Month: December 2013


Dec
2013

My Goals in Action for 2014 + a Free Printable Goal Outline

categories: free printables
One of my favorite New Year’s Day activities is planning, praying, and dreaming through my goals for the next year.  Jed and I each write down our individual goals as well as those for our family as a unit.  I created the goal outline above to use for myself, but am sharing it with you just in case you need a handy dandy outline to help your brainstorming efforts.  Click here to download the sky & bokeh clouds version above or click here to download the white background outline below.  I’ve divided the outline in to 6 categories with room for three goals each as well as a section for action steps.  I’ve found the action steps to be the most important step.  Without them, my goals don’t happen and are relegated to the land of day dreams.  Action must be taken to achieve a goal.  
I’m excited to share a few of my goals with y’all, but I’m saving the big brainstorming for tomorrow because it’s our little tradition.  One of my personal goals is to lose 35 pounds by the time I turn 35 in June.  Actions steps for this goal include exercising 210 minutes per week and dropping processed sugar from my diet.  One spiritual goal is to complete my BSF Bible study every week in full.  An action step towards this goal is to get up before my kids to have quiet time with Jesus.  One of my physical goals is tied to my personal goal of losing weight.  I want to participate in one workout class per week.  Jed bought me Zumba classes for Christmas so I’m well on my way towards this goal.  One of our family goals this year is to become a fit family.  We will work towards this goal by doing something active together as a family every week.  One of our financial goals is to rebuild our emergency fund after it took a big hit with the great plumbing disaster of 2013.  We will work towards this goal by continuing to budget every month and by me going back to work for Young Life part time from January to June. 

What goals are you putting into action this coming year? 


Dec
2013

Meal Plan: Tortilla Soup for a Crowd and Bonus Holiday Entertaining Ideas

categories: Uncategorized

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carton Smart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

There is nothing like a hot bowl of soup to warm you up on a cold day, and this tortilla soup recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  It would be the perfect easy dinner for a crowd on Christmas Eve, or great for freezing portions for meal planning.  It can be made ahead with the crockpot or created on the spot.  It has just enough kick for the spicy food lovers, but is still kid friendly.  Bonus – I made it with Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Stock from a #CartonSmart container that is responsibly sourced, reclosable,  and 100% recyclable.  Learn more about how to Become Carton Smart with your grocery choices.  

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Now for the recipe…

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Easy Tortilla Soup for a Crowd (Serves 14-16)

Ingredients:

8 oz Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Stock

3.5 cups or 2 cans pinto beans

3.5 cups or 2 cans kidney beans

3.5 cups or 2 cans corn

3 cups or 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

3.5 cups or 2 cans plain chopped tomatoes

2 cups water

3.5 cups or 2 cans black beans

1 cup or 2 small cans diced green chiles

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 packets dry ranch dressing mix

2 packets taco seasoning

Directions:

1. Boil your chicken breasts until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  Then shred the chicken with a knife or use your stand mixer paddle attachement.  By the way, shredding chicken with a stand mixer is the single most useful thing I’ve ever learned on Pinterest.  It will change your life.

2. Open all ingredients and add them to your crockpot or pot, stirring to mix well.  Do not drain or rinse any of the ingredients.  You can use Tetra Pak, canned, or frozen items.  If using frozen, please add additional chicken broth as needed.  Always recycled your containers – Tetra Pak and cans.  

3. Add the cooked chicken and bring to a boil (pot) or cook on low for at least 2 hours (crockpot).  After it reaches a boil, let simmer on low for 45 minutes or until ready to serve.  Done!

Serve with diced avocado and crushed tortilla chips.

A few other #CartonSmart food ideas: 

Our Pearl Girl is loving the Pacific Foods Pumpkin Puree.  It is a perfect ready made organic baby food or addition to any pumpkin recipe or substitute for oil in any baking recipe.  The possibilities are endless.

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Need a delicious cranberry sauce to add to your table?  Try Pacific Foods Organic Cranberry Sauce ready made for dining.  You can also put it on top of an 8 oz block of cream cheese and serve with crackers for a simple and tasty appetizer, or bake it on top of a wedge of brie cheese wrapped in crescent roll dough.  I love options.

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For more recipe ideas Follow #CartonSmart on Pinterest.  And check out their Twitter feed here: Tweet @CartonSmart.   If you like this recipe, be sure to pin it on Pinterest or share on other social media.  

