God Loves You!

 I just wanted to tell my readers that God Loves You! He is performing a perfect and complete work in you. He has a plan and a purpose for your life. He will never leave you or forsake you. When the world tells you that you will never make it, tell the world "I have already in Jesus name." There is nothing you have done that God won't forgive. He will carry your burden if you will allow Him.



Recently I have had many people personally ask me for prayer and I am lifting up prayers for those of you right now. I am praying for the woman who is struggling with her husband with cancer and her son's current situation. I'm praying for the woman who doesn't know where to turn. I'm praying for the woman who is struggling with a decision. I'm praying for the woman who is hurting and in pain. I'm praying for the migraine sufferer. I am praying for the mother who's son is fighting a war. Today, I am praying for you!

May God Bless You and Keep You in His Grace.


 

Can't Nobody....Do Me Like....Jesus!!!!

Today, I have chosen to take some time to discuss my testimony and give you some insight on why I love my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for what God has done in my life. I was raised in a God fearing home. I saw my parents struggle financially at times. I was raised in church and I gave my life to the Lord at an early age. I began dealing with migraines and severe pain at about age 10. I would take some medicine and I would drudge through my days. I loved God but I don't think I really trusted Him with my pain; which looking back now was completely ridiculous because he created me, he formed me: every molecule, every cell, every organ. I asked for prayer continuously but it took me until recently to realize why I wasn't receiving my healing. Recently, I have been healed from Migraines. I praise God because it only comes from Him. He has given me the wisdom to research and learn how to heal my body using His methods of eating natural foods that aren't laden with chemicals and stripped of natural nutrients.

As a teenager, I was ministering with a praise and drama team. Boy, could I act the part--my mind was in it because I wanted to show others that I loved Christ but my heart wasn't in it. But one day at a summer youth camp God got all over me. I was baptized with the Holy Spirit and I was on the mountain with Jesus. Nothing was going to steal my joy. However, starting school again that Fall I got in the valley again. Almost every night I would cry myself to sleep. Something just wasn't right. I dealt with severe anxiety and depression. I actually thought about committing suicide a few times. Every time I would have second thoughts. It was as if God himself would whisper in my ear, "I have you here for a purpose. You are not finished yet." I was in a few car accidents that could have taken me out, but God said again "I'm not finished with you." During this time, I desperately was seeking Him. I needed to feel that joy and exhilaration again.

I graduated high school with honors and began college in August 2007. I began dating and I would go to church and bible study with friends. I began to discover that just because I didn't choose to attend a Christian college didn't mean that Christ wasn't there. I got over the depression, well for the most part, and began focusing on Him and school. I began to realize that it was all about Christ and not about me. I began meeting new friends. During college I met my husband and we began going to church together. I have been blessed with the ability to sing. I don't show it off much. I appreciate it but I don't like to brag or give myself any glory. I know, however, God has blessed me with this talent to praise and glorify Him. The church we were attending was alright but we didn't feel we were growing. They would ask me to sing almost every time I walked in the door and if I said "not today" they would all look disappointed. I hate disappointing people. I have however come to learn that I am not here to impress others. I'm here to live for Christ. I have decided to stop trying to be politically correct and I have decided to speak truth even when it may hurt. We eventually moved to a different church that we were both happy in and Christ was blessing us. We got too busy to attend every week with our jobs that God had blessed us with. I was working 40 hours a week, going to school full time and we began struggling to make ends meet. Bills began piling up even with both of us working and gas and grocery prices were still on the rise. I was again battling some depression. I failed some classes and thought school was basically over for me. DH and I talked it though and he calmed me down. I was able to go a new route completely and only take about 8 more classes. I left my job and began a new job and finished college. I graduated in December 2012 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology. I praise God every day for allowing me to come this far. I have now learned about research and thinking and health concepts. I strive to use it to better me and my family as of right now but I hope to soon impact others with my talents. While attending our most recent full time church we learned about confessing truth and promises over our lives. Our Bishop taught that God's promises are for the taking not just for sitting there. They are to bless us so that we can be a blessing to others. I have begun to really start confessing promises and truth over my life. I daily am striving to Speak Life and I can see changes taking place. I choose not to dwell on my past and look towards the future that God has for me. Obviously, He is not through with me yet or I wouldn't wake up each day. I'm grateful for the life God has given me and I hope that I honor him in all I do. For the bible says, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)

Within the last few weeks, a few people who are really close to me have let me down. They may not realize what they've done but I took a minute to be disappointed but then remembered they are only human as well. I chose to rejoice and praise God even though I was mad. I had a talk with God and He reminded me that I will have trials and tribulations in this life and they only make me better and when dealing with others they will let me down but he will never fail me. And then I was reminded of a song. So if you don't mind I will share it with you today.

