Yo-Crunch Pumpkin Pie Parfait

What can I say, I'm a "pumpkinhead!" I'm obsessed with all things pumpkin spice that come out during Autumn; I am pretty much drawn to anything in the store that has to do with pumpkins; and here is our latest find.

With only 120 calories when you use the topping (90 if you don't) this is a delightful guilt free snack. Let's face it, most fall and winter treats aren't exactly kind to our waistlines. I had been following Weight Watchers from January-September and I have successfully lost over 50lbs; October-December are my hardest months so I allow myself some slack, but if I am not careful I will put a lot of that weight back on! I'm happy to see there are healthier options out there now for some of my favorite flavors.

What is your favorite pumpkin spice goody or recipe?

John Hancock

We read about the declaration of independence today and we made a quill pen and some ink from berries. The boys really enjoyed this activity. It's quite simple if you'd like to try it yourself, simply cut the end of a feather at an angle and cut a slit in the point. Squeeze berries to get juice out into a small dish and add a little salt and white vinegar and stir well. Enjoy!

Give me butter!

Even before we started eliminating more and more processed foods, one thing we never ate (well at least for several years now) is margarine. We use BUTTER! It may have more fat but it is real! One of our lessons this week after learning bout the pilgrims was to make our own butter! I used a recipe from Fresh Eggs Daily (great blog, you should check it out.) as well as her buttermilk biscuit recipe because of course, when you make butter you also get fresh and delicious buttermilk! The boys made their own portions by shaking the cream and a bit of salt in baby food jars, they had a blast and really enjoyed eating something they made all on their own. I of course used my kitchenaid :)

If you have never made your own butter I suggest you give it a whirl at least once, there is nothing like it! And I shamefully have never made buttermilk biscuits from scratch and must say it will be the only way I will make them from now on!

Summer Break

I always do this, I always let my blogs fall into the black hole of the internet. Life gets busy though and my priorities are my children, not my social media. But I would like to take some time to revive this project so that I have something that even if only for a few minutes or a few times a week, is something I call mine. My life revolves around my husband and my sons; I am a homemaker after all and that IS my job. I take pride in it though and I love what I do, I however often forget to take time for myself. I usually do something mindless like watch a movie or play a computer game; I need that to change. I need to do more reading, and more writing! :) Here are a few goodies from this week, we toured the local cider mill yesterday and the boys were fascinated!

I hope you all had a great summer, we sure did! Ended it with a spontaneous trip to Mass for my birthday, toured Boston, Salem and caught a Red Sox game at Fenway! :) I will devote some posts to that separately. We also went camping and enjoyed the outdoors plenty. We are now back into homeschool full swing since Mid-August and all our fall activities are about to begin. I look forward to sharing more of our adventures with you!
Have a great day and God Bless!

So What Wednesdays

This week I am saying SO WHAT if...
I did nothing but enjoy this day with my children.
I have been doing so well this week that today I just said the heck with it and we went out for dinner, I did order of the Weight Watcher's menu!
I still can't stop thinking about Arizona!
My efforts with certain people are going unappreciated, at least I feel good about what I am doing and at the end of the day if you don't see the good in it then it sounds like a personal problem. Some people need to learn to stop living in the past!

And that's all I've got this week! hehe What are you saying SO WHAT to?

Fire Station - The ultimate boys' field trip!

So we met with a different homeschool group yesterday to attend a field trip at the fire station. First we met for a picnic and some playtime at the playground and then we proceeded to tour the fire station, complete with a round in the simulator trailer. My youngest wasn't entirely impressed but my 7 year old was absolutely loving it! The firefighters were very friendly and helpful, they talked to the kids about fire safety and when and when not to use 911; they showed them the different trucks and described the tools with them and answered questions. The children got a chance to hop onto the trucks and the ladder as well (when it was on the ground of course.) I was very pleased with the afternoon, my boys learned a lot and really enjoyed themselves. At the end each child received a goody back with stickers and information as well as the traditional plastic firefighter hat. Before we joined everyone for the field trip we made our weekly stop at the library where both boys picked out some books about firefighters and fire trucks, and when we got home my 7 year old suited up in his hat and the badge he was given and read the books they picked out. They really made an impression on him and that makes me smile!

