Season of Giving

Proverbs 22:9 – "He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor."

A few years ago we started doing what we called "Sneaky Santa". We would make treats/goodie bags and drop them off at our friend's houses. Nate loves to "ring & run" trying not to get caught. 

Over the past couple years the outing has evolved into what we now call Random Acts of Christmas Kindness day. So, in addition to a few friends and family, we also take treats to our local first responders, widows in our church and even taking supplies to Ronald MacDonald House or Sheltering Wings.

While it seems to be a little more work each year as it has grown and changed, I love that we get to do this together every holiday season. It is so special seeing Nate get into the spirit of giving. 

Deuteronomy 15:10 – "Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."

There are SO many ways that you and your family can do random acts of kindness in your own community. Here are a couple of links to help you and your kids do your own "Random Acts of Kindness" and help to instill the spirit of giving into your children while they're young!

100 Acts of Kindness for Kids

Random Acts of Kindness - 25 Ideas for raising grateful and kind kids

Many more ideas on my Random Acts of Kindness Pinterest board!

AND.... in the spirit of giving... Grace Hill Media has sponsored another great giveaway! I have DVD copies of Greater and Hillsong.  

GREATER is a film about an unlikely young man who had all the odds stacked up against him when he tried out to play football at one of the most prestigious football programs in the country. Both films highlight the perseverance people can have when they lean on their faith and when they do that – God enables them to do extraordinary things in life.

HILLSONG – LET HOPE RISE was a phenomenon when it came out in theaters this past September and we’d love to continue the worship experience with everyone this holiday season. 

Both of these quality films release on DVD on Tuesday, December 20th. Please comment on this post with your idea of a Random Act of Kindness to be entered in the giveaway. I'll post the winner on Christmas Day!

Ugly Truth

While this is hardly a booming blog... I do find through comments made in person that I have more readers than I would think.  And I know from being an avid blog reader myself that it can be easy to see the pretty pictures and think that a person's house/family/life must be just as pretty and perfect as said pictures... well, its just not true.

I appreciated the post on The Unlikely Homeschool on this topic.  Jamie came clean and reminded her readers that she isn't perfect and what we read on her blog (as well as most others) is just what the blogger wants you to see.  How many blogs show the dirty dishes in their sink, piles of laundry or the ring around their tub?  Not many.

But honestly, we need to show that more.  Our readers... heck, our friends need to know that we are a mess.  That we don't always have it all together.  That our seemingly well-behaved kids are occasionally little dare-devils who disobey and throw tantrums.  Sometimes we are too busy to remember to shower or get to the end of the day are so tired that we would rather leave a sink full of dishes and just veg out on the couch with our husband in the evening...

Here is a pix that I posted on facebook awhile back.  Cute Christmas crafting... right?   But if you look behind the kids you can see my cluttered kitchen counter.  And beneath the table that the kids are sitting at...

This is not an uncommon sight at our house.  Joe and Christine are terribly messy eaters.  I can't bring myself to sweep a half a dozen times a day.  So it often looks just like this. 

There is freedom in sharing those parts of our lives that we often try to keep hidden.  And it creates bonds with people around us because they can then feel comfortable letting us see their secret selves as well.  Relationships are meant to grow and if we do not let our friends see us for who we really are (messiness and all) then our friendships will become stagnant.  So, break out of your shell and have a friend over without cleaning the house first.  Don't be afraid to serve peanut butter and jelly (on tortillas because you're out of bread)... let them in and they'll love you more for it!

 Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

 

Idiot!

 Have you ever done or said something that was completely idiotic?  I had one of those moments recently.  Here is the scenario:

Near where we live there is this house that has a zebra statue.  Its been there for as long as I can remember.  Its kind of a local mascot or icon.  It even has its own facebook page.  It gets dressed up for holidays and such.  People will take their pictures with it.

Well, during some recent construction the poor thing was decapitated.  :-(  So, naturally its getting additional attention now, being headless and all.  So as we were driving by last week I noticed another statue had joined our zebra friend.  As we get closer I see its a small striped feline statue. Because of the size in proportion to the zebra my first thought was: "oh look, a zebra cat".

Seriously....

