Daily Comings and Goings

Things have been busy, as usual, filled with all kinds of research of recipes for Trim Healthy Mama, researching moving expenses to help my Mother move out here (possibly) this year, and planning our days.  Mind you, I pretty much plan breakfasts, lunches and dinners, Bible reading time, chore time and fill in the rest with pencil, making adjustments--holding my plans loosely.

As of the first of January we switched chores.  We're gradually lessening our oldest son's chores a bit for when he graduates and gets a full time job for the summer.

One of the pictures I sent to my Mother to show her our kitchen and dining room.  We're hoping she decides soon so we can further our planning.

Another view of the kitchen...

 ...and the other side.

Five hats just like this one made for a little cutie pie.

Rustie has recently been diagnosed with Lyme Disease.  He's been taking medication to get better.

And he has progressively gotten better.  Here he hopped up on Mr. G while we had a night of snuggling and movies.  My youngest just happen to get the perfect shot of Rustie sticking his tongue out.  LOL

And my daughter tried a Beehive hair doo on me.  LOL  I'm not amused here.  LOL

Rustie...what a good dog he is.  And he gave us a bit of a scare.

This is where Biscuit's favorite position of the winter is....snuggling to stay warm.  He's half hairless, so he needs lots of snuggles in the winter and we're happy to oblige.

My new planner my wonderful Mr. G bought me for Christmas...just cuz I love planners.  LOL  This one also has a read the Bible in a year plan that is working out very well, even though I'm a day behind. :D

Snow rolls this morning!  God blessed us with snowballs!  LOL

It was quite a wind that made these things.  Apparently they are very rare.

They're like swiss rolls where they're cylindrical and some are hollow.

Of course, this looks so very much like they are reading opposite sides of the newspaper while Biscuit is in the middle.  LOL  I wasn't thinking that when I took the picture.  I just thought it was neat.  LOL

A very diligent wood splitter.  =O)

Today was our shopping trip day.  We ended up running errands, standing in line a lot more than usual, spending time in Joann Fabrics looking at material and pattern books with my favorite daughter.  We're starting to look for possible ideas for a spring formal dress.  So far she wants a poofy skirt.  The bodice we'll have to adjust.  I'm thinking of making it vs trying to find one to buy.  We'll see though.

I have lost 4.6 pounds in 3 weeks changing my eating habits just a bit by following the Trim Healthy Mama plan.  I love it so far.  I'm amazed at how much better I feel without the sugar and all its forms!  I use Stevia now and although everyone else in the house doesn't like the taste, to me it tastes good for the mere fact that it is healthier for me.  :0)

Have a wonderful day!

God Bless,

It Wasn't Always This Way

My Mr. G married me almost 24 years ago and brought me back here to northwest PA from San Diego, California where I had spent 7 or so years of my life.  Before that time, I lived in South Dakota.  Going from South Dakota to southern California when I was 14 to live with my Dad was absolutely glorious in the winter because there was no snow.  The winter temperatures were mild and to find 32 Degrees F and frost on your windshield in the morning was a rare occurrence.  I had completely acclimated to the more temperate climate in San Diego and loved it.  But, there was a nagging in my soul that longed for the changing of the seasons.

Once we moved out here to NWPA, I acclimated to this climate, adjusting to the changing of the seasons, preparing for each one as they came along.  Once I had been here for a few years, I noticed a problem with the changing of the seasons.  In the fall after having the heaters on for a few weeks, I had developed these twice yearly sinus infections.  I could almost depend on their arrival like clock work.  When we finished all the harvesting, canning, dehydrating, and freezing, it was time for my sinus infection.  The second time was right around St. Patrick's day.  I could time them every year.

As time continued, I went to one Dr. after another.  One Dr. told me to get a cool mist humidifier.  I did that and it helped.  One Dr. suggested that I use this asthma inhaler for those times when I'd have sinus infections.  Yet another Dr. told me that I needed to get use to this flow of how my life was going.  I didn't like that particular bit of advice, so I continued looking for my fix to this health problem.  As I studied sinus infections and their causes, I noticed that it was always when the heat turned on in the fall that they would come along.  I wondered if there was a connection between the dust in the air, the temperature we set the thermostat at, and the amount of moisture in the air that caused these problems.  I started experimenting.

Let me stop and just say how wonderfully supportive and understanding my husband has been through my quest to find a good way to fight getting these sinus infections.  He has endured nights where he would rather have the window closed because he was cold, but he's loved me and wanted me to be able to breathe well and not get another sinus infection.

