Nick's Graduation Picnic

Just wanted to share some photos!

Lace Curtains

A couple of days ago I put up my lace curtains and rolled out my braided rug in the living room. Such a simple thing. That evening my family gathered there and appreciated how much of a difference it made. Our house was now becoming our home.

Moving can be so stressful and tiring. I honestly wanted to just sit down with a book and put it off. In hearing the words of appreciation I am encouraged. I now want to sort through the boxes and continue. I want my family to be able to come home to their comfort and peace after their long day of working hard.

Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings.
~ T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.
~Robert Montgomery

We Are Moving!

I just spent most of my day purging and packing. I am determined to simplify my life. No more hanging on to things that just get thrown into storage never to be used and then moved to the next house. I thought I had done a good job when we moved from WA to AZ last July. I must have been fooling myself.

I am going through things and asking myself :What is the purpose of this? Do I absolutely love this? Does having this Help me?

It looks like the house we are selling is going through escrow pretty fast and the new owners will have possession upon closing. Meanwhile, my hubby is working hard at getting the kitchen totally finished before we move in and I have yet to do some cleaning there. I am not one who works well under pressure so I am praying I will be able to get the job done without stressing out. :)

Pantry Sweet Pantry

I can't tell you how excited I will be to fill a pantry again! When we sold our house in WA we knew we would be in "limbo" until we found a new house to buy and that our pantry items would be subject to the summer heat and would go rancid. We gave away almost all that was in our pantry and freezer to some large families we knew.

The kitchen in our Buckeye home didn't have enough storage to accommodate what I consider a proper pantry. With this new kitchen I will be in pantry heaven.

What will I put in my pantry? 3 kinds of whole wheat flour, whole rolled oats, stone ground whole grain corn and organic dried fruits are some things.

Oh the joy when once again I can just open my pantry and make something without having to go to the store first!

Life After Graduation

Usually when you hear "life after graduation" it pertains to a scholar who completed his/her course of study. Lately I have been thinking of it in terms of being a homeschool mom who's youngest is graduating.

"Now what?" often pops into my head. Yes I have the work on the house but then what? Whatever it is I choose to do I want it to be something that will glorify the Lord. A type of ministry. I just can't stand the thought of all this time on my hands. Titus 2:3-5 comes to mind. Could I possibly come up with something that will bless young mamas with my extra time? I feel as though the answer is right at the tip of my thoughts yet I can't grasp it.

I wonder how many other mamas go through this. My situation is different in that I am still young compared to other homeschooling mamas because the Lord only saw fit to bless us with 2 children and my homeschooling is done sooner because of it.

Homeschool was such a blessing that I am sad to see the end of it yet I know that the Lord has great possibilities for me if I will just open my heart and listen!

A Wise Woman Builds Her House

Article by Debi Pearl, May 2001

No Greater Joy Magazine

A wise woman doesn’t take anything for granted. She is thankful to be loved and seeks to make herself more lovely.

A wise woman doesn’t allow herself to be a liability but strives to be an asset to the marriage bond. She looks for ways to make, save, and use money wisely. Her husband knows he is a richer man because she is his wife.

A wise woman seeks to be a part of her husband’s life. His interest becomes her interest. She looks for ways to help him in every endeavor in which he is involved. When he needs a helping hand, it is her hand that is there first.

A wise woman knows that his peace of mind (and sometimes, wise understanding) is something she can give or take away by her observations and conversation concerning circumstances or people. She limits her conversation to the positive.

A wise woman sets a joyful mood in the household. She uses laughter, music and happy times to stir the children to a positive, joyful frame of mind. She knows this light-heartedness helps take stress off her husband.

A wise woman gauges her husband’s needs. She seeks to fulfill his desires before even he is aware of them. She never leaves him daydreaming outside the home. She supplies his every desire.

A wise woman understands that her husband’s need to be honored is not based on his performance but on his position. She learns quickly to defer with enthusiasm to his ideas or plans. She looks for ways to reverence him. She knows this is God’s will for her life.

A wise woman is not pitiful, puny, or whinny. She seeks to be confident, capable and thankful.

A wise woman does not dream of what “could have been.” She sees clearly that she is not God’s gift to men; thus she is blessed in her present circumstances. She learns to be content.

A wise woman never expects anyone to serve her; therefore she is never disappointed. She is ready to help—a giver. By her example her children learn to serve cheerfully and energetically.

A wise woman doesn’t attempt to instruct her husband through feigned questions. Her questions are sincere inquiries concerning his will.

A wise woman is always learning. She is open to change. She is ready to hear. She wants to know. She doesn’t cloud her mind with the foolish folly of entertainment. She uses her time wisely.

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Coming along! We are hoping to have the floor done this week so I am beginning to sort out my kitchen stuff and pack it.

We have been feeling rather burned out so we decided to go to the Grand Canyon for a few days to destress.

It has not been easy living between two houses while homeschooling. There have been days where books were forgotten or we ended up working more on the house than doing the school work. We decided to double up on the days we are at the Buckeye house. So far so good!

It's coming along nicely!

Iam beginning to think of what I want to do in the livingroom. I want to keep with the country style so I am going to get some lace curtains and a braided rug.

I have limited internet right now so I can't keep up like I want to. Here is the kitchen so far. Cabinets come today! The paint color is called antique lace.

Well, it looks like this kitchen is going to take on it's own look. We were able to get the cabinets at a great price but they are not very "tuscan" looking. They are a natural birch. The lighter color may actually help with the problem of having no windows in the kitchen. I am still thinking of tile counters and backsplash. We shall have to see what I find and if time will allow.