The Season of Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday. The season of Lent has begun. We, as Christians, are now walking with Christ on our forty day journey through the desert – from death into life, as we will joyfully celebrate on Easter Sunday.

This morning I began reading my daily Lenten devotional (wrong year, but it still works). The gospel reading was from Matthew (6:1-6, 16-18) and touched on a subject that, as we begin Lent and throughout, we must keep in mind: Jesus says, “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.” This message is not directed towards Lent alone, and can be applied to our daily lives as we are influenced by social media, news, friends, family, and even people we do not know. We are guilty of trying to impress others through these mediums which we believe will satisfy us and fill a void inside. Lent is not about getting attention from others in regards to your deeds or fasting. Rather, it is a very personal, private journey in which we must open ourselves up to becoming closer with God through our actions and prayers.

As R. Scott Hurd, the author of my devotional, further explains:

"Jesus knows that we often bring mixed motives to our religious undertakings. Some of our motivations – the ones inspired by God – are noble and good … But sometimes we have other motives that aren’t as laudable. We may do religious things because we hope others will see us as holy, or at least good, and perhaps admire us for the kind things we’ve done. When we act in this way, we’re seeking to glorify ourselves – and there’s the catch. As Christians, all we do, in one way or another, should be done for the glory of God. As we journey through the days of Lent, let’s ask the Lord to purify our motives, so that what we do is not driven by concern for public relations, but by a genuine sprit of praise and humble commitment to the Gospel."

I invite you to share some of your Lenten resolutions! Through sharing, we can help each other when we fall, pray for one another, and walk the journey together.

Here are some of my Lenten resolutions/practices:

+ reading and praying a daily Lenten devotional

+ praying each day for specific family members and causes

+ cutting back on sugar intake (it’s one of my biggest temptations)

+ taking time to be a better friend and get in touch with those I have been meaning to; better contact/communication and connection with those friends I do see more often; deepening friendships through meaningful discussion

+ making donations to the CRS Rice Bowl

+ attending a few Soup and Stations (of the Cross) events on Friday evenings; also, perhaps attending a Fish Fry

What are your Lenten resolutions this year?

Heart Garland DIY

Perhaps it looks a bit childish, but it's the thought that counts, right? :D

I have had TONS of leftover, unused coffee filters sitting in my cupboards for months. I have been brainstorming other ways to make use of them, and with Valentine's Day coming up, I figured it would be simple enough to cut out some hearts and put them on a string. So, there ya have it. And with the intention of having perfectly shaped hearts, I was able to use a lot of filters as it took a few tries to get the right heart! Get creative and think of other ways to shape the hearts, other string colors to use, and other times of the year to hang up some heart garland.

What are some other ways to use unused coffee filters?

Seven Day Virtual Marriage Retreat

National Marriage Week began on February 7th and ends February 14th. A virtual retreat with Pope Francis was created and can be found here (Marriage Retreat #2). Please take some time each day for seven days to pray for your own marriage and also the marriages of those around you. Even those dating or engaged can participate in the retreat.

A and I are behind on starting the retreat (this weekend was filled with sickness and restless nights), so although our day one starts today, we will still take time each day to pray for our marriage. And just in time for Valentine's Day, too! What a better way to celebrate :) Especially since our marriage is still fresh, we believe it is very important to begin praying for and strengthening our marriage in these early years to ensure a lifelong union bound in love, friendship, trust, and faith.

More resources about National Marriage Week, mass readings and prayers, and even Catholicism in general, can be found on these websites: usccb.org and wau.org. I am also available for questioning or discussion :)

From our wedding day: November 2nd, 2013 - Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park

 Grand Rapids, MI

Easy Homemade Salsa

One of our favorite snacks to have on hand at the Woodbeck Household is tortilla chips & salsa. Literally every time we make a trip to the grocery store we are picking up a new bag of chips and a new jar of salsa to replenish our stock. Well, last time we went to the store I suggested buying ingredients to make salsa on our own because I felt as though we were spending so much money on this delicious snack every time when it's easy enough to make at home. Just pick up a few cans of tomatoes, beans, and chiles to keep your pantry stocked for whenever you're ready to make more salsa!

