I Am So Not Old!!

I have a long time friend that I've known for over 20 years. Ever since we started getting older (25 yrs old), we've teased each other about our age.

**I am well aware that 25 yrs of age, aka 1/4 of a century years old, is not old at all. Mind you, when you are in high school, 25 seems really old and the age I am now is pretty well ancient.**

Now keeping in mind my best girl friend is a FULL year older than me, that makes it even more fun. Every birthday she reminds me how old I'm getting and I, of course, remind her that no matter how old I am, she is still older!

So now here we are in our thirties. I am 31 yrs old so she'd obviously be 32. She lives in Toronto, Ontario and I live on a farm in rural Manitoba.

She is in a long term relationship with her partner and has no children. I've been married 10 years and have 3 children, 3 dogs and a cat.

She and her partner take trips to Mexico, Texas, Cancun etc and wear bikinis on the beach. I'm lucky if I can escape to Wal-Mart by myself and I try to my best to avoid all things bathing suit-related and I am quite happy being fully clothed if I even make it to the beach.

OK wait. Now not only am I feeling old, but I think I may also be slightly depressed. I mean based on the comparison I just made of my best girl friend and myself, who seems older? No but wait! Not older.....more mature!!!

It doesn't really matter.

I have already decided that although I may forget things, like where I put the phone, where I was going, the only 3 items on my shopping list or what I was gonna say now that I have you on the phone. Although there may have been a few grey hairs spotted on my head. Although my muscles are stiff, my knees ache when it rains and my bones creak....I am so not old!

Sheaves for Christ - How You Can Help

To help support this worthwhile cause, I am making pin-back badges, fridge magnets and key chains. There are 5 designs for you to choose from when you make a donation to Sheaves for Christ (SFC).

With a donation of $3.00, you'll get a pin-backed button in the design of your choice. With a donation of $4.00, you'll get a fridge magnet in the design of your choice. And with a donation of $5.00, you'll get a key chain in the design of your choice.

*got god?

*Jesus loves you, but I'm his favorite

*GOD'S PROPERTY

*A blood donor saved my life

*Get the Mission in Motion, SFC 2009



You can email me (subject: SFC Donation) with your donation amount and design of choice and I will provide you with an invoice you can pay via Paypal or I can provide you a mailing address to send a cheque or money order. Badges, magnets and key chains will be mailed upon clearing of payment, so please provide your mailing address.

For more information on SFC, see below or visit http://www.pentecostalyouth.org/

Thank you for your support!

About SFC
Sheaves for Christ is a fundraising program of the General Youth Division of the United Pentecostal Church International that has raised over $100 million to fund missions and ministries around the world. In 1952, Sheaves For Christ was created to move the gospel around the world and now is the exclusive fundraiser that provides vehicles to foreign missionaries.

Monies for property grants for Home Missionaries and financial assistance to the Tupelo Children's Mansion and Lighthouse Ranch for Boys are a few worthy ministries supported by SFC. These funds help bring restoration to individuals that have been torn from families or riddled with a history of crime and despondency; and collegiate scholarships for students pursuing Christian Education are all made possible through Sheaves for Christ dollars.

This fundraising ministry also helps move the gospel over the airwaves and the internet in specialized programming and provides monies to help chemically dependent individuals and their families recover from drug and alcohol-related problems. When you give to Sheaves for Christ you are literally putting the mission in motion and intentionally moving the gospel around the world.

Who Needs Hobbies Anyway!

I swear this has been the busiest month of my life. Or the busiest 2 months. I'm not even sure anymore. What month is it anyway?

With both boys playing soccer twice a week on different teams and sometimes in different towns, work and devoting our lives to God, there really doesn't seem to be a whole lot of time for ourselves.

As a mother it is really important to me to be on the parent council. I am also on a planning committee for a community event in a nearby city. And I'm trying to potty my 3 year old daughter. Yes, I did say 3 year old. Both my boys were potty trained for day and night by 3. Someone once told me girls potty trained faster and easier than boys. Uh, ya right. I should send my daughter there for a few days and let them tell me that joke again after they've picked up poop 'presents' and washed her 'big girl undies' 5 times a day. Maybe that's why my hydro bill was so high this month. I'll bet with my luck they'd send her back home in 2 days fully potty trained and with an invoice for time and services!

