You Can Do WHAT with Kool Aid??

First let me say I have not tried these so I can't say they work for me. It came across my email this week and I thought it was interesting. If anyone has tired them and they work, let me know.

1. Make Easy, Flavorful Kool-Aid Frosting
I discovered this unusual use for Kool-Aid powder when I had a can of
vanilla frosting one day and a cherry chip cake to frost. I stirred in
a package of cherry flavored Kool-Aid and the result was a delicious,
creamy topping that everyone loved!

If you need to make a tasty frosting for a gelatin cake, all you need
to do is fold in a pack of Kool-Aid into a container of thawed Cool
Whip®. If the frosting tastes a little tart, add in sugar, a little at
a time until it tastes good to you.

2. Make Kool-Aid Brand Lip Gloss
This is an unusual use the girls will love! All they need to do, to
make a fruity lip gloss, is to place a small amount of petroleum jelly
into a microwave-safe bowl. Stir some Kool-Aid soft drink powder into
the jelly- enough to make it the color they desire. Stir in a little
sugar, then, place the bowl in a microwave oven for about five or six
seconds- just enough to soften the mixture up a bit.

3. Make sand Art With Kool-Aid Brand Soft Drink Mix
Kool-Aid is perfect for the kids to make safe Sand Art with! All you
need to do is provide them with plenty of paper and pencils. After
they draw pictures on the paper, give them several different colors of
dry Kool-Aid and Elmer's® Glue. Then, instruct them to spread a thin
layer of glue over one item in their picture. It's better to start at
the top of the pictures so they don't get their arms in the wet
mixture. They can then sprinkle Kool-Aid on that area and press it
down gently. After the kids shake the excess soft drink powder off,
they can continue onto the next section.

Once their pictures are done, let them set until the Elmer's Glue
dries completely.

4. Temporarily Dye Your Hair With Kool-Aid
If you're going to a party, or, you just want a new look for a short
period of time, use Kool-Aid!
Choose the color you want to use and pour it into a glass container.
Add a teaspoon of corn starch and just enough water to turn the
ingredients into a paste. Apply the paste to your clean, dry hair and
let it set for five minutes. Then, rinse the paste out. Your "new do"
will last until you shampoo your hair once or twice.

5. Make Eerie Party Decorations
Another unusual use for Kool-Aid Brand Soft Drink Powder is to make an
eerie Halloween decoration with it. Just place some dry ice- don't
touch it with your hands!- into a glass, and pour a packet of any
flavor Kool-Aid into it. Kids will watch with fascination as the dry
ice and Kool-Aid bubbles and mists. Make up several of these glasses
and set them around for an eerie effect at your next party!

6. Make Kool-Aid Clay for the Kids
You may already know how to make homemade clay for your kids to play
with. But, did you know you can make clay using Kool-Aid brand soft
drink powder as well? Mix together a cup of white flour, a fourth cup
of salt, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar and a package of Kool-Aid in a
pan. Stir in a cup of water and a tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat
the pan over medium heat on your stove top. After several minutes, the
mixture should clump together in the pan. When it does, remove the pan
from the stove and let it cool slightly until you can touch it. Knead
the Kool-Aid clay with your hands until it's not lumpy anymore. Place
it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator until use.

7. Remove Chlorine From Your Hair
If you swim alot in a chlorinated pool, you may notice that, after
awhile, your hair color will change. It's especially noticeable on
people who have blond or light brown hair. To remedy this problem,
there are two things you can do. First, anytime you swim in a
chlorinated pool, wet your hair with non-chlorinated water first
before you get into the pool. This will help keep your hair from
absorbing the chlorinated water. Second, to help change your hair back
to its original color, use a pack of lemonade-flavored Kool-Aid. Pour
a little Kool-Aid in your hand if you have short hair; use more if
your hair is long, or if it's really changed color. Then, add a dab of
shampoo and lather your hair up. Let the Kool-Aid set on your hair for
fifteen minutes before you rinse it and the shampoo out well.

Note: Try not to get the Kool-Aid brand soft drink powder in your eyes
or it will sting.

8. Kool-Aid Brand Water Colors
Are the kids bored? Why not mix them up some Kool-Aid brand water
colors? It's fun for them and safe to use as well. Even if the little
ones stick their paint brushes in their mouths, this homemade paint
won't hurt them!

Pour several packets of different colored soft drink powders into
individual glass bowls. (Don't use plastic or the Kool-Aid can stain
them.) Stir a tablespoon of water into each bowl; stir until the
powders are completely dissolved.

Then, provide the kids with plenty of paper and some thick artist's
paintbrushes, and they're ready to have some fun!

Seal up any leftover Kool-Aid tightly and keep the containers in the
refrigerator to use again.

9. Tie Dye an Old Tee Shirt
Because Kool-Aid brand soft drink powder contains artificial colors,
it makes a great tie dye for an old tee shirt, or even a pair of
cotton socks. Actually, your kids can dye most anything by using
Kool-Aid. Curtains, bed sheets, towels, doll clothes and more can
quickly change colors if you have some Kool-Aid and these instructions:

First, make sure the tee shirt you want to tie dye is clean and dry.
Next, open up several packages of Kool-Aid. Pour each package into an
individual glass bowl. Stir an ounce of white vinegar into each bowl;
make sure the powders dissolve completely.

Take the tee shirt and twist the fabric up however you want. Hold it
into place with several rubber bands. Before you begin to tie dye your
item, you'd better put a pair of rubber gloves on so your hands don't
get tie dyed too!

Now, grab the shirt at one side and dip into a bowl of Kool-Aid. Then,
grab it at another place and choose another color to dip it into. Keep
doing this until your creation is finished. Leave the rubber bands in
place and set the tee shirt outside in the sun.

Once your tie dye tee shirt seems to be dry, remove the rubber bands.
Then, spread it outside in the sun so it can completely dry. Then, pop
it in the clothes dryer by itself and dry it on "high heat" for
fifteen to twenty minutes. This will help set the colors in. Now, your
new tie dye tee shirt is ready to wear!

Note: The colors can still run, so it's best if you hand wash your
creation and hang it up to dry.

10. Use Kool-Aid to Check for Toilet Tank Leaks
Do you hear water running inside your toilet tank in between flushes?
There's probably a leak in there that needs to be repaired. An easy
way to detect a leak is to use Kool-Aid. The darker colored soft drink
powder works the best because you can see it better.

Carefully lift the lid off the toilet tank and set it aside. Open up a
pack of Kool-Aid and pour it into the tank. The test can take as
little as ten minutes or as long as thirty minutes, depending on the
size of the leak. Don't flush the toilet! Just watch the toilet bowl.
If you see the colored powder float through from the tank, then
there's a leak present. It's quite possibly the flapper piece. But,
you'll have to investigate further to determine the exact cause.

Note: For all of these ideas, use unsweetened Kool-Aid only.
F0r more works for me hope on over to Rocks in my Dryer!

The Best Things In Life ARE Free

My husband and I are CASA for a 13 year old boy and today was his court date. We go together, but because I need to bring our granddaughter along my husband does the talking with the judge.

