tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47244323745567561192024-03-12T18:46:18.857-07:00Over the Moon with JoyKimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.comBlogger1300125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-81430281559738662652019-02-08T09:19:00.001-08:002019-02-08T09:52:47.886-08:00I got a Crush! {Floral Delivery!}<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://bouqs.com/about-us">The Bouqs Co</a>.</div>
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Just wanted to share my surprise that came via FedEx this morning...</div>
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<a href="https://bouqs.com/flowers/popular">The Bouqs Co.</a></div>
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Seriously, the prettiest, best wrapped and most beautiful bouquet my sweet Knight has ever sent. Hydrangeas, snapdragons, roses, Gerber daisies and green Eucalyptus to adorn the bouquet entitled 'Crush!'<br />
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They arrived in a large brown heavy weight cardboard box. The flowers were tied down with a heavy weight zip tie. They were bundled in 2 separate cellophane bundles and once we unpackaged them saw that some of the flowers had stem support (to avoid breakage) and some even had a netting over the flower to keep them from damage during shipping.</div>
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Well, my husband got a big thank you for this beautiful bouquet, even the tin container (which has an old fashioned enamelware feel) is lovely.</div>
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My Knight use to order from 1800 (flowers), in the past...but no more of that! </div>
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The Bouqs Co. use U.S. farm growers and are into sustainability! Artistry is high on their hearts and they look to work with florists and farmers who love what they do too! What they deliver was great evidence of just that.</div>
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Looking to send beautiful flowers? The Bouqs Co. even offer <a href="https://bouqs.com/services/coupons">a coupon page!</a></div>
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Want to take <a href="https://bouqs.com/flowers/all">a peak</a> at some more of their work? So very lovely!</div>
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I am not getting paid to post on this lovely company, just felt like sharing with you something really good and worth your money!</div>
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As a practical girl, I discourage my Knight from sending flowers on holidays. But he slipped these in before Valentines Day and honestly my heart is so blessed! What a lovely Friday surprise.<br />
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The love note and bouquet care instructions.</div>
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Happy Friday friends.</div>
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Be blessed.</div>
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Love for you to leave a note and let me know you popped in. Encouragement does a heart wonders! ❤</div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-67086664811132356412019-02-07T12:33:00.001-08:002019-02-07T12:33:36.942-08:00Looking For Spring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-62443221210831700232019-01-30T12:11:00.001-08:002019-01-30T12:11:43.327-08:00Wooden Spoons as of Late<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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They each emerge as the shavings fall. A surprise to the creator, each one so different. </div>
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The whittling away brings you to the place, the moment where you say stop, enough.</div>
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The middle spoon was a bother. In the center I found out not only a knot which penetrated through, but wormwood none the less. Sigh, but just like a mother finds love for each of her children, even this spoon has worked itself into my heart.</div>
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A branch of birch awaits me. I hear it is a lovely wood to work. Time will tell. Sharpened the axe and perhaps later will see how she behaves.</div>
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Hope all is dandy in your part of the world.</div>
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Have had sickness here and finally the children are out to get fresh air. Perhaps we've turned a corner from 'flu A'. Had one trip to the E.R. and not due to my carving, but with our youngest Princess unable to breathe. So glad she is feeling well enough to bundle up and go out in the snow for a bit.</div>
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Be well!</div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-34596876847566647472019-01-27T05:16:00.000-08:002019-01-27T05:16:07.205-08:00Prayer Request Sunday ❤<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Morning Friends❤</div>
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Would love to pray for what is on your heart today. Leave me a comment and we will stand together believing God will not only hear us, but move on your behalf.</div>
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Love you, be blessed!</div>
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 6px;">Matthew 18:20</span> <span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">The Passion Translation (TPT)</span></h1>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Matt-18-20" id="en-TPT-3939" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">20 </span><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">For wherever two or three come together in honor of my name,</b><span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-TPT-3939a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-TPT-3939a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A20&version=TPT#fen-TPT-3939a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">I am right there with them!”</b></span></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-55636553857221877352019-01-25T12:15:00.000-08:002019-01-25T12:37:02.170-08:00The Beauty of Homemade Bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Warm bread straight from the oven, oh what more says love?</div>
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Simple ingredients: yeast, warm water, flour, salt. A little mixing, a little kneading of the dough, wrapping her and then giving her time to slowly fill to her potential. </div>
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Pressing her down, reshaping her again and letting her slowly rise up again. Keeping her gently wrapped to prevent a hard outer crust that would limit her full potential. She needs to stay warm and soft in this waiting process.</div>
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Heating an oven to nice and hot, then baking her until perfectly golden. Give her a thump and see if she sounds rather done. </div>
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Release her to a cooling rack and sit staring at her until you can stand it no longer. </div>
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With a serrated bread knife slice, smell, close your eyes, and thank God for such a wonderful gift as bread.</div>
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As I write this I realize how much life and trials that come are like the making of bread.</div>
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Though I have been knocked down in life, sometimes looking rather deflated at such times, the Holy Spirit that lives in me causes me to rise and reach to my potential that God Himself has put within me.</div>
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Where does my help come from? The One who made both heaven and earth and every grain that grows upon it. I look to Him in difficult times and He fills me up and enables me to rise.</div>
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Be blessed my friends, may you too overcome and rise to bring Him glory!</div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-78408724198104151312019-01-24T09:19:00.003-08:002019-01-24T09:21:20.614-08:00Spoon Carving<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Carving in front of our study's pellet stove. Which makes a mess as wood chips fly off, but gives me an outlet to let some much needed creative energy to flow. Other seasons I am either outdoors with this passion of mine, or in the barn in quiet solitude.</div>
