Cherishing My Days

A Facebook-less Life

2012-01-07T05:51:00.000-08:00

Facebook is one of those things, like alot of things in life, that can be good or bad. I signed up a few years ago and didn't use it alot at first. About a year into my membership, I really discovered it. It was a good way to keep in touch with my local homeschool moms and all our activities. It was a fun place to be, and share my life with people I had not seen into 20 years or so.

I liked it a little too much. Once I got Internet on my phone it was like every time I sat down (not much sitting going on here, except in the car, while nursing, etc) I was checking Facebook. I would check it while standing at the stove cooking, while waiting on anything or anyone, even while trying to homeschool. I didn't post alot, but I sure did read alot!

Then came the constant stream of privacy concerns. Facebook seemed to be in a war with me over who was going to control who I wanted to see what. I don't really blame them. Someone said it well that Facebook is a business whose primary goal is to make money, not protect my privacy. I had the option to opt out if I had such a problem with what they did. And I did. I had a problem with it. A friend said that it had a "Big Brother" feel to it, a way for us to be watched while feeling friendly and perfectly innocent. That might sound paranoid, but I saw her point.

For me, Facebook had become bad-- more of a liability than an asset. It took me a few weeks to take a deep breath and get up the courage to tell it goodbye. I made sure I told my friends and got emails from several and am making a concerted effort to step back a decade or so and keep up with friends with email.

It's been about 3 weeks now since I requested to have my account deleted. I must be honest and say that I did go through about a week of restlessness when I wanted to check Facebook. It was almost a period of mourning where I simply missed being in touch, and seeing people's daily lives. I do still wonder " how is so and so doing?" and " I wonder how that situation worked out for this person". But I figure email is good for that too, if not as instant. Do I need more instant in my life? Nope. If anything, I need things to be slower. Technology is rushing us faster and faster to fit in more and more, and be more and more impatient. I personally need to slow down and have less delivered to me at my every whim. And if people really want to keep in touch, there are always ways. If the effort is not made, then it wasn't that important in the first place. Priorities dictate that those important to me hear from me once in awhile.

So here I am! And I'm on email too. If you don't have my email, let me know!

PS: this not not meant to be an authoritative post on the rightness or wrongness of Facebook. I don't believe it is wrong at all. It was just wrong for me. :)

A Few of My Favorite Things….

2012-01-03T16:50:00.000-08:00

It's so fun to read these kinds of posts from other people, so I thought I'd do one of my own from time to time (not that my opinion matters. lol. But I've found a lot of cool things from seeing other peoples' faves). Some of my absolute favorite things:

The ambience of our traditional Austrian Christmas Eve meal…..
Kids at Christmas (doesn't this boy *look* like he needs to be set loose with a Nerf gun?)

My North Face hoodie--it's light-feeling but warm, and is fuzzy inside so it stays put and doesn't get all up in my grill when I'm, say, tying a kid's shoe. I hate traveling jackets and hoodies. It's a trim fit too. www.thenorthface.com/en_US/index (I don't see my jacket on there, but it's cotton knit)
I could pick any number of features from any of my kids, but today I am picking these angelic curls...
Gardening! You are looking at my first ever harvest of salad greens. I am glad I got them before the slugs did….

Isn't it exciting to get the UPS or Fedex guy at your door? I especially love it when I know I have ordered something from Amazon, another one of my favorites. Which brings me to my current favorite author, Joel Salatin. I am reading his newest book Folks This Ain't Normal right now, but the next one I am going to order is this one: www.amazon.com/You-Can-Farm-Entrepreneurs-Enterprise/dp/0963810928/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325641485&sr=8-1 .
My hubby's gift to me (from Amazon! :) just because he loves his weird wife. My Injinji socks that go with my Vibram shoes (www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/Five-Fingers-Bikila-Mens). Never has a wide, Hobbit like foot like mine been so comfy.

Dear Friends

2012-01-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

Because you are my friends, I am going to beg you to read this lady's blog:

http://www.itakejoy.com/

What she has to say there is life changing. I knew all these concepts in…well, concept. One tends to be exposed to this stuff in the homeschooling world: appreciating your kids for who they are, asking God for a vision for their own unique upbringing, being more concerned about what is in their hearts than what their behavior indicates. But never have I been overcome with tears of joy for finally seeing it in words that spoke to my heart, until I read her blog.

I first saw her blog a year or so ago when she wrote a post about first time obedience. It was the first time in my entire life I had ever heard someone say "really?" about that oft touted "rule" of parenting. I somehow knew it in my heart, but it never came to the front of my head until seeing her post: first time obedience isn't in the Bible. It's not that we should not want our kids to obey us--of course we should!--and it isn't that we should not strive for our kids to do what needs to be done immediately. It's just that in conservative, Bible believing circles, first time obedience is the be all end all of well-behaved, compliant, God loving and following and non-rebellious children. Friends, it's not about the behavior, it's about the heart. Growing up, I knew many (many!) kids who paid lip service to their parents rules in front of them, but because good behavior was the ultimate goal, their hearts were not bound to obeying their parents while they were not looking, or they kept obeying only out of fear. They did not obey out of love for their parents, or God's ways, they obeyed because it kept them out of trouble. I was sometimes like that. Later on I learned to stand up for what I believe no matter who was looking, but I can't say that modifying my behavior was the reason I eventually learned that (I won't go into why I believe I ended up that way here, but it certainly did not work that way for everyone I knew).

A few excerpts from Sally's blog:

Now, the secret is out–I do believe in obedience for me, for children, for all who want to love and serve God. But, I see now that the goal for my obedience is not behavioralism–performance–doing a task that I want done this instant because of fear of punishment. I do not measure my success as a parent by whether or not my children instantly obey. I think that the goal is to teach our children to obey quickly, but search as I may, I cannot find that as a standard in scripture. And so I may find relief in the grace I have found in scripture.

This was what i found that allowed me to say "YES! See?!" talking to people in an imaginary situation. But my haughtiness at finding corroboration from a respected, mature homeschooling mom quickly melted away as I found myself being humbled by the knowledge that I was seeing myself in some of her other paragraphs. Descriptions of exactly what I never wanted to be.

This feeling of being afraid of those in authority is familiar to all of us. Now if we speed or drive wildly out of control or run a red light, we should feel guilty and are worthy of being caught. We are happy and so grateful there are policeman to keep us protected and safe.

But when laws are many and there are police eyes everywhere looking for a person to make a mistake, we all feel relieved to get out of the eye view of such potential judgment. And so young children will feel–afraid of their authorities–their parents– if they are atwitter in their hearts just wondering what they will do wrong or how they will disappoint or how they will be punished.

Tears. Judgement. Judgement feels pretty terrible. I don't want to be my kids' judge. I don't want them to always be trying to escape me because I am overbearing and hard to be around. I want to have a loving, refreshing relationship with my children, not one that is a heavy burden for both them and me to bear. She went on to ask if I think of my children as a blessing, the fruit of the womb as a reward (yes! most definitely!). How do we treat blessings? We treat them as treasures, not burdens. I never thought of my kids as burdens, but their problems? Those I treated as burdens with my tone. Their misbehaviors are not a reflection on me (sort of an arrogant thing for me to think anyway), they were a reflection on the fact that they are still in training, still need to be guided and parented. Training does not happen in a day. Taking the long view means I am preparing them for when they are independent adulthood when they stand up for God and their families on their own because it is a deep conviction. My ultimate goal in my children's' training is not to make me look good, or be on time to places, or to say "how high?" when I say "jump!". My ultimate goal is to raise children who obey God out of a love in their hearts for Him, and follow Him passionately. As Sally Clarkson says so wisely:

I want my children to learn to love God, to desire to serve Him out of their hearts of respect, awe, reverence, love. I look for growth, not perfection. Maturity, not instant holiness.

Please read her blog! Here is a wonderful post:

http://www.itakejoy.com/first-time-obedience-really/

Happy New Year! :)

What Are You Up To?

2011-12-05T13:36:00.000-08:00

I have been busy doing. Today I made sauerkraut, after about a 5 year break (bad on me!). This will be eaten at our annual Austrian Christmas Eve celebration dinner. Mouth waters just thinking about it.
I've been taking lots of pictures. Here was a silly idea I had after buying a humongous cabbage from the farmer's market. Baby was less than thrilled with the idea.
I have 2 weeks of my college courses left. History is such a good story and biology is kicking my butt. That's okay, it's fascinating. Below is a family picture I took while my brother and his family were here.
So chances are I will not get back on here before the end of the year. After classes end I will have so much sewing to do to get ready for Christmas. I just wanted to wish you a wonderful month, and hope that you are able to celebrate the Lord's coming to this earth to save you and me.

I Might Be Able To Get Back To My Life Now….

2011-10-23T11:22:00.001-07:00

Or maybe not, as I still have fabric left and five girls on which to use it…..
These all come from Anna Maria Horner fabric lines, mostly Loulouthi, which I believe is my favorite fabric line of all time. So fun.

This dress comes from AMH's Chocolate Lollipop line (yes, I've had it a long time), and Little Folks.
It's October and I start classes online tomorrow, so there will be less time for this loveliness, but when kids need clothes, they need clothes, you know? And poor me has to work with gorgeous fabric to make it happen! :)

Other Projects

2011-10-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

Both skirts made from Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi line of fabrics (LOVE!!). The one on bottom is trimmed in Little Folks voile. I was shocked to see how little our girls had for this winter (all our winter stuff is in storage, not that they would have fit into much anyway), so I am busy sewing, sewing, sewing!

October's Here!

2011-10-04T19:33:00.001-07:00

Probably an odd time to post pics of my peppers blooming, but that's what they're doing nonetheless.

National Sewing Month slid right past me without my having even cut out one project. But in the first 2 days of October I managed to get 2 projects done. So can we just call October Campbell Household Sewing Month? Yes, I think we can. :)
Here's a dress I made using Made by Rae's Itty Bitty Baby Dress Tutorial and Anna Maria Horner's fabrics. The owner of that foot is also the owner of the dress.
My goodness, such saturated, happy colors.
And the dress tutorial is incredibly easy and adorable.

I hope things are fine over your way! Happy Fall!

Our August and Looking Forward to September

2011-08-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

My husband is remodeling my parents' downstairs floor. He started demo August 1st. Turns out what was chosen was travertine stone tiles and it has taken MUCH longer than he expected. He is grouting almost everything, but will have to wait three weeks to seal.
On the other hand, it has been a valuable experience for both my husband and the children. The boys helped quite a bit too, but I just could not get them in a picture.

And on another hand (because, as a mom to seven, I am thinking of growing another hand. …), September is just days away. In normal places where people live with normal seasons, that means cooler days, crisp nights and a nearing harvest with all its wonderful celebrations. But since I live in Florida, where fall does not visit, I will celebrate September in another enjoyable way. Some marketing genius has declared September "National Sewing Month"! And with fabric offerings such as this http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamwares/6067481312/in/pool-1716523@N21/ and this http://www.flickr.com/photos/tickleandhide/6075923445/in/pool-1716523@N21/ who am I to argue?
So bring on National Sewing Month! I got this! :)

Wordless Wednesday--Savannah: History is Cool

2011-08-17T14:24:00.001-07:00

I Am Convinced…...

