Dandelions and Daydreams

Mopping the floors is great meditation.  Especially when, as I am mopping I notice the beautiful wood grain of the 97 year old fir floors underneath the mop head.  And as I mop I begin to imagine how beautiful the floor will be when we finally get to refinish them.  Of course we won’t be [...]

Don’t go driving just because (saves both in gas and in wear and tear on the car)
Stay out of thrift stores and yard sales unless you have a shopping list (don’t buy anything unless it is on your list)
Don’t eat out on trips, pack a lunch and find a park
Make or buy freezer meals for [...]

I made this for dinner last night.  Fairly quick and easy (especially since I used canned tomatoes and canned corn).  It came out delicious.   This probably has 4-6 servings.  If you wanted to make more, you could probably add another can of beans and some cooked rice.  Cheap and healthy too.
1 c chopped onions
1 T [...]

If I’m ever going to become a writer, I will have to accept that someone else’s formula for writing won’t work for me.  I have to be myself because I am unique, and I want to write in hopes that there is someone else in the world just a little bit like me.

when you turn to your husband and say, “Ba”  and without missing a beat he answers back, “Ba…ba…ba…”
In just a few months we will graduate to single word sentences.

“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” – Karen Lamb

Growing up, my parents had an Ecuadorian poncho that my Dad had picked up when he served for a summer as a Wycliff missionary in Quito, Ecuador.  The poncho was about the size of a twin bed blanket.  It was green, yellow and blue striped with the colors you can only find in South America.  [...]

I believe I do love Jesus, but most of the time I’d rather spend time being entertained than spend time in God’s word. How do I break this hold that entertainment has on my heart?
That’s a very good question. And I think it’s especially relevant because we live, I think, more now than ever, in [...]

Whenever I go out garage sale shopping, I’m always afraid of a sale where there are no other shoppers.  I’m afraid that I will get out of the car and start rummaging through the stuff only to have the owner start shouting at me, “What are you doing here?  What do you think this is…a [...]

Twenty-six years old and I am dead.  My heart still beats.  I still breathe in Oxygen and expire Carbon Dioxide.  All my vital functions are strong, but I know that it is a facade.
My spirit is flat.
I approach my dreams with equal doses of conceit and self-doubt.  My villans do battle on my shoulder–the screaming [...]

For whatever reason, I have trouble doing things slow and gradual.  When I set my mind to do something, I want it all done RIGHTNOW!  (and yes, that really is said/ spelled with no spaces in it.  I don’t have time for spaces in rightnow).  in nature, slow and steady is the norm.  It takes [...]

see more Lolcats and funny pictures
This week, I realized something about Wiggles that made my stomach turn flipflops and my heart pound inside my chest–he could start crawling any day  now.  Oh how my life will change when that happens.  I will spend my days trying to stay one step ahead of him, I will [...]

When he was brand new and we had just brougt him home, I kept watching him sleep and thinking, “Oh, I just wish he would wake up for a while!”
Just a few months later, I watch him and thing, “Oh, I just wish he would go to sleep for a while.”

I went to Walmart and bought everything for myself…
…and nothing for the baby.

Jesse is my big brother by three years…exactly…to the day, I mean.  When we were little, we were best friends.  We always played together.  He would have tea parties with me, and I would play Swamp Rats with him.  We had two monster truck toys with Swamp Rat decals on the hoods.  My parents were [...]

Do mothers always feel this same overwhelming love for their children? Does the love keep washing over you when he is 24 years old the same way it did when he was 24 hours old?  Will my heart leap with delight every time I see him the same way it did when I held him [...]

When I was young, we lived in a big old house with a big front porch and windows that always seemed to face the sunlight.
My bedroom had lace curtains and a balcony.
My dad would take me out on the balcony and sing me to sleep:
“God made the stars in the sky,
God made the moon way [...]

The key to buying a fixer upper home is having vision–to see beyond the boxed in front porch and the kitchen and bathroom that got “Modernized” in the 1950’s (WHY OH WHY couldn’t they have left the clawfoot tub?) To wonder what kind of wood the trim is under umpteen layers of paint. [...]

As I stepped out the door, I was hit by the sun filtering through the clouds and a humidity that I was more accustomed to when living in the South. For a moment, the highway beside the trail cleared and in the brief quiet from road noise, I was surrounded by the soft croaking [...]

I think we all need a best friend in the bathroom mirror.  The kind of friend who always makes you laugh.

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn’t even touch college tuition.
But $160,140.00 isn’t so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* [...]

….Please God, Help me find the pacifier!

Our last day in California was spent at the San Diego Zoo–world famous for its animal breeding program.  By random chance, dumb luck, and a little favor from God, we got to see the results of the famous animal breeding program.
On Friday, March 6, Frank, a western lowland gorilla was introduced to the public for [...]

Normally, we never would have considered going to the San Diego Natural History Museum–too much “evolution is a fact” for my liking–but while we were vegging out on TV in the hotel, I saw a commercial for the Body Worlds Exhibit.  Body Worlds is the show  where the anatomist, Gunther Von Hagens, created plastination and [...]

The Spanish Missions were founded in Alta California during the time period between 1769 and 1823. Basically, the Russians were threatening to take over the Spanish claimed lands on the West Coast of America. To strengthen the Spanish claim over these lands, Padres were sent to establish a Mission and teach the natives [...]

March is an impatient time of year for me. Some days bring hopeful signs of spring–robins on the fence, birds singing in the apple tree. Other days bring 6 more inches of snow and forecasted lows of 2°F.  Almost a year ago, it seemed good to Brenton and me to plan a sunny [...]

I found 3 gray hairs this morning.  Actually I found one fallen out as I was brushing my hair and Brenton pulled out the other two (Thanks, Honey!).  They aren’t gray either, I guess.  They are white hairs–nothing gray about it.
I guess this just comes with the territory. Just call me “Mommy”.

Sometimes I think my life is a bit like a Kaleidoscope–random bits and baubles floating around trying to make something beautiful.

Do you wonder what Amy Dacyzyn (of The Tightwad Gazette) thinks about the economy these days?  Find out Here
Money Saving Mom has started a list of 100 ways to save money (this article is #1-10).  I could use some tips for #5 go meatless a couple of meals per week.
This is an old post on [...]

I didn’t intend for this to become cloth diapering week, but once I had three articles written it seemed good to finish up with some good cloth diapering resources from around the web.
For starters, the articles on this blog:

Top 10 reasons to use cloth diapers
Supplies for getting started
The simple wash routine

When I was making my [...]

I’ve read a lot of opinions on how to properly wash cloth diapers.  Some say use bleach, others say don’t bleach.  Some articles insist on HOT water, others say it doesn’t matter.
Here is my simple routine for washing cloth diapers, everything seems to come out clean and stink free and that’s what’s really important isn’t [...]

Back when I was still pregnant, people would ask me, “Are you planning on using cloth diapers?”  When I answered affirmatively, they responded, “You won’t do it.”  I talked to several friends who had briefly attempted cloth diapering and then gave up.  “It was too hard,” they said. Momentarily, my resolve wavered, but I found [...]

It’s no harder than using a disposable diaper–Cloth diapering has come a long way.  Put out of your mind images of sticking a baby with a pin or soaking dirty diapers in a pail of water.  With velcro diaper covers you can use prefolds (old style diapers) with no pins, if you prefer to go [...]

The winner of the Square Foot Gardening giveaway is Jamie from Rhino Rhamblings.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Is a busy wife and a brave mom of 2 boys.  She is currently trying to create a peaceful haven in the midst of a kitchen remodel.  She recently blogged about an amazing Valentines Day family night where she made red mashed potatoes [...]

I’ve been looking for some cheap decorating ideas like the ones offered over at wisebread.
This article over at Christianity Today served as a good reminder that I need to be more careful with my time, especially devoing more to my husband.  If you don’t have time to read the whole article, make sure you check [...]

With February drawing to a close, it’s time once again for a goals and resolutions update. Tto be on target, I need to have 8 items marked off by the end of Feburary.
Finished:
I have actually completed 5 goals: organize craft supplies, tile bathroom floor, decluttering & organizing the house, cut 20% off grocery budget, and [...]

When you live in a 97 year old fixer-upper house, any holiday, birthday, anniversary, opportunity to give/get a gift is an opportunity to update the house just a bit more. The most recent holiday/gift opportunity was Valentines Day. What did I get for Valentines day? New tile and a high efficiency toilet [...]

The Weather outside is frightful:

But inside, I have a little bit of hope growing in my windowsill.

“Short and sweet” carrots.

By all accounts, this is a perfect morning.  I woke up to a happy, sunshiney baby who lay on my bed and coo-ed at me while I got dressed for the day.  When I went to change his diaper, I heard a strange sound coming from the kitchen–Brenton had done the dishes for me before [...]

I’ve decided to take a page out of Amy’s Notebook from Mom Advice.  I’ve got lots of great articles and ideas that are getting lost in my bookmarks and favorites.  I thought I would share a few of my favorite articles from this past week.
Jewelboxlady from Blissfully domestic has offered some advice on How to [...]

I’ve heard Square Foot Gardening is great! And I’m a first time gardener, so I’m looking for the basics. Would you recommend it for a first-timer?
First of all let me say, I am no gardening expert.  In fact, this year’s garden will be my first garden I plant as an adult.  Okay, I’ve tried [...]

I am itching for spring. This morning I woke up to the sound of a little bird singing way up in the cherry tree. Some day soon (in a couple of months), that cherry tree will be covered in blossoms. About that same time, the whole yard will be filled in a [...]

I feel like I’m being nickel-and-dimed…only the hospital version which comes in $1000-and-$500.

Remember how one of my New Year’s goals was to buy hotel quality sheets?  Well this month, the blog, The Secret Is In The Sauce is hosting a Bedroom Bliss Giveway.  The offer is basically a whole bedroom makover complete with 500 thread count sheets!
So yeah…I want those sheets!

For several weeks now (since about the time we got our last electricity and gas bill), I’ve been trying to figure out an easy, blanket free way to keep Wiggles’ hands warm at night.  We’ve been turning down the heater at night to save money, but the baby’s hands get so cold.  I knew there [...]

On December 31, I published my list of 52 goals for 2009 (also listed on sidebar)  Since January is drawing to a close, it’s time for to review this month’s progress on my goals.
Scrapbook Wedding Album
I started out with lots of enthusiasm.  On New Year’s Day, I spent the day sorting and scanning my wedding [...]

The sun is shining in my dining room window.  I’m watching the snow-melt drip off the roof above the window.  The branches on the apple tree are also dripping as last night’s snow turns to liquid and drips down onto the snow below.  The yard is blanketed in three feet of snow, and I’m sitting [...]

I’m snuggling my baby today. He got his first shots yesterday, so he’s a little fussy today. He wakes up and squeals a bit; I give him some more Tylenol. My heart hurts for my little boy, but I ache even more for the mother who is holding her child while he [...]

Next time someone asks you what you do at home all day, you can answer, “I’m building cathedrals.” The text that follows is slightly different than the video, but the message is the same:
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk [...]

I dream of being a writer.  I mean I guess I am a writer since I write, but I dream of being a writer whose work has the publishers stamp of approval.
“Write what you know.” That’s the advice all the writing teachers, magazines, websites give out.  With that advice, all I feel like I am [...]

I feel like I keep taking that first step over and over again.  I work up the courage to start reaching towards my dreams and I find myself scared.  What if I’m not good enough?  What if I can’t do it?  Maybe I should just go apply for a job at Walmart because I’ll never [...]

I hate to admit that the things I love are not very good for me.  I have a weakness for rice krispy treats, but if I’m honest they are little more than sugar and fat.  Cheap milk chocolate is addicting, but I know it’s not the best choice for breakfast.  Homemade bread is wonderful from [...]

Recipezaar just published their Top Recipes of 2008.  These are the 100 top rated recipes on Recipezaar.com.  Looking at the list, there are a few that I have already made (like the Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli).  I’m actually surprised at how few desserts are on the list.
I think I will have to try all [...]

Image via Wikipedia

Have you ever found yourself being inspired by reading the back of a cereal box–a kids cereal, box of sugar and small amounts of wheat fortified with some nutrients?  Right now Frosted Mini Wheats–blueberry muffin flavor has a Kung Fu Panda Blanket/Cape offer going on.  The back of the box has a description [...]

As I hold my baby and try to type one-one handed, I am even more anxious for my new headphones to arrive.  Then I can start really composing my posts with Dragon Naturally Speaking!
In the mean time, I am completely snowed in!  The snow glacier on the front roof decided to become an iceberg in [...]

The first backpacking trip I took with Brenton, or ever, I was 6 months pregnant.  It was Labor Day Weekend, and we decided to take a 3 mile hike into a mountain lake.  The drive to the trailhead was about 30 miles from our house–19 of those miles were on dirt roads.
I was disappointed and [...]

If you got my last post (4 things they never told me about marriage) via feed reader or email, you may have seen some typos or sentences that didn’t make any sense at all.
I’ve spent the day training Dragon naturally speaking on my laptop.  Unfortunately, I don’t have very good accuracy yet, and I hit [...]

Welcome to my new visitors from Marriage Monday!
1.  He won’t understand you; You won’t understand him.
In our house, one of the most common phrases that I hear from Brenton is, “You’re so cute. I love you”  This is usually followed with a silly grin and him shaking his head at me.  What he really means [...]

Here’s the truth about my resolutions: 
I don’t actually expect to finish all 52 resolutions this year. I put them all out there for the world to see, and I aim high with my dreams.  The truth is, I have limited amounts of time and money to finish all these things.  Re-siding the house (along with [...]

Finish wedding album
scrapbook years 1-5 of marriage
Baby album
Use baby sign language
lose baby weight
shine sink daily
Make bed daily
Buy hotel quality sheets
establish a night routine for baby
Grow a square foot garden
clear a garden plot
re-side house
build bookshelves for living room
Fix floor joists
Open up poorch
Build cabinets in front bedroom
install baseboards in living/dining room
plant raspberry bushes
finish crazy quilt
finish rag rug
bake [...]

Being a new mommy means lots of sleepless nights, lots of new worries, and (it seems like) not a moment of my day to myself.  My mom came to visit and so much got done around our house, but now that she has gone home, I find that I have 10 lbs of demanding screaming [...]

Season follows season and as we transfer from fall into winter, I have found that my own life has brought me into a brand new season.
It started on November 14 when B and I got the keys to our very own home. This isn’t a standard tract home in the middle of suburbia. [...]

Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful — Warren Buffett

From the moment a couple is joined together in the covenant of marriage, Satan is there trying to force himself between those bonds like a splitting maul breaking apart fire wood for kindling.  I am convinced that there is little that Satan delights in more than tearing apart the fabric and foundation of the family.  [...]

My silence over the last week has not been because I have nothing to say.  On the contrary, I have had more to say than I could put into words.  With a hundred different thoughts racing around my mind and a baby growing in my belly, I’m afraid that I don’t have the mental capacity [...]

Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.
Dr. Seuss
If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.
Dr. Seuss
So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.
Dr. Seuss

October was supposed to be frugal living month here at Dandelions and Daydreams, so what happened?
I wrote a few articles.  I started to winterize the apartment.  I spent a little bit of money on this house and then just as expected…our offer got accepted and we started transitioning into moving.  Perhaps I could say simply, [...]

Do you want to create magic in someone’s day today?  Offer them a compliment.  Leave it there, no strings attached.  Don’t use the compliment to sandwich a criticism.  Leave out the ‘but’.  You did a great job!
And when you are given a compliment, just say thank you.  Don’t brush it off, no excuses, no personal [...]

This is the waiting time when I have to take one day at time.  I try to keep my hands busy so that my mind doesn’t drive me to the brink of insanity or panic.  Busy…or asleep.
On Friday we got news that our house offer has been accepted.  We are hoping to rush through closing [...]

