"Real Life, Real Miracles: True Stories That Will Help You Believe" book review

I started reading this book last night and I could not put it down! Real Life, Real Miracles: True Stories That Will Help You Believe by James L. Garlow and Keith Wall is an absolutely AMAZING collection of TRUE stories where God's love and divine intervention created a miracle! Broken down into 30 chapters, a conclusion and an epilogue, this book is uplifting, affirming, and leaves you with a real sense of love and peace. These stories will stick with me forever!

I have always believed in miracles but to hear so many captivating, on the edge or your seat, stories all in one book is so awesome! Stories from Christians, homeless men, "average Joe's"......God is truly looking out for all of his children! If you are lacking in faith, doubtful of miracles, or just want an uplifting book on how WONDERFUL God is, this is the book for you! I loved the descriptions of Heaven and Angles too! Heaven sounds like such a WONDERFUL place! So reaffirming and reassuring. It has been a real blessing to have the opportunity to read this book, and the timing was perfect for what is going on in my life. Just another miracle. :)

*Note: This was a free copy from the Bethany House sent to me for review.

"What your husband isn't telling you" book review

I have just finished the book What your Husband Isn't Telling You by David Murrow. I received a free copy of the book from the Bethany House for review.

The book is broken down into 5 parts and 17 chapters. It goes WAY back to the time of Adam and Eve to explain why men are the way they are. It breaks down how "protector" and "provider" shape the way a man thinks and acts and breaks down his body, soul, and spirit.

I loved the book! It was very insightful. However, I didn't like the chapters on men and sex. I knew the author gave a "warning" in the introduction chapter, but I didn't think it would be THAT bad! So a girl can only hope he is exaggerating or that it doesn't apply to all men (I'm trying not to give out too many spoilers in case you choose to read the book!).

Part 5 is one of my favorites because part 5 talks about what us women can do for our marriage. (Okay, maybe just one spoiler) One of the concepts it talked about how was a lot of women don't try after they get married. We try to look awesome pre marriage but then after we say "I do" things change. I see this true in my own life. I am a (mostly) stay at home mom. I have a photography business but I can work from home doing that for the most part. When I don't have a shoot and its just an at home day (which happens more than I'd prefer), I stay in my pj's all day. We are a 1 car family too, so when my husband is at work, I don't have the option to go anywhere. So the hair goes up into a messy pony tail and the comfy clothes get left on and I don't bother with make-up. But men are very visual. I don't suppose it would kill me to look nice for when my husband gets home. Looking nice doesn't mean I have to be a perfect size zero or change my hair color every month...it just means making the most of what I have! Getting dressed. Flat ironing my hair. Adding a touch (not a ton, just a touch will do) of make-up. Saying "yes honey, I do love you enough to try".

I feel as if I learned a lot about myself when reading the book too! One thing I struggle with is getting my husband to open up and talk to me about his "feelings". I have learned the reason for this! And its not the man's fault. Its us. Sorry ladies! I didn't want to believe it either, but its true. You will just have to read the book to find out. :)

I will give this book a 4 out of 5 stars just because the sex chapters were so disturbing, hehe. :) Overall, it was a great book, very informative, and well written. Two thumbs up!

Hope you all have enjoyed my review! If you have read the book, let me know what you thought about it in the comments below!

Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day book review

I have just recently read the book Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day by Daryl Aaron to review for the Bethany House.

The book was organized into 40 chapters all on theology of the Bible. There were a few "big words" I had to look up in order to understand the book but other than that it was an easy read. The chapters are very short and did not take me 15 minutes a day to read. You could easily read 2 or 3 chapters (depending on how fast you read) in 15 minutes.

I was able to gain a deeper understanding of some theology which is something I haven't studied much into before. There were parts I did not agree with, but since its not a sound science (no one can "prove" what God means in all instances) I would stop and pray about the parts that did not settle well for me.

Rating: I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars just because of the harder words and my basic opinion of disagreement on a few chapters.

