Back Again

Happy New Year!  (now that it is almost March!) 

I'm Still Here!

Someone needs to get back to blogging again...at least where she posts more regularly than once every few months.  I shall try! 

We just finished up a good, but busy week of Vacation Bible School at our church...my first time helping with one!  I was in charge of snacks, and enjoyed it.  Josh co-taught the older children's class.  Our church used Answers in Genesis' Kingdom Chronicles this year.  It focused on the armour of God (Ephesians 6) with a medieval flair: kingdoms, knights, castles and such.  The snack book kept to the theme with a fun snack to go along with each day's lesson: Kingdom Cookies (chocolate cookie with half the top frosted with white icing, for the 'good and evil' effect), King's Cups (fruit slushies), Dragon Snacks (triangle corn chips, Bugles, and fruit gummies for dragon scales, toes and heads), Mini Pizza Shields (English muffin halves with sauce, cheese and pepperoni) and Moat Floats (root beer floats).  I love creative food! 

January Goal Check-up

Part of our snowy backyard

Here I am posting this half-way through February.  I never wrote down a list of goals specifically for January, but this is pretty much what it would have looked like.  I am stepping out of my comfort zone in posting this, so please do not be too hard on me! January was a bit different than I/we had anticipated...Everyone except me came down with a bad cough that lasted for weeks.  Also, I got to learn to cook a little differently for hubby who switched to a strict diet for a health issue.  (Thankfully, everyone is much better now.)  Add to all that the fact that sometimes it is just so difficult to be disciplined, so easy to be lazy and...you get the idea.  Enough excuses, here goes...

Personal Goals

Read through the Bible in a year (using the plan you can download here)
    (I was slightly behind on this at the end of the month.)

Focus on punctuality, organization and consistency in my life (Ongoing, and many failures, but I am starting to see some good fruit.)

Blog 1-2 times a week  (Missed one week, but otherwise I met this goal.)

Lose 7 pounds  (Only lost about 5 pounds.  However I am feeling more fit, so maybe I gained some muscle?? :) )

Exercise 4-5 times a week  (Exercised more like three times a week, but crossing it off anyway.)

Try oil-pulling

    (Did this for about 2-1/2 weeks.  Interesting!)
Memorize basically two verses of Colossians per week)  (Started mid-month)

Read a book  (This did not happen.)

Put together a homemaking binder  (This is a work in progress, but I got it started!)

Utilize a menu plan and cleaning schedule  (I have loosely implemented a cleaning schedule; still need to do a menu plan.)

Work on strengthening my core muscles with the Tupler Technique

    (Did not do this except for incorporating one of the exercises into my work-out routine.)
Go to bed by 10:30 PM (Bombed this one.)

Try at least one new recipe each week  (Tried many new recipes this month, just not necessarily each week.)

Journal a bit about every day  (Hardly did this.)
Take a photo of our everyday life at least once a week  (Basically accomplished this.)

Marriage Goals

Go on an overnight get-away  (This was so fun!  You can read about it here.)

Have a date night  (Our overnight get-away counted as this.)

Read a marriage book together (Did not happen.)

Be better about having lunches on hand for hubby to take to work (I have been a bit better about this.)

Seek ways to bless my husband (Ongoing, and I need to do better.)

Family Goals

Cut way back on eating refined sugar and refined carbs  (Made huge strides here.)

Visit my grandparents (Maybe this month, February)  

Do preschool with our 4 year-old  (Did some, but not consistently.)

Go through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons with our 4 year-old  (Did not start this.)

Read to our boys daily  (Did not do this daily.)

Play with the boys more (Need to be better about this.)

Spend regular one-on-one time with each of our boys (Need to be better here, too.)

Help our boys memorize Bible verses  (We just did a little review.)

Ministry/Friendship Goals                                        

Continue attending our church’s monthly Ladies Bible Study  (Bible Study was cancelled due to weather.)
Become more involved in our church  (A work in progress)
Have someone over to our home  (Had all my sisters over!)                          

Send birthday and anniversary cards to extended family  (Did this.)                           

Send a note to an elderly friend  (Oops, did not get this done.)

Hold a fun sister get-together with all my sisters   (We are planning another one for the summer!)                              

Financial Goals

Start saving for a family vehicle to replace our car (Savings started.)

Sell some big items on Craigslist (We sold one item!)

Home Improvement Goals

Remove the old house from our place  (This did not work out.  Will wait until spring.)

Finish the decks  (Did not happen, and there is too much snow now.)

