This is a quilt that Anna and I had fun designing. We will be making it into a kit and selling it on Ebay. We will offer two fabric choices. The first kit will be three different star prints, the second will be three calico fabrics. We will also offer it with stars instead of the churn dash blocks. Quilting is so much fun!

Today is one of those days when I keep thinking of the verse, "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!" (Phil 4:4) However, I cannot say this verse without thinking of Paul and Silas rotting in prison and yet were still praising God. (Acts 16:25)

One of the hardest lessons of motherhood that I had to learn is what little (big!) mirrors the children are. I can't tell the children to put a song in their heart and a smile on their face if Momma isn't first singing and smiling!

This morning I read a blog by a new mother who has a fussy newborn baby boy. She writes, "I work from son-up to son-down!" Funny how our biggest blessings rob us of the most sleep.

Enjoy this beautiful weather.

Many blessings ~ Kathie

Happy Birthday, Anna!

Today is Anna's 14th birthday. Time sure flies. When Anna was born, the nurses were concerned because she refused to cry. It hurt my heart when they finally prodded her enough to make her cry. When Anna was a child she was always so happy that her Grandfather called her Smiley. This picture was taken this past week when Anna went to NC with her Daddy. She had a really good time. We sure missed her here because Anna is our lead soprano when we sing for church (or anywhere else!). It was hard to practice without her. We are so glad that God gave Anna to us.

It is heartwarming to see Anna grow spiritually. She really cares about the things of the Lord. She also takes her Bible memory quite seriously. Anna feels the call of the Lord to be a missionary in Africa. So she has studied Swahili and it is easy for her! It is exciting to see what the Lord is doing in her life.

When Anna was four and five years old, she was quite a soccer star. Even this past year when I was in Walmart, a woman came up to me and asked if I was Anna's mom. Her child had been on Anna's team and she remembered Anna as being so happy. Another mother remembered how Anna had congratulated the goalie of the opposing team for a good move, even though that move kept her team from scoring!

Anna asked for books for her birthday, so I had fun shopping for them. I ended up getting the best deal online at CBD. As usual, I took the younger children to the Dollar Store to get their gifts...and they got some good ones!

Today Mike hung my oak quilt hanger/shelves in the living room, so now I have to get serious about making the quilts to hang on them. I did get a lot of sewing done today. I sewed 12 churn dash quilt blocks in blue fabrics. My ebay customers will be happy about that! Then I sewed a dress for Ruthie out of daisy fabrics. I then starting sewing a dress for Lizzie but konked out before sewing the top to the bottom. It sure was fun sewing in my "new" sewing room!

Take care and enjoy a relaxing Sunday.

Many blessings ~ Kathie

Good evening!

We had a really fun evening with five of the youth from our church. They all had fun playing endless rounds of darts, a few noisy games of spoons, and another game that is the favorite every game night, called mafia. I know it's a terrible name, but they like it nonetheless. Afterwards we watched some funny clips on video. Also looked at the funny pictures on ivman.com. The guys had to leave early thanks to baseball and piano competition tomorrow, but we're glad they came. This group is the easiest to please ~ just lots of lemonade, pretzels and vegges with dip!

Today we went and picked up our music instruments from a wonderful man who fixes instruments. My cello got new strings, new pegs, a new bridge and a general fixup. My mother's 60 year old violin also got new everything, and we got 3 bows rehaired. I can hardly wait for my mother to hear her violin...it sounds wonderfully brilliant!

Well, our bonfire that was supposed to happen tonight got rained out. Hopefully we can try for next Friday evening.

Best of all, while all the children were playing games, Mike spent the evening in my sewing room installing the huge flourescent lights that we got for free from www.freecycle.org. I hope you all know about this wonderful website. It is a grassroots organization where people give away anything they don't want in order to keep it from the landfill. It has to be free. All you need is a yahoo account. The family who gave us the lights are really nice people and it looks like we will be friends! Thanks so much, Tahoma!

