Archive for February, 2010
If You Give A Girl Some Lip gloss…
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
If you give a two year old girl some lip gloss she’ll probably want to smear it all over her face…
and smearing it all over her face will remind her that she has a big sister who would also likes to smear apply lip gloss. So she’ll probably ask for lip gloss for her big sister…
And once big sister applies lip gloss to her face it will remind her that she needs practice applying it to other people’s faces…
so she’ll ask daddy to be her model.
And once daddy agrees to be her model, mommy will thank God for having such a wonderful husband and father of her children…
……and remember that she has a blog where she loves to post about her husband and lip gloss loving girls
….. and then she’ll remember she has a camera and that this is a blog worthy moment
…And take pictures. Lots pictures.
……And post it on her blog. And when her little girls see the pictures on her blog, it will remind them that they love make-up.
So they’ll probably ask mommy for some lip gloss.
**100 Simply Mel points if you recognize the children’s book that this post is {trying to} reference
The Chubby Mama’s Fitness Plan
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
Although I posted this yesterday(2/25) the kind ladies who are hosting Losing It:Not Just Our Sanity are letting me link up today (2/26).
Losing It is a 10 week weight loss contest/challenge hosted by Mary, Jessie and Ashleigh. Click here for more info on the challenge. There will be prizes! But, of course, the biggest prize of all will be lost weight!! (Hopefully never to be found again!)
Check it out and join us!
My original post can be found below.
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I’ve recently stumbled on the will to actually stick with a weight loss goal recently. I haven’t been on it for long however but I feel good about it! I think part of it is because I feel like the proper diet and exercise will boost fertility but also because if I look pregnant I actually want to BE pregnant. That is not the case right now. I definitely look it. I weigh around the same a when I was nine months pregnant with both my girls! GROSS!!
So I wanted to share a couple of tips and what I’ve done in the past almost-two-months of trying to lose weight. Oh, in case you were wondering, I’ve lost five pounds. I’m not going for fast weight loss. I’m going for slow and steady.
The Daily Routine…
So, what I’ve been doing so far is trying to get on my elliptical 3-4 days a week for 25 minutes. I’m slowly upping my time by anywhere from 1 to 4 minutes every few weeks. I started out at 20 minutes and will try to get to about 35 minutes. Because I don’t want to be overwhelmed by the idea of exercise (which I hate), I will probably never be one of those people who gets on the elliptical for an hour 5 days a week. I will probably never go longer than 35 or 40 minutes. An hour just seems way too long to me! Half an hour is very doable in my mind. If I think of daily exercise in hour segments I get discouraged and think ” Ugh. I don’t have time for that every day. I guess I can’t do it”. Not to mention I’m beyond out of shape and an hour would kill me! But half an hour out of my day changes my mindset towards exercise. It’s weird but it works for me! I would, however, like to be able to fit it some form of exercise 5-6 days a week at some point in the future. Twenty minutes to half an hour is also very doable when you have small children in the house who are constantly trying to sabotage your exercise plans. I try to plan my time on the elliptical around a favorite t.v show that way I have something to look forward to. Right now I’m either watching “Yes, Dear” , “A Baby Story” or “Bringing Home Baby” during my workouts.
In the near future I would also like to start out doing Pilates 2 days a week and then progress to 3. I love Pilates because it strengthens your whole core with moves that incorporate your whole body. There are no sit ups or lunges or anything. And the beginners routine I have lasts 10 minutes and I can feel it at the end! The DVD I uses is very soothing and doesn’t go past 30 minutes at the highest level.
The Daily Mind Set..
