What's in the Bible Discount

We've got some great promotions to share with you from What's in the Bible! Our families have enjoyed What's in the Bible DVD's for a while now, and if you haven't checked them out, now is the time! Follow the link for a Valentine's Day discount!

The Saturday Evening Post 1950: Who Will Be the First Up?

If you felt like deciding who was going to get the crying baby was a unique problem for you, here is proof it has been going on for at least 63 years. Norman Rockwell captured this age old problem. Who is going to get up and help that little tike. It makes me tired just looking at it, and I thought you may enjoy it, too!!

Courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Farlow's Attic :)

~Julia

Schedules vs. Routine

Get organized in 2013! The free printable calendar pictured on the left can be found here: The Harmonized House. 

I came across a really good list of organizational homeschooling tips the other day at The Well Trained Mind. Tip #8 stood out in particular to me.

Tip #8: If you struggle with ‘scheduling’, try routines instead.What’s the difference between a schedule and a routine? A schedule is generally a timed plan; routines are regular, habitual procedures. Programs and systems that use schedules to get people organized can be wonderful things, and I’ve included some links to popular ones below. If you’ve tried to implement a schedule into your homeschool and found that it didn’t seem to fit with what you were trying to do, try and develop some routines. They don’t have to be done in the same order, or even at the same time each day, but you might set some general guidelines (before breakfast, before lunch, etc.). Experiment with a school routine. Are there things your children can do on their own? Make up a list, and get them in the habit of doing what they can on their own before they come to you. This may take some time to develop, but just as with other worthy habits (diligence, punctuality, etc.), the benefit will be that it will save time in the future.

What about you? Do you have a particular schedule that you adhere to on a daily basis, or do routines work better for your family? I am definitely more of a routine person myself, but sometimes a schedule is what I need to stay on track!

Find lots of free organizational printables at I Heart Organizing

Our friend, Melissa, over at Red Fly Creations 

offers a great printable home organizing notebook! 

Christmas Detox Time

Everyone seems to be talking about doing a holiday detox... 
Yes, coming out of the holiday season, we could all use a little detoxing from an over indulgence in Christmas cookies, candy, egg nog and chemically altered meets and cheese. Perhaps your symptoms are an extra 5 pounds on the scale, achy muscles and joints, or a lethargic feeling you just can't shake.



I want to lose weight and live an overall, healthier lifestyle. It is my goal to eat less processed foods, fast food, junk food, chemically altered, genetically modified... you get the picture. Don't we all?

A Yummy Holiday Detox Smoothie Recipe! Find it HERE

I have been rather lazy at times to prepare meals ahead of time, make meal plans, etc. Which usually leads to the easy way out = fast food and processed food. I have also struggled to lose the last few pounds of post baby weight. It is a really motivating goal to get back to my optimal weight before children, but apparently not motivating enough because I have failed to really do anything serious to get there.

I have attempted things like eating Vegan for a week, fasting, the Master Cleanse, the South Beach Diet, the Atkins Diet, etc. The problem is, I have such little will power and I love food so much. I know that my body responds best by limiting my carb intake and eating small meals throughout the day. I never last long on strict diets, and today was no exception. I tried again to follow the guidelines of the master cleanse for one day. I made it till about 3:00 in the afternoon, then I caved. Actually, I was shaky and lightheaded, but also really hungry. By the way, My sister-in-law, the dietitian, does not approve of this form of weight loss! I tell her not to worry because I could never actually pull it off :) I don't view my trying and failing as a complete waist though. Having goals, if nothing else, forces me to be more conscious of what I do eat.

I love meat and dairy way too much to give it up for long. But, when I do feel like I need to jump start my weight loss and cleanse my system of junk, eating vegan seems like a good option. I acknowledge the fact that meat and dairy can be the leading culprits of  chemically altered and genetically modified foods in my diet, so cutting them out for a time seems like a good idea. I don't have the money to purchase all organic foods and I don't have the willpower to last long on a fast. So, the idea is to trick myself into believing I am indulging (in unlimited amounts of the things pictured above), as long as what I am putting in my mouth is carefully thought through. Because I know my body responds well to limiting my carbs, I am careful not to over-indulge in the grains and pastas, instead, I go for the fresh veggies, fruit, lentils a nuts.

