It's a Snow Day!

The Second Day of Christmas

The second day of Christmas brings in the two turtledoves. Did you know that for hundreds of years, Jewish families used turtledoves as offerings to God? Yup, it is in the bible as one of the acceptable animals for sacrifice, given by those that had little to no money or possessions.




But that isn't all. When Jesus was forty days old, Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple in Jerusalem. What do you suppose they brought with them? You guessed it, two turtledoves. The turtledoves were to be sacrificed as was required by the law.




Lu 2:22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
Lu 2:24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

The First Day of Christmas

The popular Christmas song begins with a single gift, a partridge in a pear tree. The first gift sent to earth from God was Jesus Christ (John 3:16). This is interesting because the partridge was known for its willingness to fight to the death in order to defend its young. This valiant bird, because of its willingness to die for its young, became an early Christian symbol of Christ. And the pear tree represents the cross.

A partridge will die for her children, if need be. Isn't it awesome to know that God was willing to do the same for His children?

Jesus said that He is the good shepherd and that He lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:14-15).

In order to keep a proper perspective on Christmas, it is important to understand the magnitude of God's gift to all mankind. Praise be to God for His willingness to die for His sheep!

CPSC & CPSIA new law guidelines

The CPSC & CPSIA new law guidelines effect most of us - sign or start a PETITION NOW.
All of us should support each other and stand united to get exclusions or amendments or extensions for compliance referencing USA handmade products and small batch items to this new law by writing to our public officials. Even if none of your items are made directly for children ... Can you imagine an ETSY, FireArt, 1000 Markets, a local craft show or eBay without any children's items in it?

This is effectively THE WORLD'S LARGEST CHILDREN'S PRODUCT RECALL ever imagined. But without the option of returning the items for refund or replacement.

THIS NEW CPSIA WILL EFFECT ALL OF US that sell ANY products that can be consider for children. Not just toys and jewelry, but CLOTHING, ROOM DECOR, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, EDUCATIONAL AIDS, ART WORK, ART SUPPLIES, PILLOWS, HAIR BOWS so on & etc. if it is made for someone 12 & under to use it will be subject to the certified testing. Even HAND-ME-DOWNS as resales or vintage items will be subject to the testing. To read the whole "brief", 67 pages long, requires some basic law education but you can get the gist of it in the CPSIA's FAQ section http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/faq.html#educational

This new law is blindsiding us by giving very little notice to comply to it, if we're even able to provide the proofs the the CPSC wants. It's been so under the radar the ETSY doesn't have a STORQUE article on it yet. Niether has eBay or most of the other online seller's outlets even mention the new law. I think there waiting for after the holidays to tells us that lots of the items we bought are now effectively illegal and that we should of never given them to our children in the first place. There should be some type of grandfathering clause included that parents shouldn't have to shell out more good money if they feel their child is in danger just because the government said the product is not longer safe.

This will put quite a few of us out of business. Even larger companies are having problems complying with the deadline or the batch material testing requirements. Here a set of excerpts from a recent CPSIA hearing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUlY6zOMPqQ, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlMh7MJiodY&feature=related, & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk0Vr0yDrXc&feature=related.

Don't just believe that the legislation will change on it's own, do something to let your voice be heard. Write a congressperson, tell ETSY what you feel about this law, blog about it, just get your voice heard by CPSIA that the law is impractical and bias towards small & cottage industries. People for a Greener Earth should also take up this issue since it will put an end to reusing durable children's products outside of the immediate hand me down process, sending tons of good resalable items to landfills.

Many items that were legal this holiday season will be banned come Feb. 10, 2009 regardless of if the child's product was a handheld video game by a super multinational corporation, a made in the USA pair of jeans from a local mom & pop retailer, or one of the fantastic wooden toys available at ETSY shops because it failed testing & needs to be reworked or wasn't tested yet. This means it would even be illegal and punishable by fines and jail time to resell or reuse, outside your own home, those items in anything that that would be for a child unless they were previously tested. So no one, even a consumer looking to green up the Earth a little, could list a child's items as vintage piece at ETSY or a sell it as used on eBay or at a garage sale without it having the the testing done.

