Life as Mrs. Emerson

From This Day Forward: Five Commitments to Fail-Proof Your Marriage by Craig & Amy Groeschel: This book was gifted to me by a ministry mentor couple in early December.  This was my first experience reading or listening to anything by the Groeschels.  I aim to read a few marriage books every year so I jumped at the chance to dive into this one.  I thought this book was filled with some great, practical advice.  It was also very funny!  The five commitments mentioned in the book are: 1) Seek God. 2) Fight fair. 3) Have fun. 4) Stay pure. 5) Never give up.  These are all great commitments to implement in your life.  Personally I plan on working on number two and number three.  We moved this month and Brandon and I have both been working so hard.  We could definitely use a little more fun in our life! The Christ of Christmas by James Montgomery Boice: Every December I try to read some type of Advent devotional as I prepare my heart for Christmas.  This book contained many good s

My bunch playing around at the St. Louis zoo a few weeks ago.   Marriage, Mothering, & Family 1.  Set aside most "projects" this week to focus on celebrating Christmas with my family.  I'm still not unpacked but I'm going to try to put most of that on hold this week.  (This is actually a hard goal for me as I can't wait to finish unpacking!)  I'm looking forward to reading lots of books, playing games, and watching Christmas movies! 2.  Enjoy an at home date night with the happy husband. 3.  Brandon & I are planning on taking our kiddos on some fun outing. Homemaking 4.  Make cookies with the children.  Evangeline received a sweet pretend mixer and she has been so anxious to bake with me! 5.  Sew two final Christmas presents. Personal 6.  Write at least five thank you notes this week. 7.  Finish reading The Christ of Christmas by James Montgomery Boice. 8.  Spend time reflecting on 2016 and praying about the upcoming year.  I'm als

I just wanted to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas!  We just moved (as in we moved less than a month ago) so we are sticking close to home this Christmas.  I'm looking forward to sharing more frugal ideas, organization hints, and tips for intentional living in the following weeks.  For now I'm making memories and savoring the moments.  I hope you are as well.  Merry Christmas!

I still can't believe I took a three month break from blogging.  I had every intention of sharing but our life has been so crazy the past three months.  We  went on two separate vacations (including Disney) in the month of September so I had plenty of time to read to my heart’s content!  The above photograph only includes about half of the books that I managed to read in September and early October.  I accidentally returned the rest of the library books before I snapped a picture!  Then I found out that we were MOVING to a new town!  I'll share more about that later but for now here are the books I managed to read this fall.  I read ZERO books in the month of November but I hope to add reading back into my life sometime this month!   True Companion: Thoughts on Being a Pastor's Wife by Nancy Wilson: This dear book felt as though I had invited Mrs. Wilson over to visit for an afternoon of fellowship where I asked her a myriad of questions.  It was delightful and choc

I whipped up another skirt for Evangeline this past week and decided that I simply must share the tutorial that I used.  I used Owly Baby's Free Pattern for a Simple Skirt .  You can find the directions and fabric requirements by clicking the link and scrolling down below the photo. I simply love this simple skirt pattern and have made a number for Eva and my niece Paisley.  Sewing an elastic waist skirt is very simple and would make a great beginner project!  I love that the pattern included fabric amounts and elastic guides for sizes 6 months to size 7.  This is a great tutorial to use if you are sewing a gift for a child and don't have their measurements.  If you know what size the child wears in ready to wear clothing you should be able to come up with a skirt that will fit them. It took only 1/3 yard of fabric to sew a skirt for Eva.  I actually used leftover fabric that I had in my stash.  I used the same fabric to sew Evangeline's coming home dress from the ho