What I’ve done is try to make getting on the elliptical as easy for myself as possible. I wake up in the morning with it already on my mind and the decision that I WILL get on that elliptical. I write it in my daily planner. I take my work out clothes down stairs along with my sneakers and tennis shoes so they’re right there when it’s time to use them. This to save precious minutes I may use to get sidetracked or to talk myself out of going upstairs to get that stuff. That may seem silly or trivial but every little bit helps me stay focused. I do this on the days that I take Katelyn to school in the middle of the day and know I won’t be exercising until later in the day. On days I don’t take Katelyn to school I go down stairs partially dressed in my work out clothes already. Then I pick a show I’m going to watch and set my work out time for then. Then, I keep a steady eye on the clock so I don’t miss it! Everybody goes potty, has a drink and a special toy to play with before I get on the elliptical. I told the girls they may NOT ask for anything while I’m on it. And I say this almost every time I’m on it- ” IF I….(gasp for breath) HAVE TO GET OFF… (gasp for breath) THIS THING …(gasp for breath)…. TO SEPARATE….(gasp for breath)…. YOU TWO…..(gasp for breath) … SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET IT!!!!”. (heaving chest, gasping for breath). The girls are starting to understand that elliptical time is mommy time and they need to be good and quiet or there are consequences after mommy stops gasping and heaving.
The Daily Food Plan……
If you know me at all, I love to eat. And I hate being on any sort of “you can eat this but not this ” plan. I usually give up on any plan that requires me to drastically change my eating habits, requires extra work or special food. Right now I eat what I want and track it on www.myfitnesspal.com I started in the beginning using myfitnesspal.com strictly as a food diary. I wanted to see exactly what and how much I was eating every day. I’ll just say it was scary.
It will tell you how many calories you need to eat a day for your height and weight. You can log in and keep a record of what you’ve eaten and it will deduct the calories from your daily allotment. When you log in your exercise it will add calories to your daily allotment (yay!) You can also keep track of your exercise and any notes about how you feel about your eating and exercising that day. Right now, my daily allotment is 1500 calories. When I exercise I get 300 extra calories to eat.
If you remember I’ve been trying to move to a whole/ real food diet. While that kind of diet is healthy for you the foods that aren’t fruits and veggies tend to have higher calories because they aren’t diet foods. I eat a lot of full fat dairy. The whole grain breads I eat have 110 calories a slice! So my portions can’t be very large if I want to have any calories left for the end of the day. What I’ve found is that even though my portions are smaller I enjoy the flavor and they satisfy me longer because the food isn’t “diet or fake. I’ve had to learn balance in my eating. I usually don’t count fruits and veggies (unless they’re covered in some sort of sauce etc) a la Weight Watchers. My whole family has been more adventuresome as of late and my girls are eating fruits and veggies they refused to eat before. And Mike? He’s eating salad! Actual grilled chicken salad with balsamic vinaigrette! And steamed carrots with salt and butter! He’s found he likes spinach!
Ok…..you can pick yourself up off the floor now. For those of you who don’t know Mike, he’s an UBER DUBER (yep. It’s a word I just made up) picky eater. For years he wouldn’t touch fruits or vegetables other than an apple. He doesn’t eat any sauces or dips other than barbeque and ketchup and the boy still won’t eat macaroni and cheese. Who doesn’t like macaroni and cheese?!!! Anyhoo…I digress.
So, eating healthier as a family really helps.
I’ve been having to eat lunch on the go lately because of Katelyn’s school schedule. I drop her off at 11:30 and then usually run errands for the two and a half hours she’s school since we live about 25 minutes from her school. I’ll admit… I hate packing a lunch for myself on those days so I don’t always do it. Nothing ever sounds good other than a couple of snack items. So, sometimes, I grab lunch at the two places close by. McDonald’s and Burger King!! But, I’ve managed to make it work for me. Madelyn loves chicken nuggets and fries as does Katelyn. I love McDonald’s chicken nuggets and fries! What I usually do is share chicken nuggets with the girls. I’ll get a 10 piece nugget and eat 8 pieces and give Maddy two (which is about all she wants to eat of the chicken anyway). If I eat 8 nuggets and a small fry that comes to 483 calories. Sometimes I treat myself to a sweet tea from there (which I LOVE) for 230 calories. I’m full and don’t feel deprived at all. At Burger King I eat a Whopper Jr with cheese and mayo for a total of 420 calories. I factor those things in to my daily eating habits and work accordingly. Some days I may go over and some days I stay under my calorie allotment. But I don’t over think it. If I eat unhealthier foods one week because of splurging eating out, I try to balance that out over the next few days with extra water, fruits and veggies. I’m trying to do what works for me so I don’t feel deprived and like I’m starving all the time.
