thankful thursday

so very thankful...
1. for Josh's parents visiting this week!!! It's been so awesome living close enough to family that we have so many visitors :)
2. for our library. We get so many books, CDs, and movies from there week to week. It's awesome to have access to so much variety and they have awesome toddler story times a couple times a week too.
3. for beautiful weather this week. It has been a treat to be outside!
4. for God's mercies, that are new EVERY morning.

"Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.' "    Lamentations 3:22-24

a favorite verse...

This verse has been a long time favorite of mine that really came alive this last year during the study of Isaiah at BSF. I came to understand the verse so much more and it became that much more meaningful.

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"    Isaiah 30:18

Read in the context of the rest of the book of Isaiah, it is just amazing HOW full of grace this verse is.  It's a promise to Isreal that despite their unfaithfulness and in the midst of their hardships the Lord IS faithful, He is gracious, and He is just.

thrifty tips for tuesday...

I decided that instead of making Tuesday's posts about the best deals, I'd make it just about thrifty tips in general. Whether it be a good deal, a freebie, or another way to stretch the budget around the house, I'd love to share with you my absolute favorite thing to do with money...SAVE it :)

Here are this week's thrifty tips...
Freebies:
Free sample of SHOUT Color Catcher

Free sample and coupons for Splenda

Free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios

Free sample of Carefree Liners

Store deals:
Best CVS deals (from Deal Seeking Mom )

Best Walgreens deals  (also from Deal Seeking Mom )
*they have a program called Register Rewards that is a lot like CVS Extra Care Bucks

Household tip:
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
When we were in PA not long ago visiting Josh's family, my sister-in-law was telling me about her new venture of making dishwasher detergent. I decided to go ahead and give it a try. I looked at a ton of recipes and reviews on line and I mixed and matched a bit so here's what I'm going forward with...
1 cup Borax
1 cup Baking Soda (Some use Washing Soda)
1-2 packets of lemon Kool-Aid (unsweetened)
Fill rinse aid area with white vinegar to help from having a film on glasses
Use 1-2 tablespoons per load!
I'm super excited for this because the amount of ingredients I bought will last a LONG time and I only spent about $8 (which will turn out to be just pennies a load vs. approximately 20 cents a load with the liquid detergent we were using)

my effort to win you over to the thrifty side....

Ok, if you have read my "deals of the week" posts and are not convinced at how awesome of a deal you can get with couponing, this is my one effort to win you over. Below is a picture of what I bought at CVS today....

 

So, guess how much I paid for this....

Well, let me just tell you that before I handed a coupon over my subtotal

was around $45 dollars BUT I only paid $6.38!!

Let me break this down for you so you can see how YOU can do it too!!

2 Liter Coke: $ .79 each (on sale)

Pringles: $1.34 each  (on sale)

*Coupon: $2off when purchase 2/2 liters and 2/Pringles (this was a hang tag on one of the 2 liters)

20 oz Coke: $1.79 each

*Coupon: Buy one get one free (got it from my popcorn bag this weekend at the movies)

Honest Tea: $1 each AND 2 Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) when you buy 5

*Coupon: I had 5 $1 off Honest Tea from Recyclebank (See below for explanation of Recyclebank)

Revelon Mascara: $2.19 (75% off)

*Coupon: $3 off any Revelon at CVS (received coupon in email, sign up HERE to receive coupons from CVS)

Sally Hansen Nail Polish: $1.85 (75% off)

*Coupon: $2 off Sally Hansen Nail Color (printed at the Coupon scanner at the store when I scanned my card)

Cristophe Shampoo and Conditioner: $4.24 each (75% off)

*Coupon: 2 x $2 off Christophe products (CVS coupon display hanging in hair care aisle)

Xtra Laundry Detergent: $1.49 (on sale)

Schick Intuition Razor refill: $8.99

*Coupon: $4.50 off refills (in Sunday paper) and $3 ECBs

Rephresh Tampons: $6.97

*Coupon: $1 off printable here and $6.97 ECBS

Adora Calcium supplements: $2.35  (75% off)

I paid with $17 ECBs and $6.38 cash. I also got $12 ECBs back. See, it's possible to get almost $50 worth of items for under $7!

