tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57157109102530016512024-03-14T18:08:50.760+08:00220 OutletRachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-51030054589404752062011-11-13T13:40:00.000+08:002011-11-13T13:40:04.761+08:003 + 1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/320721_2291802607953_1035657676_2472837_646892005_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/320721_2291802607953_1035657676_2472837_646892005_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big brother Andrew loves his baby sister</td></tr>
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Lily Jean was born on August 14th. A whole week late! She is just about 3 months old now which means it has been a bit longer than that since I updated this blog. I guess my neglect is understandable considering the circumstances. She is beautiful and is a very happy baby. This past week has seen much improvement in my sleeping habits as Lily has finally gotten into some sort of normal schedule. For a while there, it was very touch and go on if I would get ANY quality sleep. Suffice to say, it has been a lot harder this time around. I imagine it has a lot to do with the busy almost 3-year-old boy in the house who is used to mommy's attention. :) It is more fun this time around though too because all the wonderful moments with a newborn are shared with Andrew. It is lovely chaos and I'm thankful for all the memories we are making.<br />
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Other things I've been up to:<br />
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Practising photography photography (my sister Amy has been teaching me)<br />
Cooking up a storm in the kitchen. I've tried a ton of new recipes in the past month<br />
Crafting<br />
Making learning-activities for Andrew<br />
Working at the BSC (I started teaching again last week)<br />
Getting Lily's passport and visa work done<br />
Enjoying life in general! God is good to me!<br />
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So that's it. There's just a short update on life right now.<br />
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My next post will be about the insanity that comes from joining Pinterest!Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-90952977024690223922011-07-28T23:42:00.001+08:002011-07-28T23:44:55.670+08:0010 days and counting...We have been busier than bees in the Robinstein household as we prepare for the arrival of our sweet little girl. My due date is in 10 days and the house is still a wreck from last minute home improvement projects. The reason we are still doing this so close to my due date is mostly because we have been so busy with work and now we have some time off in between sessions but in addition to that, the major project we had to do (fixing up a messed up wall in the "nursery") was held up until our land-lady could get her carpenter to come and replace a wood panel in the kids' room and two spots of the ceiling where water damage had rotted the wood out. So that was finally done and then our house was overwhelmed with the rains and had to put up flood guards and mop up water as it came in twice last week. It has been stressful but we are nearing the end of our preparations and I know we will survive even if Lily were to come now instead of later when we are really ready. We've got the kids' room done, my wonderful cousin, Ronnie, tiled by the bathroom which I have wanted done since we moved into this place but Clint and are still fixing up the ceilings in the rest of the house and we have some painting to do after that. When we get that done we can put everything back where it goes and restore our normal level of crazy in this house. Clint even built Andrew a shelf for all his toys and we need to varnish that among other things but the weather has not been cooperating so we are holding out for a good, sunny day.<br />
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It still doesn't seem quite real that Lily will be here so soon. I have been pretty uncomfortable but I'm happy to know that everything is going great in my pregnancy. My doctor says Lily is head down and just the right size! I am excited to meet her! I know she will bring us so much joy as Andrew has and that excites me. I don't know how I'm going to be able to handle any more cuteness in this house but somehow we will manage. :)<br />
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God is so gracious to us! Please keep us in your prayers and especially help us pray for a safe and normal delivery in the next couple of weeks or so.Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-89922521523312540322011-05-31T12:28:00.000+08:002011-05-31T12:28:25.623+08:00Laughter is the best medicineThere is something about the sound of rain steadily falling outside that is immensely relaxing and the sound of ocean waves can put me to sleep. But I'd have to say my favorite sound of all the sounds I can think of is the sound of laughter. Specifically, Andrew's laughter! He has such an innocence about him and all the things he laughs at are things he thinks are funny in his own precious and innocent mind. I find it so refreshing and joyful!<br />
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Andrew and I spent about a half an hour the other day looking at funny pictures of dogs and cats online and I'm going to share some of his favorites just so you too can have a laugh through the eyes of a 2 year old. No need to worry about innuendo or foul language here. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4boxaUFXApLHVJdpWMkWL7E3LsRq6xFkAvAAcC_-pIZthq4K1ZUVAE7_bDNtWyUL4JsHlsK0jFRnXzhmlhHhFH6WLVowwjaZ4XC0C1wjhRaL9BCQXHeVh9QRLZlR6NdvlXrW8XBXsruE/s1600/cute+doggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4boxaUFXApLHVJdpWMkWL7E3LsRq6xFkAvAAcC_-pIZthq4K1ZUVAE7_bDNtWyUL4JsHlsK0jFRnXzhmlhHhFH6WLVowwjaZ4XC0C1wjhRaL9BCQXHeVh9QRLZlR6NdvlXrW8XBXsruE/s320/cute+doggy.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew laughed so hard at this one and kept asking to see "The dog climbing the plant"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwK4b_wjWN29HEPmIEt2ibmZb3ld1sf1H2UkQSHDBddoM-9e_hQ9SGBqr7bdCto6nyM4VxgscMiRXx2dXUH575SB39gsR4cs7ivlVkMMK6Row6SUbZrjg7ZMhXWLQs03M1UiK5OCPRbyk/s1600/cute_dogs_2-24591788546_xlarge.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwK4b_wjWN29HEPmIEt2ibmZb3ld1sf1H2UkQSHDBddoM-9e_hQ9SGBqr7bdCto6nyM4VxgscMiRXx2dXUH575SB39gsR4cs7ivlVkMMK6Row6SUbZrjg7ZMhXWLQs03M1UiK5OCPRbyk/s320/cute_dogs_2-24591788546_xlarge.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know why but this was funny to him.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kNpKTgqAU9c2UFHRTaRzwb5-X50xekEI0WJfTXf53ei7BwjdiLCZ4FMd6dSM59h3E6K9ocKtX20O1lg5LkOwT4GRrepM8cNhdo7SxzpoNUZbUEcI0fe3yYmgSPSIHJRDUhbU_BVdA0U/s1600/funny_dog_pictures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kNpKTgqAU9c2UFHRTaRzwb5-X50xekEI0WJfTXf53ei7BwjdiLCZ4FMd6dSM59h3E6K9ocKtX20O1lg5LkOwT4GRrepM8cNhdo7SxzpoNUZbUEcI0fe3yYmgSPSIHJRDUhbU_BVdA0U/s320/funny_dog_pictures.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So cute!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqQSHHXFW_4Y9xj1J4TlaDs-E6JVsvi68yC5zP0VgMJbGJLEaEyR7pwNgC6DdYM4rBAkriLIcmBZqOVmB5FDsJRC5Hc3QykxGF4I8Ggj4IkF4wozfltlAgQacgs__3UdzFI69x5Pv2Fo/s1600/funny-cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqQSHHXFW_4Y9xj1J4TlaDs-E6JVsvi68yC5zP0VgMJbGJLEaEyR7pwNgC6DdYM4rBAkriLIcmBZqOVmB5FDsJRC5Hc3QykxGF4I8Ggj4IkF4wozfltlAgQacgs__3UdzFI69x5Pv2Fo/s320/funny-cat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He calls this one the "cat with the helmet"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVe1601mFLH1vy5JvyhZlnFduQ7-SRa2rBNhd_J3Z2AOr5c_gp-uSRag3wFMHfWWzD9Uazss2yAsFq3lFhtlqgki4Xa-5BMkUmgpVBW0nPcFU_oIZe1B7uWKFYJ9d0zH8pfpt9ayKclo/s1600/funny-dog-picture-can-i-keeps-it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVe1601mFLH1vy5JvyhZlnFduQ7-SRa2rBNhd_J3Z2AOr5c_gp-uSRag3wFMHfWWzD9Uazss2yAsFq3lFhtlqgki4Xa-5BMkUmgpVBW0nPcFU_oIZe1B7uWKFYJ9d0zH8pfpt9ayKclo/s320/funny-dog-picture-can-i-keeps-it.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Great big bone!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6WxZCNHvMaHaDbP6oeONyxON2ir5PDaTjsQV9JvrASxKfgYjz3F1LJt96_SUohWUOTuv-_UiiK9tkG2GuLmA6svWZdcZBuzCN5OmOqlcAXeu3moEDw7pXIMb2ZSJqvjuJbOd0TBkvog/s1600/funny-dog-pictures-hopefully-you-know-that-your-dog-loves-you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6WxZCNHvMaHaDbP6oeONyxON2ir5PDaTjsQV9JvrASxKfgYjz3F1LJt96_SUohWUOTuv-_UiiK9tkG2GuLmA6svWZdcZBuzCN5OmOqlcAXeu3moEDw7pXIMb2ZSJqvjuJbOd0TBkvog/s320/funny-dog-pictures-hopefully-you-know-that-your-dog-loves-you.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aww!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2famQTQi7B6eO4ho1SGVOa6BGIAQJ7FaRncG4T_P7ckMSxWXsWAibQMWU3trv8CY5gz5WxyPGqGHaygTBxDhi7PEH041fGBzPwi7VygHmDaGF9BG8Ta4S1JdgsqYDKnBHraF3tKnDU4/s1600/sillyDog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2famQTQi7B6eO4ho1SGVOa6BGIAQJ7FaRncG4T_P7ckMSxWXsWAibQMWU3trv8CY5gz5WxyPGqGHaygTBxDhi7PEH041fGBzPwi7VygHmDaGF9BG8Ta4S1JdgsqYDKnBHraF3tKnDU4/s320/sillyDog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew tried to make this face too. So cute!</td></tr>
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Laughter can always make us feel better no matter how stressed out we are. Thank God for laughter!<br />
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What has made you laugh lately?Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-51884632880175589222011-04-21T21:07:00.001+08:002011-04-21T21:50:17.772+08:00Chocoholics AnonymousHello,<br />
My name is Rachael and I have a confession to make. Here's my story:<br />
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During my first trimester of this pregnancy I did not really have what would be defined as classic "morning sickness" but I did experience times of nausea and a whole not of non-existent appetite. Trying to find something I WANTED to eat was quite difficult. Plus I'd have weird cravings like I'd want a big steak at 11pm and the next day my darling husband would take me to lunch where I could get a steak and the idea of eating any meat at all made me sick! It was a rough first trimester and I ended up losing weight which was no surprise. My doctor was stern with me that I need to eat properly and eat enough calories to cover running after a toddler AND building a baby. So Clint was nice and made me eat all the time and was very patient as I scrunched my nose in distaste at many suggestions throughout the day. <br />
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Now that I am in the second trimester we'll just say that the appetite problem is not a problem anymore! It feels like I'm eating all the time and I'm finally gaining more. Problem is... <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVhPNAX7tEWwSgwPssUTcspkDRqUJFBzKr1Z0ng-zcZ8u0_Q6DE6ynVLqRrM53YL344TI3cBAiXIyY6Grb5vqTqtMu93R3JtKoRRakk3S6bzdZJI4HOniDZU7y-1UOlgidWok5kq8G14/s1600/chocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVhPNAX7tEWwSgwPssUTcspkDRqUJFBzKr1Z0ng-zcZ8u0_Q6DE6ynVLqRrM53YL344TI3cBAiXIyY6Grb5vqTqtMu93R3JtKoRRakk3S6bzdZJI4HOniDZU7y-1UOlgidWok5kq8G14/s320/chocolate.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
