A good reminder for all of us.

I think I need to find this little poem as one of those wall word thingies...  I am totally reposting it from someone's facebook status but I thought it a good reminder for all of us.  Because we all need to be reminded of the power of our words to hurt or heal.

A careless word may kindle strife;

A cruel word may wreck a life.

A bitter word may hate instill;

A brutal word may smite and kill.

A gracious word may smooth the way;

A joyous word may light the day;

A timely word may lessen stress;

A loving word may heal and bless.

I've been a busy girl...

SO, it would appear that I haven't posted in about OOOOOOOOOOO 3.5 months.  And you all missed A LOT.

So.  Here's the down low on the past 3 months.

We went camping.  Alone.  As in without Chris.  Just the kids and mommy and a bunch of other kids and their mommies.  Surprisingly, It was lovely.

We came home and I was exceedingly tired.

EXTREMELY DEEP IN MY BONES TIRED. 

Not regular camping tired.

So I packed up the shorties and headed out to the local stuff marts and bought some stuff and some beer and some pregnancy tests...

...turns out I didn't need the beer...

...and I only needed 1 pregnancy test.

SO.  Baby Cole isn't the baby anymore...

BUT HE IS!!!!

Okay, so I'm still coming to grips with the whole "God doesn't make mistakes" thing and the whole "Babies are a blessing" stuff and the whole "Natural Family Planning really works" spiel.  But really, I'm excited.  I am!  And also?  I have exceedingly low Vitamin D and Vitamin B levels... really, I do. The Midwife told me so.  I even got a notice today...  in the mail... in case I forgot in my general state of BLAH.

Which I did. 

SO, then my baby Cole turned 1. 

And about a month later he started walking.

And a day later he started running...

And climbing...

And about 2 weeks ago, we started Kindergarten homeschooling.

And then 1.5 weeks ago, my husband left for 3 months of training in the Polygraphs. 

And a week ago, we started a lovely Kindergarten/PreK Waldorf-ish homeschool co-op group at my house.

And 4 days ago, I threw up while brushing my teeth.

And 2 days ago, I mopped my kitchen floor for the first time in 17 weeks.

And today, I found Baby Cole in the bathroom sink... still can't quite figure out the dynamics of THAT.

And just about 37 minutes ago, my dog got sprayed by a skunk. 

SO, that's what I've been doing. 

Want to know what I have NOT been doing?  Harvesting.  Canning.  Cooking in general.  Great blog name.  Betcha thought you were going to get all kinds of harvesting, canning and cooking in general information.  Heh.  Guess again.

How about you?  What have you been doing?

Wait for the Cake

Hard to imagine that it's been 5 years.

Today my Gracie-girl turned 5... FIVE!!!  That's a whole hand!  Or foot!  Where did the time go? 

James 4:14 

For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanishes away

Dear Lord, Thank you for bringing this verse to mind.  I need help remembering to cherish these little ones before the vapor vanishes away.  Help me to raise them so that we are glorifying to you. 

Lord, thank you for giving me a husband who brings these home to his special birthday girl.

Thank you for providing for us with enough that we can give her this...

My cup runneth over...

Amen.

And now for what you've all been waiting for...

The BEST (Gluten free) Carrot Cake EVER!!!

Really it is!  People RAVE over this carrot cake... they don't even know it's gluten free.

1 c rice flour

1/2 c tapioca flour

1/2 c potato starch flour

2 cups sugar (I use 3/4 c raw sugar and 1 c white sugar)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 eggs

3 c finely shredded carrots

1 cup cooking oil

Combine all dry (First 8) ingredients. 

In a separate bowl beat 4 eggs.  Add the shredded carrot and oil.  Mix until well combined.

Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour batter into 2 greased 9 inch round cake pans.  Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes.  Invert cakes and cool completely before frosting.

Yummy Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

1 stick butter (softened)

1 lb powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until blended.  Slowly add powdered sugar.

For extra fanciness use chopped pecans around the outer frosting. (See photo)

Photo Friday

Yes, I grew it myself.