Accent - Blog Prompt

Do you have an accent?

I do not have an accent, nothing strong or "exotic." However when I first moved to the U.S, yes to Americans I did have a Canadian accent, eh? But now that I have been here for almost twenty years I have an American accent to everyone back home! I of course don't think I sound any different but I think that's what happens when you live somewhere for so long. I've heard plenty of people moving to Europe and picking up accents there. I must say I'm partial to British and southern accents! ;)

Pizza Cups, Yum-o!

So I tried another of Emily's recipes tonight and once again we all LOVED it! It is listed under her appetizers but with a light leafy salad it was a perfect light dinner on a hot day. Everyone had enough to eat with a couple pizza cups and the salad. I absolutely love her website and her recipes, and the fact that she has all the WW points plus values on her recipes makes my life so much easier!

Pizza Cups
Source: Emily Bites Original

Ingredients:
2.5 oz fresh white mushrooms, diced
20 slices turkey pepperoni, chopped
½ cup pizza sauce (I used Classico Traditional Pizza Sauce and it was awesome)
1 (11 oz) can Pillsbury Crusty French Loaf refrigerated dough
1/3 c shredded 2% reduced fat Mozzarella cheese
¼ - 1/3 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist 8 cups in a standard muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Lightly mist a small skillet with cooking spray and bring over medium heat. Add diced mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until wilted/browned. Place the mushrooms in a medium bowl and add the chopped pepperoni slices and pizza sauce. Stir to combine and set aside.
3. Open the package of French bread dough and lay the log of dough on a clean, dry surface. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 equal rounds. Using your hands or a rolling pin, press the dough pieces into 3-4” flat rounds. Press each round into a prepared cup in the muffin tin, forming the dough into a bowl shape and pressing it up the sides.
4. Evenly distribute the pepperoni/mushroom mixture into each dough cup with a spoon. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over the top of each cup and follow with a pinch of Italian seasoning on each cup to taste.
5. Bake for 16-18 minutes until bread cups start to brown on the edges and are crusty to the touch. Let cool 3-5 minutes before serving.

Yields 8 cups. Weight Watchers Points Plus: 3 per cup (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com) Nutrition Information per bread bowl from myfitnesspal.com: 124 calories, 20 g carbs, 3 g fat, 6 g protein, 1 g fiber

What's in a name? - Blog Prompt

Do you like your name? Do you feel like it suits you? If you could change it, would you - and to what?

When I was younger I used to always say I'd change my name, I think for some reason I didn't like it. I can't really recall though nor can I recall what name I would have chosen. But today I am happy with my name, I do think it suits me. I mean then again just thinking of myself with any other name is just a little weird to me. I do have a pet peeve though of people calling me Mel, I only appreciate close friends and family calling me Mel. If I don't know you or we aren't exactly friends so to speak, do not call me Mel.

So What Wednesdays

This week I am saying SO WHAT if...

I worked my boys up for the farmer's market and then we didn't go even after the rain stopped. I was told there were no fruit yet and honestly my boys do not NEED whoopie pies.

I have no desire to mend certain things. Everything happens for a reason, some things are blessings in disguise!

I am having a hard time living in the now, I am really excited for our move next year! So many big changes! I am trying to cherish every day but I am definitely dreaming about that Arizona sun!

I have been getting iced latte's a little more than I should lately, I'm staying within my WW points! hehe

I still let my boys come to our bed when they have a bad dream or just need snuggles, they are going to grow up way too quickly! We have a king-sized bed, there is definitely enough room for my loves!

So what are you saying SO WHAT to this week?

Mission - Blog Prompt

Write about a mission you have accomplished.

The biggest mission I have accomplished recently is losing 35lbs in the past four and a half months! I am pretty darn proud of myself and while I still have just a little less than that to lose before I reach my first goal weight, I am confident that this time next year I will be at my final goal weight. I am following Weight Watchers and am trying very hard to discipline myself into exercising more and more, I have always had a hard time with that but I've done alright with it this time around. I attend WW meetings which is a great deal of support and my husband has been incredibly supportive as well; he's even changed his eating habits as has our whole family! I feel pretty good about myself for the first time in a long time.

