Sand, Bubbles, Balls & Groceries

THE GRAND RAPIDS CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

We had a great time with our mom's group at the Children's Museum! This was Eliza's 1st time and it was fun to see her walking around. She is a quick one and would disappear if I didn't keep my eye on her! She really loved the balls and the kitchen area. Adrianna loves the sand, the grocery area, and the bubbles. The museum is such a great place for kids to use their imagination and have many things to choose from. What a great way to spend a cold winter day!

Brand name or not?

I know that most of you are extremely frugal and try to find coupons and the best deal possible! A friend of mine who inspires me to be frugal did a post a few months ago that I thought was very interesting!
She posted some products that her family could not live without. These are things you don't buy the off-brand of because there is just no comparison! They are also things that make life a little easier. I thought I would do that and ask all of you what products your family loves and what you buy no matter the cost.

Here are a few of the things I buy that I don't substitute if I can help it!

1. Swiffer dusters- They are so great for quick dusting, especially if you have kids and don't have time to spend on a pointless chore! They really do get all the dust and they don't let the dust go back into the air!

2. Pledge or Swiffer dry cloths- I have a swiffer sweeper and these are so great for sweeping the floor EVERY DAY when you have kids running around! (It seems like I could do it 3x per day!) They trap dust and dirt that is on the floor and very quick and easy to use!

3. Gerber snacks for toddlers and baby- I really trust Gerber especially since Eliza has a job with them!:) I know they are healthy and they don't have the added preservatives. We do use other snacks of course, but I try and few Gerber snacks each time I shop.

4. Tampax tampons- enough said....you just can't buy meijer brand...:)...or maybe you can..:)

5. Clorox Hard surface Anywhere spray- This stuff is great for spraying toys when you want to disinfect. It is safe for pets and kids and I feel so much better about our toys when they don't have sneeze and snot on them!


Please let me know what your family uses! I am curious!
If I think of any more products we use, I'll post them!

Our Little Robber's:)

Can you tell the difference?

Honestly, I can! I think they look like sister's, but not so much that you can't tell them apart!
They definitely have their own look!

BATH TIME FUN!

I just love tubtime pictures! I know the time will come when I can't take pics of the girls in the tub and they won't be able to bathe together. I will cherish the moments while we still have them! They really do love each other and usually have a great time playing!
We just have to make sure Eliza doesn't drink the water....gross!

Butterscotch Bars

1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
1/4 Cup butter, softened
2 large egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 Cup butterscotch morsels
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Beat sugars and butter with a mixer at med. speed until well blended. Add egg whites and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, & salt in a separate bowl. Stir with a whisk. Add flour to sugar mixture and beat at low speed until blended. Stir in morsels.
3. Spray an 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Spread batter evenly.
4. Bake at 350 for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

16 servings

Cal.-142, Fat-4.3g, Carbs.-24g.
WW points- 3

Adrianna and I made these yesterday and they were SO YUMMY! They were really moist and flavorful! Thought I would pass the recipe along!

What Kind of Works Have we been Saved to do?

If you have read my post about facing a giant, you will understand about my search for the reason. The fruit of the Spirit I have just finished studying is Goodness. I wanted to write what the study says about it.
" We've been saved to do Good works. We have not only been called to the attitude of disposition of kindness, but also to energize that character into acts of good or acts of beneficence. We are here to do some good-kingdom good on carnal ground! We've been saved to fulfill an assignment God issued in advance."
In Romans 8:29,30 & Eph. 1:5,11 it says we are predestined! The things God wants us to do have already been chosen! We just have to obey! If we miss our ministry, we miss our entire purpose in remaining here.
In Matthew 25:15 and I Cor. 12:7-11 the parable of the talents is compared with the different gifts people are given. We receive gifts not based on our abilities, but abilities based on the common good. Our gifts are given so we can seek to benefit others and bring good to them. And so Christ will be glorified!
I do not claim to know all the answers. I am just writing what God has been placing on my heart. I look back to the events on Saturday and I am wondering why. Was I looking for someone to notice my supposed talents, or was I looking to bring good to someone else with this ability God has given me? I really just need to take the focus off of myself and look to how God can use me for the ministry he has already laid out for me. Oh to always have a heart of obedience. I guess if we did, we would never learn anything! I pray I can seek to be obedient and have the heart to listen to what God wants to teach me and use me for!
I am also beginning to realize that the ministry He has for me, will not always be easy! I might have to sacrifice and suffer for His perfect will to be realized. That is hard to take because sometimes I think that it should be so easy, especially if God wants me to do it! I might have to take many critical comments, I might have to shed a few tears, I might have to sacrifice time with my family. I hope I will have the heart to do it! I pray I can be open to what God has for me!