Generals threads for any one :
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5938698
http://www.ipetitions.com/
http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa?messageID=511163411&forumID=124&x#511163411

for toy makers :
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/
http://grecowoodcrafting.wordpress.com/

for children's clothing, doll clothes, hair bows, and accessory makers :
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5935443
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/

If you know of any more threads and sites that address the issue PLEASE post them here. To be informed is to be forewarned. Especially if this means you will have to close shop and retool your business towards something that doesn't deal with any children's products.

Do You Support the Work at home community?

This is very important. In August Congress voted to pass HR4040, also known as the Consumer Products Safety Information Act (CPSIA). The intent of the law is to protect our children from products contaminated with lead, phthalates, or not passing flammability standards. The problem with this law is for lead, it is *retroactive*. Retailers and Manufacturers have until February 10th to comply with the law and remove any products from their shelves not in compliance. This includes existing inventory. This includes used products. Anything intended for children. Read: clothing, diapers, bedding, toys, strollers, cribs, car seats, high chairs, and so on. To comply with the law, products have to undergo expensive testing. The testing per product can be anywhere from $500 up to thousands of dollars. A piece of clothing that is size newborn and an identical piece of clothing that is size 3 months are considered TWO DIFFERENT products and must be tested separately. The costs of this are astronomical. It will be difficult for most businesses to comply, and *impossible* for small manufacturers to comply. For example, I own a small diaper business, www.pamperedcheeks.com, and I make custom cloth diapers. I make hundreds of different variations, but the way the law is written it will be illegal to sell without doing the testing. It is useless--I CAN NOT test every product variation. So far NOTHING is being done to stop this law. There are small activist groups, and a petition or two out there, but the news media is NOT talking about it. It's incredibly frustrating. I'm not copying this letter from some other board, I'm typing it out as I think of it, and I'm sure I'm not being eloquent or concise or even clear. I am, however, trying to be accurate.

According to the law, ANY children's product not tested, properly certified, and labeled, regardless of when it was made, will be "banned hazardous material" as of February 10th and it is a FELONY to sell such products. Even on ebay, garage sales, goodwill, etc. Period.

This law has already passed congress. It was signed by President Bush. It is a done deal. We can't stop the law from being passed. Don't say "this law won't stand." It will unless it is amended. It already IS standing.

Here are some links and resources. Please, please, please contact your congressman.
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html (see the law for yourself)

http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/ (a helpful blog--also has links to contact your representative)

http://fashion-incubator.com/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=32 (a forum for people who feel this may affect them or have questions...particularly clothing manufacturers)

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/handmadetoys/ (handmade toys petition)
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/ (apparel petition)

There are some videos http://stephsoundoff.blogspot.com of the manager of the large educational company called Learning Resources (visit the site, I know you've heard of them: http://www.learningresources.com/) appearing before a CPSC council on this topic. The videos outline the gravity of this law and the far-reaching impacts it will have.

Silent Sunday's

Leftover Cranberry Sauce? Here's What You Can Do with It By Jody Morse

Cranberry sauce is probably one of the most delicious foods at the Thanksgiving table, but it is also the one that everyone seems to forget on their plate. This often results in a good amount of cranberry sauce - too much to let go to waste, at least. Here are some of the many things that you can do with your leftover cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving.

Eat Cranberry Sauce On Your Ice Cream

Although the idea of cranberry sauce over ice cream may sound a bit unusual to you, it is very delicious. All that you need to do is spoon the cranberry sauce on top of any flavor of ice cream. It does seem to taste the best on top of vanilla ice cream, mainly because you get to taste the flavor of the cranberry sauce, but it mainly depends on your own personal preferences. Besides, it's an excuse to eat ice cream!

