Feeling Green

I always feel "green" when I set my table with my "new to me " baskets holding paper plates instead of foam disposables. The baskets seem so much more lovely than the foam too. And take a look at the beauty of the speckles on those apple slices! The art in sliced fruit if it's cut and arranged properly is wondrous to behold!

Today I realized yesterday was my blog anniversary! It's amazing how a year of life can be captured here on these little online journals!

We just returned from a Christian music and art get-together and all I can think about clearly is sleep,so I'll take my leave. TTFN!
Marcella

Over Tea,Cookies and in Many Places...

My new favorite mug-recently discovered in the thrift-treasure shop. Can you guess why?

North Carolina this weekend. Lots of lovely fellowship was had by all and we even made new friends!

Lovely cookies brought by a friend I was babysitting for.

I've been realizing how many of my days have opportunities in them to sit over a craft or tea(or cookies) or so very many other things and share hearts with people. In faraway places or near, people have stories to tell and I am blessed to be able to listen, find nuggets of wisdom,share my own heart and experiences and be enriched. This is better than riches, people! Material riches have no warmth and no soul, no beating heart, no eyes filled with untold history. Yes, this is a rich life I live!

This morning is so lovely,with the children all fed,the kitchen tidied up, my small helpers done washing most of the dishes and ingredients ready to make a nice crockpot soup. I am peacefully drinking my tea and pondering what project to put the boys to. Chelsea is busy watching a video on elephants in between brushing my hair. Ahhh! Being a mom is good!

Celebrate God's Love and Blessings!

Marcella

Anniversary Love All Year Long

I found this old photo in the picture files this morning and it went perfectly with my theme.Even though the picture is a couple years old!

I'm not one who considers myself any kind of expert in marital advice.I guess I feel that those of us that have been married less than ten years are still very much beginners. But with eight years of marriage behind me and working on the ninth one I feel qualified to say at least one thing. Marriage takes work.And a happy,thriving marriage takes quite a bit of work and sacrifice.

But girlfriends,I give thee some hints.It seems like it's those little things that work to make a stunning, whole picture. A marriage that is amazing. Remembering to wash that coat without being asked. Being ready to leave the house on time when going out. And here's a new little way I love Lee. Cards. For no reason. Except loving him. He loves it!

It doesn't have to be expensive. It could be a free e-card. Or one of those 2 for a dollar Husband cards. Or it can be an expensive, beautiful card with a picture of his feet and her feet side by side and a perfect message.It can be almost anything. Just don't forget to tell him he's your best boyfriend. Amazing what that does for a guy! Try it sometime. But it has to be just because.

And there you have it. Anniversary style loving all year long!

Celebrate Love!

Marcella

Plastic Bubbles and Blessings

We've been playing with some mighty interesting bubbles around here these days-plastic ones.They come out of a tube, smell rather strong and the small experimenters think they are great fun. I believe they are called B'loonies in case you want to check them out for yourself. All in the name of science perhaps?

I have been marveling at God's faithfulness in so many ways recently,spiritually and materially.He truly knows our needs and provides just what we need at the proper times. Acknowledge that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and believe in the saving blood of Jesus Christ! God truly loves that confession and works miracles, of all sorts. Whether He sends much needed revelation or all the beds and parts you need at a time when you are greatly in need of them, He watches over the sparrow! I love you, Lord!

Celebrate Christ's Love!
Marcella

Gratitude and Rain

Feeling gratitude for: Snuggly places and clothes on this cold,rainy day.

A child's joyful voice proclaiming that there were puddles !

Bowls of Oatmeal, cooked in milk and covered with stewed prunes.

Heat

Warm tubs of water.

What are you grateful for these autumn days?
Celebrate Love!
Marcella

A Birthday Tea Party

There was a theme to this birthday gathering. A tea Party. Chelsea is the first girl born to this bookworm mother who disdained pink as a young woman and then as the mother of two sons. Enter daughter number one. God must surely have felt that there was a certain someone who needed some rounding out in the femininity department. Pink must be one of Chelsea's favorite colors.Ahem.

