Defrump Me

Checking In {A Promise}

2015-04-16T13:34:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! Wow! It has been a long time since any of us have checked back in to our blog. Considering that there are 16 kids between the four of us, we have been pretty busy. I can only speak for myself when I say that I have been in full-blown survival mode.

This was the peach pie my husband made me a day ago. I polished it off today...with a plastic spoon...that we got from an ice cream place.

So as you can imagine, there's not a whole lot of outside defrumping going on with me.

However, God is patiently and lovingly helping defrump my inside.

I'm currently in a bible study with several beautiful women who genuinely love the Lord. We are reading through a book written by Angie Nichols called Something Abundant: Growing from a Child of God to the Bride of Christ. I highly recommend it!

Angie asks several questions in the back of the book. One of the questions she asks is what promise is God showing you right now through his word?

Ummm...Hmmm.... Jesus? (Because that's the answer I have given since Sunday school when I didn't know the answer.)

I moved on quickly from that question because I knew he wasn't going to show me anything. Up to that point in my life I felt like I really didn't count with God. Maybe he had promises for the other girls in the study, but I wasn't holding my breath for one.

But as the weeks went on, Psalm 139:17 continued to pop into my head. So much so that I began to wonder if this might...possibly...maybe be a promise from God. I decided to make a wallpaper for my phone so that I could be reminded of it daily.

My mind was blown that God had so many precious thoughts about me, the girl who didn't matter, that they could not be numbered! I don't think I had had that many precious/non-precious thoughts about anyone or anything. Slowly, that verse became my verse and my promise from God.

So let's flashback to the survival mode I was talking about. I have four boys ages 6, 4, 2, and 4 months. I've struggled with being content as a stay-at-home mom for a long time now. I was a teacher before I had my first son, and I still have several thousands of dollars of student loans left to pay off for a degree I hardly used.

My days are now spent cleaning the house, changing diapers, wiping petroleum jelly off the walls, and trying to ignore the ginormous pile of laundry on the floor (along with the petroleum jelly that never came off the walls) that I just don't have the time to get to. Sounds daunting right? A lot of you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. Well, it was daunting in my mind.

That's the petroleum jelly I was talking about.

I realized the other day that I needed a new outlook on things. I wanted to learn not just to be content with things, but truly love what I do. I wanted this to be my dream job and something I looked forward to each day. So how do I get there God?

As I was driving, I was thinking about my verse. How precious are your thoughts about me, oh God.

It was then that the Lord put it into my mind to take out the "me" and add my son's name. I did. Then, I added my other kids' names.

My eyes were opened to how much more he loves them than I do. It also showed me that I needed to have precious thoughts about them daily instead of my daunting "this is so hard" attitude.

So that is where I am at right now. The Lord is patiently leading me with his word. I can't imagine how dumb I must look to him, but I'm holding on to the fact that he promised me his thoughts about me are precious.

-Amber

There's Some Trim Healthiness Going On 'Round Here {My THM experience so far}

2014-03-01T16:18:00.000-06:00

I mentioned in my summer wrap-up post that I have been following the Trim Healthy Mama plan since I got the book for Christmas last year - through most of my pregnancy and the past 7 months of nursing. My husband joined me after our daughter was born in August, and he has lost over 25 pounds, and I have lost 30 pounds, and we are both at our GOAL WEIGHT and are now in maintenance mode! My size 6 pants are feeling baggy, and I weigh less and wear smaller clothes than I did when I got married!

If you haven't heard of THM and wanna check out what others are saying, here are some reviews on other blogs:

Gwen's Nest Review

Keeper of the Home Review

Growing Home Review

If you are ready to do something different with your eating, I encourage you to try this plan. My research shows that this is a healthy, reasonable way to not just lose weight, but to maintain a healthy lifestyle with real food. And it's not some weird diet where you can only eat certain recipes. Most of what I cook is just slightly adapted from my regular recipes. But I will say that the recipes in the Trim Healthy Mama book are excellent and really worth trying.

Even as a busy mama who can't have dairy or eggs (in a plan that has a lot of dairy and egg recommendations), I still find plenty of options that are quick and suitable for my restrictions. So, here are some of our favorite dinner options.

1) Coconut Curry Chicken (S with broccoli or Crossover with brown rice)
2) Stir-fry (E with brown rice or light S with cauliflower rice)
3) Pan fried chicken with Joseph's pita crumb breading (S)
3) Turkey Chili (my recipe is a Crossover with lots of beans and no rinsing of the meat)
4) Pan fried tilapia or salmon (S - I love the lunch recipe of this in the book, and so does my husband)
5) Fajitas (light S with low carb tortilla or E with rice and beans)
6) Chicken taco/tortilla style soup (E - really just throw a bunch of stuff in the crockpot - this is usually the leftover fajita stuff plus broth and beans)
7) Chicken/turkey sausage sweet potato skillet (solid E, and my husband's favorite meal right now)

Lunch is usually an S salad for each of us. Or leftovers. But sometimes I feel like having something warm, and that's when I make some Taste of Thai (recipe from the book) coconut salmon soup (S And I usually add yellow curry powder - so yummy!)

Another thing that makes it easy for us is that I eat oatmeal with berries for breakfast every morning. This gets me some healthy carbs everyday for milk production and is a good place for me to add in my brewer's yeast and some extra flax and coconut oil for good rich milk. I make my husband a MIM - muffin in a mug - (chocolate raspberry or Italian Cream - he loves both and feels like it's cheating to eat a cupcake for breakfast every morning) from baggies of mix that I make up in advance; and he has eggs and bacon on the weekend.

And now, the rest of the Defrump Me gals have jumped on the THM bandwagon, and I can safely say that we all LOVE it! We share recipes and techniques and encourage and rejoice with each other. Such an important part of any weight loss or health plan is a great support group. So I know that we will be sharing the things that we have learned, the recipes we love, and what other changes we are making as our bodies are changing.

{Valentine's Day Challenge} Praying for True Love

2014-02-14T11:05:00.002-06:00

True love.

It's what we all dream about! It's what we wait for before we find "the one," and what we are sure we've got when we get married. It's what Valentine's Day is all about, right?!

But I've learned that true love is made, not found. You don't marry "the one," you become one through marriage. Or at least, that's God's design. But plenty of times, people drift away from each other, not towards oneness.

Today, my challenge for you is to pray for your marriage, that it will be characterized by true love. More specifically, that you and your husband will grow in the love that is defined by 1 Corinthians 13. So today I challenge you to slowly pray through those verses, specifically 4-8a. Take your time; pause on each word and phrase; let them soak into your mind; be still and let God speak to you through those words. Let God give you a vision for your marriage. Imagine what those things would look like played out in your life and in your marriage. Pray for those things. And know that there is power in that prayer! You are praying for God's will in your life, and You can be absolutely sure He wants those things accomplished in your marriage.

I'm going to say it one more time... :-) Go slow!! Meditate! If you only do one verse today, that's perfectly ok. Do another one tomorrow; take your time.

I am going to share with you the beginning of my prayer for my husband and me. I wrote this down as I was praying, as I always like to do when I'm praying through the scriptures. This makes me slow way down, and lets me solidify God's words to me further. This is very personal to me! Not only sharing my prayers, but sharing them about my marriage. But I hope it will help you to know what I mean by praying through the verses.

These verses are sooooo good! I have found myself praying so many things for my marriage that I certainly wouldn't have thought of if I were praying without the direction of the scriptures.

4 Charity...
Father, thank you for your gift of love! You are the author of love. You created it, you are love. Without You, I am incapable of true love. Fill me with your love for my husband. Thank you for the love you have given him for me. Give me charity -- unselfish concern for Zack's welfare above my own.

...suffereth long,
Thank you for Your long-suffering with me! I have so many weaknesses, and You are so patient with me. I never feel condemnation from You. I only feel acceptance from You, even when You are pointing out something for me to change. Please give my marriage that kind of endurance. Help Zack and me to have a supernatural gift to continue on being patient as the other grows and matures. Help us to respond with total acceptance of the other person, even in times where we need to bring up difficult conversations. Help us to extend grace and mercy to each other. Thank you so much for what a patient person Zack is, and how long-suffering he has been with me for the last decade, with faults that I know are so frustrating at times.

