"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!

How to always have a clean house!

So your probably wondering if its even possible to always have a clean house. I'm here to tell you, YES, it is!!! I will be doing a short mini series on how to always have a clean house!! Are you ready? Okay, lets begin! :)

First and foremost....does everything in your house have a place, a spot, a home? As you can imagine, if your house looks like it belongs on hoarders, we can't just organize that. Everything WILL need a place! If it doesn't have a place, get rid of it. Donate it. Toss it. Do what you need to do. If you can't live without it, get rid of something else that does have a place so you can put the item you can't live without in its place. I saw something somewhere one time that said to get rid of a trash bag of stuff every month. 1 trash bag. Thats it. Trust me, it works!! On that note....go organize!!

Are you organized yet? Yes? Awesome! Now we can get to the good stuff. :)

Now, this does require some work. You can't expect to keep your house perfect and put in zero effort. But, its SO much easier than letting your house get messy and then having to spend hours cleaning it up and praying the person who just pulled into the drive way is just turning around and not coming to the door. (been there, done that...no fun!!)

1. Never leave a mess. It seems like common sense to pick up after yourself, but so often we just plan to come back to it. If your done with that plate, don't put it in the sink, put it in the dishwasher. If your cooking and you spill something, clean it up RIGHT NOW, don't wait until dinner is over when its crusty and hard to get up. When you have a basket full of laundry, do it now. Don't wait until tomorrow. Don't just wash it either, dry it and put it away!! Its so important to just do what needs done now. Don't walk past a mess without cleaning it up.

2. If the kids can help, by golly, give them chores!! I have so often seen the chore charts (for moms) on pintrest. Monday, wash the laundry. Tuesday, vacuum. Wednesday, do the dishes....and so on. Here is the problem. Even though parts of the house are clean, it never really gets clean. However, I'm all for making chore charts for kids! Even though you are now the awesome mom who picks up as she goes along and the house is already pretty awesome, even if it doesn't really need done, still have them do it. For example, if its John's job to mop on Saturday, even if you had to mop on Friday, what is it going to hurt? So you now have an extra clean floor! Also, if the kids can keep their own toys picked up, have them do it! I love the only one toy out at a time rule. When your finished playing with that toy, then you can get out the other one when the first one is put away! Naturally, this whole paragraph is exempt for toddlers and babies. But for kids who are older, moms need this!!

3. The dishes. Never leave dishes in the sink...unless you don't have a dish washer. If you have a dishwasher, load it as the day goes on. Then run it as soon as its full and put them away right away so you can continue to load it again. If you don't have a dish washer, wash dishes often! As soon as one side gets about half full, you can wash, dry, and put away. Doing it throughout the day will make it so much quicker than waiting until the sink is over flowing and dishes are all over the counter before you do them and spending hours on them then! No thank you!!

4. The laundry. Designate one laundry basket for the house. When its full, run the washer! Then dry and put them away as soon as its done. Its not hard. It won't take long. I promise. :)

5. The toys. I will be doing a whole blog post on the toys. I think they need their own special attention. But the basic for right now, don't have too many, and make the kids help! Even toddlers can (well some of them) try to help.

6. The bathrooms. Obviously you don't have to clean the toilets every time you go potty, but as soon as you notice something in the bathroom needs done (or once a week or so)...do it! Husbands and boys in general are bad for splashing. Trust me, its SO much easier to clean a little up then scrubbing for hours because it has built up. Pee isn't always the easiest stuff to get off!! A cup of baking soda in the toilet water for as long as you can keep it in there (yeah, do the kids in your house all suddenly have to mysteriously pee when you put the cleaner in the toilet too?) will get the odor out. Oh how I love baking soda!!

7. Vacuuming/mopping etc. You will be able to see when it needs done. When it needs done, just do it!!

Seriously, just doing things when they need done will keep your house pristine! Don't walk past something that needs put away. It sounds hard, but its not. I have two tornado's toddlers who cannot help me clean up, and I can do it! Since taking this seriously, my 3 year old has been sensitive (over time) to the fact I like the house clean. He is willing to try to help when he's in the mood! Its amazing to see that transformation! (thats another blog post too. :)..)


For now, I'll let you get started!! After the initial through cleaning to keep things clean, its not so bad. A little determination and when the mystery car pulls into the drive way you will say "bring it on"! No more hiding in the closet hoping they don't knock for you anymore! :)

You can view part 2, toys, here! 

