I’m so grateful for my husband. If it weren’t for him, raising my little son would be so much more difficult.
I was really able to appreciate the partnership we have today. He was busy cleaning up our place after the holiday frenzy.
We were quite a team and Daddy was the MVP. I cooked breakfast and he fed our hangry son. I did the dishes; he took care of some laundry. I sat down to nurse our son, he vacuumed the living room. Then our lil’ dino decided he wanted to help Daddy vacuum. He waddled over to him, humming the pitch of the vacuum (hilarious!), and my husband picked him up and kept about the task.
Coffee or Bust
At this moment, I could have finished the dishes, or dusted, or cleaned bathrooms (all on today’s list), but I didn’t. Instead I longingly set my gaze on my still hot cup of coffee. Usually, I get my coffee going and sneak a couple sips in while I’m spooning oatmeal into my son’s mouth. Then he finishes eating and it’s not too much time before he’s ready for a nap. By the time I get him settled, and go back to my coffee, it’s cold. Sometimes I microwave it, or top it off, but there’s just something about the first, fresh cup that’s better than all the others.
With my husband rocking all the house chores (without even realizing the night before I had written out in a list everything he was doing and it was blessing my socks off!), I didn’t want to just sit down and drink my coffee. That was just too unproductive, (though he would have let me do it).
Then with angelic voices singing in my head, an idea struck me. I need a shower…badly. So I meandered on over towards our bedroom, grabbing my steaming coffee mug off the table as I passed.
Needless to say I thought I was brilliant! I even thought about lighting a candle, but decided not to push this too far up the expectation scale. I mean, what are the chances I’ll get to shower uninterrupted? Just the other day, I had to end my shower prematurely with one leg half shaved and the other…well, not.
This is the Life
I turned the water on HOT, and set my mug on the ledge, and just stood there and relished in the quiet moment I was blessed with.
Thank you, Lord, for this peaceful moment.
Guess what happened then? Nothing! I was able to enjoy my shower, and my coffee, AND get dressed (completely shocking, that one) without interruption. What a refreshing event. Now, I’m ready for anything! Including the massively poopy diaper 5 minutes later. But hey, that was going to happen with or without a shower…or coffee…or clothes… đ
“You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.”
Psalm 68:8 NIV
What about you?
What has your spouse done to bless your socks off? What can you do to be a blessing in return?
As of yet, I haven’t done any posts specifically reviewing a product. I am not being paid to write this review, nor did I receive the product for free. I just really like this product and I have found it extremely useful.
No Storage Needed. Even when my family and I still lived in our house, the thought of finding a corner to park a full-size high chair in didn’t appeal to me at all. High chairs can be bulky, and let’s face it, even the high chairs that are made to fold down to be small enough to store, still aren’t all that much smaller. Now that we live in an apartment, I am all the more glad we bought something small. This booster seat attaches to a backed chair, with straps to secure it both behind the chair and under the chair. When the removable tray is off, I can push the chair in under the table just like all the other chairs. Once I clean the tray up, I can lay it sideways in the booster until the next meal. I can’t tell you how awesome this is! Well…actually I can! It’s never in the way! That’s definitely saying something in our apartment where space is sacred and hard to come by.
Budget Friendly. This high chair alternative is great for budget-conscious people. Today, it’s on Amazon for $28.75. Many high chairs range from $40 to over $150. It also can be used for babies and toddlers, which is my next point.
Great for Wide Range of Ages. Once your baby can sit up and is ready for those first bites of food, this chair is a great option for them. My son is now a toddler (sniff sniff – time flies!), and still uses the tray for now, but once he starts getting better at using utensils and can feed himself, we plan to take the tray off and push him up to the table so he can eat “like a big kid”. There are straps to keep the kiddos in their seat, which is a nice safety feature.
Great Portable Option. Need to take the booster seat on the go? No problem. Just turn the tray backwards and attach it to the top like a lid, buckle the strap, and throw it over your shoulder. It’s extremely light and I just watched a friend of mine leave our play date with the booster, two kids, and the diaper bag, with no problem. Here are some ideas on where you can use this booster seat.
Grandparents or other family’s homes for events and holidays
Friend’s home for play dates
Restaurants (Just be sure their chairs have a back to keep your little one safe.
In your home for every day use!
Easy to Clean. There is no cloth to clean, and the smooth plastic on this booster seat makes it really easy to wipe down. The straps are also removable and I’ve thrown them in the laundry once or twice to clean. The tray is also dishwasher safe, which is a bonus!
Durability. We have been using this seat for over a year, and it looks as good as it did the day we opened it. (When it’s clean anyway!) I anticipate being able to use it for several years for my first child and most likely for any additional children as well.
Well, there it is. I would definitely recommend this Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat to anyone looking for a great, affordable high chair or booster seat for their baby or toddler.
What about you?
What are some of your favorite products for your kids?
I am seriously thinking about deleting all the game apps from my phone and iPad.
My sister and I were recently discussing all the things we could accomplish and all the things we could learn, if we just put down our phones. We have very different lives as I have a husband and son and she is currently single and scratching the itch to travel. So, while I have been working on teaching myself to crochet better, she is learning a 2nd language in her spare time. Putting down the phones and partaking in these worthwhile hobbies is something that we both can benefit from. These are hobbies that will still hold some value tomorrow.
