The last 3 years I have participated in a craft fair in November. I started off with beaded bookmarks and fudge. the second year I did fudge, necklaces, earrings,candles, and rhubarb juice. This year I did fudge, rhubarb juice ( two kinds plain and also a raspberry rhubarb which was a BIG hit),candles-beeswax, knitted baby booties. I have worked up to this as my youngest got old enough for me to be away for two days with big brothers taking care of them.
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Each year I set a goal to try to reach. This year I wanted to earn enough to buy a grain grinder. I also try to go into the fair with having everything paid for. I came close to attaining that. I did earn enough to pay for my supplies, table, my goal and very close to buying more supplies for more candles that I will be dropping off at a local artistan store.
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I have been working each year to get something to help me make it easier to make healthier food inexpensively. Last year I got a Kitchen Aide Mixer and boy did that make my life easier in making food from scratch quickly. I am putting this out there to maybe help start someones wheels moving in brainstorming how you can make things that seem to be out of reach normally but can be attained with some elbow grease and a goal.
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I am very thankful God has helped me and my family in this way. I also have to say that I am thankful that this is only once a year. I sold twice as much as I did last year. God put in my mind to also sell raspberry-rhubarb juice along with the rhubarb juice. It was a BIG hit along with my fudge. I was very pleased how everyone liked my baby booties. I had stitched snow flakes on the toe and also I blanket stitched on the top cuff. Next year I will be making bigger kid sizes and some adult sizes too.
. I have to say that I couldn't be this pulled away for very much more. I love being a mom first and let this be a side thing to help my family in a short term. I thank the Lord for blessing this last week ends sales.
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Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....
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Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post. (each Tuesday that you join in on the fun)
I woke up to the sound of rain. It was a nice sound, pitter, patter, pitter patter, rain rain rain-
Rain?
I sat streight up in bed and looked out the window. Yes, it was storming-thunderclouds booming, lightning flashing. That was impossible! It never rained on the Castle of Lights, or anywhere in Mohagia! Not since that gnome had cast that wicked, wicked spell. I leaped out of bed, completaly ignoring the servant that was sleeping in on of her armchairs, "watching" me, and ran outside.
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There were already quite a few people outside watching it, my father, for one. he was surrounded by servants holding dusty old umbralla's over his head that they had somehow managed to dig up. The other people outside-servants, dukes, Jennie and my little brother Adley-had sun umbrellas over their heads. They were all laughing, smileing, enjoying thecool freshness, but for some reason the King was frowning deeply.
"If he frowned any lower, his neck would dissapear and anyone who saw him would burst out laughing." I said. Of course, I didn't actually say this out loud, but I may as well have because nobody was paying any attention to me. They didn't realize that I'm out there soaking wet, in my pajama's without a coat, and freezing cold. Sure, I was excited-the first rain ever since I was born! But its breakfast time! It can wait!
The Queen came out, and echoed my thoughts. "Fredrick, can't watching the rain wait? Look at poor Gwenny here, she's not even dressed!"
I nodded, trying to look sad and cold and pathetic, which wasn't hard. Jenny stared at me; she was barely dressed either and holding an umbrella over dad's head. They plain ignored her.
Dad sighed, and turned around without speaking to Mom or me and walked back to the castle. The servants made a flurry of movement trying not to let a single raindrop touch him. Mom followed him, along with the other servants, and pretty soon it was just me and the rain.
"You know, rain," I said sadly. "Maybe we should get together sometime. You're the only one who stayed with me. That must mean you like me, right?"
It rained harder.
I went in.
* * *
"But whyyy dooo I have toooo eat them?" Adley protested in his four year old voice.
I rolled my eyes. Adley would do anything for attention. Jennie crooned softly, "Adley, sweetums, just eat your toast and we can play in the rain, okay?"
"Okay," Adley's expression softened, and he started eating. I stabbed at my food, and then looked at mom. "Why is it raining?"
Mom stared at her waffle. "Now...now is not the time for questions, Gwen. Why don't you go to...to your room?"
I slammed my fork on the table and sat up. "Fine!" I said, and walked to my room.
* * *
18 of December, in the year Yam
Its raining! Can you believe it? Rain! It hasn't rained since that gnome gave a prophecy. I only know a bit of it, because I sneeked a quick peek at fathers diary. It was, "Rain to not come 'till...and that's all I saw before Mom dragged me away before I could read the rest. Well, I'm going to go read a book now, about fish. Fish are my favorite animal, did you know that?
Bye.
Homeschooling is fun because your kids can be so creative.