Add Cranberry Sauce to Your Favorite Dessert

There is a good chance that cranberry sauce may taste quite good on top of your favorite dessert. Whether it is some form of pie, angel food cake or cheese cake, it is worth trying. Some people even choose to add the cranberry sauce into the recipe. For example, if you are making a strawberry pie, just follow your regular recipe and then add the cranberry sauce to your ingredients.

Consider Adding Cranberry Sauce to Your Meat

Depending on your own preferences, this may not be the best choice for you. However, many people enjoy adding cranberry sauce to their meat. They find that cranberry sauce tends to taste good on top of chicken breasts, salmon filets (or some other types of fish) or pork chops. You would just add it the same way that you would add a sauce.

Bake Your Leftover Cranberry Sauce into Muffins

There are a variety of types of muffins that may already include cranberries, so why not add some cranberry sauce to the recipe? Some people really enjoy this one. Whether you make cranberry almond or cranberry orange muffins, it is likely that anyone who loves cranberries or cranberry sauce will be sure to enjoy them - especially if you also add or remember to include cranberries in the recipe.

As you can see, there are many things that can be done with leftover cranberry sauce. If you have leftover cranberry sauce that you do not know what to do with, you may want to consider one of these different options. If you do not personally enjoy cranberry sauce, why not give it to someone who does and let them know about some of the things that they can do with leftover cranberry sauce? Cranberry sauce is too good to go to waste!

Silent Thanksgiving

Chronological Events of our Thanksgiving~Starting with watching the Macy's parade to napping from the Turkey :)

'Immune' to cancer: The astonishing dwarf community in Ecuador who could hold the key to a cure

Silent Sunday's (a day late)

Count Your Blessings Monday

As I sit here looking around my messy house I am so blessed to have these wonderful children to make this mess. I know in the coming years this mess will be less and less. They will get older and want to hang out with their friends. Josh will want to work on cars, motorcycles because he has his dad's awesome ability to fix almost anything. He has the most awesome imagination. He will come up with some of the oddest ways to get around something he may be missing that is needed.

I see on my kitchen table a great line up of animals. Chelsea organized a petting zoo. She asked everyone to draw a picture of themselves with their favorite petting zoo animal and write why we like them the best. I will scan them into the computer later today. She has such an active imagination with her dolls and animals. I am so proud of her. Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. " Thank you Patty at Morning Ramble for that awesome quote.

Wyatt is such a sweetheart. Yes he is only 3 but he takes care of my mom. Just as my dad would have if he was still here. He gets her tissues, "tookies" (cookies), her remote, helps her cross stitch, tucks her in at night, runs to me if he can't get what she wants....He is a sweetheart. I hope I have grandbabies as awesome as my babies.

My oldest baby Audrey has a heart of gold. She is telling me how much fun it is to decorate her home for Christmas. She tells me of all the shopping and great deals she has found. I am so proud of her to be shopping for deals and not buying the most expensive first things she finds. I do miss her so much. I cannot wait till she comes for a visit for the holidays.

November is Prematurity Awareness Month.

Dedicated to the

More than half a million babies

Who are born too soon,

Fighting for their lives,

And to their families,

Who pray for their survival.

I am the parent of a preemie. He is now 6 years old.

It seems so long since the worry, the stress. The Days of him in the NICU hooked up to a vent. The days before I was able to hold him. The worry, the wait. Waiting to see how he would do. Waiting for him to be able to come home.

So this month, I'm supporting the families who sit in the NICU and hold hands with baited breath. Families who's baby stays far from home for far too long. Or worse...never gets to come home at all.

Between 1981 and 2003, the rate of premature births rose from 9.4 percent to 12.3, an increase of almost 31 percent. Every year nearly 500,000 infants are born prematurely. That's roughly comparable to the population of Cleveland.

Premature birth is the number one killer of newborns. Those premature babies who do survive are often disabled for life.

And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant near to giving birth, and got to hear the report that the ark of the true God was captured and that her father-in law and her husband had died. At that she bowed herself and began giving birth, because her pangs came unexpectedly upon her.