Last year was the year of the first nice doll and a carriage. This year Lee and I built a large dollhouse out of scraps. And I found four little teacups in the thrift store, a beautiful fake, pink orchid and used the heart teapot I found as a free yardsale leftover. A friend brought a pink cloth remnant for the tablecloth. We pulled it together although imperfectly.The cake was quite plain,the gifts hastily wrapped and I've gathered no saucers in the short time we've been back in the States, but we had wonderful food, happy friends, the blessing of nice little gifts, songs and creativity.And so together we ushered in Chelsea's Year of Being Four. Four is big.Four can start being Mama's Right Hand Woman. Thank-you Lord for this privilege,however different than me this Four year old is!

The dollhouse. And...Joy.

As mothers we model loving our husbands, loving our children, being good, cheerful keepers at home, and making a haven for family and ministry. May we do our job well.

Celebrate Love!

Marcella

So often it's the little things that count so much. A walk through the pastures and woods,gathering leaves to press and acorns,taking pictures and chatting are stones in the wall of relationship I'm building with my sons. They want my time and interest,my presence. There is only one Fall 2008. I'm so glad we spent a few hours together on this. Yet one more stone in our wall.

I have a large project staring at me so I must take my leave but check out my sidebar. There are some new links including one I practically hopped out of my chair with joy for! Heart to Heart is a new blog from an experienced homeschool mom, author and co-producer of a great homeschool product catalog.She writes deliciously and is an inspiration in the homeschooling journey. Enjoy!

Celebrate Love!

Marcella

Laundered Teddy Bears

The little folks decided to use markers as face paint on some especially special teddy bears.
Here they are hanging on the line and freshly laundered. They came through sparkling clean!

For me,part of keeping a home, is making sure upkeep happens. Which means you will occasionally find clean stuffed animals hanging on my clothesline.

I dislike stuffed creatures,but my children have their special babies. The time in their lives that they'll treasure teddies is fairly short. I'll try to keep it sweet!
Celebrate Love!
Marcella

Paper Bag Breakfasts

Brainstorming while responding to my children's pleas the other morning to eat breakfast outside,I thought of sandwiches wrapped in wax paper.Which led me to think of egg salad sandwiches. I needed a breakfast idea after all. Then, I thought about paper bags at some point in the game.And the whole paper bag breakfast menu kind of just fell together.

The Garfield bags happened to be a yard sale find I had around the kitchen. Homemade bread with egg salad made up the sandwiches,which were wrapped in wax paper(wax paper can be so useful), napkin, disposable spoon, each a pack of leftover holiday candy and individual applesauce packs which were purchased for pennies at the scratch and dent type grocery store.

Actual price-quite cheap. Memory value-priceless. My little people carried them off to the storage shed(really a rocket ship) and flew to the moon. Bon voyage!

And one more tidbit- a longlasting craft to do with the young people in your house:http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/NatureNotesFromAbove/560666

Celebrate Love!

Marcella

Family Time

We took advantage of Election Day afternoon to have family portraits done. Historic photos,eh?

These were done in a nearby park. Rich autumn colors were in abundance and the water mirrored the trees above.Yes, a fine day for pictures!
Celebrate Love!
Marcella

November : A Month of Nurturing Home and Fellow Man

Pumpkin Cookie Pops served with tea and honey for family and friends.

Cookie Pops-popsicle sticks inserted before cookies were put in to bake.Frosting colored with coloring pastes in Autumn shades.

"Love not the world neither the things that are in the world,for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." says the Bible.(Not copied word for word) I believe the Bible is written in a way that is quite confusing and cannot be really understood unless it revealed by the power of the Holy Spirit. In this verse that I'm still digesting ,I feel that what is being referred to is loving things in a way that implies that they are the end goal or the product to be striven for,The Important Point. Which they are not, in the whole and splendid scheme of things. But I feel at this point, that things can have a God honoring purpose if used to bless our fellow man and ultimately to bring Glory to our Father. It is a state of heart,a certain spirit we wish to avoid pertaining to things. And last but not least, we need to pray for God's leading on how we use the resources of time and materials He blesses us with.

This month, especially in this time of tension as a nation and with all the gloom and doom being spread on the news, I'd like to focus on positive notes and nurturing moments of home and one another. Life is uncertain,things happen that seem scary,but God is faithful and He gives us confidence to be trusting and thankful in each day and bless one another with Love in many forms!

Celebrate Love!

Marcella