As we were waiting to go into the court room I was telling Scout that she needed to be quiet in there. She is not quite 11 months old so I was not sure how much she would comprehend, but she gets a lot more than many kids her age so I thought I would give it a try. We sat outside the court room door and I told her in a whisper "shhhhhhh we need to be quiet in here. We can't talk". She looked at me and started to talk. I again said "shhhhhhh we have to whisper, we can't talk in here". With that she she put her bottom lip under her top lip and somehow made a shhhhh sound (it was more like a sssssssssssssss with a little bit of h in there). So I repeated it again and she did her version of shhhhh once more.

We went inside and she started to look around, so I reminded her of the shhhh rule. She was really good, but I knew she got it when the couple behind us began to talk in a normal voice. She stood up, turned around and very nicely told them "shhhhhhhhh", then smiled at them.

We ended up having a good day after court by going to Austin and running around the thrift shops. I love thrift shops and need a computer desk. Some of these shops have things so cheap. I had no luck on the computer desk, but a lot of laughs with Scout. She wanted to go into the "tore" with us. She would ask for a "tore" Then we heard her saying something in the back seat, and finally realized that "tocks awv" meant she was taking her socks off.

Watching a baby eat a donut hole for the first time was a delight. She was not sure what to do with this ball, and I told her to put it in her mouth and eat it. She did and we got a great big "mmmmmmmmmm"

I was getting a bit housebound lately. Just felt like there was 4 walls and the only time I got out was for things that had to get done. I don't know about you, but being in the house with a baby can get to you after a bit. I wanted so much to get out and have nowhere to go, but just go. We did a bit of that today and, even though I bought nothing, I had the best of times. God knew what He was doing when he gave us kids and we can see the joy of discovery on their faces and it brightens ours. Ahhhh simple pleasures. The best things in life are free.

Bloggy giveaway

This morning I found the bloggy giveaway on Rocks in My Dryer and got so excited entering that I thought I would join in the giving. Why not? It sure is fun. You can join in too. It is easy and you do not need to have a blog to try to win.

First let me tell you what I am giving away. I have a book that is Treasures for the Christmas Tree by Carol Taylor.

It is loaded with ideas for decorating your tree, complete with patterns and pictures. It has many ideas and will help you have a different and unique tree this year.


How do you attempt to win this book?

• Read my post from earlier and tell me what critter I am referring to that does not want it's picture taken.
• Write a comment telling me what your guess is
• I will use a random number of all correct comments and mail the book to the winner next week.
• NO duplicate entries
• You must have an email address or blog address for me to contact you.
• That is it!

I will pick a winner on Saturday Nov. 3rd.

Now, go to to Rocks In My Dryer and try for more goodies!

Meet My Neighbors

Since moving to Texas I have some different neighbors.

First, I would like you to meet my mail sorter, She moved in to our mailbox and sorts our junk mail for us. Anything pooped on just goes in the trash bag.

Next is mama. She is sweet and comes over when I come home from the store. She is a begging neighbor, always borrowing carrots or other veggies and not returning them.

Here we have our bird dog trainer. This cute guy sits about 2 feet from my bird dog and torments her. I am sure Makita is thinking "What is it? I thought ALL birds flew".

This is the baby that hangs out with mama. She will not let you come close, even when mama wants her to.

We also have some neighbors that do not like their picture taken. In fact one is downright nasty. It just rattles at you when you look at it.

Ahhhhh Texas!

Check out The Natural Mommy for more meet and greet photos.

A Pink Dyson

Have you ever won anything? For some reason I have trouble winning. Unless there is a bunch of something being given out. you know how it is where you go and about everyone goes home with something, I am usually not a winner. I open bottle caps where it states almost everyone is a winner and am sure the inside will say "You are a loser, don't bother trying again".

Well, I am trying again to win something. Why not give it a shot? You can try too at the Domestic Diva.

Dyson is giving away this great pink vacuum in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. I know it is fun to win things, and fun to try, but the fact that breast cancer is something that needs a cure and is taking lives is not fun. The fear and suffering that goes into women and even some men when they find they are a victim is something that makes us all know a cure needs to be found.

I want to thank Dyson for making this available to make it fun to spread the word and also to The Domestic Diva for giving us the challenge.

Why not give it a shot and try to win yourself by spreading the word!

I would like to also ask that if you know someone who is a survivor or suffering from the cancer at this time that you embrace them, support them and, most of all, pray for them.

Blessings in Volunteering

Today was Angel Food Ministries distribution. Any of you that get Angel Food know that it is a savings for the food you get for your $25. There is no income level that must be given out, and everyone can order. While I may not like all the food, for the price you can donate the food that you do not like or want to someone else.

Our church has been doing this for a few months now and I have helped with both order taking and distributing. Today we had 160 boxes plus the specials to give out. People can come over an hour and half time frame and running like an assembly line it makes the giving out go quickly.

I sit and take the orders for the next time so people can pick up and place the next month's order in one trip. I enjoy this part of it because you can get to talk to the people that come and get to know the people in the community. I am a people person so I find it fun to have the different people come and many are not in a hurry so they talk a little. Today I had some elderly people that live alone and just want to talk, I had a younger woman with a child and the child was the talker and then I had another man who sat and talked.

This man was interesting. He lost his wife a year ago and I was able to share with him in his pain having lost my first husband and knowing what it was like. He then informed he has buried 3 wives and two of his children, one at 22 and one at 38. I listened to him talk about the circumstances around his kids death and then somehow he got to talking about his not being able to drive much anymore and having to part with some of his cars. Soon he was talking about these old cars he has in a museum in Maine. MAINE!!! With that he talked about the cars at the trolley museum and they have been there since 1973. I told him I have seen his cars, that I moved here from Maine and that I took my grandson, Sean, to that museum.

I was thrilled for the surprises that comes when you are doing things for others. Seems I get blessed more than they. This conversation made me think back to when Sean was little and loved trains so much. We took him and his cousin Ivy to go for a ride on a train in Wiscasset, ME. Sean was a tough kid, loved trains, yet when that train pulled up for us to get on he ran off! We had to grab him and fight him to get him on the train. Once he was there he was fine, but it took some doing to get him there.

Angel Food Ministries blessed many, but volunteering to work with it blesses me. I had not thought of that incident in a long time. Today I was able to think about the trolley museum trip with Sean and the train ride with he and Ivy and enjoy them again in my mind.

If you get the opportunity to help, take it. You never know who you will meet and how you will be blessed.

Mopping Made Easy

Today I am having a guest writer. Karra is my daughter and a pet groomer in Dixfield, ME. Here is what she wrote the other day:
"Okay, a grooming client of mine was chatting with me the other day and shared this..NOW I know some of you are of the older thrifty crowd, so you may already know this.

I was complaining of my mop "pushing the dirt" instead of actually getting it up, I also mentioned that if I had known I had to dry my Pergo style floor I would have opted for something else.

