WIN IT!

Hi, 
I found this contest and absolutely love it. All you have to do is leave a comment! Do you want to WIN, I do so I had to share this with you....you can help me win. 

http://www.fiberfarm.com/2009/11/shepherding-camp-giveaway-2

This is for AS STATED ON THEIR WEBPAGE "A Shepherding Camp Give-a-way. The Shepherding Camp is a six-day, five-night fiber vacation at a farm  You’ll stay at their farmhouse, help them take care of the flock, and knit and spin yourselves silly.The price for Shepherding Camp is $1300 for up to two people. The accommodations are a private room with two twin beds, so it’s a great trip for two girlfriends or a Mother and Daughter. We can, in some cases, host a third person for an additional charge. While we encourage you to spend some time with our flock, you can do as much (or as little) farm work as you choose. If you’ve ever considered having a flock of sheep or herd of Alpaca of your own, Shepherding Camp is a great way to find out if shepherding is for you."

There is other stuff do to in the area too. Just leave a comment at their site! Good Luck!

I am so uncommitted

Well, It's been a while. Our lives changed with the sooner than expected passing of GG. We had a melancholiac Thanksgiving weekend. Our December was filled with Christmas-y things. DH and I were in the Christmas cantata at church. My little people were in the children's play. I helped with the rehearsals and during the play. All of the kids did wonderfully. DD sang a solo, and she felt the need to sing into the microphone for all of the 'all' songs. Her hambone tendency worked out great--it made the other kids sing louder. DS was a sheep, DH was a shepherd. That was cute too. Our Christmas was spent in GA. It was wonderful to be with all my family. We truly had a great time. We stayed for a week. I think the only reason we left GA is that DH's great Aunt called to invite us over for supper on New Year's Day. So, we decided that it was time for us to go home. I ate collards on new year's day--it was the best I've ever had, but i still didn't like them. 

My DH and I are off of soda and are making an honest effort to eat better. No seconds, leaving food on the plate, eating soups. We're exercising, well were trying too. DH has lost 10 pounds so far. I have lost about 7. I am excited to see what God has in plan for us this year. 

Hobby Hunting

My In-laws were in town last week. I hope they had a good visit. It was uncharacteristically HOT while they were here. Then, it rained and rained which was followed by cool weather. This, of course, created perfect weather for FUNGUS!!!! 

The growth of these peculiar wonderments excites me. My kids in their youngness share my exuberance for finding mushrooms; I wonder if it will last. When they want to share their fun about fungi with others, I have to explain to them how not everyone appreciates all of God's coolness. LOL. (or my dorkiness)

I still haven't found the charger to my camera, so I have to rely on my phone camera . The pictures are close to unacceptable, but they are all I have. 

If after reading the descriptions, anyone has any information pertaining to the ID of these mushrooms, please let me know. 

Our location is South Carolina. We are under 50 miles to North Carolina. 

1) Cap is scarlet red to reddish orange to orange with yellow margin

small fragile mushroom

cluster of 6+ mushrooms growing in grass

It's october

gills appear to be unequal

stalk appears to be translucent yellow at substrate and orange brown near cap. it detaches easily

gill colors are buff or yellow

cap shape is conical to umbonate in differing levels of maturity

cap less than 1.5 cm

no visible ring or scales

MAYBE a waxy look to cap

maybe a Mycena or a Hygrocybe

but my resources don't indicate any specific species

2) Puffball growing on ground in grassy area, including adjacent to mobile home. Numerous.

cool wet weather in october

appears to be stalked with cute little spines

inside of mature spore releasing specimen appears to be olive-brown with puffs of brownish green

outside of mature puffball is cracked

interior of immature pure white

measured up to 5 cm

pore opening at top in mature

this appears to be the gem studded puffball aka the common puffball, 

Lycoperdon perlatum 

There also appears to be a different nonpedestal puffball. This looks like the spiny puffball or L. echinatum but it's range is only to Pennsylvania. 