Here's what a halfhearted vegan day might look like for me:

Breakfast

1 Slice of wholewheat cinnamon raisin bread
Or oatmeal with raisins and light brown sugar
Snack
Handful of almonds 

Lunch

Large salad of mixed greens, walnuts, sliced pears, red onion and a red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil dressing

Snack

Hummus and baby carrots

Dinner

Corn on the cob with olive oil, garden salad, celery with organic peanut butter
Or lentil soup

Throughout the day...

Lots of water! I may sneak a cup of coffee, but I try to totally abstain from my Diet Pepsi  and any other carbonated drinks, specialty coffees, etc.

The idea is to skip calorie counting and indulge in endless amounts of fruits and vegetables. Whenever I get hungry I tell myself  "Self, you can eat as much as you want! As long as it is on this approved list of foods..."

Yummy carrot and ginger salad dressing (you know, the stuff you get at Japanese hibachi restaurants)! I made mine by blending up raw carrots, adding a couple table spoons of powdered ginger, salt and pepper to taste, a tiny bit of soy sauce, pinch of sugar, a table spoon of olive oil, 1/2 a table spoon of vinegar and some ketchup. Perfect! Use fresh ginger and cut out the sugar if you really want to get serious :)

This may seem pathetic, but it actually hits the spot on days I am trying to detox or eat lite. All I do is microwave some water, a beef bullion cube, mushrooms and sometimes a little onion. Bring it to a boil and enjoy. Not much of a recipe, but hey, it works for me :)

Other Helpful Links and Ideas:

• Here's an article I read today about the Skinny Vegan Diet: Skinny Diet
• Our other posts on weight loss can be found: HERE
• I've refered a couple times to Gwenth Paltrow's site, Goop for recipes and ideas on detoxing for weight loss and health. Find it here: Goop: Detox

Linked Up Here:

Join These Link-Up Parties!

Here is a collection of weekly link-ups we participate in. If you are new to blogging, link-ups are great because they are free advertising for your blog! They are also a great way to find cool new projects and ideas, or connect with others in the blogging community. You may be interested in joining in on one of these. *Remember to use good blogging etiquette: follow each site's linking rules, thank the host, leave comments, visit other linkers, and  spread the love! 

We're always looking for new places to link-up and will be continually updating this list, so check back again soon! Send us a message or leave a comment if you are hosting a weekly link party that you would like added to our list.

Information on our All Things Thursday weekly link-up 

can be found HERE!

Monday

• Made By You Mondays: Skip to My Lou
• Home Making Link-Up: Raising Homemakers
• Monday Link Parties: Craftomaniac
• Amaze me Mondays: Dittle Dattle

Tuesday

• Tip-Me Tuesday: Tip Junkie
• Teach Me Tuesdays Homemaking Link-Up: Growing Home 

Wednesday

• The Creative Spark: Clean and Scentsible

Thursday

• All Things Thursday Link Party: All Things with Purpose
• Catch a Glimpse Thursday: A Glimpse Inside

Friday

• TGIF Linky Party: Living Life Intentionally 

Saturday

• Saturday Night Special: Funky Junk Interiors
• Show and Tell Saturday: Be Different, Act Normal

Sunday

• Nifty Thrifty Sunday: Nifty Thrifty Things
• Sunday Scoop: I Heart Nap Time

Other Great Lists of Link-Up Parties Can be Found Here:

• The Girl Creative
• The Life of This Country Mama
• Dittle Dattle
• Over the Big Moon

Our Favorite Blogs to Follow

• I Heart Nap Time
• Red Fly Creations
• Funky Junk Interiors
• Lovely Crafty Home
• All Things Thrifty
• The Yellow Cape Cod

Loving Annoying People

Do you have any enemies? I don't like to believe I do. But, ya know what we all can admit to having in our lives? People we just don't like. People that get under our skin, that rub us the wrong way, that we don't agree with or we'd rather just avoid. These people can be siblings, parents, friends from church, neighbors or coworkers. With the holiday season upon us, maybe these are the people you're stuck spending extra time with...

