tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40390012830754444982012-01-03T10:12:48.096-06:00My head hits the pillow...and my brain won't shut off.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.comBlogger3711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-5998835315731148302011-12-19T06:00:00.000-06:002011-12-19T06:00:01.674-06:00

These take a little more time than my regular Salted Nut Roll Bars but are worth the extra effort (which isn't really much). :) They are tasty and have totally satisfied my bar-craving (along with the Twix Bars I just made). It's a great recipe for me because I had most of the ingredients in my house and I really needed to use up that little bit of Rice Krispies left over from Rice Krispie bars.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-13913846763299624962011-12-17T19:42:00.001-06:002011-12-17T19:42:37.279-06:00

I'd have to say that The Hull Christian School Cookbook is my go-to for baking. It has some great recipes for cookies, bars and snacks. It's my favorite for homemade goodies. I had to call one of my dear sisters-in-law for some clarification as she grew up using this cookbook just like me. :) With her help and a call to her mom, these Twix Bars turned out delicious!! Twix Bars 1 tube

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-15442552793252775792011-12-10T21:29:00.001-06:002011-12-10T22:11:15.717-06:00

I've been doing all kinds of little projects around the house but thought I'd keep my promise and take you all along for the ride. That's really hard to do, being a perfectionist and all. So here are a few pictures from around the house and I'm sure I'll take time to tell each story and give you a tutorial I'll be sure to give you a quick overview. :) These pictures were taken in November hence

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-79113129462999356032011-11-28T06:00:00.000-06:002011-11-28T06:00:11.662-06:00

I found some great resources to use along with our Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel FIAR unit. And it involves lots of Legos!! Which we are complete fans of around here. Hope you enjoy!! Learning with Legos (Junior Version) by Walking by the Wayside Lego Memory Game Cards by I Sew, Do You?

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-64844358138691896602011-11-27T16:49:00.001-06:002011-11-27T17:59:53.208-06:00

We are finally caught up after missing a week of school in October due to two bouts of stomach flu - not pretty. So I wanted to update you on all our goings-on in our little schoolhouse. We've enjoyed many books through Five in a Row and have really enjoyed using our world map on a regular basis. Some weeks we do a lot of activities inspired by the books we read and some weeks we do the minimum

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-88077266526707412072011-11-25T06:00:00.000-06:002011-11-25T06:00:03.712-06:00

Pumpkin Pie is about the easiest pie you can make. I always use my Betty Crocker recipe and it never fails to satisfy us. It's a simple recipe out of my first cookbook - Betty Crocker's Cooking Basics: Learning to Cook with Confidence. I received this cookbook from my parents upon moving into my first apartment and it has served me well. It would make a great gift for a high school graduate or

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-77111563755906660772011-11-23T12:37:00.001-06:002011-11-23T16:28:54.028-06:00

This year for Thanksgiving my sister and her two kids are coming!! We are so happy to host them in our new home and are so thankful for the extra room so they can stay with us. Therefore, I've been cooking up a storm! And I love that kind of weather. :) First of all, I did all my non-perishable and frozen shopping last week and this week I picked up the fresh produce and my regular items. It

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-50578427654470348812011-11-04T22:24:00.000-05:002011-11-04T22:24:22.580-05:00

This month my youngest turns four! He's been requesting a superhero birthday party for a few months (without changing his mind - a miracle) so we're going with that. He's requested a "Scooperhero" birthday cake since we received this as a gift from two former students: He uses this delightful spoon to eat his breakfast every morning but I'm wondering how that's going to make it onto a cake.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-51593892370470354832011-11-04T10:28:00.001-05:002011-11-04T10:29:14.571-05:00

These next two passages of Scripture speak about worshiping God with our thankful hearts through music. It's a great thing to be able to praise God with our voices when we listen to music, sing along, sing with a group, or when we make a joyful noise. :)  No-Complain November :: Day 3 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-51980116989210655542011-11-02T20:24:00.000-05:002011-11-03T19:13:28.269-05:00

Every autumn the song Come, Ye Thankful People, Come gets in my brain. I think a lot of it has to do with growing up in a farming community. The writer (Henry Alford) of this hymn is calling the people together to praise God for the bountiful harvest He has supplied. But it's also pointing us to the future harvest when Christ will make is triumphal return. I am blessed to have grown up singing

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-13664540233345680062011-11-02T18:25:00.000-05:002011-11-02T19:59:17.419-05:00

You've seen our family's experience with No-Spend March and No-TV February so now I introduce to you: No-Complain November I thought November was the perfect time to focus on all the things we are thankful for (pretty obvious) and it's a great time to put my whiny voice away. We want to set an example for our boys who have been bitten by the "Complain-About-It" bug. And honestly, I've been

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-36689099954610242262011-10-29T21:32:00.001-05:002011-10-29T21:33:05.667-05:00

I'm busy baking Triple Chocolate Sour Cream Brownies and listening to the Christmas Blues on Pandora (you heard me right, Christmas music). It's so relaxing. A few days ago our basement had a slight flood (more on that another time) and we had dishes galore after not being able to use water for a day. And I listened to Christmas music then too. It helped me get the job done with a smile on my

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-61589728452823326072011-10-20T12:58:00.004-05:002011-10-20T13:47:37.437-05:00