I had made it to a point in my life where I loathed the change of the seasons.  Not only did I get sinus infections, but I also had Seasonal Depression.  My attitude stunk.  I hated the change of seasons.  I missed the spring and summer busy-ness of planting, pruning, cutting grass, harvesting, and all that goes in to the gathering time.  I enjoyed the flowers and the sunshine.  My California "girl" was showing.  I had been spoiled with the temperate climate of California and my dis-contentedness was causing my spirit to become bitter.

It wasn't until I'd asked God to show me where I was sinning that I realized this was happening.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth? I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God. 

(Ecc 3:1-13) [emphasis mine]

As I sat one fall at my dining room table watching the leaves fall from the trees, I'd asked God more specifically to help me enjoy each season for exactly what it is.  Help me to find things to enjoy and love about each time of year because I didn't want to have the fruit of bitterness in my heart and mind any longer.

God is faithful.  I love winter for the beautiful snow it brings, hot cocoa, tea, and warm fires.  I love playing games with my family, getting more sewing done as well as cranking out afghans that can sit on my lap during the cooler months.  What a blessing!

I love the other seasons for their loveliness just as much, sometimes more just because I'm one of those who loves prolific flowers, swimming, biking, and hiking.  But, since my prayer has been to enjoy each season for the uniqueness it brings, I have done just that.

This week, while the temperatures have caused the little bathroom's pipes to freeze, the heater to stop working in the 2nd floor, nose boogies to freeze upon walking outside and breathing deeply, and people stuck inside; I have enjoyed refilling my kitchen drawer with dishcloths.  I have enjoyed a rousing game of Farkle around the fire.  I've enjoyed my many cups of tea, chicken soup, chili and I might enjoy another batch of creamy pumpkin soup by the end of the week.  I don't do much of this through the summer.  It is worth enjoying because of the wonderful folks here under my roof to enjoy those things with.

As a side note, while I am warm inside, I do know of and appreciate those who do have to be outside in the frigid temperatures from the farmers to the utility workers.  My enjoyment of this "season" is a triumph of sorts for me because it hasn't always been that way.

I can't say that this transformation has occurred suddenly because it hasn't.  I had to endure quite a few depressively low times to get to where I am now.  But, the Lord is faithful.  I currently take vitamin D to help with the seasonal depression; I decrease the thermostat by 2 Degrees F at night so the air doesn't get so dry to begin any type of sinus infection; I use a nasal rinse at the first sign of sinus congestion and it keeps the infections away.  I've not used a humidifier in a couple of years because I've found something that works.  I've learned to work with the changes of the seasons and have found things to occupy  my time and be content right where I am, doing all the things I do for this season, resting because I know that once the snow melts, the busy time begins...in a whole new season.

God Bless,

Preparing for the Coldest Time of Year

This morning as I type this blog post, I am formulating a list of things in my mind that I need to get before the Arctic blast that is heading our way on Sunday night/Monday morning and lasting until Wednesday.  They say that this is the coldest it has been in 10 years or so.  I don't mind those statistics.  What I am thinking more of is that with all the cold headed our way, there are some wonderful recipes I'd like to make, chili to pressure can and lots of tea, hot cocoa and soups to enjoy.

That's right!  I'm thinking of enjoying myself while the cold rages outside.  Now is the time to get all those special ingredients that I need to make sure we have enough to make the things I'd like to make.

Why not concern myself with the cold?  Because I'm ready for the cold.  This is a special time of year that God has blessed us with to do just that, bake, snuggle, read, play games and do all of it around a warm fire.

I work throughout the year to prepare for times like this.  I am prepared.  I love this verse that mentions the lack of fear for the cold and snow.  We're not clothed in scarlet, but we're all warmly clothed.  Look at all the different versions.  It all makes sense to be prepared!

Pro 31:21

(ASV)  She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

(Bishops)  She feareth not that the colde of wynter shall hurt her housholde, for all her housholde folkes are clothed with scarlet.

(ESV)  She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

(Geneva)  She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet.

(GNB)  She doesn't worry when it snows, because her family has warm clothing.

(ISV)  She is unafraid of winter's effect on her household, because all of them are warmly clothed.