She told me to make a cleaner with cider vinegar, ammonia and Borax, and water of course, and to make my own mop. She gets old mop handles from the dump, and cuts strips of her husband's old shirts, a t-shirt will work but the best are those oxford style polyester/cotton ones-like Rich has to wear for work. SO I had about 10 old stained ones I was about to chuck. I just wrapped it around my swiffer end. WOW!!!

I cannot believe how great my floor looks. I did not have to get down and wipe up the globs the mop and swiffer let behind and I did not have to go on my hands and knees to dry it! It shines! The shirt gets all the dog hair off the floor! Considering I groom in the laundry room it gets everywhere! So it just took me 3 minutes to clean my kitchen floor instead of the 15 it usually takes...considering I have to wash the thing nightly...I am just to thrilled to do anything but pass this on!"

I know I used to use shirts, and even told my husband I think they work better than any of the mops out there, so I wanted to pass this on from the younger generation.! For more frugal ideas check out Biblical Womanhood.

10 Month old go getter

Yesterday was a long day. I babysit my 10 month old granddaughter and she is very active. She is also full of a sense of humor. I normally have a lot of fun with her, but yesterday I was not feeling well and wished she was having a quiet day. NO WAY!

She does not want to sit still long enough for a diaper change. She yells at you, fights you and wiggles away over and over. I finally said "I am going to change this diaper whether you like it or not" Her reply? "Not". I then grabbed her, pulled her towards me and said "give me that hiney" She laughed like anything and said "hiney". She then bent over, putting her head down by her feet and looking at me from between her legs, but her hiney was right in my face. She laughed, I laughed but tried wrestling her down to get the diaper on. All this while I was feeling sick and not wanting to move.

From there she went on the couch and tried to get the dog to get up on the couch. The dog is not allowed, but she was trying to get her up. I informed her that she was trouble. She told me "bubble [laugh laugh]" and tried harder to get the dog up! Mind you I am also laying on the couch wrapped in a blanket.

Down she went, off to find more trouble, dog food, dog water, potty, you name it and it is a game to her. How do these guys get so much more energy on a day when you are not feeling well?

Right now I am waiting for her arrival to start today. I still do not feel well, and I know she will be all energy and all go getter. I put on my bright orange shirt with a pig on it (from some place called Piggy's Ice Cream Parlor in Hendersonville, NC but found brand new at a Texas thrift shop). Maybe she will sit still for some time to play with the shirt.

She is here! No such luck on the being quieter today. Yesterday she dumped my thread drawer, today she went back for more. She has dumped her toys, riped a book, pulled stuff out of everywhere and it has been less than an hour since she arrived. All I want to do is curl up on the couch.

Here she is in one of her favorite past times, the dog water bowl! She now thinks she should put her head in anything with water and drink like a dog. I do mean anything! I have to watch the potty even closer now, after all there is a lot of water in there. (It does make it easier when we are out, she knows how to drink from a water fountain now though!)


However, like the old saying goes, the good thing about being a grandma is you can send them home at night... is it 5PM yet??

CASA

Children beaten, left hungry, born on drugs because their mom was a user while she was pregnant or just unwanted. This is our world. The foster system is filled with kids that are left to the system. Some dumped by their parents, others taken away because the parents are not fit to care for the child.

You think it is not happening in this day and age, but it is a growing problem, yes, even in your town.

To complicate the matters more, our social services do not care for the children as they should. They do not find out what is really going on at the foster home, school etc of the child and they certainly spend little time with the child to find out what is going on inside them.

The system. Children caught in it for years, some sent home too soon and they end up back in it again. Others would be adoptable, but the system is letting them down.

I want to make a difference in these children's lives. As a result, my husband and I became Court Appointed Special Advocates. The judge appoints volunteers to work with the child, spend time with them, see that the courts and the social services are doing what is best for the child.

My husband and I have a 13 year old boy that we oversee. He has been in the system off and on for some time, and has been given up for adoption last year. He has social issues, trust issues etc because of all that has gone in this boys life.

I urge you to check out the CASA website and see if there is one where you can get involved. You can make a difference in a child's life.

This works for me!

Winter Sneaked Up

I went to bed Sunday night and it was still summer. Warm, but not too hot, sunny and nice. As usual I put the fan in the window before bed and went to sleep.

During the night the fan started acting up, the motor was running funny, making weird noises. I got up and shut the fan off since I was getting cold anyway. Stupid fan would not shut off! It kept running. I was so tired and getting colder and could not get this fan off soI went back to bed, pulled the covers up tighter and finally woke up enough to realize the wind was blowing so strong it was making my fan run harder than when it was on!

I got up, pulled the fan out of the window, closed the window and went back to bed. I could hear that wind just howling out there.

Morning came and I got up and realized it was also raining. It had been for some time and the dog bed (which is under the window) was soaked, as was the floor. Not only was it raining, the temperature dropped from 89 to 49! OH NO! Winter is coming!

Yesterday was busy and cold, I had to dig out my sweatshirt and long pants as the temp outside stayed low and it continued to rain. I do not like this winter stuff.

I moved to Texas from Maine when I married Rick. There is much about Texas that I do not like, but one thing I do is no real winter. Yes, it gets cool, and a few nights down right cold, but no snow for the most part. Now I have been here a few years and here I am complaining about it getting down to 49 for the first time this year. It was even colder this morning at 41. I actually had to turn the heat on to warm the house for when my granddaughter arrived.

Winter has sneaked up on me. Yes, I knew it was coming, but the nice 70's, 80's and occasional 90's have been here so long I was lulled into feeling it was never going to hit this year.

Having the mind I do, I began to wonder how many of us are doing the same about the Lord's return? Are we lulled into thinking it will never happen in our lifetime? He is coming in the clouds and those of us that are His will be leaving this earth? Am I looking for Him and ready? Are you?

My New Venture

As I wrote in my previous post, yesterday was my six week anniversary with blogging. I have been thinking about another blog, and yet a bit nervous about starting a second one. my mind has been racing:

• Could I do it?
• Could I think of enough to say on two of them?
• Would I be able to keep up?
• Would this second one be relevant and meet the needs of younger women?
  
• Would anyone read it?
• Would they????

Many other thoughts have run through my mind. I actually had this second blog in my mind when I started this one, but decided to get my feet wet with this and see how well I could do, then add the other.

Today I worked on the other one, and am waiting for the designer to see if she can make it 3 column before I put too much in the sidebars, but "Meet Me In The Garden" is launched.

I am hoping to make a difference in some lives and fill the command in Titus 3:5 by being the older who has something to offer the younger women.

I would appreciate your prayers in this effort, as it is part of the tugging on my heart in my desire to serve my God.

Anyone experience this? I need advice

Today is my six week anniversary at blogging. I am amazed that I am actually doing it and loving it. I used to wonder how people that blogged found so much to write about, day after day. I still wonder! Yet things are there.

I do not know about you, but for me I find there is so much going on in my life and around me that there seems to be a shortage of time, and yet this is an outlet for me and a "must" in my day. I am hoping that something I say and experience can help another and what they say and experience can help me.

