Mom Going Greene

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-11T20:07:00.000-08:00

Photo Card

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The Jesse Tree--A New Tradition in Our Home

2011-11-30T23:53:00.000-08:00

This year we are starting a new tradition for advent--a Jesse Tree. Each day, we will put an ornament on our Jesse Tree and read the scripture and devotional that accompanies it. We will follow God's story of creation to the fulfillment of His promise, Christ Jesus, and see how His fingerprint is on every story; making it a long narrative--His great plan--to offer us His grace and salvation. It is my hope that this tool will help prepare our hearts as we wait, to celebrate the birth of Jesus; that my daughter will see Him as the focus of this joyous season.

The name, Jesse Tree comes from Jesus' lineage starting with David, son of Jesse.
Isaiah 11 (New Living Translation)

A Branch from David’s Line
¹ Out of the stump of David’s family [the tree of Jesse] will grow a shoot—
      yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
² And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
      the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
   the Spirit of counsel and might,
      the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

¹⁰ In that day the heir to David’s throne^[b]
      will be a banner of salvation to all the world.
   The nations will rally to him,
      and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.

To get Ann Voskamp's free devotional book (downloaded) for The Jesse Tree Advent, click here. It is beautifully illustrated and includes ornaments you can print off and use. We decided to make our own, coming up with our own designs cut from felt. My almost 8 year old had a ball and came up with some beautiful designs. Thus far, we have done the first 8 ornaments (see pictures below). I have looked up various information online for the Jesse tree and found MANY variations as to which Bible stories are highlighted in the devotionals, and which symbol is used on the ornament. Also, some start with December 1, some start with the first Sunday in Advent. I have included a list of websites at the end of this blog entry.

However you choose to celebrate this Christmas, I pray that you will prepare your heart to receive the amazing gift of love God offered mankind so many years ago. Instead of "counting down" the days, wait with anxious anticipation. Imagine the thoughts that ran through Mary's mind...the wonder of the shepherds as an army of angels appeared before their eyes on a dark night...the sight of the brightest star in the sky you have ever seen...and the humble beginnings of a baby born amidst cattle and sheep in a barn, laid on a bed of straw.

Blessings,
Lori

Joseph's coat & Moses/the burning bush (Anne AshLee did the burning bush)

Issac--Ram (Anne AshLee did this one) & Jacob--ladder

Noah's ark & Abraham--stars in the sky

Creation of the earth (by Anne AshLee) & Adam & Eve and the fall of man

Here are some other websites I found with Jesse Tree devotionals/patterns/etc:

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2010/11/free-jesse-tree-advent-devotional-book/
http://www.crivoice.org/jesse.html
http://www.shalfleet.net/advent/makeajessetree.htm
http://www.jesse-tree.com/
https://www.rca.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=1628

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2011-11-23T15:29:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful that I have...

a family who loves me
an amazing little girl that I am able to home school and spend my days with on the adventure of a lifetime!
parents who gave me a solid foundation for life & faith, and a great deal of love, patience and support
a Savior who offers grace
friends to laugh and share life with
a home where our basic needs are met, and then some
a job I enjoy
a husband who loves me despite my many faults, and is a great dad to our daughter
the privilege to live in a country where I can speak & worship freely

May your blessings be in abundance this Thanksgiving!

So, What's Your Story?

2011-11-03T00:50:00.000-07:00

Every life has a story. Whether it is a story worth telling and talking about, though, is up to you. --Donald Miller A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

Last summer I read Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. The book basically has you analyze your life as though you are writing a script, and asks, are you telling a good story? That's a lot to think about! Look at what you do in a week-- do your actions support your values? Like it or not, how we spend our time (and money) reveals a lot about what we value-- is it doing what we think is expected of us? what we feel obligated to do? Sometimes I stop and try to think, based on what our life has looked like this week, what am I telling my daughter that I value? Like it or not, a lot of what is taught is "caught".

The book also goes on to talk about what makes a good story--and it's not talking about the drama you see on reality television, or a list of accomplishments you could put on a resume. For me, the heart of a good story is good relationships. It's the time invested with people-- doing life together. It's following the path God leads you down--and you can bet He will send you on an adventure! Does my life always reflect my values? No, but it's important that I keep track of the story I'm writing. I hope that I am handing that pen over to God more often than I am wielding it myself. In the words of Ga-linda, I hope people can say "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book-- things that will really make you think! Enjoy! And tell me, what story are you trying to write?

The truth is, if what we choose to do with our lives won't make a story meaningful, it won't make a life meaningful either.

People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen.

Fear isn't only a guide to keep us safe; it's also a manipulative emotion that can trick us into a boring life.

I began to realize the stuff I spent money on was, in many ways, the sum of my ambitions. And those ambitions weren't the stuff of good stories.

