Everyday unwrapped

I've really been making an effort to spend more time with my kids. Unless you are/were a stay at home mom you might be saying "what?" But I find myself busy with cleaning and cooking and projects and (shhhh) the computer and many days don't spend that one on one time that my sweet kids deserve. I want to remember these days. I want them to remember a mom who laughed and played and not one who always said "in a little while."

I decided last week we would make cookies - I just don't do this enough - I worry about the mess and the kids consuming so much sugar, etc. I think we are going to try ornaments this week (Ornament how to). Messy, yes. Sugar, no.

My Christmas wish is that every day I wake up with a grateful heart for the life and love my God has given me. He is so full of mercy and grace. I see it everyday when I look at these cute (and often mischievous) faces.

Meal Planning and Sale Shopping

Every few months I get really lazy with meal planning and grocery shopping. Inevitably during those times we eat out alot and spend alot of money. After a few weeks of this irresponsible behavior I come back to my senses and renew my excitement for saving money at the grocery store.

Before you say, "that's too much work" let me tell you what I do not do. I am not a super crazy coupon clipper. I do not frequent several stores in hunt for bargain basement prices. I do not make my family eat/use yucky products just because they are on sale.

Here's what I'm doing right now to keep my grocery budget in check:

* I subscribe to GroceryGame.com. For $10 each week, I can print out the deals at my favorite grocer (HEB). This list tells me what is on sale and which sale items are actually good deals (if you aren't aware, sales are often gimmicks and don't truly save you money). It also tells me which in store coupons to use (this is HUGE at HEB as they do not operate a shopping card for sales) and if you are a coupon clipper which newspaper coupons would work to get you the best price. I've never really gotten into newspaper coupons thought I've tried a few times. (The grocery game now offers a sub for WalMart where the list spells out all the price matches from local grocers if you are into that sort of thing.)

* Once I've printed out my sale list from grocerygame.com, I sit down to make my grocery list. I meal plan (usually 1 week at a time) based on what we like and what is on sale. This just makes sense to me. For example, this week there was a great "meal deal" with the purchase of a roast. Now, we love roast, but it is not always on the top of my head when I'm thinking of meals for the week. But I got a great deal on it and several other products because I decided to make it this week instead of next.

* A friend of mine told me about a great *free* website Money Saving Mom that teaches you how to work the system if you will at Walgreens and CVS. She also blogs manufacturers deals and other random deals.

* From Money Saving Mom I came across Deal Seeking Mom. Now this one I really like. She gives breakdowns for Target and WalMart among MANY other (non grocery)deals and tips. I love that these ladies spend so much of their time teaching others.

* I also make a trip to Sam's or Wal-Mart once every month or 2 for diapers, wipes, soap, cleaning products, etc.

I am by no means a grocery shopping money saving expert, but just want to encourage you that if you are not meal planning or educating yourself as to sale items you could be missing out on an easy way to save your family cash.

Yummy nutritious dinner

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

(Originally by Kraft but I made a few adjustments)

Makes: 6-8 Servings

What You Need
1-1/2 cups multigrain penne pasta, uncooked (I use Barilla PLUS)
1 pkg. (9 oz.) fresh spinach leaves
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (easiest to use tenders)
1 TBSP. dried basil leaves
1 jar (14-1/2 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
1 package Fat Free Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
Salt to taste
Make It
HEAT oven to 375ºF. Cook pasta as directed on package, adding spinach to the boiling water for the last 1 min.
COOK and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 3 min. Add salt, spaghetti sauce, and tomatoes; bring to boil. Simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Stir in cream cheese.
DRAIN pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spoon into 9 x13 baking dish.
BAKE 20 min. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 min.

Hungry boy

Andrew is changing so much I just can't stand it. He says the cutest things and when he's not throwing a fit he is totally melting my heart.

Andrew has developed a love for apple cinnamon "oatmilk" for breakfast - in fact this morning he had 2 bowls. He must be going through a growth spurt because he is eating SO MUCH. Last night we met Mimi and Papa for dinner at Pappasito's. Around 4 he ate 1/2 a turkey sandwich and 1/2 peanut butter sandwich. When we got to the restaurant he ate chips and queso and then chicken quesadillas. His little stomach looked like it would pop by the time we put him in the car.

