An Honest Christmas Letter

You know how everyone sends out Christmas letters about their families talking about everyone's special accomplishments and achievements during the previous year?  I've been tempted to write an every-day "real life" Christmas letter for my family. It would go something like this:

Merry Christmas from the Brooks Family!

Sarah, former valedictorian and summa cum laude graduate with a double major in Mass Communications and Christian Studies/Missiology emphasis, spends most of her time wiping bottoms and preparing meals (although not necessarily in that order). On special occasions she takes a shower before noon AND fixes her hair and puts on make-up.

BJ works full-time and takes masters level classes part-time in the evening. He is also an amazing dad to two little boys, which means he is super busy from sun up to sun down.

Ben loves to eat cookies and candy, spin in circles, and color on the wall behind mommy's recliner. Sometimes he listens to mommy and daddy, and sometimes he doesn't, it depends on whether he wants to or not. He has a fun personality and is full of energy.

Andrew is our newest arrival. He gets a kick out of watching Ben run around. He dislikes every green vegetable but loves sweet potatoes. He has a sweet smile and laid back personality, a perfect balance to Ben's exuberance and strong will.

All kidding aside, I have the world's most precious family, and I am blessed beyond words to get to be a full-time parent. I just love my Brooks boys. We may not have a whole lot of accomplishments to speak of, no big honors to brag about, but I'm thankful for this stage of life.

Maybe one day I can say that my children are all on the Honor Roll and are the star athletes in their sport of choice, that I have a novel on the bestseller's list, and that my husband just received a doctorate; But, the things we do right this second are special too. They may not get a lot of "glory," but they matter (trust me, people would notice if I stopped changing diapers). They may not be impressive, but they are important.

I have to remind myself regularly, that what I do as a stay-at-home mom is significant. I'm investing in my children's future; I'm providing a safe place for my husband to rest and be renewed; I'm making our home a place of refuge and security.

Sometimes I have to put some of my own dreams and ambitions on hold for a while to tend to other people's needs. I may not be teaching orphans in a foreign country, but I can teach my sons that God loves them. I may not reach a broad audience with my writing, but I can share my thoughts through my blog and through Facebook. I no longer have any impressive accomplishments of my own -no prestigious awards or sought-after titles . . . I take that back. I'm a Mom, and if that's not a well-earned and accomplished title, I don't know what else is.

(In)spired deals review - Give Thanks Wooden Caddy

Each November we gather as a family to share what we are thankful for. Tonight as I was tucking my two-year-old into bed we talked about what we could thank God for. He listed off the expected things: mommy, daddy, books, friends, and then he caught me a little off guard. He said, "Dear God, thank you for God. I don't see Him, but He's nice." My little boy is just learning how to put sentences together. Each day his vocabulary grows a little bit more. I love to see the boy he is becoming. He's no longer the same little baby I brought home twenty-seven months ago.

 What am I thankful for? My family, my friends, my home. I'm also thankful for a God who is nice, even though we can't see Him. My little boy mentioned that God doesn't fall down either. It's a good reminder.

The Give Thanks Wooden Caddy is a visual reminder throughout my day to give thanks. Even though it's intended for cutlery, I've actually decided to use it to store my family's remote controls. It sits in a prominent position on our entertainment stand.

It's nice and sturdy and is quite beautiful. I'm super excited to use it this Thanksgiving. I love that the handles on the side make it easy to transport the caddy from the kitchen to the table or buffet. It will be great when we have our friends and family come over and visit.

If you order it by Nov. 28th you can actually save 60%, making the caddy only $9 (it regularly retails for $29.99). You can definitely use this piece all year long in a variety of ways (both silverware and remote controls).

I received a complimentary product from Dayspring to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed are my honest thoughts of the product. 

CouponCabin's 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz!

Welcome to CouponCabin’s 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz! This multi-blog event is hosted by Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA and is sponsored by CouponCabin. This is the biggest event the blogosphere has seen with over 400 giveaways each at $25 value or more plus a huge giveaway with some major prizes like a MacBook Air, iPad2 & Visa Gift Cards. 


To find a complete list of participating blogs, check out one of the host blogs, Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA. There are tons of prizes available from the various participating blogs. 

