mommyapolis

Today the boys and I are getting out our Valentine decorations and beginning to get a little “February Festive”…  This is one of my favorite activities we do all year!  For the first 14 days of February we are going to do one “Love Job” a day. I type out each of the jobs and put them in the jar.  We then pick one piece of paper out of the jar each day and complete that job!   You can see a list of last years “jobs” on the right hand side of this blog.  This year we are doing some of the same jobs as last year and some new jobs, as well. Here is a list of what we are going to do for our Love Jobs 2011!  Please share any different jobs you are doing in the comments section!

1*  Fill a grocery bag with food items from our pantry and deliver it to a food shelf!

2*  Make a list of three people you will pray for each night this week!

3*  Find one toy of your own that you would like to give to a child who may not have many of their own.

4*  Choose one book from your collection that you would like to give away to a child who may not have many of their own.

5*  Bring a homemade gift to your teacher and tell her you appreciate her.

6*  Make a special treat for a neighbor!

7*  Help make a meal for some friends.  Invite them over to enjoy it with us or help deliver it to their house!

8*  Draw a picture for a friend or family member and mail it to them!

9*  Take some money from your piggy bank and give to the children’s offering at church.

10*Bring lunch to Daddy and eat it with him at his office!

11*Buy flowers for someone who might need their day brightened!

12*Help clean something in our home!

13*Write down three things you love about your brother and give it to him!

14*Host a Valentines Day Brunch for your friends and/or neighbors!  (This one is date specific so I will put it in the jar on that day)

Today I brought the boys to a new trampoline park in the area called Skyzone (click for website)…  It’s located in an industrial park just off of 494  in Plymouth.  All I can say is “AWESOME”.  I am not sure who had more fun, me or my boys!  It was a BLAST, and I’m pretty sure I got a workout too…  We attended what they call “Toddler Time” which is on Tuesday’s and Friday’s from 9:30-11:30.  The cost is $8.00 per FAMILY and that includes your shoe rental.  They offer a variety of other fun activities for older children and teens, as well.  You can find that information on their website but here is the jist…   They offer birthday parties, corporate team-building events, church camps, field trips,  fitness classes, 3-D Dodgeball, as well as cross-training for athletes of all ages and levels.  They also offer open jump time for all ages!

My boys had a blast jumping from square to square, tossing balls at each other and jumping into the big foam pit!  After about an hour of jumping they were exhausted so we took a little water break and went right back at it.  All I will say is they both took great naps today when we got home!  A tidbit you’ll want to know:   You need to fill out a waiver the first time you go.  You can print the waiver out and bring it with you (to save time) or you can fill it out online. Once they have you in their system the waiver is good for one year!  I can’t wait to go back, it really was so much fun!  I think we really needed this in Minnesota, it gives us something to do on those cold winter days (or hot summer days).  I highly recommend it!

I am a huge advocate for “Bare Escentuals” make-up.  My favorite product that they sell is their lip gloss.  I LOVE IT…  I LOVE IT so much that I am very cautious of it’s location in hopes of keeping it safe…  I have one tube that was a gift and when I thought it was “LONG GONE” I broke down and purchased another tube for $15 (spendy, right?).  Then, LUCKY ME, found my first lipgloss in my winter coat pocket (it was there all summer, poor thing)…

Recently I have been spending a lot of my free time thinking about what we have, what we don’t have, what we need, etc..  My greatest confession is that I can easily get caught up in our financial situation.  My husband works in youth ministry with a little photography business on the side and I am a teacher.  A dream that I have had since I was a young girl has been to be a stay at home mommy.  I love teaching, but this is something I’ve always wanted.  Financially it’s probably not the best decision for us at this time.  As I watch my boys grow up and realize that my dream is slipping away it takes me back to “lipgloss”. I would GLADLY give up lipgloss if it meant I could stay home with my boys, GLADLY…

That’s not my point, however… My point is this:  We live very comfortably.  We have a home, car, food, toys, clothes, entertainment, education, great jobs and LIPGLOSS.  We don’t think twice about spending $15 here and $10 there on non essentials like lipgloss.   We are SO FORTUNATE.  SO FORTUNATE…

My two tubes of lipgloss will feed our World Vision Sponsor Child and his family for ONE MONTH… ONE MONTH, that is my point.  I think we should all take our lipgloss money and use it to help someone less fortunate.  That is also my point!

So take the lipgloss challenge, use your lipgloss money to help someone else.  Here is a link to World Vision …  or if you have a favorite charity by all means go there.  February is a great month to share your love…

We are fortunate and every time I wear my lipgloss I am reminded of it.