As Christmas day is right around the corner, I am trying to fit it all in. Christmas cards, Christmas movies, baking, looking at Christmas lights, late night shopping trips, going to see Santa-you know the routine. Every year I have a whole list of things that I want to accomplish before the big day comes. Some years I am more ambitious at getting it all in but other years I tend to have the "there is always next year" attitude. One thing I am realizing more and more is that the time to do these things is here and now! Often times I think of' things I would like to do over Winter break. I always think someday I would like our family to go skiing every winter. Or sometime I would love to go Christmas caroling. The truth is there is no better time than the present to do all these things. Much to my surprise, my kids aren't getting any younger nor are my husband and I. If you have something special that you would like to do with your family-DO IT! We are being constantly reminded that life is short, so get out there and DO!
I watched It's A Wonderful Life for the first time Monday evening. Of course we all know the famous line about angels getting their wings when a bell rings but have you ever sat down and watched it beginning to end and soaked in the message? It's brilliant. It focuses on what an impact each of us has on life and all the people in it. It teaches us that life is precious and not as bad as it sometimes seems. I just really enjoyed the message and I am glad I watched it because it is something I want to do every year but I never "have time" to. If you haven't seen it, plan a movie night with your family, and watch it.
I am almost done with Christmas shopping, the Christmas cards are to be mailed this afternoon and I am off to a good start with the holiday baking. The most important thing to do yet is focus on my family and their needs. Making sure that through the hustle and the bustle of getting everything ready and perfect for Christmas day that the kids are OK. That they are not feeling left out or forgotten as I prepare for Christmas. Preparing our hearts for the true meaning of Christmas and the birth of the Christ child. Spending time curled up on the couch watching Christmas movies and holding my babies as we are off of school and work. Let us not forget the ones we love most and the meaning of Christmas this year.
I feel as I get older I am starting to be bitter at Christmas time. I cannot believe the hype of gift giving. It's out of control. I have had several people ask me what the kids want for Christmas but not one person has asked if they could take the kids for the day and spend quality time with them. That is what I really want!Nobody is at fault or doing anything wrong, it's just how Christmas is in our culture now. My Dad asked me what the kids and I want for Christmas this year. The truth is, I want him. I hardly see my Dad anymore and I all I want is to spend the day together. I suggested that instead of exchanging gifts and getting together for an hour to visit that we go ice skating and out to dinner. So that is what we are doing. I can't wait to spend the day with him and I will remember our time together for eternity unlike a gift I would have gotten from him. I feel I have been blessed with an amazing family made up of unique individuals whom each offer something special to the world. If my kids could spend a whole day with each of them over Christmas break instead of receiving a gift from each of them I feel they would grow in mind and soul instead of adding to their pile of "things".
I have tried to keep the focus of my gift giving on giving gifts that encourage spending time together. While this can be challenging it is worth it. It is rewarding when it is all said and done. Sit for a moment and ask yourself what Christmas really means to you. Whichever way you celebrate Christmas I pray you are able to see the true blessings that you are surrounded by. Your child's laughter, your beautiful homes and even time. The fact that you wake up every day and you are given 24 hours to do something great. Make good use of your time, spend it with someone you love.
Merry Christmas from my heart to yours.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
keeping it real
having a joyful day today and overlooking the mess. the kids are making paper ornaments and ella requested i turn on some christmas music. the heat is running, the coffee is good, my jammies are warm and i think this might be similar to what heaven may be like.
i went to the store last night for a few things and got several different kinds of cereal. at breakfast this morning, we all got to eat our favorite cereal and i felt blessed. normally i buy ONE kind of cereal and we all eat it even though it's not what we would have picked at the store. it may seem bizarre to some but i truly felt blessed to be having so many kinds of cereal this morning. is this what getting older teaches us? makes the big picture more clear? i don't know.
josh kept the kids last night while i went to wal-mart. i was there for 2 hours and i enjoyed every moment of it. any of you who have ever shopped with me know that i like to look at nearly everything in the store. pick it up, touch it, smell it, read the ingredients-then sit it back on the shelf and move onto the next item! i did that exactly last night. got to think while i was shopping, read labels, look at the kitchen stuff, the christmas stuff, the book section....seriously enjoyed myself! i was sure to thank him when i got home. thank you for that time alone, honey. it was amazingly refreshing!
