A Mother's Thankful Heart

Awhile back, I shared with you some excerpts of the book I have been reading!  Yes, it has taken me forever ... I read a few pages here and a few there b/c I am in so many other books right now too!  The book is called "The Power of a Positive Mom."   The book has some really awesome insights!  I have been really trying to focus on being more thankful in my life (including motherhood, wife-hood (is that a word?)).  This prayer piggy-backs the book I have been also reading!!  1000 Gifts is one of THE BEST BOOKS I have ever read!  You must check it out too!

A Mother's Thankful Heart

I come before You Father

To thank You for this life

The blessings You have given me

As a mother and a wife

I'm thankful for my children

As I watch them grow and play

Knowing that each moment

Will live for just today

I'm thankful for the laundry

For the dust to wipe away

I'm thankful for the problems

That make me stop and pray

I'm thankful for my husband's job

The roof above our heads

I'm thankful for our daily food

For the comforts of our beds

I'm thankful for the errands

The phone that always rings

I'm thankful for the tears we cry

For the joy that laughter brings

I'm thankful for our family's love

The way we sit and talk

The simple games we often play

The picnics and the walks

I'm thankful for the little things

That make up every day

For therein lies Your love, Lord

And the wonder of Your ways

I'm thankful for the memories

That life has brought my way

I count it as Your blessing

To be a mother every day!

Do something good for the planet and your wallet

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gazelle for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you have any old gadgets sitting around the house collecting dust?  If so, which ones would you be interested in selling/trading to put a little cash in your wallet?

gazelle.com is an excellent resource to get the $ while moving the product!  Gazelle is a fast, easy, and fair way to sell and recycle your electronics. Whether you’re looking to get cash to upgrade to the latest gadget or simply searching for a responsible thing to do with your unused electronics, Gazelle is there to help. Shipping is free on all items of value, and in most cases Gazelle will even send you a box. 

I have a Dell laptop that sits around and doesn't get any use b/c it is a dinosaur!  It doesn't have wireless internet, so in this day in age, that = not useful!   Or only useful in taking up space!  The other thing is my mom has an older model (last year) digital camera and we just bought my dad a much better one for Father's Day, gazelle.com would be an excellent option to try to sell the older model to put forth the money to the new camera!

Some of the other things they are looking for to sell and recycle include blue-ray players, calculators, camcorders, camera lenses, cell phones, e-readers, digital cameras, GPS, gaming consoles, home audio, lcd monitors, mp3 players, movies, PDA's, projectors, tablets, and video games.  

I imagine everyone has at least one thing in the above list that is collecting dust??  

How does it work?  4 simple steps

1. Find it - Get an offer online (and jump up and down, cheering really loudly at the computer! :)

2. Ship it - They'll help with shipping (lots of times it can be free)

3. Get paid - Cash, gift cards, charity (an awesome way to donate more money to a good cause)

4. Keep it moving - Feel good about saving the planet! (a greener earth --- that is the goal over at Go Long! Go Green!)

Here are additional tidbits of info about the company:

- The company was founded in 2006.

- Over 175,000 people have trusted us with their gadgets.

-  At Gazelle, every electronic is hand-inspected by a trained member of our gadget lab team, ensuring your data is properly removed and all items are responsibly put to reuse or recycled. 

- Gazelle kept over 300 tons of e-waste out our landfills last year. 

- With Gazelle, returns are always free so there is no risk to you. 

- Payment options: Customers can select to receive payment by check, Walmart gift card, PayPal, or get a 5% bonus by selecting an Amazon gift card. You can even donate the value to charity. 

- Gazelle is a great way to avoid the hassles of selling your gadgets directly. 

- One of the cool things about Gazelle is that from the very beginning the founders decided not to make money on recycling and offer it purely as an add-on service for customers. 

- Our primary recycling partner is BAN-Certified Cloud Blue- one of the most respected domestic recyclers.

 

Why don't you go to gazelle.com and find out how much your gadgets are worth today.

WINNER!!!

Congrats to the NEWEST winner at Go Long! Go Green!

Alba

Comment #63 out of #259

"I love the natural nb hat with satin bow"

Winner has been notified via email.  If she doesn't respond, I will pick a new winner in 48 hours!

Thanks again for entering!  More awesome giveaways to come!

