Photo Collages

Photos from Kayla's birthday...

Kendall and Alfred....my guys :)

Gratitude List ~ Week 47

1. Birthday celebrations

2. Listening to Christmas music while cleaning and cooking.

3. Christmas movies, old and new.

4. Hearing the jingling of jingle bells as we open and close the front door.

5. Slowing down to enjoy decorating the house for Christmas instead of rushing through the process.

For Kayla

Today my little girl turns into a young lady for it is your thirteenth birthday. I know how excited you are to become a teen, finally! But I find myself missing the old days when you were a sassy, funny little thing. You always made me laugh.

I was so happy the day you were born for I finally had the daughter I had longed for. I even had your name picked out many years before when I was just a teenager. I thought Kayla was just about the prettiest name ever. A pretty name for a pretty girl - inside and out. 

You are smart, tender-hearted, and a great help to me. If anyone has a question about animals, I always direct them to you, for you have a great passion for creatures great and small. I wonder what great things you will do. Will you be a wildlife conservationist like Steve Irwin or Jane Goodall or will you care for the wildlife that surrounds your future home? Only time will tell...

One thing I know for sure - I am honored to be your Mama. God surely did bless me the day He gave you to me. You are a gift and a treasure and I love you.

Love, Mama

The Simple Pleasures of Christmas

 Yesterday I put out cracked corn for the woodland animals, seed for the birds, cleaned the bird bath and refilled with water, and washed the exterior windows on the backside of the house. I then proceed to clean house and put on a big pot of chili to bubble and simmer on the stove to ward off the cold that chills us to the bone.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I am ready to jump into the Christmas spirit! I'm taking down all of my Autumn decorations and am replacing them with Christmas trimmings. I've downloaded Christmas music to My Playlist to play this season as we bake scrumptious treats to enjoy and give away, cook warming comfort foods, and care for our little cottage, making it a cozy retreat from the cold North winds.

We will be using what we have to make this season special. I'm looking forward to doing lots of baking with the girls. Kendall doesn't care to bake, but he does enjoy partaking of our efforts! Sugar cookies are especially fun; rolling out the dough, using cookie cutters, and then decorating the cookies with colored frosting and sprinkles.

There are Christmas movies, old and new, waiting to be watched in the cold evenings, thanks to Netflix. How nice it will be to settle in after dinner with a holiday movie and a homemade snack. While night fall comes early and the dark envelopes all around us, inside we create cozy home scenes under the glow of soft lighting, candles, and the lighted tree.

The excitement slowly builds as Christmas draws near and it's so fun to join in their joy and anticipation. Children love gifts but even when gifts may not be as abundant as years past, what children really need is our love, attention, understanding, and time. This is what happy childhoods and memories are made of.

Frost

I awoke this morning to a frost covered landscape, all white and glittering. Steam is rising off the creak creating an eerie fog. All is quiet except for the sound of black crows cawing. They sound as if they are laughing. They must be laughing at those out shopping for Black Friday, not I. I prefer to shop at my leisure which does not include camping out in front of stores in the freezing cold to snag a bargain.

My Christmas shopping has begun. I've purchased clothes for Kendall, a nice bathrobe for Joel, and a few dvd's for Kendall and the girls. Alfred and I will do the bulk of our gift shopping the second weekend of December. We'll have a cash budget of $300 to spend. It will be a lot of fun and we are both looking forward to it.

I received my electric bill statement. I was pleased to see I had shaved $52 off the previous month's bill by not running the air or heat unless absolutely necessary. I am hoping to shave off even more for the coming month. We ran the heat last night (set at 68 degrees) with the temperature dropping to 30 degrees, but I'll be shutting that off by 8am. The high today will be 60 degrees and we can layer our clothes and bundle up if needed.

Alfred has to work today. I must do the grocery shopping and bake Kayla's birthday cake. Saturday Alfred and I are going to see New Moon alone, since the kids have already seen it and we're having Kayla's birthday party that evening. She will be thirteen!

I need to get my menu plan written out, along with my shopping list. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Thanksgiving Day

Gratitude: Special Edition

1. Hair clips strong enough to hold my thick head of hair.

2. Holiday music, books, and movies.

3. Warm blankets to snuggle up in on chilly nights.

4. After having bathed the girls come out smelling sweet like sugar cookies.

5. Potpourri pot filled with Hot Cinnabun liquid.

6. Goodbye, welcome home, and goodnight kisses with my husband.

7. Hugs, kisses, and I love you's with my children before bed.

8. Being able to lend a helping hand.

9. Moisturizing lotion to ease dry skin.

10. Laughter for its healing properties.

11. Tears for their cleansing properties.

12. Angel and cherub figurines.

13. Donating to charity.

14. Encouraging and supporting others.

15. Colors - so many shades of beauty.

16. Chocolate and mint...

17. Simple meals shared with loved ones.

18. Old friends and new.

19. Each and every new day, full of possibilities.

20. God loves me...and you!

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
*

Remember God's bounty in the year. String the pearls of His favor. Hide the dark parts, except so far as they are breaking out in light! Give this one day to thanks, to joy, to gratitude! ~Henry Ward Beecher