...THIS is what I'd like to be eating all the time. Now, if you know me you know that I appreciate a yummy sweet treat every now and then but I'm not a huge fan of candies, cookies and cakes and especially not too much chocolate. But, apparently hormones can change that about a person! So while I'm grumpily munching on a carrot I'm really thinking about the big bag of mini-candy bars that are in my pantry and while I am eating chicken, rice and corn for lunch I really just wish I could fill up on a bunch of chocolate chip cookies or cupcakes! Hopefully this is just a phase because This is killing me! I guess I should be thankful I'm so stubborn because this "iron will" is probably why I have not gained 20 pounds in the past 3 weeks. :) Well, that and knowing that eating a whole bunch of chocolate can't be good for little Lily. At least now I know how many women feel when they talk about needing their chocolate fix. It really is a necessity. I am sorry I ever doubted you!<br />
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I'm off to go check the status of my mini-crunch bar stash. I'll leave you with this bit of inspiration to go green...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenZBgcRWSXzVVt7BXsdOmN8KrOOJmFF9-rVsrYWjB38rCa0KGAMofu3MnvaWXUowlBy6getICLaAltDtZMZVChl_Yx_NvtmUZgFg6mDosGpBlOe0jF3KTFyxHnZqLIweffn1ksvJqDa8/s1600/UU8sftjMcoybdlfjilHyL8wqo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenZBgcRWSXzVVt7BXsdOmN8KrOOJmFF9-rVsrYWjB38rCa0KGAMofu3MnvaWXUowlBy6getICLaAltDtZMZVChl_Yx_NvtmUZgFg6mDosGpBlOe0jF3KTFyxHnZqLIweffn1ksvJqDa8/s320/UU8sftjMcoybdlfjilHyL8wqo1_500.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-84021286722302497852011-04-15T22:27:00.002+08:002011-04-21T21:51:18.184+08:00I think I can't. I think I can't. I think I can't.One of my most vivid memories from the first days of being a mother was standing in my house hugging my mom goodbye after she picked us up from the hospital to bring us home and the tears welling up in my eyes as I began to break down and tell her how terrified I was that I was going to do something wrong or that Andrew would be up all night miserable because I could not figure out what he needed or what I should do. She hugged me and smiled and said she knew I could handle it. But, she offered to stay the night anyway to help and I was so glad she did. After that first night of taking care of him (with lots of help) I KNEW I really could do this! I just lacked the self-confidence.<br />
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My wonderful husband is always telling me that if I keep telling myself I CAN'T do something then I will always be right. As long as I think I cannot accomplish this task or that one then I will be holding myself back from doing it. James talks about your tongue as a rudder and that, even though it is so small, it can be as powerful as the tiny rudder on a huge ship. The older I get the more I see that my husband and James are really right. If I can just start telling myself that I CAN do this then I will be able to and have confidence that God will give me the strength I need to do it whether it's preparing VBS materials, loving my enemy or forgiving someone who has hurt me deeply.<br />
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So here's to changing "I think I can't!" to "In God, I know I can!"Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-72522721745903099222011-04-05T16:00:00.000+08:002011-04-05T16:00:56.659+08:00When Worlds CollideWe are going to blend this....<br />
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With this...<br />
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<br />
<br />
And we are SUPER excited!<br />
<br />
When I found out I was having a boy with Andrew I had no idea what to do with a boy! Now I like my little boy and all the joys and toys that come along with him being ALL BOY! I don't even mind the filthy clothes I have to wash.<br />
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Now that we are expecting a girl (the first grand daughter on both sides) we are even happier and I'm ready to break out the bows and ribbons and lace! <br />
<br />
I still can't believe I'm going to have a DAUGHTER! What a change but not a bad one for sure. God gave us the perfect child for us the first time around and I know it will be the same this time! God is gracious!Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-81093767980202089512011-04-04T00:02:00.000+08:002011-04-04T00:02:06.926+08:00Precious MomentsI thought I would share a few things that help remind me constantly of how awesome our God is and how the best things in life can come in the littlest packages... like little people! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAsmKQiCXytoazRkAe85vp7scJ7ZPoXcfXLGBQqem8fPXVdhPn4BDCgW_crdBzpLmd5YeXMPnAfm-m-O7WKUGvqmR47_pCgeo03-V0_SJ9oLTge2vkQqH7E_y_aeFLwxcY32PxzeDoPU/s1600/Andrew+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAsmKQiCXytoazRkAe85vp7scJ7ZPoXcfXLGBQqem8fPXVdhPn4BDCgW_crdBzpLmd5YeXMPnAfm-m-O7WKUGvqmR47_pCgeo03-V0_SJ9oLTge2vkQqH7E_y_aeFLwxcY32PxzeDoPU/s320/Andrew+2.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My most favoritest little man ever!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We always encourage Andrew to say thank you to God for things during the day and at night. Sometimes he spouts out random things on his own without me asking what he is thankful for and sometimes we lay in bed and thank God for everything under the sun. Which is never a waste of time! We also like to pray for people who are sick or struggling and I don't know if he quite gets all that is going on when we ask God for things but he definitely understands being thankful. Last night while laying in bed next to him I asked him what he wanted to thank God for and he said "Thank you God for.... GOD!" I said "Well, yes. Thank you God for being a great God." and I ask him what else he wants to thank God for and his response was heart melting... "Thank you for always keeping mommy safe." See what I mean? Then he thanked God for keeping everyone in his family safe.<br />
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When I ask him who made the trees, skies, his baby sister, etc. he responds "God" and sometimes adds "God is SO powerful!" I guess we are teaching him something right.<br />
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Another thing that I absolutely adore is when he sings Bible story songs like "Joshua fought the battle of Jericho" and "Zacchaeus was a wee little man". We don't watch videos much so singing songs is one of our favorite past times and we like to look at books and sing Bible songs with his Bible story books. But it is even cuter when he is sitting in his room playing with a toy car and out of the blue we hear him singing "Jesus loves me this I know."<br />
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My recent favorite is when I ask him if he loves me he says "Yes. This much." and places his hands close together and then laughs and says "No, THIS much!" and throws his hands out as far apart as they can go. :D I love this kid!<br />
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And God is blessing us with ANOTHER one? I don't know how my heart can grown any more. But I've said that many times before! So much to be thankful for! God is good!Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-88432991990841447222011-03-26T11:30:00.001+08:002011-03-26T11:40:31.275+08:00Gotta go go go go go....One of the most frustrating things to me about pregnancy is the remarkable shrinkage of your bladder! Yes, I know it doesn't actually shrink but with all that baby and uterus expanding it kinda bunches things together down there and the bladder has to make room. At least that's what I've read in books and online(In much more scientific terms) to explain this phenomenon of an overactive bladder.<br />
The unfortunate thing is that, when you are 20 weeks pregnant and taking care of a two year old at the same time, you get pretty drained at the end of the day and you are ready to sleep as soon as your tired body meets your gloriously soft bed... then you have to get up and go potty. Then you come back to bed and the baby starts kicking, then you have to go again. It is a vicious cycle and sometimes the up and down getting no sleep plus the raging hormones makes you just want to cry. I almost lost it last night when I had been trying to sleep for 2 hours and had already gotten up 3 times and I was finally getting comfortable and sleepy and Andrew started to fuss. He woke up crying and was just not feeling well. So I was up another 2 hours with him trying to sleep but he kept waking fussing and wanting mommy to hold him and talk to him. So after he finally went to sleep and I went to the bathroom AGAIN it was after 4am! I was one tired mama. For the record. He seems much better today. :)<br />
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The reality is that every pain and trial in pregnancy is worth it! I was miserable on bed rest with Andrew but I would do it over again in a heartbeat for my little man! He is such a blessing from God and I know this little one will bring me just as much joy as his/her big brother. I may gripe and complain about back pains and "round ligament pains" and about how the baby is always kicking right when I'm trying to sleep but in reality I could not be happier. I am so blessed and if I have to get up and pee 100 times in the night to bring this child into the world I am ready to do it!<br />
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We find out in just a few days if we get to reuse all Andrew's boy clothes or if we need to add some serious frills to the wardrobe. I am very excited to know but as I have been telling everyone who asks me, I will be happy with either boy or girl. God blessed us with Andrew and I know He will give us whatever is right for us the second time around. Being a female myself, I have always loved dolls and girly things but in the past 2 years, balls, dirt and toy cars have found a very VERY special place in my heart.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFt97GjJdpqODJEiPcqWwq19fWJbOhSNCaI5wHGTT8QTjYgjdIfUHCtyQdFwdDMi8WXjz1arKDyh4koEuM9UySGN0-Ph1ZeHT0Pt8BBndRaGECIAyFqgVTQtogZxjyu_S6-UFIA48TZY/s1600/DSC04000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFt97GjJdpqODJEiPcqWwq19fWJbOhSNCaI5wHGTT8QTjYgjdIfUHCtyQdFwdDMi8WXjz1arKDyh4koEuM9UySGN0-Ph1ZeHT0Pt8BBndRaGECIAyFqgVTQtogZxjyu_S6-UFIA48TZY/s320/DSC04000.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-84408974178444039942011-03-05T19:31:00.002+08:002011-03-05T19:40:36.137+08:00Love and marriage...We had a dinner at the Bible Study Center for all the married couples for Valentine's Day a couple weeks ago and it was a lot of fun. I took charge of games and by the end of the first game my face hurt from smiling and laughing so much.<br />
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I thought I would share with y'all what made us laugh so much. Maybe you can organize and play with several couples or you can still enjoy these games with you and your spouse even if it's not Valentine's Day anymore.<br />