3)Mushroom group of approx. 8 growing in grass

cool wet weather october

cap and stalk white turning brown

convex or bell-shaped cap

gills appear free, close together

partial veil present, ring present on stalk

immature gills appear pink

mature gills appear chocolate brown

bugs, flies, gnats on mushroom (maggot found escaping during spore print)

spore print appears to be dark brown

cap is about 1 and a half inches to 2 inches

no noticeable smell

This is probably the Meadow Mushroom or Agaricus campestris

4)Mushroom found alone and in groups in grassy yard (found near above mentioned meadow mushroom)

cool wet weather october

ruing present

cap is yellowish or creamy brown or brownish yellow

stalk and immature gills appear off white to creamy yellow

mature gills appear gray or purplish brown

cap has rough edges

gills appear to be free, maybe adnexed

gills are close together, numerous

spore print is brownish

no noticeable odor

maybe Garland Stropharia, Stropharia coronilla 

S. coronilla's range is only supposed to be to NC, but I feel this is an accurate match. We are not far from NC. It is possible the range has grown.

5)tough orange jelly-like/coral fungi

no cap and stem

found on a car path (not really a road, more like a drive way with 2 paths of gravel)

the fungi was growing on a submerged piece of decaying wood near grassy meadow

fungi was firmly attached to the substrate

cool wet weather in october

tips are slightly darker than rest of the structure

maybe an antler jelly

most 'branches' are unforked (a few are)

seems to bruise brown after much handling

possibly a Calocera sp.

6)small fragile brown mushroom

widely spaced gills

brown stalk

no ring 

cap conical with possible striations (found damp with dew)

found in grassy pasture

it looks like the lawn mowers mushroom, Psathyrella foenisecii  but it may be out of season

I'll take healing for 100 Alex....

I haven't exactly stuck to my every monday thing, but I didn't believe it when I wrote it. However, the utterance of the commitment has at least prompted me to write about once (every other) a week. Looks like my DH may come home for good. PTL!!

My kids have been taught and can successfully do somersaults. Believe it or not, but I can too. I was  trying to teach them the somersault technique, but I was 'skeeered' to try it myself. It has been years and 50 pounds since I last attempted one. Finally, I thought I should try it and actually show my little people what exactly I was trying to get them to do. To my surprise, I didn't hurt myself! So, I did about 100 of them. Oh, I was sore the next day. A few days later, my kids impressed with the way mommy can tumble, begged me to do another. Remembering my triumph, I strived to display the perfect tumble. As soon as my feet came up, there was a booming echoing CRACKkkk. To my surprise, it originated from my neck. My neck was immediately sore, and I couldn't go through it's full range of motion. I thought surely this was not good, but what the enemy intends for evil--God will use for good. GLORY! I slept well that night: an astonishing feet for normally I awake to excruciating tearful pain in my lower back. [The pain is an intense pressure on the bones, but I also feel pain, tingling and numbness down the left side of my butt, my left thigh radiating all the way down to my left foot which had been numb for several days prior to the neck CRACK incident. From my own description, I know that the psyiatic nerve is involved and perhaps a slipped disk or something not right with the vertebrae.] When I awoke, it was moments before dawn and I could feel both feet. I was able to sit straight up in bed (I have been rolling out of bed, onto my knees and then pushing myself up with the help of the bed. There were some days that I couldn't even roll, and the only thing that got my outta bed was prayer and the need to mommy my kids).  I think that somersault-neck crack was used to pull, stretch and realign my back.  Prayer Works. God Heals.

Princesses and pirates on parade

Chick-fil-a in Myrtle Beach had a princess and pirate dress up day. We went. They got a free meal just for dressing up. We were dressed up by Halloween Express; we are related to the owner of the Halloween Express in Colonial Mall in North Myrtle Beach. 

They each got a voucher for a free game of putt-putt golf after they completed the scavenger hunt. Then, they had a contest. The pirates (about 15) were first. The cows and the manager were the judges. DS really worked his 2 year old pirate aRRRRRggg. He had a cute little cutlass and a darling parrot. HE MADE IT TO THE FINALS!! He and another of the finalists, were dueling the entire contest. DS with his cutlass and the other with his hook. Unfortunately, DS didn't bring home the win. We decided it was because he was only 2, and the judges figured it could better be appreciated by an older kid. The child that DS was dueling with won. However, DS did score 2 free kids meals for 2nd place. 

