Defrump Me

{Valentine's Day GIVEAWAY!!!} Ways to make your children feel special

2012-02-03T11:00:00.001-06:00

I am very excited about today! Not only are we having a fabulous guest post but we are also doing another awesome GIVEAWAY! So, keep reading...

Around this time of year I start needing some extra inspiration to keep me motivated. The weather is blah and dreary, kids are sick, everyone is stuck indoors. Sometimes, we just need to hear or read ideas from other moms on how they bring the "special" back into these blah days.

Today's post is written by one of my oldest and dearest friends, so I just have to brag on her a bit. :-) Krystal is a stay-at-home mom to 4 little kiddos and wife to the Sunday school director at our church. She amazes me with all of her energy and passion for serving God! Some of her other ministries have included high-school basketball coach, women's retreat organizer, school and Sunday school teacher, home-school mom, and organizer of our local Veteran's Day parade. Growing up as the eldest of 6 siblings, Krystal has had LOTS of practice using her creativity and energy to help out in her family. I also know from first-hand experience that her mom is also an amazing wife and mom, so I know Krystal had a great example in these areas.

This is why I went to her for advice on special ways to connect with your children when you're just feeling like a tired, cranky mama (which is how I've been feeling lately!). And that's what today's post is all about! Simple, fun ways to make your children feel special and ways to connect with them on a daily basis. The following ideas are some of what Krystal does and she hopes they spark ideas for you and your family...

I think the biggest thing my husband and I do to make our kids feel special is that we alternate months taking one of our children on a date. We wanted to start doing that with our children at a young age so that they will always be deeply connected to us. When we do these special dates we try to pick things that the child is interested in, further affirming that their special time is all about them and that we know them and love them as they are. This month my husband took our 7-year old son to a new art gallery that opened up because he LOVES art, and then they went swimming at our fitness center. Our 4-year old son got to go with his dad to the gun range and shoot because he is all boy and then some. Our 3-year old daughter’s turn is this Saturday and she and daddy are going to a "Beauty and the Beast" matinee.

Some months we do things that may cost something. Some months we are tighter and we need to do free things; but no matter what it is we have seen deeper relationships formed, and the older our children get the more important that connection becomes. Other ideas we have done on dates include hiking, swimming at a creek or lake, fishing, going to the library to read books and play on the computer, feeding the ducks, getting ice cream (you can sign your child up for the kids' clubs at fast food places and they will get free things on their birthday—Sonic/Andy’s/Burger King/Toys 'R Us/Hu Hot), building time at Lowes, getting a manicure, making jewelry, eating at a new restaurant, and going to the pet store to look at the animals.

Also, since I am a stay-at-home mom, I get to plan little special times with all the kids together that my husband doesn’t get in on, so every year on their birthday (starting when they are five) they get to go out of town one night with my husband and stay in a hotel and do something fun. The hotel isn’t an expensive one, but our kids love swimming so we always make sure it has a pool. This special time of one-on-one attention for more than a few hours makes a huge difference in their relationship with their dad.

credit source

For everyday ways to make my kids feel special we have certain traditions. Sometimes, especially in the winter, we will have pajama day where we stay in our pajamas all day long. We usually play games on these days and I let the kids each pick a game they want to play and we take turns playing all of them. I have found that even if it’s something I hate playing, if I set the timer for 5-10 minutes, I can endure it with a happy attitude because I know the end is coming soon. :-) We sometimes have popcorn and book times. I pop a bowl of popcorn and we all squish on the couch and eat popcorn while I read a million books to the kids.

Every Monday night a local pizza offers a $4 pizza deal, so that is our designated pizza and movie night. We eat pizza, salad, and popsicles in front of the tv while we watch a family movie. I also look online for a craft to go with the movie theme that the kids can do after nap time while we are waiting for dad to get home from work. For example, on the night we watched Dolphin Tale we made a jumping dolphin puppet and my 7-year old and I helped the younger two with letter recognition and writing of the letter D.

In the summer we pack up picnic lunches and go on outside adventures! We go to new parks and school playgrounds and take hikes and wade in creeks. In the winter we spend a lot of time around our fireplace playing games and working puzzles while listening to old records and tapes.

We try to have Jesus time every day where I read them Bible stories, and I like to either have a craft/coloring page or we act out the story afterwards to make the time more special. Every Sunday after lunch we play a game called "Funny Sunday" where we have one prop (like a blanket or a kitchen pot). We take turns using that prop to act something out or pretend we are something. The others have to guess what it is. (Like putting both feet in the pot and rowing to pretend it’s a canoe or jumping onto the blanket to pretend it’s a swimming pool.)

I also scour garage sales all summer for small gifts like new stuffed animals, puzzles, and books to go in a box that gets pulled out only when one of the kids is sick. It gives them something new to do besides watching tv and helps me keep my sanity on those sick days that are exhausting for us moms.

Many of my ideas I have gotten from years of looking at the Family Fun magazine. I also get great ideas from Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family magazine. I love to have fun, so I try to make everyday special by having at least a little bit of fun in it. The fun thing doesn’t have to take a lot of work on my part or even take money...it can be as simple as all of us piling in my bed and snuggling under the covers while watching a Netflix movie. No matter what it is, if I am taking time out to do something with my kids, that is what makes them feel special.

Family Fun

Thanks, Krystal! I love these ideas and can't wait to start implementing some of them. Today's GIVEAWAY goes right along with these ideas, because....what Krystal and I are giving y'all is a chance to win a one-year subscription to Family Fun magazine! Believe me when I say that this magazine is packed with great ideas to do with your kids!

So, now on to the giveaway details:

For a chance to win, just leave a comment on this post telling us which idea from Krystal's list really inspired you!

Extra entries (leave an additional comment for each of the following actions that you do):

Share one of your ideas on how you make your children feel special!
"Like" us on Facebook
Subscribe to our RSS feed or emails (find all these tools in the right hand column of our blog)
Follow us on Twitter @defrumpme
Blog, tweet, or post on your Facebook wall about our giveaway

On Valentine's Day, we will randomly select one comment and its poster to be the winner of the Family Fun magazine subscription!

Good luck!

Mardi Gras Family Fun {Jambalaya Recipe!}

2012-02-02T23:13:00.000-06:00

Here's a "holiday" I've never celebrated before - Mardi Gras. Also known as Fat Tuesday. It's a party-all-you-can-because-the-fun-stops-tomorrow kind of day that is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Since Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, when many religious individuals refrain or abstain from any number of vices, Mardi Gras allows a last minute indulgence in those vices.

Apparently, the best place to celebrate Mardi Gras is New Orleans. (I've never been there either.) Other than what I've told you so far, I know very little else about the day — lots of drinking, eating, partying, etc. goes on from what I understand. So you can see why it's not on our usual event calendar.

Why am I talking about this??

Okay, so this past Friday it was my responsibility to plan a date night at home. I checked the menu and saw we were scheduled to have Jambalaya - one of our favorites (hence it falling on Favorites Friday)! Hmm...what could I do for a date theme that could go with jambalaya and was cheap? Mardi Gras, of course! The decorations are cheap and ubiquitous this time of year!

Cheap, easy, colorful, themed...perfect! And we can overlook the typical overindulgence normally associated with the day. We "celebrated" a few weeks early, but if you want to throw your own party of any size, here are some ideas you might be able to use. The actual date is February 21. :-)

MMmmm....Just look at that delicious goodness! (Look for the recipe at the bottom of this post.)

I am not an expert bread maker, unfortunately. This is just a basic French bread recipe from Allrecipes.