I allow myself one “treat” every day. It’s usually after dinner when I’m really craving something sweet. And it’s usually Nutella on a piece of toast with a cup of milk. I look forward to that snack every day. I save calories for it every day. And, sometimes I still have it even when I don’t have any calories left over! It’s all about what works for you and what is going to help keep you heading towards your weight loss goal. Guilt and deprivation does not work for me.
Stuff I like……
Some healthy foods that I’ve discovered I like are Kashi Cereal. Especially Kashi Go Lean Crunch with honey, almonds and flax and Kashi Go Lean Crumble with blueberries and cranberries. I usually add about half a cup or so of frozen blueberries to that cereal and it’s a super filling and super healthy way to start my day.
I’ve also come up with a parfait snack that I love.
I take half a cup of Stonyfield Farm organic whole milk french vanilla yogurt and layer it with half a cup of frozen blueberries and half a cup of Grapenuts cereal. It’s delicious and nutritious. You could use whatever low fat or non fat yogurt you would like in place of the full fat type I use. It comes to 345 calories. I like it for breakfast too.
Have you heard of Sketchers Shape-ups? I bought a pair last November. They are pretty pricey but worth the money, in my opinion. I use these babies whenever I go grocery shopping or am going to be doing a lot of walking. First of all, they are super comfortable!!! I feel like I’m walking on a bouncy cloud! Secondly they really do work your glutes and thighs. If I wear them for half an hour or more of walking I feel it when I take them off. They are also good for posture and lower back pain. Am I burning a ton of calories and going to get in shape just by wearing these? No. But I feel like every extra lit bit counts. If I can turn grocery shopping or a trip to Wal-Mart into a toning session even better! I don’t wear them on the elliptical because of the wedge. They put me at a weird angle I don’t like while on it.
Another resource I turn to (not often enough!) is the book “Body By God” by Dr. Ben Lerner. Our Chiropractor lives by this book and gives copies away to his patients.That is how we came to own a copy!
There is a wealth of valuable exercise and nutrition information in this book. I highly suggest reading it! There are two things in his book that Ive been using lately.
1.Throw your scales away!
Ok, I haven’t thrown them away but I’m not completely depending on them as the gauge for my fitness success. His point is that our weight fluctuates and if we let our success be determined by the numbers on the scale we’re going to get discouraged and quit. He says to not even use scales and only go by your measurements and how your clothes fit. Muscle weighs more than fat. I hadn’t measured myself in ages and never used them as a guide. I now check my measurements once a month. I took my measurements late in the game so I’m due to check them for another week or so. For right now, I’m using the scale just to keep somewhat of a gauge on my progress here at the beginning.
2. Maximum heart rate and fat burning zones.
Each of us have fat utilization heart rates when we exercise. Usually that is 55% to 75% of our maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate is defined as “the number of beats per minute your heart should not exceed during exercise”. That heart rate is dangerous and painful. He talks about three different rates you can exercise at and which ones are the best. The Fat-Utilization Rate (FUR) is appropriate and comfortable for people at all stages of life and exercise.
The second one is the Performance Enhancement Rate (PER) which is 75%-85% of your maximum heart rate is recommended for serious athletes who are looking to make gains in distance and speed as well as burn fat.
The third one is the Sugar-Utilization Rate (SUR)- This is at or near maximum heart rate and not recommended. It begins to burn sugar for energy instead of fat . There is high caloric output but also high amounts of dangerous stress being placed on your cardiovascular system.
Here is the formula for determining your maximum heart rate=
220 minus Your Age
So for me that would be 220-31= 189. That’s my MAX heart rate level. The level in which my heart should NOT be beating while exercising.