3 Reasons 4 Gratitude

I am so thankful to have such an incredible father that raised me in such an upright way!  He taught me how to love, be kind, generous, thankful, and humble!!  He is a world-class man!!  I am so thankful he is such an involved part of Sophia's life so that he can teach her those amazing lessons!!  Sophia just adores her Papa!  One of their favorite things to do is snuggle on the couch while watching Elmo or Micky Mouse!  She loves going bike riding with her papa too!! (also her daddy and grandpa Long)!

My dad: What a STUD!!!

 Oh, sweet husband of mine .... where do I begin?  You have continued to wow me since the first day we met!  You are an amazing man, with incredible character .... God's special blessing upon my life and the lives that you touch each and every day!  You are an amazing HUSBAND and FATHER!  Sophia just adores you!!  As I she wrote in your card, you know just the way to make sure smile!  You instill great confidence in her that it will be hard to shake it!  You are an awesome provider and leader for this family!!  Thank you!!

Cheese!

Sophia watching daddy open his Father's Day Card we made for him!

Sophia and Mommy got crafty (Thanks Disney Family Fun magazine for the idea for the card!)
I think it turned out quite nicely!

Sophia's note to her father ... in her wording! :) 

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars! (Recipe included below)

Another reason to be so grateful is for my wonderful father-in-law!  No wonder my husband turned out the way he did ... he had a great role model in his father, Whitney!  Whitney has the character of GOLD and incredible humility!  He taught my husband invaluable lessons, those of which Nate has kept near to him all the years of his life!  Sophia loves spending time with her grandpa!  He knows just the way to make her laugh and she adores playing piano with him!!

Nate, Sophia, and his parents before the start of the Carmel Mini-Marathon last weekend

Reflecting upon this Father's Day, we have so much to be thankful for!!  Godly men in our lives to help direct, shape, and mold us .... Thanks LORD for this incredible blessing!!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars (= 100% AMAZINGNESS)


3/4 cup butter, melted (I half-ed the recipe and only ended up having 1 tbsp of butter and that worked fine, will use only a tiny bit when I make it again and it saves tons on the fat)

2 cups of gluten free crushed up animal crackers (I used Mi-del arrowroot GF cookies, you could use any cookie if it didn't need to be GF)

1 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar

1 cup PB (I used the Organic Smuckers Creamy -- when buying PB, try your best to avoid those with hydrogenated oils ... almost all your mainstream PB's have them ... you have to read the label and look at it.  Good peanut butter should only have listed as its ingredients: PEANUTS and SALT.

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup PB

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, animal cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar and 1 cup PB until well blended.  Pour and spread evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9 pan.
2. Put in freezer for about 15 min to harden.
3. In the microwave (or stove top) melt the choc chips and the 1/4 cup PB, stirring every 30-45 sec or so.  Once the choc/pb are combined and melted, pour over the top of the PB mixture in the 9x9 pan.  Spread the choc so it covers the top evenly.  Set it back in the fridge for 20 min, then serve.

Keep refrigerated so they retain shape! ENJOY!

WINNER!!!

The LONG LONG LONG awaited winner of the AMAZING GoGREEN POCKET DIAPER CHAMP 2.0 is .....

NAOMI 

I like GoGreen Pocket Diapers on FB

Comment #205 out 2875

The winner has been notified via email and has 48 hours to respond!  If she doesn't, I will pick a new winner!!  

Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipe

I don't know about you, but I always love oatmeal!  I recently started eating a bowl every morning as I believe I am developing a slight lactose intolerance during this pregnancy!  I had to for-go my normal big bowl of Cheerios or Kashi cereal in the AM.  I try to shake it up a bit by adding raisins and cinnamon or craisins and vanilla yogurt.   

When we are rushing around trying to get to the gym, a quick but healthy breakfast is always nice!!  I found this recipe and tried it out on my Sunday School class.  It tasted amazing!  I can't wait to make another batch for this weekend!  One of the best parts is you can make it the night before and bake it in the morning.  Perfect when you are in a pinch for time in the morning.  They also cut into really nice dense squares, so they are good for the car!  (Not too many crumbs .... even with a 2 year old eating it!)  

Give it a try .... you can mix and match the additives ... the reviews recommended adding different dried fruits or you could add fresh fruit.  I think I will add fresh diced sweet apples in my next batch!!  I think fresh blueberries would be amazing too!!  You could add some ground flaxseed to get extra nutrients as well!

