My Barbies

I remember many a summer afternoon spent on the lawn, just me, my barbies and a big pot of water. The pot transformed into a swimming pool and my barbies had a great time swimming.

Fast forward 20 some years. My girls have never been as into barbies as I once was. The box is in our closet, but it gets forgotten about unless I pull it out. And on those occasions when I remember it's there, everyone has fun playing for an hour or two.

That's exactly what happened today. I had a busy day and needed an activity to keep the kids entertained for a while. I remembered that box of Barbies. We dug it out of the closet and they got busy with the playing.

What a Finer Thing it is to see my children playing with my old toys.

Check out some of these Barbies. They're not really mine, although I did play with them. They belonged to my mom and aunts when they were kids. I'm not sure how I was fortunate enough to have them passed on me, but I'm not complaining.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I ruined their value back before I understood what value even was. Those feet? Totally my fault!

Stop by Amy's Finer Things for more Finer Things Friday and Hooked On Houses for more Hooked On...

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My Frugality Is Not A Fad

I grew up surrounded by frugality. Both sets of my grandparents were frugal. My parents carried on that tradition, and although they never needed to, they washed and reused tin foil, plastic bags, plastic containers and countless other things. I learned early and I learned well. And I am proud of that heritage!

So last week, I was not surprised when I told my dad I wanted to go to the store to buy coffee for the hotel at BlogHer and he presented me with this instead.
Yep, that is a reused sour cream container filled with coffee, in a reused plastic bag.


That cemented my frugal heritage for me. I'm not doing anything special or unique that those before me haven't been doing for years. I love carrying on that tradition.

What frugal traditions have you carried on from your parents?

Stop by Life As Mom for more Frugal Friday.

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Review ~ Religion Saves

When I started reading this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. Within the first few pages though, I knew I was in for a mind-shifting, life-altering experience. So many of the chapters rocked me to my core and made me really reconsider things. As soon as I was finished, I had my husband read the book so that we could discuss it together. This book is absolutely a conversation starter!

Mark Driscoll's writing style and sense of humor were a huge draw for both my husband and I. We found his voice easy to relate to and it kept us involved. I will admit there were some sections that were more facts and less of Driscoll's voice that were a little dry. However, that didn't take away from the overall enjoyment and knowledge gained. And some day we hope to make a trip to Mars Hill Church, because we'd love to hear Pastor Mark in person.


About the book: Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions

After 343,203 online votes on the Mars Hill Church website, nine questions for Pastor Mark Driscoll emerged as the ones most urgently calling for answers.

Inspired by 1 Corinthians, in which Paul answers a series of questions posed by the people in the Corinthian church, Pastor Mark Driscoll set out to determine the most controversial questions among visitors to the Mars Hill Church website. In the end, 893 questions were asked and 343,203 votes were cast. The top nine questions are now each answered in a chapter of Religion Saves.

After an introductory chapter devoted to the misconception that religion is what saves us, Driscoll tackles nine issues: birth control, humor, predestination, grace, sexual sin, faith and works, dating, the emerging church, and the regulative principle. Because the purpose of this book is to address commonly asked questions, all readers will find relevant, engaging material, written in Driscoll's distinctively edgy, yet theologically sound style.

In his distinctively edgy, yet theologically sound style, Pastor Mark Driscoll addresses the nine most controversial questions posed by visitors to the Mars Hill Church website. This book is part of the Re:Lit series.

Buy the book here.
About the author:

Meet Pastor Mark!

Mark Driscoll is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, one of the fastest-growing churches in America. He is president of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network and is the author of several books, including Vintage Jesus.

Pastor Mark preaches on Sunday, trains pastors, and writes curriculum. Mark is married to his high school sweetheart, Grace, and they enjoy raising their three sons and two daughters. More about Mark here!

Link to read and/or listen to an excerpt.

Read the other blog tour reviews here.

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Review ~ Blue Like Play Dough

Every journey through motherhood is different, and we all handle our roles and stressors in different ways. But the one thing we all have in common is that there are those days and stages where we're just not sure what we're doing, if we're good enough or if we're even doing what we are meant to do. Reading about Tricia's experiences was such an uplifting, encouraging and inspiring experience for me. It made me feel a little less alone in this crazy role as mom. And any book that can do that, while reminding me of the one constant help of God in my life, is a winner in my book.

About the book: In the everyday stretch and squeeze of motherhood, Tricia Goyer often feels smooshed by the demands of life. In Blue Like Play Dough, she shares her unlikely journey from rebellious, pregnant teen to busy wife and mom with big dreams of her own. As her story unfolds, Tricia realizes that God has more in store for her than she has ever imagined possible.

Sure, life is messy and beset by doubts. But God keeps showing up in the most unlikely places–in a bowl of carrot soup, the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon, a woe-is me teen drama, or play dough in the hands of a child.

In Tricia’s transparent account, you’ll find understanding, laughter, and strength for your own story. And in the daily push and pull, you’ll learn to recognize the loving hands of God at work in your life… and know He has something beautiful in mind.

