Amy Bayliss

A Faith Like Ruth's Session 4 on BlogTalkRadio

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:08:00 +0000

We all just love making goals and promises for each new year don't we? I know I do. There is nothing like a fresh start and God is all about new beginnings. But.. there is a way to do it that will get you ultimate results.

Over the last couple of weeks on my BlogTalkRadio show we have discussed chapters one, two, and three of the book of Ruth and how it pertains to our New Year's goals.

If you missed them you can get the audio here: Download Session 1 Audio / Download Session 2 Audio / Download Session 3 / Download Session 4

and the handouts here: Session 1 Handout / Session 2 Handout / Session 3 Handout / Session 4 Handout

If you can't download it then simply email me and I'll be happy to send it to you via email.

Special thanks to Christian Women Affiliate for bringing you this weekly broadcast. Have you heard the news? You can now join CWA for free! Go sign up now!

My greatest yard sale find last year...

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:30:00 +0000

I learned so much at last week's Creative and Efficient Life conference. Don't worry if you missed it. On February 6th you can purchase the MP3s for just &$9.95. It was sooooo good. I can't wait to share it all with you. I have so many posts spinning in my head and drafted in reserve that it sets my mind racing... almost as much as LOST does. I mean, what in the world is happening on the island or off? Who is dead and who is alive? Who is the non-John Locke? Oh I must stop before my brain melts.

Anyway, my point was that I heard a good bit at the conference about shopping yard sales. I am a big fan of yard sales and shared with everyone that while on a yard sailing adventure with my mom-in-love I purchased this set of barstools for only $10! Yes, $10 for the set.

They had a bit of paint on the bottom of one of them that I was able to remove fairly easily with some nail polish remover. I'm guessing that is why she sold them so cheap although I can't imagine why no one else scooped them up. They are in perfect condition.. sturdy and contemporary looking. What more could I ask for?

What is your best yard sale find?

How To Create Custom Blockquotes

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:27:00 +0000

First of all, the box around this text is a block quote.

The way to accomplish a block quote is by highlighting the text you want in the box and then clicking the "Quote" button on your blogger tool bar. It looks like this:

To give your block quotes some style you will need to adjust some coding in your template. However, as with any blog changes, be sure to save a copy of your current template before making any changes just in case something gets messed up.

1. Log into Blogger.

2. Click on "layout."

3. Click on "edit html."

4. Add this after your ".post" line of code:

blockquote {

background:#F6DCB3;

border: 3px solid #000000;

color: #000000;

font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, Arial;
font-size: 16px;
padding: 10px;

}

5. Change the colors to whatever color your heart desires.

6. On the "border" line. Decide whether you would like a solid, dashed, dotted, double, groove,inset, outset, or ridge style line. Experiment to fine one you like.

7. Also on the "border" line, decide how thick you would like the line to be by changing the pixels.

8. Save!

Defined:

blockquote { - this line signifies the beginning of the code that forms the blockquote
background:#F6DCB3; - this line signifies the color that will be in the background of the blockquote. You can find html color codes here: Color Chart
border: 3px solid #000000; - This line of code defines your borders. First you define the width of the border, then the type of edge (solid, dotted, double, etc), and then the color of the border. You can make the border appear on only one edge of the blockquote by changing the code like this: border-top: 3px solid #000000; That would allow the border to only be on the top. If you want it on top and bottom simply put these codes back to back: border-top: 3px solid #000000; border-bottom: 3px solid #000000; You can do the same thing for "left" or "right".
color: #000000; -This is where you specify the color of the font/text.
font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, Arial; - This is the line of code where you specify the font style. You can specify whatever font you want but if the person reading your blog doesn't have it on their computer then they will not see it. It will instead revert to another font listed in this line. That is why it is important to list several font styles. The ones listed here are very common and standard on most all personal computers.
font-size: 16px; - This is where you list the size of the font within the blockquote.
padding: 10px; - This is where you list how much padding or cushion you want on the edges of your blockquote. Experiment to find what you like!

Life is Good!

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:36:00 +0000

Soooo much has gone on in the last few days that I have barely had time to do anything. I just wanted to take a minute this morning and update you...

because you care and all.

Monday started the week long Creative and Efficient Life conference. Oh how I live for these conferences. I always learn so much and fellowshipping with all of these ladies from across the globe is just plain awesome! We've already heard from some amazing women and it makes me happy just knowing that we still have three whole days to go!

Of course, I'll have to listen to the MP3s of the sessions from yesterday morning because I missed them. :( We refinanced our house to get a lower interest rate and if any of you have ever done this you know that when the bank says "jump" you go ahead and jump and ask questions later. They gave us no choice but to close yesterday morning. I had an appointment with my obstetrician. I couldnt' go. I missed my glucose test. Banks don't care about glucose tests or 28 week check ups. They only want your signature on a bajillion papers. So... AT LEAST WE ARE DONE! YAY!