The other night I had a craving for some pumpkin and chocolate and instead of heading to Dairy Queen in this chilly fall weather I made these Pumpkin Swirl Brownies from Betty Crocker. I am a lover of all things pumpkin and this is a quick go-to recipe if you don't have time to make pumpkin pie or if you don't want to run out to DQ. :) Enjoy! Pumpkin Swirl Brownies from: Betty Crocker

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-37395419928057235532011-10-13T14:56:00.001-05:002011-10-13T14:59:16.512-05:00

My dear friend Wendi and I share a love for vintage things. She has more of a shabby-sheik flavor to her vintage and mine is more farm-house. For instance, she owns a vintage chandelier and uses vintagey pink in her decorating. :) My colors or more red and aqua and I have a barn light hanging in my kitchen. We enjoy junking together at barns out in the middle of no-where Iowa and stopping at

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-71812702695602890102011-10-01T14:13:00.000-05:002011-10-01T14:13:49.462-05:00

We are finally tackling the basement and all the stuff it stores. There's some junk that we need to sift through and decide if we want to hold on to things until next spring and have a garage sale or just dump it off give it to Good Will or Salvation Army. There's a pile of kitchen gadgets that need a home until I need to use them. And lots of filing to do. There's also this huge daunting pile

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-91133351518010434802011-09-30T21:27:00.002-05:002011-09-30T21:30:21.248-05:00

I stumbled upon The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking the other day and really enjoyed its content. It's a fairly new blog but have already picked out several favorite posts including this: The Five Stages of Housework (from Feb 2011) 1. Denial: My house isn't dirty, it's lived in. 2. Anger: You peed on your sheets on purpose, Didn't you?  Didn't you? 3. Bargaining: Maybe if i put this

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-77928244104605443652011-09-19T13:46:00.000-05:002011-09-19T16:00:29.134-05:00

We've been having a great time schooling at home this fall. It's been such a blessing to watch my boys learn! And to see how God has created their brains to keep learning - takes a lot of pressure off of me. We've been enjoying the Five in a Row (FIAR) series and will continue throughout this kindergarten year. It's been fun to include our 3 (almost 4) year-old in our activities each day. Some

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-43343029242906908922011-08-30T18:04:00.002-05:002011-09-19T16:00:47.195-05:00

  Last week Monday we started kindergarten. It was a bitter-sweet event as most of the children we knew were headed off to school with their loaded backpacks to meet their new teachers, unpack their fresh school supplies and visit with new and old friends. Meanwhile, we were headed to the kitchen table where there were fresh supplies, fresh workbooks, and big smiles. I'm sure it will get easier

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-44918176124452688342011-08-16T10:00:00.000-05:002011-09-11T22:52:33.859-05:00

Some of you may have wondered where I've been for the last month, but we finally bought our house. And we've been working our tails off to make it home. It's a long process - that will probably last until we sell it in 20 years. But it seems as though we mark one thing off our "to do" list and add three more things. :) I've heard that's the way it goes with home ownership. Today I thought I'd

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-51827184886704743982011-07-05T06:15:00.001-05:002011-07-05T06:15:01.385-05:00

I've been trying to get some last minute sewing done before packing up some of my favorite things (sewing machine, fabric, thread...). And there have been a ton of babies born this past month and so I've been making gifts - spit-rags. Well, I'd like to think that they're more than a rag, but really, that's what it's for - catching that smelly belly milk. I usually put two in a pack, but I'm

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-19692361071875394682011-06-29T10:51:00.000-05:002011-06-29T10:51:29.263-05:00

My house is in complete.disarray. I guess that's natural when you're moving in less than two weeks but still, it kills me. I even ran out to McDonald's this morning (at 5:30a) to get some coffee since our coffeemaker is packed. The packing has been getting horrible. We're down to the bones but there are things that I'm unsure of when to pack. Like clothes. I'm planning on getting the laundry

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-55262441304541524072011-06-22T20:13:00.000-05:002011-06-22T20:13:37.929-05:00

Recently one of our favorite babysitters (a mom some former students) was unable to babysit for us because of a death in the family. I ran into her a few days later and asked how everyone was doing. She said it was really hard as her brother-in-law died suddenly at the age of 59 years-old. This same family has experienced a lot of losses within the last year and I'm sure this was especially hard

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-30562760302474429472011-06-05T22:15:00.000-05:002011-06-05T22:15:36.371-05:00

This is gettin' good! :) I'm enjoying The Ministry of Motherhood so much as it might be a standard gift for my first-time-mom friends. It's been so encouraging to me and I'm only through the second chapter. Good Morning Girls has been "directing" the book clubs and their extra material has been wonderful. They have commentary from the author Sally Clarkson, posts by fellow bloggers and book-club

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-62781052539572372132011-06-01T05:48:00.002-05:002011-06-01T05:48:00.796-05:00

This is one of the reasons I love having boys - monster knees! What a great way to patch a hole in jeans. :) I found a picture of the monster knee on Pinterest (I have got to get an account there! Invite me!!) and went to Miekk's blog - By Miekk - and although I can barely understand one word on her blog, the pictures on the tutorial are very helpful! I fixed three pairs of jeans in 30 minutes

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-13095030448641542982011-05-31T10:49:00.002-05:002011-05-31T21:39:40.426-05:00

