Day 30: 30 Days of Thankful

Well, it's the end of the month! Time to wrap up the 30 Days of Thankful Posts. Not sure if I'm up for the photo-a-day in December. We'll see.

Day 29: I'm thankful for the sunshine that was peeking around yesterday (looks like we'll have some today too). I fee more productive on sunny days!

Day 30: I'm thankful for this life here on earth that gives us a taste of the joys of the Lord's new earth. I pray every day that God will use me to be some encouragement to someone. I love old and new friends, and I hope to be able to come alongside those who need something - whether it's prayer or cookies or something!

Thanks for reading along this month. Merry Christmas to you, and may your month of December be filled with the glory of life in Christ.

Day 28: 30 Days of Thankful

Brr! 30 degrees this chilly Wednesday morning! Here's a two 'fer!

Day 27: I'm thankful for my third child, my second daughter. I don't have a picture, and she is sleeping right now. Reason why I don't have a picture? The girl is on fire (!) all the time; she is the busiest person I know. Her 2nd birthday is in a few short weeks, and every day she is learning new words. Her favorite activities include scolding her brother and the dog, scribbling with crayon on paper, looking at books, having a little snack that she can carry around in a little bowl, singing little songs (my current favorite is "Dingle Bells"!), and looking cute. She still takes a nap and still uses a cloth diaper as a blankie. Her thumb pops in her mouth when she picks up her blankie. Lydia has this deep belly laugh that we love to activate. I am thankful that she gives me a kiss whenever I ask for one.

Day 28: I am thankful for my knitting and spinning. I just have an urge to work with my hands, and I've been reading articles discussing the therapeutic benefits of something like knitting. I can attest! When I feel like my head is spinning, the thought of knitting just pops in my head. Even a few minutes of knitting can settle me and give a few minutes that I can work out my mental to-do list and still be making something. My friend and I joked before that we are yarn snobs. I do love working with natural fibers - mainly wool and silk (the pricey stuff). My husband still can't understand that I want to use my Christmas cash for yarn!

Well, enough rambling today! Hope you all have a nice Wednesday. Cheers until next time!

Day 26: 30 Days of Thankful

It seems that I do better with every-other-day posts!

Day 25: Thankful for the beautiful snow we had and a safe car that carried us to church. It was such a nice drive to see everything with its first light blanket of snow.

Day 26: I am thankful to have found a great (and easy) recipe for muffins. The secret? Soak the oats in milk and a tad of white vinegar for an hour before. Oh the muffins turn out so light! I made blueberry chocolate chip muffins today, and it was fun to share them with a friend taking a quick stop on her way to Canada!

Off to bed - goodnight!

Day 24: 30 Days of Thankful

Playing catch-up again!

Day 23: I am thankful for my little business. I get to make yummy things and people actually buy them! My husband encouraged me to open a bank account this week to be able to keep track of my incoming and outgoing (for supplies) money. It's a lot of fun to be able to work with wonderful and natural ingredients and make something that I and my family and other people (!) can use and enjoy.

Day 24: I am thankful for snow today. We woke up to giant flakes falling and are excited to see that the accumulation is lasting through the day. It just makes everything feel so crisp and Christmas-y!

Warm thoughts and happy weekend to you. Don't forget to support a small business today! I'd be particularly excited if it were mine!

Day 22: 30 Days of Thanksgiving

I know I originally said that my posts were not in any order of importance, but I did save the most important one for today.

I am thankful for God and His sending of His Son to save His children for Himself! What a blessing it is to be able to take hold of His promises and look forward to eternal life glorifying Him.

Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness of my sins and for giving me a hope that surpasses all earthly trials and cares.

Happy Thanksgiving, readers!

Day 21: 30 Days of Thankful

A quick weight loss post, so for those of you that aren't interested, nothing to read here...move along :)

Stepped on the scale today and was thankful and excited to see that I had made my first weight loss goal! I'm 149.8 pounds, and my goal was 150. Woohoo! To put this in perspective, I tipped the scales at 216 right before the baby was born back in April.