The princesses (about 30) were up for their competition. DD was shy at first and behind everyone. I told her to say excuse me and get to the front. She did. The manager said for the girls to show their princess faces. I told my DD to smile...and she turned it ON. She wore the cutest most adorable smile and kept it on while the cows walked the line appraising the princesses. It was so special. DD WAS A FINALIST TOO!!! She kept the dazzling smile on AND SHE WON! She received 52 free kids meals vouchers.  What an unbelievable blessing. It was a lot of fun too. Now DD has proof that she is a true princess. 

My hambones

My pirate

my princess

About dear deer

Okay. I missed last monday. I have a perfectly valid excuse. My household was suffering excessively from extreme sleepiness for 5 (ish) days. My son had a fever for 2 days, but really we were all battling some form of illness; thankfully our immune systems capitalized on it's ability to make us rest and we did not endure any full blown illnesses.  Yeah God and his Wonders for making the human body so very amazing. Thank you Lord for heeding our prayers and not letting us become sick. Thank you for giving us the ability to relent to our body's need for sleep.

Once we were back to our normal energetic selves, we had to prepare our house for my husband's homecoming. I was able to accomplish so many things that I haven't been able to accomplish yet in putting our home together. I loved the way my DH looked at me when he came into the house. It was such a great look/smile. I think that I will treasure that look for quite sometime. It was really wonderful to have him this weekend. My bed was way more comfortable with him in it which is strange because he is such a bed hog! 

My brother-in-law (sister's husband) and a family friend came with him. The trip was dual purposed to visit us, his darling family, and to bask in the ability to go hunting on opening weekend. My DH dad or my FIL, came too, but he stayed at his mom's house.  The 4 of them decided that it would be a buck's only weekend. Of course, the group of them saw around 30 doe this weekend, but they did see one buck. My DH got it.

My DH's birthday was this month.  Since he was not home for it, I made him this belated birthday cake. So, my DH got 2 bucks this weekend:

This was a fun cake. It was supposed to be a surprise, but my DD went on a walk with daddy before lunch on Saturday. She told him all about it. It reminds me of when I was younger. My dad used to get so much information out of me. LOL. 

I am still loving being here in SC. My DH's aunt and I went to the Aynor Harvest Hoedown. It was a small arts and crafts festival. It was fun, but not too many crafts. I was kinda hoping that someone would be selling some yarny goodness, but no. It was a good walk though. I did buy a $6 ladybug purse. On Sunday afternoon, my husband's aunt (is she my aunt -in- law...I should just call her a friend b/c she is my friend...my son calls her iguana (it's endearingly cute. She has a difficult name for little people)...maybe that his how I should refer to her) she organized a welcome to the area/housewarming party. The family all got together at GG's. They really blessed us. 

In addition to gifts, we received sweet cards, gift cards to wal-mart and money too. It was pretty overwhelming. It was also a great time. I thoroughly enjoyed everyone together. Oh, and there was SO MUCH FOOD!! (BTW, I was on an off week for my diet, but when my DH came home he said, without prompting on my part, that I have lost a lot of weight. I think I've only lost about 15 pounds, but it was great of my DH to notice.)

My DH left early this Monday morning. He woke up the kids to say good-bye, but they fell back asleep and are still sleeping. They are going to be so sad when they awake to discover daddy went back to work.

At church, the pastor presented us an interesting thought this Sunday: Think about children. Think about how parents take pictures of their kids every year, and as they grow you can see the child's growth. The photographs document the growth of the children. So, imagine what your yearly spiritual photographs look like. In these 'photographs', can you see your growth in your relationship with God? What does your spiritual growth look like? 

EEk. I'm a bad blogger

We've moved into our home in South Carolina. We absolutely love it! Living in SC is so much more peaceful than living in South Florida. Just the change in states has drastically reduced my stress...not to mention my car insurance. It is about $150 cheaper per month!  This is the view from our front yard. Notice the lack of a road in front of the house. We have just a path driveway in the neighborhood. So much safer than the busy street that was in front of our house in Homestead. 

DD was put on the waiting list for preschool. This was kinda good to hear, but also disheartening. It was good because I get to stay with her and her scholastic development is over average to excellent for her age. However, she was pretty excited about starting school (we are just going to have school 3 days a week here at the house for her and my DS) and we had kinda planned on me being able to make a little side money. Don't think I can with 2 kids in tow. Again, that is okay b/c we have to do what we've been doing. Rely on our Provider. 

