Testing....

This is a little test post: I am trying to get things straightened out on my blog so that I can again share my posts including the pictures that go along with them. I am not one for changes in my social media options...you all know that, right? LOL! Anyway, here goes....testing 1, 2, 3....

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY: October 25, 2011


Outside my window...
The sun is shining and the skies are clear blue! Simply a beautiful autumn afternoon!!! The temperature is in the 70s and the trees have some color still on them. There is a Maple tree on the next street that looks like a picture out of a travel guide with bright red and some yellow and a few green leaves left. Just GORGEOUS!
I am thinking...
that it is good to feel like writing again. I went through quite a dry spell this time, I was getting a bit concerned about whether or not I would ever start wanting to write again. So glad that God answered my prayer and gave me the desire to share my thoughts again.

I am thankful...
for this wonderful, beautiful time of the year and for all of the many blessings my Lord has given to me in my life. I am especially thankful for my family, our home, my sweet friends, and the dear brothers and sisters we have at our church.
I went to my weekly women's Bible study this morning and had the sweetest time in fellowship with those dear sisters in the Lord. I started attending last fall and couldn't wait to get back to the group after our summer break. I love to learn more about God's word and to stay after for lunch and just to have time to talk to the ladies about what they have been doing since our last visit. We all take turns at fixing items for the lunch and we have some pretty good cooks, too! Today we had soup and sandwiches. Next week we are having spaghetti and salads. The book that we are using for our study is called, "Becoming a Vessel God Can Use" and is written by Donna Partow. It is a wonderful study about the men and women of the Bible that could be considered "unlikely vessels" and how the Lord used them for His glory and purpose. I am really enjoying this study.

From the learning rooms...
Caleb and I are working on drawings of DNA, plant cells and animal cells. We are still working on our study of the 1950s and for math he is working on problems involving percentages.

In the kitchen...
There is a BIG beef roast with vegetables slowly roasting in the crock pot~MMmmmm! Just the right dinner for a cool fall evening. It is supposed to cool into the upper 40s by tonight.
I am wearing...
a pretty blue floral pullover shirt and my favorite pair of slacks. I am still dressed from Bible study this morning.

I am creating...
this blog post and happy memories for my family at home. I am thinking about going out on the front porch to rock a bit with Caleb in a bit. He is busy drawing some of his action characters right now. I love our life here at the cottage! I am thinking about making some embroidered felt ornaments for our Christmas tree and to give as gifts to friends.

I am going...
to my momma's tomorrow to take her for her weekly shopping trip. She was in the most wonderful mood today; laughing and talking about sweet memories of when she was a child. She was also happy that her next door neighbor had come over yesterday to help her with some fall chores around her house. She has wonderful neighbors and friends!
I am wondering...
what I might get into this coming week-end. I have several things that I need to be working on, but not sure where to start. Time will tell...
I am reading...
Becoming a Vessel God Can Use by Donna Partow and My Heart's in the Lowlands by Liz Curtis Higgs
I am hoping...
that my family will stay healthy this coming winter and no one will have to deal with any major illnesses. I would also love to see my children start thinking about returning to attending church services. Praying deeply over each of them~they are all so dear to me.
I am looking forward to...
a peaceful evening with my hubby and my son. Evenings are always the sweetest time of the day to me.
I am hearing...
my son's video game music, the sound of water running and my old computer humming along.
One of my favorite things...
The smell of smoke from a neighbor's fireplace on cool fall evenings~ahhh!

 Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Outside our town library only 2 weeks ago!

