tidbits from my day........

*Lily will be 3 on Saturday!!! I can not believe that my full of life ,spirited, beautiful ,precious, precarious little girl is going to be 3!!! Although, in many ways, she already seems older. :)  We've been going through a rough patch lately but her sweet little hugs and precious helpful ways make it all worthwhile.

*Drew started climbing out of his crib this morning and surprised me in the kitchen as I was making breakfast....arms outstretched saying, "Mama" and giving me the most amazing "loves"....wow. That little boy just slays me. :)

*Claire helping her sister make butterflies from construction paper and making one for Drew-bee because "he can't touch the scissors, Mama. He would get very hurt and cry and we can NEVER make Drew-bee cry because he is my precious brother." And, that, slays me. :)

*The girls asking to read the bible and do our devotion this morning instead of watching t.v. :)


*We are back to 2 hr. naptimes and Mama is so very happy about that! Time to relax. Time to read!!!!

*My hubby surprised me with "Julie & Julia" last night!!! What a sweet thoughtful man I have!! I can't wait to watch it with him!!

*Beautiful day. Nature walks and clothes drying on the line. Bright sunshine & working in the garden....wow....

I really really really LOVE this life!! ♥

What every family really needs to be strong....

Read this if you are struggling with your words today. Be (In)Couraged. :)

Now, I am off to make pancakes with my girls, play trucks with my boy and to work hard to be the wife and mother I need to be!! (and, I am doing all of this, JOYFULLY, with my newly painted (RED) Spring toes!! (Thanks, Sarah, you are such a beautiful friend!)


It's a gorgeous Friday....

Hope you have a great one!

♥Julie♥

Practical vision for young mothers....a series..

Joy, The Stay at Home Missionary is doing a series this week on "Practical Vision for Young Mothers". This is an excerpt from today's Part I. Go on over, read and become encouraged, because if you are like me, you really need it! :)


"It is in those moments as a mother that it is the most challenging, and we find ourselves asking the questions (similar to the ones I asked during my meltdown):

Why am I here?

Why am I doing this?

Does any of this matter?

Does my life count for anything at all?

Well, your life and your job as a mother does matter."

 

 

♥Julie♥

~A more organized alternative to bookmarking!~

I recently stumbled upon a little thing called "Delicious" on someone's blog I was reading. It was a life changing revolution! No kidding! Instead of bookmarking a site of interest on my computer, I can bookmark something, tag it with the appropriate subjects (for example: a Charlotte Mason site would be tagged: homeschooling, CM, resources) and all of my bookmarks are kept on my Delicious page so I can access them with one easy click and they can be sorted according to subjects! Awesome for a busy homeschooling mama like myself! :)

I know it may sound confusing because I am not to good at explaining things so check it out for yourself and see how easy it is! Here's my Delicious page if you would like to see what I am currently perusing through! (Also, on my sidebar is the link to my Delicious page so you can click there at any time and read away to your heart's content!)

Enjoy!

♥Julie♥

~My journey to a more organized life....laundry schedule~

*I know that this is really boring and most of you could probably care less when I do my laundry but I thought I would post what we are currently following in our household. I know it helps some people to see it all in black and white when you are overwhelmed and have no idea where to start. I am one of those people! So, if this can help you, great!

Monday:

~towels 
~white clothes
~sheets


Tuesday:

~My husband's clothes
~My clothes

Wednesday:

~towels


Thursday:

~kids' laundry

Friday:

~towels
~my laundry
~husband's laundry

Saturday:

~work clothes (My husband's and certain items he needs for work such as work coat, gloves,safety vest, etc.)

~kids' laundry

~quilts or bedding

~Ironing for church 

Sunday:

~towels

~anything that needs done

*I am really hoping this keeps me from doing the normal 4 or 5 loads a day! I would really like to get down to around a reasonable 2 loads a day. We are also having the children help fold and put away their laundry as it comes out of the dryer. It seems to be working well, so far and I am praying it continues!

