Waiting

I’ve been waiting for a lot during my life. Many of us have. We wait to grow up, drive a car, graduate from school, meet our spouse, have children, become empty nesters, become grandparents, and more!

There are many problems that can come with waiting. One is that we can be so focused on our future and what we desire to come to pass, that we miss the blessings and experience of the present. Right here. Right now.

In our self-absorbed culture, we want what we want, when we want it. If this attitude has crept into your heart, then you may develop many problems from waiting, including but not limited to, discontentment in your current circumstance, anger towards God, and bitterness towards others who are not living through a season of waiting.

As you can see, there is much that happens during our seasons of waiting. Whether the waiting is for mere minutes or continues over the span of several years, God is at work in You through it all! Even though we know this to be truth, it can still be downright difficult and painful to suffer through a season of waiting.

Are you waiting right now?

Maybe you’re waiting for a husband? or waiting for more stability for your family? or waiting for God to reveal what He wants you to do with your life? or maybe you are waiting for test results?

Or maybe you’re like me. I’ve been waiting to become a mother my whole life. I remember being a young girl and playing with dolls while imagining in my head what life will be like when I am an adult and become a mother chasing around real life children, instead of just rag dolls.

However, this journey towards becoming a mother hasn’t been an easy one for me. I have been waiting, and still wait for the blessing of motherhood to come to life for me. I have especially been waiting for motherhood the last nearly six years while my husband and I journeyed through infertility, a failed adoption one week prior to placement, and silence from the phone while we patiently wait for a potential match.

So, what does this waiting have to do with Christmas?

It’s simple. When the waiting hurts, it’s hard to celebrate. Honestly, it is hard to celebrate another Christmas and another year passing when we thought, again this year, that we would have children by now.

However, this year especially, as I have spent the entire month of October exploring the topic of waiting, I have a different perspective. May I share?

This waiting, in life, paints a beautiful picture. You see, us Christians walking on this globe, we are waiting every day for the return of our Lord and King. Our King who came to this world as a baby to save His people and will one day return.

Waiting paints a picture of our anticipating Christ’s return.

During this Advent season, we are celebrating God’s plan for salvation through the first coming of Jesus Christ as a infant. However, we cannot celebrate that plan without realizing that we are also waiting for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ who will be back one day to complete our redemption.

This is not our home. Christ will return one day. The waiting that we experience day to day, seems so trivial when we reflect on our waiting for our King. I don’t say this to diminish the pain that we experience while we wait, but to help you see the striking imagery.

While we wait for the things of this world, we are ultimately waiting for Christ’s return. Each season of waiting can remind us all the more that we are ultimately waiting for Him, each and every day.

So, let’s anticipate and wait during this season, not only for the things in our lives that we desire, but more so for the return of our Lord and King!

Guest post from Ashley, who blogs and Putting God First Place and is the author of How My Soul Yearns.

Arrrrrrg! Felt Pirate Sword Tutorial

I first saw the idea for these swords on Pinterest, but the link was only to an old etsy listing that was no longer active. But I really wanted felt swords for the boys to have with their pirate Halloween costumes. Why felt? Well, no matter how many times I say, "Do NOT hit your brother with that sword!" They are going to hit their brother with that sword. I figure that a soft felt sword does much less damage than a plastic one. Plus, they just look cute! (Don't tell my manly pirates I said that!) It took me a while to sort out the pieces and steps in my mind, but they were very quick to actually make. I ended up making 4 altogether for my boys and our friends who were also dressing as pirates. And even though Halloween is over, I thought they would make a fantastic Christmas gift for a boy. They have remained a favorite plaything for more than a month here at our house.

Materials
Grey felt
Black felt
grey thread
Poly-fill

I purchased 1/2 yard of grey and 1/4 yard of black and it was more than enough for 4 swords, as was one small bag of inexpensive filler.

1. Start by sketching your sword shape onto paper or card stock. I used a curved blade, but you could make yours whatever shape and size you desired. Then I used marker to trace onto the felt.
2. Cut the felt, leaving a 1/4 inch allowance around your desired sword shape. You'll need 2 pieces of the grey felt to make one sword.
3. Cut 2 medium rectangles for the handle (the same width as your blade) and one long rectangle for the hand guard. My hand guard ended up looking a little long on the swords, so I'd it a little shorter than the 8 inches I used. At this point you should have 5 pieces of fabric cut.
4. Sew the handles to the blades. It should look like this:

5. Fold your hand guard in half and then press the ends so that they lay flat on your work surface. (If you look very closely at mine you can see I actually folded it in half first, then laid it flat. I ended up finding this step to be completely unnecessary. You can fold yours, but it doesn't make a difference in the final product visually.)

