Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
There And Back Again...
It's been about 12 years since Darren and I moved from Saint John, NB to begin our first Church Planting adventure...and we never thought it would lead us back here.
In 2001, after being married for 3 years, Darren and I packed up our two cats and headed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to be bi-vocational ministers (meaning....unpaid pastors who help with church planting and have to work real jobs). This was something we definitely felt God was calling us to, even though we had mountains of student loans, and no real 'skill sets' for real-world work. True, we never thought that 12 years later we would still be bi-vocational church planting pastors, but God knew.
We spent four great years at Metro Wesleyan learning church planting from an awesome couple. (And for those of you who don't know, I did my internship at a church plant, and Darren attended the church plant in Grand Bay, NB, when it first began). In 2005, we heard a vision for the District to plant 10 churches in 10 years, and our hearts were stirred for a place we had never been. Later, in September, we packed up our now 3 cats and our belongings, and began a beautiful, wonderful adventure of church planting in St. John's, NL.
There will always be a special place in our hearts for Newfoundland, and the people we left there. And if God hadn't gotten our attention drastically, I'm sure we would still be there - even if it was outside of His will. But when He put the desire in our hearts to start our own family, and our daughter (our own little Newfoundlander) was brought into this world, we knew we couldn't keep her away from the rest of our family on the Mainland. For the first time in our church-planting lives, we yearned to be nearer to them. It was the hardest decision of our lives, but we were obedient. Truthfully, we left a part of our hearts in Newfoundland, but we could not deny that God was leading us somewhere else.
We thought He was leading us to full-time, PAID, ministry and that our bi-vocational days were over...but God had a bigger plan. He knew we needed time to grieve. We needed to grieve the loss of our beloved Church family and friends, that were somewhat even closer to us than our real families at that time. We wanted to be obedient, but we were sad. There were no openings on the District at that time, so God led us to a place where we were constantly reminded of Newfoundland, but where we could lend a hand to other church planters in Sydney, NS. Again, He provided us with a house, work, and even a second vehicle so we could both work. We had the opportunity to give support, encouragement, and church planting help to a couple who had been 'in the trenches' for four years...and, hopefully, that's what we did. I remember sitting in the living room after we had Skyped with our Newfoundland 'family' and crying because we missed them, and we missed what God was doing in Newfoundland. It was a rough year, with Darren finally getting a great paying job with a courier company - but that basically made me a single-mother for about 6 months: he would get up before Jaelyn did, and come home after she went to sleep. But we worked, we helped, and we healed. And when we were ready to move on, surprisingly enough, we felt the strong call to bi-vocational urban church planting....again. This time in Saint John, NB. We contacted our district, and began the Assessment Process (because we had never been assessed, even though we had been involved in church planting for 11+ years).
When God decided it was time for us to make the transition, He definitely made it known. Darren lost his well-paying job, and the outlook for finding other full time work seemed bleak. He finally found part time work, and took it so we would have some kind of income. It all came to a head one wonderful stress-and-argument-filled afternoon where we broke down, and prayed and cried, because we still were in the middle of a house-rennovation with a one year old, and had no money - and we thought, who would want to buy our house in that state? Ten minutes later, there was a knock on our door, and to our surprise it was the previous owners who said that if we ever wanted to sell the house, they would be interested. That was the confirmation that we needed - we were going to be ok, God just wanted us to move quickly.
Darren actually quit his job to finish the renovations (we were able to get a hold of some money) and we listed the house, packed up, and moved to Saint John, NB., the first weekend of June. My work was able to transfer me, again, and through divine circumstances, we were able to purchase a business that Darren was already trained for (in Halifax, and in St. John's), and we had already purchased the truck he needed to run it when we were in Sydney. Everything was falling into place. We have moved in with Darren's parents until our house sells in Sydney, and Jaelyn has transitioned beautifully to her new life here. She has been sleeping through the night since the first night here, and has opportunities to spend time with her cousins, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and even met some relatives she hadn't had the chance to meet before!
Our vision of church planting in the East Side of Saint John was so strong, we were even envisioning where would be a perfect spot - the theatres right smack dab in the middle of where we both work. What we didn't know is that God had placed the same vision in the heart of a Pastor and church already working in the city. When we heard about it, we shied away thinking that maybe God had a different plan for us. After a couple weeks, we were approached about the opportunity to work with them, and we prayed and searched for direction. It was definitely not the 'church planting' we were used to, but God strengthened the spark in our hearts, and we we knew this was what we were brought here for.
