August Garden Update

I can't believe it is the end of August already.  The summer seemed to fly by. When I planted our garden four months ago I didn't know what to expect, but hoped for the best.  We have had a successful season with most of our produce.  Our corn and tomatoes haven't been what we have had in years past, but we are still getting a harvest and for that I am thankful.  I will share more about our harvests another time.  For now, I will just share some pictures I took Saturday.

Compare this to some of my other updates.  Check here, here and here,

I love how well the straw covered newspapers kept the weeds away.  I will definitely be doing this again, but will make sure I cover everywhere next year.  Truly, this was a time-saver to do this early in the season.

Butternut Squash

We harvested our corn and knocked down the stalks.

Saturday's Harvest

A volunteer sunflower grew in our garden this year.  The head measures 19 inches.  The trunk of the stalk was about 8 inches around!

August Garden Update

Going, Going, Gone!

Going...

Going...

Gone!

The epitomy of a lazy Saturday is falling asleep after lunch.  :-)

Going, Going, Gone!

Hand Sewing

I recently got a copy of The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Soule of Soule Mama.  I would encourage you to read it if you have children.  She has many great ideas and I have really enjoyed reading what she has to say. 

The section on teaching children to hand sew was really interesting. My daughter wanted to give it a try this morning with some burlap we had lying around. I just gave her some thread and let her go to it. Below is what she made.  She put her initials, a couple of diamonds, and a hexagon.  She is an excellent seamstress with a sewing machine, but I had really been neglecting hand sewing.  That won't be the case anymore.

 

We downloaded a copy of a Pocket Stitch Book from Sew, Mama, Sew that will help us learn some basic stitches.  I am so thankful to have such a creative daughter to share my love of all things crafty.

Hand Sewing

Cloth Diapering on Vacation

Today I decided to share one more thing about our trip. I have posted about it here and here. However, I haven't told you that I cloth diapered my little guy on the trip and didn't use a single disposable diaper or wipe for the entire 5 days or 4 nights.

He hasn't had a disposable diaper on him since he was a newborn, but I wasn't sure if my husband would want to mess with cloth. When I asked him about it he said it was up to me. So, I decided I was up to the challenge of cloth diapering on a trip. I guess I am a die-hard cloth user now. :-)

In order to make it through the week I did wash diapers one time while we were gone. This allowed me to not have to pack 5 days worth of diapers and it allowed us to be able to handle the smell.

I mostly used the KCK One diapers I had made stuffed with flat diapers (see posts here and here). I used some ProWrap Classic covers with the flat diapers as well. This diapering system was quick to use and quick to dry. I used the two wet bags I made and that was it (see post here).

We saved money by not having to buy disposables plus we didn't contribute more waste to any landfills. I was thankful that cloth diapering on our trip worked for me.

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Cloth Diapering on Vacation

I have yet another new blog.

I think the title of this post means that I am certifiable. I mean I already don't have enough hours in the day as it is. Yet, here I am writing another blog.

My new blog is called Pocketful of Posies (http://pocketful--of--posies.blogspot.com).

The reason I have started the new blog is because I am starting a preschool. I have six students signed up to start on Monday and I am very excited. I have been out of the public school classroom for 7 years now. Having a preschool in my home will allow me to use my degree as well as stay home with my children. I pray it will be the best of both worlds.

There have been two other times since I became a SAHM that I thought a preschool was what I wanted to open. The first time was 6 years ago, but we didn't have a walk-out basement and my husband wasn't on board. Two years ago I thought about it again, but I was about to have a new baby and I wasn't sure how things would be the following school year.

This summer I felt God telling me I was to open a preschool. It was the beginning of July and I wasn't sure there was any way I could get things going in time. Well, the thought didn't go away the next day, so I talked to my husband about it. He was OK with the idea, so I ran with it.

Now, I am ready to start and I am both excited and a little nervous. I pray that God will bless my little preschool, the students, my own two little boys who will be with me, as well as guide me in this new endeavor.

Anyway, Pocketful of Posies (the blog) will be a place where I share ideas and activities I have used either with my own children or with my preschool students. I chose the name because "Pocketful of Posies" is what I used to call "Ring Around the Rosie" when I was a girl. :-)

I have yet another new blog.

Through the Eyes of My Son

"Mommy, look at that 'eautiful (beautiful) bird," exclaimed my 4 year old son one day recently. I looked up from my gardening thinking he might have been talking about a cardinal or hummingbird. What I saw was a turkey vulture circling overhead.

I half-heartedly said, "Yeah, that's a nice bird." I really don't ever think of turkey vultures as beautiful. They fly around looking for dead animals on which to feed. If you have never seen one up close they have a bald pink head and are quite large. Beautiful is not a word I would have ever thought to describe them.