• Amish Baked Oatmeal (serves 6)
• 
  
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg AND/or 1 teaspoon cinnamon (I used both and a little more b/c I love the taste of these)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 3 cups oatmeal (regular or quick)
• (Allyson's future addition) 1-2 large sweet apples diced really small (after making it, it seemed a little bit dry, so I think added apples diced up would give it more moisture and also apples go well with nutmeg and cinn)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 55 mins

Directions:

1. 1 Grease 1 1/2 quart baking dish
2. 2 In a mixing bowl, drop in eggs and beat well.
3. 3 Add brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon, and salt. Mix well, no lumps.
4. 4 Whisk in applesauce, apples, and milk, then add oats.
5. 5 Stir well, and refrigerate overnight. (you can make and bake at the same time, don't have to refrigerate overnight)
6. 6 Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35-45 min, or until set in the middle. (may need to adjust the time if you don't refrigerate overnight)
7. 7 Serve hot with warm milk, vanilla yogurt, or fruit poured over.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/amish-baked-oatmeal-117211#ixzz1P9gJgqap


What is your favorite make ahead breakfast recipe?  

Almost 600 ....

Can I get a WOOT WOOT!!!


We are almost to 600 followers!!  A number I thought I would NEVER see!  Thanks to all that have joined this journey alongside of our family!!!  I am so grateful!!

Be Blessed!!!

Walgreens (L1)

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

 

Do you suffer from seasonal allergies?  I always seem to have a flair up in the spring as well as the fall!  Since we never really had a “spring” in Indiana, my allergy symptoms were delayed until mid-May.  At the time, I picked up some Walgreens Wal-Itin 24 Hour Indoor & Outdoor Allergy Tablets Tablets.  It worked wonders, just like it did the previous time I purchased it!  Since I am pregnant, I had to find a product that would be safe for the little baby growing inside of me!  My only safe antihistamine options are loratadine, certirizine, and diphenhydramine.  I don't know about you, but diphenhydramine makes me extremely drowsy and I can't have that with a 2 year old running around.  Loratadine, the active ingredient found in Wal-ltin, is a great allergy agent and is very cost-effective.  My 30 count box cost me $13.99, but it would have cost me at least $19.99  if I would have purchased the brand name medication equivalent to this product.  

 

Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products are a great value, allowing families and individuals to save money without sacrificing quality or trust.  I always purchase store brand health and wellness products.  I have complete confidence in these products and never even think twice about purchasing the brand name products.  Walgreens is a store Americans can trust for high quality and standards.  In, 2011, with the rising cost of health care, saving money on over-the-counter medications can really benefit a family’s budget. In addition to being an exceptional value, Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products:

 

a. Are Walgreens pharmacist (and Allyson the pharmacist) recommended.

 

b. Most contain the same active ingredients as other national brands.

 

c. Have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

 

d. Visit http://www.walgreens.com/walgreensbrand to learn more about Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products.

 

Feel free to check out this link for info on the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.  

 

NOTE: Awesome giveaways: Several bloggers are giving away some Walgreens Gift Cards! Check it out: http://socialspark.com/WalgreensBrandSweeps

 

All Smiles!

Here is my water-lovin' baby girl!! She was begging to get in this baby float so we tried .. took awhile to get those thighs out of the holes!!

Sweet, sweet, sweet girl!

Avon's Newest FREE Family Fun!

The Town of Avon has spent the past 4-5 years really improving their parks and recreation areas.  Plainfield always has been a step ahead of us!  With the opening of the new Splash Pad at the Washington Township Park, I think we are back in the game!  

It opened this past Memorial weekend, so we met some friends over there for some splashing around!!  Sophia wasn't so sure about it at first, but within 10 minutes, she was all over the place!  The water was freezing but I enjoyed myself too!!  

I have a feeling we will be visiting this splash pad most weeks of the summer, especially if we are going to keep having this horrible 90+ degree days!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh .... Free Fun!! 

Sophia and her buddy Isaiah

Come on mom ... let's go!

"I watched an older girl do this so I think I will try!"

"See Isaiah, this is how you do it!"

"Yum, this water is so cold and good!" 

A big surprise when the water turned back on!  Never seen this child move so fast! HA!

What kind of free family fun do you and yours like to enjoy during the summer?