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No More "Pinterest Mom"

Pinterest. Inspiration at your fingertips, all day long. If you spend a minute scrolling through it, chances are you will find at least 2 projects you can do with your kids to enhance their minds, make them smarter and feel awesome in the meantime. 

Pinterest is the go-to app to find the answer for everything kid-related. You can find hundreds if not thousands of blogs and ideas to help your child develop and have fun doing so. And there are some good ones. But it's so overwhelming. 

So I have decided to go on a "Pinterest Mom" strike. For real. And here's why:

• It's Time Consuming

When I want something to keep my kids occupied I actually burn a lot more time looking it up, getting stuff together and getting them interested in it than if I had just tried to work around or with my kids.

• It Can Be Expensive

A lot of the projects actually take a fair amount of money to complete! I am just not a fan of that, at all. Since when does entertaining our kids have to have it's own budget category?

• It's Selfish

If I give my kids a project to do it allows me to detach myself from them and only connect when I want to. Instead of always being ready to take advantage of a teachable moment it can make me try to force them to learn whether they're ready to or not. I want to learn to be focused on my kids all day, not just when I have "time". It is also so easy to fall in the trap of needing them to do a special project perfectly and so take the fun right out of it. Selfish, selfish, selfish. 

• It's not Practical

Pinterest kid's rooms - I don't believe in them very much anymore. There's a few good ideas, but a lot of them are actually pretty unrealistic in real life. At least in our family's life. If you can pull it off and keep them looking awesome then I think that's great! I just can't hold myself to that standard anymore.

• It's Exhausting

Trying to always keep up with the latest thing, find new things every day, keep it organized and teach a little person how to do it can just be exhausting! For me and them. Teaching them a real life skill is so much more valuable than having 3 different kinds of sensory play dough and puffy side walk paint. Now don't get me wrong, play dough and side walk paint are great, but helping Mom bake bread and wash dishes could be a lot more fun, connecting and useful, in all reality. Or take out the reality and just make memories splashing in the puddles. :)

• The Impossible Standard

This one is related with the one above. It is so easy to start comparing myself with other Mom's. And not just with one other Mom - it's like picking the best from 100 different people and thinking I need to match each one. That's impossible! It's exhausting! And the Bible says "...and they, comparing themselves among themselves are not wise." Isn't that the truth? I am so tired of trying to live up to 100 different standards of perfect!

• This is Not God's Measuring Stick

The good news is - God is not comparing us to other parents! He created us to be special, to raise our kids in our own unique way! Be the Mom God created and called you to be. Sure, I can learn from others, but I don't have to be like others. God is not measuring my success by my Pinterest board. :)

So, when I think my toddler needs their imagination stretched and their mind developed I want to take them outside with me when I hang up the laundry. We can talk about the color of the grass, the sky, the car driving by, the towels on the line. We can count the clothespins and feel the textures of the different fabrics. 

When it's hot outside I want to keep it simple and turn on the sprinkler instead of trying to quickly throw together some kind of new water activity. I want to live joyfully, simply every single day. To tune out the world's ideas of a perfect Mom and just give my kids the best gift - my time and undivided attention.

This is kind of a new thought process for me, because I set out to be an awesome, perfect Mom which meant keeping up with the trendiest projects. But I want to go back to the old fashioned way. Nothing can ever substitute my tuned in time and attention to my kids. Now please excuse me while I go delete some unnecessary pins. ;) 

{And don't get me wrong, I love Pinterest and think it's a great resource for a lot of things! Just not as much for raising my kids as decorating or organizing my house! In my opinion, anyway.}

What are some ways you are enjoying normal, every day life with your kids?

Your Marriage is Not Enough!

"You know everything about me! You know what I'm thinking, you know where I'm going in life, you can tell when I'm tired. You know what I'm going to say before I say it! You make me feel protected and safe. I cannot even wrap my mind around the security that you give me!"

Doesn't this sound like the dream relationship? Exactly the way we want our husband to relate to us? We're all thinking "when my marriage reaches this point then we have attained!"

But that paragraph, it's not talking about a husband. This is what David has to say about God. Here is that same paragraph, as it is written in the NKJV:

"O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it." Psalm 139:1-6

When I read that this morning I realized I have been expecting way too much from my wonderful husband. I have been putting so much pressure on him to be my all in all. But that is not what God intended him to be! Yes, we need to grow closer, get to know each other better and I should feel safe when I'm with him. And we do all that. But I'm flawed, and he is flawed and only God is perfect.

When I feel like I am not enough it is God Who says I am redeemed, I am in Christ and I am perfect. That is where true security is. And when we think our husband should fill all of our emotional and spiritual needs we have made him our idol.

