The Heart of the Home seeks to equip women as they study God's Word and encourage them to treasure God with all of their heart (Matt 6:19-21), and guard their heart (Prov. 4:23), by recognizing that they are the heart of the home.

I hosted the 101st Homesteading Carnival back in June, and I'll be hosting the 123rd edition of the Homesteading Carnival coming up on November 30th!

If you have an article/blog entry for the November 23rd Homesteading Carnival, please use this form before tomorrow afternoon.  It's being hosted by The Homesteading Carnival themselves!

This week's Carnival was hosted by Catherine at Seeds of Love.

Please let me know your thoughts!  Thanks!

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If anyone still happens to read this blog, I hope you'll take just a couple extra minutes and vote for me in the Bloggers & Tiaras People's Choice Awards at MomDot.  I've entered the pageant on my other blog... Anita's Antics.  I'd love it if you'd vote for me and then leave me a comment here (or on my other blog) letting me know you did!!!


Just click on the crown (below) and look for "Anita  http://anitamartin.wordpress.com ".  Then, check the little circle next to my name, scroll down and click the "vote" button.  Simple, fast, easy!!!

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When the burdensome moment passes,
And I turn for just a glance
At the mountain You have moved,
And the way that You helped me through...
I will revel in Your glory.
I will shout my thanks and praise.
I will treasure mountain moments,
As You straighten paths and guide the way.

When the mountain looms,
I cry to You;
I stretch my heart,
But still fall short.
Though I think there's faith,
I find the lack,
But it's filled by You
As You hold me back...
And move the mountain.

I will revel in Your glory
I will shout my thanks and praise
I will treasure mountain moments
As You straighten paths and guide the way.


A.D.W.    2009

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Today is a beautiful calm gray rainy day.  I love rainy days.  Everyone seems to settle down when the roads are quiet.  Even the birds are still.  It makes me want to curl up with a good book and a cup o joe or hot chocolate.  Of course, I am 'curled' up , or rather surrounded by hundreds of books here at my job.  Yes, I am still working in the library.  It's officially been 2 years as of last week.  I did however make a move in March to a smaller library when the manager position came open.  I love the new job, and the new position :)    But, that's not the biggest change that has happened this year. 
   All summer my heart was heavy about our 'homeschooling'.  After graduating two children and seeing them off to the wild blue yonder, I had felt confident that having only the two youngest, and girls to boot, left at home, that school would be a cinch and like little house on the prairie... only in our case... little log cabin/mobile home on the lake.   But something was missing.  The girls were 'bored'.  I was tired of it all and quite frankly tired.  ugh.  My health isn't the best and it was beginning to show in our school day.  I found myself more and more wanting to get others to teach them , anything.  From music, to sewing, to art, you name it.  Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed our time together and were happy as ever... but , not much learning going on. 
    Praying and searching, exploring options, talking with my husband and my girls.... all summer long.  End of summer came and I sat down with my son, now home from his second year in college.  Finding him confused and anxious was no surprise.  I had seen this before when my oldest daughter came home from her sophomore year in college.  Questions, so many questions, doubts, and confusion led to mere frustration.  I began to realize that the 'real' world, while still is the home, church, community - not a public school or institution, was bigger than my little cabin on the lake.  I had missed something in their schooling.  Yes, we are a tight family.  Yes, our faith is strong.  Yes, our love is deep.  But, somehow the children were not prepared for some of the challenges that would come their way. 
to be continued.......

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I've been busy at Anita's Antics and have neglected my "homeschool" blog.    I haven't forgotten about you though!

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I think it is only natural to think about people that you used to know at some point in time and wonder how they are.

For some it may be lost loves or family members. For others like myself, it is lost friends.

I do not know why it happens, but life takes strange twists and turns and before you know it you have lost touch with someone you love.

There are a few people that I have considered to be very close to my heart. I have been blessed to have a best friend at every stage of my life. But for whatever reason, I allowed life to separate us.

I do often think about my special friends who I feel blessed to have known. I wonder if they have families of their own and what their children might be like. In fact I do hope that one day I will have the opportunity to be reunited with them.

MyLife is a great place to start my quest to find my lost best friends. It is completely free to join MyLife.com and begin searching for your lost loved ones today.

Unfortunately, my search came up empty. But I am not going to let that stop me.

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There are a neat paint freebie available this week.

