Menu Plan Monday

Check out "Organizing Junkie"
For great Ideas for meal plans.

I will substitute beef I have in the freezer for the veal.
I will use some salmon I have for the monk fish.
I have some ground turkey in the deep freeze as well.
This is my "Eating for your Blood type" meal plan.

From the Mouth of a Babe

"Daddy Man" is out in the garage having a temper fit over a day under the sink when Dash comes into the garage and approaches him...and said "Dad your not the only one having a bad day, There are lots of people all over the world having a worse day than you"...
Hubby tells me he just had to laugh. This has been a very frustrating day for hubs his head hurts from all of yesterdays dust and well he has just been a challenge to be around to be kind.
We are able to laugh about it, but I'll tell you it was wearing very thin.
It is three o.k. and after four trips to the stores (three different stores) and less than $15. we have a new R.O. lines and the facet is repaired (if hired over $400. easy).

Make a simple Apron

As posted earlier today I have these scraps that were given to me.
I found matching mini-bias binding in my Stash o' Plenty.

After using the rotary cutter to achieve perfect match I pinned the bias binding. Looking through my Stash o' Plenty I found complimentary solids for the sashes. I cut two 4 inch strips for sash, and two 3 inch strips for neck.

Use care to be exact on this point to have a nice finished edge.

One finished with large buttons for the fun of color. The sash loops can hold a towel. I left the sashes long for the fancy effect. It just slips over the head.

Got this one done too.

What season are you?

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season Are You?

Abundant Fabric gifts and purchace.

Sandi gave me that beautiful pastel block print fabric many yards in it. It is rather heavy fabric calls for some special project. I have pants to make for Dash. My skinny tall boy. Beauty had prayed for some cow print back when we made that puppy. See the monkey socks. I'll make the kids some monkeys for Christmas. The stripe I got for $1 yard for t shirts for the kids. That yummy Pink in the background calls for an Apron for me! :).. The plaids will be great for a winter dress for Beauty. It has a nice matching solid blue. Thank you Jaye.

The Pastel green and print are so perfect altogether $1. yard. For a quilt maybe or a nice PJ.
The beautiful blue (upper left for dresses for me:)

There is a Ginger bread house, and several of the house blocks and fish blocks. The o'ld school house sacks are too cute! I might make some new kitchen towels.

Wow! the fabric you see here is mostly gifted to me by "Just a mom" Jaye. She and her buddy Sandi have been quilting up a storm. I went over for a visit and came home with a large part of this. Some of it I got at Wal-,mart for $1-$2 per yard. Put the greatest of it came home from Jaye's. See the pretty picture she gave me too.

Jaye had cut out pads for high chairs I see aprons!
Well I am off to a hot iron and a fun time sewing.
Enjoy your day.

Impromptu foot soak

Good Morning!

A 6:30 a.m. impromptu cool water foot bath.
Our IO system had a failing this morning. Thank the Lord it did not reach the Laminate wood floor!

I made eggs for Dash.
Then for myself I made some too but my way.
Look at the size of that beautiful Mushroom.

I scooped up the waters and secured under the cabinet. I then had to get beloved up to shut off the water (it was a slow leek).
Poor guy is suffering a bad sinus head ache for m all the dusting yesterday, Dash is coughing a lot too. I love Sunday mornings at my home they are so relaxed. :)
Even with all of this.

Sunday Smiles

One year ago.
Beloved feels this way about Willy on a daily basis.
Latest provocation.
Willy ate 1 pound of butter thawing on counter.
I think you can imagine what might happen when a big dog eats butter.

Attack the dust!

Hello! Good Saturday Morning to all of you.
It has been over a year that the dust build up in my home has been a problem. I had knee surgery over a year ago now. The upper shelves needed attention back then but I was not allowed to climb ladders. I still need to use high caution. My beloved attacked the dust on all the high places in the great room today. It is my hope that with both Dash and I having asthma,this will help us. It has been a real concern to me. With the allergic/hereditary emergency swelling happening so often and steroids keeping it at bay I had to push the priority of getting the dust knocked out!.Beloved worked all morning on it and I am so encouraged. It has bothered me for so long that I just almost got up on a ladder myself to tend to it.

