So this may be one of the greatest websites I've ever found. Or it could be a total rip-off.
www.eyeslipsface.com
for some reason when I try to hyperlink this it won't work. guess you will have to think way back to before hyperlinking. do you all remember how to copy and paste? :)
All of their makeup is only $1 each. Plus if you enter the code, carolina, then you get 50% off. (you might have to spend $20 to qualify for that) I don't know when the code expires, I just found it on the internet. :) What do you all think? I did research on the internet and it seemed completely legit. I guess they sell this at Nordstrom's??? I was thinking they were going to be sample sizes, but everyplace that I saw said they were sold for $1 and never said they were small sizes.
I ordered some stuff. I haven't gotten new make-up in FOREVER. I prefer Clinique, but it is so pricey that I haven't been able to get any. If this is good quality it will be a good replacement. And even if they are small, they were only .50 each. :) Good for stocking stuffers. The shipping was $5.00, pretty steep I thought. Maybe because my total was only $10, and then I had to pay $5 shipping. Still has potential to be a really good deal.
I will let you all know when I get it and what I think of it. :)
Tonight I got to go out to dinner with my friend Rachel. I really appreciate spending time with her. We are completely different and probably totally disagree on every topic under the sun. But we love to talk about things. We can each share our opinions and then agree to disagree. I appreciate her and her friendship so much.
And when I got home Justin already had Judah in bed! Justin went out with the guys and I am home alone. (thus the internet shopping!) I really didn't know what to do with myself. Since Judah was already asleep, I only have myself to take care of. Such a nice break! So I did some housework and then lit the candles in our room and I'm listening to music and I'm going to read my book as soon as I finish this post. Just wanted to share my potentially great deal!
Julia brought me some reusable shopping bags today! I am SO excited about them. I will take pictures of them soon to show you all, I love them! My camera battery is dead right now, and I can't figure out how to get the battery into the charger. Stupid, huh? It doesn't seem to fit, yet I know it has to fit!
Oh...and we are going on vacation until Sunday. Okay, actually we are staying home. But we are trying to be unavailable to people. So if I don't post a blog for awhile...then we were successful at our no internet/no phone/no people but us agreement. :) If we make it until Sunday I am sure I will have to post 10 blogs just to update you all everything!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
.02 baby food
I went to Olympia to get my bargain shopping done. I got some pretty good deals. I've had a couple of people comment that they would like to coupon shop, but think it takes too much time. Here is a easy one for anyone that buys baby food:
Target Gerber Coupon
Click on the link above and then go scroll down until you see the Gerber coupon. Click on the coupon and it will ask you how many you want and then it will put them onto one page, so you are not wasting paper. You can print out as many as you want.
Target has stage 2 jars of baby food for .52. So get 2 jars and use 1 coupon and your total will be .02 a jar. You can repeat this deal as many times as you want. :) I make our baby food, but love the jars to throw into the diaper bag when we go out. I think jarred meat is gross, so I just got some of the oatmeal/fruit or rice cereal/fruit ones. But they did have other options. The link below goes to the Gerber coupon site. So if you buy other Gerber products you can use both coupons.
Ex.
If you bought 2 of the Gerber Puffs @1.50 (I'm not sure what the exact price for these was, but it was close to this) each your total would be 3.00, then use 2 of the .55 off Gerber Puffs coupon (one for each package) then you can combine it with the Target coupon of 1.00 of 2 Gerber items. So your total would be .90 for 2 things of puffs.
You can use 1 manufacturers coupon plus 1 store coupon on each item.
Gerber Coupons
The Target coupons expire on Aug. 4th, so if you're interested you will need to do it soon.
I got some other good deals. Mouthwash at Rite Aid regular 5.99, after coupons it came to .49 cents. Pretty good deal, I got 2 of them. At Walgreen's I got 2 deodorants , 2 hair gels, shampoo, and a toothpaste. Total was 11.00, then I got 6.00 back in Register Rewards to use on my next purchase. So it was kind of 5.00 for all those things. I was proud of my deals.
I promise I won't bore you all with my bargains every time I go, but it is still new to me and I get really excited at the money I save. So for now you might have to tolerate a few posts of bragging. :)
Target Gerber Coupon
Click on the link above and then go scroll down until you see the Gerber coupon. Click on the coupon and it will ask you how many you want and then it will put them onto one page, so you are not wasting paper. You can print out as many as you want.
Target has stage 2 jars of baby food for .52. So get 2 jars and use 1 coupon and your total will be .02 a jar. You can repeat this deal as many times as you want. :) I make our baby food, but love the jars to throw into the diaper bag when we go out. I think jarred meat is gross, so I just got some of the oatmeal/fruit or rice cereal/fruit ones. But they did have other options. The link below goes to the Gerber coupon site. So if you buy other Gerber products you can use both coupons.
Ex.
If you bought 2 of the Gerber Puffs @1.50 (I'm not sure what the exact price for these was, but it was close to this) each your total would be 3.00, then use 2 of the .55 off Gerber Puffs coupon (one for each package) then you can combine it with the Target coupon of 1.00 of 2 Gerber items. So your total would be .90 for 2 things of puffs.
You can use 1 manufacturers coupon plus 1 store coupon on each item.
Gerber Coupons
The Target coupons expire on Aug. 4th, so if you're interested you will need to do it soon.
I got some other good deals. Mouthwash at Rite Aid regular 5.99, after coupons it came to .49 cents. Pretty good deal, I got 2 of them. At Walgreen's I got 2 deodorants , 2 hair gels, shampoo, and a toothpaste. Total was 11.00, then I got 6.00 back in Register Rewards to use on my next purchase. So it was kind of 5.00 for all those things. I was proud of my deals.
I promise I won't bore you all with my bargains every time I go, but it is still new to me and I get really excited at the money I save. So for now you might have to tolerate a few posts of bragging. :)
Sunday, July 29, 2007
clarification
I just wanted to clarify a few things from my last post. When I was talking about how we try to be good role models, I used a few examples from our lives. I want to be clear that I/we do not think that people that do those things are "bad". They are choices we have made in our lives, and I used those examples because I think those are things that the parents of the youth kids want their kids to have modeled for them. I do want to expand on a couple of them.
~alcohol. We do not like the taste of alcohol. It is expensive and we don't want to spend our money on it. We have no problem going out to dinner with friends and them having a drink or 2 over dinner. Some of our friends do enjoy the taste of alcohol. We don't. I love "lava flows" in Hawaii, but I prefer to order them without alcohol. It tastes better (to me) and it is cheaper. I also want our kids to grow up with a awareness of alcohol. I want them to see adults drinking alcohol in moderation and not becoming drunk on it. It seems that so many "church" kids are told to stay away from alcohol and that it is "evil", but when they get out on their own they have no idea how to handle alcohol responsibly. I don't want that to happen to our kids. I don't know how that will look in our lives. Maybe a bottle of wine at holiday dinners? I really don't know, as we don't like alcohol. :)
~movies. We are careful about the content of movies we see. I have no tolerance for nudity or sex scenes in movies. For me personally, I find that very offensive and uncalled for. And we choose not to support those kinds of movies. But we do watch some R-Rated movies. Braveheart (and those types) are great movies and have a lot to teach us. Yes, they are often violent and have swearing in them. But we feel that the importance of the lesson taught in them outweighs the other things. My favorite movie at this point in time is "Born into Brothels". It is set in India, which if you know me at all you know I LOVE India! And it is a documentary about children raised in brothels. There is A LOT of swearing in it. And it is swearing that I would find offensive. But it is real life. These are parents that are calling their kids worse things than you could imagine. I can't picture the movie without the swearing because it is part of the life that the kids there are living.
I just wanted to clarify those things. I don't ever want to come across as legalistic. We are not that at all. :) If you know Justin you know he would never allow our family to be legalistic. :) But I thought that those examples could have come across as "being uppity" or something. That was not my intention.
