every needful thing

The beginning of this new year started with a huge sense of urgency to prepare.  I’m not exactly sure why, or what for, but I’m acting on it.  If anything, the following promptings will help me get my life and house in order, period.  And I think that is a worthwhile goal, in and of itself ;)   

• Withdraw $20 every time we visit Costco, and put in our money jar
• Follow the 52 week money input challenge
• Plan 13 weeks’ worth of food storage friendlymeals (including a shopping list/inventory and recipes, all printed out and placed in a binder)
• Build Your Food Storage weekly (modified for our tastes/needs)
• Buy a case of water bottles every time we shop at Costco
• How to Prioritize an Evacuation List
• Gather/organize Emergency Supplies weekly
• Emergency Kit by Week (the non-food half of our 72 hour kits)
• Get our finances in order

Besides being bitten by the preparedness bug, I’ve had a sudden urge to go camping.  Brad and I realized last year that we’ll never be one of those families that travel much, or visit very many theme parks.  But we can create family memories through camping!  Much more affordable, and a good way to learn some life-skills that we seem to be losing as a society.

I’ve also felt an increased desire to up our temple attendance.  I heard someone say something to the effect that going to the temple once a month is an inconvenience, but going to the temple once a week is a sacrifice.  I know that I’ve enjoyed the peace that comes with regular temple attendance, and I can’t help but think of all those on the other side that are also benefitting.  In addition to temple work, I’ve recently learned to love fasting.  Which sounds totally crazy!  Fasting has always been difficult for me, but I’ve found a calm focus when fasting, and my devotion to God’s will and my ability to discern truth has grown exponentially.

I’m grateful for the gentle, yet firm, reminder that there is always room for growth.  I’m afraid that while I’ve remained true and faithful, I’ve also become complacent.  I struggled for a while with the idea of shaming myself into crossing off items on an arbitrary (albeit divine) check-list.  But I’ve realized that as my heart softens, my desire to better myself and follow even the simplest commandment God personally gives me, I am becoming who He  wants me to be.  I’m not necessarily changing; I’m still the same Beth.  But, He is perfecting me.  And there’s no one else I’d rather be.

pensivity

Uh, hi there.  Been a while...

You know, it's funny to think how far I've come in the past few years.  As a woman, as a mother, as a blogger.  I mean, I'm still the same person.  I still love red.  And polka dots ;)  And I continue to find joy in being creative, whether that's in crafting or in homeschooling.  But I find it funny, as I'm about to hit publish for the first time in however many years, how much this little piece of the web has changed for me.

We moved into our little dream home more than a while ago, and life has been that: a dream.  Not easy, and certainly not glamorous.  But it's been my life.  I've worked hard on being more present in my day-to-day, which is extremely difficult when you're a dreamer like me!  And this year I've felt prompted to be even more present.  Actually, the two phrases I've chosen to guide me this year are "be present" and "be prepared".

Am I the only one that finds those two phrases completely opposite of one another?  Maybe it's because the struggle is real; finding the perfect balance between enjoying life now and dreaming of what it could be.  But as I've pondered upon the idea of being both present and prepared, I've realized that what I really need is to be aware.

I need to live my life now, as it currently is, so as to know what I will need for the future.  This obviously applies to the world of preparedness, such as food storage and evacuation kits.  But I think it can also apply to other matters.  Physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

And so I'm striving to live life with a new level of awareness.  Here I am world.  I see you.  *B

pack it up, move it out

home new home

   

 

  

  

Perhaps you've heard the fantastical news?  If not, then I'll tell you: the promotion went through!  Which means we get the house!  So very excited!  I even took a video of the place, but it seems Blogger doesn't like it...  So for those who won't be able to visit any time soon and are crazy with curiosity, I can email you the tour ;)

Now you'll have to excuse me; I've got a garden to plant and a house to decorate!  *B

just keep swingin'

word play

Will brought this assignment home from (public) school yesterday, and I loved it!  Such a great idea; one I'll have to remember to use in the future...  Since I've been using this last trimester as a practice run for homeschooling, and since Will is repeating the first grade, I didn't see much benefit in spending a lot of time/money investing in a curriculum.  But I've been trying to make mental notes of Will's learning style in the hopes of coming up with something cohesive and relevant to his needs.  I plan on spending more time this summer actually researching specific curriculums and writing up more structured lesson plans for next year.  And I'll be honest, I'm not looking forward to that part of homeschooling.  I'm much more interested in colorful typography!  *B

fingers crossed

Our lease is coming to an end shortly, and so we've had to make the difficult decision to stay or leave.  Rent here is expensive, and the apartments here like to think they're just as good as houses...  Brad has a promotion in the works, but we're waiting for official approval.  And so, we've been house hunting.

No, we're not quite in the market to buy and we won't be for a while longer.  We're simply looking at homes to rent.  And it is a nightmarish process.  But, miracle of miracles happened and we found a darling little place, that just happens to be nearby, on 1.5 acres!  With a chicken coop, gardening beds, and indoor hot-tub!!  And get this, the owner is LDS (well known, used to be in our Stake) -- and for a minimal deposit (that we will get back if Brad's promotion does not go through), he is willing to sit on it for two months until we are able to move in!!!

And so now we wait.  Patience is sooo not my virtue.  *B

coloring cutie

outdoor playschool

After (public) school, we had an impromptu picnic at the park across from Brad's work.  Will continued his education by learning how to weave flowers ;)  Elsie played (princess) pirates, while Timmy threw and/or ate rocks...  Sometimes Mother Nature is the best teacher.  *B

flower fest

This past weekend we drove around looking at beautiful barns and fields of flowers.  I really do love it here!  *B