
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Poor Young Soldier

Pinching Pennies
Dash in his "Spider Man costume". This has nothing to do with pinching pennies but it makes me smile!Friday, October 19, 2007
It's Friday!!
I need to write up our weekly menu tonight. Tomorrow morning I hope to do my grocery shopping. I just hoping it isn't pouring rain! I do hate to put the groceries in the car in the pouring rain!
This weekend we need to spend some time preparing the house for winter. For my part I need to plan some warm window coverings. I have long curtains over my glass sliders. I may just attach white flannel sheet material to the back of them and then they will be lined for the cold months.
We got the bird feeders up but already the squirrels have discovered them so I am not sure what to do about that. One particularly chunky squirrel took the whole suet square, naughty thing. Robin says that is part of the experiment...humph!
This past Monday we went to a shop where you paint porcelain pottery and then they glaze and fire it for you. It was so fun! Rachel painted a plate (she plans this to belong to her favorite doll) and the boys each painted mugs (set apart to be their "hot cocoa" mugs for the winter). I will take pics of the finished product when my house is a bit brighter but here are the pics from the painting day:

Tuesday, October 16, 2007
My Little Project from Late Summer
I bought this material right at Walmart. It is two separate curtains with two tension rods. The long one just goes over the shelf while the valance goes from wall to wall. Here it is:

Saturday, October 13, 2007
Weekend Happenings!

Friday, October 12, 2007
What Color Crayon are You?
| You Are a Purple Crayon |
![]() Your world is colored in dreamy, divine, and classy colors. You hold yourself to a sky high standard, and you are always graceful. People envy, idolize, and copy you without realizing it. You are an icon for those who know you. And while it is hard to be a perfectionist, rest assured it's paying off! Your color wheel opposite is yellow. While yellow people may be wise, they lack the manners and class needed to impress you. |
Breakfast Burritos and Turkey Wraps
We use a Flour Tortilla recipe from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_2504,00.html for our wraps. This is such an easy recipe and once you have made your own burrito shell I guarantee you will never want a store bought one again! These are so great for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and various wraps.
For the breakfast burrito I am going to put down some scrambled egg and onion, cheddar cheese, chilies, and some broken up turkey bacon. These are the things I tend to have on hand. You can mix into your eggs anything you like and wrap it up. This will be a good grab and go meal that is a bit healthier than the muffins and sweet breads I made this week.
The motivation for the Turkey wrap came from the turkeys at the grocery store being on sale last week (79 cents per pound). So I roast up a 15 pound turkey and then boiled the bones for stock. The idea comes from the cafeteria at my husband's office. In this wrap we will put: turkey meat, dressing, some mashed potatoes, cooked carrots and cranberry sauce and a very small bit of gravy for moisture. Personally, I am not much for combining all my foods like this, but my husband just loves these turkey wraps. It's all about putting whatever you cooked with the turkey in this wrap. What a great way to use those leftovers! :)
Just today I found a recipe for Whole Wheat Wraps on Wardeh's "Such Treasures" website. As Robin loves to baked, I might ask him if he would try this recipe tomorrow. The ingredients are waaay healthier and Robin loves wheat so I think it is a match made in heaven! :) Then the other wrap could be used more sparingly in moderation.
Here is the link:
http://suchtreasures.wordpress.com/2006/04/28/whole-wheat-tortillas/
I love Wardeh's website. She has lots of wonderful recipes and other great instructions for homemakers. Please note that all recipes and info on her site is copywritten. I am so thankful she is willing to offer her research for free! Thank you for helping me honor her copywrite! :)
What foods do you put in a wrap? I would love new ideas!!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Light at the End of the Tunnel!
Here is the passage of Scripture that has been on my mind lately:
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand." Eph. 6:10-13
I have had two thoughts concerning this passage. First, my family is attending a new church (and having a BLAST there I might add!!) and my husband and I are starting a new ministry. Well, everything in the house/cars has been breaking. It has been hard because our bank account has dried up and blown away! It has made it hard to focus on the new ministry because everyday some new crisis crops up that we must deal with. But once you recognize your situation as a spiritual warfare it makes you determined to push through it, trusting the Lord, and doing what he has called you to do.
My second thought involves when a person comes up against you. Our pastor shared in his sermon on "Spiritual Warfare" that when a person comes up against you that we ought to remember they are not the enemy, Satan is. When we recognize the real enemy we are more determined to not let them bring us into sin by our response nor discourage up from living out the things God has called us to do!
God is truly in control and if we lean on him and follow him closely we will share in His Victory!! Praise the Lord!
Have a great day!!
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Back to Business!
This promises to be a busy year. The kids are in activities and we are beginning a new ministry of having a small group Bible Study in our home. I can't wait for the Bible Study! It has been a long time since we have done something like this. I am tempted to say it has been too long but I realize that God's timing is perfect so I'll just be thankful we are there now!
School has started off pretty well and I think this will be a good year. Of course, it is a big adjustment to go from freedom to school but we are getting in the groove. I try to have fun with school for the kids, but then there comes a time that work is work and there is just no hiding it!
Fall is in the air! The weather trend is much cooler. The crispness of fall is around us! I am feeling in a slump with our menus. I have gotten to repetitive and I am sick of our normal foods. So I think I will browse around the internet and my cookbooks and hunt up some yummy recipes. I'll post what I find! I think we are just done with summer cooking. In the summer you just want to keep as much heat out of the house as possible so it is quick stuff. Now it's time to spend some good time cooking and the warmth of the stove! :)
My friend Linda Marie awarded my blog! I love reading her blog and so I am especially blessed by this. Thanks Linda!

