Family

  • Book: “When Work & Family Collide” by Andy Stanley

    I recently finished reading the book When Work & Family Collide by Andy Stanley.  The subtitle to this book is “keeping your job from cheating your family.”  Every one of us only has 24 hours in each day, however, there are times when we don’t make wise choices in how we use that time we have been given.  Life has a way of staying busy with work, family, hobbies, ministry obligations and everything else.  When life remains busy we tend to start seeing overlap with our work and family.  As work and family start to collide more often we see what the author calls “cheating on our family”.   You don’t have to be a corporate executive to have work and family collide, you could be a house wife who puts the chores, cleaning, laundry, and other household duties at a higher priority then your family.

    Keeping work and family in balance can be a difficult task, but if we consistently shortchange our time with our family we’ll begin to see the side effects.  Even if the reason we are working so hard is to provide a good life for our family if time is not invested regularly in the each family member you’ll start to notice a negative ripple effect.  Andy Stanley used a variety of great examples from his own life as well as others to illustrate how work and family collide.  For example, if one parent is traveling a lot there will be noticeable consequences on the family over time OR if you have a parent that spends almost all his weekends “at home” biking or hanging out with his friends instead of taking time to enjoy fun activities with his wife and kids eventually the stress will begin to show.

    The author points out that it is important that we become aware of work or activities that are taking too much time away from those we love.  He used the illustration of Daniel.  Although Daniel had some tough times in his life he still insisted on honoring God by not eating the foods sacrificed to idols and openly worshiping God.  Even though from our perspective he may appear to be out of his mind for disobeying the king he had faith that God would take care of him even if he went against the wishes of those in authority.  To bring it back to our day you may have a boss that requires you to work long hours in order to maintain your job.  If you feel the Holy Spirit revealing that you need to spend more time with your family and less at work you may have to make a tough choice.  When you look at it in black and white it appears like an easy solution, however, we may live in fear of losing our jobs, a good paycheck, or something else.

    God doesn’t reveal His will for our consideration.  He reveals it for our participation.

    Your Creator doesn’t define your life by your career achievements or the neatness of your pantry. 

    There’s not enough time to get it all done.  We’re going to say no somewhere, either verbally or through neglect.

    Stay-at-home Moms and Dads can just as easily cheat those around them.  Whether working outside the home or inside the home, there’s a strong tendency to become preoccupied with tasks – agendas and projects and “to do” lists. 

    Work and family will collide, it is how you react and balance it so that each has its place in your life.  We are called to work and be good stewards of the gifts we have been given, however, we are also called to nurture and care for our families. I was hoping for a few more biblical examples of those standing up for their faith and family in the book but otherwise it was a good read.  Is your life in balance?  If not you may want to check out this book just to get you started, it’s a quick read but a great reminder to keep our focus on the priorities in our lives.

    Rate my review & be entered into a giveaway: I reviewed this book for “Blogging for Books.” By rating my review, it allows me to choose another book and enters you in a GIVEAWAY! The rating is a two step process.

    Step 1: Rate my review below (select the number of stars, enter your email, and hit submit).

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    Once you rated my review AND confirmed your email, you will automatically entered in a giveaway for this book by WaterBrook Multnomah!!! They will pick one person to receive a copy of the book for themselves! WaterBrook Multnomah will contact the winner directly.

    Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher through the Waterhouse Multnomah.  The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

  • Recipe: Seasoned Bok Choy

    Seasoned Bok Choy

    One the newest vegetables our family has gotten hooked on is Bok Choy!  It was first given to us their our Community Supported Agriculture group and after cooking it a few different ways we decided it was one we wanted to eat more often.  Jake came up with a couple different recipes that our whole family enjoys.  Our favorite way to eat Bok Choy is grilled, but over the winter since it was cooler and we weren’t grilling as much he came up with another tasty recipe.

    Seasoned Bok Choy:

    • 12 fresh Bok Choy Leaves
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1/2 Onion
    • 1/2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • 1/4 teaspoon Garlic (or 1 clove)
    • 1/4 teaspoon Sesame Seeds

    Remove the bok choy leaves from the stock.  Rinse and cut up into about 1 inch lengths.  Fill a bowl full of ice and water then place the leaves inside the bowl to cool.  In a pan begin to heat up the olive oil on medium after a minute add the onions and garlic.  Saute the onions for a couple minutes then add the cooled bok choy and soy sauce for about a minute just enough to make the leaves more tender and blend the flavor.  Remove from heat and stir in the sesame seeds.

  • Travel & Vacation: Swag Carpet

    Swag carpet…..

    Growing up my grandparents had a bright orange shag carpet in their basement….boy that brings back memories…..well instead of “shag” carpet we changed it up a bit and did “swag” carpet not too long ago.  When we travel without the kids it is always fun to bring back something little for them as a special treat or surprise.  It is not always the same thing and we try to present it differently as much as possible to spice it up a little bit.  Awhile ago Jake went on a trip to a conference and got a lot of “swag” gifts, you know all the goodies that vendors give out as gifts to market their products to you.  He arrived home a few hours before the girls got home from school so we decided to take all the swag (along with their special gift) he had gotten and cover their bedroom floor.  At the conference he received a lot of  t-shirts so he should be good on those for awhile now!

