Assorted Hats to Donate

I have an assortment of hats (and a headband/ ear warmer) to donate. Some will go to church and some will go to the marvelous kids at Boys and Girls Club. I can't say why but knitting to donate is better than knitting to sell. Not that I wouldn't willing sell a hat. That money provides supplies for future hats. But, it just feels so good to donate. Donating my hats is His will. That's all that matters.

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Just Asked...

A friend pointed out this neatly cut firewood to me weeks ago. There it sat at a rental property next to their roll-out dumpster. Wow! What a find!!! But I was skeptical... and chicken! I drive past there almost every day and, for a while, no one was there. Finally, when a work van was there, I was too chicken to stop and ask! Yup! Very concerned about not having enough firewood for my household to make it through the winter storms, but still willing to allow fear/ shyness to prevent me from asking about wood that appeared to be forgotten. Finally, today, as I swung around the block from dropping Matt at Boys and Girls Club, I saw a truck there and decided to suck-it-up and ask. The man rehabbing the rental unit was very kind and, although he spoke limited English, I was able to communicate my desire for that firewood and get permission to take it!

Matt has unloaded the first load! Although this is not how I would have stacked the wood in preparation to carry it in, ot is so nice to have so much!

Unloading the Jeep requires some contemplation... either that or my renewed parental control has finally kicked in and he's contemplating the changes!

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Day 366/ 366

Last day of 2012. That means this is also the last day for my posted pictures to tell their own story of my life. I am wondering, folks, what story have they told? Please, share your thoughts in the comments. (You may remain annonymous, but keep it kind and clean!)

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'Free Heat'!

My house is 63 F while it's below 32 F outside and my furnace (set at 55 F) has not had to kick on all day! Roasty-Toasty and Super Blessed!

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Turkey Casserole #1

Hi! Turkey left-overs taking over your freezer? Well, try this casserole! First I layered in 2 cans of green beans, then covered that with shredded turkey.

I topped it with a can of whole tomatoes (cut up). Then I made a box of Jiffy Corn Bread mix, a dusting of ground organic flax seed, shredded provolone cheese and a dusting of parmesan. I baked it at 350 F until golden brown. Yummy easy supper!

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December Laundry

I am so blessed to have this umbrella dryer! I bought it a couple months ago on clearance at Menard's~ 1/2 price!

It holds a lot of laundry. Way more hanging space than the old one. Although I've hung out a lot of laundry on it, I honestly haven't tested to see how much weight it can handle. First, because I don't want to risk ruining it. Second, because I am almost caught up on laundry. Third, because, with low temperatures of 15 degrees some nights, I can only bare to stay out for a short time hanging laundry evenings. Brrrr!

Blankets get clipped to the little garden fence, while the rest hangs on the umbrella dryer. Time to finish folding the pile the 'Laundry Fairie' left me! More pics soon!

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Day 365/ 366

Well, we've been to church, foraged a lot of firewood in unexpected places and ate lunch. Now Matt has headed out on his scooter and I'm off to hang more laundry. Such a blessed day He has made!

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Laundry Fairie Attacked Again!

Ok, so maybe I actually brought in all the dry laundry from the clothes line out back, but doesn't "laundry fairie" sound better? Laundry freshly dried outside~ smells so good! And the added benefit of bending and stretching to hang it and take it down... Skinny by Summer!

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Be Grateful Challenge~ December 2012