i am newly intrigued by natural cleaning and beauty products! by intrigued i might say obsessed-but it's a healthy obsession because it's all natural stuff;) seriously though, i have had my eyes opened as i have been reading about how most products are made, what they do to our body and what they then do to our Earth. I know, it may seem a little lame. This must be what happens to a woman when she moves away from her job, hobbies, family and friends, never leaves the house and focuses on her family and home entirely. I think this is God's initial plan for woman and the more I am home the more I realize new and healthful ways to care for my family.
My recent discoveries (and I admit that while this may be common knowledge for most of you, I was ignorant to the topic before) almost all of our products come from petroleum which is bad for us and bad for the environment. When it comes to house cleaning, products have toxic and harmful (like deadly) chemicals in them that are linked to many cancers. I started several months ago cleaning with vinegar and baking soda because it was cheaper and now come to find it is reported to be the best way to clean and even disinfect! Amazing!
All you need to clean is:
white vinegar made from grain
baking soda
peroxide
bon-ami
and cotton rags!
Some natural beauty ideas:
-you can cleanse your face with whole milk! seriously! hence Cleopatra's milk bath!
-uncooked egg whites serve as a pore minimizer when rubbed on the face. just rinse with warm water.
-olive oil can repair dry, cracked hands.
the list is truly endless
and if using all these natural foods seems weird to you, you can invest in 100% natural beauty products like that of the famous Burt's Bee's. Dr. Bronner's Magical Soaps is another good company! Tom's of Maine is another company devoted to all natural product's and you can get it at wal-mart! They sell deodorant and toothpaste at wal-mart and more on their website. I currently use clinique face care and make-up and as I run out of items I am eager to replace with something natural! And, so far, Burt's Bee's is considerably cheaper than clinique!
Have I lost my mind? Maybe. Or maybe I have found it. I've heard it said that God has a plan, we just need to find it. Whatever is going on, I feel excited and like I have just discovered a new species of something:) The kids are equally interested and curious. Ella was in the bath today and she said, "we really need to get some natural body wash!" Wow, that was cool:)
it's fun to learn new ways and even more rewarding to know that it is completely safe and healthy for my home and my family! i read that when the air inside our homes is tested it is more toxic than the air outside. you can help clean the air in your home by adding house plants! i am working on my house plant collection and as i desire to have more, Josh came home with two new plants that his secretary gave to him for me last week! I was SO EXCITED! I am hoping to add a couple of plants to each room! Have I fallen off the "normal" cliff? What is normal?
The exciting thing is that I feel like a farmer...some of my house plants have grown so abundantly that I can re-pot and have a new plant! Loving this cycle;)
If only I could get those chickens in my back yard, I would feel complete:)
Ok, I must go-need to sew some Christmas dresses for the girls and make home-made noodles for dinner. Ok, I am not that extreme....YET!
Have a natural, non-toxic, kookoo lady kind of day!
i went to the store last night for a few things and got several different kinds of cereal. at breakfast this morning, we all got to eat our favorite cereal and i felt blessed. normally i buy ONE kind of cereal and we all eat it even though it's not what we would have picked at the store. it may seem bizarre to some but i truly felt blessed to be having so many kinds of cereal this morning. is this what getting older teaches us? makes the big picture more clear? i don't know.
josh kept the kids last night while i went to wal-mart. i was there for 2 hours and i enjoyed every moment of it. any of you who have ever shopped with me know that i like to look at nearly everything in the store. pick it up, touch it, smell it, read the ingredients-then sit it back on the shelf and move onto the next item! i did that exactly last night. got to think while i was shopping, read labels, look at the kitchen stuff, the christmas stuff, the book section....seriously enjoyed myself! i was sure to thank him when i got home. thank you for that time alone, honey. it was amazingly refreshing!
i am newly intrigued by natural cleaning and beauty products! by intrigued i might say obsessed-but it's a healthy obsession because it's all natural stuff;) seriously though, i have had my eyes opened as i have been reading about how most products are made, what they do to our body and what they then do to our Earth. I know, it may seem a little lame. This must be what happens to a woman when she moves away from her job, hobbies, family and friends, never leaves the house and focuses on her family and home entirely. I think this is God's initial plan for woman and the more I am home the more I realize new and healthful ways to care for my family.
