...and the greatest of these is LOVE.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor. 13:13

Times of refreshing

Being a mother can mean long days, late nights (possible all nighters), early mornings and everything in between. A full time job with mandatory overtime. Although, we all know the rewards are immeasurable.

Time to refresh, restore and rejuvenate is imperative for doing this well. As with a lot of mothers, this has been difficult for me to do. Sometimes, just because of logistics. Others, because of the guilt factor. You know the drill: "I can't leave the kids, what if they need me?!?" "I don't want to burden anyone, they are my kids not anyone else's." "My husband is tired from working and I don't want to ask him to do that."

Before having kids, my husband and I loved to travel (very economically of course {wink} ) and that was our preferred getaway. Now, a getaway for me is a hot shower without a small audience or a few moments of quiet with my favorite chai or a book . I don't say that in a resentful or begrudging manner. I'm serious. I treasure those moments and they are important.

The greatest thing I can do, however, is spend time each day connecting with my Heavenly Father. Spending time in prayer, reading my Bible and asking for wisdom and guidance. As it has become increasing difficult to find time to do this, I know it remains the single most important thing I can do as a mother to restore my mind and spirit.

After having our first child. I was breastfeeding and it was difficult for me to get out. It was also a little intimidating for my hubby to stay with her. He thought that every time she cried she was hungry and there was nothing he could do about it. I would get a panicked stricken phone call about 30 minutes into my outing and I would rush home.

We have all learned to adjust (and continue to learn as we add more children). It has made all the difference, however. When I am able to get some time do do things that energize me, I am definitely a better person, wife and mother.

If you were like I was (and the way I am still trying to get better at). Take some time today and do something that will refresh yourself. The people in your life will most likely see the difference and so will you.

In a future post, I plan to do a "one person retreat" giveaway. It will include some of my favorite things that help me relax and restore myself - body and soul.

What about you momma? What do you do to refresh?

How to increase your Swagbucks earnings {Frugal Fridays}

So a few weeks ago I talked about the Swagbucks phenomenon. This is where searching the internet earns you digital bucks.

Today, for "Frugal Friday", I want to share two more tips on how to increase your Swagbucks so that you can cash them in for free stuff.

Sign up for an account

:: On the Swagbucks homepage, you can sign up for a free account. You will earn Swagbucks just for doing this. You can click here to do this.

Search, search, search!

:: As I mentioned last week, you can set the Swagbucks site as your homepage. Therefore, whenever you go online, you can earn by going to the sites that you normally go to. Simply type the name of the website, topic, or social media page that you go to in the search bar.

Next week, I will give two more tips on earning more Swagbucks.

P.S. I got my free stuff in the mail this week that I ordered using my Amazon gift cards "bought" with Swagbucks. That's always fun : )

Happy Swagbucking!

Wellness Challenge

For the next several {this and that} Thursdays, I want to do a series of posts on another area of life that I am extremey passionate about. There are several ways to label it or describe it: health, fitness, wellness, etc. Whatever you may call it, it's about caring for your physical and mental well-being.

There are so many programs and fitness plans out there, but with any pursuit of well-being, it first begins in the mind. This week in the Wellness Challenge we will focus on getting into the right mindset.

1. Developing a healthy mindset: what's your motive?

Getting healthy or pursuing wellness is not about numbers on or off of a scale. Getting healthy actually first starts with your mind, not with your body. It's about your purpose and your motive.

I've always been an active person, involved in sports and activities as a child and as a teenager. During high school, in an attempt to get into better shape, I began "dieting" and working out excessively. As it happens so often in young girls, it spiraled out of control and became an unhealthy obsession. Contrary to what I set out to do, I was actually destroying my body rather than making it "better".

Thankfully, I had a major change of perspective and was physically and mentally restored from my bad choices. A few years later, I became certified in group fitness and have since set out to help others and myself pursue a healthy and whole lifestyle, rather than a fad dieting binge.

In order to avoid similar disasters, we have to evaluate our motive for wanting to get in shape/get healthy, as with any other endeavor in life. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• As followers of Christ, in everything we do, it should be to glorify our Heavenly Father, not for selfish gain. Yes, it's nice to look good in that swimsuit or new dress and that is an awesome by-product of our hard work, but there is a deeper issue.

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31.

• Also, we are admonished in scripture to care for this "temple" that we have been given. We only have one and it's quite delicate. It very much responds to how we treat it and what we do with it.

Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself. 1 Cor. 6:19

• Finally, as mommies of busy little ones, hard working women inside or outside of the home or a retired empty nester exploring new adventures, we all need the strength and energy to do it well. To do well the thing that has been set before us and to take care of those we have been entrusted with - whether spouses, parents, children, or people in our community.

...don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from your heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind that the ultimate Master that you're serving is Christ. (Col. 3:23-25 Message)

Physical and mental wellness is a lifelong journey. When it has the right motive and purpose behind it we benefit from it as well as those around us. The physical and mental benefits of a healthy lifestyle can be immeasurable.

Next Thursday, I hope you will join me as I begin to discuss other practical ways to in the journey of wellness. I will talk about the "H2O factor".

