Tuesday Tidbits 10/7

It's Not Tuesday

Tuesday came and went this week without a new post here on Beautiful Functional. I'd like to say it was because I was busy all day doing something exciting. That's not true. I also didn't have any kind of emergency in my household.

It's not that I was too lazy to write. It's not that I was uninspired. I was even ready to reveal Tuesday Tidbits' new graphic that I created using Canva.

This week's Tuesday Tidbits is going up on Thursday because on Tuesday during "writing time," I was holding a sleeping baby. Baby Sister is going through an I-need-Mom-all-the-time-or-I-will-whine phase. And really, y'all, who would rather stare at a computer than try to burn that smooth, sweet face into their memory for all of eternity? Not this mama.

This is why I don't put on makeup. 

Is Scentsy wax toxic? Asking for a friend. A short, curly-haired, Frozen-loving friend. 

I spend tons of money on teething helps. Toys to chew on, pain relieving medicines, organic tablets, jewelry forged in the fires of Mordor, even an expensive giraffe, who recently released a series of novels. What helps when nothing else will? A good, clean knuckle. 

Blog Fun, Part 4

I've been highlighting a few of my favorite blogs on Tuesday Tidbits for the last several weeks. This week, it's Carisa from 1+1+1=1.

This site is a recent find, but it has quickly become a must-read for my homeschool planning. Carisa is a former Kindergarten teacher turned homeschool mom, and she blogs about what works for her family. She originally coined the phrase "Tot School" for kiddos who are too young for traditional Pre K materials. Because I'm overzealous and ready to get some structured fun time in with Big Girl, I've been looking for direction on where to begin with "under 3's." There are literally thousands of pages of content with ideas for materials and activities that are developmentally appropriate from birth to 3 (and beyond).

Signing up for her newsletter gets you the download link for her eBook, Where to Begin with Tot School, for those of you who, like me, get overwhelmed and excited like a puppy that has company (ha).

Tuesday Tidbits 10/14

Bargain Braggin'

I got a sweet deal today at Mom's Mecca. It was posted on Facebook by Money Saving Mom. Readers often share their bargains, and MSM passes them on to other readers through social media. It's a long one, so stay with me...

Target Brand (Up & Up) diapers are originally $28.99 per box. This week, they are on sale for $24.99 each. If you buy 2 boxes, you get a $10 Target gift card. There is a digital coupon circulating for $10 off a $40 purchase of Up & Up products. The Cartwheel App had a scan for 10% off Up & Up products. I have a Target RedCard, which gives me 5% off my purchase when I use it to pay. 

So with all of the discounts, I was able to get 316 diapers for $35 (including tax) and a $10 gift card. I pretty much got 2 boxes of diapers for $25. And with two in dipes, those will last me HOURS. (I kid. Maybe a couple days.)

MisterKidd says that it's not really a bargain if you get a gift card back because they're still getting your money. But he just doesn't know Target like I do. He doesn't understand the intricacies of my relationship. Target wouldn't cheat me like that. Target cares about me.

Villains

Stories, retellings, and parables in scripture often feature a hero and a villain. A deceiver and the deceived. Somebody who behaves as God would have him and somebody who doesn't. But before we label the characters, we have to check ourselves. 

My church is about to start a book in our community groups called "Ministries of Mercy" by Tim Keller. We are evangelically minded and hope to share Christ through compassion, and our leaders felt that this book would help us with the practical aspects of that goal. 

I started this book on Sunday and made it through the prologue with only about 85% of it highlighted. It was that good. 

Keller uses the parable of the Good Samaritan on the Jericho road (Luke 10:25-37) to set the stage for explaining what Christ thinks about mercy. I am always amazed at myself when studying these kinds of passages. When I first read, I think,"Ugh. A priest and a Levite, of course. Holier than thou. No time to stop by and help a brother out, even if he is bleeding from the head." And just like always, I start to find a little of myself in those who disobey the commands to love The Lord with everything you have and to love your neighbor as yourself. 

Keller's warning is that "we should not be too quick to scorn these men, or we may discover we are convicting ourselves." The Jericho road was a dangerous one. It was nicknamed "the bloody way," and for very good reasons: not only was it steep and rocky, but because of the twists and turns, it was common for ne'er-do-wells to hide, attack, and rob passers-by. This is what happened to the man lying in his blood. 

I can imagine the thoughts of the priest and the Levite. "Whoa. That dude is mangled. Where there's smoke, there's fire. I'm outta here, but I'll let somebody know he's here. That's good enough."

