Yes...I'm finally back!

I know...I know...I've kept you all in suspense far too long! Check me out here to find out what has kept me so occupied for the last 7 months!

Garage Sale Day!

Going "garage saling" today...wonder what I will find!?!?!!?

More info on the BIG NEWS coming soon!

Blessings!

Suprise...

Big news coming soon...any guesses?

Apples and Lemons

This past week I made two of my favorite recipes!

Strawberry Delight has been passed down by my grandmother and it's now a family tradition.

This is the finished product - something like a jello with a smoothie consistency? Delicious as a side, snack, or dessert!

I also made Lemon Bars for our small group. There's something cool about making food from scratch, even when you can buy it in a box at the store!

Step 1: Make the crust.


Step 2: Make the filling.


Step 3: Bake and enjoy!

Garden Update #1

These pictures are actually from about a week ago, and this is several weeks into my "gardening experience", but it is a good starting point! It's all a learning experience...

I bought these tomato plants at about 8 inches tall - they've certainly grown! No red tomatoes yet, but plenty of green ones! I have been watering daily, and using Mira*le Grow and an organic "bug spray" weekly. The two outside plants are big tomatoes and the middle one is cherry tomatoes.

I also have 2 basil plants, but I haven't used any yet! Any suggestions, besides pesto?








My peas look great in this post, but they're not doing so hot now. They don't seem to want to climb up the wire! or a pole for that matter!












We also have STRAWBERRIES! After we fenced them in, they've done just fine! Next year we may plant more - it's kind of hard to use them in recipes when only 1 ripens at a time.

And of course we can't forget my squash and pumpkins that are going to way outgrow my garden! I started these from seeds though, so it's been neat to watch.






And last but not least, my bean plants and chives! Chives aren't doing so great, bean plants have potential!






So - how does your garden grow?

4 months?

So - 4 months later...

I'm not going to let myself give excuses - life get's busy and sometimes there are more important things than keeping up on my blog :)

gasp...i know - quite a radical thought!

In the last four months:

-we had our first foster care experience! I fell in love with a 16 month old and a 26th month old. Absolutely precious. We only had them for a week, but I would have liked to love them forever. Another post coming up on all the things that you learn from instantly becoming parents to two under the age of 3.

-Husband has completed his first full year of school! With all A's! I am SO proud of how hard he is working for our family. He is actually taking his first "pre-pharmacy" test this month to prepare for his application to pharmacy school. I know he will do quite well!

-We have successful converted to almost completely using the homemade laundry soap. My next goal is to sew some simple cloth napkins and begin integrating those. Since we ran out of our current package of paper napkins, I figure now is as good a time as any!

-My garden is flourishing! This is the first year I have ever really invested in a vegetable garden. I am finding it quite therapeutic! We have already eaten 1 strawberry, and have countless tomatoes, strawberrys, and beans on the way. Basil plants are more like bushes, and our butternut squash and mini-pumpkins are just starting to thrive (my very first things to start from seeds). We're just kind of learning as we go, but it is lots of fun!

The plan for today is to make one of my favorite recipes - strawberry applesauce salad, and try a new one - lemon bars! Pictures to follow!

Blessings on your day - I pray you too are able to see God at work around you!

Not Me! Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by this fantastic lady! You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.


This is most definitely not my first "Not Me! Monday!". I have not been reading MckMama's posts for weeks now and I certainly have not wanted to post all this time but yet haven't. Not me!

This morning there is no way that I set my alarm for 6, only to push the snooze button and roll out of bed at 6:40. I would never do that.

And, after arriving at work, I did not spend the whole day thinking about how nice it would be to be curled up in my bed. I was certainly wide awake and ready to take on the world! I also did not butcher my way through a conversation with a hispanic family and hope that I really understood half of what I thought I heard.

When I got home, I of course stayed completely off the computer and immediately started my housework. I then proceeded to make a gourmet 7 course dinner, which I kept perfectly warm until Husband came home. There is no way that I googled a recipe for pork chops, picked the easiest one, dumped a can of soup on top of 4 pork chops, stuck it in the oven and called it good! Absolutely not!

To end the day, I spent the evening reading great literature and poetry and enhancing my literary capabilities. I would never watch spend my time watching party of five episodes and surfing the internet. Not me!

What about you?

Less is More

I'm afraid if I start rambling too much, it might turn into whining.