[people] come out of college wanting to change the world...get married...have kids...But they get into the middle [of their story] and discover it was harder than they thought...they take it out on their spouses and go looking for an easier story.

[from his friend Josh Shipp]: "When something hard happens to you, you have two choices in how to deal with it. You can either get bitter or better. I chose to get better. It's made all the difference."

Half the commercials on television are selling us something that will make life easier. Part of me wonders if our stories aren't being stolen by the easy life.

We believe we will be made whole by our accomplishments, our possessions or our social status.

I realized that for years I'd thought of love as something that would complete me, make all my troubles go away.

When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.

A good movie has memorable scenes. So does a good life...I like those scenes in the Bible where God stops people and asks them to build an altar...I don't think God really gets much from looking at a pile of rocks. Instead, I think God wanted His people to build altars for their sake, something that would help them remember...remember the time they were rescued or given grace...We have to force ourselves to create these scenes. We have to get up off the couch, and turn the tv off, and blow up inner tubes and head to the river, write the poem and deliver it in person...[stop] the car and hike to the top of the hill...dance at weddings. We have to make altars.

We don't know how much we are capable of loving until the people we love are being taken away, until a beautiful story is ending.

A good storyteller doesn't just tell a better story, though. He invites other people into the story with him, giving them a better story too.

In Ecclesiastes, the only practical advice given about living a meaningful life is to find a job you like, enjoy your marriage, and obey God. It's as though God is saying write a good story, take somebody with you, and let me help.

If you aren't telling a good story, nobody thinks you died too soon; they just think you died.

Long time, no blog!

2011-10-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

I have been a bad blogger! Life seems to have gotten the better of me, and time has flown, and no blog has happened in the meantime! SO, here are some updates!

Vinegar:
I am still lovin' vinegar! Vinegar is still my fabric softner, and dishwasher additive. Works beautifully and is soooo economical! Love it!

Fair Trade:
I am still trying to incorporate fair trade for Christmas this year as much as possible. It's a win-win thing!

Homeschooling:
I have stretched out in homeschooling and delved into a direction I never imagined for myself--Classical Education. So far, so good. I will blog more in depth about this one soon! My daughter is in second grade now and we are in our 4th year of homeschooling (started at 4yr old preschool). I really do love homeschooling!

This year's birthday party:
Those who know me well know that I LOVE planning parties! I think in themes, so it's just such fun for me! We have finally settled on a theme for this year and I am soooo psyched about it!!!! I'll give a full report with pics in the next month!

Books
I've read a lot of really cool stuff this year, and can't wait to share some of that with you! Look for blogs in the coming weeks about some great books I've read!

Stuff I Like
I will be adding a link to the blog "Stuff I Like"-- favorite products I've used, etc. I look forward to hearing about stuff you like too!

See you at the next blog!

Vinegar--Who Knew?!?!

2011-01-24T22:22:00.000-08:00

In my on-going effort to be more "green" I have recently discovered (ok, maybe re-discovered) vinegar. Such a simple product and oh so CHEAP!

Vinegar has become my new fabric softener! It is a natural water softener, cleanser, disinfectant, and brightener! So, you can put 1/2 cup (or so) in the wash to help with a stain or odor, and 1/2 cup in the fabric softener dispenser. It also helps keep lint from sticking to your clothes in the dryer (the fact that you used it in the washer--to clarify). I find that it works really well! I love that I am disinfecting things like towels, underwear, and socks AND neutralizing odors. It is also great because I have respiratory allergies that scented fabric softeners can aggravate (a walk down the fabric softener aisle at the store can require the use of an inhaler!). Now, you may be wondering about the smell--vinegar is not so pleasant to the olfactory system. You may smell it faintly as you take clothes out of the wash, but it dissipates as they dry--you do not smell it at all once clothes are dry (either in the dryer or line-dried). Another bonus is that it cleans your washing machine and is good for your pipes!

Vinegar is also my new dishwasher aid. I was having a hard time with spotty and sometimes not completely clean dishes coming out of my dishwasher. Adding 1/2 cup of vinegar to the bottom of the dishwasher (in addition to my dishwasher detergent) has made a HUGE difference. You can also put it in the rinse agent slot (like Jet-dry).

There are tons of other ways to use vinegar in cleaning your home. An inexpensive, natural disinfectant that doesn't pollute our water ways or fill our homes with unsafe vapors to breathe! What more could you ask for? (Okay--I admit, it could smell better coming out of the bottle, but we can't have it all, dear! I will say, that in using it, it does not make my house smell like vinegar.)

For more ideas on how to save money AND green up your home, check out these websites on using vinegar for cleaning. There are MANY more out there too! Next, I will start experimenting with baking soda. I'll let you know how it goes!
Frugal Fun
Vinegar Tips

Update on Fair Trade Christmas

2011-01-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

So, how did the fair trade Christmas go? I would say about 30% of the gifts we gave were fair trade. I would like to have done better, but then I don't think it's a bad start either. I tried to keep in mind who I was giving the gift to, and sometimes it didn't work out. When possible, I went with made in the USA or by a local craftsman too. Clothing and toys are the hardest areas I found to meet the criteria.

