tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64762600500576544482024-03-05T02:19:55.129-05:00Feathering the Crow NestOur journey in life, love, and sustainability!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.comBlogger371125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-14227578946947616092013-01-18T15:30:00.000-05:002013-01-18T15:30:02.948-05:00New year goalsSo I'm late for resolutions...that's ok, because:<br />
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A) I've been sick. First with a cold and then the flu...now just the same old problems, plus lots of work.<br />
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B) I'm going with goals instead of resolutions, because you strive for goals and you break resolutions. And honestly, I want to keep moving forward even if I don't achieve my goal, because progress is important.<br />
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That said, here are a few of my goals for the new year.<br />
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1) I want to be closer to God. I'm going to strive to do this through contemplative prayer everyday. I've got two sources for this, the divine office and a book of prayer based off of the divine office. I really want to integrate prayer more regularly in my daily life.<br />
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2) Develop a thankful and giving spirit. I'm going to strive to find the beauty of God's creation in each everyday moment. I can't imagine that by finding that beauty I won't be anything but thankful. I plan to cultivate this by taking the joyful challenge from Ann V. Each day I'll log three things I'm thankful for...and by the end if the year, I'll have a thousand gifts from God to reflect back on. <br />
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As for a giving spirit, I'm hoping to become more involved in charity work via my church. I also want to continue to practice the love given to me. So I will strive to bring a little if God's love in casseroles for the sick, food for the poor, babysitting for friends, random acts of kindness, and buying with a conscience (fair trade, locally grown, quality items).<br />
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3) Encourage my family in their faith walk as well. That means family devotion and prayer at dinner, time together at church, stories before bed, a thankfulness jar to read at the end of the year, and collecting money for our favorite projects. Mine right now is Solar under the Sun, while my girls like the World Vision catalog, where they can pick different avenues to support.<br />
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4) Do more quality activities with my girls. I'll be working a lot the first two months this year. So I want to plan purposeful time with my girls to enhance the moments together. It'll take more effort, but will be rewarding nonetheless.<br />
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5) Read God's word more. I'm not one to read my bible everyday, but I'd like to be. I want to follow and learn. So I'm hoping that this will develop naturally using a new translation of the bible along with a new devotional.<br />
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6) Become healthier. This means a lot of changes for me. We already try to eat unprocessed foods, but with work I've let things slide a bit. Add to that my constant changing medicine regime and I'm gaining quite a lot of weight. To change this, I'm headed back to my doctor to help with a better medication and changing our eating habits. No more quick fixes, but planned meals eaten properly. This means eating a big breakfast, smaller lunch, and small dinner. It also means exercise when I can. My health doesn't always allow me to exercise, however low impact exercises are ok for me to use. So I'm going for yoga and step aerobics as regularly as I can make it. Before when I was home more, I had lost weight on whole foods. But as soon as I let processed back into our lives my weight changed. So I know that going back full force to our whole foods diet will work. It may just take me a little time to work it completely back in to our lives.<br />
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7) Continue on our road to a greener/whole living lifestyle. We've actually already started this goal. I've gotten cloth napkins and cloths to replace our paper products. I've also gotten rid of our plastic wear for glass containers. I'm also getting rid of as many of my Teflon coated pans and pots as possible. I'm slowly replacing them as we can afford to. No more toxins if I can help it. <br />
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8) Be a better time manager. I end up working all hours of the day because I don't always plan my time well. So I'm going to do my best to plan my time and stick to my schedule!<br />
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9) Blog better. I'm not looking to blog each day. That's not realistic for me. But I would like to be more regular. Maybe once a week...<br />
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10) Create more. The homemade gifts I did for the girls went well, so I'd like to make them more items...maybe clothes, toys, or even decor.<br />
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11) Remember these precious moments. My girls won't be babies forever, so I'm hoping to try and log a page a month in an online photo album. Then by the end if the year it will be complete. I'm also hoping to catch up on a few of the years I haven't created albums for. I think it'll be a great project and time well spent.<br />
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12) Finally, take time off. It's rare that I go anywhere with just friends or my hubby. So I'm going to do my best to arrange a night every two months for us to do something. That may not sound like much to you, but seeing how we maybe went two places by ourselves all last year...it's a big change for us.<br />
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Those are my goals. I will strive to meet them and will remind myself that progress is important...not just reaching the goal.<br />
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Happy New Year to you all!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-88456296169612714142013-01-18T15:28:00.002-05:002013-01-18T15:28:23.083-05:00Catching up- Christmas take twoSo just this weekend we headed to Cumberland mountain state park to celebrate with Mark's family. This was a great in between place for us to meet and we all got our own cabins. I'm thinking I'd like to go back.<br />
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Anyway, we got there late on Friday so we went to bed. Saturday morning we all had breakfast and then opened gifts. <br />
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Evie was very pleased with her doll set. <br />
