re: Thanksgiving

Dear Julia Charlotte,
         We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Wishing the best to you and yours!

                                                                               Pilgrimama

re: Thanksgiving-here we come!

Dear Julia Charlotte,
        Two pumpkin pies and one Apple pie have been made. The green beans are in the fridge waiting to be tipped.. My part of the family Thanksgiving feast is close to done! Even if I did spend half of the day in bed with a stiff neck and upper back.
My children are  super !   They helped clean up from the birthday party last night and make this whole day work!

                                                                                               Thankful for my lovely children,
                                                                                                Pilgrimama

re: and a happy birthday to her!

Today our Squirrelgirl is three!
Three years  ago today a very special person arrived, freshly created from the Creator's hand.
Her middle name is Faith.
She has brought great joy to our family.
We" sing for joy at the work of His hands"!
Thank-you Father for this little life.


Tonight we plan to celebrate with a burrito dinner  and cake!
                                      ~ off to cook and bake,
                                                                                  Pilgrimama

re: journal scribblings #2

Dear Julia Charlotte,
                Anyone who has raised children, especially a larger family knows the truth of what cleaning up is like. Like the old saying that goes something like "cleaning the house while the children are growing is like shoveling snow while it's still snowing." Nevertheless it still has to be done.
Today I managed to finish writing thank-you notes to the ladies of our church family for a party they threw this fall to celebrate our 10th anniversary. I also made a bunch of  homemade cards using tie-died paper the children made with a friend. I layered the paper over a white card made from printer paper. Kelsey managed to finish one thank-you note already. This is a huge thing off my mind, getting that well underway!

Prepping for Thanksgiving is underway!
I must map out plans for the pies who will make the journey to relatives with us! Must get on that tonight!
Neglected to sleep last night in favor of reading Jane Eyre. Must not do that tonight.
Split pea soup, toast, brown rice and tea are ready in the kitchen. We ladies of the estate are waiting for our guys to get home- they have been out working this afternoon. They will arrive bearing firewood I believe.
                                                                                                               Satisfied,
                                                                                                             ~Pilgrimama

re: journal jottings

Dear Julia Charlotte,
                  The rain has started. I hear we may be in for a bit of that wet stuff.
Early morning church service here as usual.
We were still without gas with which to cook but maybe tomorrow the gas tanks will finally be re-hooked up.
The children had music class as usual as well. It went great and that made me glad!
I also got to see with my very own eyes an answer to prayer that was most amazing! I am still marveling.
Read and did important laundry. The children and their visiting friend watched a movie as well as starting a fire in the grill so we could make soup for dinner. So I made soup and ran around prepping for another batch of friends who would arrive to take us with them to children's choir practice night where they could bring friends (us!).
We had a great time doing that and then coming home to sing and read from No Compromise.
Read from Romans afterwards and put some sheets we were given into the laundry.
My synopsis from yesterday's sermon-" Seek to glorify God in everything you do".
                                                                                                         Inspired,
                                                                                                          Pilgrimama

re:notebook jottings # 4

Dear Julia Charlotte,
        Had breakfast at the community center this morning. Afterwards we came home and got some laundry rolling and did school related stuff like finish our chapter book on Squanto(which held the children's attention very well) and reread a book (storybook) on the Pilgrims which we were given back when Jess and Alex were babies. We discovered the book was really old too-like going on a hundred old!
We heated sandwich meat on the woodstove as our gas tanks ran dry yesterday and we are in the process of getting them refilled.
Then I saw an offer on Freecycle for some really pretty sounding colors of paint for giveaway and so we packed up and walked over for them.The street was immensely interesting in and of itself as well.
Hurried home to prep for dinner guests,a family who lives nearby who was coming for dinner.
We planned to cook over the fire in the grill.
They brought the rice.
I burned the beans.
But everything else was good-maybe because Lee cooked...
They brought Squirrelgirl a tutu and that pleased her very much. She looks like a pink turkey.
We had prayers with the children anmd Lee read some more to Jess and me from No Compromise.
                                                          Feeling Sleepy,
                                                                                                                   Pilgrimama

re: notebook jottings #3

Dear Julia Charlotte,
Spent yesterday in BED.
Mostly.
Today, feeling much better.
Sent off one card and one tiny care package.
Lee made breakfast before he left for work- he is one stinkin' cool dude.
I tubbed the girls and washed their hair. I did the same for me later. We were a smelly, tangly-haired bunch.
The sweet woman who gave me clothes at church, showed up with a giant princess bag and one shopping bag, all full of presents for the children. Don't you think that is most Amazing?
Alex worked on a homemade ladder in our livingroom.
We went for a family walk after dinner.
Then Lee read more to us from Keith Green's book No Compromise.
Then I didn't feel sleepy.
So here I am......
                                                                                    Late for Bed,
                                                                                    Pilgrimama

re: notebook jotting # 2

Dear Julia Charlotte,
Well.. these have been a busy couple of days! Still fighting a sinus something which is nasty. Yesterday I took a long walk with the girls and a friend to a benefit yard sale for the community center/ church meeting space.The guys are working on some projects which gives us girls some girl time.
The boys then went with a friend to act in a film a local university student is making.
 Lee helped me do some needed fixit jobs around the house which was GREAT!

