tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21288630809336636032024-03-12T21:33:49.861-07:00Large family living in a small family worldWe live in a world of small families where most houses are built to house 5 people, parking spots are designed for compact cars, and it seems most families are living on two incomes. Managing our home, finances and just getting around all looks a bit different for a family with more than 2 kids! Join me as I share how our family of 10 lives the large family way in a small family world.Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-29748121650346262072017-03-28T08:38:00.000-07:002017-03-28T08:38:32.908-07:00Maple Chicken- Feeding a CrowdEvery time I serve this meal to another family I'm asked for the recipe. It's super easy AND forgiving, it also works well for people with allergies as it is dairy free, gluten free, soy free, egg free and nut free. The best part? Because it's on the sweet side nearly every little kid loves it!<br />
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Maple Chicken*<br />
(This would serve 8 or so, adjust according to need)<br />
12 or so Boneless/Skinless Chicken thighs- I buy the big frozen bag at Costco<br />
1/3 cup Maple Syrup<br />
2 Tbs Coconut Aminos (This is an alternative to Soy Sauce, you can use Soy Sauce or Bragg's)<br />
2 Tbs minced garlic and/or 1/2 a chopped onion<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tsp allspice<br />
1 tsp ground ginger<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
*<i>This recipe is so forgiving. The amounts given are approximate. I don't think I've ever used the exact same amounts twice...I've even forgotten an ingredient. It always turns out, though I do believe these amounts will get the best results.</i><br />
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Place the chicken in your crock-pot/slow cooker. Turn it on HIGH while you are mixing the rest of your ingredients. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup mix together remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken. I like to leave the slow cooker on high for an hour or so to bring it up to temp quickly, then turn it down to LOW. This cooks 6-8 hours on low. BUT if you forget to start it earlier in the day OR it just works better (for you) to start it later; just leave it on high for 4 hours. Make a gravy with all of the juices left behind in the pot after you remove the chicken.<br />
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I serve this chicken with mashed sweet potatoes...<br />
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Mashed Sweet Potatoes<br />
(again, adjust amounts according to how many people you are serving and to taste)<br />
5 peeled and cubed sweet potatoes<br />
1/2 butter or coconut oil<br />
1/2 to 1 can of full fat coconut milk<br />
a dash of Cinnamon<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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Boil the cubed sweet potatoes in water until tender. Drain and put back in pot. Add butter/oil, coconut milk, cinnamon and salt. Mash (I like us use my hand mixer). Babies and toddlers LOVE this too. I like to make extra to freeze when I have a little one.<br />
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This is about the amount I make to serve my family, sometimes a bit more or less. Serve it with some sort of veggie (broccoli works well) and/or salad. Right now there are 11 of us. The teen boys eat quite a bit, others not so much. It all evens out to be just about right for us.<br />
<br />Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-73990359027591794022016-12-28T11:45:00.000-08:002016-12-29T05:39:41.046-08:00Pantry Challenge- getting readyEvery January I like to do a pantry challenge (that's when we eat out of the pantry and freezer for as long as we can, getting creative and buying very little). Over the year stuff has accumulated in the pantry and the freezer, you know, random stuff that got pushed to the back and forgotten. We're also coming off of the holidays and despite how hard I try.... I go over budget. It's time to clean out and get the budget back on track! This works best when I prepare some things ahead of time. Here's how I prepare for my pantry challenge.<br />
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I <b>take inventory </b>of what is in my pantry and freezer. I check expiration dates. I want to be sure that I'm using anything close to expiring first. Go through the freezer and refrigerator as well. This would be a good time to finish off those almost (or half) empty bottles of sauces, or do something with that piece of meat in the back of the freezer, or the bag of pot stickers you had forgotten about....<br />
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I <b>gather</b> everything I really want us using durning the challenge into one place. All of those odd items that got lost in the back, or that are about to expire; they all need to be in one place. Either set aside a shelf, spot on the counter, or some sort of bin for all of this (the nonperishable stuff). If possible set aside a shelf in the freezer and refrigerator for the items you found there.<br />
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<i>These two totes hold all of the items we want to use up first. Open packages and food close to the expiration date (in the next 4 months or so) all get pulled out and put in here. It's mostly breakfast and snack type items.</i></div>
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I start <b>planning </b>our meals from what I've found. I do this a week at a time durning the challenge taking a quick inventory each week to see what else we need to get through.<br />
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My goal this year is both to clean out the pantry and to get our food budget back on track. Part of the cleaning out goal is getting rid of the junk that accumulated over the year and get us back on track in the diet area.<br />
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Are you going to do a pantry challenge? If so, what are your goals? Let me know!Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-23727053682236626502016-11-21T09:46:00.000-08:002016-11-21T09:46:00.150-08:00About Santa....Did you know that the modern Santa Clause has his origins in the life of a real man? Did you know there really was a Saint Nicholas? We don't "do" Santa in our home, but we do have fun with Saint Nicholas day...a fun tradition I celebrated as a child. It's a great opportunity for studying a bit of church history, looking at how other countries celebrate Christmas, and talking about how we get some of our legends and stories. Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6th.<br />
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<i>The little red book is <a href="http://amzn.to/2f3RY4M">"The True Story of Saint Nicholas"</a> and is one of our favorites. I love all of the Children's books by Voice of the Martyrs including <a href="http://amzn.to/2f3M5ER">"The Story of St. Nicholas."</a> This one gives more of the details of his involvement in the early church, which we like.</i></div>
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I love that we can keep this such a simple celebration if we want. We generally just put a candy cane, chocolate coins, a clementine (or cutie, halo...whatever they're called this season) and usually some <a href="http://amzn.to/2f3OIpU">Kinder Chocolate</a> in their shoes. I love hearing my kids list off the things they know will be stuffed in their shoes, it's so simple, but they are still so very excited. Sometimes we surprise them with some extras too.<br />
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In recent years we started doing a big meal with our favorite German and Polish foods. This is a fun way to celebrate our family's roots as well as those Eastern European countries that claim connections to Saint Nicholas.<br />
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We've found that doing Saint Nicholas Day helps our children that had (in the past) struggled with informing other children that "there is no Santa" to understand that there really had been one long ago. We've also seen other families be able to ease their children out of believing in Santa without the harsh reality that mom and dad had been lying to them. This reality can be so hard on children, and also cause them to question many truths that their parents have told them. I love the balance that Saint Nicholas gives in this area and we're able to look at what a blessing it is to be able to give to others during this season too. This is a season for celebrating the BEST GIFT EVER....Jesus Christ and HIS saving grace! He gave us so much and we can celebrate by giving to others.<br />
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If you are interested in more books about Saint Nicholas here are some recommendations....<a href="http://amzn.to/2f3KiPV">Saint Nicholas; The Real Story of a Christmas Legend</a> and<a href="http://amzn.to/2f7NwFl"> The Baker's Dozen; A Saint Nicholas Tale</a> are a couple favorites around here. I'm looking at <a href="http://amzn.to/2glQ3OW">Nicholas of Myra</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/2glQZTn">The Saint who would be Santa Clause</a> as possible additions for this year (we've not read them yet though).<br />
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***<i>I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you shop through my links I'll get a itty-bit of extra cash that I'll likely use to buy another book for my kids. The books I've linked to are ones we either already own, or would like to have.***</i>Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-74623933619333214612016-11-20T18:33:00.001-08:002016-11-20T18:42:59.813-08:00Teaching character and honestyI was asked recently if we have any books that we use for teaching character and honesty. Whew, that one is a tough one! This is one of the most important jobs a parent has, to teach these things. I think it is really one that must be lived out as we talk to our children about the choices we are making in life. As we live our our faith. Even as we model these things for our kids (and share our failures and the consequences as well) outside influences and their own sin natures come into play. Our children will struggle and fail in some way or another; just as we have. These are opportunities to grow and learn. As parents we are responsible for our own obedience to God in teaching and training the children He has given us. We are not responsible for their salvation, only the Holy Spirit can do that work.<br />
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Our first resource in teaching our children should always be the Bible. Reading through the Bible as a family is HUGE. I highly recommend reading through the Bible as a family chronologically. <a href="http://theology.iharder.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/One-Year-Bible-Reading-Plan.pdf">We've been using this plan for about 7 years now</a>. For help on specific topics, walking through The Gospel, and character building I really like <a href="http://www.childtrainingbible.com/">The Child Training Bible.</a> I use it in our circle time regularly to just go through the verses to remind us of what the Bible says about various topics, but also when dealing with specific issues privately with a child.<br />
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As parents we must consider what is going into their hearts and minds. What are they watching, reading, and what games are they playing. Who are they interacting with? Who are their friends, teachers, etc? All of these things contribute to the condition of their heart. If you feel that you must remove some of those influences I highly recommend finding something good to replace what you are taking away.</div>