Finish siding the garage  (The last bit of siding Josh ordered to finish this project was all damaged when we received it, so it had to be returned.)

There you have it.  I am encouraged by the progress.  It is disheartening to see all the areas I did not do well in, but I will press on!  Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 

Did you make head-way in your goals for the year?  I would love to hear about it!  

Happy Valentines Day!

Reads, 'To my Valentine, I think you're the cat's meow'

I hope you are having a lovely day with your loved ones!

I enjoy vintage valentines, even though their sentiments can be a bit corny. :)  I found some on  this free clip-art site to share with you here.

Says, 'Maybe I'm just "small fry" but I'm a "good egg" with a "heart of gold" Be my Valentine'

We are excited to have a fun, special evening at home tonight as a family, and after the boys go to bed, as a couple. :)  I have been decorating and am planning a rather fancy dinner.  Salmon patties, sweet potato fries, veggie salad and little cheesecakes are on the menu!

Reads, 'I yam crazy about you My Valentine!'

 I am so thankful for my sweetheart and for our dear little boys.  They have enriched my life so much.

Missouri Wedding

Last weekend we made a quick trip down to southern Missouri for my cousin Mary's wedding!  It was so fun to be a part of their special day.  They had waited on God for one another for so long, and through a miraculous series of events, they met each other last August...and the rest is now history!  Their joy in one another just sparkles!  They had a huge lovely wedding; she likes pink and pearls just like I do. :)  I was one of the punch servers.  It was a gorgeous sunny day; in the 40s-50s compared to the -26 we left in Minnesota. (I am excited for spring when we will get temps like that!) 

Me and Grandma with the newlyweds!

Wedding ceremony

We enjoyed getting to see many family members, friends and acquaintances.  We cousins present  took our customary group picture with the new bride and groom. (A couple cousins and their families who were at the wedding had to leave before the picture.)  We are quite the bunch, and this isn't even nearly all of us!

Our cousin wedding tradition

Send off!

Best wishes, Ben and Mary!  May the Lord richly bless you in your new life together!

R & R

October 2007

A couple weeks ago, Josh took me back to 'our' honeymoon cabin at a nearby Bed and Breakfast to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary (which was back in October, but things were a bit busy then!).  My mother-in-law watched our two oldest, and our youngest got to tag along with us.  Very little of the cabin had changed, and it still looks like the picture I took five years ago (above), only this time it was snowy outside and of course, nothing was growing.  We went out for lunch and supper, and breakfast was delivered in the morning.  Our time together there was so relaxing and rejuvenating!  And it was extra special going back to where we spent the first couple days of our married life. :)

Cold and Snow

Well, we survived the sub-zero temperatures we saw last week!  Some days were bitterly cold. Especially when there was wind.  And the water pipes survived, too, though they did freeze numerous times.  My hair-dryer came in handy for thawing them out again.

We are definitely back in Minnesota!  I recently overheard a few older ladies in a quilt shop discussing the weather (it was a blustery cold day), and their conversation went something like this:

Quilt Shop Worker- You were brave to come out in weather like this!
Lady Shopper- Well, this kind of weather just begs for us to go out in it, you know, to see if we can master it!
Other Lady Shopper- Yeah, we are hardy Minnesotans!

I chuckled and quietly commented to Josh, You never would have heard that in North Carolina!  There it takes just a few flurries for the stores to be cleared out of milk and bread and for schools to be closed in anticipation of a 'blizzard'!  Gotta love those cultural differences. :) 

We are back to nice winter temps this week...as I'm typing it is 23 degrees.  And last night we got around 10 inches of fluffy snow.  It is so beautiful.  The two oldest boys were playing outside this morning and using dustpans to shovel snow!  I wish I would have thought to snap a picture of them.

Snow accumulation on our back deck

The almost-completely-sided garage with a new blanket of snow

 Hope you all are staying warm!

From the Kitchen

This has become a new family favorite.  We like how it has a unique flavor...it adds a nice change to our meal selections!

Spicy Thai Noodles

1 (13.25oz) box whole-wheat linguine, cooked
3 chicken breasts, cubed and cooked
1/4-1/2 cup sesame oil (I get this from the Asian food section at Walmart.)
6 Tbsp. honey
6 Tbsp.soy sauce (I use Bragg Liquid Aminos.)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

Mix all together and serve hot.  Enjoy!  Let me know if you come up with any tasty additions or subtractions--there are so many variations you could make with this recipe.

~Adapted from the recipe found here.