You know, I used to have hobbies. Yeah, those things you like to do when you have free time. At this present time I do have things I like to do, but no free time.

Things I like to do + free time = hobby. Guess I don't have any hobbies.

Since I have decided to serve God full-time (instead of half-hearted or whenever I'm faced with trials, tribulations and a big hydro bill), I have found myself wanting to do more. What more can I do to please God? What more can I do to help the church? So now I'm part of the Outreach committee. Yep, it's a start.

Who needs hobbies anyway?!

9-Year Old Birthday Party Craft Project

My eldest child just turned the big 09. Why he's almost a man! Well close to a pre-teen anyway.

So what can you do for a 9 year old boy's birthday party in the beginning of April that won't get you covered in wet mud or bore the attendees to death?

My son wanted to play indoor games and watch a movie. The party was scheduled to last 1 1/2 hours. The average movie lasts about that long and we still had to feed the kids, have cake and open presents! I decided on a 90 minute party purposely because I know that's really all I wanted handle.

Anyway, my husband had no good ideas, I mean, had no ideas so I decided we could do a craft. We made grass buddies.

For this craft project I purchased;

from Dollarama

-small terracotta pots (3 for $1)

-saucers (4 for $1)

-small bag of potting soil ($2)

-wiggly eyes ($1)

from Wal-mart

-small bag of grass seed ($7) in the summer you can buy smaller bags for around $2

I already had white glue, foam Popsicle sticks and markers at home. Bingo dabbers would work great for pok-a-dots!

I took a medium container and filled with about 5 cups of potting soil and about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of grass seed, then watered the mixture.

Have the kids decorate their buddies as people, monsters or animals and then fill the pots about 2/3 full of plain soil. Add about 2 plastic disposable spoonfuls of the mixture and then cover with more plain soil. You should have about an inch of space from the top of the planter.

As the grass buddies dried, we had cake and presents. Rather than water the finished project at the party and risk having their parents' car covered in wet mud, I instructed the kids to water their buddies when they got home, put them in a sunny spot and watch them grow grass hair. I also told them to water their buddies every 2 or 3 days.

They are 8 and 9 year olds, hopefully their buddies got watered when they got home!

If I had had more time, I would have made little care sheets for the kids to take home. Perhaps next time...

Yums Yums

I was recently invited to attend an Epicure party.

It was nice to see old neighbors and meet new ones. We've all been kind of hibernating this winter. With all the snow, the gravel (more like mud) roads have been terrible. All part of living in the country I guess.

Anyway, got to try various dips. This was not my first party, so I knew what I wanted. In fact, I had just been saying I needed to refill some of my dip mixes, then I got the invitation.

Our gracious host made us a lovely lemon cake. Here's Ellie's recipe;

LEMON SHEET CAKE

540-g- pkg Lemon cake mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
540-ml can of lemon pie filling

In bowl mix cake mix, eggs and water until blended.
Fold in lemon pie filling.
Spread in a 11 by 17 inch cookie sheet....I used a 10 by 15 pan
Bake at 350F for 18 to 20 minutes. cool.....
Frost with icing.
This freezes very well and always gets great reviews.

Icing....
250 g cream cheese
1/2 cup margarine
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1- 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp Epicure Lemon Chiffon [optional]
or grated rind of a lemon.........

You may thin the icing with lemon juice if using

Ellie served this cake us. It was moist, light and absolutely delectable! I've also got an Epicure recipe for cheddar, garlic and herb biscuits. I will try making them and then let you know.

In the meantime, find yourself an Epicure rep, get what you need for the cake and enjoy a taste of sunshine. It may be the sunshine you get for a while :)

God is SO Good

I realize it has been a while since my last post, so here's the latest 411!

I mentioned I was getting baptized. Well my husband and I both got baptized on March 1st. Wow, what a day and what an experience!

We've become members of an United Pentecostal Church and UPC's baptize as per the good old King James Version of the bible. There's no sprinkling over here. We took the plunge and got buried in the water just as Jesus was buried when he died for us (not in water, but you understand). Fully submerged and baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remissions of our sins (Act 2:38).