I have to tell you that it's been great for me to be reading The Ministry of Motherhood this summer. It has already been an encouragement and I love that Good Morning Girls has added verses for daily reading and reflection. I have really been encouraged by the Bible reading and the fact that I actually have time to read and reflect on one or two verses a day. Makes me feel like I've accomplished

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-51935083059156262822011-05-18T22:03:00.000-05:002011-05-18T22:03:40.447-05:00

I've had The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson on my nightstand for months. And I just haven't found the time to really dig into it. It's not like it's a "heavy" book, but I wanted to make sure that I was in the right frame of mind to really study and learn from the book. And that time is now!! Good Morning Girls is hosting a book club using The Ministry of Motherhood! God has great

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-41818708779005972902011-05-17T21:10:00.000-05:002011-05-17T21:10:24.235-05:00

Tonight I'm missing little toes. My baby is three years-old. And his feet are not little anymore. He has boy feet, not baby feet, not even toddler feet. He has little boy feet. I rocked him tonight and was really sad that his feet are getting big. :) That may sound ridiculous because he still has pretty little feet in the scheme of things. But his little toes are gone. And I'm sad about that. I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-14223887359252771442011-05-10T10:39:00.001-05:002011-05-10T11:55:20.703-05:00

For those of you who don't know me, I have a hard time saying, no to people. I will say yes to almost anything because of my very empathetic heart. But I'm learning as I get older that saying yes to one thing means you're saying no to something else. And most of the time I was saying no to myself and to my family - in an unhealthy proportion. A friend recommended the book Boundaries: When to

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-28094412351244819912011-05-10T09:10:00.000-05:002011-05-10T09:10:55.576-05:00

A FREE photo session and a FREE frame!! That's right, people, Free!! Make sure you stop over at Des Moines Wedding Savvy and comment for your chance to win this fabulous prize!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-20904943209769255432011-05-09T14:00:00.003-05:002011-05-09T14:04:26.548-05:00

Seder 2011 details

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-5268378552584165172011-04-28T17:57:00.000-05:002011-04-28T17:57:26.948-05:00

Yes, this is another blog list cause I can't get things done quick enough. :) So to document my "wanna tries" and to share them with you - you may even be able to try them before me - here we go... I've been thinking about doing this in my boys' room: a) books that have their name in them b) good "boy" books c) my childhood favorites from Project Nursery Oh, how I've been feeling this

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-37246145660224840962011-04-23T21:09:00.001-05:002011-04-23T21:12:11.962-05:00

I've been getting the Food Network Magazine for quite some time now. I think I got a few months for free and then I just couldn't wait until the next issue, so now I'm a regular. :) Anyway, I have a friend who is allergic to a lot of things and I thought I'd post this recipe for Flourless Walnut-Date Cake from the Food Network Magazine. I hope it's something that she can enjoy. :) We also made

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-56206791465557190192011-04-23T20:45:00.002-05:002011-04-23T21:09:36.968-05:00

We've been having quite the Easter celebration weekend. :) Thursday night was the Seder dinner for the high school senior leadership team. Friday night was Good Friday services. And tonight we made Easter Story Cookies. Tomorrow is a sunrise service at 6:30a (yep we're waking the boys up for that) at a park, making Resurrection Biscuits, then normal services and then some ham. :) It's been a

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-32663471082864894622011-04-20T21:35:00.000-05:002011-04-20T21:35:40.364-05:00

It's almost time for our 2nd annual Seder dinner for the high school leadership team. What a blessing to be preparing food and getting decorations ready for such a wonderful event. A Seder dinner is a traditional Passover feast where Jewish people celebrate their liberation from Egypt and safety from the 10th plague as the angel (of death) passed over the homes that had blood sprinkled on their

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-33015169795669745292011-04-12T13:35:00.000-05:002011-04-12T13:35:44.491-05:00

  I got this book from the library a few weeks ago and couldn't put it down. I read the whole thing in one sitting...on the way home from the library (no, I wasn't driving). My husband got the boys out of the van and I stayed sitting and reading. It was great. The stories are funny and the recipes are wonderful. I like this book because I have most of the ingredients already in my fridge or

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-36226070999644254512011-04-11T14:07:00.000-05:002011-04-11T14:07:01.459-05:00

I have a lot to write about but only wish I could find the time to get that writing done! :) A few weeks ago I finished Rosie Camper Weary's book, Stepping Out of the Shadows. This is the book I purchased on my trip to Mississippi. We had dinner with Rosie and her husband one evening and they were promoting their books. It's a good book and there are a few things that I want to share about it -

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-15528986806260757132011-04-07T06:08:00.004-05:002011-04-07T14:01:28.837-05:00

I was awakened at 3:45a this morning cause some little boy needed his covers "straightened out." :) It felt good to tuck him in and get him all cozy. But now, two hours later, I'm still awake. Fretting. Fretting over the next two weeks. Fretting about speaking at the college group tonight and how I still feel unprepared. Fretting about grocery shopping tomorrow and I don't have my list ready.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-64903215761635044112011-03-30T18:57:00.001-05:002011-03-30T18:57:36.102-05:00

My friend, Laura, gave birth today to twin girls at 20 weeks. They are now in the arms of Jesus and basking in God's glory. Please pray for God to comfort them in their terrible grief. Pray that God enables us to love them well.  Molly Piper has some great tips for helping your grieving friend.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-56388081755763345102011-03-30T05:48:00.001-05:002011-03-30T18:42:04.453-05:00

