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!!