Seaside Enchantment

Outside Work

2008-07-16T12:11:00.004-05:00

I spent the early morning hours working in the yard before the heat of the day came upon me. There is always something to be done on our little homestead. When we first moved here the land had been abandoned for at least 2 years and it was an overgrown tangled mess of weeds knee high and blackberry briars.

We have made great progress in the year we have been here. With regular cuttings, the grass has taken over & smothered the blackberry briars for the most part. There are flowers planted along the fence and large pots of bright petunias gracing each side of the steps leading to the front door.

Daily we have feathered friends visit the bird bath and feeder. I like to think of our homestead as a sanctuary for wildlife. For this former city girl, I still am awestruck by the sight of all the creatures great and small in the country that are not typically seen in town!

I feel so blessed to have this little spot of land to call my own. I love the quiet, country life and the simplicity of it all. Sure, it can be hard work, but there is nothing better than working out in the fresh air and sunshine, listening to nature all around you. The wind whispering in the pines with a chorus of birds, frogs, and crickets in the background.

It's heaven on Earth!

Panic Attacks

2008-07-15T11:31:00.002-05:00

When I was pregnant with Kayla, I used to get panic attacks. I was pretty much house-bound for at least a year - only able to go out for my doctor appointments and to Mama's house. It was a miserable, scary time.

Out of the blue, the panic attacks have returned with a vengeance. I am fine until I need to leave the house and then I can feel it coming on. This is not good! I don't understand why they are happening now, but I pray the problem ends soon.

Cooking and Cleaning

2008-07-13T17:34:00.003-05:00

A roast with carrots simmered in the crock pot all day yesterday and it was served with a loaf of homemade bread, rice, and brown gravy made from the roast. The delicious aromas of home-cooking wafted through the air making me hungry. I also baked a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for the kids to snack on.

I spent the afternoon rearranging the master bedroom. There was much sorting and clearing to do. The master bedroom often becomes the catch-all for things that have no home. Mama is bringing me home boxes so I can load them up with donations for charity.

I simply have too much stuff! It is time for me to clear away the excess to allow myself and our home breathing space.

Before the Fairytale...

2008-07-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

Being married to Alfred is so easy now, but it wasn't always so. We had many turbulent years of marriage. Thankfully, we were both too stubborn to call it quits. I wish we could have had the peace and serenity we now have years earlier, but it makes it all the more sweeter now.

We both brought issues into the marriage. I had trust issues after my parents' divorce. Alfred grew up in a dysfunctional home and had been on his own since he was 15. He was a party animal and that didn't stop once we were married.

I was pretty sheltered growing up & was not comfortable with the party scene. I wanted him to be with me - and that was the start of our marital troubles. I did everything I could think of to be the perfect wife and to make him want to stay home. It never worked.

I thought if only I could be perfect enough, keep house good enough, look prettier - blah, blah, blah. I had all of these unrealistic expectations for myself. I came up with elaborate plans to be Mrs. Perfection, only to crash and burn heartbroken and in deep despair.

Alfred had a 14 month military tour in Iraq - which was hard on our family. We had a lot of heart to heart talks in those months and I just knew things would be different when he came home. It was for a time, but he went back to his familiar ways and I gave up all hope of things ever changing.

Once I completely gave up that is when the miracle occurred!

The drinking stopped. Alfred began to come straight home after work. I was skeptical that this was all real! After all, I had heard this all a million times before. But eventually, I began to relax into our new ways of relating.

From time to time we would have heart-to-heart talks and afterwards I would come away with a greater feeling of healing and release. Just to get those things out in the open and clear the air was freeing. We finally get it!

It was a long, hard road to get to where we are now, but it just makes me appreciate the life we have now all the more. There is no drama. Our home is so peaceful (well as peaceful as it can be with children & pets!) and fun. We laugh and enjoy each other's company. Life is good!
***
It is my hope that my story will offer a little encouragement to someone else who is going through marital difficulties.

2 Weeks Feels Like Forever...

2008-07-12T10:18:00.003-05:00

Alfred left early this morning for his 2 week summer camp. It feels like forever. We hate to be apart. We both asked each other if we'll be missed.

