Thoughts from the Hill

Life Here on the HIll

2011-05-20T19:41:00.002-04:00

I am so horrible at updating my blog. I used to update it all the time before I started work and now I don't seem to have time for anything. :o(

For the last 4 weeks, we've been going swimming. We've gone on my days off and we really look forward to it. Great exercise too!

I've been incredibly dizzy, light-headed and weak for the last 2 months. The dizziness usually stops when I sit down but not today. I've been sitting down for a while and my head is still spinning. I saw my dr this week and he ordered blood work and a cardiogram. My heart rate was only 49 beats per minute so the nurse got me to stay to see the dr. He ordered a chest xray and more blood work. So far everything has come back fine. I have to call him on Tuesday to get the rest of the results. My rheumatologist is away for a few weeks so he is sending me to another dr. I'm not sure if he is a rheumatologist too.

I hope the dizziness goes away soon. I'm back to work on Sunday.

Water Woes

2010-12-15T01:03:00.002-04:00

Well, we had our work Christmas party last night but it sure didn't feel like winter. Very mild temperatures and lots of rain. Alot of roads still closed and some towns calling a state of emergency. I know some folks who couldn't make it home and had to stay with family and others who did manage to get home only to be evacuated. Others, I know, have been up going on 48 hours just trying to get or keep the water out of their basement. And it is still raining!!

Got the Christmas cards done and mailed last Thursday. DS thought they would cost at least $10 to mail. If only! I told him it would probably be more. $21.00 later the cards were shipped off.

Still have a little shopping to do, some baking and hopefully some relaxing.

Oh and since I started typing this it started snowing. Crazy!!

Making a List & Checking it Twice.

2010-12-09T00:10:00.002-04:00

No, not a Santa list. (He's not real you know!). No I'm making a list of the things I need to get done before Christmas...some things need to be done before Monday. It seems I check one thing off the list and add two more. :o) Tomorrow I hope to get my Christmas cards written out and mailed before I go to work. I tried to wrap gifts today but I realized that I was still waiting for some things to arrive in the mail and I didn't have enough gift bags. Oh! And no gift tags.

I'm also in charge of games for our staff Christmas party. I found the games we're going to play and now I just have to make sure I have everything needed including the prizes. Should be lots of fun!! :o)

It was a chilly -11c tonight on my drive home. Nice to feel the woodstove when I opened the door. There's nothing like wood heat to keep a person warm.

Home on the HIll

2010-12-06T23:43:00.002-04:00

Well, our big storm turned out to be not so big. Some areas had a bit more snow and some folks lost power but overall it wasn't what the weather center forecasted. Lucky us!

We got the christmas tree decorated today. I think it looks great! It's nothing you would see in a home decorating magazine. Lots of colorful mini-lights and a wide variety of ornaments. Each ornament has a special story. There are also plenty of candy canes too.

When Caleb was about 3 years old, my brother-in-law asked him what he wanted for Christmas.
"Nothing", Caleb replied.
"How about a toy?" my brother-in-law asked.
"No, I have enough toys now."
"How about some clothes?"
"No, I have lots of clothes?"
"Well, what do you think you'd like for Christmas then?"
"Hmmm....How about a candy cane!", suggested Caleb.

That's what I think of whenever I see a candy cane. :o)

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-06T00:07:00.002-04:00

A big winter storm is on its way. We are supposed to get 10 inches of snow. It hasn't started to snow yet so we'll see what tomorrow brings. It could turn out to be nothing but flurries. That would be alright with me. I'm not a huge fan of winter.

I'm not a huge fan of Christmas either but we got our tree today. We were looking for a 12 foot tree but ended up settling for a 9-10 foot tree. We each picked a different tree so when we found one that all 3 of us agreed on we went with it. DH & DS put it up tonight and we'll decorate it tomorrow.

Where Does the Time Go???

2010-12-04T23:10:00.002-04:00

Good intentions. That's what I have when it comes to updating my blog. But you know what they say about good intentions!

I couldn't believe that it has been over a year since I've posted anything. Wowzers!

Homeschooling and work along with all of the other everyday things seem to keep me so busy. I miss the days when I was just a stay-at-home mom & wife. Things weren't so hectic and stressful then.

Well, I am just going to have to find the time to record the events of my life...my busy, busy life.

A Quick Update

2009-10-29T22:10:00.002-04:00

Here is a very quick update on what's been going on here in my neck of the world.

July
* DS turned 11 years old. I don't know how that happened because it just seems like we brought him home from the hospital.
* DS went to Junior camp for the first time. I also stayed at the camp because it is in a whole other province and it was his first time being away for that long. I think it helped him to know I was on the grounds if he needed me.
* DS & I went to campmeeting. We ended up coming home a few days early because my father-in-law, who was already in the hospital, got word that he would need to have his leg amputated. DS & I came home to be here with my husband and in-laws.

August
* My father-in-law had his leg amputated due to complications from diabetes.
* My husbands aunts came home for a visit to see my father-in-law. They took us (14 in total...would have been 15 if my father-in-law could've come too) out for supper and surprised my husband with a birthday celebration at the end. He was very surprised. :o)
* My father-in-law passed away 3 weeks after his surgery and 6 weeks after going into the hospital. Even though we knew he was struggling to get better it was still a shock to get the word that he passed away. We know this is not the end. We will see him again at the resurrection.
* My nephew got married. We are just 7 years apart in age and I practically grew up at their house. I was touched when he asked me to say grace at his wedding reception.

September
* Back into the swing of things with homeschooling. Still trying to juggle homeschooling, work and house keeping. I appreciate any prayers.
* Went to Prince Edward Island with DS, my husband, my mom & my mother-in-law. We just went for a few days but we had a great time. We had fun mini golfing, go cart racing, bumper cars and of course dressing up as Anne of Green Gables.
* We had a mother bear & her 4 cubs hanging around our fields...Yes! 4 cubs!! Haven't seen them lately though. We'll see who shows up in the spring.

So that is just a bit of what has been happening here. Still working on organizing that scrapbooking area. That is such a huge job that I am done before I even start. ;o)

Spring Cleaning

2009-05-05T23:08:00.003-04:00

Blogging isn't the only thing I have been falling behind in. I can't even remember the last time I scrapbooked anything. I am hoping to get everything pulled out of my scrapbooking area in the loft, organize it somehow (and still be easy to get to) and get rid (or sell) the desk. I want to make myself a little, peaceful reading nook. I think it will be the perfect spot.

Somehow, posting this here will, maybe, make me more likely to actually follow through with it. lol :o)

Today, the 3 of us managed to get the van cleaned out, vaccumed and dusted. It looks so much better!!

May is Lupus Awareness Month

2009-05-05T09:50:00.003-04:00

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and tissue damage to virtually any organ system in the body. Symptoms of lupus may include joint pain and swelling, fever, debilitating fatigue, skin rash, kidney problems, anemia, chest pains, strokes, seizures and sun sensitivity.

Join the global effort to:

• Educate physicians, patients and the public about lupus

• Increase funding for lupus research

• Establish lupus as a significant public health issue worldwide

Can you name the organ systems in your body??

Take this quiz.http://www.lupus.org/newsite/pages/lupus-awareness-month-2009.html

Where to Start??

2009-05-02T19:09:00.002-04:00

Wow!! It has been a loooong time since I last posted anything!

I'm too tired and worn out to write up a long post, but I'll give you the Reader's Digest condensed version of my life lately.

Started a new part-time job last June(o8)...not because I wanted to, but because I had to. Hubby is in the wood industry and it has not been a kind one to be in lately.

Thought I was getting arthritis this last fall which was discouraging enough, but then it turned out to be more that that. I was diagnosed with Lupus in February of this year.

Now, I have low blood pressure (what's that all about??). The doctor thought it might be my Lupus medication but I've been off of that for a week now and it is still low. 100/68.

We are still homeschooling. Still love being a full time mom! :o) Wishing I didn't have to be away so much though. Thankfully they are accommodating. They understand that I homeschool and that I need Fridays and Saturdays off. Plus, it is just a 10 minute drive from home. (In all things give thanks!)

Oh and we are also the new and proud owners of a cat. Never thought I was a cat person til this little tiny fur ball was abandoned at my in-laws last Thanksgiving. She was so tiny she would fit in my hand. She is a cutie for sure!. :o)

Seven Prayers A Day

2008-11-08T20:05:00.003-04:00

Angie at Bring The Rain has a wonderful post about praying for our children. She has included 7 prayers to pray throughout the day...each and every day. Click on the button above to read the actual post.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!!!!

2008-07-01T15:27:00.004-04:00

Jonah is Gettin' the Hits!

2008-06-29T15:34:00.003-04:00

Every once in a while I like to see who has been visiting my blog and what they are looking for. I have registered with SiteMeter to track this info. It's free. :o)

Anyway, the most popular post is the one I wrote on the Jonah Craft that my son did last year at campmeeting. I think the last 30 hits to my blog have all been due to a google search for Jonah.

The thing that I find most puzzling is that, of all the visits that that post gets, I have only 1 comment. :o(

It is a really cute craft is you are looking for a fun activity for VBS, church or home.

La La La...I'm Not Titling This Post. :o)

2008-06-07T23:07:00.002-04:00

Tired...should be sleeping...but I'm updating my blog. :o)

We invited my in-laws over for supper today after church. It turned out my brother-in-law & sister-in-law were planning to stop by for a visit at my in-laws place so we invited them for supper too. There was plenty to go around.

After supper we went for a walk. Before we left we couldn't find the dog. We assumed that she had gone with my nephew who left ahead of us. We caught up with him, but no dog. I figured that once we got back to our property she would run to meet us. Still no dog. I stood on the deck calling her name and whistling but no sound or sight of her. So my son and other nephew & I went driving to see if we could spot her. We would stop periodically and call her and look over the fields. You guessed it still no dog. Driving back to our place I decided that I would drive to the top of our hill. No dog there so we turned around a drove back down. That is when the 2 boys remembered that they had been playing hide & seek in the barn...maybe she was in there. They ran to the barn and sure enough there she was. Boy, was she glad to be out of there. She was so excited to be released. I don't know why she didn't bark when I called her so many times from the deck. I was so glad that we found her safe and sound! :o)

Homeschool Happenings

2008-06-04T22:54:00.003-04:00

This afternoon we went to visit friends. They homeschool too. The kids had fun playing while my friend and I talked homeschooling. We seemed to stay on the topic of science. She is using Bob Jones this fall and I think I am going to wing it with my Dinah Zike Big Book of Science book as well and books and movies from the library. We are both enjoying lapbooking with the kids so I think that will be a given. :o)

When we got home I asked Caleb what he would like to study in science this year. So far, he has said Volcanoes and Kingdoms (plant, animal, fungi...,etc). I'm thinking that will be fun.