I've had this passage of scripture tucked away from a sermon I heard several months ago. It's a good one, read it with me:

If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure to help him with it. (Exodus 23:4-5)

Now, the word enemy is a very strong word, so is the word hate. Unless you live on a farm, in the Middle East or in an Amish community, you may not be a costumed to speaking in terms of donkey's and oxen. Let's substitute a few of the words and try reading it this way:

If you come across your annoying neighbor's child or pet wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the child of someone who's generally annoyed with you heading for trouble, do not leave him there; take him by the hand and guide him to safety. (Exodus 23:4-5 paraphrased)

Now, from what I know of scripture, I'm pretty sure we're supposed to try and have a good attitude on top of all this. Notice, this passage is not directed at specific people (like "children's ministry workers" or "kid people"). Maybe you're not a kid person, or a dog person, the point is to go out of your way to help someone you don't like or that may not like you. Pretty counter-cultural don't ya think? Not only should our outward actions show love to those we dislike, "your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philipians 2:5).

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice. (Proverbs 24:17)

Or how about this:

Do not gloat when a person that annoys you loses. When the person you don't really like makes a mistake, don't secretly find enjoyment. (Proverbs 24:17 paraphrased)

The best way to handle feelings of hatred, annoyance, bitterness, and distrust is to forgive and let God handle the outcome. I'm not saying we have to be push-overs. There is a place for action and a time stand up for what's right. There are higher authorities put in place to protect us, and courses of action laid out in God's Word for dealing with people living in sin, when to practice tough love, etc. But, even when justice must be served, discipline must be administered, the truth must be told and corrections made, everything should be done through love.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:35)

Why love your enemies? Because, as I am always reminded when singing these words "...I will hold your people in my heart" God loves people. So often I lose sight of people, I forget how much God loves the world, what he did for the world. There are a lot of people that annoy me and cause me moments of frustration. I get frustrated with people in the media, people in my family, people that just don't seem to ever "get it." At times, my frustrations are grounded and legitimate, at times they are not. But what I really want is to be able to say these words with sincerity:

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
(Hillsong: Hosanna)

Messy Mondays: The Play Room

The dress up area has been my nemeses for ages.  Not because it wasn't picked up today, but this is what is looks like cleaned up!! It's the kind of thing that you don't even think about any more because it's been like this so long.

My book area is supposed to be sorted by size and be changed once a week, so the kids have a variety of books for their age.  

I don't think that has ever happened. 

Underneath this pile is a baby crib. It is a storage area for stuffed animals.  Natalie's poor baby is sleep deprived from never being able to fit.

Someday this will look better.  Happy Messy Monday to You!!  

And Happy 59th Birthday to my Mom :) ~Julia

For More Messy Mondays  >>  Messy Mondays

Messy Mondays

We all have struggles and short comings. Personality quirks, annoying habits, hangups and moments of hysteria. No one is perfect and yet, we are usually our biggest critic. I want to personally make sure that no one out there mistakenly thinks (even for a brief fleeting moment), that Julia and I are anywhere close to being perfect. Now, I realize that could come across slightly arrogant, simply because I must first be assuming there are people that really do think I have it all together! Arrogance aside, I just want to make sure we are doing our part to combat a very serious disorder that is targeting women across the country:

"Pinterest Delusion Disorder (PDD) - A serious disease in which moms start thinking they are failures for not (1) arranging their kids’ food in cool shapes for every meal, (2) not DIYing every piece of furniture and art in their homes, and (3) not spending hours designing homemade printables for their children."

Read more about PDD at Hip Homeschool Moms: Pinterest Delusion Disorder 

We do put a lot of time in here, at All Things with Purpose, to provide you with cool ideas, helpful tips and of course, lots of free printables! But we DON'T have it all together, and we DO have moments of mess and mayhem. I'll be sharing these with you every Monday, so tune in each week for an ego boost!

Linked up here:

This is guaranteed to make you LAUGH!!!

Often I struggle with the mundane aspects of my life. Instead of having fun, I sometimes just focus on the part that is boring or an inconvenience. So today, when I was preparing Jude for a bath, and just thinking how nice it was that he hadn't peed on me lately. He did right then. By the time I realized what was happening, my jeans were wet, my tennis shoes were wet, the floor was wet, and my hand that I tried to use to block the steady stream was wet. So, I looked on my iPhone camera and here is what I found.

My kids are a joy, and I am blessed to spend time with them.  (Even if I do have to repeat that to myself more than once a day :) My kids are not in the way of what I need to do, they are what I need to do. Sometimes I need to refocus and realize what my real priorities are!

~Julia

The Mighty Sock Bun

Lauren Conrad rocking a HUGE bun!

Oh, sock bun, where have you been all my life? Why have I neglected you for so long? I heard others talk of you, I saw the pictures. Why? 

