Super Hero Capes!

So, after much debate and finagling, Oregano choose to be a superhero for harvest carnival at our church.  Now, I'm not going to lie, she REEEEEAAALLLY wanted to be, wait for it, wait for it, Elsa! Not shocking.  While, I had no problem at all with her dressing like Elsa, I wanted to change it up a bit.  It really all started with a little girl coming to church on her birthday wearing a cape her mom made for her.  Yep, our church is cool like that, all superheroes are welcome.  Oregano immediately said she wanted a cape as well.  I thought that I'd make if for her birthday as well, but not enough time.  Then, I thought, Christmas, definitely a Christmas present.  But, how could I completely skip over Halloween?  It was perfect!  It didn't take much convincing, but she did insist that Bugsy be a superhero as well, NO PROBLEM!  Here is what we ended up with, with the help of my friend sharing the links to the free tutorials.  I'm all about FREE! 

These are the links:

http://thepleatedpoppy.com/2008/01/cape-tutorial/

http://www.vanillajoy.com/free-super-hero-cape-logo-patterns.html

I added a little embellishment to the bottom of each cape to make it a bit more girly.

There is one thing you will quickly learn about me, I'll not hide imperfections.  These aren't perfect, but they are exactly what my little girls wanted.  I've made some boots to match, masks are up next. SO EXCITED!

Your Husband Is NOT Your child!

Ohhhhhhhhh, this post!  This post! This post! I'm an old fashioned kind of lady. You may not agree with this post, but this is my story and this is my song and it's not pretty, but I'm a work in progress.

Your husband is not your child, your extra baggage, a burden, an animal.  He is not to be made fun of, mocked, judged, criticized or ridiculed behind his back or in front of his face.  He choose you.  He picked you out of all of the other women in the world. He picked you for a reason, you lit up his world, you supported his dreams, you respected him.  Do you still?

I've been married for almost 11 years.  Up until about 10 years into the marriage I thought that I was hot stuff.  I was the Christian wife men dream to have. Mr. Hagge has no complaints or concerns.  How dare he ask me to change, criticize me, judge me!  Sure, I'd admit to fault.  Sure, I had some changing to do, but other than that, GET OFF MY BACK MAN!

Well, low and behold, my dear husband was away on a deployment and don't you know that that's the time God picks to give me my report card on my wifely duties.  I mean, here I am, worshiping in church, minding my own business, praying for my husband, and WHAM!  God broke me.  I'm in shock, sobbing.  He revealed to me my contributions to problems we had long ago and some we had at the moment.  It wasn't pretty, I was shattered, in the best way.  Thinking back, I knew that I wasn't humble enough to have had that revelation before that moment.  I would have shirked it off, "Nope, not me!'.   Then,  I owned up to all of it, all that God had revealed and apologized.  It was the most real moment for me in our entire marriage and one of the toughest.  That moment has brought about major change in me over time and I've never been more thankful to God for breaking me.  Then, months later, I realized how my behaviors translated into utter disrespect through reading Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, I learned that he needs respect like I need love, unconditional. The Bible actually commands us to unconditionally respect our husbands as they are to unconditionally love us.  Ephesians 5:33 "Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, AND the wife must see to it that she respects her husband." Yes, that Bible verse will slap you all the way to Timbuktu and notice that it's not really a suggestion.  It took me a couple of weeks for that to absorb and eventually lead to another round of apologies.

Here are 4 things that I immediately changed.


1.  You are to hold your husbands in high esteem, speak highly of him everywhere you go.  I'm sure you could think of at least one nice thing to say and then keep your mouth shut!  I'll take it even one step further.  If you are around a gaggle of women who are slamming their husbands, WALK AWAY!  I've had to do that.  I was grieved at the way these women were talking about their husbands.  Don't do it ladies!  Don't get caught up feeling like you have to say something to fit in, you can walk away.  If you feel like you need to speak lowly of your spouse, maybe it's time for counseling.  Side note: Thank you dear friend for encouraging me in this area. You know who you are.  I'm sure I slammed my husband a time or two, but my go to phrases were, "Yes! Mr. Hagge does that too!" or "All men are like that." I said those things just to have something to say, it's not necessary.

2.  Your husband is your priority.  How would you feel if he put everyone else above you, we women can get SO busy that we put everyone else before our spouses.  It's unintentional mostly, which means we need to get intentional about changing it.

3. Ask for his input and value what he says!  So many times as a mommy we have so many decisions to make and we just make them.  We don't consider our husbands because, well, we are so busy.  Stop for a second, ask for his input.  Pull him into your world and let him know his opinion matters to you.

