Appalling. Simply Appalling.

I don't even know what to say! This is just unbelievable. Obama has got to be setting some kind of record for the worst president in the history of the USA. UGH!

Declaration of Independence Repealed

Read it and weep. Literally.

FOR TODAY April 6th...

Outside my window...It is gray and rainy... welcome to Wville's mud season!

I am thinking... that if this computer doesn't stop acting up I'm going to put my fist through the monitor.

I am thankful for... The perfectness of Christ.

From the learning rooms... New lapbook study on the Constitution. We just finished one about the Boston Tea Party.

From the kitchen... My helpful little bakers are making homemade ginger snaps. We will be making blueberry muffins and bread tomorrow.

I am wearing... chocolate brown 3 tiered skirt and a green tunic with embroidery. Oh, and my slippers. :)

I am creating... dresses for the girls, and getting ready to make a quilt for my neice.

I am going... No where.. too much to do here at home to prepare for the Missions conference this week.

I am reading... Psalms! My favorite!

I am hoping... that I can curb my temper at the puter today. I have a lot to do for school and the computer is ornery today!

I am hearing... Some children working on schoolwork, some baking, and one doing the breakfast dishes. Isaac is in the swing gearing up for a cry so I need to hurry here.

Around the house... I need to do some general organizing, and a TON of laundry today!

One of my favorite things... Snuggle time with the children and DH.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Last minute cleaning, Missionaries coming in on Wednesday, and our Missions conference from Wednesday through Sunday night. LOTS of music practice going on for everybody. Hoping to get some sewing in before the conference, but we'll see.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...


I need to spend more time in God's Word and in prayer!

Thank You!

... to HomeschoolmummyX3 for the above award!

The award is as follows:"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated."

The rules are:


Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Each of the following ladies, I simply love. They each have faced their own challenges in their lives and the way they encapsulate their experiences endears them greatly to my heart.

I see on Regina's blog that she reads most of the same blogs I do! LOL... so, I may have to break the rule. I haven't been reading a lot of blogs online for the last several months for some strange reason. As far as charming blogs go...

1. Proverbs 31 Living

2.Jengi33

3.Hands and Hearts

4. The View from Hidden Valley

5. The Savage's Lair

6. The PrairieFrog Blog

7. Melissadsc's blog

8. Evening Shade Morning Latte

More Sewing!

I got to check a couple more things off my sewing list for this spring. Here are two dresses I made for Esther and Elizabeth. I have started two more dresses for the twins, and have a nursing top cut out for me, and will cut out another one as soon as I have 10 minutes to myself and the big table unused.

"Sew" Fun!

Oh yes, oh yes! I had a "girls day out" with my friend Lori, a really talented quilter, much to Dale's chagrin. I have been searching for a pattern that struck my fancy and was doable in the amount of time between now and my niece's wedding in July. Many patterns were pretty, and fun, or quick.. but they were TOO simplistic, or TOO involved, or would take too much quilting, or.. or.. or... I really wasn't trying to be picky, but I wanted something quick and easy, and something I can machine quilt FAST! I also decided I wanted to step outside my comfort zone as far as what types of colors and fabrics I pick. My friend Lori has a wonderful sense of style and taste and leans towards more contemporary quilts. She graciously let me browse through some of her wonderful books Friday while she was here for tea. I actually found the pattern. You know how it is... a certain pattern or fabric just sticks in your imagination like glue, and you just HAVE to do something about it. Here is the pattern I chose:



Sorry about the flash in it, but you get the idea. I'm going to make a throw quilt instead of a queen sized. That way my niece and her hubby can have a comfy cozy cuddle up and read, play a game, or watch a movie type of quilt. If she doesn't like the colors, then it won't be taking over their bedroom. LOL

I am making some changes though. The pattern makes a 49" by 49" and I decided to add a couple rows to it so it will be a bigger cuddle quilt. That sent my friend and I on a math quest that would give my daughter Esther a major headache. We figured about 1/3 or a little more added to each amount. Also, if you see in the pic, the pinks are actually scraps. I am doing all one fabric for the pinks.