We are excited for this next adventure in our lives, excited to be closer to family than we have ever been, excited for the new little one that will be added to our clan, and excited to finally 'settle' somewhere. In case you hadn't caught on, being a bi-vocational church planter is not always full of fun and adventure :) We experienced plenty of stressful time-periods. From major financial troubles, to the stress of finding work, to having a business completely fold (and then getting audited!). We have moved at least 14 times since we have been married (I think we have lost count), and have had 7 jobs between us. When I first began, I definitely did not think that I would still be in Retail 12 years later, but here I am. Despite the heartache and troubles, we always knew that we were in the centre of where God wanted us to be, and that He would provide. He always has.
***As a side Note*** if God is calling you to a life of church planting or bi-vocational ministry, and you have no doubt in your mind about it, don't let anyone tell you that you are not in the right 'place' in your life to do it. If He calls you and you are faithful, He will provide all of your needs. With each place God has led us to - Halifax, St. John's, Sydney, Saint John - He has provided confirmation and miracle after miracle for job provision, home ownership, financial debts being met, and more. In the world's eyes, I'm pretty sure we should have been bankrupt and homeless about 7 years ago!***
So, there you have it. We have come full circle and are facing a new church planting adventure. I fully believe that if we had not been faithful in our other 'adventures' that we would not be ready for this one, and I am grateful for everything God has brought us through...the tough and the beautiful...and we are ready to continue.
In 2001, after being married for 3 years, Darren and I packed up our two cats and headed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to be bi-vocational ministers (meaning....unpaid pastors who help with church planting and have to work real jobs). This was something we definitely felt God was calling us to, even though we had mountains of student loans, and no real 'skill sets' for real-world work. True, we never thought that 12 years later we would still be bi-vocational church planting pastors, but God knew.
We spent four great years at Metro Wesleyan learning church planting from an awesome couple. (And for those of you who don't know, I did my internship at a church plant, and Darren attended the church plant in Grand Bay, NB, when it first began). In 2005, we heard a vision for the District to plant 10 churches in 10 years, and our hearts were stirred for a place we had never been. Later, in September, we packed up our now 3 cats and our belongings, and began a beautiful, wonderful adventure of church planting in St. John's, NL.
There will always be a special place in our hearts for Newfoundland, and the people we left there. And if God hadn't gotten our attention drastically, I'm sure we would still be there - even if it was outside of His will. But when He put the desire in our hearts to start our own family, and our daughter (our own little Newfoundlander) was brought into this world, we knew we couldn't keep her away from the rest of our family on the Mainland. For the first time in our church-planting lives, we yearned to be nearer to them. It was the hardest decision of our lives, but we were obedient. Truthfully, we left a part of our hearts in Newfoundland, but we could not deny that God was leading us somewhere else.
We thought He was leading us to full-time, PAID, ministry and that our bi-vocational days were over...but God had a bigger plan. He knew we needed time to grieve. We needed to grieve the loss of our beloved Church family and friends, that were somewhat even closer to us than our real families at that time. We wanted to be obedient, but we were sad. There were no openings on the District at that time, so God led us to a place where we were constantly reminded of Newfoundland, but where we could lend a hand to other church planters in Sydney, NS. Again, He provided us with a house, work, and even a second vehicle so we could both work. We had the opportunity to give support, encouragement, and church planting help to a couple who had been 'in the trenches' for four years...and, hopefully, that's what we did. I remember sitting in the living room after we had Skyped with our Newfoundland 'family' and crying because we missed them, and we missed what God was doing in Newfoundland. It was a rough year, with Darren finally getting a great paying job with a courier company - but that basically made me a single-mother for about 6 months: he would get up before Jaelyn did, and come home after she went to sleep. But we worked, we helped, and we healed. And when we were ready to move on, surprisingly enough, we felt the strong call to bi-vocational urban church planting....again. This time in Saint John, NB. We contacted our district, and began the Assessment Process (because we had never been assessed, even though we had been involved in church planting for 11+ years).
When God decided it was time for us to make the transition, He definitely made it known. Darren lost his well-paying job, and the outlook for finding other full time work seemed bleak. He finally found part time work, and took it so we would have some kind of income. It all came to a head one wonderful stress-and-argument-filled afternoon where we broke down, and prayed and cried, because we still were in the middle of a house-rennovation with a one year old, and had no money - and we thought, who would want to buy our house in that state? Ten minutes later, there was a knock on our door, and to our surprise it was the previous owners who said that if we ever wanted to sell the house, they would be interested. That was the confirmation that we needed - we were going to be ok, God just wanted us to move quickly.
