Fitness Team Report – Week 1, so far so good
As I told you Monday I am part of a fitness team, don't laugh! December is probably the hardest month to take on a fitness challenge, but it is proving to be the best month to do so. With holiday get-togethers and extra sweet treats being made it's easy to consume lots of extra calories and find exc
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Giving Generously – Food For the Health Conscience People
When giving food gifts you want to be sure to give gifts that are unique and fitting for that person. For those that really struggle with health issues, whether they are diabetics, have allergies or struggle with weight it is a great treat to receive a tasty food gift that they can actually enjoy!
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When a school board member took the standardized tests forced on kids
More proof that the institutionalized education system is so messed up: "...on the school board of one of the largest school systems in America did something that few public servants are willing to do. He took versions of his state’s high-stakes standardized math and reading tests for 10th grader
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Me? On a Fitness Team?
I have struggled with weight my whole life, part of it is genetics, but mostly it is my lack of self-discipline. I've been up and down in my weight since I was a teenager and I know it will always be a battle, and to be honest, that kind-of makes me want to not even try. Almost 2 years ago my frien
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Fiber Arts Monday – Crochet the night away…
I'm still working on scarfs here for Christmas gifts. One thing I love about the weather getting colder and the day light hours being shorter is that I spend more time crocheting. :o) I kick back in the recliner, usually with a hot rice pack on my feet, a quilt on my lap and yarn in my hands and the
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Building a Family Economy – Santa Proof?
Olivia went to the post office for me today to ship orders. She met a guy there that had a ton of packages to go out, she had to ask him what he sold. He explained that he sold Santa Evidence Kits. He explained how children could mail/e-mail him their letters. He then sells ki
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Entitlement Makes You Full of Self-pity and Anger
Are you ever around people that feel sorry for themselves a lot? They complain about their circumstances, act as if everyone is out to get them? Do you know people who get angry because they feel like they have been given a raw deal in life? The problem here is PRIDE. Why do we think we
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Giving Generously – Food Gifts
Hot Peppermint Fudge Granola Bars Dipped Candy Canes Party Spoons Rum Balls Sausage Bread
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Sausage Bread
Sausage Bread Makes 2 loaves 1 pound of sweet or hot Italian Sausage 1 pound of Mozzarella Cheese 2 pizza or bread dough Italian Seasoning Optional: 1 onion, 1 pepper, mushrooms, black olives Use Italian Sausage. If you cannot get it in bulk, use the links, just slide the sa
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Our Biggest Sale Ever Ends at Midnight!
We only run a sale this big once a year! Get 40% off and FREE shipping and FREE gift wrapping on all DVD orders. Use Code: THANKS11 When you buy 1 DVD you will receive 3 BONUS e-books for free. Tools and Tips for Successful Cake Decorating How to Grow and Use Culi
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Do you have a special warm place?
Tonight it is coooold in Alabama. My 87 year old grandmother from upstate New York is here visiting until January. She is so gentle and meek, I wish I could be like her! Tonight we have Bing Crosby's Christmas album playing, the aroma of popcorn popping all around me and listening to Jeff, the gi
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Making Chicken Stock and Broth – video
We recently bought some free range chickens from a local family. I love being able to feed my family food that is organic as much as possible. After eating the roasted chicken I saved the bones to make a broth. Today it was cold and rainy here, having the broth on most of the day simmering made it
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Gifts that Can Be Handed Down Generation After Generation!
There are few things that truly last for generations. Unfortunately, for the last 100 years or so our American culture has lost the vision of passing down practical skills and family trades. Most of our time and energies have been spent outside of the home and loosing the core skills and values t
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Winner of the Sewing Kit 4 Kids
The winner of the Techno Tote Sewing 4 Kids Kit is Kim B! Please send me your mailing address and I'll get out to you! Read more about the Wreckler girls and how they started their own business Check out all of the great and AFFORDABLE sewing projects over at Sewi
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Thanksgiving Day 2011
Our Thanksgiving Day was fairly quiet this year. I was pretty bummed because we had no extra people at our table. But the Lord did bring us an opportunity to fill a need for someone else so we were able to cook 2 meals and deliver 1! While Jeff and I were out deliveri
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Make a Special Girl Happy for Less than 50 Cents
This is Anna, she is 17 years old. She is one of our neighbors. Anna is a special young lady who is stuck between wanting to be like other 17 year olds and watching Dora and enjoying coloring and dolls. She is diagnosed with Lennox Gastaut Syndrome a very difficult to control form of epilepsy tha
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Sewing Kit 4 Kids Giveaway Day 5
Melissa, you are the winner of the Pocket Caddy Sewing Kit 4 Kids. Send me your mailing address and I'll get this out to you! Today's giveaway is a Techno Tote Sewing 4 Kids Kit. You will need to enter each day for each item. Leave a s
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Sewing Kits 4 Kids Giveaway 4!