Yummy! I sliced the bread and slathered it with some melted butter with crushed garlic and parsley flakes.

For dessert I was inspired by this post to make purple, green, and yellow layered cupcakes. :-)

I followed the directions on a box of white cake mix, then I split the batter into three bags. I tried to get it as even as possible - about 10.5 oz per bag. Then I added some gel food coloring to each - one green, one red+blue, and one yellow.

I let Riley "grump" it. That's what she called it - funny girl. :-)

There they are.

Great thing about ziplock bags — cut the corner off and you've got an automatic dispenser. Works great for deviled eggs, too.

A little yellow homemade buttercream frosting and some purple and green sprinkles, and we had a festive dessert - quite delicious, if you ask me!

Our activity with the kids after dinner was to decorate our own Mardi Gras masks. I found this one:

Source: blog.mardigrasoutlet.com via Susan on Pinterest

Print it out on some card stock, decorate as desired, punch out the holes and tie with string. Easy peasy!

Me and Riley in our new masks. :-)

The whole family!! Complete with our green and purple and gold beads (which I picked up at Dollar Tree, of course). We really had a great time!

We thought about watching Disney's Princess and the Frog movie, but it's a little creepy for our young crew, even though the setting is perfect.

Once we got the kids in bed, we had a variety of options to choose for our couple time — cards or dominoes, costume parade...you can use your imagination, especially if you are more familiar with what goes on at Mardi Gras. Let's just say, hubster holds the beads, wifey earns them. :-) Date night fun...

Now for that delicious jambalaya recipe. Story behind this recipe is that someone gave the seasoning and rice mix and directions to hubster's Granny, and my mother-in-law made it for Christmas dinner two years ago. We loved it, and I've made it many times since.

Pat's Jambalaya

(Makes 16 cups)

INGREDIENTS:

Jambalaya Mix

2 cups diced green peppers

4 Tbsp butter

6 cups of water

2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

3 cups peeled cooked shrimp (or 2 cups chopped cooked chicken)

2 cups polska kielbasa (or 2 cups chopped cooked ham)

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add green peppers and sausage (slice and then cut slices in half). Cook until peppers are tender and sausage is lightly browned. Add water, tomato sauce, and Jambalaya Mix. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 25 minutes. Add cooked shrimp and heat through. Remove bay leaves. (If using cooked chicken and/or ham, add with the water, tomato sauce, and Jambalaya Mix.)

RECIPE FOR JAMBALAYA MIX

2 cups converted rice

2 Tbsp dried minced onions

2 Tbsp dried parsley flakes

2 Tbsp dried celery flakes

2 bay leaves

4 tsp beef bouillon granules

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 to 1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper

Combine all mix ingredients; store in an airtight container.

Yield: 3 cups of mix.

Have fun and enjoy!!

The Flowy-Floral Top: A Tip for Being on Trend

2012-02-01T22:22:00.001-06:00

If any of you are like me and have a hard time keeping up with the ever changing trends from season to season, you've probably settled for playing it safe with neutral pieces, or maybe you still sport that panda ring as you don your roller-blades.

Whatever the case, I have a quick and easy tip for you to be on trend this season. Own at least one flowy-floral top.

I am obsessed with these. They are so pretty and feminine, and they can be worn with just about any kind of jeans, tucked in with a skirt, or out with a belt. Not to mention, the way the fabric falls is flattering to any figure.

This top was gifted to me from one of bestest friends ever just because I mentioned to her that I loved them. It's so light and comfy too.

If you aren't in the mood for floral-print, go for something similar but with a solid color like this pink top.

What do y'all think about this style of shirt? Do you think it would be a good trend for you to try?

We Have A WINNER

2012-01-31T10:23:00.000-06:00

Can you believe today is the last day of January?? Around here it hasn't felt much like winter. This week's highs are in the low 60s where last year we had 16 inches of snow and 3 years ago we had 3 inches of ice and no power. That's Arkansas for you! I'm just thankful that we usually get to experience all 4 seasons — even if sometimes it's all in the same week! :-)

Anyway, I just want to say how thankful I am for those of you who participated in our DaySpring giveaway this month! I am so excited that we were able to do this and give one of our readers a little gift. We really do appreciate our readers and subscribers, and we cherish your comments!

Without further ado, thanks to Random.org, we have a winner! Comment number 26 belongs to....

Bristen!!!

Congratulations to Bristen! I'll be contacting you via facebook with your coupon code for $20 in DaySpring products!

Thanks again to all those who participated! I hope that we can do another giveaway in the near future.

{Menu Monday} Par-tay

2012-01-30T07:57:00.000-06:00

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Good morning! I'm sooo excited because... today is my birthday! I love my birthday, and I don't know that I will ever grow out of it. And not only is today the day, but it's a BIG one -- 30! So far I'm not having any sadness or feeling any weirdness that my 20s are over. I have a feeling that my 30s are going to be even more blessed and more fun than my 20s. Your 20s are full of NEW. New relationships. New jobs. New homes. New everything! Adjusting to marriage, babies, adult responsibility. It's fun, but it's full of challenge and change. I'm hoping for my 30s to be characterized by a little more stability. With plenty of spontaneity thrown in there. ;-)

Because it's my birthday, I don't have to cook tonight. My husband has plans for me, but he won't tell me what. That's always fun! And I do know that he got my mother-in-law to watch babies, so that sounds even better. :-)

So, my Monday slot is empty. But I'll be cooking the rest of the week!

Monday - It's my birthday. Oh yeah.
Tuesday - Beans, Cornbread
Wednesday - Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Eggs, Fruit
Thursday - Chicken and Dumplings, Steamed Carrots
Friday - Hamburgers, Potato Casserole, Salad
Saturday - Tilapia Fish Sticks, Macaroni & Cheese, Salad

(Sorry for all the exclamation points!!!!!!!! I told you I was excited. ;-)

Linking up at Tip Junkie's Menu Plan Monday

God is near...{a gentle reminder}

2012-01-27T09:32:00.000-06:00

This mommy is TIRED and not feeling very inspired or motivated to do much right now! We've been having a rough couple of months battling sickness in my household, and so all of my energy is being put into making my little guys (and sometimes my big guy) feel better. In fact, I've been so emotionally and physically exhausted lately that I've been pretty down and discouraged. I'm sure you've been there, right?

The best way I can describe it is with a mental picture...I'm sinking in quick sand...with one hand I'm holding onto a rope for dear life trying to pull myself up and with the other hand I'm trying to balance all the stuff in my life that I'm supposed to be doing...all the while, some unseen force is whacking me on the head with a big board, pushing me downward more and more...

Yikes! Pretty vivid, huh? But sometimes life is that way, and when it is we HAVE to cling to God or there's no way we will survive! When the kids don't feel good and are constantly crying/fussing/demanding things, when finding time to eat or shower seems nearly impossible, when you've looked at your messy house for the 100th time that day and you just want to collapse in a corner and cry...you HAVE to cry out to God. One of my best friends reminded me of this last week when I was pouring out my heart to her late one night. She said even when you don't understand the trials you are facing (and she has definitely faced some) and even when God doesn't seem near, you HAVE to believe that He is. You have to have faith and believe that it will get better.

And that is the simple message I want to pass on to you. Her gentle reminder had me pouring my heart out to my heavenly Father in the next few moments. Some days, that is all I can manage. And I know I can be honest with Him and really tell Him how I feel...because He can handle it. And I can't. That's what gets me through the tough days. I always feel relief after I've given it all to God. I feel more connected to Him and I know He's there with me, hearing me and helping me.

