Honest Mom Wednesday

Slow and steady.

It’s Wednesday! You have made it half-way through the week. Congrats.

I feel like life is a marathon lately. Slow and steady so that I don’t pass out. It has been nutty and this next week might push me over the edge.

I leave for Cannon Beach with Youth For Christ for the yearly regional conference on Monday and will return on Wednesday. I am looking forward to being with everyone and learning more about this amazing organization I am blessed to work for. Of course next Friday is our last home game of the football season and it’s Senior Night. Oh crazy town! This involves a ton of planning and I am calling on every person I know to help us get through the night. I have a lot of details to work out before I leave on Monday. Oh boy. Pray for me. If you see me and I look a little glazed over you will know why.

On another note. Todd and I are in a weird yet good season. All of our kids are in school. We have set aside Wednesday mornings as our date day. We need this. He heads to work at 12:30 in the afternoon. We have really been enjoying our time together. It is so important for wives and husbands to set aside time for one another during the week. It has been really fun having that time together. I’m so thankful for a husband that loves his family and works hard for us. He is awesome.

I love fall. It is amazing. My favorite time of the year. I love my house in the fall. I hope you have a fabulous Wednesday and take it slow and steady through the rest of the week. God knows exactly where you are at and what you need to endure. He is good and He has you.

Our house in the Fall.

 

It’s Monday – you need a free printable to brighten your day!

I love free stuff especially free printables that are cute and fun. So, here you go…

God makes all things new because He is good to us. That is a great way to start the week. Remember His goodness.

Happy Monday!

You Make All Things New – 6 inches 1/4 x 7 inches 3/4

 

 

 

Honest Mom Wednesday

Remind One Another

I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already! How did that happen? All I want to do tonight is curl up on the couch and watch Harry Potter. It just sounds lovely to curl up with my boys and eat popcorn while watching Harry do his thing.

This weekend Todd has to work both Saturday and Sunday. I’m mentally preparing myself for a long weekend with my boys. On Saturday I will be heading north to the Saturate Everyday (without my boys) to sit on a panel for Q&A to share about our experience with Missional Communities at Soma. We are no experts and I can share countless moments of how NOT to lead a Missional Community. I honestly feel like my heart needs a reminding right now. I need to be reminded how Jesus is the one who saves, how He is the life giver, He gives true joy and hope, and He has a great plan for our life here in Tacoma. I have nothing to fear or worry about because He’s taken care of it all. I need to be reminded of His goodness. Oh how He loves me and you! I feel like as Christ followers we are reminders to one another. I love that. Let’s remind one another how loved we are by Jesus and how much we need Him.

 

Tacoma Rainy Day Ideas For Kids



Each year I always start to panic when the rain starts and my kids are jumping off furniture to burn off energy. So,  I decided to write a list of fun ideas to do with kids during the lovely NW winter months. Here ya go…

Library – craft times, special events, story time, check out books and movies
http://www.tpl.lib.wa.us/Default.aspx

Tacoma Children’s Museum
http://www.playtacoma.org/

Olympia Children’s Museum – AMAZING!
http://www.hocm.org/

Lattin Cider Mill (love this one – donuts, animals and lots more, Olympia area)
http://lattinscider.com/

Point Defiance – hike through the woods in the rain or head to the zoo/aquarium
http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/point-defiance-park/

The Outlet Collection (formally known as Auburn Supermall)  Head to the play area, grab coffee and let your kids run wild. They also have an indoor carousel!
http://www.outletcollectionseattle.com/

Fort Steilacoom – play on the awesome castle play area, walk around the lake, explore! (cloudy day fun)
https://www.cityoflakewood.us/government/departments/parks-and-recreation/lakewood-parks

Chambers Bay Playground – another cloudy day – don’t go if it’s raining or windy.
https://foursquare.com/v/chambers-bay-park-playground/50285045e4b031f7a2c681f7

253skate – rollerskating fun!
http://rollin253.com/

Ride the Link to Learning Sprout – park at Freighthouse Square and ride to the end, walk to Learning Sprout
http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedules/Tacoma-Light-Link-Rail
http://www.learningsprout.com/

IKEA – it’s a bit of a drive but you can check your potty trained kiddos into the play area for one hour, in case you need a break 🙂
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/seattle

Discovery Village – I haven’t been here yet, but, I’ve heard great things. Look on Groupon or Living Social for deals.
http://www.discovery-village.com/

Pump It Up – look for coupons online
http://www.pumpitupparty.com/event-calendar/tacoma-wa

Odyssey 1 – kids can crawl through tubes for hours!
http://www.odyssey-1.com/

Tacoma Mall – grab some quarters and have your kids ride the cars/trucks/boats near Sears and then grab coffee and let the kids run around in the play area (it’s a very sad and small play area but it works great for toddlers)

Become a member of ParentMap SouthSound for updated fun events and happenings all over the Puget Sound. http://www.parentmap.com/

I hope this helps with your sanity during the NW winter months. Please feel free to add any other ideas you have or know of in the area!

