Christmas In Review {The Project Side}

 

This was the first Christmas in 3 years that we haven't been on the move.  Over the last few years I've collected a few decor pieces from Hobby Lobby's 80/90% off sale.  There were a few things still in the original box or still with tags on it.  The last few years I've also collected quite a few ideas, thanks to Pinterest.  Here's what we made this year....

 

  

1.  Wooden Nativity Sign - I originally pinned this a year or two ago.  There is a wife here that owns a Silhouette machine and we (my friend, Marque, and I) paid her $10 to print the scene for us.  We bought the wood and painted it for less than $6 and she came over and put the vinyl on the board for us, and wa-la! 

 

2.  Wooden Merry Christmas Sign - Back in the beginning of November I set up a Mini Christmas Photo Shoot for 5 clients.  Inspired by the link above I made this sign as one of my props to use.  I figured if I made it well enough I could use it as decor as well, so I made it out of wood.  Unfortunately, I didn't have strong enough hooks to hold it this year and it fell down after about a week of hanging across our big living room window. 

 

 

 

 

 3.  Wooden JOY Sign - Not quite the same as the inspiration piece, but I had some extra wood from the "Merry Christmas" sign so I decided to put it to good use.

4.  Fingerprint Ornament - I'm sure you've seen this floating around Pinterest.  The fingerprints don't really come out looking like the fingerprints on the inspiration piece, but it still works.



 

5.  Stamped Salt Dough Ornaments - Who knew?!!  Some stamps and colored ink?!  The possibilities are endless!  Thanks to Tim's Grandma and the box of stamps and ink she sent me a few months back we had plenty to choose from.  We made a good amount of the above ornament and handed them out as gifts to friends this year along with our annual cookie tins and bread loafs.  Ryan and his friend, Liam, also had a great time making these!  The following is one of Ryan's!

  

 

Side Note:  I compared two or three salt-dough recipes and had trouble with the first batch.  I ended up having to add 3 to 4 more cups of flour.  After we were done with those, we still wanted to make a few more and the next recipe I tried turned out great!  I had it mixed, rolled out, stamped, and in the oven within 10/15 minutes!  Just in case you are looking for a good recipe..and just so I don't forget...

*1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 of water. Place on a baking sheet lined with Parchment Paper.  Bake at 250 for 2 hours; turning every 30 minutes to keep flat.

 

6.  Cinnamon Ornaments - No picture for these.  ( I think there's one in the background two pics up.)  I tried making these last year and they were a complete failure.  I had trouble with the consistency in the dough and I ended up chiseling them off the pan.  I searched for a different recipe and I figured you can't go wrong with Martha.  I was right!  The boys were even able to help with them as well.  The above link takes you to her recipe. 

 

 

7.  Subway Art Printable - I have two frames that I kept out and just added a Christmas themed printable to them.  I printed the Subway Art from the above link and cut it to a 4x6 and it is a bit squishy.  If you have a 5x7 frame it would probably work better.

 

For this second frame, I just played with a font and size on Word and printed out "NOEL". 

 

8.  Pine Cone Tree - At some point in the last few years Target had this gorgeous pine cone tree for around $25...if I remember right.  In some after season sale at Walmart I came across small boxes of mini pine cones.  I bought them and stored them away.  This year I found the tutorial linked above and made my own; also getting the worst hot glue gun burn to date!  If you are up close and personal there are some obvious holes, but from a general view, it looks great!

 

 

 

9. Scrap Paper Tree - I'm sure most of you have seen this on Pinterest.  At first I just had the boys make one for themselves and they decorated the trees with stickers and such.  I still had a ton of paper left and had this grand idea to make our Christmas cards this year based on that idea.  The boys helped make a few of them, but I was left to the other 40 by myself.  :)

10.  Ruffled Tree Skirt - My biggest project!  I just finished it yesterday.  The original tutorial is a no-sew project, but of course my crazy brain decided that it be better long term if I could make it more permanent and washable.  About $15 worth of broadcloth fabric and 10-12 hours of labor and I have this beauty!  Finishing this tree skirt concludes my Christmas projects for this year and I'm so excited to put it all away and move on!

 

 

Next year new stockings!  Someone hit up the sales at Hobby Lobby for me!!!!



If-Then

A few years ago when we moved to Texas I was looking for something to help me in my consistency with discipline, and something with a more Biblical approach.  I had a few ideas, but hadn't put anything together. 

