Sox for Little Dove

When I make dresses for little Dove I try to do a pair or two of sox to match. I can get white sox under a $1 a pair.

Summer fun Ideas with kids

Afternoon time with the pup.
Playing in the Sunflower house.
Coffee table American Idol
Drawing at the table with good art book references, Give them their own Sketch pad a nice one, go to the dollar store. They can keep a summer journal of drawings.














Quiet on the stage our next performer...Fun for play dates














Good old roll in the grass

Squirt gun fights















The old Silly Dance to the auto key board Lots Belly laughs.





Cherri o catch, FUNNY!

Writing Birthday Party invitations
Time with Mom
Computer time


They are telling each other stories, and discussing topics related to the drawings they are created. Great dialog. Wish you were a butterfly on the wall.







Water balloons with friends!








Playing Puppy!






Lego Mania!

Making shorts (x4) for Dash Hawk (part one)

Dash is very Skinny. He is 6 but fits a size 4t-5t, he is however, young man now and would rather look his age :)
This is my process of mass production. Shorts times four.
Wash fabrics, Iron fabrics and pattern. Lay out with all folded edges carefully matched. Cut out all layers with one stroke. After cutting out (I use a power rotary cutter and mat).
Separate fronts and backs into four piles (lefts/rights) keeping the prints in respective order.

Sew the piping onto all fronts, here you don't even need to clip between fabrics just sew all four then clip and re-stack.










as you re-stack the fronts add the pockets to all, face down ,one print on the other.








Match edges and pin pockets sew them on the same way, one pile at a time, no need to clip in between.


re-stack all front rights, front lefts, back rights, back lefts. keeping them seperate from each other , and in order of prints.

Now press one stack at a time. Match front and back lefts, front and back rights and pin and stack now you will go to the machine once with a pile of eight seams to sew 4 rights and four. lefts.Stay tuned have other chores to do I"ll get back to this soon.

Summer friut in the suberbs :)

To all of you wonderful growers, how I wish I could walk your fields however, fresh produce via my local Costco.
The joy of walking into the cold of the fruit and veggie section is one of my Arizona summer pleasures. It is a simple joy that exposes me to an arctic chill surrounded by the beauty of bounty.
I painted the Sunflower sparrow in the background.

Bridge toTerabithia

Great movie!
We had our family movie night complete with hot dogs all around. The kids are allowed to sit at the living room coffee table. We do this weekly and sit all together we await to release of a new movie or find an oldie, we by the movie and can watch it when ever we want.
It cost the same as if we went to a theater,but we now own it.We eat our own healthy food prepared by our own clean hands. We can pause it when ever any of us have a need to. We learn to wait for each other, cooperate and reduce, reuse and recycle (all pop cans go into the recycle bin :).
We cuddle on the big comfy couch and the holding is great!
My kids have sensory integration disorder and so the safety of home feels real good to them and they can relax the fight /flight mechanism.
That evening I gave them each their very own sketch pad. they have been emulating the young boy at his art. They also look forward to going to the museum!

The gift America!

My children born where flag does not fly free.
My children were born in greatest of poverty.
A country half a world away .

Our land is hollowed by warriors fight
to give us our under appreciated rights.
This land is rich in a bounty of feed.

I wrap around them the greatest of gifts.
We gave them through adoption new lives to live.
A Country, a home. America
by Donetta

This is true religion to care for the widow and the orphan in their hour of need. To keep on unstained from the world.

Theola has bubbled up to the suface.