Here's some more wonderful things that I want to try... I want to eat this soup: Yummy Italian Sausage Soup From Susan at Living with Punks I wish I could sew better so I could make this: DIY Pleated Dress From Sarah at Welcome to the Good I wish I could sew better so I could make this too: Anthropologie Squeeze Box Top DIY From Sarah at Welcome to the Good I want to

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-41478856747670953322011-03-29T08:58:00.001-05:002011-03-29T09:01:51.890-05:00

Who doesn't love a good book? I have been reading Francine Rivers for years and she is a wonderful writer. All of her books are thought-provoking and so different from each other that you don't feel like you're reading the same story just with different characters (which happens a lot in Christian-fiction). She's a wonderful author and in honor of her 100,000th fan-ship on Facebook Tyndale House

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-67509501675738025612011-03-28T17:28:00.007-05:002011-03-30T18:43:54.594-05:00

You can tell I've been in a "worshipful-mood" lately as there have been so many songs that have touched my heart. This one was recommended by Kristi K. and it really spoke to me. Sometimes the lyrics of a song can touch deep down in your soul, so much that it can be healing. The chorus is really powerful as a grieving mom and I think the words that made me cry the hardest were, We know the pain

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-44448550644557874752011-03-22T05:55:00.001-05:002011-03-22T05:55:00.136-05:00

Here are some sewing, well one of them doesn't involve sewing, projects that I'd like to tackle some day in the distant future soon: Jaime at Prudent Baby's DIY Burp Cloth (with link to DIY Pocket Bib) Jaime at Prudent Baby's Adorable DIY Ear Warmers Jenny at Little Green Notebook's Make Shades Out of Mini Blinds What's on your "I Wanna Try" list?

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-61080598055764294742011-03-21T06:23:00.002-05:002011-04-07T14:07:10.099-05:00

It's been a rough few weeks. And I've been very emotional. I keep blaming my thyroid but really it's more of a heart issue. I'm still sad. I'm having a hard time thinking of the future without our little boys. I'm having a hard time wondering if I will ever feel a life move inside of me again. I'm having a hard time wondering if I'll give birth to a healthy child ever again. It's painful. And

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-60150111192733320702011-03-18T06:17:00.005-05:002011-03-18T06:17:01.114-05:00

I have to admit that I'm back to "normal." That's not a good kind of normal. It's a chubby kind of normal. Remember when I looked like this? Well, I haven't gained any weight back, but I've lost my muscle tone and have become squishy all over. Really a bummer after working that hard. And I have to say that if we could have afforded to keep me at Goals In Motion, I would have! It's was the best

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-49224412369555761252011-03-17T05:54:00.000-05:002011-03-17T05:54:00.290-05:00

Eugene Cho has some pretty thought provoking things to say on his blog about Lent and how we choose to prepare our hearts for Easter. It made me think about giving myself to God and how that has to be a daily choice, to give up my will for the Father's. It's difficult and I can say that most days I probably don't do so well, but I can wake up each morning and try again. Check out Eugene's blog

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-21512227800730010342011-03-16T21:46:00.001-05:002011-03-16T21:53:46.563-05:00

I've been all over bloggyland and found a few recipes that I really want to try: DIY Kale Chips by Dana at House Tweaking (a favorite DIY decor blog) Cheddar Cheese + Apple Pie by Jamie at Prudent Baby (a fun DIY craft blog) Yummy!! What have you been cookin'?

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-52149482602230326902011-03-16T11:51:00.000-05:002011-03-16T11:51:25.640-05:00

Ever feel like you need a parenting check-up? Do you have days where you need to refocus on your ministry as a mom (or dad)? Do you have days where you feel like you just haven't measured up and need to refresh your heart? Do have areas of sin that you need "surgery" on? Do you have trouble explaining your role as a parent/disciplinarian to your children? Today Doorposts is hosting it's 2nd day

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-18697315351072604762011-03-16T06:30:00.001-05:002011-03-16T11:40:49.400-05:00

Music is one of the main ways that help me feel connected to God. Through lyrics and melody I can feel God's presence in my life, in my heart. I've been having a really emotional week and a friend sent me the lyrics to Bebo Norman's I Will Lift My Eyes and the words hit me hard. This is a song that I've heard before and even sang as a duet on worship team, but I've never really thought about the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-45350038256892633852011-03-15T16:52:00.000-05:002011-03-15T16:52:25.270-05:00

My friend, Rachel, posted about friendship at her blog The Wonder Woman Diaries and she had so many good points. I've seen her grow so much in her faith, in her marriage and in her "new" role as mom. She's a wonderful mom and I've seen her blossom in so many ways since having her first little boy. God is using her in so many ways and she's been such a blessing to me. Here's her list to making

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-16366267717658895532011-03-15T16:26:00.002-05:002011-03-16T11:54:12.977-05:00

**Update: this giveaway is closed and winner has been chosen. Doorposts is a great resource for training your children in righteousness. They just launched their new blog with "Biblical parenting ideas, weekly character-building projects, book reviews, and lots more." Along with the launch of their blog they are hosting 10 days of giveaways with the last day, Saturday, March 26th, as the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-12993551907415726472011-03-14T12:19:00.000-05:002011-03-14T12:19:57.643-05:00

