Weekend Links

Spring Specimen Art

DIY Bathtub Tray

Mod Podge Stencils

15 Date Night Ideas That Don't Break the Bank

How Smoggy Skies in China Changed the Way our Family Shops

This Week:

What I Made: Well, I'm scrapbooking this weekend if that answers your question.  I'm working on pictures and some things for the next birthday party.  And we tried a bunch of new recipes the past couple of weeks.

What I'm Reading:  I'm reading a review book by Tricia Goyer.  I've only had it a couple of days and I'm about 1/3 of the way through it.  Pretty good!

What I'm Doing: Scrapbooking!!!

What I'm Watching: The usual... Survivor, the Amazing Race, oh, and Once Upon a Time!

What I'm Enjoying: I'm loving this rain we're getting.  Keep it comin', Keep it comin'!

What are you up to?

2014 March Bookmarks

*Bookmarks is an online book club hosted at Creative2xmom. Here we discuss the books we've read in the past month as well as the suggested reading. Our suggested reading for March was Praying the Scriptures for Your Children by Jodie Berndt.

These are the books I read this month:

Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan--See my review here.

March into my Heart: a Memoir of Mothers, Daughters, and Adoption by Patty Lazarus-- This was a memoir of a very personal adoption story.  It follows the journey of one family as they go through all the emotional ups and downs of longing for a daughter, secondary infertility, and finally a private adoption.  You know I'm a sucker for adoption stories, but I really didn't know what to think of this one.  I could easily identify with the emotions of going through adoption.  And it wasn't even that our adoptions are so different.  Rather it was that our world views are so different.  I found myself getting highly annoyed with how the author looked down on so much of the birth parent's world.  She spend so much time talking about hotels weren't good enough, towns were dirty, restaurants were up to par, etc.  It just took away from a very personal story, and made the author sound very ... stuck up.  If you can get past that, it reveals the emotion behind adoption.  But all in all, I was turned off by the author's tone.

Book I read with the kids this month:

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner-- This was a quick read, following the story of an eight year old boy trying to save his grandfather and the family farm.  The only way he knows how is to enter a dog sled race, competing against the toughest dog sledder in the country.  Clearly the underdog in the situation, Little Willy gathers the town behind him and sets off on the race of his life.  It's a great story of tackling the impossible, rising to the challenge, and finding unexpected allies in the process.  We loved it!

The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White--  We loved this book.  I had no idea that this story was going to be as comical as it was.  Poor little Louis is born without a voice and through a comical series of events, he acquires a trumpet and travels the US to pay back his debts.  The story also follows his friendship with Sam Beaver, a boy who takes him to school, follows his career, and finally helps him liberate his love.  It's a story of a Swan, a boy, and the friendship that leads them both to their destiny.  Lots of little thumbs up!

Our suggested reading for March was Praying the Scriptures for Your Children by Jodie Berndt--  I have to confess that I didn't read this one.  And the sad thing is that I really want to.  I thought I had it on my hard drive, but discovered it was just a shortened version on the freebie.  So I was going to read that.  But with it on my hard drive, I wasn't consistent. I'd get on the computer to read and do other things.  However since I've been praying Scripture for my kids this year, I really do want to read this.  So I'll either be picking up the full book or reading the freebie in April.  Did you get a chance to read it?

So what are your bookmarks this month?

Tell us in the comments about the books you're chewing on. Or link up a review from your own blog. Let's share the books we're finding, good and bad. And give us your thoughts on

And join us for our next bookmarks post coming April 26th as we discuss I Have Loved You: Getting to Know the Father's Heart by Cynthia Heald.

*Linked to these Parties

101 Bible Stories from Creation to Revelation {Review}

We love Bible storybooks in this house.  As a parent of three, I'm always looking for new ways to keep the Bible fresh and relatable for my 8, 6, and 2 year olds.  So when this one came up for review, I was excited to check it out.

