http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/search/label/Daybook~November

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...it looks and feels much like winter, cold, no leaves, but there is very little snow on the ground.  We are expecting several inches the first of next week though.

I am thinking... what a wonderful Christmas we are going to have.

I am thankful for...my mother.  We have always been close, but as we get older, God brings us closer.  She spent the last week and a half at my house, and what a wonderful visit we had.

From the learning rooms...we are studying Spiders and the continents.  I think the boys are enjoying the spider studies more though (and what boy wouldn't?)

From the kitchen...today I'll be making  Turkey Pot Pie and some fresh bread.  I'm thinking I'll make two pies, and freeze one for later use.

I am wearing...a sweatshirt over my purple pajamas.

I am creating...Christmas stockings.  Mom made each of the children a stocking, and I embroidered their names on them.  I am also learning to knit.  Mom and I found some wool yarn on sale at Joann's last week, and she showed me how to knit while she was here, so I am trying to make a knitted pair of wool pants for Sarah (also called longies).

I am going...no where :)  The children have no appointments scheduled for the week, and I've already been grocery shopping for the week.

I am reading...Daniel, chapters 3 and 4.  I didn't realize this, but apparently King Nebachaneezer went crazy and lived in the wild like an oxen for 7 years before he acknowledged our God.

I am hoping...Sarah begins to settle down better in the evenings.  She is terribly fussy come around 6 at night, wanting to nurse all the time and be held.  I am wondering if she could be cutting teeth. 

I am hearing...Sarah is crying and Garrett is softly hushing her.  Coy is in the shower, and I am hearing Randy travis sing a hymn.

Around the house...we have an air mattress on the floor which needs to be put away - my brother and his hunting buddy spent the last few days at my house while hunting deer.  They didn't get one, but htey seemed to enjoy themselves. 

One of my favorite things... watching the children come up with gift ideas for family and friends.

A few plans for the rest of the week: sewing, crafting, and baking Christmas goodies.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...this is a picture of the pants I am trying to knit.  You can find the pattern here: http://alison.knitsmiths.us/pattern_baby_bell_bottoms.html

Blessings,

Hope

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/search/label/Daybook~November

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...the sun is shining, there are no clouds, a few brave people are walking briskly in the 20 degree weather
I am thinking...of how much I love my husband
I am thankful for...God's grace, and how every moment he refreshes me
From the learning rooms...(if this applies) we will be finishing our study on mammals - the children will be making collages of mammals and labeling important mammal features, and we will further study Thanksgiving, along with the other studies.
From the kitchen...I intend to make some cereal for hubby - a friend shared a recipe for Homemade Grape Nuts, and he loves to snack on it.
I am wearing...(embarassingly admitted) my pajamas - it is 9:32 in the morning - but for the record, I've gotten the dishes done, the porch cleaned, the floors cleaned, the living room done, and 2 loads of laundry completed, so I haven't been doing nothing!
I am creating...longies to sell on my etsy site - I have about 25 pair to sew this week, and I need to embroider some Christmas stockings, and finish some tote bags I have cut.
I am going...shopping on Black Friday.  Mom is going with me, and Calvin has agreed to keep teh 3 older children.  I'll bring Sarah with me.
I am reading...Daniel and Proverbs
I am hoping...praying for patience today - I am feeling overwhelmed with the house, and the children are really rambunctious.  I am sure God will give me the patience I need.
I am hearing...the hum of the baby swing, and the children are watching Dragon Tales on PBS
Around the house...we have put plastic up on 2 of the windows upstairs - I'll go later and put some on my bedreoom and the bathroom windows (the plastic gives an extra layer of insulation against the cold).
One of my favorite things...watching Sarah smile.  Calvin and I lay in bed last night watching her smile and listening to her coo...it is truley amazing to watch God's chiildren grow.
A few plans for the rest of the week: cleaning, schooling, winterizing the house, baking bread, sewing, shopping, make apple something....
Here is picture thought I am sharing...a few of Calvin's favorite pictures:

Blessings,

Hope

I heard from Ms Wanda this morning....baby Isabelle was abandoned at the hospital by her mother.  Her mother returned the other day, wanting her baby back.   Isabelle has been placed with Wendy and Monte in foster care through DHS.  Permanent custody will be determined later I'm sure.....please continue to pray that God's will be done in the life of this sweet baby, and in her birth mother's life.  And pray that if it is God's will, Wendy and Monte have their heart's desire fulfilled and they be blessed as forever parents to this child.

