Tradition (or lack thereof...)- Third Thursday Thoughts

Happy Thursday, sweet ones! We are one week out from Thanksgiving, and I have a lot less done in preparation that I would like... I desperately need to make a list! Last weekend I was blessed to be in Rochester, MN with the Hearts at Home team and several thousand momma friends, and it was amazing! I am so thankful every day that I have the opportunity to work with and serve some of the most amazing women! And today is no different~ It's the Third Thursday, and so we're blogging together.

Today's topic is (surprise, surprise) Thanksgiving. What makes Thanksgiving special to our family? Do we have certain traditions that we try to keep going? Recipes that are a must-have every year?

Truthfully, this question makes me kind of sad because neither Trace or I are very 'traditional' people. You might laugh if you are reading this and know us... traditional is not a word that has probably ever been spoken about these two hippies! But as my wee ones get a bit older, I find myself really craving some special things that might be repeated year after year... I just don't know what they should be!

This year we are staying home. And I am so thankful! Last year the holidays were a whirlwind of wonderful visits to Indiana and Florida, so this year we are keeping our little family firmly planted in Illinois. With this plan in place, I am trying to wrap my brain about what traditions we want to establish. Remy and Halle are at such fun ages, 6 and 4, that I love seeing things through their eyes and love that they are old enough to participate in and remember things.

All this being said, I'm just not sure... I find myself thinking about the menu and what to include. I'm certain that turkey and pecan pie will be on the list. (So original, aren't I?) But beyond that I draw a blank... And we are going to be doing a thankfulness tree (much like Ann's here... scouring the yard for acceptable sticks is on tomorrow's list for me and my curly girly). I struggle with it all being too much, when I really just want to help my family bring their eyes to point to Him. To being thankful for our Savior and for our abundance.

So what are your traditions? I'd love for you to click over to Jill's blog to see what she has in mind, and to see the thoughts of the other amazing mommas that are hopping along!



Money Matters

Happy Thursday, sweet friends! This month has already been a whirlwind, and it doesn't look like it will be slowing down any time soon. Such is life, no?! My littles have been sick this week, so I'm trying to catch up with the usual stuff on top of the demands of wee ones who don't feel so hot. Argh...

This month the topic for the Hearts at Home Blog Hop is Money. How do you teach your kids about money, stewardship, tithe, etc. Do you assign chores? Give allowances?

This is an area that I'm eager to read about from others. With our littles just being 6 & 4, we are just starting to enter into discussions about what to do here. We have always taught them about giving, whether it be tithing on money that they get or offerings of extra in response to God's gifts to them. But we have been feeling lately like it's time, particularly in Remy's case as he's older, to start teaching more the responsibility end of having money.

Trace and I have discussed chores a little but haven't yet gotten down to the nitty gritty details. We both agree that certain things need to be done (and with a good attitude!) just because they are part of the family and not for money. But we would like to get a short list on paper of things that can be done to earn extra. It's just so hard to decide what's appropriate at this point.

So what are your thoughts here? I am definitely excited to be on the learning end of this month's posts. You can click on over to Jill's blog to see her thoughts and the links of other moms!



A Third Thursday Recipe!

Happy Thursday! It has cooled down here in Illinois, and I am thrilled... makes me want to stay inside and bake breads and cook soups and snuggle by the roaring fireplace.

Today is the Third Thursday of the month (eek, can't believe it!), and I'm again jumping in line with the Hearts at Home Bloggers. This month we are linking up our favorite fall recipes or traditions. We Pfeiffers are admittedly bad about tradition~ we are a sporadic bunch that rarely do the same thing twice. Some days I feel remiss about that, wishing we had more things on our list of traditions, but on the other hand, life is always new and entertaining.

We do, however, have lots of recipes that come back around. When it gets to be fall, I am in heaven. You start talking pumpkin, ginger, or apple, and this girl is drooling!! Unfortunately for me, Tracey isn't quite so in love with all the warm flavors that fall brings. How on earth did I marry a guy who doesn't like soup or pumpkin?! (Add that to the list of things where we fall on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. It's a LONG list...) I am discovering that my Remy loves all of these flavors, so there is some progress. And just because I'm the only one enjoying it by no means means that I won't be making them. I just eat them all. (Therein lies the trouble, I guess.)

The recipe I thought I would share is one that I could quite possible live on. Are you familiar with the wonder that is the  Gingersnap cookie?!  This recipe comes from my sweet friend Karen, who happens to be best friends with my momma. These are really simple to whip up and make the house smell as good as they taste... perfect with a cup of strong coffee and good conversation, which always happens at Karen's house.

