Air-Purifying House Plants

Note: I don't have a degree in horticulture, and I don't consider my thumb very green. So no guarantees on the accuracy or science of this information. Simply excited about this latest beginner endeavor.

Some people take lots of pictures of their pets--their Instagram feed is all their cat or dog. (You know who I'm talking about; maybe it's you ;) Well, I'm not much of a pet-person. But boy do I love me some plants! Leaves and greenery and grassy fields and bamboo shoots and trees. It helps that my favorite color is green, plus I just love the life and spiritual growth these represent.

So, today, I introduce you to the newest additions to our family--our air-purifying houseplants--through lots of pictures. We probably spend a little too much time doting on (of course I mean caring for) these plants. Is that weird? Don't answer that.

Why We Bought "Air-Cleansing" Plants

This was a rough winter for us. Between the four of us we had strep throat (for all of us), multiple ear infections, the flu, and bronchitis in addition to typical colds. When it was finally Spring and we were still getting freezing weather and colds, I was ready to pack up our bags and head back south.

We live in a 1,000 sq. ft., 2-bedroom that feels a little tight in the winter. I love it, but Daniel is convinced these close quarters in the winter (and lack of fresh air) don't allow us to fully recover from sickness. Shortly after he mentioned this again, I ran into Bonnie's post on air-purifying plants on her blog Going Home to Roost. I knew we were long overdue for adding fresh life to our home, and this was just the motivation I needed to finally make it happen.

Back in 1989, NASA shared the specifics of the power these sprouts hold against indoor air pollution. The part that caught our attention: It takes just a 6-inch plant to filter a 100 sq. ft. space of many common household pollutants (think benzene, formaldahyde and other toxins I know nothing about). That means we needed ten 6-inch plants (or an equivalent combination of smaller and larger) to potentially cleanse all of these common impurities from our entire apartment.

And with the top air-filtering plants, much of this cleansing happens in a short 24-hour period. That's about 3 days faster than Brylee's recovery time for her multi-day flu!

Even if these plants don't directly cure a cold or the flu, we were ready to experience the benefits of fresher air in our small living space. Plus, have I mentioned I'm obsessed with these green leaves?

What Houseplants We Bought

Find a list of air-purifying plants here (with toxicity info for pets). Following are what we bought. (The last one might be a dracaena, but I don't know.)

Gerber Daisy // gerbera
Palm "Neanthe Bella" // chamaedorea elegans

Dracaena "Lemon Surprise" // dracaena deremensis
Dracaena Marginata
one unknown, possibly not air-filtering

Where We Put the Plants in Our Apartment

We decided we'd start with one in each main living area. Here's what we ended up with...

Living Room

We put a plant (the "unkown" one) on our bookshelf. There are two other shelves we could potentially add a small plant, but wanted to wait until Ian is a little older and not so fascinated with digging in the dirt.

Kitchen

We have a gerbera on our kitchen counter, then we keep a bowl of fruit on our kitchen island. I know fruit doesn't have the same air-cleansing powers, but it still represents an important aspect of life and healthiness that we can easily add to our home. Eventually, I'd love to add a little herb garden, maybe hanging on a wall. We have a marginata waiting to be planted in a pot that currently resides on our island next to our fruit bowl.

Dining

We have a dracaena as our dining table centerpiece. (With a pot I love that was passed on from friends.) When the marginata (in the kitchen) is potted, that will likely be added to the dining area floor near the window. It will become a larger tree-like plant and needs lots of space.

Bedrooms

Ian and Brylee have a smaller dracaena on the bookshelf in their room, and I have a palm (my favorite!) on my dresser/nightstand. We also have poppy seeds Brylee is working on sprouting, but that's more for fun. (Although poppies are a good air-purifying choice, too.)

Bathrooms

We don't have plants in the bathroom, but I'd like a couple smaller ones that can easily be moved out for sunshine. Succulents look so fun and are supposed to be pretty low maintenance.

How We (attempt to) Care for Our Houseplants

It's a simple water, sunshine, repeat, then occasionally prune and fertilize. We started with reading each plant's care instruction card. They all had slightly different care, so we simplify by caring for them all pretty much the same. (I hope my cousin's not reading this; he actually does have a horticultural degree.)

Water

Our plants' instructions basically said to keep ground moist, but don't allow it to become too saturated nor let the roots become soggy (not sure how I'm supposed to figure that out). We've been watering them a little a couple times a week. The top bit of soil is allowed to become a bit dry before we water again. These plants originated in humid climates, so we have a water bottle that we can spritz their leaves for added moisture, too.

Sunshine

None of these need all-day or direct sun. One plant needed 4-6 hours indirect light, and that was the most out of all of them. (Their original habitat is under larger trees and plants, so they're "used" to low light.) (Daniel says these plants originated in a lab so none of that applies.) We wonder if they get enough sun, so we periodically collect them all on small stools and dining chairs by the dining room window. (This window has full sunlight in the evening.) Maybe we're going overboard? They seem happy.

Prune

Occasionally a leaf is discolored or showing other signs of dying. We clip and toss these. If the whole plant is looking droopy, then that's a good indicator we need to do something different with the watering, sunshine, or fertilizing. (That poor Gerbera keeps looking droopy and bouncing back to life.)

Fertilize

Each of these plants' care instructions had varying frequencies to fertilize, anywhere from monthly up to every six months. A couple say to fertilize more frequently in the spring and summer, then less in the winter. The soil we used when we potted them was fertilized, so we haven't re-fertilized yet.

Repeat

>>>>>

Did you catch these links?

top 10 air-filtering plants on going home to roost
list of air-filtering plants with pet toxicity info on wikipedia
search for plants to match your decor at exotic angel plants
nasa's '89 study on indoor plants
book of 50 plants to purify home or office

How and When to Use PicMonkey Touch Up Tools

So far I've stuck with PicMonkey's Basic Edits and Effects for my beginner photo editing, with some Text and Overlays when I'm "designing" something for the blog. I recently branched out to try the Touch Up features and am so impressed at it's ability to beautify my mug.

PicMonkey Photo Touch-up Features

Here's the list of everything I did to improve this photo (hopefully without going overboard)...

Blemish Fix

This is actually my face at one of its clearest times. Yet there were still some noticeable bumps and spots along the cheek, chin and forehead which this feature helped clear up.