4.  Just be with him.  You don't have to sit and chatter like a madwoman expressing every emotion  you posses every time you are with him.  Just sit.  I read in Love and Respect that men like to share experiences, shoulder to shoulder, whereas a woman tells her experiences through words.  So, just be there, watch him work for a few minutes, read a book next to him, but be silent. He'll appreciate that.

You two are team, you are not in command, he is not your child to boss around.  He is a man (shocking) not a woman, he thinks differently, processes differently, makes choices differently, doesn't want to talk about his feelings all day.   He is not your robot.  Let him be who he is, let him fold those socks his way, correct the children his way, be himself around your friends, spend his money the way he wants, etc..without criticism. You are a team.  He loves you.  Stop questioning it, move on, and embrace the man God created him to be.

Ebola, and Wars, and Disasters, Oh, My!

HEY FOLKS!  It's been a little while.  I have lots of ideas up my sleeve, but just can't find the time lately! Anywho, with all that is going on in the world the Lord laid it upon my heart to highlight this passage in Psalms to perpetuate peace instead of chaos.  I hope this speaks to your heart and helps you find peace.

Free Psalm 91 Printable

At Home Perspective During Deployment: 3 Months

Nearly three months have passed since Mr. Hagge has deployed.  Five months since we have been together as a family, there was a brief visit with just him and I in November.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve and Day, our 10 year anniversary, sickness, first time happenings, last time events....all passed.  Here we are in February, about to sail through Valentines Day.  I would be lying if I said it were all easy, is all easy.  I don't have it all figured out, but here a few tips and tricks I've learned so far.

The littles....

1.  When Oregano says she misses daddy, I encourage her to write him a letter and I send it in the next package.

2.  I talk to the girls about why daddy is working so far away and what our future looks like.  For instance, a family vacation, a daddy date night for the oldest, looking for a home for us all to live together again.  Oregano gets excited about what's coming up and is able to get her mind off of missing daddy.

3.  If I see Oregano acting up, I ask her what's wrong.  I've learned that sometimes she acts out in anger when she misses Mr. Hagge.  Letting her express that to me and then giving her a hug and validation goes a long way.

The wife....

1.  The phrase, "A site for sore eyes" hits home for me in a big way.  Looking at a picture of Mr. Hagge helps my heart a lot, but not in a creepy stalking kind of way.  Ha!

2.  I have a goal to send a package a month.  I collect little things throughout the month and it really helps me feel more connected to him and feeling like I am helping him.  

3.  Linking back to #2 for the girls.  Planning for what we are going to accomplish when he gets back certainly helps the time pass and I am able to focus on the good to come and not about him not being here right now.

4.  A big one, when I am struggling the hardest, I open my mouth.  I tell someone.  Even if all I can say is, "Today is super rough." It's not easy to say it out loud.  I've said it very few times since he has left, but when I do, I don't feel alone anymore and it is extremely helpful.

5.  Each day I try to make decisions on behalf of myself and Mr. Hagge that he will be proud of when he comes back home.  You can't imagine the decisions you have to make alone when your spouse is away and isn't easily accessible.  Striving to make the best decision for him to be proud of me is motivating and helps me to look at each challenge in a positive way.

I know these may seem simple and obvious, but it really is the little things that help through trying situations.  It also helps that I have a super supportive husband, who, hit a home run for our 10 year anniversary by sending a lovely bouquet of flowers

 and a custom necklace.  

You rock baby!!  Love you BIG!

Obedience: The Joke Is On Me

You see that little picture up there?  Yeah, the one with words in it?  Yep, I made that for my oldest daughter, Oregano to hang on our kitchen wall as a reminder of true obedience.  Well, it backfired.  Here's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I've been having some struggles with Oregano being disobedient lately and I ran across this wonderful little tidbit from one of the Duggar's books, I believe it was The Duggars: 20 And Counting.  I've read two of their books, both really, really inspiring and helpful.  (Remember, the picture up there?)  I thought, YES!  I am going to teach Oregano a lesson on obedience today based on this wonderful breakdown of what it really means to be obedient.

1.  Instant, without hesitation.
2. Cheerful, without attitude
3. Thorough, complete the job.
4. Unconditional, no objections.

Oh, what a joyful day it was.  I was sinnnnnging, I was soooo joyful!  I've hit the jackpot of all obedience lessons to teach.  What a wonderful day it was!   And you know what?  The lesson was wonderful, Oregano was able to really grasp what this obedience thing is really all about.  It has truly helped me with Oregano a lot.  What I didn't expect was how it would challenge me.  Yep.  Me.