I hope everyone reading is doing well. I hope to be posting more now that we are in the "post summer" schedule! I hope you will visit often!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Lazy Sunday
Robin preached today, filling in for an area pastor. This is a church my dad pastored before he died of cancer. It was nice to see everyone and my mom was with us so it was a reunion of sorts for her. Robin's cousins were there and we don't see them and their families much so this was an extra treat. Robin preached from 1 Tim. 1:12-17 encouraging us that "God is in the business of changing people." Oh, aren't you glad? I shudder to think of the kind of person I would be if God had not intervened in my life with His saving grace and power to change me! Hallelujah!
After church we had a quick lunch and then took the children out for an ice cream (yum!). Then we came home to rest and relax. I have been knitting, Robin has been reading (though he is mixing work with pleasure with some testing that must be done for work). A pot roast is in the oven. After supper I plan to snuggle in with a good book and maybe some more knitting. Even the kids seem extra calm and quiet.
Here are a couple of "exciting sites" from my yard (well, exciting to me... ;) )
I love tuberous impatiens and tuberous begonias. I think this is the impatien variety. I have them on my front steps.
These plums tomatoes will soon be ready for the table! I can't wait! We have lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and plum tomatoes, plus rhubarb and various spices growing. Next year I would like to do a bit more in volume. I like the idea of having a "salad garden." :)I hope all those reading are having a restful Sunday!
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Ready to "Do Good"
This is the verse that has taken up constant residence in my mind as I pray and prepare for our 2007/2008 homeschool year. I have been no more excited than the children to start. But as I have prayed and cried out to God to fill me with enthusiasm to do His will, this is the verse that has continually come to mind.
Doing the will of God does not always "feel" like what we would like to do. It is a mistake to go solely by our feelings when determining His will. It won't always "feel" good. But we are blessed when we do His will and then the good feelings many times follow. Obedience first, let the feelings take care of themselves. Christ is our example. Going to the cross did not *feel* good. We see plainly in the Garden of Gethsemane that going to the cross did not sound like fun to Jesus. Are we not told to take up our cross? Is it suppose to "feel" good?
So, I am readying myself to do the will of my Father. I am finding my feelings slowly following. But I know it will be a challenging year full of lots of hard work. But that is okay. As I look down at my hands and feet I see no scars. His burden is easy. Reminds me of an Amy Carmichael poem:
Monday, August 13, 2007
Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth
This past weekend we visited a new spot. We met friends for a supper picnic. It was a little cove on the ocean with more treasure to find then any other spot I have ever visited. The kids got to hold an observe several crabs, hermit crabs, star fish, snails, and even shrimp (which were too small to hold but still fun to observe). The only damper on the night was when we had left our site alone and seagulls attacked the food. Ours was in the cooler but our friends had their cheese puffs pecked into and then the gulls stomped on their graham crackers and frosting that was in a large gladlock. The silly bird tried to fly off with it and then dropped it.
Here are some pics (not of the birds, we sort of missed that whole drama til the end!):