None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different From Us by Jen Wilkin :  I'm quickly becoming quite the fan of Mrs. Jen Wilkin.  I've been working through her 1 Peter Bible Study this summer and I absolutely loved reading through this book on the attributes of God.  I found myself reminded of so many things and almost felt a sense of relief as I contemplated what God is like.  This book was a delight to read.  I love that there is now a book on God's attributes written especially for women.  Pure awesomeness!  I highly recommend this book for both new believers and those with years of experience.  I also think it would make a great book club book. The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian: This book is one that I have been wanting to read for years and I just never got around to it.  I am so glad that I finally took the time to read and pray through this book!  What better gift could I give my husband the past month than to spend time earnestly praying for him through a

   Happy Monday!  I hope your Monday is off to a great start.  I woke up to one of my kids with a fever and not feeling well.  That's just a good excuse to curl up and devour a large number of read aloud books this week!  I read half of an Imagination Station book just this morning.  Some of my goals will be adjusted depending on how long they are not feeling well.   Last Week's Goals Last week was such a fun filled week!  I ended up crossing off a fair amount of goals and we even made a trip to Louisville for the KY State Fair.  The state fair is one of my favorite things every summer!   Marriage, Mothering, & Family 1.  Eli is playing flag football this fall!  I'm excited to attend his game on Saturday.   It was so fun to watch Eli in action on Saturday!  I teach piano lessons during Eli's practice times so this was my first time to see him play.   2.  Eva has a therapy appointment this week.  I am so thankful for all of the incredible progress that

We have been so blessed to fill our August with such fun family memories. In the picture above we enjoyed a day trip to the Columbus Zoo where we got to get up close with some kangaroos!   August has been so busy for our family that I've neglected to share my goals the past few weeks.  We've been squeezing in lots of summer fun as we transition back to school days.  I also began teaching fall piano lessons.  Here are a few of my goals for this upcoming week.      This Week's Goals Marriage, Mothering, & Family 1.  Eli is playing flag football this fall!  I'm excited to attend his game on Saturday. 2.  Eva has a therapy appointment this week.  I am so thankful for all of the incredible progress that she has made over the past year.   3.  Take both children to the park to play this week.   Homemaking 4.  Work on plans for Disney.  I need to work on our packing list and make some reservations.  I also need to purchase a number of items before we lea

Hiding in the Light by Rifqa Bary:  This book was phenomenal and I simply could not put it down.  I was gripped by Rifqa's story and the amount of suffering she endured simply for becoming a Christian.  It really helped me to better understand Islam and what is means for a Muslim woman to come to faith in Jesus Christ.  I loved hearing Rifqa speak about her deep relationship with the Savior and her gratefulness for all that He has done f.  I cried with her as I read her story and watched as numerous obstacles continued to bombard her from seemingly every direction.  This book was so inspiring and I can't recommend it enough. The Out of Synch Child by Carol Stark Kranowitz: One of my daughter's occupational therapists recommended this book to me and I am so glad I got around to reading it in July.  It really helped me to more fully understand the extent of Evangeline's sensory needs.  This book was so easy to read and did not read like a textbook at all.  The au

Happy Tuesday!  Whenever I am late to share my list of goals for the week it either means I have been traveling or my week is not going according to plan.  Unfortunately it is the latter.  I'm suffering from some serious back pain which started at church on Sunday morning.  I've been to the doctor and the majority of my week will be spent walking and taking it easy.  No gardening and no deep de-cluttering like I had originally hoped.  I'm hoping to spend time sufficiently resting this week and catching up on some computer work.   Last Week's Goals Marriage, Mothering, & Family 1.  Enjoy taking the children to the bike rodeo in town.  I'm still not entirely sure what we have signed up for but I am sure it will be fun.  I had never even heard of a "bike rodeo" before I saw the flyer!   It was pretty fun and both of the children had a blast!  They learned about bike safety and rode their bicycles through a number of obstacles.  Eli was thrille

