Finding Hope

The {Brilliant, Amazing, Can't-Live-Without} Child Training Bible {A Giveaway!!}

2012-02-12T22:29:00.000-08:00

You guys, I'm SO stinking excited about what I'm about to share with you today.

In fact I'm so excited that this is a review {and giveaway!!!} that I sought out. Like, I emailed them and begged to be able to review this and give one away. Cause I knew you all would love it too.
Ok, here it is... The Child Training Bible!!!!

It's a Christian, Type-A, Color-Code Obsessed, Albeit Slightly Frazzled Mom's Dream. Seriously. I mean, just look at it!

But the color coding is not the best part {although I'll admit it makes my heart happy}. The best part is how functional this is in every day life.
I should back up.
So, The Child Training Bible is a tool for parents to use when disciplining, encouraging, and teaching their kids. You know, like, every second of our days. It was created by Mindy Dunn, a homeschooling mom of 4 {aka my hero}. After using charts, notecards, and a variety of other methods to speak Scripture into the lives of her kids, she realized something. She needed to give her kids a physical experience with the Word of God. Something tangible, bringing them right to the Bible and beginning the habit of turning to Scriptures before anything else.
Can I get an AMEN??
So, Mindy set out to turn her regular old ESV Bible into an easy-to-use, practical tool that she could use with her kids every day.
And it's brilliant. I guarantee that God's doing the happy dance, because He knows what an awesome thing this is, and how easy it makes it for parents to speak Scripture into the lives of their children.
Here's how it works:

On the front inside cover of your Bible, sits the CTB Key. It covers a wide variety of behaviors and emotions that our kids will need addressed. It's also color coded {!!!}.

In addition to the key, there is a "tabber" for each side of the Bible {top, side, bottom}. Each tabber has 7 topics on it, and each corresponds to a color. Each topic has a list of verses that relate {ex: 8 verses about Anger}. When you set up the Bible, you find each verse, highlight it in the corresponding color, and tab the page with a post-it flag, also in the same color. So later on, when your kiddo is angry, and you want to talk with them about what Scripture says about anger, you just turn to any yellow tab on the top of your Bible, open it up to that page, and read the yellow highlighted verse.

Like I said, brilliant!

Then, on the back of each tabber, there are sections for discussion. Each topic has some "Get At The Heart Questions", "Glory In The Gospel Questions", and Scripture Prayer.

Please tell me you love this as much as I do. What a huge blessing this is! I wish I had had this in my classroom when I taught 3rd grade. It would have been so wonderful. I can't wait to use it with Emily!

A completed Child Training Bible looks like this...

...although mine only looks like this.

I sat down to work on it tonight, thinking I could get everything highlighted and tabbed quickly, but, um, I got caught up reading Scripture. :) Already this has been such a blessing to me! And, by the way, I don't think it's just for kids. I need this stuff too!!

In order to make your own Child Training Bible, you need some supplies: A 9x6 inch Bible, 8 colors of post-it tabs, and 8 colors of Sharpie highlighters {these do NOT bleed through the Bible pages! LOVE.}, and Mindy's CTB Tabbers!

And guess what? Mindy is giving away one set of CTB Tabbers to one of my lucky readers!! EEK!{You will need to purchase the highlighters, post-its, and Bible on your own.}
To enter, follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. The first two entries are mandatory, and will then unlock the rest of the entries. You can enter multiple times for more chances to win! And read carefully - some entries can be completed every day! Giveaway will run through Friday, February 17 at midnight EST.
In the meantime, go check out the Child Training Bible, and watch the videos, read the reviews, and get excited!
Happy Winning!! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special thanks to my friend Jenn for 1) Introducing me to the CTB, and 2) Letting me use some of her photos, since my CTB is not totally completed yet. :)

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Weekly Wrap Up AND Weekend Planning, All Rolled Into One!

2012-02-11T07:13:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple weeks since I posted a weekly wrap up, but this week I've got some great posts for you!! Here you go!
Joy, or "Just Wait"? - Diving For Pearls
5 Ways to Fight Through to a Loving Marriage - {in}courage
Clean Enough - The Inspired Room
Valentines Date Ideas You Never Thought Of - Frugal Girls
Exclusive ThirtyOne Sale! - For every $31 you spend, you get something for 31% off!!!
The Ultimate Mom Giveaway - Lysa TerKeurst
AND, I need to do some serious weekend planning...you know, since the weekend is already here and I have yet to plan. So instead of wasting my day away catching up on my DVR, I'll be...
SaturdayConquer the laundry mountainCreate some Picnik artUse Paper Coterie code to create & order growth chartOrganize PinterestWork on 2 upcoming giveawaysDate Night!
SundayChurchFamily TimeWork on etsy projects (notebooks and promoting giveaways)
What are your weekend plans?? Make sure you stop by our ThirtyOne party and do a little retail therapy! It's quite healing. ;)

Would you please vote today?? We're slipping!
If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

And The Winner Is...

2012-02-10T23:09:00.000-08:00

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations, Nykki!! I'm so excited for you! And not at all jealous! ;) I'll be sending your info on to Meghann, who will hook you up with your gift certificate. :) Happy Shopping!
And friends, even if you did not win, you can still enjoy some happy shopping! Don't forget, Meghann is throwing an EXCLUSIVE online party, just for Finding Hope readers! The most exciting news?
For every $31 you spend, you get something for 31% off!!!
That means you can buy the 15 Pocket Wallet for $36, and get the matching $69 Cindy Tote for only $47.
Or you could get the $45 Hang Up Home Organizer, and get the $42 Market Thermal Tote for only $29. That is a STEAL, people!
Not that I have plans or anything. It only just occurred to me. You know, for you guys. ;)
So GO! NOW! Shop to your hearts content! Just click on any of the links above, and pick out your favorite bag(s) in your favorite print. It can be your Valentine's Day present to yourself. It's much healthier than all that chocolate, let me tell you. :)
P.S. If you shop, come back and tell me what you got! I'm so interested to hear the combos people put together to get the best item for 31% off! :)

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies for anyone who gets through this post...

2012-02-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

I think I start too many posts with the phrase "I've been in a funk lately."

Sorry about that.
So I'll start this post with phrasing that a different way...
In the recent past-to-present, I have experienced an oddness of life that has made me feel as if things aren't exactly perfect, and maybe my free time would be best spent in bed. Or watching TV.
Better? Yeah, I didn't think so either.
I hope you understand that this blog is a little more than a space to share my heart. It's also a place to process my thoughts. Writing helps me do just that. So I hope you'll bear with me while I try to sort out the jumble that's been swirling around inside of me as of late. Maybe you'll even be able to relate. But you can feel free to skip this post too. My feelings won't be hurt. :)
I feel off. Irritable. Exhausted. Overwhelmed. I had a total meltdown on Sunday during Emily's naptime, full of tears and wails and all other sorts of nastiness. Poor Jon.
I have been such a basket case emotionally that I thought maybe I was pregnant.
I'm not.
It would have been nice to blame hormones for the last couple of weeks though.
Sigh... I'm not even sure how to explain it. Maybe I don't need to. Let's just say I'm feeling off and leave it at that.
The thing is, my to-do list is always longer than hours in the day. I plan my meals every Monday but probably only stick to it 3-4 times a week. Work takes up a lot of time, which means I leave some other things unattended. We got an unexpected bill this week, which meant we had to give up some things. My house is not clean. My husband is not perfect. Neither is my kid.
Neither am I.
That's what really bothers me, I think. I'm not perfect. I cannot accomplish everything. It is too much. And I only have one kid, for goodness sake! How do I ever expect to be able to handle life with 2? Or 3? I cannot keep the house clean to save my life. My Bible has sat unopened for a week or two. The office might never get organized. We might be living out of laundry baskets forever. I might not get to be the Star Teacher of the Month at work. Chipotle might name us their greatest customers.
And I feel like a failure. A fraud. Especially when I come on here and write about meal planning and household organization while I sit and look at the mess on the floor in front of me, and think about whether or not I can count Pizza Hut as a well-balanced meal tonight. {Veggie toppings make it better, right??}
Failure makes me want to just throw in the towel. I can't do it perfectly, so I'm not going to do it at all. And don't you dare offer suggestions or advice because you just don't understand and the fact of the matter is that everyone's {my?} expectations are too high and I can't do it all and I just want to sleep, so please get off my back and let me be.
When the introvert and the perfectionist in me get together and throw a pity party, it's not pretty. It looks a lot like defensiveness and withdrawal and TV watching so I don't have to think about anything.
I don't have a point with this post. I should really get to a point. I should also include a picture of some kind because that's what all the blog advice says you should do. Fail #394 for today, thankyouverymuch.
My focus is off. I know that. I am focusing too much on myself and my to-do list and all of my own expectations and plans are squeezing out my quiet times with the Lord in the morning.
But see, then I feel guilty that my focus is off. And I feel like that's just another way I'm a big, fat failure. And I don't like feeling like a failure. So I add Bible Study to the TOP of my to-do list {because that makes me holy, right?} and put a box next to it so that I will feel accomplished when it's done. And I will start tomorrow.
Ugh. Sometimes I feel like I just need to get away for a day. Get away and straighten this all out in my head and on paper and come back with a plan for how I will be successful and able to manage all the life stuff that is on my plate. Somehow, magically, a day away will fix everything.
Here's the thing though. In all my trying and all my planning and all of my checking off boxes on my to-do list, my goal is to prove to everyone, God and myself included, that I'm good enough.
Good enough.
For what, I don't know. Good enough to be loved? Good enough to be appreciated? Good enough to be admired? Good enough to be accepted?
And my struggle between proving that I'm good enough and knowing that I'm not comes together in one big messy heap of tears. Because when overwhelmed is all that you are, crying is all you can do. And I have no choice but to bring it all to the foot of the cross, because honestly, where else can I go?
{And why does it take so much to bring me to Him? Chalk it up to failure #a-zillion and let's move on.}
I must refocus. Not because my to-do list isn't in the right order, or because refocusing will help me accomplish more things in a day, but because my very life depends on it. I cannot spend my days believing the lies that Satan throws at me, because I didn't have time to spend with the Lord to load up with ammo that morning. I cannot snap at my husband because I am dissatisfied with the way I've handled my day.
I honestly don't know how to do it. And that makes me feel like a total fraud, but hey, at least I'm honest. I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to make my quiet times into learning and relationship instead of a box on a to-do list. I don't know how to give up control and roll with the punches. I don't know how to have all the verses memorized so I can respond to situations with grace and wisdom. I don't know how to be the person that I'd like to be.
But I do know how to ask. I can ask for wisdom, for perspective, for the Lord to meet me here and teach me. I can ask Him to give me a teachable heart. I can ask Him to show me what it looks like to meet with Him in the mornings because I love our relationship and want to grow closer to Him.
Asking requires more humility than I have. Asking means admitting that I'm not able to figure it out on my own. Asking means that I need help. Asking is what He's calling me to do.
The thing is, God already knows that I need help. So really, it's just admitting it to myself. I have a harder time with that one.
But I will ask. For all those things. And I'll let you know how it's going.

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Tasty Thursday: Pasta Bake!

2012-02-08T18:42:00.000-08:00

My recipe from last week is being featured on today's Tasty Thursday link up over at The How To Mommy! Yippee!!

I love dishes where you can gather your ingredients, dump them all into one dish, and magically come up with a delicious meal. This is one of those dishes. :)
Ingredients1lb. Rotini Pasta1 lb. Ground TurkeyDiced TomatoesArtichoke HeartsShredded MozzarellaPestoItalian Seasoning
Instructions1. Cook pasta according to directions on the package.2. Drain pasta and toss it in a baking dish.3. Cook turkey and drain.4. Add it to the baking dish.5. Dump in 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes, 1 {drained} can of artichoke hearts, a handful of mozzarella, and a spoonful of pesto. Sprinkle a generous amount of Italian seasonings on top. Mix well.6. Top with more mozzarella cheese, and some parm if you want.7. Bake @350, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.8. Serve warm, with bread and/or veggies!

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Heart of the Homemaker

2012-02-08T07:34:00.000-08:00

Today I'm ridiculously excited to be posting over at Happy Homemaker Me! My sweet neighbor-friend Bethany writes over there, and this week she's doing a series on the heart of the homemaker. I loved this idea. She's taking the week to focus on what it's really like to be the woman of the house - the struggles, the joys, the real nitty-gritty of life. Right up my alley, I think! It's a place to share your heart this week, and I highly encourage you to go visit, and check out the other posts in the series as well! I wrote about the struggle to get everything done, and shared a little about how meal-planning has saved my ~~life~~ budget.

Anyway, that's where you'll find me today. :) I hope you'll stop by! {And please don't forget to vote below!}

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Wordless Wednesday: When Daddy Comes Home...

2012-02-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

...this is the look he gets.

Color me jealous. :)

Don't forget to visit the exclusive ThirtyOne Party for Finding Hope readers! 31% off for every $31 you spend!! And enter the giveaway here!

And P.S. Head on over to The How To Mommy and enter her giveaway for an Erin Condren Gift Certificate! Or better yet, don't, and let ME win!! ;)

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Big, Fat, Mommy FAIL

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

How tragic is this face?