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We hung out the rest if the day, and then hade dinner. I brought stuffed shells and pumpkin crisp, while Mark's sister made salad and green beans. I think it was pretty good.<br />
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We played a few games and then went to bed. The next morning we had breakfast and then headed home. A fun weekend. <br />
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However, it seems everyone was recovering from colds and guess what, we caught them. So I've been trying to write while sick...but you can guess how that's gone! Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-69142543592790269372013-01-18T15:24:00.000-05:002013-01-18T15:24:30.189-05:00Catching up- Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I love Christmas time and I try to make it special for my family as much as possible.<br />
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The first thing we always do is decorate the house. I have something like 6-10 totes of decor. Excessive, yes and no. To me I love celebrating and it has all been accumulating over the years of our marriage. To be really honest, a lot has been gifted to us by our families as well. But excessive in that we have multiple trees (full size trees) and every room as decor.<br />
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My favorite part of our decor is all my nativity scenes. Where most have a tree in every room, I've got a nativity for every room. I love them all!<br />
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The next thing we start is our Jesse tree. I love this tradition and it's only our second year doing it. Each day we read a devotion about the lineage of Jesus. We then hang the corresponding ornament on the tree. Elizabeth loves the little tree and is slowly starting to understand the stories. By the way we use the Ann V series. It's beautifully written.<br />
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Soon after we start the Jesse tree it's time for the advent wreath. I bought a new one this year and you wouldn't believe the excitement the girls had when we would light the candles at dinner.<br />
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Once work ended I tried to do several crafts with the girls. We had a ball!<br />
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We spend quite a bit of time at church this time of year and this season was no exception. I'm in choir so we practiced frequently for our cantata. And to be honest, I had a solo but gave it up. I get so nervous singing in front of people that I shut down. After a talk with the choir director it got resolved. Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to sing alone.<br />
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<br />Mark and I were in charge of the children's Christmas production too. Because our church is small, we decided to do a variety show as we don't have enough kids in one age group for much else. The show had singing, playing instruments, a children's bell choir, a game of teens vs. adults, and some improv. It went really well. I was especially proud of Elizabeth who sang to every song. Not to mention, the teenagers who brought the house down.<br />
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During practice for the children's program, we tried to teach the kids something as well. Each practice we participated in a different mission. We made operation Christmas child boxes for our international mission. We made recycled decorations and raised money for Solar Under the Sun (an organization that brings solar power to areas with no power) for our good stewardship campaign. Finally, we collected food items for our local food bank. The kids had a ball and I think learned a little about giving back. As my oldest said, "if we don't help, some kids can't have a Christmas".<br />
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I also somehow got to run the Christmas party at preschool. I didn't go as crazy at Christmas as I did Halloween, but it ended up going well too. We had a yummy snack, made ornaments for the parents, decorated trees, and exchange a book. Elizabeth was very excited to get a sponge bob book, as I don't let her watch it.<br />
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Finally we reached Christmas eve, and Mark's aunt Fran came to spend Christmas with us. We had so much fun. Our Christmas eve consisted of a nice breakfast, lunch at my cousin Stephanie's house, a little cooking, Christmas eve communion as a family, dinner at my mom's, reading the birth of Christ from the bible, and then our traditional quiz.<br />
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Communion is probably my favorite time. It's a simple service with each family taking communion together. The reverend says a blessing and we light a small candle for our family. By the end of the evening the church is lit up in candle light. It is beautiful and you can feel the presence of God immediately. <br />
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If you're wondering about the quiz, that tradition started when we were little. You see my parents wanted us to listen to the bible story and commit it to memory. So in order to open one gift on Christmas eve, we had to answer a question pulled from the story. You better believed we listened. Over the years our competitive nature has taken over, so now we grow more excited about finding the perfect question to stump each other. I'll give you an example. We usually read the KJV of the bible, but this year we used NIV. The story is the same but the language is slightly different. I made my sister contrast the differences between the two versions when the angel spoke. If you know my sister, this was easy for her. Lol<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evie got a doll that night.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth loved her new pony!</td></tr>
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When we returned from my mom's we got the cookies, milk, and carrot out for Santa and his reindeer. We then lit our own advent candles together and said our goodnight prayers. The girls went to bed and we got to work.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She left Santa cookies, milk, and a hand written note (she wrote it!). The carrot is for the reindeer.</td></tr>
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Santa definitely came and even delivered some homemade gifts from mommy. Included were some lounge pillows for the girls to lay on while watching tv. I sewed four pillowcases together and viola, nap mats! I also created some cute figurine blocks for them with mods epode and wooden blocks from micheals. Elizabeth loves these! Finally I crocheted Evie a little doll. It's made to look like her. She also loves it. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth's Santa gifts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evie's Santa gifts, the doll I made is in the front.</td></tr>
