10 Goals this Week

Here's how I did last week:

Parenting:

• 2 baseball practices, swim lessons for all 3 kids, 1 gymnastics class, 1 music class, VBS
• Work on Daily Learning Notebooks

Blogging:

• Pre-post 3 blogs
• Finish 1-2 DIYs

Homemaking:

• Work on gift
• Strategically work through cleaning the house
• Write two cards

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/night( about 4 nights)
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga
• Spend some time each day working on verse

These are My 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

• 3 baseball practices, swim lessons for all 3 kids, 1 music class, library day
• Finish Daily Learning Notebooks

Blogging:

• Pre-post 3 blogs
• Finish 1-2 DIYs

Homemaking:

• Work on gift
• Write 2 cards
• Make 2 MM lanterns

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/night
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga
• Spend extra time working on verse

What are Your Goals for the Week?

What's In Our Pool Bag {Revisited}

Weekend Links

Disney Dollars

Cloth Diaper Wrap-Up

Stenciled Garden Stepping Stones

Pier One Outdoor Party

Good for You Eggplant Dip

This Week:

What I Made:  We tried out a new salad idea and a new desert recipe.  Desert... salad... it all balances itself out right?  :-)

What I'm Reading:  I just finished both the Amish fiction and Spirit of Adoption on Thursday so I'm taking a little breather.  I'll probably start July's bookmarks book on Monday.

What I'm Doing:  We're watching extra foster care kids this weekend.  So I certainly have my hands full.  We've been running to VBS and swim lessons all week.

What I'm Watching:  Nothing... really nothing... summer's a wasteland as far as TV is concerned.  

What I'm Enjoying:  Lydia's roses from her performance... fresh salads... yummy hummus...  watching the kids in the sprinklers... 

What are you up to?

2014 June 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 June was Culture of Honor by Danny Silk.

These are the books I read this month:

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham--  This was a light read, one completely out of my typical genre.  But Graham's voice is strong and compelling.  Her main character is a straggling actress, not only struggling in her profession, but struggling to find herself... her boundaries, her goals, and ultimately who she wants to be.  If you can handle some little sexual innuendo, it's a fun read and a light summer story.

Face to Face with Jesus by Samaa Habib-- See my review here.

The Spirit of Adoption by Randy and Kelsy Bohlender--  Think you can't adopt?  Think you can't do anything about the global adoption crisis?  Think it's a bigger problem and you can't make a dent in it?  Think again.  The Spirit of Adoption eliminates our excuses.  It reminds us that all of us have a part in solving this problem.  Even if we aren't the ones adopting, we can support adoptive families and the orphan care problem in so many aspects.  Written by a couple that has adopted 6 children, The Spirit of Adoption reminds us that orphan care if something that we're all called to.

Book I read with the kids this month:

Ragweed by Avi--This wasn't my favorite read with the kids.  In fact, about a third of the way through the book, I wanted to quit, but we pushed through.  The story of a country mouse visiting the big city and making new friends was an endearing one.  But the slang language made it next to impossible to get through.  For me, reading is one of the tools I use to help my kids learn the flow and cadence of language.  The slang in this one was disruptive and frustrating.  I'd skip this one next time.

Our suggested reading for May was Culture of Honor by Danny Silk--  I've got some mixed reviews on this one.  For one thing, I really appreciate the fact that Silk brought back the idea of apostles and prophets playing a role in the church, especially in setting the vision of the church in partnership with pastors and staff.  Silk's insight in to "The Wealth Mindset" was also interesting and made me question how I live my life... what is my view of the Lord and how is that inhibiting or enabling my future?  On the other hand, so much of this book has to be balanced with what we know about pastors and teachers.  As one review commented, Silk can seems disrespectful of pastors.  But upon further reflection so much has been written on the role of pastors.  So taking this book as the whole is dangerous, but balancing it with what we already know about church roles makes it an important piece of the puzzle.  I'd be lying if I said I completely understood this book.  I'm still processing it and really would love to re-read Culture of Honor.  What were your impressions?

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 Culture of Honor by Danny Silk.

And join us for our next bookmarks post coming July 25th as we discuss Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas.