...and is kind;
Oh Lord!! Help me to speak words of kindness! Please train my thoughts and my words to be uplifting to Zack. Please stop me when I am about to say something unkind. Help me to control my thoughts to think only good things about Zack, so that when I speak, kindness is natural. Give me Your thoughts about him; help me to see him as You do -- Your child whom You love and have great compassion for. Even when I am hurt or angry, please fill me with Your spirit and help me respond in kindness. Thank You for giving me a kind husband. Thank You that he so rarely says anything unkind to me! Thank You for showing me Your love through him!

...charity envieth not;
Keep us from envy, Father. Help us to be happy for each other in the good that we have. There are times I get jealous that he gets to leave home every day, to go interact with adults and have quiet. Help me just to be glad for him, and to appreciate him for the difficulties that brings as well. Envy causes division; help us instead to grow as a team, to see the good for one as a blessing for both of us.

...charity vaunteth not itself;
Lord, teach us to put the other first. Protect us from the message from the world that in a marriage you have to make sure your needs get met. Please teach us to seek the other's welfare above our own. Keep us from being demanding. Give us the desire to put our own needs aside when the other has a need. Help me to invest my thoughts into how I can make Zack's life easier and more fulfilling, instead of just dwelling on what I wish were different in my life. I know that this is the path to my own fulfillment anyway! Thank You for Your blessings in our marriage, and for the fruit that has grown from this attitude. Thank You for teaching us the ways to have a peaceful life full of love. Thank You for Your Word, and Your promises. Thank You for Your power to fulfill these things!

...is not puffed up,
Oh Lord, so often I think of myself as better than Zack! That I try harder, that I work harder, that I am more thoughtful, whatever it is. Things that aren't even true! Forgive me for that!! Please continue to show me how prideful that is, and to recognize it as the seed of untruth and to know where that is coming from. Teach me to revere Zack more and more, and to admire him, and lift him up in my mind, not myself. Help Zack to do the same; give us a marriage where we are each lifting each other up. Thank you for Your miraculous design!! It amazes me how when I lift him up, I feel more in love and content myself! Thank You for your wisdom. Teach us to follow Your way!

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly...
Lord, give us discretion in our other relationships. Keep us from interacting with other people in a way that would cause anyone to question the properness of that relationship. Give us wisdom and determination to protect each other's heart and feelings, and to never give any cause for gossip or embarrassment. Thank you SO much for the faithfulness of my husband, and for giving me a marriage where my heart is safe. Please protect us, and give us a strong commitment to continuing that way.

I could go on and on! And I will in my own private time, but I really encourage you to take these verses today and to begin praying them for your marriage. I hope you will be blessed as you do this.

Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

Olympic Valentines {and a Mini Challenge}

2014-02-13T07:07:00.005-06:00

Before we get to today's Valentine's Day Mini Challenge, I wanted to share a fun idea in case you're still wondering what kind of Valentines to send with your kids to school on Friday. Olympic Valentines! What a fun way to combine Olympic love with Valentine's Day love!

Okay, so this was a really fast and easy project. I got the gold medals (set of 8 for $1) and the chocolate hearts (I think there were anywhere from 10-15 in a pkg for $1) at my local Dollar Tree. Then the boys and I just stuck the hearts on the medals with double-sided sticky tape! Voila!

Oh my goodness, they turned out cute! And my boys are so excited about handing them out to their classmates!!

I went ahead and decided to create little messages to attach to each medal. I've included the PDF document below! They say "You're #1 in my heart! Love, ...." :-)

Here they are attached to the medals (my printer was out of colored ink--so sad!). So adorable! My advice? Go for the gold this Friday with Olympic Valentines! :-)

DOWNLOAD: Olympic Valentine PDF (click on the PDF link if you'd like to download my free tags)

Alrighty. On to today's mini challenge! So far this week, we've encouraged you to buy some new lip gloss, choose your Valentine's Day outfit, and paint your nails! Today we want you to clean your wedding ring or any of the jewelry you wear on a daily basis.

If you don't have any jewelry cleaner, you can easily get some at Wal-mart (or probably even Walgreens). I got my cleaner at Wal-mart for just a few bucks. It was specifically for gold jewelry. I just drop my ring down in the cleaner for 15 seconds and then use the little brush that comes with it to scrub my ring. Then I rinse it off and let it dry. That's it!

It really sparkles after it's been cleaned. And it reminds me of what a great guy I have! :-)

image credit

Valentine's Defrump Challenge 3 {Paint Your Nails}

2014-02-12T17:57:00.001-06:00

Here's a quick and cheap challenge that can make a difference in your appearance and feeling less frumpy. Give your nails a quick coat of polish!

Now, y'all don't laugh at the polish on my skin and cuticles. This was a quick "mini-cure" before starting supper.

My polish is cheap from Walmart - Loreal "Mauve Star". Those accent nails are some wraps from Jamberry called "Twitterpated". (This is my second time to do wraps from Jamberry, and I am liking it even more this time around!) You certainly don't have to do anything as fancy as this, or feel free to go all out!

I really like how my nails turned out, and I love how feminine a simple coat of polish makes me feel.

So there you have it! A super quick challenge that should take only 10-15 minutes (including drying time), and could be free or cost only a couple dollars. And it gets your hands ready for the next challenge.....

Are you following our challenges this week? Check in with us on Facebook and let us know how it's going with your Valentine's Day preparations!

Valentine's Day Challenge {Choose an Outfit}

2014-02-11T18:32:00.004-06:00

As Audrey said, we will be bringing you a challenge everyday this week to count down to Valentine's Day. Today, I want us all to start working on choosing an outfit to wear. It doesn't have to be new, it doesn't have to be pink or red, and it doesn't need to have hearts on it. Just try to find something you feel pretty and feminine wearing.

If you do have a little money and want an excuse to shop, one of my favorite Valentine's Day looks is lace. Lace dresses are gorgeous, but a pretty lace top might be a better choice for a more casual look.

Find this here.

Another look I love for Valentine's day is soft floral and blush pink.

Maybe you have an outfit in mind already, but you're not sure how to dress it up. Try adding a bib necklace or soft scarf to give it a more romantic valentine's day look. Forever 21 has new jewelry in their stores that is not only gorgeous but affordable as well. The bib necklaces range from $6-$15. Here are a few that would be perfect for Valentine's Day. Find them here or in a Forever 21 store.

I'll be digging through my closet tonight and tomorrow to come up with an outfit that my husband will be sure to enjoy! Be sure to "like" us on Facebook so you can see what I scrounge up. :)

Final Valentine's Day Challenge Week 5 {Defrump Yourself}

2014-02-10T00:56:00.000-06:00

image credit

Happy Monday, everyone!

We've been gearing up for Valentine's Day here at Defrump Me! Each week over the past month one of us has introduced a challenge--something small to focus on that can produce BIG results. Here's what we've been working on so far:

Week 1: Amber's Challenge {Drink Your Water}
Week 2: Lauren's Challenge {Words of Love}
Week 3: Susan's Challenge {Connect with Your Kids}
Week 4: Audrey's Challenge {Make a Plan}

What are we working on this week? Defrumping ourselves! Isn't it so easy to get caught up in the daily to-do's and never make time for our own health, relaxation, and beauty? But these things are important too! And what better time to MAKE time than today?

So, here's what we'll do: each day one of us will give a mini challenge or tip of something we can all do to defrump ourselves in preparation for Valentine's Day. Even if you don't have a special date night planned, this challenge will still be relevant and lots of fun!

Today's mini defrumping session is to go buy some new lip gloss or lipstick! I love going to Walgreens for makeup like lipstick, blush, and eye shadow. They always have something on sale, and it's easy to get in and out of the store pretty quickly. :-) But wherever you go, just spend an extra 10 minutes and go! It'll be fun, and you'll have a new look for Valentine's Day.

“The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.”
― Louisa May Alcott

Valentine's Day Challenge Week 4 {Make a Plan!}

2014-02-05T11:16:00.000-06:00

image credit

We are in the final countdown to Valentine's Day! Only nine more days to be exact. We hope you've been enjoying each week's challenge. Our goal here at Defrump Me is to always be encouraging each other to be purposeful with the time God has given us, and so we hope that the Valentine's Day Challenges will help us all be a little more intentional with our loved ones.