This has been a journey - not an easy one at that, but I a also thankful that my mind and body are now adjusted to a morning exercise routine (except for Sundays) and that I am more mindful of what I eat!

Just in time for Thanksgiving!

Day 20: 30 Days of Thankful

I am thankful for my sewing machine today. It's just a trusty little Singer machine - it's not vintage or anything. It's just a hardworking, simple tool. I love to use it, for it means I get to make something with beautiful fabric. Maybe that's why I like the machine so much; it gives me a reason to work with wonderful fabric prints.

Today was a partial sewing day, and so is tomorrow! I'm hoping to make a dent in my Christmas orders and stock-to-be-sold.

Happy Night!

Day 19: 30 Days of Thankful

So, I'm a little behind; but it is certainly not because I do not have many things for which to be thankful!

Day 17: I am thankful for our chickens and honeybees. They provide us with the eggs and honey that I use almost every day in the kitchen. My kids love "honey toast", and the eggs are just great for baking and eating. We even had breakfast-for-lunch after church yesterday.

Day 18: I am thankful for the Sunday School teachers at our church. My children are still young, and the sermon can be a challenge for them to glean lots of teaching and application. But in Sunday School, the children have a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our God. Our teachers are patient and loving, and I appreciate the time and effort they put into preparing and teaching the lessons. My children fall into 3 different age groups, so we are taking full benefit from the teachers at our church.

Day 19: I am thankful today for a day at home and knowing that dinner is cheeseburgers on the grill. Simple days mean catching up on laundry and spending time on schoolwork. I have a few more gifts to make for Thursday. Thanksgiving is at our house!! Woohoo. Some relatives are only seen at Thanksgiving, so I want to have a wee baggie of Christmas goodies for them.

Happy Monday!

Day 16: 30 Days of Thankful

Today? Today is the day that this little one is 7 months old!

I am thankful for my little Susanna Rebekah. She is the sweetest baby and just loves to watch her brother and sisters run around and be crazy. She also loves to eat! Her smile just takes over her entire face - a huge, wide-open, toothless mouth kind of smile.

Thank you, Lord for our littlest!

Day 15: 30 Days of Thankful

True confession: I am a recipe follower. There, I said it! I'm not one to be crazy creative especially when it comes to baking. If I'm cooking a savory dish, yes, I can do a pinch of this and a dash of that. But baking is very precise, and I like to have the backing of a tried and true recipe.

I am thankful for the genius of so many people who write cookbooks and share recipes with those of us who can use them. I just now flipped through a "Taste of Home" fall baking publication and became really hungry! I have some cranberries in the freezer, and we have a church dinner tomorrow night. I'm thinking cranberry curd bars! I'll have to let you know if they turn out as pretty as the picture.

Happy Fall Baking!

Day 14, 30 Days of Thankful

I don't know what's happening here; somehow yesterday just flew by! I told myself I had already written my blog post; I must be going crazy. Ha, I saw a funny on facebook that said something along the lines of: one in four people is mentally unstable. If you think three of your closest friends are ok, then you must be the crazy one. That would be me!

I am thankful for the elliptical machine we have downstairs. I can exercise inside even when the temperatures are cold! I can even watch TV. It's a hard life :)

Today I am thankful to have my kids at home with me. They are working on their school right now (the two oldest) while the two youngest take a nap. We had blueberry pancakes for lunch and are just having a peaceful day at home. My husband will be home soon, and maybe we'll have a fire in the fireplace! Like I said, hard life....

Cozy day to you!

Day 12: 30 Days of Thankful

Oops! Missed a day yesterday, so here is a two'fer:

I am thankful for the sunshine we had yesterday and the mild weather today. Now that we are well into November we probably will not have any more days of this. It was so nice yesterday to dress the kids for church and not have all the extra layers that winter involves! Sunshine is a blessing.

Today I am thankful for the service men and women who protect us. It seems like most of my male relatives both my parents and grandparents age have served in some capacity, and I have a brother currently serving in the Army. I am so thankful for the sacrifices they have made. God bless America!

Day 10: 30 Days of Thankful

The second Saturday of the month I host a craft/social time for anyone that wants to come. I am thankful today for the ladies (and their babies!) that came. I am thankful for their friendship and the opportunity we have to chat for a few hours.

