Dec 31, 2012

2013 Homemaking Goals


Each year I make a small list of intentional and beneficial goals for myself to hopefully achieve throughout the new year. I feel that calling them goals takes all the pressure off and I can accomplish them in practical timing without the sense of failure should I not meet every goal before the next year. Oh, and it satisfies my love for list making!

Dec 24, 2012

Merry Christmas!



 
We've had a crazy year that ended with a bang as we moved six hours away to a new house in a new state just three days before Christmas! We invite you to join us again for an exciting adventure in 2013 as I share our journey through homemaking, homeschooling, marriage, and learning to trust God each step of the way.  

Dec 21, 2012

Feminine Friday: From My Closet [5]

 
 
 
Merry Christmas! Today is the day that Casey comes home after almost three weeks of being away {around 3pm}! We're SO excited! Our moving helpers are going to begin arriving around 5pm this evening to begin helping Casey with putting all our belongings into our moving van.

Dec 14, 2012

Feminine Friday: From My Closet [4]

 
 

Another Saturday photo for today's edition of From My Closet. Another Saturday that I went grocery shopping.  This is not all inclusive of all people mind you but when going grocery shopping, it appears that more people than not don't really worry about fashion before going to the store. I love me a casual day just as much as the next person, don't get me wrong, but appearance does say something about us {I'm pretty certain I've never left my house in my pajamas before!}. That doesn't stop me from wondering if I'm overdressed for Wal-Mart half the time though! Haha!

Dec 10, 2012

5 Ways To Keep Christ In Christmas



This year our Christmas is a bit unusual and a bit lacking in fun, family traditions. Not to say it will be any less of Christmas {Jesus is the reason for the season!}. We'll still read the Christmas story, have ham for dinner, and open gifts. But, the leading up to and the anticipation of the day has been overshadowed by our move. We'll have been in our new home for about a week before Christmas Day. So, with the craziness of moving out-of-state one week before Christmas, how do we go about keeping Christ as our focus this Christmas? Here are some ways I'm doing it and I hope they inspire you!

Dec 7, 2012

Feminine Friday: From My Closet [3]

 
 
What a week! Last week I shared with you that I was sending off my husband {Casey} to go stay with a relative of mine in Arkansas while he begins his new job and house hunts for our family. Sounds like fun for him right? DUN Dun dun... Not so much for me...

Dec 5, 2012

5 Tips For Staying Sane During A Move



Hi, my name is Shari and I have moved seven times in my seven year marriage {not including my cross-country move to marry my husband - I flew from NC to OR a week before our wedding! - or our current move from MO to AR!}. Thus before our eight year anniversary we will have moved eight times {a total of five out-of-state moves!}. I could go on and on about what not to do when moving but I also have {through trial and error} some advice to hopefully make things easier for you.

Nov 30, 2012

Feminine Friday: From My Closet [2]

 
This Sunday I'll be sending my hubby off to Arkansas to begin his new job and we're going to miss him SO much! Can't wait until we get to join him in our new town! I'll be pulling ideas from Seven Tips For When Dad Is Working Overtime to make the weeks at a time during the month of December that we won't be with him go smoother. I know I'll get good use out of my own advice to stick to our normal routines and getting the kids more involved in what we're doing each day (like cooking and clean-up). I'm thankful for modern technology like the ability to text message so I can still "talk" to Casey throughout the day and we'll all talk to him each night. And, I'll keep reminding myself that it's only one month!

Nov 26, 2012

My Girl Loves Shoes

Gorgeous!
 
 
Today I'm writing all about my baby girl! Get ready for some mama pride! ☺

Nov 23, 2012

Feminine Friday: From My Closet [1]

 
Hi girls! We just wrapped up a twelve week series on Feminine Behaviors pulled from chapter 31 of Proverbs. Writing my thoughts on each of the eleven feminine behaviors was loads of fun but also challenging. The Lord brought new insight to me that helped me to grow as I shared my perspective with you. Can I just say that that is why I love blogging so much? It provides a creative outlet and at the same time is so much deeper because I am challenged to grow and step out of my comfort zone. I'm excited for the next few months - through the fun and busy holiday season - I am going to be sharing seasonally appropriate and modest outfits straight from my closet. I hope you enjoy the From My Closet posts!

