Great Black Friday Deals!!

I realize it's been forever since I last wrote but with all the craziness of life right now blogging just isn't a huge priority (not to mention that I'm usually so tired that my brain can't think of what to write! lol). I did want to pop in and share a couple of Black Friday deals that I'm excited about! I would love if you could shop my links to each one and help our family out in a small way. Plus, you get to stay warm and cozy at home in your pjs while doing it! :-)

Have y'all heard of Usborne books yet? Well, if you haven't then you definitely need to check them out! We discovered them a couple months ago and the kids are loving the ones we have so far! They have fun, unique products for all ages. And I'm seriously not just saying that, we REALLY do like everything we've gotten from there! So go here to browse and shop: https://c4472.myubam.com/76103  and let me know if you have any questions about anything. Oh, and did I mention that you can get up to 60% off from now until Monday? Yeah, it's a pretty good deal.

 

Next up is Lilla Rose, which if you've read the blog before have already heard about. But in case you don't know or need to hear it again, I love their hair products!! The favorite and best seller is the flexi clip which is super unique and can be used for so many different hairstyles. You seriously need one. Or four. Ha! Their hair sticks are and hairbands are great too and well, you just really will like whatever you try from there. Promise. So here's the link for that: www.lillarose.biz/whittybrooke6 and if you have any questions about sizing or anything please let me know! And here is a graphic with info about their fabulous Black Friday deals as well. Don't miss out!

 

 

These side businesses are a small way to help out with family finances but in all honesty I truly do just love the products and want to share them with others that I think will enjoy them too! Happy shopping and hope you all have a great weekend!

Lilla Rose Flash Sale!!

Just wanted to pop in and share that Lilla Rose is having a sale today until 4 pm central time!! It's very rare to have EVERYTHING at 20% off so be sure to take advantage of this great offer and add some fun hair accessories to your collection. I can't say enough good things about the flexi clip and love several of their other products as well. Also, don't forget that if you're new customer signing up with me then I have a buy 3 items and get 1 free deal! Just order any 3 items and email me your choice for the 4th and it's completely free. Can't beat that, right?! Here's a little sale graphic for you and be sure to let me know if you have questions or I can help you with anything. Website link is here. Happy shopping! :-)

A Long/Short Summer!

Since I've been missing in action around here for the past few months, I figured it was time for a little update on what's been going on. The hard part is in knowing where to start exactly in all the craziness?!

In case you don't already know, we have a lot of health issues including allergies and especially chemical sensitivities. Unfortunately, we also live in an area where the farms are large and have gradually become more and more dependent on pesticides and other sprays that are toxic. (ever hear of Monsanto? they pretty much own this area I think. ugh) Anyway, this year we noticed an even bigger change in our reactions as they started spraying the crops in the spring and by the end of May and first of June we were hardly able to go outside without side effects since the chemicals are just so strong in the air.

Although all of us suffer from various reactions at times, the worst part by far though has been Daxton's skin issues, with him eventually having something that looks like a cross between burns and severe eczema all over his body. I'm not even exaggerating either, but I wish I was. I could go on and on trying to explain how horrible it has been but let's just say that nightmarish pretty accurately describes it best. He has been in almost constant pain in some way or another for the whole summer and is still not over it. Putting him in footie pajamas to keep scratching at a minimum, rubbing him down with oils or creams multiple times a day, giving him meds, staying up half the night, and just working to do anything to keep him calmed down has been the norm for us these past few months.

And of course with all that we've been limited on taking him out very much so it's been challenging to do things (especially all together) and the summer has felt like it has just passed us by while at the same time dragging on forever. Sounds crazy I guess but it's true! All that being said though, I have had moments of extreme thankfulness even in the midst of all the pain and frustration of dealing with this. Thankful for answered prayers and moments of relief when we were literally at the end of our strength. Thankful for grace and the help of a wonderful husband. Thankful for time with the kids where we had fun in spite of feeling yucky and more thankful than I can say that I get to stay home with them and their health issues aren't any worse. Thankful for grandparents who love to help out in so many ways. Thankful that even though I can't see a purpose in what we've gone through this summer, I can trust that God still has one and just keep coming back to Him when I question and doubt.

