Money Savers....

Since deciding that I was going to leave the daycare buisness and start working on the farm, J and I discussed some ways that we could save money.

One way of saving is by baking everything! So with a great purchase off Ebay for a Kitchenaid mixer, why wait until I am working on the farm to save money?!? I bake on Mondays (this will be my third week) cookies, cakes, bread, rolls and muffins are usually on the agenda. Bread I must say will save us the most money and it was a good time to switch before the kids decide that store-bought bread is their favorite. A new thing that I am going to try this week is butter, I'll let you know how that goes :)

Another way is by doing weekly meal plans. This is already saving us lots of money by getting only the groceries that we need and by using what we already have. It makes the desire to go out less tempting too when there is plan in place, expecially on Sundays after church. Also, it forces me to try some new recipes(which is great) and to eat healthier (also great) AND the kids LOVE this too. Lily espcially where she can read the menu, I don't hear as many groans when it's meal time becuase she already knows a head of time what she is going to be having. I saw this idea on my friend Gina's blog (Sorry Gina I don't know how to add a link to you) Anyway her blog is called A Mommy Montage, (hopefully that link works...) Check her out, she has lots of fab stuff to say, she is very inspirational to me as a mom, and I have learned so much!

What are some ways that you save money? What are your favorite recipes (I am always looking for new recipes)

They say another snow day is on the way... I'll admit, I LOVE snow days! And a snow day filled with baking would be wonderful! So my fingers are crossed for one. Drive safe to any of you who are driving tomorrow!

To be a princess....

Around the same time last year, every Sunday morning on our way to church Savannah would ask if we were going to the "Castle". Joel and I would often look at each other, shrug our shoulders and say, "No we are going to church". It wasn't until the summer, after multiple trips to the church in a week to help my cousin prepare for her wedding did I realize what Savannah was talking about. We pulled in, like I said after spending LOTS of time there, and Savannah got very upset and said, "Oh Mommy I don't wanna go to the castle again!" Well after not having a clue what she was talking about before, I started to laugh. (Which only made her more upset) She got over it, and endured yet another trip. Now when she asks if we are going to the "Castle" I say yes. I can't tell you why she thinks that is what it is called, or where she got the idea from, but I can tell you that I love it!

Can you imagine, if on Sunday mornings, as you were getting ready for church that you were preparing to go to a Castle? Do you think your attitude would be different? Would you be more excited? Would you be less tempted to miss a week? Would you tell more people about it?

Can you imagine being royal yourself? To be a princess? Well, you're in luck! 1 Peter 2:9-10 says "For you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 'Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once ou recieved no mercy; now you have received God's Mercy.'"

This week, are you gonna go to the "Castle"? After all, that is the place we go to meet our King!

Princess Savannah

Full Circle...

Some of you may (or may not) know that that for the past four years, I have been looking after kids in my home. And unless you have done it, you really don't have any idea what all that means or looks like. Like any job (key word job), it has it's ups and downs and is very rewarding watching kids grow, learn and develop. But (the big "but") the time has come and change is near. I have a little less then two more weeks left with my daycare. So now what? Well, it may be hard for some to believe but I am going to be working on the farm. I call it the full circle desicion. Let me tell you why.

By working on the farm: I get to just have my own kids. In many ways I have failed them as a mom, spending so much time and energy on other kids, that sometimes by the end of the day I am just too tired to give them the attention that they want and need. This way I will be able to be with them all day (like I always said I would) and be teaching them different stuff on the farm and the lifestyle that goes with that.
By working on the farm: I get to see my hubby more :)
By working on the farm: We will save money on hired help for those weekends when my in-laws go away. And there will be another person that will know how to get chores and milking done if it is needed in busy seasons/emergency.
By working on the farm: I will be saving J and his dad some time so that they will be able to get home a little early (we'll see if that works) or at the very least allowing them more time to get stuff accomplished.
By working on the farm: J and I will have even more things in common.
By working on the farm: I am working to help with the total operation and production of the farm, which leads to profit for the farm and our family.

I think I could go on and on and on, but I will spare you the details of it all... I am really excited and nervous like you would be for any new job. But I am looking forward to this change. I always get excited learning about the cows and milk and classification and breeding, but never seemed to have the right balance of time to fit it in with everything else, and now I will.

So what do my kids think? To be honest, I thought they would be upset. They only know what it is like to have extra kids here through the week and have always enjoyed it. I think it will be great for Savannah, she LOVES the barn and Isabella is young enough she still just goes with the flow :) It was mostly Lily I was worried about. She loves the little friendships she has made with these kids. But when I told her, she jumped off her chair and screamed "YAHOO!!" And now, she is counting down the days. A full circle decision... :)

I can't wait for this new chapter for me and my family! God is taking care of us, and it is so clear to see that and man am I thankful!