To figure out my FUR rate (55-75% of my max heart rate) I would take 189 x55%= 103. That’s the lowest my heart rate should go to still be burning fat. The highest fat burning rate would be 189×75%= 141. So my FUR is 103-142 BPR. When I’m on the elliptical I try to keep my heart rate between those to numbers.
I know this post was long but I hope I wanted to share what I’ve learned recently and what’s been working for me!
I’d love to hear how everyone else is doing with their fitness goals.
Out Of The Mouth Of Babes (Wordful Wednesday)
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
Me: Why is Cinderella over here in the corner by the bird cage?
Madelyn (2.5 years)- Because she’s in time out. She be naughty.
Me: Oohhhkay
Katelyn (4 years) to Madelyn: I have to go potty. Lets count to five and wait for daddy to come out so I can go in.
Madelyn: Ok
Katelyn and Madelyn together: One, two, three, four, five…
Madelyn: …..Six, seven..
Katelyn: No! We’re only doing FIVE.
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Katelyn to me: Mama, are there a lot of numbers in Maxachussetts? (that’s how she says Massachusetts! lol)
Me: Uh….sure.
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Katelyn to Madelyn while in the tub: Madelyn did you know that if you’re blind you can put mud on your eyes and you won’t be blind anymore? That’s what Jesus did. He put-ed mud on a man’s eyes that was blind and then he could see!
Me to Katelyn: Yes, Jesus did that because he was Jesus and he did miracles like that during Bible times but that kind of miracle really doesn’t happen today.
Madelyn to Katelyn: Yeah, becauth(Maddy has a bit of lisp every now and then! So cute) ….if you put mud in your eyes……….you will have muddy eyes!!
(So much truth to this statement!)
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While watching ” A Baby Story” the other day ( still not sure how wise of an idea it was to watch it with the girls around ) Katelyn was captivated by the woman giving birth. As she was pushing Katelyn looked at me and said in complete awe and wonder ” IS THE BABY IN THE MOMMY’S BUM???”
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This post is linked to Wordful Wednesday at Seven Clown Circus 
My Top Ten Addictions
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
In no particular order, here are my Top Ten things I’m addicted to as of late
1. Blogging (duh)
2.Nutella-
Love this on whole grain toast. It’s been my snack here lately. Uses up a chunk of my calorie reserve but boy is it worth it!
3. Glee-
Cannot get enough of this show! It’s on hiatus right now but will be coming back on next month. Can’t wait!
4.Kona Coffee.
5. Audio books on my i-pod.
Especially murder/suspense/thrillers! My chores and housework go a lot faster while listening to audio books.
6. Facebook
7. The Kardashians
I don’t watch this show regularly but when I do I’m hooked! I can’t stop watching the train wreck that is this family! And it’s not fair that one family can have all this beauty. Spread the good looks gene around!
8. McDonald’s Sweet Tea- Another calorie buster but it’s soooo good!
9. Beth Moore Bible Studies
Love this woman and her writing! She is truly gifted by God in that area.
10. Catching up on” Lost” with my hubby in the evening.
I’ve watched up to season 3 and my husband is just now getting into “Lost” so we’re in the middle of season 1 together. We’ve been watching several episodes at once on Friday nights and weekends together. It’s been fun!
I linked up to Oh Amanda’s Top Ten Tuesday. Go check it out and link up your own Top Ten!
19 Months And Counting…
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
It’s been 19 months of trying to conceive a third child. Well, 19 and a 1/2 but who’s counting, right? (Me!!!!!) Almost 4 months since I wrote this post about my secondary infertility. I thought it was time to write about this sensitive topic once again. When I wrote that post almost 4 months ago I was obviously hoping that by now I’d have posted an “I’m pregnant!” post. That was not to be. I’m expecting “Aunt Flow” any day now but still maintain the hope that this will be “it” this time. I keep thinking ” How long is this really going to take?”. And I continue to feel guilty when reading blogs by women struggling with conceiving for the first time like Ashley at For The Love Of Shoes…..And A Baby Too. I feel terrible when I read that a dear friend of mine who has one beautiful little girl has miscarried yet again after trying to conceive for about a year. How terrible it must be to be able to conceive and go on to the lose the baby. Not once but many times over. How those two little lines that appear on that pregnancy test must hold hope and fear at the same time. I have so much empathy to give to women struggling to conceive for the first time because I was there. But then I wonder if they really want to hear from me since I already have two kids.