I've set up another blog to keep track of our homeschool happenings. Right now it is still a work in progress so I have the privacy settings on. I am trying to think of a way to highlight subjects and skills. Possibly highlight the subjects with color and bold italics for the skills. Good thing I will have the summer to figure it out. lol ;o)

What A Beautiful Day!

2008-06-03T11:48:00.002-04:00

It is such a beautiful day today!! The sun is shinning and the fields and sky are the prettiest green and blue. :o) A great day for hanging out laundry...which is waiting in the washer for me. ;o)

I have a little bit of time to myself this afternoon as my son went with my husband and brother-in-law to deliver wood. He loves helping his dad. :o) I am never very productive though when he is gone...when the cat's away. lol ;o) I will probably work on some homeschool planning and organizing. I guess that is productive.

Supper is in the slowcooker so I don't have to worry about that. Yay! :o) I put a roast in early this morning and it should be nice and tender by supper time. I read somewhere that the slowcooker takes less power/energy than the oven. Not sure if that is true, but I enjoy the slowcooker for cooking my roasts just for the convenience factor. It's great in the summer time too as the kitchen doesn't heat up like it does with an oven.

Well the nice weather...and wet laundry are calling me. :o)

A Quick Blog Post :o)

2008-06-01T22:57:00.005-04:00

Well, it is almost midnight here and I really should be sleeping and getting some rest. I've been sick since last Monday evening and am just starting to feel half decent. Still stuffed up and a bit achy at times. Ironically I had made it through winter with no colds or anything and then boom I get this. No fun! Although, I did get a book read while I was taking it easy. I'll post about that later when I have more time. :o)

We went for a dirve with my in-laws today. We went to a green house to get some more plants for our flower garden and vegetable garden. We ate supper out and then home again. My mother-in-law dug up some of her extra perennials for me. :o) She gave me irises, lillies, lady slippers and another kind of lily. I'm not much of a green thumb so I hope they are tough enough to survive my inexperience. lol :o)

It's after midnight now, but this was the little suggestion at the top of my blog when I started typing...

Choose your battles wisely ~ give patience where patience is due, and continually ask God for wisdom in discipline.

My son and his best friend don't get to see each other regularly because we live about 30-40 minutes apart, but they love to talk on the phone. I am constantly reminding my son that when he is done talking that he needs to check to see if anyone left a message while he was on the phone. Lately he has been forgetting to do that. It can be an hour or more before he remembers to check it. :o( My mom called earlier this week and left a message and then was worried because she knew I was sick and wondered why we weren't answering the phone or returning her call. (Mom's think the worst you know.) Again tonight he forgot to check and I only got my friend's message 1 1/2 hours after she called! So I told him that if that happens again he will not be able to use the phone for a day or so. But, now that I am thinking about it, it is also punishing his friend. What to do? I think I am going to try reminding him to check for messages when he is done talking.

I need to be patient and pray for more wisdom in my discipline. :o)

Titles????

2008-05-07T22:40:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I wish I didn't need to come up with a title for my post. Technically I could leave it blank, but somehow I feel the need to name it. Strange!! lol :o)

There is really no name for this post. I'm just rambling about my day. We left here early today and didn't get back til about 3:00pm. It was such a beautiful day, that when we got home, I did a quick load of laundry and got it hung out on the line. I looovvveee hanging things on my clothes line!! Good thing too because our dryer has been broke for a few months now. It is supposed to rain tomorrow so I wanted to take advantage of the sunshine.

My husband cooked supper. :o) I did the dishes while our son cleaned out the van. He had to get out his things, any garbage and any recyclables one of (or both) his grandmothers gave him that were in there. After I did the dishes, I went out to get my things, etc., out of the van and then vacuumed it out. Wow! It looks so much better! I always say that we will stay on top of things and not let it get messy again, but of course it does. lol :o)

Then it was time to bring in my laundry, fold it and put it away. That drawer really needs to get a tidy and quick!! lol :o) I think I will try to tackle my son's drawers too. I need to sort through what he has outgrown and pack away some of his long-sleeved shirts to make room for his summer clothes.

Never a dull moment. ;o)

Making A Note

2008-05-04T22:52:00.004-04:00

It's interesting that, when I looked back over my blog, I was reading things that I had forgotten all about, but was so glad that I recorded them here. Something happened back on March 12 that I want to be sure I make a note of.

On that evening I had to run out to the store. It had just started to snow very slightly and my son thought that I shouldn't go. He said the things I was going for weren't important. lol :o) I knew that the roads would be fine and reassured him that I would be okay. He knew I was going to go when he saw me putting my boots on. He came over to me and said, "Well, let's have prayer before you go." and then he proceeded to pray for me to have a safe drive to and from the store.

Spider Lapbook

2008-05-03T21:34:00.013-04:00

This is the first lapbook that we completed. The black spiders on the file folder are Caleb's fingerprints. He drew on the legs and eyes.

This lapbook is made up of 3 file folders put together. This is a look at the inside of the first section. Did you know that scientists say that we are never more than 3 feet away from a spider??

This lapbook included a variety of activities.

We polled our friends and family to find out who is afraid of spiders.

This section included a tic-tac-toe game, acrostic poem, trivia, copywork and a puzzler.

The life cycle of a spider.

Lots of new vocabulary words!!

I really like how this little mini book turned out. It pulls out to show the answer to the question.

Did you know that a spider is not an insect?

Some Homeschooling Links

2008-04-30T15:08:00.002-04:00

Here are some links that I stumbled across and thought it might be of benefit to other homeschoolers or those thinking of it.

Homeschooling for FREE!! LOTS of resources.

FREE Gardening Unit Study

Where Does the Time Go???

2008-04-26T21:12:00.002-04:00

Wowzers!! The time has really gotten away on me. lol :o)

We are really enjoying spring here in our little neck of Canada. I am so not a winter person, but this winter was just too much. It has really made me appreciate spring so much more!! :o)

The deer had a very hard winter here with so much snow in the woods. They are out in full force now enjoying a feast in the fields. Today on our way home from my in-laws, we saw 4 deer in there fields and then 3 in our field. The 3 in our field were very close, yet they didn't move when we drove up the drive way. They just looked at us and we looked at them. :o) We must have looked trust worthy because they didn't move when my husband continued on. They just watched us drive up to the house and they kept on eating.

Are You Amazed?

2008-03-24T17:57:00.001-04:00

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in HIm shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Kitchen Contest

2008-01-06T18:14:00.001-04:00

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible!

The Prize:

The winner will receive a brand new
Hamilton Beach 4.5-qt. Eclectrics Stand Mixer, Pineapple Yellow!!

About the mixer:

From Hamilton Beach’s “Eclectrics” line, this all-metal stand mixer comes with a host of accessories - a Flat Beater for cakes and cookies, a Dough Hook for bread and a Wire Whisk for whipped cream or pudding. The 4.5-qt. stainless steel bowl comes with a Pouring Shield that helps prevent splattering while in operation. The pouring shield has a built-in chute for adding ingredients. Powered by 400 watts, the stand mixer has a two-way mixing action to ensure all ingredients are incorporated into the mix. The quick-release, tilt-up head assists when removing the bowl. 9 x 14 x 14-in. When you’re ready for a kitchen re-do, don’t call in the carpenters! Instead, “counterscape” your kitchen with Hamilton Beach’s retro-designed, affordably priced electrics in happy, sun-saturated colors. Their “Eclectrics” line includes updates to those classic appliances from the 1950s. All of their “Eclectrics” are available in six colors: Apple Green, Moroccan Red, Pineapple Yellow, Intrigue Blue, Sugar White and Licorice Black.

Gas Prices Are Crazy!!!!

2007-11-14T22:30:00.000-04:00

The gas prices here are crazy! 1.09 per liter of regular gas...or $4.36 per gallon! The prices will change either tonight or tomorrow. Will they be up or down? We won't know until they get changed. So it is hard to know whether to fill up at the current price or wait and hope it goes down.

If I lived in the city I could rely on public transit, but here in the country, we depend on our van to get us from place to place. I usually only make 1 trip to town per week, which means I have to be somewhat organized. I'm fairly organized but not perfect, but then again who is perfect?? lol :o)

Speaking of organization, our homeschool co-op had it's monthly meeting last night. the topics were multi level teaching and organization. One of the mom's showed the binder system that she uses, as well as some books on organization. One of the books she had was one that I have heard several homeschool moms (online groups) raving about. Ironically, she found that, while it had it's good points, it wasn't a match for her family. The majority of the moms there said they didn't find it useful to them either. I'm glad that I had the chance to look at it before I purchased it. I would have been disappointed if I had bought it. I've done this with other books too thinking they would be a perfect fit for us only to find out that they weren't. Having said all of that...I am thankful to the various groups and email loops I am one because of all of the hands on reviews of different books and companies.

Wow! How did my post about gas prices become about my meeting last night?? I am guessing I am thinking about the gas used to get there and the fact that there will be another trip to town this week for a field trip. Two trips instead of the usual one. Man, I hope the gas prices go down!!

Lapbook Freebie

2007-11-12T21:30:00.001-04:00

This is a free "What is snow?" lapbook that Homeschool eStore is offering for free. Offer is only good for this week, so be sure to check it out.

Our Monday

2007-11-05T22:49:00.000-04:00

Today was a bit of a relaxed homeschooling day. We did some more work on the spider lapbook(handwriting, drawing, cutting,& researching), worked on another mini book for the Bible lapbook (Bible, handwriting, drawing & cutting), made cookies using only a 1/4 cup and a 1/2 teaspoon for measuring(following dirctions, math fractions & life skills), and did some reading about life in the 1800's in Canada(reading and histroy). After that was done, Caleb took the dog out in the yard for some exercise.

