Little Man in a Fix

Autumn, Collin, and Abigail dance every week with a group who performs at festivals and the occasional odd place. Tonight they visited a nursing home and entertained the residents. The crowd was very enthusiastic.

Especially when Abigail and Olivia flew through the air during Little Man in a Fix. It went over so well, they performed an encore.

The last dance of the night was an open waltz, and Autumn convinced a resident to join her on the floor. I'm pretty sure he was the envy of all the elderly men in the room.

Spring Cleaning

Every year that we've lived in this home, I've had my boys wash the entire outside from top to bottom by hand. Since Mac is away at college, Collin and I set to work. No music for us, though, and I don't think either of us missed it. We talked the afternoon away, and we finished one side. Have I ever mentioned that we have a large house? We do.

Valentine's Tea

Abigail, Autumn, and I welcomed 24 young ladies and women into our home today for a tea to celebrate God's love for us. The younger women participated in a button swap and read Scripture verses pertaining to love.

On the menu:

Vegetables and Dip

Organic Cherry Gelatin

Ham and Potato Quiche

Pasta Fagioli Soup

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Wrapped Lil Smokies

Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows

Pink Coconut Ice

French Vanilla and Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Assorted Teas

Photo Challenge: Holidays

It's been several weeks since we have had Foto Friday at Rebecca's house, but now it's back to business! We were supposed to take pictures over the holidays to share today. I didn't do very well. My camera sat unused for much of the month of December.

Christmas morning isn't the same without very young children in the house. Bigger children tend to sleep longer, which is a welcome thing! Isn't this a motley crew?

I loved these ornaments placed in the freshly fallen snow!

Collin got a camera identical to mine, and we had fun practicing our bokeh shots.

Gracing the table on Christmas morning were homemade cinnamon rolls made by me, and two pounds of bacon cooked by Verne.

A new ornament for me! Mac's friend Sarah presented it to me about a week before Christmas. I was thrilled!

Traditionally, Christmas dinner at our home is ham, and all of the fixings. Not this year. We had pasta. It was red and green, and delicious!

No one seemed to mind.

Three pretty maids all in a row. Can you believe that Sarah had scissors sitting beside her throughout the entire meal and never said a word? After I noticed them in the pictures, I told her she needs to speak up. I have no idea WHY they were there in the first place!

I hope your Christmas was wonderful, and that your 2010 is full of God's blessings.

Mother Daughter Tea

My dear friend Lori welcomed us into our home for a weekend retreat, mothers and daughters. We arrived to a beautifully set table, and a buffet of delicious foods at noon.

The afternoon was filled with cake decorating, making kitchen trivets, a beading craft, and free time. Big girls played with littler girls while mommies talked and relaxed.

The evening meal was served in the gazebo, and was followed by singing, and watching Louisa May Alcott's The Inheritance. We talked into the wee hours of the morning, until we finally made our way to our lovingly prepared rooms.

A breakfast feast was prepared by Rebecca. A leisurely morning turned to afternoon, and we slowly parted ways. What a blessing to have friends that go out of their way to make others feel special.

Jams and Jellies

From the bushes,

to the kitchen,

to the table. We spent the evening picking berries with friends, and got started making jam around 9 PM. Bad idea. I had to bail at 1 AM because Mac had to be at work by 6. Thankfully, my friend Tina pulled an all-nighter and finished the job. She's a real trooper!

And then last night, because I was feeling left out of the canning process, I whipped up two batches of jalapeno jelly.

It's all so pretty in the early morning light...like liquid jewels in glass jars.

A Burden to Pray

Dear Friends,

I'm often amazed at how blogging connects people from all over the world. Some people truly are friends; we send letters in the mail, and call each other occasionally. Others are mere acquaintances. Still, we touch each other's lives in some way or another, or we wouldn't continue to read.

Not long after I started my blog, I received comments from Anna. I visited her as well, and then sent her a personal email. Long before she disclosed her location, I suspected she lived in Israel. I asked her if it were so. She was truthful, and said "Yes." I also asked her if she was Jewish or Christian. She confided to me that she was Jewish, but wasn't saying anything about her location or religion because she wanted to avoid political issues on her blog. I respected that.

