Happy Camping

This:

 Into this:

Into this:

Makes my Hubbie into a very happy man!!!

Sweet Daughter doing this:

And making this:

Makes me into a very happy Momma

I will admit - this:

Gave me pause - then I got busy with my green scrubbie (and licked the fudge pan) and I was a happy camper again!!

Oh yeah - smashing candy canes to make this:

Made the littler kids into happy campers too.  (I confess to forgetting to take pictures - but they really did have fun!!!)

I hope you are all camping happy too - in this wintry season of joy!!!

Blessings,
Christine

Sweets

One of the best parts of Christmas is the sweet treats!!!

So we're beginning to create those yummies!!

The biggest challenge is keeping the big boys (especially Hubbie) out of them until the proper time!! :0)!!

So much to their dismay - I have hidden the tin - such a meanie I am!!  But be assured - the cookies will be eaten up with gusto - just not before the celebrating starts!!  :0)  (I'm not too much of a meanie - I did leave out a plate of treats for everyone to enjoy :0)!! )

Blessings,
Christine

I Never Want to Forget...

...My little man's Goodnight routine...

After bedtime prayers...

Jacob:  "Mommy, did you have a good day?"  (pronounced "dood day")

Me:  "Yes I did, Honey.  Did you?"

Jacob: "YES!!!"

Jacob:  "I love you infinity and beyond, Mommy!!"

Me: "I love you infinity and beyond, Jacob!!" 

(Can you tell which movie he really loves?)

Jacob: "1, 4, 3 Mommy"

Me:  "1, 4, 3 too, sweetie"

(our "secret code" for I Love You, used by us since our 20 year old was a tot)

If Daddy is at work:

Jacob:  "Mommy can you tell Daddy all those things for me?"

Me:  "Of course I will Honey!!"

This conversation happens every single night - and it NEVER gets old!!!

Blessings,

Christine

A Birthday, a Praise and a Celebration!!

We had a birthday recently.  Our third born - Matthew turned 17!!  Crazy how fast the time has gone!!

 Matt is going to firefighting school and is turning into a fine young man with so much potential!!  We are so proud of him!!

He is crazy about his tiny sister and she is crazy about him!! She just had to help with his cake - cutie-pie helper!!

On another note - a couple of months ago (when I wrote about one particular no-good, very-bad day) I wrote that my hubby's company had announced that they were selling and Wayne would no longer have a job after Christmas.  Well, Hubby began the job search and put out lots of feelers and resumes and while we've had lots of encouraging comments - the hiring process has been very slow (like everywhere around the country right now!!).  My sweetie has been very confident and sure of God's plan (unlike me who struggles with fretting - ahem!!).  He has been my rock during this time, for sure!!!  Anyway, Wayne called me from work the other day with an exciting announcement - the doctors that own his company took a final vote and the result was to NOT sell!!  So Hubby was told his job is secure and the decision was to reorganize from within instead (which I'm told will be very good)!!  Oh my, my heart has been praising God!!  He has a plan - Wayne is sure God put him in this position for a reason and sees his job as a mission.

In celebration my sweetie gave me an early Christmas gift.  It came in the mail and when I opened it - this envelope was inside:

Tickets to go to the Handel's Messiah!!!  I cried!!!  I have always wanted to go to the Symphony and this is possibly the best thing to ever see there (in my mind anyway!!!)  I can't wait - I get to dress up - go to dinner with my prince and listen to a chorus of beautiful voices raised in praise to the King of Kings!!!!  What could be better?!!!!

Hope your day is blessed!!!

Blessings,
Christine

A Christmas Outing

It was a beautiful afternoon and since the rain is predicted to come back we decided to go get our Christmas tree before the mud gets too deep!!

The sun kissed the gorgeous jagged peaks of our Cascade Mountains.  The air was chilly but with cookies and chocolate milk packed in the car with us we were ready to tramp all over the Christmas tree farm and find the perfect one!!

After hiking all around we finally all agreed this little tree was the one.  Everyone helped with the sawing and soon it was down!

Now for the long trek back to our car

A very pretty farm right next door - there were darling black faced sheep dotting the field - so nice - I want to live there!!!

As we drove through the farmland we came upon several flocks of swans in the empty fields.  They winter here and spend their summers in the far North.  They were very noisy - trumpeting at us as we stopped to take their pictures.  They are big birds and very magnificent when they fly!

Oh, it was a lovely day - hiking around in the crisp, cold air and then warming back up while we drove all over the countryside - snacking on cookies and singing Christmas songs!!  As blessed day with the family making memories!!!

Hope your weekend was wonderful too!!