My ever growing tummy has pushed me to start cooking up a storm. I’ve been baking and freezing and generally hoarding away food so that when this little baby finally arrives I won’t have to think about cooking for a month. Today’s project has brought me to the very best homemade biscuit recipe [...]

Tell me I’m not alone.  This time of year gives me the itch every year.  I start thinking about crocheting and quilting and all the other lovely crafts I could make to give for Christmas gifts this year.  It always happens at the end of October.  The temperature drops, hot tea becomes a nightly ritual, [...]

Celebrating Halloween doesn’t have to be overwhelmingly expensive. The main trick is to think outside the box. If you can do that, you’re in for a real treat!

As the golds of autumn begin to trade out for the grays of winter and night time lows have dropped well below freezing, it’s time for me to admit that I need to begin winterizing our house. The purpose of winterizing is to stop the leaks and save some cash on our winter heating bill.

If I were to sum up my philosphy on frugality in three statements they would be:

1. Begin from a mindset of abundance
2. Know where you are going
3. Saving money doesn’t require spending a lot of time

Allow me to state the obvious: the future is uncertain. I’m sure you’ve been watching the news, you know that the economy is unstable. Don’t panic! Right now is not a time to panic, instead this is a good time to make a plan, tighten up your belt, and exercise caution.
October [...]

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust:
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
Psalm 18:2-3.

I think we all need to incorporate a bit more 2-year-old enthusiasm into our day.

The things I want to do I don’t do, and the things I don’t want to do I do.
This past week, I read some old posts on Dandelions and Daydreams.  I’ve had a few good comments on these old posts, but when I read I can’t help but be a bit discouraged.  I look back [...]

The sun shone overhead as the runners adjusted their starting positions.  A gentle breeze blew across the field and a flag flapped proudly above the stadium.  The 400 meter race was the highlight of the day.  The fans were almost breathless waiting for the shot to begin the race.  The runners squatted into the starting [...]

I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when you hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you.
Isaiah 46

Image via Wikipedia There once was a ship caught in a storm and blown off course.  After the storm had passed, The ship’s captain, a gruff, burly, short-sighted, half deaf worn old sea captain brought the crew on deck to discuss what to do.  This captain tried to run his ship based on the popular [...]

I woke up this morning with the musical equivalent of a Celine Dion concert playing in my dream.  Sometimes the alarm clock is a blessed relief.
Still no news back on the house.  The long wait is normal with a short sale.  We are impatient, never the less.  I have started dreaming about how to [...]

Image by manfred-hartmann via Flickr Last week, B and I put in an offer on a cute little house in a very small neighboring community.  We have heard back that the seller accepted our offer, but since the house is in a short sale situation (seller owes more on the house than it is [...]

Is it possible to be too unselfish in marriage? Generally speaking, human beings are much more likely to be self-absorbed to a fault, I also think that marriage is a careful balance between being unselfish enough to meet the other persons needs and selfish enough to express your own needs.

I have a horrible time getting my husband to eat breakfast.  If he has to sit down to eat something, he won’t eat anything at all.  This bran muffin recipe came from my mom-in-law’s family, and it is my trick to get Brenton to sit down (yes, you read that right) and eat breakfast.  There [...]

Image via Wikipedia This year, Brenton and I have taken the fast lane towards slowing down.  One year ago, Brenton and I downsized our apartment and dumped about 1/3 of our posessions.  We kept on giving away more stuff, until about 3 months ago when we moved into a 2 bedroom 900 square foot apartment [...]

Family traditions are often centered around holidays, but it is also possible to create family traditions out of weekly routines.  The traditions that are created out of weekly routines are ingrained so much deeper than the ones that are centered around holidays that the week just doesn’t feel right without those routines. One tradition that [...]

“Writing is like breathing, ” Julia Cameron says in The Right to Write.  I can’t help but laugh at the analogy.  At least I laugh as best I can with baby crowding my diaphragm and an old back problem flaring up making breathing difficult.  These past few days, whenever I get out of breath, I [...]

Everybody has a time thief.  Last Friday night I was praying that God would give us basically a big financial break.  I started bargaining with Him and said, “We do the best we can with our money, and we manage our time well…”  Sometimes God’s answers are immediate and painful.  As soon as I said, [...]

I think I must have entered a new stage in my pregnancy.  The stage where I eat like a football team.  No, I don’t mean eat like a football player, I mean eat like the whole team!
If you need me, I’m the one hanging out at the fridge.

This weekend, Brenton and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary.  We had planned on staying home and resting, hiking, and touristing around town, but the weekend forecast was hotter n’ the blazes with no likelihood of finding a cool spot to relax.  Like most houses in this area, our house doesn’t have air conditioning, so [...]

Pregnancy has to be one of the weirdest life-experiences ever.  My increasingly expanding belly has slowed me down a bit by now, and my day is punctuated with random kicks and punches from the inner space alien that has invaded my body.  I am excited for that late fall day when I will hold this [...]

I just found what is perhaps the most useful firefox toolbar ever!  The toolbar is called 8aweek.  When you set it up, you can mark certain sites as “restricted sites,” and set a daily time limit for your restricted sites.  When you have used up your daily allotment of time, the screen goes gray and [...]

Our sleeping bags are airing out on the back porch.  The sun has come up, and I’m off to an early start for the day.  After sleeping out under the stars last night, I feel grounded and connected.  Sometimes we have this mis-perception that camping out requires extensive planning, a long trip to a state [...]

This week has been one of the busiest of the summer.  We found a neighbor who has a cherry tree, and she wasn’t going to harvest the cherries.  So far we have picked almost 18 lbs of cherries from her tree.  We are also working on another (smaller) sour cherry tree.  This same neighbor has [...]

Today turned into one of those days when I feel empty and stretched.  My heart feels lonely and sad like someone scraped it over with sandpaper.  It’s the kind of day where what I want to do is inhale copious amounts of chocolate in an effort to soothe my restless soul.  I find myself in [...]

I’ve read that for everything we become as adults, the seeds were planted in our childhood.  If that really is the case, I’m trying to figure out where the seed was planted that grew into this obsession with decluttering and simplifying.
As a teenager, my parents referred to my room as “the center of gravity.”  When [...]

My last post was a bit of a hot-headed rant.  I do that sometimes, but I’ve been thinking about the whole recycling/going green thing a lot lately.  Yesterday, Melissa at The Living Proof Ministries Blog wrote an article about Christianity and going green.   Check over there to read the whole post, but her three main [...]

Welcome to the July 2008 edition of Carnival of Christian Women  This is a short carnival, and I have decided to go back to just one edition per month because of personal time limitations.  The next edition will be posted sometime in early August.
Devotionals

Claudia Riley presents Hilo Farmer’s Market and Prayer Post [...]

In the last year, Brenton and I have moved twice.  We were in a 2 bedroom apartment (with a garaged), and we decided to downsize to a 1 bedroom, 300 sq ft. hobbit hole.  The decision came after realizing that we were spending about $300 for the luxury of having a bedroom and a garage [...]

Today I stumbled across Laylitas recipe for Rhubarb and strawberry empanadas.  I wasn’t fortunate enough to grow up with the delights of rhubarb pie or rhubarb cobbler (too hot to grow rhubarb in Georgia), but I am definitely liking the looks of this recipe.  I wonder if it is too late to get rhubarb from [...]

Image via Wikipedia
I keep having all these crazy cravings for food that I thought I hated.  Most notably, Avocados and Tomatoes.
I thought I hated avocados, but I think my love affair started at a Cinco De Mayo party this year.  It was the bean dip, the only thing I could eat at the party [...]

For the June 16 Carnival of Christian Women, God seemed to have brought a focus on busyness, anxiety, and making the best use of time. The first four articles offer some great thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy all the article in this edition of the Carnival of Christian [...]

There is nothing quite so sweet to steal as flowers…unless it is a kiss.
After yesterday’s rant, I felt the need to lighten up a bit with today’s post. The past two weeks have been rainy. I actually went to the store last week with the sole intention of getting a raincoat and an [...]

My how the government has changed its tune.

Some people would probably call what I am going through right now “nesting.”  If it is, indeed the nesting instinct kicking in, I am doing it in a crunchy, organic, I-should-have-been-a-flower-child sort of way.  With a name like Sunny, I probably should have been a flower child.
Actually according to Wikipedia, I am a flower child [...]

I’d like to thank desperateblogger at And Life Goes on for awarding me the Arte Y Pico Award.
Now I’d like to pass this award on to five other amazing bloggers:

Melissa at The Inspired Room who always inspires me to make the world a more beautiful place, starting with my very own home.
Molly at The Pipers. [...]

Welcome to the June 2, 2008 edition of carnival of Christian women.
Devotionals

Yvette Nietzen presents Can anything good come out of Nazareth? posted at Fresh Wind Ministries, Int´l. Are you letting your past hold you back?

Renae presents Overcoming Perfectionism posted at Life Nurturing Education. The key: putting yourself aside.

Theresa L. Twogood presents Daily Prayer [...]

After reading my last post, I realized it might come off as a bit negative.  The past 2 months have certainly not been the easiest months of my life, but I am delighted that God has answered the prayers of so many people who knew about our trouble getting pregnant.
Any pregnancy is a miracle.  A [...]

Do you ever get those ‘we miss you’ emails from some store you haven’t shopped at in a while?  I’m not going to offer you 20% off your next purchase, or anything terribly exciting like that.  Now is just the time for me to post a note to tell you what I have been up [...]

There was a young girl and her mom in a dressing room while I was perusing the clothes racks looking for some new summer tops.  The girl sounded like she was about 5 or 6 years old.
Girl: “That one is so pretty, Momma!  You should get it.”
Mom (sighing):  “Unfortunantly, it’s too big for me.”
Girl: “Maybe [...]

Sometimes I can just feel God smiling down on me.  Yesterday, we secured a new rental.  The new apartment is a cute 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment.  It is full of light and sunshine.  I can’t decide if I am most excited about having a washer and dryer, a dishwasher, or a full bathtub (our [...]

Devotionals

Journeying Forward presents From Brokenness to Wine – Let Him Squeeze posted at Journeying Forward, saying, “A reminder that brokenness is useful in the hands of our mighty God…”

Theresa L. Twogood presents Big Picture Progressive Exposure posted at OLIN e-Book e-Publishing.

Malia Russell presents I Love You More from Homemaking 911 posted at Homemaking 911.
Making [...]

Every little town across the United States has its own unique, and often surprising, history. The little town I called home as a kid never seemed like much of a happening place, but quiet little Toccoa, Georgia was the birthplace of Paul Anderson (an Olympic powerlifter during the 1950’s), the home to James Brown [...]

Welcome to the April 15, 2008 edition of carnival of Christian women. This edition actually includes the submissions from the April 1 edition as well. I was too sick that week to get to the computer.
Devotionals
Shamelle presents It Doesn’t Cost Much To Consult With God why don’t we do it more often?

January Cat presents [...]

Wildflowers are always the first, hopeful signals of spring. In Georgia, the first flowers of spring are usually the daffodils and the peaches. A walk through the woods in late March will reveal and abundance of blossoms. The beauty pageant of wildflowers will continue through the summer and into the fall with each new [...]

Our Sunday afternoon walk took us down to the shoals–my own personal water park.
My family first discovered the shoals when I was about five. We had started building my parents house. It was summer and it was stinking hot. Our house was just a concrete slab with cinder walls slowly going up. [...]

Image via Wikipedia
I slipped into my assigned seat and buckled my seat belt. The day was still young and flight 766 out of Spokane would be leaving the ground in the midst of snowflakes and thick fog. I sat back in my seat to catch a nap while waiting for takeoff. [...]

I was out shopping for a few items for my upcoming trip when I overheard a woman in her mid 40’s talking to a guy in his mid 20’s.  They looked like a mother and son.  The two were out shopping for an Easter present for a girl.
The mom said, “Pretend you are a girl.  [...]

I crawled into bed at 2:37 a.m. and did my best not to wake Brenton up. He grunted a half-awake, “good morning” in my direction.
“Brenton, I’m afraid I have a book problem,” I confessed to him quietly.
My bedtime didn’t start at 2:30 a.m. Actually it started at about 10 p.m. as we wound [...]

Brenton and I went for a drive after dinner to take in the picturesque sunset. This winter was…long…to say the least, and ever since the time change we have had an hour of sunshine after he gets off from work. Sunset tonight was picture perfect, but I had to memorize it by heart [...]

We have a short carnival this week, and some very enjoyable entries.  Hope you enjoy the March 17 Carnival of Christian Women
Devotionals

Lena Santos presents Patience posted at Manna from Heaven, saying, “a reminder of patiently waiting for the Lord.”

Yvette Nietzen presents Speak the right words posted at Fresh Wind Ministries, Int´l.

January Cat presents Easter Parade [...]

Apartment dwellers live with the unique challenge of creating a personal style when you can’t do a major renovation. In addition to that, apartments are often just a place you are passing through on the way to home ownership. In every apartment I have lived I had to create a welcoming refuge with [...]

In my last post, I wrote about how I decided to create a stained “glass” window cling for the front door to my apartment. The pattern I created looked like this:

The first step involved Windex and papertowels to get rid of a winters worth of dirt and create a clean canvas.
 

Using a sharpie [...]

The window in my front door let in lots of glorious sunshine but also left me feeling like I was living in a fishbowl. Anyone driving by could peer into my living room. If my living room was ever going to be a private sanctuary, something had to change.
I’ve always loved houses with [...]

Aside from nurturing your family, a home should be a place to nurture and entertain others. When you invite someone into your home, you have the opportunity to nurture their spirit and share your life. The best way to develop lasting friendships is to open your heart and share your life.
When you open [...]

This is the first in a series of articles inspired by the book, The Spirit of Loveliness: Bringing Beauty, Creativity, and Order to Your Life by Emilie Barnes. Check out my review of this book here.
Home is like snuggling in a soft blanket or being embraced in a welcoming hug. A home [...]

Featured
Amy Proof That Prayer Does Move Mountains posted at ….In Pursuit of Proverbs 31.
This is a tear jerker, but an oh-so-powerful reminder of God’s love for you whatever you are facing right now.
Pamela presents Standing in the Presents of God posted at The Welcome Home Blog.
Everywhere I look I see God’s blessings [...]

Yesterday, I read one of the most pleasant books that I have read in a long time. The Spirit of Loveliness: Bringing Beauty, Creativity, and Order to Your Life by Emilie Barnes is inspiring and calming at the same time. The author encourages readers to create beauty without being condemning or [...]

This is what I’m dreaming of.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She [...]

Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Be [...]

For years, philosphers and commoners alike have pondered the important question of “why did the chicken cross the road?”
This morning, I walked out to the car to get my cell phone, and was forced to ask, “Why did the goose cross the road?”

I think he got lost on his way to Canada.

Last night there was a total lunar eclipse. Brenton and I drove out of town to get away from the lights and watch the moon get eaten by the shadow of the earth.
I did a time-lapse photo series (1 shot/ ~15 minutes) of the moon from the time of totality (7p.m. PST) to the [...]

It would be dishonest to say that I spent all weekend trying to get my computer back up and running–although, it was a good portion of my weekend.
Brenton had President’s day off from work. The morning dawned bright and clear. With spring just around the corner, the birds have come back to sing [...]

First, allow me to apologize for my absence. It started with the release of Windows Vista SP1, which resulted in my computer locking me out of my DVD drive, and back up hard drive. The day continued with wiping my hard drive clean and installing Windows XP. There was much rejoicing all [...]

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80’s, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.
I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before [...]

Yesterday I promised the recipe for our Valentine’s Day tradition–white Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake. This year, we decided not to hoard it all to ourselves, and took the famous cheesecake over to a party. It was the perfect end to a potato-bar supper.
I planned on including a picture, but my memory stick [...]