The first thing I noticed was that this Bible storybook was beautiful bound and the hardcover was really nice.  The stories included contain some of the most well-loved such as the creation story, the serpent's lie, Noah builds an ark, and Baby Moses.  There are also a few stories that are less commonly included such as water in the desert, the centurion's faith, and Thomas has doubts.  Each of the stories had enough detail to make it accurate, but short enough to keep a young child's attention.  And they are written at a younger reading level so kid's can start investigating the Bible on their own.  

Additionally, the illustrations in this storybook were beautiful.  I was really impressed with how the pictures popped as their own pieces of artwork.  They were really very nice.

The Scripture reference is included along with each story for further study.  And as a parent I love this.  It gives me a great place where we can go to answer questions and really bring the story full circle.  In a lot of ways, this Bible Storybook surpassed my expectations.  My personal opinion is that this would make a wonderful gift to read to a small child or for an independent reader learning to read the Bible on their own.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review.  All opinions are my own.

On Recreational Sports and Snacks

We're right in the midst of baseball season and I'm loving it.  Lydia's going one way with her softball team; Noah's going another direction with his baseball team.  It's utter chaos in our house and I'm in the midst of it all with the biggest smile on my face.  I love this time of year.

Our first foray into organized sports occurred about 3 years ago.  Noah was finally old enough to play baseball and we were so excited.  So we signed him up for summer league to see if he enjoyed it.  And we were off and running.  He loved it from the start: hitting the ball, running the bases, fielding.  And I had a great time watching him.

Then came time to sign up for the team snack.  I was shocked at some of the snacks that showed up at our games: both good and bad.  I try not to be too crazy about what my kids have for a team snack.  I figure it's a rare treat, not something they're going to be eating in my house every day.  And yet, a large gatorade and HFCS fake "fruit snacks" just make my skin crawl.  On the other hand, there were some great snacks that reminded me that I could do better as well.  Hum...

You see, I came to realize team snacks really don't have to be some crazy feast.  Most games are on a Saturday morning, wedged right between breakfast and lunch.  My kids usually just want a quick pick me up to tide them over till lunch.

But team snacks are here to stay and that being so, they don't need to be laden with preservatives, fake sweeteners, or dyes.  I can't dictate how others want to spend their money.  But if it's within my budget, I don't need to buy those items in order to supply a team snack.  Simple, fresh, seasonal (if possible)... it's do-able.

As time has gone on, I've watched and taken note of healthier options.  And I find that other parents are doing the same.  So while we're all working together, here are just a favorite of our favorite ideas for team snacks:

Baby carrots
Apples, bananas, fresh fruit
Mini pretzels
Granola bars (without HCS)
Applesauce cups
Dried fruit
Popcorn
Almonds/cashews (mix with cranberries)
Cheese and crackers
Cheese sticks
Trail mix

Please share your thoughts.

How do you tackle the team snack?

10 Goals this Week

Here's how I did last week:

Parenting:

• Read 1/2 of the new chapter book
• Take one kid on a date

Blogging:

• Upload a vlog
• Record 1-2 vlogs

Homemaking:

• Try a new recipe
• Plant bulbs
• Prune/fertilize roses

Personal:

• Get 8.5 hrs of sleep/night (working on it)
• Workout 4-5 days/one day of yoga
• Finish a book

These are My 10 Goals This Week:

Parenting:

• Finish chapter book
• Take second kid on a date

Blogging:

• Record 1-2 vlogs
• Make March DIY project

Homemaking:

• Try a new recipe
• Try glow in the dark bubbles
• Work on MM party details

Personal:

• Get 8.5 hrs sleep/night
• Workout 4-5 days/one day of yoga

What are Your Goals for the Week?