Actually, I bought the plant at the StuffMart.

Yes, I'll tell you my secret... coffee grounds.  PLENTY of coffee grounds... 

I'll do what I have to do to oblige the roses.

Can you can-can?

This is year 3 for me... how about you?

Special Delivery

Look who came in the mail today...

How does your garden grow?

So I started this blog to write about my adventures in gardening... and thus far I have been writing more about Spiritual Fruit that about Garden Vegetables... Don't get me wrong, I am all about the Fruit.  But I am going to head on over to the garden today and give you a peek.

Kale (please send recipes...) amid marigolds, onions, pepers and eggplant.

A repurposed tomatoe cage.  My neighbor's husband welded together old calf fence.  THIS is one heavy duty tomatoe cage.  Brandywine Heirloom Tomato plant growing inside amid lettuce, onions and dill. 

My pretty peas...

I actually had a bunch of fun garden photos like this but silly me I took them in RAW mode and now my computer is being stubborn and won't share them with you all.

What's in your garden?

Just a link

Once upon a time, I wrote about how I am re-evaluating a lot of things in our home.

Now my lovely (in real life) friend Amy over at Grace Unceasing is writing a series on Homeschooling at the Speed of Life and I really like what she has to say. It pretty much sums up what I am trying to accomplish these days.

Bad Hair Day

I'm having a bad hair day.

I have a LOT of irritaion towards my children... and some other children that I babysit. I am starting to realize why school (public, private and home) lets out for the summer... because all this warmish weather makes for crazies in the short folks. Said short people are also testing the boundaries. Just to see if Mama has budged the front lines a bit. (I haven't.)

And also Cole is waking up about every hour... or 45 minutes. And I am SOOOOOOO tired.

And so everytime I go to prayer... I will be right in the middle of a conversation with my Maker and all the sudden... zzzzzzz... and I wake up a couple minutes later and say my appologies and continue on with prayer and a minute later... zzzzzz....

So needless to say prayer time has been at about the national Christian average of 10 minutes... or less and I DON'T WANT TO BE AVERAGE! And because my time with my Father has been cut short I have had irritation... do you see the spiral? Grrrr.

So today I started reading the Gospel of Mark... And this is what God smacked me in the face love tapped me with...

Mark 1:35
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Get your butt to bed Hanna. I'll see you in the morning... early.

Knock, knock... It's me... again.

Hello,
I just read my lovely friend Jocelyn's new blog post. And well, I think y'all (all 5 of you) should go on over there and take a gander. It's worth the commute. Really.
She's steppin' out. And she is a real life motivator. And I am blessed to call her friend.

Sink or Swim... or Walk?

Bear with me...

Matthew 14   Jesus Walks on the Water

25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

29"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."


When we are look at the world around us and start to sink, we need only CRY OUT to the one who saves. And when he catches (as He always does and always will) we are to immediately WORSHIP. :) This is what I learned today.

Whoa. I love it when God uses his Word to impact me as this has impacted me today. I have read this before but never has it touched me as it has today.

Sisters are Forever

I’m going to take you back to about 25 years ago.

It is a late mid-summer evening. 

My mother, father, brother and I are sitting on our front porch watching a thunderstorm come in. We are anxiously awaiting the birth of a baby. My mom asks us each whether we want a brother or a sister… of course Dad and Matt say “Brother” and Mom says “A healthy baby”…

I asked for a sister...

A week or so later I was blessed with a baby sister.

Tomorrow my baby sister is getting married.  And I will be blessed with the addition of another brother.

See people, God answers some prayer speedy quick.  Others take a little longer for Him to answer.  But of this we can be sure... He ALWAYS answers.

Fruit of the Spirit is better than no fruit at all...

So last night I discovered that my darling and ever so loving husband poisoned my rhubarb.  Meh.

In his defense he thought they were weeds.

So that happened and I was only FURIOUS a little mad... for the whole night. 

