Candy, candy, and more candy

Trick-or-treating season is officially here and it seems that there are various candy related activities going on all weekend. I love candy and the girls love candy, but let's face it, there can be too much of a good thing. I read recently of one mom who wanted to cut down on the candy eaten, yet allow her kids to enjoy the holiday. I decided to emulate her and so the girls and I put into practice our newest tradition.

First, I had the girls pick out colorful construction paper, wrote their names on it, and allowed them to decorate it.


Second, I taped the paper around a quart-sized canning jar. I instructed them to pick out their favorite candy and put it into their jar. They had a fun time doing this....their favorites definitely aren't my favorites!


After they filled their jars, the remaining candy will leave this house. City-wide trick-or-treating is tonight and the candy rejects will be sitting in a bowl for the neighborhood kids to enjoy. Here the girls proudly show off their jars:


As someone who LOVES sugar, it is kind of painful to let go of all the free candy, but I know that limiting our treats and eating them in moderation is the healthy thing to do. Best of all, my kids have no problems giving away the candy and learn an important lesson sharing.

Raising Homemakers: "Granola Fest"

I wanted to share the fun that the girls and I have been having in the kitchen this afternoon. We made some homemade granola which will be a great snack to have on hand. I am also trying to make ahead some tasty treats to put in Kyleigh's lunches next week. Her school advocates waste free lunches and healthy foods. I thought that some homemade granola would be fun to put in her lunch since desserts are on the 'no food' list.

It has also been my mission this summer to teach my girls more about homemaking, specifically cooking. In the past, I would shoo them out of the kitchen because with their 'help' everything would take longer and be a huge mess. However, they LOVE LOVE LOVE to help me and I've been trying to teach them about all things cooking and food related.

Here are some pictures from our "Granola Fest" today:

Kyleigh helps me add old fashioned oats, sliced almonds, and sweetened coconut.

Macy assists in adding the dried fruits. We just used what we had on hand: golden raisins, pineapple, kiwi, papaya, and cranberries.


The finished product.....yummy!!!


So, what did the little homemakers think of the granola?


FOUR THUMBS UP!!!!

Here is the Kyleigh&Macy-approved granola recipe:

4 c. old fashioned rolled oats
2 c. sweetened shredded coconut
2 c. sliced almonds
1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. honey
4 c. dried fruits (apricots, figs, cherries, cranberries, etc)
1 c. roasted, unsalted cashews

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F. Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are covered. Pour onto a 13x18x1 inch sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns into a nice, even , golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the dried fruits and cashews. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

The Simple Life

The girls and I recently returned home from a long vacation. We went 'home' to the small rural farming community where I grew up. It was a great place to grow up but when I got old enough to be on my own, I left. I grew tired of being so far away from any kind of shopping (you have to drive 40 miles round trip to even get to Walmart!) and knowing that everyone knew my whole life story. My family is there and that is what holds the most sentimental value for me.

I guess that my trip this summer kind of caught me off guard. The things that I always hated about farm life were suddenly kind of fun and adventurous. It was so much fun to see my kids running around outside all day, without fear of traffic, strangers, etc. They would come in at night with dirt-smudged faces, filthy toenails, and stains all over their clothes. My youngest grew fond of being able to just 'drop a squat' in the grass to relieve herself whenever she felt like it. She ran around barefoot all day long. My mom asked her about her missing shoes, to which she replied "Grammy, I'm a hilly billy". The kids got to swim in the pond, help pick vegetables, and play with their cousins.

The girls particularly enjoyed feeding the chickens. We did a lot of canning and dehydrating during my visit and every time our scrap bucket filled up....we would call for one of the girls who would happily take the scraps to the chickens. Those chickens would get so excited to see the girls coming, knowing that special treats were on the way.

Mom and Dad were very generous with sharing the veggies and fruits from the garden. Like I mentioned before, I did a ton of canning...I brought home nearly 80 jars of fruit, vegetables, and jams. Recently, we opened a can of sweet corn and it was so delish! I couldn't believe how sweet the corn was! Even now I look at all the pretty jars lined up and it brings such a satisfaction of knowing all the hard work that went into it. This food will really be enjoyed this winter.

So, I am back home now. It was a great visit and sometimes I really wish that our family could be 'normal' where we could really establish some roots and ties to the community. I really love being so close to everything but wish that I had more space for my kids to run and a huge garden. I just have to remember that my home is where the Army sends us and just maybe someday we will have a permanent home. Until then, I have to be content to savoring each moment of country life when I visit.

Admiring my hubby!!

