tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84667050483202528132024-02-07T19:34:13.082-05:00A City Life For MeAndrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.comBlogger1314125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-62892845117074423512020-12-30T19:42:00.005-05:002020-12-30T19:42:42.465-05:00Thankful for 2020<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbXRXOIZw4r7UkZIlbHs7Cz-nEE9BLA2XR9GH2v-Mz7WBdW_DzkW3hxn9_jsICu44alTAurKbS97Az63u7b2aJOSLdQy_D63vbruT9Nyp8QNkWDOn3aeMBiT5W20iCF70VTJLe9ubgYnA/s2048/2020.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbXRXOIZw4r7UkZIlbHs7Cz-nEE9BLA2XR9GH2v-Mz7WBdW_DzkW3hxn9_jsICu44alTAurKbS97Az63u7b2aJOSLdQy_D63vbruT9Nyp8QNkWDOn3aeMBiT5W20iCF70VTJLe9ubgYnA/s320/2020.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I had in my mind to write a post on the good parts of 2020, mostly because I needed reminding that it was still a good year, despite innumerable difficult parts! I knew I would have a little bit of time between baths and when Ben returned home with the food pantry load that needs sorted tonight.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Somehow in that space of time, the five year old managed to splash the entire contents of the tub all over the bathroom and down the hall, which of course made the kitchen ceiling leak...again. Thankfully it had been mudded but not yet painted from the last bathroom catastrophe. I was still in the middle of cleaning up the frying oil in the kitchen from dinner when all of this happened. Sort of made me feel ungrateful for 2020 again!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So before I forget...here are some bright spots in 2020 for our family. Add some of yours in the comments!</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">Three of my children got saved this year - Liberty, Nehemiah, and Henry</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Our church got kicked out of the public school. While this still feels like a tragedy, I know in the long run it will be good because the next step must be for us to get our own rental space. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Our church had its lease on a beautiful commercial space cancelled after four months of negotiations. This again seems awful, but God must have been saving us from something worse. And he showed our church that He answers prayer in many ways.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Peter learned to walk. And climb. And much more. (We are working on "no")</li><li style="text-align: justify;">We learned to get creative in our home space.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">We explored more outdoor spaces because it was the only option for things to do!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">We took our first family bike ride where everyone rode their own bike! And a second and a third too.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">We fit in a trip to Colorado to visit our family and supporting churches on the Western Slope in between border closures and lockdowns</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Though our van was vandalized twice, God provided for it ahead of time in both instances, and the vehicle itself was still usable!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">We finished our homeschool year 2019-2020 on time and with flying colors</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Our Covid stimulus check covered curriculum for 2020-2021 and helped us finish the year without any balance on the credit card. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">We were able to play the complete soccer season without any quarantines or shutdowns. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">We found out baby #7 is on the way</li><li style="text-align: justify;">I was diagnosed with a spondylo in my lower back, but I was able to have physical therapy and my back feels much better. Everything was covered by the insurance!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Our family wasn't sick for over a year, and when we did get sick it was literally all eight of us on the same day, but not Covid!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">My dad had a successful spinal surgery (8 hours long) and his recovery is going well.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">My Grams has stayed healthy throughout everything this year.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">God provided a bunk bed and mattress to situated the boys room - for free!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">People in our church have had Covid, or been exposed but all have recovered or had negative tests. There hasn't been any Covid passed around at church!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">We were able to have outdoor church services during the summer, and resume in person meetings with a temporary location this fall.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">We planted our first little garden and built a fort in the back yard. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">We had a snow storm big enough for sledding!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Henry got to have his five year old December date and we didn't miss any of the "usual" activities.</li></ul><p></p>Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-18756341756093213082020-12-10T12:50:00.007-05:002020-12-10T12:50:56.284-05:00Christmas Visualized Hymn - "Who Is He in Yonder Stall?"<p>Elaine requested that we sing <i>Who Is He in Yonder Stall? </i>for our hymn this month. This is my favorite Christmas song, though only the first line talks about the nativity. The song tells the story of <i>what </i>Jesus did on earth. He came as a baby so that He could die, and now He has resurrected and rules through the earth from His throne in heaven. </p><p><i>Who Is He in Yonder Stall?</i> is written differently in different hymnbooks. Some separate each line of the stanzas into their own short stanzas. I learned it with two couplets per stanza before the chorus. I also have usually heard this sung with several choruses omitted, to shorten the length of the song. My PDF includes three choruses, but you can just print pages 3-4 again if you would like to include the refrain after each stanza.</p><p>I usually laminate my song and attach the pages with jump/binder rings. For this hymn, I put my pages together to hang vertically making one complete verse, and changing the page to view the chorus and illustration together, as pictured below.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiRr4ib10OwG1LkMnO_COWybxm3WWJ1WvXnLYp3z7Zky5v2W2dKVsouSPfIiJPN9t5UaeU9jxonao6z-Wabgt0lho6SkVfRDqXS9KpmjqU_29W8pYRsxKaZpSSnQ4ioxJq8wu4UPCV1xb/s2048/IMG_7551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiRr4ib10OwG1LkMnO_COWybxm3WWJ1WvXnLYp3z7Zky5v2W2dKVsouSPfIiJPN9t5UaeU9jxonao6z-Wabgt0lho6SkVfRDqXS9KpmjqU_29W8pYRsxKaZpSSnQ4ioxJq8wu4UPCV1xb/s320/IMG_7551.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvBk_xn6XccWbr3hJAuaOWMTqsCc1ZCK3gce48MnFHc5b8XltLJG_JRdSHeS2s1Fpt1e-r7ccVlbaej6a58mPU74GAEly6ybXZTNb_c2QABxw5QkIcFrTJCJXIvkXYkeookIpin5GWJKt/s2048/IMG_7557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvBk_xn6XccWbr3hJAuaOWMTqsCc1ZCK3gce48MnFHc5b8XltLJG_JRdSHeS2s1Fpt1e-r7ccVlbaej6a58mPU74GAEly6ybXZTNb_c2QABxw5QkIcFrTJCJXIvkXYkeookIpin5GWJKt/s320/IMG_7557.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div><p>I really like how the graphics worked together for this hymn. I hope it will be a blessing!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTw4O5hefHxVcZmHfhyPKwTaTMq7UAaItQ2ViHVmEF8SXgBzM7MbFIryv6DvULqgelIocAQ-3BDqKCtvtj4OPctHAgmMhSY4TtYrg-XJEYx3N3IK2HnvHFLuxQzoC-mJY9TR9aknbMuWmP/s1056/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1056" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTw4O5hefHxVcZmHfhyPKwTaTMq7UAaItQ2ViHVmEF8SXgBzM7MbFIryv6DvULqgelIocAQ-3BDqKCtvtj4OPctHAgmMhSY4TtYrg-XJEYx3N3IK2HnvHFLuxQzoC-mJY9TR9aknbMuWmP/w320-h247/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stanza 1<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGskiQzUypbsXD08ks6GyT8ibUHH-3kxd53JxeZnRojiVxY3mYX9ny-M9ouQwVpG_roN-Fkqj0j4HKB7uBmNq56y84GbOPsoNMWI7H_1lIfILFseigaEPMtHsZP7bKlnTdt5D-186CzSIm/s1056/Slide7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1056" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGskiQzUypbsXD08ks6GyT8ibUHH-3kxd53JxeZnRojiVxY3mYX9ny-M9ouQwVpG_roN-Fkqj0j4HKB7uBmNq56y84GbOPsoNMWI7H_1lIfILFseigaEPMtHsZP7bKlnTdt5D-186CzSIm/s320/Slide7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stanza 3<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98KEDTUjpMVyYpG8wjnoJUb6gLRiwh3fx2A1xySQ_WaLgCFksEXLgkTm7knbIsfvjeiBpHKsI1iRwqpzNsD35DObg42pgwReHKU2ud_soHx-iKmU4YsN6k6MtsJNTALvwYVUdxGtlh9KM/s1056/Slide12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1056" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98KEDTUjpMVyYpG8wjnoJUb6gLRiwh3fx2A1xySQ_WaLgCFksEXLgkTm7knbIsfvjeiBpHKsI1iRwqpzNsD35DObg42pgwReHKU2ud_soHx-iKmU4YsN6k6MtsJNTALvwYVUdxGtlh9KM/s320/Slide12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stanza 4</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/cf6ikofqfgl804x/Who%20is%20He%20in%20Yonder%20Stall.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">Download your PDF of Who Is He in Yonder Stall</a></p>Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-77361526494350112732020-06-04T22:22:00.001-04:002020-06-04T22:22:03.984-04:00Thursday Tip: DIY Clean Shower!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Years ago I used to follow a blog that hosted a "Works-for-me-Wednesday" blog party. I learned a lot of homemaking tips! This one has stuck for years...