I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. -St. Paul

I have been reading a lot lately. Whenever I have a moment to myself, I open a book. I feel like this grounds me, no matter where I am. Reading is always something familiar that I can do. It makes me so content.

I do not necessarily need a book in order to be content. I look for the positives in all situations. Sometimes that may seem like an impossible task, but it is not. There is always something you can do or experience that will give you peace no matter how turbulent life may seem.

Taking care of myself makes me feel better about any situation. Sometimes I spend a little extra time preparing myself a nourishing meal or setting aside time to exercise. Going for walks and appreciating nature makes me content. Those things nourish the body and the soul.

A less physically productive hobby of mine is watching youtube videos of lions and giraffes and elephants relaxing in their natural habitats. It makes me feel so calm though. Those animals certainly seem content, regardless of if they have a giant house or babies running around them or a large group of friends. They just need food and water and they are good to go. I definitely at least have those things.

Your attitude towards your surroundings really alters the way you experience everything. If you are negative, everything seems so much worse. If you are anxious to reach a new stage in life, you ignore and neglect the stage you are already in.

Another facet of this is financial. Some people desire more, but more stuff just brings with it more troubles. It is better for me to be grateful for what I do have, rather than focus on what I lack. God always provides me with a home and a few earthly friends I can count on. I am truly blessed.

Being content is one of the most valuable lessons I have ever learned.

A Life Well Lived

 I want to….

Be kissed under the mistletoe.

Go for a ride in a hot air balloon.

See a celebrity that I actually recognize.

Go on a cruise.

Take horseback riding lessons.

Get certified to scuba dive.

Go to a desert and ride a camel.

Try escargot.

Go on an extensive kayaking trip.

Grow a garden that I can be proud of.

Bring ballet back into my life.

Own a piano.

Go to Ireland.

Get married.

Learn how to tune and repair pianos.

Sing an opera.

Own a really pretty dress.

Hear from God with 100% certainty.

Write a book.

Tithe regularly.

Go to the Kentucky Derby and wear a big hat.

Have a reading nook.

Ring a church bell.

Use only candlelight to see by for a week.

Own a house with a porch.

Have a child.

Zip line.

Build a treehouse.

Have art supplies and use them.

Create my own family traditions.

Play the stand up bass.

Write thank you notes just because.

Join the Peace Corps.

Make all my own bowls and mugs.

Go to Tuscany.

Rock climb up something awesome.

Read the entire Bible straight through.

Have a signature dish.

Visit Redwood National Park – I love those big trees!

See the Northern Lights.

Get a deep tissue massage.

Ride a gondola.

Go to Africa.

Fast for three days.

Have a recipe box.

Kayak in the Bioluminescent Bay in Puerto Rico.

Have on really nice picture of myself.

Go Whale Watching.

Really learn Russian.

See cave art.

Be able to do the Scorpion yoga pose.

Give someone life changing advice.

Be able to do a split.

Have a library room in my house.

Plant a tree and then watch it grow. Maybe an American Chestnut.

Get a wild haircut.

Knit a scarf.

Call a customer service place and just thank them.

Forgive everyone.

Fill a notebook with all the things I’m grateful for.

Catch a fish.

Touch a starfish and any other undersea critter.

Teach a child to play a musical instrument.

Be in a church choir.

See a platypus.

Watch baby sea turtles hatch.

Hop on a pogo stick.

Build a doll house.

Learn Calligraphy.

Make a quilt.

Design and build a pond in my backyard. Frogs please!

Own a bakery.

Make a comic book.

Give a $100 bill to a stranger.

Be able to do a back flip.

See giant animals in the wild.

See a Broadway musical.

Sleep in a hammock.

Learn to belly dance.

How to Remove Rust from Knives

I noticed the other day that my knives look absolutely terrible. I have no idea if there are any health reasons not to be using rusty knives, but they sure look unpleasant.

 I googled my problem and everyone recommended lemon juice. Who knew? So here are my unappealing knives before I tackled the rust.

I did not have gallons of lemon juice to spare so I poured about half a cup into a baking pan and then added water to cover them for a proper soak. I left them in there for about half an hour. When I removed them, I dipped a regular scrubby sponge into the lemon/water concoction and scrubbed the rusty spots. This worked well for the smaller spots, but the big rusty marks on the tip were still apparent. My solution was to pour some lemon juice into a cup.