Yet, that bird was not really flying, but soaring and floating through the sky. Most birds have to flap their wings many times to keep flying. Yet, the turkey vulture didn't seem to exert much energy to stay in the air. The more I thought about it and watched the bird the more beautiful it seemed.

My son has a unique way of looking at things. He will often get totally engrossed in the details of an object. When he saw the bird he saw a beautiful creature who seemed to not have a care as it floated through the sky and into his view.

How wonderful to be able to see things the way my son often does. He didn't expect the turkey vulture to be something it wasn't or couldn't be. He thought it was beautiful just the way it was.

Sometimes, I think that is exactly how I need to make sure I am looking at him.



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Through the Eyes of My Son

Toddler Laundry Training

Mom, I know you like to take my picture, but I am busy doing the laundry. Look at all these clothes. Do you think they are going to wash themselves?


What do you mean darks and lights shouldn't go together? They all need cleaned don't they?


You mean you actually have to wash the clothes before putting them in the dryer? They smell clean enough to me. I think you are making this too difficult, Mom.


OK, so maybe I have a little more work to do before he is good at doing the laundry. However, you are never too young to start learning. I just wish someone had taught his daddy...

Toddler Laundry Training

First Day of School

School starting back up each fall is always exciting, but sad, too. I was totally enjoying summer with my kids and husband. However, this morning I took my oldest two children to school. Where did the time go?

Praying with my children is a special time. During the school year we pray for safe travels, good health, and good times at school. It is always hard to send my children into the world, but I know God is always with them. We do our best to teach them how to make wise choices and then have to trust God to keep them in his care when they are not in ours.

My children are such a blessing to me as is my husband (a teacher). This first day of school I am praying for all three of them to have a wonderful year filled with learning and laughter, and for God to protect them and guide them.

Julia-5th Grade


James-1st Grade

First Day of School

A Thrifting We Will Go

The kids and I ran some errands on Tuesday and decided to run by our local Goodwill before going home. We didn't look too thoroughly through things because it was close to lunch time, but we did pick up a few items.

When I go to thrift stores and yard sales I try to only purchase things I know I will use. No sense in one man's junk becoming junk and clutter in my home, too.

With those thoughts in mind we spent just over $4 that day. We got an unused king sized roll of quilt batting that still had the original $17.99 price tag. A Rubbermaid drink container with a spout. It needs a little cleaning, but will come in handy for parties or for my sweet tea loving husband. A pint sized canning jar because I can always use those. A book of kids crafts that originally was priced at $7.95. There are several cute crafts we will be using from it.



There was one impulse purchase, but it has already been providing the kids with some fun times.



Too bad the film is so expensive. It would be fun for the kids to see how it works.

A Thrifting We Will Go

Recent Crochet Projects

I can't read in a moving vehicle. I can't read in a moving vehicle when I am the passenger either. HA! Just checking to see if you were awake this morning.

Anyway, I can crochet in a moving vehicle (as a passenger). I am not sure why it is different, but it doesn't make me sick to my stomach like reading does. I had high hopes of crocheting all sorts of things while we were on our trip. However, I only completed three things at the beginning of our trip and then never picked up my hooks and yarn the rest of the week.

Cotton washcloth and scrubbie set


Newborn hat made from some gifted red and green yarn using this pattern.


My plan is to make more of these little hats for Christmas and donate them to a local hospital.

Recent Crochet Projects

Teaching Apron

Last week the kids and I went to our local education store. All of the employees were wearing these cute aprons. They were full aprons and had several pockets. When I needed a pen at checkout time an employee handed me one from her pocket. I thought this was a great idea.

So, I went home and looked through my fabrics. I really thinned out my stash this summer and gave lots of scraps (both large and small) away. However, I had a pair of jeans that were a little tattered and decided to see what I could do with them. Here is what I came up with.



Everything used to make the apron were things I already had on hand. The fabric I used for the appliques even had Heat-N-Bond already on it. I used a bandanna to make the tie. I think it is cute, and will hopefully be handy when kids need a bandage or crayon.

I would still like to make some full-length aprons, but for now I will try this half apron. Thanks for looking!

Teaching Apron

Yummy Fruit Smoothies

My mom gave me some fresh peaches and melon last week. I decided to make some smoothies with them and almost (There is a picky child in every family, right?) everyone here loved them. Here is what I did.

Peachy Melon Smoothies



1 Peach (Peeled and Pitted)
Several Chunks of Melon (I used about 6 chunks that were 2 inches.)
1-2 Tbsp. Honey
6 or more Ice Cubes
Water (Just a little to get things blending.)

Stick everything in a blender and use the ice crush setting. Serve and enjoy.