*Linked to these Parties

A Peek Into Our DANCING Week

This video ended up longer than I would have liked, but she's such a cutie... how do you cut any of it?  We spent most of last week getting ready for Lydia's ballet performance with several rehearsals and Mama trying to figure out hair and make-up!  What a learning curve!

But we made it, and it was so cute... I had to share.  Here's our peek into a dancing week:

34 Things Every Married Couple Should Try Together

 

 My husband and I were in the grocery checkout line this morning.  A rare treat we had to spend time together.  I was glancing at the trashy gossip magazines, skimming the headlines.  And it saddened me to see another marriage breaking up.  An 18 year marriage reduced to the headline in a trashy gossip magazine.  And it just reminded me that we never get to rest.

We're approaching our 13 year anniversary this year and on occasion, I find myself thinking, "Hey we're actually doing well."  It's so easy to breath a sign of relief thinking, "This is it!  We made it!"  How easy it would be to just relax and coast from here, thinking 13 years qualifies us for a break.

But it's stories like this that just remind me that there's never a time for rest, never a time for thinking we've proven our commitment.  Thinking over the past 13 years and all the years we still have together (Lord willing), I'm reminded of the big (and little) ways that my husband and I have stregthened our relationship and plan to continue growing in our marriage.

1. Take a hike in the mountains
2. Star gaze in the backyard
3. Take a picnic to the lake
4. Dream storm about the future
5. Keep a letter journal
6. Read a book together
7. Play on a sports team
8. Have a picnic on the beach
9. Watch a thunder storm
10. Go on a mission trip
11. Host a small group
12. Take a walk in the rain
13. Go to a concert in the park
14. Kayak on a lake or ocean
15. Go camping
16. See a play
17. Zipline in a rain forest
18. Plant a tree
19. Travel overseas
20. Cook a new meal
21. Take a class together
22. Volunteer in ministry together
23. Go on a trip with your in-laws
24. Find a workout your both enjoy
25. Ride a rollercoaster
26. Host a block party
27. Pray
28. Go to a professional sports game
29. Learn to dance
30. Go tubing down the river
31. Work on a project together
32. Plan a second honeymoon
33. Split "his" and "hers" favorite desserts
34. Have a couple's massage

How do you keep your marriage strong?

10 Goals This Week

Here's how I did last week:

Parenting:

• 3 ballet rehearsals, 1 gymnastics class, 1 music class, 2 baseball practices, 1 ballet performance, VBS

Blogging:

• Pre-post 3 blogs
• Finish 2 DIY projects (!!!) (finished one)

Homemaking:

• Try one new recipe
• Update photos in frame
• Work on gift

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/night (4 nights)
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga
• Spend time each day working on verse

These are My 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

• 2 baseball practices, swim lessons for all 3 kids, 1 gymnastics class, 1 music class, VBS
• Work on Daily Learning Notebooks

Blogging:

• Pre-post 3 blogs
• Finish 1-2 DIYs

Homemaking:

• Work on gift
• Strategically work through cleaning the house
• Write two cards

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/night
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga
• Spend some time each day working on verse

What are Your Goals for the Week?

Weekend Links

Doily Wrapped Vase

Skinny Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal

10 Activities to Improve Your Child's Reading Fluency

Old Colander Succulent Planter

Fresh Caprese Pasta Salad

This Week:

What I Made: I finally tried that DIY ketchup and I started working on a baby shower gift.

What I'm Reading: I'm reading a book called Spirit of Adoption.  Very good.  And started a new Amish fiction.  Surprise, surprise!

What I'm Doing: This has been crazy week as we're finishing up dance and getting ready for Lydia's performance.  So I'm running around like a crazy mama.

What I'm Watching: Not much, but have you seen Hollywood Game Night?  Very funny.

What I'm Enjoying:  Having Grandma visit... a few hours peace and quiet while the kids are at VBS... Mommy and Me music class... Jamba Juice sorbet bars

What are you up to?

Face to Face with Jesus {Review}

Habib shares her story of growing up Muslim, in a country that was 98% Muslim.  As a child, though the obvious majority, Muslims lived peacefully alongside Christians.  She speaks of understanding that there was a difference, but never feeling how great the divide was.  But as Habib grew, civil war broke out in her country and there are those who took advantage.  Not only was her family caught in the middle of the warring fractions, but also lost in the midst of those who fought for their own agenda. Through a series of events, Samaa Habib began searching out hope in the most unlikely place: Jesus Christ.