In these days of busy-ness, I have been praying about slowing down and enjoying community. Whether it's neighbors, church friends, or long distance relationships, I want to spend more time on them!

Today was just a refreshing time, and I am thankful for a new muffin recipe, the knitting I did, and the time of visiting.

Day 9: 30 Days of Thankful

I am thankful today for this funny face:

Jacob is all about being a farmer when he grows up. From morning until bedtime this kid has constant dialogue about what he wants to raise, supply, and grow on his farm. Today he asked if I were glad that I will have turkey meat from him on his farm and not have to buy it at the store. Of course yesterday he asked if he could grow coconut trees on his place. My husband told him he'll probably have to have a greenhouse to grow the more tropical items!

This little boy is at such a wonderful age; I can ask him for a hug, and he'll still throw himself at me without hesitation. He just runs around all day thinking of new things to get into. I am thankful for his enthusiasm for life and his excitement for the future!

Day 8: 30 Days of Thankful

I am thankful for the internet. I love to read and use recipes, and the internet just makes it so convenient. This week I easily found a recipe to make homemade beef broth by first roasting the soup bones.

I also found a tutorial for making a Christmas present (can't tell you yet). I've also looked up phone numbers for some local businesses, checked a facebook page for a semi-local store that asked about my soap, looked at some maps to figure out how a distant (mileage-wise) friend and I can somehow meet in the middle to knit, etc.

It's amazing to have so much - right at my computer! Sometimes I actually feel like my brain can explode with how many new ideas I drool over ever day!!

Have fun learning something new today!!

Day 7: 30 Days of Thankful

Short post today:

I am thankful for the headache I have right now. It is reminding me to slow down, take some deep breaths, drink some water, and stretch my shoulders. I can get so carried away with this and that project, parenting the kids, trying to keep the floor un-cluttered, etc.

I need to take a few moments to quiet and re-center, a few minutes to pray and breath. Hope you have at least a few minutes of quiet today too!

Day 6: 30 Days of Thankful

I am thankful for the United States of America. I am thankful that I can go today and cast my vote and be a part of preparing for the future.

One of the freedoms that I most hold dear is religious freedom. I can read my Bible, our family can read and discuss God's word, and we can worship together with our church family without fear.

I hope you take advantage of the opportunity you have today; happy voting!

Day 5: 30 Days of Thankful

If you are just joining this blog today, welcome! This is a great month to reflect on all for which we are thankful. I'm working on my list one day at a time and writing about the items in no particular order of importance.

Today I'm thankful for my oldest daughter! Abigail is such a lovely young lady with a wonderful mind and heart. She loves to draw and work on crafty projects; most recently I am teaching her a little embroidery. Her first project is a rainbow.

Her sweetness is so evident particularly as she cares for the baby. She jumps when she hears the baby cry and runs over to give her toys or talk to her. The baby loves to watch her big sister.

I'm so thankful for the help Abigail is to me around the house - through chores of helping fold laundry or set the table or things like that. I'm thankful for her affection and that she wants to do what is right through God's help.

Day 4: 30 Days of Thankful

Today I am thankful for a day of rest and worship. Today was a good sermon on the word "inheritance" in the Bible. We are in Exodus 6 and the promise land as the inheritance of the people. BUT, and this is a great but(!), it doesn't stop there. The people of God are Jesus' inheritance, and God is our inheritance. What a lovely word to think about and learn more of today.

Happy-rest-of-the-rest-day to you!

Day 3: Thirty Days of Thankkful

I was saving this one for today. I am thankful for my husband! Today is Saturday, and one thing that he regularly does is take the two older kids out to breakfast. Now the third kid is almost two, so it looks like she is going to be able to join in on these outings. I am thankful that my husband loves us his family! He takes care of us on so many levels.

He leads us in family devotions after dinner, and patiently helps the kids with their memory work. He encourages us and extended family members with godly living and working hard with the blessings and talents God gives.

Last night he had a sleepover with Brookie and Small Fry. They watched movies downstairs, and then he had each of the kids make themselves a little bed on their bean bags while he slept on the couch. He even set up space heaters special just so the kids wouldn't be cold.

