />
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This means no more sleeping as late as I can in the morning, but rising before the dawn to feast on the Lord before everyone else is up.<br />
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This means no more laziness and disciplining my body daily with exercise.<br />
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This means no more eating without a though but eating consciously. Being truly thankful and mindful before each bite. This also means eating more healthily.<br />
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This means no more holding onto things for that 'one day' or just in case but truly decluttering and blessing others and putting all my faith in God that He will provide and care for us. This also means letting go of the poverty mindset I have so embraced over the years.<br />
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This means no more filling the hours at the end of the day and throughout the day with TV and internet and books but filling those times with real purpose - focusing on housework, the kids, my husband, and most importantly the Lord. How will I ever know His calling on my life if I don't take the time to tune in?<br />
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Baby steps though, right?<br />
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First and foremost is my time in the morning. I believe this is a crucial aspect to my day. I desperately want more of Him and I am not going to get it unless I seek Him out.<br />
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Please pray for me if you happen to think of it. :) Be blessed today, friends!<br />
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**I typo'd that title and put Letting God instead. I think that is pretty fitting for what I just wrote about. I need to both let go and let God. If I just let go then who or what will take it's place? I must let God fill the void or I will be no better off than when I first began.<br />
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"And it goes and brings other spirits, seven [of them], more evil than itself, and they enter in, settle down, and dwell there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first." -Luke 11:26 (AMP)</div>Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-65084007745065409592012-03-24T09:33:00.001-07:002012-03-24T09:33:57.924-07:00I don't knowThere is something that is just so satisfying about just not knowing sometimes.<br />
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This thought came as a shock to me today because I am the queen of NEEDING TO KNOW!! I like to be in control. I like to plan out my day. I make lists of lists to make. Seriously. (I also add things to a list that weren't previously on it but have since completed during my day just to make myself feel like I have accomplished more. That's a whole 'nother issue...). I have a love/hate relationship with texting. (Love it cause people can be tracked down and therefore I get to know what they are doing. Hate it because of said reason and also when I don't get a prompt answer.) I could go on but I'm pretty sure you probably catch my drift! (Can you say lighten up much?!)<br />
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It probably doesn't surprise you to hear that I'm also not very patient. So when I get an idea, I just want to go with it. Correction: I NEED to go with it.<br />
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God has been revealing Himself to me so much in this last year. You know that verse, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you"? So true! As I've drawn nearer to the Lord, He has revealed Himself to me in ways that I was not expecting. And that I still don't expect. I don't know about you but I <strike>have</strike> had a very narrow view of who God is and how He is supposed to act. I think He is probably purposely acting out of those ways just so my mind can be <strike>driven crazy</strike> STRETCHED!<br />
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I have had so many ideas and things I have been wanting to do for some time now. (And they are good, God ideas! Nothing wrong with them at all!) Most of them I have just gone ahead with without really seeking the Lord's direction. And they have all flopped. I ended up with nothing but frustration.<br />
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But there have been a few that I have done nothing about yet. Except pray. Probably due to fear that it would fail. But now I pray because I know that the answer isn't necessarily "No, it won't work", but "No, it's not time yet". This is what I mean about not knowing. I don't have to live my days in frustration that I can't do anything. God is shaping me to carry out His will here on earth and right now that just means "It's not time yet". The satisfaction comes from knowing that He is guiding me. Day by day. Step by step. Moment by moment. If I will just lay down my need to control and instead give it to Him to guide me, He will be faithful. God knows the desires of my heart. Today I am trusting Him with those desires. And I am thankful that He loves me and cares and wants to fulfill those desires in accordance with His good purposes for my life.<br />
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I hope this little thought acts as a bit of encouragement for those of you that are just waiting for an answer. Don't give up. Keep drawing nearer to God. Your answer will come.<br />
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Be blessed today!<br />
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Leah<br />
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<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-20215844804799122952012-03-20T16:15:00.001-07:002012-03-20T16:15:11.904-07:00Feeling a little GreenI have been trying to adopt a cleaner lifestyle for myself and my family over the last several months. The Lord has really impressed upon me about how our bodies are His temple. This has led me in a variety of directions including weight loss and healthy eating and living. Let me tell you...it is not as easy as I hoped it would be!<br />
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There are so many things that I am realizing we need to rethink and retrain ourselves in. It's really not as simple as just buying organic foods! (For those of you that have been living clean and green for some time - please humor me as I learn! Tips are also more than welcome!) The more I read and the more knowledge I gain, the more I realize just how many toxins we put into our bodies (both on purpose and inadvertantly). And some of the articles I have read are downright terrifying!<br />
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It is also overwhelming. Where do I even begin?<br />
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Part of me wants to abandon life as we know it, move out into the bush somewhere and live like the Wilder's on Little House on the Prairie. You know where Hubs (aka Pa) goes out and hunts for all our meals and builds everything from scratch, I (aka Ma) bake and sew and churn butter in the kitchen by the woodstove, and the kids all help out with everything and only have one toy to play with. And those toys are a ragdoll for the girl and a genuine pigskin football for the boys (no bpa/lead/toxic worries there, right?!).<br />
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And then the other part of me just loves the tv and internet and the pure convenience of everyday modern life. (Hello flushing toilets and running water!)<br />
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So I have kind of gone back and forth in my quest for green-clean because I just don't know where to begin. And you know what? I just don't know if it is truly possible to completely "convert" overnight.<br />
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So here is what I am going to do: I am going to commit to just one change a month. For now anyways. Once I get the hang of things and start remembering all this newfound knowledge I have then I will ramp that up a bit but this is where I'm at now.<br />
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So far already I have pretty well cut out all foods that I cannot pronounce (except for a few cans of Alphagetti's...lunch tomorrow!). I will continue on with this as I spring clean the fridge and pantry.<br />
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My next challenge is getting rid of the toxic cosmetic/beauty products that we use on a daily basis. This is a big one for me and will take a bit of time because of our location and the inability to replace some of these items with natural products. But stay tuned for how it's going and some recipes that I've spotted that I really want to try out.<br />
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I'm scared/excited right now!<br />
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Thanks for reading :)<br />
(And please excuse the hurriedness of this writing...I'm sure it shows! It's the end of the day and I can hear the kiddo's out of bed and into mischief...)Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-58171174248121779982012-03-15T08:22:00.002-07:002012-03-15T08:22:49.423-07:00Set Your MindI just got back from the gym. And let me just say, the class I took today TOTALLY kicked my butt!<br />
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And I kind of liked it! (Kind of because I could hardly walk down the stairs to leave the gym after but liked it because it really was a great workout!)<br />
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Anyways, this all ties into this week's No Complaining post. I'll rewind.<br />
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My dear, sweet husband offered for me to take 4 days (by myself!!) to head to the "big city" just to unwind, regroup, and simply just be by myself. I was hesitant at first because first of all we just got back from Mexico two weeks ago! Did I really need another "vacation"? I told myself yes, yes I did because Mexico wasn't really a vacation for me since we were all in the same room for an entire two weeks. There was no hiding or quiet times. Just togetherness. Now I love my family but EVERYBODY needs some time by themselves!<br />
