Comin' Home

Enjoying Spring's Beauty at our Country Home

2013-04-09T12:08:00.000-05:00

As you can see, spring has certainly sprung around our place! I thought you might like a peek at what's been blooming around here. :)

These daffodils were planted as a birthday present by my 18yr old last spring. They made their first appearance just in time for my 50th birthday this year. Perfect timing.

As you can see.. the fields were getting a bit overgrown due to the fact that we are gone all week. I filled my new wheelbarrow full of weeds from the flower beds. We finally got in a good week of work on the property during Spring break.

I discovered that our azaleas really took a hit over the winter. Some kind of fungus is giving me fits! The blooms are still so lovely though.

I consulted my gardening whiz friend, Laurie, and she said just to chop off all the damaged parts after the blooms are gone. I gave them a good spray with an anti-fungal and am going to take her advice soon, to mulch the bushes with pine needles.

The family and I got a lot done in the fresh air and warm sunshine. It was nice to have Rebekah here to help with the yard work too. She loves getting a 'dose of country' after her long work weeks in downtown Houston.

Tim taught me to ride the riding lawn mower. I discovered it's a lot more work than I thought!

Is there anything prettier than dogwoods in the sunshine? They just seem to glow!

And how I love sitting on the deck for morning devotions with a nice cup of hot coffee or tea. I miss our place so much during the week...

and of course we always cook out when we get the chance. Though it sure seems odd grilling only three steaks. I'm still getting used to a smaller crowd at home. :)

Hope you're having a lovely spring.. and up to your elbows in dirt, leaves, and blooms!

Psalm 1:3 Those who love God.... shall be like a well tended tree planted by springs of flowing water. His leaves shall never droop and everything he does will be successful.

Why Sunday is Special...

2013-04-01T01:07:00.003-05:00

Isaiah 58:13-14 (NIV)13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,14 then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

God is very specific about what is supposed to happen on the Sabbath, yet there are so many distractions from worship. Lives are busy. It takes an ultimate act of trust and obedience to abandon all we do and kneel before our King, not just for one hour, but for an entire day, each week. Here is an awakening thought: have a restful day on Saturday so that you will be ready to worship with everything you have on Sunday! Impossible? Ridiculous? Legalistic? But it sounds like what God requires of us.

In the way that only God can do, He then tells of what He has in store for us in verse 14. All that we seek to achieve and fulfill by doing as we please will be replaced by God’s abundance when we keep our worship on Him. Rest, fulfillment, blessing and honor are a natural outflow of honoring the Sabbath, but we must relinquish our own pursuits to receive them.

This excerpt came from my research at Breathe / Arts in Worship on the Sabbath today. After a month of Lent.. and 'unplugging', I was anxious not to lose the sense of rest, perspective, and seemingly unlimited time that resulted.

I began to look into why we no longer observe the Sabbath when it was such a part of the fabric of society on a few decades ago. I begin to suspect the Sabbath might be the answer to the stress and busy-ness of our modern society.

What do you think?

Happy Easter!

2013-03-28T16:48:00.004-05:00

Well folks.. it's been 23 days since our family started the computer fast for Lent. :) It's been one of the most difficult and yet rewarding experiences I can ever remember having.

Unplugging is very hard at first.. but the quiet, the fellowship, the time for thoughtful reflection..

and our renewed love for God and his word.. were definitely worth the effort.

Praying you have a blessed, and meaningful Easter.

PS. There's still time to 'unplug'.. if you have never tried it. :)

*Photo of Percy, the dog, by my son, Christian.

Gardening and Yardwork..Country Style

2013-03-13T13:50:00.000-05:00

After mowing on left, before mowing on the right.

Hey Friends, Since I'm still offline till Easter, I'm just sharing a post of what we did LAST year that we are doing again this week-yard work. Enjoy!

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One drawback about living on seven acres in the middle of a large forest is that the yard work is just a little bit more daunting! We've been at it for THREE DAYS! Yep..but when the leaves are all raked out and burned, that will be the worst of it until next fall. You just gotta spread the work out. I can hardly walk because my legs are so stiff.And my right arm..it's hurting for sure. But I feel great--Love the exercise!

For one thing, we have the equivalent of about eight yards. There’s the back pasture (2 1/2 acres), the middle pasture in front of the barn, the back ‘yard’ the front yard, the side yard, the front pasture (2 1/2 more acres)…and well a very long driveway too! ..I think that’s it.

Tim and the boys removed a fence dividing the two back pastures with this tractor.

To care for property this big requires some very big tools..like a tractor, a back hoe for removing fence posts, a brush hog for mowing acres of grass. This part is Tim’s job. :o)

And what was Rebekah doing all of this time? Ahh..planting flowers. We pitched in together and bought a tray full and traded with a friend.

She has planted lots of flowers and herbs this year. Her little sprouts are doing so good!

(Hmm.. so why is Hubby riding this lawn mower? Something is wrong with this picture. LoL!)

The boys’ job is to mow our ‘middle pasture’ and the front and back yards with the riding lawn mower.

They also use the push mower to do detail mowing where the riding lawn mower can’t get through.

When we want to water the lawn..well..we need a LOT of water hoses!

The sprinkler makes it all the way! It's pretty powerful. We have a timer this year. It will be worth every penny. This poor yard needs fertilizer and a lot more water than we've gotten this year.

I think we must be having a drought. It's been very dry for Houston. The azaleas didn't bloom well this year, but the dogwood trees are as lovely as ever.

The next thing to do is go around and pull up or spray all the dandelions and clover. Yes, they are deceptively beautiful..aren’t they?

We have lots of ornamental and flowering bushes to care for. The blight was getting on my Camellias and Azaleas, so I needed to rake the season’s fall leaves and mulch away from the base of the bushes. I sprayed them too with a good fungicide. (Thanks Christian for helping Mom!)

It takes a lot of tools to keep up with all the kinds of yard work needed on our property.

Tim stores a lot of tools in the barn, but the rest end up in my potting shed. Tim sure loves his barn-LoL!