 6. Place the guard on top of the RIGHT side of the fabric, with the ends still laying flat on the table and the edges lined up with the edge of the handle. Pinning would probably be a good idea at this point. (I didn't but it would have been easier if I had.)

7. Place the other handle and blade on top of the guard with the RIGHT side down, lined up with that same edge. Stitch from the top of the handle down to the corner. Stop with the needle still in your fabric.

8. Turn the corner and tuck the hand guard completely into the handle before completing all three sides of the handle. Do not sew across the top of the handle. The stitching you see below is from sewing the handle to the blade in step #4.

9. Clip your corners and turn the handle right-side-out. It should form a somewhat cylindrical shape with the two blades at the top still unsewn.

10. Stitch almost all the way around the blades. I chose to stitch near the edge but with my seam visible because I felt like it made the blade look flatter than the handle. But you could omit step #9 and keep sewing past the handle, turning your sword right-side-out after this step.

 11. Your flat sword should have an opening 1-2 inches where the blade meets the handle on one side only. Fill with stuffing.

12. Sew the blade closed on your machine or by hand.

13. Make some pirate very happy! (This is his mean pirate face.)

Here are a few things I wish I'd done differently or learned the hard way when I was working on these. I'm sure there's any easier way to do some of these things, but I'm not a very skilled seamstress. I tend to just "wing it" when it comes to projects and play with things until they look right to me. If you have any suggestion, please leave them in the comments below:

1. Overfill the swords. Especially where the blade meets the handle. Ours have started bending there. I think it's just natural wear and tear, but it might even work better to leave the opening at another place on the sword so that you can get even more stuffing into that part of the sword. 

2. Make sure your hand guard is completely on the inside of the handle in step #8. It's a real pain if you accidentally stitch part of it to another part of your handle.

3. It's very difficult to do step #12 by machine. I recommend hand sewing this part of the blade. 

4. If your stitching isn't completely even around the blade just take your scissors and trim around the edges until it looks even.

I think I'm going to tackle some felt light sabers next!

Decorating the Laundry Room

      Now, many people may ask the question, "Why would I want to decorate my laundry room?"  My husband asked me this very question about our laundry room, but I found that making it prettier helped me, because I have to spend a fair amount of time in there working for our family.  I know that Christmas is upon us, so this idea will probably not take root with most people right now, but after the holidays, you may be itching for a new project, and this one may be just right for you!

       I painted a quatrefoil wall, which you can see instructions for by clicking here.  I made several signs for the walls from ideas I found on Pinterest, and you can read my instructions by clicking here.

      Having someplace to put my single socks is so handy.  I spent some time organizing my cleaning supplies into handy bins and trying to corral our bags into the built-ins that were there when we moved in.

All in all, I have been pleased with the way that it functions and having a pretty laundry room makes me ever so much more marginally happy when I am in there.  Worth it.



Carol is the wife of a small business-owner, mother to two little girls, crafter, very-amateur decorator, and occasional cooker.  She blogs at the John and Carol Show - wanna watch?

Kama's Baby's Home Birth

Kama recently had her baby at home.  Check out her Home Birth Post for more details! 

Happy Thanksgiving...looking back...

As I look back on Thanksgiving each year, I think of all the things I am thankful for.  The typical things, I guess.  My savior, Jesus Christ is first and foremost.  I’m thankful for a roof over my head.  I’m thankful for food to eat.  Family to love.   My children…and their health.  I’m thankful for my marriage and my husband.

BUT…am I REALLY thankful for these?  And what about the little things…that I take for granted?  The freedom I have to walk down the street without fear of being killed.  Or the water I like to drink straight from the faucet.  What about the fact that I can worship Jesus in church freely…close my eyes…and feel so close to Him?

