Faithful

As the year 2014 comes to a close at midnight tonight, I began thinking about the year. A lot of people posted on social media about their year and how it was either really great or really bad. I look back at 2014 and I feel as though my year was not either of those things. It was just another year. No marriage, no babies, no huge life changing event.

Then, as I was cutting up mushrooms to stuff into my overflowing freezer, a word came to my mind: faithful. This was filled with God being faithful to our family.

Andrew had felt called to go to Alaska on missions trip and that required a step of faith in fundraising. It was amazing to see who gave and the sacrifices they made so that he could go on his first missions trip!

God was faithful in providing us with family time. We were able to visit family I had not seen in over 10 years! That was a huge blessing to reconnect with them. 

God was faithful in helping me take and pass two tests to keep my teaching license in South Dakota. He also helped me pass a class on Native American studies.

God was faithful in providing us a place to live, food in our stomachs, clothes to keep us warm, and two vehicles that run (even though one wouldn't start this morning because of the cold!). 

2014 may have seemed like an average year, but it was a year filled with living. We worked, played, and grew as people. 2015 has promise to be a big year, but even if it is not, we will work, play, and continue to bask in the faithfulness of God.We will strive to develop our lives to mirror Jesus in all we do. We will remain faithful to a God who is always faithful to us, in the good and bad! 

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.-2 Thessalonians 3:3 

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness- Lamentations 3:23

2015: A New Year of Goals

2014 was a fun year. A lot of new and exciting things happened. Started my own business, met many new people and wrote a list of goals I wanted to accomplish during the year. 25 of them to be exact. I saw it on another blog and thought, "Hmmm...I could totally do that!"
So I typed up my goals-some for my family, personal life, and marriage. I was on a mission to become a better person. I wanted to embrace life to the fullest and draw closer to my family and God during 2014. The list was posted behind my computer where I would see it every day and be reminded what my goals were. 

I worked towards my various goals all year long, some with more vigor then others. The difference between goals and resolutions is that my goals were not something I declared on New Year's Eve right before the ball dropped and forgot. They were something I worked towards all year. 

2015 is going to be a little different. I an giving my goals a common theme. They will all work towards making me a more rounded, well organized, happier person. Each goal helps the next and all help my family more.

To begin preparing for my list of goals, I realized that this year I wanted to be more real with myself. I became real and raw with myself. I opened myself up to being vulnerable. The reality of setting goals is you are looking at yourself and seeing all your weakness. I began to break apart my life and the areas that I am struggling with. To actually admit to yourself that you struggle with keeping God as your first priority breaks into your heart like a million bricks. Realizing that I am not content with what I have and that I keep buying more is a slash to my pride. When did all that I have not be enough? When did it become this bad? Why do my kids have to have so many jackets? So many pairs of socks? When did my phone replace actually focusing on the people in front of me???? Those were the tough questions I began asking myself.

This is where the deep and meaningful goals come from. You tear down the walls and look back at the year before and you want change to come! You want a break through in life! 

Of course, you may have different goals-less serious goals. I wanted to run a 5K last year and that was one of my goals that I accomplished. I hate running, but it was something fun to do with  my sister. It was a great memory and now encourages me to do another 5K! 

This year I did put some serious goals, but I also threw in there to learn about manners and teach them to my children. I may be 27 but that does not mean I stop using my manners. I also want to tackle our car debt and get both cars PAID OFF!

Goals are great to make, but it is even more rewarding to actually work towards them and ACCOMPLISH them! Pick a number and set some goals! God be with you! I know He is with me always and in 2015, He will be there all the way!

I would love to hear some of the goals you are setting for yourself! Shoot me an email or comment below with your goals!

Finished my first 5K!


                                             

Leaving the house...it does not have to break a mom!

I feel as though this blog should be coming at a later date, but here it is. How I was able to successfully get out of the house this morning to go to the United Way Reading Festival.

When I had 2 kids I did not realize the time and effort it takes to get them out of the house. It has taken me hours to get out of the house every day this week. I do not want my life to be that chaotic. I want to be able to go out and do fun things with the kids and not get upset during the getting ready process. Today, I assessed my getting ready process and made drastic changes and noted what I did, what I needed to do, and what I learned today during this process. 

Lillian is an incredible, aggressive nurser. She knows when it is time to eat; it is time to eat! This has been the biggest struggle in getting ready to leave the house.

Today began a little differently. Lillian is on a 2 hour eating schedule and luckily, she woke up at 5 am to eat which meant she was up at 7 am instead of her usual 6 am to feed. That extra hour made a huge difference in how I felt when I woke up. She also went right back to sleep which is a miracle in itself because usually we have an hour of awake time and no time for Mom to do anything else. Because she went to sleep, I was able to pump and wake up for the day.