This may not be big news to many of you, but i have medium length hair that is fine, straight and silky smooth. Oh how I've wished for long, wavy, curly, or even coarse hair. The effortless beauty that girls with long, wavy hair can achieve when they throw their hair up in a bun has never been possible for me. Mine usually looks like a tiny, tiny, sad little excuse for a bun. Now that I've discovered how easy this was, there is no going back!

The tutorial I used for making a hair donut and doing this is found here

Tutorial for making a super big hair donut here

There seem to be several different techniques used with this things. Because my hair is short, I simply put it in a pony tail, placed the donut over it, then teased the hair and pinned it all in place (see step by step below).

For more inspiration, simply search Pinterest for "sock buns" or "hair donuts"

Sad Bun :(

Step #1:  Pull hair into pony tail
Step #2: Place hair donut around pony tail

Step #3:
Tease hair so it lays nicely,
covers sock and semi resembles a bun

Final step: Pin everything in place
and use a healthy dose of hair spray!

Happy bun :)

Mom Style

Can I do this? Not sure if I really should, but it's happening. It's a fashion post. I've never considered myself anywhere close to a trend setter or fashion guru, but I do like fashion and I love clothes. I don't like spending much on clothes, most of my wardrobe was bought at a thrift store, garage sale or Kohls with a 30% off coupon. It's the challenge really, the hunt. How can I stay up to date with the latest trends while spending practically nothing. Here are some attempts...

Boots: Amazon.com, Leggings: Lauren Conrad at Kohls, Jacket: Thrifted, Shirt: Target Clearance Rack

Cardigan: Old Navy, Shirt: Gap

Shoes: Kohls, Pants: LOFT Outlet, Shirt: Elder Bearman Clearance Rack

Things I love:

Sparkles, Vintage, Skinny Jeans, Leggings, Stripes, Blazers, Southwest Prints, Chevron, Teal, Toms, Slouchy Boots, Color, Dresses, Cardigans, Layers and Loose Fitting Tops, Scarves, Sock Buns, Wavy Hair, Ombre Hair, Flats, Leg Warmers and Wool Socks, Hints of Neon, Hints of Animal Print, Button Downs, Belts, Lace and Oh So Many Other Things!!!...

Some Inspiration:

*Sorry that I couldn't track down any of the original sources for these photos. They were all found on Pinterest.

Freezer Meals and Once a Month Cooking

I've never officially done once-a-month cooking, but I do make a habit of buying in bulk, keeping lots of meal starting ingredients on hand and storing up meat (and everything else) when I find it on a really good deal. I keep a lot of stuff on hand in the freezer, including dishes I've made too much of, and meat I've cooked up and put in individual zip lock bags. I'd really like to gather a group of friends and try some kind of meal exchange! Using ideas based on these kinds of things:
Freezer Meals on the Cheap

Freezer Cooking

20 Tried and True Freezer Meals

Pictured Above: Some of my meat stash including chicken legs I divided up into freezer bags and covered in BBQ sauce so they will be marinated and ready to grill at a moments notice!

Below: My cheese stash!

My idea would consist of a group of 5+ women who would set a menu based on things that were similar in cost and everyone likes. Each women would cook up 5 (or 10 or 20) of 1 meal, then everyone would exchange and you'd end up with 5 different meals in your freezer!

Grilled chicken drum sticks are such a cheap, easy meal during the Summer. This is actually a high end price, many times they are more like .97 a pound.

I am horrible at planing out meals. Who doesn't have a day or 2 (or 3 or 4) that dinner time sneaks up on you and you've got absolutely no idea what you're going to make? I definitely need to plan ahead more and for me, having meal starters or ready-to-prepare meals on hand makes life soooo much better!

You don't have to buy costly prepared meals that are full of preservatives and harmful additives, just set aside the time to cook-ahead. Who's with me?! ~Sarah

Julia will be doing some once-a-month cooking in the next week, stay tuned for her post! I can't wait!

Hubba-Hubba: A Modesty Story

Is anyone tired of hearing about modesty? No? OK then!