Doesn't it just make you want to scoop her up and erase all the bad things in the world?
Or kill whatever or whoever made her this sad?
Me too.
Except this time, it was me.
I am hanging my head in shame as I type this. But I feel compelled to confess my sins to you, my dear reader-friends. Perhaps if I am honest about my failures, others will be encouraged to do the same. And there's always the possibility of forming a support group for people like me. That is, if there are any of you out there.
I will tell you the story. Bear with me. It is utterly tragic.
It happened on Thursday night. It had been a rough day, complete with giant to-do list and not enough time. Emily had been very clingy and I hadn't been able to get enough done, so I was running late and I needed to get ready for our small group. I needed to get Emily ready too. So I got her all situated in the Jenny Jump-Up that hangs from our bathroom door so that I could take a shower. And then I remembered that I needed to cute her fingernails, since she is a scratcher, and we were going to be around other kiddos {whose parents probably did not want them coming home with scratches} that night.
I got through 9 nails beautifully. No issues. I even thought to myself "How do people cut their kid's skin when they do this? It's no big deal!" So proud. So foolish.
Because then I got to lucky nail #10. Her left thumb. And I proceeded to clip the nail, along with the entire tip of her thumb.
The pain cry burst out of her mouth. Blood spewed onto my sweatshirt. I scooped her up and rushed her finger over to the cold water. More blood. I put pressure on it with a cloth. More blood. More screams. More tears.
And on and on and on.
I have never felt more horrible in my life. Or more stupid. {Ok, that might not be totally true, but it's up there.} It wouldn't stop bleeding. It just.kept.bleeding. Jon called to say he would be home after watching a rehearsal. I told him to come home NOW because Emily's finger wouldn't stop bleeding. And then I remembered that I still hadn't gotten the results from Em's last blood test, and I started freaking out. What if her platelet count is low again and I didn't know that? What if her blood can't clot? What if I just put my daughter in serious danger because I couldn't cut her nail right?!?!?!?!
I may have slightly overreacted.
Jon came home, made me realize that I was crying more than Emily at this point, and instructed me to get in the shower and get ready for Bible Study and he would take care of Emily. I remember yelling something about urgent care and platelet levels and why wasn't he more concerned?!?!, and then I got in the shower, calmed down, and let Jon handle the situation. And the bleeding stopped, and Emily doesn't hate me, and the world somehow still spins.
But seriously. Worst feeling ever. Please tell me your fingernail clipping stories {or worse!} and help me feel like I'm not really the worst mom in the whole world. What's your worst kid-injuring story? It's confession time people. Support group will commence immediately.

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Project Life - Week 5

2012-02-06T22:00:00.000-08:00

Sunday, January 29: We visited Fallbrook to see our good friends!! The Beatons were visiting from JAPAN, and Sonia and her hubby just found out that they are adopting a little girl in April! Lots of celebrating to be had this weekend!

Monday, January 30: Mondays are always the busiest days for me at work. Lots of time on the computer! {And lots of keeping the computer away from Emmy.}

Tuesday, January 31: Emily and I went to the park and had a blast! She's a big fan of the swings.

Wednesday, February 1: We enjoyed In-n-Out with the Scullys for dinner. :) We grown-ups had a lot of fun chatting, and the kiddos clearly had a good time playing with each other. Possibly Emily a little more than Sawyer...

Thursday, February 2: Right now I'm reading The Story for my quiet times, and keeping a gratefulness journal. Well, I'm working on it. :)

Friday, February 3: 2 Months of trying to get Em to take a sippy cup, and Jon gets her to drink out of his Jamba Juice cup in one try. Straw sippies it is!

Saturday, February 4: Off to bed with her taggy blanket, her bear, and a sock. :) Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks?? :)

Linking up with Jessica @ The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday! :) Come join us!

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

A Giveaway That I Wish I Could Win!! :)

2012-02-06T21:49:00.000-08:00

** UPDATE!! Meghann has generously opened up an online party just for Finding Hope readers! For every $31 you spend, you will receive 31% off of any item! What a GREAT deal!!! Just click on the link below, and order away!! Then come back and tell me what you order so I can celebrate with you! :)**

SPECIAL FINDING HOPE ONLINE THIRTY-ONE PARTY

I have a confession.

I have a new obsession.

I think I've shared it with you before, but the obsession has grown.

And now I have something to give away. :)

Excited yet? You should be.

Today, thanks to my super-awesome friend Meghann, I'm giving away a $25 gift certificate to ThirtyOne Gifts.

What is ThirtyOne, you ask? Well, let me tell you!

ThirtyOne is this awesome company that helps women create and sustain their own business. They sell bags {like every type of bag you can think of}, home decor, organizing essentials, and even cards! They have EVERYTHING. And I love their bags. Love, love, LOVE them! They are well made, totally functional, and SOOOOO cute!

Here's one of my favorites - the Organizing Utility Tote. It can pretty much be used for anything... cleaning caddy, diaper bag, school bag, file box, the possibilities are endless! I use mine as a teacher bag - it fits my computer, folders, and books. And that's just inside. There are 7 pockets on the outside too. Love!!!

I also have this beauty - the zipper pouch. Perfect for pens and pencils in a schoolbag, or medicine and emergency cheerios in a diaper bag. :)

And next, I have my sights set on this beauty, the Cindy Tote! It's the perfect size, has plenty of room inside, and pockets for everything I need. My favorite feature? Inside, on each side, there are clips for your keys. Genius! This is a perfect purse for right now - big enough that I can keep everything I need {I'm going to get a large zipper pouch for Em's stuff, like a change of clothes and diapers and wipes}, but cute enough that I no longer have to carry a diaper bag. Yes! Plus, there is a matching wallet that I love love love. Someday! :)

And now it's your turn! I am so stinking excited to give away this gift certificate to one of you! What will you get? A Cindy Tote of your own? The Expand-a-Tote? The Carry-All Caddy? The Hang-Up Home Organizer?!?! I want it all. But I guess I can't win my own giveaway, so I'll have to live vicariously through you. Enter below! Good luck!
{This giveaway begins at 12:01am on Monday, February 6 and ends on Friday, February 10. You must complete the mandatory entries in order to enter, and then you have lots of optional entries to choose from as well - some of them can be completed daily!!}
a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Meal Planning Monday - A Linky Party!

2012-02-05T22:51:00.000-08:00

Oh meal planning... how I love you. :)
MondayPasta Bake {Tune in on Thursday for this recipe!}
TuesdayGrilled Cheese and Soup {This has been on the meal plan for weeks but it still hasn't happened!}
WednesdayHomemade Pizza
ThursdayCrock Pot Lemon Chicken and Diced Potatoes
FridayBertolli Skillet Meal
SaturdayDate Night {Switching it up this week! NOT on a Friday!}

SundayVeggie Bake {We're loving this right now.}
This week, we're linking up! Link up below to share your own meal plan posts, or your favorite recipe! I really can't wait to see what you guys come up with! I could use some new dinner ideas! :)

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Shapin' Up - Week 9

2012-02-05T07:42:00.001-08:00

Happy Superbowl Sunday, Friends!!
I will readily admit that I know very little pertaining to all things football. And I care just about as much as I know. BUT, I love Superbowl Sunday because it's usually an excuse to hang out all day with some fun people, and to eat food that you would normally stay away from. :)
Today our plans are to head to church, come home for naptime {for Emily, although Jon and I are seriously considering it too. Does anyone else feel like this week just wiped you out?!?!}. Then we will head back out to our small group leaders' house for a Superbowl Party! So fun. :) I'm looking forward to the chance to get to know the people in our small group a little bit better. So far we've met twice, and it seems like a really neat group. So today will be fun, AND there will be other kiddos there for Miss Emily to play with. Yay! I'm getting excited just typing this.
And, of course, I will be bringing artichoke dip. So, you know. The day will be complete.
So today, I'm taking a day off from my diet and exercise plan. And I know that it will hold up my weight loss temporarily. But if I'm totally honest with you, I could keep chugging along half-heartedly for another week, discouraged by the numbers on the scale, or I could not worry about it today, continue to eat in moderation today {I won't be doing any pigging out, that's not necessary or helpful}, and have a couple of treats and then start next week with a fresh outlook and new determination.
My husband would tell me that was a terrible idea, and I should stick with it every single day. And he's right.
But you know what? Sometimes a girl needs a break. {Guys do too, but they are less likely to admit it.}
So happy Superbowl, people. I'll be enjoying new friendships and artichoke dip today, and then starting tomorrow morning with a run. How about you? :)

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

A Happy Heart :)

2012-02-04T06:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had a great friend day.

{I actually almost posted this last night when I got home, but it was after midnight and my tired body won out over my happy heart.}

I spent some time with a relatively new friend and her son in the morning. We went to go check out a consignment shop, but it happened to be closed so we were forced to visit a bakery instead. It was rough.

I just had the best time with her, talking and laughing about real life, and keeping our kids awake past naptime cause we were having too much fun. It was a blessing to spend the morning with her. I went home so happy. :)

And then last night I drove down to San Diego {yes, I'm insane} for a 31 Party hosted by my friend Meghann {check out her store HERE - I'm obsessed with these bags!}. And I got to spend the evening with these special ladies {minus the super cute pregnant blonde on the right}.

And again, I can home blessed, and my heart so happy.

There is just something so incredibly wonderful about good friends. Ones that you can be yourself with and share life with and who will drive back and forth from San Diego to hang out with you. They are absolutely priceless, and so important in our lives.

I need someone who will listen to my struggles, and laugh at my silliness, and pray for me through my failures. I need people I can be honest about those things with, and who will be honest with me. I need to be listening to and caring for the lives of others.

We were never meant to do this life thing alone.

But life as a mommy can sometimes seem that way. Friends are hard to hold onto when your time is not your own. Life stages change and so do friendships, and that is one exceptionally hard truth for me to deal with. I want things to be forever. But they are not.

And so, in a time of life where my friendships are rapidly changing and not always in ways I am happy about, a day of true friends was a blessing. A big one. My heart needed it.

And can I share with you the biggest, giantest, most magnanimous blessing of all? My dear friend Sonia {the tall beauty above in the cream sweater and flowered top} and her husband Scott are going to be parents. Please understand that this is absolutely huge, because they have been hoping to become parents for the last 9 years. NINE YEARS of trying to have a baby, and going through every infertility treatment under the sun. They have been through so much in their journey to parenthood. It has never worked out for them. Until now, when God has matched them with a soon-to-be-born, beautiful and precious baby girl that a young couple is giving up for adoption. It could not be a more perfect situation as far as adoptions go, and I'm so heart-bursting, happy-dancing excited for them!!!! 9 years, you guys. I don't even know if there's anything I've wanted for that long. And my special friend, who has already been a mommy in her heart for years and years, is finally going to get her chance this April. I do believe some shopping is in order. :)

So thank your friends today. Celebrate with them, cry with them, share life with them. They are gifts straight from the Lord. Of that, I am sure.

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Care To Be A Fly On Our Wall??

2012-02-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

Good morning, sweet friends!!

Today I'm guest posting over at Chasing Fireflies for her awesome series called "A Day In The Life"!! Every week, Kacie {great name, right??} has another blogger write about the ins and outs of their day. And today is my turn! So if you'd like to see what life is like on a normal day in the Pratt household, head on over to see Kacie this morning! And be sure to leave her some love {in the form of a comment, perhaps?} and let her know I sent you her way! Thanks friends!
Also, be sure to come back later to read about my latest and greatest mommy FAIL. It's a doozie.
PlusAndAlso, if you're as big of an Erin Condren fan as I am, you're gonna want to head over to Our Life Blog and enter her giveaway! Like, as fast as you can! :)
{And would you mind taking a second and voting for us below? We've slipped in the last few days, and I'd love to move back up! Thank you!!}

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Another Way to Read

2012-02-02T09:16:00.001-08:00

Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Hi Friends!
Just in case you're looking for another way to easily read some awesome blogs, check out Bloglovin! Just click on the link above to follow Finding Hope and set up an account. Then you can follow any other blogs you read. It is a pretty cool reader site! :)

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

The Truth About Life

2012-02-02T07:48:00.001-08:00

I like to think that I'm pretty open and honest, both in this blog and in real life. In fact, I want the blog to be an extension of real life. Because I don't think we need more people sugar coating reality. Life is hard. Let's be honest about it. I don't think that we can help each other if we pretend like everything is perfect all the time. And I don't think God has ever asked us to be anything but honest.
That being said, I have been surprised lately by how much I like our life right now. :)
The last 5 years have been just plain hard. I don't think that's ever been a secret. A few amazing highlights, but overall very difficult. So much so that I've almost gotten used to looking out for the next bad thing to happen. {Has that ever happened to you? So many disappointments, one on top of another, that you stop feeling like something good should come your way any minute, and start expecting the next bad thing? It's a terrible, faithless place to be.}
So when a friend asked me the other day how things were going, and I answered her, I surprised myself.
I told her life was pretty great right now. And I wasn't lying. :)
Jon and I are doing well. I like being married to him. :) We have fun and are becoming better communicators every day. We are growing, and we love each other, which I think is all you can ask for in a marriage.
Emily is getting smarter and sillier every day. She is just so much fun. I am so grateful for the chance to be home with her. She is a great big blessing to me every single day.
We really love our church. It's real and genuine and the people are so inviting. And it's very obvious that the vision of the church and all the members is to walk as Jesus did. I love going to church every week.
We have some great friends up here. Like, really great friends. I'm loving getting to know people that are not just my friends, or Jon's friends, but now both of our friends. And we can encourage one another in faith and life and still be real. Yes, it's good.
I love our house and where we live. We are simultaneously half a mile from the mountains and half a mile from Target. Does it get any better than that? I love walking everywhere, and there's a park right next door, which is our new favorite spot to take Em.
Don't get me wrong. There are still hard things. Just not life-changing hard things. Jon still hasn't learned how to read my mind, and sometimes Emily thinks that throwing tantrums and cheerios are her life's passion. The house has yet to clean itself, and my days have not been extended by the 2-3 extra hours that I need. Hmph.
But life is good. And finally in a place where I'm not looking out for the next bad thing. In fact, I'm actually looking forward to the next good thing. And that is a blessing. A great big giant one.
So while it might sound like I'm just rambling, here's what I really want to say.
It gets better. God is good.
I know just what it feels like to believe those two things are not true. And I know exactly how much those doubts damage your life and your relationship with the Lord. I know how it feels to be in the pit and feel like you will never escape. I know what it is to think that everything you've always been told is a lie because it does not match up with the life right in front of your eyes. I know how far you can sink and how fast you can drop and how much it can hurt and how confused you can be.
I know life is hard. I will never be convinced otherwise.
But our God is good. Even when things are hard. And it took me too long to see that for myself. And right now it might seem like I'm just saying that because life is pretty good again, but really I'm saying it because I did not believe life would ever be good again. And the fact that it is is a miracle to me. It's a testament to God's faithfulness. Because He's had His hand at work in my life, shaping all of these blessings that have come to be, even when I was angry and unbelieving and distant. Despite me, He is good. And I have so desperately needed to see that.
I know it today, and I might have trouble with it tomorrow, but it's still true. Always true.