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I wish I knew tree trees better. This is a very hard wood, it has a yellowish hue to it as I carve deeper beneath the bark. I find it a bit easier to handle as it dries out a bit. Ironwood, perhaps. Smooth grey bark and inner wood harder than oak for sure. I need a tree mentor! </div>
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After many hours it will become a spoon. Learning to read the wood and which way to remove the parts in pleasing ways to my eye. Rustic. But I feel that true beauty often is. Perfection is overrated.</div>
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From fallen branch in my forest yard, to gift unearthed from God to me, a spoon is born out of something most would never stop to notice.</div>
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Yet my heart becomes a vessel of worship as axe, sloyd knife, hooked knife or scorp reveals the hidden jewel beneath the bark. </div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-50668979987761041132019-01-20T09:22:00.000-08:002019-01-20T09:22:23.112-08:00The Look<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-18447785663574854782019-01-01T05:45:00.001-08:002019-01-27T17:50:43.628-08:00Words Over 2019<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Morning friends!</div>
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What sits on my heart in this fresh new year is some words that have recently been stirring in my heart. My time away from this blog that I loved so dearly and was so the focus of so much of my mothering years, had to be layed down in order to press my life into His in ways deeper than I had gone before. You see my children needed a mother who was strong in the Lord, in order to have the strength and wisdom to fight the battles for their hearts and lives. And a battleground it has been.</div>
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But today that is not my focus, today I will embark on sharing my hunger for God and for His Word with you. My missing posts over the past are due to the facts that my time became fixed to immersing myself both in prayer and in studying the Word. No formal classes, no how-to book, just a need and a cry to my Father rose up from my soul and His wisdom to me was to lay down this blog and to pursue Him. And in it lies the beauty of His love for me and for mine.</div>
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Life is a battlefield. We are in the midst of spiritual battles constantly whether we are aware or not. My heart saw the battle, my mind didn't always know what to do in regards with the solutions. My soul tried to fix things. When I say soul, I am referring to my mind, my will and my emotions. And soulish fixing of things just doesn't work.</div>
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So I layed down my soul before God and asked Him to help me. I asked Him to give me wisdom and strength. I studied and the Holy Spirit taught me about my spiritual armor (Ephesians 6). He also became my very best friend and counsel. Wisdom, strength, and His mighty power have clothed me.</div>
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I am growing to trust Him more. I am learning to be Spirit filled and Spirit led in my walk and call to mothering. It is a hard job, particularly in the hearts of adopted children, who carry a brokenness within that can manifest in so many ways. Ways that are too much for me in the natural to handle, but we know with God all things are possible.</div>
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So today I share the words that the Spirit is speaking to my heart. He is saying that this year, more than any other, I will be a disciple-maker and that, 'strong in Spirit' will be our life aim here at our house. Jesus was strong in Spirit and this will be our aim.</div>
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Luke 2:40</div>
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A Christian who is strong in Spirit will not live from their soul and will not be a soulish led Christian, but one who instead is empowered by the fullness of God's Spirit within and will be able to live from victory and wholeness. Soulishness comes from us at the center, it leads often to sin and self on the throne of our lives.</div>
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We also are reading through the Bible together. We are using the <a href="https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/">YouVersion</a> Bible app and a plan that takes you through the Bible month by month. (My 4 youngest who don't have cell phones follow the plan with me in their Bibles). It is a few chapters a day and will keep us on track. In the end together we will have read and discussed the entire Word of God. (Which they have individually been in since they could read).</div>
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The Word is essential and we need its entirety.</div>
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Bless you. Hope to reestablish old precious friendships and to begin to make new ones.</div>
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Happy 2019!</div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-46726903370643262322018-03-11T13:00:00.001-07:002018-03-11T13:00:58.380-07:00Hi Friends!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Just sending out a test to see how things are working on my end, prior my posting was giving me some trouble. It's on my heart to be able to get back to posting and sharing my thoughts once again.</div>
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I hope you are all well. Amazing how life zips along.</div>
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This is our newest family addition, our sweet Lucca. She was added after much prayer and named after a little town in Tuscany that my Knight and I visited for our anniversary. She is a delight and not short of attention from us. Puppy training is fun, but keeps you on your toes- kind of like being the mother of 8.</div>
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Thanks for stopping by...so much to catch up on! </div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-10299368818847502322017-03-14T07:22:00.000-07:002017-03-14T16:18:50.779-07:00Embassy of the Kingdom of Heaven<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Hi friends, miss you all! </b></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I c</span>ame across this as I was doing my de<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">votion on</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <a href="https://www.youversion.com/">YouVersion Bible </a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youversion.com/">app </a> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(Life Church for those of you looking for a great Bible app.<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">) Email me if you need help finding it, or if you want to be friends on it. I feel like it is a better way to sharpen each other than so<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">me other <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">things that are offered out in the great bi<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">g world today. I lov<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e it and digging in the W<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ord is so good for us!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">*<i>my email is on the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">idebar.</span></span></i> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><i><b><br /></b></i><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Need a lift to your sagging spirit? </span></span></b></div>
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Do you need God to help you move out of stuck and into a new realm of Kingdom business? </div>
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Well, I might have just the opportunity for you. Click and watch and then bow your head and see what our Father will do! I was humbled as I watched, but also inspired to ask God to use my life in such a way. </div>