Last night we made the salsa to complement the burritos we were having for dinner. It turned out great and was so fresh and delicious! The recipe is below.

Ingredients:
+ a 28oz can petite diced tomatoes (we accidentally bought a regular diced can and the chunks of tomato were a little too big, but it worked. Also, depending upon the consistency you prefer, you can choose to drain all or most of the juice)
+ 1/3 - 1/2 cup black beans, drained (amount depends upon your liking)
+ small can of green chiles (we went for mild), peeled and cut
+ frozen corn (thawed)
+ diced onion, diced red pepper, diced green pepper
+ fresh cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste (one could also add garlic powder)

The instructions are simple: basically, just mix everything together to your liking! My husband made the salsa for us last night and the flavor was perfect. Serve with tortilla chips or in a burrito, and enjoy!

A Valentine DIY

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner (I know you've been counting down the days), you might be looking for a gift idea. Well, this DIY is cute and simple. And if you’re like me and have little to no crafting talent, it is also very easy, fun, and cheap! This gift is also perfect for any other occasion where you might want to let someone know how much you love them - such as a birthday or anniversary. AND, it can be a gift for anyone: a spouse, a friend, a loved one, or your children.

I made this for A as a birthday gift a few years ago, and while it can be difficult to come up with 52 ideas (not that there isn't that much to love about him, but that sometimes things become redundant!), he appreciated the time and thought put into each card. And since I am also terrible at figuring out gifts to give to people, it was easy for me to obtain the supplies and make the gift itself.

Supplies needed:

+ a deck of cards

+ a fine tip permanent marker

+ a list of 52 Things I Love About You

Simply write "52 Things I Love About You" on the card box, write a phrase on each card with a marker, shuffle the deck and place back into box, wrap it up (if you so choose), and give it to a lucky person!

In the end, this gift would cost you the price of cards ($3?), and some time spent coming up with loving ideas about the person you’re giving the gift to! It’s a very thoughtful gift that anyone is sure to enjoy! Afterwards, use the cards for a card game, carry one on your person to serve as a reminder, use a card as a bookmark, or even place one on the fridge. 

Weekend Wanderings

I'm sure I have posted about this before, but ever have one of those really good weekends? One where the balance between getting things accomplished and resting was just perfect? Well, this weekend was another one of those weekends for me.

Saturday started with my husband making an overdue trip to the auto shop for an oil change. I'm so relieved that it is taken care of! Once my husband arrived home, we made an obligatory Saturday stop for some donuts at our favorite local bakery, Sandy's, on our way to the in-laws for breakfast. The rest of the day was spent accomplishing other things on our list which left us feeling satisfied of the fact that we had used our time well (though perhaps not exactly according to schedule). But why do you need to have a strict schedule on the weekend anyway? :)

Most of Sunday was spent rearranging the apartment yet again. My husband did most of the rearranging this time; which is odd because I'm usually the one itching to change things. But I was thankful that he took initiative to move the furnishings in ways he thought were more practical for our lifestyle these days. Yesterday we successfully changed the living room and dining room and tonight we plan to finish off with the two bedrooms.

One of the main reasons for the need for change is due to the fact that our daughter is now sleeping in her own room (sob!) and needs more space. We have been placing her in the other room for a few weeks now to see if any of us would sleep better, and what was thought to be a temporary solution has now become a permanent one. I am sad to let her go! We have all slept in the same room since her birth and I truly miss her presence (even though I still get up 1-2 times a night to nurse). I have been a bit tender these past few weeks with the sobering fact that my daughter is getting older. I'm realizing how quickly it is happening and sometimes wishing to go back to those first few days and weeks of her life.

Another main reason I itch for change is because of my constant desire to not remain stagnant! I want to learn, do something new, travel, live somewhere else, move! As much as I hate moving (because of how many times I have had to do it in the past six years), I also hate being in the same place for too long. Add it to the fact that I am indoors all day, every day during winter and there you have my need to DO SOMETHING. Rearranging the apartment allows me the opportunity to live in a new space in a new way without actually having to move somewhere else. Granted, moving is a goal of ours for this year, but for now we are willing to live well within our space.