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you want to keep your shower and tub soap-scum free, just fill a dishwand scrubbie with half vinegar and half blue dawn dish soap. When you are in the shower, use the wand to give your tiles a quick scrub. It makes it very easy to get the grout clean too! Because you don't have to drag out a bunch of cleaning supplies and get on your hands and knees, I find it is easier to be consistent in keeping things shiny! I would put the dish soap in first, then the vinegar. Store it upright like pictured below so the soap doesn't drip out in between showers. Give it a quick shake and scrub away!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Wk-WBChzk4_KFFLwTnI23xYJ7Zi_riUhX5F5TOYMxjOv5N_19dY3dCelj_XoKLJRuOOJtYX1FGN7yXCTSJv2uESiJbrV2MF2g9ZNCZuscqNJ8OU-_FxkJkmfmhIIorB6JheOiZC7BCGa/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Wk-WBChzk4_KFFLwTnI23xYJ7Zi_riUhX5F5TOYMxjOv5N_19dY3dCelj_XoKLJRuOOJtYX1FGN7yXCTSJv2uESiJbrV2MF2g9ZNCZuscqNJ8OU-_FxkJkmfmhIIorB6JheOiZC7BCGa/s320/IMG_2544.HEIC" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCpmpmEZcKclQa_wvcM80LZ05f39ViOftamt63jSdFhrvdqLu4KG9LlI_5dAChRtCQXkxu7X9iJ5xZYQGSWxirY7Q7_2tXl5wWrnTxAcv4cwgdCCf9CduHx7_pe1M2FcXvCxuB5ZSoXnb/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCpmpmEZcKclQa_wvcM80LZ05f39ViOftamt63jSdFhrvdqLu4KG9LlI_5dAChRtCQXkxu7X9iJ5xZYQGSWxirY7Q7_2tXl5wWrnTxAcv4cwgdCCf9CduHx7_pe1M2FcXvCxuB5ZSoXnb/s320/IMG_2545.HEIC" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What's your best homemaking hack!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03258091245820822302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-31746459315548253982020-06-03T06:00:00.000-04:002020-06-03T06:00:03.921-04:00Wordless Wednesday: Backyard fort<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQSvpflZRwC_w0z4gxJnYdNpd2UKab-2KuaVFYUV3LV0xNnJORLPNqkVlKzf_cIjlvx5ihFx6ujRvZyNq3pbowJ_Yv9Xx2omEfu0LMXjImSnZ8UhmQfz6K3eDPl4l1IrcdIJtpWP4prIe/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQSvpflZRwC_w0z4gxJnYdNpd2UKab-2KuaVFYUV3LV0xNnJORLPNqkVlKzf_cIjlvx5ihFx6ujRvZyNq3pbowJ_Yv9Xx2omEfu0LMXjImSnZ8UhmQfz6K3eDPl4l1IrcdIJtpWP4prIe/s320/IMG_2640.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8sXqbejcPlZysPsVZ-xVK17mL0_VwFmzxTug8aUJ3jmx0-ALU54wsT5sKrlon1xMyVwv-fNv2jj_jJ1TQSXljLQSjt-Y6BXKys23po3_IsFV6IuVqqiLnsRVTq4_JwVaT1OnWixkM28V/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8sXqbejcPlZysPsVZ-xVK17mL0_VwFmzxTug8aUJ3jmx0-ALU54wsT5sKrlon1xMyVwv-fNv2jj_jJ1TQSXljLQSjt-Y6BXKys23po3_IsFV6IuVqqiLnsRVTq4_JwVaT1OnWixkM28V/s320/IMG_1811.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDbgUgHloCJQuEQ-7y9RRpKbXgmK88kddqMuJNke5puAZGDDOnIJv_aYIhspueCMDwmTn2QVqWE_h8FCoT4E16FtarLvGwD9g0FAWr_SOKoAUbJcyMRCe2rPhH7DRbpltSbWlgj6ciCsT/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDbgUgHloCJQuEQ-7y9RRpKbXgmK88kddqMuJNke5puAZGDDOnIJv_aYIhspueCMDwmTn2QVqWE_h8FCoT4E16FtarLvGwD9g0FAWr_SOKoAUbJcyMRCe2rPhH7DRbpltSbWlgj6ciCsT/s320/IMG_2706.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaELhN0sJs092vO1NOaQSTHtG_gfKdc92QcJBjg6bnNgg8KHNMOK-qch8n3LajsV4Srj6yFjxQIhuzKgJU98CK2Hts4_gJGIUwyTF98eJvZc08E9uWRMg5HJN22ecXputq-kQlTKWxU3Dj/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaELhN0sJs092vO1NOaQSTHtG_gfKdc92QcJBjg6bnNgg8KHNMOK-qch8n3LajsV4Srj6yFjxQIhuzKgJU98CK2Hts4_gJGIUwyTF98eJvZc08E9uWRMg5HJN22ecXputq-kQlTKWxU3Dj/s320/IMG_1834.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAcqmyFpRacORL8_Wv9twY_uriZGRo5gVxQxKwMw9fFecWLArdQSFTF-hCv-R8aKfZ06D8gHTVGtyme_Won9UQe6rSPRXJaeMe4lL0f049Fso3O9PoO3NxotiiDOT7a2q3XYgG-EMx8mt/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAcqmyFpRacORL8_Wv9twY_uriZGRo5gVxQxKwMw9fFecWLArdQSFTF-hCv-R8aKfZ06D8gHTVGtyme_Won9UQe6rSPRXJaeMe4lL0f049Fso3O9PoO3NxotiiDOT7a2q3XYgG-EMx8mt/s320/IMG_2904.jpg" /></a></div>Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0The Bronx, NY 10463, USA40.8803247 -73.909527912.570090863821157 -109.0657779 69.190558536178855 -38.7532779tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-81279840226624174182020-06-02T22:24:00.001-04:002020-06-02T22:24:58.083-04:00Scripture Thoughts for Uncertain Days<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwK2LaCmW4SDbPLVhh8QxZYZlX5uZC-G5z9mp31bG5mcYgyPRzEN1b3GaEM2QXH4Bm8_Y8hqO_p-eCUbTvaszeEpP8uz5s4dkoq_klRW_f75oKNjhosnNH51oLZZvD87xLd8KK4lx8xrQ/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwK2LaCmW4SDbPLVhh8QxZYZlX5uZC-G5z9mp31bG5mcYgyPRzEN1b3GaEM2QXH4Bm8_Y8hqO_p-eCUbTvaszeEpP8uz5s4dkoq_klRW_f75oKNjhosnNH51oLZZvD87xLd8KK4lx8xrQ/s320/IMG_2940.PNG" /></a><br />Psalm 42:11</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg394bRnZypHUNOHBIlruUqsHABlknhUT5YJJ4PJBrVZB2ckqlIU_gfbve4vKZ9wYVAxR4fGeV6s-IJU1jFhYhZs0tq1BJ-OeEg96IEw8im0A115oWjVvkTnWkwsSSbUdNRVl8XIkGt11f-/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg394bRnZypHUNOHBIlruUqsHABlknhUT5YJJ4PJBrVZB2ckqlIU_gfbve4vKZ9wYVAxR4fGeV6s-IJU1jFhYhZs0tq1BJ-OeEg96IEw8im0A115oWjVvkTnWkwsSSbUdNRVl8XIkGt11f-/s320/IMG_2938.PNG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5pYDisBePGZZRBsjIVGxR9nxtJPDet5TYozpsCLmprsNsxN9DvU9swXCExEYlEPwft88eXQ1ZRfFiJhZL4Ul06Htv3WZZTFcNESXv7EHqRnAmawNVXTFYQVdgbRDLGQ8omY2_9MvS1P1/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5pYDisBePGZZRBsjIVGxR9nxtJPDet5TYozpsCLmprsNsxN9DvU9swXCExEYlEPwft88eXQ1ZRfFiJhZL4Ul06Htv3WZZTFcNESXv7EHqRnAmawNVXTFYQVdgbRDLGQ8omY2_9MvS1P1/s320/IMG_2939.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjbGGoYy1FsQwUc5UXynbpgQSfLtZExsxS3_mPdrGToYqDieLhAxEUJBzIyu0-sBdorCJcN8y9I1I0ASwJBGxc9Sgh7PBvWDhF7g6j3nsQ11lDREFa8kJJ8OIBmWmNs8sAfNKfnLTVO3h/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjbGGoYy1FsQwUc5UXynbpgQSfLtZExsxS3_mPdrGToYqDieLhAxEUJBzIyu0-sBdorCJcN8y9I1I0ASwJBGxc9Sgh7PBvWDhF7g6j3nsQ11lDREFa8kJJ8OIBmWmNs8sAfNKfnLTVO3h/s320/IMG_2937.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVci9mVzTnppzsRkvGy75goDm6iLlwMNve76S2fr36pQbWeKOSl7hWpVQzz9XfGSrtYZW50hafgWl-Wpmol-OjUQIom2GVDlJF3-5JwjutltgLJ6KSnZzroaRE2_ZLHELIckw8wjj4KeZw/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVci9mVzTnppzsRkvGy75goDm6iLlwMNve76S2fr36pQbWeKOSl7hWpVQzz9XfGSrtYZW50hafgWl-Wpmol-OjUQIom2GVDlJF3-5JwjutltgLJ6KSnZzroaRE2_ZLHELIckw8wjj4KeZw/s320/IMG_2932.PNG" /></a></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03258091245820822302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-85660740039641380742020-05-29T22:27:00.000-04:002020-06-02T22:27:59.194-04:00Peter Tobias, 8 Months<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq9Tpyv_hVRFja1fV51GpTBG4MTenIYVmO02N02F1YafgwGStoMkLNbeUygiRKcI4OlHSxTj5pi7QEPo-Dx1CdMJ_2q_Ltxre6Zro6rz5Jcbk2OyJf0xJfUTYO6QBkKdrk_fQdYpV9vuI/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq9Tpyv_hVRFja1fV51GpTBG4MTenIYVmO02N02F1YafgwGStoMkLNbeUygiRKcI4OlHSxTj5pi7QEPo-Dx1CdMJ_2q_Ltxre6Zro6rz5Jcbk2OyJf0xJfUTYO6QBkKdrk_fQdYpV9vuI/s320/IMG_2815.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit; text-align: left;">I have learned a lot this month! I can crawl on my knees, pull up to standing, walk along furniture, eat more food with my new tooth, and sleep through the night. I love the piano and can’t wait to learn to play it myself. I melt mommy’s heart all the time with my hugs and smiles. What can you do???</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE8Q8HmvXe6uxVzGjhTUok23crCmLhPe9ay4zBf7N4RNRTdHcq84yFAQhdppIWF-0XOhIA5SlQxTPXnydRdjXu2tFe-c8YBhUEyEHXg-QceOgJ9o1sc9bjpW_U6FvDZDRkiTIeFSvT8FK/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE8Q8HmvXe6uxVzGjhTUok23crCmLhPe9ay4zBf7N4RNRTdHcq84yFAQhdppIWF-0XOhIA5SlQxTPXnydRdjXu2tFe-c8YBhUEyEHXg-QceOgJ9o1sc9bjpW_U6FvDZDRkiTIeFSvT8FK/s320/IMG_2790.HEIC" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbruxZGR8T_wru795WI3L51T7AuWDy6aJd4d2PNaWHGHYXdSYHo2_Dsc4cWv6MB3jJkXIdWD6nGOG_KAKfT33MWhwj5_QkaqSm7ejYN8hRlSQNzFzDlSjJt5Jr3Fnv3nm3wnT_5oVaSvnL/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbruxZGR8T_wru795WI3L51T7AuWDy6aJd4d2PNaWHGHYXdSYHo2_Dsc4cWv6MB3jJkXIdWD6nGOG_KAKfT33MWhwj5_QkaqSm7ejYN8hRlSQNzFzDlSjJt5Jr3Fnv3nm3wnT_5oVaSvnL/s320/IMG_2770.HEIC" /></a><br />Peter's best friend...Simon</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42tKP_XXzjjXjTeuPpLN1EQe6ok9oWMRMDUuwwDrXrYD3QyrsG_mSFJRN9R9COOLAHK_OfmGV4SXI8x3EBsAYJCS_i1hba5aYCzNcWCTkAwCWhQOUP3e_58olVV3omdnR7_RKcwI9d4Pi/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42tKP_XXzjjXjTeuPpLN1EQe6ok9oWMRMDUuwwDrXrYD3QyrsG_mSFJRN9R9COOLAHK_OfmGV4SXI8x3EBsAYJCS_i1hba5aYCzNcWCTkAwCWhQOUP3e_58olVV3omdnR7_RKcwI9d4Pi/s320/IMG_2737.HEIC" /></a><br />Mama loves cuddles</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FdRSaAwQEqU9nnPQPtIIm3r2ZHoPsCoLcAV-MvBEhqE_PlHT7AcTnnT0u19F_-Q-TR2S_6uwc4YN4O6ZWqwyPIZO5rgzETMkFQDRZ6UVmCk8566CnUbll072_BTzSkSWBjmSbwwacidL/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FdRSaAwQEqU9nnPQPtIIm3r2ZHoPsCoLcAV-MvBEhqE_PlHT7AcTnnT0u19F_-Q-TR2S_6uwc4YN4O6ZWqwyPIZO5rgzETMkFQDRZ6UVmCk8566CnUbll072_BTzSkSWBjmSbwwacidL/s320/IMG_2766.HEIC" /></a><br />I can do my sippy cup!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03258091245820822302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-37592893551749342852020-05-16T22:28:00.002-04:002020-05-16T22:30:10.115-04:00Bullet Journaling<div style="text-align: justify;">This year I moved away from the <a href="http://www.homemakersfriend.com/">Homemaker's Friend planner </a>to try something new. I <i>really</i> like the layout of the Homemaker's Friend, and I LOVE the Scriptures on each weekly spread and tabbed divider. But, I felt like the cover stock was a little too thin and I just wore it out far before the year was done. I also did not use several of the sections at the back on a regular basis. I tried having the coil removed and punching the pages to put in a binder, but I lost too much of the edge in doing so.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://capturethelittlethings.com/category/organization/">A friend had been posting about Bullet Journaling on her blog,</a> so I decided to give it a try! I really like it! I purchased a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Moleskine-Classic-Cover-Notebook-Pocket/dp/B015NG44VG/ref=sr_1_7?crid=SKC344R7SYTJ&dchild=1&keywords=moleskine%2Bhardcover%2Bnotebook&qid=1589682318&sprefix=moleskine%2Bhard%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-7&th=1">Moleskin hardbound journal with grid lines</a> inside, and each week I hand draw my planner spread. I now follow several "bujo" (bullet journal) idea pages on Instagram, and I have incorporated several of their items into my own bujo planner. However, for me the bullet journal is not an art book or a mood tracker. I just want the weekly calendar!