With a Thankful Heart...

We had an enjoyable Thanksgiving Day with our loved ones. My mom prepared an absolutely bountiful, delicious meal. We all stayed at my parents' house well into the afternoon. My sister and her family packed the girls up and began the journey back to their house...we left soon too. Unfortunately, I developed a headache through the day and just needed to get home to lay down (where I ended up snuggled into my bed ~ taking a two hour nap!). 

It's quite dark outside now and things are relaxed and slow-moving here at home. The wood stove is keeping us warm inside while the snow lays cold and icy outside. As I sit and contemplate listing all the things I am thankful for, I realize that there are just too many things to count! :) What a blessing life can be. God's gifts are innumerable. Praise Him! 

Here is a sort-of photo summary of our day...

Eloise and Dinah were in good spirits (and high energy ~ which is a good thing!). They had fun playing and running around, smiles abounding...

El and her pretty mama...

Madelyn, setting the table...

Jaxson...

I am *quite* thankful for him...

Madelyn, helping in the kitchen...

Xavier...

Our sweet great-aunt with Dinah...

Madelyn in all her girly-cuteness...even down to her silly socks and over-sized slippers...

Me and my girl...

Watching the parade...

Getting ready to eat...

I always love an Xavier-smile!

That Dinah-girl sure loves her Madelyn!

Jaxson and El loved playing with the doll house after dinner...

Father-son snuggles...

The greatest thing that we should all be thankful for this year...(beyond the temporal gifts God has bestowed upon us...the air we breath, the food we eat, the family we have and more...) is the gift Christ gave us when He willingly sacrificed Himself for us. All glory to Him! To suffer and die in the place of wretched, dirty sinners in front of an Almighty, perfectly Holy God to provide for our salvation ~ can you even fathom it? 
As our bellies are full...will we be content with that? Will we be content with the temporal? Or do we see past the here and now with our eyes on the eternal? Do we thank Him for the gift of Who He is...whether our bellies are full or not? Do we praise Him in the good and the bad? Do we thank Him for molding us and making us more like Christ even though that hurts at times? 
As we sit with thankful hearts, may we never be content with just praising our Lord for the temporal. May we praise Him for His goodness always. May we praise Him for His love *and* justice. May we praise Him for Jesus...sweet, wonderful Jesus, my Savior *forever*. Is He yours? 
With a truly thankful heart, Katy

Handmade Thanksgiving Centerpieces

When I suggested doing a fun, little Thanksgiving craft, my children were all on board! They absolutely love getting to use colored paper, glue, scissors, markers, stickers and anything creative!

Tracing, cutting, gluing...

*I just noticed that everyone is dressed in black. This was *not* planned! ;)

My little turkeys showing off their little turkeys...

This was a simple fun craft that the children enjoyed doing. They will make great little centerpieces when we join my parents and other family for our Thanksgiving meal on Thursday! 

We are getting hit with a lot of snow today and tomorrow (as well as some freezing rain/sleet). I am so, so thankful to be able to stay indoors where the wood stove is keeping us warm and cozy. We did a little schoolwork today...but mostly just enjoyed a *down* day. We need those every once in a while! The children, who love the snow, had a lot of fun getting to play outside!

I hope, wherever you are, that you are staying safe and warm. I am constantly praying for those who have to be out on the roads when they are dangerous for traveling. Tomorrow, Xavier has an orthodontist appointment in the afternoon in the next town over. I am hoping the roads will be all clear by then so we don't have to reschedule.

"The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."

Psalm 28:2

Wishing each of you a blessed Thanksgiving with your loved ones. Despite difficult life struggles, pains, trials and temptations, there are just so many things to be thankful for (start counting...they will be too numerous to count!). May we remember this today...and *every* day!

"So while it's true that Thanksgiving only comes but once a year, we should actually celebrate thanks each and every day. It's just a matter of learning to live with a spirit of gratitude."

- Unknown

With a heart full of love and gratefulness,

Katy

Music is...

...the poetry of the air.

~Richter

"Family faces are magic mirrors looking at 

people who belong to us, we see the past, 

present, and future."

~Gail Lumet Buckley

During a recent visit with my sister and nieces, at my home this past week, the sound of the piano could be heard playing throughout the house! Madelyn has been taking piano lessons and is doing a wonderful job playing! When Eloise and Dinah are here, they love twinkling (pounding) the keys themselves! ;)

Look at that Dinah-girl...on her tip-toes so she can reach the piano keys...

Xavier and Dinah...

Jaxson and Eloise...

Another favorite for the children is playing Legos! They have to play in the front room, though, so that Dinah doesn't get into the little pieces. Eloise *loves* the Legos...she fits in perfectly with her cousins!

After spending a few hours visiting at my home, we had lunch and then packed up and headed into my dad's garage to see him, my mom and Chris! Eloise loves to play with toys in the waiting room at the garage...