Darren actually quit his job to finish the renovations (we were able to get a hold of some money) and we listed the house, packed up, and moved to Saint John, NB., the first weekend of June. My work was able to transfer me, again, and through divine circumstances, we were able to purchase a business that Darren was already trained for (in Halifax, and in St. John's), and we had already purchased the truck he needed to run it when we were in Sydney. Everything was falling into place. We have moved in with Darren's parents until our house sells in Sydney, and Jaelyn has transitioned beautifully to her new life here. She has been sleeping through the night since the first night here, and has opportunities to spend time with her cousins, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and even met some relatives she hadn't had the chance to meet before!
Our vision of church planting in the East Side of Saint John was so strong, we were even envisioning where would be a perfect spot - the theatres right smack dab in the middle of where we both work. What we didn't know is that God had placed the same vision in the heart of a Pastor and church already working in the city. When we heard about it, we shied away thinking that maybe God had a different plan for us. After a couple weeks, we were approached about the opportunity to work with them, and we prayed and searched for direction. It was definitely not the 'church planting' we were used to, but God strengthened the spark in our hearts, and we we knew this was what we were brought here for.
We are excited for this next adventure in our lives, excited to be closer to family than we have ever been, excited for the new little one that will be added to our clan, and excited to finally 'settle' somewhere. In case you hadn't caught on, being a bi-vocational church planter is not always full of fun and adventure :) We experienced plenty of stressful time-periods. From major financial troubles, to the stress of finding work, to having a business completely fold (and then getting audited!). We have moved at least 14 times since we have been married (I think we have lost count), and have had 7 jobs between us. When I first began, I definitely did not think that I would still be in Retail 12 years later, but here I am. Despite the heartache and troubles, we always knew that we were in the centre of where God wanted us to be, and that He would provide. He always has.
***As a side Note*** if God is calling you to a life of church planting or bi-vocational ministry, and you have no doubt in your mind about it, don't let anyone tell you that you are not in the right 'place' in your life to do it. If He calls you and you are faithful, He will provide all of your needs. With each place God has led us to - Halifax, St. John's, Sydney, Saint John - He has provided confirmation and miracle after miracle for job provision, home ownership, financial debts being met, and more. In the world's eyes, I'm pretty sure we should have been bankrupt and homeless about 7 years ago!***
So, there you have it. We have come full circle and are facing a new church planting adventure. I fully believe that if we had not been faithful in our other 'adventures' that we would not be ready for this one, and I am grateful for everything God has brought us through...the tough and the beautiful...and we are ready to continue.
5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take."
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take."
- Proverbs 3:5-6
..PS - selling our house in Sydney and finding a home here is the last piece of the puzzle. Your prayers would be appreciated :)
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Wordless Wednesday - April 10, 2013
Want one, too? Check out her FB site at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Out-of-the-Loop/588844904478674?ref=ts&fref=ts
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| My new coffee cozy made by Laura! |
Monday, April 8, 2013
How To Line Your Own Curtains Without Having To Sew
Anyone who knows me, know that I don't sew. I don't even own a sewing machine, to be honest. The last time I can actually remember using one was in grade 7 Home Ec. class, where I made bermuda shorts, and two letter pillows that spelled the word "yo". Oh, there was those curtains I made in college, but they turned out horribly wrong, i can sew on buttons, and hand-stitch things, but I don't think I should be licensed to use a sewing machine :)
I found a great deal at my work on curtain panels, but since they were cotton I knew they would fade in the sunlight. Lined curtains can be VERY pricey. So, I devised a way to line them myself without sewing. I purchased 10 cotton grommet curtain panels, 10 light-weight tab-top white panels, and some sticky-back velcro strips. The two different curtain panels need to be the same size - mine were 44 x 84"
I found our good scissors that work great on fabric, and cut the tabs off the white curtains. Then I put the two pieces of velcro together, and cut them into squares (one strip of velcro made 18 squares - enough for 3 panels). I placed the orange curtain down, with the backside facing me. I then put the white curtain on top of it and folded it back a bit. I removed the backing off of one side of a velcro square and placed it below each of the grommets on the orange panel. Next, I lined up the 'liner' curtain, and removed the other side of the backing off the velcro, lined up the curtains using the already existing hem-line under the grommets as a guide, and pressed down. I did each outer edge first, slowly working towards the middle. My liner was a little bit wider from my curtain, so this ensured I wasn't hanging out over an edge.
