Unstoppable Movie Review & Giveaway!

Welcome back readers!! I have had the chance to review Kirk Cameron's latest documentary titled,"Unstoppable". It was filmed after the sudden death of a family friend left him with a potentially faith crushing question: Where is God in the midst of tragedy and suffering?"

After returning home from a trip with his wife, Kirk is told the news that a family friend (age 15) has died of cancer. Heart broken and shaken Kirk is inspired by the age old questions, "why did God let this happen? Where was He?"  It then follows him as he travels and prepares to attend the funeral. On his journey he begins with.....the beginning.The creation story is beautifully told and illustrated in a way that is out of the ordinary and I was reminded how beautiful and romantic Adam and Eve's world was before sin entered in. And goes on to answer said questions.

This film is very thought provoking and faith assuring. I imagine it would be a great comfort to those who watch it as they are suffering.

This film was also awarded 5 doves from the Dove Foundation for family friendliness. In other words, it's safe to watch with your kiddos. Though I don't think the younger ones would quite understand the concept and some of the imagery may be too harsh for little eyes.

The only part I wasn't crazy about is the music. This film is set to very hard rock music. I don't doubt that the lyrics are more than likely Christian, but you can't understand them due to the volume and intensity of this "music". I'm sure Kirk is trying to appeal to a younger audience by adding this music, but to me it takes away from the message.

UNSTOPPABLE is Kirk's personal and inspiring visual journey to better understand the biggest doubt-raiser in faith: Why? Kirk goes back to the beginning—literally—as he investigates the origins of good and evil and how they impact our lives … and our eternities. Reminding us that there is great hope.

Kirk Cameron says about "Unstoppable" : "It's easy to get excited about your faith when things are going well in your life. But when your whole world comes crashing down on you, the questions start: 'Where is God when I need him most? Why do bad things happen to good people?' UNSTOPPABLE is a journey, based on a true story, that has become the most personal and transparent project I have ever made regarding my faith. Together, in hundreds of theaters across America, we will discover with our eyes wide open, that life is stronger than death, good is stronger than evil, and faith is stronger than doubt."

Unstoppable was available to watch in theatres for one day only -- September 24th. If you missed that then you will be happy to hear (as of January 28th) it is now available for purchase on DVD. Run time is 65 minutes and the suggested retail price is $14.99.
I also happen to have a copy to giveaway!!
To enter this giveaway comment below how you would answer the question: Where is God in the midst of suffering?

Thanks and enjoy the trailer to "Unstoppable"




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q4mgHNSBi4&feature=player_embedded

*Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for this giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

**Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that i would mention it on my blog. regardless, i only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"This Is Our Time" DVD Review & Giveaway!

I had the opportunity to review the newly released Christian film by Pure Flix, "This is Our Time". So the hubs and I sat had a date during nap time on Sunday afternoon and watched the DVD.

I have to say we thoroughly enjoyed this movie, though make sure you grab your kleenex as it is a tear-jerker! So what is it about?

Ethan, Luke, Alé, Ryder and Catherine are five friends connected by their strong faith. After graduation, they each set out to make a difference in the world for God. Their ambitions are high, their passions are strong but will they have the courage to fulfill their calling regardless of what comes their way. The sacrifice they are asked to pay may just be too high. Through godly wisdom from an outside source, the group realizes that this is not their time after all, it’s all His!

The best part about this movie is that it received 5 doves from the Dove Foundation, and that is VERY important to me! I love not having to worry about one of the boys walking in on a movie (or sitting down to watch it with us!) and seeing something inappropriate. There was no nudity, sexual content, drug or alcohol references or foul language. A 5 out of 5 in my book!! AND as if that's not enough, remember Catherine (Erin Bethea) from the movie "Fireproof"? Well, if you liked her in that film, you'll love her in this!

If you want to watch this film yourself, you can go to www.pureflix.com and purchase it....OR you can win one right here!! Fill out the rafflecopter form below and enter for a chance to win this amazing DVD yourself!




a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Cowgirl Dirt Giveaway Winner!!

 Congratulations to Alyssa Walker, your name was chosen as the winner!! Please send me (beckedy1003@hotmail.com) your mailing address so I can get your Bodacious Botanical Lip Goss in the mail.

Alyssa has 48 hrs to claim her prize before another winner is selected. Thank you to everyone who entered and look forward to more reviews and giveaways in the near future!
|

Modest Monday and a Birthday!

