New Curtains

This weekend was an exciting one around here.  It was my daughter's 19th birthday, the fourth of July, and we had a barbeque.  Between unemployment and my illness, we have not had much to celebrate, and we definitely have not had any parties the last few years.  But, times are changing, things are looking better, and we decided to have a little party this weekend. In order to ready the house, I decided to make the curtains that have been wanting in the family room. I have a beautiful picture window out there, and there have been no curtains out there for way too long.  I finally got around to it last Friday and Saturday.

Didn't they turn out cute?

I also decided to hang a few pictures.  This one a good friend brought over.  She found it at a sale and thought it would look good on the wall here, on the wall adjacent to the curtains. Sadly, the pictures are a little bit dark. I will try for better pictures in the afternoon.

I think she was right, it is a good size for that wall.

The rest of the hanging projects will have to wait for another posting.  We have work to get done around here!

This posting is linked to Rednesday over at It's a Very Cherry World.

It's Monday: What are you reading?

I received a Kindle for mother's day, and let me tell you...I LOVE IT...almost as much as I love my children! ;-)

During my illness I have been reading, especially since the Kindle arrived!  I have a blog delivered with Kindle freebies listed, so I have been enjoying the freebies, but I also have been buying books which are too large to cart around, or books with teeny print, so I can read them easily. 

This week I plan to read:

I have started this one, Madame Tussaud and it is marvelous. Highly recommended, even though I am only partway through. Whether or not it is accurate, I am not sure. But it is historical fiction, and so far is a very good read!

I cannot wait to read this, from Elena Maria Vidal, Trianon, A Novel of Royal France.

I started this, it is an etiquette book for modern young ladies.  Since I am raising four girls, one of whom is a college graduate now....

And, for one of the biggest Austen fans on the planet (moi) here is one I cannot wait to read.  I requested the librarian to purchase this.  It is a JFIC/YA biography that is written to interest young, modern readers in Austen's work.

Last week I read:

I did something I rarely do, and read all three books in this series last week. They were very good!  It is the story of a woman who is awarded $275 million in her divorce settlement. She believes that when you are given a lot much is expected from you.  She seeks a way to make a positive impact on the world through her money, and boy does she find it.  This is a heartwarming story of how one person can change the world, and how a community can come together for the greater good.  If you want your heart lifted, try reading some Beverly Jenkins this week!

Here is an adorable book, and a great summer read for any fashionista in your life, age 9 -90, though it is a JFIC book. This is the story of a 14-year-old girl who is discovered by the fashion world accidentally.  She creates a persona "Allegra Biscotti" to protect her identity and age because she believes that if the fashion editor found out how old she really is that her dream would vaporize before it even has the chance to get off the ground. This is a fun book and I will read the others!

This was a Kindle freebie, or I may never have read it.  The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook is quite funny, some parts had me laughing out loud, a bit sad, and a bit predictable, but it would be a fun book for the beach. It is unique because the story is told entirely from the male perspective. Women will be able to identify with the men in the story, they are all a bit sterotypical, but this is fun chick lit all the way. 

This post is linked to: It's Monday What are You Reading? A meme hosted by Sheila.  Click on the button above to join!!

Recovered

Hello all!  I am finally back to myself, or nearly so.  Well enough to return to blogging, although I must admit that getting back to my life has been a bit overwhelming. 

The pathology from my surgery revealed a cancer, but it was fully contained and is removed. Thanks be to God; He is so good!

Now that I am nearly back to full health I am trying to resume homeschooling as my children have had a long vacation due to my illness. I am also returning to blogging, reading (I was gifted a Kindle for Mothers Day!) and back to hitting my own schoolbooks.  I have until August 18th to finish my coursework.  I had to get an extension because my illness prevented my finishing on time.

This spring was busy, The Oldest graduated from college.  She has an Associates Degree now, at merely 18 years of age. My Boo played baseball on an undefeated team, and they will be receiving their championship medals later today. My middle daughter has learned some wonderful skills while I've been ill, like knitting, and all of my children really helped out with cooking and cleaning so I could recover.

I am working on a new posting for CMO, one to run in July.  I hope to post regularly, but the postings may not be very frequent until I am finished with my classes. It has been a long road for someone not accustomed to being sick, so I am glad to be on the upswing!

God bless, and thanks for hanging in there with me, and thank you for all of your prayers.

Surgery

Sorry to have had so few posts.  I will be having surgery tomorrow, so I will not be writing again for a few more weeks.  Thanks for hanging in there with me till I'm back on my feet.  See you on the other side. God bless!

FEARLESS FRIDAY: Prayers for Vocations

This week the world lost a great man, my uncle, Kevin. He was a Franciscan Friar, a very accomplished and most beloved man.  Here is his obituary.  This is the website for Graymoor.

Br. Kevin Goss, SA

Since cultivating vocations was part of his long list of accomplishments, I wish to pray for vocations today. 

Prayer for Vocations


Heavenly Father, bless your Church with an abundance of holy and zealous priests, deacons, brothers and sisters. Give those you have called to the married state and those you have chosen to live as single persons in the world, the special graces that their lives require. Form us all in the likeness of your Son so that in him, with him and through him we may love you more deeply and serve you more faithfully, always and everywhere. With Mary we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

~Vocations Committee, Supreme Council, Knights of Columbus

And I would also like to remember the sick and suffering today:
(In no particular order)
Suzanna, Mary, Debbie, Jacob, Jeanette, Jennifer, and all those suffering with the loss of a loved one, caregivers of the sick, and all those unmentioned here, but who it is in our hearts to pray for.

