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

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! :)

Happy New Year - SWDB

Please join in with us over at....

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Outside my window...Cold. Bright Sunshine. Clear blue sky.

I'm thinking...about using this planner to help me better manage my home & my time:

via (where you can find a free/blank/printable template)

I'm thankful ... for a fantastic year long celebration of 25 years of marriage to my best friend. Yesterday we enjoyed our last hurrah in that regard by taking the family to a nice  old restaurant:

- and - I'm also thankful for ... the past week and a half where we were free to do almost nothing (key word here) that we normally do :) 

I'm creating ... still working on the quilt that was supposed to be a Christmas present for my son - which is now slated to be a birthday present instead. 

I'm wondering...Do you know what is black and white and green all over??

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Answer: 

For the tutorial to make your own, click HERE

From the learning rooms... I really want to learn how to make the newspaper gift bags above. It doesn't look too difficult. 

I'm reading ...

 Well - actually, I'm just waiting for it to arrive in the mail.

The following caption introduced me to it and motivated me to begin 2012 by placing this children's story/fairy tale at the top of my reading list.

When we read this book , there’s this character that puts on her “habit.” A little hand here pats my shoulder and asks, “What’s a habit?” The amaryllis on the sill, it’s swelling in hope. And I tell Shalom this: a habit is something that is worn. She flickers recognition, nods, turns back to the page. She waits for me to read the next line. I’m sort of struck: A habit is what we wear. A habit is the way we wear our days. Wear new habits and your life gets a makeover. Consistently do things at the same time everyday and find yourself a new person.

via

&

"The theme is as old as the fairy tales, and it is written with a haunting beauty of wording and atmosphere . . . A book to cherish, to read again and again and again." (The Saturday Review )

via Amazon.com

I am looking forward to ... getting back into a routine of sorts.  The fact that I'm actually feeling kinda ready for this is one indicator of how restful our Christmas staycation has been!   :) 

Around the house ... is where I plan to spend most of the day - tho' I think we're gonna head out later for a hike.

I am pondering ... 

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Sally Edwards

& 

... I'm considering some things I might like to do for the first time in 2012.

In the kitchen...is where we cooked lobstah for the first time evah on Friday evening :) Note to self:  Do not name them before you boil them :/

One of my favorite things...

A few plans for the rest of the week ... Deep cleaning

Here is a picture for a thought I am sharing...

gingerbread play doh & tortilla snowflakes

Hmmm...I don't really have a good reason (no little ones around) to make gingerbread play-doh ... but does one really need a good reason to make gingerbread play-doh?? :)

These I think my big girls would enjoy making. Pretty sure that, 

unlike the real thing, these snowflakes taste best warm...straight from the frying pan

but that like the real thing ... they'll  melt in your mouth ;) 

And for a slightly different variation ...

Being a lover of children's stories ... well, wouldn't it be fun to prepare these in the company of a child after reading The Gingerbread Man and Snowflake Bentley together? ;) 

 Clever. Simple. Festive. Fun!

Click the pics for links to the recipes. 

simple woman's daybook 12-5-11

edited a bit 12/6/11

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

(Won't you join in?!) 

Outside my window...it's dark - just after 5:00 AM - 42 degrees.

I am thankful...to have learned about a profession called Functional Medicine and to have been "prescribed" some  specific and healthy  things to do/try that very well could help our daughter feel better. 

In the kitchen and around the house ... is where I plan to spend most of today catching up on laundry, cooking & quilting. 

I am creating... a quilt.

From the learning rooms...I've been learning that there is something good about homeopathic/holistic healthcare - as opposed to taking medication or having surgery for whatever ales you before even considering other more natural and/or less invasive approaches to dealing with it - and I'm thinking there should be a better balance in general between the two quite different approaches to healthcare. 

I am wondering... Do you know what this is?

 It's a box of matches all dressed up for winter 

- and -
it's a gift my friend made and gave me when she came over the other day. 

Pretty cute - huh?! 

I am looking forward to...to doing some Christmas shopping at a candy store, hopefully later this week with my husband - and to receiving my new totally grain free cookbook in the mail.

click the pic

I'm reading...  

click the pic 

& may read ...

click the pic
The very short video of the author that  you will be linked to if you click the pic is interesting to say the least. It's not necessarily all about gluten ... but - it is all about wheat & well worth it for anyone - not just those with wheat/gluten sensitivity to at least watch & consider.

I am going... to snail mail only a few Christmas cards this year. 

I am thinking... whatta FUN and complete SuRpriSe! these were to find in my mailbox from a good friend & fellow blogger & quilter - along with the instructions for how to make them!...

It was a totally unexpected surprise that made my day!! 

Thank you SO much, mommazim! :)

I am hearing...the clock ticking.

One of my favorite things... is exploring places I've never been before.


Pics for a thought I'm sharing:

study buddies 

I'm pondering...well - I'm still pondering last week's sermon about the Trinity.  Here's just a few of my notes:

1. 
   
   In God there is one indivisible essence w/ three distinct persons. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Each possessing the characteristics of personhood - intellect, emotion, will (ability to determine/purpose a plan to obtain a desired result). The indivisible essence of God belongs equally to all three "persons"and each person posesses the whole essence of God.

   
   

   With the understanding that we can't really comprehend the Trinity, as I tried to understand it, it seems God has given us lots of evidence of the Trinity both in Scripture and in nature to study in attempt to understand/know Him better. 

   
   

   The Trinity of God is expressed in nature/creation: 

   
   

   The Universe: Space, Matter, Time

   
   

   Space:  Height, Length, Depth

   
   

   Matter: Solid, Liquid, Gas

   
   

   Energy:  Light, Heat, Sound

   
   

   Time:  Future, Present, Past

   
   

   Man: Body, Soul, Spirit

   
   

   Personhood: Intellect, Emotion, Will

   
   

   And there was more...about how The Father, Son & Holy Spirit "interact" with us - each doing their "part" if you will in regards to our salvation, adoption, prayer, ministry, etc. but I just could not write fast enough ... :)

   
   

   My thoughts: This reminds me of ...

   
   

   - a quote: 

   
   

   Every artist paints his own nature into his pictures.
   - Henry Ward Beecher - 

   
   

   - a time: 

   
   

    when I began to "see some of this" for myself & I journaled fast & furiously thru it & unsuccessfully attempted to wrap words tightly around it

   
   
   - a verse:  

   
   

   Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. - Ecclesiastes 4:12