Are You Sending Christmas Cards This Year?

Do you write handwritten Christmas cards and mail them? If so, I admire you. I have a long standing reputation for writing cards and not getting them to the mailbox. They are addressed and stamped, but somehow I just don't get them to the mailbox! One time I found baby shower thank you notes when my son was almost one-year-old.

Lara Casey, whom Sarah and I met at Influence Conference, is a magazine editor for Southern Weddings Magazine. She employs ladies to ensure every subscriber receives a hand written thank you card. 

Although you might enjoy the features of an e-card, there is still something special about sending cards the traditional way. When your family or friend receives your card, they know the thought taken to select the card, purchase a stamp, write the note (in your best handwriting:) and then actually getting it to the mailbox! If you have the same problem as me and don't get your letter in the mail, you can always create personalized online cards to be sent as an e-card or paper card.

Many people secretly enjoy the pleasure of being able to display the cards they have received. Cards have a warming effect, symbols that the receiver is thought of by others. They also provide you with an opportunity to reflect on the year that has just gone too; if you use Christmas cards as a means of keeping your friends informed, writing your news in a card, is a much more intimate experience.

The art of handwriting is dying. Do you know that many public schools aren't even teaching cursive anymore!?! Sending Christmas cards by mail helps keep the art alive. So at Christmas, the static glare of a computer screen really is no match for some loose glitter on a card. When it comes to reaching out to your family and friends, consider a card this season in this instantaneous digital age. ~Julia

This post was sponsored by Tesco.com

My Journey with Breast Cancer

I am sure we have all known women who have had breast cancer. My grandma had breast cancer when I was in sixth grade, and then had a recurrence about fifteen years later.

About four months ago, I found a lump in my breast. I didn't think much of it because I was thirty-two, but I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer at thirty-five. I finally decided I should get it checked out, so two months later, while in Hawaii, I called and told my OB Office that I found a lump. That is a really quick way to get an appointment by the way.

I felt at peace until the day of my appointment. I started to panic and was irritable. I was expecting that my OB would be able to tell me that day that the lump was not a problem. He didn't. He felt I should get it checked out with a mammogram and an ultrasound.

I felt a lot of different emotions, but I decided that I wasn't going to panic. I am confident that God will take care of me. It may be a little dramatic, but I have thought through what if I die. What will happen to my husband, children, parents and other loved ones. The final conclusion is still the same. God will take care of them. He can do it so much better than I can. I would like to live and be a part of my children's lives for sure, but I came to a peace about it as much as I can not knowing or having it be an absolute diagnosis.

Enter my mammogram and ultrasound appointment. Again, I expected to go there and have them tell me that this lump was nothing. The Tech told me that it would be a couple of days before the results would be forwarded to my doctor's office. Ok. Imagine my surprise when my doctor's nurse called the same day to tell me that the lump was suspicious and I was being scheduled to see a specialist.  It seems like a bad sign when the medical side is working so quickly :)

On three separate occasions while I was calling to make appointments I would be placed on hold. Each time the song, "Hey, Jude", would either already be playing or come one while I was on hold. Not only do I have a sweet little boy Jude (although I wasn't really aware of the song before I named him), but also the lyrics basically say that everything will be ok. I started crying the third time. I assume they have more that one song that they play while you are on hold, and it just seemed like a little reassurance from God.

I have seen my specialist, but still do not have any conclusive information. She has referred me to have a biopsy. So, I was still in a waiting pattern.

Today, I had a biopsy where the Doctor removed four tissue samples from the lump.  I will know in about a week if I have breast cancer or not.

If you need encouragement for something that is uncertain in your life, here are some verses from

Philippians Chapter 4

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Allow God's peace to cover you. When you are tempted to think about things that are not in the list above, read these verses!! I encourage you to memorize these. You will not regret it!!

~Julia

The Saturday Evening Post 1950: Who Will Be the First Up?

If you felt like deciding who was going to get the crying baby was a unique problem for you, here is proof it has been going on for at least 63 years. Norman Rockwell captured this age old problem. Who is going to get up and help that little tike. It makes me tired just looking at it, and I thought you may enjoy it, too!!

Courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Farlow's Attic :)

~Julia

Schedules vs. Routine

Get organized in 2013! The free printable calendar pictured on the left can be found here: The Harmonized House. 

I came across a really good list of organizational homeschooling tips the other day at The Well Trained Mind. Tip #8 stood out in particular to me.

