So, I married a Mennonite...

My Secret

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:45:00 +0000

Do you know the only time you’re allowed to bold-faced lie?

When you’re pregnant! But only during the first trimester. After that, it’s a sin again.

{a lemon about the same size as our little one}

We’re fourteen weeks into the making of baby number three! We haven’t been in a hurry to spread the word. It’s nice keeping this little secret.

But really, there comes a point when it becomes necessary to share.

It just makes popping your top button and eating peanut butter, jelly & poultry seasoning sandwiches so much more… acceptable.

Ok, I didn’t really eat a pb, j, & ps sandwich. I really wanted to, but decided it was just too strange a thing to do.

Thanks to everyone who’s been wondering where I am and patiently waiting for me to emerge. I’m feeling much better lately.

One last thing… check out this fantastic video, Conception to Birth Visualized, presented during a TED talk. It’s amazing. I love when people realize that science and divinity are not exclusive.

Conception to Birth Visualized | Ted.com

Do you have a fun story about keeping a secret or sharing the news?

2012 Printable Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:08:00 +0000

Days spill into weeks and all of the sudden, I've taken an intentional blogging break. again.

Sorry I don't do well at letting you know ahead of time! Forgive me?

Anywho, I've made another printable calendar for you!

2012 Calendar

Nothing fancy, just something to help you organize 2012.

And, you know... free.

While you're at it, why not create a meaningful yearly plan?

Cheers to the New Year!

Pinterest Party! Everything Merry

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Source: bakersroyale.com via michellebygrace on Pinterest

It’s time to share your holiday pins!

Bloggers:
Link up any post with a holiday pin.
Link back to this party with a link or button.

Non-bloggers:
Link up your holiday pinboard.
Pin something from this site.

I can’t wait to see what you’ve found!

{subscribers: click here if you can’t see the linky}

It’s Coming!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:04:00 +0000

I promised an announcement this week…

Introducing the brand new website for The Organized Blogger! Click over to find out the new and final, no turning back, like-it-or-not release date for the book.

Thanks to everyone who’s joined the Facebook community already! I love seeing your faces in the sidebar.

I won’t be using this blog to talk about The Organized Blogger too much more – so go check out the new site, get connected, and tell your friends!

Thanks!

Shopping Amazon?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:53:00 +0000

The movie Cars gets me every time.

credit

Lightning McQueen meets Sally, the Porsche, and she opens his eyes to the beauty of the small town. He supports his friends by patronizing each of their small town shops before his big race.

At the end of the movie, all 784 times, my heart beats strong and wild for “the little guy.”

I try to reflect this passion in life and through this blog. Part of living intentionally is being purposeful with our financial support, right?

So I try to shop small stores and I write posts about thoughtful giving.

credit

And I can’t think of one good thing to say about Amazon.com.

Except…

there was that year I was 9 months pregnant the entire month proceeding Christmas and I bought every single gift online. That year Amazon was incredibly helpful to me, because it meant I didn’t have to bundle up my toddler and haul my enormous belly, well- anywhere!

So, it would be hypocritical to discourage people from ever shopping big online merchants when it can be necessary.

Then I thought of one other nice thing about Amazon.com. They work with bloggers as affiliates. So if I shop online using a friends’ Amazon link, I still get the same great deals they advertise and my friend gets paid for advertising the link.

If you are already planning to shop small businesses for Christmas, I encourage you to do that! Here are a few gift ideas you might like. Marci describes more ways to shop small.

If you are planning to shop online at store like Amazon.com, would you consider starting here or on another favorite blogger’s site?

Not only will you be avoiding the crowds, you’ll be supporting someone like me!

…

Need Gift Ideas? My Favorite Things (listed in my Amazon store)

…

So, how do you like to shop?

p.s. If you think Amazon.com is crummy or you don’t care for posts like this, feel free to disregard. Thanks for reading!

Disclosure: “I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.”

First Vlog :: Thankful for You!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 03:14:00 +0000

Here it is, folks. My first vlog ever.

It would have to be something pretty important for me to get on camera. Can you tell how nervous I am? I don't like being on camera. My voice sounds so weird to me!

But I like you. So, I did it for you.

Hope you like it!

Props to the fabulous camera guy, my Menno. :)

So what do you think- should I vlog again?

{nervously bites nails}
...
Next Week: Exciting announcement about The Organized Blogger!

How To Shoot in Manual Mode for Beginners

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:57:00 +0000

Shooting in manual mode is easy! I thought it was complicated, but I was missing 1 key step.