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The idea behind bullet journals is that each item gets a bullet. You number the pages as you go, and then write the content in the index so you can easily find things. My bullet journal is not sectioned into categories, but I just take notes or make pages necessary as life is happening and then add them to my index pages. When we are coming up on a new month, I make a monthly spread with a master list of events or tasks that can then be filtered into the week or day as they come during the month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The great thing about bullet journaling is that you can make it whatever you want it to be. If you are a super simple person, make a basic layout. I like color, so I add that to each month and week. But, I don't go for washi tape, water color paints, and elaborate pictures!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you like to do actual journaling a lot, you can do that after each weekly spread. You will probably need more than one journal per year. This is May and I still have more than half of my planner unfilled. I have found the Moleskine hardbound journal to be very durable, but it is also has a slim profile so it slips easily into my purse. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was concerned that the week would be upon me and I wouldn't have my layout finished and therefore nowhere to make notes or plan as things came up during my day. But I have found I enjoy the time on Saturday or Sunday to sit down and make my weekly spread and fill in the details which are known. So that hasn't been a problem!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here are some examples of pages I did choose to include in my bullet journal. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOXJixEOPxcx7u2mkjh8MuvV6IfsVDe_U2wGCaavPivP7hm_r21eavCSGkIauYgQwZFxvbyIVGljCDjeRIVhuGaIQsr6B_WCWxCKDNfZf0gfz3CsoYQVqJzvJPXFOwekhyphenhyphenQGEHXHyIsEw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOXJixEOPxcx7u2mkjh8MuvV6IfsVDe_U2wGCaavPivP7hm_r21eavCSGkIauYgQwZFxvbyIVGljCDjeRIVhuGaIQsr6B_WCWxCKDNfZf0gfz3CsoYQVqJzvJPXFOwekhyphenhyphenQGEHXHyIsEw/s320/IMG_1860.jpg" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0VHveIgaB3-WvIbZl1Gt2Pu6m-aC-G8uemAZ2pgiwkve6y7Eek2OnCFH0yJ0k4gmP93Q3YBSPt5Bxf_iFKTPUTjM0yU1KXHiU94ziAktZ6lJk9iuZ1wp6e4pEepEKSsEEgYw05pDLy7P/s320/IMG_1861.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I put my days toward the center and add weather, menu, and task notes as needed. On the outer columns I put a small monthly calendar grid, church task list, goals for the week, main tasks, and sometimes a shopping list if I know I will head to the store that week.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6lpjiXr1VJGDr5xCDkT9GKRYZkepaYE6qghuFzWZ5PzbHXdHimVzjSHC0IGKlb_WRQXHPCZv4917m8hPTWP9T4iHHFxEliw4ziuaj0FotUu4eAh_PeUGe389BUv-Kz_HDlBvDeub3_uh/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6lpjiXr1VJGDr5xCDkT9GKRYZkepaYE6qghuFzWZ5PzbHXdHimVzjSHC0IGKlb_WRQXHPCZv4917m8hPTWP9T4iHHFxEliw4ziuaj0FotUu4eAh_PeUGe389BUv-Kz_HDlBvDeub3_uh/s320/IMG_1862.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVbJ5NpVSmvDpSgTeN1Y7StmF5LK8imKfg-NVjMY-C64Bnc34_h8n_Lib4XqXGI7OvLM2E1zjgL7cv9I6j4cBGLG5ZBMe_oDImuAmddDPUEuP8m9dZE3yzQScxY_s8mIfVC659lnxGOQcP/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVbJ5NpVSmvDpSgTeN1Y7StmF5LK8imKfg-NVjMY-C64Bnc34_h8n_Lib4XqXGI7OvLM2E1zjgL7cv9I6j4cBGLG5ZBMe_oDImuAmddDPUEuP8m9dZE3yzQScxY_s8mIfVC659lnxGOQcP/s320/IMG_1864.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is what the index page looks like. I left a double page spread blank for adding to the index. It is the first page in my journal.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIkEXKOigXXH6seMgkYp4MU1mQ7IlUPAqIYioB995rTy60TYmSfJPY9wq099Nngx-8T05LcoeQ6H5UctGRb7SHGtF7o6cDDvguo0kXjmlOR0TOQCMEJxbBtMrIWQrKJy1H1m3ttkaWlZv/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIkEXKOigXXH6seMgkYp4MU1mQ7IlUPAqIYioB995rTy60TYmSfJPY9wq099Nngx-8T05LcoeQ6H5UctGRb7SHGtF7o6cDDvguo0kXjmlOR0TOQCMEJxbBtMrIWQrKJy1H1m3ttkaWlZv/s320/IMG_1863.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Each month I do something like this. A calendar grid and master task list (most of these are "big rocks" and don't change much from week to week). I also list the days in a column down the left hand page and add events there, rather than trying to squeeze the events into the calendar blocks.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZrHktCELPBMmmiUw1XypaWxl-XsdYgMBFaRDiR-kXufBgSP0d5oleaehtyfW9-r2CN07Yqs6LENIipc1WJB1vS12aWGmAvx1zgYtOofcVObvx38w8dp44griGC-7q739NPuo3TwSZ5Hb/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZrHktCELPBMmmiUw1XypaWxl-XsdYgMBFaRDiR-kXufBgSP0d5oleaehtyfW9-r2CN07Yqs6LENIipc1WJB1vS12aWGmAvx1zgYtOofcVObvx38w8dp44griGC-7q739NPuo3TwSZ5Hb/s320/IMG_1865.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I made a year-at-a-glance layout over three page spreads at the beginning of my journal for future planning needs. This is very helpful when you are organizing church events!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpQsAjLqvJxYRofwWLGkC-JE39OYlBdK_G5arBTIlfvhbUjcbRVCRBHWm9s57mlE67jsWF_kWv5HKGz0i2ZO9A3r3_DRLm-JZhkAFPXzkILynSqjrtq2LU6giJqYBU8Fp_iYuSfkQK0oX/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpQsAjLqvJxYRofwWLGkC-JE39OYlBdK_G5arBTIlfvhbUjcbRVCRBHWm9s57mlE67jsWF_kWv5HKGz0i2ZO9A3r3_DRLm-JZhkAFPXzkILynSqjrtq2LU6giJqYBU8Fp_iYuSfkQK0oX/s320/IMG_1866.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A key (which I don't always follow, but I do try to use the different colors for different events/roles in my life), and a list of hymns and Bible verses to cover in homeschool this year.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7D1Clk4dkEcT-36bE_VIlx-l5u8k-cr2oj8JSE1hei4Zk0r5pwKT06oDsGahJz6rdTUnzKB8KNUFjh-x5zi0YQcsayH9-5E5h2NwlRkkbPhED22ify_jcj6pG3nbhPvOYGNxuQOX0jrwc/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7D1Clk4dkEcT-36bE_VIlx-l5u8k-cr2oj8JSE1hei4Zk0r5pwKT06oDsGahJz6rdTUnzKB8KNUFjh-x5zi0YQcsayH9-5E5h2NwlRkkbPhED22ify_jcj6pG3nbhPvOYGNxuQOX0jrwc/s320/IMG_1867.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And of course a cleaning checklist to keep track of bigger house cleaning jobs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Maybe next year I will go back to the Homemaker's Friend planner. But I am enjoying this new "adventure" for now!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To follow on IG:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="#" id="https://www.instagram.com/bulletjournalwithfaith/?hl=en">@bulletjournalwithfaith</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bujobeauties/?hl=en">@bujobeauties</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bujos.inspirations/?hl=en">@bujos.inspirations</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bullet_daily/?hl=en">@bullet_daily</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I follow these accounts for ideas and inspiration, but I do not endorse all of their content. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-86517373723785995342020-05-11T16:23:00.000-04:002020-05-11T16:23:12.600-04:002020 FavoritesI have a few new favorite things to share with you!<div><br /></div><div>PRODUCTS<br /><div><br /></div><div>:: Mama's Refill Bible Study Membership</div><div>I know I have shared Busy Mama Bible Studies/<a href="http://www.mamasrefill.com">Mama's Refill</a> with you before. It remains my top recommendation for Bible Study and quiet time! I have started using some of the principles and lessons to do Bible class with my older kids during school. Looking for repeated words, marking certain words, taking the big picture apart into pieces and putting it together again - these all help with the learning, memorization, and application of Scripture! Right now, you can get Mama's Refill membership at 20% off with the code SPRING2020. This is the best purchase you can make this year! </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpRJGafiku0FTwMd2PvwFU3cgK0NkMG1dHQZB9Jglid81u-giI-oN6_jtDVWb-5UHTN3H7jkEtlcGwEHMdU65nfYkgZNiuPQarnB-X6cjV4dfpkxMPAbuqDieOWrnGAqkD-Mmpk5Jk7ti/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpRJGafiku0FTwMd2PvwFU3cgK0NkMG1dHQZB9Jglid81u-giI-oN6_jtDVWb-5UHTN3H7jkEtlcGwEHMdU65nfYkgZNiuPQarnB-X6cjV4dfpkxMPAbuqDieOWrnGAqkD-Mmpk5Jk7ti/s320/UP-SWERVE_D.jpg" /></a></div>::Lilla Rose Swerve</div><div>I have long been a fan of Lilla Rose flex-clips. They are comfortable and secure, and don't rip your hair out, unlike elastics and claw clips. Recently I tried one of their new products called a <a href="https://shops.lillarose.biz/MemberToolsDotNet/ShoppingCartV4/ProductDetailv4.aspx?ProductID=23086&CatalogueID=211&MG=2&G1=126&G2=127&referringDealerId=1015873">Swerve</a>. It's a contoured pin that securely holds buns and other up-dos. I am surprised at how much I love this product because I never wear buns! I also have fine hair which often slips out of hair sticks and pins, but the Swerve stays put <i>all day long! </i>To try yours, <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/AndreaHamilton">click here</a> or contact me. I can offer you a special deal!</div><div><br /></div><div>::Monat Night Haven Overnight Control Cream</div><div>I love Monat hair care products and last fall they released skin care products! I don't use all of them, but I love that they are naturally based products! My favorite is the <a href="https://mymonat.com/shop/products/night-heaven-overnight-age-control-cream?taxon_id=127"><i>Night Haven</i> </a>moisturizer. I use it at night after I cleanse my skin. It is so moisturizing and smells heavenly! It lasts a very long time, so the price isn't quite as scary as at first glance. </div><div><br /></div><div>:: <a href="https://filmora.wondershare.net/video-editor.