On the Table Tuesday ~ Free Motion Quilting

One of these days, I've promised myself, I'm going to actually take pictures of my quilts outside... during the day. You know, when pictures of stuff actually look nice. Hey... I'd even settle for nice window light. Not this after the sun's gone down with the light of as many lamps as I can figure stuff.

I tell you... the photographer in me cringes every time I post pictures like these. But the blogger and mommy of 3 says, hey... if you want pictures, you're going to have to take what you can get. And she wins. Hands down. Every time! I've even settled with sending less than stellar pics of the kids to family these days. Because as far as they are concerned... it's better than no pics! And they are right.


So where was I??? Ah yes. This very cute quilt! I must say that it's the first fabric I've ever purchased from a quilt shop.

I know.

I'll wait.

Crazy (at least to those of you who quilt). And hopefully it won't be my last.

I have to admit though, that I only got it because it was on sale... $5 a yard. And then everything was 20% off for this one day thing. We randomly stopped in on the right day!

I came up with the pattern on my own. I love doing that. And... I'm free motion quilting it all. I almost didn't... but I gave in and took the risk.


Here's a better view. And by better I don't mean that it looks all that great... just that you can see the mess better.


Some parts get a little messy... but overall, when you look at that top pic. You can't tell and I really like it.

And I'm thrilled I picked the pink thread too...


...especially on the back!

Ahem... don't look to closely. I'm (cover your eyes for this next part) leaving it this way!


Yes... even this terrible loop. Though I may try to tuck it or tack it or something when all is said and done.


Still... I think when I eventually gift it, no one will be the wiser!

Now if we could all just get well over here so I can get back to my sewing. I don't feel well enough to care these days! Perhaps I'll make myself another herbal tea!~

Labels: With These Hands

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 8:12 PM 2 Comments

Mamma Bear, Her Cubs, a Storm and an Unsuspecting Clueless Guy

Thursday night we actually had a little tornado of our own here in Central PA. We don't get those. Ever.

Ok, so I haven't lived here long enough to say ever. But in the 6 1/2 years I've lived here, I don't think I even remember a "watch", let alone a "warning".

For those of you, like me, who are clueless to the whole "watch" and "warning" terminology... let me see if I can get it right. A "watch" is when conditions point to the possibility of, say, a tornado, happening. A "warning" means they have actually spotted one somewhere.

We were out at our favorite little Mexican place for dinner Thursday night and the news and radio broadcasting were talking all about this crazy storm that was coming. We watched on the TV they had there and it was crazy. There was even pink on the satellite pictures they showed. My Beloved informed me that means "tornado". I had no idea! (I am, after all, just a California girl who now calls PA home. He is, after all, just a boy who grew up at the top of Tornado Alley. I listen to him about all this stuff!)

Our area, however, was completely clean. Lots of crazy clouds that looked "tornado like" (according to My Beloved) in the sky, but the Doppler says we're safe.

So after dinner we go across the way to the mall and head in to JC Penny for some shorts for My Beloved and a couple new fans for the house. No biggy... the storm's gonna hit north of us.

Ahem.

Unbeknown to us, this was not the case. Evidentally (as we found out later) the clouds were so thick and tall and crazy over our area, that when the radar signal got sent out, it never bounced back... implying that we were clear. When after all... we had it really bad. Nice, huh?

So once we got to Sears (the whole way down the mall from our car), we heard some commotion and learned that the wind and rain had begun and was crazy! Um... crazy! But whatever. No worries. We made our purchase and decided to head quickly back the length of the mall to our car so we could get home quick.

Once back in the mall, however, we learned that security was stationed around exits and weren't letting people out. A Tornado "warning" had been issued and people were being encouraged to take cover, get low, etc. And here we are... at the mall.

How much glass do you have in your malls? Skylights? Yes. Glass window displays? Yes. Us too. Crazy. People were obviously worried. We weren't really... just taking precautions. But of course my little Tornado himself (4 and a half now) is a worrier, and is now old enough to catch the gist of conversations. And I could tell that other people being rattled was making him rattled too. Poor kid.

We talked a lot with them about just staying out from under the skylights. We watched the lightning through them (because they were everywhere), listened to the rain. Then the hail started. All I kept thinking was about the softball sized hail I've heard of. Then I would tell my kids that it's nothing to worry about. Then we found some little frogs to look at in the Hallmark store.