See this meter?

Pin It
You have to turn the dial on your camera to move the cursor to the center! (in-depth explanation of metering)

I learned this tip from my Obi Wan of photography, Michelle. She created a great video tutorial to go along with this post.

I also learned some tricks from my Yoda, Darcy, at Relevant. I explain them below!

Important Settings

1. Shutter Speed – a number, usually 1/n
2. f-number – Ex. 4.0 or 5.6
3. ISO – a number from 100 or 200 to 6400 or more, depending on your camera

How To Shoot In Any Setting:

Indoor Settings

Above- ISO: 3200 – f-number: 5.6 – Shutter Speed: 1/80

ISO – highest possible (This depends on your camera.)
f-number (amount in focus) – lowest possible
Shutter Speed – above 50 (1/80 is great.)
White Balance – Auto or adjust

Indoor Tips: Go as low as you can ISO while keeping Shutter Speed at 1/50 or above. If your shutter speed is at 1/200 or above when centered, lower your ISO.

Outdoor Settings

Above- ISO: 400 – f-number: 4.0 – Shutter Speed: 1/60

ISO – lowest possible (This depends on your camera. A Canon will go down to 100. A Nikon goes to 200.)
f-number (amount in focus) – low for detail shots / high for large groups
Shutter Speed – Center your meter.
White Balance – Auto or adjust setting to get the look you want.

Outdoor Tips: Stand in the same light as your subject.
Keep the light source behind you. Angle your shoulder toward the light source.
If you must shoot from shade to light, use the flash to compensate.

Kids and Other Squirmy Things

Above- ISO: 400 – f-number: 4.0 – Shutter Speed: 1/125

ISO – lowest possible (see Shutter Speed below)
f-number (amount in focus) – low for detail shots / high for large groups
Shutter Speed – 125 or above - This is your priority setting! Adjust your ISO and f-stop to achieve the right shutter speed.
White Balance – Auto or adjust to your liking.

Now I love manual mode. I think you will, too!

Pin It

{Don't forget to check out the video tutorial that explains manual mode, too!}

Want to learn even more?

Photography 101 (Learning Manual Mode) , Photography 102 :: My3Boybarians.com
How to take iStock Photos (and make Money!) :: SomeGirlsWebsite.com

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts that Doubly Bless

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:18:00 +0000

Making your Christmas list? Check out these gift ideas that do good for others!

The Mercy House Shop
-paper bead necklaces, t-shirts, artwork
The Mercy House is a maternity home in Kenya where women can receive prenatal care and deliver their babies in a clean, safe environment.
Update: Use code THANKS to get 10% off!

Freeset Global
-jute, cotton and custom bags
Freeset Global helps rescue women in India from human trafficking.
You can buy Freeset Global and tons of other cute products here: Better Way Imports

Stitches by Sara
Sara and her husband are raising money to adopt a child from Ethiopia. She makes the cutest hair accessories, coffee cup cozies and crayon rolls- just to name a few!

Ten Thousand Villages
-toys, games, paper products, home décor, jewelry and artwork
Ten Thousand Villages sells handcrafted, fair-trade items from hundreds of companies who do good in their communities.

Cookies, Coffee and Tea

Stroopies are delicious, caramel-filled waffle cookies you can warm on top of your coffee mug. I like the chocolate dipped ones!

Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee
-many varieties of coffee

Live Your Love Tea
-quality ceylon tea

Amazima
-paperbead jewelry
Benefits Ugandan orphans and Katie (Kisses from Katie).

Can you think of any great shops for good causes I missed?

I'm not an affiliate for any of these companies.
All photos are courtesy of their respective websites.

Extra, Enough, Guilt, Grace and Compassion

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:39:00 +0000

I can't write the session's title that tackled blogging for good at Relevant without attracting the wrong kind of attention here, but if you look closely at the picture of my notebook you will see what it was about.

{a peek into my notebook}

Not all of us are bloggers, but we all have something we’re passionate about. Whether your audience is your family or your women’s group, I invite you to adapt the advice here to fit your situation.

Relevant Recap: “Blogging for the Good of Others”

Speakers: Shaun Groves (Compassion), Kristen Welch (Mercy House), and Kristi Griem (Freeset)

When you find the thing you’re passionate about, how do you share this passion with others? (-Me)

How to Share

Start with what changed you. Odds are what changed you will change something else. –Shaun

“God rescued me from wealth.” –Kristen

Don’t ask people to do something you’re not doing.

