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.

Homeade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Fall is my favorite time of the year and with fall I eagerly await the pumpkin spice latte.  Elijah and I walk at least twice a day, and now that the weather is cooling off this latte is my perfect walking companion :). Making your own not only saves you money but also is a healthier alternative because you can easily change the fat and sugar content. Here is my recipe:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2 cups milk
2 Tbs canned pumpkin
2 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

In saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar until steaming. Remove from heat and add in vanilla and spice and transfer to blender until foamy. If you don't have a blender just whisk it really well) Pour into two large mugs and put the coffee over it. ENJOY!!!!!

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.

Banana Cream Blizzard-Healthified Version!

Bananas are among the favorite food list of mine. Frozen bananas hit the top of it....I don't know what my infatuation with frozen fruit is, but I love it! I buy bananas in BULK. If you live in the Midwest and live near a Super One foods, this is by far the best place to buy bananas. At the end of the week, they have the overripe bananas for half price. If you get there and the over ripe bananas are no where to be found, then  I got there before you :). But anyhoo, overripe bananas are not only way cheaper but they rock to freeze! I cut up a bunch, place them on a cookie sheet and freeze over night. We use them for shakes, smoothies and many other recipes. Here is my favorite thing to do....enjoy!

1cup frozen bananas
1/4 c milk
-blend until it looks like ice cream

add in:
cut up frozen banana chunks
chocolate chips

finish with a big dollop of fat free whipped cream on top!

Homeade Rice Baby Cereal

I just started introducing rice cereal to Elijahs diet. He is still on a diet that consists of 100% breast milk most days, but a couple days a week we have given him this cereal. We wanted to wait until he was 6 months to start solids, but at around 5 months he wasn't sleeping due to teething. We gave him a couple ounces of cereal during this time and he seemed to tolerate it well. He is now one week short of 6 months and we decided we will try the cereal again in hopes of introducing some fruit and veggies when he hits the 6 month mark. I have never given him store bought, all ready prepared food yet. I am still looking up the pros and cons to making your own vs buying baby food. From what I have read so far, the baby food in the stores have come along way. They make single ingredient food with no preservatives and even organic fruits and veggies. Plus, they are way more convenient. I am a stay at home mom so I have a little more time to prepare our own, so I think we may do a combination.
Any hoo.....I thought I would share the recipe I have been using for the cereal. Super easy, cheap and healthy. All you need are whole grain brown rice, a food processor or blender and breast milk/formula.

Baby Rice Cereal

1/4 cup rice powder (I just blend a little bit at a time in my food processor until it becomes a powder)
1 cup water
a little bit of breast milk/formula

Boil the water and add the rice. Turn stove to a simmer, and cook stirring constantly for about 5-10 min until the cereal becomes the consistency you want. Make sure you let it cool and add the milk. Feed to your happy baby!

~this makes a lot of cereal, so I put the rest in ice cube trays (each cube is 1 ounce) and freeze. Once frozen, I put in a freezer bag. Super convenient!!!