Our Trip South, part 1

Hello to everyone! 

Saturday, February 5th, we left our home and began our travels southward.  Since it might take us a while to get the whole trip posted, we'll break it up into sections.

On our way to our first destination, our aunt and uncle's in Tennessee!

 Oh traveling always makes you soooooo sleepy. 
Sweet Essie, sound asleep snuggled up with a blankie and Dollie.

Back seat riders enjoying the trip together. 
It's always so fun being together no matter where we are.
What a blessing family is. Each is such a wonderful gift.



 Before we left home, the most beautiful snow began falling from the heavens.  It was so breath taking!  A most perfect winter day.  It was hard to leave it all knowing there wouldn't be any of this northern beauty where we were going.  But once we were on the road, it didn't take long to recognize that this beautiful snow was creating a bit of a challenge.  In fact, the roads got so bad and the snow was coming down so fast, that we considered (at least mom was) just pulling off at an exit and waiting for a while.  We were amazed at the amount of cars in the ditch and the emergency vehicles!  Unfortunately, we saw few snow plows.

However, fearlless Daddy felt it best to keep going, so on we went.  His driving skills are so amazing to us ladies.  He said that we were headed in the right direction for the weather and roads to get better.  Sure enough, he was very right! 




You can see the ice on the windshield and the snow.  The Lord's hand was definitely with us!  He is so faithful and very merciful!  He is our Protector at all times!  God Almighty, whose watchful eye always sees everything!

After all that snow, everything was so pretty!  The trees were covered in the fresh snow! 

A beautiful picture of a passing barn covered in snow!

The beauty of the snow often reminds of the passage in Scripture that says

"...though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..."

May we always be reminded of how wretched we are, and how wondrous He is!

#1 Driver of the Year!

Now that we were getting more south, you can see the weather was a little more favorable and Daddy is able to enjoy a cup of coffee as he drives.  Believe me he deserved it.  My hands were sweaty just riding, I cannot imagine being the one driving. 

  

A little road treat!
Yum, yum!  You can't get much better than Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!

(Except if you get the Hot & Nows:-)

 

Our precious Little Rose!  She was such a good girl during the whole trip!  I think she looks sleepy in this picture, but I suppose that often everyone feels that way when you're travelling!

She gave in and fell asleep!

Tired Bell and Essie joined Little Rose in sleeping!

So precious to see those two bonding together as sisters and friends!

 

Britt reading a story to Ti.  Looks like it was intreguing!

She is a good big sister and Ti looks up to her, especially since she is his teacher for school.

What a pumpkin, and so onery!

Life would be so dull without that sweet little one!

Our little toothless Bell posing beautifully! 

She is a sweet heart!

She doesn't always feel very well when traveling,

but she was a real trooper and kept a great attitude!

Britt using the time productively, crocheting a doily.

This is not the best quality photo, but so precious! Father and son together, spending time sharing dreams, talking about life's happenings, and discussing spiritual topics and Dad sharing his priceless words of wisdom and advice. 

"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

...and when you're driving down the road!  What a blessing!

We arrived safely at Uncle T. and Aunt D.'s that evening and enjoyed a precious evening together with them. 

Uncle T., Dad's brother, visiting with the little one's and Tayter.

They all love Uncle T.!

Aunt D. and Britt cleaning up the kitchen together! 

Kitchen clean-up time always is such fun together as a group

 and lends its self to delightful fellowship!



Mama and little Rose enjoying each other!

Little Rose was probably thinking...

"At last!  Out of that vehicle and into Mamma's arms!

Life couldn't be better!"

Mama and baby together is such a precious thing!

   Bell and Essie cuddled up in Uncle T.'s lap!

After a long day, everyone was very tired and ready for bed...

Bell and Essie all snuggled up together fast asleep.

They love to sleep cuddled up next to someone!

He had a cuddle buddy too after Tayter went to bed!

The end of a enjoyable, but long day spent together as a family and with loved ones in the evening!  Being together with family is a delight!  The memories made, the conversations, the adventures... such sweetness!  We are so blessed!

Well, that's all for now!  Next time, we'll post about the rest of our enjoyable visit with Uncle T. and Aunt D. and then more will be coming!

Domestically produced VANILLA

Doesn't that title sound better than homemade vanilla?



Our family has been producing our own vanilla for years and recently it has came up in conversation with several people, so we thought that we would just post the link for others to be inspired by as well.  Just click here to begin creating the best vanilla you have probably ever had.  Hope you enjoy!