If you are engaging, participating, you are part of the change.

Don’t cross from empathy to guilt.

Remember who you are writing to. –Kristen

Empathy, not Guilt

Look for common denominators:

We all want to be good moms.

We want good relationships with our kids, with our own moms, our husbands, etc.

They have a voice. We provide the platform.

Don’t exploit.

Write about them the way you’d want your children written about.

Call to Action

Don’t appeal to legalism.

Don’t pressure.

Keep God’s mercy in view for you. That’s where generosity begins.

Keep it simple and tangible.

The Response

Pray for humility and compassion.

Ask and let go. Don’t be self-righteous.

Have as much compassion for the rich, powerful grown-up as the weak, vulnerable and small. –Shaun

Share your passion. Let the Holy Spirit do the rest. Their response is not your responsibility.

Everyone has a passion, something God has given them a heart for. It may not be the same as yours!

Not everyone will respond the same way (or at the same time). Their redeeming moment will come later.

The Compassion bloggers are headed to Ecuador!

You can affect change. Share your platform.

Tweet, link, and promote the stories these bloggers tell.

The above are my notes, typed. The speakers’ words are as close as I could get to quotes as I scribbled them as fast as I could.

Pinterest Party! Feasts and Festivities

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:25:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday!

There's something about being with family all day long, minus the pressure of shopping and wrapping gift for everyone, combined with the once-a-year secret recipes and dwelling on every blessing in life- it’s soul food for the heart and the tummy.

(Remind me to go on a diet, like tomorrow.)

My Thanksgiving Pins

Source: bhg.com via michellebygrace on Pinterest

{welcome wagon}

Source: southernliving.com via michellebygrace on Pinterest

{sweet potato casserole}

Source: via michellebygrace on Pinterest

{handprint garland}

See more Thanksgiving inspiration in my Feasts & Festivities board!

You can link up your posts or boards below or browse for ideas!

Pinterest Party! Etiquette

1. Link up a blog post sharing your Thanksgiving-related pins below.
*Link to your specific post (permalink), not your homepage.*
2. Include a link back to this site (http://www.soimarriedamennonite.com) or the new Pinterest Party! button (right sidebar).
Ex. I’m linking up to a Pinterest Party! You can, too!
3. Pins and posts should relate to the monthly theme.
4. Pins must be family friendly.
5. Be sure to credit the original source (creator/owner) of your pins – not Google or Flickr.

Do I have to have a blog?

Nope! You may link directly to one of your Pinterest boards, provided you follow these steps:
1. Include the link-up title or keywords in your board title.
2. Make sure the pins relate to the title.
3. Link directly to your board, not your Pinterest account, to help others find your Thanksgiving pins easily.
4. Pin the Pinterest Party! button (right sidebar) or something else that interests you from my blog.

(Any links that don’t follow the Party Etiquette will be removed. I’m happy to answer any questions you have about linking up.)

What’s a Pinterest Party? Pinterest Party! Intro Post
Last Month’s Party – Autumn Awesomeness – you can still link up here!

Pinterest Party! Schedule
October 31(ish) – Thanksgiving Feasts & Festivities
November 28 – All Things Merry {Christmas}
January 2 – Fresh Starts in the New Year

Link-ups will remain open for a month. Link up at any time!

Photos from Relevant 11

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:34:00 +0000

I’m back from Relevant 2011! I can’t wait to tell you about the speakers, the spider in my shirt, and the amazing women I met.

You can check out some of my pictures in my Relevant 11 Flickr album.

If you’re a blogger and would like to use a picture in your post, just link it here (http://soimarriedamennonite.com) and let me know you’re using it, either in the comments or through Twitter.

I’m excited about what God is doing here and even more convinced He wants you to know how much He loves you!

Pinterest Party! :: Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:07:00 +0000

Autumn is my favorite season- the colors, the air, the food- it’s all so brilliant, crisp and cozy! I hope you enjoy the Fall eye candy you’ll find in this month’s Pinterest Party!

{my autumn-inspired board}

Aren’t these pumpkins pretty?

I’m kind of obsessed with making these shimmer acorns myself now.

These pumpkin-cream cheese filled cookies look delicious!

Check out the rest of my Autumny finds on Pinterest …and share yours below!

