New Finds and Faves

Don't you love it when you stumble upon something and it suddenly becomes your new favorite thing? I do! That seems to have happened to me a few times recently.

A while back I was browsing the blogisphere and I read about a blogger's quest to find the perfect mascara. I saw some of the comments and reviews of other readers and thought mascara is such a personal choice. I think like most beauty products, there is not one perfect fit for all. You sometimes have to try a hundred to find the right product. Then I noticed I was getting low on my own mascara last week and had just been getting caught up on Just Ask Beth. I saw she had posted about a fairly new affordable drugstore mascara. I was in a pinch and decided to give it a whirl... and I LOVE IT too!!! And it's only about 8 bucks! Go get you some.

 

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The other day on FB a friend asked which meal plans others had tried and liked. I commented that I had tried Emeals and Saving Dinner. Both are subscription meal planning services which are really good, but I only felt guilty if I didn't use the suggested meals, so I didn't re-join. THEN another FB friend commented that she had just discovered the iPhone APP and Website for non-iPhone users called Food On The Table. It's awesome! It's free! And it's made me excited about planning meals again! Try it! You have nothing to lose.

 

It allows you to select your local stores, customize dietary needs and likes, and it automatically syncs with the local circular specials. You can select your meals according to what's on sale. I used the app and shopped by it on Sunday. It was kinda fun!

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Then, there was the other day when I was cruising the streets of the Acres and I couldn't find a thing on the radio. I stumbled up a local station, 92.1 FM The Palm. I LOVE IT! From my understanding, it is a station that was started by a couple of our own home-grown superstars from Hootie and the Blowfish. They play "handpicked" music and I have heard so many awesome tunes from 10,000 Maniacs to Brandi Carlisle and old-school Dave Matthews. So glad to have found it! Makes me feel a little college-y again.

 

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Any who! Just wanted to pass those along. Try them on for size. You never know...they may become your faves too.

 

XO,

 

 

 

 



NEW favorite blogger

Today, I came upon this blog from a link that a friend posted on Facebook. I love this girl! Amy Morrison of The Pregnant Chicken had me in stitches. My mom, Shannon, and I laughed so hard that we cried...several times. Those of us who have ever been pregnant (and our spouses who went through it with us) can so appreciate where she's coming from. She writes the things we all think and puts it in the words we'd love to be able to reel off! She's my new favorite blogger! Even though we have now moved beyond having babies, I can't wait to read her next posts!

A few favorite posts so far are:

Awkward Pregnancy Photos ---WARNING: Have tissues and depends undergarments handy

About Me ---I LOOOOOOVE honest people

Boobie Beenie ---Absolutely Priceless

The Fourth Trimester ---You know you've thought all of this

Any who...Just wanted to introduce you to Amy (a.k.a. The Pregnant Chicken)

Happy reading!

HOLIDAY MARKET 2010

It's the event you've all been waiting for... (or at least I have been.) It's the 25th Annual Jr. League of Columbia's Holiday Market !!!!


Our Holiday Market committee has been working ever so hard to make this another memorable market. If you're in the great metropolis of Columbia or it's surrounding areas I encourage you to come out and do a little shopping with our many wonderful merchants and attend an event or two! There is truly something for everyone in the family at the market.


All the market times and events are listed on the website, as well as ticket info.

I hope to see you at the market!!

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

I JUST LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE THIS!!!

Time Budget

Love this! I really need to think about my time budget. I tend to over-commit myself, as I'm sure most mothers do!
Are You Budgeting Your Time Effectively? - Budgeting - daveramsey.com

Practically Yours,

It's Suppah Time!

Happy September, y'all!! It's almost fall, school is back in full swing for most of us, and obligations to ball games, after-school activities, volunteerism, and various other "things" to keep us crazy and busy are at hand. Along with all of this comes the daily dreaded 5:00 question..."what should I fix for supper"?  Sometimes planning dinner for my family of 5 feels so overwhelming! It can also be very costly. Even though I "coupon", it seems that all the stuff I need for new creative recipes are never on sale, nor do they have coupons!!! And I truly love sitting around the table with "all my men". I feel it is of vital importance to every family, but I get so sick and tired of dreaming up healthy inexpensive meals. I needed help.

We are Dave Ramsey freaks! He dictates everything we do with our $. One night, while searching his site a few months ago, we found this awesome site. I didn't try it at first, but after asking around, a good friend said she had been using it with her family and she convinced me to give it a try. It's the greatest concept ever and worth the $1.25 a week! I don't have to think about supper...YAY!!!

Y'all check it out...you can choose regular menu plans, low-fat menus, or WW POINTS menus!
E-MEALZ Easy Meals for Busy and Frugal Families

In a typical week, I use my little BLD menu schedule that I created. Now, I don't have to dream up dinners...they're done for me on E-Mealz and all I have to do it plug it into my schedule. If you'd like a copy...just let me know.