I started my diet again. I am only a week into it, but I can already feel and notice a difference. I should stop calling it a diet. It is more like my new eating lifestyle! So, I am now actively involved in my new eating lifestyle. :)

I wasn't crafting much because of the moving process. 

However, the kids and I have started making paper. The three of us love this. 

also started using a spool by knifty knitter. It makes a tube/chord. I am going to make a rug (with yarn that I was given that matches the 2 living room chairs).  This is so easy DD can do it. She hasn't mastered how to wrap the yarn yet, but she can hook and pull it over, and SHE LOVES IT!

I continued working on the 2 afghans I am crocheting for Christmas presents. 

I am going to try to blog at least once a week. I shall name my official blogging day as Monday. I vow to blog at least every monday, but I don't guarantee that my blogs will be up on Mondays because I give myself until 11:59 pm on Mondays to complete a blog entry. Phew. Here's to sticking to commitments (besides God, my kids, husband and family): my new eating lifestyle, my christmas present afghans, and my blog.  

Just a regular day

On Monday, my kids said some of the neatest things:

We went to Bass Pro Shops, My 2 year old son and I were separated from my DH and DD. I figured we would find them at the Huge fish tank. So, we made our way over to the tank. While we were walking up to the fish tank, my son sees the fish and yells out "I need my fishin' pole!" Then he looks at me and deep into my eyes and demands "I need my fishin' pole!!!'

While traveling in the car, my 3 year old daughter exclaims from the backseat, "Mommy, I found Jesus!!" That's great, I say a little perplexed. (holding up her book she points and says) "Right here mommy (spelling) J-E-S-U-S!"

Tuesday, I dropped my husband off at work. His truck has been broken for about 9 months now. We have tried to fix it a couple of times; the last change we made -2 weeks ago-was putting in a new starter. This is the closest we came to having it start, but it just wasn't getting gas and wouldn't 'start'. We figured that since the other fuel pump (his truck has 2 tanks) had gone out that the other one had finally gone too. Sometimes, I take him to work, sometimes he just takes the car and we stay at home. 

Well, after we dropped him off, my kids and I went to Denny's for Lunch. It was so much fun. We followed lunch with a trip to the playground. The kids played I worked on the pom-poms for the pom pom baby blanket. 

Then, my husband called. There was too much rain to get done what he needed to get done. We went and picked him up. All 4 of us went shopping at Wal-mart. Then, home for nap time for the kids and quality couple time (woo-hoo!).  I started dinner for DH and DS. The kids woke up. DD and I left for our stitchery club meeting. The meeting was fun. I am trying to teach one of the knitters how to crochet; she is a natural and doesn't really need me, but it was fun teaching her anyway. I get a text from my husband that he had been trying to start the truck off the wrong tank. HA HA HA. I got a bunch of goodies from the ladies at the meeting. I always feel so blessed to receive. I got a whole stack of crafting books--yippee! I leave the meeting and called my DH. He and DS were driving the truck around the block--I remind him that the tag is 9 months overdue, and laugh that his truck is working again because it has been so long since it has moved. I hope we take it fishing this weekend.

I made Doll Clothes!

DD found four forgotten dolls in a box of toys. Two of them were naked. She was enjoying playing with them, but I just thought the dolls needed some clothes. These are meant to be played with and enjoyed by little girls. Fast and Easy!

So, I grabbed my hook--my g hook to be precise--and some red heart multi in bikini (this pattern will work as a dress for a small doll or a skirt for a full size 'Barbie' type doll:

**a Dbltr  is Double Treble

Yarn over hook three times, then insert hook into next stitch. Yarn over hook and draw yarn through stitch - five loops on the hook. Loop yarn over hook and draw through two loops, (there are now four loops remaining on the hook), *yarn over hook and draw through two loops**, repeat * to ** twice more. This completes one double treble crochet.**

You will need to chain from the tail, so leave a tail of 2' when starting.