***What is Recyclebank??? Recyclebank is a great program that rewards you for recycling by working with a variety of partners. You can add points in many different ways, answering quick questions, purchasing specially marked items and trading in your old electronics. Just go HERE to sign up for Recycle Bank to find out all the ways to earn and save!

in lieu of a menu...

Well, last weeks dinner plans did not go as planned. We ended up making leftovers stretch as long as possible and took advantage of a pizza deal. So, this week's menu will look suspiciously like what I posted last week. SO, instead of a menu I thought I'd post recipes I've found online that I've either loved or am looking forward to trying.

Some faves...
BEST chocolate peanut butter cookies EVER! (from This Week for Dinner )

Crescent Wrapped Lasagna  (from Krista's Kitchen )

Crockpot Rotisserie Style Chicken (whole)  (from A Year of Slow Cooking )

Can't wait to try...
Iced Coffee  (from Pie Birds, Buttons and Muddy Puddles)

Banana Pudding Cupcakes   (from A Few Shortcuts )

Honey Goat Cheese Pizza  (from This Week for Dinner )

Chocolate Souffle  (from Real Simple )

saturday sydney-isms

So, we're still mastering potty training. Sydney is potty trained but still figuring out when to go before it's too late.
Getting out of shower...
"Mommy, I was doing this in the shower..." *shakes butt and squirms around (aka her potty dance)* "...and I didn't even need to potty!"
Later that day...
Me: "Syd, do you need to go potty?"
Syd: "MOM (in annoyed sing song voice), I'm not shaking my butt or anything!""

Looking out the window, pretending there is a parade going by...
"Look at this parade. Wow! Mom, those clowns are funny! Oh no, that clown needs to blow his nose! Ew! *runs to get tissue* Here clown, blow. Blow again. Good job clown."

a week in photos...

I went the collage route this week as I had so many to post.

You can click on them and see them larger.

Sydney put on a show for all of us. You can see the progression
of her dramatic performance.

we made s'mores!

cute as a button

Performance #2 for the week. The first photo is her setting
up all her stuff for her "show". She paid a lot of attention
to detail, it was impressive :)

thankful thursday

so very thankful...
1. for the privilege to stay at home with Sydney every day. I am SO thankful every day that I can do this.  I'm thankful that Sydney spends her day with me (and then later with Josh), that we are the ones disciplining and teaching, loving and playing, and watching her grow. What a blessing!
2. for my hard working husband that makes being a stay at home mom possible!
3. for sunny days. After a stint of rainy days it was so nice to be outside all day yesterday and today!
4. for cheese dip from LaHacienda in Muncie, IN. :) My mom brought some for Josh for Father's Day and I've been eating it more than him I think (yep, just finished it off over lunch. Sorry babe :). It's the yummiest chip dip ever!
5. for boredom. I have it so rarely I almost forgot what it felt like. But today, Josh needed our car so my plans to run errands were moved to tomorrow with not a thing planned for today. So, hooray for a day of nothing in particular!! :)

words of encouragement...or in this case, challenge!

I came across this passage today and felt compelled to take a closer look. I think I've looked over this passage (even though it's a favorite of mine) or just saw it as a vague encouragement that everything was going to be ok (in whatever situation at the time). But, today I felt like I needed to break it down, take a closer look, take it more seriously. So, I did. Here was my challenge (or rather God's challenge) to myself as I read over and prayed about this throughout today. Hope you can be challenged by it as well...

