Sallie at A Gracious Home posted a really neat homemaking meme over on her blog, and I thought I’d do it over here.

Aprons – Y/N? If Y, what does your favorite look like?
YES, YES, YES! My favorite is probably my light blue one with sunflowers on it, but I need to mend it. I’ve always wanted a white eyelet one, though.

Baking – Favorite thing to bake
Bread, of course!

Clothesline – Y/N?
Not at this house. I really miss having one.

Donuts – Have you ever made them?
No. It sounds like fun though.

Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day
The dishes and almost always at least one load of laundry.

Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?
Yes. We have a small upright freezer right next to our frig/freezer. It’s wonderful.

Garbage Disposal – Y/N?
No. Had one for a couple of months, but we moved. I don’t really miss it.

Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
Definitely Prairie Homemaker. Whatever I don’t know, I can probably find out there.

Ironing – Love it or hate it? Or hate it but love the results?
Ick. I really don’t like to iron. Well, I guess that’s not really true – I don’t mind ironing once I get around to it, but it’s hard to get motivated to do it. Our closet is so small that nothing stays pressed once it goes in there, so we iron clothes the night before we need to wear them.

Junk drawer – Y/N? Where is it?
Kind of. I have a drawer in the kitchen that has pens and pencils and screws and sharpies and twisty-ties in it, but it’s not a throw-your-junk-in-and-rummage-around-for-something kind of drawer.

Kitchen – Color and decorating scheme
The walls are cream with a hint of pink. Most of my glass cookware is cobalt blue, and my plates and glasses have light blue flowers on them (the Corelle Country Cottage design). I have my teacups and teapots on small shelves on one wall, and I use my china and crystal as decorations along the top of my cupboards.

Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking?
Knowing how blessed I am to be able to stay at home. It is also nice at the end of the day to look back and see everything I’ve accomplished. Also knowing that being a homemaker is my ministry – to my family.

Mop – Y/N?
It depends. If the floor’s not that dirty, then yes, I’ll use a mop. Otherwise, I’ll get down on hands and knees to make sure it’s really clean. The kitchen is overdue for a good scrubbing right now though.

Nylons – Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
What? You’re supposed to wear hose? Lol! Trouser socks get thrown in a mesh bag in the washer, if I remember the bag. More expensive hose definitely goes in the bag or gets washed by hand.

Oven – Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
Definitely a door opener.

Pizza – What do you put on yours?
Cheese and double mushroom (must be fresh, not canned, yuck!), sometimes ham.

Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Usually check email or spend a few moments at Prairie Homemaker, but almost always with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Recipe card box – Y/N? What does it look like?
Yes, but I don’t use it much anymore as most of my recipes are in a binder. It’s purple with pansies all over it.

Style of house – What style is your house?
Um, I’m not really sure. A mill house would probably be the best way to describe it. Grey with a porch along the front. Small and cozy. I like it.

Tablecloths and napkins – Y/N?
Not very often. If I could find a way to use them while keeping the 2 year old from destroying them, then maybe I’d use them more often. It’d also help if I could find a tablecloth that doesn’t clash with my plates, lol!

Under the kitchen sink – Organized or toxic wasteland?
Organized.

Vacuum – How many times per week?
Um, I don’t vacuum. Seriously. DH does all the vacuuming. Our vacuum is really heavy and because of my back problems, he has always done it. If it’s really bad and he hasn’t had a chance to do it, then I will, but he usually beats me to it. I have the best husband! Number of times a week? Once, maybe twice.

Wash – How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
Not really sure. Probably somewhere between 10 and 20. It depends on how many accidents Little man has and how many of his sheets I need to wash. At least a load a day, usually more like two loads daily.

X’s – Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
Yes. I have a place on my Master Schedule page that I use as a to-do list.

Yard – Y/N? Who does what?
DH pretty much does it all. Did I mention I have the greatest husband in the world?

Zzz’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Setting the coffeepot for the morning, making sure the counters are clean and all the outside lights are off and doors locked. Unless setting out my clothes for the next day counts. . .

If you choose to do the meme, you can post your link over at Sallie’s blog. . .

Just in case the blog looks a little strange. . .I’m playing with a new template. . .so please bear with me until I get everything fixed. Thanks!

Whole Wheat Tortillas

4 cups wheat flour (we prefer white wheat)
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups hot water

Mix together well, knead until smooth. Divide into 2 inch diameter balls, and place in a covered greased bowl. Roll out thin (the thinner the better) on a floured table and cook on medium heat in an ungreased pan.

Per Tortilla (excluding unknown items): 110 Calories; 3g Fat (21.1% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 384mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

If you were looking for a banner for Hope of My Heart Designs, here is my latest.

Link it to http://www.hopeofmyheart.com.

Recently, I was shopping and looking for some clothing that I needed. I was starting to get frustrated because I couldn’t seem to find a particular item in my size, no matter where I looked.

Today the phone rang. It was a friend from church, saying that she had a bag of clothes for me, and was wondering if they were the right size.

Not only was everything the right size, but it was exactly what I had been looking for. As if that weren’t enough, everything was much nicer than I usually buy for myself. There were even tags still attached to some of the items!

Since I got all those new quilting tools last week, I’ve been itching to use them.

First, I tried making some coasters using this tutorial that I found via Tammy’s Times.

This is what my most recent ones look like:

I really like the yellow one because it’s so cheery, but I have the blue and red one on my desk. I made a blue and red set for part of a bridal shower gift (the other part of the gift was a Household Notebook that I made up for her), and liked them so well that I made one for myself too. I also tried a couple with muslin and chicken material that matches the curtains in my living room, but didn’t like those as well. Stephen, on the other hand, loves them. Of course he would – they have chickens on them!

