Do you need some encouragement?

I have found that if I need an extra boost in the 'Encouragement Dept', I will head over to Laine's Letters and read a couple of her letters. My, the strength and encouragement I glean! Do you need encouragement to begin your week off right (after all it IS the beloved Monday)? I suggest you read this: http://lainesletters.com/letters/truth.html. It was just what I needed to hear to get my I-got-up-early-but-didn't-feel-like-it day going. God is so good. I need Him every day. Every. single. day. PS. I hope, really hope to get my Gravy Tutorial up sometimes soon. It will take a while and the morning has just whisked on by. I really want to get a head start on my cleaning before my dear ones have awakened.

All in a Day….Laundry

I’ll tell you, I’ve had many different laundry routines in my life as a mom. I’ve tried doing Towels on Monday, Kids’ clothes on Tuesday, Husband’s clothes on Wed., my clothes on Thursday, and towels on Friday…etc… (by the way, I don’t remember exactly why I quit this method…maybe I just got bored?)

I’ve done the method where I just dump everything and anything into the washer until I have a full load.

Once, before I had kids, I actually read and followed the laundry instructions on the tags. Yeah. really. If it read, Wash in cold water, I would wash in cold water. If it read, Hand wash, I hand washed. Separately, I washed separately. Wow, how tedious. I would be standing at the washer all day long if I did that now.

Basically, at the moment (until I get bored with the current laundry method), my laundry routine is this:

When my laundry hamper gets full (Full means piled about 6 inches past the brim of the hamper), I will dump all the clothes in the laundry room floor, gather other laundry from various places around the house (I have another hamper outside my other bathroom) and then sort. Whites, Darks, Delicates, Blue Jeans, etc… Then, I begin my day of washing. Most of the time, I have about 6 loads out of that laundry day. It usually always carries over to the next day. Then the day after that, the hamper is full again. So, basically, I’m dealing with clothes every day.

I actually do not mind doing laundry. It is one of my favorite chores. I enjoy the sorting, I enjoy looking at my children’s clothes, taking care to fold and neatly place them in their proper places. As I am folding, quite frequently I have to place a garment or two aside to be put in the too little bin. I get mixed feelings about that.

Another reason I enjoy laundry, is I love hanging out my clothes. I enjoy using my beloved clothes line. I love this outside time I have to collect my thoughts, pray, enjoy nature, watch the children play, or more than likely, all of the above. I love the wonderful smell the fresh air gives to my clothes and sheets. While doing laundry, I can often be found sniffing dreamily into a freshly air-laundered garment. Ahh….

I try to be prompt about folding clothes and putting them into the proper places. I like to dump my clean clothes onto a chair into the living room where I am more apt to fold it because I know it will be an eye sore if I don’t. If I leave the pile in the laundry room, then it might as well be in the hamper, never laundered.

Let’s see, what else? I use cloth diapers with my 18 month old during the day. I just wash them with my regular clothes, but I always put the diapers on a rinse cycle before I wash them with regular clothes. Of course for messy diapers I am sure to take extra steps before laundering with my regular clothes.

As for laundry detergent, I have made my own. In fact, I made my own for a couple of years. Occasionally, I would find natural, earth-friendly laundry detergents on sale at my favorite burnt-out store and I would snatch that deal up and use that for awhile. Now, I still snatch up the occasionally earth-friendly, eco brand, but mostly, I will just purchase something that has a high stain removal power (I’m really dealing with stains here) and that is as gentle as I can find on a Wal-mart or Dollar Store shelf. I also hate, hate highly perfumed laundry detergents. Ugh. I have received clothes from people before in which I never did get their laundry detergent scent out of the clothes even after many washings. I like something that is a light, fresh scent. Right now, I’m using Arm & Hammer detergent with Oxy Clean. Not exactly eco-friendly, but it will do until I come across some more Seventh Generation or BabyGanics at a cheap price.

I’ll leave you with a few pictures I’ve taken over the years relating to laundry.

Check out how these other busy moms do laundry:

Carrie @ Our Full House http://www.ourfullhouse.com/
Elizabeth @ Yes They http://yes-theyre-all-ours.blogspot.com/ 're All Ours
Kathy @ Kathy Mom of http://www.kathymomofmany.blogspot.com/
Kristy @ Homemaker's Cottage http://www.homemakerscottage.org/
Lori @ Happy Busy Mama http://1happybusymama.blogspot.com/
Renee @ Bakers Dozen http://bakersdozen.typepad.com/

Feel free to share how you do laundry! Just leave me a comment in the comments with the url of your blog with the laundry post. I would love to read about it!

