New Year!

Happy new year!!!! I have to admit, new years is one of my fav holidays. I actually dont like new years eve all that much, just Jan 1st. Why you ask? Well, I love putting all of our numbers together and looking back on the goals from last new year to see all that we accomplished. I have always loved goals, setting goals, achieving goals. working towards goals. There is just something very thrilling about the whole process. So this year, I am going to share what we will be working on the next year!!

Personal-
1. Read at least two books a month-This is my "me time" and I need to make sure I make time for it.

2. Try something new every week- whether it is a new recipe, a new trail, a new craft, project....whatever! It just has to be something we have never done before!

3. Mark off one of my projects a month off of the to-do list.-This includes, refinishing our kitchen table, night stands, finishing our bedroom, starting our garden..........

4. Take a photo a day for my Life Project-Elijahs book

5.  Read through the whole Bible

Relationships/Ministry

1. Make sure to call and write to friends and family more-To often we get to busy and put this last

2. Make date night a priority-once a month and it doesnt have to involve going anywhere or spending any money.

3. Make fellowship a priority- having more people over on a regular basis.

4. Continue to attend church, bible study, prayer groups, play groups ect...

5. Make time for at least once a month for Elijah to spend time my side of the family as well as Johns.

Is Christmas your Idol?

How many of us have Christmas traditions? Maybe a present we get for someone every year? Opening presents on Christmas eve/ Christmas day? What we eat? I could go on and on.

What is Christmas really? If you are a Christian or raised in the christian faith you could probably answer this. Its the day Jesus was born, right? BUT, if you really reflect on this and then look at your Christmas traditions....its very very convicting.

Whenever I read in the old testament about how the people would have idols and pray to them and bring them sacrifices I just think to myself how anyone could do that. Really? Worship a big golden cat?

I just get a kick out of Christian families who have BIG Christmas celebrations. Yes, we need to celebrate our Lords birth....it changed the world and our Salvation, BUT how are we celebrating? Did we really take Jesus's birthday and make it into a big golden cat? Did we really take the ONE who gave us eternal life's birthday and make it about US!? Really guys?

Ok, take a look at Jesus, how He lived his life, who He hung out with when He was on earth. He didn't only hang out with "Holy" people, he hung out with prostitutes, liers, thieves, tax collectors. He lived His life SERVING others. You do unto the least of them you do unto me.

So where in the world did we ever come up with the idea that God would like us to celebrate His Sons birthday by giving to OURSELVES. Let me repeat this verse again....."You do unto the least of them, you do unto ME". Guys, I am going to be blunt here......WE. ARE. NOT. THE. LEAST. OF. THEM.....Sorry....

I pray that this convicts you. If this doesn't, please watch the video at the top. This Christmas celebrate our salvation through Jesus by living and giving the way the Bible teaches. SERVE and WORSHIP fully this Christmas. Lets not be the ones who take CHRIST out of Christmas without even realizing it :)

Im back on the blog!

Ok...so I needed a break from the blogging world. A whole month I guess! :) BUT I AM BACK!!
So what have we been up to for the month of October you ask? The weather for October couldn't have been better around here so we have been enjoying being outside most afternoons! My little man loves playing with the leaves that have fallen from the trees, so after lunch we will go outside and just explore the back yard. Walks are still a big part of our day also, we just love getting out and enjoying nature at its finest!
November is here (I cant believe how fast this year has flown by) and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I love Thanksgiving because it reminds me to remind myself each day of all the things I am so thankful for. I think it is very easy to focus on the negative and so hard to think about the positive. Each day for the month of November I am posting via Facebook one thing I am thankful for. It is so encouraging for me to do this because it reminds me how lucky I am to have what I have. Its so easy for me to "wish" I had more or better things but in reality I am soooo lucky, blessed and rich to have what I have! I encourage you to think about and write down what you are thankful for this month, it truly is rewarding!

Top Ten Things Ive learned in the last 7 months being a M.O.M

10. You respect my parents and love them in a new way......
9. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive, in fact they please you (Hooray for Poop!)
8. You realize that true joy does not come from material wealth.
7. You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one
6. Your dog, who used to be your "baby"....now just becomes your dog.
5.  You quit watching the news because you see everything from a mothers perspective, and it breaks your heart.
4. You loose touch with people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
3. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
2. Going to bed at 9 pm on a Friday night actually seems like a good idea!

And number one thing I have learned in the last 7 months of being a mom is:

1. Your babies pain feels 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 worse than your own pain.

We will never Forget

As I sit in my room watching this video, tears fill my eyes. Remembering that day, watching the real life horror movie unfold. Now that I am older and really realize what this day meant....well, it hurts. All those people lost, all those people left hurting, all those people who wake up everyday wishing to hold there loved ones again. How each day is precious and how we do not know if today will be our last.