It's been a long day.

I've been thinking lately about how LESS really can be MORE. In more ways than one.

Here are some things I want to use less of, so that I can have more of them:
-soap
-shampoo
-paper towels (though I'm toying with getting rid of them all together)
-money (I guess that's kind of a "duh" one)
-fabric softener sheets
-toothpaste
-gas for the car
-butter
-hairspray
-cleaning supplies
-laundry detergent
-electricity
-toilet paper

By reading the above list, it sure sounds like I plan to have a dirty house and family! Yeozers. That's not what I mean at all, but simply that I want to learn how to use those things wisely, and as sparingly as possible, without sacrificing cleanliness.

Just a concept I'm working on.

On the other hand - I'm also trying to figure out why I feel so badly that I'm not involved in more? I am completely confident that God has called me to help my Husband as he makes his way through school. I am completely confident that I can glorify God while doing my job. I am completely crazy about the hobbies and friends that I give my spare time to. So why do I feel bad when I don't sign up for that extra committee at work? Or when I don't want to go to another bible study because I'd rather stay home with my Husband, even while he's studying?

I don't think God wants me to feel this way. I hear Him saying Beloved Daughter, Rest in Me. Your worth comes from Me. Let Me fill you. You are Mine.

Now if only I can let it sink in...

Less is More.

A box of Life

Grrr...

I am so annoyed!

Can you tell?

We had another rollar coaster day with the foster care agency today. I won't go through it all comment by comment like last time, but let's just say we went from them offering us 2 infants for a year placement (which we decided not to take) to a respite care placement of 2 sibs for the next 48 hours (which we decided to take, as this is what we really have wanted to do anyway), to me frantically re-arranging my work schedule and getting the house ready for a 3 and 10-year-old, to me calling the caseworker because I hadn't gotten a confirmation call yet and finding out that the parents had cancelled the need for respite care an hour prior. And this occured as I was pulling chocolate chip cookies out of the oven (so that the house would smell homey as the kiddos arrived).

ok - I'm done whining. Pretty much. It's not anyone's fault; it's just hard for me to ride this rollar coaster. I want so badly to do this, and my emotions get caught up in it when I think it's going to actually happen. And then when I get let down, I fall hard.

Husband has been great. He has let me vent and just wallow this evening. And now I think I will go to bed, as I have to go back to work tomorrow after making a big deal about being off to take care of the 3-year-old. They were all so excited for me. I was excited for me. For us.

Good thing God knows better then me!

(Side note, Husband got 1st place on an optional math test he took at his college...1st place out of the whole school! He takes the 2nd part this weekend. I think I married a genius!)

A Snowy Saturday

Today has been a good day overall. Interesting for sure. A day of many dimensions.

This morning we went and picked up our monthly order from Angel Food Ministries (see here for where I first introduced this ministry). I was planning to take a picture but discovered that the camera batteries that were charging all night weren't actually charging. I am absolutely in love with this ministry. Husband has started volunteering there and he says that the Spirit of Servanthood that exists there is just incredible. They even have a new Allergen Free package of breaded meats (without gluten). We're going to try that package next month.

Speaking of trying new things, we did get a chance to try the new laundry soap, but as the aforementioned camera battery was depleted, there are no pictures yet. We washed a load of whites with it first, and it worked fairly well. No one has started itching yet! Next will be load of lights or towels...I'm slowly trying it out with each type of clothing for fear I'll ruin something. Seems to get things pretty clean too, though I think I'll keep adding bleach to the white loads.

After picking up the food this morning, we proceeded to spend 7 hours doing taxes. I am so glad we are pretty much done! Last year it was right down to the wire. I'm definitely not a big fan of doing taxes, but TurboTax is pretty helpful. I guess there's a free online version you can use, but I really enjoy being able to transfer the info from last year to this year. I will say this - doing your taxes together is definitely a marriage builder. Husband and I always know that it's going to be "stressful", so we try and plan fun breaks, snacks, or other ways to keep the tensions low. It doesn't always work. But it is good for us, and I foresee we'll keep doing them this way as long as we can.