Unbelievable Happenings at the Hill

I'm so excited to be posting again. I'm so, so, so, so sorry for not keeping up with my blog. Well a lot of new things are going on since the First of the Year. Let me tell you about them.

I am on the preface of a new business opportunity. Close to the end of last year I had a one-on-one Mary Kay facial with my new good friend Megan. We had a great hour and I really enjoyed my time. Since then I have been embarking on the business opportunity that the Mary Kay Corporation offers. I have recently decided that I want to do this to supplement some income into our household. I am working diligently on Pre-Sales to earn my starter kit. I ran a 24/24/24 challenge today. Which basically is that I want 24 people to buy at least $24 dollars worth in product in 24 hours. Well the 24 hours is about up and while I had no where near 24 people buy product I did have a few orders come in which makes me excited. If anyone would like to order product please hit the CALL ME link to be connected with me.

 As a family we are looking forward to the opportunities this business endeavor can create for us. I am excited and have done lots of research on the company and how to run my future business. I am in the process of setting up my office and everything is coming together, hence the new pink background on my blog.

As of late, I have been very inspired by some awesome worship music. I listen to my new playlist daily and I am encouraged. I know God has a plan for my life. I know that nothing is impossible for Him and I know that in all things I must give my all as if I were doing it for Him. I have an inspirational video for all of you and I hope it inspires you today. Give God your all in everything you do.

Did you cry? Okay, every time I see this clip I shed a tear because it is so amazing what we are capable if our fleshly vision does not get in the way. This clip reminds me to keep my focus on the prize regardless of what obstacles are in my way. I want to inspire you a little more. This video is a speech from Julia Mundy, Mary Kay National Sales Director. I really love some of the comments she makes at the end of this video. This speech applies to everything in life not just a Mary Kay business. And she is so funny.

On another note, I joined twitter yesterday. Follow me @kedwards0731.   

May God richly bless you today as you go about your life. Remember that He has a plan and a purpose for you.

 

Graduation Day

As I graduate from Troy University today, I am reminded of all those that have helped me get to this point in my life.  I have had a lot of people come into my life and teach me great things. I would like to take an opportunity to thank all the amazing people who have helped develop me into the woman I am today; even imperfect, have you.







Thanks to my wonderful parents who brought me into this world and raised me the best way they knew how. Thanks you for allowing me to grow while being under your watchful care. Thanks for being an ear to listen, an encouraging word, a warm hug, a strong hand, a hopeful outlook, a concerned parent. I love you both; and even when I don't agree with everything you do or have done I still and always will look up to you.

Thanks to my teachers, who were a guiding light in a dark world. You helped shape me. You helped me to take opportunities to learn in full stride and never give up. You all taught me to read, write, and work through complex problems using my wonderful God given critical thinking skills. You were tough only to make us better. Thank you for not backing down and loving your jobs. You must love them because most of you are still teaching today.

Thank you to my grandparents, who taught me right from wrong, morals, and how to be the best person I can be. Thank you for fearing God and raising my parents so that they could raise me. Although God has allowed some of you to go home to be with Him (I miss you greatly and wish you were here) know that you still were important in my life and I'm grateful that I was able to spend quality time with you. And thank you to my other family members who have played an essential role in my up bringing: aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.

Thank you to my pastors-former and present, you have shown me the way God wants me to live and from your teachings I have learned that His ways are most definitely better than ours. I have not always been the perfect Christian and I'm sure that some have viewed me as a hypocrit, but God is still working on me and one day I will be perfect in His sight.

