2018 Year in Review

 A Year in Review 

Here are some of the highlights from 2018 

- TWIN GIRLS, Evelyn Rose & Zoey Faith, born on June 23rd. 

- Moving to Hong Kong. Celebrating 12 years of marriage. 

- God's provision as we moved to Hong Kong. 

- Opportunity to homeschool with Olivia and Sophie. 

- Fun visits with family and friends before moving to Hong Kong. 

- God's protect during Super Typhoon Mangkhut.

- Unending love and support from family and friends all year long.

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Our Growing Girls

Olivia loves reading and she always has her nose stuck in a book!! I (Jen) could not have made it through this year without Olivia (and Sophie) by my side. Olivia has lovingly helped hold and feed babies, which allowed me to pack or unpack suitcases and boxes. I am so thankful for her sweet spirit and her willingness to help.

Sophie is such a sweet girl!! Honestly, I think she is going to be a nurse or a doctor, because she loves to take care of other people. On modified bedrest, she was willing to rub my legs and bring me dinner when I was too tired to get up to get it myself. I'm humbled by the love and compassion that pours from her heart.

Matilda has been such a trooper with all the changes that have taken place this year. New babies. New country. She is adventurous and loves to ride the double decker buses here in Hong Kong. However, she is timid and shy, so being in a new country with lots of attention has been overwhelming for her at times.

Evelyn and Zoey are already 6 months old!! Evelyn's a snuggle bug, because after everyone else goes to bed she stays awake for extra cuddles. Zoey wants to be one of the big girls. She is already crawling. Honestly, once Zoey puts her mind to something, there is no changing her mind.

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Praise and Prayer Requests

- Praise that Jon has completed his first round of training and officially has his license to fly in Hong Kong with an A320 type!!

- Praise that Jon and Jen celebrated their 12th anniversary.

- Praise for unending love and support from our family and friends as we obediently embarked on this new adventure the Lord put before us.

- Pray for Jen's Mom, Carol Bartholomew, who is battling breast cancer and has a lumpectomy on January 15, 2019.

- Pray that we would be able to sell our van that is in Texas.

- Pray that God would continue to provide for us financially.

- Pray for Jen as she struggles with postpartum depression and homesickness.

Getting Back On Track After The Holidays

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!

Our first Christmas in Hong Kong was peaceful and relaxing, which is exactly what our family needed. We got to FaceTime with family and friends. We played games and had fun building the girls' new LEGOS. The twins new ball, playpen has also been a hit with the whole family. The older girls would rather play in the playpen than with their own toys. I'm so glad that they have been having fun and enjoying their new gifts. Overall, we’ve had a great week celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus.

Honestly, I find it very difficult to make myself a priority during the holiday season.

Am I the only one!? 

I feel like ever since Thanksgiving, something shifted in my brain. For weeks, I’ve been in holiday mode. I’ve been busy taking care of everyone else and getting ready for the holidays, that unfortunately I have not made much time to take care of myself. As a result, my healthy eating habits have suffered and I’ve just eaten whatever was quick and easy, like sweet snacks or treats. Not to mention, I’ve been emotional eating, because I miss my family and friends back in the USA.

Has anyone else experienced a similar struggle?

Now that your family and friends have gone home, it’s time to begin to make yourself a priority again!! That’s right, you don’t have to wait until January 1st to begin to make healthy choices again. I am looking forward to transitioning out of holiday mode and back into our regular routine.  

Here are some of the things I do to quickly get back on track, following a holiday or any other occasion that has caused me to fall off the wagon.

Tips To Get Back On Track

1. Forgive yourself. 
This is so important. Please don't skip this step. Your holidays might not have gone anything like you planned. Whether it was good or bad, you must forgive yourself for everything that has taken place over the past few weeks (or months). Guilt and shame don’t help anything! Truly forgive yourself and move on.

2. Pray for God’s help.
I have never been able to accomplish my weight loss goals without God by my side. Spend time in prayer asking God to help you make healthy choices. Ask Him to give you the strength you need to say no to the food that isn't good for you. God will hear your prayers and He wants to be your source of strength on this journey.

3. Throw away the junk.
Go through your house and throw or give away anything that isn't good for you. I know you're going to say I am wasteful, but it's better to put these foods into the garage than in your body. Purging your house of the sugar and treats that you can't stop thinking about, will leave room for you to fill up your cupboards with healthier snacks.

4. Meal plan. 
One way to get on track is to plan out your meals in advance. This will ensure that you have healthy food options for you to eat. I wrote a whole blog post about this, so check out my "Holiday Meal Planning" post for additional meal planning tips.