I didn't time myself this time because I really wanted to write down everything I wanted to say, I'm pretty proud of my accomplishment and love sharing it with others. What have you accomplished recently?

Right Place, Right Time

I am so excited y'all! So we took the boys into the city today for lunch, some shopping and the science museum. And here we are on our way out when it was closing and a magazine caught my attention (they have all kinds of magazines, newspapers and flyers for people to grab on the way out) and right next to the magazine was a little postcard announcing a Knufflebunny Musical at one of the colleges here, starting this weekend and every weekend for the next month! *Squeel* We LOVE Mo Willems and my boys adore the Knufflebunny stories, so naturally I grabbed a card and of course my youngest wanted to hold onto it right away ;) and once I got into the car I got on their website to check ticket prices and lucky us they were not ridiculous! I told him I was going to buy tickets so the whole way home (over an hour) he was asking if we were going to buy the tickets now? lol I did order them once I got home and have printed them already. I cannot wait to take them! I get really excited when there is any type of event like this for my children (I've also taken them to two Max & Ruby plays.) There just aren't always many events for young children.

If you have never read the Knufflebunny books (or any Mo Willems for that matter) I encourage you to pick some up! He's a great author! :)

So What Wednesdays

This week I am saying SO WHAT if...

I am still not 100% back into my workout routine, I'm getting there.

I have been buying myself clothes here and there, I deserve those cute smaller sizes.

I just bought two antique Bibles, I LOVE antiques and who doesn't love a beautiful Bible?

I am kind of relieved by certain recent events. I feel liberated!

My son still has a few more sets of test prep to work on, he's got this stuff and once again the school district still doesn't let out for over a month!

I already ordered his curriculum for the fall, I am so excited to flip through all that good stuff!


What are YOU saying SO WHAT to this week?

Continuing what I was saying yesterday...

Someone posted this video today and I had actually seen the music video before but not this one, and it just goes right along with what I blogged about yesterday! PLEASE do not hold grudges, do not take anyone or anything for granted! Life is too precious and too short! I could not imagine losing a child! God bless his family!

Video here

Praise God

I'd just like to take some time to publicly praise our Lord! Life is pretty much as good as it can get right now; we had some major prayers answered last week, God is putting the right people in my life right now, and as I am learning and reading and praying - I am growing closer to Christ. We have so much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to in the months and year to come! I just pray that God is blessing you in the same way, and if he is not perhaps you need to seek him! Talk to him, he is always listening. If things are tough, pray! If things are good, praise! My heart aches so much for people around the world, shootings, stabbings, bombings, massive tornadoes! If you are alive and healthy right now, THANK GOD! If you have clothes, food, and a home; thank God! If you have a family that loves and supports you, thank God! Your life can never be that bad if you have breath in your lungs and loved ones around you! We all take so much for granted and that just makes us spoiled! Be thankful for what you do have and pray for those who have less than you, if you are in need of something, God will provide! We have recently changed our diets, and our activity level and we feel so much better, and know we are extending our lives for the sake of each other and our children. We are working on changing our surroundings inside our home, simplifying and minimizing... we are going to hold a fundraising yard sale for my husband's race and in the process blessing pancreatic cancer patients with the money we raise, and blessing our home with less clutter, which in turn makes our lives less cluttered! It is time to unplug from all these things and connect to each other in meaningful ways! More and more are we realizing that money and things are not important at all! My husband is getting out of the Army just short of retirement because that is how little it means to us, it is far more important to have him home with us than to send him off to war yet again and get all that extra money.

Please, don't take anything or anyone for granted. Life is way too short. If you have hurt someone, make it right; if someone has hurt you, forgive them. And if you can bless someone else in any way, do it! You could make their whole day or even their month, or perhaps even turn their life around!

Hospitals - Blog Prompt

What kinds of experiences have you had in hospitals, either good or bad?

When I think of hospitals, the first thoughts that come to mind are the births of my sons. So I actually have pretty good memories of hospitals. Two of the most amazing days of my life! I had great nurses, doctors and of course great visitors! Both my boys were born in different hospitals, in different states.