Tip #8: If you struggle with ‘scheduling’, try routines instead.What’s the difference between a schedule and a routine? A schedule is generally a timed plan; routines are regular, habitual procedures. Programs and systems that use schedules to get people organized can be wonderful things, and I’ve included some links to popular ones below. If you’ve tried to implement a schedule into your homeschool and found that it didn’t seem to fit with what you were trying to do, try and develop some routines. They don’t have to be done in the same order, or even at the same time each day, but you might set some general guidelines (before breakfast, before lunch, etc.). Experiment with a school routine. Are there things your children can do on their own? Make up a list, and get them in the habit of doing what they can on their own before they come to you. This may take some time to develop, but just as with other worthy habits (diligence, punctuality, etc.), the benefit will be that it will save time in the future.

What about you? Do you have a particular schedule that you adhere to on a daily basis, or do routines work better for your family? I am definitely more of a routine person myself, but sometimes a schedule is what I need to stay on track!

Find lots of free organizational printables at I Heart Organizing

Our friend, Melissa, over at Red Fly Creations 

offers a great printable home organizing notebook! 

How Can You Encourage Someone If You Haven't Experienced the Same Situation?

I can imagine that we have all experienced situations where a friend or family member is going through something tough. While we definitely do not want to come across like we have all the answers or have it all together ourselves, we also do not want to ever believe that unless we have experienced the identical situation we cannot offer any encouragement.

Often we hear, "You just don't/can't understand." And then we think, you are right, I don't because I haven't experienced the exact scenario.  However, II Corinthians 1:3 and 4, says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

That gives us a different picture. God wants us to comfort others, not from ourselves, but through Him.

I love the verse I Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except that which is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." That means, when you are going through something tough, you are not the only one. You feel like you are alone, but many others have experienced this trial. And God will provide a way for you to go through the trial without sinning. If you look, you will be able to see God's hand.  ~Julia

Top 10 Posts of 2012

It's that time of year again... time to look back and reflect on everything that happened in 2012 and look forward to all that will come in 2013. We made it through 2012 (despite the Mayan's predictions), only God knows the plan for this coming year. It's exciting for Julia and me as we enter into a new year, and close in on our 1 year blogging anniversary (I began in January and Julia joined in April)!

We started writing together as a creative outlet and business venture! We've been working hard this year to build a quality site that is encouraging and helpful. We will close out the year with over 71,000 views and are hoping to have many new visitors and friends stop by in 2013! It seems appropriate, since I've been looking back on our year of blogging, to point out some top posts. Here they are:

1. Disney on a Dime (Part 1) Our #1 most popular post this year with over 12,000 views. Originally written for the people that have asked me questions about our trips to Disney. I thought, why not just write everything I can think to write and refer friends to my post?

2. Jeggings are Pants (and Other Common Misconceptions) I NEVER dreamed this little rant would end up being one of our most popular posts. With over 2,000 views, who knew there were people out there that still care about modesty!

3. Yet Another Burlap Wreath This is a good one! It includes a video to guide you in creating a burlap masterpiece of your very own. 

4. I Once Did Childish Things I love this post that Julia wrote. It reminds us that sometimes we just need to let our kids be kids and love them despite their childish ways.

5. Becoming a Secret Shopper This is one of those posts I begged Julia to write! Have you ever heard of secret shoppers? Well I have, many times, but I always assumed it was a scam. Julia has actually done it, and here's the post to help you get started!

6. Consumed with Myself One of the first posts I ever wrote. I guess it is close to my heart for that reason, and because it was so genuinely from my heart.

7. Help Your Kids Put Off and Put On Teaching great conflict resolution skills to our children while they are young.

8. Messy Mondays A series of posts we did to help women suffering from PDD (Pinterest Delusion Disorder).

9. Progress Reports Celebrating your child's accomplishments!

10. Why Homeschool? (Part 1) A personal rant I needed to write for myself, to clear my thoughts and to encourage others who may be considering home education. You can do it!

If you are new to ATWP, thank you for stopping by! And to our friends who may have started following along back in January of last year, thank you for reading, sharing and commenting! God has been good to us and we have been blessed through this blog in many ways. It's always fun! We enjoy writing and sharing creativity with anyone who will listen. Thanks for following along with us through our first year.

All things for Christ ~Sarah

Join These Link-Up Parties!