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<i>Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23</i></div>
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<i>But the things that come out of a person's mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. Matthew 15:18</i></div>
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<i><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. Philippians 4:8</i></div>
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As for book recommendations....the best I can do is recommend some books that we've enjoyed that reenforce honesty and good/godly character. <a href="http://amzn.to/2feJat0"> Pilgrim's Progress</a> is a great one; there are many versions including <a href="http://amzn.to/2g84cKo">children's </a>and updated <a href="http://amzn.to/2feIa7Z">easier to read ones</a>. We've loved so many <a href="http://lamplighter.net/c/">Lamplighter Books </a>all of them have reenforced some character trait that we desire to teach our children. They can be rather expensive, but <a href="http://amzn.to/2g82EAg">Amazon does have some at lower prices</a> than if you but directly from Lamplighter. Some great Lamplighters to start with would be Teddy's Button, Tom Gillies, Basil (Or, Honesty and Industry), Little Sir Galahad, and The White Knights. All of these books make great family reading books, but many of my kids have read them on their own as well.</div>
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If your child is not so excited about reading old time books and would like something more contemporary I highly recommend the many books by <a href="http://amzn.to/2feBy9H">Chuck Black</a>; there's <a href="http://amzn.to/2g85zsw">The Kingdom Series</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/2g882TP">The Knights of Arrethtrae Series</a>, and the Wars of the <a href="http://amzn.to/2fiieLV">Realm Series</a> (this series is for more mature children...they recommend 13+ years).</div>
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I also highly recommend reading biographies of those that have gone before us. Heroes of the Christian faith, we love the <a href="http://amzn.to/2fidR3P">YWAM ones.</a> Reading about how others have run the race and some of their struggles can be very encouraging. <a href="http://amzn.to/2eVjMgi">The story of John Bunyan</a> could be a very encouraging one to a child that is having a rough time, to know that a great man of God struggled greatly.</div>
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This is hardly a complete list, but hopefully it provides a good start. Often we find great books by looking one up on Amazon and looking at the recommendations that follow (it doesn't always work out, but it's a great place to start looking for more).<br />
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*<i>I'm an Amazon affiliate. If you shop through some of these links I'll make an itty bit of a commission on the sale which I'll likely spend on more books. ;) </i></div>
Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-47854590022785749542016-11-02T11:42:00.000-07:002016-11-02T11:42:06.296-07:00Thanksgiving readingWe spend the month of November reading about the Pilgrims. I love that we've just finished our <a href="http://www.largefamilysmallworld.com/2016/10/teaching-about-reformation.html">Reformation reading</a> which is a GREAT lead in to our Thanksgiving reading. Understanding a bit about the Reformation and the circumstances that lead to the Pilgrims making that voyage to settle in America helps us to better grasp the great work God was doing. As we understand their risks and hardships we are better able to be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy and the gifts God has given us.<br />
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<i>I think it's been discontinued; but if you can find them the Fisher Price Little People Mayflower and Thanksgiving sets are great sets to have for this time of year.</i></div>
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We start with this basic board book. Its a great overview for the little ones.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Story-Thanksgiving-Nancy-J-Skarmeas/dp/0824918835/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1478106786&sr=8-1&keywords=the+story+of+thanksgiving+board+book&linkCode=li3&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=25b7b65f8ccabca70ba5cba503b1fbb7" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0824918835&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0824918835" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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I love that <a href="http://amzn.to/2eeh40r">The Landing of the Pilgrims </a>gives a great amount of background and detail to better understand their motivations and what they went through to get to America. I'm thinking it's about 6th grade level, but we use it as a read aloud. <br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Landing-Pilgrims-Landmark-Books/dp/0394846974/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1478109911&sr=8-1&keywords=the+landing+of+the+pilgrims+by+james+daugherty&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=4ab97082f79d03d0a049c971bfa70162" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0394846974&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=0394846974" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
I absolutely love the book by Eric Metaxas <a href="http://amzn.to/2f1CsHR">Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving</a>. It tells how God took something evil and (through His providence) brought Squanto to the Pilgrims to help them survive.<br />
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We have several other books that are greatly enjoyed as well. They range from educational to devotional and even just plane silly. The educational ones are <a href="http://amzn.to/2eorayX">The Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/2eejXyk">A Light Kindled; The Story of Priscilla Mullins</a>, and <a href="http://amzn.to/2eekfFc">Three Young Pilgrims</a>. This book is new to us and I'm looking forward to going through it with the kids...<a href="http://amzn.to/2eeo65f">Thanksgiving; A Time To Remember</a>. For myself I like to pull out <a href="http://amzn.to/2eerOMe">Choosing Gratitude </a>every year; I seem to need it. ;) <a href="http://amzn.to/2f1CijB">The Night Before Thanksgiving</a> is just a fun one that sweetly captures the feeling of excitement as family gathers to celebrate.<br />
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Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-6832738894343158562016-10-29T12:02:00.000-07:002016-10-29T12:02:08.122-07:00Feeding the independent baby; silicone feedersI posted not too long ago about <a href="http://www.largefamilysmallworld.com/2016/09/teething-and-first-foods.html">teething and first foods</a>. Baby is a bit older now and is turning out to be quite the independent eater. She doesn't want to be fed from a spoon. Nor does she want to pick up little pieces with her fingers. Oh no. She wants it all in a mesh feeder. She's a silly eater. Those are handy for some things, but are quite a chore to clean up with most foods. I started looking into options. Here are my reviews on the several that I ordered....<br />
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This one arrived first; it is the <a href="http://amzn.to/2f8dyu9">Fresh Food Baby Feeder</a>. This one is size "Large" I ordered it knowing my baby is older and would want more food. She can also handle slightly larger chunks (just incase the holes ended up being larger as well). On our first try I filled it with (homemade) butternut puree. When that ran out we switched to jarred baby food peas (all would be a stage 1 consistency). She LOVED it! The purees were a bit thin for this and it ended up being messy, BUT it worked and more food ended up in her than if I'd tried to spoon feed those to her. I've since used this with thicker homemade baby foods and it's worked wonderfully. This also came with a cover which will be handy we are on the go. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSq_AV1mQDEXGus70A-FKwyd-wJ_4up3RA14-n7PO94HLspELN7pc7QiLGu4RjAzkrW9Veq07OYMzwoLXacJl4STxcs6Zy7xm44u77lf_XgRUCAqZSlgTpAdrCHJ7mJkFIVFK8AkvPH0/s1600/IMG_7324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSq_AV1mQDEXGus70A-FKwyd-wJ_4up3RA14-n7PO94HLspELN7pc7QiLGu4RjAzkrW9Veq07OYMzwoLXacJl4STxcs6Zy7xm44u77lf_XgRUCAqZSlgTpAdrCHJ7mJkFIVFK8AkvPH0/s320/IMG_7324.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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The next set to arrive was a set designed for pureed foods, but will also hold liquids. It has a slit on the bottom (in the picture it looks like it also has holes, but those are just bumps for texture). They really only let food/liquids out when baby sucks on it. I put beef broth in it for her to try. I refilled it 3 times. I think this would have been great a couple of months ago and I'll use it a bit now too. It came in a set of 2. My plan is to fill one with expressed milk and freeze it. This will be helpful for teething or if she's sick. I'd recommend it more for 4-6 month babies are just starting on foods, but we'll find it useful now too as she's not interested in a bottle or sippy cups.<br />
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I was super excited about this <a href="http://amzn.to/2eJrJ7K">Kidsme feeder.</a> It comes in a size large and you can purchase replacement sacs for it. The "sac" is a bit larger than the others and the holes are larger too. It'll be great for pieces of fresh fruit etc. I put homemade baby food in it for her first try. It was veggies and beef, and a fairly thick mix. None of it came out of the holes while I was filling it, but it seemed to come out nicely for her when she chewed on it. The mess was no bigger than it would have been had I tried to spoon feed her, but she was much happier eating this way. I do have one concern with this design. The hinged latch for securing it closed. It may hold up just fine, but if any part is going to give out on this I'm guessing that's the part. Just something to consider.<br />
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The <a href="http://amzn.to/2dYjO1K">Boon</a> is the last one we tried. I ordered it with intention of using it with fresh fruits. We were out of the softer ones like bananas and blueberries when it arrived though so we gave it a try with fresh homemade apple sauce. She loved this one too! I did notice a couple of small things that makes this one not-my-favorite, but it's still good. 1)the silicone portion is bigger and the holes go farther up...she can't get it all in her mouth so it makes a bigger mess. 2)I like the straight handle to help teach motor skills, but there is no place to attach it to a chain to keep it from falling on the floor 3)the base and sac are not attached making refilling more difficult/messy 4) when she dropped it on our tile floors it opened every time. 5) it has no cap/cover making it a bit harder to use on the go. Baby loves this one and I'm glad we have it, it also costs less than any of the others. I just noticed more issues with it. It was certainly worth the $4 I spent on it.</div>
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Bottom line? All of these were much easier to clean than the mesh ones we had been using. All of them are more versatile in the types of foods they hold. Baby LOVES them all. All but the Boon are also great for on the go. None of them hold more than a tablespoon, some less. Each one is slightly different and I do like having several as they need to be refilled throughout our meals.
