guess who got a digital camera for Christmas?

There's my wonderful family in all the fun things I made them this Christmas. Glow in the dark PJ's and bathrobes, no sew ponchos, big fat pillow and agloriously bright quilt. I am so excited to have a digital camera, I will probably be a big pain in the butt now that I have this thing, but I don't care. I will enjoy it!!!

What a fun last couple of days we've had. The best part was watching the joy on the kids' faces as they gave the gifts that they had gotten for each other and for us. What fun to see the joy of giving on their faces. Lots of good fun and food and friends and family. Give the letter 'F' a hand for helping us out with the holidays! We're off on travelling adventures tomorrow morning. Better go get some sleep! 

Merry Christmas everyone!

1. I am thankful for encouraging friends like Lloanne, Connie, Linda, Krista, Holly, Ninette and Sarah.
2. I am thankful for my moms and my sisters; Marie, Velma, Donna, Darlene, Denise, Sonya and Tamara.
3. I am thankful for glow-in-the dark flannel and beautifully soft fleece, that's on sale!
4. I am thankful that I can say I have girls - plural and boys - plural - and husband - singular!!
5. I am thankful for Bec Abbot and her song, "Thrive"

This is what we sang and danced around to this morning as we 'secured the atmosphere' in our home this morning (S and S loved that we were playing the CD so loud!)

Gonna Thrive,
Be,
Live Abundantly
Walk through open doors
Celebrate this life I'm livin'.............

1. I am thankful that there are moments when I really love being a mom.
2. I am thankful that there are moments when things actually go better than you plan.
3. I am thankful for Tetley tea.
4. I am thankful for clean, sweet smelling little boys fresh from the tub.
5. I am thankful for my sister.

babies, ponchos and thanksgiving

more things to be thankful for:

1. A husband who loves me and is gorgeous to look at besides (believe it or not he thinks the same thing about me!)
2. A forgiving God who shows me my error and loves me anyway - like when I lose it and yell at my son - there is no excuse for that - but God, and my son both forgave me.
3. My new nephew - Sonya had a baby boy in the wee hours of this morning. Welcome to the world baby Joshua
4. Fabricland - the source of all my Christmas goodies so far.
5. On-line ideas for simple, creative, wonderful and inexpensive gifts - like the one I'll tell you about below.

NO-SEW PONCHO - this was an idea from frugalmommy, but I have Canadianized it and added in a few more ideas and sizes to make it my own!

Really and truly, this takes no sewing and looks fabulous. I wish I had pictures but I still don't own a digital camera (hint, hint). I made seven of these in about 1 hour!

Materials:
1 m of lovely fleece (on sale right now at Fabricland) - this will make 2 30x30 fleece ponchos
a pair of scissors
a measuring device

1. Fold the fabric in half and cut.
2. Trim to make it exactly 30" x 30" for a younger girl (K- gr 4 age or so) for toddlers - 27" x 27" for baby girl 20" x 20" is good (note: if you're making them for babies you can get more ponchos out of one meter of fabric.
3. Fold fleece diagonally.
4. Find the center by folding diagonally again (mark center with a pin)
5. Unfold one fold so that the fleece is still folded once.
6. Mark 2.5" on either side of your center pin (a little less for baby size)
7. Cut a semi-circle from outer pin to outer pin - you may want to use a small bowl or cut out a semi-circle from paper to have something to cut around.
8. Personalize your poncho:
a. cut a fringe around the edge
b. cut a fringe around the edge, slide a bead on and knot it
c. cut a fringe around the edge, knot the fringes
d. cut out a flower, heart, star or something other shape from another coordinating fabric and use fabric glue, Heat 'n' Bond, or sewing to add it to your poncho

That's it - so fun and so easy. My girls are gonna look so cute in their matching bright lime green ponchos!

Have a lovely day!

oh to be thankful

Maybe I should write 'unencouraged' posts more often.

While the world hasn't changed much in my four walls, I am feeling a little less down. Reading in Hebrews 12 where is states that this is the race that was marked out for us made me stop and think. God planned for me to walk the road that I'm walking on. He has arranged for me to experience all these things to make my character what it needs to be so that I will be able to fulfill the call He has placed on my life. (that's in James) He's also surrounded me with witnesses and friends to cheer me on so that I can keep on going.

Nin wrote about what happens when you quit feeding your body and how it gets used to being fed a certain way. I realized that I need to make sure my spiritual self is getting fed if I'm going to be able to endure. I don't want to be a race drop-out.

Sonya asked in the comments if I need to be encouraging...I think I do. The word of God asks me to encourage people and here at fresh flowers I want to be that. It was the original intent of this blog, and even though it isn't a widely read blog at least for those who come here, I want to think that they've read something that will at least bring a smile to their face and pick them up a little. It also forces me to think 'happy thoughts' and not dwell on the negative - which seems to be what I'm doing too much of the time lately. So maybe for the rest of December if I manage to get to the blogging world I will commit myself to writing what I'm grateful for.

Here's the beginning of my grateful Christmas list:

1. I am thankful for the people who come by and read - whether or not you leave comments!
2. I am thankful that I am living a life I've dreamed of - being a wife, mom, teacher.
3. I am thankful that I have wonderful friends and family who love me and encourage me.
4. I am thankful for the creativity God has given me and the ability to make some of my ideas come to light.
5. I am thankful for the skills I've gained from my mom to make Christmas gifts for my friends and family in a frugal, yet beautiful way.

that feels much bettter! smile

blathering

feel like writing something but don't have much to say...not sure anyone reads this thing anyway

been cooped up with sick kids for three weeks - haven't been to church

feel

isolated
want to get out for awhile

i'm an introvert constantly surrounded by people

way too much stress going on around here

waiting for a phone call that hasn't come yet

it will

just taking time

waiting for my entire life to change is not easy and i'm not doing well at being peaceful

would like to scream and throw things for a brief moment

crying is good, less damaging

hard to find time to do all the things that need to be done
only one of me
so many of everything else

house is quiet, tree is pretty in the dark
relative cleanness - as clean as it can be with 8 people constantly running around

without corporate worship, every day is the same

spending time with Sam was rather wonderful this morning, I will cherish those memories...doesn't happen very often

not very encouraging am i?

guess i'll go to bed
tomorrow is another day
more of the same
sigh