Making Your Bedroom a Sanctuary

Since my early Flylady days I have heard this phrase repeated in my head, over and over, "Make your bedroom a sanctuary." I have always tried to keep our bedroom tidy and uncluttered, but a sanctuary it was not. Then last summer a movement began. First the bookshelves left the room. Then went the computer. Then came the day I ripped up the carpet (on a whim) and found some great wood floors. There was no turning back now. Removing the wallpaper off the walls was very tedious. Then it was decided that two walls would come down, be insulated and sheet rocked. The popcorn ceiling was scraped (what a mess!) The walls were painted neutral because I was ready for a neutral bedroom which is a change from the rest of my house. Finally in May the floors were refinished. So here is what I have thus far.........

The color scheme began with this rug. I kept my lace curtains because I LOVE lace curtains blowing in the breeze.

I brought home a least 10 bedspreads and comforter sets. This one worked with the rug so it was the keeper. Plus the price was right.

This is what I put above the bed. My friend had a home party called Uppercase Living. They sell sayings that are a type of decal to put on walls, furniture, cabinets, etc..... Check out their website to get the idea. The price was not what you would call fugal and we had difficulty working with it. But the finished project is lovely. Mine, however, is not straight and is 1/2 inch off. UGH!!! My Hero will just have to move the wall. This wall definitely needs some more creativity.

I love coming into my bedroom. It has definitely become a sanctuary. Flylady would not be totally happy with it (there is still a TV in the room) but Hubby and I are. The pictures did not show that there are no doors on the closet yet. We are going to need help with that project, although my Hero is getting better and better with each project he attempts!

Sunday afternoons, when we arrive home from our day at church, hubby and I retreat to our sanctuary to read a chapter in the book, Tying the Knot Tighter by Martha Peace and John Crotts. We highly recommend husbands and wives spending time together going through this book. It is time well spent. We are grateful that our pastor handed this book out to the couples in our church. Our sanctuary came together just in time.

Sweet dreams!

Happy 17th Birthday Caroline

It was Caroline's birthday on Thursday and "Bad Mama" (aka me) did not post anything about the day. The regular birthday procedures got thrown off. After racing in from our Bible study, we ate the chosen birthday meal: Pepperoni and Sausage Calzones with salad and fruit. Then we raced up to my in-law's house to share the chosen birthday dessert: Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate cake with frog spit- yes, you read that right, frog spit. Frog spit is actually strawberry topping and the legend as to where its name originated is frequently debated among my husband's siblings.
But I digress. Since my husband's father recently had surgery, we took the party to him and thus, my routine was terribly messed up. Everyone in our house always goes to Stewarts on their birthday to pick out their birthday ice cream. We forgot until tonight! Bad Mama.

But, don't get me wrong. Caroline had a lovely birthday and will especially enjoy spending her birthday money and using her gift cards. Plus she got a new Frisbee and soccer ball.

Happy birthday girlie. Your driver's permit is on the horizon. We know how you like to be on the move. :)

(Picture taken at Monday's trip to a water park. Looks like Jared won. Ouch!)

Frog Spit

1cup strawberries

1cup sugar

1 egg white

pinch of salt

Beat until stiff

MORE BERRIES!!!!!!

We found a FABULOUS strawberry field only 3 miles away (gas savings- YEAH!). The owners charge by the quart instead of by the pound (more savings- YEAH!) We really packed the quart containers and the owner told us to fill them full and running over. You can be sure we'll be giving them our business every time we pass their vegetable stand. Oh, and did I mention they are organic? No pesticides.

Experimenting

I've been making strawberry jam for 24 years. The number of batches made has increased dramatically, but so has the number of helpers to aid in the project. This year I am experimenting. Sure-Jell and Certo are sooooo expensive that I have been pushed into using Pomona Universal Pectin. Two of the girls are trying new recipes for the county fair.

Carissa is making jam using pectin and only honey for the sweetener. The result: Nice texture, good flavor, but people who are not fond of the honey aftertaste will not enjoy this batch. 4 cups of mashed berries and 1 cup of honey did not produce much jam.

Lydia made a low-sugar batch using NY organic strawberries, organic sugar and pectin. (this may impress the county fair judges) It was very tasty.