At supper time, Caleb was telling his dad different little facts about the things he learned today. After supper we played a game of SkipBo(thinking skills). And while I was doing up the supper dishes, Caleb and hubby played a game of hockey (gym).

It's so easy for me to get focused on worksheets and books but, when I look at all of the learning that takes place in the run of a day, I think I really should just chill out. :o)

What a Busy Day!!

2007-11-01T22:59:00.000-04:00

Today was a whirlwind day. Rush, rush! Caleb had a birthday party to attend this afternoon and I had a bazillion errands to do before that. Okay maybe not a bazillion but alot. lol ;o)

I took 2 large garbage bags and 2 boxes of stuff to the second hand store today. That sure makes our room look alot less cluttered.:D After we dropped the bags and boxes off, we went in to see what bargains we could find. My in-laws had given us some Bible Story books by Arthur Maxwell. 4 of the books were missing. I was able to get 3 off of eBay, but I still needed Volume 1. Well, what should I find today but Volume1! I am surprised that I even noticed it because the edition I found looks nothing like the rest of the books we have, but hey it still completes the set. The book I found today is smaller but thicker and it is red. The other ones we have are blue. lol :o) I am thankful to have found it and that it only cost around $3.50 total. :D Here is a picture of my find.

Have you ever lived in a small town? I grew up in the the city but in a small community. Everyone knows everyone. I haven't lived there for 12 years, but all my family lives there. Most people know me. Anyway, we stopped at the pharmacy to pick up a birthday card. When I walk in the clerk (I went to school with her son) smiles and says,"Oh your the girl who had a shower for T ?" referring to a baby shower I had 2 weeks ago for my friend. I replied, "Yes and I can't wait til she has the baby." Well then she grins even more and says, "Well I won't say anything more." That gave it away right there! :D My friend and her husband are the proud parents of a healthy baby boy! He arrived 3 weeks early. I've already claimed the title 'Auntie Lisa'. She and I have known each other since Grade 1 and, since neither of us has a sister, we say that we are the sisters we never had. (She's an only and I have 4 older brothers). I was her matron of honor at her wedding last December. So needless to say I am very excited and happy that she is so excited and happy! :o)

Back to the small community.....I get home from town and find out that my friend's husband had called and was talking to my husband, who called and told my mom, who told my 2 aunts, my sister-in-law, my niece and a friend. Who did I get to tell?? Um....no one! :o( I suppose that is not entirely true. I did get to tell the blogging world. lol :o)

Wow! I haven't blogged this much in a long while! ;o)

I am exhausted and very awake at the same time. It is well past midnight here and I really should be sleeping if I want to be half alert tomorrow. lol :o)

Tuesday Ramblings

2007-10-30T21:20:00.001-04:00

I couldn't think of a title. Tuesday Ramblings should do seeing as I don't have any one particular thought to post about.

We had our first snow today. We woke up to a ground covering of white stuff. Of course Caleb was thrilled and was out the door pronto. He was out there for at least an hour and went through 2 pairs of mitts. I'm glad he got to enjoy it because by lunch time it was gone.

I am hoping to get started on making our Christmas cards this week. I am such a procrastinator! :D Add to that the fact that my supplies I ordered were late getting to me. I was really hoping to address them tomorrow night. Oh well maybe I'll work on them tomorrow night. We don't celebrate Halloween, so I know I will be home.

See ramblings was a good title. lol :o)

Changing Things Up a Bit

2007-10-29T22:10:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, we have recently started lapbooking. I wanted to do something different from the typical fill-in-the-blank worksheet because they aren't a whole lot of fun for Caleb. We are finishing up our first one. It is on spiders. I've learned alot about spiders. lol :o) Today we started another one on Biblical Responsibility. It has 13 (or 14) activities, so it should take us about 3 weeks to do as we will do one activity per day. We do this in addition to 'My Bible First'. Once the spider one is finished, we will start a new one on something science or health related. If you click on the link above you can download a sample of the Biblical Responsibility lapbook.

Here is a freebie lapbook on Art Appreciation. It looks like it will be a fun way to learn about art concepts and artists. This changes every quarter, so be sure to save it before it gets changed. :o)

If you have preK- K aged children, they may enjoy doing a lapbook called 'All about Me'. :o) Or maybe Apples!! They are freebies too!

I will take a picture of our finished spider lapbook to post and share. I'll also take a picture of the supplies we use to make our books.

On another completely different note, I have made my 3rd batch of laundry soap. We are still really liking it. One batch lasts us about a month. I shared with another mom how to make it and she finds it a big savings for her family of 5.

More Catching Up!!

2007-10-27T22:45:00.000-04:00

I thought I should post soemthing since I have neglected this ole blog for quite a while now. Really I should be in bed since it is almost midnight here and I have a headache. I rarely get headaches. They are usually sinus headaches or tension headaches. This is a tension headache from thinking (over thinking). I'm sure it will be better by morning.

Caleb & I have been working on a lapbook about spiders. I've wanted to incorporate lapbooking into our homeschooling but never was really sure about how to go about it. Well I had downloaded a freebie one on spiders a while back. It showed exactly how to fold each mini book and where to place it in the folder. So we (I) decided to do that one. I liked the idea of knowing exactly how it should look, but I think the next one that we do will have a little bit of our own touch to it. We may even attempt 2 at the same time. Maybe a science on and a Bible one. At least now my scrapbooking stuff (which is pretty much just sitting on my messy desk) will be put to good use. :P

Salsa Recipe

2007-10-18T09:24:00.000-04:00

Here is the recipe for the salsa....

Fresh Vegetable Salsa

8 jalapeno peppers (wear gloves when chopping)
7 Cups prepared tomatoes (this just means peeled and chopped)
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 cup coarsely chopped green pepper
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped or crushed
1 can (156ml) tomato paste
3/4 Cup white vinegar
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp ground cumin

1.) Remove seeds and finely chop jalapeno peppers. Blanch, peel and coarsely chop tomatoes. Measure 7 cups
2.) Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel or enamel sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil gently, about 30 minutes or until salsa reaches desired consistency.
3.)Sterilize bottles
4.) Place snap lids in boiling water, boil 5 minutes to soften sealing compound.
5.)Ladle salsa into hot jar ( try to get bottle and salsa at similar temperatures so the bottles don't break) to within 1/2 inch of top rim. Wipe jar rim to remove any stickiness. Center snap lid on jar, apply screw band just until fingertip tight. Place jars in canner.
6.) Cover canner, return water to a boil; process 20 minutes. Remove jars. Cool 24 hours. Check jar seals. Sealed lids will be curved downward. Store in a cool dark place.

Quilt of Holes

2007-10-14T20:46:00.000-04:00

This is an email I recieved.

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many
piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a
tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged
and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each
square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the
challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw
hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the
light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up
their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me,
and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to
accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, "Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.

Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!

When there is nothing left but God that is when you find out that God is all you need.

Our Grapes

2007-10-02T12:23:00.000-04:00

We only have one grape vine that we planted a few years ago, but it is really growing!

Caleb says they taste just like Welch's Grape juice! :o)

They look so yummy!!

I'm Baaaaccck ! :o)

2007-10-01T09:56:00.000-04:00

Wowzers! I really didn't realize I had been away from my blog for so long! Time sure flies!! I think we have just been so busy getting back school after the summer, getting the garden picked and put up for winter and generally running here, there and everywhere. lol :o)

Thanks to those who missed me and posted a comment. I appreciate that. :o)

I got most of my bloodwork results. Still waiting for 2 results, but they are nothing that I am concerned about. The doctor ordered an ANA test twice and both came back positive(1-80). So because of that he is sending me to a Rhuematologist. Still waiting to hear when my appointment will be. I'm not a worrier when it comes to things like that so I am thankful about that.

Here is a little of what has been keeping me busy...........

We made 14 bottles of salsa last week. Yummy! :D

Now I'm going to have to go blog visiting and catch up with everyone. :o)

Our First Day Back

2007-09-04T20:37:00.000-04:00

Our first day back to homeschooling went well.

I had bloodwork at 9:00am and, since we go bowling at 10:00 am on Tuesday mornings, I packed reading, math, language arts and handwriting in Caleb's backpack and brought it with us. Once my bloodwork was done we had 45 minutes to spare. So we drove down and parked at the lake shore and went over some of his work. He read a story and we also looked over his language arts for today & tomorrow. We finished up the other things when we got home.

All in all a relaxed day. :o)

Now, since I didn't get much sleep last night, I am off to see if I can get rested up.

Insomnia Is No Fun :o(

2007-09-04T02:25:00.000-04:00

Well it is 3:26AM here and I can't sleep!!! Ugh!

Thankfully this doesn't happen often.

I know I am tired and I will be exhausted tomorrow, but I just can't sleep. :o( Surfing the net probably isn't doing alot to make me sleepy. lol ;o)

There's no sleeping in for me either as I have blood work in the morning.

Long Weekend Happenings

2007-09-03T21:21:00.000-04:00

The long weekend didn't seem to be so long. lol ;o) We didn't go anywhere, just stuck close to home.

I knew my mom and aunt were coming out for a visit today so I tried to get plenty done yesterday. I changed and washed all the bedding, made a batch of cookies, a double batch of biscuits and we froze some more of our corn for winter.

Also, yesterday, I finally got around to making homemade liquid laundry soap. Ann at His Grace to Me shared a link a while back for a recipe to make homemade liquid laundry soap. I had bought all of the ingredients this summer, and since it looked like I might run out of soap after my laundry-a-thon, I decided that it would be a good time to give it a try.

Caleb grated the bar of soap for me. :o)

Here is the finished product.

I used some of it today and shared some with both my mom & aunt.

Tomorrow is our first day back to homeschooling, so I'd better get some sleep. :o)

A Work in Progress

2007-09-01T21:25:00.000-04:00

Well I've been working to put together a portfolio of some kind to organize Caleb's school work. Let me just say, straight from the get go, I have no clue about any of this. ;o) I have searched the internet and found some lists and suggestions, but nothing that included step by step instructions, so I am just winging it. lol ;o)

So far this is what I have come up with.

We found a lime green 1.5" binder. Just the color Caleb wanted. It has clear plastic on the front, back and side. I made a cover for the front. Sorry for the glaring picture, but it is the plastic reflecting the light.

