this week

It feels like it's been a while since I last wrote in here. We got through another week... a fairly fun week. Monday we spent a lot of time outside; Tuesday we were in Grand Forks all day and then outside the rest of the time. Peter took the kids to ECFE and i stayed home to catch up on some much needed cleaning and then took a 20 minute jog, in which I ran the whole 19 or so minutes!! I stopped twice to walk and it was only about 20-30 second rest each time. I was so pumped. Friday we were back in Grand Forks for the circus... which was fun but miserable because of the weather! I am sooo sad that it snowed! We got Kate (poor kate) her first bike with training wheels. She was long due for one, and we finally got one. That's all she could talk about the whole way home on Tuesday, but as soon as we got home, we went for a walk/bike ride and she did good! I wish that I hadn't been along with the kids though because I wanted to look at Target too for a bike. I went to Scheels and Walmart and ended up getting one at Walmart.

Our good friends from church asked if they could take the girls for the day so they were gone today. We ended up cleaning the church and Peter had band practice. Our afternoon consisted of me trying to put a dent in my unedited photos from Confirmation Sunday last week and cleaning up the kitchen a bit which Peter helped with, and then I worked out. I tried to go for a run but it was just way too windy and cold. Our friends also invited us out to dinner so that was a real treat too! Right now I have banana bread in the oven for church tomorrow and I just got done making mini muffins.  I am trying a new banana bread recipe so I am hoping it turns out.  Honestly I spent a lot of the time licking spoons and trying to resist the sweet batter but no such luck. There went my workout!   I plan to try to clean up the rest of the house so that tomorrow I won't be looking around the house in disbelief and crabbiness... it always makes me feel a little bit better knowing my house isn't a pit when we come home from church.

Peter starts his detox diet this upcoming week so I am needing to write down recipes and really plan for that so I can prepare meals for him along with meals for us. I think it will be hard on both of us but I really want to try to do my best so that it isn't harder than it needs to be. I think it could get hard if he came home from work and then had to figure out what to eat... when he really can't have very much. No sugar, dairy, grains, -pretty much just fruit, vegetables, and meat. Anyway, i better go so I can get to bed early.  Here are some photos from my 365's this week::

shabby chic birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MADELYN!~


It's Monday already.. a little sad. The weekend was really fun; mostly because we celebrated Maddy's 2nd birthday.  We did most of the work on Friday; baking, cooking, cleaning, setting up... and luckily on Saturday we really didn't have to do much at all. In fact we visited my sister in law and soon to be brother in law in the morning, when typically I would be decorating a cake and scrambling to get other things done. We got home around 12:15 and once we got the kids to bed I just finished picking up, mopped the kitchen floor, and then put my hair in rollers and sat down on the couch!
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Homemade Invitations

Cakepops

Ruffle Garland

Fabric Banner

Mason jars for drinking

Ordered #2 suckers and pink striped straws

Homemade Cake batter ice cream

photo garland on mantel

Pink Fabric Flower for Cake

Cake banner (Spells out MADDY)

DIY Cupcake stands

DIY Cupcake wrappers

If you're wondering how I did any of this, let me know!

full armor and discernment

It seems like I am always saying this: "Today was a trying day".  It's getting old. I think a fact is that Satan is really trying to get me down. Yesterday I never woke up to read and work out... so I suffered the rest of the day for it. Maddy decided not to take a nap (surprise!) so I didn't get my workout in, or really anything for that matter. Just the day before I had said : Make the best use of your time this week... you've got so much to do!" So when Maddy wouldn't nap yesterday, I became angry that once again, she had messed up my plans. My plans. Ugh, I need to get over myself.

I finally got in a better mood, sorta, and when Peter finally came home Maddy was really getting to me. Crying at my feet as I was trying to make supper. Finally I screamed at him to take her. I got to leave at 7:45 for my .... I don't even know what to call it. Originally it was discipleship training, but now we're not training anymore... it is a 2-group bible study... and looking for our third member. We're praying about who to ask to join or some 'hungry' individual. We meet at the church in Kennedy. Anyway... it went real good last night.

I decided last night that I cannot sleep in. I suffered the day because I could have had an extra 45 minutes (roughly) to get things done and I didn't.  So, today I was going to wake up early.  I was... and I did... but so did Maddy.  Exactly two minutes after I had woken up, she did as well.  At this point, I am extremely bitter. I got her out of the crib, in tears, plopped her on the couch and threw the same phone used to wake me up into the fireplace. And it broke. I immediately ran to put it together and cried some more. It works, but I can no longer see anything on the screen.