Visit Sponsor's Site


Dec
2013

Pamper Your Lips with Three Perfect Gifts {Stocking Stuffer Ideas}

categories: beauty

This amazing phenomenon happens often in our house where Santa (me) fills all the stockings but no one remembers to fill mine.  If Santa (Mommy) gets left out at your house, too, it’s not too late to remedy the situation.  Shop Rodan + Fields Dermatologists now to grab a few stocking stuffers to pamper the lips of a loved one or your own.  With two day shipping available you can order up until the 22nd for Christmas delivery.  Here’s the top three stocking stuffers for your lips from the doctors of R + F, personally recommended by my sister (a R+F consultant) and me:

1) Essentials Lip Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 25
Take your lip care to a whole new level of moisture and protection with this 2 pack of lip shield for $16.  Use it throughout the day for smooth, supple, protected lips.  When asked to describe this product one word always comes up: “Fantastic.”

2) Enhancements Lip Micro-Dermabrasion
Winter is hell on lips, as we all know.  Combat the dry dead skin with micro-dermabrasion technology created specifically for your lips.  They will be instantly smoother and healthier and you will notice a difference almost immediately.  The Enhancements Lip Micro-Dermabrasion stick retails for $16.

3) Redefine Lip Renewing Serum
If your lips are starting to show your age, this serum is for you.  Use it after the micro-dermabrasion at night for silky smooth lips and you will quickly notice a change in the texture of your lips as well as a reduction of wrinkles.  Start with a package of 60 capsules for $53. One capsule lasts me 3 nights, making it a six month supply of capsules unless you are Angelina Jolie.

Become a Preferred Customer before December 31st and receive a free copy of the national bestseller Write Your Skin a Prescription for Change.  Preferred Customers also get at least 10% off all orders and free shipping.


Dec
2013

Our 2013: A Year in Review

categories: family
This past year was a great one for our family.  To help me reflect on it as a whole, I’m joining the lovely Nicole from Three 31 (who is due to have a sweet baby any day now) for a year in review link up.  After you’ve read about our year, click through the link up at the bottom of this post to read from a ton of fun folks and get inspired. 

What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
I gave birth to my sweet daughter, our second child, and had a healthy normal birth after a prior c-section.  This VBAC was a HUGE victory and we are so thankful for the entire journey and for our beautiful, healthy baby girl.  

Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
It was a mixed bag, as always.  I always create a list of personal goals and we create a list of family goals together.  Without goals and dreams, I end up wandering aimlessly and watching reruns of the Real Housewives.  Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
So many of our friends had babies this year.  My sister gave birth to her 2nd son 6 weeks after I had Ellie.  We are thrilled to have cousins so close together.  
What countries did you visit?
We stayed in the US, but were traveling  six weeks of the year.  I love to be on the go, especially

What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
A full night of sleep… With two kiddos 2 and under I’ll just keep on dreaming.
What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory?
April 22 – My husband’s birthday and now my precious daughter’s as well.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Having a healthy baby girl

What was your biggest failure?

Not losing the baby weight.  This was a big goal that just didn’t happen. Yet.

Did you suffer illness or injury?

I sprained my ankle tripping in my house.  I’m a klutz for life, y’all.

What was the best thing you bought?

A new computer!!!  I love this thing.

Where did most of your money go?

We budget every dime, and that budget is tight.  We are debt free, so after our expenses we save for retirement, vacation, kids’ college funds, and big purchases.  Oh yeah, we also had to have the plumbing completely rebuilt on one side of our house.  Big fun. {sarcasm font}

What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Again, our new addition.  Sweet Eleanor is such a joy and a delight.

What song will always remind you of 2013?

The Avett Brothers – Father’s First Spring

Compared to this time last year, are you:

Happier or sadder?Thinner or fatter?Richer or poorer?
Happier, fatter (but not pregnant), and richer in everything that matters

What do you wish you’d done more of?

hiking & camping

What do you wish you’d done less of?

watching tv – We’ve dropped a bunch of shows and are only watching the ones we care about.  Sorry, Toddlers and Tiaras, ain’t nobody got time for that.

How will you be spending Christmas?
With my parents and brothers in Little Rock, after an early mini celebration with just us in Dallas.

Did you fall in love in 2013?
More every day with my husband and kids

Who were your best friends?

I have a wonderful group of girlfriends here in Dallas, as well as a handful of besties from my home town.

What thing did you do that was meaningful to others?

I started volunteering with Young Life again, in their outreach ministry to teen moms called YoungLives.