How I Spent My Summer - Blog Prompt

So yesterday was a super busy day for our family; we had a scavenger hunt, art class, and went to the drive-in. So I did not have time to blog, I hope you all had as beautiful a day as we did! Today we were all so exhausted that we even missed church so I am not going to blog about what I had hoped to, I'm going to respond to another one minute blog prompt.


It's a beautiful summer day, and you are twelve years old.

How do you spend the day?

When I was young, I didn't spend my days playing video games or surfing the net (of course we didn't have the net back then.) I spent my days outside; playing with my friends, swimming, going to the playground. We did so many things together, lemonade stands, crafts, went on adventures! Kids today are too reliant on electronics and I think it is very important for parents to step in and make sure it is not ruling their lives.

I went over by a few seconds so I could finish my last thought. I'd love to hear how you spent your summer days as a child!

Let's talk tablets (and e-readers)

We live in a very electronic age, smartphones and tablets are a part of daily life. My husband and I remember when we were in high school and we actually hung out with our friends; our teenager sits around and texts his friends and talks to them on facebook. And people wonder what is wrong with the world, we've all become way too dependent on technology and not enough on one another!

With that said, I'd like to talk to you about some of our favorite electronic vices. And I'd love to hear your opinions as well!

Kindle
This was our first purchase, I bought it for my husband before his last deployment. Much easier than lugging dozens of books around! We just have a basic model and we both enjoy reading on it, as does our oldest. I much prefer the anti-glare and "book-like" look of the original kindle, it is easy on the eyes. Some people cannot get used to an e-reader and much prefer to have that crisp book in their hands. As for myself I think I prefer an e-reader; it is less bulky and so easy to bookmark your spot. There are also SO many free kindle books available on amazon! This however, does not stop us from having an abundance of books in house however. Mostly children's books but my husband and I have a good collection as well. I do love the look of a bundle of books on the shelf! I have not tried a kindle fire or any of the other models, I had considered getting myself a kindle fire until my husband said I could get myself an ipad as a present. Bingo!


ipad
I absolutely love the apps in the app store so I was ecstatic to get my hands on one! We all use it as well, my husband uses it for web browsing as do I when I do not feel like sitting at the computer. I also use it for homeschool as there are endless educational apps out there. And I also have the kindle app installed on it, as well as a couple of children's book apps for my boys. I absolutely love FarFaria, it is a monthly subscription children's book app and there are SO many stories available. Your child can read the stories himself or have them read to him; which is what my youngest does while I am doing lessons with Gavin. I highly recommend getting your hands on an ipad, you can do so much on it (you can even blog from it, there is a blogger app!) ;)


I would love to hear about your favorite tablet/e-reader and some of your favorite apps!

A Helping Hand

A facebook page that I follow shared this earlier this morning and because I can understand the urgency in her situation I am dedicating my daily blog post to this poor, sweet woman. I encourage you to share it on your blog and social media sites, and before you jump in with questions and judgment please think carefully about what you say and how this all makes sense. Sadly on the facebook post several ran their mouths, only making them look like fools. Let's just help her find the ONLY physical memories left of her husband.

$10,000 reward for stolen cell phone.

Begging whoever has it. (Fredericksburg)Someone took my phone. A Samsung Galaxy S3. It's white. It's only worth a few hundred bucks to you or anyone else. If you unlock the screen you will see my home screen.

In the picture stands a man. A man with a backpack and 2 other bags. That man you see, was my husband. And that night, it was the last time he ever held me. If you open the gallery you will see a collection of photos. Mostly of him. But some of his children as well. You will also see some of his funeral. Of his burial flag, his coffin.

See, that man you saw on the home screen. The one who looks so eager to head into a war zone to protect the country he loved and his family, he lost his life doing so. The only pictures I have of him are on that phone because my computer crashed after I transferred them.

Tonight, I cried uncontrollably in the arms of a friend because tonight I felt as though I lost my husband once more. I know with time my memory will fade. I will have difficulty explaining his features to his children. Or why I think they look like him. One who never had the honor of meeting his father.

