A Heart For Home

Weekend Links

2012-01-28T09:50:00.002-05:00

May all your wanderings be blessed!

:: What I Would Feed my Family on a Monthly Budget of $250 @ Keeper of the Home

:: Listen to the Quiet: A Daily Pause for Moms and Part 2 @ Passionate Homemaking

:: Learning to move and moving to learn @ The Pioneer Woman

:: How to Increase You Wardrobe - Without Spending Any Money {Developing a Women's Clothing Exchange} @ Keeper of the Home

"Pin"spiration

(Need an invitation? Leave a comment with your email address and we'll send you an invite.)

:: This amazing idea for storing winter hats, gloves, and mittens. Oh, I wish our coat closet had a normal door.

source

:: I tried these Chocolate Frosting Shots this week. I must have done something wrong because mine never got as thick, but it was the best Chocolate milkshake I've ever had!

source

linking up at Simply Staci's Saturday Stumbles

Have you come across any good reads or great ideas this week? Please share a link in your comment.

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Finished Friday: T-Shirt Scrap Earrings {link up your finished projects}

2012-01-27T09:03:00.003-05:00

I've been looking for a way to use up all the little t-shirt scraps I have left over from Christmas crafting (scarves, necklaces, & trivets). I came across the idea of t-shirt scrap earrings and completely loved the concept. Like Kristin, I love to accessorize with earrings. These earrings are also a great use for the tiniest of t-shirt pieces and are simple to make.

The earrings I made are about an inch and a quarter in diameter and are so light it's easy to forget you're wearing them. I love that I could easily make a pair to compliment almost any outfit--oh, the possibilities!

I started with a pair for myself last weekend. (Yes, I took this picture myself and no, apparently I had not brushed my hair.)

Then added a pair for my sister-in-law as she headed back to college. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture before I gave them to her.

This last pair is for another sister-in-law, whose birthday is on Sunday. She liked the ones I wore last week to church so I know she'll love a pair of her own.

*If enough people are interested I may be able to put together a simple tutorial, just let me know if you'd like to know how to make your own.

Today's Question: Do you like to accessorize with earrings? I love hoops and dangling earrings in silver and a variety of colors. Describe your earring style. If you're not a fan of earrings, what is your favorite accessory?

I'm trying to hold myself accountable to finish some of the projects on my to do list by posting each Friday about a project I've completed.
Would you like to join in? Link up to your own projects below.

1. Link to your project post, not your blog's home page, so we can find it easily.

2. Let us know what project you are sharing in your title, for example: Spring Wreath

3. We'd love it if your post links back here so that your readers can come join the fun. Feel free to copy & paste our Finished Friday Button into your post. (Just copy the text in the box below the button, click on the "Edit HTML" tab for your post and paste it there.)

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Weekly Goals

2012-01-24T14:30:00.007-05:00

I love looking over my goals for 2012 and seeing that I am already making some progress. Of course, I still have a LONG way to go so I'm following Crystal's lead and breaking my goals down even further into bite-sized weekly chunks.

Spiritual
1. spend time in God's word daily (Matthew 8-14)
2. complete Chapter 2 days 1-3 of Lies Women Believe workbook
3. choose the 12 passages I want to commit to memory this year
4. pray specifically for my husband and each of our children daily

Marriage
5. pack Tim's lunch each evening

Mothering/Homeschooling
6. refocus on using the red light to get up from naps
7. train Emahry to have quiet time after she wakes up from her nap
8. take the time to let the kids help with household duties
9. complete Funnix Reading Lessons 10-11 and Math Lessons 6-9
10. have Bible time after breakfast each morning Monday-Friday
11. send cards from the kids to their great-grandma and great uncle and aunt

Personal
11. get dressed each morning
12. do 3 days of The 30 Day Shred
13. write in my 10 Year Journal every day
14. take pictures of Amelia's quilt to send to my aunt

Home Management
14. check off my to do list everyday
15. clean the downstairs on Friday and the upstairs on Saturday
16. plan meals for the week

Blogging
17. recently more things have been added to our schedule so I'll be cutting back on blogging to make time for more important things (thanks for understanding)

What are your goals for this week?

Visit Money Saving Mom for more weekly goal setting encouragemen t.

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Announcing "Tri-Moms Share the Love" Giveaway Week

2012-01-23T10:56:00.001-05:00

Kristin, Christy, and I are excited to announce our first Tri-Moms Giveaway Week. Join us in February for this fun event.

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Endless Gifts

2012-01-23T09:29:00.000-05:00

# 390. Amelia's second tooth, the beginnings of a toothy little grin.

#391. Eliya loving her new book.

#392. Getting back in our homeschool groove.

#393. Supplies to make a pair of new earring.

#394. Spending Sunday afternoon at my parent's house.

#395. Children who love being read to.

#396. Homemade carrot cake.

#397. Big sisters and little sisters.

#398. A Papa willing to take two little ones plus an unruly dog on a romp around the neighborhood.

#399. A little boy proud of holding the leash all by himself.

What are you thankful for today?

Will Also be Contributed To: Gratituesday, intentional gratitude Works for Me!, Things I Love Thursday, Finer Things Friday

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Free eBook: Gluten Free Cookbook: Signs and Symptoms of a Gluten Allergy Plus 25 Delicious Gluten Free Recipes

2012-01-21T16:03:00.004-05:00

Right now you can download the Gluten Free Cookbook eBook from Amazon for free! This eBook includes signs and symptoms of a gluten allergy as well as 25 gluten free recipes.

The price of this eBook is currently $0.00, but that can change at any time. Make sure you double check the price before checking out.

This eBook is sold for Kindles, but you can easily download this free application that enables you to read Kindle eBooks on your PC. This is how I read all eBooks, and it works really well.

The following eBooks are still available as free downloads:

Organized Simplicity

Smart School Time Recipes
Design Your Dream Home
Savory Pie Recipes

Do you enjoy reading eBooks? Why or why not?

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Weekend Links

2012-01-21T07:20:00.001-05:00

May all your wanderings be blessed!

:: How Much Is a Homemaker Worth? @ Yahoo Finance

:: Need a simple and effective way to get your life under control? Try the "one minute rule." @ The Happiness Project

:: 7 Ways to Practice Imperfect Hospitality by the Reluctant Entertainer @ Simple Mom

:: The Church Vision I Long to Have @ A Sojourner's Observations

"Pin"spiration

(Need an invitation? Leave a comment with your email address and we'll send you an invite.)

:: I love this free menu planning sheet. I'm thinking about adding it to a frame in the kitchen and using a wet erase marker to write our dinners directly on the glass.

source

:: I'd also love to try my hand at these DIY wire fence frames.

source

:: I'm definitely using this trick when I get a chance to make a new wreath for the front door.

source

linking up at Simply Staci's Saturday Stumbles

Have you come across any good reads or great ideas this week? Please share a link in your comment.

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finished Friday: Barrettes Galore {with Linky!}

2012-01-20T19:26:00.010-05:00

With three little girls in our home, we have our fair share of hair accessories. But when I followed Kristin's link to these adorable felt heart hair clips I knew that I would be making a few in the near future.

When I found the exact clips I needed when putting some craft supplies away later the same day I went ahead and added making barrettes to my "if I get to them today" list.

While I had the supplies out I decided to try out a set of embroidery thread hair clips, too.

Then, since I was on a roll, I thought I might as well break out the glue gun and make a few ribbon covered alligator clips, too. Looks good with the firefighter dress-up coat, doesn't it?

Talk about crafting ADD!

I'm trying to hold myself accountable to finish some of the projects on my to do list by posting each Friday about a project I've completed.
Would you like to join in? Link up to your own projects below.

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to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Free eBooks: Gluten-Free Lunch Recipes, Smart School Time Recipes, How to Cook Natural and Healthy Snacks, Design Your Dream Home, and Savory Pie Recipes

2012-01-19T14:20:00.010-05:00

Right now you can download the following eBooks from Amazon for free!

The price for all of these eBooks is currently $0.00, but that can change at any time. Make sure you double check the price before checking out.