Here's what my kids have been up to: a very sporatic version:
Along with book learning in math and science the kids have been using computer skills to create CD covers, blogging, write their research papers, and do their newsletter. They have done interviews for their yearbook class, they have played the piano and sang at the nuring home, they are reading, Josephus for a biography and The wildrose of Lancaster; their grandma's book, along with numerous others. Emily has created a scrapbook for her sister and Mandy has worked with her horses. They created a filter for the dryer, and they made pumkin pies and created invitations. Isaac has studied chess, drawing, and outdoor life, bringing in numerous crazy ice cycles. He's collected rocks, and toilet paper rolls that become marble runs and towers. He's reading about camelot and rocks and minerals. He's learning long division, simple geometry, like pararalle lines verses perpendicular lines. In History they learn about the Boston Tea party and the intolerable acts, about Paul Revere and Abigal and John Adams.
Isaac has studied about wildlife animals, drawing some as he goes. In Bible the girls learn about being a proverbs 31 lady using the Far Above Rubies curriculum. Isaac learned about limericks and wrote one. He's doing homonyms in spelling and they all keep several notebooks including prayer journals, regular journals and story journals.
Mandy is writing analogies, one in particular I liked was about being a prisoner of the Lord.
Isaac is painting a play prop, and he created a game called Guess 20 that is really quite fun. Emily is gathering work to make money in the form of house cleaning and Mandy is studing on how to teach piano.
They have studied martyrs and about Elizabeth Elliot, Jim Elliots wife. Mandy has read the Tidwad gazette and has started a family budget.
The girls have learned all about dating in the Bible times verses now, the laws of marriage, the impact of unwed mothers and courtship.
We read aloud about the Louisiana Purchase and I learned a lot I didn't know.
Mandy studied Leprosy and Emily about acne.
They acted as seconds in a movie and watched a play about Treasure Island.
There is so much more such as playing with legos but that is the jist of this months learning.
Isaac makes a maze out of leaves! Then he charged 50 cents to do it!
Here is the first chapter of Optio et Pietas. I was calling the story Doom, and posted the first chapter as such, but now I've decided to make that the prolude, so if you want to read that, just look at my last post, it'll be titled as "Optio et Pietas prolude". The title of the story is Latin for "Choice and Duty"- the reason it's in Latin will be clearer further on in the story.
By the way, this story is really, really unpolished, and the first bit involves a lot of personal conversation, which I'm not very good at. If you have any corrections or better ideas, that would be really great!
HOMER
Casey stirred herself. Admittedly, Geometry was never the most stimulating of subjects, but it was only 7:00, she shouldn’t be falling asleep. Cursing and muttering, she gripped her pencil tighter and tried to focus her mind on the mysteries of math. Still her mind wandered over the dreams that were interrupting her sleep. It’d been three days since the thunderstorm, and yet variations of her wild nightmare were still rupturing her sleep. None of these dreams were as potent or clear (last night’s had been purely ridiculous and absurd) as the first, yet they all seemed to rotate around the same theme. Worst of all, they were depriving her of sleep.
When the dreams awoke her, she would lie in her bed for hours, at first because of the sense of terror that was still surging through her mind, but even after the panic rescinded she couldn’t fall asleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel the clammy mist crawling up her body, ready to pounce if she didn’t awake. The night after the storm, after lying in bed for three hours, she decided to take a sleeping pill. That night was perhaps the worst of all.
The pill took affect all right, and Casey fell into a deep sleep. Too deep. Drugged by her medicine, the dream ensnared her, terrifying and tormenting her mind. All sorts of variations of her dream would repeat themselves over and over like a scratched record, and the medicine prevented her from waking and ending the agony. After that ordeal Casey felt exhausted- she never was one for much physical exercise, but this sleep left her utterly drained. So it was that Casey felt there was no solution- warm milk, leaping sheep or sleeping pills were unable to ease her disturbed slumber.
Hopefully the dreams would go away. Casey remembered what one of her friends had said about sleep-deprivation self-help books in the library, and made a mental note to pick one out tomorrow, while she researched her debate topic. But for the moment, Euclid called.
In the quieted hush of the library, Casey spun round her computer chair and wandered off to the aisle with “A Good Night’s Sleep- How To Solve Problematical Sleep Disorders in You and Your Child”, which was among the self-help books.She was most surprised when she walked into the aisle, and found Damien Barque, a black-haired boy of about seventeen scouring the pages of “A Good Night’s Sleep” as if his life depended on it. Completely enraptured by his curious reading material, Damien hadn’t noticed Casey’s approach, an opportunity Casey was all too happy to exploit.
