Moving Home

I just wanted to let those of you who read my blog that I am going to only be blogging at my Homesteadblogger blog.

It has gotten a little difficult to keep up two blogs and I always wind up neglecting this blog.

I've made some good friends here and I hope you will all come and visit me there. Besides there are a lot of great people over at Homesteadblogger and it's easy to find those who share our passion.

I will still be following you all -- but I will no longer post here.

So click here and come visit me :)

Hope to see you soon.

Sandy

P.S. if you stop by my other blog please let me know you were there.

Can You Believe I Got This for $20?

This weekend our church had a white elephant sale and what was the first thing I saw? A bread machine for $20.


I really think it was brand new - it still had a packing peanut inside and sticky film on the control buttons.

I've long wanted a bread machine but didn't want to pay the steep price. So I was so excited - I squealed, several times on the way home and I had to bake my first loaf of bread as soon as we got home. My niece was laughing at me and my excitement.

However, she was the first to go back for seconds of the first loaf I made .


I just made a small loaf to try it out the first time but it was great. I've tried making bread by hand to no avail - it just doesn't come out right. So now with the machine to do the work for me, fresh bread will be a weekly event at our house.

By the way, it also says it makes jam. Has anyone tried making jam in a bread maker? We make our jam the old fashioned way, but was wondering if it was worth it.

Sandra

Great Way to Spend a Saturday

This past Saturday I spent the day cleaning our den. Some how this room becomes the catch all for everything that doesn't have a place.

Here is the before picture.


And here is what it looked like after cleaning - which surprisingly didn't take me as long as I expected.


I still need to put the pile of papers on the chair away yet. But I'd say much better. See the doll and the rocker - the rocker was my mother's when she was a child and then mine. And the doll, is mine. I got her for my first Christmas almost 42 years ago. I think she's aged better than me though .


And here is my desk now that I can actually sit at it . I'm trying to organize it because if I don't find another job before January it is going to become my headquarters.

Actually, this room will eventually become a nursery but having the desk organized is important because it can easily be moved into the master bedroom.

So there you have it a productive Saturday at the Homestead.

Sandra

Christmas Gift Ideas for Teens

I just wanted to share with you all what I'm doing for Christmas for my nieces. I'm really trying to be economical on my gifts this year.

One is 22 and the other two are 16. I'm crocheting them tote bags and filling them with goodies that I've picked up through the year.

I'll post some pictures of the bags next week -- but here are some ideas to fill them with.

I got a great deal on nail polish last week at Walgreens (50 cents a bottle)

Also got a deal on Dove Body Spray - they love that type of stuff

I'm turning my swag bucks into Amazon.com gift certificates to buy a few books - which makes them free

I'll probably add some home made cookies or candy.

And my one niece had asked me for a crocheted hat so I'll do that for at least her. I don't want them to be too identical. But that's the idea.

Oh, and for my nephew who is almost 18 -- I thought I'd crochet him a scarf and maybe add a Starbucks gift card. He just started college and he is a snappy dresser so I'm thinking he'd like a lovely homemade scarf :)

Happy Crafting

Sandra

A Step Closer to Being a Stay at Home Mom.

My husband and I have been praying and talking about what will happen if I don't find a job. Well after looking at our finances we think that it would work if I just took my severance when the time comes and with unemployment just stayed home for a while. As I mentioned we hope to have a child placed with us early next year so the timing is right and with a few adjustments I could possibly stay home for a year and then we will have to go from there.

So I'm quite excited. I just still don't know if that is God's plan though -- I guess I'm second guessing what seems to be the answer. A little of it is fear of not being able to pay bills and part of it is that the timing seems so right that it seems hard to believe. I've just given it over to God -- basically I'm saying I think this is what you want, and if it's not then show me the way.

On the other hand, my boss' boss "resigned" last week and word is his replacement is some one who holds my boss in high regard -- so if that happens I may not get laid off any way. Then I'm back to having to take the leap God wants instead of being pushed into the water.

Well, one day at a time :)

Sandra

Letting God Take Control

Yesterday I faced one of my biggest fears. It is something that has been paralyzing me for about 6 years. I drove up my boss' driveway, turned my car around and drove back down.

I know it might not sound like much but my boss lives on top of a hill with a very steep and curvy driveway and at the top you go to the right or left and then the only way back down is to back up across to the other side and then drive back down the steep driveway. I always have visions of myself losing control on the driveway careening down the hillside across the main road and down the other hillside into the valley.

Usually I can drive myself up the driveway but I then have my boss take the car down for me. It took me a long time to even get to the point of driving up it . But yesterday my boss asked me to meet someone at his house while he was out of town. So, my choices were to leave the car down on the main road taking a chance it would get hit, ask the person I was meeting to move it for me, or face my fear once and for all. After much contemplation I opted for number 3.

So after the meeting I was sitting in my car trying to get the courage to just do it. I prayed and just asked God to take over and get me down this drive way in one piece. And I did it. I'm quite excited about it.

But what I wanted to share was that, many times we don't give over to God the small things. I know I am guilty of that. Honestly, sometimes I'm a little fearful to let God be in control, for fear I won't like the outcome. I know God is in control whether we acknowledge it or not, and I believe in following God's plan. But I must admit that sometimes in the details of every day life I struggle with it.

There are still fears that I hold onto or things that come up that I want to control. So today I'm praying to let go of those last things and I hope that if there is something you are also holding onto that you will feel encouraged to do so as well. I must tell you there is such a sense of peace when you let go of your fears. I've come a long way with my fear of heights and yesterday was a milestone. It's like peeling away at the armor and letting God in even more.

God Bless

Sandra

Great Turn Out at Youth Group

I just had to share that we had a great turn out tonight at Youth Group. It is so great to see all these pre-teens and their families join us tonight. We should have a great year. I'll be co-teaching 6th and 7th grades this year again and it looks like we've double the size of that group from last year. We have a better count next week when we actually form our groups - but so looking forward to it.

I'm taking on the role of group photographer this year too. We're going to take photos throughout the year and do a slide show presentation on the final night.