A Gentle Reminder...

I just love when God speaks in a gentle way to remind us to examine our hearts from time to time!
I was doing my Bible study and one of the questions that was asked was "What did Christ say about the one who causes a child to sin?". In Matthew 18:6 is says that it would be better for a person to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea, than to cause a little child to sin.
In the study it says that we must take responsibility for every sin we commit. Scripture proves that we can be weaker in some areas of sin because of the influence of others. Christ's warning is to get rid of things in your life which are causing you to sin BEFORE you take a chance on causing someone to stumble. WOW!
As I read that I was reminded of the times I surely cause my children to sin. Whether it be because I was angry and didn't handle things well, I got aggrevated at something and took it out on them, the list can go on and on! I don't want my sin to cause them to sin. They have the sin nature right there for everyone to see without my intentionally adding to it!
I have to remember to pray about my heart's attitude and seek the Lord's guidance in living in a way that doesn't cause my children to sin. I know this will be a life-long committment, so I need to be aware of it now! Especially since Adrianna has come out of rest time about 3 times now!
Some days are definitely harder than others as most of you can attest to! I'm so glad we have the Lord to help us because I think I would have quit a long time ago if I was on my own!

Facing a Giant

Has anyone seen that movie "Facing the Giants"? It is a great film and is very encouraging! It was a reminder to me that God can accomplish anything no matter how big the fear or problem.
Well...I have been through a growing season recently. This is going to be a very transparent post!
It began a few weeks ago when I received the Solo & Ensemble music for Shawn's students in high school. I usually accompany 4-6 students for High School and about 15 for middle school. I have been accompanying for MANY years and feel like I can do an "okay" job. Shawn keeps asking me to help out but that could be because he is biased! Anyway, this music was EXTREMELY difficult. I looked at it and honestly thought I would not be able to do it. I decided that I would practice every day and become very familiar with the music and see what happens. I was quite shocked that I had been able to get through the music and it sounded okay. I rehearsed with the kids and the rehearsals went very well.
I kept praying that God would work through me and that I wouldn't mess up royally! I have a verse by my piano that I continually read when I am practicing! It is Psalm 63:4, "I will praise you as long as I live, And in your name I will life up my hands". I felt very confident walking into the event today, even though I was nervous I knew that God would play through me. Most of the time when I have these events I get so nervous that when I get ready to play, I look at the music and ask "Have I played this before?"!!! I usually start shaking, many doubts assail me and it is very hard for me to not give in to the lies Satan tells me. I struggle with acceptance and performance anxiety and many times I rely on my own self-talk to get me through it.
But this time I really felt that I was prepared. I had this feeling like I was going to conquer the giant of "self" today, rely on the Lord completely and come out rejoicing!
The first event I had went very well and I also thought the 2nd one did too. As I was waiting for my 3rd event the parents of my 2nd event (okay, can you follow this?):) told me that the judge said that their son played well but it's too bad his accompanist couldn't keep up and didn't play very well. Wow....it is so hard to hear criticism like that. My confidence fell to the floor. I still had 2 more people to accompany and I tried desperately to hold back tears so that the parents and students would not see me. I really wanted to go into that judge, throw my music at him and say "Okay then, if I can't play it good enough, see if you can"! It's a good thing the Lord holds us backs sometimes!
I asked many questions like "If I felt God was giving me confidence and the ability to play, Why would someone say that?". It's not like I totally bombed and the student messed up! I really did feel like it went okay!
Maybe I was feeling too prideful and confident so Satan took that as an opportunity to hit me where it hurts the most. My worst fears of not being good enough were realized and I felt so useless!
I know it is just one person but it again showed how words and one person's opinion can really hurt. I also thought " Wow, my musical sense must be REALLY off if I didn't think that sounded bad!".
As I was driving home the song "God Speaking" by Mandisa came on the radio. I love that song! I have yet to understand what God is trying to say to me in this situation because I am still upset about it. I will definitely be seeking his face this week to see what He is trying to say. I know part of serving the Lord is having a willingness of heart. I really do struggle with that because I don't think I am good enough! I know that my premature, human-nature reaction is to say that I do not want to accompany anymore. I hope that I allow the Lord to work on my heart and show me how I can react to this.