That's all there is to it, Now, if I ever need to wash them, I can separate the panels so there is no colour bleeding, and the life of my curtains should be a bit longer. I was able t get my orange curtains for a out $11 a panel, the 'liner' curtains for $4 a panel, and the velcro strips for about $5 each...and they look great!
I found a great deal at my work on curtain panels, but since they were cotton I knew they would fade in the sunlight. Lined curtains can be VERY pricey. So, I devised a way to line them myself without sewing. I purchased 10 cotton grommet curtain panels, 10 light-weight tab-top white panels, and some sticky-back velcro strips. The two different curtain panels need to be the same size - mine were 44 x 84"
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| My supplies. |
I found our good scissors that work great on fabric, and cut the tabs off the white curtains. Then I put the two pieces of velcro together, and cut them into squares (one strip of velcro made 18 squares - enough for 3 panels). I placed the orange curtain down, with the backside facing me. I then put the white curtain on top of it and folded it back a bit. I removed the backing off of one side of a velcro square and placed it below each of the grommets on the orange panel. Next, I lined up the 'liner' curtain, and removed the other side of the backing off the velcro, lined up the curtains using the already existing hem-line under the grommets as a guide, and pressed down. I did each outer edge first, slowly working towards the middle. My liner was a little bit wider from my curtain, so this ensured I wasn't hanging out over an edge.
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| Lining up the velcro and curtains - thanks to my husband for the brilliant idea of one square per grommet (if you have tab curtains, it would work too - just one square per tab) |
That's all there is to it, Now, if I ever need to wash them, I can separate the panels so there is no colour bleeding, and the life of my curtains should be a bit longer. I was able t get my orange curtains for a out $11 a panel, the 'liner' curtains for $4 a panel, and the velcro strips for about $5 each...and they look great!
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| Leave a little bit of space at the ends - I used the seam as a guide on the top and sides. a little bit of 'bunching' on the liner is fine. |
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Pinterest Pin Review - Mini Meatloaves and Sweet potato fries
My little girl is a carnivore....plain and simple. She likes her meat. So I figured that mini meatloaf would be one of her favs, and it was! I found the pin here: http://www.makeandtakes.com/mini-meatloaves-in-a-muffin-tin
It basically lets you use your own recipe, and gives you cooking instructions. I'm a pretty basic meatloaf cook, so here is what I used:
2 pounds of extra lean ground beef
1 pkg. of lipton onion soup mix
2 eggs
2-3 pieces of bread, made into bread crumbs
...and I squirted in a bunch of ketchup (I am not always a recipe follower!)
Spray your muffin tins with Pam, and put in mixture. After making it, I would suggest not having the meat come up past the top of the pan - probably about 1/2 inch below it would be perfect. The pin also suggested making a little hole, or crater, and putting something in it. I of course used a little dallop of ketchup :) then bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
I also made sweet potato fries, using this pin: http://www.wikihow.com/Roast-Sweet-Potatoes
Again, a simple recipe - I just used one sweet potato cut up, and some oil. I have made these twice now, and they turn out much better if you watch that you don't use too much oil, and if you cook them by themselves (without something else in the oven)...or they will be soggy! I have discovered that I LoVE sweet potato fries! My family...they don't like them so much. The mini meatloaves on the other hand were a hit.....carnivores.....
It basically lets you use your own recipe, and gives you cooking instructions. I'm a pretty basic meatloaf cook, so here is what I used:
2 pounds of extra lean ground beef
1 pkg. of lipton onion soup mix
2 eggs
2-3 pieces of bread, made into bread crumbs
...and I squirted in a bunch of ketchup (I am not always a recipe follower!)
Spray your muffin tins with Pam, and put in mixture. After making it, I would suggest not having the meat come up past the top of the pan - probably about 1/2 inch below it would be perfect. The pin also suggested making a little hole, or crater, and putting something in it. I of course used a little dallop of ketchup :) then bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
I also made sweet potato fries, using this pin: http://www.wikihow.com/Roast-Sweet-Potatoes
Again, a simple recipe - I just used one sweet potato cut up, and some oil. I have made these twice now, and they turn out much better if you watch that you don't use too much oil, and if you cook them by themselves (without something else in the oven)...or they will be soggy! I have discovered that I LoVE sweet potato fries! My family...they don't like them so much. The mini meatloaves on the other hand were a hit.....carnivores.....
