~This Way or That Way~

I have been building many flip calenders and I think I found a better way!
You can use the photo pages from the office supply store like the tutorial says or cut pages out of a photo book.

$4.00 to do one flip calender with the photo pages or $3.00 to do three flip calenders with the photo book...Um, that is a no brainer:-)

But price isn't everything!

Other Pro's to the photo book
*I had less cutting... I just cut the pages out of the photo book... one slice with my son's pocket knife. The other pages had to be cut three times

*My hole punchers didn't like the thin film.... they went right through the photo book pages

* No taping... The thin film had to be taped along the bottom of each page... the photo book opens on the side.

I really don't think the look of it is any better or worse.

I also didn't follow all of the directions here. I used poster board and made the two sides with her measurements (I do like it 1 inch taller). Instead of covering it with fabric, I used scrapbook paper just on the front and back (not on the bottom that makes the stand).

On another note: I have heard that the photos are not printing well if you are copying them and saving them to your computer. I am really not sure how to rectify that problem. If anyone is more tech savey then I am... probably everyone... I'd love to know how to add a link to download them all at full resolution. Thanks!

~This Week's List~

226. Monday's wintry mix wasn't wintry at all... just light rain

227. The afternoon warmed up nicely

228. My love came home sick from work... very odd thing to happen! I am thankful he could come home and rest. He slept all afternoon. Feeling much better now too!

229. An after supper fantabulous walk! No hat, no gloves... I even unzipped my jacket!

230. Walking different back roads

231. A gray barn cat peeking at me through the field grass

232. Big black cows coming up to the fence to say hi

233. Sunsets later in the day

234. Sending out oodles of belated thank you cards

235. Finding a GREAT deal on printing my scrapbook pages.

236. 12 months of Scrapbook pages uploaded for printing. Can you believe 102 pages... it took 28 hours to upload! Next time I won't wait so long!

237. Watching an 18 month old meticulously put pepperonis on a pizza. She did not let any of them touch! She also helped make cookies. I'm thinking I need to make her an apron:-)
238. Finding an easier/cheaper way to make the prayer card holder

239. Thinking we had a heavy frost and finding it was snow... and not minding the snow actually enjoying seeing it fall

240. Putting the books aside to do some fun schooling. I had the boys measuring and using grid paper to design a new room.

241. Catching somebody sneaking strawberries

242. Getting a bin of 18 month clothes out of the attic... mostly given to us

243.Encouragement

244. Seeing a Blue Jay and Cardinal in one morning
245. Sitting by my sunny new window crafting on a Saturday afternoon
246. Hearing from others that my boys worked hard at our church's spring cleaning event

247. Planning a little family get away

248. Homemade Orange Julius

249. A rototiller listed on craigslist(dot)org and sold the same afternoon

250. Buying scrapbooks for the pages that are finally ordered... on sale this week... with my birthday money!

~Two Thoughts~

In our Daily Life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but greatfulness that makes us happy.

We are not over loaded, we are under burdened.

~Caught Red Handed~

I got home from the grocery store last night and the usual things happened. Big boys carry in the groceries, little people hand me things out of the bags. Kiersten disappeared and I went to see what she was into...I don't blame her one bit! When she noticed I was watching her she used sign language to say "thank you" and kept right on eating. I think she swiped three berries before I found her and she pleaded for more when I took them away.

We had another swiper last night. I was reading for a few minutes in bed and heard a loud ruckass in the chicken coop. I realized we forgot to shut the door and I quick ran for my men. My sharp shooter was in bed and by the time he was up, loaded, and dressed the raccoon had killed one chicken and was starting to flee the scene of the crime. I held the flashlight and Jordan the loaded gun. We went out the door and heard the raccoon scampering down the driveway screaming as it went. I wasn't able to get the light on it quick enough to allow Jordan time to aim. It ran off into the night. I felt so bad for the chickens. They should have been safe in their home. I was mad at the raccoon and myself. I don't like loaded guns, but we might be needing it.

~Sew Along for Japan~

This sounds like a fun project!