The roses, on the other hand are being eaten by leaf cutter ants. That’s their favorite food! So I sprayed them with insectide and sprinkled cayeanne pepper all around the base of all my flowers and bushes.

Rebekah’s Chocolate Mint

A farmer in New Waverly said that’s all you can do. These pesky critters live off of fungus they grow under the ground after stripping the leaves off of neighboring bushes and trees. You just have to make life miserable enough for them that they decide to leave. You cannot kill them!

The detail work, Tim saves for me. Really, I’m the only one who will pay enough attention to details to care for the flowering bushes, the bushes lining our sidewalk, the ornamentals, and bulbs. So I do the weeding and splitting of things that have gotten out of control.

Thanks, Hubby, for the new watering can! He just got me a new flower garden barrel for $18.00 at Sam's Club. His wheel barrow ( a Christmas gift from his parents) is just so heavy. Besides, everybody wants it. I asked him if I could had one and he's so happy that I'm getting so much done outside that he said, "Sure!". Hubbies like giving gifts like that. Tee-hee!

I handle every thing except the palm trees and sego palms. They are tough to work with. Tim and the boys have trimmed some of our palm trees and this week trimmed the sago palms down to the nubbins. The freeze really did some damage this year!

Jacob thinks gutter cleaning and sago palm trimming are jobs for ‘men only’. I do think he’s ready for boot camp now..don’t you? Gee..I just have to show you a ‘smiling’ picture so you won’t think he never does. (These are his ‘cool’ poses.)

Oops..where did this little fellow come from? Jacob and Tim were cleaning the gutters. What a mess!

I’m glad they didn’t hurt this guy. He better find a safer place to hang out when our family is doing yardwork!

Happy Gardening! What are you working on this week?

An Electronic Entertaiment Fast for Lent

2013-03-07T09:13:00.002-06:00

Hey Folks,

I just wanted to let you know that I'm about to be offline for a month. My son, who is 18, wanted to fast from all forms of electronic entertainment.. except music for Lent.

I hated to be typing away and leaving him to tackle this experience alone so I agreed to join him.. and then my hubby jumped on board too. :)

So I'm going to be off line through Easter.

I was so proud of Christian for taking up such a big challenge. We are Baptists but our pastor thought observing Lent would be great preparation for Easter. We all agree. This is one idea every Christian should consider doing.

It's only Day 3 but the idea was so great that I thought I'd share it with you before I sign off for the month. Already.. we have found things to do to fill the amazing amount of time left over. :)

Things we've done in 3 days of no movies, tv, computers, texting, or facebook ( I'm stopping that too as of today.)

Planted a flower box of herbs and flowers
Hung plants and birdfeeder on patio
My son taught me how to strum faster (contemporary style) We played worship music together for hours yesterday.
Read books
Played Backgammon
Taking meals to a couple of families in crisis today
Made Easter gift packages for my grandkids.
Read son's college reader and had a great discussion on the essays he was analyzing.
He's exercising more.. I'm walking the dog more.
Bible study

That's just three days worth! I must say that my teenage son and I have had more fun and closeness in these last three days than we have all year. He's doing very well. I was having a bit harder time. :)

Our whole family (the ones still at home) have taken up my 18 yr old's challenge to 'unplug'. So I'll see you at the end of the month.. maybe with a photo tour of our amazing experiences while being out of touch with the online world.

Have a wonderful Easter!

My Dream Room... including the Coffee Filter Flowers :)

2013-02-14T11:37:00.002-06:00

As you know, we have an apartment in the city now.. and the office was just very drab. I could hardly resign myself to working in there.

So, having little time or motivation for making decor, I headed off to Hobby-Lobby to buy the decor. (I know.. I'm in shock too! :)

It's the first time I've ever just picked out stuff I loved so really it was pretty hard to do. I have to say though that this stuff is 'me' all over.

How can I not be inspired by such lovely colors and scrappy designs. It's like music, sewing, and crafts all put together. I really think the Lord must have been directing this room makeover. :)

Still, it was all half-price which made it easier. Total cost was $140.00.

This is basically my dream room. Thanks Hubby! His take on the floral decor was very kind considering he works in this office with me at night. His response with a grin was.."Umm.. wow.. colorful.. " One of the many reasons I love him so much. :)

Rebekah strongly encouraged me to get the hot pink curtains. I so avoid bright colors that I actually bought the earth toned green linen ones.. realized they did nothing for such a low light room.. returned them.. and came home with the fuschia ones. I'm such a chicken when it comes to color! :)

PS. Somehow I managed to forget I didn't have a curtain rod.. so off to Ross for one more.

The main inspiration for the colors came from a coffee filter bouquet (pictured at top) that my daughter and I made a few weeks ago. This was such a fun project. She made me do it just to cheer me up a little bit. It had been so long since I did a craft project and I have to say it was very very fun.

When I get some other projects done, I'll have to try some different styles. These flowers are so easy to do.. and are amazingly durable and inexpensive. Here's the link to the tutorial we followed at Bridal Musings. No sense me repeating it all here.

Can you believe I forgot to take pictures? lol.. I truly am out of the blogging groove, but who knows.. I may get back into it soon.

Hope you have a very lovely Valentine's day.

Glorious Hints of Spring

2013-02-08T07:26:00.000-06:00

Isn't it amazing how much beauty we can see when we are forced to slow down?

I honestly cried with frustration..in fact I've done it several times this last three weeks..because I couldn't 'do' what I needed (or was that wanted?) to do.

But I knew in my heart that the Lord knew just what I needed...to slow down.

Once I got over my little pity party...I began to truly listen...to reflect... to thank Him for this inconvenient... yet perfectly timed interruption to our lives.

Today I worshipped...often. I had plenty of time.

When is the last time that you can recall having plenty of time. It's easy. Just cut out the fluff.

Everything I do takes twice as long, so it seems odd to feel that I have excess time, but I do.

There are so many frivolous activities..time wasters.. that I can't do comfortably now. And there are many fun projects that I simply can't do. Sniff!

