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Its that time of year where the days grow shorter and its time to pull out all that winter reading. I just finished reading; The Many Loves of Marriage by Thomas and Nanette Kinkade.
WOW. What a good book. I wasnt sure I was going to enjoy it. But I do! Just as his paintings create a sense of warmth and desire, so does that reflect in their marriage. Nanette is surely one you want to take notes from and learn. Her pillar of strength for her husband is evident in his writtings and his love and devotion for God and family is evident in his.
I am not sure I could write a good enough review. Its one you just have to pick the book up and read. You read of some of their journeys throughout the country and with each other. Of the times of hardship and the times of ease. Like a normal human couple fallen in sin, they had their troubles, but its not a despressing read. You find encouragement in what they went through, what they learned and how you can better yourself when you find yourself in a simular situation and how ultimately God prevails.
So, I am giving you a chance to read this book! I have to apologize first off though, my daughter did a scribble mark near the ISBN number on the back of the book. Blush. The only reason I mention it is because it may not be a good Christmas gift kind of book. 
To enter; Drop me a line telling me your favorite marriage book OR Thomas Kinkade painting.
I personally have always been drawn to the country cottage look of some of his.
Earn an additional entry by subscribing to my blog. Dont ask me how you do it. LOL. I am believe there is a button near the top of the right hand corner that says subscribe. I’m doing it this way cause most blogs do and I would hate to be any different from anyone else. (please note my silliness and not seriousness)
Earn another additional entry if you can tell me how to add a URL image on wordpress since the newest change. Yes, I am kind of frantic. I can add one from my desktop, figured that one out but not from a URL. Everyone of you that does this, regardless of if its been posted before or not will recieve an additional entry.
Here is what happens; I get all the way to insert the image, I paste the URL, center the image but the “post image” button is still that grey color and clicking it does nothing. grrr.
I will pay shipping cost. So, post away!
I’ll be drawing names in 1 week!
Thought you Yankee Candle lovers would love this coupon, its for $1 off or $1 Yankee Votive. Nice time to stock up for the holiday season!
This Link will help you find a store near you.
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These would a nice edition to Christmas. Tie up with some festive ribbon along with some homebaked goodies. A nice frugal but thoughtful gift.
I know, why am I writting this review? Well, I thought I would share my opinion. I’m told I’m very opinionated.
So, these ordorless glad trash bag, do they really work? Yes
Are they worth the $$? Here is my review on that question;
We use to have a small trash can for our kitchen. We use everything up. HArdly ever have dinner scraps, whatever food scraps we do have, they either get composted (banana peels, peach pits, etc) or freezed to be dumped later (ie, bacon fat, cause we really dont wanna reuse that, moldy cheese, etc). With our little 2 gallon trash can we were emptying it maybe once a day when we started having 2 little ones in diapers. Not only that, the odor was getting horrific. We upgraded to a 10 gallon trash can with a lid. But even still, it was still causing odors. Maybe because it was being emptied 1 a week or 2 a week. Once winter comes it will be even less than that 1 every 2 weeks. Anway, normal trash bags + a sniffle pouch (also known as sachet pouch) was not cutting it. I cannot stand Glade or sprays like that. So I see this commercial for the new Glad ordorless bags and though, “why not. It cant make it any worse right?”
I am impressed. If you have a small family like we do, and do not take your trash out often its definetly worth the money. Definetly. It can make your kitchen smell like a department store but I’m ok with that. Not a problem. Just pointing out that fact though.
I was talking to Mumsie about the Glad Bags. She said, “even if you dont need persay for your house (they take trash out once a day. What do you expect with a family of 10) it would be great for outside trash odors as well. Your neighbors might love you for it. ” Hmmm, now thats a thought!
So, that is my review. Definetly worth the money here. We will be making the switchover. I’m frugal. Its garbage right? Its all going? I wont spend the money on those hold-it-all bags. I dont need them. And on the occasion that I do. I’ll just double bag it. But these, yes I will spend the $$ for them.
One can have many adventures on a bike. Its quite amazing really. I went for a simple bike ride last night. It was maybe a 2 mile bike ride, tops. Took about 20 minutes. I used the bike path near our home, and as I was coasting alone and passing a family walking along, I imagined myself along an old dirt road. Children racing along to catch the hopping toads (or in our case, lizards). My straw hat would of course stay one well. Wild flowers would gently spill out of my wicker basket. It would be a cool summer day. (Not really an oxy-moron if you think about the fantasy life, anything is possible). It was a lovely time.