Airbrush

In addition to the bumps and spots mentioned above, I also have large pores and an ugly scar above one eyebrow that the airbrush feature helped smooth out. (My forehead might be on the verge of looking a little botox-y in the after; go extra light on this feature.)

Wrinkle Remover

This picture was taken when I was 21, so hopefully not too many wrinkles. Yet I still had deep and noticeable lines under my eyes, and even natural smile lines. This tool helped make those less defined.

Spray Tan

The natural lighting made my forearm and my collar extra pale, and the spray tan tool helped add a little natural skin tone color to those areas.

Teeth Whiten

Who couldn't use a little extra teeth whitening? (Unless, of course, you already whiten your teeth ;)

Eye Brighten

This is a cool feature that helped make my hazel eyes pop. Especially in a professional profile photo, those eyes might benefit from showing a little more life.

Blush Boost, Lip Tint, Mascara, Eye Shadow, Highlights

These features can help add a little color to pale lips, enhance undefined eyes, or touchup makeup not showing up in the photo. Another fun way to use these is trying out makeup colors before buying. It's like a virtual makeover to try out new makeup--how fun is that!

Tips + Tricks for Using Touch-Up Editing Tools

There are a few things to keep in mind when touching up personal features in a photo. Here are a just a few things to consider...

Keep it natural.

Each of these features has the potential of making you look terribly fake, and well, just plain terrible. With each tool you use, consider if it looks natural--is it normal for a person to be this wrinkle-free, to have this smooth of skin, to have this white of teeth, or this color of skin? Wrinkles and blemishes add character and make us human. Without them (or at least hints of them), we're no better than magazine covers that shave off thighs and bellies that might make stars look a little more like us--and that "look" is human.

Be true to you.

In addition to being naturally human, it's important to be naturally you. What colors and touch ups fit in with who you are and what you look like in real life? Is this photo an accurate portrayal of what you look like on a daily basis, or an attempt to look like Barbie? (Barbie's plastic--it's not a good look on us humans.)

Go light.

With each tool you use, always go light. Find where you think it might look good, then consider going a little lighter. Too light will still improve your photo without looking fake, but too heavy on the effects will just not come out right. Basically, there's no such thing as "too light" when touching up a photo.

Basic edits first, then touch up, and end with effects.

When editing a photo, start with basic edits, adjusting your photo for color, brightness etc. Then, dive into Touch Up features to improve complexion, whiten teeth or whatever else needs to be done to improve the people in the photo. Finally, end with Effects to make the photo look processed how you like. Doing this out of order could cause your touch ups to look worse (especially in regards to colors).

Not every tool is needed.

If you're editing a close-up profile pic, then go through the tools but recognize which ones are needed and which aren't. If it doesn't actually improve the photo, then don't apply the changes. Or, just start with pointing out the 1-3 main areas that need improved and do those without using every single touch-up feature available. This will help accomplish that natural, human-looking appeal mentioned above.

Not every photo needs it.

Finally, not every photo needs touched up. If there's glaring shine on someone's forehead, an obviously yellowing smile, or a distracting pimple, by all means fix it. And if you're adding a close-up profile picture to your social media accounts, by all means make it look like you on your best day (and no better). Otherwise, for the average snapshot, these touch up tools may not even be needed. And that's okay.

>>>>>

Check out Jen's touch-up tutorial on PicMonkey's blog for more fun before and afters and great tips on getting the most out of PicMonkey's Touch Up tools.

Your Family Needs You to Be Courageous

There's something I've been keeping from you. And if I'm going to grow, I can't keep this to myself any longer. It might not be a surprise based on hints I've made to this. I just avoid putting these words to it, largely because of the struggle to be considered a good enough mom.

Are you ready? Here it is...

While I love being a mom, (there's just no other way to put it) I don't love being a mom.

I know, judge all you want, it's the simple truth.

I love my kids and am incredibly honored and privileged to be trusted with their care. I love their sweet cheeks, their adorable eyes, their innocent hearts, and their overflowing love and kindness. I appreciate everything they teach me about love and life and God. They make me laugh, warm my heart, and color my life. And I know I'll one day long for them to be little again.

But sometimes, sadly, the selfish child in me comes out. And I throw internal tantrums or ugly pity parties about how being a mom excludes me from what I want to be doing. And I'm not talking about going out drinking and partying and having fun (I've never drank or "partied"). I'm talking about feeling excluded from mission and purpose.

When I was 15, my first plane trip (ever) included a series of flights from Atlanta, USA to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Nine months later, when I returned home to Kansas (irrelevant side note: "home" was Tennessee when I left), it became evident that adventure awakened in me a hunger for mission and a thirst for purpose.

In college, I started dreaming more about where my post-school adventures would take me. Maybe to be a missionary? Maybe to Colorado for evangelism training? Maybe to Spain for a minor in Spanish? Maybe to grad school to pursue family counseling?

I hadn't learned all the stuff I'm learning now about discovering and pursuing passion, so I was a bit unsure and excited about the possibilities. (Irrelevant thought: Shouldn't purpose and passion be covered before we drop tens of thousands of dollars on a 4-year degree? Just wondering.)

Didn't matter much, because none of those big ideas happened. By the time I graduated college, I was married, had a 5-month-old and a full-time job. Blessed, content and happy. (And not a bit of sarcasm in that.)

A couple months after graduation, Daniel got a job in Florida and we moved. Instead of working full-time, I would now stay home with Brylee (who was 18-months-old at the time), and I was ill-prepared for that transition.

The responses to my getting to become a stay-at-home mom were genuine happiness for me, purely positive, and often nostalgic. "Oh, staying home with my kids when they were young were the best years of my life!" was a common response from older women.

So why wasn't I feeling genuine happiness, and purely positive with a bit of nostalgia? Why didn't these feel like the best years of my life?

I longed for the full-time job that held accountability, clear goals and achievements complete with encouragement and a "keep up the good work" from the boss... and purpose. Home with a toddler was lonely, frustrating, exhausting, and seemingly without purpose. The daycare we left in Nebraska did a better job caring for her than I was--she was at least less bored there.

It took about a year, but we slowly adjusted and found a routine that worked. We got involved in a weekly mom's group, had a weekly routine that helped us get out most days, became members of a great church, and made friends that taught me a little more how to be a good mom.

Yet, I can't say I ever really found my purpose or mission in staying home. I was getting better at it. I was happier and more positive. I saw the nostalgia as Brylee grew and I became pregnant with baby two. But my passion was elsewhere. Surely there was something else out there that would better use my strengths and help me feel more alive.