But I do have time to drink in the beauty of God's creation..and to admire his handiwork.

However busy you might be.....why not take a moment to sit quietly and reflect on God's goodness today.

A little walk or peek out the window might be just what the doctor ordered. :-)

Hey friends, Long time no see. :) Hubby and I feel that now would be a great time for me to begin blogging again.

Now that our family is all home and together and I've got TONS more time and lots of sewing projects and decorating to do, I'd like to get back in the swing of things.. and back in touch with all of you here at Comin' Home. :) I've truly missed you all.

It's a new season of life for me now.. perhaps the perfect time to pick up the pieces of Comin' Home.

This is a repost from last spring.. and the tulip tree looks exactly the same this spring as last. I brought the blossoms back to our home in the city last night. It's hard to believe life has changed so much since last spring. My wrist works perfectly and I have all the strength back too.

I can't wait to share the beauty of our new home and new life and new projects.. with you. <3 nbsp="" p="">

Love,

Donna

Catching Up...with Blogging Friends

2012-11-05T02:21:00.000-06:00

Long time no see! Thank you so much for all the kind notes asking how I was, where I was, and would I please post an update. I do apologize for not blogging and for not even warning you ahead of time that I wasn't going to blog any more.

Of course this could have something to do with the fact that I didn't know I was going to stop blogging. As you may recall, I broke my arm in January visiting my newest granddaughter, Baby Lillie Sophie. It took a good four months to get through the therapy and get my arm and hand working again.

During that time, for the first time in 15 years, Tim got a job outside our home! It was waaaaay more money than he has ever made. The only catch was the job was in Houston, as you may recall.

So Tim and my 21 yr. old daughter, Rebekah, decided to 'room' together till we could sell the house in the country.

About the same time, my son Jacob, 20, got a job in Huntsville. In one month, three family members moved out of the house (including hubby).

Andrew, Elisabeth, Auggie, Lillie, and Lena in Washington.

Between the empty house, and my broken wrist...inertia set in...and what in hindsight I must admit probably amounted to depression. I didn't realize that was what happened. The first month or two I was ok...but I got sadder and sadder..

Christian and Rebekah on his 18th birthday.

Every weekend hubby would come home, and every Sunday night he would go back to the apartment near his job. I lost a husband and two children in one fell swoop.. and I wondered why I cried all day Sunday...every Sunday.

During the week I just felt numb. Christian, my 18 yr.old, and I just whiled away the hours...not being terribly productive. He had outside classes on Mondays, and I had a weekly date on Wed. and therapy.

But all my get up and go...just sort of got up and went. It was so embarrassing! I literally didn't want to do anything. And honestly I just didn't. No facebook, no emails, no phone calls, no paying bills (at least if I didn't have to). I did clean house on Fridays..but I just didn't want to do anything really.

One good thing is that I managed to teach arts and crafts for 4 months during Christian's coop class to the younger group (elementary age). I taught how to make corn husk dolls, dipped candles, musical combs, quill pens, and so much more...but sadly, didn't blog any of it.

I am grateful for that weekly commitment as it kept me from crawling into a hole and staying there.

This year, I taught a creative writing class to five older girls which you saw the earlier post was about. :) We had a wonderful year together!

For two months, I nursed a baby kitty ..about three days old on a bottle and eventually gave Lucy to a family from church. She could not be more loved... :) The Lord made sure I didn't get lost in that darkness. He just kept sending me things to do that I couldn't get out of... Lol!

Over the summer we had a big shooting party for Father's day. Christian was sooo happy about that. :)

I even managed to lose 25 pounds between January and September!

Matthew (home from Afghanistan), Amanda, Colin, Nikolai, and Brennan

Some of the grandkids came to visit in May, which was wonderful! So much fun.. so many special memories.

But that's what happened. At one point, I got so scared about the lack of interest I felt in anything (even eating if you can imagine that!), that I finally told Tim ... we gotta do something..now.

We were supposed to wait till the lease was up which would have made it a seven month separation, but Tim moved back in about two months before that and started commuting the long hour and a half one way in heavy traffic--3 hours round trip.

In no time, I was happy again...and normal. :) Tim even got us a gorgeous .. I mean stunning apartment home near work and we paid triple payments for Oct. :) Between the house payment, new apartment and the old apartment, we were spending a lot but amazingly, we had plenty left over to spare too! :) Rebekah's new apartment is only 10 minutes away.

Now we live in two homes...and both are beautiful!

We are settled in our new home, and my arm is fine. I am slowly getting back in the groove of doing stuff again. This week found me hemming an exquisite lace wedding dress for Trudy's daughter, Kimberly. ( It had to be done by hand.) Next week, I'll be coordinating the food for the reception, and punch plus other details.

Lena's picture for me using colored pencils I sent her. :)

Baby steps...back to normal. In the mean whiles, I thought I'd send this update...long over due, to all of you who have been such faithful readers. I don't know that I will be blogging again any time soon but I owed this update to you all.

The Lord was always there taking care of me...and I know part of it was due to your prayers. It is so nice to have no more tears...

The sun is shining brightly....the family is growing...and changing... and I just had to take a moment and share a little bit of the brightness with you.

Thanks for being such good friends! . (Hope to maybe ....maybe blog once a week.)

Happy Homemaking,

Donna

How to Write a Haiku Poem

2012-03-16T12:55:00.002-05:00

The Huntress

Deep growl, a warning...

Twitching, crouched like a lion

Pounce! Squeak! Ahhh...dinner!

by Donna C. Rodgers

Long time no see! Hope this post finds you all well and busy. With spring approaching, I thought you might enjoy this little exercise in poetry writing that I'm doing with my middle school girls co-op class.

I've never written a Haiku poem until today. What an appropriate way to celebrate spring!

The instructions I sent the girls are below.

Enjoy!

Hi Girls,

This week's assignment is both simple and challenging. Writing a three line poem called a Haiku.

1. Read a little bit about the elements of poetry, at this link. Elements of Poetry. (Each week I will give you new topic about poetry to read on your own.)

