Choosing Our Religion

**Note: This blog is not meant to offend or upset anyone. It's written from a pure though naive heart searching for the reason why we are so blessed. Also, I sometimes just say what ever is on my mind without thinking...so I apologize in advance.

Now that we are parents, we decided it's time to introduce our boys to religion. Neither of us are over the top religious but we do believe there is something greater than ourselves and we have been blessed beyond our comprehension. We weren't comfortable about leaving our boys with complete strangers (church nursery) but now that Tucker has been in daycare for almost a year, we're kinda okay with the idea.

So our search for a church began. At the first church we attended, we went to the contemporary service at a Baptist church. Given my only true recollection of church was the Wynona First Baptist Church, this was a huge awakening for me. The scripture was shown on big screens on the walls. The music was modern and nothing I had ever heard. People were raising their arms and swaying.

When I went to church as a child, the only thing you heard from the congregation was a quiet "Amen". That was it. There was no clapping, no "Hallaluah'ing", not a peep out of anyone. This is what I thought church was. So needless to say, I wasn't comfortable with this church. I don't know if it was the contemporary service or just the church itself. By the time we got home after church service, there was a welcome note with a bag of popcorn and a 2 liter of pop on our doorstep. And as anyone who knows us knows...we're not a pop house. The week following this service, we were called, emailed and mailed information. Overkill. I felt more like a customer than a parishioner. Like they just wanted our business.

Alec grew up Methodist so we decided to try out a Methodist church the following Sunday. We dropped the boys off at the nursery and attended the traditional service. The Methodist do things a little different than this girl is used to but I liked it. So we went again. And again. And again. And now this is my church of choice.

We sing songs I don't know - the ones I do know, I call "Baptist songs": Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, Just As I Am, Up From the Grave He Arose...And although I cry every time we sing one of these songs because they remind me of my grandma, they make me happy and I feel like I belong. We say the Apostle's Creed which I sure was called the Apollo's Creed. And we say the Lord's Prayer (I read from the bulletin because I still don't have it down!). All of these things are new to me, but I like them. We're the youngest people at the particular service we go too. That's okay. I like being surrounded by grandmas and grandpas. It's comforting.

One line of my sorority's creed is "To find the peace and serenity of a Divine faith". As I sit next to Alec in the sanctuary, our boys safely playing with the other kids in the nursery, I can't help but feel peace and serenity wash over me.

We signed up for a Wednesday night parenting class and a dinner-for-8 monthly social event. And now when it's time to walk around and shake hands, we actually step out into the aisle and move up and back a few rows!

The few Sundays when we've played hooky, I felt empty. Like I missed something. Even Tucker would ask if we're going to church. Uh...nothing like a 2 year old calling you out!

Going to church as an adult is completely different than as a child or teenager. I understand the messages. I feel the community and faith of the church around me. As a kid, I was just ready to get over to the cafe and eat my chicken fried steak! During Just As I Am when the preacher asked for "every eye closed and every head bowed" my sister and I would sneak out to get in line at the cafe.

I'm sure our boys will be challenging, but I hope we're instilling in them a good start to their spirituality. I hope they will be grateful for their many blessings. I hope they go above and beyond what's right and wrong and have hearts full of compassion, grace and forgiveness. I hope we give them the knowledge and choice to make good decisions. I hope we are setting a good example for them.

I'm excited to begin this new journey with my family. I think I'm finally at a place to appreciate and understand faith. And I like our church. I feel comfortable and welcomed. I think I'm getting what all the hubbub is about!

So Far...So Good!

Sunday was a busy busy day for this momma! I was so excited to check out Sunday's coupons, that I almost got out of bed when I woke up at 4:30! Almost.

The coupons were pretty slim pickin's this week but I was able to match up a couple of things. After Alec got back from grocery shopping, I matched up my coupons with this week's sales and headed out! At Walgreens, I bought $22 worth of stuff for only $3! Then at Target, I got a prescription filled and received a $10 gift card. I used this to by myself a fancy new coupon binder!

Here's my new binder!

