tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31084010091275343092011-06-08T01:30:54.478-05:00Focusing on the blessings in my lifeRelishing Lifenoreply@blogger.comBlogger371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-67349299512789833372009-03-06T00:15:00.005-06:002009-03-21T16:01:17.020-05:00

As I am in the process of unpacking and finding my way around my new location, things are a bit dusty and boxes are piled high. Please excuse the mess while I settle in and learn how to best utilize my new space. But, as a friend, I invite you to join me in my new home - mess and all.RelishingLife.netPlease come and visit me at my new home!(Please excuse the mess here as well. I have already

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-34341784071321956612009-03-04T21:27:00.007-06:002009-03-06T09:00:22.874-06:00

The Happy Housewife asked for ideas for date night at home. Seeing as we are living very frugally (although occasionally treat ourselves to a date that includes paying for a sitter (we don't have any family nearby)), we have been embracing date nights at home for a while now. But, having date nights - at home or otherwise - requires more than just planning something that isn't part of the

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-90968605925873235222009-02-19T22:27:00.003-06:002009-02-19T23:02:48.659-06:00

The little ones have been ill for the past week now. I have been a bit under the weather, but the poor boys have been in hit pretty hard. It turns out that our older son is fighting (with the help of antibiotics) a double ear infection as well as the flu while our younger son is combating the flu alone. This is actually the second round in our house since last Friday which began with the

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-42013169184680298472009-02-16T00:01:00.002-06:002009-02-16T00:01:00.614-06:00

I have been very blessed to have found several different sites that offer free homeschooling resources. (Lori at Freely Educate has been my greatest source of free homeschooling information and referred me to this terrific resource!) One of my favorites is the Homeschool Freebie of the Day. I have it set as my home page so that I don't miss a single resource! The Homeschool Freebie of the Day

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-31724595007288854582009-02-13T00:01:00.004-06:002009-02-13T00:01:01.126-06:00

Growing my resolve that I will not give into the bad behavior of my toddler who keep openly defying me. Growing patience as I repeatedly put K back in the corner as he refused to "do his time." Growing a deeper gratitude for the time and effort that my mom put into my "child training" helping me to be one of those children that parents comment on their good behavior (at least that is how I

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-72952476988334151102009-02-12T04:01:00.000-06:002009-02-12T16:55:34.652-06:00

J loves baking with me. His favorite thing to make? BROWNIES! J is a very picky eater - but he loves brownies and really enjoys baking them. J and I have the recipe for the best brownies ever!!Best Brownies EVER2 boxes of your favorite brownie mixIngredients to add to the mix per directions on the boxShorteningHuge bowl for mixing9 x 13 glass baking dish1 sandwich baggie1 wooden spoon1 bowl

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-84630310996953970962009-02-12T01:06:00.000-06:002009-02-12T01:06:17.689-06:00

I am blessed at being able to find good deals. (Now, I am not able to find may free items or pay only pennies for items, but I usually save about 40% on our household/grocery shopping.) This is balanced by the fact that I tend to procrastinate and forget about the *deals* that needed to be repackaged for freezing as their expiration dates near - and sometimes (more often than I would like!)

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-57691162907680773852009-02-11T15:42:00.001-06:002009-02-11T15:48:02.045-06:00

"What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it. It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-81771253176836519642009-02-11T07:00:00.003-06:002009-02-11T07:00:00.214-06:00

Ah, yesterday was refreshing with the warm sun melting most of the snow and the kids being able to play outside without coats or even a jacket on! The boys enjoyed splashing about in the puddles and completely covering themselves in mud. I was able to air out the house and bring that fresh, crisp smell back inside. (Although, now, I see just how much dusting I need to do. LOL!) The sunshine

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-50693092719629159992009-02-10T15:38:00.007-06:002009-02-11T14:32:53.962-06:00

Contemplating purchasing the wonderful ebook, A Month of Meals? Well, Jamie has been very kind in offering Money Saving Mom readers this terrific resource ALONG with a 14-page bonus resource for the super low price of $4 for the next three days only (through February 12th)!!!! Read what Crystal from Money Saving Mom has to say about A Month of Meals. This is a great investment!! Now is the

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-65608056830465032862009-02-10T15:27:00.003-06:002009-02-11T16:45:30.770-06:00

The quick and easy recovery of my grandma who had a heart attack and splint put in a week ago.The boys giggling as they are playing in the backyard. Such a beautiful sound!!The unseasonably warm day.The presents of my wonderful husband who is working from home today.The peace of knowing that all that *needs* to be accomplished will be.Our loving and supportive extended family.The time to

