Beware of identity thief

Posted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 08:41 by m j - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

My best friend Janet sent me this e-mail, here is just some of it:

I just had to share a few of the really cute ones!  Where do I sign up??   Hope it made you smile. god Bless, mj

To anonymous, my reply

Posted on 2009-Jan-7 at 07:26 by m j - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I wrote a post on how we will not be able to buy used clothes or toys anymore.   I received a reply from "Anonymous"   Here is what "Anonymous has said:

I think its a great idea. I think buying used clothes and toys is nasty and cheap. Do you know everyone single person who get them from. You have no idea what kind people sell this stuff. Do they smoke live on a farm with dirt and animals? Why not just buy stuff at the store that is lead free and made in America? Look for sales and buy it then.  

My Reply:

1. is I am dirty and nasty!  I make my children dirty and nasty because we buy some used clothes! !   Are you dirty and nasty too? Ok , hello wake up anonymous!  Used close is NOT nasty and dirty.  Have you ever used or even heard of soap?  It is a neat thing you can CLEAN with it.  We buy new also, but like to find great deals.  God tells us to be good stewards. Saving money is being a good steward.

2. If the old owner smoked , um here we go again SOAP!

3. Is I am a dirty yup, I will admit it! !  I love to play in my garden, to feel the dirt , dig holes, put plants and seeds in!   I own a FARM I am getting dirtier!!!!!  I raise hogs, poultry, beef, goats,we have have horses and so many animals it will make your head spin!  We run bare foot most of the time on our farm, Even more dirt!!  We live in California and we just do not wear shoes unless we have too.  I know this is a bad habit . but we do it.

My daughter Kristi was verry sick on summer she had pneumonia and Shayna and I along with a hired man where building a barn.  So we set up a tent with a bed and a air cleaner for Kristi.  I went to go check on her and I found her in the pig pen curled up in the pigs bed of straw with her 500lb sow wrapped around her , she kept Kristi safe. So my family is odd.

But guess what all the dirt washes of in the shower/bath.  There is a wonderful new invention called a washing machine.  You add your clothes and SOAP and it washes them , Amazing I know.   Check them out!!

This FARMER is proud to be a FARMER.  I was not brought up that way.  I was brought up a rich *B*.  My dad is a famous singer, guitar player.  I was raised with singers, movie stars and more. 

But you know what makes me happy?? My life as a FARMER , growing thing , animals.  When I am done at the end of the day I take a shower and use SOAP to get clean.  When I am done I slip on my Guess jeans & shirt, la mystere bra.     ok some habits are hard to break !!  

 I do look for  jeans that someone bought and they did not fit , or wore a few times to buy.  why pay $79.00 for my jeans when I can get them for about $20.00 on ebay?!?!? 

Did you know you can find brand new clothes at thrift stores?  Yes, it is true.  We find them all the time.  We like some brands. I love Guess, the girls love Bongo and Candies, Roxy, but we buy them at a way lower prices than we could ever dream of getting at a regular store on sale.

Anonymous get real !  My friends keep looking and buying used.  The other people do not know what they are missing!!

God Bless, mj

Prayers for Israel

Posted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 05:27 by blessed mom - 5 Comments - Post Comment - Link

    " Pray for peace in Jerusalem: May those who love her be safe. May there be peace within her walls and safety within her strong towers." 

                   ~ Psalm 122: 6 & 7 NCV ~

Like many of you my heart goes out to Israel at this time.  The media has launched an anti-Israel campaign.  They are not telling the truth about what is really going on there.  My prayers are that peace will be in Jerusalem. The bible tells us to pray for Israel and for her peace. I pray the United States may always be counted as one of her allies.  Israel still has a destiny to fulfill and God has His eyes on His people.  His promises will be fulfilled in due time.

Praying,

~ gloria ~

Homeschooling thru the years...

Posted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 03:13 by blessed mom - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I realized today I have not blogged much about homeschooling.  Our family began homeschooling years and years ago, when my oldest child  ( 15 yrs old now) at the time was getting ready for kindergarten. I remember reading everything I could about home education and then taking the "plunge"!  Of course back then I had just a few little ones to school, and now there are 8 children being homeschooled at home! 

