amazing...listen to this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3d6SFcDys
this is one of the most beautiful arrangements that i have heard in a very long time. i love it!
~type to you soon~

buying bulk produce

i am planning on looking into purchasing produce from a local produce supplier that sells significant quantities of produce for a VERY reduced price if you buy in larger quantities. i know that the supplier also sells organic produce. if you are interested in participating in this with me, please comment and i will get back with you once i find out more information. i would purchase the produce on a weekly basis and then you would need to pick the produce up from me. the produce is the best quality and is the same produce that you are buying in the grocery store. we are just skipping the middle man and the mark up on the price.

here is an article that i found about something similar and the price breakdown on the money that she saved.

http://www.southernsavers.com/2009/05/saving-on-produce-part-1/

picture credit: green geek

normalcy, maybe?

i am finally back to the land of the living in regard to posting and keeping up with the blog. it has been a whirlwind couple of weeks but, w is finished with school for the summer, so is n. the wedding that i was working on is finished and was the bride ever so beautiful. i am still swooning over the blue hydrangeas. all this to say that i am back. jacked up and ready to go. well that is a slight overstatement. i am not quite jack up today, a little sleepy and well sore. but, i am really looking forward to hearing from you all again and spending a little time each day writing to you.

sewing class

i am going to make the class available on both nights this week. come tonight or tomorrow night at 7. whichever works best for you! just let me know what night that you are coming. see you soon!

~type to you soon~

sale at the house

i am planning on having a "private" garage sale for any friends and friends of friends that want to come on wednesday, june 3. a few of my friends are going to bring things as well. if you would like to bring some items just let me know. any items that do not sell, i am going to sell in a garage sale on the friday the 5th. i will advertise for the yard sale so if you want to keep your things here and sell them with me, feel free. i have all kinds of gymboree clothes to sell and other child products, a few household items, and i am sure more just cant list it all. i also have a friend who sells mary kay and is getting rid of her inventory. she is selling all things 50 % off and i am going to ask her to sell as well. might be a good opportunity to pick up some cheap makeup. let me know if you would like to come or if you would like to participate. i am also open to the participants of the sale swapping items if both parties are agreeable.

sewing class

i need to change class to wednesday or tuesday of this week. wednesday works better, but i can arrange tuesday id that works better for the most. so which works? who can come on each day? sorry about the change but i am decorating for a very special wedding reception on thursday night.

~type to you soon~

first fruits

much to my surprise i found these little guys in the garden on the eve of memorial day!

such a happy day. have a wonderful memorial day.

~type to you soon~

this is cool

i have been looking for one of these. check it out here http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2009/05/ice-cube-tray.html and enter to win.

~type to you soon~

summer centerpiece

this is that lovely little milk jug holder and jugs that i picked up antiquing this weekend adorned with some lovely mini magnolias.~type to you soon~

stitching it up tomorrow?

we will be sewing tomorrow night at 7. hope to see you there.

no coupons this weekend

just and FYI. take a much needed break from the clipping, sorting, and filing this weekend. i am going to catch up on the ones that i need to sort through from last weekend!

~type to you soon~

ps...does anyone need the wet ones coupons for the deal this week at kroger? i have plenty to give away!

trouble with reader

just so you know...my posts are not showing up on google reader. i just wanted to let you all know about the problem until i get it resolved. i will let you know when it is. have a great night!
~type to you soon~

my lifeline

the past few weeks around here have been ridiculous. ridiculous in that i really do not know where they have gone. i can't tell you how many times my poor husband and friends have heard me say that "i am loosing my mind".

so yesterday i took the time to sit down and reorganize my thoughts a very little bit and i realized it had been weeks since i had done a quiet time with God. no wonder! what i thought may have been a day or two had turned into 2 weeks and 4 days. way to long. for me it has to be an everyday event of sitting down, reading my Bible, and trying to glean what the Lord is trying to put out there for me to wrap my head around.

for me time alone with God each day just really puts things, all things, into perspective. being the wife that i need to be, parenting in a loving and EFFECTIVE manner, sharing friendships with those that stick closer than a sister, and striving to show others that Jesus loves them more than anyone or anything!

on this tuesday, how is your life. ridiculous or sound? happy or sad? organized or in the throws or total disarray? whatever the case may be, a little time with the Saviour of the world would turn things around and make the day even brighter. i guarantee it! have a great tuesday!