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Second of all, this is our No Spend Year! Which means we do not have an extra jar for "Leah's Mental Health/Sanity/Vacation"! But he assured me that it was fine. So why question, right?<br />
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Lastly, (sigh) the offer came after a near meltdown from me that I just couldn't handle life at that moment. Yes, folks, I complained. HOWEVER!!! I immediately found a quiet space by myself and poured my heart out to God. I asked forgiveness for complaining so quickly and asked for Him to renew me and refresh me and guide me. And you know what? He totally did! (Why am I always amazed at answered prayer?) I felt better and rejoined life. It was later after all that that hubster offered the little vacay for me. He is truly a wonderful man. :)<br />
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So I've been living it up the last four days here in the city. I have gone shopping (just a little fyi for those of you still using film in cameras - STOP!! The prices have gone up ridiculously high - $40 for 3 disposable cameras!!), I have watched TV, I have read books, I took a day to fast and pray, I've gone to anti-gravity yoga (you know those people that do acrobatics on those long cloths? Yeah, kind of like that...except a little less intense) and, like I started out with, I ended with the butt-kicking aerobics class today. It has been a fantastic week so really not much to complain about or even think about complaining!<br />
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Here is my challenge this week:<br />
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"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2<br />
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This week I am not just going to avoid thinking negative, whiny, complain-y things. I am going to actually dwell on the things above. Things like Jesus and what He did for me on the cross. I am going to search out specific verses and meditate on them. (I am really good at reading the bible. I am not so good on the thinking on what I just read.) I am going to transform my mind.<br />
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"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2<br />
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Let me know if you'd like to join me in this challenge and I will post daily scriptures that we can meditate on and share our thoughts.<br />
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I am going to pack up and get ready to head home right away. And I am so ready to go!<br />
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If I can walk out of here.<br />
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(This post seriously took me about half an hour to type my arms are so sore! Ha ha!)<br />
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Thanks for reading!Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-73776913204017633082012-03-09T15:14:00.002-08:002012-03-09T15:14:22.288-08:00Quit Complaining!Well I am officially about 3 weeks into this no complaining challenge. And it is not really going so well.<br />
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I think I am improving with not vocalizing my thoughts so much but right now I am faced with just that - my thoughts.<br />
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"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." -2 Corinthians 10:5<br />
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Do you think Jesus whined and complained about His tasks here on earth?<br />
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"God, really, I am so tired of walking everywhere."<br />
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"Why don't these people get it? They just don't understand."<br />
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"But I don't want to wash their smelly, dirty feet."<br />
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"But I don't want to die."<br />
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"Is it really even worth it?"<br />
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We probably would not be where we are if Jesus had spent, no, wasted His time complaining like that.<br />
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I may not be vocalizing my dissatisfaction as much as before but my thoughts are definitely making themselves known. For hours, sometimes ruining entire days.<br />
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Example time!<br />
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We just got back from an incredible (almost free!) trip to Mexico and for those of you with kids you probably understand what this week looks like for us. Basically it involves retraining your children to the way the were before they spent two weeks routine-free at a hotel with a buffet! (They just don't seem to understand why they have to eat what I make them to eat!) We also all slept in one room while there. So, again, why can't we all just sleep in one room at home? (That sentence was dripping with sarcasm.)<br />
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Needless to say this week has been a sleep deprived, long one. And my thoughts have ranged from "Grr! Why don't they just get it?!" to "I just need some time by myself. I never get any time by myself."<br />
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I am thankful for my children again this week. Thankful that they give me the opportunity to grow as a mother and as a person. I don't think there is any other position I could be in that could allow such trying times and such growth at the same time. (I am sure there are. But I definitely cannot think of any right now!) God is using them to shape me into the person He wants me to be. For that, I am thankful.<br />
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I am thankful that I am not alone. There are so many people in this world that have nobody day in and day out. And yes while quiet times alone are good and I would say necessary for growth (and sanity...), being alone all the time is definitely not good.<br />
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I am writing this post very quickly and in between (surprise, surprise) more discipline! So please forgive the hurriedness and probably many grammatical errors :)<br />
<br />
I hope you have a happy Friday and weekend everybody! We are on Spring Break next week here. Should be interesting!<br />
<br />
Ha ha! Kidding! I am very much looking forward to a relaxed week at home.<br />
<br />
Have a fantastic weekend!<br />
<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-43409605564108616882012-02-09T07:33:00.000-08:002012-02-09T07:34:31.531-08:00The Complaining ChallengeI am a complainer. No excuses. No way around it (no matter how hard I try to think of a way). When things don't go exactly the way I want, I make it known through my words.<br />
<br />
"Do everything without complaining or arguing," -Philippians 2:14<br />
<br />
Ouch. How often to I do anything without complaining or arguing? Especially with my family. They are the ones I should be loving the most here on this earth yet they are the ones that get the brunt of my bad attitude day after day.<br />
<br />
I love being a stay at home mom but how many times <i>a day</i> do I find myself complaining about the mess, the cleaning, the fighting, the cooking, etc? You would think I didn't want to be here the way I go on!<br />
<br />
I was reading about Mandy's challenge she proposed to herself over at <a href="http://biblicalhomemaking.blogspot.com/">Biblical Homemaking</a> and knew this was something I not only wanted but needed to do.<br />
<br />
So, introducing Thankful Thursday's!<br />
<br />
Every Thursday I will be listing 5 different things I am thankful for that week and I will be posting them around my house to remind me everyday that I have nothing to complain about.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPHEMO0N2H-z8VU0eEGlj0sQiFzvLhXNP_QG7xeErfcOE2RsflwlQtx7kCSBw-xX7ErGaLhhMXV0bvoOrsii3DrBl5p7HZ2L1Azst2YAbQ5477y-yb5h1GM1-BnksKL_T0X19jnNsO6Eq/s1600/IMG_2715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPHEMO0N2H-z8VU0eEGlj0sQiFzvLhXNP_QG7xeErfcOE2RsflwlQtx7kCSBw-xX7ErGaLhhMXV0bvoOrsii3DrBl5p7HZ2L1Azst2YAbQ5477y-yb5h1GM1-BnksKL_T0X19jnNsO6Eq/s320/IMG_2715.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. My beautiful, healthy family. I have always been so thankful to the Lord for the health He has blessed us with. This is something I will definitely be including regularly in my praise this week. (I love this picture! It is at the end of a long Christmas day and I think everybody's faces display that quite well! I think we qualify for awkward family photos for sure! :P)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OtMQlUku9lPjnbkXgX_c7deFV5A_YOdJnduH1gwN5od7lB4lShyphenhyphenio7P6YRs3vJE5ceSM0paurjnCkCM-8ikNkgJc6TjLurx3AfASf6O-47RA-7zG6i9GM-xQoZViPMXJkzYzSY7MP6ir/s1600/IMG_2855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OtMQlUku9lPjnbkXgX_c7deFV5A_YOdJnduH1gwN5od7lB4lShyphenhyphenio7P6YRs3vJE5ceSM0paurjnCkCM-8ikNkgJc6TjLurx3AfASf6O-47RA-7zG6i9GM-xQoZViPMXJkzYzSY7MP6ir/s320/IMG_2855.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2. My Bible. First and foremost I am thankful for my bible because it is the Word of God. The riches contained within these pages are so great that nobody will ever know all there is to know. There is always more to learn and grow in relationship with our Lord and Savior. Secondly, I am thankful for the freedom to own a bible without fear of persecution. The kids have been learning about different countries in their Sunday School class and how so many of them risk death just for proclaiming they are a Christian, let alone owning a bible! This has just helped me to see just how great of a treasure this book truly is. (And as you can see Ephesians is probably one of my favorite books!