Stop by Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA to enter the giveaway. Let them know that "Mommy's Minute" sent you. Enter just one, or enter at all three to increase your chances of winning one of the big prizes! 

Check out these awesome prizes from CouponCabin:

• Grand Prize: MacBook Air (11-inch, 128GB; ARV $1,199)
• 2nd Runner Up: iPad2 (16GB, with Wi-Fi +3G; ARV $629) & $200 Visa Gift Card
• 3rd Runner Up: iPad2 (16GB, with Wi-Fi +3G; ARV $629)
• 4th Runner Up: $300 Visa Gift Card
• 5th Runner Up: $200 Visa Gift Card
• 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Runner Ups: $100 Visa Gift Card each

I am offering my readers a fantastic prize from a local artist in my area: Carly's Homefront! She has a super cute Etsy shop and offers custom signs, jewelry and much more! She has a fantastic assortment of products for those serving in the armed forces and for their friend and families!


Carly is a military wife and creates some great products to show support for our troops


Check out her facebook page for pictures of some of her work as well as information about her business on Etsy!  

Enter to win a custom sign for you or a loved one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/80784671/home-is-where-his-boots-are-sign

The Handy Dandy Housewife
Do you ever have a hard time finding your keys in your purse? Is it difficult to juggle your cell phone, your purse, your bag, AND your keys. These handy, dandy keychains from the Handy Dandy Housewife are a fantastic resource for busy women of all ages. 

The 10" ribbon slips comfortably onto the wrist, leaving your hands free to do other things. As a mom, these types of keychains are ESSENTIAL! They help me hold onto my children's hands instead of fumbling in the depths of my purse for my keys! 

They make fantastic teacher's gifts or affordable gifts for friends and co-workers. They are only $6, and definitely worth the money. 


The Handy Dandy Housewife is offering EVERYONE a 10% discount on any purchases made during the Blog Hop (Nov. 1-25). Simply enter the code "BLOGHOP" during check out to receive your discount!

Keep in touch with the latest discounts and products by visiting our Facebook Page. 


Pampered Chef
I'm an independent Pampered Chef Consultant, and I'm throwing in a few items just for kicks. I'll be giving away a copy of the 2011 Fall/Winter Season's Best Cookbook!

Enter using this simple Rafflecopter form! Good Luck! Don't forget to stop by the other participating blogs on the hop!!

**Rafflecopter has been a little quirky on my site lately, if the form doesn't look right, try hitting f5 to reload the page. You may have to click on the actual blog post instead of just viewing it from the home screen**

Fantasty vs. Reality

Have you ever wished you were "that" mom? You know, the one who appears to have it all together. Perfectly manicured nails, stylish hair, perfectly applied make-up. Fit and ready to face the day. Maybe your version of "that" mom prepares organic meals from scratch for her children. Or perhaps "that" mom has a spotless home and well-behaved children. I'd like to welcome you to a not so perfect place called "reality."

This is what my mornings would look like in my fantasy world:

• 6:00 AM - Wake up to a quiet house. Fix myself a cup of hot tea and nestle down in my sun room for morning devotional reading. Pray, reflect, relax and savor the moment.
• 6:45 AM - Exercise 
• 7:30 AM - Shower, get dressed, put on make-up, fix my hair.
• 8:00 AM - My delightfully cheerful children request permission to get out of bed. They happily eat what I put in front of them. And then read quietly for the next hour. 
• 9-12 AM - Fun activities with my children: crafts, reading books, playing at the park.
• 12:00 - I would serve a highly nutritious lunch, incorporating both fruits and vegetables.
• 1:00 -3 PM Ben naps
• 3-4 PM - More playing with the children.
• 4-5 PM - Prepare a delicious and nutrition meal for my family from scratch
• 5:30 PM - Serve dinner, get everything cleaned up. Enjoy an evening of family time. 
• 7:30 Ben and Andrew go to sleep
• 7:30-9:30 - Hang out with the husb
• 10:00 PM Go to Bed.

