Yarn Along; Kerchiefs and some squares.

Yarning along once again on this blustery Wednesday with Ginny over at Small Things.  I have continued to work on a few small projects.  This week it was kerchiefs to keep my hair out of my face.  The purple one is the Lacy Crochet Kerchief by Kristen TenDyke and the red and blue one is the Winged Hair Kerchief by Jessica Silfa.

Then I started playing around with some squares from The Granny Square Book by Margaret Hubert.  I plan to use these to make some bags for the girls.

Not much other reading has been happening here because I have some sad news.  The touch screen on my Kobo Touch has stopped working.  It is very sad. I really liked having an e-reader so I would like to replace it at some point in the future.  I having been looking at the various options out there and I am really not sure what would be the best one to get.  Most of the e-books I did read came from our local library which I believe only supports Kobo and the Sony e-reader.  I do hear you can get a lot of free books for the Kindle as well and that seems to be the best and most popular e-reader.  What would you pick?  Does anyone have the Sony e-reader and what do you think of it?  Any advice and opinions are welcome.

40 Before 40

Recently I celebrated my 35th birthday and I started feeling a bit old.  If I were having another baby I would be considered advanced maternal age.  (Not that I am planning to have another baby, I'm just saying 35 is old.)  However, I am thankful to have had 35 wonderful years here on this earth and hopefully I will blessed with many more wonderful years. In pondering all this I thought it would be fun to come up with a list of 40 things I would like to do before I am 40.  So I did.

Here is my list:

            1. Climb a mountain.

2. Learn to knit.

3. Knit or crochet a fitted garment for myself.  Also knit or crochet some items for charity.

4. Improve my sewing skills and sew a garment.

5. Do a mini-triathlon.

6. Read a novel by Jane Austen.

7. Read the entire New Testament of the Bible.

8. Grow more of my own food.

9. Can some stuff from the garden.

10. Make some yummy salsa that we all like.

11. Lose 25 lbs.

12. Be able to do 2 chin-ups.

13. See the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore or the California Redwoods.

14. Invite someone other than family over for dinner.

15. Learn how to take a photo in manual mode.

16. Finish my children’s baby scrapbooks.

17. Get my photo’s organized, printed, in a book, and backed up so if my hard drive fails I don’t lose all my photo’s.

18. Declutter the house and try to keep it that way.

19. Run 5K in 30 minutes or less.

20. Memorize something.

21. Live frugally and be debt free (or nearly debt free) at 40.

22. Go outside as much as possible.

23. Swim in the ocean (learn to surf if possible).

24. Make a will.

25. Make vanilla extract.

26. Go on a canoe trip.

27. Camp in the backyard or pasture (sleep under the stars).

28. Go on a bike trip.

29. Read One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.

30. Keep a gratitude journal and record 1000 gifts.

31. Pick an obscure feast day and celebrate it (Make some fancy food).

32. Set up an awesome obstacle course in the backyard and time myself (and my kids) going through it.

33. Read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

34. Read Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers.

35. Stop and notice the flowers.  One summer take pictures of all the flowers we see and turn it into a book or something.

36. Create a morning ritual that includes exercise and prayer/reflection time.

37. Finger paint just for fun.

38. Make cloud dough, and try some other fun sensory play with the kiddos.

39. Work on being the best parent to my children as I can be.  Maintain a close relationship with them especially as they enter the teenage years.

40. Be the best partner, help mate, friend, and wife to my husband.

I look forward with joy to next 5 years.  Can you believe that when I turn forty I will have a 16 year old (yikes!), a 14 year old, a nearly 8 year old, and a 6 year old?  It should be fun and I look forward to sharing lot's of adventures with them. 

Yarn Along: Headbands, Mitts and an Airplane

On this chilly Wednesday I am once again joining Ginny for Yarn Along.  This past week I finished crocheting some headbands and mittens for the girls to wear during skating.

Then I started this toy airplane for LK's 3rd birthday.  (I must say I can't believe that my little boy is almost 3.  Time is going way too fast.)

I like crocheting small projects like this that finish up quickly and give you a sense of accomplishment but I am thinking it is time to tackle a large project again.  I think an afghan may be in my future.  I have been waiting to see if Bernat is hosting a Mystery Afghan KAL/CAL again as I enjoyed doing the one last year.  Also I noticed that Bernat is hosting a Temperature Scarf CAL/KAL which I am tempted to join in on.

I haven't been doing much reading lately (other than blogs).  I am slowly working my through 

More Than a Bucket List: Making Your Dreams, Passions, and Faith a Reality.   

That's all for today. Happy Wednesday everyone.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window . . . it is cold (about -19*C) and white.

I am thinking . . . about different activities to do with my little boy so he isn't watching so much TV or playing video games.

I am thankful . . . for my health.

In the kitchen . . . the dishes are done but the floor still needs to be swept. Perogies for supper tonight and veggie stir fry over pasta tomorrow.

I am creating . . . crocheting a toy for LK.

I am wearing . . . sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a green cardigan.  It is chilly in here today.

I am going . . . to be taking the girls to skating and band tonight.  I might also fit in a trip to the library.

I am hearing . . . saws and pounding as hubby works downstairs.  Also the TV as LK is watching Disney Jr. and I hear Lil in her playpen talking to herself.  Nap time must be over.

