Truth to Table

To say life is chaotic, stressful and filled to the brim is a bit of an understatement right now. Andy has been working long hours and the kids have been keeping me on my toes, not to mention that Spring in our home is one of the busiest seasons. Do I dare say it again... life is full.

Because of this I am constantly trying to fine ways to quickly go deep in studying God's word. I do great for awhile but then find myself in limbo searching for the next study or word of encouragement. I literally stumbled across this amazing resource called Truth to Table.

I follow Bianca Juarez Olthoff on social media and she posted the link to a series on this website that she had just finished on the Psalms. As I dug more into the website I found so many amazing and refreshing devotionals and sermons. Pop on over to their website and take a look for yourself.

I hope it blesses you as much as it has me.

Meal Planning Printable

Grocery shopping is NOT my favorite thing, especially when I have to push that bulky, obnoxious car  cart... (after I frantically Lysol the car down and make sure everyone is buckled, I set off with the best intentions not to knock over a display full of something breakable or worse... a human being. Yep, it truly is a love/hate relationship.) It does become a bit more bearable when I am not wandering the aisle trying to decide what to make for dinner and know that I can be in and out with a week full of meals for my family.

Magnolia has just made my life easier. Instead of writing down my meals on random pieces of paper, that inevitable get thrown away, they have created a simple and beautiful place to write down what I need as well as the planned menu for the week. Then, before I head to the store, I can either snap a picture of the list or tear off the "market list" portion to take with me. I'm so excited.

image from: magnoliamarket.com

You can find the printable here.

Happy shopping (if there is such a thing...)

3 Ingredient Beer Bread

I love this recipe. It's super easy and perfect for 

Fall soups or just a yummy afternoon snack. Enjoy!

3 Ingredient Beer Bread                                                                                

Ingredients

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 12 oz beer
• Butter (melted), optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a bread pan with cooking spray.
3. Gently mix together the flour, sugar, and beer until it is throughly combined. The batter will be thick. Make sure you like the kind of beer that you are cooking with. The flavors will come out once it is cooked.
4. Pour the batter into the bread pan and bake for 40 minutes.
5. When 5 minutes are remaining, drizzle with melted butter.
6. Take out of the oven and let sit for five minutes in the pan, remove and let cool completely before slicing.

Weekend DIY {Pipe Shelf}

So many people have been asking about the pipe shelves that Andy and I made for our family room. I thought I would give you some quick instructions to help you create it in your own space. This project was fairly simple and required a weekend to complete! 

Here’s what you’ll need: (makes one shelf)
 – 3/4″  flange (x 10 – 8 for wall; 2 for ceiling)
 – 3/4″ x 10″ pipe (x 8)
 – 3/4″ x 18″ pipe (x 2)
 – 3/4″ 3-way tee (x 6)
 – 3/4″ x 10″ pipe (x 6)
 – 3/4″  90-degree elbow (x 2)
-Wall anchors and screws (we used wood molly/screw combination)
-Wooden planks – 4′ x 10″ (x4)

PREP:– Wipe pipes to remove any residue or excess oil/grease (if you purchase the piping from an online store, like we did, they will have grease on them. I used baking soda/water and a rag to get most of the residue off and it worked well.)
– Cut shelves according to wanted size (4′ x 10″ in this illustration); stain if desired. (we used a ebony colored stain from Lowes)


Step 1
Use a 3/4″ 3-way tee to connect your 3/4″ x 10″ pipe and attach 3/4″ x 10″ “horizontal” pipe. Attach 3/4″ flange to open end of “horizontal” pipe.

Step 2
For the bottom shelf, attach “vertical” pipe to 3/4″ 90-degree elbow. Attach “horizontal” pipe and flange.

Step 3
Attach top “vertical” pipe – 3/4″ x 18″ – to the top of 3/4″ 3-way tee and screw flange to open end of pipe. Note: Make sure you are attaching the piping to a stud.

Step 4
Hold assembled unit against the wall and flush with the ceiling. Use a balance to ensure it is straight and mark the walls to screw anchors. After inserting anchors, align unit and screw in place.

Step 5
As we were using 4′ x 10″ wooden planks, we placed the 2 assembled units 3′ apart to allow the shelves to overlap by approximately 6″ on either side.

Step 6
Place wooden plank shelves in unit and that’s it! You may have to adjust dimensions depending on the placement of your studs. 

I am so happy with the way it turned out! My hubby is one amazing craftsman!

Okay Mamas... this one's for you

Let my start by saying the transition from one to two kiddos has been rough. Way harder than I ever thought. So worth it, but tough... I guess I underestimated the challenges of having two babies constantly needing my care and attention (let alone having to make dinner, do a few loads of laundry so we had something to wear, not to mention clean the house, and a hubby that I wanted to care for and spend quality time with). It wasn't anyones fault, just how life went with a 2 year old and newborn. About a month ago I hit my breaking point and needed a course correction (and sleep...).