There's no real time limit for working on these challenges; so just in case you've missed some, here's what we've been working on:

Week 1 Challenge {Drink Your Water}
Week 2 Challenge {Words of Love}
Week 3 Challenge {Connect with Your Kids}

On to this week's challenge! This week we want to you to make a plan! What will you do for Valentine's Day? Will you go on a date with your husband? Will you need to stay home instead? Will you do something extra special for the kiddos? Should you order take out or plan a menu? Does your house need a little attention? :-)

Now, the goal here is NOT to be a perfectionist and NOT to stress! So, that's rule #1 as you start to think about your plan. Maybe only pick 1 or 2 special things to do.

So, if you're one special thing is an at-home date night then don't stress about the entire house being sparkling clean; and creating an elaborate dinner menu (with a printed menu included on special paper); and a special, homemade gift for your husband and kiddos; and Valentine's Day decor throughout the house, and the list goes on and on.... :-) This is what I would naturally tend to do. And I'm a perfectionist. So, that's why I now know to do the exact opposite of what my natural tendencies are! :-)

Instead, if you're one special thing is an at-home date night, then over the next 9 days you could pick 1-3 (make that 1-2! :) of the following ideas to work on...

spend 15 minutes a day on cleaning projects that would help get your house looking better
plan a simple dinner menu with one extra special detail (whether it's a food cut into a heart-shape, or using some special dishes, or a printed out menu, or putting up a special tent to eat under)
decide to order take-out and focus on planning a special activity instead (like a special game or movie, craft with the kiddos, or making/buying a small gift for your husband)
visit the dollar store and get a few things to decorate your dining room or living room with (banners, heart cut-outs that could be taped on the windows, confetti to decorate the table, a new candle, etc.)
plan a special dessert

Remember, as you plan, that the goal here is to CONNECT with your loved ones, NOT to get trapped into thinking you can do it all. So, sit down with some coffee and pen/paper, and start jotting down ideas first. Then pick a couple favorites and plan out how you will make it happen over the next week and a half. Each day, do a little something that gets you closer to your goal. Have fun with it!

You might also like...
Defrump Me: Romantic Dinner Date at Home
Defrump Me: Giardino di Fiat {Dinner Date at Home}

Valentine's Day Challenge Week 3 {Connect with Your Kids}

2014-01-31T11:30:00.000-06:00

Boy, do I need this challenge! It has been said that my daughter Riley (age 7) is my sanctification. She is a wonderful, beautiful challenge of a girl. You know the song from the Sound of Music, "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria"? Just insert Riley's name in there. We but heads every day, and we are both incredibly stubborn.

Anyway, over the years, it has often been difficult for me to connect with her. She has been known to request "girly time" of just me and her, and I try to comply as often as I can. The fact that she still asks is encouraging to me. But I know that the older she gets, the more I need to make the effort to really have quality time.

As a homeschooling mom, I get plenty of quantity time with my kids, and with my younger ones, quality time just seems to happen with cuddles and sit-in-the-lap storytime. I'm learning that as my kids grow out of that stage though, the quality time is going to take a bit more effort on my part. So I've determined to start by spending "girly time" with Riley at least once a month, with little connections at least once a week.

Because planning excites me, I started by making a list of fun things we could do together. Here are 12 real ideas for our monthly time; some are free and some will cost a little bit, probably nothing over $20 though.

Spa night at home - bubble bath, paint our nails and toe nails, try out massage tools, etc.
Lunch at her favorite place
Go for a hike, just the two of us
Go see a movie
Do some special cooking or baking
Lunch at a tea room
Pick a girly movie to watch in a home theater we set up
Go get an actual mani/pedi together
Create matching friendship bracelets
Set a $5 budget each for the Dollar Store and see what we come up with
Have a tea party at home with fancy dishes, "biscuits", scones, and all
Get breakfast at a bakery

Now, I could really over-think this and get all crafty with homemade envelopes and special stationary and all kinds of cutesieness, and that's fine, but really? Neither one of us needs that. That's not saying that that won't eventually happen, ;-) but that's not the important part right now.

The challenge for you this week is to find some way to connect with your kids, on purpose, planned. Even if this is something that you already excel at, a little extra effort never hurt any relationship, right?

Make a list of activities you can do with each of your kiddos, and specifically the one(s) you have the hardest time connecting with - if you need inspiration, there are many other blog posts out there with date ideas for your sons or daughters.
Determine your method for carrying out this plan. When are you going to do these activities? How often? How will you schedule them and set aside that time? My plan is to get together with Riley to choose the month's activities (out of 2 or 3 of the most appropriate options) and then schedule it close to the 17th (her birth date) of each month. Since I want to do this idea with each of my kiddos, aiming for a similar date every month will help me insure that I get them all on the schedule. But you may have a different idea.
Get excited! These are our beautiful children! They love us, we love them! We want to have a strong bond for so many reasons. Just because we have to schedule them in, doesn't mean that the time is a burden any more than finding time with our husbands is a burden. It just makes sense.

And, for the record, it was all I could do to keep myself from creating cute stationary and a sweet little system for this plan so I could show you all how fun and precious and Valentine's-y it could be. But because we are real people, and we know our readers are real people, this isn't a time to get overwhelmed with projects. Valentine's Day is ultimately about loving on people, not making more stuff.

My encouragement to you is to keep it simple! Or, if you want to do the fun stuff I've skipped for this post, so be it! But don't sacrifice the doing of the challenge for the sake of a "project". Does that make sense?

Writing posts with baby Darcy in an Ergo on my lap...

Valentine's Day Challenge Week 2 {Words of Love}

2014-01-24T09:19:00.000-06:00

Good morning, friends! Have you been drinking your water this past week? It's not so hard if you're intentional about it, but if you're not, it's surprising how little you can drink in a day. Keep working on that this week!

Today, I am going to share a relationship challenge with you. I believe that one of the most important things you can do to improve your feelings of affection towards your spouse is to commit to thinking positive thoughts about them, focusing intentionally on their good qualities, and not allowing yourself to dwell on things that bother you or annoy you. But then, it's even better to take that a step further and share those thoughts with your spouse!

But what if words are hard for you?? It can be intimidating to share specific and intimate words of affection with someone, even your own husband. This tip today will help you share those positive thoughts you're focusing on.

Last Valentine's Day, I made one of those frames you've probably seen on Pinterest that says "I love you because..." I put it in our bathroom, and got a dry erase marker. I began to use it, and lucky for me, Zack did too. ;-) But after a little while, he revealed that he didn't really like it. He said, "I don't love you because anything, I just love you." Well, ok, that's a good point. :-) So I replaced the little printable with a blank colored paper, which has been a lot more fun. (All these pictures are notes he has written, not me, because I don't save the ones I write of course)

Funny side note, that little rubber ducky was at the hotel in Orlando where we went for our honeymoon. So we swiped it for a keepsake and somehow have never lost it!

I would encourage you to get a simple little frame like this and challenge yourself to express appreciation to your husband through your words. For some couples, it will mean a lot to the husband, especially if his love language is words of affirmation. Let me tell you, I am a words person, and when Zack writes something on our little board, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy for a week! Seriously. It's even better than flowers. It makes me feel how some of you probably feel when your husband does the dishes. :-) I even have an album on my phone where I have saved pictures of all the notes he's written me over the past year! But even if your husband isn't as responsive to words, he will still appreciate it, and your relationship will benefit greatly from the exercise of focusing on his positive qualities.

I have so many notes like this saved on my phone! I love being able to look back at them any time I want to.

A word of advice -- don't give yourself a schedule like, "I will write something every Monday." First of all, this sets up an expectation from both you and your husband, which may become burdensome to meet. And secondly, you want to be able to write notes spontaneously as they come to your mind. But do commit to sharing your admiration and appreciation regularly. Or else you might see what I saw one time. Ha!!

If you find yourself having a hard time thinking of new things to write, focus on spending more time during your day intentionally being thankful for your husband, and you will be surprised at how much appreciation begins to flow in your mind and heart!

