Weekend Recap

Finally Friday: 

 I had a busy day at work, a lot of different calls, had treatment at 2, it turned out to be a very scary time for me, they put the catheter in  ( TMI starts here)and was about to put the medication in when my syringe filled up with urine, it was weird because my bladder was fully emptied, so the nurse hurried to get it fixed, it took 3 catheters for it to finally empty.. and then i got very sick after wards, it was a long drive going home feeling so sick ...i got home and got in PJ's and stayed in bed til 9 pm, then I was up for a long time Saturday morning.. 

Saturday: WE had to be up for 10 am, Pastor needed to talk to me about some events that we have going on at our church, then they took Brooke with them for their son's birthday party, they had so much fun... here are pictures

 

The Birthday Boy 

Our Pastor and his youngest daughter, I wonder who is having more fun 

Eating Pizza

We took Brooke to buy her a clarinet after the party, she sure was excited, we bought this baby 

 told her she isn't allowed to ask for anything for 6 months :p It's a good thing we have one child because it sure gets expensive each year. 

Then we had to go get groceries, so super market and walmart for that..

While we were there, we came across this amazing huge pumpkin 

then i had to go to Telus about my cell phone bill, they made a ton of mistakes on my bill, it took a lot of fixing up, but I think it is finally taken care of. 

Brooke went to her friends for a sleep over so we took advantage of the alone time and went to Blue Canoe Restaurant for dinner, I have been craving this 

we never take pictures of us together though, hubby hates having his picture taken...we came home and had a great time home doing nothing and went to bed by 10 pm ;) 

Sunday 

I worked the nursery this morning because our morning nursery worker was away, I don't mind going down with the sweet babes. 

Brooke brought a friend home after service, so they hung out and I may have taken a nap

Sunday pm after service we had the annual NCC night at our house, last year we did this: this year we just went with a fire and roasting things like hot dogs and marshmallows, chips etc, it was fun

Some pictures

 

Brooke took this and she was much to far away.. oh well 

 

For Sept 29, this is much to hot and its C, so in Farehet it will be 80.6

Appreciate ...

While I was at work today, working away at my desk, I had my blog planner/scheduler beside me because sometimes at work gives me time to plan things...

I got this warm and fuzzy feeling about how blessed I am by the people I have met thru my blog, It's just over a year and wow, I am amazing 621 followers,I didn't think anyone but my mom and sister would read this, yet I have made friends to last a life time.

Friends that I would love to meet in real life, friends that I know would make me laugh, make me cry, share a coffee break, offer advice and just in general be the most awesome they could be

I am part of a great group on Facebook, I can honestly say, I feel so much closer to these ladies then some of my real life ones, Ladies I want you to know how much I love and appreciate you all, You make me smile just by coming and commenting or offering a little pick me up on my sad days, I love you guys and some day I can give you a big hug and a coffee:)

I never want to get to be one of those "big" deal bloggers who forget about the people who were there to help them get started, who was there to answer the HTML questions ( I suck at it), the ones who told you how to grow, we need to remember those people who helped us, I don't ever want to be up in the thousands of followers and to busy with blog stuff to go say hi to some of my favourite people, after all if it wasn't for them would you be where you are.

I would love to be able to have a income to match mine now from this blog, but I don't want that to happen if I am going to loose the real meaning behind this blog, I want other women to come here and be encouraged by Wednesdays for Women, I want people to be comfortable to ask for a prayer request or ask for some advice on some thing that bugs them, I want to be that shoulder they can lean on and know that I am there..

It is late and I am Rambling ( no pun intended:p)
but i want to let you know how much you are appreciated and loved and no matter what I am always here for you, even if we are not friends, I like making new friends and keeping in touch with old friends, I like to laugh and cry with you, I will visit your blog, I will leave you a comment even if you don't do the same ( even though that bugs me).

Please know I appreciate and love you ladies so much.

Enjoy your weekend

Beauty

When I found out our baby was a little girl, I immediately thought how I want her to feel like she is the prettiest girl in the world..
It got me to thinking about the enormous job of raising a confident, self-assured daughter.

