Happy Birthday Abby!

My baby girl is one today! Where did the time go?

The Times They Are A Changin'

Yep, it's that time again. Time for a bloggy facelift. If you've been reading here for any length of time then you know I have to have a change of bloggy scenery now and then. This time I chose the rustic cabin look and feel because it reflects some of what I've been feeling lately. I've really been feeling a pull towards all things simple, natural and of home. The little cabin in my new header is a fairly good representation of my dream home of late. I've had dreams and thoughts of a simpler, more peaceful life for my family. Since we can't just up and move to a cute little cabin in the woods right this very minute, I am striving to simplify our lives right here in our small-town-that's-part-of-a-big-city apartment. I'll be sharing our journey as we take steps to transform our noisy, modern convenience dependant lives into something more self-sufficient, and maybe even old fashioned. Stick around, it's gonna be great!

Sunday Scrappin': July 25

It's Sunday again and that means it's time for Sunday Scrappin'. This is a GREAT way to get inspired, meet other crafters and share your creations, so please drop over and join today!

I've been busy with other things that I've not done much scrapping. The past few days I've been hungry for some creative time and these two pages are the result. Last summer we did Astronomy as part of our homeschool curriculum, and the girls loved it. The two pages are the first in a series on our stellar studies. I used an adorable kit called Fly Me To The Moon.

My TA-DAs:




My TO-DOs this week are to organize some more photos into my DigiProject files. Thanks for looking!

Milestones & Decisions

I'm feeling older the past few weeks. Time is marching on all around me. My oldest daughter, Kelly, made her first solo road trip from VA to come visit us. It seems like just yesterday she was my baby. Ashley turned 18 on Saturday. It seems like just yesterday she was my baby. Aspen lost her first tooth yesterday. It seems like just yesterday she was my baby. Abby is walking, self-weaning and cutting molars. It seems like just yesterday she was my baby. I don't have babies anymore. I have a toddler, a young girl and two beautiful young women.

With Abby's first birthday looming, I am nearing the end of the baby years of my life. We've made the decision not to add any more children to our brood. While our hearts still wish for more, the real truth is that we can't handle any more. It's all we can do to provide for our family financially and emotionally now. I'm at peace with our decision. I know that our future will be much brighter and better for each family member if we shower all of our love and attention on the beautiful blessings we already have.

Happy Birthday Ashley

18 today!

Baby Steps:Abby @ 11 Months

Abby recently took her first steps, and has been perfecting the art since. On this night, she had a ball walking back and forth from her Dad to me, and you can see her delight in her accomplishment.

140 Days of Prayer For America

The following is from the In Touch Ministries Website:

"Join Dr. Charles Stanley and In Touch Ministries as we intercede for our great nation. It is immensely important for believers to seriously consider where we are as a nation and understand the dangerous spiritual tide that is engulfing us.

God has called us to take a stand and appeal to Him on behalf of our country. And as we courageously fight the battle for the soul of our country on our knees, we must remember that He continues to rule over the affairs of this nation and will hear us when we humble ourselves, turn from our sins, and seek His face.

May God unify our hearts and answer our cries for the spiritual well-being of the United States of America. And may our great nation return to the Lord, honoring Him from sea to shining sea."

Click here to learn more and join the prayer effort.

It is not too late to turn the tide and heal our great nation. Please join in today!

Exciting News For Gift Card Lovers!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of FriendGiftr. All opinions are 100% mine.

As soon as the 4th of July passes, I start thinking about Christmas. If you're a regular reader here then you know I start shopping early, not really because I want to but because if I don't, I'll never get finished. I've made up my mind this year that a lot of folks on my list are going to be getting gift cards. Most of my family members live in other states and the cost of postage is rising every day. Buying a nice gift is one thing, but the cost to ship it is usually a factor in my choices. Gift cards are a great solution this problem, and it allows the person I'm gifting to pick out something they really like and will use. It's a win-win.

The only drawback to gift cards is that in order to make sure you get someone a card they'll use, you need to know where they like to shop, and if you come right out and ask, then it's kind of obvious what you're up to. I've run into this in past holiday seasons.

Now, FriendGiftr has solved this problem and added an exciting new dimension to gift card giving. The steps are so simple. You go to their site, select from one of the 120 participating merchants, personalize the card and choose the amount, and FriendGiftr will send either a digital or physical gift card to the giftee. The cool part is that if the person doesn't like the particular merchant, they can visit the website and exchange their card for another merchant's card. They can do this without the sender knowing so there is no risk of hurt feelings or whatever. They can also split the gift card across multiple merchants! How cool is that?

I wish FriendGiftr had been around two Christmasses ago, when my parents sent us over $100 in JCPenney gift cards. We loved the gift but at the time the nearest store was over 30 miles from us. At that time of year, the website was sold out on a lot of items we wanted. It would have been terrific to be able to go online and exchange the card for one for say, Sears, which was just down the road. The other really neat feature about FriendGiftr is that it can be used from the website, Facebook, iPhone, Blackberry and Android. So, if you forget to get a gift in time for that special day, you can do it instantly the moment you think of it, no matter where you are.