I really didn't know what to expect, but when I came out of the water, I felt lighter. Almost like a weight had been lifted. Perhaps the weight of my sins. That's a lot of weight, but we won't go there!

When my husband was baptized, I could see the spirit of God working on him, but I can't really tell you how he felt. I imagine wet would be in there somewhere, but otherwise...

The following Sunday, my husband was filled with the spirit of the Holy Ghost and I the Sunday after that. We spoke in other tongues just as the bible says (Acts 2:4). Pretty intense I'll tell ya!

Since my husband and I decided to serve God, our lives have been forever changed. We attend our regular Sunday service, but also attend prayer meetings, church bible study and home bible study. It's like we just can't get enough.

Life and earth as we know it wasn't just a happy accident. It was God! Every morning you wake up, it is because God made it so. If you've a roof over your head, food on your table and shoes on your feet, you're not lucky... you are blessed. In everything give thanks.

So to recap...

I've got the three keys to inherit the kingdom of God (Repentance, Baptism and Holy Ghost). What more could a gal want?

**please note: The three keys are only the start. You still need to live a good christian life, pray, give God praise & worship...and read the bible!

I Need a Me Day...

I am so tired. I haven't been sleeping well. I don't really care to eat much of anything. I certainly don't want to do anything (clean house, cook dinner, wash dishes included).

No I'm not depressed or hormonal, I just need a me day. With three kids, 1 full day, 1 half day and the attached to my hip, it ain't gonna happen. I guess a mom or wife, make that woman can dream right!?

I don't even want to go shopping, which at first really does sound like the confession of depressed and rather whacked woman, but that's not it.

If I could just take off for a day, I would. Maybe even a couple days, but no more than that. That's about as long as I can stay gone and still have the house standing when I get back. I would go to a bed & breakfast. Maybe even in the middle of week. Now how rebellious is that!

Yep, a bed & breakfast sounds just fine. One where the bedrooms don't have clocks in them and whenever I decide to wake up, I am welcomed to breakfast while still in my pajamas. I don't care what they feed me so long as there are some strawberries and whipped cream.

After breakfast, I would go for a horse back ride (that is after I changed my clothes of course), take a break read a book under the shade of a big tree then pick some fresh flowers for my room. Upon arrival to the b & b, lunch would await me in the gazebo through the garden.

After lunch I would enjoy a spa session. Perhaps a seaweed wrap, massage, manicure and pedicure and a facial. That would probably take a few hours, but without a clock in my presence, who's counting?

As evening sets in, I will sit as I am served dinner on the terrace of my room. I will take my time and savour every bite, not worrying about getting the dishes done, shooing the cat off the table pleading with the kids to eat more take less or my husband to eat less and help more! And I will enjoy the sunset knowing that I will retire to a room filled with the scent of fresh flowers and my bed all made (by somebody else) after the jacuzzi.

Well, I did say I could dream!

Everybody Ought to Go to Sunday School

I've been going to Sunday School for as long as I can remember. When I wanted to and even when I didn't! My parents had me dedicated to the Lord in an united pentecostal church before I was even a year old.

Two decades later, okay three decades later, I am finally making good on that promise. I am a mother of three and I too have dedicated my children to the Lord, but only now do I really understand what that truly means.

I've had it drilled in my head for years that if I want to enter the kingdom of God, I need to repent of my sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Ghost. Yes, as shocking as it might be, even I have sin. Come on, aren't we all born into the world sinners? That means you too!

If you pull out your bibles and dust them off you'll see in Acts 2:38 it says;

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (KJV)

Sounds pretty straight forward right? As much as I enjoy my BlackBerry, high-speed Internet and my Tim Horton's coffee, heaven sounds pretty good!

My family and I started attending a new church and as it would seem, bells went off. A light came and it was like duh! So like I said, I've decided to make good on that promise years ago and I have chosen to God in my life. I'm not perfect and I will never claim to be. There are 3 keys that will open those pearly gates.

1. Repentance
2. Baptism
3. the Holy Ghost

I've got the first key although I'm not sure you ever really stop 'repenting'. No man is perfect (or wo-man) so I'm sure we'll need to ask forgiveness from time to time. Just don't make a habit of it.