2011-07-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

That Martha Stewart uses fresh egg colors as inspiration for her paint colors.

Wordless Wednesday--Don't We All Wish We Could?

2011-07-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

The Home Stretch--Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida

2011-07-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

Had I not been in the great northern plains, this region would definitely be my favorite in the US. The huge green hills and lush landscape are just so enjoyable. Here we have Kentucky, which my husband said was his favorite state on the trip....
Tennessee.....

Alabama. The area is just full of sweet little tucked in farms, carpet-like grass and sun-kissed hills.
Florida. Much flatter, but still slightly hilly in the northwest corner. It's the flattest state in the union, but thankfully not where we are. :)

Our trip was epic. Seven kids, four adults and a cat (and a partridge in a pear tree....). We'll always treasure the memories we made. Seeing so much new to me territory of this country of ours gave me a renewed perspective on the blessings of being an American. This country is beautiful--deserts, coasts, mountains, plains, and everything in between made our Great American Road Trip a unique and awesome experience.

Ohio and the Creation Museum

2011-06-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

This is right outside Cincinnati. Just beautiful.
Never one to miss an opportunity to make something funny, this child screams at the dinosaur.
"The Garden of Eden"
Outside in the Creation Museum gardens
This was at the Air Force Museum in Dayton. The kids enjoyed their outing with Daddy and Grandpa.

The Fruited Plain: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana

2011-06-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

We woke up to beautiful green in Iowa. The trees were in full bloom, confirming we were nowhere near the desert anymore. We got to see sweet friends in Iowa, where my boys got to play with other boys (usually we associate with families with girls--great for my girls! Not so great for my boys.).
Meeting a friend I've "known" for 7 or 8 years now!

My husband got to go to White Castle for the first time. He confirmed their food does, in fact, taste just like Krystal's, for the southerners out there that were curious.
This is Indiana. I don't know what the flowers were, but there were lots of them in the fields there. All three of these states pretty much looked like this, sometimes with rolling hills and no flowers. At times I was glad I had my sunglasses on, because the green was SO bright!

Spacious Skies and Amber Waves of Grain: South Dakota and Minnesota

2011-06-25T07:27:00.000-07:00

These pictures of the next two states really take my breath away. These represent day three and four of driving. They also show what a drastic difference there is in landscape between the west and the east. The above picture is South Dakota. Can't you just see Laura Ingalls and her family out there in the distance? This was actually not very far from her home.
This is the eastern part of the state, towards Sioux Falls.
Minnesota! I never thought I would ever see this state. It's so far north!
Such a cute little church, nestled in the rolling countryside.
Beauty.

I'm seriously in love with this part of the country.

Mount Rushmore and Other Reasons I Love Rapid City

2011-06-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

On our way to Mount Rusmore going through the Black Hills. It's gorgeous country!
The Rock. It's set in such beautiful scenery.
I was obsessed with taking pictures of water and farms on this trip. You'll forgive the desert city dweller. :)
Sigh.
THIS was in our hotel! And this is just half of it. It was this huge awesome wet park. We were so thankful to my parents' friend's kids for making our hotel stay memorable.

Couldn't Resist--South Dakota's and My Little Chicks

2011-06-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

Look at this face! He is so happy to be holding and caring for a 3 day old chick!
And this one! He's so excited I could not even get a clear picture. lol.
She was such a natural. Took right to it like a pro.
Poor snuggled lambs. It was 63 windy degrees.
Look how tiny these goats are! We could not believe it. And see our creative child's outfit (in case you needed clarification, it's to the left)? That's all her. I will not accept credit. ;)

South Dakota--Our New Favorite State: Day 1

2011-06-22T13:20:00.000-07:00

This state is so great it needs more than one post, plus we stayed 2 days. :) After our 15 hour Wyoming day, we got to South Dakota around midnight. The next morning we had breakfast with some of my parents' friends and got guidance on what to do, besides the obvious Mount Rushmore.
We came to Old Macdonald's Farm. No doubt a tourist attraction, it was still something we knew our kids would love. Here we have our 5 oldest, and above are our 2 youngest.
Our boys and their older sister really enjoyed this little tractor ride around the farm.
I thought this turkey was just so pretty with all his layers of feathers. The kids also got to hold chicks that were just days old. That was a great experience for them and solidified for them that they want to raise chickens.
This is just the sweetest picture of protective daddy feeding the ducks with his eager little one. I so wish I could get more pictures to a post!

Day 2: Wyoming, Home on the Range

2011-06-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

We started our morning in Park City, Utah, which is gorgeous! Soon we were in Wyoming. What an awe-inspiring state!
While much of the state looks like this, with these wooden thingies we had never seen before (we can only assume they were to keep the snow away from the road?) and deserty-looking plains,
There was also this: wind farms and snow-capped mountains in the distance,
And this: red bluffs and plateaus with rivers and reservoires.
Ah, Casper. There's a funny little story that could go here involving a school bus, a false accusation, and the nicest highway patrolman ever, who gave our kids Wyoming Highway Patrol change holders, but I probably don't need to go into that. :)

Five pictures are not even close to being enough to highlight this state of only half a million hardy souls, but it's all I've got. What a beautiful, stark, lonely place to be. I'm glad I finally spent 15 hours there!

Vegas Behind Us

2011-06-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

There it is. We're saying goodbye.....
Ah, Utah. Lovely, green Utah.
I love getting these pictures, so I can see both what's in front of me and what's behind me at the same time. It's nice when that happens in real life too.
This was so amazingly green to our Vegas eyes. Such a change in just a few short hours.
Sunset in Utah. This is the land of "Purple Mountains Majesty". I will put forth my utmost effort to be back someday.

These trees

2011-04-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

My friend gave me these trees on her way out of Vegas. They have been such a blessing, giving us their harvest of oranges and lemons and now showing off beautiful blooms for this gorgeous spring. I will be passing them on to a similarly organically minded friend in the next few days and I wanted to make sure to get some pictures of them. In this place of seemingly no growth, I sure will miss my reminders that God can grow anything anywhere!

A Stormy Vegas Sky--365/102

2011-04-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

is rare and something to be thankful for. This storm actually brought snow flurries to us! In APRIL! As we prepare to leave this city for good, I'm starting to list all that we'll miss. The refreshing look of a storm in the desert is one of them!

Taste and See That the Lord is Good 365/97

2011-04-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I ever stop juicing. Who knew that juice could be so filling and so invigorating? This is orange, carrot, pineapple.

Pool Sharks--365/94

2011-04-04T09:33:00.000-07:00

My husband has turned our kids onto pool. I have no doubt they would beat me every time, since I am apparently unteachable.
This daughter seems to have a pretty good technique.On the other hand, this son has his own style and while it may not be proper, the boy sinks balls left and right.

What a good activity for after school. Can you imagine how good they will be when they get older?

This One--365/89

2011-03-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Is such a sweetie. We struggle with needing LOTS of attention, but she was the baby for almost 3 years--a long stretch for this family. She's such a little mommy. She loves to change her babies diapers beside me while I change my own babies, loves to watch me cook, loves to hold her sisters.
This is her hair. She's the first of my girls to have inherited my wavy/curly/crazy hair. At first I thought "oh, poor thing", but then I realized that it fits her. God knew it would just fit her.
Oh boy, went a little crazy on the editing here. She's not this white. lol. But she's always ready for a picture, always ready with a sweet smile and a hug.

Wordless Wednesday: Run For It! 365/82

2011-03-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

Realization--365/79

2011-03-20T17:58:00.000-07:00

My blog has become unashamedly a highlight of my kids. lol. I don't have much spiritual wisdom or intellectual insights to share about homeschooling to share lately. I am just doing well to keep my head above the proverbial water. And since I only wanted to capture more pictures of life this year, this is what I am doing. These kids, this house, my man ARE my life, and what my hopes and dreams are wrapped up in in this life God has given me. So here they are, the kids, in all their glory. The boys, while I'm waking them up and singing the Good Morning song.
Oops, got these pictures backwards. lol. See? Just keeping my head above water!
And this little angry face over the fact that I put a dress on her that she did not want to wear that day, and her ponytail was not working.
And this little angel. Words escape me.

Random Pics 365/70

2011-03-11T11:13:00.000-08:00

Toddler wondering why she and baby do not have certain features yet. That's a breastfed kid for ya! :P
Bigger toddler doing her favorite thing. Baby does not mind.
OH! These faces! Big brother loves his babies. And this mom is so thankful for these moments.

Welcome Spring 365/69

2011-03-10T11:14:00.001-08:00

Sweet Baby 365/66

2011-03-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

Almost 4 months already! She loves playing with her feet...
And LOVES Mommy. Sigh. I love that. :)

A Time To Learn--365/64

2011-03-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

Soaking up all the wisdom I can!

Thankful for Scraps--365/59

2011-02-28T15:53:00.000-08:00

There's not a good picture to be had of this little busy bee right now.
This is all her--she chose this pose. :)
I am thankful for the scraps that I had left over from other projects. They allowed me to test the sizing on these dresses so that I didn't have to cut into new fabric only to find the resulting dresses were not quite right.

But I'm also thankful for other scraps in life: leftover meals to stretch our food budget, scraps of wood for my husband or kids to build with.....all the little precious leftovers that make life interesting and a beg a new project. And sometimes scraps is all I have to hold up to God to help me make something beautiful. He knows my limitations and promises to never leave nor forsake me. He always comes through. I'm thankful that sometimes scraps are all I need. :)

Miserable Baby 365/57

2011-02-26T14:05:00.000-08:00

This is how my husband found our sweet miserable baby this morning.
just slumped over the couch, fallen asleep right where she was.
So sad and so sweet all at once. Please winter sickness, go away. I promise I will feed my family better in the future.

Week In Pictures--365/52

2011-02-21T18:01:00.000-08:00

We had a sweet boy lose his first top tooth.....
Finally caught that funny baby's exuberant smile.....
Just as she started playing with those adorable baby feet....
And dealt with one of moms' least favorite thing: snotty noses and poor sick kiddos.
If you look closely you can tell he is feverish and just putting on a brave face. :(

I hope you had a great week last week. We're still in the thick of the fight against whatever germs have come to roost in our unprepared household this winter.

Thankful For So Much--365/46

2011-02-15T13:15:00.000-08:00

My camera's battery died and I neglected to charge it for so long and got off track from blogging, and I was supposed to be doing another photography challenge with my friends and.....I'm so good at making things NOT happen lately. But I had to come today and post this picture of all this ironing I HAD to do. :) It makes me so very thankful for the man that I have that knows his birthday girl would rather just have fabric than almost any other possession in the world. So I am thankful for fresh ironing and for my thoughtful husband. And for the fact that it would take my sitting here for an entire lifetime for me to type out all the things I am thankful for.

