Pickin' and Ribbons...my repurpose project ONE

So I've decided that it's time to redecorate or actually start to decorate to begin with.  I picked up the following at various garages sales for $19.00 the other day.

Some doll sized benches and step stools
A toilet paper closet with chicken wire front
A random yellow ring with spirals and a country star on it
several baskets
a few country star candle holders
many wrought iron candle holders and baskets
and a free window from my awesome neighbor.


So project #1 was to make a Mizzou wreath out of the random yellow ring thing.  Here's the progress and final product.

I chose some Missouri Tigers fabric, a little tiger stripe fabric, some felt in black and some tulle in sparkly yellow/gold and black.  At the end I added some gold and black ribbons.

This is the ring with the first few felt pieces on it.  See the country star and the random ring with metal wound up in springs around it?

And here's what it looked like when I was all finished.

It really is just like the commercial...

YES, there is one product that I just switched to that I swear I was just exactly like the commercials.

Here's the story:

So, I bought my son some cute little shorts and polos off one of the area swap shops on facebook.  Yes I've also become a swap addict, but that's a post for another day.  So I got his new clothes home and of course like any good mom I washed them in our laundry.  They smelled really good before I placed them into the laundry to wash, but I always want to rewash things that I buy him.  So I did and guess what??  They came out smelling amazing STILL.  Hmm...I held my nose into them, I sniffed them on my son's body, I was obsessed with how good these things smelled.  So fresh, so clean, so perfect.  So...so...WHAT IS THIS AMAZING STUFF?  I had to know.  So I did what any awesome person does and I messaged this woman I bought them from and asked her....WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU USE TO WASH YOUR CLOTHING?  She said the obvious...GAIN.  Oh my goodness, she uses GAIN. I've just played right into every single one of their commercials and I am obsessed with a smell.  I'm walking around with my nose buried in clothing smelling of GAIN.  So of course I went out and bought it.  And I still love the smell.  I still pull laundry out from the dryer or wash and sniff it a ton.  I'm so totally just like their commercials that it is cracking me up.  I've got it bad for GAIN.

And NO I was not paid to advertise them, or put their name in ALL CAPS, or anything else.  I really am just a normal mommy who was impressed with the smell and now impressed with how long it lasts and how clean my clothing is.  Thanks GAIN. :)

Dive In Friends...(Sermon in the songs series) Day 1

I'm going to start a new series on this blog I will call the Sermon in the Song.  It will be a serial blog post.  There may be many other posts between each sermon, but I'll try to number them so you can know how many there are and which to read to keep up.  Each sermon will be a short message based on some song lyrics.  They will mostly be Christian music, especially Casting Crowns because they are basically just sermons in themselves, but I may branch out into all genres to find interesting new ways to make a message from music lyrics.  *I may/may not have a Rock N Roll and Jesus type of book that I'll borrow from sometimes ;)

Anyways, here's today's sermon in a song.

I want everyone to really contemplate this message I'm about to share with you!!

First off I'll start with the lyrics that started this sermon in my mind to begin with...

Casting Crowns- Somewhere in the Middle
(Chorus)
Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle??

Christians ask yourselves this...are you living inside your picket fence world with a heart of a warrior but no guts to really fight the battle? Are you reckless and willing to abandon all that you are and all that you know but won't because common sense tells you it's crazy? Are you faithful enough to call yourself "deep water" but yet stuck in the shallow end instead? Are we all just going to keep God at arm's length and let Him be what we create Him to be so we can keep on with our American dream lifestyles or are we really faithful enough to lay down our lives and become true disciples and follow Him everywhere He leads, be it to Africa, Middle East, San Francisco, or across the street? People won't hear the message of Jesus if we are stuck in this lukewarm world where we just won't GO when He says GO! Don't be a Jonah. I want to be Fearless, a warrior armed with my shield and sword, reckless and deep. I want to be someone that's not afraid to loose my common sense and just GO when called.

Let's look at the scriptures on this:
Revelation 3:16
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Hebrews 11:13 and 39-40 (Read Chapter 11 in full for context) All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Matthew 14:29
“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

I don't want to be lukewarm in my faith. I want to be on FIRE. And what if all the men and women in Hebrews just used their common sense or stayed inside their little picket fence comfortable lives? They would have not furthered the kingdom at all. Yes, they may have done radical things and didn't even live to see the full results, but we know that radical things came from their choice to not stay in the shallow end.

Peter walked on water...common sense was completely obliterated here. Aren't you glad he chose to ignore the warm fuzzy of that boat and walk out onto that stormy sea? How would the world be changed if every person who calls upon Jesus steps out in faith and starts doing these CRAZY, RADICAL, and AMAZING feats that common sense would tell them not to do? We could really change the world, for today and for tomorrow. Trust in Jesus, take the leap of faith, and GO BIG!! Dive in friends, the deep end is waiting for you! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0KwqFvucdw 

Summer Reading plans for toddlers

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond.

Day 1:
Read the book of course!
If you have access to a toy mouse use him for a buddy to read with.

Snack: chocolate chip mini cookies

Craft: cookie
Supplies needed; one piece white construction paper with circle traced on it, black dots precut out for chips, brown crayon, child scissors,  glue stick.

Easy color, paste on chips, cut out. Teaches shape circle and colors brown and black.