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Do you have a silly eater? This book is one of our family's favorites...<a href="http://amzn.to/2e8Tsxg">The Seven Silly Eaters</a>....it's about a large family of silly eaters and how they figured out a meal they all like and could work together on it (instead of mom wearing herself out trying to make her silly eaters happy). I'd recommend the hardcover as you'll have to replace the paperback one a couple of time if you get that. ;) </div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Silly-Eaters-Mary-Hoberman/dp/0152000968/ref=as_li_ss_il?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1477767430&sr=8-1&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=eb81b89cdae98fa4dcce8b9e8db001aa" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0152000968&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=0152000968" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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*<i>I'm and Amazon affiliate. If you shop through the above links and pictures (of products) I'll make a tiny bit of $$$ off of your purchase. It's a nice way to say "thank you for taking the time to type this up."</i>Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-76933118666687293042016-10-19T09:57:00.001-07:002016-10-19T09:57:55.725-07:00Teaching about the ReformationA friend recently asked me what we use to teach about the Reformation. I thought while I was going about answering her question that I may as well make it a blog post. We certainly do not go too far in depth, but it accomplishes our goals. I suppose I should start with our goals...<br />
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1. We want to teach church history.<br />
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2. We want the kids to know about those that have given so much in obedience to God so that we may be able to read God's word and freely live out our faith.<br />
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3. We want them to know and understand that following Christ is not easy. Following Him involves suffering and sacrifice. <br />
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<i>I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33</i></div>
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<i>But even if you suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened." 1 Peter 3:14</i></div>
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<i>For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. Pilippians 1:29</i></div>
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<i>Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you Matthew 5:12</i></div>
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We love the children's books by Voice of the Martyrs. <a href="http://amzn.to/2e7XDw3">God's Pilgrim: The real story of John Bunyan and The Pilgrim's Progress</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/2e1pV87">God's Outlaw: The real story of William Tyndale and the English Bible </a>are two of our favorites.</div>
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While many went before him and many after as well, Martin Luther is considered by many to have started the Reformation. We've enjoyed these two simple books about Martin Luther.</div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Luther-Man-Changed-World/dp/0758606265/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476895085&sr=1-1&keywords=martin+luther+a+man+who+changed+the+world&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=eb060de4d995f04d49d5b432f03a5189" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0758606265&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=0758606265" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Barber-Who-Wanted-Pray/dp/1433527030/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476895155&sr=1-1&keywords=the+barber+who+wanted+to+pray&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=b35dca7b20b296268baa9086ee991088" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1433527030&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1433527030" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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We've really enjoyed reading the book <a href="http://amzn.to/2eud1i1">Courage and Conviction: Chronicles of the Reformation Church</a>. They are short chapters focusing on one person in one point of time during the Reformation. The book can be read as a whole to give a bigger picture, or pick and chose the chapters to learn of individuals. I've used this as both a read-aloud or assigned it to individual children.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Conviction-Chronicles-Reformation-History/dp/1845502221/ref=as_li_ss_il?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6P98Y6ET2281X23YVTEC&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=f4a67db99f883bb09dcf2c8cef3c05df" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1845502221&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1845502221" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
There are a few DVD's that we enjoy this time of year as well.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Luther-Annette-Carell/dp/B00006JDUS/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1476895691&sr=1-3&keywords=Martin+Luther&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=136a7fe77fc2a6558eaa51eb63255fe8" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00006JDUS&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B00006JDUS" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Outlaw-Story-William-Tyndale/dp/B0001FR0JS/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1476895792&sr=1-1&keywords=god%27s+outlaw+the+story+of+william+tyndale&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=30c0070fdb49254cf85302145392f189" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0001FR0JS&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B0001FR0JS" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/John-Wycliffe-The-Morning-Star/dp/B00066TBDU/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1476895865&sr=1-2&keywords=john+wycliffe&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=7c5c89f9ff0d6cb2384e1ac615aa0e0e" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00066TBDU&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B00066TBDU" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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We do have other books, many historical fiction that help bring the time to life. Maybe I'll do another post another year? For now this is a great jumping off point. Many of these books and DVDs were found simply by searching for one book that lead to another, and then another, and another....<br />
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<i>*I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you shop through the links (and images that are links) above I'll make a tiny bit of $$ off of your purchase. It's a nice way of saying "thank you" to me if you appreciate the time and effort it took for me to post this. :) </i>Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-58703797171565090872016-09-13T17:32:00.003-07:002016-09-13T17:32:56.811-07:00Graze snacksSo, I've been hearing about <a href="http://www.graze.com/us/p/4Z9YFJ5CU">Graze</a> for a few months now. I decided to give it a try and received my first box (which was FREE!!!) today. After batting away the masses that were trying to get at it, I was able to give one a try. It was their "Pumpkin Spice Flapjack" which is basically a granola bar. I liked it, and so did everyone else that managed to get a couple of bites.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrkji8dFNLfz_090EGkf0Io-a8hdXR1XHhJPxxvUaBK8U-pTVZYvqazpHD5bCnl_hEKdhWfsW6FQzqHm3dEc_5cDcoroLIclMtEI4ELbLl4nlMoPk-D5ByWv2WHGMDmKB1yvQIoz5jME/s1600/IMG_6959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrkji8dFNLfz_090EGkf0Io-a8hdXR1XHhJPxxvUaBK8U-pTVZYvqazpHD5bCnl_hEKdhWfsW6FQzqHm3dEc_5cDcoroLIclMtEI4ELbLl4nlMoPk-D5ByWv2WHGMDmKB1yvQIoz5jME/s320/IMG_6959.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
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<i>This first box was free! It has 4 snacks in it. After this my boxes will have 8 snacks and will cost $12 including shipping. If you<a href="http://www.graze.com/us/p/4Z9YFJ5CU"> follow my links</a> you can get a free 4 pack too AND your 5th box is supposed to be FREE! What a deal!</i></div>
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The box itself was cool and easy to open. Unfortunately my teens were the ones that pulled it out of the mail box. The box caught their eyes right away. Now they are hovering waiting for me to try another one. I guess they like the looks of the Grilled Cheese, Raspberry & Coconut Muffin as well as the Cranberry & Hazelnut Toasts (with a rich cocoa dip). I'll have to tuck these away and munch on them while I'm out running errands, or while the kids are in their co-op classes. That was sort of the point of getting these anyways. I wanted some healthy, easy to grab snacks that were outside of my usual go-to-snacks for my busy days out of the house.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULhPXDunRMNhI671oYr07Zej5-j7H5zehyz75dslDdYMoNpw_3p6YP0RL2cPHUUrDlyzyyO6IEWJACWK1c-7GBFYftkW1E5HlQfeoSdrQsqLbNUKOHKkPmF0yq_LrrkGnQkt7pQv4ssU/s1600/IMG_6961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULhPXDunRMNhI671oYr07Zej5-j7H5zehyz75dslDdYMoNpw_3p6YP0RL2cPHUUrDlyzyyO6IEWJACWK1c-7GBFYftkW1E5HlQfeoSdrQsqLbNUKOHKkPmF0yq_LrrkGnQkt7pQv4ssU/s320/IMG_6961.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.graze.com/us/p/4Z9YFJ5CU">Graze</a> is a subscription service. They have a list of snacks that you go through and mark with your level of interest (from "trash" to "love it") and they send you a box of snacks based on your input. It's a bit like a <a href="http://stitchfix.com/referral/5186414">Stitch Fix</a> only cheeper and it is food instead of clothes. I loved the surprise of a box full of snacks to try that all looked interesting to me. I've got mine set to come once a month, but you can have the boxes come once a week or every other week too.<br />
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***If you follow my links and sign up for a <a href="http://www.graze.com/us/p/4Z9YFJ5CU">Graze</a> box I'll earn $1 towards my next <a href="http://www.graze.com/us/p/4Z9YFJ5CU">Graze</a> box!Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-13940722658841527262016-09-12T13:36:00.000-07:002016-09-12T13:36:00.873-07:00Teething and first foodsOur littlest one is six months old. It seems like she's been teething for months and she's starting to show quite a bit of interest in what we're eating too. I thought I'd share some of our current and past favorites on both the subject of teething and first foods since some of it overlaps.<br />
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Most baby toys are good for teething of some sort since they are all made to go in mouths, but here are some of our favorites...<br />