These games that are time wasters hold no value at any time (except for the game developer if you purchase the in-game currency…500 magic beans anyone?). While I think of these games as something I do when Iâm relaxing and just âveggin outâ, what they are actually doing is stealing my joy.
While they are sucking the time in my life away, I am missing out on something much more fulfilling. Even watching TV with my husband would be a step up. That sounds pretty sad, but it’s true.
How Much is a Picture Worth?
Let me paint a picture. After the baby has gone to sleep and Iâm exhausted. All I want to do is put my feet up and relax. I donât want to think about anything. I donât want to use my brain. I want to shut down for a bit. I know I should do the dishes or write an article, but I plop down on the couch, pull the handle to prop up my feet, and reach for the iPad. It takes my eyes and both hands to play a silly game, and sometimes even a little concentration. My husband sits one seat away on the couch. We arenât touching. I donât talk much, listen well, or respond as I should. This picture is embarrassing…but it has been me many an evening.
Now let me paint a slightly different picture. Itâs not the most ideal, but itâs much better, in my opinion.
After our son is in bed, my husband and I sit down on the couch and flip on the television. We get comfortable, leaning into each other or holding hands, or rubbing each otherâs feet. We have some light conversation, share some laughter in the show we are watching.
Thatâs better right? Ok, so we didnât clean the house from top to bottom… Ok, so we didnât have an intellectual discussion about the Bible… And definitely we need to do these things as well, however, just one step in the right direction paints an entirely different picture, doesnât it?
I need to put down the game. Period.
Now imagine we turn the television off and play a game, or read, or pray together. Now that’s quality time!
Didnât Have or Didnât Make
I canât tell you how many times I have said, âI just didnât have time for…(fill in the blank).â But if I am honest with myself, I donât have to dig that deep to realize the reality is, I didnât make time.
Good time management overcomes the problem of âthere arenât enough hours in the dayâ. Oftentimes, I get to the end of the day and havenât spent my time doing the things I should have been. I think, âWhat did I all day?â Now during the day, Iâm not sitting down and playing app games all day, but I do find that I donât push myself to accomplish simple tasks. I let the combination of all the items on my To Do list overwhelm me.
However, my concern goes beyond washing laundry and doing dishes…especially now that I am a mother. The questions that plague me at the end of the day are Did I spend enough quality time with my son? Did I play with him enough? Sing to him enough? Read to him enough? And when I can answer immediately no, I really didnât, I am very saddened. Sure, I have a million-and-one excuses that nobody would question, but I know in my heart that I can do better.
Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go…
I have a unique opportunity in our western culture to be a stay-at-home mother. That means I have the privilege as well as the responsibility to âteach my son in the way he should go…â I am realizing every day, that teaching began the moment he was born.
…And He Will Not Depart from It
My son is watching my every move and although he may not remember what I did or didnât do today, what I do and say and how I do and say it (joyfully or with a bad attitude) will still impress upon him in the days to come. He can still learn from what happens today, even if he has no memory of it 5 years from now… Or 50 years from now…
Thatâs a humbling thought, isnât it? How many of us see a child acting wild in public and think âThe parents should do something. Where are they?â Anyoneâs hands raised? Now how many of us blame the parents when we see a grown person doing something they shouldnât? Obviously, as adults we are responsible for our own actions, but there is much to be said for helping children to form good routines and healthy habits early on. If I can get it together now, while he is young, I can be setting up my son for success later in life.
No pointless screen time today is worth not helping my son achieve his goals in the future.
Turn Away My Eyes from Worthless Things…
Another verse that convicted me this week about my screen addiction:
âTurn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way.â
Psalm 119:37
I need to allow God to work in my heart and in my life. I need to allow Him to revive me in HIS way. How do we allow God to do this? Well, we follow the commands in His Word. We seek His truth and wisdom written there. If we arenât reading, we arenât seeking.
The Bible speaks of being disciplined. Disciple is important for a functional life and God knows this. He did create us after all.
I need to do better, but I donât have to do it alone because God is my helper and He provides peace and joy and love when we obey Him and rest in His lovingkindness.
What about you?
Whatâs keeping you from accomplishing the things on your list? Is there anything in your life youâre allowing to steal your joy or keep you from obeying Godâs will?
âTrain up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.â
Shortly after finding out I was pregnant, my husband and I joyfully skipped off to my first prenatal appointment. We were both so excited and ready to see our very first baby, in our very first sonogram, AND, as my cousin had informed me, hear our very first baby’s heartbeat!
We waited patiently, but also anxiously, in the exam room for the doctor. Once she arrived and talked to us a bit, she had me prepare for the ultrasound. As the image appeared on that black and white screen, she said nothing. My heart raced as I waited for her to explain what was on the screen.
Time has made the details a little hazy, but she basically told us, “I can’t confirm the pregnancy because all I can see is a gestational sac.”
I asked, “But doesn’t a gestational sac mean I’m pregnant?
“She said, “I can’t confirm that.”