I don't care about the phone. If you have it. Please just email me. I will respond and you will be able to send them to my email and you will never hear from me again. I only want the pictures nothing else. The reward money is 100%. If you can prove to me you have the phone and are willing to give it back. Proof required: My husbands Eye color hair color and shirt color in the skype photo of him. Along with the type of cover that was on the phone.

View her craigslist ad here

So What Wednesdays

I've stumbled upon this adorable blog and she invites her readers to join in on "So What Wednesdays." So, I am! :)

So what if we are skipping the library today because it's rainy and I want to be lazy and would kind of like to avoid running into someone.

So what if I just spent over $100 on the BabbaBox after reading Shannon's So What Wednesday post.

So what if the only workout I'm getting in lately is walking and my squat challenge, I've been working hard on this weightloss and have done pretty darn good so far!

So what if I've been really lazy with meals lately, at least we aren't eating too terribly.

So what if I am somewhat looking forward to my oldest taking off for a month this summer, I am only human and raising a teenager is not easy!

So what if I have pushed certain people out of my mind or life, some people are not worth the effort or the pain they cause.

So what if I smiled when I've been flirted with lately, I've been working hard to get healthy and the compliments were nice.

So what if the boys and I have had such a lazy week so far, we worked hard this past school year and all that is left is test prep and over a month before this school district is out for summer!


Would you like to join us? What are YOU saying SO WHAT to this week? :)

Simplify

So I recently decided to get rid of our microwave. I just can't justify the need for it when we all know it isn't exactly the safest cooking method for our food. We use it for popcorn and heating up leftovers. I have a popcorn popper (and a stove and pot) and leftovers taste much better when warmed in the oven! We also have a toaster oven which can be used to warm up smaller items. It took some convincing with my husband and it's definitely taking some getting used to (I am now realizing how much I did actually use it for re-heating things.) But I am happy with my decision.

Which kitchen appliance could you not live without? Which could you stand to lose? I'd love to hear from you! I've recently added to my kitchen collection with a juicer and a dehydrator but that goes along with simplifying our diets. No more frozen juice and no more bagged chips! I cannot wait for the farmer's market to open back up so I can get all kinds of yummy fruits & vegetables to use in them!

Be on the lookout over the next several weeks for some yummy recipes as I experiment with these appliances and as I begin making our own bread and snack items!

Obey ~ Blog Prompt

I am going to answer another blog prompt today.

Obey

If you really had to define this in terms of action what would you say?

When I hear the word obey I do not think of superiors or a spouse or any human being. I think of God. And when I think of what obeying God means, I think of listening to him; listening to what God wants you to do and where God wants you to go, follow his lead! I pray for so many things, and these prayers are answered in many ways; sometimes those ways are signs of where my life needs to go next.


So, guess I cannot blog about God in just sixty seconds. I went over a little but stopped to still somewhat follow the blog prompt. I really could go on and on about what God has taught me lately but perhaps I will save that for another post.

Hope you all have a blessed week!

Team Hope

My husband ran his first race yesterday, he ran a 5k and placed 9th with a time of 22:16. He has a half marathon coming up in August and in his training and preparation for this he is raising money for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death allowing a 5 year survival rate of only 6%. My mother-in-law passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2011 only 3 months after being diagnosed, he is doing this for her. Please help us raise awareness by checking out their website and learning ways you can help. In addition, if you would like to help my husband reach his fundraising goal please leave your email address in the comments and I will send you his fundraising page. You can alternatively donate on their website, but I would love to help my husband reach his goal; right now he is at 35% and has 233 days left to reach his goal.

Weather ~ Blog Prompt

The One-Minute Writer had another suitable prompt for me today.

The weather is weird all over the country right now. What's it like in your neighborhood?

We had a crazy winter and it had finally gotten nice and warm and we had been loving it! The past week has been filled with rain though and we were a little bummed about it this morning as my husband was running his first 5k. God answered some small prayers though and it eased up when it was his turn to start and long enough for us to meet him at the finish line.

Good timing again! I'll end it right there. God is SO good, all the time!