In other news, Internet Cafe Devotions is hosting the second annual "Blessed Aroma" Top 100 Christian Blogs of 2009 and we need your nominations! Who is your favorite Christian blogger? Who inspires you to go just a bit deeper? Who really makes you think? Let us know! Go and fill out the nomination form on the site and we'll post the list sometime in February.

Oh... and I can't end this without mentioning that THE SAINTS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL! Woo Hoo! (no hate mail, please)

All of my men were ecstatic. You could not hear yourself think when they began shouting for joy. I even caught the boys and uncle Sammy doing the happy dance... YAY!

We are giving away Rosetta Stone!

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:43:00 +0000

Yesterday over at Heart of the Matter we announced our partnership with Rosetta Stone and the new Homeschool Language Trip. Now we would like to give you the opportunity to win a Rosetta Stone language software of your choice! Too bad I can't enter. :(

But YOU can!

Surround your family with language. By taking them there!
Travel to Paris, Madrid and Barcelona with Homeschoolers from all over the United States. Join Rosetta Stone Homeschool, Heart of the Matter and Fusefly on the inaugural Homeschool Language Learning and Networking Trip August 2-11, 2010. Become immersed in new lands, explore history, culture, art and community. And truly speak to the world. For more details visit www.RosettaStone.com/Homeschool/LanguageLearningTrip.

Hurry, registration for the trip ends February 15, 2010.

For your chance to win a Rosetta Stone language product, please visit us over at Heart of the Matter. Entries are being accepted until February 1st.

More Professional Looking Blog

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:34:00 +0000

There are many things you can do to achieve the "polished" look for your blog. Let's start with the "Configure Blog Posts" element or widget.

1. Log into your Blogger account.

2. From you dashboard select "layout".

3. Look for the element titled "Blog Posts" and select "edit".

In this widget you can elect to disable:

date
time
author
comments
links to posts
categories

You can also rearrange the way they are viewed on your post. Most professional websites do not have these things and disabling them would you the look of a polished web site.

Meeting Inspired Women...

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:16:00 +0000

I was able to attend a couple of live conferences last year and that gave me the opportunity to meet so many of the blog personalities that I’ve grown to love. It was an amazing experience. It helped me to get a glimpse into who they were behind the words they type and the pictures they post. I got to see their many expressions, tone of voice, and their sense of humor. I learned so much about what they liked to do, what kind of hobbies they have, and how passionate their heart is for Him. I want that experience for us… even if it is virtual.

How can we do that you ask?

Let’s post some videos! Get your camera out, fluff your hair, and tell us who you are. Get creative if you like. Show us a recipe, make a scrap page, show us your library, have your dog do tricks – whatever floats your boat as long as YOU introduce yourself and your heart to us on video. You have one week to get it ready. We will do an official launch of our “Meet Inspired Women” page on January 18th. That is the day that will receive the most traffic but you could post later if you wanted to. This will become a staple page in our navigation bar. We’ll even select some of the videos to be featured on the homepage!

Here is how it will work. We will set up a link system and all you have to do is the following:

record your video
load it onto your computer
load it onto a server (YouTube, Tangle, Google, etc)
post it on your blog
link it here using our link system

Then we will be able to click on your link, visit your blog, play your video, and “meet” you! It will give us a face to go with the name and more than that it will just be FUN!

Now I have made my video and soon so will all of my partners in crime, I mean, partners in ministry. Yeah, that sounds better. So what do you say? Will you join me? I sure do hope so!

I look forward to meeting all of you! Head over to A Woman Inspired and post your video!

In Pursuit of Proverbs 31 Bible Study -LIVE online

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:10:00 +0000

I have been pondering the questions that have plagued the hearts and minds of so many:
Why can't I get it right?
How can I find more time to get it all done?
Why isn't God helping me?

Women have been the target of some outrageous media propaganda that sets our flesh racing in the wrong direction and so we turn to the church where we receive conflicting views on biblical truths. No wonder we are so befuddled when it comes to our roles as Christ-following women. Even within Christianity there are views that encompass from one end of the spectrum to the other. So what's a girl to do?

There are many women who are fascinated with and at the same time terrified of the woman in Proverbs 31. I was one of those women.

As I read and meditated on the scriptures then tried to apply them to my life something odd happened. I became filled with anger, bitterness, anxiety, and was more overwhelmed than I had ever been before. When I heard other women speak about all the Proverbs 31 guidelines they had achieved I would feel myself cringe inside. Why was I different? Why couldn't I just "get it?"

Have you ever felt this way?

If you have then I pray that this bible study will be a source of encouragement to you and strengthen your walk with God. It may not always be easy because we will have to retrain our patterns of thought and overcome some mindsets we may have formed. You may even have to unlearn some things you have been taught in the past. This bible study is not "typical" of what you will find in the majority of books, articles, and posts written on the scriptures in Proverbs 31. Instead, it is a look into the heart of God and the reality of those scriptures in the bible.