Blessings,

Hope

My children love it when daddy is away, and since this doesn't happen often, it is a real treat when he does.  It isn't that they don't love their daddy, in fact, they adore him.  But, when Dad is away, the kids and I pile up in one room - we used to all sleep together, but now that Sarah is in bed with me, I feel like 2 half grown boys with a baby and momma in bed is enough.  So the other night, we flipped a coin and Garrett won who would sleep with momma the first night.  Coy made a pile of blankets on the floor and slept there. 

We spent at least an hour talking about what we could give Daddy for Christmas.  The boys came up with some really sweet ideas:

• Molasses cookies, wrapped in tin foil with a red ribbon
• A new dress shirt
• A new tie
• I plan to have them make him a little booklet complete with drawings and their own writings about why they love daddy, and their favorite things to do with him! 

I can't wait to present him with his gifts Christmas morning and watch the tears well up in his eyes - he is a bit of a sap when it comes to things like this.  The first Christmas we had Coy, I found this poem about a daddy taking his child fishing and has it printed on an 8x10 picture of Calvin and Coy fishing for catfish with the pond in the background.  He must have cried and laughed for 10 minutes over that.  This photo has become one of our most cherished ones!

Blessings,

Hope

I have a dear friend back in Mississippi, Ms Wanda.   I  met her when attending church in Richton MS, but my husband has known her since he was a child...his mother and Ms Wanda were good friends, and Calvin went to school with one of her daughters, Wendy.  This past year has been spent in prayer for her daughter, Wendy, to concieve a child.  Wendy has struggled so with infertility treatments, and then with loosing a baby after conception.  My heart has broken for Wendy on many occasions. 

But now I am overfilled with Joy.  God has blessed Wendy with a daughter, Isabella.  She was born 11-15 and weighed 6 lb. 9 oz. 

As I was reading the email from Ms Wanda telling me about her new Granddaughter, my heart sang and tears filled my eyes!  I called my boys over and read it to them, and their eyes lit up.  Garrett began jumping around singing "Ms Wendy has a baby, Ms Wendy has a baby!!!"   What a reward to see God bless someone, to hear an answer to our prayers!

Blessings,

Hope

We bred our dog the first of October, and she'll be having her puppies soon - should be the first week in December!  We are getting so excited.  It has been amazing watching her belly grow.  And she is really acting like a pregnant being - grumpy and lazy!  All she does is get up from one spot and go lay down elsewhere, and since she likes to be by me, if I leave the room, she looks at me like I'VE done something wrong since she now has to get up and move!

Here's an old picture of her.  I'll try to snap off some new ones, and show you all how she looks!

Dixie is an English Springer Spaniel, and she is a great bird dog and loyal family guardian.

Blessings,

Hope

Today is a bittersweet day for our family.  Today marks the 'anniversary' of Caleb's new life...the day he was brought home to be with the Lord.  Caleb is my brother in law, my husband's only brother.  He had only begun his life, when the Lord called him home.  I say he had only begun because he had been married a mere 3 months when he passed.  He was in college to be a Deisel Mechanic.  He was just starting out his adult life. 

The night before Caleb died, I had worked the night shift, so I was sleeping when the family called to tell us.  I was awoken to my husband jumping on the bed screaming and shaking "He's Dead!  He's Dead"  I still get tears remembering this.  I couldn't understand what Calvin was saying.  I was so startled, and then I heard it again, loud and clear....and I asked who...and he said "Caleb!!Caleb!!"  I don't know how long I laid there holding my husband as he cried like never I had seen before. 

We made the long flight home to Mississippi a few days later.  And we struggled through the funeral.  But through all this loss, at a time when most people will crumble and curse God, I witnessed a rebirth like I have never seen before.  Famly who had stopped attending church rededicated themselves to the Lord.  Family who held grudges against one another grew closer.  I witnessed my mother in law become the strongest woman I have ever seen, all because she trusted God, and she leaned on Him during this time.  I saw my husband grow even more into a strong father and brother.  I saw my sister in laws trust in God like never before...and felt a closeness to them I had not felt before. 

I encourage you to give your burdens to the Lord.  Don't carry grudges or hurts.  Don't let Satan steal your joy.  Trust and believe that GOD is in control.  That GOD reigns over your life.  Allow GOD to reign over your life - the happy times and the sad times.

Blessings,

Hope

Okay, some of these I've just driven through, but they count!

