Our Valentine

12 Indeed you will go out with joy; you will be led along in peace; the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you, and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.

14 . . . You will not experience oppression; indeed, you will not be afraid. You will not be terrified, for nothing frightening will come near you.

13 All your children will be followers of the LORD, and your children will enjoy great prosperity.

10 Even if the mountains are removed and the hills displaced, my devotion will not be removed from you . . .

5 For your husband is the one who made you - the LORD who commands armies is his name. He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called "God of the entire earth."
Isaiah 55:12 and Isaiah 54:14b, 13, 10a, 5

God is so great, and He's totally in love with you!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Babysitting Swap

We all know that finding a babysitter for a date night can be a gigantic hassle...unless you have parents or in-laws nearby that are willing to come over any time. But even then, they may not want to babysit any later than 9pm.

When we discovered that we had a neighbor that attended our church (and they had a little one also), my husband and I knew we had to jump on this opportunity to do a "babysitting swap"! Since we both had breastfeeding babies at that time (and both slept by 7pm), we thought that the easiest thing would be to go out after we put our kids to sleep... So, one of them would come over to "babysit" (or it was more like, just sit and watch TV) after we put our daughter down.. and either my husband or I would go over to their place after they put their daughter down. It worked out great!! It literally took a few steps to get back home, so neither of us really cared how late the other came home.. plus, it was the easiest thing ever!!

Although we had to move away from our old neighbors, God has blessed us with some other amazing friends to do "babysitting swap" with. We don't live as close (but still only a 10min drive away) and we babysit for each other once a month so at least we are guaranteed one date with our spouse per month. :)

There's nothing better than having someone that you trust and love (and who your children love) babysit for you... and returning the favor so that you can bless them as well! Doing a "babysitting swap" will save you money, headache, stress and hassle!!

Keeping Your Immune System Strong

If someone in your family is starting to feel under the weather, read these great tips from WebMD:

An Immune System Buster
Eating foods high in sugar and fat: Consuming too much sugar suppresses immune system cells responsible for attacking bacteria. Even consuming just 75 to 100 grams of a sugar solution (about the same as in two 12-ounce sodas) reduces the ability of white blood cells to overpower and destroy bacteria. This effect is seen for at least a few hours after consuming a sugary drink. A diet high in saturated fat has a similar effect."

An Immune System Booster
Get more antioxidants in your diet: A diet rich in antioxidant vitamins and nutrients can boost immunity to help fight infection. Your body produces free radicals -- molecules that can damage cells. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals so they can’t do any damage. Researchers believe that when the balance between free radicals and antioxidants is upset, it can contribute to developing cancer and heart disease, as well as age-related diseases.

Top antioxidants include vitamins C and E, plus beta-carotene and zinc. To get enough of these antioxidants in your diet, experts recommend eating an abundance of brightly colored fruits and vegetables, including berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, apples, red grapes, kale, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes, and carrots.

Other immune-boosting foods include fresh garlic, which has claims of antiviral and antibacterial properties, and old-fashioned chicken soup. A study showed that if you do come down with a cold or the flu, a bowl of steaming chicken soup can boost immunity and help you get well faster.

In addition, mushroom varieties such as reichi, maitake, and shiitake may have some influence on immune function.

A Music Alternative

Children love music. They love to dance to it and sing along! However, we as mothers sometimes need a break from the la la lyrics and the hyper peppy songs. Classical music can be the answer! I wasn't a big classical music fan growing up, and I didn't know if my kids would appreciate it, but now it's soothing to me and it calms my nerves . Surprisingly, my kids like it!

When things get frantic around the house, try putting classical music on in the background. If you don't have a classical music collection, you can tune in on the radio to classical music stations. The kids might really respond to it! I've noticed that my kids interrupt me less, concentrate more on their activities and seem overall more content!

Meal Planning

You Mamas out there know... ANYTHING to make meal planning, budgeting and grocery shopping easier... right?!! Well.. hopefully these nifty notepads will help you be more efficient with your time and money (and help reduce stress!).






This one helps you plan out your dinner for the week.. as well as breakfast, lunch and snack. As much as I sometimes dread planning meals for the whole week.. I find that it DOES reduce food costs (or at least helps me to stay within our budget).












This one helps you keep track of all the items you're out of.. so on the day you go grocery shopping you don't have to write a list in a hurry, then realize that you forgot a few important items when you get home (which is what often happens to me).

Adding Omega 3s to the Menu

Adding fish to the weekly menu can sound tedious because prepping fish, baking it or frying it can be an ordeal. But here are some quick tips to add fish hassle free to your weekly menu.

Anchovies are rich in omega 3 and are less likely to have mercury because of their small size and short life span. Add a few anchovies to your kid's pizzas or salads. To reduce salt, you can soak or rinse the fish before serving.

Sardines are packaged with their bones in tact which has an added benefit of being rich in calcium. Also, these delicious fish are not only rich in Omega 3 but also in protein. Have it with rice or pasta, grill it or buy it marinated in tomato sauce.

Smoked salmon can be eaten right out of the package. Serve it on a bagel with cream cheese, or try my favorite - a la carte with cottage cheese and rice crackers.

13 Points for Parents

Point #1
Don't keep records of wrongdoings over your children or remind them of their failures and mistakes. Gird them up to make better choices.

Point #2
Don't put your barriers and fears on them.

Point #3
Respect and honor your spouse in front of your kids. When this is not done in the home, it drives a wedge and brings division in the family.

Point #4
Live a balanced life. Don't sacrifice your children for your work and dreams. Include them or they will despise what you do and why you are doing it. They will do everything to go in the opposite direction just to make a point. Don't neglect them verbally, mentally, or spiritually.

Point #5
You need to ask your kids for forgiveness when you screw up.

Point #6
Keep proper order. The kids do not come before your spouse. The order is God, spouse, kids, work, etc.

Point #7
Don't let your kids divide you and your spouse.

Point #8
Don't overload your kids with presents or you will spoil them rotten.

Point #9
Respect, honor and love them unconditionally. Encourage them. It pulls the best out of them.

Point #10
Contend in prayer for your kids and their spouses' future and salvation.

Point #11
You need to persist because it's worth it.

Point #12
Speak life into their potential. Correct the behavior NOT the person.

Point #13
Teach them how to deal with disappointments! Life sometimes sucks. Some things don't go our way. Trials are a part of our grooming and preparation.

Point #14 (BONUS)
Don't overload them with pressures to be performance based and performance-accepted children. There's got to be grace at home.

This is an exerpt from Dani Johnson's book, Grooming the Next Generation for Success. She is a Christian author and mother of five. If you enjoy these points, I recommend checking out her book at the library or ordering her book online.