Yada Yadah

if i could go anywhere in the world...

2012-02-17T17:53:00.001-05:00

... I would go here and stay here.

Valentine's Day

2012-02-15T11:48:00.000-05:00

Posting a few ~~pics~~ peeks here.

My husband took the day off. I let him sleep in late but he still got up in time to take the girls to school.

Treat bags for the girls

*

To: Mommy & Daddy

From: Playmaker

*

Breakfast for two

&

A li'l somethin' to warm up from the inside out.

*

From: My Dearest Friend

we picked out and purchased seeds to plant

together

&

went out for lunch

together

shared an indoor/take-out picnic by the fireplace

&

watched a movie

alone

together.

See a theme here? :)

&

*

From: Playmaker

To: her valentine.

But

in order for him to find this...

he had to follow a trail of

candy sweethearts

riddled with clues & directions.

In the end it was well worth the effort.

The chest was loaded!

(Godiva gems, Hershey's nuggets, coin candy,

Payday candy bar, chocolate covered fortune cookies, ring pop,

leather journal, etc.)

The chest itself is intended to last looong

after the perishable

loot it currently contains is gone

and

to serve as

a place to collect

keepsakes and other items of sentimental value

in hopes that one day

it will be

a rich resource

of

personal wealth.

:)

*

&

Playmaker's Valentine ...

picked out the perfect piece of apparel

and packaged it with a Piano Guys CD.

He's certainly

in tune

with what she likes

!

*

&

In one of her classes at school

Cupid (seriously!)

delivered some pretty petals

to Strike

from a (boy) friend (key word here).

Yikes!

Not sure how I feel about that.

But

it was certainly a

bright spot

in her

day

:)

*

&

No-o, we didn't forget about Big Mak.

How could we?!

He is such a BIG part of our lives ...

we 'WOOF!' him too :)

a (love) "letter" to the future written in hindsight

2012-02-13T08:37:00.001-05:00

Someone

somewhere

once said

Hindsight is always 20/20 vision.

Imagine how the time between then and now might have been different for you if, as you were standing on the threshold of your future (official adulthood), someone somewhere had given you a book full of answers to questions answered with something (an advantage!) you couldn't possibly have at that point. That being, hindsight.

Via a questionnaire, Playmaker recently interviewed several people who have been meaningfully involved in her boyfriend's life. Family. Friends. Pastor. Past Sunday School teacher. Among some rather heavy inquiries, she interspersed a few prompts that encouraged a bit of levity into the mix as well and compiled the responses she received along with photos, etc. into a scrapbook that she presented to "D" for his 18th Birthday.

In "the end" Playmaker's "paperback" didn't quite contain 18 replies as she had intended, but her gift was beauty-full nonetheless - and a powerful work of he{art}. Especially considering the potential it possessed to shape the future. "D's" future and that of all whom his future choices will impact to varying degrees.

Following are most of my answers to her questions.

Please share a memory that comes to mind when you thinkof "D"?

I remember when you & your brother brought over your first Valentines gifts to Playmaker and "C" :) (my note: that was 3 years ago) Hmmm – somewhere I have a pic of D.J. the stuffed monkey driving as wewere heading to our camping trip w/ your family, the M's & S's :) ---- Oh – what d’ya know?! … Here it is! :)

If you could go back to when you were 18 years old ....

what isone thing you would do differently?

Hmmm…I think just abouteverything! - except I’d marry the same guy all over again – and again –again! :)

what do you wish youknew then that you know now?

I wish I had a much more in-depthunderstanding of God’s Word.

I wish I knew what real/true love is. Love as described in I Corinthians 13 is poetic to read about & easy to gloss over – butto really understand it/recognize it/live it is so counter culture/selfless/Christ-like and so amazing.

What is one piece of practical wisdom you would like to share?

It seemsto me that the only thing we can truly control is how we respond to the eventsand circumstances around us.

Less is more on so many levels and the“American Dream” is not all it’s cracked up to be … it leads to a prettyselfish/self centered lifestyle. I‘velearned that life is so much more exciting when you are doing things - as opposed to having/accumulating& trying to pay off bills for things.

What is one piece of spiritual/Biblical wisdom you would share with "D"?

