Show and Tell Friday...

It's been a while since I've participated
in Kelli's Show and Tell Friday,
but I thought I'd share a few thrift store finds from last week...

For quite some time I've hoped to get a lace tablecloth
for our dining room table so I was tickled to find these
at only a few dollars a piece...








This bicentennial one was an additional blessing!

I was, also, able to find a few cloth/linen tablecloths...




I was, also, looking for a couple of new tea cups
and found a set of 8 made in occupied Japan,
with dinner and dessert plates, too...





It had been a long time since I had gone "thrifting" last.
In addition to the temporal treasures we found,
the real treasure was spending the morning with our girls. ;o)

Snapshots From Our Haven at Home...

We've been keeping busy here in our home...
Sharing a few snapshots from our past few days or so...

Celebrating our eldest's 16th birthday on Friday...







Enjoying our mother/daughter birthday luncheon...


Her favorite kind of food...



Also, on Friday, I was able to put my new servant to work!
Here it is mixing the sourdough for me!
No more painful wrists! Praise the Lord!
It has been such blessing being able to purchase this!





On Saturday, the girls and I went to our local library book sale
and were able to fill a paper bag full of books!
Then we went to a local new-to-me thrift store
and found a few lovely "treasures"...
lots of sheet music, lace tablecloths and cloth napkins,
and a china set made in occupied Japan!
It had been quite some time since I had been able to
thrift shop like that. It was a lot of fun doing it with our girls,
while the boys did "guy things". ;o)

Saturday evening, we had our
annual hot dog banquet at church.
It was a nice time of food, fun, and fellowship.
Here are a few shots of the children playing a game
where one person in the middle of a circle
had to toss a mini marshmallow in team member's mouths...







Sunday was a wonderful Lord's Day in His house!
Our Sunday School class
and our services have been such a blessing!
It is a real blessing when God's Truths from His Word
are boldly taught, preached, and lived in love.

Monday we decided to take the day off from
any structured learning and focused on
cleaning, downsizing, and organizing
the younger ones two bedrooms.
It was a real chore but it was well worth it!
I was able to simplify their rooms to where it will be
more realistic and easier for them to keep them up.

One photo I liked from that day
was Beth and Carolynne sitting at the dining room table,
eating their lunch wraps and reading their cookbook...

They got the cookbook as a gift from their great-grandma
and just love looking through it!
Their discussions tickle me, too. ;o)

Monday evening, Ally and I enjoyed
playing with a hat I had found in the lil' girls room...






Tuesday we cleaned a little more
and had friends over for the day.
It was a real blessing to visit and fellowship.
They stayed for supper, too,
and I just loved seeing the older girls at the dining room table
looking at a coloring book about India...

They enjoyed a little reader book on India, as well.
You're just never too old to enjoy
simple picture books and coloring books!

I hope y'all are enjoying your week and are enjoying
those simple, little pleasures and blessings in life!




"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits,
even the God of our salvation. Selah."
~ Psalm 68:19

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes...

As requested... ;o)

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

2 lbs. cooked ground turkey
1 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS onion powder
1 (29oz) can tomato sauce
2 TBS vinegar
3 TBS mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1 medium onion, finely chopped
(and sauteed in butter)


Mix all ingredients in crockpot,
including leftover butter from the onions (Mmm!).
Add more mustard/ketchup, if desired,
to reach a taste to your liking.
Set on low for a few hours
or set on keep warm for the day, stirring occasionally.
To "stretch" for larger quantity,
add 1-2 cups of cooked brown rice.

Serve on whole wheat hamburger buns,
tortillas wraps, pasta, rice, or corn chips!

Simple Woman's Daybook...

For today... February 23, 2009


Outside my window...
the sun is shining brightly
and there's a chill in the air


I am thinking...
of what I need to do this week


I am thankful for...
Christ's church and like-minded brethren


From the learning rooms...
{same as last week}
we continue to learn about Ancient Egypt,
are beginning a new country
for geography/missions (Japan),
and we will continue with
our daily seatwork, reading aloud, etc...


From the kitchen...
coffee waits to be enjoyed
and dishes await washing.
On the menu:
M ~ wet burritos
T ~ lasagna
W ~ meat & potato casserole
Th ~ chicken stir-fry
F ~ sourdough pizza


I am wearing...
cream square neck dress with mauve floral print


I am creating...
my white regency dress to go with the finished pelisse


I am reading...
Exodus, Psalm, Matthew {KJB};
Passionate Houswives Desperate for God;
Titanic's Last Hero


I am hoping (praying)...
the Lord continues His working in the lives
of family and friends I am praying for


I am hearing...
the children flipping pages of their books
in the reading room


Around the house...
the rooms need a blessing (cleaning)
from the weekend


One of my favorite things...
being in God's house
and fellowshipping with fellow believers


A few plans for the rest of the week...
continue in our homeschool studies,
attend our midweek service at church,
make a trip to the library, try to sew a little,
and just enjoy time spent with the children
and my beloved (when he is home).


