Jackson

We welcomed our sweet baby to the world on March 31, 2017! His birth was long 

(to me!), slow and I hate to say it, but hard and frustrating.

Jackson Paul

6lb 14 oz

19.5"

I've been blessed with fairly easy births,and I expected this one to be the same! I woke up at about 12:30am thinking that something wasn't quite right. Not a second after I woke up, my water broke!It didn't take me very long to wake up and for adrenaline to pick up. I woke Mike up, and we both started rushing around, waiting for things to start progressing quickly. My sister came right away, but nothing was happening. I was having a few contractions here and there, but nothing that made me thing that labor was actually starting. It was about 1:30 when I tried to go back to bed, and slept on and off for about 4 hours. I then got tired of waiting and thought that maybe if I got up and started moving, maybe labor would actually start! I got up and made breakfast for everyone, and got in the shower. Still nothing! I knew that I had an appointment with my midwife around 11:30 in the morning so I decided to try to nap if I could. I'm not sure that I've ever slept so hard! Mike woke me up to get ready to go, and I could barely drag myself out of bed! 

Jack at 1 month old

We got to the appointment, and it still seemed that nothing was progressing. We monitored the baby, and I knew that I was having some contractions, but nothing that was really worth timing. My midwife sent us out, and told us to start walking and see if that helped. As we were leaving, it seemed that my contractions were picking up, so I started to watch them a bit closer. We went to our local co-op to get some snacks, and some bone broth for me to sip on, and while we were there I had to keep stopping because contractions were coming faster! I went out to sit in the van while Mike payed for our things, and started timing them. They were still around 7 minutes apart, but were getting closer. Once we started driving though, they slowed down again. I was so frustrated, and so tired so I told Mike that we should go home and I would try to nap again. He "accidentally" took the wrong way, because he could tell that labor wasn't slowing down and that we should stay close to the birth center. He's pretty smart! We went back to the birth center, and things slowed down.....again. It was hard for me to keep a positive mindset at this point, which I know is SO important, but labor kept starting and stopping, and I was so tired...and I just wanted to meet my baby! 

Jack at 2 months

We started walking, up and down the block, over and over, until my contractions were picking up in intensity and time. We could both tell that they were getting closer and closer, so we started to head back to the birth center. Once we were back, labor slowed AGAIN. I felt like giving up (even though I knew I couldn't actually do that!) I told Mike and my midwife that I just wanted to lie down for awhile, and try to rest. She said that she would check in after awhile, or to let her know if anything was happening. It was about 3:30, and not even 20 minutes later that Mike went out to get her. I was at the point where I couldn't move without having a contraction, and they were coming fast. It's always at this point when I tell Mike that I'm not ready to do anymore...he says that's how he knows that our babies will be here soon! It was a LONG hour, and a lot of me struggling to get into the mindset that I COULD actually do it...after a bit of of loving (for lack of better word) pushing from my midwife, and our little boy was born! It took him a little bit to figure out how to breathe, but as soon as my midwife suggested that we give him a little oxygen, he started breathing and crying. We stayed at the birth center for four hours after he was born, and spent that time nursing, resting, and snuggling our sweet boy. We were in love immediately. 

Jack at 3 months

We were so excited to get home, and woke up the kids...but they were too tired and didn't actually get up to see him! :)

It has been a big adjustment going from 3 to 4 kids, but we wouldn't have it any other way. He fits right in, and everyone absolutely adores him! 

Minty Hot Chocolate

I was at Costco the other day, and the Vitamix demo guy was giving out samples of a perfectly creamy, peppermint hot chocolate. I was intrigued, and took a sip. It was so very decadent, without any heavy cream or half and half...it was delicious. He told me what was in it, one of the ingredients being vanilla coffee creamer. Blech. Not something that I would want to drink every day.
I've been trying a few recipes for a dairyfree/nut free hot chocolate that Maddie can drink...and that she likes. As much as she loves canned coconut milk, it just doesn't work very well in hot chocolate for us. This recipe is so simple, and you make it in the blender!

The Cast of Characters

I took the Vitamix Guy's idea and ran with it. We've had chocolate mousse with avocado, so I really didn't think it would be too difficult...and it wasn't!