I have a short story to share for this installment of Modesty Monday. It's a true story, but the names have been changed to protect the innocent :)

"Sarah!" my friend Michelle exclaimed. "I am so excited to show you what I found on clearance at Target today! I got a ton of cute dresses that are all super modest!" Alright, I thought to myself, let's take a look here. Michelle held up the first dress. "That's really cute!" I said. "I know," Michelle began. "Here's the thing, I have so much to learn. I think my mom kind of gave up on me years ago, because she never really told me what it meant to dress modestly. I've had it wrong all this time. For example, I tried on a lot of dresses today. There were a few that I really, really liked. But when I came out of the dressing room, my boyfriend Mark was like 'hubba hubba' then he was like, 'you shouldn't wear that.' And it totally hit me for the first time; I shouldn't be wearing things that make him say 'hubba hubba!' "That's right" I laughed. "The only time you should be wearing something that makes a man say 'hubba hubba' is when he is your husband and you are alone together!"


Everything else you ever wanted to read on the topic of modesty: I <3 Modesty

Fifty Shades of Compromise

Where do you draw the line? I have been shocked by the number of people, facebook friends and family members alike, that have referenced or admitted to reading the Fifty Shades of Grey books. I really was pretty unaware of this series until just recently. Where have I been?? Now, I am seeing it pop up everywhere! 

This isn't so much a book review, as it is a personal rant on how and why books like this even get so popular! Scroll down to the bottom for some links to actual reviews. In case you didn't know, 50 Shades of Grey has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for the past 16 weeks and has sold an estimated 20 million copies worldwide.

The world is corrupt, it's messed up. Duh. There was some really twisted stuff going on way back in ancient Rome too, which reminds me that sin is nothing new. For some reason, America has prospered and enjoyed God's hand of protection for many years. I'm not here to claim that the end is near or preach a dooms day message, but our country is changing. There are agendas being pushed that have drastically altered our way of life and the overall opinion of many Americans. This book series is just a piece in the sexual agenda that has only intensified over the years, now to the point of blatantly disturbing. 

There have been plenty of sexually charged movies and books released over the years that have helped pave the way. Singers like Rhianna can now release songs like S&M (and in case you don't get the song, you can watch the video!), which are met with chart topping success rather than disgust and horror. Because Magic Mike will, no doubt, be viewed by countless housewives, teen girls and grandmothers across the country this month, I believe we're well on our way to becoming completely comfortable and accepting of this sort of explicitally sexual entertainment directed at women. 

On the other hand, maybe there is something more we can learn from this! Is there something else going on in the hearts and minds of women across the country that books like 50 Shades of Grey are getting at? I just read an interesting take on this in a blog post written by Melissa Kircher, a frequent writer for Relevant Magazine and Simply Youth Ministry:

There has got to be something going on below the surface, because everything that women say they want, like equality in the workplace, home, finances, etc, is not in this book at all! Western society is doing it's d***dest to erase any kind of gender roles. Yet, here we are with a misogynistic, degrading novel and women can't put it down...

I do think that "Fifty Shades of Grey" hits a nerve in women. That perhaps there is some part of us that is disappointed and frankly exhausted from having to be a million and one different things. We would love to let go and have a man completely be in control, take care of everything and love us with the all-encompassing passionate love...

Does it sound ridiculous to conclude, that the lack of real men, the blurring of gender roles, the fight for women's equality and desire to do it all, has created this emptiness and driving need for something else in the lives of women across the country? A desire for the leadership of a man, maybe (that most woman would never actually admit to because it would contradict everything women have been fighting for all this time)? Could it be possible? Well, I'm not going to go there right now. Maybe another time. But think about it! :)

Shannon Ethridge, author of Every Woman's Battle, refers to this sexually charged shift in our culture as the Sexual Revolution of the Past 40+ Years. She defines this by saying, 

The Sexual Revolution actually isn’t about sex at all. It’s about broken people using other people, desperately trying to medicate their own emotional pain through sexual acts. It’s about loneliness… isolation… rejection… insecurities… co-dependency… selfishness.

Shannon is working on a book entitled The Fantasy Fallacy: A Christians Response to 50 Shades of Grey set to be released in 2013. Check out www.shannonethridge.com for all the great resources Shannon has put out on women's purity and guarding your heart. 

As girls, our minds are powerful things. Guys are visually drawn to pornography, while we are swept away on emotional fantasies and longings of our heart. Soap Operas and romance novels have long been a woman's emotional disconnect into this fantasy world. Personally, I have to be selective and practice moderation even when it comes to "christian" romance novels. Anytime I find myself lost in a book that glamorizes the leading man or makes me long for the perfectly scripted love life of the main character, I am reminded how quickly I can grow discontent with my own life and relationship in the real world. These books, however, take your average romance novel a step further by making their primary purpose; to stimulate sexual desire. 