     This Monday isn't just any Modest Monday, today happens to be a very special day....my hubby's birthday!!!

     We have been busy this weekend visiting out of town family and celebrating the day my love was born. I know that it's his birthday, but I absolutely look forward to this day! I love spending the day making sure he knows how special he is to me and taking time to praise God for creating the perfect mate for me. I can't imagine my life without him!

 **I love you babe, Happy Birthday!!!**



   As I said, this weekend we visited some out of town family (my brother and his wonderful family!) We had a great visit and I always leave wishing we could stay longer. my beautiful and very fashionable niece gave me a bag full of clothes from her closet (can I get a whoop for free clothes?)
      So this week's outfit is what I wore to church on Sunday. And the best part about this outfit is that every bit of it was FREE! Every piece was given to me as a gift or "hand me down". The beautiful maxi dress is from my niece :) Thanks Kasey!

Also, the Cowgirl Dirt Bodacious Botanical Lip gloss Giveaway end tonight at midnight (CST) so don't forget to enter!
 And once again I am linking up at Deborah & Co for Modest Monday!



 



 

Modest Monday and Cowgirl Dirt Review and Giveaway!!

I find myself guilty of the ultimate blogger's no-no: I took a hiatus. Why? Because I let my critics get to me. I was verbally attacked on more than one account and my blogger account was hacked and all of my most controversial posts (including drafts) were deleted. So you may see me rewriting new posts on subjects I have already covered.

The purpose of this blog is to encourage other Christian stay at home moms who have higher or different standards for themselves and their families. What I write may not always be popular, but trust me when I say it comes from a place of encouragement, not judgement or criticism.

Now on to the fun stuff....

First, I am starting a new series! Every Monday, I will be linking up with fellow bloggers on what is affectionately called "Modest Mondays". It will feature one or two outfits I have wore during the week that fall into the guidelines we have set for our family of what is modest in dress.

This weeks outfit, I wore to a First Birthday party! Some dear friends of ours were celebrating their daughter's first birthday and we had the honor of attending. This particular day was uncharacteristically chilly. We live in the deep South, and the weather has been VERY unpredictable lately. So when I planned this outfit, I had planned to wear sandals with it, but changed last minute to boots.

You will learn very quickly that most of my wardrobe is thrifted (i.e. goodwill, second hand sites, gifts etc) and that I don't like to spend over $15 on an outfit.

Jacket: secondhand site $5

Shirt: gift $0

Skirt: gift (Originally from Cato's) $0

Boots: secondhand site $10

Makeup: Cowgirl Dirt

 

 

And yes to the keen observer, I am sporting a 18 week baby bump! Baby boy #4 is on the way!! Due July 29, 2013

 

I have also linked-up at Deborah & Co for Modest Monday. So if you need more encouragement click the button below!

 



 

I have also had the privilege this week of reviewing products from the makeup company Cowgirl Dirt. According to their website, www.cowgirldirt.com:

 

"Cowgirl Dirt products are made with the purest organic ingredients. Our collection of mineral-based products not only enhances your natural beauty, but also contains vitamins, nutrients and anti-oxidants that nourish your skin. You can be confident that you will not only look your best, but feel your best when wearing Cowgirl Dirt!"



 

The products I tried were:

Deep Sea Masque

Mineral Powder Foundation in "Cremello 3"

Concealer in "Light"

and

Silverado Cream Eye Shadow in" Milk Jar"

 

 

The first night I tried the "Deep Sea Masque", and was amazed! It was easy to use and made my skin super soft. It comes in a powder and all you do is wet your hands and face, apply liberally, allow to dry and rinse off. And the best part was the smell! It left a faint smell of peppermint behind, yum!

 

For the rest of the week I tried the makeup and fell in love!! I was skeptical of the coverage of an organic powder foundation but I was proven wrong. My favorite product is the Silverado Cream Eye Shadow. It goes on silky smooth and doesn't crease!!

I will definitely be placing an order soon!

And this gracious company has allowed me to giveaway a Bodacious Botanical Lip Gloss to one of my readers!!

 

**You can earn two entries! **

1.All you have to do is leave a comment here saying which product you would like to try.

2. Go like my facebook page Boys & Butterflies, then come back and comment that you did.

 

Good Luck!!

This giveaway end at midnight CST 3/11/13

 

 

 

The Problem with Modesty....