If any ofyou lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all withoutfinding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believeand not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown andtossed by the wind. James 1:5-7

Please share a personal favorite Bible verse / passage.

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect foreverthose who are being made holy.

Hebrews 10:14

What is one thing you admire about "D"?

My note: I broke the rule here and wrote more of a list :)

Just for fun, if money wasn’t an option and you couldgive "D" one thing (material thing..could be small or could be BIG) that youwouldn’t want to live without, what would it be?

Hmmm. Well – Ican’t think of anything you really need that you don’t already have – so – I guess I’d give you duct tape. In a pinch itfixes so many things that you do need :) … Remember how handy it came in when we werein Africa and I needed it for my shoe?! …and it came in very handy as abandage (well that was Gorilla tape … mbI’d give you that instead) in St. Johnwhen I stepped on a Sea Urchin of all things. Ouch! …And Playmaker used Gorillatape for her shoe too when she went to Haiti. Hmmm…something tells me if Ireally did give it to you, you’d thank me for it eventually :)

Anything else you'd like to add (a personal message? abit of humor? a word of wisdom? another Scripture? ... whatever! :)

Well, I think I’ll share some thingsI hope for my own children because I hope them for you too:

***

Five things
I hope & pray that mychildren
learn to consistently do well ...

***
*

- tho' it seems that I, the onewho should be teaching them, am a 'jack of all trades and master of none' here so I'm not quitesure how they're ever going to learn them from me.

1. Live by the"Golden Rule"

(- and if I could only teach them only onething,
this would be it.)

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard themdebating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Ofall the commandments, which is the most important?”

29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lordour God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heartand with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is nocommandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31

I would love to be the one to teach my children to do this but inall honesty I'm still trying to figure out how to do it. I will saythough that it's amazing - how, even in my feeble attempts toward this end, Ihave a better understanding of how much God loves us (see John 3:16-21) and if that is all my children learnfrom me in this regard then I will know I've done something right.

2. Make goodchoices

“Weeach leave our mark on the world every moment of every day,

by thechoices we make and the actions we take.”

If you know me, you know that I'm convinced that choices, good or bad,and their consequences are the basic elements that living boils down to andwhen I consider the potential consequences of even one poor choice - well ... enough said.

3. Do their personal best at whateverthey put their mind to do

To "just do your best" sounds so simple but to reallydo the best that one is capable of doing requires hard work.

31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,
doit all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

4. Be content with what they have

5. Make nothing less than the best ofwhatever circumstances they find themselves in

If they can do these two things, they should be as happy as they can possiblybe - at any given time.

***

Happy 18^thBirthday, "D"!

**

TSW(Valentine's)DB

2012-02-11T17:46:00.000-05:00

Please join in over at:

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

via

I am creating ... valentines. Each one is different, so simple - and fun to do (key word here).

I am learning - Well - I'm going to try to see if I can learn how to make these origami hearts - using paper money :)

I am reading ... I just bought The Vow: The True Events that Inspired the Movie for Strike. She's lost in it at the moment. I want to read it when she's done. It looks like a beauty-full story.

I am pondering ... What love is - and isn't - and what it always does - and doesn't do.

1 Corinthians 13

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. ...

via

A favorite quote ...

I'm looking forward to ... spending Valentine's Day with my husband. He's taking the day off of work :)

One of my favorite things ... coffee he{art}

via

practical-ly perfect valentines

2012-02-10T09:38:00.000-05:00

I've been doing some internet surfing in search of ideas for valentines. If I'm going to enjoy making valentines they have to be rather unique, pretty simple, quite personal and pack the potential to warm the heart and put a smile on the face of those for whom they're intended. Bottom line - they have to be fun to make, to give and to receive. There's no shortage of ideas out there that fit the bill - and indeed I did find some fun ones. But, when I came across this it occurred to me that I can't think of a single person who wouldn't love to receive one of these...

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

- Leo Buscaglia -
via

They're unique. Simple/so easy. Personal/custom made on the spot! And - considering that I tend to be more creative when it comes to doing things than I am when it comes to making things - well, as far as I'm concerned, random acts of kindness are practical-ly perfect in every way for Valentine's Day :)

TSWDB - Feb 4

2012-02-05T09:17:00.000-05:00

Please join in with us over at:

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

I am thinking...That these hairstyles that Strike taught herself to do by working with her sister's hair, are so pretty ...

and this

I'm creating...our garden but only in my mind at this point. Our tree-farmer friend extended the offer to us once again to garden at the tree farm :) Hooray!