Friday, April 5, 2013
Dining Room Colour
This was our little project over Easter weekend. When we bought the house, the dining room paneling was painted a dark grey-brown, and there was a white border painted around the top of both the dining and living room. We painted the paneling white within the first couple months of being in Sydney. Last weekend we tackled painting the walls (Benjamin Moore - Northampton Putty) and putting up new shelves and curtains (my post on DIY no-sew lined curtains will happen at another time).
We're plugging away at it and getting it done!
We're plugging away at it and getting it done!
A Little Kitchen Update...
I realized that I hadn't published the results of our ripping out the kitchen and trying to rebuild it in a day....or five....
It definitely was an adventure.
The idea came because we had my husband's family coming for Thanksgiving - 6 adults and 4 kids (plus us) in our little house. We realized that we didn't have a lot of usable kitchen space to make a big dinner, so why not rip out the kitchen, throw it on the back deck, and put up new cabinets, countertop, and a new sink. Yes....why not....
When we finally ripped everything out, we realized that the entire wall behind the sink had serious water damage, and it moved...the whole wall, with the window. Thanks to a friend (who is also a carpenter), we were able to fix the wall, and install the cabinets (which were a great deal from Home Depot - but they don't come with bases or the top part for the countertop to rest on, so you have to know what you are doing!), and get the sink and faucet in.
Ah yes, the sink....two sinks later and numerous trips to hardware stores to speak with people who probably shouldn't be working in plumbing sections, we finally had a sink that fit (we had to go with a sink and a half), and the kitchen was usable again. Much thanks for all the hard work my husband put into it! There is still a lot left to do in there, but at least it is usable space now :)
And Thanksgiving was wonderful!
Kitchen before pics:
Kitchen after pics:
It definitely was an adventure.
The idea came because we had my husband's family coming for Thanksgiving - 6 adults and 4 kids (plus us) in our little house. We realized that we didn't have a lot of usable kitchen space to make a big dinner, so why not rip out the kitchen, throw it on the back deck, and put up new cabinets, countertop, and a new sink. Yes....why not....
When we finally ripped everything out, we realized that the entire wall behind the sink had serious water damage, and it moved...the whole wall, with the window. Thanks to a friend (who is also a carpenter), we were able to fix the wall, and install the cabinets (which were a great deal from Home Depot - but they don't come with bases or the top part for the countertop to rest on, so you have to know what you are doing!), and get the sink and faucet in.
Ah yes, the sink....two sinks later and numerous trips to hardware stores to speak with people who probably shouldn't be working in plumbing sections, we finally had a sink that fit (we had to go with a sink and a half), and the kitchen was usable again. Much thanks for all the hard work my husband put into it! There is still a lot left to do in there, but at least it is usable space now :)
And Thanksgiving was wonderful!
Kitchen before pics:
Kitchen after pics:
Friday, March 29, 2013
Easter and Toast
I admit it...Darren and I are terrible parents. We aren't planning on buying our daughter ANYTHING for Easter. No chocolate, no candy, no dress, no toys....nope...nada...zilch (well, I did buy her bunny-ear hair clips about 3 months ago, but they were only $4 and she's already had them in her hair). Why deprive my child of these things? Isn't this going to affect her when she gets older? I mean, what will the other kids think?
Let me explain. My husband's family didn't give anything special for Easter - candy might have been in the house, but it wasn't a big "to-do". My own parents did buy my sister and I Easter goodies for the special occasion. We always got an Easter basket filled with a chocolate bunny, a cream egg, Jelly beans, foil wrapped chocolate eggs, and those yummy sugar eggs that are white in the middle, and colored candy on the outside. Every year, the same thing, same basket...and we loved it. But it wasn't the focus of the day. Now, I know that not everyone who reads this is going to have the same belief system as my family and I share, but for us, Easter weekend is a reflection and celebration time for our faith.
I remember growing up and going to our Good Friday Service at church. I don't remember if we always did it the same way every year, but one year while the accounts of Christ's crucifixion were being read from the Bible, they would extinguish a candle one by one, until we were all sitting in the dark. It was a dark day. God made the ultimate sacrifice for us, so that our world would no longer be broken. Christ was crucified, so that our relationship with God could be restored. I remember that we all left the service in the dark...but with anticipation for Sunday morning...because with Sunday, came hope.
