Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Free Woodland Baby Decor


I was invited to a friends baby shower this past weekend and she has an adorable woodland theme for her nursery! After looking at her registry, I decided to see if I could make something using what I had on hand as a gift and this mobile is what I came up with!

The top is half of an embroidery hoop - I must've used the other half for something else as this one was already left solo which made it a perfect use for this project. I wrapped the hoop with fabric to start.


Then I just sort of scrounged around for things that fit both the theme and a boy color scheme. David gave me the little bitty trees from his landscape collection, the pine cone is from outside, the pompoms are from a pair of socks I had and these came unattached in the wash and the metal tree was in my crafty items.

I printed out a template of a bear and made a tiny stuffed bear to attach. Then I chose verses that either suited baby/child or the outdoor theme.


Verses were:

Matthew 19:14, "Let the little children come to Me..."

Psalm 96:12, "...all the trees of the forest will sing for joy..."

Isaiah 61:3, "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor."


Isaiah 35:1, "... the wilderness will rejoice and blossom..."

Psalm 36:6, "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains..."

Luke 2:52, "And the child grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man..."

Psalm 4:8, "I will lie down and sleep in peace..."







I was so pleased to be able to give a sweet and meaningful gift that still fit her theme and my budget!!


Friday, February 24, 2017

Lent



Lent begins this Monday and rather than a list of ideas this time, I'm going to share one idea that I want to implement as a family. If you'd prefer a list, you can visit this one from a previous year.

The one thing I want to implement this season of Lent is to teach my children to have their own Bible study time each morning. We read together at breakfast each morning - a faith story of missionaries usually, more frequently lately we've also read the Proverb chapter that matches the date and we've learned all four verses of Stand Up for Jesus. We learned the hymn by taking one verse each week for four weeks and just singing once each morning. I have two hymnals that were free when our church replaced them with new versions a number of years ago.

In addition to this, they practice Awana verses and have a Bible curriculum to work through. But, I think you will know what I mean when I say I want them to just pull out their Bibles and read it. I want them to learn to glean wisdom from these life-giving words and it takes practice to know how to do this.

My friend Jen has trained her children beautifully in this: I've watched them pull out Bibles/journals and read an assigned portion quietly and write something about it in a journal. Perhaps a younger one just copying a verse word for word.

I decided to order the He/She Reads Truth books for Lent with the intent of us doing this together as a family. They are working through the Book of Isaiah - you definitely don't have to buy the books to participate, you can follow along for free on their website. My hope is that David and I will each use the books in our own quiet time where we can make notes of things that stand out to us.

Then I hope to have our children read the chapter of the day at the beginning of their morning and make notes in their journal. At dinner time, we can come together and share all of our thoughts from the days study. It will be a way we can teach our children how to begin this practice, which I've long wanted to implement but didn't feel clear on how to begin, and hopefully be a meaningful time together as a family studying God's Word.

There are hymns in the She book too - so we can include those to be learning together. We've just finished learning one hymn diligently in this way and I hear my children singing it at little times during play and presenting on it in front of their friends at CC. I'm hooked! Teach them all the hymns! Fill their hearts with worship of our God! 

Friends, I just cannot seem to find words to express how God is impressing on my heart to remember what is really important, be in His Word, quietly being faithful and the power of investing little bits day by day in our children. It does add up over time and invests truth, beauty and blessing in their hearts and lives for eternity.

I look forward to brightening our home by pulling out some Spring decor items to sprinkle in here and there - and I pray that these seeds of grace and truth planted in the soil of our heart will reap a beautiful harvest in His Kingdom. 

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Open Tabs


* Purging update: not only did we get rid of 1000 things - our total ended up way over that! Such a good feeling! I did not finish every cabinet or drawer, but we did tackle some big projects together as a family such as cleaning out our shed, taking care of a bunch of shredding and some electronics that were no longer working.

* Just finished reading The Magnolia Story and now reading The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill.

* Did you know Miss Mustard Seed has a coloring book called Barn Quilts? Swoon! And speaking of MMS, this makes me want to cross stitch on linen grain sacks!!!

* We had this Indonesian Ginger Chicken at a friends during our hurricane evacuation and it has earned a place in our meal rotation! I don't cook the marinade but just mix and pour. Chicken Thighs make this simple and fairly inexpensive to make. Serve with rice and steamed broccoli. Easy!

* You can download a free 7-day devotional from Wycliffe Bible Translators on the Search for Significance.

* Listening to: Josh Garrels The Light Came Down

* Watching: Lark Rise to Candleford {included on Amazon Prime!}

* Still walking one mile as many days as possible, I had my first spell of missing days due to sickness last week, but grateful for the miles I've walked. I love charts so made myself a little walking chart so I could mark off each day and this is helping to motivate me!

* Loved this article from Ruth @ Gracelaced: There's Room for You, and then follow up with Creating in a Comparing World.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Slow Day




































Rachel asked if she could be in charge of meals for a whole day - so she planned the menu and prepared most of it herself! For breakfast she wanted oven cinnamon toast on homemade bread {yes, she made the bread and then got up and sliced it and prepared breakfast too!} lunch was cold or grilled sandwiches and sides and then dinner was grilled chicken {she made the marinade and I grilled on my grill pan} fresh green beans and egg noodles. Yum!

It sort of rained off an on - but after lunch there came a big whirl of wind and heavy rain that came up almost instantly and then stopped abruptly about thirty minutes later - it was so strange!

Walk through the neighborhood
Spotting a few spring blooms
Painting on the screened porch
Hymn study
Playing a game {ours was from a thrift store!}
A new tea combo for nursing a sore throat: peppermint plus Throat Coat
Reading a library book
Beautiful sky at sunset

* affiliate links provided

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Valentine Fun


Such a fun day celebrating love and friendship with important people in our lives! Fun breakfast, picnic lunch with friends at the park, and then family dinner together with steak, PW roasted garlic mashed potatoes, toasted bread, salad and chocolate pie!