Pizza Chicken

This is what we had for dinner tonight and it was amazing! I made a garden salad to go along with it and it was just enough!



PIZZA CHICKEN
1 boneless chicken breast, pounded flat if thick
Salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning, to taste
1 tablespoon pizza sauce
4 slices pepperoni
1 teaspoon butter or oil
2 fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 thin green pepper rings
1 ounce mozzarella cheese, shredded

Season the chicken with salt and other seasonings; grill. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms and pepper rings in butter or oil until slightly tender, but not mushy; set aside. Spread the sauce over the chicken, then top with the pepperoni, the pepper rings, mushrooms and then finally, the cheese. Sprinkle with a little additional Italian seasoning, if desired. Bake at 350º about 10-15 minutes or until hot and the cheese is melted. Serve at once.

Makes 1 serving
Per Serving: 310 Calories; 16g Fat; 36g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 2g Net Carbs
I got the recipe from here.

Quiet Love ~ Blog Prompt

Another thing I enjoy when writing is responding to blog prompts, I have just found a new website that posts daily prompts so here goes my first one (I will not necessarily post them every day but I liked this one.)

What are some ways you can you tell someone you love them without saying it?

I like this question because that is the best way to "say" I love you, is with actions. Some of my favorite ways to do that are making a favorite meal, leaving love notes in my husband's lunchbox, hugs and kisses of course, taking my boys somewhere they enjoy, renting one of their favorite movies or video games, doing something with them that they really enjoy, snuggles, Eskimo kisses, a simple smile when needed.


Wow, so I actually timed myself for 60 seconds for this post and stopped when the timer went off; pretty good I'd say for 60 seconds, what do you think? I'm going to leave it as is and invite some of you to share your ideas with me, just leave a comment below. :)

Have a blessed weekend, tomorrow is Friday!

School's Out!

Today was our last day of 1st grade! Over the next few weeks Gavin will be doing some test-prep for his C.A.T but that is all that is left, I cannot believe how fast this school year has gone by! I am so incredibly proud of both of us, it has gone super well! We had our lazy days and we made them up, we had a few distractions but worked through them, and now we get to look forward to all kinds of summer fun! I will be doing a summer bridge book with Gavin but nothing heavy, I just think his personality needs a little something to keep him on track and prepared for next fall. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity and right to homeschool my children; even though we have our days where they are completely wild and making Mommy a little crazy; I would not trade this for anything! I am shaping them, I am teaching them, and I am preparing them for the world! And after two years so far, I am pretty proud of what I have accomplished with him and so super proud of what he has accomplished. And even though my youngest is not quite of school age yet (he'll begin official preschool in the fall) he has learned so much as well; having a big brother with an extensive vocabulary has definitely been beneficial for him! So now I'd just like to thank my wonderful husband for being on board with this and supporting it and I'd like to thank God for giving me the gifts I need to perform this task. If you have ever considered homeschooling; I encourage you to at least give it a shot, you will not regret it!

Field Trip!

That's right, one of the many perks of homeschooling are the endless field trips! :) Spontaneous ones are the best, this afternoon I decided to load up the boys and head over to the zoo which we have a membership to. It is not a big fancy one and there aren't that many animals but the boys always truly enjoy it and anytime spent enjoying God's creations is a great time in my book! :) If you have a zoo in your town, do you have a membership? You should look into it, completely worth it! Here are just a few photos from our afternoon, most of the ones I took included my boys in them and I'm just not sure I'm ready to publish their photos on my blog.

Science Fun Day

Our homeschool co-op meets on Monday's, this week was a science extravaganza day! The kids had so much fun, we had so many children RSVP that we had to split the group in two.

They did baking soda painting:

Lava lamps:

And this is what happens when you put food coloring in milk and then dip a q-tip covered in dishsoap into it:
They did several other experiments but I have way too many photos to share them all. :)

I am proud of the girls that were in charge of organizing today, they did a great job and planned some really fun stuff. The kids got to enjoy the playground a little also. I hope you enjoyed your first look into one of our homeschool days!

Have a blessed week!

God is good!

