It’s my Baby Brother’s Birthday – and I would be remiss NOT to talk about him today. He is probably one of my best friends. He probably doesn’t know it because we’re not the chatty, do everything together kind of best friends. But he’s a good guy. He knows me. He still likes me (or at least pretends to) and doesn’t hold it against me that i was rough on him as a big sister. But enough about me,...

Mother’s Day was lovely – hope yours was too!  Got to spend the Saturday before with my mom, and then Sunday with Roy’s mom.  The girls took me to Panera for supper (SCORE!) and it was a pretty lovely time! Last week was finals.  Ucky.  Hard work.  Still recuperating.  New semester has already started, so no time to lollygag – gotta buckle down again.  WILL BE GLAD WHEN ITS DONE!   Girls Tball games start this...

Most folks in town “farm” in their backyard if they farm at all, right?  There are a number of books on the subject, actually. It’s becoming more popular as people learn to produce their own goods to save money and learn about self-sufficiency.  If we had our druthers we’d live on a piece of land with a backyard farm. For now?  We farm in our basement… That’s where mommy & daddy guinea pig are – Mr. & Mrs....

This weekend, Reality came knocking on our front door.  It’s not like we have lived in a fairy-tale world, but I will say I was surprised by just HOW differently I imagined our perspective to be from what it really has been. Reality Set in: When Chick #6, affectionately nicknamed “Gimpy” died.  We were rooting for the poor little thing, but underdeveloped legs prevented growth and the poor itty bitty thing couldn’t hang...

It has become second nature for women to defend themselves. For untold generations, women have been hurt, taken advantage of, and diminished in their value. With the advent of the Women’s Liberation Movement, women came out swinging against the injustices they’d endured and, in the process, they lost something of great value—their vulnerability. There is something so inviting about vulnerability. Vulnerability is armorless. Vulnerability...

Men are highly sensitive to signals of doubt because doubt plagues them. If you continually give off signals of doubt, you will confirm the fear of inadequacy that lurks deep within your husband. If a man believes he doesn’t have what it takes to please you, there’s not much chance he’ll attempt romance.  “A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands” (Proverbs 14:1). Doubting your husband and...

Does Daylight Savings Time throw you for a loop?  does your body get out of whack – your kids wake up (or maybe NOT want to wake up) differently – does it take time for you to adjust to the time change? It does me.  I can’t seem to get enough sleep.  My sense of time totally changes.  Honestly, sometimes, I think I’ve been living in Daylight Savings Time for the last two years! Little Man celebrated his 1st birthday...

Book Title:  The Beautiful Wife – Focused on Christ, Fulfilled in Marriage Author:  Sandy Ralya Published: 2012 My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Overview The Beautiful Wife uses these inspiring stories along with biblical principles to guide and encourage any wife looking for God’s best in her marriage. The Beautiful Wife answers serious questions women have about their roles as wives. Discussing everything from romance and money to...

by Sandy Ralya of Beautiful Womanhood photo source My husband and I were reading a financial book about how to make your money grow when one of the principles jumped off the page at me: What you focus on grows.  Because it’s such a simple principle, I couldn’t get it out of my mind and began applying it to all areas of life, especially relationships. Most women have the desire to grow a more intimate relationship with their husband yet...

I was contacted by Anita from  I See Me! Personalized Children’s Books and asked if I would be interested in providing a review for the product.  I eagerly agreed, and was able to set up a personalized book for Little Man who is ONE YEAR OLD today!!! Happy Birthday, Little Man! God Loves You! is the Book of the Month in March for I See Me! Personalized Children’s Books. It won the Mom’s Choice Award and Creative...