Alfred says he can't sleep well if he's not with me and even when he goes to work he misses me - that is why he calls me several times throughout the day. But he knows at the end of the day he'll come home to me and it makes his day easier.

How romantic is that?

He is a man of few words. Don't get me wrong - the man can talk. I once sent him to store for milk and an hour later he returned. He had run into someone he knew and was chatting away. But when it comes to mushy "feelings" talks - well, that does not come easy for him.

Every once in a while he will open up and show me a glimmer of what is in heart and I blown way with wonder at how much this man loves and adores me. I am not always the easiest person in the world to live with. My heart overflows with love, joy, and gratitude for the life we now have together, for it wasn't always so....

A Short Recovery

2008-07-11T09:43:00.002-05:00

I had a short rest and recovery period, but I am feeling much better. Thank you for all the kind words! Wednesday I slept in late - 9:30am! I must have really needed the rest as I am usually up by 6:30am at the very latest. I took it easy the rest of the day and only did the absolute essentials in homemaking.

Yesterday there was grocery shopping to do. I discovered CVS has the cheapest milk prices that I've found at $3.89 per gallon verses $4.49 for the grocery store brand. Every little bit helps when you're trying to stay within a budget.

I also reorganized my pantry so I can see exactly what I have now and did a load of laundry. Alfred and I did yard work after dinner, then I had to cut his hair and help him pack his gear. He leaves early tomorrow for 2 weeks of summer camp with the Army National Guard.

This morning I doubled a recipe I had for homemade chocolate chip muffins. It yielded 30 muffins. We will have those for breakfast over the next day or two. They are much cheaper than buying cold cereal...taste better, too.

Another thing I did was mix up some of the dry non-fat powdered milk that I had in my pantry to use in my cooking and baking. It will help to make the regular milk go further which is a help since milk is so expensive these days.

So that is about all that's been going on in my little corner of the world lately...

Under the Weather

2008-07-08T15:08:00.003-05:00

I have been feeling under the weather for the past several days. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps I've been doing too much & this is my body's way of forcing me to slow down? A little rest & relaxation is definitely in order....well as much as I am able to. I still have a home and family to care for. ::grin::

I hope to be back to blogging again regularly soon!

Flicka

2008-07-06T20:15:00.003-05:00

We finally watched Flicka tonight and it was wonderful! Be sure to have a hankie ready because it is a real tear-jerker. The scenery is magnificent with lush Wyoming landscapes, mountains, and wild horses. Alison Lohman (Katy) was brilliant and heart-felt in her performance. If you have a love for animals, wild or tame, this is a must-see movie!

Let Freedom Ring

2008-07-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July!

Simple Days at Home

2008-07-01T10:31:00.003-05:00

I love simple days at home. Taking care of the regular homemaking duties while working at my own pace. If I'm not feeling particularly energetic, I can rest and then resume my activities later in the day.

I love the quiet country life. I like to stay home most of the time and shut myself away from the world. Here on my little half acre of land there is peace and contentment. All is well as I tend to my family, home, and garden.

I am blessed to be able to stay home to keep the home fires burning and to have the freedom to keep my children home with me to grow and learn at their own pace. There is not a day that goes by that we don't learn something new. Living life is full of learning experiences, adventures, and wonders if we take the time to notice.

I am honored to be Alfred's wife and companion. He trusts me with all of his resources and appreciates my work in the home to stretch his income as far as I can and to create a place of beauty and rest for him to come home to.

I love to meet him at the door after a hard day of work with a glass of iced sweet tea and a smile. I like to make him laugh and forget the day's cares. I love to kiss him and tell him how much I love him as we snuggle together before we drift off to sleep.

There is joy and peace in the simple days at home.
All is well with my soul.

This and that

2008-06-30T09:09:00.002-05:00

We have several cedar trees in our yard. One is quite large right by the house. Mama took it upon herself to trim and shape it. She cut several branches up from the bottom and cleared it all out underneath. It looks really nice. Now I want to put in a circle border and put gnomes, fairies, and toadstools beneath it and hang a gnome door on the tree. How cute will that be?