Is that terrible?

I mean, my kids and spending time with my family makes me feel alive. Then, in the day-to-day I always feel a drive for more, and it's rarely in more crafts, art projects, or "fun" messes (isn't that an oxymoron?) for the kids. That's just not me. I'm sorry, Brylee and Ian, you got the boring introvert mom who thrives in "alone" time, writes for fun, and calls a clean house "art."

I longed for a mission and a purpose. An adventure in the way I remembered it years earlier.

The way I learned about it from Pamela Moore's Safer than a Known Way. It was a book I read shortly after returning from Mongolia. She lived a comfy and predictable life in England and, on a spiritual weekend retreat, prayed her life over to God while essentially requesting He leave her life comfy and predictable.

Of course, He answered a little differently and led her overseas, used her in public speaking (her greatest fear), and led her to her husband in her 40s rather than in her 20s like she wanted. She was happy and content through it all because trusting God was all the comfort and predictability she needed.

Her book put a real-life story to what I longed for. There was evidence that the adventure I sought existed, and just maybe God wanted it for me too.

Of course, life distracts me from that a bit, and often tells me I can't have it. There aren't too many epic adventures awaiting a primary caregiver of two little helpless souls. I periodically try to convince myself those two helpless souls are my adventure, but between the whining, colored walls, and Curious George it just isn't convincing enough.

I long to be an epic Christian, to let my light shine, to rock this world in Jesus' name! That has been my earnest prayer over the last couple years--that God would use me in big ways for His glory.

If only His answers came to me all at once in the form of clear direction. I'm one of those that Shane Claiborne classifies as having the "gift of frustration." I am frustrated by my desire to give up on traditional church and the misunderstandings I get from that. I am frustrated by the apparent gap between being mom and being part of Jesus' epic call to missions. I am frustrated that this growing process looks like death at first, but is really life.

I'm frustrated that at its roots, what I'm talking about is comparing letting-go-of-my-passions-to-focus-on-being-mom to feeling like death!

I'm frustrated that this is just all so confusing.

God knows when I'm feeling that way.

A couple weekends ago, our church held meetings for young adults. My college public speaking and magazine writing professor was the guest speaker. (He's also author of this and this--apparently incredible books I sadly have yet to read.)

Daniel warned me it was going to be good. He got to enjoy one of Chris Blake's talks just a week or two before, and he was inspired. So, we made it a priority to show up.

The Friday evening session caught my attention, and I was ready for whatever else would come in the remaining sessions on Saturday. Problem is: there wouldn't be kids' programs for those. So our kids would be with us. How can I state this clearer? Considering my not-yet-church-trained two-year-old, this made me a little hesitant. But it wouldn't stop us.

We showed up. And we sat on a couch in the back, where we would be out of the way. One of the pastors pulled Daniel aside asking for help with the anointing they had planned for the end. There would be a communion, and Daniel would help a few others pray over individuals. They would anoint their hands with oil as they prayed for their mission and purpose.

Excuse my nerdy-ness, but this sort of thing gets me excited. Especially considering the growth journey I've been on as of late. This anointing would be just the sort of symbol I needed to make it all "official."

Time wore on and so did the kids. At last, so did I. The noise and the trying to escape, the coloring on things, and the noise. I was about over my limits when someone leaned over and hinted it probably wasn't a good idea to let Ian play with something he had. (I plead the fifth on that.) Sure, it was obvious he shouldn't play with it. But I was watching him, and I was just trying to make it to the end of this thing and get to the good stuff!

Finally, as they were bringing out the wine (juice) and bread, I called it quits. The kids' fatigue and hunger won, and I couldn't keep them there any longer. I wasn't even sure what Mr. Blake was talking about anymore.

Frustrated and, well, frustrated, I walked out with both kids and whispered to Daniel that I couldn't do it anymore and I'd meet him at home. I was disappointed I'd be missing such a vital part of the weekend. I was frustrated that being a mom trumped my ministry for Jesus. I was frustrated with the young guys that walked out right behind me seemingly because they weren't comfortable with the commitment requested from the end of the service.

Fine, you take my kids and entertain them, and let me stay here and recommit my life to God!

Is that judging? Probably.

I let those flames fade while I went home to prepare lunch. Daniel walked through the door, and the first thing I could get out was, "How'd the anointing go?"

He gave a vague, "Good."

And I pressed, "I mean, what'd you guys do? How'd you do it?"

He held out my hand, lightly rubbing two fingers in my palm and describing the oil and prayer, concluding as he let go of my hand, "That's it."

"Okay, anoint me." It's all I cared about. Being called and validated in that call. Jesus, anoint me please! Make this frustration mean something. Use me in big ways for Your glory!

Not sensing my seriousness, he chuckled, "I can't, I don't have the oil."

A disappointed sigh escaped as I returned to picking up toys in the living room while waiting for the lasagna to finish baking.

Within moments, I hear him calling me to the kitchen. He's standing by the stove with one hand out to me, an open bottle of canola oil on the counter behind him. I chuckle trying to brush off how much I really cared as he uses his free hand to move a toy train and a block from my hands to the counter.

He gently rubs oil in my palm as he prays over me. Anointing this lil light to shine for Jesus in the world, and in our home. I don't remember all the details. Just that tears flooded my eyes as I glowed in the moment. This moment that it became a little more clear that my mission and purpose start in my home.

I recently read Psalm 127 and this gem in verse 4 caught my attention:
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.

If we're at war and children are our weapons (our "arrows"), then why do we let ourselves feel so futile and purpose-less as parents? Why do we let ourselves think that because we have to head home early to put the kids to bed, or because we have to slip out the back door so a cranky babe won't disrupt the service, that we're automatically excluded from the race and from the adventure?

The truth couldn't be any more opposite. And the truth is this, parents: We are at the heart of battle.

Preparing these little arrows to fight the good fight in faith. Training them to win over our enemies in love. Teaching them to disciple the nations in loving fear of God. Challenging them to be Mighty Warriors bringing glory to Him.

And in this process, we ourselves become the arrows we were once prepared to be. We join this battle that we know is the Lord's. We find mission and purpose, and it's nothing short of an epic calling.

Sometimes, we won't feel like it. Sometimes the whining or the potty training or the missing a talk we really want to hear will distract us. Sometimes we'll momentarily lose focus, and other times we'll throw an all-out internal tantrum that this is what we've been called to.