Just for fun . . .

Vanilla Facts

1. The vanilla bean is the cured dried fruit of the rare and exotic vanilla orchid (vanilla planifolia) - the only orchid that bears fruit.
2. Vanilla is the most labor intensive of all agricultural products. It is the second most expensive spice in the world, next to saffron.
3. The entire process of vanilla cultivation, pollination and harvesting is done by hand, without using machinery, chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
4. Vanilla workers, usually women and children who are quick with their hands, pollinate from 1,000 to 2,000 vanilla orchid flowers per day.
5. When comparing the flavor of vanilla extracts, don't taste it right out of the bottle, you'll get a strong taste associated with the alcohol. Instead, test it by putting a dash in a few ounces of whole (homogenized) milk and experience the difference.
   Remember also that a prudent amount of vanilla extract adds flavor and a minimal amount of color to a dish, but too much may impart a bitter, unpleasant taste. Use sparingly for best results.

Top Sheet Idea

Ever wondered what to do when the bottom sheet of your bedding wears out and you are left with a perfectly good top sheet? 

Here's an idea!!

Turn them into crib sheets.

Recently I turned our nice queen size flannel top sheet into a sheet set for little Rose's crib.  Here in the midwest, the winter months are VERY cold and we put our cozy warm flannel sheets on the beds as the nights begn to turn cold.  That is, on everyones bed except the sweet baby's.  She has to be laid down on a cold cotton sheet.  That just is not right!  Since Grandma was so kind and gave us a new set of sheets to replace the old set that Seth and I had wore out over the years, I was left with my gears turning as to what I could do with all of the perfectly good material (ie. the top sheet).  Not only have I never seen a  flannel crib sheet, but only on a rare occassion have I seen a crib sized top sheet.  Thus, little Rose has been toasty warm, as well, in her flannel crib sheet set since the transformation.

Here is what I did:
Cut two rectangles 66" X 43" (remember this is from a queen size top sheet)
Set one rectangle aside.  We will first make the fitted sheet.

On each corner cut out an 8" square

Now it is time to start sewing.

First we need to join the corners together.  Do this by putting right sides together at each corner and sew them together using a 5/8" seam allowance.  This is what will form the fitted corner.  Do this on all four corners.  Be sure to press all of the seams open after sewing. 

Now it is time to put the hem in. All you need to do is iron 1/4" under all the way around your sheet.  Then fold down the 1/4" that you just pressed down another 5/8".  Press this down.  This makes it so that you do not have any raw edges.  For younger sewers you might want to encouage them to pin all the way around the sheet to keep their nicely pressed hem from moving as they sew. 

Before you begin sewing you need to do one thing.  At each corner, measure 8.5" in both directions from the corner seam and put a mark or pin.  Do this on all four corners.  This is what will form the casing for the elastic that you will put in in the next step. 

Now we are ready to sew.  Sew on each side of  your sheet to make that nicely pressed hem permanate.  WHEN YOU GET TO THE MARKING AT THE CORNERS HOWEVER, (the ones we just marked which are 8.5" in both directions from the corner sem)  LEAVE 1 INCH UNSEWN.  This is where you will put elastic in to make the corners fit snuggly around the mattress. 

Now it is time to put the elastic in.  You will need 1 1/4yard of 1/4" elastic.  Cut your elastic in half and then each half in half again.  Now you have four pieces.  Take a safety pin and attach it to one end of your elastic and fish it through one corner.  Leave 1" hanging out on each end.  I like to use a safety pin on both ends to secure until I have it sewn into place securely.  Once you have secured both ends with your pins, now sew the elastic down ( just the ends). Tuck the remaining elastic in the casing and top stitch to close up the 1" opening.  Repeat this on all four corners and there you have it; a beautiful fitted crib sheet!

Let me share with you quickly how to make the top sheet. 

Take your other rectangle and cut only two 8" squares on one long end.  This end will tuck in just as the fitted sheet and you will do exactly as you did to the fitted sheet on this end.

After you cut the two corners you will want to put the hem in on all sides except the top.  Don't forget about putting in the elastic!  Leave a 1" opening on both sides of the corner seams.  Just follow the directions from above.   

The other end is the part of the sheet that will not tuck in and will be what makes the top sheet for your baby to covered up with.  Put a 6" hem on this end.  (1/4" then 6" down)  Now your sweet little one will have a complete sheet set for their crib made of that perfectly good top sheet that has been abandoned by it's counterpart.