It wasn't but a few days after I taught this lesson to Oregano, that the Lord confronted ME with it.  Our wonderful church, West Point Church, asked us to give out invitations to our Christmas Eve service. I had planned on giving it to family and friends.  I'm not so good at handing out things and talking to complete strangers.  Well, wouldn't you know it I had one in my back pocket on my way into an orthodontist appointment, yes, I have braces.  As I was getting out of my truck the Lord spoke to me and asked me to hand one to a lady who was parked next to me.  I hesitated for a quick second and the Lord said, "Obey me, instantly."  Whoa!  Wow!  "Yes Lord!", and I did.  It was a real big check for me.  If I want my child to obey  me, to ultimately obey God I have got to follow through with complete obedience myself.  I have got to obey: instantly, cheerfully, thoroughly, and unconditionally.  I learned big time that day. Something that I find myself learning over and over again.  Being a parent is more about me becoming who I want my children to be more than anything else:  I cannot expect them to be something I am not.  I should be the first to do the changing, rearranging, and, in this case, obeying.

So, what lesson have you taught your child that has backfired on you?  I'd love to hear your stories!

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way they should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it."  I think, in this case, I am the child and God is training me!

In Him,
CH

5 Extreme Ways and 18 Easy Ways to Save Some Moolah

I LOVE to save a penny.  I LOVE it when I find an amazing deal on something I need.  I think everybody finds good deals here and there, BUT are you willing to take a few extra steps to save a penny?  Well, I am and here are a few ways that I do just that.

FIVE out of the norm ways I save.

1.  You know those grocery bags you throw away when you get home?  Those little bags that you don't want to fuss with?  I keep those and use those as garbage bags.  Yes, I take a few more trips to the garbage can, but I don't mind burning a few extra calories throughout the day.  I only use a big garbage bag when I have house guests.  The thought of buying garbage bags to literally throw in the garbage BUGS me beyond belief.

2.  We all grab fast food from time to time.  We eat and then throw away the napkins and leftover sauces,  mainly because we don't want to deal with them.  Now, I save all my napkins and sauces.  Last year I collected enough ketchup packets to almost fill a ketchup bottle.  If you go out to eat a lot, save your napkins, you may not have to buy as many rolls at the store.

3. One of my favorite things to do, when it's warm, is to line dry my clothes.  I actually enjoy stepping outside, performing a mindless task, and getting a breath of fresh air.  It does my mind good and helps out the pocket book as well.  I don't always have the time, nor does the weather co-operate for me to dry all of my clothes this way, but when everything lines up, I'm outside putting clothes on one.

4. I take anything that is given to me.  Especially food.  Even if it's weird, like someone else's leftovers.  Yep, I will eat them. If it's something I don't know how to cook I will look up the product and figure out how to cook it.  I never say no, for two reasons, if I do they will stop asking me if I want things and two I can almost always use what they are wanting to get rid of.  If I don't, I will keep it for a few months and if it's time to let go I will ask if they want it back or if I can pass it on to someone else in need.

5. I ALWAYS pick up change when I see it on the ground.  I don't care if it's just a penny and I don't care where it is, okay, maybe not in a public restroom.


There are more abnormal ways I save, but I'll spare y'all all of them for now.  Muahahahahahaha!



Here are 18 practical ways to save money.  One thing you will see me list a lot of, are homemade products.  I found that my grocery budget was being EATEN up by cleaning products and learned quickly that I could make my own very cheaply.

1. If you don't want to spend hours clipping coupons, just take a peek at what's in there each week.  You'll end up saving a little money on things you really do need.

2. Keep a list of places you need to go for a few days and hit them all at once to save a buck or two on gas.

3. Make your own laundry detergent.  You may say, this is not practical, but after you see the BIG impact it has on your wallet it will quickly become practical.  I'm talking hundreds of dollars saved a YEAR!

4.  Make your own fabric softener.

5.  Make your own dish-washing detergent.

Side note: Yes, you will have to gather some ingredients you do not have, but write out a list of what you need and collect them as you see them.  Or if you want to start saving immediately, get to work!  After you make a batch or two it becomes second nature.  Your clothes last longer. And you will NOT want to spend all that money again buying ready made.

6.  Make as many cleaning products as you can.  This will save you a ton of money, I promise.  You may spend a little bit on good essential oils, but they last a LONG time and it's worth getting the good stuff.

7. Turn off electronics when they are not in use.

8.  Force yourself to cook.  You can find some pretty quick meals to make when you are tired or in a hurry.

9. Eat the leftovers.

10. Basically, stop going out to eat as much as possible.

11. Thrift stores can have really good quality clothes.  Take a day, drive around and see which one has what you're looking for and regularly visit that one throughout the year.  TIP: Buy off season. Pants in the summer, shorts in the winter...they mark them down!