Pinterest Party! Etiquette

1. Link up a blog post sharing your Autumn-related pins below.
*Link to your specific post, not your homepage.*
3. Include a link back to this site (http://www.soimarriedamennonite.com) or the new Pinterest Party! button (right sidebar).
Ex. I’m linking up to a Pinterest Party! You can, too!
4. Pins and posts should relate to the monthly theme.
5. Pins must be family friendly.
6. Be sure to credit the original source (creator) of your pins – not Google or Flickr.

Do I have to have a blog?

Nope! You may link directly to one of your Pinterest boards, provided you follow these steps:
1. Include the link-up title or keywords in your board title.
Ex. Autumn Awesomeness, Autumn, and All Things Autumn would all be good titles.
2. Make sure the pins relate to the title.
3. Pin the Pinterest Party! button (right sidebar) or something else that interests you from my blog.

(Any links that don’t follow the Party Etiquette will be removed. I’m happy to answer any questions you have about linking up.)

What’s a Pinterest Party? Pinterest Party! Intro Post
Last Month’s Party - Pinterest Party! :: Back to School & Organization

Pinterest Party! Schedule
October 31 – Thanksgiving Feasts & Festivities
November 28 – All Things Merry {Christmas}
January 2 – Fresh Starts in the New Year

Link-ups will remain open for a month. Link up at any time!

{click to link up if viewing in a reader}

Happy Dance!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

If you don’t know our story, you can catch up here and here.

photo credit

He got the job!!!

{insert happy dance here}

We were open to adventure, but are so excited that we don’t have to move!!
(I realized over the past 2 months how much I like where we live.)

The loss of a steady income and the security it brings was sudden and surprising, but God used it to give us something different and maybe even better than we had before!

Thank you for being part of our support network! Your prayers and words of encouragement have meant so much to us. Our support network, you included, was the hands and feet of Jesus to us during the past 2 months. We’re thankful for everyone who reminded us that we were not alone. What a comfort and peace that brought!

Today begins our next great adventure.

---

If you know someone going through tough times, reach out and let them know you’re there for them. Just hearing those words will strengthen them.

---

eBook Update, Etcetera

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:11:00 +0000

Directly to my right there’s a silver crutch propped against the couch. My foot had an unfortunate encounter with a stationary object and I’m not sure if everything’s intact down there. {I get queasy just thinking about it.} I may have to get it checked out this week, but for now I’m trying to take it easy.

my writing spot while visiting my parents'

The Organized Blogger

The eBook has evolved into something bigger than I first imagined; and the ideas keep coming! Along the way I kept thinking of great ideas that I would do “if” I had the time. Well, that didn’t sit well with me, so I decided to extend my self-imposed deadline and do it up right. This works better for my designer, Erin, and my family, too.

So, you won’t see it today, but the goal is still to release it in September. I know many of you can’t wait to get your hands on it! {Thanks for your encouragement as well as your patience!}

I got to see the first form all fixed up and ready to be filled in today! I’m thankful to my tech-savvy cousin for helping me with this, since I don’t own Adobe Acrobat. My goal is for most, if not all of the forms to be “fillable” on the computer, as well as printable.

In the meantime, would you visit The Organized Blogger on Facebook? That is, if you’re interested in blogging. {Thanks!}

Thanks for putting up with the updates about my project if you’re just here for the Mennonite thing. {wink}

On the Job Front

It’s been exactly 2 months since my husband’s been out of a job. We’ve been well cared for during this time and I have to give props to our family, friends, and to God for this. It’s overwhelming!

This is a big week for us. I have a feeling it marks the end of our interlude in unemployment, as my Mr. has been granted 2 second interviews! If you would keep us in prayer, as I know so many of you have been, I would once again be so very grateful to you all. I’m hoping that I can announce some sort of good news later on this week!

the high water mark visible on the old mill

Etcetera

In between all that I’ve mentioned, we’ve hunkered down during Hurricane Irene and experienced some of the worst flooding in our area – record-breaking flooding – due to Tropical Storm Lee. Our area saw nearly 15 inches of rain in 24 hours. That smashes records back through to the 1800’s. We’re thankful that we didn’t experience any damage from either of those storms, but are praying for our friends who are in the process of recovering. (We’re also praying for the people of Bastrop County, Texas, who are experiencing the exact opposite with drought and wildfire destruction.)

Pinterest Party Update

I changed the Pinterest guidelines a bit, because I did not want to exclude anyone from linking up. If you don’t have a blog, but have a Pin Board that fits the monthly theme, you can add the link to your specific Pin Board to the linky – I simply ask that you pin something you like from this blog if you link up.

...
So, that's everything. Now I want to know...

How are things with you?

