Jewels & Treasures

Pink vs. Blue: A Look At How Society Shapes Gender Roles

2012-02-24T14:48:00.001-06:00

As Xiomara approaches the age of two, I have been having more and more people ask me a question that rather disappoints me, and if I'm honest, angers me.

"Don't you want to try for another so you can have a little boy?"

I know mamas of all boys get this question in regards to trying for a girl, but I feel like the pressure to have a boy is a lot higher, especially in Christian circles. Somehow we have, as a society, elevated boys to a status that is higher than girls.

It's as if society is asking the question of, "Don't you want to carry on your family name through a son?" To which I reply, "Can my daughter not carry on that name? What if she doesn't ever marry? What if she decides to marry and keep her same last name? Does a last name really matter? Her name is still being carried on in society through her or her children whether or not she changes her last name!"

Thus I get a little angry when people ask me right in front of my girls if we will try for a boy. The girls may not understand fully now what it means, but it won't take long before my girls are getting the point: boys are more important than girls.

And when we as a society start valuing one sex as more important than the other, we have lost out on God's design for both boys and girls. Thus placing a cloak on young boys, who will one day grow up to be men who have been told their whole lives they are better and more important than women. Which in turn, starts the vicious cycle all over again.

Girls are told and taught from a young age that that their cuteness will get them what they want, and that they don't have to be as smart as boys because "that's just how it is, boys are naturally smarter than girls." As they age, society and social media turns them into a sex symbol, one who is told that they are worthless outside of how they look and dress.

It has never become clearer to me how far society has come then when my friend Heidi shared this video on Facebook. It is almost 9 minutes long but it is worth every minute of watching. I urge you to watch it. For your daughter, your niece, your granddaughter, your friend, the neighbor girl next door. It is worth it. Please be aware that this video does feature graphic sexual pictures so it should not be watched around children.

Call me a feminist (and maybe I am a little), but I want my girls to have the same rights as others; male or female. I want them to have the freedom to be a doctor, a scientist, a mom, a missionary, a politician. I don't want society stopping them.

So please stop asking me or telling me to have a son. Rather uplift my girls now for who they are on the inside, so they can grow up to be the person God intended them to be.

Wordless Wednesday: Snow Day

2012-02-22T15:05:00.002-06:00

Little Pim Bilingual Books Giveaway

2012-02-20T12:23:00.000-06:00

Last week I shared with you how much Zoelle and Meridian have been enjoying their Little Pim Bilingual books. Today I'm happy to give you all an opportunity to win both the Little Pim Colors book and the Little Pim Feelings book.

I'm super excited that one of my readers gets the chance to win these incredible books that are Trilingual featuring English, Spanish, and French. We have loved using them as part of our homeschool curriculum but they also make a wonderful reading book that I would recommend to anyone.

Enter below in the easy Rafflecopter form. If you have any problems with it, please feel free to contact me!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wordless Wednesday: Valentine's Day Craft

2012-02-15T19:12:00.003-06:00

This love is ours

2012-02-14T11:25:00.000-06:00

This love of ours looks so different to many on the outside, but then again, maybe it isn't so strange to some.

Someone asks, "Who does the cooking?" and I normally respond with a sheepish, "He does, or we cook together." all while you respond about how much you enjoy cooking and that it isn't just for the wife to do.

Most of the time, every other week, you help me clean the house. Of course you have enlisted our oldest to help now, but still, scrubbing the toilets definitely is love.

Sometimes late at night, just so I don't have to get up in the morning to a mountain of laundry, you will sit with me at the kitchen table and fold clothes as we laugh and talk through a task that otherwise would be daunting.

We dance a dance of laughter, love, and yes, sometimes even tears.

There are words spewed back and forth in fits of selfishness. These are normally followed by the tender, whispered moments of, "I'm sorry."

This love of ours has no chains of submission because we look to the beginning and see where God has called us to submit to one another. It's not wife submitting to husband, or husband submitting to wife, but rather we serve God together as one equal unit.

You listen to my dreams and I try my hardest to help you fulfill yours. You put up with my maniac researching, talking, and ranting. You smile when you hear someone describe me as effervescent! I listen to the passion in your voice and the ideas that you have that I realize very few get to hear. I smile when I hear someone describe you as shy.

It's far from perfect, but somehow through it all we find ourselves back in each other's arms, clinging to the promise of tomorrow.

