Almost a New Year

Did you all have a wonderful Christmas? I know we did. We are slowly returning to a rhythm around here, not the same one though, a *it's almost a new year* rhythm. A fresh start.

Jenny at Little Jenny Wren had a wonderful post today about this very subject.

I love her peaceful and eloquent words, she stirs me on the blessed tasks of the day. (Even though we are now hit with torrential type rains here, and I just want cuddle up in my favorite robe and knit~LOL)

Today, we have several kid visitors in our home, which makes for a fun day, albeit inside fun. I am going to get some tidying done, plan out a grocery list, and hopefully the rains will melt the remainder of the snow around my van so that I can get out this week. Our cupboards are in need of replenishing.

After all of the making and crafting of Christmas, I generally take a break for awhile. I am itching though to start work on a new patchwork quilt for the livingroom. Not a huge undertaking, more of a lap quilt. I have most of the squares already cut, so it should come together pretty quickly. I also have a sweet little embroidery project I want to do for my sweet daughter.

For the past few months I have been working on a shawl based on Jewels' daughter Rosie's design. Whenever I have a spare moment I rattle off a few rows. I am getting near to completing this, it will be perfect for the Spring when a bulky woolen sweater is too much.

I pray that you are all enjoying the prospect of a new year, a fresh start, and looking forward to all of the blessings that lie ahead.

I know that I am looking forward to fresh lettuce, spinach, and carrots as soon as the ground is workable in a few months.

Have a blessed and productive Monday in your cozy homes.

In God's Love, Tami

::Snowy Days::

Happy Christmas Eve!

These are some photos from this past week. We enjoyed lots of indoor and lots of outdoor fun.

I love the snow and I am so thankful we are having a white Christmas.

We are off to our Christmas Eve dinner in a few hours. All of our preparations have been lovingly completed.

Only a night of restful sleep is ahead, then the early morning excitement begins!

Have a wonderful Christmas! In God's Love, Tami

::Cozy::

We've had record amounts of snowfall this last week. A truly stunning 12+ inches where I live. (There are some winters that we never see any snow, so 12 inches is very unusual.)

We are truly blessed to be having a white Christmas.

We are planning a short trip to my Mom's house for Christmas Eve dinner, hopefully our van will cooperate in the snow.

Today, I have a lot of baking and making to do. Fudge, Rice Crispy treats, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and maybe some cookies.

It is times like these that I am so aware of how the Lord provides for our needs.

The gift of warmth on a bitter cold day, nourishing food to keep our bodies healthy during times of winter illnesses, loving families to cuddle up with on a stormy night, the gift of our Savior.

I pray that you are all having a blessed and peaceful Christmas.

In God's Love, Tami

Our December

I truly love this time of the year. I love celebrating the birth of Jesus, I love giving to others, I love Advent, I love Christmas programs at church, I love traditions.
Above is a photo of our sweet and simple little tree, decorated mostly with homemade-with-love treasures and vintage ornaments.

Our table centerpiece, a gift from my mom a few years ago. My favorite thrifted cotton tablecloth.

My treasured Mary and Jesus carving, a heirloom from my husband's family. A few Christmas candles lending a warm glow to mostly gray days.

Our Christmas village, a source of enjoyment for sure. My kiddos spend hours playing here and love making new pieces each year. We made the blue house out of a cardboard box last year. It reminds me of the beautiful Mica houses from the 1930-50's.

Another simple centerpiece. I love using natural (in this case natural looking) materials when decorating for Christmas. Pine cones, pine boughs, berries, straw ornaments,metal and wood. It brings me back to Christmases long ago when families looked only to Creation for inspiration.

My sweet daughter made this angel at preschool. Her traced hands are the wings and her traced foot makes the angels body-so cute! Don't you love the face, quite a happy angel. LOL.

I am of mostly Swedish descent. I love how most of the Swedish Christmas traditions began with Christ as their inspiration. One thing I would like to make or purchase for next year is a Advent Star (aka Swedish Star, Welcome Star) Here is the one I love. Maybe my dear hubby can figure out a way to make me one.

