a little monday pondering

This comes from a daily devotional I received from my church last Tuesday. I think that it could be useful for anyone of any faith. It's all about self control and what a person with great self-control does. It's a shortened version, email me if you want the whole thing.

Developing Self-Control
1. People with self-control master their moods- they do not let their moods master them.

2. People with self-control watch their words- They put their minds in gear before opening their mouths.

3. People with self-control restrain their reactions- How much can you take before you lose your cool?

4. People with self-control stick to their schedule- If you don't determine how you spend your time, then others will decide for you.

5. People with self-control manage their money- They learn to live on less than what they make and they invest the difference.

6. People with self-control maintain their health- That way they can accomplish more and enjoy their achievements.

"A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls." Proverbs 25:28

sip & see

This weekend we hosted a Sip & See at our house for the new baby. My hubby has a big family and I opted out of having a baby shower since it was baby #3. For those who are not familiar with a Sip & See, you have an open house with about a 4 hour time period where people can stop by and meet your baby. We waited until he was 7 weeks old. I definitely recommend doing this, especially if you have a big family. It's hard to get everyone to see the new baby when you first come home.

For food we had soup & sandwiches, veggies, fruit kabobs, chips, 7-layer dip, salsa, pita chips, hummus, popcorn, cupcakes and assorted cookies. For drinks we had a champagne bar, sparkling cider and lemonade, beer, sodas, water and coffee. Other than the soup in the crock pot, I choose foods that did not need to be cooked or heated up so that I could easily refill. With a new baby it's important not too overextend yourself. And, just from refilling everything I was exhausted. So glad I wasn't cooking anything.

Decorations were minimal. I sewed a few flag banners and made circular hanging decorations. We also put out baby blocks with the baby's name on it and put out beautiful bouquets of flowers.

I always try to use all different kinds of serving dishes I have acquired over the years. Some were crystal, white ceramic, etc. I also made sure to use real champagne glasses, but I did use blue, square paper plates and paper bowls for the soup.

I definitely recommend doing a Sip & See! It was perfect!

oopsie

My new babe is 6 weeks old. No matter how much he cries I am in love with him and his babiness. I'm still getting adjusted to having 3 kids though. Case in point: today after picking up Brody and his friend from preschool, I started to walk towards the car when I realized I left the baby in his stroller outside of the portable. I honestly didn't get more than 50 feet away, but I had to run back and get him. Here's to hoping I don't forget my kids anywhere again.

i got an update

What do you think of the new look? I love it! The nice women at Designer Blogs created it for me. Love them!

home stuff

Did I ever show you the pillows I purchased for my couch? I LOVEEEEEEEEE them. They are small and delicate but totally stand out on my brown sectional. They make me happy and add a little something next to all the toys and junk everywhere. I got them on etsy at dedeetsyahop. I want more! Check out her shop for all her cute pillows. I just saw some new designs in her shop that I really like.

good words

I'm sure most have you watched or saw footage from Conan O'Brien's last show on Friday. I didn't see the whole thing but was able to watch his goodbyes to his fans. I was really inspired by what he had to say. I posted it below and the ending is my favorite. It's words we should all live by- don't be cynical, work hard and be kind. Read below!

"And finally, I have to say something to our fans. The massive outpouring of support and passion from so many people has been overwhelming. The rallies, the signs, all the goofy, outrageous creativity on the internet, and the fact that people have traveled long distances and camped out all night in the pouring rain to be in our audience, made a sad situation joyous and inspirational. To all the people watching, I can never thank you enough for your kindness to me and I'll think about it for the rest of my life. All I ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism — it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen."

fun and cute

How cute are these Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi Rolls? I saw this picture/recipe in an ad for Jif in FamilyFun Magazine. I would totally make these for a kids birthday party. Recipe below and you can also go to jif.com for more recipes.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi Rolls

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons jelly or jam

2 slices of bread

Directions:

Remove crusts from bread.

With a rolling pin or large soup can, completely flatten bread.

Spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 tablespoon fruit spread on each slice of bread.

Roll each slice into a tight spiral.

Cut each spiral into 4 pieces.

i'm selfish

Have you ever found something that you love so much that you don't want anyone to know where you got them from? You want to be the only one you know that has them. I am having that feeling right now. I just got these shoes in the mail for my new little one. He's wearing them. They are perfect, soft, amazing and adorable. I also ordered them in green. So here's where I got them (even though I didn't want to tell you).



I also ordered these tie shirts in every size for this year.

Me loves!

let's have fun!

This fav comes from my lovely friend Noel! Pretend City Children's Museum is located in Irvine, California. It represents a small interconnected city that "empowers children to learn about and meaningly connect with and expand their world." I have only heard great things about it from Noel and others. Noel said, "Cole LOVED it. We did not have a chance to do everything because Cole spent so much time on the first half! They have a market, a garden, post office, beach, house...and so much more. Cole had the most fun in the water area and the example of the trash system." Just looking at the website it looks like so much fun for the kids! I think we might visit it this weekend. Check it out here.

write it down

Do you ever stop and say to yourself, "where has the time gone?" Our daily lives are consumed with errands, chores, and to-do's. I was noticing that I wasn't giving the proper time to prayer. And, when I was praying, I would get lost in my prayers thinking about other things. Now something similar may apply to you, but not with prayers. Maybe you just haven't had time to think about your wishes, things you are thankful for, etc. Well I started my own Prayer Journal. I write in it Sunday nights for the entire week. I write down all the things and people I am praying for and I make them specific to that week ahead. Then the next week I start new ones. I will also write down bible verses that give me inspiration for that week (maybe yours are special quotes you heard). Either way, I noticed that it gives me some time to fully devote to where I am at, as well focus on other people I am thinking about. Through out the week I revisit them and they are already fresh in my mind. I know that I need to grow in my daily prayers and "ME" quiet time, but for now I feel like I found a way to help me go in that direction. It's really about finding a few minutes to center yourself. I really recommend it in any form that you would see fit.

(And to my friends now you know when I say, "I'm praying for you," that I really am! Or if you want me to add you to my prayers email me at elhajs@aol.com)