Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - Apple Grunt in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - Crocheted Hats

I have to find things to keep my hands busy while I'm resting...  I'm learning to knit and crochet.  Here is one of my newer creations.  I got the pattern from www.youcanmakethis.com .  I'm proud of how they are turning out.  I've made one for each of the girls and after I make the boys some stocking caps, I'm going to make one for me, I haven't decided what color yet.

Matthew 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Friday, November 7, 2008 - Excited about the election!

Okay, we're practicing praising the LORD in all things.  We're excited because recent happenings in our country are just more signs that HE is comming soon!

I went shopping yesterday and stocked up on groceries.  We replanned our holiday shopping (the children too) and it's done.  We're planning homemade gifts for extended family.  I've got a good stock of crafty things that I've bought on clearance through the years or people have graciously given us.  I think I have enough to clothe our family for a few years... (I just wish I had room for it all, without feeling so cluttered!)

We also ordered some evangelistic tools, to share the Gospel with others in our community.

We're prepared to be relient on G-D, even more and hopefully be able to share with others.

How are some other ways we can find to Praise and Prepare?

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 - How to pray for our country?

  Chammomile tea may be in order today...

In the shadow of this election, I was hearing everyone last night saying how we need to pray for PresElecObama and all.  I don't dispute that.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 - History repeats itself

History has repeated itself again.  Hitler was elected into office.  America is no longer a blessed nation.  Will people hit there knees or will they reject God even more?  Unless God has mercy way beyond my ability to fathom, the persecution will now really begin in the US.  This one is personal.  As a Bible believing, homeschooling, small business, 2nd amendment family...  "President" Obama is our enemy and God has placed him over us as a judgement on our nation.

We must widen our prayers and make sure to do it on our knees, willing to not only repent of our own sin, but also for those of our parents and grandparents.  This did not happen in only one night, it has been in the process since this nation began.  The true enemy of our souls knows his time is soon... 

Thursday, October 30, 2008 - Neat Menu Idea...

I'm quite excited about this new menu idea.  We just started The Mystery of History and she has a cool activity for the children to put each historical event on an index card and keep them in a little binder.  I didn't even know there were binders made for index cards...  Last week I was straining my brain trying to come up with some menu ideas and wah-lah, here it is.  I made up a 15 day menu.  I got out the recipe cards and made up ones for the recipes I get out of my cookbooks, then made up simple cards for "cereal" and "peanut butter and jelly" and such that don't take recipes...Then I arranged them all in the order I had on the menu; breakfast, lunch, supper, breakfast, lunch supper...  and put them in the binder.  After 15 days we just flip it back to the begining.  Each meal is twice a month, which really works good for our family.  When I'm ready to go grocery shopping, I just flip through and make my list according to the ingredients we need.  I'm really quite happy with my creativity.  Now watch, someone is already doing this and probably selling the idea somewhere online...  Oh well, nothing is new under heaven right?!Thanks so much Jen for the comment and prayer on my sasspot moment.  I'm really beating myself up sometimes feeling like I need to be doing something more, but I have no clue what it could be...  I'm just praying for guidence.  I'm at a loss as to what to do about Thanksgiving my DH doesn't want to eat at the NH and I just don't know if I can handle Papa home.  I don't know what to do to make him feel comfortable and to have a nice holiday...  Any Thanksgiving ideas out there floating around that might be fun?  I'm afraid the elections are going to really put a damper on it this year...  I haven't got the hang of being thankful for "everything" yet.  Guess this year will test my resolve in many ways...

Abundant Blessings to all!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008 - Here I sit... & a note about Papa

I really shouldn't be sitting here at the puter right now.  I have a mountain of laundry to do.  We've been having server problems so I changed email accounts today.  Something that seems like it should be so simple, never turns out that way.  Hopefully we're on a roll now and will be back in the "loop".  I've been neglecting this blog terribly.  We've been so busy since #5's speech classes started.  I finally decided to cut it down from twice to just once a week, I was just getting too tired. 