I’ve been hit recently by, what feels like, small” blows.” Three women I know have announced they are “oopsie” pregnant. And none of them are in a good situation for having children-i.e unmarried or not in a healthy marital relationship and in severe financial strain. You can say what you want about marriage being old school and not needed to raise a child but I still hold firm to my belief that it does matter. But, we’ll save that discussion for another day. Two of the women aren’t even sure they can handle a baby at this point! And I stand here looking skyward and saying ” HOW IS THIS FAIR???”. I’m in a pretty darn good situation to have another baby, yet, for some reason, it’s not happening.
I’m in an odd situation because of my secondary infertility. After doing some reading on the subject here I’ve found that secondary infertility affects 6 out 10 cases of infertility. That many couples struggling with secondary infertility are less likely to seek out a doctor because they assume once fertile always fertile. And in most cases couples suffering from SI don’t get the support from friends and family they need because they don’t feel it’s something they should complain about and feel guilty about desperately wanting more children. There are many people wondering why I write about such personal stuff for everyone and their brother to read. It’s for support! It’s therapeutic for me. And I hope that ,in some way, I can be a blessing to others as I write about my struggles.
The causes for SI are many times the same as they are for primary infertility.
Here’s what secondaryinfertility. org says:
Couples may find that since the last pregnancy, one partner had an infection, gained weight, or started eating things that aren’t* healthy for them – affecting their fertility. Also, as we age, eggs become of lower quality and sperm counts may decrease. In fact, abnormalities with ejaculate or sperm are often to blame for secondary infertility. From ovulation problems and endometriosis to uterine fibroids and pelvic adhesions, the causes of secondary infertility are often treatable – and many couples find that after just a few short months they are able to conceive naturally once their issues are resolved.
*Don’t bother clicking “healthy”. For whatever reason it takes you to a site completely unrelated to this topic!
The weight gain part is certainly one that applies to me and Mike. Which is why we are working hard at eating healthier foods and exercising not only to give our fertility a little boost but for overall health benefits. None of this will matter, however, if it’s not God’s timing for us to have a baby. I still believe that if God wanted us to have a baby right now He would have given us one. Maybe God wants us to be a little healthier. Maybe He sees some “behind the scenes” issue that we know nothing about that would make having a baby right now not a good thing. I don’t know! All I know is that I do trust Him, as much as I hate waiting and wondering.
Some days I’m really content. My girls are actually getting to the point where they’re “easier”. They’re bigger now so I don’t have to lug around as much stuff as I used to. I can take them places and not have to pull out a stroller or a car seat. (Although I’d gladly do that!) Other days I long for another baby so bad my heart hurts. And Katelyn has gotten to the point where she’s literally begging for a baby sibling! I would love to make Katelyn and Madelyn big sisters. They would make great big sisters! I truly don’t feel like they are “it”. I do have peace that God will give me more children. I just don’t know when!
As for the next step for us? I’m not sure yet. I will probably be having another ultra sound in the near future after (if??) Aunt Flow comes. Then we’ll see if the cyst is gone. After that, I have no idea what we’ll do.
A Bible verse that has been close to my heart here lately is this one:
Psalms 37:4-5
Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.
I don’t want my secondary infertility to define who I am. I don’t want to be ” Hi, I’m Mel, and I struggle with secondary infertility. Nice to meet you.” I want to be Mel,who delights herself in the Lord. Mom and wife. Blogging addict. Coffee consumer.
Another couple of verses that almost makes me laugh it hits so close to home, is this one within the same chapter:
Psalm 37:7-8 (bold mine)
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret in only causes harm.
