Kristin's Vintage Garden Review

Can I tell you something I just LOVE??

Handmade accessories.

Something else I love?

Women starting their own businesses and sharing their gifts and talents with the rest of us!

So when Kristin was looking for bloggers to review a Bloom from her new shop, Kristin's Vintage Garden, I was more than happy to volunteer!

Such cute things! I love the natural fabrics and textures she uses for these Blooms:

Soft fabrics and neutral colors make these Blooms very versatile.

It was an ugly, rainy day when I tried mine out for you all, so I didn't get the pretty, sunlit shots I was hoping for. Still...
Kinda cute, right? This is how you'll find me many a day... hair not done, jeans, a tank, and an old sweater coat.

I pinned it right directly in my hair here. Bear in mind, I didn't "do" anything with my hair so this could, certainly, be MUCH cuter!

I felt a touch silly wearing my one year old's headband here, but I do really like the way the Bloom looks perched there!

And here's how I might wear it were I headed off to church or someplace where I try not to wear an old sweater coat. I love how this adds interest to a simple finger knitted scarf!

These Blooms are so fantastically affordable at just $5 each! Even sweeter? Kristin has kindly offered a discount code to any of my readers! To save an additional 25%, just use coupon code "JESSIELEIGH" at checkout on her site. How fun!

Are you ready to add a little Spring to your wardrobe?


Linked to Things I Love Thursday.

Lent '11: Letting Go of Judgment, Challenge 2

It is so wonderful and freeing to be taking on this challenge for Lent. I am absolutely stunned how much impact this is having in my everyday life. I find myself feeling so much more open-minded and, quite simply, at peace. What a beautiful consequence!

Did you come along for the journey last week? Even if you didn't, I'd love to have you participate along with me at any time. There are absolutely no rules or requirements for this Lenten journey.

Last week's challenge involved hearing someone out who has a different opinion from you.

This week's challenge can be done all on your own. It should take you five minutes. Ready?

Challenge 2: Free-write for five minutes. Defend a different choice or view. (For example, I could write about being against vaccinations or circumcision.) Let yourself see the "other side" just for a few moments.

The idea here is to explore a different thinking process. The goal, again, is NOT to have your mind changed or even challenged. Allowing ourselves to fully immerse our thoughts in the "other side of the debate" is good for us! It encourages intelligent, critical thinking skills and forces us to set emotions aside for the moment.

Here are just a few topics to give you a jumping off point. You are more than welcome to use one, but please do not feel limited to this short list:

• To vaccinate or not to vaccinate
• To circumcise or not
• Breast or bottle?
• Pro-life or pro-choice?
• Co-sleep? No?
• Cry-it-out? No?
• Homeschool? Private school? Public school?
• Drive a big SUV? A hybrid?
• ...it could go on and on!

Feel free to leave more suggestions in the comments, if you are so inclined.

Give it a try. And come back here next Wednesday so we can talk about it and get a new challenge, okay?

Button design by the spectacular Sidnie

Lent '11: Letting Go of Judgment, Challenge 1 RESULTS

I think there are a few of you joining me in taking on this challenge for Lent. This delights me!

Last week's challenge was this:

Challenge 1: Ask a woman with differing or opposing views how she made her choice. This is not an opportunity to debate. For this challenge, you are just listening.

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I realize I used the words "woman", "she", and "her" in that challenge, which might make it seem odd that I asked a man. But I did. Here's why: I figured if I'm asking you to come along on this journey with me, I owe it to you all to not cop out with some easy question. I asked a hard one. One where I knew it would be hard for me to keep my mouth shut and just listen. But I did.

Here goes:

"Can you tell me a little bit about why you're pro-choice?"

(If you know anything at all about me, you know I'm vehemently and unapologetically pro-life. Still, I like this man. He's smart. And he's married to a good friend of mine. I heard him out.)

"I'm pro-choice because there's no perfect answer, but I believe in giving women the right to decide what's best. I mean... it's not like I want to think about babies dying, JL, or that I don't think they matter. But I know there are times... Well, here. My sister. She got pregnant young. You know my dad's a church leader. My parents would never have forgiven her. She pondered killing herself but, because she was able to end the pregnancy, she found the strength to go on and she never had to face our parents judgment and hate. It's hard. They're so conservative. Well, you are too, I guess. But she was trapped. And so, when I think of the fact that without that option, I would have lost my sister, yeah, I'm glad it's legal."

There you go. Now, you know, of course, that I could refute a lot of that with my own views.

That wasn't the point.

It was amazing to me how much people will share when you're just listening. When there's no debate. When you put judgment on hold. And, really, when you view it as an opportunity to learn and show compassion, it's not that hard to stay silent. Did anything he said change my views on abortion? Not one bit. But it was eye-opening to learn how his life experience had shaped his views.