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The rest of their gifts followed a strict rule. Three gifts to follow the three gifts from the wise men. A want, a need, and an article of faith. The girls got three from mommy & daddy, and three from Santa. The rest was small trinkets of candy and nail polish. It very much simplified our Christmas and I plan to do more next year. It worked so well and no one was disappointed, as gifts were carefully thought out and chosen with care.<br />
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After opening presents from Santa, my parents and sister arrived for breakfast. We had quiches, hash town casserole, and cranberry apple bake. I hate to brag, but I think I may have found the best quiche and pie dough recipe ever.<br />
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We finished up presents and the rested a bit, before heading to my mom's house. There we had lunch and exchanged gifts with my dad's family. After the usual melee, we finally headed home. A great Christmas indeed!<br />
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Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-33725856730845651572013-01-18T15:13:00.003-05:002013-01-18T15:13:29.444-05:00Catching up- thanksgivingEvery year we have Thanksgiving at Mark's family home. When his grandmother passed a couple of years ago, it's fallen to his mom to cook most of the food. So I do my best to help as much as I can. <br />
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This year we had thanksgiving the night before, as several of his family members had to work the following day. It was a bit strange not eating together the day of, but we still had a good meal.<br />
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To help out I made: the dressing, pea salad, mashed potatoes, green beans, sour dough bread, gravy, ham, Mac and cheese, pumpkin roll, pecan pie, and sugar cookies.<br />
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I even made a few special cookies for the kids.<br />
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We didn't shop the day after, opting to get ready and head home. I'm glad we did as we were able to settle and go to church.<br />
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All in all, a pretty good holiday.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-30776930129990287522013-01-18T15:12:00.001-05:002013-01-18T15:12:53.280-05:00Catching up- HalloweenLet me just say, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It's so much fun, it rivals Christmas. So I was just a bit excited when it was time.<br />
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First we decorated the house. Then we worked on costumes. I had a spider girl and little Cinderella. They are just too adorable.<br />
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I also had a pony, because mommy bought the costume early and the forgot about it when we made spider girl. Whoops.<br />
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This year we had a ball with all the parties. First up, Kindermusik.<br />
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This wasn't a party but a fun time to dress up for my girls.<br />
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Second, the preschool party. I was in charge of the party for Elizabeth's class.<br />
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We made games:<br />
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Had a yummy snack:<br />
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And decorated our own pumpkins:<br />
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I had so much fun planning it, and you wouldn't believe how much I used pinterest for ideas. Or maybe you would if you saw my pinterest page. Lol<br />
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Next up was our trunk it treat at church. Since we live in the country, we don't have a neighborhood to really tick or treat in. So instead we do trunk or treat at our church. This year,we had record colds, so for the safety if kids we moved the fun indoors.<br />
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The day before I went over to help decorate. This included decorating our table with my two pumpkins- my lollipop pumpkin and our scary demon pumpkin. Elizabeth helped carve them too.<br />
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I have to say, Ashley, who headed the project up did an amazing job. We served hotdogs, chips, and desserts. Played games, treated kids, and listened to great music. There were ever crafts for kids.<br />
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It was a ball. <br />
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We even got a family snapshot, with an extra addition (Elizabeth's best friend jumped in). I was a butterfly, if you can't tell.<br />
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It was just a ton of fun, I can't wait for next year!<br />
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-25690453249671549732013-01-18T14:46:00.004-05:002013-01-18T14:46:58.700-05:00Catching up- Beach tripSo I'm pretty behind, but I'll get there and hopefully before January ends. Ha!<br />
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Next up is our beach trip.<br />
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In October we were lucky to go to the beach again. Mark unfortunately couldn't take off work, so the girls, my parents, and sister packed up and headed to Myrtle beach.<br />
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It was a blast. The girls loved the ocean, pool, and lazy river.<br />
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It did rain some, so we shopped those days. I got some new work clothes and the girls some new clothes too.<br />
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At night we crafted and watched movies. All in all a great trip!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-23096502256441093442013-01-01T23:57:00.001-05:002013-01-02T00:41:59.872-05:00New yearsSo the end of 2012 and beginning of 2013 have not gone well. I immediately got sick and Mark & Elizabeth were soon to follow. I had hoped to have a little party for the girls on new years eve, but I was too busy coughing up my lungs for much else. <br />
<br />
In fact, I crept down the hall to wish Mark happy new year at midnight...only to end up in a coughing fit. Whoops!<br />
<br />
So we haven't quite gotten to celebrate as I hoped. However, I'm praying that this is the low point of the year, only up from here? ;)<br />
