Chrystal's Corner

1 + 1 = 6

2012-01-21T19:01:00.000-08:00

That's right...to our surprise we will be adding a sixth and final member to our family! While this wasn't our plan, we know that God's plan is so much better than our own and trust in his timing and provision for this new little one. Big families are fun, right?

Here's how we announced to our friends and extended family:

Isn't this is going to make an adorable first picture for the baby book? And the process itself was quite memorable...it's not easy getting 3 little people to sit still. After lots of laughs, a few tears, some bribes and about 10 outtakes, it all came together. Precious:)

I had been dying to tell the kids from the very beginning....the night before we found out Nathan asked when I was going to get another baby in my tummy so I knew he would be excited. We waited until everything looked good at my first OB appointment and then gathered them up to tell them the good news. Want to see their reactions?

Again, such a great moment to have captured and I can't wait to show their future brother or sister just how loved they were from the beginning. And I can remind the newest addition how lucky they are that I didn't give big brothers free reign on picking a name! This morning Nathan said breakfast prayer and sweetly said, "Thank you God for putting a new baby in mommy's tummy and letting it come close to my birthday." How could I not be excited about a new little one when the ones I already have are so amazing?

For those of you who are wondering....yes, we would love a girl but honestly, a boy would probably just be easier. We already have this boy thing down and all the stuff to go with it. But ultimately, I trust whatever God has in store. He sure has planned my family better than I ever could have! Not everyone is so neutral about this subject though. Nathan is hoping God picks a sister for our family because as he puts it, "we don't have one of those!" Can't argue with that logic!

Stay at home moms and screen time - Guest post

2012-01-17T13:49:00.000-08:00

There was once a stereotype of stay at home moms that included eating bon-bons and watching soap operas all day. While I'm not sure if that was ever really something women did, I think the new "stereotype" of stay at home moms being glued to their computers is actually more common then the previous statement. I read one post that said that as many as 25% of stay at home moms admit to spending more time on the internet than they do with their kids, some spending as much as 5 hours or more surfing the web. I know that I personally have been convicted by how much my screen time plays a part in my day. When I recently saw a friend announcing a self-imposed ban from the internet before 7pm each day, I asked her to write a little bit about it for us. She bravely shared her story and I am thankful she did because I think there are many who are going to be able to relate. Here is what she had to say:

I’m breaking my own rules already. Just a week ago, I had come to a point whereit was my life or Facebook. I wasstaring down an enemy every bit as formidable as the cigarettes and coffee Igave up two years ago. The symptoms ofwithdrawal were surprisingly the same. Iwould find myself staring out the window in my living room, feeling like timewas going by painfully slow. I feltlost, without a cause. I knew insidewhat the cause was…my family. The verysame reason I gave up cigarettes….my family, my children.

Today is not a great day, yesterday wasn’t either. Both days I had carelessly left the computeron the night before and “well if it’s on already,I might as well just check it really quick”….These thoughts are the death knellof any productivity I might have had.

Last week was amazing though. I believe it was Tuesday I swore to myself, Iwill NOT turn on the computer at alluntil after 7 PM. These were the newrules…these were the battle lines. I hadtoyed with the idea of deleting my Facebook account all together, because Iknow I have a problem, have had one for some time. My husband assured me that this alone wouldnot solve my problems, I had an addiction far worse than just some socialnetworking site. It was a screen addiction. Often while my Facebook is open, I wouldperuse news sites and crime blogs for the worst news stories I could possiblyfind. I would rationalize that it keptme vigilant, kept me hyper aware if one day I ran into a situation where Icould spot an abused child, or heaven forbid spot someone trying to hurt my ownchildren (child abuse stories are king in my news search problem). So this wasn’t just some Facebook issue, thiswas an internet issue. An internet addiction.

Every once in a while I would swear off news sites, and Iwould do well for a month or two. But Ialways go back. Facebook is anothermatter entirely. I don’t think I’ve goneover 24 hours without checking my Facebook in over a year probably. Facebook is the knarliest of opponents in myscreen addiction.

My husband and I decided timed parameters were the only wayI could face this problem of mine. Andfor the first week it was wonderful. Iabsolutely would not turn on my computer until after 7pm, and I got so muchdone. My house had been cleaner than ithad in months, I was planning my dinners (more out of boredom because I feltlike I had no life all day), and I was spending more time with my 3 year old,it was fabulous. I took a whole morningto visit a friend at her house in person. I called friends on thephone, actually listening to their voices and having real conversations. I wasliving my real life, not my false internet life. Then came Sunday.

After church I had come home and thought to myself, well“Sundays shouldn’t count!”…so I fired her up and immediately checkedFacebook. After about 20 minutes I felta twinge of guilt. Maybe Sundays shouldcount? I ask the husband. He says to me “if you make an exceptiontoday, it will be easier to on other days”….he’s RIGHT!! So I do what any good addict does andrationalize. I set my timer on mymicrowave for 35 minutes and swear I won’t go over. That day I didn’t.

This is the beginning of a new week and it’s not goingwell. Yesterday I indulged in my sweetscreen all day. I did get a couple loadsof laundry done, so all is not lost I tell myself. Today is going no better though. Not even laundry has gotten started yet andit’s almost 1:30 in the afternoon.

The rationalizations begin: “Oh, the baby has a cold, I probably wouldn’t get done muchanyway”, “Maybe I just can’t really dothis”….”Maybe I should just delete my Facebook account and see if that helps”.

Of course there was a time that this wasn’t a problem forme. There was a time in another lifewhere I lived by myself, owned no computer, no cell phone, and had no cableTV. It was a grand time. Then I started dating my future husband. He likes all the toys. I liked his computer. I could live to this day without all theother things, but the computer has me hooked. I often fantasize about getting rid of internet, how much easier itwould be, but unfortunately, we live in Canada and still have many bills in theStates, so I must handle money with online banking. Therein lies my problem. It’s a gateway. I don’t know how many times I find myselfturning on the computer to balance the books and think, oh I can just check myFacebook really quick. It’s almostnever “really quick”.

My name is Adina and I have a screen addiction. It’s not pretty. It’s not harmless. My family suffers for it. But I will keep trying. And as Chrystal reminded me yesterday“Tomorrow is a new day”.

Indeed it is.

Wow. Does this strike a chord with you? It does with me. Can you relate to this on any level? Honestly, I can. If you can too, what are you doing to take a stand and regain control of your life? I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions, stories. Maybe Adina has inspired you and you would like to write a post to share here...email me with your story and I would be glad to post it. This seems to be a growing epidemic so I know that some of you reading this will have something to say...hope you chime in.

Movie Theater Morals

2012-01-10T17:20:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had the pleasure of going on a date at a local theater that has recently turned into a discount theater. On this particular Saturday they were having a free admission day to spread the word about their new business venture and to give back to the community. It was a great opportunity for us to get out without having to spend a lot of money and we even got to see a movie we had missed the first time it was in theaters (can I just say on a side note that if you haven't seen Courageous, you MUST!).

Because we didn't have to pay for tickets we did indulge in a large popcorn and drink which came to a whopping $10...slightly horrifying but still a fraction of what tickets to a regular priced movie would have cost. As we were enjoying our refreshments and waiting for the movie to start, the owner of the theater came in to greet everyone and talk about the new changes occurring at the theater. He is hoping to host a free day each month but they have to sell enough concessions to be able to counter the costs of that. Because of this he asked that nobody bring in their own refreshments and that because they were being so generous in offering the movies for free, if they caught someone doing so they would be banned from the theater. Harsh? I don't think so especially since tickets were free and you weren't obligated to purchase something from concessions.

Fast forward to today when I was a part of a Facebook discussion about whether or not I sneak in my own snacks when going to the theater. Now it was easy for me to side with the owner of the theater that wasn't charging anything for tickets, but how do I feel when it comes to a full priced event? Can I just say not only was I in the minority when I said I didn't think it was right, but I was the only one out of more than 50 people voicing their opinions who answered that way. This kind of baffled me so I looked into it some more and found that this question had been asked before in various forums and it seemed that when the question of sneaking in food came up the resounding response is not only, "Yes, I do it" but it is also more times than not backed with a justification based on the prices of not only movie tickets but concessions themselves.

I get it. Really, I do. As a family of 5 if we attempt to go to a regular priced movie we are out almost $50. It seems just wrong to see a movie in the theater without the popcorn so that is at least $5 added to the bill and you can't ingest that much salt without something to wash it down with so tack on another $5 for a drink. $60 for a 2 hour experience that I could pay a dollar for if I wait for it to come to Redbox and do it in my own house. Looking at it through those eyes it is easy to bust out the extra big purse, start popping some popcorn in the microwave and make a stop at the dollar store for cheap movie style candy before heading to the next showing. Honestly, there was a time when I used to do this very thing.

But is it right? Am I justified? Here's the way I look at it. I am not obligated to buy concessions when I go to the movie. That is a choice. If I am horrified by the cost of said snacks I can make a stand by not purchasing them. Heck, I can make an even bigger stand by avoiding theaters all together (which, by the way, I usually do because it just doesn't fit in our budget. Hence us jumping on the free movie day opportunity). I think using the cost as a reason to bring in my own stuff is like saying the price at a restaurant is an excuse not to tip the waiter. When you choose a restaurant with a waitstaff you need to go in expecting to include that into your cost. If you aren't willing to do that, you really should be going to self-serve places instead or just eating at home. I feel the same about the movies - if you aren't willing to pay for the services, skip them or don't go.

Another thing I have to wonder is, if it is okay in the eyes of so many, why do you have to sneak it in? Big purses, coats with extra pockets, and diaper bags are just a few of the ways people have been known to carry in outside goodies. But if the practice of bringing in your own food is something you feel fine doing, why not walk right in with the food in hand? Obviously taking these kind of measures to hide it signifies an understanding that what you are doing isn't allowed and if you were to blatantly do it there may be ramifications. If that is the case, how can it be right?

I understand that to most this is a pretty mild moral dilemma. Anything that we can recognize as fairly popular practice is easy to shrug off and consider no big deal. For me, this really began to strike a chord after I had my kids. What do I say to them when they read that big sign that says "No outside food or beverages permitted" while stashing boxes of jujubes I stuffed in their pockets? Or when I tell them we have to wait until it's dark in the theater to eat our goodies and to make sure to hide them if a person with a flashlight comes around? Would I really feel good teaching them that it's okay to be sneaky if it involves spending too much money or that it's no big deal because everyone else does it? For me the answer is no. I don't feel okay teaching them that. There is right and there is wrong and when I began to blur the line on that I am treading on a very slippery slope.

Now obviously going into this post I knew that my opinion on this subject was not a popular one. Having said that, I would love to hear your two cents on it. Either side of the fence I am interested to have you weigh in on the right or wrong of bringing your own food into a theater. Hit me with it - In your opinion, is it okay and why or why not?

Pin this - Food

2012-01-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

On this edition of Pin This I thought I would share with you some of the recipes that I have not only found on Pinterest, but also made. I absolutely love trying new recipes and for years subscribed to several food magazines, cooking 3 to 4 new recipes a week. I have since let the subscriptions lapse and rely mainly on the internet to find new ideas. This works especially great as I tighten our food budget (and our budget for extras like magazine subscriptions) because I can look for things that cater to what I already have on hand or will be buying on sale soon and I can look at a number of sources, including Pinterest. Here's what I've been inspired to try over the last few weeks:

These 8 minute mini cinnamon rolls were our Christmas morning breakfast and were absolutely delicious (not to mention E.A.S.Y)

This isn't so much a recipe as it is a tip. Homemade hash browns come out nice and crispy in the waffle maker - Brilliant!

Cookie bowls for ice cream, yum! Mine didn't turn out this beautiful because I used my own cookie dough recipe so I recommend using theirs for a better turnout.

We love us some enchiladas - these Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas were pretty good. I think the inside would make an awesome dip!

These homemade tortillas are simple and delicious - I have made them several times (including for the enchiladas) and they have yet to disappoint.

Homeade Cheez-Its caught my eye because I love making snacks that I would normally buy at the store, partly to see if I can and partly for cost and the ability to control what goes in them. Good!


I think I saved the best for last. These Apple Cinnamon Muffins are To.Die.For. Moist, sweet, so good!

Hope that you are able to try and add some of these to your own recipe boxes. Feel free to share any of your favorite Pinterest recipe finds as well, I'm always up for something new! And if you want to see what other kinds of food ideas have caught my eye hit the Follow Me button in the upper right hand corner of my blog to keep up with all of my Pinterest finds. Happy Pinning!

BJ's Wholesale Club

2012-01-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

Have you all heard of BJ's Wholesale Club before? Being a girl who was born and raised in the Northwest I haven't had the experience of checking out a BJ's before but am hearing some great things about it that I wanted to pass on to those of you who can take advantage of it.

VALUE - Did you know that you can save over $500 a year in groceries compared to supermarket prices? And here is my absolute favorite fact about BJ's - they except manufacturers coupons! That's huge. There are no other wholesale clubs that do that. How exciting to be able to pair the savings that come from buying wholesale with the savings you get from coupons!

BABY - BJ's carries top brand names for baby stuff, everything from Pampers to Gerber to Little Tykes. They also carry baby products you won't find anywhere else like Pampers Cruisers + Ultra Absorbency.

BEAUTY - BJ's has a great selection from the leading brands of hair care, skin care, oral
care, deodorant and vitamins, even some cosmetics.

LOCATIONS - I mentioned that I don't live anywhere near a BJ's but I am excited to see that I can still shop their store online at BJs.com. For those of you interested in finding a store near you they are located in Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia.

Now that you have heard all of this awesome stuff about BJ's Wholesale Club are you just dying to go check it out for yourself? Follow this link (http://www.bjs.com/one-day-pass.content.join_one_day_pass.A.join_consumer) and you can get a One Day Shopping Pass to check out the store and see for yourself what they have to offer (valid for in-Club purchases only and subject to 15% non-member surcharge on total purchase all of which will be refunded if a membership is purchased within 7 days of your initial visit). Happy Wholesale Shopping!

**The information in this post along with the free trial is provided by VocalPoint. I am not being compensated in anyway for this post.**

Bring on 2012!!

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a New Year to give you a fresh perspective and a clean slate! I am so excited for another year of possibilities and look forward to sharing what I accomplish with you all. Here are some things you can expect to see in 2012:

More Pinterest favorites- I mean, come on, I spend enough time there I can't help but have it spill out here!

Pictures of my new craft corner once it's complete. Nothing major just a tiny space to call my own:)

Lots of craft projects thanks to the above mentioned - currently working on felt finger puppets and you can expect lots of homemade gifts this year, especially for the kiddos.

DIY home decor - we have been de-cluttering, re-organizing and switching things up around the house so you will see some of what we have done/are doing as progress continues. Just today we re-purposed a magazine rack into something we can use in our bathroom so be on the lookout for that!

One man's trash is another man's treasure - We are going to be working on some fun re-purposing projects together from free finds on Craigslist after we get everything organized at home. Should be fun!

Monthly updates on our Christmas 2012 in Arizona savings fund - we are trying to use found/saved money to fund the bulk of our trip so I will share with you the progress we are making and where we are finding the extra money.

And much, much more I am sure! Should be a fun ride, hope you will join me. something missing from the list that you would like to see more of? Feel free to share your ideas, I would love the feedback.

Happy New Year everyone, may it be full of increased blessings and joy for all of us!!

10 Ways to Save in the Kitchen this Holiday Season (Guest Post)

2011-12-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

Today's post is contributed by guest writer Jakob Berry. Enjoy!

10 Ways to Save in the Kitchen this Holiday Season

With the holidays here and many people having guests there’s a lot of room for things to get out of hand, especially in the kitchen. That’s where the potential for a lot of waste exists.

Think about it: Food, drinks, gifts and increased energy usage, which can jump dramatically when having extra people around, are all added expenses that can turn a sweet holiday into a stressful decision making process based on money.