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Love Letter Mad Lib Story<br />
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Click <a href="http://www.diva-girl-parties-and-stuff.com/love-letter-mad-lib.html">here</a> to find this printable activity. Go to the bottom of the page for the printable version. If you have never done a mad lib before this is how it works. You have to come up with a list of verbs, nouns, adjectives, places etc. off the top of your head and then fill those words into blanks in a story. So print up enough copies for whoever is playing and make sure not to read the story before you finish your word list. Transfer your words to the proper places and then be ready for some laughs. We had 20 people last night and several of the resulting letters had us laughing out loud.<br />
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Newlywed game<br />
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We played a game like this at our party last year so I got online for some suggestions of questions. It turned out really great! Both husband and wife must provide an answer and if their answers match, they get a point! So if the question is about what the wife would like/enjoy/etc. then the wife must provide her answer and the husband must guess what her answer is and vice versa. It is a lot of fun!<br />
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The list I came up with is as follows:<br />
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1. Who would your wife say is the "better catch" of the two of you?<br />
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2. If your husband could change his job what would his dream job be?<br />
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3. If you were prince charming and your wife was Cinderella what size would her glass slipper be?<br />
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4. What would your husband say is your most irritating habit?<br />
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5H. Who hogs the bed covers?<br />
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6. What was the last book your husband read?<br />
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7. What 2 items would your wife never leave home without?<br />
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8. If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world where would your husband want to go?<br />
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9. When was the last time your wife went to a beauty parlor?<br />
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10W. What percentage of the housework would your husband say he does?<br />
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11. When it comes to home improvement your wife considers you to be?<br />
a. Tim the tool man, (makes the job worse)<br />
b. Bob the builder, (forever starting new projects without completing the old)<br />
c. Al (does it right the first time)<br />
d. completely clueless<br />
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12. If your husband won the lottery, what would be the first thing he would spend the money on?<br />
a. pay off debts<br />
b. buy a car<br />
c. buy a house<br />
d. take you on a vacation<br />
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13. What color is your wife's toothbrush?<br />
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14. What would your husband say is your favorite food?<br />
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15. What is the most money your wife has ever spent on a single pair of shoes?<br />
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16. What is your husband's favorite genre of movies?<br />
a. action<br />
b. drama<br />
c. comedy<br />
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17. If you wanted to have a romantic evening with your wife what would she most like to do?<br />
a. watch a movie<br />
b. stay at home<br />
c. dinner out<br />
d. window shopping<br />
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18. When you first met your husband, what would he say is the first thing that caught his attention about you?<br />
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19. Who takes longer to get ready when going out?<br />
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20. Where was your first date?<br />
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Bonus questions:<br />
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1. Which kind of gift would your wife most like to receive from you?<br />
a. flowers<br />
b. food (chocolate or cakes etc.)<br />
c. jewelry<br />
d. clothes<br />
e. appliances (hint: probably not this one guys)<br />
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2. Which kind of gift would be the least appropriate for your husband?<br />
a. electronics<br />
b. literature<br />
c. tools<br />
d. clothes<br />
e. food<br />
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Well, I hope you and your spouse enjoy this and maybe learn something new! I for instance learned that my husband's other dream job would be a ski instructor! Who knew?<br />
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Keep smiling!Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-75434233733891562422011-02-24T01:58:00.001+08:002011-02-24T02:00:08.429+08:00Bible trivia time!I made this trivia quiz last weekend for our ladies fellowship and I think it does a pretty good job at testing your knowledge and peaking your interest to study more. We need all the encouragement we can get right? Grab a pen and paper and give it a try why don't you? Answers are at the bottom of the post. Click "Read more" for the whole quiz. Enjoy!<br />
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1. Who was the oldest man recorded to have lived in the Bible?<br />
a. Marduk<br />
b. Meheposheth<br />
c. Jehosophat<br />
d. Methuselah<br />
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2.How old was he when he died?<br />
a. 797<br />
b. 858<br />
c. 969<br />
d. 1097<br />
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3. What major event happened in the year that Methuselah died?<br />
a. The tower of Babel<br />
b. The great flood<br />
c. A great famine<br />
d. The Exodus from Egypt<br />
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4. Who is the only woman in the Old Testament whose age is mentioned in the Bible?<br />
a. Sarah<br />
b. Rachel<br />
c. Leah <br />
d. Eve<br />
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5. Which prophet of God ate a scroll which was “sweet as honey” in his mouth?<br />
a. Hosea<br />
b. Ezekiel<br />
c. Daniel<br />
d. Samson<br />
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6. What was Ruth's relationship with the great King David?<br />
a. Mother<br />
b. Grandmother<br />
c. Great Grandmother<br />
d. not related at all<br />
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7. Moses was adopted by...<br />
a. his aunt<br />
b. his sister<br />
c. a foreign king<br />
d. a foreign princess<br />
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8. Which of the following events is NOT recorded in the Bible?<br />
a. A young boy Jesus heals the broken wing of a bird<br />
b. An angry prophet calls to God and she bears come and tear apart juveniles who called him “bald”<br />
c. A young man runs off naked after Jesus is arrested<br />
d. God tells one of His prophets to bake bread using cow dung as fuel for the fire<br />
e. None of the above<br />
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9. How many books are in the Old and New Testaments?<br />
<br />
10. Who was the mother of Samuel?<br />
a. Rhoda<br />
b. Hannah<br />
c. Joanna<br />
d. Esther<br />
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11. What was Eli's first impression of Hannah?<br />
a. She was sleeping<br />
b. She was beautiful<br />
c. She was drunk<br />
d. She was disruptive<br />
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12. Jesus said to his disciples “Follow me and I will make you...”<br />
a. rich beyond your wildest dreams.<br />
b. fishers of men.<br />
c. my personal servants.<br />
d. famous throughout the world.<br />
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13. David killed Goliath by:<br />
a. piercing his heart with a spear<br />
b. poisoning him<br />
c. hitting him in the head with a stone<br />
d. drowning him<br />
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14. The fruit which Adam and Eve ate is:<br />
a. an apple<br />
b. a pomegranate<br />
c. a passion fruit<br />
d. unknown<br />
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15. Which animal is mentioned the most in the Bible?<br />
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16. Jonah was swallowed by:<br />
a. a shark<br />
b. a great fish<br />
c. the earth<br />
d. a whale<br />
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17. Paul says that a woman of God should adorn herself with:<br />
a. good deeds<br />
b. beautiful clothes<br />
c. golden jewelry<br />
d. tasteful makeup<br />
e. all of the above<br />
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18. Which of the following was Jesus NOT called in the Bible?<br />
a. Elijah<br />
b. a drunkard and glutton<br />
c. God<br />
d. a man performing tricks instead of real miracles<br />
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19. How many women bore children to Jacob?<br />
a. 1<br />
b. 2<br />
c. 4<br />
d. 6<br />
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20. Which of the following is NOT one of the fruits of the spirit?<br />
a. Selflessness<br />
b. Kindness<br />
c. Self Control<br />
d. Peace<br />
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21. On the second day of creation, God created...<br />
a. Plants<br />
b. the seas and skies<br />
c. the moon and stars<br />
d. animals<br />
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22. What was the occupation of Rahab of Jericho?<br />
a. Seamstress<br />
b. Storeclerk<br />
c. Baker<br />
d. Prostitute<br />
e. Preistess<br />
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23. According to Proverbs “The beginning of wisdom is...”<br />
a. “diligent study and dedication to God”<br />
b. “justice”<br />
c. “the fear of the Lord”<br />
d. “the instructions of your father”<br />
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24. In John's first letter he says that “If we say we have fellowship with God while we walk in darkness we...”<br />
a. lie<br />
b. are crazy<br />
c. will die<br />
d. are ignorant<br />
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25. Which word accurately describes Zacchaeus?<br />
a. Poor<br />
b. Short<br />
c. Ugly<br />
d. Sickly<br />
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26. What was John the Baptist's father's occupation?<br />
a. priest<br />
b. shepherd<br />
c. carpenter<br />
d. fisherman<br />
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27. John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the word (Jesus) and the word was with God and the word...<br />