These eBooks are sold for Kindles, but you can easily download this free application that enables you to read Kindle eBooks on your PC. This is how I read all eBooks, and it works really well.

Organized Simplicity and Naturally Skinny: 100 Organic Recipes Under 350 Calories are also still available as free downloads.

Do you enjoy reading eBooks? Why or why not?

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book Nook

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Inspiration:

Looking to add some interest to your staircase?

source

:: The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name

:: 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories

:: Fluffy and Baron

:: Luke Goes to Bat
:: Sweet Dream Kisses: Treasury of Bedtime Stories
:: Biscuit (My First I Can Read)
:: T is for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet

:: One Thousand Gifts
:: Don't Make Me Come Up There

What are some current favorites in your home?

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Money Saving Mom's Budget Winner

2012-01-17T08:08:00.000-05:00

Congratulations, Shelia (shlmor7@...) you've won your own copy of The Money Saving Mom's Budget. (Please check your inbox and spam folder for an email from us.)

Didn't win? You can purchase your own copy of Crystal Paine's The Money Saving Mom's Budget for only $10.99.

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tri-Moms: The Winter Blahs

2012-01-17T07:44:00.001-05:00

Do you find your spirits dropping along with the temperature outside? Well, you're in luck. Today the Tri-Moms are discussing ways to beat the winter blahs.
While every season brings it's own share of joys and struggles, winter can be a difficult time, especially when families find themselves stuck indoors for long periods of time.
Here are some ways our family is beating the winter blahs:
:: We're enjoying new toys and books. After Christmas we put several of the new things away. We've been pulling out something new every few days to keep the little ones from boredom. We also rotate through our other toys and books so there is always something "new" tucked away for rediscovering.
:: We're making more trips to the library. This keeps our bookshelves changing and keeps reading fresh for the long winter months.
:: We bundle up and go outside. Yes, even if it's just for 15 minutes, the fresh air and sunshine help everyone feel a little better.
:: We've been enjoying more craft time. The kids received some crafty items for Christmas, so we've been spending a little more time crafting. I've also finally come to terms with the fact that stickers are made to be used up, so Emahry and Jonathan have been having a blast with the piles of stickers in our sticker bin.

:: We also spend time visiting with friends and family. The change of pace, scenery, and company is a great way to help beat the boredom at home. This past Saturday, the little ones and I spent a couple of morning hours at a new friend's home playing and getting to know one another. The kids loved the time playing and I enjoyed the time spent talking to another mommy of little ones.
:: We've also been spending a little more time baking in the kitchen. While this has been a lot of fun, I definitely need to find ways to warm up in the kitchen without making so many tempting treats. How do you beat the winter blahs?

Please visit my fellow Tri-Moms, Kristin @ Bits & Pieces from my Life and Christy @ A Living Homeschool for more ideas for beating the Winter Blahs

Up next: February 7: Frugal Date Ideas

Winter Schedule of Topics

February 21: Romancing Your Husband

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Free eBook: Organized Simplicity

2012-01-16T08:42:00.001-05:00

This is the last day to enter our giveaway of The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine of MoneySavingMom.com.

Right now you can download a free copy of Organized Simplicity from Amazon. This ebook is another wonderful resource from Tsh @ SimpleMom.net.

The price is currently $0.00 (reg. $16.99), but that can change at any time. Make sure you double check the price before checking out.

This ebook is sold for Kindles, but you can easily download this free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC . This is how I read all eBooks, and it works really well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Endless Gifts

2012-01-16T07:59:00.004-05:00

This is the last day to enter our giveaway of The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine of MoneySavingMom.com.

# 376. Green smoothies every morning.

#377. Little helpers.

#378. Little girls dressed in matching pajamas.

#379. Little boys with long eyelashes.

#380. A new pen that writes beautifully.

#381. Little pants with ruffled bums.

#382. A new supply of fuzzy socks to keep my feet warm.

#383. Sticking to (most of ) my goals.

#384. A fun time of playing for the kids and some nice adult conversation for me. (thanks Rebecca)

#385. Nearby aunts.

#386. An entire Sunday with Tim.

#387. Plenty of leftover to keep us from cooking.

#388. Football games with family.

#389. Amelia's first tooth!

What are you thankful for today?

Will Also be Contributed To: Gratituesday, intentional gratitude Works for Me!, Things I Love Thursday, Finer Things Friday

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Weekend Links ~ January 14th, 2012

2012-01-14T08:00:00.004-05:00

May all your wanderings be blessed!

:: Beware of These Marriage Killers @ Simple Mom

:: Trying to Eat Better? Ask Yourself This Important Question @ The Happiness Project

:: Resolve NOT To @ Simple Mom

and when you have a nice chunk of time to devote to reading be sure to check out the next three posts (don't just stop at the first one, please).

:: Don't Carpe Diem @ Momastery followed by

:: Parenting Beyond Kairos @ Mama Smiles and

::On "Carpe Diem", motherhood, Chronis and Kairos time, and the old lady at the store @ The Happiest Mom

"Pin"spiration

(Need an invitation? Leave a comment with your email address and we'll send you an invite.)

:: This black out poetry looks like a lot of fun. (So sorry I can't find the original source.)

:: These cookies have been added to my For Tim board. He is going to LOVE them!

source

:: I can't wait to add this quote to our home.

source

linking up at Simply Staci's Saturday Stumbles

Have you come across any good reads or great ideas this week? We'd love for you to leave a link in our comments section.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finished Friday: Molasses Creams {with recipe}

2012-01-13T08:00:00.005-05:00

I'm trying to hold myself accountable to finish some of the projects on my to do list by posting each Friday about a project I've completed. For the most part these projects aren't part of my daily or weekly household chores, although some weeks finishing those items is a challenge all in its own.

My mom has been making these cookies for years. If fact, she sent a box of Molasses Creams to my brother and sister-in-law when they were living in rural Guatemala. Unfortunately, they weren't able to get to the city to pick them up for about a month. When they finally got them, my brother said they were still delicious. I'm not sure if it's the molasses, but these cookies definitely keep!

I've wanted to make these cookies for several months and finally found time (and an excuse) to make them this past week.

I've adapted the original recipe to make them a little healthier (but still really tasty).

Molasses Creams

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves

1. In a larger mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and molasses; mix thoroughly.

2. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture.

3. Shape into 1" balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets (do not flatten).

4. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until done (centers will be slightly soft).

* I also sprinkled some coarse kosher salt on the tops of several sheets of cookies. The salty-sweet combination was really yummy. In fact, the ones topped with salt disappeared first.
* The original recipe includes a frosting if you'd like to make the cookies a little sweeter.

What projects have you finished this week?
What are your favorite cookies?

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2012 Weekly Blogging Schedule

2012-01-12T08:00:00.011-05:00

buy this print
(found via Pinterest)

One of my goals for the coming year is to grow our blog and to enjoy doing it.

I know one of the ways to do this is to make sure I'm not stressed out about getting posts done on time. In order to help myself plan ahead, I'm going to implement a skeleton schedule that will be the same every week. There will also be lots of other posts published, but this will be my bare bones blogging schedule.

Sunday
Our blog will continue to be relatively quiet on Sundays, but be sure to check out our Weekend Links if you're in need of encouragement or inspiration.

Monday
Endless Gifts ~ Stop by to see how I'm doing with my gratitude journal as I count the endless gifts from His hands. I'm taking the Joy Dare to count 1000 gifts in 2012! If you list gifts on your blog, we'd love for you to leave your link in the comments section of these posts.

Tuesday
The first and third Tuesday of every month will be devoted to Tri-Moms. Kristin, Christy and I will continue to address topics that are relevant to our roles as wives, moms, and homemakers. Topics for January and February include: The Winter Blahs, Frugal Date Ideas, and Romancing Your Husband.

Wednesday
Book Nook ~ Join us for a little book nook inspiration as we share our favorite books from the previous week. Please, chime in with your recent favorites or link to your own lists in the comments.

Friday
Finished Friday ~ I'll continue posting a finished project each week to keep myself accountable to actually doing some of the projects I've wanted to try. We're contemplating adding a linky so that you can link up your finished projects as well.