I didn't realize it until we got home, but the binder also has pouches on the inside of the front and back covers. I thought this would be a good place to store important homeschool paperwork, like our application to the Dept. of Education. When we recieve our letter of approval back from the Minister of Education, then I will hole punch it and put it in the very front.

I used several (and I do mean several!) packages of subject dividers to keep each section by itself. So far the sections include..........weekly lesson plans, math outline, reading outline, grammar outline, math work samples, reading work samples, grammar work samples, library book list, media list (DVD, TV, Internet, Computer), reading list, handwriting samples, photos(in page protectors), field trips. And that is just to name a few. lol ;o)

This is a sample of the weekly lesson plan. I have the days listed across the top, and the subjects are listed down the side. I forgot to take a picture of the back, but it has the days listed and a spot to list chores, life skills, field trips, outings and outreach. Each month I will use a different color for the weekly pages. This month will be yellow, next month will be orange.....and so on. That will make it easy to find the month that I am looking for.

As I mentioned, I have lists to keep record of library books borrowed, media used (TV, Internet, computer, DVDs etc) and books read. I decided that these would get bright colored pages too! :o)

I'm still not 100% sure where I want each section to go just yet, so I have not labeled the dividers. So far, I have just used mini sticky notes to mark each tab. As I figure out where I want each one and in what order I want them then I will label them. For example, I thought I would have the math outline in one section and the math work samples in another section. Then I got thinking that they could be in the same section and I would print the outline on different colored paper so it would stand out from the samples.

So, as you can see, this is still very much a work in progress. I am glad that it is somewhat organized. That will make it easier to gather the samples as we go along and not have to try at the end of the year to pull it all together.

Now I just hope a 1.5" binder will hold it all!! :o)

Talking Out Loud

2007-08-29T22:06:00.000-04:00

Excuse me for a moment. I'm just going to talk out loud. lol ;o) I thought I would type up a quick post of my ramblings.

Well I said yesterday that I needed to 'be super efficient with my time' today. Was I? Not really. Well maybe. I did get 2 loads of laundry washed, hung out, folded and almost put away. :o) Husked corn, blanched it and got it done and in the freezer. And a few other things that I won't bore you with. (I can hear the 'Thank yous' now.) lol :D

I sent for a handwriting book for my son. I'm so glad that it arrived last week so we will have it for next Tuesday. It's called 'A Reason for Handwriting' I really like the format of the book. It turns out that the school(closed) that we borrow books from had the Teacher's Edition, so I was pretty happy about that.

Since we began homeschooling, we've only schooled 4 days per week. Monday - Thursday. This year my son said he wants to do 5 days, Monday - Friday, so he will be done sooner. I agreed, but I will not get to settled in a 5 day routine until I see how he is liking 5 days. 4 or 5 is good for me. We'll see.

We are planning to go to town soon and I want to get few more things I need for the portfolio. I thought it would be best to wait until I had pictures to go with it. So I want to be sure I have the things I need. Caleb has decided that he would like a lime green binder for his portfolio. Hope the store has one in stock. If not, blue is his next pick.

Stay tuned for more homeschooling posts in the next few days. I'd love to hear about any homeschool plans that anyone else is working on.

Time Flys !!

2007-08-28T22:04:00.000-04:00

My intentions were so good. Really and truly they were. I made a list of homeschool topics I wanted to share. Partly because I thought someone else may benefit from my ramblings and also because it will help me get things planned out and thought through before we start school next week. But here it is nearing midnight (I should be sleeping) on Tuesday and I don't have one post typed up that I had wanted to. Of course there is always tomorrow. ;o)

Speaking of tomorrow. I have so much I need/want to get done tomorrow. I have to make a trip to the bank and post office to run couple of errands, blanch some corn so I can get that into the freezer for winter, laundry and possibly help my husband & brother-in-law hay.

I helped hay today too. I drove the tractor (a first!) while they and Caleb loaded the wagon. Then I helped unload it into the barn. Fun, fun. Really I don't mind at all. I'll just have to be sure to be super efficient with my time tomorrow.

Now I'd better get to sleep or I will get nothing done. lol ;o)

The Craft That Started It All...And Held It All

2007-08-22T13:07:00.000-04:00

While we were at campmeeting Caleb had crafts every afternoon, Sunday - Friday. Well except for the one day he didn't go because he and some other boys were playing a game of baseball headed up by one of the moms. That was fine with me, as another mom who was also watching and I had a great chat about books and DVDs. Sorry I'm rambling. ;o)

Back to the crafts. They always make such great crafts and he has a good time. The tricky part is finding a place for it in the cabin with out it getting lost or squished, and then wondering how we are possibly going to get it home intact. I was so happy this year that the first craft was a gift bag that they got to decorate and personalize. Then as each craft came back to the cabin we would gently add it to the bag. Caleb always knew where is crafts were and we made sure the bag was packed carefully in the van when we came home.

And of course he chose blue, which was no surprise as it is his favorite color. :o)

Another Day, Another Tidy

2007-08-21T17:56:00.000-04:00

Today I decided to tackle the homeschool shelf in the closet. It was one of those shelves that if you just happened to pull out the wrong thing.....everything would come tumbling out! ;o) I' am so glad that I didn't procrastinate about it. It's funny but I'm not as much of a procrastinator as I used to be. I'm so glad too because it feels great to have that all tidied up and organized. So I can cross that off of my 'To Do' list. :o)

So what did I happen to find? Well I was happy to find a container that looks like it will be perfect for holding the homemade liquid laundry soap I plan to make. Yes you read that right. ;o) I got the recipe from a fellow blogger and have everything I need to make a batch. That will be a post all on it's own. I also found some items that we no longer need (or have doubles of) that I am going to pass on to another homeschool mom. Caleb will be happy when he sees that I have found 2 science kits, 2 Christmas craft kits and a craft magazine. Not mention all of the packages of loose leaf, duotang covers, and notebooks! :o) I turfed a bunch of stuff that was not usable to me or anyone, and was just creating clutter.

I am so glad it is done! Now to tackle the master bedroom. Stayed tuned! lol ;o)

A Bit About My Day

2007-08-20T21:24:00.000-04:00

Wow, 2 posts in one day. That's very rare indeed!

The days are getting cooler here. I hung out one line of laundry and it took pretty much the whole afternoon to dry. The sun was out and there was a nice breeze so for that I am very thankful.

Caleb & I took some time this afternoon to clean out his drawers. I had tackled his room before his birthday party but it looks like I neglected the drawers. Anyway that job is now complete. We have a big pile to add to the bag of clothes we are giving away. Now to tackle the master bedroom. UGH! I'm sure it won't be such a big job but it feels like it's going to be a doozy. Oh and then there is the game cupboard/homeschool closet. I hope to get this all done before we start back homeschooling in a few weeks. Then I will only have my daily chores to keep up with.

My plan is to compile a very complete portfolio. I found this list which will be a great help in making sure I include everything that I want. The biggie for me will be to not get fixated on the list and portfolio and in turn become a task master. lol ;o) I'll be sure to keep you all posted on that. :o)

Tonight for supper, we had new potatoes, an english cucumber and our first taste of corn from our garden. Yummy! We'll enjoy it at a few more meals, share some and also freeze some for winter.

How was your day?? :o)

Fun Jonah Craft

2007-08-20T09:52:00.000-04:00

Finally I am gettting around to sharing some of the crafts that Caleb made this summer at campmeeting. He made lots and had a fun time making each of them. Today I'll share the Jonah craft he made.

The kids cut out a whale shape from craft foam. ( the brad shown there is to hold it together because the craft foam was too small and 2 peices had to be used.)

On the back they taped a party favor thingy (what's it called??)

On the very end of the party favor thingy (still can't think of what it is called) they taped a picture of Jonah. So, when they blew on the party favor, it looked like Jonah was being spit out of the whale. You may be able to see it if you click on the picture to enlarge it.
Caleb says in his best british voice (as if he were anchoring the BBC news) "And in 3 days Jonah got spat out of the whale." lol ;o)

Homeschool Open House

2007-08-15T20:31:00.000-04:00

I was surfing through some of the blogs I visit and found this Homeschool Open House. There are alot of blogs signed up to share a bit about their homeschools. Over 200 now I think!!! That's alot!

I am homeschooling our son age 9 and going into grade 5.This will be our 3rd year of homeschooling. We will start our 2007 - 2008 school year in just a few weeks. Truly though I think we are always learning lots of new things everyday. I guess when I say school year I'm thinking getting the text books out.

I should say that we are blessed to borrow textbooks from the church school that he used to attend and is now closed.

Here is what we are using this year.........

Bible - My Bible First

Math - Journeys in Math 5 (I've looked for a website to share, but I found nothing. The series was published by Ginn & Company in 1987. Great Math book. They don't make them like this anymore. lol ;o) I did find one on ebay for $99.99 Not sure if that was a typo.)

Reading - Miracles & Milestones Another oldie but goodie. :o) I tried to link to it, but couldn't. You can find it at Adventist Book Center, by doing a search of 'Miracles & Milestones'.

Grammar - Building English Skills Again this is from the 80's, but very good! Sorry I couldn't find a link, but if you google it you should be able to find it.

Canadian History - We'll read our way through Canadian history with the help of this reading list

Science - We'll use a mixture of resources such as Considering God's Creation, Usborne books, Creation Illustrated magazine and the Internet.

Phys Ed - Bowling weekly (all year), skating weekly (October - Feb/March) swimming weekly(March/April - May)

Life Skills - household chores, etc.

I feel like I am forgetting something. lol ;o)

Now to visit those other 200+ blogs. :o)

What to Post About??

2007-08-12T18:41:00.001-04:00

I haven't posted anything in a while and I can't think about what to post about. I think I'll sit down and write up a bunch of ideas. While I was away I could think of lots but of course no computer. :P

I still haven't loaded my pictures on to the computer yet, so that'll be a little project for this week. I want to be sure to share the crafts Caleb made while we were away. There may be some ideas others will find useful for VBS or church.