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This Raz-berry has been a favorite for the last 2-3 babies. It is easy to grab and has a few textures depending on what part makes it in their mouths.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Razbaby-Berry-Infant-Teether-Pacifier/dp/B003HRRPF6/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1473479526&sr=1-10&keywords=raz-berry+teether&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=e2e900ba873631cdd7bc6190a7082616" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B003HRRPF6&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B003HRRPF6" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
These teethers that look like various foods put a big smile on my face and the rest of the family's as well. Baby likes the texture and that it sometimes looks like the foods we are eating. ;)<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Little-Toader-Teething-Baconease-Appe-Teethers/dp/B00P8IDQCS/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1473479755&sr=1-1&keywords=bacon+teether&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=48f6752ff25b870d36f5b67c19051b73" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00P8IDQCS&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B00P8IDQCS" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Little-Toader-Teething-Waahffle-Appe-Teethers/dp/B013CRNI74/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1473479755&sr=1-2&keywords=bacon+teether&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=a3a260848196d43d1239bfa1eae34e41" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B013CRNI74&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B013CRNI74" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
These silicone spoons were a gift from my mom. Our baby likes chewing on them, both because they feel good and because I think she knows they are similar to what everyone else is using at the table. She's enjoying getting to practice feeding herself and is quite proud of her accomplishment when she gets the bowl of the spoon in her mouth.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/green-sprouts-First-Spoon-Green/dp/B00BBR36HU/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1473479946&sr=1-3&keywords=green+sprouts+spoon&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=9b4ce9311ada9dc5cbd8e73b1f416f99" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00BBR36HU&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B00BBR36HU" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
We keep all of these fun teething/food related toys right by the dining room table where we can easily grab them during the meal for baby.<br />
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Because we've had some food intolerances with the last few babies I wanted to re-examine the way we did first foods. <a href="http://www.mommypotamus.com/when-should-my-baby-start-solids/"> This article on Mommypotamus</a> was very interesting and helpful. I'm going to be extra cautious this time as we introduce foods. For right now the baby just seems interested in what we are eating, and not actually eating it herself. I think it'll still be a while before she really gets into foods.<br />
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I've used these mesh teethers for several of my babies. They are great for first foods and for teething. Win! Win! I've be putting bone broth ice cubes in one of these for my little one. Bananas, blueberries, and many other fruits or veggies have been very popular in these with past babies.<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-Feeder-Colors-2-packs-feeders/dp/B0076DFF1I/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1473480040&sr=1-7&keywords=mesh+teether&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=6e12b8eaee7b3209ec5571b1e1b2238b" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0076DFF1I&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B0076DFF1I" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
What about your little ones? What are their favorite teething toys or first foods?<br />
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****I<i>'m an Amazon Associate. That means that if you shop through my links above I'll get an itty-bit of $$$ from Amazon which I will end up spending at Amazon on my kids. ;) ***</i>Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-72559053882690493102016-09-08T10:21:00.001-07:002016-09-08T10:21:37.704-07:00Fall FixLast month I got another box from <a href="http://stitchfix.com/referral/5186414">Stitch Fix</a>. I'm finally getting around to posting about it 'cause you know, life....<br />
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Something I noticed with this Fix and REALLY appreciated was that my stylist tried hard to stick to my requests. I made color requests but also asked that accommodations be made for my post baby figure; in that I'm nursing and (slowly) losing weight. Every item sent fit within those parameters. Given their limited (but fairly good) inventory I really appreciated that such an effort was made. She also sent items that worked together; something else I really appreciated.<br />
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We were a bit busy the day my Fix came and didn't manage to take pictures of everything. I can't quite remember what 2 of the items were. 1 item gave us all a good laugh. The polka dot pants with the black ribbon down the sides just didn't do it for me. They reminded me (and my mom, who was here) of my brothers' marching band pants. I'm sure they'll look great on someone else, but I just couldn't get past the stripe down the side. The fit was perfect (elastic waist) and I loved the color.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHq2hBrc341u1V7pmmo0aV-9M-FXH0JeEmMiowZfeBE5OZSh3LsZF8J-TUIwlQufsvjRRhAlU55TuMTo_qB6nuhyphenhyphen2ZEnOsqoQns7B0GMV2no2RuDTD92GHXMnyBUO74p_5UgApsjPPis/s1600/IMG_6777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHq2hBrc341u1V7pmmo0aV-9M-FXH0JeEmMiowZfeBE5OZSh3LsZF8J-TUIwlQufsvjRRhAlU55TuMTo_qB6nuhyphenhyphen2ZEnOsqoQns7B0GMV2no2RuDTD92GHXMnyBUO74p_5UgApsjPPis/s320/IMG_6777.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Looks like someone else in this picture was having some pants problems too! ;)</i></div>
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I LOVED the skirt that was sent. The style, colors and fit were perfect. I so appreciated that a top was sent that went with it. While the studs on the top were not something I would normally choose I like the accent and since I don't usually wear jewelry it adds that nice touch. I like that this outfit will transition nicely into fall. Worn as is it is perfect for our warmer fall days, but I can easily add boots and a jacket to carry it into our cooler (and sometimes COLD) days.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRK5z4a6wqw5NM19uAdra01wqmhM8i2gcOVxQ_pXGIYYzXoZdP9_FcvNhXFCwNs7Muv2dHIdO_KsT7b4MeJTkE2ZPys5AFd9HmxUHGI02UdfTT9-hOT-hsskc0s4fybh29eqTB0uPA90/s1600/IMG_6781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRK5z4a6wqw5NM19uAdra01wqmhM8i2gcOVxQ_pXGIYYzXoZdP9_FcvNhXFCwNs7Muv2dHIdO_KsT7b4MeJTkE2ZPys5AFd9HmxUHGI02UdfTT9-hOT-hsskc0s4fybh29eqTB0uPA90/s320/IMG_6781.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>These are the two items I ended up keeping.</i></div>
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<a href="http://stitchfix.com/referral/5186414">Stitch Fix </a>has been such a fun treat for me to add just a bit of extra fun to my wardrobe. It can be hard for me to get out and shop for myself at this point in life, let alone thinking outside my "box." If you're interested in trying this service I'd LOVE it if you <a href="http://stitchfix.com/referral/5186414">followed my links and signed up that way</a>. When your first Fix ships I get a credit, that's what helps me pay for this fun! :) </div>
Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-80530025639435121262016-09-07T13:43:00.000-07:002016-09-11T13:58:53.273-07:00What we're reading- SeptemberI thought I'd share some of the books that are being read around here this month...<br />
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I've got several books I'm in the process of reading, here's a couple-<br />
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For Bible study I'm reading this one-<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Treasuring-Christ-When-Your-Hands/dp/1433538881/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1473478450&sr=8-1&keywords=treasuring+christ+when+your+hands+are+full&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=d243476cbfad3224b310cb89bc197127" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1433538881&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1433538881" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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In my free time (Ha!) I'm reading the last for the Lord of the Rings series. I started it the month before baby was born....she's now 6 months old.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Return-King-Being-Third-Rings/dp/054792819X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1473478898&sr=8-2&keywords=the+return+of+the+king&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=1c540a3e41ee8efcd7fa6d2f3ff2fc94" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=054792819X&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=054792819X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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My oldest child is reading this one which was assigned by Daddy. I'm hoping to get to it some time too.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Have-Enough-Faith-Atheist/dp/1581345615/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1473478987&sr=8-1&keywords=i+don%27t+have+enough+faith+to+be+an+atheist&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=4d1ce7a317b345c29d9a787717d77670" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1581345615&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1581345615" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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My oldest boys have been reading through the Wingfeather saga, this is the first one.