It was also a huge blessing because Hannah was still sleeping. Usually, she is in our room at 7 am or earlier to wake me up and begin her day.

With both girls sleeping, I began to map out how I was going to get out of the house. I emptied the diaper bag and began to repack it, gathering all the supplies I needed for two kids. Something I learned from someone or Pinterest was to put all the different essentials in plastic, gallon zip-lock bags. This helps keep everything from going everywhere. I put Hannah’s wipes and diapers in her own zip-lock and Lillian’s diapers and wipes in another. I then put all the clothes in another bag. I also packed a snack for Hannah with Lillian’s pumped milk in the cooler. I got a cute little bag from Target when I registered there so I put all my supplies I needed for myself in it. I also threw in the camera and my wallet so I would not have to carry a separate purse.

This assured me that I would be prepared for anything that would go my way while out of the house. I put everything I would need by the door so I would not accidentally leave the diaper bag or my pump on the kitchen table. This told Hannah I meant business. We were leaving soon!

There were several things I could have done better today to help get me prepared faster and out the door at a quicker pace.

Mistake #1: Did not have the girls clothes picked out and laid out the night before. I should have read the weather for today and decided what would be appropriate for each girl to wear and have it laid out. This would cut down on time searching for socks and undershirts. Hannah is getting to the age where she likes to pick her own clothes out and if there is time, I would adjust and let her wear what she wanted.

Mistake # 2: Breakfast was not planned. We usually think of only planning dinner and forget about breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day and who would want to deal with a crabby, hungry 2 year old? Not me! I was able to make Hannah something fairly quickly, but in order to cut down on time taken to think of what to make I should have planned this into my monthly food menu. I could make pancakes and freeze them and then warm them up or have food cooked and ready for when Hannah woke up.

Mistake # 3: Have snacks and Sippy cups filled and ready the night before. I spent at least 15 minutes finding snacks and clean sippy cups. I should have prepared the snacks when I bought them in their own little individual containers and then I could just grab and go. The sippy cups should have been filled and in the fridge next to the snack.

The biggest thing about getting two kids ready (or more) is to anticipate your departure. You know that you want to get out of the house and children should not keep you cooped up. I do not believe your social life has to end when you have children. You should get out of the house so that you can get away from housework and the oldest child can get away from their toys and see something new.

Organization is key to getting out of the house in a timely manner. Andrew was sweet enough yesterday to give Hannah a bath and keep her busy for a bit. What did I do with my time then? Nothing! I did nothing to get them ready to leave the house. The other day I wanted to take their pictures and took 3 hours to get them ready to go outside for a 5 minute photo session. What is wrong with these two pictures? I did not stay on task and when given the opportunity to get a bunch of stuff done I did not jump on it. I drug my feet. This caused us getting out the house to be chaotic and me to be frustrated!

Today taught me several important lessons:

1)      Organization is going to help the whole household because I will be less chaotic and this  will keep me from becoming irritated as I get the girls ready.

2)      I need to seize every free moment I have to get something important done that will help us leave the house sooner. This means putting the cell phone in the diaper bag by the door and not answering texts, calls, or checking the latest on Facebook until we are ready!

3)      Make a list! Try to keep a notepad on the table or fridge and write down what errands need to be ran while out. Also write down anything you may need while you are out!

4)      Anticipate that things will not always go my way. Lillian will need fed, she will spit up, Hannah will spill her juice, and I will not have Andrew there to help me like he did this morning with me getting a shower.

5)      Since I will anticipate these things to happen, I will be more prepared next time. Next time Andrew may not be there when I need to shower so I will need to remember to take a shower the night before if I know I have somewhere to be in the morning.

6)       Have a plan! I knew that Lillian does not like the car seat so I had her pacifier ready to go into her mouth as soon as I put her in and this helped us get out of the house.

Today was a great outing. Hannah had a wonderful time at the reading festival. She and I were able to color together and look at books. We did a character walk together and she was able to show off all the things she has learned to do. I credit having such a nice outing to the fact I did not leave the house all frazzled. In fact, I felt prepared and had a plan in place. We were then able to go on to have a wonderful play date as well! Hannah was happy, I was happy, and Lillian was happy!

This is my journey so far and each day will get better. Now let’s see if I can make it to church on time tomorrow!!! I will keep you all posted. J Have a wonderful day!

