Country Girls Heartstrings

I am sorry I haven't blogged as a late. With Jeff home and on unemployment, we are busy, busy, busy. Our little ole' house has only one closet so right now Jeff is building a closet in our back room, as we speak and then moving on to put one in our spare bedroom/office area ( joking it is really a storeage for all things that I haven't a clue where to put) We have gotten our christmas lights up, they are soooooooo pretty at night. A few years ago we won in our towns christmas lighting, so it keeps us going. We also have the inside almost done, fake tree and all. Our Thanksgiving was wonderful 15 of us present only my middle daughter and 1 granddaughter couldn't make it. I love it when we are all together. I will try to get here more often to blog. It seems like I have so much less time now. But I do love spending some much needed time with my Man, whom I love and adore so much. Have a blessed night.

A note of Thankfulness to Jesus

Thankfulness to Our Lord Jesus

It is November, a time for thanks. Also a time where life gets so busy and hectic we can forget to take time to thank the Lord for all we are and have. So I would like to take a moment to list the things I am thankful for:
1. My Jesus and his way of teaching me forgiveness, teaching me to over come the hardships that we must go through to grow in this life. (I am on a journey of learning)
2. My wonderful Husband of almost 29 years, he is kind, generous, loving, hard working and a man of God. (I can not believe the deepth of my love for him)
3. My Children whom I think are all wonderful in each there own way. I love them so much.
4. My grandbabies all of them, they bring such a joy to my heart to see their smiles, to get their hugs, and to hear their "I love you Nana". To be able to watch them grow,learn, and love.
5. For our house be it as it may, needing alot of work and restoration.... (This must be how God looks at me!)
6. Our property, 20 acres of pure heaven, where we can go to get away, to share the beauty of nature with God, to see the wildlife, smell the fresh air, a view the stars, with heaven sitting behind.
I am so thankful for this blessed year, where we have had plenty of food, warmth, love and laughter. A good job for my husband and the luck to be able to be a homemaker and help meet for my husband. I am truely blessed and I want to thank-you Jesus, for all the things you have given me and mine. Help to keep me on track Lord, looking upwards, always with you on my heart. Help me to be a good person, willing to help someone less fortunate than me. Let me be a laborer for someone who is in need, and Lord let me do these things with a cheerfull heart. In Jesus Name I am Thankfull. Amen!
Blessing to All

Knitted Baby Blanket, Homemade Laundry Soap and handmade oatmeal,honey and lavendar soap!

a morning pray

I found this prayer today on a site called:In the pursit of proverbs31 @ http://www.inpursuitofproverbs31.com and it moved me so. I want to say this prayer each morning to put my mind and soul with the thoughts of Our Lord God. Today I am joining this bible study to become a woman who lives like a proverbs woman.

Father, there is none like you. Your name is above every other name and to you every knee will bow. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a woman in this time and in this place. Thank you for being the perfect example of how to serve my family and friends. I desire to do your will for my life. Help me to see things the way you see them and please cleanse and soften my heart to receive teachings from your word. I repent for any wrong and destructive thought patterns I may have and I ask that you transform my mind to accomplish your desire for my life. Forgive me for any negative emotions that I may have entertained. Give me the revelation that I need each and every day to become more like you and less like my worldly self. Please keep me from the plans of Satan and deliver me from those who wish me harm. Amen.

Bible on a page

I was e-mailed this link this morning. It is awesome. The whole Bible on a page. Hope you have time to check it out and maybe book mark it.

Looking for a baby bunting pattern

Does any one out there have a baby bunting pattern to share???? I want to make one for my grandaughter who is almost 5 months old, since it is getting COLD here.... But I have search high and low and can not find one free pattern for this on the internet. We live 73 miles from the nearest craft store, it is far to go just for a pattern. I am hoping to sew it out of fleece or a very warm knit. Any ideas???? Thanks in advance! Blessings to all.