I used liquid stevia drops, and then tried it with pure maple syrup. It tasted much better with the maple syrup, but feel free to use honey or sugar too.

Minty Hot Chocolate

Makes 1 cup

! Tbsp Cocoa powder

4-5 drops stevia, or 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

2-3 drops mint extract

2-3 drops vanilla extract

1/4 of an avocado, sliced

1/2 cup boiling water

Put all of the ingredients into a blender, and pulse it a few times. Blend it until it's completely smooth, and there are no chunks of avocado.

Paleo Lunches

We're still in the paleo-type-of-food phase with Maddie right now, and I finally feel like I've hit my groove with making meals, and making them quick!
Most of our meals are totally paleo, but here and there I make something separate for Maddie, so that Charlie isn't totally missing out on the foods that he loves.
I have to say though, nearly everyday I'm amazed at what my kids will eat. Avocado? They'll pile that into their mouths faster than I can scoop it out for them. Broccoli? Served with a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar on top, they inhale it. I've been so thankful that we started feeding the kids real, healthy, nutrient dense foods, since they first started eating...I truly believe that's what has made them into the good eaters that they are.
I wanted to share two of my favorite lunch ideas that I've found come together really quickly, and are so good for growing bodies (and nursing mamas!).

Salmon Salad
1 can of Salmon (wild caught, BPA free cans if possible!)
1/2 of a cucumber, chopped
1 avocado, diced
1-2 shredded carrots
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
juice from 1/2 of a lemon
Drain the salmon, and mix everything together, to taste! I served this in bowls, with a side of fruit. It's loaded with protein, vegetables, and healthy fat!
**I don't have a picture of this one because...it doesn't look super delicious in pictures!)

Roast Beef Hash

Leftover Roast Beef Hash
1-2 C leftover roast beed
1 Large sweet potato, cubed and cooked (I prefer mine roasted with lots of coconut oil and garlic, but you can steam them too)
1/2 bag of frozen broccoli, steamed until fork tender
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt
pepper
eggs
Chop up the roast beef so it's in small bites. Add a good heaping Tbsp of coconut oil to a cast iron skillet (or a frying pan!),put in the garlic and let it cook for a minute to soften it. Add in the beef, sweet potatoes, broccoli, salt and pepper. Try to mash up the sweet potatoes into the meat, but not completely...you still want a little bit of texture from them. While it's heating, fry up one egg per serving, in your preferred type of fat (PLEASE no vegetable/canola oil for my sanity's sake! :D ). Once the hash is complete, serve it up into bowls, and top with your fried egg.

**This is another one of those recipes that you can sub in whatever you have...ground beef/pork/turkey, carrots, onion, or any other type of vegetable that you have!**

Paleo Italian Wedding Soup

We've been in a different food territory for about the past two weeks. For about the past year, we've had some different digestion issues going on, and I finally felt ready to tackle them. I'll try to get into it more at a later time, but right now I'm still processing, and slightly overwhelmed. For now, we're pretty much eating paleo, minus sweeteners and fruits...which leaves.....meat, vegetables, and healthy fats. It hasn't bothered me too much, except that we can't even do eggs, which makes breakfast really really hard. No scrambled eggs, no egg and veggie muffins, no butternut squash pancakes (which are seriously delicious and totally fall-ish.). We're mostly eating leftovers and soup right now, which is really ok...I just miss pancakes and baked oatmeal :)

I've been experimenting a lot with soup lately, because it's so easy, and super quick. I can pretty much just throw whatever into a pot with some chicken stock, salt and pepper, and call it good. Thankfully, it's soup season, and everyone in my house loves soup...even Hannah was sipping on some chicken stock the other day!

Tonight for supper, I made my own version of Paleo Italian Wedding Soup. It was so yummy! I don't know why I haven't thought of putting meatballs in soup earlier. It makes a LOT of meatballs, so save some for lunch tomorrow! Or freeze them!

Italian Wedding Soup

Serves 6

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork

1 Tbsp Parsley

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 onion, chopped finely

Soup:

6 Cups chicken stock (divided)

1/2 bag of frozen broccoli

1/2 bag of frozen cauliflower

1 1/2 Tbsp pesto (I used homemade, dairy free pesto, but you can use whatever you have on hand.)