A friend told me about a new addition of a book that was about ready for release. I went straight to Amazon and ordered my copy of Hope for a Weary Mom. If you are at all like me, I knew it was going to be a challenge to get some time to myself to even read the first page, but it was going to happen. I needed some mommy encouragement and this was just the right medicine.

Let me tell you... it is amazing. I am no where near finished with it but it is meaty and I am only on chapter 3. There is something about hearing other moms tell you that they are struggling with the same things that picks you up and keeps you going. A talk on the phone with a dear friend gave me a jump start and a new perspective on my role as a mama of two, what that looks like in ministry and how I can encourage other moms that are going through the same struggles.

I love talking to other mommies about what it is to be a mommy and the distractions that take us away from our most important job. I am the first one to admit that I get sucked into the to-do list for the day that I push away precious opportunities to roll around on the floor with my boy... beware wrestling with your two year old can cause eye injuries... (but that's a whole other story).

I definitely feel like I am on a better path and have my head on somewhat straight again. Not perfect by any means, but refreshed and resting in the promises of God and the hope that only He can give.

___________

Mama, 

God has placed you in your role as a mommy to love on your babies and show them what it means to live. He has given you tasks, often hard to except or complete, so you can encourage other mommies around you that are going through the exact same things. Keep up the great work and let Him lead you when you have nothing more to give. 

___________

Weary? I would love for you to join me on this journey. Pick up your copy of Hope for Weary Mom here.

Surprised by Motherhood.

I am so excited to share this new book with you! A good friend introduced me to it and I can't wait to get my hands on it. I read the first few chapters from a preview online and didn't want it to stop! In this book you follow this woman and her journey to motherhood. Perfect way to prepare for Mother's Day... right?

Click here to watch the video! Enjoy. After watching it I think you'll want to get your hands on it too!

Here are the details!

• Lisa-Jo (the author) is making available the first three chapters of Surprised By Motherhood for free!!!
• Surprised by Motherhood releases TODAY! You can get it here. (or ask for it for Mother's Day!... which is what I am planning to do!)

2014 & New Lessons to Learn.

I can't believe it is already 2014. Not sure where 2013 went... As I start settling in to a new year and new routine I am constantly reminded of God's faithfulness. His promise to meet us where we are at and teach us through our struggles and insecurities. So refreshing isn't it?

A good friend told me about some Beth Moore ebooks that were free on Amazon. Yes... free!
I went and downloaded as many as I could and in my mind randomly choose a dad by day study to start the year with. (The one I am reading through is Beth Moore's Believing God, Day by Day) I might have thought it was random, but God sure didn't. He knew that that particular Bible study would stretch and challenge me in all the ways I needed. Thank you Jesus for working in the midst of what I thought was "randomness".

The whole mission of this study is to truly believe God is/does what He says He is/does. Throughout my life I have always wanted to control every situation... and the older I have gotten, the worse it is.

I want 2014 to be different. I want to be able to live out my life in a way that shows others I believe and trust everything about Christ. Believe and trust His plan for my life. That He is in control.

While I was out running errands today, the song Lift My Life Up from Unspoken came on the radio. It is the perfect song for me this year. Take a look at the lyrics.

You brought me this far
So why would I question you now
You have provided 
So why would I start to doubt
I’ve never been stranded
Abandoned or left here to fight alone hope your leading me home
So I’m giving you control

I lift my life, lift my life up
I give it all in surrender
I lift my heart, lift my heart up
You can have it forever
All my dreams, all my plans
Lord I leave it in your hands
I lift my life, lift my life up
Have your way in me
Have your way in me
If peace is a river
Then let it sweep over me
I’m under fire
I know it’s refining me
When I hear you calling out
I follow now wherever the road may go
I know you’re leading me home

I lift my life, lift my life up
I give it all in surrender
I lift my heart, lift my heart up
You can have it forever
All my dreams, all my plans
Lord I leave it in your hands
I lift my life, lift my life up
Have your way in me
Have your way in me

Take my life and let it be all for you
Take my life and let it be all for you

I lift my life, lift my life up
I give it all in surrender
I lift my heart, lift my heart up
You can have it forever

I lift my life, lift my life up
I give it all in surrender
I lift my heart, lift my heart up
You can have it forever

All my dreams, all my plans
Lord I leave it in your hands
I lift my life, lift my life up
Have your way with me
Have your way with me

Take my life and let it be all for you

So thankful to be the daughter of a King that never leaves me stranded or abandoned. What peace. How refreshing? 

As I begin 2014 I have so much to be taught... and I'm excited for what I am going to learn. 