Wow. This is not at all where I thought my post was gonna go. I was going to share some ideas from another one of my awesome friends on simple, fun ways to make your children feel special! But I guess I needed to share some things from my heart first. I promise I'll do the original post idea tomorrow! :-)

So, my friend, in summary I'll just remind you that God truly is near, even when we don't feel like He is. It's a simple message. And one that is repeated over and over in the Bible. But still we forget. I forget. And I love how God, my Father, always gently reminds me of that and guides me back to the right perspective.

Now, go pray and give it all to Him.

Linking up...

Hearts 4 Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Titus 2sday Link-up
Women Living Well

Sur-prize, Sur-prize, Sur-prize!!

2012-01-26T22:46:00.000-06:00

Gomer Pyle may have said it best - the way he says it is how I always hear the word "surprise."

Surprise parties are so great! I've never had one myself, but I've thrown a few and been in on several more. This week, a wonderful mother asked us to throw her daughter a surprise birthday tea party. And we were more than happy to oblige!!

Yep, that's me. And Krystal, the guest of honor, with her littlest. :-)

Our friend Krystal is a great ball of energy! Amazing wife, mother of 4 littles, teacher, women's retreat organizer, children's church director... It just makes me tired thinking about it all! If anyone deserved a special birthday evening, Krystal certainly did! With a budget provided by Krystal's mom, we set out to plan some fun.

Audrey's mom, Mary has a collection of "Blue Willow" china that she graciously lets us use when we want something pretty and feminine. Really sets the mood, huh? :-)

The set up was that Krystal's husband sent her to Mary's house during our sewing class time; you know, to get away from the kids and pick up a gift Audrey said she had for her. And we pulled it off!! She was TOTALLY surprised!!

We each pitched in something from our area of "expertise," using a combination of the provided funds and some of our own time, money, and talents.

Audrey is planning to sew this adorable and super chic apron kit (do you see those beads and rhinestones?!). I framed this fun and inspirational printable that I found here, and made some scented sugar scrubs - lavender, orange, and peppermint.

Lauren did some shopping and came up with some additional pampering products: her favorite nail polishes and makeup removing cloths, eye shadow, Burt's Bees body butter and lip gloss, and a bottle of bath and shower gel that literally smelled like you just bit into a raspberry!

And of course we sent Amber for the fashion shopping - that gorgeously flattering blue blouse she picked up at NY&C (where else?) and some pretty and basic jewelry pieces and eyeliners from Forever 21. Oh, and don't forget that gift card!

A pretty terrific haul, if you ask me! Some pampering stuff, some defrumping stuff, and some stuff to inspire the senses - we tried to cover all the bases! :-) And boy, we had a blast! We snacked on popcorn, chips and queso, and a delicious chocolate cake (baked and frosted by Audrey's sister and our dear friend Catherine), sipped our soothing teas from beautiful china cups, and finished everything off with root bear floats!

A beautiful success and a highlight in my week, for sure!

Oh, and if any local moms, daughters or husbands are reading this and want us to help throw a party for a deserving lady in your life, we'd be happy to. ;-)

Show some love to a wonderful lady in your life this week, okay?

And a reminder about our giveaway! $20 to the DaySpring online store!! Go here for all the details. Entries will be accepted through January 30th.

Me Party: Dressing Cute at Home

2012-01-25T23:13:00.002-06:00

I had a moment of reflection this week about my part in defrumpme. When I started this blog with my friends, I took on the responsibility of researching style and learning how to not look frumpy as a stay at home mom on a shoestring budget. At first, I thought it wouldn't be too hard. I mean, just find cute clothes that are cheap right? It turns out I didn't actually know what cute clothes looked like, and I had no idea where to start in "defrumping" my style.

I still don't know what I'm doing, but I can honestly say I have made a small amount of improvement. I mean, at least I stopped buying swimming suits with Looney Tunes characters on them, just kidding...but sort of not... And I actually have only donned my pajama pants/sweatpants for bedtime.

Another area of improvement I've noticed is that I pick out an outfit before bed each night. Doing this, makes my mornings so much easier, and it makes getting ready so much faster. It also helps me not to fall into the "wear my pajamas all day" trap.

However, it was not easy giving up my comfy sweats for actual clothes everyday, especially when no one was probably going to see me anyway. I began to wonder if it even mattered. But then something happened. I would catch a glimpse of myself as I passed a mirror, and I didn't immediately think I'd make an excellent candidate for People of Walmart.

Not only did my self-esteem go up, but I began to get more things accomplished around the house. I was nicer to my kids. Seriously! And if my husband needed me to run somewhere, or a friend scheduled an impromptu play-date, I was up for it.

I soon learned some of my outfits were a bit much for when I was at home most of the day. I knew I needed more comfortable things for around the house, but I still wanted to feel cute and put together. I slowly began to work new, comfy, and cute things into my wardrobe that didn't break the bank.

So in-case you're all on the edge of your seats wondering what amazing fashion advice I have for you (don't laugh), I've decided to share a few go-to items I wear on a weekly basis when there's no one to impress but a few babies and myself. And they are:

1.) The Flannel Shirt: I recently posted about flannel shirts because I love love love them. They are comfy, cute, and warm. I have three in my closet, and would be perfectly ok with wearing them everyday.

$15 Old Navy (However, they are actually much cheaper now)

2.) Comfy/Cute Tank-top and Cardigan Combo: This is perfect for days at home. It's comfy, and if you are warm, just take off the cardigan. It's also cute if you need to leave to run an errand.

$8 Old Navy

3.) The Dolman: These shirts are everywhere. They're cheap, easy to find, comfy, light, and cute. Next to the flannel shirt, these are my favorite things to wear around the house and hanging out with my friends.

$8 Old Navy....Can you tell I'm a fan?

4.) The Light Soft Sweater: Believe me, I have owned plenty of heavy scratchy sweaters. So wearing a simple soft sweater is pure comfort. I know it's not fashion forward, but it's a clean look for around the house, and if paired with a denim button-up, it looks pretty cute.

$14 Sam's

I hope this post inspires you to be ready for your day by preparing your clothes at night, and if you're a stay at home mom, or just home on the weekend, I want to encourage you to opt for a comfy/cute outfit instead of the pajamas. It's okay to look beautiful, even if you're the only one who sees you.

Thanks y'all!

Giveaway Reminder {And a Helpful Parenting Tip}

2012-01-23T16:52:00.001-06:00

Just a reminder about our GIVEAWAY of a $20 credit to DaySpring!! Just head over to this post and follow the directions there. Remember to leave a comment for EACH of your actions. The more comments, the more entries. Oh, and please tell your friends! They'd love you for it!

Source: weheartit.com via Mary Beth on Pinterest

And now, your parenting tip for the day — If your five-year-old daughter goes into one of the individual family bathrooms at Walmart (by herself, because she's a big girl) and the handle lock gets broken and she's stuck inside (by herself, remember) for 40 minutes while the manager and 10 other people try unsuccessfully to get her out before the locksmith finally makes it from across town and drills the broken handle to open the door... it is important to stay calm.

Resist the urge to bang on the door or get angry at the situation or freak out when you hear the locksmith say that the safety mechanism that is supposed to prevent these heavy metal doors from staying locked is broken.

Aaaand, when your half-potty-trained 2 1/2 year-old son needs to use the other individual bathroom right next door while you wait for the locksmith, allow one of the associates to keep their foot in the door to prevent it from closing and possibly locking you completely away from your daughter while you help your son with his britches.