That’s why in order to stay grounded, be that wonderful host you love to be, and enjoy this time of year with family and friends here’s a few tips that can help take some of the financial burden off your mind. Let them transform your home into a more efficiently working mechanism and carry you into the new year:

Compost: Some towns charge for the amount of trash put out each week.If you have a lot of scraps from cutting fruits and vegetables compostingwill take weight off those garbage bags and if you live in a gardenfriendly state like New Jersey JerseyCity gardeners wont hesitate to tell you how much important nutrientsall that organic matter adds to your soil.

Repurpose: Whether freezer bags, containers, plastic bottles, or glass jars, you’ll probably be handling more than usual. Use them over and over so you never have to purchase new ones.

Boiled water: Try and plan ahead when it comes to boiling water and reuse it for something else. For example, you may steam green beans or another veggie and instead of pouring out the water use it for the soup you were hoping to make.

Cut out disposables: Instead of buying fancier disposable plates and cutlery for the table use your real dishes and silverware. Yes, it will mean a little more work cleaning up but chances are your guests will be happy to help out.

Dishwashing: Cutting out disposables might mean a higher water bill because of the extra dishwashing. To prevent using excessive water fill two dish pans; one for soaking and another for rinsing after the dishes are scrubbed. If this isn’t feasible scrub everything and then turn on the water to rinse. Never leave the faucet running.

Veggies: Limit waste when cutting vegetables and try to use as much as possible freezing extra pieces for a rainy day. Example: If you’re cutting broccoli freeze the trunks for soup.

Thermos: Keep a thermos with hot water available so you can make tea or coffee without having to constantly reboil water.

Portions: Don’t give out large portions that may not get eaten. It’s better to serve smaller amounts and have guests come back for more.

Monitor electricity: Unplug appliances when not in use as they still use energy when plugged in.

Delegate: Have guests bring an appetizer, wine, or desert and don’t think of it as being cheap. You’re actually giving them a chance to contribute and lend a hand in the festivities.

Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com. He alsoblogs for contractors across the U.S. like Hialeah remodelers and electricians in Aurora.

Elfie, Elfie, Elfie!

2011-12-21T16:09:00.000-08:00

Another week and another handful of photos from Elfie's adventures to share. He always seems to get extra creative the closer to Christmas we get...enjoy!

Elfie was kind enough to bring the boys a new Scooby Doo movie to watch with daddy one night when mommy was out

The boys frantically searched for Elfie one morning only to discover he was stuck to daddy's back! (Thanks for this fun idea Aunt Amy:)

Hungry for cereal

Leading a parade of trucks with some other friends in our house

That rascal got a sharpie and got artistic with the boys pictures:

Nathan the pirate

Jordan the little devil

Sweet baby Isaiah (now 19 months old, we should really update that picture!)

Only a few days left until Elfie goes back to the North Pole for the next 11 months. It will be interesting to see how he wraps up his visit!

Pin this - homemade gifts and Christmas decor

2011-12-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

With less than a week left until Christmas I thought I would share some of the easy homemade gifts (for you last minute folks:) and DIY decorations that I have been finding on Pinterest the past few weeks. If you have found something you love, feel free to leave a link in the comments.


I thought this "Whisk You a Merry Christmas" was cute...click the picture for 15 gifts under $2

I made this for a friend...it takes only 4 ingredients that you likely have on hand and minutes to make (and smells AMAZING!)

This has to be my absolute favorite homemade gift find this week...magnetic paper dolls!

A tea wreath - beautiful and a great gift for the tea lover in your life

This list is actually up to 30 now (just click on the picture) - including a bean bag tutorial from yours truly:)

A Santa centerpiece made from a coffee can

I love this snowman family made from dollar store gloves - great decor or family gift

This sock snowman would cost next to nothing to make and is so adorable

I hope that gives you some stuff to work on this week if that's what you were needing. If not, something to bank for next year:) For more of the fun ideas I have been finding, make sure to come follow me on Pinterest - just click on the button on the upper right hand side of this page. Happy Pinning!

More elf antics

2011-12-14T09:41:00.000-08:00

Another week with Elfie has passed. He has really out done himself with all kinds of crazy stunts that have kept the kids on their toes each morning as they try to hunt him down. I love listening to them speculate how he got into all of these places over breakfast each morning. The imagination of children is magical all on it's own! Want a peak for yourself at the fun we've been having? Here you go:

That sneaky elf dyed our milk green!! This was a morning that the kids panicked because they couldn't find Elfie anywhere...what a shock when we opened the fridge:)

Just hanging out! Nathan got quite a surprise when he awoke on that morning.

This was a favorite...Elfie brought the bigger boys their own Christmas mugs (this was a request for sometime) and a hot chocolate bar to enjoy as an after school snack.

Elfie donning Jordan's stuff, apparently he wants to go outside to play!

Who knew Elfie was a card shark? The boys have decided Santa must have taught him how to play.

Oh, the things that elf comes up with while we are all sleeping. Can't wait to see what he has up his sleeve this week! Do any of you have an elf visiting you this year? Would love to hear what your elf has been up to, feel free to share:)

The Heart of a Drummer Boy

2011-12-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

There is no question that I am a HUGE fan of Christmas music. I especially love the more touching ballad type songs like O Come All Ye Faithful and Holy Night. Something about the words describing the true meaning of Christmas that speak to my soul. Maybe it's the sentiment of the season, or maybe I have just had one to many eggnog lattes, but this week I surprised myself by tearing up at a not so typically emotional Christmas song - The Little Drummer Boy. These lyrics in particular:

Little Baby
Pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too,
Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give our King
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you!
Pa rum pum pum
On my drum.

Mary nodded
Pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time
Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him
Pa rum pum pum
I played my best for Him
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me
Pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

I guess it is something about the imagery of that poor little boy coming before baby Jesus. He was not dressed to impressed, did not come bearing gifts of gold or other monetary worth. He just came as he was to worship his new king. He gave the gift he had to give, a song of worship on his drum. Isn't that what Jesus wants from all of us? To come before him just as we are. It isn't about what others can do. I don't see the Drummer Boy measuring himself against the wise men in this scenario. It's about offering up the very best gift that we have to give, as humble as that my appear.

"Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." (1 Chronicles 16:29)

My prayer this Christmas season and beyond is that I develop the heart of the drummer boy - that I would come just as I am to worship my king, offering the best of what I have been given with no concern for how that measures up to anyone else.

Pin this

2011-12-03T13:50:00.001-08:00

It's been a couple of weeks since we talked about pinterest...way too long if you ask me!! But that doesn't mean I haven't still been pinning on a regular basis. Can I share some of my favorite pins right now?

These hot chocolate cones would make adorable stocking stuffers

Peppermint Stick White Chocolate Marshmallows...need I say more?

Elf donuts made out of cheerios. Brilliant!

Loving this place setting for a Christmas dinner


This is a Peter Pan silhouette using a cutout on top of the lamp. Lots of possibilities!


Make your own never-ending Vanilla Extract

Isn't this stuff great? Want to see more of what I am pinning each week? Click on the red Follow Me on Pinterest button at the top of the page. Happy Pinning!

Elfie's first week

2011-12-03T12:02:00.001-08:00

Elfie has been here since last Thursday and has been the talk of the house. Jordan lectures him everyday about moving from his original spot on the table. One day he even went as far as making a plan to glue him to the table so he couldn't move...it's pretty funny! Here's what Elfie has been up to:

Taking over for the Christmas Countdown Snowman

Last year Elfie brought us the Fisher Price Nativity, this year he gave us the 3 wise men set too

Elfie replaced Isaiah's stocking with himself! The night before the boys had given him Christmas lists to take home to Santa so tucked behind him is a letter back to them from Santa:)

Elfie always likes playing with the nutcrackers

He brought out the Christmas books for the boys (with a little help from our cat Buddy)


Elfie got up on the coat shelf and is wearing one of the kids Seahawk Santa hats

A week in the life of a Christmas Elf...busy! I am sure he has many more antics and surprises up his sleeve so stayed tuned for more Elfie updates in the coming weeks.

North Pole Breakfast

2011-12-01T14:32:00.001-08:00

Elfie is back! In case you are newer to my blog, Elfie is the name of our Elf on a Shelf. Still confused? Type Elfie in the search box at the top of my blog and you can read up on all my posts from last year.

This is his second year coming to our house and boy did he come with a bang! The boys woke up to a fully decorated dining room with ribbons on the chairs, pictures on the wall totally covered in wrapping paper, and silver bells and snowflakes hanging from the ceiling.

Each of the kids had a personalized letter from Elfie reminding them to be good so they can stay on the nice list. In his lap was a note to me asking me to kindly fix up the food he had brought since he was so tired from traveling and decorating.

Turns out Elfie had brought all the fixings for a proper North Pole Breakfast complete with powdered donuts, berries, bacon and eggnog. Everything got wolfed up in no time and even our Little Guy was caught stuffing his face, mostly full of berries:)

We donned our Seahawk Santa hats because after all, that is appropriate attire for a North Pole Breakfast in the Pacific Northwest!

I can't wait to see what other things Elfie has up his sleeve as we count down to Christmas. Be looking for weekly updates to see all the fun things Elfie brings and does while staying at our house.

(P.S. - For any elves out there looking to duplicate this at their house, I heard that our elf used mostly decorations we had on hand and got the rest at the Dollar Tree and only spent around $10. That frugal little elf!;)

Not your typical Christmas gift

2011-11-28T13:01:00.001-08:00

When it comes to cleaning my house, I often find myself doing the bare minimum just to get by - a load of laundry here, a couple of sweeps there, an occasional vacuum in the main areas. It is always a struggle to buckle down and really tackle the whole mess on a regular basis. I guess it is the part of me that still rebels against anything not fun...I know, I know, I am 30 not 3 but somehow that is still a part of my personality.

The problem with this is that the house is my job. As a stay at home wife and mom I consider my first priorities to be my husband and kids and right after that comes the upkeep of our home. We as women were created to not only stay busy but spend part of that busy time blessing our homes because it creates a warm environment for the people we love (see Proverbs 31:10-31). If I was honest with myself I would have to admit that I often rob my family of the blessing of a clean and tidy home. As I type this, really put it into words and let it sink in, I realize just how convicting this statement is. When I stop looking at the housework as work and instead see it as blessing my family, it really gives me a whole new motivation to re-prioritize the time I spend on my home.

You might be wondering what it looks like to bless your family with a clean home. To me a clean home creates opportunity. If my kitchen counters are clutter free and my dishes are cleaned and put away, I am more likely to spend time on a nutritious homemade meal for my family. I am more likely to spontaneously invite the kids in for some baking time together. If my living room and dining room are always picked up my kids are more likely to turn off the tv and pull out their train tracks to spend hours creating a grand railroad station on the floor. They are more likely to color an elaborate picture at the table until their markers run dry. If everything is where it should be and clean, my husband can come home after 12 long hours of work and just relax. He would be able to truly find peace at home (at least until our 3 little monkeys start climbing all over him!).

So my challenge to you, and to myself, is to give your family a different kind of gift this Christmas season. Bless them by blessing your home on a more regular basis. Open up opportunities for baking gingerbread men, playing a family game around the table, spreading out on the floor to wrap gifts together. In doing this you are really blessing yourself as well. Not only are you going to have a happy family and lots of memories, but I can almost guarantee your holiday season will be less stressful. So many times my stress during this time of year is compounded by the messy state of my home.

What is one thing you envision yourself being able to do with your family this holiday season when the mess of your house isn't getting in the way? Can't wait to hear what you come up with and would love for you to stop back by and let me know how it is going! And if you are already good at this, please share your tips for successfully keeping a tidy home on a regular basis.

Button Ornaments

2011-11-26T13:40:00.001-08:00

This year I have really been drawn to buttons. They are just so fun for crafting! In recent years we have agreed to stop exchanging gifts with my brother and his wife and instead focus on the kids at Christmas time. So we started a tradition of exchanging ornaments instead. This year we planned to swap ornaments on Thanksgiving so we could enjoy them during the current holiday season. I had planned to make mine so when I came across these button ornaments by Martha Stewart, I knew they were just the thing.
I was extra blessed in this endeavor as one of the followers on my Facebook page generously mailed me a bunch of buttons from her stash for no cost after I inquired about where to buy them in bulk. Thank you so much Jerre Lollman:)

Here's what I came up with (one each for my brother, sister-in-law, and 2 nieces):

That's a reindeer, a snowman, an elf (or leprechaun as I kept calling it at one point;), and a Santa. I am planning to make some more to attach to gifts and am going to come up with some special ones for my boys so I'll post about those when I finish them. If you are interested in making some yourself click the Martha Stewart link above. The only materials you need are buttons, pipe cleaner, and ornament hooks. These literally take minutes to make and would be a fun project to get your kids involved with as well. Happy Ornament Making!

Let's talk Pinterest!

2011-11-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm officially hooked. Like most other things I am a little behind in jumping on the band wagon but now that I have I am glad I did! There are so many great ideas floating around Pinterest and even more than that I love that I have one place to keep them all. My brain could never begin to hold all of the recipes, crafts, decorations, etc that I see and want to remember in the future. And now it doesn't have too! All my future plans are neatly pinned on my boards for just that moment when I am ready to make a new recipe or start a new craft. Brilliant!

Because I am always falling in love with ideas I find there and I have this blog to share what I love, I thought I would start trying to post some of favorite finds from Pinterest. Things I can't wait to try or things I got inspired to try. What do you think? I don't know if this will be a weekly thing or a here and there thing...we'll see! But if you want to see all the things I am finding feel free to hit the Follow Me button to the left of this post:)

This week I am going to share a few of the things I have been inspired to do or make. Click on the caption if you want to see the original source and start creating yourself:)


This Countdown to Thanksgiving turkey from my last post was Pinterest inspired:)


My boys are loving my twist on the dinosaur hats pattern I found!

Matching winter hats for my nieces made out of old fleece pajama pants

Want to know what the number one Pinterest inspired item I have been making lately is? Anything pumpkin flavored!! Here are some links to the recipes my family tried and liked:
- Pumpkin Cornbread - http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2010/10/01/pumpkin-cornbread/
- Pumpkin Fudge - http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2010/10/21/pumpkin-fudge/
- Pumpkin Pancakes - http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin-Pancakes/Detail.aspx
- Pumpkin Gingerbread - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-gingerbread/detail.aspx

Finally, with Thanksgiving a little over a week away (really??) let me share with you all the Thanksgiving decor and crafts I have been inspired by. This will take you to my board full of pins dedicated specifically to Thanksgiving: http://pinterest.com/chrystalscorner/thanksgiving-decor-and-crafts/

Happy Pinning, as they say!

Countdown to Thanksgiving

2011-11-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

I love crafts. Always have. When I pictured myself as a mom I pictured lots of hands on crafts with my kids. So when my oldest boys were big enough to sit at the table I started planning all of these fun projects to do. I quickly realized just how hard it is to complete a project with two toddlers! Needless to say, it started to be fewer and further between that I let my boys in on my crafts because it just felt more like work then fun. But now that they are 4 and 5 I really want to make more of an effort to get hands on with them. And thanks to Pinterest, I have a LOT of ideas to choose from!

The holiday season is a great time for crafts. There is so much inspiration to draw from. We decided to start with a Countdown To Thanksgiving craft (thanks to Make and Takes for the inspiration) that will help us get excited for the big feast as well as remember what we are thankful for each day. This was a great project to do with my kids because it only involved a handful of supplies and they were able to help with each step.

I started by cutting out the body, the head, the facial features and the strips for the feathers. Jordan got to draw on the eyes and glue on the beak, waddle, and legs.

Nathan got to write Happy Thanksgiving on the body.

They both got to trim the strips of paper into feathers.