So many thoughts went through my head at once. What?! I might not be pregnant? I don’t understand! How can there be a gestational sac without a pregnancy? She went on to tell us that they would be doing a blood draw on me that day, and then again two days later, to check my HCG levels. “In two days, the HCG levels should double from the number determined today,” she explained.
We listened, then went over to the room to have my blood drawn. Then we left, pretty deflated, and much changed from the bubbly couple we were just an hour ago, when we had arrived at the office.
Now, We Wait…
Two days later, I went back in for the second blood draw. They later called me to tell me the results from the first day. It would be still another two days before we would know if the levels had doubled.
Two days later, it happened to be Friday, and I was at work when they called to tell me my levels. The nurse who made the call left a voice message asking me to call her back. Simple. Calm. Nothing at all to imply urgency. She called a second time, and left a similar message. I noticed and listened to these messages once I had my break at about 4:30 pm. I immediately called the office, which was to close at 5:00 pm but the recording informed they were now closed until Monday. I went ahead and left a message that I was returning the nurse’s call, and that was that for the weekend. I was disappointed that I didn’t know what the levels were, but there was nothing I could do about that, so I continued on through the weekend.
On Monday, the nurse calls me again, saying my levels did not double and I needed to come in right away because I might be having an ectopic pregnancy. “I can schedule you for 9:00 am today,” she said.
“I can’t come in this morning,” I replied. “I have to work.” She was clearly thoroughly agitated that I wasn’t taking her more seriously.
She said, “This is very serious as your tube could burst!” She then emphasized how she had called several times on Friday in an effort to reach me. I pointed out she had only called twice and that there was nothing in her messages to indicate an urgency to the situation. I also informed her I had tried to call back well before the office closing time. I assured her I would be in the following day and she scheduled the appointment, telling me that if I had any pain to go to the emergency room.
Was This All Too Good to Be True?
I got off the phone and felt a little dazed. What was happening? Was it really possible I was going to lose this baby I’d only gotten to know of for a couple weeks?
I called my husband and let him know the situation, and then did a little online research about ectopic pregnancy.
“An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the main cavity of the uterus. Pregnancy begins with a fertilized egg. Normally, the fertilized egg attaches itself to the lining of the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy most often occurs in one of the tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus (fallopian tubes). This type of ectopic pregnancy is known as a tubal pregnancy. In some cases, however, an ectopic pregnancy occurs in the abdominal cavity, ovary or neck of the uterus (cervix). An ectopic pregnancy can’t proceed normally. The fertilized egg can’t survive, and the growing tissue might destroy various maternal structures. Left untreated, life-threatening blood loss is possible. Early treatment of an ectopic pregnancy can help preserve the chance for future healthy pregnancies.” -Mayo Clinic
Ok, so what’s the treatment?  Removal.
Now, I’m not here to debate the moral dilemma this situation creates. I will however, tell you that my immediate response to reading this was NO, I WILL NOT! (Before I continue, I just want to say that I did not have to actually make a decision as the pregnancy was not ectopic, so please don’t take my initial response as advice or even as a suggestion, if you are in this situation.)
Giving it to God –Â Act of Faith as Small as a Baby Blanket
Throughout all this, in my spare time I had been making a baby blanket. My great-grandmothers both crocheted regularly while they were alive and I was determined I would crochet a blanket for this baby, because I knew they would have if they were around. I wasn’t very good at it though, and my stitches were very inconsistent. I turned that blanket every which way trying to get it big enough, and…ummm…square. Truth be told, it was (and still is) the most dilapidated blanket I have ever seen. But it is precious to me and this is why.
I began the blanket in my excitement about the pregnancy… before the doctor’s appointment… before the drama. In my anxiousness, I continued to make the blanket, and as I made it I prayed over and over again for the long-awaited baby I just knew had to be in my womb. As I prayed and made the blanket, I listened and sang “Oceans” by Hillsong United over and over again, and made this my prayer as well. It’s a beautiful song. It’s a song of faith. It’s a song of trusting in God. My continuing to make the baby blanket was my act of faith; my token between God and I, that I trusted Him.
If you have never heard “Oceans”, I’ve included it here.
You see, I knew that no matter what happened, my all-knowing, ever-present, almighty God was with me, and He could grant me the life of my child. Yes, I knew that He could also choose not to, but I prayed that He would, and deep down within me I trusted that this baby would be carried to term, and get to use the blanket I was making.
The Sweetest Sound
After all the tests had been run, my husband and I went back in to the doctor’s office for another sonogram. As we pulled into the parking lot, I asked my husband to pray for us. “Pray that we can see the baby in the right place and that we will hear the heartbeat.” He did just as I asked.
We checked in. We sat. We waited. Finally, we were taken to a dim room with the sonographer, not the doctor. I remember well how notably sweet and pleasant this woman was. She seemed unaware of the shadow that had been cast on this occasion the previous week. As she moved the equipment around in the goop on my belly, my husband and I had our eyes glued to the screen. Right as the image came up on the screen, we heard it! The sweetest sound that brought tears to both my husband’s and my eyes: our baby’s heartbeat!Â
“There’s your baby, ” the pleasant woman announced! We looked at each other and laughed softly as we realized the other was crying too.
“Is it in the right place?” I inquired, as I smiled, listening to the pitter pattering “da dum da dum da dum….”
