Nov. 22, 2009 - Today's Fool Count

A wise man's heart inclines him to the right,
but a fool's heart to the left. 
Eccl. 10:2

Today's fool count: 60


Update:
That would be the 60 Senators who voted to continue down the path of a complete government takeover of our health care system.  

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Nov. 17, 2009 - A Homemade Christmas - Afghans

There is just something about homemade Christmas gifts that make gift-giving so delightful.  I love what Emily Rose said on her blog about homemade gifts -

"The one who receives the gift, sees the decoration, or enjoys the dish will know and remember that those things were not there because we ran out of time, but because we took the time."


This year I have definitely been taking some time to make my daughters both an afghan.  Not that I am taking my time and trying to make it seem special because it has taken me so long, it's just that I am a little slow with this project.

Last year after Christmas I was able to purchase yarn on sale so that I could make my daughters both an afghan like the one that their Great-Grandma Carmella made for my husband.  We decided I would alter the pattern a bit and make it more of a wave instead of a V shape.  After several months of messing with them, I decided it just wasn't going to happen; I had to keep count all the time while I was crocheting and it was not going very fast, so I unraveled all that I had crocheted and began again.  This time I went back to the traditional V shape and it has gone so much faster. 


I let the girls choose their own colors.  Emily Rose's is above and Breezy's is below.


One of the challenges of making gifts for family members in the same home is trying to keep them from seeing the gift while you are making them. Since I had the girls pick out their colors and it was going to be a bigger project, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to do this in secret.  As the blankets have "grown" I began to roll them up so the girls couldn't see how big they were and how much more I had to do.


One thing that has been fun about making two at the same time is that when I grew tired of the same colors over and over I could just switch projects. I used Vanna's Choice yarn that I bought at JoAnn's Fabrics last year; it is one of my favorite yarns.  The pattern that I used is called Chevron and I used this pattern as a base and then just made it much wider by about 90 stitches and I will not be adding any fringe.


Emily Rose is hosting "A Homemade Christmas" on her blog over the next several weeks.  If you want to join in on the fun of sharing ideas about homemade gifts and gleaning from others, you can click here.

Dates to participate in A Homemade Christmas:

• November 17th
• December 1st
• December 15th
• December 29th (wrap-up with projects/gifts we couldn’t share before Christmas)

The main/opening dates are listed above, but the linkys will be open two weeks after the beginning date so that you have plenty of time to get in your posts.

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Nov. 14, 2009 - Proverbs 14:1 Woman

Part of my daily reading of God's word includes a chapter of Proverbs, reading the chapter that corresponds with the day of the month.  While each of the chapters in Proverbs challenge and teach, when I come to the 14th day and read chapter 14 it always makes me......pause. 

The wisest of women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
- Proverbs 14:1

The second part of the verse makes me fearful: I do not want to tear my house down! So, what makes a woman wise? Where does that wisdom come from? How can one be wise? Does it just happen with age and experience?

God's word tells us that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.  Do I have the fear of the Lord? Really? Do I really examine everything I do in the light of God's word? 

The entire chapter of Proverbs 14 is full of teaching about wisdom.  Here are just a few:

The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way. v. 8

The prudent gives thought to his ways/steps v.15

One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil. v.16

In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence and his children will have a refuge. v.26

Prudent and discern are two words that I really need to make sure I understand. 
The 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary gives me the best definitions for these words - you can find their definitions here - prudent and discern.

So as I seek to build my house and not tear it down with my own two hands, I need to daily renew my mind with His word, I need to daily pray and plead for His wisdom and discernment, I need to daily build my house!

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Nov. 6, 2009 - a little peak

Want to read a little more about the creative process and thinking behind the creation of Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls and Noble Rose Press? 

Eyebright over at Defective Compositions graciously interviewed Breezy and Emily Rose about their new endeavor.  You can read that interview here.   

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Oct. 21, 2009 - Do Not Fear, but Trust in God!

Are you homeschooling your children, but living with fear about the outcome?
Are you thinking about homeschooling and the thought gives you "little terrors?" 