Here is a collection of weekly link-ups we participate in. If you are new to blogging, link-ups are great because they are free advertising for your blog! They are also a great way to find cool new projects and ideas, or connect with others in the blogging community. You may be interested in joining in on one of these. *Remember to use good blogging etiquette: follow each site's linking rules, thank the host, leave comments, visit other linkers, and  spread the love! 

We're always looking for new places to link-up and will be continually updating this list, so check back again soon! Send us a message or leave a comment if you are hosting a weekly link party that you would like added to our list.

Information on our All Things Thursday weekly link-up 

can be found HERE!

Monday

• Made By You Mondays: Skip to My Lou
• Home Making Link-Up: Raising Homemakers
• Monday Link Parties: Craftomaniac
• Amaze me Mondays: Dittle Dattle

Tuesday

• Tip-Me Tuesday: Tip Junkie
• Teach Me Tuesdays Homemaking Link-Up: Growing Home 

Wednesday

• The Creative Spark: Clean and Scentsible

Thursday

• All Things Thursday Link Party: All Things with Purpose
• Catch a Glimpse Thursday: A Glimpse Inside

Friday

• TGIF Linky Party: Living Life Intentionally 

Saturday

• Saturday Night Special: Funky Junk Interiors
• Show and Tell Saturday: Be Different, Act Normal

Sunday

• Nifty Thrifty Sunday: Nifty Thrifty Things
• Sunday Scoop: I Heart Nap Time

Other Great Lists of Link-Up Parties Can be Found Here:

• The Girl Creative
• The Life of This Country Mama
• Dittle Dattle
• Over the Big Moon

Our Favorite Blogs to Follow

• I Heart Nap Time
• Red Fly Creations
• Funky Junk Interiors
• Lovely Crafty Home
• All Things Thrifty
• The Yellow Cape Cod

Loving Annoying People

Do you have any enemies? I don't like to believe I do. But, ya know what we all can admit to having in our lives? People we just don't like. People that get under our skin, that rub us the wrong way, that we don't agree with or we'd rather just avoid. These people can be siblings, parents, friends from church, neighbors or coworkers. With the holiday season upon us, maybe these are the people you're stuck spending extra time with...

I've had this passage of scripture tucked away from a sermon I heard several months ago. It's a good one, read it with me:

If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure to help him with it. (Exodus 23:4-5)

Now, the word enemy is a very strong word, so is the word hate. Unless you live on a farm, in the Middle East or in an Amish community, you may not be a costumed to speaking in terms of donkey's and oxen. Let's substitute a few of the words and try reading it this way:

If you come across your annoying neighbor's child or pet wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the child of someone who's generally annoyed with you heading for trouble, do not leave him there; take him by the hand and guide him to safety. (Exodus 23:4-5 paraphrased)

Now, from what I know of scripture, I'm pretty sure we're supposed to try and have a good attitude on top of all this. Notice, this passage is not directed at specific people (like "children's ministry workers" or "kid people"). Maybe you're not a kid person, or a dog person, the point is to go out of your way to help someone you don't like or that may not like you. Pretty counter-cultural don't ya think? Not only should our outward actions show love to those we dislike, "your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philipians 2:5).

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice. (Proverbs 24:17)

Or how about this:

Do not gloat when a person that annoys you loses. When the person you don't really like makes a mistake, don't secretly find enjoyment. (Proverbs 24:17 paraphrased)

The best way to handle feelings of hatred, annoyance, bitterness, and distrust is to forgive and let God handle the outcome. I'm not saying we have to be push-overs. There is a place for action and a time stand up for what's right. There are higher authorities put in place to protect us, and courses of action laid out in God's Word for dealing with people living in sin, when to practice tough love, etc. But, even when justice must be served, discipline must be administered, the truth must be told and corrections made, everything should be done through love.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:35)

Why love your enemies? Because, as I am always reminded when singing these words "...I will hold your people in my heart" God loves people. So often I lose sight of people, I forget how much God loves the world, what he did for the world. There are a lot of people that annoy me and cause me moments of frustration. I get frustrated with people in the media, people in my family, people that just don't seem to ever "get it." At times, my frustrations are grounded and legitimate, at times they are not. But what I really want is to be able to say these words with sincerity:

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
(Hillsong: Hosanna)

Keep the Weight Off During the Holidays(or Lose!)