Our Baby's Other Mommy--365/34

2011-02-03T09:27:00.000-08:00

This little munchkin
is also a concerned little mommy. Her baby sister was crying and not covered up, as you can see by the look on older sister's face. She looks like she's scolding me, does she not?
So this injustice must be corrected. Enter the blanket.
Is that better, baby?
Must be. :)

My Little Domestic Helper--365/33

2011-02-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

My mom used to joke that the only time my iron ever saw any action is when she came to visit. That was before I rediscovered sewing and became a card carrying fabric fanatic. Now I LOVE to iron. I love how the steam warms the fabric and the smell of fresh laundry wafts into my line of smell. I love taking crunchy clothes and fabrics that have acclimated to the desert and seeing them transform into soft piles of perfectly ironed and folded linens. But now there is another aspect to my ironing....
one that is not helpful but oh so cute.....
notice how she lays on TOP of my iron cord, rendering it less than effective.......
But who, I ask, WHO could be irritated with such an adorable interruption?

What I've Been Doing With My Free Time--365/31

2011-01-31T13:23:00.000-08:00

It certainly hasn't been blogging. {{Cringe}} Not doing so well on that project, but I am doing excellently on buying fabric. lol. We have here Anna Maria Horner Little Folks voile (Village Path in Sea) paired with Joel Dewberry's Modern Meadow fabrics (Picnic Plaid and Flower Fields). These fabrics were born for each other. So So beautiful. But Anna Maria's voile is my favorite, especially in this print. It is exceedingly soft. I love Joel Dewberry's prints, so I hope he does some on voile soon.

Oh, This Boy--365/21

2011-01-21T16:15:00.001-08:00

Yep, he's exactly as he seems in these pictures. All boy, very cute, trying to be a man.

What Kids Can Do With Some Broken Pots and a Sheet--365/16

2011-01-16T12:54:00.000-08:00

That can result in hours and hours of fun.......

Chewing the Fat--365/15

2011-01-16T12:51:00.000-08:00

I caught child number 5 having a good conversation with child number 7.

In My Father's Arms--11/365

2011-01-11T12:21:00.000-08:00

WAAAAAARRR EAGLE!

2011-01-10T14:43:00.000-08:00

The "More Pictures" Project--7/365

2011-01-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

I could just do nothing but kiss these sweet cheeks all day long and be a happy woman.

A friend of mine is making a concerted effort to take a picture a day of what her family's day looks like. I have been wanting an excuse to remind myself to take more pictures, so I have decided to join her. As many days as possible, I am going to try to give a memory a longer life but getting a picture of it. I never thought I would need to MAKE myself take pictures, but in these busy days it's necessary. Someday, when I do not have seven littles running around, and I have time--maybe too much time--to think, I will be happy I took these pictures and therefore remember this year a little better.

Sewing for the Baby

2010-10-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

It's that time again in the Campbell household: preparing for a new baby. Now that I am done with classes I am going full steam ahead trying to get the kids squared away with their schooling, pulling my house's organization together, and sewing for the new little one. This newest project is called The Patchwork Sleep Sack, and it's from Anna Maria Horner's newest book Handmade Beginnings. I have also made the Quick Change Trousers, which are adorable.
I must admit, this pattern almost kicked my rear and took me all day to make. This is not due to Anna Maria's instructions which, once I could get my brain to follow them are very clear, but undoubtedly to my foggy pregnant brain, and the fact that patterns and I do not get along. I have a fundamental problem manipulating them. For this reason I generally sew things free hand. I just could not pass up the opportunity to make this sweet pattern, though! Since I do not quilt, I simply cut out my front piece of fabric in the dimensions the book says to use for a quilted panel.
The fabric is also from Anna Maria Horner (ok, yes, she's my favorite fabric designer). This is from her Folksy Flannels line and OH. MY. GOSH. This fabric is SO soft. It's nothing at all like the flannel you get at large fabric stores. This is good stuff. And the colors are so brilliant! I look forward to being able to snuggle our sweet baby in this ultra soft, very warm sleep sack.

Wordless Wednesday--The Bond Between Sisters

2010-09-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

A New Shop

2010-08-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

Life has just taken over lately! I've been a teeny bit busy homeschooling, being pregnant, and opening up a new shop. It's called Ruby's Vineyard over at Etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RubysVineyard
I've been in the mood at actually sew and take care of a shop, so I figured I'd do it while I had the bug, because it surely will not stay. :)
Plus, who can resist chubby legs and ankles in skirts?
OH!
Apparently not me. :)

Altered Pillow Case Dress

2010-05-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

I had already made a pillow case dress for my oldest, but wanted to alter the look a little and give it more personality. So I added a ruffle at the bottom, and a waistband that fed into the ties. The fabric is from Amy Butler.
My little one loves it, and requested to wear it for Resurrection Sunday. Next time I think I will make waist notches on the inside. That, I think, will complete a shapelier effect. With all this altering, the pillow case dress is not as simple as it is meant to be, but the result is a dress that's totally custom.

Being Content in "Whatsoever State I Am"

2010-04-01T17:08:00.001-07:00

Even with morning sickness (Scratch that. Evening sickness. Right when my family needs me most.). Even in Nevada when I'd frankly rather be with my mom right now in Florida (not instead of my husband but along WITH my husband and kids). Even though I feel like if I did not have time before, it just got cut in half. I will practice contentment. I will practice being cheerful, genuinely cheerful, not pasting a smile on and pretending everything is okay. Even when I fail my kids and my husband miserably. I do not think it's too much to practice contentment. It's not being fake. Throwing up does not make me want to sing. But nor is it my family's fault. It's no one's fault. It's a season of my life that I will celebrate and go through every minute, good and bad, eyes wide open and being thankful to be alive to share it with those precious to me. I will be content and not want to rush through even the hard times. Because at the end of this it will be the same: joys and sorrows, hard times and great times. God's grace is sufficient, and I like finding contentment in Him and His plan.

Come Visit!

2010-03-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

I have started a new blog over at RealFoodForLargerFamilies.blogspot.com (link in my blog list). I started the blog because my friends wanted to know more about my take on nutrition, but also because I find that my biggest struggle in feeding my family is the fact that I have a hard time marrying feeding them real food and doing it on a budget. There are things I refuse to compromise on--like chemicals, hormones, trans fats, medicines, corn syrup, food colorings being in my childrens' food, but then I also have a budget that I have to stick to or we start using our savings as income just to feed ourselves.

So I invite you to come on over, and put in your 2 cents if you have any advice on feeding larger families real food on a budget.

Matters of Domesticity

2010-03-01T13:51:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been almost two months since my last post. I've been a little busy with all manner of home-keeping. And a little bit of school--okay, quite alot of school, for both the kids and me.

I got the sewing bug again after finding Samantha's patterns over at TheHandmadeDress.net. I have messed up the pictures, but the very top one of this post is from a pattern called "Miss Madeline". It's quite easy and produces very cute results! The one above is just a pillowcase dress. There are many tutorials for these all over the internet.

We started a garden! I have wanted to do this for no less than five years, but my fear of bugs has kept me from doing it. I have decided to face the fear head on and just do it. There's not alot that brings more joy than growing real food with children. It really makes me appreciate God in yet another way.
These are our strawberry plants, but we have also planted sunflowers (in the blog picture above), morning glories, raspberries, blackberries, carrots, tomatoes, lavender, rosemary, and mesclun lettuce. All but the lavender have started growing little shoots! It's so exciting!

I got this book over the weekend:
http://www.amazon.com/Toad-Cottages-Shooting-Stars-Grandmas/dp/0761150439/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267481284&sr=8-1
Yes, it's a book for grandmas, but I don 't care. It is the coolest little book ever! I have ordered another one by the same author called "Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots", and look forward to getting it too!
Happy, productive March to you!

Setting Sail and a Cookbook Review

2010-01-11T08:13:00.000-08:00

2010 is officially underway for me. My husband went back to work today after our 3 week vacation back east, and I feel like the slate is clear, goals ahead, and we're venturing into the cool, clean waters of a new year. Perhaps it's because I've almost always lived in a warm state since moving to the States for good when I was 10 (the exception would be Missouri, which, to some may be southern, but it can have some BRUTAL winters), but I've always loved the crispness of January. It feels so clear and new. We have cool weather here (40s), but I do not have to deal with snow for the most part. The perpetually sunny days make my spirits bright and ready for planning. I have to register for my classes that start next week, have much sewing to do, want to organize my house, and get the kids back into a routine of "school first, play later".

One thing I want to plan well is our food menu and grocery budget. Having a family of 8 is not cost prohibitive when you live simply for the most part, but when it comes to food, there can be quite a cost involved, especially when nutrition is high on your priority list. We have tried to go bare bones and do $600 a month for groceries, but we just could not pull it off. So we are at a more sensible $900 a month for food and it works pretty well. I still have to make compromises on what to buy organic and what not to, but all in all this works well and, when I plan, we make budget. When I do not, it is a disaster of epic porportions and we can end up spending $700 or more in one payday! So, in the spirit of planning great, affordable food, I am using my new cookbook that I got for Christmas. It's "The Pioneer Woman Cooks", by Ree Drummond, and I think it's great! I read her blog occasionally (it's in my side bar), but am not a devoted, die hard fan like many people who read her blog. I think she's hilarious and love that she lives in the country and homeschools, but don't have the time to read blogs all the time! I am so glad my mom got me this cookbook, though! Maybe I am not a typical American cook in that I do not have most of these recipes in my repertoire already, but I think the food is real and gut sticking. I saw shortening used in two recipes, but other than that, it seems like real, healthy food, especially when you use organic and/or grassfed. She already uses lots of butter, which I am all for! The pictures in the book are beautiful, and she uses MANY pictures for all her recipes. Be aware that most of the recipes in the book are already on her blog for free, but I have a hard time following and finding recipes online. I'd SO much rather have a cookbook on my counter to follow.
So there ya go, a cookbook option to explore. The next one I'd like to get a look at is "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow", by Stephanie O'Dea. Anyone read it?

My "No-Resolutions" Resolutions.

2010-01-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

Happy new year! I hope it been a good one for you so far.

So I do not write down resolutions, and really, I think they are pointless because they only make me feel bad about myself when I do not fulfill them.

However, I do feel it's a good time to reevaluate things and natural to want to be excited about what you'd like to see in your life in the new year.

As you see in the picture above, I am NOT skinny. However, I try to keep myself from gaining tons of weight by eating real food, and not too much sugar and starch. I've learned over the course of about 10 years what works for my body--not to make me model thin, but to keep me feeling healthy and prevent getting too big. There are things I believe are true for EVERY body, since God created us all equal:

*Eat real food. If God did not make it, it's not for your body. Eating diet versions of real or junk food is not healthy, no matter how "low fat" it is.

*Activity is good.

Here's more specifically what works for me, and where I learned it:

*Sugar will make me fat (Atkins, Mercola). If I eat sugar, it needs to be the real thing, and needs to be worth it. No eating empty calories that I am not really enjoying. No sodas--gave them up going on 3 years now, and I have never looked back.

*Similarly, starch will make me fat (Atkins, Mercola). They, of course, have more to offer as far as nutrients than sugary things, so if God made them for food (potatoes and rice), they are not unhealthy, but I know I have to be active if I eat them. No loading up on a plate of spaghetti if I know I will have a slow day. Those noodles will show up on the scale and on my thighs the next day.