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Tasty Thursday: Chocolate Caramel Cake

2012-02-01T22:13:00.001-08:00

Photo Credit

This cake is to die for.

Literally.

It's my brother's favorite.

Which is saying something, since he really only eats cheeseburgers and quesadillas {love you, Seth!}.

Plus, it's super easy to make.

Ingredients

Box of Chocolate Cake Mix {& necessary items to make the cake}

Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

Jar of Caramel Sauce

Cool Whip

Candy Bar {I recommend Butterfinger}

Instructions

1. Bake the cake according to the directions on the box. You can bake it from scratch if you want, but by now I think we all know I'm not that fancy. :)

2. Using the back end of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cake about 5 minutes after you take it out of the oven. You want as many holes as possible without the cake totally falling apart.

3. Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the whole cake. Drizzle to fill the holes, and use a spatula to spread it evenly over the cake.

4. Do the same with the jar of caramel.

5. Chill in refrigerator for a couple hours.

6. Spread Cool Whip evenly over the top, like frosting. :)

7. Crush up a candy bar {I use a Butterfinger, but I've also used a Heath Bar in the past} and sprinkle it over the top of the cake.

8. Serve and bask in the praises of your family and friends!

This cake is full of chocolatey and caramely goodness. Every bite is super rich and wonderful! It's definitely a fan favorite.

{Note...The "real" name of this cake is not quite family friendly, so I didn't post it here. But it does a pretty good job at describing just how good it is!} :)

I'm linking up with Kelli @ The How To Mommy for Tasty Thursday!

Come check out all the great recipes!

If you like what you see here at Finding Hope, would you mind sparing a couple of clicks below?

Your vote helps us so much! Thanks, friends!

Wordless Wednesday: I Dare You To Keep A Straight Face...

2012-01-31T21:53:00.000-08:00

Impossible, right?

I apologize for the plethora of pictures. I could not pick just one. I'm sure you understand. :)

Would You Mind...

2012-01-31T20:40:00.000-08:00

...helping a girl out?

Top Baby Blogs is a site that rates blogs. They just reset tonight, and Finding Hope is currently on the front page! I'd love love love to stay there, but I need your help!

If you have a second, please click on the button below, and then click on the owl. That's it! You'll have cast your vote for Finding Hope. You can actually vote every day, so anytime you visit, I'd love your vote then too! {The button will always be on the sidebar to the right ---> --->}

Thanks in advance, friends! Big hugs and slobbery baby kisses to you all! :)

Project Life Tuesday - Week 4

2012-01-30T22:56:00.000-08:00

I was horrible about taking pictures this week. I don't even have seven pictures! But I'm gonna work with it and have this week be more of a whole week view than a day by day view. I'm also looking forward to printing my pictures this week and putting together my layouts for all of the January pictures! I'll post those when I'm done! :) For now, here's this week. :)

Sunday, January 22: Jon and I worked in the nursery at church. It's possible that Jon had more fun than the babies did... :)

Monday, January 23: I had a long day of work online, so Emily just happened to stay in her PJ's all day...whoops! She loves her talking farm and phonics game... mostly to throw on the floor, but still.

Tuesday, January 24: I finished up and shipped three Household Management Notebook orders from my etsy shop! I'm so excited to make these for families! It's just so much fun! We love ours and I use it every day!

Wednesday, January 25: I had meetings with families for work all day today, while Jon's parents watched Emily. :) Jon and I spent the evening reading our new book together!

Thursday, January 26: We had our first new small group meeting. We really liked all of the couples, and are looking forward to the marriage focus that this group has. We loved our old group, and were sad to leave, but feel God calling us to be a part of this one during this season in our lives.

Friday, January 27: Date night consisted of Costco pizza, house cleaning, and falling asleep on the couch. We're fancy. It was wonderful. :)

Saturday, January 28: It was such a normal day that I don't remember anything special that happened. Except I got all the laundry done for the week, which made Jon happy. :)

As usual, I'm linking up with Jessica over at The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday! Will you join me? :)

A Letter to Those With Growing Bellies...

2012-01-30T22:18:00.000-08:00

Wait, this is MY kid?!?!

When I was pregnant with Emily, I had some big dreams. Nine months is a lot of time for planning and preparing, even for this notoriously type-A girl. But, in reality, no amount of planning adequately prepares you for becoming a mommy. It's sorta unplannable.

But, if you're like me, you want to plan. You NEED to plan. So here are a few of the biggest things I've learned since taking on the hardest and best job I've ever had...

1. People Are Well-Intentioned, But Stupid.
I'm not trying to be offensive here, but I want you to know that you don't need to listen to what everyone is telling you. People want to tell you all of their mommy horror stories and share their green wisdom and comment on your size, and you just have to smile and nod...and walk away. Pick and choose the few people who are moms that you want to be like, and listen to them. Tune out all the other ~~dimwitted~~ people who see your belly and take it as an open invitation to run off their mouths. Direct all friends and family to this post, and make sure they read it, so that you are protected from their nonsense. Pretty soon they'll all be commenting on your parenting choices too, so you better figure out who you want to listen to pretty quickly.

2. Even the Wisest People Share the Wrong Info.
I promise you that after you give birth, there are going to be seventeen things that you call your mommy friends about and yell "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS???" at them. They will apologize and say "Oh yeah...I forgot about that." And in a year, you will too. The tough things are the things that people forget to mention {probably because God mercifully allows us to forget the horrors of childbirth in an attempt to get us to repeat it}. Bottom line is that you won't know everything going in, so just accept that now, and try to remember those things so you can share them with the next newbie mothers. And maybe you won't get yelled at.

From birth plans to pictures... babies have their own ideas.

3. Birth Plans are a Joke.
By all means, make one. It's important to know how your ideal birth would go. But then please also know that it probably will not go that way. Something will happen. Something will fail. Something will change. And it's ok. I went into labor with a natural, med-free, delayed cord clamping, baby immediately on my chest sort of plan, and I got an emergency induction topped with an emergency c-section and extended NICU stay. Things don't go the way you plan, and while stories like mine are rare, birth plan changes are not. Have a framework in mind, but be willing to make changes as needed. A healthy baby is the best birth plan.

4. Percoset Is Your Friend.
Don't be a hero. You just had a baby, you already ARE one. A delivery (whether natural or by c-section) is like being hit by a few semi trucks. All in a row. On a street of knives. I have never been in as much pain in my life as I was after my c-section. Cut yourself some slack and take some pain meds, for goodness sake. Your nerves and your hubby will thank you. :)

Why yes, I can blow bubbles!

5. Breastfeeding is HARD.

And it hurts. Oh my goodness, it hurts. For minutes and hours and days and weeks it hurts. Until one day, it doesn't. And then it's easy and wonderful and amazing. If you can breastfeed, power through those first couple months, and then count yourself blessed. So very blessed.

6. It Gets Better.
We had a rough start with Emily, I'll make that my disclaimer. Things didn't go as planned, to say the least, and the first few weeks were truly hellish. But even after our NICU discharge, the days were hard and the nights were harder. I was exhausted. I missed my husband {and he was sitting right next to me}. I did not feel like a mom {much less a good one!} and I wondered when this babysitting stint was going to be over. It was more than I felt like I could handle. But it gets better. Month 3 was better than Month 2. Month 6 was infinitely better than Month 3. And today gets better with every single minute. I know it's hard at the beginning. It's so hard. But hang in there, it gets better. I promise. So much better.

6. It's Worth It.
I think this probably goes without saying. But I've come at you with some pretty heavy stuff so far, so I feel like I need to say it. Yes, people will make ridiculous comments, and leave out the important stuff, and birth plans don't always work, and pain meds are a necessity, and breastfeeding sucks at first, and the beginning is the toughest part, BUT. BUT, it's worth it. It may not feel like it at 3am when that tiny little bundle of joy is screaming her head off and you couldn't produce another drop of milk if you tried, or at the grocery store when you realize that both you and the aforementioned bundle are covered in mustard poop, but it is. Worth it, I mean. Because all the exhaustion and self-doubting and exhaustion and praying and exhaustion and pain are all overshadowed by the first time that she grabs your finger, or looks you in the eye, or falls asleep with her head on your chest, or says "mama". In those moments, nothing else matters, and you'd do it all again in a heartbeat, because this, this is what life is. This inseparable mixture of pain and joy and worry and peace and tears and smiles and losing and gaining, this is life. This is love, the giving of yourself, all of yourself, for another, who holds more of your heart than you knew you had. Is it worth it? Oh yes. A hundred times yes. :)

See? Hoods with ears make labor totally worth it. :)

Welcome to Mommyhood. We're so very glad to have you. :)

Want to hear what other mommies have to say? Head on over to Growing Up Geeky and check out the Toddle Along Tuesday link-up. We're all over there sharing our pearls of wisdom for new moms. :)

Meal Planning Monday!

2012-01-30T07:52:00.001-08:00

I meal planned for this week on FRIDAY! I felt so ahead of the game. :) January is still the month of scrimping and saving, so must of these items are just out of our freezer and not all that creative. But next week, expect some new and exciting meals. :) Not to mention healthy! But more on that next week. Here's what's on our plate this week!

Monday

Breakfast for Dinner {a classic}

Tuesday

Tortilla Soup {frozen, from Fresh & Easy}

Wednesday

Roasted Chicken and Veggies {frozen Bertoli Skillet meal}

Thursday

Spinach and Cheese Ravioli {frozen, from Costco}

Friday

Date Night!

Saturday

Breakfast for Dinner {again, yes, I know, but we have plenty of omelette fixin's}

Sunday

Veggie Bake

And that's it for us! But today I have a question for you as well... I'm thinking of making Meal Planning Monday into a link-up, where all of you fabulous readers can link your meal planning posts as well. I'd leave it up all week, so you could link at any time. What do you think? Is that something you'd be interested in participating in? My thought is that it might be a great way to gather some new dinner ideas {we can never have enough, right?}, create a resource for ourselves, and meet new bloggers! I'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments below. If it seems like it would be a hit, we'll start next week! :)

10 Years of Memories {A Review & Giveaway!}

2012-01-29T22:17:00.000-08:00

I think you know by now that I love anything that incorporates writing and memories and pretty books. :) So when I received the Journal 10+ in the mail, I did the happy dance!

The Journal 10+ is a 10 year journal. Each page is one day of the year (January 27th, for example), and is divided into 10 years. Each year comes with lines to write a few sentences on things you did that day. So basically, at the end of 10 years, you can look back to January 27th and see everything you did on that day for the last 10 years.

I LOVE this idea!!! I rarely, if ever, have time to journal about my day, and I have a notoriously forgetful mind. I can't remember what I ate for breakfast, much less what I did on any given day last year! This journal allows me to document important dates and activities for my family, keeping us more organized AND more sentimental! I love the possibilities that this journal creates!

But that's not all. The journal also has a page for listing your goals and accomplishments each year. They also have an address book, a perpetual calendar, and much more! You can check out all of the Journal 10+ details here!

I love my new Journal 10+! I can't wait to fill it up...I'm guessing it will take about 10 years. ;) That's less time than you'll have to wait though. Because if you're interested in one of these awesome journals, Journal 10+ is giving one away to one of my FABULOUS readers!

Simply fill out the rafflecopter giveaway below! Some entries are mandatory, others are optional. Enter as few or as many as you'd like!

Believe me, you're going to want one of these! Love love love!!!!!!

This is a rafflecopter giveaway and will run intil midnight on Friday, February 3rd. Winner will be announced on February 4th! Happy entering!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shapin' Up - Week 8

2012-01-28T23:02:00.000-08:00

This post will be short and sweet.

Last week my goal was to lose 3 pounds by today and make it into a new bracket of weight.

I ate 1200 calories or less each day, and exercised 4 times this week. Like actually exercised. Life 30-Day-Shred-Exercise, alright? Serious stuff.

I did not lose the 3 pounds.

I honestly don't know what happened. I did everything right. I feel a little discouraged about this, but I'm just going to get past that and renew my goal for next week.

I know I did well with my habits this week, and I know that had to benefit my body in some way. Maybe this week is a kind of plateau, and next week I'll start my serious downward descent.

Guess we'll just wait and see.

How have your fitness goals been this week? What are you looking at for next week? In what ways have you been discouraged, and how have you over come that? I'd love to hear from you on this one.

P.S. I have an awesome giveaway coming up tomorrow! Stay tuned!

P.P.S. This morning I woke up and although I'm still the same weight, I tried on a pair of size 10 jeans and they fit! Well! Just two weeks ago I was bouncing between 12's and 14's!! So I am a happy camper. Guess the scale doesn't tell you everything! :)

A Change in Plans

2012-01-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

Last weekend it rained. I love the rain. To me it always brings with it cozy days inside, sitting with hot cocoa by the window, wrapped up in a blanket, watching the water drip down. It's peaceful, soothing, refreshing.

And while I wanted to sit and cuddle and enjoy the rain, my kiddo would have none of it. She likes the rain too, but in a different, excited, bang-on-the-window-to-try-and-touch-it sort of way. :)

So I got up off the cozy couch, put down my {non-fat} hot cocoa, grabbed my camera and watched my daughter {and also made sure she didn't bust the glass on the door}.