Happy Monday!  I'm starting to feel the end of summer time crunch.  Has it hit you yet?  Where we live school starts in just a few short weeks!  We have enjoyed a fantastic summer so far but I will still be a wee bit sad to watch it end.  Now I am coming face to face with my lovely summer to do list.  (It's always overly ambitious.)  There are still quite a few cleaning items on that summer list that I really do need to finish in the next three weeks.  Last week was a full week of re-adjusting to home life after our week away but I'm happy with how my goals turned out.  Here's a few of the things I hope to accomplish this week while we squeeze as much fun out of summer as we possibly can.   Last Week's Goals Marriage, Mothering, & Family   1.  Eva has a therapy appointment and a GI appt this week. 2.  Enjoy an at home date with the happy hubby.   We had a great time watching "The Finest Hours" together after the children went to bed.  We've

Here is what I have been reading this past month.  I actually only made it through three of these books this month.  Do I get credit for reading through three teacher guides for Vacation Bible School? :)  Ha, ha!   God's Guidance: a Slow and Certain Light by Elisabeth Elliot: I absolutely adore Elisabeth Elliot and have been incredibly blessed by each and everyone of her books.  This book is no different.  Every summer I try to spend time reflecting on my life.  What a great book to read this past month while I contemplate the many hats that I currently wear.  Elliot is such a kindred spirit and honestly shares many of the same questions that I have wrestled with. Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer: This light read came highly recommended by my friend Kelly.  It was the perfect accompaniment for our most recent road trip.  (I read the entire book on the way there.)  :)  I absolutely loved the protagonist Adelaide Proctor.  She is girly, quirky, and tough when she needs to

Hello friends!  As I mentioned in this week’s goals , we spent the majority of our week in Arkansas visiting with extended family.  Here’s a few of the things I did to save money even while spending most of the week out of town.   We drove the ten hour trip to Arkansas in lieu of flying.  I still prefer flying any day over a long road trip but as the years go by we are definitely perfecting our road tripping skills.  The cheapest flights available would cost us about $1000 vs. the $100 it (currently) costs to drive.  Even if you include another $100 for meals there and back we have stilled saved a ton of money.    We packed a cooler for our road trip.  This took care of two meals and numerous snacks.  We did opt to stop at a restaurant with a play place during both legs of our trip.  (If you are really looking to save money you could stop at a park or a local elementary school playground instead.) My sister-in-law and I took our children to play at the Arkansas State Museu

Happy Monday!  I hope that your week is off to an excellent start.  We actually spent the majority of last week visiting family in Arkansas.  It was so fun spending time with cousins and Brandon's side of the family.  The picture above includes my children, three of my nieces who live in Arkansas, and their great grandmother Meme.  Not only does Meme have 13 grandchildren but she also has 17 great-grandchildren so far with one more on the way!  She is one of my favorite people and I am so blessed we were also able to spend the weekend with her.  This week I will be primarily focusing on recovering from our trip.  :)  Here is how my goals from my last week turned out and what I am working on this week.   Last Week's Goals Marriage, Mothering, & Family 1.  Enjoy a date with the happy hubby.   We went out to one of our favorite restaurants in Arkansas and then went shoe shopping. It was so much fun!  I actually had running shoes fitted and they feel amazing!  I'

Happy Summer!  I hope you are soaking up lots of sun and managing to save some money in the process.  Here is what we did to save money this week.   We harvested mint, Romaine lettuce (Freckles variety), and a pepper from our garden.  Next week I anticipate picking some squash! Our entire family enjoyed Vacation Bible School at our church.  VBS is one of the highlights of our summer and we honestly plan our entire summer around the week of VBS.  They learned so much about the Gospel and had an absolute blast.  We even enjoyed an inflatable water slide on Thursday evening! The children and I had a fantastic time meeting friends at the park for a play date.  Since the weather has started to really heat up here, we met a little earlier which worked out great.  When Eli was a baby the park near our house only had metal slides which would get really hot.  My solution was to wake up, grab breakfast, and head to the park before the slides heated up.  This way we were still able to en