Saturday
Weekend Links ~ Here you'll find some of my favorite articles and blog posts from the previous week as well as some of my favorite projects, ideas, and inspiration. Be sure to leave your favorite links of the week in our comments section.

Which weekly features are your favorites?
Would you join in on Finished Fridays if we added a linky?

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Free eBook: Naturally Skinny:100 Organic Recipes Under 350 Calories

2012-01-11T11:31:00.000-05:00

Right now you can download a free copy of Naturally Skinny: 100 Organic Recipes Under 350 Calories from Amazon.

The price is currently $0.00, but that can change at any time. Make sure you double check the price before checking out.

This ebook is sold for Kindles, but you can easily download this free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book Nook

2012-01-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

Inspiration:

This little pillow would be the perfect addition to any child's reading corner.

buy it here

:: 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories

:: For God So Love the World: My John 3:16 Book

:: Cleo's Color Book
:: Little Blue Truck
:: Sweet Dream Kisses: Treasury of Bedtime Stories
:: The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
:: I Heard Said the Bird

:: One Thousand Gifts
:: Don't Make Me Come Up There

What are some current favorites in your home?

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia's 4 Month Photo

2012-01-10T08:00:00.002-05:00

It's getting really difficult to get a shot without her feet being blurry from all that moving.

I'm not sure what happened here, but she wasn't very happy about it.

What do you like best about taking photos of your children?

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One Bite at a Time eBook Winner!

2012-01-09T10:00:00.001-05:00

Congratulations, Mandy of Messy Glory. You've won a free download of Tsh's wonderful ebook, One Bite at a Tim: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler. (Please, reply to our email within the next 48 hours.)

Didn't win? You can still get Tsh's ebook for only $4 through January 10, 2012 with discount code HAPPYNEWYEAR. Go here to download your copy now.

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Endless Gifts

2012-01-08T22:10:00.000-05:00

# 364. An "I love you." from the baby.

#365. New Christmas ornaments for each member of our family.

#366. Time with extended family.

#367. Cousins making cookies.

#368. A look back in time with a newspaper from the day after President Kennedy was assassinated.

#369. Our twirly girl.

#370. Little girls in pink nightgowns.

#371. A Christmas morning photo in our huge vacation bed.

#372. Too much vacation.

#373. Being able to hold my sick Amelia close and still get housework finished.

#374. New games to play.

#375. New books to read.

What are you thankful for today?

Will Also be Contributed To: Gratituesday, intentional gratitude Works for Me!, Things I Love Thursday, Finer Things Friday

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

to receive free updates through e-mail or our RSS feed.

Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Goals for 2012

2012-01-07T14:03:00.004-05:00

source

This year I will:

1. Grow in my relationship with the Lord

2. Focus on nurturing a loving relationship with my husband.
3. Continue to grow as a mom and homeschool mom.
4. Challenge myself to become a better woman and homemaker.
5. Be a good steward of our finances.
6. Find ways to minister to those around me.
7. Grow our blog and enjoy it.

Goals for 2012

Now this may seem like a lot, but many of these are things I'm already doing that I simply want to continue and the things that are new will not all be attempted at once.

Grow in my relationship with the Lord.
- spend time in God's word daily (After reading Kristin's suggestion, I'll be reading through one chapter of the New Testament each day.)
- choose and commit 12 passages to memory (one each month)
- pray specifically for my husband and each of our children daily
- work through at least two topical Bible studies within a Ladies Bible Study group (here's the first)
- partner with Tim in strengthening a small group within our local body

Nurturing a loving relationship with my husband
- focus on the things that are important to him
- find ways to encourage him (tidy house, notes, spoken words)
- find ways I can make his life easier (let him sleep in, pack his lunches, having all of the chores finished before he gets home)
- make meaningful conversations a priority
- plan at least one date night each month

Continue to grow as a mom and homeschooler

- focus on lovingly training our children to obey with happy hearts

- be more consistent with our daily Bible time right after breakfast

- memorize Psalm 23 together (mainly Emahry, 4 1/2 years old)

- continue to encourage books, art, music, physical activity, and creative play over media

- continue to train the kids to participate in cleaning and other chores

- assign each child (other than the baby) specific daily chores

- finish preschool with Emahry and begin Kindergarten

- begin preschool with Jonathan

- continue to plan out our workboxes 2 weeks in advance

- choose and finish at least 6 (chapter book) read-alouds

Challenge myself to become a better woman and homemaker

- get dressed first thing in the morning
- organize our home (continue to purge and simplify our possessions)
- get back on track with The 30 Day Shred

- stick to a weekly cleaning schedule

- make our town house homey (tidy, comfortable, and inviting)

- move from weekly menu planning to planning for two weeks at a time
- take at least 20 photos each week (not necessarily of the kids, but I wasn't sure where this fit best)
- get back on track with my 10 year journal

Be a good steward of our finances
- continue to stick to a bare bones grocery budget
- help Tim plan our 2012 garden (and make time to help him occasionally, too)
- continue to use Swagbucks to earn Amazon gift cards for household purchases
- find creative ways to stretch our monthly date money to get more bang for our buck
- plan and make gifts for next Christmas
- look for ways to repurpose items we already own or ones we can get for very inexpensively
- preserve as much produce as the garden will allow

Find ways to minister to those around me
- practice hospitality (it's so easy for me to make excuses because our home is very small and not really ideal for visitors)
- bake a small loaf of bread for an elderly friend at least once a month
- send Tim's Grandma at least one card each month
- send a card from the kids to one set of grandparents (plus a great uncle & aunt) each month (they'll each get three throughout the year)

Grow our blog and enjoy it
- plan blog posts at least a month in advance
- write and schedule posts at least a week in advance
- begin the process of migrating to a self-hosted WordPress blog with our own domain (eek!)
- choose and write at least three blog series
- finish the rest of the letter printable packs and offer them through our blog
- get back on track and stick to a weekly blogging plan (more on that soon)
- look for ways to let our blog help us meet our financial goals

What are your goals for 2012? If you've blogged about your goals, please leave a link in your comment.

Visit Money Saving Mom for more goal setting encouragement.

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Welcome to A Heart for Home! We'd love for you to subscribe

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Thanks for visiting and we hope you'll be back often! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Money Saving Mom's Budget {Book Review & Giveaway}

2012-01-06T13:41:00.001-05:00

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review a pre-release copy of Crystal Paine's (aka Money Saving Mom's) new book, The Money Saving Mom's Budget: Slash You Spending, Pay Down Your Debt, Steamline Your Life, and Save Thousands a Year which will be released on January 10th, 2012.

As a stay-at-home mom of a single income family it is crucial that I find ways to extend our family's resources. Crystal's website, MoneySavingMom.com, has been a valuable money saving tool for our family so I was hopeful that her first book would give me even more ideas on how to stretch our limited income.

I'm happy to say, I was not disappointed. The Money Saving Mom's Budget is broken down into nine chapters that help you set goals, organize your home, give yourself a raise, get rid of your credit cards, learn to use coupons, lower your grocery bill, "splurge" creatively, and cultivate contentment.

From following her website, I know Crystal is an avid couponer. I her book, Crystal states:

"I believe everyone should use coupons. There. I said it. Wait. I take my statement back. If you are one of the .0002 people in America who has never touched food unless it was grown in your own yard, you make toothpaste out of tree bark, and use cloth toilet paper, then I'll exempt you. But the rest of you? You're nonexempt." (p. 86, The Money Saving Mom's Budget)

While our family definitely doesn't grow all of our own food (oh, I wish), and I have no clue if you can actually make toothpaste out of tree bark (may tea tree?), we do try to replace at least a portion of our toilet paper with cloth wipes (no number 2, thank you very much), but I still find ways to use some coupons.

Granted, most likely I will never be able to save the amount of money that many families can with coupons so while about 20% of the Crystal's book deals with couponing and "the drugstore game" I was thrilled to find that there were still lots of other tips for lowering our monthly expenses that we could actually use.

I loved the chapter entitled, 25 Ways to Lower your Grocery Bill Without Using Coupons. Some of the tips in this chapter include shopping every other week, using a Crock-Pot, and buying in bulk.