Ch 11 (or large enough circumference to fit over doll head or be pulled up over doll hips)

sl st to form ring

ch 1, 15 sc in ring, sl st to 1st sc

ch 2, hdc in each sc, sl st to beg ch 2

ch 2, hdc in each hdc, sl st to beg ch 2

ch 5, Dbltr in same st, 2 Dbltr in next hdc, 3 Dbltr in next hdc, *2 Dbltr in next 2 hdc, 3 Dbltr in next hdc* around, sl st to beg ch 5, fasten off

Ch 10 (or desired length) from starting yarn tail, FO. attach to form the straps (you could leave this unsewn so you can tie and unite to change clothes for doll)

For the Green Doll Dress

(I used wintuk yarn)

For Skirt

Ch 11, sl st to form ring

ch 1, 14 sc in ring, sl st to first sc

ch 3 (counts as first dc), 13 dc in each st around (total 14 dc), sl st to beg ch 3

ch 3, 13 dc in each st around (total 14 dc), sl st to beg ch 3

ch 3, 13 dc in each st around (total 14 dc), sl st to beg ch 3

ch 11, sc in same st, (sl st in next st, ch 11, sc in same st) around, FO

For Shirt

(starting at waist)

Ch 11, sl st to form ring

ch 1, 15 sc in ring, sl st to first sc

Ch 2, 1 hdc in each st around (total of 15 hdc including the ch 2), sl st to beg ch 2

Ch 2, 1 hdc in each st around (total of 15 hdc including the ch 2), sl st to beg ch 2

sl st in next 2 hdc, ch 5, sk 3 hdc, sl st in next hdc, sl st in next 4 hdc, ch 5, sk 3 hdc, sl st in next hdc, FO.

 

to get a tighter fit, I put in a 'belt'. I did this by using my tapestry needle and leading the yarn in all of the sc from round 1, then I tied with a bow. This is so the shirt will fit while it is on, but be easy to take on and off.

I'm into You

What a glorious day. 

I have some errands to run, cleaning to do, and the sunday school lesson to plan. First, I want to hear from You Lord. Oh, I can't run any errands because DH has my car (I can't wait to see what you have in store for his next truck)...oops...lol. 

Just the cleaning, the planning and You.  

(Be back in a sec....reading Matthew 24.)

Wow. Where have I just been. After reading Matthew 24, I immediately thought of how much I have been hearing about, watching videos about and wondering about Tribualtion, Rapture and the return of Jesus Christ. I have never been fond of studying this. I have always thought that it is confusing gloom and doom that has a happy ending and that if I am going to study the Bible I should spend my time studying everything else. 

Lately, the subject is all around me. Including,  my study group who picked a DVD that covers this topic in a way that relates to the 7 Feasts....it's fascinating. Besides, I know that anything that is in His Book is His Word and therefore important.  On a side note, isn't it amazing how God can tell you one thing through His word at one time in your life, and then months or years later, you can read the same scripture and it can mean something totally different to you. Further revelation, right?

Back on topic, then I thought "I asked to hear from You, what are you telling me?"

 I re-read the verse in a couple of different translations [thank you http://www.biblegateway.com/    for your unending usefulness]. 

Again, I pondered what am I to get out of this, How should I apply it to my life?  Feeling (what I thought was) lazy and uninspired, I try to google the answer.  Do you know what I found?  Some posting from the Baha`i faith came up in relation to Matthew 24. I have briefly heard of this world religion, but never looked into it much. Learning about  Bahá'u'lláh was interesting--a little scary, but God just told me not to be afraid in His Good Book. Now, that I just received a short yet enlightening and real-life lesson on matt 24....I am back to wondering what else is God trying to tell me. This is what I think it is-- some things that I already knew but needed a refresher on:

-Don't be deceived by false teachings, false prophets [I trust in You alone]

-Know that the events have to happen [I don't want to watch, I am ready to meet you, but I don't want to see people suffer, nations crumble]

-Don't be alarmed or afraid [I give this to You]

-Be prepared to be persecuted and unloved [more?]

-Stand firm on and share the Gospel [i try to share the gospel by the way I live my life, and I know that Your love shines through, but I need to share more of your word]

-The time is unknown and is not known by anyone except for the Father [thank goodness]

-Be Good, Do good even when or especially when no one (but God) is looking/listening/watching [yes, I need to work on my time glorifying you more --in my wifeyness, in my parenting, in my house duties, in my quiet (what is that) time]

Thank you God. I know that I needed to hear these things. Please be with me and help me as I try to work on the things You have showed me. I love you.