Full Mug Swap #CoffeeLoversUnite

September 24, 2013

I saw these lovelies while surfing the net yesterday…..so cute! So then I got to thinking that it IS fall and it IS time for warm beverage season! So why not have a coffee mug swap??? I’ve done this before in the past with another blog swap and it was SOOOO much fun! It was my favorite in fact. Even if you don’t drink coffee you can still use mugs for warm soup or apple cider 🙂

The image above is from an Etsy shop called In A Glaze:

soup bowls

smaller mugs

cake ball stand

So if y’all would like to sign up for the FALL MUG SWAP use the link up below and leave your info.

I’ll choose your partners on Friday, October 4th.

You don’t have to have a blog to sign up. You can use your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram account too!

The Monster of Anxiety & Worry

September 23, 2013

We’ve had a crazy, busy, wonderful weekend!

Recap: I was blessed to shoot the wedding vow renewal ceremony for my coworker and friend Lenora’s sister. Terence got Connor a remote control monster truck and I’ve managed not to fall over it yet. We had a yummy dinner at my in-laws house with family. Visited some dear friends of ours new baby today in the hospital. Ate ourselves silly at a BBQ place. Connor got a major haircut (maybe too short). Window shopped at the mall, and didn’t spend any money 🙂 ONE LAST student loan payment and we will be debt free! Thanks to my hubby, I moan and groan about him all the time, but I’m so thankful he’s good at spreadsheets. Oh, and I joined the gym today. Gulp. Wish me luck on that one. If you want to see some pictures of this weekend be sure to visit Instagram.

It’s been awhile since I’ve actually sat down to write. I’ve been meaning to write since we heard a sermon at church a couple weeks ago. The sermon was about facing our monsters. In particular the monster of anxiety and worry. If you know me, then you know that is something I struggle with on a daily basis. It just blows my mind that Terence can hit the pillow and I am still awake an hour later. My mind is running through all the things I did that day and all the things that need to be done tomorrow. I just can’t seem to let go of everything.

I wish I was the kind of person that could just let things roll of my back and move on, but sometimes that’s just so hard. That worry descends into hopelessness and helplessness and I get discouraged.

Worry produces obsessive control and leaves you feeling out of control about what lies ahead. The Lord knows I forget a lot of things, I beat myself up about stuff more than anyone else could. There are days that are harder than others, and I’m sure we all go through this. God has blessed me with amazing family and friends, praying for myself and my family, and I’m beyond thankful. God created community to carry you through hard times and lift you up! To be a support system and love one another. That’s why I love blogging so much, it’s such a great community and I’ve met so many awesome people. The good has far outweighed the bad.

Sometimes I wonder why I am so lucky to live in a free country. Why am I so lucky to have a beautiful family- when there are so many out there who cannot bear children. Why am I so lucky to have a home/car/job-when there are people living paycheck to paycheck trying to make ends meet? Why am I so lucky to have clean running water, clothes to wear, and a grocery store to run into when I need food- when so many have no clean water, no shelter, and food is scarce. What makes me different than them? You never fully know someone really….you never know the reasoning behind their circumstances in life. How they got to where they are, why they behave the way they do, or the way they think. Why should I care what people think of me? They don’t know me KNOW me? God knows me, and I am supposed to be a living example of Him.

I am a child of God and this is who He has chosen me to be. I can only do the best I can. At the end of the day knowing I tried and was kind and giving towards others. Worry also draws people to irrational conclusions. For example, if you are worried about flying on an airplane because you think it will crash. Ahem…Really? The chances of that happening are highly unlikely and irrational. God will never leave you, nor forsake you. He is near to the broken hearted.

No matter where you are in life it’s always going to be something! When you are a baby everyone is watching you grow up to see what kind of person you’ll be. When you go through the teenage years it’s all about grades, friendships, and getting into the right school. During the college years it’s finding your path, choosing what form of education you want, dating, looking for the one. When you find the one it’s all about getting married, when will you have kids & get a house. When you do finally have kids then people start to ask if you are going to have another….and if you have another and it’s another BOY are you going to try again for a third? See it’s always something!