And I can't say that I'd be any different. 

What is in our hearts in situations like this one? Self-preservation. The fact that "self" might be harmed, or at the very least, made to feel uncomfortable. If loving your neighbor as yourself means giving your neighbor the kind of care and attention you would hope for yourself, how can we possibly leave a man in his blood?

There is so much GOSPEL in this parable. God saw you in your blood and said, "LIVE!" (Ezekiel 16:6) if you are His. And He sent Christ to bandage your wounds and take you to safety. Ultimate compassion was shown to you, and your responsibility is to "go and do likewise." (Luke 10:37)

But how should I apply this to myself, today? I don't know. I've only read the prologue.

Blog Fun, Part 5

This week, I'm featuring Matt and Betsy from DIYNatural. 

DIYNatural is my personal authority for natural living. They have articles for almost every topic imaginable: remedies for colds and other illnesses, natural cleaners, organic gardening and eating, frugal finances, and so much more. One thing I really appreciate is that Matt and Betsy test everything before they post about it. Each recipe is perfected and experts are consulted before they present content to the public. Thanks for being guinea pigs, Matt and Betsy.

This site is a great place to start for those just beginning their natural journey and for people like me, who hang out at the starting line for five some years.

Next week will be the final Blog Fun Tidbit, and it will knock your socks off.
Hint: my food hero. Not Mom, but the other one.

Tuesday Tidbits 9/30

A Major Holiday

Yesterday was National Coffee Day, and I celebrated like I never have before (because I never have before). My record for the day: 3 cups in my "coffee bowl," 3 spoons of sugar, 2 drops of Pumpkin Spice Creamer, and 4 zaps in the microwave (true mom status).

I have coffee in my blood. My dad drinks at least one pot a day every day, even in the middle of summer.  I learned to brew a nice pot of Folgers when I was knee high to a grasshopper (oops, my country is showing).

So when I saw National Coffee Day trending on Twitter, it got me thinking about all the things I love about the black gold.

• Coffee has the best nicknames. Java, brew, cuppa, go juice, jolt, mud, et al.
• Coffee makes you get up and go. It may be mental (although the withdrawal headaches suggest that it isn't), but I feel like I could conquer the world after my morning cup(s), or at least conquer the Monday. I've heard Plexus Slim has the same effect, but coffee is much cheaper, and we're tryna be debt-free, y'all. 
• Coffee is like a woman. No matter how you dress her, she's always a woman to Billy Joel. There's a coffee for every taste. Latte, cappuchino, triple shot, sugar, whipped cream, mocha, caramel, frozen, iced, black, never ending possibilities, with or without a fantastic cookie to dip. If you don't like coffee, you haven't tried hard enough. 

I've been thinking about wishing for a Keurig. Pros/Cons for daily drinkers?

Put not your trust in football. 

With all the things I love about Fall, there are some that are not at the top of my list. One bandwagon that I could never get on is football. 

I grew up in a small town with a small school. It was so small that we didn't have a football team, so no Friday Night Lights for me.  My dad was not particularly into sports, so we didn't spend every weekend and major holiday watching ESPN. He was too busy cleaning deer to watch football. I married a football fan, but we abstain from cable, so I've missed out there, too. In conclusion, I've had no reason to make sports a part of my life. 

I know that many people, however, do not miss a chance to call the hogs. They talk about player stats and game highlights like they were actually on the field. When the team hurts, they feel pain. And then my Facebook news feed feels pain. 

So fans, fair-weather and die-hard, I want to offer this caution as we enter football season: remember that it's just a game, it's just a hobby, it's just a fleeting moment in time, and it is not something to sin over. 

Remember to commit yourself to Christ during this season as earnestly as you do any other time of the year (or more). Don't forsake gathering with the church to gather with your team of choice (in person or in spirit). Where your news feed is, there also is your heart. Don't forget to boast in your Savior rather than a group of students who have talent for a game that pays for their college. Enjoy this season, but don't put your hope in it. 

Are you a superfan? How do you find the balance in enjoying but not abusing your hobby?

Blog Fun, Part 3. 

Next up on my weekly blog roll: Crystal and her posse from Money Saving Mom.

As the title suggests, this site has saved me tons of money. What started as the small blog of a homeschooling mom has grown into a huge business for Crystal, her husband, and her employees.  She and her group scour the internet for the best deals in grocery, health, and beauty.  There are tons of articles on shopping, meal planning, stockpiling, couponing, recipes, home management, and home finance. I pretty much eat this website for breakfast.

