My Quiet Time Space

Reading a post from Melissa Taylor today got me to thinking about my own space.  We have no extra space here let alone space just for me.  So instead of complaining I put my thinking cap on and got to work.    I started looking at every inch of the house.  All 900 square feet of it.....bedroom, no extra room in there.  Kitchen....nothing there either.  Bathroom...lets not even go there...LOL!  Downstairs...kids rooms.  Then it hit me.  We have an old computer desk in the dinning room that has doors on it that we used to shove things in when people come over.  YES!!!  I have my "girlie cove" as my  husband called it!! 

BEFORE...this drives me crazy to actually put this on my blog.  EEEK what a mess!!  But like I said it was a store all spot.

Since I'm starting classes on Monday I need a spot to study.  As well as do my quiet times with God.  My husband amazes me at how he can just lie on the couch or in bed and study.  I have to be sitting at a desk or table.  I have to be able to take notes and read.

So after about an hour of cleaning and organizing I finally finished my spot!!

Where the keyboard was pulls out.  It's great for writing on.  I'm SO excited.  I used scrapbook paper on the back part of it.  I also had the scripture sign for a while just waiting for a place for it.

Here is the back of my "girlie cove".  A close up of the Scripture sign.  I will be hanging up some more pictures and such as time goes on.  I really like the uncluttered look!!  I might just leave it like this.

31 Prayers for my Husband calendar.  I had this tucked in my Bible but I love having this right there for me to glance at each day.

I just can not leave out my pictures of Heinz Field.  This might turn into my Steelers wall...LOL!

I am participating in the Made to Crave online Bible Study starting next week.  This book is GREAT!!  I had hoped to have my review up today, but they have asked us to wait on it.  So this space will be getting a lot of use. 

Usborne Summer Reading Program

I love it when I see my kids reading a book.  There are so many different reading programs out there during the summer.  One that I came across for this year is at Usborne Books.  Your children get sponsors...aunts, uncles, grandma, grandpa, and of course mom and dad.

Your child pledges to read 400 minutes over three weeks.  You are also helping to provide books to the "Happy Wheels" cart at MUSC Children's Hospital in Charleston, SC.

You can do this This Summer Reading Club can be done in conjunction with your local library's summer reading program; separate reading times are not required.

What have I been up to?

Well this has been some week!  It all started Friday when it was discovered that we had a pipe leaking and there was a little water in the laundry room....no big deal right?!  Wrong!  Saturday it turned into a big deal.  I woke up to a very soggy bathroom!  I first blamed the men in the family for "missing" the toilet...LOL!  But after closer examination I saw that the whole bathroom floor was wet...not only on the surface but below the linoleum.  We now have to completely gut the bathroom and redo it all.  BUT that is our only bathroom.  SO we are now living with my parents until we get it fixed.  Which could be at least 2 weeks!!  And to top it all off last night something started leaking from the transmission in our car.  AHHH if I were a drinking woman I would probably be drowning my sorrow!  So what is a woman to do stuck in the house?  I'm planning on having 2 weeks of crafting and baking!!  I'll just drown my sorrow in glue, yarn and fabric!

Here are some projects I'm planning on making:

These cute little market bags.

A few of these dishcloths.

Swiffer Cover

I'll probably do a couple more projects.  For today I'm making:

YUMMY White Bread!

Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies.  My Mom had this box she ordered from me a while ago.  They are just TOO good to let them sit on the shelf!!

Well I think that should keep me busy and content for some time.  I'm also reading a few books for review.  So how has your week been??

My NEW toy!!

Hubby and I have wanted new computers for sometime.  The computer we have is pretty old...at least as computers go.  My Dad has put many new parts in it.  So here is my new toy.... Dell Inspiron Laptop!!

It is SO much quicker than our desk top computer is.  My Dad even came over and hooked up wireless internet for us...WOOHOO.  I can surf the web in the kitchen...LOL!  But I'm afraid of getting something spilled on it in the kitchen.

My computer is red!!  I really wanted yellow..since that is my favorite color.  It really was a difficult decision for me...LOL!  Hubby just didn't understand why it was so hard to decide.  Can any of you relate???  Color makes a BIG difference in many things...even computers!  Or is it just me? LOL!

Give a way and this and that...

I came across this give a way today. The Creative Cowgirl is having a give a way of a chipboard album kit from one of her favorite scrapbook stores...Green Tangerines.

