A Very Fitting Quote...

John Wesley said this:  “When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed to me”
I was thinking along these lines recently, and then found this quote.   I completely agree with what John Wesley is saying.   I am glad I came across this quote, to put into words what I have become convinced is true.

Temporary Cease-Fire

These moments are all too infrequent; no fighting, bickering, or petty insults.    I love the warm cozy feeling this picture conveys.

And it's over.

Katie Bar the Door, Sadie Kate's at the Wheel.....

Wow, my child is driving, and I'm in the passenger's seat.  Sadie is learning how to drive.  We have had a few minor close calls;  overall she has done a great job.   She studied hard and has 6 months of driving on her learner's permit ahead.    What a test of the nerves. 

Maggie's First Eye Exam...

Since we were out of school for President's Day on Monday, I took Maggie for her first eye exam.   Sadie was scheduled as well, but a babysitting job came up and she worked that day.   Maggie didn't like the air puffs into her eyes for the glaucoma check; after the first one I didn't know if we could get the second one done.   I told her we weren't leaving that room until it was done and she was very brave and finally submitted to it.  The eye doctor also dilated her eyes, so she got to wear these sunglasses home.  It turns out that she has better than 20/20 vision, according to one of the tests, which was great news.  There is degenerative eye disease on Keith's side of the family, in the Reed/Cox line. 

Really Good Homemade Potato Chips....

These Pampered Chef silicone trays for making potato chips are the greatest...No fat, grease, or added calories...just potatos and salt.  I have made several batches of chips and they are super.  I start with these small, size B Butter Gold potatos and wash them, removing any sprouts or eyes.  I leave on the skins, and thinly slice with a sharp knife.  The next step is very important:  Blot, blot, blot.  Use paper towels to dry off all moisture possible.  Add a little sea salt, load trays, stack in microwave, cook 6 minutes, rotate trays, cook 6 minutes more, watching closely not to scorch.  The only problem is keeping them around long enough to use in lunchboxes for the week.  My supermarket had the 3 pound bag of potatos on sale for .69 cents this week, which will make enough chips for more than a week.

Blot, blot, blot.

A quick snack of fresh, warm chips.

My Valentine

"You are my Valentine

                                                                 Sweet as can be

                                                             Your love for our family

                                                                                                     Is amazing to me"
What fun we have together; you make me laugh every day.
Your courage in the face of health issues is very inspiring. 
I like the way you look at life, and the way you depend on God.
You are a very good parent, and you care deeply.
Thank you for being who you are.

Wordless Wednesday - Cousins

Last-Minute Valentine preparations...

Maggie had to make a few last-minute Valentine Party preparations before bed last night.    She had to complete the box we made for collecting and sharing Valentines at school today, and we also had to make another card for a new student who arrived after we had completed the cards a few weeks ago.   She is super-excited about the party, and she decorated the box herself; I covered a shoe box with red paper and cut out a hole in the lid, and let her do the rest herself.  Good job, Maggie.

Sadie, the Baking Contest Winner!

This picture was taken under protest; but I couldn't help but share how proud I am of this young lady!  Sadie attended a Super Bowl watching party on Sunday night at church.   There was a baking contest involved, and she settled down Sunday afternoon with several recipe books, and selected Aunt Bee's Apple Pie to make.  This was her first attempt at apple pie, and her pie won the baking contest!   I was so happy for her.  What a special girl she is!

What I'm Sewing Right Now...

I'm having such fun sewing right now; Maggie is often cold in class, so I picked out a wonderful, bright quilted fabric at JoAnn's.  I used it for sleeves of this long-sleeved top, and for the rest used a wonderful purple plaid knit from the thrift shop.   I think I got all of the purple plaid yardage for about 1.00, and I have enough left for a short-sleeve top for myself.   I cut out this pattern last night and finished it before bed.  It's rather cold here today, so I hope she is warm enough in class... Maggie was very upset with us this morning, as you can see in the pictures, because "everyone else goes to the donut shop before school" and we don't take her.  She is ready to run away (  a frequent threat right now).  I offered to take her on Saturday morning, but that was small consolation for her.  Notice the clenched fists and angry expression....  I do know that several kids bring donuts to school on my campus, but this little girl won't be getting on that bandwagon anytime soon...sorry, Maggie!

The Daily Rountine

This post is about a typical day for our family.   

The girls leave home for school in the mornings around 7:35 with their dad.   This gives me a few more minutes to wrap up my morning before I leave at 7:40. This is when I really enjoy my 3-block commute.   Keith picks Sadie up after school, and  Maggie comes to my school on the bus each afternoon at 3:00, and works on homework until I get off work at 3:45.  We are usually home by 4:00, and Maggie's homework is all done and she is ready to play outside, or do something in the house.  I feed Sammy at 4:00, and take him on a walk for about 15 - 20 minutes.   I start cooking at 5:00, so we are usually ready to eat by 5:45 to 6:00.  Some days I try to sqeeze in a few loads of laundry here, while cleaning up the kitchen, taking out garbage, and straightening up the living room.  Lunches for the next day have to be packed, and I always lay out an outfit for Maggie to put on the next morning.  Maggie gets her bath and is supposed to be in bed by 8:30; sometimes it's a little later.   Sadie has been napping in the afternoons after school for an hour or more; she gets in bed a little later than I do, which is usually around 10:00 to 10:30.    I am always looking for ways to make better use of my time;  I have found that I accomplish a lot more if I stay off of the computer in the evenings. 

 Maggie's homework time!

Vinegar + Baking Soda = One Excited Kid!

Last week at school, Maggie's teacher demonstrated how baking soda and vinegar can be combined to blow up a balloon.   Maggie could not wait to share this with us, so after gathering the materials, we had our own science demonstration at home.  My baking soda has been open for a while and I think a fresh box would have had a bigger impact, but Maggie was pleased all the same.     She is my homebody child, and she would be home all the time with her dad if I would let her, but I also know she is busy and happy at school.

Cartful of Happiness {this moment}

Maggie and her cousin, Harper, kept one another company during this week's grocery trip.   These sweet cousins love to get together;  their relationship is very comfortable.  Parting for them is such sweet sorrow.   They don't live in the same town so their play time is very special.