Garden Helpers

Last Saturday I decided to weed the garden.  It was so hot outside, but it needed to be done in order to put the newspaper and straw down this week.

Weeding the garden is definitely not high on my list of fun things to do.  Weeding the garden by myself is even lower on my list.  Thankfully, I had some garden helpers.

I was thrilled to have access to a backhoe and dump truck during the weeding process.  Normally, it would be pretty expensive to have such good men on the job.  Lucky for me they were willing to do the work pro bono.

This guy was an excellent helper and rarely took a break from his work.  The only payment he required was the occasional cup of water mixed with some positive reinforcement.

Speaking of water, this hard worker made sure that all of us were well hydrated.  I loved her idea of using our little red wagon to move the water closer to where I was working.  She even got me a lawn chair when her father said I needed to sit down because my face was as red as my pants.

Yes, gardening is definitely more fun when I have help.

I am linking this post to Finer Things Friday at The Finer Things in Life because spending time with my children in the garden, or anywhere, truly is a finer thing.

Garden Helpers

Homemade Teacher Gifts and Circus Party Ideas

Yesterday was the last day of school for my older two children and I am so glad.  I am looking forward to a fun summer.

I always like to give their teachers a small gift at the end of the year and found several great ideas online.  I gave the kids some choices and here is what they gave their teachers yesterday.

I originally saw this idea at The Idea Room.  They used a disposable water bottle, but I chose to buy reusable water bottles.  They were only $1.50 each which made them very affordable.  Plus, we liked the bright colors.

To make the tags I cut a piece of yellow construction paper into thirds, so that I had 3 pieces of paper that were 4 inches x 12 inches.  About 1/2 inch from the top I made a hole in the middle.  I printed out the pockets I made and attached them on the sides and bottom to the yellow paper using glue tape. (You can download and print the tags I made by clicking the link below.)  My kids signed the tags and then we inserted two lemonade drink packets in the pocket.  I unscrewed the lid (remember these were empty bottles) and put the hole in the tag over the opening and screwed the lid back on.Teacher Water Bottle Tag

I also bought some bottles of hand sanitizer for each teacher.  I saw the idea for this at The Idea Room and thought they would be practical yet meaningful.  The instructions said to print the labels on transparency film and insert them into the bottle.  I didn't have any transparency film, so I just printed the sayings on regular copy paper.  I opened the file found here, added a text box in Word, and put each teacher's name in it.  Then I printed them, cut them and glued them to the bottle. (I first peeled the label off of the front of the bottle.)  I added a ribbon and that was it.

Yesterday I also helped with my son's end of the year class party.  It was a circus/carnival theme.  I thought that the little boxes of animal crackers that are circus themed would have been so cute as a treat.  However, at $1 each I simply couldn't afford to spend $35 in cookies.

So, I decided to buy 2 large bags of animal crackers and divide them into snack sized baggies.  I then made a bag topper and attached one to each bag using staples.  (You may download and print the bag topper by clicking the link below.)  I maybe spent $5 to make 40 bags of animal crackers.  A much better price for this frugal old mom.  :-)
Circus Bag Topper
Sometimes I have to watch what I say because I never know what will come of it.  You see, when I was talking last week with the mom who was in charge of the party she asked for some ideas.  I said it would be neat to have someone make balloon animals or to let the kids try to make their own.  She suggested I get some balloons and see what I could figure out.

Well, I found a book at the library called Balloon Sculpting and figured out a few things. 

I figured out how to make a dog, a giraffe...

...and swords.  I also learned how to make balloon hats.  Because of time constraints and the fact that there were 35 first graders meant that I only had time to make hats for each child during the party.  I didn't even get a picture because I was blowing up balloons and turning them into hats at a frenzied pace.  The thing that saved me was a balloon pump I purchased when I bought the balloons. 

If I were to do this again I would have blown up all of the balloons (and a bunch of extras) ahead of time so that the children could have tried to make their own.  However, it was fun and the kids seemed to like their balloon hats.

Side note:  While the balloons pictured may look like I knew what I was doing, don't call me to do any parties anytime soon.  ;-)

I am linking this post to:
Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple
Favorite Things Friday at A Few of My Favorite Things 

A special thank you to The Queen of Free for linking this post to her blog!

Homemade Teacher Gifts and Circus Party Ideas

Excuses

I have used many excuses over the years as to why things get messy, cluttered, or out of control in our home. 