Read an excerpt of Blue Like Play Dough.

About the author: Using her own experiences as a teen mother, and leader of today’s generation, Tricia’s vision is to be a voice of hope and possibility for teenage girls, pregnant teen girls, mothers and wives through her educational and inspirational speaking, workshops and books. Her intention is to serve ordinary women by encouraging extraordinary things with God’s help. Tricia expresses real life, real hope, for real women.

Tricia is the author of 20+ books and has published over 300 articles for national publications such as Guideposts for Kids, Focus on the Family, Christian Parenting Today, Today’s Christian Woman and HomeLife Magazine. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from American Christian Fiction Writers, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion Book Award in 2005.

In her fiction novels, Tricia writes contemporary and historical stories that feature strong women overcoming great challenges. She recreates historic wartime eras with precise detail through perseverant and comprehensive research.

Each of her World War II and Spanish Civil War novels tell the inspiring stories of engaging characters—and a God whose hand is evident in the landscape of history and the obstacles of ordinary lives.

Tricia speaks to groups interested in these eras, with the intention of preserving and honoring the memory of the men and women who served.

She also speaks and conducts workshops for teens around the nation, and offers programs to assist teens and teen moms through Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, which she founded. Tricia is a frequent workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Convention.

Author website: http://www.triciagoyer.com watch a video and read the endorsements

Link to purchase the book: http://triciagoyer.com/store.html

Blog tour schedule!

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A Twitter Fundraiser for Share Our Strength - Join Me!

Remember a few months when I put together the Virtual Great American Bake Sale ebooks? The ebooks were filled with tons of recipes from many wonderful bloggers. And 100% of the proceeds from the sales of the ebooks went directly to Share Our Strength's Great American Bake Sale program.

I am so passionate about raising money for Share Our Strength's efforts. If you've been a reader of this blog for a while, you probably know that our family went through over a year of living with an income well below the poverty line. We struggled, worked hard and came out on top eventually. But our efforts would have been much more difficult were it not for programs like Share Our Strength who diligently work to make sure that no kid goes hungry! So even saying that I'm passionate about raising money for them feels like an understatement.

Tomorrow night (Thursday 7/30) from 9 - 11 EST, I will be moderating a twitter panel as a fund raising effort for Share Our Strength. We will be discussing all things foodie, particularly as it relates to the blogging world and foodie blogging. The panel includes some super star food bloggers:

• Erin from $5 Dinners (On twitter - @5dollardinners)
  
• Jaden from Steamy Kitchen (On twitter - @SteamyKitchen)
  
• Ryan from Foodbuzz (On twitter - @RyanTheGirl)
• Michael from ruhlman.com (On twitter - @Ruhlman)

We have some fantastic giveaways (loads of them!) lined up that we'll be giving away throughout the night, including a 6 month subscription to Stolen Moments Menu Planning. Also, there are some great raffle prizes being offered for a $5 donation. You can find all the information on the night here.

I hope you'll join me! It is sure to be a night of great conversation and money raising for a very worthy cause.

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CFBA Review ~ Offworld

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Offworld
Bethany House (July 1, 2009)
by
Robin Parrish

My Thoughts:

This book was absolutely captivating. The story was so unique and it just sucked me right from the start. I'll admit I'm not ordinarily a fan of science fiction, but this book is certainly an exception to that rule. What a fantastic adventure!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Robin Parrish had two great ambitions in his life: to have a family, and to be a published novelist. In March of 2005, he proposed to his future wife the same week he signed his first book contract with Bethany House Publishers. They contracted him for the rights to not only that first book, Relentless -- but two sequels including Fearless and Merciless. A trilogy that unfolded in the consecutive summers of 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Robin Parrish is a journalist who's written about pop culture for more than a decade. Currently he serves as Senior Editor at XZOOSIA.com, a community portal that fuses social networking with magazine-style features about entertainment and culture. He and his wife, Karen and son live in North Carolina.



ABOUT THE BOOK

"Every Person on This Planet Has Disappeared."

Commander Christopher Burke and his crew are humanity's greatest explorers. They've finished their mission on the red dirt of Mars and now they just want to get back to Earth. To see friends, family, and loved ones. To be home. But even with communication to ground control cut and a perilous landing, nothing could prepare the crew for what they discover when they step foot back on planet Earth.

Everyone...everywhere...is gone.

It's not a dream. It's not a trick. Now Burke and his team have one mission:find out who or what is behind the disappearance of all mankind.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Offworld, go HERE

Watch the book trailer:

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Computer Time Sibling Bonding

I am happy to see that our 4 kids have a fantastic relationship with each other. They are one anothers biggest fans and best friends. I love that!

One of the things that we implemented a while back to help increase those bonds is a one-on-one computer time. The three younger children each have a day of the week when they spend 30 minutes on the computer with Isabelle. They play games, they "write" together on her blog, and they basically just have a great time.
It's a simple thing, but it really has cemented the relationships between them.

