I have the hardest time with this one...
I always have an opinion, I'm loud, I'm vibrant, and I want my way.
...I sound very American don't I...
But when it comes to right down to it...I have trouble stopping and listening. One of my hardest personal struggles is personal time with God. I think this is a problem for me because I'm not a sit still person. When I'm sitting down I'm thoroughly engaged in something (even if that is sleep or food, ha!) or several things.
Psalm 46:10 'Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'
Having a baby makes me realize more and more each day how much of a failure I am at being a Christian and how wonderful and amazing and loving and forgiving God is with me. I'm serious. I recommend that everyone should have at least one child to teach them a couple things...
1. How much you can love and sacrifice for something so small.
2. How much you fail at giving God yourself.
I sit looking at my adorable baby girl I cannot imagine that she will one day stomp away angry, disobey or even tell a lie. But, she will. I argue in my head, but I've raised her, I've nurtured her, fed her from my own breast and clothed her, surely she will know how much I love her and she will want to please me and she will do no wrong. But, she will.
And I do. God loves me, all He asks of me is to love Him, and to Be Still. Simple requests really. Love him, enjoy Him, spend time with Him. Be Still, take a break, relax, let Him do the work. And, I stomp my foot, micromanage and lie.
And He still loves me, cares for me, and gives me grace.
And I pray everyday that I will still love her, care for her, and give her grace. I pray that she will come to love God and want to Be Still at His request.
So after I've closed this post, I will Be Still. I encourage you to take a moment as well.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
New Toy!
Since I started my MSPI diet for Adley I've been wanting delicious homemade bread. And while I pitched the idea to my husband...let's just say that for him...listing all the health reasons isn't were to start.
Over Spring Break he had some of our friend Cindy's delicious bread and told me I could get a bread machine right away.
Here is a pic of my new toy!
I have now in my possession...the Bosch compact mixer with Blender and slicer/shredder, and a bread cookbook. We will be getting the grain mill attachment soon so I can grind my own wheat. The bread is currently rising and is about to be put in the oven.
Jason was so excited he wanted to go to the store after dinner to pick up the ingredients so he could have delicious homemade bread. (What did I get myself into?!? :) )
And for those of you....who simply cannot resist the little one...she has a fairly new toy that she loves.
And while mommy was photographing her playing with it, I caught the moment before she spit up!
(sorry, I forgot to rotate them) and yes the spit up went everywhere.
And here's a cute expression...
BTW: Homemade bread costs about 60cents a loaf...cheap than the not so good for you white bread stuff. Yum!
Over Spring Break he had some of our friend Cindy's delicious bread and told me I could get a bread machine right away.
Here is a pic of my new toy!
Jason was so excited he wanted to go to the store after dinner to pick up the ingredients so he could have delicious homemade bread. (What did I get myself into?!? :) )
And for those of you....who simply cannot resist the little one...she has a fairly new toy that she loves.
And while mommy was photographing her playing with it, I caught the moment before she spit up!
And here's a cute expression...
Monday, March 21, 2011
Watch Out
This past week was Spring Break for us. It is a time of renewal. We visit with family and refresh and renew.
I had a wonderful change to visit with a close friend. I really view her as a second mom.
I told her about my spiritual struggles and she offered great advice.
I've started journaling about my struggles and working on giving them to God. I also started reading 'Having a Mary heart in the Martha world.'
I have just updated my echoprayer.com prayer list. I'm getting text messages sent to me 5 times a day so that I purposely prayer at least 5 times a day.
If you are anything like me I find myself getting in a rut. I often lose sight of my goal and I need wonderful friends and a forgiving Savior to get me back on track.
Today while I was reading I realized that I had been disguising my worry as rational day dreaming. Now that I know one of Satan's forms of attacks I'm ready to attack back with full force...prayer!
I love turning around and making a change. It is hard but so worth it.
Keep your focus where it belongs!
I had a wonderful change to visit with a close friend. I really view her as a second mom.
I told her about my spiritual struggles and she offered great advice.
I've started journaling about my struggles and working on giving them to God. I also started reading 'Having a Mary heart in the Martha world.'