I'm going...to purchase seeds soon. Fun!

I'm learning ... well I want to research some organic ways to ward off hungry potato bugs from our garden. My husband read somewhere that planting basil among the potato plants might help so we'll probably try that - but given how much they enjoyed feasting on our crop last year, I'd like to have a few other green tricks up my sleeve to try.

I'm pondering...this excerpt from a devotional:

Wisdom in Creation

Today's reading: 1 Kings 4:29–34This passage is a celebration of God’s endowment of great wisdom upon Solomon. It also celebrates the broader theme of God’s ordering of creation according to a majestic, divine design. God has infused his wisdom, as it were, into the very structure of material reality. And he has equipped the human race, created in his image, with the ability (the intellectual machinery) to, as German mathematician Johann Kepler (1571–1630) said, “think God’s thoughts after him,” in order to develop creation’s potential (note especially 1Ki 4:32–33). We as God’s designated stewards have been called to faithfully and intelligently cultivate creation’s potential. God wants us to varying degrees, based on the particular aptitudes and strengths with which he has gifted each of us, to draw out the fruitfulness of creation through engineering, entrepreneurship, development, intellectual understanding, the arts and so forth.

via: Discovering God's Design

I happened upon a book along that order the other day - that I just may order.

I think this book about how one man and half a billion honey bees help feed America looks interesting too:

I'm reading...A book that I had on my Christmas wish list. Playmaker gave it to me. She wrote it herself! Actually it's a compilation of short stories she wrote for her Travel, Adventure and Foreign Culture Writing class. Among the titles: Truth Ignored: A letter far from home (re: Amanda Knox) , Those Emerald Eyes (a tragic yet tender Iranian romance), Her First Word (an Amish story), Amazing Grace (about a young, female Chinese pianist), A Painful Memory (about an unlikely friendship between two boys in Mumbai. One poor and Hindu, the other rich and Muslim.

One of my favorite things...picnics! I've planned 12 of them for 2012. Even purchased a lightweight picnic blanket with two features that sold me. One - it folds into a fanny pack. Two - it comes with little stakes to hold it in place.

Under the dark canopy of the night sky embellished with just enough shimmering stars to shift our focus from our vantage point far below and somewhere along the fringe of a frozen lake amidst a frigid forest with a fabulous view of the frosty moon framed and hung almost directly overhead, is where my husband and I feasted alone together by candlelight the other night ... the first of our 12 picnics of 2012.

And - just for fun - let's finish here,

with this fantastic rendition
of a familiar refrain :)

nearer my God to Thee for 9 cellos

2012-01-29T08:42:00.000-05:00

This is my Father's world,

and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres. This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought....This is my Father's world: he shines in all that's fair; in the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me everywhere....

excerpts from the Hymn This is my Father's World

one man "band" taken to a whole new & beautiful level

2012-01-28T15:17:00.001-05:00

No words...other than "WOW!" :)

Enjoy!

TSWDB with a "twist"

2012-01-27T11:08:00.000-05:00

Please join in with us over at:

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Outside my window ... It's raining. I LoVe rainy days! :)

I'm thankful ... that Strike got into her first choice trade at school - that being Cosmetology. She just found out today! :)

In the kitchen ... Baking a Carrot Cake today.

I am looking forward to ... the day ahead. Playmaker's piano lesson. Baking, Quilting, watching The Music Never Stopped with Playmaker while I fold laundry. Fish fry this evening.

A few plans for the weekend ... Possibly/hopefully a double date! ... My husband & I with our daughter and her boyfriend, to see Red Tails:

I'm still reading ...

"In every fairy tale there is a kernel of truth."

"Sometimes, Maria, a story that one hears starts one off doing things

that one would not have had to do if one had not heard it."