Reality:

• I wake up three times in the middle of the night to attend to a teething child.
• 6:00 AM - Husband gets up with the two-year-old in order to help with the sleep I lost getting up with the 6-month-old the night before.
• 7:30 AM - I am awakened by a two-year-old standing next to my pillow saying "Gick up Mommy, Gick up. ("Get up" for those of you not fluent in toddler speak).
• 7:45 - Change child's diaper, get him dressed. Turn on Netflix.
• 8:00 I lay on the couch in a groggy stupor (thanks to the 4 hours of sleep I had the night before) while my oldest watches PBS. 
• 8:15 AM - The baby wakes up and needs to be fed, changed, and dressed (I'm still in my pajamas.)
• 10:00 AM - I remember that I haven't eaten breakfast and that I'm quiet hungry. So I grab a handy packet of my son's gummy fruit snacks (They have 10% fruit juice in them, so that should count as a serving of fruit).
• 11:00 AM - Surf around the web on Facebook or Pintrest while Ben plays happily with his toys.
• 12:00 - Heat up a hotdog for Ben. (Ketchup is a vegetable, right?) Son refuses to eat what I fix for lunch and demands cookies instead.  Cookies are denied resulting in a kicking and screaming tantrum.
• 1:00 - Lay Ben down for nap.
• 1:30 - Take a shower if Andrew is content and finally get dressed for the day (which usually entails a t-shirt and jeans). If I'm lucky, I'll have enough time to blow dry my hair. I don't even bother with the make-up since I won't be leaving the house today. 
• 2:00 - Surf the web while Ben continues to nap.
• 3-5: Watch Super Why, Sesame Street, or Fireman Sam
• 5 PM Heat up a frozen dinner.
• 6 PM Pile the dishes by the sink with the promise that "I'll clean them later"
• 7 PM Bathe the kiddos; get their jammies on.
• 7:30 Lay Ben down 
• 8:00 Try to find the motivation to do the things I've put off all day long. 
• 9:00 Facebook or Pintrest while hubby does schoolwork
• 12:00 - stumble into bed around midnight depending on when I'm able to get Andrew to sleep. 
• 1:30 - Wake up and attend to an upset teething child.

Rinse and Repeat.

I suppose the frustrating thing for me is that my "Fantasy" is full of obtainable goals and activities. I feasibly COULD do all of those things in the day, but most of the time I don't. It's not that I don't have the time or opportunity, it's that I lack the motivation. I often choose to do "other" things, usually things that are of no value or worth.

At this stage in my life, sleep is as valuable as gold, primarily because it's such a rare commodity. So the likelihood of waking up before my kids get up is slim to none. I'm not going to wake up at 5 AM especially since I don't go to bed until 1 or 2 AM.

I'm just not "that" mom. I don't have it all together all the time. My house is routinely in a state of disorder. I don't always take care of myself physically or spend a lot of time on my appearance. Most times I forget to pluck my eyebrows until I'm in the car and get a good look at myself in the rear-view mirror.

The majority of the time, I'd rather spend an hour on Pintrest than clean out my closets or wash my dishes. I guess I'm normal, but there's always that temptation to compare myself to other moms. I like to think that they have it all together, but I have the sneaking suspicion that there is no such thing as a "perfect mom" or a "perfect wife."

My main thing is that I know that there are things that I can do better. As a recovering perfectionist, I've learned that it's OK not to do everything perfectly. I don't have to be a perfect mom, but I'd like to do better. I'd like to do a better job of taking care of myself, both physically and spiritually. I'd like to do a better job of taking care of my house and family. It's a gradual process which will take a lifetime to improve on.

I think I'm going to try to find just ONE thing to work on this next month. To try to change everything at once would not be realistic. So, I've decided I'm going to eat breakfast every day. I'm going to sit at the table with my Bible and enjoy some tea and toast. Slowly but surely my fantasies can become reality.

Free $10 Credit to Beyond the Rack

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love the word "free." Right now you can get a free $10 credit to Beyond the Rack. They have some fantastic stuff right now. They have a variety of home/kitchen products as well as a lot of great items for every member of the family.

Right now you can get this awesome $30 spice rack for only $4.99 by using this link to sign up.

Or if kitchen stuff isn't your thing. There is a great selection of European 100% leather infant shoes for only $9.99 after the free credit, usually they are $35. That's a $24 savings!