Musings

Matthew 5:48 states, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Does that seem like a tall order?  Does God require the Christian to reach sinless perfection in his or her earthly life?

No, God knows we will not reach that state until we have our glorified bodies.  1 John 1:8 reads, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Why then does God tell us to be perfect?  Sometimes I have thought, "If I can never reach perfection, why even try?  Why does God ask me to be what is impossible?"  I love it when I have had a question in the back of my mind and then in church God uses something our pastor says to give me just the answer I need.

Reaching perfection is not the point.  Striving for perfection is what God requires of us.  He knows when one strives for perfection, excellence is produced.

This was such an eye-opener and encouragement to me!

Olympian athletes are not perfect, but they have reached a very high level of excellence in their sport because they earnestly, diligently strive for perfection.  1 Corinthians 9:25 says, And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Philippians 3:14 reads, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:13 states, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

We can be excellent Christians.  God has given us the strength to do as He bids.  As we yield ourselves to Him, we become more and more like Him--the Perfect One.
 
Press on!

Goals for 2013

It is a brand new year for new beginnings!  My goals for this year are listed below.  Some of them are also "our" goals (both mine and Josh's).  I am including what I came up with for my mission statement and theme for the year, along with some encouragement for me in attaining these goals.  There are so many areas of my life where I must be a better steward/caretaker of all God has given me. 

This is my first time really writing down my goals for a year, and I know I did a no-no for newbie goal-setting in creating such a long list of things to tackle.  But for now I am going to leave it that way.  As Zig Ziglar once said, "If you aim for nothing, you will hit it every time." :) I am sure I will be tweaking, changing, adding and/or removing goals as is best throughout the year.  I plan to post a monthly check-in for accountability.  

Theme

Flourish in Faithfulness 

Mission Statement

I desire to glorify God by being a wise steward of all He has entrusted to me.

Encouragement

1 Corinthians 4:2

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

1 Corinthians 10:31

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 

1 Corinthians 14:40
Let all things be done decently and in order.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Proverbs 28:20a

A faithful man shall abound with blessings:

Personal Goals

Read through the Bible in a year (using the plan you can download here)

Focus on punctuality, organization and consistency in my life

Blog 1-2 times a week

Return to my pre-pregnancy weight by June 1st

Exercise 4-5 times a week

Try oil-pulling

Memorize Colossians (basically two verses per week)

Read 12 books

Put together a homemaking binder in January

Utilize a menu plan and cleaning schedule

Work on strengthening my core muscles with the Tupler Technique

Go to bed by 10:30 PM

Try at least one new recipe each week

Journal a bit about every day
Take a photo of our everyday life at least once a week
Make baby photo books for our youngest two

Marriage Goals

Go on two overnight get-aways

Have a monthly date night

Read a marriage book together

Be better about having lunches on hand for hubby to take to work

Seek ways to bless my husband

Family Goals

Go on two camping trips

Cut way back on eating refined sugar and refined carbs

Go to family reunions

Visit my grandparents several times

Attend my cousins’ weddings

Do preschool with our 4 year-old

Go through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons with our 4 year-old

Potty-train our 2 year-old

Read to our boys daily

Play with the boys more

Spend regular one-on-one time with each of our boys

Help our boys memorize Bible verses

Ministry/Friendship Goals                                        

Continue attending our church’s monthly Ladies Bible Study     

Become more involved in our church                                                    

Have people over to our home at least once a month                            

Continue sending birthday cards to extended family                              

Send a note to an elderly friend every month

Hold a fun sister get-together with all my sisters                                 

Financial Goals

Save for a family vehicle to replace our car

Sell some big items on Craigslist

Do a will

Home Improvement Goals

Remove the old house from our place

Landscape our yard

Buy a new mailbox

Plant a vegetable garden

Make flower beds

Finish the decks

Finish the garage

Paint interior walls of our house

Paint cabinets

Paint garage doors                   

Pour cement pad in front of garage

Build a clothesline

Did you set any goals this year?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Correction

My sincere apologies to whoever sent a card to the address for the Walter Reed Army Medical Center I posted last month.  It turned out the address was incorrect, as the cards I sent were returned to me. :(  I am guessing yours has been/will be returned as well.  I should have made sure the address was right before I copied it from the source I did.  I'm so sorry.  Here is the correct address if anyone is interested.

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, N.W.
Building #2
Washington, DC 20307-5001

Hopefully this address will work!

Happy New Year!

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow;

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

-Alfred Tennyson

Only fear the LORD,

and serve him in truth with all your heart:

for consider how great things

he hath done for you.