a. was pleased to be with God”<br />
b. was God”<br />
c. loved God”<br />
d. praised God with all the angels”<br />
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28. What was the name of Timothy's mother?<br />
a. Esther<br />
b. Precilla<br />
c. Eunice<br />
d. Rhoda<br />
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29. True or false:<br />
The word “trinity” can be found in the verses of the Bible.<br />
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30. True or false:<br />
Rachel was Jacob's first wife.<br />
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Bonus questions:<br />
<br />
31. Rebekah's family said they agreed that she could leave and go to marry Isaac because:<br />
a. they knew and liked Abraham<br />
b. they knew she would be taken good care of<br />
c. Abraham's servant gave her gold jewelry and gifts.<br />
d. the Lord had spoken<br />
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32. What was the Chaldean name of Daniel?<br />
<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
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Answers:<br />
1.D, 2.C, 3.B, 4.A, 5.B, 6.C, 7.D, 8.A, 9. 37/29, 10.B<br />
11.C, 12.B, 13.C, 14. D, 15.Sheep, 16. B, 17.A, 18.D, 19.C, 20.A<br />
21.B, 22.D, 23.C, 24.A, 25.B, 26.A, 27.B, 28.C, 29. False, 30.False<br />
31.D, 32.Belteshazzar<br />
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Well? How did you do? I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think or if you found any typos or mistakes in my key. It is 2am as I'm finalizing this and I do have pregnant brain syndrome. ;)Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-85829915079679627522011-02-12T23:59:00.000+08:002011-02-12T23:59:50.421+08:00Singing two year olds and flashbacksWhen I was about my sons age my parents joke about my singing.<br />
<br />
My favorite account is when my brother and I were singing "I'm in the Lord's army". In this song you go through the stanza then you sing "I'm in the Lord's army" 3 times and then sing the stanza again. Well, my brother would sing with me and when we got to that part where you sang "I'm in the Lord's army" I just kept going and going. <br />
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Another favorite was the song "The B-I-B-L-E". I would loudly and proudly belt out "The B-I-B-I-L, yes that's the book for me. I stand upon the word of God, the B-I-B-I-L."<br />
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Yes, I know I was adorable! Maybe my son gets it from me. Although he seems to be doing a better job at the singing thing so far but I know we are just getting started. He LOVES to sing and that makes this mommy happy.<br />
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The list of songs he knows is growing but lets see some of what he knows so far...<br />
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I will make you fishers of men<br />
Ring around the rosies<br />
Jesus loves me<br />
ABC's<br />
10 lepers<br />
Twinkle twinkle little star<br />
Row row row your boat<br />
Jesus loves the little children (in English and cebuano)<br />
Lalum Lapad (Cebuano version of Deep and wide. He's still learning the English)<br />
My God is so big<br />
Jesus loves the little ones like me me me!<br />
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Ok, so he knows a bunch of songs and I love to hear him sing. He soaks stuff up like a sponge. God has blessed me with one amazing child!<br />
(beaming smiles from a proud mommy)<br />
:DRachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-17875231223055359282011-01-27T22:47:00.000+08:002011-01-27T22:47:28.012+08:00Penny pinching & Centavo cinchingI know a lot of people these days are trying to save money. Some people like to indulge in simple pleasures but with the way the world is now many people are getting to be a bit smarter about how they spend their money.<br />
God has always taken great care of me and my family and He gives me no reason to not trust Him. But Clint and I have taken some steps lately to try to trim the budget down a bit. It's especially important now considering we have another baby on the way and our budget is already tight as is. I thought I might share some of our money saving techniques with you. It's nothing ground breaking.<br />
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In no particular order...<br />
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1. We have this ongoing thing where we DO NOT SPEND anything on entertainment for a month. That means no going to movies, no buying movies, cds, songs, etc. We tried it several months ago and it kinda stuck as a semi-permanent long term thing. <br />
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2. Limit the number of times you eat out each week. This is a lot easier to do when you consider what you pay for your food and try to figure out what it would cost to make the same thing at home. It kinda shocks you into creativity with meals. The only thing hindering us from doing even better at this is our schedule and not having time or opportunity to go and get groceries as often as we might like.<br />
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3. Decide NOT TO BUY anything that you don't absolutely need. This is another thing that we tried for a month and it went well but it's a lot harder to stick to because I have a little man who doesn't necessarily NEED certain things but I want him to have. <br />
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4. DON'T BUY premade greeting/birthday cards. Seriously, they cost a fortune! You can make a cute home made card with craft stuff you already have at home and while some people think it is tacky to make a homemade card, I happen to think that it shows a lot more forethought and effort. You can even make a card on the computer and print it up.<br />
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5. Try your darndest to NOT FORGET your left overs. I am an airhead when it comes to remembering what food is in my fridge. I forget everything from yesterdays super yummy stirfry to a delicious chocolate bar. The more leftovers you eat the less you spend. I mean throwing away food and leftovers is like throwing away money.<br />
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6. Think of things that your family can do that don't cost anything. Watch a DVD you already own, listen to some CDs you have, go to the park. I know in America there are a ton of things and places you can go for FREE entertainment. One day we wanted to go to the pool but were tight on money so we set up the sprinkler in the yard and had a blast that way.<br />
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7. Drink more water. It's that simple. Soft drinks might be cheaper than fresh juices but they still cost a lot more than water. <br />
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8. Ditch Starbucks! Clint and I are not coffee people but we do enjoy a coffee drink here and there. Why not try making your own at home? All you need is a blender, some ice, coffee, chocolate syrup or caramel flavor etc. Play around with it and you are bound to find something yummy.<br />
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9. DO NOT BROWSE through the store! If you need something then get it and get out. You will find you only want what you see! You will be more content with what you have when you are not out in the malls/department stores looking at all the pretty things you do not have!<br />
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10. Make home made gifts. Get crafty! Think of something that is along the lines of your interests and see if there is a way to make a gift out of it. Like my hand painted box or bottles.<br />
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11. Figure out things that you need or want that you can do/make for yourself. For example, I was able to spend just a couple dollars on supplies to make a backpack for Andrew that would have cost a lot more to buy. There are tons of websites with great tutorials on how to do many crafts and other types of projects.<br />
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12. Get rid of cable. We did this early last year mostly because we hardly ever had time to sit and watch TV or we preferred to do other things. We now just watch videos we own or borrow from family. We still end up watching Winnie the Pooh or Blue's Clues with Andrew most of the time anyway. My dashingly handsome informant, Clint, tells me that in the US you can (legally) watch pretty much anything online for free. So who needs cable?<br />
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13. Use powdered milk instead of fresh (at least for cooking)<br />
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14.Dry your clothes on a line instead of the dryer.<br />
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15. Wear your clothes more than once before washing (you will need to use your common sense and sense of smell to do this one effectively)<br />
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16. Downgrade from kleenex or charmin TP... seriously... do you really need 20 ply toilet paper? <br />
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17. Try generic/store brand products. Store brand antibacterial hand soap still gets the job done.<br />
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18. Make your own coloring books for kids with FREE coloring pages online. <br />
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19. If you like to pamper yourself with a manicure or leg waxing, why not try doing them yourself at home? <br />
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20. Buy shampoo, lotion or soap in big bottles and use them to refill smaller bottles. <br />
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21.Cloth diaper and breastfeed! It is amazing how much money you can save even if you don't/can't do it exclusively.<br />
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<br />
22. Never pay for babysitting. I am fortunate enough to have family close by that can help when I need a break or a night out with my hubby. Chances are, even if you don't have family close by, you know someone that has kids that you can trade baby sitting nights with. ;)<br />
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<br />
Well, like I said, it is nothing groundbreaking but just a few tips I thought I would share as I have been brainstorming a lot to see how to trim down the budget. I did not include some things that are obvious things like using coupons and taking advantage of online sales/clearances because we don't have those here but you definitely should look into it if you have that available to you!<br />
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When I think about money I am always reminded of Jesus words...<br />
<br />