I ask that you stop now and pray:
Father, there is none like you. Your name is above every other name and to you every knee will bow. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a woman in this time and in this place. Thank you for being the perfect example of how to serve my family and friends. I desire to do your will for my life. Help me to see things the way you see them and please cleanse and soften my heart to receive teachings from your word. I repent for any wrong and destructive thought patterns I may have and I ask that you transform my mind to accomplish your desire for my life. Forgive me for any negative emotions that I may have entertained. Give me the revelation that I need each and every day to become more like you and less like my worldly self. Please keep me from the plans of Satan and deliver me from those who wish me harm. Amen.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:26 kjv

God speaks to each and every one of us on a daily basis. We must learn to hear him and obey. Much the same way a mother teaches her children because she knows better, God teaches us because he knows all things and His will is for us to prosper and be in good health and no, I am not referring to money. I would much rather prosper in my day to day life. I can make money at anytime but I can't buy the lessons that my Father teaches me.

scripture references: Hebrews 12:25, Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 30:10, Acts 5:29, 3 John 1:2
This 10 part study will consist of the following:

Proverbs 31 - Shattering the Myths: Watch the Video / Download the Bible Study / Discussion
The True Woman of Proverbs 31
Proverbs 31 on Relationship With God
Proverbs 31 on Being a Wife part 1
Proverbs 31 on Being a Wife part 2
Proverbs 31 on Being a Mother
Proverbs 31 on Management
Proverbs 31 on Resourcefulness
Proverbs 31 on Ministry
Proverbs 31 on Matters of the Soul
Proverbs 31 and YOU!!

This study will be presented each month over the next year, God willing, and you will be able to share your responses, thoughts, answers to questions, or related scripture on your blogs and link to it via the comments. If you do not have a blog then you are more than welcome to enter your responses in the comments section or simply do them at home on your own time.

For this introduction post, I would like for everyone who intends to participate to post about it on their blog and answer the following thought provoking questions:

What do you hope to get out of this bible study?
What, if anything, has prevented you from studying these scriptures in the past?
What have you found helpful or frustrating about living out these scriptures?

Feel free to use the button and link here. Also, be sure to link your post here via the comments.

Blog & Graphics Design Workshop - Scheduled!

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:34:00 +0000

Okay so I talked it over with my husband and I am definitely going to offer online workshops for blog design. I am just a bit excited too! Thank you so much for all of your feedback.

The price was something we had trouble deciding on but in the end we decided to charge half of the lowest charge we could find for similar workshops. The least for the workshop that we could find was $65 and the most was $670 (oh my Word!). Did I mention that didn't include travel expenses because they are all held live - not online.

Don't worry, I'm not charging you anywhere near that. I think $29.95 is a great price for this. You can barely buy a blog button for that amount let alone a blog design. With this training you will be able to design your blog over and over again so it will more than pay for itself. I'm all about giving you a good deal. Besides, like I said, mama just needs to buy a stroller... okay and maybe a pack-n-play. We'll see. :)

Also, we will be using freeware for this workshop and if you are worried about the quality, don't be. My personal blog, A Woman Inspired, and almost every other blog I have designed was done with getpaint.net. Usually the only time I use my Adobe CS3 is when I design with vectors or if I am designing magazine layouts.

So if you want to get more info about all the great things that are included in the workshop or to register now just visit me here: Blog & Graphics Design Workshop

Do you want to learn how to redesign your own blog?

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:23:00 +0000

For some time now, I've been pondering the thought that I could just teach others how to design their own blogs. You know what they say, "Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime."

I could set apart three hours of time and use our AWI software to actually show you how to do it and answer all of your questions. We have several other ladies using the software to teach so maybe I should. If you want to check out their sessions you can look here: Additional Events. We have about 10 more to add to that list so be sure to keep checking back.

My questions are:

Would you be interested in something like this?
What would you want to learn?
How much should I charge for such a class?

I'll be honest, I feel guilty every time I make a blog badge or button and charge them $12 for it. I know I am cheap. It is so easy to make for yourself though. I can teach you how to make blinking ones, large ones, transparent ones, all kinds!

I can teach you how to alter your templates, which are the best to use, how to install navigation, where to find free graphics, how to adjust your sidebars and post area, all my tricks and tips that I use to design blogs and websites, all kinds of stuff. But I need to know if you are interested, what you want to learn, and how much I should charge. I'm not looking to get rich... mama just has to buy a stroller. ;)

Let me know what you think!

Somedays I just let my mind wander...

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:33:00 +0000

I wake up in the morning to sweet kisses and prayer from the man I love, the sound of showers splashing, teeth being brushed, and a sweet little baby kicking me in my rib cage as though he were training for the Olympics.

I laugh while I am making my breakfast because I glance over and see the bed head my boys are sporting and can't help but think how cute they actually look.