(KJV)  She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

(KJV+)  She is notH3808 afraidH3372 of the snowH4480 H7950 for her household:H1004 forH3588 allH3605 her householdH1004 are clothedH3847 with scarlet.H8144

(KJV-1611)  She is not afraid of the snow for her houshold: for all her houshold are cloathed with scarlet.

(LBLA)  No tiene temor de la nieve por los de su casa, porque todos los de su casa llevan ropa escarlata.

(LITV)  She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

(MKJV)  She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

(Vulgate)  lameth non timebit domui suae a frigoribus nivis omnes enim domestici eius vestiti duplicibus

Christmas Traditions

I love the simple and lovely traditions that my Mr. G and I have begun since our engagement in 1989.  We began going to Christmas Eve service at our church, then going out to get coffee or hot cocoa and looking at Christmas lights.  Over the years with my Mr. G having Christmas Eve off some years, but not others, we've found that we have to adjust and make our outing another night during the week before Christmas.  We tried it on the 26th and it just wasn't the same.  It was a little disappointing because many people did not have their Christmas lights turned on.  Out of that experience came the decision to try to make our outing the week before Christmas if Mr. G had to work.  The kids love it too and look forward to it with anticipation each year, even as they've grown older.

Another tradition that we sort of fell in to was traditionally having ham for Christmas dinner.  There is a reason for getting the biggest ham we could find.  We always made Split Pea Soup with the leftovers after Christmas.  Once I realized that I could pressure can the leftovers, I ran with it!  This year we had originally planned to either have company over the weekend after Christmas or go to their house.  Either way, we'd make Split Pea Soup and take it with us or serve it here.  We didn't go, nor did they come here, which is probably a good thing  because Mr. G brought some icky virus home from work that he's dealing with now.  I began my day yesterday by boiling my ham bone along with all the leftover ham until it was cooked down a bit in my larger pot.  Then I took all the meat out and the ham bone and cut up the meat in to bite sized pieces.  I added the pre-soaked and sorted split peas, then the meat, then the veggies, herbs and seasonings (light on the salt since the ham is salted), bay leaves and let it simmer until late in the afternoon.  Once everyone had their cup, or cups of soup as the case may be, I had my quart jars pre-sterilized, boiled my lids and rings, started ladling the soup in to the jars, and in to the pressure canner.  We watched the needle on the canner for an hour and a half on 10# of pressure and it was done!  Now we have 5 quarts of Split Pea Soup to enjoy.

They turned out lovely!  We'll use these over wild indian rice with some cheddar and parmesian cheese when we need quick meals.  This next week I plan to do the same thing with chili, then perhaps some chicken noodle soup.  We didn't get any venison this year, so I don't have any stew meat to can, unfortunately. 

Another Christmas tradition, well...it's been more of a round-the-year-habit than a tradition, is that everyone shares the preparations for Christmas dinner.  Here are my two older children preparing their chosen dishes.

HJ is making a fresh vegetable casserole and Daniel is making the Au Gratin potatoes.   I guess he didn't want his picture taken just then!  LOL  

JL had already made the ham earlier in the day so he wasn't busy cooking.   I had made the "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake and it was cooling while these two silly ones were cooking.  

I guess I'm going a little backwards, but on Christmas morning our tradition has been that if you go pick out a gift to open, it cannot be one of your own.  It has to be for someone else to open.  What a fun time to see everyone opening their gifts this way!  

HJ getting gifts for everyone else while Daddy opens his gifts from the children.

The children love laughing and smiling and making Daddy laugh at the funny tshirts they bought for him this year.  The red one underneath the Grinch shirt says, "Coal, I earned it!"  LOL

Our living room...complete with the children's CAP stuff, medicine organizer and head sets on the coffee table.  Yes, it's cleaned up now.  LOL  

This year for the children's "want" gift, we kept it simple and gave them each a fuzzy throw blanket.  They kept taking my fuzzy blanket, so they each have their own now. 

Mickey and Eeyore Jammies were for me from the children.  What a joy!  I received a day planner and a "Mrs." mug from my Mr. G.  He also got the matching "Mr." mug from cbd.com.

HJ and JL lovingly bought an organizational binder for Daniel for Civil Air Patrol.  What a blessing for him!

I love her smile!  Pure happiness!

Getting ready to open gifts from Momma and Daddy.

He loves his "Illegal" shirt! 

