Valentine's Day

Free babysitter.
Free Oreo cheesecake.
Free entertainment.
Not free, but very delicious dinner.

(Free entertainment for us means walking around Sears for an hour looking at every single power tool and kitchen appliance).

Happy Valentine's Day.



Ps. I am working on a new direction I feel for this blog. Please ignore the dust until everything is officially switched/announced :)

Our First Advent

We never celebrated advent growing up.

The only people I knew who celebrated advent were Catholic. We were Baptist. So I always assumed it was a Catholic tradition.

But recently I learned what advent really is. It's about the anticipation, preparation, and recognition of Christ's first coming at Christmas. It isn't just about getting a piece of candy out of a box everyday, it's a time of readings and teachings to prepare us for His second coming.  This totally applies to us too!

Several of my fellow bloggers shared The Truth in the Tinsel with me.. It's an ebook designed for families with young kids.

Each day has story, scripture, lesson, and craft (ornament) planned to help your family focus on the advent season. Most of the crafts can be whipped up based on what supplies you already have (the crown ornament above was supposed to be decorated with plastic jewels or flat marbles.. we only had mini-pom poms but it works!)

I hope this will be a great opportunity for us to practice part of what (I envision) homeschooling will be like - having a devotional and craft to do each day with Evelyn (from now until Christmas!)... and all I had to do to prepare for it was print the ebook and gather supplies!

I might post some pictures of our crafts and a summary of our lessons once a week (more likely I'll probably post them on my Facebook page).

Do you have any special advent traditions? Are you doing Truth in the Tinsel with your young children?

Full Disclosure: If you buy Truth in the Tinsel through my affiliated link, then Amanda will throw a couple cents my way... maybe I'll end up getting my copy for free :) Okay, I'm not that popular.. but any discount rocks, so thanks! You will love it!

Linking up with Frugal Days, Works for Me, Barn Hop, Raising Homemakers, 25 Days of Christmas!

Thank you following along on our journey to simplicity & contentment. Please be sure to learn about our family, like our page on Facebook, and visit the right column to subscribe to future posts!

I'm not buying a single gift this Christmas

Christmas gifts.

I have the unique situation that I share my birthday with Christmas Day. So of course I've always expected gifts (and my parents were very good to make sure I receive them for both occasions).

But over the past few years I've felt really challenged in this area. Even though receiving gifts isn't one of my love languages, I still feel the natural pull to give seriously awesome gifts to everyone at Christmas time.

Which makes striving for simplicity and contentment during this season a challenge.
I'm thankful God is making a huge change in my heart for the desire to consume, consume, consume "just because" it's the holidays. 

But how can I fulfill this desire to give and bring joy to others through presents... If I want them to be filled with contentment and appreciation for God's love too?

And how can I personally celebrate the holiday simply if everyone is expecting a fancy gift? And how can I express my contentment so that people don't feel the need to give me more?

This has been the conversation in my head for months leading up to the holidays.

And a big part of that conversation was me asking myself, "Why do we give presents at all? Well, Jesus was God's present to us. And the three kings brought him presents. So should I give everyone gold and essential oils? Do I buy them a Bible? Do I buy them nothing?"

The Compromise

Most would agree that America has succeeded in building up this traditional, historical holiday and making it less about Christ's birth and more about having the biggest decorations, the biggest gifts, and the biggest party to celebrate it all.

Let me preface by saying I love the Christmas season. I love the decor, the parties, the celebrations, the music. (Umm, I decorated my house before Thanksgiving)

What I don't love is the sense of entitlement, greed, and discontentment that I have seen in my own heart.

That's not the mindset I hope to pass on to my children. I want them to cherish this holiday as the celebration of Christ's birth, family, and giving out of love, not to receive. 

Contentment. No big presents? Perhaps no presents at all?
Simplicity. No big decorations? No big parties?

This does not sound fun at all.

How can I continue to change my heart to celebrate Christmas to honor the birth of our Savior without being completely radical and making our friends and family think we are crazy ungrateful cheapos...?

I have to give gifts. 
Well, I want to give gifts.

I want to share what we've been blessed with with our family and friends.. but, I don't want to give to impress. I want to give to challenge people. 

Challenge them to think about what they are truly celebrating - God's holiday? Or the world's holiday?
I want to challenge them about what they're expectations are and what ways they are searching for fulfillment, because in the end, they aren't going to get true fulfillment in any Christmas gift.


So now I've found the message I want from my gifts and my reasons for giving them. I'm not giving gifts just because "it's what you do" and because "I want gifts back". I hope my gifts will be received with a special message.


And to try and create that message, 
We decided to make all of our gifts this year. 

Not just a one or two. Not a handful. Every. Single. One.
And you know what I love the most about making homemade gifts?

1. No Money

Money is tighter right now, I'm being honest. We just bought our first house and are still adjusting to the unexpected/additional expenses that come with maintaining a home. (Almost) every material we are using to make our gifts we already own (or have been able to find for free from family members and Craig's List).

We are spending less than $100 total (but I think closer to $50... and a lot of that is on stamps!) for over a dozen gifts (and 50 mini-gifts).

We know making our own gifts won't make them less adequate for the person receiving them, but they will allow us to keep a larger "cushion" in our bank account if, say, we end up needing (another) unexpected $850 repair...

2. No TV Time

When we moved into our new house, we chose to not have cable anymore. This literally gives us hours every day that we used to waste watching random sitcoms and HGTV reruns. Having projects to work on has given us something to do in our "down time" (and it forces me to spend time doing something I enjoy... which is easy for us moms to skip!)