What were your favorite TV programs?
Nashville – because Connie Britton’s hair {among other reasons}
Scandal, Modern Family, The Bachelor (don’t judge), The Black List, The Mindy Project, New Girl, Bones

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I try really hard not to hate anyone.

What was the best book you read in 2013?

Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth – It changed my life and helped me get my VBAC.  It made me believe my body was made to birth.  If you are pregnant, I urge you to check it out of the library or order it from Amazon.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
I’ll call it a rediscovery.  I remembered my childhood love of classical music.  Nerd alert.

What did you want and get?
a healthy baby, a normal birth, a beach vacation, time with my family

What did you want but did NOT get?

my bathrooms painted – This is happening soon.

What was your favorite film of this year?
Hmmm… Well, I’ve seen one movie in a theater since the Bear was born, in 2011.  Yikes.  I really loved the new season of Arrested Development.  Does that count?

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went on a date with my husband, and it was fabulous.  I’m 34.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I had lost the dang baby weight.  I’m really sick of being overweight.  Now if I could just quit eating these cookies…

What kept you sane?

My faith. I try to spend time with Jesus daily, and He is my rock.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don’t really have any celebrity crushes, though I am more excited than I care to admit about Juan Pablo being the new Bachelor.  Judge me if you will.  Captain Hook on Once Upon a Time is a bit delicious.  I love Mindy Kaling with all my heart.  Michelle Obama is a rock star to me.

What political issue stirred you the most?
Gun control.  I’m from the south and grew up with guns around, but I just don’t understand why we can have computer chips in our pets but can’t pass a universal background check system for firearms.

Who did you miss?
My grandparents.  I think about them a lot as I watch my parents in their new role with my kids.  My maternal grandparents were really special and I still miss them so much.  I also missed my friends and family that live far away.  If I could have one wish it would be for my sister and her family to live in the same town with us.

Who was the best new person you met this year?
Eleanor Pearl, of course

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

I will mess up as a parent and I have to be able to live with that.  It doesn’t make me a bad mom or a bad person.  I have to depend on the Lord to guide me and pray to be the mama my kids need each day.

Quote that sums up your year:
Be content where you are. 

What sums up your 2013?

An InLinkz Link-up


Dec
2013

Frugal Holiday Guest Post: Spending Less and Giving More with The Three Gifts of Christmas

categories: budget, frugal, guest post
Today’s guest post is brought to you by author Jamie Younker, a mom of four and contributor to the brand new SmartMom.co.  Take it away, Jamie.
  
Last night the kids and I cozied up together on the couch to watch what is possibly one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, the old cartoon version of Dr. Seuss’s iconic tale- The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. We sat close together, watching in delight as the Whos down in Whoville, the tall and the small, celebrated Christmas without any presents at all. I felt the familiar tug of my heart strings as the narrator recited my favorite part of the story:


“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling. How could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

I remember my daughter’s first Christmas like it was yesterday. It was so fun to watch her wrestle with her presents, scratching at the wrapping paper with her chubby little uncoordinated fingers. She seemed to get more enjoyment out of the packaging than she did with whatever was inside. It wasn’t until her presents had all been opened, leaving her shipwrecked in a sea of wrapping paper, that we realized our mistake. We had been so excited to finally have a baby to enjoy Christmas with that we may have gotten a little carried away.

That got us thinking- what do we really want our children take away from the Holidays? Gifts? Toys? Santa? Christmas is so much more than that. It’s about spending time with the people we love. It’s about giving, not receiving. Most importantly it’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.  

No, Christmas certainly does not come from a store. But that’s not what the media would have you believe. So how can we protect our families from the enticing voices of commercialism that seem to be particularly loud this time of year?

I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I will tell you 2 things that have worked for us:

First, we wanted our children to spend less time thinking about gifts and more time thinking about others, so we started doing The 12 Days of Service for people in our community. As the kids have gotten older this has become one of our favorite traditions. Watching our children learn to put the needs of others before their own has been an incredibly rewarding experience.

Secondly, we came up with a plan to make it easier to resist buying unnecessary presents. When the wise men visited the Savior they brought him three gifts- Frankincense, gold, and myrrh. Frankincense was a useful herb with many medicinal purposes. Myrrh was popularly used as a perfume and burned as incense, for enjoyment. And gold was something valuable, something to be treasured.

(Now, before you tell me I’m wrong about these interpretations, please know that I’ve done a lot of research and I know there is much more to these gifts than my simple explanation. I also know that there is a lot of symbolism behind each one. However this is how I chose to break it down because it’s clear and simple, and I knew it was something my children could understand.)