I'm wondering...who the first person was to figure this out:

1 x 8 + 1 = 9

12 x 8 + 2 = 98

123 x 8 + 3 = 987

1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876

12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765

123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654

1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543

12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432

123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11

12 x 9 + 3 = 111

123 x 9 + 4 = 1111

1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111

12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111

123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111

1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111

12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111

123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88

98 x 9 + 6 = 888

987 x 9 + 5 = 8888

9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888

98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888

987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888

9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888

98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?

And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1

11 x 11 = 121

111 x 111 = 12321

1111 x 1111 = 1234321

11111 x 11111 = 123454321

111111 x 111111 = 12345654321

1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321

11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321

111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...

101%

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100%?

What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to

GIVE OVER 100%.

How about ACHIEVING 101%?

What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help

answer these questions:

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

If:

H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K

8+1+18+4+23+ 15+18+11 = 98%

And:

K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E

11+14+15+23+ 12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E

1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E- O-F- G-O-D

12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:

While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will

get you there, It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

One of my favorite things... Fibonacci numbers (if you've read my blog for long, you already know this about me :) - The spiral pattern throughout nature that they're inherent in make me wish I paid more attention in math when I was in school. Along that line, I think this video is fascinating.

Did you know that rabbits proliferate at a rate consistent with the fibonacci pattern? - just an interesting bit 'o fibonacci fact for those trivia fans out there :)

I'm looking forward ... to this new TV show, Touch. I haven't seen the season opener yet so I don't really know what to think of it - but based on the trailer and things I've already mentioned in this post, it looks to me like an interesting if not fascinating and intriguing storyline.

I am thinking ... that I can think of no living thing that didn't begin life as an unfolding/outward spiral of sorts (think developing embryos and germinating seeds). Can you?

Some reading this post might think I am into something weird like numerology, or worse. That is not the case. I'm no mathematician. In fact, I'm terrible at math. But, I know enough to know that I wish I was better at it. I like math because in math a statement is either true or it's not. Whether we choose to believe it or not doesn't change that. - And I wonder if that is, in part, what God wanted us to understand about Him when He gave us math - which seems to me like a not so secret code that when "cracked" leads/points directly to Him.

A favorite quote for today... “

"When the answer is simple, God is speaking.”

~Albert Einstein

I am pondering...

¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:19, 20

A picture for a thought I'm sharing ...

How cool is this?!

via

click the pic to link to an awesome and amazing red and white quilt display.

If only I were better at math, and quilting ;)

Have a nice weekend!

***
*

the best story i heard on the news this morning

2012-01-26T13:13:00.000-05:00

video platform video management video solutions video player

malakai's backyard adventure - written & illustrated (photographed) by playmaker

2012-01-21T09:51:00.000-05:00

One day, Malakai was quite bored of 
his toys and staying inside ...

so he decided to go outside looking for adventure.

He scanned the fresh snow in search of something interesting,
  but only found the footsteps of his own, and his girl's.

Suddenly, he spotted something unfamiliar!

"Who on earth has such small paw prints?"

Malakai investigated further, and found that they led
 straight to the shed in the back yard.

"Hello?" Said Malakai. "Is anyone here?"
"Hi, My name is Oliver!" said the small animal.

Malakai was puzzled. "You are a very tiny dog." 
At this Oliver chuckled,
 "I'm not a dog, silly. I am a bunny!"
"Oh, a bunny!" Malakai paused, 
"Would you like to come outside and play?"

"Play?" said Oliver, "It is awfully cold out." 
"It's not so bad once you get used to it!," said Malakai
 "Come on, lets play Following the Leader. I'll be the leader!"

"It's easy, you just have to follow me

 and do everything I do!"

Ready...          Set...

GO!

And they were off.

Simple Woman's Daybook - 1-20-12

2012-01-20T10:18:00.002-05:00

Please join in with us over at:
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Outside my window ... Fresh snow.

I am thankful...that Playmaker's last semester schedule worked out in such a way that she has no school on Fridays. Woo hoo :)

I'm creating...this day. Tho' I hadn't really tho't of it that way until I read this quote this morning...

Create each day anew.
Morihei Ueshiba

I guess I hadn't really considered perceiving each new day as an art project of sorts.

* a brand new day ... a blank canvas

* circumstances (all those things I have little, if any, control over) ... the colors I have to choose from

* choices (how I choose to respond to all the circumstances I find myself in at any given time) ... my paintbrush.