I found this amazing free app, MyFitnessPal. I have recently been struggling with thinking about my weight a lot. I want to fit well in my clothes, but then I get comfortable. Then I feel badly when I try on my clothes and I can't wear them without showcasing a muffin top.

MyFitnessPal allows you to weigh in each morning, track your calories throughout the day, log your water intake, and detail your excersize. Here's what I love, love, love about the calories tracker. You can scan the barcode on your food and it will pop up with all of the nutrition facts including vitamins, fiber, etc. I find scanning to be very fun.

I also realized how little water I actually drink. When trying to lose or maintain weight, working with facts is so much better than what we think we ate or drank. Pop is a total killer, but it really puts it in perspective for you.

I have really bonded with this process because if I want to eat peanut M & M's I can, but then I know I can't have supper! Some days it is worth the trade off :)

So enjoy Christmas parties, but save your calories that day and know what you are eating and drinking!!

I hope that you will give this a try with your smartphone or tablet!!! What worked for you?

~Julia

The Dreaded Defrost

Defrosting your freezer is never fun, but here are some tips that speed the process and help keep your food frozen while you are working.

Grab your coolers and fill them up.

This is what we needed to empty!

The icy build-up on the shelves.  We did not empty the contents of the door. We had jams, cheese and juices. If you did not want your food to thaw, take it out. We took the cheese out.

For the items that didn't fit in the cooler, we covered them with blankets and bean bag chairs.

Disposing of the ice.

I do not endorse what we did. A hair dryer works well, too it's just a little more labor intensive than a heater. Using a solid object you can grip, to help get the ice off. Make sure you aren't too aggressive or you may break something.

This is the defrosted product.

You can see that the homemade jams and juices started to defrost, but didn't completely thaw.

This is the finished product. We used boxes from Aldi to help separate our food and keep it more organized.

Happy Defrosting
~Julia

Be Careful Where You Place Your Hope

A good reminder this election day, from The Gospel Coalition:

As Americans, it's often helpful to be reminded that the epicenter of Christ's kingdom is not located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And the purposes of God have never been thwarted at the hands of men---a streak that's not about to end on November 6. Such a recognition isn't quietism or escapism---just biblical Christianity.

President Obama and Governor Romney are, like you and me, feeble creatures of dust. They're worthy of our honor (Eccl. 10:20; 1 Pet. 2:17), but never our hope. 

So pay your taxes, choose your candidate, and cast your vote (politics does matter, after all), but do so as one whose trust is anchored in another world. As citizens of "a better country" (Heb. 11:16; cf. Phil. 3:20), we the people of the risen King await "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Pet. 3:13). 

Whatever comes of our quadrennial sojourn to the ballot box, we can rest in the sovereign goodness of a Father who sits enthroned in the heavens and, with majesty and mystery, does whatever he pleases.

Messy Mondays: The Play Room

The dress up area has been my nemeses for ages.  Not because it wasn't picked up today, but this is what is looks like cleaned up!! It's the kind of thing that you don't even think about any more because it's been like this so long.

My book area is supposed to be sorted by size and be changed once a week, so the kids have a variety of books for their age.  

I don't think that has ever happened. 

Underneath this pile is a baby crib. It is a storage area for stuffed animals.  Natalie's poor baby is sleep deprived from never being able to fit.

Someday this will look better.  Happy Messy Monday to You!!  

And Happy 59th Birthday to my Mom :) ~Julia

For More Messy Mondays  >>  Messy Mondays

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

I found this article on Christianity About.com by Mary Farichild.  I also found a video that shows a perspective from a former witch. She was saved after she had practiced witchcraft. After reviewing this information, I really have a lot to think about. 

Mary Farichild begins here:

   This article will tackle the controversial question, "Should Christians observe Halloween?" With no direct references to Halloween in the Bible, resolving the debate can be a challenge. How should Christians approach Halloween and is there a biblical way to observe this secular holiday?

   The dilemma over Halloween may fall under the category of a Romans 14 issue, or a "disputable matter." These are matters that lack clear and specific direction from the Bible. Ultimately, Christians must decide for themselves and follow their own convictions regarding the observance of Halloween. Together we will explore what the Bible has to say about Halloween, providing food for thought as you decide for yourself on the issue. 

   Christian perspectives on the observance of Halloween are strongly divided. Some believers feel complete freedom to observe the holiday, others run and hide from it, many boycott or ignore it, a number celebrate it through more positive and imaginative observances orChristian alternatives to Halloween, and still others choose to take advantage of Halloween's evangelistic opportunities.