Resources, a recipe, and a weekend trip!

Don’t you just love it when you receive a mailbox full of goodies?

I really love reading the Above Rubies magazine (if you don’t get it, subscribe for free, here) and wanted to send a small donation since their magazine is free and so helpful to me. I was sent this pack (for my $50) and I can’t wait to dive into it:

Three thick Bible study manuals: The Power of Motherhood, The Family Meal Table and Hospitality, and Gate-Keepers of the Home. Also, I received Nancy’s book, Be Fruitful and Multiply (oh boy…). :)

Now I have something to take with me on my long trip! (details below)

We also have started receiving this magazine, giving to us for Christmas by our very close friends:

I can’t wait to get my hands flipping through the pages! This was the perfect magazine for us!

While I’m sharing resources, I picked up this book the other day at the library and it has some awesome photography in it. This is my style of decorating:

Here are some delicious photographs:

And finally, my favorite:

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Healthy Vegetable Soup (you can make good soup without meat and bouillon cubes!)

1 bag of frozen tomatoes (or 1 quart canned)

1 can of tomato paste (6 oz?)

A couple quarts of water (sorry, I didn’t measure)

1 bag of frozen mixed veggies (green beans, corn, carrots, peas)

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 handful fresh cilantro chopped

2 tbs olive oil

1 small bag of frozen okra (I put tons of okra up this past summer)

1 tbs Mrs. Dash seasoning blend (the one with the yellow top)

Onion powder (a tp or so)

Sea Salt to taste

Simmer for 45 minutes or so, until veggies are tender. Make sure you have enough sea salt to make it tasty!

The cilantro and the seasonings really make this soup yummy. This is my own recipe, thus the inexact proportions.

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I will not be blogging until Tuesday because I am going for a visit with my parents to see my brother and his family! :) He lives in the neatest town in MO (near the Amish) and I have only visited with him once (sooo far away). I am taking my two girls and my dear husband will be keeping the boys. They are all geared up for some men stuff with daddy. :)

I trust that you have a wonderful weekend filled with God’s love and family togetherness.

May this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.

God Bless!

Try these recipes!

Today is day 3 on the Daniel fast and while I haven’t consecrated to the spiritual part like I have intended to (honesty, here), I have been faithful in abstaining from the forbidden foods (eating like Daniel did). It hasn’t been too hard, but you know how things go on day three.

I’ve learned as long as I can snack on something when I’m feeling hungry or drink a big glass of water, I’m feeling pretty good about things.

Breakfast here consists of a smoothie, made from frozen strawberries, Unsweetened Almond milk, a bit of 100% Organic Apple Juice, bananas, flax seed, oatmeal, and a few peaches. It’s good and really satisfying. It’s no grits, eggs, bacon, and biscuits, but I’m denying myself here, right? :)

Lunch has been rice cakes with natural peanut butter, sliced bananas, and raisins on top. I usually eat 2 of these. Yesterday my mom was here and when she comes by she always gives me some money to go get us some lunch from town (gotta love moms). I went by our local grocery deli and I admit, the golden fried chicken livers were a temptation! I’m sure my arteries thank me for resisting. Anyway, Em and I got a vegetable plate. Poor Em was quite dismayed because he really wanted his brother’s leftover teriyaki chicken. He said he was quitting the fast today. :) I don’t think he’s getting his spiritual help. :)

For supper, Monday night, I fixed Veggie Sketti (my name for it). It is really simple. Boil some brown rice noodles (you can use 100% whole grain noodles for this diet). In another skillet, in a bit of olive oil—sauté tomatoes (I used some I had put up this summer), cut up zucchini (1), diced onions, and season to taste. I like using salt and Mrs. Dash’s seasonings (no sugar or MSG). After the pasta is drained, mix it in with the veggies. We cleaned up the bowl.

Even Ella enjoyed a bit (I did notice quite a few zucchini pieces left, tho)

Last night we had peas and potato salad w/veganaise, corn on the cob, and fish for the 2 littles. The Potato Salad was a hit!