Alfred and I have been weight training. I do my workouts in the morning before the kids get up. He does his in the evenings. I like to get my workouts done early so I don't put them off or skip them entirely. What is hard for me is drinking enough water and eating healthier, but I am continually striving to improve in these areas. The benefits are worth it!

On today's housekeeping agenda is laundry, mopping the kitchen, clean bathrooms, tidy the living room, and more decluttering. I am feeling the need to drastically pare down our belongings. Lately I've been feeling suffocated by stuff. It is very freeing to clear out the things that are no longer wanted, needed, or useful.

16 Years

2008-06-29T18:56:00.002-05:00

Today Alfred and I celebrate 16 years of marriage.

Happy Anniversary, darling!
xx

Rainy Days

2008-06-27T13:24:00.005-05:00

The rain has returned with thunder and lightning. Afternoon thunderstorms are a part of summer time in the south. I don't mind it so much - except when I have to drive in it. It provides free water for my flowers in the garden and a brief cooling relief from the unbearable heat.

I've spent the day puttering about the house. There was laundry to catch up on - as always. There was the putting away of things left about by others, wiping down counters, dusting, sorting, filing, decluttering. Taking care of the odds and ends of housekeeping.

It feels good to take care of the little things that tend to get neglected when life gets a bit too busy. I love to organize our belongings, our home, and our life that we've built together. It is satisfying work.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - June 23

2008-06-23T14:19:00.003-05:00

To read more Daybooks, visit Peggy...

FOR TODAY

Outside my Window...partly cloudy skies, a nice breeze at times, blooming flowers, chirping birds, and a wild cat named Thomas.

I am thinking...of ways to bless my husband.

I am thankful for...my family, my pets, the land we live on, and good neighbors.

From the kitchen...King Ranch Chicken for dinner and brownies for dessert.

I am wearing...blue jean shorts and a gray Marilyn Monroe tee.

I am reading...Plain & Fancy by Wanda E. Brunstetter

I am hoping...for a good nights rest.

One of my favorite things...is the scent of fresh rain in the air.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...regular house work, wash & detail my car, come up with some summer meals, exercise...

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Monday Plans

2008-06-23T07:50:00.003-05:00

I spent the early morning hours visiting with Mama after Alfred left for work. We sat outdoors while it's still cool enough to enjoy it.

I saw a baby cardinal being fed by daddy cardinal. Thomas, our wild cat, stalked a dove but couldn't catch it...thankfully.

My sunflowers are growing marvelously. They are at least 6 feet tall now. And the Asiatic Lily Mama gave me a couple weeks ago has two beautiful orange blooms.

My tomatoes are not faring too well. I think next year I'll just buy one or two plants and I'll plant them in large containers.

Today I'll get the laundry caught up. I have to wash all of Kendall's laundry from his trip and wash the bed linens.

I have a good dinner planned, brownies to bake, decluttering and cleaning to do.

Soon, I will start on the kids' bathroom walls - getting them ready to paint.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Back from MIA

2008-06-21T14:20:00.003-05:00

I've been MIA - trying to get Kendall's room painted before he came home. We finished the painting yesterday and I got his room put all back together. He will be home around midnight tonight. Seems like forever...

I spent the morning at the grocery store. They had a lot of good sales, which I was able to pair up with a few coupons. My starting total was $197. 62....Alfred would have had a stroke if he'd been with me...hehehe! After rewards card savings & coupons, I paid $118.39 out of pocket - saving $74.06.

After that, I spread mulch in my flower bed and then set to work on the house. Now that the main work is out of the way, I think I'll put my feet up and read for a bit.

A Birthday Celebration

2008-06-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

She stopped in an art shop on her way back, and studied little menu cards and favors, purchasing a roll of pink crepe paper, some green and yellow tissue paper, wire, and cardboard. As soon as she had finished the dessert for dinner she hurried to get out scissors, paste, pencils, and went eagerly to her dainty work.