5. Find accountability. 
Tell your family and friends that you are getting back on track and ask them to help you on this journey. Ask them for their support and to help you say no to unhealthy foods.

A Reflection of 2018 - God is Faithful

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”" 

- Lamentations 3:22-24

Greetings from Hong Kong!!

What an incredible year it has been. As a look back over this year, it has truly been filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. This year, we were on a roller coaster, that just never seemed to end.

Being surprised by a twin pregnancy. Spending 7 weeks on bedrest to ensure that I was healthy enough to have the twins at home. Twin girls, Evelyn and Zoey born at home. Jon's dream job offer in Hong Kong. My Mom receiving her breast cancer diagnosis, just a month or so before we were set to move across the world. Saying Goodbye to family and friends as we prepared to leave on our new adventure. Arriving in Hong Kong. Setting up our new home. Culture shock. Excitement over years of answered prayers. Super Typhoon Mangkhut. Homesickness. Anxiety. Postpartum depression. Jon traveling. Loneliness.

At the beginning of 2018, I picked my word for the year. Do you want to know what I chose?

Faithful.

At the time, I thought it was more about me being faithful in every area of my life. I thought I needed to be faithful to be a good Christian, a good wife, a good mother, a good daughter, a good sister, and faithfully do all things that good Christian woman is supposed to do. Like read my Bible, go to church, homeschool my kids, meal plan, make healthy meals for my family, clean my house, and stay on budget.

 However, throughout this year God has showed me that my 2018 word of the year had nothing at all to do with me! This year, was never about me being faithful in my own strength. It was about sitting back and watching God display His faithfulness in every single area of my life. The good, the bad, and the ugly!!

I am here to testify that I have been struggling, overwhelmed, resentful, angry, joyful, happy, and sad. Above it all, regardless of how I am feeling on any given day, God has been faithful!! And He will continue to be faithful, because that's who He is.

I am so thankful for God's goodness to us this year!! And always.

No matter what you faced this year or what's coming up in 2019, don't forget that the Lord is with you and He will NEVER leave you.

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Reckless Love
By, Cory Asbury

Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me
You have been so, so good to me
Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me
You have been so, so kind to me

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me
You have been so, so good to me
When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me
You have been so, so kind to me

And oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

Blogmas Series: Merry Christmas!!

Wishing you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
- Luke 2:14 

We are praising God for all that He has done in our family this year. This will truly be a Christmas we will never forget, as we spend it with the twins at our new home in Hong Kong. All year long, it's been amazing to watch God display His faithfulness to our family over and over again.

We are so thankful for all of your love and support throughout this past year.
We hope and pray that you have a blessed Christmas with your friends and family.  

Sending our love from Hong Kong,

The Newsham Family

Blogmas Series: Christmas Morning, Banana Bread

Several years ago, someone told me how their Mom would prepare all the food that they would eat on Christmas Day before Christmas, so that when Christmas came she would enjoy the holiday instead of being stuck in the kitchen all day. I thought that was an amazing idea!! Right away, I began to apply this idea in my own family.

When it comes to Christmas Day, I prepare everything in advance!! This way I am not running around like a chicken with my head cut off and missing out on quality time with my family. What this means is that, I make sure to wrap my Christmas presents early. Also, in the days leading up to Christmas, another huge undertaking for me is to prepare the majority of our Christmas meal.

I'm so happy to report, this change in our routine has been working well for me and my family.

As far as Christmas morning breakfast goes...

If I have been too busy to prepare in advance homemade cinnamon rolls or something else delicious for Christmas morning, then my go-to option for our Christmas breakfast is always something that I can put in my crockpot. Most years, I have made a breakfast casserole and put it in my crockpot the evening of Christmas Eve. Then I let it cook overnight, so it is ready for us to eat on Christmas morning.

I just love waking up to the smell of breakfast on Christmas morning!!

I am thankful that we started this tradition in our home especially, now that we live in Hong Kong and I don't have an oven in my kitchen. That being said, for Christmas morning my plan is to make make Banana Bread recipe (see below) and put it in the crockpot. Let it cook overnight, so that in the morning we have a delicious breakfast waiting for us.

When we first arrived in Hong Kong, I made this Banana Bread recipe in the crockpot and it worked!! I can't wait to make it again for my family.

Below, I have included my husband's favorite Better Homes and Garden Banana Bread recipe. Most of the time, for his sake I add chocolate chips as well. I try not to add too many, because I have one kiddo that doesn't like chocolate very much.

What does your family enjoy eating for breakfast on Christmas morning?

