~*~Life as Me~*~

New Home

For the time being this blog is not being used.............if you wanna read more of my ramblings........you need to click below:

Sp4rk1e

In time to come I shall resume this blog, but for now it is here to just serve a dormant purpose!! Go figure!!

 

~*~Debs~*~

Wishful Thinking Updates

I've lost count of the times I've posted that I'll be back with this or that and not showed up! My good intentions here often get rescheduled in real life, not only with work stuff but with the kids and my private life too. So many wonderful things are happening to me and my children and with Christmas almost upon us we find ourselves lunged into another area of life that makes our house move a seeming thing of the distant past.

However, as this blog is more than just an online waffle journal I will catch up....when I have enough time to focus on finishing the draft copies, editing photos and all the other stuff started but not finished.

For now though, I am just going to share a few of my favourite photos:

1. While Kirsten and I unpack in the living room, Charley decided to lighten the load and entertain us...at the same time he was hitting the keys he was singing....a song of his own words! Songwriter maybe?

2. My new haircut: You know how it only lasts as long as the hairdresser is there....well this time I photod it, cos try as I might its never gone back to this again! that side parting just kicks in like a haunting!

 

3. The Rogue: Jaymie, my 20 year old returns home with 1 fiance....but his humour is worse than ever...trying to get any kind of photo is like asking for blood off a vampire!!

 

4. The dog: Some things are just....erm...sweet!!

 

5. Early mornings: Hugs all round. Not sure if its real love or if its a form of heating....cos I still cant figure how to change the heating settings to come on earlier!! :)

 

Thats it for now. Not sure at this point when i'll be back here...but I HOPE it will be in the next few days...!!!

Ahem

Back online and i'm loving it!

All moved house now, almost unpacked and many changes have taken place in our lives...all of which will be revealed soon as I catch my breath with it all.

The blog is undoing some css facelifting after deciding to stay with them until further notice so thats why its looking a bit erm bare?

So much to tell, so much to share and so much to show.....bookmark me and come back soon, i'll be updating on Friday and revealing the next competition!! ;)

~*~Debs~*~

The best lunch boxes ever!! :)

Last week Charley started staying at schools for lunch. This has always been a challenge for me because I like to watch over when he eats because far too often he is just too eager to get onto the next thing and often food is the first thing to be raced through. Then I had an idea as I was working through what foods to actually put in his lunch box to entice him to finish up.

(How did my lil dude get to be so grown up anyway?)

So whilst browsing Tesco for some healthy but fun snacks I decided that I can do this pretty easily, cheap and more attractive and  with less wastage at the end of it. As i'm into recycling and careful about what goes out to the rubbish collectors I decided to join team with a few ideas.

Today he had cooked pasta with diced ham slices, carrot sticks, cheese string, cheese dipper, cheese biscuits, square cut sandwiches with honey roast ham and chopped apple. Homemade carrot cake in the form of a cupcake and orange barley water.

This is tomorrow's lunchbox, he has a variety of his favourite foods, its fun and attractive and still healthy. Win/Win.

Broken down we have:

Circle cut sandwiches (chocolate spread cos even kids need some junk stuff!)

Penguin chocolate bar (which he probably wont eat)

Orange segments

Notice the container? It came along with raspberries in from Tesco! Perfect size for these little goodies and it has a lid!

Chopped melon/pineapple/cherries/peaches.

Next comes diced cheddar cheese and chopped cucumber.

Again, notice the container, this one held blueberries and again has a lid.

A pate tub is ideal for a select amount of cheesy biscuits, reusable tub and no rubbish in the lunchbox.

Charley gets so excited when he sees me doing his lunchbox, he knows he has his favourite snacks in there and will often try and plead with me to have a 'teeny tiny bit just to make sure it tastes ok' Nice try son! :)

The best thing about a packed lunch isnt just the control I have on knowing what he's eating but its in the preparation with Charley to be sure he's going to eat what he actually likes. No more bags of Walkers and half eaten yoghurts splattered through the lunch bag, no more excessive rubbish and wasted foods...whatever he doesn't eat (which isn't a lot) he will nibble on as we walk home from school!

Mission successful :)

~*~Debs~*~

Typepad v Blogger

I've been stressing over the lack of my personality on this blog pretty much since I decided to switch from blogger to typepad and while typepad is a very good host with lots of wonderful things I just dont think it is really what I want.

Yes there are some fun backgrounds but nothing that I can edit/adapt to my style/needs. I want to choose what my blog looks like, what is on the sidebars, what the title bars look like etc and unless I am prepared to learn CSS I am pretty much dictated to by typepads own contribution.

Call me ungrateful but i'm paying for this blog, and while the service is phenominal, the people at typepad are very helpful, friendly and know their stuff the sad fact remains that no matter how wonderful they are, unless they add/change to html then there is very little I can gain here.

So i'm looking for the pros and cons of both typepad and blogger that I may not have thought of before I decide to move..........

What do you think? What is your preference? Why?