Alaska	Alabama	Arkansas	Arizona	California
Colorado	Connecticut	Delaware	Florida	Georgia
Hawaii	Iowa	Idaho	Illinois	Indiana
Kansas	Kentucky	Louisiana	Massachusetts	Maryland
Maine	Michigan	Minnesota	Missouri	Mississippi
Montana	North Carolina	North Dakota	Nebraska	New Hampshire
New Jersey	New Mexico	Nevada	New York	Ohio
Oklahoma	Oregon	Pennsylvania	Rhode Island	South Carolina
South Dakota	Tennessee	Texas	Utah	Virginia
Vermont	Washington	Wisconsin	West Virginia	Wyoming

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

Blessings,

Hope

Does your family have a fire evacuation plan?  A few years ago, it occured to me that ours didn't. 

The drill goes a little like this:  The boys are given blindfolds to wear.  They go sit on the beds in their rooms and pu thte blindfolds on.  When they are ready, they let me know.  I stand somewhere downstairs out of the way and scream 'FIRE, FIRE, FIRE".  The boys are to scream 'FIRE, FIRE,FIRE" as well, to alert the other members of the house that there is a fire.  The children are to climb out of bed and get on their hands and knees and crawl to the steps.  At the top of the steps, they are to turn around and climb backwards down the steps.  If they meet each other at some point, one is to hold onto the other as they come down.  At the bottom of the steps, they need to find the doorknob, open the door and get out of the house.  From there, they are to go to our nighbor, Heather's house.  She is usually home.  If Miss Heather isn't home, they are to go to Miss Susan's house.  IF Miss Susan isn't home, they are to go to Miss Susan's sister's house.  They are to BANG on the neighbor's door until the neighbor wakes up and calls for help. 

As a teenager, I lost my house to a fire.  The fire was due to an electrical surge, and started around 9 in the morning, so the only one home was my younger brother, who got out without a trouble.  We did loose a few pets, but they were minor losses compared to the devestation of being temporarily homeless.  I've thought back to this fire many times, realizing with a cold chill that had the fire taken place a few hours before, I don't think us children would have reacted well.  My family had never had a fire escape plan.  We wouln't have known what to do, other than try to get out.  We wouldn't hav eknown you need to stay low since smoke and heat rise.  We wouldn't have known to cover our mouths with our shirts if there were too much smoke.

I encourage you to devise a fire evacuation plan for your home, and to practice it.  Expect the children to laugh (it is kindof fun to be blindfolded and go down the steps backwards!).

To reinforce firesafety, the boys 'play' on this website:

   http://www.sparky.org/

Blessings,

Hope

FOR TODAY...
Outside my window...it is dark now, and cold.  The leaves have all fallen except for a few clinging to the branches. 
I am thinking...how I should keep up with The Simple Woman's Daybook better than I do.
I am thankful for...last evening.....Coy (my 9 year old son) and I sat on some rocks along an OLD OLD fence row under some powerlines waiting on a deer - never saw one, but spent some nice quiet time together, and we were together during the first few snow flurries of the year!
From the learning rooms...tomorrow we will be deconstructing an old VCR/DVD combo which has eaten way too many VCR tapes!  I am sure the boys will think it is the coolest thing ever to see inside it!
From the kitchen...I need to put the beans away....hubby made a pot of red beans with Partridge in it...yummy!
I am wearing...my super cozy 'I wish I never had to change' fleece pajamas.
I am creating...some baby washclothes.  The colors are so pretty!
I am going...no where...the kids haven't any activities right now, so we are spending lots of time in schooling and time together.
I am reading...children's books.  Tonight we read one about a Moose who has a horribly long Moosetache! (one of our favorites)
I am hoping...Sarah begins to sleep on her own for a few hours between feedings...she's been in our bed, and though I don't mind it, I would like to sleep soundly now and then!
I am hearing...the washer and dryer is running.
Around the house...there is a bag of wool yarn hanging on my front door....Mom and I bought it super cheap at Joann's - normally it was over $5 a skein, we got it for $1.30 a skein...it was on sale, then I had a 10% total purchase coupon!!!  What a deal!  (I'm going to really commit to learning how to crochet - or knit - this winter, and the wool is for a pair of longies or at least a cover for one of the girls!)                One of my favorite things...a good cup of coffee....I don't mean that Starbucks stuff...I mean a cup that makes you go 'mmmm' and feel all warm inside....preferrably drank with alot of sugar and cream and still in my jammies!
A few plans for the rest of the week: sew some 'Baby Legs' for my nieces - they are very similar to the leggings from the 80's, but they are snug fitting, and you don't scrunch them down!
Here is picture thought I am sharing...  all of us!  Mom snapped this photo the other morning before we left for church.