Kids' Christian music... I have a lot to say about that but most of it isn't positive. I think it's good to have Christian music around the house, especially music that your kids can relate to. But most of it hurts my brain. The melodies, the instruments, the kids singing, the Bible lesson before the song actually starts..... We have the Steve Green kids' music CDs and they're all right. The

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-70290599015240581822011-03-10T05:45:00.001-06:002011-03-10T05:45:01.069-06:00

I asked my dear friend, Rachel, if she would be willing to design my blog (yes, this blog) for me. I want a new look, something that's my own. :) Anyway, she asked me if we could do a swap in lieu of payment. And I was totally on board with that!! So she asked me to make pennant bunting for her son's first birthday party. And it turned out great!! I love it and am proud to say that I made it!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-64326015388140369782011-03-07T16:39:00.005-06:002011-03-07T17:35:09.844-06:00

I've been busy at my sewing machine making some bunting/pennants for a friend. It's been taking more brain power than I expected so I was in need of a quick project to boost my "craft" spirits. So I made this cute wreath for my door: It was pretty cheap too!! I spent $4 on the straw wreath (I recommend the next smaller size), $3 on the yarn and $1 for the felt (total $8). And it only took me an

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-82128652434609210372011-03-04T10:53:00.000-06:002011-03-04T10:53:54.684-06:00

Seriously the only ice in the whole parking lot was right by the handicap parking spot. My dad and I said that if you didn't arrive handicapped, you would be by the time you left. I wanted to take more random funny pictures while we were on our Mississippi adventures, but I'm usually living in the moment instead of behind the camera. So, I apologize for not having more great pictures like this

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-64693893480998346392011-03-02T18:48:00.000-06:002011-03-02T18:48:00.656-06:00

It's always fun finding something unexpected in the mail. I opened my mailbox and it was stuffed full of bills, coupon fliers, my favorite magazine Cook's Country, and even a package with my name on it. I didn't think I had ordered anything and there was no return address. I opened the package to find this book: And this note: What a pleasant surprise!! And what a blessing. :) I'm

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-62865080572257359592011-03-01T12:08:00.003-06:002011-03-01T12:34:05.059-06:00

We were so privileged on Monday to hear some wonderful men encourage us with their stories: Dr. John Perkins and Dolphus Weary. These two men have been very instrumental in the ministries that are happening in Jackson and in the rural towns around Jackson. Dr. Perkins and Jo Caswell Dr. Perkins had lunch with us today (and even asked me to get him a second piece of cake - my claim to fame)

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-90355646271674133582011-03-01T11:10:00.003-06:002011-03-04T10:55:49.565-06:00

This is a longer post because of all the wonderful messages we heard on Sunday (February 13th). Hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave a comment with your thoughts. :) First, I have to tell you that 12 years ago my husband and I went on our first date (kind of a real date, kind of a "just friends" date and a double-date): Sioux City Musketeers hockey game and McDonald's; I ordered a fish

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-33881829454060663042011-02-17T12:40:00.000-06:002011-02-17T12:40:45.858-06:00

I know I promised lots of posts about our trip but so much has happened and there's so much to think about and process. :) We've had some great ministry opportunities, met great people both from Mississippi and volunteers from the Midwest, heard some wonderful speakers and preachers, and traveled some pretty crazy roads through Mississippi and Tennessee. Also, there have been many sad baby

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-77952509380704954392011-02-12T17:08:00.003-06:002011-02-12T17:18:03.815-06:00

Dick and Margie started coming down to Cary, Mississippi from Platte, South Dakota 16 years ago. They would serve for two weeks at the Cary Christian Center (CCC) and then head back up north to Platte. But their hearts remained in Mississippi. Four years ago some of Dick and Margie's family came to Cary to build them a "retirement" home right on the site of the Cary Christian Center. They come

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-26745876992589022082011-02-12T15:52:00.004-06:002011-02-12T17:24:54.747-06:00

We arrived in Rolling Fork, MS on Friday after spending 31 hours in the truck (driving, riding, eating, sleeping). After a few tries backing the truck up to the back doors we walked on the soggy ground around to the front of the building to let Audry, the manager of the Treasure Chest Thrift Store, know that we were finally there. We were greeted with smiles and hugs. She closed down the store,

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-44183133302528825562011-02-08T22:02:00.002-06:002011-02-08T22:03:41.648-06:00

Here are two super cute ideas with yarn from Monica at The Homespun Heart, one of my favorite blogs! Now I need to wait for yarn to go on sale. :) Wrapped Around You A great "thinking of you gift." Yarn Flowers - Cozying Up with Yarn Such sweet ideas to decorate with yarn and it looks so cozy!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-17976410845569093942011-02-05T21:56:00.001-06:002011-02-05T22:03:39.285-06:00

My husband and I were married on New Year's Eve of 2002. It was a wonderful wedding and we had so much fun at our reception! It was such a blessed day. We really enjoy having our anniversary on New Year's Eve as there's always something special going on - although we usually choose to spend our time alone together. The only real tradition that we have for our anniversary is taking the year's

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-65605911240702749492011-02-05T21:17:00.000-06:002011-02-05T21:17:15.629-06:00