Look who is helping JL open his gifts!  LOL

We have other Christmas traditions, like putting the tree and decorations up the day after Thanksgiving.  This year since Thanksgiving came so late, we put them up earlier.  We'll take them down on January 6th.  I know Orthodox churches celebrate Epiphany on that day.  I'm not of the Orthodox religion, but the 6th sounded like a good day to me.  Plus it helps me remember my brother's birthday!  LOL

In years passed, we've baked all kinds of cookies, nut rolls, pumpkin rolls and so forth to share with our Dr's offices, mail carrier and so forth, but with both Mr. G and I being diagnosed with diabetes within the past 2 years, we have been searching for viable alternatives to bake.  Once we get in to the swing of the changes we have to work with, we'll be baking things again.

We're always looking for neat traditions to add to our own.  What neat traditions does your family have?

God Bless,

Merry Christmas!

We have the white Christmas that it talks about in the song.  What a wonderful beautiful world it is outside.  I'm so very thankful for my husband who sacrificially works for us every day so we can have a home in which to stay warm.

The simple things are really so very beautiful to me.  I am overcome with gratefulness by such blessings.

No fanfare, nothing extravagant, just easy stress free blessings.  Needs are filled, a few simple wants are filled and lots of love is shared.

Merry Christmas!

Decompression Time

Yesterday we had our last home school co-op meeting of this calendar year.  The school year continues, however.  We take a break from classes for a few weeks until we return after Christmas and New Year’s break.

This year for our holidays, things have taken a bit of a different twist.  We've had some health issues to deal with, so that involves driving, which involves gasoline, which invariably with a Suburban involves money.  Learning from our previous years of experience, we've employed an “ultra-frugality” mindset with regard to expenses as well as Christmas gift giving.  We do not go overboard with our gifts.  We plan well in advance for our family as well as for our parents and siblings.  We love giving gifts.  Giving practical gifts is especially rewarding, knowing that we’re filling a need while blessing someone.  Our children are getting their needs filled as well as some practical wants they've had.  We’re keeping it simple. We do not get ipads/pods/phones for the kids.  It is not practical to get them those expensive gifts especially when medical needs are so very pressing this year.  Maybe in years to come, our children will come to thank us for not giving them everything they would have ever wanted for Christmas.  

We enjoy the holidays, being with friends and family, making wonderful healthy foods that fill us up and thanking the Lord for those valuable friendships.  To us, the holidays are all about the love we share, not about the things we give or get.  I’m content to know that our families love us and think about us.  I love the thought that we’ll be sledding with friends and drinking hot apple cider and hot cocoa in a little less than two weeks, Lord willing.  I love quiet evenings putting puzzles together by the fire.  This is our time to decompress.  And on that note, I believe after this week I’ll be wiping out the calendar until after the first of the school year.  We need that decompression time to just be and relax and rest our brains from school work. 

I’ve learned a lot this year….

Eight weeks on and two weeks off sounds really nice!!!  In theory, finishing in early April is good…

BUT

Sometimes, the decompression time is something everyone’s brain really needs!!!

The Life of a Hunting Widow

This is probably the last day this year my hunters will be out looking for venison for our freezer.  A friend of ours invited them to come to their farm to hunt since the deer are everywhere through their corn fields.  My hunters would be doing them a favor getting rid of some of their deer.

While they are gone, I am listening to Christmas music, cleaning and pulling my sewing out.  Since my hunters read my blog, I won't elaborate what I'll be making.  I'll make sure to post pictures when I'm done.  I'm hoping to finish the project this next week.  It should be a quick sewing project.

I'm also working on some cute little crocheted hats for a little girl in a couple different colors.  She's absolutely adorable.

What are you working on while the hunters are out hunting?

Looking Toward a Homesteading Mindset

For years Mr. G and I have researched a homesteading lifestyle.  We have focused on the work and the sacrifice not only of our time, but our resources as well.  We've researched raising chickens and milk goats for starters.  I know we will eventually branch out from those two types of animals adding in pigs, turkeys, cows--for both milk and meat--as well as horses.

What is the "allure" to this mindset that is drawing us to it?

We have been drawn to a more simple, down-to-earth type of lifestyle for a very long time.  We already can food, hunt, and garden, so the next logical step is to add some chickens, then goats and so forth.

My husband and I have watched a show Alaska: The Last Frontier on Netflix to see what the folks on that show experience.  I know they deal with a lot of hardship and the push for time is extreme in gathering and growing food as well as putting it up for the winter.

Our first move will simply occur once my husband retires.  We'll be able to buy something without debt, after selling our house, that has property.  Property will allow us to have the animals and care for them through the seasons and live off the land.