It’s easy to get carried away with what the world says is okay. The world says it’s okay to have a tan, carry a Louis Vuitton purse, wear skinny jeans, and apparently “twerking” is okay too. Let’s think about that shall we….if I had a tan it would just be one big freckle and I paid all this money to change my skin tone for nothing, not to mention the risk of cancer. Think of how many mouths you can feedwith the thousands of dollars you spent on ONE purse. Skinny jeans ain’t my friend, I look like a busted can of biscuits sliced open sideways, but everyone else has them…duh….so they must look good! I didn’t even know what “twerking” was until a few weeks ago, but it ain’t pretty folks. It hasn’t done anyone favors. So much for what the world says is cool….

While the future is uncertain, I know God is in control. When you communicate what worries you to God it will bring about change in your heart. God ALREADY has a plan!!! Before you even knew it. Meditate on what YOU KNOW is certain and forget about the worries of tomorrow.

Whew. If you are still with me…thank you. Thanks for caring, thanks for reading, and thanks for the years of community, love and support. I guess that’s about all I have on my mind tonight. I’m sure I’ll think of more when I lay down and hit the pillow. Ha ha!

I’ll leave you with this:

worry

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6:34 NIV

The Best Part #Folgers

September 20, 2013

I wanted to share something with you all I’m so excited about called The Best Part. The Best Part is an online community dedicated to brightening up your day. I used to work with a man who would walk into the office every day and the first thing he would say is “HAPPY! HAPPY!” That’s all he said, but the tone in his voice and his attitude about life in general was infectious to all around him.

That’s exactly what The Best Part community is about. It’s a place that posts inspirational stories, encouraging quotes, & good news on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Best Part community also encourages fans and followers to share optimism with those around them too! When you share what makes you happy it affects others and shines bright in the midst of the darkness.

What are some of the ways you like to bring happiness to those around you? I like to give a card, surprise someone with a cup of coffee in the morning, or even just a simple smile can make a difference in someone’s day. Everyone makes choices. You can choose to lift someone up or bring them down.

Years from now when you’re old and gray how do you want people to remember you? I personally want people to say “Oh Becky, she was always so happy. She put a smile on my face every day, she made me laugh, and she was the first to offer help when I need it.” That is what I hope people say. When you sit back and look at the bigger picture in life you realize that the things you think matter to others really don’t, and the things that do matter are so simple! You have the chance today to leave a legacy for tomorrow. Nobody likes a Debbie Downer. I live each day to the fullest, and I hope people see that in me. I try to be an optimist, not a pessimist.

As long as I stay true to myself and continue to live each day with an optimistic attitude, I know my joy will spill over into other’s lives. Check out The Best Part Community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and I’m positive you will find something to brighten your day!

It’s a

GLASS HALF FULL

KIND OF DAY!!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

My Little Fishy

September 19, 2013

Connor in his Disney Nemo costume. He is the cutest little fishy ever! Used my favorite trick and took these pictures with bubbly wrapping paper I found at HomeGoods 🙂 I love this kiddo with all my heart!

“Ain’t No Potty Like a Cottonelle Potty” #LetsTalkBums

September 18, 2013

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cottonelle.

There ain’t no potty like a Cottonelle potty…cuz a Cottonelle Potty keeps your bum bum clean!

Ha…ha…that’s about at the rap skills I have yo.

No seriously, Why is it important for you to have a clean bathroom routine? What does your bathroom routine consist of now and how can it be improved by the Cottonelle Care Routine? To answer those questions I met up with my friends Jamie, Brittany, Autumn, and Esther. We had a blast last week talking about our ahem….potty routines and keeping it real on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Some of the chat going on was hilarious!

Cottonelle Toilet Paper and Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths are designed to work together for a clean you can feel. Talking about bathroom habits can be embarrassing, but you may be missing out on a better way to get clean. That’s why Cottonelle is partnering with Cherry Healey to get people to talk about the way they wipe. Let’s face it ladies after you have babies and get older things become “loose”. It’s just a fact of life. Everyone deals with it, and it they say they aren’t then LUCKY for them. Fortunately, having a great care routine down has made me feel fresh & clean throughout the day. Incorporating cleansing cloths into your bathroom routine may feel weird at first but ultimately, it’s a clean and fresh feeling that leaves you ready for anything.

Here are some pics of me and the gals getting our potty talk on and having a blast doing it!

Jamie threw a great party over at her house. We all dressed in our jammies and pulled out our cell phones and chatted away! It was great to hear so many other women’s point of view on their own bathroom routine. I’ve been using the Cottonelle Toilet Paper and Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths in my daily routine for a few weeks now. I am done with plain old toilet paper! The cleansing cloths are great (especially if you don’t have enough time to take a shower, these work great to freshen up in a hurry). If you haven’t tried them please do yourself a favor and getcha some girls!

Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths are now available in a sleek, newly designed, upright dispenser – making it easier for everyone to enjoy the clean and fresh feeling of the Cottonelle Care Routine.
Nothing leaves you feeling cleaner and fresher than the Cottonelle Care Routine. Visit the Cottonelle Facebook page and let’s talk about your bum.

Cottonelle wants to get North Americans talking about their bums and on the better way to clean “down there” by using the Cottonelle Clean Routine. By combining the use of Cottonelle Toilet Paper and Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths, the Cottonelle Clean Routine is a revolutionary way to keep your bum cleaner. Visit http://www.facebook.com/cottonelle to learn more about the Cottonelle Clean Routine and join the clean routine conversation.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cottonelle.

Most Comfortable Shoes Ever + An Amazing Mission #Freewaters

September 16, 2013

I first found out about Freewaters shoes by shopping at my local Whole Foods. I thought they were really cute, so I tried them on and was AMAZED at how comfortable they were. I walked around a little bit and then I yelled for Terence to come over and check them out too. I said “You have to feel these shoes they are crazy comfortable!” Not only was I flabbergasted about how comfortable they were, my heart swelled up when I found out that for every pair of shoes Freewaters sells it provides enough clean drinking water for one person for ONE WHOLE YEAR.

From Freewaters Site:

We believe that access to clean drinking water is a fundamental human right! And while the global drinking water pandemic is a complex and serious issue, our approach is simple and not so serious. We design easy-going casual footwear that transports you into vacation mode the minute you slip them on. Each pair helps provide clean drinking water to those in need though our grassroots water projects.

Based in California, Freewaters soaks up the west coast spirit of cruising down the open road and spreading good vibes. Our mantra is do some good – a call to make the world a better place, little by little, step by step.

Every pair has a story, a human story. So join us and together we can help redefine footwear as a tool for good.

You can see just by looking at the cushion in the shoe above how much support Freewaters shoes have. I have a lot of foot problems and these feel great on my feel 🙂

Perfectly fun. Perfectly Comfortable. Perfectly stylish.

Freewaters is offering all

The Java Mama readers

25% off on their site

USE CODE : JAVA25

That is an amazing deal y’all and you won’t regret it I promise! Remember with every pair of shoes purchased you are also providing a YEAR of drinking water for each person. Thank you so much Freewaters for making these crazy comfy shoes and also allowing us to help in your mission to provide water to so many in need. What a blessing indeed.

Fall Squash Casserole #QuickFixCasseroles

September 16, 2013

It’s officially fall and it’s been craziness around here! Fall brings football season, cooler weather, and of course all the kids are back in school. Fall is one of my favorite season, but it’s also the busiest time of year. I love to cook good hearty meals when the weather gets cooler. So, let me ask you….What comes to your mind when you think of a quick, easy, and filling meal??? CASSEROLES!!!!

My husband is a self-professed casserole addict. He loves anything mixed together with cheese or crackers on top. For real. He needs to go to some sort of casserole anonymous group.

I also work full-time, so I don’t have a lot of time in the evening to spend in the kitchen. Casseroles are great because you can plan ahead and even freeze them if you need to. I wanted to share with you one of my favorite casseroles for fall. It’s warm, hearty, and SO GOOD. You can make this ahead and it reheats really well.

Here is the recipe I use to make squash casserole:

Ingredients

8-9 cups yellow squash (sliced)
1 1/2 cups yellow onion (chopped)
1 Box Jiffy corn muffin mix (prepare as directed)
3/4 cup of butter (I used Country Crock for this recipe) Country Crock has 0g trans fat per serving, no partially hydrogenated oils, no cholesterol, & 70% less fat than butter per serving.
8 ounces cheddar cheese
3 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Instructions

Prepare Jiffy Mix as directed, set aside to cool. Place yellow squash in a large saucepan and add water. Cook on medium low heat just until tender, remove from heat. Drain squash. On medium temperature place all of the butter in large saucepan and saute the onions until the onions turn clear, add salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley . Add chicken bouillon cubes and garlic to onions, stir. Add drained squash and cheese, stir. Crumble corn bread in squash and mix well.

Place squash mixture in a 13″x11″ baking pan that has been sprayed with a non stick spray. Cover casserole and place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes. Remove cover the last 20 minutes of baking time.

1.Diced Squash