Here is picture thought I am sharing...


"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God..."
~ 1 John 4:7

Sweet 16

When a child has a birthday,
it is such a bittersweet event.
It seems, though, that some
are just a bit more bittersweet than others.
Today is like that...
For 15 years, we've watched
as our child has faced and surpassed milestones.
We've witnessed physical changes, intellectual changes,
emotional changes, and, of course, spiritual changes.
All have been such blessings.

For 15 years, we've watched our little girl
gradually leaving childhood behind
as she makes her way toward adulthood.
She's almost there.

As I see the baby, the child-likeness,
in her face becoming more woman-like,
it does something to the heart...
saying good-bye to what you've known.

But in that good-bye, there is a sweet and dear welcoming.
And somewhere along the way,
you become more...
you reach an even deeper level of motherhood...
you grow as a "cheerleader" and prayer warrior...
you become a close confidant, an influence and counselor...
you become a lifelong friend.


Happy Birthday to my daughter, my friend.
More than a mother can express in words,
I love you, Ally.

Haven Snapshots...

Though I've found it difficult to find time
to write a thorough blog post,
I wanted to share a few snapshots
from this week at our haven at home...



A real treat on Monday, when Daddy had the day off
and was able to sit in during our Proverbs time. Ü



Ally spending time with her Beloved



Pizza and painting... watercoloring maps of Egypt



Painting a salt dough map of Egypt



Intently reading



Tic tac toe



Our youngest's (Carolynne) drawing of
her watching Mama iron


Backyard Blessings this week as warmer temps arrived...





tufted titmouse



black capped chickadee



blue jay



Okay, not your average backyard bird
but it certainly caught my attention. ;o)

Hope y'all are enjoying your week!


"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits,
even the God of our salvation. Selah."
~ Psalm 86:19

Faith As a Child...

A few days ago, the younger children
were behaving in a way that required
a time of rebuke and instruction.
After dealing with them gently,
they apologized to one another
and then went off alone to ask God to forgive them, too.

Our youngest, Carolynne, came out from
where she had been praying and said,
"Mama, I prayed and asked God to forgive me
and to help me have a good attitude.
And I, also, asked Jesus to save me
because, Mama, I wasn't saved
and I know that I needed to be saved
and I don't want to go to hell either.
So I'm saved now."

I was amazed at the wisdom from our young one,
the child like faith,
and the simplicity of asking Jesus Christ to save her.
How, as she was asking forgiveness of her previous actions
and asking Him to help her have a better attitude,
realizing her lack of ability to do it herself,
at the same time, acknowledged her need for a Savior
and saw that now was the time to settle that, too!

The Lord reminded me of the simplistic, child-like faith
that we, too, need to have.
What a blessing it was as the Lord used
our 5 year old Carolynne to show me that reminder
and what a blessing and a time of rejoicing it was
that a new name was written down in Glory!

Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY... February 16, 2009


Outside my window...

the sun is brightly shining in a bright blue sky,

the crisp, cold air is only in the 30s


I am thinking...
of what our day will involve

I am thankful for...
God's perfect, preserved Word

and that It is preached in love at our church;

for the blessing of home educating our children

From the learning rooms...
we continue to learn about Ancient Egypt,

are beginning a new country

for geography/missions (Japan),

and we will continue with

our daily seatwork, reading aloud, etc...


From the kitchen...
the aroma of coffee fills the house.

On the menu:

M ~ tacos and rice

T ~ chicken alfredo/garlic bread

W ~ crockpot sloppy joes/mac & cheese

Th ~ chicken and stuffing

F ~ sourdough pizza

I am wearing...
cream square neck dress with mauve floral print


I am creating...
a white regency dress to go with the finished pelisse


I am reading...
Exodus, Psalm, Matthew {KJB};

Boyhood and Beyond;

Passionate Houswives Desperate for God


I am hoping (praying)...
the Lord continues to work in the lives

of the family and friends I am praying for


I am hearing...
Daddy, Ally, and Will have a conversation

at the dining room table (Daddy has the day off) Ü


Around the house...
a little home blessing (cleaning) is needed from the weekend


One of my favorite things...
spending quality time with my family


A few plans for the rest of the week...
continue in our homeschool studies,

go to piano lessons that Ally teaches,

attend our midweek service at church,

go to our homeschool group park day,

take Ally out to Red Lobster for her 16th birthday,

and celebrate her birthday at home.


Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Deuteronomy 6:7

What a blessing to answer the call!