Thank you to my friends and classmates along the way. You all have been a rock when I was weak, great study partners, and a shoulder to lean on when everything would fall apart. Thanks for helping brighten my days, tell me I was wrong, and help me understand.

And a special thank you to my husband. Chris, you are a friend like no other. You have seen me struggle, you have seen me succeed, you have witness me want to give up, and you have witnessed me thrive. Thank you for being there no matter what. I love you and without you in my life I don't know what I would do. I know that everything does not always run as smooth as we would like it and it's totally frustrating but you have helped me in ways that you will never know. You were always the best practice dummy while I was in nursing school, you have been the best listener since I have changed my major, you are awesome at getting things done when I'm exhausted, and you are wonderful on days when I've had all I can take. You've seen me at my worst and at my best and loved me just the same. Thanks for being a shoulder to cry on, a friend to laugh with, and an honest opinion (even when I didn't want it). Thanks for pushing me to do my best (even if it turned out to be not good enough). Although words cannot describe how grateful I am for you, I appreciate you and all you do. Things will get better with time and don't ever stop loving me.

To all my readers, thanks for reading my blog. You are awesome for doing so. Keep reading and let me know what you think. Sorry my posting has been on the fritz lately. God bless you all and may you have a great day.

19 Days Until Christmas: Update from the Hill

Hello blog readers,
I am so sorry that I haven't had more regular posts. I have been very busy with Thanksgiving and family happenings. While I sip on my hot tea let me update you.

Family Update:

Having a rough day. It appears I have "caught the crud"...Woke up with it this morning. It seems most of the junk in my head and chest is out now with instillation of warm liquids, hot bath, and a warm rice bag on my chest most of the day. I still, however, have the sore throat. I've had a headache all day, but not my normal migraine-THANK YOU, JESUS. I believe my headache is related to all the coughing. Headache is beginning to ease off. I'm at work and luckily I don't have to talk very much at work. I've seen one person since I've been here  and had one phone call and it will probably be quiet until around 5 AM. On another note, my DH's brother and his wife of 19 years filed for divorce just before Thanksgiving. This has been difficult on their two daughters, the oldest is 13 & youngest is 3. Please keep them in your prayers. My father-in-law has his own place ready now and is staying at his place all the time. It is officially just the two of us, DH and I. It's nice to have our home to ourselves. Although, it is awful quiet there has been less nagging, fussing, and tempers lately. It's been a very peaceful place to come home to. Mom, Dad, and Brother came for Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful day eating up way too much delicious food. I should not have cooked so much.

Getting Ready for Christmas

One of my favorite things is Christmas. I love listening to Christmas music, making popcorn garlands for the tree, decorating the house, and all that jazz. We were given a 6ft. Christmas tree, ornaments, and lights from a friend. It is so beautiful. There are no presents under it and may not be this year, but I believe it is better to get back to the basics anyway. Christmas is not all about the gifts it's about spending time with each other and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I will update post with pictures soon.

 

Simple but Elegant Christmas Decorations 

I would like to share with you some Simple, but Elegant Christmas Decorations I have found and created. Click the picture to go to the How-To.


 

                 


 

 

Small Talk

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I didn't seem to get any really feedback on my themed blogs so I figure I will just blog often about random thoughts. Maybe you all will enjoy it.

Weather

Well today is going to be one of the coolest days we've had here in a while. I love cool weather. My motto is I would much rather it be cold than hot because if I'm cold I can bundle up, but if I'm hot, well, I just can't take off enough clothes (and be decent, that is). LOL! Well I love the cool weather that is coming our way. It doesn't last long here in south Alabama, but when it comes it is a blessing.

Check out our forecast for the week:

Saturday, October 27 A mix of sun and clouds in the day with a small rain chance. Most stay dry. Much colder and breezy. With a high at 69°. Temperatures dropping at night through the 50s. Windy.

Sunday, October 28 Breezy and much cooler. Highs in the mid 60s, lows in the lower 40s.

Monday, October 29 A chilly start. Highs in the low 60s, lows in the upper 30s.

Tuesday, October 30 Still a chill in the air. Some spots could have morning frost. Highs in the low 60s, lows in the mid 30s.

Wednesday, October 31 Bright sunshine. Still chilly, though. Highs in the mid 60s, lows in the upper 30s.

