Grow Your Blog Options

The Framed Lady is almost at 1000 GFC followers, and wants to celebrate this exciting milestone with all of you! She would like to invite all bloggers and shop owners to donate to her giveaway and gain some great exposure for their business! Grow your readership and join in on this awesome giveaway!

Options for donating:

$3 - 1 social media link (either Facebook or Twitter)

$6 - 2 social media links (either Facebook or Twitter for the first link, and one additional link)

$9 - 3 social media links (either Facebook or Twitter for the first link, and two additional links)

$12 - Co-host position (1 mandatory social media link and two additional links, at least one link must be Facebook or Twitter)

Giveaway will start within one week of reaching 1000 GFC followers. She'll keep you updated as it gets closer.

Plus, if you sign up and share this announcement post, you can win an option upgrade if you refer the most people! Help her get to 1000 followers and let's all gain some new followers!

Fill out the donation form here, and please say that Some of the Best Things in Life Are Mistakes referred you!

Taking Pleasure in the Simple Things: In the Backyard

I am starting a new blog series called "Taking Pleasure in the Simple Things." I want to be purposeful when it comes to gratitude. It is easier to be thankful for the "obvious" things like health and family but I often forget to express my gratitude for the simpler things.

For this first post, I am grateful for this lily. It is the first one to pop up in our little pond in the backyard. It is so pretty. It pops open in the morning and by dinner time it closes up for the evening. This lily reminds me of all the labor that my husband put in to create this pond in our yard.

This is the pond when it was first completed

This little frog loves to sit on the lily pads and soak up the sun during the day. It is very peaceful to take a minute out of my day and look at the pond and listen to the water trickle over the rocks.

"Consider the lilies and how they grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."

Luke 12:27

One Year Cancer Free!

I know that there is much debate in the medical community about when a person is considered "cancer free." Many doctors won't say cancer free until the five year mark. Some doctors won't ever say it, they will just say "No Evidence of Disease." One year ago today, I had all of my cancer surgically removed from my body. I followed up with radiation just to make sure that it was all removed. So I consider myself to be one year cancer free! It has been an emotional day for me. I didn't realize how many emotions I had right under the surface. I am so grateful to be here with my family. I am especially thankful today that the Lord has blessed me with good health this past year. I know that if the cancer returns, it is most likely to happen in the next 4 years. I am vigilant when it comes to getting my check ups and mammograms. If it does return again, I am prepared for the fight!
"For we do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." James 4:14

Using Facebook to Gain Perspective

I have written before about the dangers of Facebook. There are many ways that Facebook can be used negatively. Facebook can also be used positively. I like to use Facebook to post pictures of the kids so that my mother in law can keep up with her grand kids with the click of a mouse.

Today I used Facebook to gain perspective. I looked back at this date, May 29th, on my Facebook timeline. First I looked at 2012. On this day in 2012 I was in a much different place than I am today.

With my son Lucas the day before my surgery

One year ago today, I was heading into surgery. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and was having a lumpectomy to remove the cancer. I was also having a second surgery to remove my ovaries since my cancer was fed by estrogen. If that wasn't enough, I was also having surgery to remove and repair other parts that were damaged during childbirth.

My daughter was just 11 weeks old when I went into surgery

On this day last year, I did not know what my prognosis would be. I wasn't prepared to be in the hospital for 5 days away from my three children. I wasn't prepared for the weeks of radiation treatment that I would need in the weeks to come.

Looking back at what was going on during this day last year has helped me to gain perspective. Today I got really frustrated when an expensive product I ordered was defective and I had to send it back to the manufacturer. Reminding myself of where I was a year ago helped me to understand that today's problem was a small problem. I don't need to get stressed out over the small things. I need to ask myself, "Will this problem matter a year from now?"

I survived breast cancer. I can surely manage during these minor inconveniences in my life.

What were you doing a year ago? Did you complain about something on Facebook last year? Does it matter today?

Think before you post!

Philippians 2:14

Do everything without grumbling or complaining.

