I'm Still here

I've been through a lot of the past several months but I miss my little non-read blog. I have many blog posts in the works and am excited to write again.

I have a new goal and hope to not only reach my personal goal but to gain some readers in the process. Any mom bloggers out there have any advice for me? I'm not an expert at anything but I do enjoy writing and would like to connect with some other Moms that enjoy blogging. 

Any ideas?

Jelly Bean Prayer

I found this and thought it was nice...you can follow the link to the site and print a copy to use with your family.

Visit page

40 Days

Trying to explain Ash Wednesday to a five year old and a three year old is not a simple task. I spent sometime trying to explain Lent to my children; Easter is something my children understand but Lent and Ash Wednesday...not so much. This is what seemed to make the most sense. 

Lent is a period of time starting with today, Ash Wednesday, and going to Easter Sunday. During this time we give up something in order to receive something. (yes, enter the questions about what do we get but be patient and carry on.) We "spring clean" our lives so that we can live for God. We should clean out the things that we hold dear to us in order to hold God dear to us. Okay, so my five year old offered to give up bed time for lent (got to give her credit for trying) and my three year old offered television. (is it bad Mommie didn't want the kids to give that up because then I would NEVER get a moment of me time). So we decided on cutting back television time and giving up candy for Lent. 

We also are starting a new tradition with Jelly Beans. The kids each got a jar and we will fill the jar with Jelly beans as they earn them. On Easter they will each get their jars and will be able to eat their jelly beans. I found many ideas on the web about how to use jelly beans to help kids understand Easter and the following is a combination of ideas I found. I think this will be a fun way for them to get into Lent. 

The kids will earn different color jelly beans depending on their actions. 

Red stands for the blood of Christ
action: make a sacrifice (this was not an easy thing to explain)

Green stands for Palm's shade
action: do a good deed

Yellow stands for God's light
action: act of kindness

Orange stands for prayers at Twilight
action: good "night-night" prayers

Purple stands for His day of sorrow

action: saying you are sorry

Pink stands for new tomorrow

action: forgiving someone

How do you teach about Lent in your family?

Working on returning...

Dr. Oz 3 day Detox Cleanse

I'm trying to get back in shape and this is how I am starting...anyone tried this cleanse? Any other cleanse?

Pain...

Poor

"God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs." Mathew 5:3

This verse means more than financial things to me. God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him...I know I'm poor and I know I have needs; I sometimes forget, however, that God is the one that supplies all my needs. I need to turn to God for all my worries, needs, wants, and concerns. I am poor in finanical ways but I am rich in so many others. God is taking care of me. I am in His hands and if I depend on him ALL my needs will be met!

This week I pray that God continue to bless me; I pray that God places me in the right places and introduces me to the right people. I pray that God reminds me that I am blessed beyond measure. Thanks be to God!

January Lunch Menu

Blame it on bad money management, blame it on over spending during the holidays or just blame it on me....I'm in a money situation this January. The food budget is not what I would like for it to be and there is no wiggle room so I have to work with what we have. I love packing lunches for my children. I know this is dreaded by some and treated as a great creative challenge by others but for me it somewhere between those two extremes. I sometimes am creative but mostly just try to pack healthy options that will please my little ones. I had dreams of after Christmas planning fun lunch boxes but due to the money situation we just have to get food in the boxes! So, here is what we are doing for the month of January.

Over the weekend I made sandwiches. I made 10 sandwiches for each child. I put each sandwich in its on little baggy then put the baggies in a container. Each child has their own container (since they do not like the same type of sandwiches) and that container is in the freezer.

January has 20 school lunches left so I have half of their lunches almost complete. My children love tortillas filled with cheese so I have this in the mix, plus they love home made Lunchables so we will do this as well. And then we will add pasta with Italian dressing. We have carrots and cucumbers with dressing for veggie side,blueberries, bananas, applesauce and apples for fruit. Yogurt, cheese, and milk for dairy.

So here is our simple, cost efficient school lunch menu for January.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Cheese Wrap Carrots, Apples, Yogurt Covered Pretzels ,water	PB/honey Sandwich, Carrots, Orange slices  fig newton, milk	Cheese wrap, apples with caramel sauce, Yogurt Covered Pretzels water	School Lunch	Yogurt, granola, carrots, turkey/cheese roll, water
Turkey Sandwich, popcorn, cucumbers, cheese stick, water	Yogurt, granola, carrots, turkey/cheese roll, water	Turkey Sandwich, popcorn, cucumbers, cheese stick, water	School Lunch	Pasta
PB/Jelly Sandwich, Carrots, Apple sauce, fig newton, milk	Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Apple Sauce, Veggie, Water	Turkey Sandwich, popcorn, cucumbers, cheese stick, water	School Lunch	Turkey peperoni , cheese stick, Ritz whole wheat crackers, Yogurt, water
Turkey peperoni , cheese stick, Ritz whole wheat crackers, Yogurt, water	Yogurt, granola, carrots, turkey/cheese roll, water	Turkey Sandwich, popcorn, carrots, cheese stick, water	School Lunch	Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Apple Sauce, Veggie, Water

2014 Verse

I have read that it is a good idea to have a Bible verse that you use through out the year. I have never done this before but like the idea. I tried to think of verses that I know by heart that might help me through the year. Many verses came to mind and I even read some popular year verses from others. One verse kept coming back to me; "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13. Last year, like most years, I started the year with high hopes, energy, and in full steam ahead mode. Well, last year, like most years, I did not get very far with that steam. This year is a little different. I am not sure if it is my lack of energy, my feeling of being overwhelmed, or maybe I've just become a little more realistic with my self but I am not running at full speed, nor am I planning on trying. I do have goals, I do have plans, and I do have high hopes of big BIG changes this year. I know there is not one aspect of my life that can succeed with out Him; so this year my verse is "I can do ALL things, through Christ who strengthens me."

Do you have a Bible verse for the Year 2014?

Happy New Year

My mind is going so fast with so many things and ideas that I can hardly thing straight. I have been thinking all day about what I want for my 2014. I keep coming up with lists after lists of changes. I have decided that my lists are too long, too time consuming, and honestly too challenging. This year I want to simplify my life. I want to let go of the idea that I can control everything in my life and learn to enjoy this crazy life of mine. I want to try and find peace in my chaos. So my word for 2014 is peace. My goal is to create a peaceful atmosphere for my children, to become more organized in general, and to learn to set small attainable goals as apposed to random wishing that I never meet.

I'm carrying the new year glow, excited at a clean slate, a fresh start, endless possibility. One goal at a time, one day at a time, one challenge at a time.

Happy New Year! May 2014 be your best year yet!

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