If you are like me, when you let things gradually build up they eventually become mountains that you feel like you will never be able to climb, especially when it comes to housekeeping.  It is easy to get to that point. You see the work that you need to do and it is just so overwhelming you end up doing nothing that you need to do.  That is when the excuses start.

Have you ever used any of these excuses or some that are similar?

I could do a better job of keeping up with the housework...
...if we had a bigger/nicer house.
...if we had a dishwasher.
...if it was summer break and I had more time.
...if I wasn't pregnant.
...if the baby was older and didn't require so much attention.
...if I weren't working full-time.
...if I didn't have a home-based business.
...if my husband helped more.
...if I had no hobbies.

I have thought or said all of those excuses in my life.  Also, when people come over I have often said the phrase, "Excuse the mess." 

Excuses can often seem like good reasons why you aren't able to keep up with the housework, but in reality there is only one reason that exists for most of us.

It is a lack of self-discipline. 

Self-discipline refers to the training that one gives one's self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behavior, even though one would really rather be doing something else.--Wikipedia

I have to discipline myself each time the house gets messy and get to work. There is no perfect way to get things in order. There is no online plan that will work. There is nothing anyone can say that will help.  I have to want to do it and then figure out a plan that will work for me.

Things that have worked for me are setting a timer for 15 minutes while working on a specific task, taking a break, and then starting again.  I make a lot of lists and love crossing completed tasks off of them.  I have also been working hard to get rid of things we don't love or use frequently because I can't organize clutter, no matter how hard I try. 

I remember a sign that hung in my kitchen when I was a girl.  My dad got it for my mom when she was getting her master's degree and was so busy.  The sign said, "Dull women have clean houses."

It is only recently that I have come to realize that sign shouldn't be my mantra.  My sign should read, "Stop making excuses."  Creative women can have clean houses, too.

I want to stop making excuses.  How about you?

Excuses

Menu Plan for the Week of May 23rd.

This weekend was the first time in several weeks that we haven't done a baking day.  We worked a lot in the garden on Saturday pulling weeds.  It was so hot out that by the time we were done with all of our outside activities I was in no mood for baking. 

It was no problem though because I still had 2 loaves of whole wheat bread, a batch of whole wheat cinnamon rolls and a pizza in the freezer.  Yay, for making more than we needed at one time and freezing the rest!

I did want to share with you the link to the whole wheat hamburger buns we made last week.  They were a huge success with my husband and children (except Joshua who has allergies).  I would definitely recommend trying the recipe from Heavenly Homemakers.  They will be a staple around here I am sure.

Here is our menu plan for the week.

Supper

Sunday-Leftovers

Monday-Ham, Salad, Baked Potatoes, Fruit Cocktail

Tuesday-Pizza, Carrot & Celery Sticks, Pears

Wednesday-Baked Fish, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Peaches

Thursday-Grilled Chicken Breasts, Grilled Potato Packets (Potatoes, Carrots & Onions in Foil Packets), Sliced Apples

Friday-Zucchini Casserole, Corn, Peaches

Saturday-Smoked Sausage, Fried Potatoes & Onions, Strawberries, Broccoli

I am linking this post to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie. 

Menu Plan for the Week of May 23rd.

Eye of the Beholder

The countryside is covered with these yellow blooms right now.  They remind me of a time many years ago when my grandma came for a visit.

She had driven past many fields that were full of these yellow flowers.  She described the fields as being beautiful and wondered what they were.  My dad told her that they were weeds and that the farmers didn't want them in their fields.  This surprised her because she thought they must have been put there for a reason.

When we were driving to church last Sunday I saw a field that was so full of these yellow weeds that it looked like a sea of sunshine.  It was truly beautiful to behold.  It made me remember the story of my grandma.  It was then that I realized those weeds were put there for a reason. 

There are so many things in this world just like those yellow weeds.  To one person they are beautiful, to another they are a nuisance.

Our honeysuckle is blooming and smells heavenly.  My brother and his wife have some honeysuckle growing in their backyard as well, but it is taking over the side of their garage.  It has become a nuisance and they are going to remove it.  It is funny how perception and location have made us have different opinions of this plant, just like the yellow weeds.