It's no secret that there's an incredible amount of stress and responsibility that comes with raising any child, boy or girl. Teaching them right from wrong, guiding their moral compasses, making them feel loved and wanted, helping mold them into decent human beings and giving them confidence, while also keeping them grounded. It's more than any new parent can wrap her head around.

I knew in order for her to feel beautiful, I need to change the way I feel about myself, each morning when I look in the mirror, I think wow... I am so_________(fat, ugly, bloated, bad skin, etc) 
But I know I never want Brooke to experience those feelings, I want her to feel beautiful her whole life. 

God made each of us very unique and we are all beautiful, I know we don't always feel it, but we really are, I have gained a lot of weight over the past 2 years, I was a size 3 when I got pregnant, and now its embarrassing to say I am a size 16, I wish i could get rid of the extra weight but because of the medication I have to live with it for now, I used to always be scared that my husband wouldn't want a "fat" girl, I still sometimes still feel that way, he reassures me I am beautiful and he makes me feel like it.

I have always struggled with acne, I still have it badly, it is embarrassing because at 30 years old, i should not have to worry about Acne, it will sometimes break out often, other times not so much, I try to drink 8-10 glasses of water each day because I feel that this helps my skin... I appreciate any tips on how to get rid of this.

This acceptance of self is only something that you can do, our husbands cannot make us feel that way about ourselves, our friends, our family, no one, it is our story and we are the only authors.

Show your babies how to feel beautiful, if you struggle I will pray each day for you <3

Wednesdays for Women

To uplift and Encourage

A Bad Cup Of Coffee
Julia Bettencourt

---

""…Be ye holy; for I am holy" 1 Peter 1:16


I think everyone disagrees on what makes a good cup of coffee. With today's hot coffee trend, we try all kinds of flavorings and different ways of experiencing coffee. It used to be basically served black or with cream and sugar. There wasn't much variety. 

Nowadays, people like coffee served and brewed a lot of different ways. We tend to disagree on what's good. What we usually agree on is the basics on what makes a bad cup of coffee. It can be weak, bitter, stale, cold, or soured by something we put in it and we'd probably all agree that it tastes bad. Face it. No one likes to drink a bad cup of coffee. 

I don't suppose people like those bad tasting Christians they come across either. I wonder what type of coffee we'd be. 

1. Weak.
   When we are weak Christians, we don't have much faith. Sometimes when we are weak we don't know God's Word enough to know what we stand on. The way to remedy our weakness is to add some grounds.  Dig into God's Word and get grounded on the principles found in the bible. Study the attributes of God. Learn what you believe concerning doctrine and bone up on the basics of living the Christian life. Enrich yourself with a vibrant prayer life and rely on God's strength and not your own.



2. Bitter.
   I've known my share of bitter Christians and I've been there at a few points in my own life but if bitterness isn't dealt with, it starts growing and eating up your life. Bitterness doesn't leave a pleasant aroma. You can't do much with a bitter cup of coffee. No matter how much cream or sugar, or even how much whip cream you want to plop on top, the bitter taste is still there. You have to dump it out and refill the cup with a new fresh brewed pot of coffee.
   
   Isn't that just so like in the Christian life? No matter how much we add to our Christian lives, no matter how many good deeds we do, how many church programs we become involved with, if our bitterness is still there, we are still bitter and it hinders us in our Christian walk. What we need to do is empty all our bitterness and ourselves of self and then allow the filling of the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives.



3. Stale.
   The dictionary describes, stale as "tasteless or unpalatable from age". Do you ever get complacent about your Christianity? Just have lost that first love? It's easy to do, especially for those of us who've known the Lord for a very long time. We kind of get weary in well doing.
   
   I know we don't want to just sit as Christians and not do anything but we do. "Unpalatable" doesn't go far enough to describe us sometimes. I guess we need to freshen up. There's a worship chorus that says, "Holy Spirit fall fresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me." I think that's what we all need so that we will get busy for the Lord. We don't want to be Christians that just sit and get stale and tasteless.