Preparing ahead for Sunday Mornings

Is it just me or do Sunday feel like the craziest part of a Mama's week?  The kids are want pancakes, the baby is trying to play in the mud in his dress clothes, and Mama's just not sure what to wear.  Hurry, load the car.  Hurry, get to church. Wait, we've actually made it for worship this week.  Listen to the message. Hurry home with starving kids.  Throw some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at them.  Wait did you invite friends over for lunch?  Mama completely forgot.  Run to the store for supplies... and it's not even 1pm yet.

Sound familiar?

It really sounds all too familiar in my life.  And I want better.  I know it won't be perfection.  But I know with a plan, Sundays can be better.  Richer... deeper... relational.  So what's my plan?  It's imperfect, a work in progress, but it's mine.  And pray fully, well, here we go:

Prayer

Spend some time praying for your children: that they would sing with their hearts, that they would hear the words of their teachers, that they would minister to those around them.

Pray for your pastor: that he would hear the Lord in his preparation, that his family would be healthy, and that stress would be relieved as he serves others.

Pray for your friends: that they would have an easier morning getting there, that their kids would be healthy, and that there would be no car trouble.

Also remember to pray for your church body in ways that they mentioned the previous Sunday.  Don't make praying for them a one time deal, but rather pray for them throughout the week.

Prepare your home

Plan Sunday meals on Saturday.  Do you need to start anything the night before or on Sunday morning?  Do you have items for a quick Sunday lunch afternoon when everyone's hungry?  Or enough in case you invite company?  I always seem to need bread on Sundays so pick that up on Saturday instead.

Do you need gas in the car?  Go top off the tank so you aren't late on Sunday morning.

Lay out all clothing the night before.  Including your own.  I'm notorious for not knowing what to wear Sunday morning.  This keeps me focused.  Don't forget the little things, even down to the socks and shoes

Pack the diaper bag.  Sometimes I'll even throw it in the van the night before.

Preparing your heart

Review the message before, or if you know the topic of the coming week, spend some time reviewing the next set of Scriptures

Keep the TV off on Sunday mornings.  Turn on some worship music instead.

Pray with your husband on the way to church.  Getting out the door can be crazy.  Make sure you're on the same page and cheering for the best in each other.  A quick kiss won't hurt either.

Arrive early to greet and encourage friends and others.

Follow-up

Ask your kids what they learned that day.

Ask others what they thought of the service and how you can be praying for them.

Pray about what the Lord would teach you through what you've heard and who you can share it with to keep you accountable.

Weekend Links

DIY Penny Covered Vase

How to Take a Sensory Kid to Disneyland

How Many Birthday Cupcakes Can One Kid Eat?

Homeschooling When It Isn't Your Gift

Goat Cheese Bacon Crostini with Micro Greens

This Week:

What I Made: A couple of scrapbooking pages and planted some bulbs in the yard.  I also tried some  a couple of new snack recipes.

What I'm Reading: I'm almost done with my memoir about mothers, daughters, and adoption.  Hoping to finish it this weekend.

What I'm Doing: Planting bulbs... helping hubby build bunk beds for the boys... 

What I'm Watching: Well, this morning I'm watching the opening ceremony for my daughter's softball team.  Pretty exciting.

What I'm Enjoying:  Baseball season of course... hitting my groove with teaching gymnastics... having a weekend at home... 

What are you up to?

26 Intentional Acts of Kindness #16: Look in the Mirror

How are you doing practicing Intentional Acts of Kindness?  We're per half way through and I love how loving on others is becoming a more intentional part of our family's culture.

Are you ready for a new challenge?

Challenge #16 is to leave encouraging notes for others.  Do you ever look in the mirror and just see the gray hair?  Or maybe the bags under your eyes?  Or may that blemish that was too hard to cover with concealer?

What if someone was standing right there in that exact moment to tell you that you're beautiful?

Or maybe you're looking in the mirror remembering how you yelled at your kids this morning.  Or how you had a fight with your husband before work.  Or how you haven't talked to your mother in awhile.

What if there was someone there to encourage you to make a change in that moment?