When this little guy (who is sitting beside me right now taking my pots and pans out of the cabinet) gets into things or cries because he's not getting his way, he could be considered a nuisance.  Yet, I know he is learning, and he is beautiful to me.  However, there are many children in this world who suffer from abuse because the adults in their lives fail to see their beauty.

How about these three who sometimes fight and argue and wrestle around?  They are beautiful to me, too.

Maybe that old phrase "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is more accurate than I ever realized.  I want to see the beauty in the people I encounter and circumstances I face every day.  I know it is much easier to see the flaws in others or the negatives about our circumstances.  I pray God will help me to look for the beauty instead.

I am linking this post to Finer Things Friday at The Finer Things in Life.

Eye of the Beholder

Using Decals for Frugal Decorating

Are drawer pulls that match your decor a necessity?  No.  

Are they fun to have?  Sure. 

Do you have to pay a lot of money to get some?  Not at all.

I decorated this porcelain drawer pull for my daughter's dresser a few years ago.  (actually I made a bunch)  I purchased some ready made water-slide decals and plain porcelain knobs off of Ebay.  (I purchased 50 porcelain knobs for 59 cents each which included shipping.)  I applied the decals to the knobs and then sprayed them with a sealant.  That was it.  Easy and frugal.

When I couldn't find decals that I liked for my boys' dressers I decided to go a slightly different route.

I purchased some clear water-slide decal paper and made my own decals.  To make some sports themed decals for my oldest son I scanned in his curtain fabric and then used Word to make them the correct size to fit on the knob.

Here are the steps I used to make the decals.

1. I printed the decals according to the package instructions.
2. Then, I cut around my design.
3. Next, I put the decals in water for the specified length of time.
4. I then adhered them to the knobs and let them dry.
5. Finally, I sprayed them with a clear sealant. 

For my youngest son's room I found some images online that matched the $1 roll of wallpaper border I found at a yard sale.  (Gotta love yard sales and thrift stores for frugal decorating.)  I used the images to make his drawer pulls and to decorate this dollar store lamp following the steps above.  (I even purchased a used sheet to make curtains and to cover the lamp shade.)

Decorating doesn't have to be expensive.  With a little time and the right supplies you too can do some frugal decorating with water-slide decals.

I am linking this post to:
Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple
Friday Fun Finds at KoJo Designs
Favorite Things Friday at A Few of My Favorite Things

Using Decals for Frugal Decorating

Cook Once, Eat Twice

This isn't a new concept, but it is truly a time saving one.  I enjoy cooking and I try to make nutritious meals for my family.  However, there are times when I just don't feel like cooking a huge meal from scratch.  Here is where the cook once, eat twice concept comes in handy.

For example, my children and I made pizza on Saturday night.  We ate one pizza and made one to put in our freezer for later.  Whenever I make meatloaf, I make one to eat and one to freeze.  We always brown up several pounds of burger and freeze in 2 cup portions for quick meals like tacos or spaghetti.  Get the idea? 

When you are cooking, go ahead and make extra to freeze.  You will be glad you did on busy nights, or when you just aren't feeling up to making dinner.  Plus, you will avoid the fast food and junk food trap. 

Do any of you use this method?  I would love to hear from you.

I am linking this post to Works for Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family.

Cook Once, Eat Twice

Created to Be His Help Meet: Chapters 22-24

When I decided to go back through Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl and make note of important phrases and scripture, I didn't think about how big of an undertaking it would be.  Yet, I am glad I did it.

This book was definitely an eye-opening, "in your face" way to look at the role of being a wife/help meet.  I think every woman could benefit from reading it, but I am not sure that every woman is ready to read it.  Does that make sense? 

Reading this book has made me really look at the kind of wife I am.  It has also made me look more closely at scripture that pertains to being a wife.  I used to think I was doing a pretty good job, but now I realize that I have a long way to go.  Reading this book has also helped me better appreciate how wonderful my husband truly is.

One thing I have also realized from reading this book is that I am getting to the point where I am not such a young wife anymore.  I want to make sure that I have a good understanding of what my role as help meet is so that I can teach my daughter.  While I want her to be a "good little girl", I also want to make sure that I am preparing her for the role of wife and mother.  I pray that God will guide me and grant me wisdom for the task ahead.

If you want to read my posts on the first 21 chapters of this book you can check out the links below.