This Sunday, I will have the second key. Yep, I'm getting baptized. It's almost as nerve racking as having a baby, but hopefully no where near as painful! (that's a joke, poor taste or not, a joke!)

Some people get the gift of the Holy Ghost before there are baptized. Others get it when they are baptized and others get it a little later. That's the third key. the bible teaches us the evidence of receiving the Holy Ghost is speaking in tongues.

I'm really excited about Sunday and even more excited to know that I am that much closer to being ready when Jesus comes.

Scrap or Stamp Somethin'

Okay, so this isn't really new, but I hosted my first Stampin' Up workshop on January 31st. Wow, how fun was that! Charlene was our demonstrator and we (crafters and non-crafters alike) made beautiful mini mailboxes.

Anybody can stamp, and it doesn't have to be used for scrapbooking. Did I mention I haven't started a single page yet. Oops...I will, really! Stamps are great for various paper crafts. I especially like making greeting cards. Gift tags would be neat too.

Friends, food and fun. What more could a girl ask for?

AeroGarden week 4:Now We're Growing!

Wow, what a difference a couple weeks makes! No really!! In fact, once my herbs took off, you could definitely see a difference in size from the beginning to the end of the day.



Since the add nutrient light has come on, I know it's been 2 weeks!








I've had to add the next nutrient tab...








and top up the water.








This is so low maintenance that maybe I shouldn't even be allowed to call it gardening...but I will. Yep, I'm gardening.

I've reset the ad nutrient button for another 2 weeks. So now I only have one problem. What to cook?








I need to start harvesting these beautiful herbs so they keep growing. Let me refer back to the instructions on to harvest without killing the herbs. When I've built up enough courage to do it, I'll let know!

AeroGarden Week Four - My first video captured...and blogged.

We are into our fourth week with the AeroGarden. As I mentioned before, every two weeks you need to add nutrients and top up the water.

Again, have the 3-pod garden so I only needed to add 1 nutrient rather than the standard 2.

We are very excited while we await the final outcome.

We've heard good things about the cherry tomato seed pods and are considering those next!

Garlic, So Good for You...

I very much enjoy cooking with garlic. I used to buy pre-minced garlic in a jar for convenience. I started selling cooking tools for the Pampered Chef (love everything) and received a garlic press in my starter kit. I'd had garlic presses before, but they just made a big mess. This one actually pushed the garlic, juices and oils through while leaving the skin behind. Oh, didn't I mention you actually put the garlic in with the skin on. Keeps your fingers from smelling!

Anyway, I loved using fresh garlic so much, I would buy the mesh bags that had about a dozen or so heads of garlic. I got lazy, yes even with the best garlic press ever (it's made from gun metal!!). Although less enthusiastic about cooking, I still bought the same bags of garlic. Only now, they sat in the fringe until they shrivelled up and sprouted.

So here it is, I'm the proud owner of the Magic Bullet (purchased at Canadian Tire)and a silicone garlic peeler (available at dollar stores). I bought the big bag of garlic again and peeled the cloves and pulsed them in the Magic Bullet. Be careful to pulse and not puree. You'll end up with garlic paste.

Once your garlic is minced, put it in a freezer safe bag or use a Foodsaver if you have one (yes, I one one of these too!). Seal the garlic as flat as you can and then freeze.

Whenever you need garlic for a recipe, just break off a piece and you're cooking! Just remember to label and date your frozen parcels.

**You can do the same thing with ginger, but pulse and freeze with the skin on.

Brrr, I'm so over winter...

That's it. I've had it. Cold, cold, go away, and never come back!

It seems there's just no way of escaping. Well unless you have some of that disposable income I've heard of. Or maybe if you win the lottery. If I had 1 or the other, I'd be writing my blog from the white sandy beaches of Barbados. No I wouldn't be tanning, my tan lasts all year round!

I would be sipping cocktails while planning my next trip to Bridgetown to buy souvenirs for all relatives at home freezing. I would stuff my face with mango and flying fish, well not together yuk...or maybe...