I also loved the out of the box ideas for bringing in extra money.

I think every family could benefit from Crystal's money saving story and advice. As we begin a new year, I know many of us are setting financial goals for 2012. Preorder your copy of The Money Saving Mom's Budget to help get you on the road to financial success.

Giveaway

Crystal generously offered to send us a final copy of The Money Saving Mom's Budget once it releases on January 10th, 2012. Since we already have the pre-release version and we know how many of our readers will want to get their hands on this book, we've decided to give our published copy away to one of our readers.

Just follow the directions in the rafflecopter form below - it's quick & easy to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Sew Silly Designs Cloth Diaper Review and Discount Code Giveaway

2012-01-03T09:33:00.009-05:00

Introduction: Sew Silly Designs is owned and operated by Kammie a work at home mama of two. Kammie began her cloth diaper business as a way to help her husband meet their financial needs and to build their vision for their family.

Selection: Kammie makes beautiful sized fitted diapers and all-in-twos. Sew Silly Designs also offers one size cloth diapers. All of Kammie's diapers are made with a print outer layer, cotton or organic bamboo velour inner layer, and a hidden PUL layer (AI2s) and hemp soaker fabric. (Simply click on the photos below to view each listing.)

Review: We received a super soft Overnight One-Size Fitted diaper from Sew Silly Designs to review.

I love the color combination of this fitted diaper. I also love how soft the fabrics are, especially the velour.

This overnight fitted diaper came with two inserts/doublers. Both are made from several layers of hemp. One is topped with the same super soft, moisture wicking velour as the inside of the diaper.

The diaper is serged around the edges with an enclosed elastic to make it super gentle on baby's little legs. There is also enclosed elastic along the back to help keep messes contained.

We've used this diaper on Eliya several nights and are pleased with the amount of moisture it holds. We use this fitted with PUL (Thirsties Duo Wrap) covers and have never had any leaking issues.

I have found that since this is a fitted diaper my husband is less likely to choose this diaper if he gets up with Eliya during the night. However, that is his personal preference as he feels like he is having to put on two diapers instead of just one. This issue is easily solved by placing this diaper on Eliya myself at bedtime and leaving another type of diaper (pocket, AIO) out for him to change her into in the middle of the night.

This diaper is a One Size diaper it fits both of our diaper wearer. It converts between sizes by a snap down rise. The snap placement allows this diaper to have three different rise options and multiple tummy and thigh settings. Because this is a fitted diaper it is a little bulky and therefore would not fit most newborns, however it should fit from around 10 pounds through potty training.

With one of the doublers in place this diaper is a good fit for Amelia (4 months). Eliya (22 months) can wear it with both doublers in place.

Disclaimer: I was a little concerned about the placement of the front snaps as they were attached crooked, but when I contacted Kammie she informed my that her sweet husband tried to help by allowing Kammie to work on her purchased orders and put the snaps on our review diaper by himself. All of the other diapers in Kammie's shop appear to have straight snaps :)

Connect: Sew Silly Designs on Etsy.

Buy It: You can purchase your own Sew Silly Designs Overnight Fitted Diaper for $23.00. Most of Kammie's other diapers can be purchased for around $15 each.

Giveaway: Kammie would like to offer one of our readers a 15% Discount Code to use at Sew Silly Designs. Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. (If you have any questions on how to enter, just leave us a comment with your email address and we'll try to help.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tri-Moms: Time Management for Busy Moms

2012-01-03T07:57:00.004-05:00

Disclaimer: This is a topic I struggle with a lot, so I'm writing this post as much for myself as anyone else.
Today, the Tri-Moms are discussing Time Management for Busy Moms. After the busyness of the past month and with resolutions in the forefront of our thoughts, I'm sure many of us are ready to be whipped into shape in the area of time management.
Since we're talking about time management, I'm going to do my best to make this short and sweet.
I have found that time management is all about priorities. If something is a priority to me I typically find a way to get it done. So, making sure I have my priorities in the right order is absolutely essential. I can want to be organized with my time all want, but until I allow Christ to transform my priorities to his own, I will continue to struggle with time management and having time for the things that are most important.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers,by the mercies of God,to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." ~Romans 12:1-2 (emphasis added)

My biggest struggle with managing my time as the keeper of our home is with cleaning. I do.not.enjoy.cleaning. There, I said it. I love to purge and organize, but the daily cleaning is very low on my list of things I like. Not that our house is a complete pig sty, but I'd much rather bake, or sew, or read books to the kids, or (I might as well be completely honest) read blogs, or wade through Pinterest.

Somehow I began my journey of being a keeper of our home with the gross misconception that I would always have time for the creative aspects of taking care of a home and being a mom and that there would actually be very little that I didn't enjoy.

However, with four little ones at home all day, the time for my creative ventures is next to nothing and the time I'm left cleaning and tidying, and teaching the kiddos to do the same is a huge chunk of my waking hours.
So how do I do it?
Again, I'm still working through this, but I know that my mind needs to be transformed so that I see this part of my job as important, because if I see it as important I'll use my creativity do finish this job as well. If I know it's important I'll take pride in a home well organized and clean, just as I would take pride in a scarf finely knitted or a batch of bread finely baked, or a blog post finely written.
When something is important we want to do it well!
Because, what good I'm a doing my children if they can paint a beautiful painting but struggle with keeping their clothes off the floor and their bathroom clean. Let's just face it, no one wants to live in a dirty, disorganized home. They may say they don't care, but no one wants to search through the dirty clothes to find the shirt they need for work or eat dinner off of a table that is covered in week old crumbs.
Do you want some practical advice? Well, I could tell you how making lists in the evening help me be prepared to make good choices the following day. And how breaking my day into tasks to be completed before each meal helps me stay on track. I could also tell you how reflecting on the day with my husband helps to make sure that my priorities are in line.
But the most important thing I am finding in order to manage my time well is to make sure I make at least 15 minutes to spend in God's word everyday.
That's right, my time management strategies is to add in something else that takes time. My mom always says that when you spend time with God he seems to increase the amount of hours in the day, and I think she's right. When I spend time with God, I allow him to slowly transform my thoughts and make them more like his own. This means that my days will focus more on what is important to God and I won't even miss the other things because God's priorities will be my priorities as well.
Want some more practical help with time management? I've found these resources to be very helpful. (Disclosure: The following two ebooks are affiliate links, so we receive a percentage of each sale made, at no cost to you, of course.)
One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler. A great way to downsize what you actually need to spend time doing. Written to be completed in small easy to do tasks, in any order, and at your own pace, this ebook is very easy to customize to your life. You can also enter to win a copy here.

Tell Your Time: How to Manage Your Schedule So You Can Live Fulfilled. This e-book walks you through setting priorities and developing a time budget. Much like a money budget, a time budget will help you know where your time is going and will even allow you to create margin time for the unexpected things that happen daily in a home with young children.
And if you're a blogger I would highly recommend Blogger Behave: Make your blog benefit your life so you can love both! This is a wonderful resource to help you keep your blogging life in check and keep it from taking over your real life. I'm half way through reading it I absolutely love everything I've read so far!
Do you struggle with time management, too? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Please visit my fellow Tri-Moms, Kristin @ Bits & Pieces from my Life and Christy @ A Living Homeschool for more ideas on managing your time as a wife and mom.

Up next: January 17: The Winter Blahs

Winter Schedule of Topics

February 7: Frugal Date Ideas

February 21: Romancing Your Husband

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Weekend Links ~ December 31st

2011-12-31T12:04:00.002-05:00

May all your wanderings be blessed!

:: Actually Reading Together Changed My Opinion of It @ The Organic Sister

:: Simple Homeschool @ Daily Bread

"Pin"spiration

(Need an invitation? Leave a comment with your email address and we'll send you an invite.)

This week's all about organization.

:: awesome idea for decluttering your wardrobe

source

:: easy bobby pin storage solution

source

:: great idea for curbing the multiplying cup dilemma

source

linking up at Simply Staci's Saturday Stumbles

Have you come across any good reads or great ideas this week? We'd love for you to leave a link in our comments section.