If you wish to participate: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings,
Hope

In preparation for Thanksgiving, I've been googling sites with information about this wonderful season:

A few Worksheets

http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/misc/thanks/

A few sites with really good lessons about Thanksgiving

http://www.plimoth.org/kids/homeworkHelp/pilgrims.php

http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/

Thanksgiving Proclamation by George Washington

http://www.ashbrook.org/articles/washington.html

 Thanksgiving Crafts

http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/thanksgiving.html

Blessings,

Hope

Here is a  lesson plan which does a good job explaining how God works on us, using, of all things, a pumpkin!

I’ve rewrote this lesson plan from it’s original, to simplify it for younger children and to include many of the common salvation verses. The original can be found here http://www.annieshomepage.com/halloweenlesson.html

Feel free to copy and paste this into word and print it out – or you can print it directly from here.

 For this lesson, you will need one pumpkin, a large bowl, and a knife.

Start by talking with the children about pumpkins :This is just a pumpkin.  A plain,old pumpkin.  It is like all the other pumpkins.  It is orange, round, and has seeds inside. 

 Who here wants to carve a pumpkin? 

 Did you know we are like pumpkins?  God is the carver, and we are the pumpkins.  God wants to take all the nastiness (sin) out of us.  Do you know, there is one who wants to take our sin away? 

 Revelations 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

 Does anyone know who that verse is talking about?  Who can take our sin away? (allow the children to answer God) 

Acts 16:31 …”Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

 We all need Jesus to come into our hearts. 

 Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”

 What does God say about sin?  What does God say about accepting Jesus into our hearts? 

 Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

 Ask the children for examples of sin.

 Do you know there is only one way you can get to Heaven?   John 3:5 “Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” 

 And only one person who can get you there?

 John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Start carving the pumpkin’s eyes.  We are going to make this pumpkin into something complety different than it was before, just like God does for us.  While carving, describe some of the ugliness that God takes away from us. 

When we allow Jesus into our hearts, we become a new creature.

 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

 Put a candle in the pumpkin and light it.  God wants us all to let our light shine, so that others can see we are Christians.  How can we let our light shine? (by telling others about Jesus)

Matthew 5:14- 16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Sing “This little light of mine” with the children.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Shine all over

[name of town]

I'm gonna let it shine
Shine all over

[name of town]

I'm gonna let it shine
Shine all over

[name of town]

I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

And of course, have a closing prayer.  Ask if any of the children would like to know more about welcoming Jesus into their hearts.  Pray for and with the children.

Blessings,

Hope

How does your family celebrate Halloween?  Or better yet, how do we as Christians emphasize the importance of NOT celebrating Halloween to our children?  I do apologize if this should offend some who participate in Halloween.  Offending is not my intention here.  Sharing the work of the Holy Spirit on me through God’s word, and an alternative to the traditional Halloween are.

Deuteronomy 18:9- 13 "When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.  For all that do these things [are] an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God."

1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

All appearance - that can be a tough pill to swallow.  Especially when you have little ones who can't see the evil in Halloween. 

We have decided this year to start a new tradition - we allowed the children to decide where we would eat out, and tonight we are taking them out to eat. We are doing this to avoid the trick or treators who will knock on your doors even if all the lights are off in your house.  We also hope to distract the children so the won't be thinking and complaining not being able to trick or treat. 

God Bless,

Hope

This clay dries REALLY HARD!!!   If you mold it in your hands too much, it will become sticky.  be sure to poke holes in it to make beads BEFORE it dries, or shape it into figures and paint them once dry.  You can also roll the dough out and cut it with cookie cutters.

Keep it Clay
This mixture dries VERY hard great for making jewerly like beads ect.

1 (1-pound) box baking soda
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cups cold water
Food coloring (Gel is best or leave it plain and paint later)

Mix baking soda and cornstarch together then add water. Cook and stir over low heat until consistency of mashed potatoes. Remove the dough from the heat and cover with damp towel until it is cool enough to handle. Use for play dough or jewelry shaping or roll it out and cut with cookie cutter to make decorations.

Sore in an air tight container

Blessings,

Hope

Today, I am having a Mom's Devotional followed by a craft for the children.  I would love for this to become a monthly event.  I posted a notice about this on two of the local homsechool yahoo groups I am on, and several ladies contacted me saying they wished they lived closer.  I am sharing the devotional that God gave me with the hope that it touch someone's heart. 