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I've got several catch up posts to publish over the next two days and then I'll be sharing my goals for the new year. Stay tuned and best to you all!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-13129530210804016852012-12-30T17:17:00.001-05:002012-12-30T17:57:42.221-05:00Catching up- the new job.So to be honest, I'm not sure even where to begin...<br />
<br />
Let's start with right after I accepted my job offer.<br />
<br />
Right after I accepted the position I had my first block off, so I got to do some quick planning for my first class. In case you are wondering my college uses a block system for their traditional students. Basically they have one class at a time for 18 days for three hours each day. Then a few days black break and onto the next course. It's an odd system, but works well for us. though I still haven't mastered the three hour course in terms of boredom, but I'm learning...<br />
<br />
Because my chair (for non-academics this is my boss) is very kind, he's allowing me to work from home the majority of the time. That means except for days and times I need to be there, I typically work at my own desk. This has been great as we've been able to hire a babysitter for the girls when I'm gone or working and not send them to daycare. I love leaving them with someone who loves them and can pays lots of attention to them. It's the next best thing to me being home with them. <br />
<br />
In addition to traditional students, I also teach night courses for non-traditional students. These courses meet one night a week for six weeks. I've taught two and loved it! I have to say I find non-traditional students refreshing. They are highly motivated and enjoyable to teach because they ask lots of questions.<br />
<br />
I really love that I get to be home so much, having so much time with my girls is irreplaceable. However, it has proven to be difficult to manage everything. Because of short prep time and the large amount of work involved in teaching (if you don't understand me, then I'm guessing you've never taught), I've been more than a bit stressed. The good news, before my next two blocks of teaching we'll be employing a housekeeper to help with my work load. I'm excited and a bit nervous. Truth be told, I never ever thought I would hire someone to clean my house. All my life I thought that was something reserved only for the rich. But with the savings from going to my insurance, we can pay for the housekeeper (with extra leftover) and not make any difference to our budget.<br />
<br />
Now for the ultimate question, why even take a job? Truth be told, I'd love to be a stay at home mom. Reality though is tough... As a academic I have to stay in the game (so to speak). Once you are gone for awhile, it's extremely hard to get a job. I left research knowing the door probably wouldn't open for me to enter another research lab again. The information just moves so fast... For teaching it is similar though not as absolute. So when the girls enter school, I had always planned to go back full time. My plan was to teach adjunct until a position opened for full time faculty and then apply. It's just the job opened before I thought it would. In our area there are not many colleges that I could apply to, so this was just an opportunity that couldn't be missed. <br />
<br />
I'm glad it did present itself. Financially, it's allowed Mark and I to give more and pay off extra on our mortgage. Win-win! Now I just need to get into a better time management system and all will be perfect.<br />
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Cheers!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-3409516873644194312012-12-20T15:57:00.001-05:002012-12-20T15:57:39.338-05:00It's time to catch up!So I've been gone for what seems like forever. But I can tell you it's for good reason, lots to do and very little time.<br />
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But I do want to catch everyone up with what we've been doing. So look for several posts about the last three months coming very soon. <br />
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Cheers!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-27343160674541935232012-10-16T23:34:00.001-04:002012-10-16T23:34:44.116-04:00Being honestSo I know I've been gone a long time. But I'll be honest, there just hasn't been time for blogging.<br />
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Even more honesty, I'm doubtful that I'll be blogging regularly for a little while longer.<br />
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Final bit of honesty, part of the reason I haven't written anything is due to pain. My health problems keep flaring up. I've tried two more medications this month. But I'm afraid I'm headed back to surgery, as is my doctor. <br />
<br />
I could certainly use your prayers. As the pain is getting significantly worse. It is a difficult road and one I wish I could change for family most of all.<br />
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My best to you in yours, as there are so many that struggle day to day. Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-16290190758052456212012-08-28T21:12:00.001-04:002012-08-28T21:12:05.540-04:00Just a little updateToday was super busy and on top if it my health has been getting worse.<br />
<br />
I tried writing how I felt about my health and the post came out so angry, I knew I couldn't share it. Not without frightening you all that is...<br />
<br />
So quick updates instead, because it's safer that way.<br />
<br />
1. I got new meds from the dr today. I'm hoping they work quickly, because I'm getting so angry about everything, I'm starting to scare small children and our waiters at restaurants (ask me later for that story). <br />
<br />
2. I only accomplished two pins today.<br />
- I made muffin pancakes, which were just ok. <br />
- I checked out several chapter books recommend for preschoolers from the library today. Elizabeth is excited!<br />
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3. I probably won't get to many pins tomorrow. I have meetings in the morning and will leave after breakfast. That cuts down on pin accomplishing time. However, I've got a recipe to try for breakfast, so mark one off for sure!<br />
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4. Evie is slowly getting better. The no dairy diet is going ok. Elizabeth doesn't like the vanilla soy milk though, so she'll be getting regular. We'll see if the almond milk is any better.<br />
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That's it for now! I'll check back later. <br />
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Cheers!!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-17600579864251069222012-08-27T23:04:00.000-04:002012-08-27T23:04:03.718-04:00Playing Catch UpHi all!<br />
<br />
It's been awhile because of all the craziness that hit us all at once. So today instead of my usual mom post, I'm just going to catch you up on our lives. <br />