In the kitchen ... I'll soon be making Molten Chocolate Lava Crockpot Cake {Mud Cake} and homemade whipped cream to take to our friends' house for dessert this evening (tho' ours will be modified a bit to make it gluten free). Click on the crockpot to link to what looks to be a "to die for" dessert. And if you don't see me here again...well, death by chocolate seems like a pretty good way to go ... :)

I am looking forward to reading...

I ordered it just this week.

I am pondering...

²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20

A favorite quote for today...

Art is man's expression of his joy in labor.

Henry A Kissinger

One of my favorite things...

and it's Gluten free!

A couple of pictures - just for fun :) ...

Malakai: Hey Oliver! Wanna hang out?

Oliver: Oh - Hi Mak...

... Yah. Sure. Just let me finish eating. I'll be out in a minute.

sharing ... sunflowers

2012-01-17T09:01:00.000-05:00

Early this cold, dark, January morning, God gave me ... sunflowers! He does that every now and then. It's how He made himself real to me once - and how He faithfully continues to do it. When I least expect it - and in such personal and creative ways - God "gives me" sunflowers. Go ahead...call me crazy. I actually hesitate to share about it here for fear of that. This time He led me to them ... to sunflowers aaallll the way over in Uganda - and in a most remarkable way - and via a very short short-cut: The Journey where Katie Davis shared her sunflowers, - and for whatever reason, I feel compelled to share them here. Today. In an attempt to...

comfort - a dear grieving blogger friend I've never actually met (Bunny)

and to

bless - another friend that I've emailed already this morning

and to

encourage a young friend. Actually, she's the daughter of my dear friend and is also my daughter's friend....hope that makes sense. She's considering going to teach in the Dominican Republic after high school and I think Katie's story in general would serve as such an inspiration to her.

and

God only knows how else He will use them

if I do what I feel compelled to do

and share these beautiful sunflowers

here, on my blog, with you ;)

just click this pic...

"Weeks of wonder as small buds open into something glorious and beautiful.

And then so soon, they bend their heads and begin to die...

I see beauty in the outcome and sadness in the death,

but they know beauty in the process." ...

- Katie Davis -
Monday, January 16
via

adopted by an owl

2012-01-16T14:40:00.004-05:00

Beautiful. Tender. Amazing.

Now I want to read the book...

TSWDB - 1-14-12

2012-01-14T14:14:00.012-05:00

Please join in with us over at:
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Outside my window...Snow on the ground. Bright sunshine.

I am thinking...this is quite a contemporary and creative sermon of sorts:

I am thankful...to have a day (today) with nothing that I have to do before it's done.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... It's Saturday - so the week is almost over but it's a looong weekend. Hoooray! And I have crockpot meals planned for the next two days.

I am creating...a more organized home. Still working my way around it by cleaning/purging one cabinet/drawer/closet at a time. The kitchen is done :) And that quilt that was supposed to be finished by Christmas - and then by Spoke's b-day ... well - it's still not quite finished... :/ But I did give him a sneak peek.

I am wondering...Really?! Is this necessary?? It came with my new curling iron...

Spokes supposes somebody probably tried to curl their eyelashes with one ... and I'm wondering if he could possibly be right?! :/

I am reading...

I am looking forward to... Spoke's learning to play his birthday gift. A while back he mentioned that he might like to learn to play to the violin but he lives with roommates and was concerned that the learning process might take its toll on them. But - this eliminates that potential issue:

click the pic above for more info

The girls both think they may want to learn to play the cello and I am hoping they decide to because then we could get them one of these to share - at least while they're learning:

via

I am learning ...well - nothing that I can think of right at the moment, but I bet I would learn a lot if I were to read these (SUCH A STEAL .... I mean DEAL)!

Click the pic for more info if interested.

I found an alternative to bleach to use for cleaning/disinfecting around the house and in the laundry. One I feel good (& green!) about on all fronts.

The back label says this product does not contain bleach. It uses Hydrogen Peroxide as its bleaching agent which degrades to water and oxygen. It reduces harmful chemicals entering our sewage systems & is friendlier to the environment. It only contains three ingredients. Hydrogen Peroxide, Citric Acid and Water.