Worry Not for God is in Controll

God is in total controll....
My husband just found out that his job will be ending maybe as soon as Monday, Nov. 10,2008. He is in the Laborers Union, so in the construction industry. Our economics in this contry is not a very pretty site. Construction is on the down ward slope, as is a lot of others jobs. It is a scary time, But with all I have I give my worries to God, For I know he will take care of us.
Matt. 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
I think we all must turn our hearts and eyes to the Lord. Get on our knees and Pray. Give our all to God, our father in heaven. We need to know with uncertainty that everything in our world is exactly what God wants for us. We are either to learn lessons from what is going on, or do the works that God has lead us to do. We need to heed his biggest commandment " Love one another" without reservation. Love unconditionally, and give and help each other. Pay it Forward so to speak.... Our God is an awesome God. Praise him, and know he is in controll.
Thank you God for all you do for me and my family. Guide me and lead me, May I make you proud of the woman I am trying to become.

I am exercising a watching what I eat to try and loose some weight. So far so good 3 pounds off.... Yeah!!! So I have to be going so I can walk away my pound with Lesile Sansone. She is a christain who has a program out called Walk away the pounds. I am on the 1 mile walk so far..... This is my first week back at walking and yoga.
Blessing and Love to All, TracyJayne

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Mix in a Jar

In a large bowl, combine flour jpumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stirring until blended. Place mix into a 1 quart Jar. Pack down this layer. Add the brown sugar, firmly packing down. Layer the sugar on top of the brown sugar, fimly packing. layer the nuts and then the cranberries into the jar adjust the cap. This is the base for gift giving....

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two loaf pans (or 4 small loaf pans.) In Large bowl, mix pumpkin oil and eggs, stirring until blended well. Add Pumpkin bread mix, blending well. Divide batter evenly between the pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes (30-35 for amall pans), or until inserted wooden toothpick comes out clean and tops of loaves spring back when pressed.

You may also cook in pint size canning jars by placing 1 cup of batter in a greased pint size jar and baking 40-50 minutes. While still hot place canning lid on jar and tighten down as much as possible. The lid will seal while the bread cools and you can store for up to one year in a cool dark place.

Place colored fabric under the screw on top and add the instructions to the jar on a peice of paper attached by putting a small hole in directions and tie to jar with ribbon.

Last week was busy for me

Lets see I really did get a lot of things done here at our home front. Our laundry room and sun room is complete, all that is left to do is put the base boards up!!! It looks so nice, we even got the mini blinds up at the windows. Now the sun can shine in and with my dh adding the arch window between the laundry room and the kitchen I can even watch the sun-rise in the morning! It is great! Out the arch and through the window in the sun room I can see my garden. ( I will try to post a photo of the arch later) Next year I will have a beautiful site to see. But besides finishing up the two rooms, I canned half pint and pint jars of apple sauce, and a few jars of apple slices, plus I froze some apple pie filling.

Ummmm! Yummy ! Jeff helped me get my ceramic area set up and I was able to cast a three molds yesterday. I have to start getting ready for Thanksgiving also the family is going to be here. Well so far 16 or the 17 of us any ways.... I am going to have a China set Thanksgiving with all the fixings. Oh I just love the hoildays. Christmas is my favorit though. I am giving homemade cookies, and gifts in a jar to our friends in town and the local merchants for all their hard work. I must get busy......

An Awesome God

Isn't God Awesome? Yes he is.... Yesterday in my blog (another blog site I have.... http://soulsearching4himwithtracyjayne.blogspot.com/) ( Yes I know crazy....) I wrote that I wanted God's will to shape my life, I want to make him proud. This morning I sat down at my computer and read my e-mail, every morning I get an e-mail from Pastor Allen out of Hayward CA. It is called " God's Minute. Today his topic is finding God's will...... I have inserted a portion of God's minute below. Sometimes God has a way of speaking right to your heart, and this spoke to me.

Now as David said;
Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my plath. For the word of the LORD is right, and all His work is done in truth. ( Psalms 119:105 & 33:4 )

Wow, Our God is an awesome God! Dear God, today I come to you with Thanks, thanks for this life you have given to me. Please Bless our country and law makers, our people to make rightous choices. Bless my family, near and far and keep us wrapped in the warmth of your love. Bless this site with your knowleadge Lord, and may your word be an awakeing to my soul. Amen!