1 Samuel 4:19

Premature birth has been recognized as a problem since Biblical times.

Remember premature babies and their families in your prayers.

Premature birth is the number one killer of newborns and babies who survive may be disabled for life. Even the best of care cannot always spare a premature baby from lasting disabilities such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, developmental delays, chronic lung disease or vision and hearing problems.

The March of Dimes is leading a national effort to save babies from premature birth by funding research to find the causes and by supporting local programs that offer hope and help to families with a baby in intensive care. As part of that effort, the March of Dimes wants women to know there are steps they can take to reduce their risk of premature birth. You can learn more by going to the web site, marchofdimes.Com, and clicking on “I want my 9 months.”

Interesting Information

Windshield Wiper Frost Free Fluid: When you have to leave your car outside overnight in the winter, mix 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and coat the windows with this solution. This vinegar and water combination will keep windshields ice and frost-free.

To keep cut flowers fresher longer by mixing up a homemade formula. Mix 1 pint warm water, 1 pint lemonade or a lemon-lime soft drink. Pour enough into the vase to cover the lower three to four inches of the stem. Here's how this formula works: the sugar in the mixture supplies energy to the flowers and the citric acid in the lemon helps preserve them.

To keep buttons from dropping off: Dab a drop of clear nail polish onto the thread the secures the buttons. This will harden and make it more difficult for thread to break off.

To help new or just cleaned drapes stay fresh and crisp looking, spray them with a few coats of unscented hair spay before hanging them up. Allow the hair spray to dry between applications.

To speed drying time of big bulky items and jeans, add a dry towel to the wet items you're placing in the dryer. The towel will help absorb some of the excess moisture.

When you need to touch up a scratch or other type of blemish on a painted wall use a drop of paint on a cotton swab to fix the problem. You won't waste a bunch of paint and you won't have to waste time cleaning a paintbrush.

For sharper scissors simply take your dull scissors and cut through three layers of tin foil ten times. Cut some paper to test. Repeat if not sharp enough for you. Or...cut a sheet of medium-grade sand paper into small pieces!

Make giant ice cubes in muffin tins or plastic margarine bowls. These are perfect for using in picnic coolers or punch bowls. They look pretty and keep your drinks or food cold longer.

Get rid of tarnish on silver the easy way, place a piece of aluminum foil (shiny side up) on the bottom of a glass bowl or pan. Fill the container with a solution made of 2 cups boiling water and 3 teaspoons of baking soda, and you've made an inexpensive "bath" to soak your silver in. Your silver will shine like new in no time!

To keep lint and dust off glass top tables, wash them in a solution of warm water and fabric softener. Add one tablespoon of liquid fabric softener to one quart of warm water. The fabric softener will clean the glass inexpensively and will help keep lint from gathering on the glass. Also great for computer screens and TVs.

Fresh Vegetables Wilted?
To bring them back, make a solution of 1 quart of water with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and then soak them in the refrigerator. They should regain their crunch factor.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

Outside my Window...There is a light wind. And very dark :(

I am thinking...

I am proud of myself I unclogged a major clog in the drain pipe, brought in two loads of wood and got the supper dishes done and all the kiddos bathed and they are tucked in their beds

I am thankful for...a fire in the woodstove giving us a warm home on a cold night.

From the kitchen...I hear the dishwasher going and smell the coffee pot going Mmmm

I am wearing... a flowered nightie, purple lamb pants and bare feet

I am reading...Women of Faith Devotional Bible

I am hoping...to get my 3yo in bed very soon so I can have a peaceful time till hubby gets home from work

I am creating...oyster shell Christmas ornaments

I am hearing...Little Bill

Around the house...Josh is finishing up his homework, Chelsea is tucked in bed, Wyatt is watching Noggin, and my mom is watching a movie

One of my favorite things...is hearing the doorknob turn at 12:05 at night when my hubby finally gets home from work!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Fill my store with Christmas goodies, Cleaning, baking, and organizing to get my sewing/storage room started

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Countdown till Christmas

Insightful Nana

Lead Poisoning and Crock Pots

October 4, 2008

Crock pots containing lead was the subject of an investigation that started in Salt Lake City with KUTV’s Bill Gephardt. After his investigation about lead in ceramic glazed plates, bowls and mugs and finding high a content of lead in them, his focus turned to ceramic glazed crock pots after a viewer did a little research on her own.