To enter all you have to do is go to her blog and leave a comment answering what your favorite part of a crop is. Is it the giveaways, food or just the girl time?? For those of you who do not know what a crop is, it is where you get together with a group of women to work on your scrapbook pages or make cards. Usually one of the ladies is a consultant for a scrapbook company. Kind of like me!! I suggest you find one in your area. These women are full of great ideas to get your pictures into albums to preserve for years to come.

Leave a comment by September 15th midnight and she will be picking a winner on September 16th.

Then leave a link on your blog to her giveaway! Easy!

GOOD LUCK!

Now on to other business. Our new idea book has been released! Please contact me to see how you can get your book. I'm also having an open house soon so I'll keep you posted on that.

PRAISE GOD!!! My husband just called me and told me there had been an accident at his work. The rig that he works on had fallen apart and a large piece landed on his partner that he works with, hitting him in the head. It missed my husband which I'm SO thankful for. His partner has a head injury and an injury to his shoulder. Please remember Tim in prayer. For those that do not know, my husband builds electrical bushing that weigh sometimes over a ton. They work on huge metal platforms with metal tables and hoists. The metal table is what broke and fell. My husband a lot of times works on the bottom where Tim was working today.

Week Happenings

This week has been a very busy one. I've been preparing for our school year to start on Monday. We are beginning our 4th year of home school. I am very excited about this year. We will be using the Prairie Primer this year.

This curriculum goes through all 9 of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. I think I am more excited about this than the children are! Not only that but next weekend there is Laura Ingalls Wilder day at the museum we go to. There is going to be a guest appearance there of Karen Grassle, the actress who played Ma. I am SO excited to be able to meet her.

Now for some more exciting news. I've mentioned it hear before but I have signed up to be a Close to My Heart consultant! Thursday I got my kit delivered! I even took a picture of the UPS man delivering my package...LOL! Poor guy...I felt like a stalker!!

Sorry about the quality of the picture, I was taking it through the window. It was like Christmas day here for me. I shut myself in our bedroom and tore into the box. The kids came in and said, "Can we help?" No it's mine mine mine all mine...LOL!! Of course I let them help...a little bit. I will be teaching people how to make cards and scrapbooks using stamps. I love the products better than anything I've used before.
I am so excited about this adventure I can hardly contain myself. I'm just waiting to get my first gathering scheduled so I can get this under way!! I will be posting many pictures of my art work that I finish. There are so many things for each person. No matter what your level of scrapbooking or card making you can create beautiful things with our products. OK the commercial is done. Many of you who read my blog are from across the country, so eventually if any of you are interested, I am thinking of a way to do a virtual workshop or a virtual gathering. I'm going to do it right here on my blog. I'm just working out the details in my head.

Priorities and Creativity

I have been staying off the computer more and more lately. One reason is this time of the year we are very busy with birthdays. The other reason is God convicted me recently about the amount of time I spend on the computer. Like the Proverbs 31 woman she does not sit idle....that got me thinking about computer time, that IS sitting idle!! I have so much time to do things for my family and myself. In ONE day I made this skirt for my daughter.

This was so easy to make, it is supposed to be longer but Hannah does not like them long. I got the fabric at Wal*Mart for $1 a yard!! I also picked up enough fabric to make Katie and myself a couple. I will finish Katie's today and start on mine. The thread I got at the thrift store a long time ago by the basket full for pennies!! I will also be finishing up my nephew's apron. I'm really excited about it, I hope he likes his goodies!!

This morning I woke up and came out to the dinning room and found this....

Andrew was building him self a garage where he could work on cars like Uncle Matt!!

This is the side view of his garage. Such a little smarty figuring this out. He is very mechanically inclined....definitely did not get it from me!

Here is the finished product. He has everything, an office, windows, and a pile of tires...which you can't see because of the shadows.

Busy few days....

This is the first time I've been able to sit down at the computer since for a period of time since Friday. I pray that everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Our day started out with us surprising my Husband with lunch at work. The kids love doing that!! Then the children went to their Dad's house for the weekend and my Husband and I had the whole weekend to ourselves!

For a gift for my Husband for Valentine's Day I purchased the Fireproof movie and the Love Dare book to go along with it. I must say I loved the movie!! Although we have a really strong marriage the movie gave us many things to think about and correct. We are going through the Love Dare to also strengthen our marriage. We made dinner here of steak on the grill. We spent the whole night talking about the movie and the Love Dare, along with many hours of prayer. It was the best Valentine's Day ever!!