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Simplify Your Life: One Bite at a Time {20% Off & Giveaway}

2011-12-30T09:13:00.002-05:00

With the new year comes a lot of reflection on the old one -- what you did well, what you'd like to improve, and where you want to be this time next year.

For our family, New Year's resolutions typically revolve around simplifying our very filled lives. We have a lot of goals for our family, most of which are only possible when we take time to focus on them and keep ourselves clear of the busyness that can so easily sweep us up in its hectic flow.

Tsh, founder of SimpleMom.net has put together a wonderful resource to help you simplify your life in easy manageable steps.

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler is an eBook filled with secrets, tips, and great advice to help you move towards intentional simplicity.

This eBook is filled with projects in the following 8 categories: Green Living, Living Well, Money Management, Organizing Your Mind, Organizing Your Space, Relationships, Taking Care of Yourself, and Time Management.

Tsh tackles 52 projects in an easy step-by-step format. You can do them in any order, at your own pace, and customize them to fit your needs. In One Bite at a Time, Tsh addresses topics such as getting more sleep, creating a daily to-do list, carving out intentional down time, decluttering your wardrobe, downsizing your children's toys, meal planning, and much, much more.

Get a 20% Discount:
Right now you can instantly download One Bite at a Time at a 20% discount for only $4.00 using the code HAPPYNEWYEAR. This discount is valid through January 10, 2012, regular price is $5. If you're looking for some help in simplifying your life, One Bite at a Time is perfect for you.

You can also find great reviews, a list of all 52 projects and even a free chapter to read here.

Also, be sure to check out SimpleMom.net in 2012 as Jeannett Gibson of Life Rearranged offers a monthly dose of camaraderie and accountability as she works through various projects from the eBook. Readers will also be invited to link to their own blog with project results. I can't wait to see how other's implement Tsh's ideas.

Remember, the 20% discount is only available through January 10th, so take just a few minutes and download One Bite at a Time today!

Giveaway

We're excited to be able to offer one of our readers a free download of One Bite at a Time to help you jump start your intentionally simpler life! (Open worldwide.)

You can get two entries into this giveaway:

1. Mandatory ~ Leave a comment telling us why you'd like to win a free download of Tsh's eBook. Make sure you include your email address so we can contact you if you win!

2. For an additional entry, subscribe to our blog via email. (Leave another comment telling us you've done this.)

This giveaway will close January 8th, 2012 at 11:59PM EST. The winner will be contacted via email and will need to reply within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.

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Finished Friday: Popsicle Stick Puzzles Guest Post

2011-12-23T10:41:00.005-05:00

Today I'm sharing a super easy, cute, fun, & frugal craft at Living Life Intentionally.
Be sure to hop on over to see how to make a few of these popsicle stick puzzles for the little ones in your life. They are so easy to make that your children could even make them for their siblings or friends. These puzzles could even be a fun Christmas Day craft for the kiddos. Just make sure you do the cutting, okay.
Everyone but the baby will be getting one (or two) of these in their stocking on Christmas morning.

What do your children get in their stockings?

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Gather Round the Christmas Tree

2011-12-19T07:32:00.003-05:00

Lots of hot tea and warm blankets in our home this week. Thankfully, I already had these pictures ready :)

Since our town home doesn't afford room for a traditional Christmas tree, the little ones helped decorate my parents' tree this year.

My parents' decided, for the second year, to forgo the Christmas ornaments packed carefully away in a box and to instead decorate the tree with simple ornaments with the names of Jesus. Just small slips of printed paper backed by red cardstock and tied with ribbons.

It's perfect for our kids who are learning these names during our quite moments of advent each day.

Linking up at Kristin's today. Click the button below to see lots of other Christmas tree photos.

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Sickness and Rest

2011-12-18T12:16:00.000-05:00

I've been a bit MIA recently. Last Sunday I noticed that my throat was getting a little sore.

Now, I've been dealing with a sore throat and full blown head cold all week while trying to get loose ends tied up before our family trip this Christmas.

So, if you don't hear from this little corner of the web for a few days, that's why.

Right now I'm trying to rest and get better so I can enjoy the celebration of Jesus' birth with our extended family.

I'm praying that you and your family are enjoying a peaceful Christmas season. Remember, true peace doesn't come as a result of the perfect family dinner or the perfect family photo or gift, but only through Jesus. His perfect peace becomes our own when we live to glorify him. At Christmas we remember that he already took the first step...He Came.

May you celebrate his coming this Christmas!

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Weekend Links ~ December 17th

2011-12-17T08:38:00.003-05:00

May all your wanderings be blessed!

:: 10 Things to Do Everyday to Stay Organized @ Organizing Your Way (I love the list notebook, I seem to make so many lists, but I think it would really help to keep them all in one place.)

:: Why Gift Giving Can Be Good for Kids @ Life as MOM

:: Of Santa and Jesus @ A Deeper Story

"Pin"spiration

(Need an invitation? Leave a comment with your email address and we'll send you an invite.)

:: Christmas Coloring Page

source

:: Snowman Ornament

source

:: No Roll Sugar Cookies

source

:: Free Christmas Coloring Book download

source

linking up at Simply Staci's Saturday Stumbles

Have you come across any good reads or great ideas this week?
We'd love for you to leave a link in our comments section.

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Vitacost: 3 Aluminum & Paraben Free Deodorants for $5.48 Shipped

2011-12-15T14:36:00.001-05:00

I've been on a search for natural deodorant for my husband for quite some time. While, I'm able to use homemade deodorant with fairly good results, my husband's skin can't handle the baking soda that many homemade recipes call for.

The problem with natural deodorant is that it's hard to find one that works really well without the use of artificial and potentially harmful ingredients.

So, whenever I see a untried deodorant on sale I try to pick up one for Tim to try.

Today, I used $10 off at Vitacost to order 3 untried deodorants for only $5.48 shipped.

:: JASON Deodorant Stick Tea Tree

:: NutriBiotic Unscented Deodorant Stick

:: Nature's Gate Grapefruit and Wild Ginger Deodorant

If you haven't used your $10 off $10 Vitacost coupon code yet, you can use it to get a great deal on natural deodorant.

:: Sign up for your $10 off $10 coupon code from Vitacost. The coupon code will be delivered to your email inbox. It should arrive in your within 15-20 minutes (make sure you check your spam folder).

::Go to Vitacost and browse through the deodorants. Here are the aluminum and paraben free deodorants. My husband like stick deodorants, but there are roll-ons and sprays, too.

::Add the ones you want to try to your cart. Our total for the three deodorants mentioned above was $10.49 plus $4.99 shipping. Use the $10 coupon to get $10 off, making your total just $5.48, including shipping.

Do you use natural deodorants? If so, which ones do you like? Have you tried any of these deodorants?

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Book Nook :: December 14th

2011-12-14T10:44:00.000-05:00

Inspiration:

I love this little DIY Reading Nook Tent.

source

:: The Christmas Thingamajig (read our review)
:: Mr. Putter and Tabby Bake the Cake
:: A Wish to be a Christmas Tree
:: Claude the Dog (recommended by my friend, Kristin, check out her full list here)
:: I'll Be Home for Christmas (Toot & Puddle)
:: Listen to the the Silent Night
:: Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
:: The Indescribable Gift

See the rest of our Christmas book recommendations.
Looking for a book gift? Here are some books our little ones enjoy.

Here's a list of Kristin's recommendations and Lindsay's favorites, too.

What are some current favorites in your home?

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The Christmas Thingamajig

2011-12-13T00:30:00.000-05:00

The Christmas Thingamajig is a book that managed to make it into our book pile as I quickly glanced at a library display. I had never heard of this book, but the beautifully painted illustrations drew my attention. I was also looking for a book with a little more meat as we had already chosen quite a few shorter picture books.

On Sunday morning, I corralled the little ones down the stairs to allow Tim another hour or so of sleep. Emahry and Jonathan climbed onto the couch and asked for a Christmas story. I knew we had a little more time to sit and enjoy a longer story so I grabbed The Christmas Thingamajig from our library bin and cuddled in between them.

