babies, babies, babies!!

I know lots of people having babies these days... thankfully, it's not me this time around!!  One however, is my little sister and I wanted to make her thank you notes for her baby shower!! so I cleaned and organized my craft room last week... and then I got busy!!  The one set I made is based on a set I had made before, but with boy colors this time.  I have another redo that I will be working on tomorrow, but today, I wanted to make something new... then I found this FTL132 sketch from Clean & Simple!

I knew I could make a cute baby thank you with this... and I think I did!

 I love baby feet!!  and I love making matching envelopes, and I added little feet inside the card, too.  I also used adorable scrapbook paper that I have had sitting around for YEARS (my son is going to be 8 soon)!!

look, a whole set of them!!

I liked it so much I made a girl set, too!!

hoping I can get them uploaded to my online card shop soon!!  (this whole trying to run an online card shop is harder than it looks... )

Week overflowing with blessings

 Three of my four kids in the snow this week... my 5 year old is in her "avoid the camera at all costs" stage

336. having 3 ladies and 7 kids (plus my 4) over for fun and lunch
337. frozen cookie dough... quick dessert for kids
338. cellphones
339. A Tuesday night movie night with the kids (Spring Break)
340. my 5 YO's tender heart
341. finding beauty in a late March snowstorm

342. my little optimist... looking for some grass to mow

343. roads being clear enough for me to make a quick trip to Walmart... by myself!
344. an indoor clothesline for all the snow clothes

345. impromptu dinner with the neighbors
346. brownies... another quick dessert
347. starting to potty train my last little one... (not buying anymore diapers and throwing away my 8YO diaper pail will be future gifts)
348. Starburst jellybeans ... a sugary potty training incentive (I get one each time she's dry, too!)
349. another visit with a friend (and her kids)
350. cheetos
351. organizing (and cleaning) my craft room area

352. warm sunshine
353. kids playing well together most of the week of Spring Break
354. FINALLY making some notecards... baby thankyous for my sister's shower next month!

355. making homemade meatballs and spaghetti sauce

356. eating dinner in the WARM sunroom even with snow outside
357. eating nobakes with the kids ... at 8:30 at night (still spring break)
358. Crockpot Pizza Soup... delicious!!
360. surviving a whole week without our van... hoping the repair and inspection is finished today!!!
361. borrowing our neighbors car so that the whole family could make it to church
362. a friend being willing to pick up my Kindergartner today...
363. my husband's flexible job, so he can pick up our 2nd grader

(random picture of turkeys... they're back!!)

I love taking Monday's to review the past week and remind myself of all the great things God has done for me!!!  Would you like to join me in counting #1000gifts?  Join in at A Holy Experience

Saturday Snapshot (on Sunday)

linking up to

and entering this photo in the March 23 Photo Contest with Kent Weakly

Waking Up

START

Waking up... isn't that what Spring is all about?  trees and flowers waking up after a dormant winter... animals coming out of the woodwork, birds flying back north and singing such sweet songs to wake me up in the morning.
Right now at my house, Spring is not quite happening!

A spring snowstorm on Wednesday has us covered in white still.  The birds don't know where to go, they miss the grass that was out just a week ago (so do I!!)  But I realized yesterday that we appreciate the waking up of Spring soo much because of the cold dreary winter!  The sun is shining strong today which makes me smile just a little bit more!  I can't wait to smell the scent of fresh cut grass, to hear the brids singing sweetly and to take the long walk to the mailbox!!

Thank you God for waking up Your earth again!  I so appreciate the seasons!

Genesis 8:22  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

STOP





Five Minute Friday with The Gypsy Mama
Want to join me?
1. Write for only five minutes.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Go leave some comment love for the five minuter who linked up before you.

Multitude Monday (on Tuesday)

no excuse... just busy!  Kids are on Spring Break this week, so I have less computer time... which is a good thing! But I still want to keep counting the gifts that God gives me, so here are some from the last week!


316. soup and fresh baked bread

317. going to Friendly's for icecream with a friend and our 6 kids! :)
318. free Kindle books on Amazon... finding out about them on Twitter!
319. watching the fog roll in... and roll out!
320. A warm sunny day to start Spring break
321. going to the park

322. burgers on the grill
323. fresh cut french fries
324. squeaky swingsets
325. children getting fresh air

326. neighbors
327. Supermoon

328. bubble baths
329. serving at the Scranton Rescue Misson
330. having my kids (ages 3, 4, 5, 7) serve drinks and desserts!!
331. getting free Italian ices from Rita's on the First day of Spring

332. keeping my computer closed for one whole day
333. getting laundry done... with a machine and a dryer!!
334. funny things my kids say
335. snuggling with my husband!