I awoke late at 11:30 today. I sure needed the rest. My Love was at task for us. I am so appreciative that he just got after it. I have asked for several weekends and it just kept getting put off due to other events. Today was the day. Man all the stuff was just black. Dash is having breathing difficulties and coughing a bit. I am somewhat winded I know it had to really stir up the air in hear. I am resting a while while My Love goes on a couple of errands. He took down the left over decorations from Beauties birthday (in July!).

The items were all black with dust. I washed the fine things and "Love" took the others out doors to keep the dust down.

These are all some of the favorite things I have. The "tree of life" quilt and such. I love the children's poem print.

He vacuumed all the upper window frames. These are real dust holders. For living in the desert it is very dry and very dusty. I love the light that comes in these duel pain windows. I think they would be so lovely as stained glass.

"Love" even vacuumed the curtains and they are white again! It is so encouraging. I have been keeping the dust managed on the blinds only to have to redo it over and over because the upper levels just made a mess of all my work. It has been a very frustrating year of dust for me. knowing that my work was being sabotaged over and over again.

He is even removing everything above the TV and the dining hutch. It has been a lot of work for him. I am so happy to have this chance to have a really clean home again. It is such a beautiful building that it just seams a crime to let it get so bad. I know once all this dust is removed that we will all breath better. It is my hope that it will improve the problems I am having with the allergic swelling/inflammation stuff that has been hitting me so hard.

Once I get to feeling better I will be all set to decorate for the holidays to come.

I hope you are all having a great day!.

Photo Hunters *clasic*

1957 Pfaff 362

When you have a family life comes at you.

Carnival of Family Life

Carnival of family life.

The November 5, 2007 , edition will be hosted at Play-Activities.com. Don't forget to submit your post not later than this Saturday, November 3, 2007 , at midnight Pacific Time (note that Pacific time is three hours ahead of Hawaii time). You can submit your post using the link at Colloquium or Blog Carnivals.

When you have a family and life comes at you.

You manage it.

Last night ,once again we had the opportunity's to manage it.
We had bedded the children and were going to our own slumber early for us. Showered and in bed before 10 P.M.
Enjoying sleep is such a pleasure.The children learn much better and many studies affirm the importance of good rest. They slept well again now two nights in a row. We dim the lights early and have the routine running smoothing. We too are shutting down the bright lights including the monitors to help our system shift into a mode to rest. It is a bio-chemical bio-logical process we are learning how to respect.
Last night asleep early , showered and in my bed sleeping ,I awoke to my woven gown tight on me and got up to use the commode and shift my gown that would not fix into the normally loose fitted white cotton gown that is my favorite. Sleeping I noted the strange fit and laid down to shortly realized that I could not breath right. I noticed that funny feeling (on the left this time) of my face. It was swelling fast! OH MAN! NOT AGAIN!
So awaking my very sweet husband I reached over to an empty bed. I was groggy and felt again. So rarely in my 25 yrs of marriage had I ever felt him missing from beside me.
I made it to the bathroom and found the bathroom door shut. He was on the commode ill with an upset tummy. I asked over him and then told him of my present danger with the face swelling again. We tried to consider calling on friends. We live a long way from all of those who are so sweet to offer. It was of course midnight. For a moment I felt afraid that the ill will of those I had exposed were spiritually attacking us. I shared that fear with beloved who promptly shot it down. So after much consideration of waking the children to take them to the ER that hubby would either sit with them or have to take leave to take them home.We shot that down too.
Being a Family really pulls on all that is within you to do what ever it is that you are able . Even if you don't want too. So off again, Alone I drove the 21 miles to the ER. The nearby hospital is really bad. I had the same procedures and injections.
It happens in families that a hardness, a protective callus can cover the (what would be thought of as normal) so called normal panic and response. We have watched so many illnesses play out over 25 years that we just don't hardly even panic at all any more. This calm demeanor was once not so. Now it is however. I think there may be mercy in it. It could seem a little heartless. But life is about the other guy too. Beloved has a heart that feels and bleeds and is saddened when illness strikes. It is,as a family guard around our hearts protect us from unhealthy stress. Mothers must function when babies are sick, we can't afford to just fall apart. I see it like a safety valve for family's
Safety valves that protect us from stress overloads. What is truly marvelous is when we face these things and we have become desensitized to the point of a reassurance of faith. That faith is that God has us, each on of use in his protection. I know many of the early years, as a wife, hold the healing of those fears that can threaten the loss of your spouse. Fears of a traffic accident or some crime when they deviate 10 minutes from schedule. Cell phone stopped some of this for the last generation. When I was a newly wed it was not so. We had to trust through those silent hours, without a voice and a face so longed for. It was easier for us however then our forefathers and fore mothers who lived so far into a wilderness that weeks sometimes could separate hunting husbands from families.
This is a big part of maturing as a couple and as a family.
Learning to manage. Management is a processes of knowledge gained and implemented. Understanding is the begining of that. Understand your family members. Look into the lives of each one. Learn how they tick and you will see how best to serve them and to manage the surroundings, stresses and crisis.
It has been a remarkably full day of management. All is good. Hard times are stealing my mettle (my resolve) to manage my family and my life.
Be Embraced all.
I am back on cortisone and will gain an immunologist next week as I am able, to address these inflammatory events. I know God has me in the palm of his hand.