What DID I find? The easiest areas by far were chocolate, coffee, jewelry and soap. Green & Black Organic Chocolate, Newman's Own chocolates & coffee, Green Mountain coffee, Fair Trade Exchange Coffee and Dr. Bronner's soap were all easily found in major chain stores and grocery stores (I found them at Target, Hyvee, Schnucks, Fresh Market & Kroger in Peoria.) Even more brands were at natural food stores and specialty grocery stores. In Peoria, I easily found fair trade items at: Forest Park Nature Center (some beautiful Christmas ornaments, jewelry, fiber arts, decorative objects, chocolate, cleaners--really neat selection there!); Global Village (a small store dedicated exclusively to fair trade and run by volunteers to keep prices down); RE- (a new store at the Metro Centre where everything is made from recycled or environmentally sustainable goods); Naturally Yours (lots of coffees, chocolate, soaps). I am sure that this is not an exhaustive list, but it is what I've found. If you know of others, please let me know!

Another really cool thing I should mention is that I actually received some fair trade gifts too, which was really neat. I got a bread basket with cloth in it (both fair trade) and a loaf of homemade bread in it--very clever, I thought! Please share any great gift ideas you have too!

Homeschooling quote

2011-01-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

I love this quote about homeschooling!

Home schooling is a very old way of doing things. If you look at any of the bills in your wallet or the coins in your pocket, they all have a picture of a homeschooler on them. - William Lloyd

Glass Straws?!?!

2010-12-12T09:29:00.000-08:00

I just saw a promo on Jasmere for Strawesome-- these are glass straws hand-made by an artist in the US that are made of strong (think Pyrex) non-toxic glass. These sound awesome! Earth friendly, non-toxic, supports an artist... right up my alley! The Jasmere special currently is a $50 voucher for $20 (on jasmere, the more people who buy it, the price keeps going lower and you aren't charged for it until it closes, and everybody gets it for the lowest price). Thought it was really cool and I would share it!

Update on Fair Trade Christmas

2010-11-27T22:58:00.000-08:00

Well, I must confess that Black Friday deals did get me off track a bit for my Fair Trade Christmas plan. I can just about guarantee that a few purchases were far from fair trade. I got caught up in the sales, the ads, the frenzy of it all. At some point during the day, it hit me just how far off the mark I had gone. Fair trade hadn't even crossed my mind until that point.

So, today I went to check out Global Village in Peoria Heights. It is a fair trade treasure trove! I did not realize until I went there that the focus of the store is fair trade! In case you are thinking that fair trade is more expensive--think twice! I found a lot of reasonable prices. What can you get there? Chocolate, coffee, soaps, purses, scarves, decorative objects, linens, musical instruments, dog collars, cards, mittens, clothes... LOTS of things. The cool thing is (in addition to them being fair trade) many of them are one of a kind. You can get a truly unique gift there! If you are looking for anything that has a plug-in or screen, you will not find it there. Though, they do have some baskets woven from telephone wires in Africa... It is neat that you can see what country most items were made in. My daughter picked out a gift for a friend's birthday while there--a really cute kid's purse made in Guatemala. Global Village is a small shop chock full of really neat items! A great stop for holiday shopping that can make a big difference!

One of the biggest challenges in shopping fair trade is for toys. The best I know of are some European toy companies with good reputations for making safe toys. Does anyone know of some good resources for fair trade toy shopping (that are also made from safe materials)? If so, please clue me in!

I'll keep you posted!

Anne AshLee's 7th Birthday Party--A Little House Birthday

2010-11-17T21:36:00.000-08:00

We have been listening to the Little House series of books for a while now, and as an educator, I was thrilled when Anne AshLee wanted to have a Little House themed birthday party. She wanted it to be authentic so I found myself getting every Little House cookbook and craft book the library system had. We chose a few recipes: Laura's Heart Shaped Birthday Cakes, Popcorn Balls (which actually did not turn out as balls for me, but they were still yummy!) and Lemonade. We read the picture book of A Little House Birthday, and "Pa" organized the sack races and played guitar while we sang songs from the Little House songbook. We were very fortunate to be able to have this party at a local pioneer park--the homestead cabin was so neat! The "settlers" were really able to see what a pioneer home was like. The park ranger led them in making cornhusk dolls and took them on a hayride. Our wagon had shocks on it, and we talked about what it must have been like to ride in one of these for 4 months with no shocks. Each child got a pioneer bonnet or straw hat to wear, clove candy sticks, and a (used) copy of Little House on the Prairie book. The moms and kids had a lot of fun! One friend commented that is was the most educational birthday party she had ever been to-- Mission Accomplished! History can be fun!

