God bless America

Liberty is a Gift!

Sunflower Heart

Last night while with my friend I awoke my heart.
I walked by this magazine and felt alive when I saw this cover.
My heart leaped and I am listening.
I will be doing the kitchen and art studio in this type of pleasure.
I will have a sunflower day.

Thankful Thursday

Refreshed.
Knowing what I have need of.
Knowing my heart better than I.
Loving me beyound any measure.
Dressing me in HIS spender I see the reflection of myself in His eyes.
I weep with the truth of the beauty I see.
I am loved.

Spending the evening with my dear friend ,I remembered who I am.
I saw my artisic soul sitting there awaiting her turn.
I saw the thrill of color.
The color of the thrill.
Chickadee and sunflower shine.
She smiled with me my friend, laughed and cried.
Appalled by the lack of humanity we were human with and for each other.
Delighted and reshed.
Humbled and beloved.

A new day.
Today my hair has been cut for the first time in 30 years.
All of you close to me may think... 3 inches max.
For you have known me to hold on.
This adventure in letting go of my home and not having to loose what I have,
has caused me to let go of my hair with a remarkable ease.
I cut 8-9 inches off. Yep me...
I am beautiful.:)

The children are spontaneous.
Dove cut her hair today like Kit Kidridge in the movie.

Dash has a little boy cut too cute!

They are free
as am I.
I just did it!

Just like them... I decided too, and just did it!

Works for Me Wedensday

Kids Laundry
"Kids get hangers"...
I lay out the shirts flat each person has their own pile.
Then fold the pj's and shorts.
Stack under ware flat.
Make a pile of socks and then match them.

Place hangers in shirts as they lay flat.
Just bend over then when all of the stack when every shirt has a hanger in it
"kids come here"...
"I need runners..."
Then they each take their own clothes to the closet and hang it up.
Some days Dove lays out her shirts and Dash tuns his right side out.
Then each takes the stack to the respective drawer.

I don't fold shirts because I find it is just a big mixed up mess in a drawer waiting to happen.

By sorting like small items and letting the kids stack them they are able to develop fine motor skills through repetitive action.

I use recycled clip hangers for pants and find hung clothing is easier to sort though.
Folded clothing just gets to messed up.
Hung clothing also stays nice and wrinkle free.

I read a wonderful quote today.
"doing for children what they can do for them self's make you a burden."

5 items or less theme.

Peanut Sauce
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup Tamari or Soy sauce
1/4 Molasses
1teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

In a small saucepan whisk together, heat through, but do not simmer or boil; cooking can cause the sauce to curdle.

This sauce was amazing over broiled chicken last night!

also check out last weeks works for me here.
I have some savings ideas.

Wordless Wendsday

baby pine cones very sticky

ants

Kick the bucket with the Apron Queen!

Well here is a new weekly carnival for you. Over at the "Confessions of an Apron Queen"

It is a good thing to think of all the wonderful dreams and desires we might have. This intrigued me. I need to "Dream". If I were to find that my life were to end soon I would make a list of what I might what to do before my end. I have done many things I desire. Now with the goals of becoming debt free the desires don's seam so impossible.
There are many things I have done and so now it is time to "DREAM"

I wanted a man who loves God and a home of my own. This has been so for over 26 years now.
Well of course after waiting 16 years for Little Dove and 20 years for my Dash Hawk anything is possible. I am a Mother. That life long dream is being lived out.

Dream...?
A romantic getaway with Beloved.
A vacation get away with the family.
I have always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon.
I have always wanted to drive a VERY fast car on a race track.
I have always wanted to grow my own food. Or at least pick it.
I have longed for a rest in the forest.
A beading studio/ sewing room. Mine is in boxes in the garage.

I often glance at those books of 100 things to do before you die. They intrigue me, but I never pick it up to purchase it. I always felt that those things were just way too far out of reach. If we sell or if not and continue to pay off the mortgage these thing could be possible.

Tackle It Tuesday

Good Morning!
"I think I can make it now
It is gonna be a bright, bright, bright sun shinny day!"