Now I have seen this project where you start with all of the feathers and then take one off for each day as a countdown to Thanksgiving. I liked the idea of adding a feather a day so that you end with a full bird so we are going to do it that way. Each day I am going to ask each of my boys what they are thankful for and write it on the feather before adding it to the body. At the end we will have a nice keepsake to look back on:)

Since we didn't start this until November 5th, we had 5 feathers to catch up on. It was sweet listening to my 4 year old say first that he was thankful that God and Jesus loved him and my 5 year old list his brothers as what he is most thankful for. I look forward to the next 19 days not only because that means Thanksgiving is here and we get to celebrate with loved ones, but also to hear each day what my little guys are thankful for in their life.

Old Navy and Crowdtap

2011-10-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

This past week I was lucky to get the chance to shop at Old Navy for coats for a friend and myself. Any coat of our choice. Oh, and did I mention they were totally free? Yup! $180 worth of coats and we didn't have to pay a penny.

Are you DYING to know how? No, I didn't have to do anything crazy or over the top. Didn't sell my first born, didn't run through the streets of my town in just a pink bikini bottom proclaiming my love for outerwear, didn't even have to print a coupon off myself. I got this opportunity because I am part of an AWESOME community called Crowdtap. Crowdtap is a network of Brand Influencing Communities. A place marketers go to get feedback about their marketing ideas and products from influential consumers. It is so fun to be a part of. You start of by doing lots of what they call "Quick Hits" which are mostly multiple choice questions about different products and ideas. You earn points (and sometimes cash) for answering these questions. Points move you up to different levels which then gives you the opportunity to participate in different actions. These are usually discussions about various topics. I have participated in all kinds of topics ranging from Halloween candy to fall fashion to my love for Maxwell House coffee. These discussions give you a chance to communicate with others in the community as well as earn big points for thoughtful responses and even higher amounts of money. To date, I have earned $41.00 just for giving my opinion! It's easy to cash out, they give a portion to charity, and it is all at your own leisure. You pick and choose how much you participate.

Another type of action sometimes involves product reviews. Old Navy often provides opportunities to join a style council and receive a coupon good for one product for you and one for a friend. I have seen them do jeans, tank tops, and other clothing items. This is how I got my coats! I signed up, got chosen, and was sent a coupon for me and one for a friend. No limit, any coat of our choice in the store. I decided to take my sister-in-law who has also been one of my best friends since high school. We had a fabulous time and walked away very happy with our purchases! Want to see what we got?

Me in the red


Amy in the tan. Isn't she beautiful?

Yes, we did pick the same coat! Let me tell you, we tried on pretty much every coat in the store. Choosing the same coat definitely didn't happen due to lack of choices. There were tons of great styles but we both really fell in love with the Women's Wool Blend Double-Breasted Coats. They fit great, fall below the hips (a definite plus in my book!), and have a smooth polyester lining that makes the coat comfortable and not at all itchy. The thick wool is bound to keep us both warm but the double breasted look combined with the length makes it a stylish choice as well.

Want to get in on a great opportunity like this? You can! Sign-up at Crowdtap now and start participating and before you know it you will be getting the chance to try out fun stuff like clothes from Old Navy! Just click on the picture below and you will be on your way:

Halloween Fun

2011-10-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

Our family won't really be celebrating Halloween on the day this year as my husband is working night shift and that is when we would normally go to our church's Harvest Festival. But that doesn't mean we haven't had plenty of Halloween fun already!

Last weekend we made our annual fall trek to Greenbluff for some fun on the farm. This year we picked Walter's Farm where we met up with my brother and his family for some pony rides, tractor rides through the orchard, and of course scouring through the pumpkin patches for just the right gourd.


Jordan riding Daisy

Daddies took the kids through the orchard

Isaiah found one just his size


Shouldn't the ones with all the energy be pulling the cart instead of riding in it?

Friday Nathan's school was having a Family Pumpkin Carving Contest. So my husband let his creative juices flow and they put together this really adorable Pumpkin Piggy Bank. Nathan proudly came home with a 3rd place ribbon in the Creative category! While he was at school Jordan worked on a tribute to his favorite food by carving his pumpkin into a hotdog:)

He's proud, can you tell?


3rd Place! He actually got a nice silk ribbon to keep as well:)


Mmmmm....Hot dog!

We rounded out the Halloween fun by heading to the town my brother and his family live in to attend Pumpkin Lane on Saturday. This is a two hour block of time where all the businesses hand out candy as families walk through town from place to place. We have been doing this for several years now and always have a blast. Next year we are thinking about all coming together with a theme for costumes. After all, we now have 9 people between our 2 families so that gives us a lot to work with! This year we had a hodge-podge of costumes. Nathan was in a homemade dinosaur costume, Jordan has been begging for months to wear the chicken costume Nathan wore 2 years ago, and Isaiah was in a monkey costume we have had for years. Easy peasy!

Dinosaur tail from Isaiah's birthday party, crocheted dinosaur hat and Daddy's make-up job:)

Yes, he's a chicken (but doubling as an Angry Bird!)

Our cute little cookie faced monkey


So indicative of their personalities - our happy dinosaur, angry chicken and confused monkey:)

All in all we have had a great October. Looking forward to the coming months and all of the holiday fun still to be had.

Magid Yellow Latex Glove Review

2011-10-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

Latex Gloves - not on many women's wish lists this Christmas but definitely one of those items on most our our NEED lists. I know that the one thing I despise cleaning the most is my boys bathroom and something as simple as the barrier of a glove can make all the difference in how long I put it off!

So when I was recently sent a box of these yellow gloves from Magid, I was actually kind of excited. These particular gloves are flock-lined for comfort and have an embossed exterior to provide a superior grip on any wet or dry surface. They are liquid proof which means you not only avoid contact with harsh chemicals, but you are also avoiding getting up close and personal with whatever germs are most likely present in the messes you are cleaning. Finally, they come off and on with ease which I find to be an added bonus when I am trying to quickly tackle a cleaning job and move onto the next thing on my to do list. I was given the medium size and was hesitant that they would fit (I am not exactly what you would call petite;) but they went on really nice without feeling too snug.

Wanting some gloves of your own now? Magid sells these by the dozen for only $10.63. That is perfect for having several pairs to leave around your house, out in the garage, in your trunk, or wherever else you might find yourself in need of some gloves. Don't have a need for that many? Throw them into little gift baskets with some of your favorite cleaning supplies to share with friends or neighbors. Like I said, this isn't something I would always think to buy for myself but I would be glad to get them and I bet your friends would be too!

I actually don't have a need for a dozen myself so after putting a pair under each of my sinks I still have 9 left over. If you would like a pair of these gloves to make your cleaning projects that much easier and more sanitary, be one of the first 9 people to leave a comment below this post saying you want one (make sure to include your name and email address) and I will get one sent out to you.

(SORRY, ALL GONE)

**I was sent these gloves by a company that works with Magid Glove & Safety in exchange for my review but any and all opinions are my own.**

Stars and Fairies

2011-10-19T09:28:00.000-07:00

What a week it has been for our Kindergartner!

Friday when we went to pick him up at school he was beaming as he told us that he had been made Star Student of the week. "They even called my name on the intercom mom!" - He was practically squealing as he was telling us this. What exactly does Star Student of the Week mean? Apparently he gets some really cool jobs like putting the weather up for the day and changing the dates on the calendar and leading the line whenever they leave the classroom. These were all very thrilling prospects to our 5 year old star! He also got to make a poster all about him to share with the class:

At the top left he drew his family - "Mom, you are really big because you are 30!" Thanks for the reminder Bub! Below that he was asked to share 3 wishes to which he replied, "I wish for 2 snakes, I wish for 3 dragons, and I wish for 5 lizards." At the very bottom left he was to share a picture of what he wanted to be when he grow up. We pasted on a lego police station because for the moment he wants to be a policeman when he grows up. On the right hand bottom side is things he doesn't like - bees, tomatoes, and rain. Right in the middle are all the things he does like - robots, candy, meatballs and Leapster games. Add in the typical height, weight, hair color stats and you know all about our star:)

As if that wasn't enough excitement for one week, Nathan also lost his first tooth last night. It has been loose for about two weeks now and two nights ago we noticed a new tooth was growing in behind it so we figured it would be coming out soon. Last night he came up complaining about it moving around a lot and hurting so Jeremy was able to reach right in and pull it right out. Want to know the first thing he said after that? "Can I shoot juice out of my hole now?" Boys!!

That means we had our first visit from the Tooth Fairy last night. She has it easy in this house because we have tooth jars so she didn't have to try to sneak under his pillow. Inflation has really done a number on the going rate of teeth...I remember getting a quarter for my teeth and Nathan got an entire dollar.

I think that we have probably had enough excitement for one week. Although we may have to come up with a little something special for Jordan since he is starting to feel a left out of all the fun. I am a little worried he is going to find a way to lose some teeth so he can get in on the action. It's so hard being the barely younger brother!

And the winner is...

2011-10-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I cannot begin to tell you all how excited I am to have gotten to host this $50 Visa Gift Card Giveaway. Again, I owe a big thank you to BluePay credit card processing company for the offer. I only wish I had enough for all of you. I appreciate all the participation, this was the biggest response to a giveaway on my blog so far!!! You all gave some very thoughtful responses. Hopefully we can keep these kinds of things going because I sure love passing on great stuff to all of you.

On to the announcement...out of 55 eligible entries, Random.org chose lucky commenter:

#8 - Sable

Congratulations Sable!! You should be receiving an email shortly with further directions on how to claim your prize. Happy Spending:)

Be the tree

2011-10-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. - Matthew 7:20

Oh how I long to be the tree God has called me to be...roots firmly planted with a solid foundation of rich soil. Branches full of luscious, ripe fruit so abundant that they should be weighed down but somehow they remain unbending. I want to be a tree that doesn't stand alone but instead is found right in the middle of an orchard, surrounded by other trees, some just beginning to sprout up out of the ground and others bigger and more fruitful than myself.

Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. - Matthew 12:33

I want my fruit to be so ripe and colorful that even when someone is viewing it from far away it is immediately recognizable to the eye. No bruises, no soft spots, no worms - just perfect fruit.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. - John 15:4

Of course not just ANY orchardist will do when it comes to caring for my tree...I want the original creator of all of nature Himself to be my caretaker. Pruning, watering, fertilizing, taking my fruit off in its moment of perfect ripeness to share with others in a timing only He can determine. I want the One who never leaves, knew me before I was created, has plans for me to prosper, loves me unconditionally.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. - Galatians 5:22

I want my tree to grow not just one kind of fruit but many kinds of fruits. No one fruit compromised by the presence of the other, but instead each variety of fruit would make the others look and taste even better than had they been simply grown on their own. The integrity of my tree would become stronger with each new piece of fruit it bore.

Oh to be the tree...

$50 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!!!

2011-10-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

To date I have had some fun things to share and giveaway, but I have yet had the opportunity to share money with you all. Well that all ends today!!

BluePay, a credit card processing company that offers an array of merchant services designed for unique businesses in competitive markets, is offering one of my readers a $50 Visa Gift Card. What great timing as we begin to go into this holiday season!

How to win:
- Check out BluePay's website (www.bluepay.com) Then come back and leave a brief comment on this post stating why you think it is important for small businesses to accept credit cards.
- You must leave a first name and email address I can contact you at within your comment, or your comment will not be counted in the drawing.
- One entry per person.

This giveaway will be open until Saturday October 15th at 9pm PST. Winner will be chosen at random using Random.org.

**I am being compensated with a $50 Visa Gift Card for holding this giveaway**

---THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED---

4 years ago today...

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Jordan,

Looking back on it now, it is no surprise to me that you entered the world the way you did - in your own time, in your own way, leaving all of us feeling helpless. Labor would have been over in a handful of hours but you were turned funny and got your head stuck. When you finally turned after hours, you dropped quickly and ended up with the cord around your neck. I clearly remember the OB telling me calmly that the cord was around your neck and that if you were breathing fine they would let daddy cut the cord and place you on my chest but if not they would have to make it quick and take you off to work on you. So when she quickly cut the chord and the nurses rushed you off to the corner I knew that everything wasn't as it should be. The world stood still in that moment. Everyone could see you but me and I felt so helpless in that bed as I waited to see your sweet face and hear the words that everything would be okay. Tears ran down my cheeks and I just prayed as I waited to hear that cry. After what felt like forever they finally gave you to me all wrapped up and doing just fine. You had an enormous bruise on your tiny head from being stuck for so many hours but other than that you were perfect as could be. It definitely wasn't the easy way to do things, but then again, easy isn't really your style!

My Mr. Independent, you always have to do things your way and on your own. And usually you take the most difficult route to get there. You feel things in a big way and react the same. Some of these qualities make it so difficult to parent you as a toddler and now preschooler. But I know that one day these very same qualities are going to make you one amazing adult. To balance that strong personality, you were blessed with a huge funny bone! You are definitely the entertainer in the family, always cracking a joke, doing a dance, making a silly face. The funniest things come out of your mouth and we are never short for laughs when you are around.

For the longest time you were the little brother in the family, always tagging along with Nathan. We used to joke that you had a "middle kid attitude" so it was only fitting when Isaiah came along and made you an actual middle child. At first you weren't to fond of our newest addition but over the past year I have seen you step into that big brother role and you fit in those shoes quite nicely. I am so excited for you because you really have the best of both worlds with a big brother to teach you stuff and a little brother to have look up to you. I know that Nathan and Isaiah feel lucky to have you as their brother.

Happy 4th Birthday my spirited son!! I can't wait to see what this year brings for you as you continue to grow and develop into the little person God has created you to be. We are blessed to have you in this family, you are one of a kind and make each day fun and unique. Hope this day makes you feel as special as we all think you are!

Love,
Mommy

:And the winner is...

2011-10-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

So glad you all got so excited about the Poo-pourri giveaway!!! I again want to say a big thank you to Bryann for sharing this product with us...this was part of something she won and because it is something she loves so much, she wanted to share with you all. Isn't that so sweet?

Okay, okay, let's get this thing rolling. Random.org, who is our lucky winner???

Out of 29 valid entries, Random.org picked #...........18 - Holly Hennessy Swint!!

~~CONGRATULATIONS Holly~~

You should be receiving an email shortly with details on how to claim your fabulous prize:)

Master List of Substitutions for Baking

2011-10-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

Honestly, this post is mostly for myself! A place for me to keep all the substitutions I commonly use during baking so I don't have to hunt around for them when I'm in a pinch. Of course by putting it here I hope that some of the rest of you can benefit as well:)

Baking Powder Substitute (as found here)
Mix 2 parts cream of tartar with 1 part baking soda

Buttermilk Substitute (as found here)
To make 1 cup of buttermilk:
-Place 1 Tbsp of white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup.
-Add enough milk to bring the mixture to the 1 cup line.
-Let stand for 5 minutes, then use as much as your recipe calls for.

Egg Substitute
Ideas based on it's role in the recipe here

Molasses Substitute (as found here)
Replace 1 cup of molasses with one of the following:
-1 cup dark corn syrup, honey, or maple syrup
-3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar *best choice if molasses flavor is vital*
-3/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup water

Self-Rising Flour Substitute (as found here)
One cup self-rising flour equals:
-1 cup all purpose flour
-1 1/4 tsp baking powder
-1/8 tsp salt

This list will continue to grow and change as I find different or new substitutions. I would love to hear about any of your favorite go-to swap outs as well!

~Poo-pourri Giveaway~

2011-10-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

One of my very generous followers recently won a gift pack from Poo-pourri and was kind enough to think of all of you and offer to share what she won. Isn't that sweet?

Let's start by getting the name out of the way - No, that is not a misspelling. You read correctly! Poo-pourri is a bathroom natural air freshener and room deodorizer unlike anything I've heard of before. The original concept to this deodorizer is that it is designed to be used BEFORE you go. Just a few squirts into the toilet bowl before doing your business and when you are finished, flush and it creates a barrier against unpleasant smells. How original!

My friend sent me this cute little package which includes Santa Poo, a Citrus and Holly Fresh blend of Lemongrass, Grapefruit, Evergreen and other natural essential oils that leave the bathroom smelling clean and fresh.

