A Blossoming Homestead

Exciting News & A Good-bye

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 19:21:00 +0000

Hi friends! It's no shock that I haven't written in a while. I have written on and off here on this little blog for the last four years. As some of you may know, I have a pretty GREAT excuse this time! :)

Yay! We are expecting our third little baby this upcoming Spring! We found out about the time I stopped blogging. I forgot how Completely and Utterly ExAuStEd the first trimester always leaves me! Pair afternoon naps and early bedtimes with plenty of pictures to edit from fully booked fall sessions, and you have a momma who simply didn't have time to do much of anything extra. I am just now getting my house in order from the past two months of being in survival mode.

That being said, I have actually enjoyed the break. I think sometimes God uses life situations to slow us down, and cause us to listen more closely to His direction. As I've spent time reflecting and thinking about what the future holds, I have come to the realization that as our family continues to grow, I need to be even more intentional as to my priorities and how I spend my days.

God has been showing me so much lately, and the more I am learning . . . the more I realize I don't know much of anything! I have so much more to learn, and right now I am simply soaking it all in.
I am also learning and praying that I can be the very best wife and momma I can. I want to always be looking for ways to bless my family, and create a home that is peaceful, FuN, and full of love.

You may also remember that I launched a part-time photography business back in the spring. I really had no idea how well it would take off! I had lots of creative ideas for growing the business and really blessing others through it, however, when my fall schedule became completely booked I didn't have time for any promotions, giveaways, etc.

So, the time has come for me to become more focused. It is so easy to get going on a variety of different projects that only end up mediocre. I am not the type of person that likes to settle for mediocrity. However, I often find myself overextended to the point that I seem to be "just getting by" with everything. If I am going to do something, I want it to be the best it can! I am not all that great at multitasking, and really need lots of . . . FOCUS.

That being said, I have really fallen in love with photography! I am looking forward to learning more, and spending time practicing (on a few incredibly cute subjects I might add), in order to develop as a photographer. Plus, I want to get better at keeping day to day memories for our family. Therefore, I have decided to step away from writing here at A Blossoming Homestead. God has our family in a new season of life, and although it will be FuN to look back on pictures and what I have written these last few years, I have decided to begin keeping memories for our family using a different avenue. Even though I enjoy writing, I know that this time in my life is not one in which I will have adequate time to write the kind of articles I would want. I thought about keeping the blog and simply posting family happenings as I have done in the past. However, it seems I could streamline, and do this very thing along with my photography business. Therefore, I will now be keeping up with our family's weekly adventures by posting them to my photography blog once a week (Lord willing)! If you would like to follow along, please "like" my photography Facebook page so you don't miss out! :) I think this will be a great way to make my little business a bit more personable as well! :) Plus it will force me to really practice on capturing quality photos throughout the week! :)

Finally, I want to say Thank You to all of you who have been so incredibly supportive over the years! I have been touched by so many of you who have shared your hearts with me, and offered encouragement as well! It is not easy to think of leaving you . . . However, it's not really leaving I suppose. After all, I'm just a CLiCk away! I sure hope you'll hop over to my website; meganpowersphotography.com and say hello every now and then! :)

It also should be noted, that at times I have expressed thoughts and opinions on this blog as I'm working through them. It has always been my heart's desire that some of you would be encouraged by watching me work through what it looks like to follow God, while learning to be an excellent wife and mother. I realize that for some of you, my posts might not always have been encouraging. Perhaps they were even a burden to you at times. It's easy to look at someone else's life and think they must have it all together, or they have discovered some secret to holiness. The problem with that is we start trying to be like other people, or we make a list of rules for ourselves to follow in order to be "better". Don't get me wrong it is great to find inspiration from others, but when it comes down to it . . . hear me on this . . . God has made you unique and you won't discover all you were meant to be by looking at other people as your standard. I think the best we can do is dive into the Word, and pray that the Lord will search our hearts and continue to transform us into who He wants us to be. It probably won't look exactly like that lady you admire, or that family that seems so great, or even the way you had envisioned . . . but it will be EVEN BETTER!! God is in the business of doing miraculous things! :)

I will be switching this site to a "private" setting a week from today! Feel free to snag anything you need until then, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!

Thank you, again! God bless each and every one of you!

~Love,
Megan

Searching Scripture ~ Last Days of Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 07:04:00 +0000

Wow! This week has been so busy! A couple photography sessions, editing, FuN with family, and this momma is just worn out! Last night I seriously went to sleep at 9! I am paying for it tonight! Having finally finished a blog post for one of my sessions, I am moving onto this here blog! I have good intentions, but there is just not time enough in the day to keep up with it the way I wish I could. I'm sure you understand! God is doing so much in my life, and I have been incredibly encouraged by so many of you who have asked that I keep up this blogging bit! Thanks for the support! I'll try not to let you down! Better late than never . . . right?

Here are a few outfits falling in the {modest. feminine. fun.} category this week . . . I've been trying to grab summery stuff from my closet since I only have a few more days left.
(By the way I feel I ought to let you know, lest any of you begin to think legalistically or feel I am falling into that category. . . My heart in these posts is to encourage us ladies. I hope to inspire you and myself to respect our role as momma/wife, honor the Lord with our apparel, show others it is possible to be modest and fashionable, and be proud of/bring back that touch of femininity which is often lost in ladies fashions today. You should know that this week I have opted out of a shower first thing in the morning followed by getting dressed for the day. Instead, I sported shorts and a t-shirt for our morning walks. It's been hot, I've been practical, AND THAT's OK! This isn't about a list of rules from the modest fashion police! It's about wanting to please the Lord, honoring Him in the way we dress, and displaying the transformation Christ has done in our lives.)

Purple Dress/Tunic: Banana Republic thrift store find - 5.99

White T-shirt: Wal-Mart - 3.99

Black Cardigan: ?

Skinny Jeans (cuffed): Old Navy - ?

Bracelet: Maurices (from 5.5 years ago) - ?

Necklace: same as bracelet

Shoes: Not sure, had them for that long too!?

(sorry I wasn't very helpful!)

V-Neck: Target - $6

Gray Tank: Target -$7

White Skirt: Thrift Store - $4.99

White Shoes: Gift

Bird Nest Necklace: Made It

V-Neck: Target - $10

Tank: Target - $7

Skirt: Target a couple years ago (this is actually a dress I just rolled it down) - $25.00

Necklace: Lisa Leonard Designs - $45.00

Cuff: Lisa Leonard Designs - $40.00

Earrings: ?

Bracelet: American Eagle -$7? (can't really remember)

Blouse: Thrift Store - $2.99

White T-shirt: Wal-Mart - 3.99

Skirt: JCrew thrift store find -4.99

Pearl Earrings: American Eagle -?

Neckalce: Gift

Wedges: Khols - $30?