I went for a early morning walk with Dash done
My Honey is off with his lunch. done
My chores are rather caught up for the first time in as long as I can remember!
Today I have the bills to write out.
The master Address list to type up
I would like to have some shirts ironed up for my Sweet heart.
Sew Lady Love onto my Bible Bag
Read my Bible some
empty the dish washer done
Do some of the kids laundry (I finished ours yesterday!)
Make a meal for lunch another for supper. done
For lunch Dash had Elbow macaroni and bottled sauce
Dove and I had left over cut up hot dogs and Boston baked beans

On the menu for supper
Grilled chicken with Peanut Sauce
With coconut clove sushi rice
Carrots with ginger
In the desert I try to do all my cooking and hot chores before 1P.M. in the summer time
Utilities are cheaper.

Peanut Sauce
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup Tamari or Soy sauce
1/4 Molasses
1teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

In a small saucepan whisk together, heat through, but do not simmer or boil; cooking can cause the sauce to curdle.

I set this aside and will use the micro wave to reheat it tonight.

I used the 14 oz can of coconut milk
1 cup 2 oz of water
1 1/2 cup sushi rice ( this is a moist sticky rice ideal for rice pudding)
1 teaspoon of clove (yummy sweet)

I will broil or grill the chicken breast on bamboo sticks tonight.
Carrots With ginger

Make some cookies or muffin or something. Use what I have to create for the family wonderful savory things to enjoy.
I need to grind flour. I have a grist mill out in the garage.
I need to write out the list of curriculum I have to sell. List other things that we can sell as well and begin to clear out the garage .
We are going to sell our camp trailer, so we need to set up a time to empty it and take photos.
Work on advertisements.
Beloved needs to see when our storage contract is up. We need to tow the trailer home.
I will be reviewing the idea of setting back up my sewing room and art studio. It is one more week until we sell or stay.
Research different budget form types for a zero budget where each dollar is a signed a place.

Gods glorious Will Be done!
His loving lessons be gained.
Freedom be had!
:)

I just feel good!

I feel interested in life!

I think I am getting over the hump of the bio chemical imbalance. The depression is breaking up. Yesterday I felt motivated and happy all day. My good friend Julie is home safe from Africa. I had a day of her presence here. It was wonderful to fellowship over coffee, laundry and child care. We are so at ease together.
Beloved and I worked some on the budget and have a plan to set a course with high hopes to have all debt paid off on the medical and a small savings set up by December. The Federal refund came in yesterday and It will buy us the life insurance on him (HUGE relief!), and pay a large part of Doves braces off. The economic stimulus check may pay off the braces and a good part of my implant surgery percentage. We are over joyed at the thought of a goal to have an emergency savings set up. Inch by inch. Then we can raise the percentage of our 401k and get our savings retirement up to a better momentum. We have a small start on the kids college fund, then it will be our quest to start attacking the mortgage. We have a strong plan.

This will take a lot of hard work.
I will try to sell what I can and clear out the things we no longer have need or desire of.

Now selling is so hard for he and I.
It is not in our nature to do so.
So much easier to just give.
This will really exercise us in big ways.
OOOooo..... Character muscles:)

Shout out to you Lisa B

Hay I would love to get together soon. Trisha too. That would be fun to do! Lets go out this week not on Wednesday. Michelle, I hope you can feel better soon I would really miss your presence.
Call me guys.

Menu Plan Monday

June 29, 2008

Monday: Vegan Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with Cherry compo

Tuesday: Chicken with Peanut sauce, Sushi rice with coconut milk. Gingery carrot salad

Wednesday: burgundy pepper Lamb tips, slaw with bell peppers

Thursday: Salad, boiled eggs, cucumber, tomato?, misc greens and homemade croutons.

Friday 4th of July: Salmon, rice pilaf and fresh fruit.

Saturday: Tacos and burritos for lunch and then Turkey enchilada's from freezer and homemade re fried beans for supper.

Sunday:Hot dogs for lunch and Chicken poopers for supper.