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:4-7

Challenge 1: Rejoice. Not because of my circumstances but regardless of my circumstances. Rejoice because my Lord is GOOD. He is faithful and true.
Challenge 2: Let my gentleness be evident to all. Even when the car in front of me is turning WAY to slow. Even when that guy just cut in front of me in a long line. Even when Sydney is testing my patience. Even when I feel like they don't deserve it. Even when I'm tired, angry, hurt, or upset. To all. At all times.
Challenge 3: Do NOT doubt where God is. He is near. ALWAYS.
Challenge 4: Do not be anxious. about ANYTHING. Remind myself who is in control (Hint to self: it's not me)
Challenge 5: Pray. Talk to God. Bring everything to Him and bring it with THANKFULNESS. Thankfulness that he hears my prayers, that He's a mighty and yet still personal God, that He knows me better than myself.
Challenge 6: TRUST that God's peace, that surpasses my understanding, will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Father God, THANK YOU for your Word. Thank you for truth that penetrates my heart no matter how many times I read it. Thank you for walking through life with me, challenging me to be better when I'm patient enough to listen. Thank you for being faithful when I am unfaithful. Help me to trust your peace. Help me to trust that I have nothing to be anxious about because YOU are in control. In Jesus name, Amen.

family visit...

Here are a few photos from my mom, grandma, and brother's visit. We had such a good time :)

Sydney and her Gigi

Syd and her Uncle PC having a good time

Sydney dressed all the ladies in princess gear.
Four generations of princesses.

not even planned.

Concentrating really hard on a Justin Bieber video

Syd and her Nana

best deals of the week...

Just a few this week. I may add more later as I stumble upon them.

Deals:
You can get 50 photo prints (size 4x6) for just $5 if you visit Snapfish and enter the coupon code DADDYPICS at check out. You can get this deal and free shipping through 6/27
***Update: You can also get 3 personalized greeting cards with the coupon code TRY3CARDS at check out for just $1.49 shipping. Just click here to see the deal at Snapfish***

Here are the best CVS deals for the week from Deal Seeking Mom. This week there are a few good freebies with Extra Care Bucks!

Freebies:
Free Neti Pot (go on Facebook, "like" them, fill out form)

Free sample of Jif to go from Target

Kids eat FREE at Chili's on June 21st (today) coupon

Free Mack's earplugs after completing survey and filling out form

what we're eating...

I'm so hungry as I write this....I kind of want to eat all of this right now :)

Sunday: Father's Day cookout :)
Monday: Crock Pot Sloppy Joes (didn't get to that last week)
Tuesday: Yummy leftovers from this weekend :)
Wednesday: Creamy Pesto Pasta* and Salad
Thursday: Taco Salad (w/ Black beans, Avocado, and Salsa)
Friday: French Dip Sandwiches (Recipe Below)
Saturday: Breakfast for dinner (Pancakes and eggs, yum!)

*Creamy Pesto: I add Chicken and Spinach to this and it's yummy!

French Dip Sandwich:
I just cook a small Beef Roast in a Crock Pot (w/o vegetables) any way you would typically do a pot roast. Here is what I put in it....
-small Chuck Roast
-Med Vidalia Onion, sliced
-2-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 can Beef Broth or Stock
-1tsp Worcestershire sauce
-salt and pepper to taste
Slice meat and put on Hoagie bun and top with provolone cheese. Put sandwiches on cookie sheet and place in oven (at 300 degrees) for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Ladle out some of the juice from the Crock Pot into small bowls for your Au Jus dipping sauce!

saturday sydney-isms

sitting at the table eating breakfast, Syd breaks into song (Santa's coming to town)...
"You better watch out, you better watch out, you better not cry, you better watch out. Santa Claus is coming to Johnstown"
Pulling into our neighborhood later that day
"Yay! Johnstown! Woohoo!"
*Sidenote: we live in Johnstown, which Sydney believes is just our subdivision, not the whole town.