I let go of my plans so that I could encourage hers.

I'm finding that this is life as a mommy. I'm a planner, I like things organized and scheduled. My planner is full of to-do lists and places to go and things to accomplish. I have a cleaning schedule and a meal-planning schedule and a blogging schedule.

And still, most days, I'm scrambling to get Jon's laundry in before bed because he needs it the next morning. I leave the dishes in the sink because I am just too tired. I throw a frozen pizza in the oven for the same reason. I forget to blog on Friday {oops}.

In my ideal world, I would always be ahead. Ahead of the mess, ahead of the deadline, ahead of the game.

In my real world, I'm always playing catch-up.

Some days, this really gets me down. Some days, I just feel like I'm faking it. I have all these schedules and lists and I cannot even get half of them done. The downstairs is {relatively} clean, but the upstairs is a disaster. Emily is clean and dressed and cute, but I can't remember the last time I brushed my teeth.

Today is one of those days. My list is long and my energy is short. I hear the sweet babbles coming from the crib and I know that in a few minutes my time will no longer be my own {is it ever, really?}. I struggle between the urge to drop everything else to just play with my daughter, and the desire for one day, or even a few hours, kid-free to get my life in order.

But that's not life. Not real life anyways. And I'm working to be better at balancing it all. Real life includes the fact that Emily is changing every single day. And while I might have plans and lists and schedules, she can't be bound by them. Not to say that I'll be the parent who lets their kid run rampant {if you know me, you KNOW that won't be the case!}, but just to say that some days {most days?} it's ok to let go of my plan and embrace my daughter.

It's also ok to ask for help, but that's a topic for a different day. :)

It's not raining today, but I know that as soon as I go grab my smiley baby from her bed, she will change my plans. And that's ok. Because she is my real plan. Or rather, God's plan for me. And I wouldn't miss my moments with her for all of the lists and schedules in the world. They can wait.

At least until she's asleep again anyways. Because let's face it, the laundry still has to get done. :)

*****
I'd love to hear from you today. How do you find yourself balancing life and mommyhood? What works for you? What do you struggle with? Let's encourage each other today!

Weekly Wrap Up

2012-01-28T07:02:00.000-08:00

This week feels like it has equally flown by and dragged on. I always wonder how that works! Here were a few extra-bright spots in the week - encouragement, inspiring recipes, giveaways... Check them out for yourselves!

One Thing Not On Your To-Do List (But Should Be) - chatting at the sky

Not Perfect, But Well - {in}courage

What A Parent Wants To Say Before A Child Leaves - {in}courage {grab your tissues!}

Pain That Scars - {in}courage

3-2-1 Cake - The Sweet Talk Shop

Easy Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches - Macheesmo

Giveaway: $25 to Happy Homemaker Me!! - Happy Homemaker Me {beautiful kiddo hats, adult hats, scarves, and more lovely things!!} Ends 1/29

Happy weekend, folks!

False Advertising

2012-01-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

Emily has a runny nose and a bit of a cough. Nothing too concerning, just a normal cold, but I can tell she's really bugged by the runny nose. Plus I'm not a fan of looking over and seeing her nose run straight into her mouth. Sigh... So I needed some help.

Enter the saline nasal spray.

This stuff is actually pretty great. One spray, and her nose drains out and stays clear for quite a while. Pretty simple, and a great solution that doesn't involve meds or drugs. Easy peasy! In fact, even on the bottle, the directions are only 2 steps:

1. To flush and irrigate, tilt infant or child's head to the side over sink.

2. Insert nozzle into one nostril and depress. A gentle mist fills sinus passages and flows out of nostrils.

Seems easy, right? Only two steps. No big deal.

WRONG. WRONG.

Have you ever tried to "insert nozzle" into the nostril of a one-year-old? Did they peacefully submit to you? I think not.

Here's what the bottle should read:

1. Catch your kid.

2. Grab nasal spray bottle.

3. Tighten grip on kid, who starts screaming and squirming because she saw you pick up said bottle.

4. Tilt squirming, screaming kid over sink, one-handed.

5. Drop bottle so you don't drop kid.

6. Pick up bottle.

7. Dodge hands flying at your face in anger.

8. Readjust kid under your arm, attempting to trap her arms between your arm and your body.

9. Repeat steps 5-8 a few times.

10. Finally get a good grip on both kid and bottle, and attempt to connect nozzle with nostril, which is inconveniently connected to a flailing head.

11. Poke kid in the chin with nozzle.

12. Poke kid in the cheek with nozzle.

13. Poke kid in the eye with nozzle.

14. Successfully connect nozzle with nostril. {Possibly due to the fact that kid stops flailing for a moment to recover from the eye poke. Take what you can get.}

15. SPRAY, good woman, SPRAY!!!!!!!!

16. Wipe kid's nose, which now happens to be clear.

17. Kid realizes she can now breathe, and smiles the angel smile, like nothing ever happened.

18. Put kid down and let her get back to playing.

19. Pour yourself a glass of wine.

And then repeat every 2-3 hours.

If anyone over at Arm & Hammer needs some help revising the directions on the back of the bottle, I'm your girl. We may need to choose a smaller font, but at least the directions will be accurate.

{P.S. This is really great stuff - aside from the difficulty of actually getting it IN the nose, it's wonderful, and totally makes a cold more bearable. I'd recommend it! Just make sure you follow the real directions.} :)

Tasty Thursday: Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

2012-01-25T23:11:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit

Meatloaf is usually a love it or hate it kind of food. My mom was an awesome cook, so I always loved it. I also ~~am obsessed with~~ love Italian food. So this recipe caught my eye, and it's made a meatloaf lover out of many a hater! While there are quite a few ingredients, they are all pretty common {so I'm guessing you have them on hand}, and the prep goes pretty quickly!

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken (or ground turkey)

1 egg

1/4 breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 small onion, grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup pasta sauce (homemade or store bought)

1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

minced parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make sure your loaf pan is coated in cooking spray. This is muy importante, unless you plan on just eating it out of the pan, in which case it won't matter so much.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Plop this into the loaf pan and top it with pasta sauce.

Cook for 40-45 minutes! Top with some shredded mozzarella cheese and italian herbage for extra yumminess.

{This makes a super-great freezer meal. If you want to prep it ahead of time, or make it for a friend who could use a dinner, just put the mixture in a disposable loaf pan, top with sauce and cheese, and then freeze. When you're going to cook it, just make sure it's completely defrosted first.} :)

All credit for this recipe goes to Joelen at What's Cookin' Chicago? I absolutely love this blog for recipes, especially freezer meals! She's got a whole slew of them here. Go sneak a peek and let her know that Finding Hope sent you!

Wordless Wednesday: Video Edition

2012-01-24T19:59:00.000-08:00

I used to be uncool.

Now I have a smartphone. And not just any smartphone, an iPhone.

Therefore, I am now cool.

At least that's what my hubby tells me. ;)

Now that I'm an iPhone owner, I can whip out the video camera on a moments notice. Since, you know, the video camera is my phone.

How did I ever manage my life before phones without buttons? Somehow, I survived. :)

Anyhow, for Wordless {ha!} Wednesday today, I'm sharing my two favorite videos of the week. The first is of my awesome little shopper-in-training, and the second is of Em's first encounter with a baby chick. It's longer, but she's hilarious. At least I think so. You can see for yourself. :)

{some background: my grandpa has raised chickens ever since i can remember. when i was growing up, from the time i was emily's age, i got to choose a chick every year to be "mine". i'd carry it everywhere with me, all lenny-style. :) this week, emily got to pick out her first baby chick. in true like-mommy-like-baby fashion, she only almost killed it about 3 times. accidentally, you know.}

Linking up today with Elizabeth over at Our Life Blog for Wordless Wednesday!

Why the Ergo is my BFF...

2012-01-24T07:13:00.000-08:00

A handsome hubby, adorable baby, and super-functional Ergo. Am I not the luckiest woman in the world?

Yup, you read that right. My BFF is a baby carrier.

Well, I suppose the Ergo is my second BFF. Hubby gets top billing. But right after him, the Ergo! I still use it all the time, even though the above picture was from when she was about 5 months old.

Let me tell you why:

1. Grocery Shopping is POSSIBLE.

With Jon's schedule there isn't much time to hit up the grocery store on my own - I have to bring Emily. She is much too squirmy to even think about putting her in the seat of the grocery cart - she would stand up, crawl out, and give me a heart attack every time. But she loves the Ergo! We're moving all the time, she can look around and see everything, and she stays happy. Win! I hear so many moms say that grocery shopping with their kid is a nightmare, but I actually look forward to it. Especially the forced cuddling time that it provides (see #4)! :)

2. It's Always Available.

Sometimes I forget to bring the stroller places. Sometimes I don't feel like picking up the gigantic stroller and trying to figure out how it fits best in the back of the car. But that's fine, because I always keep the Ergo in the car! No stroller needed, just snap it on, and go!

3. It Doesn't Hurt My Back.

And most everything else does. Sleeping does. So the fact that this does not is pretty super.

4. Forced Cuddling.

That may sound mean, but think of it as manipulative cuddling. I guess that doesn't sound any better. Fine, well let's just say that when your one-year-old hasn't enjoyed cuddling for the last 6 months, and hugs and kisses are few and far between, and snuggling time as she falls asleep in your arms is now non-existent, the Ergo provides that necessary cuddling fix. Baby is happy, Mommy gets to hug and kiss and snuggle, and all is well with the world yet again. :)

I'm linking up with Growing Up Geeky today for Toddle Along Tuesday! Head on over there and link up with YOUR favorite must-have item this week! :)

Project Life Tuesday: Week 3

2012-01-24T00:53:00.000-08:00

I was not so great with the picture-taking this week. Which is why I'm going against my better judgement and showing you a photo of our office. If you need me, I'll be the one in the corner, hanging my head in shame. ;)

Sunday, January 15: We spent Sunday getting some things done around the house. I make some progress organizing the never-ending pit that is our unusable office. This is pre-progress. :-/

Monday, January 16: I love love love that Emily is starting to like books. For more reasons than just chewing on them.

Tuesday, January 17: I posted about the beauty of sending cards in the morning, before I started my first day back at work.

Wednesday, January 18: Maybe my favorite picture of the whole year so far. We stopped by Trader Joes on Wednesday night, where Emily pushed her very first shopping cart. ALL over the store. I am so excited for a shopping buddy!! :) And how much do you love that diapered baby bootie?!?!

Thursday, January 20: Please ignore the blue steel expression, and just focus on the fact that my wonderful husband is loading the dishwasher {because he knows I hate that chore!}. He is fantastic!

Friday, January 21: I forgot to take a picture, but we had a date night at home, relaxing with a movie and some frozen CPK pizza!

Saturday, January 22: Em loves the rain just as much as I so. She'll stare out our back doors for hours on end. Love her curiosity!!

I'm planning on printing my photos at the end of the month, and completing all of January's layouts at one time. What does Project Life look like for you this week?

Linking up with Jessica over at The Mom Creative today for Project Life Tuesday!

Meal Planning Monday

2012-01-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

Like I told you yesterday, I have just one fitness goal this week. Lose 3 pounds. It seems doable, but my meals have to be right on target! So this week, meal-planning is going to be uber healthy (and from items we already have at home since I don't go grocery shopping again till next week)!!

Monday

Bacon and Corn Chowder

Tuesday

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

{45 calorie wheat bread, low fat cheese, fat free tomato soup}

Wednesday

Veggie Bake

Thursday

Chicken Florentine

Friday

Date Night! Probably Baja Fresh or Quiznos/Subway

Saturday

Egg-White Omelettes

{w/ bell peppers, lf cheese, tomatoes, onions}

Sunday

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

And now I'm hungry. Better go grab a healthy breakfast! What's on your plate this week??

Shapin' Up - Week 7

2012-01-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit

This last week went pretty well. I am seriously in love with My Fitness Pal, and although I didn't track every single meal last week, I stayed within basic calories. I also worked out twice. Woohoo for me! ;)

This week I have one goal. Lose 3 pounds.

If I lose 3 pounds, I will break through a weight barrier that I haven't been able to conquer since before pregnancy. Eek! I'm going to be super strict about my diet and aim to up my exercise. Plus I have a few lovely ladies keeping me motivated.

3 pounds. That's doable, right? Just gotta stick to it. :)

I will check in with you next week and give you the update! What's your fitness goal this week?

That'll Teach Me Not To Judge The Israelites...

2012-01-21T06:57:00.000-08:00

Over the last couple of weeks, I've spent my quiet mornings reading through the rescue of the Israelites from Egypt. I'm doing my reading out of The Story right now, and it makes everything seem just a little more real. And I've been struck by one thing.

I cannot stand the Israelites.

Holy complainers! They are never satisfied, always focusing on the negative, like grumbling is their profession.

We want out of Egypt! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God sends Moses, a few plagues, and saves every.single.Israelite.

The Egyptians are too close! We're all just going to die anyways! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God conveniently swallows them all up in the Red Sea.

This desert is too hot/too long/too uncomfortable! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God reminds them that He is taking them to a Land that is better than any they've seen.

We're hungry! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God provides manna.

We're thirsty! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God provides water. From a rock.

I could go on, and depict how they get impatient waiting just a few days for Moses to come down from the mountain, you know, during his semi-important meeting with GOD, and decide to melt down all their jewelry and form an idol instead. An idol. That they made. From their JEWELRY.

These people were not the brightest.

Or I could tell you how, after all that traveling, after all the ways God proved Himself faithful to them, they took one look at the Promised Land and decided it was too much for Him to handle, too hard for them to conquer, and whined about going back to Egypt. Where they had been slaves.

{grumble, grumble, grumble}

Let me just tell you one thing, if I were God, I would not have waited so long to come down on these ungrateful people. They drive me bonkers!