Isabelle takes pride in being their helper and Alex, Olivia and Gracie relish having their big sister's undivided attention. This one-on-one computer time definitely works for us!

For more Works For Me Wednesday, stop by We Are THAT Family.

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My BlogHer 09 Wrap-Up

Feel free to skip this post if you're tired of reading all the BlogHer recaps. I wouldn't blame you one bit.

My head is still spinning from this past weekend in Chicago at the BlogHer conference. I have some mixed feelings about this weekend.

Overall, I had a wonderful time. I roomed with Toni again and loved every minute we spent together. I met some fantastic people and made some great new friends. And yes, I did leave with a few bags of great swag. (But only my fair share, which I got while still acting like a human being, and that I do not feel the need to make excuses for. And that's all I'm going to say about that!)

The weekend started with me feeling a little starry-eyed while driving Toni and Jessica Smith from the airport to the hotel. I have admired and respected Jessica from afar for quite a while and I had a great time getting to know her a bit in person. She was genuine and kind. She even went as far as offering my shy self an out when I felt trapped in an awkward situation - she'd be just an ear-tug away. And for what it's worth...Jessica really does know! (Oh, and of course I was starry-eyed over riding with The Happy Housewife too.)

I also had the great fortune of becoming friends with Kelly from Wisdom Begun. She and I spent a ton of time together. We found out we have a lot in common (like in a long-lost-twin sort of way), including shyness. We made a great pair I tell you. But there's strength in numbers and together we managed to not hide out in our rooms the entire weekend.

I also spent some time with the wonderful Ohio contingent of bloggers. (Erin from $5 Dinners, Tricia from Once A Month Mom, Marianne from Writer Mommy, and too many others to name.) Oh, and Toni and I had a great late-night chat with Queen Mommy and Lizzy Dear.

All that meeting and talking was by far the highlight of BlogHer for me.

The rest of it was...well...just okay. I thought two of the panels I sat in on were good and I learned some new things, especially Jessica's panel. (See what I mean? When in doubt...Jessica Knows!) But everything else was just a bit too much drama for me.

Will I be going to BlogHer 2010 in New York? Nope. It's just not for me as much as I loved the networking and getting to know fellow bloggers. I am glad I had the experience though and I don't regret going one bit. Honestly, I did have a wonderful time all in all.

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Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of 7/27

I am back from BlogHer and ready to get back into routine. BlogHer was interesting. I learned a few things, had some great experiences, and made or deepened some wonderful friendships. I'm still processing everything though, so I'll post on it fully tomorrow.

Making a menu plan for this week is at the very bottom of my list of things I want to do tonight. But, I know having a menu plan will keep things moving smoothly this week and help everything return to normal.

However, my brain is fried after such a full weekend and a drive home from Chicago that included two kids having bouts of car sickness, I'm not up for the planning. So I'm going to borrow one of the menu plans from one of my subscribers at Stolen Moments Menu Planning.

Monday

• English Muffin Bread (B)
• Leftover Buffet (L)
• Bratwurst (D)
• Corn on the Cob (D)
• Baked Potatoes (D)

Tuesday

• Apple Spiced Oatmeal (B)
• Brown Bag Burritos (L)
• Plums (L)
• Fettuccine Alfredo with Asparagus (D)
• Tomato Basil Bread (D)

Wednesday

• Cornmeal Pancakes (B)
• Pizza Bagels (L)
• Oranges (L)
• Steak Salad (D)

Thursday

• Strawberry-Kiwi Muffins (B)
• Carrot Salad (L)
• Ham Sandwiches (L)
• Chinese Crock Pot Dinner (D)
• Rice (D)

Friday

• Peanut Butter Toast w/ sliced bananas (B)
• Basic Grilled Cheese (L)
• Grapes (L)
• Ground Beef Stroganoff (D)
• Peas (D)

Saturday

• Peachy Apple Smoothies (B)
• Bagels (B)
• Tuna Croquettes (L)
• Strawberries (L)
• Pizza Fondue (D)
• Root Beer Floats (D)

Sunday

• Hearty Egg Scramble (B)
• A-B-C Salad (L)
• Apple Slices (L)
• Broccoli Salad (D)
• Pretzel Chicken Fingers (D)

If you'd like to view this full menu plan, including grocery list and recipes, you can view it here at Stolen Moments Menu Planning.

Don't forget to stop by Org Junkie to see what others have on their menu plans this week.

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CFBA Review ~ The Enclave

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Enclave
Bethany House (August 1, 2009)
by
Karen Hancock
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed The Enclave. The story line was haunting and I found myself thinking about it long after I was done reading. This was one of those books that when I finished, I had to wait a day before I could comfortably start another. I thought it was very well-written. It is at the top of my husband's must-read list now.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen Hancock has won Christy Awards for each of her first four novels--Arena and the first three books in the Legends of the Guardian-King series, The Light of Eidon, The Shadow Within, and Shadow over Kiriath. She graduated from the University of Arizona with bachelor's degrees in biology and wildlife biology. Along with writing, she is a semi-professional watercolorist and has exhibited her work in a number of national juried shows. She and her family reside in Arizona.