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVTMeiOB6QPvyadkuBLKOEgWDdVxEc68oiUjRG59R-p8tZiMGiNTxEyyi0XdaHxNiTWupM6I6nfoX7TXI4OorljCA-KirgRO0BTyEHtvn87OncETX-vUFzUpwZTrFfP-P_QhspJq050Q2/s1600/IMG_2629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVTMeiOB6QPvyadkuBLKOEgWDdVxEc68oiUjRG59R-p8tZiMGiNTxEyyi0XdaHxNiTWupM6I6nfoX7TXI4OorljCA-KirgRO0BTyEHtvn87OncETX-vUFzUpwZTrFfP-P_QhspJq050Q2/s320/IMG_2629.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3. Food. We have never had to know what it truly means to be starving. God has always provided us with more than enough. And although I think that we could definitely use a lesson around here in being a little more thankful for the food we are given (I'm talking to you picky eaters of the house, a.k.a. children :) we never need to worry about going hungry. In fact, we could stand to be more generous with what we have by hosting meals here or by blessing another family with a meal. (Hmm stay tuned...)<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzD0GtgL_Uk4n422eRUIurRvGU475hNKC7PWELXQ_LiKCfFbt3APW2RPiuIXdZRTr-8lZNpgw866T2szB5GVcBZshAKMYCZ-54ilHrJk_u9y0ogxlEV4ox1n64HGgsi2EyptaEqlcWO_vz/s1600/DSCF0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzD0GtgL_Uk4n422eRUIurRvGU475hNKC7PWELXQ_LiKCfFbt3APW2RPiuIXdZRTr-8lZNpgw866T2szB5GVcBZshAKMYCZ-54ilHrJk_u9y0ogxlEV4ox1n64HGgsi2EyptaEqlcWO_vz/s320/DSCF0046.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4. Ahh sunsets. Some of you may think this is silly but I think God paints these beautiful pictures in the sky just for me. There is nothing quite like a prairie sunset where you can watch it fall completely over the horizon with nothing blocking your view. You just watch and watch until there is just a sliver of sun left and then it is just gone. Breathtaking. But I have come to discover that around here, although you can't watch it completely disappear with the different landscape, there is still a beauty about it when you watch all the colors reflecting on the lake. Gorgeous.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuVTiF-8HOq_81eQVVtZAT4GAQIrPF1Sz81MuidIv_2VbamKru1QWj1DcGMxz4wSIS-TdIn3psK7C0eSlZU8p8nY0LjnBoGOzADIOoN46uPvcfvjqT1JNhvXWEfZGbxSy_NRvxx1kDsmU/s1600/DSC04737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuVTiF-8HOq_81eQVVtZAT4GAQIrPF1Sz81MuidIv_2VbamKru1QWj1DcGMxz4wSIS-TdIn3psK7C0eSlZU8p8nY0LjnBoGOzADIOoN46uPvcfvjqT1JNhvXWEfZGbxSy_NRvxx1kDsmU/s320/DSC04737.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5. And finally, this man right here. (You don't have to tell me how handsome he looks in his hunter orange duds!) This man treats me like royalty. He provides for our family in so many ways and is such a loving husband and father. He encourages me daily and loves me through all the complaining. This relationship has truly revealed the worst parts of me and has shown me just how much I need the grace of our Savior. (By no fault of his own! This is in a good, God-revealing way! Ha ha oh dear I could get in trouble for this so I sure hope you understand what I'm trying to say here!) He makes me want to be a better woman! (Phew...good save?!)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I know this sounds like it is such a simple thing for many of you but this is really life-changing for me! Please pray for me as I learn to control my tongue this week (and from now on!) and change the attitude of my heart.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">What are you thankful for? Please share...I love comments!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Have a great week!</span></div>
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</tbody></table>Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-19643459207224832202012-02-05T06:34:00.000-08:002012-02-05T06:34:42.626-08:00Beer for BreakfastKind of makes you shudder a little, doesn't it? But you did read correctly. Today's final post on cooking with beer does indeed feature a breakfast recipe.<br />
<br />
Bud-cakes.<br />
<br />
Yup. That would be pancakes made with beer. But don't leave yet! These were the fluffiest, moist-est (???), most delicious pancakes I have ever made before. Seriously.<br />
<br />
The recipe: (Adapted from <a href="http://www.beer100.com/cooking/breakfast/budpancakes.htm">this recipe</a>.)<br />
<br />
3 1/2 cups flour<br />
3 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
2 1/2 tbsp sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 can Alexander Keith's beer (I think any light beer would be fine)<br />
2 - 2 1/2 cups milk (enough to make the batter a little bit thin)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*</span><br />
1/2 cup melted butter<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*I found that a bit extra milk was necessary to counteract the beer. If there isn't enough there might still be that slight beer taste to the pancakes (never good...unless you like that...then don't add extra!).</span><br />
<br />
Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.<br />
<br />
Mix eggs, beer, milk and butter together. Add to dry ingredients and beat until smooth.<br />
<br />
Drop batter by spoonfuls onto a hot, (greased if not a non-stick) griddle. Turn when batter rises and entire surface is dotted with holes.<br />
<br />
Makes 18 - 24 pancakes, depending on size.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeQryTUUp8se87g7zI51jRnR9LcwT9ljIie_P36c5ONPLV2ERLrEnMf2zO-qo6xToiDb1UThT0BA4EKNM1rYLax8kuVGAzzgrmusLd5DMr1AR0vlhOsAPUokFek8lbTRSZy_w1mZ6HH_r/s1600/IMG_2798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeQryTUUp8se87g7zI51jRnR9LcwT9ljIie_P36c5ONPLV2ERLrEnMf2zO-qo6xToiDb1UThT0BA4EKNM1rYLax8kuVGAzzgrmusLd5DMr1AR0vlhOsAPUokFek8lbTRSZy_w1mZ6HH_r/s320/IMG_2798.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
See how thick and fluffy these are?!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93VwtE_q-Opxv59fK5AofvD_2KZS0GSnxLdHXTFDAaCmRmF-TeY6IHlOAmxh740aS92nMyxXWKinP9AbmEVkWbSr7rle4tCA7C3cNnYZMLdHj50sgh80t6oOUlXcMC_12zjexelbMS8fL/s1600/IMG_2799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93VwtE_q-Opxv59fK5AofvD_2KZS0GSnxLdHXTFDAaCmRmF-TeY6IHlOAmxh740aS92nMyxXWKinP9AbmEVkWbSr7rle4tCA7C3cNnYZMLdHj50sgh80t6oOUlXcMC_12zjexelbMS8fL/s320/IMG_2799.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Seriously, at least an inch thick!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3xxHn2_aaNgcJy_hxDe7YzAkmQcpdfB_2JnwsHnJzrc8kGGROWGwoibhQ_oLod5RqdjRrek42VVwdu6XDzqfijP5yEq52l5qcjHCbhvzt3LZFGXzj79FoqzeDE8YfZ975jTjEk064uxl/s1600/IMG_2801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3xxHn2_aaNgcJy_hxDe7YzAkmQcpdfB_2JnwsHnJzrc8kGGROWGwoibhQ_oLod5RqdjRrek42VVwdu6XDzqfijP5yEq52l5qcjHCbhvzt3LZFGXzj79FoqzeDE8YfZ975jTjEk064uxl/s320/IMG_2801.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
So good. I forgot to count exactly how many we got but as you can tell it was at least a plate full. Definitely enough to feed our family of five (with three little kids that can pack away at least 3 or 4 pancakes til we cut them off!)<br />
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Let me know if you give these a try and what you think of them.<br />
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Have a nice weekend everybody!<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-29588396705108110302012-01-31T08:22:00.000-08:002012-01-31T08:26:05.935-08:00Beer for...dessert?!Yup. You read that title correctly.<br />
<br />
Today's featured beer recipe is a dessert.<br />
<br />
And it is absolutely delicious!<br />
<br />
I am talking about Beer Apple Fritters. Or Apple Beer Fritters. Or Apple Fritters with Beer. (I don't know how it sounds best because honestly, beer just doesn't seem to fit any place you put it!)<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Sidenote: Check out <a href="http://ussimplyliving.blogspot.com/2012/01/cooking-with-beer.html">last week's</a> post to get the scoop as to why I am so obsessed with cooking with beer :P</span><br />
<br />
I think I should just get on with the recipe rather than continuing on with my ramblings about beer...<br />
<br />
Beer Apple Fritters <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Click <a href="http://www.beercook.com/articles/beerbatterfritters.htm">here</a> for the original recipe)</span><br />
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12 ounces amber ale (I used Alexander Keith's and I think it turned out just fine)<br />
1 1/2 cups white all purpose flour<br />
2 tbsp sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
2 tbsp melted butter<br />
1/4 cup peanut oil*<br />
1/4 cup grapeseed oil*<br />
2 cups canola oil<br />
8 large apples**, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/3" thick rings<br />
Icing sugar and ground cinnamon<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*I used 2 1/2 cups of Sunflower oil instead and it worked just fine. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">**I cut up my apples into small pieces before reading this part of the recipe so I just mixed them into the batter instead like a real fritter is. Again, this worked just fine. I will print the recipe for the original way but just know you can do it this way also!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br />
1. In a large bowl, whisk together ale, flour, sugar, vanilla, and melted butter. Set aside. Prepare apples.<br />
2. Blend the oils and fill pan or deep fryer to a depth of 2 inches. Heat to 360ºF or over medium-high heat.<br />
3. Blot apple rings on a paper towel, then dip in batter to coat evenly. (Or blot then mix into batter.) Dip and fry in small batches, turning once to cook evenly. I found about a 1/3 cup of batter made a decent size donut if you are doing it my way. Skim the oil of any pieces of batter that fall off during cooking and add more as necessary, maintaining a 350º temperature.<br />
4. Remove fritters from oil and drain for a few minutes on a platter lined with paper towel. Dust with cinnamon and icing sugar and serve warm.<br />