~alcohol. We do not like the taste of alcohol. It is expensive and we don't want to spend our money on it. We have no problem going out to dinner with friends and them having a drink or 2 over dinner. Some of our friends do enjoy the taste of alcohol. We don't. I love "lava flows" in Hawaii, but I prefer to order them without alcohol. It tastes better (to me) and it is cheaper. I also want our kids to grow up with a awareness of alcohol. I want them to see adults drinking alcohol in moderation and not becoming drunk on it. It seems that so many "church" kids are told to stay away from alcohol and that it is "evil", but when they get out on their own they have no idea how to handle alcohol responsibly. I don't want that to happen to our kids. I don't know how that will look in our lives. Maybe a bottle of wine at holiday dinners? I really don't know, as we don't like alcohol. :)
~movies. We are careful about the content of movies we see. I have no tolerance for nudity or sex scenes in movies. For me personally, I find that very offensive and uncalled for. And we choose not to support those kinds of movies. But we do watch some R-Rated movies. Braveheart (and those types) are great movies and have a lot to teach us. Yes, they are often violent and have swearing in them. But we feel that the importance of the lesson taught in them outweighs the other things. My favorite movie at this point in time is "Born into Brothels". It is set in India, which if you know me at all you know I LOVE India! And it is a documentary about children raised in brothels. There is A LOT of swearing in it. And it is swearing that I would find offensive. But it is real life. These are parents that are calling their kids worse things than you could imagine. I can't picture the movie without the swearing because it is part of the life that the kids there are living.
I just wanted to clarify those things. I don't ever want to come across as legalistic. We are not that at all. :) If you know Justin you know he would never allow our family to be legalistic. :) But I thought that those examples could have come across as "being uppity" or something. That was not my intention.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
criticism
I am always amazed at the criticism that my husband is met with. I know that he is not perfect. And I know that he tends to push the limits with things. And sometimes people don't like that. But I also know that his heart is usually (if not always) in the right place. He desires God's best for people, and with his personality he naturally approaches things differently than what is "normal".
I really felt that God had called me to marry someone in ministry. I wasn't sure what type of ministry, but I knew I was going to wholeheartedly support my husband in whatever ministry it was that he was involved in. I was excited when I found out Justin was interested in youth ministry as I had always loved discipling high school girls.
So, I entered my married life very excited about being in ministry together. But right from the start it seems we have been met with nothing but criticism and discouragement.
Let me interrupt myself here and say that we do have a select number of wonderful people in our life. I know that these people love us and support us in our ministry and our personal lives. A HUGE THANK YOU TO THESE PEOPLE! I do not think you can even begin to realize how much you mean to me. That you support and encourage my husband (and me)means more to me than you could ever comprehend.
But. With that being said, some of our greatest hurts have also come from people that we thought were our biggest fans.
I worked at Lynch Creek for 5, maybe 6 years. I loved that we had the policy that the customer is always right. Always. But no one ever came in and asked us to repaint our walls because they didn't like the color. Or to please not wear a certain shirt because it could be misinterpreted. Or to only play rock music when they come into the store. Or to turn the lights down because it hurts their eyes. So why do people feel that it is their right to demand that those things be done in a church? And to personally attack the people in charge? I really just don't understand this mentality AT ALL.
I love youth ministry. I love the youth that are involved, I love seeing kids step it up and live their lives fully for Jesus. BUT, I can totally see how people get so discouraged that they quit ministry and turn away from christianity forever. It is so hard to be doing what God has called you to do and to have people that are supposed to be on your side attacking you every chance they get. I have been really turned off by "christians". Let me be clear, I am not turned off be Christ. (that sounds really cheesy!) But by people that claim to be followers. I know that people are not perfect. I know that Justin and I are not perfect.
I am so tired of being attacked for our personal lives. I know that we need to be examples in every aspect of our lives. I think that is a call of every christian and especially ones in ministry. But come on. Give us a break. My husband (or I) does not drink ANY alcohol. EVER. He does not swear. He occasionally will use a swear word as a joke. But he thinks it shows un-intelligence to swear. Maybe he will blog about it. We do not go out to bars or clubs. We are careful about the movies we watch and the things we read. We try to model a good marriage and good parenting.
~story...after we got married we had our honeymoon and then flew to Hawaii for a reception out there. The day we got back we had to be at a youth camp for (at least) 2 nights and then go straight to another camp for a week. At the week long camp we slept separate. He was the boy leader I was the girl leader. It was okay. I mean what other option was there? But the person in charge told us we couldn't have any physical contact because it set a bad example. We have never been the type of people to be all over each other. Holding hands, or a quick hug or kiss good-night was all we expected. Apparently that was a bad example. Yes..2 MARRIED people that love each other and desire to hold hands. I can totally see how that would lead people astray. (sarcasm.)
I am rambling. Sorry. I just am really frustrated. Can't people just back off of us for awhile? Don't they have anything better to do? I don't think we are quite in the "burn out" stage. I think Justin loves doing ministry and it is exactly what he is supposed to be doing. But I just don't see how any person could withstand the amount of criticism and opposition that he is met with for any long period of time. I think we both started this "journey" very excited, but I know I am turning very cynical.
Maybe these are inappropriate things to blog about. Maybe this is something I should have journaled about. I think I am usually really good about not "bad talking", so I hope this doesn't come across as that. I want my blog to be full of honesty and transparency of my life. So...this is where I am at.
But, then again. Someone will probably read this blog and find something wrong with it, then complain about it. I can see where it has the potential to go. Sad.
I have a lot more I could say, but I need to be done. I do not have specific people in mind while writing this, so it is definitely not aimed at anyone in particular.
If you made it this far, please encourage someone that is involved in ministry. I'm not saying us, but just someone. I think this is how most wives that have husbands in ministry must feel.
I really felt that God had called me to marry someone in ministry. I wasn't sure what type of ministry, but I knew I was going to wholeheartedly support my husband in whatever ministry it was that he was involved in. I was excited when I found out Justin was interested in youth ministry as I had always loved discipling high school girls.
So, I entered my married life very excited about being in ministry together. But right from the start it seems we have been met with nothing but criticism and discouragement.
Let me interrupt myself here and say that we do have a select number of wonderful people in our life. I know that these people love us and support us in our ministry and our personal lives. A HUGE THANK YOU TO THESE PEOPLE! I do not think you can even begin to realize how much you mean to me. That you support and encourage my husband (and me)means more to me than you could ever comprehend.
But. With that being said, some of our greatest hurts have also come from people that we thought were our biggest fans.
I worked at Lynch Creek for 5, maybe 6 years. I loved that we had the policy that the customer is always right. Always. But no one ever came in and asked us to repaint our walls because they didn't like the color. Or to please not wear a certain shirt because it could be misinterpreted. Or to only play rock music when they come into the store. Or to turn the lights down because it hurts their eyes. So why do people feel that it is their right to demand that those things be done in a church? And to personally attack the people in charge? I really just don't understand this mentality AT ALL.
I love youth ministry. I love the youth that are involved, I love seeing kids step it up and live their lives fully for Jesus. BUT, I can totally see how people get so discouraged that they quit ministry and turn away from christianity forever. It is so hard to be doing what God has called you to do and to have people that are supposed to be on your side attacking you every chance they get. I have been really turned off by "christians". Let me be clear, I am not turned off be Christ. (that sounds really cheesy!) But by people that claim to be followers. I know that people are not perfect. I know that Justin and I are not perfect.
I am so tired of being attacked for our personal lives. I know that we need to be examples in every aspect of our lives. I think that is a call of every christian and especially ones in ministry. But come on. Give us a break. My husband (or I) does not drink ANY alcohol. EVER. He does not swear. He occasionally will use a swear word as a joke. But he thinks it shows un-intelligence to swear. Maybe he will blog about it. We do not go out to bars or clubs. We are careful about the movies we watch and the things we read. We try to model a good marriage and good parenting.