Mix ingredients together, and form into balls. Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat, and drizzle in some olive oil. Once the pan is heated, put half of the meatballs in the pan to brown. After about a minute, flip onto the other side. You're not looking to cook the meatballs, just to get a good amount of caramelization on them...and to get some brown bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Remove, and do the same for the other half. Take 1 cup of chicken stock and pout it into the pan (it will be loud and steamy! That's what you want!). Use a whisk to scrape the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan...that's where the flavor is! Add in the rest of the stock, the meatballs, and the veggies. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the broccoli and cauliflower are cooked through, and the meatballs are floating on top. Finish the soup off with the pesto, and salt and pepper to taste... And maybe some parmesan cheese if you can ;)

Note: feel free to add whatever veggies you'd like! Carrots, and potatoes would be good, or even some white beans to stretch it a little further. Next time I'll be adding some chopped kale for some more greens!

Enjoy!

Changes

How funny that my last post was almost exactly a year ago! I was just telling Mike how I don't remember very much of this time, last year...other than being sick. It was just kind of a blur! :)
Life has been crazy, busy, loud, stressful and wonderful this past year. Our sweet Hannah has brought SO much joy into our lives, and we are so thankful for her!

Brand New, Hannah Joy

We MOVED!! We put an offer in on a house just hours before Hannah was born, and moved when she was 4 weeks old. I don't want to do that again. But, we're settled, and absolutely loved having a large backyard all summer. The kids were outside all day long most days, and wore themselves right out. We've moved so many times within the last 6 years, it's such a strange feeling to know that we're staying put for awhile! And, I don't have to listen to anyone stomping on my ceiling :)

We had a couple of big birthdays...Maddie celebrated her golden birthday in September, and Charlie turned 4 in August! People say that time flies...well, it really does!

Birthday Kids!

We're getting ready for Thanksgiving this week...and boy am I ready. I'll have my thanksgiving pants on, and plan to pig out! **Bonus points to anyone who gets that reference!** I'm looking forward to this next season, even with the snow!

Practical Ways to Teach Your Kids About Jesus

This was originally my idea for a post on Monday, but after praying about it, I felt like God was leading my into a different direction(obviously.) But, this has been on my mind SO much lately, and I've been working on compiling a mental list of small ways that I can teach my kids about Jesus. Here it is!

*Every night at bedtime, Charlie and I lay in bed and thank God for the things He's given us. We also pray specifically for those who are sick, or hurting.

*Let them see me reading my Bible, or doing my Bible study

*Read to them from a Children's Bible. We have this one.

*A friend gave me the idea to pray over them as their acting up. For example, if Charlie pushes Maddie, I will hold his hands, and ask God to help him to remember to have kind hands.

*Memorizing verses. Charlie is part of Cubbies, so this is pretty easy for me. We just read through his book each week, and memorize the verse that goes with it.

Charlie at Cubbies

*Make a prayer book. This is an idea that I have yet to work on. It's really pretty simple, I just have to put it together! I just plan to take a small photo album, and put pictures of family and friends in it. The kids will each have their own, and it will be a great reminder that we need to be praying for our family!

*Listen to christian music on the radio. I try to be very careful about what we listen to in the car...we pretty much stay away from most secular music, especially now that Charlie is really listening and repeating everything that we say!

*Reminding him that Jesus wants us to be loving and kind, and that it makes God sad when Charlie sins.

*Answering questions that they have. Talking to them about where Jesus lives, and about heaven. It's fun to imagine what heaven will be like!

I hope this is a helpful list, I know that we have a long way to go, but this is a pretty good start!

Thrifty Tuesday

Whoops. I missed this yesterday, sorry about that! You know how it is...life with two kids and all.
Instead of sitting down and writing out this post, I actually made myself some lunch and cleaned up the kitchen...and then of course, as I sat down to eat, Charlie got up early from his nap :)

So anyway, this was a tough week for me. I can feel that we're in the middle of the month, because this is when I usually go downhill and get antsy. Instead of doing my grocery shopping at Aldi, like I've been doing the past couple of weeks, I went to Target. And oh, it was like a breath of fresh air. They have the organic whole chickens that I usually buy, and their produce is fresh. BUT...I spent more. I could feel it as I went through the checkout lane, and saw the total...even with my cartwheel coupons, and target card...it was still more than what I would have spent at Aldi.