After a bit we made our way the rest of the way to JC Penny's where we would eventually exit. Near the doors we learned that they had indeed locked all the doors (for the wind mostly) and were encouraging people to stay. A few associates were standing around. An older gentleman said that he'd let us out if we really needed to go. My Beloved simply said bedtime is all we need to do.

Then... and here is where I became Mamma Bear and almost devoured some mid-twenties or so employee... said employee looked down at my children and said, "Oh, you don't want to go out there. You'd just get sucked right up." Making motions with his hand.

Can you believe he said that?

Strangely, I felt very in control of myself as I looked at him... deadpan... and said, (maybe in a not very nice voice), "That was an inappropriate thing to say to children."

Even now I cringe a little bit. But I didn't take it back. I didn't ever apologize, though I instantly felt a little bad. I decided he needed to know and, apparently... I was going to be the one to tell him.

The storm ended not long after... we headed home and all is well!


So tell me... have you ever turned into Mamma Bear on some poor unsuspecting, and maybe a little bit clueless, someone? Please share... I need some camaraderie here!

Labels: As it happens..., Raising Children

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 8:59 PM 0 Comments

Yada Yada... more vacation...

Ok... so even I'm bored with my vacation chronicles... but there is this one more bit of our trip that seemed worth it.

How terrible is it that it's because the kids freaked out again???

Ok... very terrible. I know. I'm sorry.

Do you see this very blurry little guy? Ok... he's big. And when he puffed out his tail and all his feathers at the kids, he was even bigger. And then he made his "gobble-gobble-gobble" noise and it was over. But allow me to back up a bit.

Things were going fine. We were walking around the 1700s farm they have at Yorktown. Animals were around and the same kids who talked constantly about how they would be chasing the turkeys again this time were very close to Daddy and Mommy as we walked around and looked and talked.

We were in the kitchen talking with a gentleman about how it all worked back then. Looking at the salt curing, the dehydrated fruit hanging, the eggs, etc, etc. Another little family with a 3-4 year old boy came in too. Then, at the other entrance, the Tom turkey (i.e. male with big tail and boy tendencies) made an appearance. Our two clung tighter to our hands and started to hide a bit. We tried to encourage them not to be afraid and to step around us and take a look at him. Just then, the other kid (not afraid at all) decided to run at the turkey... loudly!

This Tom was not afraid! At. all. Instead of moving on or backing away, he puffed up his feathers, spread his tail and "gobbled" over and over and over. You see... he was going to defeat this little kid and keep his honor.

The reaction inside the little kitchen? All three (my two and this little child who started the trouble) all screamed back and were doing their best to get as far away as possible. The Tom's response was to keep "gobbling"... making the kids cry and scream more... making the Tom "gobble" more.

I think you see where this is going.

Finally one of the "period dressed" ladies tried to holler over the screams to the children that he would keep doing it until they were quiet. Finally we got all the kids quiet and moved on. But the rest of our time there was tainted by them looking over their shoulders.

We did enjoy our time in the garden area looking at everything they had growing. That area is fenced off so the animals can't get in. :)


And for all our sakes I'm going to let that finish off the vacation chronicles. They are now officially logged for my future remembering! :) Thank you for bearing with me.

Labels: As it happens..., Have to Laugh

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 8:45 PM 0 Comments

Vacation Chronicals... part 4

We headed next, chronologically of course, to the ships. I cued him some, but Tornado let us know the names of those ships... the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery. I will never ever not know those three ship names... it's one of the little facts that we went over and over.

Why?

No idea. But he knows them! It just happens that each book we read mentioned them by name. So anytime we were talking about the ships (and this is true even today as we were "traveling" on one during play time), we went through the names again.

Gratefully, nothing overly memorable happened on those ships. Some rude kids, but that's all. The kids steered, lay in the little beds, tried to ring the bell (that is tied up so all the kids won't ring it), and even got in trouble for Sweet Pea lifting her feet as she leaned over to see the water down below.

Did I say nothing memorable? That's because I'm blocking it out. I was so embarrassed. But what can I say? I was watching/ taking pictures of Tornado at that moment. (So embarrassed!) Somehow I just knew that "all feet on deck" comment was aimed at one of mine!