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First thank you all for the prayers for both my mom's surgery and with the passing of my uncle. They are very much appreciated. <br />
<br />
My mom ended up having emergency gallbladder surgery. Originally the doctor thought she had a gallstone that was stuck, instead her gallbladder had developed gangrene and was about to rupture. So these past few weeks she's been recovering. The great news is she is doing wonderfully!<br />
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Awhile back I asked you all to pray for me as well. Those prayers were also appreciated, as I'm happy to announce that I'm heading back to work. I'm officially a Assistant Professor of Psychology at one of our local private colleges.<br />
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The absolute great news, is that they are working with this mommy and giving me a flexible schedule. I'll be doing a lot of work from home, and since they are on a block schedule I'll have whole months when I won't be teaching. A great deal!!<br />
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However, with this added job, I'm going to have to change my schedule a bit. During my teaching months, I may be blogging less and less. So instead of having a formula of doing something each day or so, I'm just going to blog when I can and about whatever is going on in our lives. No planned posts, just fun to share with our friends and family. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T1gsI2Qey70/UDw0OByNobI/AAAAAAAABsQ/NX1LvFZriNo/s1600/P12280202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T1gsI2Qey70/UDw0OByNobI/AAAAAAAABsQ/NX1LvFZriNo/s320/P12280202.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of Preschool</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Finally, the girls are doing pretty good. Elizabeth started preschool and is loving it! She's my little smartie pants, and according to her teacher she has been spending a lot of time in the science center, just like her mommy. She's gotten better at writing her name and comes home singing most days. She's also started ballet and had her first lesson last week. She was adorable in her little dress and of course she loved dancing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EZ6T4Wzm4VI/UDwzz1LrohI/AAAAAAAABr8/0BepVm5ZPZg/s1600/P12269300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EZ6T4Wzm4VI/UDwzz1LrohI/AAAAAAAABr8/0BepVm5ZPZg/s320/P12269300.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Position!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Evie is loving having time with just mommy on Elizabeth's preschool days. On those days, we go to Kindermusik and Storytime at the library. However, we've been battling another round of diaper rash. We thought eliminating citrus solved the problem, however, it is back. We went to the dr today and have been advised to eliminate dairy for a few days. After she gets a little better, we can add back cheese, but are to wait on milk.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SeyBI_rd1uk/UDw0Ov7F1tI/AAAAAAAABsY/JmhmFcLh-fg/s1600/P12280303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SeyBI_rd1uk/UDw0Ov7F1tI/AAAAAAAABsY/JmhmFcLh-fg/s320/P12280303.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doughnut Date on Preschool Day</td></tr>
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I'm getting ready for class on my off hours and trying to justify my hours spent on pinterest. I challenged myself to complete at least one pin on pinterest a day. Today was my first day, and I did five total!! Here's my five:<br />
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1. Mini Frittatas for breakfast<br />
2. Homemade granola bars for the girls' snack<br />
3. Paint your own toast for breakfast<br />
4. Wash your dishwasher<br />
5. Moondough<br />
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I'm hoping to log some each day on the blog. We'll see how it goes.<br />
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Well, I suppose I've bored you all enough, hope your week is wonderful!!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-75529897290517876122012-08-02T20:27:00.001-04:002012-08-02T20:27:35.168-04:00Need more prayersMy mom is in surgery, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-21367577739454448582012-08-01T18:41:00.001-04:002012-08-01T18:41:45.463-04:00Prayers requestedMy great-uncle June passed away this morning. He was diagnosed with cancer and had entered hospice awhile ago. In his eighties, he had lived a long while, however, his children still mourn and need the supporting comfort of prayer. So if you pray, please ask for God's comforting presence to fill his family as we celebrate his life tomorrow evening. Thank you. Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-59934024184983306712012-08-01T08:28:00.001-04:002012-08-01T08:28:41.917-04:00Wordless Wednesday- Natural talent at one year<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJOF0yhZCgjnLxsBPcV9996WmMeFsMcIiQIBm2M3XTaTLpI-1g5vNJlqY0la9SFnCOx_KkS0aRhv34DsRJvSDFVP72p2mfOt-G5TDkYAZ5M5TyaLQCOlKqGK1-Sr7MBGjFJ6S8tBEHg/s640/blogger-image-745595431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJOF0yhZCgjnLxsBPcV9996WmMeFsMcIiQIBm2M3XTaTLpI-1g5vNJlqY0la9SFnCOx_KkS0aRhv34DsRJvSDFVP72p2mfOt-G5TDkYAZ5M5TyaLQCOlKqGK1-Sr7MBGjFJ6S8tBEHg/s640/blogger-image-745595431.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlbvUBF3wzCRktfr6z0ARk43d0Qliy8KqEEG-cSkp4CAZy5lkJac-ji-7DEYpvB7ISGzSry1n3Y-JqG1iatpUWn-v7PVX1HEW-qsFjSleKiUoaHrHg6-WaKt4voNDyx1rFpIszBUmgw/s640/blogger-image--651806310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlbvUBF3wzCRktfr6z0ARk43d0Qliy8KqEEG-cSkp4CAZy5lkJac-ji-7DEYpvB7ISGzSry1n3Y-JqG1iatpUWn-v7PVX1HEW-qsFjSleKiUoaHrHg6-WaKt4voNDyx1rFpIszBUmgw/s640/blogger-image--651806310.jpg" /></a></div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-65765429912154279802012-07-30T21:44:00.001-04:002012-07-30T21:44:32.835-04:00Mom Monday- Too FastI'm about to repeat the most overused phrase in motherhood <br />
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(well, besides be quiet), <br />
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they grow up too fast.<br />
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It's true though. Even with the stressful days and the times you think why did _____ do _____?!? It really does move fast. Childhoods are over and the real world and responsibilities set in.<br />
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But before you think this post is depressing, don't worry, it's not that kind of post. Because even though my girls are growing, I get to enjoy that process.<br />
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I get to enjoy watching them interact with this world in the most ordinary of circumstances.<br />
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Like tickling each other in the grocery cart.</div>