The story is about a little girl, named Chloe, who has recently lost her grandmother. Chloe doesn't want to keep the family's usual Christmas traditions because they remind her too much of her Grandma and how Christmas will never be the same.

Chloe's grandfather is also feeling the pain of his loss at the first Christmas without his wife. He however helps Chloe see that traditions are important because they help you "face the new things."

This book is a mix of bittersweet as it reminds us of loss but also encourages us to take joy in new traditions. I think this would be a wonderful story for any family who has experienced a loss, but please read through it first and decide whether you think your children are ready to discuss the feeling it will bring up.

Just to let you know, I had to hold back tears while reading the last few pages of this story. Tim's Grand-dad suffered a stroke this past August, the same day Amelia was born, he died several days later and I'm sure Grandma is finding it difficult to "face the new things" this Christmas.

Be sure to check out all of our Christmas book recommendations and stop back by for more reviews as we make our way through our stack of new books.

Other Christmas Book Reviews:
Mortimer's Christmas Manger

What are some of your favorite Christmas books for children?

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12 Days of Christmas: Update on Blessing My Husband

2011-12-12T15:15:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow starts our 12 Days of Christmas for my husband, Tim. I know that the actual 12 days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day, but ours will run from December 13th through Christmas Eve.

Tim's been working really hard lately and I know taking time to bless him over the next 12 days will help him push through to our much anticipated family vacation.

I also typed up these little bitty cards to write the gifts on. They're available here if you'd like a copy. (They're about 2 1/2 inches square.)

I've had to rethink some of our days, but right now this is what my schedule looks like:

Day 1: one water bottle ~ I found a large Sigg stainless steal water bottle in the Target overstock section of our Goodwill for only $3. I also took an evening to crochet this water bottle cover. I thought the cover would keep it from getting dented in case it was dropped. It also might help with condensation when it gets warm again. What do you think? Is it too much? This will be wrapped and waiting for him on the front seat of his truck.

Day 2: two things to keep you warm ~ (I was planning on a candlelit dinner for two, but my parent's aren't available to watch the kids.) I found a brand new looking Cabela jacket at Goodwill. I added a new knit hat to get the two items. These will be placed in a gift bag and hung in the coat closet.

Day 3: three ironed polos ~ Tim normally irons for himself, but I'm going to iron three polos for work and have them waiting on the ironing board.

Day 4: four tiny hand prints ~ The kids and I made this wall hanging for Tim. It'll be wrapped and placed on his plate at breakfast.

Day 5: five brand new blades ~ I pulled a new 5 blade razor from my CVS stash. We'll wrap it and place it on the bathroom counter.

Day 6: six white chocolate "cocoa" mixes ~ Tim can't eat chocolate, but he loves warm white chocolate drinks. I bought six individual packs at the grocery store. These will be placed in a mug and given to him after dinner.

Day 7: seven e-cards ~ This is also Tim's birthday, so the e-cards will be a mixture of Happy Birthday, Thinking Of You, Love cards, etc.

Day 8: eight white chocolate dipped pretzel rods ~ Wrapped in a Christmas treat bag and delivered to work.

Day 9: nine candy cane Kisses ~ We'll be on the road this day, so the Kisses will be packaged in a Christmas treat bag and placed on his seat during one of our gas stops.

Day 10: ten peanut butter cookies ~ Packaged in a Ziploc for traveling and placed beneath the cabin Christmas tree when we arrive.

Day 11: eleven back massages ~ I made these cute little coupons to place in an envelope and lay on top of his pajamas.

Day 12: twelve things I love about you ~ I'm still working on this list, but I know I'm going to make a standard paper sized copy as well as a wallet sized copy.

What are some ways you can bless your husband this Christmas?

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Truth in the Tinsel eBook Sale 20% OFF

2011-12-12T13:01:00.000-05:00

Have you started the countdown to Christmas Day? Are you looking for a way to help your family focus on Jesus as Christmas Day quickly approaches?

It's not too late to start!

Today, Amanda is offering a modified 12 day schedule with her new eBook, Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands. The link to the 12 Day schedule is provided in the download page.

Use the code 12DAYS to get 20% off, making the eBook only $3.99! (And remember you can use the whole thing again next year!)

Is 12 days still too much? No problem. Amanda has also included 4 shorter schedules with the eBook download.

Go here to download your copy today! (This sale ends at Midnight EST today, 12/12.)

How do you celebrate advent with your children?

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Weekend Links ~ December 10th

2011-12-09T21:50:00.001-05:00

May all your wanderings be blessed!

:: "On the First Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me..." @ Passionate Homemaking (You still have time to get your gifts together so you can start on the 13th or Christmas Day. Here are some of my ideas.)

:: 12 Days of Christmas: Christmas Fun Notebooks @ 1+1+1=1 (Check out our Christmas board for lots of great Christmas themed printables and don't forget our printable pack.)

:: Enjoying the Simplicity of Staying Home @ Passionate Homemaking

"Pin"spiration

(Need an invitation? Leave a comment with your email address and we'll send you an invite.)

:: No Sew T-Shirt Scrap Rug (In case you're on a t-shirt craft binge like I am.)

source

:: Using shower curtain rings to hang scarves...very clever.

:: Instead of giving baked cookies, what about placing frozen cookie dough balls in a decorative tin. Friends and family can bake them after the holiday sweets overload has passed.

source

linking up at Simply Staci's Saturday Stumbles

Have you come across any good reads or great ideas this week? We'd love for you to leave a link in our comments section.

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Vitacost: Burt's Bees 6-Piece Gift Set for $5.20 Shipped

2011-12-09T15:29:00.000-05:00

If you haven’t used the $10 off $10 Vitacost coupon code yet, here’s a great deal that would make a wonderful gift. I just ordered this set for my sister-in-law and I know she'll love it!

To get this deal:

:: Sign up for your $10 off $10 coupon code from Vitacost. It will be delivered via email and should arrive within 15-20 minutes (make sure you check your spam folder, too).

:: Go to Vitacost and add the Burt’s Bees 6-Piece Head to Toe Gift Set to your cart.

:: Your total should be $10.21 plus $4.99 shipping. Use the $10 coupon to get $10 off, making your total just $5.20, including shipping.

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Amazon.com: Scotch Thermal Laminator for only $16.99!

2011-12-09T13:08:00.000-05:00

Today only the Scotch Thermal Laminator is only $16.99! It is on sale as Amazon’s Gold Box Deal. (This is the lowest price I have ever seen it sell for!)

This laminator is highly recommended and would also make a great gift for teachers, homeschoolers, or crafty folks, too.

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Finished Friday: Hand Print Wall Hanging, Christmas Game, T-shirt Necklace/Scarf, & My Mom's Beautiful Family Tree Wall Mural

2011-12-08T22:10:00.007-05:00

I'm trying to hold myself accountable to finish some of the projects on my to do list by posting each Friday about a project I've completed. For the most part these projects aren't part of my daily or weekly household chores, although some weeks finishing those items is a challenge all in its own.

I was able to finish a couple different projects this week, so I decided to share both of them.

:: The first is part of my 12 Days of Christmas gifts for my husband. On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Four Tiny Hand Prints

The kids and I painted these small squares of wood black then added their hand prints in white. After they dried I wrote their names with a white paint pen and put a sealing coat of matte mod podge. I used heavy duty double sided tape to attach the length of ribbon to the backs. I'm still trying to figure out how to attach it to the wall. Any ideas?

Oh, and just for the record, it is not easy to work against the infant grasping reflex! There's definitely a reason Amelia's hand print doesn't look as nice as the others :)

:: Next up is the Cooperative Christmas Game I finished for the kids. You can download a free copy here.

:: I also found a use for old t-shirts with side seams. I used one to make this t-shirt necklace. I also have another in the works made with wider strips for a chunkier, more scarf-like look (a Christmas gift for my sister-in-law). The second photo was taken by my 3 year old.

:: This final project is not mine at all, but I really wanted to share it with you all.