Stacia Stuart, a mom from Weber County, was a frequent user of her crock pot. Her concern about lead poisoning prompted her to take her Rival slow cooker to the county fair, where a booth was doing free lead testing on dishes. What she discovered was her crock pot contain lead. She notified Gephardt about her findings and he took the investigation from there.

Gephardt took several slow cookers to Data Chem lab in Salt Lake City to be tested. He found that 20 percent of the cookers were leaching out measurable amounts of lead into food. When ceramic ware is heated to just 80-degrees, it releases nearly 10-times the amount of lead as a plate at room temperature. (Something to keep in mind when you heat food in the micro-wave on ceramic dishes.) Crock pots can heat up to more than 250-degrees.

Wanting additional findings, Gephardt took Stacia’s crock pot to chemist Robert Aullman, who preformed the standard test established by the Food and Drug Administration for testing leaching lead. He found that the Rival slow cooker leached lead at .085 parts per million. Anything below 2.0 is considered acceptable by the FDA. (It’s important to note that lead does not leave the body easily. A build up of lead over a period of time is dangerous.)

Mr. Gephardt took his findings to Utah House Rep. Jim Matheson. Congress was looking into a proposed amendment that would force manufactures to put labels on ceramic ware to identify lead content. However, Gephardt’s investigation was reported in 2004 and, so far, no law or amendment has been put into place.

My research in to whether Rival had removed the lead from their crock pots produced conflicting information. I called Rival’s Consumer Services department (1-800-777-5452) and they confirmed that their slow cookers still contain lead. They stated that the level is below the FDA standard for lead in ceramic products.

Upon further investigation, I called Hamilton Beach (1-800-851-8900) and they assured me that their crock pots do not contain any lead or cadmium. (Cadmium is another highly toxic metal associated with zinc ores. Oil paint used by artist’s contain a lot of Cadmium and Zinc…. Cadmium Red…Cadmium Yellow… Zinc White. It’s also found in industries where ore is being processed or smelted. Ceramic can be colored with Cadmium colors.)

It’s been suggested that you can use plastic liners in your crock pot so lead doesn’t leach into your food. I personally don’t recommend doing that because plastics heated to high temperatures leach other kinds of toxins. However, Reynolds claim their liners are made from a high resin nylon which is suitable for high temperature cooking. You’ll have to be the judge on this one.

I don’t use my crock pot often, but when I do, I want to know that the food is completely safe for my family. “So long… Good-bye… Rival crock pot.”

I find it disconcerting that the FDA allows any amount of lead in products if it’s possible to manufacture them with out it. A little of this… and and little of that… here and there can amount to a lot of toxins being ingested by Americans.

I’m not convinced that the FDA always has our best interests in mind. Just look at how many drugs and products are taken off the market that have been found to be harmful… even deadly… after the FDA has put its stamp of approval on them.

Becoming aware, and taking responsibility for our own well-being is the best solution for combating toxic and lead poisoning.

Till Later
Insightful Nana

P.S. The Hamilton Beach 6 Qt. slow cooker runs about $49.99 compared to Rival’s 6 Qt. at $34.99. It looks like Hamilton Beach is a bit more expensive… but what’s $15.00 when you can have a lead free product and peace of mind.