 Is that it looks different for everyone! How each of us live this conviction out, will look different because God created us all to be different. And this has created a problem for me!

**WARNING: I'm about to get really frank and REALLY personal. Some of you may get offended by this...**

You see, I have always dressed how I  wanted to dress without any thought of how it made other see me or how it would affect them. So when I felt the conviction of modesty and did some research (mainly reading other Christian modest blogs), I immediately thought that I had to look like them and do what they did. I mean, after all, they were home school moms too and they all looked  like they had it ALL figured out.
So I threw out all of my pants, high heels, heavy makeup, grew my hair out long donned a denim jumper, refused to watch secular TV or listen to secular music and waited for things to fix themselves.....
But to my surprise, everything got worse! And I had no clue why, I mean I was doing everything right! I looked the part, I was homeschooling, and I was saying "no" to the things I was "supposed" to being saying no to. So why was my whole family miserable? Why was I constantly snapping at and losing my patience with my husband and my children?!
In my own selfish/self righteous world, it was because I was the only one who was being "set apart" from the world and the only one who was "dying to self". If Mr.B wasn't happy, it was because HE was the sinner, not me! And the boys? Well, they just didn't know any better!!
 I would get on my knees and BEG God to change THEM because they "just weren't doing the right things"!
 Things weren't horrible (please don't misunderstand me!) but did I really want to look back on my life and say, "Well things weren't horrible!" NO! I want to look back and say, "Wow! My life was amazing!"
I became so frustrated because I would read the Bible or hear a sermon and feel the conviction to live a life that isn't conformed to this world...I was so confused. If this is how we were supposed to be living, why wasn't it working?!

So I gave up....I bought some new skinny jeans, chopped all my hair off, got out cable hooked back up and tuned in to the local top 40 station on the radio.
But the weight on conviction was heavy in the back of my mind. It was like the elephant in the room that no one else could see. When I would look at myself in the mirror, I would see the old me. The me that didn't know any better. But this time, I did know better.Sure I felt more comfortable living like this...because it was easy.
And yet, I was still miserable. I was still critical of my husband, except instead of being critical of his television choices I would find other things. There was always something that someone else was doing that they weren't doing "right"!
I was being "me" again- the "me" that everyone else likes, but I felt hollow...and guilty.
So I did what I should have done in the first place...I prayed! I begged God to show me what to do! I asked Him, "what was I doing wrong?""Where did I go wrong?""Why weren't we happy?"
I didn't hear a booming voice from Heaven, nor did I hear His still,small voice.
So I got on here Friday night and rambled, and wrote this. Reading it now, I realize I wasn't writing it to you-my readers. I was writing out my prayer- my frustrated, confused prayer. And then I felt it, that peace "that passes all understanding". It was like He was saying, "Becky don't worry, I got this!"

The very next day I came across this blog The Peaceful Wife (if you have the time,please read this testimony. I could have written it myself! The first half anyway!!) I devoured her videos and all of her posts.
And then it hit me-- I am the one who needs to change! I can't control anyone, but myself. I didn't even realize I had the desire to control anyone! But that's what I was doing when I would stand there in my modest attire and criticize my husband!! NOTHING modest about that!

I was FLOORED!! and completely humbled... I cried my eyes out in shame. And then I once again began to beg God for change. But this time, I was begging Him to change me...
In the beginning of this journey to become a Titus 2 woman, it was more about doing/saying the things that I thought I was "supposed" to being saying/doing. But now, I have realized it's about being me...but a better me--a more Christ-like me (isn't that our goal as Christians?). I am still a piece of work, I have not "arrived". I mess up...alot! And I'm sure I will backslide again, but that is what God's  beautiful grace is for!
God doesn't want us all to look like we came from a cookie cutter. That would undermine his beautiful design. He created us all different...on purpose!
So now I am working on me (or should I say, GOD is working on me!). I'm not worried about anyone else ("let go, and let God" right?), their convictions are between them and God. Our relationship with our Savior is a personal one and not for me or anyone else to judge.
And while I don't feel like I have to wear a  denim jumper to be modest, I still feel like skirts are more modest. I want my rear to be out of view, people! LOL
But do I feel like I need to have waist length hair? No, but I probably will grow it out again, for femininity's sake ;) Do I have to wear skirts to the floor? No, but I do love me a maxi! As far as jewelry, I've never been one for a lot of jewelry anyway!
So that's what's going on with me! I'm learning to be comfortable being this "new creation" and learning to let go of the "glory days". God has better plans for me, than I EVER had for myself :) So I know if I work on me, and give him everything and everyone else- He'll take care of it!
I'm in a good place!!
LOVIN' MY JESUS!!