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Sounds so good, right?<br />
<br />
The only thing I found is that the temperature of the oil is important. If it is too high, the outside will look brown and ready but the inside isn't quite cooked all the way. We found this out the hard way, folks. And then it really does taste like beer. And that is no good in an apple fritter. But if they are cooked properly then they just taste like good, deep-fryed, donut shop deliciousness!<br />
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So be patient and cook longer at a lower temperature!<br />
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Finally, a picture:<br />
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I'm not even going to tell you how long these lasted in our house.<br />
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<br />
<br />
It definitely was longer than 2 hours.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Alright, it was a day. Maybe a day and a half.<br />
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But, come on, there's five of us here!<br />
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Ok, I know. Excuses, excuses! Maybe we should have invited some friends over to partake in the goodness with us...<br />
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Let me know if you give these a try! (And if you have more self-control than we did :P)<br />
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Next up....beer for breakfast. Ha ha ha it just gets better!<br />
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Have a great day!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-66967864167531398212012-01-28T13:42:00.000-08:002012-01-31T08:23:46.280-08:00Cooking with BeerAs promised in the last post, I will be sharing recipes using up some <a href="http://ussimplyliving.blogspot.com/2012/01/update-happy-friday.html">beer we got for Christmas</a>. (Click on the link to last week's post for more details!) Long story short, hubby received 6 cans of beer in our family Christmas draw. I wanted to just give them to somebody else that would actually drink it but I think he was just a little upset at the fact that he received beer and a glue gun and was not actually going away with something he really wanted! (You are all probably wondering what kind of Christmas we have that he would have received beer and a glue gun. We'll save that for another post, folks!)<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
Anyhoo...on with the recipes! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Just a quick note, these recipes are not my own, however I did adapt some of them. Original recipes can be found <a href="http://www.beer100.com/cooking/">here</a>.)</span></div>
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<div>
#1. Beer Cheese Soup (I made a double batch. Just cut in half for 4 servings.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
24 ounces beer (I used Alexander Keith's)</div>
<div>
3 moose smokies (the original recipe calls for bacon. This is what I had on hand.)</div>
<div>
1 cup diced onion</div>
<div>
1 cup minced celery</div>
<div>
1/2 cup minced sweet red pepper</div>
<div>
2 cups chicken broth</div>
<div>
1/2 cup flour</div>
<div>
2 cups whole milk (the original calls for half and half. Again, this is what I had on hand.)</div>
<div>
6 cups shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper the better)</div>
<div>
2 tbsp sugar</div>
<div>
Salt and pepper, to taste</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Open beer and let stand while dicing vegetables.</div>
<div>
Cook whatever meat you are using and chop up into small pieces.</div>
<div>
In a large pot, saute vegetables in 2 tbsp of olive oil or leftover bacon grease until soft. Add the chicken broth. Add 1/2 of the beer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.</div>
<div>
Pour remaining beer into a small mixing bowl and whisk in flour. Gradually add to broth, stirring constantly, till thick. Add milk or cream, meat and cheese. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. (I usually don't add salt and pepper right now but set it out on the table instead for each person to do to their own liking.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Makes about 8 servings.</div>
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This soup was so good. I recommend using cream if you are able but even without this soup still had a nice creamy base. Definitely a nice warm you up, fill you up soup at the end of a cold winter day. Pair it with some fresh bread or buns from the oven and you have one delicious comfort food meal!</div>
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I will post the others throughout the week (I have four, people!) so be sure to check back in a couple of days to see the next one. I'll give you a hint - it's a delicious dessert! Or if you aren't already a follower, please check out the side bar and get these updates sent straight to your inbox!</div>
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Thanks for reading! Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!</div>Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-85404849961285615412012-01-20T12:26:00.000-08:002012-01-31T08:24:07.797-08:00Update & Happy Friday!Well, week one of becoming more disciplined is done...and it has been great! Here's how it went:<br />
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It started off a little slow. For the first couple of days it was mostly just about doing little things around the house. This worked out nicely since we had decided that the guest/storage room needed to be torn apart and reorganized earlier this month. (I say we because it was the hubby that really kept me motivated to keep going. Normally I would have taken one look at the room and just backed away closing the door behind me so I didn't have to see the mess. Just being honest here!)<br />
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Here's a mid-way picture:<br />
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Yikes.<br />
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As you can see, it was LITERALLY torn apart. We had so many baby clothes to go through since as they grew out of them they were pretty much just shoved into the first available cardboard box. So that was the first thing we tackled. Now they are nicely organized by gender and size in storage containers. We then went through everything else and either got rid of it, put it in it's appropriate place in the house, or organized it in the closet. And this is what we now have:<br />
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The large pile of things in the corner of the room is the stuff we have gathered to get rid of as part of our 730 things challenge. The plan is to save it for a garage sale this summer. (Now just to make sure the kids don't discover any of it. I already took flak last week for <a href="http://ussimplyliving.blogspot.com/2012/01/21-days-to-more-disciplined-life.html">throwing away memories</a>!)<br />
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We are now also ready for company! (This is a not so subtle hint for family and out of town friends...)<br />
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Next up was the laundry room. (I realize that these aren't really little things that I was tackling this week but the point was that I just did little bits each day.)<br />
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Ugh. The laundry room.<br />
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It had just become the dumping ground for anything and everything. But, no more!<br />
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It's nothing glamorous but...ta da! Now I might actually feel like tackling the piles of laundry that are not so slowly growing upstairs. Hm. We'll see.<br />
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By the end of the week in the challenge I was to narrow down something that I really wanted to form into a habit. This was tough to choose JUST ONE to work on because right off the start I had a list of SEVEN things that I would like to be more disciplined in. I ended up choosing tidying the kitchen before going to bed because it seemed simple enough for me to manage to do without getting discouraged. And it was! But I changed my mind a couple days after because I had other things that I wanted so I could see more immediate results in myself, not just my house. Now my habit is waking up at 6:00 am to exercise and spend time with the Lord. This works out perfectly because I am able to listen to a podcast or audiobook while I honor God in my body through exercise. I realize I am only a couple days into this but so far (other than some mid-day tiredness) it has been really great and I feel really good!<br />
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Next week I'll be posting some recipes using...beer! What!? (For anybody reading this that knows us knows that we do not drink. However, we received a 6-pack of beer for Christmas through a random family draw and me becoming oh so <a href="http://ussimplyliving.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-new-favorite-words.html">frugal</a> decided that I'm sure I could do something with it!) If you aren't already a follower, please consider it 'cause really, you know you don't want to miss it!<br />
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Seriously though, they were delicious.<br />
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Happy Friday, everybody!<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-45677971125009342712012-01-13T13:19:00.000-08:002012-01-13T13:20:58.797-08:0021 Days to a More Disciplined LifeI just got this new e-book called 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life (hence the title...) It is by Crystal Paine, author of the website <a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/">Money Saving Mom</a>. I have barely made a dent in searching around at all the different topics she has on there but from what I've read so far...it's a gooder, folks! And, really, who doesn't want to be a money saving mom? (Unless, of course, you are not a mom. Then maybe you just want to be a money saver...?)<br />
