Planning the Garden for 2012!

It's that time of year again! Time to start planning the garden! This is pretty much my favorite part of the whole gardening process, haha. I love to plan and organize. My hubby and I are still learning and so when it actually comes time to plant (not too hard), weed (yikes, last year we grew some awful tall weeds) and harvest (2nd best part!) we're a little "green around the edges". ;-) 

I always have such high hopes and so I'm going to try really really hard this year and not let the garden go to pits like we did last year. Come March, Lord willing, we will be adding another little darling to this family and so I'm hoping by May, I will be in a new grind and ready to tackle this adventure with some fresh energy and excitement! I wish I could bottle up this enthusiasm for once July and August come around and it's time to freeze and can as well. 

My question for ya'll, any tips? And also, what are some of your favorite veggies to plant? 

Oh, by the way, did I mention that my hubby made our garden about the size of a football field?? Ok, not that big, but still very daunting...






I'm linking up on Raising Homemakers , check it out! 

Mommy and Baby Time

Baby and I had some yoga/palates time together today. In the words of the instructor, it felt "yummy". 

I've never been real fit or active however I really am working hard to fight my laziness and get moving. This is really important right now because I need to be fit and not let this child inside of me get too big. With my first little one (whose now 19mns old) I had a csection. For this pregnancy, I really wanted to avoid another one and so I went with a birthing center that's going to work with me to have a VBAC. It's really something to see how involved they are in my diet, exercise, etc.. , so much more than the hospital was with my first one. I am measuring a few weeks ahead with this pregnancy so I really need to cut back on my carbs and up my proteins. (Rather hard to do this time of year..) 

Prayers would be appreciated. =) 

In closing, I did a really dumb thing today...I dropped my phone in my glass of water. 

Not. Cool. 

Anyways, hope everyone had a blessed Christmas! 

Christ's Birthday is near!

Are you ready? I am! I'm all done shopping and getting "blessings" for our families. I decided that blessings is much nicer word than gifts or presents. I want to bless my family members, not just give them stuff.

A sweet giveaway!

I really would love to win this giveaway for the Bulk Herb Store. There is a dvd on pregnancy that I would love to own! Check it out!

Merry Christmas everybody! I hope everyone truly enjoys the celebration of our King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ!
Beth

French Macaroons Delight!

 


Mmmmm, don't these looks amazing.... (excuse while I wipe the drool off my face) 

I have been wanting to try french macaroons for a little while now but a) didn't want to spend $098837095 (What the harry number is that???) on buying some and b) didn't even want to attempt to make them. 

A friend of mine who is very much more daring than me posted on facebook that she made some. I commented about how much I would love to make and try these babies for a long time and asked her for the recipe. Well, I got the most wonderful surprise at church on sunday, 2 french macaroons! I was soooo tickled! She made an apricot one and a peppermint one. 
My Husband could tell from my face that I wanted to inhale these things but gave me a look like "Don't you dare try and open that loud packaging and stuff your face!" 

So, I waited until he took Lilly downstaires to sunday school. 

Hehe, sneaky!

OH my goodness, they were so good! My husbands brothers that were sitting with us just looked at me like "What the heck are you doing?" 
Hey, first off, I'm pregnant, I can eat in church. Second, I don't care. 

I decided that I had to try and make some more so I got the recipe and made some yesterday! I wish I had pictures, well acutally I don't because they weren't perfect and the icing was really runny but they had that wonderful, crispy yet chewy texture that I LOVE LOVE LOVE! I used raspberry flavoring and I wish I didn't. I think I like them (the cookie part) flavored with just plain vanilla and plain icing with some jelly in the middle. Mine kinda taste like cotton candy. Not ideal but oh well! 

Right now their in the freezer so that the icing doesn't drip off and also so I don't eat them all and give this child a sugar shock. 

Blessings and Merry Christmas to ya'll!

pregnancy mood swings

Every now and then, I mourn not having a sister.