P.S- My blog friend Jacie over at Munah's Cupcake wrote a similar post a few weeks ago. Please go check it out and tell her I sent you! She's a gem!

Oh, and I've linked up for "Modest Monday" with <center><a href=" http://www.themodestmomblog.com

Blog Makeover!!!!!

Boys & Butterflies will be getting a makeover this week, in appearance AND content!
I started this blog with the intention to encourage other Christian mamas. But it (and I in return)has become something it was never meant to be.
I am confessing that those who called me judgemental were right! And I can prove it:

Yesterday as I was in the Dollar Tree, I saw 3 buzzed head, heavily tattooed guys walking up to people and asking them something. My immediate reaction (almost subconscious!) was, "Are they asking for money?!" So I inched closer and was SHOCKED by what I overheard...they were handing out Bible tracts and asking the recipient if there was anything they could pray for!!

I turned the corner and hung my head in shame...
I am more than embarrassed at my judgmental thoughts and I'm thankful that others couldn't hear them.
It led me to ask myself this question: When did I become like the Pharisees? Looking the part on the outside and saying all the "right" things (and posting them on facebook!) but my inside is as ugly as...sin.

So that's what I did, I confessed it as sin and begged God to forgive me! Now I'm trying to get back a place....even though I'm not sure where or what that is.

All I know is that in trying to live a holy life, I have pushed all of my friends away (and blamed it on "no one wants to hang out with someone who has a bunch of loud kids") and have lost "me".

So I'm doing  A LOT of praying and soul searching and trying to figure out who I am again, and what exactly I AM  supposed to be doing. Because what I have been doing...isn't working!!

So my first step is to make this public apology to those that I have judged harshly. I am truly sorry if I have done anything in a "holier than Thou" attitude or offended you by anything I have put on Facebook or if I have pushed you away. Now is the time that I truly need some friends, and I find myself lacking...

And just in case yesterday's episode wasn't enough of a wake up call, God showed me this in our nightly family Bible Time:
 " God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
     Other people see you from the outside, and sometimes people will judge you by the way you look. But God doesn't care how you look on the outside. Why? Because God is wiser than that; God cares about what you are on the inside-God sees your heart.
     If you're like most people, you'll worry a little bit about the way you look (or maybe you worry a lot about it). But please don't worry too much about your appearance!
     How you look on the outside isn't important...but how you feel on the inside is important. So don't worry about trying to impress other people. Instead of trying to impress other kids, try to impress God by being the best person you can be."

Talk about "divine revelation"!!
God will use whatever He can to get to us, and yesterday he used 3 tattooed guys and my children's devotional....

My second step is to give B&B a makeover, this blog will now be the home of all things thrifty and crafty-anything to save you money! From homemade baby items to couponing to Thrift Store finds, oh and also my side business who shares the same name!

Please give me some feedback on this one! All comments are open :)

                    

5 years ago, today.....

Five years ago today, this is what I was doing:

 I was welcoming my first baby into this world! Oh! How time flies!!! It feels like it was just yesterday that this picture was taken. I can't believe this sweet baby:

 has become this handsome FIVE YEAR OLD! :

 This kid is...amazing! He seriously amazes me everyday. He's the best big brother anyone could ask for:

 

 

He even keeps the monsters away!

 He's incredibly hilarious, and you'll never guess what he'll do or say next to have you laughing:

He's so smart, and so thoughtful for his age! He's very sensitive to others around him and is wise beyond his years.

My first born holds a special place in my heart and each birthday I can see that he is growing up to be a wonderful young man, and is no longer my little baby...
That thought....makes me excited for his future....but a little sad that his "babyhood" passed so quickly-in the blink of an eye...
FIVE...that's not a baby any more!

Happy 5th Birthday sweetheart!!!

Giveaway Winner!!

The winner of the "Becky's Beary Cute Hats & Creations Giveaway" via put-all-entries-in-a-bowl-and-let-my-son-pick-one, is HOLCHA!!!!!

Congratulations!! Please contact me and pick your prize!

Thank you to those who entered and to those who support me and what I do! Please look for another giveaway (and review) coming in the next few weeks!!