Read Fifty Ways Porn Might be Sneaking into Your Church for a great list of biblical reasons not to read Fifty Shades of Grey. Dannah Gresh opens with this number one reason for not reading:

Let’s start with the facts. Fifty Shades of Grey is classified as erotic fiction. According to one online dictionary, this genre of literature is defined as that which has “no literary or artistic value other than to stimulate sexual desire.” I’ve been studying what God says about sexuality for fifteen years. According to Him, there is only one who should stimulate sexual desire in me: my husband. Since that’s God’s plan for my sexual desire, anything other than my husband creating arousal in me would be missing the mark of God’s intention. (Translation: it is sin.)

Jesus said it this way: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The same is true of a woman looking at or reading about a man.

Fifty Shades of Grey...Lady Porn and the Fall of Culture is another good blog post I recently read about Fifty Shades of Grey. Read here, an interesting conversation the author overhears while hovering over the book table at Costco:

One conversation in particular rattled me. A younger woman was holding the book [Fifty Shades] and pondering the purchase. She had an inquisitive and slightly guilty look on her face. An older women standing nearby happened to see the same inquisitive and guilty look and decided to engage the younger lady in conversation. . . . a conversation that pushed the latter to a tipping point. "Thinking about reading it?", the older woman asked. "Yes, but I hear it's a little dirty," the younger woman replied. At that point, the young woman's husband appeared behind her with their cart. Noticing her husband was now privy to the conversation, the young woman turned a little red and muttered something about her husband showing up. . . as if the conversation needed to come to an end. She looked like a guilty kid who had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. The older woman. . . probably in her mid-60s by my estimation. . . looked at her, gave her a little wink, and said, "It's ten dollars well spent." With that, the young woman placed the book in her cart. . . . and I watched her exchange a sly little smile with her husband. That was an interesting mentoring moment that says a lot about who we are and what we're becoming as a culture.

This is a loaded topic. As I have been scanning the internet for reviews and reading what other bloggers have to say, there is no denying that everyone wants to know the same thing: why, oh, why are these books so popular with women??!! For real, why the obsession, ladies? I have a feeling this question could be analyzed and debated till no end. What do you think and where do you draw the line?

Happy [Modesty] Monday

We're passing on tips and tricks, every Monday (all Summer long) that focus on the issue of modesty. I have 2 things to pass on to you today.

The first, is a really good article by Randy Alcorn. Read it!

Why Doesn't the Church Address Modesty?

The second, is that I found the greatest thing at Kohls this past week! I went with a 30% off coupon in hand, and found these super, super wonderful tanks/dresses which basically work really well for layering over leggings like an extra long tank top. You can't wear them alone, unless you're super skinny. Don't go away thinking I am endorsing this to be worn as an actual dress! What they are really great for, I am finding, is that really cute shirt that is just too short to wear with leggings. These tank dresses give coverage on top, while providing just a little more length on the bottom to cover things nicely. I got a size M which is pretty skin tight, but I'm not planing on wearing it without something over top, so it's just the right fit.

Derek Heart Tank Dress

(Olivia also got a new dress at Kohls for 4.99 that she wanted to model for the camera)

That's it for this addition of Modesty Mondays! Until next week,
~Sarah

P.S.
Jeggings are Pants and Other Common Misconceptions

Childhood Eczema and Seasonal Allergies

Taylor turned 4 years old this past May. About the time he had completely transitioned onto solid foods, he started having a lot of skin issues and flair ups of a red, itchy rash that would eventually split open and turn into open wounds all over his body. He also demonstrated what seemed like digestive issues and loss of apatite. He was always congested, and had watery, glazed over eyes. He would also go through periods of time with an extremely runny nose and sneezing fits which would result in bloody noses every night. We began researching what could be causing his issues, and thus, the long journey of allergy testing and experimenting with different medications began. 

We thought it was food allergies at first, and began experimenting by taking him off of dairy products, wheat, gluten, eggs, nuts, you name it. Sometimes there seemed to be an improvement, but not great enough to convince ourselves of an explanation. We had a very hard time convincing our pediatrician to do anything or give us anything. He didn't believe in allergy testing on a kid Taylor's age, and was convinced that he'd grow out of whatever it was he had. I was convinced there had to be something out there to ease his discomfort, so we continued searching.