I had managed to make the last few meetings of the MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) group before they took a break for the summer and one of the Mom's on their "Mom Panel" had suggested a very basic If/Then chart.  If you do "this"...Then "this" will happen.

I originally ordered the If-Then chart from Doorposts; the website where the Mom mentioned above had gotten the idea.  It didn't turn out to be exactly what I wanted, but it still gave me the basis and inspiration for making my own.  They have a lot of other great resources as well!

Why a discipline chart, you ask?  Well, here are just some of my arguments for it...

1.  The chart helps me to stay consistent with what consequence is given for each "offense". 

• They say consistency is key in discipline and I believe it is very true not only with what and when, or how often, but that the consequence remains stable.  If I'm just aggravated and spout off whatever punishment I want, one day it might be time out, one day it might be a chore, one day it might be a spanking...there is an uncertainty left for the child to question what Mom's mood might produce.  I've also noticed in the past that if I'm hopping around on the consequence it seems I find myself saying, "Nothing I seem to do is working!"  Normally, because I don't stick with anything long enough to give it a chance to work.
• In our home, we do spankings.  On occassion, the boys will loose a privledge along with a spanking, but we have found the a spanking (done the correct way) produces the best results.

2.  The chart helps Tim and I to stay consistent with each other.

• When this idea first presented itself, I made sure to run it by Tim first.  In all honesty, I think he thought I was a little crazy.  He didn't think it was really needed and argued that our parents didn't need one.  After hearing some of my thoughts on the subject, he agreed to give it a go.  We sat down and reviewed the categories together and came to agreement on what the consequences should be for each child.  Before we began implementing the chart we reviewed it with the boys so that they were well aware of the expectations and the consequences.  The boys know that whether Mom is around, or Dad, that if they lie, the consequence will be the same.  There is no surprise when the consequence is given.

3.  It helps me to not punish or spank out of anger.

• We keep our chart in the bathroom with a spoon.  I can say that 99% of the time if I spank my child right when the offense occurs it is most likely out of anger and frustration and that is a sin on my part.  And in all honesty, sometimes it happens.  I have to seek forgiveness from God and my child over it.  BUT, if I have to stop what I'm doing and go to the bathroom and follow the chart, then it gives myself time to calm down.  The chart is set up to follow a certain order.  Before the consequence comes God's Word.  I don't know about you, but it's hard to be angry after reading His Word.  Therefore, the discipline then becomes what it's meant to be..discipline, not a whiplash of emotions.

4.  It brings us back to the Gospel.

• In Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp it states "The central focus of parenting is the gospel.  You need to direct not simply the behavior of your children, but the attitudes of their hearts.  You need to show them not just the 'what' of their sin and failure, but the 'why'."  Having a scripture linked with the behavior gives us a very clear picture that Christ expects our hearts to be just as pure as our actions and we are given another opportunity to share with our children the importance of His Word. 

5.  It's goal is restoration/reconciliation.

• Again, the chart is set in order.  Just as we don't begin with the consequence, we don't end with it either.  We end with the attitude/behavior that God would like for them to choose the next time the situation might present itself.  We end with an "I love you" and with hugs, and I would like to start ending in prayer as well.  Then if needed, they are to go reconcile themselves with the one that was offended.  Just as God's purpose in disciplining us is to restore ourselves to Himself, our goal in disciplining our children is to bring them back into a right relationship with us and their Creator.  We also hope that in teaching them this idea of reconciliation it will create a habit that will hopefully be instilled in them in childhood that will translate into their relationships as adults. 

• Is this chart "fail-proof"?  No.
• Do we have perfect children?  Of course not!
• As parents, are we well seasoned and have it all figured out? Again, OF COURSE NOT!!
• Do we always follow the chart to a "t"?  No.  We easily get off course.  Many times we have to stop and start over fresh.
• Does this chart cover all discipline issues?   It's not specific, but focuses on the main heart attitudes that we find in our children.  While every situation is different, we believe that most can be "traced-back" to one of these heart issues.  We ask the Lord for discernment and clarity in deciding what the "heart" of the issue is and discipline that.  Again, we aim not to discipline the action, but the attitude!
• Since using this chart have our children stopped having problems with these behaviors/heart issues?  An overwhelming...Of course not!  By disciplining consistently, I do believe that I can see a visible change, but it does not mean that we never have those problems again.  The chart is meant to be used for years and to help with our consistency in parenting.
• Am I claiming this is the best/only way to discipline your child?  No.  I believe that every child is different and that the Lord will grant wisdom in the area of raising them if we ask.  There are TONS of charts and ideas on how to discipline your child.  I just wanted to share something that has helped us.  Keep in mind the chart was orignially created to help ME in staying consitent in my discipline.  It's a tool that I felt I needed. 

