CSN Stores.....My New Love

I do a lot of shopping online and love the time it saves me.....not to mention not having to drag 2 little ones into a store. With that in mind.....my newest love is CSN Stores. CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish briefcases to cute cookware to chic lighting pieces! The choices are endless and I can easily find something I need while window shopping at any of CSN Stores.


I'm excited I get to do a review with CSN Stores. So, stay tuned for an upcoming review. I'm eyeing up a few different kitchen gadgets. What will I pick? Check back soon to see.


*I did not receive compensation for this post, but will receive a gift certificate to use towards the upcoming review. My opinions are my own.*


God bless!

Multitude Monday

I started keeping a journal out on the counter to record my everyday blessings. This week I thought I would just list the ones I have written down from last week. So in no real order.....

10-18-2010

586. Hearing our sweet babysitter upstairs praying with the girls at lunch time

587. Lunch date with Joe.....just the 2 of us

588. Dan & Becky's Market.....natural/organic store not far from home

589. Learning new things every time I go there

590. Packages in the mail.....gifts for baby boy from his auntie Kelly and uncle Dave

591. Charlie being ok after falling down the stairs

10-19-2010

592. Bible Study with dear friends

593. Great studies and open conversations

594. Lunch with a dear friend, Kelly

595. Kids all playing at the park while we visited

596. Girls napping in the van

597. Whole family eating supper together

598. Finding eggs from the new hens

599. Calls from customers looking to have more work done

10-20-2010

600. Charlie sitting soooo well at the dentist

601. Joe's ability and willingness to take Charlie with him

602. One-on-one time with Cori

603. Hubby who will do the dirty work

604. Cori sleeping through the night and sleeping in.....after not for the last 4 days

605. Cori giving her baby brother 'kisses and hugs'

606. Charlie's ideas of baby names.....Joseph Peterbilt

607. Cori's newest word.....CHEESE

10-21-10

608. Biblical teaching through the day.....Faith900

609. Friends blessing us with bags of clothes for the girls and baby boy

610. Dinner invitations

611. New recipes and my tweaks

10-22-10

612. Laughing from the kitchen

613. Baking with the aunties and cousins

614. Family recipes

615. Charlie rolling dough.....playing with dough.....eating dough

616. Homemade soup and bread

10-23-2010

617. Silly kids

618. Ask Cori.....'Where is your nose?', 'Where is your belly?', etc. and she always points to her ear

619. Charlie's favorite question.....'What do you want to do in the morning?'

620. Little ones helping even when it means a big mess

621. Little ones learning new things even if it is annoying

622. Naps.....for mama too

10-24-2010

623. Daddy doing the disciplining

624. Charlie wanting to work on her 'letters'

625. 31 Weeks (sorry for the really bad photo)

Have a blessed week!

This week at the Neaton ranch.....

* Sometime Sunday night or Monday morning, the steers managed to get my chicken coop door open and let out all the hens. They also managed to eat an entire bag of organic chicken feed. The escaping hens wasn't a big deal, except I was hoping to get them use to this being home before they had complete free range of the place. Joe and I managed to catch all but 2 Monday night and they spent 2 days in the coop...with a new steer-proof latch. The 2 escaped hens have not been seen since.

* Tuesday, I had the opportunity to have lunch with a dear friend , Kelly, that I don't see often. It actually had been 2 years since we had last got together. We meet at the park, our kids played and we chatted. It was wonderful.

* Wednesday, Charlie went to the dentist for the first time. I am so proud of her, she sat so well for both the hygienist and the dentist and was excited to get a new toothbrush. The dentist thinks she needs a couple of fillings, but I'm thinking we may hold off for now and look into other alternatives. I forgot to bring my camera, so no pictures. I've been really bad about taking pictures lately. I think part of it is, I'm having too much fun with the girls to stop and take their pictures.

* Charlie has also been excited to practice her letters, so we have been spending more time at the kitchen table with her school stuff.

* Cori is getting another tooth and it seems to be screwing up her sleep a little and is definitely making her more clingy to mom.

* Our friendly neighbors dropped off 12 grocery bags full of clothes for us to go through. There was tons of stuff for both the girls and baby boy, as well as crib sheets and tons of socks...both of which I had just written down as needs this winter. This family is the same family who's teenagers have been babysitting for us for the last month. The girls love having them here (Charlie more than Cori) and it is helping me out a lot to be able to go to my office and work uninterrupted. What a blessing!!

