So Sunday...

Pablo...such a cat.

This is us today...lazy. Chris has been sick the last couple of days...back and forth from the living room to the bed...headache, stuffy head, body aches. The boys spent lots of time with friends this weekend...video games, scooters, sleepovers. It was gray and rainy yesterday...a perfect day to make that turkey I'd had defrosting. And of course, all of the trimmings, too...potatoes, Noni's stuffing, gravy. And yes, even a pumpkin pie! Seth helped me...it was delicious. Matter of fact, I just had some for breakfast. With whipped cream. I make no apologies.

Today will be slow...just like the last two days. And that...makes me happy. I will do some reading...and some tidying...and some washing...and I will hunt around for recipes and make a menu plan for the week. But other than that...we're taking our cue from Pablo this beautiful autumn day.

Give thanks...

 Happy Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for you...have a blessed and safe day.

xo

Wednesday in the Word

Psalm 84:3

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

* * *

I've been spending a lot of time at home lately.

I've been moving slow...and deliberate.

I've been taking care of my nest...

and my young...

and my self.

And yes...my nest is near His altar...

so close,

He is right there...

I feel Him,

I hear Him,

even if it is just a whisper...

I know He is near.

The Boutique.



the main display table in the living room

  The Holiday Boutique was on Saturday...and it was so much fun! And it was also a success! My aunt's house was completely transformed into a true boutique...it was great.
There were about a dozen of us who participated and there was a wide variety of items for sale...vintage finds like thimble shaped shot glasses, beautiful floral dessert plates, silver salt and pepper shakers, beautiful dish sets...and more. Very cool stuff...it was hard not to buy, buy, buy!

We also had handmade items...ornaments, hand knit wash cloths, adorable appliqued onesies, homemade dog treats, lots and lots of yummy baked goods, handmade wreaths, adorable sock monkeys, quilts...and more! 

We had a steady stream of visitors from start to finish. We mulled some delicious apple cider...we had Christmas music playing in the background...there was lots of laughter...and lots of SHOPPING!

baked goods beautifully displayed on the island

 

ornaments, glitzy wreaths (made by my aunt), glassware and
 rustic snowmen (made by yours truly...)



vintage-like glitter ornaments...one of my offerings.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Come-a-Calling...my mom made
these adorable little Christmas mice...and my
friend Sue took them home as a pair!



My Aunt Lisa made this sweet little mouse sitting
in a snowball...isn't he darling?

You might recognize this young lady...it's a
Mimi Angel complete with wings and a halo!



Appliqued onesies and fancy tutus...so stinkin' cute.
My cousin made these sweet little numbers and
they are adorable.


And would you believe...it was pouring down rain! It rained like crazy when I arrived in the morning...just in time to unload my wares. And then...it POURED in the evening, complete with thunder and lightning, just in time to load our cars and go home!! But that was OK...what's a little water?

Thank you to my Aunt Lisa for opening up her home for this endeavor. And I'd like to extend a HUGE thank you to my uncle D...poor guy was misplaced for about three days while his house was torn up and transformed into the Holiday Boutique extravaganza. But, being the amazingly good sport that he is...he made the best of it! (Thanks, D!)

Dear Santa...



Please bring us a new water heater that produces lots and lots of nice hot water. I've been a pretty good girl this year...well, most of the time...sort of...except for maybe that one time. But that was an accident...pretty much. Well, sort of. Oh...and there was that one other minor little incident...but nobody suffered any permanent injuries...so that doesn't count right? Right? I did make my bed every day and use my manners on a regular basis and eat all of my vegetables. Hopefully that will count for something! Oh, and I'll even leave you cookies! Thanks Santa...you're the best. Love, Michelle

Our water heater isn't working! We realized this last night when Chris went to take a shower and there wasn't any hot water. This morning Seth took a cold-ish shower...Ian washed his hair in cold water...and I'm patiently waiting for my handy hubby to come back home to fix it so I can take a shower and get going with my day!