I can’t help but think that I should spend more time thinking on THESE things.  REALLY.  Thinking.  My daughter can walk without aid from a walker.  My son is able to sleep in the bedroom next to us…without his tummy hurting because it is empty.  My husband is sober…for over 3 and a half years…and God has changed him.  And me…so…much.  Our marriage is a miracle.  And we are doing so well. 

Why do I get these blessings???  Why do I get so much?  Others don’t have these things.  Others are hurting.  They are broken, or are in pain, or in need.  It makes my being thankful kind of…hurt.  It is hard to think of the children without families and the families with sick relatives.  But, that is out there.  And, right now, it isn’t mine.  Thank you Lord.  Show me how I can help those who are there now.  Take my thankful heart and use it for Your work.

Road Trip Games

Are you heading out on a road trip this week? Check out these fun printable games I found! One for younger kids and one for kids of any age! Have fun and be safe!

 from Prepared, Not Scared

from The Dating Divas

Thanksgiving... "Don't forget me!"

Perhaps this post is a bit hypocritical, considering I'm writing it while listening to Christmas music. But it's so easy to gloss over Thanksgiving. Everywhere you turn there are Christmas decorations. I know I'm already making my list and checking it twice when it comes to all my holiday "to do's". But I wanted to offer you a few suggestions for Thanksgiving ideas that you can pull together this week. Not only is it not too late, but I believe Thanksgiving is a wonderful way to start the Christmas season with the proper attitude. Stress, busyness and materialism so often encroach on Christmas and beginning this time with an attitude of thankfulness for our blessings can help combat what can become a difficult season for a lot of people.

If you aren't already sick of Pinterest, here's a board I made of centerpiece ideas. Some of them are as simple as nuts or candy in vases. It doesn't take a lot of money or time to make your table beautiful and your guests feel special. (And yes, even your immediate family should feel like special guests at your table! Show them how thankful you are to be sharing a meal with them!)

There are also some great ways to get kids involved in showing their thankfulness.

I love this placemat that keeps kids busy and encourages them to draw pictures of things for which they are thankful.

This is an elegant paper chain pattern that you could use with kids and grown ups to share thankfulness.

Need a game to keep everyone out of the kitchen while you are making gravy and putting the finishing touches on dinner? Here's Thanksgiving Bingo!

This kit has an activity page for kids, in addition to a menu, place cards and a number of other adorable Thanksgiving printable pages.

This activity doesn't encourage thankfulness, but a Mr. Turkey Head kit deserves to make my list of "can't miss" printables for thanksgiving!

Whatever you do this week, I encourage you to take some time to share your thankfulness with the important people in your life. I'd love to hear how you foster an attitude of thankfulness this time of year in your house and in your own heart!

Fall Breakfast: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Fall is definitely my favorite time of the year. Cool, crisp mornings. Leaves beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow (at least NC and north). Pumpkin and squashes to cook with. Apples to enjoy. Warm drinks to keep you and your family cozy on the cold evenings.

I recently got married, so I'm enjoying having someone to cook for in the morning, noon, or night. So far, E loves my cooking. So, that is a good thing for this foodie wife.

Here is a recipe for some pancakes I tried this weekend. The pumpkin flavor isn't overwhelming and you can make it as chocked full of chocolate chips as you would like. And, they freeze well once they are cooked - and these are healthier than frozen waffles from the store.

• 1 1/2 cups flour (you can make it with whole wheat flour if you want)
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• dash of salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• Spray pam or butter for the pan or griddle
• 2 T canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2-3/4 chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

Directions: I always use my griddle for pancakes. Perfect pan. And the trick is to keep your pan at medium heat so not to blacken the pancakes too quick before the inside is done.

• I used about 1/3 cup batter for each pancake, but I've learned with pancakes to keep them smaller for easy(ier) flipping. 
• In a medium size bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. 
• Mix together the wet ingredients. 
• Combine the two and mix batter till lumpy (don't try to force out all the lumps). 
• Cook until edges of pancakes are bubbling and then flip. This should be good timing. 
• Enjoy with butter and syrup - or whipped cream. yum! Don't forget the something warm to drink! 

Also with the pictures of the pancakes, I've included a picture of my new hubs and me from the honeymoon. We had such a great time. God is gracious!

The Best of Times/The Worst of Times

Hard to believe it’s Thanksgiving time again and in only a few short weeks, Christmas. It often seems to me like it gets here too quickly, but seriously, this year I feel like it did a slow commando crawl through the calendar, snuck up on me, and has prepared to attack.