~story...after we got married we had our honeymoon and then flew to Hawaii for a reception out there. The day we got back we had to be at a youth camp for (at least) 2 nights and then go straight to another camp for a week. At the week long camp we slept separate. He was the boy leader I was the girl leader. It was okay. I mean what other option was there? But the person in charge told us we couldn't have any physical contact because it set a bad example. We have never been the type of people to be all over each other. Holding hands, or a quick hug or kiss good-night was all we expected. Apparently that was a bad example. Yes..2 MARRIED people that love each other and desire to hold hands. I can totally see how that would lead people astray. (sarcasm.)
I am rambling. Sorry. I just am really frustrated. Can't people just back off of us for awhile? Don't they have anything better to do? I don't think we are quite in the "burn out" stage. I think Justin loves doing ministry and it is exactly what he is supposed to be doing. But I just don't see how any person could withstand the amount of criticism and opposition that he is met with for any long period of time. I think we both started this "journey" very excited, but I know I am turning very cynical.
Maybe these are inappropriate things to blog about. Maybe this is something I should have journaled about. I think I am usually really good about not "bad talking", so I hope this doesn't come across as that. I want my blog to be full of honesty and transparency of my life. So...this is where I am at.
But, then again. Someone will probably read this blog and find something wrong with it, then complain about it. I can see where it has the potential to go. Sad.
I have a lot more I could say, but I need to be done. I do not have specific people in mind while writing this, so it is definitely not aimed at anyone in particular.
If you made it this far, please encourage someone that is involved in ministry. I'm not saying us, but just someone. I think this is how most wives that have husbands in ministry must feel.
saturday
22 weeks preggo! I finally have a good bump.
Today we celebrated Judah's birthday with part of my family. Judah's birthday isn't until the 16th, but this is the only free saturday we had until after his birthday! We went to the children's museum in Olympia this morning. I think Judah had a lot of fun, but he was pretty limited on what he could do. Most of their exhibits were geared at older kids. We had a coupon from the entertainment book for 50% off, I thought it was pretty pricey, but the coupon did make it a better price. Original price was 4.95 for Judah (!!!) and I think 6.95 for adults. That is a lot to pay for something that will entertain Judah for maybe 2 hours. BUT, he/we did have a lot of fun for the time that we were there.
Judah and his 2nd cousin Nate. I love Judah's squished nose!
We went to Wagner's Bakery afterwards and got a treat. Judah got his very own cookie!
We later came back to our house and had a "Judah dinner". Mac and cheese, green beans, applesauce, and jello. He loved it, but it probably wasn't the highlight of everyone else's day. :) He wasn't as interested in opening his presents as I thought he would be. He loved opening and closing his cards though! I love that it is always the simplest things that entertain him!
We are trying to watch Dream Girls right now, but it totally isn't holding my attention. Off to bed soon for me, I think!
Today we celebrated Judah's birthday with part of my family. Judah's birthday isn't until the 16th, but this is the only free saturday we had until after his birthday! We went to the children's museum in Olympia this morning. I think Judah had a lot of fun, but he was pretty limited on what he could do. Most of their exhibits were geared at older kids. We had a coupon from the entertainment book for 50% off, I thought it was pretty pricey, but the coupon did make it a better price. Original price was 4.95 for Judah (!!!) and I think 6.95 for adults. That is a lot to pay for something that will entertain Judah for maybe 2 hours. BUT, he/we did have a lot of fun for the time that we were there.
Judah and his 2nd cousin Nate. I love Judah's squished nose!
We went to Wagner's Bakery afterwards and got a treat. Judah got his very own cookie!
We later came back to our house and had a "Judah dinner". Mac and cheese, green beans, applesauce, and jello. He loved it, but it probably wasn't the highlight of everyone else's day. :) He wasn't as interested in opening his presents as I thought he would be. He loved opening and closing his cards though! I love that it is always the simplest things that entertain him!
We are trying to watch Dream Girls right now, but it totally isn't holding my attention. Off to bed soon for me, I think!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
pictures
I realized that I hadn't been very good at taking pictures lately, so today I went around and took pictures. I liked that Alison, after she watched The Pursuit of Happiness, would sometimes title "chapters" of her life. So....This chapter of my life is called, my favorite summer things. :)
I love Judah's G-Diapers. He is so cute in them that I never want to put clothes on him!
My yummy raspberries and blueberries, all washed and getting ready to be frozen.
A random sunflower that grew from birdseed. A nice surprise!
Clothes hanging outside. I love the smell of putting on clothes that have hung outside. Yes, that may be underwear you see...is okay, everyone wears it!
Sun tea. Thank you Shalisa for telling me about sun tea!
And this is what Judah was busy doing while I was taking pictures and writing this. What a good boy. :)
I love Judah's G-Diapers. He is so cute in them that I never want to put clothes on him!
My yummy raspberries and blueberries, all washed and getting ready to be frozen.
A random sunflower that grew from birdseed. A nice surprise!
Clothes hanging outside. I love the smell of putting on clothes that have hung outside. Yes, that may be underwear you see...is okay, everyone wears it!
Sun tea. Thank you Shalisa for telling me about sun tea!
And this is what Judah was busy doing while I was taking pictures and writing this. What a good boy. :)
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
blueberries are yummy!
Yesterday Shalisa and I went and picked blueberries. Maddie was a great friend to Judah and picked blueberries and put them in his mouth for him. Her hands were a little grubby, and I have to say it brought me great joy to see my little boy with such a messy face. It was a wonderful mess of dirt and squished blueberry. I am so much looking forward to the coming years of a grubby little boy! I was a little disappointed to find that my one hour plus of picking yielded only 3 pounds. We are hoping to get another trip out there when some of the other girls can go too. Maybe without the kiddos this time. :)
Today I searched online until I found the perfect blueberry muffin recipe. I have to say they turned out very yummy. I will definitely make them again. I did have a hard time getting them out of the pan whole. Didn't hurt the taste any though!
Judah has been learning how to make big boy messes in his room! Apparently this morning Crowder thought it was very interesting. It was too great of a photo opp for me to pass up!
For those of you that are moms or that know people that would use them. If you to the link below and print out the coupon for $1.00 off a Johnson's Buddy product (I think that is the right name) Walmart and Target both have the Buddy Bars for .94 cents. Making them FREE!!! It is some kind of a non-slip soap bar for kids to use. I have been stocking up on them. We don't use them yet, but I figure at some point we probably will. Or I can give them away as gifts. Either way they are free. I just print out one or two coupons every time I go shopping and get a couple. Thats my coupon tip for the day! :)
link #1
or if that one doesn't work, click on the one below and then scroll down until you see the Johnson Buddy's coupon link.
Link #2
Today I searched online until I found the perfect blueberry muffin recipe. I have to say they turned out very yummy. I will definitely make them again. I did have a hard time getting them out of the pan whole. Didn't hurt the taste any though!
Judah has been learning how to make big boy messes in his room! Apparently this morning Crowder thought it was very interesting. It was too great of a photo opp for me to pass up!
For those of you that are moms or that know people that would use them. If you to the link below and print out the coupon for $1.00 off a Johnson's Buddy product (I think that is the right name) Walmart and Target both have the Buddy Bars for .94 cents. Making them FREE!!! It is some kind of a non-slip soap bar for kids to use. I have been stocking up on them. We don't use them yet, but I figure at some point we probably will. Or I can give them away as gifts. Either way they are free. I just print out one or two coupons every time I go shopping and get a couple. Thats my coupon tip for the day! :)
link #1
or if that one doesn't work, click on the one below and then scroll down until you see the Johnson Buddy's coupon link.