Speaking of fabric, we drove an hour to a really nice rag shop (that's New Englandese for fabric store) that sells wonderful fabric. You would normally pay $9 or $10 per yard for the quality I bought for $5 or $6 a yard. The fabric at JoAnn's would do in a pinch, but this is what I call a "high holy" quilt... it is for a wedding gift, after all, and I want it to be quality-made so it will last. Dale did reluctantly agree. I don't think he really knew what I was talking about but figured it was easier to trust me than to send me into a litany of what different fabrics are like and why and how come the better quality is necessary for this gift. He would have glazed over long before I made my point.

Oh, I got to drive the big van for the first time too! It drives very much like the SUV did, just longer. It was also a gorgeous spring day, and I had Isaac and the twins with us. Anyway, here is a pic of the fabric:



No muted tones for this quilt! These fabrics are Batiks. I've never used them before, but I can tell just from handling the fabric it is going to be heavenly using such luscious fabric. Picture the quilt like this... the muslin (which was $5 a yard for 90" wide.. the deal of the day, IMO.) will be the backing, the marbley fabric for wherever you see pink, and the deep, rich, indigo for wherever you see blue in the pattern, and the white with the subtle marble in it is the background.

This can very easily be rotary cut and assembly lined pieced. It is two simple blocks put together, the Shoo Fly, and Ohio Star. I am sure I will have leftover fabric too, isn't that a pity?

I also got some Tropical Breeze and a knit for two more nursing tops for this summer. That was on sale for $3 per yard, which is pretty good.



We went out for a late lunch/early supper after the shopping was done. I can't wait to get the fabric prepped and start working on that quilt! Before I do that I have a few necessities for the girls to do first. That quilt will be my reward for keeping up with the spring/summer sewing list.

And who can resist a wicked cute pic of a laughing baby? (By the way, he had the typical male reaction to being a fabric store. He was tired and cranky until he was able to fall asleep! He slept in the sling after that until we were ready to go, but my, what a mouth full of cry while I was choosing fabric! It's a good thing Lori was there to help me.)

Greetings Comrades!

My dh has been doing this tongue-in-cheeck greeting since Obama was elected. Honestly, with the law about not being allowed to sell used children's clothing, the law against home gardening and now this... it is called the Congressional Commission on Civil Service Act. It is really just a socialist plan to FORCE people to volunteer time in working for free for others. Just another precarious step towards socialism.

One of the scary things about these bills and laws and whatnot is that they are being flown in under the publics radar. By the time we find out it is too late to do anything preventative.

I can't help but wonder what the not so distant future holds for homeschooling, or even church attending....

Here is the link for the law:
Congressional Commission on Civil Service Act

Speech Therapy

One of the things that makes raising children is "training" aspect. It isn't just the parents' responsibility to feed and clothe and provide shelter. Parents wear many hats. As a mom, I can say that can leave a body feeling frazzled and brain dead by the end of the day. In the course of a day I may wear the hats for teacher, chief cook and bottle washer, launderer, tailor, seamstress, nurse, chef, secretary... the list goes on and on. Just depends on what the day brings.

In the midst of all the physical stuff like homeschooling and chores, there is also a nice category called "character training". This area is not as clear cut as the physical. It is more abstract. For example, training children to have a joyful attitude when doing a chore they don't like. Or training them to have and USE their manners.

Recently I have been meditating on speech. It started with me noticing how the children talk to each other. I would like to say my sweet little cherubs always speak to each other with grace and kindness. However, then I would be speaking with a forked tongue. We have the typical squabbles and "Hey gimme that" or the whining hollering of a siblings name, and placing two syllables where there should only be one.
"Bennnnnnn-eh!"
"Liiiiiiz-eh"

What is with that anyway? Does adding that extra syllable add more forcefulness to their complaint or what?

I was scolding them for talking short to each other. Then one day I realized that maybe I wasn't being the example I should be as the parent.
"Don't do that."
"Do NOT run in the house!"
"If you hit her again you'll be disciplined!"
"What? Not now, can't you see I'm busy?"

Ouch. The Lord showed me that my speech needs to improve as well. There is a time and a place for sharpness and raised voices. In times of danger, for example. If one of my children are running out into the road, you bet I'm going to do a good fishwife holler at them. But most times, I have found, my voice could be modified a great deal. "No" can be said, and said kindly. Not in an irritated-I-didn't-get-enough-sleep-last-night-and-haven't-had-coffee-yet type of way. Or if they are hovering in my "personal space" when I am holding Isaac, I don't have to say "Back off, would ya? Give him some air!" I could ratchet that down to be more pleasant.