So I am on a journey to find my absolute security and identity in Christ and in Christ alone! I don't always know exactly what that even looks like, but as girls on the same journey, let us encourage each other in Jesus! <3

The Search For Prince Charming {An Open Letter To My Single Friends}

My dear single girl friends,

I see you being a bridesmaid, again. Watching as your friends get married, one after another. Spending time in an awkward threesome just because you want a little bit of "the old times" with your married friends. Wondering if it will ever be you.

Or maybe you're the hopeful 16 year old little sister, watching your older sister wait and wait as her friends get married and she is left behind, single and alone. And you silently promise yourself, silently pray that it will never be you.

Waiting on your Prince Charming.

And that's the catch. Because you know, I don't believe in Prince Charming. Or let me reword that. I do believe in Prince Charming, but I don't believe he is for you.

Prince Charming is handsome. He is very popular. And he is...well, charming, obviously. And he's being handed a Kingdom that he doesn't even have to work for. And he is not good enough for you.

Now, don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with being handsome, popular, hot, or charming. Those are all great traits. But with Prince Charming it stops there.

Let me introduce you to someone else: the Knight in Shining Armor. He may or may not be handsome, charming or popular but he is several other things. He is gallant and chivalrous. He is polite and kind. And he knows how to fight, to do battle for what is right and for those he loves.

I see so many of my dear friends panting and longing after the guy with the perfect hair and the name brand clothes. He is cool because he listens to all the right music and possibly even had his picture taken with a band member. He is fun to be with, if you're with the "in" crowd. He knows all the right phrases to say to the ladies, to make them feel good.

But girls, does he love Jesus? Does he know how to handle disappointment like a man? Does he look out for the unpopular and the uncool? Is he a friend to them? Does he stand up for truth, even if it's not popular?

Too many girls want to marry Prince Charming, thinking they can inspire him to love God more or change this or that about him that isn't quite right. But let me tell you something - You will not change him, he will change you. Because that is the nature of marriage. As the girl, the wife, you will look up to your husband and your belief system will slowly and automatically blend into his. If he carries bitterness in his heart towards anyone it will very possibly transfer over to you. Bitterness is a lethal enemy that is always happy to take down 2 people instead of 1.

Think about it ~ do you want Prince Charming to help you raise your kids in these troubled and dangerous end times? And What about when you are completely undignified as you are going through the pain and trauma of labor? A name-brand t-shirt isn't going to get you very far, but a compassionate man that is used to helping people through anything will be priceless. When your husband walks in at supper time and the house looks like a tornado or 2 went through it, do you want Prince Charming who is used to being served hand and foot, or a gallant Knight who will tell you to put your feet up as he plays with the kids or washes the dishes?

When I say you need a Knight in Shining Armor I'm not saying you're to be a Damsel in Distress. You are called to be a gentle Warrior Maiden, always ready to be a help-meet to your man. Instead of waiting around or flirting with Prince Charming, prepare yourself to be a worthy help-meet to the Knight in Shining Armor God has picked out for you. And above all a servant of the King who loves you, no matter if He has called you to be married or single.

Eternity is not very far away. And I can promise you one thing: when you stand before the judgment throne, being married to someone that wears the right kind of jeans and drives a cool car is going to mean nothing to you. Nothing.

So girls, when you're looking for the man you're going to marry, look past the clothes and the talk and watch how he lives. Find a man that is kind, compassionate, generous and above all has a pure heart after God. And in the meantime, work to make yourselves a worthy help-meet. <3

This has gotten a lot longer than I intended, but it is so important. It is your future. Choose well, please, choose well!

Honey Graham Crackers {No Sugar!}

Finding healthy, yummy and easy to eat snacks for toddlers is not easy. At least not for me. It's hard for little ones to eat veggies (and honestly, they just aren't that filling!} Fruit is good, but not for every snack. And when I read the ingredients on most boughten snacks I just feel like an awful Mom to feed it to my kids very often. I start imagining what all that sugar and preservatives, not to mention high fructose corn syrup, is going to do to their little systems and I can hardly give it to them!

So yesterday I decided to just try to get a little more creative. I have made Graham Crackers before, but they're not much healthier than a cookie. So I decided to be brave and try to replace all the sugar with good, raw honey. And all the white flour with whole wheat.

And they turned out!! I was so excited. :)

I think it's all the butter that makes these so perfectly good. They have such a mellow, buttery, healthy flavor that is completely yummy. I cannot wait to try them with a marshmallow and some chocolate. Maybe even homemade marshmallows. :)

So, without further ado, here is the recipe. {adapted from Brown Eyed Baker at: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/homemade-graham-crackers-recipe/

Honey Graham Crackers

Yield: about 20 crackers - Prep time: 2 hours, 20 minutes - Cook time: 15 minutes 

You will need:

2 7/8 cups Wheat Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 cup Butter, room temperature

3/4 - 1 cup Honey

Directions:

Mix the Flour, Baking Soda and salt together in a medium sized bowl.