Practical Tip- Planning regular meals can be a pain in the be-haunkus, but it is so important for the health and well-being of our families. It is also a huge challenge for most people. So, even if you don't want to do the E-mealz, you could plug in dinner ideas of your own to my BLD schedule or make your own. It makes feeding the masses a little easier!

Practically Put- Luke 9:12-17
12Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here."

13He replied, "You give them something to eat."
They answered, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd." 14(About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each." 15The disciples did so, and everybody sat down. 16Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. 17They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Practically Yours,

DAY 7

This week while wallowing in sinus infection and stomach bug grossness, I didn't feel much like physically organizing anything. I took a few days off from projects and cleaning to pretend to rest and take care of myself and to care for a vomitous MM3...love his heart! He kindly shared his sinus infection with me, but thankfully for the rest of us, he kept his stomach virus to himself. So as I was being as inactive as possible, I decide it was a good time to get spiritually organized.

As busy moms, we often don't have that 30 minutes of spiritual alone time that so many professionals recommend. Frequently, I find myself spending my personal time with the Lord in the shower, car, and just as I am drifting off to sleep. I even fall asleep in the middle of my nightly prayers!!! Does God really have a clue what I'm trying to say???? "Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the blessings of this day and for... ZzZzZzZzZ... and I pray that you will help me... ZzZzZzZzZ..." Yes, he actually does know the desires of my heart because of my 30 second snippets throughout the day and bedtime prayers with my boys and I think he appreciates my intentions. However, I am attempting to rework my "spiritual style" so that I can take full advantage of my personal time with the Lord. Along with my 30 second snippets, I would also like to incorporate AT LEAST 15-20 minutes each night to reflect and talk to God. I read my devotionals, sometimes with the Yard Man and sometimes alone. I try to remember all the prayer requests I've received throughout the day/week and I try to give thanks and talk to Him about my heart's desires. Sometimes I am just so tired and I can't seem to squeeze it all in. I know "God hears amen where ever we are" but I'd like to devote a little more time and energy to Him and not always give Him my left-overs! I'm not that person who is going to get up 30 minutes earlier each day...NOPE I am not. So this is my PLAN!!!

• 
  
  Carry my pocket Prayer Journal in my pocketbook for handy note taking and jotting down prayer requests, sermon notes, bible study notes, etc.
• 
  
  Head to bed 5-10 minutes earlier each night
• 
  
  Begin nightly devotions with prayer and thanksgiving FIRST, so as to not fall asleep before I'm finished talking to God
• 
  
  Spend 20 minutes doing our couples devotional, personal devotional, or bible study
• 
  
  Keep all devotional materials handy in my newly organized DEVO-BIN on my bedside table!

Which brings me to the DEVO-BIN. One of my books suggests a basket in which to store all your spiritual references. Thankfully, this chapter spoke loud and clear to me, as all my books, notes, pens and highlighters regularly stay in a jumbled mess on my bedside table. I didn't have a basket, nor would a basket fit on my bedside table, so I used this smaller metal bin I had on hand. It worked perfectly!

My DEVO-BIN includes some of my favorite and most frequently used spiritual guides

• 
  
  My Bible
• 
  
  Moments Together for Couples by Barbara and Dennis Rainey
• 
  
  The Yard Man's copy of The Power of a Praying Husband By Stormie and Michael Omartian (Lord knows I need all I can get!)
• 
  
  The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian (I did this one in a Bible study when MM1 was a baby and still refer to it weekly...love, love, love it!)
• 
  
  Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (Given to me by a dear friend who frequently offers great spiritual insight on her blog.)
• 
  
  Where to Find It in the Bible: A to Z resource guide
• 
  
  My Prayer Journal (which will travel with me but have a "home" in the DEVO-BIN)...pictoral details below
• 
  
  Pens, Pencils, and Highlighters
• 
  
  Special keepsake prayer cards issued at our women's retreat

Any who...I am very pleased with how functional and PRACTICAL it turned out. I love my DEVO-BIN!!!!

So...on to the Prayer Journal! This particular org book also suggested a small spiral notebook with dividers to serve as a Prayer Journal. I found mine at the dollar store and it worked perfectly. The author has hers laid out differently but thinks the reader should personalize hers according to her lifestyle and needs.

Prayer Journal

4 subject spiral pocket notebook

Tab #1- Desires of the Heart- this is an area for me to jot down my personal requests for God; my ambitions, goals, requests for forgiveness and worries

Tab #2- Sermon/Bible Study Notes- for the obvious

Tab #3- Prayer Requests- I finally have a designated place to write down all the prayer requests I receive from email, facebook, bible study, church, friends and family. I always feel so bad when I realize the next day that I left someone out! Hopefully, that won't happen anymore!

Tab #4- Notes- this section is to record thougts and feelings about answered prayers and waiting on the unanswered prayers

Note Cards clipped to the back cover for writing notes offering words of encouragement to others and those on the prayer request list.