4 Medium Potatoes (you might want to do more if your entire family of 6 eats potato salad), cut up and boiled in water until just soft (not mushy). Make sure the potatoes are salted.

In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup veganaise (this stuff is better than mayo to me), 1 tp curry powder, 1/3 cup chopped red onion, 1/3 cup chopped celery, 1 tp dill weed, and I even threw in a few cilantro sprigs (we love that stuff).

After the potatoes are drained, mix the Veganaise mixture in with the potatoes.

Very, very good.

*You can find Veganaise at your health food store or grocer, or on Amazon.

Just a few recipes I thought I would share with you. I know I am always looking for healthy alternatives or suggestions!

Hope you truly have a blessed day full of God’s love!

Post Christmas update: The toys that haven’t disappointed

I don’t know if your kids are like mine, but every time after Christmas I’m amazed at how the new toys go into the toy bins, rarely ever pulled out. There are a few exceptions, however, but I’m still convinced that wooden blocks and toy animals have been (and continue to be) my kids’ favorite toys.

This year for Christmas, my son’s great-grandmother got him a Kung-Zhu pet and it instantly became his favorite toy. We lost him for a week or so and it was tragic at our house. My daughter got a sister pet, Zhu-Zhu pet, Moo, and then last week, I was at my favorite burnt-out store and found 2 more Kung-Zhu pets, 90% off. So, now we have a Zhu of Hamsters! :)

Here are a few pics to show just how my kids get excited about these pets (in fact, right now as I type, they are building houses out of wooden blocks for them):

Getting ready to race….

And they’re off….

Explaining the tragic news to sister that her Zhu-Zhu pet didn’t win….

She didn’t receive the news very well…

Sleepy Ella & Mama watch for amusement sake…

These hamsters didn’t disappoint at our household! :)

Happy Thursday!

Biblical Goals & an introduction

Yesterday while reading Psalm 105, I started making a list of these Daily Goals that should be incorporated in our days. You may want to just read the whole Psalm 105 to see where I'm coming from, but here is the breakdown:

1. Give thanks unto the Lord.

2. Call upon His name.

3. Make known His deeds to others.

4. Sing unto Him.

5. Talk of His wondrous works.

6. Glory in His name.

7. Seek the Lord.

8. Seek His face.

9. Remember His marvellous works.

Aren't those wonderful? And I love how #7 and #8 are totally different. Sometimes we seek the Lord, in general. But, at other times, we have to seek His face. I want to do more seeking His face this year.

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Have you been introduced to the West Ladies? While their blog is not really updated, you will enjoy reading some back issues of it. However, my favorite part about the West Ladies is their videos! For Christmas, I got the Art of Dairy Delights:

Since we get Goat's milk from my parents, I have been very interested in making cheese (and butter, even though cow's milk is best for that).

Then, last week during Vision Forum's 70% off sale, I got a couple more for $8.00 a piece! Last night I watched:

I have been very interested in Soapmaking for quite a while and am just about curious enough to try it! :) Over the holidays I made Peppermint Lip Balm and Homemakers Cottage (Kristy's) Plantain Heral Salve. It was so much fun and I was instantly hooked on making my own homemade concoctions.
Check out these videos. You may can still get them from Vision Forum at a low price. I'm looking forward to watching the Sewing one next!
Have a grand Wednesday! Don't forget to join me in implementing the Daily Biblical Goals that I mentioned at the beginning of the post. :)

Journaling in your homeschool

Having your kids keep a journal everyday is a great way to inventory their writing skills and note improvements. It’s also a great outlet for them to express themselves via paper and pen. Even if your children are not yet writing, you can have them narrate or dictate to you what to write and you can do it for them.

I recently started implementing journal writing with my homeschoolers and it is so much fun to see what they will write/narrate to me. It is way neat to see the different ways they each communicate and to also see the improvements in writing from one age to the next. It’s a great way to evaluate for sentence structure, grammar usage, thought patterns, etc.

I thought I would share with you, my dear readers, excerpts from each of my children’s journals. And, in so doing, I would encourage you to have your children to journal. I don’t give them a topic, it’s just free writing. I suppose you could give them a topic occasionally and teach them to stick to that topic (I’m sure I’ll do this some this year and most definitely next year).