Homeschooling does pose it's challenges --  but overall I have been really pleased with the results.  I can't even imagine putting my kids in the public school system.  I know there are many wonderful & gifted teachers teaching in the schoools, and I am sure many kids are receiving a good education.   The decision to homeschool is much more than "academics" to me.  It's more about "relationship" with my kids then academics. Oh sure, we do have our texts and our projects we are working on, but the focus has never been on the "books" but on character development and relationships. My greatest desire is to keep my kid's hearts and to really lead them to a personal walk with the Lord.  I want our schooling time and our books we use to glorify God and to teach truth not relativism or humanism.

So we continue to homeschool. Some days I am tired. Like many of you I deal with the yearly "burn out" syndrome, and the days do come where I ask myself "why am I doing this to myself"!   But when I stop to really think about things and look into my kid's faces and eyes..... there is NO way I could put them in the local school.  I just can't. 

Does that mean homeschooling is a "perfect" fit? No! I am sure that there are many things I could be doing better as their teacher and there are hard days when I am struggling along with a child and something they are trying to understand or learn.  But overall, homeschooling is so much more than academics. ... it's a way of life...... our life does not revolve around "school" ........ we do have a time set aside each day for doing the math, the grammar, the spelling, etc. But we have learned to be flexible and to keep the "big picture" in mind.

Recently I found out a good friend of mine has quit homeschooling her kids after years of doing so. It just broke my heart.  She has beautiful children and for the life of me I don't understand why she would make that choice. But regardless of how I feel about homeschooling, I know it's not for everyone.

One of the things I really love about homeschooling is the ability it gives me to really *know* my kids.... there is no "guessing" what is going on in their minds...... everything is revealed and there is nothing hidden....if there is a problem, it's evident..... if there is an attitude that needs to be adjusted that is known too...... it's all up front and open....... no hiding anything... that can be tough, especially when mom's flaws are "open" too!  So I openly admit, homeschooling is a "stretch" for mom, and it certainly does keep me on my toes!  ( no hiding my sins behind closed doors around here!!)

I wanted to share one aspect of homeschooling that I really, really love and that is the opporotunity that homeschooling can give to really develop a love of learning in our children . By that I do not mean learning their math facts or spelling words -- what I mean is loving to learn about something for the sake of loving to learn!  Each month my kids choose a topic that they wish to study and dwelve into.... it can be anything........ and believe me we have had some interesting topics thru the years. :)  After their assigned subjects are completed they can spend as long as they wish studying their "topic of choice".   At the end of the month we have a "report night" where each child writes up a report on their topic, presents an oral report ( they hand in a typed report for me to file) and can also share a display board with drawings or print outs.  The kids really look forward to this night!  They enjoy sharing their knowledge with the rest of the family.  It gives them a sense of accomplishment.   My husband & I also enjoy hearing about what they are learning and what they have gleaned from their in depth study. 

Here are some snapshots of  our report night we held a few nights back.  As always the reports were interesting and varied.  :) 

This past month we had:

Sarah studied  about the Pilgrims.  Big sister Hannah, helped her put a display board together. :)  She loves to give these reports, even though she is just 6 yrs old and needs help reading her report a loud. :)

Paul learned about Abraham Lincoln .  The twins are getting much better with their reading and didn't need much help giving their reports!

Peter gave a wonderful report on Martin Luther King Jr.

Rebekah studied about Anne Frank.....

Samuel gave a wonderful report on William Penn -- the founder of Pennsylvania ....I learned a ton just by listening to his report!

Rachel enjoyed learning about the "maide of Louraine"....Joan of Arc.......

Hannah studied up on Mary Queen of Scotts......... what a sad and interesting life she led.....Hannah loves to study about famous women in history....... she's a lot like her mom. :) I too love studying the lives of famous women -- right now I am reading about the life of Susanna Wesley the mother of Charles & John Wesley.

