Monday, February 28, 2011

Happy Homemaker Monday



The weather in my neck of the woods:
The high today is 38, but I'm realllllly hoping Spring is just around the corner! :)


Things that make me happy:
Zumba!  Happy kids! :)


Book I'm reading:
Same Life, New Story.  It's a 10 week Bible Study for women.  I'll be blogging about it soon.


What's on my TV today:
Nothing today, but it's only 6 days until the only TV show I watch comes back on!!! Army Wives!  :D :D :D


On the menu for dinner:
Whatever the hubs decides.  I am off duty today! :D



On my To Do List:

Schooling
Dishes
Grocery List
Relax


New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I want to try a billion new ones.  Hopefully this week I'll be trying a few new ones from Pioneer Woman. :)



In the craft basket:
 I need to sew a few pouches and some more doll clothes for KK.


Looking forward to this week:
Going to the Science museum tomorrow and going to do learning centers with another homeschool family on Friday.


Tips and Tricks:
You don't need fancy cleaners most times, just a little patience and some elbow grease.  Bones spilled jelly on the counter and didn't tell me.  I just sprayed a little water on it, set a rag on top of it and let it sit for a few minutes then scrub it up.  No biggie!  :)




My favorite blog post this week:
None really.


Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
None this week. Sorry!


No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):


This isn't recent, but it's one I found recently...and I love it. :)





Lesson learned the past few days:

That I am truly exactly where I am supposed to be for this season of my life.  :)  No doubt about it.


On my mind:
Still the unrest in the Middle East.  I am so scared for Israel...praying constantly.  At least we have the assurance that God will take care of Her! :)


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
So many people miss out on all that God has for them because of guilt & condemnation. He pours out His blessing on us not because of what we do, but because of who He is. His blessings are based on His goodness, not ours. Open your heart and get ready because He is pouring out His goodness upon you, one blessing after another! "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another" John 1:16

Sunday, February 27, 2011

My Dresser

Recently, my husband got me a new (to me) dresser.  I was able to pass my great grandmother's dresser onto my daughter (and have a LOT more room for my clothes).  In the dresser The Hubs got me, the bottoms of the drawers are covered in old newsprint.  There are ads for really nice men's watches for $12, Chevrolet cars with Whitewall tires, ads for meat (that actually is incredibly expensive by today's standards-thank you gov't subsidies  :/ ), ads for dresses and dressmaking patterns...it's lovely!  Mixed in with all these ads are old news-stories, and ad space purchased by companies.

One of my favorite news stories is talking about how 'People Refuse to Play Nosy Neighbor When the Indiana Welfare Rolls Opened'.  It talks about how so many people were illegally getting on the rolls and nobody was paying attention.  About how if this was kept up, someday the rolls were going to be severely overflowing and the government was going to be in huge amounts of debt because of this, (sound familiar?) that there was no way to cover the costs of all these programs without ensuring that only the truly needy were enrolling.  Hmmm...look at where we are today.


My absolute favorite thing in all the drawers of the dresser though, is a square of space purchased by Louisiana Pacific.  Here is what is said in this small space, forever imprinted under my t-shirts:

         Okay America, On Your Feet
For too long we've been waiting for others to solve our problems.  City Hall. The State House. Uncle Sam. The Government. But somehow the problems just keep getting bigger. Things don't work. We're immobilized by partisanship and petty politics. Worst of all, we're beginning to doubt ourselves.  Maybe Yankee Doodle isn't so dandy anymore.  There's a gnawing feeling that the good old days may be gone forever. And we wait. And feel helpless. And grow depressed.

Well, it's time we stopped fretting about America and started doing something about America. Each one of us. Right where we live. Starting today. This minute. And that's where YOU come in. Do something positive in your own neighborhood. Make your home and yard a place to be proud of. Encourage your neighbor to do the same. Lend a hand. Encourage the young. Reach out to the disadvantaged. Take control of the things you can control.

If you're concerned about the course America is taking, don't take it lying down. Take part. Prove that one man can make a difference. You'll be amazed at how others will follow. A better America depends on better Americans. Together we can turn things around. Yes we can!




This morning at church, the Pastor said something that intrigued me.  Something I'd never considered before, but that should have been glaringly obvious.  As Christians, we KNOW that if we're believers in God, if we do good in His eyes, if we follow His teachings in His Word, if we give to Him -- He returns the favor!  He blesses us beyond reason!  The poverty level in America is somewhere near 14%.  America is increasingly turning her back on the teachings of God.  If (the majority) of America is not giving thanks where it belongs, if we're not doing what we ought to do -- then why SHOULD He bless us? 