Here's the good news though...I still managed to save some money last week! Here's what we did:
*The kids and I stayed home most days. Other than to BSF and Cubbies, we didn't really go anywhere. This saved me from spending more money at a store, AND saved gas money!
*Charlie and I DID go out on a date...but I got water, and no appetizer, even though we were starving! (does that count, at all??)
*We made crafts with things that we already had on hand
*I made all of our meals, except for the night that Charlie and I went out
* Baked with ingredients that we already had on hand
*Skipped going out for lunch on Sunday, even though it was already after naptime, I didn't know what we were going to eat, and we were all, once again, starving!

There really isn't too much from last week, and I'm probably not remembering some things, but there you go!

Things that I'm learning.

As a woman who grew up doing the whole "Church thing", I thought that I knew so much more about the Bible than I actually do. Yesterday, at church, I heard the story of Gideon for the first time. It's a pretty huge story in the Bible, and yet, I didn't know it. Of course...part of that was probably my fault. I was pretty boy crazy/distracted no matter where I went...so more than likely, I had the opportunity to hear and study those stories, but I chose not to.

I consider myself to be a relatively new christian, and am always learning new things when I study the Bible (shocking, right?!). I've been going to BSF for a little over a year, and I know it's not for everyone, but I've gotta tell you...it's made a HUGE impact on my life. Right now, I feel like I need to study the Bible in depth. I need to dig deeper than just reading through, and skimming. My soul needs to learn as much about my Lord as it can. 

Do you know what else I've been learning throughout these past few years? My heart desires to spend time with women who trust and serve the Lord. To spend as much time as I can, soaking up their wisdom, and praying with them. Women who are my age, and especially women who are older than me, and have been through my stage of life. It's so important that I can talk and share and be vulnerable with those that I trust. Who I know will pray for me and with me when I'm walking through trials. 

So, here I stand today, convicted, because do you know what? Deep down, I know that my kids need the same thing. Yes, they're only three and one, but they, too, need to know that someone greater than their mom and dad loves them, more than we EVER could. Someone who send HIS SON to die for THEIR SINS. They need to be with family and friends who will teach them about their Lord and Savior. Not only that, they need me, someone who feels so inadequate, and so small compared to my Father, to teach them about Christ's unfailing love for them. 

The most important thing that I can do for Charlie and Maddie is to pray for them. Every day. Every night when I go to bed, I need to pray for their sweet souls, that they would grow to love Christ at an early age. That they will stand strong in the faith. That when they are called to do something impossible, they can hold on to the promise that their Father in Heaven, has everything planned out, and has gone before them. That they will share their faith with others. For their character traits that can seem so frustrating to me, but that God gave them. That God would help me to be the mom that HE made me to be, and that my kids need me to be.

Thrifty Tuesday

Here we are again!
I'm actually really excited about this past week, I feel like I really remembered that we wanted to save money, and we did!
Here's how we saved last week:
*We only went to the store once. I kept thinking of more things that I wanted to eat, but had to keep reminding myself that we have plenty to eat, in the apartment!
*We didn't go anywhere special. We went to cubbies and to BSF and that was it.
*We kept Charlie in underwear all day, instead of using pull-ups more often
*I bought snow pants and boots for both kids at once upon a child, and only paid about $20 total!
*We didn't eat out, but had leftovers for lunches

That's about all that I can think of...but I feel like by staying home, we really saved this week! Hurray!

How did you save money last week?

Pregnancy snacks

Every time I've been pregnant, I've promised myself that I would try to eat as healthfully as I could. And then...I get sick. I generally feel awful from week 6-17 or so...it's a miserable 11 weeks! Now that I'm feeling better, I'm trying to DO better. 

I'm finding myself constantly starving, which I would guess is pretty common when pregnant with the 3rd baby. I don't have time or energy to make many snacks, and instead finding myself grabbing a boxed granola bar, which really does nothing, but makes me feel worse!