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Dark-Darkness-Wingfeather-Saga/dp/1400073847/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1473627465&sr=8-1&keywords=on+the+edge+of+the+dark+sea+of+darkness&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=9a9a581fbec5fbf29b99793ecfa151d6" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1400073847&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1400073847" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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My little ones have been enjoying good 'ole <u>The Little Red Hen</u> though Mothergoose Nursery Rymes is brought to me regularly as well. <br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Little-Red-Hen-Golden-Book/dp/0307960307/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473479237&sr=1-2&keywords=the+little+red+hen&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=aab32df6ba0a3a6afaa563c3f1938cb7" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0307960307&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=0307960307" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Richard-Scarrys-Mother-Little-Golden/dp/0307155781/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473479293&sr=1-1&keywords=richard+scarry%27s+mother+goose&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=9b8f8d1aa7454825cf0fe028006b9007" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0307155781&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=0307155781" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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I'm going through this one for reading lessons with my beginning readers.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Child-Read-Lessons/dp/0671631985/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473479391&sr=1-1&keywords=teach+your+child+to+read+in+100+easy+lessons&linkCode=li2&tag=largefamilysm-20&linkId=bedc74a2c637c596818cace2f60a70ed" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0671631985&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=largefamilysm-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=largefamilysm-20&l=li2&o=1&a=0671631985" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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What are your favorite books right now? I'm always looking for GREAT reads for any age.<br />
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***<i>I'm an Amazon associate. If you shop through my links above I'll make and itty-bit of $$$ which will promptly be spent on more books, toys etc on Amazon. ;)***</i>Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-25029217811927571962016-07-25T12:37:00.000-07:002016-09-12T06:21:38.220-07:00Preparing for school planningAs I pull up my August calendar on my phone I see that nearly every day has plans. Normally this would make me very nervous. Our family does not do well being that busy. We need "home" days. Instead this sight makes me smile. I smile because (for the most part) those days are set apart. They are set apart for talking with the kids and planning out our school year. They are set apart for easing back into school. <br />
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In the mean time I'm reading this great book a friend of mine suggested. <u>Teaching from Rest; A Homeschoolers Guide to Unshakable Peace </u>by Sarah Mackenzie. Just reading the Forward and Preface gave me peace and encouragement. I'm replenishing my soul through His word, praying over our coming year, and working on casting my cares upon Him. Homeschooling our children can be a heavy burden if we don't cast those cares on the Lord. I'd encourage you, mama, to take this time to look to Him and find rest so that you may joyfully care for and teach <strike>your </strike> His children that He has placed in your care.<br />
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"Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 55:22<br />
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"...casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7<br />
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<i>***I'm an Amazon Associate. I'd be posting about this book anyways though. If you click on my link and shop through it I'll make a itty-bitty-bit of $$ which I'll end up spending on my kids.*** </i>Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-77417643860087560472016-07-21T10:49:00.000-07:002016-07-21T10:49:19.832-07:00Taking care of mom- Stitch Fix has sent me my favorites!This past week we had some special plans, all made by my husband. For my birthday. As I was figuring out what I wanted to wear for these dates I realized that each outfit I was picking had at least one element from <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/5186414">Stitch Fix</a>, if not the whole outfit. Wow! I knew I was liking it, but not until then did I realize how very happy I was with their picks. I thought I'd share.<br />
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This blue and white stripe top was perfect for our dinner date. The cut of the top hides my mama belly, the style and color where ones I'd asked for, and it is easy to care for. I love that it works for me now, but it's cut is a flexible one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGoctPYK1CguFT6BG7UbA_f-VDDY16WAOhDp48GNwm6i2dgYLeZS2d4S1E60kgH8uHWwLwWvRpZtGpDYzFKrEb_pIDmMHMyZlIEixbmwrbgkPuWefUp954uPADgUEX5ouxmxbjWnzSu4/s1600/IMG_1874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGoctPYK1CguFT6BG7UbA_f-VDDY16WAOhDp48GNwm6i2dgYLeZS2d4S1E60kgH8uHWwLwWvRpZtGpDYzFKrEb_pIDmMHMyZlIEixbmwrbgkPuWefUp954uPADgUEX5ouxmxbjWnzSu4/s320/IMG_1874.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I think this is my favorite top right now. It came in a fix right before I had my baby. I can't remember if it was a maternity top or not. I had asked for tops that would be great for the transition time after baby; that's exactly what this is! I love the fit, it drapes nicely and is easy to nurse in. I love how easy it is to just throw on with jeans or dress up a bit with a skirt. I feel pretty in it, but it does not show spots easily and is easy to care for. It's a perfect "mom" top. :) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAOXQHzHG2kjS5a6OTfNfu5yzTTPupOU9G2t_75OCACFnhmYKcLUnsiRGp4gNO8D56JWdMChSIrKyZS5IYBIFwsXrXQJvxldSli2rQWDl49mdwHTbmXvQXeJXdfP5SiL6R2PlzeQB6Zg/s1600/IMG_6692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAOXQHzHG2kjS5a6OTfNfu5yzTTPupOU9G2t_75OCACFnhmYKcLUnsiRGp4gNO8D56JWdMChSIrKyZS5IYBIFwsXrXQJvxldSli2rQWDl49mdwHTbmXvQXeJXdfP5SiL6R2PlzeQB6Zg/s320/IMG_6692.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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This grey top and printed skirt are from two different "fixes." I love that they know what I've kept from past fixes and are able to make pairing suggestions based on that. I'd have eventually figured these out on my own, but it sure is nice for my mama brain to have that right out of the box! Both pieces are very forgiving. They work well with my ever changing mama body. :) I loved wearing them for a casual afternoon out with my husband (and the baby).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnNhaYN8pQA3-YH175ZNgXvaRW5si8dUytf58T8tqpAflia0HcUDsmRToyRUPFYMAQirr6OeKcax1Ker52pIsflm5NsIehfNdmxkpe5-MfBJ6U2CLuGyyB4EcWbV_rWOtL-LAHDgiWKc/s1600/IMG_1891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnNhaYN8pQA3-YH175ZNgXvaRW5si8dUytf58T8tqpAflia0HcUDsmRToyRUPFYMAQirr6OeKcax1Ker52pIsflm5NsIehfNdmxkpe5-MfBJ6U2CLuGyyB4EcWbV_rWOtL-LAHDgiWKc/s320/IMG_1891.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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This top obviously does not fit well right now, I can just barely wiggle into it. <a href="http://www.largefamilysmallworld.com/2015/06/stitch-fix-for-june-taking-care-of-mom.html">It is from a pre-pregnancy fix. </a> It is still one of my favorites and I'm looking forward to it fitting again....sometime. I'm sharing for a couple of reasons 1) my <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/5186414">stitch fix</a> stylist checks my pinterest page and blog to see what styles I like 2)to be real...it can be frustrating to have your weight fluctuate regularly, not fit into your favorite clothes or not feel as good about your body as you once did. Remember that you've given the gift of life to your little one(s). Often our extra weight is needed to support our little one while we are nursing. Just look at those chubby cheeks, and dimpled arms (on the baby!) she is growing strong and healthy. If I was slimmer my baby would not be chunking up so nicely. I know because I have lost weight too quickly in the past and my baby has then struggled with weight gain. If we're eating well, exercising and resting in the Lord it's a bit easier to accept where we are at physically....even when that baby is not such a baby anymore. ;) Being real and sharing our struggles in an encouraging way can be a big blessing to others, I know I've been encouraged greatly by others in this way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRQDVBy1sBaWFHvP4OBONKeoKM5_M-fNPhdn9LQW3qPcxH6dEZWKWn_qYs3hPPFkAi034wGewwTqofp7Fr8qyWn9ATrBDidnXoV8LnMRu5IgeByyFw6YxsiR1_tLnTevK2XIIa2zkq5Y/s1600/IMG_6690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRQDVBy1sBaWFHvP4OBONKeoKM5_M-fNPhdn9LQW3qPcxH6dEZWKWn_qYs3hPPFkAi034wGewwTqofp7Fr8qyWn9ATrBDidnXoV8LnMRu5IgeByyFw6YxsiR1_tLnTevK2XIIa2zkq5Y/s320/IMG_6690.jpg" width="170" /></a></div>
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***I'm sharing this because it has been a blessing and encouragement to me to use this service. It is not a "budget" service, but one that is a treat my husband has encouraged me to use. The opinions are my own. I'm not compensated by <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/5186414">Stitch Fix</a>. However, if you sign up <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/5186414">through my links</a> AND receive a fix I do get credit toward my next fix. That credit has been such a blessing to me. A big "THANK YOU!" to those of you who have signed up through me.</div>
Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-4727476709455204522016-07-13T07:17:00.001-07:002016-07-13T07:17:30.604-07:00Preventing those diaper blow outs...<div style="text-align: center;">
***Even if you have NO interest in cloth diapering you'll want to know about this little trick***</div>
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One of the biggest surprises when I had my first babies was all of the diaper blow outs. Sometimes huge messes. All over everything. Often when we were out and about. It was nasty and often outfits ended up ruined.</div>
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I love cloth diapering, but sometimes life takes over and we need to use disposables. Years ago when we switched to cloth diapers I was surprised to find that we were no longer experiencing those diaper blowouts that were so frustrating. </div>