1. I would like you to finish the Haiku poems you started in class. Please email it to me if you can, and I can go over it and suggest changes if you would like.

2. Draw or print a picture to go with it.

3. Then I'd like you to write one on a different subject.

4. I believe, what you need most to do, is FOCUS on some SMALL part of the topic.

TOPICS Possible focus (pick only one or two)

Spring weather change, tree getting leaves, bees in the redbud tree, mother bird feeding chick, turtle sunning

Birthdays the taste and lighting of a cake, the gift and it's opening, the party guests, breakfast in bed, getting older

Beach a hermit crab changing homes, the action of waves on the sand, footprints, kite flying, ships on the horizon

flowers bud, opening, visitors, picking and giving to mom, gracing a vase

New Jewelry sparkles, dangling, gift from a friend, handed down from Grandma, light shimmering

Vacation no more books! packing and on the road, anticipation, grand views, music on the radio, maps

5. See how picking one or two smaller parts of a BIG topic gives you something more to write about?You are really describing the event like a riddle.

Don't mention the main topic except perhaps as the title. That way you leave the reader guessing. :) This adds that element of surprise.

Here's how to do it.

a. Pick your favorite hobby, favorite color, animal, place, memory. i.e. cat

b. Then list several things you like about the topic. (appearance, sounds, feelings and sensations, disappointments, triumphs)

i.e. affectionate nature, piercing eyes, rumbling purr, soft supple fur, elegant and aloof, great hunters, nursing kittens

c. Now pick ONE of those things you would like to FOCUS on. i.e great hunter (my least favorite part)

d. list words about that topic. twitching tail, warning rumble, piercing gaze, the crouch, springing into action, the pounce, the offering of the mouse on my doorstep, delicate cleaning of paws after dinner

e. Perhaps find a logical order for the three sentences i.e. what you hear, then see, then the result

f. Now try to say those things within the proper Haiku pattern.

1st sentence 5 syllables

2nd sentence 7 syllables

3rd sentence 5 syllables

Here's my 'rough draft' on Cats (I've never written this type of poem...but I'll give it a go. :)

Growling, rumbling, warning

Tail twitches, crouches, pauses hidden

Pounce! dinner! Happy purring.

As you can see, there's too many syllables here. So I'll try to get rid of some words.

Deep growl, a warning

Twitching, Crouched, Hidden

Sudden pounce! Squeak!, Ahhh...Dinner! (Oops got my 5-7-5 mixed up.) This is 557.

Now for a title... How about 'the huntress'?

The Huntress

Deep growl, a warning

Tall grass twitching, Crouched, Hidden

Pounce! Squeak!, Ahhh...Dinner!

Optional: Add a Simile

I can't wait to see what you come up with. :)

Happy writing!

Mrs. Rodgers

Brighter Days on the Horizon!

2012-03-03T18:52:00.000-06:00

Today, I found myself actually WALKING QUICKLY through a room to go do something. I felt like my old self almost!

I was able to turn the key in the ignition, drive with BOTH HANDS, carry a bag with applesauce in it, hold a pan while scrubbing, and open the deck door. (It's a spring loaded lever type.) I don't have to keep it elevated at all. These are HUGE accomplishments. :)

Ladies, I think I'm about to move back into type A mode! Yippee! Hope that means you'll hear from me more often. When I can get things done, I can do things to post about! :)

The cold is almost gone, and I've spent the day grading papers. Suddenly, I'm seeing messes everywhere. Is it spring fever? I hope so!

Hope you are having a wonderful week too.

PS. And Yes..I CAN Hula Hoop!

I'm Under the Weather, but the Flowers are Just Fine

2012-02-29T13:01:00.001-06:00

I wanted to pop in and send a little note to you all. I'm sick with a bad cold so this will have to be short. :) I did want to let you know that between Rebekah's relentless 'encouragement' (lol) and my own determination, a great menu plan, and some challenging exercise, I've lost a lot of weight.Yippee!

I was just so surprised! The recipes from the Biggest Loser book are really yummy and make the transition to clean eating almost painless. I have to cook more, but frankly, my health and fitness are worth it. I promised her not to tell you how much weight, until she gets to write her own post.

I am more encouraged about the thought of being able to truly get back to a normal weight than ever before. Hope is what I needed most. :)

On another topic, the flowers are blooming beautifully here. :) I couldn't resist sharing them. The tulips I planted last year (gifts from hubby) finally bloomed, along with our white bushes, whose name I don't know, and our camellias.

In spite of my bad cold and misery, I could still manage to enjoy the fresh breezes from the deck and smile at the spring green of our tulip tree and palm trees. The tulips are gone, but the fresh green leaves brightened my day. What a glorious color!

Rebekah is busily planting zinnias, marigolds, and some mystery seeds from our good friend, Laurie. Her pansies and my Christmas bulbs are doing very well.

Since she can't whip me into shape and keep me going on lunges and stretches, she's taking it out on her poor garden. She's feeling better but I'm not there yet, so I'm glad she's expending her energy outdoors. LOL! She always needs a project to manage. For the moment, I'm off the hook. :)

My cast is off, and my wrist is stiff as anything. I missed the first therapy appointment today, due to the cold, but I've been doing exercises anyway. It feels like I have arthritis or something. My whole hand aches, but when I work it, it begins to feel more normal. I'm still very limited in the work I can do around the house, which still slows me down terribly. I don't have a lot of spare time, but I'm getting more done than at the beginning, so that's good news. I'm SO glad the cast is off!

With a house sale looming, and a move, I've decided to at least de-clutter a box or bag a day in the potting shed. There are so many things we've kept because we 'might' need them, and now, I feel the freedom to get rid of them. It's amazing what you can accomplish in one room, one box at a time! You should try it. :) (Salvation army is gonna love us! )

We have lots of yard work to do, but I won't get to do much of it, sadly. It's feeling gloriously fresh and springy outside, but my job will be supervisor to the work crew. :) Guess I'll just have to get over it. LOL! (Gee....where is that cup of tea and lawn chair?)