What about a house?

Right now, while we're concerned about a house, we're not concerned about a house.  Seems like an oxymoron, huh?  Well, we're finding some properties with houses that need some work and/or finishing that sit on over 20 acres.  I know that to some 20 acres doesn't seem like much, but 20+ acres is 20+ acres that we don't have for the larger animals that we'd like to have for our homestead.

We're so very blessed to have our home on a little over an acre.  We have a nice sized garden that we will be fencing in for next year's crops.  We've worked for quite a few years to build up this garden space, but when the deer, bear, ground hogs, and rabbits come along to take bites out of our produce, it makes sense to build a fence.

The day they brazenly came in to the yard to graze on acorns, they leisurely sauntered back to the brush pile, then hit the garden (outside the picture to the left) with a vengeance.  

We were able to get a few cucumbers, 3 cayenne peppers, and enough volunteer cherry tomatoes to get 9 pints of stewed tomatoes.  This coming year we hope and pray to fill our pantry shelves, much like, if not more than, the picture below.

We also grow a lot of our own herbs for usage through the winter.  This year we dehydrated basil, oregano and thyme.  My sage and rosemary didn't over winter very well, so we didn't have it to dehydrate.  We plan to re-add those as well as other medicinal herbs to our herb gardens this coming Spring.

As I have considered homesteading, I've noticed that my husband is already doing the work it takes for this mindset outside, in the garage and fixing things on the house.  

A few weeks ago we went to get firewood, the chainsaw wouldn't start, and the truck got stuck in the mud.  We borrowed a friend's van to get home to get the wench and other materials to get the truck out of the mud, then came home.  We didn't have to call a tow truck.  Working together as a family was what needed to happen and it did.

Many times when things need to happen, even if it's snapping beans, we do it together to get it done.

What a blessing it is to work together to accomplish a common goal.

God Bless, 

Beautifully Productive Busy Days

Watching my young folks rock climb at Seneca Point....while holding my water bottle...can't forget that!  LOL

Thursday began with making breakfast for the family.  A breakfast of Momma's "everything" scrambled eggs is always yummy.  Well received is another story since a couple folks have a sensitivity to eggs.  I give them the option of trying them or not.  If they feel like it for that morning, that's great.  If not, they won't hurt my feelings.  I don't make that type of breakfast very often.  Usually we have yogurt, egg rolls, or cottage cheese for breakfast with an occasional weekly oatmeal thrown in for good measure.

At the breakfast table we read the daily chapter of Proverbs that corresponds to the date which moved rather nicely to our Civics lesson in God and Government.  We discussed and looked up scripture which supported the sovereignty of God.

After kitchen clean up was finished, the oldest got on to his schoolwork on the computer while the other two registered and began their Civil Air Patrol training online.

I started working on lunch which was hamburgers and a black bean, mexican diced tomato, olive and purple onion type of salsa.  Everyone but me had sandwich rounds for their "bun."  I didn't have a bun because I'm working very diligently to eradicate wheat from my diet (more on that later...ask me about it some time and I'll be glad to share).

After lunch was put away, we had to scoot out the door to take HJ, our daughter, to a Young Ladies' Book Club that was formed by one of the lovely young ladies in our home school group.  They are reading one classic a month and coming together to "report" on the chapters they were assigned.  It's usually 3 chapters, so the work isn't all that much.  They'll be having a sleep over and watching the movies that correspond to the books they've read and discussing the differences between the books and movies.  I love the opportunity for her to do this type of thing with these young ladies.

While HJ was at her Book Club, the young men and I went to the bank, then to Aldi's to get our snacks, produce, and some cheese.  They're going to a friend's house for an overnight stay and they're taking snacks to share.

Once those errands were completed, my wonderful chauffeur drove us back to pick up HJ.  We waited for about 45 minutes for her because we were done with our errands quickly.  During that time the young men read their Civil Air Patrol chapter on Leadership while I knitted on this head band.  We had an interesting discussion about Country Music, whether many are ballads, poetry or both; vs Christian Music and that  Momma no longer listens to Country/Pop/Rock Music because of the immoral messages those music types portray.  Because we're getting to an age with our young folks where they are beginning to challenge our reasons for doing things, we give more explanations for things, and we welcome those challenges.  When we discuss how things use to be when we were young, we are able to share our story of God's grace in our lives; how we're convicted to make changes and find peace when we do; because we're choosing to live a life that fills our days with listening to music that fills our ears and hearts with the love and grace of God.  That explanation was not only true for both my husband and I, but also so simply accepted that the challenge became simple acceptance.  What a blessing!

