Looking for Beautiful Modesty

March 12, 2010 By {lacey} Filed Under Family

As the swimsuit season approaches – *cough**cough**gasp**gasp* – I have been searching for an alternative to the swimsuit I bought after having only ONE child. For some reason, since my belly has been stretched into a large watermelon shape four times (and we won’t even mention the other areas that have been stretched out as well!), my swimsuit just doesn’t fit quite the same. And, truth be told, it’s not as modest as I would like.

Don’t feel scandalized. It’s a tankini. With a skirt. It covers (most of) my belly. It just has one of those ring hole things up at the top, which I am not comfortable with. Not that I have much of anything to show through the hole.

It’s a matter of principle.

(Sorry, DadR and any other males besides my husband who read this. Heck, sorry to you, too, Luke.)

So, I’m on a quest to find a beautiful, modest swimsuit. One that won’t require me to get a second mortgage on the house in order to fund it. And one that doesn’t make me look as old as I feel.

A while back, I stumbled upon Lime Ricki Swimwear. I like how funky yet modest their suits are. I’m not sure if any of them totally suit my personality, but I am admiring this one lately…

Cute, isn’t it? Since the top is “new,” it’s priced at $40, and the bottoms are $26. Standard shipping is $7.50. So, this suit, delivered to my door, would be $73.50. Not cheap.

It’s hard for me, a bargain shopper, to pay that much for a swimsuit. A swimsuit! And if I was looking for a bikini or something skimpy, well, I could’ve paid $10 for a clearance suit last fall. Skimpy is a dime a dozen. Not modesty. And certainly not beautiful modesty.

So, it’s probably worth it.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for modest swimwear? I’m really open to suggestions!

(And I will save the modesty soapbox for a later date. But beware, I’m sure it’s coming eventually!)

Tagged modesty 5 Comments

Beauty

March 10, 2010 By {lacey} Filed Under Family

My new God-given friend, Jesse, and I had a little talk about *beauty* yesterday.

It started when I told her that her daughter could be one of those child beauty pageant winners. She has long, beautiful hair and big, beautiful eyes. She’s gorgeous!

We talked about how we can use beauty for vain purposes, or for God’s glory. And, of course, we yearn for our children to choose to use their whole lives for God’s glory.

Anyway, it got me thinking about beauty.

I get a mean little voice in my head sometimes when I think about people who are really physically beautiful. I think its name is Jealousy, because I’m just not one of those strikingly beautiful people. (I’m not saying I’m homely, and please don’t feel like you have to stroke my ego in the comments. I’m just saying – my looks won’t take your breath away.)

But beauty is a good thing. God created the world and our bodies to be beautiful. His creation is breathtaking. The intricacies of the things he’s created are beyond amazing.

Isn’t it just wonderful to contemplate a God who didn’t leave us on a gray earth, with only concrete and no color or life? Instead, he gave us a vast array of beauty to see every day!

And I see it in so many places.

In Jaden’s face when he smiles at us.

In Ava’s giggle when she’s being tickled.

In Grace’s little-girl drawings. Today she wrote a card to Caleb that said, “To Caleb. I love you, and I don’t want you to cry.” Beautiful.

In Caleb’s efforts to take care of his brother.

I see beauty in marriage. Last night we were watching Little House on the Prairie, and an elderly woman said to her husband, “I’ll be happy anywhere as long as we’re together.” And Luke said to the kids, “That’s how Mommy and I are.” And he held my hand. Beautiful.

I see beauty in the church – Christ’s bride. A body of believers who are affected by the fall and yet have a solidarity and a purpose together. Our church is our family. The universal church is our extended family. Beautiful.

I see beauty in the cross of Jesus – His unspeakably horrible death. I see beauty, because wrapped up in it is God’s plan for our redemption and His great love for us. The sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf, while unthinkable, is also beautiful.

In this world full of hurt and sin, I want to see beauty. As we approach the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, that’s what I’ll be looking for.

Tell me – what beautiful things to do you see in your world?

Tagged Beauty 5 Comments

New look!

March 9, 2010 By {lacey} Filed Under Family

Welp, we (read: I) got tired of the old pink/brown pear tree theme. So we switched. Let me know if you have any troubles with it. It has been a quick/smooth transition so far on our end. Enjoy!

Tagged technology 5 Comments

A Good Example of Why I Bother Spending Coupons

March 5, 2010 By {lacey} Filed Under Family


Spent – $3.94
Saved – $80.57
Register Rewards earned – $11

Grace and I attended a Pampered Chef party at a friend’s house tonight (a little Mommy-Daughter time), and on our way home, we stopped at Walgreens for a coupon-spending spree. (I’m teaching Gracie the frugal ways, you know.)

We were able to get all of these things pictured – including a package of Huggies, 8 boxes of tissues, 12 rolls of toilet paper, and MORE. I spent $3.94 out of pocket, but because I earned $11 in Register Rewards, it’s as if I *made* more than $7 overall.

I’d say that’s pretty spiffy for toilet paper and tissues – things we all use, don’t we?

(Do you like how I busted out the word “spiffy?” Haven’t used that one since, oh, junior high.)

In order to get my out-of-pocket total that low, I used a $25 gift check (like a gift card, but has to be spent in one transaction) that I earned from filling a prescription at Walgreens last month. (Earning store rewards from constant filling of prescriptions is one big perk to having diabetics in the house!)

I know many people look at couponing and think, “I spent a coupon once and it wasn’t that great of a deal.” Or “It’s so much effort. It’s not really worth my time.”

I’m not going to lie and say it’s easy-breezy. It does take some time. Definitely more at the beginning, until you really get a feel for what you’re doing. BUT I will say that our family (and our budget) has reaped the rewards of a little bit of work.

We do love a free roll of toilet paper, after all.

Tagged frugality, grace 6 Comments

When Mommy’s Away…

March 5, 2010 By {lacey} Filed Under Family

…Daddy’s the coolest “babysitter” ever.

I love that man.

Tagged ava, caleb, Luke 3 Comments
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