So I don't have rhubarb... But you know what I DO have?  I have some Fruit of the Spirit.  You know?  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?  Yup, all that and I moved on...

Okay, actually I didn't move on... right away.  I had to walk away from my loving, caring, hardworking husband because if I had stayed there I would not have said very nice words.  And I'm a Godly Woman... mostly.  And I wasn't going to be very kind or gentle or good, ect, ect, if I had stayed.  So I went and hacked up some weeds in my veggie garden. 

And then I prayed and asked God to please not let me keep thinking that those weeds were my husband.  And also God, could you send me some Fruit?  I'm referring to Spiritual Fruit here people.

If you don't know what Spiritual fruit is you better go dust off your King James and look up Galatians 5:22-23... or I'll save you some time and you can BibleGateway it HERE.

So I went to bed that night still a lot little bit irritated.  And you know what?  God gave me Fruit.  The next morning all my anger was gone.  I felt love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faitfullness and gentleness and self-control!  God is GOOD!

And now I see that Gluten Free Girl just bloged about... THIS 

RHUBARB RECIPES... grrrrr...

But you know what?  Who needs rhubarb when you've got God's Fruit?

LLL Online Mag!

So how cool is this!? 

La Leche League now has an online magazine! 

Check it out! 

Breastfeeding Today

Re-evaluating

A lot of things are happening inside my head and heart right now. 

And I am taking inventory of our lives.

Thusfar, I have been a fly by the seat of your pants kind of Mama.  I don't think this is going to continue working for us.  For one thing we will be homeschooling next year...

And my husband will be gone to training for 3 months.

And I REALLY don't want to be crazy while he's gone.  I am pretty sure a routine would help me keep my sanity.  A flow.  A rhythm, so to speak.  So if I you don't see me so much out in public, please don't take it personally.  I am not being anti-social.

I am being a homemaker. 

Because this is my profession.

I am

Hello my name is Hanna... and I am a Christian.  Jesus is my homeboy.  Who's my daddy?  God!!  And also the Holy Spirit dwells in me. 

Right now GOD is doing some pretty cool things in my heart. 

I have been a Christian for about 5 years now...  Yes, I made a decision to accept Christ's sacrifice. 

Salvation. 

I was on fire for Christ for about the first 6 months... and slowly... it kind of went on the back burner.  I became lukewarm for God.  And funny thing is, I thought God was just being lukewarm for me. 

Oh boy, was I wrong.  Well, recently with all the crazy burned arm drama, I decided I NEEDED to pray.  Probably for the first time in... well since the ambulance ride with the crazy burned arm drama, but before that I don't know when I had prayed last...  So anyhow, I prayed something like this: 

Lord,  I want to see you.  I want to hear you.  I want to know you.  I don't want to be lukewarm.  Please, Lord, work on my heart.  Help me be better for you.  Reveal yourself to me Lord.  In Christ's name.  Amen.

Did I mention that I am going to an AMAZING Christian Book Study at my friend Jocelyn's church.  (Jocelyn's another one of those people God likes to hit me upside the head with... or smack me on the ass  tushy with, whichever.)  So, Forgotten God by Francis Chan has been one of those faith transforming studies for me.  I am learning things I never knew were possible.  Go on over to Jocelyn's blog and read about all the cool things that God is teaching us through Francis Chan's books. 

Go on.  Check out her blog.  It's okay, I'll wait...

Okay, so, here is the REALLY cool part. 

God.  THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE is revealing himself to me!  ME!!!   From answered prayers, to victory over sin, to smackin' me upside the head with his humor presence.

Sooooooo, to make a long story a little bit longer...  Tonight I let the dogs out to do their doody duty before bedtime.  And the moon is full... and it is kind of playing peek-a-boo with the clouds.  And I was just struck... STRUCK with the breathtaking beauty of it.

I standing there looking at God's creation and just soaking it in and reveling in it... 
REALLY though, I was wishing I had a camera, but my husband took it to the training he's away on.   

Anyhow, There were a LOT of clouds and moonlight and beauty and stuff.  AND it kind of took me a minute before I noticed... 