A typical sasspot moment:  For those of you "family" (the EE's) who won't call us to ask about Papa, shame on you.  His phone number is someone elses now, leave that poor man alone.  I thought I had made it pretty clear that if you need to get a hold of Papa you need to send the letter to us or call us.  It's fine to send things to the nursing home but you must understand that most of the time it ends up here with us anyway because he simply doesn't understand who you are or what anything is really for.  He writes letters like a 5 year old and cannot figure out how to address them properly, and won't let us help him.  Don't expect anything back from him.  He can't understand the simple sentaments on a greeting card and could care less about the pictures.  He didn't understand what the address book is at all and gave it to us along with most everything else you all have sent.  You all are acting just like you did when Grandma Hattie was sick.  You'd only talk to or visit her, then when she passed away you all got mad at my hubby for "not telling you it was that bad", when he kept calling to try to let everyone know what was really happening and you all wouldn't beleive him.  She was in total denial right up to the very end.  I won't go through that one again.  Papa hasn't got a clue there is a thing wrong with him.  He's giving the nurses problems, not wanting to take his medication.  He has basically quit trying to make it to the potty and uses 3 pkgs of depends a month.  If you all don't think we're doing good enough, come get him and take him home with you.  I know you won't because you didn't take care of your own dad.  Why are you treating us like this, like we're such bad people?  You might just consider that you all have 6 siblings, and my hubby is an only child.  He has to do what he thinks is best for his dad, without anyone elses help.  You have no clue, you've never had to do anything on your own, you've always been surrounded by family.  His own cousins won't even come visit him.  Get off your high horses and if you want to know how your uncle is doing, Call his son!   

For those who really care.  Other than being really tired, the rest of us are doing fine.  We went camping out at the farm this last weekend.  We had a real nice time.  Hubby's planning to winterize the camper now.  We're working into a bit of a routine, though I'd really like to see us up earlier.  I've been reading "Pocketful of Pinecones".  It's sweet and inspiring, but makes things sound so simple.  I'm trying to get up the nerve to try reading Charlotte Masson's set next...  It seems like a very intimidating task.  I need to get out the fall decorations.  I still have spring stuff up.  I've also been working on a POOH quilt for the baby.  She just turned 2!  I didn't get it done in time to give it to her for her birthday.  She's sleeping in the toddler bed upstairs with the other girls now like a big girl.  We cut off the legs of the footboard of the crib for her headbord.  I had painted the crib pale green and stenciled a Pooh scene on it when we got it from the 2nd hand store, so it will be really cute witht he new quilt.  She just loves Pooh.  I'd better get to work on laundry and see if I can help #1 with some school.  So much to do....  I'll try not to let so much time fly between posts.

Hug to all (even you silly EE's)

Friday, September 12, 2008 - No Pattern Wrap Skirt

This is a nice instructions for a modest wrap skirt to make with no pattern.  I'm looking forward to making one soon!  Thought it might help some of you who "someday" wish to learn to sew!    Good Luck! 

http://www.xanga.com/connimom/549154186/how-to-make-a-wrap-skirt---part-1-cutting.html

Sunday, August 24, 2008 - School plans & rearanging...

Sunday, August 3, 2008 - Country Apple Regency 2

Friday, August 1, 2008 - Regency Gown

Here is my new Regency era dress.  I used the pattern from http://www.sensibility.com .  I had to tweak it a bit for me and I think I will still a bit more for the next one.  I added an inch length in the bodice and an inch around the neckline.  With the next one I'm going to only add a 1/2" to the neckline at the shoulders and then an inch just in the front and try to get a more squared look.  I'm also going to add an inch to the under arm of the bodice.  I wore this dress all day yesterday and it was a little binding in the sleeves.  I'm also making the next one out of denim so I decided to make the next size bigger to give more room for comfort.  I can always take it in a little if I need to.  The fabric in this one is a lovely embroideried chambray.  I had to start at the bottom of skirt for the seam so the bottom would be even since I wasn't putting in any hem with this lovely border.  I am really thrilled with this pattern and proud of the way the dress turned out.  Now the 16yo (she took the pictures for me) is working on a Titanic era tea dress...  We'll post pictures of that one as well.  Let me know what you all think!

Sunday, July 13, 2008 - Regency Gown

Here I sit in a quiet house...  (and there are even four extra children here today!)  Everyone is down for a nap.  Not all are asleep, but it is quiet...  (for the moment anyway)  I've been anticipating a package from http://www.sensibility.com eagerly.  I'm looking forward to making myself a few regency gowns.  They look so cumfy and elegant at the same time.  I love dressing up.  I can get muslin for .99 a yard from Hancocks web site.  I'm going to just make the first one out of some material I have laying around.  Then I hope to make a few out of some light colored seersucker for summer, and a few from toasty flannels for winter.  Then I may try a couple of fine corduroy or twill.  Since I'm wanting to wear these around the house so they won't be floor length and I'm going to forgo the pretty overlays right now, though I have a beautiful border print picked out from http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com that I think would be just gorgeous.  I had to do a wikipedia search on fabrics so I'd have a clue what the difference is between chiffon, georgette, and taffetta...  I printed out the information for the oldest to read.  I'm really excited about this.  I love making costumes and period dress (well the idea anyway, sometimes the process can be a bit frustrating).  I tend to be most comfortable in dresses and jumpers with a higher waist, so this should be right up my alley.  It may also work for my aunt's dress as well, it might be easy to fit for her.  We'll see. 

