Kitten-Sitting Adventures

Friends of ours went to visit family for a week and a half. They have a new kitten and asked if we would *kitten-sit* for them. I (after checking with Chris) enthusiastically agreed! She is three pounds of absolute cuteness! Her fur is incredibly soft and she is just so fun! :) She lays in some of the strangest positions and I couldn't help but take a picture each time! I don't know *how* that position (in the photo above) can be comfortable!?

Cash, Stella and Winnie (our dog and two cats) are very curious about her...but she wants nothing to do with them. Despite her super friendly, sweet demeanor, anytime one of the other animals gets near her she growls and hisses! It's humorous! She seems to have a "queen" mentality! :)

She seems to like laying in this spot on the sofa...look at her crazy positions!

She likes to curl atop my chair as well...

She loves to be here too...

...and what cat doesn't love a nice window seat?

Hehe...up on her tippy-toes...

"Snuggling" with Chris's scanners *grin*...

 She discovered this chair yesterday afternoon and decided it would be a great resting spot as well...

She is so playful and fun...we love having her here! :) Our friends come home a week from tomorrow. Giving her back will not be easy! Oh! I almost forgot to tell you her name! It's Galilea! Isn't that pretty?

I gotta run! Another busy day planned! Have a lovely weekend friends!
Warmly,
Katy :)

Linked up at The WholeHearted Home

Hodgepodge

Did you know hodgepodge is all one word? I just found this out today! I like this definition of it: a jumbled mixture. Sometimes I just have some photos on my camera that don't really have a place to call their own on my blog! So they become a hodgepodge post! :) Random, yes....but necessary since I (eventually) print out my blog years into a book which serves as a memory/scrapbook for us (those books are *so* expensive though...so I only order them when I can). 

Our girls have been laying quite well these warmer (although super rainy) months...

Isn't it fun to see the different sizes, shapes and colors of the eggs? Look at that wee-little one down there (not sure who laid that one!)...

Jax always knows how to make me smile...

Jaxson and I played some chess...

Our Fourth of July picnic with our beloved church family...

Our pastor is a Godly man...studies the Scriptures and preaches truth (a much-needed thing especially in light of all that is going on around us today). He is there in the blue shirt (holding his granddaughter). We are so, so thankful for him (and his family)...

Prayer as one of our church members readies to fly out on a mission trip to share the gospel...

My beloved and me (I look *so* much better in black and white...if I didn't trust God's sovereignty, I would truly believe that I was meant to be born in an era of black and white *only* photographs!)...

Fun fireworks!

Everyone always enjoys the show...

So there you have it! Some random photos on my camera all slapped together into one post! :)
And before I go....I just have a quote from John Piper to share with you (this is from his book Future Grace). May you find encouragement, strength and wisdom in it (emphasis is mine)!

"When something drops into your life that seems to threaten your future, remember this: the first shockwaves of the bomb are not sin. The real danger is yielding to them. Giving in. Putting up no spiritual fight. And the root of that surrender is unbelief - a failure to fight for faith in future grace. A failure to cherish all that God promises to be for us in Jesus.

Jesus shows us another way. Not painless, and not passive. Follow Him. Find your trusted spiritual friends. Open your soul to them. Ask them to watch with you and pray. Pour out your soul to the Father. Rest in the sovereign wisdom of God. And fix your eyes on the joy set before you in the precious and magnificent promises of God."

Warmly,
Katy

Ding, Dong ~ The Mouse is Dead!

...the mouse is DEAD! Yay! 

(Singing to the song from the Wizard of Oz)

We had a mouse. It wouldn't go away. I have seen it and heard it and it drove me crazy. Chris moved a book shelf and found that a candy gobstopper had rolled under there and the mouse had been enjoying it thoroughly. Chris put poison in its place...but still, the mouse scurried around. I don't have a *fear* of mice...I just don't want to share my home with one as they are dirty little varmints. 

