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I love the start of the Christmas Season!!

Hello All,

I hope that all of your Thanksgivings went wonderful! Ours went beautifully. You could not have asked for better weather (warm and sunny with a cool breeze) and company. My dear hubby and I went to my family's farm (lovingly called the Village) to spend the holiday and it was so nice to see my two beautiful sisters and their families. I am so grateful for each person in our family. Each one represents something wonderful and beautiful in this world. My two nieces are as lovely as can be and my nephew, even at 18, is a wonderful gentleman!

Besides being able to spend time with my family, we were also productive. We butchered a hog and now we have alot of pork in the freezer. While I am not one to be a part of the processing, I can appreciate how clean the meat is. It is so nice to know that your pork came from a healthy animal that was treated humanely! What can I say, I am somewhat of a soft heart and I have a hard time with the part of killing the animals for butchering. Luckily though, God gave us several people in our family that have that capability and that is a great thing!! My Mom is soft hearted like I am and I am pretty sure that if my Dad did not like meat as much as he did, my Mom would be a vegetarian..LOLOL!! I am pretty close to that myself, but like my Dad, my husband would pass out if he did not have a steady supply of meat..LOL!! He is a carnivore! We can drive by a field with cattle in it and I'll say "my aren't those cows lovely" and he would say "yes, they make me hungry!" LOL!!  I just love that man!!

Any the who, as for my crafts, I was able to work a bit on an afghan that I am making and also show my Mom and neice how to make granny squares. They both took to it very quickly and my neice made several crochet necklaces for members of the family. So cute!! She is such a smart and beautiful young lady!! It surprises me everytime I see her how much she is growing! Other than crocheting, I have also picked up some fleece to make her a fleece throw. I just love how soft those blanket are!! Mabye I will make one for my hubby also for when he sits down on the couch!!

My favorite tradition of the Thanksgiving weekend, though, is our Christmas Season Starter! Every year, my two sisters, and now my two neices, all get together at my oldest sisters home and we watch White Christmas. It is all of our favorite Christmas movie!! We sing all of the songs, especially the Hanes Sisters' tune, and eat popcorn and M&Ms. It is such a wonderful time. Once the movie is over, Christmas Season has officially started. What a wonderful time of the year!! My family has decided to make most of our Christmas presents and it is so nice to see what everyone has been working on. I appreciate that my parents always made sure that we knew the real meaning of Christmas and it is nice to see it passed on to the next generation!!

Well, I should get back to work. I hope that all of you are doing wonderfully and that the start of your Christmas Season is just as wonderful!

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

New Crocheted Pieces!!

Good Evening All,

I hope that this week has treated everyone well. Work has been very busy around here; however, I have had some time to work on my crochet projects. I have recently rediscovered how much I love to crochet and have really learned so much more than I ever knew before. As you can see in the pictures below, I have completed two scarves and next I am hoping to work on a 6 hour afghan. I will let you all know how that goes..LOL!! (I think the 6 hours may be a little underestimated!!! HAHA!)

Well, I hope that you are all doing well and I look forward to catching up with you via your posts.

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

My first crochet pattern...COMPLETED!!

Good Morning All,

I have completed my first item from a crochet pattern and I am so excited!! Of course I can see all of the places that I have messed up, but overall it turned out nicely. As you can see below, it is a mesh like bag that you can use for farmers markets or other various things. Now that I am done with this, I have started on making a baby afgan for my new neice. It is a baby soft whit yarn that is so precious!! I will post pics when I get it completed. Lord willing it will be before Christmas!! LOL!! I hope that all of you have a great day and I look forward to reading your posts!

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

Crocheted Granny Squares

Good Afternoon All,

Today started very cool here in Oklahoma! My Mom said that she had to break ice in all of the animal's water this morning, just to give you an indication of how cold it actually got!! One nice thing about the cooler weather though is building a fire. There is something so homey and comfortable about sitting in front of a fireplace or wood stove and feeling the heat. It always makes me feel at home!