I am trying to put my devotional thoughts for the morning on each of my blog sites..... It helps me to keep all things in perspective, for that day....and my goal is to spend time with my Lord each morning in devotion. Bible reading, prayer, or musical worship. I want to reshape my life and relationship with the Lord. I didn't get the apples sauce or pie filling down yeasterday. I only finished the laundry room..... Thank goodness today is a new day.... I do have to get busy though..... I am going with my daughter to take Kyrra my grand-daughter to the dentist today. She has a very bad tooth, and it is keeping her in pain....Tomorrow I am watching Rhonda's two for her and her hubby so they can go out for their anniversary...I can't believe it has been 3 years already. Life seems to fly by these days. Bye Bye for now!

Thursday thoughts and devotion

My Thought for today are on pleasing the Lord. I want my relationship with him to be my priority. I am hoping my love for Jesus will shine and be shown to those who need to see it. This week has been a busy hecktic one for me. I have had to be up and out of the house at 4:45 each morning to take care of our friend Jim during the day, so his wife could go to work. He is doing so much better now. But WOW, what a scare. It has helped me though to think of my health, eating better, sleeping better, reducing my self inflicked stress, and bettering my relationship with Jesus! I am going to use this blog to remind me of the important things in life. (which are not material things!) All the simple things in life, love family and friends.

Today I plan to paint our laundry room and prep the sun room, so Jeff will be able to starting textureing there. He only has two walls to go and we will be done! Yeah!!!! It will be great to have those rooms completed. The last thing we have to do is build a closet in the sun room. This house has only one closet, and I need a little storage. LOL!!!

I am also going to cut up 45 pounds of apples for applesauce and apple pie filling to be canned tommorow. Wish me luck and energy!

My devotional thoughts for today are:

1 Cor. 13:4-8

"Love is always patient and kind;
It is never jealous; Love is never boastful or conceited;
It is never rude or selfish, it does not take offense, and is not resentful.
Love take no pleasure in other peiples sins, but delights in the truth.
It is always ready to EXCUSE, to TRUST, to HOPE and to ENDURE
whatever comes.
Love never ends."

Line for line I want to make this passage show in my life. In every way.... God bless me that through your words I may grow as a woman who will make you proud. Change me Lord, in the ways you want me to grow, and may your will be my life. To you I give my all. And I know that with "With God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26

Blessing to all

Friday morning devotion

Emptyness within life!

A Proverbs woman is what I strive to be..... A help meet to my husband, but in it all I feel almost empty. I love my life but I am striving to find something. But what????? I feel satan is at our door and has been for a while. STAY AWAY He is not welcome.... I have moments of all closeness with my God and so does my hubby but we usally seem to be there on differant days.... I feel I am searching, lost so to speak in a very busy world. We are realitively young to be empty nesters, but we are and we have struggled to renew our love and life. And I do love my Man, totally and unconditionally. I pray I make him happy, and content.

I am trying to come down with a cold or sinus thing, so maybe that is why the mental confussion. I have periods like this every once in a while. I do not like it though. Positive is where I want to be. Always look upward and forward. God Bless me and my family near and far. Keep your Angels close and guarding. May your will always prevale.

Today I have to take our car to the Auto Shop, our heater core went out and of course it is 28 degrees here.... Come to find out it is going to cost us $600.00 - $700.00. It is going to hurt us.... but what do you do you have to have a heater, winter is on us and it will only get colder before the spring is near..... They have to dismantal the whole dash board to fix it. Our property taxes will probably have to be late, I just don't see another way.

Our freind Jim and his trip to Scared Heart Hospital again!