Anna came out about her location and religion last year. Many people have been supportive of her, while others have written extremely rude comments. While it's to be expected from the world at large, it shouldn't be so from Christians.

Ladies, each time I log onto the internet, I read of the terror happening in Israel. My heart fears for Anna and her family. She is due with her first child any day now, and lives in a remote location. I'm asking, Will you please pray with me?

Sisterhood

Do you ever question why you blog? I know I do. There have been many times that I've thought of packing it up. My husband encourages me to keep writing. He enjoys reading each and every comment that you all leave (as do I!)

Blogging has helped me to connect to so many wonderful women. Women who are raising families just like me. Women who like to cook, sew, etc. Women who are living out their faith daily; sharing scripture and prayer requests with one another. And still I wonder, 'Do I make a difference?'

I received the sweetest email from a woman in Brazil this weekend. Her words touched my very core. I want to share them with you, not to build myself up, but to build each of you. Taking time to write is rare in this day and age. I believe that we are making a difference, and that even though we may not realize it, someone else may be encouraged by what we have to say.

Hi Tracy,
I visited your blog yesterday, and today I felt that I shouldn't leave it without sharing my impressions.
I'm a Brazilian music teacher, and I don't know if you can track exactly the places from where your blog was visited, but it's quite far from where you are, in southern Brazil, in a city named Curitiba, in Paraná. Maybe the Iguaçu falls are a reference - they're in the same state.
But I'm not writing to share geographical data with you. I just want to thank you. After a rough day at work, facing personal problems with nasty colleagues, I put my kids in bed and went on a hunt for ideas of self made gift for their teachers. In Brazil, October 15th is teacher's day. Once they are tiny (3 and 6), there's quite a lot of people around them, teachers, assistants, hygiene aids, etc. I thought that making a gift for each of these people, who help me take care of my babies while I'm teaching my classes would be much better than spending a lot of money and buying gifts that in the end wouldn't be so meaningful.
Hunting for ideas, I decided that making some personalized totes, with each teacher's name embroidered on it would be a charming gift for teacher's day. But I don't sew...
Searching for templates or patterns that would suit both, my expectations and my skills, I ended up finding your blog. I went up and down through it, fascinated by every little detail you placed there. I even read (almost all of) the 100 facts about you. And every time I scrolled down the page, my eyes caught a glance of those eternally true words: "Be still and know that I am God." Every time I read them, I was touched by those words, and scrolling my way through your blog, each touch was like a balm for my sore heart. I didn't need to read or to hear more than those 8 words. That's the beauty of God's word: it's so simple, and so powerful. And still, people have a hard time believing it can be true.
Let me try to come to an end: I just wanted you to know that your posts are a precious testimony of your faith. Through it, you are telling people the good news of God's love. Softly and gently, between recipes and news about your kids. Your posts are reaching out farther then you might have expected.
May God bless you and your wonderful family, which I know a little bit now. I'll visit you every now and then.
In the love of Jesus,
Marilene (Mah-ree-lay-nay)

PS. I attached a picture of our family, for you to get to know us, too.
PS.II The recipe attached goes to Autumn - for Jon. These are very traditional Brazilian sweets - no party without them, and everyone goes crazy about them. When my nephew got married in Nashville, my sister and I made this recipe (times 100) to serve with the cake. I'll try to make my mini-tutorial almost as good as yours...

Haven Swap

Sisters, Carrie of With All That I've Been Given and Monica of The Homespun Heart have teamed up once again to hostess a swap. The theme was Haven. My swap partner was Jenn of Jenn's Nook. It seems that Jenn and I have similar tastes in home decor and that became even more apparent to each of us when our packages arrived.

I forgot to take a picture of what I sent Jenn, but I included two candles, a homemade almond lotion bar, a bar of homemade lavender soap, a small tin star, a wreath, and a primitive doll.