The first is a special paint that turns any surface into a dry erase board. I think this is the coolest thing I've seen in a while.

There are just so many ways that this could be used. I'm thinking it would be a great way to make a message board in the kitchen.

Hmmmmm..... The possibilities are practically endless.

Sign up for you free sample of Dry Erase paint.

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Last week was challenging, as we had an early frost.  We tend to be at least 10 degrees less than the low temp in town, but Tuesday, it was almost a 20 degree difference.  With a boatload of tomatoes on the vines, I didn't want to lose the crop, and picking them green would mean some ripening, but alot lost.  We got the area covered with tarps, and managed to avoid losing much.  The worst damage happened when the dogs got in, chasing a bunny, no doubt.  They got on top of the tarps, and took out some pepper plants.  Ugh!  Still, we managed to make it through the chill.  Things in the forecast look better for the next few weeks, so hopefully we won't have any more frost this month.

I've been able to harvest plenty of ripe, or nearly ripe, tomatoes in the last week, and have turned toward making salsas and sauces to freeze.  My canning skills are still a little lacking, but it's not too difficult to boil tomatoes and onion, seasonings, peppers, etc.  Give them a whirl in the blender, and voila!  My tomatillo crop got hit by the frost, although I do still have some production.  A friend recommended a mix of tomatillo and tomato for a tasty salsa, and I have to agree.  I have a plentiful supply of habaneros, and have been boiling a couple into my salsas.  Not near the bite that the uncooked pepper has.  Just enough! 

The frost took out my pole beans, as well as any remaining cucumbers.  That will about do it for the season.  We're working on an area that may be devoted to onions and such, but I haven't had much time to put into it yet.  I tried to get some broccoli and cabbage going, but I guess that bunny took care of that crop. 

We have 7 remaining turkeys.  The first of the 8 became the first to grace the dinner table when it developed a problem with its leg.  It was only 14 lbs after it was cleaned, whereas the broadbreasted bronze we had a couple of years ago was 30 lbs.  That one had nearly 2 additional months to fatten.  I have to say that it turned out quite well, and had very little fat.  It's a different result than with a store bought bird.  We have at least 3, possibly 4, Toms out there, and I'm interested to see where they weigh in and whether they fit in the oven. 

Soccer is still busy.  Two more JV games to go, and less than a month of season play for AYSO.  Plus baseball...ds is practicing with a group of highschoolers, and serving as bat boy during their games.  Mom is looking forward to a little break! 

That's the news from the ranch...cooler mornings, lower power bills, and lots of domestic activity as we preserve what harvest is left.  Loving the restful resting place we call home!

Blessings!

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This meme was started by Shannon of The Peer Review.  Here's the "basics" according to her website:

Loving My Husband Friday is for taking the time to focus on the positives of marriage. A time to build up your marriage and your spouse. Focus on something you love about your husband, something he did to encourage you this week, or just a tip on how to keep your marriage strong. Let your husband know you're bragging on him...everyone loves praise and accolades. Try to spend the rest of your week focusing on all the great traits of your spouse...especially when you're tempted to focus on the bad! And don't forget to pray for your husband and marriage as you write your post.

Has it really been three weeks since my last "Loving My Husband Friday"?!  So much has happened, and my hubby has been so helpful in the midst of it all!  Thank you, Sugar Pie! 

• My aunt & uncle passed away.
• I flew to DFW to be w/ my 'extended' family for a few days.
• My hubby stayed behind to care for our children and to work while I was gone.

I love my husband for being willing to send me to DFW to be w/ my 'extended' family and for being willing to put up with  take care of our children for several days (including a weekend) in my absence.  Thanks again, Sweetie!

You can read all of my Loving My Husband Friday posts by clicking here.

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Have you heard abut NASA's plans for early tomorrow morning?

Apparently Nasa is planning to send a rocket to the moon. But this time they are intending to actually hit the moon!

Does this seem a little strange to you? I mean do we really have a right to fire a rocket at the moon and damage it all in the name of science? And what if their plans go wrong? And how will this change the moon?

I understand what they are attempting to find out with this little experiment of theirs. They are hoping to find water beneath the surface of the moon. I for one am very curious to see how this goes and will be watching tomorrow morning news about how we attacked the moon.

You can read more about it here. And there is an interesting video called "Planning the Assault: Why Bomb the Moon"

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