But God hasn't given up on us. He's used to calling a stubborn people, and He's patient through this conversion process. He's patient in convincing us of, and qualifying us for, His calling.

So, friend, keep on keepin' on. God wants to use you in big ways for Him. And He's likely calling you to start in your home. To sharpen the tools you've been given for His purpose. To be courageous in the work, the little ones, he's given you. To start by meeting your family's needs.

And your family needs you to be courageous.

Revive us, O Lord. | Ps. 119:107

Homemade Tea Tree and Coconut Oil Deodorant

Note: I am not a healthcare professional or scientist or chemist or anything worthy of giving guarantee on the information shared here. Just a gal sharing my personal experience, take it or leave it for what it is...

When I started using coconut oil as an occasional deep conditioner for my hair, I also found quite a few sources saying it could be used as a natural deodorant. I gave it a try, and it worked... kind of. It had to be reapplied later in the day, and didn't work well in the heat of summer or through a heavy workout. It also could leave oil spots on clothes if not careful.

I've also tried Tom's, and while it smelled delicious, I had similar issues with it as I did with coconut oil--just not effective enough.

I pinned Jen's recipe for homemade D.O., but was still pretty hesitant to try anymore natural solutions. So, my sister-in-law tried it instead. She even convinced my brother to use it, and they both rave about it. (Rumor has it, she might even be sharing their take on the recipe on their blog soon!)

I know all the reasons to avoid antiperspirants and kept using 'em anyway. I desperately wanted another solution, so when I ran out of deodorant over a month ago, I finally made my own.

Phewy, what took me so long?! This stuff is amazing.

Seriously, so easy with only 4 ingredients--2 wet and 2 dry. It smells yummy--you get to pick the essential oils used. And it's healthier than antiperspirant or even the average store-bought deodorant.

I call that a win-win-win. ;)

Little changes like making d.o. or cloth-diapering or no 'poo or the diva used to seem so unapproachable and epic hippie--now, I realize they're just common sense.

Homemade Tea Tree Deodorant Recipe

1/3 c. baking soda
1/2 c. cornstarch
5 TBSP coconut oil
16 drops tea tree essential oil

1 | Mix baking soda and cornstarch in a small bowl.
2 | Heat coconut oil 15-30 seconds until liquefied, add tea tree oil and mix.
3 | Combine oils with powders, and store in an airtight container. Full recipe fits in a 1 cup container.

How to Store Homemade Deodorant

Deodorant Stick or Glass Jar

While the mixture is still soft, it can be poured in your preferred container. An empty deodorant stick container can be reused (doesn't work well when mixture is melted), or a small mason jar, or small pyrex container. Start with whatever you have in hand, then see what you think and what works for you. For travel, it would need to be stored in a leak-proof container (i.e., one with screw top lid).

Refrigerator or Bathroom

The mixture can be refrigerated if you would prefer to apply it as a solid. That is probably the best solution if you're hoping to use it in a deodorant stick container. However that makes it more difficult for travel. I prefer to keep it on the container in the bathroom where I get ready in the morning. Sometimes it's solid and sometimes it melts, but it can be applied either way.

How to Apply and Use Homemade Deodorant

If the mixture is solidified in a deodorant stick, then you can apply as you might store-bought deodorant. You could also use a q-tip or some other "scoop."

I use my finger to scoop a little out (just enough to cover the tip of my pointer finger), then spread it between my finger tips on both hands and apply it to my underarms. This is enough to last all day. I reapply if I'm about to go work out, or have been outside sweating in the heat a lot. I did this with my antiperspirant too, so no change there.

Does Homemade Deodorant Work?

Yes, it works! This recipe is great.

The small amount shown above is all I use at the start of each day. I reapply if I'm about to go work out, or have been outside sweating in the heat a lot. Although, I did this with my antiperspirant too, so no change there.

One important thing to remember is there will be some adjustment if you're switching from an antiperspirant to this homemade recipe--because this isn't an antiperspirant! You will sweat with this deodorant, and that's a bit of a transition if you're used to not sweating when using a store-bought antiperspirant.

If you've been using a store-bought regular deodorant, then this should work similar to that.

Like a normal stick deodorant, it can be prone to get white marks on dark clothing. To avoid this, don't use too much and thoroughly work mixture into the skin (like shown in photo above) before putting on clothes. If white does show up on clothing, just a little water will get it off.

Why Tea Tree Essential Oil?

You are not limited to tea tree essential oil. That happened to be what I had on hand. (I found it on clearance at The Body Shop.) I love the fresh smell of tea tree, and it blends nice with the tea tree soap we get from Trader Joe's.

Its antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic qualities also add medical benefits and help this mixture's effectiveness as a deodorant.

There are lots of other essential oils that could be used (lavender or grapefruit to name a couple). Just do your research and make sure the one you choose is safe to use on skin (i.e, bergamot has a delicious citrus smell but shouldn't be used on skin that will be exposed to sunlight) and that you don't use too much.

Growth // the old stuff has to die to make room for the new

After minimal "research" on air-cleaning plants, we recently stocked up on a few for our apartment. I'll actually share more of the details (what plants, what is "air-cleaning," where did we put them in our small space, etc.) later this month. Today, I'm focusing on something these plants are teaching me called growth.

As previously mentioned, there was very little (if any?) research done before this endeavor. You put 'em in dirt, water them, and watch 'em grow, right?

That's the general idea.

But of course each plant has its own specifics for sunlight, water, and soil. After a couple weeks we started to wonder. Are we watering them too much? Or too little? Does this brown tip or this fading flower mean anything? Is it even possible for a houseplant to get as much sunlight as this vague little label says it needs?

Needless to say we're (or, I'm) a bit clueless.

We got a spray bottle to add a little moisture to their leaves in between watering. As I'm making my rounds to spritz each plant (we have one in each room), I comment to Daniel that we might be losing one.

Its large, previously lively leaves are now faint and droopy. The flower is keeling over, and I'm pretty sure the poor thing needs professional help STAT. In that brief moment of observation thoughts flash, with one general conclusion: We shouldn't have committed to all of these plants before doing our research.

Daniel looks over the now sad-looking plant, before concluding, "No, Trina, it's not dying."

I chuckle thinking he's sarcastically missing the obvious.

"Look, right here." He points to tiny little vibrant green leaves, freshly breaking through soil right along side those apparently dying. "The old stuff has to die to make room for the new."