Yummy Fruit Smoothies

Enjoying Nature with My Children

The kids and I spent some time in the woods today. We had a great time enjoying all of God's beautiful creations.

Butterflies


Flowers


Trees


Even some deer and raccoon tracks.


However, these are four of God's creations I am most thankful I got to see today. :-)

Enjoying Nature with My Children

Saving Money on Food While Travelling

When we were on vacation two weeks ago we made a pledge not to eat out. We were blessed to stay with family who either cooked for us or allowed us to cook in their home. We did stay one night in a hotel, but had a microwave and fridge to heat up and store the food I had packed.

Not only did bringing food with us allow us to avoid issues with my son's allergies, but we also saved a ton of money. We definitely had a very frugal vacation.



I used empty peanut butter jars to transport foods from cookies to homemade spaghetti sauce to marinated cucumbers. They really worked well.



We brought a large cooler, a smaller cooler, a very large tote bag, and the little suitcase pictured above to haul all of our food. The little suitcase actually held table service and other accessories. We were quite prepared and I am thankful for the efforts I took to get everything ready.

Side note: My grandma always packed that little gray suitcase for trips. I remember she said she would pack mugs, table service, and other things she thought were necessary for trips. I was so glad to be the recipient of the suitcase after her passing. It is a little reminder of how frugal my grandma was, and that I can be frugal on vacation as well.

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Saving Money on Food While Travelling

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Sunday Afternoon Fun

We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with our church family on Sunday. We invited everyone to come for a swimming party/baptism/cook-out. I think everyone that was here had a good time. It was very hot outside, so the water was definitely the highlight of the day for all the kids.

Julia and James on the waterslide.


Joshua on the waterslide.


Joseph in the baby pool.


And some random big "kid" on the waterslide.

OK. That's me and I totally know I just embarrassed myself. Oh, well. It was fun!

In addition to all of the fun and food three people were baptised and one renewed his baptism. For the third summer in a row our party has also had an important religious ceremony in the middle of it.



I think this year was special for my family because my new sister-in-law was one of the people who got baptised. Not only that, but my brother renewed his baptismal vows and helped my dad (the pastor) with the baptisms. How awesome to be able to share something like this in their first month of marriage!

Anyway, I just want to take this opportunity to thank God for blessing us with a wonderful family, a great church family, the facilities to host such an event, and the opportunity to gather together in His name.

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I know it looks like no one but my family was here, but I decided I would not show any pictures of my church family since I didn't get their permission first. However, there were at least 40 people here. Our older crowd didn't come due to the heat, but I still think we had a great group here.

Sunday Afternoon Fun

Our Trip

I am so grateful for the wonderful trip we got to take last week. The kids and I have never been away from home for longer than 2 nights, so it was quite an adventure to be gone four nights. This trip would not have been possible if it weren't for two sets of aunts and uncles letting us stay with them three of those nights. In addition to their generosity, we had one free night in a hotel. Also, with the food I packed and the food we were provided by our family we never ate out. This was truly a blessing.

Last Monday night we stayed with my dad's brother and his wife which got us closer to Chicago. They provided us with supper and breakfast as well as a good time catching up. Tuesday morning we headed to Chicago. After missing our turn to park at Shedd's Aquarium we finally made it. The price of the tickets and parking was fairly pricey, but I think the kids had a fun time.



Then we headed to the American Girl Place in downtown Chicago. It took us a while to secure parking, and we had to walk quite a lot. However, it was worth it to see how excited my daughter was as she got to use her birthday money to buy some outfits for her doll. I think that made her 10th birthday complete.



We decided to go to the Lego Store to allow my oldest son to spend some of the money he had been saving. He loved it, and I am pretty sure my husband did as well.



We were so blessed to have had great weather while we were walking through Chicago. However, on our way to the hotel we ran into a nasty storm. The rain was coming down so hard that we could hardly see 10 feet in front of us. I actually got claustrophobic and asked my husband to pull over for a while. The trip to our hotel took us twice as long as it should have, but I am so thankful we made it safely.

The following day we woke up to clear skies and great temperatures. I have always wanted to go to the Indiana Dunes, so that is where we headed on Wednesday morning. I cannot begin to explain how beautiful it was. We stayed on the beach for about three hours. My kids loved every bit of it. In fact, I think that was the highlight of the trip.













Wednesday afternoon we headed to my mom's sister and her husband's house. We stayed with them until Friday afternoon. We had lots of fun boating, swimming, golfing, playing at the park, catching up and just having a fun time.

I am so thankful for safe travels, the ability to have a nice vacation without spending much money, and for being able to visit family. God truly blessed us last week and for that I am truly grateful.

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Our Trip