To treat ourselves after the taxes were done, Husband played an hour of chess on the computer (I love my "nerd") and I was blessed to be able to take a nap to relieve the headache that I accumulated while doing the taxes. Then we were off to church where they held a date night and showed the new movie, Fireproof. If you haven't seen it, you definitely should! Every time I see it, I am reminded and refocused on things that are needed to make a marriage not only work, but to have a "fireproof marriage". I think God is really going to use this movie in big ways! I would love to get the Love Dare book and try it out in our marriage. It's neat to see couples watching the movie, especially couples who have been married all different lengths of time, and wonder what they're thinking about. I think it encourages all of us to put more effort into our marriage, and to let the love that God shows us be the love that we show our spouses. My heart goes out to each person that sees this film and is touched.

If you're reading this Husband - I pray that God will teach me how to love you more and more every single day!

Tomorrow is Sunday. Church and then recovering from taxes by catching up on housework. Sounds fun, doesn't it? :)

Oh, and it snowed today.

Homemade Laundry Soap

I found this recipe a long time ago on this site. I finally got the time and motivation to try it!

The website does a much better job of showing pictures and instructions. It came out to pennies per load though when you do the math. And my Kroger stocked all the ingredients! Of course, my cameral stopped working before I could take the last picture. It has to gel for 24 hours first anyway...so finished product pictures to come! Husband is the particular one though when it comes to laundry...so to be a "keeper" it will have to pass his test first!

Anyone else have a homeade laundry soap recipe they like?

Swagbucks

I started the adventure of Swagbucks today...let's see how this works! I've heard good things from other frugal women!

Coupon Thoughts

Coupon Lessons

Some things I've learned by making "coupon mistakes" in the past couple months:

-When doing the "Buy 10, get 1 free" count your 10 items SEVERAL TIMES (double checking with the flyer to make sure they are the right items).

-Unfold all coupons completely to make sure they are not for a certain store (unless your store accepts competitors coupons).

-I have started to split up "multiples" of the same coupon in the pile of coupons. I find less coupons get missed that way and coupons don't accidently stick together.

-Self checkouts are not ideal for a pile of coupons. Not at Kroger or Meijer.

-Double check expiration dates right before checking out. I've been known to miss a few by adding them to my pile at the last minute.

So that's what I've learned. Hope you find it useful!

Ethical Couponing?

This is something that's been on my heart for a while now. As I've entered the "world of frugality", and started using more coupons, I've become more aware that this issue of "ethical couponing" even existed. When I look at some of the bargains that people are able to get, I sometimes wonder how they did it. Many of these people honestly matched coupons with incredibly good deals and came by the bargain honestly. But let's face it - there are ways to be un-ethical with your coupons, and get away with it. And so I've been forced to re-evaluate some of the ways I look at couponing. These are some of the questions I've asked myself:

-Should I use a coupon for something other than what it specifically is labeled for, even if I know it will go through?

-Should I hope that a store doubles a coupon even if it says "do not double"

-Should I be stacking my e-coupons and my paper coupons? See here for more information.

-Should I ask the clerk to do something dishonest with my coupons/saving, or let them if they would like to "help me out"? (i.e. use an extra coupon)


As I contemplate these questions, I just have to come back to the fact that we have a Righteous God. And while He lavishes with His Grace; He expects us to live and move towards Holiness with each breath. And so, if I recognize that these actions are not Glorifying, then I sadden Him with my "great bargaining". I would much rather praise Him with my "almost as great bargaining"!

I would simply encourage you to examine your actions as you "coupon" this week.

May you find it a Holy action!

Waiting...

Still no word from the agency...

I think this might be a long wait. Am I okay with that?

God tells me in His Word that He hears my prayers. And here's what I know.


God is faithful.

I can't wait to be a mother.

Husband is going to make a wonderful father.


And so we will wait! Patiently, for in God's timing...it will all fall into place!

Love is in the air...

Ok...so it's only been about 3 months since my last post. Promise you won't hold it against me?

I've even decided not to feel bad about it! If focusing on Husband and enriching our marriage needs to come first, then so be it!

That being said...it's been a very interesting last couple of weeks.

