Friday Toolbox: RunKeeper

Running has never been an activity that I've thoroughly enjoyed.  I enjoy the health benefits of running, but the main reasons I run, besides the health benefits, is because I can do it at work during my lunch break.  There is no need to get up any earlier and it doesn't take away from family time in the evening.  Since running has become my means of getting exercise I wanted a tool to help me keep up with this activity.

There are a lot of different running applications out there and I haven't came close to testing even a small portion of them.  One of the first apps I tried was RunKeeper.  My primary requirement for the app was that it allowed you to setup different types of workouts.  I guess I wanted a glorified stopwatch that would let you know when is the next portion the interval.  The only type of running I do now is the 30-20-10 workout, so this application helps with managing the different intervals. 

Like any good application it has an web base interface (which has recently been updated) that syncs with the mobile application and tracks your activities.  Overall the app is fairly easy to use and has been a useful tool to help meet some of my health goals.

Baby Name Poll Closes Tomorrow

The baby name poll will close tomorrow (May 16th) at 11:59.  Next week we'll reveal her name!  We will have a backup boys name if there is what I would call "the ultimate surprise".

Garden Update

Well portions of our "garden" are starting to take shape.  So far the lettuce is doing the best followed by the cilantro.  The tomatoes on the other hand are still fighting to grow due to our light limitations.

What is in a name? (Part 2)

In yesterday's post Sally shared a little bit about the name Reed and how she has come to appreciate it as more than a name that sounds good.  Today, I'll talk a little bit more about the process of picking the name Reed and what I appreciate about the name Reed.

What is in a name? (Part 1)

Reed Alexander. Almost two years ago we chose this name for our son. Various reasons factored into the choice. I wasn't even certain it was "The" name for him until it was on the birth certificate and then it had to be! Over the past two years I have kept asking myself why we named him Reed. Unlike Adam, I tend to put more significance into names and events. Although I know that a person's true identity isn't limited to the origin of their name, I have always appreciated and enjoyed hearing about  people who have thoughtfully named their child.

Mother's Day

It's been quiet around here on the blog this week, but we have a few in the pipeline for next week! Have a great weekend and Mother's Day. 

Happy mother's day to my favorite mom and wife!

Happy Mother's Day to my other favorite mother!

 And Happy Mother's Day to my favorite mother-in-law!

Friday Toolbox: Pizza

This week's "tool" is more of a technique. Over the past almost four years we have been married, we have had the semi-regular tradition of having pizza on Fridays. During that time we have made some perfect pizzas and some, well, inedible pizzas (don't try to use up your squash on a pizza.... :-P) Slowly we have honed in on what makes a perfect pizza and we are ready to share our Crust, make the pizza dough. Actually we have never tried the store-bought, pre-made crusts, so if you are short on time and not money help yourself! If you make the dough be sure to follow the directions of the recipe you use. Some recipes are simple and some are very complicated, we usually opt for the simple one that I have memorized by now, but the more complicated ones usually yield surprisingly worthwhile results.

Fudgesicle

Yummy!

Baby Name Poll

If you haven't voted you should because it's a close race!

Last Week in Pictures 4/21 to 4/27

Below are a few pictures from last week!

I wonder who put those on!

Reed playing the base, I mean guitar.

This is a good place to do some reading

 

Another good place to do some reading

Turning on the Cow

Reed has this toy cow that vibrates, moves and plays a tune.  The cow is turned on by pressing its head.  One day Reed was having trouble getting the cow to work so Sally told him to push its head.  Reed interpreted that to mean the he needs to use his head to get the cow to work and it works!  It's pretty funny and cute.

Friday Toolbox: You Need a Budget

Welcome to the third installment of Friday Toolbox.  If you missed the first post, let me give you very brief rundown of this weekly series.  The purpose of the Friday Toolbox is to highlight "tools" that have been particularly helpful to Sally or I.  The tools will be eclectic, so they could be anything from a kitchen gadget to computer/web base application to a spiritual discipline.

First, if you don't have a budget for your personal finances you probably would benefit from having one.  Whether it is on a piece of paper, in Excel or done in one of the many budgeting programs, budgets are useful tools to manage money. 

Currently we use three main tools to manage our finances, Mint.com, Google Sheets, and You Need A Budget (YNAB) which I'm going to talk about today.  We use YNAB for budgeting, tracking expenses and savings, but it can also be used to manage loans or investments. The budgeting principals for YNAB are based off of four rules.

1. Rule One: Give Every Dollar a Job.
2. Rule Two: Save for a Rainy Day.
3. Rule Three: Roll With the Punches.
4. Rule Four: Live on Last Month's Income.