Have a nice weekend and be thankful for all this rain.

Many blessings ~ Kathie

This is my birdhouse, out in the middle of our field. I have been trying unsuccessfully for three years to attract purple martens. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. My neighbor has too many purple martens and he keeps asking me to encourage them to start a neighborhood on my property. I think my problem is that I need another birdhouse or two. According to several websites I've read, purple martens like lots of neighbors nearby. But housing is expensive, even for birds! If you have any suggestions, let me know.

This year I am going to try to attract Baltimore Orioles. I am going to the Dollar Store tomorrow hoping to find some large orange plates or bowls to put out for them. Evidently I need to have lots of orange in order to attract them. We'll see how it works. They sure are pretty.

One bird I have no trouble attracting is the Goldfinch. I counted 59 of them at one time. They sure are beautiful with their bright yellow feathers. Of course, I have lots of chickadees, cardinals, bluebirds, wrens, tufted titmouses and one big mean bluejay.

Maggie made Panani sandwiches for dinner...yummy! I couldn't get a picture because they got eaten so quickly!

I bought two DVDs for Maggie, Wilton's Basic Cake Decorating and Wilton's How To Make Icing Flowers. They are really good. So today Maggie and Ruthie made cake decorations for Anna's upcoming birthday cake. The flowers aren't as thick and rich as they should be because Maggie had to use nondairy milk which is water based. But they sure look beautiful! (Daisies are my favorite flowers and decorated my wedding cake!)

The DVDs are easy to get from Amazon but I bought them half price from Ebay.

Today was warm with a bit of humidity but still beautiful. We are expecting rain for the next few days.

Well, the twins just came in and told me Maggie and Ruthie rode their bikes down the road and Ruthie has run out of stamina. Guess I have to go rescue her!

Many blessings ~ Kathie

Thank you for all the "Happy Anniversary" cards and phonecalls! It's hard to believe it's been 24 years. Time sure does fly when you're busy. Well, this year Mike is keeping his tradition alive by being out of town today. This morning he and Anna took off for Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Anna was so excited! Ruthie whimpered all morning trying to imagine life with her personal servant, but she got over it really quickly when she was given Anna's seat in the car:-)

The flowers (first picture) are from Mike. He never forgets flowers. I really like the way they cheer up the whole kitchen. The picture, as usual, does no justice. I really need to learn to take better pictures.

The second picture shows the breakfast pizza Maggie made. Everything is dairyfree. It was so delicious. Maggie makes the best "fake" cheese with pimentos and raw cashews. This orange cheese is really good for nachos. Maggie is putting together a collection of her best "fake" cheese recipes, so if you'd like a copy, email me.

Dad sent over some leftover crabs. They were delicious, what a treat! Thanks, Dad!

Anna was a real champ this morning before she left. I was behind in cutting out my quilt kits, so while I cut the fabric, she put the kits together. It sure is fun working with someone. Anna's favorite part of quilting is choosing the fabric.

The thermostat reached 83 degrees today! We are planning another bonfire this Friday evening, so we are checking the weather reports often. So far it looks good!

I finished my huge pile of mending and hemming, so tonight I get to do some pleasure quilting. I hope everyone is getting a chance to be out in the sunshine and admire God's handiwork.

My children are such outdoors people. Today, Maggie came home from her college class and declared she was taking my three youngest children fishing at Grandad's pond (a mile away). There was a mad scramble for poles, worms, hats and, oh yes, the camera! They aren't used to their new, bloggin' Momma who shoves the camera into everyone's hands every chance she gets! So Sarah is off to her evening class, Mike and Anna are in NC, Maggie, the twins, and Ruthie are fishing, the mending basket is empty...what more could I ask for?

The quietness is deafening.