My recent discoveries (and I admit that while this may be common knowledge for most of you, I was ignorant to the topic before) almost all of our products come from petroleum which is bad for us and bad for the environment. When it comes to house cleaning, products have toxic and harmful (like deadly) chemicals in them that are linked to many cancers. I started several months ago cleaning with vinegar and baking soda because it was cheaper and now come to find it is reported to be the best way to clean and even disinfect! Amazing!
All you need to clean is:
white vinegar made from grain
baking soda
peroxide
bon-ami
and cotton rags!
Some natural beauty ideas:
-you can cleanse your face with whole milk! seriously! hence Cleopatra's milk bath!
-uncooked egg whites serve as a pore minimizer when rubbed on the face. just rinse with warm water.
-olive oil can repair dry, cracked hands.
the list is truly endless
and if using all these natural foods seems weird to you, you can invest in 100% natural beauty products like that of the famous Burt's Bee's. Dr. Bronner's Magical Soaps is another good company! Tom's of Maine is another company devoted to all natural product's and you can get it at wal-mart! They sell deodorant and toothpaste at wal-mart and more on their website. I currently use clinique face care and make-up and as I run out of items I am eager to replace with something natural! And, so far, Burt's Bee's is considerably cheaper than clinique!
Have I lost my mind? Maybe. Or maybe I have found it. I've heard it said that God has a plan, we just need to find it. Whatever is going on, I feel excited and like I have just discovered a new species of something:) The kids are equally interested and curious. Ella was in the bath today and she said, "we really need to get some natural body wash!" Wow, that was cool:)
it's fun to learn new ways and even more rewarding to know that it is completely safe and healthy for my home and my family! i read that when the air inside our homes is tested it is more toxic than the air outside. you can help clean the air in your home by adding house plants! i am working on my house plant collection and as i desire to have more, Josh came home with two new plants that his secretary gave to him for me last week! I was SO EXCITED! I am hoping to add a couple of plants to each room! Have I fallen off the "normal" cliff? What is normal?
The exciting thing is that I feel like a farmer...some of my house plants have grown so abundantly that I can re-pot and have a new plant! Loving this cycle;)
If only I could get those chickens in my back yard, I would feel complete:)
Ok, I must go-need to sew some Christmas dresses for the girls and make home-made noodles for dinner. Ok, I am not that extreme....YET!
Have a natural, non-toxic, kookoo lady kind of day!
Saturday, December 1, 2012
the necklace
anyone who knows me knows that i am for the most part very laid back in all aspects. one particular thing is if i put a piece of jewelry on it is likely to stay on for days, weeks or even years. i am not one to take my jewelry on and off every day and i can tell you it certainly doesn't go in my jewelry box when it does come off. it goes right where i happen to be. at my desk, on the kitchen counter, in the car, in my purse. call it what you want but i just don't think it's that important to take my jewelry off every night nor do i mind where it ends up. i know it's here somewhere;)
anyway, one of my good friends gave me a necklace for my birthday and i put it on immediately. i kept it on for days and my 5 year old daughter always asked me why are you still wearing that necklace. i would tell her the same thing every time "i like it and i don't have a reason to take it off yet". a couple days passed and as i was stepping out of the shower she asked me why i wore the necklace in the shower. i told her i had no reason to take it off and i didn't think the water from the shower would harm it.
a month passed and i was still wearing my necklace. ella still noticing that i have not taken it off not even to shower or to go to sleep. she continues to ask why am i still wearing that necklace. and i proceed to tell her that there is no significance, i just simply haven't taken it off.
about a week ago, ella was up in her room and after some time passed she came downstairs with a necklace on. i told her she looked pretty as a princess and she said she loved her necklace. typically when ella puts jewelry on it last about a half hour. it tends to rub her skin and irritates her. that evening i gave her a bath. she told me that she loved that necklace and she could even wear it in the bath. "just like you mommy" she'd say. i thought that was very sweet and interested me how much of an impact me wearing my necklace left on her. she really thought that was something!