Today that thought is on my mind. I wonder how many of you have experienced what I am now experiencing and can maybe help me. Your comments are so welcome on this "problem".

My neighbor is a man that has both legs amputated from diabetes. He lives alone and seems to be quite bullheaded. We have had to revive him many times because he does not watch his sugar and eat right, but does not want to go live with family or in an assisted living home. He calls them old peoples homes and "he is not going there".

This past week we had to bring him around twice. The first time he came out of the shock ok, the second time he was having convulsions and we could not get him out and had to call an ambulance. We also called his sister.

His house is a filthy mess, dishes and pots piled high on the counter, the floors are cluttered, the table and couch the same way. His bedroom has no sheets on the bed and stuff all over. I did not get into the bathroom, so I can only imagine.

His sister and he have trouble getting along, they love each other, but both seem a bit hard headed. I really like both of them, and am trying to keep peace. I want to do what we can to help him, and probably understand more than anybody what he is going through since my first husband was diabetic and more than once had to be revived. Willie took care of his sugar and monitored it closely, yet still had problems later in his life, this man does not monitor or eat right.

His sister and I have talked, as well as I talked to him, and want to do what I can. I think I can get farther than his sister, but hate to stick my nose in, just show up and tell him I am cleaning his house, and he better take care of himself.

I have sat and talked with him about his sugar, how it is so important to check it and to make sure he eats right. I understand his problems, and gave him ideas about how to deal with some of it. My past has given me a lot of insight into these things.

We sent food to him last night, and probably will now and then to help him, but that house! I thought of having some "clean up" evenings and asking his sister to help, but am afraid the two of them will just fight. So, how would you handle the problem? Any ideas?

Waste not, want not

I remember hearing that saying since I was a young child. I thought about it, but never really thought to apply it to much of my life.

As we are thinking of more and more frugal living, I realize that frugality is not just in how we save money at the store, or how we do things in a cheaper way, but also in what we do with what we have.

I am sure I am not alone with finding green stuff in the back of the refrigerator. No, I am not talking about lettuce, but rather the leftover food that I put in the container because it was too much to throw out. Then I never got something to go with it or forgot it was back there.

Or what about the good sale that saved all that money on the thingamajig in the back of the closet... never opened? Or the shampoo at the bottom of the bottle and it just seems like too little to bother with keeping.

We are in a throw away world and even those of us that want to be frugal do things to throw money away.

I have a few starters to think about, and after you see mine I am sure you can all add to the list.

• Small amounts of leftover veggies, meats, potatoes etc can be frozen and then used to make a stew or soup, just keep adding to the container as you collect them.
• Broth from cooking meat can be saved and frozen for other meals. Use an ice cube to skim off the fat (it will stick to the ice cube) and then put the broth in a container. If you are not going to use it right away, freeze it and add to it as you get more.
• A chicken or turkey carcass can be cooked in water with some vinegar added. The vinegar will pull out the calcium and give you a calcium rich broth. Any meat will fall off or be easily picked off and you can then toss only the bones and waste nothing.
• Add water to your shampoo or conditioner when it gets to the bottom. There will be enough to use for a shampoo or two.
• Organize what you buy so you know what you have and where it is. When things get cluttered you waste money because you often buy things you already have, but just can't find. This goes for pantry, craft supplies, clothing etc.
• Freecycle, sell or give away to a thrift shop things that you do not use and are cluttering up your space so you easily know what you have and where.
  

These are just a few ideas for being even more frugal and stopping the waste. Look over all you have and do and see what you are losing, throwing in the trash or planning on putting in the trash. Don't toss it unless it is no good, really really empty.

For more frugal ideas return to Biblical Womanhood!

What you sow, you reap

We hear that saying from the Bible but I know it is true. It has proven itself like never before. Let me tell you how.

When I was a child I liked crickets. I protected them, moving them out of harm when I found one outside. If one was in the house making that cricket noise I thought it was great. If they came out of the corner and were in danger of being stepped on or eaten by the dog I was sure to catch it and free it to the outside.

Crickets eat mosquitoes, they sound good when you are camping and what harm could they do?

I had long forgotten those cricket rescuing days of old, until I moved to Texas. This year I was fully reminded of my cricket loving days and I know that what you sow is what you reap. We have crickets! Never in my life have I seen so many. I am sure that every cricket I rescued told all their children through the generations, millions of them!

My husband drops me off by the Walmart door, crunch, crunch, jump on my legs, my arm... EEK!!!!!! I scream and run into the store. More crickets in the entry! I shop, come out and the jumping, crunching and screaming start all over.

We clean the offices in a plant near here. Mind you people have been working all day, but there they are, crickets everywhere; in the sinks, in the offices, under the desks, down the hall. I open the closet to get my bucket and there are crickets in the mop, in the bucket, under the broom. Do you know how bad crickets stink when you vacuum them? Yuck!

Yes, I am reaping crickets for all of them I sowed when I was young.

While I am sure this is not what the verse means, and I am not being cursed with crickets because I saved them when I was young, it does make me think about the sowing and reaping. I wonder what things I am sowing in my life and what will I be reaping because of it? Love? Kindness? Anger? Self-centeredness? What we sow when we are young usually magnifies itself when we are old. A bitter old person was sowing that bitterness when they were younger. What will I be like when I get older?

What am I sowing? Is my money being used right? Am I helping others? Am I serving the Lord or myself?

I find myself pondering these questions tonight because of crickets. God uses some strange things to bring home His lessons.

A Quillow Pillow

Christmas is coming and I was thinking about last year. My husband and I did not know what to do for the grandkids, we have 15, and I got the idea of making all of them except(the babies) quillows. You may ask "What is a quillow?"

A Quillow is a pillow that opens up into a lap quilt. They are great for sleepovers, cold nights watching TV or to keep in the car for emergencies.

I want to share the directions with you so maybe you can give quillows this year.

To start your quillow you need to decide on the size. I made the pillow squares about 16" plus 1/2" seam allowance all around.. You will need either a "cheater pillow square" or a fabric square the right size plus 1/2" seam allowance. (A cheater square is the pre-printed pillow squares that have a picture on them)

You can use the same fabrics that you use for the rest of the quilt for the square. If you use the cheater pillow square you will need to cut a piece of fabric the same size as the square, if not, you will need two pieces of fabric cut into the square.

For your quillowyou will need:

your square of fabric and pillow square
Batting the same size as the square
about 2 yards EACH of two different, coordinating fabrics
2 yards of batting
embroidery thread to match

To Make:

1. Place batting on flat surface.
2. Place facing square RIGHT SIDE UP on batting.
3. Place cheater square or front piece of fabric RIGHT SIDE DOWN on top of 1st fabric
   
4. Pin the fabric to the batting.
5. Keeping the batting side down begin sewing and sew a 1/2" seam all around the square, leaving an opening on one end (sew 3 sides, leaving bottom opened)
   
6. Trim any uneven edges.
7. Reach into the opening between the two fabric layers and pull the layers right side out, so that the batting is in between.
8. Gently push out the corner points.
9. Make some decorative stitches or tie the square to keep batting from slipping.