Today, I made up some dried apricots, dipped in dark chocolate.

It might sound kind of strange, but they were SO good and SO addictive! Dried apricots are loaded with iron and vitamin A, and dark chocolate is....delicious.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or a microwave...but we don't have one!) dip the apricots in them, and refrigerate until the chocolate sets! Believe me, you won't be able to stop eating them! 

Here's a list of other snacks that I'm making/eating this week!

Pregnancy Snacks

*dried apricots dipped in dark chocolate

*pumpkin cream cheese dip with apples

*tomatoes with cottage cheese

*peppermint smoothies

*hummus with veggies

*homemade jr. mints

*fruit

*hard boiled eggs

That's all I've got for now, but I'm sure that the list will grow...as will my belly! :)

Thrifty Tuesday?

Being a stay at home mom, I sometimes find it difficult to feel content with staying at home, EVERY DAY. We do get out on Thursday mornings, and head over to our local BSF Group (If you haven't checked this out...please do! I have learned SO much while actually STUDYING the Bible, instead of just skimming it, and the fellowship with other women is something that my soul needs. More on this in another post.). We do have a zoo pass, and once I'm feeling completely like myself again, we will definitely make it there more...but, that's pretty much it! That leaves 4 days of the week that I have to find something for the kids and me to do. I don't know about you, but I get pretty restless after a day or two!

Usually we end up going to Target to grab one or two things for a new recipe or craft that I've found...and of course we end up buying 5 more things that we don't need, or even have room for! I end up feeling guilty, and frustrated every time I leave the store. 

This brings us to right now. Today, the first Tuesday in November. I made a mental goal to spend as little money as I possibly can this month. BUT - here it is in the open. I'm telling you all, because I want to/need to be held accountable. I'm excited, but nervous! I've done this before, and failed miserably every other time I've tried it. I'm feeling motivated, but cautious. I don't want to fail - again. 

Which again...brings me to TODAY! Each Tuesday this month, I'm going to share any tips that I find on how to save/not spend money. I'll also share what we did during the previous week! So, for the first week in November, here's what's been happening:

*We voted. Totally free outing!

*We haven't eaten out at all yet, and instead I've made up my mind to stick to our menu this week!

*I'm making homemade pizza for supper this week, and sticking one right into the freezer for another night!

*We did our grocery shopping at ALDI

*I'm working on printing coupons for diapers/dish soap. Do you know HOW MUCH you can save when you you coupons? It's kind of crazy.

*Checking out other bloggers who are into the same things as me (saving money, eating real food)

That's my list so far. Check out the links below to see some of my favorite money saving blogs!

http://www.duggarfamilyblog.com/

http://www.thehumbledhomemaker.com

http://www.myhumblekitchen.com

http://www.moneysavingmom.com

Birthday Parties

My kids were born 5 days apart. Ok, Two years, and five days. 

Birthday girl!

I wanted to make sure that their birthday parties were special, but because we don't live super close to our families, we had to have them on the same day. It surprisingly worked really well! 

Maddie had a Pink Lemonade party, and Charlie had a Firetruck party! We kept it pretty simple, with simple decorations, and food. The whole time, I kept thinking, "I'm hosting TWO birthday parties today, but I feel less stressed than ever!"

First Birthday Cake

It was so much fun to watch Maddie at her party. I'm not sure that she really knew what to do! 

Charlie in his fireman gear!

Charlie's party was very relaxed, I think we were all worn out after eating, and presents at Maddie's party! We opened presents, and then...

At the Fire Station

\

...went to the Fire Station! A few weeks before his birthday, I found out that the fire stations do free tours for birthday parties, so I called right away and scheduled a time for us to come! Charlie LOVED it! We learned about what they do, and how the station runs on a volunteer basis. Charlie got to sit in all of the fire trucks, and got to meet the fire fighters! 

It was a VERY long day, but it was so, so good!

Around the House

Summer flew by, and the mix of staying up late and not having a set schedule has come to and end. It was a great summer, filled with ice cream, bare little legs, zoo trips, grilling, flip flops, parades, fair food, and extra baths!