*I need to eat when I am hungry and not when I am not (The Weigh Down). Eating because the clock says it's time to does not work, except for maybe a piece of cheese if I feel I'm going to be busy at the time when I will be hungry and need to head it off. But to just eat a meal because "it's dinner time" does my figure no favors.

*Salads and other veggies are my best friend (plain ol' trial and error). I eat them all the time and feel they keep me cleaned out and my skin clear.

* Fat is NOT the enemy (Nourishing Traditions, Mercola, The Maker's Diet). Good fats, that is. Fats that God made for food are good for me. New fats like most vegetable oils and anything hydrogenated are not food that we have had in our food supply for a long time, and are, in fact, industrial foods that are not good for our bodies. The fats I eat most often are virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and butter. Good butter from pastured cows cannot be matched.

*Activity is great for me. makes me feel invigorated and energetic. However, running is NOT something I enjoy. I have tried the couch to 5K program so many times and was a sprinter in high school. But I have never once in my life enjoyed running for pleasure. I DO enjoy a good walk, though, and especially a hike. Whatever you enjoy, it's always good to get the blood pumping, but one need not be obsessed. God created us walking, not sweating it out on the elliptical machine.

So my goals are to do what I know I should do as far as health. Knowing and doing can be far apart sometimes, though! Good luck to me--and you too if you are untaking a goal! :)

Celebrating The Gift

2009-12-24T05:53:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Christmas Warmth and Light

2009-12-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

How a 3 year old decorates a tree

We had to use our fake white tree this year (it's meant only to be decorative, not to replace a real tree!).

Hope your season is merry and bright!

Thankful For This Family

2009-11-24T14:49:00.000-08:00

I am thankful as I can be for this crew of kids....

..... and this man whom I just don't deserve. He is best friend, gentle leader and provider all rolled into one. How very blessed I am!

OH! Sweet baby-ness. I had to include this picture of this squishy baby with her drool who was added to our family this year. All of her, the whole package, is just as consuming as she can be. This picture makes me melt.

As we wrap ourselves in this season of Thanksgiving, let's remember everything--the big and the small--and the God who has given us everything, right down to our very breath. It is by Him that all things consist! Let's also remember the people who defend our freedom. These brave people who will not be home with their families this Thanksgiving so we can worship and give thanks in comfort and safety. And let us never forget in our prayers those who are needy. The poor, the widowed, the fatherless. Let's put feet and hands to those prayers by giving. Donate food, work in a soup kitchen, something. God says it is a true measure of our Christ-like-ness to take care of these. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Grateful to the Lord

2009-11-05T12:38:00.000-08:00

Life and school have really kept me busy lately, but I had to come and post about how thankful I am. Friends and I were talking about how much life as homeschool mothers, or mothers in general!--can really make us feel pulled and spread thin. One friend in particular said how there are SO many needs--how is one person supposed to meet them all? We are individual women with TWO hands each. We have so many responsibilities from the raising (and educating!) of our children and all that that entails, the other duties we love to claim as our own--wife, student, cook, housekeeper, activity planner, counselor, friend, child of the King, etc. I had been thinking this morning before our conversation about how thankful I am for my life. How thankful I am that it is full and keeps me busy. See, one can take "overwhelmed" and make it "full and purposeful" with a change of perspective. How often I wish I would remember this very important principle. How good it would be if I could remember it *before* I started yelling about some relatively unimportant offense. Once my attitude changed, I just started listing everything I was thankful for to the Lord. He's so good in every way to me.

26. I am thankful for my life--the craziness of it and the sweetness of it.
27. I am thankful even for the trialsbecause they work patience. I have seen the evidence of that in my life.
28. I am thankful there haven't been MORE trials. :) More will come, but I thank the Lord He does not give me more than I can handle.
29. I thank the Lord for surrounding me with SO much love. My GOODNESS am I unworthy! Lord, please help me to *live* like I appreciate the love you've surrounded me with.
30. I am thankful for perpetually blue skies. They are beautiful and make me really thankful for the rare day that we have cloud cover.
31. I am thankful for an emerging young lady in our house. Her presence has really challenged me to look at life differently and be very introspective.
32. I am thankful that, at least for now, said young lady tries hard to keep her outlook sunny. Makes life much easier on her and her family.
33. Baby rolls make me happy. :) I am even thankful for baby spit up. It means I have a sweet chubby baby to snuggle.
34. I am thankful for mind-stretching online school. I'm even thankful for the class I hate. There are so many in the world who have no opportunity for an education.
35. I am So SO thankful for 70 degree weather--finally!

Grateful For This 3 Year Old

2009-10-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd dedicate this post to 10 or so reasons I am thankful for our little 3 year old. Can't list everything, of course, but it'll be nice to take time out to list things for which I am REALLY grateful to have all the little people God has entrusted to my husband and I.

16. She is SO tender hearted.

17. She really tries her dead-level best to be obedient, even though sometimes (okay many times) her mischeivousness prevents that.

18. She wants to be just like mom. This is both SO endearing and extremely humbling. Not sure I really want any of my girls to be JUST like me.

19. She loves to help.

20. she loves to be in the kitchen and seems to love food and cooking as much as I do. I am praying that she will be as un-picky as I am when it comes to things she will eat.

21. She looks like me. This is a little embarasssing to list as something to be thankful for, but her curls and green eyes are very reminiscent of my 3 year old pics and it makes me feel....I don't know, like I actually PARTICIPATED in the whole process of bringing these children into the world. Most of my kids are a carbon copy of their daddy! lol. I LOVE him and them, but come on--can't a girl get a gene in here and there? :P

22. She loves to snuggle. She's kinda stingy with her kisses (which as her mother, I say is GREAT! Don't kiss those boys, either! ), but she freely hugs and snuggles--really breaks down the chilly exterior I can have.

23. She has POTTY TRAINED (okay, months ago, but I am still reveling in the fact that for the first time since our first child was born, I have ONE baby in diapers)!!

24. She is an unashamed girl.

25. She can sing the continents song because she comes to school just like the other kids and INSISTS on learning. I'm not a big fan of preschool, but hey--when a kid WANTS to learn, they will!

More Taxi Totes and Gratitude

2009-10-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

From Anna Maria Horner's "Seams To Me" book. This pattern is called "Taxi Tote", and it is SUPER easy. I've made 4 patterns of bags now and this is by far the easiest. It's only my 3rd one and I have the pattern memorized.

As you can see, the bags hang a little low on my girls, but that makes them perfect for their being able to wear them across their chests, thereby making ME feel better about how secure their belongings are.

I enjoy making these fabric covered buttons. I used to do these for my mom's projects when she was sewing clothing for us. It's so satisfying to be able to make buttons with the exact look that I need for any given project.

I also enjoyed using the decorative stitches on my sewing machine. Can't see this one too well, but the one above has a bolder stitch.

Fabric is from Anna Maria Horner's Chocolate Lollipop line. This line is now out of print, and that always makes me want to buy it up. This is the first line I fell in love with when I first picked sewing back up 2 years ago.

And so now for the related gratitude:

11. I love sewing and am thankful that I had the chance to start again. My husband makes this possible with his generosity when he can.

12. I am thankful I have sweet little girls on which to hang my wares. Not too much sewing I can do for my boys, unfortunately, so I am thankful I have an outlet and models in my girls. But boys, look forward to your PJ pants this year for Christmas! ;)

13. I am incredibly thankful for my low maintenance boys. As much as I LOVE sewing for my girls, I am equally in love with the fact that my boys are content with legos and dirt. Ahhhh....

14. I've had a hard few weeks lately, and I am thankful that my sweet husband makes time for me. He is busy, so he could ignore my needs for his attention, but he doesn't.

15. My parents are coming to keep me company next week and that will be an unbelievable relief.
Thanks to the Lord, we have much to be thankful for!

Easiest Skirt Ever!

2009-10-11T14:09:00.001-07:00

front

back

I finally got around to making myself something to wear (besides an apron). I bought this pattern http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=1ede14f3-b661-411f-8443-95cf2034ddcd a couple of years ago, but never made it (or wanted to) because I was not happy with how I looked. Now that I have lost 25 lbs, I thought I'd try to save us some money and try a skirt for myself. I'm not done losing weight, but one cannot go on forever with no clothes! I was SO happy with how easy it was. Yes, cutting out the 8 panels was a bit obnoxious, but the actual sewing was quite easy. There are about 4 steps to this skirt! I really encourage anyone wanting to try making their own clothes to make this skirt. Besides being easy, this skirt is comfortable and modest too! There are also 2 other skirts in this pattern, which makes it quite a bargain. I really think it could be a first project for a beginner. You could even ask me if you have a question about it and I could try my best to answer!

I used a fabric from Amy Butler's Daisy Chain line. I like that it's reminiscent of flowery fields, but still very appropriate for fall. Forgive the wrinkles--we took these pics after church today after I had been sitting for a couple of hours. And remember, the camera adds 10 pounds! lol. ;)

Gratitude

2009-10-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

Erin over at

http://afullheart.blogspot.com/ has a blog post about how she is involved in a gratitude project, where she lists 1000 things she is thankful for. Knowing that thankfulness keeps our attitudes right, I thought I'd join her. So, I'm thankful for....

1. being able to decorate for my favorite season, fall. There have been years I was not able to do this due to finances or moving, so it's always a special treat when I get to.

2. my 6 little pumpkins--all their sweet little hearts and rotteness, I'm thankful for it all (even the bad stuff teaches us things).

3. the fact that baby number #5 LOVES baby #6. She thinks the baby is the funniest, cutest thing ever.

4. baby smiles--no explanation needed.

5. trying like mad to get a good picture with my love. It almost never works, but we like trying. :)
6. My honey's heart--he has such a heart for me that it's quite endearing, and makes it so much easier for me to fulfill my role. And Lord knows I need "easy" when it comes to that role. Thank you, Lord!

7. Along the lines of praising my husband--I LOVE his eyes. Amazing.

8. cooler weather

9. chocolate

10. being able to sign up for school. My husband's service makes this possible, and that's something else I'm thankful for.

What are the things you're thankful for?

It Must Be Fall.....

2009-09-18T23:07:00.000-07:00

Because I can't stop sewing. Something in the air changes and I come back to life every year at this time. I am SO thankful for seasons--the upcoming one in particular.

Here's my little girl in a scrappy skirt I threw together in less than an hour. It really is the easiest thing in the world. I love reusing fabric too small to cut for anything else, and fabric that might just sit in my sewing armoire until I am 75 and finally have the patience to learn to quilt. lol.

Happy fall to you all!

LOVE This Bag!

2009-09-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

This pattern is from Anna Maria Horner's book Seams to Me. Fabric is a home decor weight fabric by Joel Dewberry.

http://www.amazon.com/Seams-Me-Reasons-Love-Sewing/dp/0470259264/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253201133&sr=8-1Finished with a Bavarian brooch from Germany--I love the juxtaposition of the ultra modern print with the old fashioned-looking brooch.

