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!