Happy Thanksgiving!

I feel very blessed today! I have an amazing husband who loves me very much! We enjoy eachother's company and help make eachother's lives easier. Is there a better way to get throught his life? I have three beautiful children. 2 boys and 1 girl. The oldest has moved out and works in a coffee shop. I am very proud of him. He moved out 1 year ago, and he has managed to keep an apartment, a truck and pay his bills for the past year. He is a good kid, works hard and knows how to have fun! My middle child, is growing up. I love that I can carry on a simple conversation with him. He is almost 3. We talk about his favorite things each day and for the past few months it has been "juice". My youngest is growing up as well. She plays very well with her brother. (minus the minor fighting that is normal for bro and sis) I am grateful to be in the phase where they play so well together. Today we have played Memory and Playdoh. Now they are contently playing with toys while I write this post. I think we will finish our Thanksgiving craft before lunch! I am also blessed with a great family and many wonderful friends. I talk to my moms and nana at least once per week. I meet with one friend once per week at IHOP. It is such a treat for me to get out one night per week just for me and enjoy coffee with her. I am blessed that I am saved by grace and not by anything I can do or not do! I love the Lord with all my heart! He is my friend and comfort in time of need! I am learning to lean more and more on him. To trust Him with the decisions in my life. Even the simple decisions, like where to go on Thanksgiving! I am blessed that we live such a simple life. I don't need fancy things and I hope to teach my children not to need them as well. I am blessed that I get to stay home with my kids. We enjoy playtime, mealtime and naptime throughout the hours of the day. They have been very healthy and I attribute that to me being able to stay home with them. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! My the Lord bless you and keep you in perfect peace!

My Baby Boy's Curls are GONE!

Today, my husband took Zeke to get a much needed haircut. The barber apparently misunderstood what a "Trim" means and literally cut all my baby's curls off! I am posting before and after photos. We are grieving the loss of Zeke's beloved curls this evening! To all you out there who have been asking "when are you going to get him a "little boy" haircut?" Well here you go!!

Marriage Books

I just have to share about 2 of my all time favorite books that are encouraging to marriage.

Created to be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl

Wife after God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

I read and have reread several times Created to Be His HelpMeet right after Mike and I got married. This book is very direct in regards to godly submission and how a wife is to treat her husband. It is very practical and easy to follow. It has lots of stories and practical application. There are sections/chapters relating to serving your husband, time management, children, being frugal and so much more. One chapter that I just love has a menu plan for an entire week. You use the leftovers to make your meals go further. I just love it! She also includes a great Spaghetti sauce recipe that I use often and freeze so that I have lots of spaghetti sauce in the freezer. I then use this for pasta and pizza.

I read Wife after God's own heart about a year ago and have been reading on it a little recently. This book also has tons of practical application. She has listed 12 different categories that really matter in marriage. She goes into detail on each one with scripture and practical ways to put this into practice. At the end of each chapter she lists specific things you can do to make a difference in your marriage relating to that topic.

I enjoy reading books that encourage me to be a better wife, mom and woman! If you have any books you just love, leave a comment!

Christmas Cards

I have noticed a couple of ways to get a great deal (maybe even free) on your Christmas Cards this year!! I hope to take advantage of this as soon as we get ours taken!

Below are links to www.moneysavingmom.com where she has information about these great deals. Enjoy!

Vistaprint - Holiday Address labels and Postcards
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/11/140-custom-holiday-address-labels-for-3-shipped.html

50 Free Photo Cards (I hope to take advantage of this)
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/11/50-free-photo-cards-with-free-shipping.html

Kodak Gallery - $15 Free to the first 100,000
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/11/kodak-gallery-free-15-gift-to-the-first-100000-available-again.html

Online Purchases

I follow www.moneysavingmom.com on a regular basis. She always has wonderful things to say and great deals to get!

Recently I was reading on her blog about purchasing online. She has lots of links to sights where you can get coupon codes as well as where you can purchase and get $ back.

I researched this when I bought my laptop a few weeks ago. You do want to do your research before you purchase. I found out by going into Office Max that I actually saved about $160 by buying in the store vs. online. But just yesterday I researched for my mom on purchasing the Sketchers Shape Ups and she will actually save about $18 by ordering online. And shipping is free so they get delivered right to her door!