I hug & kiss them after we pray then I send them off on the school bus... praying for God to watch over them; praying that they will have the strength to make the right decisions while they are away from me. I hate when they are away from me but God has shown me that I am not in control anyway and I must trust Him.

I feed the dog, load the dishwasher, put on a load of clothes, survey the damage from the previous night's activities and I get to work cleaning it up. I need a few moments of clean & peace. Why is it that I must see a clean house in order to feel peace?

Then, I sit down at the kitchen table with my bible, notebook, and pen and begin to study His word. I know that when I do I am a completely different person; someone who can be tolerated; someone who loves herself and others. No one wants to know the me without Him.

I miss them while they are gone but as I take meat out of the freezer and begin to orchestrate the events pending their return then I actually get giddy. I love taking care of them. I wouldn't have it any other way.

And when they come home there may be fusses, arguments, trashing of said clean house, more dirty clothes, a rowdy dog, and a lot of chaos but I still go to bed at night and thank God that He gave me just one more day with them. That makes today the best day yet.

Grocery Hacks - How I spend only $65 a week on groceries...

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:17:00 +0000

Let me start by saying that it is not easy but only in the sense that you have to create a routine and renew your perspective of some things. I know we are resistant to change but we have to do some of that to keep some change in the bank, you know what I'm sayin'?

The first thing I do is make a menu for the coming week based on what I already have. Yes, you read that right. There is a reason I do this and I'll get to that. By the way, the latest blog craze is based around this method. Read Jen's take on it: Save Money on Groceries by Eating from Your Pantry & Freezer.

So let's see what we've got:

Based on those items I can create the following menu for the upcoming week:

Breakfast: grits, grilled cheese, cereal (x2), eggs and biscuits, powdered doughnuts, and waffles (x2).

Lunch: turkey sandwich (x2), ham sandwich (x2), Lean Cuisine, breaded fish with Mac-N-Cheese, and hamburgers.

Snacks: fruit, yogurt, pickles, triscuits w/cheese sticks, pudding, granola bars as well as several other options.

Dinner:

Monday- roast pork loin with pasta/alfredo sauce and salad
Tuesday- chicken stew with rice, cornbread, and sauteed green beans
Wednesday- lasagna, homemade bread, and corn
Thursday- grilled tilapia, angel hair pasta, salad, homemade bread
Friday- bbq ribs, potatoes, corn bread
Saturday- sloppy joes, tater tots, corn on the cob
Sunday- game day BBQ at friends house

I came up with the menu above and as you can see there is plenty more for additional meals should we need it or in case we change our minds about what we want for dinner one night. The reason I make a menu based on what I already have is because when I shop I only buy things we will use and that are on sale and I stock up. In other words, I only buy what we need but I buy it when we don't need it.

So to further explain how that works let's look at my weekly routine. I start by gathering the sales papers for our local stores. I circle what I believe to be great deals then I look for coupons to go along with those deals. I also use couponmom.com because this site makes it easy to see what is a great, rock bottom prices on particular products. I add to my list only those items I know we will eat/use and I stock up on them while they are ridiculously cheap. I store those items in our pantry or freezer and we use them in weeks to come for our menu based on what we already have in the pantry.

For example, our Albertson's recently had a sale on Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks. You had to buy 4 but you ended up getting them for the small price of $1.20. I also had 8 $1.00 off 2 boxes coupons so I actually got each box for $0.70! We bought lots of boxes.

We also do this with our toiletries and cleaning products. CVS and Walgreens have some of the best deals. I have spent no more than $.25 on toothpaste in months and we are well stocked. I never pay more than $1 for any shampoo (and I have good ones) and I apply the same principles to other purchases.
Just look at one week's tally...

So there is our money saving hacks. Nothing new - just applied practice turned into habit.

Guess who will be attending the online conference...

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 13:52:00 +0000

Okay so I really can count. I know that I said ten and I know that twelve are listed. The random number generator site was down so I let my boys pick the winners. They were quick to tell me that I could not give them each the same number of picks if I only had ten winners.

"Mom. 3 does not divide into 10 equally" my boy says to me. So, I had to add to 2 winners to it because you know they all have to have the same number of cheerios in the same color bowl with exactly the same amount of milk. It is just how it goes. So the additional winners have my little men to thank!

Here are the winners. Please email me with your name and email and we'll send out instructions for claiming your ticket. :)

I have so much to share with you!

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:01:00 +0000

We have so much to talk about: birthdays with giveaways, inspired women introducing themselves, new web designs, new Christian blogger's conferences, integrations for you blog, and oh so much more! But first, I need your help settling a debate. Would oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and milk be considered breakfast? I mean, it is oatmeal and milk and I did use honey instead of sugar. I just get to have some chocolate too. My kids say that isn't breakfast. I argued. Should they win?