It zips all the way around and has 1 1/2 inch rings. On the left side, there is an expandable file. This is where I stash my inserts/circulars (Walgreens, Target, Reasors, Food Pyramid, WalMart, CVS). I have a pencil pouch which holds my scissors and pens. I added a spiral notebook so I can jot down who has what on sale and what coupon I have to match that sale item. Then there are my coupons! I found another couponer's website and she had a table of contents and divider pages which I printed on thick paper. I'm using baseball card holder sheets to hold my coupons.

So I think I'm all set as far as couponing is concerned. Oh - lesson learned? Discuss with dear hubby what is on sale and what I have coupons for. Target had fruit cups on sale for $2 this week. I have a .75/2 coupon. Said coupon did not make it to the store with dear hubby. We totally could've owned those fruit cups for $1.63 each! ARGH!

As far as meal planning goes...well, today was better than yesterday! First of all, I have never dealt with a whole raw chicken. Let me say....I probably never will again. After I cut open the packaging, that poor bird flopped out into my sink. I picked it up and immediately had the heebie jeebies. I think I even gagged a few times. I had all sorts of plans about shoving a lemon where the sun don't shine and seasoning the heck out of that thing! Well, I rinsed it, patted it dry, threw on some salt, pepper and garlic powder and tossed it in the crock pot with some potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots. About an hour or 2 before it was finished, I added a few sprigs of fresh rosemary from our garden. The chicken turned out kinda dry and the veggies were a little soggy. Alec had to tear that bird apart. I was so done with it.

I also whipped up some meatloaf muffins and mashed potatoes (both in the freezer for Thursday night).

Tonight, I shredded some of the chicken from Sunday, added a little water and some spices (I forgot to get taco seasoning) and simmered with a few scoops of black beans. I made a package of Spanish rice and added some frozen corn at the end. I have to say that was a pretty good dinner!

I have enough chicken left over to make a little chicken & rice casserole with mixed veggies for tomorrow night. Then on Wednesday, we should have plenty of leftovers!

Lesson learned? Buy the rotisserie chicken or stick with the frozen skinless/boneless breasts.

So far so good! Hopefully I can stick with this couponing thing and menu planning so my family can enjoy fast, healthy and cheap meals!

OK! I can do this!

So I clip coupons now and then and save 25 cents here and there. I try to be optimistic and think - well, that's 25 cents more in our pockets! But who are we kidding? That's not a whole lot of savings on a $100 grocery bill.

With prices of everything going up, up, up, I feel like the only thing we have any control over is our weekly grocery bill. And I'm a control freak so...watch out grocery bill!

I've been watching these Extreme Coupon shows and I thought - OK! I can do this! Let me clarify. I'm not looking to buy $2000 worth of groceries for 25 cents. That's crazy! And I don't have the space to stockpile. But it would be nice to save maybe $20 or so.

I researched different couponer websites and I'm in the beginning stages. Let me tell you - this could easily be an addiction. I actually feel this rush when I find a coupon for something on sale. I get nervous when I'm at the register - out of control if I don't know exactly what my total should be after all of my savings. And if the store is out of stock or I misread the fine print, I kinda feel depressed! But the rush of saving - well more than 25 cents - it's so worth it!

I made a binder. It's kinda sad but I'm going to fine tune it. Right now it's a 1" 3 ring binder with baseball card holder sheets for my coupons. I printed a table of contents and divider pages from another couponer's website. I love organization! I want to get a bigger binder, add a spiral notebook, a pencil pouch for my scissors and pens and maybe tabs to my divider pages.

I sorted through my pile of coupons and asked my coworkers to bring coupons they weren't using. I scour the weekly grocery store circulars and match up things on sale with my coupons.

Here's my theory - I'm not buying things I need right now, but I'm buying things I use. Do I need 2 bottles of contact solution right now? No. Does CVS have a sale on contact solution and do I have a coupon for it? Yes. I bought the contact solution. Do I need 8 cans of soup right now? No. Does Walgreens have a sale and do I have a coupon? Yes. I bought the soup.

I don't think I'm necessarily stockpiling. I'm simply buying things we use when they are at the best price I can buy them. I will use the 2 bottles of contact solution and I will eat the 8 cans of soup eventually (Alec doesn't like soup. I'm a little addicted to chicken noodle soup).