I look closer and concede he must be right. The new growth seems to be evidence that the plant is getting its essentials. And the old leaves need to get out of the way.

It hits me right away, like most obvious life applications do, that this is exactly what God is doing in my life. There has been some tension in a few key areas, and I'll share a couple with you later this month. At first, I thought that tension must mean I'm doing something wrong. Then, I realized it's just the tension I've been awaiting for years.

I got baptized when I was 12. I know there's lots of debates on when kids are truly ready, and I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer. I wasn't in any way pressured into it, and knew as best as anyone could what I was signing up for. In fact, I was warned about what I was signing up for.

I was warned that Satan doesn't want us to follow Jesus and once we make that commitment he will test us and try us like he did to Jesus in the wilderness. I knew this going into it. And that happened to be my first thought once the baptism was over and my sister and I ran through the house to put on dry clothes: I wonder what temptations and trials I will face now.

A little melancholy? Yep, that's me. I wasn't upset about it, I just had been warned and was preparing myself.

But I quickly forgot about it. Because nothing major happened. No one close to me got cancer or died. And I didn't get cancer or die. I wasn't tempted to turn a stone into bread or asked to bow down to an image.

Instead, life went on as usual.

Well, as usual as my life could go.

I joined a puppet team with my mom, and gave my first sermon when I was 13. (Have I mentioned I'm terribly shy?) I completed 7th and 8th grade in the same year so I could join my brother and sister in academy. At 15, I went to Mongolia with a friend and her family and taught English to students twice my age. I got my G.E.D. at 16 and worked full-time in a real estate office, before heading to college, getting married, having a baby, and graduating with a Bachelors in English by the time I was 21.

You know, life as usual.

Of course, praying, reading my Bible, and attending church along the way.

Then, I started to make a real effort to meet Jesus. Not just, ho hum, here I am again.

But, bleeding woman trying to catch the edge of His coat just to be healed kind of meeting.

No, I wasn't on my death bed. Or any of those other "trials and temptations" I was sure Satan would meet me with once I committed to following Jesus. I was simply bleeding on the inside and looking for a Savior to save me.

It wasn't just one meeting. It was Bible and prayer and prayer journal as usual. But it was also one book that got me thinking, then another, and another, and another. Authors pointing me to Jesus. Not so much telling me how to live as saying, "Look, over there, that's Him. Go meet Him. Talk to Him. Follow Him. He will change your life and you'll never go back."

Yep, that's the meeting that's been happening between me and Jesus (via a few of His friends and followers) over the last couple years. It's been slow, but powerful and evident and life-changing.

Maybe no one else can see it from the outside, but He is rocking my inside to the core. And it won't be long before people will see and know that Jesus is my Lord.

And, then, the growth thing.

Amongst all of this meeting Jesus, growth has been inevitable. Along with it, I'm starting to notice more obvious tension. Maybe it was always there before, but now it matters. And it's simple. Others would likely even brush it aside suggesting it's just not a big deal and not something worth making an issue over.

But it keeps coming up. It keeps being an issue. Until changes are being made. My life is changing and it just might not ever be the same again.

I'm hesitant, because at first, it's looking like death. Are you really calling me to give this up? I mean, I understand A, B, or C. But, this, really?

And I cling a little longer, because I don't want to be that person that jumps on board with unrealistic changes on a spiritual whim that fizzle out when I realize they weren't really for Jesus at all.

So I ask questions and pray and read and ask Him some more. And do you know what He does? He answers me by a simple gesture.

He pulls back those overgrown droopy leaves that I once thought were my life, and points to the tiny vibrant growth trying to break its way through.

And He says,

The old stuff must die so the new stuff can live.

So, with a gulp and a prayer, I'll be sharing some of this new growth with you this month. It's not immediately pretty, and some of it's been a downright challenge. But, I tell ya, I want to be a part of what He's growing!

And those old leaves need to get out of the way.

>>>>>

Summer Pedicure Giveaway | #SharingtheLove acichild.com

Congrats, Jessica! You are the winner! Contact me at beginnerbeans//at//gmail.com by Jun 19 to claim your prize.

One of my favorite outings sans kids is to my sister's favorite nail place for a pedicure. The massage chairs and gossip magazine indulgence and the warm stone massage for only a couple more bucks. It's my favorite mini-escape.

Next best?

An at-home spa day with my girly. We soak our feet in water and baking soda (makes them so soft!), paint our nails pretty and even add a couple stickers for that special pedicure touch. Brylee has come to think a pedicure also  includes putting curlers in her hair--why not!

It's so nice to feel special and pretty and relaxed. It's a feeling Brylee and I both take for granted, and we so wish we could share with a little girl named Poojitha.

She's a girl from India I introduced you to in this post. Her dad died in an accident and her mom is a day laborer (making low wages) to support her and her sister. We pay $360 a year ($30/mo) to help her attend school (Christian education at that), which also covers her uniform, lodging and food.

It's not an indulgent pedicure, but it's likely just the assurance of hope and safety her mom needs for her.

This month, I'm happy to share a small piece of that pedicure experience in this month's giveaway, while also sharing the love for children like Poojitha who need a little extra help with more basic needs for food, shelter, and Jesus.

Keep reading to learn about how to win Beginner Beans' first ever #sharingthelove giveaway.

Enter This Summer Pedicure Giveaway

There are four things you need to know about the giveaway: What it is, who it helps, how to enter, and when to find out if you won. You'll find all of those details below...

1 | The Giveaway: An at-home pedicure set.

More specifically a Burt's Bees "tips and toes kit," Physician's Formula trio nail polish that's a lil safer than your average nail polish, and Kiss tip & toe nail art to complete the pedicured look.

Wish I could send you the massage chair too, but it just wouldn't fit. ;)

2 | The Organization: Adventist Child India

ACI makes it possible for poor children from the villages of India to attend a Christian school. The average income in India is less than $1 per day. $30/mo gives a child more than a Christian education--it gives them the safety of food and shelter and hope for their future.

Let's help raise awareness for the love ACI shares with children in India and their families!

3 | Share the love, and enter to win.

Share the love for Adventist Child India for up to three chances to win this giveaway.

Use your favorite social media outlets (up to 3) and give a shoutout to share the love (and raise awareness for) acichild.com. Tweet, pin, Instagram, share on Facebook--whatever makes sense for you. Then, be sure to leave a comment below saying that you've done so with the link directly to where you shared it.