The sun really got to this pic. Oh well. :)

As far as the pattern review goes--I always take such a long time when I first try a pattern because I have a hard time transferring what I am reading to what I am to be doing with my hands. But looking back on this bag, it was SO easy to make! The book shows 32 steps, but I hope no one is intimidated by that. The steps can really be broken down into, like...six maybe: cut the fabric, sew the little corners for the gussets, put on interfacing, sewing outer bag together, repeat for lining, sew lining and outer bag together, sew on bias strips. Oh, and sew on button or affix brooch. Okay, so that was 8 steps, but it's just as easy as it sounds.

There were a few things about the pattern that were either not clear to me (but once again, I have trouble with that), or were too detailed (like how to sew up one side of the bag and down the other. The directions included how to turn the corner and pick up the presser foot, which I think is probably unnecessary), but by and large, the patterns in this book tend to be much less annoying than the ones I have used from Amy Butler, although I love the results from both pattern makers. I also used ready made bias tape because, well, I just don't think I have the heart to make my own right now, only to have it not be right. I have visions of myself throwing fabric and sewing machines out my front door. Not good.

So all in all, my girl Anna Maria did a great job with this little bag! I foresee many being made for my relatives and friends for Christmas.

Frolicking in Nature...Again

2009-09-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

I know this may get tiresome for some, but the tingly feeling I get when we get to go to the orchard never goes away.

Yesterday morning when we went we could FINALLY feel the desert heat letting up, perhaps signaling that fall is, indeed, on it's way. Not that it will look any differently here than it normally does, but I must say, falls here bring sublime weather--what I picture most pleasant summers to be. lol. Maybe this is just in my head, but I picture summers up north to be a season in which one might actually laze about and enjoy oneself without feeling like death from heat exhaustion might be lurking around the corner waiting to pounce. In my head, kids play in actual water while parents sleepily watch from a hammock hung between two actual trees.

But then I come back from my dreamy state to find this staring up at me from her cocoon, and I decide being ANYwhere with her is pretty dreamy all on it's own.

So the point of this post was to show what we did with our 26--yes, 26--lbs of apples. well, what we did with one of those pounds, anyway! I read this delightful book and then made an apple cake. So not quite a pie, but all the same ingredients.

It's just as good as it looks. Sorta like upside down pineapple cake with apples. MOIST does not describe it. Got the recipe from here, but had to use honey instead because I had no sugar:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

It was just the thing to celebrate almost-fall. :)

Now I'm off to peel apples until my fingers fall off and make apple butter and applesauce and apple muffins and apple bars and, oh yes! apple pie and.......

Domesticating with My Little One

2009-09-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

EVERY TIME I get out the kitchenaid this little one comes running. She, of all my girls so far, is the most domestic. My older 2 girls love to be around when I am cooking--especially if it involves sugar--but neither of them hang on mommy's every word, watch my every every movement, and want to participate like my 3 year old. Most of the time she even dons an apron.

She also can't wait for me to turn my back so she can sneak a lick or a stir, which is why I end up with

this. All the time, everywhere. That's okay--I know these times are precious and fleeting, so I'm trying to soak up every minute and not freak out about the mess (even when there's already too much to keep up with!).

Plus, the results are SOOOOOooooooo yummy!

And who could resist a face like this?

Creativity Has It's Way

2009-08-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

So my friend Erin at

http://afullheart.blogspot.com/ posted about the "not back to school" blog hop (http://www.my3boybarians.com/2009/08/not-back-to-school-blog-hop-school-room-week/), and boy was I inspired. I resisted for as long as I could (I think it might have been 2.5 seconds), and decided to bug my poor husband about it. This was Friday night. He was tired and totally blew me off. Turns out even men do not want to go to Lowe's at 9pm to get their wives paint strips. Saturday morning I woke to a text from my husband asking me to guess where he was. Turns out he was at Lowe's, buying paint. ACK! What had I asked for? My husband went and bought PAINT of all things without my input? Still, I loved the surprise. So he came home with an orange that turned out to be pretty dead on for the color of this room I had been salivating over:
http://independenceacademy.blogspot.com/2009/08/room-to-grow.html

and a pink since I had said I could not decide between doing the room in deep pink or the orange.

So we went for it--pink and orange in one room. I thought the orange would be good to showcase more boyish stuff since my boys are surrounded by their 4 sisters and mother all day. The pink would be able to be more girly. What hubby said would have to be my project ended up being his somehow, as I found myself standing in the room watching HIM paint. lol. After he was done, I went to work using stuff we already had. A dresser for the books (each child has their own drawer), fabric tied in knots and strung across one wall to showcase art, shelves we already owned and painted white to pop against the orange. I even got a dresser inside the closet for my fabric and sewing machine so I could sew upstairs and not in our living area. The only thing I bought was some corkboard for letters and verses of the week, and a bean bag for reading (buying another one that looks more boyish when I have the funds).

So what do you think the kids wanted to do today? Yep! We started school. We started out by thanking the Lord for our new room, and for allowing us to do it almost entirely out of things we already owned. Then we got down to learning.

I love homeschooling.

Making the Cut

2009-08-19T12:41:00.001-07:00

Little Miss is 9 now, and as is our tradition every few years, we let our girls (well, the ones who have HAD hair anyway) get their hair cut short to donate it to Locks of Love. I'm sure everyone in the world knows that organization, but if not, here's the link:
http://locksoflove.org/
Basically, they use donated hair to make wigs for people who have lost theirs. I hope it is grounding for our girls to know that the reason they cannot have a haircut for a couple of years is that there are little girls out there just like them who do not have ANY hair. I hope they think of their hair as a farm of sorts that they can use to meet the needs of others. In return, they get a cute, chic haircut like this:

She's growing up! It's hard to believe we are getting ready to have TWO kids that are in double digits!

As The Story Goes.....

2009-08-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

A woman convinces her husband to take her and her unsuspecting kids to a beautiful land not so far away......

To stay in a nice cottage....

and go on a journey through the woods. They call this place Zion--a national park that looks different enough than where they are from the make the foolish woman happy.

Along the way, the woman suddenly realizes she has a newborn and a 3 year old, very unsuited for walking miles and miles through the magestic land. She also realizes that it is 103 degrees and that even her stronger, braver children are starting to melt and bemoan this land of Zion.

The father, recognizing his wife's folly, takes the children to the river and cools their feet. This river is called Virgin, and seems to have magical powers.

But everyone lives happily ever after with this view out their front window, and with a burger and 3D movie called Ice Age 3.

The moral of the story? Crazy is the woman who makes her family go on HER dream getaway during a heat wave. Wise is the woman who allows movies and ice cream at a national park when there are hot, tired children involved.

As If I Need Something Else To Fill Up My Time

2009-07-22T16:20:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. :)

But this is just stuff I will be doing when I do indeed have a free second. I just read an encouraging book this morning that warned against making an idol of busyness. So if I was not keeping myself in check before, I am more aware now.

So this is my new shop on Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7675269

Eventually I will be getting into selling fabric (if nothing else to support my own habit! lol), but until I raise the money for that, I will list things I make myself once in awhile.

Ever get the feeling that something you've accomplished and are really proud of is maybe not as great as you think it is? lol. That is the feeling I get every time I finish making something and list it. Like maybe it's just not quite up to par and someone will get it at their home and say "I spent $20 for THIS?!". Yep, that would be pretty mortifying. So I am just praying that does not happen. Anything but that. :P

My Breakfast

2009-07-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

These were so beautiful, I just had to share. Organic goodness, natural sweetness personified. YUM!

Homeschooling With a Nature Journal

2009-06-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

Silly kids with their journals

Pages of my youngest son's journal in which I wrote the info myself. Amazing how sloppy handwriting can be when one is nursing! lol. Hopefully my kids will not think this is an example of good handwriting.

Our beloved orchard provides us quite the opportunity to see how nature acts.

They have the sweetest little business, I think, and we are glad to be able to participate in it.

So we figure it's the perfect place for our kids to investigate for their nature journals.

It's hard work, but someone's gotta do it. :)

A Little Salad Love

2009-06-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Beef and Ranch Salad:
romaine lettuce--1/4 to 1/2 a bunch
red onion--a good, thick slice of a large onion
medium tomato, cut into thick slices
chunks of good swiss cheese
several slices of steak or pot roast
ranch dressing or make your own:
sour cream
cream or milk to thin
grill seasoning (sans MSG)
fresh lime juice
sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
garlic powder
chili flakes
mix all to taste--remember, it needs to be thick and a little overseasoned to taste good on the salad. you are not eating this by the spoonful, but spread out over watery veggies.

MMmmmmm. MMMMM!
'Kay--I love salads. Maybe "love" is not a strong enough word, even. Since having our newest little one, my appetite has come back a little--for salad, anyway. The appetite for other foods is still lacking. But this little gem is what is going to enable me to lose the 25 lbs I want to lose to be what I was after I had our youngest boy, 3 pregnancies ago. Losing baby weight is not hard for me--I lost 26 lbs by the time Juliet was 3 weeks old, which is nice since I did not gain even a pound while pregnant with her. But lest anyone get jealous (because I know we women tend to do that with each others' ability to lose weight, or to stay thin) it's the OLD weight--the weight I earned living off Dr Pepper and M&Ms a couple of years ago, that mysteriously did not come off even after quitting both those habits--that still needs to come off. That will make 50 lbs in all and I think I will be pretty happy with that weight and size. So how I eat to lose weight:

*LOTS of veggies
*red meats--lamb and beef, preferably grassfed (can't eat chicken and do not eat pork)
*Wild fish--LOVE salmon
*full fat cheeses and creams and butter--preferably raw, but definitely organic if not
*good oils--coconut oil, Extra virgin olive oil
*fruits in moderation and early in the day (gotta keep the carbs up a little since I am nursing)
*walks when I can--hard to time them with the kids during the day, or bed time at night, and trying to get a shower some time in there that makes sense
*no starch or sugar other than fruit

I call this common sense. It's not a "diet" because this really is the way I try to live, knowing that I am not an athlete anymore and cannot just burn off any starches and sugar I take in. And starch does not offer any essential nutrients that cannot be gotten from other, healthier foods. I've said this before and would like to emphatically reiterate: THIS IS NOT A LOW CARB DIET. I really think diets like Atkins got a bad name because they labeled themselves "low carb"--which people took to mean "low vegetable", which is entirely untrue. But I'm not here to promote Atkins, I'm just here to say that. for me, eating a diet full of things that make sense for MY body is the way I lose weight. I can say with certainty that, while I respect those who feel best and find that they lose weight on low fat diets, I've never bought into it for myself. Low fat leaves me feeling hungry and like I've missed something somewhere in the meal. While some foods are naturally healthy low fat or fat free (veggies and fruits), foods that were meant to have fat in them seem to morph into something else entirely when made "low fat". Read the ingredients on low fat foods--always thickeners and unpronounceable stuff is added in. Sour cream goes from cream and starter cultures in it to having food starch, nonfat milk, oils--all kinds of scary stuff!--and somewhere down the long list of ingredients there is cream. Real food is simple food. I like simple. :)

Something God Taught Me

2009-06-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was following my husband back from a car dealership where we had just bought a used vehicle that gave our kids more room. I was very happy to have him out there with me because the traffic was crazy. As we made the exit to go home, my husband picked a lane that I knew was going to land him in the wrong lane to make our turn that was coming up soon, so I picked a different lane, hoping to guide him over. Turns out I got stuck being guided over--into a turning lane that was not for the street I wanted to turn on. Up ahead, my husband eased himself on over into the correct lane and there I sat in the wrong lane, and getting left behind and having to take an alternate route home.