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A piece of what God is putting on my heart... Asking Him how we can accomplish this vision He has given me through this<br />
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<a href="https://deidox.org/film/woman-lives-at-embassy-of-kingdom-of-heaven/"> beautiful 82 year old inspiration</a><br />
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to my soul.</div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-13504098928206267732016-10-26T13:02:00.002-07:002017-03-14T07:23:04.850-07:00A Word on Love:<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was sitting listening to my Father's heart when these words came into my spirit~</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>For Love to flourish</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> not only to fill us,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> but also to empty us.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">It can be so easy for us to pray for God to show us a revelation of His love for us. It is often harder to take what is revealed to us and apply it to where we currently stand. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I do want to<i> flourish</i> in His Love. I think there is wisdom in asking God what that looks like, it avoids us walking out in our strength or wisdom into areas He never really asked us to 'put our hand to.' It is in our willingness to be poured out that we are filled with the Love of God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> It means the Love is not containable, but seeps out into who He brings us to brush up against. Today will look different than yesterday's "empty", a constant flow of Love being poured in, so it can be lavishly given out. Love is not just meant to be known or received, but to be displayed for all to see. I just thought about that saying,<b> "Seeing is believing." </b>Well, if plugged into this concept of Love, it becomes a billboard for His Glory.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanking God for time with Him and for hearing His heart for me today. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Hope it speaks to your heart too!</span></i></b></span><b> </b></span></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-88957879579502519372016-10-12T19:31:00.000-07:002016-10-12T19:31:47.612-07:00Fishing Stories to Remember<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When I was a girl and fell in love with fishing, I was taught by rules:</div>
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<b><i> Things must go a certain way, certain hours must be observed, silence is best...</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> Then came my children.</b></span> </div>
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Funny, as I am a mix of a free-spirited type and a girl who loves the order rules bring. I took them to our cabin in the woods for a week, near the end of summer, just a few weeks prior to now.</div>
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I brought them to a store to get fishing supplies and gave them a general run down on the how-to, then I parked a chair on the quiet sandy shore and let them do<i> as they felt best.</i> (either great parenting or crazy, still not sure which). </div>
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Their father was hundreds of miles away, as I lived out this week in the wilderness with 5 of my brood that wasn't committed to work related things. We were in heaven and the fish played along. At one point I did ask a man to help identify the fish they caught, now even forgetting what he said. He encouraged them in their fish adventure and never once laughed at their "how-to." He offered a few stringing pointers, bragged on their mad skills and went back to watching his 2 year old son who kept trying to run away.</div>
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My fourteen year old son, King Meemer, was the brains behind their fishing. </div>
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He thinks outside the box and soon had everybody fishing as<b> he saw best</b>.</div>
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Fishing 101- walk up to your armpits floating your tackle box, bait, and such on your boogie board. Convince your fifteen year old sister and your 13 year old brother that this is just a normal afternoon of fishing. (Here again, I was told get your bum out of bed bright and early and/ or wait until dinner time to attempt fish catching.)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Laughing as they caught more fish than I ever did.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> AND they loved it.</span><br />
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Their youngest sister who is part fish herself,<br />
opted to swim and fish on more of a part-time commitment. She is my social butterfly and always has an eye out for someone to make friends with. Fish just don't make that great of a friend for her 8 year old self I guess.<br />
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Yes, they were fishing out of the swim area, at their mum's request. <br />they fished for HOURS!! One time their tackle floated away and another time I found it floating up to the beach. Guess they had the tackle with a homing device back to the shore...<br />
the<i> 'come to Mama type'</i> tackle.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Who knew!</span><br />
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Day after day they would spend the hours trying to capture all of the lake fishies. I wish I got a picture of the crowd they began to draw. Men and women, young and old wanted in on their fishing adventure. Quite honestly, I am quite surprised that after 8 days the newspaper reporter didn't show up to question what it was they were doing out to their eyeballs at Hall's Lake everyday.<br />
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Did I mention that their was little <b>"quietness"</b> to their fishing antics? Perhaps the fish here were starving, or just mesmerized by such fishing tactics, that they happily took the bait. (which was a whole bunch of stuff I never would have even considered as bait. My rule book said catch night crawlers with a flashlight, avoid glass worms, and or use those ever available rubbery worm. If desperate try the spray that is supposed to lure the fish to the bait.)<br />
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The brains behind the fishing has a tender heart and really didn't want to eat any of their catch. He talked all of them into letting each fish to swim back to freedom. Even though their mother told them she would teach them the 'how-to' of eating their catch. No takers.<br />
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Maybe next year they will change their mind, perhaps larger fish will look more like dinner to my ever surprising children. Guess we will have to wait and see, as it is too cold now to venture up to your neck in the lake.<br />
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<b>Kids they sure are a lot of fun!</b></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-58803933495332936472016-09-30T10:14:00.001-07:002016-09-30T10:14:35.237-07:00The College Student<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hard to believe how fast time comes and goes. Seriously I need to stop blinking and slow things down a bit.</div>
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Our sweet Ethiopian has begun her studies, dabbling in getting her feet wet in higher education. This is her first experience outside of her home education, here in America. She is eager and ready.</div>
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We are several weeks in now and up to our eyeballs in assignments, but she is enjoying this new step in finding out what and where God is taking her.</div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-84056616078849591002016-05-27T10:58:00.000-07:002016-05-27T10:58:16.406-07:00My First Carved Spoons<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What does a girl do when she just can't sleep?</b></span></div>
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She gets up at 5 am </div>
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(well actually 3, but my feet hit the floor at 5 am) </div>
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and decides to do a photo shoot of her hand carved spoons.</div>