Link #2
Monday, July 23, 2007
homemade cleaners
I've tried a few of the homemade cleaners I've found online over the past few days. I have been a little hesitant about cleaning with vinegar because I thought the smell would linger. I was wrong, I haven't noticed the scent at all. Today I cleaned the bathtubs and sinks using : baking soda, dish soap, and a tiny bit of vinegar. The dish soap I had was green apple scented, it made it smell really yummy! Definitely better than store bought cleaners. I also have used vinegar to clean the toilets. Worked just fine. And I was planning on washing the bathroom floors with a part vinegar, part water solution, but Judah decided to wake up from his nap. I think floor washing is better left to when he is asleep. Although I guess now it won't kill him if he licks the floor after I'm done. :) I am hoping that the vinegar on the floors will help keep the ants away too. (thank you to Rachel for sharing that tip!)
Here are some of the sites I got my recipes from:
The Family Homestead
Vinegar Tips
I guess that is it. I thought there were more. :) They were all given to me by you guys. Thank you!
I also found a good one for homemade laundry detergent that I want to try. But I just got a good deal on detergent, so I have 3 bottles to go through first!
Here are some of the sites I got my recipes from:
The Family Homestead
Vinegar Tips
I guess that is it. I thought there were more. :) They were all given to me by you guys. Thank you!
I also found a good one for homemade laundry detergent that I want to try. But I just got a good deal on detergent, so I have 3 bottles to go through first!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
funny spirituality?
Everyone in my family passes along their magazines to me, so I end up with quite the assortment of them. The latest one that I received is called "Body + Soul", and it is by the publishers of Martha Stewart Living. I wasn't overly impressed with the magazine as a whole, but there is one article I haven't been able to get out of my head. It is in the question and answer section.
Question: "I read somewhere that for a spiritual practice to be genuine, it needs to include a measure of humor. Should I really look with suspicion on any religious group that takes things too seriously? It seems they all do. What does humor have to do with tapping into the divine?"
Answer: (I'm going to include the parts that were most interesting to me, and put in caps the really interesting, it is a very long reply. You would probably lose interest)
"I have to agree with the value of humor in matters of spirit. Be wary of people in any walk of life who take themselves too seriously, especially if they profess to know anything about spirituality. SERIOUSNESS IS ALMOST ALWAYS THE SOUND OF ONES EGO CLAPPING - FOR ITSELF.Laughter is the music of the human heart. It offers, perhaps, the single best way for us to open up and get out of our own heads.
Divine inspiration rarely occurs during those moments when you grit your teeth and struggle to get it "right". When we laugh, we loosen our grip on how things "must be", or more accurately how we want them to be. Poking fun at ourselves allows us to step away from our egos.
Personally, I couldn't follow the advice of any group or spiritual teacher who lacked a basic sense of humor. LAUGHTER ENCOURAGES QUESTIONS AND OPENS US TO LEARNING DIFFICULT TRUTHS BY SOFTENING THE PAIN OF OUR OWN SHORTCOMINGS. I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THAT OVERLY SERIOUS SPIRITUALITY LEADS TO BLIND FAITH - "DON'T QUESTION, JUST FOLLOW". It certainly slows serves to slow down the learning process. And what else does a spiritual path offer, if not the chance to learn."
I assume that both the person who wrote the question and the answer are not Christians, and that is why I find it so interesting. There was a service at our church a few weeks ago, and during it Pastor Glen joked around and poked fun at himself. Later in the day I told Justin that was one of the best services we've had in awhile. I think those few seconds of him joking around lightened the whole atmosphere of the sanctuary and allowed people to let down some of their guards. I think typically our church is very serious. I come from a catholic background, and they are even more serious. Now, I am the first to say that there needs to be a level of seriousness as we worship and come to God. But I also think that we could all lighten up a bit. I don't think church should be a comedy hour, but I don't think the "staged" joke lines in the sermon aren't really "cutting it". And based on this article, it seems that the non-Christians out there are turned away by the seriousness that is portrayed to them. I'd hate for it to be something like that that keeps people from really knowing Jesus.
Question: "I read somewhere that for a spiritual practice to be genuine, it needs to include a measure of humor. Should I really look with suspicion on any religious group that takes things too seriously? It seems they all do. What does humor have to do with tapping into the divine?"
Answer: (I'm going to include the parts that were most interesting to me, and put in caps the really interesting, it is a very long reply. You would probably lose interest)
"I have to agree with the value of humor in matters of spirit. Be wary of people in any walk of life who take themselves too seriously, especially if they profess to know anything about spirituality. SERIOUSNESS IS ALMOST ALWAYS THE SOUND OF ONES EGO CLAPPING - FOR ITSELF.Laughter is the music of the human heart. It offers, perhaps, the single best way for us to open up and get out of our own heads.
Divine inspiration rarely occurs during those moments when you grit your teeth and struggle to get it "right". When we laugh, we loosen our grip on how things "must be", or more accurately how we want them to be. Poking fun at ourselves allows us to step away from our egos.
Personally, I couldn't follow the advice of any group or spiritual teacher who lacked a basic sense of humor. LAUGHTER ENCOURAGES QUESTIONS AND OPENS US TO LEARNING DIFFICULT TRUTHS BY SOFTENING THE PAIN OF OUR OWN SHORTCOMINGS. I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THAT OVERLY SERIOUS SPIRITUALITY LEADS TO BLIND FAITH - "DON'T QUESTION, JUST FOLLOW". It certainly slows serves to slow down the learning process. And what else does a spiritual path offer, if not the chance to learn."
I assume that both the person who wrote the question and the answer are not Christians, and that is why I find it so interesting. There was a service at our church a few weeks ago, and during it Pastor Glen joked around and poked fun at himself. Later in the day I told Justin that was one of the best services we've had in awhile. I think those few seconds of him joking around lightened the whole atmosphere of the sanctuary and allowed people to let down some of their guards. I think typically our church is very serious. I come from a catholic background, and they are even more serious. Now, I am the first to say that there needs to be a level of seriousness as we worship and come to God. But I also think that we could all lighten up a bit. I don't think church should be a comedy hour, but I don't think the "staged" joke lines in the sermon aren't really "cutting it". And based on this article, it seems that the non-Christians out there are turned away by the seriousness that is portrayed to them. I'd hate for it to be something like that that keeps people from really knowing Jesus.
the perfect saturday
Our date last night was great. This is what Justin had planned: mini-golf, dinner at the Melting Pot, then a comedy club in Tacoma. This is what we did: movie (I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry. Don't see it. Waste of money), dinner downtown Olympia, then wandered around Lake Fair. I felt bad that we did nothing that Justin had planned. It was raining so we went to a movie instead of golf, but then we missed our dinner reservations and since we didn't go to Tacoma for dinner we decided not to drive up for the comedy club. It still was a very good date.
My mom watched Judah last night so she ended up just staying the night. This morning she offered to take Judah home with her. So here I am with no Judah and no Justin (he had a youth event) and I don't know what to do with myself! I have to pick Judah up at 5 and Justin won't be home until 2 or 3. I have so much time!!! :) I should be productive and do all the housework that hasn't been done lately...but I don't think I will. I think I will get a big bowl of ice cream and put my pajamas back on and watch a movie on my laptop in bed. Watching movies in bed is seriously one of my favorite things to do. And it is the perfect day cuddle up in bed. Maybe Crowder will come cuddle with me.
That is Crowder for those of you who haven't met him. He is the best cat ever! Some of my friends have been known to call him satan or the demon cat. But I think they might just hate cats in general. I think he's cool. He's only cat I've ever seen that will play fetch! This picture was taken soon after we brought Judah home. He saw Judah on the changing table and I guess he thought it was a good place to get attention.
We used to have 2 ducks, a rabbit, 2 cats, a dog, and a lot of fish. Now we are down to just Crowder. Maybe I'll share the stories of their losses another time. They are semi-humorous. :)
Okay, off to get some ice cream!