Despite beatings, risk of rape and death, possible starvation, and more, Habib and her family continued pursuing the Lord, continued pushing the boundaries of their culture and found that the miraculous exploding in their world.  Miracle after miracle after miracle... and the unthinkable happens.  A bombing targeted at destroying their church left Habib near death.  And what happened next is completely unimaginable.

Face to Face with Jesus is a quick read.  Habib's story is so compelling, so life changing, it's hard to put down.  I found myself questioning how she would survive such an incredible lifestyle, how she would survive civil war, and then her own family, and finally the bombing.  But her story is one of the Lord's faithfulness, time after time.  I also started to question why?  Why is this woman's life so marked by miracles and the miraculous?  Why?

I keep coming back to the fact that she was hungry.  So often in our lives we have a Plan A, B, C,... sometimes all the way down to Plan Z.  Habib didn't have that.  All she had was a simple faith and an unrelenting hunger.  She was hungry for all that the Lord had for her.  When was the last time I was hungry?  Hungry enough to risk it all?

Samaa Habib's testimony is one that's incredible.  There's no other word to describe it.  Her life has been one of pursuing the Lord with everything in her and seeing him show up for her every time.  Whether you need a challenge to live with risk, or you need the encouragement that your risk is worth it, Face to Face with Jesus will leave you hungry. Definitely worth the read.

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

Simple Mickey Mouse Card

Just wanted to share a cute, simple card I made for my nephew's 1st birthday.  Hope it inspires you!

10 Goals This Week

Here's how I did last week:

Parenting:

• Take the kids to a dollar movie, 1 ballet lesson
• Go to clothing swap

Blogging:

• Pre-post 3 blogs
• Finish book club book and review book

Homemaking:

• Finish one DIY project
• Gather supplies for another DIY project
• Update photos in frame

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/ night (4 nights)
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga
• Find a verse to memorize

These are My 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

• 3 ballet rehearsals, 1 gymnastics class, 1 music class, 2 baseball practices, 1 ballet performance

Blogging:

• Pre-post 3 blogs
• Finish 2 DIY projects (!!!)

Homemaking:

• Try one new recipe
• Update photos in frame
• Work on gift

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/night
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga
• Spend time each day working on verse

What are Your Goals for the Week?

Healthy Eating While Traveling

It's summer time and we're doing some traveling.  Summer is prime time for traveling.  There's Grandma's house, the beach, the lake, or just trying to connect with family while the kids are out of school.  Our summer is generally quiet this year, but we do have two trips planned.  And that means a little extra meal planning for Mama.  So right now I'm planning a few meals for the hotel and some ideas for the car ride.

Healthy eating is still possible on the road.  It just takes a little planning and creativity.  Here's what I'm planning:

1. Salads-- Salads are a great way to squeeze in vegetables and eat seasonally.  Plus they're still portable for your hotel room.  My favorites include taco salad (including haystacks) and steak salad.  Just grill your meat and prep your toppings at home and pack in a well-chilled ice chest.

2. Wraps-- Wraps are another great way to eat seasonally.  They can be pre-prepared for an on the road lunch, or veggies can be prepped and ready for a hotel meal upon your arrival.  Serve with a side salad (my favorite is a slaw) and you have an easy, refreshing meal.

3. Pasta or orzo salad-- These are both easy prepared at home and served on the road.  Try using orzo with lemon, salt, and pepper for a refreshing twist.  We love filling ours with bell pepper, olives, tomato, green onion, ... sometimes even garbanzo beans.

4. Tuna spirals or pizza rolls-- Both these items are great if you want to veer away from the typical sandwich on the road.  Keep them well chilled with pre-portioned dipping sauce.

5. Rice Salad-- This is another great one like pasta salad.  Jut cook your rice and mix in some fixings.  One of our favorites include chicken, cranberries, celery, yogurt dressing, and almonds.

6. Tacos-- I love serving tacos while we're on the road.  It's an easy meal at home and with a little prep, they easily served in your hotel.  Pile on the veggies (including lots of green lettuce) serve with some fresh fruit.

