family life

we’re serious about our  handicrafts (aka crafts–but charlotte mason called ’em handicrafts—and i kinda like it).
never mind the hot glue gun being operated by minors in juxtaposition to the grilled cheese.
we’re busy, okay?
and we’re making a tutorial for you on rosettes.
these two girls-a-mine are rosette makin’ fools.
they’re taking their supplies on the road,
because well, we run a tight ship around here.  (aka—-they fear boredom)

****as a side note, i think that’s one of the reasons i don’t love going out of town. i don’t have my books, my kitchen, my bed, my coffee, or access to handicrafts.

and then there’s all the packing and planning and  schooling and cooking and cleaning and downloading and printing—-getting ready for pageant weekend.
so, working lunch it is.
fyi, we are (as in ‘I am’) making slimshady meatloaf (it’s really called ‘slim and trim’ but i like slimshady better), chicken gumbo and banana muffins to leave for stevie while we’re gone.
with that menu, think he’ll even miss us?
and i very well may be computer-less for 3 days. because mine won’t SHUT. remember that?
but if i can get my act together, you’ll have a post or two while we’re gone. that’s a BIG IF.
i loved all your suggestions about nashville/clarksville and i’m trying to work it all in. i regret to inform you that although i LOVE franklin as much as the next guy, i’m not sure i can work it in this visit. we’ll see.

now back to it.

oh and one more thing:  know of any fabric stores in nashville?   i’m looking for upholstery fabric for an ottoman.

and one more thing: wanna help me clean out my car?  it may take a village.

goodbye and carry on.

my friend tammy and i took our kids to the apple farm.

we had apple fritters and chicken and dumplings.

it was all divine, the food, the fellowship, the fun!

our friends sebastian and sarah invited us for dinner and introduced us to raclette.
it’s a european dining experience where you cook your own food on a double decker grill at the table.

kinda like fondue, except not.

it was really cool.

we ate too much.

and then…….

then, sarah made butterscotch molten cakes!!!!

whaaaaat?

i must get the recipe.  it was joy unspeakable.   and full of butterscotch glory.

sarah, who is a math teacher, taught us some cool math games using playing cards.

and they’re doing some super renovations at their new lake house.

we love them!  we’re so glad they’re here. {sebastian is steve’s new partner.}

thanks guys!

and then i took the girls (and two friends) to a local fall festival.
have you ever been to a fall festival in the south?
it was priceless.
and i have crowned myself mother of the year for this endeavor.
it’s not for the faint of heart.
what, with the hillbilly clown and the deep fried oreos and the reindeer crafts,
i could hardly contain myself.
then there was a guy with a shirt that said,
“i’m a good-looking redneck. what more do you want?”
what’s more, i let them eat hot dogs, kettle corn and cotton candy.
i rest my case.
crown me now.
mother of the year.
do we really even need a vote?

but in all fairness, there was some nifty stuff too.
a few really unique quilts.
a potter working at her wheel.
a bee-keeper, keeping his bees.
some bluegrass music.

inspiring.

whew!
now i must ready myself for another doozy of a weekend.
my sweet caiti is in the ms. teen tennessee pageant next weekend in clarksville.
neither of us are really into pageants.
but she applied and she’s in it and we’ll have fun i’m sure.
when she went for her orientation weekend, she came home and said,
“those girls need to eat a cheeseburger.”
that’s my girl.
she said the other moms were ‘sizing her up’. these people have probably been doing pageants all their lives.
my daughter still hasn’t found a bathing suit and she doesn’t seem to be the least bit worried.
i should probably be more into it but all i can think of is toddlers and tiaras.

maybe i’ll set up a fried oreo stand just for kicks.
think it would go over well?

i am excited to spend the weekend with caiti.  she’ll be beautiful and self-deprecating and wonderful.

and nashville is pretty swell too.

any recommendations for me? regarding pageants? or antique stores near nashville?  yarn shops? favorite food stuffs? field trips? (the littles are coming along) music to add to my ipod?  or books on tape?  things i should say if confronted about my laissez-faire pageant attitude?

help a girl out.

lest i lose my mother of the year status.

Hope you’re making happy Labor Day memories!

Our Father in heaven is merciful.

By His good grace,  Jamie came to visit us here in Tennessee  and to check on her dying father.    He’s been in a miserable condition for quite some time and has nearly begged to die.  His children have watched him lose his dignity and even his very will to live.   She visited him on Friday, they had ice cream together and she told him how much she loved him.  She told me later that she prayed that night that if at all possible, God would take him to heaven soon so that his suffering would finally be over.

He died in his sleep that night.

We have spent the week crying, remembering, laughing, grieving, cooking, cleaning, loving and all the while being thankful that we have shared these fleeting and precious moments together.   My sainted sister  has hosted us all for many days and has taken care of us like only sisters do.    The time with family has been such a gift. We say goodbye with heavy hearts and count our blessings that Our Father in heaven knows what we need before we ask.

Our hope is in Him, whose resurrection has freed us from death.

from the Lutheran prayer book:

Lord, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Merciful Father, You know how difficult these days are for me.  In Your holy Word, You have promised to hear those who cry unto You in the day of trouble.  Listen to my cries for mercy and send help from the sanctuary of Your grace.

Preserve me from bitterness of spirit, and rescue me from every temptation to despair.   Calm my frustrations with the knowledge that my life is secure in Your redeeming love, for I am baptized into the death and resurrection of Your Son.   Draw me out of self centered worry, which stifles faith, and cause me to take comfort in the Gospel.   Sustain and strengthen me under every cross and affliction, that Your grace might be made perfect in my weakness.

Give me confidence to pray without losing heart and to trust in Your mighty deliverance according to Your good and gracious will.

Father, into Your hands I commend myself.  Hear me, for the sake of Your Son, who alone is my Brother and Savior.

Amen.

{Comments closed.  Jamie and her brother appreciate your prayers.}

Caiti brought her boyfriend Cody along……

Taylor brought Morgan……

and of course, Marcus and Katilin joined us…..

My sister hosted our family renunion at her spacious and gorgeous house…..

—where we ate too much of this…..

and got to meet baby Piper!

and got to visit with our out-of-town relatives…..

we ended the night with a bonfire and smores.

and although my kitchen is still not quite done, I did get the old pantry converted to a small half bath. This is my favorite little bathroom in the house. We all fight over it!

We started out our holiday extravaganza by picking up Mal from the airport. He’s the oldest of this large brood of children and we feel so lucky that he took time off work to come and visit. We know that these times of most of us being all together will get fewer and farther between.

then we wasted no time heading to the water to play on this……

and this

and this……

Our sweet neighbor invited our gang for dinner!?!    We enjoyed wonderful food and company  and then went back to the lake to watch fireworks from the boat.

The boys enjoyed some ceeegars.
The girlies got excited about the fireworks.

And the dogs went a little crazy.

BTW, dogs + lake = stinky.

stayed tuned for part 2.