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-70355238194620960482009-02-09T14:12:00.003-06:002009-02-11T16:45:30.771-06:00

A fresh start, a new beginningPast mistakes erased, poor choices forgivenA chance to thrive under new circumstancesThe opportunity to become who you were meant to beWhen blessed with a fresh start, make the most of it! Every moment is a fresh start to some degree. Make the conscience decision to make better decisions every moment from here on out. All decisions won't be the best, we are

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-72052522487922990902009-02-03T00:07:00.004-06:002009-02-11T16:45:30.772-06:00

What is tomorrow without today?What is a marriage without love?What is the future without hope?What is food without nourishment?What is an embrace without caring?What is knowledge without learning?What is friendship without sharing?What is love without giving of ourselves?All of these are empty vessels if without the substance behind them that make each a wonderful blessing. I choose these

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-19791269085269467502009-02-02T12:47:00.010-06:002009-02-11T16:45:30.772-06:00

If we all wish for the days of our childhood when we were free of adult responsibilities, why are we pushing our children to grow up so fast by taking away their free time and instituting formal education at a younger and younger age? Why is it that we wish to be carefree and playful like children yet we are always telling our children to be quiet, "act your age" (which is another way of saying

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-31805834345815491132009-02-01T09:56:00.005-06:002009-02-11T16:45:30.773-06:00

There are so many blessings to be thankful for this morning!! The one that my mind keeps returning to is my marriage. Saying that we have been through a lot over the years is a bit of an understatement. We haven't always seen things eye-to-eye nor have we handled situations in the manner that the other needed at the given moment. We haven't been there for each other the way that was needed by

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-65932364447328207492009-02-01T09:29:00.006-06:002009-02-10T20:37:06.764-06:00

WOW!! I am so blessed! I won A Month of Meals ebook by Jamie at Baby Get Green through the giveaway Tsh on SimpleMom.net was hosting!! This is a wonderful ebook that provides you with everything that you need to create "a month of meals" - minus the food and the cooking ;-) . Jamie creates a easy to follow menu plan with simple recipes with inexpensive ingredients and make-ahead foods so that

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-61396122890550176322009-01-30T08:56:00.004-06:002009-01-30T09:05:48.800-06:00

Suzanne at eBay Selling Coach is giving away her recently updated Stay-at-Home Mom's Guide to Successful eBay Selling ebook (this book is also available on Amazon.com in a print version). So, if you or someone you know would like to make money on eBay, download her book.

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-91712208527245899552009-01-29T21:05:00.002-06:002009-01-29T21:12:05.104-06:00

Wow!! Can you believe it? I can't! Tsh from SimpleMom hosted a giveaway this week, and I won 50 Mommy Cards from Angie Warren Designs!!! The cards are so cool! It is going to be hard to decide on which one I want! I can't wait to use them!! Thank you, Tsh! And, thank you, Angie!!

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-67830459982417110162009-01-27T21:16:00.009-06:002009-02-10T20:26:50.878-06:00

Ahh... the blessings of an intelligent child! How is it that we so excited that our child is bright, yet when they do something that is "helpful" they are being naughty and we find ourselves exasperated?!?! Sunday was one of those days! Actually, it was mostly amusing, but at the same time I had this sinking "we are in deep shit!" feeling about J, our 4-1/2 year old son.J was able to

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-49018315858698824032009-01-24T22:55:00.005-06:002009-02-11T16:45:30.773-06:00

Where is your favorite place at your house to be? Mine is my bed! No, not for sleeping or other fun activities ;-) although I do enjoy those endeavors very much! My bed is a place that I love to spend time in alone or with DH or our DSs. I enjoy laying around on our bed just talking about our day or even more important topics such as our inner most thoughts and dreams or the problems we are

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-47374078863704504962009-01-21T19:40:00.004-06:002009-02-11T16:50:48.747-06:00

A funny picture just popped into my mind as I opened this post. Dori from Finding Nemo singing, "Just keep swimming." How often that is our mantra. Just keep on keeping on. Today we didn't accomplish everything that I would have liked, but we did get quite a bit done. The chores that aren't completed will wait until tomorrow as we just keep going about our day until we are able to complete

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-57458953323917691412009-01-14T22:26:00.005-06:002009-02-11T16:50:48.747-06:00

