Fabulous Friday....Again.

Ok, where did that week go exactly?  I had all these lovely intentions of posting each and every day...oops. I have come to the conclusion that there will never be enough time in one's day to do all the things we want to do, intend to do or would do if we were superwomen!

Here's the recap of our week!  Last weekend we attended an Art Birthday Party at this really cool local art studio.  The kids get to make their own framed art to take home.  They are given a cut out of a character or whatever the parents want or kids want to go with their interests or theme of their party, then you detail it, piece it on to a piece of paper and paint around it.  The instructor is there to talk to the children about technique, ideas and so forth.  When they finish, the artwork goes into a frame which the kids can then decorate the frame with little plastic do-dads.  All in all really cute and this particular activity was geared to 3-5  yr olds.  I enjoyed seeing what else they offer for classes there and hope to enroll my boys in classes later this Spring.

Sunday found us at the Scout Hall for the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby.  My Middle-Guy did great and received a ribbon and certificate for "The Most Colorful".  He did a Lego theme car.  He was disappointed not to win the race BUT I reminded him that there is always next year and you know, his car did pretty darn well. :)

This week was a busy one with the usual flair for school; readin', writin', and 'rithmetic.  We made Kefir this week and have another batch brewing.  We also had our celebration for Ground Hog Day!  We made Ground Hog theme lapbooks that you can find HERE along with many other cool lapbook projects.  Every Ground Hog Day for the past almost 20 years, we have a Cook-In.  Winter is usually so long and boring that one year my mom decided to have some fun.  She set up a card table in the front living room by the fire and set it up for a summer cook out.  She made hamburgers out on the grill, potato salad, corn on the cob and strawberry shortcake for dessert!  We have kept this tradition for all these years!  We now have added the movie Groundhog Day that stars Bill Murray and even have trivia challenges after the movie.  I think we know almost all the details of that movie!  I have taken over Ground Hog Day dinner in recent years and always set my table as fancy as I can (usually on the fly with zero time to actually plan this in advance...such was the case this year too!).  I use my best china, silver and crystal and the kids and I come up with something funny to either give as table favors or what-not.  This year I made little envelopes with a stamped groundhog on it that I filled with heirloom tomato seeds for Spring.  The boys also shared their lapbooks and a fun little craft project we found online.  At the end of the night, everyone had some groundhog cupcakes to bring home. 

So there you have it! Our week in review! Lots of other running around errands in there but really, do you care?  I didn't think so.  Meltdowns in grocery stores, the endless trips to try and find my oldest some shoes, picking up our raw milk...not usually what folks want to read but I'm sure more can relate to.  I promise to post pics later of all the above so you can see what we've done!

Fabulous Friday!

Rain Rain Go Away......I can't believe it's raining today...Where on earth is all the snow?! Oh well. I keep telling myself that it will mean earlier in the garden! 

Speaking of gardens....I'm getting that Mid-Winter gardening itch. I'm beginning my plans for our gardens. I have most of my seeds and only need a few items.  This is a new garden in a new home for us this year so it will be interesting to see how it all goes.  We are going to have the biggest gardens we've ever had if all goes well and though I'm excited, I'm a bit daunted by it as well.  So much to do and as always, so little time to do it all in...oh well.  Onward and Upward as the saying goes.  I plan to post pics (if I can figure out how) of our progress and plans as we go.

So, what is on tap for today?  School, Pinewood Derby car painting and planning for pizza! Friday Night is always Pizza Night at our house. Pizza and a Veggie Tales movie tonight. 

Have a blessed and fabulous Friday!

Fantastic Fabulous Giveaway!

Head on over to http://www.forgottonwayfarms.com/ for a fantastic opporunity to win some great homesteading items! Right now they are having a giveaway for one of their hand made drying racks, Homesteading For Beginners DVD's, herbal remdies and so much more!  The racks are quality racks with a unique design that allows maximum items with minimum drying time!  I own one of the smaller racks and the quality is superb! I own two of the Homesteading DVD's as well and let me tell you, these are family friendly, fun and inspiring! You will learn something new and be entertained as well.  While you are at their site, check out their other items they have for sale! I so want to win the Grampa Jakes cook set-up! Incredible!

Also visit http://www.homesteaddryingracks.com/ to purchase these and other items for your homestead!

Good luck!

DVD contest you don't want to miss!!!

http://www.wellplannedday.com/contest01.php

Today you can enter into a fabulous contest for a DVD your family is sure to love.  Follow the link and enter!  You will receive an extra entry for sharing the contest on your blog, Twitter, FB, or emailing to friends!

Giveaway!

If you head on over to Home Educating Family's website you will find an awesome give-away for Deeper Roots Bible study for middle schoolers or high schoolers.  You will also receive a bonus subscription to Home Education Magazine!  This is an amazing give-away and also comes with a student planner for  your child to use in keeping themselves organized throughout their school year.  It does more than that though! Daily Scriptures to help keep your child's focus heavenward!

While you are there, check out their planners for YOU!! I promise you, you will not regret ever using their yearly planners!  I've used my own creations in the past, some that are sold in office supply stores (honestly, how could a teacher use these? YUCK!) and I've seen some for sale that come with so many bells and whistles I think I'll never get to actually planning everything.  Is there such thing as toooooooo organized? I don't need a section for nail clipping and how to organize a bread box.  Well, maybe...but not what I want to pay for!  Not to mention, some of these other "great planners" you pay for but then have to print up for yourself.  Last I knew, paper and ink don't come cheap and I don't have time to sit here and flip paper over to make sure both side get printed in the right direction and in the right order...ARGH!!  All while a house full of boys all under 11 swing from the rafters!  Actually, we don't have rafters here but if I did there would be boys hanging from them! 