~*~Debs~*~

Today is a good day :)

Originally I was going to post 41 facts about me today, given that its my 41st birthday.

But today is my total day of rest. Ok, I am going back to bed after waking up with one cracking headache that feels like i'm being electricuted!

So i'm not going to post, much.

The kids have plans. Not sure what yet but I have been informed to steer clear of the back of the manor for a few hours.

I'm not worrying though. Charley is in school and i'm going to my bed to die for a while.

Maybe i'll do the 41 facts later.

If I live.

~*~Debs~*~

Looking through the past....

Psychology sucks. The day I packed up my craft stuff I started thinking about layouts, handmade books and altered items. The day I took my craft stuff...all 18 large boxes...I had design ideas, layout ideas, technique ideas and a strong desire to sit at my desk and just play, create and express myself.

But I cant.

I am 23 miles from the house and I have chosen to take my car off the road for a while so they aren't accessible to me till I have actually moved.

Which isn't going to be till the 26th October.

Darn.

So I appeased myself by browsing some of my former layouts and projects, that was after I browsed a bazillion blogs and noted ideas down for my 'tip jar' Now I figured i'd stick some on here, to remind me of the old days (just let me wallow here a bit ok?) and to also keep something up on this blog. My ideas and inspiration is in draft form right now and as I dont have the concentration then layouts will do!

Well I think thats enough for now, my desire to push paper around is temporarily appeased :D

~*~Debs~*~

Featured Guest: The American Homemaker :)

My good friend and fellow homemaker, Angie is probably the only person I know who can make a simple meal into a feast, work full time and still raise three happy children in the gospel, play on facebook and still hold a social life...this chick is phenominal...and  I have hooked her to share some of what she does best with us....note I say 'some' cos trust me, if I can talk for England, she can talk for America!! :)

Debbie asked me to write a guest blog post for her, but gave me no topic. LOL I've debated on what to post on and I decided on homemaking. Are you all shocked? With a blog called The American Homemaker what else would I post on?

Homemaking is something I absolutely love. I'm a single working mom of three and maybe not what you'd expect of the typical homemaker, but I don't think homemaking really has anything to do with being a stay-at-home mom anymore. There are too many situations today that put moms into the working world. I think homemaking is an attitude. The home is the most important place in the world for a family and what better person to take care of it than mom?  

I think homemaking encompasses just about everything... cooking, baking, cleaning, shopping, decorating, marriage, sewing, kids, gardening, service, I could go on and on. Not everyone is talented in every homemaking aspect. That's what makes our relationships with each other so necessary. As woman we have the privilege and obligation to help each other out. We give advice, we listen to each other, we offer a shoulder to cry on. We, as homemakers, belong to a very special club. Whether you're a working mom, a stay-at-home mom, a wife, single, divorced, really any situation at all you are a homemaker. It's one of our divine roles as a woman. Embrace it! Improve on the skills that need improving and share the skills that you have perfected. Be proud of who you are! I know I am!

Here are 10 tips for successful homemaking in no particular order... I could have probably written 20 or 30 :)

-Keep on top of things. It's much easier to keep a house clean than it is to clean a messy house. Do dishes as you go, wipe down the sink and toilet every other day, etc. I'd much rather take an extra 5 minutes to do dishes as I go than to go back and do a whole days worth (especially because I have no dishwasher). Wipe down cupboards or chairs when you're waiting for something to cook. Run the vacuum during a commercial. I never have to spend a whole day (or even half a day) cleaning because I do everything as I go. It's a GREAT time saver.

-Keep a notepad on your fridge. Everyone in our house knows if we run out of something or are about to run out they add it to a list on the fridge. When I go shopping I tear the list off and throw it in my purse. I also take requests for meal ideas, snack ideas, etc. I love the cute things that end up on the list like "promision cheese" (parmesan cheese) or my absolute favorite... "a happy mom" :)

-Have a separate bag for church or school responsibilities. This is something I've always done. My church bag has everything in it I need for church, my school bag has my binder, important papers, etc. (for PTA), when we had a swim pass I kept a bag with goggles, ponytail holders, deodorant, swim passes, etc. Even in a small house it's been worth it to me to be able to grab my bag for wherever I'm going and head out the door. I hate wasting time trying to find everything I need for an outing.

-Plan meals... and not just dinners. Planning out breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for two weeks at a time keeps me from wasting time trying to decide what to cook. The kids also like knowing what they'll be eating ahead of time (good or bad). Let the kids be involved in meal preparation. I usually like to cook alone, so it's either me cooking or them cooking. When they were a bit younger I'd have them help as I cooked and it was frustrating, but it taught them the skills they need to cook on their own now (and they aren't that old).

-Cook extra meals and/or meats when you have a bit of time. These come in handy for those days when everything goes wrong and you need a meal quick. When I buy a big package of chicken breasts or hamburger I like to cook it up while I'm putting away groceries, then I can freeze it in already cooked in meal-sized portions. This saves a lot of time later and usually doesn't take extra time since I'm in the kitchen anyways.