So now I've talked all about it you can go here to print the chart that I created to use for our family.  I left a space at the top empty for you to add your child's name, and I left the consequences column empty.  You can print this chart and fill it out by hand and then laminate it to make it a little more durable.  We have a full size 8.5 x 11 page printed that we keep in our bathroom, and I have a small 4x6 that I normally keep in the car or my purse for when we are out and about.  If you would like to be able to edit it yourself, I would be more than happy to email it to you.  Just leave me a comment with your email address!

Book Review {Crazy Love}

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be make more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.

Excerpt from Crazy Love.  Intro of Ch.6

(www.amazon.com)

It's Contagious!

A friend shared this link a few weeks back on FB and I loved it!  It's a wonderful article on Missions.  It's amazing how the passionate, radical life of one can cause a chain reaction!  I didn't want to forget where I saw it, plus I wanted to share it with you!  Enjoy!

Homemade {All-Purpose Cleaning Solution}

I finally did it!!!  I have mixed my own all-purpose cleaning solution!  I originally saw the idea just over a year ago when my friend posted the link on her blog here.  I have used straight vinegar water for cleaning in the past, but I loved the added benefits of the lavender and thyme. 

(Photo credit)

I had bought a bottle of all-purpose cleaner from the Commissary soon after we arrived here.  It was supposed to have a lemon fresh scent...but to me it seemed to resemble urine.  Gross.  I was ready to make this happen!  The original recipe is found on Herb Mentor News here.  I took the article's suggestion and ordered what I needed here from Mountain Rose Herbs.  My husband has never been fond of the vinegar scent and I wasn't sure how he would feel about the other two scents I would be adding, but I decided to go ahead and order some Lime Peel Extract as well to add to it.  I also loved that on Mountain Rose Herbs they gave explanations of the uses of each of the extracts as well as what other scents they blended well with.

I received the box about two weeks after I made my order.  Not too bad for shipping overseas.  The recipe states that you need 1 cup of the lavender and thyme, but I wasn't 100% sure on how much to order from Mountain Rose Herbs.  I ended up ordering the 8 oz bag of each and it was plenty!  I can easily get about five more rounds out of them (I think).  (I'm assuming they will last that long.  I have no idea if they come with an "expiration date".  I'm new to this.)  I paid right around $25.00, including shipping.  I'm sure if you look around your area you could find what you need local.  There are some things though where my time is more valuable than my money.  For me, paying the shipping was worth it!  For future use though (as long as it doesn't expire), I would probably even order the larger bags.

I have been using the cleaner for everything!!!  The vinegar smell was still super strong for Tim, so I watered my mixture down a bit and it still does a great job of getting all sorts of messes up.  I have already come to love the smell and easily associated it with my house being clean!  To be easy on my husband though I try to do most of my cleaning during the day when he is gone that way it doesn't bother him.  There are some times that I can't avoid it when he's home, but I'll just try and crack a window in the room and the smell doesn't linger long.

I was having trouble with major streaks on our bathroom mirrors using this solution though.  I'm not sure I strained the liquid well enough before putting in the spray bottle, which might be the problem.  I didn't want to fret over it though, so I just picked up another small spray bottle and just mixed some plain vinegar water and I've been using that for our mirrors/windows. 

One other thing I love about this is that it is a great encouragement to ideas realized!  Seriously.  I marked this ONE YEAR ago as something I wanted to do!  There are still many things on my list of things I want to try...homemade laundry soap, homemade bread, wood projects, vegetable garden, etc.  Not all of them will be accomplished tomorrow, but hopefully, over time, I will get to them.

Me Time

I'm sending you over to Making Home today to read an article about the topic of seeking out "Me Time".  It's an older post, but one that I think is worth the read.  I really appreciate the author, Jess, and her ability to talk about not only this topic, but others, based upon what the Scriptures say.  Her sincerity and honesty always seem to show through in her posts.

Enjoy! 



Book Review {Kisses From Katie}

I came across Katie’s blog a few years ago and was blown away by her selflessness and her insight.  There are a few blogs that I come across on occasion that leave me astounded and deeply moved.  Katie’s would be one of them.   I lost track of her for a while but heard last year that she had a book coming out.   I knew it would be one to read.  