P.S.S. If you find another crock pot that doesn’t contain lead… let me know

Count Your Blessings Monday

I am so grateful for my husband. I see all these different situations in marriages and my hubby is no where close to any of it(he could use a few prayers to help him quit smoking). He is such a wonderful man. A wonderful father, a wonderful mate and such a good person. Thank you God

My mom is doing wonderful. She is such a wonderful mom for letting us move in here. She could have sold the house and went on to buy a smaller one for herself and we would have had to make it go in the trailer in Milton. Thank you so much mom.

My children are wonderful. They love being frugal. It is so hard in these times and they love free clothing (thank you Candy~not sure if you have any clothes at your moms or not you'll have to let me know I am looking for pants for Wyatt) and they will do a shopping spree at the thrift store :) They are so wonderful.

Thank you for being able to help out others by offering them a place to stay till they get back on their feet. It is hard sometimes. But I am grateful to have Tina here. Just need to figure out the Josh and "big" Chelsea thing so we can all get along till you can get back on your feet. Thank you for being you Tina :)

My new tradition is going to a friends house and sitting around and talking while the kids have a blast. Thank you guys for starting this wonderful tradition! I love you all!

The Seed

A successful Christian business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together. He said, 'It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. 'The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. 'I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO'

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by--still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the boardroom. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back.

'My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,' said The CEO. 'Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!' All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought,

'The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!' When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, 'Behold your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!'

Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new CEO the others said? Then the CEO said, 'One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!'

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. If you plant goodness, you will reap friends, if you plant humility, you will reap greatness. If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment. If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective. If you plant hard work, you will reap success. If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation. If you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a harvest. So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.

Prayers for my Mom please!

My mom isn't feeling well tonight. Her stomach is bothering her and she is chilled. She just went to lay down in bed. I told her to let me know if she wants to go to the hospital. It is really hard to take anything because of her cancer meds she is on.

Aprons, Contests and Bread

Dear friends and I are going to spend a day in the near future to bake bread and make aprons to give to those who need prayers and to help with their Thanksgiving dinner. It will coordinate with the National Tie One on Day on November 26th.

From www.apronmemories.com:

"National Tie One On Day™ celebrates the humble apron and the spirit of women of earlier generations who donned the universal symbol of home, family and mothering as the uniform of their daily wardrobe and helped make America the great country it is today. On the day before Thanksgiving, EllynAnne encourages us to pause in the preparation of our own meal, wrap a loaf of bread in an apron, tuck a prayer or note of encouragement in the pocket, and tie one on...an apron, of course!, and deliver the wrapped bundle to someone in need of spiritual or physical sustenance. According to EllynAnne, no matter which way you turn out of your own front door, someone who is deserving of a hug is very close by. “Women clad in aprons have traditionally prepared the Thanksgiving meal,” says EllynAnne, “and it is within our historical linkage to share our bounty.”

EllynAnne is holding a contest for one of her books or aprons. Go to her blog page and leave her a comment to be entered.Apron Memories Blog

Hope my local friends will join me that day for making bread and aprons....

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Monday October 13, 2008...

Outside My Window...the stars are hiding behind what is left of the snowstorm that is now hitting Canada.

I am thinking...about decorating for the holidays

I am thankful for...wonderful husband and children (and mommy) My husband is so wonderful and as I hear of more marriage problems from friends I truly am lucky to have such a wonderful man

From the kitchen...I hear sounds of the kittens playing

I am wearing...jeans, t-shirt and bare feet

I am creating...a website to sell my books, canning jars and wooly creations

I am going...to take some cold meds and head to bed shortly

I am reading...Women of Faith Devotional Bible

I am hoping...my cold lets up enough to get the chores done in the morning

I am hearing...the dryer running

Around the house...I see many toys from the kids adventures this evening.

One of my favorite things...is recycling sweaters and helping earn money from my ventures online

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: going to the thrift store, vacuuming the house, and getting the dining room decluttered to get out the holiday decorations

Here is picture thought I am sharing..

Check Out my Cafemom Group!

Check out my Group at CafeMom

The Portrait Party Planners

A Blog I Have Created

I have created a blog for Alli...