Anyway, I found The Well-Planned Day and it is absolutely THE best planner!  Take a look, you won't be sorry, you will be blessed, happy and amazed that something so practical, pretty and functional could be inexpensive and make your school year that much more wonderful!  Thanks for reading and get on over there!!! 

B
PS: Also while you are there, check out their magazine!  Another amazing offering from this wonderful family.  I love their articles and enjoy that it's not all about how bad the public school systems are but how wonderful homeschooling is! ;)

Today

Waiting.  Trusting.  Why is it so hard to do?  We need to sell our home and it has been on the market for a very long time now.  Not as long as some folks but 6 months and paying now for two places is getting expensive.  I'm really bummed that we will miss another gardening season and having to live in a home I can't decorate.  Not to mention living without our stuff.  We're finally getting to where we are beginning to purchase what we already own but can't get to.  ARGH!!!  No swing set for the boys to play on, nothing to have fun with here in our rental.  The winter walls are closing in and it's really getting to me.

I am not trying to say that this is the worst thing in the world, I know what that could look like and honestly, I'll take this small trial over those other possibilities any day!  Still, it's like living in nowhere.  You're not home, you aren't anywhere.  It doesn't even smell like home.  It isn't.  It is someone else's home and if they put this place back on the market we could have to be out in 30 days if they get an offer.  *sigh*  If we could just find a buyer for our home.....all of our plans and future are on hold until that happens.  Talk about all our eggs in one basket!  This economy is like the wild critters who come to steal those eggs and devour them all right infront of us.  Breaking, smashing and spilling them to utter destruction.  All we can do is watch...helplessly.

Yet, there is One who sees.  One who knows.  One who holds us in His hands so closely.  We hold on to hope that He will deliver us from this stagnancy, from this waiting, from this place of watching our finances trickle down.  It really all belongs to Him anyway and none of it is ours.  I pray for His favor, I pray for it to come quickly.  Still, it iwll be in His timing and not my own.  I asked Him for a fleece, to show me the time.  The answer came back April.  Oh how I cling to hope!! Still, in reflection, I don't think I should have asked Him that.  Anything He ever felt I should know He has told me in the past.  Without my really asking, just in prayer, pouring out my heart and in His mercy He would tell me.  Now I went to Him. Anway, as it says in the OT, wait and see if it comes to pass and if it does then you know it was from the Lord.  April is only 1 week aways.  He never said what part of April and I hope it isn't the 30th! lol Oh how hard that is going to be huh? hee hee! 

Anyway, my hope is still expectant in Him, He is the only one who can help us with the sale of our home.  Such a beautiful place it was.  May He give us His mercy and bring a buyer. 

Want to win a drying rack?

Go to  http://www.homesteadcommunity-store.com/  and you can enter to win a quality wood drying rack.  You have until April 4th to enter.  You can also check out their other items for sale there.  All sorts of items and books on how to manage your home and homestead.

Good luck!

Weekly Give-Away!

Come to
http://www.homestead-store.com/

and enter to win re-usuable canning lids!!! Think of the money saved each year by using these lids!!!!

Another Give Away!! WOO HOO!!

http://www.homestead-store.com/

You have got to enter for these DVD's!!  A complete visual aid for getting started on your homestead.  Great quality DVD's with a wonderful family who really shows how it's done!  I haven't gotten them all but have entered!  Great to share with other families, hold a community viewing or watch over and over again with your kids!  Best of all, by going here you can have a chance to win them....FREE!!!

This site is run by a family who are homesteaders seeking to offer an online community for like-minded individuals to share ideas, experiences and scripture to build one another up and encourage one another.  If you are also of that mind-set, consider joining HCP as a member and sharing what you know! :)

Contest!

http://www.marilynmoll.com/2011/02/introducing-the-wondermill-junior-contest/comment-page-1/#comment-3877

If you have not visited this place, you must!  Marilyn has the best gadgets, tips and contests for those of you who have a heart for homemaking!  Check it out!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Sunny, warm.  Well, define warm. It is in the upper 30's so yeah, that's warm for us!  The snow is melting, the ice is melting and that alone makes me happy!  We have lost around 6 inches or so of snow from rain and warmer temps yet we still have 3 ft of snow around the yard, 2ft on the roof and it's probably 4ft still on the road edge. >:/ If that doesn't give you an idea of how much snow we've had, I don't think anything will.  I hear good ol' Phil didn't see his shadow this past week so Spring temps aren't going to wait until March 21st this year right?
Today I am going to finish my table runner that I started for a friend of mine.  It was supposed to be her Christmas gift but that didn't happen. So, her birthday was the end of January.  Surely I'd have it done by then. Nope. Now I am determined!!!  I have to bind the thing.  The worst part!! Well, besides cutting, sewing, pressing and quilting...did I miss anything? :)  I am not a trained quilter or seamstress.  I have taught myself with what little I've been able to pick up from here or there.  You Tube can be wonderful!  Now this binding is something I've not done before.  I have points on the ends.  Why couldn't it have just been a simple rectangle? Why?  Because I like to challenge myself and don't think anything can be too hard....until I try it and realize it's too hard!! LOL!!
Oh well, I'm off to try to figure that one out.  Hopefully she'll forgive me when I send it to her in the mail.  She can always use it under some plants or when she needs a rag! I'll post a pic when I've completed it, hopefully before the next millennium!