Pinterest Party! Back-to-School and Organization pins!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:37:00 +0000

Update: Anyone can link up! See below.

Today is the first ever Pinterest Party at So, I married a Mennonite…!

Source: re-nest.com via michellebygrace on Pinterest

This month's themes are Back to School and Organization!

There are 2 reasons for the double theme this month:

Not everyone has kids heading back to school.
My eBook, The Organized Blogger, is coming out in a couple weeks and I have organization on the brain!

Source: thecsiproject.com via michellebygrace on Pinterest

Here’s how the Pinterest Party will work:

Link up a post sharing your pins.
Pins and posts should relate to the monthly theme.
Pins must be family friendly.
Be sure to credit the original source (creator) of your pins – not Google or Flickr.
Link to your specific post, not your homepage.
Include a link back to this site (http://www.soimarriedamennonite.com), so others can stop by and get inspired. My goal is to have a cute button for next month.

ex. I’m linking up to a Pinterest Party! You can, too!

Update: Since I want those without blogs to be able to participate, I simply ask that you pin something you like from this blog when you link up. (Ex. a tutorial, a recipe, or post you like) If you mention @michellebygrace in the description, even better (but not required). Thanks!

Pinterest Tutorials

Pinterest: A Beginner’s Guide :: Sorta Crunchy
Pinterest: Virtual Inspiration Made Easy :: Blogging… Your Way
Pinterest with Friends: How to Contribute & Curate Boards Together :: Oh Amanda

Need a Pinterest invite? Send me your email address and I’ll send you one!

I can’t wait to see what wonderful things you’ve pinned!

Our 2011-12 School Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:09:00 +0000

It’s here!

Our Math Curriculum has arrived!

I got it when I saw a tweet from a gal selling the exact stuff I was looking for. The chances of me being online and seeing that tweet in a sea of thousands is incredible!

Oh, wait, did I not mention what we’re up to this year?

As you know, our family plans are up in the air. Literally up in the air, if you’re a 4 year-old and think God lives in outer space. :)

Amazingly enough, we’d already decided to do Kindergarten at Home. It took a lot of prayer and communicating, but we were set and happy with the decision for this year even before the layoff. Now it seems even more Providential, since we don’t know where we’ll be in a few weeks or months.

Interested in our decision to learn at home?

Here are some of our reasons…

My oldest, who I like to call Scout, is 4 and will be turning 5 soon. That gives us the freedom to choose whether to send him to Kindergarten or not.
Scout is extremely kinesthetic and movement oriented, like most boys are. That’s a great thing, except when you’re the teacher of a dozen or more such students.
I’m the teacher who never wanted to homeschool my kids. I was determined to send them to public school, till God started a wonder of changing my mind.
We considered sending him to Pre-K. We decided it was cost-effective to do learning at home and, instead, get involved with free or less-expensive group activities.
I want to spend lots of time with my kids while they’re little. Since I’m able & willing to teach them, it seems like a perfect choice for now.

What We’re Using

Math-U-See Primer Level – very tactile and concrete approach to Math!
Five in a Row, Vol. 1
The Library!
The Internet – including Raising Rockstars and the Membership Area at 1+1+1=1
A bunch of other great stuff! (I’ll expand another time.) :)

It’s a little scary to share our school plans openly. I know there’s a lot of support for homeschool, but also a lot of skepticism.

What other families do is their business, in my opinion. I feel that education is one of those highly personal decisions best decided within families.

I’m just excited and wanted to share our plans with you!

What are your school plans this year?

The winner of the More-with-Less cookbook giveaway was #54, Anne! Thanks for entering, y’all! Would you like to see more giveaways like this?

It’s a Pinterest Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:48:00 +0000

Have I mentioned that I love Pinterest? Oh… just a few times? Well, it’s true!

Frankly, I haven’t seen enough Pinterest link-ups around the web yet (could there ever be such a thing?), so…

You’re invited to a new monthly link-up, hosted by me, at So, I married a Mennonite…!

Every month, I want to give you a chance to show off your ~~compulsive~~ love of Pinterest!

I think (and hope) you, my fabulous readers, will LOVE it and find it extremely useful for finding all sorts of great ideas!

I can see it now – inspiration happening right before our eyes! Oh, it will be glorious!

When?

On the last Friday of each month, Pinners can link up their Curated Posts. We’ll have themes to keep the pins somewhat related and some pretty flair (buttons) for you to include in your posts, letting others know about the party. The whole thing will just be a grand ole time!