♥Julie♥

~My journey to a more organized life....cleaning schedule~

 I sat down this past weekend and made a list of all the areas I need to devote more organization/focus to..here's my new schedule and what I am really trying to accomplish. I hope this can help someone who just needs an idea of where to start. It's very hard when you feel overwhelmed. Believe me, I know. :)

Cleaning Schedule

*Monday:

dishes
laundry (see list)
e.d.w.d.
clean appliances
sweep

*Tuesday:

dishes
laundry
e.d.w.d.
mop
dust


*Wednesday:

dishes
laundry
e.d.w.d.
bathroom(wipe down every day but really scrub today)
vacuum

*Thursday:

dishes
laundry
every day wipe down/pick up
closets
laundry room

*Friday:

dishes
laundry
e.d.w.d.
sort mail
desks
clean out van

*Saturday:

laundry
dishes
e.d.w.d.
Help Charlie
mop & vacuum

*Sunday:
upkeep

Tomorrow, I will try to post my menu planning format and schedule.Riveting stuff. :) Stay tuned...

♥Julie♥

sweet baby boy...

 

Oh, how I love our sweet baby boy! Andrew, you are mama's ♥!

~Claire~

     Claire holding Drew in our "peace place".       Claire & Lily working on their snowmen.

Our firstborn, Claire Victoria, turned 5 on February 15th! Tonight, I am going to tell you a few things about our Claire that are amazing to me..of course, she's my daughter so you may not find these things to be all that amazing but that's okay. :)

~Claire is a fighter. She was never expected to even make it to birth but she did. She was not breathing when she was born but she pulled through. She is such a strong little soul and we are so thankful that she is!!

~She is a helper. Claire is always helping with everything. She is my "big helper" as she likes to say. Whatever I need, she is right there. She has such a servant's heart and that makes this Mama's heart so happy and full. :) She is always finding ways to be kind to others and most especially, her sister and brother. We have our occasional argument but most of the time, she is so thoughtful and sweet and just an amazingly loving child. We are so truly blessed to call her ours!

~The pictures above are how you always see her. She is always loving on her sister and brother. Always concerned and affectionate. Such a little mama to others. :)

~She is most usually very obedient. Now, we do have our little problems and this week has been a bad week. However, usually, she is quick to obey and very pleasant to be around. And, that makes for a happy family. :)

~Claire (and her sister and brother) are just the answers to soooooo many prayers that we prayed and the promises of God that we claimed and believed in!!! God is SO good!!

Here's a few things she has done lately that I think are so very cute and Claire:

~She checks the mail at the mailbox.

~She helps Lily write her name. Every time.

~Has started making muffins almost completely by herself. All I do is stand by and supervise to make sure she remembers and puts everything in correctly. Lately, I don't even bother. :)

~She makes her bed every morning and reminds her sister and helps her to do the same.

~She fixes Lily, Drew and her toothbrushes every morning and night.

~She "reads" to her sister and brother and can actually already read a few words!!!!

Claire Victoria, you are such a sweet wonderful blessing and an amazing daughter to mama and daddy!!! We love you soooo very much, baby. Happy Birthday!!!!!!!

♥Julie♥

The garden of our children's hearts...

  From Today's Proverbs 31 ministries devotional:

What if we considered our children's hearts and lives as a garden? The principles of sowing and reaping apply as well. Every day we sow into those "gardens" through our words, behavior, and the disciplines we teach them. However, just like a vegetable garden, if we plant carrot seeds, we will reap carrots – not corn. Consequently, if we sow negative seeds of discouragement, we will reap despair. If we sow seeds of impatience, we will reap frustration. If we sow seeds of laziness, we will reap stress.

Conversely, if we sow healthy seeds of good choices, we will reap self-discipline. If we sow seeds of patience, we will reap peace. If we sow seeds of perseverance, we will reap success. Our children's hearts are rich soil prepared by God to receive good seed. As conscientious gardeners, we need to plant those that will reap a harvest in our children's lives and prepare them for service in the kingdom of God.

What if you don't see results right away? That's normal. After a few days, the farmer doesn't get frustrated with slow growth and rip the seeds out of the ground. No. The farmer continues to water the soil, shoo the birds away, and pull the weeds. The farmer protects the seed until it has a chance to grow in its own time.