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When I look at my goals and resolutions for the year it pretty much all boils down to becoming more disciplined in the way I do life. (Losing weight...definitely needs more discipline, getting out of debt...probably even more discipline than losing weight, becoming more organized...yup, discipline.)<br />
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Anywho...the point of this post is to talk about what I am going to be doing over the next 21 days. So for the next little while I will update you on the challenge of the day and my progress in it all! Exciting, I know! So, today being day one...here goes!<br />
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Day 1: Choose one small project that you have been putting off for weeks (or months) and do it within the next 24 hours.<br />
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This was a tough one for me because I have many projects that I have started and not finished and probably even more on my to-do list. However, when I sat and thought about it for a few minutes I realized that in all reality most were not small projects (ie. clean and organize laundry room - HA HA HA!) So, I settled on one that has been put off for a good 4 - 5 (ok maybe 6) months - the kids coloring and craft stuff. Seriously, we <strike>have</strike> had coloring books out the ying yang people! Here is a before picture of the giant stack of would be art:<br />
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(I should have taken a before before picture of the 2 different places they were being stored but I didn't. And really this doesn't even look as bad as it was with papers strewn everywhere, but just trust me :)<br />
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Next I sorted through the stack and threw out anything that had coloring on it. (At which point I heard, "But mom! You're throwing away my memories!" Really? Note for future: Do this when children are not in the room.) I tore out pages and cleaned things up again so that they had fresh coloring books to start with. Then I put over half of what was left in a giveaway box (most likely to go on the "Free" table at the next garage sale or maybe to a doctor's office or something). This is what I ended up with:<br />
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Waaaaayyy better than before! And now when they go to color (which they can now) it's almost like they have brand new books to choose from! I didn't get a picture but I also sorted through the crayons, markers, pens, etc. and threw out any that were broken or had run out and then sorted into big ziploc bags to put in the drawers. Now everything is neat and tidy and ready to use!<br />
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Love it!Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-12152220445529397132012-01-08T10:40:00.000-08:002012-01-08T10:42:08.244-08:00Week 1 (aka A Huge Pain!)Well one week of no spending down, only 51 to go.<br />
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51 weeks.<br />
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357 days.<br />
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8568 hours.<br />
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Ok, ok I'm sure you get it. This week has been a long one.<br />
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It's not like I had great urges to go out and spend ridiculous amounts of money. What I found was the real challenge was really having to pay attention to every little detail. Let me explain.<br />
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Before, if I needed something from the store I would just say to hubs, "Hey, I need ________ from the store. Is that ok?" The answer was pretty much always yes unless he deemed it not a necessity. (What do you mean that magazines are not a necessity?!?)<br />
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Now, if I need something from the store I really need to think about whether it is a necessity. Ok, here's an example. Today, I wanted to do some baking for the week and we only have one egg in the fridge. Given that it's Sunday and only the convenience stores are open here that means that I would need to pay almost $5 for a dozen eggs. However, if I can wait until tomorrow then I could buy the eggs for about $2 less than that. Normally $2 wouldn't have made me think twice. I would have bought the eggs today because today was going to be my baking day. And that's that. But now, $2 is $2! So, I will have to wait until tomorrow and have that be my baking day instead.<br />
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Really this hasn't been complicated, just challenging the way we are used to doing things.<br />
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I am so thankful right now because things that I thought were so necessary for living I am realizing really aren't that important after all. I can't wait to see what the end of this year brings about in us as individuals and as a family. I am also looking forward to sharing all the little tidbits we learn over the course of this next year.<br />
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Have a happy week!Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-38227610254331157912012-01-04T19:45:00.000-08:002012-01-04T19:45:48.225-08:00Happy New Year!I love the new year. It is always a chance to start fresh. Whether it's by giving last year's resolutions another shot or by just deciding that resolutions are overrated anyways and not making any at all! For me, I always make some kind of resolution and generally fail at it. I think because I tend to make them too specific and I don't really care enough to follow through. I think I actually used to think of them as wishes! (I WISH to lose weight this year...really I have little intentions on doing much about it!)<div>
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This year is different somehow. I don't really know what specifically happened but I can just tell that it is different. Hubs and I have actually made a plan and I have learned a lot and grown a lot in the Lord in 2011 that I just know that this year is different. That 2012 is a fresh start and a year to really make a change in my life/our lives.</div>
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So, here are my resolutions:</div>
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1. Simplify life. Pretty vague and general, I know. But this is just what I need. This is the phrase that has been ringing in my ears for months now and it is what I am going to hear as I get through this next year. I don't really know what it means or how to make it more specific. It will mean most likely saying no to a lot more things. It will mean getting rid of a lot of clutter in our home. It will mean getting rid of a lot of clutter in my body. It will mean a lot of things so that in the end, life will be a lot more...simple.</div>
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2. Lose 60 pounds. Actually 59 (that sounds so much better!). Weight loss has been a <strike>wish</strike> resolution of mine for many, many years now but this is the year. God has really got ahold of me and shown me so much about myself. It is time for the weight to go. December 25th is my goal date. This is going to be a tough goal that I cannot slack on or leave for a few months to start. I have approximately 50 weeks to accomplish this, which means I have to lose just over 1 pound a week. Completely do-able, but I must stay on track. To hold me accountable, my weight as of this morning was 184 pounds. My goal is about 125 pounds. (Whenever you are reading this, please ask me how I'm doing!)</div>
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3. Grow with God. Another one that is pretty vague and general. I'll go into this subject further in future blog posts but as I mentioned above, God has done a huge work on my heart this past year and I am really looking forward to what is going to happen in 2012. My desire is just to really let God into my life. I feel like I have spent a lot of time getting to know Him, but not a lot of time letting Him get to know me. (Again, more on this in the future.) I am really just excited to be in the Lord this year. :)</div>
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Hubs and I also have given ourselves as a family a challenge. We are committing 2012 as a No Spend Year. *GASP* I know! I have this weird "I'm so excited yet so very afraid" feeling about it. (But mostly excited :) Basically what this challenge entitles is just no excess spending. What have a very specific budget laid out for us that will include the necessities only. Ok. The basics only. The only excessive thing we had to cut from our budget was the Netflix. (Hey, $8 a month is still $8!) We considered the cell phones and the long distance plan on our land line to be a necessity since majority of our phone calls are long distance and the cell phones enable us to communicate when hubby's at work. The main purposes of this challenge are 1. To develop self-control in our spending, and 2. To really kick off our debt snowball. (Yup, we are reading Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover...and loving it!)</div>
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(I also have some goals for the year that I would like to accomplish but that will be another day :)</div>
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What are your resolutions for 2012?</div>Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-49878917533449410532011-10-18T19:07:00.000-07:002012-01-04T19:16:57.501-08:00Terrific TuesdayI'm glad you stopped by! Today's post is going to be just about encouragement because we all need it and it is one of God's commands.<br />
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"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." -1 Thessalonians 5:11<br />