Total brain freeze!  By the time we had passed it I realized my error and was kicking myself for not seeing it for what it clearly is: a tiger!  Or was is a "liger"?  ;-)

 

Attention!

My Top 10 Predictions for 2010

These are in no particular order and are mostly just for fun. Maybe I'll recap later in the year and see which ones actually come to pass!! I think in the year 2010:

1 - Nate will ask over a million questions and I will get very close to going insane!

2 - Joe will learn how to crawl. Keep praying for this one!!

3 - I'll have a few dozen people tell me I look like I'm about to pop before I finally give birth to baby number three (and maybe a couple after!!).

4 - I will turn the big 3-0 and freak out a little! But who could blame me? ;-)

5 - Isaac will step up and be there for me when I am adjusting to having three kids.

6 - I'll finally get it together and get some more active habits started (really hoping for this one!).

7 - I will continue to try to convince my out of town friends to move to the Indy area - and they will continue to ignore me! ;-)

8 - Three or more of my friends will get married! I love weddings!

9 - Something like half a dozen babies (friends and family) will be born, including mine!

10 - The show Lost will air its final season and disappoint me with the ending!!

My Take on: Registries

Ok, these are just little tidbits that I have learned and I wish someone would have told me (not that I would have listened back then! ;-)

Wedding Registries
* Don't register for anything you would not actually buy yourself. If its too expensive for you to buy its probably too expensive for most of your friends and family too.
* Limit yourself to registering at one or two places. Seriously, what does Target have that Walmart does not? And vice versa, etc. It gets too confusing and overwhelming trying to keep track of multiple registries.
* Don't be afraid to ask a married friend or family member to help you register because they already have a home and will know what things you need and which ones you do not. I recommend taking said married friend instead of your future husband. Face it girls, he probably has very little interest in registering for anything that you need for your home. If he goes it'll just be to sneak in a few video games onto the registry.

Baby Registries
* Keep it Simple! You do not have to register for the child's entire life's worth of stuff. Trust me, as much fun as it is to open cute outfits and stuff at the shower, you will wish you'd just been given diapers! ;-)
* Don't register for stuff you would not actually buy yourself. If its too expensive for you to buy its probably too expensive for most of your friends and family too. And baby stuff is used for such a short time it usually doesn't make sense to spend alot of money on it.
* Again I will say have a friend or family member who has had babies before come with you. There is so much stuff out there that looks cute or handy but its so hard to know what you need before you have your own. Get advice on what essentials are worth registering for.

29 Things about Me

Today is my 29th birthday. Sigh... this is the last year of my "twenties"... oh well... anyway, to mark the occasion I'm posting 29 random things about ME! Enjoy. And leave me a birthday comment! Or not. Whatever! ;-p

1. I'm the oldest of five kids - and all of us were born at home!

2. I have never lived anywhere but Indiana.

3. I love to travel and wish I could afford to do more of it.

4. I've worked for two different airlines. Totally recommend working in the airline industry. It has its pros and cons... but the flight benefits are awesome!

5.I have a blue eyes but my left eye has a brown streak in it. I know, I'm weird.

6. I was really into myspace for awhile but now I'm hooked on facebook.

7. I have two sons that I love but have always wanted a daughter!

8. I have always wanted to be a wife and mother. Sometimes I love it... others its more than I bargained for but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

9. I had my first son via unplanned c-section. And my second son via VBAC at home. If we have any more kids we'll definitely plan another homebirth.

10. Isaac and I went from acquaintances to engaged in less than two months and were married only 5 months after that. When you know - you know!

11.I love to scrapbook but don't get to do it as much as I would like to.

12. I'm not that great of a housekeeper. I don't like to be messy... but I don't like to clean either.

13. I get addicted to tv shows. Right now its Heroes, Lost, The Office and Greys.

14. I struggle to get into the Word like I know I should. I make up excuses and stuff but mostly its probably laziness.

15. I've been going to the same church for something like 16yrs.

16. When I really want to splurge I get a manicure or pedicure... there is something about it...

17. I was dyslexic in early elementary. Reading was a chore and I hated it.

18. My mom took me out of school and homeschooled me from the 3rd grade on. I am so thankful that she did!

19. I love to read but don't do it as much as I would like.

20. I'm working on a list of 30 things I wanna do before I turn 30.

21. I love taking pictures. I wish had more time to develop my skill and build my photography business.

22. I cannot think of a time in my life when I was genuinely happy with my body (I've been everything from a size 6 (a LONG time ago) to a size 20 (a few years ago).