And as I was stewing in my irritation at God's chosen people, angry at how they were so selfishly complaining without end, and refusing to see God's blessing and obvious faithfulness, I heard God whisper to my heart,

Sound familiar?

And I shut my mouth about the stupid Israelites. Because I have been acting just like them.

My Mom died! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God wept with me, and brought me the very best stand-in "mom", and a few more priceless older "sisters".

I don't have a boyfriend! I want to get married! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God sent me Jon.

Marriage is HARD! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God is making it into something that only He can.

It sucks not having that mom-daughter relationship anymore! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God gave me my sweet Emily Ann.

My baby is sick! This isn't fair! {grumble, grumble, grumble}
God single-handedly saved her life, and brought her back to full health.

Grumbling. It's been my primary form of communication with God for the last 5 years or so. I feel like I got hit with lots of "unfair" in a short period of time, which is the reality of life, except that life had been pretty "fair" to me before that, all things considered. So the "unfair" was a bit of a shock. Maybe one I needed.

The thing is, the unfair things are true. My mom died, marriage is hard, friendships are sometimes harder, money is tight, things are not perfect, grumble, grumble, grumble! The God things are also true though. He is faithful, He blesses me, He makes things new. And guess what? Those things are unfair too. They are more than I deserve. While I'd like to think I'm always right and perfect and deserving of blessings (right??), the truth is that I grumble, I complain, I'm stubborn, I'm selfish. I don't deserve all the blessings He has given me, nor will I deserve the ones He is planning to give me in the future.

Ephesians says that in God's love, He has adopted us, given us grace, forgiveness, inheritance, and riches! It says He has lavished these things on us, and sealed us for Himself. These truths far outweigh my grumbles. These truths humble me, and make me inexpressibly grateful that we do not serve a God who is "fair".

We serve a God who is LOVE.

It's a powerful thing, to be faced with your own ickiness. The Israelites bothered me to no end ("They are SO ungrateful! Don't they see how faithful the Lord has been to them?!?! Gee Whiz...") until I realized I had been behaving just like them. And then I bothered myself to no end. Blech.

Grumbling has no place in my life. Not if I know Who is in charge of my every day. I can talk to Him, tell Him how I'm feeling, and know He cares that I bring my hurts and frustrations to Him. But ultimately, I have to trust that He is faithful, that He has always been, and that He loves me. And those things drown out the grumbling, by default. Because He's proven Himself true over and over, and He's worth trusting.

So I will do my best to keep my eyes on Him instead of on the desert. Because the thing is, the desert isn't ever going to change. It will always be hot, dusty, and uncomfortable. It will never be the place we were meant to settle down and dig our feet into. But God? He's always up to something new. Something beautiful. Something worth watching.

And I don't want to miss it.

10 Ways You Know You're the Mom of a One-Year-Old {in case you were still on the fence about that...}

2012-01-20T06:41:00.000-08:00

10. You wake up to a {relatively} clean house, but it appears as though a tornado has passed through by 10am.

9. Your workout consists of one or more of the following:

Sprinting {to catch your kid before they open that drawer/break that item/topple that table}

Stair Climbing {to save your kid who loves to go up the stairs but doesn't yet know how to come down}

Swimming {since bath water no longer stays in the bath}

Weight Lifting {because "airplane" is her new favorite game}

Wrestling {as diaper changing is now a total body workout}

8. Your reading list consists of "Clifford the Big Red Dog, "Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles", and any book that lights up or makes noise and is made of cardboard.

7. You are skilled at completing many tasks one-handed {including bottle-making, driving, using that syringe to get the baby ibuprofen out of the bottle <-- I'm particularly proud of that one, thankyouverymuch!}.

6. You spend your evenings cleaning up two kitchens - yours and hers.

5. The songs running through your head each day include "The ABC Song", "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes", and "Jesus Loves Me".

4. You can tell a temperature within a degree just by feeling your kid's forehead.

3. Restaurants are no longer an option, due to the volume of your child's voice, the squirminess of your child's body, and your own silly desire for people to like you.

2. Something as simple as a step, a word, or a tooth makes you scream with excitement and/or bust out the video camera at lightening speed.

1. You're physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted by the end of the day, but 10 minutes of cuddling in the rocker reminds you that you'd rather be right here than anywhere else.

And I think Emily agrees. :)

The Difference A Word Makes {Giveaway}

2012-01-18T23:30:00.000-08:00

I love words.

Well-spun, creative, timely, truthful. Words can penetrate deep and stay with us for ages. They can make a difference.

In the bottom of my closet, tucked away under shoes and blankets, is my memory box. It holds my hospital bracelet from birth, a pin with my soccer picture on it, and cards. Special cards. Gifts from friends and family full of words that have touched me, have stayed with me. I don't keep every card, but I do keep the ones that mean something. The photo above holds just a few... a card my mom sent me while I lived in England, one from Jody after my mom died, a handmade masterpiece from my sweet Natalie, and a birthday card from my brother with such a kind message inside {from when it was cool to make cards on the computer}.

There is one card I don't keep in the box. I keep this one on my bedside table, in my jewelry box. I keep it close so I can read it often. It holds words that are some of the dearest I've ever received.

Forever and Always.

I think I got my love for cards from my mom. She sent me at least one a week when I was in college. And I was only a 40 minute drive away. But she never missed an opportunity to remind me that I was smart, that I was special, that the Lord was with me, and that she loved me. She took a few moments to capture some encouragement, wrap it up in words, and send it to me, snail mail style. :) And I'm sure I was not the only person she sent cards to. She knew that words made a difference.

So when Dayspring offered me the chance to review a set of Holley Gerth's Hope & Encouragement Cards, I jumped at the chance. Holley is a woman who understands the power of words, and who weaves them in such a way that they resonate deep within your heart. Every time.

These cards live up to their title. They are full of hope and encouragement, inspiring the recipient to reach for their dreams, be reminded of who and Whose they are, and embrace truth. Her words are refreshing, the cards beautiful. I cannot wait to use these cards to bless a friend (or 10!).

You can find these cards and more here. Dayspring is pretty much my new favorite online store. Check out their cards, and consider sending one to someone in your life today. I'm pretty sure we all know someone who could use a little encouragement.

In fact, I've got something that just might help you get started. Dayspring has generously offered a $20 coupon code to one of my readers! This is $20 for you to spend on the Dayspring website, any way you'd like, from encouraging cards to beautiful journals to inspired home decor.

{You must spend a minimum of $20 in order to use the coupon code.

Purchases of $50 or more receive free shipping every day!}

Enter below! This is a Rafflecopter giveaway and will go through Sunday, January 22nd! A winner will be announced on Monday, January 23rd. :) Happy entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

While Dayspring kindly gifted me with these cards for review, all opinions and thoughts are mine. If you're interested in doing a review for Dayspring in the future, check out February's opportunity here!

Tasty Thursday: Veggie Bake

2012-01-18T22:00:00.000-08:00

Mmmmm...veggies...

What, no?

Alright, I'll admit, I'm not the biggest veggie fan. But we're trying to eat better, and cut down on food costs, and this dish fits both bills! Plus, it's delicious. And that's coming from a non-veggie-lover. :)

Ingredients:

2 Russet Potatoes

1 Medium Onion

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Yellow Squash

1 Zucchini

1-2 Carrots (I used baby carrots because that's what I had)

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Garlic Powder

Instructions:

{It's really difficult.}

1. Dice all veggies

2. Toss in Olive Oil & season with Salt, Pepper, and Garlic powder

3. Throw into a 9x13 pan

4. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees

5. {Optional} Top with shredded cheese and side with freshly baked French Bread & Butter. Yummm... :)

This was super delicious, made about 4 servings (2 meals for us!), and cost less than $3. That's a win in my book!!

Wordless Wednesday: Miss Bear

2012-01-18T09:27:00.000-08:00

Miss Bear is, by far, Emily's favorite toy. She like to carry said bear around with her and then collapse on the floor, bury her head into the fur, and giggle. It's hilarious. She is quite attached.

See for yourself. :)

I love this face!

Free Kindle Book: Organized SImplicity

2012-01-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

Eek!! I wrote a few weeks ago about my favorite books of the year, and Organized Simplicity was right up there on the list! This book is FANTASTIC if you want to simplify your life and home in an organized and streamlined way. Plus, it's totally doable, it's not a long list of chores that will take you days upon days to complete.

Here's the best part, right now it's FREE in the Kindle Store on Amazon. And don't worrk if you don't have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle Reader for your computer or your phone for free. Free, free, free!

Check it out here!! It's only free for today!!!

Project Life - Week 2

2012-01-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

This week in photos...

Sunday, January 8: After a long day, Jon volunteered to make me cookies. From scratch. Can we say best husband ever??

Monday, January 9: A typical day in our house. Kitchen accessories scattering the floor, shelves pulled out of the kid fridge, doors left open, walker in the middle of the walkway, baby gate up. :)

Tuesday, January 10: Emily and Daddy got some playtime together! Love these faces. :)

Wednesday: January 11: Post-Its are the new Baby Silencer. :)

Thursday, January 12: We walked the mall with Emily's future husband, Ethan and his mommy, Liz. :) Then we met Grandpa and Uncle Seth for a yummy dinner at CPK!!

Friday, January 13: Yes, Mom, I CAN open drawer and empty them on the kitchen floor! I am multi-talented. :)

Saturday, January 14: Miss Kayleigh came over while her mommy and daddy went to a wedding. Kayleigh is Emily's favorite person, and was therefore smothered with slobbery, open-mouthed, one-year-old-kisses upon arrival. :)

{And yes, that is Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta on the TV. :)}

I'm linking up with Jessica today over at The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday!

Meal Planning Monday

2012-01-15T22:33:00.000-08:00

If you're here visiting from The How To Mommy, welcome! I'm so glad you're here! Take a look around and stay a while, if you'd like! Today we're talking about the yumminess that we've planned for the week, and we'd love for you to join in!

This week, I meal planned on Friday, people, FRIDAY!! That's two whole days ahead, and I am proud. :) Lately I've been meal planning on Sundays, although I prefer to plan by the month. It just hasn't happened this month. But Friday? Maybe that means I'm close to being ahead of the game again. We'll see. :)

I'm super excited for Thursday's dinner, not gonna lie. Be sure to check it out. It might even show up next week as Tasty Thursday.

And speaking of Tasty Thursday, be sure to come back this Thursday to see what I've got for you. SUPER healthy and even more yummy - you can't beat this veggie-filled recipe!!

Anyway, here's the line-up for this week!

Monday

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

{While I'm trying to shape up, I'm using Sara Lee's 100% Whole Wheat Light. It's tasty and only 45 calories a slice!}

Tuesday

Frozen CPK Pizza

{I'm going to work this into my calories, but it's in the freezer, and Tuesdays I have dinner by myself (thank you grad school!), so there's really no point in all-out cooking.}

Wednesday

Mini Chicken Tacos

{Yum...and everything is more fun in mini size.}

Thursday

Spicy Rigatoni

{I want this now...}

Friday

Date Night!

{Wherever Jon takes me. Probably somewhere with a coupon cause that's how we roll.}

Saturday

Breakfast for Dinner!

{Nutri-grain Eggo Waffles, Egg White Omelettes, and NO bacon or sausage, since I just read that the nitrates in those up your risk of pancreatic cancer. We are on our way to becoming a nitrate-free household.}

Sunday

Tortilla Soup

{We are suckers for Mexican food of any kind, as I'm sure you know by now.}

How about you? What's on your plate for this week??

Make sure to visit The How To Mommy today! She's written a review of my Life Management Kit, full of kind words!! Show her some love, let her know I sent you over, and enter the giveaway for a kit of your own!!

Shapin' Up - Week 6

2012-01-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

I have literally five minutes to write this post. Let's see if I can do it. :)

This week I want to share with you the two best secrets I found this week!! Seriously, they are amazing.

1. My Fitness Pal

This is a website AND an app!! I use the app all day long. You set goals, say how much you want to lose, and it assigns you a healthy calorie allowance for your desired weight loss (sadly, my daily allowance is much less than the picture above). You can enter all your foods and it calculates every single pice of nutritional value and deducts it from your daily calorie allowance. It also allows you to input any exercise you do, and gives you back those calories. At the end of every day, it tells you how much you will weigh in 5 weeks if you continue eating the same way you did that day. And the best part? It has a bar code scanner, so you just scan your foods and it inputs them for you. PHENOMENAL. I am loving it!

2. Marshmallows

90 Calories for half a cup, and even that is too much for me! A few of these after dinner cuts my sweet craving and keeps me within calories. Woohoo!!

I have been on My Fitness Pal for 5 days and have stuck to my calories every day!!! We even went out to dinner twice and I still was able to stay within my calorie allowance. I've lost about a pound, but will weigh myself officially tomorrow, since I'm starting an eBootCamp with some of my January Mommas, and I have to weigh in on Mondays.

Want to join me on My Fitness Pal? We can be friends! My username is findinghope, and I'd love to work alongside you! Make sure you message me with your username though - if I don't recognize you I'm probably not going to accept your friend request. :) You can email that to me at kayse{at}finding-hope{dot}com!

Happy Sunday to you all! I went a little over my 5 minute limit so now I have to hurry to get ready for church! Hope your day is great!! :)

Weekly Wrap Up!

2012-01-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Time for the best posts of the week!! I love finding new blogs to peruse, don't you? Here are some keepers for the week...

For When Your Future Keeps Changing - {in}courage

Quotes to Inspire - Inspired to Action

DIY Storage Boxes - Make It and Love It

Spicy Chicken Rigatoni - Tastebook

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Wreath - Bacon Time

Baked Zucchini Fries - Where Nothing Good Comes Easy

I can't wait to try some of those recipes!! I pinned quite a few more this week, but I'll leave you with these for now. :)

Hope your weekend is fabulous!!!