I'm so sorry that it has been so long since I've written on my blog. I've had a lot going on since my last post: Kelly came home from Afghanistan, my sister and her family came for a visit, my parents stayed with us for a week, throw in both girl's birthdays, along with all the usual summer activities= BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!!

I recently started reading an awesome blog called Women Living Well...it is written by a godly woman and she gave a challenge for everyone to write a list of all the things that they admire about their husbands. She stressed the importance of showing this list to your husband...too many times we may take our husbands for granted or fail to tell them what we love about them.

So, last night I sat down for about 30 minutes and wrote out a long list of things that I admire about my husband of twelve years. These points are in no particular order. I just wrote them out randomly.

~Kelly is very dedicated to me. He has made our marriage a priority in his life and I am very thankful.

~Kelly is a GREAT daddy to our girls. He loves those girls so much. He shows them a lot of love and affection. He is playful, fun, and loves to wrestle with them. Macy, in particular, loves to take off her shirt and tell him "let's w(r)estle!" It also means a lot to me that he has started a tradition of taking our girls out on individual dates. These dates are very anticipated in our house and the smiles on the faces of my girls as they leave with Daddy is priceless.

~Kelly's quiet, steady, and unwavering faith in God is also a trait that I admire in him. It is really important to him that our faith be the center of our family.

~Kelly is really funny. He likes to joke and is a good sport of being the butt of my jokes! He is really fun to be around and he is well liked by everyone who meets him.

~Kelly has a very laid back personality. He always approaches everything in a calm manner and he doesn't get easily upset. He is a perfect balance to my more high strung personality.

~Kelly is a wonderful handyman. He has great mechanical skills and is good with tools, engines, etc. He can do nearly any kind of home improvement project. He and my Dad lovingly gave me a brand new kitchen last summer and they did a great job. He changes the oil in my car, rotates my tires, and other vehicle repairs. I am thankful that he is not opposed to learning new skills or trying to do things himself. His skills have literally saved us THOUSANDS of dollars because he is a 'do it yourself' man.

~Kelly is very loving and affectionate towards me. In all 12 years of marriage, he has shown his love for me on a regular basis. He gives good hugs and is fun to snuggle!!

~Kelly is willing to help out with the girls. When he is home, he gives the girls their baths every night. He is also willing to help with housework if I've been busy and need the extra help. His willingness to be an active father is a big blessing to me. He is very hands on with our girls and gives me a much needed break.

~Kelly selflessly sacrifices to serve his country. He has willingly given up a lot of time away from our family. He has missed countless birthday, anniversaries, many 'first' moments, and even Macy's birth. I'm proud of his service and am thankful that he is obedient to God's call on his life.

~Kelly is a good provider. His wages and benefits provide us with a comfortable life and helped us to become debt free nearly 7 years ago. He has been a partner in making good financial decisions which will ensure that our family is provided for in the future.

~Kelly is a hard worker. He does everything with excellence, even those 'other duties as assigned" jobs that the Army gives to him. His evaluations at work are always extremely positive and it makes me proud.

~Kelly makes good decisions. When he struggles with a decision, he always asks for my advice or seeks the council of godly mentors. He sees my thoughts as important, which means a lot to me.

~Kelly is a good cook. He is a natural cook in the kitchen, unlike me! He doesn't need a recipe....just throws in the ingredients and it always tastes good.

~Kelly is very reliable and dependable. He always does what he says he will do....this is a trait lacking in the world. I appreciate that Kelly is a man of integrity.

~Kelly is very patient. He rarely gets angry with me or the girls. He is very level headed.

~Kelly is very trustworthy. I have complete trust in him. I have no fear that he would ever leave me or cheat on me. Even though we have literally spent years apart if you add up all the deployments, trust has NEVER been an issue.

~Kelly loves me unconditionally. He also lets others know of his love for me. It pleases me that I will hear from other people that he speaks highly of me at work, with friends, etc.

I am so blessed and thankful that God brought Kelly to my life.
Amy

My deadly sin

I woke up at 4am on Sunday and could not go back to sleep. I tossed and turned in bed and after nearly an hour, I decided to get up. I began to do my devotions and really felt God speaking to me about something that I have struggled with for a long time. It is one of those hidden sins that most people struggle with but never admit to. It is a subject that is rarely mentioned in Christian circles, but gluttony is mentioned as being one of the deadly sins.

St. Thomas Aquinas described gluttony as: eating too soon, eating too expensively, eating too much, eating too eagerly, eating too daintily, and eating wildly. I think that all of us could say that we fit this description on a regular basis.