The winner of the Hood Scarf sewing kit is RG!!! Please send me your mailing address and I'll get this out to you! Today's giveaway is for the Pocket Caddy Sewing Kit 4 Kids. You will need to enter each day for each item. Leave a separate comment for each
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Thanksgiving and Seperation
Today we'll spend a pretty quiet day (Lord willing) at home with just our immediate family. This is what happens when there are miles between you and your family. Sometimes the miles are an actual physical distance and then there are times when the miles are measured in conviction, faith and worl
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Sewing Kits 4 Kids Giveway Day 3!
Lori Barrett, is the winner of the Sweet Dreams Sewing Kit. Lori, please email me your mailing address and I'll get that right out to you! Wednesday: Today's giveaway is the Hooded Scarf Kit. You will need to enter each day for each item. Leave a se
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Sewing Kits 4 Kids Giveaway! Day 2
The winner of yesterday's Sewing Kit 4 Kids, is Jennifer N! Jennifer, please email me your mailing address and I will get this out to you! Today's giveaway is for the Sweet Dreams Set: Lori Barrett, is the winner of the Sweet Dreams Sewing Kit
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Thanksgiving Video Tutorials
A couple pie crust hints: Use a deep dish pie plate (as seen on the left). Roll your dough out thin. Use a little sugar in your dough recipe. Before placing in the oven, use your finger tips to rub some milk on the top, just enough to moisten it, then sprinkle a little sugar. This will hel
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Sewing Kits 4 Kids Giveaway! Day 1
Thanks to the sweeeet girls over at Sewing Kits for Kids and their kind offer, I'll be giving away 5 different Sewing Kits this week. These are all simple machine sewing projects for beginners. Monday: The winner of Monday's Sewing Kit 4 Kids, is Jennifer N!
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Fiber Arts Monday – Scarves
Scarves are great gifts to give for winter birthdays or for Christmas. I'm working on a few for gifts. I started this one last week using this pattern. Scarves are a great way to Give Generously without Breaking the Bank. Here are some other patterns I really like (pictures are
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Don’t Miss Our Biggest Sale of the Year!
We only run a sale this big once a year! Get 40% off and FREE shipping and FREE gift wrapping on all DVD orders. Use Code: THANKS11 When you buy 1 DVD you will receive 3 BONUS e-books for free. Tools and Tips for Successful Cake Decorating How to Grow and Use
[ read more ]
Andrew Peterson – “God of My Fathers”
I'm not usually a big fan of most contemporary Christian music, but Emma recently turned me on to Andrew Peterson; he is now my current favorite! His songs are so rich in meaning and enjoyable to listen to, not to mention easy to understand. :o) The first time I heard this song I almost cried.