I passed Walmart and Albertsons as I turned onto a more fast paced road. I pictured myself cycling down mainstreet, this time, brown paper packages, tied up in strings graced my little whicker basket. Oh and a flour sack. Old automobiles honked in a friendly wave. Dainty white gloves are on my fingers. Children playing with those larger than life hoops. Maybe, once in a while a cat will scurry across the road.
It was time to turn again. This was the road leading out of town. An elderly man was pulled off to the side, a mexican man was jump-starting his car. The bike path is more narrow here. I thought of a wheel coming off a buggy and a gentleman helping a gentleman with his wheel. I also passed a man in a wheelchair, almost ran into him as a matter of fact, thats what happens when you think of the adventures your having and not watching where your going. Gulp. But as I passed, I used that image as someone like Mr. Churchill from Jane Austen’s Emma passing by with a tip of his hat and a smirk on his face. I really wasnt blushing you know. It was that cool summer heat getting to me.
Finally that last stretch that will take me home. My bike has turned into a gentle riding mare. I cant be the only one thats ever pictured my bike as a mare, even as a child that was my favorite thing to pretend. Returning home to my little darlings. I pass an elderly couple struggling along to get a good walk in for the evening. My mare trots pass this lovely gardener and his wife. They smile. They have not a care in this Utopia world. My riding crop is crisp and green of course. It is lovely evening.
Finally, I’m turning into my driveway. All fantasy and dreams gone. I am home. I hear my little boy giggle as Daddy blows on his tummy. I hear my little girl say, “Daddy, Emma. Daddy, Emma.” And I know she’s begging for a turn. It is time to come home. And am I glad to be here.
Its kind of amazing what happens on a rainy day here in the desert. Rain is so so good for the desert. It softens the thirsty soil. It refreshes the plants. It provides water to the animals. It settles the dest for a time. And it gives a fresh air for our lungs. I always love the rain. I love the gentle pitter patter it makes on the roof. I love the smell it gives. I even love the humidity it brings. I sleep so well with the rain going. Its refreshing, I’m revived. It gives me energy to work outside for a time being. It gives fresh outlook on life. I love the rain!
Rain and scripture are simular. Scripture revives us. It gives us water to our thirsty souls. It settles the dust or troubles we are facing. It provides health and comfort. We are no longer a droubt. It makes us thirsty for more, its so refreshing, we should NEVER be satisfied after reading scripture. We should want more. We should learn, not just read but learn and apply it. Use the rain.
Rain has a purpose, so does scripture. We need rain, we need scripture. Interestingly, if you do a reference search for rain, In the Bible, God withheld rain when His wrath was kindled. Rain= blessing/favor.
” When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict themBut rain had its consequences as well. Noah and the flood. 1 Kings 8:35
But rain had its consequences as well, Noah and the flood, and;
” Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that He may send thunder and rain Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the LORD by asking for yourselves a king.
So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.” 1 Samuel 12:17-18
Anyway, just some rambling thoughts.
Jeremiah 5:24
‘They do not say in their heart,”Let us now fear the LORD our God,Who gives rain in its season,Both the autumn rain and the spring rain,Who keeps for usThe appointed weeks of the harvest.”
That sounds like a weird title for a blog post, but I have been absent long enough. I feel like I’m coming back to earth. The baby days are quickly flying by. The clouds have parted. I’m walking on firm ground again. Stephen is teething horribly. Emma was no where near like this. He is full of drool, constantly fussy, and I’m having to change a messy diaper every day (that I wont complain about though. While I dispise stinkiness, I love knowing that his bowels are cleaned. I hope I didnt interupt a meal). Finally at my wits end I bought a Amber Teething Necklace. Oh, what a relief. Its definetly helping.
With Stephen growing so rapidly, I have been re-arranging our 800sq ft home to accommodate him. Its not really all that hard. You just decide what needs a new home. Ok, yeah, its hard, but well worth the time and effort it takes.
Its starting to turn spring here. We have had many days of rain here. I think a total of 6 days? on and off throughout the month. The ground is nice and soft. The weeds are many. We have our work cut out for us. This weekend we will be working on a new garden plot and hopefully get, onion, strawberries, tomatoes, peas, and lettuce in the ground. Maybe. Maybe, carrots.