In 2005 I entered a writing contest to write 50,000 words in on month. It was November I just don't know how I ever finished those 50,000 words. I even made a sit down dinner that year.
It is time now two years later to pick up that abandoned baby and begin my re-write. It was edited by my Father in Law. It was had for me to look at it I felt so guilty for diving into a project that consumed me so vastly. It was also overwhelming to look at all those error that need to be fixed.
Theola is my novel around 300 pages of my heart, mind and body (it is hard to sit so long).
She is there waiting for the follow through.
Theola is set in the life of a hospital clergy woman who discovers more about walking in Love than most folks do. She also learns forgiveness through discovering who she is.
My dear friend over at "life in the midst of Writing" challenged me. She is now publishing her wonderful novel. Go visit her.
I have so many varied interest and such a heavy load of responsibilities that it is easy for me to neglect my writing and my little Theola. I don't even remember writing it. When I was in that season I would just disappear into it. Like into a trance. I am interested in reading my novel and seeing what I wrote. I just have not been to attached to it. I owe it to myself to be.

A great big thank you!

Thanks to Christine from "Are we there yet mom?" Your help on my blog was such a fantastic encouraging gift!

We had a wonderful BBQ, Play date and Blog work time.
What a nice family. Kids will steep well tonight.

All That is Real

ALL THAT IS REAL

The flower shines, as I pass it by.

Sweet songs of praise raised up by

my winged friends.

The softness of the soil,

tenderness as I step.

A sky so sadden by its murky mire,

cries out for clean.

Cry out! Cry out! "Oh how I want to be sheer and to shine!"

Warmth as I rest upon my place, this hardness,

the rocking of the bench as it sways.

My shadow it moves! It's alive within.

Who is she? She asks ?

I am, that is enough!

Oh sing for me your glorious song.

Your chatter that holds meaning to your kind and to mine.

I cry aloud for you sky,

can you set yourself free?

Well up a breeze.

Shall I sit so immersed in song without a joy full within me.

How can one not be enriched by sound?

All that is old remains, unlike the new.

My breath is stifled for in it lies the dust of the earth.

Warmth has become heat, its tenderness gone.

It becomes a torment, a heated fire.

Oh bless me now with a breeze,

a gentle touch to give me ease.

Mountain range where have you gone?

Don't hide yourself!

I long to see your crested buttes,

your canyon shadows, but you do exist, and that's enough.

I rest my yearning for your view.

Hollow chime sounds out of this fashioned stone.

As I rock it tells me I am not alone.

Oh sing a song my feathered friend!

Laugh for me once again.

Soil so rich, such tender steps.

Farewell fine tree, who's leaves I long to see.

Fussy, fashioned flowers.

The tenderness of all that's real.

by Donetta

Heroes

Well all packed up an backed into a spot right in front of the sewing guild door. The most wonderful elder man, his name was George, walked right behind me and noticed my load. He was so kind. I was wondering how I would manage all my load with the sewing machine, work bag and ice chest. This fellow offered help. I received with a grateful smile. I told him what I was up to. When I spoke of the V.A. Hospital he said "there were few fellows as brave as the medics". "They were the real heroes". He walked me all the way into the back room. Where I noticed that they had the room set up oddly. I turned to him and holding his hand with both of mine told how he was a gift to me today because my knee was hurting me so. Then I said to a lady standing there looking at me that "this fine man was a veteran" , He said "good- bye", and she turned to me to tell me I was a week early. The meeting is next week end. I smiled told her that it was alright my sister moved today and I was a little distracted. Got my days off by a week. She was to start her class in a moment I told her I would get right out of her way and apologized. The fellow in the scissors sharpening window stepped up and kindly helped me back to my car. I told him I was glad I hadn't made the two gallons of home made lemon aide. He loaded my old 1950's phaff and was fascinated with what was within its case . He was very intrigued for he too had a love of the old machine, the ones built like tanks. I was listening to a lovely CD of "calling all angles" music on my I POD all the while and I just drove home and did some shopping at a Costco on the way. Nice morning

George vanished.
"The real heroes were the medics of Vietnam." he said.
Makes me wonder...