   Some of today's popular celebrations associated with Halloween have pagan roots stemming from the ancient Celtic festival, Samhain. This harvest festival of the Druids ushered in the New Year, beginning on the evening of October 31, with the lighting of bonfires and the offering of sacrifices. As the Druids danced around the fires, they celebrated the ending of the summer season and the beginning of the season of darkness. It was also believed that at this time of year the invisible "gates" between the natural world and the spirit world would open, allowing free movement between the two worlds. 

   During the 8th century in the diocese of Rome, Pope Gregory III moved All Saints Day to November 1, officially making October 31 "All Hallows Eve," some say, as a way of claiming the celebration for Christians. However, this feast commemorating the martyrdom of the saints had already been celebrated by Christians for many centuries prior to this time. Pope Gregory IV broadened the feast to include the entire Church. Inevitably, some of the pagan practices associated with the season persisted and have been mixed into modern celebrations of Halloween.

   Ephesians 5:7-12: Don't participate in the things these people do. For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.(NLT)

   Many Christians believe that participating in Halloween is a form of involvement in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness. However, many consider the modern-day Halloween activities of most to be harmless fun.  

   Are some Christians trying to remove themselves from the world? Ignoring Halloween or celebrating it with believers only is not exactly an evangelical approach. Aren't we supposed to "become all things to all men so that by all possible means" we might save some? (1 Corinthians 9:22)

   Deuteronomy 18:10-12: For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is an object of horror and disgust to the Lord.(NLT) 

   Well, these verses are pretty clear on what a Christian should not do. But how many Christians are sacrificing their sons and daughters as a burnt offering on Halloween? How many are calling forth the spirits of the dead? The verse does not say that "trick or treating" disgusts the Lord. 

   However, what if you have come to the Christian faith from a background in the occult? What if, before you became a Christian, you did practice some of these deeds associated with witchcraft and sorcery? Perhaps refraining from Halloween and its activities is the safest and most appropriate response for you as an individual.

   There are many other Bible verses similar to these two, but nothing that specifically warns against observing Halloween. Rather than providing an answer, the purpose of this article is to cause you to ask yourself questions and think about your convictions on this issue. 

   As Christians, why are we here in this world? Are we here to live in a safe and protected environment, guarded against the evils in the world, or are we called to reach out into a world filled with dangers and be the light of Christ? Halloween brings people of the world to our door step. Halloween brings our neighbors out into the streets. I can think of various creative ways to seize this opportunity for developing new relationships and sharing my faith. Is it possible that our negativity toward Halloween only alienates the people we seek to reach? Can we be inthe world, but not of the world?

   I close with a recommendation to give serious thought to the appropriateness of judging another Christian for observing or not observing Halloween. We do not know why another person participates in the holiday or why they do not. We cannot accurately judge the motivations and intentions of another person's heart.

   I believe the most appropriate Christian response to Halloween is to study the matter for yourself and follow the convictions of your own heart. Let others do the same without condemnation from you. Perhaps the answer to the Halloween dilemma is ... there is no right or wrong answer! I believe one's unique convictions about Halloween must be individually sought, independently found, and personally followed.

For more on this subject visit About.com.

Carol Kornacki practiced witchcraft before she chose to follow Christ. 

Her ministry can be found here.

We need to be aware, and make informed choices. 

And make sure our kids understand what we are choosing to do and why.

Prayerfully considering ~Julia

The Power of 15 Minutes: Declutter with FlyLady

FlyLady.net is a great resource if you are looking to clean your house and don't know where to start!! She has an idea everyday, and a weekly/monthly plan. In this video, I will show you my favorite concept of hers.

The song that seemed appropriate: "Working In a Coal Mine".  Cleaning may not be quite that bad, but let's just say it's not my favorite :)

Another great resource for picking where to start is at this link RedflyCreations.

~Julia

Convert Disc to Digital for a Better Price Than WalMart! FREE!!

With iPads, tablets, larger hard drives, etc, the desire to have your movies in an mp4 format has grown. The problem is that you have already paid for your movie and don't want to either buy it again or have Wal Mart convert it for $2.  I will show you how to convert it for free on your own.

I am one of the least "techie" people you could know. If I can do it, you can do it!!