I am a day late, but I am still counting my gifts with Ann from A Holy Experience

sun-kissed summer

Yesterday my kids spent a surmountable part of the day outside... I can't wait to see their sun-kissed cheeks and sun-bleached hair of summer... it is coming!!  but until then I will reminisce with this adorable picture from last summer!!  I love these kids!!

linking up with Yellow Songbird's Saturday Snapshot!

Five Minutes on Waiting

START

waiting... I know the kind of waiting that Lisa-Jo is experiencing right now... I had 4 babies... 3 of which were LATE (10 days, 7 days and 5 days) apparently due dates mean little, but I am past that stage of waiting! so I will go a different direction.

I hate waiting... I know that impatience is a sin, so I need to work on it.  and I know that life isn't going anywhere; there is no reason to rush. But still I live my life by the clock, and get frustrated when people are late.  Now with 4 little kids, I am often late, which makes me impatient with my children, which makes life unpleasant for all, so I tell myself time and time again that I will not get distracted by things, pay attention to where I need to be and when, and NOT yell at my kids for "holding me up."

I know that waiting is good... I waited and prayed for 5 (or was it 6) years for God to provide us a larger home... and when He did, it was a doozy... so amazingly incredible and something I thank him for EVERY SINGLE DAY!!  If it had come sooner, I might have taken it for granted, but he waited until our 2 bedroom trailer was stuffed to the gills and then answered in a  big way ... another story that can't be told in 5 minutes, but someday I will tell you about it!

Waiting... even now for God to give me an "easy" button so that I will be more like Him... changed into His likeness, so that I don't mind waiting because God knows waiting... and He is waiting for us "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

STOP

(okay, I got interrupted by a little one, lost track of my 5 minutes! :)




This is the place where once a week we take the chance to
just write, and not worry if it’s just right or not.
For five minutes flat.
Here’s how the game works: you simply stop, drop and write. Set your words free. Don’t edit them, don’t fret over them, don’t try to make them perfect.

Personalized notecards for Spring

Flowers and Spring... the two go hand in hand!!  Robins are a sign that Spring is coming; flowers are a sign that Spring is HERE!!  I can't wait to see some flowers!!  but until then, I wanted to share some personalized notecards I made for Spring!!

This first set uses 3 different flowers! perfect for a shorter name, and so easy to make a matching envelope!!

I love these springtime colors and am itching to make another set!!  Do you want to order some? you can do that here!


and then there is this adorable flower pot... hand colored with pencils. this set is horizontal so it accommodates a longer name.  So easy to stamp a flower pot and color it in with the flower colors of your choice (purple and yellows are my favorites right now)!! these can be special ordered here!

I am linking these cards up to some crafty link ups... which means most of you could make these yourself!! :)
Handmade Wednesday, and

True Contentment

Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both the abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

To me, contentment and peace go hand in hand... working on these verses for my #SSMT (at LPM Blog), linking up to Word Filled Wednesday, and also reviewing Philippians 4:6-7
Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.



Peace and Grace to you...

Always time for counting gifts

Not been a great blogger this week... but there is always time for counting the gifts... #1000gifts on Multitude Monday!



296. public libraries... multitudes of free books to borrow!

297. listening to my kids read aloud
298. going to bed at 9:00 ... really should do that more often
299. music on the car radio, speaks to my soul, encourages
300. safety daily on the roads, to and from school, running errands, off to church; up and down the hills/mountains, around the curves, avoiding wildlife
301. my kids' health ... slight fevers I can handle!
302. Legos... hours of endless fun!!

303. painting little girls fingernails and toenails
304. living on the mountain during rainstorms/flooding
305. free material scraps from my mom
306. creating a springtime door wreath

307. free e-books on Amazon.com ... already reading through Calm My Anxious Heart
308. making an effort to give up COMPLAINING for Lent
309. a date night with my husband
310. listening to a Pedal Steel Guitar mini-concert
311. coffee... always coffee
312. illustrations in church re: the body of Christ (Ephesians 3:1-13)

313. My 3YO's laughter, hugs, kisses, smiles
314. My son singing ..."There's no God like Jehovah" along with the radio
315. walking and talking with a friend (even if it was freezing cold out!)