Nov 16, 2012

Feminine Friday: She Fears The Lord

 
Welcome to the eleventh and final segment of the Feminine Behaviors series! This series has been a weekly focus on eleven feminine behaviors I pulled from the account in Proverbs of the virtuous woman. I hope you've enjoyed this series as much as I have!

Nov 14, 2012

Cinnamon Banana Bread

 
 
When I began our gluten free journey, I knew immediately that I would want to recreate many of our favorite recipes so I could serve yummy and comfortingly familiar foods to my family. The process of recreating isn't always instant as is the case with banana bread. It took some trial and error but I am very pleased with these results. This banana bread is a moist, mildly sweet, and tender quick bread that can satisfy your morning hunger or make for a pleasing snack.

Nov 12, 2012

10 Things I'm Thankful For (In Pictures)

In light of this season geared toward remembering those things which we have been blessed with, I am sharing with you my top ten things I am thankful for. They are in no particular order. I thank God for each blessing I have because He is the author of Life. I appreciate each one of my children and my husband because no blessing comes with a life-time guarantee except the merciful gift of salvation which He has so freely offered me. I want to cherish each moment.
 

 
#1 I am so very thankful that God blessed me with a daughter. She rocks my world! She wants to be like me and adores it when I paint her toenails. She enjoys clothing and always points at my earrings I'm wearing and says "pretty!" She is a girl through and through. I love seeing her cuddle her baby doll. I love everything about having a daughter! I tell her often that she will make a wonderful mother someday.

Nov 9, 2012

Feminine Friday: Domestic Affairs

 
 
As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a mother and a wife. When I was a teenager, I dreamed about the day I'd have my own home so I could organize it my own way. I wanted to meet a young man that would have similar standards to my own and would feel the same way regarding getting married and having children. I don't have early memories of my own mother telling me this is what I should or had to do but rather I remember that she was a stay-at-home mother that attempted to keep her home and put in much effort to feed her family and she did take the time to teach me how to do these things. I understood early on that being a homemaker was a Godly calling for a woman.

Nov 7, 2012

Gluten Free Granola Balls


I'm going to share with you my own version of a recipe I found on The Marathon Mom. This treat is worth the time it takes to prepare because moms and kids alike are going to really, really enjoy these! Take it from me... these won't last long!

Nov 5, 2012

Learning About Pumpkins With Young Children



This week is our third week (after a few I've taken off from writing!) of Fall Lessons For Young Children and we are learning about pumpkins! I love pumpkins! We love decorating with them and we love eating foods that are flavored with them. I'm sharing several fun ideas covering all things pumpkin and we picked a few that worked for us this week. Which means lots of fun ideas to choose from for next year!

Oct 26, 2012

A Change Of Plans (and family pictures)

 
We've had a busy week but I wanted to drop in and share a quick update about our week. We've certainly had some lovely autumn weather which inspired me to take pictures of everyone out in the piles of leaves in our yard.

Oct 19, 2012

Feminine Friday: She Speaks With Wisdom And Kindness

Source
Our ninth Feminine Behavior - we have two more still to come - is "She speaks with wisdom and kindness." This is obviously a virtue for all women and wives but I am specifically going to focus today on how this can be applied to us as mothers. As a mother of three, I so very often deeply desire to speak with wisdom and kindness to my little ones but I know I regularly fail. It's easier said than done but let's delve into this pertinent topic together and see if we can't take something away to apply today.

Oct 17, 2012

Homemade Pumpkin Muffins (GF/DF)


It's that time of the year where every time we turn around we're reading about another pumpkin recipe. So why not add another to the galore of pumpkin recipes "out there?" I am going to share with you a "makeover" of one of my favorite gluten free recipes that just so happens to be Pumpkin Muffins. These delightful muffins make for a great breakfast. They're mildly sweet and filling, not to mention they are pretty healthy! My kids gobble these up fast so I hope they hit the spot with your family too.