In this month’s Inspired Room article from Christian Women Online, Melissa outlines some ideas for creating a Valentine’s Day “get away” in your own home.
Who says a date night has to involve consuming big bucks in a crowded restaurant? Why do we torture ourselves into thinking romance has to include over-priced handpicked chocolates, $100 worth [...]

photo by nrbelex CC-BY-SA

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I’m tempted to believe that the way to a woman’s heart is with chocolate. These peanut butter kiss cookies are easy to make and don’t have any strange, hard, to find ingredients. I was 10 or 12 [...]

Have you ever talked to your older self? Have you ever gotten advice from the future 80 year old self? In the winter of your life, what will you see as your greatest accomplishment? When you are 90 years old, what regrets will you have? Right now is the time [...]

By Robert Frost
When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don’t stand still and look around
on all the hills I haven’t hoed,
And shout from where I am, “What is it?”
No, not as there is a time to talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and [...]

Three can change your life. Four is too many; two not enough, but three is just right. In Biblical numerology 3 is the number of Divine perfection, in your life, the rule of 3 can mean achieving success.
The Habit of Piling On

When I want to change something in my life (get more organized, [...]

Do you ever wish you had more hours in your day? I am always running just a bit behind. My day starts out with too much to do and ends with even more left to do. When you look at your day, how much time do you spend doing things with [...]

Welcome to the February 1, 2008 edition of the Carnival of Christian Women!
This carnival is growing by leaps and bounds. Today’s collection of articles is the best collection I have gotten in the history of the Carnival of Christian Women.

Devotionals
Erika Wilson presents Thwarting Deception encouraging us to be grounded in the word [...]

Today was the first day in about…oh 2 months that the temperature got above freezing. Such an occasion is worthy of an adventure, so I put on my snowsuit, packed my snowshoes in my backpack, and headed out.
My destination was the city trail that heads South along the lake and across the long bridge. [...]

Don’t forget, tomorrow is the last day to submit your articles to the Carnival of Christian Women. The next edition will be published Friday.

Everybody seems to be talking about living a completely fulfilled life. What does a fulfilled life look like? What fulfills your life? How would you change your life now to be fulfilled? How can you achieve a fulfilled life?
The fulfilled life looks different for each person, and what would be the fulfilled [...]

It’s a quiet day, for this one moment, there aren’t any cars driving by. The space heater has turned off, not even the refrigerator is running. I stop to listen and my ears ring–straining to hear, something. In this deafening silence, I am astonished to realize that such quiet can exist within [...]

I’ve always thought that Friday is a day worth celebrating. When I was little, my mom would make pizza and we would eat off the good china. She would split a small soda between the 5 of us, and we would ring in the weekend. Ever since then, I have always had [...]

In my last post, I asked “Do you have too many goals?” Today I want to develop that question one step further and ask, “is your life too full?”
I have a friend who lives in a travel trailer, year round. She says the hardest thing about living in an RV is that she [...]

“You’ve got to go see the sunset tonight…well not the sunset, but if you look to the east the moon is rising over the lake,” my husband called and said.
Without thinking about the cold, I threw on my jacket but forgot gloves, a hat, and a scarf. About 5 minutes into my walk to [...]

Goals are a great thing. They keep you moving forward in a direction you want to go, but too often, in our perfectionism, we set too many goals and lose focus.
I would guess that the average person can only focus on achieving 2 or 3 goals at a time. I’m talking about short-term [...]

I think that I have always been a little bit scared of success. Every time I resolve to save money (for example), my inner brat comes out and we go on a shopping trip. I have resolved to get healthier, so Tina (that’s the name I’ve given to my inner brat) and I [...]

I’ve been trying to write this post all day. It has run around in circles several times even before I sat down at my computer to actually type. Here I am at the end of the day trying one more time.
One of the most important things I have ever realized is that God [...]

The worst enemy to living by your values is the hope of a perfect tomorrow.
“When I turn 16…” or “I can’t wait to graduate…” “…to get married…” “…to have kids…” “…to buy a house…” “…when the kids grow up…” “…when we retire…” I am sure that I am not alone.
I have spent most [...]

Welcome to the January 15, 2008 edition of carnival of christian women.
Devotionals
Sunny presents I shall not want, reflections on Psalm 23 posted at Observation and Principles, saying, “What did the Psalmist mean, “I shall not want?””
Vandelay Website Design presents A Year of New Beginnings posted at Christian Counseling & Educational Services, [...]

Today’s the day! Last week, I made Potato Flake Sourdough Starter, and I have been watching it bubble for a week. Today I get to make the bread.
When it’s time to make bread, pull the starter out of the fridge, feed it, and let it sit on the counter top overnight. This [...]

At the beginning of every year, there is a frenzy of New Year’s resolutions and freshly set goals. The freshness of a blank calendar is inspiring and freeing at the same time. Right now, you probably feel a release from last year’s broken resolutions and hope that this year will be different.
One of [...]

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12

Yesterday I didn’t post. I tried to. I even sat down at 10 p.m. to write instead of going to sleep. The facts are that life isn’t
always rosy and sweet. How do you recover when [...]

The smell of fresh baked bread will bring your family running to your kitchen and invite them to linger and talk for a while. Making a loaf of sourdough bread may seem intimidating, and some recipes make it over-complicated.
Today I’m going to start out with instructions to make the starter. You will [...]

Photo: rappensuncle CC-By-SA 2.0
Do you ever catch yourself holding your breath as you go through the day?
It all starts out innocently, you are working and in a rush. Your to-do list is 100 pages long, and you are stressed out. As you hurry though your day, you are suddenly overwhelmed by the [...]

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Welcome to a new year, and a new edition of the Carnival of Christian Women! I have a lot of exciting stuff planned for Dandelions and Daydreams in [...]

This is one of my husband’s favorite Christmas snacks. I only make it when we have a large crowd because there is an incredible amount of sugar. This carmel popcorn ring will satisfy the sweet tooth in your family.

1/4 c butter
1/4 c oil
28 caramels
2 1/2 c mini marshmallows
10 cups popped popcorn
1/2 lb M [...]

[youtube zCdZwitrNoY]

Being an artist is about giving yourself to others, and giving creativity is a delight. Even though being creative and giving is wonderful, it is also draining. As an artist–whether you are a writer, photographer, painter, or just a person who loves to create beauty–taking time to fill yourself and [...]

I’m excited about the new year. I confess that new beginnings always get me going. Resolutions, are like having a vision, knowing your goal, seeing the bulls eye. When you make resolutions, you know what you are aiming for, then you just keep trying to hit it until you hit it.
This [...]

I come from a family of cooks, and when I say cooks, I mean GOOD cooks! I’m not sure that I got the gift, but at least I got a copy of the family recipe book.
Today’s cooking gem comes from that family recipe book. I have always loved these spicy little sandwiches. [...]

Promise yourself some relaxing holiday moments.
This was on my Dove Promises wrapper last night.
The busy-ness of the Christmas will steal your joy and Christmas cheer. When you feel the pressure rising and the stress is stealing your joy, stop for a minute and relax.
What brings you joy during Christmas?

Christmas carols
Friends
Blinking Christmas lights
York Peppermint Patties
Snowflakes

Make [...]

All this work…for what?
We live like each day is a crisis. Every moment we are in emergency mode.
Does it make you happy? Does it make you fulfilled? Are you satisfied with life?
STOP!
Everyone needs to rest.
Look back in time, I’m talking about way back, to the beginning of creation. On the seventh [...]

Candid photography is, by its very nature, unplanned. Unlike posed photos, you will probably only get one chance at the shot, and you want to get it right.
I follow five basic rules for candid photography, and I want to share them with you today.
1. Use your Zoom
When a person knows that he is [...]

A Battle for the Heart
You are in a battle for your heart. Don’t ever forget that. This battle began the moment you accepted Christ into your heart. You made satan really mad that day!
When you feel beat up, and pushed down, remember that you are a warrior on God’s side. Satan [...]

I am sick and tired of being frugal, I’m sick of pinching every penny till it screams, I’m sick of never feeling like I have enough. I’ve been plagued by this disease of frugality my whole life, but money always slips through my fingers.
As a child, I worked hard to earn money. I [...]

This morning, I sat down at my computer and asked, “What should I write about today?” The immediate response from my truthful, and often bratty self was, “I don’t want to write. I’m tired.”
And that is how I realized that it had crept up on me…the dreaded writer’s burnout.
I know why it has [...]

You’ve got company coming in a few days and a tornado just blew through your house. You walk into a room with the intention of cleaning and are met with discouragement.
“I’ll never finish” you say to yourself.
You shuffle around lethargically, and pick up a few things here and there.
Five minutes before [...]

In the quiet days following Christmas, you look through your pictures and smile. As you look through the pictures again, you might think about the shots you didn’t capture. The best way to avoid missing those pictures you want is to make a list and check it twice. Today I am going [...]

When I am cooking for a potluck, I have two main criteria:

it’s fast (and/or easy)
I have all the ingredients on hand.

Friday I gave you the recipe for Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip. Every Monday for the rest of this year, I am going to be featuring some of my favorite party recipes. Today’s recipe [...]

This spinach dip is a family favorite. I love to take it to potluck dinners, and it is always a big hit! I think my favorite part is that it only takes about 11 minutes to cook!
Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip
1 c.(8 oz) quartered artichoke hearts (canned or frozen)
1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach
8 oz. [...]

‘Tis the season to write the family Christmas letter and to write it fast if you want to get it sent out before Christmas.  The principles of good blogging can also be used for writing a good Christmas letter quickly.
Read these ten tips, and then slide up to your computer to write that family update [...]

Computer desks seem to be a magnet for junk. Mine is a perpetual dumping ground for things that don’t have a home anywhere else. This disorganization cuts down on my effectiveness, and today I am making a plan of attack to defeat home office clutter.
The first step to winning a battle is to [...]

Christmas is three weeks away. Dust off your camera and get ready to take some great Holiday photos with the tips listed below.
1. Prepare your tools!
A year ago, Brenton and I took a trip to Glacier National Park to celebrate my birthday. The scenery in Glacier is awe-inspiring, to say the least.
I [...]

The Christmas season is upon us, and I am filled with joy. Right now, I have my Christmas tree up, and the lights are winking and blinking at me cheerily. I have always been of the opinion that a Christmas tree should be in front of a window so that other [...]

Yesterday I gave in, I broke my grocery budget. I had already spent the money for the week, but after three days without coffee creamer, I could take no more!
In desperation, I dug through the change jar looking for silver change. Feverishly, I drove to the nearest grocery store and ran to the [...]

Christmas is upon us and the panic of buying “the perfect gift” has settled in. If you have a writer on your gift list, I have a few ideas for finding the gift that will light up his eyes and say, “I support your dreams.” To tell the truth, it may be more [...]

My freezer cooking challenge got quite a boost yesterday. My husband called shot his deer for this season. He took a nice doe that weighed around 170 lbs. The result, after de-boning and processing, will be about 70 lbs of meat added to our freezer.
This adds a new dimension to my [...]

How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.
Psalm 31:19
Today is Thanksgiving, and I am overwhelmingly thankful. God has been faithful this year. He has brought me into a clearer understanding of [...]

It’s the day before Thanksgiving, you’ve just gotten home from work, and suddenly it hits you…
You’ve put them off this long, but tomorrow they all have to be finished…
The Last Minute Details!!!
First of all, I have to ask, with all the things you still have to do, what are you doing here reading blogs?
Before you [...]

Photowalking, as defined by wikipedia is:
the act of walking with a camera for the main purpose of taking pictures of things you may find interesting.
I’ve only heard the term used recently, but I’ve been doing it for years (just ask my mom about the cat pictures)!
Today I bundled up and went for an afternoon walk [...]

It has been 2 weeks since I posted my plan to stop grocery shopping, and I wanted to send out an update on the challenge.
I didn’t really have a clear idea of guidelines for this challenge, but after I posted, I did some more thinking on it.
My basic guidelines are:

To eat out of my pantry [...]

What do concert pianists, professional football players, and writers all have in common?
If they want to be good great at their craft, they all have to practice…daily!
As we sit back with our cup of morning coffee–or tea, if you prefer–we dream of writing.  As every aspiring writer knows, when the time is right (when I [...]

Welcome to the November 15, 2007 edition of Carnival of Christian Women. We have some great articles for you in this edition. Aside from the submissions on the blog carnival site, I also scoured the web and found a few good articles to include in the carnival. I hope you [...]

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Argh! The holidays are coming and I don’t even want to think about trying to keep my house clean for the parade of people that will be passing through, and I delight at the idea [...]

If you are like me, you are watching the price of groceries go up and up and up and feeling the pinch in your wallet.
One of my favorite places to go in search of frugal recipes is Hillbilly Housewife.
“The focus here is on low-cost, home-cooking from scratch. [...]

November is National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo), so I have been remembering my experience as a NaNoWriMo participant last year.
First, What is NaNoWriMo?
Have you ever dreamed of being a writer, but just couldn’t sit down long enough to pound out that novel on the keyboard? Or maybe when you did get started, your [...]

How frugal are you really?
Do you always shop the sale papers?
Do you use coupons?
Do you have a freezer stocked full of food and a pantry bursting at the seams?
I admit, I don’t use coupons, actually I hate the things. I try to stay away from garage sales whenever possible. And thrift stores are [...]

Image by blatantgizmo via Flickr
Last time I flew across the country, I overheard a lady on the airplane complaining because it takes 10 WHOLE HOURS to fly from Seattle, WA to Memphis, TN (a distance of 2,220 miles, given a stop at Chicago-O’Hare). Surrounded by people who think that 2,000 miles in 10 [...]

Welcome to the November 1, 2007 edition of carnival of christian women. This is a short carnival because I posted a lot of my entries in this post. Enjoy the read, and make sure to add your submissions for the November 15 edition.

Angela Williams Duea presents Dreams like reaching for the [...]

How much does it cost to live rich?
That depends on what living rich means to you.
Anybody can afford to live rich, but you have to know what your target is first. We are told that living rich is having a huge house and driving a new BMW, but the key to living richly is [...]

Are you steady? When you put your mind to doing something do you keep on doing it until you get it done? If you decide to do something daily, how long before your resolutions fall to the side?
What are the habits you want to develop? Dieting? Exercising regularly? Keeping your house clean? [...]

If you want some great stuff to listen to online, Check out Ravi Zacharias’s Podcasts. I first heard Ravi Zacharias speak at a chapel session in college. He is a very hard hitting Christian Apologist. I love the idea of Christian Apologetics. If I ever went to seminary, I would study [...]

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Kathryn at The Peculiar Club presents Ode to the Proverbs 31 Woman. She really touches at the heart of the message behind The Wife of Noble Character Chapter: [...]

Image via Wikipedia
Every two weeks, the paycheck comes in and I sit down to pay the bills for that pay period. With so much money getting sent out at one time, sometimes I start to feel sorry for myself. My all time favorite bill to write each month is for $65 that [...]

How often do you revisit your mission statement and make new goals? For some people goal setting is just something to do on New Years Day, others never set goals. January 24 has been calculated (by psychologists) as the most depressing day of the year. The holiday hype is over and the [...]

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Welcome to the October 1, 2007 edition of carnival of christian women.

Dana presents Finding Purpose posted at Principled Discovery.
Christian Women at Home

Stephanie presents What Christmas Already? posted at Stop the [...]

I think the addiction started when I started using Wordpress. It only got worse when I discovered OpenOffice.org and googledocs (okay so not quite open source, but it’s free none the less). I was in the market for a new laptop. I already had enough trouble buying one with Windows Vista on [...]

Image via Wikipedia
Sometimes with a laptop, I find internet in the strangest places. This afternoon, Brenton had to drive to Coeur D’Alene for a hunter’s safety field day. He asked me to come along. I want to buy some fabric at Hancock’s Fabrics, so I agreed to tag along. I [...]