Weekend Planning: Because Otherwise I FB and Blog My Weekend Away...

2012-01-13T05:52:00.000-08:00

...not that there's anything wrong with that.

Except there is.

Like yesterday, I had a ton of work to do, and I ~~wasted~~ spent some of Emily's naptime online and suddenly I had 50 things to fit into the 3 hours between her bedtime and mine.

Sigh.

Must.Be.More.Disciplined.

So here goes, weekend planning starting with today. Cause I like to pretend Friday counts as the weekend too. Oh! And Monday IS part of the weekend this week! SO maybe I could spend some time online with you fun people...

Friday

Bible Study

Blog

Finish Progress Reports

Mail Progress Reports

Intervention Referral

Dinner Date (!!)

Blog plan for weekend and next week

Complete Blog Questionnaire

Saturday

Clean Office {Part1}

Work on HMN & Etsy Shop

Complete Printables for Etsy Orders

Watch Kayleigh (!!)

Sunday

Church

Shop for Etsy Orders

Work on Etsy Orders

Meal Plan/Cook for week

Monday

Clean Office {Part 2}

Create Organization for Work {Binders/Files/Etc.}

Write Thank-You's from Em's Party

At some point I am going to be reading Mockingjay as well. Because it's the third book in the Hunger Games series and I cannot.put.it.down!!

And THAT, my friends, is why you will not see me till Tuesday. Except for here on the blog. :)

What are you up to this weekend? Any fun plans, or are you getting things done around the house like I am???

A Coupon for YOU!!!

2012-01-12T07:32:00.000-08:00

I was BLOWN AWAY by how many of you entered the Home Management Notebook Giveaway! I couldn't be more excited that these printables seem to be helping others organize their homes. They're sure helping me!!!

As a "Thank You" for your support and interest, I'm offering a 15% off Sale in my Etsy Shop, this week only! Just enter the code FINDINGHOPE15 at checkout, and you'll receive 15% off your entire purchase! You can use it towards anything - a Complete Home Management Notebook, one of the many kits available, or any of the printables, including the ones below!

Just visit Finding Hope's Etsy Shop, and don't forget to enter the coupon code at checkout!

Happy Shopping!! :)

Making My Mornings Count

2012-01-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

I know I've posted about this before, but Sunday starts the Winter Hello Mornings Challenge. And I need it.

The last month or two, I've been staying up late and sleeping in late. It's a bit of a mix between having too much to do and loving the "me-time" at night. When I was getting ready for Em's party, I stayed up until 3am for 3 nights in a row.

Not cool.

I'm sure you can imagine the crankiness that ensued. Because, goodness knows, I am a crankster without sleep.

Not to mention, when I go to bed late, I sleep through my alarm, thus canceling out any early morning quiet time that I might have fit in.

Thus starting my day off on the wrong side of the bed.

My life works better when I get up at 5 and start my day with the Lord, some breakfast, exercising, and planning my day. I'm refreshed, happier, more organized, and ready for the day. When I get up at 5, I have at least two hours before Emily wakes up, which is plenty of time to accomplish all of those things.

I know this, and yet I leave things till the end of the day, waste time on facebook, get sucked into a TV show, and stay up late. Ugh.

So my goal is to be in bed each evening by 10. I would say 9, but that's just not realistic. 10pm is bedtime. I feel like a high-schooler all over again.

Except this time I'm excited about the bedtime.

Oh how things change. :)

I'd love to hear from you guys on this one. How do you start your day? Do you get your "me-time" in the morning or the evening? Do you get any at all? What are the things you incorporate into your day to keep yourself in the best possible frame of mind?

Tasty Thursday: Easy Peasy Cake {Pop} Balls

2012-01-11T20:53:00.000-08:00

These are like little pieces of heaven. If you have not had a cake ball, you are MISSING OUT. But now you can make them yourself. Here's the I-want-a-cake-ball-but-I-don't-have-time-to-be-domestic version.

Ingredients:

Box of Cake Mix

{I prefer Red Velvet. You will too. But you can use any mix you want.}

Whatever it says on the box to make the cake.

Can of Cream Cheese Frosting

{Again, this goes with the red velvet, so you can use another kind of frosting if you'd rather.}

Chocolate Melts

{and White Chocolate Melts, if you wanna be fancy}

Directions:

1. Make and bake the cake.

2. Let cake cool, then break up into pieces and stick it in your food processor {or a blender}.

3. Let the food processor work it's magic, breaking up the cake into crumbs.

4. Empty the can of cream cheese frosting into a bowl that is filled with the cake crumbs. Mix WELL.

5. Form mixture into balls.

6. Melt the chocolate in the microwave {in a microwave safe bowl - I do 30 seconds, stir, 30 seconds, stir, etc. until they are melted}.

7. Using a spoon, dip the balls in the melted chocolate and place on wax paper to dry.

8. {Fancy-Pants Option} Melt white chocolate and drizzle over dipped cake balls {forks work best for drizzling!}.

9. Eat as many as you can before your husband comes home. But you didn't hear that from me.

I suppose you could bake the cake from scratch and make your own frosting, but really, who has time for that? This is the quick version. Enjoy!!!

Wordless Wednesday: Love

2012-01-11T07:22:00.000-08:00

Project Life Tuesday

2012-01-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

Today I'm linking up with The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday! Project Life is a 365 Day Photo Project, documenting life in big and small moments. I'm super excited to do Project Life this year, and even more excited to share the first week with you!! Here's January 1st-8th, 2012.

Sunday, January 1: Jon and I enjoyed wine and appetizers as our first dinner of the new year! After the munchkin was in bed, of course!

Monday, January 2: Miss Emily Ann turns ONE YEAR OLD! We spent a pretty normal day at home, and then went to Red Robin for a birthday dinner. {More for Daddy than Emily, but you know how it is...}

Tuesday, January 3: Our first attempt at pigtails! My big girl...

Wednesday, January 4: One-Year bloodwork. This is Emily smiling before the torture. It was not a fun day.

Thursday, January 5: Bethany came over and we crafted allllllll day! I stayed up till 3am putting the finishing touches on banners, signs, and decorations for Em's party on Saturday! I am in love with my Silhouette and all of the fun things it can do!

Friday, January 6: Carol came over and helped me bake cupcakes and Em's cake! We couldn't find a cake pan shaped like a "1", so we made one out of aluminum foil. Yes, we rock.

Saturday, January 7: PARTY DAY!!! We had a great time celebrating Em's life with family and some close friends. Everything came together perfectly, and I think all three of us were very blessed by this day!

Taming the Toy Tornado

2012-01-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

After Christmas, our living room looked like Fisher Price, Melissa & Doug, and Playskool had thrown up all over. Toys were no longer contained in the storage ottoman that I had been keeping them in, and I knew that I was in trouble. Especially since Em's birthday was just 2 weeks after Christmas, and I was sure she'd be receiving some more toys as gifts. I had to figure something out! We don't have a play room, so all toys are kept in the living room, and we no longer had room for living. Eek!

So, the day after Christmas, Miss Emily and I hit Target at 7am on the dot. I think it will be our new mommy/daughter tradition. :) I scoured the weekly ad the night before, and to my happy surprise, all the storage items were on sale! We picked up a cubicle and some fabric bins {Toy Central}, and a large basket {behind the Parking Spot}. And here's how we've organized our living room.

The Parking Spot is right next to the stairs and holds Em's walker and a large basket for toys that would not fit into the fabric bins.

These toys include Little People blocks {a FAVORITE in our home!} and some balls.

Toy Central is the main hub for toys, and is organized according to type. Puzzles are on top and have to be taken down by a parent. Books and wooden toys are on the top shelf, and she can get those down herself. The piano is on the floor and also a fan favorite here.

The six bins are organized as detailed below. I LOVE this system. We only take out one bin at a time, so it's super easy to clean up, and Emily doesn't get bored {we rotate}. It also makes it easy when we're on the go - Weekend at grandma's house? Take two toy bins!

The Line-Up is the place where all of Em's walking toys {plus her activity block} wait to be played with. Her current favorite is the Walk & Ride {Thanks Aunt Liz!}, and she is walking up a storm with that thing!!! We also pull the Busy Town Block into the middle of the room when she wants to play with it, so she can access all sides.

And there you have it! Easy to keep track of, easy to put away every night, and still plenty of room to live. I love it!

I'm linking up with Growing Up Geeky today for Toddle Along Tuesday! Come join us if you want to peek into some more playrooms! ;)

A Sweet Tweet Birthday Party :)

2012-01-09T20:32:00.000-08:00

Some snippets from our weekend, celebrating our one-year-old, Miss Emily Ann!

{Gate Decorations were a MUST!}

{Door ones too.}

{One-Year photos hanging in our entryway}

{Birthday Banner!}

{Timeline Wall, with one photo from each month of Em's life.}

{YUMMY Funfetti Cupcakes! Cupcake toppers by AndersRuff}

{All good food needs labels, right? Labels by AndersRuff}

{Chocolate and Butterscotch Nests. Tags by AndersRuff}

{The Birthday Girl!!!! Onesie by BubbleBabys, Tutu by me!}

{Em was more dainty than Smash-ey}

{Until she figured out that the frosting was goooooooood!}

{Kisses!}

{Our little family.}

Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl. We love you!!!

Meal-Planning Monday

2012-01-09T10:14:00.000-08:00

I'm gearing up for a new month full of yummy (and HEALTHY) meal plans! I know I'm a week behind in the monthly meal planning department, but I only just feel like I'm recovering from the party prep. I tell you what, I was not born to be a party planner, nope, no way. But it was fun for the day. :)

This week, Jon goes back to class and I go back to work, so meals need to be healthy and filling, but pretty quick and easy. Here's what I've got planned:

Monday

Italian Crock Pot Chicken and Ravioli

{Chicken breasts, Italian dressing, and diced tomatoes in the crockpot, Ravioli from Costco)}

Tuesday

Veggie Bake

{Steamed Veggies with low-fat melted cheese and cubed bread, toasted in the oven}

Wednesday

Baja Fresh

{We'll be out and about, and their Soft Chicken Tacos or Baja Ensalada are pretty healthy!}

Thursday

Baked Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, and Quinoa

{pretty self-explanatory}

Friday

Date Night! Red Robin probably...gotta figure out something ok to eat there...soup?

Saturday

Whole Wheat Pasta and Marinara Sauce, with a salad

Sunday

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. My favorite. :)

What's on your plate this week??

Shapin' Up - Week 5

2012-01-08T23:09:00.000-08:00

Let's just say the last 3 weeks have been one long week.

Then I won't feel so bad for only losing a pound or so.

Sigh...

I could give you my list of excuses, all of which will be very true, but let's suffice it to say that I was too busy to make shaping up any sort of priority. And I have felt less than motivated.

But those are still excuses, and the fact is that this is something I need to keep working on. So I've made a few goals for the new year in this specific area.

1. Run a 5k. And I do mean RUN. Jon and I are doing one at the end of March and I want to be able to run the whole thing. I don't think I've ever run that far before. I could swim there and back, but running is a different story.

2. Exercise 3 days a week. minimum. My friend and I are going to be holding each other accountable in this department so it should get done! I'm going to be focusing on my Couch to 5k workouts, and the 30 Day Shred from my favorite trainer, Jillian. :)

3. Track my food. Whether it's through Weight Watchers or My Fitness Pal, I can easily track food on my phone. I just have to do it. I also need to grocery shop for some healthy, filling food choices.

And there you have it. Feel free to give me a swift kick if you see I'm slacking on these things. I'm the first to admit that I am no expert in matters of fitness. And I like food too much.

What are your goals for the new year, as far as fitness goes? We're a week in already - in what ways have you been able to stick with those goals, and in what ways do YOU need a swift kick? ;) Share with us in the comments below!

Linking up today with Kacie from Chasing Fireflies!

Tweet, Tweet!

2012-01-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

It's party day today at our nest!

Decorations have been made...

...favors have been put together...

...cupcakes have been adorned...

...and we're gonna party!!

And then I'm going to put my one-year-old {sniff...} to bed, take a long bath, and crash.

Because I am EXHAUSTED.

Party planning is a lot of work, people.

So I'll be back tomorrow, and you can count on lots of photos. :) Plus a return to Shapin' Up Sunday.

I must be off. Last minute details, you know! Happy Emily's Party Day to you!!! :)

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for your own Home Management Notebook HERE!

Home Management Notebook: Step 4 & A Giveaway!

2012-01-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

You've made it to the final step of creating your own Home Management Notebook! I've had so fun with this series, sharing my notebook with you and talking with you as you set up your own! Let's take our last few minutes to look at the final sections in the notebook: Inspiration and Family Records.

1. Inspiration: My Inspiration category is just for me. There I use notebook paper or scrapbook paper to write down Bible Verses or quotes that I want to keep on hand. I also use this section to collect ideas for home decor, activities to do as a family, and other tips that keep me motivated and inspired as a wife and mommy. Sometimes that means I print out an article, sometimes that means I tear something out from a magazine and glue it to a cute piece of paper, and then everything gets hole-punched and put into the notebook.

2. Family Records: The Family Records category holds important family-member-specific information.

I keep Em's Immunization Record there (my own copy, just in case I ever lose the yellow card!)

I also keep a Kid's Info document that details the favorites of each child. I'm thinking I'll be able to use this in the future to create birthday meals and plan little surprises, but for now it's another document that's handy to give to the babysitter as some "tips and tricks" for handling my kid. :)

Behind the documents, I keep these manila pocket folders in the back - one for each member of the family. These are for loose documents that are not going to be permanent parts of the notebook, but are important enough to keep on hand for a time... phone numbers of new friends, parking tickets (ahem...), suggested meal plans for a 1-year-old, things like that!

And there you have it, my friends! Nothing too complicated, but definitely my favorite household tool to date. This notebook helps keep our busy household somewhat organized, efficient, and peaceful.