Happy Valentine's Day

May we learn to love as HE loves

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind;
charity envieth not;
charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own,
is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth:"
~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a


A few "lovely" posts from the past:


ABC's of Loving Our Children



ABC's of Being a Help Meet



Nurturing Our Marriages





"...let us not love in word, neither in tongue;
but in deed and in truth."
~ 1 John 3:18

Seaside Snapshots...

I do not have much time to write today
but wanted to share some snapshots
from our visit to the ocean yesterday
(there are quite a few... sorry...
and they are in no, particular order).
Hope y'all are enjoying your day!













{tasting the salt air}












{a few possible shots for Ally's upcoming senior photos}

















Ready, set, go...




































"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
and his greatness is unsearchable."
~ Psalm 145:3

Quick Pics from Our China Study...

Though our study on China has ended,
I wanted to share a few quick pics
that I had not, yet, shared from our study.

Here the lil' girls were doing Chinese numeral copywork...





(copywork pages found at enchantedlearning.com)

Will read Count Your Way Through China
after finishing his Chinese numerals copywork...



On Friday, we wrapped up our China study
by having a Chinese food art lunch
with chopsticks, traditional Chinese music, and friends...
I shared a photo of the children gathered on the floor
during this lunch in my previous post
but I wanted to share these photos below, as well...


Learning to use chopsticks...








Their own creative Chinese food art...


Carolynne's (age 5)



Beth's (age 6)



Will's (age 10)

It was such a blessing to study China.
It was a blessing for the children and I to spend the week
in prayer for a missionary family currently in China.
It was a blessing, too, to learn about missionaries of the past
that served God in that country...
to see their example of courage, faithfulness, love,
and resolve to serve, honor, and obey Jesus Christ
with their lives and, many times, at all cost.
Those are the "heroes", the examples, our children need.
They're the ones I need, too.
And the example I know I need to set. May the Lord help me.
Thank you, Lord, for the examples of faithfulness
You have set before us, in others and of Yourself.
May we learn to be more like Thee.


"Brethren, be followers together of me,
and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample."
~ Philippians 3:17

"For even hereunto were ye called:
because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, ye should follow his steps:"
~ 1 Peter 2:21

Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY... February 9, 2009


Outside my window...
the sun is brightly shining...
warmer temps are forecasted (60s!)


I am thinking...
"to stay at home is best" ~ Longfellow


I am thankful for...
the Lord's Day! I just love being in His house
with His people, hearing His Truths!


From the learning rooms...
continuing with consistency in Bible reading (Proverbs study),
beginning Ancient Egypt in History,
studying South Korea for geography/missions,
and learning our other, unnamed subjects. ;o)


From the kitchen...
it needs a little blessing from the weekend
but I was able to clean the top of the fridge
(a sorely neglected surface)
On the fridge menu:
M ~ wet burritos
T ~ stuffed shells/garlic bread
W ~ ground turkey, rice, and green bean casserole
Th ~ italian chicken
F ~ sourdough pizza


I am wearing...
tan regency gown


I am creating...
the regency pelisse I began a couple of weeks ago


I am reading...
Exodus, Psalm, and Matthew {KJB},
Boyhood and Beyond, and Never Alone by John R. Rice


I am hoping ...
the Bosch mixer I was able to order (!) arrives soon Ü


I am hearing...
the heater blowing and sounds of breathing from the monitors,
as everyone is still sleeping in


Around the house...
all is pretty well, after blessing the home over the weekend,
but touch-ups are needed


One of my favorite things...
singing praises to the Lord


A few plans for the rest of the week...
enjoy being at home most of the week,
with the exception of getting out for piano that Ally teaches
and our midweek service at church;
plan to focus on our home learning
and, if the weather is nice, perhaps we'll go to the beach. ;o)


Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Wrapping up our study of China, the children enjoyed
Chinese food art with friends.


"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits,
even the God of our salvation. Selah."
~ Psalm 68:19

Our Haven at Home Happenings...

We've had a busy beginning of our week
and it has been a blessing!

Monday we went to Ally's rheumatologist appointment
and went to get more blood work done.
Afterwards, we went home, eager to begin our learning.

After our Proverbs time, Ally, Will, Suzie, and I
sat at the table to read our last chapter of Adam and His Kin...



Then Ally retired to her room to work on her seatwork
while the younger ones and I worked at the dining room table.
A beautiful mess...


We began studying and reading books about China,
began praying for a missionary family in that country,
read Story About Ping, did some illustrations,
read Genesis 48 in History, did a picture study
on Rembrandt's Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph,
read other miscellaneous books and some seatwork...


Will working on his Story About Ping Illustration



Carolynne working in her Language Lessons for Little Ones



Beth working in her Language Lessons for Little Ones 2


Tuesday, we enjoyed blessing our home
and learning together in the morning
before we went out of the house to piano lessons.
Ally worked in the kitchen and made lunch, too...



The lil' girls enjoyed vacuuming together...