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Or when they try and love a new food.</div>
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Dancing to their own drummer.</div>
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Learning to color.</div>
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Helping each other.</div>
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Becoming like Daddy.</div>
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Or developing a passion. </div>
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Two blessings from God that make the perceived ordinary, extraordinary each day. <br />
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So even though it goes fast, it's full of miracles. Quiet, unassuming ones, like making it through a rough day or the impromptu kiss and I love you from your little one. <br />
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Blessings, indeed.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-56866927954207199302012-07-25T21:36:00.001-04:002012-07-25T21:36:51.133-04:00Why I'm not writingSo I haven't written because we've had a busy and big week so far. <br />
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Everything went well yesterday, maybe too well, if that's possible. But now that brings some really big decisions.<br />
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Keep praying for us, especially for us to know God's will for our family. Because I know what my head says and my heart, but neither matters like God's plan. <br />
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Only I'm not sure what that plan is...so please keep us in your prayers. <br />
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Thank you all!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-55383779114699179632012-07-19T16:32:00.001-04:002012-07-20T09:30:08.945-04:00Prayers RequestedInstead of my usual thankful post, I wanted to ask a favor of those of you that pray. <br />
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I'm wondering if you could add me to your prayer list?<br />
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I've got a big event coming up on Tuesday that I'm scared, nervous, and actually quite terrified about. It also comes with a bag of questions, that neither my husband or I are quite sure about. <br />
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Now before you all think I've got some horrible disease (besides endometriosis), I don't. So no, it's nothing like that.<br />
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But it is going to be a nerve-wracking day, and they'll be a lot of questions to answer after. So I ask that you pray for God's guidance for us, and for us to recognize His will and not our own.<br />
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Oh, and for me to not embarrass myself either. ;)<br />
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Thanks!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-39954645933918510262012-07-17T23:01:00.001-04:002012-07-17T23:01:22.544-04:00Worthwhile Wednesday- Substitute Refresher Sweetened with Stevia Extract<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I have a confession to make, I really like the new Starbucks Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/refreshers/en-us">Starbucks</a></td></tr>
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If you haven't heard of the refreshers, these are the new juice drinks that have green coffee extract in them. I've only tried the one, but I really enjoyed it. The only problem is my wallet doesn't enjoy the daily trips through Starbucks and as someone that enjoys roasting her own coffee it can be especially painful to not be doing it yourself.<br />
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After telling my hubby I was going to need a replacement or face finding an extra 20-30 dollars a week feeding my habit, we started looking for some alternatives.<br />
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And leave it to my wonderful hubby to save the day!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: <a href="http://www.tazo.com/en-us/">Tazo Tea</a></td></tr>
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He came home with another Starbucks product- Tazo herbal passion tea. Now strictly speaking, this isn't a tea at all. It's really just an herbal drink, but brews in a similar way as tea.<br />
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The taste isn't exactly the same and there is no caffeine in this version, but both have a good bit of hibiscus which for me was the main flavor I wanted to recreate. <br />
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It's simple to brew. Simple pour a quart of boiling water on one bag. Allow to steep 5 minutes, remove, and then add another quart of cold water. Store in your fridge.<br />
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The price difference is huge. Consider that you're getting 6 pitchers for $2 more than the one 8 oz drink, it really is astronomical.<br />
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Now I like a little sweetner in my tea, I mean I'm southern...but I do not want to add more sugar to my diet. So I decided to go with stevia extract, since it has been shown to not spike your blood sugar (and zero calories).<br />
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My stevia is from a bulk health supplier and contains only stevia. However, in the future we'll be making our own stevia extract. My
stevia plants are really taking off in this hot, humid weather were
having and it's time to get brewing.<br />
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If you go the store bought stevia route, please check that what you buy doesn't have other artificial sweetners mixed in with the stevia- sucralose is the usual culprit.<br />
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The hard part is knowing how much stevia to put in, too little and the herbal tea is tart, too much and the stevia will have a bitter after taste. After scouring the internet I started adding 7 drops to each 8 oz glass. Perfection! <br />
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Now if you want to sweeten your whole pitcher at one time, a good substitute is about 1 teaspoon of stevia for every cup of sugar that you replace. <br />
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Serve your glass over ice, with mixed in berries for a cafe flare or....<br />
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...just go a little country with a mason jar and a straw. <br />
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Side note- The next step for me is to create this tea myself with bulk ingredients. Any suggestions?<br />