Need ideas on what "sharing the love" looks like? Try one of these phrases in your tweet, pin, share, or post...

• Win a pedicure set on BeginnerBeans.com #sharingthelove with children in India via acichild.com -- Click to tweet.
• Burt's Bees pedicure set giveaway on BeginnerBeans.com #sharingthelove with acichild.com -- Click to tweet.
• Over 3500 children sponsored in Christian schools in India by acichild.com! #sharingthelove via BeginnerBeans.com -- Click to tweet.
• Help poor children from villages of India attend a Christian school on acichild.com. #sharingthelove via BeginnerBeans.com -- Click to tweet.
• 30 dollars/mo gives a child in India food, shelter, safety, and hope thru acichild.com. #sharingthelove via BeginnerBeans.com -- Click to tweet.
• Praying for acichild.com work with children in India. #sharingthelove via BeginnerBeans.com -- Click to tweet.

4 | Find out if you won...

This giveaway will be open through next Tuesday (June 11). The winner will be announced in this post next Wednesday (June 12) and will have one week to contact me and claim the prize.

NOTE: This giveaway open to continental U.S. shipping addresses only. If you are outside of the continental U.S., you are still welcome to join in sharing the love with acichild.com but will not win the pedicure set. Thank you for understanding.

Congrats, Jessica! You are the winner! Contact me at beginnerbeans//at//gmail.com by Jun 19 to claim your prize.

Thank you for contributing!

>>>>>

The Month We Put Away the Kids' Toys

I'm reading Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne. I've been reading this book off and on for months now and am still working my way through it, but love what he's sharing.

While I wrote a little more about simplicity last month on the blog, we were also trying some things out to simplify in our home. Going along with what I'm learning in this book, we jumped right in with the kids' toys: Most of their toys have been "away" for over a month now.

Kim goes into all the particulars (what, why, how) on simplifying a kid's environment in his book. This post is not about that.

This post is about something he wrote on page 110:

Simplification establishes an unspoken emphasis on relationship.

Yep, that about sums it up.

But I know you're probably wondering the what, why, how, so here's my version specifically relevant to this last month.

How We Put Away the Kids' Toys

This month, we put away most of the kids' toys. Brylee helped me (and was oddly excited about the process). We spent about 30 minutes pulling every toy out of their ottomans (in the living room) and bins (in the bedroom), and deciding if they would be put away in the tubs for the month of May, or if they would be kept out to be played with.

We kept out the obvious: a couple items Ian uses as his "pirate gear" and a couple of Bry's dress-up accessories (one of each item, rather than the multiple skirts, necklaces, tiaras, etc. she's accumulated... again). A few books (we visit the library weekly to rotate through new books), and some musical instruments. Balls and blocks and a soft doll for Brylee. We also kept out some cars and a container of plastic food. It sounds wimpy, but that's about it.

Now, over a month later, I can't remember exactly what is still in those three tubs of toys sitting in our hallway. I know the basics of what I was looking to eliminate:

• Duplicates,
• things rarely (if ever) played with,
• toys with lots of small pieces that are dumped out and neglected,
• toys that serve one narrow purpose and don't encourage imaginative or active play, and
• anything that turned on (except what we call the "kid pad" that's a tablet for the kids pulled out for Brylee to play a little bit when Ian naps).

Why We Put Away the Kids' Toys

I'm not sure I could articulate one precise reason we decided to do this. I've been dreaming about this for a while. We did a serious toy overhaul when we moved from Florida and it was incredibly freeing. Now, two years later, it was time again.

In a nutshell, here's the two-part reason:

1. The kids spent their "play time" making a big mess of the toys, mixing together pieces, etc. then quickly deciding they weren't having fun and needed entertained. Often resorting to whining at me for food or TV.

2. The mess drove me crazy, and it was too much for them to clean all of it themselves. Things were often quickly thrown in the ottomans and bins (by me), which wasn't organized and was a challenge for future play.

So, what happened?

It went about how I expected and hoped:

• The kids didn't miss any of their toys.
• They actually played with their toys more without prodding from me.
• Even if they got everything out, they could clean it up by themselves in a reasonable time.
• They still asked for TV and got whiny at times, but were overall more likely to play.
• Any time enriched with art, music, activeness, friends or nature is 100 times better for them and me than any toy we could buy. (They actually prefer these things to toys.)

Now May is over and I'm not exactly sure what we'll do with those three tubs in the hall. I imagine we can't ignore them forever. (I had a cleared out hallway for all of a couple weeks, and I want it back!) I'll probably talk to Brylee about which toys she'd like to keep before we open the tubs.

I'd like to keep a few toys on a shelf in their closet that we'll change out with what they have in their room so they can keep a little variety without having it always available (and thus lending to the mess and boredom issues).

The rest of the toys we'll likely get rid of. And we'll all be better for it.

Kim continues the above quote:

By eschewing some of the distractions that could easily consume our time and attention--limitless media, activities, and stuff--we leave our emotional door open for our loved ones.

I feel that's really at the heart of the matter. The time not spent in organizing and cleaning (or arguing and threatening when cleaning doesn't happen) these toys is all the more for family time--at the dinner table, on a walk, in a simple family worship. Or just peacefully doing our own things without the unspoken stress of it all.

Sure, maybe it's possible my kids will look back on their childhoods and feel deprived. But when I look back on last month and the play they've enjoyed, the times we've shared, and the reduced stress that accompanied reduced clutter--I breathe easy knowing our happiness is in God and each other, not "things."

That's not just a theory--it's a truth we tested and proved for ourselves this month.

Dear Reader | June 2013

3   | simplifying kids' toys
5   | giveaway
7   | on growing
10 | homemade d.o.
14 | courageous at home
17 | photo touch-ups
19 | decorating w/ plants
21 | on quitting yoga class










Dear Reader,

One of my favorite summer memories growing up was when our family moved from our home in the Midwest to live on a beautiful piece of property on the Tennessee River. This was quite a bit different from the small town I had grown up in, where we road our bikes everywhere and spent everyday at the public pool.

Now, we had access to fresh water right outside our back door. We had large windows surrounding our kitchen to watch the geese with their babies and see the blue herons stealthily move in on a fish. We also had our own boat at-the-ready tied to the dock where our yard met the water's edge.

This naturally beautiful scenery was obviously a joy by itself, but my favorite part of it all was my dad and our time together as a family. Before the move he spent long hours at work, often noticeably stressed when he was home.