Many blessings ~ Kathie

Today we had a wonderful service at our church (see picture above), the First Baptist Church of Calvert County. The fellowship at our church is always edifying. I'm thankful that my family has made some good friends there, especially my teenage children. Many times when I am sitting in church, I think of the Chinese Christians who have to worship in hiding. I can't imagine that. As much as I dread the direction this country is taking, at least we can still worship as we please.

Today is a beautiful day, in the low 70s with plenty of sunshine. My lilacs smell delicious. Anna is playing the piano beautifully.

Have a relaxing and worshipful Sunday.

Many blessings ~ Kathie

Maggie, my 17 year old daughter, is taking flying lessons. She's only a few hours away from her solo flight (yikes!). Yesterday while she was at her flying lesson, we hopped in the car with our camera, hoping to get a picture of her landing. Well, we got there too late; she was in the classroom with her instructor (our good friend, Bob). Knowing that we were disappointed, Ruthie decided she could come up with a picture that would be just as good as the real thing. It's better! (See above picture.) Instead of a little Cessna 150 two-seater, Maggie is flying a passenger jet with no instructor ~ and with one hand! I'm not sure if you can tell, but Maggie is using her other hand to wave to us. Thanks, Ruthie.

I always say that every house should have a 3 year old to keep everyone laughing. But Ruthie is 7 and still keeps us laughing! Of course, my cousin says our family is always laughing! She says most people would be surprised to know that since we look so serious. Oh well, now you know!

Good evening!

I find it hard to believe that I haven't written since Sunday. My week has been too busy but it is slowly winding down. There's no doubt in my mind why the Bible says we wives are to be "keepers at home" (Titus 2:5). Spending a lot of time away from home isn't healthy for myself, hubby, family or anyone! The children especially feel it.

Yesterday my children and I helped my Dad cook dinner for his church (SAYSF Bible Church in Lexington Park). We do this every third Wednesday evening. It wouldn't be a big deal, but my Dad loves to cook large meals and the menu keeps expanding! Last night we had baked ham, prime rib, kielbasa and kraut, hotdogs and beans, potatoes and green beans, crab balls, fresh pineapple, fresh fruit salad, deviled eggs, sliced bread, chips and lots of desserts. I'm sure I missed something...but you get the picture! My brother Chris (lovable Uncle Simba) always shows up around 4 pm to lend his helping hands. My children love Simba. So it is always a good time for everyone.

Every time I run around and lose my grounding, I am always reminded of Ruth's advice to her daughter, "Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall" (Ruth 3:18). Sit still! With so much yet to do!

My freshman year at BJU, we were required to read a book called, "How to get Control of the Time of your Life." It was a good requirement since I learned some principles that I would use for the rest of my life. The best principle I read is that when you are feeling overwhelmed and pressed for time, force yourself to sit for 15 minutes. You are not allowed to get up and do anything. Inevitably I end up prioritizing and making the best use of my next few hours. Try it!

Today's pictures are of my apple orchard and Lizzie mowing the lawn. Our field has turned green and the mowing season hath beguneth. Our apple trees have never had such few blossoms, so I'm hoping the unusually cool weather hasn't damaged them.

Enjoy this upcoming weekend. Here in southern Maryland we are expecting beautiful weather in the high 70s. Won't be long before the three dreaded adjectives ~ hot, humid and hazy!

Many blessings ~ Kathie

Good morning! We had such a good time at the Barbershop Extravaganza concert last night. Sure did laugh a bunch. Here is a picture of hubby's Barbershop Chorus. They did a great job singing. They are called Southern Mix Chorus (top picture). I know this is an old picture, but it was all I could find. Now they have many more members.

The second picture shows the Razzmatazz Barbershop Quartet. These guys are really funny. Every song they did was hilarious. My daughters and I laughed so much. These guys are from Lancaster, PA, so they are constantly making jokes that relate to the amish and being farmers. Ruthie, who is 7, just loved these guys.

