Great Read!

I just finished this great book by Francine Rivers. A Lineage of Grace. I love almost all of her books and this one was one of my favorites. It is a compilation of 5 shorter books into one. It is about the women in the lineage of Christ. Some of the women I had heard of but not given much thought and this book shed new light on them. They also opened my eyes to the way God used sinners and the least of us to accomplish His good work. The story of Tamar was my favorite.

A dress for G

I am attempting to make something close to this for G to wear for her 5th birthday. I think I am going to make a pillowcase dress instead of this style, but I want to replicate the ice cream cone applique on the front of the dress. I might to a cupcake with a candle instead. We will have to see how it goes. I hope to post a pic of the finished product soon!

Let Them Eat Woo Woo Cake!

While Grammie and Papa were here a couple of weeks ago we celebrated J boys birthday. Grammie made birthday cake with them. J wanted a Woo Woo cake. Translated that means a Dog cake. So I had found a dog cake in a magazine that showed you how to cut two 9 inch cakes to look like a Woo Woo. In the magazine they decorated it to look like a pink poodle. However J is much more into Dalmations. So, Grammie and the kids iced the cake in white icing and put chocolate covered marshmellows on as spots.
J had a great birthday and it was all the more sweet because we got to celebrate with Grammie and Papa. Next year he will be big enough to have a few friends over to celebrate with us. I hope Grammie and Papa with make it there too!

A-typical Mole watch

My Mom had a great idea! Which is not uncommon for her. G has an A-typical mole on her head. We had it look at by a dermatologist just to make sure it didn't need to be removed. He told us it was fine but to keep an eye on it to see if it changes in anyway. It is not in a place that is visible all the time so I don't always think about it. I don't always remember exactly how it looks and how big it is either. So my Mom suggested I take a picture of it next to a ruler. That way we have a definite color, shape, size to go by and we will know if it changes. She is so smart!

The Challenge

My Sister in law has set a challenge this week for herself and challenged her followers to join in. She is trying to craft as much as possible this week before she has to start homeschooling her two boys next month. She is working like a mad woman even causing harm to her own body. She has done an amazing job on all her projects. I am not as gifted as she is in my ability to sew. Most of the time I just pretend like I know what I am doing and it turns out pretty well. I don't know how to sew using a pattern I just make up my own pattern. My mother tried to teach me when I was younger and I couldn't pay attention long enough to grasp the concept.
I joined in her challenge over the last few days and I have a few pictures of my projects. For our church's fall festival our family is going to dress up as Toy Story characters so I got started on those costumes. I have made a Woody vest and a pair of chaps for Jesse. I have also sewn a Buzz Lightyear pillowcase (not pictured). I made G a few new hair bows. G's favorite is the blue one. She likes it because I used a button on it from the dress our late Grammy Smith wore on my wedding day. I like the pink and black one the best, and I think the cupcake turned our nice too. Maybe I can make a few more crafts before the week is up.

My VBS Classroom

Vacation Bible School was a...busy week. I worked with the 2,3,&4 year old children. God was gracious and provided me with the patience needed although I was tested many times. I think the kids had a great time, and I did my best to make the gospel clear. I tried to make it all about Christ and not just a moralistic story. Although some of the lessons provided by Lifeway never mentioned Jesus or his sacrifice on the cross for sinners. I think sometimes people think that you have to water down the gospel for children but I am not one of them. They understand way more than we give them credit for. It will be the spirits work to reveal the Gospel to them not mine. I know the seeds were planted and if the spirit chooses to move on the hearts of those precious children He will change them.

These are some pics of my classroom. The kids had a good time sitting around our fire pit every night for our story. We went fishing in our stream, and they put the leaves on our tree. You can also see our "pet" horses, only one of them was named during the week and that was by G. She named one Belle.

Toy bins

I used to have a small book shelf for each with bins to organize their toys into. However, after cleaning up their room too many times to count I decided we needed to simplify. So we got two large bins and let the kids decorate them. We found wall paper flowers that looked shabby chic for G and WVU stickers for J boy. The kids had a great time decorating them. Even better now they are able to throw all the toys in one spot without needing help.