    Brina discovering the necklaces and Karlie finding the airplanes

    When the girls opened the door they stopped……in…..their….tracks…..what in the world!?  They were totally surprised to find their entire floor covered with shirts, cups, and various other swag goodies.  Brina was the first to find the necklaces Daddy picked up for them and Karlie was fascinated by the paper airplane cutout that you put together.  It was hilarious seeing their expressions!

    Cute little fish necklace Jake brought back for the girls

    Jake brought home a cute necklace for each of the girls.  They loved their pretty necklaces and have worn them to church, on Date Nights or other special occasions.  But most of all enjoyed having Daddy home to play with again!

    Karlie and Brina fascinated by the blue silly putty

    They each picked out one of Daddy’s swag shirts to keep as a nightshirt.  Karlie picked out one that had a rocket on it and Brina picked out one that had a splash of bright colors (a “rainbow of colors”).  After trying on their shirts they sat down to play with their cool blue silly putty for awhile.  It is amazing how entertaining little goodies can be.

    Even though I love to travel it is always wonderful coming home.  I am thankful for the amazing opportunities Jake, myself and our family have been given.  It is an adventure traveling and exploring new places, but hanging out at home making memories together is just as precious!

  • Gearing Up for the Garden Season!

    Brina’s “Rainbow of Vegetables”

    There are so many reasons why I love to garden!  This is the last haul from our garden last year.  I went out and picked everything I could in mid-November (yes November, we live in South Carolina and had a late freeze this winter) before our first major freeze and these are the vegetables that were still in the garden or producing.  Brina helped me wash all the vegetables and as we were sorting I was pulled away by a phone call, she continued sorting and made a “Rainbow of Vegetables” (see picture above).    She was quite pleased with her handiwork and I was pretty impressed too!

    Most of the items left that I picked that day were ripe and ready to eat.  A lot of the tomatoes were still pretty green but that isn’t a problem because we have containers that keep them fresh for quite awhile plus we have a couple of green tomato recipes.  I love that the girls will ask to eat a banana pepper or a whole tomato like it is an apple!  It was wonderful having fresh vegetables throughout the winter months too.

    Another reason our family enjoys gardening is that it gives us a wonderful opportunity to share with others.  Whether it was taking baskets of goodies over to our neighbors or sharing it with family and friends we really had a blast sharing the produce.  It was a great way to teach our children the joy of giving to others.  When we planted the garden our family decided that we would try to use half of the produce to feed our family and give the remaining half away to family, friends, neighbors, and others within our community.  While I cannot say how many pounds or the exact number of each produce we gave away or the exact amount we ate this past year I do know that our garden (despite my black thumb) produced more then it ever has in the past!

    To get us in the gardening mood, my sweet husband went out and bought a few seed packets.  He put the packets in various places throughout the house for us to find.  The girls have really been getting excited about starting the garden and trying out some of the new produce we have discovered over the last few months (like Bok Choy).  They love being outside, in the fresh air, playing, planting and picking the produce.  The only thing they don’t enjoy is the weeding, but I don’t know anyone that gets too excited about that piece.  As we gear up for another gardening season there is a lot to think about…..what to plant, where to plant each type, how many and so forth.  Do you have a family garden?  What are your favorite items to grow?

  • Fresh & Healthy: School Lunchbox Meals

    School Lunchbox Meals

    Part of the problem with doing lunchbox meals everyday is making sure you have a variety of ways to not only keep it appealing but also healthy for your family.  The girls love getting “surprises” in their lunchboxes.  Every once in awhile I will stick something special in their lunches that I find to keep it healthy and fun.

    • Peanut Butter and Homemade Strawberry Jam
    • Fresh Pepper Strips
    • Fresh Green Grapes
    • Gold Fish
    • Cherry Jello
    • Vanilla Yogurt
    • Chocolate Covered Cherries
    • Mrs. Fields Oatmeal Cookie & Chocolate Covered Raisins
    • Pink Lemonade

    Packing lunches for the kids

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week was a tough one in many ways.  I felt like I was being pulled in so many different directions all at the same time.  Several unexpected things came up throughout the week and this week is going to be a big one with all the extra activities going on.  I am hoping this week will still be productive even though I need to cut it back a little with everything that is going on.