Blessings,
Christine

A New Season

Thanksgiving Day is a memory (except for maybe those extra calories I consumed!!) but not the thanksgiving in my heart!!

A new season is beginning - the celebration of the birth of our Savior!!  What an amazing time of year - to go from a time of thanksgiving to weeks of celebrating Jesus' birth!!

Truly an entire season of celebrating God's provision - from our daily needs - to the deepest needs of our souls!!

 Our Advent calendar is up

Only one lonely sheepie so far - but before we know it - it will be filled with all the characters of the true life story of Jesus' first hours here as a man

And as for our celebration with gifts to our loved ones - my crochet hook has been busy!!!  I have quite a bit more to do - and as a surprise a couple of my older boys have suggested homemade gifts from me (I thought they were not wanting things like that anymore) - so my hands and hooks are zooming along - trying to take advantage of every moment to add rows!!!

I love this season - the excitement is building - preparations are in the works - sweet secrets are whispered about and hiding places are guarded.  Festive decorations are being unearthed and yummy treats are anticipated.  All to remember what God has done for us!!!

Can you imagine what heaven was like as the day drew near for Jesus to be born?  The breathless silence as Mary labored and birthed that amazing baby?  The burst of joy as that sweet puddle of a newborn gave His first cry?  The angels swept down to earth to sing their hearts out - heaven wanted to share their joy at the fact the God's plan was in motion - to bring us to a place of close communion with HIM!!  My heart is overwhelmed at the thought!!!

So when I get stressed at the busyness and obligations of this time - I want to commit to remembering what this is really all about.  HIS plan to bring me into a relationship with Him was born that day in His Son.  Amazing Joy!!!!

Blessings,
Christine

Thanksgiving Morning

The Snow is falling again

 I am busy preparing for our Thanksgiving feast

 The kids are out sledding

And snowman building

And I am so happy to have this day set aside to thank God for His provision for us!!! 

Blessings to you and your families as we all reflect on the goodness of our great God this day!!!

Christine

18* and Gorgeous!!!

My home today:

The sunshine just making her appearance

Fun, fun, fun!

Sled Parking

Mitten dryer



Comfort Food!!!

 

Snack time

And after they warmed up they all went outside and started over again!!!

Hope your day is warm and cozy!!!

Blessings,
Christine

Before Thanksgiving Day!!

Snow before Thanksgiving!!!

Look what we woke up to this morning!!!!  Snow before Thanksgiving!!!  I am racking my brains but I honestly can't remember a time when we've had snow sticking  before the great Day!!  I've lived here in the Puget Sound area for about 32 years so I may have missed a year - but I honestly don't recall.  And every flake is sticking too - at 28* and the thermometer dropping throughout the day!  This will not be a long snow event but here in Western Washington any flake that falls is an adventure!  With our hills and valleys and curvy roads people get pretty emotional about the whole idea.  As for me - my pantry is stocked - the kiddos have new mittens and the fireplace is set so we are enjoying every minute!!!  And I confess - with this wintry weather even though it's a tad early we've been listening to Christmas music and loving it!!

On the maternity front I am excited to find several days in a row where I have felt pretty good!!  I am able to bear the whole food issue without feeling like a bad case of the stomach flu has hit!!  Yay!!!  And what better timing than right before the season of feasting :0)!!!

God is so good and I am reflecting on all the things I have to be thankful for (I have to start now - one day isn't long enough :0)!!)

Blessings,
Christine

An Excuse

Oh dear, but it has been a long time since I've been here (again!!!).  I do have an excuse - I really do!!  To all you friends who guessed my news - you guessed right!!!!  Yahoo!!!   Baby number nine is tucked in under my ribs and we could not be more excited!!  What an amazing blessing to know that there is a sweet new life being formed right now - a new little baby to snuggle and cuddle - a baby planned by God!!

The one thing is - it is very common for me to feel really pretty sick during the first few months of pregnancy so there is my excuse for not visiting blogland much in the last couple of weeks.  I haven't even picked up my camera lately :0(!!  Thankfully my sweet hubby and older children have jumped in and are picking up the slack while I sit on the couch or run off to the bathroom (sorry if that's TMI :0)!!!)  Hopefully this stage will pass soon and my energy will return and my tummy will not be so traitorous!!  In the meantime, my crochet hook is busy, busy, busy!!  I have decided to use this time to get a big jump on Christmas gifts so I don't feel too unproductive!

I hope to be better at visiting blogland while I go through the early parts of baby growing as well as remembering to pick up my camera :0)!!

But in spite of feeling ill most all the time we are so incredibly happy with this change our family is going through - God is good!!!

