Waltz With Us {guest post}

Hey Friends! Here is a bloggy and real life friend! Maegan over from Waltz With Us is here sharing a post on what's important!

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Hi all! :)

SO excited to be a part of this guest blogging frenzy! I went to high school with Megan, taught with her for 6 years, and now we share this incredible bond of mommy-hood. So far, I think sharing mommy-hood with Megan has been the best so far. It's been fun to share stories, ask for help!!, have play dates, and watch our two little ones grow into these beautiful toddlers. We both share a love for Christ and that's #1 in our lives. He has been SO faithful to both of us and we are so humbled by his goodness!

Collins: almost 19 months {my wild sweetie} & Harper: almost 1 year {Meg's cutie pie}

So, when Meg asked me to do a blog, I had no idea what to write. I started that first paragraph up above and then it hit me.

The sermon Sunday morning. It has just stuck.

I'm the farthest thing from being a minister and the last one to tell you what to do. But, the sermon on Sunday is something I want to share and I hope you can benefit from it as well. It was simple. Beautiful. The truth. What I needed to hear at the very right moment. I love how God knows what we need right when we need it. :)

The sermon was broken up into 3 parts. 

First: Life in the Lord is a blessing, not a burden.

Because it's all about what HE does, not what we do or what we are supposed to do. He gives...in Jesus His love, His pardon, His kindness, and His care without ever expecting anything in return!

Second: Our relationships with one another matter more than the rules.

This is what the Lord wants and intends on our journey together. The rules He has given us are meant to enhance our relationships. We don't live to try to keep them; they exist to help us so that we can have the joy and richness He wants our relationships to have in Him.

Galatians 5:22-23 The Message (MSG)  LOVE THIS VERSION!! 22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. 23-24Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

Third: People are so much more important than things.

They are to the Lord and he wants them to be to us. With His help, He wants us to make the welfare of others the priority of our life out in the world...to express His care for them by showing that their needs do transcend the priority of our things. It can be our most powerful witness to Jesus!

Wow. God is so good. J Have a wonderful rest of the week!

Thanks for letting me be a part of your blog week Meg! I had fun! :)

Follow the Waltz family at:

www.thewaltzs.blogspot.com

See you there!

Love,

Maegan

Caudill Connection {guest post!}

Following my Guest Posting week...here's another great blog you should check out -
Caudill Connection!  She's a new Momma so her blog is quite similar to mine in our topics these days!

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Hey there Blissfully Burton readers! I am Sarah from Caudill Connection (LINK: http://caudillconnection.blogspot.com/) and I am so excited to be guest posting for you today. Before we get to the meat of the post, here are a few tid bits about me: I am definitely the new kid on the mommy blog block as I just started blogging in May 2012. My lil pride and joy, Raegan, who was born in February was definitely my motivation.  

So let’s get to the point of this post…..new recipes! Megan is great about posting her new recipes on Blissfully Burton but I have to admit this is one of my weak areas. I end up fixing the same quick easy meals over and over and my husband is usually less than thrilled, lol!

So I made a deal with myself that I would attempt TWO new meals each month, read about the previous recipes here (LINK: http://caudillconnection.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-recipes.html). For August I decided to make Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken and Slow Cooker Taco Soup.

 The Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken (LINK: http://www.food.com/recipe/hawaiian-crock-pot-chicken-467722) was from pinterest and it was not a hit in our household. For one I overcooked the chicken, yikes! But the taste just wasn’t pleasant to either of us; I guess to each their own as some of you may love it. I believe we both ended up eating a BIG bowl of cereal before bed this particular night : )

For the Slow Cooker Taco Soup I actually picked a little from two different recipes to make one that I liked because I just couldn’t decide which sounded better ha ha! The first recipe came from here (LINK: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/taco-soup-recipe/index.html) and the other from here (LINK: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Taco-Soup/). This was definitely a winner, YUMMY!!! We actually warmed this up again later in the week and had it for dinner again, ummmm this pretty much never happens in my household so that is a BIG deal! Next time I am thinking of trying a chicken version instead of beef, what do you think?  I need some inspiration here people!

I’d love for you to come on over to Caudill Connection (LINK: http://caudillconnection.blogspot.com/) and follow along as I continue to navigate through this new thing called motherhood. 

Thanks Sarah!

Pigtails & Pacifiers {guest post!}

Hi friends! With the start of school and trying to get back to a routine of being a working Momma, I've had a few friends offer to blog post for me! I must tell you, these posts are so fun and I love the perspective they are bringing to Blissfully Burton!

Harper, Brian, and I will be back soon to share in all that we've been doing; but for now, read a little bit about Brandi from Pigtails & Pacifiers on Parenting Styles!  Make sure to check out her blog, too!

As for Brandi's readers - thanks for hopping over here...sit and stay a while! :)

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Hello Blissful Burton Readers! I’m so excited to be posting for Megan while she gets readjusted to school starting and balancing the at home life, especially with Miss Harper on the move! I’m Brandi from over at Pigtails & Pacifiers, mommy to Brooklyn Grace & (trophy) wife to Stephen.

I thought long and hard about what to write about today, the choices were massive, but I finally decided on the topic of Parenting Styles.

My parenting style is what I guess one would consider attachment style, like bordering on being the crunchy granola type. We baby wear, breast feed, cloth diaper, *still* room share, and actually {gasp} just weaned Brooklyn of the swaddle. Now I know that my style is not what is best for everyone, it just so happens to be right for us. I have to admit though, I never saw myself parenting this way. I grew up in Dallas, and was a card carrying member of big hair, high heels, shopaholic, and fiercely independent woman club. Even once I moved to Virginia and fell in love with my husband, we loved being a dual income no child household. We vacationed all the time, enjoyed fancy dinners, and frequented our area’s night life. I remember cringing when babies would cry and interrupt our dinner, now I’m the mom with my baby strapped to my chest in the Bjorne at all our summer festivals (still wearing my heels though). I worked as a nanny for 4 years, I always envisioned myself going back to work, yet here I am taking a year off from teaching to be home with this sassy face.

I can honestly say I NEVER imagined myself cloth diapering, I thought “Why would anyone put themselves through that extra trouble? Disposables are so easy!” Yet again, here I am making monthly trips to the Diaper Junction to try out new styles. If you’re interested in hearing more about this journey here is my post on it. People always say never say never, and holy cow am I one prime example of this! I never thought that parenthood would take me the places that it has, but I have truly loved every second of it. And one day, when I get my room back, I’ll finally have the space to reflect back & enjoy it all :0)

Xoxo,

Brandi

Baby on Board! Guest Post!

Guess what?! I was asked to be a guest blogger! :) I know, right? So fun! So, go visit my post "Baby on Board!" with Brandi over at...

Thanks so much for asking me to post! It was fun! ;)

PS- I was thinking of having a link-up on "what's in your diaper bag?" Anyone interested? Email me or comment if you are!

Guest Feature Post!

Oh my gosh! I'm so excited!!
Jen from

is featuring little ol' me on her Mama's-to-Be Monday!

Go on over to her neat blog and check out my post!!

Thanks so much Jen, it was fun!!

*If you're visiting from her blog, welcome! Go back to the Home button and stay a while! :)

Happy Monday!!