Thankful on Paper

Last year for Thanksgiving I made these.....

They were a hit..everyone filled in the blanks with something they were thankful for! My mother in law kept them..and told me to do them again this year to see how our lives change from year to year. Feel free to steal the idea..it's a good one!

But this year..i plan on going one extra mile...

with Thankful on Paper.

I initially found this over At No.17 Cherry Tree Lane so I will take a excerpt from her blog on how this all works.

*The 4 Wednesdays (beginning on Nov 3rd), leading up to Thanksgiving, I'm going to write one person and tell them I am thankful for them and why. I will send it to them them that day (or drop it off at their house) and hopefully express to them how much I care for them and how grateful I am that they are in my life. I would love you to do the same.

*The 4 Thursdays (beginning on Nov 4th), leading up to Thanksgiving, I will write a simple blog post about who I wrote to and why. On those Thursdays, I would love for you to join me and write a post. I will link to each of your blogs on that Thursday so that others can visit your site and be inspired. (I am potentially going to do a LINKY, but might just do it myself as well, not sure). If the person is someone you would like to keep private, that is also fine. You can opt out that week or write a general post keeping it private, but sharing some sentiment of Thankfulness.


*It's as easy as that!

Not that hard..right?

I won't be doing a linky...unless I get a request too..i am just going to link up at Cherry Tree...I would love to see who you write to though!!

I know how much I cherish when my mom or someone finds something of my grandma's that she had written..I love seeing her writing..knowing that she sat down to take the time to write that. It is priceless...so whoever you pick to write you..will cherish it!

I know it has been said a million times..that we have so much social media out here now...that we forget to actually "talk" to people...to take people to lunch...to go out for drinks...remember ice cream socials?

now it is all texting or emails...

so take some time this Thanksgiving to tell the ones that you cherish that you love them..you are thankful for them..they will feel blessed..you will feel blessed..and maybe..just maybe..it could be one step into making this world a little better place!! :)

Post it and FlyLady

Today according to Flylady...which if you haven't heard of..i would so reccommend going to check out her website...www.flylady.net

it is kinda confusing at first..but when you get down your routine...it so so so helps!

it has helped me out alot..right now you cant' tell because my house is a disaster because of all the new flooring...but i am getting back on track!

Today was Pamper  Yourself Day!

another reason to love FlyLady!

Today i read my book...i took some time to just sit and watch tv..i watched the Sister Wives..i love that dang show! can't help it..it is like a train wreck...can't stop!!

and right now i am looking for something sweet to eat..and having no luck!

what did you do for YOU today??

We are also starting the Holiday Missions to help get ourselves and our houses ready for holidays..

Today it was start a notebook of gift lists, family clothing sizes, etc..anything you need to remember during those busy times.

Tomorrow...it is find all your wrapping paper and tags...and put them in one central location.

Multitude Monday

Holy Experience by Ann Voksamp is one of the most timeless...peaceful...and simple blogs i have read in a long time!
i love it!
She gives such inspiring words ...comforting words...words that make you stop what your doing and take a good look into your own house...

today she did just that to me..

having a two year old isn't easy...for anyone..
everytime i tell anyone i have a two year old..the response is always "Oh..I remember those days"...or something similar.

I know exactly what they are talking about...but Ann encourages you today in her blog post to take those "oh" moments and thank God for them!

Some pretty precious moments happen during those 3am feedings when it is just you and baby...no tv..no radio..no computer...just a soft light...a singing momma..and a cooing baby!

how precious! what a precious gift...gift!...that God has chosen you to have!

For my multitude Monday i want to start off with thanking God for:
those quiet times with Lyla
the exciting firsts of everything
a comfy rocking chair that we still use today to rock to sleep and sing
a soft lamp light
nature sounds
antique shops for mother and daughter bonding time
moms and dads (even stepdads)
working men that love
lavendar
wood floors to hear the pitter patter of little feet

Slow Down Sunday

so today i am really now slowing down either...

my mom and step dad are coming over to finish laying the rest of my flooring and all the border that goes around it.

So that way i can have MY house back....back to normal!

the past few days have been crazy! and disorganized!

i don't know which laundry is clean or dirty..so i have alot of laundry to do

there is dust everwhere from cutting all those boards..

everything is out of place..

but

i got new floors

which we needed

and i LOVE!

so I thank God!

let me know how you are slowing down this sunday ...

The history of the apron

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.





The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.



It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.



From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.



When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.





And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.



Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.



Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.





From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.





After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.





In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.





When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.



When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folks knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.



It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.













Can we bring these days back? I’m going to give it the all American try! I want to set my home-made gluten free apple pie on the window sill to cool, not take it out of the freezer to thaw. I have a desire to learn how to make my own curtains. I’m proud that my hand knitted dish cloth hangs on the kitchen sink. I want to make a happy pretty home for my husband. These are my goals, goals of a free-thinking, empowered woman.

Slow Down Sunday

Well..i had really planned on starting my own meme called Slow Down Sunday.
Where i wanted to hear everyone's stories and maybe encourage some families to take some time out of the busy day to day life and slow down to hang with family..or friends..or just yourself!