-Make the time for family scriptures and prayer. This is a hard one for me. Mornings are too rushed and in the evenings I usually want the kids to just go to bed, especially if I've had a rough day and they're getting on my nerves. We read the Book of Mormon every night together. We only read two verses each and then kneel together in family prayer. Even if I've had a bad day and want nothing more than to give away my kids I make sure we do scriptures and prayer. It helps to change the spirit in our home. Also, have personal prayer every day and pray for your children, your family and your home. Pray for each child's needs individually.

-Give kids responsibilities and they're never too young. This one is HUGE at our house. I don't believe it is my job to do anything for my kids. I've always felt this way. I believe it is my job to teach them to do things themselves. At ages 8, 9 and 12 there is nothing in our home that my kids can't do. Cook, clean, laundry, doesn't matter what it is, they've all been taught and they all have had lots of practice. They each have a chore every day on top of keeping their rooms clean. I simply write three chores on our chalkboard and they decide amongst themselves who will do what. Problem solving and working together in decisions is another great skill for a child to have. Besides chores, they are also each responsible for making their own lunch each night before bed.

-Do your chores before you relax. I don't even know how to relax when my house is a mess... LOL It haunts me. I will NEVER have a spotless house, but I do like it to be clean and uncluttered. I think perfection is something moms need to let go of. I don't want to live in a museum, I want to live in a house. I also want to have lots of down time and yes, even working 5 days and 3 nights a week I have a lot of down time. I do my stuff quickly so I can chill.

-Instill pride in your home in your children. If they feel like it's their home too and they want to take pride in it they will naturally want to keep it clean. Praise your kids a lot for chores they do. If they miss a spot, instruct them how to fix it without making them feel bad. Doing it yourself makes them feel like they didn't do a good enough job. I'll tell my kids things like, you did a great job sweeping, but look over there. When they see the spot they missed they run and get the broom, fix it and then feel like they did great. If I were to grab the broom and sweep right after them, what sort of message would I be sending?

-Let the kids be involved in decision making. Let them have choices in what goes on the menu, who gets to shower first, what to do for family home evening etc. Also let them be aware of things like financial difficulties. It's easier to accept a "no" when they know money is tight. I like to have the whole family be involved in everything instead of mom telling them what to do. It goes back to the responsibly thing. I'm teaching my children to be able to run a household themselves when they're adults. It's also nice on me to not feel like I'm all alone. Even being a single working mom I feel like I have someone to rely on.



I hope you enjoyed the tips :)

-- 
Angie
The American Homemaker

General Conference Activity Packet October 2009

Ok guys, for those of you who are already preparing for the super General Conference this Saturday and Sunday here is a super duper Activity pack for the kids....just click the thingy above and it will open a new page for you to download. Or simply download it here......Download 2009-october-general-conference-primary-activity-packet

Dont say I dont make life easy for you!! ;) Seriously, this pack contains a super range of things for the kids to cut and keep, puzzles, colouring pages, questions and all sorts. It has 20 fun filled pages and will be perfect for any age.


So what you waiting for? Go download it and print it off....and if you're feeling really creative you can even stick it in a binder, folder or staple it like a book!

Dont forget the colouring pens though, you will never hear the end of that one! Oh and the nibbles, we all know kids like little snacks during conference. Drinks too, though I personally suggest a sugar free one because in my experience there's nothing worse than working on sticky paper when one has been spilt!! :)

I guess you could print one of these for yourself too...I might do that. Test your knowledge, let out your creative side (yes we all have one!). Converts will love this pack too....even the adult converts. Maybe you can give a few out? Be nice and thoughtful, I know you are anyway so dont do it just cos I told you to!! :)

I'm off.....have more work to do and a General Conference to prepare for! You can still download the viewing/listening thingy if you click on the words there ^^^^^ (if this gets misaligned when posted i'm pointing at the General Conference words! :D


~*~Debs~*~

ps. check back after 12 today to see what The American Homemaker has to say!! ;)

13 Articles of Faith

Taken from About

In 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote 13 brief statements summarizing some of the basic doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He then delivered the statements to Mr. John Wentworth, publisher of the Chicago Democrat, for publication. However, the statements were never published in the Chicago Democrat. They were instead published in the March edition of the Church newspaper, Times and Seasons.

Then, in 1851, the articles were published in the first edition of the Pearl of Great Price and became official doctrine of the Church in 1880 when the Pearl of Great Price was cannonized.

While the Articles of Faith provide an excellent summary of the basic doctrines of the Church, they are not meant to be comprehensive. Speaking on this Bruce R. McConkie stated:

These articles, of course, do not attempt to summarize all of the basic doctrines of the gospel. For example, the Articles of Faith are silent on such things as celestiral marriage, salvation for the dead, temple work in all its phases, the resurrection, and degrees of glory in the eternal worlds.

The Articles of Faith are as follows:

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul--We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

~*~Debs~*~