Making a Volcano, Enjoying your family.

Beauty has her third grade science project due tomorrow! YIKES

So in lieu of paper mache' I am going to use up some old Elmer's glue from our home schooling and party dates. It is working great for a hurry up job of it.
Make your foundations. I use duct tape on cardboard. It has two pieces of brown construction paper taped together then make a slanted tube of it. Tape it over a water bottle (empty).


So generously we poured and painted the glue layered the newspaper and so on.
Dash needed to get in on it so after I got Beauty on a role, I got him set up. I'll let them dry a bit. We all know they will not be dry by morning :) !
We will paint them this evening and let the paint dry...(thinking hair dryer)

It is 4:30 pm
O.K. I'm icing my back and my knee(with all I have done today the pain is minimal)... Chillin' out a few before the "Daddy Man" comes home. I hope with news of a bonus or raise... He works so hard for our family. I just stopped at 2pm and prayed for him during his meeting. I am so eager to see if his heart is up after work. It can be hard on him to overcome when they disappoint him. This company has been VERY stingy with raises across board.

Well now it is 7:30 and bed time story is under way Via the "Daddy man".
Tomorrow the world will feel the effects of Volcanic eruptions on the continents:)

Hubby caught me in the middle of thought.
How funny it looks like I'm asleep on my feet.

Jurassic period in Africa

Antarctic

Sewing Christmas Stockings

Accomplished d to the Sound track from "Spitfire Grill"
Thanks Hubby very pretty tunes.

I began these back in July "See Post"
These are the service project that The Sewing Guild is doing for the Salvation Army.
First I sewed all the stocking half's face to face together in a running assembly. Some needed to be pressed a bit. I have had them setting in a pile for some time.

Now my 8x4 rectangles, three inch ends face to face together.

Clipped and piled, set to match piles.

These fabrics were all donated. We cut it all out in July and so far I think the guild has accomplish around 500 for this Christmas. These may be the only gift someone gets this year.
Now fold wrong sides together of rectangles. Do not turn out stockings. the stocking wrong side out to the halved rectangles stitch all the way around ,Making sure that you catch both sides of the rectangle .

Turned and pressed

When you turn out the stocking it will look like this (at least it is supposed too :)

Now by turning down the collar you have a finished edge on the inside.

The trick on the collar is to half it put your hand in it and then the other hand and sorta roll it. It will find it's grain. It will know it's voice and the edges will come together on their own.

I like how I choose to use my time today that was fun. It was a commitment I wanted to accomplish. Now I can sew for my own family.
When I remember the Salvation Army of my childhood. The person who often delivered our food would hide fast so that my Mother could not see them on the porch. When I was younger and less wise I thought that it was my Mom's pride that caused her to chase them off and she would say..."I don't accept Charity", But now I see it was her dignity. Dignity is a treasure that poverty can leave you holding fast too.
Remember in your acts of service to save the dignity of those who you offer up your generosity toward. It may be the only treasure they have left.