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw7-P1BRA2EiwAXoPWAzn6Y2DQN9IV4Z0Sayq1w8IHyjiiyGXU4PDSci8HXc6tq-422-5mOxoC5VoQAvD_BwE">Wondershare Video software</a>. I can't remember how much we paid, but it is very user friendly, while packing a lot of options for video editing. I'm not anywhere close to a pro, but I have been pleased with what I could create for our church using Wondershare.</div><div><br /></div><div>FOOD</div><div><br /></div><div>We've dabbled with a lot of new foods in the last several months, mostly because we receive them in a food donation box. I usually just google the item to learn how to cook it. They are probably not new to you, but I am a new big fan of several items:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Spaghetti squash. Perfect in casseroles in place of noodles, or just as a side with butter and salt and pepper. It's amazing to me how it comes out just like noodles! </li><li>Brussels Sprouts. I love this oven roasted with balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese.</li><li>Butternut Squash. I used to make a soup out of this but now I love it just roasted in the oven with salt and pepper and olive oil!</li><li>Since doing the Keto diet in January I love bulletproof coffee but I don't do it everyday. However, I really like heavy cream in my coffee. SOOOO much better than half and half or sugar-y creamer!</li></ul><div>PODCASTS/BOOKS</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I think I've mentioned it before, but the <i><a href="https://www.risenmotherhood.com/">Risen Motherhood</a></i> podcast continues to be my favorite. Their book is great too! Follow them on IG (@risenmotherhood) for great resources all week long!</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLcgqNjO_0puowiJbA_KhUTRlcgCmU_fnEDyzLuopCUpyPNg8WA6Gvlpi2a2XWb48FXRQcLcXipsOZ9_ERwQKjTqjiDd_cRFxBqYhi_kG_SV6Y2OVOwc3SZ_ZXY7nHr6PrZcwx7TFoDPR/" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLcgqNjO_0puowiJbA_KhUTRlcgCmU_fnEDyzLuopCUpyPNg8WA6Gvlpi2a2XWb48FXRQcLcXipsOZ9_ERwQKjTqjiDd_cRFxBqYhi_kG_SV6Y2OVOwc3SZ_ZXY7nHr6PrZcwx7TFoDPR/w208-h320/41dyWgX1z4L._SX323_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm currently reading "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ways-Your-Phone-Changing-You/dp/1433552434">12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You</a>" by Tony Reinke. I have to take it slow, but it is SO GOOD! I am implementing some practices to move away from my phone (though I never thought of myself as addicted, I am starting to wonder if we aren't all addicted to the screens) and into healthier habits.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I just received "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Adore-Simple-Practice-Experiencing-Minutes-ebook/dp/B07TBY5MHZ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=adore&qid=1589228222&s=books&sr=1-1">Adore</a>" by Sara Hagerty, but I haven't started reading it yet. I know I won't be disappointed. Sara is in my top 5 favorite authors, and her practice of adoration on IG is a daily favorite.</div><div><br /></div><div>What are</div><div><br /></div></div>Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-42105558490759140802020-04-06T15:56:00.001-04:002020-04-06T15:56:25.298-04:00Sing!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Continuing in the thoughts of my <a href="https://benandreahamilton.blogspot.com/2020/04/our-eyes-are-upon-you.html">last post</a>, when Jehoshaphat was faced with a difficult situation of almost certain anihilation, he turned his eyes to God and trusted the Lord to fight for him. After the Lord sent a message through His prophet with instructions for Judah in the battle, their immediate response was to bow, worship, and sing praise to God. God hadn't yet done anything, but Judah praised Him for what they knew He was going to do -- fight for them.<br />
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These thoughts have been brewing for a little while, since the outbreak of COVID-19 that has turned our whole world upside down. At first, our church wasn't able to meet at the public school we were renting because the schools were closed down. So, we had church in our dining room for two weeks. It was all very last minute, and unplanned. My mind was swirling and things seemed uncertain. I turned on my iTunes and started a playlist on random. Each song, though having little to do with disease or sickness, ministered to my heart in one way or another. God was encouraging me to sing amid the crisis, and to praise Him for what I did not yet know He would do.<br />
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I started scribbling a list of phrases from these songs on taht Sunday morning that put my mind back on God and ushered peace into my heart.<br />
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<li>Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted. </li>
<li>The fever raged, disease had gripped it's victim. Then Jesus came, and cast out every fear!</li>
<li>'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus...</li>
<li>Longing, yes I'm longing for heaven</li>
<li>I am saved by the blood of the crucified one</li>
<li>God is in every tomorrow</li>
<li>Through the upper window, you'll see me standing by</li>
<li>How can I fear with Jesus?</li>
<li>Caught up to be with Christ forevermore</li>
<li>Whom shall I send to a world that's dying? Here am I Lord, send me.</li>
<li>And shall I turn back, into the world? No, no not I! </li>
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Then came the order to put New York "on pause" (shelter-in-place). It was for a week. Then three weeks, and today has just been extended through April 29th. I am so ready to go back to church and to give hugs and to be with people again. (There are a lot of people in my house though...) But it's not time yet. God isn't done working.<br />
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When I was a girl my mom <i>always</i> had good music playing, or a podcast or Christian radio broadcast on the kitchen radio. I haven't been as good at making music a regular part of my home as she did. My kids do know many hymns because we learn a new one each month in school. They also like to listen to Patch the Pirate at night. I catch my kiddos walking around the house singing character building songs, and I love it.<br />
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So in these uncertain days, I find myself turning on the music more and turning Facebook off. I need to focus my thoughts and heart on my God, and Who He is, and what He has done in the past. Because He never changes, and He is still at work today.<br />
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So when your heart is gripped with fear and your mind starts swirling with all of the "what if's", turn on some music and start letting the Lord minister to your heart!</div>
Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-44299490963588449182020-04-06T15:38:00.001-04:002020-04-06T15:38:57.122-04:00Our Eyes Are Upon You<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For the last couple of months, in between my study time for ladies' Bible study group, I have been marinating in 2 Chronicles 20. It is the story of King Jehoshaphat and the great multitude that comes against him in battle. This force is more than he can handle. Jehoshaphat has just been strengthening Judah, building the defences, and teaching the people from God's Word. He is a good king.<br />
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So Jehoshaphat doesn't just try to handle everything on his own. He doesn't call up the reserves. No - he leads his people in a national fast, culminating in a gathering before the house of the Lord. And there Jehoshapat prays. He adores God. He praises God's strength. He reminds God of His past works, and His future promises. He calls God to notice that they have gathered at God's house to ask for God's help. And then he throws himself at God's mercy, and leaves it all in God's hands, withwith these amazing words:<br />
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"O our God, wilt thou not jduge them? For we have no mights against this great company that cometh against us; netiher know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee." (2 Chron. 20:12)</blockquote>
As we are navigating the amazing, odd, crazy, and unbelievable events relating to COVID-19, and all the restrictions, orders, decisions, recommendations, etc. that seem to be changing day by day, I can't help but see the parallels in my world and Jehoshaphat's.<br />
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My Bible study lesson today challenged me to personalize the passage. To rewrite Jehoshaphat's prayer in verses 6-12, inserting my fears, situations, trials, difficulties. To remind God (and myself) of His deeds in the past and His word for the future. To come to the place where God dwells and cast myself at His feet, turning my eyes upon Him. This seemed like an extensive assignment so like a busy mom I procrastinated it for two days. But I finally picked up my pen and notebook and let God speak to my heart.<br />
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Verse 6: "Lord God, do you rule over the world? Are You in control of coronavirus, the economy, our church's situation? I see that You have all power and that nothing is strong enough to come against You or catch You by surprise. Can You continue to provide for my family and our church?"<br />