Once we "landed" in Virginia, we made our way to the fort. The kids rowed in a hollowed out canoe for a while, then we headed in. The chicken house is right by the entrance. Since we one day hope to have chickens of our own, we try to show these sorts of things to the kids. They loved it and Tornado was almost inside before the man was saying something. Ugh! Strike two for the day. He was worried about it being dirty. I guess we just would have washed up, huh? (I have 3 children... can you tell?) None the less... I didn't want him in there, so I guess I'm glad he said something. :)

Do you see this rooster?

He's the reason there aren't many pictures of the next 20 minutes or so. Except this picture that is. I had to get one of the culprit. I took it after the following story.

We saw him enter a building, so followed him in to show the kids. They were excited to see him (even if they were attached to Daddy... literally), but apparently the little guy worked himself into a corner while they were watching. Before any of us knew what was happening, he must have been a little nervous about being cornered because he made a big fuss and got himself out of that corner.

Honestly, it's all a little blurry. I don't know how much I actually remember and how much is painted by My Beloved's stories. He would tell you that he's not sure how Sweet Pea came to be sitting in his lap, but she was there. Both of them were screaming. And Tornado???

Where was he you ask?

By the time I made it to the door on the other wall to look out, Tornado was screaming and running near 20 feet away.

And I do mean screaming!

"[Torando], Mommy's right here baby." I was speaking calmly... in sort of a just letting you know where you can find me sort of way.

I'm certain there were lots of people wondering where in the world that child's mother was as he scrambled out of the building and down the way.

Poor kids... very traumatized!

And as if that isn't bad enough. We get them calmed down... then force them to come out and look at the rooster again. Kinda a getting back on the bike sort of thing. Then we headed over (quickly because it had already started) to see the musket demonstration.

They are already a little (read: a lot) concerned about loud noises. But then as we were making our way quickly across the fort, I saw something fly in, swoop down, and disappear behind Tornado. I wish you all could see this in my mind. Not knowing what was happening, he brushed something off. his. face., brushing it to the ground before even seeing that it was something... let alone what it was.

Moving around in the dirt was a reddish-orange cicada (read: very ucky bug) larger than a quarter! It took just a moment... then the screaming and crying came. Poor kid. They both have been struggling with fear of flying bugs lately... but this one really pushed him over the edge (especially after the gnats and rooster incidence.)

I am "sad" to report that many of these little glimpses resurfaced to bring quiet laughter the rest of the day as My Beloved and I relived them.

There were some more tears at the prospect of the musket firing, but I'm glad to say that we did have one kid get "back on the bike"...

Willingly feeding a chicken. He even reported afterward that "she didn't peck me, she just took the food!" That was a revelation!


Sigh... from there we made our way back and though we knew we weren't going to buy anything, Mommy just wanted to look in the gift shops.

Bad call!

In those five minutes the forecast thunderstorms arrived. We ran as fast as we could with two littles and a baby in the sling, but were drenched by the time we got to the car. It definitely helped end the day with laughing!!


Hey... there are still two hole days of craziness to share! To be continued...



(Note: It's so hard to "hear" the voice behind the stories on a blog... Just wanting to make sure you know that we had a blast and any and all of these stories are being shared with joy in the remembering. There's no "woe is me" here! :))

Labels: As it happens..., Have to Laugh

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 7:09 AM 0 Comments

Vacation Chronicals... part 3

With breakfast done, lunch packed and memory card purchased, we were on our way to the first stop on histories time line... Jamestown Settlement!

The saga does continue though and after watching a little video, and looking through the indoor museums, we headed back toward the parking lot for lunch. Jamestown is "settled" right on the water (makes sense, right?) and there were so many gnats everywhere. It was very annoying, but at some point during her sunny butter and jelly sandwich, Sweet Pea just snapped. She couldn't take the gnats flying in her face, crawling in her hair, or landing on her sandwich any. more. Major melt down! We tried to explain that they couldn't hurt her, don't bite, and will be gone if she could just eat fast. No go! Poor thing.

That behind us, we made our way back through the building and down the walking trail to the Indian Village.


We had so much fun! I love the Indian area. (Read: the homesteader in me likes to learn all I can take home!) We learned how to find natural fibers from plants around us and use it to make rope.

We walked in and around the homes.

Scraped hair off the deer hides.

Learned how the make those hides into clothing.

I even got some great recipes that I'll totally be trying out! (I'm so not kidding about the trying out... you can be the judge of the "great" part!)