I am completely unarmed.

Like many married people who find themselves needing to accommodate two families we take turns. This year we are going to my mother’s house. Actually, we’re going to my sister’s house, but my mother doesn’t know that yet. Please pray for us! (That’s just a little inside family joke, and no, I won’t elaborate!)

My sister and her family live in the same town as my parents and they all go to the same church. This year my sister and her husband (who teach a young married Sunday School class) are inviting two families to their home to join us for Thanksgiving. These families each have young children and my parents’ home is simply not big enough to accommodate the crowd. It’s a wonderful gesture that has the potential to make some waves.

You might be wondering about that, but then again you all have families so you may just be nodding your heads and thinking, “Girl, I know just what you mean.” Here’s the thing. My mother is a wonderful Christian woman who loves nothing better than feeding people. She’s a FABULOUS cook, and we all have the ample curves to prove it. She is also a planner and a bit…um, how shall I say this…still thinking…she’s, um…she knows the right way to do things, and once the plan is set it shall not be changed.

There, I said it. I mean that in the most respectful way. Really. She is who she is. I love her very much and there has never been another soul on the planet with whom I’ve clashed more.

I’ve noticed as I’ve lived and learned that holidays, weddings, funerals, and other significant events tend to bring out the best and the worst in families. I’m not exactly sure why that is, but whatever is inside a person seems to be accentuated during these times. It often causes conflict and incredible stress during what should be happy times of celebrating.

This Thanksgiving, I’m really thinking about what will come out of me during family time. Our family is very close and we love one another, but that doesn’t always stop the clashes. We are learning to use humor to derail some of the tension, and we also have learned to chew quietly on our tongues while passing each other knowing looks across the table. As coping mechanisms go, it’s not bad.

The busyness of preparing to house, feed and entertain over the holidays can often leave us feeling tense, exhausted, resentful…you know how you feel. There are things that have to get done, but they should never become more important than people. Remember Mary and Martha, and Jesus’ admonition to Martha.

As you prepare for this holiday season, begin with prayer. Take your concerns to the Lord, even the petty ones, and bathe them in the mercies of God. Thank him for each person who will celebrate with you and ask for him to do a work in each of their lives. Admit that you cannot love them as you should in your own power, and give him permission to love them through you. Also, be ready to let go of your own expectations of the gathering. Allow God to move and work creatively and in the most unexpected ways. Remember that what we see as chaos or a mistake is often the very thing that God uses in preparation for doing a mighty work.

If you’re a planner who likes everything and everyone to follow the stated, printed- in- triplicate agenda, take a breath and be willing to step back a bit. It really is okay. If you’re a seat of the pants person, enjoy the nice flow of things provided by the planners. Thank them for it and help where you can.

For all of us, lets truly enter this holiday season with hearts that are full of joy and thanksgiving. That is the will of God for us, and a thankful, joyful heart doesn’t leave much room for us to be offended and impatient. God understands our families. He knows our concerns and everything good and bad that will happen as we gather together. He also works all things for good. Trust him. Trust him with your concerns. Trust him with your family. Trust him with your holidays. Just trust him.

Your turn: What are the things you dread as the holidays approach? How do you keep the spirit of the holidays alive and in the forefront as you handle the busyness of your holiday agenda? 

Sherri Stone has been a social worker for twenty years working in the field of mental health and teaching, and currently with hospice. She began writing seriously about two years ago, and God is providing many varied opportunities to write and learn. Sherri lives in northwest Florida with her husband, Jeff, and their 4 year-old terrier, Riley, and would love to write full-time one day. In the meantime, she is learning and practicing and praying that God will guide her writing and use it to bless and glorify His Kingdom.

Personalized Baby Gift Ideas

I have quite a few friends who are pregnant or have recently had babies. I have a few gifts that I love to give them that are personalized or show that I spent a little time and energy on the gift.