This love is ours babe...and I cherish each moment I have. Happy Valentine's Day!

On the Possibilty of Weaning {Gentle Thoughts Needed}

2012-02-13T11:55:00.001-06:00

Despite the fact that I am a big supporter of extended breastfeeding and letting my girls decide when to wean. Despite the fact that I let Zoelle self wean at 2 years, 8 months, and 8 days. Despite the fact that I adore when one of my girlies falls asleep nursing. Despite that tandem nursing has allowed me to nurse our little Xio even though she didn't come from my belly.

Despite all that...

I. am. ready. to. be. done.

Or at least just down to one.

Honestly, I wish our little Mer would wean. The girl who I seriously wondered if she would make it to a year nursing, is still going strong morning, before nap, and at bedtime.

Sometimes I love it. Sometimes I hate it and just wish she would "forget" for one of the sessions. Instead, I feel like she is wanting to nurse even more often now. I'm considering something I never thought I would do.

Weaning her.

Or at least gently pushing her in that direction. But, I need tips!! I have no idea where to start or how to convince her to go that way. I remember feeling this way with Zoelle right around this time, but she stopped on her own.

I do want it to be gentle. If I thought she was too attached to it, I would not consider it. I feel like she is just doing it for something to do and not really to nurse or even really snuggle. It almost has become a game for her.

It just has become not fun, relaxing, or bonding for me with her. Quite honestly, sometimes I feel stressed at the thought of nursing her again. I really don't want to end on a bad note, but rather would love to remember those good nursing memories. Secretly, I also hope that weaning one girl will help me lose a bit of weight that I cannot seem to lose while nursing so much!

So go gentle on me here and offer me loving advice and tips please!! I do not take this decision lightly.

Little Pim Bilingual Books Review

2012-02-10T14:58:00.000-06:00

When I started our homeschool year, I intended to do a bit more of a bilingual preschool. However, life has just sort of gotten in the way and I am not doing as much Spanish as I had hoped to be doing.

This is where I am thankful for Little Pim. Last year, we reviewed a Spanish DVD with the captivating bear named Pim and we fell in love. I even counted Little Pim as one of my top 10 items that I have reviewed.

Thus when Little Pim contacted me about the new books they had available, I jumped on the opportunity to add one more bilingual item to our homeschooling routine.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that both of the books we received, actually featured three languages: English, French, and Spanish.

Little Pim Colors provides children with a fun, exciting adventure in identifying the correct colors using flaps and tabs to engage the children in reading. I was so excited to hear Meridian trying to find the rojo balloon. I honestly had no idea she had picked up on any Spanish yet!

Little Pim Feelings captivated the girls with the various pictures of children and the expressions on their faces of how they feel. I loved the short phrases the pictures offered my girls, such as "She is shy".

Connect!

Want to know everything that is going on at Little Pim? Then follow them via Twitter or Facebook.

Buy It!

If you are looking for a way to incorporate another language into your child's reading, then I highly suggest you take a look at Little Pim and all they have to offer!

*The featured product(s) in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Wordless Wednesday: Crazy Hair Day

2012-02-08T15:02:00.001-06:00

DIY Hair Accessory Holder {Guest Post by my Husband}

2012-02-06T12:41:00.001-06:00

With having three precious little daughters with headsfull of gorgeous hair comes an over-abundance of hair accessories! My wonderful wife would find cute little hairclippies here or some neat headbands there. Big, fluffy, flowers in all shapes and colors seemed to overflow atleast one drawer of our girls’ dresser. We had very quickly created a monster that was in dire need oforganization!

Vanessa kept mentioning to me that we needed some otherway to organize our many “hair things.” She had seen other types of organizers online and wanted me to make hersomething that would be both visually appealing and, at the same time, verypractical. Everything I had seen thusfar, I knew, would not work for the number of pieces we had so I had to think ofsomething else.

As with many things I have done in the past, when facedwith a particular problem or task, I just go to the store. This is where my thinking happens and wheremy thought process shines (wink). Ican’t just sit down and draw out a plan. I have to see what there is available and, with that, let the piecesfall into place in my brain.