This Sunday Emma was all dressed up. It wasnt all that intentional. She just wanted to wear her bracelet her cousin made her for christmas. Then she wanted to wear my necklace cause her brother had one on. All in all, she ended up very dressed up for Church. And all in all, I am not sorry. We should be dressed in our finest to go into the house of God to worship His holy Name.
Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.
~~~Thomas A. Edison~~~
Is it just me that cannot seem to keep a new-year goal going consistently? No, I know I’m not the only one. But on some days it sure seems like everyone has the schedules down and their goals nigh on to being acomplished while your still trying to figure out where to start on yours, or even just being consistent on one thing.
I have one primary goal to focus on this year. All things will fall into place if I just focus on this one. Namely, reading the Word of God faithfully. Shamefully I confess that its a great acomplishment if I get to open it Sundays in church. And that, not because I do not want too but because I’m usually trying to get Stephen quiet, Emma to sit still, or just to hear the sermon. I always have this goal. To read it faithfully. I love it when I can go for a month or two doing it. I feel refreshed. So why is it that it takes only one day to fall behind and then the rest of the days just fall? Its like that hymn I so dearly love to sing,
“One thing’s needful; Lord this treasure
Teach me highly to regard;
All else, though it first give pleasure,
Is a yoke that presses hard.
Beneath it the heart is still fretting and striving,
No true, lasting happiness ever deriving.
The gain of this one thing all loss can requite
And teach me in all things to find true delight.”
(The Lutheran Hymnal- One Thing’s Neeful; Lord This Treasure by Johann H. Schroeder)
I still enjoy being a mommy and learning the “Mommy tasks” - Mainly which consists of rearing my children up to serve and love the Lord.
It is not the easiest task to acomplish. Some days I wonder how the Lord saw me as a mother for His children.
My little one is crying…speaking of motherhood. God be with you til I write again. Thank you to my faithful readers for not giving up on me, but encouraging me through the different chapters and roads of life.
Head on over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its a whole post of handmade goodies.
http://mommamcblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/stocking-stuffers-giveaway.html
I love how Christmas follows after Thanksgiving. Its so appropriate. I am thankful for so many things but most of all, I am thankful and grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who sent His only Son, whom He loved, to suffer a painful, bitter, agony, and so much more death. He did not just die. He suffered much for our sins. I put Him on that cross. He died to save me! I am so thankful that He was so selfless and so loving to do that.
What a better season to share with all those so dear to us than to celebrate the birth of the savior. An infant in a vast world. Even from birth He was rejected (Harod certainly didn’t want Him around). To put it in Isaiah’s words-
“He was bruised for our transgressions”.
I love this season. Christmas music, in praise to our Savior, plays throughout the holidays in stores and on the radio. The smells of fresh baked goodies. The beautifully decorated tree. Colorful packages. The joy of giving. The joy of remembering what was given us. A time when family comes together. A time to build memories.
This year most of our gifts are homemade. Its been so much fun planning and making gifts for all the nieces and nephews. But still throughout the year I will pick up little things here and there that make me think of a person. I have so many projects going its not even funny but I’m having fun.
So, how are your holidays coming about?
Cathe did this on her blog and i liked it so I stole it and did it myself! 
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping.
2. Real tree or Artificial? REal.
3. When do you put up the tree? We won’t be able to this year but my parents always put one up the day after Thanksgiving and we have a party. Popcorn all over the floor. Singing carols off key. Lights all aglow.. Needles and thread everywhere. Ahhhh…..
4. When do you take the tree down? Dec 26th or Dec 25th (night time after kids are in bed)
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don’t have just one.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Hmmm, Morgann, My In-laws, some of the nephews.
8. Easiest person to buy for? David
9. Do you have a nativity scene? I’m in the process of cross-stitching one.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don’t know.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? ooooooooh, tough one. I like White Christmas, A Season for Miracles, Its a Wonderful LIfe, The Christmas LIst, just to name a few
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I shop all year round. When I see something and it makes me think of someone I’ll get it.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas gift? Ahem… Yes.
16. Lights on the tree? Yes. No blinkies, though.
17. Favorite Christmas song? What Child is This?
18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Home
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s? Who?
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Either or
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Impatient people.
23. What theme or color are you using? Ummmm Red and Green?
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner. Food. Anything is good.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? For David to have a good season.
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Not sure. You are all welcome to do it. Link me so I can read em too!
27. Who is least likely to respond to this? Not sure.