Headband/covering: Target - $6

So there's a few outfits, and as for what I've been learning, being challenged with, and transformed by this week . . . Ahhhh, there's too much to pick just one thing!!! So I'm going to give a brief little list, and maybe I'll expand more later . . .

1) Opinions are fine, but Searching Scripture is where it's at.

2) . . . if I have not LOVE I am but clanging cymbals.

3) If I am not the biggest sinner I know, I probably won't be too effective at evangelism.

4) The Gospel isn't "Love God, Love People" - that would actually be the law.

5) The Gospel isn't my testimony.

6) We can not "live" the Gospel. What we live is a reaction/ response to the Gospel.

7) The main role of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin. If we aren't preaching/talking about sin, could it be the Holy Spirit is no where near? Ouch!

8) Headcoverings could very well be cultural. Excited to hear a well-thought out perspective on this.

9) The purpose of the church is to glorify God, and take the Gospel to a lost and dying world.

10) Sleep is good!

and on that note . . .

It is WAY too late for me to still be up . . . Goodnight!

August 2014 Week 3

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 04:04:00 +0000

I'm posting this little recap a few days late. I've been one busy gal this weekend! More on that next week . . . for now let me try to remember what we were up to last week . . . .

Saturday we headed to the library to turn in some overdue books, and get Kyria some reading material to go along with our camping theme. We were happy to discover we came on just the right day! It was Doggie Day! Yay!

That night we had "Green Eggs & Ham" per Kyria's request. Even though Brielle couldn't eat the eggs, she DID chew on the green strap from her swing. She seem satisfied with this arrangement! :)

Sunday mornings usually seem a little rushed, but we decided to go to second service instead of both this week. This gave us a little more time, and we snapped some shots before heading to Carthage.

This seems to be the hottest week of the summer, and we have taken every opportunity to play in the water and keep cool!

Kyria had FuN helping Daddy set up the tent for her camping theme.

And Friday her and I went on a nature walk with her homemade "binoculars"!

That was pretty much our week. I'll share more of her nature walk at the end of the week, Lord willing! :)

Thinking Thrifty: The Library

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 20:52:00 +0000

As some of you know, this summer we've been doing different themes with Kyria for learning FuN and activities. I found lots of good stuff from hubbardscupboard.org. Such a great site. It also lists books that can go with each unit! Since it would be WAY too expensive to buy 4-5 books every couple week, Skyler and I finally bought a library card. Yes, we had to pay a $20 or $25 fee (I can't remember), since we don't live in the city limits. However, it has been well worth it!

Sometimes our library doesn't have the books we need, but if I plan in advance I can get them sent through the courier. I can usually find something that will go with the theme even if I don't find exactly what I'm looking for. Plus, they have special events for the kids such as story time. This past weekend, Kyria was able to play, brush, and read to a little puppy!

I'd say this is a great way to save money. We are a family of readers. Kyria must get her love for reading from momma & daddy. She will sit quietly next to me and let me read book after book for at least thirty minutes a day. I've been told this isn't typical for a toddler!:S Hoping Brielle will like it as much as Kyria! I LOVE the cuddle time! :)

We usually just buy books at the local Christian book store, Mardel's in Springfield, or we'll buy them with an order from Amazon. I like being able to try books out at the library first, and then I can buy the ones I know we will really want.

Do you utilize the library? Does it help your family save money?

We have some local homeschool groups on facebook that sell books sometimes. I might look on there occasionally for preschool resources. What other ways do you get books/resources for your children to read?

Any other tips for saving money on reading material?

Hello Yellow ~ Joyfully Submissive

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 05:34:00 +0000

Last week I was incredibly encouraged by so many of you who told me both in person, and through social media how you enjoyed my post on modesty. As I've mentioned before I really wasn't sure how well it would be taken, but was delighted that so many understand my heart on this matter.

As I have been documenting this journey of feminine modesty throughout the week, I have been having so much FuN! It's motivated me, and given me a better reminder of my purpose each day. Plus, it's just a blast to experiment with what I have in my closet, and find ways to make outfits work together. It's a bit of a challenge - finding an outfit that is modest, feminine, practical, and fashionable - but I LOVE it! If your like me, it's always nice to find a little inspiration for your wardrobe. I'm not going to guarantee the most up-to-date fashions, but I can show you how I make do with what I have, and how a good thrift store can be your best budget buddy. I initially just wanted to post one outfit/week, but I'm having so much FuN with this, I might have to show you more!

Here's what I'm thinking for a blog schedule, so this way you have an idea of what's coming.
Monday - Our learning activities for the week, or FuN things we've been up to.
Tuesday - What I've been wearing & a little inspiration for us ladies - marriage, motherhood, etc.
Wednesday- Inside/Out - AnOtHeR outfit & how I'm being transformed on the inside.
Thursday - Thinking Thrifty, Homesteading stuff, Projects, or anything else . . .
Friday - Recap of our Week, and Project 365.

Obviously there will be weeks when I'm doing good to get one post up, but this give me something to aim for, and I'll try to fill you on facebook at least if I will be unable to post.

Shirt: Columbia Brand thrift store find - $1

Skirt: Ann Tayler Loft from thrift store - $4.99

*****

Anyway, all that being said let's get on with this post shall we . . .

All this talk about dressing feminine, and I feel I need to reiterate a very important point . . . A women may adorn herself outwardly to appear both modest and feminine. However, her heart might reveal something completely different. Beautiful women of God are not known by their OUTWARD appearance, but by their heart.

Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel -- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. ~ 1 Peter 3:3-4

This week despite making more of an effort to dress feminine, my attitude at times has displayed nothing of Biblical Womanhood. I'm afraid there have been times when I was much too impatient with my girls, and at least twice my husband and I had some "miscommunication" that ended in me asking forgiveness for being incredibly disrespectful. If only putting on a skirt could somehow change my selfish sin nature! But that's not how God works, is it!? I fail and mess up a bazillion times because that's who I am apart from Christ. Praise the LORD, Christ bore my sins and is in the process of transforming me through his Holy Spirit. Each opportunity I'm given to repent simply reminds me that I have a Heavenly Father who is teaching and showing me by grace how to live like his Son. It also reminds me that my own efforts and works are of no value in this process. Choosing to roll out of bed and shower in the morning is difficult, but might be possible with shear will power, however HEART cleansing can only be done by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT!

So I've been realizing this week that I really fail when it comes to being submissive to my husband. So here are a few thoughts for you and for me . . . or maybe just me!

*****

"Submission is the divine calling of a wife to honor and affirm her husband's leadership, and help carry it through according to her gifts . . . Submission is the disposition of her spirit to support his initiative, or the subordination of her will to say, 'yes' to his leadership." ~John Piper

The word "submission" has a bad connotation, however, submission according to Scripture is ALWAYS a positive thing that produces joy, peace, and righteousness. This idea of a wife submitting to her husband is not something that was designed by male chauvinists who wanted to dominate women. It was designed by God, and is part of His perfect order. In NO WAY is it meant to degrade or put women in a position of inferiority. That might be the way the World sees submission, but the Bible puts the word in a completely different light.