I would recommend this book to anyone who already has a deep faith and understanding of God. I don't think its a great "beginners" (just learning about God) book, but it is a good read for a more "mature" christian. :)



**This was a free copy from Bethany House.

A simple way to pray Psalm 91

When I dwell in Your shelter, I will rest in You.
I will say to You, You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust
Surely You will save me from the deadly pestilence.
You will cover me with Your feathers, and under Your wings I will find refuge
Your faithfulness will be my shield and rampart
I will not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness nor the plague that destroys at mid day
A thousand may fall at my side
ten thousand at my right hand but it will not come near me
I will only observe with my eyes and see the punishment of the wicked
When I make You my dwelling-You, who is my refuge-then no harm will befall on me,
no disaster will come near my tent.
For You will command Your angels concerning me to guard me in all my ways;
they will lift me up in their hands so that I will not strike my foot against a stone.
I will tread upon the lion and the cobra; I will trample the great lion and the serpent.
You said "Because she (he) loves Me, I will rescue her (him). I will protect her (him) for she (he) acknowledges My name. She (He) will call upon Me, and I will answer her (him). I will be with her (him) in trouble. I will deliver her (him) and honor her (him). With a long life I will satisfy her (him) and show her (him) My salvation."

In Jesus name,
Amen

There is no fry left in my fry. A list of activities to keep your kids busy!

You have dinner cooking and the baby is crying while your other child is on the potty and is "done" (needs help wiping) and then the phone rings. You just hope the baby stops crying, answer the phone while wiping your oldest's bottom and *almost* drop the phone in the toilet. You rescue the phone, get the baby who is still wailing her head off and now can no longer hear the person on the other end of the line. You get off the phone and the baby is done crying but your oldest just finished off the roll of toilet paper in the toilet. Great. Another mess to clean up. You start cleaning it up when you remember you forgot about the fries you left in the deep fryer. You pull the fries up and realize they are now fries with no fry in the middle. You cooked the fry out of the fry.

Sound familiar?

Those days when you just can't keep up with it all! You just feel like sitting down, crying your eyes out and giving up.

*hopefully* I have some tips to help you out!

First of all....don't yell!! I don't know if you have noticed, but the more you yell, not only do you get more frustrated, but it really seems like it feeds kids. They get more antsy and hyper. There is a reason behind that. You can read The 5 love languages of Children for that answer. (They are feeling like they are lacking something. Their "love tank" isn't full and until you know their own personal love language, you may not be filling it the right way...great read. I highly recommend it!) Instead, try giving them choices that are age appropriate. "Would you like to play outside or have a snack?" "Would you like to color on paper or color a box?" "Would you like to clean your room now or in 5 minutes?" Loving your kids on purpose by Danny Silk is a wonderful read to help see why choices are so important and for more ways to raise your kids in a grace centered environment.

Now...for the fun activities. :)

Having a list of fun activities on hand is a must for any mom! As a stay at home mom without any wheels, without doing some of this stuff, I'd go nuts! Kids like to stay busy and if we as moms don't keep them busy, they will keep us busy. :)

-Paint with flour! Mix four and water together in a bowl to make a paste like substance. Add a drop of food coloring (not too much so it won't stain). I unroll a big sheet of wrapping paper and let my kids paint white side up. They LOVE it and it keeps them entertained awhile. Of course, follow this up with a bath. :)

-Color a box! Give your kids crayons, boxes, and duct tape (or packing tape) and let them build the ultimate fort! Of course, if its a smaller child, you can't give them tape, but for older kids, this could keep them entertained for days! It used to me. :)

-Hold the family Olympic games! For those days where they just have TOO MUCH ENERGY, this is a great way to wear them out! Make up games like "who can run around the house 4 times first wins....whoever can hop on one foot all the way to the finish line first wins.....whoever can cartwheel around the yard first wins....whoever can somersault all the way to the finish line first wins. Stuff like that. Make a finish line by taping a strip of duct tape on the ground or by laying down a jump rope. Get creative!

-Let the kids "cook". Give them real food and real dishes and let them stir, mix, eat, pour...whatever they want with what you gave them. Kids of all ages love this!