My favorite baby gift that takes a little more time is a baby quilt. These don’t have to be difficult or large. You can do basic squares and it’s still adorable and appreciated!
I love also making little taggies or lovies for the baby with soft fabrics and flannel. These can easily be personalized with fabrics that match the nursery or colors. You could even make them with just 2 fabrics instead of a patchwork.
Another gift I recently found on pinterest was little wash cloths with a spoon that looked like candy or a lollipop. I bought the wash cloths and spoon, but I decided to do things a little differently and just use the onesies I had along with the clear wrap to make it look like a little candy. They turned out so cute!
Burp cloths are always a necessity and can be used for years to come to clean up faces and wipe boogies. Homemade by Jill makes my favorite one or personalized cloth diapers.
A nursing cover is also something that I love to make and use! I think every new mom needs one! I like to make mine a little oversized (about a yard wide) and double sided so it’s reversible. I tweak this tutorial a little.

What are your go-to baby gifts?

Kama is a stay-at-home-mom to 3 children 3 and under. She loves sewing, quilting and crafting when she finds a few minutes and isn't dead tired!

Entryway Redo

Who doesn't have issues with their entry area? Shoes, coats, backpacks? It's a jumbled mess most of the time. When we moved into our new home the entry way looked like this:

We live in a split-level town home and the front door opens to a landing with stairs going both up and down. I had a bench from our former home that I placed in the area and was using the hooks that the previous tenants had put up. It wasn't nearly enough space for all the "stuff" that gets left at the entrance of our home. 

But I didn't want to spend a lot of money, so I looked around on Pinterest and Marthastewart.com for some ideas. Here's what I ended up with:

This is the birds-view of the entry way now. I used a lot of things that I already had to decorate and contain all the necessary items for this "trouble spot". 

• I started by putting up the largest floating shelf that I could find. These aren't super quick to install but look really sharp when they are finished. This is a 60" shelf and comfortably fit two of these bins I had previously used in our office area. These hold hats, gloves and mittens (since we no longer live in a warm climate.) 

• I found two hook racks that kept my husband from having to install individual hooks for our coats and bags. Everyone has one all-purpose jacket hanging here. I envision these jackets being exchanged for warmer coats as the temperature drops later this year. 

• I also hung a simple oval mirror on the small adjoining wall. It's nice to be able to do a quick check on the ponytail and lipstick before leaving the house in a hurry. 

• The bench holds additional tote bags and items like ponchos, umbrellas and hoodies. It also is a great place for taking off and putting on shoes. And holds purses and shopping bags or anything else that needs a temporary surface when coming into the house.

• The metal bucket is for borrowed items. It usually holds movies and books from the library and anything we borrow from friends that will need to be returned. 

• The basket holds shoes and bike helmets. We try not to wear our shoes in the  house so everyone deposits their shoes here when we go in and out. It holds mostly our everyday sneakers, but any shoes are deposited here when we come in. When it gets really full, I have the boys put away their specialty shoes in their room. 

• Finally, the rug was another pinterest inspiration. It's a very inexpensive Ikea grass rug that I painted with wall paint. It didn't turn out exactly like I planned, but I do like the way the black and white pattern unify the space with the frames on the wall. 

It's not a perfect space, but it certainly is an improvement upon the original layout. It still gets cluttered from time to time and I have to make sure everything is put properly in its place. But at least there is a place for most everything and it's fairly simple for the whole family to keep their own things organized.

What solutions do you use for helping organize all the "stuff" that gets dropped at the doorway of your home?

The God Who Knows and Loves Anyway

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” – Ephesians 1:4-6 (emphasis added)

Do you have someone in your life you know a substantial deal about – positives and negatives – and you love that person regardless of what shortcomings may arise? Perhaps your husband, a best friend, a sibling, or a child?

Does someone know you that well, and yet loves you anyway?

Sometimes I take this kind of love for granted. I forget what a blessing and a gift it is. Other times I nearly reject this love because I doubt the sincerity of its source or realize how undeserving I am. Why would someone see all these faults, all these mistakes, all these cumbersome traits … and love me anyway?

The above verses remind us that our omnipotent, omnipresent God knows our hearts and loves us anyway. He chose us. Us! You, me, her, him. He chose us to be “holy and blameless in His sight.” Not only did He choose us, but He looks upon us – failures and all – and loves us anyway.

Why did He do this? Verse 4 says He did so “in love.”

How did He do this? Verses 5 and 6 say “through Jesus Christ” and through the abundant grace “He has freely given us.”

What is our purpose in this adoption as His children? Verse 6 points out: “to the praise of his glorious grace.” To praise Him and this amazing grace.