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Pardon any blur, but did I mention I only got 3 hours of sleep?!!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>How does one go from mother of 8 to a spoon carvin' Mama? </i></span></div>
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Well, I have loved old wooden spoons for awhile. I always look about <i>to rescue </i>another from the heap, but this came with a sudden interest in trees that lay by the side of the road and needed<i> rescuing</i>. </div>
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(Do you see a theme in my life? Haha) </div>
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So girl tells her husband that<b> she wants to carve spoons. </b></div>
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He cocks his head and says something like, <i> <b>"Really?"</b></i> (in his head he was thinking, 'Don't we already own like 50?' He has such a sense of humor, maybe I have 20). </div>
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So said husband takes it upon himself to make a blank for the wife. (Meaning he didn't want me to use the ax, as he likes my fingers as they are). Since this time I ventured to Brimfield Antique Show and bought myself I huge carving knife. My homemade daughter says it is for gutting bears, the old man I bought it from was worried I had evil in my heart and made me promise I would hurt anyone with it. To which I assured him I planned to only carve wood and never ever draw blood, not even my own if I could help it.</div>
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<a href="https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=C111US105D20151031&p=paul+sellars+spoon+carving"> I watched a few videos on YouTube.</a> Took the roughed out log which now if you squinted really hard could make out a spoon somewhere behind all that extra wood. And began to remove all the extra (mainly used a chisel, gouge and a homemade wooden mallet my Knight made me, from you guessed it, rescued wood).</div>
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Wallah...spoon #1 after 5 plus hours of chiseling and carving. In the end I sanded her with 3 types of sandpaper in varying coarseness, then made a wood butter to slather on her,</div>
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so she would be<span style="font-size: large;"> 'real purdy.'</span></div>
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I am in love with her. She may not be perfect, but I took her out of a piece of wood that was chopped down by a tree service (now I never saw them, but I imagined they were sent in to trim up the trees for our safety). I think she is a red oak. <b> On the list of woods NOT to begin with</b>, but hey I am not a huge follower of rules. I like to make them as I go ;}</div>
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She landed in our library parking lot during one of the last snowstorms and a tree service came and chopped her up and left her lying there all sad and lonely. She was happy to see us coming! My strong son hoisted her into the tank of mine, that some refer to as a very large car, which is perfect for wood gathering. </div>
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#1</div>
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Spoon # two was trouble. An experienced carver would have thrown her into the fire, but as you have guessed, I stuck it out, knots and all. (note to self, see knots and pick another piece of wood). She is also some type of hardwood...oak? I had a hard time reading her grains and kept hacking out pieces that were needed. So she came out more like a spatula. But though she is imperfect and perhaps ugly, I love her. </div>
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(see her trying to hide behind my beloved #1?)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Look! </b></span> They make a heart when placed together...</div>
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okay I might be tired, but doesn't it look like a heart?</div>
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She really fits nicely into my hand and will make a nice mate to love #1. Now I am working on spoon #3. She should <b>also</b> go into the fire, as she has a worm hole and a knot too~ in her handle and bowl. But I can't bear to quit on her, so I continue to work into hour 3 on her becoming a spoon. I mentioned her negatives to my Knight and he shrugged and said that it would give her character.</div>
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Spoon making isn't for the weak or timid. You have to use knives, axes (yes I went and bought my own and then my man bought me a smaller one...haha), hook knives, chisels, wooden mallets...all sorts of beautiful woodworking tools. All new to me, but becoming a rather large collection. </div>
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Ask me what I got for<b> Mother's Day</b> this year. <i>Tools!!</i> My son-in-love came in and was like, "Whoa, aren't you wanting jewelry or something more girly?' </div>
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It also requires hours of time, and an eye to draw it out of hiding. A strong back is good too. But I think this comes with the hours of time that goes into each new work of art. I have drawn blood, but nothing that needed more than a paper towel clean up. I actually felt more like a woodworker after the blood incidents.</div>
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I feel like an artist as the spoons suddenly manifests from the log. <span style="font-size: large;">They were hidden in there the whole time</span>, but just needed a gentle coaxing to come out.</div>
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I imagine it is like me as God continues to shape me into His image, never quitting and lovingly shaping, turning, a touch here, a bit more there and then carefully eyeing up rough spots that need to be honed to a smooth glass like finish. A finish that reflects the Maker and in the case of my spoons, their maker.</div>
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They love each other ;-)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>I am a spoon carver. </b></span></div>
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I can't wait to try new shapes, new woods, new tools, old tools and all the gadgets that my husband keeps picking up at the auction for me. I think he loves that I am happy and that some of my pent up artist is coming out, even if it is 'spoons!' in his mind. Afterall, for years it was soap.</div>
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Did I mention that I am going to carve <a href="http://jonsbushcraft.com/Kuksa%20tutorial.htm">kuksa</a> and <a href="http://www.countryworkshops.org/Carving.html">bowls</a> too someday? But for now I will hone my spoon- making skills. And let me say, 4 children have had their hand at spoon carving now too. Seems it may be contagious! I have<i><b> so much</b></i> to learn, looking at these pictures makes me think maybe I need to slather on a wee bit more spoon-butter onto my darlings.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I am a woodworker hear me roar!</i></span></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-83061518902314187242016-05-24T06:00:00.003-07:002016-05-24T06:00:45.718-07:00Thankfulness to Chew On<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Thanksgiving is an underrated spiritual discipline.</i> Being thankful stops you in your tracks and</div>
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forces you to rest in the midst of your "doings" to reflect on God's absolute goodness. It changes the atmosphere and invites the Holy Spirit into the moment. Thanksgiving gives eyes to see and a heart that is open to receive from Him. Thanksgiving is a practice we need to embrace.</div>
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We need to be constantly aware of His workings, constantly casting up thanksgiving and praise to Him. We need to acknowledge His work, His goodness and our desperate need of Him. A thankful heart is rooted in the reality of His goodness and presence. </div>
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Thank you Lord for this day. Thank you Father for giving me this day to submit my life into your hands. Help me to walk in gratitude to You this day and let it open the door of my heart to Your presence.</div>