So...last night, I had made homemade mac and cheese and had some of the noodles I cooked stuck to the bottom of a pan. I put it in dishwater to soak overnight. This morning, I came down and let the water out of the sink and went to clean out the drain...and found this little guy...

Do you have the eebie-jeebies now? I *still* do! I called Chris down (out of bed) and I picked the little guy up with a plastic spoon and gave it to Chris (who then tossed him outside). I proceeded to thoroughly scrub out the sink. Ick! I put my hand in there to drain the water...and there was a dead mouse in there! As Jaxson would say: "It gives me the shivers!" :o)

Anyone else have some *mouse-in-the-house* stories to share?? ;)

Nipped by a Bug

My Madelyn got a bit of the stomach flu Monday night. She was sick for about 6 hours or so. She rested most of Tuesday...and I wasn't feeling 100% either...so all the children and I had a *down* sort-of day (no schooling, no housework). Yesterday, Madelyn was feeling better and things seemed to get back-to-normal. Thankfully, no one else has seemed to have caught the bug. I am so grateful to God...as the stomach flu is (in my opinion) the *worst*!

We have been working on getting schoolwork caught up, housework done and the children have been trying to enjoy the sunshine as much as possible...but oh my, the ticks are *bad* this year and they sure do love my Jaxson. I have seen more ticks this past year than I have in my entire life!

So...unfortunately, there isn't much to post on lately. I made bread and noodles Monday...but haven't done much baking since.

Madelyn, the owl, *before* the bug got her...

Thank-you for stopping by. I am sorry I don't have much in the way of "interesting" to post about...but this is my life ~ the good, the bad, the exciting and the not-so-exciting! ;)
I hope your week is going well!

Kindly,
Katy

It's been 10 years...

...since the attacks upon our country on September 11, 2001. The events of the morning are etched into my mind, forever. I was a new mother, Madelyn was not quite two months old. I had my usual morning chat with my mother on the phone and then sat down with my baby to watch Fox News. They were showing that one tower of the World Trade Center had been hit with a plane. I clearly remember the news anchors speculating as to why or how this could have happened "...was it just an accident?". 

I watched as the billows of thick, black smoke poured from the side of the tower and a sick feeling crept into the pit of my stomach as I noticed that the skies were a beautiful blue color, cloudless and perfect. I kept telling the television (as if they could hear me) "This was on purpose.....definitely on purpose!" The next thing I know, with my eyes fixed to the live coverage on the tv screen, a horrible feeling of wanting to vomit consumed me as I watched the second plane fly right into the second tower. I was horrified. I had watched a plane-full of people just die. It was just surreal. 

With shaking hands, I dialed my mom's phone number. When she answered, I asked if she was watching television. When she replied she wasn't...I told her to turn it on immediately and described what happened. After hanging up, I just paced and watched the news. 

When I heard of the news that a plane went into the Pentagon....and then that one came down in Pennsylvania, my world seemed to get a lot smaller. I felt terribly scared and vulnerable...here in my little home, alone with my sweet baby girl. I had no idea if more planes were coming down...and where. I got Madelyn's diaper bag together and then we headed over to my parent's house. It was my *home* for 20 years. There was comfort being there *and* with my dear mom. 

Their home is located not-too-far from a small airport. My dad and Chris (and I believe my grandpa who was a deputy sheriff at the time) left work and went there to help secure it and make sure it was safe. At that time, no one knew much and just wanted to cover all bases. 

The rest of the day is a blur. Most of it was spent, I know, watching the news and holding my Madelyn. Such a terribly tragic and sad day...it will resonate in the hearts and minds of the people in this country for the rest of our lives. It is my sincere hope that most of those people knew Jesus Christ as their Savior. To know that any of those, who perished in this terrible event, are in Heaven, brings a small bit of comfort. 

I know that everyone has their own memories of where they were and what they were doing that day. These are mine....now recorded on my blog...to be printed out, one day, into one of my blog books. Just typing this out and remembering, makes my stomach sick. It is my greatest hope that more people have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because of this...for He is the Only True Comfort and Hope any of us has. 