Hop on over to Living with Punks to join in her Sew Along! She is heading up a tutorial to make these cute t-shirts. We ship them to CA and they get shipped to Japan from there! She is hoping to receive 500 shirts!

This will be a great Saturday afternoon project for me! I am going to make a few for Japan and one for Kiersten. That way, every time she wears the shirt we can pray for the people that received our shirts!

Anyone else joining in!??!?!

~Blessings Abound~

Did you ever have one of those weeks that everything went really well!?!??!!? It is normally the opposite isn't it! Haha! Well, I just had a really good week.

202. Grandparents investing in grandchildren

203. Grammy's silly dog
204. Friends coming for play dates

205. Boys that can do school work while I visit

206. Flowers for no reason

207. Bread bowls of Pepper Jack Tomato Soup served at home
208. Five thrift/consignment stores not too far from home

209. Jeans without holes in the knee

210. Two little people doing very well on our shopping spree

211. The surprise of mulch when I got home (sorry, bad photo)
212. The first daffodils opening
213. Home Improvements
214. Out with the old
215. In with the new216. A window where there was only wall217. White trim218. Sun streaming in what used to be dark places

219. Spring cleaning my bathroom closet and filling one bag of trash! Oh, it looks so nice!

220. 1.5 more pounds walked away ~ making it 4.5 for March

221. Celebrating small victories with chocolate milk

222. Adverb phrases that hit like a brick wall causing a young mind to work overtime

223. 7 rules for making singular plural stumping another son... being able to review it over and over until it is mastered

224. Being awake for devotions after my morning workout

225. A Chronological Bible... I am very much enjoying it!

~Flooding Here and Flooding There~

It was a busy week. Aren't they all!?!??! I felt like I was working hard at getting nowhere much of the week. But blessings did abound!

175. Spring rain

176. I can't think of a blessing for a wet basement... but I appreciate my boy's muck boots when I do the laundry

177. Boys spending time with grandparents

178. Tiny foot prints

179. Finding a good sale on ground beef and stocking up

180. Ending a rough day in church... encouraging someone else

181. Getting caught up on my dentist appointments... 3+ years in one night... not one problem

182. A basement drying up

183. Trying new recipes

184. Peanut butter popcorn

185. Watching a boy fascinated by trains he bought with his birthday money

186. Hearing bigger boys talk about pellets, bb's, sights and targets ~ things I never heard growing up

187. Hearing the crispy crunch of an apple

188. Seeds coming by mail... $25 coupon... paid 2.90!

189. A driver's side window fixed... now it goes back up!

190. Being invited over for dinner... all of us.

191. The taste of chocolate milk made by My Love for me to enjoy after my early morning workout

192. One pound gone making it 3 this month!

193. Figuring out how to get photos off the built in memory of the camera

194. Looking at memories 195. The first Crocus of the year

196. Unmulched plants making it through the winter and showing signs up life!

197. Boys working hard at their Saturday jobs.

198. Dads taking time to train boys when it is so much easier to do it yourself.

199. An uncharged laptop allowing me to take a rare Sunday afternoon nap... otherwise I would have been tempted to scrapbook instead of catching that hour of sleep I lost!

200. Memorizing scripture. Psalm 46 is the passage the boys and I are memorizing right now. It certainly applies to the tragedies of this week...

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof."

201. The ability to pray to God who knows all, for people who lost all, that He would be their all in all.

~An Irish Trivet Cover~

My new trivet cover for this month!
This block is called rolling stone... kinda fits the St Patty's Day theme! I like some of the old Irish Prayers and Blessings and thought about putting one in the center, but that would have been too many words:-)

Irish Marriage Blessing

May God be with you and bless you. May you see your children's children. May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings. May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

I always think of these verses in Numbers when I read one of the Irish prayers so I decided to use part of that passage.

Here are Joan's directions.

~A New Soup~

Gregg travels for work... and therefore, gets to eat at lots of different places. On one of his trips, he enjoyed Pepper Jack Tomato Soup. He found a recipe online and we tried it Sunday for lunch.

