I finally have chicks...

{Hens and Chickens} that is

I want chickens (the kind that lay eggs) but my husband does not. I don't blame him-we have a small village yard, a dog, a couple-soon to be several kids that keep us busy. I have a medium size garden, a couple fruit trees, a elderberry, blue berry, and many raspberry bushes. He is probable right that we don't need or have room to add chickens to the brood.

So what's a girl to do?!?! I snagged some hens and chickens from a friend and planted them around my yard. I have my little "chicken yard" right outside my back door and it puts a smile on my face each time I see it :)

The process of planting my "chicken yard"

♥ 

 

 

 

What is making you smile these days?

Gathered Rosette Pillow

I saw this tutorial on Pinterest and fell in love {I made it the very next day}. I have never sewn with gathered fabric so it was a great first project for me. I have it sitting on the bench in our dining room and plan on making a few more to give it some company. 

{project credit}

Simple Cloth Wipes

We've been cloth diapering our little guy since he was about 2 months old (he is now 16 months). I used some cloth before then but mostly disposable since we were given so many at our shower. Up until about 6 months ago I had stuck with disposable wipes. I just was unsure scared just plain lazy to use cloth wipes, although now I'm not sure why. So•much•easier than digging out wipes that accidentally get put in the pail-now that is gross! The savings adds up and the fact I don't have to remember to buys wipes has been a nice perk too. Below are a series of pictures showing how I cut up an old receiving blanket to use as wipes. Easy•Peasy

I used the fold lines as a guide since I was going for easy not perfection

 

I was able to get 16 wipes out of 1 blanket

Here they are all folded up ready to go (although it is much harder to get them out this way)

This is how they are normally in the box-much easier to grab quick

Out with the old-In with the new

Last week we traveled to Virginia/Tennessee for my Grandmothers funeral. She battled cancer for 2 years. She is no longer suffering but home with Jesus!!! Will I miss her, of course but as a dear lady said once "don't pray me out of Heaven". My cousin Bryan officiated the service and spoke of knowing Christ just as my Grandma wanted. One of the first things she asked me each time we spoke was "are you still going to church, loving God, taking your babies to learn about God". Her body was old, decaying, dieing, BUT she is alive, new in Christ. Oh how happy I am that she knew Jesus and loved him.

Just this morning I received 3 text messaged before I even woke up. A man from our church lost his short battle with cancer. Not very old and you would never have even known he was sick for a while. Riding his motorcycle with his wife and daughter, playing around with all the kids at church. We watched his body deteriorate little by little attempting to come to church then having to leave in the middle of service. I prayed, we all prayed for God to heal his body and rid it of cancer. Just because he didn't answer our prayers the way we hoped doesn't mean he didn't at all. This man in healed now. His purpose and time on earth was done according to Gods will and God said "come home my child". We will mourn but also rejoice!

A passage that a friend shared on facebook was of great comfort this morning:

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Life right now

I have so many pictures and so many posts in "edit" mode...one day I might get to them. I had planned on posting a Mother's Day post about things I wish I could tell my mother, then our whole house got sick. Not easy on this pregnant Mama. And 2 days ago I received a call from my uncle about my grandmother.

My mom was her only daughter out of 7 and I am my moms only daughter.Grandma, my mom, and I had a connection and I get my stubbornness from both of them :) When my mom passed away 12 yrs ago, my grandma looked to me as "her daughter". I spent many, many summers with my grandparents in Florida. When my grandpa died a couple years ago and I went down, I was the one who could tell grandma what to do. "Sit down grandma , your doing too much" - "grandma, you need to eat breakfast, I made this for you and you are going to eat it". Her sons stayed at a hotel to spend time together and I (and my aunt) stayed with her to make sure she was ok. I enjoyed it!!!

Grandma was diagnosed with cancer (several places) over a year ago. She chose to have some treatments and was taken off of them when it was discovered that they were only making her sick, not helping. Last week she was in the hospital and when my uncle called, I was told that she is home on hospice care. She is at the very end of her life. I am sad, sad that I didn't call her more over the last year, sad that I didn't try harder to get down to see her. Life for us has been busy but that's not why. Money was a factor in flying down $500-$900 for a plane ticket (are you kidding me?). I didn't call because I didn't want to face loosing another "mom". It's hard and after dealing with both my parents and a set of grandparents dieing within year of each other, I have a hard time dealing with any death.  I could barely hold it together enough to talk with her for 5 minutes last night.

She will be brought back to Virginia (I think) for the funeral and I assume laid to rest next to my mother. We are hoping to travel down but who knows if we can work it out. It would be nice to see my brothers and the rest of the family. Right now I am just trying to process it all, to keep up with my responsibilities here at home and pray that she goes in peace!

Monday Makes {lazy mamas pizza}

When I was feeling sick a couple of weeks ago the last thing I wanted to do was cook. But the family still needed to eat-they can't have cereal every night :) I like to keep a few things on hand for quick, easy dinners. One of our family favorites is pizza. I buy crust, shredded cheese and peperoni to keep in the freezer for quick preparation (I have lots of homemade sauce from my fall canning). Just pull everything out of the freezer in the morning or if your lazy  you forget put the crust in a zip-lock bag and place in a bowl of warm water (the rest can go on the pizza frozen). It takes no time at all to assemble. Pat out your crust • spread on some sauce • sprinkle the cheese • place the pepperoni • add  a few spices • bake on 425 degrees until the crust is done and the cheese is melted to your liking.

This is not my usual way to make pizza. I prefer a homemade crust and I will add more spices to my tomato sauce. It is still a great pizza though. The cost was around $6 which is better on the budget than ordering out. Enjoy the pictures I took of the last one I (and my helpers) made.

PS If you are wondering why our pizza only has half covered in cheese - my sweet little guy is still having trouble with dairy :( Therefore I am still on a no dairy diet. Praying he will be healed soon!!!

Thanksgiving

We are already starting to think about Thanksgiving around here. 

Our next little blessing is due November 24th!!! 

Thankful•Excited•Happy

(now that I'm not tired•sick•emotional)

I had a great first couple of weeks but around 6 weeks all day nausea set in. From mid morning until night time I was perched on the chair curled up like a baby. My poor son would cry every time I sat down. Sometimes he would cuddle with me and others I would lay on the floor in an attempt to play with him. For about a week now, I have felt great. A bout of nausea here and there but nothing that puts me down and out. It has been so long since my first pregnancy (13 yrs) but I didn't much with my son. They say that every pregnancy is different and they are right :) 

Now that I am feeling better, I've been nesting I would say. It happened last pregnancy too. I start hitting my to do list like the baby will be here tomorrow! I can't help it-I'm a planner wanting everything done before I don't feel like doing a thing (which is what I intend to do from November 1st on - lol). 

I have lots and lots of pictures of projects I have done over the past year and will hopefully get them into posts soon. I might even get some pictures of the nursery up before we add the extra crib ;)  

My growing belly and I will be back soon!