One of the highlight/most looked forward to parts of Jamestown Settlement was this little thing. The kids remembered it from last time (read: the pictures of next time most likely) and were talking about it the whole week before.

They crushed corn at every home we stopped by. (There were 4-5 of them!) It was a big hit. My Beloved got over the "need a pic of every one" pretty quickly, so while they were doing it, we were looking around in the homes. Not far... but certainly not watching. Again. Perhaps I'll re-think that next time.

Before we knew it, Sweet Pea was screaming and Tornado was saying something like how it wasn't his fault... which told us that, of course, it was.

Long story short... Tornado was crushing and Sweet Pea wanted to pick some of it up. At the same time. Sweet Pea's little hand was underneath one of Tornado's down crunches.

Skin was broken on both sides of her pointer finger and we looked a long time to try to see if it was broken. My Beloved usually has his full EMT kit in the car, but for vacation (since I required a couple pieces of "for mommies convenience" baby gear), he put together a smaller pack... without the ice packs!

Once we established the story of what really happened, made sure she didn't need a hospital, and gave the "it's your responsibility to be paying attention" to my 4 year old, I walked over to one of the dressed up "Indian" ladies. Turns out, they keep some first aid stuff under the beds in the Indian homes. How funny it looked to see her pull a plastic tub of medical supplies out from under those animal skins!

Never a dull moment on one of our vacations!

More to come...

Labels: As it happens..., Have to Laugh

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 8:40 AM 0 Comments

Vacation Chronicals... part 2

The trip was relatively uneventful. We stopped for dinner about half way down, then back on the road it was. It was between 9:30 and 10 when My Beloved returned to the car with our room keys and we made the short drive to our building to unload.

It was when we were finally getting the kids into bed that I realized I had no memory card in the camera! They were just so cute. They jumped up and scurried under their covers to their necks... sheets and blankets still tucked in all the way up. Those high beds just seem safer if the covers are helping to hold them in. I loved it instantly and knew I needed a picture. I returned after a quick moment and they were out of bed already. In my (ahem) very patient voice, I told them to get back under those covers so I could take a picture. They willingly obliged. Then... no memory card. (Thus... no pics in these posts.) Ugh! I was so mad. But I determined it would be fine. We'd just have to fix that tomorrow morning!

Oh, and did I mention that My Beloved was sick... again! We can't go on vacation without that happening! It was so late, and he was so tired (especially after hefting all our stuff up to the 3rd floor by himself while I nursed) that we just went straight to bed. No audio book. No brownie. No hanging out. Nothing. It was perfect!

Now if only we could have gotten Little Man to sleep in! Not going to happen. Well, it may have, but at 5:30, I wasn't willing to risk the other two waking up to the crying... so I grabbed him. Fed him in bed. Let him hang out a bit. And put him back.

It was 30 minute after I cozied back into bed when I heard the door open. Tornado was up. It was 7am. My day was beginning!

Labels: As it happens..., Have to Laugh

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 8:16 PM 0 Comments

Today's meditation...

Labels: Reflections

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 10:05 AM 0 Comments

Vacation

Vacation... it has so many pictures associated with it. For instance, rest. Relaxation.

I suppose some vacations can be that for some people. Not this one.

Our plans to leave for Williamsburg, VA early Thursday morning were changed when my heart began consistently skipping beats Wednesday afternoon (the same day Sweet Pea began running a fever.)

I went about my baking and preparing, but left much undone till morning, just hoping to feel better then.

We set no alarm, deciding the rest was probably needed, but I was awake at six anyway. Around seven I got up and got going, feeding the baby and starting breakfast. But it wasn't better.

Around 8:30 we left for a local urgent care, supposing an EKG was a good idea. Nothing showed up, the doctor heard nothing. He sent us for STAT blood work just in case, but because it was STAT we couldn't go to just any lab. We had to drive all the way to the hospital where we started with outpatient registration. Suffice it to say it was nearly 12:30 before we were home again, the house was a mess and we weren't packed.

I was already feeling much better though so we flew into action. Two and a half hours later we were finally on the road, minus a handful of things we would miss later!

To be continued...


298. a regularly functioning heart

299. getting to go on vacation

300. trusting God to care for us

301. a sweet husband who cares so much for me

302. Sweet Pea's fever going away!

Labels: As it happens...