Will picked up and put things away but he escaped the camera.
We did our Proverbs study together, finished term 1 in History,
and did more miscellaneous reading and seatwork.

Later in the day,
we went out to piano lessons that Ally teaches...


She is becoming a loving, patient, firm but gentle teacher
and it is a blessing to see her learning how to teach.

Meanwhile, the rest of us fellowshipped out-of-doors...


The lil' girls enjoyed the swings.
(notice how Beth is missing a new tooth? Ah, bittersweet!)


Will enjoyed playing actively with a friend.
Boys will be boys. ;o)


We were thankful to stay home during the day on Wednesday.
We focused and spent much time learning together.
We did our Proverbs study together then illustrated
as Ally worked in her Wisdom for Life notebook.
Then Ally went to focus on her academics
as the children and I worked together.
We spent a lot of the day focusing on China
and reading aloud from our Sofa books this week.
We were able to read Tikki Tikki Tembo on the couch,
then did illustrations about the story.
We, also, read about Gladys Aylward, missionary to China.
We learned about different Chinese foods and about pandas.
In addition, we enjoyed listening to tradtitional Chinese music.
We, also, worked together doing miscellaneous seatwork.


This photo was in the morning, after Proverbs time.
Ally was working in her Wisdom for Life notebook
while Will was helping Carolynne with a picture study
in her Language Lessons for Little Ones.

Meanwhile, Beth was working in her Language Lessons, too...


Yes, we do sometimes homeschool in our jammies. ;o)

Suzie, too, wanted to homeschool...
but she just wasn't getting it by osmosis...

She tries. ;o)


Later in the day...


Will read a biography about Hudson Taylor,
missionary to China

The lil' girls enjoyed doing some math printouts...




Late in the afternoon, Will read aloud to the lil' girls...

but Ally was listening in, too, from the kitchen.
She enjoyed Will's animation as he read
about the three little pigs.

Wednesday evening it was a blessing to be in church.
We were rejoicing how the Lord provided a new pulpit, too!
Pastor was in Romans 12, focusing on verse 9...
" Let love be without dissimulation. "
Love without hypocrisy, without being fake,
but instead, having love that is real, genuine.
It was a blessing to hear!

This morning I had a dentist appointment
and then enjoyed a lovely lunch date with my beloved
(with special thanks to our eldest, Ally *Ü*).
We hope to spend a small amount of time this afternoon
reading aloud and learning together.
Tomorrow we have our homeschool group park day
and then friends over for fellowship.
It will be a busy day and, likely, a busy weekend.

Before I go,
I wanted to share a few illustrations from this week...
{click to enlarge to see more detail}

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
and the man that getteth understanding."
Illustration depicts a man with a magnifying glass in one hand
and God's Word in the other. Speech bubble says,
"I found It! And I'm getting understanding as I read It! I'm SO happy!"



"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Let them not depart from thine eyes;
keep them in the midst of thine heart."
Illustration depicts a young man with God's Word in his hands,
in front of his eyes,and hidden in his heart.



Illustrations from Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack
Left two photos depict when Ping was caught
and trapped under a basket.
Right photo depicts Ping hiding in the bushes
and a character Scripture verse:
"...but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently,
this is acceptable with God" ~ 1 Peter 2:20b


Have a lovely rest of the week!

From the Sofa: China

Read alouds this week, as we study China.

Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY... February 2, 2009


Outside my window...
the sky is a bright blue as the sun continues to rise
and there is a chill in the air


I am thinking...
about what it must have been like
to see God part the Red Sea
(read it during my quiet time this morning)


I am thankful for...
God's perfect, preserved Word,
for the body of believers, and for answered prayer.


From the learning rooms...
continuing with Proverbs study,
beginning our Ancient Egypt study,
studying the country of China
while praying for a specific missionary there,
and continuing with other learning


From the kitchen...
a blessing is needed from the weekend


I am wearing...
cream square neck dress with mauve floral print
and burgundy shirt jacket


I am creating...
the finishing touches on my regency pelisse


I am reading...
Exodus, Psalm, and Matthew {KJB},
Boyhood and Beyond, and Never Alone by John R. Rice


I am hoping (praying)...
for family and friends spiritual needs


I am hearing...
Will playing Rush Hour at the table,
my beloved flipping pages as he reads his Bible,
the heater blowing, and noises from the monitor


Around the house...
a home blessing is needed
as we get 'in gear' for our week


One of my favorite things...
being in God's house with like-minded believers


A few plans for the rest of the week:
follow-up rheumatologist appointment for Ally,
piano lessons that she teaches, midweek service,
dentist appointment, homeschool park day,
work on consistency in our homeschool day,
enjoy the family the Lord has blessed me with


Here is picture thought I am sharing...


"...to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children..."
~ Luke 1:17

It blesses my heart to see father and son tying heart strings.

Have a lovely week!