I even get angry.
When I hear my friends talking about their sister(s), what they did with them, how much they love them, etc...

It's selfish, I know, but there is just something inside of me that hurts. I know the Lord's will is best and perfect, and He has blessed with some wonderful friends and family and I am so thankful for my relationship with my brother.

It still just hurts sometimes.

When I want to call her and cry on her shoulder...

Ask her to run errands with me...

Ask her to babysit my child for me....and vise versa

But the Lord knew best when He created my family. And I find comfort in that. As I sit here, I can feel His arms around me.


This morning as I was working around the house, I was trying to figure out why I'm in such a irritated mood. I'm blaming it on the pregnancy hormones. :-)Yes, that's right, we are expecting our 2nd child. Lord willing, March 5. (ish) (It will probably be the 16th, my luck....) ok ok snap out of it Beth!

You may now put away your violins. I'm done with my pity party.

I wonder what God was thinking...

when He created you.

He must of been thinking of me.

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I know a lot of people look at this "holiday" and think it's stupid (my hubby being one) however I'd like to challenge you to look at it a little different. I want you to think about the love of God and how today is such a great reminder of what He did on the cross for us. I also want you to think about how we can show love to someone special today. It doesn't have to a spouse or girl/boy friend but to a couple from church who just had a baby who is in the NICU. To the newly widowed woman who is having a hard time learning a new way of life. To the pastor and his wife who need some time to be together without interruptions. What can you do to bless them and show God's love? There are many possibilities and I just want you to think about it.

My heart rejoices over my marriage and what God has blessed us with and helped us get through. I know that without God, there is a good chance we wouldn't be together. My heart is burdened though, for all the broken relationships out there. I can name a few that are close to me that aren't doing good and it brings me to tears. I have come to realize that there is not much I can say but to pray. Not gossip or speculate, only pray and love.

Tonight I am making steaks, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, snap peas with dill butter and steak house salad with a balsamic reduction. For dessert we're having warm chocolate puddings. This is my gift to my husband each year, a tasty home-cooked, non traditional meal. (Non tradional= not burritos, burrito casserole, pasta, hot dogs, or chicken)

Enjoy your day and God bless!

Sinus Infections.

After a couple of dose's of antibiotics and I'm feeling finally my good old self! Lilly is over her cold and Dom's gout is staying at bay. If you step outside and listening carefully, you can start to hear the sounds of spring. If you tilt your head just right, you can smell life beginning to awaken.

I feel like pulling a 'Napoleon Dynamite'  "YESSSSSSSSSSS"

Here is a great giveaway to get you thinking of SUMMER!!!

Have I said how excited we are for our garden this year? Well I am. I think Dom knows what's coming and is waiting to see my reaction. :-/  But I know how smart it is for us to grow our own food and can it for winter so I am excited to start this lifestyle. I'm excited for our children to be able to help out in years to come. In a few years we want to get chickens, a pig (Dom's idea), and maybe some bunnies (not to eat, promise).

Anyways, hopefully I win this giveaway because I also want to work a lot with herbs and drying them.

Well, my workout is calling my name.  My goal- lose 40lbs by Lilly's 1st Birthday in May. So far I've lost about 7lbs...... it's a slow process :-(

what miserable comforters!

As I'm reading through Job, I keep coming across some really interesting verses. One that really hit me today, with a bit of a chuckle was JOB 16:2. Eliphaz the Temanite is there with Job, talking to him, I assume, like a pastor or elder. Eliphaz is trying to comfort Job but Job is pretty much sick of it.

"I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all!"

For some reason this verse really struck me as, well, funny! I think it's because I've thought/said this many times.

I just thought this was kinda comical; makes Job seem more real. Does that make sense....? I can only imagine how it feels when someone who has everything, is trying to comfort you, who has NOTHING. And tell you it'll be ok, to trust God; He really knows what He's doing.