God designed our children to grow and flouris h with love and care. However, failure can be the weeds in our children's lives. Weeds don't destroy the good seed, they just leech the nutrients out of the soil limiting the growth of the plant. Failure doesn't destroy our children's potential; it just removes the enthusiasm from their hearts.

In order to overcome the pain and heartache of failure, children need a parent who will step in with fresh water and bright sunlight, while replacing the weeds with healthy seed. With this tender care, perseverance and self-discipline will grow and develop. Then in time, our children will produce a harvest of confidence. May we be gardeners who don't give up until the harvest.

Dear Lord, I praise You for Your almighty power and wisdom. Thank You for making me with potential to grow and change. Help me to see that same potential in those I love and to become a gardener of healthy seed in their lives. Help me to see failure as something to overcome, not stop me for a live of obedience. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

*Now, I am off to sow some good seeds!!! Have a blessed day!!

~Julie~

Oh, Drew-bee.......

The face of the precious little one who, is going through a stage of, NOT letting go of his Mama, although he will  take Daddy in a pinch! lol

Honestly, though, I don't mind! How could you refuse this sweet face? Even though my back is asking otherwise! =)

Just a little "Drew-bee" love for you, today!!

Let them be little....

Spend a little extra time with your kids tonight.
Read them a book.
Play a game.
Let them have that ice cream before bed.
Let them sleep in the middle.
Let them be little."

Amen.

Found this on a blog somewhere. Sorry I didn't mark it.

Of things hoped for....

A blog I try to read often because it is such an encouraging blog for mothers to read is this one. She has written a wonderful series on Biblical Motherhood and this post is just one in that series. I love the way she describes motherhood and leaving her legacy. I love the way she describes family, just as it should be, in my humble opinion. Have you ever considered just how you will treat your children's future spouses? Do you pray and prepare for them, even now?

She gave me some things to think about, that's for sure! Why don't you go on over and read for a bit? It will be time well spent. I promise!

what my children need from me....

pg. 33 "The Ministry of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson

"What matters to them is my loving presence............ And that's what my children need from me. If I want them to be open to my messages, I need to be willing to serve them-to voluntarily give up my rights and my time to meet their felt needs-just as Jesus was willing to give for his disciples."

This gave me something to think about for awhile... actually, from now on, may I never forget these words. Something I really needed to hear today.

Is God in my home?

Reading this today. Reading & dwelling there. Reflecting and studying myself and my actions and motives. I love Sally Clarkson. She writes some very inspired things and always I dig deeper to find more of myself to give to my family after I read one of her posts or a page from one of her books. She is just that inspiring. And this post, right here, well, God gave her a good word. That's for sure. Read this and be changed. Like I am today.

My prayers are with all wives and mothers tonight.

Love,
Julie

show LOVE to your family; bake for them!! (Pumpkin Cream Cheese Streusel muffins)

*I have some posts scheduled to publish throughout the week. I sat down last night and worked on some recipes I have promised a few people. That's probably all I will get to post this week but there are quite a few so I had to get them out of the way sometime!

I made these last night for Charlie & the girls (me, too) lol. We had Darcy's Chai tea along with them and all I can say is, "Who needs Starbucks?" :) I didn't have the same kind of green tea as Darcy used but we made it work. It's delicious and the whipped cream and cinnamon with it; heavenly! Anyway, here's the recipe for the muffins. I think I may have shared them before but they are so good, I will share them again!

filling:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons brown sugar

streusel:

4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons white sugar (used half Splenda)

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts

muffins:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar (used half Splenda)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin

1/3 cup olive oil (I used Smart Balance)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.

To make the filling:
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar.
Beat until smooth, then set aside.

For the streusel topping:
In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans.
Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

For the muffin batter:
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla.
Beat together until smooth.
Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full.
Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter.
Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.Bake at 375 degrees F (195 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

*I used Valentine's cupcake papers to make it special; all muffins this week will be baked in these! Hope you enjoy these yummy muffins!! :)

sweet baby boy...

THIS face makes me thankful every day. :)

sweet, adorable, cuddly, Drew-bear

Memo to Mommy...