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For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beauty

Self-care has never been my strongsuit. Once upon I time I used to fix up (do makeup and hair) and would draw back in horror at the mere mention of going au naturel. Add three children, homemaking, and dealing with marital discord, things changed and now it is rare for me to spend the time on the whole beauty thing. It is like I fell into a rut and have been unable to pull myself out.

Perhaps I just needed a period of time to drop the facade and quit hiding behind a painted face. One thing is for sure - I have grown quite used to looking into the mirror to see the real me, flaws and all...the freckles that are sprayed across my cheeks and nose, the dark under-eye circles, and the dry patchy skin.

Deep in my heart there has always been this yearning to reconnect to my girly-girl side. I have never been fashion savvy. I used to envy the girls in high school who always looked fabulously pulled together and chic. I think I just gave up on myself, feeling I could never live up to that standard. I am not very knowledgeable about fashion, makeup and hair styles and trends - but I can learn, yes?

 I am embracing my femininity for the first time in years. I am looking forward to learning new makeup and hair techniques, discovering my own personal style, and having fun with it all. It is time to practice a little self-care and nurturing. When you look good, you just plain feel better about yourself and life. Isn't that what every woman wants?

My Daybook

Outside my window... it is quiet with gray skies, but the temperature is mild. I've opened the windows wide already and look forward to seeing what the days holds for me.
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I am thinking... I need to eat breakfast. I'm hungry!

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I am thankful for... our home, my family, good food, being able to rest when needed, and rare moments of solitude.

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I am wearing...lavendar pajama pants and a light pink tee.

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I am remembering... how easy life seemed to me as a child.
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I am going... to pray without ceasing today.

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I am reading... my Bible, blogs, emails, recipes, and Heidi with the girls.

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I am hoping... for a peaceful holiday season.

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On my mind... a family dispute. :(
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From the learning rooms... Thanksgiving, copywork, reading, and math...

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Noticing that... the years pass by so quickly it seems.
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Pondering the words... from Proverbs 31:10-31. How I long to be a virtuous woman!

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From the kitchen... recent meals have included chicken and dumplings, cheesy potato soup, barbeque chicken with butter beans and fried potatoes. Still pondering what to serve tonight.

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Around the house... I've already mopped the kitchen and steam-cleaned my bedroom and bath. Mama steam-cleaned the living room and hall. Laundry is caught up. Only general tidying need be done.
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One of my favorite things... feeling satisfied after a job well done.

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From my picture journal...

Please visit Peggy to find more Daybooks!

Gratitude List ~ Week 46

1. Folding clean laundry for it means I have a washer and dryer and a family to wear the clothes.

2. Hot and cold water at the turn of the tap whenever I want it - to bathe in and to clean and cook with.

3. Open windows that allow the fresh air in and the stale air out.

4. Keeping the thermostat set at a low 65 degrees at night for it is sure to lower the electricity bill and we don't wake feeling hot and stuffy.

 5. Taking the dogs out first thing in the morning to hear a rooster crowing, cows mooing in the distance, hawks crying and seeing the sun's first rays of light as it comes up over the horizion.

What are you thankful for this week?

All About the House

The weather has been so nice lately. It is cool/cold at night but warms up quite nicely during the day. I open up the windows on days like those and at night only turn on the heat if it will be especially chilly, then the temperature is only set to 65 degrees. Even then it hardly kicks on and I shut it off again by 8am. I am anxious to see the electric bill to see if my endeavors to lower the bill have been successful.

Yesterday the girls and I baked a batch of cake-like brownies and banana bread. I had to use up the bananas before they went bad and what better way is there to do that? For dinner, we had chicken and dumplings made from scratch. It's an inexpensive meal that is pure comfort food!

This morning I was up around 5am and I've been going ever since. Took the dogs out to potty twice, took the kitchen trash out, started the several loads of laundry that need to be done today, tidied up and walked out with Alfred as he left for work. I have one load washed and dried, one load in the dryer and one washing and still maybe four loads to do. That's what happens when the kids decide to clean their rooms. Every.Single.Time.