Kindergarten here we come!

I am so excited that we decided to stick with our decision to homeschool this year! I was equally excited when curriculum catalogs started coming in the mail....that excitement quickly became intimidation as I poured for hours over these catalogs and fellow homeschooling mom blogs trying to decide which curriculum we should use.
When we made this decision, I had no clue there were so many options! So after a lot of prayer, catalog scouring and A LOT more prayer we have decided to go with (drum roll, please!) ..................................

Rod and Staff ABC Series (plus GHI). This is technically their preschool workbooks, since the company starts at first grade. However, the material covered (plus some phonics) is what one would learn in Kindergarten.

I went to Rod & Staff's website (which I love b/c you can look through workbooks so you know what you'll be getting!) and fell in love with these workbooks. Bubba isn't a fan of workbooks. Correction: he isn't a fan of  doing worksheet after worksheet after worksheet. But that's the best part of these workbooks, at this level the child only completes 2-3 pages per day! It also offers a very gently approach to learning and eases the child into new concepts so that they don't become overwhelmed.

So we ordered then, and waited...the workbooks arrived within a week! Fantastic shipping time considering this is the high of "curriculum ordering season"!
I opened the box and this is what was inside:

This series was originally called the ABC series, but they have since added GH and I. It seems like an easy curriculum to go through (for the parent). No real planning, except to figure out how many pages to do each day. The suggested pace is to start with "Adventures with Books" and then follow with each of the subsequent workbooks in order. However "Bible pictures to color" and "Bible stories to read" are to be used along side whichever workbook you are currently working on. The website suggests 3 workbook pages each day, but every 3rd day replace the 3rd worksheet with one out of BSTR and BSTC (the coloring page corresponds with the Bible story read!).
We will also be using "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" for phonics. And we will throw in some lap books for fun!

I am uber excited to begin. I love new adventures!!!

Please, if you have a blog, feel free to leave a link to your blog so I can visit yours!

Becky's Beary Cute Hats & Creations Giveaway!!!

Since we have reached the 15 fan milestone, I would like to thank my loyal readers (new and old!) by giving away one custom item (winner's choice) from "Becky's Beary Cute Hats & Accessories"!!!!!

What is that?! You may ask. Well, if you didn't know, I LOVE to crochet! So I started a little side business of custom crocheted hats and accessories.

So the winner of this giveaway will get to pick out any item from my store for free!! This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) and will end on Sunday, August 5th.

How to enter:
You will have 4 chances to enter!
1.) Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect (it's free to sign up!)
2.) "Like" BBCH&A on Face book and comment here (with your email provided for contact should you win)
3.) Leave a comment on this blog post telling me which item you would choose and why (with your email provided for contact should you win)
4.)Share this post on FB and comment here that you did (with your email provided for contact should you win)

Thank you for all your support!! Good luck!!

Mama Guilt

OK ladies, I want to talk about something serious today.

Mama guilt.
If you know what I'm talking about then you've been a mom for longer than 2 days. If you don't, then you're probably not a mom LOL!

For those that don't know what Mama guilt is, I'll explain. Mama guilt (as defined by yours truly ;) ) is the feeling that a mama gets that makes her feel like the worst mother in the world! What causes this feeling? It can be anything from not breastfeeding (yes guys, moms that have a desire to breastfeed feel extreme guilt if they are unable to) to wanting/needing to go on vacation without the kids (and for me this would include going to the store by myself! LOL)
 It, sadly, can also come from other moms! You know what I'm talking about ladies. When you make a decision (whether it be choosing NOT to breastfeed, working outside the home or whichever form of education you choose for your children) that another mom doesn't agree with and they give you that look. The look that says, "Well aren't you selfish!"
It can also come from a mom who doesn't intend to cast judgement upon another mom, but that is passionate about her choices. I have been guilty of this myself. And I feel horrible that I have caused a fellow mom to doubt her choices.
There are several blogs that I follow and look to for encouragement, and these women are very passionate about what they are writing. As a fellow writer, I understand that :)
But I read something today on a blog (and I will paraphrase) that said that if a mom chooses to have a career and work outside the home she is selling her children's souls. Because she is choosing money and satisfaction over raising her children herself. It also went on to say that when, said mom, faces God on judgment day; she would tell Him her accomplishments and He would admonish her that it came at the cost of her children's souls.
Talk about Mama guilt!!
Yes, I am planning to homeschool my children, but in the back of my mind I hope to go back to school one day.
I understand that this blogger was trying to encourage women to take their roles as "keepers of the home" (Titus 2:3-5) seriously, but she completely alienated those who also feel a calling to work.