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<b><i>Come Holy Spirit come!</i></b></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-32131288590364222792016-04-28T18:40:00.003-07:002016-04-28T18:40:48.694-07:00Extension Homeschool class (high school)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My seventeen year old daughter decided to tag along with her eldest sister to a cake decorating class. She has been practicing with frosting, fondant and gum paste in these two 4 week sessions. They found the classes at our local fabric craft center. I think this one was her first with just frosting, she has made several over these past few weeks. </div>
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They both enjoyed trying new things in the decorating cakes world. And it was super nice to have my married daughter make an effort to spend time with her younger sister. Mentoring is huge, never mind friendship between sisters!</div>
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We are proud of her and happy to help her make way for another frosting design session.</div>
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<i>Hard work, but somebody has to eat the cake.</i></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-31160471580532929502016-04-02T10:08:00.001-07:002016-04-02T10:08:08.792-07:00The Winner of Happy Beach CD!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G81FcJETETI/Vv_4IYHYaBI/AAAAAAAAN28/8oJAD0aV1_MhItQLU0aOWBsCtETW22nxw/s1600/March%2B2016%2B004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G81FcJETETI/Vv_4IYHYaBI/AAAAAAAAN28/8oJAD0aV1_MhItQLU0aOWBsCtETW22nxw/s400/March%2B2016%2B004.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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A rainy day here and plenty of volunteers to pick the winner of Perry Springman's cd, </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> <b><i><a href="http://perryspringman.com/">Happy Beach</a>. </i></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f7aRDTH3lZY/Vv_41LTenvI/AAAAAAAAN3A/YeLX8zTtfJQeImK5N0pbCl6q5I9YsDm1w/s1600/March%2B2016%2B006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f7aRDTH3lZY/Vv_41LTenvI/AAAAAAAAN3A/YeLX8zTtfJQeImK5N0pbCl6q5I9YsDm1w/s400/March%2B2016%2B006.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> With eyes closed and papers mixed about...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>the winner is...</b></span></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b><i>(without a doubt...</i></b></div>
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<b><i>because 4 children felt the need to try their hand at picking the winner,</i></b></div>
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<b><i> post the winner already being picked...and each picked....)</i></b></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9yn0yng9vJI/Vv_5PZvnPcI/AAAAAAAAN3I/LZHzcp1NyUAOhchAAgftYisWAgab1FNwg/s1600/March%2B2016%2B007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9yn0yng9vJI/Vv_5PZvnPcI/AAAAAAAAN3I/LZHzcp1NyUAOhchAAgftYisWAgab1FNwg/s400/March%2B2016%2B007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Congratulations Pam. </b></span></div>
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<b><i> I will send your information along to Perry so he can send you a copy of his cd. </i></b></div>
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<b><i> Please feel free to post about it! </i></b></div>
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<b>And to those of you who didn't win...I still highly recommend this album, it is joy filled and well loved by all ages in our house!</b></div>
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<b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018TFIQWG/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp">Happy Beach!</a></i></b></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-72692505253880527742016-03-20T18:10:00.000-07:002016-03-20T19:05:31.218-07:00Natural Hair and Adoption<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We joke that she has enough hair for at least two people. Her older Ethiopian sister has said she herself has enough for maybe three people. It certainly is a mane of glory. This mama has gotten good at natural hair care, though she grew up only knowing how to care for her own hair type which certainly was not African in any way shape or form. Braids yes, french braids sure, but cornrows or box braids, um <i>no-sir-ree.</i></div>
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God is full of surprises. He brings you places that you'd never imagine. I never imagined I would be the mother of two Ethiopian daughters and that they would have enough hair to make tons and tons of box row braids when one sets about to. I never realized my fingers would move so quickly at parting with a rat tail comb and finding just the right product to make their hair soft and protected. Or that a hair style could take a couple of hours to complete, never mind undoing it several weeks later.</div>
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Rarely do I keep Princess Mercy's hair down (unbraided). I have learned that it quickly shrinks up and tangles and leads to tears and long careful sessions of trying to coax the hair out of knots and nests. A battleground that this mama knows to avoid. But sometimes this little one just wants a day of freedom and wants to take the risk of a few hours without it being styled. It always must go into a protective hairstyle by bedtime, which means twists or lose braids, followed by a silk cap to sleep in.</div>
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Curly, kinky, beautiful African hair. I smile because I trusted Him enough to say yes. Yes to two beautiful daughters who are so different from me. He knows how to make it all happen. My non-African friends ask me '<i>Who does their hair</i>?' I smile and I say <i>'Just me.' </i> They tip their head and ask me how I know how to do all these things, that are foreign to so many light skinned mamas. I grin and explain that what God calls you to, that He enables you to walk in it. His call, His leading, His help and my following. </div>
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Life is good. Isn't she cute?</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eK7ZyRDQjbc/Vu9GLbj-k6I/AAAAAAAAN2o/f3qAvX7GTHMZx06KLlcHjg53RdaNmx92Q/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eK7ZyRDQjbc/Vu9GLbj-k6I/AAAAAAAAN2o/f3qAvX7GTHMZx06KLlcHjg53RdaNmx92Q/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B036.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And hey..put your name down for my <a href="http://overthemoonwithjoy.blogspot.com/2016/03/giveaway-giveaway-giveaway.html"><span style="font-size: large;">giveaway</span>! </a></div>
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Time is running short and you'll be so blessed if you are the one who gets picked. </div>
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I think this little one will love to write names down and put them into a basket and draw out the winner. </div>
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We need more names...so please sign up. </div>
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<i> I am sure you will enjoy it, or can find someone who would love it. </i></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-73109767339556430112016-03-15T13:12:00.001-07:002016-03-15T13:12:15.655-07:00The Moose!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Moose</b></span></div>
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One day I was driving along with my husband on a weekend getaway in New Hampshire, and low and behold there is a moose munching away in a field alongside the road. I was so excited I nearly jumped out of the car. All weekend I had been asking where were all the animals, we had ventured off snowmobiling and hadn't seen nary a creature. Just a minute before I had asked God,<i> 'Why no animals?' </i>and <span style="font-size: large;"><b>bam</b></span>,</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i> 'moose to order!'</i></span></div>
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Now I know a few things about moose, one being to stay away from them. However, I needed to get a picture of her (him?) while the getting was good. How often does one see a moose? I needed proof and a little time to use my new camera on the capture of proof, that we had seen this grass munching, frozen faced moose.</div>
