Summer Bag

So, I love bags. I can never have enough. If I had the money to spend I would probably want a new bag every few weeks.

It's summer time and I went to my handbag basket in search of a nice summer-ish bag.  I couldn't find anything that excited me so I decided to go to Ebay. Some people sell really nice bags for cheap so I knew my chances were good at finding something that would satisfy me (temporarily- ha). Sadly, one bag caught my eye and was not in my price range. I was looking for something LESS than $10 with my shipping included but the bag that caught my eyes was going to be $34!! No matter how much I loved it I could not allow myself to spend $34 on something so frivolous. 

Here is a pic of the bag I wanted. It comes in turquoise, canary yellow, brown, & wine.

 

I knew I wasn't going to be able to buy this bag. I didn't even bother asking Mike. Still my mind was stuck on it. I decided that the only thing I could do would be to gather some items and make this bag myself. I had seen a straw bag for $2.50 at Target in their dollar section- lined in your choice of pink, green, or blue. Next I would need to find a scarf to drape around it. I checked THREE different thrift stores and nothing excited me. I put the bag on hold until this past weekend when we were in Amish Country and I went into one of my favorite stores and they had scarves for $2 each. YAY!!! Since they were so cheap I bought two of them- a pink and a brown. 

Here is what I started with:

I found a piece of sticky velcro and added it to the inside of my bag so that the bag would stay closed. Then I tied the pink scarf around the bag very tightly so that it would stay without having to be stuck down with something permanent. 

Here is what I had when I was done:

I still need to figure out how to embellish it with beads but I haven't had a chance to get to a craft store. Even without the extra embellishments I like the bag just fine.

So Instead of spending $34 I spent $6.50 and with mine I have two options- pink or brown. Not to mention the various scarves I already owned...

Simple Woman's Daybook 6/27/11

Simple Woman's Daybook
Monday, June 27, 2011

Outside my window... LOVELY day!! 75 degrees & sunny.
 

I am thinking...  that I need to check out some more music from the library.
 

I am thankful for... my church family who is willing to be open and honest about their struggles and then testify how the Lord has carried them through life's battles.
 

From the learning rooms... School is officially over but we are going to do several art projects just for fun.

From the kitchen... Lebanon bologna & peanut butter sandwiches. It really is good.  You should try it some time. Our lebanon bolonga is straight from Amish Country. :)

I am wearing... purple/green/blue flowered pj capris & a purple v-neck t-shirt. (Having a PJ day... for a few more hours until I have to get dressed for my niece's b-day party.)

I am creating... a summer handbag (blog w/ pics coming VERY soon), ideas for putting scripture up around my home, and a NEW photo website since my last one closed.

I am going... to make lunch and do some laundry.

I am reading... God's Word.

I am hoping... that the scale will change some day in the  near future- stuck for 8 weeks now. :(

I am hearing... Natalie Grant on the CD player and Alison clanging her spoon inside her cup of hot tea- tea is gone and a pile of sugar remains. Hmmm... I think someone put too much sugar.

One of my favorite things... reunion hugs & tears.

Praying for... my neck- still hurting, Luke Perin, my children, Mike, a mother & father who know the baby they carry will not live outside the womb.

A Lyric or Two...

Human- Natalie Grant

Every life has a choice
To rise up to fill the void
Every heart has a mission
And we are called to be human

We gotta do better than this 'cause we only got
One chance to make a difference
We gotta do better than this 'cause we only got
One life that we've been given

A little love, a little kindness
A little light in this time of darkness
It'll be what makes us different
It'll be what makes us human
I'm human, you're human, we are human

We are marked with His image
And we are scarred with indifference
Maybe now we should listen
Hear the cry of God's children

We gotta do better than this 'cause we only got
One chance to make a difference
We gotta do better than this 'cause we only got
One life that we've been given  

A little love, a little kindness
A little light in this time of darkness
It'll be what makes the difference
It'll be what makes us human

I'm human, you're human, we are
We are human
I'm human, you're human, we are
We are human

Gotta do better than this 'cause I only got
One chance to make a difference
Gotta do better than this 'cause I'm only
Just one

I'm human, you're human, we are
We are human
I'm human, you're human, we are
We are human

It'll be what makes the difference
It'll be what makes us human

A verse to share... then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Deuteronomy 6:11b-12

A picture thought...

 Wearing their VBS gear 

A few plans for the rest of the week... Autumn's b-day party, Keepers, prayer group, 1 cake, Braden's b-day party, various crafts.