I 'm not here today to decide whether she is right or wrong, and I won't try to persuade you otherwise. I only want to say that as moms we have got to stop making each other feel bad about our parenting choices!
You do what you feel (and have prayed about) is right for your family, and I'll do what I feel lead for mine! We were all created different with different talents and desires and our parenting choices will reflect that.
I also want to say that (most) choices are not permanent. So my choice to homeschool next year, is exactly that. To homeschool next year! Will I homeschool the next year? Who knows?! We may get into it and decide that we love it and couldn't imagine doing it any other way...or...I may get into it and say "What was I thinking?!" And would then PRAY about it and do something different the next year.

I guess what I'm getting at is, pray about the choices you make for your family. And then be proud of them! And of yourself!! You are a great mom, so get rid of the guilt and tell the devil what he can do with it!
Love,
Mrs. B

Not Backing Down!

The enemy has been on my case lately. He's practically made camp on my back porch. Whispering doubts in my ear to the point that the wall that I have been building was down. And then he attacked, loud and clear! And sadly, he used someone else's words to do it. Whether this person knew it or not, Satan was using him/her to break my spirit...and it worked.
By yesterday, the enemy's taunts were ringing in my ears and by this morning my reserve was gone. I was ready to be normal.
So I woke up this morning and begged God to give me....something. I didn't even know what to pray for. I was craving some sort of encouragement. I needed to know that what I have been doing is the right thing. Or would it matter if I slipped back in to being "normal"? I needed to hear from Him. But I got nothing...He was silent.
Discouraged, I got up, put on a pair of jean,s and let the boys watch whatever they wanted. This, to some, may not be a huge deal and to most probably sounds very trivial. But in our home this was pretty big.
Then I checked my facebook, and I found these words of encouragement from my wonderful husband ,

"I want you to know how proud I am to be married to such a Godly woman, a woman who can stand up for what she believes in, and a great mother and wife who shines Gods light in our home. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!"

And this from my pastor:
When you become tired and weary in the work of the Lord remember, "for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

I prayed a tearful thanksgiving to my Lord for using these men to lift me up when I was giving up.
So to the devil I say, "Go away! You are not welcome here! In the name of Jesus, you will leave my house not to return! I will keep being the woman God has called me to be. I will keep His standards for myself and my children, not yours or this worlds!"

On a side note, if anyone would like to know what I have decided in regard to the superhero issue. Bubba (new alias!) will be phasing out of secular superheros, and will be encouraged to look up to Bibleman and real life heroes. I am just not comfortable with him looking up to characters that go against God's standards.

Mrs. B

Comment Section Changes

So after some harassing comments from someone "anonymous". I have changed it to where you must be a registered user. If you have any questions on how to do this, please contact me through facebook. I am sorry that this has changed, but I will not allow me or my family to be harassed by someone that isn't brave enough to use their own name.
love,
Mrs. B

What I learned from having pink eye...

Exactly two weeks ago, today, I woke up with pink eye! I have NEVER had this in my life, so I was mortified!! It made me feel germy, ewww!!
So because of the dreaded PE, I had to throw away my current pair of contacts (what a pain b/c I only have one pair left!) and ALL of my eye make up. I was distraught! Anyone that knows me well, knows that I don't go ANYWHERE without my concealer (hello raccoon eyes!) , eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara - go ahead call me high maintenance! To this Mr. B replied, "So? What's that gonna cost? Like ?10 bucks?"
Oh Mr. B, who lives in boy land....what can I do with him?? I love him, but he had no idea! Mascara alone would cost $10!!
So since I am ever frugal and budget friendly (I refuse to call myself cheap), two weeks later, I still haven't bought any makeup :/
But I have learned a few things in the past two weeks that I would have never learned without getting the funk:

http//:www.hispanicvoice.wordpress.com

1.)Mr. B prefers me without makeup (big plus!!!)
2.)It's pretty nice to be able to spend a sweaty day outside and not worry that my makeup has slid down my face and that I now look like an extra from "Night of the Living Dead".
3.)My niece (who is a lover of makeup herself :)) said I looked "fresh faced"! I took it as a compliment :)
4.) I feel like I look younger??
5.)I don't really have raccoon eyes-they just look that way in comparison to the face I'm used to seeing in the mirror.
6.)That face that I was used to seeing...wasn't mine....
7.)God made me, so those freckles that I "have" to hide are there on purpose.
8.)Makeup can act as a mask. When I've been up all night with NKOTB, it's too easy to cover up the dark circles with concealer and when someone asks me how I'm doing to say, "fine!" When actually I'm exhausted beyond relief and could use a break.
9.) It's OK to not look perfect all the time. Flaws can be pretty too!
10.) I actually like myself without make up :)
11.) I wish I would have gotten pink eye years ago!!