Some of my favorite content from this site includes:

• The list of free ebooks they post several times per week.
• The "52 Different Ways to Save $100 this Year" series from 2013.
• The "We Paid Cash" stories--it CAN be done!
• And the daily "this is free or cheap" posts that inevitably pop up.

Check this blog out and watch the dollars roll in, or at least stay warm and safe in your pocket.

Tuesday Tidbits 9/23

Fa-La-La-La-Fall

It's the most wonderful time of the year.  Today is the first day of FALL. Leaves, pumpkin spice coffee creamer, candles that smell like baked goods, and thermometers that say, "Grab a sweater, Brianna."

I've been reading the "extended forecast" to MisterKidd everyday for the past few weeks, and we rejoice over each cool front. This was our conversation yesterday:

B: High of 78 today and tomorrow! And tomorrow's the first day of Fall!
MK: Yesssss. You know God made this time of year for us, right? He said, "Here you go, Kidd family."

*Swoon.* Soulmates.

Another fantastic thing has happened this week, and it's only Tuesday. I got fluff mail yesterday. It's when the mail person plays ding-dong-ditch at my front door, and there's a box of goodies on my stoop.

This particular parcel was full of seasonal treats. I am very fond of Christmas (ask anyone). The theme of this fluff mail has got the Frank Sinatra blaring at my house. These diapers are so cute, I may not even let my littles pee in them.

Fluff Mail

Yeah, those are owls in top hats and scarves. Can you die from cuteness?

It's not humility.

I've been thinking about this concept lately. I don't have it fully formed, but I got an inkling that I need to ponder.

I have been noticing the confusion of self-deprecation and humility in the church. There is a difference in putting yourself down and putting the focus off yourself. The line is getting blurred, particularly among Christian women. We don't appear more humble by highlighting our own flaws at every turn or tearing down our own character. This is the opposite, in fact.

Humility is thinking of yourself less rather than thinking of yourself poorly or not at all. In aiming to be humble through self-deprecation, we actually think of ourselves more as we strive to tear ourselves down for the sake of others.

MisterKidd asked me to put Philippians 2:3 on our chalk board so we could think on this verse for a few weeks, and it fits perfectly with what I've been thinking lately. "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others as more significant than yourselves." 

There is no loophole from conceit to meekness, or from self-centeredness to humility; there is only the remembrance that we are God's treasured possessions, made in His image, and we are called to consider others more and first if we are His.

Blog Fun, Part 2

This week's blog highlight is Emily at The Anderson Crew.  She is a SAHM of six kiddos ages 2 to 10.

I've been following this one for a couple years. I think I originally came across it on Pinterest. At that time, she and her husband were in the process of adopting a little girl from Ethopia, so it was awesome to follow their adoption journey as it was happening.

A lot of her posts are about daily family stuff, her use of Young Living EOs, and the women's ministry she and some of her friends started (Flourish).

It doesn't hurt that she has awesome style, and her home is that bright white DIY with pops of color that I love.

Tuesday Tidbits 9/16

Dream Clean

I've been wanting one of these since my big girl started eating solids. After every meal and snack, you can find me on the floor with a wet rag, mopping up the crumbs, drips of drink, and hunks of food that did not make it into Big Girl's tummy. 

Kids learn by repetition. So I caught Big Girl doing this one day:

I was simultaneously proud of her mad cleaning skills and completely scared to death that my life is the one she's watching while she's building her own life. 

Those days are over, my friend. Over. I made a purchase yesterday at Mom's Mecca (Target) that will change my days for the better. 

Bam.

Sanctification, by God. 

The struggles and joys of the SAHM life are innumerable. Love: spending my days with my sweet kiddos, watching them learn, and pouring into them the love of Jesus. Un-love: diapers, crying, and no time for myself. Comme ci, comme ca. 

All of this, along with the fact that he totally floats my boat, makes me really look forward to MisterKidd's arrival in the afternoons, so much that we have fallen into a pattern of "he comes home right after work no matter what." I'm not trying to be a dictator, and to my knowledge, he doesn't feel oppressed. But I've noticed it lately, and it's been bugging me. 

So God started doing what He does best. I've been chatting with Him about this feeling, and we've come to the conclusion that I need to be more gracious with MisterKidd's time. Like, not helping him manage every second. 