 This cup is half lemon juice, half water. A much stronger combination. These soaked for another half an hour or so. I also flipped them over and let the end of the handles soak for a bit. They also had spots that I did not take pictures of. I did not notice them until I was scrubbing them after they were in the pan. Just a 10 minute soak removed the rust easily from the handles. For some of the tougher spots that seemed to be embedded into the "grain" of the knives, I just used my fingernail to scratch them off.

 I would recommend not even trying to big pan step and going straight to the mini soak in a cup.

 Tada! My knives now look as good as new! In my reading, I discovered that you are not suppose to put knives in the dishwasher? Again, I had no idea that was the case. Good to know! Hopefully these should stay sparkly and awesome for a long time now. =)

How to clean a deep fryer!

It was time. Time to break down and really scrub this thing up. I have tried before, washing it in the sink in soap and water, the dishwasher, bleach cleaner....with no results! My husband told me the grease just stained it and it wouldn't come off. After finding some new cleaning methods, I decided to try it again.

As you can see, my deep fryer is nasssstyyyy!!! How on earth have we been eating out of this gross thing?! Good news!!! Even for a deep fryer as bad as this one, there is hope! But as a warning, it took some work!! This was not a 5 minute and be done with it job.


Tips! :)
*Wear old gross clothes! You will stink. 

*Don't have plans for awhile after starting. This is time consuming, and in the end, you will stink. 

*Wait until the kids are napping. This is gross and you won't want to fill sippy cups with *those* hands!

*Wear gloves especially if you have sensitive skin to keep from getting chemical burns!

*Unplug the deep fryer!! Set the heating unit aside while cleaning. It cannot get wet. It may ruin the motor :) 

What you will need :)

*A dirty deep fryer (a given)

*Vinegar

*Baking soda

*A box of magic erasers (I used 2 for mine)

*Hydrogen Peroxide
*A sponge

*A scrubbing tool

Part 1- The lid. 

This part was annoying, but I felt so accomplished when I got it done! For the top of the lid, I used a magic eraser. I did NOT use one on the inside because magic erasers contain chemicals that you would not want to get in your food. 

I used the magic eraser on all the stainless steel, the handle, and the outside of the window. Basically, the whole top. It took a little scrubbing, but it is the easiest way to get the grease off the outside. I have tried many chemicals and just plain water, and this works the best by FAR!!

For the inside....

I put it in my sink (which was free of dishes) so the dirty inside was facing up. As you can see, I have about a  half inch of gunk. Dried grease mixed with gross food. Ick!! I put a layer of baking soda all over the inside so it covered the whole surface. Then, I SLOWLY poured vinegar onto the top, careful not to pour too fast and just wash all the baking soda off. Then I would scrub at it a little. The reaction between the baking soda and vinegar loosens the stains. I repeated these steps a few times until I got most of it off. Then I made a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide (which will form a paste) and I rubbed it on the stubborn spots. That should set for at least 30 minutes. Then I scrubbed it off with my scrub brush. 

While I waited for that to set, I moved on to part 2. :)

Part 2-The body

This is simply the stainless steal outside. As you can see, mine had a lot of grease stains that ran down and the handles were just gross!!

For this, I used a magic eraser all over the outside. Then I took a wet rag to wipe it down. I finished it off with a dab of baby oil to give it some shine. :) 

Very easy! (The easiest part!) And, it looks SO much better when guests come over!! 

Part 3- The inside

Well, the first thing I did was to remove the grease. I put mine into an empty milk jug until I can dispose of it properly. Do NOT put it down your sink! Thats not a good idea at all. I removed the grease before I ever got started.

Right now, the inside is just gross. How did I ever feel like cooking food in that?! I never did get mine perfect. :( But I got it SO much better!

I started with my trusty baking soda and vinegar!

These two simple, non harsh, ingredients are so potent when together! I got off what I could using this and scrubbing like a mad woman! Then I boiled enough water to completely fill up my inside container, and I let it set in hopes the rest of it would be loosened by the hot water. I used a bottle brush with a long handle to run along the inside and it loosen quite a bit of gunk the baking soda and vinegar missed. I was unable to get it all off. That stuff sticks in there like cement!! But I made a MAJOR improvement! 

**Disclaimer-After putting the boiling water in the inside part, please note it will be hot!! Don't stick your hand in it :)

Part 4-the basket. 