Maybe this lesson is not crystal clear to anyone else--but boy! Was it to me! God used it to teach me a few things (all the way home, lol):
1) My husband is my protection, and even if he seems to be going the wrong way, I will be protected if I follow him.
2) I do not know everything.
3) GOD is my protection, and He is NEVER wrong, so even if I am confused by the "lane" He is choosing, it is not up to me to go my own way.

Am I a capable, independent woman with a great sense of direction? Yup. Was I right about my husband's lane choice? Yes, again. But somehow, probably because I do not know everything, my being right did not help. I still stepped out from under my husband's protection, and was guided by other people into a lane I did not want to be in. I know my way around the city, and got home fine, but I did NOT like being in that area of town without my protection.

God knows best. He put my husband over me--not because I am some naive little girl who can't think for myself, but because He knows best. He created me, and knows exactly what I need. He gave me the husband that is best for me. Now, of course, if my husband started doing something that was clearly unBiblical, I would not follow, but that's never the case. It doesn't mean I don't have a opinion, either. My husband and I discuss things almost ad nauseum, before we make a decision that is almost always what both of us feels is best. Where I run into trouble is taking authority upon myself--authority that's not mine to take--and "pick a lane" when it isn't mine to pick. I'm almost always then left out all by myself, watching my husband drive off in a direction that ended up being right in the first place.

I was so thankful for this lesson! It's burned into my brain, and I hope I never stop learning from it.

APRICOTS!!

2009-06-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

Silly girl

This is how the baby started her trip to the orhcard.

Bringing in the crop

What is it with the child and putting apricots on her eyes?

A flat full of the softest, dewiest apricots

They love this place almost as much as I do!

And here comes the summer bounty. I am willing to admit that Las Vegas has a few redeeming qualities (very few? lol)--one of them being the beautiful natural surroundings outside of town--Mount Charleston among them--and this amazing orchard. Maybe I think it's so amazing because I've not been in a place that had produce abounding and ripe for the picking since I was a kid in Germany (where things grow wild and you just take it for granted that everyone has blueberries on their hills and huge cherry trees growing in their yards), but I have to say that I am in my element when I am at the orchard. Things GROW there. And they are allowed to grow just how God intended them to--unhindered by sprays of this sort and that. And yes, the only crops right now are apricots, cucumbers and zucchini, but we can be patient. Unlike in the grocery store, there are SEASONS out here--and we'll enjoy every one. :)

First Family Picture

2009-06-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

25 mile an hour winds and chocolate cake rendered us dirty and unkempt, but I figure this will be our life together for quite some time to come, so here you have it--our first family picture. We went up to Mount Charleston with Gammies and Cappies (my parents) for a nice picnic and some fresh air. The temperature was right at 70 degrees and the sun was warm. Such perfect weather for a fun day away from hot Las Vegas.

New Life, New Love

2009-05-22T18:40:00.001-07:00

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.....

Safe delivery.....

Beautiful baby.

Juliet Joy

Born May 19th
8 Lbs, 12 Oz, 20.5 inches long

Our Baby's Diaper Bag

2009-05-18T20:44:00.001-07:00

These pictures are all out of order, but I need to go clean some bathrooms, so here they are. The Strap. I covered up the ugly finishing by folding it under and sewing it that way. I rather like the way it turned out.

This bag is made from two Anna Maria Horner fabrics. The outer is from her new Good Folks line and the inner is from her first line called Bohemian. I know, I know--it's quite the combo, but all the colors go and I already had this fabric here, so instead of having to buy $40 worth of fabric to make this bag, I had to pay nothing more than I already had. Shopping in your own sewing closet pays off!

Finished product

After deciding Saturday that we did, indeed, need a diaper bag (because carrying water bottles for everyone is a must in Las Vegas in the summer), I embarked on what seemed to be an innocent enough pattern. Oh boy. I think I am just super impatient or not such a good seamstress, but while Amy Butler's Nappy Bag pattern starts--and almost ends--easy and straight-forward enough, that all changes when one wants to finish the strap. Between the contortions I had to put myself and the bag through to get the strap done and my poor 36 year old sewing machine that is in great need of a tune up, I thought I would have to say that the bag won. But I gritted my teeth (at the bag and everyone around me. Insert black eye here), and MADE THE THING DO WHAT I WANTED. lol. Such is the determination of a pregnant woman about to give birth without a diaper bag.

I am very happy I made this bag. It's super cute, very roomy and would have cost me a fortune to buy. It has a total of 8 pockets on the interior, which means I have enough room for everyone's water bottles, plus plenty of room for baby's needs in the center. Yay!!

Clean Laundry Makes Me Happy and Other Obsessions

2009-05-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

MMMMMmmmmm. I am sure everyone loves the smell of clean laundry. But during the later stages of pregnancy this is an absolute need for me. I MUST smell every piece of laundry that I fold. Anyone notice how much better cotton t-shirts smell when they are clean than say, a pair of polyester jersey shorts? Natural fibers are where it's at! It's all I can do to not stick these pieces of clothing under my nose and walk around like that all day.

OOhh--I just washed this sling (that I bought at Target, since I had enough sewing waiting for me) and let it air dry. I must tell you--this thick part of the sling smells HEAVENLY. I don't know why it smells so much better than the rest of it. lol.

Speaking of obesessions--cute little toddler ankles under homemade skirts rank right up there with clean laundry.

So yes, I have been busy making the new baby some skirts too. And pay no attention to the upside down birds on both hers and her big sister's skirts. I had a 50/50 chance of getting the birds facing the right way and failed both times. But there's no WAY I am taking them apart. Upside down birds are all the rage. :P

In closing, can I ask for prayer for tomorrow? I will be having a c-section in the morning. I can't believe our baby will be here in about 24 hours. Thanks for any prayers you can find the time for!

Another Birdie Sling

2009-05-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

This is my third one in nine months--not a super fast pace, but the way I see it, these bags are special, so I won't be pumping them out like a factory. I LOVE this bag! The pattern....it's a bit annoying. But the bag turns out better every time, so maybe the pattern is just as it needs to be. I think I would say that the preparation to make the bag is HUGE--in great disporportion to the actual sewing. The cutting and applying interfacing can be mind numbing. lol. But, in the end, I always find that this bag is worth every minute. The results are simply spectacular--a big bag with the ability to carry extra clothes, be a diaper bag, or just be a tote for anything and everything.

This one I made for a very special friend. She's helped me out a ton this pregnancy and is just a blessing to be around.

Inner of bag

If you are wanting to try this pattern, I recommend blocking out a weekend and trying your hand at it. The bag is so useful and just plain cute--you might be frustrated at times, but you will not be disappointed!

Happy Mother's Day to You!

2009-05-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

To all you moms out there, who strive to instill what is good and noble and Godly in the little minds you've been given to watch over--know that what you do IS worth it. I too grow weary in well doing. I'm there alot. But the Lord has promised we will reap if we faint not. May the Lord bless you as you love on your children today!

Well, Since I Really Have Nothing to Say....How About a Meal Plan?

2009-04-27T08:21:00.001-07:00

Nesting has totally taken over. I organize and clean, and then sit and cry because no one but me CARES about my organization and everything just gets pulled back out and left the way it was 2 days ago. And then I get mad and throw things away. lol. But I DO love the perks that nesting provides--a much more organized and clean home. Organization is most important to me because I truly believe it's the foundation to a clean home. If nothing has a place then it WILL be on the floor in a house with 5 kids. Which then just makes my sweet husband want to think twice about coming home (just kidding). lol.

So speaking of organization--I am tackling something I have had real trouble with this whole pregnancy: meal planning. I have NO appetite when I am pregnant, so it can literally take me an ENTIRE day under much duress to plan even 5 meals. It's about as enjoyable as going to buy car parts right now. I am JUST. NOT. INTERESTED. Now that you get the picture of how hard this was for me (join me for my pity party, won't you?), I give you The Meal Plan:

Saturday: spaghetti (heartburn, you are my best friend)
Sunday: leftover spaghetti for lunch, homemade pizza for dinner (I wonder if Italians get heartburn?)
Monday: Logan County Hamburgers (my husband LOVES these. Very moist)
http://rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=2523
Tuesday: Fiesta Wonton Wraps (also from Katie Lee Joel's cookbook, but I can't link the recipe. I can tell you that it's basically ground beef seasoned like tacos, fried like egg rolls and served with salsa for dipping. My family loves them)
Wednesday: Salmon from here:
http://finecooking.com/recipes/spice-rubbed-salmon-fennel.aspx?nterms=50188&ac=ts&ra=fp

Thursday is payday and the toture will start all over again. But for now I will just be thankful I've gotten these meals planned.

2 Important Causes

2009-04-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

First off, there is a Chinese Christian in need of thousands--even millions--of other Christian voices to cry out for him. He was kidnapped from his home a few months ago because he is an attorney who defends Christians in China. This man had already been kidnapped and tortured by the Chinese government, so it's only natural that the same assumption be made as to what is happening to him now. Please go to http://www.freegao.com/bg_ChinaAidPetitions_FreeGao-EmailOfficials_375.html?refnum= and sign up to send Chinese officials emails about this man. I also signed a petition that this site sent to the Chinese government, which they met with nothing but silence. Please--this brother in Christ needs this mistreatment to not disappear from our minds or our prayers. We who sit in comfortable houses a continent away can make the time and effort to try to make a difference.

Also, Nancy Campbell, of Above Rubies Magazine, fell and broke her arm pretty severely recently. She does not have the money to have the needed surgery, and without the surgery she could lose much of the use of her left arm. I am linking the blog that linked the donation page that I used because I am not computer savvy enough to know how to do that myself. lol.
http://afullheart.blogspot.com/2009/04/blessings-for-nancy-campbell.html
If the Lord leads you to help this homeschooling mom who has been such a blessing to women, please help.

Some Softies for Our Baby

2009-04-18T15:14:00.001-07:00

After sewing what seems like everything under the sun for gifts, to sell, for my older girls, for our windows, for.....EVERYTHING, I started thinking it would be pretty sad if our baby got here and had nothing made by mom. So this afternoon I dedicated a few hours to making her some soft things to snuggle in. Here we have a minkie blanket. SO soft.

I had some of this luscious quilty herringbone stuff leftover, so I made our little one a blanket out of it and a very girly soft pink fabric.

This picture is obviously not quite right, but here I used 2 layers of the herringbone cotton to make a spit blanket with some fabric by Urban Chicks.

This spit blanket could have turned out better, but hey it's for MY baby and she won't care that the bobbin thread is two different colors. lol. This spit blanket is made with cheap flat cloth diapers I had left over and some really funky Anna Maria Horner fabric.

So she's set! Lots of softies for her to lay on and even spit up on! lol.

