October= Breast Cancer Awareness GIVEAWAY!

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month I am hosting a give away!
The prize is 2 Pampered Chef products that are only available during the "Help Whip Cancer" campaign & a prayer book that I have used for years but has recently taught me how to pray for my bestie, Jenna, as she fights her fight against breast cancer. (LOVE YOU, JEN)

To get your name into the random drawing you need to leave me any kind of comment on THIS post before November 7th.

These are the 3 items being given away:::

Mini Scoop N Measure. (The one I will be giving away is pink)

Cake Tester (You would use this anytime you reach for a tooth pick to see if your cake, brownies, bread is finished) I love this tool & use is alllll the time!

 

30 by 30~ October

Blog Related:::
1. Host a blog give away. DONE. I held 1 in early June to celebrate my 250th post. Yay!
2. Host a guest post. DONE. For World Breast Feeding week I "interviewed" a friend, Ruth Nelson. Read about it here.
3. Keep up on blog series I have started (Happy Homemaker Monday, 2 on 2 & Pinterest Projects) So Far, So Good!

Home Related:::
4. Organize & de-clutter every room in the house month by month (Ex: May= our master bedroom, June= Cora's room, July= Living room etc.) The rooms are coming along and it feels great to be decluttering & organizing.
5. Make several different household products. I tested several ways to clean w vinegar here is Part 1 and Part 2 & made Foaming Hand Soap. This month I made dryer sheets read what I did here
6. Cook something for my freezer at least once a week. This month: took it easy this month. My freezer is plenty full...
7. Have a garage sale. DONE. Happened in April. I made about $70 I have sold things using Facebook & have made $99 in 1 week. :)
8. Add 'curb appeal' to our home (shrubs,grass, flowers, stone work etc.)
9. Plant something I've never planted in my garden. DONE.We planted strawberries!
10. Hang an outside clothes line


Family Related:::

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11. Go on a few dates w/ Kenny. Anniversary dinner at 157, Dish in July Mid-October we went on a lunch date to Pikks in Valpo :)
12. Plan a Shipshewana, IN trip. DONE.We went mid-August.
13. Plan something special for Ken's 30th birthday (September) DONE!  
14. Document the year through pictures/Be more intentional w/ new camera
15. Take girls to the zoo. DONE.We went for Father's day.
16. Teach Cora the the letters of the alphabet
17. Open saving accounts for girls
18. Get back on track using coupons, price matching, staying w/i our weekly grocery budget So Far, So Good
19. Go on a family vacation DONE. WE WENT TO FLORIDA FOR 11 DAYS IN MARCH!

For Me:::
20. Lose baby weight (I'll do this slowly b/c I'm nursing. I will not start a crazy diet plan. My plan is simple: eat healthy, walk & give it time!) DONE!!!
21. Treat myself to a manicure OR pedicure. DONE. Went w/ some friends in May
22. Do something totally different with my hair, DONE. read this post.
23. Do something special for my 30th birthday (in February)
24. Create & implement a daily cleaning schedule (I have seen tons of these online but none work for me. I need a personalized one)
25. Start journaling my bible reading time. I am in 1 Peter. I am following Priscilla Shirer's 5 Ps of bible study.

For Others:::
26. Do something neighborly for at least 2 of my neighbors. We took Key Lime Cookies to our neighbors Jim & Rose & we also delivered a dozen sweet corn to another neighbor.
27. Get more involved in our Preschool program at church. DONE.
28. Teach at least 1 friend how to pressure and/or water bath can DONE. I pressured canned w my mom
29. Be a bell ringer for Salvation Army during the Christmas season (I wanted to do this this past Christmas but thought of it too late & couldn't get it scheduled)
30. Act out at least 3 random acts of kindness (No plan for this- I will wait for the Holy Spirit to guide me)

Banana-Caramel Cupcakes

I am not sure if these are cupcakes or muffins? Maybe I should call them "Cupffins"? :) The cupcake is "Julified" with whole wheat flour & coconut oil. Even still, the girls loved these.

Cupcakes:

1/4 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1 egg

3 ripe bananas

1/3 c. coconut oil, in liquid form (Vegetable oil works too)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. flour

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp.  baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

-Cream butter & sugar
-Add egg, bananas,coconut oil & vanilla. Mix well.
-In a separate bowl, combine both flours, baking soda, cinnamon & salt.
-Gradually, add to the banana mixture & stir just until combined.
-Add batter to a cupcake pan.
-Bake at 350 for approx. 20 minutes.