I hope that you will have a blessed week ahead. I would also like to thank Peggy for hosting this Daybook. It is always a blessing to me and a fun way to catch up with friends about what is going on in your day. If you would like to add a Daybook post to your blog, go to The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Simple Joys

The older I get it seems like the more I enjoy and appreciate the simple little moments in life. I just walked out of my little office on the way to my kitchen to put on a fresh pot of the "daily brew" and happened to glance up into our family room (you know, the room I generally refer to as the "wreck" room~lol). No one was up yet so the room still looked like it did when my sweet hubby and I left it to climb the stairs for the night. The blanket I used to cover up with was still on the sofa, our two snack plates and cups were still on the side table between the sofa and his big recliner. Caleb's snack plate and glass was still on the coffee table. In my younger days I would have fussed and fumed a bit about what a mess it was in there, but being older has given me a slightly different perspective on the whole matter. As I surveyed the jumble of items in their disarray a sweet smile came across my face as I remembered the evening before and the conversations we had while we gathered in that little room. Hubby playing his favorite video game, Caleb and I cheering him on as he reached the goal. I thought about the good little snack we shared together, simple popcorn and my hubby had two muffins left from our breakfast. Coffee in the cups for us and milk for Caleb. Just a sweet simple evening at home for our little family. I will get everything picked up by the afternoon; dishes washed, blanket folded and tucked away, video game put back into place. But for now, I am just taking a minute to relish the moment. God bless and hope that you are all having a sweet day!

As Time Goes By....

Yes, I realize it has been MONTHS since I last posted anything. I am sorry for that. We have been caught up in the usual daily ups and downs of family life as well as conducting a little unforseen business ventures.

My dear MIL has been experiencing some balance issues and has had a few falls in the last few months. No bones were broken, but she did end up with a BAD bruise, sprained knee and a shoulder injury. We have been going to her house every other Friday for a while to make sure she is OK and to take dinner, help her with house work and have some family time together. My SIL checks on her during the week and my husband is on the phone with her daily, also. It has been hard on her as she is very independent and loves to go to her church every time the doors are opened, and is not used to slowing down to just be still. She is beginning to feel much stronger now and is looking into some changes for around her home to make daily chores a bit easier. One of those changes is installing a stacked washer/dryer pair upstairs in the spare bedroom closet so that she does not have to go down to the basement to do laundry. This will be such a blessing to her, I know.

Our little one is now involved in a homeschool co-op on the Fridays that we are not at my MIL's. As a homeschool family that also means that we are involved. No drop-off kids here. The parents are part of the group and help with the nursery duties, teaching the classes, clean-up and general
over-seeing of order and helping students with the projects they are working on for the day. The kids have Geography/cooking, Science, Art, lunch time, Music and play time together. They all enjoy seeing each other and learning together. It has been a wonderful blessing to us. I am glad that I now have a group of supportive homeschool moms to talk to as well. I was starting to feel very lonely. These ladies are great and have so many good ideas to share. We are already planning for the Spring classes after the Holidays.

Now for the decorating-business portion of my life. I have been blessed with a number of wonderful opportunities in the past couple of months. I had a friend's daughter recommend me to do a candle fundraiser for her school's FBLA Club. That was fun and the kids did a really wonderful job of selling the candles. They earned a good deal of money for their organization, too. I really enjoy doing fundraisers, it is a good feeling to know that the money goes for good causes. I have also had a home organizing job with a client that called me out of the blue. She is a sweet lady and we have been working very hard to get her home organized so that it is the haven she wants for her family. Life is so much easier and more pleasant when things are well organized. This past week-end, I was invited by a marketing group out of Chicago to demonstrate "How to Set a Holiday Table" at our local Kmart. This was so much FUN!!! All of the items used on the tables were Kmart merchandise and the ideas just kept coming. If you have not been to your local Kmart store lately, you are in for a pleasant surprise. They really have a LOT of cute stuff and the prices are GREAT! The marketing group paid me for my time and I had a really fun time working with them. This was a blessing to me. I have also been helping my wonderful friend set up her new window treatment and fabric shop in a nearby town. We always have such fun working together, and her mastery at creating window treatments and upholstery are AWESOME. I can't wait for her shop to open officially, she has been in business for the last 31 years but just recently decided to start offering budget fabrics from the bolt and to showcase her talents in her own shop. This is going to be exciting and I will keep you posted on how things are progressing for her.

I hope to commit myself to a new blogging schedule that I have come up with so that it will not be so long between posts next time. I have 3 blogs and it has been just as long between my last visit on each of them. For now I will say, "good-bye and have a Blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends."

Hugs from WV,
Charlotte