This is what is on my heart today....

This is what is on my heart today....
Last night the hubby and I creeped into Elijahs room to check on him before bed. We love to go in there and just watch him sleep. There's just something about the innocence of a baby in general, but even more so when they sleep. He loves to sleep like a frog with his two feet together and his arms all the way out to the sides. Its so funny how traits carry on like that because I sleep with my arms out too :)
I wonder what he dreams about? To have absolutely no worries and your world is just so safe and perfect.....what do you dream about? You certainly wouldn't have nightmares? It makes me think about all the babies out there that do not have what Elijah has. They do not have a safe home with parents that would do anything for them. They do not get fed before they even get hungry. They do not live in safe neighborhoods or even safe houses. What do these babies dream about at night? It makes me sad, but also very very thankful.
Babies hurt everyday. People hurt everyday. Elijah has so much love from us and our families and friends. There are so many people that feel like they are not loved......please listen to this song. This is what is on my heart today.

I will Love you for you.....I will give you the love you never knew.

How I spend $30 a week on groceries.....

• Menu Plan-One day each week plan your week of meals. This doesn't need to be a strict plan that you need to follow to a "T" but rather a list of meals that you know you have the ingredients for and you can fall back on. Have a guide for breakfasts, lunch, and dinners. This way you are not scrambling at 6:00 trying to figure out what to eat, not having ingredients on hand and resorting to takeout or a last minute trip to the grocery store where you will more than likely pick up unneeded treats.
• Have a grocery list-NEVER, EVER, EVER go to the grocery store without a plan and a list. Take your menu plan that you created, go through your pantry, figure out what you have on hand and make a list. Stick to it.
• Shop sales and use coupons-When I make my menu I look through the sale fliers and see whats on sale. Just a quick look through and you can see what the deals are and plan your menu accordingly. Stacking sales with coupons saves you even more.
• Stock your pantry-Usually items are on sale every 6 weeks. The items you know you use a lot of frequently (peanut butter, butter, bread etc) stock up on when they hit there rock bottom price. Knowing when these deals are coming around helps you stock up on coupons for these items also. Stock up 6 weeks worth to get you through till the next sale.
• Make as many things from scratch as you can-Not only is eating "whole" non processed foods healthier for you, but it saves you a ton of money too! You pay for packaging, and convenience more than you do the actual food when you buy processed "junk". Processed food does not fill you up for very long, so you eat more, gain more weight, have more health problems and then pay more in medical bills! Its a vicious cycle. It kills me when people say they cant afford to eat healthy or organic. If you break down the cost of eating healthy (whole foods) vs processed foods, you would be surprised at how much more you are paying for packaging, unhealthy ingredients and advertising!

Simplicity

Fridays are my "fun days". So far, Eli and I are having a blast! I woke up before him this morning and had coffee and got a chance to chat with my hubby. A great way to start the day. After Elis nap this morning we went for an hour and a half walk around town! It is so beautiful out, crisp cool air, no humidity and no mosquitoes!! Beautiful morning walk. We stopped at the library to return some books and pick up another book for myself. Elijah loves the library and loves to read new books. We don't do TV, mainly because its a waste of time and we believe in living a life of simplicity. We do have one, and on occasion we will put in a movie (Eli loves veggie tales) for a nice treat. Books are our escape and entertainment in our household.
 Simplicity is very important to us. Our society has been drivin to  "I need more" when in fact we have more than most of the world. The two things I pray for Elijah and have prayed about since before he was even conceived are: 1. He dies a very very old man who loves Jesus and 2. He does not become a product of this world.
 I pray that he knows whats important and that worldly things do not matter. That he spends his money on things that do.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NIV, Matthew 6:19-21)
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also......

Memories at Home

As I was rocking Elijah to sleep for his morning nap, I started thinking about all the great memories we will make in this house. This house means happiness, tears, learning, struggles, laughter and memories. I want to be old and gray and look back on these walls and hear the laughter and see the tears. We moved into this house after lots of looking for the perfect one. We planned, saved, studied and prayed for a nice cozy house in a safe neighborhood where this baby that was in my womb would grow up safe and happy like any child should. When we found our house, we were so excited, it even had a nursery all done!
This house is the first house my baby will live in, the first house my husband and I bought and hopefully the first house our future children will have. I hope our children can come to our house and pick out the dents and scratches on the walls and recall the memories to their children. I pray that we will have lots of family meals, holidays and birthdays in this house. I also pray that we will have lots of learning in this house.

Elijah has the most contagious laugh that I hope these walls remember for years to come :)