My mom watched Judah last night so she ended up just staying the night. This morning she offered to take Judah home with her. So here I am with no Judah and no Justin (he had a youth event) and I don't know what to do with myself! I have to pick Judah up at 5 and Justin won't be home until 2 or 3. I have so much time!!! :) I should be productive and do all the housework that hasn't been done lately...but I don't think I will. I think I will get a big bowl of ice cream and put my pajamas back on and watch a movie on my laptop in bed. Watching movies in bed is seriously one of my favorite things to do. And it is the perfect day cuddle up in bed. Maybe Crowder will come cuddle with me.
That is Crowder for those of you who haven't met him. He is the best cat ever! Some of my friends have been known to call him satan or the demon cat. But I think they might just hate cats in general. I think he's cool. He's only cat I've ever seen that will play fetch! This picture was taken soon after we brought Judah home. He saw Judah on the changing table and I guess he thought it was a good place to get attention.
We used to have 2 ducks, a rabbit, 2 cats, a dog, and a lot of fish. Now we are down to just Crowder. Maybe I'll share the stories of their losses another time. They are semi-humorous. :)
Okay, off to get some ice cream!
Friday, July 20, 2007
i have a date tonight!
My 21 week belly shot, I can't believe I'm already 1/2 way there!
This week has been really busy. We had Kids Alive in the mornings and at least one other activity every afternoons. Yesterday Shalisa and Julia helped me with my first sewing project. A apron. I am very excited about it!
While I am exhausted after a busy week, it was filled with lots of wonderful things. I am looking forward to next week being a little quieter. This morning Judah slept until 9:30, he must have been exhausted too. I am sure he will enjoy some more time at home next week too.
Tonight Justin is taking me on a date. He has been keeping it a secret though, so I have no idea what we are doing. I am very much looking forward to a night out.
We are still doing well with the cloth diapers. No leaks on the cloth, but we have had a few leaks with the G-Diapers. I don't think I have the hang of those yet. We are still using disposables at night, but that is about it. I am loving it. Justin on the other hand is still not thrilled. He has yet to change a cloth diaper, so I think he needs to change one before his opinion will be heard by me. :)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
anyone else awake now???
So, here it is 1:36 am. I am sure you are wondering why I am blogging at this time of night. Judah decided to wake up at midnight and took forever to fall back asleep. He has been sleeping through the night since he was 5 months old, so I am not used to getting up. I think teething is the problem, he has been up the past 3 nights. I am wondering how I will do when the new baby comes. I never really minded getting up with Judah when he was a newborn. I think as a new mom you kind of run off of adrenaline for the first few months. Then you crash REALLY hard! :) But by then he was sleeping pretty good. I hope the new baby goes as easily as he did.
So I finally got him back to sleep and now I've been laying in bed for awhile and I can't fall back asleep. So annoying! My side of the sheet has completely pulled off the mattress, but I don't want to wake up Justin to fix it. Oh, the dilemmas a person can find in the middle of the night!
Enough boring stuff, lets see if I have anything interesting...
We are doing great with cloth diapering. No leaks at all yet. Still using disposables at night and when we go out. I ordered some G diapers a few weeks ago, and they have yet to appear. I was a little bitter when I went to Fred Meyer tonight and realized they sell G diapers there. It would have been so much easier to just buy them there. I am hoping to do a combination of cloth, g diapers, and disposables. But not very many disposables. We will see how it goes.
We have been busy helping with kids alive (the church's vbs program) this week. It has been nice to be involved in ministry that isn't part of Justin's ministry. Don't misunderstand that, I love doing ministry with Justin, but it is nice to branch out and do something because I made the choice to do it and not just because I was supporting my husband in ministry.
Judah is in the process of switching to one nap a day. I am very excited about this. He has been napping from 12-2. He falls asleep easily and sleeps for longer than he did with 2 naps. It is a nice time for me to get stuff done, or lately more often than not I just lay in bed and sleep or read. It is nice to have a set nap time to be able to plan my day around. I never planned our days around his 2 nap schedule because it was so unpredictable. He often just got short cat naps here and there, and I don't think that was really best for him.
Justins dad gave him a iphone. He blogged about it, so you can just read his story. I find it very ironic since my last post was on hating technology and I even mentioned the iphone in it. But, I think it will be a good move for us. I will be getting rid of my cell phone and we will FINALLY get a house phone. Then I will do a prepaid type of cell phone for emergency use only. I am very excited to be rid of my cell phone! (am I really that strange??? I don't know anyone else that would be overjoyed at giving up their cell phone!)
I bought a big bottle of vinegar today. I am excited to try all it's uses! I also want to stock up on some baking soda. It sounds like between the 2 of them I can clean a lot of stuff. Thanks for your input on the other post. :)
Okay, maybe I can sleep now. Hopefully I didn't bore you again. It seems like I don't have a lot of deep or super interesting blogs lately. I guess I titled my blog "life as a mom" and these things are part of my life as a mom!
So I finally got him back to sleep and now I've been laying in bed for awhile and I can't fall back asleep. So annoying! My side of the sheet has completely pulled off the mattress, but I don't want to wake up Justin to fix it. Oh, the dilemmas a person can find in the middle of the night!
Enough boring stuff, lets see if I have anything interesting...
We are doing great with cloth diapering. No leaks at all yet. Still using disposables at night and when we go out. I ordered some G diapers a few weeks ago, and they have yet to appear. I was a little bitter when I went to Fred Meyer tonight and realized they sell G diapers there. It would have been so much easier to just buy them there. I am hoping to do a combination of cloth, g diapers, and disposables. But not very many disposables. We will see how it goes.
We have been busy helping with kids alive (the church's vbs program) this week. It has been nice to be involved in ministry that isn't part of Justin's ministry. Don't misunderstand that, I love doing ministry with Justin, but it is nice to branch out and do something because I made the choice to do it and not just because I was supporting my husband in ministry.
Judah is in the process of switching to one nap a day. I am very excited about this. He has been napping from 12-2. He falls asleep easily and sleeps for longer than he did with 2 naps. It is a nice time for me to get stuff done, or lately more often than not I just lay in bed and sleep or read. It is nice to have a set nap time to be able to plan my day around. I never planned our days around his 2 nap schedule because it was so unpredictable. He often just got short cat naps here and there, and I don't think that was really best for him.
Justins dad gave him a iphone. He blogged about it, so you can just read his story. I find it very ironic since my last post was on hating technology and I even mentioned the iphone in it. But, I think it will be a good move for us. I will be getting rid of my cell phone and we will FINALLY get a house phone. Then I will do a prepaid type of cell phone for emergency use only. I am very excited to be rid of my cell phone! (am I really that strange??? I don't know anyone else that would be overjoyed at giving up their cell phone!)
I bought a big bottle of vinegar today. I am excited to try all it's uses! I also want to stock up on some baking soda. It sounds like between the 2 of them I can clean a lot of stuff. Thanks for your input on the other post. :)
Okay, maybe I can sleep now. Hopefully I didn't bore you again. It seems like I don't have a lot of deep or super interesting blogs lately. I guess I titled my blog "life as a mom" and these things are part of my life as a mom!
Friday, July 13, 2007
i'm tired of technology
Well, my title says it all.
I've said this before, but I really think I was meant to live in the "Little House on the Prairie" days. :) I do love blogging and reading other peoples blogs, I like the convenience of e-mail, I love my ipod, and I like the information that can be found on the internet. But with that said, I also think technology is getting to be too much.
Examples:
~ I asked Justin one day why he didn't comment on my blog (he since then has gone back and commented, what a good husband). He said its because he uses a google reader (you can read more about this on his site) and he doesn't go to peoples individual blogs, so doesn't have the option to comment. So...I think this has taken technology a step further and made it even more impersonal.