Hello. Snap out of it. The closest thing to the sea I'm getting to today is a hot shower if I'm lucky. Jay has started having showers, How much hot water does an 8 year old need anyway?

Nope, I have resorted to hibernation. Not even shopping is incentive enough to get me out of my jammies. Dream on, for I am a brave soldier. Also known as a mother. Although I work fro home, I still brave the cold Monday to Friday to pick up Tre from kindergarten. I suppose I could wear my pj's to school, but I kind of sort of decided to dress less homely and more feminine as a New Year's resolution.

Well instead of sitting on the beach, I'm on the couch. Instead of sipping cocktails under the Caribbean sun, I'm sipping a cocktail in front of the pellet stove. And instead feeling warm sand through my toes, I'm knitting slippers to keep my feet warm.

AeroGarden Week Two

So it's been 2 weeks since I planted my very first 3-pod AeroGarden with the Gourmet Herb seed kit and the domes have come off. I know it's been 2 weeks because the 'Add Nutrient' indicator light came on. Somehow this brilliant machine knows to turn on the 'Add Nutrient' light every two weeks.

Now because we have the 3-pod garden and we're using a regular (good for 3-pod & 6-pod gardens) seed kit, there are a couple of little things to remember.

When you first plant the desired 3 seed pods, instead of adding the 2 provided starter nutrient tabs, just add 1. And each time you are prompted to add more nutrients, you only require a half dosage which 1 tablet. You'll find that the tablet are portioned 2 per baggie. I just took out 1 tablet and put the other tablet, still in it's non-resealable baggie, into a Ziploc bag.

Each time you add nutrients, you must also refill the water to the 'Fill to Here' tab located inside the garden bowl. To reset (turn off) the 'Add Nutrient' light, press and hold the 'Reset' button (located in the middle of the control panel) until the 'Add Nutrient' blinks, for about 3 seconds then release. Press and release the 'Reset' button again, the 'Add Nutrient' light will blink quickly a few times and then turn off. Now it has been reset for another 2 weeks.

**Be sure to read the baggies are they are labelled, starter nutrient and nutrient!

So I'm not yet reaping what I've sowed, but my indoor herb garden isn't dead. So far...

You know, if you really look at the 3-pod AeroGarden we have, I mean reeeaaallly look at it. With its shape and it being white, it really looks a lot like Eve, from the Wall E movie (cute movie by the way!).

Ebbonnie-Dawn

What a Knifty little Knitter thing

About 5 or 6 years ago I saw a neat little knitting gadget and thought that I simply had to have it. I bought it from Michael's and it's called a Knifty Knitter. Another brilliant money-maker, I mean time-saving implement from Provo Craft. There has got to be quite a few smart brods working there. I totally could have gotten a job there as I meet the smart brod requirement. I just never saw the 'help wanted' ad!

Anyway, when I first bought the Knifty Knitter, I made a cute little baby tuque for my son Tre(who just turned 6 yesterday), but his head is so full of mom's smarts it didn't fit.

I then made a baby washcloth with a multi-colored cotton yarn. Before I could finish, my wanted to borrow the jumbo ball of yarn for a knitting (with real knitting needles) project so I let her take the ball, loom and unfinished washcloth.

I am proud to say that I finished that baby washcloth yesterday. Yay for me! So now I've started a head scarf from a pattern I found free on the Provo Craft website. There's a link in our family links list.

More on this knifty gadget...It's called the Knifty Knitter (KK) and it is a knitting loom. I paid $19.99 for mine at Michael's and it was a set of 4 round knitting looms, a pick and yarn needle. Each loom is a different size and a different color which eliminates a lot confusion when reading loom patterns. Mind you, there are brands of round knitting looms, but if you do a google search for KK patterns you'll find enough. You can also purchase 'slim jim' pattern books/pamphlets specific to the KK. Patterns may range from scarfs, slippers, washcloths, diaper covers to afghans and ponchos.

Aside from the round looms I own, Provo Craft has also come out with rectangular/oblong looms. They are on my wish list.

Be sure to check out the Michael's and Provo Craft websites. Lots of great products and project ideas!