~type to you soon~

picture credit: soul pants

top drugstore deals this week

southern savers posted this early. some great deals. hope this helps.
http://www.southernsavers.com/2009/05/top-drugstore-deals-518/

early morning antiques

it started with my fun wheeled bag that my dear antiquing friend bought me for christmas. last night i was doing some last minute embellishments to the bag.

first i found this lovely pie plate with the scalloped handles and edge. of course i love it...it is white. anything white i love.

i located these three pieces at 3 separate vendors. they are a lovely sherbet green color, of course pyrex. my heart melts for pyrex. i have 2 of the pie plates that i was able to land for $10. i have had to do some scrubbing on the edge with some paper from my hubby's wet sander but that junk just came right off. they are lovely.

i saw this little gem early on, but i didn't want to fork out the cash at the time. i stewed on it for an hour or so and ended up going back to talk to the vendor. he gave me a discount and i am so glad. it will be the centerpiece on my table for the summer. of course adorned with fresh flowers.

i bought 3 more of the handled bowls that we use on a daily basis for cereal, ice cream, and soup. i plan on using them as my everyday bowls because i only have 3 left from the everyday dish set that was a wedding gift 12 years ago.

this was an exciting find. one, it is white. two, it is the compote that matches a lovely platter that i already had. and three, it was only $3. my favorite thing to do with these pieces is to weave ribbon through the holes to match the decor.

this was the small disappointment of the day. i ran across this lovely little juice glass and small carafe set for $10. it had 4 glasses and a very small carafe that would have held about 16 oz. i passed because the carafe was so small. i found this beauty a couple of rows over, much larger and matched perfectly. when i went back to get the set, it was gone. so the new challenge is to find another. and i will:)

i also bought a lovely little "milking stool" used to milk cows. it is going to be used next to my pantry to reach the high shelves. i am not going to show you yet because i am working on a little project with it. more to come soon!
~type to you soon~

TT10

In my own experience and in observing other moms, I think one of the most frustrating challenges is handling a child who is throwing a fit or being defiant. It certainly is stressful to handle at home, but it is exhausting and embarrassing to have it play out in front of an audience. Our first instinct is to minimize the 'fit' and give in to the situation to avoid making a scene. While that may sometimes be necessary, I would like to share 2 things that I think can help with avoiding these situations in many cases.

First, teach your children how to ask for things or ask to do things instead of telling you. When they are little, it is as simple as them asking 'May I have the blue cup?' instead of saying 'I want the blue cup!' As they get older, it's asking if they can go outside or if they can go down the street to their friends house. If you teach them to ask you and not tell you what they want to do, you then eliminate their assumption that they can do whatever they want. It's a small change, but very effective when you take the time to train them.

The second suggestion takes a little more forethought. If you already know they are going to throw a fit/give an attitude with an answer you are about to give, try to word your answer in a way that is less restrictive. For example, if Carson asks for the blue cup, but Duncan already asked first, I would tell Carson 'You can have the blue cup next time, but Duncan gets it this time' instead of saying, 'No, you can't have the blue cup, you have to have the red one'. Or if Tyler asks to go outside, I can say 'Yes, you can go outside, but first pick up your room'. Or maybe, 'No you can't go outside because we're getting ready to leave, but you can play outside when we get back'. I don't have girls, but I get a lot of questions about getting them dressed in the morning. There are a lot of things to help with that, but if you find yourself negotiating before you walk out the door, you can let them know that 'Yes, you can wear that outfit the rest of the day when you get home, but you need to wear this to school/church/etc'.

These are examples that are usually played out at home, but once you train them, it minimizes the fits when you're home or out.

thanks so much d!

sewing class participants read this

i am going to have to cancel class tomorrow night. b's great aunt who was like a grandmother to him passed away last night and the visitation and funeral are on thursday evening and friday morning. we will pick back up next thursday and run an extra week at the end. i am so sorry to have to reschedule. please comment so that i know you have received this information.
~type to you soon~

free homeschool/summer fun curriculum

here is some curriculum that is free and would be great to use if you homeschool or need some learning activities for the summer. here it is. thanks deal seeking mom. act fast. today only.
http://www.dealseekingmom.com/35-in-homeschooling-curriculum-from-currclick-today-only-more/

worry

i am a worrier. and yes i know it is a sin. i pray about this area of my life on a daily basis. so when i saw this verse on beth moore's blog this morning it hit home.
It's Psalm 94:18-19 out of the New English Translation:If I say, "My foot is slipping," Your loyal love, O Lord, supports me. When worries threaten to overwhelm me, Your soothing touch makes me HAPPY."
WOW! that is some powerful stuff. and always a needed reminder. have a worry free, happy day in the Lord. because He is in control of ALL things!
~type to you soon~