~The iphone. I know Justin is REALLY into the iphone, and I am sure a bunch of you are too...so don't be offended. But in my opinion it is just one more thing to take "business men" away from their families. Now they will not only be able to text message and talk on their cell phone while out to eat with their wives/families, but they can do e-mail and a bunch of other things. Why can't we just leave the house and NOT BE REACHED??? Why do people think they need to talk to us at that exact moment. Which leads me to how much I hate my cell phone. Really, if I am not at home then I am probably not available to sit down and have a chat. And it's annoying to me for Justin to have a cell phone. It seems like someone always needs to talk to him about something. And they probably do have logical questions for him, but if they knew he couldn't be reached then they would probably be able to figure it out on their own. I KNOW that part of his job is to be available to kids, and I am all for that. But it is rarely kids calling him. (please don't stop calling us. :) none of this is directed at people, its directed at the technology...if that makes any sense!)
~Self checkouts. ATM machines. Now I have a love/hate relationship with these. They are so easy to use and the lines are usually shorter. But it takes any human connection out of it. Is it possible that we as Christians should choose not to use these because it eliminates a opportunity for us to show love and encouragement to another person?
I could go on. I think it very ironic that I am married to someone so into technology and always wants to have the latest and greatest, and I usually want to throw my cell phone out the window and get rid of our internet...I guess opposites really do attract.
I've said this before, but I really think I was meant to live in the "Little House on the Prairie" days. :) I do love blogging and reading other peoples blogs, I like the convenience of e-mail, I love my ipod, and I like the information that can be found on the internet. But with that said, I also think technology is getting to be too much.
Examples:
~ I asked Justin one day why he didn't comment on my blog (he since then has gone back and commented, what a good husband). He said its because he uses a google reader (you can read more about this on his site) and he doesn't go to peoples individual blogs, so doesn't have the option to comment. So...I think this has taken technology a step further and made it even more impersonal.
~The iphone. I know Justin is REALLY into the iphone, and I am sure a bunch of you are too...so don't be offended. But in my opinion it is just one more thing to take "business men" away from their families. Now they will not only be able to text message and talk on their cell phone while out to eat with their wives/families, but they can do e-mail and a bunch of other things. Why can't we just leave the house and NOT BE REACHED??? Why do people think they need to talk to us at that exact moment. Which leads me to how much I hate my cell phone. Really, if I am not at home then I am probably not available to sit down and have a chat. And it's annoying to me for Justin to have a cell phone. It seems like someone always needs to talk to him about something. And they probably do have logical questions for him, but if they knew he couldn't be reached then they would probably be able to figure it out on their own. I KNOW that part of his job is to be available to kids, and I am all for that. But it is rarely kids calling him. (please don't stop calling us. :) none of this is directed at people, its directed at the technology...if that makes any sense!)
~Self checkouts. ATM machines. Now I have a love/hate relationship with these. They are so easy to use and the lines are usually shorter. But it takes any human connection out of it. Is it possible that we as Christians should choose not to use these because it eliminates a opportunity for us to show love and encouragement to another person?
I could go on. I think it very ironic that I am married to someone so into technology and always wants to have the latest and greatest, and I usually want to throw my cell phone out the window and get rid of our internet...I guess opposites really do attract.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
random things
These are just random things, not really enough to have complete thoughts. Oh, well.
~today i tried to dry my hair and my hair dryer starting sparking everywhere. time for a new hair dryer.
~we finally got the date for our ultrasound. aug 6th. horray!
~my poll on the sex of the baby came back exactly 50/50. weird.
~i checked out a book from the library called "organic suburbanite". i'm pretty excited about it. so far i found a car wash recipe: 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup baby shampoo. add to a bucket of warm water, and you have car wash. fun huh?
~i'm on the lookout for homemade ant killer...anyone know of any?
~it is finally cool enough that i can do some housework without sweating!
~i found a new blog i like (recommended by anita! thank you). eyes of wonder. i am encouraged by other people living "simply".
~we went swimming with ryan, shalisa, and maddie last night. it was wonderful!
when i read back over this i think...who cares about these things! :) i guess if you were too bored you probably didn't make it this far so it wouldn't do any good to apologize!
~today i tried to dry my hair and my hair dryer starting sparking everywhere. time for a new hair dryer.
~we finally got the date for our ultrasound. aug 6th. horray!
~my poll on the sex of the baby came back exactly 50/50. weird.
~i checked out a book from the library called "organic suburbanite". i'm pretty excited about it. so far i found a car wash recipe: 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup baby shampoo. add to a bucket of warm water, and you have car wash. fun huh?
~i'm on the lookout for homemade ant killer...anyone know of any?
~it is finally cool enough that i can do some housework without sweating!
~i found a new blog i like (recommended by anita! thank you). eyes of wonder. i am encouraged by other people living "simply".
~we went swimming with ryan, shalisa, and maddie last night. it was wonderful!
when i read back over this i think...who cares about these things! :) i guess if you were too bored you probably didn't make it this far so it wouldn't do any good to apologize!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
another good day
I have been having a lot of days lately that I would "label" as good days. I'm not sure if it is the sunny weather, being out of the first trimester of pregnancy, or just having good activities planned...but I am really enjoying my days.
Yesterday me, Liz, Jessica, Shalisa, and the kiddos headed to lacey theaters to watch the Clifford movie. (they offer free movies at 10 on tuesdays, and some other days too, but shhhh....don't tell anyone we don't want it to get too popular!) Judah was really interested for a few minutes, then was really squirmy, and finally fell asleep. It was kind of a uneventful first movie for him, I don't think he had any idea what was going on. But, it was nice for me to get to watch a movie in the theater, even if it was Clifford.
Then we headed to The Mason Jar, minus Liz who went with her mom, and had a great lunch. I had a garden sandwich that I really enjoyed, and Judah did great. (meals out don't always go uninterrupted!) Then off to meet Justin at the library so he and Judah could pick out some books to read for the summer reading program. A nap at home for Judah while I got a few thing around the house done and got to lay down for a bit. Then Justin and I headed to our friends James and Julia's house while my mom stayed with Judah. It was a fun evening of REALLY good food and a silly movie. I have no idea what the movie was called or I would tell you more about it. They gave us some cloth diapers that I am very excited to try out.
So, it was a pretty busy day but filled with very enjoyable things. I am having fun taking Judah places and doing fun things with him this summer, but it also makes me look forward to the days when our kids are older and we can do even more fun stuff with them!
Yesterday me, Liz, Jessica, Shalisa, and the kiddos headed to lacey theaters to watch the Clifford movie. (they offer free movies at 10 on tuesdays, and some other days too, but shhhh....don't tell anyone we don't want it to get too popular!) Judah was really interested for a few minutes, then was really squirmy, and finally fell asleep. It was kind of a uneventful first movie for him, I don't think he had any idea what was going on. But, it was nice for me to get to watch a movie in the theater, even if it was Clifford.
Then we headed to The Mason Jar, minus Liz who went with her mom, and had a great lunch. I had a garden sandwich that I really enjoyed, and Judah did great. (meals out don't always go uninterrupted!) Then off to meet Justin at the library so he and Judah could pick out some books to read for the summer reading program. A nap at home for Judah while I got a few thing around the house done and got to lay down for a bit. Then Justin and I headed to our friends James and Julia's house while my mom stayed with Judah. It was a fun evening of REALLY good food and a silly movie. I have no idea what the movie was called or I would tell you more about it. They gave us some cloth diapers that I am very excited to try out.
So, it was a pretty busy day but filled with very enjoyable things. I am having fun taking Judah places and doing fun things with him this summer, but it also makes me look forward to the days when our kids are older and we can do even more fun stuff with them!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
sinning air conditioner
When we moved into this house it had the heaters in the ceiling. Seems silly to me since heat rises. Also I didn't understand how the house didn't burn down. I know Barb used it when she lived here, but I just couldn't bring myself to use it.
