What I've been working on...

And more to come. Lots of sewing with "Springy" colors during our big snow storm.

A Balanced Life

The mind grows by taking in, but the heart grows by giving out; and it is important to maintain a balanced life.

~Warren Wiersbe

Live a life worthy of the Lord and... please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

~Colossians 1:10 (NIV)

Something New and Bright

I finally completed this dress! I was going to put a few covered buttons in the pink print down the front and not use the waistband. After adding the waistband, I felt the dress needed a focal point so I added the flower with a button center. I am happy with how it turned out-especially the the bright "springy" colors. I'll add this to the shop as soon as I get my "resident photographer"to get some pics tomorrow.

Winter Comfort

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
-Jane Austen

I hear so many people complaining about the cold weather and wishing for warmth or travel to warmer places. I happen to like winter. It is such a cozy time of year. Winter makes me think of so many warm and comforting things:

candles burning, soup cooking in the crockpot, hot tea, reading books in the evening, snuggling up with a blanket on your lap, snowflakes drifting down, the smell of homemade bread baking, the feel of a warm scarf next to your neck, family gathered together in the living room for the evening, snow glistening in the sun on a frigid morning, birds searching for food, thanking God for a warm house.

~~Photo by my Sarah

Winter Sun

This morning was one of those gorgeous winter mornings when the sun shines and the snow looks glittery. The temperatures are still below normal. This picture is of our backyard and aimed towards the creek that runs beside our property. For some reason, the cats always make a path in the same spot. In the summer, the grass is worn away where they walk. If you look closely, you can see a Blue Jay in the bush.

God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. ~Job 37:6

Here is a close-up of the Blue Jay. Isaac and I watched two of them steal Jeb's dog food while we did his math this morning. The outside cats were also watching -but they weren't fast enough.

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ~Matthew 6:26

An 8,306 Mile Journey

We made up three Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes this year. Shortly before Christmas we received an email that our boxes had been sent to Botswana. We received a tracking number by paying for our shipping online. How exciting to know where our boxes ended up!

When we first started making up shoe boxes, the kids would always try to scan the pamphlets for wrapping paper that looked like ours. We never did recognize any of our boxes. However, one year we did receive a postcard from a girl in Moldova who had received one. This is such a great mission project that the boys can really relate to. They enjoy picking out toys, candy and school supplies that they thought a boy their age would also enjoy.

Josh Makes Cookies

Josh wanted to make cookies today. I tried to talk him out of it because I was baking bread and we had Awana at church tonight. But he insisted-so I gave in. Here he is carefully measuring the brown sugar.

Erica lends a helping hand. The recipe made more than they thought it would. Next time we'll use the larger Kitchenaid mixer.

Rolling the dough in sugar.

Just out of the oven.

Mmmm!

Here's the recipe: Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

2 c shortening

2 c peanut butter

4 c brown sugar

4 eggs

5 c flour

2 t baking powder

3 t baking soda

1 t salt

Cream shortening, sugar, and peanut butter. Add eggs and mix well, then add dry ingredients. Bake at 375 degrees until set, but not hard. Don't bake until brown or cookies will be hard.

We rolled ours in sugar before baking.

From: "Family Favorites from Our House to Yours" Matthew & Marlene Troyer and Family

This is one of my favorite cookbooks. I have been on the lookout for more copies so I can give one to each of the kids when they leave the nest.