As I type this post, he is sitting at our island making play dough dinner - peaches, pizza, carrots, & hot dogs. I can't imagine how I'll keep him fed when he's 16. He's made up his own song "Mu-sic, mu-sic, Andrew likes mu-sic!" Another new thing for us is forts. Drew has introduced Andrew to fort building. How can my baby be big enough to build forts?!

Oh, how I thank God for his tender heart. How he loves to sing "Jesus Loves Me" and "Do not Fear, I am the Lord". I pray that his heart will know no greater love than Jesus.

Lila - 1 year

Lila's 1 year

Stats

Height: 30in

75%

Weight:

23 pounds, 13 oz

75%

Happy Birthday Lila!

Our prissy little Lila would only dive into her cake once we gave her a fork.

Wheeee!
Andrew in the bounce house

Your first year has flown by. You are already walking and babbling and climbing on everything around. You've mastered the fork and want to do everything your big brother does. You are very happy and you never meet a stranger. Happy birthday sweet little girl!

Peace with God

From Community Bible Study Commentary on Romans


It is vital we realize that as Christians we have peace with God regardless of our feelings. This is difficult because contemporary culture - what C S Lewis called "the spirit of the age" - says that feelings are everything - reality is what you feel. Christians, more affected than we like to admit by the culture around us, tend to gauge our spiritual state by our feelings.

When we are feeling low or feeling ill, the tendency is to think there is something wrong with our relationship with God. But the fact is that while our feelings are significant, they have nothing to do with the reality of our standing with God. Your peace with God is positional truth, quite independent of the conditions in your life that affect your emotions. Your emotional condition is influenced by many things-health, body cycles, diet, fatigue, crying babies and rebellious teenagers, loss of a loved one, loneliness-even the weather. None of these things can touch your position with God. They may make you feel alienated from Him but you are not. Remember, though you may lose the peace of God, your peace with God is an eternal covenant relationship-the enmity is forever erased. Your loving Heavenly Father is so close you can reach out and touch Him with a silent prayer. And that should help you regain your peace of God.



Romans 5
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Happy Halloween!

From our firefighter and his cute little Dalmatian!

(Still hoping to get both of them in 1 picture.)

Cool Running Tool

I just had to share with you this great website I found called MapMyRun.com. It's super easy to use. This tool allows you to tick off your run on a street map. I can put in my address and figure out tons of different routes for the distance I want to go that day. They even have an application you can download to you Iphone (sigh - I do not have one). Super cool!

First cool day of the fall

The kids had a great time playing outside this afternoon.

Our aspiring gymnast.

Lila being entertained by Andrew.

Andrew - nearly 6 months after his birthday - finally driving his tractor.

11 months and counting...

Lila is now 11 months old! She is walking, or more accurately, running all over the place. She loves to be outside. She likes to feed herself with a fork. Lila loves to eat bananas and carrots. She says "da da da" "ma ma ma" and "yi ya" (for Lila). She has recently started giving sweet hugs. She wants to do everything Andrew does. She has a laugh that is contagious and a smile that lights up the room.

Granny Barnett's Tuna Salad trimmed down

Here's a recipe for the tuna salad I've been eating for lunch several times a week:



1 - 6.4 oz pouch of Chuck Light Tuna in water, drain

2 TBSP Dijon Mustard (look for lowest sodium)

1/4 cup of chopped pecans

1 small apple skinned and chopped

1-2 small dill pickles chopped



Mix together in a bowl. Scoop half of the salad onto a La Tortilla Factory Wrap (I've tried Tomato Basil and Rosemary - both are great). Refrigerate the other half for tomorrow! Serve with side of edamame, carrots, side salad or your favorite fruit.

Army of Women

As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I am sure we will all be hearing of ways to make a difference in the fight against cancer. This morning on the Today show, I heard about a new way to help out. It is called the Army of Women. This organization links healthy women with scientific studies searching for ways to PREVENT breast cancer. Please take the time to look at this site and volunteer to help our moms, aunts, sisters, and friends fight breast cancer and KEEP our daughters from having to make that fight!

**In memory of my Aunt Bob & in honor of my Aunt Coletti and Aunt Lois who have all battled this disease, I have signed up to volunteer my healthy body for research. I hope you will join me.

