Saving Money on Sale Websites...

There are a few websites that I LOVE to look at and occasionally grab great "steals". I use these items for myself, my kiddos, and as gifts. I find great deals on dresses for holidays and stock up throughout the year on presents for Christmas and birthday parties. I'm so excited that I had to share!

For example, today, I got a lillebaby EveryWear Organic Carrier that carries kiddos from 7 lbs to 42 lbs in 6 different positions including front, hip, and back for $54.99 ($65.46 after shipping/handling/tax) from the website Baby Steals. I'm so excited because my Baby Bjorn only carried my daughters in the front and up to 25 lbs. So, this will be so helpful for me to use with my new little man or my 25 lb 2 year old while my almost 4 year old can walk (she just hit 42 lbs). Baby Steals is also linked to Kid Steals and Scrapbook Steals. New steals are posted daily at 9 am and 9 pm MDT.


Another 2 websites that I adore and find great buys are: Zulily and Totsy. They have fantastic sales that last a few days and then they are gone. You will find boutique and couture items for your little darlings (clothes, shoes, toys, and accessories), your home, your pets, and yourself. I have found brands like: Capezio, Trumpette, Stephen Joseph, Williams-Sonoma Cookbooks, Paul Frank, Hello Kitty, Crayola, Melissa and Doug, Rockabye, Robeez, Hush Puppies, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Claire & Charlie, Pink Petunia Botique, Ed Hardy, Precious Moments, Boppy, Carters, and so much, much more!!!!

Father's Day Love Story...

Not so many years ago, our love story made Mr. Wonderful a father. Since the day we held our beautiful baby girl, we have added another sweet baby girl and precious baby boy. Today, on Father's Day, we want to say thank you for everything that you do and all the love that you so graciously and unconditionally give us all. God bless you as you have blessed us! We LOVE you and our LOVE story! xoxo

Praying 31 Biblical Virtues for my babes...

Keeping it Personal invited everyone to a challenge of praying for our children 31 Biblical virtues. I am so moved by this because I have three beautiful children that my husband and I desire to spend an eternity with in Heaven. We believe in the power of prayer. We prayed for character and personalities when we were pregnant and continue to do so now that they are in our arms. I would challenge every person that interacts with children to pray over these virtues for these babes. I don't think it matters how old the child is, God can create a universe, flood a planet, make man and He can certainly help lead a person to Him. Yes, there is free will, but prayer is our ultimate lifeline. There is no greater feeling of peace and comfort than to know your children have chosen the One.

Junk food treasures...

I got home from running errands about 2 pm. As I unloaded my treasures, I wondered how I ended up getting mostly junk food items. Then it hit me, I went shopping on an empty stomach. So, a trip for just a couple items turned in to a assorted cookie, pop tarts, and chewy candy fest. Things I normally walk right past. But, oh well, I am excited that I have some rare treasures and I know my family will happily devour them and even wish I would go shopping on an empty stomach more often.

Where you go...

I love the dedication that this woman, Ruth, showed. She was a poor woman, a simple woman, a mourning widow, but yet she was devoted and loving. How often do I lose sight of others when I am deep in my own pit of sorrow... How often do I feel like I am deserving because I am suffering... Because of her choice to honor her mother-in-law (YES! her mil) by following her where she knew no one, taking care of her without complaint, sacrificing to marry so that they would be provided for...Jesus was born from her and Boaz's lineage. She didn't know that this would happen. God didn't promise her anything. Yet, she showed the truest form of unconditional love and devotion. Ruth showed Christ through her acts. For God so loved the world...and we need to show our spouses, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, friends, strangers, and even enemies the same, love.

My Most Precious Jewels...

In our house, we call kisses smoochies and hugs squeezies. We love snuggles (nuggles as Sunshine pronounces them), bunny kisses (rubbing noses), and cuddling. We love doing all of these any time of the day. I steal kisses when we tuck them in before we go to bed and I love to cover my Little Man with smoochies when I'm feeding him at 3 am. Yes, I would LOVE to be blissfully asleep, like my husband, but I am beyond thankful for this precious being that I am holding.

Oh so fast this season of coos, snorts and snuggles goes by. So, I'm holding my babies every second and in every way that I can. Proverbs 31:10 says, "Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies." (NLT) I believe that the Proverbs 31 woman knows the importance of being a mother as it is a gift from God. Parenting is work, but not "a job". It is a privilege and not a right. It is the most complete challenge a person can take on with no certainty of the outcome. Yet, we do it with complete surrender of our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls.

I prayed for my future children and the mother that I would be. I prayed for my children when I was pregnant and the character they would embody. I continue to pray for myself to be the mother that God needs me to be for each individual child. I pray for my precious babies and the choices that they will make as I earnestly desire them to choose to accept Christ and live according to His will.

In the blink of an eye I will be an empty nester. Yet, even then, the most precious jewels that I will ever adorn are the arms of my precious angels that God is so graciously allowing Mr. Wonderful and myself to raise. I know they are His. I'm thankful that they are His. I'm forever grateful that He loves me so much that my jewels are called Cupcake, Sunshine, and Little Man. Thank you, Lord, my cup runneth over and my jewels are the most precious and priceless, for me, in the whole Universe.

New Mommy, Again and Father's Day Motivation...

You never forget the first time you hold your baby, every single one of them. Time stands still as you take the deepest breath in as if you can somehow stop the Earth's rotation and keep this moment as perfect as it is. I myself a a new mommy, again. We have our sweet Cupcake, who will be four in September, Little Bit or Sunshine, who just turned two, and two days before that big birthday, we had our first son. So far he holds the nicknames of Prince Charming, Little Man, and my Snuggly Cuddle Pup.

With Father's Day around the corner, I wanted to warm up with some motivation. Holidays seem to sneak up on me. I think someone keeps moving around the holidays and my memo keeps getting lost! Since May 15, I've had very little sleep.Who are we kidding, I've had very little sleep for over four years :)!

On that note, my amazing, Mr. Wonderful has had very little sleep as well. He helps me every chance that he can. He prays for me, listens to me, loves our babies, loves my family and thinks of them, helps take care of our daughters and son, helps with household chores, gets up early and goes to work so that he can come home at a decent time, he comes home and jumps right in with both feet, and much, much more. I am truly blessed beyond measure.

                                             

Photo Credit: Danielle Rocke Toews

I Prayed art: enduringarts

Footprint art idea: I Can Teach My Child

Are you tired and holidays sneak up on you? Think about the motivation for what makes the father in your world great. Maybe it's your husband, your own dad or father-in-law, grandfather, is your brother a great dad or maybe a man who has been like a father to you. Possibly it's even a father that is not here with us anymore, like my Papa Ray. I remember him with love every day, but on Father's Day, I wish I could hug him so much! We should say thank you and show love all year long, but I'm still glad there is a day "all about dad".