a couple more days passed and ella still had the necklace on. she had made comments that she can even sleep in that necklace. she would say i have had this on forever and i even take a bath with it on. well as i sit and type today, ella still has the necklace on. she has not taken it off for anything. not for bath time. not for bedtime.
now you might think to yourself, get to the point lady, so what a little girl is trying to be like her mommy. the point is, me keeping a necklace on had no meaning. i mostly kept it on out of convenience. and she picked up on that and wanted to do the same thing. let this act as a clear example that everything you do in your life is making a big difference in your child's life. whether it's exercising everyday, helping the neighbor with yard work or simply wearing a necklace. your kids look up to you more than you know. are you who you want your kids to be when they are grown? if you find no reason to be a good civilian or to be kind, think of the children in your life who look up to you. be intentional in your parenting. if me wearing some silly necklace day in and day out made an impact on my daughter's life, imagine how our other actions are affecting them. are you jealous of your friends? do you talk poorly about people? do you litter? drink too much? are you careful in your judgements? do you give all your thanks to the Lord? are you a slob? are you overweight or depressed?
if you lead a positive, faithful life, hats of to you as you are impacting the world in a positive way. but the truth is is that we are all sinners and there are areas we could work on-especially since the kids are watching. think of the person you are and ask yourself is this who i want my child to be? sometimes we need help to become who we want to be. don't be ashamed to pray, talk to your doctor or get help from a friend if you are less than what you want to be. lead by example; you are more powerful than you may know.
anyway, one of my good friends gave me a necklace for my birthday and i put it on immediately. i kept it on for days and my 5 year old daughter always asked me why are you still wearing that necklace. i would tell her the same thing every time "i like it and i don't have a reason to take it off yet". a couple days passed and as i was stepping out of the shower she asked me why i wore the necklace in the shower. i told her i had no reason to take it off and i didn't think the water from the shower would harm it.
a month passed and i was still wearing my necklace. ella still noticing that i have not taken it off not even to shower or to go to sleep. she continues to ask why am i still wearing that necklace. and i proceed to tell her that there is no significance, i just simply haven't taken it off.
about a week ago, ella was up in her room and after some time passed she came downstairs with a necklace on. i told her she looked pretty as a princess and she said she loved her necklace. typically when ella puts jewelry on it last about a half hour. it tends to rub her skin and irritates her. that evening i gave her a bath. she told me that she loved that necklace and she could even wear it in the bath. "just like you mommy" she'd say. i thought that was very sweet and interested me how much of an impact me wearing my necklace left on her. she really thought that was something!
a couple more days passed and ella still had the necklace on. she had made comments that she can even sleep in that necklace. she would say i have had this on forever and i even take a bath with it on. well as i sit and type today, ella still has the necklace on. she has not taken it off for anything. not for bath time. not for bedtime.
now you might think to yourself, get to the point lady, so what a little girl is trying to be like her mommy. the point is, me keeping a necklace on had no meaning. i mostly kept it on out of convenience. and she picked up on that and wanted to do the same thing. let this act as a clear example that everything you do in your life is making a big difference in your child's life. whether it's exercising everyday, helping the neighbor with yard work or simply wearing a necklace. your kids look up to you more than you know. are you who you want your kids to be when they are grown? if you find no reason to be a good civilian or to be kind, think of the children in your life who look up to you. be intentional in your parenting. if me wearing some silly necklace day in and day out made an impact on my daughter's life, imagine how our other actions are affecting them. are you jealous of your friends? do you talk poorly about people? do you litter? drink too much? are you careful in your judgements? do you give all your thanks to the Lord? are you a slob? are you overweight or depressed?
if you lead a positive, faithful life, hats of to you as you are impacting the world in a positive way. but the truth is is that we are all sinners and there are areas we could work on-especially since the kids are watching. think of the person you are and ask yourself is this who i want my child to be? sometimes we need help to become who we want to be. don't be ashamed to pray, talk to your doctor or get help from a friend if you are less than what you want to be. lead by example; you are more powerful than you may know.
ella and her necklace
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