So, last night I found a great tutorial about how to crochet granny squares and within a few hours I had gotten to the point of being able to make a couple (okay, so don't laugh at me I am slow..LOL).

Overall, I was very happy with the outcome. I think it will be a great way for me to work toward an afgan without getting overwhelmed.

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful October day and I look forward to reading your blogs.

Peace and blessings,

Lizzy

Crocheted Dreams

Good Morning All,

Well, it is definitely getting cooler here in Oklahoma! I was surprised at just how brisk it was this morning when I took our dog for a walk. The good thing is that cooler weather really makes it feel like the holidays are coming and Thanksgiving and Christmas are my two favorites!! I am so ready to spend some time with my family baking and visiting. I have been blessed with a wonderful family and I really thank God for that!

So, speaking of the holidays coming up, I have made a decision to make nearly all of our Christmas presents this year and have done pretty good so far. I have made one pair of pjs, two aprons, and quilted some placemats (the quilting and sewing are very new to me so it has been an interesting experience..let me tell you!! LOL!). I am a novice crocheter; however, I would love to learn some new stitches and make an afgan. I have one that I started years ago, but since I only know how to make chains and a half double stitch, it is very heavy (I can't even tell you how many balls of yarn I have used thus far...LOL). Do any of you know where I could go online to get a good tutorial on basic crochet stitches? I look at the patterns online at JoAnne's and I am completely lost!! LOL!! I do regret that I never asked my grandpa this question as he was a wonderful crocheter in his time!

I hope you all have a wonderful day and I look forward to any advice you can send this way!!

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

The joys of a new baby and the peace family brings!!

Good Morning All,

Some wonderful events have taken place. My sister had her baby girl last week and she is absolutely beautiful (and strong!!). I drove home to be with her and the family for the birth and it was so great. I must say that there is something so special about the place that my parents and oldest sister lives. They have worked very hard on the homestead and it is really a place of peace and love. And it isn't the land, the houses, or the animals that make it great, it is the love of God and family that make it what it is. They are all working toward a common goal of being sulf sufficient and it is really starting to bear fruit. It is our goal to one day have our own little homestead near theirs. Lord willing it will come to pass.

I hope that you are all having a wonderful week and I look forward to reading your posts.

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

Quilting Placemats

Hello All,

Well, today is a very grey day in Oklahoma! There has been a heavy fog all day, which makes the day seem somewhat surreal. Luckily, the work day is almost over and I then I am heading off to pottery class. I am hoping that the casserole dishes I made are out of the kiln. I am excited to try them out!! This weekend I had some time to sew and I put together the "harvest leaf" quilt blocks for the placemats I am making for my Mom (see below). I found the pattern in a quilt block example book and I think they turned out okay. I am now in the process of actually quilting the placemats and hopefully will be done with them by Saturday!! My sister, who is having a baby girl next week, went to the doctor today and the baby is doing great!! My sister's blood pressure was high and so she was told to take it easy the rest of this week. Can you believe that she has worked all the way through her pregnancy!! In fact, she intends to work Thursday and Friday, and then go into the hospital on Monday!! What a lady!!

Well, I hope that you are all doing wonderfully. I have enjoyed reading your posts this last week and wish you all a peace filled evening.

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

This is the day that the Lord has made!!

Happy Tuesday Ladies!!

Today has been a really great day. Work has gone by quickly and during lunch a friend and I went to buy fabric. I finished my pj pants I was sewing and yes...they do look like pants!! YEAH!! I am going to try and quilt some placemats for my Mom now. I have never quilted before, but a good friend I work with does and she is going to show me how. I am really excited to learn. I never realized there were so many lovely block patterns!!

Well, I better get back to my work. I hope all of you have a wonderful evening.