Allow me some liberty to re-write this verse and show you how I think it applies to me :
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not get upset about other women who are getting pregnant before you when the circumstances are not right for it. Cease from thinking it’s unfair and forsake getting angry. Do not worry, stress or question God’s ability to provide another child for you. It’s not doing you any good and only causing you harm.
This is why I love my God and His Word! The Bible is applicable today even though it was written so long ago. And God is so loving and patient He allows me to yell ” IT’S NOT FAIR!!” and stomp my feet at Him. But then He wants me to stop throwing a tantrum and just trust Him.
I’d love to hear from you if you’re struggling with fertility issues. I would like to start a blog roll of blogging women who struggle with primary and secondary infertility.
And if you’re one of those disgusting fertile people ( kidding!!!) who wants to show support or doesn’t know what to say just tell us you care and love us and want to show your support. And if you’re a Christian tell us you’ll pray for us! (And really mean it!)
And, please, if you get pregnant(and are happy about it) don’t refrain from telling us or act awkward. That honestly makes things worse! I know women are getting pregnant out there every day and the world doesn’t stop because I’m not getting pregnant. I may feel a tug of jealousy and sadness for myself but I’ll still be happy and celebrate with you. You deserve to celebrate and rejoice as much as you want. It’s a wonderful occasion! But, if you’re not happy about it and wish you hadn’t gotten pregnant… don’t tell me those little bits of info. Keep those to yourself.
Sisters……Friends…..Princesses
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Having a sister is like having a best friend you can’t get rid of. You know whatever you do, they’ll still be there. ~Amy Li
A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~Marion C. Garretty
Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister. ~Alice Walker
You can kid the world. But not your sister. ~Charlotte Gray
Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some means of enjoyment in their power, which no subsequent connections can supply… ~Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814
Sisters are different flowers from the same garden. ~Author Unknown
If your sister is in a tearing hurry to go out and cannot catch your eye, she’s wearing your best sweater. ~Pam Brown
When mom and dad don’t understand, a sister always will. ~Author Unknown
To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other’s hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time. ~Clara Ortega
Happy Friday! Hug someone you love today.
*quotes taken from quotegarden.com*
Pet Peeve(s) Of The Day
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
You know you missed it. You know you’ve wanted to hear more about what peeves me.
Today, my pet peeves center around aggressive people. I think we all have people like this in our lives. And if it’s just me that has these type of people in my life, well, then, there’s something wrong with this picture!
* The scenario….
You’re telling your friends or a small group of people about some altercation you’ve had recently, be it with a store clerk, co-worker or stranger on the street. The other person was clearly the instigator and you and your listeners are getting riled up just hearing about the story. We all know that one person who thinks they’re big and bad who will say ” Man if that had been me I would have punched that person in the face! They’re sure lucky it wasn’t me that was there!” I’ve found that many times, that big bad person is a woman! After hearing that statement I want to say ” Really? You would really punch that person in the face? And, what, even if you did, you would be proud of assaulting someone and then most likely being arrested for it? Really?” I just roll my eyes every time I hear that. Those people think they’re so brave and bold end up looking like an utter fool. And most likely would end up wetting their pants and cowering in a corner if they were to ever attempt that. I would also like to add the people who say ” If that had been me I woulda let them have it! I woulda said, this and this and that…..”
You know what? Nobody knows what they will say in an altercation until they’re actually in it. You may think you would have all sorts of brazen things to say to the offender but when it actually happens you could end up being completely intimidated. I’ve found that the quietest, meekest people are usually the ones who hold up the best in confrontation! They’re the ones who end up having a strong backbone that nobody knew about. The aggressive people turn to jelly the second someone gets past their bold facade.
* The second type of aggressive person is the one who who always “speaks their mind”. There are the type of people who are honest, confident and speak their thought and feelings graciously and intelligently. Then there are those who speak their mind. And not only that, they walk around telling everyone that they speak their mind. Any time they are slighted in the least they’re in your face. Or if they are a coworker they’re constantly complaining to the boss about one insignificant issue or another. The boss usually rolls their eyes and groans every time they see this person coming. Those kind of people are usually a hassle to be around and aren’t doing themselves any favors.