Here’s an excerpt from my 3 year olds journal:

Alligator. A Donkey. Belly of the Whale. Jonah is in the belly of the whale. I like to ride a cow. I mean, I like to ride a little cow. I want to ride a donkey. I want to ride a hee-haw. I like soccer ball. I want a cow.

Isn’t that so much fun?? :) What a silly boy. :)

5 year olds:

I wish I had a kitten. I would sleep with her every night. I won’t let the dogs eat her within and without the light.

I love to ride my bike. If I could, I would ride it in the dark.

I’m gonna get a horse for Christmas and I want it to be a quarter horse.

I used to like pigs, but now I like horses better than that.

I often like to fish, but sometimes play with the kittens at Nana’s. They are so cute. I have one of my own there.

I wish I had a room of my own. I have to sleep with my brothers every night and I don’t like that.

Halloween days are fun and I like candy all the time. I like to paint pumpkins.

Okay, so she’s a little conversational…lol. Free Christmas horses, anyone? Do you think we have a veterinarian in the making??

7 year olds:

The Kittens

I like the little kittens, there cuddly and soft as mittens and there allways very, very good. and there allways in a good mood, and its a very good reason too…Beacause……its the end. (for the kittens?? :oP)

Typed exactly as written. :) I do believe he was trying to rhyme. There are so many differences between the age groups and it is so neat to see the writing/conversation improvements, isn’t it? The 5 year old was more articulate, it seemed, in conversation, but the 7 year old titles his writings, sticks with a topic, and even tries to rhyme.

If you already do journaling with your homeschoolers, I’d love to hear from you.

And now, my Journal writing must come to an end for the day is beginning around me. So far, the birds are the only ones I hear stirring, but it won’t be long and our household will be going full force. What a blessing to be able to keep my children with me and teach them in the ways of the Lord. Isn’t He wonderful?

The icing on the cake…

I’m so happy to report we made it through our first week of homeschooling for this school year. It went very well! I hope to do a post very soon on our schedules and homeschooling setup. I always enjoy reading others’ posts on homeschooling, so just maybe mine would be interesting to my readers.

Speaking of readers, I hope my regular readers start trickling back in into my Blog Haven…:o) I hate taking such long breaks because my blog gets stagnant and sometimes my readers go away. :( I sure hope everyone will return! :) If you have returned, leave me a lil comment, pls! I never get to post a comment every single time on the blogs I read, but I do try to get around to a comment every now and again. I’d love to hear from you.

Now….I have a couple of recipes to share with you tonight. I know, boring, huh? :) Well, I’m so excited to tell you that I found a healthy Birthday Cake recipe in a Cooking With Whole Foods by Cynthia Lair cookbook that I have. I decided to try it for Ella’s birthday. Based on the ingredients (some I had to purchase, or rather my mom picked up for me, at the Health Food store), I really wondered if it would turn out. While the cake did NOT taste just like the Betty Crocker’s Yellow Cake mix version, it was very good and different, in a nice way. We had one piece left when we went to bed the night of Ella’s birthday. And..we only had 2 guests to her lil party. :)

Here is the ingredients in case you may be on the lookout for a healthy alternative to a birthday cake. You may be like me and just cringe to think of all that sugary icing and 25 cake mix ingredients going into your one year old’s body. Anyway, (as to not sound like a health food snob…) it is a great cake if you just want something different and don’t really care about the healthy issue.

Here ya are:

The buttons, etc., are just some raw sugar that I added a drop of food coloring too…

Loving it….

Tonight we had incredible Salmon Patties (or Croquettes as some call them) that I made up. I will be posting the recipe very soon as they were really, really delish.

It’s good night for me. Once again, I’ve skipped out on my early to bed promise to myself. Why can’t I be more loyal? Oh well, I’ll try again tomorrow!!

Praying the Psalms

If you have been reading my blog for a long time, you know that I like to pray in the early mornings when all is quiet and peaceful. That is what works for me and may not work for everyone. Some enjoy the quietness of the night after the children are all tucked in. Some like to kneel down just before climbing into bed in order to cast the day's cares on the Master or to ask forgiveness for an unconfessed sin committed during the day.

I enjoy praying in the morning because I need armour for the day. I also, first thing, need to empty myself of me and be filled with Him.