Taking care of littles is hard, but we're in this together, so I want to be flexible with him and supportive of his free time and hobbies, as he tries to do the same for me. We're parents, but we're also people. People that might snap if they can't just run to Lowe's to get a screw for their bow. 

Blog Fun, Part 1

I have a few favorite blogs that I've collected over the past few years. These are real women (sorry, guys) that post their lives on the internet, and I have fun keeping updated on their DIY projects, trips to the zoo with their large family, money saving strategies, holistic health tips, homeschool ideas, and delicious food. Incidentally, all of these women are believers, so I get a good dose of Jesus when I check in once a week when the stars and the nap times align. 

Over the next several weeks, I'll link to my favorite blogs on my Tuesday Tidbits post so my four or five readers can check them out. 

Up first, Kelly at View Along the Way.

If anyone wants to sneak into my house and make it over to look exactly like hers, feel free. She has awesome style; everything is so white and crisp, with pops of color, yard sale finds, and outgoing DIY flare. Her voice is so fun and playful. 

Bonus: She cloth diapers her kids, and she and her husband paid off their house in 5 years while following Dave Ramsey's principles for money management. As a new homeowner, this is serious inspiration!

Check out her blog, and let me know when you're coming by to paint so I can casually run out for errands.

Tuesday Tidbits

It's not me, it's the Crock Pot.

I have this Crock Pot. I use it because I'm a SAHM and I'm supposed to. My food is not always good. 

I try recipes from cheap cookbooks, recipes from nice cookbooks, recipes from my hero, PW, recipes from my other hero, Mom, and recipes from the internet. 

Oven food: good. Stovetop food: good. Microwave food: good. Crock Pot food: sometimes good. 

Why, Crock Pot, why? I will admit, I take some liberties with my food. I don't set a timer. I leave out and/or substitute ingredients. I loosely follow recipes. But why are my Crock Pot meals mediocre?

As I stared into the Crock Pot watching my Shredded Tex Mex Chicken cook too fast (yet again), this thought popped up like a whack-a-mole: it's not me. It's the Crock Pot. 

Who has one they love? Sell me, sister. 

Mom Porn is still Porn.

I'm going to say this, and all the feelings are going to happen. Anger, apathy, agreement, plus some that don't start with an "a" and will throw off my alliteration. 

"50 Shades of Grey" is not literature. It's pornagraphy in a neat, socially acceptable package. It might be marketed along with other New York Times best sellers, but it truly does promote sexual abuse and devalue women. 

I was working on my Swagbucks videos to earn some dollars (ok, not so much watching as letting them play. I confess.) I picked up my phone and caught a glimpse of a movie trailer. I don't remember what drew my attention, but I finished the video. What I saw made my stomach turn. This is not a picture of a healthy sexual relationship between a woman and her husband. 

"But have you read it? The book is always different than the movie."

No, but the book jacket tells me it's not something I want to hide in my heart. I remember everything I've ever read. Literally. I also have a great imagination. If I did read it, even just to review it, it would still affect me. Something that has the potential to alter my worldview and my relationship with my husband so greatly doesn't need to be in my mind. (For more info on how this could happen from reading a book, email me.)

"I can read it and still not agree with it. We read for entertainment."

Both of those statements are true. I am a Harry Potter fan from way back, but I'm not hanging out in my bedroom practicing magic. MisterKidd and I have discussed this concept over and over in regards to our kids. What can be redeemed through discussion, and what should be rejected entirely? 

The difference is in the heart of the characters. That's what we take with us after we close the book. Harry Potter's heart is for his friends and family. His choices reflect a servant who regularly makes sacrifices for the people he loves. Is he perfect? No. But I can share the Gospel with my kids through that fact. Christ is THE sinless savior, and he really lives. From what I know of the main character of "50 Shades of Grey," his choices are those of an abuser. The theme of the story tells our hearts that it's desirable to be taken advantage of and manipulated. 

Phillipians 4:8 tells us to fill our minds with things that build us up and bring us closer to God. Reflect on this, Christian women, when you consider what to use for entertainment. 

Head over to the Gospel Coalition for an actual review of the book. 

http://thegospelcoalition.org/article/fifty-shades-twilight-and-teaching-young-women-to-desire-abusers

...of whom I am chief.

This article. Moms, stop taking yourself so seriously. Laugh at yourself, and learn from veterans, too, not just peers. 

http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-study-finds-link-between-breastfeeding-always,36823/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_campaign=LinkPreview:1:Default