This is week one..and i hope it catches on..because we all know that we get caught up sometimes and forget to slow down.

but..my week one..

wasn't very slow...
after church today i get a text message from my mom..that said "we will be over in a couple hours..we are ripping out all your carpet and getting your laminate flooring!"

what?

like..now?

awesome..so i got to work on emptying out rooms...we are doing the scrapbooking room and our master bedroom!

my sunday was still spent with family..and we enjoyed every minute of it...but it was a busy one!

Here is the work done so far.....

awesome ..isnt' it?

now i have to pick out paint colors?

any ideas..suggestions?

please!

color themes...show me pictures of your scrap room....

i need inspiration!

Link up ...show me your stuff...tell me how you slowed down on Sunday and enjoyed your day!

I am a bloggy recruiter!!

So last night while my cousin and I were having our weekly Friday craft night..where we don't craft and just sit at the table and gossip or get on the computer and listen to old music videos while the kids dance in the background....

I was selling the bloggy world to her..i think everyone should have a blog...

it is a great place to vent..to meet people...to find out answers to your questions...get encouragement...

if everyone had a blog I think we would all know just a little bit more about each other..and we wouldn't have to facade to hide behind!

all of us moms know we aren't perfect.....we all know that we aren't rich enough to buy ourselves a Coke swimming in money....and sometimes everyone's husband has MAN PMS...that's life...

So my cousin finally decided to jump in the blogoshpere and give it a try..

so go offer some encouragement..and help get her started!!

My Crazy Hectic Little World

Saturday Song of the Week

ok..i am going to admit it right now..

i am a donkey!

there it is ..it is out!

I will write later how I became a donkey...

but for right now..while husband and baby girl is watching Mickey Mouse...I have a few minutes to post my Saturday Song of the week.

My fellow donkey..yes I have fellow donkeys...
Le Cirque de Moi is starting her own meme...posting different songs that you like on Saturday..and I love music...I believe music can get you through alot of things..I think music is very important...it can help a child learn...it can do many things..our world would be boring without music...so i am excited to post a different song that fits my mood every Saturday!!

This Saturday is "Love the way you Lie"
it is kinda vulgar ...so take caution watching the video

but with this month being Stop Domestic Violence Month...i think it would be appropriate

***please note that i don't condone..the language or any kind of act in this music video

I am a woman..hear me Roar!

I have come to the harsh realization that ....when things break around here...I need to learn how to fix it. Since my husband's job sees him more than I do...I am skating on the brink of single motherhood...and let me tell you..it is NOT fun.  I have a new found respect for all the single mothers out there...you should get some kind of free pampering day to yourself!

I will call my congressman about that!

Nothing major has broke around our house...besides the water pipe in Lyla's room..and our air conditioner...and our car maintenance man telling us that our car could explode at any minute...so I'm not worried...

but today when I flushed the guest bathroom toilet....i don't know why i use the guest bathroom...i just do...guest bathrooms need love too!....anyway...water was seeping out from underneath it.

What do i do?

I stand there and watch it...like I can use my supermommy powers to stop the water from seeping out and dry up my floor

well..while i was standing there watching the toilet....I had come to the realization...that I need to learn how to be handy!

How hard can it be?

First I need to go shopping...right? yes!

Everything should start with shopping!

I need a few things to fill up a tool box and according to a few websites (at the bottom of the post) I was surfing around on..here is the list of stuff i will need to shop for:

a battery powered screwdriver or drill
a utility knife
a caulking gun
a hammer
duct tape
electical tape
teflon tape
scissors
picture hangers
wall anchors
thin wire
nails/screws
and of course a tool box

and if i could get this all in pink..that would be wonderful!!!

I think with all those supplies I could fix just about anything....

I'm ready to be handy!

Here are a few websites i was looking around at today:
Ron Hazelton
DIY or NOT



Have a good night!

John Grisham give a way!

If your reading this on facebook you should have already seen my posts ....but I wanted to write a post to let everyone of my bloggy readers know that ...

at A Peek At Karen's World is giving away a John Grisham book.

if you haven't read a John Grisham book..you need to...and there isn't one particular one that i would point you to..because all of them are good! Bleachers is a short one that is good ..so that might be a good starter to see if you like his writing ..but i am sure you will! He is an amazing author!

so hop on over to A Peek at Karen's World and enter the give away!

Don't like laundry...have your kids do it!!!

Laundry is a household duty that most every mom dreads but it can be a great way to practice early science concepts for kids!

I love love love when the new Scholastic Parent and Child magazine comes out...they have such good ideas and articles..i love to read it!
This is one article in there..

1. Sort
start your laundry by sorting it all out - darks, brights, whites, towels, jeans  ***or if your my husband - darks and lights***
This is a great way to learn to sort...no matter what age of child...and also learn color groups! After the laundry is all sorted...
Search for stains!  When you find a stain..talk about it. I know sounds wierd..but it gets their memory going...recalling what happened...how did that stain get there?