“Oh, yes,” she answered, brightly. She continued to explain to us the baby’s current size, that the baby was about 7 1/2 weeks gestation, and then gave us an estimated due date. The heaviness on our hearts was lifted, and replaced once again by the overwhelming joy we had experienced just a few weeks early when we discovered I was pregnant.
“Thank you, Lord, for granting us the life of this child. Thank you, thank you, Lord.”
We proclaim how great you are and tell of the wonderful things you have done.” ~Psalm 75:1~
I began this evening writing out a different post. I paused to put my son to bed. (He had been playing hard and giggling lots with his Daddy.) As he nursed quietly in the dark, I felt him relax and I knew he was asleep. That relaxing has become so familiar to me now, but it wasn’t always.
Before reading tonight’s Bible passages, I opened up the Prime Photo App on my phone. Every day, the app will feature all the pictures from prior years. This has become something my husband and I do daily, and then we chat about it. “Hey, did you see this picture from 2009?”
My son was not gaining weight, but growing in length, and was looking….well, he looked like a starving baby. He didn’t have the precious, chunky baby fat that most full-term babies have. He was very thin. These pictures are so hard to look back at, but still I scrolled through them. This day last year is definitely the worst my son ever looked…
At the time, I didn’t recognize by looking at him that he wasn’t well. He was just my beautiful baby boy whom I love so, so, so much.
Come Before His Presence with Thanksgiving
After looking over these pictures, I opened up the Bible app on my phone and saw the featured verse:
“Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is the great God, And the great King above all gods.”
Psalm 95: 1-2
That’s when I decided my post for this evening needed to be different.
I am so thankful for my son. I’m thankful for his health. Today, I watched him eat porridge and blueberries for breakfast, eggs with cheese, and apple for lunch, and squash and peas for dinner, not to mention he still breastfeeds throughout the day and night like a champ. I’m so thankful that we don’t have to watch him struggle to eat…struggle to live. I’m thankful for his smile and his laugh and for the awesome privilege of watching him learn something new almost every single day.
After I finished my Bible reading for the night, I set my phone down, and lifted my sleeping son onto my shoulder and hugged him as I do every night. I’ll admit, I hugged him a little closer and a little longer than I do most nights. I’m just so glad he’s in my life. I’m so thankful I have the privilege of being his Mommy, and getting to share this journey of life at the side of my husband.
6 Reasons I Am Thankful
We all have many things to be grateful for, but it can be easy to lose sight of our blessings, when we lose perspective on what our hope is. Our hope is in the Lord.
Although, it is not exhaustive, here is a list of 6 reasons I am thankful.
I am thankful for my husband. This man is incredible. He was incredible before I could call him “mine”. He’s extremely intelligent and loves to dig for the truth in God’s Word. He loves the Lord. He is a wonderful father. It is such a joy to see him guide our son, even at such a young stage of life. He is an amazing husband, a true leader in our home, and the love of my life. He is an encourager. He is a visionary, who makes our dreams into plans so they can become a reality. I am thankful for his love.
I am thankful for my son. I know I already wrote this, but truly, this child is so precious to me. He brings me such joy, and forces me to be a better person just in the very fact that I have to be a good example for him in everything I do and say because he is watching and learning. He is smart. He is healthy. He is strong. He is willful. He is cuddly and learning to be affectionate. I can already see signs of empathy in him as he is sensitive to how other babies feel. I am so thankful I get to watch him grow up!
I am thankful for our health. Although, I don’t always do what I need to do to take care of my body as God would have me to, I have been blessed with good health. My husband and son have too. I am doing what I can to learn about keeping our bodies strong and healthy, so that we can honor God with what he has given us. Our bodies are a gift and we need to take care of them, rather than abuse them.
I am thankful for our home. This one can be difficult for me sometimes because I have to catch myself when I begin to complain about it. Since moving to the apartment this past summer, I have really missed our house. I have missed the giant sink that actually held all my dirty dishes. I have missed our backyard, and the space, and our neighbors. But I am thankful for this home. It is more than sufficient as a safe, comfortable roof over our head. We have a lot more in this apartment than many other people, and we need to be thankful for it, even when it lacks what our larger home did. This apartment has encouraged us to do so much we needed to do, to include purging STUFF. We have so much stuff we do NOT need, and living in a smaller space has helped us let go of a lot of extra, unneeded, and truly unwanted stuff. It has forced us to be creative in our gardening. We wasted a lot of good soil in our yard and working with a small space has helped us appreciate what we will do when we have more land again. Most importantly, it pushes us to work towards our goals – the very reason we moved here in the first place: to save more money than we could have in our house.
I am thankful for time with my family. Living closer to my husband’s work cut my husband’s commute by over an hour. This helps us save money on gas and car maintenance, but most importantly, it has enabled us to spend more time together. Not only is my husband home longer in the mornings before he leaves for work, but he also is home much earlier. AND as a bonus, a couple times a week, he comes home for lunch, which is such a sweet treat for both my son and me.