recycling and composting

we started recycling pretty faithfully about 3 years ago. but this year we have taken on a whole new animal. composting. and i love it! a neighbor of ours started a compost pile about 5 years ago. he unexpectedly passed away last year and his wife said that we could take over the compost pile. it is on the edge of our property and underneath the top layer, oh my goodness, the soil is the richest top soil that i have ever seen. so you can bet i will keep doing this compost thing. i could not believe how far the soil went in the pile and the beauty of the thing is that it is free. i will tell you that i can't get over the amount of "trash" that i would have thrown out before ends up in the pile. i am really cutting down on the amount of trash bags that i use. the benefits keep going. if you do not have a yard or some land where you can start a compost pile there are some very nice composters out there. i think that you can even use a regular trash can and just rotate the contents. we also put our grass clippings from the backyard (because it is not treated for weeds and we don't want pesticide in the soil because then it ends up in the vegetables that is grown in the soil). keep that compost trash coming!
~type to you soon~

drug store deals this week

southern savers has this list up. just thought you would want to know.

http://www.southernsavers.com/2009/05/top-drugstore-deals-510-516/

i am a momma

this is obviously not new news for most since our oldest was born over 7 years ago. but, for many reasons that i really don't understand, every year on mother's day i become increasingly aware that i am a mother. not just a mother but a momma to 3 precious children that mean more to me than ANYTHING! i knew the second that i saw our first child, my life was forever changed. since then as each preceding child has come our way i have to say that i view this life that i live so differently. i think that the biggest difference is that i choose to make choices and decisions that will most benefit these indescribable gifts instead of basing them on myself. i have found that when i choose to make these choices they also directly benefit my God-given husband. speaking of that man of mine...i am so thankful that he enables me to be the kind of mother that i want to be to my little ones. what another amazing gift!

so this year when the hint was thrown out there as to what i would like in the way of a mother's day gift. i could not think of a thing (except i did ask my momma for some honey crisp apple trees. best darn apples you ever sank your teeth into.) there is NO gift that compares to the gifts that i am given each day through the blessings that God has placed in my life. a mother that would run through a blazing fire to do anything that i needed, a daddy that is at home doing my laundry because i was so behind, a brother that is like a second father to my children and a friend like no other to me, "my girls" from kentucky to st. louis that i would never want to do life without because they make some seriously great days for me, 3 children who have so abundantly blessed my life that i want for nothing, and a husband, what a man, i can not put into words...i am speechless because of his love for me!

have a wonderful mothers day.

~type to you soon~

thrifting today

it has been so long, too long, since i have had the opportunity, and it is indeed an opportunity to venture to my local thrift store. i had so much fun for 25 minutes. i found a beautiful vintage glass carafe that is imprinted with one liter, a set of william sonoma snowflake pancake molds, a children's book, 4 vintage VHS tapes that i watched as a child and i know my children will love, and a talbots jean skirt that is too cute. all totalled 7 bucks and some change. thrifting...nothing better!
~type to you soon~

coke coupon

deal seeking mom has this up today. great coupon for coke. http://www.dealseekingmom.com/1-off-printable-coke-coupon/

~type to you soon~

stitchin' tomorow

just a reminder sewing class tomorrow at 7. see you then.
~type to you soon~

garden update

vegetables are already popping up everywhere. thyme, beans, limas, corn. amazing. i am so excited to watch the garden this summer. just can't wait!
~type to you soon~

another money saving tip...i also planted flower seeds in my flower pots. they are already coming up to and i should have flowers within the next few weeks and they were only pennies vs. shelling out some serious cash to the local nursery.

walgreens 5

here is the low down. total before coupons and register rewards...51.60 total after coupons 19.97.

use the manufacters coupons for the razors, listerine, batteries, magic eraser (BOGO), and deodorant. here http://www.tryv8.com/ is the fusion juice coupon $2 off. use the back button on the computer to print more than one.

~type to you soon~

a wedding shower

we hosted a bridal shower today for a precious teacher from our school. the young ladies, moms, and other teachers came dolled in pink from head to toe. the pink bridal shower was a special day for the little girls, at least my little one. i really enjoyed watching the lovely bride. she is a gift from God to our school and our family. i have watched her mature into a genuine, Christ-honoring, sincere woman who i thank God for each day. we love you miss a, soon to be mrs. h!

here are some pictures of the decorations from the shower.

~type to you soon~