4. Cold.
   You may have brought a cup of coffee to your lips that you hadn't realized had gotten cold. You think it's going to be warm and good and then you realize that it's cold. We get that way in our desire to serve Christ. We grow cold as a Christian. There are probably a lot of reasons. We get away from Christ, slow down in our bible reading and prayer life, stop going to church and pretty soon we are cold.
   
   What do you do to a cold cup of coffee? Most of us just add a little bit of hot stuff from the coffee pot. We go to the source of the heat. That's how we should do as Christians. Go to the Source. Get on our knees and talk to the Lord. Draw closer to Him and then we'll get warmed up in our Christian walk.



5. Sour.
   Have you ever tried something new in your coffee? With all those new flavorings and things out there, I'm sure some have. Ever tried something in your coffee that just left a sour taste in your mouth and that didn't agree with you? Or maybe you've put some cream that had gone bad into your coffee. That's a sure fire way to ruin a perfectly good cup of coffee.
   
   It's the same thing when we allow worldly and ungodly things into our lives as Christians. It doesn't agree with us because we are in the world but not of it. As Christians, those things sour us and basically make us rotten. We become ineffective in our Christian lives when we allow the things of the world to come spilling in.

I hope I don't prove to be a bad cup of coffee. This past Sunday our pastor spoke about being in the presence of the Lord. He used the verse, "…Be ye holy; for I am holy", 1 Peter 1:16 and was talking about how spending time with the Lord brings that sweet aroma. I think that's what this is all about. In order to avoid being weak, bitter, stale, cold, and sour as Christians, we have to learn to be in the presence of God more. 

Spending time with the Lord through prayer, bible reading and study is what's going to make us into those strong cups of coffee. It will allow us to let the Holy Spirit stir us. I know I need to work on spending more time with Christ. I think we sometimes take our time with the Lord lightly. I know perhaps I do. We think of it as just a devotional time or bible reading time but when we realize that we are spending time in the "presence of the Lord" it really puts things into perspective. He's a great and holy God and we have the opportunity to spend time with Him each day. He'll blend us to perfection if we'll just spend time with Him. 

So, what type of coffee are you? 

Packing Light

I was thrilled when I was asked to review Packing Light.
 It is one of those books that hit you really hard and really makes you think. It is very beneficial to any of us with extra "baggage" wheter it be from a past relationship, past job, past career etc.

 The Author brought in many examples from her life and how she had to pack light, it dont always mean packing light to "move", this book is deeper than that, this book will show you how to leave the baggage in the past and move on to the life God has for you

This book is one that will be talked about by me for many weeks, months and even years to come, it has made such an impact on me. IF we want to be fully awake and alert to his will and his promise, we need to learn to pack light. I challenge ytou to get Packing light , you are the only one who can make your ideas become a reality, if you dont do something about it, no one will

They are offering a book Free to one of my readers, enter via rafflecopter below






I was given this book in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts are my own. a Rafflecopter giveaway

A LINK UP

TODAY is the fifth month of something that I am VERY excited about (and hope you will be too!)!
 I LOVE discovering friends in bloggy world and so many of my bloggy friends say the same thing! Today we are continuing a monthly link up {on the 24th of each month} for those of us that are known as small tiny the petites in bloggy world! 
If you are a blogger who has less then 400 followers via anything "blog related" then this is your opportunity to make some new friends, find new blogs, and discover others in the petite section of bloggy world! 

The only rule is that if you are linking up you are a blogger with less than 400 followers in the area that you link up (GFC, Bloglovin, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.)! *smiles*

While it is not required it would be great if you shared the button with others so that everybody can get in on the fun! {You can find the new code listed on the side and can adjust the size accordingly for your blog!}

You are not required to follow me but it sure would be nice! *smiles* IF you do become a new follower leave a comment so I can follow you back! 

You can follow me on pinterest by clicking HERE.

  This month I am delighted to have two lovely ladies co-hosting with me! 
Shannon from Smile and Write (who you might have seen hanging out on my sidebar) can be followed HERE. And I am also excited to have Terri from Rambling Momma who can be followed on Bloglovin HERE!
Please take a minute to check out their sweet blogs! You will be SO blessed by both of them!! 
If you follow them please leave a comment so that they can follow you back! Stop on over and visit other blogs and make some new friends who are other petites in bloggy world!