The third picture shows the Chorus of the Chesapeake that is 75 members strong! They sure looked snazzy in their shiny silver vests, and the quality of their songs was superb. They sang mostly southern songs.

So it was a great evening. As always, the quartet saved the best songs for the Afterglow. By then my tummy was starting to hurt from laughing so much. But this is a nice time in my life when I can hand the car keys over to my daughter and know that everyone will get home safely and tucked into bed. Thanks, girls.

I am very thankful that whenever we had to be outside driving, the rain was not bad. The worst of the storm came later while we were sleeping. Thank you, Lord.

I am also thankful for this day of worship and rest. I'm feeling the effects of a busy week. Ruthie, Sarah and I stayed home from church because we're not feeling well. Sarah from seasonal allergies, Ruthie because her mouth is red and swollen from something she ate at the Chinese restaurant last night (probably the cashews in the chicken dish), and me from a tummyache (who knows what from!). So we're going to turn on some soothingly worshipful music from Old Fashion Christian Radio and turn our thoughts toward Him.

Thanks for reading. Be a blessing to someone in need. ~ Kathie

Today Maggie and Anna are in the hospital. But don't worry, they are there for the Safesitter's Class! Sarah took this class when she was 12, and for the past few years we've been trying to get Maggie and Anna into this class but it never fit our schedule. Finally! They will be the oldest in the class but that doesn't bother them. They will be learning the basics of babysitting, the basics of CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. I hope they enjoy their time there as well as learn a lot. Class is for two Saturdays, 9-3.

Grandma and Grandpa, as well as Glenn and his family, came for dinner last night. We put the two 8-ft tables end to end and everyone was able to sit comfortably. Grandpa commented on barely being able to see the other end of the table so I told him we'd just call him on his cell phone when we needed him to pass the food. I sure love Grandpa. Such an easy person to talk to. Just make sure to have a glass of coke and a bowl of pistachios!

Today is the big day for Mike. His Barbershop Chorus has their 8th annual Concert today. (This is an old picture and horrible. Will update tomorrow with another picture.) There is a 2 o'clock matinee and a 8 o'clock evening concert. We are going to the evening concert. First we are meeting all the family at Starr's Hunan Restaurant there in LaPlata (14 of us), then we will all go to the concert together. Can hardly wait! Mike stayed up late sewing his costume. He needed one after all, but didn't want to be bested by his director who sewed his own costume. Suits me!

We're expecting a big storm this evening. Lots of rain and wind, so I'm constantly praying little prayers for safety for everyone.

Many blessings ~ Kathie

These are two of Maggie's many bunnies. I don't know how many she has right now but she's had as many as 15. These bunnies are Mira and Bailey. Aren't they adorable? And they are as sweet as Maggie.

I want to share a website that I enjoy. The name of it is Young Ladies' Christian Fellowship and it isn't just for girls. You guys especially will enjoy the humorous articles written by her brother, Josh...especially if you are a fellow homeschooler. I have to warn you, I haven't read everything on this site, but Sarah and I read their magazines for years. Now they only have this online magazine. I figure anyone who honors Bill Gothard's birthday as a homeschool holiday has got to be a kindred spirit!

Anyhow, check out this website. I especially liked the article, "Should Youth Group?" After you check it out, please leave a comment so I can know what you think. And Drew, please don't sign it "Anonymous!"

I am editing this post to let you know where the "Should Youth Group?" article is. If you go to the YLCF website above, click on Homeschool Humor, then click on the picture of Josh Carden's Humor Columns. Lotsa good reading.

It seems like all the college and high school students we know are up to their ears in research papers and projects. Best wishes for y'all. Stay away from the sugar and eat lotsa protein for brain power. I guess it would be absurd to recommend getting enough sleep. Anyhow, don't forget to use www.grammarbook.com for all those questions relating to grammar and research papers.

Thanks for reading.

