Things To Do This Spring

It's exciting to have a new season, especially one that is getting warmer and brighter after a long, dark winter.

Here are some simple things to do to make Spring fun and special.

1. Read "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. One of the best books I have ever read. It is wonderful to read it a little at a time to children, but just as good reading on your own.

It is a story about hope and friendship and when you are finished reading it, you will want a 'bit of earth' of your own.

2. Plant a garden. If you have never planted a garden, do not be afraid to start one this Spring! "The Square Foot Gardening" book by Mel Bartholomew is absolutely for everyone, whether you are a beginner or an ol' pro! You can visit the website at http://www.squarefootgardening.com/
I was overwhelmed just thinking about a garden, though I always wanted one, and this was the book that set me free.

We have 8-4 feet by 4 feet squares-1 for each of the children and the point was to have each take care of their own square.
You can make as many squares as you need.
You can have a square full of wonderful food even if you have limited space.

3. Go Fishing! We have a young fisherman in the family so we always make a point to get to Kensington Metropark to go fishing!

4. Make or buy a Spring wreath for your door. I've done both, but last year I found a beautiful one from Wal-Mart!

5. Buy a Bird's nest and use it in your decorating. We have a real one that was abandoned last fall, but you can get one from the local craft store.
Buy a little fake bird and some eggs to put in it and then find a green sprig from your own
yard and stick it into the nest, too.
It makes a beautiful centerpiece or decoration for a shelf, mantel or a bedside table.

6. Put some lemons and limes in a clear glass bowl and leave on the counter to use for your water, tea and for cooking.

7. Buy new kites and fly them with a loved one.

8. Find some good Middle-Eastern recipes, like tabouli, falafels, non-leavened bread, etc and have someone special over for Palm Sunday, which is this coming Sunday.

9. Make a terrarium. See www.bhg.com/terrariums.

10. Visit the local public gardens and butterfly house. Usually the Universities have these.

11. Go on a picnic.

12. Visit the farm to see the baby animals.

Have fun!

Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful for year after year! I think it is wonderful to know we still have the freedom to share our bounteous blessings with our loved ones. We still live in a country that sets aside a special day just for giving thanks! Now this is something to be thankful for! We have the brave men and women who have fought so courageously for our feedom to thank for this wonderful right! (So thank you, dear brave souls!) Since the days way back in the 1600s when the pilgrims bravely took the step to leave a country that took away their right to believe as they wanted, we still can believe as a christian to this day! We have so much to be thankful for!



Here are a few things I am thankful for this year:



1. Our freedom to believe.

2. The love of God, family and friends.

3. Food and shelter and clothing.

4. Health and happiness.

5. A loving husband.

6. My precious children.

7. A comfy bed.

8. Babies in heaven.

9. My church family.

10. Fresh air and sunshine.

11. A paycheck!

12. The Old Rugged Cross!

13. My own little piece of earth.

14. The sound of children's laughter.

15. God's precious word.

16. Music.

17. Good books.

18. A dependable car.

19. Safety.

20. Clean water.

21. The freedom to dream.

22. Our daily bread.

23. Grace.



Oh, I know their are so many more things, like getting a front row parking spot at the mall or being thankful that my stocking didn't fall down to my ankle the other week at church. (I had to go into the kitchen at church and look for safety pins. I didn't find any, but I did find some paperclips that worked just fine! Phew!) Now you know that I am not the most 'prepared' person around.

Here are a few ideas for Thanksgiving:

1. You can make a Thankful Tree. Draw a tree onto a large piece of paper and stick it on the fridge and everyone in the family can write something they are thankful for on a separate piece of paper and then stick it on one of the tree branches.

2. Have the kids make up a play for thanksgiving, or recite a poem or sing a song or tell silly jokes and then they can entertain the adults after dinner.


3. Have slips of paper for the guests to write down what they are thankful for and put them all in a bowl. Then everyone can pick out a slip of paper and read it aloud.


4. Print out coloring pages for the kids at http://holidays.kaboose.com/thanksgiving/ and find craft ideas etc.

5. Make a beautiful centerpiece:

This idea is from www.hgtv.com/crafting

Supplies:

footed container

floral foam

floral tape

fresh plums

white mini pumpkins

hydrangea, fresh or dried

grapevine balls

seeded eucalyptus sprays

wooden skewers

hot glue and glue sticks

1. Find a container and put water-saturated floral foam inside making sure to cut the foam 1-2" above the container. (A hollowed out pumpkin is a good container, too.)

2. Crisscross floral tape over the foam and attach to inside of container.

3. Insert skewers into mini pumpkins and plums. You may have to shorten the skewers.

4. Attach grapevine balls to skewers with hot glue and add to arrangement.

5. Fill spaces between plums, pumpkins and grapevine balls with hydrangea. Add branches of seeded eucalyptus for texture.

Now enjoy these last few days before Thanksgiving to soak in all of God's goodness! Find a little quiet time and write out your lists (to do, to buy, to be thankful for!) and find a little bit of fun and laughter in your days! We only have one life to live and I believe that God wants us to really enjoy it! It is not all work, you know! But if it seems like all work and no play, we just have to stop and 'smell the roses', change the routine a little, take a deep breath and say, 'aahh!'

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

"Ode To Leaves" by Elizabeth Storm Ramberg

Drifting to the earth they bring
Their silent song of bittersweet remembering.
Upon the grove and garden wall
Not a murmer, not a call.

They leave tall oaks and maples bare.
These innocents in red and gold
Who richly dressed the meadows bold.
And fairer stood on green and glen
Now fall to never rise again.

Triumphant is the hand of death
Who marks them his with one cold breath.
Ah! Autumn leaves once lovely lie
On some soft flower bed to die.

~My Mother wrote this poem several years ago. She wrote it out for me and I had it tucked in my Bible. Now that it is Fall, it seems the perfect time to share it!

~The kids are going to gather leaves today and then they will trace them with paint on the windows. Use a cut up sponge and clip a snap-style clothespin to it to dab the paint around the leaf. If you put a drop of dish soap with the paint, it will be easy to wipe off when Fall is over.

~One year I gathered a bunch of fall branches, tied a beautiful green satin ribbon to it and hung it on my front door. I plan on doing that this year, too. Also, a bunch of fall stems look beautiful in a vase inside the house. Really, all we need to decorate our homes is what God has already designed!

~Enjoy your Fall! It is my favorite time of year! Lenny and I were married in the Fall 20 years ago! I know, I can't believe it myself!

P.S. I had my very first sale on my etsy site the other day! I am so excited! It gives me more enthusiasm to keep up with my sewing and design! I am also excited to start selling vintage clothing and accessories. I have a little collection of things already just waiting for me to take photos of! I will also be sewing and posting women's accessories, etc. I am having so much fun!