    Here is the update on last weeks goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
    2. Read a book to the girls everyday
    3. Have each girl read 1 book to myself or Jake 5 days this week
    4. Connect with each family member at least once a day
    5. Put together a Schedule / Reference Worksheet for Mom – almost done

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
    2. Go to bed by 10:30 pm or earlier Monday to Thursday – getting in a habit of staying up too late again
    3. Finish reading When Work and Family Collide by Andy Stanley
    4. Read and listen to the next section of  Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (our church Community Group is going through this book together). – finished the entire book

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
    3. Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
    4. Spend 1 hour a day de-cluttering and organizing the house

    Business Goals

    1. Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
    2. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    3. Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk
    4. Finish 2011 Business Taxes – still at the accountants office

    Ministry Goals

    1. Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
    2. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    3. Write and Email the meeting notes for our Alms & Legs Ministry Team Meeting

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – working on it
    3. Complete our personal 2011 taxes – waiting on the business taxes to be complete
    4. Put money aside for upcoming trips – put a little aside
    5. Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – have some of it done

    Here are my goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Connect with each family member at least once a day
    2. Distribute the girls “I Love You” Surprises
    3. Write and mail cards
    4. Put together items for Jake
    5. Print off the Family Calendar, Event List and Information
    6. Meet the girls for lunch at school
    7. Finish reading The Secret Garden and Swiss Family Robinson to the girls

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
    2. Finish reading When Work and Family Collide by Andy Stanley
    3. Keep an up-to-date written & photo log all the adventures this week

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
    3. House cleaned and ready for company
    4. Pay all bills that come in the mail this week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Finish 2011 Business Taxes

    Ministry Goals

    1. Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
    2. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    3. Take time to talk, listen, and encourage the people I encounter this week
    4. Be a blessing to a total stranger this week

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses
    3. Complete our personal 2011 taxes
    4. Put money aside for upcoming trips
    5. Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    I thought maybe this week would a little calmer, but it has yet to slow down.  In between appointments I was able to make a quick stop at the grocery store.  Nothing fancy or amazing this week just picking up a few items before the next wave of crazy begins, ha!  Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.

    Groceries from Ingles and Dollar Tree

    Ingles Groceries:

    • $35.02 at Ingels for 2 loaves Bread, 1 container Cottage Cheese, 2 jars Planters Peanut Butter (on sale), 1 package Ground Beef (on clearance), 1 box Danimals Yogurt Sticks, 1 container Philadelphia Italian Cream Cheese Spread (on clearance $0.99), 1 container Strawberry Cream Cheese, 1 bag English Muffins, 1 bag fresh Oranges (on clearance for $0.99), 1 can Biscuits ( on clearance $0.50), 1 bag Blueberry Bagels. (everything was marked down, on sale, or clearance today at Ingles).

    Dollar Tree Groceries:

    • $1.00 for 1 box Toast’em Poptarts

    We were able to get a few items this week. Thankfully, I was able to make it by the store and pick up some items that we’ll need over the next couple of weeks.  Thanks for helping keep me on track even in the midst of this busy season!

    This week I spent $36.02 on groceries.  I was under on my budgeted amount for the week, yay!  I was happy to find a few items marked down on clearance.  I hope that next week we can come under budget!

    It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks!  As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me.  I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too.  The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

  • You Never Know….What You Might Find!

    You never know what you may find in the clearance section at a store.  During a quick trip to BiLo (a local grocery store) to grab a gallon of milk I noticed these two chairs sitting up in the front of the store.  As I was speed walking past them to get the milk and I thought to myself that’s an odd place for two chairs and the second thought was those chairs are pretty cute!  While standing in line waiting to check out they caught my attention again so I got out of line, went over to them and found out they were marked down to $2 (originally priced over $20).  They were the last two chairs and the store was trying to move the final pieces of their seasonal stock.  These are the only 2 chairs I have ever bought in a grocery store but it goes to show you never know what you may find when you go out to get a gallon of milk!

    When the girls got home from school that day I had the two chairs set up in their room.  They were excited and gushing over how “cute” the chairs were.  I didn’t have to ask or tell them which chair was for who they knew instantly, that’s one of the joys of having twins with two very different personalities.  Since then the chairs have been used for reading, watching TV, playing school and many other fun activities.  Each girl has their own chair so their is no disagreements on who got the chair first or who has been sitting in it the longest…..do those types of conversations take place at your house too?!

    The chairs are big enough the girls are comfortable, but small enough they can carry them from room to room.  I love that they have so much personality with the smiling frog and cheerful ladybug!  Sometimes it is worth it to take the extra minute to glance at the clearance section, you might find a something you need or a fun treasure.  Although their favorite place to sit when we read a book together is still on our laps, which is fine with me because someday soon these precious days of them being little girls will be a thing of the past!

  • Making Apple Chips for a Tasty Snack!

    Fresh apple slices with a little bit of lemon juice and cinnamon & sugar

    When you have extra apples and want a great snack you can make apple chips.  Slice up the apples add a touch of lemon juice, sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon and sugar then place in the dehydrator.

    Dehydrated Apple Chips

    Dehydrate the apple chips until they are crispy and enjoy.  The girls love taking these to school in their lunches.  The apple chips will last much longer, we typically keep them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.

    Apple Chips in a snack bag