1 Samuel 12:24

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness...

Psalm 65:11

Happy New Year!

Christmas Wreath Tutorial

Would you like to make an easy, realistic-looking Christmas wreath that will last a long time?  Follow along as I show you how to make one in my first ever blog tutorial!  I wanted to post this before Christmas, but obviously that did not happen.  However, since I am posting this just a couple days after Christmas Day, you may be able to find some, if not all of the supplies on clearance and make a VERY inexpensive wreath for next year. I purchased all my supplies at Walmart.  The regular prices are shown below.

For one wreath you will need:

• Two 20-inch basic artificial wreaths (Walmart: $2.50 x 2= $5)
• One red bow (Walmart: $.98)
• One wreath hanger (Walmart: $2)
• Three twist-ties (I didn't have enough of these, so I also used wire ornament hooks from Walmart, $.97 or so for a package)

Total cost for wreath: about $9

Why use two wreaths?  The wreaths at Walmart come looking like this (see below).  All the needles are pushed to the inside of the wreath...

...and when the needles are spread out, this is the result--a scraggly sorry-looking thing!  So I use two skinny wreaths to make one full wreath.

First, take one wreath and bend all the needles to the outside.  This will be your base wreath.

Then take the other wreath and arrange the needles evenly.  This will be your top wreath.

Place the top wreath on top of your base wreath.

Doesn't it look nice and full now?

Now take your twist-ties, wire ornament hooks, or other item of preference to secure the two wreaths together.

I tried to get a close-up of the wire hook wrapped around the wire frames of the wreaths, but it is hard to see here.  I tied the wreaths together in three places around the wreath.

Then take the red bow, and with the twist-ties that are already attached to the back of the bow, secure it to the top (or bottom--whichever you prefer) of the wreath.

  

Your wreath is done!  Now hang it on the wreath hanger on your door and enjoy some Christmas cheer!  Or tuck it away to bring out next Christmas. :) 

Variation:  For a different look, tie Christmas ball ornaments onto the wreath.  This is more time consuming, but it looks more elegant.  And instead of using a wreath hanger, I just used a nail to hang the wreath on an old door I am using for outdoor decor.

 Have fun!

Merry Christmas!

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.

Luke 1:47

I'm a little late posting this, but since it is still Christmas-time, we wish each of you a very

Merry Christmas!!

Christ was born to die so we could live eternally with Him.

As someone has said, THAT is worth celebrating. :) 

Goings-On

We went to a tree farm and cut our Christmas tree for the first time!

Chilly family outing

Our second son turned TWO!!  Love this little boy!

I did a simple John Deere theme for his birthday party.  I was going to put little John Deere machinery in his apple crisp 'field' and I forgot.

This birthday boy loves tractors.

We gave out goodie plates when we went around and met all our new neighbors one evening!

Our two oldest are dressed as shepherds for the Christmas program at our church.  Our second son ended up not wanting his costume, so he just sat with Daddy.  We'll try again next year!  Our oldest son enjoyed being on stage with all the other children.

Winter wonderland!

So beautiful

Merry Christmas!

Free Christmas Printable

I found a very creative Christmas printable available for free here. Isn't it cute?!  There is also a version that reads "Peace on Earth".  Pictured above is the copy I printed out and framed.  Also pictured are some vintage-looking bottle-brush trees I found at Walmart!  I had been looking for some and was so excited to find them. 

"Joy to the world!  The Lord is come!...."  I am so thankful He came.

Problems?

Does anything look messed up on my blog?  I was having a bit of trouble with it this afternoon, and then a little later, a friend called and told me she noticed the text was jumbled when she got on my blog.  Things seem to be working fine for me now....does it look alright to you?

Nativity Preschool Packs

I listed a few links in my last post for several sites that offered free Christmas preschool downloads.  One was a link to a nativity pack, but when I tried to download it, it didn't work. (I have since deleted the link.)

Bummer!  I thought.  I really wanted the boys to have some schoolwork about the nativity! 

So I was very tickled to see this nativity pre-k pack and this expansion pack from Over the Big Moon "advertised" on Money Saving Mom today!  I had no problems printing out both packs.  It is just too cute!  I wanted to share it with you as well.  Our boys are going to enjoy this!