This change of scenery and change of pace living on that corner of the river brought a calm to our lives. We got to spend lots more time together, cruising down the river in the boat, watching the rain as it'd pour in a line across the water, and overall just relaxing in an environment that put us all at ease.

I feel like that's also the essence of summer: not just time with family, and not just opportunities to get outside, but an irreplaceable blend of the two. Family time outside. Conversations and laughter and memories. Sunshine and storms and a warm breeze.

Togetherness in God's creation is just what I plan to give my family this season.

He cuts out rivers among the rocks;
and his eye sees every precious thing. | Job 18:10

Happy Summer!

-Trina


PS, You're invited to receive my monthly-ish news + updates e-mail that includes things like what's coming next month and giveaway information. Sign up >> here.

Finances, Simplified

Do you know how much money you need to live?

I'm not talking about how much do you budget, but how much of your budget is absolutely essential?

It's called a bare bones budget and we usually know this number right along with our regular budget number, and yes, they're different.

This is the amount, that if our income quit tomorrow, we would need to cover a few specific minimum expenses. In a bare bones budget, we basically include two essentials: food and shelter. Although depending on the circumstances, we'd likely add to that things like insurance, phone bill (especially if there's a high amount to cancel it), etc.

Why does this matter?

I notice two basics reasons a simple, "bare bones" budget matters...

1 | It's too easy to get confused on wants and needs.

Our budgets show it when we end up with line items for frivolous extras that we're not willing to budge on.

2| We just might find ourselves needing to live on a bare bones budget.

We did two years ago. We were temporarily jobless and homeless, staying with my sister while we looked for a job and a place to live. Our last paycheck from the previous job came in June, and we had minimal savings that we used up in moving ourselves from Florida back to the Midwest. We didn't know when we'd find jobs, what they'd pay, or when they'd start.

We had no choice but to fall back on our bare bones budget.

Even what we live on now, might be considered a bare bones budget by some. Simply because our income while I stay home with the kids isn't much above covering our basic essentials.

Here are some of the things included in our bare bones budget:

Giving // Giving 10% of our income is non-negotiable. If we have anything coming in, we tithe on it. This is included in our bare bones budget, unless we have no income (i.e., living on savings), then we'd wait to give when we have something (anything) coming in.

Food // The amount set aside for food is lowered for our bare bones budget. I've mentioned before that we budget about $100/wk for food that covers $75/wk for groceries and $25/wk for eating out. If something major came up, we would likely lower this quite a bit, possibly to as low as $250/mo. Now, some might wonder how that could sustain a family of four. It'd be a challenge, but dry beans, pasta, rice, oats, a 10 lb. bag of potatoes and few select produce items are super affordable and can go a really long way in making lots of different semi-healthy meals. Remember, the point of "bare bones" is survival, not luxury.

Housing // Our rent is included in a bare bones budget. Unless, of course, we lost our jobs. For instance, when we were living on our last paycheck in the summer of 2011, we were staying at my sisters and didn't have to include housing in our bare bones expenses. I'm sure that might have changed if we stayed there a long time; but within a couple months we had an income and a place of our own, so we were blessed with their generosity for that temporary transition.

Transportation // We intentionally do not maintain any car loans, so only need to include gas and insurance in our bare bones budget. If things got tight, we'd really limit use of the car possibly dropping refills from two-a-month down to one-a-month, and selling the car would probably be a last resort. (Especially considering we plan on being a one-car family for a while.)

Communication // Internet and cell phone is a part of our bare bones budget. Having at least one phone for our family is important. If needed, we could likely take data off our plan to save a little money each month. Internet could be cancelled if necessary, especially when it can be used for free at so many places around town. With things like phone and internet, we'd consider if we're still in a contract because of cancellation fees.

Debt or Bills // Private student loans have to be paid no matter what, while federal student loans can usual be deferred or put on some sort of payment plan to match new circumstances. Debt or other monthly bills would need to be considered case-by-case. We don't have anything beyond student loans, so this is pretty simple for us. If you have credit cards or medical bills or anything else, minimum payments would likely need to be included in a bare bones budget.

Spending // In a truly bare bones we've-been-homeless-for-months type of situation, spending/blow/fun money should not be in the equation. However, if there is any room for it, it's helpful to have a tiny amount available for the unplanned. This might cover a necessary (and discounted) clothing item, a very occasional (and affordable) family night out, etc.

There's something so freeing about viewing our finances from this simplified, bare bones perspective. Especially when we found ourselves jobless and homeless, I feel like this was the commonsense that backed up my faith.

Faith in God--that He was leading us back to the Midwest, that He would lead us to a job and a home--that faith definitely kept me going and gave me the security I needed to feel at peace through the transition.

Having a realistic understanding of our budget--of needs vs. wants and knowing what was truly essential--that truly lowered our stress and our uncertainty and gave us space to enjoy the unknown.

Simplifying our finances through a bare bones budget certainly helped in that time of heightened stress. But it's real purpose comes into play each month.

Whenever we find ourselves overspending in an area, or having an unexpected medical bill to pay--these basic financial survival skills of evaluating needs vs. wants are the only thing that keep us from getting further in debt, or falling into a trap of bad financial decisions.

We have a long ways to meet that debt-free goal. And we're doing it one simple baby financial step at a time. Eliminating that debt makes living simply and on less a lot easier.


PS, I really like Nicole's take on simplifying the monthly budget, especially when it comes to "extra," occasional, or unexpected expenses. And my brother wrote an awesome post on two letters that eliminate debt and build wealth.

>>>>>

This concludes Simplicity, Simplified. Go here to see all of these posts shared in May.

Meals, Simplified

thai peanut noodles

It's probably safe to say that most of us complicate this meal-business a little too much. When Jesus teaches us to ask for our daily bread, I tend to believe He literally meant daily bread. Not five course meals that require hours of weekly planning and triple that in shopping and preparing.

Alright, so none of us actually makes five course meals. Then what are we all so grumpy about anyway? Maybe it's just me, but as I look around I see others struggling with meals too. Either we realize we're not eating healthy enough, or we have the plan but "don't have time" to cook, or any number of other meal-time problems.

While I love meal-planning, my lil picky-eaters often make the whole process less than desirable. So when I get to this place of stressing and struggling over meals, I remind myself to take it back a notch.

I don't need a whole month-long meal plan that ensures we have brand new meals every week. We'll be just fine if we repeat meals each week. And as nice as it sounds, I really will survive grocery-shopping every week (instead of the once-a-month dream I have).