Our next craft project in co-op is quill pens, but that won't be till next week. Hopefully, I'll get to feeling better soon and can post our corn husk doll project and the quill pen one too.

Thanks so much for visiting while I've been under the weather...I'm looking forward to normal life one day soon! Your cheery encouragement on my weightloss journey is priceless. Thank you!

My Mom is the Biggest Loser!

2012-02-23T19:11:00.000-06:00

For those of you who thought this is my actual opinion of my mother, shame on you. I love my mother dearly and she is about as far from being a loser as you possibly could be; until now. You see, my mother is starting our version of "The Biggest Loser" challenge.

The Coach

As her coach, mentor, dietician, and #1 fan, let me introduce myself; my name is Rebekah Rodgers. Since I was big enough to walk, I have led a fairly active/healthy lifestyle; developed a pattern of habits that cultivate healthy eating choices, active hobbies, and determination to stay fit. At 21 years old, I still maintain those habits.

But my Mother has spent the last 20+ years taking care of five kids, a house, and husband. Somewhere along the line, she neglected to take care of her own health and wellbeing. That's where we find ourselves today. She has decided to make a change right now to save her health and live better.

The Biggest Loser Challenge

For the next 6 weeks (or however long it takes) Mom will be following the diet plan and exercise routines outlined in "The Biggest Loser" by Cheryl Forberg (and others). In order to motivate her to stick with the program, I have decided to diet and exercise with her through all 6 weeks.

We have four charts on the fridge: water intake, diet check, exercise check, and weight progress. I also had Mom put up a picture of her goal -- herself nearly 20 years ago -- as well as a list of excuses she's made since then that got her so far away from her optimal weight.

- For water intake, we aim for 128oz of water a day in four 32oz increments.

- Our diet plan follows the 1,200-1,500 calorie balanced meals listed in the book. (Note: 5 small meals a day makes a huge difference in hunger and cravings.)

- Exercises vary each week in type and intensity but in addition to the workouts, we walk 30-45 minutes outdoors. Mom's favorite warm-up is hula hooping while listening to Country music.

We are currently on Day 2. Weight progress = -1lb

Quote of the day:

Mom: "What?? I can't run!"

Me: *rolls eyes* "If one of your children got hit by a car, would you walk to their aid or run?"

Mom: "... I guess I can run."

Lesson learned: You CAN exercise beyond what you think you can. You'll never know your limits until you push them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's where I need your help. Mom needs all the motivation, support, encouragement, (and prayers) you can give her. Comment below and let her know you're cheering for her!

Valentine's Day Isn't Just for Couples..

2012-02-14T15:43:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day to you..and all of those you love!!

Our celebration is in full scale production. :)

Rebekah, my dear daughter, started it off with a box of chocolates sneakily deposited on everyone's pillow. The boys all heartily approved of this nice gesture. LOL!

Then I headed off to the local store for a special arrangement for her. Until that someone special arrives on the scene..Daddy is still her favorite Valentine. :)

Hubby wrote the sweetest note to her. What a guy!

I'm writing love notes to the kids to leave on their pillows this evening.

Together, Rebekah and I made a Valentine's brunch for the family with heart shaped scones..sweetened strawberries..and Passion fruit tea.

Simply delightful!

(Even Percy, her dog got a scone. Shhh! Don't tell Dad!)

We watched a little bit of Emma..the perfect Valentine's Day movie..for sure!

This evening, Hubby and I will be going out to dinner at the Chili's where our daughter works.

She wants to be our waitress tonight.

For us this day is as much of a family event ...as a couple one.

We must not be the only ones who think so.

At the country market..I overheard a good ole' country boy loudly proclaiming he wanted something PINK for his mother-in-law. It sounded so funny coming from him. LOL!

He picked out the absolutely pinkest flower arrangement he could find.

Turns out his Mother-in-law is 91 years old!

She was in a nursing home and he was getting ready to go visit her.

"Nothing makes her day better than something really pink", he declared.

"I'm giving you a new commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have loved you. John 13:34

Sure hope you find someone out there to show how much you care.... with a little pink today.

Do the Next Thing

2012-02-10T11:23:00.000-06:00

Hi Dear friends,

While I had the chance, I thought I'd share one more post. Guess I spoke too soon when I said I didn't have any organizational gems to share with you.

This one has gotten me through more trials and difficulties than any other.

Elisabeth Elliott, whose husband was killed after only two years on the mission field, by Auca indians' first shared this priceless quote with me many years ago at a conference. Her wisdom is timeless and tested.

She shared this poem in her book The Shaping of a Christian Family..and in many of her talks.

How do I know this principle will work for you? It's simple. I've lived it out and tested it for myself.

...when I was a young mommy with five sick babies (all at once), when I went through homeschool burnout at age 40, took care of my granny with alzheimer's for a year (along with four children), cared for a 70 year old almost homeless/eccentric man recovering from a heart attack for a year (along with five kids) and nursed hubby through chemo...

Her quote...and this poem..got me through the day...and another day...and another...and many more.

In my book, a broken wrist is a pretty mild sort of trial compared to the challenges of the past...but the principle works just as well.

(photo by Rebekah)

Do the Next Thing

From an old English parsonage down by the sea
There came in the twilight a message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven,
Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.
And on through the doors the quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration: “do the next thing.

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, and guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrows, child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, do the next thing.

Do it immediately, do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
Leave all results, do the next thing.

Looking for Jesus, ever serener,
Working or suffering, be thy demeanor;
In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing.
Then, as He beckons thee, do the next thing.

It's hard for us Type A's to limit ourselves to just one 'thing' a day. Still..that is what I must rejoice in. Lord help me to celebrate that one thing.

This week, I deep cleaned the kitchen, got the laundry caught up, taught school, took two walks, did only ONE blog post (sniff ) left two comments, and today we are buying groceries. In my book, that's a very short list...only a day's worth LOL! Still need to do the budget and grade school papers.

As Elisabeth Elliot said, "Just do the next thing." It is enough.