I am happy to pass this on to one of you and can't wait to hear what you think of it! I am going to make this one simple so all you have to do to enter to win is leave a comment on this blog post saying you want it (make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win). One entry per person. You have until October 3rd, 2011 at 9pm PST to enter. Good luck!!

*If you are wanting to learn more about these products you can check out the Poo-pourri website (http://poopourri.com) or their Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/poopourri.spray?sk=wall).
**A HUGE thanks to Bryann for thinking of me and my followers!! You are so sweet:)

---THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED---

Helping your child develop a servant's heart

2011-09-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

This is a typical scene in our house: I call my 3 darling boys into the kitchen for snack and they all but barrel each other over to get there first. Then a mess of hands are waving in my face in hopes that that might some how win them a granola bar before one of their brothers. Or how about this daily occurrence - We get home from wherever our day has taken us. The older two boys start running the minute their feet hit the grass. We then hear whoever gets to the door first (usually the oldest since he does move at a much more rapid pace then our much smaller middle child) yell triumphantly, "I was first, I was first! That means I win and you LOSE!!"

What is it about kids that makes them think first is best? That everything is a race and that whoever is first is the winner? I don't think this is just my kids. I hope not at least! While I realize that this is completely "normal", it certainly isn't a characteristic I want to foster. It can't be possible to grow into a kind, generous, giving person if you continue to think of yourself first and do whatever it takes to beat the other guys. So how to we help our kids go from this state of me, me, me to a place of serving others?

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

A servant's heart isn't something we are born with. Not initially. Maybe it's a survival thing - babies HAVE to be demanding to get their needs met so they can survive and thrive. Maybe it's an environmental thing - a kid's first handful of words often includes the ever popular mine as a way of asserting ownership and dominance over anyone else who might dare lay hands on their coveted blankie or stuffed animal. Before you know it the teenage years have hit and Lord knows teenagers can't see 6 inches outside of themselves. It's not their fault, what with all those hormones bouncing around it's really a wonder they can accomplish anything! For some it doesn't get much better in adulthood - I know several grown-ups who have a case of "see it, take it, and I make it mine" (any Elmo in Grouchland watchers out there??) that has carried over from childhood.

Turn my heart towards your statutes and not towards selfish gain. Psalm 119:36

Despite what seems to come naturally, we are called to serve others as a service to God. And that means as parents we are called to teach our kids how to serve as well. How do you do that exactly? I don't have all the answers but I will share what we are doing in our house.

"...But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

Leading by example
You have all heard the old adage, "Do as I do, not as I say!" All of us with kids know all to well that children are far more likely to follow our example than follow our words. That is why it is important that our first method of teaching our kids how to have servant's hearts is to have a heart for serving ourselves. My husband and I make an effort to not only serve when the opportunity arises, but also to create opportunities for our entire family to take part in serving. Even if that means they come along as we bring a meal to a family in need. This simple act creates a teachable moment where we can talk to them about giving what we have even when it doesn't seem like much and how God blesses others through our willingness to give.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

Giving opportunities to practice
I think it has been pretty well established that this servant's heart thing doesn't come naturally. That means that it is going to take a lot of intentional practice to help our kids get to a place where it begins to become natural. One way we have recently begun to give our children a way to practice serving is by setting the table. As they begin to take each cup and plate to the table we make sure to remind them to serve everyone at the table before serving themselves. The first few times this is all we said. After several times of doing this we made a point to talk about why we do that. We told our kids that when we are serving, we are putting others before ourselves. This has begun to lay the foundation for when the opportunity to serve someone else naturally presents itself. We can then say, "You know how when we serve dinner we serve everyone at the table before ourselves? This is just like that."

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Pray for them and with them
Let's not forget one of the most powerful tools that we as Christian parents possess - the power of prayer. By praying for our children daily, we are not only remembering to give their lives to God but we are also keeping them in the forefront of our minds. It's much easier to be intentional about something you are praying about. I like to pray that God not only gives my children a servant's heart, but that he gives me the tools to parent them in a way that helps develop that. Not only do we pray for our children but we pray with our children. Often. Yes, we do the typical pray at meal times and bedtimes, but we also make an effort to pray throughout the day and whenever a need arises. In the car on the way to school we pray with our Kindergartener, that his day would go well, that he would choose to be kind to the other students and listen to his teacher. This helps set his day up for success and also teaches him to give everything to God in prayer. So if you see your child struggling with serving others (and you know these struggles will arise because I still have them as a 30 year old!) stop and pray with them. Don't know what to say? It might look something like this,

"Lord, you know Johnny's heart.

You know that he wants to follow you

and that following you means

putting others before ourselves.

Johnny is having a hard time with that right now.

We ask that you help him to

make the choice to serve others

even when it feels really hard.

We know that you can do this and we know that Johnny

can do this with your help.

In Jesus name, Amen."

After modeling this several times you will find that with prompting your child will be able to pray this for themselves. And the hope that is eventually it will become a response that doesn't even involve you anymore.

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

I hope this gives you some ideas on how to help your child develop a servant's heart. As I said before, I am no expert. Just a mom doing the best I can and trying things out as I go. I would love to hear from you all on how you are making serving a priority in your kids (and your own!) lives. We all have something to gain from sharing our knowledge with each other.

Magid Lens Cleaning Towelettes Review

2011-09-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

I recently received a box of Lens Cleaning Towelettes from Magid Glove and Safety. As soon as I opened the box my husband got all excited, "We use those things at work! They work great on my safety goggles." I had to shake my head and laugh because I get lots of cool things in the mail and THIS was what he got excited about. Go figure!

I have to say after trying them out myself I could see why he liked them so much. As messy and dangerous as my job at home with 3 little boys is, I don't wear safety goggles (although now that I think about it, it may not be a bad idea!). But I do sit at a laptop for more hours than I like to admit and rarely is it something I take the time to clean. After swiping down my screen, base and keys with one of these towelettes, I was surprised to realize just how dirty my laptop had been. I now felt like a had a brand new computer!

If you are interested in picking up some of these bad boys for yourself let me give you a little info that might come in handy:
* They come in a dispenser that can be mounted on the wall or sit right on your desk.
* Each dispenser comes with 100 5"x8" individually foil wrapped moistened towelettes.
* These pre-moistened towelettes are permeated with an anti-fog, anti-formula perfect for cleaning glass, plastic or polycarbonate.
* You can purchase the above mentioned box through Magid Glove and Safety at $7.88 individually or at a discount of $6.85/each if bought in quantities of 10 or more

--I was given a box of these towelettes in exchange for my review, however, all opinions are my own.--

And the winner is...

2011-09-17T21:34:00.000-07:00

The winner of the My Memories Suite Scrapbooking Software giveaway has been drawn at random by Rafflecopter. Are we all anxious to see who it is?

Drum roll please.....Entry #4 - Timberlee

CONGRATULATIONS TIMBERLEE!! I have emailed you the details so you should be getting hooked up with your software shortly.

For those of you who are slightly disappointed you didn't win and have gotten really hooked on the idea of owning this software, you aren't totally out of luck. MyMemories has been kind enough to offer my readers a promo code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software AND a $10 coupon for the My Memories store. That's a $20 value!! Just enter the promo code STMMMS88141 at checkout and the discount will automatically be applied.

My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software and Giveaway

2011-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to share this with you all! When I was given the opportunity to try out and review this digital scrapbook software from MyMemories.com, I jumped at the chance. The truth is I love the idea of scrapbooking and have even gone as far as collecting the necessary materials and sitting down to start a book. But that is usually about as far as I get. The main reason I don't get around to it isn't the job itself but the work of pulling out all the materials and putting them away. In a perfect world I would have a craft room the size of Texas with a separate work station for each of my craft projects so that I could jump from area to area whenever I had a free moment. Unfortunately that room just doesn't exist in my house, so when you add the time for prep and clean up to the actual page creating, I can never seem to find a block of time that big.

This is where the brilliance of digital scrapbooking comes in. The Memory Suite Scrapbook Software allows me to work on my scrapbook in my time, whenever and wherever I am at. If I have 10 spare minutes between one obligation and the next I can open up my computer and get back to work where I last left off. And when I am ready to be done it is as simple as hitting the save button and I can move right on with my life. No more running to the craft store looking for the paper that is just the right color or the embellishments that will add that special something to my almost perfect page. With this software, all of those things are right at my fingertips!

Not only that but My Memories Suite allows me a wider range of options for sharing my creations. I can print at home, have my albums professionally printed or turned into a custom calendar, or even use a range of multimedia outputs to give my work a wider audience.

I have had so much fun playing with this software. Want to see a little something I made to honor my son's first day of Kindergarten? There are lots of designer templates to choose from but I decided to start from scratch and build my own. I think it's pretty darn cute!

Are you excited yet? You should be because MyMemories.com has been kind enough to give one of my followers the chance to win the My Memories Suite v2.0 software (an almost $40 value)! Entry is simple:
Mandatory Entry - Visit www.MyMemories.com and have a good look around. Come back and leave a comment on my blog telling me something you liked, be it a page, a theme, a layout or whatever else catches your eye. Once you've done that use the handy dandy Rafflecopter widget below to let me know you have followed directions:)
Bonus Entries - For those of you who like extra credit (or in this case extra chances to win) you can do any or all of these to get an extra entry. Make sure you let me know you have done this on the Rafflecopter widget below:
   *"Like" MyMemories on Facebook
     *"Like" Chrystal's Corner on Facebook



This giveaway is open until Sunday September 18 at 12:01am EST. Good luck!

***While I was given a free copy of this software from MyMemories.com in exchange for my review, all thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own***

Lunch Ideas - Jello

2011-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

I realize that there is absolutely nothing revolutionary about Jello. But the other day as I was browsing Easylunchboxes Facebook page (check it out - even if you don't own the lunch boxes you will love all the great ideas!) I saw an idea for making Jello right in the lunch container. How brilliant!

Now the recipe they shared was all homemade and organic. The one I did is all cheap out of a box. I am hoping to try it the other way sometime but for now I am using what I already have. Here's what I did:

Make up your Jello (following whatever recipe you have):

Add fruit to your container (this is optional). I sliced up some bananas:

Pour desired amount of Jello on top of the fruit:

Put the lid on and refrigerate. Easy as that!

I love the idea that it is all set in the container and ready to go. And I am confident my Kindergarten kid will love it too!

Out of the Mouths of Babes - September 11th

2011-09-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

This morning as we remember the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I thought I would share with my kids what today was about and what happened on that day. Granted, my oldest two are 5 and almost 4 so I kept the explanation very basic. After a few questions from my 5 year old he simply stated, "I'm going to pray about it."

Hands clasped, eyes closed, and head bowed Nathan (age 5) prayed:

"Dear God,

please help those bad guys not to be bad anymore.

Thank you for all the good guys that were there.

Help them not to be hurt anymore.

In Jesus Name,

Amen."

First Day of School

2011-09-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

The time has come - My first born started school today. All day Kindergarten to be exact. To be honest I am kind of glad it is all said and done. I have been anxious about this day and spent a lot of time thinking about it so it feels good to have jumped this hurdle. It has been such a mix of emotions as we celebrate this milestone as well as say goodbye to the stage in our life where all of our kids are home with us everyday. I know that this is just the beginning of these types of days as our kids continue to grow and take on new things and it makes me want to hit the pause button. It's all going too fast!

That being said I am completely confident in Nathan. He has been ready for this day for sometime and was nothing but excited. In fact, he was up and ready by 6:15 all on his own! He was very concerned about being late for his first day and kept asking when he could leave. He also told Jordan that he would make sure to find every red thing (Jordan's favorite color is red) in his class so he could tell him all about it when he got back. So cute:)

Last night we got everything ready, including lunch. Sunday night I made ahead his sandwiches for the week and froze them so that made things even easier. I did a special dinosaur shaped sandwich to match the lunch box note I made him. Hope it brightens his day!

We of course had to do the obligatory first day of school pictures before heading out. Jordan just had to be in one with him! And I got the idea for the K sign here (they have free printable card which is way easy and cute!).

When we arrived at the school we prayed with Nathan about his day and then I let Jeremy take him to play on the playground while he waited to line up outside of his classroom. Poor Jordan burst into tears as soon as Nathan got ready to get out of the car. It was so hard to wait and watch from afar but I'm glad I stayed in the car because I probably would have embarrassed him! Jeremy said he did great and lined right up when the bell rang. I'm so proud of my little man. Counting down the hours until I get to hear all about his day:)

Lunch box note - Dinosaur/Crocodile

2011-09-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I saw a Hallmark product called Lunchbox Notes. I didn't really look at the cards themselves but the package they came in was part of a decorated brown paper bag. This give me a great idea for creating a cute note out of the bag itself. My sons are really into dinosaurs and crocodiles so I thought a note that looked like one of those would be a hit.

Here's what I did:

First I cut down the bag so just the flap and the back section of the bag were left. I then cut the length of the bag so that about 2 inches were left below the flap:

I then cut a head that was slightly longer then the flap so that it hung over on each side. I used a glue stick to attach it (make sure not to glue the flap shut!):

Time to give this guy a face. First I did the teeth which I glued underneath the face so they would be hanging out of his mouth:

The eyes and nostrils were easy, I just used "circle"ish shapes from black and white:

This guy is really starting to come together! Now for the inside of the bag. I added a green strip that would cover up the brown bag showing when the card was closed. The remainder of the brown bag became the mouth which I made all black:

Last it was time for a tongue. I measured a strip of red that would fit inside the mouth with a flap at the end to glue it on. I wanted the tongue to stick up when he opened it so I only glued the flap. Finally, I wrote a note right on the tongue:

And there you have it!! A cute and easy lunch box card sure to make any boy (or dinosaur loving girl!) excited to eat lunch at school. I am looking forward to my son's reaction when he sees this on his first day of Kindergarten this week:)

I am thinking about doing this once a week and sharing what I make so I would love to hear feedback on whether or not this would be of interest to you as an ongoing post. I would also love to hear theme ideas or specific materials you want to see used. Thanks!

Turning 5 in Robot Style

2011-09-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Our oldest son turned 5 on Monday. To celebrate we did the usual small party consisting of close family. Long before the planned date arrived Nathan was already making big plans...all centered around robots. So robots it was!

I have mentioned before that my parents are missionaries in Mexico. If you know anything about Mexican birthday parties you know they aren't a proper party without a pinata, so my parents had some good friends of theirs make him a robot pinata. Wow, was this thing amazing! And S.T.U.R.D.Y. I am talking dozens of whacks with a bat sturdy. I am talking our middle son is still wearing bits of the pinata as a costume sturdy. Unfortunately this will not be a yearly occurrence because despite the fact my mom was smart and just sent money so that I could fill it, the thing still cost an arm and a leg to ship. Oh well, it was definitely memorable!

We decided to have the party at my brother's house since all of our family who attended lives within minutes of his house. That and we love to do an outdoor party seeing as his birthday falls at the end of August and our own lawn has ~~been completely neglected~~ seen better days. Not only was my brother kind enough to offer up his pad for the party but my sister-in-law agreed to make the watermelon robot I had found here. She even went a step further and added a cantaloupe friend. Aren't they awesome looking?

And then there was the cake. Oh, the cake. Let me tell you that up until the day of the party I thought I had gotten off easy. Everything had gone smoothly up to that point and I would even venture to say that I was not the least bit stressed. As far as my kids parties go, I really made this one easy for myself and was feeling good about everything. I should have known I wouldn't get off that easy!

To ensure that I wasn't running around like a chicken with my head cut off the day of the party, I had baked the cake the night before. I did a double batch of rice crispy treats to use as the base of the robot and used my 8-cup glass Pyrex measuring cup to bake the head. I left it cooling on a rack on the counter and was going to wait to frost and decorate it until we arrived at the party location so there would be no travel mishaps. I woke up bright and early the next morning to find my two oldest up and watching cartoons, the typical start to my day. I walked into the kitchen to get breakfast going to find that one side of my cake was mangled and a trail of crumbs was all over the kitchen floor.