The peas were ready in our garden when I got back. Actually they were a bit too ready. I did get some prepped for the freezer. No pictures of that though. :o( We have really been enjoying eating the other veggies from our garden, like potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, green peppers, tomatoes, and beets. Yummy!! :o)

I am looking forward to starting school again. I've been going through Caleb's math text to make an outline that we can follow. I'll have to do that for grammar and reading too. All that could be a post in itself. lol ;o) I am thinking of starting a separate blog for sharing our homeschooling days with family. Our family is very supportive of us homeschooling (I think we're the only ones they know)and it would be a great way to include them. I still have to think on that.

Anyway enough rambling from me. lol :o)

Book Purchases

2007-08-08T08:16:00.000-04:00

I bought this book while I was away on vacation. I had no intentions of buying any books for me, only one for Caleb that I had picked out before we left. Well, when it comes to books I am weak. ;o) I bought it. lol :o)

Each time I had a little free time, I would grab the book and read some more. I didn't think that I would get it all read before we left for home, but I did. Now my mom is reading it.

At the back of the book there were some other books that were advertised. Ironically I had purchased one of them too. ;o)

It's called "A Practical Guide to Discovering God's Will". I haven't started reading it yet, but hope to start it soon.

So much for planning to NOT buy any books. lol :o)

Caleb used some of his birthday money to buy a couple of books. He picked them out on his own, and they look like he made good choices.

Click on the book covers to read more about them.

Home Again, Home Again

2007-08-07T17:40:00.000-04:00

It is great to be home!! :o)

We left on July 26th and just got back on Sunday (August 5th). It is always nice to get away, but it is always nice to get back home too. :o) Caleb & I were both homesick for Daddy since he wasn't able to go with us. :o( And he of course was really missing us too. But now were are all back together. :o)

While we were away I was making mental notes about all of the different things that I could blog about when I got back home. Now I think I have forgotten most of it. lol ;o) I'm sure it'll come back to me.

Caleb did some very nice crafts there, so I have taken pictures of those to share.

I bought a book while I was there and read the whole thing before I got back. I've lent it to my mom and now she is several chapters into it. :o) I'll share a link to it in another post.

Anyway, it is so nice to be back. Now I'm going to go check in on some other blogs that I missed while I was away.

Sew Crafty Friday

2007-07-27T12:57:00.000-04:00

Yes I'm posting this on Thursday, but I'll be away Friday so that's why it is early. ;o)

Be sure to stop by Shereen's blog to see what crafty things other bloggers are up to.

Here are my crafty contributions for this week.

Another towel! I get bored with the same color after a while so I bought this hot pink craft cotton. I have another ball of verigated to use next time. Then I'll start over using up the leftover yarn I still have.

I was in the mood for making more cards this week. I was going to do my Christmas cards up but, I realized that I needed a few supplies replenished. I'll make that an August project to work on.

Instead I made these card fronts. I have to cut white cardstock for the cards and then the front is ready to stick on. I can't take credit for the design. My friend made simillar card and I scraplifted it from her. I have some other ideas from her too, so that will give me crafty things to make for Fridays.

9 Years Old Today !!

2007-07-25T21:34:00.000-04:00

Caleb turned 9 years old today! :o)

It just seems like we brought him home and now he is growing up so fast!

He was 5 weeks premature, and delivered by emergency c-section. He weighed in at a healthy 5lbs 7oz. The doctors told us that 15 minutes more and it would have been a completely different outcome for both Caleb & me. The events leading up to and including his birth confirm that God was watching over us. :o)

We spent 2 and a half weeks in the hospital only because I wanted to nurse and they had to be sure that he would gain well that way. Once they could see that he was gaining and maintaining his weight, we were allowed to come home. :o)

Despite the fact that he was a preemie, he has grown by leaps and bounds. He is geting so tall and catching up to my husband & me. Well we're both short so that is easy to do. lol ;o)

We are so blessed and thankful to have such a healthy, happy and sweet boy to love.

"You can't take it with you!"

2007-07-24T13:20:00.000-04:00

Whoever said you can't take it with you, was obviously not talking about packing for vacation! lol ;o)

My son and I are going to our church campmeeting for 11 days and 10 nights. We are really looking forward to it.

Simplicity is the theme for my packing this year. I am a helper for the 7-9 year old class. I was the leader 2 years ago and I know how limited your free time can be.

I've decided that we'll travel lighter than we have most years. I usually take my microwave, electric frying pan, slow cooker, toaster oven, electric kettle and my electric cooler (doubles as a fridge). But this year I don't want to get bogged down with too much stuff. Plus I feel like I should leave something home for my husband to use. lol ;o) So I just plan on taking the electric frying pan and the cooler. That's it!

I'm planning to take enough clothes for us so that I won't have to make a run to the laundromat. We'll see how that works out. I expect that there will be at least one trip, even if it is just to give us a little change of pace.

The Birthday Party

2007-07-22T22:23:00.000-04:00

Well, today we had Caleb's 9th birthday party. :o) He will turn 9 on Wednesday.

The weather cooperated nicely which we were so grateful for! Lots of family came out for it, and he had a great time playing with his cousins.

Caleb wanted a hockey cake. Here is what we came up with........

I made a cake in my oval casserole dish and we frosted it white. Then we added the red and blue lines.

He drew the 'boards with the corporate sponsors' which we added to the back. lol ;o)

We topped it off with some 'puck' candles, a wax helmet and a #9 candle.

It was a hit and there is very little left, which is a good thing. ;o)

Oh, and I should add that he didn't even eat a piece of the cake! He loves to come up with an idea for a cake, but he hasn't had a piece of his birthday cake for a few years. I know he did for his first birthday, but not so sure about the other ones. I can't remember. lol :o) He usually doesn't want cake when he goes to other parties either. I think he just enjoys the socializing so much he doesn't want to stop and eat cake. :o)

A Prayer Calendar

2007-07-14T21:37:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in a previous post about a blog that mentioned prayer charts. I did a search and found several websites that had prayer calendars to help pray for character traits, virtues and the fruit of the Spirit in the life of your child/children.

This is just an example.

Day 1
Salvation "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10).

Day 2
Growth in Grace "I pray that they may 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'" (2 Peter 3:18).

Day 3
Love "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to 'live a life of love,' through the Spirit who dwells in them" (Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22).

Day 4
Honesty and Integrity "May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection" (Psalm 25:21, NLT).

Day 5
Self-control "Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be 'alert and self-controlled' in all they do" (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

Day 6
A love for God's Word "May my children grow to find your Word 'more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb'" (Psalm 19:10).

Day 7
Justice "God, help my children to love justice as you do and to 'act justly' in all they do" (Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8).

Day 8
Mercy "May my children always 'be merciful, as [their] Father is merciful'" (Luke 6:36).

Day 9
Respect (for self, others, authority) "Father, grant that my children may 'show proper respect to everyone,' as your Word commands" (1 Peter 2:17a).

Day 10
strong, Biblical self-esteem "Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are 'God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus'" (Ephesians 2:10).

Day 11
Faithfulness "Let love and faithfulness never leave [my children],' but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts'" (Proverbs 3:3).

Day 12
Courage "May my children always 'Be strong and courageous' in their character and in their actions" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Day 13
Purity "Create in [them] a pure heart, O God,'and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions'" (Psalm 51:10).

Day 14
Kindness "Lord, may my children 'always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else'" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

Day 15 Generosity "Grant that my children may 'be generous and willing to share [and so] lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age'" (1 Timothy 6:18-19).

Day 16
Peace, peaceability "Father, let my children 'make every effort to do what leads to peace'" (Romans 14:19).

Day 17
Joy "May my children be filled 'with the joy given by the Holy Spirit'" (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

Day 18
Perseverance "Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to 'run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]'" (Hebrews 12:1).

Day 19
Humility "God, please cultivate in my children the ability to 'show true humility toward all'" (Titus 3:2).

Day 20
Compassion "Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion" (Colossians 3:12).

Day 21
Responsibility "Grant that my children may learn responsibility, 'for each one should carry his own load'" (Galatians 6:5).

Day 22
Contentment "Father, teach my children 'the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . . through him who gives [them] strength'" (Philippians 4:12-13).

Day 23
Faith "I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them" (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40).

Day 24
A servant heart "God, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, 'as to the Lord, and not to men'" (Ephesians 6:7, KJV).

Day 25
Hope "May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

Day 26
The willingness and ability to work hard "Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, 'as working for the Lord, not for men'" (Colossians 3:23).

Day 27
A passion for God "Lord, please instill in my children a soul that "followeth hard after thee," a heart that clings passionately to you (Psalm 63:8, KJV).

Day 28
Self-discipline "Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire 'a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair'" (Proverbs 1:3).

Day 29
Prayerfulness "Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to 'pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18).

Day 30
Gratitude "Help my children to live lives that are always 'overflowing with thankfulness,' 'always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ'" (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 5:20).

Day 31
A heart for missions "Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Psalm 96:3).

Interesting

2007-07-12T21:21:00.000-04:00

You Are 65% Left Brained, 35% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning.
Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others.
If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic.
Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet.

The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility.
Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way.
If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art.
Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Prayer & Bible Links

2007-07-08T14:35:00.001-04:00

I've been wondering how other bloggers build their prayer journal and also how they study their Bible. I decide to go to Rocks in My Dryer and do a search of the Works for Me Wednesday posts. To do this I held the control key down and pressed 'F' at the same time. This brought up a little seacrh box for that page. First I searched for prayer

Here are some blog links that I thought I would pass along
Remembering Prayer Requests Shereen @ w8ng4him
Prayer Bible Cyndi @ One Day More
Prayer Request List Sandra @ A Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Prayer Chart Susanne @ Living to Tell the Story
Prayer bins for kids Joy @ Joy in the Journey

Secondly I searched for the word Bible. These are some links I found Memorizing Scripture Jeana @ Days to Come
Studying the Bible Jennifer @ Snapshot

A Sabbath Walk

2007-07-07T21:23:00.000-04:00

We went for a Sabbath walk this morning and I got some nice pictures. I wasn't going to take my camera but decided to at the last minute. I'm glad that I did. :o) Here a just a few of the pictures I took. These will make for great scrapbooking pages.

Here is Princess Harley enjoying the time spent in the woods. lol ;o)

Too big to hold our hands?? Yeah right! :o)

I really like this picture. I have a similar one when Caleb was just about 2yrs old.

This is our neighbor's old barn.

I took this picture from the inside looking out.

Another one of my favorites.

Black-eyed Susans. The are one of my favorite flowers.

