Author Archives: One Loved American Girl

Waiting

Posted on by

0

So here it is the “in between” the “busy” the “routine” that I have found comfort in this deployment. There are still some hard days that I cannot keep up with all that needs to be done but the routine of him being gone has taken over. We have found our nitch. The kids wake up and play and laugh and we pour over pictures of us as a family and they sleep (occasionally) and then it is my time to miss him. It has become a pretty normal part of my day but here dear reader I have found myself.

I have found through this deployment that I am pretty darn strong. Say what? Yep me who now carries two kids down the stairs at a time and back up no less than 17 times a day. I who sat in our parked car after receiving some unexpected bad news and still managed to catch a glimpse at my children in the rear view mirror and shake it off. The same person that dreaded sleeping alone at night and the empty silence can now drift off with prayers.

The point that comes is dark days are lighter here. Happiness is still found in Him. This could be a pretty wearisome lonely time instead days are spent squishing bath bubbles and studying birds with the littles. All because we melt into Christ now when strength is required. In this I have found strength alone. Therefore it is not loneliness I live in but solitude. Each day that passes as a family apart from one another we grow stronger in ourselves. We endure our solitude of finding ourselves further in Christ. Praising God for this time of discovery and bringing us closer to Him.

Psalms 62:5 My soul, wait thou in silence for God only; For my expectation is from him.

Was there a time in your life recently that you distinctly remember God bringing you closer to him through your solitude? A verse that you came to love at this time?

About these ads

Pin it Tuesday- Hair Bow Holders

Posted on by

0

This week I will be showing a craft idea I came across on Pinterest here. I thought that is just the cutest idea! But $15 plus shipping …hmm bet I could make it cheaper.

feb 017

Wooden block $1.33
Letter $1.49 with 30% off =$1.05
Paint and ribbon I had on hand
Felt 4 sheets for $1.00 I used less than three sheets for both holders combined
Felt owl template found here
And two gems for eyes I had lying around from a hair bow project.
Total for two- $5.76!

20130219-154942.jpg

I adore the way both of these turned out, and added some bows to send as well, and sent them out as gifts as part of my resolution to make every gift this year.

The instructions were simple and just made my way as I went.

feb 002

I painted the letter and wooden block using acrylic craft paints then used my glue gun to attach them. I then used ribbon to make to holder strings and wall hanger and backed the ribbon with felt and hot glued that to the back of the wooden block. To give it a more finished look I cut felt to cover the back of the wood as well and glued it to cover the attachments.

 

 

 

 

feb 009

For the sweet little bows I found instructions here

feb 019The hearts and owl at the end were very simple and pretty straight forward.

feb 020And ta da my first hair accessories craft item. With a girl in the house I feel many more projects coming this way in the future!

Weekly Goals

Posted on by

1

This week I did really well on somethings but somethings fell by the wayside as both myself and my older child came down with a cold. It wasn’t too bad to handle but the cold, rainy weather added to our lazier behavior this week. Even so we still managed to keep the TV OFF for the majority of the day and did some wonderful activities that I will share a bit later. And on the bright side the new baby steered clear of our sickness. With writing that I realized she is no longer a new baby as she has passed into the 3 month threshold.

Valentine’s Day was joyful even with out my sweet love since he managed to send me goodies even through the deployment. Now he can not ever say he was too busy any holiday for romance ( not that he would) since he still managed romance while fighting a war! Hope everyone’s week was as enjoyable.vday

Week of February 11th

Family/Motherhood goals

1. Take Valentine’s pictures of kids. The little ones came down with a cold this week so we are postponing this, again.

2. Attend weekly music class.

3. Take them to the park 2x.

Marriage goals

1. Finish reading The Power of the Praying Wife.

feb 001

2. Mail quilt to hubby. I love how this turned out and was very simple. I am not the best sewer but I worked on it from an idea in my head and it turned out great.

Household goals

1. Work on baby’s name sign and bow holder

2. Drop off donations.

3. Work on quilt.

Self Improvement goals

1. Attend FRG training.

2. Finish reading How to Potty Train a Toddler the Loving Way.

3. Attend FRG meeting. The date was changed.

Personal goals

1. Continue exercising 5x a week. I was side lined two days this week but will be back on the fitness track tomorrow am.

2. Continue no TV before 5 pm. ( This has been one of my greatest achievements for living with purpose goals. Not having the glare on during day as background noise has increased focus and organization so much. I will be writing more on this soon.)