The software, which works with both Mac and PC, is designed around those principals.  It has a clean and basic interface broken down to three main sections, Budget, Reports, and Accounts.  I'm not a huge fan of their report selection and usability, but they are sufficient.  Another feature I like about YNAB is that it has a Cloud Sync (via Dropbox) so you can have the software on multiple machines.  It also enables you to utilize their handy Apple and Android apps.

There are free online services that offer similar budgeting tools (Mint.com), but we have found YNAB to be worth the $60 price tag.  You can also try it free for 34 days to get an introduction to the software based on the above four rules.

God's Decree

The following quote comes from Chapter 3.1 of the 1689 Londen Baptist Confession of Faith.  As you can probably tell I enjoy reading old catechisms and confessions of faith.  Though none of them are perfect, they do help in conveying foundational and rich truths found in God's word.

From all eternity God decreed all that should happen in time, and this He did freely and unalterably, consulting only His own wise and holy will.  Yet in so doing He does not become in a ny sense the author of sin, nor does He share responsibility for sin with sinners.  Neither, by reason of His decree, is the will of any creature whom He has made violated; nor is the free working second causes put aside; rather it is established in all matters the divine wisdom appears, as also does God's power and faithfulness in effecting that which He has purposed. Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 6:17; Romans 9:15, 18; James 1:13; 1 John 1:5; Acts 4:27, 28; John 19:11; Numbers 23:19; Ephesians 1:3-5 

 A Faith to Confess: The Baptist Confession of Faith 1969.

Last Week in Pictures

We'll start this week with some pictures of this past week!

Sally went to a conference last Weekend so Reed and I had some quality time together.



One evening Reed decided to bring his train out to the patio.

Reed fell out of the bumbo, but that did't stop him from watching a show.

Mom and Reed watching the storm Friday night.

Reed knows where we keep our cloth for cleaning glasses, so he decided to clean his one day.

Friday Toolbox: Pregnancy Helps

Having almost completed my second pregnancy, I thought I would share a few things I couldn't (easily) do without during these miraculous months of change. Most of you probably couldn't care less about what follows, but hopefully a few readers will find it helpful :)

1. Belly Band. Not the support kind but the kind to hold your pants up. Basically a tube of stretchy fabric that is smaller than your waist, enough to stay on without slipping and sliding. These would be easy enough to make...but I just never got around to making any! These have been a HUGE money saver in that I haven't had to buy any maternity pants or skirts, but just wear my pre-pregnancy pants with the belly band.
2. Nasal Strips. Seriously. One of the weird side effects of pregnancy is a stuffy nose. I heard/read somewhere that this is caused by the body's increased blood production causing the capillaries in your nose to swell. Whatever the reason, there are some nights when I just cannot breathe though my nose, and Nasal strips have taken care of the problem beautifully.
3. Prenatal Workout. I have used Summer Sander's Prenatal Workout DVD this pregnancy. While I don't use it regularly, it is a great way to energize and get stronger in a pregnancy-safe way. Each trimester has a different workout with a full and express version. I usually just do the express workout since I have the added resistance of having a 22 month-old sitting on me...
4. One last tip: Whenever I get those painful leg cramps in my calves (which thankfully doesn't happen often!) I gently stretch the muscle out which eases the pain immediately. This is the opposite of what I want to do, which is to curl up and rub the muscles!

Although I only have 5 weeks left to this pregnancy, please feel free to comment with what things you have found useful during pregnancy!

Guess the Baby Name - Take Two

Since we were having issues with the previous poll, I'm embedding it in a post! Happy voting.

What is your only comfort in life and in death?

 Here is a good word from the Heidelberg Catechism.

 

Question 1:

"What is your only comfort in life and in death?"

Answer 1:

"That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that all things must work together for my salvation. Wherefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live unto Him."

Guess the Baby Name Poll

Had to make some changes to the blog, but at least we have a poll now!

Making some Pretty Good Pretzels

On Sunday we decided to make some pretzels for dinner.  The previous week Sally saw a Good Eats episode which inspired our Sunday evening adventure.

Here is the Recipe:

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 package active dry yeast 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted Vegetable oil, for pan 10 cups water 2/3 cup baking soda 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water Pretzel salt

Directions Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

New Backpack and few other Pictures

I finished making a backpack for Reed last week. It began with a pattern for a child's messenger bag, to which I added adjustable straps and a small hook to hang it up with. Now Reed is able to carry his own diapers and snacks when we are out and about.

Front

Back

Reed wearing the backpack

Ready to go! 

We have been having lovely spring weather. Summer couldn't wait either so we even had a day with 90 degree weather! Thankfully our air conditioning had been turned on by then!

Let's face it: half the reason anyone decides to use cloth diapers is because they're just so cute!

 And, for all you gardeners: our lettuce has been transplanted and is still alive!!