Icing:

2 tbsp. butter

1/3 c. Brown sugar

1 tbsp. milk

3 tbsp. powdered sugar
Dash of salt & vanilla

-Add butter to a sauce pan & melt over medium heat.
-Add brown sugar & milk. Bring to a simmer to ensure all the sugar granules dissolve.
-Add powdered sugar
-Add just a dash of salt & vanilla
(This icing thickens as it cools. Wait to add additional powdered sugar if it seems too thin)

Cora, Rapunzel enjoying her cupcake

Happy Homemaker Monday (10-28-13)

Bible verse, Devotional::: Read this this morning in the "Power Prayers" book that I mention below::: "Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." -Psalms139:23-24

The weather::: Looking forward to some 60+ degree days! But Rain Rain GO AWAY!


















On my reading pile::: Beth Moore's "Wising Up"

On the menu for this week:::
Monday - Grilled lamb chops & corn
Tuesday - Bowtie pasta w/ ham & broccoli
Wednesday - Tamale pie
Thursday - Vegetable soup & homemade biscuits (perfect for a chilly night of trick or treating)
Friday - Dinner out
Saturday - Lamb burgers
Sunday - Swedish meatballs (from freezer) over noodles

Today's To Do list::: Oyyyy, overwhelmed! Too much to list.

Looking around the house::: Cora is cuddled up w me in recliner. Ev is still sleeping. It is dark & chilly this morning. House looks great-love when I actually get it cleaned up from weekend. Ha!

Highlight of the past weekend::: I did not leave the house all day Friday or Saturday. And Sunday I just left for a quick "Family Blessing" class. We are "dedicating" Evie to the Lord on November 10th!

Looking forward to this week::: Halloween

Posts I am Working on::: Breast Cancer Awareness Month Giveaway!, More uses for Vinegar, 2 on 2, & Banana-Carmel cupcakes. Wow, not sure I will get all those done this week, but I'll try!

What Cora has to say::: "Mommy, Evie is getting too big & getting into my things. I want God to put a baby boy in your tummy & he will just lay there & not get into my things."
Hmmm, where does she get this stuff? She cracks me up!

From the camera::: Sorry, not a cute picture of my girls this week. But I have to share this book with y'all! I have had it for several years & used it a many of times. The glossary gives topics so you can flip to a section of the book that you are needing to pray about! It is perfect for when you don't know how to pray or what to pray. Or when the situation is just to difficult to come up w the words on your own!

I won't always

These past several weeks have been hard on the "Mommy Front": Evie is getting 4 teeth on top, oh they are just below the surface. She is super whinny & insists that I hold her; almost constantly. She is up 4-5 times at night!
 Also, bc Cora has given up naps she too is more whinny & sassy than normal.
Especially, during "The witch's hour" I have been trying to be patient & offer grace to my girls. Some days it is harder than others but I have been reminded by the Holy Spirit during several situations that
I won't always.......

...Have a precious {fussy} baby at my feet while cooking dinner

...Be able to soothe her {teething} pain by rocking her (for hours). Someday, her pain will be caused by things much more out of my control...

 

...Have such an {extensive, long & tiring} bedtime routine w these beauties!

 

MIY: Dryer Sheets

Last week, I made dryer sheets. I have used them in several loads now & really like them! My laundry smells great, they are cheap & I know exactly what is in them. I looked up several different "recipes" online and this is what I came up with. Once I got the essential oil, which I got from Amazon for about $8, I had everything I needed. I used lavender but wouldn't lemon smell wonderful?!?!

Here is what you'll need:
Old shirt or rag
2 c. vinegar
20-30 drops of essential oil
Old jar or vessel to store

 

Cut the shirt or rag into approx. 6in squares. Add vinegar & oil to jar & swirl to mix. Add rags. When ready to use squeeze out some of the liquid {But do not wring it all out} After load is dry just throw the dried rag back into the jar! Easy as that!

Happy Homemaker Monday (10-14-13)

I started this early in the morning. But then my day took a turn when I had to take Mae to the doctor: strep & ear infection. So, as you can imagine this post was put on the back burner.  But it is still Monday, so here ya go! I am glad Monday is over & praying for a better Tuesday!

Bible verse, Devotional:::

The weather::: Perfectly Fall: Highs 57-68  Lows 37-45 (I would LOVE a frost to hold off longer tough!)

On the menu this week::: Eating from freezer/pantry this week
Monday - Tamale Pie
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Ham & Scalloped potatoes
Thursday - Broccoli cheese soup
Friday - Coconut curry lamb
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - Tuna casserole

Today's To Do list:::

• Eeeek, I'd rather not see it all in a list!