First of all we are to be submissive to our husbands for the Lord's sake because it IS part of His design and order.  "Every passage in the New Testament that addresses the role of a wife to her husband tells her to submit." I'd say that means it is pretty important! And Just as a wife is to be submissive and show respect to her husband, the husband is called to the high standard of loving his wife as Christ loves the church. (Check Out Ephesians 5).  There are obviously times when submission is not joyful and can actually be quite unpleasant. If our husbands aren't doing their part it can be frustrating. However that does not mean we are off the hook. A failure on our husband's part does not mean we don't have to be submissive. If that were the case the relationship would continue in a viscous cycle of  unloving and disrespect. By showing respect and submissiveness even when we feel he isn't leading well, or when He is being unloving, we break the cycle. We can only do this when we are conscious of the Lord. Keeping our focus on His grace and His purposes make submission much easier. (Please realize, I am NOT saying a wife should submit if her husband is asking her to do something that would go against the Lord/Scripture, Nor am I saying a wife should suffer abuse.).

Now look at 1 Peter 2 & 3. Note the word "Likewise". Also, recognize that submission is POWERFUL! Submission has the power to win even the Unbelieving husband . . . imagine what it can do for the believing husband! Obviously it is All by God's grace, but a wife's submissiveness can be the means He uses! Again, Powerful Stuff! Our submission inspires our husband to be the leader God intends for him to be. We can have a HUGE impact on our husbands! Sometimes that might mean a loving rebuke, but verse 1 specifically states "without a word"!  Now that is a challenge! As women we know of no other language, and every language ObViOuSlY requires words. Yet, Men are different, and they operate in a realm that seems completely foreign to us at times. I have to remember that although there are times for loving rebuke, most of the time my husband can be positively influenced if I would refrain from what will simply come across as arrogant nagging.

Also if you look at verses 3-5 you will notice that our submissiveness as wives will make us even more beautiful. This of all things should catch our attention. In our culture we value beauty. Women are always looking for ways to look younger and more beautiful. But guess what? Even the most beautiful of models are going to be old someday. Truth is, we are "wasting away". Sorry, but it's true. Praise the Lord, we can be beautiful even as we get old and wrinkly. My husband won't always see the young woman he married. It's comforting to know that the more we develop a submissive spirit, the more lovely we will become. Both to the Lord, and to our husbands.

But what does submission look like?! Christ is our example. If you read in Chapter 2 Verse 22 and following (this proceeds the "likewise", thus we are to look to him), it says,

"He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth"

"When he was reviled, he did not revile in return"

"We he suffered, he did not threaten"

"but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

We can TRUST God! He is in control, and sovereign over everything. He determined who we would marry. He controls past, present, and future. Never forget, it is His wisdom, goodness and love that directs his purposes in our lives. God might be allowing a situation to surface in our marriage because He is wanting to make us more holy. This has certainly been the case in the last couple of disagreements my husband and I have had. We WILL not always agree, but even those moments are for our good.

It is important to realize that submissiveness is NOT the same as dependency. We can only be dependent on God because He alone is dependable. Our husbands are sinners, and so are we. I need to remind myself NOT to place unreasonable expectations on my husband. My hope must be in the Lord, and I must depend on Him alone.

Oh, there is so much more that could be said . . . Carolyn Mahaney talks about many of these things, and so much more in this video! If you have time take a look! It's good stuff.

Tank Top: Ann Taylor Loft from thrift store - $2.99

Cardigan - Target - ?

Flower pin - refashioned from a stretched out headband of Kyria's - $0

Skirt - thrift store - $4.99

Sandals - gift.

Sorry, didn't really get a good picture of the accessories again . . . promise we're getting better! :) Next time!

Linking Up With:

From The Ocean to Camping

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 19:32:00 +0000

Sounds like we've been having lots of summer FuN vacationing as a family, huh?

Well, almost . . . We haven't gone to the beach, and we aren't planning an actual camping trip. However, Kyria's had some FuN doing a few "Ocean" activites these past two weeks, and today we are gearing up to start "Camping".

Here are a few shots of Kyria practicing her one to one correspondence. Super easy! I just made the grid and had her practice putting one shell for each square. It didn't hold her attention too long, but it was FuN while it lasted! :)

I am excited about our camping unit, but I'm afraid all the wonderful ideas I have will not get played out . . . I'd LOVE to make a fabric tent and set it up in Kyria's room. I've seen lots of cute ones! Then I got this ad in the mail last week! Maybe this means I need to go pick up some cute Fabric soon! . . . Very soon because our units only last two weeks!!!

I've been pretty laid back this summer with our activities. After all it's summer, and she's only two! But for the sake of routine and keeping the excitement going, I think I need to pick it up. Plus summer is almost over, and school should be starting, right?! JK However, I might need to set aside some time Friday or Saturday evenings to plan and prepare for the next week's activities.

Any suggestions from those of you who do/have homeschool(ed)??

PS My daughter has started to add "at" to the end of her sentences when she is wanting to know where something is . . . for instance "daddy at?" As in, "Where's Daddy at?" Oh my, I REALLY need to be more careful with my grammar! Those of you who've followed this blog for a little while know I can be careless with this in my writing. Usually, I can blame it on typo errors. Apparently, I'm not too great at speaking either. Darn I can't blame it on being around high school students all day anymore!!! :)

August 2014 Week 2

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 21:01:00 +0000

Wow! This week has flown by! It's already Friday! Time to recap our week!

Last weekend my parents were down. My dad offered to make breakfast for us Saturday morning, which meant he would have to go get all the fixins' since I needed to get groceries, and we pretty much make due with eggs around here. Not my dad! He likes to get up Saturday morning and make a HUGE breakfast! We're talking eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, bisquits, gravy, and sausage . . . I should know by now to have lots of breakfast stuff on hand when my parents come since I know how much he enjoys it, but . . . I didn't. Not only would I feel horrible having him go to town to get the stuff & make it all, I also didn't want to have a big mess to clean up. Even though he likes cooking it, my mom usually gets to clean it up. I think that's why I am not in love with cooking. I like for things to be clean, and the more I cook the more messes I have to clean up! . . . Anyway, I talked my dad and everyone else into going to a breakfast buffet in Joplin. Yum! Talk about a lot of food! It was a really nice treat!

When we got back we relaxed a little, played in the pool, and while the girls took a nap I went grocery shopping. A quick stop by Good Will on the way, and I rolled into a goldmine! Little did I know I was stumbling into Good Will's Back To School Sale! I ended up getting lots of great stuff for only $35.