How do you pursue wellness? What are some ways you care for your physical self?

(Note: The content of this series is intended for informational use only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Everyone is different in their level of health and fitness. It is advised to consult a physician before beginning a fitness or nutritional plan.)

Where's Doodle? {fifth edition}

This is our third daughter… a sweet and very compliant one, who has inherited the nickname "Doodle". She takes daily naps and goes to bed like clockwork. She enjoys most everything from riding in the car to playing with her sisters and even entertains herself for long periods of time. She is such a joy to our family!

Let’s not be mistaken, however. She is full of energy and adventure. As to keep up with her older sisters, she began walking at eight months. We were so proud and she….oh so delighted.

Since then, she has been known to climb the stairs – on the inside and outside of the staircase….GASP! She has also scaled tables, chairs, drawers, the fireplace hearth, desks – you name it. We have found her in the most inconspicuous places. Each Wednesday, I will share a glimpse of them with you in the "Where's Doodle?" segment.

This girl is on the move, which means so are we.

What's your busy toddler doing these days?

Fun learning the alphabet

Being that our oldest is preschool age, we're just getting our feet wet with homeschooling. This also means that the ABC's are a pretty popular topic in our home with all of the children.

Our four year old has been working on letter sounds and writing the alphabet and the little ones are having fun with letter recognition.

There are so many resources out there to help with these skills as well as creative ideas to do at home.

As shown above, these are a few items that have been really helpful in making learning the alphabet fun at our house!

The Dora the Explorer: ABC Game (which I actually scored at a garage sale last summer) is a game they really enjoy and uses pictures to help teach the sounds of each letter.

LeapFrog: Letter Factory is a fun DVD which helped our oldest learn the sounds of almost every letter of the alphabet before we even started preschool with her.

This LeapFrog: Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set helps teach letter recognition and sounds and it is great to keep little hands busy while mommy works in the kitchen : )

What resources or creative ideas do you use to help your children learn their ABC's?

(Note: the links in this post are my referral links.)

You won't like it one bit

Last weekend, my husband spoke at our church (and did a great job by the way...go honey!). Anyway, he talked about using wisely one of the most valuable God given resources that we all possess...TIME. He read the following poem (author unknown) that really spoke to me as a mother.

My precious boy with the golden hair

Came up one day beside my chair

And fell upon his bended knee

And said, “Oh, Mommy, please play with me!”

I said, “Not now, go on and play;

I’ve got so much to do today.”

He smiled through tears in eyes so blue

When I said, “We’ll play when I get through.”

But the chores lasted all through the day

And I never did find time to play.

When supper was over and dishes done,

I was much too tired for my little son.

I tucked him in and kissed his cheek

And watched my angel fall asleep.

As I tossed and turned upon my bed,

Those words kept ringing in my head,

“Not now, son, go on and play,

I’ve got so much to do today.”

I fell asleep and in a minute’s span,

My little boy is a full-grown man.

No toys are there to clutter the floor;

No dirty fingerprints on the door;

No snacks to fix; no tears to dry;

The rooms just echo my lonely sigh.

And now I’ve got the time to play;

But my precious boy is gone away.

I awoke myself with a pitiful scream

And realized it was just a dream

For across the room in his little bed,

Lay my curly-haired boy, the sleepy-head.

My work will wait ‘til another day

For now I must find some time to play.

When we moved last year, we were so blessed to be able to buy a home that fits our family perfectly. The funny part is that it happens to be smack dab in the middle of a retirement community. We are truly some of the only people on the block that are younger than 70's.

I was hesitant at first and told my husband that there was no way we could move there because they would all think we were crazy; moving in with four small kids and all. However, it's been a blast. The girls have inherited several great grandparents. They are kind of like little celebrities. We get homemade cookies and all kinds of special treats on holidays.

One day, we went over to our next door neighbor's house to take her a thank you card the girls had made her for her home baked cookies. When we walked in, I said to her, "wow, I can only dream of my house being this spotless." Eating dinner all alone, she responded, "oh someday it will be and you won't like it one bit".

My heart sank right there. Here she is, in the last chapter of her life and spending it alone. She once had toys sprawled over the floor. I'm sure she had peanut butter smeared in odd places like we do. She once had Mt. Laundry in her house. Those days were probably challenging for her at times, as well.

Yet, she treasures that chapter in life above all others. She misses other voices, the pitter patter of small feet and the companionship of their father.

I know we can't play dolls all day long. I know we can't let the chores go and the dishes pile to the ceiling. In fact, I'm really working on systems to keep the home in better order. It's definitely an area I'm trying to become better at.

Yet, I do know that these are precious times. Moments that we cannot get back. The days and weeks are flying by and I'm reminded as I constantly pack away boxes and change the girls' clothes to the next size. I don't want them to remember mommy always putting them off for something else. I don't want my most frequent words to be "hold on" or "later honey".

I want them to cherish our time together. To remember that mommy made them a priority and showed interest in the things they are proud to show me and the playtime they so treasure.

Our neighbor is right, I won't like it one bit.

How do you balance quality time with your children (no matter what age) and your "to do list"?