<blockquote><i style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Matt 6:25-34</b> - 25 Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? 26 Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? 28 And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. </i></blockquote><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBVJgYQirRzrEzZ2ZULF1Y4J8F0LtJpHpx_v-aLpC711gHAUMHfl9FVRcVqc21FaTcYLw4eL_RO-GJq0iKEmDMz9Lp5_WmkxnGawlqKGa1vEYWf3UGR7M-GHza9dd9AfQx5dQ3xgSgUw/s1600/lily.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBVJgYQirRzrEzZ2ZULF1Y4J8F0LtJpHpx_v-aLpC711gHAUMHfl9FVRcVqc21FaTcYLw4eL_RO-GJq0iKEmDMz9Lp5_WmkxnGawlqKGa1vEYWf3UGR7M-GHza9dd9AfQx5dQ3xgSgUw/s320/lily.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBVJgYQirRzrEzZ2ZULF1Y4J8F0LtJpHpx_v-aLpC711gHAUMHfl9FVRcVqc21FaTcYLw4eL_RO-GJq0iKEmDMz9Lp5_WmkxnGawlqKGa1vEYWf3UGR7M-GHza9dd9AfQx5dQ3xgSgUw/s320/lily.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not even Solomon in all his gory was clothed like one of these!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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God is so awesome!Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-14566904713318719262011-01-26T17:33:00.000+08:002011-01-26T17:33:36.863+08:00More bottle designs...I made these over the holidays for some special ladies!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQyh3GPEkoH9xeXAkXtgmGXLul2oVzMvEeeOAzqVuDd8JHNdv6AaRPxS6H6ZiqHlKzSo12TQhcDM_-x9YCWzTq6nTP0imHiye8evVsClHS_Auq7sYmQOoyt3WzFTAmnMygCBpGnq1PqA/s1600/DSC03238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQyh3GPEkoH9xeXAkXtgmGXLul2oVzMvEeeOAzqVuDd8JHNdv6AaRPxS6H6ZiqHlKzSo12TQhcDM_-x9YCWzTq6nTP0imHiye8evVsClHS_Auq7sYmQOoyt3WzFTAmnMygCBpGnq1PqA/s320/DSC03238.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQyh3GPEkoH9xeXAkXtgmGXLul2oVzMvEeeOAzqVuDd8JHNdv6AaRPxS6H6ZiqHlKzSo12TQhcDM_-x9YCWzTq6nTP0imHiye8evVsClHS_Auq7sYmQOoyt3WzFTAmnMygCBpGnq1PqA/s320/DSC03238.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front view</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLA8xzHzrv0HCGB3BhQdluirqU62XaxQ43Da1iDVSMuqjxNp_KX-80Du3PJNia8a7I_UJSZf76cpiLLXN3c8ZBnRqurNHo9n82m4Ml4h5FN41nTifGEg_sysiXRG3Mt2utRIgIUHdBHJA/s1600/DSC03236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLA8xzHzrv0HCGB3BhQdluirqU62XaxQ43Da1iDVSMuqjxNp_KX-80Du3PJNia8a7I_UJSZf76cpiLLXN3c8ZBnRqurNHo9n82m4Ml4h5FN41nTifGEg_sysiXRG3Mt2utRIgIUHdBHJA/s320/DSC03236.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLA8xzHzrv0HCGB3BhQdluirqU62XaxQ43Da1iDVSMuqjxNp_KX-80Du3PJNia8a7I_UJSZf76cpiLLXN3c8ZBnRqurNHo9n82m4Ml4h5FN41nTifGEg_sysiXRG3Mt2utRIgIUHdBHJA/s320/DSC03236.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back view</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I just wanted to share. I'm happy with how they turned out.Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-58647319031829944002011-01-22T21:31:00.001+08:002011-01-26T17:31:15.325+08:00Whatcha got cooking?Well, if you must know I've got a bun in the oven!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosqdY8mwWtrvtC5yteMKcPBb3PO0VSygP-4TH7JW2I-Nm7JtkN444HEyQ6F2QIZdym2VHI9kJs9QFUTu_ylL_3yz_Bz5YDjzqMMnLmxDZCLxlmk2jZTSaCKs9F2DPEfuQj2deuuazSkM/s1600/08-07-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosqdY8mwWtrvtC5yteMKcPBb3PO0VSygP-4TH7JW2I-Nm7JtkN444HEyQ6F2QIZdym2VHI9kJs9QFUTu_ylL_3yz_Bz5YDjzqMMnLmxDZCLxlmk2jZTSaCKs9F2DPEfuQj2deuuazSkM/s320/08-07-11.jpg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosqdY8mwWtrvtC5yteMKcPBb3PO0VSygP-4TH7JW2I-Nm7JtkN444HEyQ6F2QIZdym2VHI9kJs9QFUTu_ylL_3yz_Bz5YDjzqMMnLmxDZCLxlmk2jZTSaCKs9F2DPEfuQj2deuuazSkM/s320/08-07-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bun in the oven</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Yes, we're expecting our second child! According to the ultrasound and my own calculations the EDD is August 7th so I'm just now entering my 2nd trimester. It has been interesting so far. I have had quite a bit of nausea especially over the Christmas holidays but it's been a lot better lately. Based on an old wives tale I must be having a girl because this pregnancy has been so different. I hardly had any nausea when I was pregnant with Andrew. I'm so emotional lately as well. I initially suspected I might be pregnant when my mother showed me the new cabinets my dad built her for her wash area and I started crying! I've also been beyond exhausted during the past several weeks. I was never this exhausted with Andrew, even in his first weeks of life. But I am healthy and we got to see the baby a couple of weeks ago and it was wriggling around as expected so despite the problems I am thankful to God. <br />
<br />
Everyone keeps asking me if we want a boy or girl but I honestly don't care. I thought I wanted a girl when I was pregnant with Andrew but when I found out it was a boy and got used to the idea I was so happy I was having a boy and when he arrived I knew God gave me just what I needed and wanted. I trust he will do the same for us this time. He is so good! So I'm happy with a boy or a girl. I am just praying for.a healthy baby and that we don't have a repeat of the problems I had during my first pregnancy. Which, by the way, my doctor thinks is highly unlikely<br />
<br />
Andrew turned 2 last weekend (January 16th) and he is such a big boy. He talks all the time and if you are on my FaceBook then you get to read about all the cute stuff he says and does. I don't really think he <i>completely</i> understands what we mean when we say we are having a baby but he understands there is a baby in mommy's "belly" and pats my tummy sometimes and says "Hi baby". It melts my heart. It continues to amaze me how much love a mother can have for her child. Just when I think I could not possibly love him more somehow my heart grows a few sizes! <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXqmSEQQFCXEwJepnIS5sGw0XlTlL3vTVs0VGVm9uZuDEm5UIUW2zPKijotPTYtTm7F4CcRH1eTkk4eS9ki4EX0e7RIjahzfjcXJUyWMcpSXWzV52cVaiSkVshTHBWaXIMRx3FSHK-h4/s1600/DSC03543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXqmSEQQFCXEwJepnIS5sGw0XlTlL3vTVs0VGVm9uZuDEm5UIUW2zPKijotPTYtTm7F4CcRH1eTkk4eS9ki4EX0e7RIjahzfjcXJUyWMcpSXWzV52cVaiSkVshTHBWaXIMRx3FSHK-h4/s320/DSC03543.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXqmSEQQFCXEwJepnIS5sGw0XlTlL3vTVs0VGVm9uZuDEm5UIUW2zPKijotPTYtTm7F4CcRH1eTkk4eS9ki4EX0e7RIjahzfjcXJUyWMcpSXWzV52cVaiSkVshTHBWaXIMRx3FSHK-h4/s320/DSC03543.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's not to love?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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I'm thinking my next post will be about some money saving ideas Clint and I have come up with. :) TTFN!Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-35961765583014250982010-12-05T00:29:00.001+08:002010-12-05T00:50:10.623+08:00Tutorial: Hand sanitizer bottlesIf you know me then you know that I'm a little bit of a germ freak. I'm not too bad though. I just like to bathe with anti-bacterial soaps/body washes and use lots of soap while doing the dishes and I go through a lot of hand sanitizer. It seemed like I was always digging around in my purse for my bottle of hand sanitizer. The picture in my previous post seemed to be the answer to my problems. Purell makes what they call "Jelly wraps" which can be attached to car keys, purses, backpacks etc. They just are not available in Cebu and I really wanted a way to find my bottle of hand sanitizer quick when I really needed it. (like when my silly son puts his hands on the floor in a public restroom to stoop down and take a peek at the unsuspecting lady in the next stall :O) So I took a good look at the design and after a little brain storming my plan looked like this:<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Find some way to permanently attach some kind of thick thread/string to the bottle so that it would not slide off during refilling </li>
<li>Tie something to the end of the string that can attach to a bag but still be removable to go from bag to bag</li>
</ol><br />
Hey, I said after a LITTLE brain storming. :) <br />
<br />
I went shopping to see what kind of bottles were available and I found one that has a little lip lower than where the lid screws on....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3a8YcdlR7UafgoFj4lLS99j-eCYfn9PJIu2Z023crzDdhVnpgrCG7G-j9nQiRKlZY6OqlUgLVuvwyXnb0kgYBNfmJwFUJ0xy6LeuhV2snHoUDEDH-J6UxmoYWt1gSR30wB9eHT4vyLc/s1600/DSC01936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3a8YcdlR7UafgoFj4lLS99j-eCYfn9PJIu2Z023crzDdhVnpgrCG7G-j9nQiRKlZY6OqlUgLVuvwyXnb0kgYBNfmJwFUJ0xy6LeuhV2snHoUDEDH-J6UxmoYWt1gSR30wB9eHT4vyLc/s320/DSC01936.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3a8YcdlR7UafgoFj4lLS99j-eCYfn9PJIu2Z023crzDdhVnpgrCG7G-j9nQiRKlZY6OqlUgLVuvwyXnb0kgYBNfmJwFUJ0xy6LeuhV2snHoUDEDH-J6UxmoYWt1gSR30wB9eHT4vyLc/s320/DSC01936.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> So now I can tie my string around here and not worry about it slipping off when I need to refill. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I was thinking things through in my mind, I realized that I could take this a step further and PAINT my bottle to personalize it and make it even cuter! So i took the stickers off and used WD40 to make sure I got all the sticky off. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After cleaning the bottle up I took some very fine sandpaper and sanded the area I was going to paint. I only wanted to do the front and back panels but if you want to paint the whole thing then sand the whole thing. You really need to sand it to help the paint stick better. If you don't, I fear, even with a protective spray on it, the paint will easily come off where you have painted.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge21-pre_O3l462mO9pG6JBePucnjXviqDlC8D-IVxJ7zBQtZu2rwSkK1p6rVVMMS5IVkXncobltEOcBv0dMwIyJ9buIfErqmOPagH1t639GSdCuTdiIViAcws0L2asLsCRKyz5LKqUTI/s1600/DSC01944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge21-pre_O3l462mO9pG6JBePucnjXviqDlC8D-IVxJ7zBQtZu2rwSkK1p6rVVMMS5IVkXncobltEOcBv0dMwIyJ9buIfErqmOPagH1t639GSdCuTdiIViAcws0L2asLsCRKyz5LKqUTI/s320/DSC01944.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge21-pre_O3l462mO9pG6JBePucnjXviqDlC8D-IVxJ7zBQtZu2rwSkK1p6rVVMMS5IVkXncobltEOcBv0dMwIyJ9buIfErqmOPagH1t639GSdCuTdiIViAcws0L2asLsCRKyz5LKqUTI/s320/DSC01944.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First coat of paint after sanding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I used acrylic paints for my bottles. I am not going to pretend to be a great artist or to give you any advice on painting except don't be afraid to try whatever you think up. I tried doing a camouflage print on one of these and it turned out ugly as all get out and I just grabbed a knife and scraped the paint off. It took a while but I was able to try again and got a much better result. <br />
