Impressionable vs. Memorable~

As a young mother, I would sort of roll my eyes when people would say "Cherish every moment while they are still young!"  I adored my children when they were small.  They were so precious and filled my heart to a capacity I didn't know was possible. (They still do!) But not every moment was the cherishing type...  Sleep deprivation, poopy diapers, hearing "no!", "why?", and "why?" and "why?"... (Wait, I still hear those same questions...)

But now, as a mother heavily entrenched in tweendom and teetering on the verge of teenagers, I find I am the one now telling the younger mothers to cherish every moment.  It truly goes by so fast!  You can't truly appreciate the depth of that warning until you've experienced that yearning inside of you that wants to freeze time for a bit and keep your children small.

I've been pondering this new season in my life as a mother.  I've been remembering those younger years when my children were so impressionable.  Sponges, if you will.  Talks about God, right and wrong, manners, why we don't talk to strangers, and why we look both ways before crossing the street and always, always, always hold mommy's hand were simply truth.  Because mommy told me so.  It sure was easier then!
Now, it's more about modeling truth and what's right. Do my actions match the words coming out of my mouth? Believe me, they are keenly aware.  Whether they admit it or not, they still take their cues from me. And I refuse to be seen as Charlie Brown's teacher:  (Wah wahhh wah wahhh wah wah!) It's not so much my teaching them through words anymore, but using teachable moments to provide memorable experiences.

They may not remember walking in the park and saying things like "Wow!  How does God color in the lines so good?!", or "Thank you, Jesus, for the byooootiful sunset!", or bedtime prayers that ended with "I love you, Daddy loves you and Jesus loves you!", but those moments certainly made lasting impressions.  Who God is and His love for them was impressed on them during those moments. (I assure you I will never forget!)
But it is becoming more and more clear to me that as my children are older now, the teachable moments are the memorable ones.  The ones they will take with them when they *sniff* leave the nest.  Just because mommy says so, doesn't necessarily mean it's truth anymore.  We are waaay more abstract now and sometimes need a visual aid or experience!
For example, we came up with some fun ideas of things to do during the month of December to give to others in the community that maybe would otherwise go unnoticed.  My youngest and I bought 2 caramel apple ciders from Starbucks and gave them to the crossing guards at her school during a very bad cold snap.  The overwhelming surprise from these women made it so much fun and I know that doing this fun, unexpected thing is something my daughter will remember.  It felt good to surprise someone by giving just for the sake of giving with no strings attached.



But today I caught myself wondering how in the world am I to teach my girls to be the amazing women of God I so hope for them to become, if I am not even the woman of God I would want them to be?  I can't just tell them how things ought to be anymore.  If I tell them, I better be showing them as well, or my hypocrisy may show through.  I am so far from who I want to be...for myself and for them...  So, if I want my children to have memorable moments that are worth having, I have to proactively give God the seat on the throne of my heart. (It's time for me to stop trying to keep that seat warm.)
The things to teach my girls are not so concrete anymore.  There can be no place for gossip, passing judgement, laziness, apathy, or disrespect.  Do I want the moments remembered to be bad attitudes in the grocery line (guilty!), or an attitude of servanthood?  Is it ok for me to cut my children off mid-sentence if I don't allow them to do it to me?  Can I invoke consequences for waiting till the last minute to do homework if I am a procrasitnator myself?  Can I get upset when their room is not clean, when I have laundry piled high in my own bedroom?
I want my children to rise and call me blessed someday.  I want their children to rise and call them blessed someday!  God help me to make each moment memorable in a good way!  Guide my every word, thought, and action.  Please take your rightful place on the throne of my heart.  Thank you for teaching and loving my children despite my imperfections.

Frugal Fashion Friday! #1

I do not come from money.  Suffice it to say, neither do my children.  But I love all things trendy and I love putting "new" things in my closet.  Shoes, Purses, Accessories, CLOTHES... And by new, I mean new to me.  Living on one income while I was a stay at home mom for 8 years and then taking on a part time job once both my girls were in school has not exactly put us (monetarily speaking) in the lap of luxury.  But I would not trade my life with a single soul!  I so value that I have been able to invest in my family and give things of value that can't be taken away.

Still, sometimes I would look at other women with perfect nails and perfect hair and great outfits and think "Man, they are so put together!"  And then I would start to calculate the cost in my head to maintain that appearance...  Yeah, not for me.  My husband and I have this crazy idea that right now we will "live like no one else, so later we can live like no one else," (thank you Dave Ramsey) meaning we'll hold on to some of our money now so we'll have some later when we are old and cranky. 