In my last blog I wrote of our good family freind Jim, who had to go to the hospital. Well He is back in and they do not know what is wrong with him..... It is so scary. Last Friday, he was on the phone and passed out, Thank goodness his wife was home. They rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance and then sent him on to Spokane, (a much bigger hospital) the same day, He has had fever after fever, and a rash that keeps moving from place to place and then he breaks out in blisters, where the rash was. He has swelled up beyond reconition and is now looking more normal, and they placed him in isolation, for a few days. The Dr's have not really came up with any thing yet. They think it might be a reaction to Plavixs. All prayers for Jims wellbeing would be great. It is over wheming for me to know that the Dr's just don't know what is going on with him. They told his wife they will have to take this day by day! We are praying for you Jim Get Well!

Wonderfully Busy Fall !!!

Well like always I am laggin' and never seem to have enough time. I never seem to get here to blog as often as I would like. We have been home from hunting for almost two weeks now and WHEW..... I am tired. Life is just so busy. I cleaned up after our trip where on the very last day I got a doe!!!! Yeahhhhh, for me! My hubby is hoping to get luck enough to harvest one in Nov. the late hunt. We saw so many deer but they just weren't legal so I know God will Bless him in Nov. Since we have been home I have been trying to de-clutter some of our 28+ years of accumulations. UGH not a nice sight. Plus we have been helping my youngest daughter Rhonda and her family move. She is still in Lind with us, but moved to a much nicer, bigger home. Today I am going to help her paint, while she unpacks..... One of our good friends who hunts with my hubby, got home, he had a bad cold that turned into a lung infection, when he went to the Dr's. they put him right in the hospital, He was getting ready to have a heart attack. God is good though, he is now home with a minor process and medication they think he will be fine. His diet and life style has to change though. But Thank God, for Modern Medicine.

Over the week end I bought some ceramic molds that I found on craigslist, and while we were up in Idaho, (So that made me have to clean mt side of the shop, that I could not walk through! LOL!) but while I was there I found a deal at Lowes, some shrubs for $2.50, $3.50 and $5.00. Too good to pass up so the last two days I have been in the yard, digging holes, and planting all 14 of our new yard plants. These are mostly just to add green to our lower yard, some color and texture. I just love to garden. In the lower lot we have decided on a mini orchard with dwarf fruit trees, instead of grass. This way we can help the earth and our food supply. And on the top we have added the new plants. I hope our plan, works for us. I would love to have the orchard in by next spring. It will take some saving though, we still need 18 trees, we have only 9 so far. I also am hoping to have a bigger garden. I am going to look into buying some seeds now.....Just in case! And I am starting on a plan for food storage. I want to have the basics, Flour, Sugar, Shortening, and some canned items. Do any of you have food storeage and if so what do you have stored??? I will try.... no promised to be back soon. I really enjoy bloging, there just never seems to be enough hours in my day. God Bless everyone!

Coffee Cake and a cup of Tea!

I can't believe it already Friday. I have stopped for a few minutes this morning to have a cup of tea, and blog my heart away.... We are leaving today for our little cabin in the woods and hunting and my husband is so excited!!! I am praying he gets a big buck, God willing...... I have made buritto meat to take with us and a coffee cake. It is so easy. I am going to post the recipe for any of you who wants a change for breakfast or even a snack.

1/2 cup chocolate chips ( or chips of your choice, or any berry or nut you'd like)

Heat oven to 375. Grease square pan. Blend all ingredients except Topping. Beat well. Spread in pan. Sprinkle topping over batter and bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm!

This is my son's favorite. So he will be so surprized!!!! I hope I get a bite....LOL! I am packing up all the needed things for at least a week of hunting and wow!!! we take alot of stuff. We really need to simplify even more. We camp rustic with an outhouse and water from containers. There is no electricty, but we do have a small cabin to stay in. Well I call it a cabin. It is a 12x12, we have a bed in there and a few chairs, and a small kitchen area. It is great though to sleep inside and have a place to get in if the weather is bad. Ohhhh I too am excited. Well better get back to getting busy! Bye for now.

My garden photos......

Life keeps us sooo busy. I just wanted to post a few photos of my yard and garden. It has come so far! Here is our yard and garden now.....

and then there is before, We wanted a fixer upper, to keep us busy. So this is when we first bought this little house on the prairie. We had already fixed the front porch at this time! LOL!!!!!