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - Anniversary Gift & Funnies from the mouth of babes...

This year I have been married half my life.  My hubby got me a nice bunch of roses for our first anniversary, but nothing since.  I'm not complaining really because he makes sure I have everything I need and much of what I really want on a regular basis.  He just doesn't feel gifts are necessary.  Anyway, I feel this year is special and I've been whining to everyone who will listen that he'd BETTER do something special for me.  Well, last month I was sifting through his American Rifleman magazine and came across the "Pink Lady".  Wow, a pink gun, how cute!  So guess what I got for my anniversary!  It is a really nice little revolver and I can't wait to get it cleaned up and do some practicing.  Watch out rattle snakes and skunks!

From the mouths of Babes:  Well, not really the baby this time, the 16 3/4 year old.  Yesterday she asked for a cup of coffee saying, "Maybe it will help with this 'fat-i-goo'."  I had to think about it for a minute before I realized she was complaining of fatigue!  She had been reading this word in her online driver's ed all last fall, not understanding how it was pronounced...

Sunday, June 22, 2008 - sewing for a little person with dwarfism

I have an Aunt who is 9 months younger than myself.  Her mother was being treated for German Measles when she was concieved and she is a dwarf.  She has always had dreams of someday getting married and having me make her a beautiful wedding dress.  Well, getting married is out of the picture, but I had an idea...  Why not.  Who says you have to have a "husband" to get married?  We, in the Church, are all a part of "The Bride" of Christ.  So, I'm planning to make her a wedding dress and plan some type of nice church service with a sweet little reception.  We can make some nice invitations and some fancy deserts...  La-tee-da.  I think it will be all kinds of fun.  Her mother (my Gram'a, see post from sometime last fall) went to be with the Lord and my Aunt is living with my mother, the oldest sister of the surviving children.  She's soon to be comming to spend a few weeks with us and I'm trying to plan making a pattern and sample dress.  In the meantime, my mother wants me to make up patterns for some everyday clothes for her.  Now I'm wondering if there is anyone out there with some ideas.  Anyone who has experience in sewing or alterations for Little People?  I'd appreciate all the help I can get.  Thanks!

Sunday, June 15, 2008 - Camping with Papa

We took Papa to the lake this weekend.  The children had a blast.  They swam all day yesterday afternoon and rode four wheelers in the evening.  It was Uncle's birthday and he brought them to share with us.  They all have sunburns and we're all tired.  We've decided taking Papa out to eat occationally would be better for him than the weekend with the family, he just doesn't really enjoy himself.  So, I need to get into a routine of making up a casserole and desert on Saturday evening, so we can take it Sunday after church and have lunch with him.  On pretty days, there is a nice park close to the Nursing Home where he can visit with hubby and watch the children play.  Other days we might be able to splurge on Pizza or something.  He will enjoy it better if we aren't having to give him his medication and keep such a close eye on him.  We just tend to get on his nerves.  Other than that, it was a nice weekend, but we had a really busy week, so we are all very tired.  The children have swimming lessons next week and we need to finish up this Wisdom Booklet and get the next one under way.  I'm trying to take advantage of the few nice days we've had to play outside and go swimming, so we've been going light on school the past few weeks.  We're also trying to do some sewing and crafts.  Between that and laundry and dishes, we're basically staying outa' trouble.  God Bless you all!

Friday, May 30, 2008 - busy & sewing

Busy-ness abounds around here of late.  Granny J came for a short visit over the weekend.  It was really nice.  It's never long enough or often enough.  Wish we could talk her into moving up here closer...

We made a trip out to NM to visit a family with 9 young'ns.  They blessed us with their old van.  Now we have plenty of room for the family and Papa.  It's nice not to have to have people climbing over seats to get in and out.  We had so much fun.  The children played and played.  We got to go fishing and the children did some rock climbing.  We really enjoyed the fellowship.  They cooked us breakfast each morning, it was so good.  We took our camper, a pop-out which sleeps 10.  I had planned poptarts and toaster strudels, so we are using them as our recouperation food now.  Thankfully, we had all the laundry caught up and the house clean before we left.  We put our dirty clothes in trash bags, separated by color.  It made it much easier to just through laundry straight from bags into washer and we are already caught back up.