In high school and college I lived in the frumps. I would go so far as to say that at 24 I have just decided to claw my way out of personal neglect. I spent my high school years wearing baggy boys pants, mens’ boots, and too big flannel shirts. I [...]

Sunday (while I was paying careful attention to the sermon), I noticed a rather disturbing trend among women in the church. As I looked around the congregation, I noticed that most of the married women under 40 looked run down, untended, frumpy. I’ve been trying to figure out why women in the prime [...]

We had more rain last night. I looked outside the door at the sun setting in the West and thought, “This looks like rainbow weather.” I turned East and saw this:

It just doesn’t get any better than this.

Does anybody know how to make snowshoes? That’s right, just a week or two ago I was writing about keeping cool without air conditioner, but today my thoughts have changed and I am looking towards the long winter.
It started Sunday with rain…a sure sign that fall is coming.
Brenton and I have decided to [...]

Sometimes all you can say is, “It figures.” Wednesday I washed the car. For many, this would be a regular summer occurrence. For me…well, let’s just say we bought the car in September and it hasn’t been washed since (except when we took it in to get the oil changed). As [...]

In the winter, we are all told to wear a hat because a lot of body heat can be lost through the head and neck. This principle can be applied in reverse during summer heat waves when you are trying to keep cool without air conditioner.
One product that can help you keep cool is [...]

I know, I know…
I need another set of measuring spoons like I need a hole in my head, but these were just so darn cute.
When I saw these cupid heart shaped measuring spoons in the hardware store a week ago, I knew I would buy them. I had good restraint and waited until I [...]

I never knew I could get deliriously excited over a bathroom door, but that is exactly how I feel right now. The new little apartment that we are living in had a curtain for the door to the bathroom. Now first you have to understand that this is a really small apartment. [...]

I’ve been trying to find the right words to post about this video. I’ve been watching it almost constantly for two days. I can’t put it into words thought. The wounds were too deep, and I’m not sure they have all healed. They have just faded into the past. Another [...]

I tried to upload photos, but I am having issues. Last night we slept in the “lake house” for the first time. I’m calling it our lake house because we are just a few blocks from the lake. I’ll be running between the two houses for a few weeks until I get [...]

Keeping cool in a heat wave is a bit of an art when your house doesn’t have an air conditioner. North Idahohas had it’s two weeks of summer now, we have been seeing temperatures close to, and even topping 100. That’s not all that bad compared to Texas heat and humidity combination, but [...]

Negotiating is a lost art in America, but everywhere else in the world, negotiation is the standard way of shopping. While at most regular stores negotiating is frowned upon, at garage sales negotiating is your ace in the hole.
You have to remember that there are two kinds of people who hold garage sales–those [...]

Garage sale shopping can be a lonely thing, it’s always good to bring a friend. I’m not talking about bring just any kind of friend. When you are trying to sort trash from treasure, you need to bring the buddy who will talk you out of buying that velvet Elvis print (or whatever [...]

One of the best ways I know to keep from over spending at a garage sale is to only carry cash, and only carry the amount of cash that you actually are willing to spend.
This one is pretty simple. If you don’t have a checkbook, you can’t write a check. Set your limit [...]

When you garage sale, it sounds contradictory to only buy something if you would pay full price for it. What place does full price have in a garage sale? I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, a garage sale bargain isn’t a bargain if you don’t need the item or won’t [...]

For the garage sale junkie, a summer Saturday can be the perfect invitation for bringing more clutter into your home. One of the best ways that I have found to sort the treasures from the trash is to shop with a list.
List the home decorations you want to buy
Every few months I walk through [...]

Everybody loves a great bargain, and one of the best places for a savvy shopper to find a bargain is at a garage sale. Garage sales are usually held for one of two reasons: to get rid of junk, or to make money. The value of the sale depends on the motivation [...]

With the summer solstice passed and garage sale season well underway, the most frugal among us could use a few pointers on how to become an expert garage saler. The art of buying from a garage sale has been well refined through generations of bargain hunters. Over the next few days, I will [...]

1. Ham and mustard sauce.
Turkey ham cut into 1/4 inch slices covered with a sauce of mustard, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Baked in the oven at about 350 F, until warm. Served with baked or mashed potatoes and cheese. This is my comfort food. It can also [...]

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow
…Langston Hughs
The hardest thing about being an entrepreneur, is having the courage to take the next step. I usually know what the next step is, but I also know [...]

God must have had Heaven in mind when he designed North Idaho. Living here is like living in a playground. If you like to hike, bike, hunt, fish, ski, sail, camp, or do anything outdoors, North Idaho is a great place to call home.If you like art museums don’t come here. We [...]

Image via Wikipedia

God. This one should be self-explanatory. He created me, so I wouldn’t be here without him.
Brenton. I love my husband so much.
Sunshine. If I spend too much time inside, I start to get depressed. I need my sunshine.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Tea, elevenses, brunch etc. [...]

Procrastination is the best friend of thrift, and I am an expert at procrastinating!
For about six months, I have wanted a second chair for my living room. We already have the $52 couch we bought at Goodwill in Texas. We have a $5 couch that I bought at a camp thrift store in [...]

“Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.”
~~Unknown

When I decided to become an early riser, I hoped that in a month I would have developed the habit and would be waking at 5:30 every morning with ease. Now, I think more practice may be required before I [...]

Running a home requires focus. Starting a business requires focus. These two jobs collide when you, as an entrepreneur housewife, start a business in your living room. The jobs shout for your attention and threaten your dreams of being a success in both arenas. The entrepreneur housewife who lives with the [...]

They will bring you free food
It’s a good excuse to start a fire (safely in the fire ring of course)
You can pull out your brain teaser toys and watch them try to figure it out
It’s a good excuse to clean house
likewise, it’s a good manipulation tool to get the husband to mow the grass
you can [...]

Project recap: My goal is to become and early riser, specifically to wake up at 5:30 every day. I am doing this because there is a very high correlation between waking up early and being successful. I was inspired to do this because of Steve Pavalina’s series of posts on becoming [...]

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My blessing started at birth when my mom named me Sunny. My curse started at my birth when my mom named me Sunny. My name has been my scarlet letter worn [...]

Around 6:15 every morning the alarm goes off. On a good day, I hear the CD spin up in the CD/Radio alarm clock that I have used for the past 4 years. I am often wide awake, but reluctant to start my day. I push the snooze button and then snuggle down under the covers [...]

The key to life is running and reading. Running because if you can defeat that little voice in your head that says, “I can’t do this”, you can defeat anything. Reading because there is nothing new under the sun.
Watch the video with Will Smith.

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It’s been two weeks since the grass was cut. I spent about a month being very careful about cutting the grass once a week and I even planted flowers. The dandelions started blooming and I just couldn’t mow them down mercilessly. The grass keeps on growing, and I know that I *should* [...]

I’ve been reading the book 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller. I picked it up because it was recommended by Dave Ramsey. If you are feeling like you lost your dreams or are floundering with the question, “What am I going to do when I grow up?” (regardless of your age), [...]

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With spring still being a bit temperamental, Brenton and I are taking every opportunity we can to get out and about when the weather cooperates. Yesterday the high was in the upper 70’s so we went out for a paddle in our new Advanced Elements Advanced Frame Convertible Kayak. We drove [...]

Last weekend was paddlefest. Paddlefest is when Full Spectrum Tours brings out kayaks for a free test day on Lake Pend Orielle. At least it’s free until you buy one.Brenton and I have been dreaming of buying a kayak for about a year and a half. We had thought about it and debated it, and [...]

I love spontaneity. That being said, It’s no surprise that last Friday night when Brenton came home in an out-of-sorts-mood we threw two sleeping bags in the back of the car, loaded a cooler with ham, cheese, and bread. Fifteen minutes after the idea struck, we were on the road and headed towards Montana [...]

Brenton has a good salary, I do not have to work, and we still have a budget surplus (Praise the Lord). I was still always up tight about money and finances until we started taking Financial Peace University. He let me take care of the bills and making the budget because I like [...]

Brenton and I have been married for 2 1/2+ years now. The median duration of first marriages that end in divorce is about 7 1/2 years. (from divorcemag.com). With divorce statistics indicating that 1/2 of all marriages end in divorce, how can we divorce proof our marriage?
1. Attending worship together every Sunday.
Of those couples who [...]

Since I added some feed links to my sidebar, I thought I would post this video. RSS feeds are your friend. If you have a blog, make sure you publish an RSS feed

Click To Play
There are two types of Internet users, those that use RSS and those that don’t. This video is for the people [...]

Celebrate Brenton’s birthday. He’ll be a quarter of a century old. We’ll go to Panhandler Pies because they offer a totally free meal to the birthday boy. That’s any entree, along with a drink, and the dessert pie of your choice. YUM! I recommend the Beefeater sandwich.
Hike to the Ross Creek Cedars. I’ve never been [...]

A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg
By: Tim Cahill
Publisher: Vintage Departures
Have you ever lived in a gorilla research camp? watched a full solar eclipse in a snow covered field? Dove (or is it dived) for poison sea snakes? Hiked from the lowest point in the US (in death Valley) to the highest point? Tim Cahill has [...]

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I like candles. I have them burning pretty much all the time. After a while, the wick is far enough down that I can’t reach it easily with a regular match or lighter. Instead of buying one of those special super long lighters that never seem to work very well, I use [...]

Forgive me, For I have sinned.
I cut the grass before the dandelions were done blooming.
Before:

After:

There is a fine line between the quirky neighbor who is intereseting because she doesn’t care what anyone else thinks and the trashy neighbor who nobody likes.

My whole life, I have struggled with housekeeping. As a child, my room was a disaster area. As a college student, I cleaned frantically for several hours right before room inspections. As a wife, I have looked hopelessly around the house at the mess and then collapsed into tears. I have [...]

Today I started a new project with Brenton–Running! I’ve wanted to run for a long time. In my sleep, I dream about being able to run and run and run without stopping. As we were running around the track this morning, I was thinking about the Bible verse
Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the [...]

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Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…

Brenton
Forgivness
Daffodils
dandelions
Fire
forests (but not forest’s and fire together)
camping
scrapbooking
soft warm blankets
waking up beside my husband every morning
ham and mustard sauce
puppies
a clean house

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I watch the seasons change by the stars. Last night we drove up to the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge, north of town. The weather is still pretty chilly at night so the mosquitoes aren’t out yet (on a side note, never drive up there in the evening during the summer the mosquitoes will [...]

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Brenton and I have had two Betta Fish (or Siamese Fighting Fish). The first one was Flush. He lived with us in Longview, but when we moved to Idaho, I wasn’t sure he would survive the trip so I left him with dear Cara.
Flush was conditioned at an early age. [...]

faux fur hat. Grandma gave you to me when we were moving up here to Idaho. I had nothing to wear for the cold weather and Grandma is the world’s best thrift store shopper. I thought you were cute. I thought you were fun. Our relationship has been drawn out for 2 years and I [...]

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I never would have called my stomach a liar before. Oh no, not my stomach! I listen to my stomach and only eat when I’m hungry and stop eating as soon as I’m full.
Or so I thought.
Last night, as I was downing a Burger King, double stacker meal [...]

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Easter Sunday is the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and of freedom from sin. Brenton and I planned on going to the sunrise service at our church, but after a late night, we opted for the 11 o’clock service instead.
When the band is up singing, there is always a [...]

Have you ever tried to take a macro shot of coals burning hot beneath a fire? I have, and this is the result. It’s a challenge. I couldn’t take a true macro shot where my lens is just centimeters away from the subject because I would have burnt my hands. Getting [...]

Thirteen books on my short-list to read:

North of The Narrows: men and women of the upper preist lake country, IDaho by Claude & Catherine Simpson
Pocket Girdles and other confessionsof a Northwest Farm Girl by Marianne Love
Becoming a WOman of Prayer by Cynthia Heald
The Writer’s Digest Handbook of Novel Writing
A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg by [...]

What I’m not going to do now is scold editors for spending more time on Anna
Nicole Smith and Lindsay Lohan than the details of our federal budget. To
begin with, it would have about as much impact as it would for me to tell some
pop starlet, who has more money than I ever will, to put [...]

I was on the phone last night with my mom and the discussion turned towards my blog. She is getting ready to start a motorcycle blog, Two Lanes, Two Wheels. She was reading over my blog and thoroughly enjoying it until the last few posts. When she got into me posting about American Idol and [...]

It was a busy weekend around our house. We started on Friday by getting a new swing. We set up the swing and then drove out to some friends’ property to pick up rocks for a fire ring. Then Brenton and I stopped by Quest to get some pallet to be used for fire wood. [...]

A new week has begun and I must face the beast. I’ve been working on a project for about a month now. I keep thinking I am close to being finished, but then something pops up and the project draws out a bit longer. It’s a big project, and half the time I don’t know [...]

When I worked outside the home, I had a pretty good routine going. I got up at 5 am every morning, pulled on my clothes, and headed out for my morning walk. I’d get home about 5:30, pray, shower, dress, and fix a protein shake to drink when I got to work. I drove 20 [...]

Cara’s dad always said, “Discretion is the better part of valor.” I didn’t understand then what discretion had to do with being courageous. Here I am now, under attack. I am struggling with fear, uncertainty, doubts, profanity. The ghosts are coming out of the closets with their claws grasping for my throat. My breath quickens [...]

I have not had many great friends in my life, but there is one friend who I have loved my whole life. I have known her since–well, since before I can remember. We have been on many adventures together, and I look forward to many adventures yet to come. She has spent countless hours in [...]

Well we got our first challenge to financial peace. It’s a hard one too. For Brenton and me, family is just about the most important thing on this earth. Two of his brothers (and a sister-in-law) are meeting up in Colorado later this month. I’m sure the plan was to have [...]

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Last night my father-in-law called and was grieved about our debt. Yeah, I would rather be out of debt rather than $50,000 in the hole, but when I look at what we went to debt over, I’m not ashamed of it. Most of that is in student loans for Brenton [...]

Whenever you make a commitment, I think God tests you. As of today, it’s official. Both our CD and DVD drives on the computer are not reading CD’s. One thing I am trying really hard to do is figure out non-traditional methods for solving a problem. If I was at [...]

We have about $50,000 in debt. Most of it is student loans. In about a month our small group is starting Financial Peace University. Brenton and I are getting a jump on it. We are ready to be free. The borrower is slave to the lender. I don’t want to be anybody’s slave. I want [...]

Nutmeg…
I’m sure I bought it for pumpkin pie along the way, but what do you do with nutmeg when it’s not pumpkin season? This was my fist challenge for the spice rack. So I went to Taste of home and searched “nutmeg.” The first hit was for Creamy Nutmeg Chicken. I had all of the [...]

I was doing some kitchen cleaning and found that I have about 30 different spices that I have used once or some not at all. This year I am going to try to find an occasional recipe to feature one of my unused spices. I decided to do this just today and have tested out [...]

My life goes in cycles. Right now, I am full of plans. My business venture is going well. I mean as well ad I could hope for.
My brain is going in 100 different directions right now. I wish I could chase all the rabbits.
Diet/Exercise: I have a new diet plan as suggested to me by [...]

It snowed this morning. We woke up to about 3 inches and now its up to about another inch. I love how quiet the world is when it snows. Even the trains are quiet.

When I started this venture, I read about the pain and suffering that would occur from writing 50,000 words in just 30 days. I didn’t think that Chris Baty really meant it.
Here I sit, a winner on my first NaNoWriMo. I drug myself through the last week, (And drugged myself).
Wednesday, I got [...]

…words to go on NaNoWriMo. I stopped with 7779 words left, but decided to go for a fun lucky number. I expect to finish tomorrow then Iwill post my official winner’s badge Woot!
After that, I’ll finish writing the story.
Then I’ll edit.
Does this ever really end?

…a 15K weekend. Thats 15,468 to be precise and I am ahead on my word count for the first time in the whole month. Tomorrow, I hope to pass 40K with flying colors, but that may be a bit of a stretch with a 5 hour work day. Things are going well. [...]