Would you like to co-host? I have openings for co-hosting in January 2014! 

Send me an email at: caravansonnet (at)gmail(dot)com.

Weekend Recap

Friday: 

Work and I was the only one out of 14 that showed up for work, my supervisor was so thankful. Her and I get along very well, she is always so positive which goes a long way. 

I won tickets to the CFL foot ball game for Saturday evening, but because hubby has been away, we didn't have the time we needed to drive 2 hours for the game

The guy on the right is the "big boss" over the whole place, the other guy is always around, he works as like floor support and so knowledgeable. 

so I sold the tickets :)

After treatment I went home to nap and then some friends from church came over and yet again I didn't take pictures :( 

We had nachos, and brownies with ice cream, was sooo good and great company and so much fun. 

I had a rough time getting to sleep on Friday night, I hate when my hubby is gone, thankfully it was the final night of him being gone, I was so glad he was back earlier in the day on Saturday. 

Brooke had a friend come over and they all camped out in my room 

I was reading on friends facebook status about the good and the bad of the new IOS 7, so I bit the bullet and did it, it is so pretty, I like it 

I do find the battery isn't lasting very long though, but it might just be my battery I guess, do you have anything that you really don't like or really like about it?

Saturday

This was a pretty wasted day, hubby got home around 1 pm, so we all just spent time with him first then I cleaned and he did the lawn work, we were going to go out for dinner but we all fell asleep and did nothing...I put Brooke to bed early bc she was up late the night before so she was in bed and asleep by 9 pm, hubby and I then spent some time together watching hockey and just relaxing...

Sunday: 

Hubby woke up sick again( he was sick while he was gone this past week), he has a cold and ya know when a man is sick its always worst then any other sickness before :p

We did go out for lunch today, but the food wasn't very good, my meal didn't get eaten because I couldn't handle the taste of it and I hate complaining at restaurants, so I just had toast when i got home. 

Andrew didn't make it to church at all today so i went both services alone, I want my hubby to get better. 

So this week I am thinking about taking a break from Face book, it really makes me crazy, i just need to do this for me, I am not sure if I am doing it for sure, but wanted to give you all a heads up :) 

I Confess

Today I am sharing some of my confessions with you, I am linking up over here

I Confess:

- I feel like this week flew by, I had so many projects to get done while hubby was away and I did'nt get them all done, but I am so thankful he is home tomorrow and we are having a date :)

- I am addicted to buying notebooks, i feel like I cannot have enough ever... maybe I should take a picture of all the notebooks I have... :p

- I am looking forward to a girls night with good food and laughter.

- It is hard being a single mom, I applaud you single mom's out there, you are my hero and please know you do a great job always. What's on your mind to confess this week

Answers to IC questions

IC Symptoms & Treatments

September is IC month and I am so excited that you wanted me to answer some questions, in fact what im going to do is post my story that was shared on "New Beginnings" website, they approached me and asked to share my story about IC, so here it is below, if you still have questions leave them at the bottom and I will answer in another post. 

My interstitial cystitis symptoms. It was back in 2011 when I first got “sick”- I had no idea what was going on with me. I had many trips to the Emergency room, and every time they told me there was nothing wrong. I was having bladder infection problems, a lot of pressure and a burning sensation, nothing was helping at all They told me to go home and relax. I was so tired of them telling me it was all going on in my head. Finally I saw a gynaecologist who wanted to do a procedure with my bladder. I would be anesthetized during the procedure. The gynaecologist *tried* to stretch my bladder, he said it was full of tiny pin holes that bled when he stretched it. He then diagnosed me with interstitial cystitis.

What is Cystitis?

Here’s the medical definition: interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition characterized by a combination of uncomfortable bladder pressure, bladder pain and sometimes pain in your pelvis, which can range from mild burning or discomfort to severe pain.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) symptoms include:

• Pain in the pelvis, or between the vagina and anus in women. In men, an interstitial cystitis symptom is pain between the scrotum and anus
• Chronic pelvic pain
• A persistent, urgent need to urinate
• Frequent urination, often of small amounts, throughout the day and night. People with severe interstitial cystitis symptoms may urinate as often as 60 times a day
• Pain during sexual intercourse- I have not yet experienced this one

There is no cure for interstitial cystitis, but it isn’t something that will kill you (such as a terminal disease like cancer). However, the pain is very hard to deal with.