Practical Tip- Just as God allows us to come as we are and fills us with purpose, go find that unused basket or bin, dust it off and wipe it out and make your own DEVO-BIN. Set the stage for regular well-deserved moments with our Lord and Savior!

Practically Put- But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. -Matthew 6:33

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. -Matthew 11:28-30

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:13

Practically Yours,

To Whom it May Concern, Some of you who have followed me before know that I love blogging! I find it to be therapeutic when I have the time. Well, I am back and I have a new blog in store! "Practically Put" is my documented, unscripted attempt to organize my home and my life! My hope is to feel somewhat free from all that weighs me down and keeps me and my family from living our lives as happily as we can. My goal is to conquer the bulk of it in a 45 days. Now, I'm not promising 45 consecutive days...this is me we're talking about! But I'm going to try my best. This is not necessarily going to be about de-cluttering or finally throwing away the unwanted gift I have stashed for quick display just in case the giver decides to stop by. This will be more about organizing information/schedules, maintenance/cleaning, finding homes for the things we use, and giving my family a sense of security that "mama's got it under control".
Let me debrief you on who and where I am. Back in October of 1974 (just kidding. that would be a BLOG all by itself))...fast forward a few years to July 2010 and what you see, is what you get... I am a God-fearing woman, wife to the cutest, sweetest guy I know (we'll call him "Yard Man"), mother of 3 adorable boys (we'll call them "Mini-Messer 1" (age 7), "Mini-Messer 2" (age 4), and "Mini-Messer 3" (age 18 mos.)), daughter of 1 set of parents, sister to 3 brothers, owner of 2 VERY OLD dogs (Dixie 14 and Linus 16), daughter in law to 1 set of parents, sister in law to 3, volunteer of the local Junior League and my church, member of the "Bunco Belles", and friend to several crazy women who are like the sisters I never had! With all that on my plate, I also have a few side-dishes from time to time...neighbor, homeroom mother, speech therapist, children's party-planner, stationery designer, NOW my new-found obsession...organizational junkie. Without all of the above I wouldn't be ME. These people and things are the fabric that make me who I am. However, with all these titles, obligations, and responsibilities come many events to be PUT on calendars, papers to be PUT in files, children to be PUT in cars, clothes, toys, and books to be PUT away, dinners to be PUT on tables, dogs to be PUT in the yard, numbers and emails to be PUT in my phone, trash to be PUT on the road, etc. So you get it! I, like most busy moms, find myself PUTTING stuff and people where they belong...all the time.
With the help of a few really good books written by "the experts" and "the written Word", I want to figure out a way that I can continue doing these things and taking care of loved ones and do it in the best way possible for me. I am learning as I go and hope to inspire someone else along the way. Maybe a few of you can offer some advice and tips worth trying. I hope you'll continue on this journey with me! You never know, it just might be what you've been looking for and you might be able to take something with you along the way---PRACTICAL tips/tricks, giveaways, and maybe even a good chuckle or two! I am not attempting to be entirely PUT (because that would make me perfect). I am not as awful as the people on that hoarding show but I'm just not quite "PUT". Being more PRACTICAL would suit me better and would bring me towards my ultimate goal of being "Practically Put"!

Practically Yours,
"The Manager"

HAPPY EASTER FROM THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS!!!!

Custom Easter outfits by Muzzy!!!
Crazy Boys!!! Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a decent pic!!!???

Ollie lovin' his goodies

Sam- excited to see his baseball cards

Fu- excited about EVERYTHING!!!

A table full of goodies from the bunny!

Fu hunting for eggs with a FLASHLIGHT---What???

Sambo-racing for the Golden egg

Ollie found some too. Thanks Aunt T!!

Baker cousins

Dapper Sam

The Easter Bunny delivered Muzzy's bowties that she made

Dapper Fu

Ollie dying his very own Golden egg. Thanks for the help, Carson!

Ollie, Carson, Fu, and Sambo

I made marshmallow sheep for Fu's class. A perfect little reminder that the Lord is our shepherd and we are his sheep!

I put them in baggies with a little label I made.

And Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me."
John 10:14

Fu's adorable class at KP

Fu on his Easter Egg hunt

What an awesome season, EASTER! It's a time of Thanksgiving and renewal. It's a time to remember how fortunate we are to be loved by a merciful God who sent His only son to die so that we may be forgiven of our sins. I love Easter. It's a great time to make a fresh start in so many aspects of life. I am hoping the spring will hold many new opportunities for our family. And I am looking very forward to it!!!

This Easter season was hustling and bustling with egg hunts, an Easter carnival at pine island, egg dying, Easter outfit making with Muzzy and lots of good food and fun with our friends. We hope you and your family have the best spring EVER!

After all...The tomb is empty!!! He is risen indeed!!!