how to BALANCE it all

I'm really overwhelmed.

Do you ever feel that way or is it just me?

I know that my tendency to make all things perfect is an added stress.

Sam is having epic meltdowns at the gym nursery so I'm off my routine.

We just signed T's contract for 2013 and I'm heartbroken he'll be at school all day.

I've taken a new job at work...the hours are the same but the mental workload is tripled.

Chris is training for a 50 miler and my knee still won't let me run more than 3-4 miles.

Two cars exploded and we had to get a new one.

And I've gained a few pounds even though my diet consist of coffee, almonds and cuties!

And 

as I'm typing this Sam is screaming at me from timeout!

I tend to be one of those people who feels such an extreme guilt for feeling overwhelmed like I should be capable of handling all life gives me with no anxiety. I AM LEARNING this is not how God created us...he created us to need Him...to seek Him...to find our comfort in Him. 

Romans 5:3-5, Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

On the way home from the Y this morning(it was 8:25 the class started at 8:15), I just started crying no really balling. I'm not a crier but I think here soon I may not be able to say that anymore. My first instinct was to let my anxiety overwhelm me but as we were driving down Quince we passed the preacher who waves every morning in front of his church. He waved and smiled and I just started praying...at some point this song came on and I realized I needed to "praise God in this storm". In God's perfect timing, during my "storm" he joined a sweet waving preacher with a song as a reminder that He never leaves our side.

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus:]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus]

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

[Chorus x2]

Casting Crowns-I Will Praise You in the Storm

ok...so im not sure I know how to put a tube video on the blog????

monthly menu planning

Do you MENU plan?

I have always planned our dinners a week at a time which I find very helpful. I'm not a big fan of grocery shopping so the better I plan the less I seem to go. I've been reading (on the internet) about the benefits of monthly menu planning...cost and time! One blog I follow, Confessions of a Homeschooler, has monthly menus posted every month. In December I decided to try it since December is always so busy...LOVED IT!

So this month, I planned dinners for the entire month again and then went one step further...I did my bulk grocery shopping at the 1st of the month. I only bulk shopped for the dinner items like pasta, meat, rice, beans, eggs, milk (i freeze it), oatmeal, coffee, pb, whole wheat flour, etc. I also bought the bread, veggies and fruit we'd need for 2 weeks while at Costco. 

STEPS:

1. write our menu for the month

2. on my scratch copy I wrote every item i'd need

3. went through pantry to see what i already had

4. typed a grocery list

5. sorted my grocery list by stores: costco, whole foods, other (i.e. target., easy-way)

6. when I got home i went ahead and cooked 1 whole chicken(i bought 6) and browned/separated the beef

So will I keep doing it? YES ABSOLUTELY

Healthy family dinners are really important to Chris and I so planning for the month just made it easier!

PROS

We stayed well within our grocery budget.

I spent less time in the grocery store each week.

I've only had to sent Chris on 1 oops grocery run.

I loved my weekly grocery trips to Whole Foods and Easy Way bc I had the big stuff already.

CONS

It is LOTS of work to write the menu, write my grocery list and shop at Costco.

If you are in the mood for something not on your list your kinds out of luck.

Buying in bulk up front takes lots of space...not something we have at our house.

{thankful for}

12. saturday morning basketball games

13. a dad who makes the best Sunday lunches

14. everyone who wished me happy birthday

15. my sister who watched the boys while i finished a grant

16. yoga class on an icy morning

17. lunch date with a friend

18. a VERY handy and patience husband

19. movie nights and pillow pallets

20. a MUCH needed girls night with sweet friends

21. morning snuggles with the boys pl

2013...a heart of gratitude

a heart of gratitude 

^“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude,”

Colossians 2:6-7

Several months ago I wrote this is my bible...

"My expression of gratitude is rooted in my dependence on His power, His strength.

If we aren’t filled with gratitude daily, the question we should be asking is, “Am I depending on and trusting in Christ?” (i'm not sure where it's from?)

My word of the year is GRATITUDE. 

For me that means "having a joyful heart"!  I think God has really revealed to me my need to have a grateful attitude and to cultivate that grateful attitude in my children as well. Having a grateful heart is not always something that comes naturally to our sinful nature so it must be learned. So like Paul in Philippians, I must learn to be content with my circumstances.

I think capturing life's little moments will help me have a grateful heart when life gives me lemons!I am hoping to capture a small moment from each day over the next year. Our life has been really busy lately and I want to capture life's little moments because photos make me smile. Sometimes at the end of a crazy day, I think what did we do all day? I know lots of the "moments" will be caught on a phone but that's ok. I find pure joy in scrolling through old photos and laughing at our week caught on camera. My prayer is that God will begin to move in my heart to see the good in life. My family has so very much to be grateful for...now it's my job to cultivate and model that attitude.

 Pretending the snow was still here!

Have you read The Reading Promise?

Chris and I both highly recommend this book.

What a gift to have two boys who beg to be read to!

I really thought once Tanner started reading he wouldn't be interested in us reading to him but he loves it still and we plan to keep it that way.