Goals for February 18th

Family/Motherhood goals:

1. Attend weekly play group. ( The holiday canceled music class this week.)

2. Concentrate on number games this week.

3. Do two creative indoor play activities.

Marriage goals:

1. Mail Quilt.

2. Read The Power of the Praying Wife

Household goals:

1. Finish baby’s room bow holder and name sign.

2. Finish one March present ( I have 8 individual items to complete for upcoming special days)

Self Improvement goals:

1. Attend FRG meeting.

2. Continue Proverbs study.

3. Try one new recipe.

Personnel goals:

1. Exercise 5x a week.

2. No TV weekdays.

3. Start fitness progress journal.

Turn That Thing Off

Posted on by

1

A challenge! This year I have set out to be more proactive in my role as wife/mother/homemaker and friend. Everyday I am attempting to work on something extra so that at the end of each week I have something great to show for the time that has passed.

Not many people may admit this and some may not even struggle with this but I will ashamedly admit that my home does. We are far too in tune with our electronic devices. The television is on as back ground noise for a  portion of everyday and I was beginning to know the schedule of even the most mundane of shows during my last pregnancy. Not to mention the smartphone that I use for everything from recipes to couponing to an oven timer and the endless messaging of other mentally unstimulated homemakers.

There is no end to the reasons of cause for this. Pregnancy, injury, winter weather, depression, a physically exhausting job the list goes on and on for why one might veg during their down hours. Myself in particular had been pushed to watch or leave on the TV for more hours than I would have liked by an exhausting pregnancy as well as a few other smaller factors. So this year when I was making my list of great goals to achieve in 2013 I realized something:

-Make all gifts by hand this year

-Begin early homeschooling of my toddler

-Plan more day time activities that stimulate learning and creativity

-Support my deployed spouse by keeping a productive home and happy loved children

-Get back into great prepregnancy shape

…hmmm watching the next big thing on television was not a priority. Then why had I made it a daily occurrence?

So I have implemented some rules since the start of the year.

1. No television before 5 pm with the exception of using the Wii fit for myself during nap times.

2. Limit night time viewing by always having a task to do during those hours. Usually I fold clothes or do strength training when watching.

3. Show the children who I want them to be through actions not words. It is all well to say I want them to be healthy and productive. It is another thing to help them learn how to be those things.

So off the television has gone and in that time we have had some great fun. Exploring other ways to stay busy with a toddler during winter time is a challenge but I remember so many more great days now that our focus is where we would like it to be.

Articles like this one  from kidshealth.org have pushed me further to get back to basics with my children.

jan13 005

Pipe cleaner and colander activity found on Pinterest here!

So where is the challenge? I have enjoyed so much turning off the daily glow of television that I would like to challenge myself, and anyone else interested in joining along, in taking a no television approach to the week. Friday night, Saturday and Sunday will be the only days permitted with a use limit of two hours a day. I hope to change my family for the better and reinforce learning and creative play before any television viewing in our home.

If you haven’t been motivated by my testimony already here are 5 great reasons to step away from the noise box.

1. According to this article scientists found that sitting sedentary for 3 hours a day can cut 2 years off your life expectancy. Eep that alone gets me moving.

2. Television watching is said to lower IQ scores and impede memory.

3. Family albums do not usually have pictures of everyone sitting around watching tv. That is not the activity most want to remember so get out there and do something greater.

4. Obesity and television go hand in hand but so do mild pudginess and daily viewing. As I have gotten *cough* older I noticed I have to work harder to stay fit. Replacing watching hours with do something hours have made up quite a bit of that difference.

5. The more you watch the more you want to watch. Every time we sit for viewing hours we are shown commercials for other semi appealing shows.

Just turn it off.

I would love to hear of your own personal experiences with this challenge.

Goals for the Week of February 13th

Posted on by

1

First my goals for last week and how I did. How did you come on your list?

Family/Motherhood goals

1. Take kids to weekly music class
2. Story time play group ( I did not make this one as we had a rough night before and I decided they wouldn’t be up for it.)
3. Take Valentine’s pictures of kids
4. Read Bible aloud daily. (We made great progress reading it and praying daily but didn’t read everyday. Continuing to discipline our routine to revolve around God.

