Just a bit of everything!

Well today it's raining here. I have never seen a winter like this before. A couple weeks ago we were in the 60's, Last week we were lucky if we hit 10* and this week it's in the 30 and 40's. I guess I won't complain. I can handle 30 and 40's. It's the 20 and below temps I don't care for.

I have a prayer request. My dear father in law has to go in for an angioplasty on February 12th. He has a 85% blockage in one and 35 % in the other. Please pray for him as well as the family. My husband isn't taking the news to well today as we have just found out. Thank you to all willing to pray for them.

I also wanted to Thank everyone who has left comments on here. I love to hear from you. For Linda who left a comment about "Pa". I live only a few short miles from where he was born, Cuba NY. They have know marking there about it. We love "Little House" and all that comes with it. DH wants to live like that. I'm not so sure yet. LOL !!!

Things I'm thankful for today...

• The warmer weather~ Is spring here yet????
• My Father-in-law ~ Love you Dad!
• My Husband ~ Thank you for working so hard and loving me the way you do. I love You!!!!
• God's Grace ~ What more do I need to say about that??
• I'm thankful that God knows what we don't and that HE is in control when we aren't.

Hope you all have a wonderful day! ~Jolene

Spring Cleaning???

I have been spending time today cleaning. I have started my spring cleaning already this year. I never seem to have time come spring to deep clean like I want. ( My job keeps me from it...I work for a Christian Landscape company. Very busy during that time.) Anyway last week we cleaned the living room. I still need to wash down the walls. Painting them is on my list to do this summer (if I find the time.) Today we have worked in the dining room and kitchen. I redecorated my living room and dining room with items I already had. I love baskets so I placed them all around in useful places. Most of them came from the local Salvation Army or yard sales. I always buy nice baskets when I find them. You just never know when you may need to put a gift basket together. I did find that I need to find a larger picture for above my piano in the dining room. The space just looks bare. I'm not sure if I have something around here that will look right in that space. Hmm!

My kitchen is currently decorated in fruit. Although I love fruit I am getting sick of looking at it. My sis- in - law bought me a sun catcher of grapes with John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches." on it. I love this and the colors of it. Purple grapes and green vines and leaves. Sooooo, I'm thinking on painting the kitchen a sage color green with purple grapes placed here and there.

Bug-a-boo has been doing laundry and dishes today to help out. She is only 9 years old but is such a work horse. She loves helping mom and dad in anyway she can. She is such a blessing to me. I love you Bug! Thanks for all the help you give me!!!

Little Buck has helped out today as well. At 4 (5 next month) it's hard to keep his attention on cleaning. He much rather be taking something apart. You know to see how it works! I think everything he received for Christmas has been taken apart many times by now. I guess it's time to find a hiding spot for the screw drivers. I love you Little Buck!

My love has been working right along with us. You just got to love a man that will clean with you just to spend time with you. I love you honey!!

I hope your day is what you wanted it to be. ~Jolene

Charles "Pa" Ingalls

"What must be done is best done cheerfully." - Pa Ingalls


I just love that quote and wanted to share some of Pa's wisdom with you all. Hope you have a great and cheerful day. ~Jolene

Counting my Blessings

I was just sitting here thinking how often times we forget to count our blessings. Most times we are caught up in trials and everyday life that we forget. I was just talking with a friend the other day about this. She, too, said she forgets to be thankful for all the blessing God has given her in the past few years. She has gone through a lot last year and was forgetting to thank God for the help he did send her way. How many of us forget our blessings? I know for me I don't "forget" them I just don't give credit to God for them. Some blessing I want to share with you are:

• My bible- my husband bought it for me and I love how easy it is to read. I have learned so much this year from it.
• My Husband- He is so understanding, loving, caring, and helpful.
• My Bug-a- boo and Little Buck - they are awesome kids!
• My Boss- It's great having a Christian boss that understands and is a family man.
• My co-workers- All Christians. What an awesome thing to work for a Christian employer and Christian co workers for a Christian based Landscape company.
• My wood stove- Oh how it kept us warm last night in the below zero temps. we are having.
• For lotion- my skin gets so dry in the winter here in NY that you have to love a good lotion.
• Laura Ingalls Wilder- She is such a blessing. Writing down her life story for others to love and learn from. My kids love reading her books and learning from her past.
• Home Schooling- OK there are some days I don't see it as a blessing but I love my kids and only want what is best for them. I love spending time with them and learning and teaching them new things. A book- $3.49 A pencil- $.50 paper $.75 teaching a child to read- PRICELESS!!!
• Coffee- sometimes I just don't function right with out it. I do admit I need to cut back on it a bit.

My list could go on forever but I think you get the idea. How many Blessing s can you count today? Me thousands....

Brrrr...

I woke this morning to a very cold and crisp world outside. It's about 10* out right now but feels like 3*. Just a couple weeks age it was in the 60's here. I think winter has finally come to stay. I love winter but just don't like the cold that comes with it. My favorite time is new fallen snow when everything looks fresh and clean. We only have a dusting right now but that can change fast around here. There is a few lazy flakes falling here and there. Today would be a good day to make a good old cup of hot tea and snuggle in tight next to the fireplace to read a good book. That is if I had a fireplace. I can dream can't I ? Well at least we can get the wood stove going. Hope you all are staying warm and cozy! ~Jolene

Thrift Store Adventure

Yesterday, little buck, bug-a-boo, hubby and I ventured out to a "new to us" thrift store. It was 30 miles away from home in a direction I normal don't go. The draw to get us to venture there was just about everything was free for the day. GREAT I thought, Little Buck needs some pants, Bug-a-boo needs some dress shoes, hubby and I both could use shirts. So off we went...Bug-a-boo and Little Buck love yard sales and thrift stores... they take after me! After making our way in we were instantly disappointed. The organization was terrible. Men's and women's clothes all piled together. Kids clothes everywhere. Clothes piled on the dishes, pots and pans. It really looked like a bomb went off in there. I'm not sure that this is the way the place always looks but boy did it turn me off on going back. I can't complain to much we did manage to find some needed items and again they were free.

Little Buck got:

1. 5 t-shirts
2. 1 sweat shirt
3. 3 pairs of pants

Bug-a-boo got:

1. a sweater
2. 2 pairs of dress shoes
3. a purse
4. a bag to carry barbies in
5. red yarn

Hubby got:

1. 2 turtle necks for work
2. a pair of pants

I got:

1. a 3 piece set make up bag (brand new)

Maybe after the dust settles on there free giveaway day I will go back and check it out. They normally sell clothes for a $1 a bag.

My first post....

Well after reading blogs for over a year I have decided to give it a try. My plan so far is to share my life and happenings with you, things God has taught me, and things we do to save money. I don't plan to blog everyday but hey you never know. I currently work 30 hours a week and home school my 2 beautiful blessings, so time will tell. God, family and home are my top priorities. I am pleased to be here.