On our 10th anniversary. See why I save them? And why they make me feel warm and fuzzy?? :-)

If you will start to do this, just wait and see how much your feelings of love and affection towards your husband will begin to transform by Valentine's Day. And then your actions will naturally follow -- you will be happier to see him, you will miss him when he's gone, you will be pleasant company, and all of those things will make you and your husband feel more romantic and in love than ever.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ~Philippians 4:8

Valentine's Day Challenge Week 1 {Drink Your Water}

2014-01-15T11:38:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone! Now that Thanksgiving and Christmas are behind us, the stores are full of giant stuffed bears, fake roses, and heart candies. Yep, Valentine's Day is happening in just four weeks! Honestly, my husband and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day...unless you count going to Chick-fil-a and enjoying chicken nuggets over candlelight/battery operated tea light.

Even though we don't normally make a big deal out of the actual holiday, it doesn't mean I can't do something special for him. All of us girls here at Defrump Me have decided to do a Valentine's Day Challenge as a countdown to prepare for Valentine's Day. I hope y'all check in weekly to see what new challenges we are working on each week and join us in them.

Valentine's Day Challenge Week 1 {Drink Your Water}:
This week we are going to work on a healthy habit, drinking water. If you're like me, you probably love your diet sodas, and cutting them out sounds next to impossible. I remember a friend of mine talking about the only drink of water she ever got was the little bit she swallowed when she brushed her teeth. I'm embarrassed to admit that I often did this as well.

But after feeling so sluggish and yucky from the holidays, I was ready for a change. I started with drinking water.

Water makes up 60% of your body weight, and every system in your body depends on it. It flushes toxins out of vital organs and carries nutrients to your cells. (Info found on Mayo Clinic website).

Yes water is extremely important for your health and body, but you may wonder what this has to do with Valentine's Day. Ever feel like being flirty and fun when you're feeling sluggish and yucky? We want to start the habit of drinking water the first week so you not only have the energy and desire to do the rest of the challenges, but you'll notice some changes in your body's physical appearance such as less bloat and possibly a small bit of weight loss. Hopefully, this small change can help build our confidence and give us the desire to, well, desire our husbands.

This week we'll commit to drinking at least 64oz of water a day. I've found that using a water bottle with a straw helps me to drink more. If you don't have a water bottle, just try using a straw in a cup so you can sip throughout the day. Another good tip for getting enough water in the day is to drink a glass first thing in the morning. I try to drink a glass while my coffee is brewing. It helps get 8oz in first thing in the morning.

If you don't like the taste of water, check out some of Susan's yummy water recipes in a past blog post, There's a Spa in Your Pantry.

I hope y'all will join us in the Valentine's Day Challenge this month! Let us know how you're doing in the comments section, and please share any tips you have for each challenge. Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook so you can follow our updates during the challenge. Now let's get started!

7 Life Areas to Consider in Your New Year's Plans

2013-12-30T11:49:00.000-06:00

Have y'all been as busy as I have?? I mean, really! It feels like four children has really put me at an all time high for work output. But I know I've got some things that need examining as we approach a new year.

I want 2014 to be our best yet! Unfortunately, the past couple months have seen me in a bit of a funk. No fun for me or the rest of my family. But I am ready to jump in and work to make a change! For the past 2 years I've used a little trick to help me organize my mind and my goals for the new year. Notice I say GOALS not resolutions - here's a post on that.

What helps me is setting up categories and making just a couple goals for each. Without a limit or some kind of parameters, I can tend to go overboard with my planning, and sometimes things never actually happen. So, without further examination, here are 7 areas I have come up with to help me organize my 2014 goals:

1. Spiritual
What goals do I want to set up to have a closer walk with God at this time next year? My personality needs concrete plans (subject to adjustment), not just ambiguous ideas.

2. Physical
It is so important for us to make an effort to improve our health. Not just "lose weight" or "exercise more", though that may be a good start. In 2012, I ran - 5k and 10k races and even a half marathon. Then we announced our pregnancy with number 4. So 2013 was filled with a very healthy pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Physical goals can include weight loss (lose 20 pounds) or exercise (do 30 minutes 4 times a week), but it should also include healthy eating - checkout last year's post on 7 Healthy Foods for inspiration. And also, be sure to drink your water!

3. Relational
This is the area where I include things like reinstating date nights and mommy/kid dates and things of that nature. Goals for how I want my interactions with people to be.

4. Homemaking
"Be more organized" "Simplify" "Eat at home more" Those are typical resolutions, right? But what are your Goals in this area - "Declutter 15 minutes every day" "Make a rotating menu" (inspiration here and here.)

5. Child-raising
For me, this area includes things like homeschool goals, attitude adjusting, chore training, as well as potty-training.

6. Personal
This is where I put my goals for reading, self-education, and moving my business forward.

7. Financial
Many people have resolutions to reduce debt or increase savings. I encourage you to set up a plan for that - "Pay off store credit cards" "Put $100 in savings every month"

Whatever your goals for 2014 look like, remember that each day has its choices - choose success. Also remember that sometimes you may fail, or fall off the wagon - deal yourself some mercy.

Want some more inspiration? Here are 7 Healthy Habits you can incorporate right away.

An old-fashioned Christmas tree {DIY burlap ornaments}

2013-12-13T08:52:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas-time SO much, but it's just too easy for me to go overboard and get overwhelmed. Therefore, my goal for Christmas this year is to keep everything simple. To relax. To really enjoy the season. And to remember why we celebrate. I have not been successful with this goal in the past, so I was extra determined to not stress out this year. To help me do this, I've done 3 things:

I scaled my Christmas decorations waaaay back. I fully realize how silly it is to get stressed out about something that's supposed to be enjoyable, and yet I do...I think it's the 14 years worth of Christmas stuff in bins I have to go through! I know I need to go through it all and declutter, but it's never a top priority. :-)
I also decided not to make a bunch of homemade gifts. Again, this is fun but it's always stressful getting it all done. I love making things for people; but at times I have had 15+ gifts to make, and it's just too much to get done in such a short time.
Finally, I made a Christmas calendar of events--a "25 days of Christmas" list--but I told myself I did not need to do it all to have a fun month and to make memories with my family.

The more I focus on a quiet Christmas, the more I think back to what Christmas was like long ago. I always refer to Laura Ingalls and her quaint stories of Ma and Pa and the simple things they did to celebrate Christmas as a family. I love those stories!

I decided I wanted an old-fashioned Christmas to be part of my theme this year for my decorating and my general approach to the entire season. One day I remembered a bag of red and white fabric scraps that had for several years been stuffed away in my sewing box. I had a "light-bulb" moment when I realized I could cut the scraps into strips and tie them onto my tree for an old-fashioned, homey look. It may sound tedious to do, but it wasn't. It was actually really fun!

Here are some more ideas for old-fashioned Christmas tree decorations: baking soda ornaments, dried orange slices, popcorn and cranberry garlands, paper garlands, paper ornaments, candy-canes, any kind of handmade ornament (my mother-in-law made the boys cross-stitched nutcracker ornaments and we just love them; my sister-in-law made me some German straw ornaments that are absolutely lovely and some quilled paper ornaments--wow!). Using things from nature like pine-cones, berries, sticks, and pine branches are also a way to keep things simple, frugal, and beautiful.

One day I was in Hobby Lobby and I saw these wonderful burlap ornaments! They were so pretty. Part of a collection called Aspen Holiday, I think. Sadly, I couldn't afford to get them as they were $6 a piece! Sooo, I just took a picture of them instead and tried my hand at making them. Oh my goodness! They were super easy to make and turned out so cute! A great DIY project that doesn't take a ton of time. Here's how to make them...

1. and 2. show the $6 ornaments I was trying to recreate.
3. Draw a pattern for each shape you want to make, trace it onto burlap, and cut out 2 identical layers.
4. Cut small strips of lace and pin them into place.
5. Using a tight zig-zag stitch, sew (top-stitch) around the outside of the ornament leaving a seam of maybe 1/4-inch. We just eyed it (my mom helped). Leave a 1-inch opening for the stuffing. (Alternative: if you can't or don't want to sew, hot glue works--just be careful to not burn yourself!)
5. Stuff the ornament with some kind of filler (you can use the cheap stuff on this project).
6. Sew the 1-inch opening closed.