Anyway, on to more important things. Heart of the Matter is celebrating it's second birthday! Woo Hoo! Who knew when Amy and I launched this thing on January 3, 2008 that it would become what it is today? It is such a resourceful blog for parents and educators. I'm so proud of it but I must say that Amy S deserves most of the credit. She keeps that blog tickin' day in and day out. Yay, Amy!

In honor of our birthday we are giving away lots and lots and lots of stuff (gift cards, coffee, books, curriculum, etc) so hop on over and enter your name: HOTM Birthday

A Woman Inspired will be introducing a new feature on January 18th that will give us the opportunity to "meet and greet" each other. We are introducing the "Meet Inspired Women" section of our website that will showcase videos and web links submitted by our fabulous inspired women! You have over a week to get your video in so start working on it! We will also have prizes for those who submit on the 18th but we haven't quite decided what that will be yet! Just make your video. I want to meet you!

Last night I received an email from my sweet friend, Kristen. She owns and operates Exemplify Online & Magazine. Well she let me know that their web makeover is finally complete and ooooooooooohhh does it look good! Go on over and check it out and while you are there be sure to subscribe to the magazine. I, as well as some other amazing ladies, have a monthly column there .

Then there is a new "live" conference just for Christian bloggers that will be held in October of this year! I love the thought of that. Sarah Mae and some friends of hers have gotten together to host the first annual Relevant Conference. I can't be there because I'll have a brand new bebe that I refuse to leave but I'm sure everyone will have a life changing time while there. :( Maybe I'll get to go next year!

You may have noticed two new features here on my blog: a comment service by Intense Debate and a social networking integrator by FriendFeed. I have to say that I love them both! I like how Intense Debate gives me the opportunity to communicate back and forth in my comments and I have a full control panel built right in so that I have more control. It was also easy to install on Blogger's platform. The website lays it all out for you and has many more details as to the pros of using this system.

Then there is FriendFeed. It is a feed that actually allows you to subscribe to one person and because you subscribe to the one person, you will receive feed every time they update their blog, Facebook, Twitter, flickr, Photobucket, YouTube, everything! It is awesome. Go sign up and don't forget to subscribe to me: Amy Bayliss.

Lastly, there is only one day left to enter the AWI Nurturing Creativity / Efficient Life conference contest. I'll announce the winners over the weekend!

Baby B does have a name…

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:03:00 +0000

…but it is a secret.

We discovered that there aren’t many gender neutral things and so there aren’t many ways to prepare for a baby unless you know what the gender is. Since we are on such a tight budget right now preparing is a necessity. That is why we made the decision to find out if Baby B was a girl or boy. But, that left us with a bit of a problem. Ryan and I both wanted for him to be able to come out of the delivery room and “announce” something after Baby B was born but since everyone knew the gender we decided not to let anyone else know his name. This way he can run out and announce his name, weight, height and all of that other good stuff after he is born and it gives our family a bit of a surprise to look forward to.

It is funny though because I have grown so use to calling him by his name when it is just Ryan and I that I have almost slipped up a couple of times. I caught myself though so the secret is still safe!

...the kids refer to him as "Shafupala".

Did you all get to keep any secrets while waiting on baby? What did you do and how did your family react?

Live Bible Study: Faith Like Ruth's

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:19:00 +0000

We all just love making goals and promises for each new year don't we? I know I do. There is nothing like a fresh start and God is all about new beginnings. But.. there is a way to do it that will get you ultimate results.

Tomorrow, Thursday at 1pm CST you can join me live to hear a message on "Faith Like Ruth's." This is part one of a four session series on conquering those mountains in your life. You can listen here: CWA Blog Talk Radio or call in: 347.850.8893. You can instant chat while listening and even call in to ask questions.

Download handout here: Download Handout Here

If you can't download it then simply email me and I'll be happy to send it to you via email.

What I hope to accomplish in 2010...

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:43:00 +0000

I have had a few people ask me what my "goals" are for 2010 so I figured I would finally sit down and figure it out. I never put out resolutions. For me they only serve as a reminder of what I didn't accomplish so I prefer to have goals. I can usually achieve those. It is something about the wording that does a number on my psyche.

My number one goal for the year is to live intentionally but still relax enough to cherish the God moments in life.

I will list my goals and hope to blog about each of them as they are accomplished to insure that I have chronicled them for our year. I will link to the posts from here as they are posted.

So, here are my personal goals for 2010:

Give birth to a healthy, happy baby!
Find at least 10 ways throughout the year to serve together as a family. {10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1}
Obtain a second vehicle that will fit the whole family.
Take one photo a day to chronicle the year through my eyes: Project 365
Take at least 5 new courses to further my education. {5, 4, 3, 2, 1}
Submit at least 10 articles for publication. Pray that at least one is published.
Complete at least 100 new pages for our scrapbook.
Get back to pre-pregnancy size.
List at least 100 items on eBay or Amazon. {0 listed}
Get fence up in the backyard.
Donate a minimum 6 large loads to Boys & Girls club.
Go through storage bins in garage.
Organize storage room.
Finish book.
Rewrite bible study.
Switch to Windows 7.
Have professional family photo taken once Baby B is born.
Take the kids and Ryan to visit grandpas military tribute at the museum.
Complete at least 6 bible studies this year. {6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1}
Host a holiday meal in my home.