Now years ago the Lord taught me that I have a ministry to the medical community at large. I did not like hearing that at the time for it meant that I had a journey that was very physically painful. I have had so many operations, and cancer scares, my body was ravaged by brutal hands my first 20 years of life.
To heal the Pain for those we depend upon to fix ours is a great honor and a privilege. I have been so many times under the knife to see doctors and nursed weep and heal. Fractures on my pelvis that disappeared only to have the orthopedic doctor fall apart in the exam room right in front of me and pour out his interactions with a physic. He closed his lucrative practice down only days later.
We have in who we are a duty to the Love of God in the world around us right where we are. It is who we are that He uses. We are created His workmanship. Be yourself today, Your true self. Do what you do with passion find joy in it it is our privileged lot.

"IN WHO YOU ARE WILL BE FOUND THE TRUE HERO"

It's the dog days of summer

The Queen Rena



Willy Wonka bar

AC and a cool drink. A dogs life ain't so bad :)

Re-tarping and roping the jungle gym

I had enough to also make a table cover. Now that I have my patio furniture out of the shed! The chair pads were my Dads inheritance to me. I am so glad I spoke up to get those well used. I have been up very early to read my bible now that I have a nice place again.
This is the new cover for the jungle gym. I found 6 yds? of it for 80% off when the fabric store closed down. I still have the grommets to install and get beloved to help me mount it. This was a big remnant all taped up and reduced to $30. I got it at 80% off of that!
We re-roped the ladder too. We used boating rope to save us some trouble. It was pricey $40. , it is my hope that it will "weather" better.


This is before.
I'll post the after when I get finished, I was also hoping to find some sealer for the red wood.

Little dove turns 10 this month.

This is the quilt I just finished for her.

She loves space exploration

This morning a drive to the grocery caused a moment of pause at 8:15 a.m. I thought out of the blue about this young mother and I was just told this evening that the baby was born at 8:15 a.m. Baby boy was born today.

His mother was an infant in my arms the day I married.

His parents are missionary and military folk who are passionately patriotic. Kids after my own heart. This is to wrap baby boy in. I just finished it on Sunday.

Christmas in July!

Isn't it Christmas everyday in our hearts?

My Arizona Sewers Guild meeting is this Saturday. We are making Christmas stockings for the V.A. Hospital. Cutting with a rotary cutter is great, BUT The electric rotary cutter, I purchased from my Sister, would to grow hair on my chest! Count them 8 layers so fast that "no one speak to me my life is risky"! FYI ( top photo) reversing your pattern layout will leave you with very little waist (don't ya wish it were that easy har har). In our city we are losing the fabric stores at an alarming rate and for we, who make our families clothing it has become a dieing art.

Corn field suprise!

We were driving home from our full day of Summer school, Dash Hawks therapy and a farewell visit (she does not allow good bye) to my Sister.
The children chimed "I wish we could walk through the corn field Momma", as we drove through the reservation ( I avoid the freeway, cause like Dash Hawk says it is not always free). I said "no"," its hot". Then I remembered who I was, i thought more of who I am and what I wanted to give them. Than to their amazement I pulled over and stopped. "Whats the matter momma?", Lets walk through the corn field, "OH BOY!" rang the chorus, "OH MOMMA!"
I showed them how to avoid the mud and then thought "so What" they get a little muddy boo hoo is it really something I need to stress about, this will be the last stop before home, and then I let it go. I entered a row a few feet and just let them walk in a few yards. "OH MOMMA!!
We then crossed the road to look for rocks to scrape the shoes "use it as I tool"I taught them.
There was a three foot wide two food deep water four foot deep from grade ditch full of running irrigation water. I encouraged them to throw rocks, and do the chicken dance to get the mud off the shoes. They were so cute. Then the jackpot not one but two balls a float in the ditch. Little Dove with her simplicity was not to be deterred so I showed her a search for an extension to her reach. I thought the use of a branch for a tool. Her ball a large smiley face seemed perfect and Dash found a blue one and we used the same "tool" The perfectly rake like tree branch that was feather weight from drying out in the sun.
I took them back over gave thanks and tore off a corn stalk each. We put those the balls into the trunk and after I washed them off with sanitizing wet wipes sat them down one by one and removed the shoes into the trunk as well.
The drive home seemed really loving the air in the car full of a wonderful contentment.
Upon our arrival home we removed the balls and shoes set them out to be washed and sanitized. Then the fun they each in their own was un pealed the corn ears. Little Dove had a new friend a green caterpillar she named "Pickle" and to my joy dash who slowly pulled back one section at a time made a new friend as well we call him "Batman " a black caterpillar. The corn is feed corn so we left it for our bird buddies.
Yes it was 110* My hat was on the seat from when the trunk had the groceries replaced it this morning. Yes it was very hot. The joy in my heart and the fun and pleasure of my children living my hearts desire out for them. Melted away the attitude that can be much worse than the temperature outside!