I had a general idea of what I wanted to do as far assize and colors go but wasn’t really sure how I was going to actually tie ittogether. It all started with this frameI found at our local craft store. It was a good size and a good price. (very important! ha!) I decided to attach tiny little clothes pinsand small wooden pegs to the frame around its perimeter in strategic locationsso as not to cover up too much of the picture that was to be in the frame. All of the wood pieces were stained darkmahogany to match our home’s doors and trim and then sprayed with satinpolyurethane for a nice sheen.

Most of the hair accessory holders that I had seen thusfar had used some sort of ribbon or ribbons hanging down that were used toattach the various bows and such. I knewI wanted to use this idea as well and set out to find the perfect ribbon. Vanessa has always really liked hot pink andorange together so that was going to be my “theme” colors. I found some ribbon that worked very well andstapled that to the back of the picture frame across the bottom and let theribbons hang down about 15 inches.

I really wanted to personalize this project for my girlsso I found wooden letters and purchased one that stands for the first letter ineach of their names. These letters Ipainted hot pink and glued to the frame as shown.

Lastly, I found a photograph that features all three ofmy girls, all with different hair accessories and placed that in theframe. The photo was made smaller thanthe frame so I could place an orange background behind the photo to continuewith the hot pink and orange theme of the project. This offset the pink of the letters on theframe.

So there you have it; a completed hair-thingy / accessoryholder! Once completed, we were happy tosee it would hold nearly all of our accessories and make them much moreaccessible and visible when trying to match them to outfits.

Feel free to borrow the idea and make your own organizedchaos. It’s a fun project that the wholefamily can get in on and relatively inexpensive too!

Wordless Wednesday: Snuggling Cousins

2012-02-01T15:25:00.001-06:00

19 Questions With My Girls....

2012-01-30T14:03:00.002-06:00

It is always fun to follow other bloggers with three girls and one of my favorite bloggers is Winey Mommy. Recently, she asked 19 questions to her older girls and had them answer them. I loved the answers that her girls had so much that I had to ask my two older girls as well.

I asked them each separately and here are the answers they gave! Enjoy!

1. What is something mommy always says to you?

Zoelle: That sometimes I have to read books if I don't nap.
Meridian: Umm...treats?

2. What makes mommy happy?

Zoelle: When I be good.
Meridian: Somebody loves you.

3. What makes mommy sad?

Zoelle: I don't know.
Meridian: I can't tell you, I only want to eat gum!

4. How does mommy make you laugh?

Zoelle: When you be funny.
Meridian: When I tickle you.

5. What was mommy like when I was a little girl?

Zoelle: To go play outside.
Meridian: In school.

6. How old is mommy?

Zoelle: 18
Meridian: 17

7. How tall is mommy?

Zoelle: Very big!
Meridian: Tickle.

8. What is mommy's favorite thing to do?

Zoelle: Umm...cook.
Meridian: I'm not going to tell you, I only want gum.

9. What does mommy do when daddy takes you all out to the park or to lunch?

Zoelle: Feed Meridian and Xiomara
Meridian: Stay there.

10. If mommy was to be famous, what would it be for?

Zoelle: I don't know.
Meridian: Tickle.

11. What's mommy really good at doing?

Zoelle: Sweeping the floors.
Meridian: Hold with two hands.

12. What's mommy not very good at doing?

Zoelle: I don't know.
Meridian: Umm....feeding Xiomara.

13. What does mommy do for a job?

Zoelle: Help clean.
Meridian: Go to a different work.

14. What is mommy's favorite thing to eat?

Zoelle: Spaghetti
Meridian: Pizza

15. What makes you really proud of mommy?

Zoelle: When I do all the things upstairs.
Meridian: Proud of you mama.

16. What is mommy's favorite tv show?

Zoelle: Umm...I don't know.
Meridian: Umm..play with the Kindle.

17. What do you and mommy do together?

Zoelle: Clean.
Meridian: Feed Xiomara.

18. How are you and mommy the same?

Zoelle: When we be very good.
Meridian: Holding me and you.

19. When we leave the house, what is mommy's favorite thing to do?

Zoelle: To go to a hotel.
Meridian: I like you to go shopping.

Oh my goodness!! Talk about making me laugh!! My favorite answer from Zoelle? That I like to cook! Has she forgotten how daddy does a good majority of the cooking?!? Maybe she needs to read this! ;) My favorite answer from Meridian? That it makes me happy when somebody loves me. Too sweet. Oh and did you notice a trend for wanting gum and the obsession with tickling? It made me laugh and yep, I gave her that piece of gum when we were done! :)

Thanks for reading and feel free to play along and if you do, make sure you link up in the comments so I can visit your blog!