Sydney was playing pretend and she was the Mommy
Me: So, what do Mommies do all day?
Syd: Cook
Me: What else do they do?
Syd: This *Makes very vigorous stirring motion
Me: They stir things?
Syd: Yep, stir food and things.
Me: What do Daddies do all day?
Syd: Work and this *Makes vigorous stirring motion again

WARNING: ending this post with bathroom visit quotes :)
It never fails, Sydney always looks into the toilet after going number 2 and identifies what she sees. Here are some of her bathroom quotes from this week...
Day 1: "Look Mom! A hot dog and a ice cream cone!"
Day 2: "Aw, a mama bird and her baby eggs"
Day 3: "Haha,  Look Mom, it's ABCs"

And a Josh-ism....
Sydney brings him a paper with animals drawn in crayon on it...
Josh: "Oh wow Syd, that's really good......oh wait, I drew that"

a week in photos...

Yay, it's Friday :) Here's what we've been up to this week....

we got Sleeping Beauty from the library and she wanted to
watch it every day. She LOVES her some Disney princess :)

we had another backyard picnic and decided to pretend
it was in the jungle since our grass was so high!

Sydney and her chalk art

how cute is this little guy!

we (re)discovered Yo Gabba Gabba on Netflix instant streaming.
It's been awhile since she's seen it because we don't have cable
and as you can see, she was amazed at it's awesomeness :)

Look what we saw yesterday! It was gorgeous!

thankful thursday

so very thankful...
1. for my mom, grandma, and brother making a trip over here this weekend!!
2. for screens in windows. We don't have them at the moment and I am now appreciating all the screens I've taken for granted. And even though we're not opening our windows at the moment, I'm thankful for the time when we can have bug free fresh air flowing through this house :)
3. for time to read. Man, I had forgotten how much I LOVE to read. Any good book recommendations out there? I'm about to finish a book and don't have one to start when I'm done, agh!
4. for something to dream about. Josh and I have recently stumbled upon our dream house. At the moment it's completely out of our financial reach but believe me, we are exhausting every idea to put it within our reach. We didn't even know a house like this existed around us. So until it slips away and someone else snatches it up, it's fun to have something to dream about! And in the slight chance that this house is meant for us and God provides a way...well it needs a ridiculous amount of remodeling so the dreaming will continue times 1000 :)
5. for peace. God has really been impressing peace on my heart lately....just resting in the peace He provides, knowing that He is in control, relying on His faithfulness. I'm so thankful for peace :)
6. for good music. What is life without great music to listen to? I'm thankful that I can hear all the wonderful sounds of music. (Not to be confused with the Sound of Music, although I do love that movie). Josh and I were able to see David Bazan last weekend and I can't stop listening to his new stuff, so good! Cotton Jones opened for him and they were pretty awesome too!

taking every thought captive

 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. "  2 Corinthians 10:5

A good friend of mine shared this verse with me when I was going through an incredibly difficult time and struggling with a lot of anger and hurt. At the time it felt like that verse was written for me and that particular situation because it was exactly what I needed to do; what I HAD to do. I was paying so much attention to my thoughts. I had never realized the power our thoughts had on our lives until I was overwhelmed by my own. I became so sensitive to the Spirit of this verse and fully recognized my deep need to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. At that time it was more than an encouragement, it was an element of spiritual survival.

As time passed, the urgency of the situation slowed, my anger and hurt gently lifted, and because my circumstances changed the verse unfortunately seemed less relevant and I took thoughts captive less and less. Now months later, it seems I've forgotten how to do this all together. What a shame, what a tragedy for me to think that I don't need this, that I somehow could handle my thoughts on my own, that I didn't need to make them obedient to Christ...as if I had trained my brain to be on autopilot and do it on it's own without any intention or effort on my part. You know what the result of that is...a confused mind and spirit, anger seeping out of the cracks I've allowed, a perfect habitat for Satan to come on in and make a nest of lies. All because I stopped, I got lazy, I got busy, I forgot....whatever excuse I want to put there.