Many blessings ~ Kathie

One of my favorite blogs that I enjoy reading from time to time is I Have To Say and is written by Randi. She has these wonderful "Let's Get Real Monday" play alongs with different themes. I always enjoy reading what others have written and thought I'd take a try.

If I have time, I'd like to do two themes. My first theme is what I like about being me.
~Most of all, I like knowing that I am going to spend eternity with Jesus Christ because He died on the cross for my sins and I have accepted His gift of eternal salvation.
~I am sooo thankful for the family God has chosen to give me.
~I am rarely bored. I have been blessed with many gifts, talents and hobbies.
~I am very aware of how blessed I am to have a hubby with a great job that allows me to stay home.
~I am thankful that we live in a country where we can pray aloud, read the Bible, and teach our children about God.
~I am also thankful that I can homeschool my children, even though I am the worst teacher ever.
~I am thankful that my children love the Lord.
~I have learned to be thankful for the hard things that come my way ~ the miscarriages, the food allergies, the rebellion that wants to rule in my heart.
~I like that we have a good church to worship.

And now for my second theme...quilting!
What's not to like about quilting?!
~the hunt for fabric sales or that one particular fabric
~snuggling up with the quilt books looking for that perfect pattern
~cutting the fabric perfectly so I will be guaranteed perfect piecing
~sewing all the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle
~the excitement of watching all the pieces come together
~the constant pressing (ironing) so all the corners are neat and crisp
~choosing whether to topstitch by hand or machine
~the choice of borders
~the contentment of a quilt all finished and ready to share

My hubby sings baritone in our local Barbershop Chorus. This Saturday evening is their big concert. So this week they have extra rehearsals and the excitement is intense! Usually I am sewing some sort of costume since they dress up. But this year was easy ~ just a green plaid shirt from the thrift store. I can't wait to see what the theme is. Should be fun!

Well, Monday is over. The laundry is all clean and blowing in the breeze outside. My Ebay packages got dropped off at the post office and the children had good piano lessons. Time to unwind and have family devotions. Hope you are all well.

Many blessings ~ Kathie

Happy Easter! He is risen!
Our Easter Sunrise Service was indoors this morning. Not only was it in the 30s but the wind was blowing. I was very proud of Pastor for not braving the elements. We even canceled our Baptism Service that was supposed to happen in the river.
The teens did a great job cooking and preparing breakfast. And our morning service was a blessing. As always, Pastor preached a really good message.
This afternoon was spent sleeping, then some youth came over for games and fellowship. It was fun. We always enjoy fellowshipping with other likeminded families. These guys (I just realized all 7 of the youth were guys!) are very easy to have over. They drink lotsa lemonade and eat very little. The best part is that they include all of my children in the games. That can be hard when the children range in age from 7-20! Thanks guys!

It is heartbreaking to drive to church and see trees with eggs hanging from the branches and big blowup bunnies in the yards. Easter means so much to the born again Christian, so it's painful to watch the commercialization of it.

This week is going to be so busy that I don't want today to end. Time to put my faith to action and trust God to get me through it.

Many blessings ~ Kathie

Today has been a busy day. Definitely a day that I can feel good about. Lots of cooking, cleaning, laundry, cutting out fabric and dusting. Maggie made a breakfast casserole that is dairy and egg free. Tasted wonderful. She used almond milk and tofu scramble. She put steamed, diced potatoes on the bottom, diced crusty bread, scrambled tofu "eggs," sausage, and a white sauce. It was so good! This was a test recipe for our Easter morning casserole. Maggie always makes dairyfree and eggfree dishes for church functions. We decided we will add some veggies for Easter, probably sliced black olives, broccoli, carmelized onion and maybe diced red pepper.

In our family, five of my children and I are very dairy intolerant. It's a genetic defect. Sarah is also dairy-sensitive but she can eat certain kinds in moderation. The rest of us get sinus congestion and a rash. Our church has 10 or so members who are dairy-intolerant, so they always appreciate Maggie's nondairy dishes.