On that note, what are YOU doing to help others in need?  I do NOT believe in Socialism/Communism whatever... I believe if you're not willing to put in the work then you don't reap the benefits. Don't work = don't eat.  However, I think that as Christians we have a duty to help others.  To build them up and help them out until they can get on their feet.  Not to do FOR them, that becomes a vicious cycle...  But to pray over them, to build them up, to encourage them. 

Welfare and programs like it are truly the downfall of our society.  Why would anyone WANT to work for themselves when they make more from a Welfare check/foodstamps/healthcare?  What have these programs done to build people up?  To show them the pride you get from a day's wages?  To know that YOU put in the work and you EARNED every cent that is given to you for it?  We're teaching people that they're incapable of fending for themselves and their families.  Whatever happened to "teaching  man to fish", rather than just giving him everything?  Why should men stay to help raise the children they helped bring into the world?  The State can probably provide for them better than he can, right? :/  This leads to the breakdown of the family system in America. 

No family system.  No God. Wefare rolls overflowing.  Debt beyond control. 

What are YOU doing to help America???  Me? I'm praying.  I'm trying hard to encourage others.  America CAN be great again...the Good Old Days don't have to be over -- but only we can do something about it.


(I know this post went in a thousand different directions, and I know that not everyone will agree with me...but this is who I am.  I am passionate about my God, America and I LOVE politics.)

Friday, February 11, 2011

Stylish Blogger Award

Woo Hoo!  :)  I received my first Blogger award today!  Lisa over at Life's Sweet Ingredients chose me as one of the recipients.  This is my first award so it's doubly cool for me.  :D

Lisa, I love your blog!  :)  Thanks for picking me to receive this award!





There are 4 duties to perform to accept the award:
  1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award. (CHECK!)
  2. Share 7 things about yourself. (CHECK!)
  3. Award 10 recently discovered great bloggers. (CHECK!)
  4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award. (CHECK!)
 7 Things About Me:
  1. I am from a teeny tiny town in NE Oklahoma.  My graduating class was maybe 60 people.
  2. I only talk to like 3 people I went to school with (and one is my husband).
  3. When I was younger I wanted nothing more than to be an attorney.
  4. Some days I wish The Hubs could get out of the Air Force right this minute so we could move to OK and buy up some land, build a house and start our farm.
  5. Most days I'm thankful that The Hubs is in the Air Force, because really?  How would we survive on the economy right now?
  6. I was/am a teenage mother.  I considered an abortion.  The only other person that knows that (until now) is The Hubs.  He refused to take me, and now I"m so glad he didn't.
  7. The hubs and I are feeling a strong pull to adopt (a calling, if you will).  Not right now, but we KNOW that this is part of God's plan for us.  We sort of always have.  We know that He will let us know when the time is right.  We know He will show us the child.  It's just a matter of His timing.  :)
And last but not least, award 10 great bloggers (that you have recently discovered) with the Stylish Blogger Award.

Here they are…
  1. Jems from Jenny
  2. Jeub Family
  3. Garden Now, Think Later
  4. Delightful Learning
  5. Pink Cookies with Sprinkles
  6. Homemaking on the Homestead
  7. Housewife and Homeschool
  8. 3 Men and a Lady
  9. Forever Changing Thru Christ
  10. Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Unfortunately, I can't list everyone here but there are a TON of fabulous bloggers out there! 

Congratulations everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Cold and snowy.  Again.  :)  I really truly enjoy the snow.


Things that make me happy:
cupcakes.  yum


Book I'm reading:
None at the moment, but I'm about to start a 10 week Bible Study book, and am really looking forward to it.


What's on my TV today:
Nothing here...


On the menu for dinner:
I forgot to take the meat out, so who knows...lol


On my To Do List:

Schooling
Dishes
Finish up a few preschool projects for Miss KK


New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Will be trying something new this week.  :)



In the craft basket:
Nothing at the moment...life's been crazy


Looking forward to this week:
More snow! 


Tips and Tricks:
Forgot to eat an orange?  whoops... instead of throwing it away, toss it into the disposal and flip the switch.  Not only will your kitchen be filled with a yummy citrus-y scent, but the citrus will clean and degrease your disposal blades.  :)



My favorite blog post this week:
A post from Sandra about her homeschool day.


Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
none this week



No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

No pics uploaded this week, sorry



Lesson learned the past few days:

That I really can just guide Bones in his learning.  He seems to learn best when he figures it out on his own.  Might need a bit of prodding at times, but he is SMART!


On my mind:
Israel and the unrest in Egypt.  Lots of friends going through lots of hard times.


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Diligence vs. Slothfulness  Visualize each task as a special assignment from the Lord and use all your energies to accomplish it.  Follows along the lines of Colossians 3:23,24 {Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.}