Job speaking....
JOB 16:4 I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul's place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you;
JOB 16:5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.

I'm no expert when it comes to reading the Bible and translating meanings but I do believe Job is saying that if he were to be the "comforter", he'd be a lot better job. This Eliphaz guy seems like he is basically telling Job that it's his fault that this all happened to him.

Anyways, I thought these few verses were kinda interesting and I thought I'd share. Have a great weekend everyone!

my shaklee review - YAY!

For months, I had been reading about Shaklee and their cleaning products and I really wanted to try them out. I'm not a fan of cleaning but seeing how good these products worked, I was ready to fall/winter/spring/summer clean all in one day! 

I entered a contest one day for a free Basic-H2 sample and to my surprise... I WON! I was soooo excited. I really wanted to buy the cleaning products but due to trying to make it on 1 income, I just felt like I shouldn't yet. I still had other cleaning products and felt I should use them up first. (Even though they were not near as good or safe) 

When I won the sample, I felt truly blessed! I got an itty bitty little vial with an itty bitty amount of concentrate in. However, with this amount, it made a 16oz spray bottle of window/mirror cleaner (2 drops of concentrate needed for that) and a 16oz spray bottle of all purpose cleaner. (1/4 tsp. needed for that bottle). 

I was thrilled! 

Once I used up those bottles, it was after Christmas and I had money to spend! So I went and bought out the website. Ok, not really but I did buy enough to become a member for life. Yay for member discounts! 

Here is the proof! 

Here is the inside of my oven door. Yucky, I know. I used the Heavy Duty Scour Off Paste to do this and believe me, it is worth every penny. With a little elbow grease, the paste cleaned this up real good! And it even smelled like red licorice! No chemicals here!

 

 While moving 2 years ago, someone stepped on our dresser and left a nice sized shoe print that refused to come off. Since it's finished wood, I was limited to what I could use to clean it.

After a few sprays of the Basic-H All Purpose and some rubbing, this shoe hit the road, 

never to be seen again. 

Momma was happy.

Well, that's all I have for now. I'll post more as I can. Hope you all enjoyed and I promise, it is so worth it to buy these products. Sure, it's a lot of money now, but these products will last you for probably at least a year. Plus, you are doing your part to keep a happy, healthy, safe household. Here is a list of what I bought and recommend. 

Basic-H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate

Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste

Germ Off Disinfecting Wipes

Dish Wash Concentrate (smells soooo good) 

Nature Bright Laundry Booster & Stain Remover

a random post.

• Hot tea, blogs to read, and a garden to plan out...these are a few of my favorite things. (to do today anyways)
  
  I'd love to hear any good gardening tips or certain plants/veggies you like to plant.
  
  Anyone else hate finances?
  
  I have to keep reminding myself that God is our provider. What a great promise we have from Him. I love Jesus!
  
  Ok, Lil is sleeping so I really need to take advantage of that and get some work done.

Meal Plan

Hello all! So I have started making meal plans for the upcoming 2 weeks. Then I don't have to grocery shop every week! I know, I know, it's Thursday already. Oh well..

Monday Night - .....I'm thinking.....thinking....oh yes, I remember now. 

Leftover chili over leftover twice baked potatoes. 

Tuesday Night - Deer Roast, green beans with cheese, mashed potatoes and Red Lobster rolls. My dear hubby also stopped on his way home from work for some wine. A nice evening at home watching the snow fall. We also watched Salt. AMAZZZZZING. 


Wednesday Night - Stromboli and Mediterranean Salad. This salad also qualifies as AMAZZZZZING. My dear, handsome hubby so kindly left me it all to my self. :-) So far in 24 hours, I've had at least 4 helpings. Ok, Ok, here's the recipe... you don't have to beg.
Romaine Lettuce
Green Beans
Red Onions
Orange Segments
Feta Cheese 
A dressing of vinegar, olive oil, s&p and some orange juice for some sweetness! (That's my own twist on the dressing, it just calls for the oil, vinegar and seasoning but I find that it needed some sweetness.)