My brain literally could not process this information. I couldn't begin to fathom what had happened. Did the cats jump up on the counter and do this? Would I find them in a chocolate coma somewhere? No, as I was thinking this they were both doing their usual morning thing. So I ask the kids who did it. "Not me, not me!" I heard over and over. Wanting to believe my sweet little angels I again examined the cake, the crumbs, even eye-balled the cats once more. I then began listening to my kids and could tell that Nathan had not done it so I excused him from the crime scene. And I don't know how this brilliant idea came to me, probably all these years of crime television paying off, but I decided to look inside Jordan's mouth. And what do you know...chocolate cake in his molars. He instantly started crying and apologizing. Turns out he got up before anyone else, saw the cake and decided to have an early breakfast. Can I tell you something? I wasn't even mad. The whole thing was so crazy and unbelievable I couldn't even be mad about it. Of course Jordan knows better then to touch anything on the counter without permission and we wanted him to realize that he had not only put a damper on his brother's birthday but created more work for mommy so his punishment was no cake at the party. After all, he did already have his fair share of cake for the day!

Having solved the mystery (oh no, now the theme song to Busytown is stuck in my head!), it was time to solve the cake problem. I tried making a second one but it stuck to the bottom of the Pyrex and was almost worse then the original. So I took both mess-ups with me and decided we would work it out at the party site. Luckily I had my clever sister-in-law to team up with because as we began putting it together and frosting it one side completely crumbled and instead of being stumped she instantly came up with a plan. All in all, I think it turned out okay. Nathan liked it so I guess that is all that really matters. And if nothing else we have a story to tell for all of time!

Rest

2011-09-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

It has been way too long since I linked up with The Gypsy Mama for 5 Minute Fridays and after a timely prompt from a friend I have decided this is the perfect week to get back to that. For those of you who forgot or are new to this, this is the time where we take five minutes to just write. No interruptions, to edits, just write.

This week's topic: Rest. Ready? Go!

Can I tell you honestly that when I hear the word rest I just want to laugh. Maybe laugh isn't the right word...snort, roll my eyes, chuckle all at once might be a more appropriate description. As a mom of 3 boys ages 5 and under I really have to wonder if I remember what true rest is. Between staying up too late to hold onto every second of my "alone" time to being woken up by someone with a need in the middle of the night on more occasions then not to being woken up at some ridiculous hour in the morning, if I had to take a guess I would say I average about 5 hours of sleep a night. Not all of that is because of my kids but I do attribute my overall tired state to them.

As you can see I instantly connect the word rest with sleep. That isn't the only kind of rest I am missing. There is a rest that comes when you are at peace. When your soul is at rest if you will. I have to be honest and say that it has been awhile since I have had a truly rested soul. Not because I don't know how to get it and not because it isn't readily available for the taking, but because I choose the other path. I choose to worry, to overload my plate, to focus on the tasks instead of the outcomes. To make it about me when it really isn't.

And then Matthew 11:28 resonates in my mind - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Yes Lord, I hear you. Yes Lord, I want that kind of rest. Help me stop and refocus on you so that everything else falls into place.

And DONE.

Want to join us? Head over to The Gypsy Mama and link up:

5 years ago today...

2011-08-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

Nathan,

I still remember waking up super early that morning to meet my OB at the hospital to be induced. I was full of anticipation and nerves as the fears of what labor would hold loomed over my head. But mostly I was excited to see your little face and hold you in my arms for the first time. 14 hours later I laid eyes on you and was hooked. They placed you on my chest and you just stared into my eyes and gripped my thumb with your little fingers. I didn't know much but I knew you were mine and that I was head over heels in love. Over the next few hours fear creeped back in when I realized I was taking you home and you were all mine to care for. How scary! It wasn't all easy and I had a lot to learn as a new mom but with a lot of help from daddy and those who loved us we made it.

I love you for all the things that make you who you are. I don't know if it is the first born child in you or the pieces of your personality that come from me but you are Mr. Routine. You love a schedule and you love to know what's coming next. Surprises kind of drive you nuts. But where you are orderly in the everyday stuff you are fearless in everything else. You love the water and I can already tell you are going to be my roller coaster buddy. You are smart. Like crazy smart. And I would love to take credit for that but you are a naturally inquisitive little boy and so much of what you know you learned out of curiosity and asking lots of questions. You are super stoked for school and I know you will do amazingly well. Already writing and reading and counting past 100 but I know you will have so much more to learn. You are an awesome big brother and Jordan and Isaiah are so lucky to have you.

I hope on this day and every other day that you feel loved and special because you are. Dream big my son because I know that whatever you set your mind to you will do. Happy 5th Birthday Nathan!

Love,
Mommy

Is it worth it?

2011-08-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been hearing a lot of comments about couponing and other means of frugal shopping being a waste of time or that people just don't think they have the time to do it. It made me wonder how much time I really spend on couponing, ad matching, and meal planning and if it is worth it when I compare it to the money I save. I figured the only way to know would be to keep track so that is just what I have done for the past two weeks.

LOG:
Monday 8/8:
*20 minutes cutting 4 MDA coupon booklets from Safeway
*10 minutes planning a Walgreens run (matching sales ads to coupons)
*10 minutes cutting 2 Smart Source inserts
Tuesday 8/9:
*Walgreens: Spent $3.76, Saved $13.55, got back $4 in Register Rewards
Wednesday 8/10:
*16 minutes cutting 2 Red Plum inserts and 1 Smart Source insert
*10 minutes planning Walgreens run
*25 minutes planning Albertsons run
*13 minutes planning Safeway run
*15 minutes meal planning for 7 days
*5 minutes adding store coupons to my card through Just4U
Thursday 8/11:
*Walgreens: Spent $10.11, Saved $25.24

*Safeway: Spent $166.70, Saved $92.21

*Albertsons: Spent $38.87, Saved $41.12, Got back $10 towards next trip
Sunday 8/14:
*10 minutes cutting coupons from the Smart Source and Red Plum inserts
*20 minutes planning Safeway and Albertsons run
Monday 8/15:
*Safeway: Spent $12.12, Saved $12.02
*Albertsons: Spent $1.02, Saved $17.52
Wednesday 8/17:
*15 minutes planning a Safeway and Albertsons run
*Safeway: Spent $14.30, Saved $19.00

*Albertsons: Spent $7.73, Saved $9.72

TOTAL
-169 minutes or 2.82 hours spent cutting and putting away coupons, ad matching and meal planning
-$231.08 saved
**That comes out to $81.94/hour when you compare hours spent to money saved**

As you can see I don't sit down for 3 hours at a time cutting coupons and planning shopping trips. It is broken up over several days usually for 10 or 20 minutes at a time while my youngest is napping or the kids are in bed. I would think a majority of people would be able to commit to 10 minutes a day. Especially if that 10 minutes is worth something like $13.66...that's more than you make in an hour at a minimum wage job!

For those of you thinking, how do I do that or how do I even get started let me share what I do. The very first thing you need to do is start collecting coupons. I recommend getting a subscription to your local newspaper. It usually comes out cheaper then buying a paper each week and it is delivered right to your door. I like to get the Wednesday paper for all of the grocery store ads and the Sunday paper for the coupon inserts and other store ads. There are also lots of places on the internet to get coupons, whether it be from company's themselves or from sites that allow you to download coupons right onto your store card. I recommend following a coupon blog that will give you constant updates on printable coupons and other great deals (I follow several on my Facebook page so they are all in one place).

Now that you have these coupons you need to find a way to organize them so you can maximize their use. There are dozens of ways people organize their coupons. If you are just starting out a simple accordion wallet size holder will do just fine. As time goes on you may find yourself upgrading to a binder or a shoe box or some other system that works for you. Play with it, there is no right way to keep your coupons. I organize mine by categories like canned goods, dairy, toiletries (this can get big so you probably want to break that down even further) and so on. As I sit down and cut out coupons each week I immediately tuck them all away in the proper place which saves me time in the long run. It is going to take you at least a month to get a stock of coupons going that will make a dent in your savings so don't get discouraged the first week when there isn't much you can use. The key is to store them up and use them when a good sale hits.

This brings me to ad matching. When I say that I just mean that I sit down and scan ads for sales and match them with coupons I already have. My 3 main shopping stores are Walgreens, Albertsons and Safeway. Mostly because that is what is closest to me. What I am looking for first are items that I can stock up on for cheap or free and items that I need for snacks and meals. The best way to stretch my coupon is to pair it with a sale. So if I see that canned veggies are marked down to $.59 a can and I have a $1/4 coupon for the same veggies I take advantage of that deal and end up paying $1.36 for 4 cans. I also look for deals that will give me money for my next shopping through Catalinas (the coupons that print out at the check stand).

I then take the list of groceries I have compiled so far and start to plan meals based on those items and what I already have on hand. I usually plan a weeks worth of meals at a time and write them on a menu planner like this:

If you want to see how I made this, click on the picture

I then add to my list any additional items needed to complete my meals or any staples like cat food, milk, diapers, etc that weren't already on the list.

We also try to stretch our dollar when it comes to produce and meat. In the summer months we are hitting the Farmer's Market to get locally grown in season produce at a great price. This not only saves us money on the produce itself but we count it as part of our weekly entertainment and family time. There are always fun people to meet, interesting stuff to look at and new things to try and our kids have a blast. In the other months we use Bountiful Baskets for our fresh low-priced produce.We don't typically buy our meat at the grocery store because we go in a cow with my in-laws and buy our chicken 40lbs at a time through Zaycon Foods. I occasionally buy ground turkey when it is buy 1 get 1 or on sale and we do buy most of our pork products at the grocery store, again usually when there are sales and coupons to match.

There you have it. That is the gist of how I use couponing, ad matching, and meal planning to stretch our dollar. Yes it does take some time and thought to execute it all. And some weeks are more fruitful then others. But for our family it is totally worth it. I am blessed to have the ability to stay home with my kids and tend to our home and so I take that job seriously. Part of my job is stretching the money my husband makes as much as possible and I have found the best way to do that is through saving on groceries. I would love to answer any further questions you have and have you weigh in on whether or not it is worth it in your house so feel free to leave comments with your questions or opinions.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

2011-08-23T15:36:00.000-07:00

Did you catch the Shrek reference in the title? Maybe it's the former cheerleader in me or simply a reflection of the fact that I am a mom of young kids and there is a constant loop of ~~annoying~~ catchy songs playing in my head at any given moment. Either way 9 times out of 10 when I hear a certain word or phrase I can be caught busting into song or cheer. Annoying...yes. Ever gonna change...probably not! I digress.

I have often said that you can tell a lot about what is going on in my life at any given time based on my blog. That's kind of what I love about it...I can look back and see a reflection of what was going on at different moments. Like a virtual scrapbook!

I can tell you that in the next few weeks and months you will once again see my posts reflect the upcoming changes in our lives. Over the next 5 weeks we have 3 birthdays in our house so you can expect to see party posts and projects revolved around robots and bugs (the chosen themes of my soon to be 5 and 4 year old). Since one of the birthdays is my second 29th you may see some freak-outs/attempts to make peace with the fact that I am soon going to be officially "old", in my mind at least.

As if all of that wasn't enough to keep us busy my oldest is also starting full-day kindergarten the day after my birthday. That brings on a whole new set of things for me to fret over and become nostalgic about. I promise to keep most of those thoughts to myself but some of are bound to seep out here and there. In the midst of all of that there will also be some getting ready for school posts that hopefully some of you will find useful. As a first-time mom of a school aged kid I am sure these posts will change over the years especially as more of my kids enter that phase. Again, it will one day be fun for me to peek back and see how it all looked at this moment in time.

I have never had a consistent theme here other than life as it looks to me and I don't anticipate that changing. I feel like the day I stop doing this for myself it will totally lose all meaning and consequently it won't be enjoyable anymore. While I liken my blog to a virtual scrapbook at times it is also my therapy. I process best by getting things out so this gives me a place to do that. Creatively, emotionally, spiritually. That being said I hope that in the midst of all of it you are able to find posts that you can relate to or learn from or that can cause you to reflect. I know that I have learned so much from all of you in this process.

So hold on for the ride. It is bound to be a mix of fun, family, feelings and a slew of other f words (this site is G-rated so not THAT f word;). Hope you are all up for joining me!

UPrinting.com GIVEAWAY

2011-08-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

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Organizer made from Formula Cans

2011-08-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yup, I have finally used up all those formula cans! Remember this post on making a centerpiece from a formula can? Well, a friend of mine remembered it too and when she saw a picture of an organizer made from these very same "leftovers" on Pinterest, she was kind enough to send it my way. I finally found a project that would let me use up a bunch at once! This is great because we are done with formula in our house so I can check that off my list of ~~useless clutter~~ future projects in the making.

Now at the same time as one friend was showing me this fun idea, another friend was in need of organizing her school room at home (she has 5 kids and home schools...talk about an excuse to be slightly unorganized!). She instantly came to mind when I began to think about bringing this project to life.

Here is the basic idea:

I wiped down my cans first. If you are using something that is actually metal you can wash it but these formula cans are cardboard so I just wiped them out.

I peeled the labels next. This step is probably unnecessary so take it or leave it:)

You'll see I had 5 formula cans and one Nesquik which was a little taller. You really can use any size!

Next I Mod Podged the paper onto the cans. On 3 of them I used wrapping paper and the other 3 I used construction paper. The wrapping paper is much more likely to crinkle or tear so I recommend sticking with sturdier papers.

All wrapped

I then used hot glue to attach all of the cans in a pyramid shape with the tallest can in the center of the bottom row.

Look at all that storage space! Perfect for school supplies, craft supplies, or any other thing you can think up:)

Now the version I made is pretty plain. I just used paper to cover the cans but there are endless decorating possibilities. I figure since my friend is artistic in all kinds of ways that I am not, she can jazz it up to her liking when it is finally in her possession. I also stuck with a basic pyramid design but there are all different ways to do this. I have even thought about adding smaller cans (think soup cans maybe) to attach in an upright manner so that you could hold things that way as well. Or painting paper towel rolls to match and gluing those on the outside for open ended storage options.The possibilities are pretty limitless so I hope you take this idea and run with it. And of course, come back and share if you do!

Pretty Pasta

2011-08-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

This last weekend our internet was out for 48 hours which ended up being a total blessing. I am well aware that too much of my "down time" is spent on the internet but having absolutely no access to it reminded me just how much time it can steal in my day. The blessing in it all was that I took full advantage of my time and did things like prep food for the upcoming week, tackle some projects I had been meaning to get around to, as well as creating some fun crafts with my kids.

I had recently snagged a free subscription to FamilyFun magazine which is put out by Disney. If you have the opportunity to get this, you should! I wasn't sure what to expect but when my first issue came I was instantly hooked. There are lots of great craft ideas for kids that are easy, inexpensive and totally fun.

One of the craft projects we did this last weekend was from the August issue and it was called Pretty Pasta. It involved dyeing pasta and then using it to make colorful necklaces. My oldest son helped my dye the noodles while my middle son napped and when he woke they were dry and ready to be strung on necklaces. It was lots of fun and they are already asking if we can do it again and create new colors. I think next time we are going to glue the pasta together to make animal sculptures.

Here is what you need:
dried pasta (I used rigatoni, it would be fun to use different shapes and sizes)
vinegar
food coloring

That's it! For each color you want to create use a Ziploc bag to mix 2 tsps vinegar with 10-12 drops of food coloring. Then add 1/2 cup of pasta and shake to cover. Let these sit for 5 minutes, shaking occasionally.

We tried green, blue, and red

Adding the pasta

All shook up

This is what it looks like during the 5 minutes. Don't worry, it gets brighter when it drys.

Next you want to remove the pasta from the bags and let them dry on paper towels. After 15 minutes, turn the pieces over and leave them until completely dry.

Once they are dry you are ready to string them. Take your first piece of pasta and tie it onto one end of the string and then let your little one string the rest on in any order they please. This is such great work for little hands and older kids will have fun playing with different shapes and colors to make patterns.

