Hodgepodge Leap

Time for the Hodgepodge with Joyce.

1. The Hodgepodge falls on the last day of February this year, a leap year. How will you spend that extra day?

 It will be just like any other Wednesday - homeschooling & homemaking!

2. What has recently required a leap of faith on your part?

I joined a quilt swap in February. By mid-March I am making a mini-quilt for another blogger. I only have a few weeks to get it done and I'm so nervous about it that I haven't even started. Maybe that's what I should be doing on Leap Day!

3. We're one week into the season of Lent...are you marking these 40 days in some way? Giving something up or adding something extra to normal life? How's it going so far?

No, I am not participating in Lent. I have been working on goals for the year and I've been tracking them daily/weekly. I'm doing well on some; others not so much.  I'm trying to give myself grace in light of the progress I've made and I'm trying to learn/change in the areas that still need help.

4. When was the last time you sat beside a fire?

The last time I ENJOYED a fire was at my parent's house Feb 11th. It was toasty!

5. Surf and Turf is on the menu. Do you order as is or do you ask for just the surf (lobster), just the turf (steak), or a menu so you can select another option?

Hmmm. I love both surf and turf, but I usually never order it because it's too much food to eat at one sitting.  If I have another choice I usually go with seafood. Love seafood.

6. If you could have any television program back, not in reruns but in new episodes, what program would you choose?

I just liked this show...time travelling newspaper reporter.

(aired in 2007)

7. They say an elephant never forgets. These days would you say your memory is more like an elephant or a gnat? 

Honestly, now that my life has slowed down because of living out on the farm, my memory is more like an elephant.  I do have this weird tick though. If I forget what I was wanting to do, I say aloud, "What's my name?" and immediately I will remember what it was I wanted to do.  Need therapy, you think?

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Since I'm participating in Joyce's Hodgepodge, it has me thinking about the A-Z Challenge that she suggested/that I joined.  I have the month of March to plan my posts and I'm trying to think of a theme that my readers might enjoy. I've been leaning towards organizational tips, general helpful tips or Pinterest A-Z.  I've also thought about doing a photo A-Z challenge, but to be honest, I'm hoping to increase my followers by participating in the challenge so I want to draw reader to the daily posts. What short post would you come back to read every day?

Project 365-Week 7 & 8

Time for a P365 update with Sara.

Sunday, Feb 12 -

Scrappy Challenge color for Feb is green. Log cabin blocks done!

Monday, Feb 13 -

The Chums in Awana made thank you bags

for staff and volunteer leaders.

Included were some sweet treats and a thank you card. Nice surprise!

Tuesday, Feb 14 -

Katie, Tara and I made flower lollipops to give as Valentine's to their friends.

Wednesday, Feb 15 -

We used up some leftover candy canes to make Valentine lollipops.

Thursday, Feb 16 -

Biscuit trying to nap on the chair,

which she knows she's not supposed to do.

Friday, Feb 17 -

Mark gets a new truck, just what a farmer needs!

Saturday, Feb 18 -

I'm determined to get my paper under control.

Here's the first stage: getting those piles organized into like groups.

Sunday, Feb 19 -

The girls and I ate at our favorite Chinese restaurant and they brought Katie a very full berry smoothie.

Crazy cross-eyed sipper!

Monday, Feb 20 - 

A snowflake project - using puffy paint and glitter glue to make snowflakes.

Tuesday, Feb 21 -

The puffy paint ones became window clings. so cute!

But the glitter glue ones were not sticky so they became buffet decorations.

Wed, Feb 22 -

My Dad has been sending me old photos.

I'm on the left (era: 1970's) and Katie's on the right.

Like mother, like daughter!

Thursday, Feb 23 -

Sunset from my porch. Breathtaking.

Friday, Feb 24 -

Got some books recommended for reading with the girls.

Oldies, but goodies!

Saturday, Feb 25 -

Finished up the Scrappy Challenge color for the month of Feb!

A-Z Challenge

Oh, Joyce, my bloggy friend, what have you gotten me into? Ha!

This morning I went to check out today's post by one of my fave bloggers and Joyce shares that she will be participating in an A-Z Challenge (26 posts!) during the month of April. I clicked on the Challenge Link and checked it out. It looks like a lot of fun!

I've wanted to be more consistent with my postings and maybe a little planning ahead is the answer. Life often gets in the way of blogging, you know.

So...if you'd like to join the other 771 one of us in this challenge, click here. I'll noddle on a theme and use March to prepare.

