artwork of the day

I love it when Slone brings home something he worked on at school. He loves to draw. He has a little notebook that I keep in my purse that he gets out when we are at church and restaraunts. He just draws and draws.

Here's what he brought home today:)

Creative God - week 4

Job 19-40

Good Morning! Did you get through part of Job this week? I will still say that it's hard. I am a lot like Job's friends, I have to admit. But we never know what God knows. We are not fit to judge. 

I don't have a lot to say this morning about it, except this morning's reading, the last verses really stuck out to me: (This is Job's response after God finally responds to him.)

Job 40:3-5

Then Job replied to the Lord,

          "I am nothing -- how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say."

I think it's wise to just let God speak for Himself.

Chicken Noodles

Do you have a recipe that just tastes like home? That's how I am with these Chicken Noodles. Except I don't ever remember Mom really fixing these:) My mom is a great cook. I love everything that she makes. When we were growing up, some of our favorites were: chili, Danish meatballs, creamy cheesy potatoes. I think almost every meal (if it had meat) had gravy. She is the queen of gravy. I l.o.v.e. gravy.

Anyway, now that I'm starving, I was not a good cook when I got married. Not. at. all. **I'm not saying I'm a good cook now;)** We ate a lot of yucky stuff and it didn't (doesn't) help matters that Matt does not eat vegetables or fruit. I have never seen him eat fruit, but he will eat green beans on occasion and of course sweet corn. Potatoes, yes, but usually in the form of fries.  (If you are worried about my children eating their veggies, don't. I fix them even if Matt doesn't eat them.) Also, he doesn't really like anything that has spices in it (also known as "flavor".) So as you can see, this limits what I fix for supper.

Matt usually wants grilled something, whether it's porkchops, hamburgers, steaks, you get the idea. I, on the other hand, want something with gravy:) and I don't want to go outside to grill when it's 20 degrees outside. So I started making Chicken Noodles when we first got married.

This is my go-to dish when I have to take a meal to someone. And it's really easy. really.

To start, I use a large can of chicken stock in my dutch oven on the stove.

I usually don't wait til it's boiling but when it's starting to get really hot, I throw in a bunch of Amish-made noodles. I like the "homemade" noodles the best because they don't break down as quickly as the egg noodles, and I usually let this sit on the stove awhile. While the noodles are swimming, I get out my rotisserie chicken. That's right. I use a Sams one, because they are always bigger than anywhere else. And these have so much flavor, I think it's better than fixing my own chicken. 

 

Once I get all the meat of the bones, the noodles are usually boiling. I turn the stove way down to low and mix in the chicken and a can of cream of chicken soup. I know, there are lots of pins on pinterest right now for the "make your own cream of whatever soup" because everything in the soup is bad for you. Well, have you read those recipes? The ones I read are just flour and milk (basically). I add the soup for the flavor and it makes the stock nice and thick - like gravy! I also salt and pepper to taste, because I did learn that from my mom.

chicken noodles over mashed potatoes

 I usually serve the Chicken Noodles over mashed potatoes. Matt eats his with cottage cheese (which totally grosses me out). The boys love it and there are always leftovers because I make so much. And just like lasagna, it's even better the next day! 

I think I'm off to the store for a chicken. I'm hungry now!

wiww

I like stripes. What can I say? I think I wear them weekly. I'd buy a striped shirt before I'd buy a flowered one. There other night, Evie and I headed over to the mall. We ended up at the Loft to pay a bill. She pointed out that almost everything in the store was horizontal stripes. And what's the first rule of looking skinnier...this is where Stacy and Clinton come in...no horizontal stripes!

I don't know though. There's just something about a cute stripe. I cannot resist it.

 

See? Tomato red with a turquoise necklace? Yes, please. 

 

I love this sweater. You'll be seeing it a lot coming up;) Oh, yeah and those jeans fit like a glove now! No muffin top! It's officially 10 pounds lost since 11/1/11. 

My hair looks really dark in that pic too. But I just had Gretchen lighten it up. I love my haircut too. The first pic though, it's a little too curled under than what I like. I like it sticking out all crazy.

By the way, I've been reading this blog: Simple Mom. I had bought her book about organizing before I'd read her blog. I really like her. I don't always agree with everything that she says, but for the most part, she's on target. I found where she uses the oil cleanse method for her face wash. At the risk of sounding like a crazy hippie, and since I am just out of my normal cleanser, I thought I'd try it. I've only done it once, but after a week or two, I plan on giving you my results and feedback on it. 

What have you been trying new this year?

linking up with the pleated poppy.