23. I have a lot of great women in my life that I am thankful for. I have friends for all seasons of life, some young some old(er)... I think we all can learn something from eachother and I love it!

24. My favorite alcoholic beverage is an Amaretto Sour. Mmmm.... sounds good!

25. Even with all their issues and quirks I love my family very much (and that includes my inlaws).

26. I love San Francisco! I spent six weeks there on a business trip when I worked for American Airlines and I fell in love with that city! Its awesome!

27. According to this online quiz that Suz posted about I'm a Romantic Self-Knowing Self-Improver. I guess that sounds about right. Another quiz said I'm most like Jane Austen's herione Elinor Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility. Not the most glamorous heroine but probably the most like me.

28. If I had been born just a couple hours later I'd have been born on my mom's birthday! Its kind of fun because we get to celebrate together!

29. I got more personal than I thought I would in this list. Hope it wasn't all boring!

Sparkly White!

My sis is a dental assistant and got me the hookup with some whitening samples. She did impressions of my teeth at my house.
Nate loved "helping" her with the molds of my teeth. Then she made the trays for me to use with the whitening solution.

It may not exactly be an extreme makeover but I can tell a difference. I used the overnight solution 4-5 times. It made my teeth a little sensitive for a couple of days but nothing too serious. Thanks for the hookup Wren!! Love ya!

Eat Mor Chikin

I've become a huge fan of Chick-fil-A recently. The quality of the company and the product is so great. They have great family oriented activities on Tuesday evenings for Family Night. Coming up soon they're having Customer Appreciation week with free stuff every day and the finale will be Dress Up Like a Cow Day... you read that right. If you come in to Chick-fil-A wearing a partial cow costume you receive a free menu item. If you come in full costume you get a free value meal. Right on cow lovers!

Ok, so I was loading my car full of groceries the other day and noticed something odd. In the parking space next to me I noticed a nice looking SUV - I was a little envious of the vehicle but that doesn't really apply to the story.
There was a couple loading their purchases into the back of the SUV. The weird/funny thing was all over the bottom of the trunk area was a bunch of those mesh eco-friendly grocery bags.... but the food,etc that they were loading into the car was bagged in atypical plastic supermarket bags.
Uuummm... anyone else find that weird?!? I mean, I realize not everyone has gone "green" but if you are going to do it, then do it! And besides the green aspect of it, if I had already bought those bags - which are far more reliable and user friendly, no tearing holes and double bagging, etc - I'd be using them! Am I right?

How To: Post Blog Comments

There has been a recent trend. I keep hearing people say "hey I was just on your blog the other day..." but I had never gotten a comment from that person. I think most bloggers (I know I do) enjoy getting feedback. Especially in the form of comments. There seem to be alot of people who do not realize that you do NOT have to be a blogger or have a blog account or anything like that in order to leave a comment on my blog - ANYONE can do it! There are some blogs with the security settings set so that they can only receive comments from other bloggers but mine is not. So... today's lesson is: "How to Leave Blog Comments".As you can see in the above picture there is an area in which you type your message. Then below that is a spot where you are able to choose your identity. This is actually an outdated picture so it probably won't say "other". Instead it should have a choice marked Name/URL. If you are not signed in as a blogger then you simply choose Name/URL and then you type in your name or nickname and/or your website (if you have one). Another option is to choose the Anonymous option. I ask that if you do that you sign your name on the comment itself so that I know who is leaving the message. Then just click on the button that says Publish Comment... and you're done! See, wasn't that easy!?!
The reason I am posting about this is because I am very personally invested in my blog(s). Its been a great outlet for me, especially over the last few months. I love that I've been getting regular visitors but I hate that some people stop by and never let me know they were ever here. So, please take a moment to say "Hi" and let me know what you think.
Thanks!