If you are sick, I ask you to consider this prayer, an offering of your sickness for vocations:

Dear Lord, here is a new day you have given me in which to love you and to help others to love you. Above all things, help me to love and accept your holy will. Lord Jesus, in giving me this cross of my illness, it was your desire to bring me nearer to you Divine Heart. I want to bring others also to know you better, to love you more, and for this I know that good and holy priests are necessary; so I will offer my cross, united with yours, for vocations to the holy priesthood. Amen.


Teach me, O Lord, to do your will, for you are my God. Keep me, Lord, as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. O Lord, remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us. Amen.

And lastly, a prayer for those we love who are sick or suffering in any way today:


A Fervent Prayer For The Sick and Suffering


O Almighty Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior. The same Lord that so loves His children as to lay His life down for them. The same Lord that rose from the dead on the third day, and Ascended into Heaven. The same Lord that spoke the word and the Centurion’s Servant was immediately healed. The same Lord that restored sight to the blind; cleansed lepers, cured the halt and lame. The same Lord that with a word rebuked the seas and they were calm. The same Lord that raised Lazarus from the dead. The same Lord that has been given all power both in Heaven and on earth, do Thou, the same Lord visit and heal Thy servant, (__name__), from the afflictions that they are now suffering. Strengthen our faith like that of the Roman Centurion, so that we may ask for this healing with the same faith, trust, and hope that Thy servant, (__name__) will be healed in the same manner that the Centurion’s servant was restored to health. O Holy physician of our souls and bodies, hear this fervent prayer for Thy servant (__name__), and grant this request as we hold this, Thy servant up before Thy glorious Throne. We ask this in the victorious and Holy Name of our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ.
AMEN.

This post is linked to Fearless Friday.

A NEW ATTITUDE

I have been rather ill lately.  Lots of medical issues to attend to, multiple doctor's appointments, new medications sending me into a bit of a tailspin.  I am holding my own and I am on my way to feeling better.  Hopefully sooner rather than later, but either way I'm sure I am on the right track!

Thankfully, I had submitted this article to CMO a while back! Hop on over and check it out, and leave me some comments...I love comments!  The article is called A New Attitude and it is about my own struggles to learn my lessons in this life.  I hope you enjoy it.

And lastly, though it is not yet Fearless Friday, I will give you a preview of one of my intentions:  Yesterday the world lost a great man, a Franciscan Friar, and someone very dear to my heart.  Please remember in your prayers Brother Kevin Goss, S.A.  I love you, Uncle Kevin, and I miss you already.

Indigo Impression: Lookbooks and FashionIndie Event

Indigo Impression: Lookbooks and FashionIndie Event

Check out this sweetheart, and go vote for her so she can win her gift card! :) She's a real cutie patootie!

A story of a mother's love...sort of!

A friend of mine, on FB, reminded me today about this great story, which has been made into a picture book.

This is a great book about love.  When an infant hippo was abandoned, the tortoise took care of him. It is just the sweetest story ever, even more intriguing because it is true.  Click on the book cover, it is a link to the Amazon page, and you can look inside to see a little of their story.

OMIGOODNESS

Well!  Imagine my surprise when I looked at my blog this evening and found some *ahem* rather questionable ads floating around my page!  YIKES!  I am sorry if any of these ads were offensive to anyone, I think I have fixed the problem, now for it to kick in. 

I had decided to give adsense a try.  I'm not ready to write it off yet, because I want to give it a fair try, but I WILL NOT have objectionable/questionable ads running.  I had no idea they were.  If it is not easily fixed (I think I've done it) the adsense will go away.

Again, I apologize and I hope that you will not have any surprises when you check in :/. I wish someone had told me!!!

SUPER DEAL Today and Tomorrow only!!

In today's world we are all so busy, yet we need to eat!  Makes me think of Twilight and how inconvenient it always was for Bella to have to eat on her and Edward's adventures ;-).  I am constantly trying to make menu planning easier.  When I did this regularly, years ago, we saved a lot of money, and we ate much better than we do today.  Now that my husband is working, I am planning to get back into the menu planning.  It works better with a budget, but it is soooo time consuming.

There is a service out there, Menu Planning Central, that I have just signed up for on the recommendation of a friend. Go check it out, today and tomorrow is their once-a-year sale. If you think you could benefit from this service, this will be your best savings. Watch their video, on the link I provided, to see their service explained.



With Menu Planning Central they offer menus with recipes and shopping lists.  You can plan out your menus up to 30 days in advance, or on a day to day basis.  I have been searching for my old menu planning forms I used to photocopy, now I can just do it all at my computer.  There are features to customize for food preferences or food allergies. I'm really very excited!!


I noticed that you could try her service for 14 days (after choosing a package) and if you are dissatisfied she will refund your money, in full, within that first two-week period.

Also of interest is the fact that you can try the service for 30 days and then transfer over to the one-time payment instead of the monthly fee. I know if I like this as much as I expect to, I will transfer over when my tax refund comes along.  This is a really great time of the year to take advantage of this service.

Incidentally, I was not paid and I was not asked to mention this.  I was just excited about the service and the savings and wanted to pass it on to you! <3