He is such a hard worker. Not only does he go to work every day to provide for us, he comes home and does things around the house. This past summer he did the bulk of the gardening and preserving. He canned over 200 quarts of vegetables and applesauce. I know! He is amazing. Now he is in the midst of deer hunting season to put some venison in the freezer. He also works hard at losing weight! He even WON a weight-loss competition at work.

Big Fish has a fun sense of humor and a calmness that both help us work through hard things and help our communication. He can definitely give me a pull back to reality when I fly off the handle!

One other paragraph of what he is doing today: after he does a little hunting and then breakfasting with the kids he is then going to watch ALL FOUR kids for 3-4 hours, so that I can visit with a friend. Then we are to have some time together this evening; of course he asked if I wanted to go hunting with him. I'm still thinking about that.....

Thank you Lord for the man of my dreams!

30 Days of Thankful Day 2

This morning as I write, I notice the thermometer registers 37 degrees F. At this moment I am thankful for our home. The actual structure keeps us warm on the chilly days, and we love the log facing and the stone fireplace.

More than that our home is a place of peace and joy (most days!). Our family can be here together and enjoy our time spent with family and friends who come to visit. God has given us a place that we can work and play, talk and have quiet times, make a mess and clean up again.

Most recently we installed a mantle above our fireplace. It definitely ties in to the aesthetic of the place, as it's just a rough-cut log. I told my husband that we kind of have a "hunting lodge" theme going here. Yes, we have antlers on the wall and a carved wooden fish over the back door. There are old duck decoys and turkey feathers around for accents! I am thankful that my husband is able to enjoy the place just as much as me, and we are able to hear the thump thump of our children's feet running about doing their all-important-for-the-minute activities.

We would sure like to have you over for a visit; we love company!

Thirty Days of Thankful: Day 1

Happy November to you! I've been tossing around some ideas for the blog, and I love the idea of a post every day for the month. Let's see how it all works out, but I hope to have a few things written by the end of November. I'm not going to work through by order of importance; I just want to talk and share a bit of the life God has gifted me.

Today I am thankful for my mom and dad. Just two days ago was the 2 year (!) anniversary of my dad's stroke. This week October 30 happened to fall on a Tuesday. Tuesday also happens to be the day my parents come to our house to visit and help with the kids. We were able to sit down to a nice steak dinner (thanks mom!) with garden corn and eggplant, some sweet potatoes, and some cookies and rhubarb sticky buns for dessert. Nice meal - huh!

We reminisced a bit about the fact that my dad does not remember his helicopter ride, as he was life-flighted to the hospital. My mom remembers every detail of that night. He does remember being carried downstairs on the stretcher (it was "very cold"). I remember calling my two brothers and sister spread around the world to share what had happened to dad. I remember the fears of thinking what-if during the next few days.

We all remember the "jail-break" of bringing my dad to our house for Thanksgiving; we had to check him out of the in-patient unit for the day. I remember my husband building a ramp to our front door, so that we could get the wheelchair inside.

By God's grace and mercy my dad has worked through lots of physical, occupational, and speech therapy. He is able to walk using his cane, and he is able to preach from the pulpit!

What a blessing it is to have a man of God as a father and friend and a woman of God as a mother and confidant. Some of the most precious scenes from my life right now are to see my children clambering all over my dad and to see my mom gently rocking my littlest one.

Dad really knows how to get the kids going! On Tuesday they were playing that my dad was the big bad wolf, and my kids were running and shrieking through the house as the scared little piglets.

I could go on. I will in the days to come, hopefully. I have lots to be thankful for; my cup runneth over.

Five on Friday

In no particular order, I just have the itch to write a few things:

1. We are enjoying the fall harvest including 2 bushels of apples and a harvest of honey. Apple crisp is on the to-do list today and another crockpot batch of apple butter. The honey supers are sitting in my garage waiting to be extracted. I'm hoping to have an increase over my first-ever harvest last year of 5 pints. There are a few straggling eggplants from the garden, and tahini and chickpeas have been bought to make a dip (baba ganoush - sp?).