Sewing the quilt:

1. Attach pillow square to one piece of the fabric. see diagram below for placement. Be sure to put the open end of pillow on the seam allowance of the quilt.
2. Sew pillow on three sides, leaving the top part of pillow open. (This is the part that is opposite the quilt seam)
3. Now pin the batting to the wrong side of the piece of fabric WITHOUT the pillow sewn to it.
4. Pin the top with the pillow right side down on the other fabric (not the batting). (The fabrics have right sides facing each other, with the batting on the wrong side of the piece without the pillow.)
5. Sew around all four sides, leaving an opening of about 12 or so inches to turn it.
6. Turn the quilt right side out and push out the corners.
7. Press the seams
   
8. Hand sew the opening closed.

It should now look like this:

---------------------------------------------------Body of Quilt
|                                                   |
|                                                   |
|                                       ------------Pillow Pocket
|                                                   |
|                           Top of Quilt Opening of |
|                                     Pillow Pocket |
|                                        -----------|
|                                                   |
|                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------|

You now need to tie the quilt part, or else machine stitch a design on the quilt so that the batting will stay in place and you are done!

To make a different size:

For larger or smaller follow this simple formula:
Width is equal to finished pillow width x 2-1/2.
Example: finished pillow width will be 14" x 2-1/2 equals a 35" width. (this is the size I made the smaller kids)
Length is equal to the finished pillow width x 4.
Example: finished pillow width will be 14" x 4 equals a 56" length.

Now, cuddle up with your quillow and tuck your feet into the pillow opening and stay warm during the cold winter!

To fold your quillow, go here. Then back to Rocks in My Dryer for more works for me ideas!

Pray Without Ceasing

Prayer is something that should be a big part of our lives, yet how often do we really pray? When something happens and it is beyond us? When we really, really,REALLY want something? When the bills are due and the money is not there? Someone is sick? Hurt? Dying?

The Bible tells us to pray. Prayer is not a crutch, but brings us in tune with the Almighty God. He promises strength, promises answers and commands us to call on Him.

I would like to share some things with you. Some things I learned, sometimes forget and wander away from, but seem to come back to when I realize I am out of whack.

Scripture says to "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) . I used to have this picture something like this:
Not getting a thing done all day, stuff piling up and doing this every day till we die. It was a freeing, remarkable thing when I learned about that verse.

Our English language has a much different meaning of without ceasing than the Greek did. I have heard it explained that it means an attitude of prayer (how can that be? When sin enters in God does not hear. So we would need to almost be perfect to have a complete attitude of prayer). None of the other explanations made much sense to me either.

It was when I had the Greek fully explained to me that things made sense.

This is the only place in the Bible that this word is used. Usually, to interpret the Bible you would find out how the word is used in other places. Being the only place it is used leaves a bit of a problem. However, it was used in literature of Bible times. It is a fishing term.

A fishing net has to have a a pattern with no holes in it. See how the net has all the holes of the same size and no rips or tears? If there were tears in it the net would allow the fish to escape and it would have been said to be ceasing. Without tears, rips etc it is without ceasing.

How is your prayer life? Do you have a regular pattern of praying? Regular times? If not, then you have a ceasing prayer life and the things of the day can rip the holes even bigger. We need to have all of our lives covered by the net of prayer.

I try to pray about everything. To some that may be silly, but for me I find God guides me in times when I don't even think I need it. I try to have a regular time of prayer and then pray throughout the day. I must admit, there are times I get away from it and may stay away for awhile. Maybe get busy and out of the habit, or tiredness, something that I let keep me away. I end up forgetting and then find myself with the holes in my spiritual life.

Today I am exhausted. The last few weeks have been stressful and my habits and normalcy has been messed up. I am finding that I need to get back to my regular pattern for prayer and invite you all to join me.

Jason is Coming Home!!

After two and a half weeks my step son Jason is returning home. He has had a long ordeal since the accident, but thanks to God and the way HE made our bodies, Jason is coming home intact.

Last Tuesday he went through a long surgery. The surgery was a long 12 hours while they removed muscle and skin from his left thigh to make a forearm, took skin from his right thigh to cover the left thigh and part of his arm and took a tendon from his upper arm to move down to the lower arm. Also, they needed a tendon to make his thumb work and found Jason was born with an extra tendon on the under part of his arm, where no damage occurred from the accident. They moved it around to the front part of the arm and he can move his thumb!

His pain has been and still is, bad. He will need round the clock care at home and Misty is going to leave her good job to care for him. Please pray for them as they are needing it; for healing as well as their finances. As of yet, there has been no proof the drunk that hit him has insurance.

But, Jason is coming home!!

My Blended Familly

I am in a place I never thought I would be in. A long time ago I learned to never say never, but I found out that "I will not" is the same as saying "never".

My first husband went to heaven in 1999, we knew he was going to die at any time for about 3 years so we often had talks about it. One such talk happened a year before his death. Willie told me he wanted me to remarry and that he was praying for the man I was to marry and that God would bring him into my life as soon as possible. He told me he felt I would be moving to another state, away from my kids. I became upset and told him a few things!

1. I was NOT moving away from the kids and grand kids. I was staying in Maine and wanted to live near the ocean. He said: Don't limit God, He has plans for you.
   
2. I was NOT going to remarry unless it was someone who had never been married before. I did not want to be compared. He said don't limit God. he has plans for you.
   
3. I was NOT going to marry someone who was divorced. Again, don't limit God, He has plans.
4. I am NOT going to marry anyone with kids, you know how step mothers get treated and what people think. Guess what? He had the same answer, but told me I was a good mother and it would be fine if that was what God wanted. He then told me to begin praying for the person God has for my next husband. Pray for what he is going through that will make him ready for me and available when the time comes.
5. I said OK, but inside I knew I was NOT going to do any of these things!

I did pray though, and prayed that if I did marry someone with kids that we would blend and be a family, that there would be no animosity towards me and that I would be able to love them right away.

First thing that happened after Willie died was God moved me away from my family for 2 years and had me in a ministry that I never thought I would do. He also showed me a number of guys who had never married and I could see why they never married.

I met Rick 5 years after Willie's death. And guess what? He was divorced, had kids and lived in another state! So now I find myself where I thought I would never be:

1. I am now in Texas...long way from Maine!!!
2. I am a step mom to three married children
3. I love all my kids... all 8 of them, their spouses and their kids!

I find that it is hard at times, very hard, when I can't be with part of the family. The 5 children I gave birth to are in Maine and one in NC, I have 11 grand kids that I do not get to see much. Holidays and birthdays are tough. Our wonderful daughter-in-law just lost her grandfather and we could not be there, it hurts. Yet I know this is where God wants me and He has given me blessings beyond belief.

I have three step children and their spouses that love me and are like my own kids. We are amazed at how all eight of them look similar and would pass for blood relatives.