2. Load
once the laundry has been sorted and treated for stains...have your child load the washer ...read the measuring instructions on the detergent...let your child pour it and measure it

3. Wash
include your child in selecting the right wash cycle...talk about the cycle the washer goes through to wash all the clothes...you can also add other cycles..life cycles of the frog, butterfly...rain evaporation...

4. Dry
observe the changes of the clothes from washer to when they get out of the dryer..where did the water go..how did the dryer dry your clothes? Talk about the heat.

5. Fold
kids love to fold and sort clean laundry. have them match socks, organize clothes by family member, by size, color, item (shirts,jeans)...have the little ones smell the laundry and make sure it smells good and clean

Don't forget to give a big hug and a big thank you for helping with an important household chore...
and maybe..you just got a load of laundry done for the day!


Next....we gotta get them kids cooking!!!

Domestic Violence ... Never Again

I was blog hopping around...and came across this one ....i have never seen it before...but what a wonderful poem it had on there...i urge you to go read it.

October is not only the month of Breast Cancer Awareness..which is really close to my heart because my grandma was taken from me at the age of 52 because of breast cancer...and you really don't know how YOUNG that is until you grow up...so there is another post coming with breast cancer information...but October is also the month of Domestic Violence.

I know a few girls that have been a victim of Domestic Violence..and I know that it is hard to go through. I am a believer that love is blind. When you really love someone..you can't see reality..you can't see what is wrong and right. You just feel like you are always wrong...and somehow if you would quit making your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend mad..then they would quit being mean to you..
but i am here to tell you..that it is not your fault!

If your relationship is abusive...physically, mentally, emotionally...you can get out..and it will get better.

The one thing that I think gets overlooked is that Domestic Violence isn't always against women. In 100 domestic violence situations approximately 40 cases involve violence by women against men. An estimated 400,000 women per year are abused or treated violently in the United States by their spouse or intimate partner. This means that roughly 300,000 to 400,000 men are treated violently by their wife or girl friend.




For more information see http://www.dvmen.org/

So in all cases...domestic violence should stop...

and stepping out of the normal shell for a minute...if you read your Bible ..you have obviously read the things that our God can do. He created this world...he can destroy it. He has before with a flood....we all need to get our act together...or I hate to say it..but when our God comes back..it ain't gonna be pretty. Our God is a God of love...but he is also a God of judgement....some I think forget that.

Put yourself in his shoes for just a moment..you create this wonderful masterpiece of Earth...you create the people..and everything in it...you give them LIFE...and now some of the very people you breathed life into turn thier backs on you...hating each other...hitting each other.....disgracing your Name....

I would be utterly ticked off!

and I pray that I am good and gone ...rejoicing and singing HOLY HOLY when his wrath takes place.


Now i want to take a minute and have everyone think about the little things they are thankful for...not the big things..those count too....like your job, family, house....but the little things...like my magazine subscription...dr pepper...etc.

can you get to 1000?
1000 things you are thankful for....
I have actually tried this before..but never finished it..and I think with this being an awareness month ...it would be a good time to try again..and even if you don't finish..it is nice to look back at all the little things that really matter that you might not otherwise notice.

1. dr pepper
2. magazine subscriptions
3. chairs with padding
4. quick supper ideas
5. preschools that you trust
6. hand sanitizer
7. ponytail holders
8. a good pair of comfy PJ pants!
9. the automatic shut off on my flat iron
10. the warm setting on my stove




 

Halloween already?

Lyla and I went out today and visited family that we don't get around to see very often. I love visiting family. You get to get out of the house..but still can be yourself..and of course Lyla always puts on a show! Plus you get to hear drama...good drama! :)

But as I was driving around..I seen everyone already had up Halloween decorations outside!

I don't!

Am I late?

I got get going!!!

so i am off to blog hop around to find Halloween decor and get his ball rolling...

I also got to start BOOing people...Halloween is coming faster than I thought!!!

OMG!

A visit to Papa David's house

Tonight we went to my dad's house...papa david to Lyla....
we always have such a great time over there..
I love talking to my dad....and Lyla loves how funny he is. She laughs the whole time we are there.
And where my dad lives is one of those old timey towns...it has about 200 people in the whole town...everyone knows everyone...
the tornado siren goes off when the store gets bait stocked....kidding
you know what i'm talking about..
so at dad's house every weekend..all the guys (and gals) come down and they all play horse shoes.
everyone gets along...i love it.
i love the feel of family eventhough no one is related!
I love that lyla gets to experience that...and i know that it will be a memory of hers when she gets older.

i remember running into my papa damon's house (my dad's dad) and going straight to the kitchen to the table and to the cookie jar to get two (one for each hand) cookies!
I also remember he always had a lucky horseshoe above his shop door.

how ironic. huh?

i have memories that are burned into my brain...and i love them..i cherish them!
i want lyla to have the same!

I cherish the times i have with my dad.
I cherish seeing him act crazy with Lyla and watching her laugh until she is out of breath.

I love it.