**Please note the wee little loom in the picture is not made by Provo Craft.**

Ebbonnie-Dawn

Project: AeroGarden

I love to plant seeds and see what happens. Don't care too much for the weeding thing so last summer I bought a mini tiller from Husquavarna. Apparently aside from planting seeds, pulling or tilling weeds and ample sunshine, you still need to water the garden if you don't get enough rain.

My flower bed was beautiful. There were a few gaps in between my perennials since this was a brand new garden and my understanding is that each year my flowers will grow bigger and fuller.

My veggie garden was purely experimental. We decided to plant a wide variety veggies to see what would grow in our clay-based soil. The green and purple beans did well as did the tomatoes, lettuce, onions and snap peas. My husband's dog, Will, ate all of my mini watermelons. The bugs ate the spinach. And the corn grew tall without maturing, I think due to insufficient rain. Or could it be that Will chewed up both of my garden hoses so I could not provide water and the local stores were all sold out of hoses?

I did plant a raised herb garden outside my kitchen door. Chives, lots of basil (I love pesto), thyme, purple sage, cat mint and lemon balm (my favorite). That garden thrived and watering with my super-sized watering can was easy. I suppose the herbs tasted great although I wouldn't know. Will got to those too.

I've tried growing herbs indoors before. Spring, summer, fall or winter. Really didn't matter, they always died! This year I got smart. Well I hope I got smart! This year I bought a 3-pod AeroGarden. It was a special purchase for $79 at Canadian Tire.

This garden came with the English Cottage seed kit. I didn't want to do flowers, so I purchased the Gourmet Herb seed kit for $19.99. This kit comes with 6 seed pods (sweet basil, chives, dill, mint, oregano and common thyme). I planted the basil, chives and thyme on Sunday, December 28, approximately 1 week ago. Set up was easy and quick and somewhat exciting. All my seeds have sprouted. The basil and thyme are about a half inch high and the chives are about an inch high.

Do you know what this means? This means I may finally have a successful indoor herb garden!

I'll keep you posted with the success or failure of my AeroGarden. In the meantime if you have any questions about my garden, just ask.

Blog 1, Post1 and many more...I hope!

This blog is dedicated to my loving family who make up our 'Home of Loving Chaos'.

We are a family of five human members and lots of furry and feathered members. We live on a small hobby farm in rural Manitoba.

I am a 30 year old working stay at home mom. I've been married for almost 10 years and we have 3 wonderful children. Two boys, 8 & 5, and a 2 year old daughter.

My family and I have a lot of interests and various hobbies. I've decided to start this blog to share our experiences, interests and hobbies with others who might be able to relate so they can see just how normal their family really is!

I work from home and as I said, I have 3 children. In my spare time (usually around 12am-2am), I enjoy sewing, knitting, beading, gardening, card-making, geocaching and shopping online. I have recently added scrapbooking to my list of interests. Now I haven't actually scrapbooked anything, but I really am interested!

This fall we installed a pellet stove in our home. So far we've only burned pellets, but we might start experimenting with corn. I'll let you know how that goes...

Just before Christmas, we bought a 3-pod AeroGarden. We are really excited to see what we grow. Again, I'll keep you posted.

My husband Tim studied to be a Health Care Aide and made a living at it for a while. Now he works for Ford. He is a loyal fan of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and enjoys playing baseball and hockey.

Our first son Jay is 8 years and currently in grade 3. He loves Star Wars, Pokemon, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and dinosaurs. He's got a great sense of humour and a real sense of adventure.

Our second son Tre will be 6 this Thursday and he is in kindergarten. He loves everything his older brother loves and Power Rangers. He's always blowing my mind with his ever growing vocabulary.

Then there's the baby, Ally. She is 2 years and just a little woman in training. She's the performer. Loves singing & karaoke, dancing and role playing. Our daughter is also a big fan of the Doodlebops. We'll be taking in their "Together Forever" concert in Winnipeg this March. Did I mention her least favorite word is 'No', yet she loves saying it to us?

As I said, I am a working stay at home mom. There is no way I could manage 7 plus blogs without severe sleep deprivation. One will do. Now I'm a working stay at home mom with a blog!

Ebbonnie-Dawn
Mother of three and still lovin' it!