On the flip side, pioneer cooking is not to be taken lightly. I used kitchen tools I have never used before. I can cook, but am not big on cooking "from scratch" so I found myself about to lose my mind the night before. Laura's heart shaped cakes were really butter cookies-- there HAD to be a misprint in the recipe because you couldn't roll the dough into anything! I just kept adding butter until it would stay together--3 sticks later, I had dough! With frosting and sprinkles on them, most kids thought they were great. I vowed to never make another birthday cake again...

The party was a lot of fun to plan, and my daughter really enjoyed coming up with ideas she remembered from the books. We had a great time, but next year, I am thinking something small and low-key....

Pictures from the party in the next post!

Anne AshLee's 7th Birthday party

2010-11-17T21:07:00.001-08:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

A Fair Trade Christmas

2010-11-10T22:59:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like every time you turn around, you are seeing the same thing. Something you may have given little thought to before is suddenly there everytime you turn around. For me, that is fair trade. In case you are not familiar with the term, fair trade means that the people who made and produced the item were properly compensated for their work. I see at Forest Park Nature Center that October was Fair Trade month and they are featuring some really neat fair trade products at their trail store (chocolate, jewelry, gifts, coffee, etc). Then I see an article in a magazine about child laborers worldwide and how many children worldwide work in sometimes dangerous occupations for little compensation. Then I find out about a market in Peoria Heights that features fair trade products. OK God--I get it.

I have always cared about the environment and try to make earth friendly choices in shopping and lifestyle. I have not given fair trade as much thought until this. I think God is challenging me to do so. It makes total sense to me-- I should buy products where those who produce them are fairly paid for their work. I don't feel it's ethical for me to get something for cheap because someone worked for wages that don't even provide them enough food to eat, much less to live on. However, our consumer driven society has created a global system which often does just that. It takes some searching to shop fair trade.

Thus, I have issued a challenge to myself. I am going to do my best to make it a fair trade Christmas. I am going to try to find environmentally friendly, fair trade gifts to give this Christmas. I will keep you posted on how it goes!

Life Can Be So Crazy!

2010-06-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I have a tendency to bite off more than I can chew sometimes. In saying yes to my daughter and trying to give her the experiences she loves, I crammed a few too many things into our weekend. She performed in a concert at our church Friday night, and had dance pictures AND ice show rehearsal Saturday morning. Did I mention that I work part time at our church Saturday evening and Sunday mornings? Oh, and she attended a fairy garden birthday party Sunday afternoon. It was a bit crazy to say the least!

I should also add that dance pictures involve another difficult element--hair. Hair is a major point of contention with us. Basically, she can't stand for me to do her hair. Last year, there was an ugly episode at the dance recital dress rehearsal that ended with her and me crying in the car on the way. So, there was additional element of stress Saturday morning. Oh, and she doesn't like to wear tights over her feet (she likes footless) and I had to break that one to her. I had decided ahead of time that since she has a short bob haircut, that a bun wasn't happening for us with our issues. So, I just went for a neat ponytail, and if some hair-talented-mother could help when we got there, great! If not, the world wouldn't end.

We managed to get the ponytail in without a major melt down (just a little one) and thank goodness a talented-hair-mother was there to help fake a bun. The tights went on without a hitch--I totally put it off on the dance teacher..."Miss Claudette said you HAVE to wear footed tights with your costume..." And yet, I should have listened to that voice in my head that said "bad idea...don't do it" but I found myself saying the words,"yes, you can wear a little make up and mascara." Mascara ended up getting in her eye and there were more tears. Luckily, with a little eyemakeup remover, damage control was complete!

As difficult as preparing for pictures may have seemed--getting together hair, make-up & costume pieces, and arrive NOT crying--at least I knew I wasn't alone. One mother lost the arm poofs to the costume and another little girl started crying and rubbed her eyes, which caused mascara to run down her face just as they were going in to take pictures. Life can be so crazy! At least in this crazy dance of motherhood, we can look at each other and see that lots of other women are on this wild and wonderful journey with us!

Mom Going Greene

Merry Christmas!

The Jesse Tree--A New Tradition in Our Home

A Branch from David’s Line

10 In that day the heir to David’s throne[b] will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

So, What's Your Story?

Long time, no blog!

Vinegar--Who Knew?!?!

Update on Fair Trade Christmas

Homeschooling quote

Glass Straws?!?!

Update on Fair Trade Christmas

Anne AshLee's 7th Birthday Party--A Little House Birthday

Anne AshLee's 7th Birthday party

A Fair Trade Christmas

Life Can Be So Crazy!

¹⁰ In that day the heir to David’s throne^[b]
will be a banner of salvation to all the world.
The nations will rally to him,
and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.