I have a picture today of (l-r) Lizzie (10), Anna (13) and Ruthie (7). They look precious, don't they? Well, many people comment to me that if their children weren't so strong-willed, they would be as well-behaved as my children. Ha! All six of my children are strong-willed and extroverted. It has only been the grace of God that my hubby and I learned about training children and applying Biblical principles to our parenting. It sure has been worth it, but it was a lot of work:-) (It is a family joke that they get their strong-willed ways from their father, the most compliant man on earth!)

Sarah and I went shopping today. Sarah is one of the Youth Leaders in our church and the youth are going to serve breakfast Easter morning after our sunrise service. It is really hard to know how much food to serve because the people in our church are notorious for not signing up. The menu will be pancakes, sausage, and breakfast casserole. Should be delicious!

Maggie, Anna, Lizzie and I are singing for special music. We were only given a week's notice, so we have been busy practicing. Maggie and Mike are also singing in another quartet. We are very thankful to be able to serve in this capacity.

Yesterday I ran out of paint, so I couldn't finish the sewing room. Mike bought some on his way home from work today, so hopefully we can finish tonight.

I saw a bumper sticker today that I liked. It said, "Fight like a Man ~ Get on your knees and PRAY!"

I watched all the shoppers today and wondered how many were going to spend any time today reflecting on the Lord's crucifixion. There was probably more thought given to buying "Easter" candy and egg dyes. Let us be a light in this dark world.

Cold weather has come again and we are expecting snow by morning. It feels nice to have the woodstove and fireplace burning. Beckons me to come sit and quilt...maybe tomorrow while Mike goes to the airport to pick up his parents (1-1/2 hours away). I really feel for Grandma coming this week. She moved from CT to FL to get away from the cold weather!

Many blessings,

Kathie

Good morning!

Sarah downloaded Microsoft's image resizer, so now I can use all the photos from my camera. Nifty!

This is the beginning of our garden. Looks nice, smells bad! You can see our raspberry bushes on the other side of the plot. They have 1" leaves on them. It seems the field always turns green overnight. The mulch pile was free from the local tree trimmers.

Tomorrow is Good Friday. This is a solemn time for our plain neighbors (plain meaning amish and mennonite). They will have their footwashing service and then their usual 3-hour Good Friday service. Afterwards they will partake of the Lord's supper in their communion service. They only do this twice a year, at Thanksgiving and at Easter. Our local plain stores will be closed all weekend.

I will be reminding the children throughout the day to meditate on what the Lord Jesus went through on the cross to pay for our sins. On Sunday, our Pastor gave us the horrendous details of Christ's crucifixion. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." ~ 2 Cor 5:21 One thing for sure, I am not worthy. But I am eternally thankful.

Well, I'm off to finish the painting. Just wanted to see if I could download this picture.

Blessings ~ Kathie

My hubby figured out why my pictures won't upload ~ they are too big. So tomorrow he hopes to figure out how to shrink them. I am so disappointed to have a new camera (Christmas gift) and can't use the pictures!

Mom and Dad came by after church tonight and brought a huge ham leftover from their potluck. As always, had a good time talking with them. Thanks for the ham, Dad (he does the cooking). Yummy!

Well, tonight I am all aches and pain since I spent several hours painting. Yep, Kathie painted two walls! I've never done that before. The room I'm painting is the cellar which is in our basement. Because the walls are cinderblock, it takes a lot of muscle power to roll the paint roller. The cinderblocks really absorb a lot of paint. I am painting this room bright white because it is a dark room with no windows. This is my sewing room where I hope to do all my fabric-cutting for my ebay auctions, so it is essential to be in a well-lit room.

My youngest five children helped me with the first wall. It was fun ~ I think. Let's just say that I was able to paint the second larger wall in half the time that it took the six of us to paint the smaller wall. Yes, indeedy, it was fun.