I am pondering...something I read earlier today:

We are most alive when we're in love.

A favorite quote for today...

A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man.

Kites rise against, not with, the wind. - Lewis Mumford

One of my favorite things...This video is great :) Whether you're a Star Wars fan - or not, this is so cool. The same guy plays both parts:

A peek into my day... well, this is actually from last night when we celebrated Spoke's b-day. The girls gave him an Angry Birds blanket. He's underneath it on the couch as I type :)

Practical Princess Playmaker

2012-01-12T10:13:00.018-05:00

A few times a year maybe the girls and I will go poke around our local Salvation Army store and just see what we see. Yesterday was one of those days for Playmaker and I. Among a few other fabulous finds, Playmaker found a bEaUtiFul dress for prom. A deep, rich but earthy olive green, strapless, formal gown with a hint of shimmer. Just so pretty, simple and elegant. It fits almost perfectly but it's just a tiny bit too big on top. The gown is a size 2 - so I'm not even sure we would have found another anywhere else that would fit just right off the rack. Another woman who happened to see her wearing the gown commented that it looked as if it were made just for her - and quite frankly that's what sealed the (incredibly good) deal - because it was an unsolicited and impartial assessment - which I could not possibly have given, given the price (it was on sale for $5.99! Yep - five dollars and ninety-nine cents! - Yes, seriously! I almost felt guilty...as if I were shoplifting! Even after I have it dry-cleaned and altered, it will still be a steal!) - and the fact that mothers can do a lot of things but one thing they're just not equipped to do, is to be impartial when it comes to their own children. At least this mother can't. I know my weaknesses :)

Sharing a pic would be too much like putting the carriage before the horse - but I assure you the dress is gorgeous - and it seems to have been woven with some sort of magical properties. All she had to do was slip it on over her jeans and - while my "little girl" was doing what little girls love to do - - picking out pretty things and "playing dress-up", ...

... I met a lovely and oh-so-grown up princess in a most peculiar place! That being, The Salvation Army store. Yesterday.

She's already found herself a handsome prince. Actually - I think she had her eye on him waaay back when she probably really was still playing dress-up! :)

Now ... if her fairy godmother can just manage to find a pair of pretty slippers for the Practical Princess Playmaker ... well, that would be the perfect "ending" to the beginning of what appears to be a rather enchanting fairy tale unfolding .... as I type?!

Hmmm. I wonder ... is it a requirement that all happily ever afters begin with Once upon a time...? Because - if it is ... perhaps I should go back and rewrite this post?! ;)

The Simple Woman's Daybook * 1-8-12

2012-01-08T19:41:00.010-05:00

Please click the pic above to join with me and who knows how many others over at The Simple Woman's Day Book to journal once a day, week, month....whenever! :)

Outside my window...It's dark & the moon is big and shining bright.

I am thinking...that this sheet music wreath is reeaally neat! - and simple enough that even I could make it.

via

I am thankful...that Strike was accepted into our local vocational-techinical high school. It is such a good fit for her. She's doing well there and has explored Welding, House Carpentry, Cabinet Making, Graphic Design, Business Tech, Cosmetology, Masonry, and Auto Body so far. She's brought home some impressive projects too ... an end table w/ magazine rack, wooden toolbox, metal tool box, etc. ... :) I'm anxious to see what trade she lands in. If she has it her way, it will be Cosmetology.

I am creating...a quilt that must be finished by Friday...

and three of these...

via

My husband is helping me make them. He salvaged some wood and we hit the jackpot when we stopped into a discount store and found fun drawer knobs for $1 each.

I'm going ... to make up some blessing bags to keep handy in my car. I looooove this idea! And I'm wondering..."Why didn't I think of that?!". Just today we passed someone I could have given one to - if only I had one with me :/ I'd love to tuck in a small Bible too...as it seems that so often when, for any number of reasons, people are so far down that they finally look up ... God reveals Himself.

via

I am reading...

Yes, it's a children's story :)

I am looking forward to...going on at least 12 picnics in 2012.

