Pleasant Disciplining

"If you can't discipline and be pleasant, then just be pleasant"

Michael Pearl

I checked a book out from our local library the other day. I was needing encouragement for homeschooling and this particular book caught my eye...Just Around the Corner by Steven and Teri Maxwell. It is a collection of newsletter articles they have written over the years designed to encourage and challenge homeschooling families. It always amazes me how God leads me to exactly what I need.

I began reading the book last night, each article is a very quick read. Some made me ponder, some were irrelevant, but the quote above got my attention. I am going to admit something here...the last few months I have not enjoyed homeschooling. I lack patience with my children. I lose my temper on a regular basis and I have developed, oh the shame of it, a habit of yelling at my boys. The tension in the house has been unbearable. I have found myself with a permanent scowl and more than once a day Cowodie saying "what's wrong Mom?" The boys have begun yelling and picking on one another as well (I wonder why...great example from me??)

The Lord wanted to make sure I was paying attention for the next article was on cherishing your children...the story recounted a mother ministering to her son as he died of a brain tumor. Would you treat your child the same way if you knew his time on earth was limited? So the first article tapped me on the shoulder and this one hit me over the head. I was so ashamed. I sat in my chair near tears following the scripture references and repenting of my hard heart, bad attitude and neglect of the precious lives He has placed in my care.

Today has been a new day. I have prayed and asked continually for God to help me be pleasant to my children. I have not raised my voice, silently pleading to have a guarded tongue. I know I cannot change my attitude alone, nor will it change without daily (hourly, minute by minute) prayer for a new outlook and disposition. We have had a wonderful day. When tempers have flared between the boys I have gone to them and spoken with them calmly about how they could have handled it differently.

Verses that have helped me today are Proverbs 16:21b "pleasant words promote instruction" and Proverbs 16: 24 "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." I don't want to be known as a foolish woman who tears down her own house, (Proverbs 14:1). That is exactly what I was allowing my harsh words to do.

Pleasant Disciplining

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2007/04/pleasant-disciplining.html

Tackle it Tuesday - Bathroom Curtains

At the first of the year I made a list of goals I hoped to accomplish this year. One of the items was making bathroom curtains. I was able to get them done after two attempts at purchasing fabric. The first fabric my mil bought, and it was a gauzy sheer metallic fabric. Now, not only was it a bear to sew, it was so sheer I might as well have not put anything up! This fabric unfortunately did not photograph well. It is sheer with faint gold and green stripes that match the colors in my wallpaper beautifully. There is still an arch of window above the curtain. I would like to find a stained glass piece to place there. The flowers under the curtain are african violets.

(Yes, it is a really big tub and yes I do use it frequently!)

Go to 5 Minutes for Mom to see how others are tackling their organization, cleaning and decorating projects one week at a time!

Tackle it Tuesday - Bathroom Curtains

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2007/04/tackle-it-tuesday-bathroom-curtains.html

Still Here

Just having a hard time posting lately. Knitting has been a priority lately over computer time. I MUST finish the baby blanket....and am finding anything and everything do to but that.

We have been to a doctor's appointment for two of my little men today, the youngest two have had persistent sniffles, respiratory issues. Since they have been ill longer than 10 days, they are now on antibiotics and breathing treatments.

I am now off to a doctor's appointment for myself. I, too, have been sick since my cold. I never really got over the cold and as much as I want to believe now it is just "allergies", I have a bit of a wheeze and a nasty cough. Since I had pneumonia, RacerDad is very particular about me going to the doctor.

Note to self.....never say "my family hasn't been sick for over a year".

Still Here

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2007/02/still-here.html

Happy New Year!!

Well, after a brief hiatus to celebrate and regroup I am back. The Christmas decorations are put away, most of the holiday treats have been eaten (or will be thrown away tomorrow) and I am ready to face the new year. Speedy B asked me this morning if I was happy it was 2007. My response was it is just another year, but of course that is not true. Each January 1st brings with it the hope that in a new year I will be able to....fill in the blank. So it is with anticipation that I begin 2007 with the following ... spiritual goals, a list of books to read, projects to knit, home projects to complete, and of course health to improve.

During the break I was able to read, I finished a series of "spy thrillers" a friend from church recommended. They reminded me why I don't read that type of book anymore. Books like that, for me, tend to be all consuming, but when I reflect on what I have read there is not much remembered. Other than good wins out over evil the books don't have many redeeming qualities. If I am going to spend my time reading, I want it to edify my life. So when I finished the last spy novel, I went back to my classics. I am now almost finished with Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. I will give a review in a future post.

I also completed my second pair of socks. They were so fun to knit...and quick just what I like, immediate gratification. If I had been able to just sit and knit I would have finished them in a few days.

I used Socks that Rock by Blue Moon Fiber. The color is Xmas Rock. The yarn is absolutely wonderful to knit with and the hank probably had enough yarn to complete another set of socks.

I have also begun a baby afghan for a friend. It is the softest pink, just almost white. I am doing a feather and fan pattern that is going fairly quickly. But now that I am back to "real life" I am worried about finding spare time to complete it.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2007/01/happy-new-year.html

Christmas Tour - Part 2

The Christmas tour continues in the family room. This tree is loaded with Hallmark ornaments that my mother had collected since 1974. There are dated ornaments for every year as well as Collectors only pieces. These mean a lot to me because many of them I remember from over the years. The gold satin ball toward the top is one of the ones from my grandparents' tree. While all of the old ornaments bring memories, the best of all are the ones that my boys have made. It is so fun to see their faces as they put up ornaments that they made in past years.