ABOUT THE BOOK

When Lacey McHenry accepts a prestigious research fellowship at the world-renowned Kendell-Jakes Longevity Institute, she sees it as a new start on life. But a disturbing late-night encounter with an intruder leads to an unexpected cover-up by Institute authorities, and she soon realizes there's more going on than she ever imagined.

She finds a supporter in genetics researcher Cameron Reinhardt. However, Reinhardt is a favorite of the Institute's director, and she can't help wondering if he, too, is in on the cover-up. The brilliant but absentminded researcher turns out to have his own secrets, some of them dark and deadly. The Enclave is characterized by adventure, intrigue, spiritual analogy, and romance, all set in an unusual but fully realized world--one that may have its foundations on earth but which, the more one learns of it, doesn't seem much like the earth we know at all.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of The Enclave, go HERE

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Ah...Milk...

I have had a love-hate relationship with milk since I was a little girl. I blame my grandma for that one. When my sister and I would eat dinner at my grandparent's house, my grandma would pour our milk at least 30 minutes before we actually sat down to eat. Room temperature milk is just not good. And unfortunately that experience kind of ruined me on milk for good.

But I know milk is so good for you. When I was pregnant, I would force myself to have a little bit of milk every day. Drinking just a glass of it didn't work, but I was usually able to get through a bowl of cereal with milk.

I made it a priority right from the time the kids turned 1 to make sure they drank plenty of milk. The last thing I wanted to do was pass off my bad habits on them. Fortunately they have all turned into lovers of milk and drink at least 2 glasses a day. And for my part, I always make sure I serve up cold, straight from the fridge, milk. No weird habits of mine are going to get in the way of their good health.

I would love to some day be able to sit down with a glass of milk again. I need to find a way to re-wire my brain. Reading through all of the information on the Why Milk? website has been a great start for me.

The Why Milk? site is full of milk facts and tips. Isabelle, as my child who loves to know everything about everything, had a great time perusing the site and sharing all her new found milk knowledge with her brother and sisters. They all know the health benefits of milk now and I am just waiting for the lectures from them as they try to get me to drink milk.

And I want to set a good example for them, so one of these days I'll have to give milk a shot again. The kids aren't going to let me off the hook.

This post is part of a review campaign for Why Milk? through Mom Central.

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Gearing Up & Heading Out

Bright and early tomorrow morning, the kids and I are hitting the road for Chicago. We'll be celebrating Alex's birthday and my grandma's birthday with a small family party tomorrow night. And on Thursday morning, I'll kiss the kiddos good-bye, wish my mom and dad luck, and head off to BlogHer.

Needless to say, things might be a little sparse around here the next few days. Hopefully I'll have lots of great stories, tips and photos to share after the weekend. I'll be reminding myself to take pictures since I really regretted not having more after Blissdom.

Will I be seeing any of you over the weekend?

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CFBA Review - Things Left Unspoken

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Things Left Unspoken
Revell (June 1, 2009)
by
Eva Marie Everson
My Thoughts:
When I read a good book, one of two things always grabs my attention right away - character or setting. And for those books that are a rare combination of equally well-written and inviting characters and setting, I know I'm in for a great read. And Things Left Unspoken was one of those rare books. I loved it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eva Marie Everson taught Old Testament theology for six years at Life Training Center in Longwood, Florida and has written numerous articles for Crosswalk.com (including the acclaimed Falling Into The Bible series), and has had articles featured in numerous publications, including Christianity Today, Evangel, Christian Bride, Christian Retailing, The Godly BusinessWoman and Marriage Partnership magazines. Eva Marie has been interviewed by radio, television, newspaper, and Internet media outlets. In 2002Eva Marie was one of six Christian journalists sent to Israel for a special ten-day press tour.

Eva Marie’s work includes the award-winning titles Reflections of God's Holy Land; A Personal Journey Through Israel, Shadow of Dreams, Sex, Lies and the Media, and The Potluck Club series.

She is married, has four children and five grandchildren, and lives in Central Florida.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Every family--and every house--has its secrets. Jo-Lynn Hunter is at a crossroads in life when her great-aunt Stella insists that she return home to restore the old family manse in sleepy Cottonwood, Georgia. Jo-Lynn longs to get her teeth into a noteworthy and satisfying project. And it's the perfect excuse for some therapeutic time away from her self-absorbed husband and his snobby Atlanta friends.

Beneath the dust and the peeling wallpaper, things are not what they seem, and what Jo-Lynn doesn't know about her family holds just as many surprises. Was her great-grandfather the pillar of the community she thought he was? What is Aunt Stella hiding? And will her own marriage survive the renovation? Jo-Lynn isn't sure she wants to know the truth--but sometimes the truth has a way of making itself known.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Things Left Unspoken, go HERE

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Baseball Themed Birthday Party

After Eric and I got the kids to bed last night, we spent some time reveling over our day. It was perfect and we did it!