Another area I am trying to work on is the yelling. Not necessarily yelling in anger, I mean the general volume of the house. It is easy to slip into the yelling for someone in a small house. But then the children get the idea that loud voices are acceptable inside. So, instead of "Oh Elizabeth! Could you come here please???" I send someone with a message that I would like to see her. Or if there is fussing down the hall in the boys room, for example, I try not to holler "Hey, what is going on down there!" but go and SEE for myself. I have found you get a lot more information that way when you sneak up on them. Or, if I am nursing Isaac I will send one of the children who are behaving to tell the offending party or parties that Mama would like to see them, please. I and tell the messenger to give the message politely, not: "Hey, Mama wants to see you NOW!" with a vicious sound in their voice.

Back in February I read the following devotional and have been thinking about it since.

The Christians Speech

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6)

A Christian's words are of transcendent importance, for Jesus has said: "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36). The word "answer" in the text above means more than simply an answer to a question. The Greek word is used 250 times in the New Testament, and in ever other instance, it is used in a simple narrative sense (such as, "he answered saying"). Thus it refers to ordinary conversation, indicating that every verbal response of a Christian should be gracious and tasteful- never crude, or hurtful, or bland.

The Scriptures include many other specifications for a Christian's speech. In the first place, there should not be too much of it! "Study to be quiet, and to do your own business" (1 Thessalonians 4:11). Our words should be carefully chosen, able to be substantiated - "sound speech, that cannot be condemned" (Titus 2:8). People should be able to rely on the truth of what we say. "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour" (Ephesians 4:25). Furthermore, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29). "But who ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth" (Colossians 3:8). Our words should always be edifying and helpful, wholesome and thoughtful.

But if this seems humanly impossible, remember God is able to tame our tongues, even though we cannot! The key is prayer - earnest and consistant prayer - not just that our speech become innocuous, but that it may edify, testify, and minister grace.
~Days of Praise, February 7, 2009, written by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

There are many verses that talk about our speech, our tongue and the uses and consequences of that one unruly member of our anatomy. A few weeks after reading the above devotional, a verse in Proverbs was talked about and the two devotionals dovetailed in my mind.

"She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her." ~Proverbs 3:18.

The writer of Provers used this tree of life and its health-giving qualities as a symbol of four attributes of a God centered, spiritual life which can bring blessing to all those touched by it.
1. True wisdom is like a tree of life, imparting true happiness to all those partaking of it, then guarding it.
2. "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30). A life showing sincere and genuine righteousness, like one showing godly wisdom, with bring forth wholesome fruit to those in real contact with it.
3. "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but when the desire cometh, it a tree of life" (Proverbs 13:12). I think of that verse all the time when I am holding Isaac. Those of you who know what we have been through in the last couple years will understand that application.
4. And here is the one that got me.... "a wholesome tongue is a tree of life"(Proverbs 15:4). If we use our tongue to make speech that is God-honoring, not complaining or criticizing, or being crude or foolish, it can be a tree of life to the hearer.

Something I have noticed... when I control my speech, I feel much more at peace. For example, you Mamas who are reading this. Have you ever "lost it" with your children? I mean, flying of the handle, yelling, type of "loosing it"? Well, I have. I'll raise my hand. You know what I discovered? All the energy expended to do the yelling doesn't help a thing. All it does it make me feel terrible on the inside, and it certainly doesn't change the circumstances that brought on the flying off the handle. But when I control my voice, and even if I have to speak sternly, not necessarily loudly, I feel much more at peace on the inside. Of course, then you have to make sure the law you lay down is reinforced, but that is a different post altogether.

Being a good example in controlling my speech has helped in my endeavor in training my children. No, we don't have it all perfect yet, that is for sure. But I am working on it, and though I try to control my voice, as an example, I do spend time trying to point out to the children how they can ask more nicely for a toy or a book from a sibling, or request more nicely that a sibling doesn't sit in their spot when they have to get up to go potty during a movie, or if they have a problem with a sibling how to take care of it in a more tactful and graceful way. Have we perfected this yet? Well, we are working on it.

Have a blessed day, with speech seasoned with grace!