A Peek Into Our Bedrooms

2012-01-27T09:53:00.000-06:00

We did a little bed/room re-arranging this weekend! Meridian at 2.5 was still in a crib and it was actually quite comical because depending on where she put her head, her feet would come out the end. So after much talk about what we officially wanted to do with the beds/room situation, we decided to do some switching.

Meridian and Zoelle have been sharing a room with Zoelle in a toddler bed and Meridian in the crib. This weekend, we got Zoelle a new twin bed (which is actually a bunk bed separated) and let Meridian have Zoelle's old toddler bed. The whole day we were setting it up and re-arranging the room, the girls were beyond excited. They could barely sit still, but by nap time the beds were up and ready! We didn't officially use the room until bedtime and this mama was nervous. While Zoelle never dared to get out her bed when she was 2, I knew Meridian is a much different girl and very adventurous. I was pleasantly surprised that she ended up sleeping all night. Night two she did get into bed with Zoelle (which was adorable), but that did have her waking up multiple times at night. However, she didn't do any exploring, she just came right to me. Being that I am a light sleeper I was happy that each time I heard her wake up and was there to meet her right away. Meridian once again did well last night and although she is getting up about a half hour earlier in the morning than she was before, I am very surprised at how well the transition went.

Zoelle has done wonderfully in her new big bed and while mama thought it was going to swallow her up, she seems to love it! Plus an added bonus is that we can do extra snuggle time together before bed! We both love that!

When we took Meridian's crib down we were left with where to store it? Our house is not large and we are slowly running out of storage space. Xiomara, when not co-sleeping with us, has been sleeping in a pack n' play in a spare bedroom. Chris had the bright idea to switch that bedroom around a bit (we have a piano in there as well) and set up our crib. So that is just what we did! I LOVE it! It's been a few years since I've been able to have the canopy on our round crib and it just really ties her room together a bit more.

I hope now that the next time we have to do any re-arranging it will be in a new house! :)

At what age did your child switch to a bed? Did you go straight to a big bed, or did you transition first with a toddler bed?

Wordless Wednesday: Lunchtime Model

2012-01-25T14:58:00.001-06:00

Hot Damn Girl!!

2012-01-20T15:06:00.000-06:00

I'll be scrolling along on my Facebook page and I'll inevitably come across your Facebook profile picture. You know the one of you in your prom dress, or tanning on the beach in your bikini. You look beautiful. You are beautiful.

Image via Tumblr

And then I see it, the comment 5 comments down that makes me want to puke.

"Hot Damn Girl!!"

To which you normally reply with: :)

Me? I'm dying inside realizing that you are selling yourself short. Far too short! You are worth so much more than a hot damn girl, or some other variation in reference to your body.

If I could, I'd sit down with you over coffee and share with you how much more valuable you are than that.

Of course you'd roll your eyes at me or smile and nod all the while thinking how old I am at almost 30 with three little girls. You'd tell me, or you'd wish you could tell me that I "just don't get it".

But hon, I do.

It wasn't that long ago that I was seventeen and I was that girl that was the hot damn girl. I remember clearly how it made me feel to be told I was hot, sexy, or hot damn. While it felt good for awhile, I can tell you this: rarely do the hot damn guys marry you.

Instead it is the guys that love you and value you, more than to label you with a shallow "hot damn girl" comment on your Facebook page.

Because girl, the hot damn girl can come later and it will be well worth it!

On Mwedian

2012-01-16T13:28:00.001-06:00

It's time I do a little blog post on this girl. Being the middle child, she doesn't often get talked about on this blog. After all she isn't being homeschooled so I don't blog about her like I do her big sister, and she isn't approaching major milestones like her little sister.

Thus she gets lost in the middle.

Not so much at home though.

Mwedian as she calls herself and only likes to be called that, is a sweetheart. She loves to give kisses and hugs. Sometimes randomly during the day she will seek me out, kiss me and walk away. It melts my heart.

She likes her low, gravelly, voice to be known. If she doesn't feel as if she is being heard, she will yell, "Mama, mama, MAMA!!!", until I finally answer in which she will just say something like, "Wuv you mama.".

We still have to watch her closely or else she does make messes. I'm also noticing that she is finding a partner in crime with Xiomara. Thank goodness big sister Zoelle is around to help me watch them both!