Cream the Butter and Honey together with an electric mixer {I used the dough attachment on my blender} for about 2 minutes, or until it's nice and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just well blended, right around 30 seconds.

Put the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours. It will keep for up to 5 days.

When you are ready to bake the crackers preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a couple cookie sheets.

 On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out to 1/8" thickness.

 Cut them out in any shape you like. {this is the fun part!} 

Even little Kade was in on the fun!

I love this dough because there is no eggs and I let the kids eat lots of it. It makes baking so much more fun! :)

Make sure you space the cookies at least 3/4" from each other on your cookie sheet. I sprinkled them lightly with Raw Sugar, just because it makes them look pretty. Cinnamon and Sugar would be good too. Prick them with a fork for a more authentic look.

Bake for 15 minutes or until they are a nice golden brown. You don't want them to get dark around the edges. Let them cool slightly and then put them on a cooling rack. Make sure they are completely cool before you store them in an air tight container. Enjoy!

The kids and I had so much fun making these together! :)

So yummy with coffee!

Happy Memorial Weekend to you all!

I would love to hear how you like these and about any variations you came up with. :)

God bless you. <3

Purpose {Mother's Day Week Musings}

I had a terrible, grouchy, nothing-went-right day this week. Needless to say, it was not fun. It seemed like everything that could go wrong, went wrong. The kids were naughty and grouchy, I was halfway through making a meal and realized I didn't have the ingredients, I hit my head so hard it ached all day...and on and on and on. I dropped things and hit things and ran into things and got mad at things...you get the picture. I would not wish it on anyone. I was so glad when the day was over.

When I woke up the next morning I was so horribly, awfully ashamed of myself. How could I have let a few {ok, a bunch} of things get me down? I had not chosen joy, I had not chosen God, I was grouchier than the kids and in all honesty, it was quite mortifying to me. There is so much shame in falling short of our own standards ~ let alone God's desires for us. I thought about it a lot all day and knew that I must never let a day like that happen again. I felt God showing me that it is totally possible to choose joy. And I purposed to do that all day, and every day.

And then I read a blog written by a childhood friend whom I have not seen for years and years. And although her post was not specifically about purpose, there was a paragraph that stood out to me.
She basically said she lives her life by the conviction that life is God's gift to her and her response is living a life as a gift for others. {You can read her blog here:  http://charitymaurerblog.com/uncategorized/a-big-announcement-for-cmp-introducing-new-team-member-april/ ~make sure you check out her *amazing* photography!!}

And I was like wow. What purpose!! I need that in my life! And so this is a challenge - a challenge to me and to you-: Every day, have a purpose. And cling to that purpose. And live by that purpose. And think by that purpose. Have purpose, always.

Because of the stage of life I'm in, my purpose will be a relationship with God that pours into my relationship with my husband and children. We can purpose to not have regrets down the road when our children are grown. It is so easy to get caught up in the every day mundane. To do laundry and dishes and floors and dress kids and read Bible Stories with your mind on everything but tending your little "olive plants". What if I added purpose behind each of those? The results would be amazing!

And just having purpose for a day...purpose to blow bubbles, purpose to clean a room, purpose to memorize a verse or try a new recipe or have an all day "I love you" text campaign for your husband. Baby steps in purpose...some days I think that's just what it takes!

I wrote this on my chalkboard cupboard door, because what is better than having inspiration popping out at you all day? :) My chalkboard font skills aren't that great, btw.

What is your purpose?

Iced Coffe {AKA Java Coolers}

Does anyone remember Java Coolers? I think maybe it came out at the beginning of the Iced Coffee Craze. Or maybe Iced Coffee has been in for decades and I just never realized it until I was around 13 when we found our first bottle of Java Coolers at a little Amish Bent and Dent store. Up to then my main coffee experience was drinking Dad's coffee after it got cold when I was...well at least a little younger than 13. {bleh!} 

Anyway, I remember us kids thought Java Coolers was the most awesome drink ever invented. It came in a bottle like Hershey syrup, but it was coffee flavored. And it made us feel really cool to drink it. I tried finding a picture of it but it must be totally outdated, because this is what I found:

Getting back on track...I had totally forgot about it until I found a recipe for an Iced Coffee concentrate Virgil had gotten from someone before we got married. When I drank the first glass I immediately felt like I was 13 again, back on our farm with bare feet in the hot Missouri sun. It was a whole rush of nostalgia, even though it took me a while to figure out why. And then I remembered Java Coolers. And now I'm going to quite rambling and just give you the recipe, in honor of the fact that Summer or at least Spring might be around the corner. :)

Iced Coffee Concentrate

2 cups Boiling Water

1 cup Instant Coffee

1/2 cup Maple/Pancake Syrup

1 cup Sugar

2 teaspoons Vanilla

Just mix it together, put a a tablespoon or 2 in a glass and add milk and ice to taste.