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I need this just as much as the next person. I would not say I live a hard life. I have a loving husband, children, family and friends, a roof over my head, meals on my table, and clothes on my back (I read somewhere once that if you own more than one pair of shoes you are among some of the wealthiest people in Canada!). But, like everybody else, I have bad days. The devil knows our weak spots and he will stop at nothing to pick at them and try to make us stumble and fall. And I am ashamed to admit that sometimes I let him get the best of me. It is on days like those that I need God so much more!<br />
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So, let's be encouraged by the Lord today!<br />
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"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:12-14<br />
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For me, my main struggle is in regards to my home. I tend to be more on the perfectionist side of things (my husband would say I am well over that line!!) I also have very grand ideas of things I would like to do with the house and the kids that can make my days pretty unattainable sometimes.<br />
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For example, I would love to be able to cook three square meals a day, spend lots of quality time with the kids that includes some kind of learning, have ample devotional time, have time to keep the house in good order, have time for fun for myself (like scrapbooking or knitting or just whatever :) ), have time to spend relaxing with hubby, and try to run a little cake-making business!<br />
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All in one day.<br />
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(Ok, so I've got the meals down, I spend time with the kids but not always in an educational sense, I am learning to fellowship with God throughout my day and trying to devote small blocks of time at different times so that I am constantly fed - this is a work in progress, the house is standing - I think I'll leave it at that for now!, if I take time for myself, everything else suffers and I end up paying for it later, same goes for relaxing with hubs, and thankfully I am not crazy busy with cakes yet so I don't really need to worry about it!)<br />
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What encourages me about the above verse is that we don't have to be perfect at anything. If I don't get the floor swept or the laundry done one day, no big deal. If I don't get a big chunk of time to spend with the Lord, it's not something to get worked up over.<br />
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What is important is my faith, my attitude, and where my priorities lie. It is whether or not I will just keep on trying, keep on pressing in to God until He works it out in me. "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6 If my heart is desiring to serve the Lord in everything I do and every action I take, then He will work it out in me.<br />
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I really enjoyed the next couple of verses in the Message version:<br />
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"So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision - you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on i<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">t." v. 15-16</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This part really encouraged me and challenged me. If I have anything else in mind other that total commitment to serving the Lord and carrying out His Will for my life, if I remain in Him then He will show me. If I only ask for His help, He will show me how to work out my days so that I do have time for the important things. And He will also renew my energy each time I go to Him by reminding me where my focus should be. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I love the Lord and I am so thankful for what He is doing in my heart in this season of my life. Treasure His Word and learn how you can apply it to your life. That is what amazes me most about it. There is something in the bible that is just for you, each day of your life, no matter what you are going through. He always has us on His mind and He always has.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Be blessed today!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Oh yes...I almost forgot! Here are our supper pics. Today was Beefy Mac & Cheese but I think the title is pretty misleading. I have renamed it Pizza Casserole (creative, I know). It also kind of tasted like a chili but made with macaroni noodles. (I also baked some yummy bread today but didn't take a picture. You can rest assured that it looked and tasted delicious!!)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE61XWDCH58wkk0AjcwwFJpPSrnsayeOyHrpRjj18GNUTtsiDWp_W8OrtbX2g5GawzPW9nwFfHdVXCjAnfoBg9oHiEfILmYtpViYQ6OkdnuClOrVHTBrRL3UZEEPyv3xzSWW4_nuePVAeK/s1600/IMG_2472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE61XWDCH58wkk0AjcwwFJpPSrnsayeOyHrpRjj18GNUTtsiDWp_W8OrtbX2g5GawzPW9nwFfHdVXCjAnfoBg9oHiEfILmYtpViYQ6OkdnuClOrVHTBrRL3UZEEPyv3xzSWW4_nuePVAeK/s320/IMG_2472.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-13972398647439478282011-10-17T18:48:00.000-07:002011-10-18T19:07:45.627-07:00MmmmmondayWell, in order to keep myself accountable for actually preparing meals all week for my family I am going to post our week's menu plan here. Now before you go judging me, I DO feed my family but I am a BIG fan of eating out. I find that by time suppertime rolls around I am just too exhausted from the rest of the day (or just too lazy if we're being honest here) to prepare a decent meal that isn't Kraft Dinner or peanut butter sandwiches. So, here goes:<br />
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MONDAY:<br />
Breakfast: Eggs<br />
Lunch: Toasted Bagels<br />
Supper: Split Pea Soup (Pictured)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KdjR-W6QC3ez2PKLigcXDwHWSyDmF_AnklKpwLPf5ufU19aQacyE60EKcwT8Il-Jj__dhy0rrrnaw4dqS0vNx1VONyiLKUzykPixfS7g4N58VA3eEEMcomw0A65wLTFzkEckSoXuX4-N/s1600/IMG_2419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KdjR-W6QC3ez2PKLigcXDwHWSyDmF_AnklKpwLPf5ufU19aQacyE60EKcwT8Il-Jj__dhy0rrrnaw4dqS0vNx1VONyiLKUzykPixfS7g4N58VA3eEEMcomw0A65wLTFzkEckSoXuX4-N/s320/IMG_2419.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm...delicious</td></tr>
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TUESDAY:<br />
B: Cereal or <a href="http://www.mrsjanuary.com/">Homemade Oatmeal</a> (Pictured)<br />
L: Leftover Soup/Bagels<br />
S: Beefy Mac & Cheese<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2qKHdiRUy5hM49pV_9rmDa4Fs0qMAjWJxX9pcfqdVvB_xMc7Px-HmGGNgBmEKUecpoEwtAMRcFs9ylwjssORwzC9yvGTtJ17wyhzReCwMlINP6C7OAYtQSCu3UmM6IN_rCiCxqmjAFVj/s1600/IMG_2426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2qKHdiRUy5hM49pV_9rmDa4Fs0qMAjWJxX9pcfqdVvB_xMc7Px-HmGGNgBmEKUecpoEwtAMRcFs9ylwjssORwzC9yvGTtJ17wyhzReCwMlINP6C7OAYtQSCu3UmM6IN_rCiCxqmjAFVj/s320/IMG_2426.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New homemade oatmeal recipe - can't wait to try it tomorrow!</td></tr>
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WEDNESDAY:<br />
B: Cereal or Oatmeal<br />
L: Sandwiches<br />
S: Chickpea Lentil Stew<br />
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THURSDAY:<br />
B: Cereal or Oatmeal<br />
L: Leftovers/Sandwiches<br />
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Going out of town for a couple of days!!<br />
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SATURDAY:<br />
Supper: Chicken Fingers, Fries, & Veggies<br />
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SUNDAY:<br />
B: Cereal or Oatmeal<br />
L: Salad, Cheese & Crackers<br />
S: Barley Primavera<br />
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SNACKS FOR THE WEEK:<br />
Apple Bran Muffins, Pumpkin Muffins, Fruit, Veggies w/ Hummus (Recipes to follow)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfXye1FyqEg7Od55fs5zLgbphxhS8juLejJl6juWBwT1u2f5hMSam4rX8qxeP_jVyuuXTqkEA0K8hiy6ISot7Y6ntgbtmuAkeGePATDmWIRcEd4G3UhETg9J9fTwP3Kfivc0jRoDTrM3H/s1600/IMG_2418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfXye1FyqEg7Od55fs5zLgbphxhS8juLejJl6juWBwT1u2f5hMSam4rX8qxeP_jVyuuXTqkEA0K8hiy6ISot7Y6ntgbtmuAkeGePATDmWIRcEd4G3UhETg9J9fTwP3Kfivc0jRoDTrM3H/s320/IMG_2418.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin Muffins and Apple Bran Muffins</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RMLx0_8wKOUqGU0YMcUvgN9RCJ9Nm2Wl2PE8miqFIv04asQ-U2jFWcaY1MsxXYw9oiZ7IU0pMXtTm8LJ3KEBQ8vz-Ulf08vwLXbxS-UX2wAED6zfHYvKIB4F0r8FpAIOOf_HgzC7tWMc/s1600/IMG_2423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RMLx0_8wKOUqGU0YMcUvgN9RCJ9Nm2Wl2PE8miqFIv04asQ-U2jFWcaY1MsxXYw9oiZ7IU0pMXtTm8LJ3KEBQ8vz-Ulf08vwLXbxS-UX2wAED6zfHYvKIB4F0r8FpAIOOf_HgzC7tWMc/s320/IMG_2423.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even enough leftover to freeze for a later meal - woo hoo! (Oh and a lunch tomorrow!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutAA62liOBKpWNSyfjJ1nltCwyqEmKaiREF2n4OGSZ6L_Z5N85F7zPAOnJnL7Qk6gMh3ZzCYM1xQ0IkX5wNGbkonX3_MCDvpruduCTSlsGUp3fVbIFw3LIsGnm0MRLfAhUSIKRTSJq3m5/s1600/IMG_2427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutAA62liOBKpWNSyfjJ1nltCwyqEmKaiREF2n4OGSZ6L_Z5N85F7zPAOnJnL7Qk6gMh3ZzCYM1xQ0IkX5wNGbkonX3_MCDvpruduCTSlsGUp3fVbIFw3LIsGnm0MRLfAhUSIKRTSJq3m5/s320/IMG_2427.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even got the table all set and ready for breakfast. I was on a roll today!</td></tr>
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Looks pretty delicious to me! Now just hoping that my picky eaters will enjoy just as much as I do. My oldest (#1) is pretty good - she really likes to put on a show about just how good a meal is especially when her younger brothers are complaining about it. Makes me kind of chuckle but I do need to tell her to tone it down sometimes!<br />