Being Alone....God's friendship

This week I over heard a little girl telling a friend to please play with her because if she didn't then she would be all alone and she did not want to be all alone. I smiled at the innocence of her statement. Then I realized how many of us are just like this little girl? We want others to surround us a large part of our lives.
I confronted this feeling of being alone when I moved away from Laramie to a new town where I knew a few people. It was so exciting to be moving away to a new place I didn't realize I would be starting over. I had made a lot of great friends in Laramie.

You take for granted those friendships when they are right in front of you. You never really appreciated walking into a store and seeing at least 5 people you knew. Now you walk into a store and never see a single person you know and this happens to you all summer. You just do not know anyone. You are alone.

I would long for the friendships I had left behind and wonder if I even mattered anymore. Much like this little girl, I measured my worth by having somone to "play" with. I finally was confronted with this thought 2 days ago and I realized I am NEVER alone!

I call these moments my coconut moments. It is when an invisible coconut falls out of the sky and hits me in the head. I realized that God is always with me. He may not be visible as a human form to me at this point in time, but He is with me. Hebrews 13:5-6 tells that God will never leave us, nor will He forsake us.

We may feel forsaken or left behind by man, but God will be our comfort at all times. He is the best friend we can ask for.

The hardest part about growing up is leaving behind friendships. Even though they are never over, they are never the same. Our relationship with God is consistant though. We can never leave behind our friendship with God through moving from one place to another. He is with us, helping us have the strength to get out of bed every day, go grocery shopping alone, take walks alone, and just be alone in general.

I don't know about anyone else, but I have grown so much from my time alone in Sioux Falls. It has been a great experience to learn to rely on God being my friend when I felt so alone. I rejoice for the friendships God has brought into my life to help grow my walk with Him. I also rejoice in the time I spent alone with Him this summer. It was a great time to focus on the love God displays for me and my family.

One little girl's words will always ring loudly in my heart. I was able to work through being alone. God was able to work on my heart and change me from seeing my being alone as a burden or an avenue for depression, but instead a time to rest in His friendship and love.

Diapers...Cloth diapers!

So, I was sitting in the Wal-Mart parking lot bracing myself to go inside to buy Hannah a box of diapers. Then it hit me...why do I do this to myself every month? A lot of people are going to cloth diapers. I wanted to do cloth diapers for quite some time and now figure here is my chance. Nothing is stopping me!

I went into the store and bought:
2 yards of plain turquoise flannel (it was on sale for $2 a yard)
1/2 yard of 2 really cute patterns of flannel (each cost $3.47 a yard)
3/4 in X 1 yd. sew on Velcro for $.84 each (I bought 2)
3/8 in X 6 yards elastic at a dollar something each (I bought 2)
A pack of 18 washclothes for $4.00 (These are on sale now because it is college time and they are trying to get college students to buy these.
All of this cost me under $19.00 which I would have spent on a box of disposable diapers for this pay period.

I did not have to buy thread since I had some at home. I also have a Singer sewing machine. If you had to buy these two things your prices would differ from mine.

I came home a got right down to business. I used this website to http://mayna.livejournal.com/198548.html get me started and adjusted it some.

First you must make a pattern for the diapers. I traced a diaper that currently fits my daughter. I made this pattern a couple times and revamped it. Remember you will most likely not get it completely right the first time. I finally made this pattern and it worked for my daughter.

I taped 3 pieces of white copy paper together and traced this pattern. I found you need to make the top wings a little longer then what you think because disposable diapers can stretch really far while cloth does not. Think about your child's legs and hips as you are making the pattern.

I have the pattern made and now need to cut out the fabric for the diapers. I suggest using something softer for your baby's bottom. I like using flannel because it is soft. I am using all the same colors for this diaper, but you can mix and match as needed. 

I am not a great pinner and then cut. I am much better with tracing the pattern directly onto the fabric. Do what works best for you though. Make sure when cutting the fabric is folded so you are cutting out two pieces at once instead of just one at a time. These 2 first pieces will be the outside which will be seen and the other 2 will be the inside that cannot be seen. I am only using the same flannel for both the inside and outside because I ran out of my ugly flannel to go on the inside. Pick a flannel or material to go on the inside that is not your favorite because it will never be seen!

After you have gotten your 4 diaper pieces cut out, take a wash cloth and fold it in half. You can also use fabric pieces instead of a washcloth. It must be in a rectangle shape though! I also laid a few scrapes of material inside the washcloth before folding it in half to give it more soaking power.

You then place the soak pad (washcloth) in the middle an inside diaper piece. This is the piece that will not be seen by anyone. I made sure to pin the washcloth to the piece that has the pen marks on it. Make sure it is centered the best you can. Pin it in place to keep it from moving. Then sew it all the way around with a straight stitch. Make sure you sew backwards when you begin sewing and at the end of your stitch to keep the stitches from coming out.