My mom finished this amazing Family Tree Wall Mural. It's in my parents' entrance way and it looks wonderful!

linking to Delicately Constructed, Frugal Friday

What projects have you finished this week?
If you ever want more details on one of the projects I've finished, just let me know.

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Melissa & Doug 50% at Amazon.com (December 8th Only)

2011-12-08T08:40:00.001-05:00

Today's Amazon Deal of the Day is 50% off select Melissa & Doug toys. These prices are only good for today and while supplies last.

We've been pleased with all of the toys we've tried from this company. Several of our favorites are on sale today. Click here for even more Melissa & Doug toy deals.

Melissa & Doug Magnet Puzzles: We have the fishing one and love it, but today you can get this set of two magnet puzzles for only $10

Building Toys:

Melissa & Doug 100 Piece Wooden Block Set for only $10 (reg. $19.99)

Educational Toys: We own both of these educational toys and our children really love them.

Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks & Boards for only $10 (reg. $19.99)

Melissa & Doug See & Spell for only $10 (reg. $19.99)

Do your children have any Melissa & Doug toys? Which are your favorite?

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Decorate the Christmas Tree Free Cooperative Game Printable

2011-12-07T08:58:00.003-05:00

I recently made a fun little Christmas themed cooperative game and I thought some of you might like to play it with your children.

Decorate the Christmas Tree is designed for children age 3 and up. It works best with 2 to 4 players although you can have more (but the players will have fewer turns). What I love about this game is that it can be set up and played in 15 minutes. That means you can have a bit of quality game time without committing an entire evening to playing games.

This is a cooperative game where players work together to get all the ornaments on the tree before the children (game piece) reaches the last space on the game board. As children spin and move along the board they count the number of spaces and place the same number of ornaments on the Christmas tree.

But watch out for that pesky little kitty. He likes to knock the ornaments off of the tree. Every time a player's spin lands on the kitty one ornament must be removed from the tree.

Our preschoolers had a great time playing this game and have been asking for it all morning.

We hope your little ones like it, too!

Here's a look at the instruction card, game board, and game pieces.

Click here to download this free printable game.

Be sure to check out our Free Christmas Printable Pack as well.

Also, check out of Christmas book recommendations, too.

Please, let me know if you like this game so I know to share more free game printables in the future.

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Giveaway Winners

2011-12-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

Congratulations, newmama2010, you've won our Catcher's Diaper Company giveaway.

Congratulations, Madeline, you've won our Kandy Apple Kids giveaway.

(You both should have received an email from us.)

Thanks to everyone who participated!

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Book Nook :: December 7th

2011-12-07T06:56:00.001-05:00

Inspiration:

How about a sweet little Christmas book basket?

source

:: 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories

:: Mortimer's Christmas Manger (read our review)

:: The Crippled Lamb
:: Listen to the the Silent Night
:: Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
:: The Indescribable Gift

See the rest of our Christmas book recommendations.
Looking for a book gift? Here are some books our little ones enjoy.

Here's a list of Kristin's recommendations and Lindsay's favorites, too.

What are some current favorites in your home?

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Mortimer's Christmas Manger

2011-12-06T22:18:00.001-05:00

On the way to my parent's house last night, we stopped by the public library to pick up our books on hold. I smiled as I carried our new treasures, Christmas stories every last one, to the van.

I couldn't resist the little ones asking to take "just one book for Meme to read." So I grabbed the top of the stack and carried it in.

We all cozied into the living room and Meme read the story of an adorable little mouse who learns what Christmas is all about.

Mortimer is tired of his cramped hole and searches for a new house. He is overjoyed when he finds a beautiful new house conveniently located next to a decorated tree for him to climb. His only concern is that the house is filled with tiny human statues who seem intent on staying put even when he lugs them out time and time again.

After hearing the story of the first Christmas, Mortimer returns the statues to their rightful place in the little house and lovingly places the Baby Jesus into the manger. As Mortimer heads back to his dark little hole he prays for a new house and is blessed by a new home that is far better than he could have imagined.

Mortimer's Christmas Manger is a wonderful story that can lead to discussion about keeping Jesus where he should be as a priority in our lives, prayer, and the act of thankfulness. The adorable illustrations are also sure to keep your little one's attention.

Be sure to check out all of our Christmas book recommendations and stop back by for more reviews as we make our way through our stack of new books.

What are some of your favorite Christmas books for children?

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12 Days of Christmas: Blessing My Husband

2011-12-06T13:46:00.002-05:00

Several years ago I came across the idea of giving gifts to your husband to correspond with the 12 days of Christmas. I've always wanted to do this and had been thinking about putting it into practice this year, but when I saw Trina's post at Passionate Homemaking I decided to give it a go.

(Yes, I know the 12 Days of Christmas actually begin on Christmas Day and in a countdown to Epiphany, but our 12 Days of Christmas will run from December 13th through the 24th.)

I'm trying to be as frugal as possible with the gifts so many of them will be using what I already have on hand in creative ways.

Here's what I've put together so far, please let me know if you have any other ideas!

Day 1: one warm toboggan

Day 2: a candlelit dinner for two (well three including the baby, but that doesn't sound quite as romantic, this dinner will be at home while my parents watch the older three for a couple hours)

Day 3: three ironed polos (Tim normally irons his own shirts for work, but I'm going to surprise him with three ironed shirts hanging on the ironing board)

Day 4: four painted hand prints (a wall hanging with the four kids' hand prints)

Day 5: five sharp new blades (a new five blade razor ~ from the CVS stash)

Day 6: six peanut butter covered pretzel rods

Day 7: seven back massages (coupon book)

Day 8: eight packs of white hot chocolate mix

Day 9:

Day 10: ten things I love about you

Day 11:

Day 12: twelve peanut butter cookies

** Come see my complete, updated list here.

As you can see, I still need a couple more ideas. Any suggestions?

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Tri-Moms: Homemade Gift Ideas

2011-12-06T11:12:00.005-05:00

Christmas is my favorite holiday by far! I love the reminder to focus on Jesus, the greatest gift of all, but I have to admit that I also relish the excuse to craft.
We don't give all homemade gifts, but most years the majority of the presents we wrap have been made in our own home.
Here are some of the gifts we've been working on this year:
Painted Canvases:for my sister-in-law's laundry room

and one with a clock for my brother

Simple (non-crafty) gifts:

Even if you don't consider yourself crafty, you can easily make homemade gifts, especially for little ones.

Magnetic paper dolls (& ones for boys, too!)

No Sew I Spy Bag

Fabric and Yarn Gifts:

Quick Knitted Trivets made from upcycled t-shirts

No Sew Ruffle Scarf (another upcycled t-shirt)

Some other ideas:

:: Find a free print online. Print it and place it in a frame. Easy-peasy.

:: Print and frame photos of the kids for grandparents, Daddy, etc.

:: Make simple ornaments with your children to give to extended family, friends, and neighbors.

:: Make and give a gift in a jar. Super non-crafty, fun, and useful, too.

:: Baked goods are always welcomed in my home, especially chocolate cookies that I can hide in the freezer for myself :)

:: Coupon books are also great fun because they spread the giving out through the rest of the year and can be customized to the recipient.

Also, be sure to check out the ideas I've pinned for more "pin"spiration: Gifts To Make and Food Gifts

What is the best homemade gift you've ever received?
Do you make homemade gifts for Christmas? We'd love to hear your ideas.

Please visit my fellow Tri-Moms, Kristin @ Bits & Pieces from my Life and Christy @ A Living Homeschool for more homemade gift ideas.
Up next: December 20 ~ Focusing Our Hearts For Christmas

Winter Schedule of Topics

January 3: Time Management For Busy Moms

January 17: The Winter Blahs

February 7: Frugal Date Ideas

February 21: Romancing Your Husband

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Greensleeves: Amazon's 25 Days of Free

2011-12-05T12:14:00.000-05:00

Amazon.com is offering a free Christmas song download every day until Christmas.

Today’s song is Greensleeves by Mannheim Steamroller.

What is your favorite Christmas song?

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Endless Gifts

2011-12-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

# 356. Funny faces.

#357. Getting the Christmas "tree" up.

#358. A little crafting time after the kids are in bed.