 Sweet baby

On the scrambler with my dad, and nephew

Charlie riding the motorcycles with his cousin

This year, Charlie was able to participate in the parades!

We had a WONDERFUL summer, but boy am I loving this beautiful fall that we're having!

Update

Guys, it's been way too long. The end of the summer, was a mess of finding out HUGE news (Yep, we'll get there!) sickness, and trying to enjoy the last few weeks before fall came.

In the summertime, I love enjoying an iced coffee from Starbucks, but instead of them making me feel good, and cool...I ended up feeling sick. EVERY TIME. It seemed so unfair, but I didn't really think anything of it. A couple weeks after giving up on coffee, we figured out the answer. I'm pregnant! We're so excited to welcome a new little one in early April, right around Eastertime. It's crazy thinking that Maddie will be a big sister, and I'm definitely unsure of how it will work...living in a two bedroom apartment, but I know that God has big plans for this little one. Now that I'm FINALLY feeling better, I'm hoping to get back into a regular blogging routine! I have a lot of new ideas and recipes to share, and of course some funny kidisms too :)

Proverbs Bible Study (Week 4)

Here are my notes from this past week! I learned a lot, again! I feel like there are a lot of the same themes popping up throughout all of the chapters so far...one in particular for me was to think before I speak. Any that are coming up over and over again for you?

Proverbs 14 

14:1 I viewed this as building up her family. With words and actions, she can easily build up or tear down her family.

14:6 I need to learn to listen to The Lord more often when I'm needing discernment.

14:7 Keep away from those who lie/tempt you

14:11 Those who believe will live eternally, but those who do not, will be destroyed.

14:12 Do not follow the way of man, but instead, follow the way of God.

14:15 I need to remember to think about what I hear, before taking someone else's word.

14:17 I'm usually very quick-tempered. It's something that I'm always working on and praying about.

14:21 Blessed is he who is kind to the needy!! We need to live and love like Jesus did. We need to love everyone...not just those who we think "deserve" it.

14:26 Those who fear The Lord will have a firm foundation. Their kids will always know that they are safe.

14:28 A large population is a king's glory!! This is NOT how our world currently views high population rates. I thought that this was interesting!

14:29 I'm also constantly praying for patience...

14:30 LOVED this verse. I think it might become my new motto, and I'm going to have to find numerous places in my home to put it. I'm constantly reminding myself that I need to be content with where I am, and with what I have.

Image from pinterest.com

Proverbs 15

15:1 We are currently working on parenting differently,  and using gentle words when disciplining the kids.

15:8 He doesn't want sacrifices from those who are wicked.

15:12 A wicked man wants to do things his own way.

15:15  A cheerful heart has a continual feast! Loved this one too, and I think I'm going to display this one too!

15:28 Think what you say before saying it.

15:30 Humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 16

16:1 If you listen, The Lord will give you the correct answer

16:2 It's not necessarily what you do that might be wrong, but the motive behind it.

16:3 Give all of your  plans to God.

16:4 Everything happens for the good of The Lord.

16:9 God's plans are far greater than our own!

16:18 Pride goes before destruction

16:20 Always trust in The Lord. This is definitely easier said than done!

16:24 This will be a new way of life for me. I will try to remember to always use pleasant words.

I hope that you learned something this week! Please share questions/comments in the comment section below!

Proverbs Bible Study (Week 3)

Sorry this is a couple of days late! We were gone all weekend, and I didn't have a chance to get my study done until today! I have SO many underlined parts in my Bible now...things that I want to be able to look back at and to remember. I hope you are learning as much as I am! Here's my notes:

Proverbs 9

9:2 She prepared her meat, mixed her wine and set her table.

She was preparing for her guests, and was taking care of their needs. I think her desire is to provide and care for others, and to lead them to God.

9:7 I have personally noticed this many times while arguing or debating. Many people end up getting very defensive, and name-calling, and hurting others.

9:8-9 If you rebuke, or correct, a man, he will love you. I truly struggle with correction...I usually view it as a failure on my part, instead of help.

9:10 Learn to fear the Lord, study His word, and know Him.

Proverbs 10

10:1 I have seen this, in the relationship with my parents, and myself as I was growing up. Some decisions that I made, caused them pain.