My personal struggle is eating too much sugar.....I just can't get enough of it. It is especially hard for me to be self controlled at night. I'm usually really tired after a busy day, just wrestled the kids to bed, and am wanting something to satisfy the palate. I end up consuming and consuming. I've felt an inner struggle about my lack of control for a long time. I attempted on my own to free myself of this struggle and I failed time after time. It was finally on an early Sunday morning that I began to study God's word, research the topics online, and realized that I had failed to include God as a solution to my problem. I won't ever see success until I give this struggle to him.

I found a great resource online that gave steps for overcoming gluttony. I failed to write down the source and can't give the author credit, but I printed this out and have it posted on my refrigerator. I plan to read through it every day as needed to help remind myself of what I need to do to overcome my problem. Just because someone is at a healthy weight, it does not mean that they don't struggle with some type of overeating.

Here are some helps to overcoming weight problems which usually come about through lack of knowledge or lack of discipline or lust for food:

(1). First, repent for yielding to the temptation of lust for food.
(Phil 3:19, "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.)

(2). Then, submit to God and ask Him for the power to overcome gluttony through His Holy Spirit and resist the devil through prayer and obedience to God.
(James 4:7, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you".)

(3.) Next, ask for God's plan for your weight loss. Allow Him to lead you as to what He wants you to do. He knows your body and He will direct you as to how you are to eat. Ask for a desire for healthy foods and ask Him to remove your cravings for unhealthy foods.
(1 John 5:14-15, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him".)

(4.) Daily, thank God for setting you free and do not allow the devil to discourage you by his condemning whispers to your mind. Sometimes the Lord does a quick work at other times it may be slower. Don't be discouraged even if at times it seems slow or you fail occasionally.. Remember, this came "little by little" and it is sometimes more healthy to lose it "little by little" (Losing as little as 2 lbs. a month amounts to 24 lbs. in a year). In the process you will be developing new habits and disciplines that will eventually become established eating patterns.
(Romans 8:1-4, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering . And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit".)

(5.) Add fasting periodically as the Lord leads. Even fasting one meal or one day a week will help in disciplining your body to be subject to your spirit man.
(Matthew 6:17-18, "But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you.".)

1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body!".

I am learning that I can honor God by enjoying ALL foods, but eating them in appropriate quantities. God calls us to control our appetites, rather than allowing them to control us. "Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand". Philippians 4:5

What about you? Do you struggle with this? Do you feel convicted to make a change?

Ode to my Grandparents

The girls and I recently had a week long visit from my Grandparents. They live in northern Michigan and head to Texas every winter. They decided to take a 'not-so-short' short cut to Savannah on their way back home to Michigan. This is the second year in a row that they made the trip and it was such a blessing to see them!

My sisters and I had the privilege of growing up close to our grandparents. Grandma Jones lived next door and we were always welcome to walk down to her house. She always had jelly beans or brownie mixes waiting for us! My other set of Grandparents....Papa and Grandma Ginnie lived just a few miles away and we spent a lot of time at their house too! They always made the holidays so special for us and I have so many great memories of all the hours spent in their house on Vesta Road.

One of the hardest parts about living so far away from family is that my girls don't get to know their extended family....this is why it means so much when we have visitors! The girls LOVED spending time with their Great Papa and Great Grandma and Kyleigh shed many tears when it was time for them to go!

They blessed me in so many ways over the week that they were here...they helped with yard work, home maintenance, babysitting, and provided lots of good company. Their generous help was yet another way that I felt God's love to me as I struggle to maintain my house and family while my husband is away.

The Seven Principles of the Proverbs 31 Woman

The Proverbs 31 Woman...

*Pursues an ongoing, personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

*Loves, honors, and greatly enriches the life of her husband, encouraging and supporting his leadership within his family and his church.

*Nurtures the next generation, shaping and molding the children who will one day define who we are as a community and as a nation.

*Creates a warm and loving environment for family and friends.

*Is a faithful steward of the time and money God has entrusted to her.

*Speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction as she encourages others and develops godly friendships.

*Shares the love of Christ by extending her hands to help the poor and opening her arms to the needy.

Proverbs 31 is one of my favorite passages from the Bible. Becoming a mom, especially a stay-at-home mom, has been life altering. Growing up I never wanted to be a mom and definitely did not want to end up being a stay-at-home mom. However, God changed my heart and has now given me insight into how important my daily job is. I am not receiving a paycheck every two weeks, but am still receiving rewards! These seven principles listed above explain exactly what I am striving for in my life. I am right on target with some of them, and others I need to buckle down and work at more. The world would tell me that what I am doing is insignificant, but nothing could be further from the truth.