I had two choices: 

1. Be upset and let Satan get the best of me
2. Read my bible and do as planned, even though Maddy is up.

After much debate, I chose the bible. I read 3 chapters, though very bitterly at first... and allowed God to soften my heart and I chose love. Even if occasionally during my reading Maddy would squirm in my lap and start whining (she wanted to be held, but then would complain) I began to feel annoyed again but it went back down. Normally when they wake up they get to watch one episode of either Blues Clues, Oswald, or another good show... so I let her watch that while i went into the other living room and did 20 minutes of my workout. They were interrupted by her coming back and forth but that's ok. It got done.  I'm so glad I chose this option instead of being bitter and I can honestly say I am in a pretty good mood. When Peter got up, I cried to him about my phone and he is now fixing it, (or trying to). He has always been so so supportive of my working out and reading.... the first thing he asked was: "what do you need to do, you can do whatever you want". How lucky am I. Two days ago when I was reading my Beth Moore bible study, she was talking about Satan. She said this:

"Hear the words of your Commander in Ephesians 6: 10-20."

•  Realize your natural limitations.  We cannot enjoy spiritual victory without actively calling on the power of God. We are only strong when we are in the Lord and in His mighty Power. I didn't do that today. Instead I tried to fight Satan myself... "leave me alone satan!! Stop ruining my life!"

•  Remember the full armor. Don't underestimate the enemy's ability. He is an expert archer. He's had at least six thousand years of practice on human targets. HE WON'T WASTE ARROWS ON WELL-ARMED PLACES. He will aim for the spots you and I have uncovered. Not every problem we have is warfare. Yes Satan is ultimately at the origin of every temptation, but we are not perpetually go hand-to-hand with principalities of darkness. Some of my problems have resulted from personal rebellion. Sometimes I sense satan is very actively opposing my life. Other times, I sense he is more passive, because he sees me doing a fine job of getting myself into difficulty. We are wise to pray for discernment to know the  nature of our problems. Sometimes the prescription is repentance. Other times it is the fortification against the evil one.

I am working on putting verses up all around my house so that when I feel attacked or just need an encouraging "word", I can read it and memorize.  I can say today... "thank you God for this day". Take that, Satan!!!

Busy Week

This week I have a feeling will be a busy one.  I have lots of things going on at home, but then I also have lots of things going on at church this week. We are scheduled to clean the church these next two weeks and I just felt God telling me that I should try to help organize the music at church (purchasing binders and putting music in them) though I know I dont have to do it this week, I will try to do some of it. I also will be taking pictures for the confirmation class this Sunday.

Today I had to make an unexpected trip to Grand Forks to take Maddy to the doctor. Nothing major, just might have been a minor concussion. She seems to be doing okay... the doctor wasn't too worried. He said it could also be a weird bug or that she ate something that didn't agree with her system.(she fell while with my sister Saturday night, bumped her head)-- Anyway, I left at 10 am.  and got home at 5:15. I was planning to go tomorrow to GF but since I had to bring maddy, I thought i'd get all my errands done today too.  It went relatively well... a few minjor (an in between minor and major) meltdowns . just glad it's over. The kids went to bed e-a-r-l-y because they are behind on sleep the way it is, so I enjoyed another workout and then I worked on some projects.  Right now Peter is putting together the table for Maddy's birthday and soon we'll go to bed. I want to be able to wake up early again tomorrow. It did help... though I didn't get to totally relish in it at home today to get other things done but I hope tomorrow I will really appreciate the extra time during nap time (if the girls nap). 


Tomorrow I have my discipleship meeting and we're going through Romans 1-8. The first four were really hard for me to read, but once I got past that, it went a lot better. This week I definitely don't want to waste precious time, but I don't want to be busy busy busy either. When I got home I put away everything I bought, tried to clean up as much as I could, and got some clothes folded, dishes/kitchen cleaned, ironed, and put the girls to bed. Peter was nice to let me clean up the kitchen and iron while he gave them baths. I folded laundry while they snacked and this has really been my only chance to sit. Honestly.  I went on the elliptical for 20 minutes and wow! I really had a good workout. I listened to "Our God" by Chris Tomlin and I had it on repeat... it really gave me energy.  I am behind on pictures but hope to edit and post soon..  I better go to bed or I'll never wake up tomorrow!

daily struggles

The last couple of days have been very trying for me! I am very slowly learning how to deal with a child that is completely opposite of Kate. She has really tested my patience the last two days. So, if you remember to pray for me... pray that I can still choose to be loving regardless of how stressful the day is. I don't want to yell and get upset... I just want to still be reminded to be loving. I want to die to my daily sins and struggles and as I read through Romans 7:17 this morning.. it really spoke to me.