Finally, when she emerges and everyone claps and you give her a big hug, don't prevent the nice assistant managers from giving her a big teddy bear for being such a brave big girl who didn't cry. And if the locksmith says it's okay, feel free to let your son take home the broken lock as a souvenir of the event. After all, he probably tried to help get her out with his "big shrong muscles".

Not that any of this happened to me today, of course....

{Menu Monday} SuperMom

2012-01-23T07:58:00.001-06:00

{source}

Welcome to a new week! I love this week in January, well, because it's the week leading up to my birthday ( :D ), AND because it means winter is half over! Only February to get through. And maybe some of March, but since you never know what March will be like, you can psyche yourself up that it's going to be warm and spring-like.

It can be rrreally hard to get in all your vegetables and all the vitamins and minerals you need at any time, but especially in the winter when fresh produce is scarce and not that good anyway. Obviously, I'm taking vitamins right now since I'm preggo, but I really think they are so beneficial at all times. (My husband will laugh when he reads this. He knows that if he didn't remind me -- and sometimes BRING them to me -- I would forget my vitamins all the time. But I do believe in them. :-) Anyway, I wanted to share my favorite kind with y'all. They are a good mix of value and quality. When I'm not pregnant or nursing, I don't take the full dose, so that makes them even more economical. They are horse pills, but you can get the capsules if you like. So without further ado: SuperMom Multivitamins from Beeyoutiful. They work as prenatal vitamins or just a good multivitamin for women. (Guys, they have SuperDad too. Oh. And SuperKids. You can all be super!)

But we should still try to get plenty of our goodness from our food! Notice all the salad in my menu?? I'm not that inspired when it comes to vegetables. ha!

Monday - Spaghetti, Cheesy Zucchini Bake
Tuesday - BBQ Pork, Potato Casserole, Salad (moved from last week)
Wednesday - Quiche, Fried Potatoes, Fruit
Thursday - Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas, Chips, Salsa, Guacamole
Friday - Homemade Corn Dogs, Oven Fries, Salad
Saturday - Marinated Grilled Shrimp, Baked Potatoes, Caesar Salad

Do you have another kind of vitamin you really like?

* Beeyoutiful has no idea who I am. I just like their vitamins. No compensation for the recommendation!

Linking up at Tip Junkie's Menu Plan Monday

"When You Care Enough..." {GIVEAWAY!!}

2012-01-19T15:40:00.000-06:00

There is a lady at my church who blesses my socks off. Once upon a time, she was my teacher (unpaid!) in elementary school. But over the years she has shown me love as more than a teacher and a mentor, and she has become my friend. Even though I was in school with her children, she treats me as an equal partner in the cause of Christ. She gives me encouragement, praise, hugs, smiles, little gifts, compassion, prayer, challenges, and, perhaps most precious of all, she shares her struggles and need for prayer.

She now goes through her days working with cancer patients and the doctors and nurses and administrators who minister to them. She prays for and holds devotions with her co-workers. And in her spare time, she volunteers as a hospice care-giver. Oh my! Such strength (which of course she attributes to the Lord)! To me, she is the hands and feet of Christ.

Thank you.

There's another beautiful lady in my life whom I've known for a little over 10 years. In the time I've known her, her sons have had four graduations and three weddings, she's gained four grandchildren, she and her husband have added to their almost empty nest by adopting from China — not once, not twice, but THREE separate times.

When most people are settling in for those last few years before retirement and grandparenthood, they took on the missionary mind-set to rescue these children and love them to Jesus. Her sacrifice has been tremendous; but for those of us married to her three grown sons, we know that God is blessing so many through her. It is an amazing heritage that I am proud to carry on as her daughter-in-law.

Happy Birthday.

I have a newer friend that is a growing blessing. As a single mother, she is raising one of my daughter's best friends. We grew up together, yet separately. But lately, she's let down her guard (as I have mine) and allowed our friendship to begin to blossom.

She gets to see my struggles as a wife, mother and homemaker, and I get to be humbled by her efforts as a young single mom managing her own home and praying for Mr. Right. We share prayer requests and encouragement; we have different strengths and weaknesses, and we are striving to keep each other afloat.

Praying for you.

I don't bring these ladies to your attention to embarrass them or put them up on a pedestal. I just happen to know that you probably have people in your life with whom you can relate these examples.

Remember ages ago when I talked about friendship? I talked about how important friends can be, especially during tough times. I discussed ways that you can find new friends and nurture the friendships that you do have. And I asked for your suggestions and tips on nurturing friendships.

Here's a simple and special idea: Greeting Cards

Giving cards suits me. I like to put thoughts on paper; I'm just not as good at expressing my feelings verbally. I like to randomly give a card to my husband, and I look forward to opportunities to give cards to family and friends. (Audrey may never tell you this, but card-giving is one of her specialties. She is so inspiring!) I'm working on defrumping my relationships this year and especially trying to make others feel as special as I already think that they are.

Whether you purchase elaborate and expensive special edition cards that play music and dance on the table, buy the simple one-liner from the dollar store, or create your own from materials you have on hand, what makes a card really special is the personal message. A message from your heart that says, "You are special to me. You are loved. I am thinking about you." It may be hard to imagine, but a message like that can influence a person's whole day, week, month...life! And really, who doesn't like getting a unique card and note from a friend?

Recently, DaySpring offered the opportunity to review one of their assorted card packs through the blog (in)courage. I gotta say, the artwork and thoughtfulness that went into designing the collection I received is very beautiful. It seems a bit easier sometimes to write a heartfelt message when you've got the foundation of a pretty card. :-) One thing that I really like about DaySpring's cards is the inclusion of Scripture and blessings for the soul of the receiver.

Did you know that card giving can actually be a full-on ministry? I love what DaySpring has to say about the ministry of card giving here.

And if you sometimes struggle to remember special event like I do, or you like to be super prepared, DaySpring has this fun card organizer!

EXCITING NEWS!!

Do you want $20 to spend in the DaySpring online store? (I do!! And P.S. It's a whole lot more than just cards!) Well, I have got a special code just for one of our fabulous readers!! All you gotta do is leave a comment on this post — easy peasy! You can tell us what card giving (or receiving) means to you or who you'd give a card to.

Want more chances to win? Leave an additional comment for each of the following actions that you do: (Each comment is one entry.)

- "Like" us on Facebook
- Subscribe to our RSS feed or emails (Find all these tools in the right hand column.)
- Follow us on Twitter @defrumpme
- Blog, tweet, or post on your Facebook wall about our giveaway (if you do more than one, leave a comment for each!)
- Visit DaySpring Home Page and come back and tell us what you love. (For me, it's the Mr. & Mrs. Love Collection from DaySpring!!)

~~Next Thursday, January 26th, we'll randomly pick one comment and its poster to be the winner of the $20 coupon!~~
NOTE: This Giveaway has been extended through January 30. The winner will be announced Tuesday, January 31.

Good luck!!!

Please be sure that we have a way to contact you! Leaving an "Anonymous" comment will not give us a way to make sure you know you are a winner!! This is important!

I received free product for my use and review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Linking up here: Mom On Timeout, Hip Homeschool Moms, and Raising Homemakers.

{Menu Monday} Easy Peasy

2012-01-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

John Legend's Macaroni and
Cheese - MarthaStewart.com

In our area of the country, the weather has been SO nice this month! We've had a couple of cooold days, but for the most part, each day has hit 50 at least -- some days even getting to 60! This whole week promises to be beautiful, and I plan to have my kids spend lots of time on their new Christmas present -- the trampoline. :-)

So, what are you cooking this week? I am looooooooving my 5-week menu plan. So far, every evening I've asked my husband, "Would you be happy having this again in 5 weeks?" And so far, his answer has been "yes!" every time. This has seriously made my life much easier. (in comination with the menu-planning wonder that is Say Mmm!!!!!)