Everyday Valentine

I didn't do anything extra special on Valentine's day. There were no flowers or chocolates. No big night on the town or diamonds. But I did spend it with my Valentine, and what I love the most about our Valentine date, was that is was like most of the evenings we share together. We made supper together, which is common and enjoyed it as we watched a movie. Not a special movie either, just one we picked out of our own collection.

I am not against chocolate, flowers or diamonds by any stretch of the imagination, but I got to spend "Love" day with the man I love. And I love the fact that our way we celebrated was pretty much the same as any other day. When you think about it that way, it's like we have Valentines every day :) I'll admit, there have been years past where I was disappointed when no flowers were given, or even a card. This year has been different, and I am glad. I have what a lot of people don't, and I should be grateful for that and not always want more.

We did continue a tradition that we have had since our first Valentine's together which is trying a new recipe.
This is what we made, TOBLERONE-Topped Caramel Cheesecake recipe at Kraftcanada.com  and it turned out great! We also had homemade Donair Pizza and Garlic fingers. It wasn't exactly a low-cal dinner, but it was great!


Here are some things that I love about my guy:

• He tells me I am beautiful at least once a day. (whether I am in sweats or jeans, make-up or no make-up)
• He is my great encourager both as a mom and other things that I work at.
• He will eat everything I make. This is kinda funny but true. And sometimes the things I try don't even taste that great, but he will still eat it until it's gone. (I think he does this so I won't stop making and trying new things.)
• He texts me just to tell me he loves.
• I love watching him with our girls and how he encourages and loves them! It's magical to watch!
• He's hard working and loves his job.
• He kills spiders! (this is HUGE)
• He cooks for me if I am out and we will eat later, together.
• He laughs at my jokes.
• He is smart. About everything. Which often just makes me wanna throw-up. (sometimes this is irritating, but even then I admire the information that man can contain!)
• Most of all, he knows me. He knows what makes me laugh and cry, what makes me angry and sad. He knows that our kids and how we raise them is something I am always thinking about and am trying to do better. He knows I am not perfect, yet he loves me anyway.

J is my everyday Valentine! And the love I have for him is beyond words....

When I grow up...

You know when you are little and you play "pretend" and you are a doctor, or a fire fighter, a mom, a dancer, or a princess, a teacher, and the list can just go on and on and on. Then you get older and people start asking what you are going to do when you are done school, and the choices are as many as when you used to play "pretend". The funny thing is though, we think whatever it is we do after school is what we are going to do for the rest of our lives. Do you know what I mean? How dumb is that? I must admit that I am just really starting to realize this, that in any moment certain circumstances can change your whole way of living, your whole way of thinking, and the whole reason we work at all. I am not sure if any of us ever have the perfect job, work with the perfect people, and make the perfect income, having a perfect time, day after day. (If you do, I don't believe you, haha!) I do know that everything that does happen, and everything that does change and the jobs that we do have throughout our life all happen for our own good, and for the greater good that God has planned for each of us.

This week, I have tucked a little token in my heart " Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God" 1 Corintians 10:31.  I am glad that He has a plan, and He knows exactly what I am going to be when I grow up....Whenever that is :)

Choose life....

I have been very hesitant about starting a blog, I am not sure really why. Maybe because I feel like I have nothing of great importance to share, or if I should take the time to share at all. But I have decided to toss those feelings aside, and give it a try. :) Why not?

I am a youth leader at my church, (my most favorite thing EVER!) and last night we had a great meeting. Another leader had prepared a lesson, and at the last moment, felt God telling her that she should go a different route (my most favorite types of devotions) All I can say is wow. The topic was suicide. How people truly feel like death is the only answer to their pain and suffering. I'll admit, I often don't understand this struggle that many people have, and I count my blessings that I don't struggle with the question whether to live or die. The scripture that we found to share with the kids is found in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

The thief, the enemy, is here for us. Aren't you glad that there is someone stronger then him? Someone who loves us? Someone who gave His life, so we could choose to live?  I sure am.

In these cold winter days (definately NOT my most favorite season) many people find themselves feeling blue, and the enemy is quickly there whispering lies in all our ears. Remember that Jesus came to give us life, and so that we could have it to the full...even in the freezing cold winter.

(kinda deep for a first post....this will lighten it a bit, the kids are watching cartoons, or so I thought. Savannah just came to me in tears. She has a comb stuck in her hair... Life with girls is never dull :) )

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6