Monday, November 23, 2009

so grateful

holy experience


for sunshine in the central coast
for my brother and his family coming to visit this thanksgiving
for wisdom to parent our six year old
for a gas stove
for clean clothes (and w/d that works)
for piles of clean laundry
for sushi last night late with hubs (a date in)
for cheap crafts the girls like to do while boys are taking naps
for already shredded cheese
for yummy swiss chard sauteed in evoo and s&p
for our compassion children
for old college roommates

Friday, November 20, 2009

The Farm




yesterday we went to The Farm, located in Salinas. we joined living water homeschool co-op for a farm tour and hayride. it was a bit of a trial to get there (the battery was dead, our friends had to jump us, thus mama was a grump and impatient.) but we got there and had a blast. i refrained from buying anything at their market/gift store but it was REALLY hard. i will probably go back again - there were animals (goats, ducks, chickens, bunnies) and the kids went on a wonderful farm tour - ransom got to pull a very large beet out of the earth! i will try and post some pictures soon. The Farm is full of eye candy - gorgeous pumpkins (the kids got to pick their very own pumpkin after the hayride) and specialty gourds. its definately going to be a destination for us when we have visitors. their collection of children's books is fantastic! and they are a family & christian owned business. check it out on dec. 4th from 6-9pm for christmas day on The Farm.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

giving thanks ... on wednesday instead of this monday

holy experience



... thankful that my children are healthy and home with me.
... thankful that there is forgiveness (especially in the hearts of my children when i am having a bad day)
... thankful for this beautiful home
... thankful for blogging, emails and facebook
... connecting with friends from far away and long ago through all of the above
... for babies that take their passie, their stuffed animal and nurse and then happily go to sleep in their own beds
... for singing kyrie (who is taking a bath)
... for a creative rhys (who has been very busy with bookmarks and drawing - i think there are some homemade christmas gifts in the making)
... for the starry night when i moved the bikes back in to the garage
... for only about an hour til hubs gets home
... for jesus - he covers a multitude of my sins
... for fresh starts, new days, new mercies and french press coffee
... for farms - we get to visit one tomorrow with a homeschooling coop
... for friends who invite us to the farm (thannk you lindsay!)
... for giant used book sales (praying for a babysitter for friday so i can go!)

used books

today i decided that i needed to find some cheap sources for books - like craig's list, goodwill etc. then i remembered that when we were in hawaii i went to a library book sale and scored big time. fingers went walking and what did i find? right here in the monterey bay area i found a library sale this friday and saturday!! i am getting a babysitter and i am going!!

also: at the monterey public library there is a used book sale 1st saturday of every month from 1-4pm. they will also being having their annual GIANT book sale on january 8,9,10 of 2010.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

forgiveness over at Simple Kids

i found this while reading soule mama's blog and have found this simple act of humility with my children relieves me of so much guilt as i mother, oh-so imperfectly.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

a thanksgiving book

on a recent trip to the post library, i found this lovely book (i especially love this edition) written by louisa may alcott. we had just rented the movie of the same title (an old fashioned thanksgiving) but i was pleasantly surprised to find that it is completely different from the movie and that it truly is honey for my children's hearts. what a lovely tale of a large, close-knit family in the rural frontier of new hampshire during the 1700's. just the kind of story i want my girls to hear as we discover how special it is for family to help and work alongside eachother.

Monday, November 2, 2009

one thousand gifts

holy experience


...thankful i didn't get the flu, eventhough four kids + hubs did
...for a brand-new jogging stroller that someone gave us when we bought a washer/dryer off craig's list (not kidding it was probably used three times!)
...for the beautiful weather outside - ie warm days!!
...for my new home
...for closets and space for everything!! (linen closet, laundry room, 2-car garage, pantry, cabinets, drawers, walk-in closets in bedrooms, a guest room with a closet, 2 1/2 baths!, and an office witha closet!!!)
...for a husband who appreciates my work as i appreciate his
...for parents who care and pray for me
...for sweet hugs and kisses from kids when i am "frustrated"
...for walks to the park
...for fall chills and apple pies
...for our own bathroom
...for a chance to reorganize our lives as we set up house
...for abort73.com
...for sonlight homeschool curriculum
...for neighbors who send baked goods over to welcome us the the community! (like four families have already done this!!)
...for a closet dubbed "the reading room/dress-ups closet" that the kids like to go in to and close the door and play
...a backyard with a fence to send kids out to play (and a kitchen window to look out on them!)
...pretty, new, soft sheets (target's vintage mondern)
...new couches coming tomorrow to sit on in our living room!
...verizon guy coming today to hook up our internet
...friends who call unexpectantly and leave lovely messages on my voice mail (thank you nowie)
...james 1:19 - thank you jesus for teaching me and being patient
...for my compassion children: erasto and juliana
...for snuggling kids
...for kid's ibuprofen and tylenol (those poor mothers of ages past and those mothers now who don't have access to these simple wonder drugs.)

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