10:2 Righteousness=Jesus. He delivered us from death.

10:4 Instead of being lazy, and putting off undesirable jobs, just do them and get them done with. 

10:5 Be wise, and store up your goods. Keep them until you need them.

10:7 Memories of the righteous will be a blessing. 

10:12 Love covers all wrongs. 

10:14 Wise men store up knowledge. Continue reading the Bible, and studying His word, so that you can store up knowledge.

10:17 Whoever ignores correction leads others astray (Proverbs 6:17!!)

10:19 He who holds his tongue is wise. 

This is actually something that I do often, and have been viewing it as a bad thing!

10:21 The lips of the righteous nourish many

How many of us are trying to nourish our families through the food we eat? We should be more focused on nourishing their souls with the Word of God.

10:24 Things that I dread or fear will overtake me.

10:29 HE WILL SAVE US OR DENY US. Probably THE most important lesson to understand.

Image from bible-quote.deviantart.com

Proverbs 11

11:1 Don't tip the scales to make you look better.

11:2 With humility comes wisdom

11:4 What a HUGE statement. Wealth is fun for now, but it's better to be faithful and to follow God's teachings.

11:5 I thought that the first part of the verse was referring to Jesus' life and death.

11:7-8 The wicked man was rich on this earth, but it truly gave him nothing.

11:10 Our culture loves seeing stories of people who "do good , and prosper", and also stories of those who do bad and are punished.

11:12 Be understanding, instead of judging

11:14 I see this in my own home. It takes a lot of insight and ideas from others, when it comes to raising children.

11:16-17 Be kind.

11:23 There are so many examples of the future of the righteous vs. the future of the wicked

11:24-25 This isn't only talking about money, but life. The more you give, the more blessed you will be.

11:26 Less is more.

11:28 Do not trust in yourself, but in Jesus.

Proverbs 12

12:1 Be open to guidance from others.

12:4 This was SO convicting for me! A lot of days, I need to find a better attitude.

12:9 Be humble.

12:11 Be responsible

12:15 See verse 1

12:18-19 Be careful, and think about what you say to others.

12:22 Always be truthful

12:25 Build others up

Proverbs 13

13:7 Be humble

13:11 If you continue to do things correctly and faithfully, little by little your blessings will grow.

13:1, 13, 14, 18 All of these verses were about seeking instruction. I'm beginning to think that this is very important! :)

**Please add thoughts or questions to the comments! **

Convictions

Do you ever have any of those moments that feel like you have been sucker-punched? That make you think "How could I even THINK that?" I had one the other day.

Since moving, I have felt like my apartment is cluttered. All of our stuff has been piled into places just to get it out of the main areas. Last week, I had finally had enough. I decided that it was time to tackle the mess, and get it in order! I made a list and got to it. The kids were pretty good, but it seemed that they were getting in my way...I couldn't organize one thing without them destroying something else. I was frustrated.

Over the weekend though, it hit me. I was not seeing them as blessings as the Bible says we should. I was viewing them as burdens. My head spun. My heart ached. All I wanted to do was cry, and hug my babies. 

Instead of talking over them, and looking in their direction, I took a step back and watched them. Watched their faces light up as they played together, watched Maddie pull herself up and walk around the couch all by herself. Watched Charlie meticulously build a tower out of his blocks. My heart was bursting, yet filled with regret. I love these kids. They had no idea how I was feeling, but came to me when I asked for a hug. 

This week, I'm focusing on them. Giving them what they need, and the attention and love that they need. I still have things to get done around here, but that comes second!

Love them.

I'm thankful for those moments that make me stand back and see the mistakes that I'm making. I know there will be many more!

Homemade Bug Spray

I've been working my way towards a chemical-free lifestyle. What does this mean? It means that I don't use any more conventional cleaning products...things like, comet (this used to be my favorite bathroom cleaner), Clorox wipes (hello, easy toilet cleaning!), or even seventh generation products which seem to be relatively safe. Instead, I use a vinegar/water solution, about a 1:1 ratio. This kills germs, leaves things looking nice and shiny, and this way Charlie is allowed to help too!