Christmas, here I come! Oh and by the way, anybody thinking about sending me a gift card, y'all know I've been wanting some camping gear, so that Cabela's logo is just a teeny little hint.....

Family Matters & Big Changes

My parents are moving here. I have been experiencing a myriad of emotions about this, ranging from joy to sadness to anticipation to fear. Since they began the process of refinancing their property in Virginia and buying a home here (just a few miles from us) I have been on a roller coaster ride between being their little girl and an adult ready to assume the responsibility of looking out for them.

The happy side of this is obvious. My parents are getting on in years, my Dad is nearly 80 and my mother is 75. Having them close by means that I will finally be able to have a close relationship with them. I'm happy about this because that's something I've missed. I'm also delighted that my kids will have the chance to grow up knowing them well instead of only seeing them for a few days a few times a year. It means holidays with family after years of living apart. Both of my parents have a lot of skills and talents to pass on to us and the kids, and I'm really excited about that. I'm looking forward to learning from them. I'm excited about cookouts, Christmas shopping and the swing set they've promised to put up in their backyard for the little girls.

I'm a little sad too though, because all of this has really brought to the surface the odd dynamic between my parents and my siblings and I. Right now they live next door to my sister, the eldest. She and my Dad were close, but she and my mom don't really get along. They used to be close but years of water under the bridge has really driven them apart and created a lot of resentment and bad will. Living next door to each other has only made that situation worse. Familiarity has bred contempt, as the old saying goes.

During this process I was put in the compromising position of having to keep it a secret from my sister, and also my older brother. He lives in Missouri and has been trying for years to get my parents to move out there. The reason I was asked to keep quiet was because my parents knew that both my brother and sister would try to talk them out of the move, for various reasons. They'd already made up their minds that they wanted to do it, and just didn't want any negative input.

They finally broke the news to my sister two days ago, and as I suspected, she was livid with me for not telling. They haven't told my brother yet because he's been on vacation. I'm a little concerned, at this point, that they may end up telling him after the fact, once they're already here. He's already going to be mad enough. If that happens then the proverbial "poop" may really hit the fan. I feel the urge to duck and cover.

Of course, I'm not the baby sister anymore, I'm a grown adult, as my sister pointed out in a less than kind manner. Ducking and covering really won't work. Since I will now be the one with the most direct contact with them, I'm now obligated to more regular contact with my sibs. I'm sad to say that's something I sometimes avoid. Long story, post for another time.

So, while there is a great deal of joy involved in this life-changing event, there are other emotions too. I'm trying to process them all and realizing that it's no small feat. Far beyond the scope of sibling issues is a much bigger issue for me. With Mom and Dad living just about 3 miles down the road from us, I am now basically responsible for them. I have no problem with taking on this role, but it is a little daunting, even scary at times.

Aside from their age, both my parents have some medical issues. My Dad is pretty healthy but he has had heart problems in the past and is diabetic. During their last few visits I've noticed that he seems to get confused easily, and has gotten pretty forgetful. Both his parents had Alzheimer's, so I'm concerned about that. My Mom has numerous health problems. She is close to being legally blind due to macular degeneration. She also has severe rheumatoid arthritis that requires high doses of meds to keep from crippling her. The meds have some scary side effects. She also has asthma and there is an ongoing debate as to whether she has some form of COPD. I am hoping a lot of that might clear up now that they are in a newer home with better air than the old 1950's house they live in now. Anyway, with all of this, I will have to be really vigilant in checking in on them and keeping an eye out for problems.

I'm also anticipating a few challenges like my Mom expecting me to take her side when they argue, and so forth. I could write a whole post in itself about their relationship and why on Earth they remarried, but I'm planning to stay as far out of that arena as I possibly can.

My life is about to change a lot. It's a good change but also a big responsibility. I would love to hear from those of you who have or currently are caring for elderly parents!

Earn Your Teaching Degree Online

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's been a while since I posted. Aspen's home school has been keeping me really busy with gathering materials and creating curriculum. I feel like I spend hours preparing lesson plans, and she blows right through them in a matter of minutes. It's amazing. I don't know how teachers in a school setting with multiple students do it! Some days I wish I had some formal training in teaching. If I was younger, and my kids were older, I might consider a teaching career after they were grown.

There are more and more opportunities for people to seek career training these days. Online education has really expanded and excellent programs are now available for aspiring teachers. One such program is the USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC program. It's open to current educators and aspiring teachers. Students have the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from an elite research university with the convenience and flexibility of studying online.

The program information includes details on the highly interactive online learning environment combined with field-based experiences right in your local area, as well as a groundbreaking tuition reimbursement program and scholarships.

The face of education is changing all over the globe, and tomorrow's teachers need to be able to keep pace with the new technologies and methodology being used, while still possessing a strong background in the fundamentals of teaching.

Students enrolling in the program can earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from an internationally renowned research institution with a 100-year history of educating teachers to be agents of change. The school itself has been ranked #22 in the United States, and #9 among all private universities by US News and World Report. The distinguished USC faculty has been recognized for their contributions to modern education and Rossier and the MAT@USC were awarded by AACTE for innovative use of technology in education.

If you're currently a teacher wanting to enhance your knowledge and skill, or you dream of one day being a teacher, check into this innovative and unique program today.