So yes it's been a long summer as far as going through hard times and short in that it seemed like we weren't able to enjoy it, but we've almost made it past it now and are looking forward to changes ahead! I had planned on sharing more about those tonight as well as some photos but it's late and I need to try and rest while Daxton is sleeping (since we never know how long that will last!) so I will be back soon...


                                              ~Tyra~

Lilla Rose Sale and New Items!!

I just wanted to share that Lilla Rose is having 10% off ALL items today and tomorrow plus free shipping on any orders $40 and up!! Plus they have released the July flexi of the month a week early so that you can order one for the holiday. Love this new clip and matching bobbies!! Also, the June clip is still available as well so don't miss out on stocking up on these beautiful hair accessories. Perfect thing to have this summer!! Go to my website HERE for more details and to browse all the great products. Be sure to comment or message me for details if you have any questions and happy shopping!! Here is a little peek at the newest clip.....don't you love it?? :-)

Young Living Essential Oils

I haven't written much on here about essential oils but I wanted to take a minute to share a little with y'all how we have been using them around here the past few months. You may or may not have already heard about them but they are amazing natural healing oils that can work for so many things. Be it burns, bug bites, headaches, tummy issues, coughs, or even strep throat we have seen these oils work wonders in helping our bodies get better! That's just a few of the things they are good for but the uses truly are endless when it comes to using them. The best thing is that they are completely natural so we aren't putting anything harmful on or in us that can cause other issues rather than just doing good for our health. If you'd like to have more info on these oils and how you can use them for your own family then please leave a comment or send me an email and I will be more than happy to help you! Here is a picture of a starter kit that is available if you want to sign up as a wholesale member (you can also buy individual oils at retail cost). This is a great deal and the perfect way to try out some of the most popular oils Young Living offers! For a limited time I also have a $20 voucher good for any size starter kit so you can get an even better price for the oils. First person to ask for it will get the coupon! I'm here to help you with anything I can to get you started in using these natural remedies so don't hesitate to contact me with any questions. Here's to better health for all of us! Happy oiling! ~Tyra

Good and Evil

I've had so much on my mind lately as I look around at the way things are going. And although the condition of the world and what unbelievers are doing is scary and sometimes shocking, I have to admit that what bothers me most isn't that. It's the choices of those who claim to know Jesus. Who say they are believers of the same God I serve. But yet how they view His word and the truths in it are so completely different than what actually is reality. That is the scariest thing I see these days. But while it does bother me greatly and make me extremely saddened as well, it also makes us step back and reevaluate ourselves. Look at our own family and the choices we've made or are making. We want to hold to the truth of God's laws and not compromise or change them just because it seems like that's what the majority are doing in order to be more comfortable in this world. Saying all that, the Lord brought these scriptures to my mind this week and I wanted to share them (as well as the thoughts I've had along with them) with you all. They seem to speak almost perfectly of how things are these days and most especially to those who are willing to act like sin isn't all that bad anymore.

^{I saiah 5:20} Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
²¹ Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
²² Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
²³ Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
²⁴ Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
²⁵ Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

I just can't seem to get away from thinking about these words. The ones in verse 20 have stayed with me the most and just keep running through my head. I don't want to call evil good and good evil! We want our family to be holy and separate from the world and willing to stand up against sin no matter who is doing it. And no it isn't easy but we want to do it because it's right! There's another verse in Romans that says to "abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good" and we want that to be true in our lives. It's so very easy to let worldly things slip in slowly and not even realize how far we've gone until there's been so much compromise that we've vexed our righteous souls and caused our witness to others to be hindered. Our prayer is that God would help us to stand strong against the lies that Satan (and our own flesh!) try to trick us into believing about things that can harm our fellowship with the Lord. We want to stick to what's good and not fall into the trap of excusing evil rather than hating it. There is SO much out there now that can start out seeming so innocent but in reality leads us away from righteousness in our lives. I want God to keep reminding us to stay vigilant against those things or to become so again if we've let anything slip in.  
Will you join us in praying that as well? That we as Christians will stop calling evil things good (such as movies, music, clothing, attitudes, and other openly, sinful behaviors that don't honor the Lord) and instead pursue true holiness. I think choosing to lay aside the things in our life that have quenched or grieved the Holy Spirit and then seeking His help in having a touch on our hearts to live in a way that's more pleasing to Him is the first step in seeing true revival and repentance in our churches and country. May God burden us even more in these days to live for Him so that the lost world might see a difference and be saved before it's too late! I don't want to be counted as one who has brought woe on themselves by becoming too comfortable with sin. Do you?