Chapters 1 & 2
Chapters 3 & 4
Chapters 5 & 6 
Chapters 7 & 8
Chapters 9 & 10
Chapters 11 & 12
Chapters 13 & 14
Chapters 15 & 16
Chapters 17 & 18
Chapters 19-21

As always, anything in quotation marks has been taken directly from the book.  I am doing these chapter highlights so that I might be able to better understand what I have read.  If you have comments or insight I would love for you to leave me a comment.


Chapter 22-Obedient to Their Husbands

• "Obedient:  Yielding, willing and eager to accomplish injunctions or desires, abstaining from that which is forbidden."
• "Just as God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of man, so the man is the head of the woman (his wife).  My husband does not lose dignity by being in subjection to Christ, nor do I lose any dignity by being in subjection to my husband.  And, just as my husband finds security and meaning in submission to his head, so I become the person God created me to be in submitting to my head-my husband."
• "We wives are informed that our submission to our husband should be viewed with the same love and fervency as our love and submission to Christ."
• "I do not submit to any other man as I submit to my husband.  The scripture clearly teaches that a woman is to submit to her own husband."
• "...God has emphasized that our subjection to our own husband is not rooted in the superiority of the male over the female.  God is not setting up one gender to be superior to the other.  It is only in the context of a marriage union that a woman is to be in subjection to her man.  It is her God-appointed office that renders her second in command in her family."
• "A woman's greatest power is in obeying and honoring her husband."
• "Today women rebel against their husbands so they can express their submission to God.  Strange indeed!  But nothing new."
• Genesis 3:16
• 1 Corinthians 6:16; 7:10-16, 20, 27; 11:2-16; 13:4-7
• Ephesians 5:22-24, 33
• Colossians 3:18
• 1 Peter 3:1-6
• Proverbs 12:4; 31:11-12
• Philippians 4:8
• 1 Timothy 5:14
• Psalm 33:18
• Matthew 5:32
• John 4:6-18
• Deuteronomy 24:1-4
• Hebrews 13:8

Chapter 23-To Obey or Not to Obey?  (That is the Question)

• "If a wife has an attitude of rebellion, she can find a thousand different exceptions to obedience.  But if a woman is really seeking God and asking for wisdom from on high, she will be able to discern the difference between her controlling spirit and those rare instances that a husband may command outside his sphere of authority-requiring legal intervention."
• Michael Pearl:  "A husband does not have the right to break the just laws of man or God, nor does he have the right to constrain his wife and children to do so."
• Michael Pearl: "A wife does not have to choose between God and her husband.  Render therefore unto your husband that which is your husband's and unto God the things that are God's."
• Michael Pearl:  "There are two sides to the marital coin.  On one side, the wife is to obey her husband in all things, reverencing him, serving him, as unto the Lord.  On the other side, if he steps outside his sphere of authority and attempts to command her to do the illegal or immoral, she is to obey God or government, as the case may be."
• Acts 5:1-10, 29
• Matthew 22:15-22
• Ecclesiastes 7:20
• John 6:38
• 1 Peter 1:8; 2:13-23; 3:9-17
• Ester
• 1 Samuel 25:13-38
• Galatians 5:22-23

Traits of a Good Help Meet

• "An obedient wife is yielding, willing and eager to accomplish injunctions or desires, and abstains from that which is forbidden."
• "She looks for ways to obey and reverence her husband."
• "She channels her mind into positive ways of saying 'yes'."
• "She never considers herself to be an exception to the rule of being a help meet."

Chapter 24-Heirs Together in the Grace of Life

• "All men make mistakes.  A woman's place is simply to obey for God's sake, not for right's sake.  If you wait until your husband is right before you obey him, then you will seldom obey him, and you will never enjoy the miracles of God."
• "Who and what would my husband be if he had married another woman?  Have I made it possible for him to be a strong, confident, aggressive man of God?"
• "Get off the phone, lay down the romance novels, turn off the TV, stay off the web, reduce outside visits or women's classes, and focus on putting time into what your husband is doing and what your children need.  That is how you can better meet his needs, and it is the beginning of learning to be an heir together with him of the grace of life."
• "It is so easy to spend your life lamenting, 'Oh, if only my husband were saved or more spiritual or not so angry.'  No matter who or what your husband is, your job is to be his help meet.  When you approach him with light in your eyes, that light will reflect back to you."
• "Becoming heirs together of the grace of life is God's highest plan for husband and wife.  It is the greatest mystery, the pattern of Christ and the Church.  The inheritance is great passion, stability, wisdom, joy, love, and balance.  God's blessings are so much greater than any tongue or writer can ever tell."
• "God is the master of making heavenly marriages."
• "Marriages is the most precious relationship we have on earth."
• 1 Peter 3
• Hebrews 11
• Genesis 12:10-17; 18:19; 20:3
• Ephesians 5:33
• Proverbs 31:11-12
• Genesis 2:18, 22
• Proverbs 18:22