I am thankful for God’s gift of salvation and His Word. God has blessed me with all of the above, and so much more than I can mention. Even if I had none of the aforementioned blessings, I would still be abundantly blessed in the Lord. To know God and be covered by His grace is a gift more incredible than anything. God loves me. Wow! Jesus sacrificed His very life so that I may live forever with Him one day in His kingdom. All my wrongdoings have been forgiven. In Christ, I find my joy, and the “peace that passes all understanding” – a peace that cannot be found apart from him. This is what I am most thankful for. It is a privilege to be able to study the scriptures with my husband, and pass this knowledge on to my son as we guide him through life. This is what I consider our greatest responsibility.
So, what about you?
Have you been taking the blessings of life for granted? What are you most thankful for?
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
1 Chronicles 16:34
When my husband and I were wanting to have a baby, we expected that I would become pregnant within a few months. Three years later, we were frustrated and discouraged. I asked a friend of mine to pray. She had struggled for years and then had her miracle baby.
Wisely, she cautioned me, “Don’t let conception become your idol.”
This is something that I really needed to hear as I was letting our plan to have a baby overtake my life. I felt like less of a woman because I wasnât becoming pregnant and I was resentful of my husband because I was certain he didnât care as much as me. I know now I was angry with God although I wouldnât have admitted it at the time. Why wasnât He letting my husband and I have children?
Godâs Grace is Sufficient for Me
We became certain that we just werenât going to have any children naturally. I had to pray to the LORD daily and say, âMy husband is enough for me.â
I realize now the error in this statement, even though it was a step in the right direction, what I should have been saying to God was, âLord, YOU are enough.â
You see, Godâs grace is sufficient in all circumstances.
This man literally lost everything. He lost his entire family. He lost all his wealth and possessions. He lost his good health. In all that, he did not dishonor God.
A Story with a Happy Ending
The story has a happy ending (my favorite kind of ending!). Job was blessed again by God with a family and wealth, but far beyond that, he was blessed with salvation. God’s grace was sufficient for him…even when it was the only thing he had.
So whether you are struggling with conception or a trial of a different type, seek Godâs will as you remember that it is He who gives us our every breath. Our lives are a gift.
Perspective
One of the lessons I learned because of the time we waited for God to bless us with our son, is that it is God who opens the womb.
Only He can create life. No amount of âtryingâ on our part was going to do any good without Godâs timing. My husband and I didnât âmake a babyâ. God made a baby, and He gave us charge over him.
I thank God for our son. I thank Him for entrusting this little person to us and we pray that we will raise him to be a good, kind, and God-fearing man.
And He said to me, âMy grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.â Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Some say that money is the root of all evil. Well, actually the Bible says that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10) This simply means that money should not be our idol. It does not mean that we should never think about money or should never have money. In fact, the Bible encourages wisdom when handling our assets, and even talks about wealth as a good thing. It is wise to save money and even to invest it.
Invest? Are You Crazy? I’m in Debt and Living Paycheck to Paycheck!
Ok, so maybe you have some steps in between now and investing. That’s ok. The important thing is to get started! The most important aspect in my opinion is to GET OUT AND STAY OUT of debt. It is the black hole of a healthy financial lifestyle. Also, BUDGET. As Dave Ramsey says, “Every dollar has a name.” I highly recommend Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU). Not only does it outline simple steps for how to handle your money, but it is a great way for you and your spouse to get on board the same train…the mental train of thought that is!
Healthy Financial Habits are Good for Your Family
You may have heard that 50% of marriages end in divorce. Did you know that a high percentage of those divorces end due primarily to fights over money? Being unified as husband and wife (or Daddy and Mommy, as your kids see you) is so very important for the health of your family. Kids are smart and they see what you argue about. They worry about what you worry about. This Lil’ Dino Mommy tries really hard not to argue or fight with Lil’ Dino Daddy in front of our son…even if he is just a year old. You may be thinking, “Surely, at such a young age, he won’t know.” or “He won’t remember.” Perhaps not, and I hope you’re right about that because I’ve already failed in not losing my temper with my husband in front of him. But there are two reasons why I really want to keep working towards the “Don’t fight in front of your kids” rule.
Perfect Practice Makes Perfect. The behaviors and words we are used to doing and saying on a day to day basis are going to be what our kids see. It’s not like we can flip a switch and suddenly be a different person. Besides, in those moments of anger, we are told not to sin. Feeling angry in and of itself isn’t sinful. It’s how we handle that anger that makes a difference. I want to practice right now, today, the self-control I will need in the future. If my husband and I are in the habit of speaking kindly to one another and dealing with arguments at another time or place, then when push comes to shove (metaphorically, of course!), we will be able to do the same in the future. Besides, we should be dealing with one another kindly whether or not there are little eyes watching. Which brings me to…
Monkey See. Monkey Do. Who hasn’t heard this phrase? I’ll do you one better, who wasn’t told as a kid by some adult, (maybe not your parents, well…maybe them too), “Do as I say, not as I do”? And who, if you were a teenager, didn’t think, “Yeah right!” We are supposed to model for our children the correct ways to behave and to speak. A perfect example of this in my own life was a couple months ago. I was talking to my husband, frustrated about something, but not at him, and I threw down a pair of pants I was folding as I exclaimed about it. My son, 10 months old, said, “Argh!” and threw down his toy. Oh…hold up there Lil’ Dino Mommy, get it together because your BABY boy is watching you oh, so closely. Another example of this is eating healthy. I really want my children to have healthy eating habits. It is something I have really struggled with all my life and I don’t want them to struggle the same way. The BEST way for me to ensure this is to give them the knowledge on what healthy eating looks like AND model that knowledge in our day to day lives. Eating healthy has to be a lifestyle, not merely a New Year’s Resolution or a fad.