See how bright the colors got once they dried?

The finished product - don't mind the outfit, we had a pajama day (but the shirt does match the necklace!)

I am excited because my September issue of the magazine arrived today so I am sure there will be more kids crafts in our near future. What kinds of crafty projects have you been doing with your kids lately?

How Now Brown Cow...

2011-08-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

In other words, Happy National Root Beer Float day!!

Okay, while not an official holiday I can completely get behind a day devoted to root beer floats. Here are some interesting facts about root beer floats (thanks to Mahalo.com):

-The root beer and ice cream concoction was originally dubbed The Brown Cow

-The Brown Cow was first put together at the Cripple Creek Brewing in Cripple Creek, Colorado back in 1893 by a man named Frank J. Wisner

-The inspiration for the root beer float was said to come from the snow caps on top of Cow Mountain

-Today floats have evolved to include every flavor of carbonated beverage along with various add-ins

Let me just say, the kids are so excited that we have an actual reason to make root beer floats at home! All day long they were talking about "Root beer Float Day!" Don't they look so excited?:

We chose to partake in this holiday with a traditional root beer and vanilla ice cream combination. How do you like your floats? If you are looking for some inspiration for a unique creation, Tillamook's Test Kitchen tried out a handful of recipes here:
http://www.tillamook.com/community/2011/08/05/tillamook-test-kitchen-the-best-root-beer-float-recipe/

Amazon Subscribe and Save AND Earning Amazon Cards

2011-08-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying that this post is not sponsored by Amazon and I am receiving nothing in exchange for writing it. I actually use and love Amazon Subscribe and Save and want to share with those I love!

I posted a picture earlier today on my blog's Facebook page, of my most recent Amazon Subscribe and Save purchase. Actually, it was two separate purchases but they came the same week and are both great deals so I am lumping them together. Here I have 280 Huggies diapers and 12 11oz CoffeeMate creamers all for only $30.40.

How did I do that you ask? I would love to share with you! First, read up here to learn about Amazon Subscribe and Save. When you find items that offer the Subscribe and Save option you automatically get a discount. The great part about that is if you find a product you love you can have it delivered to your house at regular intervals. Or, if you are just wanting it that one time at the discounted price, you can easily cancel your subscription as soon as the first shipment arrives. Now to really score a deal you want to also pair that up with items that are either exceptionally marked down (which was the case for the diapers I bought) or that have additional savings through a promo code (which is the case for the creamer). When you can stack the Subscribe and Save discount with an additional 5-40% off through a promo code you can score some cheap stuff. I have gotten everything from cereal and coffee to diapers and wipes. A bonus to the subscribe and save feature is that you automatically get free shipping as well. Score!

Now all of this information alone will save you some money. But had I just used the Subscribe and Save with the promo code I would have paid $60.40 for the stuff pictured above...still a great deal of course. But I maximized my savings by using $30 worth of Amazon gift cards that I earned through various online sites. Let me emphasize that I do not pay for my Amazon cards, I earn them. How do I do that?

The most consistent way that I earn amazon cards is through Swagbucks which started as a search engine and has morphed into something more. When you use Swagbucks to do your searching you randomly earn "bucks" that you save up to cash in for things. I always use mine for Amazon gift cards because you can buy almost anything on Amazon. Besides searching to earn bucks you can also take polls, surveys, play games, print coupons and do a number of other things to earn. It really is easy and you CAN earn just by doing your regular searching.

I also recently joined Crowdtap which is a fun site that allows you to perform "quick hits" that are mostly multiple choice polls to earn points. As you earn points you earn different ranks and when you reach a certain rank you are eligible to take part in discussions that can earn you cash. In the first two weeks of joining I had already earned $20 just for talking about Old Navy clothes and the 4th of July. I got to cash that out in the form of an Amazon card (and a percentage of everything I earn on that site goes to a charity of my choice, which is a bonus). You also are given different opportunities through companies like Old Navy to receive free product for yourself and your friends. I have been very pleased with the payout on this site and everything I have participated in has been fun as well.

The one survey only sight I take part of at the moment is Synovate Global Opinion Panels. It took me only a handful of surveys to earn my first $5 and you have the choice of whether or not to have your money sent in a check or to be used at any number of participating vendors. I usually choose Amazon cards because I can stack them with all the other ones I earn.

Finally, I have been a member of SheSpeaks for sometime. It is a great place to share your opinion and learn about new products and ideas that effect women. In the past I have received some great items to review as well as tons of freebies and coupons. Most recently I was asked to share a video about a woman leader who inspired me and it earned me a $10 Amazon card. Want to see the video I entered? Kind of embarrassing but here you go.

Wow...I realize that was a LOT of information. Let me know if you want specific information on anything I covered, I would be happy to share what I know. I have talked before about the reason I work hard on couponing and bargain shopping and that is because I love to make my husband's hard earned money stretch as far as possible. By earning Amazon cards through very little effort on my part, I feel like I have found one more way to contribute. It is actually a thrill when I make scores like the one above! And my husband always gets excited with me which makes it even more worthwhile.

Bold or Timid

2011-07-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7)

Are you timid in your faith? I think that if most Christians were honest with themselves they would have to answer yes. I know that if I really examine myself I would have to answer yes. My idea of being bold in my faith extends about as far as praying over our food in a restaurant in front of other people. Sad, but true.

Yesterday my dad, who is a missionary in Mexico along with my mom, posted a video from a Youth Evangelism Outreach that he was recently a part of. The video shows him on a bus in Mexico preaching the word of God to the passengers. Talk about bold!

Could you ever imagine yourself doing something like that? I watch this video and while I am filled with awe and pride, it makes me terrified to think of myself in my dad's shoes. Why is that? Psalm 118:6 reminds me that "The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" I know this in my heart yet I don't live like I do. Why? Because I allow lies to creep in and replace those truths. Lies that tell me that being embarrassed and losing respect or losing friends is the worst thing that could happen to me. But if I am living for God, serving his purpose of reaching lost souls, I should be willing to do that at any cost. Look at the price Jesus paid so that we wouldn't be lost. He was stripped down, beaten, jeered, hung to die on a cross and yet he continued to preach the word of God so that each one of us could be saved. I long to have a boldness like my dad, a boldness like Jesus. I want my heart to ache for the those who don't know Him in a way that makes me shout it from the rooftops. I want to one day kneel before the thrown of my Father and have him say, "You did good my child. You were bold in my name."

Are you bold or are you timid? What will the Father say to you when you meet him in heaven one day?

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”(Deuteronomy 31:6)

---If you want more information on my parent's ministry and non-profit organization Carry The Fire, you can check out their website: http://www.carrythefireministry.com/

Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2011-07-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

When I bought 3 heads of lettuce at the store last week because they were on sale for $.48 each, I knew that I would have to come up with something other then salad to put it all to use. Then it hit me....lettuce wraps! I had never made them before so I checked out a few recipes just to get an idea of what could/should go in them and then ran with what I already had on hand. Let me tell you that I am mighty proud of how these turned out. They are really simple, super cheap, and absolutely delicious. And I was able to stretch one chicken breast to feed our entire family! Not to say that we have a shortage of chicken around here...remember our 40 lbs from Zaycon Chicken? But even when we have plenty I like to stretch what we have as far as possible. This will definitely be a recipe that shows up on our dinner table again.

Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Start with the rice. I used 1 cup dry whole grain brown rice which takes longer to cook (about 45 minutes) but is full of fiber and cheap to buy in bulk. Once that was finished cooking I added about 1/4 cup of sweet Teriyaki sauce and let sit.

Then I cut up the chicken (I only used one breast, two would be good if you were wanting more) into small cubes, sprinkled it with seasoning salt, and cooked over medium high heat in a little bit of olive oil until cooked through and starting brown.

Now for the veggies. I used green onion, shredded carrots, and minced garlic because that is what I had on hand. You can of course use any variation of veggies based on what you prefer or have available. Once the chicken was fully cooked I lowered the heat (med low) and added the veggies for just a minute or two. At this point it was smelling AMAZING!

The last thing I added was roasted red pepper flakes. Because of the kids, I only put in 1/8-1/4 tsp which still gave it a slight kick but nothing they couldn't handle. I think this really made the flavor for me. I enjoy sweet with some spice! Once you have stirred in the flakes and let them cook for a minute, stir in the rice and keep over the heat until the entire mixture is heated through. At this point I just layered a few leaves of lettuce to make a cup and then dished up the rice and chicken mixture.

Doesn't get much easier than that!

Meal planning the frugal way

2011-07-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

As I was making dinner last night I was talking to my husband about how much my meal planning has changed over the years and especially in the past few months. We love to try new things so I have several food magazine subscriptions and close to 2 dozen cookbooks. If I had to guess I would say on average I used to make 3 or 4 new meals a week. If I saw something that sounded good it went on the list whether it had 5 ingredients or 20 and most of the time I didn't take into consideration what we already had in the kitchen or what ingredients could be rolled over and used in subsequent meals. Because of that, our grocery budget was quite high even when it was just the two of us.

As we have continued to grow our family and go from two incomes to one I had to really rethink the way I planned meals. I used to plan all the meals, write out the grocery list and then quickly glance through the inserts to see if there was a coupon for anything that I was already buying. Boy has that changed! Now I sit down every week and cut out a majority of the coupons I come across (with exceptions for things I absolutely have no need for and don't see myself buying to donate). I also search out coupons online for brands I love and buy often. Then I browse through my grocery store ads to see what is on sale for this particular week. I narrow this down even further by seeing what coupons I have that pair up with what is already on sale. Then I start making my list. As I do this I start brainstorming meal ideas based on what I can buy cheap and what I already have stockpiled from weeks before. My menu is the final part of this whole process. I usually write out a week's worth of meals on my Wipe Off Weekly Menu Board and then the subsequent week we eat off what is in our freezer and cupboards (hence the beauty of building a stockpile - I don't need 10 boxes of spaghetti now but they will come in handy in the weeks to come:).

Let me break down last night's meal which is a perfect example of what I am talking about. This weekend I had bought a 44 pack of Gordon's fish sticks for $4.99, a 10-pack of Mission tortillas for $.99, and iceberg lettuce for $.49/head. This inspired fish soft tacos. Two nights ago I had used 3/4 of a head of lettuce for a salad so I shredded the rest (this is part of rolling over one food item into multiple meals throughout the week) to put on the tortillas. I then cooked half the bag of fish sticks which left half a bag for another meal, and placed 3 of the cooked fish sticks in each taco with the lettuce. Finally I made a simple lime sauce to top it all off using 1/2 cup of mayo (this is always on hand), 1/4 cup of sour cream (I bought 1lb for $1.69 and will use the rest for enchiladas that I am making out of another pack of the Mission Tortillas), 1 Tbsp of lime juice (I always have the bottle kind in my fridge) and garlic salt, pepper and dried dill to taste. And there you have it, simple and cheap fish soft tacos that were actually quite delicious. I paired this with homemade oven fries (4 potatoes sliced and tossed in a little olive oil and then seasoned with black pepper and salt, cooked on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper for 35 minutes at 425 degrees) and some green beans that I got on sale for $.69 a can. A meal doesn't get much cheaper then that!

It takes some time to get used to cooking based on what you can get at a good price versus whatever tickles your fancy on that particular day but it in no way means you have to sacrifice what you like or even what is healthy for you. We work in the things we have cravings for and we use the money we save shopping this way to bulk up on fresh fruits and veggies from the Farmer's Market or through Bountiful Baskets. I am proud to say that on average I save 50% on my grocery list (sometimes as much as 80%!) and that makes me feel good because I know that I am helping make my husband's job easier. He works hard for the money he brings in and the further I can stretch it the less he has to stress about making ends meet.

I would love for you to share the things you do to keep costs low while still feeding your family nutritious and delicious meals. What are your top tips for frugal meal planning?

An unpleasant first

2011-07-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

I think I could write for weeks about our trip to Arizona. It is amazing how many things can happen in 5 days when you are out of your regular routine and away from home!

One of the events that occurred while staying at my mom's house is going in Isaiah's baby book although it is not a first we are celebrating over. While trying to watch his brothers take a bath, he slipped in the bathroom and either hit his face on the tub or the tile. After wiping away all the blood it was immediately obvious to me that he had chipped both of his front two teeth, poor baby. He was quite the trooper though. He was done crying by the time the blood was cleaned up and hasn't acted bothered by it since. In fact, I think big brother had a harder time of it. Nathan witnessed the whole thing and kept saying how horrible he felt that that had happened to Isaiah. Amazingly enough, even with three rambunctious boys in the house, Isaiah was the first to chip any teeth.

Jeremy took him to the dentist yesterday just to make sure everything was okay. It turns out it was a blessing that the teeth chipped because if they hadn't, the dentist says it is likely the nerves would have taken the brunt of the force. They didn't even bother filing the chips, they just instructed us to use an emery board if it seemed to be catching on his tongue.

We also found out that his molars are about to come in. I have been so fixated on his front teeth I didn't even realize his gums where as swollen as could be in the back. Explains why he hasn't been sleeping well! The adventures of toddlerhood have begun it looks like. At least he takes most of it in stride.

Out of the Mouths of Babes - God made me...

2011-07-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

As we were sitting around the lunch table Jordan (3 1/2) was being his usual goofy self so I said to him, "Jordan, you sure are strange!"

He responded with the ever famous little kid question, "Why?"

"I suppose that's how God made you," I told him.

Jordan thought for a minute before exclaiming excitedly, "And Jesus made me crazy!" Nathan (almost 5) decided to join in the conversation at this point telling Jordan that "Jesus made me crazy too!" Jordan couldn't leave it at that. Always having to out do each other he came back with, "Well, he made me crazy FIRST!"

They are both equally crazy if you ask me:)

Air travel and kids

2011-07-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

As you may have read in my last post, we just got back from a trip to Arizona. As if air travel isn't stressful enough, we added our 3 kids under the age of 5 to the mix. I thought I would share with you some of the ways we made our trip a little smoother.

I think one of the best things I did in preparing for this trip was to make a trip to the Dollar Store in the weeks leading up to the trip. I wanted to pack a bag full of new things the kids had never played with to keep them busy at the airport and on the plane and I wanted to do this without breaking the budget. By going to the Dollar Store I was able to spend $8.00 and get all of this which was easily carried by one of the boys in a small backpack:

2 Kung Fu Panda coloring books, 3 3D books that included glasses, 1 sheet of airplane stickers and 2 Wooly Willy Magnetic Cards

I did have to make a slight adjustment when it came to the magnetic board. The wand it came with was free floating and I knew that would be an easy thing to lose so I attached it to the card by hot gluing one end of a string into the hollow part of the wand and then tying the other end of the string onto the card itself.

I put a dozen or so crayons into a Ziploc bag to go with the coloring books. I was worried about them losing the crayons on the plane so we just got the coloring books out at the airport. They could find a space on the floor and color away which worked out perfectly. I think it also gave a good first impression to our fellow travelers who may have otherwise been concerned about flying with all of these small kids. Another thing the coloring books were good for were mornings at Grandma's house. There aren't a lot of toys for them to play with so they could get up and entertain themselves by coloring while waiting for the days activities to start.

The airplane stickers are great for making a picture after you've arrived at your destination. The kids can tell a story about their experience on the plane and have stickers to decorate it with. My kids used the stickers to add to the handmade birthday cards they had already made for Grandma:)

Another important part of traveling with kids is keeping them fed. I know that our crazy flight schedules did not allow us to feed the kids at our regular meal times so I packed snack bags to tide them over. I prepared a Ziploc bag full of goodies for each kid for each leg of the trip. It had their name on it so they knew it was theirs and it was up to them to make the food last throughout that days traveling. The suckers were specifically for take off to help ease the plugged ears that you sometimes experience and that really worked wonders. I took the advice of my sister-in-law and gave the sucker to our 13 month old as well. It kept him busy for sometime and he didn't fuss at all during take-off.

These are just a few of the ways I was able to make air travel with my little ones a bit more bearable. What are your top tips for traveling with the kids?