Reflecting on the Things We Have Learned

Things that can break a man's spirit and cripple a marriage:

• "A wife who is spiritually critical"
• "A discontented wife."
• "A wife who is not fulfilling the eight priorities listed in Titus 2 for a wife."

Eight things that women must do or be to avoid blaspheming the written word of God.
Titus 2:3-5

1. sober
2. love their husbands
3. love their children
4. be discreet
5. chaste
6. keepers at home
7. good
8. obedient to their own husbands.

Tools of our Glorious Marriage Warfare are:

• Joy
• Thankfulness
• Contentment
• Reverence
• Submission
• Prayer
• Believing God's Word

If you are interested in having a copy of all of the quotes and scripture I have shared from the book you may download it at the link below.  Created to Be His Help Meet (Chapter Outlines)
 

Created to Be His Help Meet: Chapters 22-24

Menu Plan for the Week of May 16th.

Saturday afternoon we did some baking.  We made some double fudge brownies for a church carry-in, 2 pans of whole wheat cinnamon rolls, 3 loaves of whole wheat bread, a pizza to put in the freezer, and...

...pizza and breadsticks for supper that night.

I have been freezing extra loaves of bread, cinnamon rolls and pizza (I pre-bake the crust only, let it cool, add toppings and then freeze.) with success.  Making more than what we need and freezing the rest is a real time saver. 

Another thing that makes baking easier is having help.  My daughter was excited to brown up some hamburger and sausage since that is usually something her daddy likes to do.

Even my littlest guy got in on the action by helping me roll out some dough to make into cinnamon rolls.  We had a fun time baking.

Here is our menu plan for the week.  I am going to try a whole wheat hamburger bun recipe from Heavenly Homemakers tonight.  I will let you know how it goes.

Supper

Sunday-Leftovers

Monday-Hamburgers on Buns, Homemade French Fries, Cooked Corn, Strawberries (from my mom's garden)

Tuesday-Crockpot Applesauce Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Cheesy Broccoli

Wednesday-Ham, Macaroni & Cheese, Cooked Carrots, Pears

Thursday-Meatloaf, Potatoes, Carrots & Onions; Cooked Cauliflower, Fruit Cocktail

Friday-Ham & Bean Soup, Carrot & Celery Sticks, Sliced Apples

Saturday-Baked Fish, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Peaches (This meal may get bumped to next week if we end up eating at my parents' house while visiting with some relatives.)

I am linking this post to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan for the Week of May 16th.

Country Life

We live out in the country where things are pretty quiet.  Nothing overly exciting usually happens.  Some might find it boring, but I find it to be very peaceful. 

OK, kids, it really isn't that boring out in the country, is it? 

Actually, they weren't bored.  They were playing on our front deck, and decided to snuggle up with some blankets since it was a little chilly on Monday.  Don't you love the way my 5 year old is "sleeping"?

"Don't worry, Mom, I will chase the boredom away."

For some reason, Joseph pulled his shirt over his head a few evenings ago and chased the older kids around.  We don't have cable or satellite so we create our own fun around here. 

When we aren't creating our own fun, we sit around watching our garden grow.

Well, we don't really sit around watching it grow, but we do enjoy it.  Check out these green beans I planted a month ago.

We may actually have tomatoes by the 4th of July this year.  YUM!

I am hopeful we will have lots of blackberries this year.  We didn't have very many last year because we had transplanted them.

Yes, life moves a little slower out in the country and I am thankful for that. 

I am linking this post to Finer Things Friday at The Finer Things in Life. 