Here's what we're eating this week:

Monday - Mac-n-cheese Casserole, Salad (I know this doesn't sound like much of a dinner, but I need to use up some of this stuff in my pantry! Plus, it sounds good to a first-trimester preggo :D )
Tuesday - Mexican Pizza
Wednesday - Whole Grain Waffles, Eggs, Applesauce
Thursday - BBQ Pork, Chips, Salad (My husband has rated this the best BBQ pork he's ever had! And it's SO easy.)
Friday - Pizza, Caesar Salad
Saturday - Baked Salmon, Wild Rice, Roasted Garlic Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

Have you tried a menu rotation? Do you cook around sales or your pantry items? Let me know how you do your menus in the comments!

Linking up at Tip Junkie's Menu Plan Monday

Romantic Dinner Date at Home

2012-01-13T10:32:00.001-06:00

Last weekend was my anniversary, so I did a quick post on some great dating resources (see post HERE). This year we needed to have our anniversary date at home to stay on budget for the month, but I still wanted to create a special, romantic date. So....I decided to try to build a tent that we could eat under! My inspiration was from Pinterest (see my Pinterest Romance board HERE). Can't you just picture yourself eating outside at night under a white canopy tent under the stars with the love of your life? I sure can! And that's exactly what I was able to recreate (well, almost). :-)

Here's how my romantic tent turned out!

Eating "under the stars" (near the windows) in our beautiful, canopy tent!

The tent was actually easy to make! I used some sheer, white curtain panels I had stored away, some rope, and some clothespins to create it. I used a card table covered with a white sheet as our table for two (and no, I didn't iron anything...with the lights off and just the candles, you didn't notice all the wrinkles). :-)

Our lovely table setting: a quick runner made from paper doilies, lots of candles, and vases with roses!

I love roses!

For dinner we had lasagna, caesar salad, breadsticks, sparkling cider, and cheesecake for dessert!

I included a teacup for hot tea after dinner. Mmmm...

Rose petals and glass stones scattered around the centerpiece added to the romantic setting.

I used a table near the window to add extra candles and flowers.

Created my own hurricane vase with a candlestick, candle, and a glass sleeve on top!

The whole picture

A look at the tent from the outside! Pretty crazy, huh?

I have to admit that building the tent was pretty fun, and my boys thought it was awesome! So, even though from the outside it looks a little crazy, underneath it was absolutely magical! Very romantic and pretty. My husband was extremely impressed too. :-)

I totally recommend trying this idea out! It'd be a great way to make a Valentine's Day dinner date extra special! Oh, and since we had our two little guys at home with us, we just set them up with their own little table in our bedroom and let them watch a movie while they ate their supper (we set a tablecloth on the ground beneath them first). They REALLY enjoyed that! Kept them quiet and busy. :-)

So, I hope you are inspired to do something a little different on your next date at home. Don't be afraid to be a little cheesy! Makes it more fun that way. And memorable.

Simple Tips for New Year's Goals {Drink Your Water!}

2012-01-12T17:37:00.000-06:00

One of my big goals for this year is to improve my health. Thankfully, that doesn't really include the common "lose weight" goal, although I'm sure that will follow as I make some life changes. What it does include is adding in some simple things to be healthier — drink more water, exercise regularly, take my vitamins every day, eat more green vegetables, etc.

Instead of jumping into the cold water with both feet, I am tiptoeing my way to better health by adding one goal per week to develop into a habit.

During the first week of January, I added the simple goal of drinking at least 64 ounces of water every day. Why 64? Well, it happens to be 8 x 8 ounces. Also, and more importantly for me and this particular tip, that's the size of my pitcher. :-)

See, I don't mind drinking water so much, I don't drink tons of soda or other beverages (aside from my morning coffees and OJ). But I just don't think about it. And even when I am thinking about it, I lose track of how much I've had and it is never enough. So, I came up with this simple solution.

Every morning (sometimes the night before if I'm really on the ball), I fill this pitcher with filtered water from my freezer door dispenser. I fill it to the 64 ounce line and stick it in the fridge. That way, all I have to do is pour water into my cup of ice or insulated bottle if I'm going somewhere. It's a lot quicker than filling each cup or bottle, and that makes a difference when there's a child or two clamoring for my attention. And as long as I empty it by the end of the day, I know that I've had at least 64 ounces of water, and I am taking a simple step toward improving my health!

So, what's so important about water anyway? Here's what the Mayo Clinic has to say about the functions of water in the body. Not to mention that it is free, readily available (to us in the U.S. - count your blessings), and has zero calories!

Source: mayoclinic.com via Susan on Pinterest

(As I'm looking at the site, I'm also realizing that 64 ounces is going to have to be just my starting point. As a nursing mom, I should be drinking a whopping 112 ounces!! But, it's all about baby steps, and 64 is way more than I was drinking before.)

And I can already hear some of you groaning - "I don't like water!" That's one of the beautiful things about this tip. Fill your pitcher and you've got cold water all day (most people agree that cold water is easier to drink anyway), ready to be flavored with fresh lemon, lime, or other tasty flavor enhancers - there are a lot of them available at the grocery store. AND it really goes by quicker than you'd think. Just take my advice and try to drink as much as you can in the morning and early afternoon. It's pretty tough to drink the last half of the pitcher in the hour or two before bed!! ;-)

This week's health goal has been to take my vitamins everyday. This is very important for me right now. After having 3 babies in less than 5 years and nursing babies for a combined total of over 4 years and counting, my body is showing signs of depletion. I haven't always taken great care of myself. Seems like an easy thing to do - swallow 2 pills with OJ every morning with breakfast, right? Hmmm...

So far I'm about 4/5 this week. Not terrible, but I think I may need to add a little motivation. Perhaps I can count a piece of dark chocolate as an "emotional supplement" and let a daily square be my motivation and reminder to take my vitamins.... I'll let you know how that works out. :-) Any other suggestions???

What about you? Got a simple tip for keeping some of your New Year's goals?

PS Stay tuned for our very first Defrump Me giveaway, coming soon! Tell your friends! I'm so excited!

New Year's Tip 4: Boxy Bags

2012-01-11T22:32:00.002-06:00

I use to never understand people who were purse obsessed. In my mind, a purse was a purse. Sure, some were bigger, and some were brown and some red. However, I could have cared less, opting to take a Walmart sack full of my stuff most of the time. ( I am not kidding.)

Then I grew up and became a real woman. ;-)

One of my favorite (affordable) places to shop for purses, besides the thrift store, is Target. They always have a wide selection of bags that are on trend.

Tonight at church, I spotted an adorable boxy looking purse that belonged to my friend Alaina. And I'm not ashamed at all to purchase the same bag from Target (where she bought hers) and proudly wear it in front of her. Copying is just a sign of flattery right?

So my tip to you all is if you're looking for a new purse this season, try a boxy styled handbag. They sure do beat Walmart sacks.

http://www.fabsugar.com/Boxy-Handbags-18783567

New Year's Tip 3:"You're not fully dressed until you wear a smile."

2012-01-10T11:42:00.000-06:00

Today's tip is simple. Smile. That's it. You can pay big money for clothes, hair, and make-up, but none of those things can compete with a sweet smile.

my sweet boy

As a wife, I need to be intentional about being joyful and smiling at my husband. It's so easy to want to complain about my day to him, or take him for granted and forget to smile with him.