#359. Finishing a few more Christmas gifts.

#360. A new 100% whole wheat bread recipe that turned out wonderful (even with my substitutions).

#361. Sunny days and playing outside.

#362. Seeing how much Amelia has grown.

#363. My "little" sister's 22nd birthday. (Happy Birthday, Kate!)

What are you thankful for today?

Will Also be Contributed To: Gratituesday, intentional gratitude Works for Me!, Things I Love Thursday, Finer Things Friday

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More Free eBooks: Homemade Holiday Decor, Gifts in a Jar, Amazing Cakes, & More

2011-12-03T07:34:00.001-05:00

Here's a list of eBooks you can get for free right now.

(Remember that for eBooks offered through Amazon the price can change at any time, so please confirm the price before checking out. Amazon eBooks are specifically for Kindles, but you can download a free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.)

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Weekend Links ~ December 3rd

2011-12-03T07:00:00.002-05:00

May all your wanderings be blessed!

:: The Real Deal @ The Finer Things in Life

:: The Glorious in the Mundane @ Grace Full Mama

:: The Family Tablecloth @ She Wears Many Hats (there's still time before Christmas)

"Pin"spiration

(Need an invitation? Leave a comment with your email address and we'll send you an invite.)

:: I love this simple paper chain Christmas tree. It can also be used as a Christmas countdown, but I think all the little cousins might make one together since we'll be vacationing in a cabin together this Christmas (paper travels well, toys do not).

source

:: Here's a shameless plug for my knitted t-shirt yarn trivets. You can still finish a lot before Christmas.

source

:: I'd like to make this star wreath with the kiddos. I'm thinking cutting stars out of paper bags...what do you think? Maybe with a misting of white spray paint once it's put together...hmmm...

source

linking up at Simply Staci's Saturday Stumbles

Have you come across any good reads or great ideas this week? We'd love for you to leave a link in our comments section.

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Amelia's 3 Month Photo

2011-12-02T14:30:00.000-05:00

Amelia is such a happy baby!

This is our first time taking monthly baby photos. I love seeing the progression as she grows.

Have you ever taken scheduled photos of your children?

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Finished Friday: Knitted T-Shirt Yarn Trivets

2011-12-02T10:58:00.003-05:00

I'm trying to hold myself accountable to finish some of the projects on my to do list by posting each Friday about a project I've completed. For the most part these projects aren't part of my daily or weekly household chores, although some weeks finishing those items is a challenge all in its own.

Okay, I'm completely addicted to t-shirt yarn! Seriously this stuff is so fun!

Over the past couple of weeks I've been cranking out these super easy knitted trivets (hot pads).

I love this project because it is extremely practical, everyone uses these right? I also love how quick they are. I made two a few nights ago when Tim and I were talking before bed! I can even finish one while sitting with the kiddos at night until they fall asleep. They are also very portable, so if you're stuck waiting at the doctor's office you can stash one of these in your bag to work on while you wait. And since they're made from old t-shirts, they're a really frugal gift.

They also make nice hats apparently.

So, just about everyone on our Christmas list will be receiving one of these little guys. I hope they like them!

For you knitters out there, here's some more details:
:: this tutorial to make the t-shirt yarn (cut my strips 1 inch wide)
:: wound "yarn" into a ball
:: size 13 needles (huge)
:: cast on 16-19 stitches, depending on the size of the shirt I used to
make sure I'd be able to get a square trivet (example = men's
small 16, men's XL 19)
:: regular old knit stitch until the trivet is square then bind off and
weave in the ends of the "yarn"

Note: These should not be used to grab things out of the oven, but they work great for keeping hot containers off of the table/counters/etc.

linking to Delicately Constructed, Frugal Friday

Are you giving any handmade Christmas gifts this year? If so, have you finished them?

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Free Christmas Printable Pack + Bonus Game Cards

2011-12-02T09:37:00.004-05:00

(Scroll to the bottom of this post and leave your answer in a comment to get your Free Bonus Christmas Game Cards.)

Are you looking for some free, fun activities to do with your little ones this holiday season? This free printable pack is filled with activities to keep your children learning.

Here's what is included in our Free Christmas Printable Pack:

Color Cards

Gingerbread House Coloring

Counting Grid, Patterns, Size Sequencing

Do-A-Dot/Sticker/Magnet Pages

Following Directions

Matching Cards & Memory Game

Number Puzzle

Roll a Gingerbread Man Puzzle Game

Also, be sure to check out our list of wonderful Christmas book suggestions.

Bonus Game Cards:

To receive the following 2 sets of Matching and Memory Cards:

Leave a comment describing your favorite type of printable activity (doesn't have to be in this pack, we love new ideas, too!)

Then click "I DID THIS" and leave your name and email address. We'll email the PDF file out every other day until December 17th. Thanks!

These Christmas game cards are perfect for matching, sorting, and playing Memory. You can use the Christmas Trees set to challenge even the best Memory player :)

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First Day of Advent

2011-12-01T15:11:00.005-05:00

Today is the first day of Advent, and our family is excited to once again study through 25 different names of Jesus as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of his birth.

We pray you'll take time to remember Jesus during this busy time of the year and that in return you will find yourself drawn closer to him.

We just finished hanging our Names of Jesus Advent Garland and making our tomato cage tree last night. They both fit perfectly in our small space and the little ones were so excited when they came downstairs this morning.

source

(The tree was super simple and only required a small tomato cage and 2 sets of lights. We simply turned the tomato cage upside down and wrapped the lights around it. We started at the bottom and wrapped the top tightly to pull the top part into a point.)

linking to Delicately Constructed

How does your family celebrate Advent and prepare for Christmas?

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Truth in the Tinsel eBook {Advent Starts Tomorrow}

2011-11-30T17:27:00.000-05:00

Remember advent begins tomorrow.

Go here to read about Amanda's new eBook, Truth in the Tinsel: An advent Experience for Little Hands.

Or get your printable PDF e-book here for only $4.99

How do you celebrate advent with your children?

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Book Nook :: November 30th

2011-11-30T11:04:00.003-05:00

...today is the last day to enter our Catcher's Diaper Company giveaway...

Inspiration:

I love the curtains that divide this little book nook from the rest of the room.

source

Recent Favorites:

:: My Lucky Day

:: 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories

:: The Crippled Lamb
:: Easy Street
:: Good Night, Gorilla
:: The Indescribable Gift

What are some current favorites in your home?

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Diaper Junction: Cyber Tuesday Sale

2011-11-29T09:46:00.002-05:00

Diaper Junction is extending their sales through today. Click on the Cyber Tuesday category at the top of the left sidebar to view all of today's sales. Be sure to check out the new OS Pocket Diaper from Diaper Rite for only $8.95 (5 stars with 21 reviews)!

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Free Best Brunch Recipes eBook from Mr. Food

2011-11-29T09:13:00.001-05:00

Will you be entertaining nay overnight guests this holiday season? Are you looking for a new recipe to make for Christmas?

Check out this free Best Brunch Recipes eBook for Mr. Food.

Here are some more free eBooks.

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Free Slow Cooking (Crock-Pot) eBook

2011-11-29T08:18:00.003-05:00

Right now you can download a free Gooseberry Patch Slow Cooking eBook.

The price is currently $0.00, but that can change at any time, so please check the price before checking out.

This ebook is specifically for Kindles, but you can download a free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.

You can also still download Salads for Every Season for free.

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Endless Gifts

2011-11-28T07:00:00.002-05:00

# 348. Leaves, lots and lots of leaves.

#349. Sweet moments between siblings.

#350. A visit with my sister.

#351. Yummy homemade chocolate chips.

#352. Healthy chocolate chip cookies that were really yummy even if they didn't look so pretty.

#353. A unexpected and much welcomed Sunday off for Tim.

#354. Compliments while grocery shopping with little ones.

#355. Our first little wannabe thumb sucker. (I have mixed feelings on this development, but she sure looks cute.)

What are you thankful for today?
(And any thoughts on thumb sucking?)

Will Also be Contributed To: Gratituesday, intentional gratitude Works for Me!, Things I Love Thursday, Finer Things Friday

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