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Many cars passed us in our 15 minutes of trying to get close enough to said moose, without becoming an aggravation to it or accidentally freezing to death. My brave husband got out of the car with me and we slowly crept down a ramp to a ledge that would get me close enough to pop off a few pictures.<i>Yeah, that is love. </i> No one else seemed to care about us or this moose, they just flew by, as we nearly froze to death trying to get her to smile </div>
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<i>(I mean not kill us).</i></div>
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The moose immediately popped up from eating and gave me<i><b> the eye</b></i>. She was a good 50 feet from us, but she was letting me know that she saw us and we better not try anything. We definitely didn't try anything, but she wasn't convinced. She couldn't take her eyes off of me, I felt loved.</div>
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We told her she was lovely and thanked her for the photo shoot before carefully climbing back up to the car. My hands were frozen and I was sure that fur must be the way to go, as my new friend wasn't even shivering. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">She is pretty cute isn't she?</span></div>
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and speaking of cute and lovely...</div>
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If you have another second~ pop on over</div>
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and sign up for my<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://overthemoonwithjoy.blogspot.com/2016/03/giveaway-giveaway-giveaway.html"> giveway!</a></span></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-13071739552077524262016-03-06T19:32:00.000-08:002016-03-06T19:47:19.291-08:00Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Welcome to the Giveaway</b> ...</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy Beach by Perry Springman</span></h2>
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I am so very happy to be able to share a review for a brand spanking new<br />
children's cd,<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Happy Beach</span></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">! </span><br />
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<a href="http://perryspringman.com/">Perry Springman</a>, the cd artist, contacted me and asked if I would be willing to do a review for him. He asked me simply to listen to his new children's album, Happy Beach, and give my honest opinion of it. He is looking for a way to move among the homeschooling community and get the word out that his new cd is available. Of course it is not just for homeschoolers...read on! And for the record, I feel blessed to be able to help Perry get this out to the world!<br />
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Honestly, Happy Beach is a great compilation of music. It gets you moving, swaying, humming, laughing and I think to limit it to a certain audience (yes, it was aimed at a children's audience), is selling it short. Who doesn't need <span style="font-size: large;"><i>a dance party</i></span> at fingertips reach? After all, most would agree that I am well beyond childhood, but I found myself leaving the cd in the player when I was running errands without children (gasp, without children? How can this be? And gasp again, you were listening to a children's cd?) <i>Yes, truth is, it really brightened my heart. </i> I found myself laughing and smiling even though we had already listened to the cd through multiple times.<br />
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This would be great for children's ministries, a great birthday present or gift for children. I could see it being incorporated into a Vacation Bible School for churches that don't want to buy a packaged product, but are creative enough to put together their own or want some background music, or perhaps even a children's exercise class that is looking for upbeat get-your-heart-pumping kind of music. <i><span style="font-size: small;">But I think if you are a child at heart that this is a fun way <b>to brighten</b> any day. </span></i><br />
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The songs are wholesome and have many helps for those who have opportunity to reach out and touch a child's heart. If you read the words to these songs, you have a great jumping point to conversations;<br />
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<li><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thankfulness,</b></span></i></li>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></i>
<li><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Friendship </b></span></i></li>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></i>
<li><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b> How come or why questions that children often ask,</b></span></i></li>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></i>
<li><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Neatness/tidiness, </b></span></i></li>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></i>
<li><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Behavior, </b></span></i></li>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></i>
<li><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Exercise, </b></span></i></li>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></i>
<li><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Celebrating life and choosing joy,</b></span></i></li>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></i>
<li><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Loving others,</b></span></i></li>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span></i>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i> Loving and respecting parents...</i></b></span></li>
</ul>
I guess I have made my point.<br />
<br />
This<b> family cd </b>could really be a helpful tool for:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>parents,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> mentors,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> teachers,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> librarians,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> or grandparents</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> in reaching children's hearts.</b></span><br />
<br />
I was thinking this cd is not only wholesome and fun loving, but how creative and clever the lyrics are. The song, <b>The 3 Minute Clean-Up</b>, made me think, 'Why didn't I think of this?' The songs vary in tempo and style. I began to think, "Hey, I could clean the house to this. Or, if I am needing to change the atmosphere of our home, this would be a great way to do it. And what a sweet lullaby."<br />
<br />
I think Perry is super talented and that we will be hearing more from him in the future. His vocals are creative and he shows multiple abilities with instruments (both guitar and ukulele). <a href="http://perryspringman.com/about/the-band/">The team</a> he has assembled really put out an awesome album. And Perry Springman's cd cover is adorable!<br />
<br />
<br />
And it's not just me who thinks so, all of my kids listened. They all had their favorite songs on the cd. My older ones loved<b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Beach-Perry-Springman/dp/B018TFIQWG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1454384210&sr=8-2&keywords=happy+beach+perry+springman&linkCode=sl1&tag=thefrughome02-20&linkId=4ce9312a28be4af00083c86d6dc93386">Chimichanga</a></b>, my youngest loved <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Beach-Perry-Springman/dp/B018TFIQWG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1454384210&sr=8-2&keywords=happy+beach+perry+springman&linkCode=sl1&tag=thefrughome02-20&linkId=4ce9312a28be4af00083c86d6dc93386">Why Does the World Have Slivers</a>?</b>, <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Beach-Perry-Springman/dp/B018TFIQWG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1454384210&sr=8-2&keywords=happy+beach+perry+springman&linkCode=sl1&tag=thefrughome02-20&linkId=4ce9312a28be4af00083c86d6dc93386">My Ukulele</a> </b>reminded all of us of music we had listened to with a folksy edge to it, anyone remember Raffi?<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bU107ATSJvI/VtzyqVOhAgI/AAAAAAAAN1c/djPdCrlbjKE/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bU107ATSJvI/VtzyqVOhAgI/AAAAAAAAN1c/djPdCrlbjKE/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B728.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