~Julia

Pumpkin Monkey Bread

Mmmmmm. That's all I've got to say. I pinned this picture on Pinterest a while back and just recently remembered to give it a try. Upon checking out the actual recipe found at this link, I discovered it to be a bit too complicated for my taste. This is not the "tube biscuit" recipe most people will be familiar with, but a made from scratch version. Here is what I came up with, combining the made from scratch version with the traditional tube biscuit recipe. It's super easy and super addicting!

Recipe

• 2 Tubes of Crescent Roll (or something similar) "tube biscuits"
• 1 Cup of Pumpkin Puree (canned or fresh)
• 1 Tbl Cinnamon (or more to taste)
• 1 Tbl Nutmeg (or more to taste)
• 1 Stick of Butter
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Cream Cheese
• 2 Tbl Confectioners Sugar

Roll dough into quarter size balls. Mix pumpkin puree, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Then, coat dough in mixture: stirring together in a bowl or shaken in a zip lock bag. Place dough mixture in a greased bunt pan. 

Melt butter and mix together with brown sugar. Pour over dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and baked all the way through. Let set for 10 minutes, then turn over and remove to a plate.

Soften cream cheese in microwave until it is thin, almost liquefied (roughly 30 seconds). Add confectioners sugar and stir. If mixture is still too thick to pour, add a little milk. Drizzle over bread and serve warm!

Linked Up Here:


  Thistlewood Farm Holiday Link PartyFunkyjunkinteriors.net

Messy Mondays

We all have struggles and short comings. Personality quirks, annoying habits, hangups and moments of hysteria. No one is perfect and yet, we are usually our biggest critic. I want to personally make sure that no one out there mistakenly thinks (even for a brief fleeting moment), that Julia and I are anywhere close to being perfect. Now, I realize that could come across slightly arrogant, simply because I must first be assuming there are people that really do think I have it all together! Arrogance aside, I just want to make sure we are doing our part to combat a very serious disorder that is targeting women across the country:

"Pinterest Delusion Disorder (PDD) - A serious disease in which moms start thinking they are failures for not (1) arranging their kids’ food in cool shapes for every meal, (2) not DIYing every piece of furniture and art in their homes, and (3) not spending hours designing homemade printables for their children."

Read more about PDD at Hip Homeschool Moms: Pinterest Delusion Disorder 

We do put a lot of time in here, at All Things with Purpose, to provide you with cool ideas, helpful tips and of course, lots of free printables! But we DON'T have it all together, and we DO have moments of mess and mayhem. I'll be sharing these with you every Monday, so tune in each week for an ego boost!

Linked up here:

This is guaranteed to make you LAUGH!!!

Often I struggle with the mundane aspects of my life. Instead of having fun, I sometimes just focus on the part that is boring or an inconvenience. So today, when I was preparing Jude for a bath, and just thinking how nice it was that he hadn't peed on me lately. He did right then. By the time I realized what was happening, my jeans were wet, my tennis shoes were wet, the floor was wet, and my hand that I tried to use to block the steady stream was wet. So, I looked on my iPhone camera and here is what I found.

My kids are a joy, and I am blessed to spend time with them.  (Even if I do have to repeat that to myself more than once a day :) My kids are not in the way of what I need to do, they are what I need to do. Sometimes I need to refocus and realize what my real priorities are!

~Julia

The Mighty Sock Bun

Lauren Conrad rocking a HUGE bun!

Oh, sock bun, where have you been all my life? Why have I neglected you for so long? I heard others talk of you, I saw the pictures. Why? 

This may not be big news to many of you, but i have medium length hair that is fine, straight and silky smooth. Oh how I've wished for long, wavy, curly, or even coarse hair. The effortless beauty that girls with long, wavy hair can achieve when they throw their hair up in a bun has never been possible for me. Mine usually looks like a tiny, tiny, sad little excuse for a bun. Now that I've discovered how easy this was, there is no going back!

The tutorial I used for making a hair donut and doing this is found here

Tutorial for making a super big hair donut here

There seem to be several different techniques used with this things. Because my hair is short, I simply put it in a pony tail, placed the donut over it, then teased the hair and pinned it all in place (see step by step below).

For more inspiration, simply search Pinterest for "sock buns" or "hair donuts"

Sad Bun :(

Step #1:  Pull hair into pony tail
Step #2: Place hair donut around pony tail

Step #3:
Tease hair so it lays nicely,
covers sock and semi resembles a bun

Final step: Pin everything in place
and use a healthy dose of hair spray!

Happy bun :)