3. Teachable Moments

Spending time cutting, pinning, painting, designing, and sewing gives me plenty of opportunities to talk to my toddler about gift giving - and have her help! Even if it's just scribbling on envelopes or stuffing fabric scraps into a bag.

Is making homemade gifts 100x times more work than buying them? Absolutely.
Are there meaningful store-bought gifts out there? Absolutely.

But instead of dreading to fight the crowds and have my recipients 
potentially use their gift receipt, I'm preserving materials, saving money, and making something unique.

It's simple. And it makes me feel content. And thankful for the opportunity to bless others.

Do you have any unique traditions for gift giving?

Linking up with Frugal Days, Works for Me, Barn Hop, Raising Homemakers, Penny Pinching Party! 

Thank you following along on our journey to simplicity & contentment. Please be sure to learn about our family, like our page on Facebook, and visit the right column to subscribe to future posts!

Why I Won't Be "Celebrating" Black Friday (Anymore)

We decided to have a simpler Christmas this year. We aren't buying any gifts, we are making them all from materials we already have or from the few materials we will be buying. But every gift and every treat is going to be homemade.

But I was still counting down to Black Friday.

Why? Well, our new house came with a not-so-new stove. Literally it's from the 1970's. And when you cook from scratch (especially during the holidays) you tend to use the stove and oven... a lot. So our plan was to spend a few weeks getting settled then we can use my negotiating skills and the holiday deals to buy a newer one on Black Friday.

Then I saw ads like this:

Maybe I was living in a hole of nesting wonder last year at this time (as I was 8+ months pregnant), but I'm certain this is the first time this has happened. 

Black Friday is now on Thursday. And not just Thursday at 11pm. Thursday - right during your family's Thanksgiving dinner.

My initial reaction: This is wrong.

Thanksgiving day isn't about shopping or buying MORE things. 
Thanksgiving day is about appreciating the things you HAVE by spending time with your family, counting your blessings, practicing contentment.

My second reaction: If I'm supposed to already be AT stores when I would normally be flipping through the newspaper, shuffling and clipping ads and mapping out my plan of attack - when am I going to prep?

Then I realized something. 
Whether you are prepping the day of or the day before; whether you are shopping the day of, or the day after. You are missing the most important part about Thanksgiving.

Centering this week around shopping for Black Friday is saying that Thanksgiving is NOT about giving thanks, being content, and feeling blessed. It's saying that thanksgiving is about needing more.

I can't believe it's taken me almost 23 years to realize this.

I don't want my children to remember or associate Thanksgiving as the time when mom leaves on an important 10 hour mission of consumerism. I want my children to associate Thanksgiving as it is meant: Gratitude, contentment, appreciation.

So, no stove shopping for us.

We may end up getting something more basic when we buy our new stove, but I know God will provide the opportunity to buy just what we need and I am incredibly grateful for that. Honestly I will be grateful for anything made in this century... 

(Uh oh, is this when God really tests my heart? I'm not getting a new stove at all anymore, am I?)

If you are able to find a balance in celebrating Thanksgiving and taking advantage of Black Friday deals - it is your choice. But I am a sinner. And I love shopping. And I'm still new to the process of having a content heart. And I know that I cannot be completely present with my family on Thursday if I have the intent to accomplish something as intense as Black Friday.

If you are still going to participate, all I ask if that you schedule your shopping trips around your family time - not the other way around. 

Will you give up Black Friday?

Linking Up with the Barn Hop!

Thank you following along on our journey to simplicity & contentment. Please be sure to learn about our family, like our page on Facebook, and visit the right column to subscribe to future posts!

25 MORE Ideas for a Simpler, Greener, More Intentional Christmas

I really connected with Kelly from Imperfect Homemaking's post 75 Ideas for a Simpler, Greener, More Intentional Christmas.. After all, that is the exact focus of my blog. 

Living a simpler, more intentional, and green life. 
So I decided to add a few more things that we are planning to do this Christmas (on top of dozens listed on her list).

1. Have your kids decorate their own wrapping paper 
2. Take a little extra time to write out your Christmas greeting cards by hand - it's more personal
3. Listen to Christmas music for free on Pandora.com
4. Use last years decorations instead of buying new ones 
5. For every new toy your kids receive, teach them to donate an old toy to church or a thrift store. Or even better - donate the brand new one!
6. Remember the True Meaning of Christmas
7. Decorate with less snowmen, nutcrackers, and Santas and more nativity scenes
8. Use a shovel to clear your driveway instead of your snow plow - and enjoy the exercise!
9. Enjoy the ambiance of candle light
10. Ask your family not to buy any gifts - and if they insist ask if they'll donate it to your favorite charity or shelter
11. Do NOT go to Target!
12. Create a "Countdown to Christmas" paper link chain - and let your kids tear off (and recycle) one each morning
13. Drive to visit family... even the ones you don't care for
14. Decorate a house plant as your Christmas Tree
15. Knit or crotchet your own scarf and hat (and some for your kids!)

16. Take your spouse on surprise date... and go sledding!
17. Diffuse cinnamon and peppermint essential oils throughout the day
18. Sit by the window and watch the snow fall

19. Shovel your neighbors sidewalk
20. Share your favorite memories and Christmas traditions from your childhood
21. Have a Charlie Brown or felt Christmas Tree

22. Host a potluck with friends
23. Have a cookie decorating party
24. Fill stockings with healthy homemade snacks, new socks, and personal letter instead of pointless little toys and unnecessary candy
25. Read the Christmas story from the Bible before opening any presents on Christmas morning

Linking up with Simple Living Thursdays, Life As Mom, and the Barn Hop!

Thank you following along on our journey to simplicity & contentment. Please be sure to learn about our family, like our page on Facebook, and visit the right column to subscribe to future posts!