BTW, I've also decided to participate in the A-Z Challenge on my cooking blog, Angie's Home Cooking, as well. That poor blog has been living on fumes for months, even though I have pictures and recipes to share. I just never seem to get around to getting them posted. I'm hoping prior prep and the challenge will breathe new life into that blog. Plus, spring usually puts me in the "new recipe" mood so now I'll be doubly motivated!

If you sign up for the challenge and visit here, you could win some swag.

What are you up to today?

Scrappy Challenge Green Complete

Green squares are done!

I've got several projects I need to work on in March so while we're waiting to know the next Scrappy color I'll do my best to get started. Until then...I'm enjoying my green squares!

Cleaning Out

I've been cleaning my desk/workspace at home over the past couple of days. Because of logistics and fit, when we moved I had to give up a large desk for a much smaller desk. While this added to my pile-making, I do have to admit that I had plenty of piles on my old desk too. Can anyone relate? There have been times in my life when my desk has been clean and clear of clutter every evening and there have been other times you had to wonder if there was a desk even under there.

That has made me think of my life in terms of purity this week. One of my goals for 2012 was to focus on purity in my life. I didn't think it would be a difficult goal, but as I've given it attention, I am amazed at the impurity that creeps into my thoughts, speech and actions. Just like those piles on the desk, they can be ignored for awhile, but then they start to impede progress.

As children of God, we are becoming like Christ, but how involved are you in the partnering of that change? Are you giving focused attention to the piles of debris that's hindering your progress?

1 John 3:2-4
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

As my pastor would say, "Not a sermon, just a thought."

Elderly Talent

Two great songs: Just a Closer Walk with Thee and How Great Thou Art.

Wouldn't it be cool to still have those nimble fingers and mind at his age!


Watch Christian Videos and Read the Online Bible at GodVine.com

At the age of 90 and married 62 years, these two are acting like they're in their 20s. This is a great video that shows we are only as old as our attitude. These two were an inspiration to everyone at the clinic that day.

P365-Week 6

Sunday, Feb 5 -

McDonald's Caramel Hot Chocolate - so yummy!

Monday, Feb 6 -

Exercise! Love Leslie Sansone's Walk videos.

Tuesday, Feb 7 -

Skyping my daughter and my new "granddog" Faelyn

Wednesday, Feb 8 -

Who says you can't have fun with breakfast food?

(saw this idea on Pinterest)

Thursday, Feb 9 -

Playing Headbanz with the girls. Yep, I'm a turkey.

Mark and I were gone for the night and the kids made

Mac n Cheese Pizza for dinner.

(boxed mac n cheese on top of a frozen pizza, glued together with a little extra mozzarella)

Interesting.

Friday, Feb 10 -

January's red quilt squares are finally done!

Saturday, Feb 11 -

Had dinner at grandparents and the girls made tissue paper flowers.

Wacky girls!

Scrappy Challenge Goes Green

Ok, I don't really know what I'm doing. You get that, right?

This Scrappy Challenge of using your quilting scraps each month of one specific color was a little daunting for me. Last year I signed up for it and didn't participate.

I lurked.

It was fun.

But this year, I wanted to jump in and get to work. The only problem is I don't have scraps. Hmmm. So I went out and purchased material to complete the month's challenge. Without much knowledge of how to make color choices. Oh well. I'll learn.

I started a big project in January that had some red in it for that month, but I had swimming around in the back of my mind an idea to make the same (or similar) blocks each month and then at the end of the year I would have enough for a rainbow quilt.

Good idea, no?

But...what blocks to choose. They couldn't be too complicated, 'cause I don't know what I'm doing, remember. :)

So I spent the last couple of weeks coming up with a plan. I like the plan. A lot.

Here's the picture of the January blocks completed.

I have 2" squares with no borders (love!), I have 1.5" stripes with a border, 1.5" squares with a border and my favorite: log cabins with white centers. 3 of each. Whew! That took me a while, but I'm so glad I have a PLAN and that the first month is done! Yay me!

However, GREEN is the color for February. Oh, Scrappy Challenge you are keeping me busy! So because I've been busy coming up with a plan and wrapping up January, I chose to bust out 3 green log cabin squares.

I heart them! A lot.

For a girl who doesn't really know anything about quilting, I'm sure enjoying myself. I've learned a few things already and bet December's blocks are going to look a little straighter and tidier than these first ones.  Oh, well; it will make a good story!

Quilting An Obedient Life

I have been quilting lately and as I work in my craft room with quiet music playing in the background I have time to think. This week while piecing quilt blocks together I’ve meditated on the thought that we are very much like a quilt.

