A City Life For Me

I have a few new favorite things to share with you! PRODUCTS :: Mama's Refill Bible Study Membership I know I have shared Busy Mama Bible Studies/ Mama's Refill 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!   ::Lilla Rose Swerve 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 Swerve .  It's a contoured pin that se...

Here are some things we are loving right now in the Hamilton household... :: 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: 1 Tbsp. unflavored whey protein 1 Tbsp. collagen granuales 1 tsp. grassfed butter (blessed with this from our food pickup last week!) 1 Tbsp. MCT oil 2 Tbsp. heavy cream Then I whip it up with a frother until everything is dissolved.  De-lish! :: Bullet Journal.  I am trying this for my planner right now.  I really  love the Homemaker's Friend planner 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 n...

Here are a few favorites from recent weeks... ::| HAS Fit on YouTube I've been using this for exercising at home.  I love that there is very little background music, and it's a husband/wife duo that lead the exercises.  Claudia always does an easier version of the particular exercise move, and Coach Kozak does a more challenging move.  This allows me to customize my workout to what I can do!  They have exercises for every level.  There is a monthly schedule that will work through all muscle groups, or you can select individual workout videos.  There is an app now, but I think it's kind of small to watch the videos on my phone.  ::| Skillet Cookie I bought this mini cast iron skillet on Amazon as an add-on item.  Since then we've been enjoying skillet cookie desserts at home!  This recip e comes out just right, and topped with lots of ice cream, it's the perfect dessert!  Each of our kids got to help make and eat one on their stay...

:: World’s Best Dishcloths. My mom put me onto these, and since I had a house-warming gift card to spend, I went ahead and bought a six pack. I love them! I ditched everything else I had in my kitchen – even my homemade ones! I still change them frequently, but they don’t stink as often. They are soft, sized right, and do the job well!  :: Chore Charts . We are finally settled enough to establish some regular chores. I revamped the chore charts in my scrapbooking program, and the kids have done well staying on track. I am also enjoying the extra help of my now-much-bigger-little-people. Elaine washes the breakfast dishes and sweeps the back porch. (We live on three levels and have lots of drains…so if they’re not kept clean we’ll have a plumbing bill!) Nolan sorts the recycling for me and keeps the front patio in order. Liberty is fantastic at organizing the mudroom, and Nehemiah is learning to vacuum the steps! It’s worth teaching your kids to do chores! :: My house! So many of ...

I don’t always feel it in each moment on my mommyhood journey, but these kiddos are right at the top of my “favorite things” list.  Henry is a constant terror these days, but the others are growing up fast and becoming more independent, and even more helpful around the house on most days. After my hubs and my kids, here are some more favorites. /// Blogs /// I love the Every Bitter Thing is Sweet Blog by Sara Hagerty, and I can’t wait for her new book to be released in August.  These three recent articles have challenged and blessed me: When You Find Yourself Hopeless On Mother’s Day (my “empty womb” is more of a “no house” problem) What Does it Mean to Be Successful? The Gift of Limitations Club 31 Women is another favorite with a smattering of articles on a wide range of subjects.  I don’t agree with her position of “separation” on everything, but most articles are very good!  (She has a lot of contributors, so some writers I have learned to just not rea...

I was blessed to have a Mom who taught me to do a lot of homemaking chores and tasks, and how to work and cook in the kitchen.  I’ve been married nine and a half years now, and I have picked up a few favorite recipes and tricks for things that I prefer to do “homemade” instead of “store bought”.  These things are simple to make, often more effective than their store bought counterparts, and usually a bit cheaper to DIY than to buy. :: Cream Soup Substitute – easy, cheap, and certainly more simple/healthy than the gloop that comes out of a can!  My friend Danielle shared an excellent recipe on her blog, and I’ve been using it ever since. :: Chocolate Chip Cookies – I settled for Toll House dough when we were on deputation, but I love to whip up a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies.  My tip is to pull them out when they look just barely cooked, and then leave them sit on the pan for 5-8 minutes to “cook” a little longer.  Best, chewy cookies ever!  I...

:: Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls I haven’t followed Money Saving Mom for a few years, but this recipe for Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls makes the absolute best cinnamon rolls ever!  They are light and fluffy (thanks to the egg whites), and easy to make.  You can freeze them, or leave them in the fridge overnight and bake for breakfast.  We had them for Christmas and New Years breakfasts, and now Nolan is requesting them a lot.  One batch used to last for two breakfasts…but not anymore! :: Prismacolor Pencils These soft lead pencils are perfect for Bible marking!  I’m not a big “adult coloring book” person, but I have seen these pencils next to those books at Wal-Mart!  I really like the sharpener , which allows me to sharpen without getting such a long pointy tip which will easily break!  The sharpener has two different holes, so you can choose the tip on your pencil. :: Spearmint Iced Tea We used to drink Crystal Light peach tea…until we cut aspertame...

We’ve been home for about two weeks now.  KNowing that we don’t have to resume consistent road travel has allowed us to settle in a bit, even though we are in temporary housing.  And, some things that are not conducive to life on the road have been very nice to add back into daily life.  Here are a few of my favorites right now! The Majesty and Glory of Christmas My all time favorite Christmas CD!  I love the mesh of familiar and less-known carols all woven together to tell the Christ story! New Comforter – Hotel Style Thank you anniversary money!  This is one aspect of living in a hotel that I really enjoyed, so we were able to get a great sale on one of our own! The Okay To Wake Clock This little gadget glows green at a preset time to signal kids that it’s okay to get out of bed.  If they wake up before the green light, they know to stay quiet and in bed.  This has enabled me to shower and read my Bible before the kids all come tumbling out eac...

I often think that I should write a post about products that have worked well for us, but I never get around to it.  So here it is…a few of my favorite things! APPS I have an iPhone, so these apps are all from the Apple Store :: Build a Menu – this allows me to take my menu planning service on the road with us. We often try to stay in Prophets Chambers so that we can have some routine and stability for our family even on deputation. But that means that we are responsible for preparing all of our own meals. This helps me save money, time preparing the shopping list, provide variety in our meals, and keeps all the recipes in one place! :: Blue Letter Bible – I started using this Bible Study app when I began the Busy Mama Bible Studies for my devotions. Some of the features are only available on wifi/data connection. But it gives me a Strong’s concordance, lexicon, interlinear definitions, related word studies, commentaries, and more at my fingertips. I love it! :: Waze – we use ...

This is a little late in coming, but I wanted to condense 2011 by listing my favorite blog posts!  Here are my top picks, in several categories… Homemaking: My Homemaking Binder – we are still using this system! T-Shirt Skirts – I had so much fun sewing for Elaine! Nursery Organization – I was featured at IHeart Organizing! Random Posts: Sledding at Owl’s Head Park The Tree that Saves Grandpa Painting Elaine’s Toes Nolan’s Newborn Pics What’s In A Name? – I think this is my absolute favorite post of the year.  Don’t know why…I just enjoyed writing it! The Height of Sisterly Love… Cake and i-keem A New York City Spectacular The Feast of Tabernacles It was a year with several big family events.  Here are the highlights, in chronological order: Kenny & Becky’s Wedding Meredith’s Graduation It’s A Boy! Elaine Meets Nolan Remembering Gramps Danielle’s Wedding It’s A Family Affair...

I think this is a super cute little girl's dress. It makes me wish that I had kids already. (Just kidding, Ben :-) View the grosgrain blog by clicking the link below: Train Stop Shirt Dress GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!