Before we left I was also able to get a little sewing done.  I made a jumper out of an old pair of overalls for me and a matching jumper for #4, then 4 sunbonnets, 2 for #4 and 2 for the baby.  Now I'm in the mood to try some coulottes.  I'm thinking about just taking a regular shorts pattern and making the legs wider...  We'll see how it goes.  I also want to make some jumpers and dresses for me.  I'm torn on style and size.  I want the extra room for comfort, but I don't want to look like I'm wearing a circus tent.  I'm hanging on to way more weight than I'm used to and I don't know whether I'm going to loose it as I become more active, or if I need to accept it as mid-life fluff.  The A-line skirt dresses and jumpers are very flattering, but they aren't as comfy and easy to manuver in around the house.  I like to get down on the floor with my young'ns.  I'd really like to do more matching things, but it takes so much material for all of us.  I have material that just really needs to be used up.  Some of it is wearing real bad where it has been creased.  I'm going to have to be real careful cutting things out.  I'm trying to figure what is the best, most modest and comfortable at the same time, for our windy days.  I've never had a pair of coulottes that were really comfortable, and I tend to really flop when I try to make my own patterns, so I'm timid about trying.  I've been looking online for different ideas.  (Waisting a lot of time procrastinating!)  I want something that looks like a skirt, but isn't going to blow sky high in the wind, or be a problem when #4 is doing summer-salts or cart-wheels.  I like the idea of the skirtlots (www.myculottes.com) but I'm not sure how they will work for riding horses.  I'm gona make the big girls make their own stuff.  I want them to know how to sew for their families.  I may be wanting too much at one time.  If our weather was a little more predictable, it might help.  Can't have everything we want!

Sunday, May 11, 2008 - Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

Especially to:

Granny J, My Flesh and Intuition

Mama Leah, My Heart and Support

Grandmommie, My Encouragement and Inspiration

Princess Ronii, My Kindred Spirit

Momma's Tired, My Forever Friend

Hope everyone has a very special day!

(P.S. We got these lovely dresses from www.ringgerclothing.com/shop/shop.php )

Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - Home for the weekend.

We brought Papa home for the weekend.  Picked him up Thursday evening after visiting some friends a few hours away.  Friday was busy.  I tried to fit in some school, then we headed into town for the big girls to help clean the church and the littl'ns and I went to the library.  Papa wasn't too happy about having to go with us and pouted about it.  We just can't leave him home alone anymore and he can't understand why.  Anyway, I finally talked him into letting me take him by the coffee shop.  Several buddies were there for him to visit with and he purked up a bit.  Saturday he got pretty grumpy.  There is just so much activity and noise here that he's not used to.  He got really tired.  He said they let him do anything he wants to at "that place".  I told him that was because they don't have little children around to worry about and they have more people to keep an eye on things.  They forgot to let all they're help know we had him and had one helper looking for him for an hour or more before she found out...  One of our neighbors works there and stopped by Sunday morning and gave him a bath.  He really purked up after that.  I was really afraid he would fight us about going to church, but he was ready to go and even participated.  That was so nice.  We came home, had lunch, cleaned up things, then went for a walk and took some pictures.  We had company show up.  They have 7 children.  We stayed mostly outside with them and he took a nap inside.  He just doesn't have much patience for the children.  I took him back Monday morning and he was definitely ready to go.  I think we have cured his whining for a while.  At least he has new stories to tell the other residents.  I was also able to get him to go through some of his books and things, and he decided to take several things with him, which I was releived of.  I'm sure some of his grumpyness was also from seeing his stuff gone through and dispursed.  I think he finally realized he will never be "home" by himself again.  I'm sure it was hard for him.  When hubby talked to him this evening, he said he'd be ready for another visit in about 6 or 7 months...  It was nice to have him, but it's so nice to know he's well taken care of in a place where he is happy and we don't have to worry about him...  I didn't do laundry or any real housework while he was here, so I wouldn't be stressed trying to keep up with him and chores.  I'm still really tired anyway.  Just trying to make sure he's not getting in trouble and that he is getting his meds and all is quite a bit extra.  I'm just taking it as easy as possible and trying to catch up on laundry and stay caught up with school right now.  We'll all get rested up and recuperated soon, I'm sure.  Hopefully we didn't wear him out too much and he'll be up to a camping trip sometime this summer.

Saturday, April 12, 2008 - Question about dresses?