Getting to the Point
So, we all need to practice and model good habits for our kiddos. This includes how we handle our money! So here are # Family Friendly Ways to be Frugal! If you can’t do them all right away, don’t worry. Maybe just work on adding one to start. Whether you are in debt and trying to pinch pennies to get out, or trying to reallocate some funds into your current investments, these are all ways to rename some of those dollars. This was definitely a process for Lil’ Dino Daddy and me. I will share the crazy things we do even though some of you may think they are just TOO crazy. Some may not work for everyone, but maybe they all will work for someone.
3 Family Friendly Ways to be Frugal
Limit Eating Out. Cook More. This one is so tough for me, which is why it is first on the list. Feeding our family is mainly my responsibility. I want to do a good job for both the health of my family and the health of our bank account. Being a “Drive-Thru Sue” is so very easy for me to fall into. I do enjoy cooking, but let’s face it, it takes time, not to mention the clean up can seem like more work than it’s worth to prepare the meal. Now that I have a one year old toddler in tow, it is all the more difficult to find time to do what it takes to cook. However, this is the most frugal thing I can do. Since eating is something I can easily let get out of control, it is the first thing I have to address. So, for me, taking care of this has to come before a clean house, to include laundry. Here’s how I accomplish this…most weeks.
Meal Planning. Every week I sit down and write up a meal plan. This is a habit I learned from my mother-in-law after I was married and it has really helped us save money on food. How? Well, before I meal plan, I take a peek at what’s in my fridge, freezer, and pantry, and try to build meals around things I already have. Then I sit down and peruse my cookbooks if I’m feeling adventurous, or jot down a few meals that are staples in our home. As I make my meals, I make my…
Grocery List. This seems simple enough, but a well planned grocery list keeps me from buying things that aren’t ON the list. When I go to the store without a list, I end up buying more than I need, and usually waste more…because the two of us (plus little dino) simply can’t get through it all. If this is a pain point for you, I have a few friends that swear by the curbside pick up or grocery delivery options at our local grocery stores. Some stores do charge for this service, but if you find yourself spending less using this option than if you would have gone in, it’s definitely worth a try.
Prepare Meals Ahead. When I am cooking certain meals, I will sometimes double the recipe and save half in the freezer. Some good candidates for freezer meals are soups, chili, and casseroles, such as shepherd’s pie. I also tend to make more spaghetti sauce in relation to pasta or spaghetti squash, so I freeze half of this as well. (Bonus tip: For those who aren’t good at eating through all the produce in the fridge before it wilts or spoils, wash it and chop it when you buy it, and throw it in the freezer for another day! I do this with carrots, spinach, celery, peppers, and berries. I also buy bulk onions and garlic and just throw the whole bag in the freezer for when I need it.)
Eat Leftovers. I’m always shocked when I hear people say they don’t eat leftovers. I truly can’t imagine just throwing food away. Ok, so maybe some people are good at preparing just enough for that one meal. To that I say: I truly can’t imagine having to cook every night. Hahaha! But if you can, power to you. That’s awesome! If that is you, you are clearly way more organized than me and probably LOVE cooking way more than me as well.
Make Eating Out Special. If you are like me, eating out or ordering in, even at fast food places, can feel like a vacation from the kitchen. I enjoy not having to cook that night. I enjoy letting someone else feed me for a change, for goodness sake! My husband and I try to plan once a month to go somewhere we really enjoy and make a date out of it. (I must note that this last one is not recommended for those who are in debt. When my husband and I had debt, we did not eat out. Ever. We basically lived on rice, beans, and eggs, and at times, the kindness of others who might have us over for dinner.)
Old School House Rules. Take a look at that budget. Work on taking steps to lower your household expenses. What can you do to lower your electricity bill? Your water bill?
Turn off the lights and switch to LED. I used to get in such trouble as a child for keeping the lights on in a room I was no longer occupying. I still shudder in fear at the remembrance of the sound of my first and middle name being yelled by my mother if she found a vacant room with a light burning brightly. In fact, this habit has stuck so severely, that I have (more than once) turned the light off as I leave a room my husband is still occupying! Whoops! Sorry honey.
Another energy saving method we have employed is using a drying rack to dry our clothes instead of the dryer. The average person spends about $50/month by using the dryer. Drying racks or clothes lines are not only cheaper as it relates to electricity, but it also keeps your clothes from wearing out as quickly. We use drying racks because our subdivisionâs HOA would not allow the use of a clothes line in the backyard. (Ridiculous! We will never buy a house under an HOA again!) However, since we moved to our apartment, the drying racks have allowed us to continue to dry clothes both inside and outside on the patio. (Thank goodness the complex doesnât mind
If you own your own home and plan to live there for a while, look into things you can do to make your home more energy efficient. We had solar screens fitted to our windows and there was a significant difference in the amount of heat coming into our home during the summer. Living in South Texas, the heat can be brutal! We also had our insulation double checked and a radiant barrier installed. Once we have found our forever home, we will look into Solar panels.