I may add more as time goes by but as of right now these are my goals. Did you post yours? If so let me know so I can visit!

I'm giving stuff away...

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:51:00 +0000

Do you want to have an organized home? An Efficient life? What about being a bit more creative while you are at it? Then guess what?

We have another online conference coming up and I'm giving away 10 tickets!

A Woman Inspired's Nurturing Creativity & Efficient Living will be held January 25th-29th - all online! You can Register Today if you want to or you can leave me a comment telling why you want to go and take a chance at winning a free ticket!! Either way make sure you attend this event. This is the perfect opportunity to get a jump start on those New Year's resolutions, or um, goals, yeah - GOALS!

Check this out:
If only life was simpler: dinner ready on time.; freshly laundered clothes in everyone closet; every item has a place; money saving was easy and effective; time management was second nature to us. Hmmm… if only, right?

Well, we can ‘t change your home overnight but we can provide you with the tools to begin the process and motivate you to get started. We’ll have sessions on organization, money saving and management, easy meals, effective scheduling, overcome procrastination and more! This is one conference you can’t afford to miss!

In addition to that we hope to inspire your creative genius!

Have you been in touch with your inner creative diva? Do you want to learn to express yourself through paint mediums, culinary masterpieces, vibrant rooms or maybe through your own life as the canvas? Well, you can get inspired here.

Whether you feel stuck in a rut or just don’t know where to begin we can help. I’m confident that many of you have a pile of unfinished projects or maybe put off doing things simply because you feel you don’t have the time. We have all been there and can definitely relate. We would like you help get some momentum going so that you can begin to create and design no matter what your canvas preference is.

Learn how to:

develop your God given talents and gifts
push past creative blocks
further your education in the area of your choice (at no cost)
be more productive
be more focused
let your light shine!

Speakers include:
Laura, of OrgJunkie
Sandy Coughlin, of Reluctant Entertainer
Meredith, of Like Merchant Ships
Rhoda, of Southern Hospitality
Jennifer Schmidt, of Beauty and Bedlam
Alene Snodgrass, author of Dirty Laundry Secrets – A Journey to Meet the Launderer
Tanna Clark, of Organizing Solutions
Katie, of Making This Home
Sarah Martin, of Live It Out
Nicki Koziarz of Three Girly Girlz
Karin Katherine of Mommy Matters
Erin Chase of $5 Dinners.com
Tracy Berta, of Thirsty for Him
Larissa Lam of Beautiful Faith, On the Way Up, and Larissa Lam.com
Carolyn J. Carleton, of Unlimited Potential International
Kathryn Bonner, author of Confessions of a Pastor’s Wife
Kathryn Lang, of Successful Freelance Writer
Angela Parsley, of Refresh My Soul Ministries
Cindy Carrier, of Values-Driven Family
Melissa Smallwood, of Multi-Tasking Mama

You can check out their topics here: Sessions

*Speaker roster is subject to change without prior notice.

So what do you think? Do you want to go? Then go register or comment here to win! I'll announce the winners this weekend.

Adding An Image To Your Sidebar Title

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:53:00 +0000

Follow these steps:

Create the graphic that you want to use. It must be no larger than 20 pixels by 20 pixels saved as a .png, .gif, or .jpg file.
Upload it to a graphics host such as Photobucket.
Log into your Blogger account.
From your dashboard, click "Layout"
Click "edit html"
Back up your template if you haven't done so already.
Do a search (Ctrl + S) for "h2"
You are looking for a code that looks like this -
/* Headings
----------------------------------------------- */

h2 {
margin:1.5em 0 .75em;
font:$headerfont;
line-height: 1.4em;
text-transform:uppercase;
letter-spacing:.2em;
color:$sidebarcolor;}
Add code so that it now looks like this-
h2 {
background-image: url(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r278/splitdecisionz/sidebar.png);
background-repeat:no-repeat;
background-color: #ffffff;
border: 0px double #FFFFFF;
margin-bottom: 5px;
padding: 2px 3px 2px 28px;
font:$headerfont;
font-weight: bold;
line-height: 1.4em;
text-transform:uppercase;
letter-spacing:.2em;
color:$sidebarcolor;
}
Preview then save.

That's it!

Have you seen me in Women’s Day?

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:41:00 +0000

A while back I wrote this post: Fast Food that Comes from Home. Well, Women’s Day magazine decided to use some of the points I made for a feature in the February 2010 edition!

Stoked? Absolutely!

Right there on page 86 is my little blurb about one of my many homemaking hacks. Lest you think I’m totally organized or anything let me reassure you that this has much more to do with laziness than anything else. I hate wasting time doing things over and over and searching for stuff. I also hate cleaning when it doesn’t have to be necessary. That is what my little “organizational” skillz are derived from.

