A Fabulous Giveaway That I Just Had to Enter (and therefore tell you about)

I think it's about time I win something, don't you?

I keep entering various giveaways in hopes to win something from Lisa Lenoard, so maybe this is it.

I've had my heart set on this for a while.  And this.  But lookie here!  Isn't that super sweet!  And here's a new favorite.  Love it.

If you are like me and would love to win something pretty and sweet, then head on over and enter yourself!

Here's to me!  And maybe you, too!   :)

WFMW--Homemade Baby Food

It's that time of the week!

My Works For Me Wednesday helpful tip is all about making homemade baby food.

Mmm, the good stuff.

You know the kind:
-no dyes!
-no fillers!
-no chemicals!
-no preservatives!
-no artificial ingredients!

Just honest to goodness pure, nutritional food for your little one!

This stuff is a cinch to make, and once s/he gets a taste of it, your baby will thank you!

Here we go:

1.  Buy food of choice.
Aside from mashing up banana, avocado and kiwi, I've pureed pears, peaches, apples (sauce), beans, peas, squash, pumpkin, spinach, chicken and pork.  I prefer to use fresh food, but if you buy canned fruit, be sure to select the healthiest choice of fruit in juice, not sugary syrups.

The largest bowl for my food processor is a 16 cup capacity, so I used two 28 ounce cans of pears.  It was mid-winter when I made this batch, so I opted for canned instead of fresh.

2.  Put food in processor and add water if needed.
If I have to cook the food before processing (most veggies, meat), then I reserve water from the cooking process and use that so that I can utilize the nutrients that end up in the water.  In this case, the pears came with their own juice and so no water was needed. 

3.  Puree!
Depending on the type of food you are pureeing, you may need to do it in small batches or stop and stir it halfway through.

4.  Spoon out food into ice cube trays to be frozen.
I don't care how cute and fancy the baby-gadget-makers make food storage.  I'm not falling prey to their marketing schemes when I can buy an ice cube tray for $1.50 at the store and use it well after my kids have outgrown eating homemade baby food!  

5.  Freeze.
Be sure ahead of time that you have a flat, clean space in your freezer to store these trays until they are completely frozen.

6.  Store.
I prefer large ziploc type bags, so that I can fit it into the freezer wherever I have room, however I need to!  I like to label things, and the bag serves that purpose, too.  I recommend labeling the food both for what it is and when you made it.  

7.  Take Pride!
Buying jarred food isn't necessarily bad for our babies, but there is a sense of pride and accomplishment when we can prepare flavorful, nutritious foods for our children, knowing that the only thing in it is what it was intended to be, along with some homemade love.  


Disclaimer:
This is something that I enjoyed doing for both of my boys.  It wasn't a chore for me, but I realize it may be for some.  Please do not feel like a "bad mom" if you don't want to or cannot make your own baby food.  If done with joy, it can bring great pleasure and satisfaction.  If done with dread, it's not worth it.  There are many ways we all can be the moms we want to be, and if this isn't one of them, don't sweat it!  


For more Works For Me Wednesday tips, visit wearethatfamily.com!

Today.

Today I woke up feeling pretty good, despite the terrible cold we've all been fighting for a few days now.  The sun was brightly shining-which is a rare occurrence in this part of the country during winter, and we all got a good night's rest.  Don't you feel so good when you wake up feeling rested?  I do.

Though I woke late and we had to shove breakfast down the boys' throats rush the boys morning routine, I was excited for a few things.  

Today Jak was heading to school (he missed it on Tuesday), I was heading to my beloved bible study with dear friends, Jeff had an interview and I was picking up a rug that I got for a steal of a deal on Craigslist.  I know, I know, you're thinking "why is she spending money when her husband is unemployed?"  It's ok, it was some extra money that I earned, no, make that John earned, when he toy tested for Fisher-Price.  Should I have saved it?  Probably.  But YOU go for months and months and months on a bare bones budget and tell me you're going to save that extra few bucks that you weren't counting on!  Go ahead, try it!  I bet you'll find something that you just have to have.  :)

Ok, so I was feeling pretty good.  The sunshine does wonderful things to my spirits.  Driving down the road, my thoughts were consumed with how good life is.  

Then I got to my bible study.

There, we were informed that one of our friends' sons was taken to the hospital for respiratory problems the day before.  He is 15 months old.  As we listened and talked about what she might be experiencing as a Mom, watching her little guy lay on the bed, sedated with a ventilator down his throat, my heart sank.

The doctors didn't know anything.  Not what it was, how he got it, how long it'll be around, what will happen next.  She has no time frame as to when he'll get better.  She can't touch him because he responds to her and fights the sedation.  How, tell me how, can a mother not touch the very son she gave life to as he lays before her?  I cringe every time I think of that.  I just cannot imagine...