My "project" of the week Month::: De clutter the basement

What I plan to cook for my freezer::: Nothing this week.

Looking around the house::: Sweet baby (who is 9mo old today) playing on the floor, her big sis is still sleeping. I've got bags to unpack & laundry to put away. Pretty much my house is in complete disarray since I left Ken to fend for himself for 5 days.....

Highlight of the past weekend::: The girls were not feeling well all weekend! Phew, it was rough! So my highlight comes before they got sick, on Friday Ken & I went on a lunch date.

Looking forward to this week::: Being home & getting things done here

What Cora has to say::: "Mommy, I am not feeling so well. But I know YOU are gonna make me feel better real soon."

From the camera:::

2 on 2~ October

Not much to report this month. Evie is cutting more teeth. 4 on top. She has been miserable & I feel so bad for her. I can see the outline in her gums of the forming teeth. Poor baby!

 

Cora started dance class. She seems to be enjoying it but bc I am not allowed in the room w her I don't really know for sure! I have started giving her "chores" like helping me set & clear the dinner table. The little things she can do for me are really starting to add up!

 

Oooooh, I just LOVE my lil pumpkins!

30 by 30- September

Blog Related:::
1. Host a blog give away. DONE. I held 1 in early June to celebrate my 250th post. Yay!
2. Host a guest post. DONE. For World Breast Feeding week I "interviewed" a friend, Ruth Nelson. Read about it here.
3. Keep up on blog series I have started (Happy Homemaker Monday, 2 on 2 & Pinterest Projects) So Far, So Good!

Home Related:::
4. Organize & de-clutter every room in the house month by month (Ex: May= our master bedroom, June= Cora's room, July= Living room etc.) The rooms are coming along and it feels great to be decluttering & organizing.
5. Make several different household products. I tested several ways to clean w vinegar here is Part 1 and Part 2 & made Foaming Hand Soap.
6. Cook something for my freezer at least once a week. This month: Lemon blueberry bread, stuffed shells, applesauce
7. Have a garage sale. DONE. Happened in April. I made about $70
8. Add 'curb appeal' to our home (shrubs,grass, flowers, stone work etc.)
9. Plant something I've never planted in my garden. DONE.We planted strawberries!
10. Hang an outside clothes line


Family Related:::
11. Go on a few dates w/ Kenny. Anniversary dinner, Dish in July
12. Plan a Shipshewana, IN trip. DONE.We went mid-August.
13. Plan something special for Ken's 30th birthday (September) DONE! I planned & pulled off a surprise party for Kenny Labor Day weekend. He was so surprised & it was a great night!
14. Document the year through pictures/Be more intentional w/ new camera
15. Take girls to the zoo. DONE.We went for Father's day.
16. Teach Cora the the letters of the alphabet
17. Open saving accounts for girls
18. Get back on track using coupons, price matching, staying w/i our weekly grocery budget So Far, So Good
19. Go on a family vacation DONE. WE WENT TO FLORIDA FOR 11 DAYS IN MARCH!

For Me:::
20. Lose baby weight (I'll do this slowly b/c I'm nursing. I will not start a crazy diet plan. My plan is simple: eat healthy, walk & give it time!) DONE!!!
21. Treat myself to a manicure OR pedicure. DONE. Went w/ some friends in May
22. Do something totally different with my hair, DONE. When I wrote this list back in March I was thinking something like red highlights, I've never done red before. Or maybe the trendy, ombre. Wow, what I didn't know then was that my dear friend, Jenna, would be diagnosed w/ breast cancer. If you haven't heard about my new hair cut read this post.
23. Do something special for my 30th birthday
24. Create & implement a daily cleaning schedule (I have seen tons of these online but none work for me. I need a personalized one)
25. Start journaling my bible reading time. I am in 1 Peter. I am following Priscilla Shirer's 5 Ps of bible study.

For Others:::
26. Do something neighborly for at least 2 of my neighbors. We took Key Lime Cookies to our neighbors Jim & Rose & we also delivered a dozen sweet corn to another neighbor.
27. Get more involved in our Preschool program at church. DONE. We picked a new curriculum & my schedule is allowing me to volunteer room. Love those preschool aged kiddos :)
28. Teach at least 1 friend how to pressure and/or water bath can (Who wants this to be them?!?!) During my Indiana Trip I pressure canned beans w/ my mom. But I think she may need another lesson!
29. Be a bell ringer for Salvation Army during the Christmas season (I wanted to do this this past Christmas but thought of it too late & couldn't get it scheduled)
30. Act out at least 3 random acts of kindness (No plan for this- I will wait for the Holy Spirit to guide me)