Their babies know me as grammie, just like the ones we have in other states. In fact I babysit one of them every day while her parents work and she IS my grandchild. We have a son in the hospital right now from a bad accident, I feel what a mom feels at this time, no different.

I am so thankful that God has given me more family. No, I do not like being so far apart and wish we all could be closer. I know that my family in Texas and my family in Maine and NC would get along and easily be one family.

Are you part of a blended family? Let go of the hurts, fears and past. Do your best for peace. This year I was thinking of Christmas and the family getting together. I can't get to be with the kids in Maine and NC, but have the family here. I saw how last year they were torn, spouses family, their mom and then us. A lot for one day. Since their mom lives 3 hrs away and drives here to have Christmas with the kids I decided to invite them to our house. It is a big step for my husband, but we want the past to be past and to move on. We are a family, with children and grandchildren. This is what I can do for my new family. Find what you can do to blend yours in peace.

While it is hard to be so far from my birth family, mom, sisters, brothers, kids and grand kids, I feel blessed with what God has given me. I laugh at the "I am NOTs" I gave my first husband and see how he was right all along. I am so blessed and have been blessed twice, both with my first husband and family of 29+ years and my second husband and now larger family of 2.75 years. Two wonderful men and now one blended family.

A Penny Saved

My husband calls me tight. He means it lovingly but I prefer frugal. He is a spender, money in money out, money out even if it is not in has been his motto until I came along. He is fascinated by how I can save my money, get things cheap or free and have the patience to wait for what I want.

He told me that he has seen few people like me and wondered how my mind works that I can wait and manage to get things like I do. I thought maybe I would try to put it out in writing so that others can see how I do things.

I have never tried to do this before, so this will be something of a challenge to try to write my thinking!

1. We each get a small allowance that is ours to spend as we will. I save mine and plan for what I want to do with it. I almost never just spend it unless we are out of money and a necessity at the same time, then I will use it for household items to get us through. Otherwise I set myself a goal for what I want or need and set the money aside till I can get it.
2. I never pay full price for anything unless it is medicine, milk, bread etc. Everything gets marked down somewhere and eventually you will stumble on it. I was saving for a webcam and figured I would need about $50 for a decent one. When I had saved about $40 I started looking when I was in a place that sold them. On the way home from the hospital my husband stopped at Best Buy and said for me to go in and just see what they had. Well, there was one, regular price $59.95 on clearance for $32.95. I got it! He laughed and said the tight one did it again.
3. For things I do not need to have new I try yard sales, thrift shops and freecycle, all others wait for sales.
4. I have two jars and I put pennies in one and other change in the other. You would be surprised at how fast it can add up.
5. I take peoples stuff. No, not steal, but if someone offers and I can use it I take it. I talk to people that I know come across things and let them know what I am looking for. We needed a bigger table, we found one at a yard sale, but it was still a bit small for all the family when they came. We were in a Good Will store and I saw a small table there. However, I also saw a stack of leaves the same color. I went over to it and found this small table opens up to about 13 feet long and has 5 leaves to make it any size in between! I looked for a price, I found 99.99;59.99 and 29.99 on it and each of the leaves. I asked the person and was told it was 29.99! We took it home! However, we had no chairs for it. I found one at a thrift shop, 3 more like it at a yard sale and one of these people that I let know I needed some found 4 more in a storage shed that she rents out and the people just left there! Again, my husband had some words to say about my being tight!
6. If you set goals you will not waste as much of your money. I say as much because we all find ways to waste some. A good sale but it was not what we needed, that meal out just because we were lazy etc. I know we can still do better on the budget.
7. Set a goal of patience and not buying full price. Play a game with yourself to see how cheap you can get a quality item for without going out of what you can afford. I do this with food as well as other things.
   
8. Be flexible. Give some in what you want and you will find great ways to save money and get what you need.
   

I know I am cheap, tight, frugal at many things, I like it that way and can live without having the most expensive whatever. I am flexible and can live with something that is not exactly what I would buy if money were no option. Then again, the way I am I would probably still never pay full price!

For more frugal ideas see Biblical Womanhood.

Wordless Wednesday

For more wordless posts go to 5minutesformom.

Taming the Craft Supplies

I am a craft lover. I try about anything that does not cost a lot to try out. I also sew clothing and other things. As a result I have all kinds of items for all kinds of crafts.

There is all the skeins of embroidery thread for my counted cross stitching, threads of all colors for the sewing, bobbins galore, ribbon, flowers, glue sticks and fake hair. Doilies, binding, appliqués and paint. Stenciling brushes, paint brushes, embroidery hoops and buttons. zippers, seam rippers, fabric scissors, thread scissors and paper scissors. I have wonder under, interfacing, fiberfill and batting. Then there is fabric, baby fabric, heavy fabric, cotton calico and stretch T-shirt type. Scraps of fur, felt, brocade and denim.

It is all there, in "The Room". I began to get some clear, stackable, plastic boxes with lids, like Rubbermaid or one of the other brands (usually whatever I could find for a good price) If they are clear you can see from the outside what is in them and grab the right one. In one I put the things I use for sewing. Machine needles, pins, a tape measure, my sewing machine parts, seam ripper etc. In another I put all the flowers. I have ones for putting on clothing as well as the small ones for decorating.

Another one got the hair and another the zippers.

I put all the ribbon together in one, standing the rolls up on end and lining them up. This allows you to see the color and size without digging through them all.

I did this with as much of the craft supplies as I could. I have a large, under the bed type one for all my cross stitching supplies. The rolls of cloth did not fit in any of the smaller, so this way they can all stay together and be readily available.

I used to keep all the thread in a box, when I needed a color I had to dig till I found it, by then it was all unwinding and I was tied in the thread and the spools were all stuck together. I found two of the three drawer storage that can set on a desk. The drawers are thread height and I could put the thread in the drawers and not have to dig. My cones lay down in the drawers. I put my elastic in another drawer and the bindings in yet another.

These plastic boxes then sit on a shelf neatly and is easily grabbed for your project.

My fabric is another story! I have drawers full, boxes of scraps etc. Patterns are in another cardboard box. I still need to get this back room cleaned out and organized so it will be usable, but for a number of years now I have had the clear boxes and it sure makes a difference for me, even with the room a cluttered mess!

For more ideas see Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer.

Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

Today is Tackle it Tuesday and last week I was all set to have something spectacular to write about today. Well, I do not. What I have tackled this week is life. I have no pictures of before and after, but it has been a tackle.

A week ago Friday my 32 year old step son Jason was in a bad car accident. He is in a hospital about 65 miles away and we have been running up there as much as we can. I decided that this past Saturday was going to be my clean the computer room day and tackle that mess before going up to see Jason.

Friday we went to see Jason and I bought a webcam on the way home. I wanted to be able to let my baby grand daughter in NC see us so that she would know who we were since we see her so rarely. Supposed to be easy to install and the mic was just a "simple" plug in. I ended up on it all the rest of Friday. The webcam was not problem, the "simple mic plug in" was. I will not repeat it all but you can read about it here.