DIY Inspiration|Dictionary Paper Wreath

I know that it has taken me awhile to post my fun fall project that I promised a few weeks ago... well, wait no longer. Here it is...

I had so much fun creating this new piece of art. With a little help from Pinterest and my sister, I was on my way. I got my inspiration here, and then created my own twist.

Instead of folding the pages like it showed in the inspiration tutorial, I simply cut the page in half and rounded the corners. Like this.

Next, I scrunched the paper from the middle.

After you have your paper cut and scrunched, you can start hot glueing the paper to the foam wreath. Glue it one layer at a time and then when you have completed all the rows of paper, you can go back and fill in where you still see the foam insert.

It was a simple, fun project and didn't take very long to create! Plus, I love reusing things that one would normally throw out... it worked perfect! If you have it on hand and have a use for it, why not?

__________________________________________________

On another note. The flooding across our state has been catastrophic. We are safe and have had no issues but the water sure has piled up in the low lying areas. Here are a few pictures we took Saturday evening.

Continue to pray for everyone affected. Want to help the victims? Click here.

laundry room. free printable.

It seems as if my laundry room is getting more of a workout lately. I have attributed it to Levi growing, summer camping trips and summer cleaning binges... so when I found this printable. It made my heart happy! It sums up life here and wanted to pass it along to you as well. Maybe it will brighten up your day too.

Even though it takes a day to do the laundry, a day to fold the laundry and a day to put the laundry away, it still gets done... and that is what is important right? On the bright side, I'm thankful for a washing machine that gets the job done. Without it...

enjoy the printable link here.

Room revamp. Pinterest style.

As Levi starts to accumulate more toys and is getting less and less content sitting and playing in one spot, we knew we had to come up with a better plan of how to use as much space is our little home as possible. So... with a little time on Pinterest, we had an idea. The plan was to make this.

We wanted it to be more like a desk so Andy and I could have our own workspaces and we could still 

have enough room for Levi's toys. After a few trips to the hardware store and tweaks to the dimensions and plans of the actual desk, we finished it! (We still need to get the decorative hardware for the top, but the woodwork is completed)

            For the original plans... you can find them here.

To build our version of the desk, you will need these materials: (the dimensions of our desk were: 66in long x 33in tall x 28in wide)

 - 8  2x4's at 8ft long
 - 4  2x2's at 6ft long
 - 3  2x8's at 6ft long
 - wood glue
 - wood screws
 - decorative hardware (L brackets for sides of table and old style nails for top)

instead of putting the bottom and middle boards across, we left them out so we could put chairs underneath it and create more or a desk. We followed most of the original plans and just omitted those steps. For extra support, we also put a 2x4 across the top 2 sides, so it wouldn't sway.

we still need to finish arranging the wall decor and putting on some final touches, but I am pleased with how it turned out. Looking forward to no more drawing straws for who gets to use the desk when!

Burp Cloth Tutorial

I have had so much fun experimenting and playing with my new sewing machine. There are so many fun things that you can create. With so many friends having little ones in a few months, burp cloths are a must. Here is a simple tutorial to get you started. Remember, you can change dimensions, fabrics and thread... that's the great part about doing it yourself!

to make:
   1 yard of fabric
   1 terrycloth bath towel
   thread
   sewing machine
   pins
   fabric scissors

Start off by laying out and cutting your fabric. You can make your dimensions anything you want. I made mine a little bigger for more coverage! (22inch x 15inch). Next pin your fabric and terrycloth together right side facing inward.

Sew along 3 of the side of the pinned fabric and terry cloth. 

Turn right side out and sew the final side together. (You can also do a top stitch along all sides of the cloth to make it a more uniform look all the way through)

Congratulations! You're done. Now all you have to do it wrap it up in a cute little package. New parents will LOVE this gift... they can never have enough burp cloths!

Mother's Day Gifts Revealed.

I have been so excited to share this post with you! Now that I have a bit more time on my hand... that is when our little one is fast asleep, I have gotten my hands dirty and created fun gifts for our amazing moms.

These gifts are both so simple and fun to create. Here are the instructions to create your own masterpieces! 
happy crafting.


antiqued tablet holder

what you need.
  paddle wood cutting board
  Scrabble piece holder
  building block 
  wood stain
  sand paper

to make.
  use wood glue to secure Scrabble piece to the front bottom portion of the board. then secure the building block to the back of the board for it to stand up. once the glue has dried (normally takes about 24 hrs) paint the board the color of your choice. i used white to give it more of an antique look. after the paint has dried, use sandpaper to take the paint off the edges of the board. last, simply stain the piece (i used a old towel to wipe off the access stain and mold the color together).