Justin's mom/family owns a air conditioning/heating supply company in Hawaii. His mom talked to one of the distributors that had watched Justin grow up, and he gave us a complete top of the line system FOR FREE. Justin's mom worked out some kind of a deal for the labor, and in the end we didn't pay a penny. So let me first say that we are very lucky and blessed to have this system at all. But I am going to complain about it for a minute. :)
We got it installed a few years ago, and everything was great at first. Then I think we had problems with the heat part of it followed by problems with the air conditioning. We are now onto the air conditioning problem again. It doesn't work at all. I would be fine with having a house that gets up to 85 degrees if I knew it was just something we had to deal with. But the fact that our system is completely capable of producing cold air and just doesn't do it makes me really frustrated. So this got me thinking that I wonder if God ever feels this way about us. He gives us specific giftings in our life that he wants us to use to better the body of Christ. And when we don't use it does he look at us with the same frustration that I feel for our air conditioner? I think it is very realistic that he would.
Justin's mom/family owns a air conditioning/heating supply company in Hawaii. His mom talked to one of the distributors that had watched Justin grow up, and he gave us a complete top of the line system FOR FREE. Justin's mom worked out some kind of a deal for the labor, and in the end we didn't pay a penny. So let me first say that we are very lucky and blessed to have this system at all. But I am going to complain about it for a minute. :)
We got it installed a few years ago, and everything was great at first. Then I think we had problems with the heat part of it followed by problems with the air conditioning. We are now onto the air conditioning problem again. It doesn't work at all. I would be fine with having a house that gets up to 85 degrees if I knew it was just something we had to deal with. But the fact that our system is completely capable of producing cold air and just doesn't do it makes me really frustrated. So this got me thinking that I wonder if God ever feels this way about us. He gives us specific giftings in our life that he wants us to use to better the body of Christ. And when we don't use it does he look at us with the same frustration that I feel for our air conditioner? I think it is very realistic that he would.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
judah's newest trick
Tonight I was making dinner while Judah was playing in the t.v. room. He got really quiet, so I decided I had better go check on him. This is how I found him:
...apparently he can climb onto chairs now.
Not sure I am thrilled about this newest trick. :)
...apparently he can climb onto chairs now.
Not sure I am thrilled about this newest trick. :)
Thursday, July 5, 2007
4th of july
Yesterday was a good day. A little hot for my pregnant body...but still a very good day.
We started off the day with a good sleep in. A little after 9 I think. A treat for mom! Then we had some yummy blueberry pancakes. I definitely need to make those more often. Some play time with Judah and then nap time for Judah. Justin went with to get some fireworks and I just relaxed in bed reading and spent some time just laying there. Oh, I do love my bed. :) We spent the afternoon at the Butlers cabin. Judah had some good play time with Landon and Laila... he was quite pleased to see his buddies there!
Then we headed home where Judah took a nap and Justin and I were able to sit on the couch and read together. Let me tell you, that NEVER happens! Then we had some fireworks with Judah. Justin put pictures on his blog. I won't repeat them, you can see them there. I will add this one of Judah holding a sparkler though.
Judah played in the grass for awhile and tried out the sprinkler which he wasn't thrilled about. Meanwhile I inspected my garden. I was pleased to find a bunch of pods on my peas. I am very much looking forward to being able to harvest something.
My vegetables are tiny compared to Shalisa's. Yes, I am extremely jealous of how well her garden is doing! I keep waiting for mine to catch up...it's not even close. Oh, well.
After a dinner and a bath for Judah we all climbed in bed together for some cuddly time. Justin was able to feel the baby kick and I put Judah's hand there with the hopes that he would feel it too. I don't know if he did. After awhile Justin went next store to the Parsons to do some fireworks. Meanwhile Judah and I continued to cuddle in bed and listen to the fireworks outside. While we were cuddling Judah reached down to pull my shirt up and then he rested his hand on my tummy where I had put it on the baby earlier, he then fell asleep this way. I must say this was by far the highlight of my day. :) He is going to be a great big brother.
After Judah was in bed I sat on the front porch and watched some fireworks over the lake. As cheesy as it sounds I did have some thoughts on how grateful I was to live in a free country. With all that is going on in the world I think we often take our country for granted. We gripe about the president or the taxes, but hey at least we don't fear that we will be blown up or kidnapped on our way to the grocery store. I am thankful.
We started off the day with a good sleep in. A little after 9 I think. A treat for mom! Then we had some yummy blueberry pancakes. I definitely need to make those more often. Some play time with Judah and then nap time for Judah. Justin went with to get some fireworks and I just relaxed in bed reading and spent some time just laying there. Oh, I do love my bed. :) We spent the afternoon at the Butlers cabin. Judah had some good play time with Landon and Laila... he was quite pleased to see his buddies there!
Then we headed home where Judah took a nap and Justin and I were able to sit on the couch and read together. Let me tell you, that NEVER happens! Then we had some fireworks with Judah. Justin put pictures on his blog. I won't repeat them, you can see them there. I will add this one of Judah holding a sparkler though.
Judah played in the grass for awhile and tried out the sprinkler which he wasn't thrilled about. Meanwhile I inspected my garden. I was pleased to find a bunch of pods on my peas. I am very much looking forward to being able to harvest something.
My vegetables are tiny compared to Shalisa's. Yes, I am extremely jealous of how well her garden is doing! I keep waiting for mine to catch up...it's not even close. Oh, well.
After a dinner and a bath for Judah we all climbed in bed together for some cuddly time. Justin was able to feel the baby kick and I put Judah's hand there with the hopes that he would feel it too. I don't know if he did. After awhile Justin went next store to the Parsons to do some fireworks. Meanwhile Judah and I continued to cuddle in bed and listen to the fireworks outside. While we were cuddling Judah reached down to pull my shirt up and then he rested his hand on my tummy where I had put it on the baby earlier, he then fell asleep this way. I must say this was by far the highlight of my day. :) He is going to be a great big brother.
After Judah was in bed I sat on the front porch and watched some fireworks over the lake. As cheesy as it sounds I did have some thoughts on how grateful I was to live in a free country. With all that is going on in the world I think we often take our country for granted. We gripe about the president or the taxes, but hey at least we don't fear that we will be blown up or kidnapped on our way to the grocery store. I am thankful.
meeting peoples needs
I thought this article was interesting. I am not going to get into my opinions on the war in Iraq, that may be a post for another time, or not. The thing that I found interesting is this quote:
"I so wish that the Church would wake up to their need. People often ask what they can do to help and the fact is all we need is money to buy food. I do not need any more teddy bears, they are very nice but they provide no help for the children. I do not need any more Bibles, we have more than enough.
"I do not forget my people looking at the Bibles and saying, 'We cannot eat Bibles'. I still need money for food and rent. People need help with their rent and what we can offer is very limited. There are still hundreds of Christians sleeping in the Churches because they have been made to leave their homes. Twenty-seven of our people remain kidnapped; we have no money to get them back, so they will be killed. I have paid all my own money we have no more left, we just hope and trust that God will provide and He does. So things remain awful but our people continue to praise God."
It seems like once again I am struck by the necessity that we as Christians meet the BASIC needs of people. Why do we keep sending these people bibles and teddy bears when they have no food??? But I can see people sitting down at a meeting and deciding what to send to people in Iraq. Of course Christians think of Bibles, which is not bad to give to people, but how open is a person going to be to the gospel if they are starving? I know that the "ultimate gift" as some might say is the gift of salvation. I agree, that is a gift that will last for eternity. BUT (and this is a huge but)I think we need to meet their basic needs on top of that. Or more importantly before that.