Ephesians 1:7-8 tell us what we are undeservedly given through this grace: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.” Redemption. Forgiveness. Love.

So what do we do with this knowledge of this love regardless?

We praise. We serve. We accept His love instead of condemning ourselves (something I struggle with!). We love because He loves.

How can you accept God’s love and praise Him today?

Above image from http://office.microsoft.com

Author bio: Caroline is a wife, mother of a beautiful and charming toddler son, avid reader, and writer.  She is honored to write with Today’s Housewife.  You can also find Caroline at her personal blog (Under God’s Mighty Hand) and on Twitter.

Go-To Pancakes

In my house, we love pancakes. Well, let me rephrase that. I love pancakes. My husband tolerates them [and sometimes is in the mood for them]. The cat just tries to steal them. That's how it goes.

I realized today that while I have six different pancake recipes on my blog, I haven't yet posted my go-to pancake recipe. This go-to pancake recipe was a conglomeration of several different recipes from the internet and cookbooks that I started making back in the summer of 2009 when Ben and I were first married. I wrote it down in my recipe journal next to the likes of other household classics like my crockpot chunky applesauce. It's the perfect tried and true pancake for any variety of mix-ins, and is great solo to allow toppings to shine. Sometimes to fancy it up, I'll add a little vanilla extract or cinnamon to the mix, but it's not necessary at all. These pancakes are a hit any way they're served because they bake up thin with nice crispy edges--everything a pancake should do, in my opinion. I hope you like them as much as we do!

Go-To Pancakes
printable version

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• sprinkle of salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/4 cup skim milk, at room temperature
  
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled [can sub oil too]
• oil for cooking
• mix-ins if desired [chocolate chips, blueberries, sliced bananas, chopped apples, etc.]
  
• butter and syrup for serving
  

Directions:

Preheat skillet over medium heat.

In a medium size bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the center. Measure out milk in a measuring cup and then add egg. Beat gently with a fork. Add [cooled] butter and stir again. Pour liquid ingredients into well of dry ingredients, then stir gently to combine. Don't worry if batter is lumpy.

Pour batter onto hot skillet in 1/4 cup increments, topping with mix-ins as desired. Cook for a couple minutes on the first side until bubbles form, then flip and cook on other side until golden brown. Keep warm on a dinner plate covered with an aluminum foil tent until all are prepared, then serve with butter and syrup.

Notes: My "syrup" in the photo is actually leftover raspberry sauce from my Lime Yogurt Cake. It is not 100% necessary to let milk and egg come to room temperature, but it yields better results. Recipe can be easily doubled with good results!

Time: 30 minutes [plus additional time to let milk and egg come to room temperature].

Yield: 12-14 pancakes.

Sarah began blogging at The Pajama Chef in order to chronicle her adventures in and love of cooking and baking. Sarah is currently a graduate student at Indiana University working towards a Master of Library Science and a Master of Arts in African Studies. Sarah's efforts in the kitchen would not be possible without the assistance of her husband, Ben, and his stellar dish-washing and sous-chef skills. Sarah and Ben were married in May 2009 and enjoy running, reading, involvement in a local church, and spoiling their kitty, Sheba.

Less Stress for the Holidays

Shopping, traveling, parties, church events, mailing cards, more shopping, putting it on the credit card, baking, giving, getting, singing, more traveling, eating...

I don't know about you, but this time of year stresses me out.

From November through the beginning of January my family celebrates Thanksgiving, six different birthdays, Christmas and the New Year. And even though I look forward to all the celebrations, I don't look forward to the stress.

The stress comes from over extending. Over extending time, patience, family, and money. Here are a few ideas I've come up with on trying not to over extend myself this holiday season!

Money: The biggest stress inducer- money! We tend to over-spend this time of year and pay off the credit card in the months to come. But not this year!

This year I will:
-shop early for good deals.
-buy fewer gifts (no $15 white elephant gifts).
-shop on-line to be able to compare prices and combine purchases to get free shipping or a percentage off.
-refuse to use the credit card. If we can't afford it now, we won't want to pay for it months from now.
-buy exactly what people want or give a gift card. I do not want to waste money on gifts that the person will not enjoy. So this year I will stick to the list, or give a gift card.
-do a couple of special homemade gifts.