For other dress-wearing moms:

Okay,  I found this site.  What was in called...?  Wholesome Womanhood or something like that.  It was a nice one.  They had this great thing, A Week in Dresses with pictures of several different ladies doing their week's work in dresses to show that you can be fiminine and work at the same time.  The pictures were all several years old.  I was intrigued.  I wear dresses most of the time and have tried to encourage my daughters to dress feminine.  Our tomboy delights in pretty blouses and the 6 yearold loves decorated tees...  but they wear jeans except for church or special outings.   The biggest problem is that we live in windy country and we have outside chores to do.  Milking, feeding, fence mending type chores.  Then helping Hubby in the oil feild sometimes.  I have no problem cooking, cleaning, or even gardening in a dress.  I'd like to see some pictures of women doing dirty work in dresses.  I know it can be done, and that is usually how I do it but my hubby and children aren't there yet.  I've seen these tag thingys going around. I wonder if we could do something like that here.  I know I don't like my picture taken at all, much less all dirty cleaning a brand-new-baby goat or sitting on the tractor.  I'm sure you are all the same, but maybe these dirty moments are the ones that need to be shown.  Some reality rather than trying to make dresses look like a glamorous June Cleaver thing.  I've heard men say that they think they're wives are the loveliest when they feel the least lovely.  We need to let posterity know that Great Great Grandma really loved being feminine, even when she was in the most mundane and dirty of circumstances.  (Though I do know many of them adorned Grandpa's overalls when they helped fix the roof, some instances may require that modesty and femininity don't mean what we usually picture...  I'm all for chunking the designer jeans, but if there aren't a lot of handy men around to help your hubby, it may be a good idea to keep a pair of overalls handy to slip into...  I'm open to thoughts here too of course.)  I hope to have lots of comments (and maybe some pictures) on this topic!

Prayers to all!

Saturday, April 12, 2008 - Spring Fever

I feel like I'm flitting around like these silly birds outside.  I've been rearanging things again, trying to figure out how to fit 9 people's stuff into this little farm house.  With school and office, it's a circus around here.  I need to get the baby out of our room so we can start encouraging her to sleep through the night.  Before I can do that, I have to move all Papa and the Boys' stuff out of this little 9 1\2 x 9 1\2 room next to ours.  So, the boys' stuff went upstairs.  Well, I got into all kinds of trouble for that one.  The girls had gotten used to  having the big 20 x 20 something room to theirselves.  It's sad that the largest room in the house is upstairs.  I guess it had actually been 3 or 4 rooms at some point in time...  I was planning to put up a curtain in between, but I might just see how this goes for a while.  I may end up moving the boys back down.  There is also a little room upstairs that is used for a closet and storage.  We need new windows in there.  I'd like to make half of it into a bathroom, but I don't know if that will ever happen.  I thought I might be able to get around to painting that half boy colors and put them in there.  I just hate that they'd have to walk through the girls' room to get to the stairs.  The little room downstairs is already decorated for the boys, I just don't know that I have room for the bed and crib...  The window and doors all seem to be in the wrong spots...  Plus there is Papa's recliner.  Well now I need to get Papa's stuff out and put some plywood and sticky tiles down on the floor before I can move the crib into the little room.  It will just all take time.  Maybe the baby will start sleeping through the night and can go upstairs with the girls soon.

We have made more progress as far as the Papa situatoin.  We haven't had him home for the weekend yet.  We all had a nasty respritory virus right after cleaning out his trailor.  It lasted for more than 3 weeks.  He had broncitus at the same time.  He started feeling lots better about halfway through the month and was really trying to push us to bring him home.  I talked to him and told him that my health needs to be taken care of first.  Then we're going to just try some weekends and a few camping trips to see how things go.  Hubby has arranged that we can use a neighbor's camper.  It can be put ground level at our front door.  It has a little living area big enough for his recliner and a card table and it has a bathroom with a shower.  Hubby will have to unhook the stove.  I feel pretty good about this plan.  It will give him a place and give us some space.  I'll have to lock the house while we do school and Hubby will have to lock the buildings to keep him from rescattering everything again.  But I will be able to see him come and go from the big dining room window.  Our only other propblem is that his legs started bleeding again.  Our original deal with him was that he had to be well for a whole 30 days before we would consider bringing him home.  That was November and he just hasn't.  I know the swelling and the pnemonia are simptoms of a much bigger problem.  Either his heart or his kidneys are giving out, or both.  He wants to come home to die.  I understand and respect that.  When he gets to the point that he's terminal, if we can, I'm fine with having him here with nurses.  It's the in-between that is the problem.  He feels good enough to get himself or someone else hurt, but is still needing lots of medical attention.  We'll just have to see how his attitude is when he gets home for a weekend.  The nurses are spoiling him rotten, letting him eat icecream for supper then feeding him sandwiches at midnight and giving him his baths at 1am.  I told him that won't happen here.  We'll just see what the Lord's plan is for him. 

As far as my health.  My ultrasound and all seem to be fine and I haven't had any problems for over two weeks now.  I'm feeling good and have been active.  We'll see how the next few months go...