2. One of my biggest prayer requests for myself right now is patience with the kids right around dinner time! That seems to be crunch time, for I easily let myself get discouraged if I feel I didn't get enough done in the day by that point. Lord, help me to find joy and calmness even at the end of the day.

3. The soap-making is rolling along! Not only that, but lip balm, body butters and hard lotion bars are being concocted. Anybody want to place some holiday orders? :)

4. The children have been enjoying these Indian summer days. I believe even tomorrow a chill will set in. They've had lots of mosquito bites these past few days from being outside! There is a farm tour tomorrow, and we hope to visit a white-tail deer farm in our area.

5. Weight loss update (stop reading here if my battle with the bulge does not interest you; it doesn't offend me if it doesn't!). Well, there is good news and bad news. The bad news first - let this be a warning to you all - I had a lady approach me and ask if I were expecting. I am not. Boo. Please, please, please do not ask women when they are due if they haven't talked about their pregnancy first. It's rather humiliating for the women, and I speak from a vast number of personal experiences with this. Ok, whew, on with the good news. I have broken the 160 pound barrier! I am currently 159 as of last Monday! My goal is to reach 150, so I have 9 pounds left!! Most of the time these 9 pounds seem like an overwhelming mountain (of fat!), but I am committed to pushing through. That means I need to finish this post and get my hiney on the elliptical!

Cheers to a wonderful, crisp, hot cuppa of something Fall Day in your area!

Afraid to Move!

Just sittin' on the couch, afraid to stand up or move even for fear of what might happen next! Let me give you the story:

It all started yesterday when my husband worked so hard over a bucket of tomatoes. He blanched and processed them to remove all the skins and seeds. Then, that huge pot of tomatoes went into the 'fridge overnight to be made into soup today for canning.

Well, today has been quite the day from costly repairs to the car and chimney (I'm praying that the furnace guy tomorrow only comes to do the yearly tune-up with no news of something else needing fixed!) to me making quite the mess of the tomatoes. I burned the batch! I placed the pot on the stove to bring to a simmer knowing that we needed hot liquid to place in the canning jars. While I did stir the pot at regular intervals, I neglected to think that the pot was of poor quality and that I should have been way more attentive.

Since we had so much juice last night, we just used our enamel canning pot to store the lot until today. Nevermore! From now on we'll continue to use our stainless (smaller) stockpots. The juice stuck to the bottom and burned just enough to flavor the batch.

After a desperate facebook plea for help and a phone call or two to my parents as well as some internet searching I decided to salvage the liquid from the top two-thirds of the pot that did not have the black flecks. While the tomato broth has definite "smoky" flavor, I thought that I could freeze it and use in some smoked sausage stews or something.

I put the liquid in 4, one-gallon ziplocs (about 12 cups in each). Then, I carried 3 of the bags down to the freezer in the basement.

And then......then......I proceeded to drop one the bags of tomato broth, and it burst all over the floor (tile thankfully), my leg and flip-flops. I give up! I surrender. Fast forward through the cleaning and mopping; I'm now sitting on the couch thanking God for some good news we heard today but just admittedly a little nervous about giving the 4-month-old her bath in the sink :)

Good news today: friends that have been wanting to have a baby are expecting! Another friend had her gall bladder removed because of gall stones, and it was discovered there were some cancerous cells which would not have been detected w/o the stones! I keep thinking of my sons list of farm animals that he wants to have on his future farm; he included horses, cows, sheep, chickens, and unicorns!

I hope you all have a restful sleep and a brand new day tomorrow full of blessings!

Three Things on a Thursday

1. The Garden: preparations are being made for our first cannerful of green beans this evening. Big Fish found a large canning pressure-cooker at a flea market. We did a trial run last week to learn what to do and produced 2 quarts of green beans. Tonight is the real deal. I had to giggle because my husband has never heard the magic "pop" of a sealing jar lid. It's a delightful little noise!

2. The Children: it's too hot to bake today, but the the kids and I are about to make little snack cookies that look like little hamburgers. Nilla Wafers are the "buns", and peppermint patties are the "burgers". We'll share them at a playdate tomorrow.