This verse came up yesterday as I was reading My Utmost for His Highest (the Lord sure knows how to use Oswald to get my attention). We all have to take each thought captive and MAKE it obedient to Christ. He won't do it for us, it is our task to do. We have to CHOOSE to abide in Him. We have to CHOOSE to fill our minds with truth, to weed out lies. If we don't, they creep in. They make a home. The lies take over and they convince us THEY are truth. They become what guides us, motivates us, where we speak from. I don't know about you, but that terrifies me. I don't want to live in anything but PURE TRUTH. I have seen the damage lies can do and I refuse to risk letting them rule. So today I choose truth. I choose to abide in Jesus. I choose to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  Philippians 4:8

best deals of the week..

I love a good deal. I love knowing that I'm getting the most for my money. Since I've become a stay at home mom I see taking advantage of good deals, coupons, and freebies as my contribution to the families income....making the most of each dollar on a tight budget! Below are the web sites that I get most of my good deals from and a few deals I plan on taking advantage of this week.....

Good deal Blogs I follow....
Deal Seeking Mom (in Columbus area so this is great for Midwest regional deals)

Totally Target (focuses on deals at Target)

True Couponing

Money Saving Mom

The Freebie Blogger (great place to find freebies!)

And here are some great deals and freebies....
Deals:
99 cent Crunchwrap Supreme at Taco Bell from June 12-18

$10 worth of laundry coupons

-If you shop at CVS, there are always lots of good deals to be had!! This week alone you can get free Zyrtec and close to free Bayer and Motrin PM. Below is a list from my favorite blog of the good deals and an explanation of how to get them
CVS deals from "Deal Seeking Mom"
*These deals are "good" in large part to using ECB's (Extra Care Bucks). Here is a quick explanation of how those work.....
Let's take the Zyrtec example from this week. I will purchase the 5 count Zyrtec for 5.99 and when my receipt prints there will be a coupon attached for 5.99 in ECBs that I can use on ANYTHING in the store (like a gift card), therefore it's like getting the Zyrtec for free. After you do this for a bit you can hang on to your ECBs and just use those to pay for things that produce ECBs. For instance, I'm going to use a $6 ECB (that I have from a previous purchase) to purchase the Zyrtec (that will produce 5.99 ECBs) and I won't have any cash out on it. If you can combine a deal like that with a Manufacturers coupon then you can get "overage" (aka CVS will owe you money) that can go towards something else you are purchasing.  Hope this makes since because I get lots of great deals this way and hope you can too!!

Freebies:
Free travel size item at Bath&Body works with any purchase (printable coupon)

Free sample of Nescafe Taster's Choice Coffee (just "like" them on Facebook and fill out form)

Free sample of Ocean Spray Sparkling Cranberry Juice (just "like" them on Facebook and fill out form)

Free sample of Arm & Hammer Toothpaste

Free Oreo Jamocha Shake with a purchase of any combo at Arby's (printable coupon)

monday's weekly menu...

I love finding a good new recipe, so that's the motivation behind sharing what we're eating...to help you find a new recipe or two. Just click on the underlined words and it will direct you to the recipe I'm using. So, here's what we're having for dinner this week...

Monday: Chicken Caesar Wraps (recipe below)
Tuesday: Ravioli w/ Homemade Tomato Sauce* 
Wednesday: Bistro Chicken w/ Mashed Potatoes (I find a lot of recipes on this website)
Thursday: Spicy Orange Chicken* over Rice
Friday: Pork Chops and Baked Sweet Potatoes
Saturday: Crock Pot Sloppy Joes (recipe below)
Sunday: Veggie Chili* topped with Avacado and Sour Cream and served w/ Corn Cake (recipe below)

*Tomato Sauce: I actually use a whole can of tomato paste and this recipe yields two pasta dinners for us. And I never use fresh Basil and it still tastes great :)
*Spicy Orange Chicken: I add Crushed Red Pepper after I get Syd's portion out to add a bit more spicy kick
Chili: I add a heaping spoonful of creamy peanut butter to any chili recipe I make. It may sound odd, but it's delicious. Also, I don't drain or rinse my beans and I omit adding water.