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

A productive weekend..Apple Pie and PJs

Good Morning Friends,

I must say that this weekend was a very productive weekend. After looking at the wonderful apples my sister had given me, I felt compelled to make an apple pie. I found this wonderful recipe for a Caramel Apple Pie and it turned out so wonderful!!! If any of you would like the recipe, please let me know and I will give it to you. I am definitely going to make a couple more for Thanksgiving. The liquid actually turns into a caramel sauce which goes so well with the Granny Smith apples!!! Mmm!! (Okay, so you get the point it was a good pie....LOL!!)

I also started the PJs that I am making for my sisters for Christmas. These are my first attempt at sewing a garment item, so needless to say, I was pretty stoked when they actually look like pants! LOL!! So, I have both legs finished and sewn together, now I need the wasteband and to hem the legs and I am done. One down, several more to go...hahaha! My dear hubby said that I should make him some also!! I think he was waiting to see how these turned out before he placed his order!! LOLOL!!

Well, I hope you are all having a wonderful, blessed day!

Hugs,

Lizzy

Finally Friday!!!!

Hello All,

I can not even begin to tell you how happy I am about it being Friday! I have been looking forward to this weekend to work on my Christmas presents, can some apples, and bake some naan bread. I am going to try a new church this Sunday and I am really hoping that it is what we have been looking for. It seems to have an active women's ministry and I have really felt led to participate in some activitites such as this.

Other news, my Mom told me yesterday that my expecting sister looks like her baby is dropping lower.  She is due in a month and now we are wondering if she is going to make it till then!! I am so excited to be an aunt again! The entire family has been so excited about the new baby!

Well my dear friends, I am going to go and start my weekend. I am trying to get a row of beets weeded every evening before it gets dark and my garden is calling me. I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to reading about your weekends on Monday!

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

Little Notes of Love and Peace

I am not sure if I have mentioned this before; however, I work a 40 hour/week job. In all reality, there are many weeks when those hours are considerably more. For some time I have been struggling with whether this is best for my family and for me. My husband and I have made a 5 year plan to move back out into the country where I can cut back on my hours and work more at home. It is a wonderful plan and everyday that I go to work I keep that thought in my mind. Some days though, it feels very far away. Today was one of those days. However, God is ever faithful. First my mom calls me and told me that she has been praying for us and really felt that things will move in our lives making our dreams possible. Secondly, while sitting here working and trying not to daydream about working in our garden or canning the plums my friend brought me, I noticed a beautiful butterfly on my window. I know it sounds a little cheesy; however, it really made me smile and think about how much God really loves us and wants the best for us. I also thought about how he will bring us through the times of struggle and speak peace and love into our lives. Today, I believe that my Mom's call and that butterfly were two little notes of love and peace from God. They pick me up just when I need it, just in the nick of time!

Wishing you all little notes of love and peace!

Lizzy 

Beautiful Tuesday!!

Hello All,

It has been a few days since I have posted so I thought I would try and catch up. Thank you all for your wonderful comments on my previous posts! I really look forward to checking in and seeing what others have going in their lives and what comments have been posted!

This weekend my very pregnant sister came to visit. She is so cute with her belly!! We had a good visit and I am very grateful she was able to come down. She is due next month, so my husband and I wil soon be heading east to be with them and the family as she delivers baby Hannah!! I am so excited. On Saturday my husband and I went out for lunch and to the seed store. I am not sure if there was something wrong with the food or not; however, I was sick for the rest of that day and the next. I can tell you I will not be visiting that location for a while!!

On a better note, a friend of mine brought back some heirloom plums from an old family farm and I am looking forward to making some jelly. I will let you know how it turns out!

I hope you all are having a wonderful Tuesday.

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

Pumpkin Cookies!!

Good Afternoon All,

I made the pumpkin cookies last night and they are great!! I brought some to work to share with the others and they were a success!! I love baking something that people love! I have posted the recipe below. The cookies are more cake-like than hard, which I think is nice. I hope that all of you have a wonderful weekend. Peace and Blessings, Lizzy

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

For the cookies:

1 cup sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons Maple syrup

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground all spice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

For the frosting:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Zest of one lemon

Thank Goodness Its Thursday!