3. The Children Again: yesterday a new little friend kept commenting that our baby was the "funniest baby doll ever because she keeps opening her eyes". I and the girl's mom kept telling her that the baby was real! Tee hee!

Woo it is hot here; thermometer reads 90 degrees. The humidity is the kicker, though. Enjoy some iced coffee peeps!

Monday, Monday

Wow, it's already past 3 in the afternoon! I enjoy Mondays actually because they mean the kids and I have a quiet day at home to catch up after the various activities on Saturday and church on Sunday. My husband and I often remind each other that the Sabbath will become a restful day again someday, as 4 children 6 and under require a lot of maintenance! From wearing nice clothes to spreading out to various Sunday school rooms to later nap times, it makes for a rather hectic day! We are thankful for our church family with many in the same boat as us with young children.

Today we have been doing some baking and closet organization. The kids helped with mixing up the muffins and rolling the dough balls for snickerdoodles. I have a kid's cookbook, and we are trying the whole wheat version of snickerdoodles. They smell yummy coming out of the oven (I'm writing this blog post in between pulling out cookie pans).

The garden is starting; the garden is starting! We already have had bunches of yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and fresh herbs. Big Fish used my mandolin slicer to help me make my gallon jar of refrigerator pickles. We are thinking our neighbors might start locking their doors against us, as they see us come bearing squash! I really think that my honeybees have helped so much with the pollination of the squash plants. That is another thing I hope to do this week, check the hive. If there is honey capped, I will have to track down the loan of an extractor.

Small Fry just informed me that he needs to go check for groundhogs. Between his hourly garden checks and his daddy's gun, our garden has remained fairly varmint free! We did have a mole chew through one cucumber vine, actually.

We now come to the weight loss update portion of the blog. If you don't care (really, I don't mind), just go ahead and stop reading! Today's scale reading was 178.2 pounds. On this the baby's 3 month birthday, I think back to the fact that I weighed in at 216 pounds before she was born! Of course it is hard work to watch what I'm eating and keep rolling out of bed to exercise. Thankfully, loss is still happening! The hardest day was Saturday when we had my family over, and I kept handing out ice cream cones and such. I have found a nice drink that helps with my sweet tooth control: Italian soda made with sugar free syrup, club soda, and a bit of half and half.

Well, looks like we're in for another hot week! We're praying for some rain. Hope you are enjoying a dip in the pool somewhere!

Random Thoughts With Photos

It has been quite hot and humid in these here parts, but we were able to have a front yard picnic before the heat set in. My parents joined us, and I totally cut the baby out of the picture. She is in her car seat relaxing in the breeze.

My sign has been "installed" in the front yard! I'm hoping the campground down the road will help supply some customers.

Over the past weekend we traveled to Dayton, OH on a little family trip. We visited some relatives and had a lovely time visiting a working farm modeled after an 1800's homestead, a children's museum, the Air Force Museum, etc. I visited a yarn shop, flower nurseries, and a thrift store. The yarn shop produced some lovely fiber for spinning (another post); the nurseries gave ideas for a fairy garden or terrarium; and the thrift store was a quite productive stop. I missed the day of the week when everything is 50% off, but I still found some "stuff":

Included in the pile is a skein of Icelandic yarn, 2 men's polos, several long sleeve shirts for Brookie's fall wardrobe, a puzzle for Minnow, the classic game of Twister, a silk necktie to cut up for Easter egg dyeing, several books, and 3 dress shirts for Small Fry. I spent a hair under $32 for the lot.

Hope the weather is cooling off for you in your part of the world!

Crazy Eyes

This photo demonstrates the baby's precious smile as well as her completely surprised and wild eyes that she often uses:



Sometimes all you can do is find a box and sit in it:



Today I took the yarn that I have been spinning (a wool and silk blend) and plied it. Then, I "set the twist" by soaking in hot and then cold water.



Lastly (no picture provided), the weight loss update: just click away if this is of no interest to you! I'm just trying to keep myself accountable. The scale read 184.2 pounds today. I'm still in the "approaching obese" category according to some medical charts...yikes. But! I did lose over 3 pounds this past week, so progress is being made.