Saving on the water bill doesnât take too much imagination, but doesnât take some discipline if you really want to make a dent. Turn the water off when youâre brushing your teeth, pay attention to how long your shower is running. If you are watering your grass or garden, make it count by watering early in the morning or late in the evening. Think dawn and/or dusk.
Replace Consumable Products with Reusable Products. This one was tough for our family in the beginning, but now it’s not a big deal at all. The most difficult thing to let go of was paper towels. We used them for everything from cleaning to napkins. So here’s what I did: I started cleaning the table and counters with my dish towels. I also bought a set of 12 cloth napkins – the kind you see at a nice-ish restaurant, and we use these at meal times rather than tearing off pre-perforated paper towels and passing them around the table like we used to do. I have also recently discovered a self-cleaning microfiber cloth which I really like. This has eliminated my need for chemical cleaners, so although the transition is slow-going, my home is on its way to chemical-free cleaning with these cloths and essential oil blends like Thieves.
This idea can be applied to other things as well. Consider the consumable products you use. What reusable products might you be able to replace them with? Here are a few more ideas: cloth diapers instead of disposable (do I dare mention the wipes?), maybe use reusable containers rather than plastic baggies when packing your lunch, and go ahead and use your flatware instead of buying paper plates. What’s a little more laundry and a few more dishes? – we all have to do them anyway!
There are so many ways to tweak lifestyle and habits alike in order to save money. For more ideas, visit this website. Now here’s a family dedicated to frugality. I love Mrs. Frugalwoods’ idea to put a slip of paper in your wallet to remind you of your bigger goals and dreams. If you’re us, when you go to spend money you see it and say, “Would I rather have pizza delivered or for my family to be closer to our goal of owning a farm?”
Our family wants to learn from you too! Please share YOUR frugal ideas in the comment section below.
My son is quite amazing. Like my husband, he never ceases to amaze me.
I was talking to my father a few months ago who was explaining to me how loud my younger brother and sister are (they are 5 and 2 years old – long story), and how every play activity seemed to be a loud one. (He was not finding joy in these particular moments. Lol.) He…umm…I guess you can call it…reminisced?… back to when my sister and I were little, and called it “work”. Thoroughly irritated, I tried to empathize with him since I currently only have one child, and he has two at home. However, I recalled how I had been watching my son (his grandson) develop and grow as he learned new things, and yes some of this “learning” IS loud, but I really do enjoy these phases.
My perspective is different, as I see it as hitting milestones. So yes, banging blocks together, while loud, is developmentally appropriate. So I’m grateful that he is capable of doing something that a few months ago, he wasnât able to do. When I explained this to my father, he pondered it a moment, then said, “I never thought of it that way.” (I guess you can teach an old dog, new tricks.)
Along with banging toys, my son has also learned to create so many sounds with his mouth and voice. From crying to cooing, and yelling to babbling, and all the spitting and tongue clicking in between, these are things he has learned to mimic. Though a few may cause me to cringe, I have learned to grin and bear it, and THEN clap in affirming praise because for my son, itâs something new heâs accomplished.
Either a Big Ham or a Musical Prodigy
My son truly is adorable. Heâs got the most contagiously, shy smile aaaaand…. he even has dimples. Too cute, right? He has a little toy piano that belonged to my husband as a child. And while itâs terribly out of tune, itâs a real piano. The ivory keys are even the proper width of a full size piano (which we also have). He LOVES to play on this piano. When he started pulling himself up on things at around 7 months, he would just bang on the keys in the middle over and over… and over again. Then Iâd clap and say, âYay! Great job! Thatâs beautiful.â I would even sing along, âLa la la.â
As he continued to learn and play on this toy, he learned to pound on higher and lower keys. Then came the day, at about 9 months, that he stood there and let out this forceful âAhhhhhhh!â as he played. It was so awesome to witness this yell because, you see, he was singing.
Now, just days away from his first birthday, he will play some of the keys one at a time. (Though sometimes a passionate pounding of the piano is apparently necessary for a musical prodigy.) He’ll play a few notes and then turn to look at me and my husband, (or whoever else may be visiting), and smile that dimply, sweet smile. You see, he has come to expect, and even ask through his actions, for praise and affirmation. I donât know about you but I think thatâs pretty cool.
His “piano playing” has changed over the past 5 months, and is already quieter, more melodic, not to mention easier on the ears. He’s a little performer, who loves to make music for his adoring fans, though few they may be.
Our Little Trekkie
Uh oh, youâve discovered a new secret about us: we love Star Trek. Weâve currently been re-watching the Deep Space 9 series and on the weekends my son watches with us. (I know, I know, screen time bad. Outside, good. Yeah, Iâm with ya there.)
He doesn’t really pay attention to it at all, until the next episode starts (ok, ok we are binge watchers – you caught me!). When that musical introduction comes on (where are all my trekkies at?), my son literally stops what he is doing and watches the screen. At first, I thought it was because of the special visual effects of the intro, but then the sweetest, most amazing thing happened…
With his tiny little mouth, he formed the smallest “o” you’ve ever seen (seriously, it would melt your heart), and he let out a quiet, yet distinct, “ohhhh….” He is singing along with the musical introduction of Deep Space 9. It is precious!