He still talks about a moment before we were married in college, and he had just gotten back from a week long ski trip. He came to my house right away, and when I opened the door, he says it was like something out of a movie. I was grinning ear to ear, and he remembers how beautiful I was.... I remember my hair was in goofy pig-tails, and I was wearing glasses. But I sure was thrilled he was back

"A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks."

So here's my challenge to wives. Smile at your husbands more. Make it a goal this week to stop doing what you're doing when you first see him after work and turn to him and smile.

"Men are highly attracted to smiles. That includes your husband."

If you are single, I can almost promise you will stay that way if you're in a constant state of "poor me". A man wants a wife who is confident, fun, and joyful. If you feel like you are not these things, just start acting like you are.

My challenge to single girls is to plaster that smile on your face no matter how ridiculous you feel. Be intentional about your thoughts about yourself. Focus on your strengths. You're not being fake if you smile when you don't feel like it. You're simply allowing your actions to lead your heart.

"Always remember to be happy because you never know who's falling in love with your smile."

my sweet family

These are not my teeth btw.

I leave you with a bonus tip. If you have never tried Crest Whitestrips, it's time you do. They are amazing! They're easy to use and relatively inexpensive. My husband bought me Crest 3D Whitestrips Advanced Seal for Christmas, and after three days, my teeth were noticeably whiter! You can find them at Walmart or any drugstore, but they are a bit cheaper on Amazon.com.

Thanks y'all!

{Menu Monday} Reaping the benefits

2012-01-10T07:40:00.001-06:00

{source}

Menu planning was SO easy this week. Actually, I didn't do it. I didn't need to, because I already have my 5-week plan in rotation. I so highly recommend it!

I read lately that the sleep that you get before midnight is more beneficial than sleep after midnight. Not great news for this night owl. But... this pregnancy has really been kicking my pants, so this week I'm going to try to be asleep every night by 10! That means I'm going to be putting the kids to bed earlier (usually 9 or 9:30). That won't work on church nights, but we'll do what we can.

Now, here are the yummy foods we are eating this week!

Monday - Avocado Grilled Cheese, Chips, Caesar Salad
Tuesday - Nachos
Wednesday - Baked Omelet Squares, Grits
Thursday - Crockpot Flank Steak, Baked Potatoes, Baked Parmesan Tomatoes
Friday - Chili, Fritos (this is my favorite chili!)
Saturday - Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, French Bread, Caesar Salad

My husband is LOVING all these meals, and I'm loving that I don't have to think about it on Sunday afternoon. :-)

Have a blessed week!

Linking up at Tip Junkie's Menu Plan Monday

Airplane-Themed Baby Shower

2012-01-07T11:06:00.000-06:00

A while back shared baby-shower-hosting privileges with my sister and my newest sister-in-law's sisters (that's not confusing or anything!) for my little brother's wife and my nephew Jacob. We had so much fun coming up with the theme and putting everything together!

I was in charge of the location - my house - and the decorations. I love the airplane theme, and it works great since my brother is in the Air Force! I knew I didn't want to spend much, and my budget for the decorations and gifts came out to about $5 TOTAL!! I had kind of a hard time finding just the right look while I was looking around online, but here's what I came up with.

Of course, the name banner! Pennants are cut from scrapbook paper I already had. The measurements are 5 1/2 x 6 x 6, and I got 6 pennants from each 12 x12 sheet. I created the orange circles with stars and letters on the computer, printed them out and pasted them on.

The blue background is poster/bulletin board paper from the local teacher's co-op. I got several lengths for $.10 per foot (about $3). The clouds are made from card stock that my mom already had, and we used the die cutting machines at the co-op for free.

I asked the guests to help decorate the sky with their notes.

Perhaps my favorite thing, and the easiest by far! I simply took the picture from a frame I already had and secured the glass to the frame. I picked up one of those vinyl letter sayings from the Dollar Tree (I love that store!), and I simply arranged the words on the front of the glass and rubbed it down with a non-smearing cloth. Easy-peasy $1.00 gift!!

Rather than make another sign, I used the big display on hubby's iMac and set up our standing desk as the address-your-own-thank-you-card area. I created some themed Thank You post cards and had the guests address them since mom-to-be lives out of town.

Gift table ;-)

It wouldn't be a party without Martha's tissue paper poms!

And the A-DOR-A-BLE cake! Kudos to my way-cool sister Elizabeth! She's very talented, and I save a TON of money on cakes for parties! If you don't have a cake-decorating sister, I highly recommend them! Check out her Facebook page (you can tell her I sent you, if ya want), and if you are anywhere near the NW Arkansas area, she loves doing custom cakes and cupcakes for any occasion. (But her favorites are the ones I commission, I'm sure....)

And one more pennant banner - "ARRIVING SOON". Same measurements as before from scrapbook paper I already had and strung on twine.

I really love party planning. I know I've mentioned before that I'm not a perfectionist, and I'm no expert party planner or fancy decorator, but I do like to have fun and I do like to be creative. I love getting people together to celebrate. Stay tuned for more party ideas and pictures in the future, maybe you'll see something that works for you!

Linking up to Mom on Timeout.

{Our Love Story} An Anniversary & Dating Resources

2012-01-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

My husband and I are celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary today! So many thoughts and emotions have been running through my mind the last couple of days as I've looked back on our journey together so far. All I can say is that I married an amazing man! I am SO thankful that God brought us together, and that my husband (before he became my husband) did everything he could to court me and win my heart. And what's truly amazing is that he continues to "fight" for our marriage and our family every day. He reminds me so much of Boaz (Ruth's husband) in the Bible --he's a protector and provider...and his kindness and humility continue to astonish me!

One thing I did while we were dating was compile all of our letters to each other (and poems...yes, my husband wrote me poems--shhh--don't tell!) together into a little book that I called "Our Love Story." I am so glad I did this, because now I can look back and read all the wonderful things we said to each other. I highly recommend all engaged or married couples do this! I was reading our love letters to each other today, and just marveling at what a great guy I married. :-)

Anyway, I've also been trying to plan our anniversary date. I want it to be special yet budget-friendly. I've got several ideas running through my head, so I'll probably do another post next week on what we end up doing. I thought I'd share a few things I've found while researching online since Valentine's Day is just around the corner AND since we all need to be intentional about keeping romance in our marriages! :-) One of my goals this year is to plan weekly dates, and the following blogs are GREAT resources for ideas on dates. Just click on the pictures to go to the links.

Source: thedatingdivas.com via Audrey on Pinterest

Source: loveactually-blog-ideas.blogspot.com via Audrey on Pinterest

Source: mycreativestirrings.com via Audrey on Pinterest

Source: shannonbrown.typepad.com via Audrey on Pinterest

Also, not too long ago, our very own Defrump Me blogger Susan shared an idea for making a date at home extra special. I'm definitely gonna do something similar for our anniversary date! Click HERE to see what she did.

(P.S. In case my husband reads this...I love you, honey!)

Grace for Imperfection {mercy when we fail}

2012-01-05T10:56:00.000-06:00

Christmas is over. Decorations are put away. We really had a wonderful month, in spite of the continuing illness. But my house is looking a bit bare in the decor department. Case in point - our corner fireplace mantel. Looks so sad. :-( (Speaking of which, does anybody have any grand ideas for this space? I feel like it probably has potential, but it is sooooo hard to decorate!!)