My package arrived the same day that she received hers. I received an adorable tea towel with a recipe for apple cake printed on it, two tarts, a small wreath, almond soap, a primitive star, a magnet for my refrigerator, a scented coaster, BLT dip mix, and a creation drama CD.

This was a fun swap. Thanks ladies!

Links List

I've come across a few blogs of interest, and some really different ideas. I thought that you might enjoy them, too!

As a mother of two girls, I love the blog Hair Today. This woman has oodles of creativity. Looking for a cute way to style your girl's hair? Look no further!

Are you hosting a baby shower any time in the near future? This punch is adorable, and would be a great conversation starter. Ooh, ooh! How about substituting little boats for the rubber ducks. That would be perfect for a young boy's party!

And on to more serious topics: Visit Stacy for an interesting read concerning modesty and swimwear.

Be informed! We all know that our skin is our largest organ. I'm becoming increasingly aware as the years go by, not only about what I put into my body, but what I put on it. Do you think that you're saving yourself from skin cancer by using sunscreen? Maybe not. How about your make-up, shampoo, soap, and deodorant? Do you know what's in them? This website is amazing. Simply type in the product that you want to know about and it will tell you how safe it is, and what effects it may have on your well-being. It's a real eye opener!

National Apron Day

Interested in an apron giveaway? Go here to enter!

Communion

Yesterday, Collin and Abigail became communicant members of our church. We rejoiced as they participated in the Lord's Supper for the first time. What a glorious day!

Mama Bear

That's what my husband calls her. That's not really her name. The first time I heard him say that, I nearly fell off my chair I was laughing so hard. He was reading over my shoulder, and asked, "Is that Mama Bear's blog? As many times as I've told him, "No, it's Momma Roar!", he stills calls her Mama Bear, and I think she likes that.

Several months ago, Momma Roar, otherwise known as Leigh Ann, emailed me and said that she was thinking about attending a truck show with her husband. She would be near enough to visit me. I became very excited; Momma Roar was coming to MY HOUSE! Then she emailed again and said that she didn't think she was going to be able to make it, as her babysitters were going to be out of town. But wait! I got another email saying she WAS going to be able to make the trip after all. I didn't get my hopes up this time.

A few weeks ago, we decided it would be way too far for her to drive to my house. Who wants to spend six hours in a car alone, especially in unfamiliar territory? Not me!

We decided that we still wanted to meet, so we each drove several hours this morning, and hooked up at Cracker Barrel. She arrived before I did, but as soon as I walked in the door, she recognized me and came over. I don't know how Leigh Ann felt, but it wasn't awkward for me at all.

We talked, and talked. And talked. We talked of our children, sewing, knitting, our husbands, homeschooling, books, our faith, and of course, our blogs. Oh, and Nascar. I don't think she's getting to meet Kasey Kahne like she hoped to. Before I knew it, three hours had flown by, and we had to say good-bye, but not before we asked the cashier to take a quick picture.

Ladies, if you like her blog, you'd LOVE her in real life!


And guess what? Cracker Barrel doesn't serve Pepsi, so Leigh Ann had to drink Coke!!!! I never thought I'd live to see the day!

Crochet News

Last week I wrote about Project Linus, and I showed some Granny Squares that I had been working on. Those squares didn't go into my Linus afghan. When we got to the class, we were furnished with crochet hooks and yarn. I had to buy extra yarn to complete my project, but I finished it last night. It measures 46 x 35 inches.

Here it is, in soft pastels.

I also mentioned that I was working on a second type of flower, and that once I got it finished, I would share the pattern. It turned out so cute!

To begin: Chain 5, join with a sl st to first chain to form a ring

Rnd 1: Chain 2 (counts as 1 sc), work 15 sc into ring, join with slip stitch to beginning ch

Rnd 2: * Chain 4, skip 2 sc, sl st in next sc; repeat from * 4 more times, ending last st in base of beginning chain

Rnd 3: In each ch 4 sp around work ( 1 sc, 4 dc, 1 tr, 4 dc, 1 sc); join with sl st to first sc

Rnd 4: *Chain 5, sl st between next 2 sc (between petals); repeat from * 4 more times, ending with a sl st to base of beginning chain

Rnd 5:In each ch 5 sp, ch 1, work ( 1sc, 5dc, 3tr, 5dc, 1sc) around, ending with a sl st to beginning ch. End yarn, leaving a tail of at least 6 ". Weave tail into flower and cut.