Motherhood in 4-D

Although being a mom is obviously something I think about a lot since it's basically a huge part of who I am right now, celebrating mother's day over the weekend caused me to reflect on some specific things motherhood means for me.  Here are just a few of them I wanted to share....

~ It's probably one of the best feelings in the world! From the moment you first see those pink lines on a test, feel the first tiny movements inside your womb, to the day you actually meet that little baby in person for the first time. It's just indescribably special to know you've become a momma.

~ It's completely exhausting some days. And nights. Both emotionally, physically, and mentally! In other words, being a mom is hard.

~ It's also one of the most rewarding jobs ever. All those long days and nights are forgotten in an instant when you feel little arms around your neck and hear a little voice saying, "I love you, momma!".

~ I didn't know half as much about being a mom before having kids as I thought I did!

~ It's all about grace. God's, yours, and theirs. Where in the world would we all be without it?!

~ Every child is totally unique and has to be dealt with in completely different ways sometimes. What works for one doesn't automatically work for another. And that's for lots of different areas of life so it can take lots of effort to figure it all out! 

~ It's the most challenging thing I've ever done and never ceases to cause me to realize how much I need to change and grow while I'm training them to do the same. I often think that God gives us children just to help us see all the areas we need to allow Him to work on in ourselves!

~ It's completely convinced me that the verse in the Bible, "pray without ceasing", was written just for mothers. :-)

~ It's crazy, fun, scary, beautiful, frustrating, amazing, and wonderfully sweet....all at the same time! I'm not really sure there are enough words to accurately describe this mom journey. But I'm so thankful to be on it!

Some days I feel like a complete failure. Some days I don't know if I'll make it until bedtime. (without going crazy anyway;) And there are even some days I just don't want to get out of bed at all! But every day I am blessed to have the gifts of these children in my life. And there are always, always more good days than bad because of the love we share, no matter what. I'm slowly learning that even when I'm not a perfect momma (although I think we should definitely try to be the best we can!) I have a perfect God who can take care of it all. Big things or little things, I can seek Him with it and trust He has it under control. It's good to know that I don't have to do this motherhood thing alone. Cause life in 4-D can get a little messy sometimes and I definitely need some help to do this momma thing right! The days when I really let Him lead me are the ones that by far the best.

So to sum it all up my thoughts after mother's day this year are mostly of being grateful. For the privilege of being a mom, for the special kiddos that call me that, and for a Saviour who loves us all and is ever faithful on this journey to give us just what we need. Glad that He saw fit to let me live life in 4-D! :-) 

 

(ps. if you're new to the blog or don't know our family personally, all of our kiddos have names beginning with "D" so the whole life in 4-D saying is just for fun because of that!)

 

Linked up to the Modest Mom blog here so be sure to check out the other posts!

Modest Outfit Idea!

In case you didn't already know, modesty is a subject near and dear to my heart. One that I truly believe is so important as well as very needed these days. That being said, I love doing posts about it but just don't seem to get around to it very often. I had Blake snap a picture of me after church yesterday though so that I could do a quick post about what I was wearing and hopefully give others an idea of how to look modest and cute at the same time! Covering up doesn't have to mean you look frumpy or out of style, just that you are choosing to honor God with your clothing choices. And an added benefit is helping to keep yourself and others pure in thoughts and feelings as well! Sounds like a win-win to me. :-)

Before I go on and on, here's my outfit from yesterday. I actually have gradually added pieces from here and there and it was the first time I had put these all together. It seemed to turn out pretty cute though I think! I loved the little pops of yellow in the scarf and shoes to add a little more color to the blue.