Hope the week is a great one for you!

A Post.....With Pictures!

I finally grabbed the camera to post a few updates. Let's see if I can "make it work".





One fun summer activity for the older two children seems to be pans of dry beans and rice. I set them outside with various kitchen utensils, and the kids are enjoying filling cups and ice cream scoops. It's our cheap sandbox!

Here are a couple of pictures of my new spinning wheel and some lovely fiber:





I'm trying to spend a few minutes each day getting acquainted with my wheel. It really is enjoyable, and I'm making some fabulous "art" yarn.

My weigh-in was today. I have no picture, but the scale is still moving in the right direction. It read 187.4 pounds, so that's 2.6 pounds lost since last Monday. I am finding that I am a "sneaky snacker". I grab a few animal crackers here and a handful of the kids' dry cereal there. It all adds up! This is something I hope to work on this coming week. This goal will be added to my other goal of drinking more water.

Well, I'm about to publish this post and see if the pictures actually get uploaded! Have a great week; Happy Summer!

Monday Check In

We're busy celebratin' birthdays (Brookie and Small Fry and me!) and an anniversary (12 years) this month. Lots of blessings for which I am so thankful.


Big Fish surprised me with a beautiful spinning wheel for my birthday. He had found it at an auction; and I truly believe that it is in like-new condition. The biggest tip-off? The wheel was not set up right! Now that I've watched many youtube videos and re-read the instruction packet many time, I'm happily spinning away. My yarn is not pretty, but it's yarn! One of the items included in the auction lot was a basket full of wool that I'm using to practice.


The children and I picked strawberries this morning and then came right in and had some for lunch. We are having a bit of a problem with chipmunks stealing some of our produce!


The hardest part about all these birthdays is trying not to eat birthday cake! I weighed in this morning at 190.0. I'm happy to see the scale moving in the right direction! This is the plan I've been following. I appreciate it's structure and am very happy with the breakfast and lunch shakes/bars. I feel like I'm getting good nutrition instead of grabbing things here and there that don't add up to a meal.


We're thinking we might have a thunderstorm here this afternoon, so I need to refer to my list of indoor activities for the two older kiddos.


Enjoy the warm breezes!

And so it Begins

First weigh-in today: 195.8 pounds. I cringe to post that number, but I have to start somewhere! The baby is sleeping almost through the night. She prefers to go to bed late and then sleep late. We're hoping to slowly adjust that, so that she goes to bed closer to 9 or 10 rather than 11! She is in that cute little stage where her eyes are always so wide open; it's like she's constantly surprised! We've been re-organizing our living areas. The TV has been moved downstairs, and the school area is expanding upstairs. Big Fish and I are starting a collection pile of things to sell at our local flea market. Today was cleaning out the school shelf and cabinet. One of the next things on my to-do list is refresh myself on how to upload pictures to this blog!

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 1, 2

Hello, blog of mine! I'm not even going to look at the date on my previous post; ok, it was last Fall!!

I'm working on a few summer resolutions: losing some weight, marketing some soap at some local events, and using up some of my fabric stash. Maybe this blog could be a little outlet for keeping myself accountable.

Monday is the official start date for my new meal plan. I figured I would get through my birthday weekend first! I'm playing around with the thought of posting a "before" picture, as I start on this weight loss journey. Not sure if I have the courage to put a picture up, though. Still thinking about it.....

I have a phone call in to a couple of farmer's market organizers in the surrounding area. We, as a family, attended one this past Saturday; and I was disappointed in the vendor and customer turnout. I'm glad that I didn't set up a table and only walked around to get a feel for the market. Their were only 5 vendors! I'm hoping that the other market will have a greater attendance both in vendors and shoppers! Even though the set-up fee is only $5, I still want to feel that my time will be well-used.

One of the first projects using some of my fabric is placemats. I've had a few orders placed (thanks mom), so I've cut out 5 sets. Right now I'm assembling and sewing them adding a layer of interfacing for stability.

More to come! We're enjoying some sunshine today....with a handful of fresh-picked strawberries.