The Simple Woman's Daybook . . .

Outside my window. . .hot sand.

I am hearing...Oprah.

I am thinking. . .there's a lot of pans involved in making cherry jam.

I am thankful for. . .yummy fruit.

I am remembering. . .little Lela.

I am hoping. . .that my leg will stop hurting.

I am creating. . .jam, lots and lots of jam.

On my mind. . .my leg to stop hurting, jam coming out right, buying strawberries tomorrow to make more jam.

Noticing that. . .I have a ton of laundry to do, and the bruise on my leg is huge.

From the kitchen. . .coconut chicken lentil soup, and quinoa, maybe cherry jam and bread for dessert.

One of my favorite things. . .home made bread.

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .buying strawberries, going to the farmers market, buying a few gifts for Lela.

What I am reading. . .cookbooks.

Picture for thought I am sharing. . .

bruise I got falling off a chair...UHG! All the way from the knee to the ankle.

The Simple Woman's Daybook. . .

Outside my window. . .hot hot hot.

I am hearing...sleeping babies.

I am thinking. . .I can't wait to get to sewing.

I am thankful for. . .God's blessings.

I am remembering. . .a wonderful acupressure massage I had.

I am hoping. . .to buy our own home soon.

I am creating. . .a new skirt-yes yet another.

On my mind. . .Lela and her schooling.

Noticing that. . .I'm getting a lot done.

From the kitchen. . .chicken chili.

One of my favorite things. . .freshly bathed babies.

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .Sewing, cleaning the house, lots of laundry, getting Lela a small gift.

What I am reading. . .school supply lists.

Picture for thought I am sharing. . .

My dream kitchen. Love this style oven!

Skirts in the Dirt. . .

I finished my yellow with cherries skirt today, and started another one. I bought the yellow/cherry fabric at Hancock's on the clearance table. Well, I can certainly see why it was on clearance. It's horrid fabric that my machines just wanted to eat. Yes, that's right machineS! I tried two different ones and both wanted to just eat it up! Grrr. Well, I did learn about a screw in the bobbin case, during the whole adventure and I think I may of tweeked my old Japanese battle ship of a machine, by googling tension problems and finding a Thread's magazine article on it. Seems to be running even better then before with that little tweek, and I would of never even of looked for such a tip hadn't it of been for this horrid fiddly fabric. I will probably post a picture of it on Sunday or so. I'm glad it's done. It is cute. I just never want to work with this fabric ever again. I started another skirt too...going to see if I can do it with ALL woven fabric and no knit. The pattern calls for just a little knit, but it has so much ease, I'm thinking it will work fine with all woven. I guess we will soon see! haha Already have one side all stitched up and pressed. I also bought starch for the first time ever and starched my skirt. Hopefully it will keep it wrinkle free longer that way. But, I want to buy Mary Jane Butters book, that has the home made starch recipe in it. I know it would surely be healthier. Although I must admit I really liked the smell of this starch. I think it gave me a head ache though, I'm not used to any aresole sprays in my home, or any chemicals of any kind.

Took the kids to play outside this morning. We usually go in the afternoon. Boy was it hot, the sand was scorching so we played under the trampoline. Then I burned my feet on the steps coming back in the house, that has never happened to me before. I think we'll keep it to afternoon playing outside times! When the shade is covering that part of the yard/lake. Today there was a little lizard out there in the sand with us though, must of been sunning himself. Yesterday evening when I took the kids to play there was a little frog that Belle had great fun chasing, and it was jumping high, hopping away from her.

Good news, Lela made it to Grandma Kathy and Papa Vincent today. I have been so worried about that, but glad she is with them now. She is going to spend a couple of weeks with them and then come back home and get ready to start school. We still haven't settled on public or home school. I really want to homeschool and Vince wants her homeschooled even more then me...so we will see.

The Simple Woman's Daybook. . .

Outside my window. . .children playing in the sand.

I am hearing...dogs.

I am thinking. . .winter wardrobe.

I am thankful for. . .awesome counsel.

I am remembering. . .all my childhood friends.

I am hoping. . .to go camping soon.

I am creating. . .yet another new skirt.

On my mind. . .Lela

Noticing that. . .I need to pick the house up.

From the kitchen. . .tacos.

One of my favorite things. . .children.

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .finishing two skirts, talking to Lela, getting some shirts for Belle.

What I am reading. . .fabric sites.

Picture for thought I am sharing. . .

Movies, Skirts, and Chairs. . .

Yesterday we had a good day, I was able to get some much needed jackets and belts on sale. We even got to the RV dealer and was able to get some repair tape for a little snag in the trailers lining. Then we ended the day going to see a movie, we seen a Madea movie. Funny enough that was the last movie we seen together as well, 3 years ago! hahaha It was a funny movie and we had a good time. We ran into a brother I grew up with and who pioneered the same time I did. He and his wife were seeing the same movie. ha! Came home and finished up a new slip, I finally have the neck length just right I think. I kept on making them too high and couldn't keep them down under my neck line of my blouses, but I think I finally got it just right.

This morning we decided to go visit the Riverside congregation cause they are selling their hall and I wanted to see it one last time. Well surprise surprise they have Hyde Park's old chairs. Oh how I have missed those chairs. Well I got to have a last sit in them. I wish I would of thought to of taken pictures....Riverside is moving in with us next month, I hope they talk our brothers into letting them bring their chairs. Those chairs have been floating around for 40 years. From one congregation to another, but always look great, and are oh so comfortable. A brother designed them and built them. They are the most comfortable meeting chairs I've ever sat in. And they were so well constructed they just last and last. And one of my favorite things about them is they NEVER snag my clothing. So many of the chairs at the halls snag my hose, or my dresses, these never ever do! *sigh* I always miss them when I don't go to a congregation with them.