This is Perry's 11th recording, but his first children's CD. The album was produced by 4-time Grammy winner Mark Heimermann. (Michael W. Smith, dcTalk, The Newsboys...) Immediately upon a few correspondences back and forth, I already loved Perry's heart. </div>
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This album is FUN! I don't just mean for children, I mean all of us thought it was fun. I kept imagining myself throwing it on and making housecleaning a fun dance worthy event. We giggled and laughed out loud throughout the 10 songs. The music is catchy and you find yourself swaying back and forth as you listen to Happy Beach!<br />
<br />
Now Perry said he'd be happy to give away a cd to one of you...so if you leave me contact information in this blog post...on Saturday, April 2nd I will announce the blessed winner. Please make sure I can contact you and that you are not set on 'no contact' in your profile setting. Leave a comment on this post and if you need to leave an email address feel free to use my email link in the sidebar.<br />
<br />
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</div>
<br />
And for those of you who don't win, but want to purchase Happy Beach, go to<a href="http://perryspringman.com/"> <span style="font-size: large;">www.perryspringman.com</span></a> or to<span style="font-size: x-large;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018TFIQWG/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp"><span style="font-size: large;">Amazon</span></a></span> or to<b> <span style="font-size: large;">itunes</span>. </b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"> And hey</span>, </b><br />
<b> I bought 3 cd's to give to people I love:</b><br />
<br />
<b> two for children I know</b><br />
<b> and </b><br />
<b>one for a man who is not only a child at heart, </b><br />
<b>but works at my church leading Sunday School!</b><i> </i><br />
<br />
<i> (</i><u><i>and I can't take credit of thinking of Mr. Bob...</i></u><br />
<u><i>my kid's actually thought of it themselves,</i></u><br />
<u><i> knowing he'd just LOVE IT!)</i></u><b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RXuil6KJgCg/VtzzcmiBPtI/AAAAAAAAN1k/dWtbjiDVenI/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RXuil6KJgCg/VtzzcmiBPtI/AAAAAAAAN1k/dWtbjiDVenI/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B727.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Thanks so much! </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And feel free to do your part to help Perry!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>God loves it when we love each other.</i></b></span></div>
</div>
Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-46277833142733168552016-02-22T11:44:00.001-08:002016-02-22T11:44:51.188-08:00Bits of Our Home and Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--X-2gwI2JWo/VstbzxBQ5lI/AAAAAAAANy4/eTov2VnRyjo/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--X-2gwI2JWo/VstbzxBQ5lI/AAAAAAAANy4/eTov2VnRyjo/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B059.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Hope</i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GnEr2RReMtY/VstcJIvRgvI/AAAAAAAANy8/4q3EqyxK8Zg/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GnEr2RReMtY/VstcJIvRgvI/AAAAAAAANy8/4q3EqyxK8Zg/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
</i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Tobin James in a mood</h3>
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<br /></h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xBMOHLIZQK8/VstchhA4mbI/AAAAAAAANzA/upjrkwHsgdk/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xBMOHLIZQK8/VstchhA4mbI/AAAAAAAANzA/upjrkwHsgdk/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Stringing popcorn for our tree</h3>
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<br /></h3>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Christmas 2015:<i> 'the tree that wouldn't die'</i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>(we just took it down this past Saturday. it was put up the day after Thanksgiving...it was still drinking water and not dropping needles)</i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>tree type: Concolor Fir </i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jZgV0D1uQWk/VsteA2W_RTI/AAAAAAAANzU/-eXqO9Yzhww/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jZgV0D1uQWk/VsteA2W_RTI/AAAAAAAANzU/-eXqO9Yzhww/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B164.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Princess Mercy about to sing her solo</i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i></h3>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6WgIHPJmDuE/Vsteaew2ZGI/AAAAAAAANzY/x0hXdEBlGNU/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6WgIHPJmDuE/Vsteaew2ZGI/AAAAAAAANzY/x0hXdEBlGNU/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B119.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Prince Bonkie Singing worship</i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i></h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czi0zyZPup8/Vsteuv6R3FI/AAAAAAAANzg/numN7nHb2H4/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czi0zyZPup8/Vsteuv6R3FI/AAAAAAAANzg/numN7nHb2H4/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B051.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i> A midwinter eve on our deck</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<i>In charge of microphones</i></h3>
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<i> </i></h3>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-crRyWAG5_tc/VstgPq8pJSI/AAAAAAAANzw/iqMEx3MFY3w/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-crRyWAG5_tc/VstgPq8pJSI/AAAAAAAANzw/iqMEx3MFY3w/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B610.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<i> The birthday girl</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKe0igI8Yvk/VstgdonnggI/AAAAAAAANz0/EqixpvSwGY0/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKe0igI8Yvk/VstgdonnggI/AAAAAAAANz0/EqixpvSwGY0/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B531.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>A visit in the barn from Nagybaba</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OE0HgFosSxs/VstgwaRgTBI/AAAAAAAANz4/KdWpfq-DK4w/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OE0HgFosSxs/VstgwaRgTBI/AAAAAAAANz4/KdWpfq-DK4w/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B588.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>a birthday girl</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m0nWsEd-dw0/Vstg_JHcZxI/AAAAAAAANz8/uStt8FeVPnE/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m0nWsEd-dw0/Vstg_JHcZxI/AAAAAAAANz8/uStt8FeVPnE/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B200.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>A youth leader inspiring others to dress-up for the occasion</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MDSMvNkopUQ/Vstkh354M9I/AAAAAAAAN0c/q4HucvEXym0/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MDSMvNkopUQ/Vstkh354M9I/AAAAAAAAN0c/q4HucvEXym0/s320/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B311.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<i>hanging out at her sister's house</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LkF3EU5pcjM/VsthysqtEDI/AAAAAAAAN0E/s94HveYmZv8/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LkF3EU5pcjM/VsthysqtEDI/AAAAAAAAN0E/s94HveYmZv8/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B363.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>my son-in-love</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Knp2FiqyIY0/VstiMcWBDqI/AAAAAAAAN0M/OAHqL0VbEdU/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Knp2FiqyIY0/VstiMcWBDqI/AAAAAAAAN0M/OAHqL0VbEdU/s400/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B340.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>my baby #1</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Okay, this kind of catches us up into the New Year. Now if only I can keep in the groove. </i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Next post will be a cd giveaway...so if you have little people in your life, you might just want to keep checking in so you can be the lucky winner!</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></h3>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_sqTnKjGmyU/Vsti8XuaoaI/AAAAAAAAN0Q/swXRRforJ4k/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_sqTnKjGmyU/Vsti8XuaoaI/AAAAAAAAN0Q/swXRRforJ4k/s320/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B545.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h3>