The most powerful thing to me?

His sister was, essentially, driven to have an abortion because of how deeply she feared her parents' judgment.

Now there's a lesson to take away.

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Did you participate this past week? How did it go?

If you blogged about it, please link up below so I know to visit you. If you prefer, tell us about your experience in the comments.

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal

I am the unofficial queen of coming up with creative ways to serve up plain ol' oatmeal. My son declares each of my creations his new "favorite ever!", so it's easy to stay motivated. This oatmeal has wonderful flavor and interesting texture, thanks to the graham cracker crumbs on top. There IS added sugar, since I'm replicating blueberry pie here, but it's still less than you'd find in a "flavored packet" you might buy. And the blueberries are real. I made this with frozen berries, since that's what I had, and they affect the color of the oatmeal. Fresh would have less impact on that, if you're bothered by the purplish tinge...

For each serving, use...

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup water
• a few drops vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup blueberries, heaping
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon graham cracker crumbs

Add all ingredients but cracker crumbs (reserve a few blueberries for garnish) to a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until oatmeal is cooked. Spoon into serving dish and top with graham cracker crumbs and a few blueberries. Enjoy your "blueberry pie" for breakfast!

Linked to:
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Kids and Guns

"I'm at C's house," one little boy pretends to talk on a walky-talky to another, "should I shoot C. or her house?"

"Shoot!" comes the reply.

"C. or the house?" he asks again, then fires an imaginary rifle.

C. is my daughter. She is five and still so small she needs to sit in a car seat, even on the school bus. She doesn't hear. I don't think.

I know they're just pretending. I do not fear for my daughter's, or my home's, safety.

STILL.

I don't think I'm hyper-sensitive about these things. I don't worry about water guns or that Wii game where they shoot the cans. I even confess that it makes me giggle that our one year old is an amazing shot with the Nerf gun.

But I will not permit my children to pretend to shoot and kill each other. And it made me upset to hear this little boy suggest such a thing.

I admit it- I told the bus driver and got him in trouble.

What are your thoughts? Where do you stand on letting kids play with guns or pretend to shoot? Am I too uptight? Too permissive? Where do you fall on the spectrum?

image source

Menu Plan: 3/13 - Pondering More Fasting

Ash Wednesday was a wonderful time of prayerful reflection for me this past week. Because I was nursing last year and pregnant the year before, it had admittedly been a long since I fasted. It was a powerful thing for me and I'm pondering doing a "mini fast" every Wednesday throughout Lent (and, of course, fasting on Good Friday.) I'll let you know what I commit to!

For this week, I'm realizing that there's not a whole lot of meat going on. And I'm totally content with that. Here's what's hittin' our table:

Sunday:

B-Cereal, Applesauce, Milk

L-Pancakes, Sausage Links, Apple Slices
D-Sunday Supper at Bama & Papa's

Monday:

B-Peanut Butter Oatmeal topped with peanuts, Milk

L-Egg Sandwiches, Apples w/ Cheese, Juice

D-Poor Man's Chicken Parm Sandwiches w/ Green Peppers

Tuesday:

B-Banana Bread, Applesauce, Milk
L-Buttered Noodles, Oranges, String Cheese, Water
D-Beans & Franks, Corn

Wednesday:

B-Banana Bread, Yogurt, Juice

L-Hot Dogs on Bread, Apples, Milk
D-Penne w/ Garlic, Tomatoes, & Goat Cheese

Thursday:

B-PB Toast, Apples, Milk

L-Cheesy Taco Fries

D-Vegetable Soup w/ added mixed vegetables, Cheese Quesadilla

Friday:

B-Smoothies, Toast

L-Cheesy Beans & Rice, Water

D-Tomato & Green Pepper Pizza*

Saturday:

B-Ham, Egg, & Cheese Bagel Sandwiches

L-Ramen Noodles, Fruit
D-Hot & Sour Peanut Noodles w/ Broccoli & Shrimp

*All pizzas on our menu plans from now until Easter will be MEATLESS in keeping with our Catholic tradition.

How about you? What are you serving up this week?

This post is linked to Menu Plan Menu.

Humbled Again

There's nothing I can say.

The flooding our town has faced in the past week had us as the lead story on the eleven o'clock local news each night.

I've whined about it myself here and there. I've wrung my hands worrying about all the driving around my husband does for his job.

It is nothing- NOTHING- when we see what has happened to our brothers and sisters across the sea.

And so, rather than share my super awesome tip for entertaining littles in the cranky evening hours (probably next week, folks), I'll just leave it at that.

I've, once again, been humbled.

And I am praying.

The image above is my town. As I said... nothing.