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For #2 (our middle boy) we are going to start telling him he has to eat at least 3 bites (one for every year of age) and then he can be done. HOWEVER...if he chooses that route, there is no dessert and no snacks later on. That boy can hardly go an hour without saying he's hungry so I think that might just be motivation enough (fingers crossed!).<br />
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I'm not sure what to do with #3 (our youngest boy). He is 19 months. So old enough to understand what I am saying (and to choose not to listen), but too young to use the same method as #2. I have read a few different methods to try but I think for now I am just going to wait it out and see. I think sometimes it's just because he wants to feed himself (which is a little tricky with soup still). Stay tuned...<br />
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Come back tomorrow for Terrific Tuesday, a new weekly post devoted to encouragement.<br />
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Scripture to Ponder:<br />
"The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts." -Proverbs 26:22Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-67281153869263020772011-10-11T12:37:00.000-07:002011-11-21T07:03:33.522-08:00What is good?"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives." -Titus 3:14<br />
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This verse really jumped out at me as my bible reading was coming to a close last night. I was asking God to show me something in His Word that was specifically for me and even though I had come across so many good things, there wasn't one thing that spoke directly to me. And usually I just skim over the greetings and final remarks but not last night! Two of the things that really jumped out to me were in these places!!<br />
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This verse had me asking, "What is good?" Well, things like getting involved in ministry, helping the needy, serving Christ in some kind of external manner. But then God spoke differently to me. "What is good for you, Leah?" Is not serving my family the same as serving others? Does it serve Christ any differently? No, not at all. I think many times as stay at home moms especially we tend to think that we are not doing anything for the body of Christ because we are just at home with the kids all day. How does cleaning our house, doing the laundry, washing the dishes, et cetera make a difference for His Kingdom? I would argue that it probably has one of the biggest impacts for Him if done FOR Him!<br />
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Stick with me a moment...by keeping my house tidy and in good order I am serving my husband. He enjoys coming home to a clean house because it is peaceful (well more peaceful than three kids running around in a mess!) "Her husband has full confidence in her" Proverbs 31:11. I want my husband to have full confidence in me in everything. If keeping a clean house makes him happy and serves him, then I should be happy to do so because in that way I am serving the Lord. Also, by keeping on top of the housework I have more free time for the fun things like playing with my kids and enjoying time spent with my husband and friends and also time with the Lord that isn't so rushed and squeezed into my day.<br />
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Secondly, and more importantly, I am raising the next generation for Christ! This alone is a great service to the Lord! He has entrusted these little beings to me (and my husband) to raise up to know Him and serve Him in their futures. (Actually not just in their futures but right now.)</div>
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So, what is good for me? As silly or trivial as it may sound, it is keeping my house clean, it is serving my husband and children, it is being here for them and showing them the right path to be on. This is my ministry right now and I don't think I could be more honored that this is the position in life that God has given to me. I pray that He guides me in all the ways I need and that He shows me all the different "good" things that I can devote myself to because ultimately, it is Him that I am working for.</div>
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Have a very blessed day and think of the good things you can devote yourself to for Jesus.</div>
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<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-21938234194854456022011-10-09T15:23:00.000-07:002011-10-09T15:23:38.390-07:00His Grace is EnoughUp until recently I don't think I have truly understood what God's grace really meant. I think I understood the jist of it and I knew that God was full of grace and I would sing songs about it but really understand it as applicable in my life? Not really.<br />
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The dictionary defines grace as "the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings." The bible says that we are all saved by the grace of God (Acts 15:11). It is one thing to know this as head knowledge but I think that once you truly understand this as how God has shown grace to you in your own life you come to a whole new place in your Christian walk.<br />
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I have been a Christian now for about 7 years. I don't remember exactly when I asked Jesus into my heart but this was when I was baptized and when I truly started living for Him so that is the date I use. I have grown a lot in that time but I think have always been a bit "religious" about my faith. Works were fairly important to me and I'll be honest, probably more important that actually developing a relationship with my Heavenly Father. I could never really grasp that concept of how to have a relationship with Him. Not that I didn't want it, I just didn't know how to develop and maintain it. So instead of investing my time in figuring that out, I just got more involved in service and ministry opportunities in the church. I convinced myself that this was all good and that I did have a relationship with God and that it would surely grow deeper over time and I would get it someday. Essentially I convinced myself that it wasn't my fault somehow - as if that would help me when I stand before God one day. I fell for the "good person" belief.<br />
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In my quest for weight loss I came across an online study called <a href="http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/">The Lord's Table</a> (I highly recommend it by the way if you are struggling with addiction of any kind). I always knew that I needed God's help to lose weight so this appealed to me right away. Well, I got a lot more than I bargained for! The weight loss is secondary to the heart change that is happening to me. I am actually aware of the fact that I truly was (and am) a sinner and that it is by nothing except God's grace that I am forgiven and saved. The fact of the matter is that I was a glutton. (Yup, that is a sin, people. It isn't genetics or just something to be brushed under the rug. It is sin, plain and simple.) So many people, especially nowadays when so much of the population is either overweight or obese, think that it just an irritating thing that needs to be dealt with IF you are ready to do it. I was the same way. I thought I just didn't have enough self-control and that's what I needed to pray for - just more self-control. If I had self-control then I could stick with a diet and exercise long enough to reap the results. While this is true, I needed to come to the realization that I needed God's forgiveness first and I needed to see how much I was living outside of His will. Knowing that I am a sinner that needs His grace and mercy just as much as any other sinner has really opened my eyes. I don't just want to be a good person anymore...I want to be a GOD person.<br />
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Life has taken on a whole new meaning for me with just this tip of revelation I have received. I daily think about His grace and what it means in my life. All the years that I continued in this sin of gluttony and living overweight I have been living in sin. But God has just been waiting patiently for me to come running to Him and has forgiven me! He has forgiven me! I am forgiven! And I understand just how amazing that grace is each time I stumble into sin again. I am amazed and thankful for it but I don't want to take it for granted.<br />
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No matter where you are at in your walk with God, I think this is a great place to dwell. If you haven't received a revelation of our Father's grace, ask Him. Ask Him to show you what it means in your life. It will be hard to see if you think of yourself as a "good person" as I did but it is such an amazing, humbling experience that will bring you and the Lord closer together if you persevere and keep pressing in. I pray that He keeps revealing Himself to me more and more in this light.<br />
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"For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!" Romans 6:14-15<br />
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Grace and peace to you today!<br />
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<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-8906798182490229422011-09-28T17:34:00.000-07:002011-09-28T17:34:48.990-07:00My New Favorite WordsI have decided that my two new favorite words are FRUGAL and MINIMALIST. I'm not sure if it's the meaning behind them or what but something about those words just draws me to them. And I think they can go hand in hand.<br />
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I had heard of the word before but never really gave it much thought until a couple of years ago a new friend described herself as a minimalist. Since then it has really stuck with me and something is really tugging on me to actually try this 'minimal' thing out. So, over the past year or so I have been cleaning house and getting rid of things but to no avail it seems. Are we just collecting more stuff or is the current stuff we have just coming out of hiding? Maybe a bit of both. I think part of me really doesn't want to let this stuff go. I get a little possessive when it comes down to actually parting with things. And why? It's just 'stuff' after all.<br />