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Verse 7: "In the past You have provided for my family things both small (like tin foil - ask me about that later) and great (housing in NYC, and past due bills, etc.). You have promised that they who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing (Ps. 34:10). You have said that You will build Your church (Matt. 16:18)."<br />
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Verses 8-9: "Your Word tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 6:19) and that Christ is in me, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). You have promised that where two or three are gathered together, You are in our midst (Matt. 18:20). James 5:16 tells us to confess our faults to one another and pray for one another for healing, and that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much. Rom. 8:28 tells us that You are working all things together for good, and Jer. 29:11 reminds me that You have a plan. Your strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Cor. 12:9-11), and when I call unto You, You will answer with great and mighty things (Jer. 33:3) which I cannot imagine (1 Cor. 2:9)."<br />
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Verses 10-11: "So now, when the world is in fear and the future is so uncertain. When life as we know it has been turned upside down and we sometimes don't know who to believe. When I wonder where our church will meet or how we will grow in a situation like this--<br />
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Verse 12: "O God - will you not help? For we have no might against this situation, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee."<br />
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An article on Bible.org says it this way,<br />
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"The story of Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20:1-30) shows us how to have confidence in a crisis -- not confidence in ourselves (the American way), but confidence in God. ...Jehoshaphat was shaken one morning when his intelligence soures came running in with the horrifying news... Jehoshaphat's life and his entire kingsdom were on the brink of extinction! Talk about a reason to panic!"</blockquote>
None of us would have chosen to have our March and April go the way that they have. None of us likes the unknown future that lies before us, unfolding one day at a time. None of us can be certain that we will or will not get sick with coronavirus. But through it all we can turn our eyes to God. </div>
Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-91916535668166642622020-04-06T15:35:00.002-04:002020-04-06T15:35:47.580-04:00Roundup of Easter Printables<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I haven't always made Easter a big celebration. Usually on Easter we pull out our new spring church outfits. We always have a nice ham dinner. But otherwise, Resurrection Sunday is a busy ministry day for our family.</div>
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Recognizing that celebrating Christ's resurrection is just as important, if not more important, than celebrating His birth, I have been trying to make an effort to make it a special family holiday. Here are some things I am doing to accomplish this!</div>
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Sometimes our family celebrates Easter on Monday, when we can focus on it after the minsitry at church is completed. I spread a nice table with tablecloth and our special dishes. I make a special menu.</div>
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Sometimes Ben puts together a rough cross and we nail our sins to it, as a visual picture of what Christ did on the cross. Then we celebrate His resurrection, recognizing that He did not stay dead, but conquered death, the cross, and our sins. This year we will do this on Thursday. (We believe Christ was crucified on Thursday, not Friday. Another story for another time. <a href="https://youtu.be/JRxuzSdOqM0">This link</a> may help).</div>
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Sometimes we use resurrection boxes for devotions leading up to Easter. Similar to the Jesse Tree project, this is a visible object lesson on various parts of the Holy Week story to help my kids grasp it better. It's similar to these <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Family-Life-Resurrection-Eggs-Religious/dp/1602006512">Resurrection Eggs</a> from Amazon. I made my own from a tutorial l<a href="https://lifeyourway.net/diy-ressurection-eggs-easter-story-book-printables/">ike this one.</a></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP-QR2K7Zc3493wl7Guf7TIZvaxdX6QnoGLhFF_YklO-7ACFnes1XdtG6wxCG0S6BumT71qMEdXX2gVmHL8uoTep2oLopvMlDGuXQrkzVV-M5dg1YTxl_k_EFt2ETV7feHfk2btyObTHj/s1600/Resurrection+Dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP-QR2K7Zc3493wl7Guf7TIZvaxdX6QnoGLhFF_YklO-7ACFnes1XdtG6wxCG0S6BumT71qMEdXX2gVmHL8uoTep2oLopvMlDGuXQrkzVV-M5dg1YTxl_k_EFt2ETV7feHfk2btyObTHj/s200/Resurrection+Dinner.jpg" width="150" /></a>
<li><a href="http://benandreahamilton.blogspot.com/2018/03/resurrection-day-resources.html">This is my Easter resources round up post from a couple of years ago.</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">I wanted to make <a href="https://shop.everthinehome.com/collections/easter/products/easter-candle-diy">these candle decorations</a> from Ever Thine Home, but due to the shortages in stores from COVID-19, I wasn't able to find the pillar candles. I'm going to do it next year!</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Ever Thine Home <a href="https://issuu.com/everthinehome/docs/eth.spring20catalog_200204">Easter catalog</a> has some great celebration ideas!</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Based on an item in the Ever Thine Home shop a few years ago, I created some cards for each of the "I AM" statements of Jesus. I lay them on the plates at our Easter dinner and we read through the Truths and Scriptures before we pray and eat. <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cs57l10ghyneki1/AADJaHMU13CFVcO_jFsgPZcga?dl=0">Download my cards to print and laminate here.</a> </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Teach your kids a resurrection song. I have done "<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/w7h08bfhi4iabe4/Christ%20Arose.pdf?dl=0">Christ Arose</a>," "<a href="http://benandreahamilton.blogspot.com/2020/04/christ-lord-is-risen-today-visualized.html">Christ the Lord is Risen Today</a>," and "<a href="http://benandreahamilton.blogspot.com/2017/04/he-lives-visualized-hymn.html">He Lives</a>." <a href="http://benandreahamilton.blogspot.com/2017/03/teaching-kids-hymns.html">Here </a>are ideas for teaching kids hymns.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://benandreahamilton.blogspot.com/2016/03/forsaken.html">Printable quote</a> from Spurgeon on Jesus being <i>forsaken</i> for us.</li>
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One other thing that makes Resurrection Sunday more special to me now is that I have loved ones waiting for me in heaven. It is the resurrection of Christ that assures me their faith is not vain, and I will see them again. The hope of the resurrection helps me not to miss them as much!</div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-57090702128911590962020-04-06T15:06:00.000-04:002020-04-07T09:49:16.332-04:00Christ the Lord is Risen Today Visualized Hymn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Here is another visualized hymn. This one is made for the kids to color before it is laminated. If you would like a playable file, you can find it <a href="https://hymnary.org/text/christ_the_lord_is_risen_today_wesley">HERE</a>, along with a PDF of the musical score. I prefer to use <a href="http://hymnal.net/">hymnal.net</a> but sadly this song is not in their database.</div>
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/4zjc1ccmgoox7vz/Christ%20the%20Lord%20is%20Risen%20Today.pdf?dl=0">Download Printable PDF</a></div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-50430679351127484332020-03-07T10:34:00.002-05:002020-03-07T10:38:10.835-05:00Peter - One, Two, Three, Four, Five Months!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;">{One Month}</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;"><span style="font: inherit;">Sleeping 5-6 hours at night and fussing when not being held! Thankfully there are five little sets of hands waiting to hold him at all times! Trying very hard to hold his head up alone.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">{Six Weeks}</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;"><span style="font: inherit;">Peter Tobias, or PT as we are calling him, is {six weeks} old! He’s starting to smile and wake up with happy sounds and coos instead of screaming! He’s falling into a sleep pattern and giving me about six hours of rest at a time (!), and he loves the bath like big sister Liberty. He’s definitely a spoiled youngest child with no shortage of hands begging to hold him all the time!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;">{Two Months}</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;"><span style="font: inherit;">This big guy is {only} two months old! He’s eating and sleeping like a champ. He likes bright, noisy toys and being entertained by his siblings. He smiles at Mommy and Daddy the most.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;">{Three Months}</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;"><span style="font: inherit;">Peter is three months old!</span><br style="font-size: 14px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" /><span style="font: inherit;">Loves music and being held; is teething and drooling everywhere; can coo and “sing” and belly laugh. Loves Daddy’s raspberries and balancing on Daddy’s hand. Favorite time of the day is bath time. Has the seven of us wrapped around his finger.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;">{Four Months}</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;"><span style="font: inherit;">Peter has moved up to 6-9 months clothes and size 3 diapers—my fastest growing baby yet! He loves blowing raspberries and “singing” and he has a great belly laugh! The bathtub is his happy place and he has quite a temper if he is not being held. He reaches for toys and can roll from tummy to back.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">{Five Months}</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font: inherit;">I can roll over both directions and continuously until I get to where I want to be! I am teething and drooling but I still won’t take a pacifier, because I my fingers are working just great! I have had tastes of broth and whipped cream and baby puffs and loved them all! I am happy as long as someone is paying attention to me. Bath time is one of my favorite things as well as my giraffe Sophie. I can push up on my tippee toes and scoot on my elbows when I really want to get somewhere. I love music and my piano toy. </span></div>
Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-44279032400166863802020-03-07T10:15:00.003-05:002020-03-07T10:15:57.807-05:00Keto: 30 Day Summary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This week (Feb. 4th), we finished 30 days of Keto. I did cheat once...I went out to dinner with some friends and I ate the bun on my burger!<br />
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My weight fluctuates a bit, but my lowest weigh-in was 13 pounds less than beginning. Ben lost 21 pounds!!!<br />
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We will probably do some Keto cycling to continue maintaining and losing a little more. Ben had an overgoal of losing an additional 5 pounds.<br />
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I don't think it was really super hard to do Keto for 30 days. The second week found me craving sugar the hardest. The recipes I chose were not overly strange or weird. My kids loved the Skillet Chicken Parmesan and Stuffed Chicken Breasts the most. I got really tired of having eggs for breakfast. (But breakfast is not really my favorite meal anyway).<br />
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Overall I don't think we will be a permanent Keto family, mostly because whole food groups are eliminated. God gaves us the fruit of the trees for food too, but very few fruits are Keto-friendly! Eating a high-fat low-carb diet can spike your cholesterol too, and Ben did have that experience in a recent test. Grapefruit is really good for cholesterol, so we will go back to having that for a lot of our breakfasts!<br />
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Some recipes will become family favorites and go into our menu rotation. In the end, I was feeling like everything was cream cheese and bacon flavored, unless we just had a protein with a salad. I loved eating Caesar salad so often, but I missed the croutons!<br />
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Inconclusion, we are trying to stay back off the sugars most of the time, but we are rotating fruit back in and occasionally bread. We love granola with yogurt and berries for breakfast so that is coming back onto the menu too!</div>
Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-4967941555520133002020-02-08T21:24:00.002-05:002020-02-08T21:24:47.038-05:00Jesus Loves Even Me Visualized Hymn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I enjoy teaching our kids different hymns as part of our school curriculum! Last month I heard "Standing on the Promises" being sung or hummed every day by at least one of my kids! This month I chose "Jesus Loves Even Me" to go with the <i>love</i> and Valentine's Day theme. (Even though we don't really celebrate that holdiay very big...)</div>
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These are the words to the hymn:<br />
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am
so glad that our Father in heaven<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tells
of His love in the Book <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He has
given;<br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wonderful
things in the Bible I see—<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This
is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Chorus:</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am
so glad that Jesus loves me,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus
loves me, </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus
loves me;</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am
so glad that </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus
loves me,</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus
loves even me.<br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Though
I forget Him and wander away,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Still
He doth love me wherever I stray;<br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back
to His dear <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">loving
arms would I flee,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I
remember that Jesus loves me.<br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, if
there’s only one song I can sing,<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When
in His beauty I see the great King,<br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This
shall my song in eternity be:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Oh,
what a wonder that Jesus loves me!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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The kids have picked up on the words quickly. I chose some pictures that visualize Jesus with the children, even though my normal preference is to avoid picturing Jesus because we don't truly know what He looked like. I thought these ones fit the hymn okay.</div>
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/b0welbu02jneim2/Jesus%20Loves%20Even%20Me.pdf?dl=0">Click here to download the printable PDF</a></div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-5147993176945785002020-01-24T07:30:00.000-05:002020-01-24T07:30:04.986-05:00Here We Come...It's Almost Baseball Time!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHqHIhH3avgnadAOMP7aBpLMVx5Xson2EaaKCrG3whwBjgYnwqrBf1XDtAq4i8noicjiy5-ORscSHoC9MXBZG9Ki7DKmTOh7aMag_7qoE2WJExzYMV4VJlQsa1CfrvDkkwLfb3F0Fr07F/s1600/IMG_9983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1018" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHqHIhH3avgnadAOMP7aBpLMVx5Xson2EaaKCrG3whwBjgYnwqrBf1XDtAq4i8noicjiy5-ORscSHoC9MXBZG9Ki7DKmTOh7aMag_7qoE2WJExzYMV4VJlQsa1CfrvDkkwLfb3F0Fr07F/s400/IMG_9983.JPG" width="253" /></a></div>
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Only 22 Days until Yankees Pitchers and Catchers Report for spring training! I'm excited!</div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-41019915048164482382020-01-23T09:39:00.000-05:002020-01-23T09:39:09.386-05:00Keto: Two Weeks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We've been doing Keto {mostly} strictly for two and a half weeks now.<br />
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<b>Ben has lost 13 pounds </b><br />
<b>I have lost 11 pounds.</b><br />
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Here are some favorites thus far:<br />
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We are <a href="http://benandreahamilton.blogspot.com/2020/01/keto-week-one-in-review.html">still loving Chaffle and Bacon</a> for breakfast! My kids are getting jealous and have requested a Chaffle Breakfast for everyone!<br />
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I am liking the recipes from <a href="https://peaceloveandlowcarb.com/">Peace, Love, and Low Carbs</a> a lot! I bought her <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1628602783/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">30 Minute Ketogenic cookbook </a>and have enjoyed just about everything I have made from it! We also like the Everything Keto Cycling book which I got from the library. Creamy Stuffed Chicken, Creamed Kale and Bacon, and Parmesan Crusted Cod have been well liked by almost everyone!<br />
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We had some friends over for MLK Day and everyone was getting brownies and ice cream. So...I searched for a low carb brownie option for Ben and I. I ended up buying a mix to keep it easy. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G8399A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">These </a>were absolutely delicious!!!</div>
Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-29570454967218038152020-01-22T23:51:00.000-05:002020-01-22T23:51:11.112-05:00Wordless Wednesday: Sink Bath!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When Dad is renovating the bathroom and you <i>really</i> need a bath, the sink works!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0dZO_By1Fjc8tcPwHONfa06MExpmZez6givHdkxK7NzTTgIlSbXyb7Zd27ARhT79vO2AF7RM998Cukdpu1FTuowfDha6q7jdjpmMQcQ1aJanpnDxakw_1cgaA1PTP4YouxTs3DqEFRWH/s1600/IMG_9996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0dZO_By1Fjc8tcPwHONfa06MExpmZez6givHdkxK7NzTTgIlSbXyb7Zd27ARhT79vO2AF7RM998Cukdpu1FTuowfDha6q7jdjpmMQcQ1aJanpnDxakw_1cgaA1PTP4YouxTs3DqEFRWH/s320/IMG_9996.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-33343486564883138852020-01-20T22:32:00.002-05:002020-01-20T22:32:47.186-05:00Visualized Hymn: Standing on the Promises<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwH9IkZfSgOH3qMXnJFdWZYaGYrbq6Y_DxVy1FQ8XvQ95UbEPknUZRnW3aE4U7pZm8qCghWrR6fGNV-1N9IxBKE3Wjl0VyI5zVrkxmQiN769MVa-9PHgV3LOohQH1O1fwOW_2KUndVRF3/s1600/IMG_9853.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwH9IkZfSgOH3qMXnJFdWZYaGYrbq6Y_DxVy1FQ8XvQ95UbEPknUZRnW3aE4U7pZm8qCghWrR6fGNV-1N9IxBKE3Wjl0VyI5zVrkxmQiN769MVa-9PHgV3LOohQH1O1fwOW_2KUndVRF3/s200/IMG_9853.HEIC" width="150" /></a>I have another visualized hymn to share with you. This year we started back to opening exercises in school, which meant a new hymn of the month. Ben chose "Standing on the Promises." I chose to use pictures that the kids could color so we could double the project for art class that week.<br />