Dinah toddled around everywhere! She loved the jingle bells that hang on the front door...

She bumped her head on the glass and immediately turned and layed her head on Jaxson's shoulder! It was incredibly sweet and I was so glad to have my camera in hand to capture this wonderful moment...

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I just want to say how incredibly thankful I am for my children and all of my nieces and nephews. They are such treasures and I can't imagine my life without them all in it. I can't fathom how I ever lived a single day without all these wonderful children in our family! :) Do you ever think that sometimes about friends or family around you? I also have some great church family and homeschooling family friends that I can't even imagine living life without them. Such blessings God has placed around me during this season of life. My cup is over-flowing...
With a heart of gratitude, Katy

November Days

"November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring."

~Elizabeth Coatsworth

It's snowing here (and staying). Oh how I hope it melts soon. I don't feel ready for snow. I am trying to have a thankful heart for it...but I will admit, it's a struggle! The one beautiful thing about these cold, snowy days is that I enjoy times of feeling cozy and warm inside my house! Oil lamps and candles burn while quilts and fleece blankets are out and snuggled into each evening. The shorter days and longer nights provide time for reading and knitting.

Jaxson has his Lego Lord of the Ring figures lined up, watching him do his schoolwork...

Along with my daily reading in the Scriptures, I have continued reading my Essential Works of Charles Spurgeon book and just finished up Housewife Theologian by Aimee Byrd. I highly recommend it for women! What are you reading?

It's nearing bedtime here in my neck of the woods. Everyone is full after a supper of sausage gravy over homemade biscuits. Meatloaf is made and cooked for cold sandwiches for lunch tomorrow after church. We are looking forward to spend our Lord's day in worship of God. :) Are you? I always love to hear from you! Thanks for coming by!
Warmly, Katy

It's all about Jesus Christ being first.... and second and third and fourth and fifth.   What I'm saying is, don't put Jesus first.  Jesus is everything.   He's not just first in the rank,  He is everything.  ~Paul Washer

The Wheel in Constant Motion

Time is precious, but there are occasions when the best use we can make of it, is to 
let it run on. If time flies, that is no reason why I am always to fly. 
For God is in no hurry. His purposes can be accomplished without haste, and though 
he would have us redeem the time because our days are evil, yet in his eternity he 
can afford to wait, and by his wisdom he so orders his delays, that they prove to be 
far better than our hurries.

~Charles Spurgeon

I am here, I am here! I know, it's been a week since I last posted and sometimes, I just barely make it to post once a week! Between schooling, housework, church, family, our homeschool co-op responsibilities...it's been busy. And when there *is* down time, I have not the words to put together to pen a post. (Time truly is that wheel in constant motion, is it not?)

My thoughts as of late have been spent wondering how we have come so far away from civil talk, "big" words, classy dress and elegance? One of my favorite movies is Pride and Prejudice. Madelyn and I have watched it *again* recently and sometimes I just wonder how we, as a nation, have seemingly become so "dumbed down". I feel that although many have knowledge, we tend to use slang, disrespectful, unsophisticated words and sarcasm when we speak. Why is that? Handwriting used to be practiced and done well...now all too often, people scribble without a care in the world. What happened to people *attempting* to be lovely? (Not sexy....but simply lovely).

Of course, sin abounds in every generation....and just because one uses eloquent speech and wears lovely clothes does not make them any more holy in front of a most-holy God....(only Jesus can cleanse the sinner within)...however, I truly feel like something has been lost. Do you feel that way too? And as much as it saddens me, I must admit that I don't think it can ever be found again. So, for now, I will embrace my femininity as much as I can and seek to find lovely ways of expressing myself. ;) 

My children have been keeping busy with schoolwork, banjo practice, piano practice, game-playing and such...

Brethren, if you wish to give your children a blessing when you die, be a blessing to 

them while you live. If you would make your last words worth the hearing, let your 

whole life be worth the seeing.

~Charles Spurgeon

I am sure we cannot expect our children to grow up a 

godly seed if there is no family prayer.

~Charles Spurgeon

We had our homeschool co-op class day today! It is always such a joy to get together with other Christian families. It is a *super* busy day though as well and once home, we all sit and catch our breath. Here are my three just as we prepared to leave for home...

And, before I go (as I know there is so much more I could write about, but just haven't the time...I need to tidy the house and start supper before Chris gets home!)...I just wanted to share this cute little nugget. My children have this lego man who is the *daddy lego*. It looks just like my husband, red hair and all! ;) (I'm sorry the photo is so blurry. I am not always good at taking close-up pictures)...

And now I must close. Much to do and a limited time to do it in since we have been away much of the day! Thanks so, so much for coming by! I hope your Monday has been Christ-centered and truly lovely! 
Warmly, Katy