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Here's what I painted for myself...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0b8yZydfWZHnonJlGOZLIK8wK-SXAjtTMEB5vl-3R1LPTeBzrSa0WhPF3tOF-SKySYz3Jqp0R1WqxJTePBHUVm67g5RAZ8FjnjFADkokbbs9z4KV-j357wDdhhoYAukKNFRcxknCwHQ/s1600/DSC01995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzNy60AXG1M9yQ3yy39GcNFe8C3c3_DXLjOjPyzk3HnQK9Evd2-XyQW-TVs4c1l0mALSLK8yBcjWwFIlfc5vMXAmWpxYnJW-UQRbMHRqALfVUAqDD3AWFN2Gg5b8HUUzWiZ-hukNoSos/s1600/DSC01952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRVAMZZyErzO_hrpWwy4n1uAqtyGsDQxfTdfRdD_0nVd6JFq5ai-UocpbxGy7-RWauBBiyW9OAxwdzk61FC63w9EWIxkTGA8an-B6qpz8f1Ta4AV9WgKpUJHeXibWS_QEVd2g7PZSzpA/s1600/DSC02000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRVAMZZyErzO_hrpWwy4n1uAqtyGsDQxfTdfRdD_0nVd6JFq5ai-UocpbxGy7-RWauBBiyW9OAxwdzk61FC63w9EWIxkTGA8an-B6qpz8f1Ta4AV9WgKpUJHeXibWS_QEVd2g7PZSzpA/s320/DSC02000.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRVAMZZyErzO_hrpWwy4n1uAqtyGsDQxfTdfRdD_0nVd6JFq5ai-UocpbxGy7-RWauBBiyW9OAxwdzk61FC63w9EWIxkTGA8an-B6qpz8f1Ta4AV9WgKpUJHeXibWS_QEVd2g7PZSzpA/s320/DSC02000.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZSP2tGMjpvzSTLXE2HHkd6P4xai6vykCYAgg-bXWXox77hNJP8pc9V6GDYGH-ufGvZ0ap9cVVZQ8r9zl26L0Ca_KrPE7ceSJDsBkFhZ4wwz1WR0OPhWlLi5PChSDnXdGLvw2fQYXGa0/s1600/DSC01995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZSP2tGMjpvzSTLXE2HHkd6P4xai6vykCYAgg-bXWXox77hNJP8pc9V6GDYGH-ufGvZ0ap9cVVZQ8r9zl26L0Ca_KrPE7ceSJDsBkFhZ4wwz1WR0OPhWlLi5PChSDnXdGLvw2fQYXGa0/s320/DSC01995.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZSP2tGMjpvzSTLXE2HHkd6P4xai6vykCYAgg-bXWXox77hNJP8pc9V6GDYGH-ufGvZ0ap9cVVZQ8r9zl26L0Ca_KrPE7ceSJDsBkFhZ4wwz1WR0OPhWlLi5PChSDnXdGLvw2fQYXGa0/s320/DSC01995.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>It was inspired by my favorite painting "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh. I love how it turned out!<br />
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After I finished painting, I put masking tape on the lid and sent my hubby outside with a bottle of clear acrylic spray paint. I had attached a string to the lid when I taped so we could hang it up to dry. I had Clint spray mine 3 times just to be safe, but one or two coats might work too. I'd rather be safe than sorry with hand painted things. If you just want a pretty bottle in your purse then you can stop here, but if you are like me and wanted something that can hang outside your purse read on.<br />
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So I figured my best bet for fixing this up to hang outside my purse was going to involve digging up my old friendship bracelet making skills. <br />
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What you need:<br />
<ul><li>3 strands of embroidery floss (Like for cross stitching. DMC or Anchor brand) in a color/colors that compliment your painted bottle - 20 inches for each strand.</li>
<li>A little key chain caribiner</li>
<li>A small metal ring that fits through the caribiner</li>
</ul><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqNJe5DGGl8F3nR3nTv2Bq7FsvEIevBWeQmNJQXY5uIsQtQmbxbSkTwGqSjkekmTWMR13t_h1T15vc_jZeIstzMKtR93b87vD9q1lRgvRXK1o-0_vXGACsMl7nxJ0fP-9Jy5jaIqtgR0/s1600/DSC02871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqNJe5DGGl8F3nR3nTv2Bq7FsvEIevBWeQmNJQXY5uIsQtQmbxbSkTwGqSjkekmTWMR13t_h1T15vc_jZeIstzMKtR93b87vD9q1lRgvRXK1o-0_vXGACsMl7nxJ0fP-9Jy5jaIqtgR0/s320/DSC02871.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqNJe5DGGl8F3nR3nTv2Bq7FsvEIevBWeQmNJQXY5uIsQtQmbxbSkTwGqSjkekmTWMR13t_h1T15vc_jZeIstzMKtR93b87vD9q1lRgvRXK1o-0_vXGACsMl7nxJ0fP-9Jy5jaIqtgR0/s320/DSC02871.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20 inches of 3 strands. You need longer string if you use 4 or more strands.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><br />
Then take your threads and wrap them around the bottle neck in the groove leaving equal amounts of thread on either side because you will be weaving with the excess thread. Make a double knot to secure.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9COBbURFWyU_RlI72P6U5FgXtGYkkL0OfT8R5M4_OTWYO6YHq7gXkzV2UW0NJgwMjE8uIB6zB5WJ52po66dzB6sXh6VK5JMgouvgoewN-J6VjZX9XZedoCm0i3L37MWHrkaZalNeR6M/s1600/DSC02873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9COBbURFWyU_RlI72P6U5FgXtGYkkL0OfT8R5M4_OTWYO6YHq7gXkzV2UW0NJgwMjE8uIB6zB5WJ52po66dzB6sXh6VK5JMgouvgoewN-J6VjZX9XZedoCm0i3L37MWHrkaZalNeR6M/s320/DSC02873.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9COBbURFWyU_RlI72P6U5FgXtGYkkL0OfT8R5M4_OTWYO6YHq7gXkzV2UW0NJgwMjE8uIB6zB5WJ52po66dzB6sXh6VK5JMgouvgoewN-J6VjZX9XZedoCm0i3L37MWHrkaZalNeR6M/s320/DSC02873.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div>I tried to take pictures showing how to do the weaving but many of them did not turn out well and I found a link to show you pretty simply how to do it so I'm putting the <a href="http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/friendship/mbracelets.htm">link here</a> and you can take a look at it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwgbDLh2Gil_EIXRi2X10t0_mnASNEC6NPRM4bZMzbQ_GwE8Hqm93clskY95qK4e1MVOBPnWVZwuwhipC5fLxyTlWJs0JHB0XY3EB7V1Fkz_mEI9riUSH6xzuGqhFHRkVaETMIEzYTZs/s1600/DSC02879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
I did want to add a little tip here. When you make your knots around the first string (ex. yellow on farthest on the left) you will need to make the knots up close to the big knot securing the strings to the bottle. When you do the second string (yellow closer to the right) you will need to let the knots set a bit lower. It will naturally set a bit lower bit don't give into the temptation to push it all the way up to the top because if you do, your weave will twist as you are working on it. Let the knots rest in a diagonal line because that's the way it's supposed to be.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjEA1-QoJzJIVA8ZQhyphenhyphenCY3zXIxeOqXwEpyJzmtdBKFPnFWfTNBvASSwllp-LP_x1KD5brngCGm9kq9xQvid8l5RQV1yqV3Ld4g-J14wyN1sj8D0k4QnhaD91IPkoG5gQEDnnEmeanKc0/s1600/DSC02882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjEA1-QoJzJIVA8ZQhyphenhyphenCY3zXIxeOqXwEpyJzmtdBKFPnFWfTNBvASSwllp-LP_x1KD5brngCGm9kq9xQvid8l5RQV1yqV3Ld4g-J14wyN1sj8D0k4QnhaD91IPkoG5gQEDnnEmeanKc0/s320/DSC02882.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjEA1-QoJzJIVA8ZQhyphenhyphenCY3zXIxeOqXwEpyJzmtdBKFPnFWfTNBvASSwllp-LP_x1KD5brngCGm9kq9xQvid8l5RQV1yqV3Ld4g-J14wyN1sj8D0k4QnhaD91IPkoG5gQEDnnEmeanKc0/s320/DSC02882.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFfeSK19kF63-n_1d990NQzZTSbOpJi6gmFcqw15jftk9mgUHxlAawWU_gCq4iCfK5M5HIs6qU5X9LQJ78z0yo0PuH_lG31qPGF6cIQ53ZNxUChmLZM-gj1UvBoPJvb0Ek7J9z75RFKE/s1600/DSC02884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFfeSK19kF63-n_1d990NQzZTSbOpJi6gmFcqw15jftk9mgUHxlAawWU_gCq4iCfK5M5HIs6qU5X9LQJ78z0yo0PuH_lG31qPGF6cIQ53ZNxUChmLZM-gj1UvBoPJvb0Ek7J9z75RFKE/s320/DSC02884.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFfeSK19kF63-n_1d990NQzZTSbOpJi6gmFcqw15jftk9mgUHxlAawWU_gCq4iCfK5M5HIs6qU5X9LQJ78z0yo0PuH_lG31qPGF6cIQ53ZNxUChmLZM-gj1UvBoPJvb0Ek7J9z75RFKE/s320/DSC02884.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
You don't need to weave a very long strand but it depends on the size of your caribiner. The smallest one I could find was two inches long so my weave was about the same length. But if you would like one longer than that then just make sure to add a few inches more thread.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjY_5FGhk8Bj101VXRqSvW5oxZ1sDh38TeH0jKQ8rkUGi9TeN9TZLVbHlzxdq5QXoBnIOZ9S8ZN2FL-oX9GCBlxCD5YWAboM93eeUKR8-mbH6VEI9Q8cs7f-n8Qa6ShWekPB0A5evmj0/s1600/DSC02888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjY_5FGhk8Bj101VXRqSvW5oxZ1sDh38TeH0jKQ8rkUGi9TeN9TZLVbHlzxdq5QXoBnIOZ9S8ZN2FL-oX9GCBlxCD5YWAboM93eeUKR8-mbH6VEI9Q8cs7f-n8Qa6ShWekPB0A5evmj0/s320/DSC02888.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjY_5FGhk8Bj101VXRqSvW5oxZ1sDh38TeH0jKQ8rkUGi9TeN9TZLVbHlzxdq5QXoBnIOZ9S8ZN2FL-oX9GCBlxCD5YWAboM93eeUKR8-mbH6VEI9Q8cs7f-n8Qa6ShWekPB0A5evmj0/s320/DSC02888.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
Before you tie your knot at the end divide the 6 ends to 3 and 3 and slip a small metal ring onto one half. Then make your final double knot. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzn9JXULFZPVUR0WbwjywiNSLOPCBUmDw3KBIBMZDJRfu7rm2cuAxnAc7Y2UUOaj_1myd6OBskY6WwojJIuuHyOF9D8t7m4R2O_Xgr65ytJ85joFdSMRmkutAkSjoDPI7SVor6zY8QA8/s1600/DSC02891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzn9JXULFZPVUR0WbwjywiNSLOPCBUmDw3KBIBMZDJRfu7rm2cuAxnAc7Y2UUOaj_1myd6OBskY6WwojJIuuHyOF9D8t7m4R2O_Xgr65ytJ85joFdSMRmkutAkSjoDPI7SVor6zY8QA8/s320/DSC02891.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzn9JXULFZPVUR0WbwjywiNSLOPCBUmDw3KBIBMZDJRfu7rm2cuAxnAc7Y2UUOaj_1myd6OBskY6WwojJIuuHyOF9D8t7m4R2O_Xgr65ytJ85joFdSMRmkutAkSjoDPI7SVor6zY8QA8/s320/DSC02891.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Then slip your caribiner onto the metal ring. Now you can clip your beautiful creation anywhere. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmVIuxJBq4wJCiECr4-ZmlDDzjHmFc5FXKC0yyY0Wmte8Kywv6gJkXDf31A173hyVo1wmb4jt8ssyLsQI1hZ4FlzYoHCTWbbkb1Ccf2cOY2d6U2__hhvdr9IjFgg-JVAoxkwkpA3OyHg/s1600/DSC02892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmVIuxJBq4wJCiECr4-ZmlDDzjHmFc5FXKC0yyY0Wmte8Kywv6gJkXDf31A173hyVo1wmb4jt8ssyLsQI1hZ4FlzYoHCTWbbkb1Ccf2cOY2d6U2__hhvdr9IjFgg-JVAoxkwkpA3OyHg/s320/DSC02892.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmVIuxJBq4wJCiECr4-ZmlDDzjHmFc5FXKC0yyY0Wmte8Kywv6gJkXDf31A173hyVo1wmb4jt8ssyLsQI1hZ4FlzYoHCTWbbkb1Ccf2cOY2d6U2__hhvdr9IjFgg-JVAoxkwkpA3OyHg/s320/DSC02892.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tada!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kv8k_W7QB-wxCFyBicqWGulWtM6csK04YRpoHS_PCFxCyk6bMv5NeDpLfHNZlMSnBMbd4gCSn__PO1XgwtdNhmmlKHKPp2KWNKACsauXZNeCGxQMRpEGyOyvaVXjlP2wSR3p7fFhmL0/s1600/DSC02836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kv8k_W7QB-wxCFyBicqWGulWtM6csK04YRpoHS_PCFxCyk6bMv5NeDpLfHNZlMSnBMbd4gCSn__PO1XgwtdNhmmlKHKPp2KWNKACsauXZNeCGxQMRpEGyOyvaVXjlP2wSR3p7fFhmL0/s320/DSC02836.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kv8k_W7QB-wxCFyBicqWGulWtM6csK04YRpoHS_PCFxCyk6bMv5NeDpLfHNZlMSnBMbd4gCSn__PO1XgwtdNhmmlKHKPp2KWNKACsauXZNeCGxQMRpEGyOyvaVXjlP2wSR3p7fFhmL0/s320/DSC02836.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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If you cannot find a bottle with a lip to tie the strings around then you should just put them at the base of the lid where it screws on (make sure the lid is on securely before making your intial double knot) and just take extra care to not let it slip off while you refill in the future.<br />
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I have had mine on my bag for a couple of weeks now and I have not had any scratching off of the paint or chipping so it looks like the painting idea was a success. (I was worried my hard work painting would still scrape off even after 3 coats of paint) I hope you guys feel inspired to give this a try. It was fun to do. I've made several and plan to make more for gifts for people.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NWa66cwMgE6sLhZ00G4tMjtmrqDnY9wQh6g6pDaYwXtM2n15YPYADXVN7p8DdGi-nqXQTdQv7J8gl3CVrbzaHq6VCVpYSHI0_8U944MeaNsYKQxm1Xdy5jczzp8H1SBIvF2AaCSm1Lc/s1600/DSC02831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NWa66cwMgE6sLhZ00G4tMjtmrqDnY9wQh6g6pDaYwXtM2n15YPYADXVN7p8DdGi-nqXQTdQv7J8gl3CVrbzaHq6VCVpYSHI0_8U944MeaNsYKQxm1Xdy5jczzp8H1SBIvF2AaCSm1Lc/s320/DSC02831.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NWa66cwMgE6sLhZ00G4tMjtmrqDnY9wQh6g6pDaYwXtM2n15YPYADXVN7p8DdGi-nqXQTdQv7J8gl3CVrbzaHq6VCVpYSHI0_8U944MeaNsYKQxm1Xdy5jczzp8H1SBIvF2AaCSm1Lc/s320/DSC02831.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