Saturday I got nothing done on the room, so now it is scheduled for this week. We went to see Jason and spent all afternoon. He did not want us to leave.

Life. Like the saying "best laid plans of mice and men" go awry, we have been facing it this week. As I write this Jason is in surgery to reconstruct his arm from his leg. We will be going to the hospital again and my plans for getting this room cleaned, the wall in the living room painted and the other bedroom straightened up will have to wait.

Sometimes we all have to tackle life and just let other things go.

Out of the Mouths of Babes, and Young Adults

Do you ever wonder why your mind thinks as it does? I mean I will be involved in some cleaning, you know the mindless work that you just do and do not need to think about, and I find myself thinking random thoughts. My husband and I clean offices at a plant near here and I was busy cleaning and my mind was miles and years away at some points. I was bouncing between two trains of thought, one was the things children say and what goes through their mind. The other was more on the same topic as this blog.

I will share my random thoughts with you and let you laugh, cry and ponder with me.

I was thinking about kids and the way they think and how God said to be like a little child. I thought back to when I was in the car with my family. I am not sure how old I was, maybe 12 or so, and we were riding along this road that had hills and twists. We came around a bend and there was a beautiful sunset. There were clouds in the sky and the sun was just partially visible, but the rays of light were following along the cloud and the horizon. My brother who was about 2 or 3 at the time looked up and said "look mommy, the sun is melting". Even at my age I thought it was pretty profound.

Another thought involving children was thinking about my granddaughter at my first husband's funeral. We were all at the funeral home and I decided to take Ivy up and talk to her about her Pop Pop and what was happening. The grand kids all loved their Pop Pop and Ivy spent a lot of time at our house and was actually at the campground when he died. I wanted to take special time to explain things to her since we were close.

Ivy was about 3 and full of questions. I carried her up to the casket and showed her Pop Pop and explained that it was just his body, but that Pop Pop had gone to heaven and was no longer in his body. Ivy stared for a few minutes and asked about why his hands were the way they were. I just told her that was the way they put them. She then asked why his eyes were closed.
The "eye" conversation went something like this:

Me: His eyes are closed because he is dead and it looks better to have his eyes closed.

Ivy: Will he ever open them?

Me: no

~a time of pondering~

Ivy: So he can't see anymore?

Me: no

Ivy: He will never open his eyes?

Me: No, Ivy. He is in heaven and this is just his body, he does not need this body anymore. God will give him a new one that is not sick.

~more pondering~

Ivy: So he will never open his eyes again?

Me: no

Ivy: Then why in the world did you put his watch on him?

Why indeed?

My mind was thinking of more things with kids too, but then it went to thoughts about the older generation teaching the younger. I thought about how it is in my heart as the previous blog said and wondered how this can happen.

My thinking then took another turn!

I began to think of how the younger generation has taught me things. Beth and Jessica were friends at Grace College and I loved Beth. I thought the two of them were a bit crazy together, but that is what made it fun. Now, I am not sure how many years later, these two are grown, married and have kids of there own. I am the older one and need to teach them, yet today I have been thinking about how they are teaching me. They have been my blog advisers. I had no idea what to do with a blog, they encouraged, corrected, helped and pushed me. They showed me carnivals and how they work and got me into Frugal Friday where more people have been teaching me. Beth and Jessica have been showing me the CVS ropes and directing me to sites to help me shop at CVS and save money. Yes, there is a trick to CVS shopping!

So, I sit here now, thinking about why I had such random thoughts today. God directs our thoughts if we allow it, but I am not sure what the purpose of these were, or are. But I am sharing them with you.

I am thankful for the younger people in my life and hope we can all learn from each other.

Can You hear me now?

Yeah!! It is now 10:47 and I have a working mic. AHHHHHHHHHHH I can now go to bed in peace.

You can see me but not hear me...

I am tired! I have a love/hate relationship with computers and mine has put me through the test the last few days. If anyone has an answer let me know!

I have a baby granddaughter that lives in NC. I live in Texas. I want her to know her Grammie like the other grandchildren do and finally saved my pennies to buy a web cam. I have wanted one for a long time, even when the other's were babies, but could never get one. Finally I got one and it came with an ear phone and mic. Friday I installed the webcam and mic. My granddaughter could see me, but the mic will not work. Frustration!

Today we had to go to the hospital to see my step son and on the way back we stopped at several places to try to get advice on the mic. We even asked the Geek Squad at Best Buy! Everyone said plug it in, change the sound card device manager so it knows there is a mic and it will work. (we already tried this a dozen times). I came home, went through it all again, headset works, mic does not!

Here is it, 8PM, I have spent all day and have a messy house and still no mic. You can see me but not hear me, I guess for some that is the way they like it. UGH.

We did see our son and he is doing some better from the accident. He still needs prayer as he is going to be going through re constructive surgery this week. There is still much pain, but when they try to rebuild the arm he will be hurting even more.

So, now that I have had an unproductive day, and an unproductive blog, I will say goodnight. Unless I kill my computer I will try to have more to offer next time.

Sewing Savings

I am a sew-er and have sewn since I was in 8th grade. Being the oldest of eight kids if I did not sew I had nothing new to wear. My older cousin passed down to me and from there it went down the family. Back then you could buy fabric for .25 a yard at the Grants store. (Yikes, I am aging myself). Patterns were .10 to .25 a piece. So clothes were fairly cheap to make. ( No!! I am not THAT old!!)

Today patterns are expensive and so is fabric, so it pays to hunt in different places and do some adjusting to the way we use patterns and fabric.

For patterns I hunt out the cheapest sales. Joann fabrics often has sales on certain days. You will need to fight the crowd, but it is worth it if you need a new pattern. I also have bought patterns on eBay or Sewingpatterns.com

Two other places I find patterns are yard sales and thrift shops. Look them over, but for a dime or quarter you can usually figure out a facing if it is missing. Over the years I have also traded patterns with someone else that sews, borrowed patterns or used a ready made outfit that I liked, but was not in good shape, and made my own pattern. (Remember to add the seam allowance!)

You can also save money by cutting out the fabric without cutting into the pattern. Patterns today are made with many sizes on one pattern. If you cut the pattern you ruin it for using other sizes. I fold the pattern and cut under it. I use the lines in the pattern but my scissors are under the pattern instead of on top of it. I then always have use of all sizes of the pattern. This came in handy last Easter when I was making 11 granddaughter dresses of varying sizes!

Now for fabric. I buy on eBay, yard sales and from discount shelves. I also have friends that sew and they know when they want to part with some fabric they can call. EBay may not seem like a good place to us who sew, we like to feel the fabric and decide. However, I have purchased some great fabric for great prices for dresses, a nursery, blankets and other things. If you need something odd it is a good place to look to get it cheap. We had a "Spring Chicken" birthday party for my mom and I was able to find two different chicken patterned fabric that was "quilt type" for a quillow and did not pay that much for either piece.

This week I went to a yard sale at a friends and she was selling tons of fabric for .25 to1.00 a yard. I bought 3 yard of a VIP fabric for .75! I went to a thrift shop and bought a nice heavy homespun type fabric, excellent quality, $1.50 for 5.5 yards. I will be using it for my tablecloth.