Country Life

Miscarriage

When Amy of The Finer Things in Life started her series called "Why didn't anyone tell me?" about all things pregnancy and baby, I knew I would love it.  I even thought it would be fun to share with others some of my thoughts about the topics she said she would cover.  When she asked if I would write about miscarriage I was willing to do so, even though the more "fun" topics of breastfeeding, natural childbirth, etc. were more appealing.  I am not sure I have done this topic justice, but it is one that is near and dear to my heart.  If you have experienced the pain of a loss, I would love to hear from you.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some days I will never forget.  The day my husband and I went on our first date...the day he proposed to me...the day we got married...the days our children were born.  Some days can make me smile just thinking of them.  Some days do not…

September 28, 2000
February 15, 2001
November 29, 2003
September 11, 2006

Some days were filled with tears.  Some days saw hopes and dreams come crashing to an end. Some days made me thankful to still be alive.  Some days I will never forget.

When I was pregnant for the first time I remember reading about miscarriage.  I knew it happened, but never thought it would happen to me.  It happened to other people, people who must have done something "wrong" during their pregnancy.  People to feel sorry for, but not people like me.

And, it didn’t happen during that pregnancy.  Everything was easy with my first pregnancy, and I assumed that since I did everything “right” I would never have to worry about miscarriage.  I was wrong.

Miscarriage does happen to people like me.  It can happen even if you do everything "right".  Sometimes it happens not just once but twice, three times, even four times.  Sometimes you don't know why it happens. 

When my daughter was one year old, I got pregnant again.  Feeling pretty confident that I had the whole pregnancy thing figured out, I didn’t anticipate what happened next.  At six weeks I started spotting.  For the next six weeks I was on an emotional roller coaster wondering if I was going to lose the baby or not. 

When I miscarried at 12 weeks, I was devastated.  However, having had one successful pregnancy made me hopeful for another baby.  When our third pregnancy again ended in miscarriage at 10 ½ weeks, I started to wonder if we would be able to have a house full of children like we had dreamed. 

When I got pregnant for the fourth time, I felt a mixture of joy and worry.  I realized that I had taken my first pregnancy for granted.  How I wished I could still be that confident young woman of 25 who never knew the pain of a loss. 

When our first son was born we were overjoyed and felt so blessed.  Many people probably felt like we should have stopped having more children at that point.  After all, we had a girl and a boy now so why would we want to press our luck? 

Yet, we felt like God wasn’t ready for us to stop having children.  I got pregnant for a fifth time, but that pregnancy ended in miscarriage at 6 weeks.  It wasn’t as physically taxing of a miscarriage as the other two, but it did make me wonder if we should stop trying for more babies.

A few months later, I was pregnant again.  This time I was able to carry our second son to term.  We had three children, but I felt sure we were supposed to have more. 

At some point I had a very vivid dream.  I will never forget the dream because it was like a glimpse into the future.  I was standing on a front porch with a beautiful young woman and three handsome young men.  They were tall with brown hair and were laughing and talking.  I knew that I was looking at my family several years into the future. 

When I got pregnant for the seventh time, I was nauseous and tired a lot so I thought those were good signs.  However, when I found out at 11 weeks that my baby had died I couldn’t believe I was facing miscarriage for the fourth time.  It took 2 weeks before I lost the baby, and for a short time my family was afraid I might be lost, too. 

The day I miscarried I lost approximately four pints of blood and had to be taken to the ER in an ambulance.  I didn’t want to go because I was afraid I would never see my three sweet children’s faces again.  Yet, God healed my body and I was home within three hours.

I decided that we would wait at least one year for my body to heal before we even thought about trying to have another baby.  However, six months later I felt like God was telling me not to wait.  I thought we had missed our opportunity that month, but was overjoyed when we found out I was pregnant for the eighth time.

Our third son was born healthy and strong in spite of the fact that many people thought that we shouldn’t have tried to have another.  I know not everyone who has faced a miscarriage is able to go on to have another child.  I know some women who  have had a miscarriage are never able to carry a pregnancy to term.  Believe me, I do know how truly blessed we have been.

Four weeks after my fourth miscarriage I attended a Bible study.   Some of the women were asking how I was feeling and told me how sorry they were for my loss. However, there was one woman there who had started attending while I was recuperating.  She said that there was nothing worse than being barren for many years before being able to have a baby.

I felt like snapping back that there was nothing worse than carrying a baby for a few months and then losing it.  However, I refrained and silently nodded to her.

Later, I thought about what she had said.  To her, infertility was a terrible thing to go through.  For me, the miscarriages were terrible things to go through.