It will probably stay bare like this for a number of days until it drives my husband crazy and he throws some stuff up there. I am so decor-challenged, it's really quite unfair. Lauren told me it was like a blank canvas just waiting for something beautiful. Well, let me show you what blank canvases look like in my house:

Yyeaaahhh. Blank. You see, I freeze, shut down, become paralyzed with indecision. So many choices! Don't want to screw it up! What if it looks really awful? Forget it, I'm done!

I know, it's unreasonable. I know that if it doesn't work I can change it. I know that "messing it up" isn't the end of the world — it's just a mantel. My head knows this - way, way back in the recesses of rational thought. But in the moment I'm just thinking, "I'm so bad at this! I don't even know what I'm doing!" It makes it totally un-fun. But, I'm working on it anyway.

As I've mentioned before, I am a planner. I spent 3 days working on this year's target areas, goals, projects, and habits I want to develop in the coming months. It is bold to be sure. I've even put in one of my bucket-list items - running a Komen 5K race at the end of April (I'm NOT a runner) - more on that in the future, I'm sure.

Introspection (a reflective looking inward : an examination of one's own thoughts and feelings) is good. The Apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthians (and us) to examine themselves to be sure they were "in the faith"and to "prove" themselves (2 Corinthians 13:5). Understanding where you are, where you want to be, what's reasonable, and how you will get there - it's part of growing as a person, and if one doesn't do it, one is likely to become stagnant and in a state of stunted growth.

I'm okay at planning self-improvement, making goals and plans for new habits. But maybe you are like me and my decorating deficiency. Do you freeze up at the mere thought of resolutions? Or maybe, like just about everyone in the world including myself, you've failed in the past at following through on some resolution or goal, fallen back into bad habits after a few weeks, missed the mark, despite your best intentions.

It hurts, failing. Falling off the wagon. Sometimes it's hard to pick yourself up by your bootstraps and dust yourself off. It seems easier to sit there in the dirt and beat yourself up - "I'm not good enough. I don't know what I'm doing! I'm so bad at this. I give up!" Oh, I have SO been there!

You are your biggest critic. I typically do not see myself as a perfectionist. For most things, I'm content with "good enough." Except when it comes to me and my failings. And then, look out! There's no way I'll ever be good enough for myself.

But, consider this — God, infinitely perfect and unfailing, looks at me through the grace and merit of Jesus, and He sees me as very good. Wow. And He knows our flesh fails, and He loves us anyway, just asking us to keep on seeking the Kingdom and reaching toward the mark.

So, if a perfect God with perfect standards can love me and give me grace when I miss the mark, how can I do any less for myself when I don't measure up to the standards I place on myself?? When I think about it like that, it just seems silly to give up!

That's why, my word for the year is MERCY. Mercy for myself when I don't meet my goal to dress my kids before noon every day. Mercy when I forget to read my Bible or get too busy for a lengthy devotion. And grace to get out of the dirt, dust myself off, and put myself back on the wagon.

Definition of MERCY

a : compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; also : lenient or compassionate treatment

And here's something else, that wagon — you know the "I'm going to exercise 3 days a week" or "I'm going to make my bed every morning" or "I'm going to resist my tendency toward road rage" wagon — it doesn't keep trucking down the road without you. It stops when you fall off. Don't despair that you can't catch up; don't feel like you'll never get back on the right path. It doesn't work that way. Like the safety on a mower or a treadmill, if you misstep, it waits for you. Your goals are just that - YOURS! So, step out every day in mercy - treat yourself with compassion and forbearance. Press toward the mark, but don't expect to hit it on Day 1. "But grow in grace..." (2 Peter 3:18).

New Year's Tip 2:"Maybe She's Born with It..."

2012-01-04T14:20:00.000-06:00

My friend Jessica recently told me about a lip stain she loves to use called Maybeline Colorsensational. My lips are naturally uh, er, not there, and if I skip the lipstick, I'm basically a giant face with teeth. One problem with lipstick though is that it wears off after just a short time. Also, it comes off on my cup of coffee and my husband's face.

I decided to give lip-gloss a try. I saw my friends constantly applying it, and I couldn't help but stare at the shine that radiated off their lips. I wanted shiny lips too! After I bought some, I faced the same problem with needing to re-apply it, and now every time a gust of wind blew my hair, it would stick to my lips like feathers to tar.

So when Jessica told me about Maybeline's lip stain, I was a little unsure about dumping more money into a product that was not going to work. I trusted her and tried it anyway. Boy am I glad I did!

Not only did it stay on longer, but it was smudge proof since it was essentially staining my lips. I said good-bye to applying lipstick every 30 minutes, being terrified of windy days, and most importantly, to my mouth looking like a hole with teeth.

My only complaint about Colorsensational is there is no bright red color for when I am feeling really bold. Because of this, I branched out and bought Revlon's Just Bitten lip stain... it was a MISTAKE. It was $2 more than Maybeline's, and I ended up looking like a 90's grunge girl wearing a ridiculous amount of lip liner.
Not only that, but the bottom of it broke as soon as I opened the package. Therefore, it fell off in my purse and dried up the entire tube.

So if you're looking for a way to make your lips stand out and look natural at the same time, give Colorsensational a try. For about $5 at Walmart, you'll have beautiful hassle-free lips.

This is about one hour after applying...and yes, I always feel like a dork when taking pictures of myself.

P.S. I am in no way, shape, or form paid to endorse Maybeline. This is all just my opinion.

Just Another Menu Plan

2012-01-03T22:49:00.001-06:00

I am a born planner. Hubster recently dubbed me The Planning Mamba — not joking. I plan sometimes to a fault (more on that Thursday). But one area that I've needed a new plan is my menus. That's why when I saw this post on Pinterest, I had my motivation. I saw and pinned it weeks ago, but I knew I couldn't get to actually planning until after Christmas.

Now, I've done this before - a rotating menu, I mean. I've even had theme days, but I'm pretty sure this is my best one yet. It has more of our favorites and some new recipes I just learned this year. Now that my dairy-free period is over, I get to add back in all the cheesy, wonderful foods that we all love! Yay!!

What's funny is that Lauren and I were planning our menus at the same time, but not together, and we still came up with some of the same categories and many of the same dishes! One difference is that her family does "Meatless Mondays" when, in our house, the Hubster says 1) it's hardly a meal without meat, and 2) Monday is already a depressing enough day, why would you serve a depressing (i.e. no meat) meal at the end of it?? I guess his points are valid. :-) Anyway, I've worked a meatless meal into most weeks, even though I don't have a theme day for it and they definitely don't happen on Mondays.

One reason that I think this is going to work for me is the themes — I am a theme and alliteration lover. It helps me remember what's coming and it helps me categorize so that we aren't having Mexican or Chinese three times a week (it's been known to happen - those are so quick to throw together!).

Another thing that is great about this is that I have scheduled something for every. single. day. Now, most weeks we probably won't eat all seven dinners - we do like to go out sometimes, and we often eat with family, and a lot of times we feast on the leftovers we don't eat for lunch. BUT, the idea is there, and I can choose to go with it or skip and save it. And I'm planning to also give myself the liberty to try new recipes in place of these anytime I want - because I love trying new stuff, too.

So, now that I've got this planned out, all that's left is to put it up in my kitchen. And make it cutesy. Oh, and pull together my recipes. Aaand plan the grocery lists....(If I were truly together, I'd already have it all in SayMmm like Lauren does. I'm working on it, m'kay?) Yeah, I could let my perfectionism get in the way, but instead, I'm just going to go with the paper copy and a simple paper clip. I'll get to the rest when I get to it.