So here's the challenge:  Write out a series of encouraging notes on post-its and carry them in your purse/bag as you go about your life in the next week or so.  Then when you're in a public bathroom, leave one on the mirror.  At the library, the grocery store, the gym, the park, ... wherever you find yourself.

Maybe one says You're beautiful.  Another says You make a difference.  Still another encourages Today is a new day.  I don't know about you, but I'd love to have a little encouragement in my day.

Are you ready for challenge?

How are your Intentional Acts of Kindness going?

Where Courage Calls {Review}

Young Beth Thatcher takes a teaching position in the Canadian west, uncertain what she will find there and how it will change her.  Coming from a wealthy family who is also cautious about her future, Beth has much to prove.  But upon arriving in Coal Valley, she finds that she may be unprepared for the poor conditions, lack of education, and deep hurt that she finds.  A town devastated by a mining accident is left reeling and looking for hope.  And the Lord has big plans for bringing together this wealthy debutant and a struggling community.

Written in true Janette Oke fashion, Laurel Oke Logan partners with her mother in weaving this story of two worlds colliding.  While I enjoyed Where Courage Calls, I struggled with a couple of aspects of the book.  First of all, Beth is almost too good to be true.  While she struggled with an old acquaintance, for the most part, she was consistently looking for truth and purpose.  I had a hard time relating to her.

Secondly, the beginning of the book was really slow.  It didn't really pick up until Beth arrived in Coal Valley.  Prior to that, I could have easily put it down and not picked it up again.  Thankfully the storyline did catch and I finished it out.

On a positive note, the ending was quite compelling and left me anticipating the following book.  And the townspeople characters were diverse and deep.  All in all, Oke and Logan did strike a chord and create an interesting story that is likely to continue with new surprises.  If you can get past the beginning, this one's worth a read.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy for this book for review.  All opinions are my own.

10 Goals This Week

Here's how I did last week:

Parenting:

• Finish chapter book/get a new one
• Take one kid on a date
• Start work on new bunk beds (hubby's job)

Blogging:

• Upload a vlog
• Record 1-2 videos

Homemaking:

• Try a new recipe
• Scrap two pages
• Plant bulbs

Personal:

• Get 8 hrs of sleep/night
• Workout 4-5 days/one day of yoga

These are My 10 Goals This Week:

Parenting:

• Read 1/2 of the new chapter book
• Take one kid on a date

Blogging:

• Upload a vlog
• Record 1-2 vlogs

Homemaking:

• Try a new recipe
• Plant bulbs
• Prune/fertilize roses

Personal:

• Get 8.5 hrs of sleep/night
• Workout 4-5 days/one day of yoga
• Finish a book

What are Your Goals for the Week?

While You're Waiting: Learn Car Maintanence

(Image Credit: Jomphong)

*Recently I was thinking about all I would want my daughters to know before they get married.  Instead of wishing the days away until they walk down the aisle, how would I encourage them to live?  Living in the joy of who God created.  The practicalities and the dreaming.  What would I want to encourage... While they're waiting?  These are some of those thoughts.

You know all my horror stories.  I've been stranded and had to flag down help.  Haven't always done a good job of maintaining my cars.  Haven't always known how to maintain my cars or really cared for that matter and it's landed me in some sticky situations.  

I don't want that for you.  Although there's absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help, I want you to be in a situation where you can feel empowered and confident about helping yourself when help is needed.  So in light of all that, these are just a few things Dad and I want to pass down to you:

Know how to check your tire pressure--This is a great way of being able to prolong the life of your tires, saving you time, hassle and money in the long run.

Know how to change a tire--Again, something I learned too late in life.  Know where your spare tire is, how to change your tires, and where to purchase new ones.

Know how to check the oil--Things go wrong and sometimes it can't be helped.  But keeping your oil maintained will drastically prolong the life your car.