We ended up skipping our study and focused on prayer for our friend, and figuring out how to help and serve her and her family during this time.  They have 2 other little boys older than Michael that happened to get the stomach flu later that day.  This was truly a family in need of God's healing touch.

When I gathered my boys from preschool (Jak) and playtime (John), we came home and settled in for lunch and naps.  My thoughts haven't strayed far from Aimee and her family.  My prayers are just a part of many that go before our Father on their behalf, the Healer extraordinaire.  We trust that He knows what's going on, and will heal little Michael's body.

Today, I held my boys a little tighter.  I held them a little longer.  I gave thanks to God for their health, rather than taking it for granted.  I kissed them more, I played with them more.  I was reminded of the precious gift that life is, in every. single. moment.

Today.  It's a gift.

Another Giveaway!

I have been wanting one of these for a very long time!  Here's to hoping I win!!!!!!!!

There is Comfort in the Pit

The weight of the world was on my shoulders.  Or so it felt.  There was nothing that anyone could say or do, short of prayer, that could help make me feel better.  It was just one of those days.

You know what I'm talking about.

Those days...those days where you can't see beyond right where you are at that moment.  No light for the next step, no encouraging moment or word that helps to lessen the load.  Nothing seemed to break me from the dreariness that wanted to overwhelm my soul.  I was nearing the bottom of the pit.

I snuck down to the basement with the phone in my hand so that I could be alone. I was crying even before she said, "Hello?"

There is just something about a girlfriend who knows what you need even before you do, whether to be silent or speak, what to say or not to say, how to love on you even from 300 miles away.  There is comfort in a companion like this.

I poured my soul out on her, and she didn't miss a beat.  Comfort.  I bared it all, beauty and ugly, all of it.  No judging, no questions asked.  Comfort.  She prayed.  Comfort.


As the night wore on and my spirits lifted a bit, I found the most comfort in this truth:

There is no pit so deep, that God is not deeper still.

He knows when we'll reach the end of our rope.  And yet, He's already there!
He knows our needs.  He's already got them covered.
He knows my fears.  He speaks Truth to me despite them.
He knows Jeff's frustrations.  He meets him and helps him.
He knows our hearts, better than we know ourselves.

God knew that Jeff would become unemployed.  It doesn't worry Him.  He's already got great plans for our next step.  And even when I don't know what those plans look like, or when they'll come to fruition, I know that He is with me.

What comfort I find in that.  In Him.

Wanna flirt?

With your husband, of course!

Here is a giveaway that I'm linking up to so check it out, add your comments to Sarah Mae's page, and perhaps you'll be a winner!

:)

Twenty Ten

Hello!

I am so excited to be writing again! It would seem that my best intentions fall to the wayside when it comes to my little corner of the Internet world. It's not that I don't want to write, on the contrary I do very much want to write!

But I haven't made the time.

Until now.

I know, I know. I've said it before. However, I am really going to try to be intentional about this blog of mine. I love it so. And I love my readers (if you're still reading). I love your comments, I love your own blogs, I love love love the blog world and I want to be a part of it!

Writing is so very good for my soul and along with doing more of it this year, I'm praying about how God would use this gift he's given me for His purposes. I'm excited about the things I feel He may be placing on my heart!

I'm also excited about some other things that I'm tackling this year. Here's a very concise list:

1) Weight. Finally.

2) A consistent morning Quiet Time. Finally.

3) Regular prayer journaling.

4) Encouraging my husband more with my words.

6) Being more of a 'floor mom' with my kids.

7) Making time to write.

8) Doing things as they come, instead of letting them pile up. (An example might putting pictures in my frames...)

9) Meal Planning. Finally.

I'm sure I am forgetting a few things, but as you can see, many of my goals for 2010 (and the rest of my life) deal with self-control. Unfortunately, I lack much of it!

When I tell my son that he needs self-control, I realize that he isn't the only one. When he is quick to point the finger at someone else or when he can't reign in his emotions, I see myself.

When I look to food to fill me up, I see my need for it. When I look in the mirror, I see what lack of self-control has done. When I try to fill my self with things (literally or figuratively) to make me happy, I fail, and again I am faced with my desperate need for this important character quality.

I notice my lack of it when my words are quick with my husband. Before the last word hits my lips, I wince; it's too late. The pain sears my heart as I understand how much words can build or break a person and if only I had controlled my self and my tongue....

At the end of the day, it's not my lack of self-control that I notice most. I think we can all agree that we have to work on this, it's not a given. But what I do notice most as my head hits the pillow and I think over the days' ups and downs is my dire need of a Savior. I'm thankful that I can rely on Him to help me with these changes. They are big ones, ones that I want to make for a lifetime, ones that I want to instill in my children.

Well, there's my list with a little dose of honesty on the side. Here's to 2010! May it be one that teaches us all a bit more about our "selfs". :)