Before Louise and Harry came home from school she had fashioned eight dainty little candy baskets with ruffled pink paper, and on each slender thread-like handle there nodded a lovely curly pink rose with a leaf and a bud, all made of the paper, with their little green wire stems twining about the pink basket. Eight little blue birds, with their claws and tails so balanced that they would hover on the rim of a water glass, and bearing in their bills a tiny place card, also lay on the table beside the baskets, the product of Cornelia's skillful brush and colors....

Louise to Cornelia: "What are you going to put into them? asked the little girl.
"Well I haven't decide yet," said Cornelia. "Probably salted almonds, don't you think?"
"Oh, but they're awful expensive!"
"Not if you make them, dear. You and I will make them. I've done tons of them in college for feasts. It's easy; just blanch them and brown them in a pan with butter and salt or oil and salt."
....

"Well, then we'll have some kind of soup, just a little; I think maybe spinach, cream of spinach soup, it's such a pretty color for Spring, you know, that pale-green, and matches the dining-room. It's easy to make, and doesn't cost much; and then we can have the spinach for a vegetable with the meat course. Now, let's see, those little clear sherbet glasses, are there enough of those?"

"A whole dozen and seven," announced Louise.

"Then we'll use those at the beginning for a fruit cocktail -- orange, grapefruit, banana, and I'll color it pink with a little red raspberry juice. I found a can among the preserves mother had left over from last winter. It makes a lovely pink, and that will match the baskets."

"Oh, lovely!" exclaimed the little girl ecstatically; "but won't that cost a lot?"

"No, dear, I think not. I'll figure it down pretty close tonight and find out; but it doesn't take much fruit to fill those tiny glasses, and it's mostly show, you know - one grapefruit, a couple of oranges, and bananas, and the rest raspberry juice. Spinach is very cheap now, you know; and we can make the body of the soup with a can of condensed milk. We can eat corn-meal mush and beans and things for few days beforehand to make up."
.....

"Aren't we going to have ice-cream?" Louise's voice showed anxiety.

"Yes, but we'll make it ourselves. I found the freezer out in the back shed under all those carpets yesterday. And we'll have pale-green peppermint water-ice. It's beautiful, and costs hardly anything. You just make lemonade and put in a few drops of peppermint and a drop or two of confectioner's green coloring; and it is the prettiest thing you ever laid eyes on, looks like a dream and tastes - wonderful!"
....

"We'll have angel cake for the birthday cake, I think," went on the sister, "with white icing and little pink candles. Eggs are not expensive now, and anyway I found a recipe that says measure the whites, and such big eggs as we get take only nine to a cup. How will that be, angel cake and green water-ice for dessert?"
....

"But what are you going to have in the middle, Nellie, after the soup? Any meat?"

"Why, surely, round steak, simmered all day with an onion, and browned down with thick gravy the way you love it so well: only we'll cut it into small servings like cutlets before we cook it, and no one will ever dream what it is."

"Then we'll have new potatoes creamed, with parsley sprinkled over them, and spinach minced, with a hard-boiled egg on top; and for salad we'll make some gelatin molds in the custard cups with shredded cabbage and parsley in it, that on a lettuce leaf will look very pretty; and I'll make the mayonnaise out of the yolks of the eggs from the angel cake. There'll be enough left over to make a gold cake or some custard for the next day besides."

"Now write the menu. Raspberry fruit-cocktail, cream of spinach soup, round steak cutlets with brown gravy, creamed new potatoes with parsley, spinach, aspic-jelly salad, angel cake, mint sherbet, and coffee. Doesn't that sound good?"

~ an excerpt from Re-Creations
by Grace Livingston Hill

Re-Creations

2008-06-17T13:33:00.003-05:00

It was several weeks before the Copley house was finished. Even then there were cushions to make out of old pieces brightened up by the stitches of embroidery or applique work of leaves cut from bits of old velvet. There were rugs to braid out of all the old rags the house afforded and there were endless curtains to wash and hem and hemstitch and stencil and put up. All the family united to make the work as perfect a thing of the kind as could be accomplished. Every evening was spent in painting or papering, or rubbing down some bit of old furniture to make it more presentable, and gradually the house began to assume form and loveliness.