7. Tie yarn in a small bow and glue onto the ornament. I used E6000 glue, but it was annoying to work with. I would think any kind of fabric glue or even hot glue would work though.
8. I really wanted some jewels on these ornaments. My mom and I had recently purchased a Bejeweler Pro Hot-Fix Crystal Tool for setting/fixing Swarovski rhinestones onto things. Such a cool tool! However, fabric glue would also work.
9. Finished burlap bird ornament! Last step was to glue something to hang it with.
10. Another finished ornament. I love how they turned out! Very simple and rustic.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, that these ornaments cost me absolutely nothing to make! We had a bolt of burlap left over from my sister's wedding, and my mom already had the lace and other embellishments.

I love how the tiny rhinestone really sparkles!

These would make lovely gifts as well!

Here's a picture of how I tied the fabric scraps to my tree.

Finished look after tying the fabric strips all over.

We also made baking soda ornaments. My boys helped and had so much fun cutting out the shapes! I think Lauren plans to blog about how to make these, but check out my pinterest Christmas board for links to the recipe.

Here's a recap of the Aspen Holiday ornament I saw in-store and the one I recreated.

And here's my "old-fashioned" Christmas tree--well, at least as old-fashioned as a fake tree can get! :-)

Hope you can keep things simple this Christmas and be reminded of the One who brings true joy and peace. Merry Christmas!

Farewell Summer!

2013-10-30T14:48:00.001-05:00

I'm so glad to be back blogging! I know y'all are just DYING to know what we did this summer, right? Well, never fear, once I get this post out of my system, then we should be all caught up and we can move on. Just humor me, okie doke? We had one FULL summer! Here's a recap: (Prepare for picture overload!)

We started the summer off with two family reunions. The top picture is my husband's extended family. The Holts are prolific. ;-) The bottom picture was taken during some down time fishing at the cabin where my extended family met for a reunion in Kansas.

We said goodbye to my grandfather at his memorial; on the left, my sister and I are visiting about something. On the right, my daughter Riley is listening to stories told by my Kansas grandmother - my only living grandparent - at her kitchen table. I'm so thankful that we managed to get some pictures of her with our kiddos.

Our kids did a lot of dressing up and posing (but not a lot of being still enough for good iPhone pictures).

We had a new experience of homemade snowcones after playing in mud puddles on a hot day.

We celebrated the 4th of July with our friends and family. My boys are in the navy shirts that we painted, and Amber's boys are in the white shirts. I'm so glad all those boys are good buddies! And my husband has perfected the art of photographing fireworks, they are really cool!

We did a lot of fun activities. From top to bottom: kids bowl free bowling with the cousins; visiting the county fair with our homeschool group; "hanging around" with friends (that's Amber's son on the right) at Gymnastic Joe's. Just a sampling. :-)

We fell in love with this cool park near our house and went there a gajillion times.

We took lots

and LOTS of walks in our neighborhood. Why??

Remember this announcement? My talented husband took the pictures on the left when I was 38 weeks. Top right is me and belly at 40 weeks...and growing.... And of course, you have to prepare for both when your baby's gender is a surprise!

I hung out a lot with my kiddos. More pictures by my husband at a Naturals baseball game.

We also got a few dates in during the summer. I sure love this red-headed guy! :-)

At 41 weeks pregnant, I decided to have some fun with all the advice people give to people who are "overdue" and try to do it all in one day. Nesting and drinking red raspberry leaf tea, chiropractic adjustment (love my chiropractors at Generations Health and Wellness Center), lots of walking (here with my niece Rebekah), and jumping on a trampoline (with a timid Jonah at Gymnastic Joe's).

I at a bunch of pineapple, had the cutest foot massagers, ate some eggplant parmesan, and more. I called it my "Do All the Things! Day" and it was tons of fun...but baby still didn't come...

But boy, when SHE did....

WOW was she worth it!! I can't imagine a sweeter, more beautiful baby girl! We named her Darcy Elizabeth and she came at 42 weeks, 8 pounds 9 ounces in a labor that lasted just 4 hours!

We are adjusting to life with 4 children, homeschooling 2nd grade for 1 and preschool for 2, I'm teaching my Bradley childbirth classes, and just staying generally busy. Life is full of blessings! And now we are enjoying the fall changing of leaves and moving into fall clothes and soup and chili weather. Mmmm!!

Also, because of Darcy's (expected) food sensitivities, I'm back to a dairy, soy, egg, pork, and white potato free diet. My husband and I follow the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle as well, so I do a lot of cooking. I hope I can share some yummy recipes and about the success my husband and I are having losing weight and gaining health with the THM plan.

Which reminds me, I'm due for some new non-frumpy clothes... :-)

A Mom's Best Friend

2013-10-19T22:07:00.000-05:00

Hello, friends!! I hope you all had a fabulous summer, and that your fall season is off to a fun and peace-filled start. October is one of my favorite months of the year. Along with April, June, November, and December. Ha!! I feel very blessed to live in an area of the country that experiences all the seasons. We are just about to hit peak glory in fall colors around here, and I can't wait!

We had a super fun, full, summer, and now we are waiting the arrival of baby #5! She (!!! :D ) is due in about 3 weeks, and I can tell ya, I'm ready to get this show on the road.

Today I want to share with you one of my biggest life-savers as a mom of 4 (almost 5!!) little ones. As you can well imagine, I don't love running out to the grocery store to get toilet paper because we ran out. And as you can also imagine, I'm always looking for ways to cushion the budget and save money.

Enter Amazon! Many of you may have heard of Subscribe & Save, where you can select certain items sold by Amazon and get them shipped to your door on a regular basis for a discount. The discount is typically only 5%, though you still get free shipping. But did you know Amazon has a program for moms -- shockingly called Amazon Mom -- that you can get up to 20% off your items? Plus, with no tax (for most states), that can really feel more like 25-30% off. The trick is that you have to get at least 5 items per month to get the 20% off. But when you go looking around, there are plenty of things you buy on a monthly basis that will be cheaper on Amazon! I actually probably get a dozen or more items every month this way. It's totally free to sign up, and you even get 3 months of free Prime membership when you join.

Here are some of the staples in our house that I get shipped to our front door regularly, and for cheaper than I could buy at my local stores. Sometimes much cheaper!!

Bounty Basic Paper Towels 6 Select-A-Size Big Rolls

Current price: $4.78 ($0.80 / count) after 20% discount.

Gain Ultra Gain Liquid Island Fresh 64 Load, 100 Ounce Bottle

Current price: $9.55 ($0.10 / oz) after 20% discount.

Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo, 5 Ounce

Current price: $2.30 after 20% discount. (compared to $2.98 +tax at Walmart)

San Francisco Bay Coffee OneCup for Keurig K-Cup Brewers, Fog Chaser, 80-Count

Current price: $23.80 ($0.30 / count) after 20% discount. (compared to $.60/each or more for most brands at Walmart/Target)

Clif Kid ZBar, Organic Chocolate Chip, 18 Count

Current price: $11.00 ($0.61 / count) after 20% discount.

Luvs With Ultra Leakguards Size 5 Diapers 140 Count

Current price: $27.99 ($0.20 / count) after 20% discount.

Maybelline New York Volume Express Colossal Cat Eyes Washable Mascara, Glam Black, 0.31 Fluid Ounce

Current price: $4.75 after 20% discount. (compared to $6 at Walmart)

Finish Powerball Tabs Dishwasher Detergent, Fresh Scent, 85-Count

Current price: $11.10 ($0.13 / count) after 20% discount.

Huggies OverNites Diapers, Size 5, Big Pack, 52 Count

Current price: $15.99 ($0.31 / count) after 20% discount. ($20 at Walmart)

Degree Women Clinical Protection Antiperspirant and Deodorant, Fresh Energy, 1.7Ounce (Pack of 2)

Current price: $10.35 ($3.04 / oz) after 20% discount. (About $8 each at Walmart!)