New Testament in 40 days

Our church is participating in a fun challenge. We are listening to the New Testament in 40 days. This requires 28 minutes a day. This challenge began yesterday, but it is not too late for you to join in. Why don't you join in and listen as the Holy Spirit reveals little details you may have overlooked before when they did not seem relevant to your life. Click on the picture to be taken to the site to download a free copy of the audio version of the New Testament. Please let me know if you are taking the challenge so we can keep up with each other!

The fun never stops

Andrew has been a busy little 2 year old. Drew and I are amazed with him daily. He talks alot but of course our favorite thing he says is "I WUV you Mommy/Daddy." He loves to play in the driveway on his scooter. Loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Word World (PBS). He's a very independent player. He loves cars, trains, rockets, airplanes, anything that moves. He enjoys music and we sing Jesus loves Me after his prayers every night. He's in preschool 2 days a week which gives me a little one on one time with Lila.

Drawing with sidewalk chalk.
Andrew in his classroom at "meet the teacher."
Helping Dad give Gage a bath.
Eating his favorite - noodles!

Loves to play outside.

With Daddy as they head to Andrew's first day of school.

Helping Lila eat her breakfast.

Oh where, oh where can my baby be?

Lila turned 10 months old today. She is a spunky little girl. She's trying to walk and has no problem letting us know when she isn't getting her way. She is into everything! Here are a few places I've found her in the past week...

... in the dishwasher...
...in the middle of the train track...
...and most recently, in the dogs' water bowl.

Can't believe she's already 10 months old!

Empty Me

I've often heard our lives compared to a full cup of coffee. On good days, we are warm, satisfying, and give others the encouragement they need to get through the day. But on other days we are jostled by whatever life throws at us. Rather than spilling out the blessings God has provided us, we burn others with our discontent, selfishness, and anger. I pray that am filled to overflowing with the fruits of God: love, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Lord, empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.
~Chris Sligh (click here to watch the video)

Lila Grace 9 mos

Lila turned months old August 16th so I have some catching up to do. It's been a busy month. She's taken a step a couple of times but has since lost interest in walking. She loves bananas...wants to feed herself like a big girl so we've said "so long" to the jars for the most part.

Lila has had 4 ear infections in 3 months so she got tubes in both ears today. She moved to a big car seat last weekend and is MUCH happier when we're in the car. She still loves the water - bath and the pool. Lila is pretty easy most of the time, but she has quite a temper!

Here are her stats:

27.5 inches long (25%-50%)

22 lbs, 10 oz (95%-97%)

Sharing some faves

Here are some things that work for me. I hope you find them useful too!

The book Fueled by Faith by Jennifer Kennedy Dean is a must read. Among other things, it addresses what faith is and how to pray with faith. This is my first read by the author but definitely not my last.

Are you like me - desperate to serve our awesome God in the way he has equipped you? Take a few minutes to pray and then answer these 96 questions that will point you toward using the gifts God has given you. http://www.spiritualgiftstest.com/

Last Monday I started Fitness Bootcamp 4 U. It meets for an hour 3 days a week for 4 weeks. The instructors are great and really push me. Today I burned 650 calories in a 1 hour session! I have never done that working out on my own. They also provide a diet plan which I follow using Myfooddiary.com. This website differs from other journaling tools I've used before by actually providing feedback on what I eat and tips on healthy eating.

I love the KASHI brand. My new diet consists of foods that are low in bad fats and sodium and high in protein. Kashi makes it easier to find oatmeal, snack bars, pizzas, etc that fit into a healthy eating plan.

My mom introduced me to the Schick Intuition razor. I was a little skeptical, but now I love it. It is incredibly quick and easy since the lather is built into the razor and there's no need for shaving cream. The only downer is you can't see where you have/not shaved so I frequently miss spots.

This weekend we enjoyed some family time at the Lost Pines Hyatt in Bastrop. (loved it! but more about that later) I used a Andis 1875 watt ceramic/ionic hair dryer and LOVED it. My hair had fewer fly aways and actually settled in the "right" direction without coaxing. I've had my hair dryer since college so I figured I could spring for a new one. It is supposed to arrive tomorrow!

Hope you enjoy my fun finds!

Photo session Part 2

As promised, here are some keepers my mom took of the kids.