Daisies are so nice too.

Sew Crafty Friday

2007-07-06T14:43:00.000-04:00

WooHoo!!! I actually have something to share for 'Sew Crafty Friday' this week.

Stop by Shereen's blog to find out what crafty things other bloggers are working on.

I knit this towel. I just need to sew the button on it & attach the towel poem....

And these 2 dish cloths......

It took me a week to do these. Normally I don't knit that fast, but these are for a friend's birthday. Talk about getting cramped hands!! Ouch ! lol ;o)

Where Does the Time Go??

2007-07-03T20:48:00.000-04:00

Wowzers, it is July already!! That is almost hard to believe. It doesn't feel like July here though, more like fall instead.

It is also hard to believe that our son will be turning 9 years old in a few weeks. It just seems like we brought him home from the hospital. Time sure flies! I remember visitors (with grown children) at the hospital telling us that he would grow fast. I couldn't imagine that. How could someone so tiny grow that fast?? Well, they were right he did grow fast. Almost too fast for this mama.

He's pretty much decided that he wants a hockey cake for his birthday. That means I have to get creative and come up with something cool. :o) Possibly a flat cake with a rink surface design, or a maple leaf shape for his favorite team. It should be fun. I'll post pictures of the cake after the party.

Happy Canada Day

2007-07-01T08:15:00.000-04:00

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!!!!

Friday Feast

2007-06-29T07:35:00.000-04:00

Appetizer

How many pieces of jewelry do you wear most days?

One - Only my wedding ring

Soup

What is your favorite instrumental song?

Anne of Green Gables Soundtrack by Hagood Hardy

Salad

Who has a last name that you like?

Me :o)

Main Course

Name a popular movie you’ve never seen.

Lots, but no one can believe I haven't seen 'Top Gun'

Dessert Fill in the blank:

Nothing makes me tired like being a passenger in a car.

Check out more Friday Feast posts here.

Thoughts from a Walk

2007-06-26T15:08:00.000-04:00

It is quite warm here today! Thankfully, there is the occasional breeze across the fields.

My son and I went for a walk this afternoon. A little too warm, but we went just the same. We weren't too far from the house when guess who's hand was in mine? :o) I wrote about that a while back. lol! I guess he isn't getting too big for that just yet. I'm glad that we have the kind of bond that makes that a natural reaction. That said, he did let go of my hand yesterday as we were walking across a parking lot because there was a boy there about his age. I guess he didn't think that would be very cool. ;o)

While on our walk, we saw the neighbors cows. They were all congregated together. I commented on that and my son said maybe they were having church. :o) I said probably not because it's only Tuesday. He said maybe prayer meeting instead. lol Funny little man. :o)

Anyway, it turned out I had to finish the walk myself as my husband came along on the 4 wheeler (a friend is storing it here) and since it was so warm our son decided to hop on the back. They offered me a drive, but I wanted the exercise. They kindly came back to the house and got me a big ol' jug of water and then rode along side of me for company. :o)

Faith vs. Doubt

2007-06-23T22:31:00.000-04:00

Doubt sees the darkest night,
Faith sees the day.
Doubt see the steepest path,
Faith sees the way.
Doubt dares to take a step,
Faith sores on high.
Doubt whispers, "Who believes?",
Faith answers, "I".

~Author Unknown~

Sew Crafty Friday

2007-06-22T08:20:00.000-04:00

It's Friday again!! :o)

This past week I made a Father's day card for my father-in-law. I think I may reproduce it and make masculine birthday cards. The cardstock is from "Stampin'Up!". The colors are tan, brown, and mellow moss. I can't remember the actual name for the colors, just that they are SU.
I had tried to start another towel using my own pattern. Not such a good idea! lol ;o) I'm going to unravel it....again....and start again using the pattern I used for the other one.

Be sure to stop by Shereen's blog and see what crafty things other bloggers are working on. Oh! And be sure to add your crafty project to Mr. Linky.

Works for me Wednesday

2007-06-20T17:17:00.000-04:00

I didn't think I had anything to share for today's WFMW, but I guess I do! ;o)

I know growing up, I was asked/told to clean my room and I don't think I was ever shown how. At least I can't remember if I was. It's not that I didn't want to, I just really didn't have any idea where to start. And rather than show me, I think, my mom figured it would be quicker to just do it herself. ;o)

I want my son(8.5) to know how to take care of his room and to be responsible for cleaning it. Obviously, it is not enough for me to say, "Clean your room", so I written out a little list for him. I tell him it has to be done in order, as that will make it go smoother.

Here is what his list looks like......
**Make bed (this is usually done every AM anyway)
**Put clothes away.....ones that he leaves everywhere. lol ;o)
(Put clothes in hamper, dresser drawer or closet)
**Tidy top of desk
**Tidy under desk
**Tidy top of dresser
**Tidy night stand
**Clean things off of floor and put away
**Look at room and see if there is anything else that needs done

The list is a huge help to him as he knows where to start and what to do. It is a huge help to me too, so I can work on other house cleaning. Plus, it is a skill that he is going to need for life.

He is so happy with the results!

It works for me! :o)

To see more WFMW posts visit Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer.

Wordless Wednesday

2007-06-20T10:15:00.001-04:00

Stop by 5 Minutes for Mom to check out more Wordless Wednesday pictures.

Homeschooling Schedule

2007-06-18T17:53:00.000-04:00

Well, we are done homeschooling for this year. We've been done for a little while actually.

Now, I say we are done for this year but when I really stop to think about it that is not true. We are done with some of our text books until fall, but the learning continues. Last night, Caleb chose a book to read before bed. He finished today while we were driving. We stopped for groceries and I let him use my cell phone to add the prices as we went. I got 2 of one item which was $1.69. He didn't want me to tell him the amount to enter. He wanted to figure out on his own what the cost of 2 would be, and then he would enter it.

Now I am planning what our homeschool year will include for this fall. It's interesting to look back and see how things went when we first started homeschooling and to now see how things went this year. That is post in itself. lol ;o) I will post that sometime, because it really amazes me to see the changes.

Sew Crafty Friday

2007-06-15T14:54:00.000-04:00

Here is what I've been up to lately in the crafty department. Knitting!! :o)

This is a towel. I still need to sew on the button, and then it will fasten on to the stove handle or fridge handle. I have a little poem that goes along with it.

I suppose you might be wondering
what this little towel is for.
You button it through the handle
of your refrigerator door,
or maybe on the oven, any likely place
It's just for wiping fingers
and not for hands and face.
So if you get them drippy
there's no need to frown or scowl.
Just reach across and wipe them
on this pretty little towel.

I've also knit 4 dish cloths. It takes me roughly 2 hours to knit a dish cloth. I'm not sure how long it takes me to make a towel, but longer than 2 hours. lol ;o)

I use Handicrafter Cotton by Bernat to make these. I have quite a bit of yarn still left so I've started another towel. This color is called 'Rainbow'.

If you have a crafty project that you would like to share, stop by Shereen's blog and add your blog to the Mr. Linky, and see what crafty projects other bloggers are working on.

Some of My Scrapbooking

2007-06-06T13:52:00.000-04:00

I thought I would share some of my scrapbooking pages today. These are not necessarily my 'best' pages ;o), but still a couple of my favorites. :o)

This page is probably one of my first I ever did. While I'm not crazy about the hand written title, I really do think that this is the most commented on in the whole album. Everyone seems to like the picture in the bottom left corner. You may have to enlarge to see it, but Caleb's little footprints are too cute!

This is one of my faves too! It was the first layout that I 'paper tore' the pictures. That was a little scary. lol ;o) I had 'paper tore' paper before, but not pictures. I like the final results. I like snowflakes and so I decided to heat emboss the side border with silver embossing powder and my Stampin' Around Wheel. I'm not sure that this is one of Caleb's favorites though. He thinks the bottom left picture of him looks like a lawn ornament. lol!! :o)

All of the journaling I have done so far in his album, or as he calls it...'My Story' :o), has been in my own handwriting. Not the cutting edge of scrapbooking I know, but there is something about handwriting that makes it authentic. For me at least. I want him to look back on it and see my mark. Crooked lines, spelling mistakes, and all. ;o)

"Are You Gonna Drink That??!!"

2007-06-05T17:05:00.000-04:00

You're happy right I am!! ;o)

What is it you ask. Activated charcoal. Yum! Not so much. ;o) Seriously, it really has no flavor to it.

I started getting a runny nose on Sunday. By Monday I was suffering with my sinuses. Ugh. I really don't need this. :o( I have so much on the go right now and I have people who need me healthy to be able to help them. Thankfully this is something minor health-wise and it too shall pass. I just wonder why everything happens at the same time. I can never figure that out.

So I mixed up some charcoal this morning and drank it right down. I do feel better. Much better. I think it has worked better than the daytime/nighttime meds I was taking yesterday. I am still a bit stuffy, but the sinus pressure is gone and I feel good. Not groggy or sluggish.

I usually mix a tablespoon or two with a cup of water. It is not gritty and it has no flavor. I don't mind the powder, so that is what I use. You can also buy the tablets and capsules.

I first learned about charcoal a few summers ago at our church campmeeting. I was Primary leader that year, and John & Kim volunteered to help out with the program. They were scheduled to give some seminars on natural health remedies and charcoal to the adults in the afternoons. I was glad it was in the afternoon so I could go too. :o) They also did one for the kids too, and the kids really enjoyed it!

The seminar was very informative. Several people shared their experiences with charcoal. I liked that because these were people that I knew of so this made it all the more believable. (You can read some other testimonies of charcoal here.)

My sister-in-law had a very sick cat and she thought that they would have to have it put to sleep. Then she remembered the seminar and how it had worked for somebody's dog. She added charcoal to the cat's water and it drank it and bounced right back. It is now a chubby kitty. :o)

Beautiful Rainbow

2007-05-28T20:06:00.000-04:00

"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

Genesis 9:16

We had a little rain shower here this evening.
This beautiful rainbow followed. :o)

Moose and Apple Blossoms

2007-05-27T08:26:00.000-04:00

The apple blossoms are out here now. They are such a pretty pink and they smell so nice too. My Big sweetie and Little sweetie picked these yesterday after we returned from church.