Well, the Holiday Boutique is tomorrow! I have so much to do!! I have to finish my fence board snowmen (that turned out super cute, if I don't say so myself! and yes, I'll take lots of pictures so you can see!) I have to price everything still... I need to put together more note cards... And I need to load it ALL up into my car, as well as some large display pieces....an old table, an old folding screen made from shutters, several old wooden crates...and whatever else I think to bring along. Then I need to be at my aunt's house around 4:30 or so to set up. It's gonna be a long day. But it's going to be worth it...the boutique is going to be adorable. My aunt and I did a little bit of set-up last night and we got really excited...it already looks cute! Would you believe we dragged a big ol' tree branch indoors to display ornaments? Yes. We did. And it looks so cute!

In the meantime, I have no hot water. This is not a good day to not have hot water...NO day is a good day for no hot water. This is a nice little lesson in "things I take for granted"...yes, indeed. Hot water. Flip of a handle and voila...there it is. I can take long, hot, soothing showers...I can wash clothes...I can wash dishes...just like that. Yes, I take it for granted every single day. Running water, too, for that matter. We are such a blessed people...such a blessed nation...

Thank you God for that little wake-up call...that little reminder...that I am blessed.

Chickens? What chickens?

Nellie...taken right before I left for Belgium.


I'm kidding! Yes, I still have chickens. Of course I do...I love those crazy little birds. They are healthy and happy and continuing to lay big, beautiful, brown eggs. They're still averaging 2-3 a day...not bad as the weather turns a bit colder.

I decided I needed to clean their coop this morning. It was a bit overdue...poor girls, and it's going to rain this weekend. So I needed to get it done. I have been having Seth toss the grass clippings into their coop each time he mows the lawn. They love to scratch around for bugs and nibble at the fresh cut grass. As I was shoveling out the bottom of the coop floor...grass clippings, wood shavings (nice that my hubby has a wood shop...that sawdust is good stuff!) and of course, chicken poop!...I realized that it was actually GOOD stuff I was tossing into the recycling bin. The grass and sawdust  had been decomposing, as well as some maple leaves that had blown in, and then of course all of that combined with the chicken droppings, I had the makings of some wonderful compost. I couldn't bring myself to just throw it away. Not with thoughts of next year's garden dancing around in my head! Fresh tomatoes, cool cucumbers, tons of zucchini, fresh green beans, fresh lettuce...oh my, nothing like a salad made with fresh lettuce grown right in your own backyard.  And it's so easy to grow...


Is it summer yet? (just kidding...)

Wednesday in the Word.

Psalm 63:1-8

1 You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

 in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary

and beheld your power and your glory.

3 Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

4 I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

7 Because you are my help,

I sing in the shadow of your wings.

8 I cling to you;

your right hand upholds me.

I forgot today was Wednesday. And I started a whole different post...about the boutique we're doing this Saturday. But then it dawned on me what today was...and I deleted the whole post...and started over. I had to think a bit about what I wanted to share today...and as I thought the word "dry" popped into my head.

That's how I'm feeling lately...dry. Not down. Or sad. Or depressed. Just...dry.

And...I know why. Because I haven't been having my time with God each morning. I haven't been reading my bible. I haven't been writing in my prayer journal. I haven't been listening to worship music. I haven't been doing a bible study. I haven't been doing much in the way of spending time with God. At least not quality time. I talk with Him in the shower...and I talk with Him throughout the day...but it's more of a one-sided conversation. I'm talking. He's listening. And probably waiting for me to hush so He can get a word in edge-wise!

Talking to God throughout the day isn't a bad thing. It's good to be in communication with God all day long...being open to Him and His guidance. If I'm at the grocery store, I want to be open to Him asking me to buy food for someone. Or as I'm driving along, I want to hear Him whisper someones name so I can pray for them, or give them a call. It's good to talk with Him during the day. But those times are more like friendly chats...not good, deep, heartfelt conversations. And that's what I'm missing...

There's something about those first moments in the morning that make those conversations possible. It's quiet, and dark...it's just me and Him...and it's then that I can actually hear Him...clearly.

I could give some excuses as to why I haven't been spending time with God first thing in the morning...but why? The simple fact is that I have been distracted...and I have gotten out of the "habit" of my morning time in God's word. That's it. So now it's just a matter of getting back into that "habit"...because I am very thirsty, dry and parched. And only the Living Water can quench this thirst...

Dear God....my whole being longs for you.

Help me find my way out of this desert.

It seems I've lost my way.

Amen.