A Beautiful Calling - Homeschool Blogger

Keeps Me Busy

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:29:00 -0600

This beautiful family of mine is what is keeping me busy and I wouldn't change it. I know that I will have time for blogging, but right now I must tend to my family.

This is not a good bye post, but just letting you all know I'm still here, but my time is limited...

The days and nights are full, but I have so much to be thankful for.
The Lord is good!

Haven't forgotten....

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:48:00 -0600

I haven't forgotten about my blog, but can I just say it has been busy around here. I have pictures and posts I hope to do soon, but this week just seemed to fly by without leaving me any time for blogging, maybe next week will be better.

Baby is doing well and growing, we are so enjoying him. He is 5 weeks tomorrow. He is smiling and cooing to us, which is so adorable.

School is going well too.

God is good!

Until next week....... ( I can't promise though)

Apples, Apples, And More Apples

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:10:00 -0600

This past week we have been doing a bit of applesauce every day. Yesterday morning, we went apple picking with friends and had a lovely time out picking apples for applesauce and apple cider.

Doesn't he look thrilled with this large apple?!

Another happy helper, although she had more fun running around then picking up apples.

Climbing the tree

My big girls picked lots of apples!

Taking time to nurse the baby. All the fresh air must have tired the baby out, because he then sleep all afternoon yesterday, he just woke up to nurse and then went right back to sleep.

Sleeping peacefully

Our willing, yet careful helpers.

They were delighted to be able to help with this, they were very careful too.

Filling the jars....

Removing any air bubbles

And here is the pretty pink applesauce! It is so delicious too!

Been Busy

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 20:34:00 -0600

I have been soaking up newborn sweetness. Our days have been full and I am feeling quite well. Baby is doing very well too. As of last Wednesday, he was 10lb 2oz. He is a very content baby boy and receives lots of hugs and kisses each day.

First smile to be caught by the camera!

Wide awake...

Sleeping again... he does do a lot of that. :)

I feel so blessed! I hope to share his birth story soon, just haven't had the chance to sit here at the computer long enough to type it out, but it is coming soon!

Just wanted to add... We thank you for all of your sweet comments! We are so very blessed and enjoying our new baby very much.

Precious Baby Boy

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:58:00 -0500

Just minutes old.....

Taken during his first day

Day 3

Oldest and youngest

Big sisters loving him, K. gives him the sweetest kisses.

Biggest brother

Big brother, he is delighted to have a baby brother, that is just what he wanted!
Another "bay" (that is how he says boy)

Big sister in awe of her baby brother.

Having a newborn in the family is such a sweet thing. We are doing well, I am resting lots and snuggling baby. It is relaxing for me, since my parents are living here with us right now, I haven't had to worry about much. He is nursing well too. God is good!

It's a Boy!

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:47:00 -0500

Just a quick note to let you all know our precious baby boy was born this morning at 2:39am, weighing in at 9lb 9oz and 22 1/4 " long. He is beautiful and we have named him Micah, still deciding on the second name. We arrived at the hospital at 1:30am and we arrived back home shortly before six. I will post more later sometime, but birth went well and we are all rejoicing here in the goodness of the Lord. He heard and answered my prayers concerning labor and delivery.

Today, I'm planning to snuggle dear little Micah and rest!

Happy Homemaker Monday

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:58:00 -0500

To join in please click
on the above button!

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Overcast and a chance of rain, plus it is cold today!

One of my simple pleasures:
Seeing the children working with daddy
Hearing our youngest "read" stories
Feeling our unborn baby's movements - not long until we meet this new little one. Ticker says 5 days! I'm hoping less than that.

On my bedside table:
I know these are also the same as last week. I just can't read very long before I fall asleep!
An Encouraging Word
TEACH Magazine
Bible
Tea Leaves - a devotional meditations for women
Keepers At Home
Family Life

On my TV:
No TV here

On the menu for tonight:
Potatoes, squash, green beans, salad and fish or a chick pea dish. We are keeping it simple, even though it is Thanksgiving here.

On my To Do List:
Today, my husband is home because of Thanksgiving, so we are getting lots done around the house like bringing in firewood and doing some cleaning and organizing in the basement. Also dear hubby is planning to put in a toilet in the master bathroom this afternoon. Yay!!
I washed the rag quilt I just finished for my husband
Do a load or two of laundry
Write a letter or two

New Recipe I tried last week:
None

In the craft basket:
One skirt left for daughter, I have been sewing skirts here when I have a chance! Six done so far...
Culottes for girls

Looking forward to:
Meeting our new baby, it is coming closer!
Riding Cinnamon, our horse, once baby is born and I'm recovered and rested.

Homemaking Tip for this week:
Include your children, they love to feel needed.

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
Right now, I'm not sure....