Last but not least, Jacob gave us a very detailed report on the Vietnam War.......he loves to study wars, and he really learned a lot. This month he has chosen to study  the Korean War, so he really is into this "war" studies lately!  He loves history and mostly chooses historical topics of interest.

This coming month the kids have chosen the following topics to study:

Jacob: Korean War, Hannah : Christopher Columbus, Rachel: Eleanor Roosevelt, Samuel: Lightening, Rebekah: Horses, Peter: George Washington ( again!), Paul: Trains, Sarah : Dogs

I hope my kids can look back upon their years homeschooling with fondness. :)  I know I will have many many memories to look back upon.  No regrets here, even though there are the the "days" I wonder what on earth I have done to myself!

~ gloria ~

Some Of My Favorite Things!

Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 11:07 by Sher - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link

    While most folks are making lists of New Year's resolutions I've been slowly making a list of some of my favorite things!  Never been one to stick to a resolution (New Years or otherwise!) for long, I decided a list of favorite things would be more productive (to refreshing memory) and a whole lot more fun! LOL

  Those close to me know my fondness for old fashioned things and if they are the least bit "countryish" in nature then all the better!  My grandmother gave me this set of old "Ideals" books many years ago and I cherish them.  They are filled with stories, poems and pictures of days gone by and of simpler life.  The inside covers states that they were printed mostly in 1956, but the stories, pictures, poems and pictures speak and show days much older than that!  I'm placing these books at the top of my list for the joy they have given me in reading and re-reading them over the years, thanks to my dear Grandma!

1) Grams old Ideals books

2.) Handcrafted patchwork quilts

3.) Red geraniums planted in tin cans and sitting on a sunny windowsill in winter

4.) Country curtains

5.) Rocking chairs- especially the real comfy ones!

6.) Tea kettles whistling and coffee pots perking

7.) The aroma of bacon frying on a cold winters morning

8.) The hush of early morning and watching the sunrise

9.) Brillant sunsets and bright full moonlit nights

10) Cheerful and colorful birds at the feeders- pretty red cardinals, blue-jays, chickadees, etc.

11.) Country sights in every season, winter-spring-summer-fall

12.) Flannel pj's

13.) Curtains softly blowing in the breeze

14.) Braided rugs

15.) A good read- wholesome books with happy endings

16.) Crafting- all differnt kinds!!!

17.) Watching the flames in a fireplace

18.) The aroma of fresh cut grass in Spring

19.) Sleeping on sun dried sheets

20.) Organ music at church

21.) Favorite suppers-  golumbki with fresh rye bread and applesauce,  pancakes and bacon, Mom's       scalloped potatoes and ham casserole,  BBQ chicken with potato salad & baked beans,  just to name a few! 

22.) The delightful aroma of Spring flowers and newly dug garden dirt

23.) Sights and smells of Autumn- cornhusks, leaf piles, pumpkin pie, etc.

24.) Our little country home

25.) The sweet breath of a new puppy

26.) Country creeks (or is that "cricks"! )

27.) Watching the leaves flutter in the summer breezes

28.) Outdoor clotheslines

29.) Homebaked bread

30.) The sound of my knitting needles clickety-clacking while I knit

31.) Old barns and wooden fences

32.) Afternoon naps

33.) Hurricane lamps

34.) Our Heartland dishes

35.) Checkered tablecloths

36.) Sound of church bells in the city ringing out the time

37.) Early morning dew

38.) The coolness of the night air as it drifts through house

--- And so many more, no doubt!!  LOL ---

 I suppose the list could go on and on as I count my many blessings and think of my favorite things!   I was going to put loved ones at the top of my list but they aren't "things"- they are people and furbabies and dear friends.  So, anyway, it's been fun assembling this long list of some of my favorite things, maybe you'd like to make a list of your own to share and enjoy!

Homespun Blessings, Sher

Found A Memory!

Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 10:40 by Sher - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link

 Yesterday I decided to finally tackle my very cluttered craft closet and while it took me hours to go through boxes and bags of supplies it was well worth the effort when I stumbled across this old stitching.  I remember working this project back around 1980 or so.  I've always had a fondness for old homes and this one just has such a sense of old fashion charm with it's different decors of each room, including a peek into the attic! 