<i>And p.s.- another courtship is well underway. </i></h3>
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<h3>
<i>We love you Adam!</i></h3>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xJMa_36LAeQ/Vstkzta-caI/AAAAAAAAN0g/h-LFI8t9JfI/s1600/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xJMa_36LAeQ/Vstkzta-caI/AAAAAAAAN0g/h-LFI8t9JfI/s320/2016%2BJanuary-February%2B692.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>A Day for Love</i></h3>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-78339417036335207162015-12-27T19:52:00.000-08:002015-12-27T19:52:05.074-08:00Try Organizing This!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Try Organizing this; a family photo shoot with no blinking, cheery faces and just the right fit.</div>
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<i>It is no easy task.</i></div>
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The baby's hair has gone wild in this picture. Some appear to be just a head.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_8sCdSgeukw/VoCuhS3TMUI/AAAAAAAANxo/7hEZrQqEV_U/s1600/IMG_2852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_8sCdSgeukw/VoCuhS3TMUI/AAAAAAAANxo/7hEZrQqEV_U/s400/IMG_2852.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cooperation...well, this might be harder than we first thought.</div>
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Your guess is as good as mine.</div>
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Crazy might be our middle name.</div>
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Some of us more than others.</div>
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Too bright? But pretty blue sky, right?</div>
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This is sweet, but one child has misbehaving bangs.</div>
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We went with this one for this year's Christmas greeting. I picked this one, as how much longer will I be able to pick up our youngest babe? </div>
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Another reason to keep going to the gym, right.</div>
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God has blessed me with such beautiful children.</div>
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Thanks for letting me share them here with you today. </div>
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<i>Happy last week of 2015!</i></h3>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-1151522323302389702015-12-17T06:46:00.000-08:002015-12-17T06:46:08.886-08:00When Christmas Seems Dark<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A thought came to my heart as I was spending time with God. I am learning to listen ever so carefully to what He is speaking to my heart. I am asking Him to allow me to grow in this area, as it is a gift that I must confess that I buried for a good portion of my Christian walk.</div>
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May this bless your heart as you walk out today and the days that are coming, that draw us into<b><i> celebrating </i></b>the joy of our Savior, Jesus, being born in a dark and cold stable. He came into the dark world to bring us Light and Hope. <b> May it fill you today my friend.</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>A song of David</i></b></span></div>
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<i>The Lord is my shepherd.</i></h3>
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<i>I will always have everything I need.</i></h3>
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<i>He gives me green pastures to lie in. </i></h3>
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<i>He leads me by calm pools of water.</i></h3>
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<i>He restores my strength.</i></h3>
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<i>He leads me on right paths to show me He is good.</i></h3>
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<i>Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave,</i></h3>
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<i>I will not be afraid of any danger, because You are with me.</i></h3>
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<i>Your rod and staff comfort me.</i></h3>
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<i>You prepared a meal for me in front of my enemies.</i></h3>
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<i>You welcomed me as an honored guest.</i></h3>
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<i>My cup is full and spilling over.</i></h3>
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<i>Your goodness and mercy will be with me all of my life,</i></h3>
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<i>and I will live in the Lord's house a long, long time.</i></h3>
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<i> </i></h3>
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<i>Psalm 23 </i></div>
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<i>Easy-to-Read Version. </i></div>
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The only thing I would add is that a long, long time isn't the true translation...</div>
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slip in the word<b> <span style="font-size: large;">'forever'</span></b> and now we are talking truth.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am praying for you. ((hug))</span></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-74069880316585724022015-12-11T13:09:00.000-08:002015-12-11T13:09:26.796-08:00Bittersweet's Embrace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">For those of you who are struggling. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">My heart is praying for you now. Please stop and talk to God about it. He loves you and cares for you. He hasn't left you and never will. I pray you find comfort in his arms and that the lies of the enemy will be silenced.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Asking Him for love to flood your spirit and heart and peace to rule your mind.</span></b></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4724432374556756119.post-83351743222595440502015-12-03T14:43:00.003-08:002015-12-03T14:43:59.016-08:00Shopping at D & D Market<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hc3-j_67y80/VmC_KrZffjI/AAAAAAAANvM/S9yFEJAukPc/s1600/Christmasprep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hc3-j_67y80/VmC_KrZffjI/AAAAAAAANvM/S9yFEJAukPc/s640/Christmasprep.jpg" width="355" /> </a></div>
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Nothing says Christmas (or any holiday) in our house, </div>
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unless it has some purchases from this little Italian market on Franklin Avenue in Hartford.</div>
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This shop has such a warm and friendly atmosphere. You always feel welcomed and treated like visiting family. My husband is the third generation to carry on the holiday traditions in venturing to this store for our antipasto. Our children now get to come, one at a time, on the adventure- fourth generation! For those who are serious in the kitchen in our home, this is a real treat. So many good things to choose from and really we bring so many wonderful goodies of all kinds home with us. <i>Our cart doth overflow!</i></div>
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Old world charm and Italian love all rolled up into one sweet little market! </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>We love you D & D, don't ever change!</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Buon Natale</b></span></span></i></div>
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Kimmiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462108880167593207noreply@blogger.com2