I'm hoping ... That my son likes his birthday present. Something he is totally not expecting - but that I have a hunch he will really enjoy. Stay tuned (there's a hint :) ... for further details.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... I'm rather systematically working my way around the house - cleaning and purging about one or two cabinets, drawers, closets, etc. per day. Just a few more to go in the kitchen before I can move on to another room.

I am pondering...that Friday was Epiphany - and if someone hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known it. I've never regularly attended a church that observed occasions such as Lent and Epiphany. Christmas and Easter we celebrate - but that's about it. Yet I can't help but consider that in their purest form many, if not all, of the seemingly endless observances on the Christian calendar were likely initially intended to encourage Christians to keep their focus on Christ - on His goodness and faithfulness - amidst the continual change propelled by incessant immorality destined to unfold as countless rotations of the earth would relentlessly roll into revolutions around the sun. And - well...I can just appreciate the constant comfort that commemorating Christ would likely convey if I were to be a bit more consistent in that regard.

A quote for today...

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." C.S. Lewis

In the kitchen... is one of my favorite things...

Jule's Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

via: www.JulesGlutenFree.com

It can be substituted cup for cup in recipes that call for regular (wheat) flour.

I love this stuff. If you didn't know you were eating something that was gluten free - well - you wouldn't know it :) My first and only attempt at making homemade bread with it was a flop tho' - but that can be challenging even with regular flour too. I learned that Jules also makes a special gluten free bread flour and I want to try that next. Other than that tho', I am sooooo thrilled/pleased/tickled/giddy with excitement over this product! :)

20+C+B+M+12

2012-01-07T11:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Epiphany - and if someone hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known it.

- Epiphany is the climax of the Advent/Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from the evening of December 25th until the morning of January 6th, which is the Twelfth Day.

- The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King. (My note: Can you think of any better reason to celebrate?! :)

- Around January 6, the symbol +C+B+M+ with two numbers before and two numbers after (for example, 20+C+B+M+12) is sometimes seen written in chalk above the doorway of Christian homes. The letters are the initials of the traditional names of the Three Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. These letters also abbreviate the Latin phrase Christus mansionem benedicat, "May Christ bless the house." The beginning and ending numbers are the year, 2012 in the example above. The crosses represent Christ. (My note: Seems to me they could represent the Trinity too.)

excerpts via

I've never regularly attended a church that observed occasions such as Lent and Epiphany. Christmas and Easter we celebrate - but that's about it. Yet I can't help but consider that in their purest form many, if not all, of the seemingly endless observances on the Christian calendar were likely initially intended to encourage Christians to keep their focus on Christ - on His goodness and faithfulness - amidst the continual change propelled by incessant immorality destined to unfold as countless rotations of the earth would relentlessly roll into revolutions around the sun. And - well...I can just appreciate the constant comfort that commemorating Christ would likely convey if I were to be a bit more consistent in that regard.

the joy dare ... a treasure hunt for twenty-twelve

2012-01-06T06:38:00.001-05:00

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Proverbs 13:44 (NIV)

Take the the Joy Dare. Isn’t that what Aristotle said– “We are what we repeatedly do.”

Then Christianity isn’t an act — but our faith is expressed only in our habits.

via

Remember the foreign (relatively speaking) language I set out to attempt to speak fluently a short while back? Well, the author of ...

click the pic

...that motivated me toward that end is offering up some timely encouragement to press on. She dubs it The Joy Dare - but I see it more as a treasure hunt of sorts ...

{Download to print here}

Three gifts a day.

So simple.

Just grab a notebook/journal/this planner/something/anything! to write on

and start

seeking AND finding

joy

in places

you might never have thought

to look!

***
*

Eucharisteo.

You don't hear it spoken much in our day and age where

"Entitlement" is the native tongue.

There's Just. One. Word. you need to know:

Thank You

("You" is capitalized for good reason)

But

- it is important to note three things:

One

That word is

entwined

like a strand of three cords

with

Grace and Joy.

Charis. Grace

Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving

Chara. Joy

(via)

as if to

commune-icate

that it is

impossible

to have one without the other.

Two

Eucharisteo is a means of

commune-icating with God.

For some

this may be intimidating at first.

Three

***

Rejoice

always;

pray

without

ceasing;

in everything give thanks;

for this

is God's will

for you

Christ

Jesus.

I Thessalonians

5:16-18

emphasis

added

***

Mastery.

