Giveaways

Have you ever done a blog giveaway?  I haven’t but I’ve thought about it.  What kind of things do you like to get from blog giveaways?  Books?  Handmade items?  Food stuffs?  Retail items like gift cards?  Hmmm…let me know.  I’m thinking about it.

In the meantime (or happy time, as F4 says, because she doesn’t like to be mean), check out this giveaway at Life in a Cordwood Cabin for the most cutestest apron you’ve ever seen.

What About…Wednesday?

Edited to add my super cool button.

Special thanks to Raechel Knight for the
digital scrap components of the button!

So, I’m starting my own meme.  At least, I think I am. I’ve never heard of this one, so I’ll call it my own until someone corrects me.  I’ll also try to come up with a super-cool button to go with it eventually, but for today, it is just my post.

What About…Wednesday?
In this meme, I’ll revisit something that I’ve talked about in an earlier post, but haven’t really caught all you wonderful friends up on since.

Today: College

A few weeks ago, I posted about having made the decision to go back to school.  I was hoping for a bunch of financial aid, along with the transfer student scholarship that I got from the school I intend to attend.  I did get a decent grant, but not enough to cover the cost of attending school.  With our financial situation precarious at best, I just can’t even begin to contemplate going further into debt with student loans.  At this point, college is on hold.  Really, this makes the most sense.  Right now we are in emergency mode and if I am going to leave the house everyday, it will be to work and earn money to pay today’s bills, not to get a degree that will pay tomorrow’s bills.

I’m really, really disappointed about this.  I was so hoping to be able to get back to school.  But the fact of the matter is, God is in control.  If He wants me in school, then He’ll make it happen.  Without debt.  As F4 says to me, “Sometimes God says yes, sometimes God says no, and sometimes, Mom, God says maybe.”  School is a big maybe right now.  I’ll be content with that.

 

Simple Woman’s Daybook – Tuesday, December 9, 2008

I know that the Simple Woman’s Daybook is supposed to happen on Monday, but I’m doing Character Confessions on Monday.  So Simple Woman’s Daybook is moving to Tuesdays, where hopefully I will reveal too much about myself and you will really get to know me. 

FOR TODAY (December 9, 2008)…
Outside My Window…the snow is deep.  The noise from the road is very muffled.  The snow glistens in the light from the windows.
I am thinking…that I should get off the computer and make goulash and garlic bread for supper.
I am thankful for…snowy days and joyful children.
From the learning rooms…everyone is behind, including me.  When daddy is home, we don’t get enough done and snowy days beckon for the children to come outside.
From the kitchen…F1 just made homemade candies that tasted better than Cadbury Creme Eggs.  He is now in charge, officially, of candy making.
I am wearing…my pjs.  Still.  They are warm and the house is cold.  A pair of lilac sweatpants my grandma gave to me and a fleece blue longsleeved long nightgown with teddy bears all over it.  My tennis shoes, socks, and a long sleeve undershirt.  Aaaahhhh…I’m toasty.
I am creating…a website for my church and a pamphlet for newcomers to the church.  It is a struggle since I don’t know how to design websites, but I am learning.  The pamphlet is fun, though.  I need to get more information from people in the church and I need to take some pictures.
I am going…nowhere.  Hopefully for many, many days.
I am reading…Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana.  Still.  Also Endless Chain by Emilie Richards.
I am hoping…that Mr. Nutt gets a job soon.
I am hearing…the kids argue.  So much for joyful children. 
Around the house…is many messes.  Chores haven’t been done for three hours or more.  I need to clean my room and wash my kitchen down.  Laundry must be folded soon.
One of my favorite things…is chocolate and coffee.  F1 provided the chocolate.  Mr. Nutt is providing the coffee.  Aaaaahhh…life is good.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Work on the website.  Work on the pamphlet.  Pick a new book to read aloud to the Fruit.  Clean the kitchen.  Start cleaning my room.  Finish getting out the Christmas deco so the Fruit can decorate.
Here is picture thought I am sharing…

Character Confession – 12/8/08

Christian Women Take Root is an awesome website with encouragement for all walks of the Christian woman’s life. I’ve slowly been looking around, finding my way through this site and I am impressed. The Character Confessions are a way to get me writing. I’m going to try to do one per week, on Mondays.

I chose Fears for my character confession for this week. I’m facing down a lot of fears right now: Mr. Nutt’s joblessness, which is accompanied by the overall bleak economics of the state we live in; propane costs are going down, but that doesn’t really matter since we don’t have the money to pay for it anyway; Mom isn’t feeling well and is very depressed; I might have to go to work, leaving the kids to fend for themselves during the day, which leaves me trying to be Mommy and Teacher in the off-work hours; I won’t ever be able to go back to school, now that I’ve made the decision to actually do it; God is mad at me and that is why I’m facing all of this garbage; God isn’t going to rescue me, but will leave me in the cauldron – I’m not shiny enough yet.

