Another Soaker Finished

If you are having a strange sense of deja-vu, that is because you saw another soaker just like this pictured here recently. I had enough yarn leftover to do another one. I made some modifications to the pattern for a better fit. I won't have to felt this one, for sure. I still need to block and lanolize it, but here is my Multi-Colored Soaker #2:



The lap quilt for my grandmother is coming along beautifully. I am hoping to get the borders on it today, and get it sandwiched and basted over the weekend. That will be quite an undertaking as we have our annual Harvest Dinner at church tomorrow evening and I still have pies and dinner rolls to make, plus we need to still go over and finish the cleaning and decorating and setting up for the meal. Then there is the normal business of everyday life. So, if you don't see me around here for several days, it is because things are crazy busy at the moment. I do promise to post pics of the quilt when it is done, before I wrap it up. :)

Have a blessed day!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY October 12th....

Outside my window...It was gray and drizzly. Now the sun is trying to peek out. That seems to be the theme this fall around these parts.

I am thinking... about the day's plans and how I can be more efficient and work in more sewing time.

I am thankful for... my crock pot! I've been using it lots since we got the new insert.

From the learning rooms... Letter of the week "Cc", studying Huck Finn, Autumn unit study, and the usual basics.

From the kitchen... nothing going on there yet, but will be setting up the crock pot with a brown rice, kielbasa, and veggie casserole for supper.

I am wearing... 3 tiered brown skirt, green tunic with embroidery along the neck.

I am creating... a lap quilt for my grandmother's birthday.

I am going... to be spending as much time at my sewing machine as possible.

I am reading... Just my Bible in the a.m, right now. No time for anything else!

I am hoping... to finish piecing the top to the afore mentioned quilt by the end of this week.

I am hearing... The washer and dryer both running.

Around the house... general picking up, and I have a ton of laundry to fold.

One of my favorite things... knowing summer and the hot humid weather is over, and loving the crisp, cool air of fall.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Make up violin lessons this afternoon, regular lessons on Friday; getting ready for the Harvest Dinner at church on Saturday; making an orthodontist appointment for Benjamin; and of course... LOTS of sewing! I'm feeling the deadline for this project for sure!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...





Guidelines for the Daybook are found here: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

No Child Labor Laws in this House

Need I say more?




:D

Just A Day In the Life

I feel like I say the same ol' things here. Our lives are pretty predictable right now. We have chores, we have school, we have projects. We are busy in general, but it is with the usual tasks of living in a large family. That is just the stage we are in right now.

Dale and I were talking about trying to simplify things so the schedule isn't so crammed, but as we went over and over what things we were doing, there wasn't anything really we could cut out. I mean, the kids have to have school. We have to eat. We all like clean clothes to wear. Dale works two jobs. He is a pastor, and he works a secular job to pay the bills. Everything seems essential. One thing we can do, and did do, is make a pact not to add anything else in right now. That seems that a no brainer, but sometimes my mouth says "Yes" to something before my brain can say "Are you crazy???? You don't have time for that right now!"

It isn't that we are so busy we never have fun. There are certain times that we preserve for "family" times. Sundays, for example, we keep as family times. We go to church together, and spend the afternoon together, then go to church together in the evenings... you get the idea. Usually Sundays are way more low key than the rest of the week as well, so it is a relaxing time.

There are times we go places together as a family just for fun, of course. Little outings that refresh the mind and soul from the daily grind.

One Sunday afternoon while I was finishing getting the meal on, there was quite the racket going on in the living room. One sound was like an elephant calling out. Another was like a dying cat. There was some thrumping type sounds. Well... maybe this visual will help:







They they switched up all the instruments and started over. It wasn't exactly like the Boston Pops, but at least it was a joyful noise!


I try to always find something pleasant even in the same ol' grind. Like my oldest snuggled up with my youngest during our Proverbs reading in the morning.



Or my little cookie baker making a bushel of chocolate chip peanut butter cookies for daddy as a bribe (which didn't work, by the way)














Sometimes there is interesting visitors on the property. One day while hanging laundry Jerusha was jabbering to me from the swing set. I wasn't paying that close of attention until she came over to me and said, "And now it looks angry".

Clearly I had missed something. Apparently she saw a bug that was sitting on the overturned lawn chair. She said, and I quote, "At first he was smiling, but when I got down to look at him, he suddenly looked angry." I figured I better take a look. Well, our little visitor was neither happy nor angry. He was... religious. *wink*



The last couple of days we have had three deer that come together to feed off our lawn. Not sure what is so tasty in the one area they seem to favor.



Aren't they so majestic and and pretty? Okay, I'm really thinking "VENISON!!!!!" the lead buck must have read my thought because as I tried to get closer for a better shot he did that little snorting-hissing thing as a signal to the others and they went bounding off. Oh for a shot gun.

Oops... did I say that out loud?

Guess Who's 10?

Josiah has gone from single digits to double digits! His birthday was Sunday, and we enjoyed celebrating it together as a family. As is our tradition, the birthday boy got to pick his meal. We had grilled cheeseburgers, chips, root beer, and a salad. For dessert he opted to have fudge brownies sundaes instead of the traditional birthday cakes. It was all very good! My chief griller did an excellent job with the burgers.



The kids had fun decorating. I didn't get any good shots of the streamers. They were EVERYWHERE! Every doorway, the ceiling fans, the walls, the chandelier over the table. I did get a nice shot of our Happy Birthday banner. We made it a couple years ago and use it for every birthday.



Another thing you can't really see very well is that the girls set the table "fancy" for the birthday meal.

Isaac enjoy all the food too! Here is an upside down shot of him from behind his high chair. What a little ham!



Josiah received a couple of Ecards in the mail and the kids watched those very short animations like it was a Disney movie.



We then set up in the living room for opening presents. Josiah was literally surrounded by them!



Our kids like to give what they have. I think this is very cute! It teaches generosity, and it saves us money. For example, I think this goofy glasses were actually Elizabeth's at one point.



Josiah opened this gift....




Guess what we are having for breakfast?
Did you say "oatmeal"????

NOPE!


Apparently we are having....


















FROG LEGS?!?!?!?!?!



Dale and I got him a few more books to the "39 Clues" series the kids started reading recently.



And much against my better judgement, this light saber. Yes it has flashing lights. And yes it makes noise.



For Elizabeth's gift, she made up a little treasure hunt with clues. I never really saw what happened with that because it was getting VERY late in the afternoon and the littles needed, needed, needed to get naps before the evening service at church. Anyway, it was a nice birthday, filled with yummy food, family, fun and some silliness.




Have a blessed day everyone!