What is Like to Live With Cystitis?

Being diagnosed with interstitial cystitis has changed my life.  I never know when my cystitis will flare up,  never know when it will be triggered by a certain food or drink.  IC symptoms are also triggered by stress. Everyone has stress, but my eating habits had to change. The list of foods I cannot eat is huge. I can’t have any tomato based products, spicy foods, anything acidic, nuts, or processed foods. A lot of fried foods also trigger symptoms of interstitial cystitis. It’s so hard when we go to friends house for dinner, or out to eat at a restaurant.

I get  treatments twice a week for chronic bladder pain. My interstitial cystitis treatments contain several medications that help repair the lining of the bladder. I also get medication through a catheter each Tuesday and Friday. I am hoping they help with the interstitial cystitis symptoms soon! I am on Elmiron for the pain – this is a very expensive medication. Without insurance it costs about $500 per month. I am so thankful for hubby’s great health insurance!

The treatments for interstitial cystitis really affect my mood and personality. I am usually a very happy person, but lately I’ve been having terrible mood swings, a lot of anxiety, and chills and night sweats. I usually sleep with a fan going at night to help me sleep.

Tips for Living With What Cystitis Brings

Never give up. The best advice I can give to anyone dealing with anything life throws at them (not just living with Interstitial Cystitis), is Never Give Up! Never ever give up, keep going, let the love from family and friends get you through each day

Write, write, write. Keep a journal and write in it when you feel like life is too much for you.  Every day I am so thankful for my husband, church and family and friends. They keep me moving forward through the treatments and symptoms of interstitial cystitis.

I am open to talking more about what cystitis is, how to cope with IC symptoms, and how to deal with a diagnosis of  interstitial cystitis.

I am also guest blogging over on my good friend Kera's blog today, check it out here

Wednesdays for Women

Wednesdays are for Women- to encourage and Inspire, to uplift one another

Letting God carry your burdens

There is a time for everything, a season for this and a season for that. 

There is a time to bear a care in solitude, and a time to share a prayer with a friend. 

We need the wisdom to know when to shoulder responsibility, when to delegate, and when to cast it all upon Jesus – our incomparable Burden Bearer.

Sometimes I have to have a cry, then wash my face, and get on with it! I know I must bear the thing alone. 

Another day, when I was burdened beyond belief after watching a loved one suffer, a friend came to me and touched my hurt with tenderness, mending the raw edges of my helplessness. 

Such love brought a blessed buoyancy that helped more than I could tell.

 Someone cared enough to help make my burden bearable. Yes, there is a season for sorrow, a time to bear another’s burdens.

But there comes a time when only God’s shoulders are broad enough to carry the weight of my worry. Then crushing burdens become carried burdens. Yoked to Him, I can plow my lonely furrow, walk a straight path, cope with the intolerable, and figure out the impossible. Then, having been carried, I am sent on my way strengthened to help carry another. I need to pray:

Show me when to share, Lord – Commission me to carry, Lord

And teach me not to burden one of your special children, if I must bear my burden alone!

Wife After God

I was so excited when i was offered a copy of Wife after God.

I heard all sorts of good things about it, but never had the chance to find out for myself, WOW, i received it on a Friday evening and wanted to wait til the beginning of the week to read it, it was so hard to not open and just devour the book all at once, it took self control. 

I would recommend every married woman whether you have been married for 1 week or 50 years, this book is one that you should read and take lots of notes very closely, I feel like my life has changed from reading anf studying this devotional.  It's not just a book that you can pick up and put down then forget about it, it is a transforming journey 

This book is such a great resource for wives looking to invest in their marriage and invest in their relationship with God!!

This is a 30 day devotional, so every day she addresses a specific marital issue. On each day there is fairly short study (which is very Biblically based) and then she has journal prompts to help you go deeper and then she even has practical challenges to help you apply the lesson to your marriage.