I found this in my "parenting" binder. I am not sure of the source, I think it may be Parents magazine. Anyway, I wanted to share this with you. I had a rough day last week and reading this made the tears fall and changed my whole outlook in that instant. It's a good reminder of the way our babies see us.

*Stop freaking out about the mess! There's always time to clean-but how often do we get to make mud pies?

*Love me, even when I am naughty. I'll only be this age once.

*Be patient. I do everything for a reason but I don't know enough words yet to give you an explanation.

*Let me do it. I know you can do it faster and better, but sometimes experience is the best teacher.

*Don't expect too much of me. I want to do what you ask and make you happy, but I'm still little.

*Keep your promises. It's all about trust. When I am a teenager, you'll understand why it's so important.

*Don't try to reason with me when I am having a tantrum. Trust me-I can't hear you over my own screaming.

*Don't keep asking me if I've been good. I'm not even sure what that means, but if I was bad I'd never admit it!

*Don't let me think that you're perfect. I feel a lot better knowing I'm not the only one who makes mistakes sometimes.

*Set limits. I can't actually eat a whole box of cookies-I just want to see if I'd get away with it! :)

living out the Word of God..

Galations 5:22-23

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!


I've been praying a lot lately about the job I am doing as a wife and mother. I am seeing some things that I need to correct in my attitude and my actions towards my husband & children. I am really trying to soak these scriptures in and make them become part of me. I want my husband to "safely trust" me and my children to "rise up and call me blessed". I want my family to know and to feel just how much I love them. I want to be unselfish and to always put them first. I want my husband to be happy and secure in my love and our babies to be secure in the fact that they and their Daddy are Mama's #1 priorities.

I want everything this holiday season to reflect what unselfishness is. The true reason for the season. And I can't do that if my attitude stinks! So, I am reading and saying and writing this verse down every day and I am praying this verse. I am talking to the Lord about how I need these words, this truth, to change me.

So, this is my verse this week. I am posting it on my sidebar and next week I will have a new one. Let me know what verses are speaking to you where you are in your life right now. What is the Word of God saying to you? Please share, I would love to pray for you. :)

Love,

Julie

My daybook..

I have searched for a name for this little project I am starting and this is the best one I can think of. I have seen some similar ideas on some other blogs called the "siimple woman's daybook" and while I love this concept, it just wasn't exactly what I wanted to do or needed for it to work. So, I tinkered with the idea some and this is what I got.. I may not share these every day although I am doing them every day and putting them in my Home Management Binder. Just wanted to share this with you today and maybe it can help you as it has helped me! I am very disorganized and I must have a system. This system works really well, so far! lol. :)


Julie's daybook...

For Wednesday:


Bible verse: "Don't worry about anything; pray about everything" Phil. 4:6

recipe: red beans and rice and blackberry bread

activity with kids: thankful tree

today's target cleaning areas: laundry, master bathroom, scrub floors

Something Charlie needs for me to do: pay electric bill & pay insurance
fill prescriptions

Something special for my husband: write Charlie a love letter

Something special for my children: read bible stories & take a nature walk

project: work on home management binder; grocery shopping

In our schoolhouse: working on shapes and sorting today. Going to play with Kylie & Alaina.

*And, I may not always get this done until I get our new computer because mine is cranky about posting pictures but I want to post a picture every day of a "memory made today". So, for now, I am posting a picture that I love:


This picture just makes me happy! And now I must get off the computer because, clearly, I have A LOT to accomplish today!! Have a blessed day!! :)
Love,
Julie

update on me:

. my bilirubin (sp?) levels are a little elevated (pancreatitis is acting up again)

. I have an infection in my body, hence, the abcess tooth. I have to take these high powered antibiotics to clear up the infection.

. My potassium level is low and it is making me feel even worse. Have to take potassium and eat a high potassium diet.

. tonight I am in my comfy pajamas, drinking hot chocolate and going to read books to Claire. Lily is tucked in tight and Drew is sleeping away until time for his next bottle, around 9:30. Then it's off to sleep for everyone.

Thank you so much for your prayers. I had planned on taking a blogging break and I still am going to be doing that. So, I will see you hopefully by the end of this week after I get some things straightened and worked out.

Ya'll have a great week!

Love,
Julie