So there you have it. I hope my first tutorial was easy enough to understand. I'm happy to share this idea with you all and I hope someone benefits from it. Let me know if you have any questions and if you decide to make it, please let me know how it worked out for you.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmkcQrowHHuVDflnFSE0x07Y9Skhza_GAcdcf6JGfNbGg6MqdWgtd1gcoe3zsXcgr1JbTifa06lh89uKM8eWqUPqUVuzs8krrC2am-pL9LBsntEU764NEWaSMx1tE6AHjufXBviBbjl4/s1600/DSC01953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a>Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-23823193741002609662010-11-29T20:04:00.003+08:002010-12-05T00:51:24.362+08:00Craft time again!I really don't know how I am able to make pretty things for myself and the people I love. I suppose I have my sweet husband to thank for that because if it was just Andrew and I, I would seriously get nothing done but clean up food off the floor, wash clothes, watch Elmo, and play one of the million varieties of ball games he enjoys.<br />
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But... since God has blessed me with a fantastic husband....<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">..... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzrPheNXGj5niQSZKhCMjpe7qjXBUwziCqqLfBsClPtF-IUQe8uY3qhuHxvKrahPhi5jR3hS14W-6ej4OlCfx-YphFIbHNag6pf96oQ45V5I669Z5WxsqMT1DAYaue7qv4bpRajXzlAs/s1600/DSC02852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzrPheNXGj5niQSZKhCMjpe7qjXBUwziCqqLfBsClPtF-IUQe8uY3qhuHxvKrahPhi5jR3hS14W-6ej4OlCfx-YphFIbHNag6pf96oQ45V5I669Z5WxsqMT1DAYaue7qv4bpRajXzlAs/s400/DSC02852.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzrPheNXGj5niQSZKhCMjpe7qjXBUwziCqqLfBsClPtF-IUQe8uY3qhuHxvKrahPhi5jR3hS14W-6ej4OlCfx-YphFIbHNag6pf96oQ45V5I669Z5WxsqMT1DAYaue7qv4bpRajXzlAs/s400/DSC02852.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Aren't they just the cutest things ever? I like to cross stitch and I adore cute snowmen so these were a perfect craft to work on.<br />
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I also made this for a special someone with the patterns out of an old tole painting magazine I got from my Grandma Wilkey.<br />
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Not bad for a first try. It's a pretty big box too. I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I just bought a cardboard box at the craft store and painted it with acrylic paint and sealed it with clear acrylic spray.<br />
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Moving on... My next post will be a tutorial of a craft that was inspired by this....<br />
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I know the suspense is going to eat at you until then!<br />
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If you would like more info on the crafts you've seen above or in my previous post please let me hear about it. Leave a comment!Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-14485786961950299022010-11-13T17:55:00.001+08:002010-12-05T00:52:30.621+08:00Crafts galore!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>As I mentioned before, I've been working on some crafts and I figured I'd share some of what I've been doing with y'all. <br />
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First on the agenda is something that I saw on a Sesame Street podcast showing some kids at a preschool and I thought it would be a great idea for Andrew. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs41oLdHMQhROoHFdmLHWa5Kvc60c9dUvUosrOZP2ZYxseBVuI8vPNkt7s5aPKs53eGPGJiF8PmTBnhZUZdvOrhnm_rh364u_GvDCLh_JNkW-RRWEhc9QKYsnA2MzgrEqr99XaRTkXfg/s1600/DSC02665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs41oLdHMQhROoHFdmLHWa5Kvc60c9dUvUosrOZP2ZYxseBVuI8vPNkt7s5aPKs53eGPGJiF8PmTBnhZUZdvOrhnm_rh364u_GvDCLh_JNkW-RRWEhc9QKYsnA2MzgrEqr99XaRTkXfg/s320/DSC02665.JPG" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs41oLdHMQhROoHFdmLHWa5Kvc60c9dUvUosrOZP2ZYxseBVuI8vPNkt7s5aPKs53eGPGJiF8PmTBnhZUZdvOrhnm_rh364u_GvDCLh_JNkW-RRWEhc9QKYsnA2MzgrEqr99XaRTkXfg/s320/DSC02665.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Andrew knows his colors and shapes but the teacher in the video used the shapes on the wall to let the kids trace with their finger. I figured Andrew could definitely benefit from that. So I just used construction paper and cut the shapes out and drew and outline on the edge and then laminated them then taped them to the door. Simple, cheap and great! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYEyvmhP9vBQgZfa9GpLP1j1uW2U2KKR_W6QME_BXIeL4h-b4PKZ6dZ0_Hjo1Z1IHZBSrReYzFYiaajTQb6Jl9CX_A2OSPqtTNdNyzEBQ4UiNTC2rXRXdso9q7hoh8okD0Yikm4oDVcM/s1600/DSC02666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYEyvmhP9vBQgZfa9GpLP1j1uW2U2KKR_W6QME_BXIeL4h-b4PKZ6dZ0_Hjo1Z1IHZBSrReYzFYiaajTQb6Jl9CX_A2OSPqtTNdNyzEBQ4UiNTC2rXRXdso9q7hoh8okD0Yikm4oDVcM/s320/DSC02666.JPG" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYEyvmhP9vBQgZfa9GpLP1j1uW2U2KKR_W6QME_BXIeL4h-b4PKZ6dZ0_Hjo1Z1IHZBSrReYzFYiaajTQb6Jl9CX_A2OSPqtTNdNyzEBQ4UiNTC2rXRXdso9q7hoh8okD0Yikm4oDVcM/s320/DSC02666.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Just to give you an idea of how big I made the shapes. They are all taped down where he can reach them without needing a stool or chair. That's it. :)<br />
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Next is Christmas ornaments. I like to add an ornament per person in our family each year. I was planning to cross stitch ornaments this year but due to time constraints I decided to paint instead. I had some wooden ornaments like this one I bought from Hobby Lobby years ago and never got around to painting. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglI-Zu19J4c2D5laIznlUMp6n7ddBpqd9pr6ohww5s__kng9-lale6sCCm1KCmFPjTsPTErZWkKwS8WKUIl8CD_TkA12w2GCSuLe0Y-3TlhrQvkEsVDfR5r0NZL8TpyviW-oSqc2NGrCY/s1600/DSC02730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglI-Zu19J4c2D5laIznlUMp6n7ddBpqd9pr6ohww5s__kng9-lale6sCCm1KCmFPjTsPTErZWkKwS8WKUIl8CD_TkA12w2GCSuLe0Y-3TlhrQvkEsVDfR5r0NZL8TpyviW-oSqc2NGrCY/s320/DSC02730.JPG" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglI-Zu19J4c2D5laIznlUMp6n7ddBpqd9pr6ohww5s__kng9-lale6sCCm1KCmFPjTsPTErZWkKwS8WKUIl8CD_TkA12w2GCSuLe0Y-3TlhrQvkEsVDfR5r0NZL8TpyviW-oSqc2NGrCY/s320/DSC02730.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew's Ornament</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3f5Zva_pubTFZoLVpSkFhOVGzTlMrHovB2mIY3G5zYAbSzoMBQgCqJupV8k9pn1BLtPKLLn6IEuOuvDWdU0rCArjOOwZgh6UYyWzoq9wBbBv0fdaz1TJ9JDhvm6wQgLqRa3sgmLmgq2Q/s320/DSC02731.JPG" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3f5Zva_pubTFZoLVpSkFhOVGzTlMrHovB2mIY3G5zYAbSzoMBQgCqJupV8k9pn1BLtPKLLn6IEuOuvDWdU0rCArjOOwZgh6UYyWzoq9wBbBv0fdaz1TJ9JDhvm6wQgLqRa3sgmLmgq2Q/s320/DSC02731.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mommy's Ornament</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCRmK6eHkQSN9YIhNzH68vyPI3U-w_O4-8uX546I8_gkPajYlXPD4lUxYpYAIuDl4Sv_eucxUpfBxiyk38iAMMM4s_Iodu18Vu_6OtzL2Eq_jfT7-XQny_fNJTCvBhB0lvWQIY6IMnEs/s1600/DSC02732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCRmK6eHkQSN9YIhNzH68vyPI3U-w_O4-8uX546I8_gkPajYlXPD4lUxYpYAIuDl4Sv_eucxUpfBxiyk38iAMMM4s_Iodu18Vu_6OtzL2Eq_jfT7-XQny_fNJTCvBhB0lvWQIY6IMnEs/s320/DSC02732.JPG" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCRmK6eHkQSN9YIhNzH68vyPI3U-w_O4-8uX546I8_gkPajYlXPD4lUxYpYAIuDl4Sv_eucxUpfBxiyk38iAMMM4s_Iodu18Vu_6OtzL2Eq_jfT7-XQny_fNJTCvBhB0lvWQIY6IMnEs/s320/DSC02732.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy's Ornament</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So there they are. Sorry the pictures really aren't that great. At least you can see them. They still need a coat of spray paint to help seal the acrylic paint we used. I'm very happy with them and they go great on our only non-breakable ornament Christmas tree this year. :) <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Another thing I did which I don't know if it would classify as a craft although it is something creative was this:</div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2INq5jgl0SC_KZ1dLxzexvYRUhQVdUuiZrIrWVKMNw4ihdFbaYmh1GBbgY6BpVmOT40dBSKmIt1LFgZZCZjpCZzWiL_lzHpypzXhmUWkAu6fQWDrLJSwNs98_vLSLIoHoSid6UiOdhXA/s1600/DSC02683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2INq5jgl0SC_KZ1dLxzexvYRUhQVdUuiZrIrWVKMNw4ihdFbaYmh1GBbgY6BpVmOT40dBSKmIt1LFgZZCZjpCZzWiL_lzHpypzXhmUWkAu6fQWDrLJSwNs98_vLSLIoHoSid6UiOdhXA/s320/DSC02683.JPG" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2INq5jgl0SC_KZ1dLxzexvYRUhQVdUuiZrIrWVKMNw4ihdFbaYmh1GBbgY6BpVmOT40dBSKmIt1LFgZZCZjpCZzWiL_lzHpypzXhmUWkAu6fQWDrLJSwNs98_vLSLIoHoSid6UiOdhXA/s320/DSC02683.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Another not so great picture. I painted my nails one of my favorite colors and then took my "nail art pen" and just put polka dots on them. I had to get Clint's help to do the right hand. It is a simple way to add a little something to your nails if you like stuff like that. I think it looks cute.</div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I have a few more things to post about but maybe I will make that for another post another day. I hope you enjoyed reading and maybe have been inspired to do a craft or two of your own. It really is fun to get your creativity going. As I said before I'd love to hear about crafts you guys are doing or have done that you would like to share.</div>Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-84308055414067312822010-11-04T21:10:00.002+08:002010-12-05T00:53:20.534+08:00Beam me up Scotty!Ok, so who else is ready for someone to invent a Star Trek transporter device already? I always hate saying goodbyes and because it's either us leaving dear family and friends behind in the USA or them leaving us behind here in the Philippines it's so hard to say goodbye because we are really half a world away and it is NOT cheap to fly and you can't just drive out to visit for the weekend. <br />
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We took Clint's mom, Rhonda and his Aunt Thresa to the airport today and they are in Singapore as I type this waiting for their next flight headed to the USA. I cried for several reasons; 1) I love Clint's family and it's always hard to say goodbye to people you love, 2) I'm sad because I know it has to be hard for them (especially grandma) to say goodbye to us but mostly to Andrew of course, 3) I am sad that Andrew won't see them for at least another year and 4) they started to cry and I always cry when I see other people crying about something I'm also sad about. :( *sniffle*<br />
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On the bright side, I'm so thankful for the blessed memories we have of their trip here. We went to the beach, did some shopping, ate some great food, more shopping, did some sight seeing and took a bunch of pictures. I'm happy to know from the fact that Andrew knew who Rhonda was when she first arrived that our weekly video chats with "Grandy" and "Poppa" really help him to know his grandparents even though they live so far away. Technology is truly a blessing. Thank you God! <br />