This is Taylor's skin on a really good day. We've seen a lot of good days and bad days since he was born, but it's hard knowing that even on the best days, he's always uncomfortable. 

My advice for anyone concerned with the possibility of a food allergy, seasonal allergies or skin irritation, is to start researching, experimenting, getting blood tests or skin tests done if possible, and figuring it out through trial and error. I have many friends who were able to get a simple blood test done to determine their child's food allergies. We have not had an easy road, but have discovered what works best for us to keep Taylor at his best.

If you can, see an actual allergist who may choose to conduct a skin test. We finally got in to see an allergist after years of hearing from the pediatrician that allergy testing was not necessary. The allergist was a great listener and decided to do the skin test just to be thorough. He chose to test him for a broad spectrum of common environmental allergens (nothing food related). It was uncomfortable for Taylor, but just for a moment. The test results showed he was allergic to trees and cats. OK, so not real helpful as those are things that will be found literally, everywhere. There is no real way to stay away from them.

The allergist was concerned with Taylor's hearing because of how congested he is on a regular basis, so he checked his ears and prescribed the nose spray, Flonase (Fluticasone Propionate). The nose spray has been great and has almost completely relieved Taylor's symptoms of: runny nose, nose bleeds, itchy watery eyes, swollen eyes and dry skin around his nose and eyes. Yep, those are the symptoms he was experiencing on a regular basis and are now almost completely gone, as long as he consistanly uses the spray. The reason the nose spray works better than loading him up during the day with other antihistamines (like Benadryl, Claritin, Allegra, etc), is that it targets the medication directly at the spot it needs it most.

The allergist also did the best job of explaining what eczema is and how we can help treat it. He finally was able to assure me that there is nothing we can do to heal it completely or make it go away (I say "assure me" because I have been convinced for years that there must be a reason and a cure). For some, eczema may be a symptom of a food allergy. For Taylor, he is one of many that is more prone to eczema because of his seasonal allergies, but it is not necessarily a symptom. We can't cure the eczema, but we can treat it and keep his skin on the defense against it. Here is a list of things we have learned over the years may help fight off eczema and other allergy related skin outbreaks:

• Avoid all allergens that have been established as triggers for flair ups (environmental allergens, specific foods, certain kinds of animals, etc) 
• Use a free and clear (dye free, fragrance free) laundry detergent 
• Do not use fabric softener or fabric sheets 
• If possible, bathe your child as soon as they come in for the day after playing outside. Or, at least wipe their face off and wipe down their arms and legs with a wash cloth and slather on some lotion 
• Use a special, sensitive soap and lotion like Cetaphil
• Use specifically fragrance free lotions designed for sensitive skin 
• Cover their skin several times a day in a lotion like Aquaphore or Eucerin
• Administer an antihistamine like Zertec (cetirizine) at night (the allergist said Zertec, specifically, is best for eczema) 
• Treat open sores caused by the eczema like any other wounds, with a triple antibiotic ointment 
• Use a prescription strength cream like Triamcinolone Acetonide, Locoid Lipocream (hydrocortisone butyrate 0.1%), or Mometasone Furoate Cream on bad skin outbreaks (these are all tubes of ointments that we've used and it takes just a tiny bit to do a lot of good) 
• Keep skin protected with socks and shoes, long pants, etc. Limit the exposure of skin to grass and other allergens. 
• Use special allergy pillow case protectors to fight against dust mites and other allergens 
• Wash bedding on a regular basis in free and clear detergent 
• Keep bedrooms clean and clutter free - vacuum regularly. Wood floors are best, but keep carpet clean. 
• Limit exposure to pets that may have a heavy dander, like cats. 

We do our best to follow ALL these steps on a regular basis. I know it's a lot, but it's just a way of life for us. Start by checking out some reputable web sites. I really like the information provided on the Mayo Clinic site, and I know it is all trustworthy:

Mayo Clinic: Milk Allergy

Mayo Clinic: Food Allergies

Mayo Clinic: Eczema

Mayo Clinic: General Allergies

Childhood Allergies

Dr Sears: Eczema and Allergies

I hope this is helpful! Don't give up seeking the answers you need and figuring out what will work best for your specific child. ~Sarah