Honest Mom Wednesday

It has been a crazy week so far. Juggling two elementary kiddos, one middle schooler and one high schooler’s schedule is a little nutty. Yes, we have a high schooler living with us. He is an exchange student from China that is attending Lincoln HS for the year. Such a great kid and we know that it is going to be a great year having him be a part of our crazy family. Today he argued with me about why PC’s are better than Apple – we will just need to agree to disagree on this one. HA!

Sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, annoyed, exhausted and when those hard to deal with emotions hit I will stop for a moment and look through my Instagram pictures. I know. That sounds sort of dumb but seriously what an amazing reminder of how blessed I am. I scroll thought pictures and videos of moments in my life – small snapshots of a memory of people I love, a moment I captured for some odd reason whether it made me smile or laugh. I took that picture because it made me feel something and I wanted to remember that exact moment.

These pictures are filled with the boys I love, the teenagers I have the privilege to invest in, food that is yummy, places in Tacoma that hold a special place in my heart, coffee!, my family,  my Soma family, my amazing job with YFC,  beautiful things that I appreciate, and glimpses into my life. These pictures are a snapshot of my life. These are the little daily things that bring joy even in the middle of  a lot of brokenness it is so good to remember the things that bring  joy even if it is just for a moment. It’s a reminder of God’s goodness to me. He is good, He has me and I am so blessed with the life God has given me. Instagram photos are a way that God reminds me of His love for me and others. I am so blessed! How does God remind you of his goodness in the day to day stuff of life?

My Favorite Utility Jacket

I have received so many comments and compliments on this jacket so I decided I should share it with the rest of the world (because I love you and I think you would look awesome wearing this jacket too.)

I originally tried purchase one similar to this during the Nordstrom sale in August but they were sold out. Bummer. So, I decided to take a chance with Amazon. I have never ordered clothes on Amazon. I read reviews of several jackets and after doing the research decided to try this one out. I LOVE IT! It is comfortable, well made, and looks great on. I ordered mine in olive green and a size large. The reviews said that the jacket ran small so I ordered a large to be safe, I usually wear a medium. This jacket also comes in a couple of other colors – khaki and navy. It’s also very reasonable price wise. Click on the affiliate link below to order your own on Amazon. Happy Monday!

Olive Green Utility Jacket

 

 

Honest Mom Wednesday

After last week’s craziness I feel like God has given me peace. Todd took Friday off of work to reflect, rest and just calm down. It sucks when you are so close to having something that you asked God for over the last 2 1/2 years and then it slips right through your fingers. On Friday we had the Lincoln HS football game and then early Saturday morning we headed to Fort Worden to be with our church family (Soma.) It was a good weekend. We were surrounded by friends who know us and love us. We were prayed over. We were able to wrestle with God over this decision to keep Todd on 2nd shift rather than transferring to 1st . It was rough but good. We are still praying for this change to happen but for now here we are and we are making the best of it.

Yesterday we gained a new member into our family. His name is Martin, he is 15 years old and from China. He is our exchange student for the school year. We are so excited to have him join in our chaos for the year. We look forward to getting to know him. Noah’s first question was, “do you have cats at home?” Noah and his love for animals. I love that about him.

My heart is heavy this week as we continue to deal with racism in our country. I just don’t even know how to process all of this. What I do know is that I am called to continue to dig in at Lincoln High School and care for the students there. I am going to continue to advocate for the teenagers that are at Lincoln and love them and their families well. I’m going leverage my white privilege for the good of others. This is what God has called me to. Yep, I’m white and privileged and I should use that advantage for the good of all humanity. Isn’t that what God has called us all to do? Love God and love others. So simple yet so hard for sinful humans (including me – it’s hard!) There are so many thoughts running through my mind about this topic. Racism is not going away so how am I called to respond to what is happening in our country. How can I advocate and love others because of God’s great love for all of His people? God loves his people and I know that racism grieves His heart. It truly does. He is grieved. We should be grieved as well.

May God give you the eyes to see how to love others as you walk through your week.

 

 

God Loves Teenagers

Youth For Christ Camp – Canyons 2016

There is something about teenagers. When  I was a sophomore in High School I made the commitment to follow Jesus while at a summer camp. I remember it clearly. It was campfire night and we were asked to pray quietly and just listen the Holy Spirit. In that moment God told me, “Turn and follow me.” You see, I had been living life for myself. I was focused on me and nothing good ever comes from living life for you. From then on I knew I desired to live for Jesus no matter what He called me to do, or where He called me to go and He has called me to do some things that I never thought I would be doing.

One of the crazy moments in my life has been living in Tacoma. I never thought I would live in Ttown. I remember in High School going through a study called “Experiencing God.” Our big joke in our small group was that God would call us to live in a cottage in Tacoma (like that’s the worst possible scenario, ha!) Well, here I am living in a Craftsman home built in 1927 in South Tacoma, whaaaat?

Another crazy moment has been the opportunity to work with our local high school football team. I attended private school all of my life – mostly upper middle class families in the suburbs. I never in a million years would image myself working with a football team in a public school in the city of Tacoma. You never know what God is going to call you to do in life. I have learned about the act of obedience to that calling and the blessing that comes out of those moments even when your heart breaks for the teenagers you are caring for. I have had moments of deep sadness and then moments of great joy working with teenagers.