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On another note:<br />
I'm planning to make a post this week about some of the crafts I've been doing. We'll see how that goes. Ha!Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-59258598741604098222010-10-25T17:24:00.002+08:002010-12-05T00:54:06.691+08:00Busy much?I have been buried in a mountain of "to do" lists this past couple of weeks and although I make progress it seems the mountain of things to do just keeps getting bigger. I have classes to teach, my house seems to take on water every time it rains hard, I've got a toddler to chase after, feed, teach things to, help go tinkle 20,000 times a day and so on. I know I'm blessed by God but if He blesses me any more I may need hospitalization soon. Yes, I'm in a slightly grumpy mood but only because I'm exhausted and getting sick too. :( BOO!<br />
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On the flip side, if you asked me how life is and I wasn't in a grumpy mood I would tell you how they really are. Life is great! I have the smartest, sweetest little boy running around keeping me busy, God is helping us in our efforts to spread His word here, my wonderful MIL just arrived for a week and a half visit (bringing lots of goodies including Dr. Pepper) and Clint's aunt will be arriving in just a couple days. It is great to feel loved and that people would come all this way to see us.<br />
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A lot of the things I have been working on have been home improvement projects. I'm so glad God blessed me with an easy going husband who makes me stop and breath every now and then because I apparently have a very big OCD streak in me that is always longing for everything to have it's own place and I have not yet achieved that in my house so I'm still not satisfied. We have come a long way though. I worked hard to get things organized before Rhonda, my MIL, came and this is the stack I ended up with that still need places to go. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegLTuuPwdhoi0bWB9nIBJtfSjnkWsynBYXXhyphenhyphenwTd1_KP7j2Ev69mVD-BZmi0hWijJJ8GQXH3bzPje1oX6MPxr-9QfTQvt-ub-Fl_Ur-vhM9xF2QtlXMN0ARjdKXB1ifWax0Ka0bp29bo/s1600/DSC02233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegLTuuPwdhoi0bWB9nIBJtfSjnkWsynBYXXhyphenhyphenwTd1_KP7j2Ev69mVD-BZmi0hWijJJ8GQXH3bzPje1oX6MPxr-9QfTQvt-ub-Fl_Ur-vhM9xF2QtlXMN0ARjdKXB1ifWax0Ka0bp29bo/s320/DSC02233.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegLTuuPwdhoi0bWB9nIBJtfSjnkWsynBYXXhyphenhyphenwTd1_KP7j2Ev69mVD-BZmi0hWijJJ8GQXH3bzPje1oX6MPxr-9QfTQvt-ub-Fl_Ur-vhM9xF2QtlXMN0ARjdKXB1ifWax0Ka0bp29bo/s320/DSC02233.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Not too bad. Unfortunately it seems the stack is slowly reproducing. Hopefully I'll tackle this soon or at least move it off the table so we can eat at the table. *sigh* So much to do. <br />
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On a happier note... check out this epically adorable picture of my son enjoying some Halloween stickers Rhonda got for him. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMGbYUJR1GIi3YInlHlh48TNzH6xKvKmDlHWtlC9KzoVveBKjOpySaSWFp4rLCRP_L053lYxyjhB0KMFwkZoZ_qRSHMd90iEFg0DDQCWqDvhAU5bP0ABWoyjw-Y2nGWvcCuvwLdKtxFU/s1600/DSC02308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMGbYUJR1GIi3YInlHlh48TNzH6xKvKmDlHWtlC9KzoVveBKjOpySaSWFp4rLCRP_L053lYxyjhB0KMFwkZoZ_qRSHMd90iEFg0DDQCWqDvhAU5bP0ABWoyjw-Y2nGWvcCuvwLdKtxFU/s400/DSC02308.JPG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMGbYUJR1GIi3YInlHlh48TNzH6xKvKmDlHWtlC9KzoVveBKjOpySaSWFp4rLCRP_L053lYxyjhB0KMFwkZoZ_qRSHMd90iEFg0DDQCWqDvhAU5bP0ABWoyjw-Y2nGWvcCuvwLdKtxFU/s400/DSC02308.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
Feel free to stop for a few moments to take it all in. <br />
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I've also been working on several crafty sort of things. I've got Cross stitch projects, learning tools for Andrew, painting projects, sewing projects and I've been doing a bit of reading on photography for beginners because we just got a really nice camera on Ebay for super cheap and I'm excited to learn how to take dramatically better pictures. <br />
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If you are reading please leave a comment! I've made it so that someone can comment even if they don't have an account on here. I would love to hear about what kind of crafts you guys are working on.Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-25692433336457755522010-10-12T21:20:00.000+08:002010-10-12T21:20:35.592+08:00I'm in love!So I was checking out my mom's cousin's etsy site the other day and found <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/55108392/three-birthstone-rings-you-choose-your">this. </a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHkU7yzZTyKhVgegPdyuBwA3lwy5B8fOiGo9A-pbaD-_-1oA0iuXambuumSm9Dzzx-AUA9I8wa3q0qJC8b_G2UcW_I6dUUGUGuH63Y1bDe9KDJguG7l2HZabqWPtbR9i09ees1pP8JNQ/s1600/il_570xN.170405164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHkU7yzZTyKhVgegPdyuBwA3lwy5B8fOiGo9A-pbaD-_-1oA0iuXambuumSm9Dzzx-AUA9I8wa3q0qJC8b_G2UcW_I6dUUGUGuH63Y1bDe9KDJguG7l2HZabqWPtbR9i09ees1pP8JNQ/s200/il_570xN.170405164.jpg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHkU7yzZTyKhVgegPdyuBwA3lwy5B8fOiGo9A-pbaD-_-1oA0iuXambuumSm9Dzzx-AUA9I8wa3q0qJC8b_G2UcW_I6dUUGUGuH63Y1bDe9KDJguG7l2HZabqWPtbR9i09ees1pP8JNQ/s200/il_570xN.170405164.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I absolutely love this idea. I have always liked the idea of birthstone rings/jewelry but not the fact that you can't add a stone for a child/grandchild born later. But the idea for stack-able rings is just great! I told Clint he has to get me something like this in the future. I just love this! Andrew is Garnet and Clint is Sapphire so those two go great together for sure.Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-60803416136726328662010-10-08T00:50:00.001+08:002010-10-08T00:51:15.634+08:00A few of my favorite things...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" ilo-full-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfx-v0BjIU-bzQl97Pj3j0CzdPMBT9cYbr1_HFSNIUUJ3IMHFFgwzkpmV6Hge38295AvPFPs-mQcA-GbWoOKWPlq3Jl-5ZRL8AsG9B4dPaCWWwCSdUAAAwR_oqISTxHZpGhkKchn0HiwE/s400/Starry_Night.jpg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfx-v0BjIU-bzQl97Pj3j0CzdPMBT9cYbr1_HFSNIUUJ3IMHFFgwzkpmV6Hge38295AvPFPs-mQcA-GbWoOKWPlq3Jl-5ZRL8AsG9B4dPaCWWwCSdUAAAwR_oqISTxHZpGhkKchn0HiwE/s400/Starry_Night.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfx-v0BjIU-bzQl97Pj3j0CzdPMBT9cYbr1_HFSNIUUJ3IMHFFgwzkpmV6Hge38295AvPFPs-mQcA-GbWoOKWPlq3Jl-5ZRL8AsG9B4dPaCWWwCSdUAAAwR_oqISTxHZpGhkKchn0HiwE/s1600/Starry_Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
I'm sure this picture is a favorite to many people and I definitely have no knowledge about art whatsoever but this picture just mesmerizes me. My favorite part is the moon which just makes me smile looking at it. I love the way it is painted with little strokes of color that all work together kind of like a mosaic to make this gorgeous picture. It makes me happy. I suppose it is kind of like all the blessings God gives us that make our lives so beautiful. I just need to stop critiquing the individual strokes and see the masterpiece He has made for me.Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-82122495680862335892010-10-06T23:34:00.001+08:002010-10-08T01:01:21.884+08:00An out of diaper experienceAll parents long for the time when they can kiss diapers goodbye. I did not think that time would come so soon with Andrew but apparently my genuis/super handsome/sweet tempered (albeit stubborn just like his momma) son is also quick to learn about the potty. A few weeks back I recieved an email from Baby Center.com with <a href="http://www.babycenter.com/0_potty-training-in-three-days-or-less_10310078.bc">this link.</a> I read about potty training in 3 days and decided that I'd give it a try. I figured if Andrew could be concerend about one droplet of juice on the floor so much so that he asks mommy and daddy for a rag in increasingly alarmed tones and drag me to the door when he's ready to go home then he can certainly tell me when he needs to tinkle. So a week ago we began the 3 day <strike>torture</strike> experiment. So armed with a mop, and some serious patience I battled against a naked 20 month old for three straight days. At first there was tinkle (yes, we call it tinkle) EVERYWHERE! But by the second day we were already having several successes. And yes, I stooped down to bribery on day two but one skittle per tinkle isn't really a lot and besides that, he was quizzed on his colors at the same time so it's educational too. Right? <br />
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Apparently, there is something about being home for period of time with a naked baby and his loaded bladder that can drive a mommy nuts because I almost had a meltdown. (I think Clint would say that I DID actually have said meltdown but what does he know? Ok so maybe a little meltdown.) We survived though and Andrew has done an incredible job! We had a couple of accidents after the first 3 initial days but we have been accident free for over 48 hours now. Our statistics are better than I could have dreamed lastweek. I think I should mention that we are by no means night time potty trained yet. I have him sleeping in a diaper. I imagine we will let this potty habit really sink in before we mix things up even more. We had our second evening out tonight after daddy's class to get some groceries and we didn't have any accidents so I think we're doing great! It was so worth the stress of this week just to have him day trained. It never occured to me while I was dreaming about having children or pregnant that, one day, I could ever be THIS excited about tinkle or poop! Thank you God for blessing me with such a great kid and thank you mom and dad for potty training me because if you hadn't that could be a bit awkward for me now.Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715710910253001651.post-34639753818027585112010-10-06T00:02:00.001+08:002010-10-06T23:42:15.496+08:00220 Outlet?Ok so I've been keeping up with a few blogs lately and decided maybe I should start one for all the stuff I don't get to share with people in our monthly reports and such. Theres a lot going on in our lives that is not directly related to our work but I'd still love to share with many of our family and friends. So this here is my outlet for those things. I decided on the name "220 Outlet" for three reasons: 1) because this is my outlet, 2) we live in the Philippines where all electrical outlets are 220 and 3) I'm just random like that. :)<br />
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So here we go! I hope this blog doesn't come as a <em>shock</em> to anyone. (Get it? Shock? Outlet?)<br />
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PS. Thanks to my wonderful tech-savvy hubby who helped me set this up and made my super cute logo up there ^^^^^^Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961267767749499132noreply@blogger.com1