Arizona here we come!

2011-07-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, more accurately the title should say Arizona there we were, but you get the picture. It has been quiet around here lately because I packed up the family and surprised my mom for her 50th birthday. This was not the only surprise she received as my dad coordinated a week long birthday bash full of many unexpected events for my mom.

It all started on her birthday when my brother and his family showed up at the restaurant her and dad were getting ready to eat dinner at. Mind you while my parents live in Arizona, the rest of us live in Washington. Needless to say she was quite surprised and enjoyed 4 days the Phillips clan:

Mom's face when they walked in, PRICELESS!

Grandma and her favorite granddaughters

The day after my brother left my parents best friends, also from Washington, showed up to surprise her:

Mom and Sharon, they've been friends for 20 years

The next day we arrived just in time to be apart of her big surprise party that my dad planned along with some of their friends from Mexico (this video is being shot right after mom walked into her party and experienced the initial shock. We then came around the corner. It's dark but you can hear everything that went on):

The Grim Reaper cake made by one of the ladies

We had quite the fun and crazy adventure as we battled unexpected travel issues that extended our stay from 3 to 5 days but all in all it was an amazing time. Be on the lookout for more posts about our time traveling as I am planning to share some of the tips I have for traveling with kids (3 kids under the age of 5 on the plane was not easy but we made it work) as well as some of the fun and crazy stories we walked away with. Happy Birthday mom, it sure was a good one!

Rhubarb Fool

2011-07-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

I talked a few posts back about how much I love roasted vegetables. So when I came across a recipe that included roasted rhubarb in one of my old issues of Everyday with Rachael Ray, I knew I had to try it. This makes a great dessert or you can do like we did and enjoy it as an afternoon snack on a hot day. Either way, you are in for a real treat!

Rhubarb Fool

Preheat the broiler. Using a mixer, beat together 3/4 cup room-temperature cream cheese,

1/2 cup sugar, the grated peel of 1 orange and a pinch salt until smooth.

Beat in 1 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form, about 1 minute; refrigerate.

Slice 1 pound rhubarb crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. On a large rimmed baking sheet,

toss the rhubarb with 1 tablespoon orange juice, then sprinkle with 1/2-cup sugar

and spread in an even layer. Broil about 2 inches from the heat, shaking the pan

once or twice, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature,

about 15 minutes. Layer in juice classes with the orange cream.

*Helpful Hint: Use foil on your baking sheet. Cleaning up orange juice and sugar that has been roasted onto your pan is no fun!

I have to say that even my picky eater ate this up so it is something to try feeding your kids!

The Love Dare Challenge: Days 11-15

2011-07-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here we go...entering the third week of participating in the Love Dare Challenge along with Moogie Mama. Have you missed out on the journey so far? You can catch up here:
- Joining the Challenge
- Days 1-5
- Days 6-10

All caught up? Okay, then I am ready to get started on the next week if you are!

Monday (day 11) - Love cherishes. Wow, you NEED to read this day (click on day 11 and it will take you to the page from the book). What an amazing comparison that puts into perspective how we should choose to view marriage. I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to hurt myself yet when I hurt my husband that is exactly what I am doing. Today's dare: What need does your spouse have that you could meet today? My husband is working a 12 hour shift, stopping home long enough to change clothes and then is heading off to a meeting that will last 2 hours. I think that when he gets home he could probably use (and will greatly appreciate!) a warm meal and a chance to relax. Simple but something that sometimes doesn't happen when he isn't here at dinnertime. This really reminds me to look at his day and think about what I would want from him if it was me in his place.

Tuesday (day 12) - Love lets the other win. Today's topic really hits on the fact that often we are so bent on being right or getting things our way that we totally plow over our spouse and cause unnecessary arguments to continue on much longer than needed. I know that I am guilty of standing firm on something just because it is what I want without even stopping for a moment to consider what my husband wants. I love the line from this day that says, "...you are choosing to give strong consideration to their preferences as a way of valuing them." The dare: Demonstrate love by willingly choosing to give in to an area of disagreement between you and your spouse. Now I could not think of anything off the top of my head that was a continued disagreement. I spent a day praying that God would reveal that area to me. I even asked my husband...who also couldn't think of a specific area. So my dare to myself is to be aware of this during future disagreements and to choose to give in.

Wednesday (day 13) - Love fights fair. I strongly recommend that you read this day and get some great ideas on "we" and "me" boundaries to set before arguments break out between you and your spouse. I know that we have established some from that very list - divorce is not even allowed in our vocabulary because it isn't an option for either of us and using it during a disagreement is both hurtful and destructive. Today's dare is to talk with your spouse about establishing healthy rules of engagement. While we have done this before, I definitely think a refresher doesn't hurt. Things are always changing and growing within our relationship and it is good to reevaluate areas that may be in need of tuning up.

Thursday (day 14) - Love takes delight. Today I am supposed to purposefully neglect an activity I would normally do to spend quality time with my spouse. I am actually going to apply this to tomorrow. I would normally go yard-selling (I don't even know if that is a word!) with some of my friends for most of the morning but I am going to skip it to take advantage of my husband's day off. He is working a lot of overtime right now and I know it is important to make the most of the time we do have together. I am also choosing not telling him that I would have liked to have gone because he would feel bad that I was missing it and insist I go. In the past I would have been a martyr as I sacrificed my own desires for his...I am learning that that kind of defeats the purpose! See, I am learning:)

Friday (day 15) - Love is honorable. The challenge is to choose a way to show my husband honor and respect that is above my normal routine. Tomorrow he is working 10 hours of overtime and so I decided to make his lunch for him. I usually try to have leftovers from dinner to make it easy for him to through together a lunch but that doesn't always happen. I know that it would give him one less thing to worry about if I got his lunch together for work so that is something I did for him tonight and he was very grateful.

Want to join us in The Love Dare Challenge? It's not too late, there are still 25 more days to go. Come over and link up at me at Moogie Mama:

Also linking up over at Heart and Soul Pursuits:

Out of the Mouths of Babes - Singing

2011-07-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

I am a singer. Not in the traditional sense...you won't hear me on the radio, or find me on a stage, or even see me participating in the choir. But I do love to sing and spend about 1/3 of my day singing along to the radio or making up my own songs with the kids. So needless to say, they have followed in those footsteps. My boys like to sing with me and often make up their own words as they go. I wanted to catch some of this on video to share with you all so I sat them down the other day and asked them each to sing what ever they wanted. Surprise, surprise, they both came up with their own unique song. Enjoy:)

Jordan (3 1/2) who loves to sing at the top of his lungs with a huge grin on his face:

Nathan (almost 5) who is not only long-winded but he also can't sit still for one single second:

And the winner is...

2011-06-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun celebrating 300 followers on Facebook with this giveaway!! And in the process we already gained over 55 more followers. How cool!

Are you DYING to know who won all of this?

Me too! So without further ado.....Random.org, tell us who our winner is:

****Anonymous who commented: "I shared!! PRESTOREX1@yahoo.com****

Congratulations!!! Sometimes it does pay to be last:) Be looking for an email from me shortly that so I can get your information.
I am also putting together an envelope full of coupons (I am already at 60 and I'm not finished yet) for Liz Maraldo who was my 300th follower.

Thanks again for all the support. Keep it up - Before you know it we'll be at 500 and who knows what I will give away then!!

300 Followers on Facebook GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-06-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that Chrystal's Corner on Facebook has reached 300 followers! So cool:) I originally started a page just to share my blog posts but it has morphed into a place where I share the deals, coupons, freebies and other great things I find throughout the day. I love connecting to you all through our mutual love of saving our family money and sharing what we love. In celebration of hitting this milestone I am giving away 8 toiletry items from my personal stockpile as well as a cute Origins tote:

Origins Tote, 2 Herbal Essences Shampoos, 2 Sure deodorants, 2 Brut deodorants, Colgate toothpaste and a package of cotton rounds

How do you get a chance at this? Well, since my site is all about sharing with all of you, I would love for all of you to share this giveaway with your friends. Update your Facebook status with "I share what I love and I love this giveaway over at Chrystal's Corner: http://chrystal-lewis.blogspot.com/2011/06/300-followers-on-facebook-giveaway.html" Then leave a comment on this post saying you did that (make sure to also leave your email so I can get a hold of you if you win). That's it! Only one entry per person.

I like to keep things short and sweet mostly because I am impatient and get too excited to drag this on for days!! That means you only have until Thursday 6/28 at 8pm PST to enter. At that time I will choose 1 winner using Random.org. Best of luck!

**I want to send a special shout-out to a couple bloggers who helped me get to 300 in the last few days. Go check them out on Facebook: Simple2Save, Stacy's Savings and Other Stuff, Newbiecouponing, and Saving Simple Cents with Cindi**

-----THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED-----

Roasting Vegetables

2011-06-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables is to roast them. This creates such a unique flavor and can turn vegetables you and your kids aren't particularly fond of into your favorite healthy additions to any meal.

Some of the veggies I roast I do so for the purpose of pureeing and adding to other foods. We love roasted butternut squash in homemade mac n cheese and in turkey meatballs. Roasted beets along with shredded apples and ricotta cheese make for amazingly sweet and delicious pink pancakes. Roasted red peppers can be pureed to make this Roasted Red Pepper Macaroni with Smoked Gouda Cheese I created or can be sliced and used on everything from pizza to chicken sandwiches to pasta.

One of the veggies I have never liked before I roasted it was cauliflower. In roasting it a nutty flavor emerges and is so delicious. I often do this as a side but it is also amazing in this recipe by Rachel Ray, Roasted Cauliflower Penne with Rosemary Cream Sauce. Broccoli is another great roasted veggie that we eat as a side, sometimes along with the cauliflower.

Because I had such great results with the cauliflower, when I read about roasted radishes in a recent edition of Whole Living magazine, I was open-minded about it even though I don't particularly care for radishes. We hit up our local farmers market and got a great price on several bunches of radishes. I prepared these to go with our BBQ last night and even roasted the leaves. Both turned out great so I thought I would share the recipe with you all:

Roasted Radishes and Greens
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Separate 1 bunch radishes (halved if large) and their greens and arrange on two rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each with 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

3. Bake, until radishes are tender and caramelized and greens are crisp, 15-20 minutes. Let cool. (This was perfect for the leaves but I had to go quite a bit longer with the radishes..you really want them soft and browning to get the good roasted flavor:)

What is your favorite roasted vegetable and how do you use it in your meals?

The Love Dare Challenge - Days 6-10

2011-06-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

I am not a quitter. I don't run for the hills when things get tough. I'm not scared of getting to the heart of my weaknesses and failures. Okay...I just lied. Big time! All of that is completely false. But, I want it to be true. I don't want to give what used to be truth power in my life any more. So I am not giving up on this challenge. I am not going to point the blame at my husband's lack of cooperation. It is about me. The going got tough because this challenge hit the nerve of my biggest shortcoming. I don't feel worthy. I don't find value in things that are just for me. If I am not getting approval from an external source, I don't invest in that action. Hence the reason I struggle with my weight, hence the reason I struggle to do kind things when they go unnoticed. I need somebody to tell me it means something to them.

So as I go into this week I am choosing to focus on me. What I need to learn. What I need to overcome. Will you pray for me? Trying to overcome the shortcomings that have plagued you your entire life are hard! And I am going to need some borrowed strength. But I am going to stick with it. Are you with me?

Monday (day 6) - Love is not irritable. A loving wife is not overly sensitive or cranky but exercise emotional self-control. Okay...let's hit the road running with this one! Let's see what the challenge is: Choose today to react to tough circumstances in your marriage in loving ways instead of with irritation. Begin by making a list of areas where you need to add margin to your schedule. Then list any wrong motivations that you need to release from your life (click on the link I attached to day 6 so you can get the full understanding of this).
I think that both stress and selfishness play a role in my negativity. I become cranky and snap when things have just gotten too overwhelming. Most of the time I do this to myself by either doing what feels right in the moment or by overstretching myself...both which lead to stress later on. If I would put work before play I could curb a lot of stress that creeps in when everything needs to be done all at once. If I asked for help and let myself off the hook for the unimportant stuff I would also be less stressed I'm sure. In turn I would be less irritable which I am sure would bless my husband immensely.

Tuesday (day 7) - Love believes the best. Today I am to take two separate pieces of paper and on one take a few minutes to list the positive things about my spouse, on the other I am to list the negative things. I then put them aside for another day. I am to then pick a positive attribute off the list and thank my husband for it at some point throughout the day.
One of my husband's positive attributes is that he is helpful. He really goes out of his way to help me get caught up around the house so that I can relax. I made sure to tell him that today. I actually am pretty good at thanking him on a regular basis for all he is and all he does. But what the book touched on about not spending time dwelling on what is negative about your spouse really spoke to me. While I would like to think I am a mostly positive person, I know all too well that damage that can be done in our relationship when I start going over and over the things I don't like. I honestly believe that a lot of divorces could be avoided if people just changed their thinking. Actions are important too but it starts with the way you think - about yourself, your spouse and your relationship.

Wednesday (day 8) - Love is not jealous. Now when I hear the word jealous and apply it to a relationship I think of a boyfriend being jealous of another man who might have his woman's attention or a wife who is jealous of her husband's sexy secretary. But there is actually another far more destructive form of jealousy that takes place in marriage. When husband and wife become jealous of each other's successes or the good things happening to them. I wish I could say that this doesn't apply to me but at times it does. Not as much as when we first had kids. I was so jealous of the freedom I perceived him having compared to what I felt I had. Every waking, and sleeping, moment of mine was devoted to the kids and they were rarely out of arms length while he got to often think of himself first in a situation and got to do accomplish tasks without munchkins attached at the hip. This ate at me to the point that when he spent two hours mowing the lawn I was fuming because he got to get out and I was stuck. How crazy is that?
This kind of plays off of yesterday's challenge and how important it is to change your thinking in a situation. It was when I stopped comparing what he got to do to what I got to do, when I started valuing my spot in our marriage and in our family instead of cursing it, and when I started focusing on how I could make things easier for him rather than myself that the burning jealousy began to dissipate. Sure, it creeps in once and awhile, but I am much better at curbing it before it gets out of hand. Today's challenge is to discreetly burn the negative list and to share with your spouse how glad you are about a recent success he or she had.

Thursday (day 9) - Love makes good impressions. Today talks a lot about showing greetings and how it is easy to be kind to those we like but they we are called to also be nice to those we find difficult to like. It goes on further to talk about greetings and how we greet our friends and even strangers kindly but don't always do so with our spouse. The challenge for today is to think of a specific way you want to greet your spouse today. Do so with a smile and enthusiasm. Then determine to change your greeting to reflect your love for them.
For me, this is going to really apply when my husband is working day shift. He comes home after a 12 hour shift and I am almost always cooking dinner when he walks in. I usually glance up and say hi because I am busy and other times I am totally disheveled if the past hour, or the entire day, has been particularly rough and I barely greet him at all. I know I need to make an effort not only to stop what I am doing and physically acknowledge he is home, but I also need to put aside the craziness of the day to show him how glad I am he is home. When he walks in that door the boys squeal and through themselves at him and it makes my husband feel loved and glad to be home. I want to make him feel that way too!

Friday (day 10) - Love is unconditional. This year God has hit me with this message over and over again. We live in a world where love is a feeling and as soon as that feeling is over we are encouraged to bail. God's word teaches us about agape love which is both selfless and unconditional. True love, the type that leads to lifetime marriages, is the kind that continues despite the feelings. There are always going to be periods of highs and lows and how you conduct yourself during the lows is what defines your love.
Today's challenge is to do something out of the ordinary for your spouse. Something that proves to you and them that your love is based on your choice and nothing else. You know what I did that was out of the ordinary? Took the blame and apologized without being asked. Our day was a little chaotic because I hadn't planned any of our meals. It sounds simple but it is something that tends to add stress to our day when we have lots of running around to do and need to be in places at specific times. So as we drove to church Friday night I took the time to apologize to my husband for not doing my part. Meals are typically my responsibility and when I drop the ball it causes chaos in the house. I wanted him to know that I acknowledge my part and plan to do better. This is big for me because I have a hard time admitting my faults or shortcomings. He of course forgave me and insured me it wasn't my fault alone but it felt good to not only express this to him but to recognize it myself.