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I started putting the cloth diaper covers over disposables when we needed to use them. They contained messes! The stronger elastic at the backs and legs were enough to catch any overflow. Any mess was contained to that cover. I've been using this trick for almost 9 years now and realized maybe I should pass it on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlezywyBAhje08539vhXX1z1snUpl2CN-BXjDPEHiyeqZbFST4hwEluG69Nq-ddEuwj2JeiMZnHpcV7uUqtXBqzV7orhIvCiWIXLrEhN8oGDCjociuDlE00mwlzQ_mRC_BJRsAyrOOa8/s1600/IMG_6653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlezywyBAhje08539vhXX1z1snUpl2CN-BXjDPEHiyeqZbFST4hwEluG69Nq-ddEuwj2JeiMZnHpcV7uUqtXBqzV7orhIvCiWIXLrEhN8oGDCjociuDlE00mwlzQ_mRC_BJRsAyrOOa8/s320/IMG_6653.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I think any good cover with elastic at the back and legs would work well. I use the <a href="http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=254&products_id=2220">Flip</a> diaper covers because they are made by one of my favorite cloth diaper companies. They are good quality and I've used them through several children. I purchase them at <a href="http://cottonbabies.com/">cottonbabies.com</a> They are about $15 and well worth the cost considering all of the trouble and clothing they save. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHE10-VUpR2U-QB4nQgx7Vvp1RWlSqmPKh8yj0YGACS4OpjkITpuq-bYIxOa6RNspjhRI-LEQHat2AcrtmHvz-0xVaiKe3vJLu0s-UakhwYHssvk2s1uJNVLncTpAHv26LYQYugp0ISA/s1600/IMG_6652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHE10-VUpR2U-QB4nQgx7Vvp1RWlSqmPKh8yj0YGACS4OpjkITpuq-bYIxOa6RNspjhRI-LEQHat2AcrtmHvz-0xVaiKe3vJLu0s-UakhwYHssvk2s1uJNVLncTpAHv26LYQYugp0ISA/s320/IMG_6652.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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*I'm not being compensated for this review/suggestion. I'm just a mom sharing what I've found to work well. ;) </div>
Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-10391221002054631232016-03-06T05:00:00.000-08:002016-03-06T07:28:44.053-08:00Why we planned a home birth*<i>There are so many options when it comes to birthing. There is no one right choice for everyone, just the best option for each mom and baby. I'm sharing how we came to this choice this time. It's not up for debate here. ;)</i><br />
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First a little humor....<br />
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<i>It's an overall funny about his large family, he starts the home birth part at about 1:30</i><br />
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We've been heading in the direction of home birthing for a while now, but this will be our first. Our last baby (#8) was born in a detached Birth Center staffed by Midwives. While many will choose this option feeling it is "safer" than a home birth; the reality is that these facilities are rarely equipped with anything that would not already be at a home birth. Sometimes they are located closer to a hospital making emergency transport faster, that's about it though. The nearest birth center to us is over an hour away ruling it out as a reasonable option anyways.<br />
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Some reasons we were leaning towards home birth.....<br />
1)Unnecessary interventions that had nothing to do with my labor/birth process or medical history. Just hospital policy.<br />
2)Uncertain environment. So much depends on the nurse you get or the on call doctors.<br />
3)Doctors not listening to my medical/pregnancy history and "freaking out" when the situation then comes up. Jumping to suggestions of interventions and c-sections despite my assurances that the situation would right itself; because it always had in the past and did again shortly after it came up. Specifically...my babies turn. They spin all the way through the last month of pregnancy and even overdue. Every single one has gone back to vertex for birth on their own, but none of my doctors listen to that. My midwives do and have a much more relaxed attitude about this knowing there is nothing we can do until "birthday."<br />
4)Our family dynamics. Hospitals do not lend themselves well to a bunch of kids being around before, during or after a birth. The birth center was so much better, but still not what we (or our children) were wanting.<br />
5)My own pregnancy/labor/delivery and medical history makes me an excellent candidate for a home birth. *<i>If this was not the case it would have overruled all of the other reasons to home birth and we would go to a hospital.</i><br />
6)This one really didn't come into play, but is a perk....given the time of year; planning to be home just feels good. Snow storms, influenza outbreaks and such are not a concern knowing I'll be staying home.</div>
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This time the choice (in some ways) was made for us. Once we looked at our options realistically in terms of what we needed and what our insurance would cover it was clear what our choice would be. My husband is in the military. We're thankful for the medical coverage we have, but in this instance it would not work for us. For oh so many reasons the Army Hospital* in our area was not an option for us (distance, reputation, and policies are some of the reasons). Civilian doctors and hospitals were not really an option unless we found ourselves in an emergency situation during labor; in that case they would be covered and would be able to provide much better (in our opinion) and faster care than the military facility. *<i>Last time we were stationed in this area we also did not see this hospital as a good option. At that time we had other options that we were able to use, and ended up with a civilian doctor at a civilian hospital.</i></div>
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This left Home Birth which we'd been leaning towards anyways. We paid out of pocket for it since it is not covered by our insurance. Only my lab work was covered for this pregnancy. While having to pay for it on our own is an added strain it greatly relieves other strains and concerns. I know we're not alone in making this choice and many others go through much more financial hardship in order to make this happen. <br />
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<i>My oldest daughter delivering her baby sister with the help of our midwife.</i></div>
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I love that my midwife takes her time at my appointments; each one has been about an hour long. She is much more detailed in her questions about my pregnancy and over-all health. She does more testing too. Nothing big, but she is certainly much more aware of my over-all health than most of my doctors ever have been. With the longer appointments we're able to get to know each other better. I trust her more than I've trusted most of my doctors, and I'll feel much more comfortable with her at the birth. This is much more of a partnership. We're in this together to get the best outcome for both me and the baby. An added bonus? Her husband is retired military in a similar career field as my husband. We share some similar experiences in that aspect as well. She understands our life in a way that many midwives could not. Finding the right midwife can make a huge difference. :) </div>
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Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-45265273282890225722016-02-12T04:54:00.000-08:002016-02-12T04:54:06.242-08:00February Stitch FixThis was my 4th box from Stitch Fix, and it's my favorite one yet! I was very intentional about scheduling this fix. In my "notes" to the stylist I let her know that I wanted clothes that would be great for right after the birth and be nursing friendly. I wanted items that would help hide my postpartum belly and look "springy" while still warm enough for our cold Colorado weather. As soon as I opened the box I could tell that she'd listened to me and I was so excited to start trying on clothes!<br />
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None of the items are a great fit right now. They are all intended for after the birth. I'm pleased that I was able to try them all on and get a good idea for their potential fit. ;) The first outfit I tried on was not my favorite, but I did still like the items. The skirt felt so nice on both for the fit and fabric quality; I was sad that the print/color combo were just not quite "me." I really liked the feel of the grey criss cross top that was chosen for me because it would be nursing friendly. I wasn't sure if it would help in hiding my belly. Obviously it's good at showing it off right now. :)<br />
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The pink top and cardigan were in colors and styles I'd requested. The top will be great for spring and summer while the cardigan will keep me warmer while we're still in the cooler temps. The cardigan will also be great pared with the top for nursing as it will help provide a bit of extra cover and privacy. Right now I can just get the top over my belly, so I can't wear it, but I know I'm going to love being able to wear it right after baby is born. It's always nice to have something pretty to wear right away.<br />
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This one is my favorite. I'd requested more of a "romantic" look and this is what was sent to fill that request. The top is in colors I'd requested and while the cut does accomedate my belly now it'll be perfect all through the spring and summer for hiding my mamma tummy and nursing the baby (while not looking like I'm wearing a maternity top). I also love that the stylist pointed out that the tops she picked would look good with the pants I'd kept from my last fix. I'd have figured it out eventually, but I appreciated the thoughtfulness.<br />
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I ended up keeping all 5 pieces. I normally would not have, but I knew I was going to keep the 3 I loved. The grey top was questionable and at first I'd decided to send it back. Over the next few hours I keep thinking about it though and pulling it out. There is a 25% discount for keeping all 5 items, plus I had credits making it cheaper to keep all 5 once I decided to keep the 4th item. I'm thankful for a husband that is so sweet and encouraged me to keep them all.<br />
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Now they are all hanging in my closet waiting to be worn. Ah, more practice in patience. You know, 'cause waiting for baby to arrive is not practice enough.<br />
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***<i>If you are interested in giving stitch fix a go I'd love it if you'd use<a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/5186414"> my link</a>. I get credit when your first fix ships. A big reason I was able to treat myself this time was because some sweet friends have been enjoying Stitch Fix through my link. A BIG Thank You goes out to them from me. :)</i>Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-15310368709290538422016-02-03T05:00:00.000-08:002016-02-03T05:00:06.769-08:00The Nursery; with toddler bunk bedsYou know in Peter Pan when the kids are talking about it being Wendy's last night in the nursery? I never really understood why kids (not babies) were in the nursery. Now I do. We've always just had a boys' room and girls' room (and mom & dad's room), but that's not working anymore and we have some more flexibility in this house. We've been setting up an nursery for kids 7 (at least) and under.<br />
<br />