Chicken Caesar Wraps (so simple!)
-Tortilla or wrap of your choice
-Grilled or Pan Fried Chicken seasoned to desire
-Your favorite Caesar Dressing or make this one from scratch
-FRESH grated Parmesan Cheese
Layer and enjoy :)

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes (I took a recipe from a cookbook and made it my own and they are YUMMY!)
-1 lb ground beef or turkey
-1 sm Green Bell Pepper chopped
-1 Sm Vidalia Onion
-2-4 cloves garlic minced or through garlic press
-1 cup ketchup
-1 Tbsp + 1 tsp mustard
-1 Tbsp + 1 tsp vinegar
-1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-1 Tbsp + 1 rounded tsp brown sugar
-1 tsp chili powder
-salt and pepper to taste
Brown meat with onions and garlic. Mix all other ingredients in Crock Pot. Add meat/onion mixture to Crock Pot (if it looks to thick add up to 1/4 cup water, too thin add up to 1/4 cup more ketchup) Cook on Low for 5-6 hrs or High for 3.  Makes about 4 servings

Cornbread Cake (got this recipe from a friend a few years ago and have not made regular cornbread since)
-1 Jiffy Cornbread mix
-1 Jiffy Yellow Cake mix
-3 eggs
-1/3 cup milk
Mix all ingredients, will be slightly lumpy. Grease baking pan. Bake on 400 - 410 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes. It will brown before it's actually done so if it looks done be sure to check the middle with a toothpick and it will come out clean when done. It may sink a bit in the middle. Can only know done-ness by toothpick test, not color.  Makes 8x8 pan of yummy-ness!!

saturday sydney-isms

this girl makes me laugh constantly....

we're in the car driving home and Sydney says out of no where...
"We ARE, Penn STEAK"
(for those who don't know, that's Penn State's cheer...substituting State for Steak, of course. Proud moment for the Boozell family)

on Friday Josh and I wake up to this....
"Baybah, Baybah, Baybah ooooh, Baybah, Baybah, Baybah ooooh, Baybah, Baybah, Baybah ooooh..."
yeah, Justin Bieber sung in monotone in the early morning, best. alarm. ever.

talking on her play phone to Rapunzel...
"Hi Punzel, watcha doing? what?!?! you have a dinastore in your kitchen?!?! UGH!!"
(dinastore=dinosaur, and apparently it's not scary but extremely annoying when they're in your kitchen)

a week in photos...

here is what we were up to this week (well, what Syd was up to anyway :)

helping daddy at one of his work houses

bubbles!!

time to cool down in the water

thankful thursday

So very thankful for....
1.  Root canals!! Yes that's right, root canals. After a year with a tooth ache, a year with avoiding too cold or too hot foods and beverages, a year with only chewing on my left side, I am thankful to have had a root canal today! Yay for normal chewing and extreme temperatures :)
2. I'm thankful for family (thanks Kim!) able to watch Sydney while I got my root canal and while Josh and I celebrate our anniversary on Saturday at Sushi Rock and a David Bazan concert!!
3. for midwest seasons! Living in the south for so many years we didn't get actual seasons like you do up here in Ohio. Now, don't get me wrong, this winter drug on forEVER (not gonna lie about desperately missing mild winters ). But, I'm so thankful for the seasonal distinctions. Especially a summer where I can spend every day outside not sweating to death, cool evenings, and a beautiful fall to look forward too.
4. My husband. So thankful for 9 years, can't wait for the next 50 :)

today's WORDS of encouragement...