Like I said, AMAZZZZING.

Thursday Night - Dom works so I just eat whatever however I do plan a meal for Brunch. Today I made pancakes with apple sauce instead of oil and also half the called for sugar. They were great! Dom loved them too! Now, if I could only give into buying some maple syrup instead of pancake syrup, I'd feel even better about wolfing them down.

Oh and in case your wondering, I had more AMAZZZZING salad tonight.

Friday Night- I was going to make Orange Marmalade Chicken Drum Sticks, Garlic Corn and Salad BUT I forgot we have a wedding so we'll be having Shady Maple instead. Oh poo.

Saturday Night- We'll have Friday nights meal! Easy peasy!


Sunday Lunch - Subs, chips and salsa.

These meals are subject to change without notification.

:-P

Let it snow, let it snow, let it SNOWWW!

"ohhh the weather outside is frightful!" 

A deer roast is in the crock pot (since 10am), mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus with mustard sauce are on the menu and a mocha latte is in my hand. Now all I need is my hubby to come home and baby to wake up!

mmmm this is cozy! 

oh, and Friends is on! 

Ahhhh, wonderful.

Sorrow

Today, my heart is heavy. Heavy for those who lost loved ones Saturday in Tucson. My heart is heavy thinking about the little girl who was killed that day. Born on Sept. 11, 2001. God knew her little soul before she was created. God knew what she would go through in her short life. I can see her now, dancing with Jesus.

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

"Still"- Hillsong 




Last night I had to let go. I had to let go of my fears and worries. Fears that the father of lies kept hanging over my body. I do not know what the future holds, but I do know who holds my future. 


I will be still and know you are God. 


I know this might not be the most entertaining post but it's my heart right now. When I was trying to decide on a name for this blog ( I hate trying to be creative like that) I just picked a name that sounded "nice" and "interesting". I am now realizing what this name means. 


Father, You are King, over the flood. 


That brings comfort to my soul. I hope you can find comfort in the Lord Jesus Christ as well. The only one who can bring comfort and peace in a world so evil and demented. 


Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust


God bless you!
Beth

Running Noses, Sore Throats and New Teeth, OH MY!

If you stepped into our home right now, you'd think you were in a hospital! Medicine is sitting out all over the place, tissues crumpled up in piles at random spots and individuals still in their pjs. All day. A visit to the Doc yesterday proved to be a waste of a co-pay for the Doc to just tell me that since I'm nursing, I can't really take any antibiotics anyways. "Here's a list of what you can do though." Great, just what I have been doing! Oh well, I'm just glad that the Doc who didn't look into my throat knows that the burning and aching is nothing to worry about.

Ok, Ok, so I'm really not that upset. It just kinda annoyed me that I went and wasted $20.

I'm sitting here watching the snow (still in my pjs) fall and I must say, I am so happy right now. Even though every 2 minutes I'm having to blow my nose. I can hear Lilly is awake from her nap and I must say I am very excited! I love playing with her. She is at such a fun age where she is more active, trying to get around more. She babbles like crazy and says dada and baba. Just last night Daddy found she has a tooth poking through then this morning I saw that both bottem teeth are coming through! YAY! I am so happy for her yet sad she has to be in pain. Don't worry little one, those teeth will be so worth it when you sink them into a juicy hamburger this summer! Yummo!

So today I MADE myself clean up the house. I had half a headache and was just feeling over-whelmed by the mess. It feels so good, though, now to have a cleaned up, good smelling, cozy home and now I think I'm going to make something in the kitchen. Not sure what, I kinda think maybe some bread! We shall see!

Oh and stay tuned for my Shaklee review. Once I figure out how to upload pics to my computer from my new phone....arghh

Have a wonderful day everyone!