-For older kids (younger kids might get it in their eyes), spray out some shaving cream on the table and let them go nuts! Plus, it smells good too!!

-For younger kids you can mix four and water and just put it on their high chair tray and let them play in it. You can add different textures if you want like oatmeal and cheerios for sensory play. Plus, if they eat it, its safe!

-Go for a walk! Never underestimate the power of a nice long walk. :) Plus, your getting a work out too!

-If you have a car and you need a break, strap the kids in the car and go for a drive! If you don't have a dvd player in your car, you should seriously invest in one! If you don't want your kids to watch a lot of tv, I recommend the Preschool prep series for little ones. You don't have to feel bad. They are learning! Plus, you score some quiet time. :)

-Never forget the playground!

-Check into you local library. Most libraries offer activities like story time or reading clubs.

-Go to your local dollar tree and make an emergency craft kit. Pom poms, pipe cleaner, paint, crayons, markers....stock up on everything! When your going nuts, break out the special craft kit and just listen to the quietness of kids crafting. ahhhh. :) you can also save random things like paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, scrap fabric, paper plates, and lots of other random items to add to your craft kit. Kids love it!

-For older kids, when your done with old clothes, save them. When your older kids are bored or having a bad day, give them an old clothing item and some fun stuff to jazz it up with! They can cut up old tee shirts to make scarves or decorate an old tee with fabric markers, patches, fabric paint, fabric...lots of stuff!! If they are old enough to sew, they could make fabric flowers (tons of tutorials online) and sew them onto the shirts. they can cut the bottom of a tee into strips and add beads to the strips they cut. The possibilities are endless! They may or may not have a wearable creation when they are done. But you can add it tot he costume box and let them just be proud of their new masterpiece. :)

-Fill a storage container with some water and let kids play in it with buckets, shovels, and lots of other fun "beach" items. You can add plastic kitchen dishes too. :)

-Make a small indoor "sand box" with rice! It doesn't have to be big enough for kids to actually sit in, just a small storage container so kids can bury items and dig them back up. :) For even more fun, google how to color dry rice! :)

-Read a book or play a board game. :) Family bonding time!

-Make a maze! Get creative! You can make it out of tape, furniture, bed sheets...just about anything!

-Create cards for grandma or someone else special. Or better yet, make lots of cards and visit your local nursing home when you have a day off and have your kids deliver them to the elderly who maybe don't get a lot of visitors. Or to the hospital. :)

-Bake something together! Let kids help stir batter and add the flour and anything else they can help do. Then sit down and enjoy your yummy treat together!

-Buy some beads from walmart, michaels, joannes, or any craft store and keep them on hand. You can use them to make necklaces, bracelets, key chains or anything really. You can also buy some jewelry wire for string. :) (homemade matching mommy daughter necklaces?)

-Dance! Turn on some music and just get your groove on. :) You could choreograph a dance and show daddy when he gets home from work. :)

-Have your older kids put on a play! Help them find costumes and come up with a plot and let them come up with the rest. Mom and dad can sit down with some pop corn later to see the showing of this masterpiece. :)

-Make sock puppets out of socks that no longer have mates.

-Rent a movie you haven't saw yet.

-Have you met your neighbors yet? If not, bake some cookies and go say "Hi!" :) maybe they will have some kids for your kids to play with.

-Just let them play in the bath tub. Give them lots of toys and let them go crazy! In the winter I put a little heater in a safe location in the bathroom far away from the tub so my kids stay warm and they "swim". They LOVE it!

-Play with jello! Its squishy, bouncy, and edible. Great sensory play too. :)

-Boys over 10 (and some girls too) love to play with tools! (NOT POWER TOOLS!) I mean like scrap wood already cut down,  nails, and a hammer (and help!). Then they can color their creation with markers to "paint it". I made a dog house for my toy dog when I was little. I was SO proud of it! Just don't let any little fingers get smushed.

-Have a fashion show out of mom and dad's closet.

-Let your kids do your hair and make up. The results could be quite interesting. :) (Don't forget to take a photo to show them when they are older!)