So I was really excited to get to church this week because we had not been attending regularly the past few weeks with everything that has been going on (busy schedules, sick kiddos...) and I am so glad we finally got to make it again. As usual, Pastor Chad's sermon was filled with everything that I needed to hear on this day! God was there to remind us to quit living in the past, to let go of things that hold us prisoner and stop us from living fulfilling lives and following his lead. God was there to remind us that no matter what others think of us, he loves us and Jesus Christ is right there by our side; defending us and any mistakes we may have made. God was there reminding us that WE are NOT our mistakes, we have made mistakes; we need to stop thinking of ourselves as bad people and simply as good people who have done wrong at one time or another. We need to stop worrying about what others think of us, and remember that whatever opinions others have of us do not matter. As long as we know who we are and live our lives for ourselves and those that we love and cherish and who love and cherish us; the rest do not matter. We need to be ourselves and stick to those who love and accept us for who we are. We need to focus on the good we can do instead of the wrong we have done. The past is the past and it cannot be changed nor can it change anything; it is time to start moving forward and follow God. Let him take the lead and give it all over to him, he knows what we need and what we can accomplish. He is always by your side, he will never leave you and will never stop loving you! I have struggled with some of these things recently, and have had a hard time letting go of some hurt caused by others and their lies and those who have believed those lies. I am DONE letting them keep me from being happy, all I can do is pray for them and pray that they find the happiness and joy that I find every day in my husband and children. Life is too short to worry about things that do not matter or things that you cannot change. I am ready to really turn my life over to God and follow the footsteps of Christ, our savior!

I absolutely love our church, it is uplifting and comfortable and even fun! We had a couple of motorcycles on stage this morning and prayed over a group of bikers and their bikes after service. It was awesome! Our Pastor even broke out in some Michael Bublé today! If you would like to learn more about our church and even listen to some of Pastor Chad's sermon's you can visit our church website here.


Photo by Ian Britton Freefoto.com

My Father's World

The curriculum we used for Gavin this past year was My Father's World first grade curriculum and I absolutely LOVE it! We had also purchased the preschool curriculum for Brent but will only begin to use it regularly this fall. The price is a little higher than some others out there but it is all ready for you; they send you all the books and materials you need plus a teacher's manual with the lesson plans written out for each day. It takes all the guesswork out of scheduling and planning, with our busy lives that makes this girl pretty happy! That makes one less thing to worry about and we absolutely loved the material covered. We didn't supplement very much aside from the subjects not included in the package (health, geography, foreign language.) Gavin absolutely loved reading his Bible stories every day and illustrating them in his Bible notebook. Along with the Bible stories are weekly Proverbs verses for them to memorize; Gavin can still recite most of them off the top of his head. There are even materials for music and art. The lessons are easy to follow and Gavin moved along quickly; I did eventually add some supplements for math because he does so well in this subject (he's even tested high enough to start with their level 2 of 2nd grade math) but there really is no need for extra textbooks or worksheets aside from that. I plan on ordering his second grade curriculum from them next month and will be adding the Rosetta Stone French program which comes with lesson plans from MFW when purchased through them. I cannot say enough good things about this company. They are very customer friendly and ship quickly. At this point my plan is to teach with their curriculum all the way through high school! I love that my son is getting all of his basics along with learning all about God. If you haven't checked them out yet, please do! There are also forums and several facebook groups to discuss the material and simply network with other parents who use their program.

PB2

I don't really think my blog needs an introduction post so I'm just going to jump right in with all the great stuff I want to share with you! One of the products I have recently discovered on my journey with Weight Watchers is PB2. It is a powdered peanut butter, I know  you are probably thinking YUCK! But to give you an idea of why I love it so much; it has 85% less fat than regular peanut butter and for 2tbsp of regular peanut butter on WW it is 5 points plus, for 2tbps of pb2 it is 1 point plus! Simply mix powder with a little bit of water and spread onto whatever your little heart desires. I enjoy mine on a couple slices of WW rye bread or some banana slices. You can find PB2 in most health food stores or even order it right off Amazon. If you decide to try it I would love to hear your opinion! I have not been very adventurous with it yet but I have heard of people using them in protein shakes and smoothies as well. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!