Know how to use jumper cables--Just because you find someone with jumper cables to help you, doesn't mean they'll know how to use them either.  Know where they attach, in what order, and how long to charge your car.

We love you and think that all these details are important.  So if you're ready to drive, you're ready to take this on as well.  If you ever have any questions, we're here to help you.

Weekend Links

Laundry Room Decor

Children in Bulk:

Are Big Families Eco-Friendly or a Carbon Footprint Nightmare?

Heart Wreath with Coffee Filter Roses

Easy Skillet Lasagna

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

4 Easy Decor Updates for Home

This Week:

What I Made: I sketched out how I want to make my son's birthday invitations and made a couple of cards.

What I'm Reading:  I'm reading ANOTHER book on adoption.  Of course, right?  :-)

What I'm Doing: Little League has started and we're running kids to practice.  But it's a great time and really love watching them.

What I'm Watching:  We've been catching up on The Little Couple.  Crazy journey for them.

What I'm Enjoying:  This springy weather... spring dresses... a weekend at home...

What are you up to?

5 Ways to Start your Day with a Better Attitude

Life is good.  Life is full.  We spend our days loving, chasing, snuggling, playing with, laughing with, and trying to enjoy these three sweet littles that share our life.  Most nights I go to bed exhausted, and most mornings I still wake up exhausted.  That's the theme for this stage of life.

And mornings, well, let just say she and I don't mix.  Mornings are not my favor part of the day.  But whether they're my favorite part of the day or not, my kids are up and ready.  Mornings and chaos are just a reality of our lives that I can't ignore.

So to combat my own grouchies, I've had to come up with a plan.  A plan to adjust my attitude before it infects the rest of the family.  These are 5 Ways I'm Starting My Day with a Better Attitude.

1. Drink a glass of water-- I love water.  And rehydrating in the morning is a great way to get my body going and feeling better.  I also love starting my morning with a warm cup of tea.  As I'm sleep walking through breakfast prep, I'm sipping on my tea and the kids know that's almost as important as Daddy's coffee.

2. Make the bed-- I hate making the bed.  But I love the end result.  Just by making the bed, I feel like the room is in much better shape, the bed is less inviting to climb back into, and I actually feel like I accomplished something, giving me that extra little boost to conquer the day.

3. Turn on some music-- Music has so many moods in our day.  Soft piano music to start the day, upbeat worship music to get us morning, some disney tunes when we need a dance break.  It's hard to hold on to that bad mood when you're praising the Lord in your morning.

4. Light a candle-- Lighting a candle is one of the last things I do before we start our homeschool day.    That soft glow adds a tranquility to the room, and every time I see it, it reminds me to pray about my own attitude.  It's my own little private reminder to pray.

5. Exercise-- I'm not a fan of this one, but I know a lot of people who swear by it.  Exercise is a great way to get your blood pumping and wake up the body.  And although I don't like exercising in the morning, I do try to stretch in the morning, just a little something to remind my body that I have things to do.

These are just a couple of ways to start your day with a better attitude.  I'm sure there are a ton more out there and that's where you come in.

What do you do to start your day with a better attitude?

Share in the comments below.

10 Goals this Week

So I did really bad on my goals this week.  Our days were full and we just didn't get much done.  Can I start fresh this week???

These are my 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

• Finish chapter book/get a new one
• Take one kid on a date
• Start work on new bunk beds (hubby's job)

Blogging:

• Upload a vlog
• Record 1-2 videos

Homemaking:

• Try a new recipe
• Scrap two pages
• Plant bulbs

Personal:

• Get 8 hrs of sleep/night
• Workout 4-5 days/one day of yoga

What are Your Goals for the Week?

Berenstain Bears Keep The Faith {Review}

We love the Berenstain Bears in this house.  My husband and I both grew up reading the books and it's a delight to see Mike Berenstain continuing the tradition, especially in these books that address moral and religious questions.  So this title specifically caught my attention.

