Buy One Get One

The Hubby and I started a business with Amway almost 5 years ago.  It has been a great way to meet new people, buy great products, sell products, and make extra on the side by helping other people do the same.  

In honor of Mother's Day coming up soon, I am running an Artistry Light-Up Lip Gloss promotion - buy one get one 50% off OR buy 2 get 1 free!  They come in 5 delicious colors so choose your favorites to give or keep! 

These make great gifts for any ladies in your life!  Just send me a message for details and I will send them to you immediately! - says the village idiot 

Bucket List

Today I crossed something off my bucket list that has been a year in the making.  

I exclusively breast-fed Little Lady until she was 6 months and then continued to nurse her several hours a day until she was a year old.  I had a lot of time on my hands.  I checked Facebook a bazillion times, wrote emails, played endless games of Solitaire, 4 Pics 1 Word, Words with Friends, and many other things.  It wasn't until a friend started a "read the Bible in 3 months" challenge that I realized there was something much more productive I could be doing with my time.  So on May 6th of 2013 I started reading the Bible as part of a read-through-the-year app on my phone.  

I started reading thematically, meaning I have not read it straight through Genesis to Revelation, but have jumped around based on different passages and books that cross-reference each other.  It has been quite a year!  I started this endeavor not quite knowing if I would stick with it as I have attempted reading the entire Bible through in a year before and quit before the end.  

Today, I am exited to be able to say I completed my mission!  

I have learned so much.  By taking the time to read a small section each day, I felt I have really been able to absorb so much of what I have read.  Several months into the year, I switched over to reading the actual Study Bible instead of the Bible app on my phone and that made all the difference.  I was able to read the notes alongside each passage and really learn so much more about the context and meaning of the verses.  Thankfully Little Lady still takes 2 naps and even after I stopped nursing her back in November, I set aside the hour of her morning nap for my time with Lord to read the Bible and start my day right.  

As I read the last passage this morning, I was overcome with emotion (sappy I know), as I realized that each day for 365 DAYS I have met the Lord to read His word and learn more about Him.  To see it come to an end is quite emotional!  

Now I know what you are thinking - it doesn't have to end!  Start again! And I have contemplated that.  But for now, I think I am going to focus on reading different commentaries and studies on specific books of the Bible.  I read King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus Christ by Timothy Keller that looks at the life of Christ as told in the gospel of Mark.  I read this book while simultaneously reading the gospel of Mark in the Bible and it profoundly enhanced what I learned.  I would love to read more books like this, while going back to the Bible and re-reading books.  Does anyone have any studies or commentaries you would recommend for my next year?

Read the Bible in a year - Check! - says the village idiot 

Lab Rat

This past week I signed Little Lady up for a study...a research study.  

I'll clarify - a couple months ago while at a local farmers market, I was approached by the Johns Hopkins University Laboratory for Child Development to sign Little Lady up for a research study.  Since then, I have taken Little Lady to participate in about 5 age-appropriate studies.  

Now, you might wonder what would make me sign up for this.  It isn't paid.  Little Lady does get to choose a small prize at the end (a book, stuffed animal, onesie, etc), but other than that, the incentive for me was just something different to do!  Johns Hopkins University is not far from where we live, and I simply aim to schedule our appointment for a time that works well with nap time and lunch.  

Little Lady has done great for each study, and by "do great", I mean she sits there and participates as best can be expected for a baby/toddler and we have thus far made it out each time without crying or a break down - success in my book!  Each study that we have participated in lasts about 4-8 minutes and we are in and out with a free parking voucher and small prize!  

This particular study was titled "Short-term memory limits in infancy." Sometimes I cannot fathom that there is funding for this type of study.  This study involved Little Lady sitting in a high chair and participating with the researcher in the form of a simple hide-and-seek game.  

Little Lady passed with flying colors - or so I was told.  

After the study, Little Lady I chose this new book for her collection! 

If anyone is looking for something different to do, don't hesitate to give the Lab a call! They appreciate the volunteers and I always learn a little something about child development! - says the village idiot