Mom (me) made two batches of low sugar jam using pectin: 4 cups of berries and 2 cups sugar.

Caroline made 2 batches using Sure-Jell and our regular recipe. What a shock it was using 7 cups of sugar to 5 cups of mashed berries. But this recipe also made more jam.

I think the pectin, low-sugar batch wins from the economic standpoint.

The next stage of the testing will take place over the year, when jam will be put on pancakes, peanut butter sandwiches, biscuits, etc.....

I read this sobering story quoted from, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Vol 5:

A farmer who prided himself to be an agnostic wrote a letter to a local newspaper, saying, "Sir, I have been trying an experiment with a field of mine. I plowed it on Sunday. I planted it on Sunday. I cultivated it on Sunday. I reaped it on Sunday. I hauled it into my barn on Sunday. And now, Mr. Editor, what is the result? I have more bushels to the acre in that field than any of my neighbors have had this October." The editor wasn't a religious man himself, but he published the letter and then wrote below it: "God does not always settle His accounts in October."

A Little Humor

This is a specially formulated diet designed to help women cope with the stress that builds during the day. How often is this the reality in spite of our good intensions.....

Breakfast
1 grapefruit
1 slice whole wheat toast
1 cup skim milk

Lunch
1 small portion lean, steamed chicken
1 cup spinach
1 cup herbal tea
1 Hershey's kiss

Afternoon Snack
The rest of the Hershey kisses in the bag
1 tub of Hagen-Daaz ice cream with chocolate chips

Dinner
4 glasses of wine (red or white)
2 loaves garlic bread
1 family size supreme pizza
3 Snickers Bars Late Night Snack
1 whole Sarah Lee cheesecake (eaten directly from the freezer

Invisible

This one made me cry and smile. Be encouraged.

(You will want to turn off the music on the side bar before viewing the video)

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A Beautiful Evening on the Canal

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I am thankful for the many hands that make light work!

Little Things

Little words are the sweetest to hear; little charities fly farthest, and stay longest on the wing; little lakes are the stillest; little hearts are the fullest, and little farms are the best tilled. Little books are read the most, and little songs the dearest loved. And when Nature would make anything especially rare and beautiful, she makes it little; little pearls, little diamonds, little dews. The Sermon on the Mount is little, but the last dedication discourse was an hour long. Life is made up of littles; death is what remains of them all. Day is made up of little beams, and night is glorious with little stars.

Author Unknown

Summer

One of the Most Beautiful Sights.....

..... men in charge of dinner

My Symbol of Fortitude

We needed to transplant a lilac bush to an area by my raised vegetable beds. This was done in order to make room for a kayak and canoe stand that needs to be built. I refused to get rid of the bush. It is my symbol of fortitude.My mother-in-law gave me a little, sickly twig of a thing that was supposed to be a lilac bush. We laughed at it for three years and I forgot to uproot it one fall when I thought it was beyond producing anything beautiful. Then the next spring- lovely, purple lilacs! It has continued producing for 7 years. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of the joy of perseverance and patience. My little bush doesn't look too good right now, but I have hope. And sometimes, that hope has nothing to do with lilacs.

C.S. Lewis Quote

If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.
C. S. Lewis

I've Stopped Fighting With My Yard

Sometimes it Just Doesn't Pay to Finish School Early

Looking for a Background for the Senior Picture

How's this for a beautiful background!


Somehow we escaped being covered in pollen.

Showing Restraint

My favorite sit and dream magazine came today. I am going to wait until the calm of the afternoon, sit on my swing and enjoy the 75 degree/low humidity day. Dinner must be near completion and my daily To-Do-List nearly done. I can't wait!

Snapshots of the Big Weekend

The weekend started at the NYS LEAH Homeschool Convention in Rochester, NY. It was our yearly time of listening to speakers, buying curriculum and enjoying the company of fellow homeshoolers. The girls were able to meet their DVD writing teacher, Andrew Pudewa.

Friday evening we went to a Greek festival in Rochester. Be still my Feta loving heart!

The big event was Saturday afternoon. Practice timeSharing the day with dear friends.

Preparing for the group picture.

127 Graduates