For a girl who has been through all of this before, you’d think I would be able to handle it, look the fears in the face, and tell them who’s boss. Past experience doesn’t always make us stronger…sometimes it just makes us more afraid of facing the experience again.

The fact of the matter is, though, reality isn’t here. I had a deep philosophical discussion with F1 the other day, where he tried to throw a zinger at me. I responded with the fact that the first thing that a sociologist has to accept, in order to study humankind, is that we are real, that what we see around us is reality. He thought about that for a minute, then shook his head knowingly. However, I corrected, this isn’t really reality. There is a whole world going on around us that we don’t see, hear, or understand. Again, after a few moments thought, he nodded his head in the sage way only thirteen year old boys can manage. So, I said, when you start to worry about what is going on in this world…remember it isn’t real.

So, I say to my fears today, “YOU ARE NOT REAL!” God is real. Jesus’ death on the cross is real. The fact that I am a child of the KING is real. While I have to live in this world and face the difficulties therein – feeding my children, heating this house, working for a living – the fact of the matter is the only thing that matters about them is where I put my faith, what I show to the world that is so in need of Jesus, and the love that I give. That is what is real. That is what counts. The rest – God will take care of. I know he isn’t really mad at me (although those stupid fears whisper that to me). I know that though I may be in the cauldron, the fires that pain me now will only make Jesus shine brighter through me.

Lord, My Heavenly Father, tonight I pray that I reflect you…your love…your grace…your patience…your forgiveness. I pray that my heart stays soft to you and that your heart becomes my heart. I pray that you hold me through these tough times. I pray that you provide for us in unbelievable ways and that your provision to us is yet another way to build the faith of those that we come into contact with. I pray that through me and my family, we are able to share the love of Christ. Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to trust in You. In Jesus’ Holy and Precious Name. Amen.

Advent Starts Tomorrow Already!!!

I guess because Thanksgiving was so late this year, I didn’t realize that Advent was already on the horizon. Thankfully, I read a blog (which I can’t remember the name of) that informed me of Advent’s imminent arrival. That blog linked to this one: Our Grace Journey which has posted on it some excellent sheets to do an Inductive Method Advent Study. We’re going to ditch the calendar this year (only because last year’s got ruined in storage and I don’t have the ink to print another one) and do this study. It looks fun and interesting, as well as an excellent introduction to Inductive Bible Study. This is the first free book for Advent that I’ve seen that was so well-laid out, informative, and multi-level. I’m excited!

I fished out the Advent Wreath from the basement and am now contemplating where I will put it. I think it will go on an ugly card table, covered with a red tablecloth and set in front of a window. F6 will not stay away from it, I already know. I will have to diligently train him to keep his cute little paws off of it.

Moving Day

We’re moving into our living room today! Hooray!

Our house is made up of three separate sections: House Proper (the original house, a log cabin – now with gray vinyl siding – with a loft/second story), The Center Section (which includes the living room, Mom’s bedroom, bath, and sitting room, the foyer, the laundry room, another bathroom – someday, and a huge closet – someday), and Over The Garage (which is closed off to the outside, yet completely unfinished, but will house the bedrooms once it is done).

We’ve been living in House Proper since moving in July ‘07. Mr. Nutt finished up Mom’s sitting room (which she’s using as a bedroom) and bath (except for the sink, she uses the tub) this summer and got the furnace working and insulation up on the walls to the rest of The Center Section this fall. The living room was drywalled when we bought the house, but we’ve only used it as a large storage area for holiday decorations and craft stuff. Mr. Nutt decided recently that we need to get using that part of the house, since we are heating it now. Our dining room in House Proper will now be an extension of the kitchen, and the current HP living room will be the dining area. The kids bedroom is upstairs. My library/office/need-to-get-away room is also up there. Mr. Nutt and my bedroom is next to the kitchen , and then there is The-Bathroom-That’s-Not-A-Bathroom, which is where most of the craft stuff is now being stored. Go ahead, ask me why it’s named that. If I get enough requests, I may just explain this house to you a little better!

I’m taking a break. F1, my normal go-to kid for work like this is gone to a science expo with some other kids, and I’m whipped out. I’ve almost got the living room (in The Center Section) emptied out, but now House Proper is filled with all the stuff I’ve been not wanting to deal with for a year. I need to go through it and decide where to put what, what will go to the basement for storage, and what I’ll do with what is staying up here. The sad thing is, I’m going to put all the Christmas stuff in the basement, only to bring it up in a month. Sigh.