I will post a pic of the front of our house now...... Let me know what you think..... I am happy and in 10 years it will be my piece of heaven on earth.

Taking a break on a busy Thursday

Today is going to be a full day. I have to mow our yard and put our yard things away, for I am sure our Fall is here. Mornings have been really cool down in the 40's, and in the 70's during the day. It is nice weather for yard work though. I am delivering our last puppy today (so sad to see them go to their new homes), and shopping for our hunting trip. We have a small cabin on 20 acres in Eastern WA., My dh is an archer....and We always spend some of my hubbys hunting trips there. We have wild turkey and deer that walk right through our yard so to speak.... I just love it there. We haven't been able to go there much this year with my dh working so much. His job has him working 6 and 7 days a week 10-12 hours a day and with a 1 1/2 hour commute, it didn't leave much for weekend get aways. So I am sooooo excited. We have 2 weeks to relax and enjoy. If he wants to hunt he will if not we will just have some great time together. There was a big fire (19,000 acres)that went through that area so it is going to be sad to see the char left behind. I hope our cabin is still there, I think someone would have called if the fire got too close to us....LOL!!!! I hope the animals are still around. So I will be MIA for a bit. I will miss reading all the posts and happenings here. But I will be back and even have some photos to share. Bye!

Goals for today

Good morning to all, I must say today I am hoping to put myself to good works. I need to clean this house.... Last night we had my 2 daughters and 7 of the grandchildren here plus my girlfriend and her two grand kids were over. Soooo I need to clean!! I also want to get outside and shovel up the remaining river rock and put it around in our fire pit area. And get started on our fall clean up.... I am thinking we are in for an early fall. Our temps are in the upper 80's which is unseasonably cool for this area. Usually we are in the 100's now. So our pool will be coming down this week-end. We also have to take one of our pups "Bow" to the western side of the state to meet his new family.

So my goals for today are to: clean the house----shovel up river rocks----and clean up the yard. with my remaining time I am hoping to start cleaning our shop......( uck... now that is a job)

Crazy life of a hunters wife

Good Morning to all. It is the middle of the week and I really have to get hopping today. I am lucky to have the company of my olders granddaughter Amber for this week. What a joy. She is 8 and starts back to school on Sept. 3rd. but this her last week of summer Nana and Papa get to spend some time with her.....

She lives on the other side of the state, and we do get to see her about 6 times a year, but we always enjoy a week of her summer. She is the oldest grandchild of our 8, and durning the first 5 years of her life, I helped by watching her. Today we are going to go shopping, I have to get some things for this coming month of hunting. My hubby is an archer and for him the season, starts on the 1st of Sept. He took a two week vacation just for hunting this year. He is very excited, never before have we been able to afford such time off. I am praying he can get a huge buck, and either an elk or bear would be nice. I go with him, to help....LOL! (really I am the cleaning help). I love it though, I bring a craft or two and a good book, while he is out I enjoy some quite time. I get to spend some time in the Good Book and reflect on life and how lucky I am to be a daughter of God. Every once in a while it is nice to remind myself just how lucky I am..... I have a wonderfuly Hubby, 4 great kids, and their others, plus 8 beautiful grandchildren.......and OMG they are trying for more!!!!! Blessings and Blessings are surrounding us.... "God said go forth and multiply." So we are, from two we are now 17.

And Our little house is slowing getting fixed up and little by little my yard is becoming lush and green.... The garden by next year will be where I want it to be.....and I will be adding lots of herbs along the way! I couldn't ask for more.

Today we are very lucky, the job my hubby is on is winding down and they are giving him some left over drywall, which we need to finish up our laundry room. I can't wait..... drywall, paint and tile. It will be great. And not to mention my dh's back is doing so much better, He can accually touch the floor now when he bends.

Last but not least are my beautiful Puppy's, I have found homes for all but two, and today a new ad comes out. They have been so much fun. And yes they are work but oh so worth it. They are smart and playful and give me lots of reasons to smile. I will miss them. So 10 Days and counting until we are on our hunting adventure! Talk to you soon and thanks for listening!