Check Out This Giveaway

Only 90 minutes left to enter this giveaway, but if any of you are still online, I highly suggest checking it out!

http://cedelperkins.blogspot.com/2010/04/free-stuff-friday-my-first-giveaway.html

Wednesday Weekly

How long does it take you to fold a load of laundry??

recipes

I try to feed my kids a wide variety of foods to keep them from getting picky. Lately, however, I am running out of healthy ideas. I was wondering if any of you have cookbooks or recipe websites that are more "natural" that you love. Or just healthy recipes in general that you and your kids love. I mainly struggle with lunch and snack ideas. Thanks!

It's Raining its Pouring

This website gives me endless ideas when I am in a rut and can't entertain my 2 year old with his mounds of toys and books. Perfect for a rainy day (though there are fewer and fewer of those this time of year).

FamilyEducation

Wednesday Weekly

What topic(s) of conversation put you "on a soapbox"?

Time Out for Women: Hope

Have any of you been to a Time Out for Women?

They're put on by Deseret Book and it's like EFY or Youth Conference for Mom's. I have wanted to go to one for a while and missed several opportunities, so when it came to a town three hours away, my sister in law and I packed up and had a girl's weekend!! It was wonderful and I highly recommend it!

I wanted to share one of the talks that really struck a chord with me. I have been really struggling with patient parenting with my four year old. I went to this conference with a prayer that I would hear something that would help me. It came from the speaker who I didn't expect or know anything about and is now my favorite!! Read more about Emily Watts here.

She spoke about "mother hopes". First, she joked about the things we should just give up hope on right now!!

1. sleeping through the night ever again!

2. being in charge!

3. having something nice of your own that the kids won't destroy!

Then she spoke of the "mother hopes" that she hoped we would never give up on:

1. The hope that your children can progress. That one day, they will learn, grow and improve. The years fly by even if the days don't.

2. The hope that this work that we are engaged in is WORTH it! She encouraged us to have faith not just in the doctrine of motherhood but that it applies to ME!

3. The hope that someone who is smarter than you and a better parent than you is ready to help right now! Heavenly Father's help comes just in time! He knows how to parent perfectly!

I was so touched by her humor and her devotion to motherhood that I just wanted to share with you the thoughts that have given me a bit more hope lately.

LDS clip art?

Does anyone have good suggestions of where to go on the web for free LDS visual aides including clip art and gospel art for us in callings?

Wednesday Weekly

If you could possess one super power, what would it be?

Recipes tried and true

Hello to all! I wanted to share my friend's cooking blog. She tests all kinds of recipes with variations and gives helpful creative tips in the kitchen! Its always nice when someone has tested and tried a recipe first to find out if its any good, right? She's a fan of healthy yet cost efficient (Costco shopper) foods so I figured we would all be interested. Enjoy and hope this helps in the kitchen!

sweetandsavorytooth.com

New Member: Naomi

Hello Sugar and Spice,

My name is Naomi and I was invited to this blog several months ago, maybe even a year ago. My introduction post is long over due but motherhood does that to you. Its one of the perks really. So here's a little about myself and my interests.

I was born and raised in Michigan. While studying nursing in college, I met my husband and we were married in 2005. I worked as a nurse for a little over a year before baby #1 came into the picture. We now have two sons, a 2yr old and a 2mo old. I stay at home currently, but hope to return to school to get a doctorate in Nursing as soon as my hubby is done with his residency program.

I enjoy cooking (mostly baking treats), art and painting, scrapbooking, photography (a new hobby I hope to invest time in eventually), and running. I am no good at sewing I realized after making my first son's baby blanket. Someday I'll work myself up to trying again, but for now its too frustrating. I also don't have an eye for coordinating home decore...but I hope, through this blog, to be able to feel more inspired to try new things again and again until they've been added to my talents and hobby list.

This blog is wonderful and I wish I had more time to read and comment. I will try to be better at contributing now that I've introduced myself!

Wednesday Weekly

If you could be a character in any novel, who would you be?

Hypnobirthing

Has anyone heard of this? Have you tried hypnobirthing techniques yourself or do you know of anyone who has. I am interested in trying this for my next delivery -- in about 4 months -- and I'd love to hear anyone's experience. I have read through my copy of a hypnobirthing book, I think some of the views are a little hoaky, even hippy-ish, but I do like the idea of self relaxation to prepare for and use during delivery.

Giveaway

Doing a giveaway with some new hairbows I started making. Come enter my giveaway and you could win 3 of these adorable bows! Entering ends on Monday April 5 at noon!
http://schacherfamily.blogspot.com/2010/04/hairbow-giveaway.html