A couple of weeks ago, I was praying, and just talking to the Lord (I pace while I pray. It keeps me from falling asleep and I really just love praying this way) and I noticed something about my prayers. Even though I like to begin my prayers off with thanksgiving and Praise to God, I was having trouble really focusing on uplifting God like I geniunely wanted to. So, I prayed about it. The next morning, I felt impressed to read a Psalm before I prayed. So, I started in Psalm 1 and while it put me in a spirit of prayer, I still didn't feel as focused as I wanted to be. Last week, while driving (alone) to get groceries, I picked up my Bible from between the seats and began reading (yes, I did..I call it drivding..don't worry, I knew most of the Psalm from memory) a Psalm. I can't remember which one right now, but it was the one that says something like, "When I look at the heavens and see your handiwork and all your creation, what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visiteth him?" I began to pray with each verse I read. Lord, what IS man that you would be mindful of me? Who am I that you would visit me? Needless to say, the Lord met with me in prayer.

So, ever since, I have been opening up my prayer time with 'praying' a Psalm. Reading a verse aloud and praying about it. One of two things usually happens. I either uplift God ("I will bless the Lord") or either I feel smitten in my heart about what I just read (like today--I read about having a double heart and being our own lord over our tongues..yikes).

It has been wonderful for my prayer life. Truly wonderful. I just wanted to share it with you in case you wanted to try it. God is so faithful to speak to us and to answer our prayers so faithfully. Don't be afraid to take your prayer life to the next level!

God Bless you so much!

Tried and Proven Healthy Recipes

Pumpkin Spelt Bread

For years now, my husband and I have had a love/hate relationship with eating healthy. About 10 years ago, we truly learned about health and that it means, surprisingly, nothing about drinking Diet Coke and eating Low Fat Pringles. Really! Too bad.

Since then, we’ve tried to incorporate a pretty decent healthy eating lifestyle, but have had times of complacency with our healthy eating habits and (oh the horror) downright backsliding on our exercising. Now, mind you, I have never got to the place where I had brought in the liquid candy (soft drinks) or processed food (that excludes leftover Halloween candy, right?), but I seemed to have upped our butter/sugar (albeit raw sugar, but still….) intake and ousted the raw veggie/whole wheat intake.

My dear man of my dreams ordered us the book, Disease-Proof Your Child by Dr. Joel Fuhrman and upon reading the first 2 chapters, I wanted to shove everything currently in my cabinets into the trash can and also wanted to hide my head in shame at what I had been allowing my children to eat (hot dogs, anyone?). So, while I urge you to read this book (especially if your kids aren’t eating very healthy), I warn you that it may make you feel very, very guilty. :?/

I have two children of the four that would probably be considered obese (especially one) and I’m so sorry for that. It seems that when I try to watch their diet, there is always some eating out taking place—eating at church, eating at grandparents, etc.—other places where hot dogs are all the rage or chips are ever present among us. So, that being said, it is ultimately I and my husband who are responsible for their health. We have to get radical about what we are eating, even if it means eating differently in other places besides our home.

I have enjoyed eating this week. I have enjoyed making healthy meals for my family and feeling good about what I am serving them. We have enjoyed fruit smoothies for breakfast, srambled eggs (there is life w/o butter) with spinach, spelt biscuits, Summertime Tilapia (just say no to red meat), Chicken Salad made with Vegenaise (healthy ‘mayonnaise’!), carrot sticks (discovered that my 3 year old loves carrot sticks), spinach leaves (my kids have been asking for some ‘leaves’ to eat), and Pumpkin Spelt Bread with almond butter. All of the highlighted recipes were tried this week and were found to be delicious (and the ‘mayo’ is really, really tasty).

I look forward to updating you on our health progress and pray to not fall back in my quest for disease-proofing my children. Kids really don’t get sick by accident. Which you probably already knew that. I hope you will read the book!

Evan, enjoying the leftovers of the pumpkin spelt bread batter

It’s nighty-night here at our house. Church is tomorrow and lots of frantic details that entails. :) Hope you’re having a lovely Pre-Fall night.

God Bless!

PS One of my Blog Followers, Kirsteen, has a few wheat and dairy-free recipes on her blog. I look forward to trying some of these out. Check her out. :)

Natural Product Recs..

I’m loving cloth diapering!

We are at the end of another week—isn’t it unbelievable? I have been in a funk this week and a bit contentious even at times. In fact, if I had to take a Proverbs 31 Woman test based on this week, I’m sure I would fail.