There really is something for everyone. Check them out and sign up for your free $10 credit today!

They have a variety of items for UNDER $10 which means you can get some great stuff for FREE!

Ten Tips for De-cluttering and Organizing Toys

Toys are a little bit like rabbits. They seem to multiply in dark corners and they make a tremendous mess. Ok, but seriously, keeping the rooms in our hose clutter free can be a bit of a challenge. My son's toys seem to creep up in every room of the house. I've even found them in my shower and under my bed. So how do we keep this toy tide under control? Here are my top ten recommendations for de-cluttering and organizing toys in your own home.

1. Buy some baskets or buckets to help keep your kids stuff contained. 
2. Clean out the toybox. If you child hasn't played with the item in the last two weeks consider rotating it out. Chances are they won't even notice that it's gone (that is, if they don't see you removing it, if you are caught in the act, they will claim that that toy is their most prized possession).
3. Make your organization age appropriate. For younger kids consider placing a picture of what needs to go in the bin on the outside of the container. Even toddlers can understand this basic concept. Cars go in the container with the car picture on them, blocks, books, etc.
4. Think outside the box. I turned an old entertainment stand into a toy center in my sons room. All of his toys are now contained in an organized space. It helps his room seem cleaner and it eliminates the cluttered feeling.
5. Re-purpose items. I saw a mom who used those magnetic kitchen strips used for knifes to store her sons hot wheels. The magnetic strip held the cars in place and kept the organized and off the floor.
6. Encourage your child to go through their toys themselves. Make a family trip to a shelter or donation center and explain how the toys that we're tired of can really be special to someone who doesn't have any toys. It can be a good learning experience for all involved, and can help keep the greedies under control.
7. For every new toy that comes in, one needs to be rotated out. This helps keep the room being overwhelmed with toys. Before you bring the new item in, encourage your child to select one toy to remove. It may be an item that they've outgrown, or one that is broken. Placing a toy limit helps keep things from getting out of control.
8. Consider selling some gently used items on e-bay or in a garage sale. Sometimes if kids can "earn" the money from the sale it can encourage them to part with the item.
9. Don't contribute to the problem. If you child doesn't need any more toys, don't buy them. Kids don't want us to buy their affection, they want us to spend time with them. In the long run, they won't remember every toy they owned, but they will remember quality time spent with a parent.
10. Create boundaries. It's ok to have a "no toy" space. For example, we keep toys out of the guest bedroom, so that it's clean and tidy for company when they come over. 

There are several practical steps that you can take to help keep clutter under control. No one likes stepping on toys in the middle of the night. With a little bit of practice, you too can help you child keep the toys from overwhelming the space.

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Fall Giveaway Festival

RetailMeNot has every online coupon and promo you could ever hope to find—all in one place. With the help of a dedicated community, RetailMeNot thrives as a money-saving mecca free of full-priced foes. With more than 1,000,000 coupons from over 100,000 stores, RetailMeNot is your go-to site when you want to grab the goods to create a one-of-a-kind Halloween costume, lock down the biggest savings on Black Friday and Cyber Monday or surf the Web for financial finds.

RetailMeNot is giving away an iPad2 to one lucky person! Visit Sassy Mama in LA, Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Matter of Cents to enter the giveaway.

The holiday greeting card season is just around the corner! Photo Card Creations offers a wide variety of cards to fit your needs! They just introduced 50 new designs this fall, as well as a new way to preview your cards before you order them. You can zoom, re-position, and even change your photos to black and white or sepia. You can see exactly what your photo card will look like! You can choose from a variety of backgrounds and photo border colors.

The text is fully customizable, allowing you to select the font, color, and size that suits your needs!

I have used them in the past with great success. The card quality is excellent. They are printed on high quality paper using leading technology. A professional graphic designer handles each order, ensuring that your cards come out the way that you would like them to.

Once you've finished customizing your card you can place your order online, cards are shipped approximately three business days later! They even have a promotion for free shipping on orders placed before Sept. 21st!

Photo Card Creations also offers a great selection of birth announcements, thank you notes, and party invitations! There is truly something for everyone!