I really changed the recipe so I'll just share what I used...

Pepper Jack Tomato Soup

50 oz Tomato Soup undiluted
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
8 oz pepper jack cheese, cubed

Mix soup, milk and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in cream cheese and pepper jack cheese until melted.

Serve immediately.

It was just a tad spicy for the little guys but so yummy! I'm sure you could use half regular jack and half pepper jack if you wanted. I can't wait to try it in a bread bowl!!!

I didn't get any photos but it is a nice thick soup that puts a new twist on a regular bowl of tomato soup! Topped with croutons it is a winner!

~Slow, Children at Play~

Slow, Children at Play... that is a quote that has gotten my mind thinking. I need some of those big yellow and black signs hanging throughout my house! How quickly I begin to rush through life... so much to do, so little time... I need to concentrate on the time that is now and all the gifts given in each moment. If I really paid attention I'm sure I could reach one thousand gifts in a very short amount of time. I just get to busy to realize all the wonders around me.

155. One I forgot from last week... We were invited over to visit with another family last minute on a Tuesday night. I just "happened" to bake two pies that afternoon that I was able to share! A good time of fellowship!

156. A headache bad enough to get me to bed a little early... allowing me to get up and start the week well rested.

157. A little girl learning to use a fork and spoon
158. An early morning alarm clock

159. The will to answer it

160. Walking half way, turning around to face a beautiful sunrise

161. Pounding the pavement and leaving two pounds behind this week!

162. Seeing a rooster crow on another early morning walk

163. A first youth event for my oldest... almost a teen

164. Being able to use my new walking foot!

165. Trying a yummy new soup (recipe later this week!)

166. Little pink dresses and little pink bows

167. A little pink lady whamming my face with her soft little pig tail as she sits warm in my lap

168. Fresh blueberries on fresh yogurt on fresh granola

169. A new trivet cover for March (I'll share this later!)

170. Silly dogs (I may have had this before, but they truly make me laugh)171. Lunchtime educational films172. Another sale on photos! You can print out prayer cards for .05 a card... that is only $1.55 for the full set of prayer cards!

173. A young man saved at church last night

174. Popcorn... yum!

Here is another verse on encouragement to keep in mind for this week...

Act 20:35 I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

I am planning on sending two thinking of you cards and I am taking a meal for a friend that is having a little procedure done. What are your plans?

~The Winner is...~

Congratulations to my friend Val! She won two sets of prayer cards, 4 one inch rings, and photo pages to make her own calender and one to share!!!!

Val is my real life friend:-) She has two cute little ladies and a handsome little man. She also has one of the few good men to call her husband.

Val said she would share her cards with her sister... she has 10 month old twin girls!

I'll get that out in the mail sometime this week:-) If you are not in a super hurry... give me a few more days to make the calendars for ya!

Thanks for playing along everyone!

Does anyone know how to make my cards available as a download from my blog? That would make it a lot easier for you... but I don't have a clue how to do it!!??!?! Thanks!

~Giveaway~

I waited for a good deal to print out all my prayer cards!

I have enough cards for 4 full sets and 2 partial sets... so, I thought I'd share!!!

I have them all sorted and I have the 1 inch rings to send with them. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment telling me who you are going to send them too! That is right... I am going to send you two complete sets... one to keep and one to send to someone else... to ENCOURAGE them:-) Sound fun!!???!!?!? You don't need to tell me their name... just maybe how you know them and why it would encourage them.

I am sending my extra set to a missionary family in Greenland. The wife is expecting their 5th child... and she had to travel an hour away to a big city for the birth... that is how they do it there. She has her oldest daughter with her and her husband has the rest of the gang back "home." After the birth, she will travel back with her daughter and new arrival. I'm thinking that family could use some encouragement!

I'm going to try to get my hands on some more photo pages for you to actually make the calendars... no promises... the stores aren't real close by... but I'll try!

Giveaway ends Friday night... I'll post the winner on Saturday!