Marriage goals

1. Finish baby onsie blanket for hubby.
20130205-000043.jpg
2. Read The Power of the Praying Wife

Household goal

1. Establish a craft area
2. Continue working on quilt
3. Clean out closets

Self improvement goals

1. Begin exercise program (I am so thrilled by my dedication to this. I walked several miles this past week and did several different strength training sessions and one yoga session. I hope to get even more exercise in this week.)
2. Read How to Potty Train a Toddler the Loving Way ( I only made it half way through this goal)

Personal goals

1. Help another family
2. Reach out to another spouse ( I made dinner for another spouse and it was yummy.)
3. Reclaim our schedule after sickness brought chaos! Thank goodness some order!

So I didn’t accomplish everything last week but I heard if you reach all your goals they are not high enough. Here is striving for more next week!

Week of February 11th

Family/Motherhood goals

1. Take Valentine’s pictures of kids

2. Attend weekly music class.

3. Take them to the park 2x.

Marriage goals

1. Finish reading The Power of the Praying Wife.

feb 001

2. Mail quilt to hubby. I love how this turned out and was very simple. I am not the best sewer but I worked on it from an idea in my head and it turned out great.

Household goals

1. Work on baby’s name sign and bow holder

2. Drop off donations.

3. Work on quilt.

Self Improvement goals

1. Attend FRG training.

2. Finish reading How to Potty Train a Toddler the Loving Way.

3. Attend FRG meeting.

Personal goals

1. Continue exercising 5x a week.

2. Continue no TV before 5 pm. ( This has been one of my greatest achievements for living with purpose goals. Not having the glare on during day as background noise has increased focus and organization so much. I will be writing more on this soon.)

Love to hear others goals for the week!

Growing in Faith

Posted on by

0

“Bloom where you are planted”

One of the challenges I am finding daily is controlling the negative thoughts. Telling myself that these things I think sometimes are not helpful and pitiful. Exercising control over them. This is so much easier when everything is going my way. When all the colors of the rainbow are reflected in the prisms of the home and dance on the walls. When life is beautiful and our family whole.

Nights that sleep is hard to find are another story. I can’t believe I actually miss someone’s laundry, but I do.

Some days I think of the time left until homecoming and get down. And that is okay.

What to do with the days and hours between where I am and where I want to be? Reunited as a family, healthy and whole.

Pray. Lots and lots of prayer carries me through those nights of self-pity. The days I am carried by a devotion to live each day with purpose. Not letting them slip by without consideration for what I am trading for today.

It would be a shame to have someone I love so much sacrifice so many of his days with his family and not live them well. Honoring his service to our country by growing in faith and function are my choice. Even here alone on this hill with little rain and a hard wind this seed can poke through the soil as a new person. That new life found by the inspiration of watching him toil. Giving thanks for all that he is doing by simply “blooming”. Everyday pushing through the soil further.

So that when he returns he doesn’t find a wilted mess but something beautiful made better by our time apart. Not worse for the wear but more wonderful because of the experience.

Fellow military wives, or anyone facing heartache, breathe in and out and just grow where you are today. God knows it is probably not where you want to grow or where you flower best naturally but meet the challenge and show what strength lives in you. Trust that God has brought you here to show you how to get through. Maybe to show you to help other get through. When the days get too hard and you feel down shake off the dirt and just bloom.

Five Things

Posted on by

0

1. This weather. Today we spent an hour outside just enjoying the rays and breeze.

2. Energy. Fellow Moms relate?

3. Craft stores! Seriously best Momtopia shopping locale that rivals even the tempting shelves of Target.

4. Over flowing ideas! I’m am very excited to dive into the next few days of projects.

5. My crockpot for helping me look culinarily chic with minimum effort and planning.

Spread a little positivity. I’d love to hear yours link to your five or share here!

Great Money Saving Site

Posted on by

0

I just received an email informing me of my Ebates.com payout coming! If you do not use ebates.com to do your online shopping you are missing out on free money. All you need to do is go to the site and create an account and search the store you wish to shop at a list of coupons available and the cash back percentage you will receive will be listed. I earned $17.77 in the month of December simply by visiting them first! It may not seem like much but when you pair it with coupons and deal searching you can use it as another tool to cut costs. Love to see people save especially in these times.

Disclaimer *links contain referral codes*