For those of you who don't know, I precut quilt kits to sell on ebay. I started selling on ebay almost six years ago and have enjoyed every moment of it! My earnings mostly pay for Lizzie's violin lessons...and books and dvds and miscellaneous.

Tomorrow I hope to finish painting. I am pleased that there are so little fumes. I will post a picture as soon as hubby figures it all out.

My wonderful inlaws are coming from Florida on Saturday. So I am going to get some serious cleaning done when the last paint dries. It will be good to see them. Mike and I are so thankful that both our parents are in good health and able to visit. My parents live a mile away as the crow flies, but 3 miles (more or less) if you take the road (of which our driveway is one mile). This year Mike's father turns 80 and my father turns 70. Seems impossible!

Many blessings,

Kathie

My hubby belongs to a Barbershop Chorus that meets on Monday evenings. He rushes in from work long enough to grab a bite to eat, then rushes out again and drives out to the highway to get picked up and taken to practice. Then at 10 pm, my children and I walk the 1-mile hike down our dirt road and wait for him to be dropped off at the highway, then we all pile into his little Honda and ride home. It's lots of fun. We sing the whole way. Last night the moon was full and beautiful. It was warm enough that we didn't need to wear sweatshirts. I kept thinking of the last line in a well-known hymn, "the moon shines full at His command and all the stars obey." Yes, God even has command over the majestic moon.

Our Pastor was talking about the sovereignty of God this past Sunday. Ever since, I've been thinking about that and wondering how we as parents can teach our children about God's sovereignty. What pain and sorrow I could have avoided had I learned earlier in life to have the faith that God is in total control in my life. He cares about the small things as well as the big things. But I know that learning to have faith is a step by step process. It is our job as parents to remain faithful in praying for them.

Today Maggie made dinner while I took Lizzie to violin lesson. It was so delicious. Potato gnocchi and meatballs in special sauce. The food disappeared quickly. No leftovers tonight! We ate out on the porch since it was still warm...at least that's what the children said! Once the sun went down behind the trees, I felt the cold.

Anna moved all the fabric out of my sewing room into the basement so we can paint it. That is no small feat since I have too many bolts to count! But my sewing room is in the cellar in our basement and has no windows, making it too dark to cut out fabric. So our project is to paint the walls and add extra ceiling lights. Hopefully we will be rewarded for our efforts. I just hope the fabric doesn't absorb the fumes from the paint.

I hope you had a nice day, too. Sarah has been great helping me with this blog. She sure knows computers. We hope to keep working to make this blog easier for you readers.

Many blessings,

Kathie

Welcome!

Welcome to our family blog!

We are Mike (Dad), Kathie (Mom), Sarah, Maggie, Anna, Lizzie, Allen and Ruthie. We love the Lord and enjoy being a homeschooling family.

Sarah and Maggie have graduated and are attending our local community college.

We enjoy music, especially singing. We also play a variety of instruments including piano, violin, cello, trumpet, french horn, ukulele (all of us), pennywhistle, flute, mandolin, banjo, dulcimer and guitar.

Our favorite music is conservative, Christian music. We also listen to Celtic and Western music (also known as Cowboy music as song by Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers). Sarah enjoys opera.

The best part of family life is having guests over for fellowship, especially huge bonfires out in our field. Marshmallows, baked beans and hotdogs, lots of like-minded friends, an unsaved friend or two, lots and lots of children, and what a night! While the children are rolling each other around the field in a big barrel, the parents are sharing what God is doing in their lives. Everyone goes home feeling edified and refreshed.

Come along with us on our journey through this life and let us encourage each other as we go.

Today we had temperatures near 80 degrees, which is warmer than usual. Tonight the children are all smiles as they gather tents and sleeping bags to go camp out on the "back forty." Actually they are laughing since they know that by dawn, all six of them will be crowded into one tent for comfort and warmth!

Many blessings ~ Kathie