http//:www.trend-setters.co.uk
Penelope Cruz-with and without makeup

Now don't get me wrong, I will probably go out and replace my makeup (maybe ha!). But at least I don't feel like I "have" to wear it, or I can't leave the house! It's very liberating to like myself just the way God made me.....freckles, dark circles, brown mousy hair and all :))

My Blog is PR Friendly!

PR Friendly

PR & Giveaways
Do you have a product that you'd like reviewed & featured on Boys & Butterflies?

In order to be reviewed, products must be related to:
Biblical values

cloth diapering
breast feeding (when I have a LO nursing)
baby wearing
families
homeschooling

babies/children
craft products

When a product is reviewed on my blog, I will include a link to your site (or the site of your choice, including social network sites). I will mention the review on Facebook so that followers can see the product for themselves. A sample product will be required for me to review (shipping at your expense).

Giveaways are also welcome (and encouraged!) And if one is included I will announce the winner on Facebook and  B&B along with what they have won. I will then email the winner with your contact info. It will be the winner's responsibility to contact you from there.You will be responsible for shipping this, at your expense. If you are interested or have any questions, please email me at beckedy1003@hotmail.com

To homeschool or not to homeschool that is the question...

As Super Kid (aka Travis)'s last week of school has come upon us, I have been scouring the Internet trying to decide what homeschool curriculum we will use for next year.

image by www.homeschoolprograms.biz

All of this year (Travis' first in K3) I have been an emotional wreck and have felt like I have missed out on so much! Which led me to the realm of homeschooling.
There are several reasons that I want to homeschool. The obvious being that, I get to see him all day. I get to see his face light up when he finally gets something we have been covering. I get to teach him to read-how cool is that?! The second is that, I was bullied/ picked on/messed with/ called names all the way through school. I still haven't figured out why, I never really thought I was that weird! But looking back I think it was because I was an easy target...and I know that now because I can see it in Travis. He is his mother's son. My boy is so sweet and tender hearted...and those mean kids will rip him to shreds! I don't want him to go through that (and I don't care what ANYONE says, it DOES NOT make you stronger!). If I can protect him from something, I will. The third, is that I will have control over what he is learning. I won't have to explain why the teacher says that dinosaurs lived millions of years ago, but according to Bible records it was really only about 6,000 years ago. I won't have to worry about other kids/teachers telling him stuff that I'm not ready for him to know (some states are suggesting -and teaching- sex ed in the third grade!)
All of this sounds really good, right? Like I'm thoroughly convinced that this is the right choice to make for our family?
If you think this, then you are WRONG...
Going through all of the curriculum and comparing the pros's and con's of each AND trying to decide which grade he should go into next year....k4 or k5?? I'm stumped for that one!
When I try to decide, I get an uneasy feeling...maybe it's just doubt.
It's been easy all year to dread dropping him off everyday-well 3 days a week anyway. And looking forward to him being home from now on. But I am terrified that I won't teach him the right things, that he won't learn to read....and it will be my fault!
Even though the easy thing would be to put him in public school and forgo all of this anxiety, I couldn't imagine not seeing him for 8+ hours a day....
I guess that's my answer, huh? We do what we have to do for our children...not what is easiest.
It's amazing how much insight I get just from writing all of this out.

So my question this time is for homeschool mamas! How did you choose your children's curriculum? And what in the world am I supposed to do k4 or k5? He will be 5 TWO days after public school's deadline for K, and he just finished k3....sigh...