Posted by

-Mom-

Glow Lamps

Greetings to everyone!  We are thoroughly enjoying several inches of snow here.  Yesterday they rated the weather at a level two snow condition.  Unfortunately, it did not reach level three, otherwise Dad could have stayed home from work today.  But that's alright- we're still hoping for a blizzard!  In the midst of the lovely snow that we did get, the guys plowed the driveway and Ti and I shoveled out the kitchen windows.  (You have to do that when your house is half underground and you want to see :-)  Earlier Bell and Ti built a tunnel and had lots of fun playing in the snow drifts.  All in all, we are loving this weather, and thanking the Lord for its beauty.  The pure, white snow often makes me think of a song that says, "Lord wash me and I shall be whiter than snow."  How truly grateful I am for the Lord's redemption and cleansing of my soul through Jesus Christ.  Oh, that I might love Him more and live more gratefully to Him.

Well, today I have some pictures to share from our venture at making glow lamps.  We first got the idea off of a candle making DVD.  We had a lot of fun making them, so I thought I would share the process and the finished products with you all.

Making the Glow Lamps

The first thing you'll want to do is start melting down your bees wax. 

We buy ours in a nice sized loaf and just cut off what we need.  In the process of lamp making, Tater came to the rescue with a hatchet and convinced me to never try cutting it again with a knife!  (The hatchet was by far the superior tool :-)

We used a large coffee tin to melt the wax, inside a pan of water.  We just left the wax in the can and covered it with the coffee lid when we were done with the lamps.  Thus our bees wax candle container. 

The next thing you will need are some water balloons.

While your wax is melting, fill enough balloons with cold water to make as many lamps as you want.  (Oh yes, have fun tying the knots :-)

Once your wax is melted and your balloons are full, you're ready to start dipping!  You want your first few dips to be very quick, and don't go all the way up.  After the first few, you can dip your balloon about half to three-quarters of the way.  Try to dip it the same depth the whole time, as this will make it easier to shape when you're done.  Dip the balloon several times, but don't make it too thick, as this will not allow the lamps to 'glow' properly.

Just a little side note.  This is what happens when your first few dips are too deep too fast.  The balloon breaks, and you'll have to remelt your wax :-)  We ended up breaking three balloons in ours.  The wax was a little thin by the time we were doing our last lamp, but it still worked ok.  Once your wax re-hardens you can make a whole in it and drain out the water :-)

Once you have dipped your lamp as thick as you want it, then you'll want to make the base flat to that it will stand properly on its own.

After you set your base, you can decorate!  When you place your flowers, leaves, etc. on, you'll want to put a little wax on the back of each and then stick it on your lamp.  This will help it stay in place better.

Once you have your arrangement in place, you dip your lamp in the wax one more time.  (Or twice if you're using something that sticks out away from the lamp.)

Once more, make sure your base is flat and sturdy.

Now you are ready to get rid of the balloon!  Just pop the balloon with a needle over the sink.  You'll have an empty bowl.

The last step is to fix the top edge of your glow lamp.  Most of them we just smoothed out.  Or you can get creative and flute the edge, like Mom did in the picture below!

To use your glow lamps, you just put a battery operated tea light candle inside!

(We tried using regular tea lights, but they melted the lamps :-)  These make wonderful gifts too!

 That's it!  It's really pretty easy!

The Finished Product

Here are the pictures we took of our finished glow lamps.

 

For the coffee lover!

Not exactly the prettiest one, but unique. 

Britt Ann's

We did two of these, and put them in the bathroom windowsill with an oil lamp between.  It is really quite a beautiful sight.

Even Grandma made one!

This is hers, with a pretty ruffled edge.

(All we did to get the ruffle was tear along the top.)

Bree's

This was Bell's first one.  She chose the arrangement herself.

Mom's

(One of my favorites.)

Another of Bree's

Another of Bell's

Another of Mom's

Even Ti got in on the fun!  This is the glow lamp that he made.

Well, I hope you all enjoy these pictures and that some of your are inspired.  We always like getting new ideas of ways to add special touches to the home.

-Britt Ann-

The Winning Photo is . . .

Thank you to everyone that helped us choose little Rose's month picture.

The vote was close at first but photo B took the top place. 

  Since the birth of Bell, we have done a scrapbook for each new baby of their first year of life.  We include a month photo and photo's of that month's happenings in their life.  It is always so precious at the end of the year to see how drastically they have changed in just twelve short months.

 

Truly we are fearful and wonderfully made.