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This post is part of <a href="http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/07/frugal-days-sustainable-ways-36/">Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #36</a>.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-36282933287195100562012-07-17T00:57:00.001-04:002012-07-17T01:03:22.035-04:00Mom Monday- Playing catch upSo I haven't done a proper post about our family life in awhile, so I thought I might play catch up.<br />
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This summer has been a busy one. We started with our summer Kindermusik, then headed to the beach for some fun. After a fun fourth of July with friends, we started our July events.<br />
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Elizabeth has started swim lessons at the local University I teach at,<br />
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so far she really enjoys it.<br />
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Both girls have enjoyed the new pool we have set up. We thought with this horrible heat it might be nice to get them a little something to play in. Of course about a week after we've had the pool, it started raining and has barely stopped. Good for the garden, but not much fun for the pool. <br />
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We've had a lot of fun at our church. Every summer our church cans green beans to raise money for charity. Our church body donates the time, supplies, and work. This year all of us went and broke beans prepping for the canning process. Even Elizabeth helped out, and I think she'll be a good canner.<br />
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Evie on the other hand, enjoyed the wonderful cooking of the ladies at our church. And let me tell you, we've got some good cooks...<br />
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Both girls seem to be growing up so quickly! Elizabeth is part of the summer reading program. Every week we check out our books and we've read about 10-15 books each week. Even Evie is enjoying her books and has a favorite author, Sandra Boyton. We've check out as many of her books as possible and Evie loves them. Her favorite is the go to bed book, which we read before nap time each day.<br />
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Evie is also reaching new milestones every day. She can now feed herself really well with a spoon and has added quite a few new words. She can identify the chickens, tell me what she wants, and even can show people several parts of her body. The cutest is when she is ready to go outside. Not only can she tell me "outside" to go out and play, but she will grab her shoes and sit down on the floor for me to put them on for her, saying "shoes."<br />
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Elizabeth has a developed a heart for giving. She's already raised enough change for her first donation to the malaria fund. She was so happy with her jingling envelope. I wish I had half the love she has, such a sweet girl, and best of all she knows it is all for God's glory.<br />
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We've really enjoyed the new moms group we've joined. Elizabeth has a best friend from the group and we've been trying out new and fun things. Just recently, we headed to Chik-fil-a for Cow appreciation day. Since we all dressed up we got free meals, and I have to say, my little cows were so cute.<br />
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In conjunction with the mom group, we also hit our local play museum. Evie especially enjoyed dressing up and dancing on stage...while Elizabeth enjoyed everything.<br />
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Elizabeth has become my big helper. She holds open doors, wants to cook with me, and even asks to clean. Anything to help out, and she's actually really good at it. Recently she helped me roast some coffee for daddy. Her job, shaking the beans until they cooled off. She did great!<br />
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The girls are playing more and more together. It's so cute. They both especially like the new house Elizabeth got for her birthday. It's part of the Calico Critter sets. We got a few new pieces and the girls were super excited. <br />
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Finally, we've really enjoyed all the fun we've been having on the weekends. Except for the buckets of rain we have gotten recently, every weekend has been so splendid. We head out to the farmer's market, then to the library, and then usually out to eat. This week we tried a new restaurant downtown, where even our picky eater, Evie ate a bunch.<br />
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All in all you couldn't ask for a much better summer.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-23574659114627283582012-07-10T01:53:00.001-04:002012-07-10T01:53:47.472-04:00Taking a break this weekBeen a tough day...new semester started and the old one ended. Also feeling a bit miffed at my employers at the moment, and yes, that's both of them.<br />
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So I'm taking a break this week to try and get things back in balance. We've got a playdate thursday at our house and swim lessons are starting today. So lots of new things to do beyond work...hence the break.<br />
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Hope this week keeps everyone well and happy!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-58016631236374186862012-07-06T20:45:00.000-04:002012-07-06T23:44:03.585-04:00Things I'm thankful for FridaySo thankful for good friends who open up their home to celebrate our country's birth!<br />
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We had such a great time, we couldn't ask for better friends and neither could the girls.<br />
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<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_X8O4lv1lhbFt5uqo8U565VMfAfqoelkFn8osZHb5asd_dXuGOgVwHgKgN3fDoNp3y3evfJoCvWHjE_OWcdLZQe4Yc9R5o53hlbWG0Mp0SFyOHu2QgWjygEc9PAX65eialyQifU4EyQ/s640/blogger-image-791138896.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_X8O4lv1lhbFt5uqo8U565VMfAfqoelkFn8osZHb5asd_dXuGOgVwHgKgN3fDoNp3y3evfJoCvWHjE_OWcdLZQe4Yc9R5o53hlbWG0Mp0SFyOHu2QgWjygEc9PAX65eialyQifU4EyQ/s640/blogger-image-791138896.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SpmFq1XGeOFOWF9158zk6h4mffrTRQyKv1lBOdpoIliD1yZDoPBu608U5M8yvMIqIZZoMDQ_7_SFsb2MX0NZyBbOmv7meTSsVA5t6XPZnkAPhkOULTLl9k-qQzefwm5xMk0UvEovmQ/s640/blogger-image-453799861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SpmFq1XGeOFOWF9158zk6h4mffrTRQyKv1lBOdpoIliD1yZDoPBu608U5M8yvMIqIZZoMDQ_7_SFsb2MX0NZyBbOmv7meTSsVA5t6XPZnkAPhkOULTLl9k-qQzefwm5xMk0UvEovmQ/s640/blogger-image-453799861.