Remember that moose that we saw here the previous Sabbath?? Well it was back again yesterday! After supper this time and almost in the same spot. This time instead of coming up the driveway, going across the field and then into the woods, he did it all in reverse, coming out of the woods, across the field and heading down the driveway. You can see him just to the right of the telephone pole.

In this picture, you can see him on our driveway. Just to the left of the telephone pole. Maybe I'll be able to get a closer picture one of these days. Well, hopefully not too close, but clearer than these pictures. :o)

Sew Crafty Friday

2007-05-25T12:14:00.001-04:00

Wow, it has been a few weeks since I have posted anything for 'Sew Crafty Friday'! My project is not completed, but I thought I would share it anyway. Do you have a crafty project to share? Stop by Shereen's blog and add your post to Mr Linky, and see what other bloggers are working on.

This is a dishcloth I am knitting. Since the craft cotton is so bright and colorful, I am just using the basic dishcloth pattern.

I realized after I uploaded my picture that I photographed the wrong side. lol :o) Oh well, when I post the finished product I will make sure to get the right side.

His and Her purchases.

2007-05-24T21:39:00.000-04:00

Hmmm........ a thought just came to me as I started to write this post. (Hence the title)

These were my purchases for the last 2 days. Small things, but big things if you know what I mean.

I bought this at the used book store for only $7.00 . I'm not sure if it is exactly what I was looking for or not. I'll have to look through it some more to really decide. Do you have a favorite Bible dictionary that you like?

A large ball of craft cotton. I plan to use this to knit some dish clothes and hand towels. Now if I could only find my pattern for the checkerboard towel. ;o)

Now this is patterned paper.....the stuff I said I wasn't going to buy until I used up what I had. Okay I had a weak moment. lol ;o) Don't you just love the patterns though??

Now my Big Sweetie doesn't shop nearly as much as I do so I guess that when he makes a purchase it tends to be something bigger. Well this is what he brought home last evening. :o)

It fits nicely in one corner of the deck. The blackflies are out right now, and soon the mosquitoes will be here. But they aren't too bad if there is a nice breeze here on the hill.

I thought this would make a nice spot to read my Bible each morning.

On another note, see the tree just to the left? This morning when my husband got up, there were 2 moose standing there!! We also saw another moose this evening. Plus the one we saw last Sabbath. So we don't know if there are 2, 3 or 4 moose roaming our woods.

Wordless Wednesday

2007-05-23T14:40:00.001-04:00

To find out what these are click here.

Fern Anyone???

2007-05-22T22:34:00.000-04:00

I forgot to mention, the other day, about the other purchase we made when we were out for our Sunday drive. Fiddleheads. Ever heard of those? No not the musical variety, but to eat.

Here in our little corner of Canada, springtime means a feed of fiddleheads. Not me. I can't get past the idea of eating something from the fern family. Lots of our family members like them, including my husband.

I tried to find a picture that I could post on my blog but I wasn't able to find free photos of fiddleheads. Strange I know. ;o) But I found some great articles on fiddleheads that also have pictures. You know, just in case you happen to be totally bored and wonder what Maritime Canadians like to eat in the spring.

Here is one article, and here is the other. :o)

Have you ever had fiddleheads?? What kind of unique foods are in your region?

Edited to add: Silly me I just took a picture of the fiddleheads we bought. Why didn't I think of that before. lol :o)

It's a Long Weekend

2007-05-20T18:10:00.000-04:00

Here in Canada, it is a long weekend. Victoria day weekend. Tomorrow is the official holiday. As far as I know, there are not many (or any) celebrations for this. Mainly folks are just thankful for the extended break from work. Now Canada day(July 1) is really celebrated. Such a contrast from Victoria day.

My mom and 2 aunts are coming out to spend the day tomorrow. That means games all day, and lots of fun & laughs. Caleb loves it when they come out to visit. :o)

We had alot of wildlife here in our neck of the woods yesterday. On the way home from church, we saw a rabbit hopping down into our neighbor's yard. At suppertime, there was a moose walking up our driveway. He crossed over into the field and disappeared into the woods. After dark, when I was driving up the driveway there in front of me was a porcupine! The windows were up! lol :o)

Today, we went for a drive with my f-i-l. He wanted to go to a garden center. We got tomato plants, coriander, pepper plants, seed potatoes, onion sets and various seeds. I have absolutely no green thumb. :o( But when I get into a green house, I really think I can do it. lol ;o) I got some wild flower seeds to try. They look so great in the catalog. They are supposed to attract songbirds, hummingbirds and butterflies. I sure hope they grow, because they will make a nice flower arrangement too.

Let's Not Talk About The Weather

2007-05-17T21:51:00.000-04:00

Last night at suppertime, a feeling of panic came over me! "Have I got everyone bought for Christmas?", I asked myself.

Yes, you are reading a post dated for May 17. May, and it was snowing here. Watching the snow come down really made me feel and think (briefly) that it was December, not May. lol :o)

This morning we woke up to about 2-3 inches of snow on our deck. It is almost gone now. They are calling for rain tomorrow and for the weekend too I think. Fun! (NOT!)

Last week we had such wonderful weather. Bright sun, warm temperatures and a great breeze. So, naturally, I am wanting that weather to return. Quickly! ;o)

Under Construction

2007-05-16T11:45:00.000-04:00

I changed this to 3 columns. I will be back later to fix up the side bars. I like the look of the 3 columns compared to the 2 columns I had.

Thank you for your help Penny. It worked! :o)

Happy Mother's Day

2007-05-12T21:24:00.000-04:00

A Thought for Mother's Day

2007-05-10T11:14:00.000-04:00

I was reading a book this morning called "Happiness Homemade" and came across this passage. Again with Mother's day not too far off, I thought this would be a blessing to other mom's.

Sculpturing a Divine Likeness

There is a God above, and the light and glory from His throne rests upon the faithful mother as she tries to educate her children to resist the influence of evil. No other work can equal hers in importance. She has not, like the artist, to paint a form of beauty upon canvas; nor like the sculptor, to chisel it from marble. She has not, like the author, to embody a noble thought in words of power; nor like the musician, to express a beautiful sentiment in melody. It is hers, with the help of God, to develop in a human soul the likeness of the divine.

The mother who appreciates this will regard her opportunities as priceless. Earnestly will she seek, in her own character and by her methods of training, to present before her children the highest ideal. Earnestly, patiently, courageously, she will endeavor to improve her own abilities, that she may use aright the highest powers of the mind in the training of her children. Earnestly will she inquire at every step, "What hath God spoken?" Diligently she will study His Word. She will keep her eyes fixed upon Christ, that her own daily experience, in the lowly round of care and duty, may be a true reflection of the one true Life.

Let every mother feel that her moments are priceless; her work will be tested in the solemn day of accounts. Then it will be found that many of the failures and crimes of men and women have resulted from the ignorance and neglect of those whose duty it was to guide their childish feet in the right way. Then it will be found that many who have blessed the world with the light of genius and truth and holiness owe the principles that were the mainspring of their influence and success to a praying, Christian mother. -E.G.W.

Mother's Bibile

2007-05-10T09:13:00.000-04:00

With Mother's day just around the corner, I thought I would share this poem. I read it several years ago, but I have never forgotten it. I'm sorry, but I don't know who the author is so, I can't give credit where it is due. If you know the author please let me know.

Mother's Bible is so worn
Around the edges of it.
I like to think each worn spot shows
How much her fingers love it.

The pages...well they're blurred a bit
Where Mother's tears have scarred them,
But every mark is like a kiss
Too tender to have marred them.

I think that all the angels must
Smile down from heaven's glory
When Mother's head is bent above
The Bible's blessed story.

Add Another Contest to the List

2007-05-08T21:48:00.000-04:00

Well I've found another contest. They seem to be popping up everywhere, just in time for Mother's day. :o)

The prize being offered is a new blog design. I would love a new look for my blog. If you would like to enter the contest be sure to stop by here.

Birthday Party Excitement!

2007-05-06T09:51:00.000-04:00

Little Sweetie is invited to a birthday party today. He is excited! I knew he would be. :o)

As soon as he woke up he hollered, "Mom!"

"What?"

"Do you know what today is?"

"What day is it?"

"It's ________'s birthday!!" :o)

So he is really looking forward to this afternoon. I will stay at the party too.

We are going out for supper with my mil & fil, so I don't have to think about what to cook. I like that! :o)

Mother's Day Giveaways at 5 Minutes for Mom

2007-05-05T22:26:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let you all know about some giveaways at 5 Minutes for Mom. Some are even open to us Canadians. Exciting! ;o)

Sew Crafty Friday

2007-05-04T12:58:00.000-04:00

Here is what I have been working on for cards. Masculine birthday cards, as I don't seem to have many of those made yet.

The bottom front is paper torn, so I couldn't get them to stand up. ;o)

What crafty things are you working on?? Stop by Shereen's blog and see what crafty projects others are doing. And add yours too. :o)

I Won Something

2007-04-29T18:31:00.000-04:00

Paula at Hearty Works, was having a contest to give a way a book called, Rekindling The Romance by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. And I won it. :o)

As I told Paula, in the comments section, I never expected to win so it was a nice surprise. :o)

Thanks Paula! :o)

More Blog Fun !! :o)

2007-04-26T17:11:00.000-04:00

I have another great contest to tell you about.

It is being hosted by Carolyn at Scrappingservant. You DO NOT have to be a scrapbooker to join in the fun. So, be sure to stop her blog and get all of the details.

Works for Me Wednesday

2007-04-25T11:57:00.000-04:00

Hmmmm??? What could I share for "Works for Me Wednesday"? I haven't participated in this for a few weeks, but I read the other WFM posts and get alot of great tips. I wanted to share something, but I couldn't figure out what that might be. Until this morning.

I was hanging out my laundry (yes the weather is that nice here now! Yay!) and I thought that I would share what I have found to work for me. Hope it might work for you too.

1) I wash all of our clothing inside out. Yup, all wrong side out. :o) I find by doing it this way that the fabric doesn't get all picky and rough looking.

2) I wash all clothing in cold water to prevent it from shrinking.

3) I don't put clothing in the dryer unless absolutely necessary. I will either hang it outside if the weather is agreeable, or I will hang it upstairs.