Monthly Pinterest Party Themes

August – Back to School and/or Organization
September – Autumn Awesomeness
October – Thanksgiving Feasts & Festivities
November – All Things Merry {Christmas}
December – Fresh Starts in the New Year

---

So, what do you think? Would you join in? Is the last Friday of the month a good day for it?

I want to hear your thoughts, because you will make it great!

---

What is Pinterest, you ask? It’s a stunningly easy way to collect ideas and create your own visual idea boards. You can create boards for any topic you can think of.

some great posts to get you started pinning

Pinterest: A Beginner’s Guide :: Sorta Crunchy
Pinterest: Virtual Inspiration Made Easy :: Blogging… Your Way
Pinterest with Friends: How to Contribute & Curate Boards Together :: Oh Amanda

Don’t forget today is the last day to enter for a chance to win my favorite cookbook, More-with-Less!

Over 70 people have joined The Organized Blogger’s Facebook page since I announced my eWorkbook last week! Thank you! I love getting your feedback on this project!

Wedding Photo Link-Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:05:00 +0000

We just celebrated 7 years! Would you like to see a picture of our wedding day? Me too, but I put our wedding CD’s in a “safe place.” All I have to share are a couple of pictures given to us by guests. The quality isn’t fantastic, but better than just my descriptions.

{the dress. my cousin & me.}

My Dress :: Organza, strapless, A-line in winter white, with ruching to the one side and tiny white and blue crystals and square sequins across the top and down to the side. I wish I could wear it again!

{the cake. please notice the rope lights, garden lattice, and tulle valance. fancy.}

Cake :: Modeled after the Burnt Almond Tort from Prantl’s {Pittsburgh} and made by our fabulous friend! It was an almond flavored cake, layered with pastry cream, frosted with buttercream icing (I think), and covered in sugared, toasted almonds. Yum!! The cake was topped with my favorite flowers; gorgeous hydrangea blooms. I wish I could eat it again!

We had so many mishaps occur the day of our wedding, it could have been a comedy of errors. But at the end of the day, we ended up married!

Want to join in? Link up a picture of you in your wedding dress!

RSS Readers: Can't see the linky? Click here!

More-with-Less Cookbook Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:20:00 +0000

Update: The winner was comment #54 - Anne! Anne, I'll be emailing you, so keep an eye out and check your junk mail if you don't see it soon!

My favorite, money-saving cookbook, More-with-Less, arrived at my door the same week my husband was laid off. Perfect timing!

More-with-Less changed my perspective of food consumption, much like Supersize Me changed people’s perspective of fast food.

More-with-Less, New & Updated Edition!

“Recipes and suggestions by Mennonite on how to eat better
and consume less of the world’s limited food resources.”

MWL is a food reeducation within a “World Community Cookbook.” It has as much wealth as a textbook with information from dietitians, global food statistics and tips from regular home-cooks.

This cookbook teaches how to stretch your food budget by doing “more with less” and teaches stewardship of our food resources from a global perspective.

More-with-Less is produced by Herald Press, a division of MennoMedia, but it isn’t just for Mennonites!
If you would like to live more simply,
if you’re concerned about social justice and the global food shortage, if you want to reflect good stewardship practices in your home,
you will love the heart behind this book!

For the data-lovers, like me:

The average North American consumes 2,000 pounds of grain/yr.
The average European consumes about 1,000 pounds of grain/yr.
The average Asian consumes less than 400 pounds of grain/yr.
All but 150 pounds of grain consumed by North Americans is consumed indirectly through meat, milk, eggs, and alcoholic beverages.
Most of the 400 pounds consumed by Asians is consumed directly in the form of rice.

These statistics are from the original publication in 1975. Imagine what the numbers must look like now with the huge rise of obesity in America! *The giveaway is for the brand new edition, which has updated stats!

Sure, changing our diets won’t change the world, but it will affect our children. As moms, we are the gate-keepers when it comes to food and it’s our job to watch over what we allow into our homes.

More-with-Less Menu

breakfasts :: whole wheat pineapple muffins (p.72), koinonia granola (p. 90), high-protein waffles (p. 76)

lunches :: quesadillas (p. 145), yaksoba (p.139)

dinners
monday :: pizza rice casserole (p. 129)
tuesday :: spaghetti with zucchini sauce (p. 120). I pureed the sauce so my littles (and hubs) would eat it. they did!
wednesday :: easy chicken curry over rice (p. 136)
thursday :: lasagna roll-ups (p. 119)
friday :: navajo tacos (p. 146)

dessert :: peach kuchen (p. 280)

Tips for Stretching Your Food Budget

Eat more whole grains, legumes, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Use soybeans or other legumes as a substitute for at least half of the ground beef called for in a recipe.
Plant herbs in a container and set it under your outdoor faucet. They’ll get a drink every time you turn your hose on.
Pour extra broth into ice cube trays and freeze.
When entertaining, focus on one nutritious, cheap, but interesting dish. Complement it with simple foods to build a theme.