We started by converting 2 toddler size beds into a set of toddler size bunk beds. Our 6 year old and 4 year old will be sleeping in these. We used the two headboards for the bottom bunk and the two foot boards for the top. The beds are well secured together with pegs and brackets. ***<i>Use extreme caution in attempting this. This is not a method/use recommended by the manufacturer. My husband is an experienced builder and had to alter the construction of the beds***</i><br />
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The nursery is close to mommy and daddy's room. It is also near our main living area. We were struggling with littles not cleaning up their messes, having a hard time finding their clothing, or getting into older siblings things. This way we will be better able to supervise and help these little ones. <br />
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We think this will also give them a nice play space that they can have more freedom in. We will not have to be quite as concerned about curious/mischievous little hands. *<i>Some toys will be stored out of the way in the closet, others will be out to play with. We limit what our children have available to them and rotate the toys regularly. We find them to be more content with what they have when we do this.</i><br />
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Once baby arrives we will be storing 4 children's clothes in this room. Baby will likely sleep in our room for several months. We will put a small crib or playpen in here when it is time for baby to join the others. *<i>We're just using the shelves in the closet and hanging many of the girls things for their clothes right now. We're holding off on buying a dresser to (1)save for it (2)see if it is really necessary since it would be nice not to have one in there.</i><br />
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The biggest goal here was protecting some sweet relationships. We could see that some kids were being provoked to wrath either through siblings or the situations we had put them in. This was something that could be changed, and so we needed to do that. It has been working out very well for everyone.<br />
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I thought I'd share the costs of doing this with you especially since this was a budget project.<br />
Crib mattress- $57 we only needed one since we already had a spare<br />
<br />
Toddler bed- $79x2 on Amazon *<i>while we would normally look for these on Craigslist we bought these new because they had to be the exact same bed to work for our purposes.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The pink toddler bed (with mattress) was purchased quite a while ago by finding it on Craigslist. It was new, the child that originally owned it never slept in it. I think it cost $55<br />
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<i>*This had been the girls' room. Our two older girls moved downstairs to a room we had left empty to allow for some growth. That growth happened sooner than we thought it would. :) </i>Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-79420157364501065132016-01-21T01:44:00.000-08:002016-01-21T01:44:03.553-08:00Pantry Challenge week 3Whew! I'm slow putting this post together, it was quite a week-end. I'm so thankful for the retreat I was able to go on (and that I got to take my oldest daughter), and the big work day my family and I tackled on Monday; it all left me tired though. Our pantry challenge is going well, but between the whole "end of pregnancy" thing and some very busy days I'm getting tired of it. :) I'm seeing my goals accomplished though, so I'm inspired to keep going.<br />
<br />
My poorly functioning pregnancy brain did not track expenses this week. I didn't purchase much; bananas, pineapple, eggs, and chocolate coconut (dairy free) ice cream...you know basic life essentials. I also purchased several items for next month. These were almost all convenience/specialty items related to the upcoming birth.<br />
<br />
Ok, the menu for this week<br />
<br />
<u>Breakfast</u><br />
Baked Oatmeal with fruit (random kinds found in the freezer)<br />
Dutch babies<br />
instant oatmeal<br />
<br />
<u>Lunch</u><br />
Packed lunch 'o junk- my kids couldn't believe their eyes when they saw me packing this. Caprisun (left over from our move), fruit cups (left over from camping), random crackers and nuts.<br />
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Baked potatoes<br />
dinner left overs<br />
Random stuff from the "Pantry Challenge" bag- we will finish this off this week!<br />
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<u>Dinner</u><br />
Chicken, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce- the last of the chickens we processed this year and Thanksgiving/Christmas pantry left overs<br />
Pineapple curry Chicken<br />
Split pea soup<br />
Tacos- the kids were so excited to hear that I found some extra taco meat in the back of the freezer!<br />
Shredded Pork<br />
<br />
This week-end and in the coming week we will start some bulk cooking. My freezer is nicely cleaned out and ready to be filled with meals to get us through the first month or so after baby arrives. Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-47175303296936668262016-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:002016-01-12T05:59:37.979-08:00Pantry Challenge week 2Week 2 is not looking so much like a pantry challenge when it comes to dinners. There were some great items hidden in the freezer and then we have a birthday. We make a big deal out of meals for the birthday child; this child chose German food. I don't keep those things in the pantry. :)<br />
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I spent more this week (last week I spent $0). I placed an Azure (co-op) order; this can only be done once a month and I needed to order our coconut milk, raw cashews (which didn't ship), and pregnancy tea. Total was $39. I also ordered raw local honey; this is a group order that only happens once every couple/few months so I have to take advantage of it when it happens $33.<br />
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I had to go to Costco to pick up some items for a friend's dinner (she'd had surgery) and I picked up a couple of staples there for us too. Onions (making it easier to make some flavorful meals), salad, eggs, string cheese (the toddler's favorite snack. This is not an exercise in torture; the whole family will be thankful she has it), GF pizza (because we have regular pizza in the freezer and I'm gonna be gone Friday night leaving Daddy and most kids to cook). I think the total for our part was about $45.<br />
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I needed to go to the commissary to pick up pork chops for making schnitzel for the birthday dinner. While there I picked up bananas and pears as well as some Larabars for me to snack on. I'm starting to gather some baby items, so I picked up Newborn diapers and some wipes. My total was $32<br />
<br />
So, what's actually on the menu for the week?<br />
<br />
<u>Breakfast</u><br />
Baked Oatmeal using frozen fruit from the freezer<br />
Waffles (wheat free) and sausage- this is the birthday breakfast<br />
Instant Oatmeal since we still have a surplus<br />
Dutch babies/German pancakes (wheat and dairy free)<br />
<a href="http://www.largefamilysmallworld.com/2016/01/banana-pancakes-grain-freepaleo.html">Banana Pancakes</a><br />
<br />
<u>Lunch</u><br />
Dried fruit and nuts, crackers, nutella/PB, carrots, string cheese (this is a packed lunch)<br />
PB&J sandwiches, carrots- this is the requested birthday lunch<br />
Baked Potatoes<br />
Left over stew<br />
<br />
<u>Dinner</u><br />
Pot Roast- roast was hanging out in the back of the freezer<br />
Schnitzel and spaetzle w/gravy, salad and cookies- this is the birthday dinner<br />
coconut soup<br />
frozen pizza- I'll be at a retreat with my oldest, dinner needs to be EASY that night<br />
<br />
I don't have every meal for this week planned yet. If we end up with a bunch of leftovers I'll want to use those up instead of cooking whole meals.<br />
<br />
From Last Week's plans we had some great success with the Teriyaki Salmon and rice; this was made from canned salmon and I really thought most of my family would turn their noses up at it. Instead there were requests for seconds and everyone finished theirs. The oxtail stew smelled great as it cooked all day and was a wonderful comfort meal on our cold day. That one was also a great success.<br />
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What about you? How's your pantry challenge going? What have you had to purchase? What successes have you had?Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-19229459919402778322016-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:002016-01-09T08:46:22.364-08:00Banana Pancakes- grain free/paleoWhen I mentioned making Banana Pancakes last week in my P<a href="http://www.largefamilysmallworld.com/2016/01/pantry-challenge-week-1.html">antry Challenge post</a> several people asked about it on Facebook, so I thought I'd post the recipe here. It's surprisingly simple and it's been my family's favorite grain free pancake. I have my awesome sister-in-law to thank for introducing this recipe to my family. I love her. <br />
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1 banana (mashed) to 2 eggs. Add cinnamon if desired. Mix together. Cook on griddle (don't forget to flip!). Serve with butter and syrup (kids like maple, I like a fruit/berry syrup).<br />
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Yes. It's that easy.<br />
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Yes. All of those frozen bananas you have in your freezer are perfect for this.<br />
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For my crew we generally use 5 bananas and 10 eggs; I think I'll need to increase that though. We often serve sausage, fruit or hash browns with these. It depends on what we have available, how hungry I think the kids will be, and the day we have ahead of us.<br />
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*<i>My kids usually make these. Usually my 15 year old daughter, but sometimes my 12 year old son. My 8 year old is able to contribute a significant amount of effort to the making of these as well. This is a great recipe for getting the kids involved with. Just exercise wisdom and caution in choosing to have kids work with (or not) a hot griddle.</i>Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-5588737070404986842016-01-04T13:07:00.001-08:002016-01-04T13:11:26.479-08:00Pantry challenge week 1On Saturday I went through our pantry and cleaned it out. I pulled out anything that had been there for a while, had been purchased for a specific recipe (and then not used), open packages, near the expiration date, or just something I didn't think we'd get to unless given a good push.<br />
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<i>Much of this accumulated during "morning" sickness and the holidays. We've only been in this house for about 6 months, so I didn't find anything too surprising or old....this time.</i></div>