I have just updated my echoprayer.com prayer list. I'm getting text messages sent to me 5 times a day so that I purposely prayer at least 5 times a day.
If you are anything like me I find myself getting in a rut. I often lose sight of my goal and I need wonderful friends and a forgiving Savior to get me back on track.
Today while I was reading I realized that I had been disguising my worry as rational day dreaming. Now that I know one of Satan's forms of attacks I'm ready to attack back with full force...prayer!
I love turning around and making a change. It is hard but so worth it.
Keep your focus where it belongs!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Traveling
I used to be the traveling queen....
I used to tell people when they went on a road trip with me three things.
1. I don't stop until I need gas, so hold it.
2. I forget that you have an opinion so if you want the air changed you have to say something.
3. I will play awesome music (aka: all mine).
And now...
I travel like this...
1. We must fill every excess space of the vehicle with baby items. While Jason and I can pack ourselves in one tiny suitcase for 5 days, Adley needs 1 box of clothing, 1 box of diapers, a diaper bag, toys, blankets, chairs and strollers...the list goes on.
2. Every time the baby cries we pay attention to her...we soothe her, entertain her, play with her, change the air for her and if none of that works we pull over (even if we don't need gas) and we feed her, change her, and play with her.
3. A trip that would normally only have one stop now has four or five, and the trip can double in length.
4. A trip that normally would have been relaxing is somehow exhausting before we even go (see #1).
5. And our playlist is now Adley's music mixes, full of children's silly songs, Christian music and soothing lullabies. And, yes...since you were wondering, we sing along for her sake.
And...I LOVE it. My sweetheart is totally worth it. It is amazing how much stuff you need to pack and how much extra time and effort our little munchkin takes. We are headed out this weekend for a quick trip to see friends and family and show off our adorable daughter. Pray for us that we have a safe trip...and if you don't have kids...enjoy short trips and get excited for super cute long ones.
I used to tell people when they went on a road trip with me three things.
1. I don't stop until I need gas, so hold it.
2. I forget that you have an opinion so if you want the air changed you have to say something.
3. I will play awesome music (aka: all mine).
And now...
I travel like this...
1. We must fill every excess space of the vehicle with baby items. While Jason and I can pack ourselves in one tiny suitcase for 5 days, Adley needs 1 box of clothing, 1 box of diapers, a diaper bag, toys, blankets, chairs and strollers...the list goes on.
2. Every time the baby cries we pay attention to her...we soothe her, entertain her, play with her, change the air for her and if none of that works we pull over (even if we don't need gas) and we feed her, change her, and play with her.
3. A trip that would normally only have one stop now has four or five, and the trip can double in length.
4. A trip that normally would have been relaxing is somehow exhausting before we even go (see #1).
5. And our playlist is now Adley's music mixes, full of children's silly songs, Christian music and soothing lullabies. And, yes...since you were wondering, we sing along for her sake.
And...I LOVE it. My sweetheart is totally worth it. It is amazing how much stuff you need to pack and how much extra time and effort our little munchkin takes. We are headed out this weekend for a quick trip to see friends and family and show off our adorable daughter. Pray for us that we have a safe trip...and if you don't have kids...enjoy short trips and get excited for super cute long ones.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Savings Queen...
Okay...I love finding a good deal and I LOVE saving money. A favorite phrase of mine is, 'buy used and save the difference.'
Here are a few ways that I try to save money in our household.
1. During the summer (when we don't have free food from the cafeteria) I coupon.
2. I take advantage of the local grocery store's sales (I bought about $60 in merchandise and saved about $60 too!)
3. I buy the majority of my clothing either on clearance or at a few of my favorite cheap stores (Ross, Goodwill and Plato's Closet....ooo and garage sales too). It is so much fun to brag when your total outfit cost less than $12. I've even had free outfits!
4. I make my own laundry soap. The name brand soaps cost around 20-30 cents a load...mine...5-8 cents. I do about 10 loads a week. (Total savings is around $60.00 a year...that starts adding up!)
5. I use cloth diapers on my baby....(what this whole blog post is about)...savings there is about $3,000.00 with this child. (Yes, I just said I saved $3,000.00.)