(The Message) "For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I decide to do good, but I don't really do it. I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyways. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight.Is there no one who can do anything for me?  The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. "

Basically for me, I don't always react in loving ways. I want to, but if my husband upsets me, I sometimes say sarcastic things... or when my children are out of order, I yell... and I don't want to do that. God help me! It is also hard when we live in a world of material things... all we do is want want want and we are continually influenced by things and people with wrong motives or intentions.  That is the sin tripping us up.

On a different note: It is about a week and a few days until Maddy's birthday party. Our table and chairs that we ordered for her came yesterday! I finished the banner, finally and now I am working on the little details. Next week will prove to be very busy because I have tons of baking and cooking to do. Primarily on Friday.... I am choosing to do cupcakes and the cake that day because I stress out too much the day of, and then I find myself putting on my last speck of makeup at 4:29, right before the party starts... still with wet hair. I just want to be totally prepared so that we can enjoy the day. I will be really happy once Friday is done with because then I will for sure know what I have to do and prepare for the next day. This year has been so much fun to plan for the birthday party. Shabby chic is my favorite decorating style so it has been a dream come true to plan. I am so happy for facebook and blogs because in the past year I have been following so many blogs that pop out ideas every single day... so it's not even hard to get ideas because they come right to me!

I have been continuing to work out and it has been a joy. I usually feel pretty good after but it has been extremely hard to balance all the rest of what I am supposed to do. I've been getting up earlier to read my bible since I have so much material to go through between the bible studies I'm in, and there's just not enough nap time to do everything in. Maddy has been taking very short naps and getting up almost every night at 5 or 6 am... I"m just not sure what is going on with her. I find myself going to bed really late at night and then being overly tired the next day. My house is usually messy and that, too, has been a huge struggle. I am working on being okay that it's lived in and that it doesn't have to be perfect.  I better get going now... my time is up!

a few 365's

where did the weekend go?

for a stay at home mom, usually the days are all the same... weekends are like week days to us. Still 'working'.  However, this weekend we got to go to Grand Forks, by ourselves! Kelsey VOLUNTEERED to watch the kids! We couldn't possibly pass that opportunity up. We did go, and got lots done. I especially got a lot done for Maddy's birthday -- the price you pay to go on a Saturday though is complete, utter, chaos. My line at Joannes was at least 10-15 minute cutting and the line to pay. each.

We did get to eat at the toasted frog. We also spent time waiting... a whole 45 minutes. We tried to find things to do, like go to Hugos, but it didn't last as long as we'd hoped. We eventually got in though, and then waited another 20 to get our food. But it was worth it!! I had Mahi-Mahi tacos (YUM) which I think was one of the more healthier recipes to order... but I was really hungry that day and eating at 7:15 did not help!  I talked myself into eating part of a blizzard because I had worked really hard for 6 or 7 weeks.. losing almost 10 pounds! My goal now is not weight, but inches.. so i am trying to work on toning, but also eating healthy too. Trust me... that blizzard was the best thing I ever ate in my life! (It really was)

Also we realized that we can pop popcorn in a paper bag by stapling it. Works great! I'm still not sure how much popcorn is... air popped it is 30 calories plus butter, but with oil... i have no idea.  It's probably still a better choice.  I have some in the microwave right now!

I am finally getting done with editing pictures. Kelsey was kind enough again to come over (volunteering) and played with the girls while I casually edited pictures throughout the night. Ahh, what would I do without her. since trying to work out, alot of other things like editing, or crafts, or even keeping up with the cleaning has really gone down hill. I think it will take me a while to figure out how to balance that. I think once summer comes, maybe i can get up early to do some of that stuff. Yeah right... a girl can dream! Maybe later I can post some of the pictures i've taken in the last couple weeks, for now, they're going on facebook!