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The freezer contained a bunch of open bags of frozen fruit and veggies, a roast, a couple of bags of frozen soup, boxes of Trader Joes pastries....random stuff like the pantry stash.<br />
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I made up a rough meal plan for the next week or so. I'll have to go to the store next week for a certain birthday girl's meal requests, but that's it. No $$$ being spent this week on food!<br />
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Here's the general plan for this week, along with using the fresh fruits and veggies we already had hin the house.<br />
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<u>Breakfast</u><br />
1)Finish off all of the open cereal and granola I found in the pantry.<br />
2)Use up some of the instant oatmeal packets we have too much of...they are generally reserved for hubby's breakfast, but I bought too many when they were on sale.<br />
3)TJ's pastries one morning<br />
4)Banana pancakes- these are just made using frozen bananas and eggs (we generally add cinnamon too).<br />
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<u>Lunch</u><br />
1)Baked potatoes/sweet potatoes<br />
2)crackers, PB, cheese, salami, veggies, fruit<br />
3)spiced cider, quick breads, veggies etc<br />
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<u>Dinner</u>- <i>I didn't need to get very creative here since we had some meals in the freezer that needed to be used.</i><br />
1)Left overs from a large Ham dinner that we made on Sunday. This will end up being a couple of meals for us this week.<br />
2)Tuscan soup<br />
3)Teriyaki salmon, veggies, and rice<br />
4)Oxtail stew- <i>We recently bought 1/2 a cow. I'm using the Oxtail now knowing that its a part we normally would not use. We shall see....</i><br />
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Next week I'll likely get more creative, if my pregnant brain can manage that. Having all of the "extras" that I want to use collected in one place and out for others to see means that some of the kids have been contributing their own ideas and are finding things they are looking forward to eating.<br />
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What about you? How's your menu looking? In what ways are you getting creative? Do share!Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-21307138816883721132015-12-30T05:00:00.000-08:002015-12-30T05:00:00.974-08:00Time to clean out the pantry and freezer!I love to use the month of January as a time to clean out the pantry and freezer. I find that random things build up over the year and doing this once a year is helpful in keeping things cleaned out a bit. There are a couple of other added benefits to this method, one being that it is helpful to the budget after the holidays. After the holidays it's also just nice to try to stay home, I like not running to the store and instead getting a bit creative with our meals. I'm going to see how long we can go without going to the store, or at least how little we can spend this month.<br />
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This year I have a couple of extra challenges. I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy and I'm on a high protein diet. This takes priority and could gum up the works a bit, but I will need to do what is best for baby. Hopefully I'll have plenty of energy and creativity for this challenge. ;)<br />
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An added bonus will be that this should free up some finances for stocking up the freezer for baby's birth. I'll likely use any of the savings this month to do some bulk cooking at the end of the month.<br />
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I'm going to try to post our meals for the week and how much we've spent that week as well. My guess is that the first week will not call for much creativity or spending. It'll be the following weeks that will be interesting.<br />
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Anyone want to join me in this challenge? I'd love to hear from you.Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-58744660202531425992015-12-28T06:00:00.000-08:002015-12-28T06:49:35.240-08:00Reading through the Bible in a yearHave you read through the WHOLE Bible? For the past 6 years we've been reading through the Bible as a family. <a href="http://theology.iharder.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/One-Year-Bible-Reading-Plan.pdf">We use a reading plan that takes us through the Bible Chronologically in a year</a>. It has been such a blessing to our family to get into God's word in this way.<br />
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<i>So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11</i></div>
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<i>All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.</i><br />
<i> 2 Timothy 3:16-17</i></div>
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If this is not something you've ever done either on your own or as a family, or its been a while....I'd like to encourage you to do so. It's really just scratching the surface, but being in God's word every day is a wonderful thing which leads to more growth and learning. Most importantly, it helps you know HIM more and draws you closer to Him. It's a great habit to get into that can truly be life changing.</div>
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This will play out differently in every home, but I'll tell you how we do it to give you ideas and get you thinking. Sometimes, as much as we want something to happen, the logistics get in the way. For some getting up in the morning like we do just will not work, but evening readings will happen. Find what works for you and make it a priority, this is just what happens to work for us....</div>
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Hubby gets all of our older children up every morning before work. Right now that's at about 6am. We gather together in the living room. We start and end with prayer. Everyone takes turns reading a few verses at a time. Littles straggle in and join us as they wake up. </div>
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If, for some reason, we miss a morning we often make up the reading time in the evening. Sometimes we just know that it's going to be missed because of travel or unusual plans. We plan for that either by doing extra reading in the days surrounding that time OR by listening in the car to the Bible on MP3.</div>
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This is our minimum. As mentioned before, it's just scratching the surface. It's not in depth study, but it is a great way to keep us in the Word and building this habit in the kids. Other Bible reading and study happens individually or sometimes by topic as a family.</div>
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<br />Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-55770649152906326982015-12-23T03:00:00.000-08:002015-12-23T10:49:11.439-08:00A silent night<br />
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For the last two Christmases my "baby" has had this shirt that says "All Mommy wants is a Silent Night" She is actually very quiet at night....as she sneaks into my bed and cuddles up close. Now that she sleeps better at night in her own bed, her little brother or sister is waking me at night. Yes, my nights are silent....but, not because I'm sleeping through them. The years are short, but the <strike>days</strike> nights are long. :)<br />
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Merry Christmas Mommies of many (or not so many)! May you sleep through the night on Christmas Eve, or at least have the peace, strength and humor to savor the moments with the little one you are up with!Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128863080933663603.post-56721203386065125072015-12-15T05:00:00.000-08:002015-12-15T08:40:46.043-08:00Christmas School!December is a crazy time of year, and it can make keeping up with homeschooling very difficult. Or sometimes we focus on the schooling and get through the month only to realize we missed or skipped some special experiences. About 10 years ago I read about one family's "Christmas School" where they shift their focus for school during the month of December. We've been trying to do that for a while now. What does that look like? Well, it looks different every year, but generally.....<br />
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BOOKS- We have so many sweet and wonderful Christmas books that we love to read. With all of the hustle and bustle it can be easy to just leave them on the shelf. Most mornings I'm very intentional about reading at least one of these books. As we get closer to Christmas We will devote more of our group school time to reading these books. Most have historical or character value to them making them perfectly acceptable to use as "school." We often make up a pot of tea to enjoy along with the books. This also keeps Christmas break from becoming a "free for all" while providing a more relaxing atmosphere since most other formal schooling is set aside during this time. While many are geared to the younger crowd, I've also been intentional about picking up some "older" books and books that go deeper.<br />
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BAKING- In the week or so before Christmas we get quite a bit of baking done. Older children choose their favorites; they let me know what needs to be added to the shopping list and do the baking/cooking. Littles join me or their older siblings to help out.<br />
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GAMES- We have so many games. Card games, board games, tile games and other activity games. With the weather so cold this is a great time to be intentional about pulling those games out in the afternoon (or any time that works). Most games we own hold some educational value making this a great choice both for bonding and keeping up some school.<br />
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CRAFTS- The Christmas season seems to bring out the crafty side in many of us. Kids are the same. I love to see my children using this more relaxed time to get extra creative. This year my 7 year old really took off decorating our downstairs with chains and other paper crafts she'd been exploring. Just having simple items like construction paper, tape, glue, and scissors can go a long way for a kid. Adding other crafting items is great too. Then just let them take off!<br />
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TOYS- We put away many of the usual toys that are out and replace them with Christmas Toys. These are mostly Nativity sets, but there are some other seasonal toys as well. Puzzles, bells, dolls dressed in their Christmas best, and others help the little ones experience the season in a more hands on way.<br />
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Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11789130229532135413noreply@blogger.com0