The Heart of the Matter

Concerning previous posts, I have been accused of being judgemental, legalistic, harsh etc. This was never my intention in writing this blog. My intention was and still is to encourage Christian women in their walk with God. When I write about my personal convictions,  I try to stress the point that they are exactly that...personal. I put them on this blog for those who maybe have seen some changes in me-changes that God is making from the inside out, or for someone who is feeling the stir of conviction herself but needs some encouragement.
 Because let's face it- it's hard to be different! And it feels really good to find someone who agrees with you.
My convictions do come from God (because believe me, I wouldn't be putting myself through this for anyone else!), and I don't need justification from anyone. By asking for someone's opinion, I am simply reaching out. Why am I reaching out? Because making choices that go against mainstream (even mainstream Christianity) can be isolating.
Think about it...say God lays standards for entertainment on your heart (mine happen to be Philippians 4:8), and there is this movie that EVERYONE is going to see. BUT it goes against your standards...how do you feel? Alone?.....So do I...
I can guess that someone will accuse me of pitying myself for writing this or of calling myself a martyr. But that is not why I am writing this. I am writing this to apologize...to apologize to those that I have offended by my stance on certain subject. To those that I have pushed aside because they don't share my views. And to those that I have silently (or not so silently) admonished for having a different opinion.
I will continue to post blogs, but hopefully they will come across as more encouraging and less critical. But I do ask that you as a reader remember that I am a person, with feelings.
So here's to hoping that I have mended some bridges, and opened some hearts.
Please leave me some feedback, so that I know that SOMEONE read this. No admonishments please :)

...& Butterflies

This is the follow up post to "Boys...". It was supposed to be the next blog after that, but you know how that goes ;)
Anyway, I'm sure there are some that are curious as to why I named this blog "Boys & Butterflies". The "Boys" part is pretty obvious considering I live with 4 of them! But the " & Butterflies" part is something that only one or two people know about (and I'm not even sure they are aware that they know!).

www.strideup.org

In school, everyone always had their "thing" that they were crazy about. Whether it was dolphins, puppies, or zebra print stuff. So I decided my thing was going to be butterflies (little did I know the significance it would hold in my marriage). I picked them...just because they were pretty. Nothing beyond that. Every time I saw something that had a butterfly on it, I instantly loved it. But it was superficial, nothing significant.
Until my wedding day that is.... (I'm not even sure HE knows, what I am about to divulge!)
To be honest, I dated ALOT before I married Tommy. And I knew that marriage was forever, for better or for worse. I also knew that I wanted to marry Tommy and that he was the love of my life.But on my wedding day, as Tommy was at the alter waiting for the procesional to begin, and our parents were being seated. I panicked! I looked at my oldest sister and said, "But what about the butterflies?!"
She looked at me, puzzled. So I said, "I won't have anymore first dates, or first kisses!"
And in her wisdom, she said,"Yes you will!, " You will have first kisses as a married couple, first dates and kisses after you have babies! And you WILL still get the butterflies!" And my nerves were eased. With her words ringing in my ears, I confidently walked down the aisle...

And she was right! After 5 years of marriage, 3 crazy/beautiful boys, 2 heartbreaking miscarriages and more than I thought we could cram into 5 years, I still get the butterflies when He walks into a room and smiles at me :)

Tommy- I love you, and thank you for the Butterflies <3

The Fulfilled and Fulfilling Wife and Mother Series

Part 1

Understanding the problem from God's point of view-

Psalm 128:3 says, "Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table."

There are several instances in the Bible that a picture of a vine is used to describe something or someone. In this case it is describing the woman of the house. Jesus also described Himself as the vine because the vine symbolized life, refreshment and ministry.
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.


Likewise wives give life (through childbirth), refreshment (through our attitudes and homemaking), and minister in our homes.
In a godly family, a wife must be more concerned about being (her presence) than doing, more concerned about what she is than how she performs. Christian conduct is rooted in christian character. Without Christ within, we can't do a thing!

So to be a "vine" in our own homes, ladies, we must have the Vine in our hears! Without that relationship we can do nothing out of our own strengths!!

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5

How are you going to give what you don't have? You can't! I know I personally don't wake up with all the patience, kindness, gentleness, discipline etc that I will need for the day. And God doesn't expect me to. That's why He gave us His Word and the Holy Spirit. So that everyday when my resources are depleted, I can drop to my knees and say "Lord, I need YOUR patience YOUR kindness YOUR gentleness to deal with these crazy boys!" Without Him, I am one crabby mama ;)

Lord, help me to remember to come to you my Vine and my Strength in times when I have none. Help me to remember that I can do NOTHING without You. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to lift me up when I need it.
Amen