Blessings,

Christine

Catching Up

Goodness - it's been a while since I visited my own blog!  We've had a busy last week or two!  Hubby went out of town - to Dallas - on a business trip all last week.  I have to confess that I don't function all that well when my sweetie is gone (I don't know how you do it Cinnamon!)  It's just sorta survival mode around here when he's away!  I will say that usually do better but this time I went into his trip not feeling at all well!!  Something about feeling very queasy most all day and very, very in need of a nap (or two) during the day...can you guess :0)?!!!!  But home, my honey, came on Friday night and we got to pick him up at the airport with hugs all around - it was a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday!!

We had a lovely weekend just being together.  Ruthie and I got to go to a wonderful vintage craft type fair together and had so much fun being inspired towards making homemaking into an art!!!  The things people can do with buttons, bits of fabric and string!!  :0)!!

Our weekend was topped off with a beautiful, Godly fun wedding of a young man my boys have grown up with.  Oh, the bride was so beautiful - the ceremony was simple, lovely and God filled and the reception was so much fun!!!  Then our family went for a Sunday afternoon ride - to see all the fall colors and the snow dusted peaks of our Cascade Mountains.  Fabulous!!  The only downside to this whole weekend - I FORGOT my camera the whole time!!!!  Silly me!!!

So now I enter the week with my senses filled to the brim with lovely things and I'm ready to face this new week - wanting to glorify God with the job he has given me (with a few naps spinkled in :0)!!!)

Blessings,
Christine

Rejoicing!!!

Oh my goodness!!  I just can't believe it is Monday again!!  Time goes by so fast! 

This last week we had some joyful news in our family.  I am an Auntie again!!  Yay!!!  My sister had a beautiful baby girl on Tuesday morning.  This sweet little girl has been a miracle from the very beginning and we are utterly delighted that she is finally snuggled up in her Mama's arms!  My sister and her dear husband have waited for years for a baby of their own and God surprised them with this sweet little girl when they least expected it!!  He is so good!!!

I have been working madly on a baby blanket every chance I got and except for a bit of trouble on the border (which my dear friend who taught me to crochet - and blog :0) rescued me from) I finally finished it and it will be in the mail tomorrow!!  I can't wait for my sweet new niece to be snuggled all up in it - it will be a hug from her auntie since I can't be there in person to give her a little cuddle!!

I had enough yarn to do a tiny hat to match

Oh I so hope to meet this wee one before she gets too big!!  I am rejoicing today for my sister and brother-in-love!!  God is so good!!

Blessings,
Christine

Monday Stuff

For this Day...October 4, 2010

Outside My Window...A cloudy day, my little maple tree is still beautifully green.

I Am Thankful For...God's provision!!  My pantry is full of good food to feed my family well this week!

I Am Remembering...the lovely "date" my hubby and I had yesterday.  We ran down to the grocery store - got a soda and sat in a nearby parking lot with my notebook and planned our schedule and menus for the week.  No interruptions - just sweet conversation with my honey!!  A funny kind of date - but really - to start the week knowing each other's plans and thoughts sure makes life easier!!!

I Am Creating...Still working on my sister's baby blanket.  I'm so close to being done I can taste it!!  Having a little trouble with the border but I think it'll be okay.

I Am Reading...my Bible and a sweet book by Grace Livingston Hill - love, love, love her books!!!

I Am Hoping...the colds in our home go away quick!!!

On My Mind...All the little things that need my touch on this Monday!!  It's going to be a busy day!!

From The Learning Rooms...We are starting Geography today.  I am excited - I love maps and such and enjoy teaching it to my kids.

I Am Pondering...honestly, not much!!  I am actually trying not to think too much this morning.  My heart is anxious and I find if I think too much instead of "just doing the next thing" my silly old heart just gets to stewing!

From The Kitchen...I need to make yogurt today, make a double batch of bread and for dinner tonight - Potato Soup, Salad and Bread - yum!

Around The House...General tidy and get going on a deeper clean on the kitchen after all that canning - there are some sticky surfaces that need my attention (I did do a good cleaning but really, I need to do more)!

One Of My Favorite Things...Ever!!! is going to the thrift store.  I hope to go today for just a few minutes - I saw a bag with fun yarn and bright green knitting needles.  Ruthie was all over getting  new pair of needles (especially bright green) so we are going to run over and pick them up!!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Not much, just a fairly regular week - which I like - not to much running around - Yay!!!

A Picture to Share... 

A Few of my Autumn decorations.

For more Simple Woman inspiration go to http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings,
Christine

Applesauce!

We spent a few days making applesauce. 

Gala apples ready to cook

Using my grandma's Foley Food Mill - this mill has seen many, many, many bushels of apples in it's years!!