I remember years ago meeting a mother who homeschooled her children.... I didn't want to talk with her...I was afraid...what if I had to do that? What if God wanted us to do that? I just stayed clear of her and thought that would work....but God had other plans for us.

Within a few months of that meeting, we were homeschooling too....with much excitement mingled with fear.  I remember driving our little Breezy home from government school on that last day and checking my rear-view mirror for a police car. Were they really going to just let us do this? The school officials didn't seem to have any concerns about what we were going to do. Were they being serious or were they just biding their time until they reported us? Such were my fears. 

After a few weeks, I realized our home was different, it became peaceful, not rushed, not living on the governments daily schedule, calm.  Hmm.  My little daughters were playing together again.  I hadn't even noticed when Breezy started government school that my daughters didn't play together anymore.  There was the big sister with another life and there was the little sister who was "too little."  I hadn't even noticed it...it was so subtle.   

Fears about how to homeschool, what to teach, how to teach, and will they turn out okay quickly began to diminish as the Lord began to teach us to not fear, but trust in Him.   

We are in our last "official" year of home educating and I stand amazed at how God has taken our humanly weak efforts and blessed us beyond measure, building strong foundations for His glory. He has taken our short insights and stretched them long into our children's minds. He has taken our fears and given us confidence in Him. 

For a great insight into this topic of fear of homeschooling, Mrs. Victoria Botkin has written a lovely and encouraging article that you can read here at the Western Conservatory for the Arts and Sciences.
  

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Oct. 19, 2009 - More Paper Doll Giveaways!

I really will blog again about something besides paper dolls, but in the meantime here are two more giveaways for the Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls.

Dawn at My Home Sweet Home is hosting a giveaway through the end of October.

and

Monica at The Homespun Heart is hosting a giveaway that ends on Thursday, Oct 22 at 10 PM EST.

So head on over to these beautiful blogs and enter for a chance to win. 

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Oct. 8, 2009 - Daughters of His Story Paper Doll Giveaway!

Want to win a free paper doll set?

Sarah Mae at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee is giving away a set of Daughters of His Story paper dolls to 3 different winners.  Go to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee to enter, giveaway ends Friday at midnight EST. 

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Oct. 7, 2009 - Introducing Noble Rose Press!

It's here!

Our girls' new website is up and running and full of beautiful paper dolls.

Hop right over there and check it out at NobleRosePress.com

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Oct. 1, 2009 - An Amazing Adventure!

The past 2 months have been nothing short of miraculous!

From the start with a simple comment about "Hey, why don't you do some paper dolls", to the packages arriving by freight today, it has been just an amazing adventure. 


This morning the girls received 2 copies of each booklet of the final printing.  We were expecting the big shipment by freight at a local receiving dock later in the day, so this was a sweet blessing to get to see them early. 


Getting their first peek!


They finally get to hold the finished books in their hands. After working long days, 6 days a week for several weeks.......They're really real!!  


Here is a closer look at the books, they are so pretty and elegant.  


Breezy and Emily Rose holding the finished booklets! It has been a real joy and blessing to see the girls work together on this project. Only by God's grace has this all come together!

These will be available on their new website on October 7! There will also be a special Grand Opening Sale!  So check back over the next few days for more details.

Bless the Lord,
O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Psalm 103:1

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Sep. 28, 2009 - Please Pray for Chris Klicka & family

Please pray for home school leader Chris Klicka, his health has taken a very serious turn for the worse.  He has suffered with MS for years and has continued to encourage and fight for home school families through it all.  You can read more about him and his condition at his Caring Bridge site and at HSLDA's website.

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Sep. 24, 2009 - Where do you get your news?

Where do you turn to find your news?

Are they a reliable source or are they corrupt?

The past few years and especially the past few weeks has shown that the majority of mainstream media is corrupt.

Did you see reports on the March on Washington on September 12th? 
The picture at this link shows a panoramic view of the gathering.  It shows an enormous gathering of people who paid their own way to protest big government.  Somehow the mainstream media didn't consider it newsworthy.

