10 Ways to Get Cozy This Season

Fall is my favorite time of year. Pumpkin lattes, cozy sweaters, and warm dinners make this season stand out from the others. Of course in Texas I'm still enduring t-shirt weather, but chilly days are ahead. Here's what I'm doing to have a perfectly cozy season for the next few months. Care to join me?

A New Look at Christmas

You're probably familliar with the story of Jesus' birth: baby Jesus is born in a manger and grows up to save the world. But the real Christmas story began in Genesis at the fall of man.

5 Ways to Have a Merry Christmas

1. Listen to Christmas music. The cheery songs you’ve known since you were old enough to talk can really put you in the Christmas spirit. The best ones help you think about Christ coming to earth as a baby and all the events leading up to it. Tired of the traditional renditions in every department store and radio station? Scope out classic songs covered by up and coming artists.

Fourth of July Fashion

I'm not super into holidays, celebrations, or any joyous occasion in which people partake. But who can deny the significance of the Fourth of July? For my lovely American readers, I've come up with a few ideas and outfit suggestions to make you Independence Day the most beautiful it can be. Pass the watermelon and bring on the reds, whites, blues!

What Are You Thankful For?

It’s the time of year when take a break from school, roll out the good tableware, and ponder ways to attack our turkey while maximizing our mashed potato intake. Among the days of sleeping in and getting ready to see relatives, most of us are forgetting the big reason we’re celebrating – and no, it’s not about the pumpkin pie.

You’ve probably been told to “count your blessings” before. Try listing off three things you’re thankful for.

I’m Thankful For:
• Having a family who can provide for me
• Having friends who make me smile
• Our annual Thanksgiving kick-off trip down to Great Wolf Lodge

Making that list didn’t require too much thought, and while it makes you feel like you’ve fully embraced your capacity of Thanksgiving-spirit, you’re still missing the point. What we often fail to realize while we eat our way through this holiday is that it’s not about what we have to be grateful for, but who gave us those things. “Counting your blessings” is just the first step in feeling content with what you have.
Besides having family and friends who love us and food on the table, we have the Creator of the universe who continues to bless us with those things. God is the driving force between real thanksgiving, and our gratitude should be directed to Him. Psalm 95:1-6 says, "O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” Psalm 107:1 tells us to "give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." What if we really acted upon our gratitude and praised God for what He has given us? That goes well beyond jotting down a list of worldly assets. Our focus this week should rest on God and his enduring love for us. That’s the greatest celebration of all!

GROW! Psalm 100, Psalm 145:7, Psalm 31:19, 1 Chronicles 29:11-13

CONNECT! What is one thing YOU are most grateful for and why? Send your thoughts to girlsforgodblog@yahoo.com.

6 Mother's Day Ideas

Mother's Day is coming, and every year I try to make that day spectacular for my Mother, because she does so much for our family. Here are some easy gift idea's that won't break your budget!

1. A homemade card.
I use to think homemade cards weren't very special, but believe me... they are! They are so special especially to your Mother. It's something that she will cherish forever!

2. A recipe box.
If your Mom loves to cook or bake, this is perfect for her! Use a shoe box or a type of box that you think would work, and decorate it. My favorite way to do this is by decoupage. It's really easy and fun!
3. Homemade jewelery.
A necklace or bracelet made by you is something that your Mom will absolutely adore... And it's a great craft to do with your little sister!

4. Tissue paper flowers.
Tissue paper flowers are a great way to show your Mom you care! They're not nearly as expensive as real flowers, but they are just as pretty and you can spray a bit of perfume on them if you wish for them to be scented. The scent lasts about a day, but unlike real flowers, these can last forever.

5. Breakfast / Brunch.
Mom loves a good brunch! You can either do breakfast in bed, or make a lovely brunch for the family. You may have all your ingredients in your kitchen already - and it doesn't have to be fancy! When I was 8, I made my Mom toaster waffles and pop-tarts for her breakfast, and she loved it because it was from me - not because how good it tasted.

6. Mommy.
This one costs nothing at all, but makes a huge impact. Simply calling her "Mommy" for the day is a great way to make her feel loved!

Remember to let your Mom know you love her throughout the day and this Mother's Day will be spectacular!

-- This post was written by the lovely Grace Ward.