But I’m very happy about the move. It will be nice to stretch out a little, put up the food cupboards and have more cupboard space for cooking stuff in the kitchen. It’ll be nice to live in the beautiful living room (even if the floors aren’t finished and the walls aren’t painted). I would have taken pictures, but now boxes are everywhere and nobody wants to see that. It will just make you feel sorry for me.

Keep praying for work. Mr. Nutt and I are really, really relying on God, but things aren’t going well right now.

Word (Also Known As “Fishing for Compliments”)

I received an email from a good friend from high school this morning. It was a meme, sort of. I had to email back to her one word which I think describes her. I chose strong. This particular friend works full time at a third shift job as a hospital lab tech. She is raising her two daughters, one who has ADHD and one who is four (and we all know what that age is like). She has gone to school for most of her adult life, while working and raising her child(ren). Her husband is good and supportive, but as all marriages go, things get rocky. She has remained strong through all of that.

I then emailed the meme out to several of my friends whose addresses were in my book and have received a couple. My mom says LOVE, my sister-in-law says I’m genuine, another good friend says I’m beautiful, and the friend I mentioned above says that I am “Mommilicious”. LOL!

So, I’m fishing for compliments here, Friends. If you know me (online or in person) fairly well, bring it on. Give me one word that describes me. And then email all your friends and fish for compliments for yourself. It is very fun!

Use this text in your emails. Or post this to your blog.
Game is on! And you’re it!!

Describe ME in one word.. just one single word. Send it to me and to me only.

Then send this message to all your friends and see how many strange & interesting things they say about you. This is [supposed to be] really fun – you decide.

Here’s how to Play:

1. Hit the reply key and send me my one word.

2. Then return to this message, and forward it to your friends
(including me) and see what people say about you when limited to one word!!!

The Game is On!

A Decision Made…if Everything Lines Up

We made a concrete decision. I’m going back to school, if I get enough financial aid to swing the books and tuition. I might consider student loans, but I really don’t want to. I will have a decent scholarship going in, but it won’t cover everything. I’ve filed my aid form, applied to the college of my choice, and had my transcripts sent over from the community college I received my associates degree from.

This is exciting news for me. I love school. Mr. Nutt knows how much I love school and has been encouraging me to go back for a couple of years now. It never felt like the right time though. However, I’ve really been praying about it lately and felt that the answer was “Yes, now is the right time.”

I’m planning on a Family Studies major and an American Sign Language minor. I have a real passion for helping people who are under-prepared for the events that life sometimes hands them. A Family Studies major will give me the background I need to get my foot firmly in the door at places that provide such services, as well as guided, valuable experience. I’m doing the ASL because I think it is what God has always wanted me to do. Even before I became a Christian, I had a desire to learn ASL and become fluent enough to become an interpreter. Since becoming a Christian, that desire has become even stronger and at times…more urgent.

We’re still going to homeschool. As a matter of fact, because of my enthusiasm of the last few days, F1 has researched his own future collegiate pursuits and is inspired to buckle down and get to work on his maths and sciences. He now sees, through researching his proposed degrees, the type of knowledge he needs to succeed in those classes and has scheduled out a plan to get to where he needs to be before he starts high school coursework next year. He’s inspired and excited.

If everything falls into place, I’ll begin in January. If not, I’ll begin whenever God makes the funds and time available. I’m excited!

Why I Love My Hubby

I found this meme at The Surrendered Scribe and thought that I might enjoy posting my answers. I hope you enjoy reading them!

Grab the graphic and insert with these rules, in your post.
Give at least 5 reasons why you love your hubby. List more if you want.
Tag 5 people (or more) to play along and link to their blogs in your post.
Then visit those women’s blogs and leave them a comment on any of their posts.

1.He respects me. Mr. Nutt has always valued my opinion and listened to my ideas with the absolute attention.

2.He is a surprising romantic. He doesn’t regularly bring home flowers and chocolate, but every once in a while, I get a great surprise. I think this is great.

3.He is a great dad. He loves and respects his children, even when they don’t make the best choices. They all know that he is there for them, from the baby to the thirty year old.

4.He supports me in what I think I need to do. He has always encouraged me to achieve my goals, whether they be cleaning out the kitchen cupboards or going back to school (more on that later!) or implementing something new in our homeschool.

5.He loves the Lord. He doesn’t attend church, doesn’t sing praise and worship music, and doesn’t read the Bible as much as I think he should. But he loves our God and is one of the most Godly men that I know – his love for others tells me so.

Okay, your turn. I’m tagging Wardeh at Such Treasures, Kim at T’mahk Too, Rach at Pilgrim’s Progress (when you get to it Rachel – after all, you should have time for a silly meme with all that world traveling going on!), Lacy at Razor Family Farms, and Aubree at Don’t Mess with the Aubrinator. If I didn’t tag you, don’t feel left out! Just answer anyway. Don’t forget to let me know when you’ve answered so I can check it out.