The Value of a Mother

As mom’s, we can often feel overlooked.  We may even feel neglected, or under appreciated.  Our daily tasks of keeping our home in order, tending to family finances, preparing meals, and keeping harmony within our family can wear on us.  We can find comfort in the Lord, because HE knows the plan he has set before us, and before our children.  God gives us some guidelines for parenting, which can strengthen us in difficult times, and steady us in easy times.  

God calls each and every one of us His.  He knows us before we were even concieved he knows our children too -

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee...” Jeremiah 1:5 Often times we forget from whom we came…from God.  It is only through His creation of us that we are here.

While we often think WE are in control, we aren’t.  Proverbs 16:9 “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”  If we step back and give our life to God, all aspects, great and small, he will continue to guide us, and with him leading, we can follow peacefully.

We are to trust in God in all aspects of our lives: Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”  There is a great comfort in knowing that God will provide for us.

Be patient with our children: Ephesians 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” – This goes for us mothers as well.  Beside this verse in my bible, I have written the words ‘Don’t yell Hope’.  Shamefully, I admit I have a tendency to yelling when I become upset.  It is very humbling for me to go back to this verse and realize this is an area I need much growth in. 

Give our children to the Lord – the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:20 “Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord”…  she dedicated this child to the Lord, and at a young age (the bible says after he was weaned), she left him with the priest to be raised so that he would serve the Lord…. could we do that?  We have a hard time trusting our children with a babysitter, and we worry when they are with family, anytime they are away from us.  But Hannah trusted her child to the Lord, trusted that he would be taken care of. 

Teach the child God’s word – Mark 10:13 “ And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them, and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer [allow] the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.”  Surely we as Christian mothers allow our children to see God, but are we doing everything we can to show them God?  Do they hear us pray to him?  Do they see us read our bible?  Are we setting the example for how they should live their lives on?

Blessings,

Hope

 For Today...

Outside my Window...it is awful dreary looking, overcast, dark clouds, bare trees (most of the leaves have fallen)
I am thinking...about how wonderful our weekend visit from my brother's family was
From the learning rooms... we're using Saxon Math again this year - something I don't care for at all, but, because the program is very effective, we continue to use it (and, my MIL endorses it :)  This year though, it is different.  Coy has started on Saxon 5/4,and it is laid out much simpler - we're both enjoying it. 

I am thankful for... the work I see the Lord doing in my sons.

From the kitchen... I am making Pumpkin Leather

I am wearing... as usual, jeans, and a Tshirt.

I am reading... not reading anything specific this week.

I am hoping... I am praying... for friends of mine who are in Bible School, that the Lord gives them clear direction for their paths, and that they are able to lovingly submit themselves to his will.

I am creating... I have so much I WANT to create, but finding time for myself can be tough!  I have diapers to sew, and diaper covers, I have some bibs I want to make, I want to try my hand at needle felting, I want to make a wool purse....
I am hearing...the theme song from "The Waltons"

Around the house...the washer is running - again - does it ever stop?  I've gotten to the point of checking the children's clothing to see if they really need washing!  So often they wear something and change, and it isn't dirty.

One of my favorite things...is roasted pumpkin seeds!  I have a memory that comes back to me every year from when I was in elemenary school.  Every fall, my mother would bake pumpkin seeds once we carved our pumpkins.  I would take a little sandwich baggie with some pumpkin seeds to school.  I don't recall any of the other children's mothers doing this.  I always shared mine, which can be hard when you only have about 1/4 cup of seeds!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... I have a pile of clothes that needs mending, some baking, some grocery shopping, a doctor visit for Sarah as well as for me.  This Friday night, we are taking the children out to eat, and we'll do something else...we're just not sure what yet.  We are doing this to avoid all the trick or treaters - isn't that kind of awful?  We don't believe Holloween is honoring of God.  We've gotten alot of slack about this from family and friends, but it isn't something we can waver on.  Sure, it seems there is no harm in it, but when we consider the darkness surrounding this holiday, how could we participate?  I did contemplate staying home and passing out a bag of candy along with a Gospel tract, but then I worry my children would feel left out of the 'fun' of Holloween.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you... I was trying to get a cute photo of all four of the children, but my camera wouldn't hold a charge, so I was rushing the kids, trying to get all their faces to show.

I was researching how to make Pumpkin Puree, and stumbled upon a great little chart that lists all sorts of flavor substitutions from

You can access the page here: http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Cooking-Tools-and-Tips/Flavor-Substitution.aspx

Blessings,

Hope