X-mas Gift: NYX Luscious Lip Palette

Winter Fashion 2009

Be prepared for winter with this trend forecast. I’ll show you how to be cozy and cute this Christmas.

▪ Boots. Boots are in this coming season – really in! They are so effortlessly chic that I picked up 3 pairs – black, purple, and gray. I snagged the gray ones from Target at a fraction of the price for mall or designer boots. The boots in this photo are like what I purchased; the "folding" no-heel boots are a huge trend this year and instantly vamp your style. We’ll talk more about boots later, like: “What should I wear with boots?” and “How high should my boots be?”

▪ Cowl neck sweaters, like the photo to the right. I picked up purple, cream, and gray + blue at Macy's. They are comfy and a great take on the classic sweater.

▪ Plaid. Shop for red and black plaid shirts now at Macy’s. Since it’s going to get pretty cold, snag a coordinating jacket. Wear dark washed jeans.

▪ White eyeshadow. When applying makeup, Blake Lively’s tip for bright eyes comes in handy. Dust some white eyeshadow on the inside corners of your eye (don’t get it IN your eye!) and your eyes will instantly wake up.
▪ Matte lip color for women and clear shine gloss for girls with hints of baby pink.
▪ Distressed dark jeans. Dark jeans can be dressed up more easily than light washed jeans. If you don’t want to fork over the cash for new distressed jeans, sandpaper your own pair around the knees and thighs. Jeans with holes in them are out this year for everything except climbing trees.
▪ Thick long leggings and tights. Use these instead of jeans or pants to shake up your look. Be sure to wear a shirt that covers your rear!
▪ Shiny dark nails. Break the black trend by choosing dark purple (I’m wearing some now). When the chipping is noticeable, take it all off. Don’t forget that basecoat & topcoat!
▪ Bulky sweaters with skinny jeans or thick long leggings or tights will add interesting shapes to your look and will make your outfit more dynamic. Think like a fashion stylist! Try sweaters in blue, green, red, and purple with dark gray or black leggings/tights.
▪ Sparkle lashes. The eye look with growing popularity is the glamorous shimmer mascara, with Covergirl Lash Blast and Rimmel London’s Glam Eyes taking the lead. Use these on special occasions for added sparkle. Don’t forget to stay true to your natural beauty. Brunettes should wear black or black brown mascara while blondes should wear brown or brown black pigments. Redheads should opt for a formula specifically designed for their hair color; otherwise, choose brown.
▪ Natural makeup. The natural makeup trend is soaring higher than ever, with around 70% of women and teen girls saying they prefer the natural beauty style. Chubby pink lips, pinky bronze eye color, and rosy blush are your best bet. During winter, everyone wants that sun-kissed, running through flower meadows look that can only be found during summer, and you'll be the one setting an example.
▪ Winter wonderlips. Curious yet?

Wish the weater would coordinate with your clothes? Check out the fashion forecast from Stylelist.com.

Mother's Day

While it’s cool to buy a neat card for your mom, why not get her something from the heart? Yeah, that’s right. Your mom doesn’t care about how much money you paid for a gift – what she does care about is how much you love her. Handmade cards, just like you, are unique and full of personality. You don’t have to just right "I love you, Mom" and that’s it (even though she’d like that). You can really express yourself and your love for your mom with something handmade.

• If you’re making a card, use your mom’s favorite color, with a bit of yours, and go overboard decorating it. Bring out your artistic side and break out the colored pencil, crayons, markers, stickers, sparkles, glue, scissors, tape, and any other art supplies you can find.
• A bible bookmark. I made my mom one of these and she loved it. Just like a card, you can get it really artsy and dress it up with almost any material you can find. It could have an "I love you" note, or a bible verse, or whatever, on it. Your mom can put it in her bible or any of her favorite books.
• A coupon book. And these aren’t just any coupons. Make a bunch and label them "Good for one free back rub", "One free hug", (make a lot of these!), "one free housecleaning whenever you ask", "one free mac-and-cheese dinner made by me". You can make up some more, too.
• Photos are a great way to store great memories. Have someone take a picture of you and your mom together, or get an old photo of you two. Then make your own frame (and again, you can use lots of art supplies), and write your favorite Bible verse on the back.

Remember, your mom will cherish anything you give her for Mother’s Day, so come up with your own unique gift to thank her for all that she does.


Share some of your ideas in the "Girl Talk" section!