This idea has been rolling around the blogsphere. A list of DO’s and DON’Ts of our family. It’s so easy to compare ourselves to other friends, mama’s, wives, families. It’s also easy to focus on things I DON’T do. But like my friend Julie said there are a lot of things I do DO. What works for your family may not work for mine and vice versa. One thing that is true, we all are trying to figure out what is best for our own family. And also for me where God is leading me as a woman of God, wife and mom. So here we are.

I do…

• have music playing almost all day long and it’s not always Christian music. Yes, my kids know who Justin Bieber is and we often have dance parties dancing away to JB.
• give my kids band aids whenever they think they “need” it. We go through countless band aids.
• menu planning but don’t like to do it. It’s only because it’s a necessity.
• let my kids mix as many cereals as they want at breakfast. The more the merrier.
• go to bed often with a pile of clean clothes on the floor that need to be folded.
• clean our house on Fridays.
• work out most days.
• make muffins, pancakes, waffles and cookies from scratch quite often. I like to bake.
• read to my kids often.
• enjoy doing crafts with the kids.
• make a BIG deal out of birthdays.
• let our kids watch TV during breakfast.
• make our kids do morning chores with no allowance or reward. It’s part of being in our family.
• pray with our kids every night.

I don’t…

• make dinner on Fridays. It’s always dinner out.
• change our sheets nearly as often as I should.
• wash my girls hair nearly as often as it needs to be.
• go to bed with a dirty kitchen.
• shower soon after work outs and quite often run errands or whatever smelling pretty funky.
• iron. Only if needed.
• scrapbook or get many pictures developed. It’s all on the computer and my phone.
• get intimidated by household projects.
• feed my kids veggies every day.
• buy very much organic food.
• give my kids vitamins.
• go shopping. If I do, it’s to Hobby Lobby or Jo Ann Fabrics.
• homeschool.

As I get older I’m learning new things about myself. I guess that is a good thing, right? I’m learning that I’m more of an introvert than I thought or more than I wanted to admit before. My husband always told me I was but I wanted to be the fun, extrovert. Life of the party. Maybe I am in the right crowd. But what energizes me more and more is time by myself. Time to think, to process, to dream, to create.

Time to just be me.

Sigh.

It feels good.

2. I did this little project over the weekend with the help of my mom. There used to be a janky, folding door that went into our bathroom. One of the kids dismantled it. I wasn’t too sad because it was ugly to begin with it. Instead of putting the ugly door back up I made a curtain with material I had on hand. I like the way it looks. The only downside is that there isn’t much ventilation. So our bathroom turns into a sauna. I just want to say thank you children for ripping our ugly door off. You motivated me to do something cuter. Again, a win!

3. My brother and sister-in-law and their 3 kids are coming to visit this weekend. I absolutely LOVE when the kids get to spend time with their cousins. It’s wild, crazy, very loud and fun. I hope these early memories of hanging out with each other will be fondly remembered someday when we they are teenagers and when it will be different kind of wild, crazy fun!

4. I am finally finally FINALLY getting started on the quilts for the girls future bunk beds. I bought the fabric this summer and it has just been sitting in my closet waiting patiently for me to find the motivation to do something with it. Well the time was come. I washed and ironed it. Last night a friend who has more experience than me (I have none, so really anyone who has done anything is helpful) came over to help me lay it all out and come up with a pattern. I’m going to do a block quilt of some sort with all kinds of fun fabrics. I love fabric too much to land on just a few so I went with ALOT and I love them all!  I started cutting blocks last night. I stayed up way too late cutting and even had a dream about cutting fabric. When I get going on something I have a tendency to go a little extreme. Anyways, stay tuned…and be patient!

5. And I just can’t get enough of this picture. So I will share it with you all. Oh, I just love them! Now it’s time for me and these girls to go grocery shopping. We have NO food in this house. Menu planning and grocery shopping are not high on my list of things I love to do but we all like to eat around here. So a mom’s gotta do, what a mom’s gotta do. With suckers in hand for my “helpers” off we go!