Saturday evening I had a photography session with the Cope family. Zach is a buddy of Skyler's from high school. His family is adorable! :)

Sunday we had church, and I was sporting one of my Good Will finds! Skyler snapped this picture of me with the girls . . . I SO wish I would have gotten my mom or dad to take it! Then we could have a picture of the whole family! . . . Next Week! Maybe I'll use the tripod! :)

Sunday evening, we celebrated Skyler's Dad's birthday at our house. I tried to get some shots of Kyra in her cute little outfit from my parents, but that huge bow wasn't really staying on her head! I was trying to get her to look at the camera, but she was too busy playing. I think her pouty face in this shot was her telling me she was done with pictures.

Fortunately, Daddy came to the rescue . . .

Monday, we were back at our usual routine. Kyria and I continued with our "Ocean" themed activities this week. I have been a little bit of a slacker, and haven't had too many activities for this theme, but we did the sand painting last week, and this week we sorted through shells. We played in the sand box a lot, so I count that as an activity! :)

Here's a picture of Kyria listening for the ocean. She is very focused! lol

Wednesday our friend LeNeeah came with her new baby Hadley to visit, and I splurged on Lunch from Humble Pie! Yum! What a Treat - the visit, and the meal! Wednesday evening we made a spur of the moment decision to head up to a Springfield Cardinals game. We wore the girls out, but they had FuN! Kyria was a little apprehensive about Louie & Fetch, but it didn't take her long to warm up to them! Here's another picture of Kyria I captured with my iPhone.

The rest of the week was much of the same. Our friend Kenda dropped by to visit the girls and I on Thursday, and we chatted the afternoon away! That was a HUGE blessing. Friday night was our usual pizza night, and I laid the girls down early for bedtime since Skyler had to catch up on some stuff outside. It was a very FuN-filled week!

So . . . I have GOT to do a better job of 1) Getting pictures of both of my girls throughout the week, and 2) using my "nice" camera and actually challenging my self to get shots even when the conditions aren't perfect. I always get caught up in the moment and forget to even try! . . . next week . . .

Until then . . .Have a weekend FULL of blessings!

Back To School . . . By Popular Demand

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 01:53:00 +0000

Today my facebook page was filled with "first day of school" pictures.

"I don't think there is anything else that 90% of Christians do together, same choice. Fight to the death over which Bible you're going to use, which denomination you are going to be apart of . . .but 90% make the exact same educational choice, and nobody can point to book, chapter, verse to justify it." - Voddie Baucham

My husband encouraged me to post this documentary & quote on my facebook page a couple weeks ago. Although I didn't have any negative comments, there weren't near as many "likes" as my post on modesty from the other day. I realize this is a sensitive topic, because most parents really are trying to make the best decision for their children and family.

Although I am not a fan of government schools, let me say this as a word of encouragement to those of you whose children started back up this week. . .

It is all by the grace of God that any of us are saved. Our parenting decisions will not determine the salvation of our children. Praise the Lord! I am bound to make lots of mistakes as a parent, and I am incredibly thankful for God's sovereign grace! We pray everyday that our girls will come to know the Lord early and grow in Christ all the days of their lives. We cry out to God because we realize it won't be our parenting or the fact that we plan to homeschool that will guarantee them a place in the Kingdom of God. The child who was homeschooled may rebel, and want nothing to do with the Lord. At the same time the child who attends public school their whole life can come to know the Lord, and serve him faithfully. Ultimately we have to know that God is in control, and we pray he will capture our children's hearts despite the bad decisions we may make as parents.

That being said, it is still important for us as parents to continue to make the best decisions possible for our children. God gave them to us as a gift, and we should be good stewards of these precious blessings. If you haven't looked into the government school system, or even if you have, this documentary is EXCELLENT! Every Christian parent should watch it, and at least be EduCatEd on this institution they send their children to 7+ hours/day 5 days a week. . . . And this is coming from two former public school teachers, who were public schooled themselves.

Here is the free 30-minute trial version of the documentary, to buy or rent the full version click here!

We bought the full version, so if you live in the area, and would like to visit! We would love to have a movie and discussion night with YOU! :) Just e-mail me meganjenelle (at) msn (dot) com.

Inside/Out: The Gospel & Green Khaki

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 14:56:00 +0000

Yesterday I wrote a post that has probably gotten more feedback in one day than any I have written in awhile. I wrote about my personal convictions as to why I want to begin dressing more feminine and modest. I was very encouraged by so many of your comments! Thank you so much!

In light of that post, I am going to begin doing a weekly post (as long as it isn't a ridiculously crazy week around here) where I share at least one outfit from the week, and also what the Lord has been teaching me.

My hope is maybe I can be an encouragement to some of you. I also think it's a great way to motivate myself to keep up with getting dressed for the day, and a wonderful way to catalogue what the Lord is doing in my life.

Although it does seem a little odd for a lady who is wanting to promote modesty to post a bazillion pictures of herself on the web, I'm not sure of a better way to go about it. If you have ideas I'd love to hear them. I can assure you I am most comfortable behind the camera! However, I do want to inspire others by showing that ladies can indeed dress modest, feminine, AND fashionable. I have always loved finding ideas for outfits on blogs such as The Pleated Poppy & Fresh Modesty. In no way am I claiming to be a fashion guru. This isn't so much a way for me to show off what I know about fashion, but rather, me bringing you along in MY journey to discover what it means to dress in a way that honors the Lord. Hopefully, I won't wear anything too hideous, and you might even find something that would work for your wardrobe! This might seem silly, but I have asked my husband to "rate" my outfits each day! I can foresee me making some serious fashion faux pas if left to myself. Plus, I really want to know his opinion so I can learn what he likes and doesn't like. Obviously, I want to dress in a way he finds attractive! When I share my outfits, I will try to include his 1-10 scale rating. :) Hopefully it will give some insight into how to dress modest, but in a way that our husbands would still find attractive!

So without further adieu, here's some hay bales and me in a green khaki skirt I found at the Good Will thrift store . . .

black v-neck: Target $8

tan laying tank: Target $6

(I did end up layering this with a tan lace tank I've had for while at the end of the day, and I liked it even better!

bronze honeybee necklace: local market $24 (birthday gift)

bronze earrings: ??

green khaki skirt: Good Will $4.49

shoes: Target $16

Husband Rating: 8-9

I So wish I could show you a closer view of the accessories . From now on I will try to have Skyler be my official photographer! I was just using a tripod in these shots, and I can't say they're my fav. Oh well . . . next time.

Here a few more of my favorite outfits from this week . . .

Husband Rating: 9-10

Husband Rating 9-10

And now for what the Lord has been doing in my heart . . .

Wow! I feel like the last couple months God has been doing an awesome work in my life! I have been listening to sermons, reading articles, and diving into His Word, and I just can't get enough! The biggest thing I am discovering is how important the Gospel is, and how crucial it for us to get it right, and make it our emphasis.