Oh, well. The time of women is upon me (don’t you just love how the Bible phrases things?) and my hormones have been pretty crazy today and yesterday.

I only say this to let you know that I am normal. Just in case you thought I was some woman who had arrived to her Proverbs 31 Kingdom. Oh, but I’m strivin’……

A few weeks back, I asked (on my giveaway post) on what topics my readers might to hear me blog, and a couple of people wanted to hear about natural products I would recommend.

Sure, I’d love to.

So, every now and again, I’ll try to let you know what I’m using and what I think of it.

With bathing, I try to always use natural products. I want to be very careful about what products we put on our skin. Check your body wash and/or soap. If the ingredients list is full of unpronounceable words (all 25 ingredients), then your product is far from natural.

Natural products can be expensive or inexpensive. I’ve found if I buy my products at a Health Food Store, then I am paying top-dollar. So, I don’t.

I’ve found Burts Bees products, Jason, Alba, Audrey Organics, and other natural products at stores like TJ Maxx and Ross. If you have a burnt-out type store like, Hudson’s, or Dirt Cheap, you can almost always find natural products. This is where I get most of my products.

Here is what we are currently bathing with:

Tom's of Maine Natural Moisturizing Body Wash

You can’t read the price sticker, but it reads, “4.99”. I’m not sure if this is the actual cost because I got it at our burnt-out store. And I got it for 40% off.

It doesn’t suds up, really, so you might miss that, and it’s unscented, but it gets us clean and we know we are using something natural.

Note: If you would like to try natural body products but can’t afford them or you don’t have an alternate store in which to purchase them, natural soaps such as soap made from goat’s milk, etc., are very inexpensive and work great. Kiss my Face, Burts Bees and Tom’s of Maine all have soaps that are under 3 or 4 bucks. I’m sure at least one of these can be purchased at your nearest health food store.

I really wasn’t into natural products as much when my oldest son was a baby, but thankfully, soon thereafter started making the switch to natural products. Now, I wouldn’t even think about putting these commercialized chemical-laden baby products on any of my babies (or anyone’s baby, for that matter). :)

Here is the lotion I currently use on Ella (and have since her birth…a little goes a long way) and I really love it. It’s creamy and has a light fragrance.

Earth's Best Lavendar Baby Lotion

The price has sort of rubbed off, but it had $8.45 on it, but I got it for 80% off! The reason? The lid is stuck in the press-down position. I just unscrew the lid, run my hand down the tube that pulls up the lotion and there is just enough lotion on my hand to rub on Ella. Works out great! :)

Maybe over the next few weeks, I can share with you more natural products I use, including baby products (dipe cream, etc…). I hope that you will make the switch, even if gradually to natural products. It’s like the saying, “You are what you eat”. You are what you put on your body. Your skin is a sponge and while I’m unsure of the actual percentage that it does absorb, think about birth control patches and nicotine patches—the chemicals are absorbed enough to really work effectively.

Do your research. Take care of yourself and your family. And it doesn’t have to be expensive! :)

A couple of Do-it-Yourself-ers

When I was growing up, we never went to Yard Sales. Never. It was not that we were ‘better than that’, it was just that my mom thought it was a waste of time and she wasn’t keen on other people’s stuff. I guess that was the reason. I really never asked her?

I absolutely loathe confrontation, so to me, stopping by a Yard Sale of a complete strangers and pilfering through their junk is just too confrontational for my taste.

And then I stopped at my first Yard Sale.

I think it was my town’s annual 7-mile Yard Sale. I knew there would be lots and lots of people there and it wasn’t like I’d be the only one pilfering, ya know?

Yeah, I have issues. Moving along…

At my Queen-of-Yard-Sales-MIL’s persuasion (she volunteered to keep the kids), I decided to give it a try.

At the second or third stop, I found a bag of books for $1, and soon afterwards, I found an adorable Gap skirt and an Old navy skirt for my little girl.

“How much you want for these?”

“Oh, 25 cents.”

And I have loved Yard Sale-ing ever since.

The other morning, I went to my husband’s Aunts’ yard sale (there were 3 sisters, so three Aunts) and saw this coffee table:

(Yeah, I know…try to look past the cutie AND the mess to fix your eyes on the coffee table…circa 1980s)

She had $20 on it (as IF…) but my MIL (her sister) told her I would give her $10 for it (you would LOVE and…um…sometimes dis-love these sisters…lol…right, Amy?). So, I did.