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 9:18 AM 2 Comments

What Was on the Table Tuesday

This is the little project I was working on last night. It's been in my head for a while now (inspiration coming with completion of project) and I'm so pleased with how it's turning out.

Funny thing... I didn't intend to do it up all stripey. I had planned something else with it, but when it was time, I realized that the method I had planned wasn't going to work on this one quite like I'd planned. So I made changes and really... this design is much more true to my inspiration than anything else would have been!

So here it is... my stripey baby boy quilt! Enjoy!


How about you??? Do you have anything on the table??? (I say on the table because that's where I do my sewing... on our kitchen table. Your "table" could be in your craft room, in your lap, or anywhere else.) Are you working on any little projects? I'd love to know about it... and if you have posted on it, leave me a link so I can check out!


Linking up here today...

Labels: With These Hands

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 7:57 AM 0 Comments

Being content behind closed doors

Yesterday I mentioned we put an offer on a house. I didn't tell you it came with 4.9 acres, a horse barn, a couple of out buildings, room for chickens and goats and lots of growing space. I didn't tell you that much of it was recently re-done and that we loved the look of the old log build.

This morning we learned that our offer was presented to the bank with another... and they were offering cash. That was the biggest thing we could come against. We would never win against cash. (Though we wish we could offer cash for a house... we just can't yet.) We didn't get it.

Was I disappointed? Yes... and if I let myself think about it, I still am. And I'll be honest, it took a couple hours to work through everything and look (in appearance and action and attitude) on the outside the way I knew I should feel on the inside.

We knew going in that we weren't assured this house. We've been doing all our talking and dreaming about this place knowing that it was all hypothetical. There was always a "if we get it" attached to every idea mentioned... even if it was just in my head. Still, when I heard our realtor's voice on the line today, my heart sank a little... there just wasn't any excitement in it.

But as I began working through the disappointment, I did so by focusing on what we've been given in this and not what we've lost. I began a mental list of all the blessings we've been given behind this closed door.

They're always there... behind each closed door. The blessings!

1. We ask Him to guide us... He did, and we aren't left to wonder about anything.

2. This was going to be tight on us financially... we can now buckle down into more intense saving without the stress of penny to penny living (at least not yet).

3. We probably won't have to cancel our trip to see family in Michigan later this summer (like we were thinking we'd have to do).

4. We'll have air conditioning all summer! We wouldn't have had it at this place.

5. We know something *better* is coming. (Romans 8:28)



The list goes on as I'm continually thinking of "silver linings" to this closed door.

Could I come up with a longer list of reasons to be disappointed and sad? Maybe. But the path to contentment behind closed doors is to focus on what God is giving now... not what he may give later or has chosen not to give.

Focus on Him... what He is giving you now. Joy abounds behind those doors when you do! That works for me!


This week I'll be linking up with...

Labels: As God Provides, Life Lessons for Mommy, Reflections

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 10:07 PM 10 Comments

It isn't even ours

It isn't even ours, yet I picture the walls a different color.
Isn't even ours, but I know where I'd put the beds.
It isn't even ours, but I have the chickens and goats all assigned to their quarters.
Isn't even ours, but garden plans are swimming in my head.


I guess you could say we took the next step toward our dream of homesteading... are trying to anyway. Thursday evening we went to look at a little place on five acres... then we followed our realtor across town to her office and filled out contracts to make an offer.

*Silence*

Yeah. We were pretty surprised too. Neither of us expected it to go anywhere when we left the house to go look at this one. Our realtor had sent me the link for it the day before and we agreed to go look at it, but for the price we could pay, it was way to good to be true. We knew there was something wrong with it.

And there is... but we were certain there would be something more wrong with it than we were willing to take on. Or could afford to.

So we went, hoping that the too good to be true wasn't. We arrived and liked it already. Our sweet realtor (church friend) had brought her General Contractor husband along to look at it for us too. What a special blessing!

Long story short (I'll "bless" you with the details when and if we actually get the house), it has everything we wanted (before recently deciding we could settle for less) plus a bunch of stuff we knew we couldn't want yet and a few things we would never think to ask for. It'll be work, don't get me wrong... but it has sooo much potential.

It's bank owned, and banks are kinda a pain. Instead of giving them 24 hours like we probably could have to make their decision, this bank requires 5 days... business days. Ugh! That's like... Thursday.