I truly believe God has a special place in His heart for teenagers. Teenagers are awesome. Teenagers are being shaped and formed into the people that God has created them to be. It’s the last stage before adulthood. Teens have the ability to influence their peers in great ways. They are still young and crazy and full of life even despite some of their challenges and stories. God loves teenagers!

He has given me a heart to care for teenagers and I will continue to be obedient to that calling even when I feel like a crazy person or frustrated with the choices teenagers make. I am reminded in those moment of the grace God has given me and how he extends that grace to teenagers as well. I am called to walk with teenagers in grace. I know I am called to remind them of God’s great love for each and every one of them and how He is the perfect Father and knows every detail about them. He is a good, good Father.

One thing that was spoken over me at YFC camp this year was that I carry power (Holy Spirit power) that I haven’t tapped into yet and that God will use me to change a generation. Uh, WOW, that’s a bit freaky! I am  a bit freaked out about that but, God, in His gentle way reminds me that I am called to listen and obey daily to what He has for me. He has called me to be strong, to not tolerate the mess but fight for the good, to be loyal, to be faithful in the small tasks, to continue to have a mother’s heart that is fierce and protective (like a lion), to continue to be a builder of bridges, to be a woman of peace and calmness – all of this for the glory of Jesus! All of this because of God’s great love for teenagers.

 

Honest Mom Wednesday

On Monday our youngest headed to Kindergarten. I was so excited for him and excited for me. For the last 11 years I have been pregnant, breastfeeding, raising toddlers, caring for a toddler and elementary kiddos and today was the day that my youngest started all day Kindergarten. I was pumped. An entire day to run errands by myself or get some much needed work done.

Well, the week has quickly gone downhill. I picked up Noah from middle school on Monday after running a bunch of errands that morning. He was teary eyed and upset. I asked him what was going on and he told me that the school changed his scheduled. Uh no! The mama bear instinct kicked in and we marched into his school and chatted with the Principal. Thankfully we worked it out but seriously flipping a kids schedule with no warning and during his second week of 6th grade. SO NOT COOL! We are good now but, don’t mess with mama bear. God reminded me of the importance of being an advocate for my kids and how important that role is. Our kids need to know that we are for them and will fight for them. God is our biggest advocate. If He is for us who can be against us, right?

Do I really believe that God is our advocate? Today I’m not so sure. I was so sure about this on Monday. On Tuesday Todd had a meeting at work. He was about to have a change at work that would move him from 2nd shift (hell shift for families) to 1st shift (he will actually see his children again.)  Well, the  site that Todd is at decided that it wasn’t going to happen anymore. We have been waiting for the opportunity for Todd to go to 1st shift for two and a half years. It would be a huge blessing for him and our family for him to change shifts. Todd and I were both extremely frustrated and angry. It was incredibly disappointing. I am angry and I’m not feeling as though God is my advocate right now. It sucks. I need my husband home in the evenings. The only time my kids see him or get time with him is on the weekends. The boys need him. I do not feel like God is for me or my family right now.

On Tuesday I attended a training to discuss and learn more about sex trafficking. It was good to learn more but honestly, it made me angry and disgusted. I’ve had a week of just wanting Jesus to come and blow up the world. I’m done with the  disappointment and brokenness of the world we live in. It is hard on my heart. Not really seeing the light at the end of the tunnel right now and it’s ok. It’s ok to be honest about where I am at and to wrestle with God as I wait.

I was putting away laundry today and I told God how I felt. I’m pissed. I’m frustrated with Todd’s job and how they are treating their employees right now, I’m angry at how the world uses and abuses women, I’m tired of my kiddos disobeying at bed time when Todd is working and people, it’s only Wednesday!

Praying for God’s grace and peace as our family walks through the rest of this week. God has us. He always does.

Welcome to Honest Mom Wednesday!

A Must Have Camera for Beginners

I remember when I purchased my first Canon Rebel. I did a ton of research and I have been so happy with my camera from day one. In 2015 I started running football boosters at our local high school and the Booster club voted to purchase a camera for the team. It has been one of the best purchases for the team! We take pictures at each game and event and then post the pictures on social media (FB/Instagram). One of the joys of taking pictures and posting them is watching the football players snag the pictures off of Facebook and using them on their own FB pages or posting them to their personal Instagram account. I love it!

The Canon Rebel T5 is so easy to use and for football we set our camera to the sports/action setting and just go for it. It’s awesome to see the High School students want to use the camera and learn how everything works. I’m no expert and I do my best but the students often times get the best shots. I’m a mom to three boys as well so I love capturing moments with my family with my personal Canon Rebel as well.

I highly recommend this camera. I love the quality of the lenses that come with this camera. With this deal on Amazon you receive a lot of great accessories and lenses. This is definitely a great camera to start with and it’s reasonable for the quality and items that come in this package. If you are interested please click the link below and check it out. I’ve added some pictures from football season to show you the type of shots we are able to capture with this awesome camera. Click on the link to check out the Canon Rebel T5 and the reviews on Amazon… ENJOY!

CANON REBEL T5