Creative God - week 3

Genesis 45-50 & Job 1-18

Week 3 and in Job. Job is hard for me. Is it hard for you to read? Sometimes (depending on where I'm at in my life), I think his friends actually sound smart. Have you ever read it like that?

I hope that we learn that the things that we say do matter. We definitely don't want to be putting words into God's mouth. It's a whole lot about judging someone else's circumstances and outcomes. We automatically think that they've "done something wrong", that they've sinned. And we ourselves are just a little bit better. I know that I've been guilty of this.

I hope too that we could be as strong as Job. That we wouldn't want to "curse God and die" like Job's wife says to do. But that we would try to rectify our relationship with God. On Sunday, our pastor just talked about how even if you haven't prayed or talked with God for a while, it's like meeting up with an old friend. He's there to listen to our small talk and there for the big stuff.

This pin from pinterest really nailed it, I thought.

Source: cookingwiths.blogspot.com via Heather on Pinterest

Those are my thoughts for this week. I hope you know that these posts are more for myself than for you. I don't want you to think that I'm preaching. What were your thoughts on the reading this week?

Creative God - week 2

Only week two and I'm a day late! Sorry!

Yesterday, I went to a visitation for a man that I really only had spoken to a few times in my life. But those few times had a serious impact on me and I wanted his family to know. You see, about 4 years ago...just a few weeks from the exact date...my dad was in a serious accident. It was foggy that day and another semi pulled out in front of my dad's and he went straight into it.

It was a pretty exhausting day at the hospital. We were there most of the day since the accident happened that morning. While we were in the waiting area of the emergency room, one of the brothers that owned the other truck showed up. He just wanted to make sure Dad was ok and that we were ok. He stuck around for awhile just to be sure, gave us all hugs, and told us he was praying. 

Fast forward a couple of years and I was attending a mom's group in our small town. I actually got to know his daughter a little bit. We chatted about her dad. I even told her about his visit to the er that day. We didn't really get a chance to be great friends though, her family was relocated to another town. But you could tell that she was just as sweet as her dad.

And last night I stood in line for five hours at her dad's visitation. He was suddenly killed in a single car accident. He was 56. There were more people there than I think anyone expected. I am pretty sure his family realizes how truly loved he was. How he surely must have blessed his friends and community. What a witness he was.

I kept thinking about what I had read yesterday morning. How Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up in Egypt just to be able to save the lives of his family later on (Genesis 45). God provided even when Jacob thought his son was lost. He knew what needed to happen in order for them to survive. It's definitely not what Jacob had in mind and I'm sure that not what this family had in mind either. But there is a plan. God has a divine plan that we cannot understand.

== Did you guys have a good week reading? I hope so! Keep it up! ==

wiww

My mom got me two scarves for Christmas. A red one and a mustard color one. I had asked for them because I kept seeing awesome outfits on pinterest for them.

I've been trying to pair them up with sweaters and shirts that people usually wouldn't put them with. A black shirt with jeans and a yellow scarf doesn't really scream my style. But my pink and gray sweater...yup, that's what I did:)

I've also been going to the gym a few times a week. I've lost 8 pounds now, since November. I need to lose 15 to reach my goal weight of 145. My body though, is changing drastically. And these Old Navy jeans that I'm wearing here are almost too big! I'm just really happy to not feel like I have to cover up love handles with an oversized sweater anymore. I mean, I know I am not a super model, but losing weight sure makes you feel like one!

oh, the sweater and the scarf are from Target too.

Do I have any tips on losing weight? Find someone to do it with you. It's a lot easier for me to go to the gym when I know Michelle's going to be there. Find a class that you like too. If all I did was run on a treadmill, I would hate it. I love the bodypump (weight lifting) class and the spin classes.

Also I think that my diet has changed just because I have the mentality now that I don't want to undo all my work at the gym for just a couple of cookies. Don't get me wrong though, I totally stuffed my face Friday night when we went to the steakhouse. I even ate the whole dessert by. my. self. I'm trying really hard not to be obsessed with the calorie game though. So when I'm home, I try to be really good. Like last night, I fixed chicken strips and french fries for the boys. So I had a huge plate of lettuce with a chopped up chicken strip on it, a little cheese, and a couple of croutons. Oh and zesty italian dressing instead of ranch. Definitely less calories than three chicken strips and a pile of fries.

I do definitely feel better, physically and about myself. I have better posture too. I'm more confident. I think getting up and going is easier too.

I don't want you to think I'm bragging either. When I started, my weight was just about 10 pounds off of what it was when I brought Bo home from the hospital. He will be five next month. I'm not calling it baby weight anymore!

