SpoonFullofJelly

At the beginning of 2017 I made goals for the year. I started the year off right like everyone else. I made plans to accomplish them, I added them to my calendar and remained positive. Check out my 2017 Goals  here. However, after a couple months, life gets in the way and some goals are forgotten. I believe that we need some form of quarterly check in. Perhaps this will help keep me on tract. I'll keep this in mind for 2018. I concentrated on every aspect of my life. I will provide a candid view into what I hoped to accomplish in 2017 and what actually happened. The Spiritual   R ead and Journal Through 2 Books of the Bible This did not happen. Sadly, I didn't focus on two books but rather journal through one part of Proverbs and began a devotional at the end of the year. My lack of accomplishing this task makes it seem as though this wasn't the most important goal of the year. It would have certainly strengthen other areas of my life. This is going right up to...

All I wanted for Christmas has finally arrived. I couldn't be happier than I am right now! Glory be to Him! Merry Christmas you you and your family and friends! Love, The Maruki Family

Thank you for tuning into our "What We are Reading" posts each month. In the last three months of  the year things got a little wacky as we welcomed our first child. I did read a book in November, but perhaps it was nothing more than colorful picture baby books. (This post contains affiliate links. Please see my  disclosure policy  for full details. * The Thrift Book link provides a 15% discount for you and I! ) Now that 2018 is around the corner, I want to give a recap to what we have read through out this last year. Some books that we read are books that we have gotten from the library and others we have purchased. We get our books from Thrift Books . This site sells used books for a fraction of the cost. I usually only buy my favorites and recently, children classics. In 2017, Hubby and I managed to read a ton of books. These books were across the spectrum. I don't think either of us have a particular taste in books. I do however, do not like romance novels, ...

When a woman tells her insurance company that she is expecting a baby, she is loaded up with tons of samples and free goodies of baby products. Every registry provides goodies from businesses clamoring for you to buy more and more. These free items let you sample before committing to a whole bottle or full serving size. If you are adopting, you may not get those items from the insurance company, but that doesn't mean that you have to totally miss out on the goods. Adoptive families, make sure to get your free share of goodies too. We have butts to change, and mouths to clean and feed, too. I have listed many companies that I have received items from over the past year or two. I even listed some that I have yet to receive items from. To make this list easier, I have grouped them into 3 categories: Pay for Shipping, Totally Free, Subscriptions. This should give you a clear understanding of what you are getting yourself into. Pay for Shipping  1. BabsyBooks.com These items a...

Happy Holidays! We are winding down the year and Hubby and I might actually get to read a book this month. We are spending most of our day with a two month old baby. We have been working our buts off trying to sleep train him, but sometimes I feel like the joke is on us. But that is a story for a different day... Welcome to the end of 2017, this is what we are closing the year with: Maruki (Myself) One Thousand Gifts : A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are This book has been hot on the scene for a long time. I have put off reading this book, but now is the right time. I'm interested in learning more ways to bring joy to others as I have noticed a greedy streak forming around me. Co-workers, friends and neighbors all have been greedy even this time of the year when gifts are apart of the season. Hopefully, what I learn here can be apart of my mission of 2018. A Renewed Heart This is a devotional book that I received nearly 5 years ago. It just sat on my books...