However, that doesn't mean we can't still look "put together"!  Are you kidding me?  Nothing gives me more pleasure than to "buck the system".  So I have a few strategies, and they may not be for everyone, but I love the thrill of the hunt and the saving of the mighty dollar.  Some of my favorite places to get ideas for trendy outfits that fit my lifestyle (no pin thin heels for this mama!) is Lucky Magazine,What I wore,

and I'm a little embarrassed to say it, but sometimes even What not to Wear.  (Small doses, people, small doses.)

What I'm looking for is a silhouette.  I might clip out an outfit I love out of the magazine (that usually retails from $500-$1000 head to toe) and hit the thrift stores, consignment stores and clearance racks to create a similar outfit. I've even been known to alter a few things into something new.  My outfits rarely exceed $20, head to toe.  I'm talking accessories inlcuded!  I love to get compliments on my clothing and I especially love when people ask "Where did you get that?"...

What better way to keep things green and recycle, than to hit the consignment and thrift stores for unique items?

T-Shirt from Aeropostale~ $2.99  Shorts also on clearance~ $2.99

Fleece lined "Roxy" hoodie~ Thrift Store find $2.50

Make that TWO "Roxy" hoodies @ $2.50 each!

White boho skirt, Thrift Store find~ $3.99

It's important for tweens to feel confident that what they are wearing is not weird... Even if they themselves are!

Work It, Mama!

The end is near...  I am one of those lucky people that works for the school district and gets to have a summer vacation right along with my kids.  For me, it is the next best thing to being a SAHM (which I was for 8 years).
Regardless of whether you are a mama who works outside of the home or not, when faced with a new school year, there are some gears that need switching!  Mornings are about to become faster paced.  Breakfast AND lunch need to be prepared before walking out the door.  My afternoon ritual of reading good books in my hammock with root beer in hand will soon be traded in for homework/snack/debriefing sessions with my kiddos.  All the laundry and dishes and housework will have to wait until I get home... Please, God, give me the energy!
I will mourn the loss of summer, but I look forward to the crisp, new beginnings of fall.  Some tools I plan on using to help make the transition a smooth one?  I'm so glad you asked! ;)

GET UP~ Beginning the week before school starts, I have everyone getting up at the time they normally would for school, so that they will be somewhat acclimated by the time their first day arrives.  After a summer full of late nights at sleep overs, drive-in movies and camping, the mornings have been for catching up on sleep... Now is the time to practice getting to bed at your "school bedtime" and getting up for the morning routine (which I also implement the week before).

No more TV breakfasts...

GET DRESSED~ When shopping for school clothes, it is imperative that the entire closet get a full on purging!  Why have kids, or even yourself, waste valuable time in the morning trying to find something to wear in a closet full of clothes that don't fit or are not weather appropriate!  Get a hanging organizer that fits one week's worth of clothes.  You can get everything together over the weekend when the laundry is getting done. This will (hopefully) avoid arguments (You are NOT going out in that!  Where are your socks?  What do you mean you don't have any?!)  It also works very well for those who move slow in the mornings and have a hard time processing what clothes are even for! =)

For the short ones, or even just to maximize closet space, add an extension rod .  Cubbies are GREAT for planning the weeks outfits ahead of time!

EAT HEALTHFULLY~ There are sooooo many places on the world wide web that have so many ideas for healthy, quick meals.  If you haven't discovered Pinterest, you might consider doing it now!  You can take all the recipes and ideas from all over the internet and pin them all in one place saving so much time trying to remember where you saw "that one recipe for breakfast burritios"!
Saving Dinner~ This is a great resource for making up FRESH dinners to keep in the freezer ahead of time.  Good for nights when you want to make it to that class at the gym but still need to make sure the family is fed... The nights that your kids have lessons and sports and you've been running around town all evening...  Or, you just plain don't feel like cooking!  These are menus, with recipes and shopping lists... The whole package!
Another resource I stumbled upon this week is the September issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray.  Besides all the other amazing recipes, she has an article "1 Month of Make-Ahead Meals".  Of course, if you go to her website and find recipes you love, you can always pin it in Pinterest!

HOMEWORK STATION~ I doubt I need to say much, but a central location that is well stocked with all the right tools for the job (including an afternoon snack to keep the fog from setting in) is the place to be.  I give my kids an hour of down time and then they work on homework at the table while I get dinner ready.  I'm right there if they need me.

I found this organizer (it spins!) in the bargain bins at Target for $2.50.  We've been using it all summer for art projects, and it will be the perfect homework supply organizer as well!  