I have shared it with a lot of people, I want to be the woman God wants me to be, the Wife he has called me to be, he gave me my husband to love, nurture, take care of, he gave me this guy who is my forever Best friend, my forever I do, so why wouldn't i want to be the wife God has planned for me. 

This book touches on my topics that apply to marriage such as 

Intimacy within Marriage

Praying for your husband

Who we are called to be

The list could go on. 

It was a pleasure to work with Jennifer and this book will be treasured forever. Thank you so much Jennifer 
Jennifer is so kind to offer a copy of this book to one of my followers, open world wide 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I recieved this book for my honest review, all opinions are my own

Grade 5

Dear Brooke,

WOW, Baby Girl this year is Grade 5, 

You’re are 10 and a pretty smart girl. You’re growing up and gaining a lot of wisdom. Here are some things that I want you to always remember going into Grade 5 

1. You are loved. Soooo loved! By everyone in your family and so many others.
2. You have lots of friends – some will stay with you for a lifetime and many will come and go. This is life. Always be the best friend you can be and if it doesn’t work out, don’t make it about you. You’re a really good person.
3. Love yourself. No one is perfect and we always have something we could be better at; sometimes we make mistakes – learn from them and move on. Take responsibility for your part, resolve to not make the same mistake again and forgive yourself.
4. Love your body. You are beautiful. You don’t have to be skinny or tall to be beautiful. Beautiful comes in all shapes and sizes. Take care of your body – exercise and eat healthy and you will be beautiful.
5. Do the best you can in school and don’t worry so much about what your grades are.  Believe in yourself. I believe in you, your dad believes in you, and so does everybody else in that list up there of those who love you. You’re going to be great at whatever you choose to do; the only thing you have to do is believe in yourself.
6. Don’t be afraid to work hard. I know sometimes it sucks to have to work hard at something, but if you can work at it, without giving up, you’ll find it gets easier. I promise. But you can’t give up! You’re only giving up on yourself. I will never give up on you and neither will your dad.
7. Don’t stress about the cool kids. The less you care about them, the more they will care about you. Don’t ever do anything just because someone else does it. Trust your gut – it’s a really smart gut and will keep you out of harms way. Don’t worry if the cool kids don’t think you’re cool- it’s not because of you- it’s because they don’t believe in themselves. Trust me – you are very cool.
8. Don’t be defeated by “no.” You will hear it many times before you hear “yes.” But also know that sometimes no means no and it’s important to respect that. When you respect the no of others, they will respect yours. Learn to know when you should push or when you should respect a “no”. I know it’s confusing now, but with practice you’ll learn to know the difference
9. You can’t change people. Not men, not your friends, not your mother or your father. Accept the ones you want to accept, move on from the ones you don’t (except your mother or your father, of course). You won’t look back, I promise.
10. When you feel down, find something that makes you happy, listen to music, draw, write a song or a poem. You are very creative and when you are doing something creative, you will find peace and happiness.
11. Know that you are in charge of you and you can choose to feel any way you want to. It takes work to be your own master – don’t let the thought monsters control you! You can control them! Don’t accept defeat, just keep working at it. Even I struggle with those buggers from time to time. Know that it will all be ok, especially if you love yourself and remember that your dad and I will always love you no matter what- you’re never alone.
12. Don’t believe the negative thoughts and stories that sometimes pop into your head – they aren’t true. Go back and read all of this again- this is the truth!
13. There will be times when you think you hate me, when you are angry with me and there will be times when I am angry with you. That’s ok. Be angry, but be honest with yourself and know that even when I am angry with you – I still love you. The love I have for you can never be broken or taken away from you. It is a constant you can always count on.
14. Please know that I am not perfect, no one is and I will make mistakes, too. I promise to always do my best to recognize those mistakes and work on myself.  You are my teacher and I am yours

 As you enter Grade 5, with a brand new teacher- my prayer for you this year is to strive to be the best you can be, you will do as your teacher ask you, you will complete all projects within the time frames.

Go Baby, make us all proud of you. Mommy and Daddy loves you to Infinity and beyond I hope you enjoy every moment of Grade 5.

I love you with all my heart. You are my greatest gift