Favorite photo from last week:

Lesson learned the past few days:
God cares for me.

On my Prayer List:
Husband
Children
Extended family
Wisdom and patience for each day as I teach and train our children
Up coming labor and delivery of our 6th baby. This has been really on my mind, prayers appreciated!!

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

This morning when I read from Tea Leaves, it written by one of the ladies just after she had her first child. I thought it was fitting to read that, even though I'm due with baby #6, we all know how we feel just after birth and when looking down at our baby.

Dear Lord, fill me with your peace and give me strength and courage for the labor ahead of me. Thank you for this new baby; we are so looking forward to meeting this new little one! In your Son's name, Amen.

A Blog Award

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 19:55:00 -0500

I was surprised and blessed to receive a blogging award recently. Thanks again, Naomi!

I would like to pass this award on to.....

Martha - I have enjoyed knowing you online for a number of years now, you have been a blessing to know.
Amy - Am always blessed when I visit your blog and read the thoughts you share.
Emily - Have enjoyed getting to know you recently and peeking into your days.
Becky - Thankful to know you in real life and would love to get together more often.
Tereza - Enjoy peeking in your life and reading your honest thoughts.
Danielle - Have enjoyed your blog and getting to know you during this past year. It was fun quilting online with you!
Shelby - A dear friend! We need to stay in touch better.

Seven Interesting Things About Me

1. Always dreamed of being a wife and mother when I grew up.
2. Met my husband when I was 7.
3. I was home schooled all my schooling years, except for one.
4. I'm a quiet one, love meeting people, but never know what to say.
5. Would love to visit Barbados again, been there twice already!
6. Needed braces, I was so afraid of docors and dentists too.
7. I am a country girl

There are a few rules that come along with this award. To accept the award I have to do a few things:

1. Thank the person who nominated me for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on my blog.
3. Link the person who nominated me for this award.
4. Name seven things about me that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate seven blogs.
6. Post links to the seven blogs that I nominate.
7. Leave comments on all seven blogs letting them know I nominated them.

Bringing in the Harvest

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 20:30:00 -0500

Yesterday, we harvested the last of the garden. Actually not quite, just remember that tomorrow we need to bring in the squash. We first went out to pull up the carrots, but the children were getting along nicely with that, so I decided to go and dug up the remaining potato rows. I called N. over to help me with that. It was ok to dig, but bending down (remember I'm 38 + weeks pregnant) to pick the potatoes was not so easy. We didn't have a bumper crop, but we are happy with what we did find. They were a decent size, considering how wet the garden was.

Here I am with N. helping me.

R. was taking the tops off the carrots. We have a hamper full, but I still need to sort them. The really small ones we will keep for our horse. The others I hope to freeze.

Part of our onion crop. They did well and some are quite big!

I took this picture just this evening. It was rainy and overcast here all day, but then the sun shone through and it look so neat outside.

It almost seems hard to believe that another summer has come and gone and we are now into the fall already.

Simple Sewing Instructions for Skirts

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 19:49:00 -0500

Just thought I would share instructions for sewing up simple skirts for your girls without needing a pattern. A good friend told me how to do this.

1. Pre-wash material, dry and iron.

2. Measure hips at widest point - hip measurement plus 6" divide by 4 - this is what the top measurement of the skirt will be.

3. Decide on length of skirt and subtract how much you want for ruffle.

4. Fold material as needed to obtain 2 pieces as follows - for my girls I just folded the material in half, since it is corduroy both pieces needed to go the same way, so I couldn't fit two skirt pieces across. (one going up and the other down) Some material is wide enough to do so. With this skirt piece the top measurement is 8 1/2" and bottom is 13". You can make it however full you would like it to be. As you can see the one corner is rounded just a bit. For this skirt - length is 20" and ruffle is 10". We like the wider ruffle. One side of skirt is along the fold and the other is the cut edge.

5. Cut 2 ruffle pieces 1 1/2 times the measurement of skirt. These were full wideth of material.

6. Cut 3 1/4" waistband, fold in half and iron. Again full wideth of material, just cut off excess after sewn onto skirt.

A pic of all the pieces

7. Sew a narrow hem on ruffle pieces.

8. Sew two rows of gathering stitches on top of ruffle or use your gathering attachment on serger. I just was recently given one of those (gathering attachment) and do I ever like it!

9. Gather and attach ruffle to bottom of skirt.

10. Sew up one side seam.

11.Attach waistband to top of skirt to form casing for elastic.

12. Cut elastic 2" less than waist measurement, thread elastic through casing and secure at ends.

13. Sew up last seam and you are all done!

P.s This is a different skirt than the one above. Haven't sewn up that one yet. Hope to do that tomorrow. You can also make the skirt without a ruffle, just make your skirt length longer.

Please ask any questions if you have any.