Whether a person has struggled with infertility, miscarriage, or lost a baby at any age they know pain and heartbreak. It should never be about who has suffered more, but about how we can help each other and pray for each other.  Dealing with the losses has shaped me into the mother and person I am today. 

After my last miscarriage I made a journal.  In the journal I wrote about each of my losses.  I included ultrasound pictures and cards people had given me.  It was a way of recording what I went through so that I would never forget.  I want to leave you with something I wrote in the front of the journal.

The babies I have in Heaven were all wanted, and we were very sad when the pregnancies ended.  I do believe I will see my angel babies when I get to Heaven.  I may never know why I have experienced these losses, but I pray that I may be able to help others.  God can use any situation for His glory.  I thank Him for all of my babies.--September 2006

Miscarriage

Crocheted Kitchen Scrubbies and a Gift Box

Since Sunday was Mother's Day I thought I would share a few things I made for my mom.  Can you guess what this box originally held?  Strawberries.  I found the idea for decorating an empty berry box on Silly Eagle Books and thought it would be great. 

Basically, all I did was glue some scrapbook paper to the top and thread some grosgrain ribbon through the holes in the lid.  I couldn't get over the transformation.  I also loved that it was made from something that might normally be thrown away.

Inside the box were 10 kitchen scrubbies I crocheted using some netting.  I used the pattern I found at Sew Take a Hike.  I used a size K crochet hook because the smaller sizes recommended in the pattern weren't working out.

My mom was so glad to get these.  She said that she was about ready to try to learn how to crochet in order to make some.  You see, she cut this netting into strips back in December of 2008.  Oops.  Well, I hope the phrase "better late than never" holds true in this instance.

I also tried to be creative with her card.  I had purchased a set of metal tins a while back and decided to use that as the "envelope" for the card. 

Then I made circle pictures on the computer and printed them out.  I glued 2 together, punched holes, and tied some ribbon to hold them together.

It was purely one of those "I don't know what I am doing but I will keep going" crafting moments.  I think she liked seeing all of our smiling faces though.

I hope you had a great Mother's Day, Mom.  We love you.

I am linking this post to:
Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple
Favorite Things Friday at A Few of My Favorite Things 
Friday Fun Finds at KoJo Designs

Crocheted Kitchen Scrubbies and a Gift Box

Menu Plan for the Week of May 9th.

Before I share our menu plan for the week I wanted to share a recipe and tell you about the baking my daughter and I did this weekend.  Saturday afternoon my daughter helped me make some desserts and rolls for lunch on Sunday.  We made Chocolate Chip Blondies, Double Fudge Brownies, Allergy-Free Chocolate Cake and some Whole Wheat Rolls.

Sweet and Sour Pork




• 2 Tbsp. Oil or Bacon Grease
• 3 or 4 Cooked Pork Chops
• ½ of a Green Pepper, chopped
• ½ of a Onion, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. Sugar
• 3 Tbsp. Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 1/4 tsp. Ginger
• 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 cup Chopped Pineapple, drained
• Reserved Pineapple Juice
• 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch

Cut the pork into bite sized pieces. I use leftover pork chops that are already cooked. Trim away the fat and bones.

Heat the oil or bacon grease in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and green pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the pork to warm for a minute. Then sprinkle the sugar over top of the contents of the skillet and stir it in.

While the pork and veggies are cooking, measure the pineapple juice. Add enough water to the juice, to measure 3/4 cup liquid, total. Combine this with the vinegar and soy sauce. Add the cornstarch, and stir until it dissolves. Pour this liquid into the skillet after you add the sugar. Measure in the ginger and garlic powder. Stir it all up and allow it to boil. Cook and stir as the sauce boils for one minute. Gently add the pineapple. Serve this over hot bowls of cooked rice.

This recipe is from www.hillbillyhousewife.com . However, the recipe listed above shows many changes I have made to the recipe to make it work for our family.

Supper Meal Plans

Sunday-Leftovers

Monday-Sweet & Sour Pork, Rice, Green Beans, Pineapple

Tuesday-Tacos or Taco Salad, Chips & Salsa, Carrot & Celery Sticks, Pears

Wednesday-Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Cheesy Broccoli, Peaches

Thursday-Smoked Sausage, Fried Potatoes & Onions, Cooked Carrots, Fruit Cocktail

Friday- Family Night at Church

Saturday-Pizza, Breadsticks, Salad, Apple Slices

I am linking this post to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan for the Week of May 9th.