Remembering,

Katy

Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

  1 Peter 1:2b

Freezing Outside; Warm & Cozy Inside

We have continued to get more snow...daily! It is so beautiful to watch as it gently falls to the ground making a nice, thick blanket. It's so soft and fluffy! The children have loved it...and are out, as I type, making the most of it! Each one is suited up tight, snowsuits, coats, hats, gloves, boots and lots of layers underneath! Watching Jaxson move in his get-up makes me giggle! To a small creature he must probably look like a giant, black, marshmallow man!

The older two children have enjoyed the snow, this year, much more than Jaxson. He is more of my indoors fella, which is okay! Today, the sun is shining bright and Madelyn and Xavier convinced him of all the fun he was missing out on...and to my surprise, he decided to go out! So we got him all suited up and out he went! :)

Yesterday, my little sweethearts, X and Madelyn, were out shoveling the driveway. They love doing it and love knowing they have done something productive. Well, bless their sweet little hearts...not long after they were out doing that, then my kind father-in-love came over with the tractor to give the driveway a good plow-out for us. All their work was done-away-with. I assured them that they had done such a good job and how much I truly appreciated it, though! :)

It's much *warmer* to take pictures of the super cold snow, when indoors! ;)


We have been busy with our normal days. I found a new way that I will be recording our homeschool work. I discovered the **free** basic edition of Homeschool Tracker. I was doing everything, previously, written by hand. We are halfway through our school year and now I am inputting all the children's previous assignments/accomplishments and such, in the computer. It's been quite tedious (as I have over 90 days worth of things I have to put in!) but well worth it, I am sure. It will look so nice, printed out and turned into the school in our portfolio at the end of the year. If you home-educate your child(ren), how do you plan/record?

Tonight, we will be celebrating our nephew's 1st birthday! What a sweet little guy he is! What joy he has brought to the family! We love him so! And...we are still eagerly awaiting the newest little one that is nestled inside of my sister's womb! Soon, yes soon! It's difficult to be patient! I am so anxious to meet him or her! :o)

The nutty-nutcracker-extrordinaire...

Madelyn as a young pioneer gal, with her belongings packed up...


Tacos, for supper last night!

Evening games...


Well, I really must go...I have gifts to wrap, lunch to make, housework to finish, and books to read! I am also looking forward for the mail to arrive. I ordered lovely Ann's book and am anxiously awaiting its arrival!

Wishing you each a beautiful weekend. Thank you, so much, for visiting. :)
Warmly,
Katy :)

He must increase, but I must decrease. ~John 3:30

A Quick *Hello*

A great big merry *Hello* to each of you! :) Thanks for stopping by! I don't have much time but wanted to share a few photos from the past couple of days to share, quickly. Nothing overly exciting...but my simple, joyful and full life ~ which I am very thankful for! :)

Madelyn knitting a dish cloth...

Dough rising in the kitchen...

All our napkins, brought in from the line, ironed and folded...ready for the next time they are needed...

A dishcloth I knitted to be put in a gift basket our family is giving away at the fall festival tomorrow...

Some of my favorite DVDs (although sideways!)...





In my last post, from just the other day, I showed a photo out this same window...notice how even brighter the leaves have gotten?? :)




Buns I made...notice a few got extra toasty...oops! ;)

I made a scavenger hunt for the children and this is what they came back with! :)


I am extremely exhausted....it was such a busy day today. I've been up since around 4 this morning and had a busy day making buns, schooling, cleaning, laundry, ironing, etc. Then tonight we were at the meat market getting ready for the fall festival and having a lil birthday party for my SIL. :) Tomorrow, we are all up bright and early to work at the festival. It's suppose to be a beautiful day (Praise God!) and although fun, it is a lot of work and makes for a very long day. :) So I need to get to bed. Thanks for stopping. I hope you enjoyed the bit of photos I shared and hope you will stop again soon! I hope to have photos from the festival up one day! :)

Warmly,
Katy :)

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee,
and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
~Numbers 6:24-26