What, exactly, did we do? We pulled off the best birthday party ever!A few weeks ago we decided that we wanted to do a baseball-themed birthday party for Alex's 5th birthday. We wanted to have lots of people over and make it feel like a day at the ball park. And Alex...well, he wanted all of his cousins to be here, a baseball and some peanuts and hot dogs.I can't even begin to tell you how good it felt for Eric and I to discuss the day and realize that we did everything on our lists. Everybody had a great time, kids and adults included. The food was good, the weather was great and the company was best of all.Earlier in the week we were a little considered about the weather since rain was predicted. We have a HUGE common area as our backyard, but a 1000 square foot condo. Having 12 kids and 8 adults in the backyard is no big deal. But inside would be a little tight. So we were so grateful that the afternoon stayed sunny and clear.

The party menu was pretty simple:

• Peanuts in bags
• Homemade cracker jack
• Nacho chips with cheese and black bean & mango salsa
• Hot dogs
• Pasta salad
• Fruit Kabobs
• Baseball cake pops
• Ice cream cups
• And Faygo to drink - Eric decided that it wouldn't officially be a baseball party without cans of Faygo. Anyone from the Detroit area will agree with us I'm sure.

We didn't go all out for decorations or party games. We had a baseball pinata and a couple plastic bats and balls from the dollar store. That was it. The kids didn't seem to mind not having structured games one bit. In fact, they were just kids having fun playing together. It was great. And us adults got to sit and relax.Alex got lots of great presents. Here is the big one. Eric picked this bike up a few weeks ago and it's been stored at our neighbor's house since then. When he wheeled it in the house, Alex's expression was priceless. All he said was "whoooooooaaaaa..." I wish I had gotten that on camera.
What a great day and a most memorable birthday for Alex. I am so grateful we were able to get everyone from Eric's side of the family together and have this perfect day.

And I am grateful for my little boy turning into a big boy!

Stop by Heavenly Homemakers for more Gratituesday and 5 Minutes For Mom for Tackle It Tuesday.

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CFBA Review ~ Through The Fire

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Through The Fire
Bethany House (July 1, 2009)
by
Shawn Grady


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Shawn Grady signed with Bethany House Publishers in 2008. He was named “Most Promising New Writer” at the 39th Annual Mount Hermon Writers Conference. Through the Fire is his debut novel.

Shawn has served for over a decade as a firefighter and paramedic in northern Nevada. From fire engines and ambulances to tillered ladder trucks and helicopters, Shawn’s work environment has always been dynamic. The line of duty has carried him to a variety of locale, from high-rise fires in the city to the burning heavy timber of the eastern Sierras.

Shawn attended Point Loma Nazarene University as a Theology undergrad before shifting direction to acquire an Associate of Science degree in Fire Science Technology as well as Paramedic licensure through Truckee Meadows Community College.

Shawn currently lives in Reno, Nevada, just outside of Lake Tahoe. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his wife, three children and yellow Labrador.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Firefighting burns in Aidan O'Neill's blood. The son of a fireman, O'Neill has a sixth sense about fire and often takes dangerous risks. When one act of disobedience nearly gets a rookie killed, O'Neill is suspended. His weeks off are supposed to be a time to reflect but instead he escapes to Mexico, where another rash act of bravery actually kills him. But only for a few minutes.

Called back to Reno, he's now haunted by visions of hell and paralyzed in the face of fire. And at the worst time, because an arsonist is targeting Reno. With a growing love interest with one of the investigators complicating everything, Aidan must discover where his trust rests as the fires creep ever closer.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Through The Fire, go HERE

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Weekend Linkage ~ The BlogHer Edition

This time next week, I'll be surrounded by hundreds of fellow bloggers, filling my head with great new ideas for my blogs, and attending loads of parties. Toni has promised to run me ragged, and I know she will!

In an effort to familiarize myself with some of the other fabulous bloggers I'll be meeting, I've been doing some blog hopping. (I'll do anything in an effort to ease, even just a tiny bit, my painfully debilitating shyness.) So, I thought it would be fun to share some of the blogs I've been enjoying.

• Citizen of the Month
• The Sweet Life
• I Left My Heart At Preschool
• Mrs. CPA
• The Perks of Being Me
• What Did You Do All Day
• The Mother of All Trips

And now that I've written this post, I'm putting all thoughts, worries and preparations for BlogHer on hold for the weekend. I've got a birthday party to prepare... and 100 cake pops sitting in my freezer waiting to be turned into baseballs... and fruit to cut into perfect little cubes to stack on bamboo skewers... and floors to wash and walls to scrub... and prayers for no rain on Sunday to say.

Enjoy your weekend!

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Resurrecting Old-Fashioned Habits

Our condo is immediately surrounded by the homes of three elderly women. We love these women, and they love us. They enjoy watching the kids play, know them all by name, give them little Christmas gifts, and basically treat them like their own grandchildren.

Eric is the go-to guy when one of them needs something done around her home. He loves his role as protector and helper for these women.