As a special {THANKS!} for letting me share this with you, I'm giving away one complete, personalized Home Management Notebook! Simply enter below and follow the Rafflecopter instructions. There are so many ways to win! This giveaway will be open until Wednesday, January 11 at midnight {PST}. I'll announce the lucky winner on Thursday, January 12!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Home Management Notebook: Step 3

2012-01-05T07:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome back! I hope you're enjoying this tutorial, and feeling motivated to start your own Home Management Notebook! Today we'll be taking a closer look at our sections on Finances and Cleaning.

1. Finances: Ahh, finances. Such fun. :) In reality, finances can be one of the biggest sources of contention in your home, so it's really important that they are in order! This category contains some tools to help you get organized in this area...

An Account Tracker will help you keep your accounts straight. I like to keep a list of the accounts I have so that even if I miss an email or a piece of snail mail, I can look at my list and know with a quick glance whether or not I am up to date on all of our bills.

Our Family Budget is probably the most used {and most often altered!} document in this section. We use Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace method {cash in envelopes, debt snowball, etc.} and our budgeting sheet is set up accordingly. The dark blue area is for bills that we pay online or with a check {rent, phone bills, medical insurance}, the light blue area is for cash we need to take out of the bank {groceries, entertainment, clothing}, and the purple area is for monthly investments {car repairs, Christmas savings, life insurance, etc.} The green area documents our income, and the gray area at the bottom balances everything out.

Next, we have the Spending Tracker. It's basically an account register, but cuter. ;) This helps me write down our purchases and keep things balanced. That way I don't overspend at Christmas and have to tell my husband that I blew it, but don't you like your new shirt??

Not that that's ever happened to me...

Lastly in this section, we've got our Financial Goals Worksheet. I love this one. :) This worksheet is all about getting things done and dreaming about the future. On the left, there are two sections for debt that you're working on, tracking payments and estimating pay-off dates. On the right, there is a section for things that you are hoping to put money aside for, but can't right now {child's college fund, retirement, etc.}, and a section for things you need to save for {family car, home, new computer...ahem...}. Having these goals listed in right in front of my eyes is SUCH a motivator for me! It reminds me that Emily has enough toys and we have more urgent things to do with our money.

Since the Finances section is rather large, I've created a kit in my etsy shop that includes all of these documents in one place!

2. Cleaning: This is my least favorite thing to do. Ever. But it helps when I have a cute Cleaning Schedule to look at. :)

The left column is my daily routine, things I need to get done before breakfast, after breakfast, after lunch, before dinner, and after dinner. Setting small goals really helps me stay on track. Otherwise I'd make a list that goes for the whole day and only get half of it done because I spent before and after breakfast on the computer, thinking that I'd get to that laundry eventually. That doesn't work. This works better.

The right column details specific tasks for every day of the week. I like to have a laundry schedule, so the load that I'm doing that day is also on there.

I also like to include easy tips and tricks in this section...articles I find online or in magazines, recipes for eco-friendly cleaning supplies, and other things that will keep me motivated.

And there you have it! Tomorrow we'll be taking a look at the last two sections: Inspiration and Family Records. I really hope you are finding this series helpful and encouraging. I can honestly say that getting things organized is a powerful tool in our home, and frees up so much time and energy for me! Thanks for being with us! See you tomorrow. ;)

Missed the first few posts in this series? Catch up with the Introduction, Step 1, and Step 2!

Come Visit Finding Hope's Etsy Shop for these items and more!

Home Management Notebook: Step 2

2012-01-04T13:00:00.000-08:00

Alright! So you've got your notebook {all cutely decorated}, and you've got your dividers {also cutely decorated}... now it's time to fill it up! Here's another look at our dividers...

...and now we'll jump into each category and take a look at the documents that correspond with each!

1. Inside Front Cover: Inside the front cover, I keep 2 documents in a heavy duty sheet protector.

On one side is the Babysitter Information...

...and on the other side is Emily's Daily Schedule.

I like to keep these in the front cover because they are easy to pull out when we have a sitter. When someone comes over to watch Em, I just stick this fancy 2-sided, sheet-protected document up on the fridge. I fill in all the information that doesn't change (Em's routines, our cell phone #'s, etc.) with a pen, and slip the papers inside the sheet protector. The cool thing about the sheet protector is that it doubles as a dry-erase surface, so I just write the info that is always changing (specific times for schedule, where we're going to be, special notes) on the sheet protector with a dry-erase marker, and wipe it off when we get home. That way I don't have to keep printing these - it's totally reusable!

2. Calendar Divider: I keep my monthly calendar on the fridge, and write my to-do lists in my new awesome planner, so this section is for yearly calendars and scheduling. I keep 2 Perpetual Calendars in here (one for birthdays, one for anniversaries)

I also keep my Blogging Calendar here, for planning out my weekly blog posts

and jotting down ideas for future posts!

3. Meal Planning Divider: This category is for my Monthly Meal Planning! I love planning meals by the month because I can plan to double meals and freeze things ahead of time, which makes cooking just that much easier. I also like to plan choices for Breakfasts, Lunches, and Snacks, so that I have a list of healthy choices when I'm hungry, instead of just reaching for something yummy.

And what's a Meal Planning Section without a list of your favorite Restaurants and Take-Out options? Yup, I even plan eating out - and I try to choose places that have a coupon marked in that far right column! This is also a great reference sheet for those days when life got crazy and you just.cannot.possibly.cook. You have those days too, right?

4. Important Numbers: This section is super functional. It holds all of our Emergency Info {also a good sheet to open your notebook to when you leave your kiddos with a sitter!}.

I have also included a simple baseball card/coupon sheet protector to display important business cards and appointment cards.

{In retrospect, I think this section also needs a streamlined document to compile all of your important contacts in addition to the business cards - doctor, mechanic, church, work, frequented stores, etc. I'll work on drawing up a document like that this week!}

And that's all folks! Well, for the first three categories at least. Come back tomorrow for a very detailed look at the next two categories - finances and cleaning! :)

Missed the first few posts in this series? Catch up with the Introduction and Step 1!

Come Visit Finding Hope's Etsy Shop for these items and more!

Wordless Wednesday {Totally Random Edition}

2012-01-03T22:42:00.000-08:00

Emily enjoys collecting dishtowels (often right after I've hung them up)...

...and reading books in the doctor's office.

She does not enjoy pigtails.

But I do. :)

Home Management Notebook: Step 1

2012-01-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Woohoo! I am so excited to share my Home Management Notebook with you today. A Home Management Notebook keeps all your managing tools in one place, from menu plans to cleaning schedules, to babysitter and emergency info! It cuts down on clutter and makes for a streamlined household. It is honestly the most useful thing in my home to date. LOVE it. And I made it all myself, which makes me happy! So, let's get to it!

1. Alright, the first thing you're going to need is a basic 1-inch binder. You can use a plain one, or one with a view slot, like the one I bought. You can also find cute designer binders at Target like these, these, or these! I bought this one with a view slot, so that I could personalize a cover that I loved.

2. Next, you'll need a few dividers. I have 8 in my notebook. I chose the white dividers with clear tabs, again so I could make each divider pretty with some scrapbook paper. :)

3. Depending on your choice of binder and dividers, you might also need some scrapbook paper, glue sticks or mod podge, and a paper cutter. You will definitely need a pen or marker to write on the tabs. My choice (always!!) was an Ultra-Fine Sharpie.

4. If you've gathered your supplies, you're ready to get to work! Let's start with the cover (should you choose a binder with a view). I wanted to use a blue and green color scheme, with some pink/orange thrown in, and I actually had a scrapbook pad on hand with paper in those colors! So exciting. :) I chose this blue and green striped floral page as my cover (and spine, and back), and cut it to a 10 x 11 size, which fits perfectly in the front cover.

I also used my Silhouette to cut out letters in my chosen font for the cover. I didn't get too creative and just chose "Pratt Family Notebook" for the title! After the silhouette cut the letters out, I placed them and glued the on with some handy dandy mod podge. Here's the final result!

(If you don't have an electronic cutter, you could easily pick a favorite font and type up a cute title on white or colored cardstock, and back it with some scrapbook paper!)

Spine: The 1-inch scrap from the cut fit perfectly in the spine! Yay! I love when that kind of stuff works out.

Back Cover: gotta keep it uniform!

5. Time to move on to dividers! First, you need to brainstorm what categories you want to include in your notebook. I wanted something where I could keep EVERYTHING (except for recipes, we'll talk about where I keep those another day) from cleaning to blogging to meal planning. After MUCH pondering, the categories I decided to include in my notebook are:

Calendars

Meal Plans

Important Numbers

Finances

Cleaning

Household Management

Inspiration

Family Records

6. This next step is totally optional (although I guess they all are...). If you're planning on making your dividers PRETTY, choose 8 coordinating scrapbook pages (this is where a pack or pad of paper comes in handy!) and cut them to 8.5 x 11. Use mod podge or rubber cement (my personal favorite, but I was out, so I used mod podge) to glue the scrapbook pages to the front of the dividers. If you're really fancy, you can do the backs too. I'm only a little bit fancy, so I just did the fronts :).

7. And you're all set! The framework of the notebook is complete, so now we're ready to start filling it up with all sorts of useful information! Tune in tomorrow for a closer look at the first few categories!

Come Visit Finding Hope's Etsy Shop for these items and more!

Meal Planning Monday

2012-01-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

Well, in the excitement of Emily's birthday today, I almost forgot about meal planning! So I'm gonna get right to the point this week. Here we go!

Monday

Red Robin for Emily's Birthday!

Tuesday

Turkey Chili with Cheese and Sour Cream

Wednesday

Whole Wheat Pasta and Marinara Sauce with Artichokes

Thursday

Grilled Cheese and Soup

Friday

Date Night - Cheesecake Factory! (With Gift Cards...)

Saturday

Emily's Party!!

Sunday

Ravioli and Salad

The goal for the next few weeks is to keep grocery bills down and use what we have (frozen meals, pantry items, etc.). Any tips for keeping costs down and healthy foods up??

An Organized Home...

2012-01-02T19:54:00.000-08:00

...is a happy home.

Right?

Well, it's at least a happiER home. :) I've had my Home Management Notebook in place for 48 hours and the house is clean, meals are planned, and life is good!

Ok, so being organized won't change everything, BUT, I'm super excited about my Home Management Notebook. Basically, a Home Management Notebook is a resource for your home, keeping all your important paperwork and organizational wizardry in one place. I've read about them on other blogs, seen all kinds of printables, but could never find anything that totally worked for me {read: couldn't find all the documents I wanted in matching fonts and coordinating colors}.

So I made my own.

:)

Over the next few days I'll walk you through how to make your own Home Management Notebook. But for now, a preview...

Eek! Don't you love it? Charts and graphs and tables, oh my! My little organized heart is just so excited! Can't wait to share this notebook with you! Be sure to check in tomorrow for the first steps in creating your very own Home Management Notebook!

One Year

2012-01-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

One year ago today, I went to church and fielded questions about when our girl would arrive. It didn't look like it would be anytime soon.

I went home, made some crafty things, and started to feel anxious that I hadn't felt my active kiddo move much that day.

Jon took me into Labor and Delivery to make sure things were ok, and they were not quite right, so we got ready to welcome our munchkin into the world.

At 11:06 p.m., Emily Ann made her appearance, weighing in at a whopping 7 pounds, 8 ounces. She had a bumpy start, but we are so grateful for the happy, healthy girl that makes us smile every day!

*******************************************************

My Sweet Emily Ann,

Happy Birthday, baby girl. I can't explain to you how much your daddy and I love you, just know that you have taken over our hearts. Your joyful grin, your infectious laugh, and your curious personality keep us on our toes and make us so very happy.

I want you to know that you are a miracle. You are our miracle. The odds were against you from the start, but God was faithful and He saved you, sweet girl. He will always save you.

In one short year, you have gone from yawns to grins...

...from peaceful to playful...

...and from sick to strong.

You are so funny and sweet and independent and adventurous. You love to wave and stick your tongue out and show people that you are "1". You stand on your own and love anything with music, so you can dance to it. You sleep with your soft blanket in your hand and next to your face, and every now and then you'll still fall asleep on my chest. You are always so happy and your smile is contagious!

You are my sunshine, baby girl, every single day. I cannot imagine my life without you, and I absolutely love life with you. My prayer for you is that you will continue to grow and learn who Jesus is and how He has already been so faithful in your life. We'll teach you.

We love you so much, your daddy and I.

Happy Birthday, sweetheart. I am so excited to see what this next year brings in your little life!

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, friends! I always love the beginning of a new year. New planners to fill in, calendars to create, plans to make. It's a blank slate with nothing but possibility ahead. Love that. :) I'm never a big resolution person, mostly because I have a hard time sticking to them, so this year I'm going to try and keep it simple. I do have a few goals for the year, and I'll share them with you here. Consider this your free pass to ~~point and laugh when I fail~~ encourage me to continue working toward these goals this year!

Goals for 2012

Be Healthy.

{Jon and I are running a 5k in March, so we're already working on this one!}

Be In The Word.

{I'd like to read through The Story in the first part of the year.}

Be Organized.

{Set systems in place to keep the home running smoothly, and easy to clean.}

Be In Service.

{I'd love to get involved in church in some way, and also use my home as a place to serve others.}

Be Intentional About Relationships.

{Prioritize my marriage and family, and then work on intentionally cultivating and maintaining friendships.}

I know these are all pretty general, but I think if I keep them simple, I'll be able to keep them in mind. At least that's the plan. I'm also going to create a cute sign to remind me of these and keep it on my fridge! :)

What are your goals for 2012? I'd love to hear!