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This was probably one of the best hymn choices we have made so far. Everyday I hear at least one, but usually several singing the words as they go through their day. Usually they don't learn all the words completely, even after working on the hymn for most of a month. This one they have down pat already! It's nice to hear them singing around the house!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdlEN5mErAIvwNwL1aOHpAYaBVHiPt60h2Lv-Y_FnHftrKFcggR9oVgE-msULdzTafTLHzZcMaQHFZaYRtyqQd4KC9RrsieDPQQt5dhw_QEFHe3rgY_y9bbQnuXLRC4krfteDozz5YpI9/s1600/IMG_9852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1099" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdlEN5mErAIvwNwL1aOHpAYaBVHiPt60h2Lv-Y_FnHftrKFcggR9oVgE-msULdzTafTLHzZcMaQHFZaYRtyqQd4KC9RrsieDPQQt5dhw_QEFHe3rgY_y9bbQnuXLRC4krfteDozz5YpI9/s320/IMG_9852.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ypylzeo26o0u6ab/Standing%20on%20the%20Promises.pdf?dl=0">To download the PDF, CLICK HERE</a></div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-11009382261806513712020-01-15T09:00:00.000-05:002020-01-15T09:00:03.078-05:00Wordless Wednesday: Peter at 15 weeks <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVOWjQ994jLEf8w0SxHx-g5bXKOUlDoD9azBZsZ227VCEJvce8n8uyNAxdJ58A6HQDAmx8e1WLHYarFUgDYZg7XNBCo5XHxiZ9cL8BLklZedfZpJc4cSC1X7vzp1EosyUp188ilkeRikx/s1600/IMG_9767.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVOWjQ994jLEf8w0SxHx-g5bXKOUlDoD9azBZsZ227VCEJvce8n8uyNAxdJ58A6HQDAmx8e1WLHYarFUgDYZg7XNBCo5XHxiZ9cL8BLklZedfZpJc4cSC1X7vzp1EosyUp188ilkeRikx/s320/IMG_9767.heic" width="240" /></a></div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-45779298797962396322020-01-14T10:56:00.000-05:002020-01-14T10:56:02.588-05:00Keto Week One: in Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ben and I have been endeavoring to eat a strict Keto meal plan since January 4th. Our goal is to do 30 days, and then begin some Keto cycling. I am still new to all of this and discovering things at each turn. I didn't have time to read a lot of books on the subject, but I have read several blog posts, have some friends who have answered questions, and I checked out some books and recipe guides from the library.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Breakfast is easy since we primary do eggs and bacon. I have been pre-cooking the week's worth of bacon on Sunday so I just have to warm it up each morning. I discovered a Keto fad called the Chaffle - basically its an egg and cheese waffle. It is delightful and I look forward to it more than my granola and yogurt from pre-Keto!</span></div>
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I think the hardest part this week was watching the kids eat pizza on Friday night. We had a Keto pizza casserole, but it's just never quite the same!</div>
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I made some fat bombs to have as a sweet snack, and I am loving the bulletproof coffee every morning!</div>
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<b>Keto Week One: lost 8 pounds</b></div>
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At the end of the week I felt like my milk supply was dwindling so I have added more carbs back to my diet than is recommended on strict Keto, but I am still maintaining around the 7-8 pounds down mark.</div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-91827820722665984322020-01-13T14:33:00.004-05:002020-01-13T14:33:47.235-05:00These are a few of my favorite things...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here are some things we are loving right now in the Hamilton household...<br />
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:: Bulletproof coffee (or butter coffee). Ben and I are trying to eat strictly Keto this month and we have each lost about 8 pounds already! One thing we are enjoying in the morning is bulletproof coffee. To our regular cup of coffee (I use a big mug) I add:<br />
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<li>1 Tbsp. unflavored whey protein</li>
<li>1 Tbsp. collagen granuales</li>
<li>1 tsp. grassfed butter (blessed with this from our food pickup last week!)</li>
<li>1 Tbsp. MCT oil</li>
<li>2 Tbsp. heavy cream</li>
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Then I whip it up with a frother until everything is dissolved. De-lish!</div>
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:: Bullet Journal. I am trying this for my planner right now. I <i>really</i> love the <a href="http://homemakersfriend.com/">Homemaker's Friend planner</a> as I have shared here before. But the cover and the tabs are not durable enough for my constant use. I have in the past taken it apart to laminate it but I can't find a place that can reassemble it for me anymore. I tried punching it in a notebook, but the rings are in my way. So I am trying bullet journaling. My friend Rosa shared some articles about it <a href="https://capturethelittlethings.com/bujo-the-basics/">at this link.</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrr18j7AQOsWawHqgEowtV9aA5haEoDQMhsY7hvCZRqzXLcGHGLhXopjVWTOUpPOY0oQHhUJGIHjopS8o1PVr9sYJU-aypbwmZkXimwzqBWG9jsPZOl9hNPv9Gwld_IP-Pktvgm7pKcLL/s1600/IMG_8253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="960" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrr18j7AQOsWawHqgEowtV9aA5haEoDQMhsY7hvCZRqzXLcGHGLhXopjVWTOUpPOY0oQHhUJGIHjopS8o1PVr9sYJU-aypbwmZkXimwzqBWG9jsPZOl9hNPv9Gwld_IP-Pktvgm7pKcLL/s320/IMG_8253.JPG" width="320" /></a>:: <a href="https://acitylifeforme.mymonat.com/skincare/">Monat Skin Care</a>. I haven't shared much about Monat here before, but I joined the Healthy Hair Revolution over a year ago. Monat products have revolutionized my hair and my girls' hair. Recently they launched skin care products - all naturally and botanically based. I was skeptical at first and didn't believe it could be as good as everyone said. Until I tried it...now I am sold too! I <i>really</i> love how the products leave my skin refreshed and soft. The eye smooth cream is fantastic, and the moisturizer is soft and subtly scented. But my favorite is the <a href="https://acitylifeforme.mymonat.com/shop/products/berry-refined-scrub?taxon_id=127">Berry Scrub</a>! It is a light masque and exfoliator and smells absolutely wonderful. My skin feels so amazing when I rinse it off! I usually struggle with breakouts in certain spots on my face. Since I started using these products in September I haven't had a single blemish!</div>
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:: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0767Y6X6N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">Hylands Teething Tablets.</a> We're in that stage again! Peter is drooling adn teething up a storm, including multiple night wakings (after I <i>just</i> got used to sleeping through the night! I can't find these in the store anymore, but I got them on Amazon. What a relief! (for both of us!)</div>
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:: <a href="https://www.risenmotherhood.com/">Risen Motherhood</a>. My mom slipped a book called <i>Risen Motherhood</i> by Laura Wifler and Emily Jensen into my baby gift box after Peter was born. What is now a website and published book began as a podcast by two sisters-in-law. These ladies seek to view the challenges and issues of motherhood through the lens of the Gospel. It is SOOOOOO good! I am listening to back episodes of the podcast because the once-a-week new episode isn't enough. The book is fabulous also - I'm halfway through. They have a monthly newsletter full of resource gush too.</div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-5680275075236569542019-11-27T08:55:00.000-05:002019-11-27T08:55:05.326-05:00Wordless Wednesday: The Peter Edition!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-39206383614687850662019-11-26T09:06:00.000-05:002019-11-27T09:07:21.408-05:00Kids Can Do Chores, Too!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have always had a list posted in my kitchen of my daily, weekly, and monthly household "chores." It helped to keep me on track so I didn't forget things, and the goal was also that it would keep me from overdoing it all in one day. When I was a mom of just little people (I had four under three years old when the twins were born), it was a sanity saver. I work better and relax better in a clean and organized environment. But sometimes my desire for cleanliness makes me a little "OCD" as my mom says. Trying to do all of the jobs in one afternoon usually leads to a crying breakdown right about the time dinner needs to be cooking...<br />
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Some days with little people feel as if the cycle will never end. The kids make a mess. You clean the mess. Or you don't clean the mess and it eventually drives you nuts. But recently I have entered a "sweet spot" where my kids are able to help with the chores. Now, many times it still feels easier if I just do the chores myself. I can do it better, faster, and it will be exactly how I like it. That is doing a disservice to myself, because I can't possibly do it all, and also to my kids, because they are not learning to keep things tidy for themselves.<br />
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For the last couple of years I have been working very hard to teach my kids how to help with the chores. Sometimes I thought they would never get it. It was hard <i>work</i> on my part. It was frustrating. <b>But now I can see that it was worth it, because I am reaping the rewards.</b><br />