*Some of the above text is directly quoted from More-with-Less.

Giveaway

Update: This giveaway is for a copy of the brand new edition of More-with-Less, which hasn't hit the stores yet!!

Would you like to win your own copy of More-With-Less? It’s easy!

1. Simply comment below sharing your favorite food-budget stretching tip or recipe!
If you don’t have one, maybe you really need this cookbook, so go ahead and comment anyway!

Extra Entry? Sure!
2. Visit MennoMedia.org to find other great publications, like Mennonite Girls Can Cook. Come back and share something you like!

3. You can Like MennoMedia on Facebook to hear about other great titles, like Living More with Less! Come back and comment if you do! *

4/5. You can spread the word through a tweet or status update. Leave a comment for each action! :) *

That’s up to 4 extra entries!
*Will be verified once winner is chosen. Please follow the directions to make sure your entries are valid! I’ll close the giveaway next Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada. Winner will be announced and have 48 hours to send me your shipping address, which I will pass on to MennoMedia.

Happy entering!
---
Linked to Works for me Wednesday

Announcing My New Project!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:01:00 +0000

Coming September 12, 2011!
I’m bottling up some of my binder-loving, Type-A insanity
into an organization/creation tool for bloggers!

I'm thousands of words deep into writing an eWorkbook!

I have a name, a tagline, a domain, a timeframe and a FB page.

I have a Designer. It’s Erin, who did my header. I can’t wait to see what magic she works.

I’m escaping to my caffeine-place as often as possible to work.I just heard, “You’ve been here a lot lately!” Um, yeah. I blame the gift card. :)

Update! You can now Like 'The Organized Blogger on Facebook! I want to thank the following fans with a free copy of my eBook, just because they're special!

Ariel B., Lynn N., Lesley P., Jennifer S., Stephanie S., Marci G., Ruth S. - Thank you!!
Send me your email address!

What is it? Who’s it for?

Clearly, I’m not the world’s most prolific blogger- but apparently, I’m a freakishly organized one! I’m laying open the Type-A, methodical side of me that I didn’t recognize until my smart friend kept telling me to turn my Blogging Binder into an eBook.

I’m writing for established bloggers. There will be so many printables & resources in this eBook- and I know how we love our printables!
I’m writing for fresh bloggers. If you work through each section, I’ll walk you through conception to fruition.
I’m writing for bloggers starting new projects. Go through the checklist and get off the ground without missing a step.
I’m writing for bloggers who are stuck and need something to help them get to the next level.

My eWorkbook is a tool that will walk you through creating your own Blogging Binder – or will supplement the one you already have. It will give you access to tons of printable forms that you’ll be able to type in and print, or print and write on, if you like. And since I’m going to price it very affordably, it will be a fantastic bargain, too!

Why are you jumping on the eTrain?

Frankly, we need a fresh source of income. I thought I’d eventually get into writing eBooks, but my husband’s layoff has pushed me into it much sooner than I expected.
My friend is a really smart blogger whose been telling me for months that I need to turn my Blogging Binder into an eBook.
Since my smart friend has been blogging longer than me and is super-excited about using my eWorkbook to get organized, there’s a good chance other bloggers will benefit from my system, too.
When I started blogging, I wanted to do it right and in the right order. Now I want to help new (and Type-B) bloggers get started on the right track.

So, does that all make sense to you?

I’m so excited that I can include you in my process now that the beans have been spilt!

If you can think of any questions about my project, I’d love to answer them for you. It will help me with my process, too!

If you’re at all interested in my project, I’d love to hear about it. I know your words would inspire me get over my current hurdle!
---
photo credit

the days behind, the days ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:15:00 +0000

{sunset over the north shore of pittsburgh}

the days behind

We spent a week living in downtown Pittsburgh, attending a convention and learning what it means to marry a Mennonite.
My husband lost his job.
I met with a smart friend about my new project!
We saw elephants at the zoo.
We established a new daily routine to provide consistency during our transition.
We started taking family trips to the library.
We’ve been hiding from the almost 100* F heat.
I shared reasons you should NOT get up early at Inspired to Action.
---
the days ahead

We’ve been painting and packing, in case we’re moving.
We have appointments out the wazoo before insurance changes.
I’m giving away one of my favorite things!
My project will be coming a reality!
We are being intentional, so we don’t take this time for granted.