Oral-B Pro-Health Stages Avengers Assemble(Soft) 5-7 Years, Twin Pack

Current price: $3.39 ($1.70 / count) after 20% discount. (I even get stuff like this delivered every 6 months so I don't have to worry about when the toothbrushes need replacing)

There are more, but I think you get the point. :-) These are all items off my own subscription list that I have compared to my local stores and found to be a savings, or at least break-even. Even if something is a break-even item, I still love the convenience and choose to get it through Amazon. But for most items, I'm saving!

You can set your subscriptions for anywhere from only 1 item every 6 months to multiple items each month. The main thing to remember is that only in the months where your Subscribe & Save shipment has 5 or more items will you get the 20% discount. So go add a box of granola bars if you need to! :-)

I hope this is helpful to you! I can't tell you how convenient it is to me to know that toilet paper, diapers, wipes, laundry detergent, etc. are not going to run out, and that I don't even have to go to the grocery store to get them!

Sign up here for Amazon Mom. This is not an affiliate link, and Amazon does not know I'm giving this tip :-) http://www.amazon.com/gp/mom/signup

5 and 5 {Five things since I saw you last and a $5 front door makeover}

2013-10-11T02:08:00.002-05:00

It feels good to be blogging again! I'm surprised how much I missed it. I looked back and the last time I posted was in April! Goodness--life has been busy.

So here are 5 interesting things that have happened since I saw you last (or at least posted last ;-)...

1. Practically overnight, my baby turned into a 1-year old! Well, almost. In little less than a month, my sweet William will be 1. It's so hard to believe. And let me just say, growing him to a 1-year old was a TON of work. :) Which is why I stopped blogging. And stopped a bunch of other things too. But it was worth all that work as you moms out there can testify.

2. My little sister got married. She's actually 27, but she'll always be my baby sister. She had a gorgeous wedding and I was so honored to be her matron of honor (yikes! that sounds so...matronly). Love ya, sis!

3. I defrumped a little more. Yay! So far, since we started this little blog just over 2 years ago, I've lost a total of 35 pounds...and still losing (or at least working on it). This is an amazing achievement for me, and I've learned a lot about myself in the process. Looking forward to sharing some of the things that have worked for me!

4. I FINALLY got my garage organized!!!!!!!! I will dedicate a series of posts on this one.

5. I've been reading, reading, reading. And listening to audio-books and radio programs. I even started an online course! I love learning new ideas and hashing out old ones. :) Now if only I could learn to love cooking...THAT would be very useful. I'm working on it. Every time I watch Ree Drummond cook, I come very, very close.

Ummm...back to books. Currently, I'm reading this book and meeting to discuss it with some friends (including the DefrumpMe ladies). It's been a great study on marriage and communication. If you need a little help in this area like I do, then read it. I highly recommend it!

P.S. I should also randomly say that I drank lots and lots of coffee since I saw you last. Coffee has become my new friend. :-D

Now, on to my $5 front door makeover! $5, you say? Surely not. YESSSS. My friend Jessica gave me this idea. You know those little sample cans of paint you can buy at Lowe's for $3 or $4? They are the perfect amount of paint to get a couple of coats on your front door. Unbelievable but true!

My front door was looking oh so sad....peeling...bubbling...

I bought some primer (found it half off at Walmart, so my door makeover was more like $8) and got to work. First I had to peel off and sand down some spots, but then I got it looking fabulous with just one of those sample cans. And the new color??? PURPLE. Oh yeah. I love it!

And I had all the supplies to make this burlap fall wreath. So easy. If you'd like a wreath tutorial, go HERE.

I also did my mom's front door. Her door didn't need any primer, which was nice. Less painting! I also made her a fall wreath out of burlap. I think I love the way her front door makeover turned out even better than mine! But then again...I sure do love my purple front door! Can't decide!

Don't be scared. Don't be skeptical. Just go buy some paint and give your front door a fresh, new look for under $5! It'll be a perfect makeover for fall.

Fall Decorations Under $20

2013-10-01T15:19:00.002-05:00

Fall, sweet, fall. I think subway art was invented just to show all the wonderful things that make up fall. Speaking of subway art, go here to get ours. It's just one more free way you can bring fall into your home... Which is exactly what I set out to do this fall.

I spent less than $20 on all of my fall decorations inside and outside. Here's what I did...

The Wreath: I had loads of burlap sacks my mom gave me last year, and I also had this nice stick wreath sitting in my garage. I simply cut up the burlap in squares and glued them onto the wreath. Part of my budget was spent on 1/2 yd of cream colored burlap and the chevron burlap ribbon.

The Mantle: I normally have white flowers in my vases, but they don't look very fall-ish. So I took my kiddos on a scavenger hunt for fall looking grass and sticks. While the hunt was a lot of fun, I don't love the grass. It's not enough contrast to my brick fireplace. I might decide to add something later though. I did paint a couple of little pumpkins white (I couldn't find the real white ones.) And I added some cinnamon sticks to my little bucket.
Total cost was $1 for the cinnamon sticks (after 1/2 off at Hobby Lobby) and the little pumpkin came in a bag with others for $3.75ish.

The Piano: The little coffee can has pine cones, hickory nuts, and trimmed branches we collected outside. I filled my glass pitcher with burlap, raffia, and long cinnamon sticks. I also covered some cheap pumpkin candles from Walmart with the leftover chevron ribbon. The cinnamon sticks were the only purchase here since I already had the other items.

The Other Stuff:: We don't have regular glasses to drink from. We actually use mason jars. I swiped a couple and added nuts, pine cones, berries, and branches for more fall decor.
The little jar with the beans and popcorn was leftover from last fall. The only expense was the little pumpkins that came in a bag.

The Free: This chalkboard was already hanging by our dinning room table... easy peasy fall decor and free. I also want to point out the crate. My husband found a huge load of them behind a little grocery store. After attempting to ask in Spanish if we could have them, I came home with a van load. (We're pretty sure they said it was ok...) Now, you'll find at least one of these crates in just about every area of my house.

And finally, The Porch: I turned a crate sideways, shoved a burlap sack in there with some raffia, added a few pumpkins and a mum. I had a little chalkboard I decided to hang next to it because, just like crates, a girl can never have too many chalkboards. The mum plant got the leftover ribbon, and voila! The pumpkin and mum were the other expenses in the $20 budget.

I'm not holding my breath waiting for Southern Living to call, but fall makes me happy, and if adding a few pine cones to my house and pumpkin creamer to my coffee can put more fall in my life, then I'm gonna do it!

Happy fall y'all!

What I {Amber} Did This Summer

2013-09-26T08:26:00.002-05:00

Hello, to the Land of the Living!!! In case you didn't notice, we took a blogging break over the summer. (If you want to call being with 3-4 kids every day and night a break.) We're hoping to get back into the swing of things, but first, I thought I'd give you all a glimpse into what I've been busy doing this summer. (Prepare yourself for picture overload.)

My family kicked off our summer by moving into a new house! And we kicked off moving into our new house by scraping all the "popcorn" off the ceiling and priming and painting every. single. wall. Thankfully, we had friends and youth group slaves...er...kids to help.

Rhett helped with the painting too. ;)

We did enjoy having a much larger backyard this summer!

I held a snake.

Elliott dressed like Moses...

Bibleman...

and a pirate.

We visited Pawpaw and Nana a few times.

We went to a few birthdays...

celebrated the Fourth of July...

swam a lot...

and smiled a lot.

We had fun at the Splash Pad!

We enjoyed beautiful sunsets...

and they learned how to swim.

We went to the Grape Festival...

and baseball games.

I even attended a few weddings.

I took a gazillion pictures. See more @ amberdickey.com.

Rhett grew 6 teeth!

We didn't work a concession stand with youth group this year. Which meant, we actually went to a game!

They created works of art...

and spent hours in our yard.

We even managed to visit Beaver Lake.

The best part of my summer was seeing these beautiful boys every day.

I'm so glad to be back though, and I'm ready to continue on my defrumping journey!

{Menu Monday} April 22

2013-04-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here's what we are eating this week!