After HJ was finished, we went to Good Will to see if we could find some PT (Physical Training) shorts for the young folks for CAP.  There were no shorts suitable for them there, but HJ and I were able to find some clothes for ourselves. :0)  I found 2 nice long sleeved shirts, a corduroy skirt and a denim skirt.  It has been so very long since I've been able to find anything at Good Will that I just quit trying.  Then they rearranged their clothing racks by size and I can now find clothes!  It's amazing!  LOL

On those days when we're in town, waiting for the next thing to happen, we're trying to fill the time in between.  We decided to go have McChicken sandwiches for dinner.  I paid for all the sandwiches, while the kids paid for their own fries and/or drinks.  As hoped, having the young folks pay for their own stuff has caused them to become more careful about how they spend their money.  What a wonderful "natural" beneficial effect of giving them more responsibility for purchasing their own things!  None of them purchased french fries, but bought their own desired drinks.  Why didn't they buy fries?  They're weighing the benefits of having their drink of choice vs a smaller drink and french fries.  They're learning the value of the dollar!  Woohoo!  This is just one small way they're learning.  They are buying a portion of their own clothes and a few things for CAP and making them do this is causing them to rethink how they spend their money.  What a blessing!

While we ate our dinner, we discussed the rest of the month's activities, watched the news and talked.  Once we were finished, it was time for choir practice.  This week we had more people for choir which was such a blessing!  I love it when everyone is at choir practice.  It brings everything together and sounds so very beautiful!  I am praying for more gentlemen to join the choir so that my young men will not be alone singing their bass parts.  I know there are at least 3 more men, but honestly, we could use more.

The laughter and fun experienced when singing in the choir is spirit filled and exciting to my soul.  I know I say this often, but perhaps not often enough, I am so blessed!  God has placed me in this church with these brothers and sisters in Christ to serve Him, and serve I will, with every fiber of my being.  I've loved singing in the choir for so many years, it is hard to count.  I sang in 6th grade choir in Rapid City, SD with 1500 kids and I was hooked!  Every possible opportunity I've had since that time, I've tried to sing in a choir, regardless of public school, youth group, or church.  I'd love for my own children to experience the thrill of singing songs to God at the top of your lungs with many others who have the same love for God.  The experience is absolutely awesome!  I'm sure we've been so close to heaven's marvelous chorus on numerous occasions!

The exhilarating thrill coursing through my spirit stays with me for a very long time after practice, on the way home and well in to the evening.

What a God-blessed time of fellowship and singing praises to Him to round out a busy day!

Praise God!

In Him,

Knitting Projects Update & More

In this post I mentioned I had some knitting projects I work on while the kids are at their various activities.  The one pictured in the post linked above is a bit more completed than the last picture.

This is the progress that has been made on the winter headband.  It's about half way through the cable & seed stitch sequence.  Once it is done the end you see at the bottom of the picture will have a button on it and the other end, once it is made, will have a button hole for fastening it on to the head.

I go back and forth between working the above pattern which requires a lot of concentration for me, to the one below that is just straight knitting. 

I decided to make myself a felted purse that is lined with compartments.  I ordered more wool from Knitpicks Wool of the Andes yesterday that are solid colors of the above variegated colors.  Mr. G and I went to Erie, PA on Friday night for our date night.  We visited Michael's and Hobby Lobby, but couldn't find the yarn I needed at the price I liked, so ordering from Knitpicks proved to be the best choice.  I could shop the website and find the colors I needed at a wonderful price.

I cannot wait to finish those projects and move on to the next bunch.  I have a couple little 2 year old girl hats to crochet this week for a friend of mine, then it's back to finishing the two above.  

I'll post pictures of the crocheted hats once I get them finished. :0)

I'd like to move on to sweaters for the family, starting with my Mr. G.  I have seen a wonderful pattern from one of the knitting magazines that I subscribe to that I would like to try.  I saw it and then received my Knitpicks catalog and found the tweed yarn that I would need for the project pictured in the catalog.  It was exactly what I was looking for.   I just need to make sure I have the right needles and I'll be ready to work on it.  

The saying is so very true~too many patterns, too little time!  =0) 

What are your hands busy with?

God Bless,