I'm also very careful with products that I put on our skin. For the kiddos, I use soap from the farmers market at bath time, and coconut oil for a moisturizer when they need it. 

This summer, the bugs have been horrific. I don't want to send my kids out without bug spray, and definitely don't want to use "regular" bug spray on them. Have you read the ingredients? Interesting enough, they only put 5% of the ingredients on the website...the rest are just labeled as "other ingredients". SO, instead of using something like that on the kids, I decided to make my own. I found this recipe on pinterest, and had Mike make it up (I had to change a few things, because we didn't have epsom salts, and I added another oil.)! I had to reapply it a few times, but haven't had ANY bug bites since using it! If you're needing something great, and safe to use on yourself and kids, try this!

All Natural Bug Spray

8 oz. water

8 drops purification essential oil

8 drops peppermint essential oil

8 drops lavender essential oil (mosquitoes stay away from lavender!)

pinch of baking soda

1. Mix the oils and baking soda together. This will keep the oils from separating from the water.

2. Mix the baking soda mixture with the water.

3. Pour into a spray bottle.

4. Spray!

I hope this works for you as well as it has for us!

Weekly Goals

It's time for weekly goals again! I feel like I've gotten a lot done in the past few weeks, and that setting goals has been incredibly helpful. My main goal for this week though, is to just spend time with my kids. Of course,  I have one big-ish goal for the week though...just to get things hung up! I'm hoping to get pictures hung up, which will help our new place feel more homey. I still have a few things that need to get done though:

*Bake bread

*Clean bathrooms

*Dust

*Vacuum

*Laundry

*Thrift Store run

*Start thinking about the kids' birthday parties

It should be a pretty easy, and relaxing week!

Proverbs Bible Study (Week 2)

I have been learning SO much from reading Proverbs these past two weeks. Who knew that wisdom and discernment were so important?! I'm so thankful that God has provided us with His words, and tells us how to live a life that will glorify Him. Here's what I picked up this week:

Proverbs 5

5:1-6 He gives a description of an adultress. She is smooth, good at persuading, and doesn't even realize what she is doing, or that she is sinning.
He also says to keep away from her, or you will regret it later in life.
5:15 Keep to yourself. Do your own work.
You will be blessed.
Always be satisfied with your spouse. Never lust after others.
5:21 God always sees what you are doing. I think that this is a good way to hold yourself accountable.

Proverbs 6
6:1-6 Do not rest until you get out of your sins.
Always acknowledge your sins and ask for forgiveness.
6:6 Hold yourself accountable for your actions.
Be responsible and plan for your future.
6:17-19 A list of things that God hates. The one that sticks out the most to me, is the hands that shed innocent blood. I don't think he necessarily means actual killing, but even picking and choosing who we think is "worthy" to hear about Jesus. The people who haven't heard are the innocent ones, and if we ignore them, we are shedding their innocent blood.
This passage also makes me think that I need to regularly "check" myself. See what is causing me to sin, and to stop immediately, and ask for forgiveness.
6:20-22 I'm noticing that this passage is constantly repeated, which must mean that it's incredible important!
6:27-29 You can't have both. If you choose to commit adultery, you will be punished.
6:33 Once you commit adultery, it will become your identity. You will always be known for it.

Proverbs 7
7:1-5 Another repeat of these words. Memorize them, and live them!
7:7 "The youth who lack judgement", there is no moral code. Without knowledge or discernment, he was easily swayed toward the prostitute, he did not realize that it would cost him his life.
7:27 She leads to death.

Proverbs 8
8:10 "Choose instructions over silver, knowledge over gold." I love this. We are working on becoming minimalists, so that we can truly live this.
8:12 Always have discretion with knowledge, they go hand in hand.
Be humble, hate pride.
8:17 He loves me, because I love Him.

Image from pinterest

8:23 I love this. It speaks of Jesus' great power.
8:30 Be filled with delight always. This is SO difficult for me. I'm one whose attitude is swayed by circumstances.
8:32 Do not ignore His instruction.
8:34 Listen, watch and wait for Him.

I took so much from this week's study. The main point was to love Him, and His instruction more than "things", and to use discretion when in a tough situation.

What did you learn this week?

**Please share in the comments, any questions or insight that you have!**