4) When hanging my laundry outside, I make sure to hang any exposed 'right side' material (necks of tops, etc.) away from the sun. Early in the morning, I would face it in one direction. After a few hours, the sun is on the other side of the line so I will hang it in the opposite direction. By doing this it will help prevent fading. I have a pair of pants I bought about 6 years ago and they are still in great shape. Very faded on the inside, but still bright on the outside. :o)

5) Towels, dish towels, dishcloths, etc. I wash on warm/warm and put these into the dryer. I think it may be healthier to have these things dried in the dryer because of the heat factor.

Well I'd better go an d bring my laundry in. Don't like to leave it out too long. ;o)

Stop by Rocks in My Dryer to read more 'Works for Me Wednesday' tips.

Graphic from Cute Colors

God's Loving Kindness

2007-04-24T18:19:00.000-04:00

When we were away last weekend, we decided to spend Sabbath afternoon at a nature park. We had driven by it many times before, but never had gone in. We were happy that they had walking trails and of course some wildlife. :o)

After walking for a little bit, we saw on a sign that there was a pond along the trail. When we got to it we found that there were ducks living (or visiting) there. I said something about how I wish I had known and I would have brought something with us to feed them. Just then our son looks to the the right (the pond was on the left) and there is a whole slice of bread, missing just a little bit it the middle. I can't tell you how blessed I felt at that moment.

I know how kind and loving God is, and how He is concerned with everything in our lives, but I tell you when He shows Himself in these ways I am left speachless. Isn't He amazing?! :o)

I think the ducks were happy to get a little snack.

Our son loves nature and we love watching him. :o)

Home Again, Home Again

2007-04-22T21:55:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, it's nice to get away and it is nice to get back home again. :o)

We left on Friday and the weather was beautiful! If I was going to be home, it would have been the perfect day for hanging out laundry. (I love to hang out laundry--I know that's crazy, but I absolutely enjoy it!) The weather was really great all weekend. When we left, on Friday, there was snow all over the field. Well the weather was so nice that we came home today to no snow!! It melted. Yay! :o)

We were delegates for our local church at meetings for the Conference in our region. It was so nice to be able to meet friends again that we sometimes only get to see at campmeeting. Now I can't wait for campmeeting. (I think we are going this year??)

The old saying...'You don't know what you've got til it's gone' was so true for us this weekend. The city water where we were staying was not drinkable. I'm sure it was safe, but not tastey. :o( On Sabbath, I started to get a headache. I realized that I wasn't drinking enough water. They provided bottled water, but I didn't want to be greedy. lol ;o)

The thing is that when I am home through the day, I drink about 3 liters of water. (These cups each hold 1 liter. I just use one at a time and refill it) ;o)

Ann, at His Grace to Me, has a great post about drinking water. You have no idea how many times that post went through my mind this past weekend. :o) I had carefully packed everything, but I never gave a thought about taking extra h2o. I am so thankful to be home to my well. :o)

Have you had enough water today?? ;o)

Sew Crafty Friday

2007-04-20T09:31:00.000-04:00

It's 'Sew Crafty Friday'. I love seeing what crafty things everyone is working on. If you are working on something crafty, stop by and add your name to the Mr. Linky on Shereen's blog.

This week I decided to knit some dishcloths. :o) I used the same color yarn for both, but in my pictures it looks like they are different shades.

The first one I did has 3 crosses on it. Go here for the pattern.

This is the star dishcloth. You can find the pattern here.

Hmmmm, I wonder what I will work on this week?? ;o)

His Plan For Me

2007-04-19T12:19:00.000-04:00

I found this poem while surfing the web. The last paragraph should be my prayer each and every morning.

His Plan For Me

When I stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ
And His plan I begin to see,
The plan for my life as it might have been
Had He had His way with me.

Will I see how I slowed Him and blocked His way
And would not yield my will?
And will there be grief in my Saviour's eyes,
Grief, tho He loves me still?

He would have me be rich,
But I chose to stay poor.
He wanted to bless,
And I kept closing the door.

Will my memory run like a hunted fawn,
Down paths that I cannot retrace?
Will I remember things I should have done
As I gaze on His precious face?

Then will my trembling heart well nigh break
With tears that must be shed,
I'll cover my face with my empty hands
As I bow my uncrowned head.

Lord, of the years that are left to me
I give them into Thy hand.
Take me, and break me, and mold me to fit
In the pattern that You had planned.

D. Windsor
September 8, 1986

Contest !!

2007-04-18T20:05:00.000-04:00

While looking at Wordless Wednesday posts, I came across this fun contest at Tea Time Ramblings.

She is "giving away 2 knitted hanging tea towels and three knitted dischcloths in a variety of patterns using the brightest of bright crochet cotton from Bernat".

To enter this contest, all you have to do is post a link to the contest on your blog and add your name to the Mr. Linky on her blog.

So stop on by and join the fun!! :o)

Wordless Wednesday

2007-04-18T12:23:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesday pictures, go to 5 Minutes for Mom.

Tackle It Tuesday

2007-04-17T15:35:00.000-04:00

Here are a few things I tackled to day.

My Little Sweetie gave me these muffin tins for Christmas. I've wanted to try them out sooner, but I don't have many muffin recipes but I found this one for banana bread/muffins

It made 3 loaves (the 3rd is in the oven) and 12 muffins (we taste tested) :o)

While waiting for the muffins to cook, I figured I had time to tackle this messy drawer. It holds alot of stuff.....oven mitts, hot pads, pot holders, battery and phone chargers, tape, scissors, coupons, plastic baggies, plastic wrap, waxed paper, tin foil......Lots of stuff!! It gets messy so fast.

But in less than 15 minutes, the drawer was back in some sort of order. :o)

Oh the computer desk!! With 3 of us using the computer, it gets soooo messy and cluttered. I think I have to take most of the responsibility for the mess though. ;o) lol

A few minutes spent at it and it was back to usable shape. It's strange how I can seem to think more clearly already. Clutter surely is a peace stealer!!!

To see what other blogers are tackling today, be sure to stop by Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.

I Keep Forgetting It's April

2007-04-16T18:45:00.000-04:00

We are still getting hit with winter weather. :o( Today has been freezing rain & snow.

My mom gave me some very ripe bananas so, I had planned to make some banana bread today. I found this recipe that will make lots! However, with the rain, snow and wind, I was afraid that the power would go out. I didn't want to take a chance that I would end up losing all the batch. We've been fortunate though because the power has stayed on. I've charged up the cell phone just in case. :o)

It looks like our Tuesday plans will be changed because of our weather situation. That's okay though, I can always find lots to keep me busy. Always lots of cleaning and tidying to do. Looks like I'll be able to participate in Tackle it Tuesday at 5 Minutes for Mom. :o)

The knitting bug has bitten me. I dug out my yarn & needles last night. I thought I would work on a dishcloth (or 2) for Sew Crafty Friday. It's a new pattern I found online and I'm pleased with how it is turning out.

Catalog Card

2007-04-15T21:52:00.000-04:00

My Plans for Monday. :o)

To make one of these catalog cards, go here.

Sew Crafty Friday

2007-04-13T13:24:00.000-04:00

It's Friday again, so that means it is 'Sew Crafty Friday' at Shereen's blog Stop on over and see what everyone is working on. If you are working on something crafty then join in the fun too. :o)

Little Sweetie wanted to make something crafty to share today too. :o) I have given him my 35mm camera, since I now have my digital. A few weeks ago he bought a film for it and took some pictures. So, while I was making my cards, he scrapbooked. ;o) These are pictures he took of his 'Maple Leafs' stuff in his room. (Wall border, poster & comforter)

I said, a while back, that I would share the process I use to make my cards. So today seemed like a good day. It's snowing here again. :o(

I use cardstock to make my cards. I like to have sort of an idea, of what I want to make, before I start. Once I have an idea I need to decide if I am going to cut the paper(8.5"x11") length-wise......

......or width-wise. To do this I use my Fiskars cutter. It will cut 12"x12" paper or smaller.

I am just realizing now that this picture didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to. Oopsy. ;o) So depending on how I cut the paper, my card can open 3 different ways. The first card shown has a fold at the top. The second is folded on the left side, and the last is folded at the top.

I knew I wanted a red background for this design, so I cut the red cardstock into 4.25"x5.5" pieces. I needed to cut some white cardstock slightly smaller to place on the red background. I like to do it in steps instead of card by card. So, I do all the cutting first.

The next seep is to stamp a background onto the white cardstock. I used red ink and a 'speckle' design stamp. To make the ink a bit lighter, I stamped it in the ink and then onto scrap paper before stamping the cardstock.

Once the background was finished, I stamped a butterfly (full ink) in the center of it. To stamp the butterfly portions at the top and bottom, the stamp was inked, stamped on scrap paper and then on to the white background.

The completed background.

I use 'Stampin'Up!' 'Stampin' Scrub' to clean my stamps. This opens up and has 2 sides for cleaning. I spray one side with a cleaning solution and then I dry it on the other.

For the next step, I cut coordinating red ribbon to put across the front of the card. I taped the ends to the back using double-sided tape. Then I added more tape and centered it on the red background.

Once that step was completed, I cut white cardstock and stamped 'Happy Birthday' in red ink. I cut red cardstock to place behind it, and attached it (with double-sided tape) over the ribbon.

Then I attached the completed card fronts to the folded white cardstock I had cut out earlier. I stamped the back of the card with a stamp that says, "Hand stamped by" ,and added my name along with the month and year.

Ta dah and my 6 cards are finished. :o)

Q&A - Maple Syrup

2007-04-12T19:08:00.001-04:00

A while back, I said I would answer these questions in a post, so I thought I should do that. :o)

Does your son get involved every time your beloved makes it?
Yes. He loves to help his dad. :o) He helps gather the sap. Today they went out on the tractor to gather up some wood for the stove. He spends quite a bit of time at the sugar shack while my husband is boiling the sap, but he also like to run up here to the house and have a little break. ;o)

Is it only during a certain time of year that he can make it?
Yes. Maple sugaring time is for about 4-6 weeks in the spring. In order for the sap to run, the temperatures need to be below freezing at night and above freezing in the daytime. It also helps if the sun is shining, as that draws the sap up from the roots.

When my Big Sweetie is boiling it down to put into the bottles, he has to boil it until it reaches 7 degrees above the boiling point of water. That is when he knows it's finished.