In any case, I hope you pick up an issue since it is only $2.79 and jam packed full of other ways to be lazy and call it organized! :)

Boys will be boys… with paper and tape.

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:58:00 +0000

You know, before I had kids I always told people all about the things I'd never do. One thing I have learned over the years is that those words will always come back to haunt you.

I remember when I went to visit my cousin and her little boy came out with guns blaring during a pretend game of war. She remarked about how he would have simply used his hands for guns had she not bought him the toy so she just bought the toy. My thoughts...

"Oh. I'll never do that. If I have a son he won't play with violent things."

Yes, I thought that. I admit it.

So here we are 15 years and ~~three~~ almost four boys later and I'm eating my words. Why? Because I have learned that to boys, weapons don't necessarily equate violence. They are a way of life and they will still lean towards them even with no access to them through movies, TV, and games. It happens because boys idolize their male role models and for my boys that consisted of: my grandpa who was a decorated Master Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps; my brother who is a Sergeant in the Army; numerous other relatives in the military; and their biological dad, grandpa, and uncles who are dedicated hunters. I didn't purchase those toy guns for them and yes they did use sticks for arrows and swords and hair brushes for guns. The closest thing to a weapon that they ever had - for at least the first half of their life - was a nerf gun. Where did that get me? Well, see for yourself....

Now I don't know an AK47 from an M16 but my son does and he can make them from scratch, out of nothing but paper and tape. In fact, he has this whole arsenal of paper weapons that he made from my printer paper and my shipping tape. I may or may not be upset about that.

On any given day he can be a soldier, spy, gladiator, or anything else he thinks up in his little mind. He has even made shields and head gear for pre-gun warfare. It just depends on what he and his brothers pretend that day.

And he is so proud of his creations that he wanted to show them off.

He didn't forget about the grenades either. He had a special name for these but I have no idea what he said. I just take the pictures. :)

They have heard me stress over gun safety so many times that my boy even made him a gun cabinet. The things the human mind can do when it is deprived of TV, video games, and the computer. It's an amazing thing.

So what is it that you said you'd never let your kids do? I know there must be something!

So long 2009... Ha!

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:36:00 +0000

2009 was a great year in many ways so of course, I had to highlight them for you. Why? Because I need adult interaction and you all give me great reassurance that I am not hormonally crazy.

disclaimer: I may or may not have cried while I put this post together.

So here is our year in review. It is in no particular order because ~~I'm too lazy for that right now~~ I have pregnancy brain fog and can't remember.

I guess we'll start with one of the more memorable parts of our year. "Remember the time we had to call the fire department to come get Jacob?" If not then I linked to the post just to remind you. I still need to be comforted from that experience.

My baby made his first trip to summer camp. He was excited to go and didn't even hug me bye.

The boys got a lesson in neighborhood clean-up because they "didn't know" they weren't supposed to litter the yard and the neighborhood with popsicle wrappers.

note: We have yet to find another wrapper in the yard.

I was able to meet some amazing women at She Speaks this year. God spoke to me in so many ways!

We made the really difficult decision to put the boys back in public school. I fought, cried and got real mad but in the end I know it was the right thing to do. They are thriving and I trust God to help us parent them under any and all circumstances.

My little men all made their proclamation of faith this year by being baptized. It was just amazing to see them declare their love for Him.

After a year of trying and suffering through miscarriages, we found out in August that we are expecting. Baby B will be here by April 15th!

We actually started out the year by losing our Camry. Thankfully the car was the only thing damaged. We have been a "one car" family for almost a year now. That will have to change soon with Baby B on the way.

My good friend Susan took me to the Extraordinary Women's conference. Wow. That is all I can say... Wow!

The boys earned money for a good cause by selling lemonade to all of our poor, unsuspecting neighbors. I did make them wash their hands but they're boys. They get gross no matter what.

The boys had a blast in Florida. They didn't want to leave. In 2010 we are making a trip to Tennessee to attend the Little People of America conference! Woo Hoo!

We participated in Servolution along with our church a few times this year. It really builds a family when they serve together.

Then.... then... there is the Saints who have left our heads spinning and managed to make it to the top. That is something we never saw coming. Don't get me wrong. We are loyal people and supported them no matter what but golly... they really ain't the "ain'ts" no more!

All in all 2009 was a great year but I am really looking forward to 2010! How about you? Did you post a year in review? Let me know in the comments because I'd love to visit ya!

You can also participate in the 2009 Blog Recap that Jo-Lynne is hosting. Visit her here: Musings of a Housewife 2009 Recap

What I’ve been up to lately…

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:48:00 +0000

Wow. Where do I begin?

In the last few weeks I've been on bed rest, antibiotics twice, finally got over the all day "morning" sickness, have actually been able to survive on less than 12 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period, my husband finally felt Baby B(ayliss) kick and watched him do cartwheels in my belly - it is pure bliss y'all.