Some of what I have been discovering seems brand new to me. I realize part of it may be because God is just now reveling some of these truths to me. However, I am afraid it might also be because as a Church we often assume the Gospel. In other words we are speaking truth, but we never take what we are saying back to the Gospel because we assume the person/people we are talking to already understand basic Christian teachings.

Although it might be basic, the Gospel is where the power is at!

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." ~Romans 1:16

I was going to write out a lengthy post explaining the Gospel, and how one can no for sure they are saved. But then I came across this video, and it does such a great job! I figured most people would rather just watch this than read my paraphrased version.

I will add this quick little note: At the end of my post from yesterday I put that one of the reasons I wanted to dress more feminine and modest was because of the Gospel. It is actually the biggest reason. Part of the Gospel is the fact that because of my faith in Christ I have been given the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is constantly transforming me into the image of Christ. My mind is being renewed. I no longer think the way I used to. The sin I once loved I now hate. The way I thought about modesty ten, or five years ago is different than now, because of the Gospel! The more I hear the Gospel, the more my mind is renewed, and the more I am transformed to be more like Christ. It doesn't matter what the issue is . . . marriage problems, weight problems, addictions - giving a person ways to improve these things without explaining how they relate to the Gospel will be advice given in vain.

If you have any questions, I would LOVE to chat! Feel free to email me
meganjenelle (at) msn (dot) com

Blessing to YOU!

Linking Up With . . .

Why I Want to Dress More Feminine & Modest

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 05:13:00 +0000

Ten years ago, if you would have asked me my thoughts on modesty, I would have told you it was important. I might have said something about striving to be above reproach, because that's what a camp counselor told me one time. I would have also continued sporting my double rolled soffee shorts, bikini, and the occasional cleavage showing dress on special occasions. I was Christian, and wanted to serve God. Yet, my standard for modesty was mostly based on the world, and how my other Christian friends dressed.

RC Sproul was asked one time why Christians continue to sin. In part he responded, "if God reveled all of our sin to us at once, we wouldn't be able to handle it." God has been
g r a d u a l l y transforming my thinking on modesty.

I can also tell you that there have been times when I have felt the Holy Spirit convicting me, and yet repentance was difficult because it completely went against my natural identity. With the issue of modesty, I have been afraid to give up certain fashions in the past because they were a huge part of my identity. Ah but, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." ~Gal 2:20

Last summer I wrote about The Heart of Modesty. I still completely agree with what I wrote, however, I have been challenged even more on how to live out my convictions unashamedly every day. For some, my convictions might seem way over the top . . . perhaps even legalistic. For some my standards won't be nearly high enough. I would encourage every woman to ask the Lord to search her heart, and reveal any sin in her life that might effect how she dresses. This is a prayer I say often for myself . . .

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
~Psalm 139:23-24

I would also encourage every woman to show grace to those who might not share your convictions. Let us pray for one another, that we may be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you do feel the Lord calling you to rebuke another believer for her lack of modesty, do so in love. Share the Gospel because that's where the transforming power is anyway, not your words or opinions. My hope is to live out my convictions, and maybe that will encourage and inspire others! :) When you read this please don't think I'm saying everyone out there should have the same standard as me. I am simply telling you my convictions, and why. These are not standards by which every Christian woman should dress! Praise the Lord for freedom in Christ! :) The Holy Spirit may be calling you to something that looks a little different. That's ok!

Here are some of my convictions and why I want to dress more feminine & modest:

1) Our society is wanting to get rid of anything that might distinguish between male & female.

I started thinking about how much I love skirts and learning a little of the history, a couple years ago. Did you know it wasn't until the sexual revolution of the late 60s & 70s that women began wearing pants everyday. Once I realized this, it changed the way I viewed wearing pants . . . I pretty much only wanted to wear skirts! That is until winter came, and it was more comfortable to put on a pair of jeans with a cozy sweater. The history just keeps haunting me, though. I just can't ignore it any longer. I heard a phrase recently, "it's getting hard these days to tell the Jacks from the Jennys" Ha! This is especially true with the huge push in our country today to accept and embrace homosexuality, and transgenderism. I have seen a couple images recently of men wearing skirts and dresses. As ridiculous as it seems, it helps me understand how outrageous it must have seemed when women began wearing pants and dressing less feminine.

I know we don't think anything of it now, but I'm afraid it may be because we have been desensitized and fooled. When the bikini first made its appearance in France during the late 40s it was considered incredibly scandalous, and only for "naughty girls". The sad thing is, many girls who claim to know Christ actually want to be a little edgy and a little scandalous. Why? Because that's what our culture says gives us power . . . our bodies. And instead of being ladies and calling our Christian brothers to a higher standard in Christ (which would include chivalry & respect), we degrade ourselves, and send the same message we resent . . . "you want me for my body." I know this because I used to do the same thing.

2) I respect my role as wife & mother.

I'll admit I feel most comfortable in a pair of sweatpants and T-shirt. Not a fitted T-shirt either, just a regular T-shirt! Preferably one that is nice and worn, and super soft. However, I have come to the realization that going about my day in the same outfit I wore to sleep is not presenting my girls with a true picture of what it means to be a lady. Nor is it the best idea for my marriage! Now that I am a momma, I really see the importance of modeling what I want to teach my girls. I want to make more of an effort to get dressed first thing in the morning. I believe this shows a certain level of respect for my "career" as a stay-at-home wife & mother. Dressing feminine also reminds me that I am to compliment my husband, and not compete with him. I am not ashamed to say that I submit respectively to my husbands authority. I love the high calling I have been given as a wife and mother, and I believe the way I dress should reflect this.

3) I like it . . .

I also have a DESIRE to wear skirts & dresses more often! Not because anyone is telling me I should, but simply because I want to. I have always loved skirts, dresses, frills, and ruffles (except for third grade, when I wanted to be cool like Tyler Jones and refused to wear anything girly. I even had my parents buy me a Cowboys (the football team) winter coat, because it was considered cool in my elementary school - NOT because I even liked the Cowboys (their colors were generally better than the opposing team I guess - which is how I determined who to root for! lol)). I love skirts and dresses when it's warm out because they are much cooler, and incredibly comfortable. Skirts are best when I'm nursing for obvious reasons, and I love the way dresses won't constrict my belly when I'm pregnant. I enjoy the feminine appeal of dresses & skirts. Skirts can actually be really nice in the winter as well! Paired with a some insulated legging, and I am much warmer than in a pair of jeans.