*When I pulled in the garage Wednesday afternoon, I managed to run over one of the kitties. As soon as it happened, I know it wasn't going to be good. She was still alive, but seemed to be in some pain and died shortly after that. The wimp that I am called Joe, asked him what I should do and then told him he would have to deal with her when he got home. My dear husband did handle it when he got home and buried the poor little thing. It's nice to be married and have someone who will share in the dirty work. I change stinky diapers, he buries dead pets.

*Tomorrow, we will be doing our annual Poppy Seed Kuchen baking. Click here for last years baking adventure.

*I'm still trying to talk Joe into delivering this baby at home. I really want to, but he is just not going for it. Thinking dinner with the sweet neighbor and her husband who have birthed 10 at home might be a good push in the right direction. And we are still undecided on a name for the little guy...he may just be nameless for awhile.

Hope everyone has had a blessed week!

Multitude Monday

My counting continues.....

572. Living our days out.....everyday

573. Little pigtails on little girls 

574. Fun in  the kitchen

575. Still being able to wear little ones close and have free hands

576. Charlie helping mop floors and dust

577. Early mornings with dad.....so mom could sleep in

578. T-Bone and Ribeye

579. My new girls

580. Finding food in your own back yard

581. Running errands by myself

582. Little ones dancing and clapping to worship songs at church

583. Couple from church celebrating 63 years of marriage

584. Sunday brunch with my beloved hubby and sweet little girls

585. Cozy sweaters

Have a blessed week!

My Story

As promised weeks ago...my testimony. It seems odd to me to say that because I kind of feel like I don't have a testimony...nothing special anyways. I didn't have this profound experience. I wasn't a drug user with an amazing conversion. I didn't have a near death experience that God used to draw me to Him. I can't remember the exact date or time that it happened. But, I do know there is a moment in my past and at that time I gave my life to Christ. And it wasn't all that long ago and I still struggle a lot with depending on Him and not trying to do it on my own (don't we all?).

If you would have asked me 10 years ago or even 5 years ago, I would have told you I was a christian. I mean I grew up going to church and my parents taught me right from wrong and even though I had done some bad things, I was an overall good person. I thought that's all it took...be good and go to heaven.

I couldn't have been more wrong, my doing and doing and doing was getting me nowhere and definitely wasn't helping give me peace about life and especially the new phase of motherhood I was in at the time.

Prior to getting married, I attended church with Joe and that was about it. We went to Sunday morning services, but beyond that I was not involved in any Bible Studies, didn't spend any personal time in The Word, etc. And after we were married and I was pregnant with Charlie, I went through the classes at church, converted and became a member of his church. Hindsight what it is, I know I was not making an informed decision, nor was I growing my relationship with Christ. I was not a believer at this point and none of those choices made me one. It was more of a head/logistical decision that I made that I thought would make us raising children together easier. Not the case at all, it has actually made it a lot harder, since I now question things that that particular denomination teaches.

The point...after Charlie was born, I struggled with this new motherhood thing. Nursing was not going well at all. I was stressed, overwhelmed and feeling like a failure because we (Charlie and I) just couldn't seem to come together and make it work.

I remember the day, Charlie was 5 weeks old. I had been pumping around the clock for weeks with one or two attempts at nursing each day that always seemed to end in us both crying and having a fit. I was exhausted and frustrated that I couldn't just make it work my way. I so thought this motherhood thing would be a walk in the park...funny right? I was sitting outside in the hammock swinging Charlie back and forth (We didn't know it yet, but she had huge issues with digesting dairy and was just cranky and miserable a lot and the only thing that made her happy was constant motion and we had to be outside). I was bawling and finally broke down and just begged and pleaded with God to help me...I was willing to do anything...anything.

It maybe sounds funny to someone who hasn't experienced something similar, but at that very moment I felt better, lighter and more capable of moving forward with parenting, marriage, everything. And guess what...Charlie starting nursing like a champ with in a couple of days and actually hated bottles from that point on. It helped Charlie and I's bonding, it helped my bonding with Christ and gave me confidence that I could do it...with His help of course.

God's grace and hope is so good and the impossible is not impossible for God!

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

God bless!

Multitude Monday

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
Lamentations 3:22-24



Surrounded by the Lord's great love.....