Have your child color the cookie then use glue sticks to stick on chips.  When finished help them cut their circle out.

Ok it's about time I really did something to loose 20 lbs before I'm still trying to at 500lbs :)

So it begins,  it's time to move my butt, eat better, and loose this weight and get back into shape.  There is no more excuses or reasons to feel so bad about myself and my saggy and fat body.  Time to get it back to high school hotness.  Here's an article to motivate me TOP 10 WAYS to Lose 20 Pounds and a picture to help me eat better. 

I'm also going to start logging my eating habits and exercise into My Fitness Pal app.  Please join me on my journey and blogging my healthy living start up.

Also for those reading that have know me dealing with my PPD and other issues, I have finally weaned off medication (zoloft) down to about 25mg every 3-5 days when my head gets a tad dizzy.  I feel more energy (even when I was dealing with severe  RLS and not sleeping at night) and I feel myself again.  Sure I'm a tad moody at times and I definitely have my burst into tears at every sentimental moment, but that's really me and I'm glad to have me back versus the emotionless pit that I was before who slept til noon before she could function each day.  I'm glad to have my life back and hoping it gets better as I try to exercise and eat better. :)

I'm also now using emeals.com recommended by Dave Ramsey for our meal planning.  One week's menu is lasting our small family about 2-3 weeks due to leftovers.  I'm also doing freezer meal parties through Hy-vee so if you have one of those check out their club room for programs like ours.

Have a great night!

What I'm Reading Now...Christian Mama's Guide series review

Just wanted to give a review of "Christian Mama's Guide to Baby's First Year" written by my new blogging and writing friend Erin MacPherson.  First off let me say that I adore Miss Erin for all her hard work and dedication to getting these books out to us moms.  We have the usual books on pregnancy and surviving mommy hood such as the series of What to Expect books, and even some humorous books by Jenny McCarthy.  But none of those books can give you the spiritual insight and good Christian humor that comes from Erin in her series of Christian Mama's Guide books.



So here goes:

I loved the book!  I think Erin MacPherson is a fabulous writer.  She inspires me to be a better woman, mother, and wife.  Her scripture additions to the newest book I've read are really amazing.  There are moments that I look back on in my son's first year and think how did I ever do this without those prayers and scriptures to help me?  Erin's encouragement through her book makes you feel like she's there with you, as a friend, as your MOPS table member, as your church Sunday school classmate.  She doesn't talk above your head but rather tells her story as a fellow mom and friend.  She makes things easy to understand and makes you feel like you are right there with her for all her silly and fun moments as a mom.  She tells the truth about post pregnancy and newborn care.  She doesn't leave anything out that I can recall.  She gets information from her sisters and other friends for things she hasn't done herself but still manages to write it down so honestly and so heartfelt.  I love learning about all her advice for mommas and feeling her encouragement that I can do this!  Thanks again Erin for yet another great addition to your series.  I look forward to reading the Christian Mama's Guide to Parenting a Toddler right away!! :)


BY THE WAY...click the link of the book title to buy your copy now on amazon.com :)

How to teach your kids about EASTER through an egg...

As I was up late tonight rocking my son to sleep I started to think about how I could merge the worlds of Easter bunnies and eggs into the reality of what Easter is all about.  Then it came to me, in Sunday school we compared the trilogy of God, Christ Jesus, and The Holy Spirit to an egg's shell, white, and yolk.  So here's the story of Easter's true meaning in an "egg" shell. :)


Here is a simple little egg
There are three parts to this egg
There is the shell
Then the white
And finally the yolk



The egg as a whole represents the God-head, all three in one.  There is God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.  Each are separate parts and yet all make up the same thing, just as the egg is three separate parts all making up one egg.

The egg's shell represents God.  It is hard and protects the inside parts like God is strong and protective of all the things He made and loves.  It is also gentle and with a simple tap can be broken up to reveal more just like God is gentle and loving and gave us the Bible to reveal more to us about Him.

The egg's white represents Christ Jesus.  The white reminds of that Jesus died so that his blood would wash us white as snow.  Our sins are covered and gone and we are made new and pure as white as the whites of an egg.

The yolk represents the Holy Spirit.  It is at the center of the egg just as when we accept Jesus the Holy Spirit enters into the very center and core of our hearts and lives.  Also when you crack open the egg and poke the yolk it spreads everywhere it can.  The Holy Spirit also will spread anywhere and everywhere there is a heart willing and ready to accept the gift God gave of his son Jesus.

 

So you see, the eggs at Easter really can mean more than just a colored prize to find in the grassy hiding spots they are placed by a bunny.  They can also show your child the wonders of Christ and tell the true story of why we are celebrating Easter.

I suggest dying hard boiled eggs RED to show Jesus Blood was shed to make us PURE on the inside (show the whites).  And you can do a runny egg yolk experiment as well to show the spreading of the Spirit.

The most amazing thing I as an adult am just coming to understand is how if God/Jesus/Holy Spirit are all the same thing then that means the when I asked the Holy Spirit to enter into my heart, He came in and brought God and Jesus along too.  So that means that I have God inside of me and I am far more powerful with Him than I can ever possibly imagine.  



Happy Easter to all my friends and loved ones and I hope you can use this to teach a short but simple message of Jesus to your little ones.