Sometimes it feels like something from the good old days when neighbors weren't afraid to ask each other for help and knew each other more than just in passing. It's a wonderful thing!

And what a finer thing it was earlier this week when I was in the middle of baking and realized I was out of baking powder. Without hesitation, I grabbed a measuring cup and asked Isabelle to run next door and ask if we could borrow 2 teaspoons worth. The other three begged to go with as well, so I opened the door and watched them all walk next door. When that neighbor didn't answer the door, I told them to go ahead and go to the next house. Ten minutes later they came back with my two teaspoons of baking powder and chattering about all the neat things at Miss Virginia's house.

As much as we can not wait to move, Eric and I know it will be a sad, sad day when we move away from these wonderful women.

Find more Finer Things Friday over at Amy's Finer Things.

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Expanding My Thrift Store Horizons

For years, our thrift store shopping has focused on one place and one place only - Salvation Army. It's not that there aren't other thrift stores around, because there are plenty. It's just that they are expensive thrift stores, if you know what I mean. And even though I've always found Salvation Army to be somewhat more expensive than what I expect, it was the best option.

So a few months ago, when a new thrift store opened in the heart of our downtown area, right on Main Street, I figured it would just be another one of those places.

I was so wrong though!

First of all, this thrift store is run by and supports a vocational training program for developmentally disabled adults in our area. This is an organization that Eric and I were introduced to a few years ago by a friend and fellow business owner and we fully support all that they do.

Secondly, the store sells only clothing. Every item in the store - from kids t-shirts to women's dresses - is just $2. Except on Tuesdays and Thursdays when everything is 5 for $5.

This store has been a great find for us. Not only are we supporting an organization we firmly believe in, we're also getting some great clothes for very little. The kids have even started each taking $1 with them when we go. They get a little thrill of picking out whatever they want and paying for it themselves.

I would love to take a trip to that store with Frugal Fashionista Jen one of these days!

Stop by Life As Mom for more Frugal Friday and Hooked On Houses for more Hooked On...

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CFBA Review - Who Made You a Princess

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Who Made You a Princess
FaithWords (May 13, 2009)
by
Shelley Adina

My Thoughts:
This was a light and fun read - perfect for summer time!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning author Shelley Adina wrote her first teen novel when she was 13. It was rejected by the literary publisher to whom she sent it, but he did say she knew how to tell a story. That was enough to keep her going through the rest of her adolescence, a career, a move to another country, a B.A. in Literature, an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction, and countless manuscript pages.

Shelley is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. She writes books about fun and faith--with a side of glamour. Between books, Shelley loves traveling, playing the piano and Celtic harp, watching movies, and making period costumes.

The All About Us book series has its own home over on the Hachette website. Stop by and see what the five fabulous girls at Spencer Acadenmy are up to! Series Website.

Her other books in this series includes book one, It's All About Us, oook Two, The Fruit of my Lipstick, and book three, Be Strong & Curvaceous. This present book is book four.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Shani Hanna returns to SpencerAcademy for her senior year after an amazing summer spent with her friends Lissa, Gillian, and Carly. But the best part about summer was meeting Danyel Johnstone. Danyel is cute, smart, cool, and super nice. All Shani has to do is get him to see her as more than just one of the gang.

But when the girls return to school, they find a new addition to the distinguished student body: Prince Rashid al Amir of Yasir, an oil-rich desert kingdom in the Middle East. Prince Rashid moved to California to prepare for an eventual MBA at Stanford...and to romance his future wife: Shani Hanna!

It turns out, Shani's family and the prince's go back for generations, entwined in tradition, obligation, and family honor. In each generation, members of the two families have expanded their business interests through arranged marriage. Will Shani put aside her feelings for Danyel to pursue her family's wishes? Or will God answer her prayers for an intervention?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Who Made You a Princess , go HERE

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Making The Decision To Come Home

When I first learned about Amy's plans for the Mommy, Come Home series, I was so excited. I knew she'd handle the subject with wisdom, insight and compassion. And she has! I'm thrilled to add my story to her ongoing series. Make sure you check it out here.

I was 5 months pregnant with Alex when I was offered a promotion at the title insurance company where I was working. With the promotion came my own office and a company car. I was a driven worker bee and I swooned at the opportunity.

I accepted without hesitation, assuring my boss that once I had the baby, I would be back to work in 4 weeks. I also told him that I'd be available on-call at all times.

Then Alex was born. I was the mom of 2 and I loved it. Yet I was back in the office, Alex in tow, just a week after he was born. I felt obligated to be there if I wanted to keep my job. Eric worked at the same company and he'd bring work home for me on the days I didn't go in to the office. My being a stay-at-home mom had just never entered the picture.

One day, I was folding laundry while Alex lay on the bed sleeping. I realized that my 4 weeks was going to be over soon and I really needed to find a day care for him. But there was something holding me back. I don't think I was willing to admit that my loyalty to my job was swiftly being replaced by the love of my kids. After all, I had this wonderful job! It "fulfilled" me.

Except it didn't anymore.