This isn't a small flower, but is very pretty!

Pocket Full of Posies

At the request of Hannah, here are the directions to make this sweet little crochet flower. These would be adorable attached to a hat, a purse, or your lapel. The list goes on and on.

What you need:

4 mm crochet hook ;7 yards yarn; yarn needle

1.) Start by making a chain of six stitches.

2.) Join to the first stitch with a slip stitch.

3.) Chain three.

4.) Make 14 double crochets right into the center of the ring.

5.) Attach with a slip stitch. To do this, push your hook into the space between the chain of three and the first double crochet.

6.) Chain 1.

7.) In the next stitch, make three stitches: 1 half double, 1 double, 1 triple.

8.) In the next stitch make three more stitches: 1 triple, 1 double, 1 half double. Chain 1.

9.) Make a slip stitch into the next stitch.

10.) Repeat steps 6-9 until you have 5 petals. Make a slip stitch into the last stitch.

11.) Cut the end of the yarn until it's about 6 inches long. Pull it all the way through the last stitch to tie it off. Weave the loose yarn into the flower.

The flower in the top right hand corner is a different pattern. I'm still working on that one. ;o)

Jam Session

Today, being a federal holiday, the kids were off of school. We follow the public school schedule since Mac is there. So, what did we do with the free time? Mac's friends gathered in the living room for a jam session. They've been wanting to get together for a long time, but Mac has a job, and works every weekend. This was the perfect opportunity.



It's loud. The pictures are now hanging crooked. I'm not kidding. But the smiles on their faces are worth it.



I even invited them to stay for supper, which I better get on the table...

Parties

In a day when teens are eager to be rid of their parents, I count myself blessed to be the mother of four lovable children. Last night, Mac's cross country team gathered at the local steakhouse for their end of the year banquet. Parents were invited, but not more than a few showed up. Mac, of course, wanted our whole family there. What good is it to have your accomplishments recognized if those who love you most aren't there to share the joy with you?

Tonight, is Mac's work Christmas party. He was excited to tell us that families are invited. Now, I took that to mean that married couples could bring their family. Not so much that teenage boys would bring theirs. But, Mac would hear none of it, and so we all will go. Gladly. And I'll be rejoicing in my heart that he is not ashamed to be with us, but rather, happy for us to accompany him.

On Friday evening, our children are welcoming around 20 of their friends into our home. Last year the count was 14. I planned to make myself scarce, but be in and out of the rooms every so often. NONE of the guests would hear of it. Would you believe that they wanted me to play games with them? They were polite, cleaned up after themselves, and said thank you before they left. I'm looking forward to the party this year.

Take a look around. Have you befriended a teen lately, or have you just sat by and wondered what the world was coming to? Give them a chance. You might be surprised!

A True Friend!

Have you ever...

had a friend that you didn't talk with for several months because you were both busy, but once you picked up the phone, you could still talk to for hours?

had a friend that you could not see for over a year, and call them for an impromptu overnight visit?

had a friend that you could be with for several days straight, and still not have enough time to talk?

I have! My friend Sherri emailed me on Tuesday, and asked if I might be up for a visit the NEXT day. Of course I was up for it! She later called me and said that she would stay with her parents one more day, and drive to my house on Thursday.

What a blessing she is to me. I think of Sherri as my Titus 2 role model. She's 11 years my senior, and has been a wonderful encouragement to me as a wife, a mother, a homeschool teacher, and a godly woman.

I hated saying good-bye this morning, but for two days, I caught a glimpse of heaven, when all of the saints will gather, and rejoice!

Doorposts Phone Seminar

Ladies, I received the following information by e-mail this morning, and I thought that some of you may be interested.