Another way I have saved money for fabric is rather odd to some. There are plenty of huge size dresses in yard sales and thrift shops. Do you know how much fabric is in one of those dresses? Some of them are really nice fabric that would make a cute little child's outfit. I have used those, as well as "scraps" of fabric. Pieces people think are too small, but for a child a skirt with different color pockets and a shirt from another small piece works great!

Hunt around! The savings are there, just have a good place to store them till you need them! For more money saving ideas check out Biblical Womanhood!

Baby Talk

Have you ever been around a baby and you could understand something they were saying and their parents were saying that the baby did not talk yet? My daughter and I were talking about this one day and how we could understand things and the parents did not think their child talked at all.

I raised five children and baby sat several grandchildren as well as other babies. Right now I am babysitting a granddaughter. All my children and most of the babies I have watched have talked "early". Most by 5 months old. By now some of you are probably thinking I am hearing things, but I think more babies than not, do talk or are able to talk by then.

It was my noticing things with Scout, the granddaughter I now watch, that made me see the difference in what I do compared to many others. When she was talking by 5 months I began to wonder about babies and talking. I believe that so many are so convinced that talking comes later in the baby months that they do not realize what they do from birth sets the stage to give them the basics to learn to talk "early".

I would like to offer some ideas for helping baby talk.

Things I found I do:

• If they show an interest in something, tell them what it is. They play with my button, I repeat and repeat "button". Say the word over and over with the same enunciation. I show them the buttons on the love seat back, and any other buttons close by.
  
• When you give them a bottle, tell them what it is. etc.
  
• Same with when you change their diaper, let them hold the diaper (clean one please!) and tell them "diaper". Scout says "dieder". This is talking. She says it when I am changing her or she sees them. Often it is in a "sentence" (like we talk) of jabber.
• Talk to them as you do things, tell them what you are doing. (cooking, dishes, picking up toys... show them toys and tell them toys.)
• Always say "bye bye", "hi" etc when you can, they will learn those words quickly.
• Listen to them, they may be already talking. Scout talks a lot and is 10 months old. She will get a little different tone in her voice when she is saying a word over her jabber.
• We talk in sentences, they try to also. So, there will be jabber jabber dogie jabber jabber. Dogie may be said dawdie or something like that and not clear. Try to catch it then repeat what sounded like it could be a word. Repeat it correctly and maybe point to the object. They say "doog" you see they are looking at a book, so you say "book". Scout now says dook when she looks at the book case, it is talking, just needs to be perfected as they can develop and tell the difference.
• They will never tell the difference in words if you baby talk, say it right!

The other day I had my granddaughter in her high chair and she suddenly handed me part of her cookie and said "here go". I was a bit taken by her saying that until I realized when I give her something that she has been waiting for I say "here you go" and then give it to her. She just turned 10 months old and was now saying it to me. Today, I was showing her one of those interactive books and I was doing the page turning and showing her how the pages work. She took the book and said "do it". She did this twice and I wondered where she got it from. It was some hours later when I was thinking about it that I realized when I am showing her a new toy or something new on an old one I show her then tell her to do it. She got the "do it" and knew how to use it!

There is a warning with all of this learning. Babies listen from birth. You are teaching them. If you do not want them to say certain words, don't you say them. They will pick them up and use them.

By the way, I also found this works with cockatiels, mine talks a lot too!

Help with my walls needed

We all like our homes to be what we want them to be, but sometimes they can be a real frustration. When I married Rick in Jan. 05 he owned his home. I moved in and have been trying to make it look good and a bit more up to date.

Every room in the house is dark 70's paneling, no drywall behind it, and all the cabinets are the same coloring. It is very depressing when you are in it all day. I have been trying to figure out what to do with it and thought I might just paint the paneling. Two problems, my husband does not understand why I do not like all this dark paneling and said I can paint one wall and see how it looks. The other problem is the fireplace is also drab. I have a picture here and know there are ways to paint paneling and the fireplace, but I need to have suggestions and some know how from others. I want to paint this wall, the cabinets, fireplace and bricks in front of the fireplace. I did not get a good picture as stuff is all around from the baby, but I think you can see it well enough.


I bought "oops" paint from home depot and have blue, cream (off white) and then a burnt red for accent. Anybody have decorating ideas and something that worked for them when painting a fireplace or paneling?

A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

Inspiration

As some of you know from my previous blogs ( messy desk, works for me post here and here) I have been trying to get more organized. Well, I found something while blog hopping that has given me inspiration. It is called

Since I just found this I do not have before and after pictures of my desk, etc, but I have been given inspiration to keep on going and post something really good next week. I look at my mess here and see a craft/computer/ storage room that is hardly able to be used for the computer part. Yes, I do have a desk now, but that is it. I have another room in the back, supposedly the spare bedroom, that has scrapbook stuff, baby stuff that is no longer needed or only needed when more grand babies come and books galore all over. I have paint setting here to tackle the living room. I have several boxes set to mail out and numerous other things all over. So, now I have inspiration to try to get something done so I am not embarrassed when next weeks Tackle It Tuesday rolls around.

Nationwide Is Not The Answer

Any of us with a TV have probably see those Nationwide commercials, Life Comes At You Fast. It does. Too fast. I am still reeling from this weekend. Friday night we were at the hospital all night, came home at 5 AM and got two hours sleep. We got up and my husband went to finish some work at the church while I tried to get some things together here at home. We then had to go help distribute the Angel Food Ministry food and then back to the hospital. The whole family feels like it has had little time to breathe.

I lay awake during the night last night unable to sleep. I was thinking about why I could not sleep when I was so tired. I thought maybe it was the diet Pepsi I drank at supper, or the schedule we were keeping right now, or concern about Jason, I did not know. As I lay there I began to think of "Life Comes At You Fast" and how true that statement really is.

When I think back to the last few weeks of our lives and now the next "who knows how many" with Jason that slogan says it all. I also know that Nationwide is not the answer. I am not sure how I would face all of this without the Lord on our side. Prayer is a wonderful thing. I have been given strength, peace and trust.

Twelve years ago when my first husband had his heart attack and lay in ICU for three weeks I began a journey with trusting the Lord. Over the next twelve years I learned that nothing on this earth is worth trusting, but my dependency for everything has to be in God. HE loved us enough to send Christ to die for us, He loves us enough to keep us. My natural 'mommy instinct' is to worry. Sometimes I start to, but then I need to remind myself that my dependency is on HIM and HE will do what is best. I need to trust and pray.

Is life coming at you fast? Nationwide is not the answer. Neither is worry, fret, anger, drinking or drugs. Christ is. Trust HIM. Christ died for you, in your place, and wants to be your Savior. Give your life to Him.

If you do not know how, leave me a comment with a way to contact you or click on "Contact Peggie" on the sidebar and I will be glad to get back to you .

When Life Comes At YOU Fast, the answer is Faith In Christ.