I'm not planning to wear skirts or dresses exclusively.  I know there will be times when jeans will be much more practical. As a momma with young children and a photographer, I often find myself rolling around on the ground! However, I have changed my standards a little when it comes to jeans.
Mostly this is for modesty purposes. It just makes sense to me to cover up my bottom, as I prefer my jeans to fit rather snug, and that pretty much just accentuates an area most guys would be attracted to. My husband is not a big fan of saggy bottom pants with the exception of flowing canvas ones.  Since these pants are rather loose these would be fine with a regular shirt. However, I also think tunics can create a very sweet feminine look! Since short dresses are in style it shouldn't be too hard to find "shirts" the right length! :)

Of course there will be times when we don't get dressed until an hour before daddy gets home! :S   And today in fact, I went for a walk with the girls, and changed into shorts & a tank top. I have to be realistic. It's not as if I am going to run out and buy the girls and I all new clothes. We can't afford that, and I'm pretty sure that is the epitome of legalism. I am not trying to make a list of DO NOTS! I really just want my aim to be Christ. I will fail, and I know I still have a long way to go I'm sure . . . this is just me sharing part of the journey He has me on. :)

.
4) I want to glorify God.

I want to dress more feminine & modest because as a Christian I am a representative, an ambassador for the Lord. I am honored and privileged to be called His daughter. I want my clothing to be an outward display of what God is doing in my heart. Obviously, He is not as concerned with our outward appearances as our heart, but, the world is watching . . . and the question I ask myself is "what does my dress say about my doctrine"? Our family motto is AFG - All From God & All For God (1 Cor. 10:31). Every area of our life should be lived to GLORIFY HIM. This includes what I wear.

5) The Gospel

I will explain a little more tomorrow, but basically it is because of what Christ has done for me! He has given me his Holy Spirit and I am being TRANSFORMED . . . and ALL because of what Christ did in taking on the fullness of God's wrath for my sins. :)

Linking up with . . .

Sand Painting Oceans

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 14:32:00 +0000

These first two weeks in August our theme for Kyria's activities is "Oceans". I was pretty much a slacker on activities last week until I could go to Hobby Lobby, and get some colored sand, and shells! Kyria had so much fun sand painting. I would make the pictures with glue, and let her sprinkle (or throw) the sand on! They turned out so cool! I've said this before, but I have just as much fun with these art projects as she does!

One big bummer was not being able to find any of the books on our reading list at the library. I can probably get them to request them from one of the other libraries, but I didn't. I always try to be optimistic, and think they'll at least have one or two. This time that wasn't the case. I will just have to remember that for next time. I made do with what they DID have, and we've been reading lots of books about water and oceans . . . and bunnies. She likes bunnies!

We also started a new Bible Memory verse for this month: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" Genesis 1:1. We sing it and do motion to the new of Here We Go Looby Loo. (which I had to look up on youtube! :)

To see more of our preschool learning acitvities, click here!

First Week of August 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 11:00:00 +0000

I have decided in order to keep my 365 a little more practical, and to encourage myself to actually take pictures of our family happening throughout the week . . . I am going to change up this project a little. I will be keeping memories week by week. Also, in addition to pictures, I will also give a little blurb as to what we've been up to! :)

Here's a look at the first week of August:

Skyler's cousin Chris got married on the 2nd. The 1st was his rehearsal, and reception. Skyler was part of the ceremony. The father of the bride actually performed the wedding, but since he also walked her down the aisle Skyler did the opening remarks. Part of which included asking guests to put away their electronic devices. Skyler came up with a cute little poem (since we've been reading Dr. Seuss these things just start to roll off our tongue!). I am incredibly bummed that I don't have a picture! I even got the girls and I to coordinate, and Skyler looked AAAAMAZING in his suit! Kyria learned to say "Handsome Daddy"! :) . . . See this is why taking this project week by week and including a blurb will motivate me to snap some shots of these moments! :)

Sunday I had a session for the Tash family. They had family come from all over the country for a wedding reception!

For the rest of the week we were really just getting back to our usual routine. My mom came to visit last week, and after a busy weekend, it was nice to get back into the swing of things! We finally made it to Hobby Lobby the middle of the week so I could get some supplies for Kyria's "ocean" themed learning activities for this first part of August. She had so much FuN sand painting!

Skyler and I have been doing pretty good this week limited our sugar intake (still allotting 1 sweet tea/day!). We DID go out to eat one evening as a family (the night Skyler and I went to vote!), and neither of us even got desert! I had a roll with honey butter - but that doesn't count! ;)

The day we went to Hobby Lobby we were also able to visit Skyler at the office, and he took us out for lunch! Daddy was also able to get off early a couple night this week, and now that those school cleanings our done he even got to stay home a little later in the morning to! SO THANKFUL for lots of time with him! We never can get enough! :)

So that's about it for this week. I will try to do a better job documenting next week! :)

Thinking Thrifty: Frugal Fashion

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:59:00 +0000

It seems like my wardrobe has gone through some major overhaul in the last three years since I stopped teaching. I've since had two babies and have been pregnant or nursing for those three years. Not only did I need to replace my "teacher" clothes for a more casual wardrobe, I also needed clothes that FIT! I'd say I'm in decent shape, although I have yet to discipline myself enough to lose those last 5 lbs, but hey the truth is . . . a lot more gets bigger than just your belly when your pregnant, and obviously when your nursing. I recently saw a picture of me in a shirt I had intended to put in our garage sale. I quickly pulled it from the pile, and decided I could still use it. I was completely saddened when I tried it on a few days later only to discover the band that is supposed to go *ehem* below my - chest - . . . let's just say it no longer fits! BOO! Oh well, I guess this is something I really shouldn't be complaining about. Point is, my career and body have changed and I have been adjusting my wardrobe accordingly.

I enjoy fashion & buying new clothes. Back when I was single, and my budget was incredibly relaxed, I'll admit I probably spent more than I should have on clothes! Unfortunately, clothing is not really the best investment as I am reminded of often. It's really too bad, at least if it was, I could kind of justify shopping for new clothes.

Now, I get to stay at home with our two girls and we live on one income. Shopping just doesn't happen all that often anymore. And lest you think this is an unfortunate plight compared to my free spirited days in the mall, let me assure you IT IS NOT! The simple fact is, when I was single I was more selfish, and shopping in reality is quite exhausting for me.

So I've learned to be more frugal with our fashion. Here are a couple of my favorite ways to think thrifty when it comes to clothing . . .

1) Thrift Stores - I hadn't gone for awhile, but the summer heat always seems to bring on my love of skirts! Since I am nursing right now, I can't really wear dresses too easily so I was wanting to find some FuN skirts. Yay! For Thrift Stores! In the past couple months I've found lots of cute stuff! You know you've been shopping thrift stores when you see something for 5.99, and you think. Eh? I don't know if I like it THAT much! lol Oh yes, and last week while attending a wedding a lady told me she LOVED my outfit! Little did she know it was almost entirely made up of great thrift store finds! Oh yea! :)

2) ThredUp. I personally haven't shopped here yet, but I just heard about it, and HAD to spread the news in case you haven't heard! This is basically an online consignment shop! I am so excited to check it out! Quality apparel for cheap! Gotta love it! :)

What are your favorite ways to think thrifty with fashion?