Time Out

Nate has really really been testing the limits lately... I'm soooo tired of it. Sometimes I want to leave and not come back. Ok, I would eventually but the couple hours here and there that I get a "break" just don't seem to be enough lately. I'm trying to keep my spirits up but sometimes I'm so overwhelmed with everything... my two year old who tries my patience at every chance, my husband who I love very much but challenges me in so many ways, my son who may or may not be handicapped.... its alot to think about. I feel so alone sometimes.
On a happy note - Nate peed in the potty four times yesterday. Wow... how sad that thats the highlight of my day, probably my week. sigh... I'm not sure who I am anymore sometimes. I don't know how to be a good mom, wife, housekeeper, cook, laundress, chauffeur, lover, teacher, therapist, counselor, sister, daughter, daughter-in-law, friend... not all at the same time... I feel like whenever I choose to do one this thing or that thing I've chosen to neglect something or someone else. You know me, always trying to take care of everyone else. I don't know how not to.
But sometimes in the back of my mind I'm wondering "what about me". How do we find the proper balance between taking care of others and taking care of ourselves? This book my small group has been reading is all about being a Godly wife... and its all give give give... and I agree that a wife is to take care of her husband and family but to what point? To the point of completely neglecting her own needs? I don't know. I'm going on a scrapbooking retreat with Sniz in a few weeks and I'm sooo looking forward to it. I don't even care if I get any scrapbooking done... I'm not setting an alarm, I'm planning on sleeping in, taking a bath (by myself!), I won't have to change any diapers or prepare anyone else's food or dress anyone - that sounds divine to me.

Flippin' Sweet!

Alright... it didn't exactly make my top ten yesterday but Napoleon Dynamite does have a special place in my movie lovin' heart. I think its one of those movies that you either love it or you hate it... I think Jon Heder is freakin' hilarious (especially the dance scene!)! We quoted that movie all the time for months after we saw it. I mean, there were some great one liners: "Tina, you fat lard", "Just make yourself a dang quesa-dilluh!", "Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills. ", and so many more. Ok, maybe we quoted from it a little too long.
Anyway, I hadn't really thought about that flick in awhile but I an online ad today for a Napoleon Dynamite video game! It looks kind of cool, for a video game. When you are deciding if you want to buy the game or not just take Napoleon's advice: "Just follow your heart. That's what I do."

10 Things....

I got a comment from Digging for Pearls saying she was hosting a give-away. I'm a sucker for free stuff, so of course I've gotta do it! In order to enter I've gotta post about ten struggles that I face as a Christian woman. The potential prize is the book: Running on Empty and Looking for the Nearest Exit! by: Anne Chapman. These are in random order because thats how my mind works.

I struggle with:

1. Finding enough time to do everything I think I need to: housework, errands, time w/ kids, cooking, time with husband, time with God, serving others, time for myself, bathing, reading, exercising, relaxing...

2. Knowing when(and who) to say "yes" to and when to say "no". I need to learn that just because something is "good" doesn't mean that God doesn't have something "better" in mind for me. Like it'd be good for me to be in charge of VBS (or something) but it'd be "better" for me to not over-commit so that I don't miss out on important time with my family.

3. Being too critical of others (sometimes) and myself (alot). I try not to because it does no one any good. But its one of those things that really happens before I even realize it and then its too late.

4. Developing a healthy self-image and appreciating myself and my body just the way God made me instead of wishing to be different. I've struggled with my weight for a number of years and at this point I don't want to diet for fear of it becoming an obsession. I'd rather be a little chunky and happy than thin and unhappy.

5. Desiring to want to spend time with God in prayer and studying the bible. Paul says he does that which he does not want to and he wants to do that which he does not do. Why?!? Why is it so hard sometimes for us to want to spend time in fellowship with our Creator?

6. Worrying: about my personal growth, my marriage, my kids, my family, my friends, you name it. I guess worry of any kind stems from a control issue and/or a lack of trust.

7. Consciously spending my time wisely instead of on the unimportant. Its so easy to fall into the habit of taking care of the urgent and putting off the important.

8. Not wanting to be selfish so I try to take care of everyone around me all the time and let my own needs fall by the wayside. But it backfires because I get tired, cranky and eventually I'm no good to anyone!

