A Little Older and A Little Wiser

Today is my birthday.  Yup that's me at my favorite place, doing my favorite thing, drinking my favorite drink, in my birthday dress.  Nothing fancy this year just keepin' it simple doing all the little things I love.  I don't always feel so compelled to share from my heart and soul but today is an exception [and of all days, my birthday.]

For the first time on my birthday I actually feel a little more mature.  A little older, a little wiser, and a lot closer to God.

This season in my life I've reached that "adult" relationship with Jesus.  I'm not just running to him when I need help or thanking him because I got something.  It's deeper than that.  This year He has helped me to mature a lot.

I can't fully explain it but I know God has helped me to become a better wife, a mom, a friend, a sister, a person.  I'm still growing because by no means am I at the end.  I've come to realize that it's not about perfection, but real.  God is showing me how to be real, honest with myself in areas I need growth.  I feel a little less doing a million things aimlessly and more focused.  Focused on my mission to let my light shine.

There are songs for times like this that describe what I'm going through.  This season,  it's Start a Fire.  It perfectly describes "me" right now.  I've always been very shy and meek about my faith.  I'm just not wired to be a great evangelist.  There is a lyric in the song that says over and over again, I hear your voice in my head, let your light shine, let your light shine for all to see.  

       

It's not just about telling people I'm a Christian, it means more to me than that.  It means sharing the talents, the passion, the gifts that God has given me.  To share this overwhelming love that I get from Him.  To encourage others and bring them joy.  To give back to people in whatever way I can because I am so grateful for all the things He has blessed my little family with. 

I can tell you that God has started a fire in my soul.  It's been 12 years and now this little flame is finally starting to grow.  I'm not too jazzed about getting older but I am excited to see where God bring me in the next few years.  

So here is to growing a little older, a little wiser, and a lot closer to God.  Happy Tuesday!

Until next time.  Toodles!

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Chiquita Banana Sing-Off

If there is one healthy snack I never have trouble getting the kids to eat, it's Chiquita Bananas.  I have oodles of little monkeys in my house because we go through two bunches of Chiquita Bananas a week!  This stash of bananas will only last a few days in our house....

One of the reasons why is because this cutie and his big sister can eat up to three bananas a day just the two of them.  

He absolutely loves them!  That's some serious banana eating. 

When I heard about the Chiquita Jingle Contest I was all for it because who wouldn't want to win $5,000 or even a years worth of bananas?!  You can go ahead and Register here.  Chiquita is reintroducing their legendary Chiquita Jingle and chances are you have heard it.  The song hit airwaves in 1944.  Interestingly, it was written to hope Americans how to ripen and use bananas, which were at the time an exotic fruit.  Today it is still the "top banana" in jingles and Chiquita is looking for the next sing-off star!  You can enter with a music video, sing-along or Banana-Gram.  There are seven winners in all with the grand prize video winning $5,000!  Wow awesome is that?!

We really wanted to create a video like the ones in the Video Gallery , but if you follow my Instagram, you know the kiddos got super sick and so I am settling for trying to win the banana gram prize of free Chiquita Bananas for a year. That would still be awesome!  We might try to create our own video later on but for now here is our little lady's banana gram!  Be sure to head over HERE and like it!  

And as Chiquita Banana says there are so many ways you can eat bananas!  I like to put them in my salad.

It's not a pie but it's just as tasty,  I love my bananas in my chocolate shakeology shake.

I'm just dreaming of all the ways I could use a year's worth of bananas.... pancakes, bread, ice cream, muffins, pie, chips, the possibilities are endless.  

So head over, Register hereand enter for a chance to win the Chiquita Jingle Contest

 !  The contest ends May 27, 2015.  

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Chiquita Bananas for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

We Raised Caterpillars to Butterflies

Last year we did this really awesome activity with Cindy where we watched caterpillars turn into butterflies.  We didn't do it this spring because they did it at her preschool.  It was a memorable experience for her and so I wanted to share it with you all in case you would want to do it with your kiddos.  Be warned though because it can be a little sad to let the butterflies go.  

I will admit this was completely OUT of my comfort zone.  I hate bugs, they make me squirmish and queezy.  The hubby took one for the team with this one because he did most of the dirty work.  We got a kit, paid the $5 for shipping and got our caterpillars mailed to us in this container. 

Thankfully you never have to open it.  They eat the food at the bottom and get bigger and bigger each day!  Really all I want to say is gross.  

When they are ready, they start to crawl to the top of the cup where they will form their chrysalis. 

And before you know it. they are in and ready to be transformed. 

The hubby was such a trooper, bless his heart!  He took the paper off the lid and pinned it into our habitat.

We made sugar water for butterflies so they could eat when they came out. 

A few days later they started to break through.  It was really interesting to see how slow and messy it was.  Yes and also very creepy to me.  

We watched each one of our five caterpillars turn into butterflies!  It was pretty awesome. 

Then of course the hardest part would be letting them go.  This is the part she remembers the most.  She was only three then but she still talks about how sad it was to let her butterflies go and how she wished they could have stayed with us.  A thought that boggles my mind because she was just as grossed out as I was. 

One last pep talk...

Unzipped... [he had to give them a little shake too].

And off they went!

This is really a great activity for the kiddos and a neat way for them to experience metamorphosis first hand.  I will for sure be doing this again with her and now that she is older she can be a little scientist and record data each day we observe these icky little creatures. 

Until next time.  Toodles!

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Lessons From My Kids

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mamas out there!!

When I had my babies I didn't realize that over the years I would learn as much as I would teach.  Both these munckins may not realize it but they have helped to shape the person I am today.  Even now as I write this they are helping me let go of my selfishness because this years Mother's Day I'll be nursing them back to good health [and that's what moms are for!]. 

There was nothing that tested my patience like potty training.  Tamed my temper like public tantrums.  Told my type A side to be more flexible and understanding.  I learned how to love deeper and ask for forgiveness.  Yes, verbally ask them for forgiveness because even though I am the adult in our relationship I'm not perfect and I've made mistakes.  

They taught me how to be prepared for just about anything.  Why do you think my bag is so big? Forgetting diapers and wipes could be detrimental because it would be the one time she has a poop blow out in her pants [yup it happened].

They taught me how to share.  Share my time, space, food, drinks, possessions, my bed, my everything.  I've learned to let go of perfection.  A perfectly clean house, perfectly behaved kids, perfect body, perfect outfit, perfect family.

This year, they have taught me the importance of having time to myself.  That my health and wellness is as important as theirs.  When I am doing well spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, it overflows to them.

 

I'm proud and honored that they call me mom.  These crazy kids inspire me to be a better mom.  A better wife.  A better person.

 Until next time.  Toodles!

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