Hearts in Service

Remember this afghan? This is the pattern in the book. Yes, I've been working on it since February! (Hanging my head in shame) I changed the colors and I'm doing it in lavendar and cream. Unfortunately, I hardly touched it all summer. I am feeling hopeful though because in the last week I finished 1 1/2 panels. So my plan is to have it totally finished by the end of November. Here is what I have done so far. I still have 4 1/2 of the skinny lavendar panels to go as well as 2-3 other panels. Then I have to put the whole thing together. However, I think it's doable. We'll see!

I have so many craft supplies that I've accumulated over the past 20 years. I was perusing through my craft drawers today. I have a drawer full of patterns. All kinds of embroidery thread. Paints, stencils and things like that. Two drawers of odds and ends. So many supplies and so few ideas. I seem to be in a slump lately. I'm going to have to get my creative juices flowing soon because Christmas is right around the corner.

Hmmmmm, what could be in this bowl? Why am I keeping my flour container on top? Well, that's mostly because the saran wrap doesn't fit tightly on the bowl and I'm trying to keep it airtight. Saturday night is our monthly ethnic dinner with my friend Stephanie. It's my turn to cook and this month we are eating foods from Korea. So, back to the orginal question - what's in the bowl? It's Kimchi! Kimchi is pickled cabbage that is very hot! In Korea, it's stored in ceramic jars in the ground but I had to do with a ceramic bowl on my countertop. It has a combination of red pepper flakes, salt, garlic, and onions and is so good! Of course, make sure you have tons of water next to you when you eat it. The longer it sets the hotter it gets. Of course, mine will not be that spicy because it's only had a few days to marinate instead of months.

"There's one sad truth in life I've found, While journeying east and west The only folks we really wound, Are those we love the best. We flatter those we scarcely know, We please the fleeting guest, And deal full many a thoughtless blow, To those who love us best." ~ Ella Wilcox I found this poem this morning and it struck me at how true it can be at times. Why is it that we put on our best faces and manners to those outside our immediate family? We are so patient, kind, loving, and self-controlled around others, yet we don't extend the same grace to our spouses and children. My goal is to act the same inside my home as I do outside my home. Perhaps some of it comes from the realization that Christ is with us where ever we are. He is with us at the dinner table. He is with us as we teach our children and as we interact with our families. Maybe the question to ask ourselves is would we say and do the things we do in our home if we could physically see Jesus?

Despite my sometimes lack of patience, Emily is learning to do different handwork projects. She has learned to crochet, using both single crochet and double crochet. She is also in the process of working on a latchhook rug. She is so proud of her efforts and she has picked up these different techniques fairly easily. Now she wants me to teach her how to sew on a sewing machine. Pray for me!!! LOL!

Brrrr!!!! It's been down in the 30s the past few nights and it's supposed to be in the 20s tonight. I've been trying to hold off on turning on the heat but the past few mornings I did put it on for about 30 minutes just to get the chill out of the air. I think we are in for a cold winter this year!

I saw my first gaggle of geese flying south yesterday. Winter is on it's way!

Thirteen girls showed up tonight for 3D Girls and we had a good time together for our first night. We have a much smaller space so that was an adjustment but I think that it will get easier as the weeks go on. The girls smiles seem to say it all! Our theme this month is Kid's on a Mission and we are learning about missionaries and what they do. We will be having a missionary from Venezuela speaking to the group the first Thursday in November. The girls did a craft, made pretzels, worked on a new song and a skit. Overall, it was a very good night!

The room is painted and clean. The curtains are hung and the chairs are set up. The crafts are put away. The welcome sign is out. Now all we need is the girls! Tonight is our first night of 3D Girls and I have 15 girls, ages 6-12 coming. I love Thursdays!

The lovely things that I have watched unthinking, Unknowing, day by day, That their soft dyes have steeped my soul in colour That will not pass away - Great saffron sunset clouds, and larkspur mountains, And fenceless miles of plain, And hillsides golden-green in that unearthly Clear shining after rain; And nights of blue and pearl, and long smooth beaches, Yellow as sunburnt wheat, Edged with a line of foam that creams and hisses, Enticing weary feet. And emeralds, and sunset-hearted opals, And Asian marble, veined With scarlet flame, and cool green jade, and moonstones Misty and azure-stained; And almond trees in bloom, and oleanders, Or a wide purple sea, Of plain-land gorgeous with a lovely poison, The evil Darling pea. If I am tired I call on these to help me To dream -and dawn-lit skies, Lemon and pink, or faintest, coolest lilac, Float on my soothed eyes. There is no night so black but you shine through it, There is no morn so drear, O Colour of the World, but I can find you, Mo...

Well, this week I worked much harder at getting back on track and exercise and I have the results I wanted. I lost 2 lbs. this week for a total of....... 27 lbs. I plan on staying focused this week and I'll check back next Sunday.

Sometimes, all it takes to encourage our children is just a word or two. It's so easy to look at the negative things they do and point those out but how many times do you point out the positive things? I love the following poem: If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If children live with hostility, they learn to fight. If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive. If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves. If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy. If children live with jealousy, they learn what envy is. If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty. If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient. If children live with encouragement, they learn to be confident. If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate. If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves. If children live with acceptance, they learn to find love in the world. If children live with recognition, they learn...

Often, I'm asked how come it seems like I'm able to get so much done in a day. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I make a to-do list every single day. In fact, the only day I don't do that is on Sundays because my entire day is mostly taken up with church. I find that I do so much better with a plan for my day. If I start off without having any thought for what I want to accomplish, more than likely nothing gets done. I've been doing this for the past 6 years and it has really made a difference in my productivity. I'm also kind of compulsive in the fact that I love to check things off my list! I make my list on the computer and I highlight each item as I complete it. It just doesn't seem the same without all that nice blue highlighting. LOL! Here is my plan for today: * Kids up and dressed * Walk 3 miles with Dan * Make breakfast & cleanup kitchen * Shower & dress * Strip the beds and remake them * 3 loads o...

This is one of our favorite ways to use up leftover ham. I had some ham in the freezer and decided to make a casserole with it. Take about 8 potatoes and slice them very thin. I placed them in ice water while I prepped the other ingredients. Dice the leftover ham. Slice one onion. Mix together 4 Tbsp. of flour, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Now you are ready to layer the items. Put a layer of potatoes in the bottom of a 9"x13" pan. Then had half the onion, half of the ham, and 1 cup of peas. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. of flour mixture over the potatoes. Add another layer following the above order and then end with a layer of potatoes. Pour 2 cups of milk over the top and dot with butter. Cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Take the foil off and bake another 15 minutes. At this point you could sprinkle 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese over the top before cooking the final 15 minutes. Enjoy!

In between homeschooling, I feel like I spent most of the day yesterday in the kitchen. I made an apple pie with my newly picked apples. Excuse the weird color of the crust. I sprinkled sugar on the crust and I'm still getting used to the oven so it discolored the sugar. Then I made two loaves of Italian bread. I made marinara sauce which was a new recipe and excellent! I used the marinara sauce to make chicken parmigiana. It seemed like lot of baking for just one meal but given the rave reviews it got, I think it was worth it.

We had our fall festival today and it was a huge success. It was cloudy and overcast this morning but around noon the clouds cleared up and the sun came out and it was beatiful the rest of the day. Here are pictures of some of our many workers. There was music. Refreshments. A lady in our church makes these gorgeous creations. Face Painting. Balloon animals and hats. Crafts. The kids had a blast! So did the adults! We had about 70 children and 60 adults attend. Overall, it was a wonderful day!