Oct 15, 2012

Making Bird Feeders With Young Children



It's week three of the Fall Lessons For Young Children series and this week we're doing a fun, messy craft that my boys were so excited to dive into. We made bird feeders! I'm sure the peanut butter didn't have anything to do with their excitement... wink! I hope your little ones enjoy this craft as much as mine!

Oct 12, 2012

Feminine Friday: She Anticipates and Prepares

 
Source
 
 
I'm so glad you have joined me for the eighth Feminine Behavior, "She Anticipates and Prepares." I promise you I didn't even plan it this way but this virtue just happens to fall (no pun intended) at the most appropriate time of the year. It's a chilly 47 degrees here and I am so glad that I took the time last week to switch our wardrobes from warm weather to cool weather. As each morning grew cooler and cooler, it was no problem to dig into freshly organized dresser drawers to pull out long-sleeved shirts, pants, or warm tights. It was a simple process really, all I did was keep an eye on the weather and when I anticipated cool weather approaching, I set aside part of my day to prepare for it.







Oct 10, 2012

Slow Cooker Apple Pie Oatmeal


Waking up each morning to hungry children can sometimes put a damper on my Oh what a beautiful morning! mood. I've learned that preparing ahead by menu planning and utilizing tools like my slow cooker, we can all better enjoy our weekday mornings. I am so very excited to share this week's recipe Slow Cooker Apple Pie Oatmeal because it has been such a huge hit with our family! It is easy to prepare, cooks overnight, is ready in the morning when we get up, and the clean up is a breeze!

Oct 8, 2012

Baking Cookies With Young Children

 
Welcome back to week 2 of Fall Lessons For Young Children. This week we're making cookies! I had such a picture in my head of sitting down at the table with my two boys and happily making cookies one afternoon. They were going to be having so much fun that they would listen closely and follow instructions well. We were going to have so much fun! Then we actually did embark on making cookies together. Reality... Not always so picturesque. I hope you enjoy our pictures and real behind-the-scenese anecdotes from this experience!

Oct 5, 2012

Feminine Friday: She is Generous and Hospitable

Source

"She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy."
Proverbs 31:20 (NASB)
 
Our seventh Feminine Behavior is "she is generous and hospitable." To hear someone described as generous and hospitable, I imagine a kind and unselfish lady who would be willing to help me out when I am in need even when it perhaps isn't convenient for her. I know that I get really wrapped up in the comings and goings of my own little family and sometimes I don't take the time to consider where I might be able to bless someone else. Let's dig in a little deeper to better understand this passage so we can apply it in our lives.

Oct 3, 2012

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice



I love, LOVE to cook with pumpkin in the fall (I sneak it in throughout the year actually! ☺). The easiest way to get a yummy, spicy treat is by keeping pumpkin pie spice on hand. It perfectly complements pumpkin flavored foods. However, if you run out to the store you might get sticker shock from the tiny little bottle that costs almost $5! Why not make it yourself and save a little cash?

Oct 1, 2012

Leaf Rubbing with Young Children


Welcome our first week of fall lessons to teach your children. The leaves are changing colors and falling softly to the ground on the breeze. The yard is filling up with crunchy leaves. Why not use a few for a fun and fairly easy craft project? This week I am sharing our adventure in gathering leaves and attempting to do a leaf rubbing.

Sep 28, 2012

Feminine Friday: She Spends Wisely

Source
Our sixth virtue from Proverbs 31 this week is "She spends her money wisely." I think this one ties well into her husband trusting her. He provides for her and trusts she will wisely use her resources. We all know that setting a realistic budget that uniquely complements our individual family's income and expenses is a wise decision. However, writing a budget and sticking to it are two very different things.