Sweet Treats

2009-04-14T12:39:00.001-07:00

I posted my yougest's little skirt about a month ago, but finally got around to making my older girls some too. This is maybe the easiest skirt ever to make. Well, let's be clear, I make almost nothing that is NOT easy (Amy Butler's Birdie Sling pattern being the exception)--some other things just take more time. But these skirts are done in an hour! From this tutorial here: http://neverenoughhours.blogspot.com/

It's windy here in the desert in the spring, so although this is not a wrinkled, poofy skirt, it sure looks like one. :)

I am in love with the variety of professional quilting weight fabrics out there from Anna Maria Horner and Amy Butler, especially.

Such a colorful collection of sweet treats and sweet little girls.

Proverbs 31:31

2009-04-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

"Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."

If this woman WAS a real woman, she was a sinner. I know I've spent over 2 months praising her and being amazed by her, but the fact is, she was not perfect. But look at what she was able to accomplish despite her sinner's nature. She was an excellent wife, a great mother, a hard worker, a smart, efficient business woman, AND, according to this verse, she had a great testimony. You get the distinct impresion from this verse that "giving her the works of her hands" would have been a reward for her, not punishment. And her reputation preceded her--she was well respected, even in the gates where her husband sat. What a privilege--to be so highly regarded at my husband's workplace. Not because of my career, but because I was helpful to the needy, industrious, and a woman of excellence.

I have thoroughly enjoyed studying this chapter. God has shown me truth, convicted my heart, and I have had just a good time reading about such a highly praised woman from the Bible. I'd encourage any woman to study this chapter!

Proverbs 31:30

2009-04-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."

Favour here seems to be the favour that a woman gets when she is beautiful. The Lord does not expect us to be ugly, in fact, He would rather us do what we can with the beauty He's given us, especially when it pleases our husbands. But the Lord reminds us (and men) here that any beauty that might be present on the outer body can be deceitful as to who the real person is, and that it will eventually disappear. There needs to be more substance to a person than what people see on the outside. If a man chooses his bride based on the outer, he has been deceived.

BUT! A woman that fears the Lord! There's REAL favour. A woman that fears the Lord is a real treasure. Ugly, pretty, short, fat, tall, skinny, whatever--the Lord looks on the heart. I suppose it's physically possible (though probably unlikely) that a woman could be a Proverbs 31 woman in every other way but in fearing the Lord. If fear of and a relationship with the Lord is what this otherwise wonderful woman lacks, then all the other things she does are of no worth. Because from the fear and love of the Lord comes all pure motives and "faith with feet". The only way we can be sure our works will not "burn" is to do them under the heading of "will this please the Lord?". I pray my sons will look for a woman such as this and that my girls will strive to be a "woman who fears the Lord" above all.

This is Our Cat

2009-04-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

Her name is Minnie. Minnie Caroline, to be exact. Named after my youngest son's penpal. She is a beautiful cat. We think she comes from the Norwegian Woods line of cats, which comes from the Maine Coon family. She is sweet-tempered, and if I have to have an animal, this is the one I want. Not that she doesn't get on my nerves, but her flaws are minor.

She trusts us totally. This is the only cat I've ever seen that ACTUALLY sleeps. She does not even stir when we walk by.

She's SO soft. If I was not such a grown up I'd bury my face in her fur and go to sleep.

I tried to enlarge this a little, but you cannot see our poor cat's eyes. She went from lazily watching our youngest, to being surprised by the, shall we say, shock and awe that a toddler's siren-like scream can produce when in such close proximity. Notice, though, Minnie never even moved. Her eyes just enlarged. lol.

Yeah, I think she got over it pretty quickly. What a life!

Proverbs 31:28-29

2009-04-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

"Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her saying 'Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all'.".

Wow. These verses have me awestruck as to how wonderful this woman must have been, and/or how awesome this example is. I'd guess these are the most famous verses in this chapter, but I've always kind of glossed over them as some kind of unattainable pie-in-the-sky goal. And I'd have to say, my life does not look like this right now (yet?). Maybe it's because my kids are young. I hope and pray when they are older they will believe that I am praise-worthy. I do not even really need the praise, only for them to think I am worthy of it. My husband is really not the praising type, so I take it as a great compliment when he does praise me.

But the person whose praise I want the most is the Lord's. Sometimes it seems as if those words "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" are WAY beyond my reach, especially lately when my hormones and stresses have, shall we say, reared their ugly heads in my mood. I do not think He'd have much to point to as something that He is proud of in my attitude lately. But it IS something to strive for, is it not? For the LORD Himself to think we are praise-worthy?

Photo Shoot with My Husband--I Should Have Known Better

2009-03-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

All I really wanted was a couple of pictures of my husband's amazing eyes while he was in the shirt that did them justice. And maybe a few of us together, because we get so few. So, what started out as this.......

Decent picture, right? Watch the progression......

You see the Grinch-like smile forming? He is about to be himself....

There I am with him, his sweet little clueless wife, not knowing I was getting pictures like this.

I figured it out pretty quickly, and was eventually laughing so hard I was crying.

Gosh, I love this man.

Proverbs 31:27

2009-03-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."

This is such a good verse! Goodness, these last ones have made me feel like I am in a field of gems laying all around me. I do not even have to dig, they are just out there for the taking.

I feel like most of the time I look as well to the ways of my household as I can, but it's still not enough. I try not to spend too much time on here, I get my kids educated, my house relatively clean, people fed, etc. But there are times when I'd have to admit to eating the bread of idleness.

Pregnancy is a necessary time of rest, so it's not that I am saying I am lazy for wanting to sit every once in awhile (more like once every blue moon!). What I am saying is that when I just can't seem to get the motivation to get up and stopping clicking on my mouse, simply because I do not have motivation--well, THAT is the bread of idleness. What about TV? I do not have a problem with it anymore--as I've said before, the Lord has used my role as wife and mother of many to refine me. Being a mom to my kids has pushed TV right out of my life during the day. lol. My husband and I do enjoy wantching a few shows together during the week, and I do not consider that the bread of idleness. But anything that would have me sitting around doing other much less important things than being my husband's wife and my kids' mom could cross that line into plain laziness. Notice I said COULD. I would hate to imply that having a hobby or simply enjoying a good novel is always sinful. I do not live like a monk. However, I find that I have to watch things that I enjoy doing because I could easily spend half the day doing them, while my kids sit and watch TV. "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop" is never more true a saying than when you are talking about toddlers and boys. They need to stay busy because idleness just gets them into trouble.

Another thought I had--this could very easily apply to eating out of boredom! "The bread of idleness", in fact, sounds JUST like eating because one is bored. Oh, that's a good one to chew on. Strengthening one's body is the opposite of sitting around munching out of boredom. I do not have time for that anymore, either, but I used to, so I know I am capable of it. Thank you, Lord, for this verse!

Proverbs 31:26

2009-03-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."

I am a little red-faced at this verse. Wow, what a convicting few words. While my husband was gone I was less than wise and kind when I opened my mouth. I love my children to little bits, but I was overwhelmed and tired. Now that he is back, I see how I might have hurt little feelings and was too quick to react in anger. Sometimes I lull myself to sleep thinking about how I NEVER swear at my children or call them names, yet I know what the Bible says about the tongue. That it can sink ships (or my household), that it's uncontrollable, that it can cut to the quick. I find it a little painful that the Lord has brought me to this verse as my first post after my husband's absence. I am so unqualified to say anything to anyone here. The anger that rolls off my tongue is my besetting sin and I am constantly aware of it. I get so sick of having the same struggle over and over, the same struggle that I had when I was 10!

What I think the Lord wants me to get from this verse is that opening my mouth with wisdom is simply choosing to NOT open my mouth when it is NOT wise. I must say, I know the Lord has brought me far in this area because I used to not be able to keep my mouth shut. My opinion was ALWAYS needed. Now I can at least control my tongue with my husband--sometimes. For me, sometimes is alot of progress! What I probably need to do is never open my mouth at all when I am pregnant or tired. lol. Throw in either or those circumstances, coupled with other struggles I've had this pregnancy, and the urge to use my tongue like a whip is almost more than I can overcome on my own. But we all know I am not supposed to do it on my own.

The law of kindness is an interesting phrase--what IS the law of kindness? Might that just be another way of saying that kindness rules her tongue? That she does not speak what is unkind? My 5th grade teacher used to always tell us before we said something make sure it was "kind, true, and necessary". I've never forgotten that! Or is the law of kindness like "a soft answer turneth away wrath"? Like a physical law that always works? I wonder. I think either is probably a good way to interpret the phrase, but I wonder if anyone else has any thoughts?

I can't believe this study has taken me almost 2 months, but I am so glad I've gone through this. These last few verses have been really convicting, and ones that I want the Lord to bring to my mind when I need them.

Proverbs 31:25

2009-03-20T21:53:00.000-07:00

"Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come."

This is a verse to chew on. I looked up the words strength and honor in the concordance and it also had alot to say.

Strength is force, security, majesty, praise, boldness, loud, might, power, strength and strong. All very powerful words, striking in intensity. One of the major lessons I got from this passage about the Proverbs 31 woman is that she was very strong--both physically and mentally. Perhaps this is why the heart of her husband trusted so much in her. He had no reason to fear that she was not up to the task of being his wife and the mother of his children.

Am I strong? Physically, yes. Mentally, yes. Emotionally? Mmmm, I'd be curious to see what my husband thinks about that one. I am getting ready to finish 3 weeks without him and I would have to say I had many more emotionally weak moments than strong ones. I did not find strength in the Lord like I ought to have. Maybe this is because I consider myself mentally strong and much of the time, I must admit to my great shame, I rely on sheer will to get me through tough times. But, as I admitted to some online friends about a week ago, my will is what keeps me angry! I may be able to power through something, but there is no mistaking that it is my own strength that's doing it. The Lord is not shining through my life as I grit my teeth and display everything BUT His grace and mercy. Oh, mercy. I naturally lack that gene. I am all to willing to let my children "get what they deserve" while completely overlooking that the Lord spares me from what I deserve everyday. So emotionally, I'd say I have some work to do to be considered "strong".

Then there's honor that this woman clothes herself with. Honor means magnificence as in ornament or splendor--beauty, comliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honor, majesty. WHEW! That's alot to live up to! Not only is this woman strong, she makes the most of her beauty. I have posted before about the struggle I have with trying to keep up my girliness while raising my children. Some days I do not even see the mirror at all while I walk by on bathroom trips. And boy, does it show! I guess I am a decent looking woman, but sometimes it's hard to find it in smeared mascara and limp or frizzy hair and my husband's old t-shirts. lol. And my husband is one who really enjoys a little effort being put in. So once, again, I have alot of work to do. The Bible does not teach fawning over oneself, making sure every little detail is so in place that a woman could not possibly do any job other than sit on a fluffy couch and be pampered. But Proverbs 31 definitely puts some emphasis on doing our best with what we have. Girding ourselves with strength and beauty and doing our jobs as wives and mothers are not mutually exclusive.