She still loves to nurse and honestly, sometimes I still am surprised. I once said I didn't think we would make it much past a year nursing with her. Instead, she wakes up around 5 or 6 every morning and comes to snuggle and nurse with me. Sometimes, we fall back asleep together. Other times she will tell daddy to bring her back to her bedroom.

Anywhere we go, people always stop her to comment on her gorgeous hair. She smiles and, secretly inside, I'm grateful that one more person positively commented on her curls.

I look at her and realize how close we are to three now. My heart grows a little sad wondering how it could have gone this fast. I want time to stop right now. I feel like I just want to remember forever the feel of her little arms around me. I want to never forget how she smooshes her little body right up against mine while we sleep.

My heart skips a beat realizing that my love cannot be contained in a short little blog post on my precious Mwedian.

Wordless Wednesday: Porch Picnic

2012-01-11T12:26:00.002-06:00

Cloth Diapering On 19 Cents A Day!

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

During my two year anniversary giveaway, someone mentioned that they would like to hear more about cloth diapers. I decided not to make this into one of my "Let's Talk" blog posts, being that I have already blogged about why we chose cloth diapering and 5 cloth diapering tips.

However, one area I haven't blogged about and one that I am asked a lot about, is the financial cost of cloth diapering. As I mentioned in my first post on cloth diapering, when I started cloth diapering I researched and tried out many different kinds. Most of that was via Diaper Swappers as I had every question under the sun and not a lot of money to make a mistake and buy the "wrong" diaper.

Part of my stash of Bum Genius diapers that I use today. Most of my organic ones are currently dirty as I use them daily!

From the very start of cloth diapering in early 2008, I wished that someone would make an all-in-one diaper that was one-size and organic. Turns out someone did and still does. That someone is Bum Genius. I was one of the very first people to buy their All-in-One, Organic, One-Size diaper (which has now become known as the Elemental cloth diaper). From the second I tried it on Zoelle, I knew this was the diaper. It was trim, held a ton, was one-size (so it would last us for years), and most importantly, it was affordable. Basically, I wanted a diaper that was just like a disposable, but healthy for my baby's body and the environment, all while being inexpensive enough to afford a dozen. After trying one and realizing that this was it, I bought a dozen from Cotton Babies, my go-to cloth diaper store!

The original Bum Genius Cloth Diaper on Zoelle in May 2008

I'm not positive on what I paid for a dozen of those diapers 4 years ago (I tried looking it up, but couldn't find it), but if I bought a dozen Bum Genius Elemental diapers today it would cost me $264.95. It seems like a lot of money upfront. However, if I told you that four years later I still have those same dozen diapers and they are still working excellently, would you believe me??

Well you need to, because right now Xiomara is wearing one of those diapers! Of course I've added to my stash over the years and as I mentioned, I also have Bum Genius all-in-one sized diapers along with a few other brands. However, my main staple in diapers have always been those original 12 diapers that have now gone through three girls.

Just recently I thought about selling those diapers and buying some new ones. However, as I thought more on it, I just couldn't do it. Xiomara is about a year away from being fully potty trained and I want to say and know that my original investment was worth it. Outside of my original investment, I have only had to invest in a bag of soap every six months, and then the cost of actually laundering them (which we have maybe only noticed a few dollars per month difference).

So based on today's price for those same dozen diapers, cloth diapering from May 8, 2008 (the day I first put Zoelle in one of those diapers) to today has roughly cost us:

19 cents a day

Versus, the size 3 cheap Target brand of disposables costing 14 cents per diaper.

I would say that was definitely a wise investment 4 years ago. Thank you Bum Genius and Cotton Babies!!

Did you know cloth diapering can be that cheap? Have you ever considered it yourself? What factors are holding you back from taking the leap?

Disclosure: No compensation is being given for writing this post and my thoughts are 100% honest and true. However, by writing it I am entering both myself and one person who comments on this post to win a dozen one-size cloth diapers via the All I Want For Christmas contest.

Tablet Time {NOOK Tablet with Cover OR $275 Cash Edition} Giveaway

2012-01-06T00:01:00.000-06:00

I'm linking up with Measuring Flower, Surviving Motherhood, Life with 2 Boys, and a whole bunch of other great bloggers to bring you this incredible prize!!