My pastor's wife put it best this morning when she said we must be cautiously ecstatic! Yep... and the "cautiously" part isn't stopping me from planning it all out in my head. The ecstatic part is just too strong!

So we wait... and it's not so bad. We know this would be an awesome house (on five acres with out buildings and 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms... ahem... sorry). And we want it really bad. But we know that God knows what he has for us. Knows our future. Knows what we need. And if this isn't it... we know He holds the heavens in his hands. We know that if this isn't what He has planned for us, we don't want it.

And we know that if it is what He has planned... it's going to be an awesome little homestead!!



Counting our blessings...

290. God is bigger than my dreams

291. God's dreams for us are bigger than my dreams for ourselves!

292. He knows what we'll find out on Thursday

293. He knows what we won't know for days after that

294. He cares for us

295. Provides for us

296. Loves us

297. His grace is sufficient!

Amen!


Also linked to...

Labels: Gratitude, Homesteading

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 8:56 PM 3 Comments

Preparing for Evacuation Type Emergencies

I love Homestead Revivals Preparedness Challenge. Proverbs 31:21 says "When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet." Basically... when hard times came, she was prepared!

We never know what's going to happen. Whether we are preparing for the colds of winter or the droughts of summer, we are to be prepared. From house fires to earthquakes and nuclear disasters, there are all sorts of things to be prepared for. And these last few require being prepared to grab and go in a hurry, don't they.


This week I've begun working on "leave in a hurry" bags. It's been tough for me to do because I keep thinking of all the things we'd be leaving behind in that sort of situation and I'm not really ok with that. But then I have to remind myself that this is a last resort sort of thing. What would we need to really survive for a few days until help arrived, or we could get somewhere else? There are all sorts of things, and I hope to be more prepared this next week... but what I have done so far is gather some kid clothes. Something warm and comfy for late night or cold weather, some long sleeves and "pants" options, and a pair warm weather clothes for each. Combined with whatever they would be wearing when the "disaster" strikes, and they should be dressed for whatever.

It's not much... but it's a start. How much more glad will I be if I can "have no fear for my household" in one of those situations... because I've prepared ahead!

Join Homestead Revival today for some more preparedness ideas... and link up your own!

Labels: Homesteading, Keeping My Home

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 8:36 AM 3 Comments

Be all there

I believe it was Jim Elliot who said, "Wherever you are, be all there." I happened upon this quote the other day and it has stuck with me.

"Wherever you are...."

Most of the time I'm here. Home. I really don't go anywhere... and when I do, I'm never alone. But mostly... I'm home.

But am I "all there"? No. Sad to say, I'm not often "all [here]". 1 Timothy 5:13 mentions widows, young widowed women, who become idlers (obviously a bad thing), "going about from house to house...." I certainly don't have the time, inclination or energy to be going about from "house to house." Forget about the fact that we have only one car.

I do however have [ahem] time to sit at my computer and read blog after blog. And as they say, the internet is the new way to be "going about from house to house." Another way to do this is on the phone, but I knew of this one early on and (most of the time) make a point of limiting phone talking. But computer time is tricky. You can sit down quick to check email or look up a recipe for dinner and before you know it you're just looking at one (more) quick thing and an hour has passed by.

And so many days I'd rather dwell in someone else's beautiful "blog-life" (that is the little part of their life that they let us see) than to live in the messy one here.

I'm certain I'm not the only one to ever feel this way.

And the ironic part is that it is all so much messier when I'm sitting there at that computer. The house remains uncleaned. Children play, left to themselves to bicker or be wild. Mommy loses her patience because what she is doing is being interrupted. And children are being put off with a "wait" or "not right now, mommy's finishing this" or "in a minute."

I've been thinking of Jesus these past few days, as it relates to His ministry and this quote by Jim Elliot. "Wherever you are, be all there." Story after story in Scripture shows us that Jesus was never too busy, never too distracted. Wherever he was, he was all there.

This is so easy to talk about. So easy to decide we need to change. Actually being "all here", all day -- every day... that's harder.

But this is my heart. Day 2 of the 31 Days to Clean challenges me to add life to my home. Day 3 gives me a list of 10 things that could do that. But for me, breathing fresh life into my home needs to begin with me... being. all. here.


Find other "31 Days" thoughts from this week here to learn why I want to clean!


Linking up...