Little Dove in a Lie, oh the web we weave.

Last week little Dove was teased and made to kiss a boy. I was told that the other child was also extorting $5 if she did not give it she would be hung from the slide ,dropped and pounced on, that they were holding her by her finger and surrounding her as to get her out on the play ground to hurt her. She also told us that she was teased about being Russian and adopted.
I went to the school the next morning after keeping her out of that morning class and reported that to the teacher and she called me today to tell me that she had reported it to the principle.
She was to call the other parent of the gang leader to report the issue.

Tonight Little Dove heard along with dad and Dash Hawk the report of these things.
She then recanted the parts about the things in italics. I am so happy she came clean of course. She is now transcribing letters of apology to the three children and the teacher. She was just told that she will also be writing one to the principle. She freaked about getting kicked out for lying. I told her not for telling the truth she might get a little lecture though.
This is such a great lesson for her character and Steve and I slipped each other a hidden little smile. May she learn well, and bear the consequence of her actions with courage and dignity. To bear false witness is a BIG DEAL!

It was not OK to be teased or to be forced to kiss a boy, nor was it OK to exaggerate the truth.

POST SCRIPT

Little Dove practice great courage, eagerly looking forward to righting her wrong. She was afraid but wanted to get things aright. I was so glad to see that in her character.
What a fantastic lesson for her. I was able to handle myself so well that I had no shame I did not from rage at the teacher or the kids. I had expressed great concern over the other child if in deed she was extorting at nine years old.
The teacher and principle were both glad of it and the principle still was to keep Little Dove away from the leader of the pack. My Little Dove just follows like a tender dove to the slaughter. This is the hardest thing about her special needs.

The " Got a job offer" STRESS!

Last night ignition! Blast off ! here we go again!

