Changes

Change is hard, but is necessary at times. I recently made one of the toughest choices I've had to make...resulting in change. Though some people embrace it, while others run; I guess I fall somewhere in the middle.

I had been restless for a long while now. I tried this and that, (more time in the garden, more prayer, more activities with the family) but nothing seemed to make sense and put my heart at ease. I prayed. And prayed some more and when I finally stopped and listened I realized I needed to make a change for myself and my family.

Though my path is laid now, I am learning to embrace the change. To let go and trust God. Stepping down at work and making my family priority didn't always make sense to me, but is clear now. I'm reminded by God simply that He has big plans for me and my family. I am elated that I still have a role as a Marketing lead but reduced to 10 manageable hours per week. This change will allow me to still make an impact on our community, but also be there for my family.

Though I am excited for this new opportunity, on the other hand, fear sometimes overtakes my joy. Most of these times, it is societal views of  'keeping up with the Jones' that overtake me...that small voice, saying "Really...Financially will you have enough?". But, I remind myself that I've never been about the fancy car or being the best dressed. Nope, my lifestyle falls more into the..."wow, I just made my own dress out of a feed sack and canned 20 jars of pickles". Nevertheless, one has to be comfortable with a decision such as this and I'm excited to blog about my frugal and "radical homemaker" ways knowing wealth comes from not necessarily having dollars but true fulfillment.

Though I don't officially leave my full-time role for a couple weeks, I am at peace. I am comforted by friends prayers and good wishes and know that God will make my path straight. A good friend recently shared a comment from her grandpa via text that I feel sums up my journey with making this choice that I leave you with...

I was praying for you today and something my grandpa always told me came to mind. It's simple but always impacted me. He said the easy choices we make have no sacrifice are usually not of God. Its the choices that cause us to lose sleep, cry and wonder - they are the ones of God. Its then we are putting it all in HIS hands.

Her grandpa is wise indeed.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean 

Wordless Wednesday

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

2011 Pictures in Review

Dear Friends and Family,
As 2011 draws to a close, we are extremely blessed to reflect on this past year. This year was a year filled with transitions, but through it all we have had tons of fun and laughter in true Britten style.

As always, we feel pictures are a great way to "view" our family's year without a long draw-out Christmas letter. (Even though you know I'd LOVE to write about it!) So without further a do I present to you...2011 Pictures in Review. Click on this link below to get a glimpse of 2011 at the Little Blue Bungalow.

http://bit.ly/tozRYZ

2011 Little Blue Bungalow "notables" include:
-Fiona loosing her two front teeth
-Keegan playing on an older soccer team
-Completing our garage
-Adding another vegetable garden
-Our August Roadtrip to Iowa
-Fiona transferring to a new elementary school, Maltby
-Drew starting a new job with Boeing as a Technical Analyst
-Both kids ditching their training wheels on their bikes
-Started attending Christ Church Monroe

From inside the Little Blue Bungalow,
Katie Jean

Hosting Fellowship

As I loaded the car with boxes of decorations and fine china this afternoon a feeling of familarity swept over me. Even though I had a few jitters about hosting a table for our new church's Christmas party it felt oddly too familiar and fond memories overwhelmed me.









From Christmas parties to mother/daughter teas, I've hosted a few tables over my thirty-six years. In Iowa, Ohio, Wisconsin and Washington we've shared fond memories of newly found friends and fellowship abound hosting events through our churches. Many of those individuals we've met around those "hosted" tables have become life-long friends and have shared in the "seasons" of our lives through prayer, laughter, and general life.

I've never forgotten any of those experiences and sometimes long to sit and reflect with some of those old friends around a table for just a few hours. To push the hours of time back and tranport myself to that particular season in my life...a newlywed, married with no kids, newly preganent, married with kids, etc.

Tears are streaming down my face as I think of those sweet times, each in their unique way. Knowingly I can't easily say one "season" is better than the other, but each piece together in my being, who I am today. I am better for having spent fellowhip with those that have surrounded my hosted tables over the years. Even with my jitters, I look forward to the new friends that will surround my table tonight. Tonight is another opportunity to share in fellowship.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

Many Thanksgiving Blessings...

From inside the Little Blue Bungalow,
Katie Jean

Christmas Family Traditions

I'm sure many of you have vivid Christmas traditions that you continue with your present day families. Since I was a little girl I remember waking up Christmas morning to a big mug filled with egg nog and pumpkin and zucchini bread on the counter cut into big slices slathered with butter. It was always such a treat since the remaining 364 days of the year we ate cereal (no sugar cereal either folks!).

Though our family's breakfast is more varied now (Sorry Mom, no hard feelings.), we still continue eating pumpkin or zucchini bread Christmas morning as well as a few treats from my husband's past. In addition, my husband reads the Christmas story from the bible just as my father did year after year around our dining room table. I love having these moments of my past become my children's memories.

Over the past five years, we have also created a new family tradition special to just us. Each night before Christmas, I have a large basket over-filling with wrapped Christmas books for each child to pick as a bed-time story. Getting to open a package each night is such a thrill for the kids even though they know that inside contains a book about winter, snow, and/or Christmas. The excitement and anticipation for bedtime increases each night as we get closer to Christmas and Drew and I get to share a special moment with our kids reflecting on Christ's birth.

The cost has been quite minimal for this project and in less then forty-five minutes I can always get the books all wrapped after Thanksgiving. The first year my mom helped me (I was on bed rest with Mr. Keegan) purchase as many books as we could find about Christmas from Goodwill and other second hand stores. We were short a few that first year and borrowed a few great books from our local library. We wrapped them like the others but in a different wrapping paper so we could open them first to return them on time. (My mom would go crazy if she know I ever had a late library book!)

Over the years, I have added to my collection when I found a wonderful Christmas book at a garage sale or local second-hand store usually for less than $.69 a piece. I then store all the Christmas books with my Christmas decorations in anticipation for next years discovery. After several years of Goodwill collecting I'm up to 48 books...enough for both kids to unwrap one each night before Christmas. This year Fiona helped me wrap all the books and she eagerly read each title to me as we wrapped them together. I personally am excited this year as I know she will be able to read them herself this year.

I love sharing this tradition with my family each night as we head to bed. I hope that maybe this is one of the traditions my kids will "adopt" into their own family's traditions.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Pumpkin Fest,
The Little Blue Bungalow