Dear Friends,
I'd like to invite you to join in on an upcoming phone seminar! Pam Forster, my beloved Mama and the author of For Instruction in Righteousness, the If-Then Chart, and just about everything else from Doorposts, will be talking about Biblical child-training with Marilyn Moll of the Urban Homemaker. Join us this Thursday, October 4, to listen to the interview and bring your own questions about using Doorposts materials.

Here are the details, if you'd like to join us for this event (there's no charge, except for your own phone cost.)

Date: Thursday, October 4, 2007

Scheduled Start Time: 9:00 EDT, 8:00 CDT, 7:00 PM MDT, 6:00 PDT

Dial-in Number: 1-605-475-4150

Participant Access Code: 754074

If you have never participated in a phone seminar before, here is how itworks:

1. You dial in the phone number below to the seminar. (You pay only for the phone call.)

2. Key in the seminar access code.

3. Introduce yourself, it you wish.

4. Bring a notebook to take notes, a cup of tea, and have your questions ready.

5. Don't worry about background noise, we will mute that out!

Think of the phone seminars as "continuing education" for moms! Here is what one listener wrote:

"It is always so nice to sit down at the end of a busy day with a cup of hot tea and indulge myself with a free seminar. It's like a mini-vacation and conference all in one! Thanks so much for ministering to us moms that are trying to, in turn, minister to our families."

Doorposts, 5905 SW Lookingglass Drive, Gaston, OR 97119

orders@doorposts.net

(888) 433-4749 http://www.doorposts.net/

A Tea Party That Blessed the Hostess

While originally planning for our tea party, I figured on Autumn, Abigail, and myself, but this morning, I decided to turn it into a tea party luncheon so that Grandma and Collin would be participants as well. I hurriedly set about working in the kitchen.



Grandma suffers from osteoporosis, and takes a Fosamax pill every Tuesday. She can't eat for an hour after taking it. She usually sleeps late, takes her pill upon awakening, and then has an early lunch. I was racing because I didn't want for her to say that she wasn't going to wait on my preparations.



I was surprised that she didn't emerge from her room sooner, but the Lord knew my plans, and directed her steps accordingly. I started setting the table at quarter of noon, and she walked into the kitchen. She exclaimed, "Oh, yes. The girls told me that they were going to have a tea party today, because they baked cookies for it last night."



I replied, "We are all having a tea party, Grandma! You're invited, too. It will only be a few more minutes." She decided to watch a little of the noon news while waiting, but seemed excited rather than agitated.



As soon as I had everything ready, Collin went to retrieve Grandma. She was actually giddy. She kept saying how lovely everything was, and that she hadn't been to a tea party for the longest time.



I had set the table with the china that she had given me years ago. I covered the table with a tablecloth that Verne's Grandma lovingly stitched by hand for me. I don't have small pedestal plates, so I used a couple of tea cups to raise just a few dishes, making more room on the table. It was adorable!



Our lunch was simple fare. I served four kinds of sandwiches: tortillas spread with an assortment of ham and cheese; salami and cheese; and turkey and cheese; and peanut butter and jelly, quartered. We had Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies, Banana Friendship Cake garnished with strawberry fans, and pastel butter mints. I served peppermint tea, and English Breakfast tea. Sugar cubes were placed on the table instead of granulated sugar, making the occasion seem even more special. Grandma generally eats a yogurt with her lunch, so I placed it in a fancy dessert glass.



We talked, and laughed, and enjoyed our simple luncheon, but it seemed extraordinary. Grandma generally eats and heads back to her room for her afternoon "stories", but today, she missed them entirely as she sat with us for a full two hours and told us stories of her grandparents home, and how much she enjoyed it as a child. It seems that the Tea Party brought back memories of her grandmother's table linens, china, and even her wonderful smelling linen closet. My heart feels very full at this moment, as she seemed so truly happy during our "party".


I've said it before, but I'll say it again, for I think that it bears repeating. A small gesture toward making others feel special goes a very long way.


Here are a few places to go to get some ideas for your very own tea parties:

Tea Time Traditions
and here