I found Food Pyramid doubles coupons. So when they had their $1 sale on many things that we eat, I cleaned house! For example, not only did I get 2 cans of crescent rolls for a $1 each, but I also had 40 cents off 2 so actually I bought 2 cans of crescent rolls for 1.20 or 60 cents each! Score!

Oh - and I'm not brand loyal so I think that helps - except deodorant. I will be sooooo glad when I run out of this Lady Mitchum! Ugh! I need my Secret solid! Lady Mitchum is so not Ph balanced!

My other struggle is meal planning. I'm determined to plan out each week's meals and do as much prep work as I can on Sunday. So here's what we have coming up:

Sunday: Crock pot chicken (whole chickens on sale at Food Pyramid for .79/lb) with potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots.

Monday: Chicken tacos (left over from Sunday's chicken) and Spanish Rice (on sale at Food Pyramid for $1)

Tuesday: Chicken and rice casserole (I really think this chicken on Sunday is going to stretch!) made with mixed veggies (on sale at Food Pyramid for $1 and cream of chicken soup on sale at Walgreens for .79)

Wednesday: Leftovers (we are starting a class at church on Wednesday nights - limited dinner time)

Thursday: Meatloaf (thanks, Edwards Ranch!), mashed potatoes (maybe left over from Sunday?) and corn

Friday: Meatloaf sandwiches & mac & cheese (on sale at Walgreens for .69)

Saturday: Maybe a nice dinner out using the money I saved from using coupons!

Since we usually sit down for dinner around 6:30 every night, I want to get home and get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. I plan to take about 1 hour on Sunday to prep/precook as much as I can.

I really thing if I take a little time each week (maybe my lunch break that I never take?), I can help our family save a little of money and have better dinners each night. My goal is to get this system down before our boys get big and eat us out of house and home! I can do this!

Our Neck of the Woods

Big things and not so big things happening in our neck of the woods lately...

Thatcher "Bubba" now has 4 teeth and he's diligently working on more!


The boys are taking baths together now - serious fun for everyone!

Thatcher is also on the move - scooting around all over the place! This makes him much more entertaining to Tucker.


They also watch cartoons together!


We've had a few run-ins with wildlife too!

Who knew squirrels liked hen and chickies? My big pot of hen and chickies with only a couple of hens left - that's who! Jerk squirrel!


We also have these feathered friends in a hanging basket. I'm so in love with these fur headed babies!


Our garden is just about done. The only thing thriving is our basil, rosemary and a tomato every now and then which a furkid will devour. That's Mango with a Roma.


Our winter squash is ready to plant! Just needing the temperature to drop 10-20 degrees.


Life is good at Davisville. Babies are growing, love is thriving and blessings are abundant.

Not a baby. Not yet a big boy.

My friend Sara asked for my blog site because she likes keeping up with our family. I hesitantly gave it to her knowing I hadn't blogged in a month of Sundays. For shame! So here I am. The babies are all snug in their beds and I have a few free minutes to blog away!

Today was a big day for us! Tucker finally had his first haircut! Everyone has been on me for some time now to chop off his little mullet and there were certainly times when I was like - whoa...uhm...he needs a haircut! But then when he was sweet and snuggly and his mullet transformed into sweet baby curls, there was no way I could cut that baby's hair!

My mother -in-law told me when he gets his hair cut, to be prepared. He was now going to look like a little boy. I thought she meant as opposed to a girl. She meant as opposed to a baby. And boy was she right!

We decided to have his first hair cut done at Kuts 4 Kids by Mr. Will. On Saturdays, it's walk-ins only and first come first served so we got there and had some waiting to do. Luckily they had all sorts of toys so we were all pretty preoccupied. Then they called "Tucker!"

My heart stopped. This is it. This is when my baby turns into a little boy. This is is the last thing (besides big boy underwear) that I have to remind me of this precious precious creature that changed my world forever 2 years, 2 months, 26 days ago. I can do this. He can do this. We can all do this.