Below is the link to MoneySavingMoms blog about purchasing online.
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/10/make-your-money-go-farther-online-with-coupons-and-cashback.html

Proverbs 31 Wife

I don't know about you but I desire to be a Proverbs 31 Woman, Wife and Mother everyday. That doesn't mean I even come close to getting there even on my best days. When my husband and I got married I learned about this thing called submission and I also began reading more in depth into Proverbs 31. Really reading it for "me". I came across a website that will email you daily devotions regarding being a wife, mother and a woman.

Today I got a devotion that I definately needed to hear. I have been bickering with my husband over the past few days. Not over anything big just some insecurities of my own that I tend to blame on him. (I have to be honest and say that it takes me a while to admit that this is what was going on, hence I said I have been bickering for a few days)

The part that spoke the loudest to me in this devo was where she said to "be silent". I have the hardest time being silent. If Icould just figure out how to keep myself from having the "last word" we would all be okay. But I tend to think it is my job to tell my husband what he is doing wrong and how to fix it. Boy does that not work well in marriage.

SO for today I will learn to be silent. I will choose my words wisely. I will pray and speak the truth over my heart and my family. I will love and serve my husband every day. I will teach my daughter what it means to be a Proverbs 31 wife, woman and mother!

I have put the link below to the devotion. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!

http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2009/11/battles-within.html

Halloween 2009

Here are our pics from Halloween. I hope you all enjoy them. The kids had a blast and of course we have more candy than we will ever eat.

The Adams Family - First Baptist Denton Carnival 31

Group Shots - Delia - Vampire , Abi - Ballerina , Zeke - Rockstar

Abi - Playing Castle Ring Toss game Zeke sliding down slide (that is Mike's head)

Abi watching Zeke Zeke tossing ball to knock over Milk bottles (he knocked
all of them down)

Zeke the Rockstar Abi looking sooo sweet

Daddy helping Abi toss in the bean bag. She knew exactly what to do.

Homemade crayons

I have been reading a new blog lately. http://www.crockpot365.blogspot.com/. Her name is Stephanie and in 2008 she made a resolution to make something in her crockpot every day for a year. She did it and her blog boasts with wonderful recipes. One that was interesting to me recently was Crockpot Crayons. My 1 year old generally eats our crayons so I thought trying out the chunky crayons my be a good idea. I did not use the crockpot because my muffin tin would not fit but I did include the link for Stephaines Crockpot Crayons experience.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-make-crockpot-crayons.html

I took all of our broken crayons and broke them up into small pieces. I lined my mini muffin pan with foil and seperated the crayons into each tin by color. I made sure to press them into the holes. Then I put them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5-10 minutes. They seemed to melt pretty quick. I then took them out to cool. Once they were a little cooler I put them in the freezer to cool quicker. After that they popped out of the foil pretty easy. Now the true test will be to see if Abi will color with them!!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Raisin cookies

I had the pleasure of spending yesterday evening with my friend Olivia's daughter Ariel. She is 3 weeks younger than Zeke and since Zeke went to bed at 5:30pm last night (and yes he slept until 6:30am) it was just me, Ariel and Abi and later Ariel's sister Analiese. We decided to bake some cookies. Mike had asked me earlier yesterday to make him some oatmeal raisin cookies. Since I had cooked pumpkin all day I figured it would be fun to try that in the cookies. I got the base of my recipe from a Beter Homes and Gardens cookbook but I made several changes. I do not have pictures but will be happy to include the recipe.

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup agave necter
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs (I substituted with 2 TB flax seed mill + 1/3 cup water)
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup brown rice flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup cooked pumpkin (you could use canned)
1/2 cup raisins

Mix butter, brown sugar, agave, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves until combined. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix. Add flour. Mix. Add oats, pumpkin and raisins. Mix well.
Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

I also put balls of cookies on cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen I remove and place in freezer bag to pull out any time you or your husband want cookies.

I plan to try this again and omit the brown sugar. I will have to let you know!

Enjoy!!