  The works of the Lord are marvelous!

How do you spell "hope"?

How do you spell "hope"?

Do you spell it H O P E
or do you spell it H Y P E ? 

Keep reading to find out! 

"It is not difficult to see how reports of human failure would caution the Christian not to be too self‑confident, but how can they produce hope at the same time?


The answer to this is very clear in the Bible, and it is one that is consistently taught. It is the essence of the Gospel: When men come to the point that they see they cannot trust in themselves, they must turn to God alone for their deliverance. Thus, human hopelessness is the basis for biblical hope. Over and over in the Bible, God brought people to the end of themselves, so that in their weakness they might find God sufficient. When all human hope is lost, men still have the promises of God, backed by His power and by His character.

Here is the critical difference between the “hope” which the world offers me and the true hope which God offers. The world’s hope is a counterfeit hope, it is only a delusion. God’s hope is certain. Hebrews chapter 11 focuses on the biblical hope which sustained the men and women of faith in the Old Testament times, especially when all human hope was lost.

The world’s “hope” differs from God’s hope in the way it is spelled. God’s hope is spelled H O P E. The world’s “hope” is spelled H Y P E. Hype is furthered and fueled by success, while hope is promoted by failure. HYPE is confident of what men can do. Hope is confident in God, not men.

The sad reality, in my personal opinion, is that the church has all too often exchanged its hope for hype. We think that “success stories” build the hope of Christians, but the Bible suggests otherwise. It is those who are sick who turn to someone else for healing, as the afflicted turned to our Lord in the gospels. It is those who are sinners, who look for salvation in someone outside of themselves.

You see, when we as Christians view our hope as being synonymous and signaled by our successes, we have switched to hype, not hope. And the tragedy is that those who are afflicted and suffering are told (or it is at least strongly implied) that they must have too little faith, when it is these very trials which God has given us to strengthen our faith, just as He gave to those who are listed in the “hall of faith” in Hebrews chapter 11."

I hope you are challenged and blessed! 

-Bree-

This was taken from an article written by Bob Deffinbaugh: Lesson 7 Principles of Priesthood (Leviticus 8-10)   http://bible.org/seriespage/principles-priesthood-leviticus-8-10

Recipe of the Month

Hello everyone!

We thought it might be fun to post a recipe each month from our kitchen that our family really enjoys.  So to start us out I am going to share a recipe that Mom created on my last birthday.

Healthy Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
(If you like Red Lobster's, you've got to try these!!)
Yields 12 biscuits

Mix together with a spoon : (do not over mix)
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 cup melted butter

Then mix in:
3/4 cup cheddar cheese

Drop biscuits on a baking stone or baking sheet.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. 

While biscuits are baking:
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a small sauce pan or in the microwave.
Stir in:
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried parsley

When biscuits are done baking, brush butter sauce on top of each hot biscuit. 

Serve and Enjoy!!                           

Sledding

We got a delightful amount of snow last week.  It stayed cold enough for a few days, that Dad and Tater took the little ones and were able to go sledding with some friends.  I came along to be the photographer.  Everyone had a great time.  Here are just a few pictures from the day.

Here's Dad with Essie and Tater with Ti.

Sweet Bell slid down with Essie and is pulling her back up the hill.

Ti and M.J. getting ready to take off.  Cold, but still smilling.

Here's a group pic, getting ready to take off again.

Bell and Essie

Tater and his little "monkey" (as he's taught her to call herself),

climbing back up the hill.

I thought this picture was precious.

Daddy holding little sweetie's hand as they assend.

Mr. K. and M.J. brought a saucer sled.  It was funny to watch Ti hang on and lean with it;

whichever way it spun and took him down.

    Here's one of the latter pictures, with everyone running back

up with their sleds... Still going hard at it.

It was a delightful time.

-Britt Ann-

Some Thoughts to Ponder

Hello everyone. 

We are currently going through the book of Leviticus in our Bible Study and have been very blessed.  Yes, I did mean to say the book of Leviticus and yes, we've been very blessed!  The Lord lead us to several articles explaining the book of Leviticus that have been very delightful! There are such treasures in Leviticus that we often skip over and consider pretty dry and inapplicable. The author of these articles is Mr. Bob Deffinbaugh.   

We just finished studying the Sin Offering- which was an offering for the unintentional sins, or sins of omission. If you would be interested in reading the whole article on the sin offering, click on the website.  http://bible.org/seriespage/sin-offering-leviticus-41-513-624-30 The conclusion was so good and thought provoking.  It is as follows:

"From these principles there are several immediate levels of application. The first pertains to the matter of your personal salvation.