-Let your girls do their own make up! When they are done, have your camera handy and let them look in the mirror and take a photo of the face they make when they see themselves. Might end up being your favorite photo!

-Paint with peanut butter. Yummy, gooey, fun. Stick macaroni noodles in your art for a fun twist. The noodles with stick to the PB.

-Cut an apple in half to make a stamp. You can use this with finger paint.

-Save all your old buttons for crafts. Glue them to paper, make necklaces, add them to old clothes to make a new look. Make hair bows out of them. :) Get creative!

-Make bird feeders out of toilet paper rolls, peanut butter, and bird seed. Cover the outside of the TP roll with the PB then roll in bird seed. Take pictures of the birds you see that come to eat. :)

-Make your own window clings using window cling paint. Find a design online or in a coloring book. Print it off. Set it under wax paper. Make your design with the paint on the wax paper then when it dries peel it off. :)

-Adopt a pen pal! Older kids will love receiving letters and writing back. :) There are lots of websites for this! Or use a friends child that doesn't go to your child's school. :) Little kids can draw photos and send them in the mail to their pen pal.

-Make your own ice cream. Lots of recipes online. :)

-After halloween/easter, make a candy house! You can use frosting as glue and gram crackers for walls. This is a good way to use up some of that candy you got that you will never eat.

-Fill up a water bottle or soda bottle with water and random small objects that will fit inside and glitter. Glue the lid on!!! Play i-spy with the items inside.

-Do a workout dvd together just for fun. Pick zumba or something kids can try to follow along to that won't be too painful to do. :)

-Play the "clean up" game. Whoever cleans their room the fastest gets a prize! Run into your room and say "I'm going to beat you all" silly like so you can score some cleaning time and maybe a minute to relax. Don't let your kids catch you sleeping! :)

-Have a pudding eating contest! (Pudding is something kids probably won't choke on) Trade up for yogurt for something a bit healthier.

-Have kids "invent" a pizza flavor. Make them! Whoever creates the most unique pizza that tastes the best wins! Think macaroni and cheese with ranch dressing instead of pizza sauce or something way off the wall!

-Sew pop corn onto string like you would for a christmas tree for movie night. Make necklaces out of it and eat them while you watch. Just make sure kids don't eat the string! :)



There are TONS of ways to keep your kids entertained and catch your breath! As a  mom, I know how hard it can be sometimes to just sit down for a few minutes. You should have saw me trying to write this post! The carpet shampooer broke all over the floor so I had to clean up all the sopping water while my smallest cried and stomped in the water in her socks which I had to take off while my oldest cried over about 100 different things and kept obstructing my view of the computer screen by sticking random objects in front of it and holding them there. *deep breaths* It will be okay. Us moms just have to stick together!

What I have learned about cloth diapers :)

Okay, well this was originally going to be a post on how to make your own cloth diapers...but I'll be honest...they are HARD to make! You have to get them just right or leaks! When you are dealing with diapers..leaks is a swear word. :)

So how do you choose between disposables or cloth?

I was going through a least 1 case a month. 1 case of diapers would be about $25. Sometimes I would spend more for additional diapers. So there is DEFIANTLY a money saving factor. Also, disposables contain chemicals. You can read about it here and I seriously suggest you read this! I have also heard it said that disposables contain hormones, although I do not have a credible source to back it up.

I think we can all agree that disposables are not the safest option, but it is more convenient. Cloth diapers have to be washed and laundered properly...and if your out in public, this isn't always the easiest thing to do.


How do you wash cloth diapers?