I was planning on this month being a "no-spend" month but I received an opportunity that I couldn't refuse: to join my dad for a mission trip to Mississippi for a week. We will be taking a semi-truck full of used items (clothes, furniture, etc) to deliver to a thrift store. Then we'll be spending some time doing some mission work while we're down there. I'm really looking forward to having a

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-61403273884116096992011-01-31T11:49:00.000-06:002011-01-31T11:49:31.960-06:00

I've been hurting over our loss again the past two weeks. I've been very emotional and very tired. I've been drained and on the verge of tears for days. I am joyful, but I'm sad.  A friend recently wrote to me regarding the loss of unborn children: "They get Real Life right away - euphoria" To be honest, that was hard to read at first. But it's true. They are born into heaven never to

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-22130136309403408872011-01-25T13:06:00.000-06:002011-01-25T13:06:52.112-06:00

When I was pregnant with my firstborn, I was on bedrest for three weeks before he was born at 34 weeks. And I have to say that, although there was a lot of anxiousness involved, there wasn't a lot of boredom. We don't have cable TV at home so that was a great help. Since my husband is in student ministry we know lots of students and I looked forward to 3pm when they would stop by to visit. That

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-32920629887842377842011-01-22T20:52:00.000-06:002011-01-22T20:52:59.534-06:00

And this time it's not a book. It's another blog. A really good blog by Raechel Meyers, Finding My Feet. My friend, Rachel, sent me a link to Raechel's blog for a really cute t-shirt idea for my boys and I found a lot more. I found someone who has endured multiple miscarriages and the loss of a daughter who passed away hours after her birth. And to be honest, I haven't stopped crying since I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-25320971633235099032011-01-13T06:38:00.000-06:002011-01-13T06:38:00.327-06:00

Quagmus.com is a blog by a friend of a friend's husband. :) Nicolas Kline illustrated the book, The Voice of College: The Freshman Experience, written by Kipp Van Dyke and Dr. Michael Severin. I'm not sure if the book is any good (although I have heard some great reviews, and not just from the authors' wives) but Kline's blog is fun as he adds some poignant cartoons to Words from Scripture. I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-18743837888143959542011-01-12T06:21:00.000-06:002011-01-12T06:21:00.904-06:00

First of all, I am horrible at writing book reviews. I babble on too much, and I give bad story summaries because I don't want to give anything away. Just thought you should know that before you continue. :) My husband picked up a book for me at the library. It was on the "bestsellers" shelf so he read the back cover and decided that I might like it. And I did, although att times it was a

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-12780676351257712772011-01-10T13:17:00.001-06:002011-01-10T13:22:32.505-06:00

My husband was gone with the high school students for the weekend. Every year in January we have our district conference and all the Evangelical Free churches from Iowa (some from neighboring states) meet in Des Moines with their staff and students to worship, pray and learn more about God and His Son. It's a great time and I really miss being a part of that. It's hard to find a free sitter for a

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-85109974775237340092011-01-07T16:54:00.001-06:002011-01-07T17:04:01.653-06:00

I was reminded by Sarah at Short Stop that I need to do another No Spend Month. Sarah writes about some great reasons why to do a No Spend Month and some wonderful thoughts on her journey. I'd like to document that a little bit better this time. January would have been ideal to start a No Spend Month: new year, right after a spending frenzy for Christmas, nothing major happening this month (ie.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-85731397809146357282011-01-05T20:31:00.001-06:002011-01-05T20:44:48.533-06:00

I ask myself that question a lot during the week. I read lots of parenting books on discipline, homeschooling, healthy sleep habits, how to raise a grateful child, how not to raise a Christian wimp, blah, blah, blah. But most of the time I'm just making stuff up. I don't know what I'm doing. I think most parents would say the same thing. We haven't done this before. We don't know what "normal"

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-2811039583688043342011-01-01T19:43:00.000-06:002011-01-01T19:43:34.128-06:00

I am here to tell you that I am very grateful for a new year. A year filled with new hopes and dreams. A year of anticipation. A year of no regret. A year of living every day to the fullest. A year of slowing down and enjoying the little things - even if it's a toddler or preschooler screaming their blessed head off. A year of taking time and loving more. A year of telling people thank you more.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-62791210622552871882010-12-24T15:42:00.003-06:002010-12-24T15:43:24.898-06:00

Here's what I've been cooking baking up today: No-bake Chocolate Cookies Almond Puffs Spritz Cookies Almond Bark Pretzels Cutout Cookies Yummies to share with our friends tomorrow.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-81720403935159891902010-12-24T15:42:00.000-06:002010-12-24T15:42:00.192-06:00

This is a yummy Dutch recipe that my mom made when we were growing up. If only it wasn't almond extract and had actual almond paste. Yumm-O! Almond Puffs pastries 1/2 cup butter 1 cup water 1 cup flour 3 eggs 1 1/2 tsp almond extract frosting 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tbsp milk 1 tbsp butter 3/4 to 1 tbsp almond extract Boil butter and water. Remove from heat and add flour. Beat until smooth.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-57523128190004613532010-12-22T17:22:00.000-06:002010-12-22T17:22:38.342-06:00

I'm still here. I'm having a hard time writing lately. I think it's because after Elihu's death and because the whole process of grieving and making it out on the other side with a better perspective has been exhausting and a lot of hard work. It's hard to look at the day-to-day things and feel that they are significant after the loss of a child. But it's the day-to-day things that make life