I will be mostly away from the computer the rest of the month. I pray that you are all blessed this Christmas season.

In God's Love, Tami

Thanks::Days 28-30

I has been a beautiful month, full of thankfulness for all we are blessed with. I am so excited for it to almost be December. I *love* Christmas. We were so excited that we put up our tree yesterday. We will finish the rest of the decorating today. We've enjoyed a blessed and restful 4 day weekend. I am truly refreshed after a very busy month. Bring on the Christmas festivities!

I am thankful for:

28. A clean house that recovered nicely from our houseful on Thanksgiving.

29. All Christmas gifts that are nearly completed, right on schedule.

30. For the gift of our Lord and Savior, and for this season of celebration.

I pray that you are all having a blessed and restful weekend.

In God's Love, Tami

Thanks::Days 22-27

This last week has been a whirl of loving preparations.
We are ready here to host 35 loved ones and spend a lovely afternoon together.
Good food, good companionship, yummy pies ~ BLISS.

I am thankful for:

22. The beautiful 23lb. turkey that my Mom brought to me today.
23. My dear hubby and children who helped clean our house this week.
24. Bits of sunshine and warmth breaking through the rain.
25. God's loving provision everyday, in every way.
26. My mom spending the entire day before Thanksgiving helping me prepare.
27. A beautiful evening church service - truly a blessing.

I pray that you are all having a blessed Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all of you.
In God's Love, Tami

Thanks::Days 19-21

Today........

19. I am thankful for my sweet neighbor and friend that brought us dinner Tuesday night.

20. I am thankful that this year's "birthday season" was such a special time for the children, and I am thankful it is over~I am one caked-out mama.

21. I am thankful for so many simple blessings that come our way~day to day.

I pray that you all have a blessed and restful weekend. In God's Love, Tami

Thanks::Days 15~18

We were hit by the sickness bug last weekend. I am attempting thankfulness amidst sick kiddos and a sick mama anyway. Actually, it's not too hard to find things to be thankful for especially when we are sick.

15. I am thankful for a husband that is home on the weekends to bring me mashed potatoes when I am sick. He loves me.

16. I am thankful for the comfort of my home and a husband that does the dishes :~)

17. I am thankful that our doctor was able to get a very sick almost 7 year old in yesterday. Poor little guy has a double ear infection. Oh so grateful for medical technology.

18. I am so thankful that God gave us the miracle of our second son, 7 years ago today.

Lots and lots to be thankful for. God is so good.

Have a blessed and productive Tuesday. In God's Love, Tami

Thanks::Day 14

I am so thankful that I get to spend my days at home with my children. Their presence is so life-giving and entertaining at the same time. There is never a dull moment :~).
When I look through their eyes I see a world of hope and possibility.

“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew Verse 18

Have a truly blessed Friday. In God's Love, Tami

30 Days of Thanks

::I am a little late getting started so I will wrap up the first 13 days in this one post.::

I am so thankful for:

1. The Lord's love and forgiveness given so freely.


2. A warm, dry, and cozy home on these rainy days.


3. A wonderfully loving and hardworking husband.


4. Our freedom to choose the leaders of our country.


5. A incredibly loving and welcoming new church.


6. The beautiful colors of God's creation during the Fall.


7. A cup of coffee and knitting with a good friend.


8. Morning cuddles with sweet babes.


9. God's sweet gift of a daughter.


10. The loving provision of nourishing food.


11. The endless kisses given by my children.


12. Little peeks of sunshine through the rain.


13. The gift of motherhood, to my oldest son, 12 years ago today.

I love November. We have a lot of celebrating to do. I am so thankful everyday for the wonderful and precious ones that God has placed in my life.

Celebrating our lives and loved ones is one of my favorite ways to bring glory to God, a celebration of His gifts and His love. My thankful heart overflows.

I pray that you are all having a blessed Thursday. In God's Love, Tami

Vote & Pray

I pray that God's hand will be in this election today, and that no matter the outcome, that His will be done and His glory be magnified.

Lord, place your hand on our new president, and place his feet firmly in You.

