Mama, help.

I hear that phrase quite a few times during the day. Sometimes it is to help pick a book or to get a glass of water. Other times it is to help her use the potty or pull up her pants. But sometimes it is for things like this...

While I had my back turned for just a few minutes as I changed Harper's diaper...

What would you pay?

I have been making these little baby/kid hats pretty quick and I know I could sell them. I have an etsy shop started, I have had it ready and waiting to be filled with products for months...hmmm...actually closer to a year now!
Anyway, I have a couple different styles I can make and I just love to give them to friends and family as gifts but I know people would buy them. I can do whatever color/weight people would want. I was thinking of selling them for $8-10.  Here's what they typically go for on Etsy...What do you think? What would you pay? Thanks!

Ear Flap Beanie with Flower

 

Plain Beanie with Snowflake clip on

 

Plain beanie with flowers, brimmed beanies with or without flowers and contrasting trim

Harper - 8 Months Old!

Harper! You are 8 months old! You are such a sweet baby. You like to eat...and your sleep is finally getting on track! You really have to be ALMOST crawling now. You can roll and spin and scoot backwards, you push with your hands up and then push up on your toes so you kind of do a teeny tiny downward facing dog pose but then you fall back down on your belly. You are trying to figure out how to clap your sweet little hands and you love music. You are having some issues with separation anxiety but it is just fine. You are such a blessing to us. Love you, Harper Baby!

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

I've been reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan with my small group. Originally we set out to read 2 or 3 chapters per week but we had to slow it way down because we were being so challenged we have only been reading 1 chapter. I thought I would share a few excerpts with you and encourage you to read the book yourself if you haven't already.

"Following Christ isn't something that can be done halfheartedly or on the side. It is not a label we can display when it is useful. It must be central to everything we do and are.
If life is a river, then pursuing Christ requires swimming upstream. When we stop swimming, or actively following Him, we automatically begin to be swept downstream." -page 94-95

"Lukewarm living and claiming Christ's name simultaneously is utterly disgusting to God. And when we are honest, we have to admit that it isn't very fulfilling or joyful to us, either." -page 103

"If we allow ourselves to live recklessly for Him, then we too, will see His glory. We will see Him do the impossible...We have to do things that cost us during our life on earth but will be more than worth it in eternity...When you pray, your prayers are heard by the same God who answered Moses' prayer for water in the desert, the God who gave Abraham and his barren wife a son, and the God who made the slave Joseph second in power only to Pharoah." -page 116

"True love requires sacrifice." -page 119

"Giving that is not motivated by love is worth nothing." -page 120

1 John 3:16-20

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

sick but eating well

We've been a bit under the weather this week and are starting to feel better.

I will have more words to share when we are back to full health!

Here are some of the recipes I have been cooking lately...

Caramel Corn for my small group.
Baked Oven Fries for my french fry loving toddler.
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese for comfort. I added a few modifications but if you have never made your own mac & cheese, this is a great recipe to start with. I love being able to use whatever cheese I have on hand and usually a blend of a few kinds of cheese.
Oatmeal Cookies for my small group.
Biscuits for Biscuits and Gravy. I use 50/50 whole wheat and unbleached white flour for these and they turn out great.
Mint Brownies for dessert with family and leftovers served to small group. I use my brownie recipe with the whole wheat substitution.

Apparently sweets are my specialty. Actually we are trying to wait as long as we can before turning on the furnace and baking is a great way to warm up our chilly house in the morning!

I also made 2 more ear flap hats. I need to stop but it is a great stash buster and maybe eventually I will start selling them and then I can buy more yarn....