This was VERY intimidating to me at first. You cannot use just any detergent because the diapers could absorb the detergent and sit on baby's skin and some detergents repel water (leaks!). This is the BEST list of safe detergents I have seen yet. We use the powder tide. I have't had any problems. When baby poops, you use a sprayer to get the poo out. There are sprayers that hook up to the toilet like this one. I also found a tutorial to make your own (see it here). My solution? I got one of these shower heads from walmart for $10. Since it didn't reach my toilet like I thought it would, I spray the diaper off into a bucket and dump the water into the toilet. I think, for me, this was easier than hovering over the toilet anyways. Plus, since I hooked it up to the kids shower, I can use it to wash my kids hair easier! Win win.
After you wash off all the poo, you can put it in your container you are using to store diapers while they wait being washed. You should try to wash every other day. Or everyday like me because I don't have a large collection yet. I use pocket diapers, so I just separate the diaper from the insert before washing so it will dry easier. You can dry in the washer, but line drying will preserve diapers longer. Also, line drying in the sun will naturally bleach diapers killing germs. I use the baby settings on my washer so I'm washing in hot water and I use an extra rinse at the end to make sure all the soap is out. Once a month you should strip your diapers. Stripping diapers will get out all the extra detergent build up and strip out all the ammonia from the diaper. RLR is a cheap and effective way to strip diapers. This and and this link  are two great links on stripping cloth diapers. Also, every once in awhile (every few weeks or so) its good to put your diapers in the dryer on high for 25-30 minutes to reseal the PUL and keep them leak free!

It sounds scary, but its easy, I promise. :) Once you get a routine going, it becomes second nature...and your baby's bottom will thank you for it. :)

**Update: I started making my own cloth diaper laundry soap. Its VERY inexpensive and very safe on the diapers. Its 1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap (found in the laundry aisle at walmart) and 2 cups of baking soda. I use a cheese grater to shave it up and then I put it in my blender (which is totally optional) to make it even finer. I mix it with the baking soda and stir it up well. Its only 1tbsp per load. Awesome and cheap!


Is getting started on cloth diapers expensive?

It can be. But, it will save you money in the long haul. You can  use cloth diapers on more than one child. Also, if you decide not to have any more kids, you can sell them! If you are on a budget, there are LOTS of ways you can save on trying to get a stock built. I was really intimidated when I first looked into cloth diapers. $20 a diaper sounded crazy to me! But I have yet to pay that much for a diaper. There is a lady near me that makes cloth diapers and sells them for $10 a piece or 2 for $18. Alva Baby is a great place to shop for diapers too. I have not made a purchase yet, but I have personally seen these diapers and the quality is there. Diaper swappers is a great place (or so I've heard) to buy used cloth diapers. I have also heard good things about sun baby diapers (everyone says they are the best for skinny babies with not as chubby thighs). Also check your local thrift stores, resales, and yard sales! If you are not a member of a yard sale group on facebook, I recommend it! There is one for almost every area, so ask around about it. :) Sometimes you can find great deals on there or you can just plain ask if anyone has any for sale.

What about wipes?

A lot of mom's who cloth diaper also use cloth wipes (which are usually just flannel sewed together or surged around the edges). A spray bottle will be used with a solution of water, baby wash, and baby oil (you can find lots of recipes online if you google it). Also, you can make your own disposable wipes. I have been using the flushables. Its easiest for me because everything will just go down the toilet and my trash will continue to not smell as bad as when I put the disposables in it. Poop stinks! lol

Types of cloth diapers:

Diaper Jungle has the best chart for choosing cloth diapers. Personally, I use pocket diapers. With the pocket diapers, I get to choose how absorbent they are. Sometimes the real question is...1 insert or 2? haha. I usually use 2 inserts because of how much my daughter pee's. There are two kinds of inserts I know of. Microfiber is the cheaper option. The only thing about microfiber is that its SO absorbent that it will suck the moisture out of skin of placed directly on the skin. With the pocket diapers, there will always be a layer of cotton between the insert and the baby's butt. A bamboo insert is the best option, but can be more expensive. But bamboo is even more absorbent and a great night time option.

Vacation? What do I do?

Personally, I haven't experienced the thrill of vacation yet. I would say it depends where you are going and what you are doing and how much you want to invest into it. Personally, I would give it a try if there was a laundry service in my hotel (if I stayed in a hotel). But I know lots of moms who use disposables on vacation.  My daughter has an allergy to disposables, so I would not really want to come home to blisters on her butt, and the knowledge that she was having less fun because of how bad her bottom hurt. But that is just me. I don't think there is a right or a wrong answer to the question. It is a life style. You decide how deep you want to jump into it.