Thank goodness its Thursday!!

Today seemed to drag on a bit. I am glad that it is closer to the weekend. I am really looking forward to my sister coming to visit us. She is about to have her first baby and it has been very exciting for all of us. I have been really blessed with two fabulous sisters. They are not only great sisters, but wonderful people too! Tonight I am going to bake some pumpkin cookies that I just found a recipe for. I will let you all know tomorrow how they turn out! Hopefully they will be great! I must say that I love all things pumpkin!! It just makes me feel like fall. What are some of your favorite pumpkin recipes? I make a pumpkin bread for gifts every holiday season and everyone always seems to enjoy it. To be honest, many people are just so excited about home made food.

Well, I hope all of you have had a wonderful day and I look forward to seeing your entries tomorrow. I am going to go home and see if I can help my wonderful husband get our home ready for the guests!

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

New Ideas & New Fabric

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!

Today a good friend and I went to the fabric store and I picked up some great fabric. I have the best intentions of making some holiday sleep pants for my two sisters. I really love the idea of sewing; however, I am not sure my skill set is quite there..haha! My biggest accomplishments to date are some aprons and a denim bag. Thus far I have been creating from scratch but I did buy a pattern so mabye the pants will turn out. Pray for me!! HAHA!

I am also trying to find simple sewing or baking ideas for Christmas gifts, so if any of you know of some, I would love to hear about it!

Peace and Blessings,

Lizzy

Fall Apples

There are a few things that automatically make me think about fall. One of which are apples! I love to pick apples from a tree and then take them home to wash and prepare them for canning. There is something very rewarding about pulling out a jar of apple butter or making an apple pie from apples you picked months before! The sweet aroma of cinnamon and brown sugar filling your home is a little bit of heaven in itself.

Sadly, the apple trees near our home that were so plentiful last year, has barely put on enough to can this year. However, God always provides, and my brother-in-law just gave us a bag of Granny Smith apples from their trees. I am really looking forward to making pie filling with them. If any of you have a wonderful recipe for apple pie filling, I would love to see it. I am always looking for new, wonderful recipes to try on my husband!

Happy Tuesday!

The Dream of Living Simply

Hello!! I must admit that I am very new to the concept of blogging. What initially intrigued me though, was how well this process brings people with similiar interests and views together despite geography. There are times when I feel like few people (outside of my family and few friends) feel the call to return to the simpler ways of life. I came from a family of five living on ten acres in the country. We always had animals and my folks tried their hand at both cows and pigs (although the cows didn't last too long :)!). After I finished high school I eventually moved 3 hours away and attended a university. It was a great experience and fit where I was in my life journey. While finishing my Master's I had several big life changes. I met a wonderful man who I married, started a career as a consultant, and we purchased a small home in a suburb. Everything was fast and exciting and my dreams of career, husband, and home all came true. What I didn't expect though, and probably should have, was that I started feeling differently about what I wanted out of life. I began to dread the travel, which took me away from my husband and home often two weeks out of the month. I even began to dread going to my once dream job. 

It took a panic attack in the Atlanta airport (which at the time I thought was a heart attack at 30  years old) for me to realize that something had to change. I wasn't one of those women who could work 60 hours a week, be a wife, keep up with a home, and be a happy person. I began to long for the times when it was simpler.....and much to my surprise, so did my husband. He was concerned for me and for us as a newly married couple. I couldn't blame him. I was stressed, exhausted, and unhappy.

After some soul searching, praying, and plently of late night discusions, we have decided to move back to the farm. We have put together a 5 year plan to build a place, pay down debt, and sell our current home. I can tell you, just knowing that we are working towards this goal has made me so happy. We have already built a storage facility on the acre we have been given by my parents and the electricity should be coming within a few months. It warms my heart that soon I will be closer to my family and closer the dream of living simply.