One thing that has stuck out from a few documentaries I've seen (Forks Over Knives and Happy to name a couple), is that meals don't have to be complicated to be good, healthy and serve the purpose of a meal. Other remote and happy cultures teach me that meals can be simple, and they can be repeated. And we'll be better for it.

Eating simply has all sorts of benefits...

It teaches us gratitude and contentment.
It gives us predictability.
It lightens my load as meal-planner, grocery-shopper and cook.
It helps us think more about others.
It reduces waste.
It's healthy.
It's picky-eater friendly.
And the list goes on.

pita pizzas

Here are a few ways to simplify meals...

1 | Keep the recipes simple.

Isn't it fun to drool over beautiful pictures of food and clip the recipes for later attempting in our own kitchens? The cooking often doesn't happen because the recipe takes too long or has too many ingredients. Instead, intentionally collect healthy recipes with few ingredients that you'll likely enjoy and will make again and again. While I love this vegan enchilada recipe, this vegan tomato basil cream pasta is a lot quicker and easier with less ingredients.

Stone Soup and Vegan Stoner are two blogs I enjoy with notoriously simple recipes from few ingredients (think: 5 or less).

2 | Use leftovers.

Ugh, are we done hearing about how we need to use leftovers? No! Not until we all start actually using our leftovers. If you're going to take the time to slow cook beans, make a month's supply that can then be frozen and easily thawed for burritos, tacos, chili, etc. If you're going to make a pasta dish, double the recipe and save some for later this week or for a meal next week. Have a leftover day on the weekend when the meal is whatever can be pulled together from the week's leftovers. You get the idea. Use 'em up!

3 | Make sandwiches.

Seriously, they're a meal. Use quality whole grain bread (preferably something without corn syrup and with "stone ground whole wheat" as the first ingredient--you might have to work your way up to this if your family is still on Iron Kids bread; or do they even make that anymore?), use fresh veggies, serve with a side of carrots or wheat thins and hummus, or even blend up a smoothie and you've got a simple, quick and delicious meal more nutritious than anything from a box that takes 20 minutes to cook.

tacos

4 | Repeat the basics.

Since when were we expected to find hundreds of recipes to cycle through? Sit down and write up a quick week's menu. Nothing that requires browsing Pinterest or your recipe cards. (Does our new generation of moms have those? I don't.)

Just sit down with a pen and paper and write 5 go-to no-recipe-needed meals.

For us this is: pasta and sauce with a veggie, bean and veggie tacos, yellow curry and veggies over rice, chilli and cornbread, and breakfast for dinner. Add two more if you need to include the weekend: pizza (or pita pizzas), popcorn and smoothies for Saturday night and veggie burgers with homemade fries for Sunday night.

Done.

And that, my friends, is our go-to weekly meal plan that keeps us eating semi-healthy meals without too much prep or planning, and approved by my picky-eaters. Sure, we sometimes like (even need) variety. But these basics serve as our "daily bread" just fine.

5 | Simplify your food rules.

Depending on which diet we choose to follow (anyone jump on the "new" Paleo trend?), our food and the rules for eating it tend to change. But we could all benefit from simplifying these "rules" in efforts to stick with them. My favorite source for doing so comes from Michael Pollan author of In Defense of Food. He sums it up in three statements: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Simple enough, right? His book goes into more detail about what constitutes "food" (that highly processed stuff with 27 ingredients, 26 of which you can't even pronounce likely isn't actually food), and he even published a pocket manual of sorts called Food Rules to help break it down. Check 'em out. He doesn't push eating mostly meat or going vegan or any other diet trend; he shares more simple ideas that can help us all eat better.


Next time you feel guilty about not planning five-course meals or having the same thing again, go ahead and remember some village in China eats rice for supper every. single. day and they're better off than most Americans.

Repeat wisely, and your simple meals just might be the best thing you could do for your family.

>>>>>

This is the last week of simplicity, simplified. See list of posts here, and check back in Wednesday for the last post in this series.

Going Back to When it All Began

I started this little blog 4 1/2 years ago. Somewhere around December 28, 2008.

I didn't really have any specific intentions or goals with it. I didn't even have a name. (It was just "TrinaCressDotBlogspotDotCom." Original, I know.) I needed a public place to share my ramblings, and Myspace wasn't cutting it anymore. (That's why I have posts pre-dating 2008.)

I also wanted some way to live beyond myself. To grow into the loving Christian mother, writer, wife, neighbor that Jesus always meant me to be. And a way to include others in that journey.

Too bad I didn't realize back then what an amazing community of bloggers already existed. I sadly didn't find that out until about two years in :/

As I think about where I've been and where I'm going with this space, and really with my life, my original posts that started it all still have all sorts of relevance. Those two original posts still resonate truth of who I am and what I'm doing. And, because I didn't have any readers back then, I decided to share them with you.

I added images (because I didn't do much of that then), and made them fit with the style of my current posts. Otherwise, here they are in all their raw glory fresh from this eternal beginner...

The Two Posts That Started It All:
In my perfect world...
Journey to "Yes"

PS, That photo was taken in March 2009 when I decided I needed a profile photo. If you're thinking I looked more professional back then, I'm with ya. I worked full-time as an Enrollment Marketing Assistant for the same college I now do freelance writing for. I guess the haircut helped me fit the working mom role. At one point I even woke up at 4:45a to get my P90X workout in before work. Who was I?!

A Peek at Tomorrow's Giveaway

Hey, I'm stopping in for a short and sweet note to you today. Just letting you know tomorrow is my second giveaway over at PrefoldsLove.com. I'd love for you to be a part of it!

This one is not specifically cloth diaper related. In fact, it's from a non-profit that donates 100% of proceeds. Doesn't get much better than that.

I've been brainstorming for the last four weeks on the best way to turn all my giveaways (here on Beginner Beans and over on Prefolds Love) into acts of love and service. This is my first attempt, and I'd love to hear what you think.

So, head on over to PrefoldsLove.com first thing tomorrow (Thu May 23) to take part in the giveaway. It'll be open a week. I can't wait to see what we can all do together to raise awareness for these girls that need us. (Awareness is gift we can give for free!)

Plus, of course, one of you just might win the special giveaway pictured above ;)

>>>>>

PS, I'll be back Friday for a devotional thought, and have a couple posts planned for next week to wrap up our month of Simplicity, Simplified.