Sep 21, 2012

Feminine Friday: She Is Self-Sacrificing

Source
 

I'm truly enjoying this series because I'm as much speaking to myself as I am writing to encourage others. All too often, I am aware that I do make self-sacrificing choices but I don't always have a joyful, giving heart-attitude. Sometimes I just want a moment where no one is asking for my attention or asking for a clean shirt or wondering where dinner is. On the surface, we might be quick to assure each other that these feelings are okay and normal and that we deserve "me time" but the heart of the matter is that life isn't about me but about what I can do for those around me while serving Christ. A woman who has set her mind and heart toward being the Biblical wife and mother she has been called to be will inevitably show herself to be self-sacrificing. While this virtue may not come so naturally to most of us, with determination (desire to do what is right) and prayer, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13 NKJV)

Sep 14, 2012

Feminine Friday: She Is Resourceful

Source

Today's topic is the fourth feminine behavior, "she is resourceful." As homemakers, it is our responsibility to tend to the majority of the shopping, menu planning, cooking, and health of our families. Sometimes this can become like any other chore in the house and we may seek ways to make these tasks easier on ourselves rather than viewing them as a service we are doing for our families. Let's find out the significance of her "bringing her food from afar."

Sep 12, 2012

What We've Been Up To

Sean doing Preschool.
 
I haven't been writing as much lately as I'd like so I thought I'd share a little update on what the Reeves family has been up to.

Sep 7, 2012

Feminine Friday: She Willingly Works Hard

Proverbs 31:13 (ESV)
 
Welcome back to this week's discussion on feminine behaviors from the much admired Proverbs 31 description of a wife and mother. Today we are discussing the feminine behavior "She willingly works hard." As wives and mothers, we might feel like this is one we have down to a tee, am I right? We sacrifice and we drive ourselves to perform for others. However, the key word we are going to discuss today is "willingly." Shall we?

Sep 5, 2012

Fall Twig Wreath


Final Product!


Pinterest is full of gorgeous visuals for autumn wreath crafting. I had no lack of inspiration when I decided I wanted to create my own unique wreath for the upcoming fall season. What I may have lacked was a bit of confidence that I could do it so I decided that a twig wreath looked like a "beginner" level compared to some of the more completely decorated wreaths. Today I would like to share with you how I made my very own fall twig wreath!

Aug 31, 2012

Feminine Friday: Helpful And Attentive

Proverbs 31:12 (KJV)
 

This week we are continuing our discussion on what it means to be a Proverbs 31 wife. Today we are discussing the second virtue that I've pulled from Proverbs 31. My observation is that a wife aspiring to be like the Proverbs 31 woman is "helpful and attentive to her husband's needs" by "doing him good and not evil all the days of her life." Let's see what that means.

Aug 30, 2012

First Week of School Photos


 
 
As I've been a little quiet this week, I thought I'd share some fun pictures of what we've been up to. Monday was our very first day doing homeschool preschool with Sean (4). We had a little photo shoot where I tried to get a decent picture (this was mainly me trying to use my camera properly as the model stood and tried to focus for me ☺.  We ended up moving because it seemed to be a lighting issue.

Aug 24, 2012

Feminine Friday: She Is Trustworthy

Proverbs 31:11 (KJV)
 
Last week I shared that there are eleven virtues of the Proverbs 31 woman that I aspire to in my own life. You can check out my list here. I'm sure you can pick out more than eleven but these are the main points that stand out to me. This week I'd like to dive in a little deeper to discuss what the first virtue "she is trustworthy" means.

Aug 22, 2012

Homemade Brownie Mix (GF/DF)

If you are like our family, you love serving up a comfort food classic - brownies! There are several great mixes out there for regular brownies as well as gluten free but its cheaper (way cheaper if GF!) to make them homemade. I've tried lots of recipes and dabbled in the kitchen some and this is the easiest, most "normal" gluten free brownie I've made "from scratch" yet!

Aug 21, 2012

Five Reasons We Choose Homeschool



I decided we needed a theme or mission statement to keep in mind as we begin our journey with homeschooling. The above statement, "Love Devotedly, Learn Joyfully, Live Faithfully" is what I came up with. It may or may not sound profound to you but it is the purpose I desire to have so it works for now. Below I am sharing five reasons for "why" our family is choosing to homeschool.