Last eve. we attended a party for some newly wed friends of ours abt. 40 minutes from here. It was a potluck and a "pounding" which meant people could bring a pound of food or other items.
Took beans and a copy of The Velveteen Rabbit for the bride,  with whom I have shared deep talks on the meaning of Real.
Shopped for Chelsea's b-day as well.
This morn. I slept in.
Finally went to church late. Our church family is wonderful! A sometimes homeless aquaintance so sweetly gave me a bag of clothes for the children. She has little ones too but is not allowed custody of them. Life has Strange and Beautiful moments-how does one respond Properly?
The boys were asked to sit in on the worship team's meeting today-such a good place to expend their talents and energy especially as they grow older.
Lunch was amazing- including a leafy greens salad with dried cranberries(?) and walnuts and grapes and topped with feta cheese.
Went home and rested a lot more, feel crummy.
A friend dropped by with fresh cilantro and fresh greens-yum!
I started to clean my messy house and talked on the phone to a friend who recently had a a second child about mothering's amazing requirements!
My cousin stopped by to visit, bringing homemade pumpkin pie! Yum again!
Guys came home- hungry!
Children's Sunday School teacher dropped by with the children's offering envelopes, collecting money for hungry people in Haiti and pictures of my birthday picnic.
Today she said they will give us One Whole Day of babysitting all our children so Lee and I can have a getaway day! She is also giving me some "mom-time" gifts by babysitting . So sweet of them!
The gang is asleep and I am typing this. Lee is snuggled by the fire, sleeping in the cozy lamplight.
I should wrap presents.....
                                                                          ~Pilgrimama

re: notebook jottings

Dear Julia Charlotte,
        So I am making personal sacrifices right now.
We would like to travel to spend Thanksgiving with Lee's niece.
We have also had many, many expenses this fall .
So I have given up cheese for a month.
And the library book sale.
I am trying hard to only spend for needed items. Books are not exactly a need when the library has so many.... But sometimes I forget...
Ah, well.
Got up this morning and washed dishes and cleaned up from last night's get -together. Also hauled in the garbage cans and recycling bins from the curb and tidied up the back yard a bit.
Worked on backlog of laundry and then went downstairs around noon to visit our good friends who had a severely handicapped relative with them for the day. So inspiring! We were sent home with lots of yummy chicken!
Boys went with Lee to do a project, so the girls and my cousin accompanied me to the thrift store.
Found: 1 pottery looking soap dispenser (for the kitchen)
            1 mini First Aid kit
             1 comfy blanket for taking naps under on the couch!
A friend came over to pick up a handdrawn "logo" Alex drew for a "club" poster she is making.
Afterwards the girls and I went grocery shopping (sort of) and hauled Stuff to drop off at the community center.
Today was also busy with arranging etc. freecycle pickups. I adore Freecycle and think lots more people should do it.
Well, cheerio!
                                                                                                                ~Pilgrimama

re: another good day

Dear Julia Charlotte,
Still sick with a cold-snuffle!
Got some Important Things done today like giving Jess a very long reading lesson and sleeping in way late. Cut a bunch of fabric leaves out to use on a thankful tree for this month. I plan to hang the fabric leaves from a large branch that I plan on setting into a vase. On the leaves we will write things we are thankful for.
Lee's sister came by and had lunch with us. She brought us a number of goodly gifts including some yummy cheese curds.
Lee came home early so we snuggled up by the fire while our offspring watched a movie. Got to have snuggly moments -oh yeah!
The homegroup we host from church met at our house tonight. We have started a little tradition of burrito nights. Wonder how long it will last..
Talked to my sister tonight and had good prayer time with the children.
                                                                   Another Good Day,
                                                                    Pilgrimama

re: another journal entry

To: Julia Charlotte,
       Came down with a very sore throat last night. Lee made me hot tea which was lovely and made sure I was comfy. Jess and Lee had gone out shopping for shoes and came back with a bargain DVD. So they disappeared into the bedroom while I curled on thew couch by the fire. The two middle children were out with family tonight so I waited up for them.
This morning I still felt pretty rotten. Jess and Alex spoiled me, making food, bringing me a hot water bottle and tea, even washing dishes.
This afternoon I was slated to cook at the community center so I cleaned up and dragged myself out. The evening actually did me good, though I did not help with cleanup! And the food all of us whipped up was amazingly yummy! Pomegranate, grape and apple fruit salad included on the menu! Fresh!
                                                                                                                      G'night,
                                                                                                        Pilgrimama