Thursday, November 01 Some sun, some clouds. Still cool.  Highs in the upper 60s, lows in the upper 30s.

Friday, November 02 Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the upper 40s.

Saturday, November 03 Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the upper 40s.

Sunday, November 04 Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the upper 40s.

Monday, November 05 Scattered showers. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the upper 40s.

Family Update

Well Granny stayed with us until this past Tuesday when she decided to officially move out. She left us at about noon. It's been almost eery quiet around our house. That can be a good thing though. It's just strange.

Tuesday evening the DH and I had date night. We attended the Troy University Percussion Ensemble Preview Concert. They are the winners of the 2012 Percussive Arts Society International Percussion Ensemble Competition. This was an awesome hour long concert. Although we ate dinner at home I asked my DH if he would like to go for coffee at McDonalds afterward. He agreed. I have been playing the 2012 McDonalds Monopoly game and we had a few coupons. We got a Very Berry Small Smoothie, a Rolo McFlurry, a Medium Fry, and a Small Coffee all for only $1.09. Whoo, Hoo! We ended up seeing some family in there that we had not seen in a while. We talked to them for about an hour.

We cleaned house on Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon. I worked on Wednesday night. Friday I paid bills and all that jazz and began my long work weekend (as I like to call it).

A Happy Holiday

So DH and I have decided to have Thanksgiving at our house. If we are invited last minute to mom and dad's or his uncle's we may go but I am still cooking at home. We are still deciding about what to do for Christmas. I love Christmas time. My birthday is on Christmas Day so obviously it is my favorite time of the year. We don't currently celebrate Halloween; however,when we decide to have children we may let them participate.

Dreaming...

I was looking at Walmart.com. They have great bundles online this time of year. I just wish I had a nice sized budget so that I could invest in those bundles. They currently have Inspirations for Man Caves on the site. I so wish that I could buy a small building for my DH to use as his personal space. He wants some fitness equipment, he is a fantastic drummer, and he piddles with guitar some. He loves sports, especially football. He needs a place to keep his tools. I know he gets bored having to be quiet in the house all day while I sleep. When I was younger I spent some time as a friend's house. Her family had built a game room in a metal building behind their mobile home. They had darts, pool, ping-pong, basket ball, and a TV/movie area it was really nice. They had it decorated with Coca-Cola signs and such. That is what I would like for him.

Well that's what is new. I hope to post some new pictures soon.

Friday's Favorite Things

Bath and Body Works Body Lotion:  Warm Vanilla Sugar

 

I love this fragrance. It reminds me of Fall. I always stock up on lotion this time of year because the new cool weather leaves my skin feeling dry otherwise. BBW has a fall sale going on I was able to purchase a few different fragrances for a very low price. 

 Check out the Bath and Body Works SALE online or in store today!

Meal Planning via Cozi

I have noted on other sites that many bloggers share how they menu plan. I have had a lot of fun learning new ways to do this for my family. I would like to share my process with you. As I have stated before, I work nights so when it is time to cook a meal I don't want to worry about how long it is going to take me to prepare a meal from start to finish. Not only does meal planning save me time on a day to day basis but it also saves me money at the grocery store. In an earlier post, "Cozi.com", I told you that I used this site for my menu planning. This is how.

 Step 1

 When I find recipes I like I add the recipe to my recipe box. You can do this one of two ways (1) type the recipe into the form or  (2) use my handy bookmark that works like the pin it button; some times this takes minor modification as all sites do not always work well with Cozi format. Not to fear I can COPY and PASTE. LOL! Okay recipe is now in my recipe box....YAY!

 Step 2

On or after the 5th of every month I make a big monthly shopping trip about 1 week before this trip I plan out meals for the month. In the past I would do this on a weekly calendar print out, now I use Cozi.com Dinner Plan. I scroll through my recipes on the Right and I click and drag them into the appropriate day. I can then click the meal on the calendar and the recipe appears.

Step 3

Within the recipe is an option to add the ingredients to the shopping list (See Below--I have pulled up the recipe for October 10th-"All Day Chili"). Click "Add to shopping list".