Church Family Pool Party

Last evening between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
We all met for a fun time at a local public pool.
It was a beautiful evening. A bit of a dust storm passed over and the sky was so amazing!
We also have a river bottom fire in the south west the sky was so pretty and the smoke was at a far distance so it did not disturb the play.

This is a wonderful shallow shore for the little ones.

Little Dove and Dash to the right. They had a great time. I swam with each child as did the Daddy man.

Dash liked the little kids slides at first.

But...Then he got a taste for the slide on the right. It had a shallow landing pool. The other one had an 11 foot deep pool and I did not try that one. I went down the one on the right and my bottom touched the bottom when I landed. The kids went over and over again.
Few Moms or women swam. I was one of the very few who dressed out in a suit to swim. It does take courage to when you think of it. If your chubby it is embarrassing, and if you look great it is embarrassing cause all the men star and the women hate you. Ha! So I just decided to enjoy my children and ignore the rest.

They had snacks set up in this area. Many people came. These all go to our church with a few neighbors and guests mixed in.

The sky was amazing. It really felt much cooler once wet. I got cold at one point and it felt wonderful. With it being evening hours it was shady so Beloved could swim. He can not be exposed in the sun for long. He has vitaligo and burns easy. It is a cancer concern if he stays out too long.

Dove met a friend and played and had a great time.

Dash was enjoying an Indonesian snack someone brought. It was a rice type crunch (shrimp) flavored disk. I love he trys different things. He even wanted to know where Indonesia was.

Beloved Met up with a Brother that used to study with him.
We had a really nice time. I even relaxed knowing there were life gaurds on duty.
I was refreshed by a few moments of letting go and giving the charge of the children over for a few moments. I met a couple of new people and a few other said hello.
It was a wonderful social.
Funny thing without my glasses (took them off to swim) I coould not see clearly and faces were a blur. So I was waved at but did not see who it was. Later they approched and said hello.
Dash was ready to go home. It was past his bed time and he was tired. The children slept soundly and we are all at peace this morning.

The Realitors report.
I stopped by really quick and read the lockbox manually. That agent who said he was going to show the house last weekend did not. I apologize for hisrudeness to request that you leave and then not follow through with theshowing.
The agent who showed it Saturday this weekend said that it showed nicely but that it's not on her client's short list. The agent who showed it today said that his client didn't care for the floor plan and would have preferred more tile and less pergo.

So... so far we have one more weekend. Our contract is up on the 7th. We will see...

A sweet Morning gift from Michelle

She Who Writes Own Story can be purchased at link

Michelle sent this sweet lady to me today, She wrote...You once bought me one of these - she who believes in herself. I was browsing the artist's website and found this one - she made me think of you.

Thank you my friend, I remember the ones I found for you and Jewell's. This is so sweet. I love the poem of her.

My morning is one of worship today. This was a real treat and a treasure.

I love you.

Sunday Smiles

Lady Love has found her place.

I finished the fringe tonight.
I played around with the idea of a necklace art work but she found her place.
This is my Bible bag.
The perfect place for Lady Love.
I will make some hooked bobbles to dangle from the zipper pulls and gradually do more work on the bag.

She is on the back of the bag.
I did not want her to be on the flap because she would get a lot more abuse.
Besides love discreet is more beautiful :)

Meme about my kids

I have been tagged by Shawna over at Scamps place

1. Link your tagger and list the rules on the blog.
2. Share 7 facts about your kiddos on your blog…random, weird, funny…whatever you want!
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post
4. Don’t forget to let the tagged people know!