Traveling: Because we live away from our families, we spend a lot of time traveling over the holidays. We will be in North Carolina for Thanksgiving and in Texas for Christmas. Traveling can be stressful in itself, but staying at someone else's house (even when they are family) can be stressful, especially with little ones. The routine is different, the rules are different, and even relationships can be different.

This year I will:
-first, relax. I think a lot of the stress I have about traveling and staying at someone else's house is just self-induced.
-maintain our routine to the best of my ability.
-continue to be consistent in our rules and not be afraid to discipline when necessary (even Grandma's house has a corner, right?)
-respect my husband's preferences. When we are visiting my family I can get so focused on spending time with them, I forget Lee's needs. I could stay at the house all day and all night, but he gets cabin fever. I'm used to sharing a bathroom with my sisters, but he needs his space. My parents are good about giving us a night or two to ourselves (while they baby-sit) and never get insulted when Lee goes to the bed room to work or read.

Events: My husband is a pastor and this will be our first holiday season at our church. Christmas time is the busiest time for a church! Parties, choir programs, meals, get-togethers, open houses.... they are all good, but they may not be the best for our family.

This year I will:
-do what I can, and not worry about what I can't do.
-protect my family time by not over committing to parties and programs.
-be sensitive to the demands on my husband and help when I can. Lee has to have extra time devoted to sermon preparation (with an extra service on Christmas Eve) and must keep his focus on worship.

And, to save myself from a few extra stresses, this year I will not:
-go over-board decorating the house.
-send out Christmas cards.
-host a holiday open house at our home.
-feel like I have to give everyone something.
-let the stress take away from the celebration.

Sandra is the family editor for Today's Housewife. She's a pastor's wife, mom to two boys and is in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. You can see what her family is up to at Celebrate Every Day and follow her on Twitter at @SandraPeoples.

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Linked up to Works for Me Wednesday!

Stockings Need Stuffing Too!

I'm not trying to skip over Thanksgiving. I'm really looking forward to seeing family and spending time with them. The turkey and fixings are just icing on the cake for me. But let's be honest... Thanksgiving doesn't require QUITE the planning that Christmas does. This is the first year I have felt on top of things in a long time, and so I want others to be there as well. In my mind, if you are prepared then you can enjoy even more. Taking the week off for Thanksgiving to thrill over new babies, count your blessings, and stuff yourself with stuffing is SO MUCH NICER when you know that the avalanche of Christmas isn't closing in on you. And while I can't really tell you what I am making, for those I am making gifts for, I can share with you some great ideas I have found online.

Stockings have always been a huge deal in my family. Growing up we knew that there would be a bucket load of treats in those socks on the couch, but as we have gotten older it seems the goodies aer so numerous and so big that they don't all fit in the socks! We had to put some limits last year, which was we took care of our immediate family's stockings, and for the extended family members we only got one gift per stocking. I usually get more for my mom and dad, but I really do try to limit myself.

This year I am trying to be smarter about stocking gifts because too often I purchase "fun" items which end up being tossed out because really, how many "easy" buttons from Staples can one person get? I also don't want to spend an arm and a leg on each person, because finances are a little tighter and I want to be careful. That doesn't mean it can't still be fun and enjoyable!!

I decided to do a little searching for stocking stuffer ideas, and while I know of a few items for each member in my family, there really were a load of wonderful ideas shared by other people on the web. I thought I would share some helpful links I came across in my search for great stocking gifts.

• Over at The Grocery Cart Challenge, Gayle has a list of 101 Stocking Stuffer Ideas. Considering her goal to shop for food for her family and spend no more than $60 a week you can bet these ideas will be smart and frugal.
• At Make-Stuff.com they have a list of 101 ideas which all cost less than $10 each so that you can really stuff those stockings! 
• I adore Laurie over at Tip Junkie, I'm a regular lurker there. This is a list of sixteen DIY stocking stuffer ideas for those that want to get busy creating for your loved ones.
• Here's another twelve ideas Laurie has as well, if the first sixteen weren't enough!
• This HubPage has lists for men, women, teenagers, and school age children.
• Check out this page over at yahoo for ideas for babies and you've have everyone covered.
• And here's a website I found, Plump Stocking, that is all about stocking stuffers!