Have you ever found yourself barraged by internal turmoil? It is at this point in my life that I am both liberated and confined. I am liberated in the sense that I know who I am, who I would like to be and what I am capable of. I am confined in the sense as I have a family to take care of (which I very much love doing!) and do not have the freedom to pursue my dreams in the way one can tend to

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-32102015637244821632009-01-13T23:10:00.002-06:002009-01-13T23:12:32.169-06:00

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-85391018813848653342009-01-12T21:49:00.004-06:002009-02-10T20:27:22.919-06:00

eWell, our boys just LOVE playing along when we play Guitar Hero! (I haven't the heart yet to let them use the actual game instruments; they use their regular preschool instruments and microphones to play and sing along as well as a guitar that doesn't work anymore.) DH went out of town on business this morning for most, if not all, of this week. So, the boys and I had a singfest with Guitar

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-59986967211907934062009-01-11T23:10:00.004-06:002009-02-10T20:36:07.504-06:00

Today was one of those wonderful winter days! DH took our boys, the two neighbor boys and myself sledding. It was a blast! (Okay, I only went down once and it was on a SMALL hill and even then I said some things on the way down that Mom would have washed my mouth out with soap for - oops!) All of the boys had a blast sledding down the big hill with the exception of the little one (2-1/2 years

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-60589880156429273032009-01-09T22:04:00.007-06:002009-02-10T20:35:10.357-06:00

One of my favorite parts of being Mommy is story time. The sweet snuggles and cuddles of curling up with my sons to read a pile of books fills my heart to the brim. It is such an intimate time for the three of us - the physical closeness and that ever-lasting bond of sharing such a precious moment. I will always treasure these moments!

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-31181196174225049822009-01-09T01:31:00.005-06:002009-02-10T20:30:57.759-06:00

I am trying very hard to be as frugal as possible. It is a fun game for me! I love saving money! The problem has been not buying just because it is a "deal." So far, so good. I am trying to plan out our meals and only buy what we need for our plan - or what I KNOW that I can integrate into our plan in upcoming weeks. I have also unsubscribed to all email "ads" and have removed all catalogs

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-88392116803662373222009-01-08T00:01:00.000-06:002009-01-08T00:01:00.351-06:00

"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-69128562904911593032009-01-07T00:01:00.003-06:002009-02-10T20:38:14.019-06:00

"Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more." - Brother David Steindl-Rast

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-39107305957647273052009-01-06T23:47:00.002-06:002009-02-11T16:45:30.774-06:00

Ah... The day is none. All of the chores that are going to be accomplished today have been completed. The house is still and quiet (with the exception of the dish washer!) inviting us to join the children in slumber. Ah, what a wonderful feeling! As I reflect over the day's accomplishments - taking the kids to the library, chores done, Christmas items packed away (still taking it all down),

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-67385244687071176142009-01-06T00:01:00.000-06:002009-01-06T00:01:00.699-06:00

"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." -M. Scott Peck

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-48848308242085317402009-01-05T00:01:00.001-06:002009-01-05T00:01:00.812-06:00

"When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace."-H.H. The Dalai Lama

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-3654277257047338242009-01-04T00:04:00.001-06:002009-01-04T00:05:57.621-06:00

"It is very hard to say the exact truth, even about your own immediate feelings – much harder than to say something fine about them which is not the exact truth." - George Eliot

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-24967129403210871072009-01-03T23:48:00.004-06:002009-01-03T23:58:26.429-06:00

"But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?" - Albert Camus

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-50908113274822723872009-01-03T10:06:00.009-06:002009-03-25T12:25:57.139-05:00

Ah! The joy of someone you love returning home from a trip is wonderful! The boys and I picked DH up from the airport this morning after having gone on a trip to visit his dad. The boys and I had fared well in his absence, but we are overjoyed to have him at home with us again. His presence in the house is warm and reassuring like being wrapped in your favorite blanket in front of a glowing fire.

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-55789222604123308912009-01-02T00:08:00.001-06:002009-01-03T23:58:56.887-06:00

"Life is short, Art long, Occasion sudden and dangerous, Experience deceitful, and Judgment difficult." - Hippocrates

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3108401009127534309.post-78085899903495010472009-01-01T14:40:00.006-06:002009-02-10T20:34:30.060-06:00

Wow! Today is the first day of 2009! It is the perfect day to implement new habits. There are so many things that I would like to work developing better habits for:Making good food choicesExercising (and making it fun!)Making time for myselfSpending quality time with my sweet husbandDoing more creative activities with the kids - like craftsImplementing a "formal" homeschooling program for my 4

Relishing Lifenoreply@blogger.com2