{Shapin' Up Sundays will return next week, in full swing!
For now, I'm down another 1.5 pounds, which I'm pretty excited about since the holidays have been full of food!}

Top 10 of 2011: Reflections

2011-12-31T09:03:00.000-08:00

(Questions taken from Tsh Oxenrider)

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
The best thing that happened this past year was Emily Ann joining our lives. She is, without a doubt, the best thing that has happened to us, to date. She is so full of life and joy and newness, and she has stolen our hearts!

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

I think the whole job transition for Jon was challenging for all of us. He looked so hard for jobs for so long, and for months our plans were up in the air. The Lord worked it out for our best though, because He brought us here, to this place, this school, this job, and this home, and we are so blessed. The transition was incredibly challenging, but I think it built our trust in the Lord and even brought us closer to each other.

3. Pick three words to describe 2011.

Rich, Difficult, & Rewarding.

4. What were the best books you read this year?

So many!! See my favorites listed here.

5. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

This year has been a tough one for my relationships, in all honesty. As an introvert, it's difficult for me to reach out an make new friends, but that's what you have to do when you move around. I have a handful of lifelong friends - the kind that, new or old, you know you'll be friends with for life - from home and from Fallbrook, and I'm working on keeping those relationships intact since we've moved. It's tough though. I've also been blessed with an unexpected new friend or two up here, and I'm so enjoying getting to know them! Of course, my most valuable earthly relationship is with my hubby, and I can say with confidence that we've grown a lot this year!

6. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

I love love love being home with Emily, and the most enjoyable thing is simply getting to spend my days with her. As far as work goes, I will always love teaching, and my favorite times are when I get to meet with my students one-on-one and get to know them a little better, help them in an area they are struggling with, and encourage them to keep working hard!

7. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?

At home, the most challenging thing is keeping up with the housework. Honestly, I am just not good at it. That's an area that I always need improvement in. I'm working to put some systems in place over break so that when I go back to work, it will be a bit more organized! Professionally, it was very challenging to jump right into CAVA and try to figure everything out on my own. There's a steep learning curve at the beginning, and it was hard for this planner to plan ahead for! I feel much more confident in my understanding of the program now, and I'm able to do things in advance so that my stress level is under control!

8. What was the single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

Media, hands down. Probably the TV first, as I like to have things on "in the background" while I get other stuff done. That is nice, but sometimes unnecessary. I also have wasted a lot of time on Facebook, as I'm sure everyone has. Unless you have self control, unlike myself. I can get sucked into news feeds and photo albums like it's nobody's business. Maybe in 2012 I'll have to set a timer or something. I think that would be helpful!

9. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

The best way I used my time this past year was in quiet time with my Father. Most of the year, I got up before my family and spent time with the Lord, studying His word or reading a book, or listening to worship music. It changes my whole day, reminds me of what is important, and infuses me with strength and peace and patience. When I do that, I'm so much more ready to take on the day and it's challenges. I have not always been disciplined about this part of my life, and it's still a battle for me, but I know that when I begin my days that way, I go through them much more able. (If you're interested in joining up for the Maximize Your Mornings Challenge, which is what I've been a part of, check out the info here and register here!)

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of 2011?

I started January as a pregnant wife, and ended December as the mommy of an almost 1-year-old. Becoming a mommy has been the biggest change, and also the most rewarding one. It's changed my marriage, my priorities, my choices, my friendships, and every other aspect of my life. And while some of those changes have been hard, I absolutely wouldn't trade being Emily's mommy for anything in the world.

11. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year?

Life is not fair. That may seem obvious, and it is, but in my type-A brain everything should equal out eventually. But thinking this way only leads to disappointment after disappointment. Life simply isn't fair, it is riddled with sin and poor choices and unexpected challenges that you couldn't have prepared for. I still struggle when unfair things seem to be piling up, but I have learned that even though life hurts, and can seem unfair, God is faithful. And our home is not here. I think one of the best things I've heard this year is that we can have hope, because for followers of Christ, this is as close to hell as we're ever going to be. This is as bad as it gets, this earthly life. We have so much more, ABUNDANTLY more to look forward to in heaven with our Father, who loves us enough to bring us back into relationship with Him, and who wants to give His children good blessings. When I stubbornly insist that things should be "fair", I just sit in anger and bitterness that they are not. When I see this world for what it is, I am able to trust the Lord, know that this will pass, and live as a blessing to others instead of a Debbie Downer. My goal is to go into 2012 with that mindset, bringing my hurts to the Lord and trusting that He knows what He's doing and where He's taking me.

Ok, that was 11. So sue me. ;)

And what about you? How has 2011 changed your life? I'd love for you to share in the comments below.

Happy New Year's Eve!!!

Don't forget to enter our Flash Giveaway! Ends tomorrow at midnight!

A New Year's Giveaway!

2011-12-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

Writing out all these Top 10 lists has inspired me to bless one of my readers with one of my favorites! Starting NOW, Finding Hope is doing a flash giveaway - it only lasts until midnight on New Year's Day. The winner will be announced on Monday, January 2nd. So hurry up, tell your friends, and enter to win...

I Will Carry You, by Angie Smith

This is one of the most moving books I've ever read. It's touching and heartbreaking and redemptive all at the same time. Here's the synopsis from Amazon...

In 2008, Angie Smith and her husband Todd (lead singer of the group Selah) learned through ultrasound that their fourth daughter had conditions making her “incompatible with life.” Advised to terminate the pregnancy, the Smiths chose instead to carry this child and allow room for a miracle. That miracle came the day they met Audrey Caroline and got the chance to love her for the precious two-and-a-half hours she lived on earth.

Upon receiving the original diagnosis, Angie started a blog (Bring the Rain) to keep family and friends informed of their journey. Soon, the site exploded in popularity, connecting with thousands who were either experiencing their own heartbreaking situations or simply curious about how God could carry someone through something so tragic. I Will Carry You tells the powerful story of a parent losing her child, interwoven with the biblical story of Lazarus to help those who mourn to still have hope—to find grace and peace in the sacred dance of grief and joy.

It's truly amazing. Angie is a phenomenal writer.

********************

This is a rafflecopter giveaway. Please enter below, following all instructions. Some entries are mandatory, some are optional.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Montage of Christmas Cuteness

2011-12-29T23:45:00.000-08:00

Taking a quick minute in the middle of all the Top 10 posts to bring you a montage of Christmas cuteness. Merry Christmas to all...

...and to all a Good Night!! :)

Top 10 of 2011: Best Purchases

2011-12-29T21:08:00.000-08:00

I love shopping. And I love finding deals and coupons and free shipping. Being a mommy this year gave me Amazon Mom, which gave me free 2-day shipping, which made me into a shopping queen. I found some awesome deals on some fantastic items this year! Here are the Top 10 most functional, how-did-i-ever-live-without-this-?? purchases...

10. iPhone - It's just awesome. And I got it at a steal for $90. Score. :)

9. ThirtyOne Organizing Utility Tote - This bag is so versatile. I've already used it for a teaching bag, a book bag, a toy bag, and a weekend bag. And I've only had it for a couple months!

(Check out my friend Meghann's website if you're interested in one for yourself! You can get them embroidered and they come in tons of patterns!)

8. Paper Coterie Journal - Beautiful, fantastic quality, and easily personalized. They have $30 off codes all the time too, so great deals! I got both of these journals for free, just had to pay shipping.

7. Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook - A classic. Very helpful for the basics. I finally got one this year!

6. Project Life Core Kit and Binder - I am SO excited to get started on this next year! It's an easy way to document one picture each day and quickly journal about it. Plus it's adorable and the kit makes everything coordinate so well. LOVE!!

5. JJ Cole Mode Diaper Bag - Most functional bag ever. Lots of pockets on the outside and inside. I can always fit everything Emily needs in here!

4. Kindle Lighted Cover - LOVE this cover for my kindle. It lets me read in bed after Jon is asleep, without waking him up. Perfect!

3. Graco Trekko Stroller - This stroller is fantastic. Good for jogging, all-terrain, extra large basket (for Target shopping trips) and right in our budget. Yes, please.

2. Canon Rebel T2i - My dream camera. Finally. :)

1. Erin Condren Life Planner - Holy perfect planner! This one has everything. Perpetual calendar, weekly and monthly views, weekly and monthly goals and to-do lists, and it's personalized. I am STOKED to start using it!

How about you? What are some of the best things you've bought this year??

Top 10 of 2011: Recipes!

2011-12-29T09:05:00.000-08:00

YUM!!! Counting down the Top 10 Recipes of 2011. These are my faves, and a big hit among friends and family. Enjoy! Maybe you can even steal one of these to make for your New Year's Eve Party this weekend. ;)

10. Crock Pot Apple Butter

9. Pretzel Balls

8. Crock Pot Lemon Chicken and Baked Potatoes

7. Enchilada Bake (I add corn as a layer)

6. Cheddar & Cracker Chicken

5. Crock Pot Mexican Chicken

4. Puppy Chow

3. Taco Soup

2. Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken
(I don't use beans, cause we're a bean-free family!)

1. Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas

Yes, we do like Mexican food in this house. :)

What are your favorite recipes of the year?!?!?! I'd love to add some to my recipe box!

Top 10 of 2011: Favorite Reads

2011-12-27T20:44:00.000-08:00

Forgive me, but I'm switching it up a bit. I know yesterday I said I'd list my favorite posts, but the truth is, I've already shared them with you. I was looking through my favorites and realizing that either I'd already included specific posts in Weekly Wrap Ups, or I couldn't decide on a specific post and was going to just link to a blog that's already on my Best of the Blogs page. So, you can find individual favorites here, or the blogs they most likely come from here.

Instead, today I'm going to link you to my favorite reads of 2011. Books and authors that have changed my heart and made an impact on my life. Ready? These are the best of the best!

10. The Women of Faith Study Bible (NIV)

My favorite Bible this year. It's got comments and insights and devotions specifically for women, written by women who are both highly encouraging and highly hilarious. It also has little biographies of the women in the Bible, which I think is cool.

9. Devotions for a Sacred Marriage - Gary Thomas

Jon and I both really like this devotional. It's so full of good, scriptural marriage encouragement that we spend 2 days on each devotion. Gotta take it all in!

8. Organized Simplicity - Tsh Oxenrider

Phenomenal book on simplifying and organizing. Tsh give you great tools and provides tons of resources. Plus the book is pretty and spiral bound, and just plain fun. :)

7. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

I'll admit it took me about 4 chapters to get into this book (and a few months to get through those first 4 chapters!), but once I did, I understood the hype. Fantastically written, and such a great story. Can't wait to start #2!

6. The Help - Kathryn Stockett

I may or may not have been relatively un-useful during our move because I had my nose in this book every second I could. It's THAT good. If you saw the movie, it was a great portrayal, but the book is so much more rich with details and character development and emotion. Best fiction book of the year.

5. The Story

I'm really loving The Story. It's the Bible written as a story, but directly from the NIV (not paraphrasing like The Message). It helps me see the overarching story of God's redemption, and not get caught up in how many verses I've read. Plus, the music is unbelievable - get the CD too.

4.Angie Smith - I Will Carry You

Angie is one of my all-time favorite writers. She writes from the heart and is brutally honest and open, which I love. This is the true story of her daughter Audrey, who Angie carried to term and gave birth to, knowing that they would lose her anyway. It is a beautiful, touching, and heart-wrenching story of pain, loss, and healing.

3.Lysa TerKeurst - Made to Crave

This book is changing the way I look at food, and eating, and worship. It speaks to the heart of women who are looking to be filled, and points us in the right direction. Lysa sheds light on food issues as truly heart issues, and shares her own journey in a way that is totally relatable, funny, and encouraging.

2.God's Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman

Holley has a way with words, and a special understanding of how our God sees His daughters. This is a devotional, and quite possibly the best way to start your mornings.

1.Emily P. Freeman - Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life

My favorite book of the year. Very rarely do I read books all the way through - I tend to start new books when I hit a point in my current book where the authors insight no longer applies to me. That never happened with this book. I was so sad when it ended. Emily is so real and raw, a quality I absolutely love in a writer. I am convinced the Lord called her to write this book. It is changing lives.

What were your favorite books this year? What should I be adding to my kindle? ;)

You can find all of these books at the links above, either at Amazon or Dayspring. Dayspring is my new favorite website, as a sidenote. In fact, I just became an affiliate, although I'm not totally sure what that means yet. :) Hopefully I'll get to do some great reviews and giveaways soon!

Top 10 of 2011: Most Popular Posts!

2011-12-27T10:27:00.000-08:00

This adorable Cheerio-eater is my FAVORITE favorite of 2011!!

2011 has been chock full of goodness! I'm going to take the next week and create a few Top 10 lists of my own, taking some time to reflect on the last year. I've never been good at moving into the new year intentionally, so this year I'm gonna give it my best shot. :)

To kick off the lists, here are the Top 10 Most Popular Posts of 2011, as indicated by YOU, the faithful readers of Finding Hope. These are the ten most popular posts from the last year (based on page views).

Top 10 of 2011: Finding Hope's Most Popular Posts

10. Cheddar & Cracker Chicken - Best. Recipe. Ever.

9. Solids: This Post Contains Bathroom Humor. You Have Been Warned - A journey into the harsh (and smelly) reality that is introducing solid foods.

8. Our Story - How he & me became we.

7. Emily's Birth Story - How God saved our little girl.

6. Baby-dar - The magical, sabotaging superpowers of babies...

5. Perfection - Honest confessions about real life, and accepting imperfections.

4. Some Photos For You - Finally home from the NICU, with pictures to prove it.

3. Mommyhood - Mourning the loss of independence, flat tummies, and cute underwear.

2. Tips for Friends and Families of Pregnant Women - A hormonal rant on rude comments from well-intentioned people, written hours before Emily Ann actually arrived.

1. Emily Ann - Tuesday Night - Our first post from the NICU. You can find the whole story here.

Come back tomorrow for Top 10 of 2011: Favorite Posts from Favorite Bloggers - Stories that have inspired, encouraged, and stuck with me all year long.