Have you heard the scandal about ACORN and the NEA?  Go checkout biggovernment.com.  (If you are a young person, please get your parents permission before clicking on that link.)  Somehow mainstream media didn't consider it newsworthy (at first).

My favorite quote for the day, "BigGovernment.com is reporting the news so mainstream media doesn't have to."

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Sep. 4, 2009 - The Unveiling!

The girls have posted about their project so rush right over and check it out! 

Go here  and here.

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Sep. 3, 2009 - Little Ladies Playing

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Sep. 2, 2009 - Let the Guessing Begin...

After 6 incredible weeks of  work the girls are almost ready to share with you the "project". 

Emily Rose and Breezy will continue to post clues over the next couple of days so go ahead and start guessing. 

There's a give-away involved!

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Aug. 30, 2009 - My Daughters

Not the official photo, but I like it.
Now.......what do they need an official photo for?

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Aug. 28, 2009 - Back to School Sale

Curriculum Advice is on sale!  We listened to this set as a family this spring and we were so blessed and encouraged by both CDs.  Victoria Botkin gives wonderful advice as she talks about home educating  her own seven children.

The first CD features a heartfelt introduction by her husband, Geoff Botkin, and scattered throughout both are short segments featuring each of her seven children sharing a little of their perspective on their home education experiences. 

I wholeheartedly recommend this resource!  You will be blessed and emboldened to teach and train your own children!  Just click on the image above. 

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Aug. 26, 2009 - The Government Can!

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Aug. 17, 2009 - What are they up to?

"One of the values that we see in the home education movement as these young men and young women are getting their hands into things early on is they have the flexibility
to be creative,
to express themselves,
to learn,
to be entrepreneurial."

  -Doug Phillips, Symposium on Walt Disney

Breezy and Emily Rose, what are you up to?

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Aug. 10, 2009 - They notice

"A child won't notice" is a very bad and untrue phrase to admit into your mind.

 A child will be affected by originality, beauty and creativity.

And a child in a Christian home should connect being in communication with the Creator God with having been made creative, in His image.
Rather than creativity being squashed out it should be enhanced and developed because of being brought up in a Christian home, not in spite of it!

-Edith Schaeffer, Hidden Art


This quote encourages me to be more creative and share that creativity with my family.  It is a simple way that I can bless my family.

My friend, Sarah Mae, is one of the writers for the new (in)courage website.  You can go to this post to see what encourages others.

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Aug. 7, 2009 - Sweet Fellowship

Have you ever met someone in person for the first time and spent days with them and LOVED it? I mean the whole experience- the people, the conversations, the laughter, the joy of finally being able to talk in person- we loved it!   Last week Sarah Mae and her family came to stay with us for our own little retreat.

Oh my, we had so much fun. You know when you share your testimonies and talk about how the Lord is working in your life it makes for sweet fellowship. The Lord has been so gracious to both of our families.  He is truly to be praised.


Me, Sarah Mae, Emily Rose and Breezy. 

My husband took a couple of days off work so he and Sarah Mae's husband, Jesse, could spend time together, too.  I think they had as good a time as us girls.  When it was time for them to go home, the men had a harder time saying goodbye than us girls. :)   Iron sharpening iron!

One of our days together was spent going to the Creation Museum near Cincinnati, OH.  Below is a picture I took of one of my favorite signs at the museum.







Emily and I in front of the raptor exhibit.  This is another of my favorites at the museum.


Jesse and their two oldest children walking through the gardens at the Creation Museum.


We spent the majority of the other days visiting either outside under our big oak tree or at the computer while Emily Rose and Sarah Mae worked on the design of her website.  I am sure the rest of us were somewhat of a distraction since we were all talking so much.


 While we talked  the children played and romped around.  I really enjoyed having little people around again, my girls have grown up too fast.


Here is the youngest cutey-pie of the bunch. These little ones are so blessed to be growing up in a family where they  will be loved and nurtured in the Lord. 

 
Sarah Mae with my young ladies. She is really as authentic and loving in real life as she is on her blog.  What a blessing it was to get to spend time together.  It was indeed sweet fellowship! 

It is truly amazing how God can bring families together! 
 

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