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJm6V_Dat0DQQUkRW_oZXFFpBcIiSdhTQ8-eyICcvWe9ROOgBaJ85YIcdD3FD1jqtc3WxNiZtmrpPdxTHwDqcwNtexxRQ56rxvCowwj4VwgTQUOs3sFFwFj1twUjLcIzsoNWNzM0FR_Q/s640/blogger-image-171593061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJm6V_Dat0DQQUkRW_oZXFFpBcIiSdhTQ8-eyICcvWe9ROOgBaJ85YIcdD3FD1jqtc3WxNiZtmrpPdxTHwDqcwNtexxRQ56rxvCowwj4VwgTQUOs3sFFwFj1twUjLcIzsoNWNzM0FR_Q/s640/blogger-image-171593061.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzHnpNcUlIPYNBLNBmBfi9-uqZP0Cupd-zK3gOurbP-zljAwH1LxRKkrWC70cnNyTVVS41_LsuuBFCT6gTmcbAr1nORiT4H0B6G1NQhpJW713DHOQ67FEQty6bduR22NzC5PdvpzKxg/s640/blogger-image--1515626306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzHnpNcUlIPYNBLNBmBfi9-uqZP0Cupd-zK3gOurbP-zljAwH1LxRKkrWC70cnNyTVVS41_LsuuBFCT6gTmcbAr1nORiT4H0B6G1NQhpJW713DHOQ67FEQty6bduR22NzC5PdvpzKxg/s640/blogger-image--1515626306.jpg" /></a></div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-27779543347482349342012-07-03T21:03:00.002-04:002012-07-03T21:03:42.221-04:00Worthwhile Wednesday- Make your own diaper creamA month or so ago my youngest who is still in diapers broke out in a diaper rash. I immediately thought maybe it was my cloth diapers...only once we got it cleared up not two days later she broke out again while wearing disposables.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helping mommy with diaper laundry</td></tr>
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We haven't nailed down the exact reason she's broken out, but our theory is high citrus. You see after she had her first lemonade not more than a day or two later she had a very acidic bowel movement and broke out. We didn't notice the link until it happened again and while on the phone with the doctor we pinpointed it out as a possible target.<br />
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Since we've eliminated lemonade and orange juice, she hasn't broken out like before. This is also the same time we introduced an all natural cloth diaper safe diaper rash cream. We started using Earth Mama Angel Baby Balm. I would highly recommend it. A great diaper cream for less than some of the other cloth diaper creams. <br />
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But after using the balm for awhile, I started to wonder about making my own. The ingredients seemed simple and unlike the balm I was using I wanted to add coconut oil which has anti-yeast properties.<br />
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So after some research I decided to give it a whirl, here's the ingredients I wanted to use.<br />
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<b>Olive Oil</b> – Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Light Weight, Cloth diaper Safe<br />
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Plus it is easy to obtain olive oil and while not cheap, we buy ours in bulk to make it cheaper.</blockquote>
<b>Coconut Oil</b> – Antiviral, Antifungal, Anti-yeast, Light Weight, Cloth Diaper Safe<br />
<blockquote>
I LOVE coconut oil. In fact, I have switched several of my recipes to coconut oil. We are in the process of eliminating all vegetable oil from our house, so it was easy for me to use this as we had already purchased it in bulk. I can't say enough about how great it is for you skin, but add to the fact that you can actually lose weight on this oil...and you reach amazing territory. I'll write more on this later.</blockquote>
<b>Tea Tree Oil</b> – Antiseptic, Antifungal, Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Cooling, Light Weight, Cloth Diaper Safe<br />
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Now this is important, many people are afraid to use this as you can have allergic reactions to this oil if you have sensitive skin. However, I like to add it as it is a great way to have more antiseptic properties. But if you use it in your diaper cream, use it sparingly. </blockquote>
<b>Lavender Oil</b> – Pain Relief, Cell Rejuvenation, Aromatic, Calming, Soothing, Light Weight, Cloth Diaper Safe<br />
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I love lavender scent and even more so the healing properties of lavender. There's a reason so many baby products are made with lavender. I use it in almost everything!!</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My diaper station</td></tr>
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Now the recipe:<br />
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1. Melt 3 parts of coconut oil on low and include one part of olive oil in the mixture. I did a total of four tablespoons of oils...because a little goes a LONG way.<br />
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2. Once melted and oils mixed, add your essential oils. I like to go very sparingly on the tea tree oil, so two drops was my limit in four tablespoons of oil. I might go with one drop next time. As for lavender, I went with three drops. You could add more based on your preferences, though I would recommend being conservative to avoid any allergic reactions.<br />
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3. Pour into your container and place into fridge. Leave the cream in the fridge until it solidifies. Then remove and keep at room temperature.<br />
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You will notice that under HOT conditions (like the ones my state in under now) olive oil will melt back to a liquid. No problem, just pop it back in the fridge or use it anyway.<br />
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Simple and easy, right! Apply it like any cream and enjoy your savings, not to mention the knowledge that you are using non-toxic items to soothe your baby's skin. <br />
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Now I consider this a maintenence balm. I use it all the time to provide a barrier between her skin and the waste. And guess what?? Her skin has never looked better! Soft and clear. <br />
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Got to love that!<br />
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This post is part of<a href="http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/07/frugal-days-sustainable-ways-34/"> Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #34. </a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-14474659967862366092012-07-02T22:44:00.001-04:002012-07-02T22:44:25.149-04:00Mom Monday- Oh My!The teenage years might be a bit difficult...<br />
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Oo la la!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6476260050057654448.post-55612744606048203222012-06-29T15:31:00.000-04:002012-06-29T15:31:02.470-04:00Things I'm Thankful for FridaySo happy to have a little girl that loves to learn...<br />
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When she's not being silly that is...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She was sticking out her tongue. Silly!</td></tr>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06311319062569018691noreply@blogger.com0