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When I was growing up in a homeschool family, each morning we had a routine. <i>We didn't do school on the couch all day in our pajamas</i>. When Dad woke us up we had our quiet time with the Lord, got dressed, made our beds, and then we had breakfast together. After breakfast it was chore time. There were three kids in the family, soMom set aside three areas of responsibility - the bathrooms, the vacuuming, and the kitchen. We rotated the chores each month so that everyone learned to do a good job in each area. It also kept us from getting bored. We also had to help with laundry and weekend deep cleaning, as well as washing the car (my dad's area of OCD).<br />
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<b>All of this was good for me</b>. I learned to clean up after myself as I went along so that morning chores were easier. I learned to do a <i>good job</i> at cleaning, or my mom would call me back to do it again. And I learned to do these jobs quickly, so that now as a mom of six kids they don't take me very long. I want the same results for my own kids.<br />
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Some of my kids are neater than others. One child gets up and meticulously makes his bed - first thing, <i>every morning</i>. Another child is ALWAYS getting called back to fix things, but is recently showing some improvement. One kid likes to periodically dump everything out and reorganize it. One child often sets the breakfast table before I get downstairs...but probably just because he wants to eat sooner. 😀 And to my delight, my four year old made his bed, ALL BY HIMSELF for the first time this week. <b>It wasn't perfect, but it was perfectly delightful.</b><br />
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<b>Don't be afraid to teach your kids to do chores, and to put up with things not being quite right while they are learning.</b> (But you also have to teach them what isn't quite right so that they can keep trying harder and getting better at their job.) It is good for them to learn that being part of a family comes with responsibility.<br />
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Some chores that we give our little people:<br />
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<li>Make their own bed. It won't look great at the beginning. </li>
<li>Use the dustbuster on the steps</li>
<li>Use mop spray (Pine Sol dilluted in a spray bottle) and a rag on the wood steps. They <i>love</i> to spray!</li>
<li>Clean the front door glass, and understand that it won't look perfect, and you will use up a lot of Windex.</li>
<li>Put their own laundry away. My kids could do this from about age 2. I made picture labels on their drawers so they knew where to put things, and I handed them one type of clothes at a time (i.e. jammies, then socks, then shirts).</li>
<li>Fold cloth napkins (don't be too picky about how they turn out!)</li>
<li>Bigger kids can do bathrooms and vacuuming.</li>
<li>Sometimes we all sort toys.</li>
<li>Most of my kids can straighten and sort their clothing drawers when things get messy.</li>
<li>Everyone has a treasure box and is responsible to clean it up when it gets overwhelming.</li>
<li>I started teaching my kids to do breakfast dishes around age 5. Bowls, spoons, and plastic cups are pretty easy!</li>
<li>Washing the car is usually a family activity. They will learn with repetition.</li>
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I usually use a simple chore chart - a page with pictures and checkboxes. If you laminate it, the kids can use dry erase markers on it each day.</div>
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<i>Do your kids do chores? What kids of jobs do you delegate to them?</i></div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466705048320252813.post-65456100968522263092019-11-25T17:20:00.000-05:002019-11-25T17:20:19.215-05:00Sabbath<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Something that I have been learning about recently is the practice of Sabbath. I always equated the practice of <i>sabbath</i> with the Lord's Day. My husband <a href="http://www.emmausroadbaptist.nyc/sermon/the-sabbath-and-the-savior-luke-14/">preached from Luke 14</a> a few weeks ago, and in that passage we examined the sabbath principle. Because Sunday is one of our biggest "work" days as the church staff, it's hard to think of Sunday as a day of rest like it was when I was growing up. But I have also been realizing that I cannot maintain the speed and pressure of everything on my list at this season of life, so looking for a rest day has been in the forefront of my mind.</div>
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The word for <i>sabbath</i> just means seventh, so a <i>true</i> sabbath would be on Saturday. Again, this is not practical for our family as a lot of ministry and ministry preparation for Sunday takes place on Saturday. This has led me to evaulate what and when we could do to create a culture of rest in our home on a different day.</div>
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We had been taking a half day off on Mondays. Ben often had emails or correspondance that needed taken care of on Monday mornings following Sunday services, and we tried to do a half day of school. After the birth of baby #6, we have been trying something new. Similar to the Jewish Sabbath taking place from sundown to sundown, we are being purposeful to make place for rest from Sunday night to Monday night. This gives me Sunday afternoon to prepare ahead anything needed in order to ease the workload on Monday. Monday night begins preparations for the new school and workweek, with planning discussions after the kids go to bed.</div>
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So what do we do for sabbath? In Ben's message he pointed out that sabbath would have forced busy moms to take a day off and rest. Meal preparation was done a head and there was no work allowed. So I don't do laundry. My kids don't do chores (we do them Sunday night to prepare for sabbath). Last week we cooked a coffee cake on Sunday to eat for Monday breakfast, and I scaled down the type of meal on Monday night so that it was simple and easy instead of complicated and full of dishes. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndAnqEMlEYpTzoHblcnDAyupJYtQecQPLQSfyzwoheX0S0czL3ZKiANkF4ZUtwLIXfH0qhSr9pdL9VVHxbcwT3yYrMR0tU9pU6rg66PtDRDBpw7oe8bMgTet_dx-9OeOZvHlVq6yPsUyj/s1600/IMG_8892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndAnqEMlEYpTzoHblcnDAyupJYtQecQPLQSfyzwoheX0S0czL3ZKiANkF4ZUtwLIXfH0qhSr9pdL9VVHxbcwT3yYrMR0tU9pU6rg66PtDRDBpw7oe8bMgTet_dx-9OeOZvHlVq6yPsUyj/s320/IMG_8892.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry helped prepare for our "sabbath" day by making the crumb topping for the coffee cake.</td></tr>
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We have been sleeping in on Mondays and staying in our PJ's for a prolonged quiet time in the monring. <i>I love this part</i>. So often during the week my quiet time with the Lord is rushed when the baby is off schedule a little, or when there are lots of interruptions, or if someone wets the bed, or whatever catastrophe happens. Having space to just linger is like balm for my soul. I can include some reading into my Bible study space, and the rocking chair is my new best friend.</div>
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We have been spending time as a family on Mondays. Today we took a walk to the new library branch for some new books. Last week we went on a brief hike while Elaine had a horseback riding lesson from her birthday gift. Previous to that we did a puzzle and played some games. We take turns entertaining Henry and doing something that is enjoyable to us.</div>
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Sometimes it is hard for me to not work. Okay - most of the time. I am a <i>doer</i> by nature. When I think of something that needs done I just get to work. But then I realize it's been so long since I read a book, or wrote a blog post, or did a hobby. It has been good for me to take those things back up, even if just occasionally. I have found that I am not swamped with laundry on Tuesday, and we can handle the extra school work spread out through the week just fine.</div>
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Also, I tend toward feeling self-sufficient in my pride. I feel like it all rests on me to get done and I must keep working to finish all my responsibilities for everyone that is expecting something of me. But taking a day off - <i>especially</i> when I don't feel like I have that day to give up - forces me to depend on the Lord to make the rest of my week sufficient to the work He wants me to accomplish. This is good for me!</div>
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I think this is a good thing to teach our children too. Many times I see the messes and tell them to clean up, or I enlist their help with laundry, cooking, setting the table, etc. On Mondays we can just sit and do things together. Since God gave us the example of resting one day out of seven, I want my children to know that you don't have to work <i>all</i> the time, but that when it is time to work we should be dilligent. The Bible says that God knows our frames are dust, and I appreciate that He gave us sabbath to rest and understand that we are human, not omnipotent to do all the things all the time.</div>
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<i>Today sabbath looked like taking longer making breakfast so that there could be helping hands.</i></div>
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What do you do to be intentional about sabbath? Do you take a day off entirely? Or a partial day and there? </div>
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Andrea Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443533655792685924noreply@blogger.com0