I'm going on a Walmart run with Mama in just a bit to get a few groceries and pick up Kayla's birthday gift - if they have the item she wants. She turns 13 next Saturday! I'll return home to do more cleaning and cooking before I collapse into a tired heap late this afternoon. Ah, the joys of homemaking! It is tiring and yet so rewarding. No two days are ever the same and there are always challenges to overcome.

Who says homemakers sit around eating bon bons all day?

.::smile::.

Meek and Gentle Spirit

What do you do when your husband has a really bad day at work and hears bad news on top of that and is then mad at you? Do you fight back or give him the silent treatment and go to bed angry?

Well that's what happened yesterday. My usually sweet husband was so mad because I let Kendall drive to the store with a tire that was low on air with my sister and then go practice driving only to have the tire blowout. I really thought it would be fine and no one was hurt. Kendall even learned how to change a tire!

So, yeah, he was furious - would hardly talk, didn't eat dinner, stayed in his refuge for most of the evening and went to bed early. How did I handle it? I just stayed sweet as I explained I really didn't know better and thought it would be okay. Then I went about my business as usual. I didn't get defensive or feel the need to fight. Instead I fixed him some of my awesome hot cocoa and gave him plenty of space.

Before he went to bed, he explained that he had had a bad day at work, so it wasn't just me that he was upset about. He began to talk a little more. And I ended the evening by kissing him goodnight and saying I love you. The night ended on a good note.

If I had fought with him, it would have only have made things worse. Things would have been blown greatly out of proportion and the little foxes of bitterness and resentment would threaten to overtake the marriage garden. No, thank you! Instead I clothed myself in the cloak of a meek and gentle spirit and allowed the fire-storm pass. Without fuel, the flames have no choice but to die down.

This morning all is well once again in his kingdom and life goes on as usual.

*

Dear God, please let him have a good day at work...pretty please!

A Refuge

 Our family of five lives in a smallish three bedroom/two bath 16x80 mobile home on a half acre of land. Currently, my mama and youngest sister live with us and my brother stays every other weekend (both are teens), so we have a full house. It can get loud and chaotic around here to say the least.

Yesterday I spent several hours cleaning the master bedroom, bathroom, and closet - otherwise known as the dungeon of doom. I cleaned windows, pictures and mirrors, dusted, vacuumed, washed curtains, sheets, and table scarves. I even bleached the mini-blinds.

Now it is as neat as a pin...a peaceful refuge that my husband and I can escape to when we need a little space and quiet. He works so hard and often comes home frustrated over work issues and I wanted a private place where he can unwind.

Once Spring comes I will paint those rooms a lovely sage green and cocoa with rose and white accents to create a cozy cocoon. The earthy colors will be a reminder of nature's beauty and that I need to slow down, be mindful, and live completely and fully.

Until then, I shall do my best to create a cozy nest with what I have and to take each day as it comes.

Cleaning as Meditation

Sometimes I get discouraged in my work as a homemaker and am in need of a little inspiration. When I get into those slumps it is usually because I have let some area slide out of balance or clutter has been allowed to accumulate. The best remedy for me is to tackle the area causing undue distress.

I find that cleaning and decluttering quiets my spirit. I liken it to a form of meditation. As I clear out the dross, my vision becomes clearer. Creativity and inspiration is reignited. Simplicity reigns supreme. I, once again, find joy in life's simple pleasures.

In the Garden: November

While the nights and early mornings are chilly, the days warm up quickly - but are not unbearably hot. I still have blooming beauties around the yard. The weather has just been simply beautiful. I love to open up my windows each day and listen to the birds singing and the wind whispering through the trees. I must enjoy every moment while I can.

Practical Learning

Sunday afternoon, Alfred showed Kendall how to change the oil in his car. Naturally, I had to take loads of pictures. Kendall couldn't keep a straight face, but that's okay. He is such a cutie patootie!

Our babies sure do grow up fast...

The Circus

Saturday night we took the kids to the small  Loomis Bros. Circus held at our town's fairground. It was my first time seeing a circus and it was a lot of fun. I think I want to join the circus when I grow up!

Can you believe I held a boa constrictor? Alfred didn't think I would do it, but I proved him wrong.

*smile*

Gratitude List ~ Week 45

1. Beautiful weather

2. A full tank of gasoline in the car

3. Food in the pantry

4. Giving to charity

5. Fresh fruit

What are you thankful for today?

My Talented Girl

{Kenzie's self-portrait}

I like to give my children experiences and let them do things on their own as much as possible and as they want to. Take photography, for example. When Kendall bought a new Canon camera, it became the camera to use when one wants a good picture. My old little HP photosmart just didn't do the job any longer.

Kenzie quickly took possession of it. She takes a zillion shots and she is learning what a good picture consists of, all about the use of flash and zoom, and who knows what else.

I love this life!

{My mama's dog, Sally}