As we all go through these last months of the year our free time is certainly filled with shopping, planning, and cooking. I'm praying that as you walk these days you are brought closer to your family, and that God pervades each step of the way.

About the author: Stacey loves lists, works hard to be organized, and spends her free time crafting, reading, and writing. Her greatest goal currently is learning to love like God does. You can read more about Stacey's days and crafts over at her blog, My Unfinished Daze.

Preparing For The Holidays With A Holiday Calendar

The holidays are approaching fast! Only 2 ½ weeks until Thanksgiving and only 7 weeks until Christmas. Those 4 ½ weeks in between are going to be fast-paced and full. Are you ready?

One tool that can help you to be prepared is a Holiday Calendar. This can really keep you on track and sane. You can use a regular calendar that hasn’t been used for anything else, print one off the computer or use an online version. (I loved the free download above from AnythingButPerfect.com) Here are some ideas for using your holiday calendar.

• Write down all the events you can't miss. These are all the celebrations, school plays, church programs and parties that you know that you will be attending. 
• Make a holiday menu. For all those events you just wrote down, there are going to be many that involve food in some sort or another. Write down the food(s) that you will be preparing for that event on the holiday calendar. This will save you time and mental energy when you need it most. When you are making your weekly grocery lists, you can look at the holiday calendar to see what needs to be purchased. 
• Decide when you are going to decorate the house. When are you going to put the tree up? When are you decorating the rest of the house? Are you decorating outside? Write it on the calendar. 
• Give yourself deadlines. Write down the following dates: mail Christmas cards, wrap gifts, mail out of town gifts. Then, you can determine when you are going to get the shopping and addressing finished.
• Set aside some family days. With all the holiday festivities available, it is easy to get over committed and miss out on opportunities to enjoy time with your family. Don't miss out on making family memories and traditions.

My prayer for you is that you and your family enjoy this holiday season and are blessed beyond measure. I hope this little tool can help you not worry about the details and focus on what is really important! 

Marci Goodwin is wife to an amazing husband and mother to two phenomenal kids. She is on a quest to get the "busy" out of her life so she can spend time on what's really important. Marci can be found blogging at OvercomingBusy.com or on twitter @OvercomingBusy.

Forgiveness

Have you ever been so offended by someone, you think you just can't forgive that person? Yeah, I've been there. This week has been especially hard for me as several people have been put on my heart by God, people who have hurt me. Do they know they hurt me? I don't know. But I do know that no matter what, God requires us to forgive.

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15.

We are called to forgive sins that have been committed against us. However in that passage there is something that is not there, the requirement for the person to ask forgiveness before we forgive them. Why is it not there? Because we need to forgive whether we want to or not. Forgiveness isn't conditional, it's mandatory.  

When we haven't forgiven someone, we are harboring anger, pain, sadness and more feelings that can hinder our walk with the Lord. But when we forgive, freedom is found and our walk with the Lord is blessed.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:12-13

Is there someone God is calling you to forgive?


Elizabeth is a stay-at-home mom and National Guard wife. She enjoys reading, baking and spending time with her family and friends.  



Photo by Elephant.

Berry good Banana Bread

My kids devour this stuff. They love bananas in general, so I rarely have enough hang around to get ripe enough for banana bread. Once in a while though, I'll hide some and freeze them until the baking bug strikes, and then I make this...

This is another family recipe that I tweaked, from my awesome in-laws. Its posted, berry-less, over at food.com. The very first recipe I ever shared online.

If you are a food.com fan or member, go check it out and rate it over there if you try it! If not, let me know what you think over here, or over on my blog www.OrWhateverYouDo.com

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Berry Banana Bread

by Nicole J @ Orwhateveryoudo.com November-2-2011

Moist, delicious banana bread that will disappear from your table! Big kid pleaser, and the adults will love it too.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Canola Oil
• 4 Large Eggs
• 4 Extra Rips Bananas
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1 TBSP Real Vanilla
• 3 cups Flour, bread or all-purpose
• 1 - 1/2 cups Berries

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients EXCEPT berries into a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined. Pour 2/3 of batter into well greased loaf pans. Gently place berries on top. Pour remaining batter over berries. Bake at 350 for approximately 1 hour, or until toothpick comes clean!

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour 10 mins Yield: 2 loaves