6. I'm about to start using cloth for myself (savings here...I calculated would be about $3,600.00.) I won't post all the details here...but if you have specific questions...feel free to email me!
7. I breastfeed my baby...here is some information about that. (First off, it is better for the baby and it is free!) http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/prepare/bfcostbenefits.html,
On to the cloth diapers....I'm going to give you some awesome reasons why you should consider cloth when/if you have a kiddo.
Here are a few ways that I try to save money in our household.
1. During the summer (when we don't have free food from the cafeteria) I coupon.
2. I take advantage of the local grocery store's sales (I bought about $60 in merchandise and saved about $60 too!)
3. I buy the majority of my clothing either on clearance or at a few of my favorite cheap stores (Ross, Goodwill and Plato's Closet....ooo and garage sales too). It is so much fun to brag when your total outfit cost less than $12. I've even had free outfits!
4. I make my own laundry soap. The name brand soaps cost around 20-30 cents a load...mine...5-8 cents. I do about 10 loads a week. (Total savings is around $60.00 a year...that starts adding up!)
5. I use cloth diapers on my baby....(what this whole blog post is about)...savings there is about $3,000.00 with this child. (Yes, I just said I saved $3,000.00.)
6. I'm about to start using cloth for myself (savings here...I calculated would be about $3,600.00.) I won't post all the details here...but if you have specific questions...feel free to email me!
7. I breastfeed my baby...here is some information about that. (First off, it is better for the baby and it is free!) http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/prepare/bfcostbenefits.html,
Artifical Infant Formula Prices
Prices from Publix Supermarkets, Orlando, FL (April 2005)
Formula prices below are based on an average daily consumption of 30 ounces per day.
Formula Brands | Serving Ounces | Cost Per Can | Cost per Month | Cost per Year |
Enfamil Lipil Powdered | 94 oz | $12.19 | $119 | $1424 |
Enfamil Lipil Concentrated | 26 oz | $3.89 | $137 | $1643 |
Enfamil Lipil Ready Feed | 32 oz | $5.69 | $162 | $1949 |
Similac Adv. Powdered | 115 oz | $13.69 | $109 | $1303 |
Similac Adv. Concentrated | 26 oz | $3.89 | $137 | $1424 |
Similac Adv. Ready Feed | 32 oz | $5.59 | $160 | $1916 |
Isomil Adv. Powdered | 94 oz | $12.99 | $126 | $1511 |
Isomil Adv. Concentrated | 26 oz | $4.29 | $151 | $1807 |
Prosobee Lipil Powdered | 94 oz | $11.99 | $117 | $1402 |
Prosobee Lipil Concentrated | 26 oz | $3.91 | $137 | $1643 |
Nutramigen-Lipil Powder | 115 oz | $23.49 | $186 | $2234 |
Nutramigen-Lipil Concentrated | 26 oz | $6.19 | $217 | $2606 |
Alimentum-Adv. Ready Feed | 32 oz | $8.29 | $236 | $2836 |
Progestimil Power | 112 oz | $24.29 | $198 | $2376 |
Lacto-free Lipil Concentrated | 26 oz | $3.89 | $137 | $1643 |
On to the cloth diapers....I'm going to give you some awesome reasons why you should consider cloth when/if you have a kiddo.
1. They are adorable...
example a.: This one is a swim diaper that I got Adley today...but let's be honest it is way cuter than the silly disposable ones (which cost more).
2. Here are some really good reason with back up. (they toliet train earlier, no chemicals, no environmental issues, fewer diaper rashes)
3. Here are a lot of great resources on how much cheaper cloth can be for you.
Okay...You can spend up to $1,000.00 buying cloth diapers...or as little as $150.00. We spent around $200.00ish.
I love the Thirsties Duo system and works great for littler ones.
When they are still breastfed the clean up is easy peasy. You simply just throw everything in the wash. Once they get older there are nifty neat-o flusable inserts so you can send the yucky stuff away.
Here are some pics of the diapers...
Total lifetime savings pre-calculated: $16,640.00
(Add with each kid more I have...add about $3,000.00 on to that.)