Brother and Sister Bear start to have some questions when they spend time with Ferdy Factual, a scientist friend who doesn't believe in God.  Mama and Papa take them to Preacher Brown to discuss some of their questions, as they search out what faith truly is.

Berenstain starts this book in typical bear fashion.  There's a certain rhythm that goes along with Berenstain Bear books and this one continues in the same tradition.  And we're lulled quickly into the story.  I appreciate that Mama and Papa were willing to admit that they didn't have all the answers and consult another adult, their pastor.  He too shares with Brother and Sister Bear, illustrating his point with the well-known story of Daniel.  

I struggled slightly with the ending of this book.  It felt like the story ended abruptly.  Preacher Brown shares that faith is trusting in God's love.  And although Brother and Sister still struggle with their questions, they come to see that their faith is important to them.  With the story so well-developed, the ending was rushed.

And although I would have like to have seen the point better developed, it certainly opens up for a lot of discussion.  In a way that's the point.  We all certainly struggle with our faith from time to time.  It's the searching out that makes us stronger.  And sometimes it's our children's questions that initiate that searching.  So this is a great place to start the conversation with our kids.  Hope you find this title as challenging as we did.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review.  All opinions are my own.

10 Goals This Week

Here's how I did on my goals last week:

Parenting:

• Take a parenting class
• Finish our read aloud
• 2 dr appointments, 1 evaluation, 1 teacher meeting

Blogging:

• Upload a vlog
• Read half of my review book

Homemaking:

• Scrap two pages and finish one card
• Try one new recipe
• Get house back in order

Personal:

• Get 8 hrs of sleep/night
• Workout 4-5 days/one day of yoga (only 3 days)

These are my 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

• Pick up new chapter book
• Dentist appointment

Blogging:

• Upload a vlog
• Finish review book
• Record 1-2 videos

Homemaking:

• Try a new recipe
• Scrap two pages
• Plant bulbs

Personal:

• Get 8 hrs of sleep/night
• Workout 4-5 days/one day of yoga

What are Your Goals for the Week?

Disneyland Bucket List

We all have a Bucket List, right?  Things you want to do before you die.  But do you have a Disneyland Bucket List?  These are just a few of our favorites and a few others we have yet to try. (*Denotes those we've accomplished)

Main Street--
Eat potato cheese soup at the Carnation Cafe
*Pick up a yummy treat at the bakery
*Have breakfast with Minnie and friends at Plaza Inn
*Have your silhouette cut

Fantasyland--
*Walk through Sleeping Beauty's castle
*Use the Queen of Hearts bathroom
*See the Abdominal snowman
*Ride the Small World at Christmas time
*Spin in the tea cups
*Try on hats at the Mad Hatter shop
*Pull the sword from the stone

Adventureland--
*Eat a Dole Whip
*Eat at the Bengal Barbecue

New Orleans Square--
Try a mint julep
*Ride the Pirates of the Caribbean
Pick up a Christmas ornament

Critter Country--
*Ride Splash Mountain in the dark
Try a tigger tail
Eat a Fried Green Tomato Sandwich

Frountierland--
Drive the Mark Twain
*Have dinner at Big Thunder Ranch
*Spot Woody and Jessie

Toontown--
*Meet Mickey Mouse
*Ride Gadgets Go-Coaster

Tommorrowland--
*Laugh your way through Star Wars
*Kill some aliens with Buzz
Check out the World of the Future

Misc Disneyland--
Run Tinkerbell's Half Marathon
*Ride all the mountains in one day
*Wear a Birthday button

California Adventure
Food--
Have a giant sugar cookie dipped in chocolate
*Eat a dinner at The Golden Vine Winery

Attractions-
*Ride in the front row of Soarin over California
*Talk to Crush the Turtle
*Stop by Disney's Animation Studio
*Be entertained by the Bug's Life show
*Soar with Aladdin and Jasmine

What's on your Disneyland Bucket List?