Come on now... you know you want to do this too!!! 

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Let Me Hold You Longer

Let Me Hold You Longer- Karen Kingsbury

Long ago you came to me,
a miracle of firsts,
First smiles and teeth and baby steps,
a sunbeam on the burst.

But one day you will move away
and leave to me your past
And I will be left thinking of
a lifetime of your lasts…

The last time that I held a bottle
to your baby lips
The last time that I lifted you
and held you on my hip.

The last night when you woke up crying,
needing to be walked,
When last you crawled up with your blanket,
wanting to be rocked.

The last time when you ran to me,
still small enough to hold.
The last time that you said you’d marry
me when you grew old.

Precious, simple moments and
bright flashes from your past-
Would I have held on longer if
I’d known they were your last?

Our last adventure to the park,

your final midday nap,

The last time when you wore your favorite

faded baseball cap.

Your last few hours of kindergarten,

those last few days of first grade,

Your last at bat in Little League,

last colored picture made.

I never said good-bye to all

your yesterdays long passed.

So what about tomorrow-

will I recognize your lasts?

The last time that you catch a frog

in that old backyard pond.

The last time that you run barefoot

across our fresh-cut lawn.

Silly, scattered images

will represent your past.

I keep on taking pictures,

never quite sure of your lasts…

The last time that I comb your hair

or stop a pillow fight.

The last time that I pray with you

and tuck you in at night.

The last time when we cuddle

with a book, just me and you

The last time you jump in our bed

and sleep between us two.

The last piano lesson,

last vacation to the lake.

Your last few weeks of middle school,

last soccer goal you make.

I look ahead and dream of days

that haven’t come to pass.

But as I do, I sometimes miss

today’s sweet, precious lasts…

The last time that I help you with

a math or spelling test.

The last time when I shout that yes,

your room is still a mess.

The last time that you need me for

a ride from here to there.

The last time that you spend the night

with your old tattered bear.

My life keeps moving faster,

stealing precious days that pass,

I want to hold on longer-

want to recognize your lasts…

The last time that you need my help

with details of a dance.

The last time that you ask me for

advice about romance.

The last time that you talk to me

about your hopes and dreams.

The last time that you wear a jersey

for your high school team.

I’ve watched you grow and barely noticed

seasons as they pass.

If I could freeze the hands of time,

I’d hold on to your lasts.

For come some bright fall morning,

you’ll be going far away.

College life will beckon

in a brilliant sort of way.

One last hug, one last good-bye,

one quick and hurried kiss.

One last time to understand

just how much you’ll be missed.

I’ll watch you leave and think how fast

our time together passed.

Let me hold on longer, God,

to every precious last.

 

Write them on the doorframes...

Right now in Sunday School we are doing a Summer series about Biblical Family Roles. I was so excited when I heard the topic because I knew it would be a challenge for me. I won't pretend that we have it all together in this house. If you know me at all- even if only through this blog- then you know I pretty much put it all out there.

I have a take-charge personality. I can follow the guidance of someone else if I don't know what I'm doing but if I am confident then I naturally take over.

When you are in a home with just your husband it is very easy to do what is right. (And it's also easy to look at others and judge them for doing wrong.) But once you add kids to your home everything changes. I have problems with TWO areas as far as submitting to my husband and they are big ones- MONEY and KIDS. UGH! I'm not gonna talk about money cause that is a talk for a different blog (or maybe not) but I will say that I finally was able to give Mike complete control over the money and my hands are off of it.

I want to talk about kids (again). Each day that passes by I am more concerned with the lives of my children- and all the children I come in contact with. As I was sitting in Sunday School yesterday listening to the panel of men talk about their families I was convicted to spend more time in the Word. One man said, "Without consistent time in the Word you can't be a consistent Christian." This is something I've known but why can't I learn it??

If I'm not spending time in God's Word then how can I be the Mom that the Lord wants me to be? If my kids see that God's Word isn't a priority to me, then it won't be a priority to them either.  They model everything I do. And sadly they model the bad things I do also. One man shared that because of his own sin he lost his family but then the Lord rescued his family. I don't know what he was speaking of but I do know that a sin is a sin- big or small. So I want the Lord to rescue my family. Yes, we've always raised the kids in the Lord but I want to live and breathe the Lord. I want my kids to see the Lord in me and in others and I want them to have the same desire.