So I’m filling up on two things that really never fail me.

The Word and coffee.

A to the Men.

Happy Thursday.

Seeds Family Worship has just released a new album out all about Purity. You can check it out here as well as purchase a CD of your own. Along with the CD there is a pledge for parents to take. The pledge helps us all take a look at how purity in our children starts with purity throughout our homes. Every person who takes the pledge receives a free song from Purity and a free devotional download from the Passport2Purity curriculum by FamilyLife.

Take the pledge!

This is something we are going to do in our home and I would encourage you and your family to do the same! Click on the link above on for more info about the purity pledge and how to get your free download from the new album.

I am so thankful for where God has brought us in one year. He has poured out his love for us in countless ways looking back. Today was the perfect way to celebrate our one year housing anniversary. He has helped us make a new home, make friends and share his love with others. Last night we celebrated Brian’s birthday. We sat around a table with two other couples who we didn’t know last year at this time but now have become great friends. They are a part of our lives and we do life with them. Once again, his love is lavished upon us. He has answered prayers through and through. He has met us every step of the way. We are loved.

Happy Valentines Day to you. May you feel His love for you today and always and share it with others!

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

• my new running shoes-Nike Lunar Swift 3
• Blue Bottle coffee that my husband makes for us each morning. So amazing.
• abnormal warm weather
• planning for a neighborhood Valentines Day party with a new neighbor friend
• seeing God work in huge ways through my friend Jenni and Scarf with a Heart
• 3 close friends who are to deliver babies anyday!
• 2 special girls who have become close friends and daily encouragers and prayer warriors for me and my family all because of Twitter and Hellomornings
• These really cool Star Wars Valentines I found here for Mase. So easy print off, cut, back with cute paper and insert a glow stick for a light saber. I found the glow sticks in the Dollor Bins at Target.
• Lots of visitors coming and going starting this weekend through the end of the month! Yay! I love having people visit and sharing our home and life with others.

And that will be it for the week. I am off to a Keynote women’s retreat, the ministry we are on staff with. Have a great rest of the week!

2. My mother-in-law sent us a little care package this week. I just love when she does this! She is an amazing finder at thrift stores. Always finding little treasures and I often benefit. One of her latest finds was a bundle of super cute fabric scraps for $1! Yep, $1! Oh, she knows me so well. I don’t know what I am going to do yet, but I am motivated to start a new project quick with some of these amazing fabrics! So here is a shout out to the best mother-in-law…thanks for thinking of me and sending me some love!

3. We had one of our new faves for dinner last night. It’s rather healthy, makes a lot  and is super easy to make. And oh yeah, it is gooood! Just dump a can of black beans, can of Rotel, can of corn, a whole thing of cream cheese and then a bag of frozen chicken tenderloins on top (or several chicken breast).  And I add some taco seasoning to it as well. Cook on low for 6-8 hours in your crockpot. We’ve had it served over rice, in burritos or just dip chips in it. You’ll have plenty for leftovers so you can try it several ways. Here’s the link for more details. Creamy chicken goodness in a crockpot (I came up with that name myself. Pretty clever, huh?)

4. We are going over to our friends house for the Superbowl and I am waaaay excited. Definitely more excited about making and eating fun food than the game itself but whatever. I’ll catch bits of  the game as I am sampling all the yumminess. Here is one thing I think I am going to bring. Peanutbutter cheese ball. You had me at the name. You had me at the name. Can’t wait to try this!

Source: bunsinmyoven.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

5. My friend and I are co-hosting a neighborhood Valentine’s Day party. I’m really excited to get to know our neighbors more and enjoy some games and fun treats together. I think I will be making these and playing this game!

Source: sixsistersstuff.com via Kimberlee on Pinterest

 

Source: stacyjulian.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Isn’t it?

We love because he loved us first! 1 John 4:19