PS Stay Tuned! I am planning to post some modest, feminine, and fun outfits once a week! Along with what God has been teaching me that week. If you remember awhile back I did an "Inside/Out" series! Basically that's what I will be doing again!

Back to Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 20:42:00 +0000

I have taken a little break from blogging for the past couple months (as I am often prone to do!). :S Back in May I started up a little part time photography business. The two months had me on my toes! I offered a few sessions to a couple friends for free, and then I also had several people sign up for session on top of that. I am really wanting to limit my sessions to 2-3 per month so editing doesn't consume my life, and I have time for what really matters. The extra income has been a blessing to our family & I am happy to say I am completely booked for the fall, and am already starting to book for the Spring! Woah! So cool! I also booked my very first official wedding! Skyler is going to be my second shooter, and I am pumped to be able to pay our savings account back for my lens! :)

Hopefully with all this going on I can make time for some blogging! The Holy Spirit is truly moving in our lives, and I am very excited to share what He's been doing!

This blog is really all about keeping memories for our family, and cataloguing our growth in faith, family, and hobby farming. I realize that God is constantly revealing new areas in our lives where we need to be transformed into the image of Christ, however after much deliberation I also feel like this is a place where I can share our convictions. Perhaps it will encourage some of you, or cause you to go to the Word to sharpen your current opinion. Either way, I want to share our story primarily as a way to keep track of our family happenings, if some topics ignite conversation then may it be to sharpen and edify one another.

This is what you can expect to see coming up . . .

The Gospel Hunt - How You Can Be Saved, and Know It.
I have been on this hunt for the past month to discover the Gospel. I would consider myself a fairly mature Christian woman, but what I have learned in the past month has completely blown my mind! I have often heard Christians say, "it's all about (fill in the blank)" What I am learning is, it's really ALL about THE GOSPEL. Too often we assume the gospel, and sadly I think people are missing out on the good news altogether! So since I am getting back to blogging, I feel like the best place to start is here. My other motivation, is the fact that I have family& friends who have either not heard the Gospel in it's beautiful entirety, or who have perhaps forgotten how POWERFUL it really is. Therefore, by God's grace, I will be sharing a little of what the Gospel is exactly, how a person is saved, and how you can know you are saved. I am super excited to see what God will do!

Modest Mondays - As I saturate myself with the Gospel, I am being transformed . . . it's just how the Holy Spirit works! My mind is being renewed. God has been transforming much of my thinking on fashion and modesty over the past couple years. In an effort to motivate myself, and hopefully inspire others, I will try to post a few outfits I wore throughout the week that were both feminine and modest. I have seen several pictures lately of boys/men wearing skirts, and I heard a phrase this week . . . "it's getting to where you can't tell the Jack's from the Jenny's". Seriously with the big transgender push that runs right alongside the homosexual agenda, I am determined to dress in a way that displays true femininity. I'll tell you more about that come Monday!

Thinking Thrifty - I am still planning to continue the "Thinking Thrifty" series. We are hoping to reach our three to six month savings by the end of the year, and are moving right along with the "Dave Ramsey Plan" :) I am always looking for ways to be frugal!

Homeschooling - I am having fun with some great pre-school material for Kyria, and I'll try to share some of our activities. Also, now that it's out in the open, I might just share a few thoughts on why we plan to/are homeschooling our kids.

Homemaking & Hospitality - These are a couple of my passions, so you can bet I'm going to be sharing a little of this and that from our home.

Homesteading & Healthy Living- I've been such a slacker in this area, but my husband is an All-Star when it comes to aquaponics, of course we have our chickens, and bees as well. We just made a pact to begin cutting out some sugar from our diets. Seriously, it has gotten out of control! Hopefully this will be the first step toward getting back to healthy eating.

Oh yes, and of course more photography stuff :)

plus much more I'm sure!

Anyway, I look forward to blogging again soon! :)

AFG,
Megan
1 Cor 10:31

Project 365: The Rest of July

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Sat, 02 Aug 2014 11:30:00 +0000

Well, this 365 project has finally gotten the best of me. To be honest it happened awhile back . . . I just can't bring myself to take more pictures when I still have lots to edit. That's why I decided I'd just try to edit at least a photo a day. However, I have found myself scrambling to fill my "days" so that I can say I'm keeping up. The last several weeks I've just completely lost track. I have been taking pictures though. And I am determined to do better this month! I'm not sure what day I'm actually on anymore . . . so I will simply start fresh each month! You will be happy to know I did get my photo in for yesterday! Yay!

In no particular order here is the rest of July . . .

So I may have missed a couple weeks worth of photos somewhere along the way, but so far I'd say this 365 still isn't doing too bad. A little update . . . Not only am I going to begin starting fresh each month, I am also going to try to keep this project for family photos only. The photography business is going great, but I want to make sure I'm keeping up with capturing memories for our family. It would be a shame to miss out on the real reason I started photography to begin with! I might include the occasional client photo, if I there is one I really like, but mostly I'm going to try to include shots of our daily life. I'm looking forward to carrying around my camera everyday! :)

Homestead Produce

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 03:31:00 +0000

Our homestead has grown in many ways over the past few years. It is always refreshing to remind myself of how far we've come, because most of the time it seems like I neglect much of what we had envisioned.

So here's what we have going currently:

- laying hens (we lost our beloved rooster, Solomon, to a coyote about a month ago along with several hens)
- honey bees
- aquaponics system producing fish, and produce
- orchard including Catawba grapes, strawberries, blackberries, black raspberries, boysenberries, peach tree, pear trees, plum trees, cherry trees, apples trees, and nectarine trees.
- we have also adopted two kitty cats, and a stray dog - these obviously aren't for eating, but they are sweet additions to our little farm! Hopefully Patch (the pup) with help with those coyotes!

Now it is one thing to have a homestead, and quite another to keep up with it. So far this summer we've frozen some of our berries and apples, and made a few jars worth of pico de gallo. Fortunately, we try to keep those things around our homestead that don't require too much maintenance. This is the first year we did not do an outside garden. In years past we'd put in all the work to get one started, and then we were too busy to keep up with picking weeds, and collecting what was produced (which usually wasn't as much as we would like - with the exception of okra, oh! the okra! . . . ). In short, we are gardener drop outs . . . for now. We might go back to that romantic idea of gardening when our children are a little older. I'm thinking home-school project! :)

So that's it . . . I have dreams of eating mostly what we produce ourselves or buy locally, but we have a long way to go. To be honest, I'm mostly living in survival mode when it comes to our eating lately. NOT that we are scrimping to find food! I just haven't been prioritizing meal planning. So many things I'd like to do . . . so little time. With one active baby girl, and a SuPeR FuN two year old little lady sometimes planning out great meals doesn't seem to be high on my to do list. Basically, I see what meat, and produce we have and attempt to buy a few things at the grocery store in order to create basic meals. Tacos, Meat-n-Potatoes, and simple pasta dishes like Spaghetti are pretty much the norm. We also instituted Friday pizza night! Anyway, we need to clean up our eating a bit, but as I mentioned it's good to remind myself of how far we've come! I think I might go on a mission here in a little while to find SIMPLE healthy meals. . . that are tasty and toddler approved! :) If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them!