Right there, with the way the moon was shining through the clouds...  were the illuminating words...

I am.

How's that for revelation, Hanna?

Sewing, vacations and ambulance rides

Have you missed me?  It's been a couple days or weeks since my last post.  And if you don't know me in real life, no worries.  I am still alive!  I've just been slightly busy with the ambulance rides and the sewing and what not.  I was working up a storm making some creations to take with us on our vacation to the sunny south.  Oh and Cole decided to take swim in my steaming hot fresh off the stove bowl of Tomato Soup...  So we got our first trip in an ambulance.  2nd degree burns on his arm.  It was no fun... and also BAD MOMMY!  Maybe I'll write more about it someday, but today I just won't...  

SO, last night we got back from the beach vacation!!!  Woo hoo!  I am tired.  Vacationing with kids is hard work.  We all missed our beds. 

Anyhow, now it is that time of year when I get super busy with the weeding and the seeding and the digging and the watering and the gardening and such.  I love spring.  I wish I had as much energy to put into my house as I put outside my house with the growing of flowers and food. 

Tomorrow I am bringing Cole for a follow up with the Burn Specialist.  (He's healing fabulously, this is just a followup for safety.)  Then we are going to a great place called Miller Nurseries to get a couple fruit trees for the yard.  Woo hooo and Yay for Spring!  It's Spring!!  It's Spring!  Spring is finally here!!

No apologies

I just read a great quote in my new favorite Magazine called Mary Jane's Farm and I just had to share it...

Whenever I get one of those questionaires and they ask what is your profession, I always put down 'housewife'.  It's an admirable profession; why apologize for it?  You aren't stupid because you're a housewife.  When you're stirring the jam, you can read Shakespeare.
~Tasha Tudor

I am proud to be a housewife.  And prouder still that I have a husband willing to support my profession.

AND also...

OH YAY!  And since I'm drunk and all and can't figure out how I got these underliney things...
You should totally check out my friend Kara's giveaway.  HERE

Be green.  Be Godly stewards of our Earth and all.

Mid-Monday Madness

It is Monday Night.

It is 6:21PM.

It is Monday night. It is 6:21 PM and I am drunk.

I understand now why a certain elder family member (who shall remain nameless) had/has a drinking problem.

She had/has alot of kids, somewhere around a dozen... the exact number shall remain unnamed to protect the innocent... and all.

Also, the last 2?  Are twins...

I only have 3 kids...  But being drunk on a Monday night at 6:22 PM sure makes for some entertainment in my life as a (stay at home) Mommy.

Tomorrow night.  I will not be drunk.  Because this is just WAY too intoxicating... and I understand now.

Sunny Sunday

My boots rock

Hotness.

My love.

Not many bites today.

Contemplating....

wait for it...

here it comes...

and...

Is the suspense killing you?

Action!

The End.

Gratitude Friday

This week I am thankful for...

~ Sunshine.  Can you believe it?  In WNY?!  In MARCH!!  See? Miracles do happen.

~ An Amber Necklace Giveaway!!  I won!  Thanks to Inspired by Finn for the giveaway!

~ Reaching my 5% weighloss goal!  Woo hoo! 

~ Needlefelting (think anger management) with cute little fuzzy wool creations as a result. 

WIP: Sew Liberated

My WIP's this week?  Ummmm, well I just got THIS in the mail...

I can't even discribe how much I love this book.  Love just seems like the wrong word.  I want to crawl inside the pages of this book and live there. 
So my WIP?  EVERYTHING in Sew Liberated.  EVERYTHING!!  Everything from the Funny Animals Children's Tote to the Farmer's Market Bag to the Mother/Daughter Blossom Blouse.  I want to do it all...

Did I mention that there is a blogger that goes along with this book?

Love it, love it, love it all.

FREE Playsilks... well, sort of...