The pieces of our lives, those good and bad experiences, God works together to create something beautiful. We all know the truth of Romans 8:28:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

There is comfort in knowing that He has an overall plan and whatever we go through in life, He will work it for good.

There is a second truth that struck me as I was quilting. You may not know this, but quilting requires a lot of decision making. You have to choose types of material, colors, patterns, dimensions, tools, threads, finishing techniques, etc. A casual observer may recognize a beautiful quilt, but until you begin to make one yourself, you’ll never know the myriad of decisions that went into making it so.

As a young youth pastor’s wife I once gave a devotion to our high school girls on Philippians 2:12.
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

McArthur Study Bible says: The Greek verb rendered “work out” means “to continually work to bring something to fulfillment or completion.” It cannot refer to salvation by works, but it does refer to the believer’s responsibility for active pursuit of obedience in the process of sanctification. (with fear and trembling: It involves a healthy fear of offending God and a righteous awe and respect for Him.)

To give the girls a visual demonstration of what this verse means, we talked about our choices as being like a tapestry. We proceeded to make small cross stitch items to remember what we had learned.

Just as I have choices in quilting a blanket, I also have choices to make regarding my obedience to the Lord. What will my salvation look like today? Will it be something beautiful or a thrown together mess. I’m sure my “blanket” includes many examples of both types of experiences! The good news is that He works them all into something beautiful in the end.

My desire is to be a willing partner in making a life that is pleasing to Him.

How is your blanket looking?

Hodgepodge Love

Joyce always comes up with some interesting questions for a weekly Hodgepodge. Feel free to join us!

1. What is something you are loving right now?

Quilt pictures - library books, magazines, the web. Can't get enough. I have two projects to make as gifts in the next few months and I'm looking for just the right inspiration!


2. Paris, Venice, New York, and Rome are considered four of the most romantic cities in the world. Which one would you most like to visit?

Rome, hands down. I love history and ancient history is one of my favorites!
3. Are you a romantic?

I don't think so. My family would vehemently say no, I think. I do love some feminine things - candles, hand-written letters, good 'ole sappy love stories - books or movies, but I generally don't think I'm a romantic.
4. What's your favorite love story made for the Big Screen?

If you know ANYTHING about me, you'd know my answer will be...

Gone With The Wind

It's a duh! See here.

5. Everyone loves Pooh bear and friends...which character are you most like and why?
I took the quiz. it says I am Owl. Alwaysfull of stories and facts, you love to talk about your experiences. You don't always have the right information and you tend to talk too much. (Ouch!)

I thought I was Eeyore before the quiz. Owl does sound a little like me, however. :)
6. What's the best chocolate something you've ever eaten?

Hmm. Any chocolate I have in my mouth at the time?? Nothing really stands out. Love it all.

7. Share a favorite quote about love.

The following quotes are from The Christmas List by Pete Nelson

He thought of his father’s words. “You never stop loving your children – you can’t.” He tried to imagine how much love you’d have to have to give the world your only son. It was truly beyond imagining, and wasn’t that where faith began – where imagination left off?

(p. 197) And that, James realized, was how you had to love – risking everything, holding nothing back, no matter how much it might hurt to fall out of a tree, or out of love, or from grace. You didn’t hold back from loving for fear that you might lose what you love. You loved precisely because you could – indeed would – one day lose what you love. You’d lose everything in the end. It was what you did with your life in the meantime that mattered, how you carried forward your part of the conversation.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I set this picture as my new desktop background and now I never want to leave my desk.
It's just pure beauty!

P365-Week 5

Another week of P365! Join us at Sara's to link up.

Sunday, Jan 29 -

Came home to some beautiful roses!

Monday, Jan 30 -

Lesson plans for January almost complete!

Tuesday, Jan 31 -

Tara feeds Mike

Katie feeds Ruby

(yes, it's almost 70 degrees in Northern VA!)

Wednesday, Feb 1 -

Our mantel with Valentine's mailboxes

to send/receive treats throughout the month

Thursday, Feb 2 -

I try my hand at a groundhog cupcake,

but I didn't have the mini m&m's. Fail!

So, I give up and make the Cub Cakes instead.

Tara decides she wants a pixie cut like her sister, but her own style!

Friday, Feb 3 -

Another farmer GIVES us more eggs.
Now we're up to 45 chicks to hatch.

Stay tuned!

Saturday, Feb 4 -

In a baking mood - made some bread to take to church tomorrow.