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of you houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6: 6-9

I had a plan several months back but somehow I didn't follow through. It is my desire again to get it done. I am committing to having scripture in every room of my home. I want to see it everywhere. I want my kids to see it everywhere. I want our visitors to see it everywhere. Since I enjoy simple crafts I am going to tie the two ideas together. I'm going to try to find several unique ideas of how I can get scripture into every corner of this house. I will blog about each idea after I have completed it. All ideas are welcome!!

(In addition to scripture throughout the house I'm also committing to daily time in the Word and also daily prayer for Mike & the kids. Ask me about this so I can be accountable to someone...)

June 10 on 10

The day started early with a huge storm.

Later I discovered that after I went back to sleep all five of the kids had gone down to the basement into the family room and made themselves beds.

I looked at the weather channel and discovered that the storm was heading right towards where my parents/sister were vacationing so I sent them all a text.

After it settled down I got my 190-cal breakfast ready and went out to the patio to eat with the sound of the cozy rain hitting the patio awning.

After the rain ended I went out to take some pics of the newly opened lilies.

Time to exercise! I put my video on a portable DVD player and turn it almost all the way down so I can watch something on Netflix. Yes, I ♥ Dog the Bounty Hunter.

During round 2 of laundry I discovered a VERY loud grinding sound and a fire-like scent coming from the dryer. So, I unplugged the dryer and brought up the basket of wet laundry. Wet clothes in the laundry room is an invitation for earwigs.

Lunch time. Green beans, 1/8 cup onion, 1 slice of oscar mayer microwave bacon, & a shake (or two) of Tastefully Simple Bacon Bacon.

 Delivered a graduation cake and hung around at the party. (Congrats, David Rice!)

Came home and after a quick dinner (forgot to take a pic) I prepared a stencil for a cake I should be making right now.

Then I uploaded these pics to the laptop and fell asleep in the recliner before I could even start this entry. :)

(Lots of other people participate in 10 on 10. Click HERE to see how they spent their day.)

Simple Woman's Daybook 6/1/2011

Simple Woman's Daybook
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Outside my window... beautiful evening. Not too hot, not too cool.
 

I am thinking... about my sweet little Ali who is hurting.
 

I am thankful for... encouragement from friends.
 

From the learning rooms... we aren't getting any school done this week but we do still have a few chapters in math, some science, and some history left to go. UGH.

From the kitchen... Tonight was Alison's requested dinner- piggies in a blanket.

I am wearing... short denim shorts, turguoise/lavender striped tee.

I am creating... two cakes, 100 cupcakes, cupcake stand, embellished handbag. 

I am going... to fold five loads of laundry when I'm done with this blog entry.

I am reading... Summer by Karen Kingsbury.

I am hoping... that Alison feels better tomorrow.

I am hearing... a commercial for Dove Creme Bodywash.

One of my favorite things... Blake's smile when he is being ornery and teasing.

Praying for... Alison's shoulders, my neck

A Lyric or Two...

Stronger- Mandisa

Hey, heard you were up all night
Thinking about how your world ain't right
And you wonder if things will ever get better
And you're asking why is it always raining on you
When all you want is just a little good news
Instead of standing there stuck out in the weather

Oh, don't hang your head
It's gonna end
God's right there
Even if it's hard to see Him
I promise you that He still cares

When the waves are taking you under
Hold on just a little bit longer
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger
The pain ain't gonna last forever
And things can only get better
Believe me
This is gonna make you stronger
Gonna make you stronger, stronger, stronger
Believe me, this is gonna make you ...

Try and do the best you can
Hold on and let Him hold your hand
And go on and fall into the arms of Jesus
Oh, lift your head it's gonna end
God's right there
Even when you just can't feel Him
I promise you that He still cares

'Cause if He started this work in your life
He will be faithful to complete it
If only you believe it
He knows how much it hurts
And I'm sure that He's gonna help you get through this

When the waves are taking you under
Hold on just a little bit longer
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger
The pain ain't gonna last forever
In time it's gonna get better
Believe me
This is gonna make you stronger

   

A verse to share... 

Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119:133

A picture thought...

Ballerina Boy

A few plans for the rest of the week... bake 2 cakes & 100 cupcakes, decorate for the co-op graduation reception, niece Madeline's b-day party, decorate cakes/cupcakes, HOTR graduation, Abigail's final soccer game, soccer awards/fair, worship, small group.

Come on now... you know you want to do this too!!! 

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/