I'll keep you updated on my weight though. I really want to make it to my goal. 

linking up with the Pleated Poppy!

Creative God - week 1

Here we go again! Let me start off by saying, I already had to read two days in one this week! But so is life. I'm sure there are going to be more weeks like the last. But I'm staying kept up this year. I still write in my thanks journal. That seems to help me more than anything right now. Hopefully, I can do the reading right along with it this whole year!

It's kind of funny how things work out though when you are reading the Bible everyday. I subscribe to Mark Driscoll's pod casts (look them up in itunes). He's the pastor out at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. He and his wife just wrote a new book about marriage, which is pretty awesome too. But I usually listen to a podcast, which is about an hour long, while I do my paperwork. One of the latest ones was the story of Adam and Eve and the Tree of Life. He, of course, connected it to marriage and his book.

All of these Old Testament stories are some of favorites. I can see the flannel-graphs and those big 8x10 cards in my head that my teachers used when I was little, when I read these stories again. I love these stories, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau. It's funny how your perspective changes on these stories when you grow up and have kids of your own. I am always overly empathetic when I read stories. Always putting myself in their shoes. Wondering why Rebekah would favor one boy over the other. Finding it interesting that Isaac lied and said Rebekah was his sister, the same as his father Abraham lied about Sarah being his.  Noah is probably one of my favorite stories though. I wrote a blog about doing what God tells us to do last year. I would hope that I could do what He says, but I still fail at the small things sometimes.

Never "good enough", but Grace is enough.


Let me know what your favorite was this week! I hope you followed along too!

What's all this business

Just wanted to fill you in on what's going on here at moreygirl:) I have hired Moxie Pear to update my website. I'm super excited to be working with Lisa. I've followed her work for a long time now. And she seemed to be the best fit for me and my business!

She's been diligently putting everything where it needs to be, so it's going to be easier for you to just stay in one place while checking out everything that I do. This blog though will stay here at blogspot though, so don't worry.

Here's a sneak peek at what we've started on!

I am also busy getting new pictures of the goods too:)

 

Oh, and how do you like the new pink couch that I scored on Craig's list?! I'm so excited about it. Matt was a little less than thrilled that we have a pink couch in our living area. Well, build me a new studio/sewing room and I will move it! 

But seriously, this find on craig's list is the stuff you read about on design blogs! I've never been that impressed with anything I find on craig's list.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it on there! I had to have it!

 

A rainbow of felt, ready to be made into button flowers! 

 

A new bag. Fresh and bright! I think you're going to love the new bags! 

 

And some necklaces, made with the same fabrics and patterns as my bags! These are also going to be available with hand stamped charms...awesome gifts to give! 

I put this out there on facebook too, but if any of you would like to give a little testimonial about me and moreygirl (whether photos or handmade goods) shoot me an email. I would love to be able to include your words on my site! 

Remember, everything at the current shop is marked down! Get it now before it's gone!

resolutions and a new year

So I know that every blogger in the blogosphere is posting on resolutions. It's the new year, it's what you do. I like making resolutions. That is, until the end of the year rolls around and I'm still fatter and lazier than I wanted to be.

So my thought for this year is "one month at a time". That's right, I'm not going to drive my self crazy with the year thing. Because we all know we say to ourselves, "oh, I already failed and it's only January 25. There goes that resolution. Guess I'll start again next year."

I'm through with that. I know that I can make it for one month. I've done it. Remember back last summer, I went a whole month without buying new clothes for myself. And a whole month without soda (I'm sure I blogged about it, can't find the link).

 

So for this month, I'm only going to make a few resolutions. Something I know I can handle/do. Plus I can change them next month if I need to. But I'll know that I can follow through on what I say I'm going to do.

more cowls...working on #4

cowls...thinking I'm going to do a tutorial for you!

January Resolutions 2012

1. Read my Bible everyday. Do it with me? Please?
2. Go to the gym at least 3 times a week (even if I have to go without my gym buddy).
3. No fast food.
4. Get the new moreygirl site up and running with lots of new items.
5. No new clothes for myself.

That all is doable and not impossible. If I stated #5 as a year resolution, I know it would be killing me by January 15 to get a new sweater, and you know what? I'd go buy it.  But I know I can handle that for 30 days. Numbers 1 & 2 will probably be an every month resolution. But if I fail on it, I have the rest of the year to work on it. 

What do you say? Think this is cheating on resolutions? It's the best solution I can come up with! :) What are you doing for your resolutions this year?