I am reading . . . More Than a Bucket List, Making Your Dreams, Passions and Faith a Reality.

I am hoping . . . to continue to exercise regularly this week.  I got up and worked out every weekday last week (yeah me!) and hope to do the same this week.

I am looking forward to . . . a ski trip with 4 of my siblings and my brother-in-law in February.  I feel a bit guilty going on trip without taking my family but the girls have school and it would be a lot more expensive to take everyone.  Hubby graciously offered to look after the kids and encouraged me to go.  (I am so blessed with a wonderful husband.)  It will be fun to hang out with my siblings and I love to ski so it will be a fun trip.

Around the house . . . walls are going up in the basement.  It is exciting.  I am starting to be able to envision what it will look like when it is all done.

A favorite quote for today . . . “Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. “ Mother Theresa

One of my favorite things . . . a warm house on a cold day.

A few plans for the rest of the week: laundry, cleaning, playing with little kids, sewing with older kids

A peek into my day . . . the kids love helping Daddy work in the basement.

Book Review: Heart of Gold

Today I am reviewing Heart of Gold by Robin Lee Hatcher.  It is a historical novel set in 1864.  The main character Shannon Adair is a bit of a spoiled Southern girl with a good heart.  In Virginia she found her place nursing injured soldiers back to health.  But her father, a minister, has been called to lead a church in Idaho.  Shannon resents being forced to move to the rough and wild west.  Meeting Wells Fargo stagecoach driver Matt Dubois does nothing to change Shannon's low opinion of Idaho.  While he is handsome Shannon judges him to be rude and ignorant.  However, Matt's widowed sister is dying and Shannon finds herself nursing and caring for her and her son.  In this wonderful christian story Shannon learns forgiveness and how to love others with a heart of gold.  God has had a plan for her all along.

I enjoyed this well written book and I highly recommend it if you are a fan of this genre (christian historical romance).  In fact after reading this book I went out and picked up some other novels by Robin Lee Hatcher and I enjoyed them all.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window . . . it is cool and cloudy.  The ground is white from our snowfall on Friday.  There is a large snowhill that I will have to take the kids out to later and see if they can climb it.  Little birds flitter about looking for any grain that may have spilled on the ground.

I am thinking . . . about what needs to be done today and how to accomplish it all.

I am thankful . . . for family, always so thankful for my family.  And I am so blessed to be able to stay home with my kiddos.

In the kitchen . . . roast beef for supper tonight. Then we will use the leftovers to make chop suey tomorrow night.

I am creating . . . crocheting some headbands and mitts for the girls.  Also I have some sewing I plan to do for a little boys birthday that I should get started on.

I am wearing . . . sweatpants and a sweatshirt.  I don't generally get dressed any better than this until I leave the house.

I am going . . . to be taking the older girls to skating and band tonight.  Thankfully Daddy will be able to watch the little ones so I don't have drag them along.

I am wondering . . . what the rest of my life has in store for me.

I am reading . . . still reading Radical Homemakers by Shannon Hayes.

I am hoping . . . to exercise every morning this week.

Around the house . . . Hubby is working on putting up walls in the basement.  I am trying to keep the upstairs neat and decluttered.

I am pondering . . . whether I should try to put my little boy down for a nap or not.  He is at that age where he doesn't always nap but sometimes he still needs it.

A quote for today . . . "Joy is always infections; therefore be always full of joy." Blessed Theresa of Calcutta.

One of my favorite things . . . hugs from a nearly 3 year old boy.

A few plans for the rest of the week: cleaning, cooking, and playing with the kiddos.

A peek into my day . . . we did make it out the snow hill.  We didn't stay outside long as it was pretty cold and LT wasn't that happy but LK was able to climb the hill and slide down.

Yarn Along: Christmas Gifts

Joining in (a day late) with Ginny's yarn along to share some of the crocheted Christmas gifts I made this year.

Sky received a Saint Elizabeth doll (along with a book and prayer card).

Star received with a Saint Therese doll (also with a book and a prayer card).

I made a ruffle scarf for my new mother in law using Red Heart sashay yarn.

And for my mom I made the Claudia scarf.

My brother got a can cozy in his football teams colors.

Last but not least the Godmothers of my children got cross bookmarks.

Currently I am working on another ruffle scarf for my hubby's mom and I am reading Radical Homemakers by Shannon Hayes.

Hello all.  I hope everyone had a good holiday season.  Ours was wonderful and filled with much time spent with family and lot's of good food.  Then just after the new year hubby had to take a truck down to the states for a few days to get some work done on it.  He wasn't sure what he was going to do down there for the couple of days that the truck was getting worked on and it was suggested that I go with him.  I wasn't too sure about leaving the kids but it did sound like a nice break.  So Grandma(s) and Auntie volunteered were coerced into watching the little ones while hubby and I took off for a few days.  We went skiing for one day at Red Lodge.  They didn't have a lot of snow but it was nice to get out there for a day and best of all there was no hospital trips involved.  We also went out for a couple of lovely relaxing meals, did some shopping (much more fun with no kids in tow), spent some time in the hotel hot tub, and went on a hike.  As you can see hubby still is a bit of a kid as he had fun jumping from rock to rock on our hike.

Thanks to all who made our little getaway possible.