Bath time is crazy over here.

Painting with friends at our In-serivce

Entertaining himself in the car while waiting for Tanner.

Ummm...more drawing on the mattress.

Shopping for a project they wanted to do

Our morning ritual. After we take Tanner to school this is always the first thing Sam and I do when we get back home.

a report card treat

Do you drink Ugly Mug coffee? It's the best...especially mint cookie!

amazing weather with amazing friends at our amazing zoo

{thankful for}

1. new beginnings

2. days at home with my sweet boys

3. afternoon cups of coffee

4. God's provision...he is trustworthy

5. friends who are great listeners

6. a family bike ride

7. morning snuggles with Sam

8. Sam's teachers who love him and love the Lord

9. a pilates class

10. a lunch date with just Tanner

11. a beautiful day at the zoo with sweet friends

he made me a mom

Tanner you will always hold a special place in my heart because you made me a mom. You are handsome and sly, stubborn and smart, honest and rough, sensitive and strong-willed. You such a sweet friends...every time I turn around you have made a new friend...he got that from his dad.  You are a great student and such a loving brother. Sam adores you...always remember he does what you do...we oldest have big shoes to fill!  

I can not believe you are 7. 

I feel like I just brought you home from the hospital, watched you walk and saw your first tooth. Now you have 2 adorable big front teeth, you love to run like Daddy but you still come snuggle in my bed even morning! 

What you love at 7...

Tigers basketball

beyblades

Jack Sciezka books

Alabama football

building forts with Sam...using every cushions, pillow and blanket we have

telling everyone fast food is processed

trail riding with daddy

playing basketball

Bop It

Super-Hero Monopoly

CLUE

dancing in the living room

knights 

reading books to Sam

nerf guns

drawing abstract pictures

A to Z mysteries

Wild Kratts

History channel

playing chess with Big D

any graphic novel...especially Hardy Boys

Yolo

Muddy's

A few photos from his first sleepover...it's all he wanted for his birthday!

snow glorious snow

     I absolutely loved our weeks at home for Christmas break. Now that Tanner has school everyday I feel like a drill sergeant on school days. It's not that he doesn't get ready, it's just that we have to leave the house sooo early! I can't even remember when....but at some pont during our break it SNOWED!  The boys were in heaven. They played so long I froze to death...note to self...ORDER snow clothes now while they are on sale. They spent the last 30 minutes throwing snowballs at the backdoor while I was standing on the inside...they have never laughed so hard. It was precious.

The boys new boots from the Phillips' were very handy in the snow!

MERRY MERRY

We had such a wonderful Christmas celebrating with our sweet boys! Sam was really into Christmas this year. I think it was the 1st year he really understood the "reason for the season". Cupid, our elf, came a few days after Thanksgiving and Sam spent every waking moment asking questions about Cupid. He wanted to know "do Jesus and Cupid talk?" Tanner was starting to ask us really hard questions about some of the "magic" of Christmas. I was really sad at first but then I realized through all of his questions that he understands the IMPORTANT WHYof the season...Jesus' birth. The closer Christmas got the less questions he asked but he is my serious and practical guy so I'm sure his wheels are still turning.

We started our celebration of Jesus' birth with the Phillips family.

 We spent the next afternoon with my parents and sisters. There is something so nostalgic about Christmas with my parents. I love the little traditions they have for the boys some of the same ones they did for my sisters and I.

See that excited face on my mom???

My parents are SO hard to surprise with GREAT gifts because they always just buy it for themselves.

This year I took the boys to a friend, the owner of MiniMasters, to paint a painting for my parents. Look in the photo below to see the painting...its the long rectangle in front of the other painting. We also had the boys do a painting for Mr. and Mrs. Phillips. I think they turned out really well!

It's hard work being so loved and spoiled with oodles of gifts. The boys were exhausted after round 2 and we still had more to go. They are so very blessed. I hope that the things we do like Christmas shoeboxes, baking for community helpers and writing down our gift for Jesus help the boys realize how very blessed they are.

BEST GIFT...SNOWBALL FIGHT

(below)

We have played with these at least 20 times since they opened them. Mom ordered each of the boys a "bucket of snowballs" from etsy. They were about the size of baseballs, made from really soft fabric and the boys just blast each other! BOY HEAVEN!

Traditions. When my sisters and I were little we opened new jambes every year on Christmas Eve. My mom still gives us all new jammies every Christmas Eve. 

Chris and I wanted to give the boys a gift on Christmas Eve also so we decided a few years ago to do a new Christmas book.

This year we got:

Christmas morning

I always love to see what's a big hit Christmas morning. The boys each picked a play-doh set for the other and they played with them for hours Christmas morning!

I absolutely love gifts that keep the boys outside...our house is small and their energy is big!

Phillips cousins minus one sleepyhead. It was so much fun this year watching all of the little ones at Christmas!

glory to the newborn KING

Merry Christmas

Love,

The Phillips Family

Rev 19:16 KJV - 16 And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.