7. Chili-- Chili is one of our favorites at the beach.  We cook up a hug pot of chili before we leave home and plug in the crockpot when we get to the hotel.  And my husband says not to forget the cornbread.  Comfort food at the beach is always a highlight of our trip.

How do you eat well while traveling?

Weekend Links

14 Underrated Places You'll Really Want To Move To

Coconut Lime Finger Jello

Why Reading Aloud to Older Children is Valuable

2 Summer Spritzers

4 Spring Cleaning and Organizing Tips for Homeschoolers

This Week:

What I Made:  The kids and I surprised my hubby with a Father's Day video we made for him.  Pretty cute!

What I'm Reading:  I'm finishing up the June bookmarks book.  It's good, but really messing with my brain.  Have you started it yet?

What I'm Doing:  We're spending the weekend with family.

What I'm Watching:  The kids playing in the pool.  They're crazy!

What I'm Enjoying:  Some cooler weather this weekend.  It's been a nice break.

What are you up to?

Why Line Dry?

It's July and the heat has arrived.  We've been spending a lot of time at the pool lately and the kids are turning into little fish.  While the heat can get stiffling from time to time, there are some advantages.  like the four to five months of using my clothes line.  So why line dry you ask.  Here are just a few reasons why it works for us:

It's cheaper-- With our A/C running so much in the summer, I love having a free "dryer."  We're harnessing the sun without paying a penny.

It whitens white-- Hanging our cloth diapers in the sun leaves them smelling fresher and looking whiter.

Your clothes last longer-- Without the additional stress of the dryer, our clothes break down slower and last longer.

It's environmentally friendly-- This is just one way we're using less energy, less chemicals, and working toward being more environmentally conscious.

Do you line dry?

Why or why not?

10 Goals This Week

Here's how I did last week:

Parenting:

• 1 gymnastics, 1 ballet, 1 teacher's meeting
• Sign up kids' for swim lessons

Blogging:

• Read book, start book club book, start review book
• Pre-post 3 blogs (only 2)

Homemaking:

• Try one new recipe
• More yard work
• Finish one DIY project
• Gather supplies for another DIY project

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/ night (not even close)
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga

These are My Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

• Take the kids to a dollar movie, 1 ballet lesson
• Go to clothing swap

Blogging:

• Pre-post 3 blogs
• Finish book club book and review book

Homemaking:

• Finish one DIY project
• Gather supplies for another DIY project
• Update photos in frame

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/ night
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga
• Find a verse to memorize

What are Your Goals for the Week?

Beach Trip Lessons from 2010

 (Photo from 2013)

These were all little tips and thoughts from our beach trip in 2010 and a snapshot into our family at time.  We've been going to the same beach on vacation since 2009 and we're very much so looking forward to our trip again this summer.  Just wanted to share these little tidbits of motherly advice.

Lesson #1--Your two year old who has been doing awesome potty training will suddenly revert when you pack primarily big girl panties.

Lesson #2--Sand will be EVERYWHERE!

Lesson #3--Don't just put sunscreen on your nose.  There are other places that can, and will, BURN!

Lesson #4--Some loads of laundry will have to go through the washer twice. (See #2)

Lesson #5--Watching your four year old play on the beach will be like a re-enactment of Lord of the Flies.

Lesson #6--If you go into vacation with the right attitude, you can actually wear your kids out before they wear you out!

Weekend Links

Strawberry and Watermelon Birthday Party

Medieval Knight Birthday Party

Baseball Themed Birthday Party

Pink Rockstar Birthday Party

Alice in Wonderland Tea Party

This Week:

What I Made:  This week had me creating all kinds of different things.  I finished some Mickey Mouse hats for a party, tried a bunch of new recipes, and even perfected the ballerina bun.

What I'm Reading:  I just finished up Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham and I'm working on a review book.

What I'm Doing:  Today is super crazy.  There's a homeschool curriculum swap, a Little League pizza party, and rehearsal/pictures for ballet.  Here's to hoping I make it through the day.

What I'm Watching:  We haven't been watching much lately.  Nothing very interested.  So outside my window lately I've been watching my kids play on the slip n slide.  Not that's summer for ya!