This is what it looks like sewed to the diaper.

Okay, here comes the hard part since I am using all one color.

You will now begin layering your diaper to sew together.

On the table, lay one of our inside pieces that no one will see. On top of that lay a seen piece with the pattern you want on the outside facing up. Then lay the other seen piece on top of the other seen piece with the pattern you want seen facing each other. Then you lay the inside piece that has the washcloth sew it on the top with the washcloth facing upwards.

See how I have four layers? The point when you sew it and turn it inside out, the cute patterns you picked for the outside will be seen and the washcloth will be hidden. If you are still confused by this step, please see other blog as well. It may help! :-) 

Now pin together the four pieces. You are going to sew around the edges with a straight stitch, but leave the bottom( the rounded bottom without the wings) open so that you can turn it inside out. Try to sew as close to the edge as possible on the wings so they maintain their shape. 

See how I have the pins holding the bottom together? I did not sew here yet. After you are done sewing this together, you need to go around the edges and cut off the extra material being careful not to cut a hole in the fabric or cut your stitches. 

Take your elastic and along the top figure out how much bunching you want. I usually just guess and do not measure.

Place your thumb on one end of the elastic and take your other hand and stretch the elastic as far as it will go. You will need to mark the spot where you want the elastic to stop and start. Using a zig zag stitch, hold down the elastic and stretch it as you are sewing so the diaper will bunch correctly. My best advice is sew a few stitches so that when you stretch the elastic it will not come out and be anchored when you begin to stretch.

It should look like this! Do not feel bad if you do not get it the first time. I has a hard time get it right the first time I did this. 

Now, fold your diaper in half to figure out where the legs will be. You will then mark on both sides where the legs begin and end. Match up your elastic to these marks by taking one end of the elastic and stretching it to the next mark. I suggest doing this before cutting it so that way you won't waste any. Then sew it to the diaper, stretching it as you sew. 

Do this on both legs. 

This what it should like when you get done.

Now turn the diaper inside out. Fold the bottom together and sew it together with a straight stitch. 

This what it looks like all sewed up. 

                                            Now it is time to place the Velcro on the diaper. Fold the diaper so the bottom up like you are placing it on your baby. Pin Velcro all the way across the lip (or whatever you want to call it. Haha) and sew it into place with a zig zag stitch. 

Cut and place Velcro on the wings now. These should be placed on the wings so that they match up with the Velcro on the lip of the bottom. Sew them on with a zig zag stitch. 

And you are DONE! Simple huh?

Don't feel bad if you mess up or don't make them the right size at first. You will get the hang of it. I also made covers for the diapers with a shower curtain and cloth (stay tuned for that pattern!)

Diaper with cover!

Baby in cloth diaper. She looks pretty excited about it! Haha

Losing weight...

Went and worked out this morning...I just wish I could lose weight by watching people exercise just like I gain 5 pounds just by looking at something not good for me to eat.

But today, I pushed through it and made it through my 30 minutes of cardio and my weight lifting routine. I even ate a salad for lunch. You just have to push through! It is hard but keep working and eating healthy and it will happen.

I love making smoothies in the morning to help crave off the morning graving.

I usually start with banana in the blender.
Put in some frozen peaches or strawberries.
Peanut butter.
Almond milk.
Blend until smooth.
This makes a huge cup full and I can make it all morning on this. You can also put nuts in it.

I love this smoothie. It is amazing!!!!

In the life of a stay at home mom!

Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Life has certainly changed since my last blog. We have a beautiful baby girl, Hannah, who is about to turn 1 in August. We relocated to South Dakota and have been working hard to have a great life here. I start work in the Sioux Falls School District in less then a month and am so excited! It's only 4 hours a day which works great with my passions in life: God, my family, and my passion for my hobbies.

Andrew works so hard and I am so proud of him. He is amazing with Hannah.

Hannah is a happily, giggly baby. She loves Mac'N'Cheese, duckies, and playing with the printer. She is slightly spoiled, but that's okay. I know she will grow up to love God, respect others, work hard, and be a kind and generous person. Andrew and I will make sure of that.

We had to give McCoy away though to my cousin because he could not live in our apartment with us. He is settling quite nicely into his life with three other cats and a teenage girl that loves him.

I have found a wonderful church family here and am growing in my faith in God. I have been reading Loving God with All Your Mind by Elizabeth George. It is really helping me with my thoughts. I am starting to realize that if people do not say it, then I should not think they are thinking such things.

 I have been cooking like a crazy person as well. I love Pinterest! I find so many great recipes there! I made this cake for my sister's birthday party:

This is the beginning of the next chapter in my life!