Anyway, back to the new arrangement. We are satisfied with where our furnishings and belongings are now placed, especially since we were aiming for more practicality and functionality. I currently have two new favorites:

The first is this small gathering area in our living room -

The chairs are actually from our dining room table set. We don't have guests over often enough to make use out of all four chairs so we figured they would be put to better use as more seating in the living room. And, if we do happen to need them for entertaining guests for a meal then we can simply move them into the dining room. The table is one we picked up for free from someone in our apartment building who was moving and didn't want to take it along (we snatched a few more items from them also). It has never been my favorite table, but I can already tell this is going to be the best spot and use for it. We decorated it simply with a few magazines and books as well as one of the MANY wheat centerpieces we made for our wedding.

The second is how we decided to make use of this piece of furniture -

Originally, this cart held our television, dvd player, cable box, and internet modem. However, I always wanted to make better use of it because I love the wheels and the storage space underneath. So, we got rid of cable, moved the tv & dvd player to our room, and wheeled this lovely piece of furniture to just inside the dining area for better use.

The idea was to use this cart as a coffee cart, but considering that we have so much produce these days (and not enough places to store it), I figured we could use the top of the cart as a produce stand. As I did some brainstorming, I realized that the bottom of the cart could still be used for a few coffee & tea items, so we sort of have a coffee cart :) The placement of this cart is easily accessible and serves as a reminder to eat our fruits and veggies! Considering that it is a small piece on such a big wall, however, I am still trying to decide how to decorate that area a little better. I think a vase of flowers or greenery would look especially nice on the stand itself (once it becomes a little less cluttered), or I might put up some streamers/garland/etc just above the cart to make the area a bit more festive. I'll have to use Pinterest or Apartment Therapy as a reference if I can't figure out what to do :)

Hope the weekend was good to you!

Diary of a Stay-At-Home Mom: Day 23 - #projectsimplify

One of the projects I have been working on while staying home with Vienna has been simplifying EVERYTHING. And I mean it! I have sifted through the living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and spare bedroom. I didn't mean to start this project, per se, but it has turned into quite the cleaning and organizing task. Each day I find more and more things to get rid of that I no longer want, use, or is just taking up space. Each day my piles grow and more and more things are getting put into bags for donation.

We live in a two-bedroom apartment, and don't have a ton of storage space (though renting a storage unit these past few months has helped tremendously). So my main goal has been learning to live with less, while having better quality. I realized that the past few years I have not had adequate time to go through my belongings because I was preoccupied with college, multiple moves, various apartments, work, and big life changes such as marriage and welcoming a baby. As I become more aware of myself and continue to create my identity, I find that I prefer a certain "style" and that I would like to streamline/make consistent that identity and style based upon the things I own and use in my daily life.

Let me tell you, this project leaves me feeling great! It feels so good to do a much-needed purging of items. While I think my husband is getting annoyed with my constant cleaning, organizing and re-organizing, consistent trips to Goodwill, and "Do you need this? Can I throw this away?" questioning, he assures me that he is not. Actually, the other day (upon noticing a more efficient use of kitchen space) he complimented me and said, "I love being married to you." I'm glad he sees my OCD with cleanliness and organization to be a good quality!

Although I am getting rid of a lot of items, I would also like to replace some that I think would help to enhance/solidify my style and identity. For instance, there are items of clothing, jewelry, and housewares that I would like to refresh since I have not shopped or updated in a long time. However, that will come in time. The goal is to live simply, right?

While I'm sure that this project will never completely end throughout life, I am glad that for future reference I will have a better idea of what items to keep, have on hand, throw away, or even collect. And hey, if you need help with cleaning or organizing in your place, you know who to call ;)

*This is the top of my dresser, simplified.

Pictured: Holy Water from Mount St. Mary's Grotto - Emmitsburg, MD; jewelry catch-all dish from World Market; box filled with other pieces of jewelry; July 2012 Linnea Design Calendar Poster 

P.S. I know it isn't July, but my husband put that poster on the wall to cheer me up (since I don't always do too well in the winter), to remind me of warm weather, and to remind me of the month my daughter was born this past year.