fabric recipe towels

i never realized how much i could fall in love with a website... but i have. introducing Spoonflower. it is an awesome site that lets you create your own fabric, wallpaper and gift paper. awesome right? after i saw the idea, i knew that i had to try and recreate them. and... the great thing about them too is that when the towels wear out, i can just order new ones. 

what you need.
  4 of your favorite handwritten recipes
  a computer
  fabric scissors
  sewing machine
  iron

to make.
  start by photographing your recipes. after editing the photos how you want them, create a picture collage of them. add a grid spacing in between each image so that you have a convenient cutting line, and by making the grid lines a color, it's an eye-catching feature for the back, hemmed edge of the finished dish towels. (didn't do this for the ones that I just made... but will for sure for next time!) set the collage dimentions to 54" x 36" or 5120 pixel width x 3414 pixel length at 150 dpi. this will give you exactly one yard of fabric. sew them by simply cutting along the grid lines and turning back the hem.

* all ideas taken from  my Pinterest board.

Mothers Day

So excited to reveal what I have been making for my amazing mothers for Mothers Day! Check back soon for details! In the meantime, check out my Pinterest boards for gifts and DIY projects for your mamma!

Being with Jesus

With a newborn it is sometimes hard to find time for a shower... let alone time with God. It seems like right when I sit down to dig into a devotional or pull out my Bible for a quick quiet time, our boy wakes up. I am surprised he isn't beckoning for me now. I know that it is Satan's way of distracting me and not giving me the opportunity to spend much needed time with Jesus.

but. I won't give in. I am determined to find God time even if laundry isn't done, dinner isn't made, or my teeth aren't brushed... it will happen. 

I've decided to get up a little earlier, when Levi is taking his early morning nap, and instead of turning on the Today Show... I will open my Bible. I know then, I won't be interrupted and I will begin my day with God! How awesome is that?

Our pastor is challenging us to read through one of the gospels, during our current sermons series at church (learn more about Pathmakers here). So, this is where I am going to start. I am reading through Mark. Even after reading through the parables and accounts countless times, I seem to get something new out of them every time I read them. I love how God teaches me different and new things through the same passages. It always seems to speak to right where I am in my life journey. I love that!

so... will you join me?

Now through Easter, I challenge you to pick a Gospel and dig into it. Find one that you may not have paid much attention to or glanced over in the past. I know you will be blessed. 

I can't wait to see what God has for me!

do something different this Valentines Day!

Want the perfect gift to warm the heart of the one you love... look no further!

Here are the details.

Happy Valentines Day! Enjoy time with those close to you.

Our New Arrival!

Our baby boy is already over a week old! We so blessed by this little man and thank God every day for the opportunity to be his parents! Many of you have been asking for the details of his birth story so here you go...

A week ago Wednesday morning (around 1am) I went into labor. I labored at home until about 4am, when my contractions got to 4-5 minutes apart. When we got to the hospital and I was dilated to 2cm. They kept me to watch my progress before they could actually admit me. If I didn't make progress, they would send me home to wait it out! I was determined to stay... so we walked the halls for about 45 minutes. When the checked me again I was dilated to 4cm, so they said I could stay!!! Praise Jesus!

I continued to progress throughout the day, even though it was slow... and around 3pm on Wednesday, I was only at 6cm. By 8pm I was dilated to and at 9:00 when the checked me again I was at 9 and 1/2 cm. If I didn't make any significant progress, they were talking about c section (again, something that I wanted to completely avoid!). This was another point in the process where I had to give the situation to God and trust in his perfect plan. So at 9pm they gave me another 45 minutes and then said that if I didn't change they would have to do a c section. After the 45 minutes, they checked me again I was fully dilated! Levi was born 30 minutes later at 10:16pm!

It was an unbelievable experience and I would do it all over again. Having him here was completely worth every minute! It's also pretty cool how God let's us forget the pain so quickly!

We are all doing well and trying to get as much rest as we can. Tucker is even taking a liking to his brother! We are all so blessed by those who have brought us meals! Thank you.

Here are a few pictures that we took of him today! 

Enjoy.

mom blog kick!

i know... i know... i am completely on a mom blog kick. but can you blame me? Here is another great blog that I found off of... you guessed it, Pinterest. I love the vintage distressed look that she brings to all of her projects and crafts. Need an idea for dinner, or a craft to do? take a look at this great site.

http://thewinthropchronicles.blogspot.com/ 

Fabulistas

I had to pass the fun, new site on...
One of my colleagues that used to work at mywedding just launched a new blog site. It is a fun and hip look at all things fabulous for mommas and kiddos. There is stuff for mom, ideas for kids, inspiration and project galore! How fun is that!

Here are the links, happy browsing!

https://www.facebook.com/howfab
http://www.fabulistas.com/

photos courtesy of Fabulistas.com and  Melanie Duerkopp Photography