Today at work 2 men approached my Husband asking him questions on different occasions. First it just started out as simple conversations, but eventually led to the "root" of what they wanted to know. One man is saved and the other is not. My Husband told the man who was saved about the movie we saw and they began talking about marriage toward the end of the conversation. We have bought the "Love Dare" book for this man and his wife to use. The other man who is not saved shared with my Husband about the troubles he has been having in his marriage. (If anyone has seen the movie Fireproof it was a lot like when Caleb was first talking to his father.) My Husband talked with him for quite a while, I'm not sure of the outcome. He has been trying to plant a seed in this young man for quite some time. I'm praying that since he talked with my Husband today it is a step in the right direction.

Today also I was on the computer but not for blogging. The Federal Government is requiring all our ambulance members to take a FEMA course. I thought ok I have a few spare moments I'll get it done now. That was at 8:30 this morning....I didn't finish the 2nd course until 2:30! I still have one more to go. Then by some technical difficulties with the computer my test was never submitted and I have to retake the WHOLE 2nd course. GRRRR!! It takes 3 hours for each module! I was ready to call it quits. But if everyone in our ambulance squad does not complete all three modules we will not be eligible for federal funding that we need to update our base. Since I am not a quitter I will be dragging myself out of bed around 6 am to finish this up.

Then the GREAT news of the day was we went to Value City Furniture to look at living room sets....WE FOUND ONE!! Yeah....I'm so excited to get the new furniture next week.

The couch and love seat.

My Husband's throne!

The chair looks really dark in this picture, it is more like the color of the couch and love seat in the top picture.

Also, my Wonderful, Darling, Handsome did I say Wonderful Husband...LOL..also said we can get a new stove!! WOOOHOOO!! The stove we have works good but it is pretty old. So this is what we are getting.


So that was our last few days in a nutshell. How did everyone else spend their weekends?

The first 2 days of the Love Dare went really well. I will blog more about the upcoming days in the future.

Applesauce and a give a way!

Today the children and I decided we needed to finish up the rest of the applesauce. So here are some pictures to go along with it. ALSO, a friend is having a give a way on her blog. Scroll to the bottom to read more about it.

First of all you wash your apples. This is only half of the apples that were given to us. My parents took a bunch.

Then cut up the apples and place them in a large pot with a little water on the bottom. Let them cook until they are tender.

Now if you are blessed enough to have a kitchen helper like this the applesauce making process is so easy.

You load the apples into the hopper. The machine does the rest for you. I did my tomatoes like this also. Then I added the tomatoes to the crockpot to cook the rest of the way.

The end result. I love the pink color!! It is SO sweet. I will be using half of this for apple butter.

Now for the give a way!! Rebecca and Val over at Foodie with Family is having a give a way of a $50.00 gift certificate of your choice should you win. You can choose from:of Amazon.com, Williams-Sonoma, King Arthur’s Baker’s Catalogue or Cooking.com.

Here are three ways to enter:

Leave them a comment telling them the things for which you’re thankful. Make it short and sweet or make it long winded. They will take it all! That’s worth one entry.

Leave an announcement about our giveaway on your blog. That’s worth another entry.

Do something kind and unexpected for someone. It does not have to be a big deal, just hold a door for someone, make your kids’ favorite dessert, or return your library books on time. Whatever it is just try to make someone’s day a little better. You don’t have to tell them your good deed unless you want to, all you have to do is tell them you did one in the comments section. That’s worth two extra entries.

The drawing will be done by her son's on November 18. So jump on over there and enter.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Weekend Goodies

Every 6 months or so my Husband and I drive about 40 minutes south west of here to a Mennonite Bulk Food store. We get all sorts of items there. I get mostly spices, but every once and a while we really stock up like we did this weekend. We save so much money on spices by going there. Not shown here are 2 bags of flour. We stocked up on all our winter spices enough for Thanksgiving and Christmas baking!!


Here is from top left and around: 4 containers of cookie/cake sprinkles(2 autumn, 2 Christmas), cheese sauce base, Bacon and onion mix, dried onions, beef gravy mix (use instead of buillon), Honey, curry, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, apple pie spice (used in oatmeal for Husband and kids), ground allspice, coriander, popcorn, slivered almonds, chicken gravy base (which I use anytime it calls for bouillon)

This is a HUGE bag of oatmeal (for granola), and rice, brown sugar, and peeking out from behind the oatmeal is every one's favorite fall candy...candy corn! Also in the very corner just visible is sunflower seeds.