1st~ ladies at Silver Cross Hospital's outpatient lab for their patience with Matt during his blood draw; Matt; fresh, hot coffee; oatmeal; finding my keys (you-know-who~> you totally rock!!!); honest friends; "Who Moved My Cheese?"; Jesus; Cricket in Aurora; PBJ; Matt holding Caliegh and watching him fall in love w/ a sweet baby; my list and all the mini-lists generated; combining old and new lists; noting how much my lists change; anticipating coming changes;  the opportunity to walk to the store with Matt and hear his thoughts; pine cones; two different friends who stopped to talk to me; offer of help carrying things; offer of firewood; books balancing; homemade dehydrated yogurt chips~ Yummy!; peace in Him; Ice Mountain water; Matt buying his own water; unexpected company
2nd~ snuggle-butt; fresh, hot coffee; Juana; breakfast at church (Sister Robyn makes it so yummy!); Sunday school and questions answered; learning people's names; Matt trying 3 times to apologize to someone and being okay with them not wanting to receive the apology; alter call :)  ; friend's attempt at giving us a bit of free firewood; hot homemade turkey vegetable soup eaten with a sweet boy; finding a Jeep-load of free firewood (glad I went when I did as it looks like that area's getting cleaned up quick); deep cleaning and re-arranging most of my bedroom; company not showing up; a bit of knitting~ Kelsy's hat's almost finished!; Matt memorizing his verse for Sunday school~ a bit late, but done never-the-less; all coupons clipped; hot shower; comfy bed
3rd~ sleeping in (yup, still lazy!); sweet, sleepy boy; fresh, hot coffee; smooth, happy morning; Matt catching bus to school; having an almost-clean bedroom~ feels like a whole new room!; coupons; little boy chatter while he's bathing; Avon; knitting a bit on Kelsey's hat; watching 'Criminal Minds'; comfy bed and pillow
4th~ snuggle-butt; sleeping in; deodorant; bacon and eggs; fresh, hot coffee; boy kisses; salvation; finding more coupons to clip when I was looking for something else (that I couldn't find!); quiet neighborhood; Contemporary Christian music on the Jeep radio; knowing that other's attitudes don't define who I am; phone call with someone who's nice to me; text messages with a friend; Matt doing well at school; Avon delivery and the renewed resolve it gave me; New Uses, then CVS w/ Matt and lessons we are learning; Matt cooking dinner; watching Tommy munch nuts w/ Matt
5th~ sleeping in; learning patience (words can wound); a really good boy; fresh, hot coffee; driving Matt to school and being first in line to drop-off; true friends and text messages; fresh marketing ideas; having a job; Avon orders; finding vanilla yogurt in my fridge at work; rolled paper logs; 'free pile'; more coupons to clip tonight!!!; logic; finding a new Avon customer through a new marketing idea; Caliegh's smile; Matt's soccer team winning 3-1 today; catching up goofy stuff; spaghetti cooked by Matt; Bible study; Avon order paid and 2 delivered; smiles; learning; yummy church supper; roaring fire; washing laundry; Matt's total enjoyment of his bath; prepping Avon brochures; clipping coupons; fresh, hot coffee; a break to read a bit more of "The Help"
6th~ waking capt. fuzzy; bacon and eggs for Matt; fresh, hot coffee w/ International Delights French Vanilla Creamer; revealing text message; hope; visit from boss and his knowledge on hamster care; Abid; options; prayer; cuddling Caliegh; hugging Aiden 
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22nd~ my pillow; waking up alive; new plans and new purpose; Christmas presents from unexpected sources; good friends; Avon; Matt's snuggles; Matt's patience; Cresha, Mother Newell, Ashante and Mfon; homemade nachos for lunch with Matt
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29th~ fresh, hot coffee; hope in Christ; following His will; new plan for child-management (will blog it later); BOB plan from www.tacticalintelligence.net and the fun, adventure and education it could provide; Matt collecting firewood and seeming to understand the process and how it all works together; knowing it's not just myself that's offended; Caleigh's happy chatter about baby dolls; Matt finally sweeping his apartment; coffee from Jessie; hugging Aiden;                

Ahhh, Sweet Heat!

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A Man's Work...

... is never done! So glad I have Matt here.

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Wood Scraps

We have found a couple businesses nearby that put their wood scraps in bins at the curb! This is So Awesome! This wood is great for instant heat and can be used for longer fires if you don't mind tossing a couple handfuls into the fire every 15- 30 minutes. For us, it's greatly appreciated free heat. My home is 62 degrees while the thermostat is set at 55 and it is only a nippy 24 outside! Can't beat that!

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Warm House and Happy Hearts!

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Ironing Lesson

Someday he'll be out on his own, so he's learning now...

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Day 363/ 366

Matt at work reading "Who Moved My Cheese" and snuggling MooMoo.

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Train Bridge

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Day 362/366

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Waiting on a Bridge...

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Dusting of Snow

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Mmmmmm....

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Day 360/ 366

Home, prepping Avon brochures while Matt plays Wii starwars... a Mom and a future astronaut?

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Day 360/ 366

Thank you to my friend who helped Matt gather firewood at work~ You are a sweetheart!

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Day 360/ 366

Day after Christmas and still no snow...?

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Avon Strawberries and Cream Bubble Bath!

Loads of strawberry-scented bubbles from just a bit of bubble bath. www.youravon.com/karenjoyce

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