In God's Love, Tami

November

I would have to say that November is the busiest month of the year for us.

We have 3 of our children's birthdays, followed closely by Thanksgiving (that we are hosting this year-nearly 40 people......eek!) and I am spending every bit of spare time creating handmade-with-love Christmas gifts for friends and family. If I get all the gifts made and wrapped by the end of November that means a lovely December full of baking yummy treats, snuggling by the fire, crafting fun decorations, reading Christmas stories, cookie exchanges, and lots of knitting just for fun. Sounds simply wonderful to me.

I pray that a little planning ahead makes for a stress free and simply beautiful Christmas.

I pray that you are having a blessed and productive Monday.

In God's Love, Tami

Sola Fide

"By Faith Alone"

Ephesians 2:8-10:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.


Beautiful.

Have a blessed and beautiful Lord's Day.
In His Love, Tami

Knitting and Kiddos

I have been knitting a lot lately. I am loving the book

"Last Minute Knitted Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson so much.

This cute little hat on my sweety is a variation on the

rolled brim hat in the book. So, so easy and cute.

My oldest son snapped this photo of me for my avatar, I thought he did a great job! I am wearing the cowl I knitted from the book. I am making several of these for Christmas gifts.
It is so strange to post pictures of myself, even if the kiddos did take them. Feels a bit strange. I am so used to showing off photos of everything else but me.

Every so often I hand my camera over to one of the kids. I love the way children freely flitter about snapping photos of what interests them. I get a precious glimpse into their hearts and minds. Today, what interested my daughter was me knitting. A common sight this time of the year, here I am making another cowl.
She instructed me to make *heart-hands*,
a favorite way to say *I Love You*.

I love this close-up she took. My hands look so hard-working, not pretty hands that's for sure.

I don't mind though, they are hardworking and strong.

I pray that you are all having a blessed and productive Friday. In God's Love, Tami

A Pretty Place to Sit

In my world of big comfy overstuffed furniture, sometimes I crave a pretty spot to sit that fits me (and a few little people too).
A spot by the light of our front window that I can knit by or read by or just sit.

I came across this wonderful little settee at a thrift store last week. It screams grandma's house and I think that's why I love it so much. And the price, a smallish $19.99. It is beautifully constructed and fully worth reupholstering when the time comes.
In the meantime, I am happy to throw a few afghans and pillows at it and sit for awhile.

I bought this funny pillow a few days later and loved it. It is made from burgundy velvet and has vintage clothing labels embroidered to it. I had a friend tell me that she did a project like this in Girl Scouts way back when. I love it even more, made by the hands of an aspiring crafter.

Well I am off to start my day, a busy one, but I will look forward to giving my new little sofa a sit when the day is done.

I pray that you are all having a blessed and productive day. In God's Love, Tami

7 Things

Laura at Harvest Lane Cottage tagged me for 7 random things.......

1. I would love to learn to play piano.

2. I have been married nearly half my life.

3. I love sushi with lots of wasabi & soy sauce.

4. My favorite color is green.

5. I would live off the grid in a heartbeat.

6. My favorite fashion era is the 1940's.

7. I love peanut butter and maple syrup on my pancakes.

There you have it. I am officially tagging anyone who wants to play along. I would love to learn more about each of you.

Have a blessed Monday. I am off to spend a little time schooling and a little time knitting.

In God's Love, Tami

Take a Look

Mrs. M has many wonderful words and a great link to a article about living a simple and uncluttered life. The article especially speaks to me because I am a reformed "keeper". I would keep the silliest things just in case. I now realize that depending fully on God means that he will provide *if* those things are needed in the future. I say *if* because there are so many things that we have that we don't really need, and many times the things I kept never did find a purpose. There is a fine balance for me between good stewardship and not trusting God to provide. Thanks Mrs. M for the encouragement, and congrats on that beautiful new baby BOY!

I pray that you all are having a blessed Sunday. In God's Love, Tami

Autumn Corners

It's been awhile since I've shown the little corners of my home. Not much changes as far as decor goes, but I do start to see signs of Autumn all around. Signs like a refreshed supply of wonderful yarn to make lots of gifts for birthdays and Christmas.