I was evangelized to by a couple Jehovah Witness ladies today. They went through their spiel and I told them that I knew Jesus and was familiar with all the information on the tract they handed me (to which they seemed disappointed. hm, not the reaction I was expecting). One of the ladies, Gail, had actually stopped by one day before when I was sick and said she would come back (and she stuck to her word!). Anyway, their visit wasn't all that enlightening but she did read me a verse of encouragement from Isaiah that stood out to me because I studied that book all year in BSF (if you don't know what that is, you NEED to check it out. GREAT study!) It made me miss studying Isaiah, a book that became almost like a friend. When I came back inside from talking to the ladies I just had the urge to read through some of my favorite verses from the Isaiah study.....

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" Isaiah 30:18

"See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Isaiah 40:10-11

"If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."  Isaiah 58:9b-12

"The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.  "   Isaiah 25:8

" But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;  the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" Isaiah 43:1-3

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."  Isaiah 61:1-3

I learned so much through this study but what stood out to me most was that our LORD is faithful, He loves us so perfectly, and there is GREAT hope to be found in Jesus.

i need structure...

it's true, I need structure. My personality thrives with structure. One of the great things about being a stay at home mom at the moment is that I get to create my schedule with as much structure and flexibility (which I'm surprisingly also a big fan of) as I want. So I decided that if I'm actually going to succeed in blogging consistently then I need structure. So below are my thoughts on topics I'll cover weekly...
Mondays: menu for the week (idea taken from here, mainly to share recipes with you that I'm finding online, not because I think you are super interested in what the Boozell's are eating this week :)
Tuesdays: Best deals of the week (if you know me at all, you know I love a good deal, a good coupon, and best of all...freebies!)
Wednesdays: WORDS of encouragement (what God is doing)
Thursdays: Thankful Thursday
Fridays: a week in photos (see what we've been up to)
Saturdays: Saturday Sydney-isms (funny things my girl says)
So, there you have it...my proposed plan. We'll see what happens :)

on a side note, today is Josh and I's 9 year anniversary!! Happy day to us :)

what i got from my hubby today :)

Relay for LIfe

We traveled over to Pennsylvania this weekend for the Relay for Life, which is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. It was such a great weekend with family, working together toward a common goal, honoring and remembering loved ones. Our team "The Fighting Boozell Family" raised $1800! Here are a couple pictures of our team's site (the Relay's theme was "Make Cancer walk the plank")...

Here's Sydney and her cousin Quinten posing at our site

Thankful...

A friend of mine, Deanna, has a blog and often does "Thankful Thursdays" where she lists things she is thankful for that week, day, time, etc. I love the idea not only because I get to share with you great things God is doing but also remind myself of the many things I have to be thankful for on any given day. So, let's start today (although in the future I may stick with Thursdays because it has a nice ring to it :)....
1. I'm thankful for family :) As I get older, it becomes clearer to me how precious the people in my family are (biological and in-lawgical). Each with their own gifts, each with their specific things I love about them. I'm especially thankful to be living close enough to see them more often!
2. Speaking of family, I'm so very grateful for my Grandma Betty. Her birthday is today and I am so thankful that I have her in my life and in Sydney's life. She is one special lady. Any who knows her knows that she is a remarkable person that I am blessed and proud to call Grandma.
3. Sunscreen. Although today it's an afterthought, I'm thankful that next time I'm in the sun I will wear it and not be burnt ;)
4. Coffee. 'Nuff said.
5. Getting to stay home with Sydney. Although some of our days can be long and boring (the rainy ones, yuck!), and some days are spent in and out of time out,  almost every day home with Sydney is an adventure. We have fun quality time that I would not trade for anything. Here's a little bit of what we did this week.....

we made jewelry!

so focused!!

we had a picnic in our yard

a little play time in her room, and a lot of clean up time after

and talking to the birds and the trash men collecting our trash
(this is actually what woke me up this morning, awesome way to wake up :)