We decided to implement the same philosophy in our family, so for Christmas our children get three things:

1. Something they need- A new coat, new socks, snow boots, etc…

2. Something they want- A toy from Santa

3. Something they will treasure- a homemade gift, or a family experience  

We figured if the three gifts were good enough for the Christ child then they are surely good enough for us.

And yes, you read that right- they get ONE toy. Before you feel bad for our kids, please understand, there is no shortage of toys at our house. In fact I am always shocked at the amount of gifts we accumulate during the Holidays. To my thoughtful friends and relatives who are so sweet to give my children gifts- I want you to know that we appreciate them. We honestly and truly do! So don’t feel bad when I say this- But what if, instead of giving our kids more stuff, we gave them what they really want? Us! They want our time, our attention, and our love, and it’s easier to give than you may think.

Which brings me to gift #3-Something they will treasure. This can mean so many things! Some years it’s a scrapbook documenting all the great memories we made over the past year. Sometimes it’s a coupon for a special date, where we can enjoy some much needed one-on-one time. Without fail, these are always our children’s favorite gifts. In fact, giving “treasured gifts” has been such a hit we recently carried the tradition over to birthdays as well. For example, my oldest girl is obsessed with princesses, and over the years she has collected more princess memorabilia than we know what to do with.  So for her birthday, instead of getting her another toy, we took her to The Princess Festival with her sisters to enjoy an afternoon together as family. She still talks about it being the best birthday she’s ever had! 

The reality is, years from now the majority of their toys will either be lost or broken, but the memories we create together will last forever. Our tradition of The Three Gifts of Christmas has blessed our family in many ways! We are more content to spend less. And we are able to fill our lives with relationships and experiences, instead of things. So as Christmas approaches and the store ads start popping up in your email and your Facebook feed, luring us in with their steep discounts and “Gotta have it NOW!” philosophies… just turn off the computer and turn on The Grinch, and rejoice in the wise words of Dr. Seuss. After all, there is no way that Christmas could come from a store! Because Christmas, of course, means a whole lot more!

About the Author: Jamie Younker is a contributor for SmartMom, an easy way to receive fast answers to all of your parenting questions from the convenience of your mobile device. Jamie has four beautiful children, and is married to her Superman. She’s a former Elementary School Teacher who dabbles in photography, musical theater, Zumba and baking… sometimes simultaneously 

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us, Jamie.  We are trying hard not to get sucked in to the consumer craziness of the season and stick to our Christmas budget while creating special memories for our family.  I love hearing ideas from other folks.  How do you teach your kids about giving during the holidays?  Do you keep a Christmas budget?  You can read more of my frugal Christmas tips here.
 


Dec
2013

Eleanor Pearl at Seven Months

categories: baby, family
Our Pearl girl is seven months old and pretty much unstoppable.
She is loud, fun, and fiesty.
She can crawl anywhere and is working on sitting up.
She is pure joy and delight.

She still doesn’t have any teeth, but chews on anything and everything.
She is loving baby puffs and pureed fruit, squash, green beans, and sweet potatoes.
She nurses 5 times a day and loves to snuggle up with mama.
Watching her big brother is her favorite activity, and the two of them just giggle at each other all day.

Her hair is strawberry blonde and her eyes are the most beautiful clear blue.

My favorite Ellie move is the fast crawl to lounging pose.
She’ll lean back on her elbow and survey the area.
So cute.
I forgot to add her stats in her six month update, and told a friend the other day that she weighed 14 pounds.  Not so much.  I checked her little binder from our pediatrician’s office and I was waaaay off.
Stats at Six Months:
She weighed 16 pounds 10 ounces.
She was 26 inches long.
We are so thankful for this happy, giggly, healthy girl.


Dec
2013

Three Easy Ways to Green Your Family Today

categories: family, green living, kids

Teaching our children to care for our environment is a responsibility, and one we work towards on a daily basis.  We try to make eco-friendly choices, but don’t always get it right.  One of my goals for 2014 is take more steps in greening our family and involve our children in those changes.  Thanks to the folks from Direct Energy for sponsoring this discussion.  They are planting a tree for every new Facebook like through the end of 2013.  Click over using this link do something good for our environment in less than 10 seconds.

1) Recycle Everything You Can
For many of you, this is obvious and second nature.  If you aren’t already recycling, start today. No excuses.  Check your city’s government website to find out recycling guidelines for your area.  Involve your kids by teaching them what goes in to the recycle bin and having them help with sorting.  Think beyond the basics.  Rather than throwing away old toys and clothes, donate them to a good cause, give them away through Freecycle or Craigslist, or sell them online.