Of course I was excited about getting chocolate on Sunday morning, but that isn't what I remember most. I remember toast....yep, toast...and a lot of it. You see, every Easter Sunday morning we would get up while it was dark, and go to the church for our Easter Sunrise Service. My family was in charge of making the breakfast that our church family would eat together, and my job was making toast (at least one of the years it was) Maybe part of it was because we did it together as a family, but part of it was because I was excited about the meaning of the day. Our church family would all gather together, in that same dark sanctuary we had all left on Good Friday...and a single candle was lit. The light from the Christ Candle filled the room, and we all said together "He is risen, He is risen indeed! He is risen, He is risen indeed! He is risen, He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!".
This is one of my fondest childhood memories. I was not scarred for life by not receiving massive amounts of Easter gifts and candy. I didn't lose out on my childhood. I was not brainwashed into believing what my parents believed or what I was told. I believed, and I still do.
When Jaelyn gets a little older, we will do Easter egg hunts, and she will get chocolate and candy. But she will also hear about the sacrifice that was made for her. Today, as a family, we are reflecting on God's incredible love for us, and why such an event happened. Sunday, we will celebrate the risen Saviour.
And I might just eat some toast.
Let me explain. My husband's family didn't give anything special for Easter - candy might have been in the house, but it wasn't a big "to-do". My own parents did buy my sister and I Easter goodies for the special occasion. We always got an Easter basket filled with a chocolate bunny, a cream egg, Jelly beans, foil wrapped chocolate eggs, and those yummy sugar eggs that are white in the middle, and colored candy on the outside. Every year, the same thing, same basket...and we loved it. But it wasn't the focus of the day. Now, I know that not everyone who reads this is going to have the same belief system as my family and I share, but for us, Easter weekend is a reflection and celebration time for our faith.
I remember growing up and going to our Good Friday Service at church. I don't remember if we always did it the same way every year, but one year while the accounts of Christ's crucifixion were being read from the Bible, they would extinguish a candle one by one, until we were all sitting in the dark. It was a dark day. God made the ultimate sacrifice for us, so that our world would no longer be broken. Christ was crucified, so that our relationship with God could be restored. I remember that we all left the service in the dark...but with anticipation for Sunday morning...because with Sunday, came hope.
Of course I was excited about getting chocolate on Sunday morning, but that isn't what I remember most. I remember toast....yep, toast...and a lot of it. You see, every Easter Sunday morning we would get up while it was dark, and go to the church for our Easter Sunrise Service. My family was in charge of making the breakfast that our church family would eat together, and my job was making toast (at least one of the years it was) Maybe part of it was because we did it together as a family, but part of it was because I was excited about the meaning of the day. Our church family would all gather together, in that same dark sanctuary we had all left on Good Friday...and a single candle was lit. The light from the Christ Candle filled the room, and we all said together "He is risen, He is risen indeed! He is risen, He is risen indeed! He is risen, He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!".
This is one of my fondest childhood memories. I was not scarred for life by not receiving massive amounts of Easter gifts and candy. I didn't lose out on my childhood. I was not brainwashed into believing what my parents believed or what I was told. I believed, and I still do.
When Jaelyn gets a little older, we will do Easter egg hunts, and she will get chocolate and candy. But she will also hear about the sacrifice that was made for her. Today, as a family, we are reflecting on God's incredible love for us, and why such an event happened. Sunday, we will celebrate the risen Saviour.
And I might just eat some toast.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Pinterest Pin Review - Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake
My husband and I were wishing we had bought some cookies, or candy...or anything really to snack on. But, alas, we had nothing. I had read about make at home mug cakes on Pinterset, and thought I'd give one a go - you can find the pin here: http://eatdrinkcraft.blogspot.ca/2012/03/best-chocolate-mug-cake-no-serioulsy.html
It was a fairly simple recipe, and it looked like a too-small amount at first, but it is soooooo good!
Here is the recipe:
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon of sugar (or to taste)
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon oil
handful of mini chocolate chips (I used just regular ones)
1 Tbs peanut butter (or caramel, jam, nutella, almond butter, etc)
In a small mug combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until no lumps remain. Stir in the milk and oil until smooth. Make sure to scrape your fork around the edges of the cup so you don't get pockets of dry flour. Mix in the chocolate chips. Drop the peanut butter into the chocolate mix and push it down to submerge. Bake in the microwave on high for 1 minute. You may need to add or subtract 5-10 seconds depending on your microwave, but don’t be tempted to overcook or it will be dry. It should still be moist on the bottom and will continue cooking as it sets.