I love playsilks.  And also, my kids love playsilks.  And if you want to score yourself some uber cute playsilks you should head on over to Frontier Dreams and check out her giveaway... it involves, can you guess?  PLAYSILKS!!!  And not just any playsilks but Desert Dyeworks Playsilks... which are so much cuter than my homemade ones. 

So get on over there and enter.

Gratitude Friday

This week I am thankful most for...

: : 1 pink line...

: : the above mentioned...

: : and also the first thing I wrote...

Pelting your kids with snowballs

Yesterday was Wednesday. 
Wednesdays tend to be long days around here.  Especially when the whinning and crying bordom sets in at approx 8:30 in the morn, you KNOW it's going to be a long day.  So what's a mom to do in the middle of February when you are just aching in your bones to go outside and plant your hands in some soil and send your kids to the sand box and listen to the birds and soak up the spring air?

I chose to bring the small folks outside in the snow...

Have I mentioned that I hate going out in the snow? 

Well?  I do.  I don't have any snowpants that fit.  It's kind of a cold experience to go out in the snow in Western New York when you don't have any snowpants that fit.  But I decided to put on my big girl pants (literally and figuratively speaking) and bring my shorties outside.  (Anyhow, we're having a heatwave with the temperature hovering around 32.  BONUS!)

And you know what?  It wasn't that bad.  Mainly because I toke my aggressions out on my children in the form of a snowball fight.  And the fact that they laughed and giggled the whole time made it all the more enjoyable.  'Cause when your kids are laughing and giggling you can't really help but join in with their jovial spirit. 

Gracie making snow angels and Annie observing the madness. (A girl after my own heart.)

RUN while you still have a chance!

Oh yes, I did.

My sweet little Annie, sneak attacked from the back! 

I know! She's cute, right?  Who would have expected it from her!? 

Snow down my back. But fear not! I had my revenge...

WIP: Needlefelted bugs

This week I decided to work on some needlefelting. 

So I got the book Wool Pets out of the library and went to town.  The directions were detailed and very easy to follow with lots of pictures.  I had previously only needlefelted on a flat surface and on a wetfelted ball.  I had no problem whipping these up.  They each took approximately half an hour.

Annie LOVES the CD Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner especially the bumblebee song...

So Mama made her a bumblebee. 

The ladybug is Gracie's, since she befriends real ladybugs daily...

Ladybugs seem to think that me casa es su casa.

Do you know how hard it is to get a 3 year old to show you the new buggies?

So I had her lay down with them instead...

Next I think I will try the bunny.  :)

SUPER cheap BabyLegs...

just thought you should know...

BabyLegs for $2.80 a pair!!!  (After the 20% OFF discount.)  That is the best deal I have EVER seen on BabyLegs... and that inludes the Target knockoffs when they are on sale!

And some awesome amber jewelry as well...
Use coupon code Blog68 to get 20% off your total.

Gratitude Friday

Things I am grateful for this week...

~ Grandpa's 81st

~ lost debit card

~ freebie pattern

~ oranges

~ inspired giving

A bit of Nuno and some Valen-times babies

Well this isn't so much a Work in Progress but here's what I did this week...

Monday night a couple ladies got together to learn a bit about Nuno felting, with my lovely friend Pam, not to be confused with Pamela...

although she was there too...

and she is equally lovely...

I think I have a new love...

And some Valen-times (as Gracie calls it) Heart Babies, inspired by 2 other crafts.  Luna Organics Valentine Babies and the Waldorf Heart Baby in the premier issue of Living Crafts Magazine. 
Small people just love holding little treasures in their hands and pockets. 

Gratitude Friday

Some things I am grateful for this week...

~ valentine flowers

~ yarn sale

~ longer sleep stretches

~ hearthside warmth

~ seed catalogs

~ books on Playaway

It takes a village... even in the country

Here is a funny little story for you.

