November 30

1}  I'm thankful for my Bible.  How amazing is it that I can hold God's words in my hands and any time I want I can open it up and hear His voice.  It blows me away that there are still people groups in this world that have no written word....seriously, their language is not yet been written down...and because of that they also have no Bible...God's word is not something they have ever read.
Without counting and searching I know that right now there are at least 10 Bibles in my home...but probably closer to 15.  Everyday...every minute...I can pick up God's letter to me and read it.  I'm thankful for that.

2}  Thankful for a good nights sleep despite the storm and no husband being home.  I struggle with fear.  And those are my two worst...windy, stormy nights always equal no sleep...husband out of town...no sleep.  Last night I slept like a baby and feel amazing today.  It was totally a gift from God.  I prayed all day yesterday when I would think of the night ahead of me.  I kept seeking God's peace and comfort.  And guess what, He gave them to me.  I woke up this morning so very thankful, and surprised, that I had slept all thru the night with no fear!

3}  Thankful for Christmas & Christmas decorations.  Love that we celebrate it for a whole month...Going to pull out the decorations today and get some twinkling lights strung...and set up all my nativities...

Bonus...
4}  Thankful for 2 friends that tried to help me fix my fence last night in the storm...one being 9 months pregnant {only a week from her due date}...it was very comical with the 3 of us trying to figure out something to hold the gate from blowing open and making noise all night long...and we were unsuccessful in our attempts, and I'm pretty sure I going to have some clean up this morning...

also thankful that I took this month to reflect on being thankful...something we do no do enough of as a culture...

November 24, 25, 26 & 27

1}  I'm thankful that I'm not tied to my blog.  That I can take a few days off for the weekend and that's okay!

2}  I'm thankful for flowers...more specifically flowers growing in my flower beds and various pots around my porch.

these hydrangeas are from a tiny plant in my front flower bed.
they bloomed a pale pink and then this fall turned this dark red.

3}  I'm thankful for the bartering system that is alive and well with my talented friends and I.  I can crochet up a few things and trade with my friend that is a photographer for our Christmas picture...love that!

4}  I'm thankful that my Christmas pictures are done and my cards are printed and just waiting to be addressed.

5}  I'm thankful for books.  I love reading.

6}  I'm thankful for seasons.  I enjoy every season and I am usually ready for the next one when it's time...I pretty much think God knew what he was doing when he created the whole season thing!  He's good like that!

7}  I'm thankful for ziploc divided containers to pack my kids lunches in.  It's like their own personal lunchable without the crap junk food!

8}  I'm thankful for music.  My husband is a musical genius and my kids are blessed enough to have some of his genes and the gift of piano lessons.

9}  I'm thankful that all the Thanksgiving desserts are GONE so I can stop eating them.

10}  I'm thankful for a friend to run with on cold fall mornings.

11}  I'm thankful for the 'extra' week of November to get ready for girl child's birthday!

12}  I'm thankful for meal planning and menu's that help keep me organized!

Random Friday

Just have some random thoughts on this Friday morning...

I love new sheets...
   got new sheets for our bed yesterday....makes my heart happy

re-reading Hunger Games...

   not because of the movie.
   but because it's our book club book (chosen back in December)
& yes
     I had Hunger Games dreams all night long!
even with my new happy sheets....

girl child is sick on the last 2 days of school before spring break
....and today is the day they watch 'THE MOVIE'....
so this afternoon I will bring 'THE MOVIE' home...
pop some popcorn
     and the girl and I will have a nice little private viewing!
sad that she's sick...
     a little glad that this is how God worked out 'THE MOVIE' situation!
p.s. Beau and I have already watched 'THE MOVIE' and we were 100% okay with her watching it, zero hesitation...it's the perfect amount of information!

we have zero activities planned for spring break
     (besides THE MOVIE with the girl child tonight)
was hoping to visit the cousins, but I'm thinking sickness on both ends have canceled those plans
bummer...but thankful I never told the kids of the plans!

it's rainy and deary outside...feels like January...
I'm 'dressed' in my yoga pants...

     with zero plans to hit the gym today...
Spring Break...here we come!
over and out!

books

i have a confession to make

 we sorta like books around here...

there're so pretty...

different colors...different textures..

if you visited our home you will see them stacked here and there...

and there...

i collect family Bibles...love them

and there....

amazing books...twain's 'puddin' head wilson' is a must read...
and then sinclair's 'the jungle' and defoe's 'robinson  crusoe'

even stacked in the kitchen...

my husband has a bookshelf stacked to the ceiling in our bedroom with the lovely things...

 and a few more boxes left to unpack...

just a few....

they may get unpacked in the next year....

oh, and i have just a few on my nightstand...

and then a few more inside...

the girl child also has a small collection of books

still on the hunt for the right bookshelf for all her books...

the kids and i spent about an hour an a half the other day just reading...

totally recommend 'glass slipper gold sandal; a worldwide cinderella'
 fun to read the different versions of an age old story...
& then some WWII history from a little girls perspective
 'the little ships; the historic rescue at dunkirk in World War II'

we went thru a pile of book from the library...

and then we exhausted the library stack we grabbed two of my favorite off the shelf...

'roxaboxen' & 'christina katerina & the box'

these two are MUST own books....
but if you don't own them you need to visit the library and check them out...
both of these capture the essence of childhood and allow you to revisit it over and over again...

books are full of information...

 memories...

feelings...

history...

here is a great historic read...and emotional...

maybe just for me...but it's about the library women in the 1930's that took books into the appalachian mountains ...very touching story...and yes, i cried every time i read it...

...off to read now...
pick up a book and get lost for awhile...

Bag Lady

or Tote Lady...whatever...

my friend 

Mrs. Smith, of The Smith Hotel...

...yep...you read that right...

I'm friends with THE Mrs. Smith...

of The Smith Hotel...

yep...I know her...

we hang some times...

I even... sort-of.. single-handedly...

might...have... possibly...

even taught her daughter how to ride a bike last night...

...or maybe I had nothing to do with it and it was just pure magic...

not really sure...

anyways...back on task...

my friend Mrs. Smith over at The Smith Hotel is having a giveaway...

yep...she is...

and it's this amazing canvas The Smith Hotel tote...

 take it to the farmers market

to the pool or beach ...
or dried up water feature in your backyard...no judgement...

or the library....

now that you know you need this...
here's how you can get your very own!!!


All you need to do is be a follower...
of The Smith Hotel...
     not ChambersMade...but that'd be nice too...
and leave a comment! ...at The Smith Hotel
     ...not ChambersMade...but that'd be nice too
Enter a second time if you let your blog followers know!
     (leave a comment at The Smith Hotel when you do)
Contest winner will be announced on August 9th!

This tote will also get you 10% off your purchase anytime Mrs. Smith is at a show!
If you don't win this tote now-you can still get one!
They will be available at her booth over at Oregon Street Antique Mall too!

Plus the first 10 customers that purchase $30 or more at The Burlap Harlot Show will receive one FREE...
so don't you fret....
you have lots of ways to get your hands on this pretty little thing...
but the easiest...
and cheapest...
free-est (just made up that word)...
is to go over and become a follower of Mrs. Smith at The Smith Hotel.

now back to reality...
hanging out next to my dried up water feature in my backyard!
.