Oh, Is It Friday Already?

Hmph. Actually, it is Saturday. I drank a regular 16 oz Mocha with Giradelli chocolate at Big Apple Bagels this afternoon. That would explain why I’m up blogging at 12:27 am on Saturday morning, instead of peacefully sleeping in my comfortable bed. But it doesn’t explain why I knew in the real world that it was Friday (well, Saturday) but in my bloggy world, I thought it was Wednesday.

You see, I had planned to post on the blogs each Thursday. I just don’t have enough in me to write every day, but I thought that I could make a habit of it on Thursdays. Except, I also don’t seem to have any conception of time. So, I missed Thursday. I only realized it when I went to see if Booking Through Thursday had their post up yet, since it was so close to Thursday, you know. When I got there, I realized that not only was the post up, but there was also 93 comments already! How could this be? Then it hit me, like the ton of bricks that apparently I needed to be hit with. Today is Friday! So, to make what should have been a short story very, very long, here I am.

Waiting until Friday, however, gave me some interesting things to blog about. We have a full Republican ticket now, with the addition of John McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska. The kids and I also had a nice day today, redeeming some of their prizes they won at the library. I’ve also finished the top to an adorable wall-hanging, but you won’t see pictures, because I’m not taking any until it is quilted.

Sarah Palin was shock to many of us, I believe. I have to say up front that she doesn’t change my vote, because I would’ve voted for McCain anyway. Obama is just another Democrat. But the addition of Palin is definitely interesting. As a person who loves to armchair psychoanalyze, I have found much fodder for thought in this decision by the McCain camp. I’ve also been reading other blogs, ones I wouldn’t usually read because they are rabidly liberal, but I wanted to see what the RL’s are saying about the great revelation of today. Pretty much, they are rehashing Palin’s inexperience (because after all, 18 months of running a presidential election campaign gives Obama more experience than Palin’s two years as governor of a very corruption-plagued (prior to her governorship) and evironmentally, economically, and internationally important state), the fact that she canned her rather popular somebody or other, supposedly because he didn’t fire her drunken state trooper ex-brother-in-law, and the fact that McCain chose her because she is a woman, and he is trying steal all the Hillary votes. Any died-in-the-wool Democrat wouldn’t vote for McCain because he chose a woman, especially when that woman is pro-life. But the swing voters, who aren’t sure what they are going to do because they wanted Hillary and were swept to the side by Obamamania, might just choose to put Palin in office. Also, because Palin is pro-life, she appeals to the evangelical Republicans that haven’t been real sure how they felt about McCain. Palin is also a shaker. She doesn’t seem to have a problem facing down difficult problems and holding her cool. She also doesn’t seem to have a problem shaking up the status quo to get the job done. All in all, I’m pretty happy with McCain’s choice, and aside from perhaps Tom Ridge, I think Sarah Palin was his best choice.

On to more personal topics (and perhaps, more interesting reads!). The fruit and I took off for the afternoon and evening to redeem some reading prizes from the library. First, we hit said library for some books for the upcoming week of school. F3 got a great little movie about drawing horses. She started watching it as soon as we got home this evening and already has several horse pictures drawn. I’ll try to scan them in and post them next week so you can see the great job she did. I am absolutely amazed. She has been becoming a better and better artist, but this was a tremendous leap. Then we went to Big Apple Bagels, where I purchase the aforementioned Mocha, which you have to thank for this late night/early morning blog entry. We also hit StuffMart, where we bought a book and coloring book for my adorable neice, B, who turns three years old on Monday. Her birthday party is tomorrow. Finally, after dragging seven kids all over town, we hit the local ice cream shop, where four of the fruit feasted on blue raspberry slushies and the rest of us on soft-serve ice cream cones. F7 loved hers (well, I ate most of it) and F6’s loved his (well, his shorts ate most of it).

And finally, I made, in two days, this absolutely adorable wall-hanging quilt top. It will be a gift for a friend, when I finish it. I’m hoping to dig into the fabric stashes again tomorrow after B’s party to find the backing I want for it. Then I’m going to hand quilt it. For some reason, of late, I’ve felt a real desire to do handwork. It is just so peaceful, when I have to peaceful few seconds, to be creating with my hands. I could be knitting, but I always feel rushed when I’m knitting. I have a burning need to finish a row. I could also cross-stitch, but it is difficult to drop that in the blink of an eye, because of the marking on the pattern. Hand sewing (which I didn’t do a lot of, just some decorative stitching around the fused applique) fits the bill perfectly. I will take a picture to show you all when I finish.

Well, the Mocha is wearing off and my eyes are telling me that yes, it really is 1:03 am. So off I go to rest up for another fun and exciting day of mixing nutts.