If anyone has noticed, I’m actually in the + numbers on my word total. I’m not exactly sure how they (the all knowing nano team) calculate that number because I am actually about 7,000 words behind where I should be today.
You see, if you figure it out. 50,000 words in a 30 day [...]

So it’s official, writing begets writing, creativity begets creativity, and procrastination begets cleaning. I am a mother.

Our anniversary pictures this year.

It’s been raining for a million years. I don’t think it will ever stop. I walked home in the rain listening to Anne of Green Gables on my new MP3 player. Each step was “Thrillier” than the last. I was listening to the part where Anne and Diana run into the [...]

This is one of the best pictures from our trip. I think this is over St. Mary’s lake at Many Glacier on the East side of the park.
It was a birthday trip. Happy birthday to me.

We had snow last night. It’s actually the second snow of the season. I’ve been doing a lot of reading for my novel. This should be a good weekend for writing the forecast says rain, rain, and more rain still.

That’s how many words I’ve gotten done on my novel. Yes, I took the plunge and signed up for NaNoWriMo. By the end of November I will have written the Great American Novel–or at least the greatest novel that I have attempted.
I haven’t really done anything special to rev up for this. [...]

I guess I never posted that we got a new car. Well, we bout a 2006 Kia Rio (pictures to come soon). In 4 weeks we have put 3000 miles on it including our Columbus Day weekend trip to Glacier National Park.
The trip and several plane tickets later (for some trips coming up [...]

I’m not sure if it’s spring or summer here, but gosh it’s pretty. The early spring flowers (crocuses, daphodills, tulips) are fading and making way for late spring flowers. I am starting to identify a few. I found a few plants to put in the garden I hope to have some day.
I’ve [...]

We have been traveling a bit in the last month. We answered the call to “go west” and traveled to Yakima, Wa. Washinton is a wierd state. The scenery changes so fast. We went there for a marriage conference that was given to us as an engagement present…a year and a half later…
The [...]

This weekend I started the daunting task of trying to put wedding pictures into an album. This is probably my first experience dashing headlong into faithbooking. I mean I really am trying to make a concentrated effort. As I look through the almost 200 pictures of that wonderful day, I am reminded [...]

So I thought I that since spring is coming I would change my blog background. And in honor of spring, God dumped 8 inches of snow on North Idaho. Mom says that in Georgia everything is in full bloom…I haven’t seen the first sign of spring, except maybe more than usual gray/wet [...]

I thought I would post a few pictures. I have 3 minutes left on the computer. The first pictures is the old Victorian house I fell in love with. I’ve pretty much given up on getting it as my own house, but I can still think it is the most beautiful [...]

I moved up to Idaho. It’s nice–Nice doesn’t really go far enough. Every day this country takes my breath away.
Friday I went out to pick up Brenton from work. I caught the tail end of sunset. I couldn’t actually see the sunset–it was behind the mountains to the west of us, [...]

I found this little doozie HERE at GIRL TALK

(with links to Amazon)
God Moments By: Alan Wright
Persuasion By: Jane Austen
The Chronicles of Narnia By: C.S. Lewis
The Hidden Art of Homemaking By: Edith Schaeffer

This is by no means a complete list. I am just limited by time. This list will be updated.

The Center for Disease Control has released a list of symptoms of bird flu. If you experience any of the following, please seek medical treatment immediately:
1. High fever
2. Congestion
3. Nausea
4. Fatigue
5. Aching in the joints
6. An irresistible urge to poop on someone’s windshield.

What is life like outside the bubble? I can barely remember myself. Even so, I find myself standing at the edge of the bubble being pushed out on my own. I feel totally unprepared. I feel like that these bubble years may have just been lost. I worry that I will always fail God. I [...]

When I was a senior in High school, it was bomb threats. Every Friday afternoon for about 5 weeks straight we had a bomb threat. I think by the end of the year we were at 11 or 12 for the school year. We all made a joke of it. The [...]

I am a runner.
I am not a runner because of the length of time I can run.
I am not a runner because of the incredible speed I have.
I am not a runner because of my lean muscular body.
I am not a runner because I have always been.
I just started running. I am slow, out of [...]

“From the moment they wake they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue.”
I’ve been thinking about this quote. How much could we accomplish if we work dawn to dusk towards perfection.
Sabino Canyon Dusk
Image by Eyz via Flickr used with permission CC-BY-ND 2.0

I thought it might take a long time to get there. Several weeks of agony, seconds seemed like hours. I could only focus on getting more oxygen. I gasped for breath. I forced my leaden legs to take more steps to finish my time. Somewhere on the back stretch, as [...]

Some days, I just want to travel. There are so many places I’ve never been, so many things I’ve never seen. I think it may be something about the weather. The weather was like this when I turned 16 almost 7 years ago. Gas was 79c per gallon. I [...]

The end of summer always makes me a little wistful. This summer draws to a close with me feeling a little frightened and unsure. Tomorrow classes start back, but I am not starting again. Don’t get me wrong, I am VERY glad to be finished with school, but I feel a little uncertain about what [...]

I was driving on the loop Monday evening. I had been out shopping all day and I was starved. I pulled up to a red light and in the turning lane there was a big Ford f-250 extended cab. I looked over and there was a teenage chick driving. Her [...]

Some people take new experiences armed with only their sense of adventure. Others arm themselves with drammamine. I personal take new experiences armed with a sense of adventure and a full package of Immodium. For so me reason, I have always had a nervous stomach. I take anxiety and transfer it [...]

…and more convinced than ever that the greatest joys in life involve making huge messes.

Most people think that the perfectionists of the world have it all together. They end up being the ones who turn in the perfectly formatted paper with five extra resources and getting the straight A’s.
I may look and act like it is all under control, but some days I really hate my life. [...]

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is [...]

My lymph nodes have been swollen and sore ever since the weekend of car show (Feb 26-27). Monday I planned on going to the doctor, but things seemed less swollen so I decided to hold off and try to get bettere on my own. Well, on Thursday, my throat was fiery red and [...]

“We have $x–cash on hand–except some of it isn’t on hand yet”–The brain of the house

Sometimes I think that God is like the best friend I had back in kindergarten. We have gone our separate ways, not on sour terms, but we have gradually drifted apart. Whenever our paths cross, I say hello. Usually, our friendship represents a regret. I regret letting that one get away.
I’m [...]

The woods are lovely dark and deep
but I have promises to keep
and miles too go before I sleep
and miles to go before I sleep
–Robert Frost
I think he must have been a college student somewhere.

“Women can be fascinated by a four-hour movie with subtitles wherein the entire plot consists of a man and a woman yearning to have, but never actually having a relationship. Men HATE that. Men can take maybe 45 seconds of yearning, and they want everybody to get naked. Followed by a car [...]

“So, I see you’re wearing pink today. That kind of ruins the tough girl image. I mean come on, you ride motorcycles, you weld, you work on trucks. You wore gloves to prom so you didn’t have to clean the grease out from under your fingernails.”
“Ah, but you see, I did go [...]

What’s so special about a kitchen table? Growing up, the kitchen table was the emotional center of the home. I have spent many hours talking with my mom sitting at the table drinking a cup of tea. A home just isn’t a home without a kitchen table. I get nourishment [...]

What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it’s all about?

I love the smell of honeysuckle flowers. When I was growing up, the dog pen was right beneath my window. The honeysuckle found the chain link fence and the well fertilized soil to be ideal growing conditions. Every summer, when I slept with my window open, the sweet sent of honeysuckle would [...]

Sometimes I think that life is too good to be true. I reach a monumental occasion and I think, “Whoa, I’m here!”
I woke up on the morning of my wedding and I thought, “Days like today should be stopped for reflection, but the moments keep flying at you faster and faster until you realise [...]

Being a camp counselor means that you come to camp prepared forANYTHING. Last year, not a rain storm went by that I lent out my rain jacket, and had to share my poncho with two or three campers. There is a certain joy in being prepared though. I know that I can [...]

Acts 4:20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.

This semester ended like a firework doused with water. I just sort of fizzled and went out. My brain and body are exhausted, and I am well in need of a break. My last final was a sad affair. I couldn’t push myself any more so I stared off [...]

I was thinking today about chattooga. Ilove it when something triggers a memory from a place I love. I was just waking up from a quick naplet and everything was quiet. The sun was shining in the window–not directly, but just enough to light the room well. In an instant, I [...]

Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always
Psalm 105:4

And the pain falls like a curtain
On the things I once called certain
And I have to say the words I fear the most
I just don’t know
And the questions without answers
Come and paralyze the dancer
So I stand here on the stage afraid to move
Afraid to fall, oh, but fall I must
On this truth that my life [...]

When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his live, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do [...]

When God created the earth, everything was perfect. He gave his love to humans and His love was perfect. Adam and Eve gave their love to God, and their love was perfect. Sin had not marred mans’ ability to love. Adam and Eve gave love to each other, and their love [...]

Don’t name a pig (chicken, cow, lamb or goat) you plan to eat.
Country fences need to be horse high, pig tight, and bull strong.
Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well
you bounce.
Keep skunks and lawyers at a distance.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stumps.
A bumble [...]

A day without time…
“That fence leaks like a sieve!”
“300-500 ml of methane…I think that’s wonderful.”
“When everybody leaves, she just sits on the porch and pouts. We need to get Eilie a dog.”
“I love your house, it always smells like fresh cooked food.”
“She’s a whole new dog with eyes.”
“I can never seem to grow time (thyme)”
“We [...]

I love darkness. In the dark you can be anything you want to be, or just yourself, and only God can see you. He seems closer in the dark, while the things around you fade. Instead of taking for granted the clear view of where your feet are going and what your [...]

At four in the morning, your eyes filled with sand, your back irreparable broken, and a small but ambitious gad of riveters busily at work inside your head, you set the last peice tremblingly in place, stare with heartfelt loating at the nondescript herd of brown and white cows meandering dully across 8 1/2 by [...]

The drawer creaked open as I gave it a vigorous tug. As I pulled the drawer out, my senses were flooded with the smell of aged paper. The cards had been sitting in that drawer since only God knows when and had begun to yellow. I flipped through the file looking for [...]

20 Simple Pleasures
1. FINALLY getting to sleep for the night
2. Watching the sunrise
3. Staring into the fire
4. Waterfalls
5. Picking flowers for your best friend.
6. sommersaulting up-hill
7. flannel pajama pants
8. bubble baths
9. three knocks on my door in that special rhythm
10. freshly washed towels
11. driving [...]

I remember when all the food started coming in re-sealable bags. The movement started with cheese and I thought that it was pretty cool. Now, everything comes in a resealable bag. I look around and I find that not only does the cheese come in its own ziploc bag, the spinich, the [...]

The Bible contains:
The mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. It’s doctrines are holy, it’s precepts are binding, it’s histories are true, and it’s decisions are immutable.Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. [...]

What’s in a word?
Mark Twain once said, “The difference between the right word and the
wrong word is like the difference between lightning and the lightning
bug.”
Here are examples of what he was talking about:
Spotted in a toilet of a London office:
TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW.
In a Laundromat:
AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR [...]

For by him all things were created: Things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Colossians 1:16

Image by cdedbdme via Flickr

There is not fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
I John 4:18

When I grow up, I want to be a flower. I can dig my bare toes into the cool soil all day and the roots will go deep. I can pleasantly wave in a gentle breeze. I can lift my face to the sun. When it rains, the cool drops of [...]

Being at LU has been a blessing for me. I have had to learn to depend on God completely and trust that He will come through for me in my deepest need. I have seen Him work miraculously day by day. This faith building excercise really began on Wednesday, August 29. [...]

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Nothing says summer quite like sitting in the grass in the semi-darkness of dusk. You just can’t have the picture complete unless you add a few of your best friends and a very seedy watermelon. The grass is itchy under your bare feet, and you wonder if there are fire [...]

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

“The Sadhu smiled at me. ‘Sometimes people come to me to see a miracle. When they come now I’ll send them to Corrie ten Boom. That I know Jesus is alive and with me is no miracle…these eyes have seen Him. But you, who have never seen him, know His presence. [...]

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Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.
Corrie Ten Boom

Layers
Layers upon layers
Sloughing off layers
Layers covering my heart.
Each layer
Darker
Darker
Darker.
Finally,
All layers are gone
The blackness of my heart
Revealed.
Wounded
infected
black and scabby
oozing and vile
Wounds upon wounds
One upon the other
Festering sores
Black heart
Pain and agony
I dont…
I don’t like what I’ve found.
I don’t like my ugliness
Worse,
I don’t want you to know
I try to put layers on
But they no longer fit
The blackness of [...]

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord….They are like trees planted along a river bank, with roots that reach deep into the wather. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
How can [...]

What will this day be like? I wonder.
What will my future be? I wonder.
It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free
My heart should be wildly rejoicing
Oh, what’s the matter with me?
I’ve always longed for adventure
To do the things I’ve never dared
And here I’m facing adventure
Then why am I so [...]

Done with doing time, Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) busts loose from the Mississippi jail. The only problem is that he is still chained to the ill-tempered Pete (John Turturro) and clueless Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson). With nothing to leave behind, the three set out to recover a 1.3 million dollar loot buried [...]

Austin City Limits
Last night Lynard Skynard was on Austin City Limits. For those of you who have not been so fortunant to be introduced to this band’s music, may God have mercy on your soul.
They finished their set with “Sweet Home Alabama.” As far as I can tell L.S. is the originator of [...]

God Created humans to know and love God and others
Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your sould and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two [...]

I exist to glorify God.
God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in him.”
~~Dr. John Piper, Desiring God
How would my life change if I began each day with that in mind?

“If you can make a religion look absurd, then you have probably failed to understand that religion.”
~~Ravi Zacharias
It is impossible to prove to a person that their religion is wrong. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. My job is to present the truth found in the Word of God; my job [...]

I want to write. It is almost suffocating. I can’t hardly stand it any more. What if my life passes away and my one dream is never realized. The problem is starting. I have no story line. I have no characters, I have no friends. How can one [...]

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God gave humans free will. So what exactly does that mean? I used to think that free will meant that we have the choice of what to do and God knows what will happen if we choose either A or B. But I don’t think that anymore.
God put the [...]

Creed
Steve Turner
We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin.
We believe everything is OK
as long as you don’t hurt anyone,
to the best of your definition of hurt,
and to the best of your knowledge.
…
We believe that man is essentially good.
it’s only his behavior that lets him down.
This is the fault of society.
Society is the fault of conditions.
Conditions are the fault of [...]

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I imagine that when someone dies and stands in judgment before God, he or she will finally understand God’s righteousness.
Have you ever been to a Judgment House? Basically, A Judgment House is the Christian alternative to a Haunted House. You are led through a church seeing a different [...]

At evening when I go to bed
I see the stars shine overhead.
They are the little daisies white
That dot the meadow of the night.
And often while I’m dreaming so,
Across the sky the moon will go.
It is a lady, sweet and fair,
Who comes to gather daisies there.
For, when at morning I arise,
There’s not a star left in [...]

Justification: to be declared righteous before God. Not because of anything that I have done but because He who knew no sin became sin so that I might be righteous through him.
I believed in Jesus before I was even 4 years old. Some may say that at that young, I didn’t really know [...]

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I went to the 8:30 AM service today at church. I have to say, I felt very uplifted after the church service. The sermon was on being an Acts 1:8 Christian“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, [...]

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust:
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
Psalm 18:2-3.

Allow me to state the obvious: the future is uncertain. I’m sure you’ve been watching the news, you know that the economy is unstable. Don’t panic! Right now is not a time to panic, instead this is a good time to make a plan, tighten up your belt, and exercise caution.
October [...]

Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.
Dr. Seuss
If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.
Dr. Seuss
So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.
Dr. Seuss

Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful — Warren Buffett

I am itching for spring. This morning I woke up to the sound of a little bird singing way up in the cherry tree. Some day soon (in a couple of months), that cherry tree will be covered in blossoms. About that same time, the whole yard will be filled in a [...]

The winner of the Square Foot Gardening giveaway is Jamie from Rhino Rhamblings.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Is a busy wife and a brave mom of 2 boys.  She is currently trying to create a peaceful haven in the midst of a kitchen remodel.  She recently blogged about an amazing Valentines Day family night where she made red mashed potatoes [...]

Brenton has a good salary, I do not have to work, and we still have a budget surplus (Praise the Lord). I was still always up tight about money and finances until we started taking Financial Peace University. He let me take care of the bills and making the budget because I like [...]

With the summer solstice passed and garage sale season well underway, the most frugal among us could use a few pointers on how to become an expert garage saler. The art of buying from a garage sale has been well refined through generations of bargain hunters. Over the next few days, I will [...]

Everybody loves a great bargain, and one of the best places for a savvy shopper to find a bargain is at a garage sale. Garage sales are usually held for one of two reasons: to get rid of junk, or to make money. The value of the sale depends on the motivation [...]

For the garage sale junkie, a summer Saturday can be the perfect invitation for bringing more clutter into your home. One of the best ways that I have found to sort the treasures from the trash is to shop with a list.
List the home decorations you want to buy
Every few months I walk through [...]

When you garage sale, it sounds contradictory to only buy something if you would pay full price for it. What place does full price have in a garage sale? I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, a garage sale bargain isn’t a bargain if you don’t need the item or won’t [...]

One of the best ways I know to keep from over spending at a garage sale is to only carry cash, and only carry the amount of cash that you actually are willing to spend.
This one is pretty simple. If you don’t have a checkbook, you can’t write a check. Set your limit [...]

Garage sale shopping can be a lonely thing, it’s always good to bring a friend. I’m not talking about bring just any kind of friend. When you are trying to sort trash from treasure, you need to bring the buddy who will talk you out of buying that velvet Elvis print (or whatever [...]

Negotiating is a lost art in America, but everywhere else in the world, negotiation is the standard way of shopping. While at most regular stores negotiating is frowned upon, at garage sales negotiating is your ace in the hole.
You have to remember that there are two kinds of people who hold garage sales–those [...]

Keeping cool in a heat wave is a bit of an art when your house doesn’t have an air conditioner. North Idahohas had it’s two weeks of summer now, we have been seeing temperatures close to, and even topping 100. That’s not all that bad compared to Texas heat and humidity combination, but [...]

In the winter, we are all told to wear a hat because a lot of body heat can be lost through the head and neck. This principle can be applied in reverse during summer heat waves when you are trying to keep cool without air conditioner.
One product that can help you keep cool is [...]

Does anybody know how to make snowshoes? That’s right, just a week or two ago I was writing about keeping cool without air conditioner, but today my thoughts have changed and I am looking towards the long winter.
It started Sunday with rain…a sure sign that fall is coming.
Brenton and I have decided to [...]

Christmas is three weeks away. Dust off your camera and get ready to take some great Holiday photos with the tips listed below.
1. Prepare your tools!
A year ago, Brenton and I took a trip to Glacier National Park to celebrate my birthday. The scenery in Glacier is awe-inspiring, to say the least.
I [...]

In the quiet days following Christmas, you look through your pictures and smile. As you look through the pictures again, you might think about the shots you didn’t capture. The best way to avoid missing those pictures you want is to make a list and check it twice. Today I am going [...]

For several weeks now (since about the time we got our last electricity and gas bill), I’ve been trying to figure out an easy, blanket free way to keep Wiggles’ hands warm at night.  We’ve been turning down the heater at night to save money, but the baby’s hands get so cold.  I knew there [...]

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Nothing says summer quite like sitting in the grass in the semi-darkness of dusk. You just can’t have the picture complete unless you add a few of your best friends and a very seedy watermelon. The grass is itchy under your bare feet, and you wonder if there are fire [...]

I remember when all the food started coming in re-sealable bags. The movement started with cheese and I thought that it was pretty cool. Now, everything comes in a resealable bag. I look around and I find that not only does the cheese come in its own ziploc bag, the spinich, the [...]

Being a camp counselor means that you come to camp prepared forANYTHING. Last year, not a rain storm went by that I lent out my rain jacket, and had to share my poncho with two or three campers. There is a certain joy in being prepared though. I know that I can [...]

Sometimes I think that life is too good to be true. I reach a monumental occasion and I think, “Whoa, I’m here!”
I woke up on the morning of my wedding and I thought, “Days like today should be stopped for reflection, but the moments keep flying at you faster and faster until you realise [...]

My lymph nodes have been swollen and sore ever since the weekend of car show (Feb 26-27). Monday I planned on going to the doctor, but things seemed less swollen so I decided to hold off and try to get bettere on my own. Well, on Thursday, my throat was fiery red and [...]

…and more convinced than ever that the greatest joys in life involve making huge messes.

Some people take new experiences armed with only their sense of adventure. Others arm themselves with drammamine. I personal take new experiences armed with a sense of adventure and a full package of Immodium. For so me reason, I have always had a nervous stomach. I take anxiety and transfer it [...]

The end of summer always makes me a little wistful. This summer draws to a close with me feeling a little frightened and unsure. Tomorrow classes start back, but I am not starting again. Don’t get me wrong, I am VERY glad to be finished with school, but I feel a little uncertain about what [...]

I thought it might take a long time to get there. Several weeks of agony, seconds seemed like hours. I could only focus on getting more oxygen. I gasped for breath. I forced my leaden legs to take more steps to finish my time. Somewhere on the back stretch, as [...]

I am a runner.
I am not a runner because of the length of time I can run.
I am not a runner because of the incredible speed I have.
I am not a runner because of my lean muscular body.
I am not a runner because I have always been.
I just started running. I am slow, out of [...]

I moved up to Idaho. It’s nice–Nice doesn’t really go far enough. Every day this country takes my breath away.
Friday I went out to pick up Brenton from work. I caught the tail end of sunset. I couldn’t actually see the sunset–it was behind the mountains to the west of us, [...]

I thought I would post a few pictures. I have 3 minutes left on the computer. The first pictures is the old Victorian house I fell in love with. I’ve pretty much given up on getting it as my own house, but I can still think it is the most beautiful [...]

So I thought I that since spring is coming I would change my blog background. And in honor of spring, God dumped 8 inches of snow on North Idaho. Mom says that in Georgia everything is in full bloom…I haven’t seen the first sign of spring, except maybe more than usual gray/wet [...]

We have been traveling a bit in the last month. We answered the call to “go west” and traveled to Yakima, Wa. Washinton is a wierd state. The scenery changes so fast. We went there for a marriage conference that was given to us as an engagement present…a year and a half later…
The [...]

I’m not sure if it’s spring or summer here, but gosh it’s pretty. The early spring flowers (crocuses, daphodills, tulips) are fading and making way for late spring flowers. I am starting to identify a few. I found a few plants to put in the garden I hope to have some day.
I’ve [...]

I guess I never posted that we got a new car. Well, we bout a 2006 Kia Rio (pictures to come soon). In 4 weeks we have put 3000 miles on it including our Columbus Day weekend trip to Glacier National Park.
The trip and several plane tickets later (for some trips coming up [...]

Our anniversary pictures this year.

It snowed this morning. We woke up to about 3 inches and now its up to about another inch. I love how quiet the world is when it snows. Even the trains are quiet.

We have about $50,000 in debt. Most of it is student loans. In about a month our small group is starting Financial Peace University. Brenton and I are getting a jump on it. We are ready to be free. The borrower is slave to the lender. I don’t want to be anybody’s slave. I want [...]

Whenever you make a commitment, I think God tests you. As of today, it’s official. Both our CD and DVD drives on the computer are not reading CD’s. One thing I am trying really hard to do is figure out non-traditional methods for solving a problem. If I was at [...]

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Last night my father-in-law called and was grieved about our debt. Yeah, I would rather be out of debt rather than $50,000 in the hole, but when I look at what we went to debt over, I’m not ashamed of it. Most of that is in student loans for Brenton [...]

Well we got our first challenge to financial peace. It’s a hard one too. For Brenton and me, family is just about the most important thing on this earth. Two of his brothers (and a sister-in-law) are meeting up in Colorado later this month. I’m sure the plan was to have [...]

It was a busy weekend around our house. We started on Friday by getting a new swing. We set up the swing and then drove out to some friends’ property to pick up rocks for a fire ring. Then Brenton and I stopped by Quest to get some pallet to be used for fire wood. [...]

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Easter Sunday is the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and of freedom from sin. Brenton and I planned on going to the sunrise service at our church, but after a late night, we opted for the 11 o’clock service instead.
When the band is up singing, there is always a [...]

Image by DennisSylvesterHurd via Flickr
I never would have called my stomach a liar before. Oh no, not my stomach! I listen to my stomach and only eat when I’m hungry and stop eating as soon as I’m full.
Or so I thought.
Last night, as I was downing a Burger King, double stacker meal [...]

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Brenton and I have had two Betta Fish (or Siamese Fighting Fish). The first one was Flush. He lived with us in Longview, but when we moved to Idaho, I wasn’t sure he would survive the trip so I left him with dear Cara.
Flush was conditioned at an early age. [...]

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I watch the seasons change by the stars. Last night we drove up to the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge, north of town. The weather is still pretty chilly at night so the mosquitoes aren’t out yet (on a side note, never drive up there in the evening during the summer the mosquitoes will [...]

Today I started a new project with Brenton–Running! I’ve wanted to run for a long time. In my sleep, I dream about being able to run and run and run without stopping. As we were running around the track this morning, I was thinking about the Bible verse
Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the [...]

Forgive me, For I have sinned.
I cut the grass before the dandelions were done blooming.
Before:

After:

There is a fine line between the quirky neighbor who is intereseting because she doesn’t care what anyone else thinks and the trashy neighbor who nobody likes.

Celebrate Brenton’s birthday. He’ll be a quarter of a century old. We’ll go to Panhandler Pies because they offer a totally free meal to the birthday boy. That’s any entree, along with a drink, and the dessert pie of your choice. YUM! I recommend the Beefeater sandwich.
Hike to the Ross Creek Cedars. I’ve never been [...]

I love spontaneity. That being said, It’s no surprise that last Friday night when Brenton came home in an out-of-sorts-mood we threw two sleeping bags in the back of the car, loaded a cooler with ham, cheese, and bread. Fifteen minutes after the idea struck, we were on the road and headed towards Montana [...]

Last weekend was paddlefest. Paddlefest is when Full Spectrum Tours brings out kayaks for a free test day on Lake Pend Orielle. At least it’s free until you buy one.Brenton and I have been dreaming of buying a kayak for about a year and a half. We had thought about it and debated it, and [...]

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With spring still being a bit temperamental, Brenton and I are taking every opportunity we can to get out and about when the weather cooperates. Yesterday the high was in the upper 70’s so we went out for a paddle in our new Advanced Elements Advanced Frame Convertible Kayak. We drove [...]

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It’s been two weeks since the grass was cut. I spent about a month being very careful about cutting the grass once a week and I even planted flowers. The dandelions started blooming and I just couldn’t mow them down mercilessly. The grass keeps on growing, and I know that I *should* [...]

They will bring you free food
It’s a good excuse to start a fire (safely in the fire ring of course)
You can pull out your brain teaser toys and watch them try to figure it out
It’s a good excuse to clean house
likewise, it’s a good manipulation tool to get the husband to mow the grass
you can [...]

Procrastination is the best friend of thrift, and I am an expert at procrastinating!
For about six months, I have wanted a second chair for my living room. We already have the $52 couch we bought at Goodwill in Texas. We have a $5 couch that I bought at a camp thrift store in [...]

God must have had Heaven in mind when he designed North Idaho. Living here is like living in a playground. If you like to hike, bike, hunt, fish, ski, sail, camp, or do anything outdoors, North Idaho is a great place to call home.If you like art museums don’t come here. We [...]

I tried to upload photos, but I am having issues. Last night we slept in the “lake house” for the first time. I’m calling it our lake house because we are just a few blocks from the lake. I’ll be running between the two houses for a few weeks until I get [...]

Sometimes all you can say is, “It figures.” Wednesday I washed the car. For many, this would be a regular summer occurrence. For me…well, let’s just say we bought the car in September and it hasn’t been washed since (except when we took it in to get the oil changed). As [...]

Photowalking, as defined by wikipedia is:
the act of walking with a camera for the main purpose of taking pictures of things you may find interesting.
I’ve only heard the term used recently, but I’ve been doing it for years (just ask my mom about the cat pictures)!
Today I bundled up and went for an afternoon walk [...]

“You’ve got to go see the sunset tonight…well not the sunset, but if you look to the east the moon is rising over the lake,” my husband called and said.
Without thinking about the cold, I threw on my jacket but forgot gloves, a hat, and a scarf. About 5 minutes into my walk to [...]

Today was the first day in about…oh 2 months that the temperature got above freezing. Such an occasion is worthy of an adventure, so I put on my snowsuit, packed my snowshoes in my backpack, and headed out.
My destination was the city trail that heads South along the lake and across the long bridge. [...]

It would be dishonest to say that I spent all weekend trying to get my computer back up and running–although, it was a good portion of my weekend.
Brenton had President’s day off from work. The morning dawned bright and clear. With spring just around the corner, the birds have come back to sing [...]

Last night there was a total lunar eclipse. Brenton and I drove out of town to get away from the lights and watch the moon get eaten by the shadow of the earth.
I did a time-lapse photo series (1 shot/ ~15 minutes) of the moon from the time of totality (7p.m. PST) to the [...]

For years, philosphers and commoners alike have pondered the important question of “why did the chicken cross the road?”
This morning, I walked out to the car to get my cell phone, and was forced to ask, “Why did the goose cross the road?”

I think he got lost on his way to Canada.

Brenton and I went for a drive after dinner to take in the picturesque sunset. This winter was…long…to say the least, and ever since the time change we have had an hour of sunshine after he gets off from work. Sunset tonight was picture perfect, but I had to memorize it by heart [...]

Our Sunday afternoon walk took us down to the shoals–my own personal water park.
My family first discovered the shoals when I was about five. We had started building my parents house. It was summer and it was stinking hot. Our house was just a concrete slab with cinder walls slowly going up. [...]

Sometimes I can just feel God smiling down on me.  Yesterday, we secured a new rental.  The new apartment is a cute 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment.  It is full of light and sunshine.  I can’t decide if I am most excited about having a washer and dryer, a dishwasher, or a full bathtub (our [...]

Do you ever get those ‘we miss you’ emails from some store you haven’t shopped at in a while?  I’m not going to offer you 20% off your next purchase, or anything terribly exciting like that.  Now is just the time for me to post a note to tell you what I have been up [...]

After reading my last post, I realized it might come off as a bit negative.  The past 2 months have certainly not been the easiest months of my life, but I am delighted that God has answered the prayers of so many people who knew about our trouble getting pregnant.
Any pregnancy is a miracle.  A [...]

There is nothing quite so sweet to steal as flowers…unless it is a kiss.
After yesterday’s rant, I felt the need to lighten up a bit with today’s post. The past two weeks have been rainy. I actually went to the store last week with the sole intention of getting a raincoat and an [...]

This is the waiting time when I have to take one day at time.  I try to keep my hands busy so that my mind doesn’t drive me to the brink of insanity or panic.  Busy…or asleep.
On Friday we got news that our house offer has been accepted.  We are hoping to rush through closing [...]

My silence over the last week has not been because I have nothing to say.  On the contrary, I have had more to say than I could put into words.  With a hundred different thoughts racing around my mind and a baby growing in my belly, I’m afraid that I don’t have the mental capacity [...]