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-139045193218331802010-11-21T15:50:00.000-06:002010-11-21T15:50:20.073-06:00

This week will be hard. I should be packing up the many things it takes to bring a baby to visit family for the first time. I should be finding that carseat cover that kept my other two boys warm during the winter months. I should be folding clothes and getting a little suitcase ready for a 4-hour drive to our home town. I should be counting diapers, wipes, burp cloths, etc. But I'm not. And

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-69593235685291203122010-11-19T21:34:00.000-06:002010-11-19T21:34:31.241-06:00

That's a question I find myself asking a lot since we returned home from Florida. We were there for several days with the youth pastors and their wives from the nation's Evangelical Free Church - Rebound. And it was a much needed trip. I had time to process through some stuff about Elihu, my husband was refreshed from ministry, he also learned a lot during the first part of the trip (Momentum),

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-45987609505548091722010-11-07T10:17:00.002-06:002010-11-07T21:08:36.909-06:00

On October 8th, we had a wonderful time celebrating Elihu's Homecoming. We were really blessed by nice weather, wonderful friends, and a worshipful spirit. We are thankful for our little Elihu Siloam and feel so blessed by God to know that he is in heaven. More Than a Name: Elihu Siloam Planning Planning: Music Planning: Cake Planning: Balloons Thank you so much for your prayers during

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-83234857780199573522010-10-20T05:57:00.022-05:002010-10-20T05:57:00.160-05:00

So what do I do now that I've completed my 9-week challenge at Goals in Motion and will not be continuing with their maintenance program? 1. Walk everyday - That's easy right now because the weather is nice. I'm sure it will get more difficult to want to walk when it's cold and snowy. But for right now it's beautiful and the boys and I are enjoying the outdoors. 2. Do a workout video 5-6 days a

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-65089109335656788732010-10-19T06:17:00.002-05:002010-10-19T08:51:44.633-05:00

My 9-week "boot camp" at Goals In Motion is over! And I have to say that I'm disappointed that it's over. I thought I would be relieved. ;) I was getting very discouraged because I wasn't seeing the scale move. I felt disappointment every time I got on the scale...1 lb here, 1 lb there. It was hard to know that I wasn't "losing weight." I kept telling myself that muscle weighs more than fat, but

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-32160750187491977172010-10-15T06:00:00.006-05:002010-11-07T18:51:13.415-06:00

(You can start reading the series here: Planning (Part 1), Planning: Picking the Music (Part 2), Planning: Cake (Part 3).) Ok, now that I've been Debbie Downer all week I thought I'd talk about the balloons as my final post on planning the memorial service/heaven party for our son, Elihu Siloam. I knew I wanted balloons to be released and was inspired by Denise to do just that. And we will make

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-76497153432021201602010-10-14T05:59:00.008-05:002010-11-07T18:50:24.835-06:00

(You can start reading this series here: Planning (Part 1) and Planning: Picking the Music (Part 2).) We wanted Elihu's memorial service to be a celebration of his Homecoming and of our hope that some day we will be celebrated as we return Home to Jesus' arms. So we wanted cake and balloons. That's what really signifies a celebration at our house. We have cake and balloons at every birthday

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-51867928704997801202010-10-13T06:02:00.003-05:002010-10-13T13:56:44.335-05:00

Read Planning (Part 1) here. Picking out music was one of the hardest things to do in planning a memorial service for our son. Worship with music is something that is dear to my heart. It's one of my favorite ways to express my relationship with God and to thank Him for who He is and what He's done. Normally I really enjoy pondering the words of worship music but this was really hard on my

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-5408615232144541752010-10-12T06:29:00.019-05:002010-10-13T13:54:34.955-05:00

We started calling our baby 'bud' after an email from my husband's Gramma. That's why I put the flower and buds on the program. On October 8, 2010 we had a Heaven Party/memorial service for our third son, Elihu Siloam. The image above was the program I made for the service. Tomorrow I will talk about the music we chose but first I wanted to share with you God's Gift of a Name because it was

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-307959496902922682010-10-11T11:42:00.000-05:002010-10-11T11:42:52.422-05:00

October 8, 2010 was to be the due date for our third child - another little boy. But that's not what God had planned for us. My husband and I didn't want the day to go by without stopping to recognize that this was the day we were to have our third son. We knew we wanted to spend some time together as a family but were unsure as to inviting others into this intimate time. I know that my heart

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-54112852967592453102010-10-07T17:53:00.002-05:002010-10-07T17:53:53.061-05:00

Does anyone have any tips to get red fingernail polish out of carpet? I'd appreciate any suggestions: do's or don'ts. Thanks!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-1620882507683394312010-10-04T11:39:00.000-05:002010-10-04T11:39:13.278-05:00

I've had tabs up from Molly Piper's blog for a long time. But I haven't been able to blog about them so I'm just going to list them here and then see if I feel like blogging about them later. I would encourage you to read them as they have been some kind of comfort to me. And I wanted to get them in my archives for future reference. Thanks and enjoy the links. Brokenhearted Love: Give It, Live

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-9112881742011059102010-09-28T11:48:00.002-05:002010-09-28T12:36:48.144-05:00