This first pic was as we were leaving but I loved the look of the sun so much I put it first!
The boys were way too busy hunting through tidal pools to look up for a picture! ;)
This is an amazing feat for Rachel to be holding a hermit crab! She normal does not touch *creatures* of any kind!! But her dear friend would pick them up first and show her how to hold them and hand them to her. She had so much fun!
We did not find star fish but a man on the beach found them (3 of them I think) and gave them to the kids to observe and hold.
Here is a look into one of our buckets. Those hermit crabs are either playing or fighting...hopefully playing... :)
This was the biggest crab we found. He was quite a good sport about being held. He and the other creature treasures were all returned safely to their homes before we left. I think we have found a new favorite picnic spot!
Friday, July 27, 2007
Summer is Zoomin' By...
I can relate to this rhino from the Brevard County Zoo. I just want to lay in the sun and snooze! ;)Has anyone else noticed how quickly summer is zooming by? I am hanging on tight to it! There is the trick. I need to savor each moment instead of focusing on the rat race swirling around me! We really have six weeks left which is great, but I notice I am getting alot of phones calls about fall plans and find myself wondering if I will be ready to start up homeschooling again when the time comes. So, I am doing alot of praying about having motivation and joy in doing the Lord's will for our family!
The homeschool books are neatly lining the bookshelves. Tryout season for the kids has begun. Christian had soccer tryouts for a U12 Travel team. He made the team and starts practicing on Tuesday. Tyler has 3 weekly tryouts for a Premier Travel U15 Soccer League. In two weeks he will begin tryouts for the local High School's soccer team. Rachel is presently in summer dance and she has Hip Hop Competition team tryouts in 2 weeks. So you see, we are on vacation but things have a way of keeping you on your toes!
What are you doing this summer? Whatever it is, don't forget to smell the flowers and listen to the children laughing and notice the sun on your face!
"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture." Ps. 37:3
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Vacation...
Tyler has quite a wing span! ;)
This picture kind of entertained me...everyone clearly had their own agenda!
It all about getting to feed the giraffes...we save it for last. It is our favorite part of the whole zoo. It is amazing to touch and feed these gentle giants!Thursday, July 05, 2007
Heading Off On Vacation
Sunday, July 01, 2007
June Mid Month Knitting Project
"I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.'" Ps. 122:1

Wednesday, June 27, 2007
On My Mind....
Some of my projects are fun like quilting, knitting, decorating. Some are a little less fun like decluttering, repairing, painting, scrubbing and the like. I am actually doing more spring cleaning now than I did in the spring!! In the spring I was still deep in schoolwork and planning for next year. Spring cleaning was fast and not too deep.
Thankfully I have my kids to help me. They are all old enough now, praise the Lord. So I am trying to discipline them to help me keep up with laundry, dishes and putting things back when done so we don't waste time each morning catching up. My new schedule is to do the dusting, vacuuming, bathroom cleaning and floor washing on Monday. Then, on the other days, we can do a quick tidy/cleaning and then focus on projects such as decluttering and repairs and yard work, etc.
This week the kids decluttered their rooms and then we began on the basement. It feels good to fill up the trailer for the dump!! Then once a week Robin hauls it all to the dump and we can start over. Won't it be great if in Sept. we have this place all decluttered and the extra stuff OUT?! Then we can focus on keeping the clutter OUT and not letting it back in!
So, we work on special projects and declutter about an hour a day and then have the rest of the day to play and enjoy! Last weekend we took the kids to a waterpark called "Splash Town" in Saco Maine. It was in honor of Tyler's 14th birthday and he was able to invite his best friend. It was actually very cold that day but everyone had fun despite the chronic shivering!! Here are a couple of pics!
Rachel hates the water slides but found some new friends to play with in the pool!
Here are all the boys and Robin coming out of the biggest, scariest water slide called "The Tornado." See how the employee is bundled in the raincoat? She had the pants on too...it was that cold! BUT it worked out good because there were not the typical big crowds!Tuesday, June 26, 2007
T2CHK Quilt Swap 2007~9 Patch
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Summer's in Full Swing
I couldn't resist taking a picture of this peaceful moment with them all reading their "daily chapter." Even more fun was listening to them share interesting parts of their read with each other. :)Summer is in full swing. We have all adjusted to our summer schedule and settled into the lazy days of summer! Usually in Maine the spring is quite rainy and then summer hits overnight. Usually it is cool and then suddenly steaming hot. But this spring has been different. The weather has been gorgeous. Some days have been warm enough to swim but not too warm and other days are cool and great for getting your work done. I couldn't ask for better.
We have had such fun having cookouts and eating outside, sometimes cooking over an open campfire. The kids are loving riding their bikes and going to the lake and the pool. I have enjoyed the pace of summer, having time to knit and read and quilt and having the nice weather to just enjoy being outdoors!
Tyler is in Junior League baseball right now. It is a nice change of pace from his 8th grade team. Jr. League is much more relaxed and not as competitive. The league is small and we actually know every coach and some kids on each team. So, for us, it has been very fun and easy going. Christian opted not to do baseball this year and instead he is hitting the golf course with Robin (dh) and his brother. He is having fun learning to golf. Rachel is liking just enjoying playing the piano with the summer off from lessons. She is still dancing but just once per week. She hopes to start learning to use my sewing machine and I have promised her a lesson for tomorrow.
As I am looking around at my house and how I want it decorated, I continue to try to decorate my house in such a way as to seem like a vacation home. I like easy, laid back decor, not too fancy or particular. I like creating an atmosphere that says, "sit and relax" not "oh don't touch this or mess up that." Summer is a great time to work on that goal, with more time to declutter and to think about how to make "home" more of a relaxing kick up your feet kinda place!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Creating My First Pattern
