Labels: Keeping My Home, Raising Children, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 2:53 PM 1 Comments

What's On the Table Tuesday

Not much I'm afraid!

On Good Friday I hurt my back and haven't tackled much by way of machine since. And, only a little bit sadly, I finished up all my current handwork just before that. So... no (or little) sewing.


I did work on creating this bowling pin though. It was experimental, and after several tries, I like it.


Of course... there is some fine tuning. But I think by the time I get 6 of these made... I will have figured out just how I want to do it well! :)


One such change will be closing up this whole a lot better! :) But I'm sew not doing it over!

Tornado already loves it! Ever since we took the kids bowling a couple weeks ago, he's been setting up all sorts of things to knock over. Now he lines up the pin with them! :)


How about you??? Do you have anything on the table??? (I say on the table because that's where I do my sewing... on our kitchen table. Your "table" could be in your craft room, in your lap, or anywhere else.) Are you working on any little projects? I'd love to know about it... and if you have posted on it, leave me a link so I can check out!


Linking to:

Labels: With These Hands

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 11:42 AM 1 Comments

... and counting!

281. Doing it Enyway

282. enjoying the results of it

283. a tidy kitchen

284. clean dishes

285. guilt free

286. praise from My Beloved

287. progress

288. habits forming

289. inertia (easier to keep things clean than to clean things up!)

Labels: Gratitude

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 8:52 PM 0 Comments

Why do I want a clean home???

That is the question Sarah Mae has asked us on day one of these 31 Days to Clean. And I'm so glad she asked. I'm so thankful for this whole challenge in the first place! It's just the perfect next step for Suzy meets Proverbs 31! It pushes me into the getting my house clean steps while still letting me focus on being diligent to my daily tasks and putting off laziness! She's doing the thinking for me... while leading me to do some heart work on these topics too.

Day 1... I had to ask myself, why do I want a clean home? Really.

There could be so many reasons.

So I sit here thinking. Health, for one. Apparently this hasn't been enough for me (apparently none of the following reasons have been) or I would be better at it. But, oh how I want it to be! How it should be! Especially since my Tornado has allergies to both dust and mold, among other things. So in motivation's simplest form, I should clean for the health of it.

But what else? Clean is comfortable! Rather I could say not clean is not comfortable! Tripping over toys is not a comfortable way tot live. Crumbs and dirt stuck to the bottom of your feet and socks is not comfortable. Sitting on or having to push over laundry before sitting down is not comfortable! And just imagine how much more comfortable a bed would be if it were properly aired out and covers straightened daily... laundered regularly!

Clean is also restful... relaxing! Doesn't matter who you are. If things are dirty, messy, cluttered and/or unorganized, it is not restful or relaxing. I may be able to ignore it all and live with it like this, but there is still a constant inner nagging about what still needs to be done. And I'm in this house all day everyday. Now imagine my sweet husband who works all day for us and comes home to this unorganized mess. I want him to want to come home. And once he's here I want him to find rest... refuge. As his eyes travel around the room I want him to feel peace. To smile. Not to feel like he really should get up and help me by doing this or that which has gone undone yet again.

Clean is safe too. This is true especially in food safety, but also with toys or projects that are left strewn about. Toys can be tripped over. Spills, puddled on the floor, can be slipped in. Knives or scissors left out grabbed up by mistake... cutting. Plus so many other hazards awaiting.

Then there is this... clean is pleasing! Pleasing to the eye as you walk into a room or look around. Pleasing to smell instead of whatever that smell is we can never seem to figure out. Pleasing to the touch. Instead of gritty or coarse, it could be smooth and... well... clean!

I want my home to be clean for all these reasons for me. But how much more do I want my home to be all these things for my sweet husband and my precious children!


So there you go. Now... how to put it in a succinct little paragraph of a "mission statement"???

Clean is healthy. Clean is comfortable. Clean is restful. Clean is safe. Clean is pleasing.

It's my hope that one day "home" will be all these things too.

And before I "sign off", it's occurring to me that "clean" is at least one more thing (I hate to limit what else I might have missed). Clean is also love! It's certainly not the only way I show it, but it most certainly is one of the big ones!



Have you purchased your copy of 31 Days to Clean (I don't get anything out of it... really! I'm just excited to step into this next part of Suzy meets P31!)... there's still time to join in!

Labels: Keeping My Home, Life Lessons for Mommy, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 7:57 PM 2 Comments