Prize Details:

NOOK Option

One lucky person will get their choice of

Nook Tablet

7" VividView Color Touchscreen
16 million+ colors, IPS2 display

High resolution display (1024x600, 169 pixels per inch)

Built-in Wi-Fi

Color Field Cover

Dimensions: 8.5" x 5.75" x .75"

Rayon bookbinding cloth exterior

Stone faux suede interior lining

Interior slide pocket

3-point clip device to securely hold your NOOK Tablet

4 colors to choose from: Turquoise, Tangerine, Vivid Pink, and Storm Gray

Cash Option

Entrants intending to select the cash option MUST have an active PayPal account.

$275 will be remitted to the winner as a gift via PayPal.

How to enter:

Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway Rules:

Each entry must be accomplished exactly as it is stated.

You can perform each entry type ONE TIME ONLY unless otherwise specified.

If there is a "leave a comment" entry type, be sure the name you type in the comment's name field is EXACTLY the same as the name you use in the form (this is so I can verify your comment).

Make sure to leave a VALID email address in the email field so I can contact you if you win.

If you already follow/like me or the company via G+, Google Friend Connect, Twitter, Facebook, etc., that's okay–the entries still count.

Giveaway Ends:

Friday, January 20, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST

Open to U.S. Residents Only.

Good luck! I'd LOVE to see one of my readers win! :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Start of the year homeschool update

2012-01-05T00:50:00.000-06:00

Since it's the start of the year, I thought I would do an update on our homeschooling with Zoelle. Last year we did the preschool curriculum via Heart of Dakota Publishing. I loved it, Zoelle loved it and it worked well for our family. This year we finished up the preschool and started in on the kindergarten level in the hopes that she can do part of it this year and part of it next year if we homeschool.

I'm still absolutely loving the curriculum. While the kindergarten level does take longer, it is so nicely laid out for me as a busy mom to 3 little girls, that it is easily doable.

But here is the thing.

In my heart, I'm a perfectionist through and through and because of that perfectionism, I'm not sure I am doing the best job possible in schooling Zoelle. It's hard for me to admit that. After all I am her mom and I have a teacher's license in K-8 education.

But the thing is, school ends up being the last thing on my mind during the day. Instead by the time we are up, fed, dressed, cleaned up, and ready for the day, I have to lay Xiomara down for her morning nap, exercise, prepare lunch, then it's naptime in the afternoon, sometimes I prepare supper, and then Chris is home from work. Somewhere in there, the house gets picked up and the laundry gets done.

And that doesn't include the mornings we aren't home!

To be honest, right now I'm feeling very frustrated with our choice to homeschool. One of our biggest desires in homeschooling is to make sure that education is a priority and for lack of a better term, that it is done properly.

Maybe every homeschool mom goes through this, but I feel right now like I am failing.

I'm not sure if Zoelle has picked up on my frustration or if she is just gaining some independence, but this year she has fought me on a lot of our school. Except that she loves math, handwriting, and reading. She would do those three things all day long if I let her. My perfectionism seems to have rubbed off on her and there are many, many moments of frustration between the two of us. Which again leads me to more frustration.

On top of that, it is hard for me to teach with the two little girls around right now. They are either into our homeschool stuff or off causing trouble elsewhere. I'm still searching for the perfect solution to that.

So as of now, this is where I am at. It's honest, but I told you I would be. I wish with all my heart I could come here and type that I am loving it. But if I did that I would be lying.

I'm not exactly sure yet where next year is going to take us, but we are looking more closely into our local private and public school while still keeping homeschool in mind. I'll definitely keep you updated.

Wordless Wednesday: Expanding her mind

2012-01-04T17:56:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T14:45:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year to all of you! A year ago, I never thought this day would come so quickly. Yet here it is and as I read over that post of what I wanted for this past year, I realize that I did accomplish it to a degree, but I know in my heart that I can do better. I'm praying I get that chance this year.

Last year on this day, my Grandpa died. That spurred in me a desire to truly know those around me. It also encouraged me to be more real; like honest, raw real with others. Which also meant being raw on this blog.

This past year has been quite a journey...

I talked about how I was bored with Christianity. I talked about politics, which is something I said I would never, ever blog about. I also went out on a limb and said that Christianity cannot be contained in a little labeled box.

I talked more in length about our adventures in cloth diapering. I participated in my first ever blog party where I first quietly mentioned my views on spanking.