I got to also see a lot of old friends, Helen, and her family, ironically her son is the one we seen at the movies. And Vic Falcon, his wife Jerri studied with me...and now she is very ill I have to call her soon. The Meads-both Jim and Larry, Larry's son is in my congregation. And just so many people I've pretty much known my whole life.

Afterwards we went out to lunch and ran into more old friends, Helen again, ha, and Sister Jenkin's as well.

We came home cleaned a bit. I ironed some things. And then we went to Walmart. I got my hair cut, and I'm not happy with it at all. It's nothing like what I asked for. I asked her to keep my sides long, one side was about 8 inches and the other about 4 inches, the last stylist had made them a symetrical to give it so funk. Well, I decided I wanted them the same length again. I told her I was growing it out. And I wanted to keep my sides long. She asked if I wanted to just even them out then so they would grow at the same rate. So I thought she meant she would make the longer side the same length as the short side and they would both be about 4 inches, so I said yes....but keep them long please....I now have TWO 1/4 inch long sides....I am not sure, but I don't think 1/4 is LONG! I can't see with out my glasses so had no idea she had cut off the 4 inches completely and the 8 inches completely...and left me with 1/4 inch on both sides! And that's just the beginning, it's nothing how I want. UHG. Why, oh why did JR have to move away, he knew exactly what I wanted. Well, when looking at shampoo a few minutes later I ran into a woman who had the EXACT hair cut I wanted and asked for and didn't get. I talked her into letting me take photos of her, and asked her for her stylist name, so I'm going to her stylist next time, and ask for the exact same cut with the photos! However, to get my sides back to the length they were will probably take me 2 or 3 years! It makes me so mad! That's not evening them up, that's cutting them off...why didn't she ask me if I wanted them cut off, not evened up! UHG! UHG! UHG! I look like a boy now, JR had given me a very girly hair cut and that's what I like, I don't want to look like a boy. Grrr! I guess I will just have to live with it though now....*sigh*

Came home and started work on two more skirts. I decided I would stack the fabric and cut two skirts at the same time, so far I have 6 of the 12 pieces cut out that's all RJ would allow me to do, before he totally said he needed my full attention. haha One of the skirts is going to be super fun though I got it really cheap at Hancock's on the clearance table, but it's kind of kitchy 40's tablecloth style, it's yellow with like lace printed on it, and bright pink cherries. Which I was able to get a sweater at CJ Banks yesterday for only 5 dollars on clearance that is the EXACT same shade of pink. So it will be perfect. I am really hoping though to find a bright yellow tank to wear with it too. After I get done with these two skirts, I think I will make a few winter skirts real quick though too. It's in the triple digits here, but I want to get a head start for winter! haha

Glamping, and conventions. . .

I haven't been able to post much lately, just been too busy.

Vince is loving his new job. It is a lot of hours, but we are at least able to not live by a thread any more. And are seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

I took a big step last week and looked over Craig's List and bought our first camper. I am really excited to start Glamping! lol haha I just can't wait. I am scouring pintrest for lots of ideas and finding all kinds of things I want to do it. I just can't wait to get started. Next year we will be going on our first vacation in 4 years. But, now that we have this little camper, I think we will at least be able to go to a lake once in a while for a day or two before a bigger vacation. I think this is going to be a really fun hobby though. Even Lela is having fun looking at paint colors and fabric swatches with me. Funny though I keep finding lots of skirt fabrics looking for curtain fabrics. haha

Last winter I found some great drinking glasses at Krogers on sale for only 30 cents, I only bought a few cause we were low on money and I am so picky about my drinking glasses, I never know if they will be ones I like or not till I actually drink from them. Well I loved them but couldn't get back to Krogers in time to buy more before they sold out. Well, happy days I see Vermont Country Store is now selling them. I am going to buy some for the house and the camper! Too bad they aren't 30 cents. haha

We had our district convention last weekend. And boy was it awesome. I can't wait to get the audio cds of it and listen to it again. The drama was amazing. I hope we get it out on DVD some day. It moved me to tears. And nothing does that very often! It was a theme that we have all seen played out in real life, and we have needed addressed for decades, I believe. I surely hope this will help many many people. It was something for us all to remember. And we can all help, and encourage with this theme. And then one of the releases, we have already reviewed, and Belle and Lela were cheering and wanting it again and again! lol AWESOME! VERY VERY exciting! Just way too cool. The coming more/new releases to go along with it is just very exciting as well to think about and look forward to. I can see this is going to be a great learning tool for many. All I can say is, the society is moving right along with the times, and this is just a wonderful release. I don't think we got any pictures this year though at the convention. Man....I can't believe we didn't. UHG. I have to get better at that. I mean this was RJ's first and we have no pics of him there. UHG. Ok I got to get on the ball with more photos. *sigh* Any way, I just was blown away by this years convention. We've had a lot of good ones in the past but this really was far and above anything I've seen. Tonight we will be reviewing another release we received and were instructed to try as a family to review it in our family worship this week, and I can't wait. It's hard waiting for Vince to get home from work so we can do that!

On a negative note we are having a terrible time with flies, they are driving me nuts, we sit and kill a ton of them each day with the fly swatter, and yet they just keep coming and coming driving me up the wall!