I know this has been talked about a lot. It was kinda the theme for beach retreat, and a lot of other times it has come up.
I am not sure how this applies to my own life, maybe I am being a complete hypocrite. As a stay at home mom living in America, where does this fit into my life? Does it mean giving money or food to homeless people? Does it mean supporting children in third world countries? I am honestly not sure where this fits into my own life.
I would love to hear how you are fitting it into your own life.
"I so wish that the Church would wake up to their need. People often ask what they can do to help and the fact is all we need is money to buy food. I do not need any more teddy bears, they are very nice but they provide no help for the children. I do not need any more Bibles, we have more than enough.
"I do not forget my people looking at the Bibles and saying, 'We cannot eat Bibles'. I still need money for food and rent. People need help with their rent and what we can offer is very limited. There are still hundreds of Christians sleeping in the Churches because they have been made to leave their homes. Twenty-seven of our people remain kidnapped; we have no money to get them back, so they will be killed. I have paid all my own money we have no more left, we just hope and trust that God will provide and He does. So things remain awful but our people continue to praise God."
It seems like once again I am struck by the necessity that we as Christians meet the BASIC needs of people. Why do we keep sending these people bibles and teddy bears when they have no food??? But I can see people sitting down at a meeting and deciding what to send to people in Iraq. Of course Christians think of Bibles, which is not bad to give to people, but how open is a person going to be to the gospel if they are starving? I know that the "ultimate gift" as some might say is the gift of salvation. I agree, that is a gift that will last for eternity. BUT (and this is a huge but)I think we need to meet their basic needs on top of that. Or more importantly before that.
I know this has been talked about a lot. It was kinda the theme for beach retreat, and a lot of other times it has come up.
I am not sure how this applies to my own life, maybe I am being a complete hypocrite. As a stay at home mom living in America, where does this fit into my life? Does it mean giving money or food to homeless people? Does it mean supporting children in third world countries? I am honestly not sure where this fits into my own life.
I would love to hear how you are fitting it into your own life.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
polls on blogger
I'm trying out one of bloggers new features, a poll. It is off to the right, above "my favorite blogs". I couldn't come up with anything more creative for a poll, sorry. But I was anxious to try out the new feature. :) I am curious to see what people will vote though!
canning
I(with lots of help from my mom) did some canning on monday and tuesday. We did apricots (from the Olympia Farmers Market) and cherries, bing and rainier (we got the cherries in Chelan). I feel like I accomplished something big every time I look at the jars sitting on the table!
I used coupons!!!
So, I've been trying to learn how to really use coupons. I sometimes will clip a coupon and then buy the item at the grocery store, but I never understood how people got things for like .10 or all their groceries for $15. So I started reading online to figure out how people do it. This is one good site. Some people are super into it. I'm not really sure what they do with all their bargains. I will only get what we will use in the next few months.
Yesterday was my first experience of trying out my new "talent". I got all my coupons that I had clipped from the Sunday paper and pulled out all the ads. I decided that Rite Aid had the best deals on what I wanted, so off I went. This is what I got:
Herbal Essence Shampoo, Herbal Essence mouse, Secret Clinical Deodorant (I don't usually use this, but it worked out to be free), a Venus razor, toothpaste, and 2 Aussie brand conditioners, one leave in and one deep conditioning. So my total before any coupons was $33, after my sunday paper coupons $24 (this is what I paid out of pocket), and after my rebate comes in 2-3 weeks I will have paid $4. I think I did pretty good. Both Herbal Essence items, the toothpaste, and deodorant were all free. The razor was 1.99 and the conditioners were .50 each. I feel good that we will use the things I got, I was tempted by some of the other bargains even though we wouldn't use them.
Sorry if this post was boring to you. :) Just another way I'm trying to be the best wife and mom possible.
Yesterday was my first experience of trying out my new "talent". I got all my coupons that I had clipped from the Sunday paper and pulled out all the ads. I decided that Rite Aid had the best deals on what I wanted, so off I went. This is what I got:
Herbal Essence Shampoo, Herbal Essence mouse, Secret Clinical Deodorant (I don't usually use this, but it worked out to be free), a Venus razor, toothpaste, and 2 Aussie brand conditioners, one leave in and one deep conditioning. So my total before any coupons was $33, after my sunday paper coupons $24 (this is what I paid out of pocket), and after my rebate comes in 2-3 weeks I will have paid $4. I think I did pretty good. Both Herbal Essence items, the toothpaste, and deodorant were all free. The razor was 1.99 and the conditioners were .50 each. I feel good that we will use the things I got, I was tempted by some of the other bargains even though we wouldn't use them.
Sorry if this post was boring to you. :) Just another way I'm trying to be the best wife and mom possible.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Big Boy Judah
Judah peed in his big boy potty again! See Justins blog for more pictures. I am so proud of him.
This is my favorite picture, I can't believe Justin didn't include it in his post!
This is my favorite picture, I can't believe Justin didn't include it in his post!
Lauree has a blog!!!
You all need to check out Lauree's blog.
I am very excited. Very very excited! :)
Here's a picture of her and Judah, just for fun.
I am very excited. Very very excited! :)
Here's a picture of her and Judah, just for fun.
Holden Village Pictures
Here is a picture overload for you to enjoy! :)
Swimming at our motel in Chelan
Judah learned to use a straw! Milkshakes are yummy!
The boat ride to Holden.
Our first hike.
Justin, Judah, and the old mine.
Playing in the grass
Wrestling with dad.
Hanging out as a family.
Ready to go!
Holden Village in the background
Some wildlife. (We also saw a baby bear and a fawn.)
We had a good time. Judah was pretty crabby the whole time. His top teeth broke through, so we think that was part of the problem. We also had problems with the cloth diapers. He leaked through EVERY time, and he also now has a horrible diaper rash. So both of those combined were too much for him. So...it wasn't quite as relaxing as I had hoped, but it was still nice to get away.
The food was wonderful. Mostly vegetarian, with lots of homemade breads and soups. I'm inspired to cook more like that. I also enjoyed the hikes I went on. It is really beautiful there. The pictures don't do it any justice.
The cloth diapering was frustrating. I think it was user error, but I also don't think I really had the right diapers and didn't have good instructions from them on how to use them. I am somewhat discouraged on my cloth diaper experience. But I also know that that was not the way it should be. I haven't given up my thoughts on cloth diapering Judah. I just know I don't want to do it their way.
I think we are all glad to be home. Judah has adjusted right back. I was able to get cherries while we were there and I'm looking forward to canning them.
Thanks for looking at all the pictures! :)
Swimming at our motel in Chelan
Judah learned to use a straw! Milkshakes are yummy!
The boat ride to Holden.
Our first hike.
Justin, Judah, and the old mine.
Playing in the grass
Wrestling with dad.
Hanging out as a family.
Ready to go!
Holden Village in the background
Some wildlife. (We also saw a baby bear and a fawn.)
We had a good time. Judah was pretty crabby the whole time. His top teeth broke through, so we think that was part of the problem. We also had problems with the cloth diapers. He leaked through EVERY time, and he also now has a horrible diaper rash. So both of those combined were too much for him. So...it wasn't quite as relaxing as I had hoped, but it was still nice to get away.
The food was wonderful. Mostly vegetarian, with lots of homemade breads and soups. I'm inspired to cook more like that. I also enjoyed the hikes I went on. It is really beautiful there. The pictures don't do it any justice.
The cloth diapering was frustrating. I think it was user error, but I also don't think I really had the right diapers and didn't have good instructions from them on how to use them. I am somewhat discouraged on my cloth diaper experience. But I also know that that was not the way it should be. I haven't given up my thoughts on cloth diapering Judah. I just know I don't want to do it their way.
I think we are all glad to be home. Judah has adjusted right back. I was able to get cherries while we were there and I'm looking forward to canning them.
Thanks for looking at all the pictures! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)