What I'm Enjoying:  Some time to "play" in the kitchen... having a break from school... lots of summer salads... and homemade popsicles!

What are you up to?

While You're Waiting: Learn to Use a Fire Extinguisher

(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.

Ok, yeah, this sounds like a funny one, but I spent years not knowing how to use a fire extinguisher.  It wasn't until we became foster parents that it became a priority in our household.  Now, I can't imagine why it took me so long to learn.  

It's not rocket science, but in an emergency, we all start to panic.  So make sure you review and know the steps.  Hopefully you don't ever have to use one, but I'd rather you know how, just in case.

1. Pull the pin.  This releases the locking mechanism and allows you to use the fire extinguisher.

2. Aim at the base of the flames.  This will extinguish the fuel.

3. Squeeze the leaver slowly.  When you release, it will stop the flow of the extinguisher.

4.  Sweep the extinguisher from side to side, only moving closer to the fire as it dies down.

Again, I pray that you never have to use one, but in case you do, be prepared.  It's a simple precaution.  

A Peek Into Our Homeschool: Last Day of School 2014

More Disneyland Tips and Tricks

 

*Get a 3 Day Park Hopper Ticket-- The trip to the park is a full trip for us.  We don't live in Southern California so we try to really take advantage of the time we have.  A 3 Day Park Hopper Pass allows us to not feel rushed through our day and catch most of the attractions we want to see.

*Go during the school year-- Disneyland can be busy any time of the year, but especially on school breaks.  So if you can, go when most families still have kids in school.  Lines will be so much shorter and your patience will go a lot further.

*And go during the middle of the week--Tuesdays and Wednesdays are awesome.  You'll have a much better experience when it's not busy.

*Be realistic about how much ground you can cover-- My best days in Disneyland are the one where I have realistic expectations.  I love to hit the major spots in the park in one day, but during the busy season or when I have small kids, I just have to be realistic about my day.  My whole attitude is better then.

*Check the height restrictions-- If you have kids, check the height restrictions on Disney's site before you travel.  We always check our kids height so we don't end up in a line where they can't ride.  It's ends up being disappointing for us and them.  It goes back to setting up the realistic expectations point.

*Take your tribe-- We've only gone to Disneyland once without family and that was definitely pre-kids.  Traveling with family gives you the ability to split up: someone gets sick, needs to use the bathroom, needs a snack, or just isn't tall enough for the ride.  Family is our biggest essentially in a Disneyland trip.

*Get there early--Arriving early gives you a chance to pick up your tickets, get through the gates and take a family photo.

*Use the Stroller/ Rider Switch Pass-- Having little ones, this is an essential.  One parent can ride and then switch out with the other.  It's great!

*Check out the Single Rider Pass-- My husband and I did this on our last trip.  We went straight to Soarin' Over California right away, and my mom got in line with the kids.  After my husband got back from a fast pass line, he stayed with the baby and I went straight on the line.  I got out and my husband got right on, we were out before Grandma and the kids.  There's no guarantee how long you'll wait, but most of the time, you'll get right on.

*Know how to use the Fast Pass-- Insert each family members' tickets and a Fast Pass will print out for each of you.  Return at the time printed and go through the Fast Pass line which is considerably shorter than the other line.  We only do this for rides that have lines over 45 min and know we will make it back to.  Only bigger rides have them and only one Fast Pass is allowed per ticket at one time (with the exception of Radiator Springs and World of Color).

10 Things This Week

Here's how I did last week:

Parenting:

• 2 karate, 2 baseball, 1 ballet, and 1 gymnastics
• Plan an end of the school year fun day

Blogging:

• Finish Noah's birth video
• Pre-write 3 blogs
• Work on a DIY project

Homemaking:

• Try one new recipe
• Work in yard
• Work in kids' room

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/night
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga

These are My 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

• 1 gymnastics, 1 ballet, 1 teacher's meeting
• Sign up kids' for swim lessons

Blogging:

• Read book, start book club book, start review book
• Pre-post 3 blogs

Homemaking:

• Try one new recipe
• More yard work
• Finish one DIY project
• Gather supplies for another DIY project

Personal:

• Sleep 8.5 hrs/ night
• Workout 3-4 days/one day of yoga

What are Your Goals for the Week?