WFMW books in the bed

This is a tip that I learned from reading "On Becoming ToddlerWise". I try really hard to rise early to have some quiet time with the Lord before Hannah gets up. Because of the way our small house is set up, Hannah sometimes hears me, and wakes up before I'm ready for her to get up.

When I put her to bed at night, I lay a few books at the foot of her crib. I tell her that when she wakes up in the morning, she can read them. Thankfully, this works for me! Hannah gets up and quietly reads for a few minutes, buying me a little bit more of much needed quiet time in the morning.

For more great works for me Wednesday tips head over to We are that Family.

Happy Homemaker Monday!

The weather in my neck of the woods: It's the time of year where the mornings are very cool and the afternoons are warm. I'm so excited for fall!

One of my simple pleasures: Watching my baby laugh and play

On my bedside table: "Love and Respect"

On my TV: TV is off..that's a good thing.

On the menu for tonight: Cheesy Chili Soup

On my To Do List: Finish the laundry (yeah I'm almost caught up!), put the rest of the summer decor away, dust.

New Recipe I tried last week: The Best Meatballs (can you tell that I love kraft food recipes?!)

In the craft basket: haven't been too crafty lately

Looking forward to: Fall! Yeah...it officially begins tomorrow. Can't wait for trips to the orchard, crisp leaves, apple pie, apples cider...and all the goodies!!

Homemaking Tip for this week: never dump grease down the drain of your sink, if you do...it clogs the pipes over time. I spoon the grease off my meat into an empty can and keep in the fridge until it's full, then throw it away. This tip comes from my momma!

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other): 12 Books in 12 Months at Stop and Smell the Chocolate. My book reading dilemma is this: I got to do lots of reading while nursing Hannah, now that I'm not doing that any more, I don't do so much reading. I also have gotten very much into reading blogs...that takes a lot of my reading time. However...I know that I need to be reading, and I enjoy it when I do. So...starting next month I'm going to join in with Lisa and do 12 books in 12 months. I'm working on putting my list together now. I want to have a balance of books too: spiritual growth, mothering/homemaking, and fiction: Any GREAT recommendations?!

Favorite photo from last week: love those pig tails..love that face!

Lesson learned the past few days: When we carry one anothers burdens, others see the difference and are drawn to our Heavenly Father

Acts 2:47

On my Prayer List: Expecting moms in my life: my sister, sister-in-law and friend Joyce. Praying for a friends friend who is going through some hard times, and for Douglas' family (15 year old boy who passed away yesterday from a brain tumor)

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

Psalm 32:7 "For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory."

silly girl uses pasta as a drinking straw

By this time in yesterdays dinner, we had to take Hannahs dress off so that it didn't get any more pasta on it. She was using the penne as a drinking staw and saying "drink"....hasn't her mother taught her not to play with her food?

Sign Language for kiss & a few more...

Hannah just started doing the sign for kiss....which is such a cute one! Here she is showing us the sign, plus a few others. Enjoy :)

Yeah...she's eating!

After a week of not eating very much at all, it was so encouraging to see Hannah eat some pasta for dinner tonight. She was too cute telling us how messy she was after she finished...had to catch a video..enjoy!

FBC ladies retreat

I so enjoyed our ladies retreat this year. I'm so glad that the Lord worked out all the details at home (He always does) so that I could go and enjoy my time there knowing that Hannah was well and taken care of. I'm so thankful that her fever was down, and for my friend Ambers mom who watched her for the day.


The retreat came at just the right time. It was relaxing and refreshing...just what I needed! I enjoyed time with friends and getting to know some ladies that I haven't had much of a chance to get to know yet.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47 spoke to my heart this weekend. In this passage the believers were helping to carry the burdens of one another. I was challenged to get out of my own little world, and be more purposefully about looking for needs in lives of others. I want to share the burdens of those around me, to look for ways to help them and minister to them . My friend Rachel did a great job of being this for me just yesterday! My prayer is that the Lord will make me aware of the need of others around me and help me to know how I can help them.

An added blessing from the weekend was the door prize that I won. I won an overnight stay at the Radisson! Sure looking forward to a short weekend "away" with Seth in the near future. God knows just what we need doesn't He?!

Take a moment to listen to the theme song from the weekend, let it uplift and encourage your heart :)

Come Worship The Lord - Shannon Wexelberg

Blessing of the day

As you know, Hannah hasn't been feeling well this week. Praise the Lord, her fever was down all day today! She is still a little fussy, be we think that she is on the uphill...yeah! I talked to my friend Rachel today and was telling her about how Hannah hasn't been eating very well. Wouldn't you know...within a few hours..there she was at our house with a basket full of goodies for Hannah and even a beautiful picture that Joshua painted her. We are so blessed to have such great friends!!