How do you save your family money?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Crust win, Pie fail
Okay....blogging and my daughter do not go together.
She is teething her little heart out right now. It is funny because after our diet was working and Adley was a happy baby again I joked that she would start teething early...and sure enough...teeth. I'm so grateful that she's not sick and that she is growing up. It is not even like she is getting her front bottom teeth in or her front top teeth. She is getting her teeth in on one side. Weird, right? God must really know I need to work on my patience.
This thought came from Jason and I's devo book. It was the February 11th reading and I thought it was worth sharing. It is based off the scripture 1 Cor. 10:31
Quiet Times For Couples-Wright
'Paul's words speak to us about our motives for what we do. Many of us behave in a way that reflects a Christian lifestyle, but have inner motives which are not consistent with the actions. Often we respond out of fear or desire for recognition. Paul is calling each one of us to look at what we do and to be sure it is being doing for the glory of God. There are no limitations to this call. The way you decorate the house, the selection of new furniture, the way you interact with your neighbors, the way you drive and respond to inconsiderate drivers, how you handle rude clerks in the store all fall under the category of living to bring glory to God. Paul is saying "Do everything to His glory."'
I loved this and it really hit home. 'There are NO limitations to this call.' The way I decorate my home is a testament to how/if I bring glory to God. What a wonderful challenge!
I also made a pie this week! I love baking, but I'll be honest, I'm not the best at it. After three attempts since I got married I made a successful pie crust! This was very exciting for me. All others simply crumbled apart. Here's a pic of the pie I made.
Yum! It is a gooseberry pie. My greatgrandma on my Dad's side used to make all kind of glorious gooseberry desserts and I missed them dearly. I found some canned gooseberries in Missouri and decided to buy some cans and try my hand at my childhood memories.
This one, however was a fail...
One. I was hoping it would resemble pie. I mean I don't need the store bought look, but something similar to a triangle would be nice. I think I need thicken the reserved juice more?
Two. The first few bites tasted amazing! I really remembered the deliciousness, but the rest was too tart! I'm not sure if I needed to add more sugar or omit the butter. (I have to use weird butter because of Adley's special diet...so that may have impacted the flavor.)
Well, now that I can make a successful pie crust I will try perfecting a centerpiece for it. Perhaps cherries or peaches!
She is teething her little heart out right now. It is funny because after our diet was working and Adley was a happy baby again I joked that she would start teething early...and sure enough...teeth. I'm so grateful that she's not sick and that she is growing up. It is not even like she is getting her front bottom teeth in or her front top teeth. She is getting her teeth in on one side. Weird, right? God must really know I need to work on my patience.
This thought came from Jason and I's devo book. It was the February 11th reading and I thought it was worth sharing. It is based off the scripture 1 Cor. 10:31
Quiet Times For Couples-Wright
'Paul's words speak to us about our motives for what we do. Many of us behave in a way that reflects a Christian lifestyle, but have inner motives which are not consistent with the actions. Often we respond out of fear or desire for recognition. Paul is calling each one of us to look at what we do and to be sure it is being doing for the glory of God. There are no limitations to this call. The way you decorate the house, the selection of new furniture, the way you interact with your neighbors, the way you drive and respond to inconsiderate drivers, how you handle rude clerks in the store all fall under the category of living to bring glory to God. Paul is saying "Do everything to His glory."'
I loved this and it really hit home. 'There are NO limitations to this call.' The way I decorate my home is a testament to how/if I bring glory to God. What a wonderful challenge!
I also made a pie this week! I love baking, but I'll be honest, I'm not the best at it. After three attempts since I got married I made a successful pie crust! This was very exciting for me. All others simply crumbled apart. Here's a pic of the pie I made.
This one, however was a fail...
Two. The first few bites tasted amazing! I really remembered the deliciousness, but the rest was too tart! I'm not sure if I needed to add more sugar or omit the butter. (I have to use weird butter because of Adley's special diet...so that may have impacted the flavor.)
Well, now that I can make a successful pie crust I will try perfecting a centerpiece for it. Perhaps cherries or peaches!
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