Step 4

A box will appear that will allow you to choose a shopping list. Either create a new one or use an existing one. The selected list is the one it will go to when you click "Add to List".

Step 5

When you do this your Shopping list will appear. When this happens you can either go back and add others to the list or you can print the list, send it to your phone, or change the list and add new items. Usually I try to combine like ingredients at this point. The shopping list is by default in categories by meals. If I am doing OAMC I will print this list plus one that is by category (i.e., meat, dairy, produce, etc). Once you print the list or send it to your phone. Now you are ready to go to the store.

• I buy everything I need for the dinner meals for the month, some staple breakfast items (cereal, frozen biscuits, frozen pancakes, etc), and some lunch items (deli meat for sandwiches, fruit, chips, etc).  I use coupons when I can and I buy store brand most of the time. One of our local stores offers a 5% discount for students on Mondays so I try to take advantage of that. I usually spend about $340/month and feed 5 adults at least 1-2 hot meals a day with a light lunch. Usually the only reason to go back to the grocery store is to pick up milk or bread. I would like to add that we do not always stick exactly to our meal plan but having one allows us to have every thing we need to make enough meals for every day of the month. Sometimes we repeat favorites within the month and other times we don't. Leftovers become lunches or I turn them into what I like to call "Unrecognizable Leftovers".
• Unrecognizable Leftover Example: Mashed Potatoes + Hashbrowns + French Fries + Potatoes Au Gratin + Cheese + a can of Cream of Mushroom = Potato Casserole (that actually gets devoured)
• Unrecognizable Leftover Example 2:  Leftover Pork Loin/Baked Chicken/Roast/etc + leftover vegetables + broth = Vegetable Soup/Camp Stew/ etc. 

• I hope this was enlightening and helped anyone interested in the process of learning to meal plan. This was the easiest way I found to meal plan and have everything in one place. I encourage anyone still using pencil and paper methods to try out Cozi.com today.

• I apologize...I tried to include print screens so that you could see what was happening because I tend to make the simplest thing very complicated but Blogger doesn't want to let me do so today.

Movie Night Tonight via Redbox

Tonight the DH and I will be having movie night. We have picked out a couple of DVDs to watch this evening. I love renting from Redbox. Redbox is a kiosk type vending machine. Redbox currently rents DVDs, Bluray, and Games for XBOX and PS3. You can pick your rentals online and have them ready for pick up at the swipe of a credit/debit card or at the Kiosk. They also offer freebie and discount codes. I have had many a free rental. Check out Redbox today! Click HERE.

http://redbox.tellapal.com/a/clk/1NSm0T

Cozi.com

I love Cozi.com it is about the greatest family planning site I have ever found. Before Cozi I was trying to keep track of all my plans, appointments, schedules, meals, etc on paper. This was not an impossible task but it sure was difficult. I tell everyone about Cozi.com. This site has been a life saver. I love how I can add my appointments, recipes, meals, schedules, school calendar, church calendar, everything to one place and Cozi sends me email and text reminders. They even have an app for those who use smart phones. If you have an online calendar at work or school most can be added to or either synced to Cozi to provide all information in one convenient place. I do my meal planning there and I just learned that they have a bookmark feature like Pinterest so that you can add recipes. If you have CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) in your life and need simplification, organization, and sanity you need Cozi.com. It's free to sign up and use. There is a paid version, "Cozi Gold", but I use the free version and it is great. Just go try it. you know you want to. I guarantee you will like it.

Tupperware Divided Plate

 

When I was younger my mother sold Tupperware. The Divided Plate was one piece of her collection that I acquired when I moved away from home. I love this piece. It has been a great asset to our household. There are many nights when there is exactly this plateful of left overs. This works great because my DH can reheat them in the microwave the following day for lunch while I am sleeping or we can take it with us. Because of its lid this is fairly portable. The divisions make portion control very easy. I have never had this plate spill. It is microwave and dishwasher safe. I have tried to find more plates just like this and I have found that they updated this item and no longer carry ones that look like this. The updated version shown below has is larger and has a vented lid for microwaving purposes. My mom also has one of these. This is a great buy especially for those who take lunch to school or work, have small children who never finish their meal, or anyone looking to make single meals to store in a freezer or refrigerator for one or two people. They are about 2 inches tall when the lid is on and about 9-10 inches in diameter (the size of a regular dinner plate).

