The Story of our Days

Hello Friends!

So happy to be back in blogland, visiting with each of you.  The days go by so very quickly and all we are left with is memories.  We can't go back no matter how much we would like to, so w need to live intentionally, making each day count.

Each day is like a picture in the mind of your child.  And as the days go together what will stand out?

One way I have found to make the days count is to have a routine we loosely follow throughout the day.  We know that school is in the morning, tea time is at 3 p.m., and that dinner is spent round the table, each of us sharing what the day held.  These anchor our days.

What I want to share about is what we call "tea time."  Around 2:15 I start making the scones, usually buttermilk, but sometimes with chocolate chips in them.  After they go in the oven, we get the tea started and bring out the sugar and honey.  Most days we sit around the table, laughing, talking, sharing from our lives...books we're reading, Bible verses that really stood out to us, what's going on outside, with friends, and so on.  I usually have Constant Comment, although Earl Grey comes in at a close second.  Some don't like tea and we usually have  pot of coffee going as well.

I want to make memories that my children will remember.  Little things that they will be able to look back on fondly.

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.


~Laura Ingalls Wilder


Blessings!


~Karen

On my heart~

I want to encourage anyone who reads this blog to spend time working, playing with and enjoying their children. The relationships formed are so sweet and to be greatly treasured. To have our children's hearts is a gift that takes careful cultivating. Here are some ways I have invested in their lives over the years:




~ playing games with them from the time they were little


~working together whether in the kitchen doing dishes, outside gardening or doing yardwork, we have built many memories spending time together reaching a goal


~Reading together, or reading the same books individually. We could then talk about what we read and share many laughs over what the characters did


~watching movies together


~taking walks together and talking


~just being together -- kids need time to just be kids and we can share their excitement about what they discover


I think the most important thing is to pray about what God would have you do with your kids. Whether it's a matter of keeping their hearts, disciplining them, or even to matters as small as what movies/books are good, if we pray and ask the Lord, He will guide us. There are many books out there about this subject, but they don't know your kids. Their unique temperment, their needs, your short-comings and inadeqacies, God knows all of this and if we ask Him to show us, He will. There have been so many times I have been stumped as to what to do with a certain child. I have gotten scared, because on my own I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to do something that would damage our relationship. I would pray about, sometimes all day long as I was busy doing other things, as it came to mind I would pray, begging the Lord to give me some wisdom, and He did. The matter would be resolved and instead of losing their hearts, I would strengthen the heart strings. He is able to do all of this for you. also, if you but ask Him. He delights in giving us gifts, just as we do for our own dear children.


~Karen

A New Start

Life flies by and sometimes it's hard to find time to blog.  Here's what's going on around my house: 

*We enjoyed a very special Christmas spent with my father-in-love and his wonderful wife.


*We have been enjoying weekends of playing UNO.  It's so funny to see the kids' expressions as someone hands them a "Draw 2" card.  It's all done in fun, and the laughter coming from our kitchen is evidence of our love for each other.

*We baked a lot this Christmas season.  We like to give out baskets full of goodies to our neighbors and the postman.  It is better to give than to receive!


*We have all been spending time reading the Bible.  It thrills my soul to see my children read and learn from the Word.  I have no greater joy than to hear my children walk in truth. 3 John 1:4

Be blessed!


~Karen

The Days are Fleeting....

Summer has flown by and all too soon we'll be welcoming a new season.  I am looking forward to fall and all of the fun we'll have.  I'm thinking of cooler nights with bonfires, s'mores, apple pies and weenie roasts.  But, for now, I want to remember summer and all of the fun we had.

~planting our garden, late as it was, has produced a goodly amount of food for us

~tomatoes getting processed and straight into the freezer for yummy soups and spaghetti

~our flop of a lasagna garden, which redeemed itself in late summer and we now have 6 watermelons,  2 cantaloupes and many zucchinis.  Oh! I can't forget the two cucumbers we also got. :0)

~the time we stayed up really late, under the tiki torches as we laughed and talked about so many things.

~the two weeks of volunteering at camp for my oldest daughter, the bad asthma attack I had when she was gone, and how I found out we all had strengths we didn't know we had.  Those unknown strengths/assets seem to make themselves known when the Mom of the family is sick. *smile*

~the two weeks of my two older ones visiting their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins out in Washington.  Two weeks of my family loving on my kiddos, showing them the sights, letting Chelsea take hundreds of pictures, and the great memories they now have of spending time with them. 

~spending time with my other three kiddos when they were in WA.  Doing the dishes with Becky as we talked about important things in her life, the time spent watching good movies together, Aaron playing blocks with us, and we always let him topple our block buildings because he liked to.

~friends over, sharing, playing and growing together

~Aaron doing "force hold", "force choke" and "force push"

~time spent working together, sharing time as a family, just us growing and loving each other

There are so many more special memories, so many things I don't want to forget. 