Also, if you ARE a foodie, you might want to check out Fine Food Specialist.Co.Uk. :)

Rug Love

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 15:22:00 +0000

I LOVE living in rural Missouri, but OH, how I wish we lived near an IKEA!

I have been eyeing these rugs for quite some time.

Kyria had an accident about a month ago when we were just getting started with potty training, and our living room rug had to be thoroughly cleaned! If money weren't an option I would have tossed our current beige shag for this beauty:

Then we did a little REdecorating upstairs, and moved some rugs around in the process. I would love to replace the ones we have currently with these . . .

I've also seen some super cute hand towels I'd like to get from there. IKEA would totally be my go to place for textiles if only I lived closer! Meanwhile I suppose I'll just have to settle for what is available online. I think you can find some things on Amazon as well!

There are also lots of cute rugs at FloorsUSA. I love this one for the girl's room.

Stars, Stripes, & Bubbles

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 08:27:00 +0000

We have had lots of excitement the last three weeks. We traveled to Branson for our anniversary, and brought the girls with us. The following weekend we traveled to visit my parents for the Fourth of July weekend. Then, this last weekend we had a garage sale. On top of that I had a very busy June editing pictures! I FINALLY got caught up with editing photos for my clients, and getting them sent out. With all the cRaZiNeSs, Kyria and I DID manage to do a few learning activities. Following our "Zoo" theme at the beginning of June, we did a "Bubbles" theme.

Here are a few of our "Bubble" activities. We also had lots of bubble baths, played with blowing bubbles. I SO wish I would have gotten more pictures . . .

For the beginning of July our theme was "Fourth of July". Here are a few of our activities. . .

Beautiful Brielle

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 01:50:00 +0000

Sweet Brielle! I took these pictures of you at about 6 1/2 months. I am just now posting them, and you are now 7 1/2 months! You are such a blessing, and you are growing so quickly! You are so curious! You love watching the chickens, and pretty much anything with a face that moves! You can get anywhere you want by crawling, and you really like your walker! You used to fall right asleep when I would rock you, but now you are too alert most of the time, so I have been laying you down. You are now sleeping very good through the night, and you are so happy to see me when I come get you in the morning! You love your sister, and try to get her toes, hair, and toys as often as you can. She loves you too, and usually shares her toys with you. She also makes sure you don't get the toys your not supposed to have (i.e. her toy cars, small stuff etc.), and she'll say, "no, no baby . . .no, no"! You are a good eater and you are already wearing Kyria's 12 month clothes from last year! Thank you for saving us money! :) We LOVE YOU sweet girl, and are so Thankful for YOU! It is so exciting to watch you grow! :)

Project 365: Week 14 & 15

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 04:07:00 +0000

Day 96

Day 97

Day 98

Day 99

Day 100

Day 101

Day 102

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Day 117

"Under The Sea" Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 05:42:00 +0000

What a FuN Day! We had such a GREAT time celebrating God creating YOU dear, Kyria!

A BIG thank you to everyone who came out to join the party!

Birthday Girls & The Zoo

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 03:46:00 +0000

Last week was Kyria's 2nd Birthday! I wish I would have had this blog post up several days ago, but this has seriously been the cRaZiEsT week!

So here's a glance at the BIG Day! We celebrated the actual day with breakfast & gifts in the morning, and then we headed to the zoo to meet up with Kyria's birthday buddy, Stella. Stella is her cousin who shares the exact same birthday, but was born one year earlier! It was such FuN to have the girls get together! I foresee a grand friendship in the works! :)

Visiting the Zoo was also a GREAT way to wrap up our "Zoo" themed toddler activities for the first two weeks of June! Now we are on "Bubbles"!

More pics of her "Under The Sea" Birthday Party coming soon! :)

Project 365: Weeks 12 & 13

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 03:20:00 +0000

Day 81

Day 82

Day 83

Day84

Day 85

Day 86

Day 87

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Day 94

Day 95

My, Oh My, these past two weeks have been a whirlwind! As you can see I've had four sessions! I regret not getting enough shots of the girls everyday, but when I'm backed up on editing I don't want to add to my plate. I won't usually have this many sessions, it just happened to work out that way this month because I worked in a few for family and friends! I am mostly sad that I don't have any pictures of Brielle! I have been wanting to take 6 month pictures of her since the 5th, but time has gotten away from me. Everything has to be perfect to get a baby this age . . . mostly I need a second hand to help with Brielle (we wouldn't want her to topple over - she is sitting up pretty good, but I am not comfortable leaving her alone while I'm behind the camera), and a third hand to watch Kyria. Skyler can be my second hand, but it's that third hand that is sometimes hard to find! I think we might be able to get some shots tomorrow if the weather cooperates!

PS Some of these shots were planned and taken with my camera, others were not and/or taken with my phone! A watermark does not necessarily indicate a quality photo, just that I remembered to put it on there! lol I debate whether to leave the watermark on photos I know aren't that great, but then I remember that the whole point is so people won't steal the image, NOT because I think they are watermark worthy . . .

Zoo Animal Snack & Marble Painted Zebras

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 18:35:00 +0000

I posted about the Giraffes we made & the GoLd MiNe I found at Hubbard's Cupbard a couple days ago. After a quick trip to the store & library, we are ready for our first unit!

I'm thinking I will catalogue our activities here on the blog so that I can go back and look at it once Brielle or any other kids we might have are Kyria's age.

Here are a few pictures from the last couple days. Basically I took the Hubbard's Cupboard's lesson plans (Zoo Animals), decided which ones we could do with very little additional expense, and now I am just using activities that will work for us each day. Kyria and I get to have our learning activity time during Brielle's first nap. On days we go to town (like yesterday when we went to the library), we don't get to have this time. So I decided we would do the "zoo animal cages" during snack time that day.

I probably wouldn't necessarily do two painting activites back to back, but Kyria was so jazzed about the Giraffes yesterday, and she kept saying, "paint, paint?" So I thought, "what the hay, let's do this!" Again, we had to have a momma zebra, daddy zebra, and two baby zebras! I think this girl loves her family! :)

I'm sure I will be posting more of our FuN activities in a few days!

Oh yes! Brielle turned 6 months yesterday!!!! I am planning to do a photoshoot of her sometime in the next couple days! She naps at the same time as Kyria now, so my photo ops with just her and I have become limited.

Have a great weekend! :)

Project 365: Week 10 & 11

noreply@blogger.com (Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead) — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 05:09:00 +0000

Day 69

Day 70

Day 71

Day 72

Day 73

Day 74

Day 75

Day 76

Day 77

Day 78

Day 79

Day 80