Hubby had a temp offer for a job up in MT, All the peace and resolve left me for several hours. I got excited at the thought of maybe... I looked at houses and the kids got hopeful.. Reality is that it is most likely a temp. job not one with benefits. The offer even had a side line "poverty with a view"
I got angry again and thought about what I had read in James about my own selfish ambition bringing strife with the end of it sin. I had visited this trial and saw the fruit of it once, more than once. Then now again I saw the heat of irrational emotion rob me of my Yes=Yes and no=no. If we were offered 60k plus moving expense and benefits we would go. Otherwise it would be our loss to do so . Fact is without a miracle it is not likely to happen.
I went to beloved angry all but accusing him. Man again sin "ME I WANT GIVE ME" over powered me to the point of losing all my wisdom and falling headlong into my emotion. The fact is that WE have realized that for us the most important thing to stand by wise council and choice. To live and enjoy what has been afforded us is our best choice. I do not want to be governed by my emote!
I had a peace that up until then was really nesting in and realizing that the dream of forest for me was one to let go off in order to heal the things that were really my issues. Running into the thought of "the forest " kept me from the responsibly and pain of addressing the issues, trials and battles I have here this day to do. I would so rather let my mind go to a numbing fantasy that "it will all be better if I live in the trees". I thought only of all the positive of the forest and any negative addressed would anger me (they hindered the numbing of the fantasy).
Truth is I will still be me. I will still have the same issues and new ones to boot. I will live. It is here for now and one day perhaps there, But I have (we) 14 more earning years or so. I have two small kids who have allot of medical needs ( my pears are now grandparents). Health Ins. is a must. I have to walk this road there is no escaping it ( it is the path we have chosen). I need to take the kids to therapies, and deal with threats of ushers for Dash hawk, concerns for Little Doves vulnerability will be there where ever I go (special needs will not be made easier in the forest) even though I have tried to convince myself is would be .
I have had one major crisis in my life after another for over 25 yrs. Moving to the high country with all of its fantasy will not remove the reality that it would be another crisis. More stress that is just now easing ever so slightly. Now at a time when it is Gods gift to me to rest a while. My kids are in the top 3rd school in our district. I have a great home. Hubby loves his job and we have great benefits, even though he is pulling 50 hour weeks we are gaining our goals and earning a promises of a better standing in our future. If hubby was up in the high country it would still be 10 hour days plus and those unpaid in a car traveling home. We would have to pack up a large estate, that we have finally, now after 25 plus years have just the way we have always dreamed off. A very high price for a fairy tale forest to hold on to . Reality is that heat, pollution and other negatives may not really be so bad in the greater scheme of things. If the other stress ors were dealt better with maybe even the multitude of straws would not be so heavy on this camels back. So I will plan around the heat and in the fall I will give myself that garden I so long for > I will plant some trees in my yard and Hubby will just have to deal with them and learn not to complain about the responsibility of them. I'll save up for an orange tree for the yard and maybe a lemon too. We will have to set some goals to replace our 4=runner with a truck that can tow oue cobwebbed camp tailor up to the forest a few times a year. We will just have to take the responsibility to budget and save up for a meager camp trip to bring some ease and joy to our family and the forest, well we can go to it and enjoy the seasons that offer pleasure and not the dreaded suffering of the "snow". I will fix the things I cant stand, ask for and insist (with kind firmness) on the help I need to do the things required and learn to deal with the rest best I can.

Now I have a mate who is reasonable, who will take care to address problems. That is a huge blessing. Without that I know my test in all of this would be greatly compounded. He knows that he also is doubly blessed with me too. We are a team and with everything were are we will not threaten and mistreat each other. My husbands heart is for me. If I were to threaten him our marriage or the forest well them he would see that something greater is a miss for if a dream would cost a marriage who is in error? What is the greater issue selfish ambition or living for each other. I know hubby has OUR best interest at heart. If he could he would give me every desire that I could ever come up with but that doesn't mean that that would be the best thing for me. How many a marriage is distroide over stubborn selfish ambition that is only a bandage for the real heart problems of life.
It is time to let go of the fairy tale for me and face the truth of this day, GOOD BAD AND THE UGLY. Truth is for me there is a lot of beauty. I have been cultivating a better attitude and in so doing I saw a thief in my midst trying to cause within a hard heart. This thief within was removing my focus form the trial and afforded me some false comfort in the fairy tail. Dreams are good and important. Suffering is horrible and hard. It can ware us down to the bone. It can harden our hearts and hurt us so badly that bitterness replaces our true selves. Healing is the solve kindness the balm and restoration the cure. I have to grow up into the importance and goodness of this moment and all of those to follow. I can not let the process take "me, my real self" away. For everything is meant for my good because I have placed my love upon God. Psalm 91

Another wonderful thing about Summer in the Desert!

My two children are playing a board game. Remember those. Where they get stronger sportsmanship and turn taking skills. Yesterday we played Aggravation, the game. We joke about it allot when we play they can aggravate me and feel good a about it.
They had a half hour computer time. Our system is net worked. It is so wonderful watchiing and listening to them chase each other around in ciber space. They are being so cooperative this morning. It is so beautiful I just feel like crying out of the sheer joy of it.
It has always been my greatest hope that these two would always be best of friends. They will always have each other to depend upon and be fond of. Days like this I see it happening and I feel so great full.
They giggle and make voices for the persona's they are exploring.
This is truly wonderful.
Must get to chores, the AC is humming and the outdoor work done (scooped the poop). We have a play date after summer school today.