 

Skirt: Cato

Sweater: Target

Scarf: Cato

Shoes: Payless

 

So there you go! We traveled about 1 1/2 hours from here for Blake to preach yesterday morning and this outfit ended up being comfy as well as holding up well the whole day. Hope this helps give someone an idea for putting together a cute, modest outfit of their own!

 

(linked here at Caroline's blog for Modest Monday! Be sure to go check out all the other posts there.)

eShakti Info and Sale!

Hey, everyone! Hope your week is starting off great. We are getting ready to hunker down with some storms tonight and praying hard that they aren't as severe as the ones 3 years ago in this area.

But first I wanted to let you all know a little about the clothing company, eShakti, that I have a link for in the sidebar. I ordered a dress from them back at Christmas and it was so fun to be able to custom fit it just for me! It can be challenging to find modest dresses these days so having a place that will allow you to choose length, sleeves, neckline, etc is so nice.
They have great sales pretty often and this week is no exception with 40% off being offered for pretty several spring items on the site! Plus, if you're a new customer and sign up they give you a $25 credit to use towards the purchase. You just can't beat that! Here's a link if you're interested in browsing or you can click the banner to the right of the page.
Happy shopping and be sure to come back and comment if you decided to buy something to let me know how you like it!!

                                                    Tyra

Yummy, Healthy Quiche Pie!

Sometimes it feels like we get into a rut with our eating around here. We are all about healthy foods but it can be a little challenging to come up with new things to try. I had been in a baking mood the other morning and decided to try a quiche made with a regular pie crust. It was so good! Huge hit with the kids and not too hard to make so definitely a win/win. Thought it would be fun to share with you all in case you need some new recipe ideas as well.

I started out with a basic pie crust recipe (from my Martha White cookbook) and tweaked it just a little.
1 cup flour (I used sprouted spelt but any kind will probably work....just don't use self-rising)
1/2 tsp salt (I use sea salt since it's really good for you!)
1/3 cup butter (the recipe actually called for shortening but I like using butter instead...and I only had 1/4 cup the first time I made it but it was fine)
3-4 Tblspoons cold water (I ended up having to add more than that)
Heat oven to 400 while making the crust. Start off with flour and salt and mix well. Use a grater to add the butter, it's easier if you do about half at first and blend in, then the rest. You can use a fork or just your hand to mix until the flour resembles small peas. Then gradually add the water until the dough begins to come together and form a ball. Roll out on a floured surface until large enough to cover pie pan then place over rolling pin to move. I like to pre-bake it 1 or 2 minutes before pouring in the filling.

Filling: I used about 6 eggs with a little bit of milk added to make them fluffy. (salt and pepper to taste) After pouring them into the crust I added some chopped up baby spinach, some chopped onion, scrambled sausage (cooked), and grated cheese on top. Back in the oven to cook about 15-20 minutes or until the eggs look done.

That's it!! Super easy and so delicious too. I usually just throw things together without an actual recipe so if you have any questions about amounts then let me know in the comments. Here are a few pictures of the work in progress (forgot to take some while making the crust). Hope you enjoy it!

 

Tyra

It's a Sale!!

The March flexi of the month was delayed for a week on its' release.....so Lilla Rose is having a sale to celebrate the big reveal today!! Here are a few details and you can go to my website to browse all the items available. Oh, and don't you just love the hummingbird clip for spring?! Email or comment with any questions you have. I would love to help you try out these fabulous hair accessories! Happy Shopping. :-)

Winter Time Fun!

Hello, everyone! Just checking in to share some of what we've been up to the past couple months. It's been a cold winter here in the south so far but we are hanging in there! :-)

Between Christmas, New Year's, unexpected snow, Valentine's Day, and all the other life happenings since December it's been a busy, crazy time.....but definitely filled with lots of good times as well! Instead of trying to go back and write all about the things we've been up to I thought I would share a few pictures for you to enjoy. They always say a picture is worth a thousand words anyway, right?!
                                                                   Merry Christmas!

                                                            
                                                              Celebrating the New Year!

                                                   

                                                       Our first dusting of snow in January!

                                                           Happy Birthday to Me!