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Building a Family Economy – Selling Sweets/Food Cottage Laws
This is the best time of year to make some extra cash by selling sweets and other baked goods for the holidays. With busy schedules and so many people not wanting to be in the kitchen, it is the perfect time to strap your apron on and profit from people willing to indulge their sweet tooth over th
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Giving Generously – A Christmas without Regrets
I admit, I have always had some regret after the holidays season, spending too much, stretching myself physically and emotionally so thin that I could not really enjoy the season. In my constant efforts to cause Christmas wishes to come true, 'make memories' and establish traditions it was ea
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Beach Trip 2011
Olivia, Emma, a friend and I took off for the beach a few days ago. It was Olivia's birthday gift to herself and she took all of us along for the ride! :) It took us about 6 hours to get to Gulf Shores, Alabama. Although Olivia is 21 (!!!), she is about 8 at heart! She LOVES
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Giving Generously – Learn to Give with Pure Motives
"So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7 I don't know anyone who does not enjoy giving a gift. There is something satisfying in knowing that you brought some happiness to a person. Learn to Give wit
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Building a Family Economy – Keep Business Debt Free (video)
Although this clip is about keeping your farm dept free it applies to most of us that are in start up home businesses. Do things that take time and not money. Take care of your nest egg! Use your creativity to do for yourself. Get familiar with your product/skill/service before you jump in
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“This Ain’t Normal Folks”
The other night we watched Forks Over Knives, a documentary about choosing more of a plant based diet for life. It gave some great information about studies connecting the typical American diet (high meat, dairy and sugar) with such high cancer and heart disease rates. About a year and a half ago
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The Joy of Turning 21
This week we celebrated Olivia turning 21. She was so excited to turn this magical number! She can now buy her long awaited pistol... and she can buy a bottle of wine when her recipes call for it! We celebrated with going out to eat Mexican. Later that night we enjoyed smoke
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How to Use a Jointer – Woodworking Video
What a jointer is use for: How to use a jointer:
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Fiber Arts Monday- Old Jeans into a Floor Mat – video
I love this! This would be great for a boy's room or an entry way. Fiber art is anything that includes stitching, weaving, quilting, sewing, rug making, crocheting, knitting, spinning, etc… Each Monday we can share ideas, patterns, finished projects and ask questions about fibe
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I think this is my husband’s life verse… ;o)
“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.” —Ecclesiastes 2:24
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Getting It All Done
Being a wife and mom is a full time job, so trying to build a business or even just trying to bring a few extra dollars into the home can be a major stress. If you are trying to figure out how in the world you are going to add one more thing to your schedule, but you know you need to do something
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Giving Generously – Soldered Jewelry – video
I LOVE this idea, let your imagination run! Think of keepsakes, small pictures, lock of baby's hair, small map of a special place, special date, names, finger print, etc... Make them smaller for charms on a bracelet, to hang from a pin, or to attach to a ribbon as a bookmark. How about make them
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The Freedom that Comes with Using Samaritans Ministries
I've talked about Samaritans here before but I wanted to share this video clip I just saw. This gentleman does a great job explaining why he uses Samaritans as a Biblical option for health insurance. I also love that he is doing what he LOVES to do! Ben, I thought of you and your tractors when I saw
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How to Make Live Greenery Arrangments
Our last Domestic Class for the year will be Nov. 15th. This is a FUN class! You will learn how to make live arrangements that will last for weeks, some could last all the way from Thanksgiving to Christmas. These arrangements could be for mantles, table centerpieces, doors or mailboxes. This
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Today’s Table- When it’s Not a Favorite *Link Up
Everyone in our house loves Mexican food, except for Jeff. Yet, because he is King of His Castle and the primary bread winner, we need to keep the man happy! :) Now don't get me wrong, he'll eat whatever we put in front of him, and he wants us to enjoy our favorites too, but we sti
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What is Your Marriage About?
Last week our family took a little trip to the BEAUTIFUL mountains in Asheville, NC for the Gospel-Centered Marriage Conference. This has to be one of the best conferences we've ever been to. The conference was not only about our marriage, but how to help our children as they go into their marri
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The Difference Between Wood and Plywood – video
Learning about Lumber Buying Lumber for Pennies on a Dollar
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Chocolate Almond Icing Recipe
I made this cake in celebration of the baptism of twins at our church a couple of weeks ago. What a sweet time of rejoicing! First I completely iced it with a chocolate almond icing... then using a 104 rose tip I made pink 'ruffles' on the sides. The icing I used I made up as I
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Fiber Arts Monday- Choose Fabric (video)
Here is a video clip explaining how to choose the right fabric for your project: Fiber art is anything that includes stitching, weaving, quilting, sewing, rug making, crocheting, knitting, spinning, etc… Each Monday we can share ideas, patterns, finished projects and ask questions about
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Books to Help Build Your Business
The best way to learn how to be successful is to watch, listen and learn from those who have succeeded. If at all possible spending one on one time is best, but in most cases we need to read from and about them. Choose carefully who you spend time with, whether that be in person or through books. B
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