Then he got in the chair and cried. I cried. I didn't cry because of the symbolism of my baby becoming a boy. I cried because of this:

He was absolutely petrified. I'm sure my crying wasn't helping things. I just held his hands tight, kissed him, wiped away his tears and mine and just kept telling him (and myself) that everything was going to be alright.

I noticed the lady waiting with her little girl was wiping away her own tears. Perhaps remembering her baby's first hair cut? Or maybe just so overwhelmed by Tucker's distress. Anyway, I'm sure we were quite the site! And I hope all the other kids waiting had already had their first haircut or we may have scarred them for life with our drama!

So I think we're on the down slope as far as the baby to boy transition goes. There's only one major thing left...potty training. Tucker did peepee in the potty 5 times today! Thank God he went to sleep in a diaper! This Momma desperately trying to hold onto her baby can't take anymore growing up today!

Before:

After:

I Did. I Do. I Always Will.

Excerpts from our marriage ceremony. May 20, 2008. Brant Point Lighthouse. Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Marriage is an honorable estate, and therefore, not to be entered into lightly, but with careful reflection and reverence, for this is a lifetime union of love, honor and, most importantly, trust between this man and this woman. Today, as you join yourselves in marriage, you stand apart from all others as you pledge your love and commitment to one another.

No matter how your paths have brought you here today, it is your love that sustains the moment. In marriage, you marry a mystery. It is someone you know you love, but who you will continue to learn about for the rest of your life. In this sense, marriage is an act of faith, of absolute trust in one another. In marriage you promise not only to give of yourself, but also to accept the other. You promise to love them not only for today, but to extend that love to include whatever may come tomorrow.

As each day passes, may you gain love and strength from each other and may your hearts become one. If difficult times arise, remember to be open to communication in order to exchange your anger for joy and tears for smiles. Always listen to each other's unspoken words and understand each other's meaning. Always love, help and respect each other and then know truly that you are one in the eyes of all. It is no weakness to admit a wrong; it is a strength and a sign of learning. Always strive to see the beauty that first touched your love.

These promises will change you. They will shape you. You will live differently because of them. For you have chosen each other, and you have made and received the most important vow of all: you have chosen each other and you have promised each other the future.

In marriage, walk the path together, side by side whenever possible.
Remember to hold each other when it is cold.
If the air becomes too close, make a little space so each other can breathe.
When the path is narrow, pick one to go first.
Always be willing to follow; don't be afraid to lead.
Trust your partner; trust yourself, for marriage is a journey that leads to great love.

(A passage of advice on marriage written in 1886):
Let your love be stronger than your anger. Learn the wisdom of compromise for it is better to bend a little than to break. Believe the best rather than the worst; for people have a way of living up or down to your opinion of them. Remember that true friendship is the basis for any lasting relationship. The person you choose to marry is deserving of the courtesies and kindness you bestow on your friends.

(Native American Wedding Blessing):
Now for you there is no rain, for one is shelter to the other.
Now for you there is no pain, for each is comfort to the other.
Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now for you the snow has ended always, your fears, your wants, your needs are at rest.
Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you.
May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years together.
Go now into your dwelling place to enter the days of your togetherness.
May your days be good and long upon the earth. Amen.

May you love, honor and cherish one another, keeping the covenant and vows made between you today. May your home and your family always be filled with the blessings of patience, wisdom, happiness and peace.

On Your Second Birthday

Dear Tucker-
On your second birthday, I thought I'd take a minute to tell you just how much I love you.

I can't believe it's been 2 whole years since God graced us with such a blessing!

You're kind, generous, charming, silly, smart..all of the traits I prayed God would give you. I remember praying so hard for a healthy and beautiful baby and my prayers came true!

You amaze me and fill my heart with so much joy each and every day. Your smile is absolutely infectious and my heart breaks when you're sad.

You have such a sweet soul. You're an excellent big brother - always looking out for baby Thatcher.

When you hug me, kiss me, tell me "I loo, Mommy", I can't help but smile ear to ear!

You have humbled me and have taught me how precious time and family are. You have forced me to see the world through a parent's eyes. Wow!

I'm so proud of you and can't wait to see what the next year brings us! Hopefully more "terrific twos" than "terrible twos"!

I loo, Tucker!

Love, Mommy