So I made a few cursory phone calls, but my heart wasn't in it. I didn't get excited when I heard that the day care of my choice had openings for Alex and after school care availability for Isabelle. I was sad instead.

I felt like my heart was breaking. On top of the sadness, I was confused at this new desire to stay home. As I stared at the sheet where I had written down the prices for the various day cares, I started to cry.

As the numbers jumbled through my tear-filled eyes, I had a realization. I quickly dried my tears and grabbed the calculator.

After figuring in the costs of daycare and other work-related expenses, I would only be earning $300 per month. Seriously?

Now I was getting excited. Was there $300 worth of wiggle room in our budget if my income was gone completely? I spent a few hours figuring and refiguring. Then I rewrote everything so that it was legible to people other than just me. And I waited for Eric to get home.

That night, I told him I wanted to stay home for good. I wanted to quit my job and be a stay at home mom. He was surprised, but not shocked. He saw me with the kids and flourishing in the details of day to day life when I was at home. And even though he had never said this to me, he wanted me to stay at home too.

We looked over the amended budget I had come up with and we both agreed it was doable. We knew it would mean sacrificing a lot of things, but we felt we were doing the right thing. Did it matter how much we had to sacrifice financially to insure a thriving family?

• So what if we had to give up eating out and eating steak whenever we wanted? We'd nourish our family with simple foods and stretch our tastes and my abilities in the kitchen.
• So what if we had to give up date nights and going out to movies? We'd let our kids entertain us instead. It turns out they're naturals at that!
• So what if we had to give up my company car and the prospect of buying a new one any time soon? We'd go retro and make having just one car a fun adventure.
• So what if I had to give up my office, my title and those all important business cards? I'd make my home a beautiful and comfortable place to spend my days. My new title would be the best ever. And I wouldn't need a business card to tell anyone who I was. That would be obvious all on its own.

A mere 3 weeks after we made the decision for me to stay home, we decided to pull Isabelle out of kindergarten and begin homeschooling. And a mere 3 weeks after that, I found out I was pregnant again. Both of those things felt like a miraculous reward for making a difficult decision. We might not have known what we were doing or why we were doing it, but Someone sure did.

Don't forget to stop by We Are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesday.

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Night Time Potty Training Success

A few months back, I was looking for advice on night time potty training for Alex and Olivia. At the time, they had both been potty trained during the day for well over a year. But night times were different, and Eric and I were stumped. So I posted about it and received lots of great tips. (If you're struggling with the same thing, check out the comments on this Night Time Potty Training post. Lots of great advice there!)

Within a week of reading through all those responses, we made the decision to just put Alex in underwear at bedtime and see what happened from there. We decided we'd focus on him, since he's the older one, then move on to Olivia.

There were many accidents in the beginning. But we kept at it and Alex was committed to success. Soon the only accidents were on those nights when we forgot to wake him up before we went to sleep. And then if those began to fade. We were all very excited!

About a week ago, Eric and I realized that it was time to start the process with Olivia. But just like when she potty trained herself, she beat us to it. As I was getting her dressed for bed, she said she wanted to wear just underwear to bed. I explained to her that if she slept in underwear, it meant she had to get up and go potty when she needed to. She said she would.

I was unsure but hopeful. I should have known better though. After all, this is the girl that went from diapers to underwear in one day all on her own. The night time routine was no different.

She was dry the next morning. She's been dry every morning since then. We don't even have to wake her up before we go to sleep.

So...one child left in diapers. I'm in no hurry, although I do admit it will be nice to not have to buy pull-ups and diapers any more.

Here are the few things I've learned about night time potty training over the past few months.

• The methods that are successful very by child. What works for one will not necessarily work for another.
• No one method is the end all, be all. If you start with pull-ups and nighttime wakings with little success, ditch it! Try something different.
• Most importantly, it will happen when it happens. Don't stress about it!
  

That's it - the extent of my night time potty training knowledge. But if I had known that way back when I used to worry my kids would be going on their honeymoons in pull-ups, I would have saved some sanity for sure.

This post is being linked to:

• Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes For Mom
• Talk About Tuesday at The Lazy Organizer
  

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Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of 7/13

Unfortunately, the relaxing, lazy week we so enjoyed last week is a thing of the past. Time to get busy again. The next few weeks have lots of stuff going on, but I'm planning some long, lazy days in August!

I really have to spend some time this week at least thinking about getting ready for BlogHer. I need to pick up a few things, decide what I'm going to wear and start thinking about what to pack for the kids. (They'll be staying at my parents' house while I'm at the conference.) We leave a week from Wednesday.

On Sunday we are having Alex's 5th birthday party. It's a few days before his birthday, but since we'll be spending his actual birthday in the car driving to Chicago, this seemed like a good idea. I am so excited for this party. It's only family, but there will be 19 people total, I believe.

We're going with a baseball theme since Alex is all about baseball this year. I have my menu pretty much planned out (see below), but I would love some other suggestions that would fit the theme.