Season follows season and as we transfer from fall into winter, I have found that my own life has brought me into a brand new season.
It started on November 14 when B and I got the keys to our very own home. This isn’t a standard tract home in the middle of suburbia. [...]

Being a new mommy means lots of sleepless nights, lots of new worries, and (it seems like) not a moment of my day to myself.  My mom came to visit and so much got done around our house, but now that she has gone home, I find that I have 10 lbs of demanding screaming [...]

The first backpacking trip I took with Brenton, or ever, I was 6 months pregnant.  It was Labor Day Weekend, and we decided to take a 3 mile hike into a mountain lake.  The drive to the trailhead was about 30 miles from our house–19 of those miles were on dirt roads.
I was disappointed and [...]

As I hold my baby and try to type one-one handed, I am even more anxious for my new headphones to arrive.  Then I can start really composing my posts with Dragon Naturally Speaking!
In the mean time, I am completely snowed in!  The snow glacier on the front roof decided to become an iceberg in [...]

Next time someone asks you what you do at home all day, you can answer, “I’m building cathedrals.” The text that follows is slightly different than the video, but the message is the same:
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk [...]

Remember how one of my New Year’s goals was to buy hotel quality sheets?  Well this month, the blog, The Secret Is In The Sauce is hosting a Bedroom Bliss Giveway.  The offer is basically a whole bedroom makover complete with 500 thread count sheets!
So yeah…I want those sheets!

By all accounts, this is a perfect morning.  I woke up to a happy, sunshiney baby who lay on my bed and coo-ed at me while I got dressed for the day.  When I went to change his diaper, I heard a strange sound coming from the kitchen–Brenton had done the dishes for me before [...]

I found 3 gray hairs this morning.  Actually I found one fallen out as I was brushing my hair and Brenton pulled out the other two (Thanks, Honey!).  They aren’t gray either, I guess.  They are white hairs–nothing gray about it.
I guess this just comes with the territory. Just call me “Mommy”.

When I was young, we lived in a big old house with a big front porch and windows that always seemed to face the sunlight.
My bedroom had lace curtains and a balcony.
My dad would take me out on the balcony and sing me to sleep:
“God made the stars in the sky,
God made the moon way [...]

Do mothers always feel this same overwhelming love for their children? Does the love keep washing over you when he is 24 years old the same way it did when he was 24 hours old?  Will my heart leap with delight every time I see him the same way it did when I held him [...]

I went to Walmart and bought everything for myself…
…and nothing for the baby.

When he was brand new and we had just brougt him home, I kept watching him sleep and thinking, “Oh, I just wish he would wake up for a while!”
Just a few months later, I watch him and thing, “Oh, I just wish he would go to sleep for a while.”

For whatever reason, I have trouble doing things slow and gradual.  When I set my mind to do something, I want it all done RIGHTNOW!  (and yes, that really is said/ spelled with no spaces in it.  I don’t have time for spaces in rightnow).  in nature, slow and steady is the norm.  It takes [...]

when you turn to your husband and say, “Ba”  and without missing a beat he answers back, “Ba…ba…ba…”
In just a few months we will graduate to single word sentences.

Is it possible to be too unselfish in marriage? Generally speaking, human beings are much more likely to be self-absorbed to a fault, I also think that marriage is a careful balance between being unselfish enough to meet the other persons needs and selfish enough to express your own needs.

If I were to sum up my philosphy on frugality in three statements they would be:

1. Begin from a mindset of abundance
2. Know where you are going
3. Saving money doesn’t require spending a lot of time

Season follows season and as we transfer from fall into winter, I have found that my own life has brought me into a brand new season.
It started on November 14 when B and I got the keys to our very own home. This isn’t a standard tract home in the middle of suburbia. [...]

Next time someone asks you what you do at home all day, you can answer, “I’m building cathedrals.” The text that follows is slightly different than the video, but the message is the same:
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk [...]

Allow me to state the obvious: the future is uncertain. I’m sure you’ve been watching the news, you know that the economy is unstable. Don’t panic! Right now is not a time to panic, instead this is a good time to make a plan, tighten up your belt, and exercise caution.
October [...]

If I were to sum up my philosphy on frugality in three statements they would be:

1. Begin from a mindset of abundance
2. Know where you are going
3. Saving money doesn’t require spending a lot of time

As the golds of autumn begin to trade out for the grays of winter and night time lows have dropped well below freezing, it’s time for me to admit that I need to begin winterizing our house. The purpose of winterizing is to stop the leaks and save some cash on our winter heating bill.

Celebrating Halloween doesn’t have to be overwhelmingly expensive. The main trick is to think outside the box. If you can do that, you’re in for a real treat!

Tell me I’m not alone.  This time of year gives me the itch every year.  I start thinking about crocheting and quilting and all the other lovely crafts I could make to give for Christmas gifts this year.  It always happens at the end of October.  The temperature drops, hot tea becomes a nightly ritual, [...]

October was supposed to be frugal living month here at Dandelions and Daydreams, so what happened?
I wrote a few articles.  I started to winterize the apartment.  I spent a little bit of money on this house and then just as expected…our offer got accepted and we started transitioning into moving.  Perhaps I could say simply, [...]

Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful — Warren Buffett

I feel like I’m being nickel-and-dimed…only the hospital version which comes in $1000-and-$500.

I am itching for spring. This morning I woke up to the sound of a little bird singing way up in the cherry tree. Some day soon (in a couple of months), that cherry tree will be covered in blossoms. About that same time, the whole yard will be filled in a [...]

It’s no harder than using a disposable diaper–Cloth diapering has come a long way.  Put out of your mind images of sticking a baby with a pin or soaking dirty diapers in a pail of water.  With velcro diaper covers you can use prefolds (old style diapers) with no pins, if you prefer to go [...]

Back when I was still pregnant, people would ask me, “Are you planning on using cloth diapers?”  When I answered affirmatively, they responded, “You won’t do it.”  I talked to several friends who had briefly attempted cloth diapering and then gave up.  “It was too hard,” they said. Momentarily, my resolve wavered, but I found [...]

I’ve read a lot of opinions on how to properly wash cloth diapers.  Some say use bleach, others say don’t bleach.  Some articles insist on HOT water, others say it doesn’t matter.
Here is my simple routine for washing cloth diapers, everything seems to come out clean and stink free and that’s what’s really important isn’t [...]

I didn’t intend for this to become cloth diapering week, but once I had three articles written it seemed good to finish up with some good cloth diapering resources from around the web.
For starters, the articles on this blog:

Top 10 reasons to use cloth diapers
Supplies for getting started
The simple wash routine

When I was making my [...]

I made this for dinner last night.  Fairly quick and easy (especially since I used canned tomatoes and canned corn).  It came out delicious.   This probably has 4-6 servings.  If you wanted to make more, you could probably add another can of beans and some cooked rice.  Cheap and healthy too.
1 c chopped onions
1 T [...]

Don’t go driving just because (saves both in gas and in wear and tear on the car)
Stay out of thrift stores and yard sales unless you have a shopping list (don’t buy anything unless it is on your list)
Don’t eat out on trips, pack a lunch and find a park
Make or buy freezer meals for [...]

Mopping the floors is great meditation.  Especially when, as I am mopping I notice the beautiful wood grain of the 97 year old fir floors underneath the mop head.  And as I mop I begin to imagine how beautiful the floor will be when we finally get to refinish them.  Of course we won’t be [...]

The Weather outside is frightful:

But inside, I have a little bit of hope growing in my windowsill.

“Short and sweet” carrots.

When you live in a 97 year old fixer-upper house, any holiday, birthday, anniversary, opportunity to give/get a gift is an opportunity to update the house just a bit more. The most recent holiday/gift opportunity was Valentines Day. What did I get for Valentines day? New tile and a high efficiency toilet [...]

The key to buying a fixer upper home is having vision–to see beyond the boxed in front porch and the kitchen and bathroom that got “Modernized” in the 1950’s (WHY OH WHY couldn’t they have left the clawfoot tub?) To wonder what kind of wood the trim is under umpteen layers of paint. [...]

see more Lolcats and funny pictures
This week, I realized something about Wiggles that made my stomach turn flipflops and my heart pound inside my chest–he could start crawling any day  now.  Oh how my life will change when that happens.  I will spend my days trying to stay one step ahead of him, I will [...]

For whatever reason, I have trouble doing things slow and gradual.  When I set my mind to do something, I want it all done RIGHTNOW!  (and yes, that really is said/ spelled with no spaces in it.  I don’t have time for spaces in rightnow).  in nature, slow and steady is the norm.  It takes [...]

Whenever I go out garage sale shopping, I’m always afraid of a sale where there are no other shoppers.  I’m afraid that I will get out of the car and start rummaging through the stuff only to have the owner start shouting at me, “What are you doing here?  What do you think this is…a [...]

I made this for dinner last night.  Fairly quick and easy (especially since I used canned tomatoes and canned corn).  It came out delicious.   This probably has 4-6 servings.  If you wanted to make more, you could probably add another can of beans and some cooked rice.  Cheap and healthy too.
1 c chopped onions
1 T [...]

I’ve decided to take a page out of Amy’s Notebook from Mom Advice.  I’ve got lots of great articles and ideas that are getting lost in my bookmarks and favorites.  I thought I would share a few of my favorite articles from this past week.
Jewelboxlady from Blissfully domestic has offered some advice on How to [...]

I’ve been looking for some cheap decorating ideas like the ones offered over at wisebread.
This article over at Christianity Today served as a good reminder that I need to be more careful with my time, especially devoing more to my husband.  If you don’t have time to read the whole article, make sure you check [...]

Do you wonder what Amy Dacyzyn (of The Tightwad Gazette) thinks about the economy these days?  Find out Here
Money Saving Mom has started a list of 100 ways to save money (this article is #1-10).  I could use some tips for #5 go meatless a couple of meals per week.
This is an old post on [...]

Sometimes I think my life is a bit like a Kaleidoscope–random bits and baubles floating around trying to make something beautiful.

I found 3 gray hairs this morning.  Actually I found one fallen out as I was brushing my hair and Brenton pulled out the other two (Thanks, Honey!).  They aren’t gray either, I guess.  They are white hairs–nothing gray about it.
I guess this just comes with the territory. Just call me “Mommy”.

March is an impatient time of year for me. Some days bring hopeful signs of spring–robins on the fence, birds singing in the apple tree. Other days bring 6 more inches of snow and forecasted lows of 2°F.  Almost a year ago, it seemed good to Brenton and me to plan a sunny [...]

The Spanish Missions were founded in Alta California during the time period between 1769 and 1823. Basically, the Russians were threatening to take over the Spanish claimed lands on the West Coast of America. To strengthen the Spanish claim over these lands, Padres were sent to establish a Mission and teach the natives [...]

Our last day in California was spent at the San Diego Zoo–world famous for its animal breeding program.  By random chance, dumb luck, and a little favor from God, we got to see the results of the famous animal breeding program.
On Friday, March 6, Frank, a western lowland gorilla was introduced to the public for [...]

….Please God, Help me find the pacifier!

I think we all need a best friend in the bathroom mirror.  The kind of friend who always makes you laugh.

Creed
Steve Turner
We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin.
We believe everything is OK
as long as you don’t hurt anyone,
to the best of your definition of hurt,
and to the best of your knowledge.
…
We believe that man is essentially good.
it’s only his behavior that lets him down.
This is the fault of society.
Society is the fault of conditions.
Conditions are the fault of [...]

“If you can make a religion look absurd, then you have probably failed to understand that religion.”
~~Ravi Zacharias
It is impossible to prove to a person that their religion is wrong. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. My job is to present the truth found in the Word of God; my job [...]

I exist to glorify God.
God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in him.”
~~Dr. John Piper, Desiring God
How would my life change if I began each day with that in mind?

God Created humans to know and love God and others
Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your sould and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two [...]

What will this day be like? I wonder.
What will my future be? I wonder.
It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free
My heart should be wildly rejoicing
Oh, what’s the matter with me?
I’ve always longed for adventure
To do the things I’ve never dared
And here I’m facing adventure
Then why am I so [...]

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord….They are like trees planted along a river bank, with roots that reach deep into the wather. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
How can [...]

Image via Wikipedia

Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.
Corrie Ten Boom

“The Sadhu smiled at me. ‘Sometimes people come to me to see a miracle. When they come now I’ll send them to Corrie ten Boom. That I know Jesus is alive and with me is no miracle…these eyes have seen Him. But you, who have never seen him, know His presence. [...]

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

When I grow up, I want to be a flower. I can dig my bare toes into the cool soil all day and the roots will go deep. I can pleasantly wave in a gentle breeze. I can lift my face to the sun. When it rains, the cool drops of [...]

Image by cdedbdme via Flickr

There is not fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
I John 4:18

For by him all things were created: Things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Colossians 1:16

What’s in a word?
Mark Twain once said, “The difference between the right word and the
wrong word is like the difference between lightning and the lightning
bug.”
Here are examples of what he was talking about:
Spotted in a toilet of a London office:
TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW.
In a Laundromat:
AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR [...]

The Bible contains:
The mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. It’s doctrines are holy, it’s precepts are binding, it’s histories are true, and it’s decisions are immutable.Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. [...]

At four in the morning, your eyes filled with sand, your back irreparable broken, and a small but ambitious gad of riveters busily at work inside your head, you set the last peice tremblingly in place, stare with heartfelt loating at the nondescript herd of brown and white cows meandering dully across 8 1/2 by [...]

A day without time…
“That fence leaks like a sieve!”
“300-500 ml of methane…I think that’s wonderful.”
“When everybody leaves, she just sits on the porch and pouts. We need to get Eilie a dog.”
“I love your house, it always smells like fresh cooked food.”
“She’s a whole new dog with eyes.”
“I can never seem to grow time (thyme)”
“We [...]

Don’t name a pig (chicken, cow, lamb or goat) you plan to eat.
Country fences need to be horse high, pig tight, and bull strong.
Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well
you bounce.
Keep skunks and lawyers at a distance.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stumps.
A bumble [...]

When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his live, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do [...]

And the pain falls like a curtain
On the things I once called certain
And I have to say the words I fear the most
I just don’t know
And the questions without answers
Come and paralyze the dancer
So I stand here on the stage afraid to move
Afraid to fall, oh, but fall I must
On this truth that my life [...]

Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always
Psalm 105:4

This semester ended like a firework doused with water. I just sort of fizzled and went out. My brain and body are exhausted, and I am well in need of a break. My last final was a sad affair. I couldn’t push myself any more so I stared off [...]

Acts 4:20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.

What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it’s all about?

“Women can be fascinated by a four-hour movie with subtitles wherein the entire plot consists of a man and a woman yearning to have, but never actually having a relationship. Men HATE that. Men can take maybe 45 seconds of yearning, and they want everybody to get naked. Followed by a car [...]

The woods are lovely dark and deep
but I have promises to keep
and miles too go before I sleep
and miles to go before I sleep
–Robert Frost
I think he must have been a college student somewhere.

“We have $x–cash on hand–except some of it isn’t on hand yet”–The brain of the house

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is [...]

“From the moment they wake they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue.”
I’ve been thinking about this quote. How much could we accomplish if we work dawn to dusk towards perfection.
Sabino Canyon Dusk
Image by Eyz via Flickr used with permission CC-BY-ND 2.0

The Center for Disease Control has released a list of symptoms of bird flu. If you experience any of the following, please seek medical treatment immediately:
1. High fever
2. Congestion
3. Nausea
4. Fatigue
5. Aching in the joints
6. An irresistible urge to poop on someone’s windshield.

I found this little doozie HERE at GIRL TALK

Our anniversary pictures this year.

Have you ever tried to take a macro shot of coals burning hot beneath a fire? I have, and this is the result. It’s a challenge. I couldn’t take a true macro shot where my lens is just centimeters away from the subject because I would have burnt my hands. Getting [...]

We had more rain last night. I looked outside the door at the sun setting in the West and thought, “This looks like rainbow weather.” I turned East and saw this:

It just doesn’t get any better than this.