The Bible says this about those people:
Proverbs 12 :23- A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.
Proverbs 15:12-The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
Proverbs 17: 28-Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.
Proverbs 18:2-A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.
Proverbs 18:6-A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.
Proverbs 20:3-It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
Proverbs 26:12-Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 29:20-Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Isn’t the Bible awesome? I couldn’t have said it better myself! Even though it’s an old book it’s God’s Word to us and continues to be relevant for every situation.
Dear Fool,
We don’t always need to know what’s on your mind. Sometimes it’s just better to shut up, get over it and walk away.
*The third type of person I’d like to mention today is the uber sarcastic person. The one who turns every conversation into a match of wits, clever retorts and comebacks. Those people are so tiresome! Don’t you find those people slightly condescending and feel like they are somehow always making fun of you? Sometimes it’s just nice to have a casual, relaxed conversation without having to be on your toes with a quick retort. Yes, they may seem witty and fun in a group or a party but we all tend to gravitate back to that meek and gentle person when we want to be real. And I’ve been at the receiving end of cutting sarcasm one too many times. I want to say to them ” Bravo! You were pretty funny and clever with that cut down. You must feel pretty good about yourself especially since I didn’t have a quick and clever comeback of my own. You can sleep peacefully tonight knowing you shredded my feelings and confidence today”. These are the same people that get upset and think you’re being a baby or too sensitive when you’ve finally had enough of their cutting remarks and say something.
The Bible has something to say about our words as well:
Proverbs 12:18 -Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 16:24- Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Now, I’m not saying I don’t like joking and witty banter. Although, I’d have to say I’m not good at the witty banter part! I’m always a few minutes late with that one! And I’m definitely not saying I’ve never done any of these things. I think one the lessons we can take home from this post is that our words do matter. Once you say something you can’t take it back. The damage is done no matter how much you were “only joking”.
So, what do you think?
Agree? Do the same things bother you?
Think I’m crazy? Think I’m way off with this post?
Peeved that I seem to have so many pet peeves??
C’mon…let me have it! 
)
Works For Me Wednesday-Handbag Headaches
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
I don’t know about you but I carry around way too much stuff. I feel like a bag lady sometimes. Not only do I have a large purse that I carry way too much stuff in, I usually also carry some sort of small back pack to hold wipes, pull ups, drink cups, snacks, emergency undies, small toys etc etc. Oh, have I mentioned that I LOVE purses? I have probably 15 bags large and small stored securely in totes in my attic. I also tend to like…ahem…expensive purses. Coach, Kate Spade etc. They also tend to not be kid friendly. *Sigh*
I originally bought the back pack style purse (shown below) in order to try to use it as an all in one kid bag and purse. So far it’s not working well. It’s not big enough! The other problem I have is that my bags never stay on my shoulders. So I also thought buying the back pack style bag would help that. And it did somewhat. The only problem was that when I carry it on my back it’s not easily accessible for putting things in and taking them out. After using this bag for several months I found out that I need to get in and out of my purse a lot! And if I didn’t have it snapped completely shut everything would fall out in the process of swinging it over my shoulder. Another irritation. This bag was also not easy to clean. I can’t tell you how many times juice and coffee and have spilled on it in the car.
And don’t even get me started on Sundays! We have a church bag too! The church bag contains our Bibles, Sunday school materials, notebooks and coloring stuff for the girls to keep themselves quiet during the song service before they’re dismissed for Children’s Church. So, that makes THREE bags I usually carry around on Sundays. Talk about a drag!! I’ve been thinking that there has got to be a way to streamline and simplify this process! Imagine if I was trying to carry around a full fledged diaper bag!! So, yesterday while at Target, I bought yet 2 new bags/purses bag (I know, I know..) with a plan this time! Work with me here..
In the two pictures below you will see the mess of stuff I’m usually carrying around in my purse. With my new purse system I’m hoping to clear out some of that.