Do you see the value which God has assigned to the blood of an innocent victim, which is shed in place of the sinner? Have you come to personally accept the shed blood of Christ as God’s provision for your sins? The terms “salvation” and “born again” are all too frequently misunderstood because we use unbiblical terminology to define what they mean. We talk, for example, about “asking Jesus into your heart,” a totally unbiblical phrase, and one which completely ignores the shed blood of Christ.

Liberal theologians, along with countless Americans, who are lost in their sins, want to retain certain things about Jesus, but choose to reject the most important part of His person and work. They want to honor Him as a humanitarian, a healer, a teacher and philosopher, a great example, but they do not want anything to do with His sacrificial death, His shed blood. By God’s definition this is taking the sack, but throwing out the lunch. The essence of Christ’s work for sinful man is the shedding of His blood. I urge you to trust in His blood for your salvation, for the cleansing from your sins.

The teaching of Leviticus on the Sin Offering has something very important to say to the Christian about personal sanctification. Whenever we sin, we need to remember that it is the shed blood of Christ which God has provided for our forgiveness. Repentance and confession is the means for experiencing that forgiveness and cleansing on a daily basis.

Knowing the high price which Christ has paid for our forgiveness should also cause us to take sin very seriously. Every sin, no matter how insignificant it may seem, required the blood of Christ to be shed. Let us never forget that while forgiveness is free, it was not obtained cheaply. Here is a motivation for godly living.

Then, too, let us be reminded of the seriousness of sin. God takes sin very seriously. God takes unintentional sin more seriously than we take willful sin. And God takes willful sin even more seriously than we wish to think about:

'For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?' (Heb. 10:26-29).

I am not for a moment suggesting that Christians are not eternally saved and secure, but I am suggesting that the willful sin of a wayward saint is a very sobering matter, and one which will not allow that wayward believer to sense any safety and security in what he or she is doing. Let us learn from both the Old and the New Testament how much God hates sin.

Finally, I must say to you that “ignorance is not bliss,” in spite of those who would have you think so. The Israelites were held accountable for the sins they committed ignorantly. Many contemporary Christians seem to think that if they don’t study their Bibles, if they don’t familiarize themselves with the standards and principles God has given in the Bible, they will not be responsible for their sins committed in ignorance. Not so! The Sin Offering strongly suggests that we had better become careful students of the revealed Word of God, for it is disobedience to His word that constitutes sin."

Just one more quote that was also very thought provoking:  "Obedience is best evidenced by our willingness to do something which we would rather not do, for reasons we don’t understand, simply because God says so."

Hope you all found it as encouraging and challenging as we did! 

-Bree-

Sweet Pictures and Funny Quotes

Everyone knows that every once in a while little kids say some really cute things.  Here are a few pitures that go along with a few sweet things that our little ones have said recently.

As I was walking through the livingroom one afternoon, Ti stopped me and said, "Britt, I have a problem with Essie.  You'll have to adjust it."  (I don't know what made him think to use that verbage, but it was really comical.)  He then went on to explain how she had knocked down part of his lego house.  In the end, they made up with each other... and here's the picture to prove it! 

                         

One evening after dinner, we didn't know where Essie was.  As Tater went to find her, he walked in the sewing room and said, upon sight of the little dear, "What are you doing, Es?"  To which she replied, "Boone."  She was all dressed up in Ti's Daniel Boone shirt and hat.  It was really quite cute.   

On New Years Eve day we just had to watch a movie.  I thought this picture of Dad with Essie and Bell trying to decide what to watch was sweet.  We decided on...

...Savage Sam.  During the movie, the little brother was complaining about having bacon and mush for breakfast.  Latter, at the end of a somewhat romantic scene (nothing serious), he says, "Mush."  Tater then told Ti, "He didn't like that mush stuff did he?"  To which Ti responded, "Nope.  But he did like bacon."  We all cracked up at the sweet innocents of his comment.

Here's our sweet Essie stringing foam beads on yarn.  Mom said the picture so captured her, and I just love that little sweater with her hair up in those pig-tails.

Everyother Friday evening we've been having a class with a few other families here at our home.  We have been going through the teaching DVD called Amazing Grace.  Here are Bell, Ti, and M.J. having fun after one of our classes.

Last, but not by any means least,  is our newest picture of our sweet Little Rose.