- Caesar Salad, Spaghetti with Italian Sausage, Artisan Bread, Zucchini
- Rice, Chips and Salsa, Layered Mexican Casserole, Tomatoes and Avocado
- Applesauce, Baked Omelet Squares, Whole Wheat Toast
- Cornbread, Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Caesar Salad, French Bread, Baked Parmesan Tomatoes, Garlic Cheddar Chicken

Linking up at OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday

{Did I Pin a Win?} Baked vs. Boiled Hard-Boiled Eggs

2013-04-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's time for another Pin a Win post! I love doing these because as someone who is still actively pinning stuff and wondering if it really works, I do wish sometimes I could get honest feedback about whether an idea is really great before I take the time and energy to tackle it. Hopefully y'all can trust my words and pictures enough to try these ideas for yourself if you want.

So, this post refers to the gazillion eggs I needed hard-boiled for Easter, both to dye for fun and for 2 family get-togethers worth of deviled eggs (my specialty). I had seen lots of people posting this revolutionary baking method for cooking eggs, and I was skeptical, but knew I had to try it for as much as I need large batches of eggs sometimes.

My Pinspiration:

Source: onelittleproject.com via Susan @DefrumpMe on Pinterest

And here's how it went:

To really test this new idea out, I used fresh eggs for the baked version, and week-old eggs for the boiled version, because if you've boiled and peeled many eggs, you may know that older eggs peel easier than fresh eggs.

I boiled a dozen with my no-fail egg timer and followed these directions for 16 baked eggs:

Place eggs on mini muffin tin holes.
Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.
Place in ice water for 10 minutes.

Two egg-cooking methods, both alike in dignity; in fair kitchen where we lay our scene...

Cooked eggs. Both methods took 30 minutes. No cracked shells from either method.
The baked ones did develop spots on the shells.

Ice bath for each batch.

The spots washed off easily in the ice water.

Then came time for peeling. The baked version actually peeled quite a bit more easily than the boiled version. I think even my husband could have done it without growing frustrated! :-)

Here's the baked version peeled. You can see two tiny brown spots where the shell was touching the pan.
Not a deal-breaker for me.

And here's the boiled version peeled and cut open. You can kind of see how the yolk seems a little dryer, it didn't cut as smoothly. Still, both eggs are similar enough in appearance and texture.

A closer comparison of the two versions sliced open - baked on top, boiled on bottom.
Neither is green or overly dry. Both yolks came relatively cleanly out of the white.

At this point, I was still not convinced that the baked version was significantly better than the boiled version, but I did see the advantage for doing large batches as opposed to pulling out multiple pans for boiling. And I was surprised by the ease of the peeling, especially for fresh eggs.

And then it was time to empty the yolks from the whites and smash them to get the deviled egg filling. If nothing else convinced me, this did! The baked yolks were perfectly smashable and crumbly, compared to the boiled yolks which can sometimes be just a bit rubbery and chunky. The baked yolk texture was fabulous and made for some truly delicious filling, of which I do not have a picture because they all get gobbled so quickly. ;-)

VERDICT: This pin was definitely a WIN! I have since used the baking method of hard-cooking eggs anytime I've needed more than a half dozen at a time, and I see it sticking around as my preferred method of "hard-boiling" eggs.

Have you tried this method? Are you more likely to give it a try now?

{Menu Monday} dood mornin'

2013-04-15T07:47:00.001-05:00

There was a lady who went to our church when I was a girl who has passed away now. If you would say "good morning" to her, she would always reply,"dood mornin' if it is a dood mornin'" in a gravelly, raspy voice that sounded much crosser then she was. And it's how I feel pretty much every Monday morning :-) So, I wish you all "dood mornin'"– if it is a dood mornin' at all. ;-)

Monday – Marinated Ranch Broiled Chicken, Twice Baked Cauliflower, Butter Rolls

Tuesday – Baked Chicken, Salad, Cheesy Zucchini Bake, Rolls

Wednesday – Bacon & Scrambled Egg Bagel Sandwiches, Fruit

Thursday – Baked Brown Rice, Smoky Grilled Pork Chops, Roasted Garlic Parmesan Brussels Sprouts, Steamed Carrots

Friday – Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, Rice, Quick Creamed Spinach

Linking up at OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday

Cars Themed Birthday Party {with printables}

2013-04-11T18:32:00.001-05:00

I know I've talked about it a lot, and it was really fun to put together, and now I can finally share it with you! (Actually, my husband, who takes all our family party pictures and edits them beautifully, said the pictures were actually done a while ago...so oops!)

Okay, so here's the run down.
We had an afternoon birthday party for my youngest son's 2nd birthday party. After watching "Mater's Tall Tales" on Netflix about a billion times, I thought that would be a pretty good theme for his party.

Step 1: Find ideas on Pinterest.
My basic strategy is not to duplicate every single idea I find, but more to saturate my brain with ideas, and then adapt what I can. Some stuff is just so cute that I have to use exactly what I see. :-)

This is my actual Cars Party Pinterest board. Feel free to browse it for more ideas.

Step 2: Narrow it down.
I decided I liked the playdoh favor idea, and I picked which of the snacks I wanted to have, and decided on a single activity out of the many I saw.

Step 3: Print what's available or design my own.
There were a couple things I was able to find that worked really well with what I decided to go with. I'll share those links in a bit. Unfortunately, many of the things I found, just didn't line up with my "vision", so I set out to create my own things to print. Lucky for y'all, I'm going to share those printables with you too! Keeping in mind that I am not a professional graphic designer, I just do what works for me. :-)

Step 4: Use what you have on hand.
One of the things I picked up at the Rhea Lana's consignment sale was a huge lot of toy cars from the Cars movies. I was able to use these and the Cars-themed rug I also found there as a major part of the decorations.

Step 5: Finish it off with supplies from Dollar Tree and Walmart.
Best idea for keeping a party within a budget is to purchase solid colored party supplies and then print your own themed items to pull it together. So, I got the black plastic table covers and taped yellow strips of construction paper down the middle, used black and red paper goods and streamers and balloons, and then depended on my Cars toys and printed items to nail the theme.

Step 6: Have a great cake.
I found like 7 different cake ideas, but obviously, those were just ideas for my dear sister Elizabeth who is a fantastic cake decorator and always does amazing cakes for our family birthdays. I just love her! :-)

Step 7: Don't overload guests with too much going on.
When you have 5 activities and only 2 hours, it can lead to unnecessary stress for you and your guests. Kids are happy playing with each other, and adults just want to visit! After some waffling back and forth, I went with just a single activity outside of snacks, cake, and presents. And kids and adults alike participated (I wish we had pictures of the adults - they had I think as much fun as the kids getting their "body art"!)

Step 8: If you've planned ahead, you can take a step back and enjoy the day.
Do take time to visit with your guests and enjoy the birthday kid! Be in some pictures. Because your kids may remember their birthday or they may not, and they will not know or remember how hard you worked to make it special. But when they see pictures of you on party day, it will mean so much more if you are smiling and having fun, not stressed and frazzled.

You can see those ice cream servings I pre-scooped.

Calm and collected or caught completely off guard by photographer hubby? You be the judge!

So in addition to cake and ice cream, we also had the following yummy treats:

Rust-eze Bumper Ointment (applesauce cups with printed paper labels)
Mater's Dip Sticks (plain and chocolate-dipped pretzel rods)
Cozy Cone Popcorn (kettle corn in orange construction paper cones)
Luigi's Tires (chocolate covered mini donuts)
Sarge's Survival Mix (Chex party mix)
Sheriff's Traffic Lights (rice krispie treats topped with umm chocolate again and red, yellow, and green M&Ms for the lights)
Lightning McQueen's Lemonade
Fillmore's Organic Fuel (sweet tea - although, about 10 minutes before the party I thought this should be ice water and the sweet tea could be "Allinol" or "Motor Oil")

I designed labels for each of these except the Rust-eze, which I just printed from clipart I found searching Google images. Also, I tried to design a label for the Fillmore's Organic Fuel, but the one here is just way better. :-) This is also where I found the printables for the Flo's V8 Cafe sign and the Ramone's House of Body Art sign.

You can get my printable labels HERE! To spruce up the labels, I also found an image of each of the characters. But I'm sure copyright laws or something would prohibit me from publishing those here, so just feel free to do your own search. ;-)

Want a few more pictures? My wonderful husband does a great job of capturing all of our family events - I'm so thankful for his talent and his willingness to do this for us, even when the lighting isn't the greatest and he's trying out his new fancy lens.