I will be letting her friends send condolences and such and will post for them.

http://allimaeguinter.blogspot.com/

Count Your Blessings Monday

This weekend has been a difficult one. A dear friend of mine Tina is staying with me till she and her daughter, Chelsea, can find a place. Her daughters best friend, Allison Guinter, went onto heaven Friday afternoon from leukemia. We have been calling all weekend to places to try to put a fundraiser together. I have got some awesome responses so far. Will keep you all updated. Keep an eye on http://www.wishuponahero.com/ they are going to be doing a feature on Allison the front page of their site which will be going national. They then will contact our newspaper, radio and tv stations. She was only 12 when her Lord called her home. She has been suffering since May of this year with it. So hard to be a 12 year old little girl and so sick. She was so upset by all of it. Couldn't go swimming, skating, or hanging out with her friends this summer.

So I will be counting our blessings of our good health. My mom's check-ups have been unremarkable. The kids (knock on wood) haven't had any colds yet this school year.

I am asking for prayers though for the family of Allison. She was so young and so innocent. Prayers for the money they need to pay all the impending bills. Including medical, travel, and funeral costs. They had life insurance on Alli but the minute the insurance company found out about her illness they dropped her. :( What a sad, sad country we live in.

Chelsea on the left and Allison on the right....

Thinking of my Daddy~

My daddy and I at my wedding (July 20, 1997)

My brother Jimmy, my Grammy Lee and I. We are at my Grammy and Pappy Erb's apartment.


Me on a Saturday night at my Grammy and Pappy Erb's (my mom's parents) c. 1983

Me at my Grammy Lee's (c. 1982)

My daddy, my Grammy Lee, and Me (July 20, 1997) my wedding day

My mom's face, my Grammy Erb, my Grammy Lee, my Pappy Lee's forehead and glasses (c. Dec. 1981)

This is a newspaper pic from when I wrote into the editor about the insurance issues and my dad not having any insurance and being so sick. He passed away one week after this picture was taken :(

My Daddy and I on my 5th birthday (c. August 1979)

My parents (July 20, 1997) at my wedding

My family at my Grammy Lee's (c. 1979)

My parents Valentine's Day. This was my daddy's last supper :*(

The waitress took our picture. This was Valentine's Day 2006. We were given dinner for 4 to a little restaurant in town. The next afternoon my daddy went to heaven....

My daddy waaaayyyyy back when

My Daddy and Chelsea Winter 2000

My daddy holding Jimmy, my cousin Audrey and me (c. 12/77)

I have been thinking alot about my younger years. How much everything has changed. I lost my dad almost 3 years ago now. I miss him more than anyone I have lost in my life. He's the one that taught me everything. I would tell him everything. I still have the moments now I say wow I need to call my dad.

Yes, I live with my mom. My dad is who I was the closest. My mom I don't know when I talk to her it's like yea she hears me but doesn't listen. My brother is closest to her. My children even see that.

I learned to cook from my dad. He took me everywhere with him. I would spend all weekend with him.

Moreso I miss the time period. Friday nights we would go to my great aunts house. Spend time with them and all my cousins. That stopped when my cousin was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 1987 when he was only 15 years old. Saturday nights we went to my grandparents. They were and always will be my favorites. Sundays my dad went to the fleamarket. It was a Sunday ritual up till we lost him. A lot of my memories are of him at the fleamarket buying books and any good bargains he could find. And Sunday nights we went to his mom's house. She would make supper. Mmmmm, I do miss her too.

All the wonderful memories growing up. I would not change them for the world. I hear of awful things that happen to others in their childhoods. I was so blind from all of it. I hear of all sorts of abuse. My parent's stayed married for 32 years till his untimely death. I thank them everyday for that. I learned from just that. My hubby was raised by his grandparents and they were married for a very long time also. So he only knows that. We have a wonderful life because of the way we were brought up.

Thank you God for the life you have given me. Please take care of my loved ones till I get there.