9. Wanting life to go the way I want it to instead of trusting in His divine plan. Again with the control thing. Not that I think I have all the answers (not all the time). Its just hard to let go sometimes.

10. Comparing my "problems" to those that I see (or think I see) others facing. I'll feel bad for struggling with something because so-and-so has it so much harder. I won't just allow myself to feel what I'm feeling, I over-analyze and second guess.

Well.... this was both easier and harder than I thought it'd be. I could have gone on, but we were only supposed to list ten things. Now, looking at this list I realize I could probably do a whole post on each one. Funny, if you really think about it, none of these things are completely out of my control. Not really. I could change alot of them. It might not be easy, but through prayer and discipline God could make some serious changes in my heart and mind - if I ask Him to, if I let Him. So what is holding me back?

Ah....

My sis and I went and got pedicures together tonight. Ah, I love it! I only do it occasionally but they're so good. I love being able to wear sandals and show off my pretty toes during the summer. I wish warm weather would get here soon!

p.s. - those aren't my toes... I used a stock photo. he he ;)

Thursday Thirteen #5: Thirteen Online Articles/Posts/Websites I Liked This Week

1. Curly vs. Straight one girls social experiment to see which hairstyle men really prefer. Interesting since I myself have gone back and forth on which style I prefer.

2. Healthy baby proves doctors aren't always right. I think sometimes our culture has too much blind trust in the medical community and I kind of enjoy seeing them proved wrong from time to time.

3. Who doesn't like funny church signs?!? Ok, so its not exactly deep thinking stuff - but its fun!

4. Midwife encourages women to make out during labor! Who wouldn't love that suggestion?!? And why didn't we try that?!?

5. Organization Junkie's Blog post on How To Get Started - Organizing your Home. I'm finding that I've become a little bit of a pack rat in recent years and am hoping to minimize the clutter and junk thats been collecting here and there.

6. Blog post from The Well-Read Child on the Benefits of Reading Aloud to Children. I loved reading as a kid and love that my son seems to be developing a love for books as well.

7. How to make housework a family affair. I can't wait until my kids are old enough that I can actually get help from them! Right now my two year old follows me around un-doing everything I try to get done! Ah!

8. Toddlers Sharing - is it possible? I mean, seriously! I hear SAHM urban legends about this one two year old that was a friend of a friend of a friend who shared but you never know with stories like that. I don't think its possible. jk

9. Better Homes and Gardens Scrapbooking Techniques How To's. I've been a fan of scrapbooking for awhile now but haven't done much of my own until recently and I'm really excited!

10. Top Ten Most Ridiculous Diets. I might have a few or twenty pounds to lose but I'm hoping to lose it the old fashioned way - not eating too much junk! But thats just me.

11. City Pass.com Boston info. We're hoping to take a trip there this summer. We used the CityPass in San Francisco a few years ago and its a pretty darn good deal!

12. Family Fun toddler games and activities/ideas. As a SAHM I sometimes get lost in the day to day and need help being creative with things to do with my boys.

13. Romance at a Glance - Christian ideas for recreating romance in marriage. Its hard sometimes to keep things fun in your marriage after you have kids.

So, there you go - my Thursday Thirteen for this week! To participate or check out some other Thirteeners just click here.

CD Cover Fun

I thought I'd expand things a little around here by adding some CD reviews. I'm sure you all care what I think about music, so I've decided to review three CD's that I've been listening to lately.

Well, I'm not really reviewing CDs. In fact these are not real albums at all. They were created using the complicated mathematical formula on Doofus' blog the other day.

You create your own band name and album with album cover (or CD--whatever). This is not a "meme" or a "tag" or whatever you folks call it, but I'd love to see what some of you come up with.

Here's how you do it.

1. The first article title on this page is the name of your band.

2. The last four words of the very last quotation on this page is the title of your album. (NOTE: If you do this more than once, you will need to refresh this page to get a new quote.)

3. The third picture on this page, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result. I'm a Photoshop guy, but even your most basic photo editing or graphics program (even the "Paint" program that comes with Windows) can do this. It takes a little work, but it's worth it.

Here are my three CDs...