Thursday Thirteen

13 things I am enjoying about my day today!

1. I woke and found so much pleasure in my children. They awoke early because Daddy and I are really setting a strong value on the rest we all should get. It is very important to the health of our family.
2. I can still feel the loving warm embrace of my Beloved and just to think of him brings me joy, pleasure in every thing I purpose to accomplish along side of him in our "lives become one".
3. My Husband will hear if he may be receiving a raise at work for his review was outstanding. I hope they honor him, he sure has behaved honorably toward that company.
4. I walked almost 3/4 mile today and I was able to do the abdominal isometrics as well as the glutes.
5. I went to Wal-Mart and hit a clearance rack of toys to fill under the tree for little expense. No bikes yet but the things I found were $2 for a monopoly game kind of things to use as gifts for others as well.
6. I got myself some mums to plant out on the entry and it is exciting to garden a little. I think I will incorporate the children's efforts.
7. I have so many things to create before me. It is very exciting!
8. I just had an apple and some walnuts as per my meal plan Healthy food is so YUMMY!
9. It is only noon and My time is my own! Chores and crafts and holiday preparations!
10. More photo journalistic post to come! :)
11. I have many irons in the fire, It is so good to be vital and involved in the lives of my family and friends.
12. The wonderful quiet and peace here is so divine! Just loving it!
13. I am not in any pain Wow! That is too cool!

Thankful Thursday

Good Morning!
Wow that was a differnet 31 st for me!
NO FLASH BACKS<>
Once it came close and it was different I had power over the mind so well. I felt like I grew up a lot. It was like well "IT IS FINISHED" is what comes to my mind. When it was spoken with such finality, and power. Firm and done.
I kept my word and told on them and now I can move on! I did what I promised I would do. I risked the wrath of it and overcame through my faith and the truth. I did what my own Mother told me too. I told on the deeds done in darkness.
That truth is setting me free!
I have never had such an ease of event passing as yesterday.
I feel powerful and strong. Like I finished a job. I told and I learned and I arose from those ashes.
Today is a new and wonderful day full of duty and joy and charge.
I have the lunches made, and the day is still quiet here all is asleep. The dogs are fed and calm.
Wow! I am so stunned at this newness I feel . Wow!
What are you up to today? Do you have a plan or project for the day? I have so many choices to do. So many wonderful bunny trails to explore and accomplish.
I rejoice in that Love that holds you and lifts you up!
My children both just woke up (6:38) happy and refreshed and awake.
Enjoy your day!
The light does dispel the darkness.
Donetta

Urgent Call to prayer for the children. Please.

Thank you all for your prayers this week. I am doing very well tonight.
Please pray for a little soul I know and her Mother, for she is in a struggle and is only 10 years old dealing with this.
This is a re post from Oct 23rd 2007

I suppose I risk offending.
It is my heart is to say that I really care about all of you.
I really do not like division and judgments based on religion. (the last post) This is what I came to on my 20th birthday. A kind woman who came to me, when I was in desperation asking God to show me why to live. She fed me as my body was hungry being with little food and faulty shelter. She laid an open Bible on my lap to this passage. I said O.K. God whatever you have for my life I am yours and I take it as truth, that YOU do love me.
My life turned around but not without a great battle and struggle to be free.
At this time of year my heart wants for all of you, SAFETY and REST.

So Please pardon me if I offend, but you matter more to me than what rejection I may face in sharing this text.

Safety in this present day and for ever throughout eternity be yours my dear readers. May God's peace and rest envelop your lives.

