5:25 PM

Homemaking 101: Fab Product Finds

Last week, I mentioned on the R&R Facebook page that I was totally feeling old because I was getting overly excited about coupons and minivans.  Well, this post only adds to that aging feeling!  Perhaps instead of seeing it as a sign of aging, I should see it as a Growth Moment and rejoice that the LORD is growing my passion for homemaking.


I am all about finding products that can make life a little easier and this little gem is one of those products!  I had a smaller, less powerful sweeper that just wasn't getting the job done, so we headed to Bed, Bath, & Beyond and found this Electrolux sweeper.  It is cordless and light AND it has the built in hand vac that you can remove and use.

In addition to the sweeper, I found this Bath Stone by the checkout.  Since we moved in, I have had horrible trouble keeping hard water stains out of our toilets.  Well ... not any more!  This little bath stone is AMAZING.  It totally cleaned up the stains and the potty is now sparkly!  At a play-date this week, I mentioned my love for the Bath Stone to a friend and she said she had used a pumice stone and got similar results.  

And my last find at Bed, Bath, & Beyond, were storage bins on clearance for $3.99!  These days I can't get enough baskets, bins, etc. 

I totally wiped out my stash of 20% off coupons with this Bed, Bath, & Beyond trip, but I bet I know where I can get some more. :)

Random Friday

1) Have you missed me?  :)  I have SO missed blogging, but life has been NUTS lately.  My transition to two has been pretty easy up until the last few weeks and then real fun has begun!  My sweet Brooksie has just been cranky.  He is working on a mouth full of teeth and he wants to get up and move so bad!  He has managed to develop an army crawl that gets him where he wants to go and he is making progress on getting his belly of the floor.  He is also pulling up on everything but isn't stable on anything yet, so he has just needed some extra mommy attention.  I remind myself often that this to shall pass!  In the meantime, my time is spent playing with boys during awake times and working on the house, laundry, etc. during nap times.  It actually has been a good reminder of where my time and energy needs to be focused.

Look what I found when I went in to get him from his nap this week!

2) How was your Valentine's Day?  We do V-Day a little low key around her, but it was still a great day!  Drew had a fun party at his Mother's Morning Out and Hal picked up dinner on the way home. We had cooked steaks together on Sunday night and are hoping to get a Date Night this weekend.

The best pic I could do on V-Day!

3) I put a new verse on my chalkboard in the kitchen this week.  I need this reminder daily if not hourly. Whether it is in regards to disciplining my toddler or getting myself out of bed in the morning to be in God's word, I need to remind myself that I will reap what I sow.

^"8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

LOVE

In the Bible, all Christians are given a general command to love others.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35"

The Greek noun for love is agape, the verb is agapao. Agape love is an attitude of God towards His Son and the human race in general ... it is sacrificial love, giving. Agape is God's will for believer's concerning their attitude towards one another as well as an attitude toward all men.  In other words, it is a love that gives to others even if nothing is given back in return. The noun form (agape) is primarily an attitude.  The verb form (agapao) is primarily a practical action.  Either way, it is a choice and we are held responsible.*

Wives ... how can  you show love to your husband today even if it goes unnoticed? Mothers ... in what ways can show love to your children today by meeting their needs even when you know that there will be no thank you given?  Christian ... how you can show love today by meeting the needs of someone you don't even know?


 *Martha Peace's The Excellent Wife p.82http://celestial-maiden.blogspot.com/2011/02/happy-hearts-day.html

12:30 PM

This Week's Menu Plan: 2/5-2/11

I thought I would post my menu plan again this week.  I don't plan on doing it every week, but it is good accountability for me and I hope to encourage you to give it a try!  If you haven't jumped on the menu planning bandwagon yet, give it a try.  Not only does it save $$$ on my groceries, but it also saves my sanity at the end of the day when I know what I am preparing and in many cases, I have already prepared it!  Tonight we had an enchilada casserole that I prepared during nap time and put in the fridge.  To make it even easier, I used pulled pork from a recipe I made last week.  Thinking ahead and having a plan is making my evenings go MUCH more smoothly.