Give it a try, you'll love it!
It was a fairly simple recipe, and it looked like a too-small amount at first, but it is soooooo good!
Here is the recipe:
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon of sugar (or to taste)
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon oil
handful of mini chocolate chips (I used just regular ones)
1 Tbs peanut butter (or caramel, jam, nutella, almond butter, etc)
In a small mug combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until no lumps remain. Stir in the milk and oil until smooth. Make sure to scrape your fork around the edges of the cup so you don't get pockets of dry flour. Mix in the chocolate chips. Drop the peanut butter into the chocolate mix and push it down to submerge. Bake in the microwave on high for 1 minute. You may need to add or subtract 5-10 seconds depending on your microwave, but don’t be tempted to overcook or it will be dry. It should still be moist on the bottom and will continue cooking as it sets.
Give it a try, you'll love it!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Wordless Wednesday - March 6, 2013
Courtesy of my uber-talented husband: our new bookshelf half-wall :)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Wordless Wednesday - January 30, 2013
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| You know your day is going to be all right when free chocolates are mailed to you just to get your opinion :) |
Thursday, January 24, 2013
BIG Bibs! A Review...
Yep, it's time for another review! Now, before you start thinking that I've gone on some mad shopping spree, let me remind you that many of these things I've been reviewing lately are items that most moms get for their kids...I have just been making the decision to purchase them from Work At Home Moms and local/Canadian companies. It has been a neat experience, and I think these moms/companies deserve to have some recognition for their hard work and beautiful products.
Rant over...on with the review :)
Our little Houdini of a daughter has become increasingly unsatisfied with her current bib situation. Translation? Her little Velcro bibs only stay on her tiny body for about 10 seconds before she rips them off and either throws them on the floor, or hands them to me. As she experiments with more foods, she also needs more material covering her little clothes...and I don't want to change her clothes and increase my laundry production unless it is absolutely necessary. We needed bibs...BIG bibs.
I contacted one of my friends who is "in the know" about great hand-made bibs (You can find the link to her blog, "As Time Flies", on my blog's home page), and she pointed me towards a great little company called Nic & Elli (You can find their Facebook page here) I decided to give them a try. I contacted them, and picked out two bibs to try out....and I SOOO wish I ordered more!
I am not a fan of plastic bibs, plastic backed bibs, bibs with little food flaps, etc. I want a bib that will last, that Jaelyn can't take off, that will grow with her....and one I can chuck in the washer and dryer. I was not disappointed with the bibs from Nic & Elli!
These bibs come with two snap positions, so they can grow with your little one, and they cover the entire front of her! Not to mention that they are so cute :) They also have a super-soft backing on them, are at a great price, and wash beautifully.
She was great to work with, I was able to pay through email, and my package arrived fast. It is a family-run company - named after her two children, and she and her mother do all of the sewing! They have a lot of other items, too, such as cloth diapers and liners and sandwich bags.
So, if you are in the market to purchase some bibs for your little one, I highly recommend Nic & Elli - and to those of you who are looking for baby shower gifts....may I suggest skipping the store-bought tiny bibs, and getting the new mom-to-be some bibs that will grow with their child. These are made by a mom who knows :)
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| The two bibs that I ordered |
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| Look at the size difference between the 'normal' bib, and the one from Nic & Elli's! |
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| My happy little camper :) |
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Clippies, Clippies, Clippies! A Review...
I know, it's Wednesday, so my page is supposed to be wordless. I've discovered something...I am usually able to post on Wednesdays, and sometimes that is the only day I can. As a mom, you have to take whatever time you can! So I have decided that some weeks will be wordless while others, like today, won't :)
As you know, I have been trying to make a conscious effort to support Work At Home Moms (WAHM) - those who have home businesses so they can spend more time with their families, as well as trying to shop local/Canadian/North America. What I have discovered is that there are so many awesome and creative products out there that you can't buy in a local store!