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Maybe it's my "Scottish blood" as my Grandma would say (I think that's just her way of saying frugal!) What if I have a need for it someday? If I get rid of it now then I will just have to spend money on it in the future. And we all know that money is not something we have growing out back. I think this is where organizing comes into play. If I'm not organized, then I won't use it because I don't see it. (I'm thinking specifically about my craft supplies right now.)<br />
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So, this is the challenge I am posing to myself and to you for the month of October: Choose one area of your home or your life that you want to organize and make less chaotic. It could be a craft closet/room like myself, your kitchen, your bedroom, or even your body/mind.<br />
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I am choosing my crafting area(s) because<br />
1. I don't actually have a specific area. It's just kind of scattered throughout the house wherever there is available space.<br />
2. I have too much stuff that I haven't used in who knows how long.<br />
3. It is taking up valuable space and time when I do go to do something, and<br />
4. I would like to be able to sell some of my creations to help with our debt situation.<br />
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In the mean time, look up FRUGAL and MINIMALIST in the dictionary and on Google. You'll find some great articles <a href="http://www.missminimalist.com/">here</a> about others that have embraced the minimalist lifestyle. (I'm not saying that if you like to have lots of knick knacks and doodads that you are not living life appropriately. This is just something that I need in my life right now and something that sounds really freeing and wonderful to me.)<br />
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I look forward to updates this next month! Keep me accountable!Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-1048051977859777592011-09-27T17:50:00.000-07:002011-09-27T17:55:00.489-07:00It's never too late to start...<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Ok...so I have gotten nowhere since last week. I came down with a bad head cold last week that just knocked me right out. I took 3 "sick days" while hubby was off work and then was forced right back into the swing of things when he had to go back. And then he left me for a week to go hunting. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>(I hope you are having a great time, honey!...seriously!!)</b> </span>I am feeling pretty much 100% now though. I say pretty much because even though I am single parenting this week I have decided to take on as many jobs as if there were 3 of us here! </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What was/am I thinking!?!? </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">First, I have three kids ages 5, 3 and 18 months. That alone should keep me busy enough. But, no. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Second, I volunteered to organize our church fundraiser of a garage and bake sale. Really, this is doable. I considered carefully before volunteering for this job. A lot of work, yes, but very manageable for my schedule.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Third, I am trying to start up a small cake making business out of my home (Check out these goodies <a href="http://sugarspiceconfections.blogspot.com/">here</a>) so when the opportunity to make one for the Monday following the weekend he left came up, of course I jumped right on it! I am so thankful for the opportunity but that took up about two days or so.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Fourth, I decided that since hubby really dislikes painting and I really enjoy it (just makes the house feel like home, I think) I would take on the task of finally painting our daughter's room this week. And not just slapping up some paint, oh no. Painting it a bright, coral pink with lime green stripes AND sewing a couple of new throw pillows for her bed to match. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>(There will be pictures to follow as I'm sure it is going to look so fun when/if I finally finish it!) </b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Fifth (oh yes, there is a fifth) there is also a bake sale fundraiser going on at daughter's school in two days so that means that I have to really get my butt in gear and get baking so that I have something to contribute to both her and the church bake sale.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I made up a list of all the things I wanted to accomplish while he was gone and I am nowhere near coming close to half done all of the jobs I put on there. Were my expectations a little high? Um...yes. But it's the effort that counts, right?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So, now that I am no farther ahead than I was 10 days ago, I am going to begin simplifying my life. (Ha it's pretty humorous to say that looking at my list and my week still ahead of me!!)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Step one: I need to come up with a way to organize my days so that weeks like this don't faze me (or at least don't make me want run home to my mom and dad's until hubby returns!) To do this I need to establish routines. So this is what I came up with:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6:30am - Wake up, get ready for the day, begin fellowship with the Lord</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7:00am - Wake up kids and get them ready for school </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(They each have their own routines but I won't put them up here today.)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:00am - Leave for school</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:00 - 10:00am - Tidy kitchen from breakfast and play with boys</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">10:00 - 11:00am - Devotions</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">11:00 - Noon - Housework</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Noon - 1:00 - Lunch time</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1:00 - 2:15 - Play/Learning time</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">2:15 - Leave for school</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">3:00 - Housework</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4:00 - Homework time & start supper</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5:00 - Supper time</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6:00 - Bath and story time</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7:00 - Bedtime(!) and exercise</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:30 - Devotions & Blog</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:00 - 10:00 - Quiet time with hubby and then bed!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Pretty detailed, time wise. This is pretty much how my day goes anyways but by scheduling in play time and housework and devotions this should make things go more smoothly. That's the plan anyways :) And it's NEVER too late to start! </div>Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177902031090852865.post-21000197205244277012011-09-18T16:13:00.000-07:002011-09-18T16:13:57.497-07:00The End of My RopeI have officially reached the end of my rope. I am tired of all the clutter in our life - cluttered house, cluttered bodies, cluttered debt. TOO MUCH CLUTTER!! And it is causing me too much stress. My house never seems clean because there just always seems to be too much stuff lying around (and I already like to get rid of things.) My husband and I have weight to lose, but we also need to start getting rid of the junk that we put into our bodies. Not just our bodies, our kids bodies as well. I want them to love the good stuff and not think of eating healthy as a chore. And last but certainly not least, the debt. Oh, the debt. This is something we have been fighting against for years now. But, as most people in debt probably already know, it seems to be a never-ending, rarely won battle. However, we will persevere because we know that all of these things are a part of God's plan for our lives. He desires for us to live a simple, clutter-free life because all this "stuff" just ends up taking up our valuable time and money and energy - time that could and should be better spent.* He desires for us to be healthy because our bodies are His Temple. And finally He desires us to be debt free because His Word says to owe no man anything except love. We had a big life change a couple of years ago by moving to a new province far away from everyone we know (and love), from a bigger city to a very small town, and also a career change for my husband. We are scheduled to be here for four years, which means only two years left until we have the opportunity to move closer to home again. Our goal for this remaining time here is to become completely debt free (or at least well on our way out). Might sound doable to most people with a reasonable amount of debt. We are not most people. We do not have a reasonable amount of debt. We have a large, Mount Everest amount of debt. But we also know that with God, all things are possible. We have hope that if we put our faith in Him and remain faithful to Him, He will be faithful to us. We know that there is no possible way that we can do any of this without His assistance. This blog is a way for us to be kept accountable, even if nobody reads this. Just by typing it out day after day will be a visual reminder of exactly what we are called to do. Your comments are welcome and wanted as we go through this journey. This is us...simply living.Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04222004489922757168noreply@blogger.com0