2) Reduce Your Family’s Waste
We live in a throwaway culture.  If it isn’t useful to us at this moment it goes into the trash.  We create so much trash we are running out of places to put it.  Reduce the amount of trash your family creates by switching to something reusable this week.  We’ve switched to cloth diapers, cloth napkins, and cloth cleaning towels.  Next on this list is cloth baby wipes.  The amount of money we spend on baby wipes is crazy town, and I’m over it.  If you are intimidated about switching to a reusable product, trust me when I say it is easier than you think and you won’t regret it.  Pick one thing and go for it.

3) Get Out of the Car and Walk.
Living in DFW, I’m used to driving everywhere.  Our grocery store is less than a mile away, yet we drive there.  I’ve even driven to the playground near our house so the Bear can get some exercise.  What the what?!  Pick one errand this week and walk or ride your bike instead of driving.  You’ll reduce your carbon footprint and burn calories in the process.  If you don’t live in a walk or bike-able neighborhood, carpool with friends to one thing this week or park in one place when running errands and walk in between shops.

What green changes will make for your family in 2014?

Don’t forget to click over and like New Leaf Energy on Facebook to have a tree planted in your honor.


Dec
2013

Our Texas Ranchsgiving & My 2013 Thankful List

categories: texas, travel
We spent Thanksgiving at our sister-in-law’s family’s ranch near Huntsville, Texas.  It was cold but sunny and we had a great time.  The MJD Ranch and the Goertz family is always so welcoming to us and we love being there and with them.  Most of Jed’s family joined us there and we had a huge dinner complete with lots of football watching and outdoor playing.  The Bear had the time of his life.  Barns, cows, horses, and tractors are his favorites.  The Pearl girl decided she did not approve of pack-n-play sleeping and let everyone know it throughout the night.  This left us a little sleep deprived, but we still had fun.  Sweet Bear slept through the uproar, but I when I asked if he’d heard her the next day he said, “Baby Ellie was crying all night.”  Sorry buddy.  It was bizarre, because she was waking up so angry and nothing appeased her.  I tried every trick in the mama book.  It stopped as soon as we got home. Babies be crazy. 

Oh hay little Bear.  
This precious boy is definitely on my Thankful list for 2013.
Here’s the rest.  I’m 34, so I listed 34 things. There are many more, but I like the tradition of doing one for every year of life, taught to me by my sweet friend Betsy.  I had all my YoungLives girls start this tradition at campaigners, and it was amazing to hear their lists.  What are you thankful for this year?
1. Jed 2. Fisher 3. Eleanor 4. My parents 5. my siblings 6. YoungLives 7. being debt free 8. our house 9. staying home with my kids 10. this blog & the opportunities it provides 11. Grace 12. fall leaves 13. My grandmother moving to Dallas 14. blue mason jars 15. cupcakes 16. our new church 17. my salvation 18. Being a team with my husband 19. beach vacation 20. Jackson, my wonder wiener dog 21. fresh gulf shrimp 22. 3 playgrounds near our house 23. our neighborhood pools 24. MOPS 25. BSF 26. my new part time job with YoungLives Camp starting in January  27. new tires on our cars 28. a successful VBAC 29. the health of our family 30. the ability to breastfeed Ellie 31. cloth diapers 32. our budget 33. our emergency fund 34. God’s provision for our family.  

Christmas card pic, obviously.
What’s weird about all the attempts at Christmas card pics is that the Pearl girl looks super mad.  She is the happiest baby in the world 99% of the time.  That 1% was during the night of our Thanksgiving trip and any family photo shoots.  Ergh…

I’ve come to love a Texas sunset.

We tried to get a photo with all of the Eby cousins and their Paw Paw, but made the mistake of facing the sun.  The sun is like kryptonite for my blue eyed people.  This is the only one with most of the eyes open.  The Bear loves his big cousins.  We are so thankful for our family.


Dec
2013

DIY Baby’s First Christmas Footprint Ornament {For Under $2}

categories: crafts, diy, holiday
Teeny tiny baby footprints are one of my favorite ways to preserve a snapshot of a child’s growth.  I made a sweet and simple ornament for our Pearl girl’s first Christmas using one of her newborn footprints.  It was so easy to make and really inexpensive. Make your own Christmas footprint ornament to celebrate your baby’s first Christmas with the instructions below.

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