I recently heard of a company through Bundles And Buzz - you can check out their awesome Facebook Page here: Bundles And Buzz Facebook Page
I was in desperate need of hair clips that would stay in Jaelyn's hair. We always get comments from strangers about her beautiful red hair, but she has unfortunately inherited her mother's fine hair. It kinda goes everywhere. She also has discovered how to disassemble every store-bought soother/pacifier clip known to man that you can buy in a local store. That means when we put her in the car, there is always a game of "Where did Jaelyn throw her soother?" every time we need to take her out.
Well, I had heard so many great things about Andrea's Pacifier Clips & More (You can find her Facebook Page Here - Andrea's Pacifier Clips And More Facebook Page)...that I decided to give her a try! Her prices are fantastic, and she has SOOOOOOOO many ribbons and designs to choose from (and I mean a lot...it took a long time to decide!). I checked out her page, emailed my order and was able to pay with an email money transfer. Quick and easy! She was great to work with, is Canadian, and my package arrived fast.
I had tried larger clips from another company before...not sure where they ended up, as they didn't stay in her hair. One of them didn't even make it out the door of the house before it went missing. Andrea has "mini snap clips", and no matter how rough my little girl is, they stay in. Case and point - I put one in her hair 2 hours ago, and it is still in.
The pacifier clips come with either snap ends (for soothers with handles) or elastic ends (for soothers without handles). Our little Jaelyn can't undo the snaps or the metal clip on the other end. Problem solved :)
I definitely will be buying from her in the future. She also sells other great products like mitten clips, and other goodies I would love to try. I encourage all you moms to check out her page and website, and for all you non-moms to think of it when you are looking for gifts to give!
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| I was sent an actual picture of my order before it was finalized to make sure it was what I wanted. |
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| Yes, I know....a hairdresser I am not...but there is hope to contain her ginger locks! |
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| Another shot....yes, she is teething....again.... |
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| One of the pacifier clips |
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Wordless Wednesday Part Two - January 9, 2013
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| This is three years of US taxes and six years of FBAR reports FINALLY ready to be copied and mailed off. It is a happy day...thus the two Wordless Wednesday posts :) |
Wordless Wednesday - January 9, 2013
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| My new Boots from Ardene's...they may not be the highest quality, but they were only $15 each! |
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Three Months Cable Free...And Loving It!
My husband and I just made the realization that it has been three months since we got rid of cable completely, and purchased a Boxee Box. We hardly even noticed it was gone! We do still have Netflix (and yes, the Canadian version), and we can stream pretty much any show or movie through boxee. We can also play videos, some apps, and picture slideshows from my ipad and Darren's iphone. It was a little investment, but with the cost of cable, to has more than paid for itself, and is now starting to save us money. Since having Jaelyn, we haven't watched much tv anyway, but when we get a chance, we like to watch a whole tv series. We've just started watching Fringe :)
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| Not a great picture, but look how small it is :) |
As a side note on Boxee Box...it is not for those unfamiliar with technology...if you are not good with using the internet/computer, then it may not be right for you. But if you are interested in saving money, you should check it out!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Wordless Wednesday - January 2, 2013
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| New Stonz Booties (they have Canadian flags on them, but you can't see them) Maybe she will keep these ones on... |
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
The Blessings Jar
When I saw this idea going around Facebook and Pinterest this last week, I knew it was something I wanted my family to do...and what better day to begin than New Year's Day. We now have our very own "Blessings Jar", where we will record our blessings throughout this coming year, and read them together as a family next New Year's Eve - giving thanks to God for all He has done.
Being budget conscious, I used a jar I already owned, and found a printable online by Googling "Blessings Jar" and selecting images. I found a perfect "Count Your Blessings" printable, and I added the words "and Good Times Jar!", and taped it to the jar. I cut up strips of scrapbook paper that I already owned that matched my decor, and placed it in a prominent place in our house.
I am excited to see how God will bless our little family this coming year, and I am excited about how this process will help us to be more thankful and content in whatever circumstance God leads us through.
Happy New Year!
Being budget conscious, I used a jar I already owned, and found a printable online by Googling "Blessings Jar" and selecting images. I found a perfect "Count Your Blessings" printable, and I added the words "and Good Times Jar!", and taped it to the jar. I cut up strips of scrapbook paper that I already owned that matched my decor, and placed it in a prominent place in our house.
I am excited to see how God will bless our little family this coming year, and I am excited about how this process will help us to be more thankful and content in whatever circumstance God leads us through.
Happy New Year!
1 Chronicles 16:34 (NLT)
34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
His faithful love endures forever.
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