Deer Friend,

 

I've missed you but I'm back!  Sorry I've been gone so long but life's been busy and Blogger has been a pain.  (My last post waaaay back in February took three hours to load onto Blogger and who has time for that?)  As you can see in my picture above, we've been camping and met new friends.  This brave dearie came right up to our camper door and took bread out of my hand while her nine(!) friends were scattered shyly around our campsite waiting on her.

 

And another little Dear came to visit Mama Sherry too!

 

Sweet Hannah Joy sure knows how to liven up the place when she gets here.  We enjoyed a few days' visit with our daughter, her husband, and seven-month old grand daughter a couple of weeks ago.  The few short days zipped by way too fast! 

My next BIG project is VBS.
 I've got less than one month to put it together so I've got to get busy!


But for today, I'm taking my time.
I'm enjoying bringing order back into my home after our little vacation.
It brings peace to my heart.
I'm catching up on my laundry and I can even hang it out on the line this beautiful, sunny spring day!

Thank you for coming back for a visit after such a long break.
I hope your day is filled with love!

Love,  Sherry

 

 

 

Simple joys

Yesterday was a most wonderful day!

It was filled with homey chores and visits to a thrift store, Hobby Lobby, and the grocery store in the morning.

Afternoon and evening brought family time and a fun time swapping recipes and cooking with my youngest son's girlfriend.  (I so love girl time and girl talk!  I have to make a special effort to include that into my life since I live in a guy-majority home.)

Sweet Karrie came over and we made my chicken and dressing recipe together.

Then she taught me how to make her Daddy's fan-tab-U-lus fudge.  I think it's the best fudge I've ever tasted!!!

 

 Yum!!!

 

 

~Now on to Today~

This new day has started out very foggy.

The fog has deposited its heavy drops on my clothesline.

 

 

The smell of our woodsmoke contributes a warm, homey smell to the outdoors though.

 

 

 

I think I'll go inside where the washer is swishing our sheets...

                               ...sweet love songs are drifting through from the kitchen cd player,                        and a cheery fire is burning brightly in the fireplace.

All making home a very comforting, happy place to be. 

 

Looking around inside lifts that heavy fog that tried to settle in around me outside.

 

There's a mixture of Christmas past and Valentine future in my little breakfast room.

I seem to have chosen an everlasting Poinsettia waaaaay back in early December.

Who would have thought a mere $3.99 could bring MONTHS! of colorful happiness to my life?

 

Thank you Aldi for your offerings of beautiful flowers at such a little price.

 

 

 

And my just-as-frugal Dollar Tree Valentine decor is just as cheery and will last even longer!

 

 

Such sweet, simple pleasures make me such

A Happy Valentine!

 

 

P.S.

The sun is now out and has gotten rid of the heavy fog so I'm going out to flip the fog droplets from my clotheslines and hang out my freshly washed sheets!

 

I wish you a joyful day, my friend!

Butterfly Makeup

There's this wonderful FREE! website, well, websites really,  that's filled with uplifting pictures, advice, podcasts, Positive Thinking handbooks, etc.  Everything you need for a Positive Thinking makeover.  And did I mention,

  It's Free!

I downloaded the podcasts on my Ipod several months ago and listen to them when negative thoughts start knocking on my mind's door and you know what? 

Those negative thoughts go running!

The creator/owner of these websites, Dr. Dave, was kind enough to give me permission to use his material on my blog.  He's just interested in sharing his joy of life and happiness with everyone.

So without any more words from my simple mind here is a copy of just one of the many, many, positive lessons found on that website.

(Links to Dr. Dave Abbott's website are at the end of the post.)

BUTTERFLY MAKE UP How could you market beauty products to butterflies?  

First you would need to convince them that they weren't beautiful just the way they are. You would need a clever marketing campaign to load them up with feelings of inferiority and inadequacy. Then you would reprogram their brain with your concept of beauty which is only attainable if they use your products.                      

You might want to start out by changing the color of their antennas. Why should they have to suffer with orange pollen on their antennas when they could apply make-up and change their antennas a better color? And look at those eyes; some type of eye liner to make their eyes stand out would certainly enhance their appearance. Tell them that this year the striped body is out, and a formal black thorax is in; they obviously need a fancy vest. Of course, you wouldn't want to always have the same color wings. A major wing makeover is long overdue.                                                                                               If this all sounds a little foolish, you are exactly right. God made butterflies beautiful just the way they are. God also made you beautiful just the way you are. You are created in the image of God, and you bear his likeness. From the top of your head to the tip of your toes, you are a thing of beauty.   (Butterfly Make Up Link)

Want more healthy food for your mind?
Here is a link to one of the Positive Thinking webpages. 
On it you'll find a Positive Thinking Handbook which is free to print.
When you scroll down you'll find links to Positive Podcasts by Dr. Dave,
   and all the links for the Positive Thinking websites. 
All Free!!!


Hope you find something you like there.  Be prepared, you may be spending many hours on these pages but I believe you'll come away with a happier outlook on life!  I know I do!

Simple joys

We've been rewarded with a beautiful weekend ~ weather-wise~ after a very, very rainy week.
I've gotten outside and soaked up every little ray of sunshine possible yesterday and today. I think my vitamin D levels have been replenished!

I've been very good to myself today. My spirit was refreshed in church this morning. I've exercised my body with a nice brisk walk in the sunshine with my sweet hubby.  And I've ended the day with a wonderful good-for-me meal.

A Salad!

 

Not just any salad but one full of fresh vegetables, boiled egg, and homemade vinaigrette salad dressing.

 

 

I have spinach growing in my backyard barrels again this winter and picked the first leaves this afternoon for my salad!

 

 

 

On another note,

here's another craft I finished this week, just in time to give to a sweet girl in children's church for her 10th birthday.

 

 Ipod pouch

 

front

 

 

back



 

She got her Ipod for Christmas and is so happy with it.
I hope she enjoys her little pouch as much as I enjoy the one I made myself a couple of years ago.
I use mine for my walks when I don't have a pocket in my skirt. 
I slide my Ipod into its pouch, pop in my earbuds, put my house key in the back pocket of the pouch, slip the handle on my wrist, grab little Maggie's leash and away we go!

Cupcakes and cheese cake on a Rainy Day

We've had so many rainy days in a row now that I'm beginning to turn into a drip and get cabin fever!

So, what to do to brighten up a dreary day?

Well, Monday and Tuesday I cooked....and ate. 
Not a good idea, especially when your taste leans toward the fat/carbs side and you're still trying to get rid of the extra holiday pounds that have leeched onto your body and refuse to leave.

Monday I made potato dumplings.
I ate potato dumplings.

Tuesday, I made cheese cake. 
I ate cheese cake.
Not all of it. 
Really, there is still some left.

Anyway, I had to come up with a better plan for today.  What will take my mind off of the rain...and the rest of the cheese cake? 

So, I jumped in with both feet today and started two crafts as soon as I finished with my homey chores!

I completed one of them and here are the dark, rainy day pictures as proof.

I wanted something bright and cheery to hang from the hooks of my new breakfast room wall art.


Of course my mind went immediately to food.
Sweets!
Cupcakes!

Better to sew them than to eat them my dear!

So here's what I made.

 

 

And oh yes, I rewarded myself for the job well done  with .....

 

what else?

Cheese cake!

 

Now I'm going to grab my umbrella and go for a swim  walk.

 

I hope to be back soon with pictures of my other craft projects!