Christmas List

It's December!  I love Christmastime.  It is such a beautiful time to celebrate our Savior's birth and make special memories with those we love.  Here is a list of some of the things we'd like to do this month:

• Cut our own tree at a tree farm
• Buy a new Christmas music CD  (Do you have a favorite?  Leave me a comment below--I'd love to get your suggestions!)
• Memorize some of the Biblical account of Jesus' birth
• Do Christmas preschool with the boys (this or some of this)
• Go ice-skating (if a thrift store has skates in our sizes!)
• Leave a gift on someone's doorstep
• Decorate the Christmas tree
• String lights outside
• Read a Christmas storybook to the boys every day
• Bake sugar cookies (I want to try this recipe, but use coconut oil in place of shortening...do you think that will work?)
• Sew another Christmas stocking (free pattern download here)
• Go to a Christmas concert
• Send out our annual letter and photo with Christmas tracts
• Make graham cracker houses
• Decorate sugar cone Christmas trees (something similar to these)
• Send a Christmas card, Christmas tract and pictures drawn by the boys to a recovering soldier     Here is the address if you are interested in doing this, too!

                     A Recovering American Soldier
                     c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
                     6900 Georgia Avenue
                     NW Washington, DC 20307-5001
*Update* This address is incorrect.  I am so sorry to those of you who sent a card and had it returned (as happened to me).  I should have double checked the address with another source before posting it.  Thank you for understanding.  Below is what I believe is the correct address.  Hopefully this one will work. 
                     A Recovering American Soldier
                     c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
                     6900 Georgia Avenue, N.W.
                     Building #2
                     Washington, DC 20307-5001

• Help with our church's Christmas program
• Give goodies or fruit baskets with a Christmas tract to our new neighbors
• Cut paper snowflakes (tutorial here using coffee filters)
• Go for a sleigh ride
• Sing carols 
• Drive around as a family and look at lights
• Watch some old holiday movies
• Go Christmas shopping
• Wrap presents
• Attend the candlelight Christmas Eve service at our church
• Enjoy hot apple cider, hot cocoa, or hot maple cream (recipe coming soon!) after chilly outings
• Visit an elderly friend at the nursing home
• Send a Christmas card to each of the missionaries our church supports
• Attend our Christmas family get-togethers
• Make eggnog
• Watch the Christmas train go by (a local event)
• Have our traditional candlelit Christmas Eve meal 
• Have family over on Christmas Day

We probably won't end up doing everything on this ambitious list, but it is fun to brainstorm, glean ideas from others and plan! 

  

  What are some things you  

would like to do this Christmas season? :)

Thanksgiving Days

Today is the last day of November. Wow, time flies.  We hope you all had a good Thanksgiving!

The Sunday before Thanksgiving we celebrated with our church. A Thanksgiving dinner was served after the morning service with a time of praise hymns and testimonies of God's goodness following the meal. 

On Thanksgiving Day, we enjoyed time with my large extended side of the family.  It was our first Thanksgiving with family in six years!  They are a riot!  A weather system came through that day, turning the world a wintery white.  The freezing rain that preceded it along with a wind that picked up later in the day, made for rather yucky road conditions for the trip home that evening.  I was very glad Josh had gotten time off work to join us that day, and thankful he was there to do the driving that night!

The next day, Friday, we had a family get-together with my hubby's side of the family.  There was much yummy food, fun games and in the evening, a horse-drawn parade in a nearby town.  The temperature was a brisk 14 degrees...brrr!   Even though it gets cold here, it is good to be back in Minnesota and to be close to family again, though we do miss our friends in North Carolina.  

I found some free downloadable Thanksgiving preschool papers here through Pinterest that the boys enjoyed doing around the Thanksgiving holiday.  I love making learning fun.  And it's so neat to see the boys comprehend new things!

Josh and a friend put in a couple good days of work on the garage this week, and it is really looking nice!  The new soffitt, fascia, window, door and siding are giving the garage a much needed facelift.  Josh and another friend got a good bit more siding on today.

This is the garage yesterday.

We celebrated our oldest son's birthday this week....he is FOUR years old now!  Talk about time flying!  It makes me sad to think my firstborn is quickly leaving the baby/toddler years behind him, and at the same time it makes me happy to see the boy he is becoming.  I did a Mickey Mouse themed birthday party for him this year as he really likes Mickey Mouse.

For a fun birthday activity, the birthday boy got to do some target practice with Daddy!

Some of the Mickey Mouse theme

Mickey Mouse brownie...I made a stencil and sprinkled powdered sugar over it to make Mickey's face.

Present time :)

Four years old!  Oh, I love that boy!

Indeed, we have much for which to be thankful.  God gives us so much more than we deserve!