Gingersnaps~

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten

Combine sugar, flour, salt, soda & spices; stir lightly to mix. Cut in shortening to resemble coarse crumbs. Stir in molasses and egg. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll them in sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet; bake at 350* for about 10 minutes. Remove from sheet immediately. See, so easy!!

I hope you will try this recipe and also 'hop' over to Jill's blog to see who else from the Hearts team links up today~ I can't wait to see what other goodies they come up with!



Hearts at Home~ Third Thursday Thoughts

Hello, lovelies! Life has been nuts here this summer... recovering from sun and travel and crazy family gatherings! I'm thankful that life is getting back to (what we loosely call) normal!

This month's Hearts at Home topic plays directly off of that sentiment~ now that things are getting back into a routine for the fall, how do you make connecting with your family a priority? What are challenges that you face in trying to stay close?

For us, this is something we are just starting to address. In fact, Trace and I went on a dinner date Tuesday night, and I had sort of an outline of what our weeks were going to be looking like schedule-wise so that we could get a little organized. I can't believe how much we will be out and about during the week, and I don't want to let busyness get in the way of our family life.

Something that we are making a huge effort to guard is family Sabbath time. Especially because of the ministries that we are a part of, our weekends end up just as jam-packed as every other day. So this year we have made the decision that Saturday afternoons and evenings (we have worship practice and Remy's breakdancing in the mornings) are going to be fiercely protected family time. We know that things will come up randomly, but we know that if we don't say it out loud, it will just end up getting looked over. I believe we really need to take God's commandment to rest together seriously, and I look forward to this intentional family time. We don't necessarily know what it will look like, but it will be together time...

We are also going to be tweaking our morning routine. We are early birds in this house, so usually the littles are up by 7 and no one has to be out of the house until 8:30. Breakfast has always been something that we just grab and go, and we've decided that we are going to sit at the table and use the 'Jesus Calling for Kids' devotional in the mornings. Jesus Calling is something that I already use daily and love, and the children's version is just as wonderful and corresponds with the adult one for each day. I'm excited about this time in the mornings to get our day started off right, filled with thoughts of how we can experience Jesus throughout our day!

So how do you stay connected? My kids are still small enough that they don't do any running around on their own, so I think I have an easier task at this point of being able to reign them in. I'd love for you to link up with us! All you have to do is click over to Jill Savage's blog, where you can link up and then see who else is sharing with us today!



Third Thursday~ Beat the Boredom!

Well, I am certainly no expert when it comes to this month's Hearts at Home Blog Hop topic, which is 'How do you beat summer boredom with your kids?' My life is filled daily with laments of 'I'm bored' and 'There's nothing to do'... When does this happen?! It never ceases to amaze me when the cry turns from boredom into dissatisfaction- how suddenly they 'have nothing to play with'. Especially after coming home from Africa, these attitudes make me cringe!

But I do try my best at keeping things interesting, and I love the challenge of figuring out what we can do at little or no cost. Here are just a few of the things on our regular agenda that keep up rolling:

~Cooking: It's no secret that I spend a lot of time in my kitchen, and the moments when I invite the littles to help me out are some of the best time we spend. I find that they eat better too, when they have a hand in preparing. So anytime I am looking at a recipe, I make mental note of the tasks that they can accomplish. Remy loves measuring (which is a great way to sneak in math!), cracking eggs and grating, and Halle takes the lead when it comes to stirring. The hardest part for me is to remind myself that it's worth the extra time and mess that it takes... God has hammered this into my OCD brain!

~Homework: This may sound terrible, but I find that the littles love doing schoolwork. We only do this once or twice a week, but I think the discipline keeps them ready for when school starts, and is a great way to break up the day. Remy can earn video game time by completing sheets, and Halle loves stickers for a page accomplished. We have several simple workbooks on phonics, handwriting, math and science, and I work hard to make it seem like it isn't work!

~Rotating toys: We don't do this as well as we could, but I'm amazed at a) how many toys they accumulate and b) how excited they get seeing something they haven't seen in a while. So we make a point to regularly sort through toy boxes and deep dark places in their closets to 'rescue' lost toys.

~Playdates at the park: This is a no-brainer, but the park never seems to get old. When it's super hot, I am thankful for their early-bird nature, and we try to hit the playground before the day gets too warm. We invite friends to join us, and spending only an hour or two there wears them out. An added bonus is that I get to have some quality mom-to-mom time while the kids play. Everyone wins!