Sunday
Breakfast: Blueberry Muffins
Lunch: Lunch in Laurel w/ Hal's parents
Dinner: Hamburgers & Chips for Super Bowl

Monday

Breakfast: English Muffins & Kefir Smoothie w/ Strawberries, Bananas, and Blueberries

Lunch: Leftover hamburgers and Veggies

Dinner:  Enchilada Casserole & Homemade Salsa (casserole made w/ leftovers from last week)

Tuesday

Breakfast:  Toast & Eggs

Lunch: Leftover Casserole (L&H)/ MMO (D)

Dinner: Zucchini Tomato Frittata & Salad

Wednesday

Breakfast: Cliff Bar/Luna Bar

Lunch: Cafeteria (H) Salad (L)/ Chicken & Veggies (D)

Dinner: Veggie Turkey Chili (Pulled from the freezer from a few weeks ago)

Thursday

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Muffins

Lunch:Cafeteria (H)/ MMO (D)

Dinner: Oven Baked Fried Chicken, green beans, & yellow squash

Friday

Breakfast: Eggs w/ Toast & Kefir Smoothie

Lunch: Peanut Butter and Jelly, veggies, and fruit

Dinner: Hamburger & Veggie homemade pizza

Saturday

Breakfast: Daddy and Drew donut date

Lunch: Out

Dinner: Chicken Quesadillas & homemade salsa

What is your family eating this week?

Date Box Valentine's Day Idea

Thanks to Rubies and Rewards, Hal was able to open his Valentine's Day present a little early!  While I was in DC, Sarah and I put together a fun surprise for our husbands.  We originally saw the idea on Desiring Virtue.  Jessalyn did an AMAZING job on her box for husband.  We took her basic idea and put together something similar. Over coffee and brownies, we spent time brainstorming.  We each came up with 11 fun and unique dates (since we are starting in February).  We also included a marriage challenge for each month.  

 Our Basket of date. A separate envelope for each month.

 We went to Michael's and picked up some scrapbook paper to fancy up the envelopes.

 Each envelope contained a marriage challenge and date night idea.  While we were shopping in Georgetown, we found a fun paper store that had a lot of card making supplies 1/2 off to use in our envelopes.

 For February, Hal and I watched Courageous.  I tried to come up with a good mix of at home dates and dates where we would get a babysitter.

 Our February marriage challenge is to pray together everyday.

 Each envelope also includes two prayer cards.  We can write prayer requests for the month on them and they are small enough to fit in a wallet or place beside the sink.

 I put his basket on his bedside table!  I can't wait for him to open the envelope for March!  It is something we have both wanted to do for awhile!

I looking forward to having something planned each month that is focused on just the two of us!  Jessalyn included some other great items in her box and I am totally jelous of her wax seals! :)  Maybe I will make this an annual tradition and invest more time preparing next year!

Learning to Crawl

It has been a long week around here.  I told a friend on the phone this morning that I am pretty sure this has been the most difficult week I have experienced since Brooks was born.

Getting ready to go

It was our first week back in our routine after a few weeks of craziness which definitely had something to do with it, but my sweet Brooks just had a rough week.  The little man is working on 4 teeth, but most of all he is trying so hard to crawl.  

 

I have seen him push up from his belly a few times and he has mastered going from sitting to all fours, but just can’t get going from there.  

He has figured out how to get both legs under himself but...

He falls to his belly :(

And this is how he usually ends up ... sweet baby!

He wants to pull up on EVERYTHING but isn’t quite stable when he gets up.  He is frustrated and ready to move on his own.  

Doesn't he look proud??

With both of my boys, I have noticed that right before they reach big milestones like sitting up, crawling, or walking, they experience times of frustration.  I can relate to their frustration.  It seems that I experience similar emotions as I face milestones in the process of sanctification.  Whether it is conviction of sin that I must rid my life of or learning and understanding a spiritual truth on a deeper level, the learning times are hard.  Often we can see a glimpse of what is ahead, yet we just can’t get there.  But the Lord is a gracious father who is patient with us and walks us through these times.  Just as Brooks will learn to crawl, if I preserve in the times of learning, I too will learn and overcome the sin or grasp the truth.

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me ... the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24