{Frugal Living}

This is economy is hitting everyone I know and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I find myself thinking about how I can help the ones I love and hold dear. Not saying that I'm rolling in dough, but I try to listen to needs now when it comes to birthdays and Christmas. My cousin was here 2 weeks ago visiting and instead of hitting all the big stores as we may have in the old days, we went Goodwill Store hopping. It was awesome! We had a ball finding all these great deals. I was so proud of us.

I have started trading with other Etsy artists again for goodies. I had stopped for awhile, because time was more of a constraint, but with a little more time on my hands I'm playing catch up. I'm getting some FAB goodies from great fellow Etsyians.

I'm working on skipping eating out. I'd gotten lazy again and was taking the kids out more and more often, and a couple of weeks ago after looking at my bank account I started to see how ten dollars here and twenty dollars there were really adding up. That was quite a scary thing to see. So, I'm menu planning again and baking up a storm, so as to not get tempted along with the kiddos to eat out.

Just sharing my trip towards a more frugal life. I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

{The Simple Woman's Daybook}

Outside my window....It's a beautiful, sunny day in Southern California

I am thinking....how much I love the order of the day, but miss the kiddos being home.

I am thankful for....a future full of grace and new possibilities

I am wearing....a black sundress and a yellow cardi, bare feet.

I am going....to the gym, to have blood drawn(oh joy), and to pick the kiddos up from school.

I am currently reading....my bible, and picking up the latest Harry Dresden story to enjoy.

I am hoping....to plan a FAB baby shower for my friend Marly and to spend some time with Jaime soon.

On my mind....how fast my girls are growing up, planning my son's 8th birthday, spending time in prayer, learning to have more faith.

Noticing that....34 isn't that far away *sigh*

From the kitchen....Lemon bars and brownies

{Happy New Year}

So, tonight I sit all cozy in my favorite Barefoot Dreams blankie and sipping sweet tea. It's my one claim to being a wanna-bee-Southern-belle. I'm listening to the Acoustic version of Time after Time with Cyndi Lauper and Sarah MacLachlan and my pug Honey is sleeping next to me. Not quite the way I had intended on ringing in the New Year, but to be honest, it's a comforting way and keeps me close to home and hearth, no complaints there. So, I have skipped out on my invitation to the Fab Tina's(sorry, girlie!) and decided to hunker down at home and relax. My girls are hanging out watching tv and have kind of banished me to the livingroom. It's okay, I know I'm loved. Hee hee.

So, I decided to work on my resolutions for the New Year. I'm going to share them here. I hope everyone has an amazing New Year's Eve. May the New Year bring you happiness, joy, and love.

My New Year's Resolutions
1. Focus on my relationship with God and continue to foster an intimate and loving bond for my children with Him as well.

2. Continue losing weight and enjoying the new ways I find to excercise(hello, belly dancing class!)

3. Apply for school and start pursuing a nursing degree.

4. Let go and let God have control.

5. Be more organized.

6. Spend more time scrapbooking and following creative endeavors I love.

7. Become a Photoshop Pro.

8. Make a quilt(which entails going beyond just threading my machine).

9. Learn to play poker

10. Let my best friend know everyday how very much they mean to me and how amazing they are.

{Merry Christmas}

It's been a WONDERFUL Christmas this year and I'm so happy that my children were so happy with what they got. This was a very downsized Christmas from last year, but I felt like it had so much more meaning.

We did our traditional Christmas morning breakfast with Chocolate Chip Waffles(the recipe is from the Hillbilly Housewife website), scrambled eggs, and bacon. Normally, I add on fresh fruit and pastries, but with all the cookies, brownies, and truffles the kids are munching on already, we kept breakfast trimmed down a bit. This Mommy is a bit under the weather, so sleep has been a friend of mine, lol, and the kiddos have spent most of the day hanging out with their Dad.

The pictures above show some bits and pieces from our day. The holiday week has been amazing for us. It started on Saturday with a trip to the Toby Mac Winter Slam concert and has continued on with 2 fun birthday celebrations, exchanging gifts with friends and family, and just time together as a family enjoying one another.

I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas day! I plan on hitting the gym tomorrow, going walking with my daughter, and then a hiking trip with the family. Yes, I'm trying to do as much as possible to get rid of all the extra calories I took on during the break, lol.

Road Trip Adventure Tips

Have I shared yet that I'm the Mommy of 4 kids? Yes, 4 little joyous bundles of light, love, and sibling rivalry. We are making our annual trip home for the holidays and with a number of hours on the road I've been trying to think of everything I can to keep them busy and happy. So, here are a few of my tips.

1. Never leave home hungry, I make sure they eat before we leave or it's our first stop on the road. We travel with water bottles and snacks for along the way.

2. Don't forget at least one rest stop for the bathroom!

3. Ipods, MP3 players, and portable game players are charged up before we hit the road.

4. Everyone packs an activity bag before we leave which includes toys, games, books, etc.

5. Don't forget paper towels for messes and sweatshirts for when it gets cold. Oh, and pillows!

{Toby Mac's Winter Slam}

There are not mere words that can explain how awesome this concert was last night. Watching my girls smile and get caught up in the music was just awe inspiring. The message was so evident in the music and in the positive vibe of the crowd. It was such an amazing night and worth the 2 hour drive. We went out to dinner before the concert and it was fun to listen to the girls think back over past concerts and events they have attended. I don't think there was a moment of our outting yesterday that isn't just etched into my memory.

I can't even think of the words to explain how great these acts were. We heard B Reith, Stephanie Smith, Reliant K, and Toby Mac. I have now become such a big fan of Stephanie Smith. She sang a rendition of Silent Night that sent shivers down my spine. It was just awesome.

Overall, we had such a wonderful and enlightening experience. It was great and I'm so glad we went.

Listening to your child's heart

One of my goals this year was to listen to my children's hearts in a more intimate manner. It is so easy to dictate rules, chores, and expectations to your child, but harder I think at times to know them. My daughters are going to be 11 and 9 respectively and their personalities are so very apparent. I want to know their dreams and goals for today and their futures. I want to know their hearts intimately. One of my favorite things to tell them is I hope that when they are adults they will count me as one of their best friends.

So, my oldest daughter and I took our first road trip last weekend and it was amazing. I highly suggest getting away with your kids on a one-on-one basis if you can. It was so fun to talk with her and listen to the things that excite her. She came up with this amazing plan to raise $100 for a homeless shelter in our area and she had me in tears. I'm so proud of her heart and amazing spirit.

Tomorrow my daughters and I are off to attend the Toby Mac Winter Slam and I'm so excited. It's a birthday present for my youngest daughter, Miss Bear and she doesn't even know about it yet. I'm so looking forward to the message the concert will have for us and the time I get to spend worshipping in the car with the girls on the way there and listening to their hearts.

You can find time to listen to your child's heart in so many ways. A favorite of mine is to pop in a Veggie Tales CD while driving and sing in worship with the kids. We also pray on the way to school in the morning and each of the kids takes turns. Each prayer from each of my children is so different and unique. It's like getting a glimpse straight into their heart.

It's late and I am trying to get a post a day done, so I cheated and did this the night before. I will blog about the concert on Sunday. I hope everyone has an amazing day!