~Macaroni Kid: Have you heard of this site?! I'm fortunate enough to know the owner of my local Peoria site, and this is a great resource for any parent! She highlights area goings-on, and many times I have discovered great hidden spots and deals to take advantage of.(My link is to my local, Peoria site, but there are tons around the country!)

So now I'm interested to hear your ideas! You can also head over to Jill Savage's blog to hear her tips & tricks and to connect with other mommas who are sharing today.

Changed

Happy Thursday!! We've almost made it through the week... I'm blogging with Hearts at Home again this month, and the topic for May is "How has being a mom changed you?" It's crazy to me that before having kids, nearly everyone I know, myself included, has said things like 'Oh, we'll still go climbing mountains'...'we'll just take the kids with us when we go to weekend-long concerts'... 'having kids won't change how often we go out on dates'... and then BAM! along come these teeny-tiny little humans and life is never the same.

Atleast mine wasn't. I think the biggest change for me came in what kinds of messes I'm willing to live with. Pre-babies my obsessive-compulsive side came out every morning in the form of manic kitchen cleaning and house straightening. These days I am thankful to have a path cleared in the legos to walk through. I still can't tolerate actual messes (i.e. dirt or food), but I have learned to live with less than perfection. I clear those sweet piles of Strawberry Shortcakes or Batman legos in the mornings before my quiet time so that I have a place to sit my Bible and count them as blessed evidence of my littles who live here. I have much to be thankful for, and the wee ones who play with those toys are at the top of the list!

I think another way that I've changed is that I've come to realize how little I can actually do in my own strength. On Sunday I was talking with a friend after our service, and Remy & Halle come blazing through the aisle screaming like little monsters towards their dad, who was up front clearing the stage. My friend laughed, and at first I said 'whose wild children were those?!'... but then as our conversation shifted, I remarked at how I'd never survive without Jesus. I seriously would never be able to handle the crazy moments, the wild, screaming-banshee times when they act in ways that I don't understand. I'm so thankful that in being entrusted to mold and shape these little hearts, He has drawn me closer to Him. I could never lead Remy & Halle if I wasn't learning to be more like my Master myself! I reflect often on Deuteronomy 6:5-9.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart."

I love that the first command here is that I need to love the Lord and put His principles in my heart before I can ever be an example for them. I constantly pray that I am being changed by Him and His word and that I will be a model of this for my littles... That I am becoming more loving, patient, and kind. That I am gentler and peace-full. That list goes on and on.

How has being a mom changed you? You can click on the links below to read from other Hearts at Home bloggers. You're also welcome to enter your own post on the topic, we'd love to have you!

Hearts at Home Book Pack Giveaway!

Hey, y'all~ Happy Thursday! In honor of my first week here in this space, I thought I would host a little giveaway. Some of you know from my last space that Hearts at Home is a ministry that holds a special place in my heart and my life. If you aren't familiar with Hearts, they are an organization that seeks to encourage and equip moms at every stage. I actually am blessed to be part of the marketing team.

So just in time for Mother's Day, I have two great Hearts at Home books to giveaway to one lucky winner. The first is 'Real Moms... Real Jesus' by Jill Savage and the second is 'Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God' by Mary DeMuth. Two great books that will help you to embrace your calling as mom, remember Whose you are, and help a tired momma find encouragement, especially on the days when you feel like 'just a mom'... there's no such thing!

From the website:

What does Jesus know about the peanut-butter-and-jelly life of a mom? Plenty! Jill Savage, founder and director of Hearts at Home, introduces the real Jesus to real moms. In chapters that examine key behaviors and decisions Jesus made during His life on earth, Jill brings those lessons right down to the laundry-filled, sticky-fingered days every mother knows.

You may feel like an ordinary, everyday woman, but you're not. You're a woman with an extra ordinary call on your life - motherhood - and you have an extraordinary God to run to when you need emotional, mental, and spiritual renewal. Sixty of Mary Demuth's wise, funny, and Scripture-filled devotions will lighten your spirit and encourage your heart even when laundry threatens, kids are clamoring, and you don't know what to do for dinner.



You have two chances to enter, and the giveaway will end on Sunday night, with the winner announced Monday. (I'm trying out Rafflecopter for the first time... hopefully it works!) The mandatory entry is to leave a comment on this post. You can also like this shared life on facebook for a second entry.  Good luck!