There really isn't much to this one. I just had to scrub it. Since its mesh and has all the holes, I couldn't make any magic happen. In fact, I had to use my finger nails at certain points to get it off :( :( :(

I did find using a toothpick in the small holes helped poke some of the grease chunks out. I used my sponge on the rest and I sprinkled baking soda on it. I just scrubbed it for awhile. 

Part 5-The dishwasher!

I ran the basket, the lid, and the inside through the dishwasher. While I did this, I wiped off the coils (the part that gets hot to heat the grease) and magic erased the knobs and little screen. 

I also showered. It was very much needed! 

Then I put it all back together. It looked SOOO much better!!! 

There you have it!! Not too hard. Just time consuming (or it was for me) and takes a little work...but SO worth it!! Good luck! I would love to hear how it worked for you!!

Also, don't wait 2 years before deciding to clean it again and it might not look as bad as mine. ;) I will defiantly do this more often for less work!!

21 awesome Father's Day gift ideas! :)

Fathers Day is right around the corner! In fact, its in 2 short days!!!! I have some cute ideas for that special man in your life! :)

*Is it his first Fathers day? How about a small tree or a tree seed. Every year he can look out on fathers day and see how much it has grown and how long he has been a daddy :)

*Never rule out the traditional tie. Better yet...make him a tie! Also, walmart.com has photo ties you can have made. :) (not sure how much time the photo tie takes to have made)

*Write him a book. :) You can print out photos or draw some to illustrate your story. You can make it super personal, such as his daddy journey or something silly (like he's a super daddy who saves the world after the kids go to bed)! Staples will bind them at a reasonable cost.

*Make him a man apron for the grill! You can decorate it with kids hand prints, a favorite daddy quote, or anything you want. :)

*Do a Fathers day photo shoot. Take lots of photos of your kids that say "I love you dad" holding signs, write it on their feet or bellies, or however its best expressed, print the photo out, frame it and wrap it up! :)

*Start out the day with breakfast in bed! Cut up the breakfast so it spells "DAD" on the plate using bacon, pancakes, or anything you have! Get creative. :)

*Make him a movie! Break out the webcam or video camera and have the little ones star in their very own movie that tells dad just how loved he is! This would be so fun to look back on when the kids are all grown. :)

*Does he like to golf? Lowes sells golfing carpet! Make him a custom put put course for the home. Get creative with this one! Dowel rods with paper flags at the top by the holes (cut out circles with an exacto knife...have mommy help with this for sure!!), make hills by placing things under the carpet, and anything else you can think of to be creative...then have a family golf night!

*A gift bag! Fill it with his favorite treats. Have the kids decorate it with their precious art work. Fill up some balloons and have a fathers day party!

*Have a movie night. Buy him a pop corn bucket, add a movie, add popable pop corn bags, some sodas that come in the cute bottles (that look like beer bottles...add paper ties around the necks), and add boxes of candy.

*Invent a board game! You can do trivia about dad, a dadopoly game, or anything else you can think of....get creative!! :)

*Guys like camping (well a lot of guys like camping)...so go camping in your back yard! Make s'mores, grill on a camp fire, and tell scary stories around the fire. The best part....if you have to use the bathroom, you can just go inside ;)

*Make and decorate puppets and have the kiddo's put on a puppet show about how much they love dad!

*If you have the $$$, I don't know too many guys who don't love video games!

*Make a "we love you dad" coupon book. Fill it with coupons of chores the kids can do for dad such as wash his truck, give him a massage, do the dishes on his night to do them, shred those papers he's been wanting to get around to, etc.

*Go to Skin it and make him a custom skin for his laptop, cell phone, ipad, video game system and whatever else they offer. You can do the custom skin with photos of your kids on it. Since this take a couple weeks to come, you will just have to tell him its coming. ;)

*Hide his gift and send him on a scavenger hunt!! Write up clues that have him looking all over the house, yard, shed, basement, garage and anywhere else you can think of!