Notice there’s little pieces of trash that pile up? Ya, I apparently don’t clean my purse out often enough. I’m also one of those women that carry stuff around “in case I need it”. That’s why I have contact lens solution and eye drops. I’m always afraid I”m going to be out in public and have a contact lens emergency. It hasn’t happened yet but it could happen!! Also, how many lipsticks/glosses does one girl need? Nine if you’re me!!
So, my goal is to carry around one bag, and one bag only, that I call a “mom bag”. I’m going to consolidate my stuff and my girls stuff into one mom bag. It’s needs to be practical,easy to carry and easy to clean.(Inside and out) It also needs to be pretty, stylish and roomy.
Enter this lovely, red-ish-orange bag I bought at Target yesterday. (pardon the slouch!) I have never been so in love with something 100% polyester(inside and out!) as I am with this purse. This picture doesn’t do it justice. It also has a longer strap that clips on so I can carry this bag over one shoulder and across my front thereby keeping it from sliding off my shoulders.
Everything will go into this purse for day to day errands. But then on the rare day when I’m going somewhere by myself and I need something much smaller but still practical I can use this cutie on the right:
The inside of this purse is also a wallet so I can throw in essentials for a day at the mall or whatever. I’m keeping it hanging on the same hook as my larger bag for easy access.
What I’ve done and/or will be doing is throwing away all of my lipsticks that I’ve had for ages and kept my nice Mary Kay ones that are newer. I’m also getting hand lotion and hand sanitizer that is travel sized to keep in my purse rather than the big ones I have now. Not sure what to do about my coupon organizer yet….it certainly takes up a lot of space! Everything from the dirty, old, Strawberry short cake bag also fits nicely in with my stuff too.
This works for me!!
This post is linked up to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family.
Top Ten Tuesday
Monday, February 15th, 2010
I’ve seen several people do their top ten favorite children’s books recently so I figured I’d add mine to the list. Just like my other top ten favorite books list, I could add so many more books and authors to this list .This list is made up of books I liked when I was little and books my girls have been really into recently.
Top Ten Favorite Childrens Books
1. The Giving Tree By Shel Silverstein
2. We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury
3. Glitter Critters by Dave Carter
4. My First Little House On The Prairie Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Renee Graef
5. Fancy Nancy Series by Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser
6.Good Night Moon
7. The Mandie Series by Lois Gladys Leppard
This books series was sent to me by my grandmother when we were living in Brazil. We didn’t have a lot of access to good books in English(remember, this was way before amazon. com! lol) and she was great at finding books she thought we’d like and mailing us boxes of books. This series is AWESOME. It’s great for the tween girl. It’s a mystery series set in the early 1900’s. Each book follows the life of Mandie Shaw and should definitely be read in order as she solves mysteries, makes new friends and discovers unknown facts about her own family.
8. Olivia series by Ian Falconer
9. Charlie and Lola series by Lauren Child
10. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Another book sent to me by my grandmother. This book is fantasy based and if your children like Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland Or The Chronicles of Narnia they’ll like this one.
Have a top ten favorite? Link up to o0hamanda’s Top Ten Tuesday!
My Valentines
Monday, February 15th, 2010
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!
(I took this photo in our driveway. This was not done on purpose! Mike’s regular pattern of turning his car around in the driveway in the morning to leave for work created this cool “heart” design! Just in time for V-day! )
So, after the discussion that went on with this post…my belated Valentine’s post seems sorta anti-climatic! Anyway, I hope everyone had a fabulous Valentine’s Day. God has blessed me with some pretty awesome Valentine’s in my life.
This guy….
….who bought me a cute, little, pink Netbook and took me to see “Valentine’s Day” and got me a sweet card. I got him a card and baked a couple of his favorite things.
And these little ladies…
…..who picked out wilting, red roses at Home Depot for me and which I couldn’t love more. They have an exalted place on my dining room table. They are pictured here enjoying their giant, marshmallow hearts their daddy and I bought them for V-day. Katelyn enjoyed passing valentine’s out to her dance class, school class and Sunday school class! Maddy enjoyed passing out valentines to her Sunday school class.
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful day yesterday!