Stirring in the spices



My tiny taste-tester



Bottling up the yumminess!!

After putting up 125 lbs of apples I have no more jars for anything else this year!!  I will be looking for more jars in thrift stores so that I can do even more next Fall (home canned food goes fast around here!!).  So the next preserving project is pies - for my hubby.  The girls and I, on some rainy Saturday (not difficult to find around here :0)!!!) will spend the day making and freezing as many pies as possible.  So nice on a chilly winter evening to pull a pie out of the freezer and pop into the oven!! I love this time of year - putting up the harvest in preparation for winter!!!

Blessings,
Christine

My Morning Prayer

Teach me to number my days

aright,

that I may gain a heart of

wisdom

Satisfy me in the morning with

Your unfailing love,

that I may sing for joy and

be glad all my days.

May the favor of the Lord my

God rest upon me

Establish the work of my

hands for me-

yes, establish the work of my

hands!

Psalms 90: 12,14,17

Simple Monday

It's been a while since I have done this!!

For Today...September27, 2010

Outside My Window... Clouds and showers with sunbreaks - but oddly warm and muggy for our area!!  It feels funny - I think I'd like a storm to roll in!!!

I Am Thankful For...My husband's cheerful spirit!!  He is such a hard worker and is always glad to do whatever is needed!  He inspires me!!

I Am Remembering...The fun time we had at the fair last week.  We were given tickets by a friend who wasn't going to use them and we had a fabulous time - especially in the Hobby Barn where we got to see all the neat things people do and create in their spare time.  (I was sad to realize I had forgotten to bring my camera!)

I Am Creating...A baby blanket for the new little one that is soon to join our family and make me an Auntie again.  Can't wait to find out who the little sweetie is (and whether to trim the blankie with pink or blue!!)  I am excited to find that I have enough yarn to crochet a matching hat.  Yay!!  I love to make hats.

I Am Reading...My Bible of course, along with His Utmost for His Highest.  I am also reading a Lord Peter Whimsey mystery by Dorothy Sayers.  A charming detective story - such fun!!

I Am Hoping...For a very snowy winter like we had two winters ago!!  Looking forward to the excitement and joy that comes with kiddos waking up to snow!!!  Last winter was a disappointment in the snow department - but on the upside we had plenty of sunshine!!

On My Mind...Thinking about how I can support my husband through the job searching he will be doing soon.

From the Learning Rooms...We are studying Astronomy in science this year - notebooking style - I just love notebooking!!!!

I Am Noticing...the trees beginning to change color and the spiders that are busy building webs EVERYWHERE!!  Ugh!!  I like them outside eating bugs in my garden but not across the doorway when I go out in the morning!!! :0)

I Am Pondering...God's plans - how His timing for things doesn't seem like the logical way to do things to my so very human mind!!  He certainly is filled with surprises!!

From The Kitchen...Lasagna and homemade bread - thinking about whether I should slip the spinach I have into the main dish or prepare it as a side dish.  I think I'll decide as I make it.  I'm making two pans full - one for the freezer.

Around The House...After I'm done here I am tidying up my bedroom and bath - our room is always last on the list - not today though!!!  The clutter is bothering me - so it's first this week!!!

One Of My Favorite Things...Okay I know this is silly - but - taking of my shoes after I exercise!!  I exercise everyday - and I just can't wait to take off my shoes when I'm done.  I don't wear tie-up shoes most of the time and my feet feel cramped in my runners so it feels awesome to take them off when I'm done!!! :0)  Silly huh?!!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...We start our school co-op this week.  We go to classes on Fridays - so I gotta start thinking about packing the picnic basket for lunch at school - the kids are jazzed - they've missed their friends over the summer!!

A Picture To Share:

Bread for dinner

For more Simple Woman inspiration go to http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings,

Christine

Autumn Arrives

Happy Autumn!!!  This is what it looks like in my neck of the woods on this first day of Fall:

Chilly and wet but still lush and green - the colors will be coming soon.

Indoors we have a sick kiddie :0(

Poor Sweetie!!

But fun is still being had:

Blanket forts - the best kind of indoor fun!!  I love to hear the kids say, "Mom, can I build a fort?"  I have lots of quilts lying around (partly)  for this purpose - (the other part is for Mommy to snuggle under them on those nippy Autumn evenings with my crochet hook!)

The day before yesterday a nice man saw me with my kids and asked me if I was out with the grandkids!!!  Ummmm!!!  Not really sure how I feel about that - maybe I need to get some hair color - I am seeing some grey hair :0)

Well, I'm off to tidy the house and light my spicy candle - mmmm!!!  Happy First day of Autumn!!

Blessings,

Christine