Saddle Ridge Ranch

I am who The Great I Am says I am.
I am one of His greatest creations.
He says that I am remarkably wonderfully made.
And I am who He says I am.

This is a line from one of the Vacation Bible School Songs that we will be teaching the kids this week. It is stuck in my head. But it is a wonderful reminder to me that The Great I Am loves me and created me in His image. I pray that this truth will seep into the hearts of the children and The Spirit of the Lord will move on their hearts and change them.
Pray for our church, the kids, and the parents that are involved in our VBS. Pray Christ will be Glorified and that we will make the Gospel CLEAR!

Treasure

Oh just found this. I think the little cowboys and cowgals would love to make these. I am not sure what to use for for hammers and chizzels. Maybe I will send the kids home with their treasure rocks.

IDEAS WANTED!!!!

I am teaching 2,3,&4 year olds VBS in a week. I have to decorate my class room in a Western/Cowboy/Dude Ranch Theme. I welcome any ideas you might have to make this a toddler friendly fun room.
I have a few things together all ready. I have made a fire pit and i am making a river with fish. I also bought a rope and tied several loops in it (calling it a lasso) for the kids to hold onto as we got to different stations. I wanted to make swinging doors like a salon would have but I am not sure tape and cardboard would hold up through a week of kids hanging on them.

IDEAS WANTED!!

20 days!

Moved in!!!! It has been 20 days since I have really been online. Wow that is a record for me in my adult life. I am so used to having access right at my fingertips at any moment. But moving, and the craziness life has thorwn in the last 6 weeks has left me with little time for some of the things I enjoy. I hope to get my world back together and I look forward to catching up with the blogging world. I feel like I miss so much if I don't get on everyday, much less 20.
We have settled into our new home and have most everthing unpacked. I got my china cabnet filled today. I am so excited about that! My parents drove it up 14 hours in the back end of their truck. Which they drove off of the train tracks in front of my house as they were pulling in. God was gracious and they were not stuck or hurt. It gave me a heart attack and I still feel sick when I think about it.
They also drove up my son's bunk bed, and a pink mustang power wheel car for G and J. I know pink isn't his color but he loves being driven by G. He controls the music and throws it in reverse every now and then to spice things up.
J's b-day feel the day after we moved so we had a party for him this week. Hopefully he is not scarred for life about the late party. I think 2 is still too young to know what is really going on but he enjoyed his party (pics to come).
All in all I am ready for some normality and routine and structure. I always thought my routine was pretty loose, but it's not. I am way more structured than I realized. Our kids have only been to bed on time once since we moved. It makes me frightened for when I have to restucture their lives. J is taking 2 naps a day right now (which I don't mind) but he is sooooo whinny. Pray for strength for me and understanding from them.
Hopefully we wont be moving again anytime soon.

Last Sunday

I woke up in a panic this morning. I was dreaming about packing. Which by the way we haven't packed a single box as of yet. We have been waiting on a few quotes by moving companies. In my dream I was looking at all of my stuff and trying to figure out the number of boxes it would have to fit into. I am really ready to get this show on the road.
Sunday our church was so precious. They allowed my hubby the Sunday School hour to just speak a little bit about he process we had gone through with the new church. Then after Andy preached they had a Fellowship dinner for us. One of the dear saints in the church made a beautiful quilt for us. She had allowed people to sign the quilt with wonderful words of encouragement for us. It is a precious treasure. Also they found a piece of art that looks similar to the view outside our kitchen window here @ E**** Estates. It will go perfectly in our new home on our mantle.
The day was full of tears and wonderful words of encouragement.
Grace Chapel is truly a unique church. I will always think of it as home. They have taught me so many things but most of all they have adorned the gospel in such a way that it is fresh air to the believer. They have truly been the bride of Christ in the beautiful unity they have. I look forward to spending eternity with these believers worshiping our Savior together.