The coasters were so easy to make that I decided I wanted something a little more involved to use my rotary cutter for. I finally decided on this purse so I could use scraps from my stash of fabric instead of buying new material. The tutorial for the purse is at the bottom of the page here.

It turned out a bit bigger than I anticipated, but that’s ok. Instead of putting two shorter straps on it, I made one wider strap and made it long enough to go across my body instead of just over the shoulder (and falling off when I’m out with little guy). It can be worn either way, though. This is the finished product:

It has the same red floral and solid blue that the coasters above have. I just love the red floral material. I won’t be making too much more with it, though, because I’m almost out of it. Then I machine quilted it a little bit along the seams to give it a little more strength.

Now that those projects are done, though, I’ve gone back to the quilt I mentioned in this post. I had put it aside for a while but got it back out again yesterday. I didn’t realize I had that much done already, because I was able to finish up the last block this morning. Now I need to cut the sashing and attach it. I have several yards of a subtle navy print that I think will look really nice next to the blocks, but I haven’t checked to be sure yet.

After sewing all those pajama pants for Christmas gifts, I didn’t think I’d want to be sewing much yet, but apparently I was wrong!

For months, Stephen has been signing bid after bid at work, trying to get a higher-paid position and hopefully to get back on first shift.

He came home this morning and told me that he’s going to have to start driving to work again (he carpools with another man that lives in our town right now) because he’s going to need to be there early. He finally got one of the bids he’s been trying to get!

We’re especially thankful because although he stays on third shift for now, this means a significant pay raise. Another answered prayer. . .

God is good.

Over at Prairie Homemaker there has been a recent discussion about household notebooks. Some ladies linked to their blogs, where they have pictures posted of their notebooks. This time a member posted whose notebook I hadn’t seen before, and I ended up at her blog.

To make a long story short, she gave permission to use her artwork for notebook pages. She has a beautiful drawing of a little girl praying that I just absolutely love, so I put the picture onto a page to use in my Bible Study Notebook (yes, I have a separate notebook for that). I’ve been studying faith lately, and it was especially neat to me because I found this picture the very same day that I read Matthew 18:4.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:4

Here is my Bible Study Notebook cover:

BibleStudyNotebookCover.pdf

*warning – grab a tissue – you’ll need it*

Somebody on Hannah’s Prayer shared this poem today. She said she found it while searching the web for something else.

I wanted to share it here because it is simply beautiful. I sat there with tears streaming down my face, because I could see the face of little man’s birthmom in my mind’s eye while I was reading.

Adoption is an incredible blessing. Without it, he would never have become my son. It is also an amazing sacrifice on the part of a birthmother. As I watch him grow up, my love for him grows and grows. I don’t know how many times I’ve looked at him and have seen the face of his birthmother in his silly little grin, and it takes me back to the day he was born. (oh my, here come the tears again. . .) She loved him so much, and it was so evident in her face when she looked at him and held him. Her last words to him when she said goodbye were, “I love you.” Adoption is a priceless gift.

To My Son, Their Son
By Jeska Kelly

I say “hello my little William,”
as he rests beneath my heart.
I’ll say “good bye” to little William
when it’s time for us to part.

I say “good night, sweet dreams, my angel.”
I lay my hand upon my chest,
knowing it won’t be me that tucks him in
as he lays down to rest.

I say “ouch, William, that sort of hurts”
as he moves inside of me.
But I won’t be the one to dry his tears
and mend his first scraped knee.

I say “relax, sweet boy” to William
as he grows and jumps and turns,
but I won’t be there to calm him
when he’s faced with life’s concerns.

When he’s got a dirty diaper,
when he’s crying late at night,
when he sees a shadow monster,
and he’s up ’til 3 with fright…

When he eats his first real bite of food,
when he’s learning how to crawl,
when he’s being taught to hold a bat
and how to throw a ball…

It won’t be me there with him.
And though at times it makes me sad,
I know that God has given him
his home, his mom, his dad.

We’ll always be connected.
He’s grown beneath my heart so long
that he’s also grown into it!
The bond is precious and it’s strong.

But I am not his mother.
She lives miles and miles away,
with his daddy, surrounded by family,
who have been waiting for the day
when they will hold their precious baby,
when they will have their darling son,
and to know I’ve born the answer to their prayers
brings peace when the day is done.

And so I say to sweet, sweet William,
as I prepare to see him leave my side,
“I love you so much I’ll let you go.
It wasn’t easy to decide…
But God’s got a big, big plan for you,
He’s got a home for you to make.
He’s just got a different last name,
a different path for you to take.

You are God’s child first,
And He’ll put you in your place.
From His hands, to mine, to your mom and dad’s,
through the power of His grace.

I thank Him for your precious life.
I thank Him for your dad and mom.
But most of all I thank Him for the strength
to place you where you belong.”

It is so fun to see how God answers our prayers.

When we returned home from my parents’ house, we needed to go grocery shopping. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a lot of extra money for groceries, so I prayed that God would provide. A customer paid me in cash on Wednesday – just enough to buy the milk and eggs that we had just run out of, as well as most of the other things we needed. What an answer to prayer!

The other answer was for a pure want. I love to quilt, but didn’t have a rotary cutter or a cutting mat, so I decided to pray for one. We almost bought one with Christmas money, but decided to wait to see if we could find it cheaper. To make a long story short, I was able to get not just the cutter and mat, but two really nice acrylic rulers through Freecycle today.

Isn’t it neat when God provides not only our needs, but our wants?