12. Ebates,, no joke.  This is not a scam nor am I being paid to advertise this.  Anytime I order online, I go through them first and earn cash back.  January 26th will mark 2 years and I have earned $199.31 real cash back.  It's worth the extra 30 seconds to use them.  I enjoy getting my cash back throughout the year and use it on odds and ends that that didn't fit into the budget.

13.  ALWAYS use coupons when ordering online or in store IF you absolutely cannot buy used.  If you don't have one, wait until one becomes available or see if you can print one.

14.  Learn how to mend your clothing.  Seriously, learn how to put a button back on, how to stitch up a hole, how to fix a zipper.  It doesn't take much skill and it will save you a bundle.

15.  ALWAYS, ALWAYS see if you can fix what is broken before replacing and ALWAYS see if you can fix the problem yourself before paying someone else to do it.  You'll be surprised at how many things can be repaired and repaired by you!

16.  Buy reusable sponges to wash your dishes.  Yes,  you  have to wash them, but I gotta tell ya, I love not having to buy disposables at the store.

17. Stop using paper napkins for everything.  Get yourself some rags or make some from old clothing.  I have some microfiber towels, well, quite a few, that I bought 3 years ago (My MIL gave me some of hers as well.) and they are still in very good condition.  I may use 1 roll of paper towels every 4-5 months, if that.

18.  Shop closeouts and stock up, but only if it's items that you will use and need.  I truly enjoy stocking up on closeouts and not having to pay full price for a particular item for a long time.

What do you do to save money?  Share your tips and ideas in the comment section.  Thanks!

I didn't implement all of these things at once.  That would've been overwhelming to me, but over time I have been able to discover easy ways to save money so that our future can be more secure and so we can give more.  So, don't feel like your climbing a mountain, take one step at a time.  Need encouragement?  I'm a great cheerleader.

Join me in truly being good stewards over our money and really ask God how he would have you save and where He would have you spend your money this year.  Don't look back with regret.



In Him,
CH

Remembering Lessons Learned: Subtract Before You Add

"Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil." 
Proverbs 15:16

I know this scripture points mainly to materialistic things, but I'm going to stretch it a little bit today.  Okay?

I am a wife, a stay at home mommy, a homeschooler, a seamstress, a cook, etc, etc. You get the picture right?  Truth: I've been overwhelmed, a little snippy with my girls, forgetting more than usual, unable to focus on important conversations, not listening well and couldn't figure out why.  So, here I am, 4 months after starting homeschooling, finally having a light bulb moment.  That light bulb moment came from reading a blog (Which, I can't seem to find at the moment to reference.), remembering something I read in a book, and rereading this scripture this morning. Here's the break down and my conclusion.

The book:  About eight months ago I read the book Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst, I've posted about it before.  She wrote about having to subtract something from your life before you add to it to prevent overload and becoming overwhelmed.  Well, wouldn't ya know it, I did it again!  I added homeschooling and didn't subtract ANYTHING!  Homeschooling has been amazing and it has been the absolute right choice for our family in our current season of life.  I knew it would be time consuming before I went into it, but WHY, WHY didn't I remember Lysa's words!

The blog: Hopefully I can find it again to reference it for you.  Electronics = distractions and eat up waaaaaaay to much of our time.  It is not necessary to check Facebook 257 times a day.  It is not necessary to read every online news article  It is not necessary to text for 3 hours a day.  It is not necessary to watch 5 hours of t.v.  I wasn't this bad, but you get my point.  Things with screens need to lessen their role in my life.

The scripture:  Simple, it's better to have little, because when we have much there is much turmoil.  To expound, the more we add to our lives, the busier and more stressed we become.  The less we have to organize, plan, create, do, the more peace we have in our lives.  Which also equals to better quality time with our family and much more time focused on God.  I know we have certain obligation to fulfill and there will be busy times in our lives, but it shouldn't be constant.

So, the conclusion.  Less sewing.  It was a hard choice, but my brain demands more space for homeschooling and I don't mind giving it more.  Less electronics.  This is difficult because most of my communication with Mr. Hagge is via Facebook, but I've got to slack off and trust God will have me check it at the right times.  But, more music!  I've noticed, since turning the t.v. off more, that music brings great peace to my house.  I know there will be more changes to come, but I foresee a peaceful year for me and my girls and if I happen to have a ton of extra time on my hands, then I will sew a garment or two, but not full time.  

That's it, that's my story and my song of taking away, simplifying and being present with those around me.  I hope these words have inspired you to take away before you add more and prayerfully considering what you add before you do.

In Him,
CH