-Update: I went into this week wanting to quit because last week didn't go so well. But I stuck it out and had to tell you that this week was 10 times better. I think that my change of attitude about the whole thing really helped and in turn, my husband has responded in a totally different way as well. I am excited to see what next week brings!

Want to catch up?
The Love Dare Challenge - Days 1-5
Joining the Challenge

Want to join in? I am linking up with Moogie Mama and you can link up too:

Keeping up year round

2011-06-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

I love that technology and social networking makes it possible to keep up with friends and family that you might normally lose touch with. At the same time I think there is nothing quiet like old fashioned correspondence through the mail. I love opening my mailbox to find an unexpected treasure! Sure beats bills.

That's why I am making an effort to reach out to those I love and I am excited that Shutterfly makes that possible. I often use them at Christmas time for our holiday cards and photo books but really there are things to take advantage of year round. Want to see what I am working on?

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

On the inside I was able to include another picture and write an update about all the boys. I am so excited to send these out!

First Day of Summer Magic

2011-06-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

I just love that my kids are at an age where they believe anything is possible and they are able to find magic in even the small things. Around Easter time I saw this post over at See Jane Blog. I had bookmarked it knowing that it could easily be adapted to fit any time of year. So as the first day of summer started to draw near I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to share the magic with my kids.

I got all of my supplies at the dollar store. I started with these "magic gems" which I found with the other stones that you might put in the bottom of a vase or fish tank.

I wrapped a couple of them up and attached a note that said:

Summer Gems

On Summer's Day Eve, plant these gems in soil, cover them and add water.

Come back in the morning for a truly magical surprise!

My husband placed them in the yard while he was doing some stuff outside. He then came running in the house to tell the kids that he had discovered something amazing that they had to see:

I have to tell you that Nathan (our 4 year old) was really into all of this. He had grand dreams of a beanstalk growing overnight that he would climb to find a great surprise. As my husband was tucking him in at bedtime and telling him to sleep good he replied with, "I will try dad but I am just so excited about those magic gems!"

The moment we got up in the morning Nathan informed us that something had grown from the gems (he had peaked out the back window). So we put on our shoes and rushed outside and what did we find?

It wasn't a beanstalk by any means but they were still plenty excited by their Tootsie Roll Blooms!

~Happy First Day of Summer everyone~

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.“- Jim Valvano

"Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." (Psalms 112:1-2 ESV)

I feel as blessed as a girl could be today as I celebrate my own father and the father of my children. The two most special men in my life (for now anyway, there are three little boys who will one day join their ranks!) deserve honor and celebration for their very important roles in both my life and the life of my kids.

My dad is everything those quotes up above describe. He has always believed in me and I grew up thinking that anything was possible if I put my mind to it and worked hard. As an adult I find myself soaking up his words of wisdom when it comes to ministry, parenting, and marriage. He is so wise and I appreciate that he is willing to share what he knows, good and bad, to help make my journey through this life a little smoother. And you want to talk about a man who fears God and delights in his commandments? That is my dad, a man who gave up his passion for fighting fire for his calling to seek and save the lost through missionary work in Mexico. I truly believe his heart matches the heart of Christ himself in how he longs for each and every person to know our Savior. And because he has made that choice to live his life for the Lord, I am blessed. Like I said, I am one lucky girl!

Shortly after leaving the protection and guidance of my dad I was joined together with another amazing man through marriage. Let me tell you what, the longer we are married the more I see my dad in him. He is hard-working and supports his family but he also knows how to cut loose and play like he is a kid himself. Watching his eyes light up when one of the boys does something funny or sweet is enough to make me fall in love with him all over again. Becoming a dad has changed him for the better and I get excited when I see him pour into them because I know that their lives will be richer for it. And even though my husband is a newer Christian, he already has an intense love for Christ and amazes me daily as he grows into the leader God is calling him to be both in ministry and in our home. I am undoubtedly blessed in having this man to spend the rest of my life with.

I hope on this Father's Day you are feeling equally blessed and that you are taking the time to let those important men in your life know just how special they are.

The Love Dare Challenge: Days 1-5

2011-06-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

Sitting here on Sunday night getting myself ready to start The Love Dare tomorrow (see this post if you missed what that's all about). Excited to see what the challenges will be and knowing that God can and will bless our marriage if I choose to focus on Him as I change my heart for my husband. I told my husband today that he better be prepared because starting tomorrow I was going to "love his socks off." Of course being a man, his eyebrows shot-up and I can only imagine what he was beginning to draw up in his own mind of just what exactly I meant by that. I gently let him down in telling him that this wasn't a sex thing but assured him that he would be pleased nonetheless. So goodnight for now, I'll report back tomorrow.

Monday (day 1) - Ah...starting out with patience. This books means business! Today's challenge is to remain patient and say nothing negative to your spouse. I have to say it wasn't all that hard. First of all, my husband worked night shift last night so he slept most the day. And secondly, while I can get snippy and cranky I don't usually have a problem with being negative towards him (at least I don't think so, he may have something different to say!). But I did make a big effort to watch what I said and how I said it. I decided to practice patience on the children as well since that is where it is typically more of a struggle. I really noticed a difference until the last hour or so before their bedtime and then I began to wear down. In realizing that, I am going to make more of an effort to make nighttime a smoother transition especially when Jeremy is working and I am handling all 3 kids myself.

Tuesday (day 2) - Today calls for me to practice kindness by not only avoiding saying anything negative, but by doing at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness. My husband worked night shift again but this was going to be the start of his time off so he was planning to get up and watch the kids at 9 so I could go have coffee at a friends house. My act of kindness was to have coffee made and ready when he woke up. I also told him I would take the two older boys so he jut had the munchkin who would most likely nap while I was gone. You know what he said? "You sure are nice!" He noticed! It felt good to do something nice for him and have it noticed.
In the interest of full disclosure I didn't do so hot in the no negative talk. We got in a stupid tiff later in the day and I definitely did not stay patient. So hard when I get emotional! But something I really want to keep working on.

Wednesday (day 3) - What's the plan for today? Along with restraining from negative comments, buy your spouse something that says, "I was thinking of you today." I wasn't sure if this would work out because I wasn't planning on going anywhere today. But this afternoon a perfect opportunity presented itself when my husband and my two younger sons all fell asleep. Nathan and I ran to Starbucks and came back to surprise daddy with his favorite drink. This was a bonus I think because Nathan was pretty excited to be on in getting something for daddy.
I still am struggling with negativity. Again, I am not saying mean or rude things to him, but it is more of an attitude thing. When I get tired or cranky I feel myself getting short and snippy. I think that counts as negative and so I see that as a continued struggle. Maybe by day 40 I will be able to report progress in that area!

Thursday (day 4) - Love is thoughtful. On that note today's challenge is to contact your spouse during the day for no other reason than to ask how they are doing or ask if there is anything they need. I choose to do this with a text message since my husband was working overtime today and wouldn't have been able to answer if I called. We normally talk everyday on his lunch break but on this day they were having lunch catered so I texted him to tell him to enjoy his lunch and not worry about calling. I also asked him if there was anything he needed me to get done for him before he got home. He never did respond and when he got home he said that he had misread it and didn't realize I was asking a question. It was a great reminder of how easy it is to misunderstand each other and as a result to miss out on the opportunity to bless our spouse or be blessed by our spouse.

Friday (day 5) - I can't believe we are on the fifth day of this challenge! That means I will be sharing this with you all tomorrow. Let's see what is in store for us today. Love is not rude - Ask your spouse to tell you three things that cause him or her to be uncomfortable or irritated with you. You must do so without attacking them or justifying your behavior. That's a doozy! Boy do I struggle to take criticism in a gracious manner. I am glad that I had all day to pray on this one while he was at work. I focused on asking God to let me be gracious in receiving whatever he has to say and that I truly am able to take it to heart.
I really tried to go into this one with an open mind but unfortunately my husband wasn't quite as open to the whole thing. He felt like this was a great way to get a fight going and in turn called this whole project stupid. Needless to say, we DID end up fighting and at this moment I am not sure if I am going to keep up with the rest of the challenge. I am going to take the rest of the weekend to pray on it.

Wrap-Up: There you have it, the good, the bad and the ugly of week one of The Love Dare. I think this is an amazing concept and can totally see it's worth. I am struggling to see if this is worthwhile if only one person in the relationship is doing it. I guess that would come down to wanting to do it to better yourself. I want to make it clear that while this project hasn't ended well so far for me, it isn't because my marriage is bad or in trouble. I am not even doing this for that reason to begin with. I believe that marriage takes an ongoing effort and I am just really wanting to do my part to be a better wife.

Linking up over at Moogie Mama. Want to join us? (I promise, it's not as scary as it looks:)

What's in your purse?

2011-06-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me or who have been following my blog for awhile know that I lead a women's small group at my church. My main goal as a leader is to create an environment where the women feel safe to share, grow, and learn together. One of the ways people begin to feel safer with one another is when they feel like they can relax and be themselves. I think icebreakers, whether in the form of a question or a hands on activity, are a great way to start off a group because they help to loosen people up and often provide everyone with an opportunity to get to know each other better. I find that when it is then time to get serious and go deeper, the women are less reserved.

What got me thinking about ice breakers was a phone call from a friend who is leading up a women's study for the summer and was in need of some ice breakers. She was looking for something geared specifically toward women. I gave her an idea based on something I had done in the past but couldn't really think of anything specific to women. This must have planted a seed because when this morning rolled around and I found myself awake in a quiet house after putting the baby back to bed, my mind went straight to ice breakers (I know, I have a strange mind). I began to wonder what I could come up with that would be specific to women. This is what I thought up:

What's In Your Purse?

(Off subject, but this is a cake. Cool, huh?)

- You are going to start by writing out a simple phrase either on paper or on a whiteboard/chalkboard if you have one available. For my church group I might write out something like "Jesus Christ is Lord of all." You could also do the name of your group (Mother's of Preschoolers) or the title of your book/study. Get creative!
- Have everybody get out their purses. Tell them that the goal is to find an item to correspond with each letter in the phrase. It is okay if not everyone has a purse, they can still participate by suggesting items that the other group members may not have thought of. One person can also be responsible for crossing off each letter as it is found.
- It may go something like this: "I have a lipstick!" (L) "I have a one dollar bill!" (o) "My red wallet works for the letter r!" (r) "How about a driver's license?" (d) Right there you have the word Lord taken care of. This would continue on until you have found an item for each letter or until a designated amount of time has gone by. It isn't necessarily important to cover each letter, the object is to get the women to work together and learn a little bit about each other in the process. Having a timer set might add a whole new element of fun to this activity as well!

I know this isn't an earth-shatteringly great idea but I think it has the potential to be a lot of fun. You can learn so much about a woman by the contents of her purse! What are some of your favorite icebreakers? Do you know any that work especially well in women's groups?

And the winner is...

2011-06-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

The Chex Mix Muddy Buddies Giveaway has come to an end. There were 12 people entered so let's get right down to business.

Random.org, can you tell me who the winner is please?

#4 - Danielle who says, "Mmm looks yummy! And will be super easy to pick up a bag at the store :)"

Congrats Danielle!! You will be receiving an e-mail shortly:)

Did you miss out on this giveaway? Would you like to see another one? When my blog's Facebook page reaches 300 followers I am giving away 8 full size toiletry items from my stockpile PLUS a cute Origins tote. So head over there and "like" me if you haven't and spread the word!!

Chex Mix Muddy Buddies Giveaway

2011-06-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

Did you all know that Chex Mix is soon going to be selling Muddy Buddies YEAR ROUND? Neither did I. But the people spoke up and the people were heard!

If there are any of you who have never heard of Muddy Buddies they are a combination of Corn Chex cereal, peanut butter, and chocolate, dusted with a powdery sweet coating. Now everyone who knows me knows I do not like peanut butter. No, not even in candy or cookies. I know, weird. So I personally don't eat Muddy Buddies for that reason but I do know that everyone else in my life loves them. I have been making them for years for my husband, the guys at his work, my kids, holiday parties. Always a huge hit. I am so excited that they now come pre-made because I don't have to touch the peanut butter to serve these goodies to my loved ones!

I was lucky enough to receive a package from MyBlogSpark and Chex Mix that included a bag of Chex Mix Muddy buddies, an airtight sealed container, a snacking bowl, and a magnetic clip. My boys plowed through them in no time and have been begging for more!

I am not just showing you all of this to brag. MyBlogSpark and Chex Mix is also providing an identical gift pack for one of my readers. Isn't that cool?

Here's how to enter:
Leave a comment saying how you are going to take advantage of Chex Mix Muddy Buddies now that they are available year round. That's it! I will pick one winner using random.org. Make sure you leave your email in your comment so I can contact you if you win. (~~Giveaway is open until Wednesday 6/15/2011 at 8pm PST~~) - THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED-

**This product was given to me by Chex Mix through MyBlogSpark but the opinions expressed are 100% mine**

Joining the Challenge

2011-06-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

One of the blogs I read, Moogie Mama, is starting a Love Dare Challenge (you know, from the movie Fire Proof) and is encouraging other bloggers to participate. We will follow the Love Dare Monday through Friday and then blog about it on Saturday. I have been interested in trying the Love Dare and have heard many great things about it so I thought this was a great opportunity to get started. Hope you'll follow along. And if you have a blog feel free to join in and link up as well:)

For those of you who don't actually own the book yet (like a certain someone who is typing this) here is a great link that goes through the book day by day so you don't miss anything. There are even free journal pages you can print off:
http://www.klove.com/blog/post/2010/01/05/The-40-day-journey-starts-Wednesday!.aspx

Inner battle

2011-06-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

I think the worst kind of battle to fight is one within yourself. Those moments when your inner voice is screaming so loud you can't hear anything else. When what you feel takes over and the ability to discern what is true becomes blurry at best. Do you have moments like that? I do. Luckily as I get older they seem to be fewer and further between. But when the moment is present it feels powerful and in turn I feel completely powerless. Wrestling with a flight, fight, run, hide, scream, cry mix of emotions that threaten to take over the peace I normally rest in. What do you do when you feel this way?

Me, I turn to those I love and trust. To those who make me feel secure and who will hold me tight and tell me everything will be okay. Mostly my husband, my mom, my Jesus. I talk until I have no more words to express what I am feeling. I dive into things that will make me feel better and for a time remove me from the moment...quality time with my kids, baking, and crafting all do the trick. I pour over scripture. Letting the living word sweep over me, penetrate me, work in me. The latter is really my most powerful weapon against myself. When truth feels lost, I can find it in the one place it will always be. In the word.

"When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul." (ESV Psalm 94:19)

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (NIV John 14:27)

Car seats and Carboard boxes

2011-06-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law was kind enough to buy Isaiah a new car seat for his birthday. She even let me pick the one I wanted so we went with the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 car seat. I love it because we won't have to buy another seat or booster for as long as he needs one!

Yesterday my husband got it installed and Isaiah went for his first front facing car ride.

Let me say that we are well aware of the American Academy of Pediatrics updated recommendations that state children should remain rear facing until closer to the age of 2. After much consideration and after advice from our trusted pediatrician, we made the choice that felt right for us and turned his seat forward. I just wanted to put that out there for those of you who may have been wondering about that. I completely respect and understand that there will be people who do not agree with this choice just like I hope those who feel that way can respect that this is our personal choice.

Not only did Isaiah benefit from this gift, but so did his big brothers. Jeremy cut some doors in the box and I added a hole for a ~~paper towel roll~~ spy lookout device and Nathan and Jordan now have themselves I hideout.

I don't even know why we bother buying actual toys...they will go for the box every time!