Happy 4th of July!  I hope your day was filled with family, fun, and celebration.  Here's a recap of last week and the ten goals I have planned for this week.   Last Week's Goals Marriage, Mothering, & Family 1.  Take my children to Vacation Bible School at our church every evening.   It was pure awesomeness.   2.  Finish rowing "Madeline" and begin our next book.   We had a blast rowing Madeline and I am SO excited about doing Five in a Row for the next few months.  We just started The Rag Coat.   3.  Evangeline has two therapy appointments this week.   Check. We actually had a really difficult therapy session on Thursday and Friday.  I am thankful for the encouragement of Eva's therapists and try to remind myself of the incredible progress she has made in the past 11 months.   Homemaking 4.  Sew a skirt for Evangeline.  (The skirt is cut out and sitting on top of my sewing machine.  I just need about 20 minutes to sew it together.)   It's rid

Earlier in June we embarked on a new adventure.  TENT CAMPING!   Two summers ago we enjoyed a wonderful time camping in a borrowed pop-up camper but this was our first experience sleeping in a tent as a family.  We loaded up our very full van and headed to Land Between the Lakes in Western Kentucky for a new adventure.  It was wonderful.   One of the neatest aspects of our trip was the fact that Nina & Poppy Steve (Brandon's parents) were able to meet up with us!  (They live a good 10 hours away from us so this was a real treat.)  We had so much spending time with them.  We stayed at  Hillman Ferry Campground  and I would definitely stay there again.   Hillman Ferry Campground has a lovely beach with an area roped off for swimming.  The kids enjoyed playing in the sand and I even took them swimming in the lake.  I have been swimming many times in a lake but I think this was my children's first real time swimming in a lake.  (The closest lake to us no longer

Happy Wednesday!  I hope you are squeezing lots of life out of this week.  We have been having such a fun, full week.  Here's what we have planned for this week and a recap.   Last Week's Goals Marriage, Mothering, & Family 1.  Enjoy a great time camping with my family this week.   We had a fantastic time camping at Alpine Hideaway Campground in Pigeon Forge, TN.  The weather was lovely and we were also able to meet up with some dear friends.   2.  Begin  Five in a Row Volume 1.   We are rowing  Madeline  this week and having the best time!  Last year we worked through the entire  Before Five in a Row  and it was so delightful.  (Let me know if you would be interested in more details.)   I've always been a fan of the book Madeline and it was such fun to share with both of my children last week.  I'm hoping to share more about our Five in a Row adventures next week.   3.  Be intentional this week to spend time talking with my husband each evening.  Practical

Well the week is half spent and I've neglected to share my goals for the week.  That's because we went camping.  Tent camping that is!  I did work on my goals on Sunday just like every week so I thought I would still share.  Happy Thursday!   Last Week's Goals: Marriage, Mothering, & Family 1.  Work on plans for Father's Day.   We treated the happy hubby to a trip to TN for Father's Day.  It was just wonderful.   2.  Eva has two therapy appointments this week.   Check.  3.  Enjoy a playdate at the zoo with friends.   It was fantastic despite the crowds!   4.  Spend a day at home catching up with my children.  (I actually went out of town overnight to surprise a friend at her 30th birthday party on Saturday.  While I had a great time I really missed my sweet kids.)  I'm planning on spending lots of time outside playing and then enjoying some extended reading time in the afternoon.   I think I am going to try to make sure that we spend at least one d

Ahh summer!  It's the most wonderful time of the year!  It's also the most expensive time of the year (well aside from December).  In an attempt to save more money this summer I'm going to resume the Frugal Things posts.  Here's what we did this past week to have fun and save money: On Monday we stayed home all day and simply had the best time.  We played outside for hours, read stories together, and just really enjoyed being at home together.  I think it can be easy to think that in order to have a great summer we must be going somewhere each and every day.  Some of the best memories from my childhood involve days spent entirely at home. We enjoyed a fantastic time at the zoo with friends.  I am so thankful for our zoo pass which we make good use out of.  We packed our own food and drinks. The happy hubby and I finally flipped the mattress on our king bed.  When we purchased our mattress we made sure to buy one that could be "flipped" to extend the l