This is a great British band that is reminiscent of the early British invasion stuff. Only more of a preppy, English tea garden-ish sound to them. Ok, so maybe their music is only so-so.... but the girls go crazy for the lead singer. He's like a cross between James Bond and Bon Jovi.

You wouldn't believe what this band has been through! You should totally see the Behind the Music story on them! The band is made up of a Mexican/Canadian guitarist, Argentinian/American lead vocalist/accordion player, and a Irish/Asian/American drummer/keyboard player. Its amazing to see them in concert. They're breaking down cultural barriers in the music industry like crazy!

She is awesome.... she pours her heart out into the songs she writes about her rough childhood growing up in an insane asylum (pictured on the album cover). Wow - what a powerful message about mental health. I think we might start using some of her stuff at the counseling center.

Hope these (mock) reviews were helpful. Don't try to rush out and buy these cds for they are very rare and are not easy to come by. Mine were actually purchased on the black market. Ssshhhh.... don't tell.

Thirteen Things About Me..... (some interesting, some not-so-much)

These facts are presented in no particular order..... no one is more important than another, in fact they're all pretty useless. Some are dumb, some might be funny, some might be dumb and funny. But they are all true. I'm not sure if thats something to be proud of or ashamed of. Hhhmmmm..... something to ponder.

1.
I'm very mothery. Some may call it endearing, some may call it annoying.... but I will admit that I am a mothering kind of a person. I take people under my wing, try to take care of people around me (sometimes whether they want me to or not), etc.
2.
I was in a private Catholic school K-3rd and then I was home-educated through high school. I worked for American Airlines for two years right out of high school and then went back to school for a two year degree. I basically paid for my college education out right. No school loans, nothing. I can only think of one other person that I know who can say that and hers was only an 8week certification.
3.
I remember really random movie/pop culture facts. And on top of that, I have very little control over when I share that knowledge. When these useless factoids pop into my head I literally have to share it even though I know no one cares, and sometimes I just look like a dork for knowing it, I'm still compelled to share it. Really dumb stuff that nobody cares about in real life, but comes in really handy when playing Scene-It.
4.
I have blue eyes.... however, my left eye has a brown streak in it. And in that same spot my eye lashes have a blond streak. Weird - I know.
5.
I'm the firstborn of five kids and all of us were born at home! - Kudos to Mom and Pop for going against the grain! I'd probably have been a c-section baby if they'd been in a hospital - and then the rest of them would have been too because alot of docs back then wouldn't consider VBACs.
6.
My parents are carnies. But are in the process of becoming retired carnies as they are selling their business(Clown Around Party Rentals). sniff.... its kinda sad.
7.
I really really like the Monte Cristo sandwhich. I've only seen it a few restaurants (Garfields and The Claddaugh) but its soooo good! Its kind of a club sandwich only its dipped in batter, deep fried, covered in powdered sugar and served with jam...... don't knock it till you try it!
8.
While I think my taste in music is pretty diverse, I really do like almost anything, I'm really into the Hairspray soundtrack right now. LOVE IT!
9.
I spend way more time on the computer doing useless, mindless stuff than I should.
10.
I've read all seven (or was it eight?) Anne of Green Gables books. I loved them!
11.
I've tried to read Pride and Prejudice a few times and just couldn't get into it. But I loved the movies. I'm kind of partial to the BBC (I think) version with a young Colin Firth thats like six hours long, but the recent one with Keira Knightly was really beautifully done.
12.
I don't have any cavities. Knock on wood!
13.
I'm glad I'm done with this list because I was running out of things to say. Huh, I guess I'm a pretty boring person if I have a hard time coming up with thirteen things to say about myself.

inside the mind of a woman

I have to tell you.... I loved reading a recent post on a friend's blog. She is a stay at home mom of three and as we all know, grown up dates don't come along everyday. So, she kind of rambled on about being excited and worrying about what to wear to go out. I'm glad I'm not the only one who frets over ultimately trivial things that are somewhat vain (but harmlessly so). I also rarely have the occasion to "dress up" so when I do I go out of my way to look stylish, cute, as thin as I can, etc. Isaac has to laugh at me sometimes because I will on occasion be all school-girlish and say that I think I look good that day. Which may sound vain, but anyone who knows me knows that that doesn't really happen all that often so I think its alright.