In the meantime, do you have a plan for your meals and menus? Do you like the idea of a rotating menu or do you like to have the opportunity for more variety? If you have a menu plan, share it with us! I always love to see what others are eating!

I'm linking up with OrgJunkie.com Menu Plan Monday and Mom on Timeout.

New Year's Tip 1: Nude Nail Polish

2012-01-02T15:06:00.002-06:00

Happy new year everyone! To start off the year, I am going to do a short series of posts on beauty tips I have found or my friends have shown me.

Today's tip is go nude...on your nails that is. (Sorry, I had to. )

I must say God did not bless me with beautiful nails or attractive hands for that matter. Therefore, I do little to draw attention to them. I clip my nails short, and if I'm feeling really wild, I slap a coat of clear polish on them. However, nude nail polish can make even my ugly boyish hands feel just a bit girly.

Here's a few examples of how nude polish is simple, clean, and elegant.

Source: flights-of-fab-fashion-fancy.com via Bronwen on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Ashley on Pinterest

http://madisonplus.com/beauty/mp-spotlight-summer-nail-polish-trend-nude/

You can even spice it up a bit with some glitter polish on top!

Source: nomadic-d.blogspot.com via Nichole on Pinterest

And finally, here's my very own nude polish I bought for $2.80 at Forever 21. It's almond scented too! Pay no attention to the bad paint job and my massive cuticles. Maybe my next tip will be on home manicures.... I'll just have to learn how to do them first.

Fun Fact: When I was in 7th grade, this was my thumb that had the tip bitten off by a ferocious Cocker Spaniel. Don't let their size fool you.

What do y'all think? Do you like to keep your nails simple or go bolder?

{Menu Monday} Starting the year off with a plan!

2012-01-01T15:50:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year, y'all!! I am a big lover of all things new and changing, so the new year has always been a fun time for me. Somehow everything feels fresh and free of complications. You can just start over. Whatever you're doing that's not working, you can change it. Whatever is in your life that feels bogged down, you can purge it.

One of the things I've noticed in my few years as an adult is that one of the most despised jobs for a lot of housewives is cooking dinner. There are a lot of reasons for this. Some people just don't like food that much (whaaa??), so the effort is not really rewarded. Some people don't like thinking about it ahead of time, and some people don't like how much time a home-cooked meal can take. It is definitely a LOT of work to plan, shop, and cook healthy, yummy meals for your family.

But, as the wife of a single-income family, I've always looked at cooking and grocery shopping as one way I can add value to my home. I see making yummy meals in the budget as a challenge. Plus, I enjoy eating so much that it's totally worth the planning effort to me. I mean, really, you get to eat whatever you want every night of the week! :-) If you feel like having a burger, plan it! And if you're trying to eat healthy, you have control of it. I have had to learn a new way of cooking with trying to lose weight, but it's totally worth it, and it can be fun to find new recipes that are delicious and healthy.

So in this new year, I would like to challenge all of you who don't usually have a plan to make menus. If you think about it, feeding your family is something you HAVE to do. It's not even like the laundry that you technically can put off if you really really want to. You will have mutiny if there is no food in the house! So if you are going to have to cook, you might as well do it the easier way -- with a plan.

No more guilty, defensive reactions when your husband asks you what's for dinner.

No more expensive, unhealthy takeout because you don't have dinner ready.

No more blowing the budget eating out.

No more grumbling from your kids when you say, "find something in the fridge."

My 5-week rotating menu, inspired by Our Life's Mosaic

You can do it!! I read this post the other day of a girl who is changing her plan and getting a plan. I think her idea of a 5-week rotating plan is a fabulous idea, and I've created one myself! If you do this, I HIGHLY recommend using Say Mmm to organize your menu. Once I got all five weeks on the calendar, I saved the whole thing as a Meal Plan. At that point, with one click I can add it back on when this 5 weeks is over. If you need help getting started with Say Mmm, check out my tutorial.

All right! On to the menu for this week!

Monday - 7-Layer Tostadas (tostada shell layered with refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and olives. Just like 7-layer dip!)
Tuesday - Tacos, Beans, Rice
Wednesday - Bacon and Scrambled Egg Bagel Sandwiches, Fruit
Thursday - Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
Friday - Baked Chicken Nuggets, CAT Salad
Saturday - Shrimp Scampi, Cheddar Garlic Biscuits, Caesar Salad

What hindrances to making menus do you have? Maybe we can figure this out together!

Linking up at Tip Junkie's Menu Plan Monday

The Power of Goals {Choosing Success in 2012}

2011-12-29T23:35:00.000-06:00

Source: homegrownhospitality.typepad.com via Audrey on Pinterest

2012 is only two days away. Amazing! I have begun the process of thinking about my New Year's goals, just as I always do around this time of the year. I've been looking back. Recognizing what I accomplished in 2011 as well as analyzing the areas that need more work. Dreaming about new possibilities...

It's a fresh start. A new year. Another chance to change...to become better. Hope is kindled again and dreams seem within our grasp. But how do we keep our dreams alive as time passes and the reality of the "every day" sets in? How do we motivate ourselves to stay focused and continue achieving?

One obvious way is to have goals. One of my favorite sayings that I remind myself of often is by Napoleon Hill, an American author who wrote about how to achieve personal success. He said, "A goal is a dream with a deadline." Hill interviewed many successful men and women of his time, including great minds such as Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, and Theodore Roosevelt. From his research, Napoleon Hill wrote The Law of Success, a set of lessons that outline key principles for achieving success in one's life, of which one of the first is to a have a "definite chief aim" (or a clear, overall purpose in life). In other words, you need to have GOALS.

Goals are very powerful. They are the means by which ideas and dreams can be realized. They help to bring about consistency of purpose, and ultimately the success or change we desire. Of course, each and every day we must CHOOSE to apply these goals in our lives. That's why daily choices are so important!

It has been shown time and again that one of the best ways to stay motivated and focused, to make the right choices each day, is to surround yourself with positive people and a positive support system. I believe this is a major key to achieving the goals you have set in place. Find someone who has the same goals as you do, and work together to accomplish them. Encourage each other. Help each other. Come up with ideas together and keep each other accountable. Remember, two are better than one...if one falls, the other can help him up (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)!

Yesterday, Susan shared a great post on goal-setting. I love that she pointed out that we can't wait for everything to be perfect before we decide to start on our goals. It will never happen if we do! Don't let perfectionism stand in the way of your success (because believe me, it will). Instead, just begin right away to take those small steps in the right direction. If you take some steps backwards, then just take a deep breath and start again. Don't give up!

I really like the idea of having a motto or a key word that you choose as your "purpose" for the year. FlyLady has a new motto every year, and this year's is "perfectionism is shelved in 2012." Another blog I ran across picks one word each year that defines what the blogger wants to focus on for that year. You can see this post HERE. It motivated me to pick a key word for myself for 2012.

My word for this year is CHOICES. I want to remind myself each day to make the right choice. I want to really think about the choices that are before me. The small choices. The big choices. The choice to not be afraid. To be positive. The choice to follow God. The choice to be loving. To be a servant. I want to remember that what I choose in the moment is so important to my future and the future of those around me. What will I choose?

I encourage you to pick a word or a phrase that defines your overall purpose for this upcoming year. Then set clear, specific goals with deadlines. Finally, find a good support group...and CHOOSE SUCCESS!

Check out these free printables on goal-setting below!

Source: getbuttonedup.com via Audrey on Pinterest

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{Menu Monday} Starting the year off with a plan!

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