Paint, white paint, had done a great deal toward making another place of the dreary little house. The kitchen was spotless white enamel everywhere, and enough old marble slabs had been discovered to cover the kitchen table and the top of the kitchen dresser, and to put up shelves around the sink and under the windows. Mr. Copley brought home some ball-bearing casters for the kitchen table, and spent an evening putting them on, so it would move easily to any part of the kitchen needed. Cornelia and Louise rejoiced in scrubbing the smooth white surfaces that were going to be so convenient and so easily kept clean. Even the old kitchen chairs had been painted white and enamelled, and Cornelia discovered by chance one day that a wet sponge was a wonderful thing to keep the white paint clean; so therefore Louise spent five minutes after dinner every evening going about with her wet sponge, rubbing off any chance fingermarks of the day before putting the gleaming kitchen in battle-array for the next day.

The dining room had gradually become a place rest and refreshment for the eyes as well as the palate. Soft green was the prevailing color of furniture and floor, with an old grass rug scrubbed back to almost its original color. The old couch was tinkered up and covered with gay cretonne in greens and grays, with plenty of pillows covered with the same material. The curtains were white with a green border of stencilling. The dingy old paper had been scraped from the walls, which had been painted with many coats of white; and a gay green border had been stencilled at the ceiling. The carpenter had found an old plate-rail down in the shop, which, painted white, made a different place of the whole thing, with a few bits of mother's rare old china rightly placed, two Wedgewood plates in dull yellow, another of bright green, a big old blue willow ware plate, some quaint cups hung on brass hooks under a little white shelf. One couldn't ask for a pleasanter dining-room than that. It dawned upon the family anew and joyously every time any of them entered the room, and made them a little better and a little brighter because it spoke "home" so softly and sweetly and comfortingly.....

But the living room was the crown of all, wide and pleasant and many-windowed with its stone fireplace, wide mantle, adorned with a quaint old pair of brass candlesticks that had belonged to the grandmother; the walls covered with pale-yellow felt-paper like soft sunshine; the floor planed down to the natural wood, oiled and treated with shellac; and the old wooled rugs in two tones of gray, which used to be bedroom rugs when Cornelia was a baby, washed and spread about in comfortable places; it no more resembled the stuffy, dark little place they used to call a "parlor" than say resembles night. Soft white sheer curtains veiled the windows everywhere, with over-curtains of yellow cotton crepe; and the sunshine seemed to have taken up its abode in that room even on dark days when there was no sun to be seen. It was as if it had stayed behind from the last sunshiny day, so bright and cheerful was the glow.

The little "bay" was simply overflowing with ferns the children had brought from the woods, set in superfluous yellow and gray bowls from the kitchen accumulation. Harry ran extra errands after hours, and saved enough to buy the yellowest, throatiest canary the city afforded, in a big wicker cage to hang in the window.

Cretonne covers in soft gray tones covered the shabby old chairs and couch, and Cary and his father spent hours with pumice-stone and oil, polishing away at the piano, the bookcase, and the one small mahogany table that was left, while Cornelia did wonderful things in the way of artistic shades for little electric lamps that Cary rigged up in odd, unexpected corners, made out of all sorts of queer things: an old pewter sugar-bowl, this with a shade of silver lace lined with yellow, a relic of some college costume; a tall gray jug with queer blue Chinese figures on it that had been among the kitchen junk for years, this with a dull blue shade; a bright yellow vase with a butterfly-yellow shade; and a fat green jar with willow basket-work around it on which Cornelia put a shade of soft green, with some old brown lace over it.

The room was really wonderful when it was done, with two or three pictures hung in just the right spot, and some photographs and magazines thrown comfortably about. Really one could not imagine a pleasanter or more artistic room,not if one had thousands to spend. The first evening it was all complete the family just sat down and enjoyed themselves in it, talking over each achievement of cushion or curtain or wall as a great connoisseur might have looked over his newly aquired collection and gloated over each specimen with delight.

~ an excerpt from Re-Creations
by Grace Livingston Hill

Summer Fun on a Budget

2008-06-16T16:36:00.004-05:00

I have been looking for activities for the kids to be involved in and discovered a few different things in our area.