I love the last part of this verse. Rejoicing (some versions say laughing) in times to come is a great visual. It points to a playfulness that probably made this woman very easy to be around. This passage is just all over me tonight! Sometimes I am such a stick in the mud with my kids and even husband that I can imagine I am no fun to be around. God forgive me for that! I think something would be missing for my kids to look back on their time with me and say "she kept a decent house, loved my dad, made us clothes, gave us a good education, but man, was she a killjoy!". Ugh. I've gotta show more joy around my kids. Life is not all about doing, but BEING. Being who God means for me to be. I think that's the only way I'm going to rejoice in time to come.

Willingly Working with My Hands

2009-03-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

This is Proverbs 31-ish, right? lol. Alright, so I just wanted to showcase this adorable skirt I completed in a very short amount of time for my littlest princess today. She was not in the mood to model, so this skirt's on it's own.

I must thank Sandra of MyInspiredHeart (link in my blog list, can't make it hyperlink here for some reason) for posting the link to the turtorial that led to this sweet little skirt. And for her help understanding what any of it meant. lol. I can't follow patterns, but I can follow a pictorial, given that the author does not use too many formal sewing terms. Which is why I needed Sandra's help for this one.

This skirt ends up being just the right length--a little below the knee. It's easily adjusted to be longer, also. I can see making one in about an hour once I know the steps by heart.

Now I need to go evaluate my girls' closets for the spring and summer so I know how many skirts they will need! lol.

Proverbs 31:23

2009-03-13T07:45:00.000-07:00

"Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land."

Why mention this lady's husband in this section where the lady herself is being praised? It seems that this verse DOES, in fact, praise Mrs. Proverbs 31. Could her husband sit with the elders and be in counsel at the city gates if she were a BAD wife? Not if she were so bad that everyone knew it. And maybe not if she were bad enough that only her husband knew it. If he knew things at home were not taken care of, he would be distracted, maybe always having to come home because of bad circumstances happening there. And if his wife had a bad reputation in the city, her husband would be laughed at for thinking he could be in a position of power.

I guess this is the Biblical version of "Behind every good man there is a good woman", because this woman did her husband well, and his heart trusted in her. Could his heart trust in her if she were mess? Children running amuck? I don't think we even have to get to the "servants rioting, police being called to her house" kind of mess. I believe that all it would take would be for her to not be running things at home very well for her husband to not be completely confident that she could handle things while he was away. My husband tells me about wives who make life miserable for their husbands at work. Always calling, always demanding, always needing this or that. That does not reflect well on the husband. It makes him look weak, and it also puts questions in the minds of the people he works with as to whether or not he can REALLY handle more responsibility.

Can my husband's heart trust me? In most things I would say yes. But is there an area where his heart trusts me less? Do I have room for improvement which could free him up to advance at work better? One thing I know, I better make sure my part is being taken care of at home so that my husband can be respected in the gates where he's employed. To do any less would not be doing my husband well all the days of his life.

Proverbs 31: 21-22

2009-03-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple."

It's so nice to read verses that back up the skills of womanhood. Not that there have not been/are not wonderful male tailors, but sewing for one's family is primarily a woman's task and it's one I greatly relish. It's great to be able to look at my girls while they are flouncing around in their skirts that *I* made, or watch a new baby wriggle under a blanket that was made by his own mama's hand.

I think that this verse has something else to say besides just "sew until your heart's content!", though. It speaks of preparation. This lady was not afraid of the cold because she knew she had prepared her family for it. She had made thick garments for her family, beautiful coverings for the beds, and even nice clothes for herself. She was sensible, but she also used the best quality she could afford. Clothes and coverlets had to be made, so they might as well have been made out of the good stuff because that would keep them warmer. And this preparation gave her peace, knowing she had done well by her family. Seems to me that these verses can be applied in any area where preparation is best: finances, food, clothing. Good verses to think on!

Proverbs 31:20

2009-03-07T09:13:00.000-08:00

"She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy."

I could not get anything else out of verse 19 other than saying once again that the lady in this chapter is not afraid of work, and I think I've already said that, so I'm moving on to verse 20. And it's one that convicts me to think harder of ways I can fulfill this verse, which Jesus himself told us to do.

I think I am a giver at heart. I love to give away clothes, toys, whatever we have to give. Those Christian Children's Fund commercials really get to me, and the St Jude's ones leave me in tears all the time. I really enjoy helping where I can. It's harder right now, of course, but I'd really like to do more. I picture our family working in a soup kitchen someday, sponsoring a child in a poor country, giving much more than we receive.

The words in this verse are very interesting--"stretch" and "reach". It gives me the impression that she made great effort, maybe even stretching her resources a bit to make sure that she helped everyone she could. I would not say I go that far, to my own shame. I'm not wrapped up in being "a spoiled American", but I think my heart could use some challenging on how to better meet the needs of others--even right now hugely pregnant with 5 other children. We really try to impart to our children the need for Christians to keep in mind that not everyone is as fortunate as we are, and that our Lord called us to "reach" forth our hands to them. Our children know why mom donates clothes to Goodwill and the local battered woman's shelter. We try very hard to make them aware of how thankful they should be for every morsel that goes into their mouths because some children did not even have a dinner last night. But I'm not sure this can really be driven home to young western children--outside the mission field.

Are there creative ways your family strives to meet the needs of others? I'd love to hear about them!

Something That's on My Heart

2009-03-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

Taking a small break from the direct Proverbs 31 study to share something that has come to light in my life. I'm just sharing what God has shown me when I am willing to listen.

Being a military wife, I have been without my husband alot. And you know what I never miss when he's gone? Getting my way. Being right. Arguing with him.

No, when my husband was in Korea for a year while I was pregnant with our first child, I never once said "Gosh, I wish Chris were here so I could show him what a smart wife he has/how lucky he is to have me". No, I cried for what seemed to be a solid 2 months for him to come home and hold me, to be my protector, my best friend, to share laughs and love with him. During his million and two times away from home, I do not sit awake at night thinking how I got one over on him during our argument that day, or how mad I am at him for not helping me with a diaper change. Nope. I sit and face 3 weeks without him thinking about how far away he is and how much I wish I could just smell his skin or kiss his lips, or feel his arms around me, or have the peaceful knowledge that he lies sleeping next to me in the bed. My tears are not because I am mad at him for not understanding me during some pitifully unimportant disagreement, they are because the love of my life is not HERE.

I do so wish that life would not get in the way of seeing that the most important thing is that my husband, my sweet love, is here--that we are together. When he is away somehow the meaningless just becomes more so. I want to treat everyday like I am simply glad to have my husband with me in the day to day. To not be bothered with the petty slights that I have perceived coming from him. To extend him more grace. This is the desire of my heart at this very moment: to see my husband, and time with him, as so precious that no little "need" of mine could ever rise up to be important enough to ever cause strife between us again. I know that may never happen, but in the light of the truly important on this earth, isn't it just wasting time to argue over the little things rather than to make memories of times spent in harmony?

Proverbs 31:18

2009-02-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

"She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night."

This was the verse that my friend Casey suggested to me for the name of my Etsy shop "Lamplight Boutique". It speaks volumes about being a savvy businesswoman when one can objectively judge their merchandise and tell if it's good or not. The Proverbs 31 woman decided that hers was good, the gain from it was good, and she put her hand to working into the night to produce more gain for her family. I doubt she stayed up ALL night because the Bible does not teach sleep deprivation, but the concept here seems to be that she used her time wisely and got things done that needed to be done.

I can learn so much from this as sometimes I am going full steam ahead with getting things done, and am more like the woman in this passage, and other times I am sitting here at the computer staring and doing nothing but...clicking. If I can learn nothing else from this woman it's consistency in my work. Sometimes I really wish I did not live in these modern times with all the distractions of this day. I think I'd get more done. But then I realize that it's all about discipline. I am sure this woman could have occupied herself with more frivolous things--sitting around, gossiping with the neighbors, letting her servants do all the work, but she didn't. She was faithful to work and had a good name for it. I thank the Lord for her example.

Proverbs 31:17

2009-02-24T12:39:00.000-08:00

"She girdeth her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms"

I love this verse. Along with the verses where Paul uses races as analogies, this verse shows how deliberate we should be about strengthening our bodies and staying healthy physically. Is it the most important thing in the world? No. And I seriously doubt this woman was obsessed with her own fitness--nor did she probably have to be with how hard she worked. The Bible says that physical strengthening helps, but like everything in this world, it's temporal. However, for our health, which is afterall what allows us to take care of our families, we *should* be physically active. The woman in Proverbs 31 was a VERY busy woman. But she still made time to strenthen her arms and body. She was concerned about her family enough that she put her own strength on her priority list.

Applying this principle is, admittedly, not the easiest thing in the world for me to find time for. I have to perfectly time dinner to have enough time to go for a walk between dinner and the little one's bed time. But I DO make it a priority. I do not throw a fit if I cannot get "my time" in, and no, it does not happen every night. But I find that if I let my husband know when he comes home that my plan is to go for a walk after dinner, he is more than willing to accomodate me, and even reminds me with a "Did you want to go for your walk now?" when everyone is fed. The fact is the my wise husband knows it is good for everyone if I get a little fresh air a few times a week. And I am sure it makes me a little more attractive when I have that glow about me.

Let me encourage you to put getting fit on your list as things that need to be done a few times a week. Walking is the most natural exercise, and is a great stress reliever too.

Proverbs 31:16

2009-02-20T19:40:00.001-08:00

"She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."

At least one thing is clear from Proverbs 31--this is one industrious woman!

She is a business woman of sorts--going out and buying land, and then planting a vineyard on it. It does not say she asked her husband's permission. It says she goes and considers it (Prays about it? Talks it over with her husband?) and then buys it. This passage has already made it clear that her husband's heart trusts her, so maybe he did not expect her to ask him about it. Very interesting to think about and consider all the implications of how this might have happened.

Nevertheless, this woman is purposeful in her goals. She knows what she is after and she goes and gets it. Sounds like today's career woman, no? You know the difference I see between Mrs. Proverbs 31 and the modern career woman? She put her family first. None of the things she has done so far in this chapter, nor the things she will do later on have to be done without her family. These are not things she does day in, day out, away from her primary responsibilities of keeping her house and being with her children. I could do research on real estate, go see it, buy it--the whole schmere--and still leave my responsibilities as wife and mother intact. As a homeschooling mom I see that as one of the best thing about mine and my childrens' life together--my ability to take them practically everywhere with me, so that I can always be their guide, and so that they may learn about life. Real life includes things like buying groceries, houses, cars, ministering to others, keeping house, learning marketable skills. These are all things my children learn by being with me and my husband so much.

The older I get and the more children I have, the more convicted I am that homeschooling and family oriented life is what God created us for. Not just for women, but for men too. Men's leaving their families to go acquire a paycheck is a relatively new way of life in the historical context. My husband leaves us for at least 10 hours a day 5 days a week right now, but we ultimately want to work towards a day when he can be home much more than he is now. However, I am thankful that *I* am free to stay with my children. We are happy at home. Yet, "being home" does not require that stay within these four walls. It means that I have the privilege of teaching my children about how life is really lived, all that it entails. Surverying and buying land is just one of the fun things that I hope to get to do with them all in tow someday.