Aug 20, 2012

Weekly Menu 8/19 - 8/25

Whole grain, gluten free pancakes I made for dinner last week.
Last week was sort of an "off" week for me. I really struggled pulling a menu together and wasn't very happy with my lack of inspiration to cook/plan. I ended up not even making a few things I planned to make (thank-goodness for a stocked pantry!). I guess I'm "back" this week because menu planning came much easier! I was very pleased to see ham on sale at one of the grocery stores I frequent so I added them to my list of stops (I only shopped at four stores to get all the ingredients/sale items on my shopping list!).

Aug 17, 2012

Feminine Friday: Feminine Behaviors

Proverbs 31:10 (NIV)

 
A good wife is hard to come by according to Proverbs. Thankfully the writer didn't leave it at that, am I right? Proverbs 31 goes on to share about what it means to be a virtuous and noble wife. I don't know if the Proverbs 31 woman is an ideal or a testimony of a real woman, however, it doesn't matter. In this life, we as Christians are striving to be more like Christ even though we will never fully be able to be Christ-like until we are in His presence. That doesn't stop us from trying. As Christians we are to no longer live a lifestyle of sin (I John 5:18). That doesn't mean that we are made perfect but we - through the power and faithfulness of God - are able to avoid sin when we wholeheartedly seek after His guidance in our lives.

Aug 15, 2012

English Muffin Pizzas - GF (with DF Option)


As school approaches, I have been trying to compile fun, easy lunches to prepare this fall. This is my English muffin pizza recipe which makes a fun weekday lunch for the kids (the adults enjoyed them too ☺). I'm sharing a bonus recipe for pizza sauce too!

Aug 14, 2012

Getting Organized for Homeschool



Getting organized for our upcoming school year is important to me. I want a good start for our homeschool experience. Today I am going to share the ways that I am preparing to be an organized homeschooling mom.

Aug 13, 2012

Weekly Menu 8/13 - 8/19



This was a picture of my plate from last week when I made spaghetti, cornbread, and green beans one night. As you can see, the picture was an after thought after I'd already dug in! ☺ That cornbread by-the-way was the best cornbread (gluten free and dairy free) I've ever made. I was inspired by a recipe out of a new cookbook and I just can't wait to make it again this week. Not only did I really like it but I was "pleased as punch" because the rest of the family gave it rave reviews too!

Aug 10, 2012

Seven Tips For When Dad Is Working Overtime

Source
Today I would like to share my personal suggestions for coping when a husband and father is faced with necessary overtime work, travels for his career, or is working more than one job.

Aug 9, 2012

GF/DF Chocolate Zucchini Muffins


I forgot to take a picture until I'd already "flash-froze" some of the muffins - these are ready to go into freezer bags for later! I'm filling my freezer with yummy goodies like these muffins to help out during busy days this fall!


I found this recipe when I was searching for muffin recipes to help me out of my muffin-making rut. I was in a rut because I always make the same muffin recipe. Over and over. Now, don't get me wrong, my go-to recipe for pumpkin muffins is awesome - and I am known to experiment with switching up ingredients each time I make them. However, even I wanted to try something new - and I wanted to use less canned-goods until I could hopefully-soon begin canning pumpkin myself. What I found was a huge hit so I couldn't help but want to share it with you!

Aug 8, 2012

Tip For Oiling A Pan



Many months ago I decided to give up conventional oil sprays. Even further back I gave up paper towels. Why would I do that? Well, I'm glad you asked!

Aug 7, 2012

My Preschool Curriculum

Photo Credit
This year, August 27th to be exact, our family will officially begin our adventures in homeschooling. Unofficially, I consider every parent a worthy teacher and, therefore, we've been teaching (and learning) a great deal over the past four years. I would like to share with you my plan for our homeschool year and why we are making our official start with preschool.

Aug 3, 2012

Feminine Friday



I know its kind of late in the season already. Most of us are really starting to think about the fall. I'll be honest, I am starting to think about fall clothes anyway! However, we have at least another month of hot, summer weather and I don't want to wish all of August away! I am going to share a few accessory items I like to wear to perk up my warm weather wardrobe.

Aug 2, 2012

Thankful Thursday: New Job


This week I would like to share about a big change for our family. Casey got a new job! We are thankful and excited about this new opportunity for him at Five Guys Burgers and Fries.