Kisses from Katie is somewhat of an autobiography with a deeper message that leaves you challenged to be a radical servant to others.  Around the age of 19 God called Katie to not only minister to the orphans in Uganda, but to start Amazima, a non-profit organization that supports children throughout Uganda that allows them to attend school.  She has also heard and accepted the Lord’s calling to adopt 14 young girls as her own.

The book was so good, and such an easy read, I finished it in one day (including one late night).  Living in America it is so easy to get caught up in the luxuries and easy access we have to whatever we might want.  Katie’s book is a great eye opener/reminder to those who are struggling for 1 meal a day.  

While her book left me contemplating many things I am most impressed with her servant’s heart as a mother to her girls.  The fact that I dred (a majority of the time) cooking dinner for five a few times a week, giving baths every other night is sad compared to the meals she not only cooks for  her 14 girls every day, plus hundreds of other children on the weekends. 

I sometimes got caught up in “I deserve this” moments; I still do.  I have moments when I compare myself to other people and trick myself into believing that I am doing pretty well.  There are still moments when I believe I should be able to relax and do nothing some afternoons, instead of taking care of one more sick person.  There are moments when I think that because I have worked hard all day, I deserve to be able to sit down and eat my food instead of answering the door for one more person who needs help.  

The truth is that these thoughts are not at all scriptural.  Nowhere in the Bible does it say that I deserve a reward here on earth Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do work at it with all your heart.” It does not end in, “and after this hard work you deserve a long hot bath and some ‘me time’.”  It does end with, “ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.”  

Her life is much different than mine, but serving my family selflessly is one of my biggest struggles.   It is a message that I have heard many times, but I am still working on getting my heart and attitude there.

Her passion is great and I hope you will put her book on your reading list if you have one!  Here are a few more “teasers”…..

-The truth is that the 143 million orphaned children and the 11 million who starve to death or die from preventable diseases and the 8.5 million who work as child slaves, prostitutes, or under other horrific conditions and the 2.3 million who live with HIV add up to 164.8 million needy children.  And though at first glance that looks like a big number, 2.1 billion people on the earth proclaim to be Christians.

The truth is that if only 8 percent of the Christians would card for one more child, there would not be any statistics left.

This is the Truth.  I have the freedom to believe it.  The freedom, the opportunity to do something about it.  The truth is that He loves these children just as much as He loves me and now that I know, I am responsible.

-The Lord has shown me that the more I give of myself, the more He fills me up.  The more I love, the more love I have to give.

-I believe that God is in control, yes, but I also believe I have a choice:  I can follow Him or I can turn my back on Him.  I can say yes to Him, or I can say no.  I can go to the hard places or I can remain comfortable.  And if I remain comfortable, God who loves us unconditionally will continue to love me anyway.  I may still see His glory revealed in my life and recognize His blessings, but not like I could have.  I can miss the will of God.  The rich young ruler certainly did.  He didn’t fall dead, as Ananias and Sapphira did; and maybe he went on to live a great life, but it wasn’t the life he could have lived had he said yes to what Jesus was asking of him.

-Joy costs pain, but the pain is worth it.  After all, the murder had to take place before the resurrection.

-I am waiting and God is teaching me this:  I beg Him to bring me close to His heart, to even transform my heart that I might be more like His.  I think orphan care gets us close, because He sees us as orphans.  I think adoptions gets us close, because this is how He brings us into His family.  The poor, the beggar, the widow, the prisoner, the get us close to His heart because these people are so dear to Him.  

But nothing gets us much closer than injustice.

When babies starve and people die cold and alone and children are ripped from their parents—these are some of the injustices of a broken world.  And I think of a Savior who spent His whole life doing nothing but good, saving and healing and feeding and helping even the most undeserving of people, dying on a cross like a thief or a murderer.  I think of a Father, a Father who desires good things for His children even more than I desire good things for mine, a Father who could have stopped His Son’s torture at any time but instead watched it happen.  For me.  For you.  And I weep at the injustice of it.  He knows this pain.  He knows what it is to lose a child to the injustice of a fallen world.  And so while I still cry and beat my fists on the floor, I find comfort in that, and I ask to be closer still.

You can find Katie’s blog here.  You can also support her ministry or purchase magazine bead necklaces made by the women of Masese (some of the women she ministers too) here.