Seriously, I'm excited to be writing this post. I have missed my blogging friends. But... I had to get better and then get other stuff done; like the new A Woman Inspired site. Have you seen it yet? Have you explored it? Oh my, you should. Lisa, Amy S and I have worked long tedious hours to get this thing ready for the new year. We are still adding information and tweaking some things but it was ready to be launched. You must go check it out and let me know what you think! :)

While you are there you can sign up for the newsletter. Holly does a fantastic job of bringing you inspiring and motivating articles each month. AND ... you can sign up for the January 25th - 29th conference: Nurturing Creativity and Efficient Living online conference. Just look at the speakers we have lined up for you! Those ladies rock and I can't think of anyone more qualified to help us out in this area of our lives. I'm really excited about this conference and it comes at just the right time too: just in time to prepare for spring cleaning. Mmm Hmmm. I know you love that. :)

We had an amazing Christmas this year. Ryan's family was here and we had a great time. Baby B received some gifts this Christmas and although he can't appreciate them yet, boy did his mama ever love them! Prior to this we only had a few baby things in the house but nothing that really made it real. I don't know about you but until I have the baby bed up and ready, nursing bottles in the cabinet, diapers in the diaper bin and a few clothes in the closet then it just doesn't seem like a baby is really on it's way. I even felt guilty that there was no "evidence" of his existence yet. (do not insert big baby belly joke here)

So anyway, I was so excited that my grandma and my sister gave us some things to get us started. The bed is from my sister and the bedding set, diapers, wipes, powder, and basket are from my grandma. We are a long way from being "ready" for Baby B but at least now I feel better that there is evidence of his impending arrival. Oh am I ever getting excited!

Jacob received some awards at school and unfortunately, *tears* I wasn't able to go - another reason I hate not feeling well. Ryan went and snapped some photos of the proud moment. Jacob does so well in school and his teachers often praise him for his integrity. That speaks volumes to me. I am so proud of that boy. He is always well behaved and makes good grades. Now if we could only get him to do his homework...

I pulled myself out of bed two weeks ago to drag myself down to Brennan's school so I could help him and his classmates decorate their little gingerbread houses. It was nice to get out and sit in on his class. He has a great teacher and I am so thankful that she takes her time with Brennan. That means so much and makes all the difference in the world.

And since you might want to know what Baby B is looking like these days... here's a looksie. Good googa mooga. I have 12-15 weeks left to go y'all. *shakes head*

sure, go right ahead and... (insert big baby belly joke here)

There is nothing like a dysfunctional Christmas…

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:26:00 +0000

{dysfunctional} because no family is perfect - and I for one am quite happy that it turns out that way!

I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

The following picture sums up what I realized about this holiday season. Jesus and family are such a great gift, undeserved really but that is what makes them such an awesome gift. Here I am, all unperfect, not feeling well, no make-up or brushed hair for that matter, yet… someone still loves us so much that they are willing to give something that means so much. Thank you Father for the gift of your son. Thank you Ryan, Gevan, Jacob, Brennan, Baby Bayliss, Darin, Andrea, Gabriela, Grant, Mom, Dad, Mawmaw, Ryan, Tori, Mom Brenda, and Sam for an amazing holiday. You all are the true reflection of Christ’s expression of love: imperfections and all.

I hope your holidays were as wonderful as ours.

Bloggy breaks, baby, and BlogTalkRadio shows...

inquiry@amybayliss.com (Amy Bayliss) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:59:00 +0000

For starters, today, Thursday at 1pm CST. You can join me live to hear a message on "Discovering the Call God Has On Your Life." You can listen here: CWA Blog Talk Radio or call in: 347.850.8893. You can chat while listening and even call in to ask questions. And, since I've been on a bloggy break since recovering from the flu and had some time, I even made a handout! I know... :)

Download handout here: Discovering the Call God Has On Your Life

I was sick for almost a month y'all. That just isn't right. Needless to say by the time my head cleared I discovered my house was a wreck. Isn't that how it usually happens? Dont' get me wrong, my husband helps out a lot but you know things just get out of whack. So, I figured it was best to focus some time getting back with the program. Besides, it is the Christmas season and everyone is busy so you aren't really reading blogs right now, or are you?

We also got the news about the gender of Baby Bayliss. It never ceases to amaze me that no matter how much you want a baby of a particular gender it doesn't matter at all once you find out what you are having. We are thrilled that in April of 2010 we will be bringing home boy number four to add to the family!

Now I have made some adjustments since this isn't a girl. I have already said to my husband, "That's it! I'm going to be a girly girl from now on. I have to counteract all of this testoterone." And boy do I ever mean it. But I got lots of love and reassurance from my good (IRL - in real life) friends Susan (5 boys) and Tiany (4 boys). I won't go crazy... at least not yet.

So what did I miss? What has blogworld been up to?