                                                          Our BIG February snow!! :-)

                                                     Happy Valentine's Day!! <3

 

The End!! :-)

Homemade Biscuits & Chocolate Syrup

I promise that I totally intend to finish the "mama wars" series eventually but there's just been so much craziness around here that it hasn't happened yet. For now I just felt like sharing some recipes and this one includes cocoa in the ingredients so you know it's gonna be good! :-)

If you're not from the south (or just in our family??) you might not have even heard of eating chocolate syrup with biscuits for breakfast, or lunch, or supper, or...you get the point. Ahem. Anyway, if that's the case then you have so been missing out! Or maybe you have heard of it but don't know how to make it. If so then this is the post for you. Enjoy!

                                  Homemade Biscuits

2 cups flour (if using self-rising then the next 2 ingredients aren't necessary)
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 oil, shortening, or butter
3/4-1 cup milk

Pre-heat oven to 450. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add in shortening and mix until flour is crumbly (if using oil then that step can be skipped). Pour in milk (starting with 3/4 cup) and mix until dough is wet but not too sticky. Can add more milk if needed until good consistency is reached. (practice makes perfect!) Grease a cookie sheet or large cast iron skillet then grease/flour hands and roll a spoonful of dough into a ball before pressing gently onto pan. Keep hands floured between each biscuit so the dough doesn't stick. Cook for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot!

                                  Chocolate Syrup

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 stick butter

Mix together sugar and cocoa in a medium saucepan. Add milk and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Let cook for about 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken pretty well (be sure to keep stirring often and possibly lower the heat slightly so it doesn't stick). Remove from heat and add in butter and vanilla. After butter is melted in, stir and serve over hot biscuits!

So there's a new meal idea to try over the weekend. It's sure to be a favorite! If you do make it then please come back and let me know how it turned out. Also, if you're into real food or healthy eating these recipes are both easily modified for that! Do you have any favorites to share? :-)

(ps. if someone in the family isn't a chocolate fan ((gasp!)) then making regular gravy is super easy too.....1/4 cup oil or meat grease and a 1/4 cup flour plus salt/pepper to taste mixed together with a whisk over high heat in a skillet. After the flour mixture starts to bubble, slowly add in 2 cups of milk while whisking constantly. Bring to a boil to thicken and enjoy!)

Linking up over at the Modest Mom blog. Click here to read other post on homemaking, modesty, and lots more.

Be the Host to Win the Most!!

Just wanted to share a fantastic opportunity given by myself and other Lilla Rose consultants on our team! During the months of January and February if you host a party that has $200 in sales then you will be qualified to enter an awesome giveaway on top of the hostess rewards you normally receive. Here's some details in a graphic and a link to my FB page for updates. Don't live near enough to have a home party? You can do online or catalog as well! Comment here or email me for more info if you're interested and let's get these parties going so one of you can win big!

Fine Print:

Offer valid with participating consultants only. This offer is in no way sponsored by Lilla Rose. Consultants will list hostesses as qualifying parties are closed, and the hostess will be assigned a number. Only hostesses who hold a party between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28th and whose party totals $200 or more will earn an entry. Maximum of one entry per hostess.

Winning hostesses will be chosen via Random.org and winner will be contacted by their consultant on March 1st. Winner will have 72 hours to claim their prize. After that time a new winner will be chosen and original winner will forfeit prize.

Cash prizes will be awarded via check by March 15, 2014. Shopping spree award will be paid directly to winner’s consultant and will be redeemable only through said consultant. Winner is responsible for any taxes on their winnings. Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia provided they are physically residing in the United States or the District of Columbia and are age 18 or older at time of entry. In consideration of acceptance of the prize awarded in this Contest, the winner will release and exempt Lilla Rose and their personal consultant, as well as the employees, officers, directors and agents of each, from all claims and liability relating to my participation, acceptance and use of prize. The winners will assume all liability for any injury or damage caused or claimed to be caused, by participation in this Contest or redemption or use/misuse of the prize. So, in short, your consultant and Lilla Rose are not to be held liable for any addiction that may follow winning said prize. :-)


                                                                          Tyra