Night time...cloth or disposables

I know a lot of moms who use cloth during the day and disposables at night. Then I know some moms who use cloth at night. If you are going to go cloth at night, it can be intimidating because you don't want your baby to be in a wet diaper all night, or any leaks to happen. Defiantly double or triple up on your inserts! Unless you have a newborn, its most likely going to be pee your dealing with, so it won't take as much effort to change. But I know how hard it can be to be a tired mom in need of sleep who doesn't feel like changing a diaper. Disposables can be convenient because they absorb the pee, but then you have to think about those pesky chemicals again. Once again, there is not right or wrong answer. You just have to figure out what works for you. 

I hope you found this and all the resources to be informative and enlightening. This is another great source for info if you are in need of some more I found while searching some extra resources for you guys!  If you have any other questions, feel free to comment and I will get back to you. Good luck! 

How to always have a clean house...part 2!

This is continued from my previous post on "How to ALWAYS have a clean house". If you haven't read that post yet, you should read that one first. :)

Got that? Okay, lets move on! 

Kids toys!

Have you ever saw the commercials with the boys playing cars on this awesome car track that stacks up SUPER high and looks awesome?! My son is enthralled by this commercial yelling "MOM, oh mom I want that!! Oh Please Oh please!!" Now, I'm sure that car track looks awesome, but here is the reality: it won't last. In just a few short hours my son would have that car track disassembled and in a million pieces. I won't remember how they went together. He will be frustrated because he can't put it together. Tears will happen. I'll try to keep it put together, but unless I glue it, it won't stay together. *sigh*

So now, the car track is a useless pile of junk hogging up half of the toy box and will never be played with again. $50 down the toilet.

The solution. 

Don't buy toys that need put together a million times! Try to avoid toys with 390284390823 pieces. If your child DOES have to have a toy that comes in a bazillion pieces and he or she just (for real) can't live without it, and your ambitious enough to put it together a million times....the best thing to do with it is to keep it separate. You can make that toy its own special container just for that toy and its pieces.

If its a toy that needs put together (like a race/car track), buy some of those round stickers (the ones you could price yard sale items with) and give each piece a number. Go in order so when your putting it together, piece 1 connects to piece 2 which connects to piece 3 and so on.

If you lose directions to toys easy (ME ME ME!!!), buy a binder with plastic page protectors. Each page protector should gets its own instruction booklet. When you need help remembering what to do with a toy, consult the book. :)

When kids are done playing with one toy, have them put that toy away before getting out another toy. This works better with older children. Younger kids just have to be picked up after. Its life. They grow out of that stage super quick. And its so bitter sweet when they do!

Less is more!

When one child has 10 toy boxes full of toys, its likely he or she will never play with any of them. Get to know your child! Learn what they will REALLY like and what is just the commercial making the toy look fun. TV sells way too much!! I read something one time that said buying toys that force the use of imaginative play were the toys that kids loved the most. How boring are the toys that do it all for us? I never played with them. My kids don't play with them. They just sit in the toy box, collecting dust. My son loves his cars and the rug he plays with them on. It has roads drawn onto it. He plays for hours with those two things!

My daughter loves her dolls. Nothing better than being a little mommy. :)

When you buy a toy, donate or sell a toy. The 1 in 1 out rule. This keeps the clutter down...especially for a child who has a lot of toys.

Have something to organize the toys into. If you can't afford a toy box, storage totes are awesome. Laundry baskets. Just about anything. Get creative! You can decorate it with stickers (a fun bonding project with your kiddo!!) or however you want to. Markers (they make sharpies in every color!) can be fun under parental supervision. Fabric glued to it. Paint (you can do hand prints and foot prints with the date you made it so they can remember it always). Have fun with it!

Above all, just pick up throughout the day. Don't let the mess build up. Don't let the child go to bed until their room is clean. Make it a post dinner habit to clean the toys up. Things will be SO. MUCH. EASIER!!!

Good luck!