Everything Happens For a Reason

This morning I attended my MOPS meeting.  Not only do we have fun play dates, MNO (mom's night out), and great friendships but we have some awesome guest speakers. 

Some of the great food we have at our meetings!

Today's guest speaker, Jennifer, was from our local pregnancy center.  She told a lot about what she does and the center is there for but more than that her testimony was very moving.  She had found herself a pregnant teen within a Christian home. She told us how difficult that was for her and she had turned to this center for help.  She wonderfuly chose to keep her baby and 20 years later found herself in her parents position when her daughter got pregnant out of wedlock and by what she called "a real loser".  She had returned to the pregnancy center years later and became an employee there.  She has been able to use her experience to help other young mothers that come into the center for help.  I can not tell her story near as well as she does and this is not nearly all she told us but there was not a dry eye in the place, including hers.  She was a very good Christian woman and was telling us how we may not see why things happen but they all happen for a reason and that God will give us the opportunity to use our experiences to help others.  As she had first as a teen mother with her own daughter and then as a mother to a pregnant teen mom.  This was a very moving testimony for many of us within the group.  Just one of the stories she told us was of a young college girl that came in pregnant.  She had been to another pregnancy center and they had not given her any information other than that she was 13 weeks pregnant.  Jennifer took the time to councel her.  The young girl wanted an abortion and had not even been told that was not an option this far along, she would have to birth the baby.  They had done any ultrasound but not shown her the baby.  Jennifer took her to the doctor's office the center uses and let her have another ultrasound and see the baby.  The girl later gave birth to a little boy that she is now raising and will be returning to college soon.  Because Jennifer took the time this other center did not to counsel and help this young woman she was able to keep her baby and the baby will grow up with his mother.  ALL of our experiences can help others even when we don't think so, good or bad.  God has a great plan for each of us. 

Our wonderful speaker.

Our group of lovely ladies!

God is so GREAT

God is so great isn't he!!!  I have had a wonderful few days and am just so thankful to Him for everything He has provided me and my family.  I have a wonderful husband that loves God and us. He cares and provides for us in more ways than I ever imagined possible.  We have our beautiful daughter that has brought us so much joy and teaches us something everyday. In this world today so many people are hurting in so many ways that I am just so greatful for what I have.  If someone asked me tomorrow to give up every material thing I have in order to spend my life with these two people I wouldn't hesitate before I said yes. 

Today was Josh's day off so we took advantage of the beautiful weather and went to the zoo. It was so much fun as always and Tempe was such a good girl! 

Getting Crafty, Sorda!!

I love doing crafts.  All kinds of crafts.  But I have relized that I haven't taken any pictures of ones I have done lately.  Haha!!!  I also love searching for craft ideas.  All types.  I like home decor, kids, anything crafty.  Tonight I have been searching online for crafts and found a really cool site, Dollar Store Crafts!!  All kinds of things to make with stuff you buy at the dollar store!  I am going to be checking this site out often!

Coupon Notebook

One of the ways I save our family money is to clip coupons on Sunday's out of the local paper.  I found when I started this that I would clip the coupon and then not use it or it would expire before I remembered I had it.  The way I fixed this is I bought myself a handy dandy notebook!

The first thing in the notebook is a zipper pouch.  In it I put a pair of scissors, extra tabs, a pen, etc.

Next in the notebook I put baseball card sleeves to stick the coupons in.  I separated these by aisle at the grocery store.  For example Baking, Cookies and Crackers, Can Goods, etc.  I put the coupons in the sleeves so that I can see what the product is and exp. date. 

After all of my coupons I have a section of recipes that I want to try and ones we use often but I just can seem to remember everything that goes in it!

And I have a page protector that I put all of my recipes in.  At one point I want to add a list of items we buy each week and the price of them so that I can look and see if another store has them on sale.

I am currently creating a weekly calendar that has a place to right what meals we will have and a shopping list so that I will know just what I need.  I am a lover of lists so this really helps me.  And helps me not buy unnecessary things!!!

I know it sounds like a lot but once I got the notebook together now each week I clip the coupons I think I will need and then make my list of items I need for the week.  I plan out all of our meals so that I can use leftovers to make another meal the next day.  I have found this really helps me to save my family money!!  It feels so good when the cashier totals our bill and I hand her the coupons and she scans then and I see just how much I saved!!

What things have you found that helps you with using coupons?

How to center that header you just added!

This is going to get a little harder!!

First go to Dashboard then Desgin
Then you will go to Edit HTML

Next you will need to press Ctrl and F on your keyboard.  A box will come up at the top of your screen. In that box type ] ] > < / b : skin > Without the spaces.

It will highlight that code in the HTML.

Once you find that area you will need to copy and paste the following BEFORE ] ] > < / b : skin >

#header-inner img {margin: 0 auto !important;}

#header-inner {text-align:center !important;}

Then click PREVIEW first. It should open in a new window. Make sure everything looks correct and then close that window.  You may now "SAVE TEMPLATE".

Your header is now in the center of your background!!

Making a header for your blog

After you get a background you need a header to tell everyone the name of your blog!!  First you will have to find a header.  My most favorite place to find these are at Shabby Blogs.  This can be easy peasy or a little more involved.  However you want to make it.  I will tell all the steps and you can skip some if you need/want to.

You will need to save the image to your computer by right clicking and Save picture as...

You will then need to edit your photo in your choice of photo program to add your blog name and a photo if you choose. I edit mine in Paint Shop.

You will then go to your desgin page and click edit in the header box.

You will then need to title and write a description of your blog.  Then upload your picture.

Click save and you now have a header! 

How to add a pretty background!

If you are like me you will want to make your blog pretty!  The first thing to do to do this it add a background to it.  You will need to find a website that has free backgrounds.  I like to use Shabby Blogs, The Cutest Blog on the Block, and Hot Bliggity Blog.  Once you find one you like you will need to copy the html code that goes with it.

You will need to highlight and copy the html code like I have done here. Once you have done that go to your blog dashboard.  Once there click on "Design".

Once you are in your design page you will need to click on "Add a Gadget".

You will need to chose "HTML/JavaScrip".  You do this by clicking the blue plus button next to HTML/JavaScrip.

You will then paste what you copied from the website into the box.  No need to give it a title!  And then click "Save".  It will save you HTML and take you back to your design page.

You now have a pretty blog!!  We will be adding more to it so don't worry!!

I chose a three column background to use.  I will show you later how to make your blog three columns!!