I'm thankful that I can do so much and that my family is carrying the rest. :)

I do hope that this poem and little nugget of truth can encourage you if you are having a hard time getting your daily work done.

Bursting and Budding in the Sunshine

2012-02-09T16:09:00.001-06:00

Everything's budding and springing up around here! I had to share a few more photos of all the pretties popping up. :-)

I am just getting back into the swing of things so I don't have any great organizational gems to share this week, but I am feeling much better today. The laundry doesn't look quite so daunting. I tackled the kitchen with cleaning gusto--albeit with one hand.

School is going well as my youngest son and I tackle the intricacies of negative exponents and the proper use of turn signals and right of way courtesies. He drove me to our little country market yesterday with no major mishaps. (Hurrah!)

The best news is that I have yet to take any medication for pain today. My last pill was at 5am. That's nine hours ago! I really think my arm has turned a corner in the healing process. I've felt so optimistic today and more able to focus on work.

This morning, I just had to grab the camera to get a few photos of all the pretty buds pushing there way up through winter's deadfall...

These bulbs were replants from last year's tulips and daffodils that hubby brought home to me from the grocery store! I'm so happy they survived the summer's drought and long winter rains. Looks like they need some thinning out.

These little green onions were an impulse buy at our local feed store. We are basically growing a salad garden. I love green onions!

Rebekah and I are making good use of our small flowerbed.

We have lettuce, onions, and basil growing ...

and tomato plants in the windowsill waiting for warmer temperatures before making their debut.

It always surprises me when I get down on my knees in the dirt to admire the beauty of Spring's first growth.

Even the weeds boast of tiny beauty...deceptively so I think...We don't want these pretties spreading do we?

I'm so amazed and enthralled at the exquisite beauty of things that go so often unnoticed by most of us in the busy hustle and bustle of daily life..

How the Lord must have enjoyed planning and lovingly creating each flower of the field.

How appropriate that we take a moment today to admire His handiwork.

Song of Solomon 2:12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

Hopefully, I will be able to start visiting you all...If my wrist will hold out. Why the mouse causes so much pain I don't know, but it does.

How I've missed your posts! I do hope you are all well and not letting winter's gloom get you down. Spring will be there before you know it! Have a lovely week!

FlyLady Baby Steps to The Rescue!

2012-01-31T10:32:00.000-06:00

Source: sunsurfer.tumblr.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Flylady to the rescue!

Today, I woke up and knew that it was time to get back to work. The vacation is over and I need to carry on..with or without a working right hand.

Suddenly those baby steps to a clean home look a lot bigger...

(Meet Baby Lillie!)

Still... they are the only thing that makes sense in my situation. I started to panic at the sight of all the mail and laundry (try folding anything one-handed--Not!)..and unpacking.

Then I remembered that my morning routine was all I needed to worry about:

shower
devotions
a load of laundry
start the meat defrosting
keep the sink shiny
pick up for a few minutes
sweep
take out the trash
open a few bills
answer emails

Source: scribd.com via Laura on Pinterest

We'll be just fine. This is do-able!

Now the real question is...can I still hula hoop???

Recouping at a Cozy Mountaintop Retreat

2012-01-22T14:39:00.000-06:00

I must say that if you have to break a wrist and need a quiet and cozy place to recoup, then Robin's home is the place to be.

Next week, we'll be back at my son's home and cuddling with the grandkids. By that time the pain and swelling will be minimal. We will do a little sight seeing in Seattle, some shopping, visit Tim's brother and sister-in-law, and we'll celebrate Lena's birthday. So fun!

For now, I'm dealing with the challenges of dressing, writing, typing and even sleeping with one hand. The constant dull ache and swelling bothers me very little during the day, but starts to get to me at night.

My next DIY project will be a giant pillow with the exact right height and shape to keep your arm elevated while you sleep. Anyone got a huge roll of duct tape I can borrow? LOL.

Elevation--all day, every day, is my constant challenge and will be for several weeks.

In the meanwhile, I am enjoying the most amazing views in the mountains overlooking the John Day river valley. All of this view is seen from the comfort of a recliner next to a cozy fire through picture windows of giant proportions! You can actually SEE the snowstorms coming from across the valley! It's like being in a snow globe! Enchanting!

Robin's home is bright and cheery and spacious. She waits on me hand and foot. Hot tea, coffee, magazines, ice packs, an extra pillow, fuzzy blanket or a pill (only at the proper time of course) are just a whisper away. She loves taking care of people and here I am...an invalid dropped right in her lap like manna from heaven. LOL!

Still, Hubby has to work ALL day long with boss and co-worker. Working together is not something they get to do very often..and the hours are invaluable to them. So I miss him..and the kids...and bloggy friends..and my church friends. Cell phones don't work and internet is sketchy. It's hard not to feel a little lonely.

On the bright side, we're driving back to Seattle tomorrow. Soon we'll be with family again...and cell phone reception. Who-hoo! I'm supposed to get a cast if the incisions have healed up properly right before we fly back to Texas. We hope that will be on the 28th.

If you could send up a little prayer for those stitches and not getting bumped on our space available flights, I'd be so grateful. Trying not to get too homesick..but when you are hurting, it's a little hard not to miss your own bed and pillow. Don't worry--I'm counting my blessings.:)

You, my friends are high on that list. Thanks for you sweet notes. :)

Surgery Today

2012-01-16T10:59:00.003-06:00

Hi friends,

Just wanted to let you know that surgery is at 1:30pm pacific time. That's 3:30 Texas time. I sure don"t care for anesthesia. It's out-patient surgery . Btw for those who were wondering,I broke my right wrist. I'm left handed so that's good news. They are putting in plates and pins to reattach the ends of the bones that broke off. The cast won't be put on for a couple of weeks. I'll have a splint at first.

No driving or washing up for six weeks! Yipes! Sounds like life will be different around our house for a while. We are heading to oregon tomorrow so I'll be recouping at Tim's boss's house. Thanks for everyone's prayers. Here's a sweet photo my son took of Lena. I have photos of the kids but can't post them yet. I'll share them soon. The snow here is goreous!

xo Donna

On a 'Break'.....Literally!