More Great Deals!

I wanted to post an update to my previous post! We had found the coat for Eliza and I had wanted to find one for Adrianna. My mom went to the JcPenney in Holland and found a coat for Adrianna for $7, complete with hat and scarf! She also found a cute leopard print one for church for $7 and a spring coat for Eliza for $3! I normally wouldn't buy church coats but they were such a great deal! So I got 4 coats for $21! You can't even barely buy a used one a Once Upon a Child for that price!
Wow...it was fun to save money and not have to worry about finding a cheap coat some where!
I just love a good deal!

The Greatest Deal Ever!

We went shopping tonight as a family and found the greatest deal I have had in a long time!
We went to JCPenny because we heard there was a sale on kid's coats for $5. I guess this sale was not advertised and we found out about it from a teacher who works with Shawn.
I found a winter coat for Eliza for next year that was orginally $69.99 marked down to $4.19!!!!!!!!!
And it even came with snowpants! I don't think I could have found a better deal anywhere else unless it was free! What a blessing to find! Now I just need to find Adrianna one!

Just like my sissy...

Eliza loves to play with Adrianna's beads and now her dress-up shoes. She follows
Adrianna around and trys to do whatever sissy does. It is so precious to watch!
I hope they will always be friends!
She also still loves to SCREAM! Usually it's when Adrianna takes something from her, she is pushing a shopping cart and she runs into a wall, or she is in her carseat. She is such a ham that I have to remember to discipline her too! She is such a joy! She has healed my heart in many ways! I look at her sometimes and wonder how we got to this point when she can walk around, say a few words, and have a little attitude! It seems like I was just holding her as a newborn.
We are just enjoying the blessings God has given us in our 2 girls. Sometimes we feel so unworthy to be their parents and wonder why God chose us. It is very humbling!
So..if you have children...enjoy them today! Find some blessing in them even if they are driving you crazy!

My 1st Oreo..Mmmmmm

Eliza enjoyed her 1st Oreo the other day! I was hesitant
to give her chocolate because Adrianna does not do well
when she has it. I'll let you use your imagination!
She loved it and so far has not had any lasting effects!
She LOVES cookies and it is so cute when she says it!

D is for Distressed

So I think I have to re-think one of my resolutions! Adrianna and I sat down yesterday to do a little school time. I was thinking we would do it for about 10-15 minutes so we could ease back into it. So we reviewed all the letter sounds so far, (which she only remembered 2 of the 8), and then started with the letter "D". I must say, it has been fun and interesting to see how Adrianna learns. She is not really interested in letters, but we will persevere! Anyway, I showed her the letter D on a card. It had a picture of a Dinosaur. Then I read her a story where most of the words began with D. We said "dddd" for the sound. We looked around the house for things that began with D. We looked at pictures that began with D, like dog, doll, and dish. We circled things that began with D. Okay, you get the picture....
So I went back to the D card and asked her what letter it was.
She looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language! She said.."please tell me". Then said it was the letter "J"!!!!!!!!!!! She was not pulling my chain! I could hardly believe it. Needless to say, we stopped school for the day because I was just too frustrated!!!!!!!!!!!
So, I am trying to figure out creative ways to teach her because her brain and thoughts are going in so many different directions. We might not get through all the letter sounds by June, but that's okay. If anyone has any ideas for letter sounds, let me know!

Everyone else is doing it.....

I really wasn't going to write any New Year's resolutions but a few have come to mind! I really enjoy reading everyone else's and some of you have inspired me!
These are in no particular order:

1. Prepare Adrianna for preschool- (finish up learning letter sounds, counting past 30, zipping her coat, (just to name a few!))
2. Get caught up on my scrapbooks- I'm on 2006, plus Eliza's birth and 1st year
3. The ever famous resolution of losing weight:)
4. Redecorate our downstairs bathroom, mudroom, and porch
5. Do my devotions more consistently- I'm going to aim for 4x a week instead of 3!
6. Make a better budget and stick to it!
7. Continue to work on gardening our lawn and flower beds
8. Simplify our life by getting rid of "stuff"!
9. Continue to try and be a better wife & mommy (this is definitely lifelong!)
10. Find a way to serve that fits my calling and personality.

I'm sure I could think of a bunch more but I think these will keep me busy the whole year!
I would love to hear of your resolutions!