MAMA NEEDS HER OXYGEN FIRST!~ Before the kids are awake and the day begins, mama has to put on her oxygen mask first.  By that, I mean mama is up before the rest with her Bible (and coffee) feeding her spirit with all the things God has for her.  She is praising and releasing everything she has for Him.  She cannot give out of the overflow of her heart if there is nothing there to begin with.  We must get our "oxygen" so that we can focus and see clearly enough to give our families oxygen as well.  Being mama is HUGE!  And if we aspire to be mamas of the P31 variety, we have to always be growing and learning in our relationship with the One who made us stewards of this amazing, exhausting, fulfilling title.

Don't let me fool you.  My night stand is never this clean.  I tidied it just for you!  

OH! ONE MORE THING!~ The Friday before school starts, we head over to the school building to prayer walk!  We walk around the building and pray for the teachers, students, prinicipal, etc...  I can't think of anything better than to cover our public schools and everyone in them with prayer!

*She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Proverbs 31:27

Welcome Home~

I'm not gonna lie.  This week was kind of a hard one for me.  You see, I have a great house.  It's definitely on the small side, but I have given it lots of the special touches a home should have and it provides us with everything we need.  I like it here!

Not interested in having real birds, but I love my cages!

My 12 year old daughter has expanded her social base since starting middle school and I love that she is making friends!  Here's what I struggled with this week~ A lot of these friends come from the land of landscapers, granite and hardwood...  We come from the land of vinyl, carpet (with throw rugs to cover stains...) and we do all our own yard work here.

You may not be able to see it, but yes, I have a piece of leopard print duct tape covering a tear in the couch.  It matches the leopard print accents around the room.  I call it "White Trash Chic".

I wrestle with feelings of self-consciousness rather than focusing on ministering to our company with hospitality... I'm too busy batting at that cobweb in the corner I didn't notice before they got here... I'll bet Suzie's mom never has cobwebs!  Or the fact that Suzie's bedroom is probably the size of my living room... I hope she doesn't strain her eyes trying to watch the movie on our 27 inch TV!  It is a constant battlefield of the mind to not let the enemy get full control over my stinkin' thinkin'.  Am I alone here?

When I get into this ridiculous mind game that I sometimes play with myself, I find I turn into a Martha and lose all the Mary moments that are being presented.
Who Cares?!  My home is lovely, regardless of size and building materials!  It's not the stuff, it's the people!  It's the pizza and games every Friday night that make the memories.  It's the snuggles in the hammock on the back porch that matter.  It's the deep and hard to answer questions that get discussed at the kitchen table.   It's providing a safe, non-threatening environment for anyone who enters... Whether I've vacuumed or not.
I know an amazing P31 woman who lives in a home that looks like it belongs on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens.  I know an amazing P31 woman who has lived in a home on wheels.  I can tell you that what makes them so amazing~ how they've impacted my life as well as many others~ is not their homes, but how they make me feel in them.
Lord help me to remember that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing... And that is You and what You've called me to be right here in my own portion in life.
"...be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"

LIFE IS JUST A BOWL OF CHERRIES~

I have this crazy life long goal to become as close to a "Proverbs 31" woman as I possibly can before I leave this earth.  I've read articles, books, found amazing websites and have journeyed through numerous bible studies and devotionals that have impacted and inspired me greatly!
It seems, though, that I whenever I am feeling extremely confident about where I'm headed, I find someone out there who is "P31-ing" sooooo much better than I am... and then I deflate...  Which just goes to show that I was "puffed up" to begin with...
It's really not about keeping up with other women who seem to "have it together".  Being a P31 is not a competition between us women! Pa-shaw!  Where'd that idea come from?  (Well, I have some ideas about that...)  And who says each P31 model should look the same?  No, I think I finally have discovered, that each  P31 is unique.  Fashioned, by God, specifically to fulfill a role in the unique lives, the unique dynamic, that surround her.  The single mom, the mom of a blended family, the woman who is taking care of elderly parents living in her home, the wife of a politician, the housewife/SAHM... There is nooooo way these women can have the same P31 blueprint!
BUT!  We are all called to the same guidelines.  Same guidelines, different finished product.  We are all called to be the heart of our home.  We are all called to bring our husbands (if we are married) good and not harm.  We are all called to protect our finances, bring beauty to our environment and work hard.  "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."  (Proverbs 31:25NIV)
So, as I am on this journey to figure out how to be the best P31 woman I can be, given the life God has chosen for me and entrusted me with, I hope that you will join me!  I want to encourage and uplift you.  I want to pass on all the little nuggets I have learned and will learn as I reach to attain my goal of becoming a P31 woman.  And I want to hear from you! How are you growing?  How are you learning?  What isn't working? (Lord knows, I have plenty of those stories to share as well!!)
I'm looking forward to this!