Here it is after a coat of primer and 2 coats of nice white paint (bought at another yard sale of a lady who owns a hardware store…gotta love it) and a few decor items:

and

Yes, I know there are tags still on the birdies…I wasn’t sure if I wanted to put them there or not. They were Dollar Store finds ($6 ea) and they are tooooo cute.

I now have a lantern were those picture frames are and the tags are off the birds….:)

My living room is quite dark so I’m slowly trying to lighten things up and go for a Country Cottage feel. When I say Country, I love old quilts in baskets, old trunks sitting around, etc., not blue and mauve or the primitive look. To each his own…:)

My last project was brought about because of the urgency I feel to create a sense of work ethic in my children, especially my sons. I do want them to have play time, but not idle time. We have rest time, but I want them to be busy.

We have had a schedule before, but I wanted to have one that my son could look at and see what he’s supposed to be doing at certain times. My youngest 2 (2 & 5 yr old) can’t read, but are loosely following the same schedule (w/ different table activities/weekly/daily chores).

Yesterday was his first day following it and I was a bit discouraged. Around 1:30, he saw that it read, “Playtime with Mom”, so he wanted us to play Scrabble. I talked to him and explained that he would have to do the other parts of his schedule as well if he wanted to have playtime with me. So, he has been doing great ever since! We had missed a couple things to day, but I don’t expect it to be rigid or perfect. :o)

I just used card stock and scrapbook paper.

Nothing fancy. I thought you might could get an idea or two from it. :)

Okay, blessings to all!

I’m finally linking up to Marla’s Woo-hoo Wednesday, held every Wednesday. Stop by her site if you get a chance. She’s having a giveaway too!

Good things…

Since I’m sure you don’t want to hear about my mastitis relapse or my awful migraine I had last night, I thought I would post about some good things. I can complain any ole day, right?

Well, first things first. My ultimate good thing is in fact, not a thing, it is a he and it’s him:

My baby daddy :)

Last week was our poorer than an Ethiopian cat week (aka the end of the month) because we are at the end of our budget. I decided it would be in our best interest for me to not run out and buy diapers, so I pulled out my 7 year old cloth diapers. I did cloth dipes in the day and sposies at night. I liked it so well that I bought the small pkg of diapers when we did go shopping and I’ve done cloth dipes this week as well! Here is Ms. Almost 8 mth old in her cloth dipe:

And a Tush view:

Must be nice to have a Patriotic Heiny, right? I mean, Luvs don’t have nothing on a 4th of July Heiny!

My wonderful MIL ate with us on Sunday which is rare (shame on us!) because we love going to her house so much. This, of course, has nothing to do with her being a wonderful cook. Absolutely nothing. And nothing to do with the fact that my kids will throw a fit with the best of ‘em when a Sunday trip to Gran-Gran’s is interrupted.

I’m sure my MIL noticed I mentioned to my MIL that I did not currently (post-kids) own a set of matching dishes, complete with saucers, cups, etc. I was planning to keep an eye out at yard sales for a cheap reasonably-priced set. Monday evening, she brings over this set for me to have:

and

Eat your Heart (er, plate) Out!

And, Amy, don’t be too jealous and all because I was really desperate for dishes. Seriously. And you know you’ll get all the first-rate antique plates. And crystal. And stuff. Okay, feeling better? :)

I have been a terrible mother. I have failed to tell you about the latest member of our family. As if. Meet Dixie:

Okay, she deserves another picture:

She is a Border Collie and very smart. And very much an outside dog now. Sorry, Dix, I just got too comfortable with just having one baby in diapers.

I don’t have any pictures, but May 1st officially meant Time to Go Swimming for our family. The kids AND dad went swimming and 10 minutes later, dad was drying off, teeth chattering, and well, the kids were still hard at it. Nothing phases kids. Not even sub-zero water temps.

Time for Mom to hand over the computer for Wednesday is Movie Day at our house. I’m about to bake some Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies and that’s a good great thing.

*Special thanks to Martha Stewart for her That’s a Good Thing quotes. Not that she’ll be reading this blog. In this decade. Or in my lifetime. Okay. Ever.