It is a few days now from when the ceremonies will begin. I weep inside with knowledge to great to understand on my own. So I ask all of you no matter your traditions of beliefs Please pray for the children in the sights of those who would worship another than the Living God. These children are in for a life stunting event and the people who perform such deeds are sentenced to an eternity that grieves me to think of happening to even my own greatest enemies. Please pray that they would turn from their deeds and repent. That God would even heal them. Sending legions of angels to battle over those lives in the cross fire.
I am weeping having known the price personally. I have in my recovery, many dear friends who could not bear the consequences of the harm done to them. Who's lives were lost to the devistation of the knowledge of what occurred to them. The lives now gone on before me, yet I live knowing the seriousness of this next few days. Please pray for me as the faces of memories are bolted behind the vial of love. This is such a hard time of the year for me. I feel so very lonely in this. I am so sad that the people are blind and ridicule me, and the truth as if it does not really happening. I know of a fact that it is still occurring. I am helping now a dear adoptive mother of a child who within the last 6 years had the same things done to her. This is real people. Please pray for her and this dear child trying to overcome the devastation's of Satanic Ritualistic Abuse. These groups are real.
I weep and pray and strain to stay in the quiet of the stillness, in the palm of HIS hand embraced as more than a survivor, an overcome! I still stand in the cross hairs of the spiritual evil that would desire my silence.
The light can not be silenced, but when even fellow Christians attempt to dismiss me I count it as loss to the glory of the great Most High who has the power to even in this overcome within me to cause me to speak.
Please pray for the children who are being dedicated on those stone tables of hell. I know that like myself they will be given mercy in the midst. I know that God will give them a spiritual way of escape. But to have to learn how to live after a life of survival and existence is harder than most can do. I do not want even one to ever have to know what I have known.

Good Day!

My dear loving friends. This year has really been a changing point for me. The study I did has helped me move from Feelings of dread and fear into a place of knowledge. I know what I believe and can think clearly through the feelings over what I experienced in my youth. I do have freedom. It is as if a veil is over me today and I am doing remarkably well. I have had no PTSD today No triggers or flashbacks either. I am grateful for all the loving prayers I feel bathed in. Sleep was absent last night ,but due to the steroids not the terror of the visions that once haunted my mind.

Well this is the day that the Lord has made and I am Glad in it.

No longer a victim of years past I now stand firm in the Knowledge of why I believe what I believe and the fear is greatly diminished. I had a wonderful in depth conversation with a young man who does some of the therapy on my knee and back. He asked some really good questions about the difference between religion and relationship with God. He asked to know what I thought of this holiday. I was ready with answer, for the first time not locking up in a false sense of threat. It was awesome!

I had a busy morning with the children at the school. I am so surprised that a good 80-90 % of the costumes k-6 were gory and gruesome and I was alright. I just kept looking at the eyes of the children thinking why would any parent in their right mind dress their precious kid up in death? The children were not very original at all. Maybe 10-20% of them had a little imagination in the dress up.

Dash was a hit! His robot drew shouts and comments in every room we entered. His face beamed with pride and he really felt good about himself. The parade wove in and out and back and forth through the school. His robot was the most original costume there. It was just a robot!? It was almost all witches, gruels and goblins and a few Elvira type. One little girl was an angle and a boy was a motor cross biker ( I liked that on a lot) ,I used to ride dirt bike in my glory days.
Sweet beauty was joined by several other Dorothy's but not so real the dress was so pretty and the others were costumes it really looked different. I stayed with the class Dash was in to help the little ones stay on the course so I missed out on Beauty today, I have to catch up with her when she gets home. I saw a bit of pride well up in me as room by room my boy was being raved over. I made that robot and people liked it. That was sorta exciting.

You can see these were the kids that marched through his class they had some cute thing on.

Tails from the scales Weel #5 +2

193 starting

191 week one

191 week two (at 189 on Friday)

193 week three

190 week four (189 peeked at me)

192 week five

Pregnizone after the ER visit last Sunday morning has effected me, candy and stress. Oh well.
Next week I sure hope to do better. I am able to walk around the block twice now! I walked all morning at the kids school. Therapy is going well.

Class Costume Parade

This is a stretch for me. It is the first time I have had to face this dilemma. I have been a home schooling mother for all these years. Until this year I was able to avoid these issues that I have found in the past so grueling. I supported the kids as to be a part of a whole at school in having a costume for the morning. We have our family night movie tradition with giant bowls of candy and quality time together. All lights off and we enjoy each other. However in the morning I will attend the school event to be present for the children and to assist the class rooms. I will feel better there with my eyes on them than at home not knowing what they might be exposed to. I am hoping to find fun and pleasure as I celebrate them.

Dash still needs the gray pants on and he will be set

Miss Beauty as "Dorothy"

Wordless Wedensday

A birthday gift I made her in 2002