This is the hard part

that might very well require

an entire lifetime of

practice.

²⁶ While they were eating,

Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks,

he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

²⁷ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying,

“Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Matthew 26:26-29

***

If you decide to to join me on this treasure hunt thru' 2012 please let me know so I'll know I have a new traveling companion :) The more the merrier! Then head on over to

A Holy Experience

to join in with who knows how many others?!

Still need a bit more motivation?

Well, here you have it!

Our host (guide?!), Ann Voskamp, is offering those who successfully record 1000 gifts in 2012, the right to enter a drawing for this:

cick the pic!

*
***
*

The fears I’d been feeling, the overwhelmed and uncertain — Is every failure to experience joy because I made an excuse to not give thanks?

via

"practical"-ly perfect - & pretty too!

2012-01-05T08:17:00.002-05:00

Strike has a couple of "hobbies", if you will. At least in the sense that she has quite a collection of both costume jewelry and scarves. I must say, the girl's got nice taste and a style all her own. She can make fancy rhinestone/sparkly earrings, a pretty scarf and a hoodie sweatshirt (seriously!) look as if they were destined to be together! She found a clever way to organize her earrings by "tacking" them onto a cork/bulletin board - and I believe I've stumbled onto a practical-ly perfect (& pretty!) solution for her necklaces - and perhaps her scarves too. One with the potential to be a fun project for me as well! :) And, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure Playmaker would like one too... ;)

via

12 picnics of 2012

2012-01-04T07:40:00.000-05:00

I had an idea - that being to picnic our way, at least once a month, thru' 2012. And my husband is on board :) Soo -- that's the plan. From experience we both know that half the fun of picnicking, at least when/where we go, is getting there :) Could get interesting during some of the colder months here in New England - but it's only January and it's really cold out as I type - yet, evenso, I can hardly wait to get started. I have visions of familiar mountaintops, waterfalls, parks, seashores, shade trees, - and sunrises and sunsets in my head as I type but I'd like to try to fit in some off the wall/unconventional places to picnic too - and preferably at least a few places we've never been before. Hmm...where to go first?!

How about you? Have you ever picnicked someplace unusual? I'd love any atypical suggestions for places to go, how to get there, what to pack, etc :)

planning ahead? what if....

2012-01-03T08:54:00.000-05:00

edited a bit

As I was making a few plans for this new year and considering how I hope 2012 will shape up based on the things I plan to do, I stumbled (sometimes it seems as if this is my main mode of transportation) on this:

“God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible.
What a pity when we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.” -A.W. Tozer

via

It has God's "autograph" written all over it. Relationship (with Him and others).

And I wonder....What if I made a few such plans to do some things that I couldn't possibly do by myself? But I have a hard enough time making and following thru' with plans that I feel I will have some semblance of success in accomplishing on my own - let alone planning things for which I have to wait for and rely on God and/or others to do their part! So, in regards to the quote above, immediately I do what I have a knack for doing. I take the most direct route possible to the worst case scenario by starting at "But, what if....." and heading south from there. I don't get very far at all tho' before a Still Small Voice whispers that I have no good reason to go there and I'm reminded of how it seems in God's Word and from personal experience that God has custom made plans for His children. Even for those of us who don't step out in faith near enough. Plans that, when tossed from the hand of God into the daily mix of what is likely a much more comfortable and independent than God ever intended it to be life I've carved out for myself, will no doubt challenge and stretch and shape me into becoming more of who He created me to be. And I get the impression that God has a sense of humor - in that I can't help but chuckle at my next thought. That being, just that this always seems to happen ... while I'm busy making other plans ;)

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21(NIV)

first things first

2012-01-01T16:43:00.002-05:00

I've decided to keep a list on my side bar of things we do for the first time ever this year. Figure there's no more timely time to begin this list than this, the first day of the new year - especially considering that I already have something to add to it :)

Today, for the first time ever, we made homemade corn fritters. So easy! - and I don't care if I never make regular cornbread again! These tasty morsels are to die for :) We served them plain with a big pot o' steaming hot chili ... but with butter and maple syrup they would be more like dessert.

click HERE for the recipe.

We used gluten free flour - and they were yuuuuummmy.