The guest bathroom is home to my grandmother's ceramic tree. Did your relatives have a ceramic tree with the removable colored bulbs? I think just about every home in the 70's had one. I have the one that belonged to my mother in the kitchen. It amazes me that the boys think these are just the coolest thing.

The stockings are hung on the bar, underneath the snowman collection. The mantel is not designed in a way that we could screw cup hooks in order to hang them there. I just can't justify spending the money on three more stocking hangers, so for now they hang here. I don't think they look too out of place, since the previous owners had made the fake rock wall.

The view of the family room from the upstairs landing. The Santa collections somewhat overwhelms the fireplace, but Bobby really liked them all put there. On the armoir, the Three Wisemen look down. They were another gift from my MIL. I really like the folkart look. The bottom half of each wiseman depicts part of the nativity story.

We also have two nativities in the house. The first is in the foyer, it is my mother's Precious Moments nativity. The other is in the breakfast room, it is the nativity by Willowtree. I love the simple lines of the folk art set.

I hope you liked the tour. It has been fun decorating our new home for Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Tour - Part 2

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/christmas-tour-part-2.html

Christmas Tour - Part 1

I saw some other blogs doing a Christmas tour and I thought it was a great idea. This way family and friends that don't have the opportunity to come visit can see our home decorated for the holidays. So grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage and come see our decorations!

Welcome to our home. The nutcrackers at the door were a new addition for the new home. Cowodie loves nutcrackers, so these make him especially happy.

When you come into the foyer, this is the first thing you see. My mother had collected gold ornaments as well as other Christmas collectibles, this tree is for her. The red balls are porcelin with Norman Rockwell Santas painted on the face of the ornament, I combined these ornaments, red berries and 166 gold ornaments for a beautiful tree. Many of these ornaments had never been displayed, mother continued collecting even after she quit putting up a tree.

Close up of the gold ornaments and Rockwell Santas.

Off the foyer is the formal dining room. My mother-in-law blessed us with the red hurricanes, when lit they cast a lovely light in the room.

As you go up the front stairs, there is an art niche where this minature tree resides. My grandmother and mother both collected the minature ornaments. It was fun to put the ornaments on this tree and remember my family.

That is all the pictures that blogger will let me post, so the tour will continue in another entry.

Christmas Tour - Part 1

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/christmas-tour-part-1.html

Godly Heritage

Three friends have lost grandparents in the last two weeks. In each case, the grandparent was a believer with a strong personal relationship with Christ. I have enjoyed listening to my friends share the testimonies of their loved ones. I have been encouraged to see the legacy they left behind...Pastors, Sunday School teachers, Deacons, Elders, awesome teenagers.

God promised Abraham that for his faithfulness, Abraham's decendants would be like grains of sand...to numerous to count. In much the same way, God has blessed each of these families to the third and fourth generation with godly families.

While I feel sorrow for my friends, I am joyful knowing that these wonderful people had the indescribable experience of hearing our Lord and Savior say "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

Godly Heritage

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/godly-heritage.html

Smoda is 5!

In amidst all the hustle and bustle of last week, my baby turned five. It is hard to believe that I truly don't have a baby anymore. When I pointed this out to Smoda, he put both hands on my cheeks, looked me in the eye and said "you will always be my baby mama". Melts my heart!

Happy Birthday Smoda!

Smoda is 5!

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/smoda-is-5.html

Winding Yarn

I am about to come to the conclusion that I need a swift and ball winder. Most of my yarn had been purchased at my LYS and of course they will wind it for me. Then I discovered the joy and availability of specialty sock yarn....Lorna's Laces, Mountain Colors, and Socks that Rock to name a few, these I have purchased online as they are not readily available in my area. I didn't think about them being in a hank as opposed to a ball, just never crossed my mind.

One night I decided to do a swatch of Lorna's Laces. I went into my stash and pulled out a lovely shade but it was a HANK. I couldn't get dear old RacerDad to hold the yarn for me, so I sat with my feet spread far apart on a footstool to hold the hank and began winding. By the time I finished, my knees and ankles were so sore! I didn't learn that time, I wound yarn for my next project the same way. This time the yarn was a bigger hank and it took quite a bit of time. I thought I learned my lesson that time.

Today I wanted to start a pair of socks for a yahoo "easy sock" group. I had some STR in X-mas Rock colorway - heavyweight. It would be perfect. My knees were not up to the task today so I figured I would put my dear sons to work.

Cowodie took over when Speedy B got tired. He was a very willing helper.

Speedie B was my first swift. As you can tell by his grin he was not real happy doing it. I have to laugh, the boy is a catcher in baseball and can catch three games in a day without complaining. Holding the yarn, he lasted 5 minutes before themoans started!

The hank that started it all. Isn't it lovely?

The boys are very cute swifts and in the case of Cowodie very willing to help. Honestly though I don't know if I can wind too many more balls this way. Speedy B complained, Cowodie dropped the yarn, Smoda played "limbo" between myself and whoever was holding the yarn. As Speedy B pointed out, 350 yards is longer than 3 football fields...my arm got tired of winding!

So if you know of a good swift and ball winder please let me know. I have looked at the ones in the Knitpicks catalog, but honestly I have no idea quality of products.

Winding Yarn

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/winding-yarn.html

Happy Birthday Spot!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear RacerDad, Happy Birthday to you! Or as he is now called "Spot".

Today my sweet husband turned 39. He had a wonderful day and must have been very good this year because he had a bang up birthday.

His eye is getting much better. Almost all of the swelling is gone but the colors are now very vibrant. He was very fortunate, the doctor said if the ball had hit 1/2" over it would have compromised his eyesight.

Happy Birthday Spot!

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/happy-birthday-spot.html