I shared my 5 Tips For Tandem Breastfeeding or Breastfeeding while Pregnant. I celebrated birthdays and a first haircut.

I talked about what real love meant. I experienced a 5 day long nursing strike and was relieved when she started nursing again.

My scariest, most raw moments as a blogger came just this past December in which I finally opened up about my journey into Gentle Parenting.

Through it all, you have been there to love on me, encourage me, and support me. I am so grateful and each day I feel that love.

I'm looking forward to 2012 with you and I hope that I can continue to show that love through being open and real with all of you!!

{Almost} Wordless Wednesday: Is it really December?

2011-12-28T14:25:00.001-06:00

There is no way possible for me to make this one wordless as I want the girls and I to remember this always. It is December 28th, 36° out, and no snow on the ground. Absolutely unheard of! We are enjoying every second of it and I feel thankful that winter is that much shorter here this year.

A Peek Into Our Christmas

2011-12-27T12:07:00.003-06:00

Christmas included...

Three of them and one more to go later on this week

A very sick little girl the night before our first Christmas. :(

A kind grandma who let said sick little girl still participate in her Christmas even though she could get the stomach flu

Lots of generous aunts, uncles, and grandparents

A new batch of dolls, strollers, and books

No snow on the ground (a rarity for this time of the year)

Sunshine

Our bellies stuffed full of yummy food

Most of all, love, laughter, and life

P.S. It wasn't until now that I realized I am missing half my ornaments and bows on the lower half of the tree. I blame it on the little 17 month old who like to de-decorate it! :)

What was your Christmas like this year?

Wordless Wednesday: Baby Blue Cousins

2011-12-21T16:18:00.002-06:00

Let's Talk! {Part 3-Where I share my greatest failure as a wife}

2011-12-19T23:53:00.001-06:00

We are still talking about the questions and suggestions you had for me in my second blog anniversary post.

A common theme, seemed to be looking for recipes.

MamaHunfy said, "I'd love for you to post some of your favorite recipes!"

One of my best friends from elementary school, Janel says, " I would love to hear more about the types of food you feed your family."

lbellomy says, "I'd like to see more about cooking."

I have a total of 4 recipes that I can find posted on my blog under my label recipes. Four. That's it! I did not realize I had so very few until you brought it to my attention. Incidentally, three out of the four recipes are for desserts. I LOVE to bake.

Cooking is a whole other story.

If there is one area where I have failed at as a wife, this would be it. It has caused many fights, lots of tears, and yes, I'll admit some anger.

When we first got married we were both in school full time and working full time. We hardly ever ate together. Instead, I would quickly grab some crackers and cheese and Chris would grab whatever he could find and that would be our dinner.

Image Source: Realsimple.com

Fast forward 4 years later and we had finished school and just had Zoelle and all of a sudden I had to cook. Or at least try. Except Zoelle was somewhat of a fussy baby and at that time I wasn't into babywearing as much as I am today so setting her down wasn't really an option.

Fortunately Chris loves to cook and is actually quite a gourmet chef making up his own recipes for things.

Over the last few years, I have found it very hard for me to meal plan. I go in spurts. For weeks I'll do fantastic and then I'll lose that energy burst and start meal planning at oh 4 p.m. Another secret about me is that I HATE grocery shopping. I'm not much of a shopper in general but searching for various things in the grocery store with three kids in tow is not my cup of tea. Either is grocery shopping by myself as I can't make decisions to save my life. Yep, see my problem here??

This is me except I LOVE to clean (figures right?) Image Source: Pinterest

So far our solution is to have Chris somewhat cook, or him and I to cook together, and on rare occasions I will cook.

But I have a desire to really truly cook. And I know, despite Chris being super nice about it most of the time, he too really wants me to cook.

Finding the inspiration is not a problem. I love to browse pinterest or blogs for new food ideas! Cooking shows are one of my absolute favorite shows to watch! It's just transferring those ideas into cooking that overwhelms me.

So that is where I'm asking you all for help. How do you meal plan? Do you have any ideas for me that will make me want to stick to meal planning? And to start cooking?? Anyone do freezer meals? If so, do you like it?

I'd really appreciate any help you can give me. My goal is to put this out there as a challenge to myself so that way this next year I can do a good majority of the meal planning AND cooking on my own.

You can find Part 1 of this series here and Part 2 of this series here.