2012-01-12T22:08:00.001-06:00

credit

Two days ago we arrived in Seattle for our visit with the kids and grandkids. Yesterday morning i slipped in my fuzzy socks and landed on my wrist. It's broken pretty badly and I'll have to have out patient surgery this coming Thursday to get one of the bones in the proper place.

I'm typing this with one hand. :) I'm afraid it may be awhile before i can type again. Just wanted you to know where I was. When the pain subsides I'll try to update you. I'll be in a cast for six weeks.

Sadly, i had to cancel my trip to Maria's in Vancouver. We're so disappointed.

The bright side is that I'm still getting to cuddle with the grandkids and visit our kids.

The pain is pretty severe and the medicine makes me groggy...but hopefully things will get better quickly.
Be assured that I'm resting in the Lord's peace. Somehow this will all work out for the best.

Hubby drove us to his childhood home in Issaquah and to Snoqualmie falls. Inspite of the pain, I couldn 't help but be awestruck by it's majestic beauty. Thought you would enjoy seeing it.

Have a lovely week. I'll catch up with you as soon as I'm able.

Happy Homemaking!

Donna

Celebration, Resolution, Moderation...a Recipe for a Happy New Year

2012-01-03T11:19:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year friends! We're packing for a two and a half week trip to Washington to visit our kids and grandkids so our vacation will be longer than most. We'll be taking school 'on the road' too. I'm not sure how the posting will go with grandchildren nearby. (I'm so excited!)

I'm also looking forward to visiting Maria Killam of Color Me Happy. She lives in Vancouver, BC which is just a short bus ride from Seattle. (Well--four hours isn't too bad. :-) Who would have ever thought I'd actually make it to her house! Yippee!

I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas and have an even more wonderful New Year! Thoughts of New Year's Resolutions were floating around in my head and I couldn't help but mention the topic.

The fact is that I'm not too big on 'resolutions'. For me, this year has been one long resolution. LOL!

Still, it's wonderful to reflect on all that we've been able to accomplish this year...

de-cluttered home
a small weight loss and better eating habits
exercising more consistently
90% of our debt paid off
new school program for our youngest child (the last one still in homeschool)

Tim and I have purposely slowed down to spend more quality time with family and friends. We've talked on the phone with our adult children more and mended some bridges too. I would say that was the most important thing that happened this year. Loving each other. It's what we care about most.

Really, the things that have already happened are the things that most of us would want on our list: more spiritual, physical, relational, and financial peace and wholeness.

A new year is a great time to reflect on our progress towards a life lived purposely and to renew our commitment to those goals.

If there is any one thing I would encourage you to do this month, it would be to make a list of all that you HAVE done already. Celebrate those things first...Then..make a list of things you would like to see work on for this coming year.

Source: google.com via Pao on Pinterest

If I WAS to make a list it would be to

pray more
love more
write more
eat less
move more
and sew a LOT more!! (Who-hoo!)

My hope for this year, is to continue doing what I was last year...but more faithfully. Sadly, I'm a pretty naturally undisciplined person, and I've decided that I will always be striving to improve.

Procrastination is still my most decided weakness..though that seems to be on the decline too--hence the most awesome Christmas ever! Next year--I'm starting in July! (Just kidding.:o)

It's called growing up... but I have a sneaky suspicion I will be 'at it' till I'm 80. (Ah well..)

Source: radmegan.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

Just remember...the Tortoise got a lot further down the road than the hare! Don't beat yourself over the head for what you haven't done this last year...

Just keep movin' along the right track and a year from now, you'll be celebrating too!

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phillippians 4:4-7

May you be blessed in every way this coming year...

Happy Homemaking...

Donna

An Elegant Christmas Dinner (Bonus: How to Cook the Perfect Roast)

2011-12-22T12:33:00.000-06:00

Source: southernliving.com via Donna on Pinterest

It's four days until Christmas. Have you got your Christmas dinner planned and purchased? I'm so glad my daughter 'encouraged' me to get out in the fray and get our grocery shopping done. It's hard to get around in so much traffic.

Every year, I've done a very simple, and frugal Christmas dinner with time-tested favorite dishes that our family loves. If you are short on time and energy or are on a tight budget...click here for the perfect Christmas dinner for you.

However, due to the fact that we started so early on our Christmas prep, I'm done!! Yippee! So I want to cook a very SPECIAL Christmas dinner. An elegant one in fact. I spent a lot of time hunting for the BEST recipes from the most trusted sources to put together our Christmas dinner this year.

Source: google.com via Donna on Pinterest

Who Do I Trust? Cooks Illustrated, Southern Living, and Martha Stewart. They aren't the only ones, but these are some I've come to depend on. Still, you do have to subscribe to get much out of Cooks Illustrated (they block you out after hunting for two or three recipes)...and for my birthday, that's just what I'm doing.

Our Christmas Dinner Menu

Slow Cooked Roast Beef with Horseradish Sauce

Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust

Green bean Casserole (for the boys)

Greek Salad

Spinach Dip with Blue Cheese and Bacon

on Crusty Frenchbread Slices

and

Grasshopper Pie

Source: simplyrecipes.com via Donna on Pinterest

Slow Cooked Roast Beef with Horseradish sauce

I love Cook's Illustrated because the TEST every recipe. They are the 'Consumer Reports Group' for foodies. Their article on how to properly roast a cheap cut of beef was fabulous!

Thanks to them, my roasts are defrosting as we speak and will be aging in the fridge for the suggested four days. (You don't have to age it. Their recipe will make your roast taste great without doing that.)

I got the horseradish sauce recipe from Martha Stewart's website because she always using quality ingredients. Yes, they cost more...but they also taste heavenly. If we are going to splurge on delicious recipes..Christmas is surely the time to do that. :o)

Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust
Southern Living has great holiday recipes including Top 5 Main Dishes for Christmas. They also had holiday side dishes and that's where I got this recipe from. We are going to put it on a cake stand too. It includes both white potatoes and sweet potatoes plus a special cheese and other goodies. It should taste FABulous!