 

Tupperware Divided Lunch Plate with Vented Lid

Copco Reusable Coffee Mugs

 

Copco Reusable Travel Mugs were a great buy in my home. Although my DH and I do not travel often they are great for home/office use as well. We use these for our coffee, hot chocolate, my "occasional" hot tea, etc. These are great for keeping warm beverages hot. I think my last hot beverage stayed warm in one of these for about 2 hours. I love that they are BPA free and have a screw on lid. I will say, however, that it is important to not fill these to the top if you are going to be walking around with it as any bobbles do allow minor sloshes to expel through the opening in the lid. They have lasted us almost two years and I may have to invest in another set because the gasket like thing in our lids is becoming loose due to repeated washings or exposure to heat. I'm really not sure what caused it. Although they are getting worn out I would still say that daily use and abuse is the cause of them becoming damaged and not malfunction of the cup itself. 

Check them out in your nearest store today!

FILL, DRINK, WASH, REPEAT

 

Go Green for a Better Tomorrow!

Cool Gear Tumblers

I wanted to share a new find with all of my new readers. Many of you may already know about this product, but I recently purchased one and I wanted to share my new find with the world.

 

The Cool Gear Plastic Tumblers are a great buy. My husband and I found ours on sale for $2.00 at a Wal-Mart here in Alabama. They are just wonderful for keeping your cold beverage on the go. This product is BPA free and some have a special type of freezer gel inside the double wall to keep beverage cold. When the lid is screwed on and the straw is in place these cups resist leaking even when turned over. This would be great for a child learning to "drink from a big cup". I'm not saying that it will never spill, but I have toppled mine while it was full and it laid on its side for approximately 2 minutes and my red fruit punch had not leaked on my beige carpet. These come in a variety of colors and sizes. I even saw some the other day in the back of my local Wal-Mart for Halloween that glow in the dark and light up. 

Check them out today!

FILL, DRINK, WASH, REPEAT

 

Go Green for a Better Tomorrow!

Holiday Planning Craft

 

I found this really cute craft on another blog and I just had to share it with you. Michelle Wooderson created a Clipboard Notepad Organizer that is just too cute. She gives a full tutorial on how to make this. I hope you will check it out if you are trying to establish a planning organizer for the holidays. This looks like a great idea!

Anyone already thinking about the Holidays?

I sure have had the holidays on my mind lately. Since this is our second holiday season in our home I want to make it very special. This has been a year of seconds for us. I am considering a theme for Christmas decor and already looking at recipes to plan the perfect meal. I'm not sure if other family plans are going to take us places or not but I at least want a plan if they don't. I am a big planning person. More often than not my plans are only a guide and get changed so much that they no longer are even worth the planning but I do like to plan things out.

We love traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas meals with lots of love and joys to abound. Chris has lately been suggesting that he is in the mood for dressing. I haven't found a dressing recipe that I just love yet. My late grandmother made some of the best dressing around but even with her recipe my mom nor I can make it quite like her. I remember watching her make it Christmas of 2005. She passed away February 23, 2006 from a long battle with pancreatic cancer. I remember her telling me,

"Katie Bug, it's all about what looks right. My secret is that I really don't measure anything. I use that recipe as a guide, but I don't really go by it."

Chris tells me about how his momma use to cook. Any time I cook something his mom use to make he will tell me, "Baby, you are getting closer to momma's cooking every day." I think that is why we love the holidays so much, all that homestyle cooking reminds us of the days when our loved ones were around.

So enough with the reminiscing. I am making my plan now. This year has moved quickly and it will soon be come a gone. I am ready to check out harvest decor at the Dollar Tree... I know it is already out, just waiting on a paycheck. All my decorations are either hand made or dollar store finds. I bought my Christmas cards in January last year for $0.10 a box. I was so excited. All I have to do is write a message, address them, and send them on their way. I got 50 cards for less than a quarter tax and all. I will be sharing pictures of my decorations in the near future.

Anyone new to my blog let me know what your plans are for the holidays. I will be sharing my plans in future posts.

God Bless you All,
Kaitlin