Breakfast

• M - Blueberry Fritters & smoothies
• T - French toast
• W - Oatmeal w/ peaches
• Th - PB toast and smoothies
• F - Bacon waffles
• S - Scrambled egg tacos
• Su - Breakfast cookies

Lunch

• M - Tuna pasta, carrot sticks
• T - Quesadillas, strawberries
• W - Veggie roll-ups, yogurt
• Th - Hummus & pitas, pears, celery sticks
• F - Pizza pockets, blueberries
• S - Leftovers
  
• Su - I might give the kids something small to nibble on if they're hungry, but I'm not planning for lunch since we'll be eating dinner early for the party.
  

Dinner

• M - Summer Chicken Primavera
  
• T - Beef & rice enchiladas w/ pepper-jack sauce, salad
• W - Blackened chicken, some kind of potato dish, green beans
• Th - Sweet & Sour meatball kabobs, rice
• F - Lasagna Roll-Ups, garlic bread
• S - TBD
• Su - The Party
  

And here's what I have planned for the party so far:

• Black bean & mango salsa nachos (in the little food service cardboard holders)
  
• Hot dogs in buns, individually wrapped in foil like you'd get at a baseball game
  
• peanuts in the shell
• boxes of Cracker Jack
  
• fruit kabobs
• some kind of pasta salad
  
• homemade lemonade
  
• cake pops decorated like baseballs
• ice cream cups

Need help with your menu planning? Stop by Stolen Moments Menu Planning and let me plan your menu for you.

And stop by Org Junkie for more Menu Plan Monday.

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Weekend Linkage - The Good Stuff Edition

This week, I have lots of good stuff to share with you. That's really the only unifying factor for the links appearing here. But I think that's good enough.

• I am not a cake decorator. In fact, I stink at it and usually just stick to the basics. But I always want to get more into it. We are having a baseball-themed birthday party for Alex next weekend and I just know I'll be able to find tons of great inspiration at Life As Mom next week. She's hosting a birthday cake round up and I can't wait to see the entries!
• I really don't have anything to add to the thought-provoking words that introduced this video clip over at The View From My Beach Chair. Stop whatever you're doing right now and go watch that video!
• Amy linked to this incredible fast food post awhile ago and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since then. I think I need to print that post out and keep it handy whenever I start thinking some fast food sounds good. Then Jen commented that she had a similar post on her blog. They are both shocking and oh, so wrong!
• I love this recipe for Lemon Almond Ice "Cream" Michelle posted on Frugal Granola. Lemon and almond are two of my favorite flavors. The thought of them combined in this almost-ice cream has me ready to run out to the store and buy an ice cream maker!
• Armchair travel used to be a big hobby of mine. Before kids, I was addicted to the travel channel and I'd spend hours dreaming of different places I wanted to visit. While that habit has definitely faded, I do still like daydreaming about travel. I also incorporate some travel dreaming into Isabelle's homeschooling curriculum, especially for writing projects. I am definitely going to order some of these free travel guides for us all to dream over.

Enjoy the reading and have a great weekend!

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When A Deadbolt Becomes A Finer Thing

Earlier this week, Eric was heading out to run an errand. After he opened the door, he called me over to come look at something. He pointed at the door frame and said "has that always been there?"

I looked closer and saw the wood was chipped in two spots - spots high enough that the kids wouldn't have been able to reach. Then we looked at the door itself and saw a dent in the front that lined up perfectly with the chips on the door frame. It looked exactly like someone had used a screw driver or a crow bar to try to pry the door open. Needless to say, we were very concerned.

While running his errands, Eric stopped at the police station to file a report. The officer said that he'd be out to look at it later that afternoon.

When the officer arrived, he agreed with us that it most definitely looked as if someone had tried to break in. We all agreed that it most likely happened Friday night when we were out all evening at my brother-in-law's watching fireworks. We had inadvertently left the blinds open and no lights on when we left the house. That left a house that looked uninhabited, especially when combined with the For Sale sign in our front window.

Fortunately, as the officer recommended, we had our deadbolt locked. And that one little habit of ours has certainly proved to be a finer thing!

Stop by Amy's Finer Things for more Finer Things Friday.

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Blogging Just Because

Every night after I put the kids in bed, I sit down at the computer and write myself a small to-do list for the night. This list is getting bigger as I add more things and as Stolen Moments Menu Planning grows. But one thing always remains the same - writing right here on A Simple Walk is always #1 on my list. I write here before I do anything else.

Some days the posts are short and concise and some days they're rambly and run on and on. Some days I have something specific in mind that I'll write about and other days I just wing it. And then some days, I can't come up with a thing to write about, but I do it anyhow.

I guess that's a habit that I picked up in my college creative writing classes. When you don't know what to write about, just write anyhow. So that's what I do.

Posts like this are the result.

I'm not willing to give up this little outlet as the start of my evenings though. With everything else I have going on, this little spot is fully ME and I can write about whatever I want. It's very therapeutic really.

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Scenes From Our 4th

Stop by 5 Minutes For Mom for more Wordless Wednesday.

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