For years, philosphers and commoners alike have pondered the important question of “why did the chicken cross the road?”
This morning, I walked out to the car to get my cell phone, and was forced to ask, “Why did the goose cross the road?”

I think he got lost on his way to Canada.

This is what I’m dreaming of.

Image via Wikipedia There once was a ship caught in a storm and blown off course.  After the storm had passed, The ship’s captain, a gruff, burly, short-sighted, half deaf worn old sea captain brought the crew on deck to discuss what to do.  This captain tried to run his ship based on the popular [...]

I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when you hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you.
Isaiah 46

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust:
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
Psalm 18:2-3.

Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.
Dr. Seuss
If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.
Dr. Seuss
So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.
Dr. Seuss

Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful — Warren Buffett

Next time someone asks you what you do at home all day, you can answer, “I’m building cathedrals.” The text that follows is slightly different than the video, but the message is the same:
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk [...]

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn’t even touch college tuition.
But $160,140.00 isn’t so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* [...]

I believe I do love Jesus, but most of the time I’d rather spend time being entertained than spend time in God’s word. How do I break this hold that entertainment has on my heart?
That’s a very good question. And I think it’s especially relevant because we live, I think, more now than ever, in [...]

Growing up, my parents had an Ecuadorian poncho that my Dad had picked up when he served for a summer as a Wycliff missionary in Quito, Ecuador.  The poncho was about the size of a twin bed blanket.  It was green, yellow and blue striped with the colors you can only find in South America.  [...]

I was doing some kitchen cleaning and found that I have about 30 different spices that I have used once or some not at all. This year I am going to try to find an occasional recipe to feature one of my unused spices. I decided to do this just today and have tested out [...]

Nutmeg…
I’m sure I bought it for pumpkin pie along the way, but what do you do with nutmeg when it’s not pumpkin season? This was my fist challenge for the spice rack. So I went to Taste of home and searched “nutmeg.” The first hit was for Creamy Nutmeg Chicken. I had all of the [...]

1. Ham and mustard sauce.
Turkey ham cut into 1/4 inch slices covered with a sauce of mustard, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Baked in the oven at about 350 F, until warm. Served with baked or mashed potatoes and cheese. This is my comfort food. It can also [...]

I know, I know…
I need another set of measuring spoons like I need a hole in my head, but these were just so darn cute.
When I saw these cupid heart shaped measuring spoons in the hardware store a week ago, I knew I would buy them. I had good restraint and waited until I [...]

How frugal are you really?
Do you always shop the sale papers?
Do you use coupons?
Do you have a freezer stocked full of food and a pantry bursting at the seams?
I admit, I don’t use coupons, actually I hate the things. I try to stay away from garage sales whenever possible. And thrift stores are [...]

If you are like me, you are watching the price of groceries go up and up and up and feeling the pinch in your wallet.
One of my favorite places to go in search of frugal recipes is Hillbilly Housewife.
“The focus here is on low-cost, home-cooking from scratch. [...]

It has been 2 weeks since I posted my plan to stop grocery shopping, and I wanted to send out an update on the challenge.
I didn’t really have a clear idea of guidelines for this challenge, but after I posted, I did some more thinking on it.
My basic guidelines are:

To eat out of my pantry [...]

My freezer cooking challenge got quite a boost yesterday. My husband called shot his deer for this season. He took a nice doe that weighed around 170 lbs. The result, after de-boning and processing, will be about 70 lbs of meat added to our freezer.
This adds a new dimension to my [...]

This spinach dip is a family favorite. I love to take it to potluck dinners, and it is always a big hit! I think my favorite part is that it only takes about 11 minutes to cook!
Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip
1 c.(8 oz) quartered artichoke hearts (canned or frozen)
1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach
8 oz. [...]

When I am cooking for a potluck, I have two main criteria:

it’s fast (and/or easy)
I have all the ingredients on hand.

Friday I gave you the recipe for Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip. Every Monday for the rest of this year, I am going to be featuring some of my favorite party recipes. Today’s recipe [...]

I come from a family of cooks, and when I say cooks, I mean GOOD cooks! I’m not sure that I got the gift, but at least I got a copy of the family recipe book.
Today’s cooking gem comes from that family recipe book. I have always loved these spicy little sandwiches. [...]

This is one of my husband’s favorite Christmas snacks. I only make it when we have a large crowd because there is an incredible amount of sugar. This carmel popcorn ring will satisfy the sweet tooth in your family.

1/4 c butter
1/4 c oil
28 caramels
2 1/2 c mini marshmallows
10 cups popped popcorn
1/2 lb M [...]

The smell of fresh baked bread will bring your family running to your kitchen and invite them to linger and talk for a while. Making a loaf of sourdough bread may seem intimidating, and some recipes make it over-complicated.
Today I’m going to start out with instructions to make the starter. You will [...]

Today’s the day! Last week, I made Potato Flake Sourdough Starter, and I have been watching it bubble for a week. Today I get to make the bread.
When it’s time to make bread, pull the starter out of the fridge, feed it, and let it sit on the counter top overnight. This [...]

photo by nrbelex CC-BY-SA

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I’m tempted to believe that the way to a woman’s heart is with chocolate. These peanut butter kiss cookies are easy to make and don’t have any strange, hard, to find ingredients. I was 10 or 12 [...]

In this month’s Inspired Room article from Christian Women Online, Melissa outlines some ideas for creating a Valentine’s Day “get away” in your own home.
Who says a date night has to involve consuming big bucks in a crowded restaurant? Why do we torture ourselves into thinking romance has to include over-priced handpicked chocolates, $100 worth [...]

Yesterday I promised the recipe for our Valentine’s Day tradition–white Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake. This year, we decided not to hoard it all to ourselves, and took the famous cheesecake over to a party. It was the perfect end to a potato-bar supper.
I planned on including a picture, but my memory stick [...]

Today I stumbled across Laylitas recipe for Rhubarb and strawberry empanadas.  I wasn’t fortunate enough to grow up with the delights of rhubarb pie or rhubarb cobbler (too hot to grow rhubarb in Georgia), but I am definitely liking the looks of this recipe.  I wonder if it is too late to get rhubarb from [...]

I have a horrible time getting my husband to eat breakfast.  If he has to sit down to eat something, he won’t eat anything at all.  This bran muffin recipe came from my mom-in-law’s family, and it is my trick to get Brenton to sit down (yes, you read that right) and eat breakfast.  There [...]

My ever growing tummy has pushed me to start cooking up a storm. I’ve been baking and freezing and generally hoarding away food so that when this little baby finally arrives I won’t have to think about cooking for a month. Today’s project has brought me to the very best homemade biscuit recipe [...]

I made this for dinner last night.  Fairly quick and easy (especially since I used canned tomatoes and canned corn).  It came out delicious.   This probably has 4-6 servings.  If you wanted to make more, you could probably add another can of beans and some cooked rice.  Cheap and healthy too.
1 c chopped onions
1 T [...]

I’ve always thought that Friday is a day worth celebrating. When I was little, my mom would make pizza and we would eat off the good china. She would split a small soda between the 5 of us, and we would ring in the weekend. Ever since then, I have always had [...]

Everybody seems to be talking about living a completely fulfilled life. What does a fulfilled life look like? What fulfills your life? How would you change your life now to be fulfilled? How can you achieve a fulfilled life?
The fulfilled life looks different for each person, and what would be the fulfilled [...]

By Robert Frost
When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don’t stand still and look around
on all the hills I haven’t hoed,
And shout from where I am, “What is it?”
No, not as there is a time to talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and [...]

In this month’s Inspired Room article from Christian Women Online, Melissa outlines some ideas for creating a Valentine’s Day “get away” in your own home.
Who says a date night has to involve consuming big bucks in a crowded restaurant? Why do we torture ourselves into thinking romance has to include over-priced handpicked chocolates, $100 worth [...]

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80’s, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.
I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before [...]

Do you want to create magic in someone’s day today?  Offer them a compliment.  Leave it there, no strings attached.  Don’t use the compliment to sandwich a criticism.  Leave out the ‘but’.  You did a great job!
And when you are given a compliment, just say thank you.  Don’t brush it off, no excuses, no personal [...]

Welcome to my new visitors from Marriage Monday!
1.  He won’t understand you; You won’t understand him.
In our house, one of the most common phrases that I hear from Brenton is, “You’re so cute. I love you”  This is usually followed with a silly grin and him shaking his head at me.  What he really means [...]

The first backpacking trip I took with Brenton, or ever, I was 6 months pregnant.  It was Labor Day Weekend, and we decided to take a 3 mile hike into a mountain lake.  The drive to the trailhead was about 30 miles from our house–19 of those miles were on dirt roads.
I was disappointed and [...]

Remember how one of my New Year’s goals was to buy hotel quality sheets?  Well this month, the blog, The Secret Is In The Sauce is hosting a Bedroom Bliss Giveway.  The offer is basically a whole bedroom makover complete with 500 thread count sheets!
So yeah…I want those sheets!

By all accounts, this is a perfect morning.  I woke up to a happy, sunshiney baby who lay on my bed and coo-ed at me while I got dressed for the day.  When I went to change his diaper, I heard a strange sound coming from the kitchen–Brenton had done the dishes for me before [...]

Done with doing time, Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) busts loose from the Mississippi jail. The only problem is that he is still chained to the ill-tempered Pete (John Turturro) and clueless Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson). With nothing to leave behind, the three set out to recover a 1.3 million dollar loot buried [...]

(with links to Amazon)
God Moments By: Alan Wright
Persuasion By: Jane Austen
The Chronicles of Narnia By: C.S. Lewis
The Hidden Art of Homemaking By: Edith Schaeffer

This is by no means a complete list. I am just limited by time. This list will be updated.

Thirteen books on my short-list to read:

North of The Narrows: men and women of the upper preist lake country, IDaho by Claude & Catherine Simpson
Pocket Girdles and other confessionsof a Northwest Farm Girl by Marianne Love
Becoming a WOman of Prayer by Cynthia Heald
The Writer’s Digest Handbook of Novel Writing
A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg by [...]

A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg
By: Tim Cahill
Publisher: Vintage Departures
Have you ever lived in a gorilla research camp? watched a full solar eclipse in a snow covered field? Dove (or is it dived) for poison sea snakes? Hiked from the lowest point in the US (in death Valley) to the highest point? Tim Cahill has [...]

I’ve been reading the book 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller. I picked it up because it was recommended by Dave Ramsey. If you are feeling like you lost your dreams or are floundering with the question, “What am I going to do when I grow up?” (regardless of your age), [...]

Yesterday, I read one of the most pleasant books that I have read in a long time. The Spirit of Loveliness: Bringing Beauty, Creativity, and Order to Your Life by Emilie Barnes is inspiring and calming at the same time. The author encourages readers to create beauty without being condemning or [...]

I crawled into bed at 2:37 a.m. and did my best not to wake Brenton up. He grunted a half-awake, “good morning” in my direction.
“Brenton, I’m afraid I have a book problem,” I confessed to him quietly.
My bedtime didn’t start at 2:30 a.m. Actually it started at about 10 p.m. as we wound [...]

Image by phil dowsing via Flickr
I imagine that when someone dies and stands in judgment before God, he or she will finally understand God’s righteousness.
Have you ever been to a Judgment House? Basically, A Judgment House is the Christian alternative to a Haunted House. You are led through a church seeing a different [...]

20 Simple Pleasures
1. FINALLY getting to sleep for the night
2. Watching the sunrise
3. Staring into the fire
4. Waterfalls
5. Picking flowers for your best friend.
6. sommersaulting up-hill
7. flannel pajama pants
8. bubble baths
9. three knocks on my door in that special rhythm
10. freshly washed towels
11. driving [...]

Most people think that the perfectionists of the world have it all together. They end up being the ones who turn in the perfectly formatted paper with five extra resources and getting the straight A’s.
I may look and act like it is all under control, but some days I really hate my life. [...]

“From the moment they wake they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue.”
I’ve been thinking about this quote. How much could we accomplish if we work dawn to dusk towards perfection.
Sabino Canyon Dusk
Image by Eyz via Flickr used with permission CC-BY-ND 2.0

I guess I never posted that we got a new car. Well, we bout a 2006 Kia Rio (pictures to come soon). In 4 weeks we have put 3000 miles on it including our Columbus Day weekend trip to Glacier National Park.
The trip and several plane tickets later (for some trips coming up [...]

We have about $50,000 in debt. Most of it is student loans. In about a month our small group is starting Financial Peace University. Brenton and I are getting a jump on it. We are ready to be free. The borrower is slave to the lender. I don’t want to be anybody’s slave. I want [...]

Whenever you make a commitment, I think God tests you. As of today, it’s official. Both our CD and DVD drives on the computer are not reading CD’s. One thing I am trying really hard to do is figure out non-traditional methods for solving a problem. If I was at [...]

Image via Wikipedia
Last night my father-in-law called and was grieved about our debt. Yeah, I would rather be out of debt rather than $50,000 in the hole, but when I look at what we went to debt over, I’m not ashamed of it. Most of that is in student loans for Brenton [...]

Well we got our first challenge to financial peace. It’s a hard one too. For Brenton and me, family is just about the most important thing on this earth. Two of his brothers (and a sister-in-law) are meeting up in Colorado later this month. I’m sure the plan was to have [...]

faux fur hat. Grandma gave you to me when we were moving up here to Idaho. I had nothing to wear for the cold weather and Grandma is the world’s best thrift store shopper. I thought you were cute. I thought you were fun. Our relationship has been drawn out for 2 years and I [...]

Image via Wikipedia
I watch the seasons change by the stars. Last night we drove up to the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge, north of town. The weather is still pretty chilly at night so the mosquitoes aren’t out yet (on a side note, never drive up there in the evening during the summer the mosquitoes will [...]

Image via Wikipedia
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…

Brenton
Forgivness
Daffodils
dandelions
Fire
forests (but not forest’s and fire together)
camping
scrapbooking
soft warm blankets
waking up beside my husband every morning
ham and mustard sauce
puppies
a clean house

My whole life, I have struggled with housekeeping. As a child, my room was a disaster area. As a college student, I cleaned frantically for several hours right before room inspections. As a wife, I have looked hopelessly around the house at the mess and then collapsed into tears. I have [...]

Forgive me, For I have sinned.
I cut the grass before the dandelions were done blooming.
Before:

After:

There is a fine line between the quirky neighbor who is intereseting because she doesn’t care what anyone else thinks and the trashy neighbor who nobody likes.

Image via Wikipedia
I like candles. I have them burning pretty much all the time. After a while, the wick is far enough down that I can’t reach it easily with a regular match or lighter. Instead of buying one of those special super long lighters that never seem to work very well, I use [...]

Brenton has a good salary, I do not have to work, and we still have a budget surplus (Praise the Lord). I was still always up tight about money and finances until we started taking Financial Peace University. He let me take care of the bills and making the budget because I like [...]

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It’s been two weeks since the grass was cut. I spent about a month being very careful about cutting the grass once a week and I even planted flowers. The dandelions started blooming and I just couldn’t mow them down mercilessly. The grass keeps on growing, and I know that I *should* [...]

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God. This one should be self-explanatory. He created me, so I wouldn’t be here without him.
Brenton. I love my husband so much.
Sunshine. If I spend too much time inside, I start to get depressed. I need my sunshine.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Tea, elevenses, brunch etc. [...]

With the summer solstice passed and garage sale season well underway, the most frugal among us could use a few pointers on how to become an expert garage saler. The art of buying from a garage sale has been well refined through generations of bargain hunters. Over the next few days, I will [...]

Everybody loves a great bargain, and one of the best places for a savvy shopper to find a bargain is at a garage sale. Garage sales are usually held for one of two reasons: to get rid of junk, or to make money. The value of the sale depends on the motivation [...]