Book Review: Prayer Warrior Mom

Title: Prayer Warrior Mom

Subtitle: Covering your kids with God's blessing and protection

Author: Marla Alupoaicei

Genre: Christian Living, Family

As the subtitle states, this book is for moms that want to learn how to pray for their children. The author focuses on 15 concepts:

1. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude

2. Pray Scripture

3. Stand in the gap

4. Satisfy the conditions for answered prayer

5. Pray with power and authority

6. Get help when you need it

7. Learn to love to pray

8. Be persistent

9. Fast for Spiritual breakthrough

10. Hold your children loosely

11. Hear God's voice above the noise of daily life

12. Be your child's number one advocate

13. Discern God's Will for your children

14. Live with a spiritual perspective

15. Model forgiveness and grace

Yes! That is a lot! The author writes this as a "how to" manual for moms. This is way too many things to focus on at once. I think that reading it all in one sitting may make a mom feel inadequate, like there is no way to accomplish all of that! The material is fantastic, it is just too much to take in at once.

I would suggest that a mom (especially a new mom or mom to be) take this book one chapter at a time. Do not read the entire book in one sitting. Read one chapter and try to apply it. After you have worked in that one concept and feel good about it, then go on and take on another chapter.

I enjoyed Chapter 10 about holding your children loosely. The author starts with this quote from Robert Brault, "It is one thing to show your child the way, and a harder thing to then stand out of it."

She shares personal stories and the stories of friends that apply to topic at hand. She then includes a prayer for the day, the "Sword of the Spirit" section that contains relevant scriptures and small group discussion questions.

This chapter hit home for me especially since the sermon this week at church was about Matthew 6:25-34 and how to handle anxiety. Like most moms, most of my anxiety is centered around my children.

Like I said earlier, I would recommend this book to moms but that they read it small doses. It is a "to do" list that is impossible to complete. It may make new moms or moms to be feel really inadequate if they read this and think that they need to do all of it. I would suggest that they read it in small doses.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the Thomas Nelson Publishing Company and their Book Sneeze program in exchange for an honest review.

Mommy Monday Week #7

Each week I will feature the most popular post from the previous week. The featured post from last week that had the most clicks was

You Said What? from Laugh With Us Blog

The featured post that was my favorite from last week was

My Struggle Choosing to be a Stay at Home Mom by Sisters Raising Sisters

If you were featured please grab an "I've Been Featured" Button and display it proudly on your blog!

The Mommy Monday link party is for any posts relating to being a mom. The posts can be about marriage, homemaking, parenting, crafting, or homeschooling. I reserve the right to remove any posts that I find inappropriate. I am a born again Christian and want my blog to reflect that. This blog reserves to delete any posts that it deems inappropriate.

Free Stars Wars Printables

One of my closest friends loves Star Wars so I am always scanning Pinterest for anything and everything Star Wars. This is the best of Star Wars on Pinterest. If you decide to use one of these ideas, please leave the blogger a comment to let them know you enjoy their work. Try to follow their blog or Facebook pages. All bloggers love to feel the love!
If your post was featured, please grab an "I've Been Featured" button and display it proudly on your blog!

Free Printable Star Wars Puppet Sticks from Preschool Printables

May the Force BOO with You from Sandy Toes and Popsicles

Honorary Jedi Night Certificate

Star Wars Printable K-2 Math and LAL packs from Royal Baloo

Tons of Star Wars printable coloring pages from the Coloring Book

Free Printable Star Wars subway art from One Velvet Morning

Printable Star Wars chore chart from Reward Charts for Kids

Free Printable Star Wars Masks from Squidoo

Nursery Printables free from A Bubbly Life

Free Star Wars Graduation Printables from Living Locurto


Yoda Printable from The Rockin Boys Club

Not a Fan of Birthdays

I am usually not a fan of my birthday. I am one of those people who would prefer that no one even knew it was my birthday. It is not that I am afraid of turning older, I just don't need people to make a fuss. So in the past, I would try to completely avoid my birthday.

This year I am excited to be another year older!

Why is this year different? This year, I am blessed to be another year older. At this time last year, I did not know for sure that I would make it to another birthday.

On my 37th birthday last year, I was at the point with my cancer diagnosis where I knew I had breast cancer but did not know how serious it was. I woke up the morning of my birthday wondering if it was my last.

A few days after my birthday, I had surgery and the malignant tumor was removed and I knew that my prognosis was excellent. I received radiation treatment and my prognosis was even better.

Today, on my 38th birthday, I am grateful to be alive. I know that the Lord is not finished with me yet. I have purpose here on this earth. I am doing my best to use the time that I have been given to honor the Lord.

So this year I will celebrate and praise the Lord for giving me another year!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

James 1:17