"All for one...

...and one for all
My brother and my friend
What fun we have
The time we share
Brothers 'til the end."
~Author Unknown

Saturday was a beautiful day...in more ways than one! The weather was just beautiful...cooler than it's been in a while, yet still made up of blue skies and white fluffy clouds. To me, it was a *perfect* day. A day to open all the windows and let the breeze in! I had candles lit throughout the house...creating lovely scents in each room. I had celtic hymns playing as I worked in the kitchen...humming and singing to myself with each tune.

Madelyn had stayed overnight at her Grammie's house (my mother). The children get to take turns having sleepovers on various days through a month. :) They love to spend time with their grandparents (on both sides)! They create special memories, that I pray, they will hold onto forever. I remember, when I was young, having sleepovers at my grandma's sometimes....we (my sister and I) would drink coca-cola from the glass bottles, play catch in the backyard, play with cars in the dirt driveway (yes, us girls liked to play cars ;), and get the pick of any fun, frozen treat from the freezer! There was the familiar chime of the clock in the living room...and then, the always (for me) dreaded bedtime. There was something about the dark in grandma's house that scared me. I had the worst time falling asleep. My *younger* sister always fell asleep, easily, it seemed. I was always quite the scaredy-cat! ;) **Here is the funny thing about all this...Chris and I bought my grandma's house! So, we now live in the *same* house that used to scare me at night. Thankfully, the years that have passed since those dark, scary nights have matured me, enough that I am quite comfortable here. Not to mention the fact that in the 9 years we have lived here we have done substantial work and things to it...it's hardly recognizable as the same house! :)

Madelyn was enjoying herself at Grammie's...(I received a phone call from my mom, as I do every morning, and she told me that Madelyn was making them scrambled eggs for breakfast!). I stayed busy...hanging laundry outside, housework, and canning corn off the cob! I was so blessed, however, to *hear* and *see* my boys in the dining room. Jaxson was doing some workbook learning and Xavier was helping him! It was the sweetest thing to hear Xavier encouraging and instructing him on things. My heart absolutely soared. Boys can bicker and pick at each other so much...which can discourage and crush a mother's heart. But times like this reassure me that they *do* love each other and are learning to take care of each other. Some days it seems like a lengthy process of teaching, correcting, disciplining and repeating (numerous times).

Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation and kindness and caring - quite often the hard way.
~Pamela Dugdale

My life has been quite busy with canning lately. I questioned my crazy notions of beginning schooling at the beginning of August like we did. We took 3 days off last week because I just didn't have the time to sit and work with each of them, with the individual attention I like to give them. Tomorrow, though, we will jump back on the bandwagon. I have caught up on my canning, so far...although the corn from our garden is about ready...so I will have more corn to do, soon.


Late Saturday afternoon and into the evening, we went to my inlaws' pavillion and celebrated Xavier's 7th birthday! I made his cake earlier that day...it's very basic looking...but all made completely from scratch, with lots of love! :)


We visited with family and after Chris prayed the blessing over the meal, ate a simple picnic meal of hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, beans, fruit (and fruit dip...yum!), homemade macaroni & cheese, and devilled eggs. It was all really delicious and filling!

Xavier enjoyed opening a few presents from family and was so excited with the things he was blessed with!

The children swung on the swings and rode the mini-bike around, some. (They just love that bike!) The *big-people* sat around, fellowshipping, laughing, and enjoying each others' company.
My dad (in the black) and Chris' dad (in the plaid) are like two peas in a pod. They can sit and talk and laugh together for hours! It's wonderful!

Before church, this morning, my mom blessed me by calling and letting me know what a nice time her and my dad had at X's party. She said it was nice and peaceful and relaxing. :) I am so glad to hear those words. It is always my greatest hope for people to enjoy themselves when I am having some sort of get-together. :)

Today was a day of rest for us all. After church, we all came home, ate a simple lunch I had prepared and then headed to bed. I long to rest after days of busy-ness. In the later afternoon, I worked in my memory journal then Madelyn and I sat and made some more window stars together...and then I got busy making some spaghetti for supper. We all ate and got our fill, thanks be to the good Lord who provides us with it. Chris's dad stopped by to say hello. We visited for a bit and then, after he left, I cleaned the kitchen and everyone got ready for bed. Now, as the clock hits 10pm, I am ready to gently rest my sleepy head on my pillow and drift off to sleep. Tomorrow holds adventures of it's own and I find I am better equipped to handle each *adventure* when I am well-rested! :)

If you have stuck with me this long, I thank you. I'm sure I rambled quite a bit and shared a lot of truly un-interesting things...I hope I haven't bored you! ;) I'm so glad you stopped by for a visit!

Oh...and would you believe that Liz Curtis Higgs stopped by my blog the other day? Yep...she did! She left me a very sweet and encouraging note on facebook. I am not one to really get *star-struck*...but there are women in this world that I look up to and Liz is one of them...so I was quite excited that she loved my blog! :)
And...another *exciting* thing I must share is that in November, my mother and I are going to a Christian women's day retreat and the speaker is going to be Elizabeth George! :) I am really looking forward to listening to her speak. I have read one of her books and highly recommend it!

Ok...the clock is now reading almost 10 minutes after 10. I must really tear myself away to bed. I hope you have an absolutely joy-filled Monday. I hope you smile at *each* person you see and let the love of Christ shine through you with a brilliance that penetrates even the darkest souls! Give your worries to the only One who can solve them and turn your focus to loving others...it will make your heart glad! :)

With warm smiles for *you*,
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