About What Was Lost is a book edited by Jessica Berger Gross. This book is a compilation of stories from 20 women who have dealt with miscarriage including the editor. Some of these women are "notable" writers such as Pam Huston, Joyce Maynard, Caroline Leavitt, Susanna Sonnenberg, and Juilanna Baggott, among others. But I didn't know any of the authors. This was a hard book to read. I did

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-47853039432757295182010-09-27T12:59:00.001-05:002010-09-27T13:22:07.280-05:00

As some of you remember from my birthday post, I have set some goals for my 30th (which is actually my 31st) year of life. I want to do some things that I've never done and a fitness boot camp was one of them...notice I said WAS. That's right! I've finished my 9-week challenge and I've seen some amazing results -which will be revealed later this week. But that's not why I'm writing this post. I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-71463297964744254272010-09-10T21:17:00.000-05:002010-09-10T21:17:02.964-05:00

I'm asking you to be praying for a dear friend who just found out today that her baby died inutero. She was 12 weeks along and really needs prayer right now. I hated to hear the hurt in her voice as we talked over the phone this afternoon. I wish she didn't have to go through this hurt. And pray that I can be as supportive as she needs me to be. I'm still grieving my loss and I want to love her

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-69429970040930773082010-09-08T06:28:00.001-05:002010-09-08T06:28:00.139-05:00

It took me a long time to admit that I was depressed. And maybe I still am. I'm still grieving the loss of our baby, and again, as the due date approaches it will get increasingly difficult.I'm not really angry anymore although I do have spouts of anger. It's not a constant. And I'm not really feeling jealousy like I was when I saw pregnant and new moms. Although sometimes it still hurts.I'm just

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-46519041561981703812010-09-07T06:00:00.001-05:002010-09-07T06:00:02.369-05:00

This past weekend my husband took our two boys to visit his family for the extended weekend. I decided not to go.There are many reasons that I could give you: time to myself, a mini-vacation, I've never done this before, time to get school stuff done, time to get church stuff done, time to relax, time to clean our house, etc.But the main reason I didn't go is I wanted to avoid pain.I love my

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-87521945043974406702010-09-06T06:25:00.001-05:002010-09-06T06:25:00.783-05:00

I thought this blog post was hilarious!! Really enjoyed the wit of the graphic designer when dealing with the urgency of his secretary's lost cat. And because I don't really care for cats. Enjoy!!**FYI - *I do not promote any other material on this blog as I have not viewed anything but this witty banter. Thanks.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-38000072513778245362010-09-03T06:12:00.001-05:002010-09-03T06:12:00.427-05:00

I wouldn't say I'm an official grammarian, but I do like to diagram sentences, or did in high school. ;) Anyway, I found this article really interesting as I find myself correcting people in my head. Even though I still get confused by the rules/definitions/pronunciations. Here are some that hit home:further - metaphorical distance or timefarther - physical distance*I've been wondering about this

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-88758794020353920002010-09-01T06:09:00.007-05:002010-09-01T12:38:58.034-05:00

I have to admit that I have way too many resources. I was planning on using a little of this and a little of that. Then my cousin gave me the PreK Horizons curriculum that she received free to review as a preschool teacher. That was when I became completely overwhelmed. And like a first-time homeschool mom I have overbought, and have made myself a little nuts. ;)It's hard for me to plan because

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-33919163296509989212010-08-30T06:17:00.001-05:002010-08-30T06:17:00.035-05:00

Today I would be at 34 weeks and 3 days - the same gestational age I was when I had my firstborn.I've actually been doing a lot better emotionally. My hormones have stabilized, my postpartum depression is almost gone (had it with both boys and started feeling better when they were about 4 months old), and I've been getting better at guarding my heart around expectant and new moms. Even though

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-87174284851545702112010-08-26T06:00:00.002-05:002010-08-26T13:00:08.271-05:00

We have officially started preschool in our house. And it's been a fun three days so far. I was worried that I wasn't going to be ready, but as my friend Sue said, "It's only preschool - it's not college." And another friend said if you don't go ahead and start because "you're not ready" you never will. So the next few posts will be a "series" on my favorite tools, the curriculum/books I'm using

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-69400045312349011592010-08-25T09:20:00.005-05:002010-08-25T11:10:29.567-05:00

I think this book is overdue at the library so I thought I'd better get a post up before my fine is so high that I might as well buy the book. ;)Firstborn by Robin Lee Hatcher is another story about redemption and forgiveness. In this Christian fiction book Erika is happily married to her high school sweetheart and has a 16 year-old son when she finds out that the baby girl she gave up for

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-465635925929088132010-08-10T20:57:00.003-05:002010-08-10T21:04:58.143-05:00

Thanks to Financial Stress Peace University we are celebrating the 1st anniversary of us owning our Toyota Sienna. It's been a great year and to celebrate here are two videos that make us feel cool. ;)

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039001283075444498.post-48467232024507467382010-08-04T19:54:00.004-05:002010-08-04T20:21:50.632-05:00

I've been eating protein bars when I'm on the go since starting this new diet way of eating. Goals in Motion focuses a lot on the nutrition part of their program which is great, but hard for a foodie like me. I've been doing pretty well and not splurging really at all. I have a bite of a treat here and there, but as for no carbs after 3p I've been doing really good since the evening was my big

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08978036026066329022noreply@blogger.com2