Source: marthastewart.com via Donna on Pinterest

Green Bean Casserole and Greek Salad
For veges, we will make a traditional green bean casserole. It's the only time of year my boys get 'doctored up' vegetables...and I don't want to disappoint them. But Rebekah and I are trying to control the damage to our waistlines by adding a lighter side dish.

Hubby and I once went to Ya Ya Mia's on a business trip and devoured their Greek salad. We had never tasted anything so good! So I'm trying a recipe from Martha Stewart. Tim will be so surprised and pleased. He loves Greek food.

Source: marthastewart.com via Donna on Pinterest

Spinach Dip with Blue Cheese and Bacon

I wanted to make creamed spinach and bacon, but Rebekah begged, "Please let us have spinach dip. It's Soooo yummy...and I'll make the crusty bread!" So I gave in. :o) We're making Spinach Dip with Blue Cheese and Bacon from Cooks Illustrated. If you get locked out then try Martha Stewart's website. She has that one too.

Source: google.com via Donna on Pinterest

Grasshopper Pie...Hubby's Favorite
It's embarrassing to think that Hubby's been 'hinting' for 25 years that I ought to make this. It's his favorite pie and I don't think he's eaten any anywhere in all this time. Poor hubby!

Why the delay? Well the recipe calls for Creme de' Menthe which is expensive and has to be purchased at a liquor store. For years, I've been too embarrassed to go get it. Now I'm not so squeamish..so I picked up a bottle last week. It should make a LOT of pies! LOL!

At any rate, this will be my first time to make grasshopper pie. Pioneer Woman has a munch simpler recipe, but if I make it..I want to make it extra special, so I'm trying Martha's which calls for better quality ingredients.

Either way, I'm looking forward to tasting this. Chocolate and Mint...How can we go wrong? :o)

So that's our Christmas dinner in a nut shell. If you are looking for more ideas, be sure to check out Southern Living's Top 5 Main Dishes for Christmas. They have some great suggestions!

Happy Homemaking...

Donna

Make a Fabulous Online Photo Album with a 'Scrapbook' Feel

2011-12-19T11:44:00.001-06:00

Can you believe that it's almost Christmas! I do hope you have most of your shopping and wrapping done! We bought our Christmas dinner last night and the stuff for the kids stockings.(Hope I can share the menu with you tomorrow! Yummy!)

Today, I'm doing my very last two things on the list...addressing some Christmas cards for local friends and arranging the dropping off of an Angel Tree Gift to a young teenager whose mother is in prison. That was the main way that our church ministered to others this Christmas. :o)

Gift Idea: Online Photo Album

Before I get to work though, I thought I'd share one last gift idea--an online photo album. I mentioned this on my Christmas list in November. Every year we make a photo album for my hubby's parents who live in Washington DC.

If you would like to try this, there is still time at Shutterfly to make one and get a huge discount. The deal is over today though. Still..this would be a great gift--deal or no deal.

Easy Option

If you are in a hurry, try the 'easy' mode. But be forewarned. You can't customize the size or shape of the boxes (which is bothersome if you have a photo with low resolution in that particular shape). And you can't add more than four photos per page. Still-- it is quick!

Custom Option

The other option is the custom one. You can add as many photos as you like and change just about everything, which is why it took me so long to make my album. LOL!

I spent a LOT of hours on this..but it's our annual family year book, so it's worth it to me.

I love being able to get that 'scrapbook' feel without actually doing the scrapbooking! No fuss or muss!

Tips

Yellow Triangles - The little warning marks don't show up when the book publishes of course. These tell you there are typos or that the photo is too close to the edge or may be blurry when printed.
Be careful to make sure none of your photos are too low of resolution. You will regret it when you get the book. The picture WILL be blurry.
Save often! It has auto save..but my java plug in crashed a couple of times and I lost a lot of work.

Don't change the cover or style midway through if you have done a lot of arranging you don't want to lose. It will mess the whole thing up! Play with it a while before you start doing a lot of detail writing or embellishing.

Try to gather as many photos as possible from your various folders. It's a lot easier than hunting mid-way through.
Make an outline of events you want to include.

If you have the option, don't pre-fill...instead choose to put your uploaded photos in a photo bar. Just drag photos to a page for each event without doing any detailing (text or embellishments). Keep sorting and dragging till all of your photos from the bar are gone. Now each page has all the relevant photos grouped for that event and you can go back and fuss with them or even add a page if necessary.

Have fun this holiday season with a heart-warming photo album. It's a great way to end the year!

Happy Homemaking...

Donna

Comin' Home's Top Ten Picks for Christmas Gifts $20.00 or Less

2011-12-16T01:10:00.002-06:00

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The Christmas countdown has begun..hasn't it? It's only ten more days till Christmas! If you didn't start my 'Get Ready for Christmas in Seven Days plan', you may be a little stressed out right now.

Don't worry though, there's still plenty of time to get your list finished. If it's been 'one of those years' where life has thrown a few monkey wrenches into your holiday preparations, perhaps this list of my favorite gifts (either ones I purchased or received) will help alleviate some pressure.
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Gardening in the Winter

2011-12-15T21:05:00.004-06:00

I know...for many of you there won't be any gardening for awhile. But in Houston, the growing season is almost ALL YEAR. In fact, if you check the back of the seed packets, planting starts in January!

Having gardened north of Dallas most of my childhood, my internal gardening clock is set to their schedule...April for planting and possibly later. So I always feel so BEHIND.

But Houston is a gardener's dream. My sweet friend Laurie, who is an avid gardener and doesn't live far from me, is still serving tomatoes out of her garden!

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Christmas Store for Class Motivation (quick update)

2011-12-13T11:11:00.000-06:00

Hmm...what should I buy with these hard earned tickets? This was the question my girls were pondering over as they shopped at my 'Christmas store'.

You may recall that I talked about holding this store of goodies, purchased on clearance and even while on vacation, for the girls in my writing class at my son's homeschool co-op.