556. Early mornings just Cori and I

557. Hearing Cori's little feet moving across the floor in the other room

558. More rested and nourished body after weaning Cori
(even if it means the mommy guilt that has come with it)

559. Charlie helping bake bread

560. Little ones helping with chores because it's fun

561. Starting the week with a relatively clean house

562. Empty laundry baskets

563. Charlie excited about school stuff

564. Learning in the everyday.....chores, caring for pets, cooking, reading

565. Hearing.....Can we read Jesus?.....at the breakfast table

566. Little ones waiting with folded hands to pray before meals

567. Cori folding hands to pray throughout a meal

568. Wonderful Sunday service with MN Teen Challenge Choir and Travis

569. Seeing more and more evidence of God's grace and Christ's healing in our family

570. Forgiveness asked for and forgiveness given

571. Testimonies, worship songs and sermons that all make you cry

 

  Have a blessed week!

A Whole Bunch of Links

Here are a whole bunch of links from the last couple of weeks that I thought noteworthy. Hope everyone is enjoying their week.


Food and Health.....

5 Foods Women Should be Eating  - Kitchen Stewardship
         Great ideas and fat is not bad (good fat that is).
Meeting Joel Salatin - Keeper of the Home

The Production Myth - Eclectic Edibles
         Some good insight and thoughts on GMOs and the likes.

Why we will skip the flue shot - Sorta Crunchy
         We are a non-vacinating family and will do/are doing a lot of these same things to stay healthy.

Attitudes Toward Sugar - Keeper of the Home

12 Medical Myths - Dr. Mercola


Inspiration and Faith.....

I Am Here Where My Feet Are - Sorta Crunchy
           "Your ministry is where your feet are."

Love Like That - In Courage

When You Are Feeling Nervous - A Holy Experience

The Only Hunt That Will Ever Feed The Hungry - A Holy Experience

Just A Minute - Jenny


God bless!

Multitude Monday

 I know I am truly blessed each and every day, but too often get caught up in the every day of life and don't notice or pay attention to those small-yet-large everyday blessings...the blessings that make my life and encompass all that I am.  I am going to start keeping a journal of sorts out on the counter always...to give the daily praise to Him...to remind me to live in that state of gratitude...to live beyond me. Continuing... 533. Fun-filled weekend with the family 

534. Time alone with Joe and reconnecting535. Saturday afternoon massages536. Quiet ride home537. Time to recuperate 

538. God's timing in all things 539. Meeting neighbors for the first time...like-minded neighbors540. New babysitters and their flexibility (homeschooling families rock!) 541. Encouraging and supportive words from Joe542. Reminders to enjoy this current season of my life 543. Growing baby boy 544. Feeling good days and not-so-good days545. Baby name talks546. Big sisters loving on their baby brother in my tummy 

547. Orchard visits548. No rain, beautiful weather all week 549. Menu planning550. Approved new recipes

551. Found free time

552. Girls behaving at church
553. Encouraging words from other moms at church
554. Hymns and sermons that hit you just where you need it

555. Sunday night movies with my beloved husband

Have a blessed week!

C is for Charlie

Charlie is our girl of extremes.

Overly-funny and laughing one minute and cranky and throwing a tantrum the next.

(She may just get this from her mama)

We have been working on listening the first time and be respectful to mom and dad...each day seems to get better.

Two little stories.....

A couple of weeks ago, she and I had made a pumpkin pie.

Joe dished himself up a piece after supper and was telling us how good it was.

Charlie says "You like the squash pie, dad?"

Joe "I thought it was pumpkin?"

Charlie "No it's squash, dad."

I was reassuring Joe no it really was pumpkin, not squash. And all Joe says is...

"Well, you would be one to do such a thing."

Last weekend, she was out in the shop with Joe. When she came in, she was all excited and talking a million miles an hour, telling me what they had been doing.

She says "I got the naughty light for dad."

I had no idea what she was talking about...just couldn't get her to explain so I understood what she was talking about. Joe came in and tells me she was talking about a 'trouble light'. The picture was al of a sudden clear.

God bless!

Cori - 14 Months

Time flies.....hard to believe my baby is just about 14 months old.

In no particular order.....

*no more walking, pretty much running everywhere

*another tooth for a total of 9

*hears the word 'outside' and brings you her shoes and coat

*sleeps through the night but is usually up by 6:30 am

*can throw a tantum with the best of them, throws toys when she is mad

*will sit in the corner with her sister when Charlie is in a timeout

*favorite person is still mama, but does well with others when mom is not around

*still nursing until today...put her to bed without and am thinking this will be the end

*eating like a horse, will still eat almost anything and wants to eat anytime someone else

*loves her kitties and drags them around until you tell her not to

*will sign 'please' and uses it well when she really wants some thing

*loves to hug and kiss (more like blowing rasberries) my belly/her baby brother

*loves to be doing whatever her sister is doing

*uses silverware pretty well

God bless!