“…I will sing and make music.
~Psalm 57:7b
(Admittedly taken very out of context of the original verse.)
My son turns 1 year old here in a couple weeks. As my husband said today, “I’m in denial.” Watching him grow up from a newborn to this newfound toddler stage has been such a joy, even though sometimes it makes me tear up. Time is just passing so quickly!
As I often do, I have been reminiscing about those first days. Lately, I’ve been thinking about his very first day, in his very first few hours. My husband and I were sitting on the bed in the birthing suite, watching the midwife do his newborn testing. We noticed that his feet were flexed upward and laid all the way against his tiny shins. My midwife mentioned that if we didn’t see a change to take him in to his pediatrician in a couple days.
My husband and I spoke about it in the days afterwards, when my son’s feet started to look more normal. Both of us had the thought, though we didn’t verbalize it in those early hours that our son may never walk.
Aaaaaand He Walks!
I am happy to share with you that as of this past week, we have a happy, brave, and fully WALKING child. He is no longer a tiny, helpless baby, but a waddling, mobile toddler. (Ok, ok, he’s still my baby.) Remembering those scary moments in the beginning has made us all the more grateful for his progress and health in both mind and body.
We have truly loved each stage with our son more than the last. Looking forward to all the many moments, milestones, and stages to come.
“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.” Psalm 127: 3
Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Learning to Praise God
As I was singing to my son tonight, as I have every night since the day he was born, I found myself singing a song I hadn’t sang to him in a while. It nearly brought tears to my eyes…
Remembering
In those first weeks, my son wasn’t doing too well. I would look up words to different hymns and other soothing songs that were familiar to me, but that I hadn’t learned all the words to. With some of the songs, I would change the words, and it was one of these that found its into my head this evening.
“Down to the River to Pray” by Allison Krauss is a beautiful song.
The song repeats often so it’s fun to sing to little babies and kids, adding your own people, after “brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers”. I add “daughters” and “my son”, and then follow up with my son’s name to personalize it even more.
I also change the verse, so my version goes like this:
As I go down on my knees to pray, studying about the One True Way and Jesus Christ, the Son of God by name.
Oh, my son, let’s praise God. Let’s praise God. Let’s praise God. Oh, my son, let’s praise God, and thank Him for each day.
Those words, “…and thank Him for each day.” struck a chord with me tonight. Back in those harder days, I was truly praying the words, thanking and praising God for granting my son his life, each and every day.
In those difficult nights when I was up every two to three hours for feedings, and then pumping afterwards, I would take the opportunity to pray and read God’s Word. I also took the time to write posts on this blog and reach out to other mothers who were also struggling with their babies.
How Dare I Complain…
Now that life has gotten easier, shamefully, I’ll admit I find myself complaining way too often (even if most of the time it’s not spoken out loud). “The house is a mess.” “The baby is teething and waking more often, so I’m exhausted.” “I don’t ever get time to myself.” “I’ll never lose weight, because I can’t find time to cook healthy meals.” “I’m too tired to work from home today.” Blah blah blah blah blah.
While these things may be true, my heart isn’t in the right place. I should be praising God every day, just as I was nearly a year ago. Things were definitely harder then, yet I was so grateful just that God had blessed me with the child in my arms, and that He was still thriving.
I am grateful that God has granted us all the breath that makes us alive today. I need to continue to keep being positive. Thinking on the things of God, and not on my own selfish desires, wants, and even my needs. God is our provider and we are to depend on Him and to praise Him in all things and in all situations. He deserves our praise.
Guiding and Teaching My Child
I want to teach my son, and encourage my husband, as well as others around me, to cherish every moment God has granted to us.
“Oh, my son, let’s praise God. Let’s praise God. Let’s praise God. Oh, my son, let’s praise God, and thank Him for each day.”
Praise Ye the LORD!
So I will keep singing. Here are a few songs I sing, usually in the mornings, to help me be in the correct frame of mind, and just generally more cheerful. Praising our wonderful Creator will always bring joy to my heart and I pray it will for you as well.
“This is the day, this is the day, that the LORD has made, that the LORD has made. I will rejoice, I will rejoice, and be glad in it, and be glad in it. This is the day that the LORD has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day, this is day, that the LORD has made.” Psalm 118:24Â (To hear the song, click here.)
“Rejoice in the Lord, always. And again I say, rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord, always. And again I say, rejoice. Rejoice! Rejoice! And again I say, rejoice. Rejoice! Rejoice! And again I say, rejoice.” Philippians 4:4Â (To hear the song, click here.)
“I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart. I will enter His courts with praise. I will say this is the day that the LORD has made. I will rejoice for He has made me glad. He has made me glad. He has made me glad. I will rejoice for He has made me glad. He has made me glad. He has made me glad. I will rejoice for He has made me glad.” Psalm 100:4Â (To hear the song, click here.)
Hiding God’s Word in My Heart
Interestingly enough, these songs are also Psalms, so learning them is also hiding God’s Word in our hearts.
Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
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