...We are finally approved to be foster parents! Yay!!!!!!!!! However, we have not had a placement yet. We've gotten about 6 calls, but the first 5 were all outside of our placement range (we are licensed for 0-8, up to 2 kids). It was finally discovered that we were listed on their "white board' as being licensed for 0-14, up to 3 kids. Seeing as we have only the one twin bed and crib, I don't see that working real well. But they were fabulous and now that we have the age/number figured out, the calls are getting more specific. The agency has had a lot of turn over in the past year, and it seems like they are now getting settled. I have gotten to meet the case manager and she is super nice, as is the parent recruiter that calls me on the phone with the new possible placements. This is how the "almost placement" of last week went (kind of):

Tues -

Recruiter: "Do you think that you could take a 4 year old with some behavioral problems?"

Me: "Let me talk to Husband about it. I will call you back tomorrow".

(later that night)

Me: "They have a possible 4 year old placement. What do you think? He is healthy, but does have some behavioral problems. He's been through quite a lot".

Husband: "I don't know, it's kind of scary to think about! This is the first child that we have even been able to think about saying yes to."

Me: " I know. Sometimes I wonder if it's God saying it's not the right child or if it's my fear holding me back"

Husband: "Let's pray about it and you can call the caseworker tomorrow with the questions we have".

(much praying and sleeping)

Wed -

Me to the Recruiter: "We talked about it, and it's definitely a possiblility, but we have a couple questions. Our biggest question is do you think this child would be able to be in daycare or babysit 5 days a week. With Husband in school full time and me working full time right now, that's the only option we have."

Recruiter: "That's a good question. I will have to check with the caseworker and get back to you"

Later on Wed -

Recruiter: "Well, I spoke with the caseworker and he thinks that this child really needs to be with a family where one parent will be consistently home."

Me: "I agree - we want what's best for this child. We'll just keep praying and waiting for the right child for us!"

Later that night -

Me to Husband: "Well, I guess that wasn't the right child for us"

Husband: "No, but I think God was growing us. Getting us ready to say yes"

Me: "Now I guess we just wait for the right child to be sent to us"

Friday (the same week) -

Recruiter: "We discussed it and think you might be the right family for this child. Could you take this child if we are able to help you find child care?"

Me: "Let me talk about it with my husband and I'll get back to you in an hour"

Me to Husband: "Well, they now want us to take him again. What do you think?"

Husband: "I don't know what to think! We were so sure that God was saying no to this child!"

Me: "I know. But do we now look at it as though He's saying yes? I even have the next four days off from work - is that a God thing?"

Husband: "I don't know. I think it's my fear holding us back. The verse that keeps coming back to me is "I can do all things...".

Much silence and prayer -

Husband: "Well, I guess I need to get out the car seat. Let's do it!"

Me: "Really? You want to! (Smile) I'm terrified! But honestly, if someone left a 4 year old on our doorstep, we'd take care of them. How is this any different? Let me call the Recruiter and tell her!"

Me to Recruiter: "We're terrified...but we'll do it!"

Recruiter: "Great - let me call the caseworker and we'll finalize the details. The placement will probably start tomorrow. I will call you to confirm"

Me: "Can you give us a list of likes/dislikes?"

Recruiter: "Sure (runs through a long list)"

About 10 minutes later -

Recruiter: "Well, I spoke with the county caseworker - they really feel strongly that this child should be in a stay at home parent home."

Me: "That's ok, I guess we're back to waiting for the right child"

Recruiter: "yep - I'll keep you posted"

Me texting Husband: "It's a no go - I guess God is just growing our faith"

Later that night -

Husband: "It's amazing really. It's like God is preparing us little by little to actually do this. First we almost said yes. Then we did say yes!"

Me: "Yeah. I feel like we were on an emotional roller coaster though! I'm so glad we have a God bigger then all this!"

Well...did you ride that emotional roller coaster with us? Like I said though...how glad I am God is in control! I'll keep you posted about future possibilities!

On a more "lovely" note...we had an exciting Valentine's day around here! My husband bought us these adorable T-shirts that I've wanted for some time now! See here and here. I am proud to wear this shirt and it melts my heart when Husband wears his!

Also...we found out mid afternoon that my Sister L and her boyfriend D are engaged!!! Congrats to them - we are sooooo excited. We very much approve of D and love that he is going to be part of the family! He proposed in the middle of an ice rink and she was totally surprised. He even had someone to catch the moment on film!

Congrats L and D! We love you both!

I also wanted to take a quick minutes and thank Betty Beguiles for letting me enter her contest where I won this adorable dress! I truly admire this woman's passion for Modesty!

Time to get ready for church now...may your worship this morning be wonderful and God filled!