I searched everywhere for checkered scrapbook paper or wrapping paper, but had to settle for fabric,
which actually worked better for the flags and the pennant banner.

And finally, my adorable birthday boy. Such a happy little guy in his Lightning McQueen chair. :-)

{Menu Monday} CrockPot dinners

2013-04-08T07:33:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday! I've decided to pull out my CrockPot this week, because I miss the ease of it! Plus, I'm wanting to make a couple things that will freeze well as leftovers for Zack's lunches. So here's what we're eating!

Monday - Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, French Bread
Tuesday - Beans, Cornbread
Wednesday - Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Fruit, Eggs
Thursday - Slow Cooker Thai Green Curry, Rice
Friday - Hamburgers, Potato Casserole, Watermelon

Linking up at OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday

A long and boring post... :-)

2013-04-05T09:05:00.001-05:00

image credit

I wanted to do a quick update on my New Year's goals, and the progress I've made. (I hope it won't be too long and boring for you!) These are the goals I shared with y'all back in January. I've definitely gained some ground in some of these areas, while others...not so much! It's good for me to look back at these and see what goals I need to pick back up and start focusing on again.

2013 NEW YEAR'S GOALS

ME:

Lose 20 pounds by my birthday (April 28th).
Get up 1-2 hours before the boys so I can get some quiet time to myself as well as get a good start on my morning routine (more about this in a future post).
Look for specific ways to reach out and bless others.
Be a more cheerful mommy!

UPDATE: Well, I'm definitely doing awesome on #1! My birthday is about three weeks away, and I've lost 14 pounds so far! I have even gotten up to losing 16 pounds, but have settled back at 14. So, my new goal will be to lose 3 more pounds by my birthday. That'll put me at losing 17 pounds total, which is just 3 away from my original goal. That would be amazing! I have, however, struggled with goals 2-4. I'm not sure that I can get up 1-2 hours earlier than my boys on a daily basis. Right now, that goal is just not practical. I need that sleep! So, I may put that goal off until baby William gets a bit older. I definitely want to keep working on goals 3 and 4. I know they will get easier as my baby gets older. I'm just still in that newborn phase which is really, really hard!

BOYS:

Read books together every day.
Less TV and more activity.
Continue potty training with Gideon.
Continue sleep training with William.
Establish a new and improved daytime routine for the boys.

UPDATE: My husband and I have been doing much better with the reading goal. We both LOVE to read, and really want to pass that on to our boys. Right now, our oldest son Daniel (just turned 6) is really enjoying the Great Illustrated Classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. This is our first time to try a book that has several chapters, but every day he looks forward to reading another chapter or two in his book. :-) I've been doing much better with goal 2, and look forward to more days outside once the weather gets warmer. Goal #3? CHECK! Gideon is officially potty-trained! Oh, that took forever and I hated it!! But it's finally over, except an accident every once in a while. Goal 4 is an on-going goal right now. However, William is just a really good sleeper (I am blessed, I know!). Right now, most nights he only wakes up 1-2 times to nurse. I can totally handle that! My other boys struggled more in this area, sometimes waking up as much as 5 times in the night to nurse! Finally, goal 5 is somewhat accomplished. I really try to have the boys in their beds for some rest time every afternoon. It doesn't always happen, but I'm much more consistent now.

HUSBAND:

Try to get a date night twice a month (one has to be outside the home).
Start a new hobby/activity together (more about this in a future post)!
Work on communication.

UPDATE: These are all a work in progress for sure! We haven't been getting a date twice a month, and in March we didn't go on any! :( As you probably know, this is a hard one! Babysitting for 3 kids is very expensive! We've been trying to rely on family more, but that's hard too as everyone is so busy. This is still a huge priority for me though, so somehow I need to figure it out. Goal 2 hasn't happened yet either. We are gonna start boxing together (yes, I can't believe I'd EVER do that!). We bought a bag second-hand that was never used for a great price, and my husband is going to hang it in the garage as soon as we get the garage organized and cleaned out (see goal below!). And I'm asking for boxing gloves and wraps for my birthday present. (Am I crazy? Yes, yes, I am.) I'm actually looking forward to it though! It'll be great exercise, and something fun we can do together. Goal 3 is a long-term goal! But we are working on it. My husband is not a talker, so I really have to work at drawing him out. But he knows it's important and wants to work on it too. :-)

HOME:

Garage, garage, garage! Organize the garage!!
Work on the front flower beds.
Declutter!
Finish the laundry room makeover.

UPDATE: The garage! This is about to become a huge focus. Next weekend, our city has a spring clean-up day. We will be able to dump a truck-load of trash for free! This will really help get the garage project started. Once that is done, I will call the professional organizer to come help me organize the place (I got 4 hours of time as a present from one of my friend's). I look forward to sharing what I learn from her with y'all! Goals 2 and 4 have been placed on the back burner for now. No money! But I do need to at least trim bushes, etc. now that it's getting warmer outside. Goal 3 is a constant issue! Why am I always having to declutter??? I really need to get on the ball with this one and make a list for each room of what needs to be decluttered. Sigh....

Well, that's my update for now. Hope this post wasn't too long and boring! Ha! Just want to share my journey with ya, and I hope inspire you with yours.

Blessings, friends!

Randomness

2013-03-28T21:23:00.000-05:00

Man! There's a lot going on in this noggin of mine! And, since pictures from the Cars birthday party are still not edited, I'm just going to share a bit about life, cuz ya know, that's how it goes sometimes!

Something about me...
In addition to being an amazing wife, wonderful mother, fabulous friend, inspirational blogger, and uncompromising Christian (okay, I can keep striving, right?), I also teach natural childbirth classes? Yep! For nearly 4 years now, I have taught Bradley Method Husband-Coached Childbirth classes. (You can see what that's all about here.) I love it really. I get to meet so many lovely couples, get to know them and become friends, have a bit of adult interaction once a week, and share a passion with people who are seeking out my knowledge and experience.
Lately, I've been updating my class to include a slideshow (particularly helpful for when I have a non-English-fluent student), and I gotta say I can't wait to get started with a new class next week. :-) I've also been doing my own research into common pregnancy and postpartum issues like diastasis recti (crunches are the enemy of your mummy tummy!), pelvic floor disorder (kegels aren't enough, and may actually make things worse!), and how to squat properly. Revolutionary things that are taking up a lot of space in my mind.

Okay, moving on...

Painting

We have an "artist" named Jonah B. and this was his latest handiwork and the last straw.

My husband and I painted our ginormous living room last weekend. The things I thought I loved about this house when we bought it suddenly became the things I despised! Arched doorways are beautiful, and rounded corners are safer for kiddo noggins, a corner fireplace is eye-catching, and highly textured walls look very sophisticated.

But HOLY COW!! The taping to separate colors and painted areas is just torture! Plus, except for the rooms we've already painted, all the walls are painted with a single layer of sprayed-on, builder's flat paint, which sucks up primer and paint like it has a straw!

On the plus side, I got to see my hot hubby doing manly stuff like this. :-)

And we did eventually finish - these pictures were taken before the second and final coat of paint. And no, there is still nothing back on our walls. Maybe this weekend? I hope?

Prayer
I think Lauren's post from yesterday was fantastic, don't you?? If you haven't read it, read it. And then read it again. And then try it. I know I am gonna give it another go since she made so much sense! Here's another idea I had as I was thinking about it: what about all those old hymns, beautiful poetry, moving and heart-felt. For example:

from "Abide with Me"

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Words: Henry Lyte (1847)

from "I Need Thee Every Hour"

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
Refrain

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

from "Precious Lord Take My Hand"

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:

Words: Thomas A. Dorsey (1932)

from "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" (A favorite of mine for Easter)

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

A New Fave!

I know you've seen this on Pinterest - I know I have! It's kind of a motto in our little DefrumpMe group, especially for Audrey. :-) But I found a whole host of other adorable printables - like I seriously downloaded SEVEN creations this evening alone - at Sweet Blessings. Really cute stuff - I love the quotes!!

A couple more examples...

Well, there ya go! I know, some total randomness, right? I'll try to pull together a real post next week. Okie doke?

Oh, and Happy Easter and Resurrection Sunday!!