In our flock of chickens reside these 2 little hens.  The one with the white/grey around her head is Aunty.   The one with the brownish feathers around her head is one of Aunty's daughter... she is one of 3 ghetto crazy kung fu fighting sisters who have no name.  Last summer these 2 hens went broody at the same time.  (That means that they tried to hatch babies out of eggs.)  It is a very annoying time for the egg collector (me) because those witches the hens try to scratch your eyes out everytime you so much as glance in their direction protect their eggs.  So instead of wringing their necks upsetting them every time I went out to collect, I decided to let them have a couple eggs to hatch.  Once they have a baby to fuss over the broodiness goes away.  So I marked and left some eggs for the 2 hens to set on. 

(Please note: It is important to mark any eggs left to set so that you don't accidently collect eggs that have been allowed to, ummmm well, grow fetus inside them... take my word for it... mark your eggs.)

So the 2 hens, mother and daughter, nested side by side for a time.  Weeks past.

One morning I went out for my eggs and found a chick!!  A sweet little fuzz ball was hanging out under Aunty.  The next day the fuzz ball was under the other chicken!  She was Mama hopping!  No other eggs hatched.  Just the 1... and 2 Mommies wanted her!!!  So my silly little chickens (at this point they were no longer kung fu fighters broody) worked together and raised that little chick.

And that's my sweet little story of how it takes a village... even in the country.

Work in Progress Wednesday

Find out what it's all about.

My knitting seat and my Great Granny's Rocking Chair.  My dad refinished it when I was prego with my eldest. It warms my heart to sit and knit (or feed my nursling) in the same chair where I remember my "Chicky" Grandma knitting when I was a small person. 

You see him eyeing that ball of yarn?  He's in to the mischeifs already.  There's nothing like a boy...

But onto the scarf. It's a self-shading ruffle scarf knit with Wisdom Yarns Limerick.

It's pretty easy, but also looks fancy schmancy when finished.

Cast on 20 sts. 

Knit 5. Turn Knit to End. Turn Knit to End. Knit 5. Turn knit to end. Turn knit to end... You get the idea?  An extra row of 5 stitches at each end makes some cute little ruffles. :)

Lace-weight Mohair Scarf.  Also very easy.  Cast on 70 stitches on size 9 needles.  Knit until end of skein. Laceweight mohair is just so pretty that you can make even the most simple projects look all kinds of fancy!  This skein is from Blue Ridge Yarns (Shadow Mini in Rainforest.)

Some of ma stash... 

My most favorite local yarn store is closing shop so I am loading up while the gettin's good.

Get off your tushy for Pete's sake!!!

The rights of parents in New York State are at risk.  Check out my gal pal, Jocelyn's newest post over at Tillaboro Orchard...

Knit One, Purl Two, Post Three

Have I told you that I recently picked up knitting?

NO! You say? Oh right, well this is only my 3rd post.

Well, I recently picked up knitting. I have been meaning to learn ever since I got a subscription to the Holy Grail of Natural Crafters Living Crafts Magazine.  In which they have some of the most amazing and inspiring handiworks. Plus ma gal pal, Pamela is an exceptional knitter who was putting me to shame with her crafty shmafty self. So right now I am working on no less than 4 knittng projects (and no more than 6...) I keep starting new projects because I am just ADD like that. And since I won't take the ritalins to keep my gray matter on task. I will just hop around to my different projects as the winds blow me... Hehehe, I just typed blow me

See what I'm talkin' bout...

So anywho. If you are wanting to try your hands at knitting and you also have small folks living in your abode you should most definately buy (or borrow from your local library if you want to be green and thrifty) Knitting for Baby. It has lots of super cute knit patterns for baby and it guides you through how to go about making them, even if you are a beginning beginner knitter!!!
Next perhaps I will learn to spin.
Maybe I should could even get some sheep? No?

6 months

Today my baby boy is 6 months. These have been the 6 most sleep deprived blessed months of my life. I love love love this quote and it seems quite applicable to my nostalgic feelings today. They do grow up so fast.

Cooking and cleaning can wait till tomorrow,
For babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow.
So settle down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,
I'm nursing my baby and babies don't keep.
~Anonymous

(Yes siree, these really are my boy's feet. You want to eat them, don't you?)