1. My Little Dove is a great orator. She recites every word , word for word of any show she loves and adds all plot and direction of movement and will engage other kids into her drama. She is an amazing savant (almost) in this.
2. Mr Dash Hawk and Miss Dove are the kindest little souls. Dash asked me today what my favorite thing was and why. I told him kindness. That it is power. He asked if he could write strong because it was easier to write. He asked for more detail and I told him living that way causes life to go well for me.
He is very attentive to lesson. He and I walk in the morning and he is learning all the plant names. He wanted to know where I learned the names of plants and I told him I used to garden. He wants to learn more of them. Always questioning always.
3.Dove has the most beautiful handwriting. She was taught home schooled by Handwriting Without Tears for two years. Her penmanship is so beautiful and she is very pleased with the skill. She still spells creatively by it looks so nice.
4. Dash is really infatuated with his mom right now. I am the best mother in the whole world and he likes me, loves me and "everything two times! It is the sweetest time with my son right now. He says "I love you so much and not just cause you cook me eggs, mom"...
5. Dove is gaining independence. She made her first pony tail in her dolls hair last week and felt so good about herself. Her fine motor skills are engaged (she is almost 11). She is so happy that I found another surgeon. She is very appreciative and calmed down dramatically. This little girl is thoughtful, kind and respectful. She is very socially orientated and loves to offer support to friends. She has an interpersonal intelligence that is intuitive and compassionate.One little boy who is having a hard time with some bully kids ...she told him to tell them to stop mumbling... To stand up to them. She is very well loved by her teachers and has the underdog for a friend most often.
6. Dash is Mr Popular. He is a social "Billy Gram" of the character arena. Living the Gospel and drawing the other kids like butterfly's to nectar. His teacher is so amazed to meet a child who has so many things going for him. She has told me that this is most unusual. She said he is dynamic, intelligent and popular. For his intervention assistance they did an IQ test and Dash was completely off the bell curve. We will be doing extra curricular no choice. In first grade he does some 3rd grade level work. He keeps me hoppin'.
7. My children are a gift from God I waited 16 years of month after month not conceiving for my sweet daughter. She was so ill that she was made a expedited trip home.

This baby (Dove) is 6 months old , very tiny. Russia.
I waited 20 years for my son after almost seeing the dream die after 911. I was one of the first Americans to get into and out of Russia that Decmber to get Dash Hawk home.

This sweet boy is under 10 pounds at 7 months of age. Russia.
Six weeks later I had to have a radical hip to hip hyterectomy for end stage endo. My son was in my arms before I lost my uterus. God is full of mercy.
My daughter and son were both longed for , prayed for for many years. They were a promise God gave me that came true in His time. I love being their mother.

Where have all the manners gone?

Hello!
Well I got 15 hours of sleep yesterday I passed out (well practically) at 5 p.m. and Mt U came in and gave me my medications and a bowl of cereal at 10 p.m. and I slept through until 5:30 a.m. where upon Dash woke me with..."Can we take the splint off now mom?" I removed it as per the ER doctor advice and put him in a warm bath , the sticky little soul. He has full range of motion and he is alright! Praise God and all of His merciful goodness.
My day started with the migraine that ended the day before , but I took a "big Guns" medication and slept 2 more hours on the sofa and felt able to take the kids to class. WOW what a ride.

My post title well...After a very full day (yes another one) of Basket ball , a play date at the mall (the new Lego store) waiting 30 minutes to just enter the store.I was driven (by my girlfriend) back to our community then I drove the kids home. I had the children clean up and after they built there little creations we tidied the house (thank God!)
So tonight I fixed a meal, washed up all the dishes as I went along (again thank God) at 8pm! Yes 8 PM
I get a phone call that they want to see the house at 9 AM Yes!
9 a.m!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh arg. rude RUDE rude!
So the house is now undergoing the final tidy so we can all go out and sit in the heat tomorrow morning while they come to see it.
They better buy it! :)
Their Realtor told mine, that they wanted to start early and avoid the heat. Ours is the first house they have on the list. I hope it gives a lasting positive impression.
Prayers please :)
So with a promise too my Beloved I will attempt to rest. I have only the floors tomorrow. I do not think it right to have my children here when the buyer come to view the house. Even though they say they do not mind... I do. I think it could be traumatic for the kids. So off to the neighbors. Well the house is pretty clean tonight except many loads of laundry due to the crazy week. Mr U said we can just put it in the back of the truck! Now why didn't I think of that? Works for me.
Ha!
I found a new surgeon for Dove
Dash's arm is alright
My head is better
Mr Uncommon is exhausted and so will help in the morning.
At least someone is looking at the house.
I really look forward to selling out and living more simply.

Aloha Friday

Whats your favorite summertime meal?