(more details and pictures to come on many of the things mentioned above!)
---
I’m sorry the blog looked like a yard sale this past week. (Although, thank you to everyone who bought Tell Your Time! I think you’ll love it!)
I can’t get over the incredible stories of hope you shared with me! I just keep processing them and soaking them in, but I do want to thank each of you personally.

That’s all the time I have for today, but I can’t wait to share more about my new project!
I’ll give you one hint before I go: It will be of special interest to bloggers and would-be bloggers!

Thanks for being here. Have a lovely day!
---

we hoped this wouldn't happen

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:15:00 +0000

I should’ve known something was up when he came home just after lunch. That’s unusual for a Monday. I was still cuddling our littlest, helping him calm down before his nap. Half-asleep, I heard the sounds of the front door opening from upstairs, and, sure enough, there was a gold-tone car in the drive.

Yay! He’s home early!

I descended the stairs partway, saw him kneel and direct our oldest upstairs for quiet time. He gripped my hand tightly.

What is going on?

I had no choice but to follow him into the kitchen. Face-to-face, I watched his emotion break through.

Who died??

Without words, he gestured toward the packet of papers on the floor. I recognized the familiar letterhead.

No one… thank goodness.

Last week he brought home shiny new business cards. This week, a separation letter. Their six-year relationship ended with an email summons and brief exit meeting.

What now?

---

We’re off on a new adventure. I am so confident in our faithful God, who IS our provider. I won’t be putting on a fake smile-- that’s not me, and I apologize in advance if I emotionally barf on some of you. But I truly believe that God is for us and am so thankful for the kind gift of peace I have in Him. If you have any encouraging stories of God providing during tough times, I’d love to hear them!

---
“Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness… I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” Romans 8: 31 (The Message)
---

photo credit

I see you.

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 03:19:00 +0000

You do not blog.
You are not in the public eye.
You are not on the Top 10 list.
You do not have a social media strategy.
(But not because you couldn’t.)

I see you.

---
Spending time between dirty and clean,
between drop-offs and pick-ups,
between to-do and done,
between night kisses and morning cuddles.
(Aaand… repeat.)

They see you.

---
You are capable.
You are qualified.
You are valuable.
You are significant.

He sees you.

---
Thank you for including me in your day today.

photo credit

---

a pact between friends

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:51:00 +0000

{me and my girlfriends}

...among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate
silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women,
loaded down with the burden of their sins and easily swayed
and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses.

these weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them
they are forever inquiring and getting information but are
never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth.

2 Timothy 3:6-7 (AMP)

emphasis and lack of punctuation, mine

---

I wonder.

How slick is the margin between free and captive?

How insidious the allure to disengage from the mundane chaos in favor of the pristine showcase?

How desiccant the practice of solely reading someone else's revelation, rather than seeking our own?

Two are better than one... If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.

Ecclesiates 4:9, 10 (NIV)

Let's make a pact, my friend.

If you see me becoming distracted from the important, loaded down, verging on captivity, weakening in areas of character or discernment,

help me up.

I'll do the same for you.

---

Ideally, we would each have people in our lives looking out for us. If you don't, I encourage you to pray for friendships. There have been several crucial times in my life where I've asked God for friends, and I'm in awe of how perfectly He's answered those prayers.

---

I believe in the Bible and teachings of Jesus. I don't consider myself part of a denomination, but the body of Christ as a whole. I believe in Truth, and grace, and love that isn't a feeling, but the hardest thing we are ever asked to do. I don't have all the answers, but I believe in a God who does and keeps His promises. So, I ask, seek, and knock in faith.

In case you were wondering.

photo 1 credit
photo 2 credit

a new year :: a new song

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:46:00 +0000

It's no secret (anymore) that this is my special day!

photo credit

I decided to pick a song as sort of a personal anthem for the upcoming year. Do you have one of those?

If not, you can borrow mine!

{Oh Taste and See, Misty Edwards}

Just for fun, here's my post & song from last year. Yes, it was the Black Eyed Peas FlashMob. How 2010!

Happy Birthday to any birthday twins out there and a Merry Unbirthday to the rest of you!

---