Pillow Slip Dresses

I can't believe it has already been three weeks since my grandparents came over for a lovely afternoon of making sundresses and then staying for dinner. It was absolutely wonderful! My grandma spends many hours sewing pillowslip dresses to send to little girls in different countries and she agreed to teach my daughters how to make them! We were soooo excited. I have read the beginning of the book Kisses for Katie to my girls and it has really opened their eyes to the needs of children in other countries. It was my hope that my grandma would not only teach the girls the joy of sewing, but also share her joy of blessing others by using her talents of sewing sundresses. And that is exactly what happened.

My grandparents arrived and we all got settled into our places. Grandpa watched the boys play with their toys in the living room, while grandma, the girls, and myself busily worked away on our big dining room table. It was our first real big project using my nine year old's sewing machine and it took some time to figure out each step. Thankfully my grandma had the patience of an angel as she encouraged the girls each step of the way. By the time we were done we had transformed a pillow case into an adorable little sundress! We only had time to complete one dress that afternoon but we were ecstatic with being able to have done it.

We enjoyed a simple dinner and laughed about life, some of my grandpa's memories growing up, and some of our stories too. As I look back at our few hours together I feel so blessed to have been able to be part of such a simple afternoon and evening. These are the kind of memories I desire my children to build their lives on. Engaging in meaningful activities, centered around the heart of Christ, while sharing sweet conversations with those they love. My heart is full. We are so blessed.

It's January and I am Dreaming of Gardening

It’s warm, cozy, and dark. I snuggle up on my couch and dream. I dream of a time soon to come. Though outside the earth lays quietly still and little life is detectable in the vegetable garden, my mind is alive with the hope of spring. As the winter air blankets the wood chips in cold sleep, my imagination runs rampant with thoughts of zinnias, squash, and beans, cucumbers, herbs, and sugar snap peas.

I realize I am among the few who will admit to pouring over seed catalogs in January and to plotting out my garden plan before the first blossoms of forsythia burst forth.  But here I sit in utter delight over the possibilities that our garden might hold.  Each year I study the current seed catalogs, place my order, and wait….and wait…and wait.... till they finally come. I hold within my hands the promise of an entire season’s worth of produce; the ability to feed our family and more. I am always shocked when they finally arrive and fit into such a small envelope. A season's worth of produce weighing no more than a couple pounds!

It is an absolute miracle to behold. A tiny seed, holding within itself all things necessary to sprout, flourish, and reproduce after its kind. Each year it is such a joy to experience the miracle of life right before my eyes. Now that we have four children old enough to be a part of this wonderful process, we get to share the joy with them too. It is such a blessing to watch them plan and then plant their little section of the garden and participate with them in the sense of awe that is felt as their seeds become plants.

Each child will participate at their own level this year. It is our tradition that everyone gets to choose at least one seed packet to order and try to grow, even if it seems out of the ordinary or unnecessary. They will all then help in the greenhouse, plant seedling trays, and care for our little plants. They will water, plant the plugs, and weed if needed. Finally, after tenderly caring for their vegetables for so long (at least it is long if you are nine years old and under), they get to participate in the joy of harvesting and eating the fruits of their labor! It brings me such joy to see the look of anticipation and responsibility splashed across their sweet faces. I can't wait to get started again.

It is my hope to record the progress of the garden this spring and summer. I have wanted to keep a garden journal for several years to remember what is growing and when. However, I find that as the gardening season gets into full swing, my extra time for anything else seems to vanish.  It is our hope that this year might be a little bit different. It will be our second year wood chip gardening and we are very optimistic after having one very positive season under our belts. The two big things that wood chips offer are that they act as a mulch to keep weeds down and keep water in the soil. My honey is so optimistic that he rolled up all our drip tape for the garden and is planning on keeping it that way for the season. I will let you know how it goes!

If you are into gardening and want to know more about gardening with woodchips, you can find a wonderful film on it at:
                                                         www.backtoedenfilm.com

(The film is free to watch if you scroll down to the very bottom of the link above. You can also  purchase the DVD on the above sight if you love it so much that you want to own it.)

Or.... you can visit Paul's garden in Sequim, Washington on Sunday's at 2:30 in June-October for a tour! I have not been to his place yet, but it is one of our family goal's to see this summer. His love for God and gardening is contagious and I am looking forward to seeing it first hand! 

The View This Morning

~The View From My Kitchen Sink Window This Morning.~

"The heavens declare the glory of God;

the sky proclaims the work of His hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language

 where their voice is not heard.

 Their voice goes out into all the earth,

 their words to the ends of the world."

Psalm 19:1-4

A Snapshot of 2014

Happy New Year!

"The Lord has done GREAT things for us, and we are filled with JOY!"
Psalm 126:3

Last night we celebrated New Year's Eve with a simple dinner and time of sharing our favorite memories of the past year. It was a time of laughter and reflection as we went around the table.  Though our year had plenty of trials, sickness, and some sadness too, it all seemed to diminish in light of the blessings we reminisced about.  

Here are just a couple memories that were mentioned:

1) The many afternoons spent swimming in the free swimming pool Dad brought home! 

(There was no filter so we had to clean it out quite a few times. But in all honesty I think         those were some of the kids' favorite times. Slip sliding around in a couple of inches of             soapy water can hardly be considered work!)

2) Our very used battery operated golf cart that Daddy found on Craig's List. (Just to give you an idea of the beauty she is, she is rattle canned gold, has half a windshield, and has royal blue tassels lining the bottom. But we LOVE her.) We have had so many small adventures around the neighboring fields, it truly has been money well spent! All six of us were able to pile on and pick blackberries in the back of the property we rent.  Our two oldest daughters are learning to drive on it! What an adventure that has been!  Our oldest daughter now has a new respect for mommy when I ask everyone one to be quite as I drive. She almost went off the driveway when she was paying attention to the conversation I was having with her sister, rather than on where she was going!

3) The ZOO!.....and the incredible hotel we stayed at with a water slide in it! I can still hear   them all squeal with delight about the entire weekend! 

4) Kitties!

5) Our second annual Family Day! (It is a day we set aside to celebrate the family God gave   us. It is a time of giving gifts, sharing what a blessing each person is and why, eating                 YUMMY food and just focusing on the love we have for each other. It has become one of         my favorite days of the year and I hope to continue the tradition for, well....a really long           time. 

6) A mini bike. OH MY GOODNESS! Once again my husband found a great deal on it and       brought it home for the kids to learn to ride. I am not sure what is more fun, watching the       kids learn to ride or watching my husband try to teach them! It is hardly big enough for         him to ride with them so if he does, his knees are practically up to his elbows and he has a       child in front trying to learn what a throttle actually does. If he isn't on the bike, he is               chasing them. They start out giving it gas, realize they need to slow down and quickly             break, then almost stop, then pour on the gas, then stop. Meanwhile he is trying to keep         up with this completely unpredictable pace.  Thankfully he is a trooper and loves                     adventure!

2014 held so many other memories I will hold dear. Sweet conversations, new discoveries, character growth, sharing God's love with those around us and spending time with family and friends.  God has been so good to us and we look forward to the upcoming year.

}Blessings{