*Make a picnic! Pack a lunch and eat at the park, the beach, or just in your back yard. Have fun games to play outside handy and make an afternoon of it. :)

*If you plan to give a gift card, decorate a gift card holder! Make it as fun as you can. You can even make it look like dad. :)

*Pamper dad for the day! Have him kick back and relax while mom and the kids spoil him for a day of doing anything (well almost anything) he asks for. All dad has to do is sit back, relax, and watch whatever game is on. :)

*Lets face it, wouldn't it rock if the super bowl aired on fathers day?! Every mans dream! Put on a football game for him...or any sport he likes the best. Or if he can't stand sitting in the side lines watching his family play sports without him...have a few dads over and have a friendly game! Dads versus kids? :)


There you have it!! It doesn't take a large budget to make this fathers day one he will NEVER forget! :) Happy Fathers day everyone! :)

Just Ask

I want to start out by saying I believe in God and Jesus Christ. I do not belong to a specific church or classify myself into a specific group of believers. I belong to the church as a whole that Christ refers to. This means I accept the good and the bad churches as all being a part of one body, and I am part of that body.

The second thing I want to clarify is that writing about spiritual beliefs for a mass audience is quite tough. I have no idea where you are on your spiritual journey. All I can do is write about the stuff that causes me to think, and maybe that will cause you to think as well.

Today, James 4:2-3 are what caught my attention. The first thing seems such an obvious statement, but it really resonated with me. James says, "You do not have because you do not ask." How true! The things I want most in the world are all things I have never actually asked Him for. I just get sad and grumble and that certainly doesn't do anyone any good! So that is my recommendation for you today. Ask Him for whatever you're wanting. If what you want is something you are hesitant to ask God for, then talk to Him about it. Don't be ashamed. He already knows.

Verse three got me thinking about a discussion I had with my friend Megan several months ago. The verse says that when we do ask, sometimes we do not receive because we were asking with selfish motives. Boy can I relate! A few months ago, I was desperate for the gift of healing. I wanted other people to feel better. I see strangers on the street and I want them to have a wonderful day. This desire is so strong sometimes that it brings me to tears. After seeing family members and friends go through pain and heartache due to both physical and spiritual ailments, I wanted to be able to swoop down and make everything better for people. Everyone, really. I honestly wanted them to be healed and be thankful to Christ and hopefully draw closer to Him because of it, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I wanted to feel powerful.

It is so easy to have the thought, "I healed this person," when really it was not me at all. Wanting people to feel better is not selfish, but it would be so easy to become prideful if I had that gift. God certainly knows exactly what He is doing!

"I will give you thanks because you answered me; you have become my salvation." Psalm 118:21

 

Getting to know us :)

Hey everyone! My name's Rachael and I am super excited about our new collaborative blog! Fun stuff ahead!- R

I'm super excited too! My name is Sasha. Rachael and I have been friends since high school but now that we are in our 20 something's, we live WAY too far apart. When we lived in the same town we went on all sorts of cute and fun adventures, but now that I'm in Indiana and Rachael's in Maryland, it kind of puts a damper on our ability to share our awesomeness and stuff.- S

The solution to our dilemma is to start a blog together. It will encourage our communication and give us a little corner of the web to call our own. We both have unique talents that we bring to the table, so that means this blog will be packed with more stuff than one lone mind could come up with.-R

Want to know more about us? Not a problem! I'm the mother of two wonderful blessings. Landon will turn 3 on June 29th and Bella is 14 months old. Those kids are my everything, I love them SO much!-S

Not to mention they are the cutest kids I have ever seen! And you're a great momma.-R

Thanks! I'm also a photographer. I own the business "Momtography: Photos by Sasha". I love being creative, crafting, sewing, and staying at home with my babies. Before I became a mommy and a photographer, I was a residential worker for those who have mental disabilities, so I have a passion for helping people as well!-S

You are a very kind, caring, and creative person Sasha. Creativity is what makes our friendship so fun. I'm creative too and I love the feeling of making a project and standing back and looking at the finished product. It's wonderful to create something you can be happy with. I do not have any children yet, but I know when I have them, I will feel that proud feeling of accomplishment times a MILLION!! Right now I am a live-in nanny for my boyfriend's sister. She just had a baby, Elias, in March and boy is he a joy! Sasha and I both grew up in small towns, but now I am living in a much larger area and it freaks me out. I'm much happier staying at home and typing up posts with my thoughts and musings. My posts will mostly be about fitness, relationships, food and faith. That's the plan anyways.-R

I plan to write about kids, activities for kids, marriage, faith, crafts, cleaning, photography, and anything else I'm feeling passionate about that day!-S

Message us. Whatever you want. Just keep in touch and remember to smile!