  I had forgotten all about this stitchery, unsure of when I removed it from our hallway where it used to be displayed.  I guess it was proberly when we last painted and I tucked it aside for safe keeping and then had forgotten where that safe place was! LOL

  Isn't it funny how a found item can open up the flood gates of memory? When I look at this stitchery, I think back to when I stitched it as a young newlywed living in a tiny city apartment and dreaming of the day we would have our own home.  I also think back to the old homestead where I grew up and  shared a happy childhood of simple joys with family, neighbors and friends. Those days were long ago and yet they remain so very treasured.  We have come some distance from those simple years  but when we find treasures from our past it is as if time has stood still as we revel in happy golden memories. 

  Homespun Blessings,  Sher

I did IT

Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 10:02 by m j - 1 Comments - Post Comment - Link

What I did may be no big deal to you but for me and hubby, it is great.  What is it??  My marketing cost.  I usually  spend about $1000 to $1500 a month of food for our family.

What I did is make a list of dinner from meat we have on hand. So them I made a list of what I need to complete each meal.  Guess what I spent a $118.00 to make 25 dinners!!   I am so happy!

The dinners are:

1. Corn beef cabbage  Tonight's dinner.

2. Taco's

3. Baked chicken , green beans, rice rolls.

4. Steak sauce over rice, corn , rolls.  Made

5. Beef stew, salad , corn bread.

6. Egg plant pasta, salad, rolls.

7. Steaks , bake potatoes, salad , veg.

8. Breakfast.

9. Mexican dish, rice , beans.

10. Meatballs, mashed potatoes, rolls.

11. Chicken bake dinner, salad, rolls.

12. Pork steaks , mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls.

13. Green bean casserole, salad, rolls.

14. Hamburger helper , mac~n~cheese

15. Pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls.  Made

16. A BBQ baked chicken, baked fires, beans.

17. Leek soup, corn bread.

18. homemade pizza's.

19. Chicken pot pies, salad, rolls.

20. Veggies beef soup, corn bread.

21. Beef pot pie, corn bread.

22. Chicken ~N~ dumplings, salad

23. Pasta dish,  salad ,  Garlic bread.

24.  Beef roast, salad, rolls.

25. A Mexican dish from left over roast, rice, beans.

This is the list of dinners I made.  What I do is ask hubby what he wants for dinner the night before.  Then we defrost it in the morning unless it is a roast then we start it the night before.

Please check out my other blog there is some info on how we are not going to be able to buy used clothes anymore, it is a new law.

God Bless, mj

Items For Sale

Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 09:30 by Country Cabin Living - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

This new year brings new ideas to me . I have decided to share my sewing talents . All my items are new and re-useable for the buyer  ,which is very frugal . And saves you money in the long run  . I am selling Cloth Dinner Napkins . All different colors and prices .

These are a (pinkish) set of 4 for $4.00 .

These are a Purple turtles set of 6 for $ 5.00

 These  same design 1 set of 6 for $5.00, or if needed I can sell as a set of 8 or set of 4 and split it up to meet your needs.

These are Candy Canes 1 set of 4 for $4.00

Fancy Pants ,a great gift .  (makes 2 dish cloths ,cute instruction card included). I have only the ones w/ green ties for $4.00 each .I will have more colors soon .

These are The Happy Hats ,one size fits most .I have several different patterns to choice from . They are made of fleece for $10.00 each . A good seller in my home town.

This is the last set that I have like this it is for $10.00 .I also have some solid colored hats not as thick ,for $7.00 each. I will be selling some more home sewn items .  I'll post as I make  some more . Please email me (beauty_mark_1973@yahoo.com  or send me a message if you would like to buy any of my items . Shipping will very depending on how much you order .Thanks Very Much ,Shaune

Take an Interest

Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 09:45 PM by Rilda - 0 Comments - Link

A MUST READ FOR ALL OF US

Posted on 2009-Jan-6 at 07:13 by m j - 6 Comments - Post Comment - Link