I have been absent from most of the internet world because I have been recuperating from an appendectomy. Before I went into the hospital I had told some of my Facebook/work buddies that I would make some copywork pages about thanks. I know these are probably late, but I am posting them anyways. There are actually copybooks with 31 pages of Scriptures and a blank page to have your child write their own prayer of thanksgiving. Even though Thanksgiving is only a few days away, giving thanks is timeless.
You may choose which style you need for your family:
I don't know where I've been, but I've just found John Piper! I had heard of him before, but finally clicked on a video of him about memorizing Scripture and now I am hooked!
Christianaudio.com has a free download every month, and for November, it is John Piper's book, Desiring God.
You can click HERE for the link, and also, sign up for their free newsletter so you can be notified of the next free download!
I burned the first chapter to a CD and listened today in the van on a long trip.....oh, my! So rich, so good! I actually put the print book on my Christmas wish list!
Here are a few gems (not verbatim, since I was driving--couldn't take notes safely! LOL!):
"God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him."
"Worship is not really worship unless God is treasured and enjoyed." WOW!
I would encourage you to download this jewel and listen and soak it in!
If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I LOVE the book, "The Heart of the King" by Ron Auch.
It is a devotional on Psalm 119--but it isn't "fluffy"--it is quite meaty! I am on my second time through it (I bought mine just a little over a year ago). It ministers to me so much!
It has a page per verse in Psalm 119--it's about an 8X8 inch book. You can check it out at Amazon.com HERE.
It is currently out of print, but when I e-mailed the author last summer, he said it would be reprinted. I certainly hope so, as it's a wonderful book!
So this copy will be a used copy--I am still waiting on it to arrive, or I would tell you its condition! I tried to get one in the best condition possible.
It is a wonderful book, and it will be one you treasure, I'm sure!
To enter this giveaway:
1. Will this be a gift to yourself? Or someone else? You don't have to say who, in case they read this blog, too!
2. My new friend at Give All Diligence has started to memorize Psalm 119! Maybe you feel that's a bit daunting to start--but would you commit to memorize one section of Psalm 119? A section is only 8 verses long. If you choose to take that challenge, you get an entry for it, plus if you check in and let me know how you're doing, you can get another entry--1 per day for this one.
3. Share a book or blog that has really deepened your love for the Lord. 1 entry per book or blog mentioned! Mention as many as you like, but no doubles! (Don't send me the same list each day--LOL!)
4. What will you do today to fall in love with Him more, the Heavenly Bridegroom and Lover of your soul? And if you have something different for each day, you may share and get an entry per day for this one!
5. Tell 3 friends, post on a forum or facebook, tweet on Twitter, blog about it---and come back and let me know! (Leave a link if you posted on your blog or on a forum!) You can do this one as much as you like!
This time I will run the giveaway through November 29, Sunday night at midnight--to allow a day off for Thanksgiving! I will announce the winner Monday morning, November 30.
Be sure to check back in so if you're the winner, so you can get in touch with me to receive your "jewel" of a book!
Our sweet Pumpkin has turned Four! Where has the time gone. I am amazed at how much she has grown just this year. She loves horses, ballerinas, pink, Bible Time (during school), serving dessert, and reading stories. She is a fun little girl with a heart that feels deeply and passionately.
We had so much fun at the Harvest Party this fall. I haven't had time to post photos until now. We played games, played in the barn, decorated pumpkins, ate yummy food and treats, and enjoyed the country air! Thank you Sikkema's.
The obstacle course. Decorating our pumpkin.
Our happy pumpkin!
Good friends competing in a "pie" eating contest.
Pickles didn't win but he finished it all!
Pumpkin was pretty serious about the "pie" eating contest too!
It was a cool fall evening when we tramped through the countryside to hangout with some other homeschool families from our church. It was a great evening of fun, food and fellowship! Pumpkin wasn't too sure about the cows in the barn and held her nose for most of the time but she warmed up to being in the same space as them. Pickles enjoyed the games and exploring the country with some friends. Momma and Daddy enjoyed the fellowship and yummy food.
Great Memories! Thanks again to all who organized it for us.
More talk about animals, birds and living and learning with them - what else can I say?
Feathered and Furred is in addition to our family homeschool blog and our new homesteadblogger blog. Check them out!
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The obstacle course.
Decorating our pumpkin.
Our happy pumpkin!
Good friends competing in a "pie" eating contest.
Pickles didn't win but he finished it all!
Pumpkin was pretty serious about the "pie" eating contest too!