The comfy quilts come out, ready for a little person to come snuggle in Daddy's big chair.
The canner, a constant sight on my stove right now. So many wonderful jams and sauces put up for the winter.
An art box that stays out full time now, ready for any little project.
The last of summer's *mama flowers* given to me by my little princess. SO sweet.

Some of my other Autumn loves:
~big bright candles~a softly glowing fireplace~piles of pinecones brought in from our nature adventures~the smell of cooked apples and cinnamon~jars of beautiful canned food put up for winter~half finished projects waiting to made into gifts~our birthday season~more time inside doing puzzles and playing games~the wonderful crispness in the air~fragrant stews and soups simmering in the pot~bright red, orange, and yellow maple leaves in vases~slowing down the pace~
I pray that you are having a blessed and productive week. In God's Love, Tami

Tomato Frenzy

September was all about tomatoes. They are still everywhere!


Look at this funny little tomato. Isn't it cute!
These little tomatoes in front are Red Currants, they are so great for salads and for snacking.
One of our favorite side dishes. Fresh homegrown zucchini, green beans, and Sweet Chelsea tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. SO yummy.
I am roasting tomatoes here. We made some yummy sauce with these babies. Aren't the beautiful? This recipe is from "Back to the Table" by Art Smith. A very beautiful book.
Now that the rains have come, I am pulling all the remaining tomatoes. I should be able to finish ripening them nicely.
Well, I am off to do a little knitting or maybe peel a few apples for apple crisp tonight.
Have a truly blessed Monday. In God's Love, Tami

~Yummy Quiche~

We made Jewels' quiche this past week. Oh, it was so yummy. We definitely need to make more than one next time. It was delicious served with coleslaw and warm rolls.

We are having a lazy Saturday here. The rain has come and is here to stay. We'll see lots of gray sky for the next several months. This time of the year, I love to get out all my pillar candles and group them on the dining table for a beautiful and warm glow to offset the grayness outside.

I pray that you all are having a blessed Saturday! In God's Love, Tami

All Settled In

We are all settled into Autumn now. I was a nice little blog break I had, and I have so much to share.
We have been sewing, knitting, canning, baking and cooking intermixed with homeschooling, reading, hanging wash, and tidying. All of that daily wonderfulness that I love.

The children and I are all settled into our Autumn routines. It feels so good to change gears and settle into a slow pace. I try and leave Thursdays and Fridays for *no running around* days. It is a nice starting point for the weekend when my hard-working hubby is home.

Well my hubby finally gave in and fixed the clothes dryer. I am a little relieved and a little sad. I have enjoyed so immensely the pleasure of hanging wash. I am grateful though that over the many, many rainy weeks we have here in Washington that I have the luxury of a dryer. After living without a dryer for the first time ever in my life, I am so much more aware of just how easy my laundry was and how I took it for granted. Never again. I am all about being grateful.
I will go back to hanging 100% of our wash in the Spring, but for now I will dry the majority of it. If you remember I also gave up the automatic dishwasher. I am sticking with that, except for on the rare occasion that I make such an incredible mess that I see no way out of it by hand-washing........which is about once a week :~)

We've turned on our gas fireplace a few times already, oh do I love a warm fire. Bliss.

We have had so many apples around here lately. What a blessing it is to be able to put up applesauce, cut apples, and apple jelly.


Here is some of our homemade applesauce. I have another huge basket of apples to process this week. With the price of apples this year, I am so grateful for all the apples we've received and have been able to pick.
Plums from our beautiful Italian Plum tree. We look so forward to these every year. YUM.
I pureed some of the plums and canned them for later use in muffins and quick breads. I can also add a little sweetener and use it like jam.
I am spending much of my spare time getting ready for the "birthday season". My 4 children were born in October and November, so I am busy making gifts and decorations for celebrating.
I am planning on having all Christmas gift preparations completed by November. I am loosely following the Organized Christmas plan to help me stay organized.
I pray that you are all having a blessed and productive week. I am glad to be back.
In God's Love, Tami