Lowe's Build & Grow clinics are free

Barnes & Noble has story time on Wednesdays at 11am & Saturdays at 1pm

Michael's has craft projects for kids ages 5-12 for $5 each

Other summer fun ideas:

Make root beer floats

Visit different parks in the area

Pack a picnic lunch

Visit the library for movies, books, and CDs

Sonic drive-in Happy Hour weekdays from 2-4pm - select drinks are half price
Tuesdays at Sonic from 5-8pm - single patty hamburgers are half price
*check with your local Sonic for details*

Try a new recipe each week

Visit thrift stores for inexpensive books, puzzles, games, etc.

Play in the water hose/sprinkler

Make popsicles

Make homemade play dough

Art - paint, color, draw, make collages, etc.

Weekly family movie night with homemade fun snack foods

Go for walks - bike trail, pier, beach

Create a nature table for the treasures we discover on walks

Draw in our nature journals

Make lemonade

Visit the farmer's market for fresh produce locally grown

Star-gazing

Create fairy houses

These are just a few ideas I came up with. Feel free to share in the comments your summer fun ideas!

Father's Day

2008-06-15T09:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day, honey!
We love you!
xx

Work

2008-06-14T09:10:00.002-05:00

I was outside early this morning weeding the flower bed along the fence and finally finished it. It's about 72 x 12 feet and looks so much better! Now I'm working on another smaller area at the end of the house, where my caladiums are planted. There is always much work to be done in the yard.

Yesterday we saw tiny baby honeybees pollinating the sunflowers. The girls asked if the babies sting and if so how it was. Alfred told them they sting just like the big bees. I wish now I'd taken a picture of them.

I found out yesterday that Kendall and Mama will be back next Saturday night, so I've got to get crackin' on Kendall's room. I will start painting the ceiling and walls with primer today. I've managed not to even hint that I'm redoing the room to Kendall when he calls.

So take the gardening, with painting, and add in the regular housework to the mix and you can see I have my hands full at the moment. But I like to stay busy. It helps the time to pass quicker.

CVS shopping

2008-06-12T11:28:00.005-05:00

(not pictured: one 12 pk. Coke & one Dots candy)

This is what I bought for $35.34 today at CVS. I saved $38.38 and received $11.49 in ECB's.

4 - 12 pk. Cokes
7 pkgs. candy
1 -10 oz. Sea Breeze
1 - 16 oz. Sea Breeze
In Style magazine
2 FAB laundry detergents
1 Nivea Shave Gel
1 Nivea Bodywash for Men
1 Nivea Oil Control Facial Cleanser
1 CVS maxi pads
1 Listerine Smart Rinse

I am still learning the ends and outs of CVS shopping. I've been able to stock up on several items using sales, coupons, and the ECB's within the last 6 months.

What I Do...

2008-06-11T09:37:00.004-05:00

I was without internet from Saturday until late yesterday afternoon. I had plenty to keep me busy though.

I worked on Kendall's room. I did a little decluttering. I pulled weeds from my flower bed in the early mornings or late afternoons when it's not so unbearably hot.

I started working out again in earnest - and this time Alfred is working out with me. I did many loads of laundry. I took a nap or two.

I watched the girls ride down the driveway on their scooters and listened to howls of laughter as they raced the wind.

I looked with eyes of wonder at the beauty of my sunflowers finally opening with their bright, cheerful blooms.

And most of all...

I counted my blessings for being surrounded with nature, beauty, love, and joyful occupation - being the keeper of my home and family.

Glorious Sunflowers

2008-06-10T20:55:00.001-05:00

Family Visits and Yet Another Project

2008-06-07T17:58:00.003-05:00

I haven't been around much this week because I had family in town. It's always fun to get all my siblings together, along with Mama, and catch up. Mama left today to go back to Iowa, taking Kendall with her for the next 2 weeks. Then she'll return to stay for the rest of the summer!

I am starting a new house project. I am going to have Kendall's room painted by the time he comes home. I'm going to clean his room out tomorrow (and believe me, it needs it!) and start mudding walls on Monday. He doesn't know about it, so it will be a complete surprise! However, he did choose the paint color - he likes the blue I used in the kitchen.

Hope you're having a great weekend!