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Banana Bread
by, Better Homes and Garden

Ingredients
2 Cups all - purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
5 mashed ripe bananas
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup oil or melted butter, or margarine
1 Cup chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch pan; set aside
- In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg
- Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside
- In medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar, and oil
- Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture
- Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy)
- Fold in chocolate chips
- Spoon batter into prepared pan
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean
- (If necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent over browning)
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes
- Remove from pan
- Cool completely on rack
- Wrap, store overnight before slicing

Optional: Streusel-Nut Topping. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts.

Blogmas Series: Christmas Poems

Taking a break from my regularly scheduled blogmas posts, in order to share with you some holiday poems.

This Christmas season is such a special time to remember the true reason for this season, Jesus. In honor of this holiday season, I wanted to share with you some precious Christmas poems that I found. Sometimes it can be challenging to articulate my feelings. However, these poems put words together in the most beautiful way!

I hope that you enjoy them as much as I have, since I found them.

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Love Came Down at Christmas 
By, Christina Georgina Rossetti

 Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, Love divine;
Love was born at Christmas;
star and angels gave the sign.

 Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, Love divine;
worship we our Jesus,
but wherewith for sacred sign?

 Love shall be our token,
love be yours and love be mine;
love to God and others,
love for plea and gift and sign.


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Once Upon a Christmas Time

By, Dona M. Maroney

Once upon a Christmastime

The angels sang with joy,

To herald the comming

Of a precious Baby Boy.

Their shouting filled the heavens

And shook the mighty earth,

And sent the shepherds searching

For the place of His glorious birth. 

And when they found the manger

And gazed upon His face,

They knelt in adoration

In that low and holy place.

Oh, Father, fill me with the love

That filled the earth that night, 

A love that reaches throughout the world,

And fills it with Your light.

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The True Meaning of Christmas

By, Unknown

Far away in Bethlehem, a Baby Boy was born; 

Born with neither riches nor with fame, 

Yet Wise Men came from all around to bring to Him their gifts, 

And peace was felt by all who heard His name. 

Angels watched Him as He slept, 

and gently rocked His bed; 

Their voices singing softly in His ear; 

His Mother and His Father both gave thanks to God above 

For the greatest gift of all, their Son, so dear 

They knew His life upon this earth 

would not be filled with wealth, 

They also knew He would encounter strict; 

But most of all, they knew that He would be a loving Child, 

And teach the Love of God throughout His life. 

 At Christmas, as we celebrate 

this Birth of Jesus Christ, 

Let’s keep in mind the truth of Christmas Day; 

For it’s not the Christmas wrapping, 

nor the gifts that lie within, 

But our gift of love to others in every way…

Blogmas Series: Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

Christmas stockings are so much fun!!

Growing up, my Mom would always fill our stockings with fun toys and goodies. Many years, when my Dad was working on Christmas Dady, we would be allowed to open our stocking before Dad got home. However, the rest of the presents had to wait until my Dad got off work and made it back to the house, before we could open everything else. Maybe that's why I like stockings so much, because I always knew that I would be able to open my stocking right away on Christmas morning.

I have continued the stocking tradition with our own kids and it's fun to find different things to put in their stockings. Additionally, I am trying to move away from filling their stockings with just candy.

Is it really Christmas without candy in your stocking?

I don't know.

Regardless, I'm trying to move away from a lot of candy in each stocking to a stocking filled with other items that I know that my girls will enjoy. Such as stickers, notepads, hair clips, and so much more!!

Scroll down, for a complete list of "Last-Minute Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids". One of my favorite stocking stuffer ideas are Bandaids. I don't know about you, but my kids love bandaids and I never seem to have enough of them. My girls would love it if I got each of them their own box of bandaids to use when they get hurt or have a boo-boo.

Does your family do Christmas stockings? If so, what are your favorite things to buy and put in your kids stockings? 

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Last-Minute Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

Bandaids

Bath Bombs

Bath Crayons

Bath Paint

CDs

Chapstick

Coloring Books

Crayons

Diaries 

DVDs

Earrings

Fidget Spinners

Flashlights 

Fruit

Fun Soaps

Gift Cards

Gloves

Glue Sticks

Gum

Hair Brush

Hair Clips 

Highlighters

Jewelry

Lip Gloss

Lotions

Markers

Matchbox Cars 

Mini LEGO sets 

Mints

Mittens

Nail Polishes 

Nightlights 

Notepads

Nuts

Ornaments

Paints

Pens

Pencils

Phone Chargers 

Play Dough

Puzzles

Scarves

Slime 

Slipper

Small Books 

Small Toys 

Socks

Stickers

Stuffed Animals 

Toothbrush 

Toothpaste 

Trail Mix

Umbrellas 

Underwear