*the feel of Aaron's hand in mine

*hugs from my oldest son

*paper hearts from my middle son

*Aaron saying mercy and "duncle" for uncle

*playing with the lego's together

*Jacob hoeing the garden, even though big blisters were on his hands

*listening to many hours of beautiful piano music played by my girls

*guitar music from Jacob

*of times spent listening to old bluegrass together, to sharing new songs with each other, even if it isn't everybody's style of music they like.  Loving each other enough to listen and enjoy the time spent together

*e-mails from friends near and far away

*real letters from friends near and far away

There are so many blessing in the average, every-day life we live: 

~A smile from someone we love (or a stranger)

~a kind word spoken 

~ a beautiful flower

~seeing a child grasp a new skill

~watching the sunrise or sunset together

~a clean house

~laundry swaying on the line

~sun-fresh and sweet-smelling

Be blessed, my friends.  Life is beautiful if we but look around us and drink in it's joys.

~Karen

 

The Lazy Days of Summer~

It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest, and living close to nature.

The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes and surely, it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies.


~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Hello!

Warm and sunny greetings from my home to yours.  Summer is in full swing here and we are able to spend lots of time outside enjoying the beautiful weather, blue skies and picnics.  There is laundry on the line most days, time for walks up the road, time to just enjoy the blessings that come along with summer.

I am learning that through trials come blessings...in ways that you don't expect.  And that obedience really is the very best thing that we can do.  A leap of faith taken, but taken knowing that the Lord is there, holding us up and charting a course for us.  The peace I have comes from Him.  

We have a small garden in, two actually.  We are trying out Lasagna Gardening this year.  Our tomatoes are doing great...peppers, not so much.  We have already canned many pints and quarts of strawberry jam, tucked away in the basement for the colder days to come.  A little taste of the summer in the winter.  We also bought some freezer beef recently.  Stocking up the larder, so nice to have it full.

I am in the midst of deep-cleaning the house.  I am mostly done with the kitchen, now onto the Library Room.  I am hoping to make it easier to find everything.  We live in a very s-m-a-l-l house and it can feel cluttered rather easily, so I'm finding it easier to store things in the garage that we don't need/use right now.  I move slowly, as there are still my other daily duties to attend to.  And I find that those anchor me and allow me to free my mind to make the decisions of what stays and what goes out to the garage.  

I am thankful for so many things~

~nursing my little one to sleep

~parents who love me and my family

~the friendships I have with my children

~the feeling you get after seeing the results of a hard days work

~flowers

~friends who love me and are there for me

~that I can rest in the Lord's plan for my life

~my little one who is tucked in, cozied up under Great-Grandma's quilt

Have a great day, friends!

~Karen    

1000 Gifts....

22. Beautiful snow falling in large and small snowflakes, covering the grass and turning everything into a winter wonderland.

23. Time spent watching a movie with my husband over the weekend.

24. Long e-mails from a dear friend.

25. The joy of listening to the many hopes and dreams my children have.

26. Knowing that when I am sad or afraid the Lord is always there to listen to me.  He comforts me and tells me to cast my many fears, trials, and concerns upon Him.

27. Little boys who wear snow boots or rubber boots all the time.  So cute!

28. My 8 year old, Matthew, who willingly treks up and down the stairs many times to get jars and cans from the basement pantry.

29. Kids who love your home cooking!

30. The joy of homeschooling my kiddos.

31. The added benefit of watching them learn to read, do algebra, write their own books, all because we invested a little time to teach them how to learn on their own.

 

A Clean Slate

I love the feeling of the new year being fresh, wide open with possibilities.  I always make a list of goals, dreams, or accomplishments I hope to realize during the upcoming year. 

Last year I wanted to read more books.  I ended up reading over 50 new books, and a few previously read books because they are my favorites.  Books that have challenged me, comforted me, and drew me closer to the Lord.  A new favorite, must-be-read-each-year, book is First We Have Coffe by Margaret Jensen.

This year, along with the usual goals of losing weight and reading through the Bible in a year, I am hoping and praying to be able to buy a small farm with a farmhouse, red barns, and fences.  I really miss our chickens, hogs, gardens, flower beds, and just the freedom to do what we want with the land.

The Lord knows what we need in a farm, plus what features I'd like in a farmhouse.  I love big, sunny kitchens, large bedrooms, a place for all of our school books, it definately has to have an upstairs, and a basement.  I like the security a basement gives in tornado season.  I'm still getting used to living each summer with the possibility of a tornado coming our way. 

But no matter if we still are living here, in our rental house, next year, it's okay.  The Lord has a plan for my life and for my family that I trust.  A house and land would be great, but what's even better is knowing that we are in His hand, sheltered and protected.  Here for a reason we may or may not know, trusting that His plan is best for our lives.

Simply Trusting

Simply trusting ev'ry day,

Trusting through a stormy way;

Even when my faith is small;

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting as the moments fly,

Trusting as the days go by;

Trusting him whate'er befall,

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Brightly doth his Spirit shine

Into this poor heart of mine;

While he leads I cannot fall;

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Singing if my way is clear;

Praying if the path be drear;

If in danger, for him call;

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting him while life shall last,

Trusting him till earth be past;

Till within the jasper wall;

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~