Riverbend Ramblings

My blogging friend Chyrll is hosting an autumn giveaway with some wonderful goodies (including candy corn!) over at her blog. You have until October 6 to enter. I'll be hosting a giveaway of my own in the next few days, so stay tuned! :)

Labels: Giveaways

For Today: September 29, 2008
Outside my window...squirrels are foraging for their breakfast.

I am thinking...about the many things on the calendar this week.

I am thankful for...four healthy children.

From the kitchen...pinwheel cream cheese and chive sandwiches and a brownie pie for a fellowship this evening.

I am wearing...a denim skirt, white t-shirt, and my favorite pair of slippers.

I am creating...a grocery list.

I am going...to take a walk with Lil' Nut.

I am reading...in my Bible: Esther; just for fun: Sunset by Karen Kingsbury.

I am hoping...that we get some rain later today.

I am hearing...birds tweeting outside my window.

Around the house...laundry; detailed cleaning in the family room; refilling of the bird feeders.

One of my favorite things...chocolate covered peanuts.

A few plans for the rest of the week...organize a trip to a ladies' conference for our ladies at church; a get-together with friends; out-of-town family visiting; story time at the library.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...This is view of our backyard from the pool area. The kids have plenty of room to run and play. We enjoy feeding the fish and turtles in the pond close to sunset.
~~~oOo~~~
Thank you for reading my Daybook! Visit The Simple Woman to read more Daybook entries.

Labels: Daybook

We've had a touch of autumn in Central Florida this week. The mornings and evenings have been much cooler than usual. Lil' Nut and I have spent a good part of each morning outside enjoying the weather. My days have been filled with work and play. The fall-like weather inspired me to welcome in the season inside our home with fresh-baked goodies and a few little decorative touches. I'm off to enjoy a high school football game with my family this evening. I hope you all have a great weekend and get a chance to make some memories of your own. See you Monday! :)

Labels: Daily Life

For Today: September 22, 2008
Outside my window...there are a few gray clouds, but the sun is starting to peek through them.

I am thinking...how nice it would be to go back to bed. ;)

I am thankful for...our military. Last night at church a missionary from Armed Forces Baptist Missions shared his ministry. I was reminded how important it is to pray not just for the safety of those serving our great country, but for their spiritual salvation as well.

From the kitchen...more banana bread! I'm going to add some walnuts to this batch.

I am wearing...an orange skirt; a blouse with lots of tan, orange, and pink; tan sandals.

I am creating...my list of books to read this fall.

I am going...to eat lunch with my three older kids at school today.

I am reading...in my Bible: Esther; just for fun: All She Ever Wanted by Lynn Austin.

I am hoping...that my expecting friend has an easy delivery. She's two weeks away from her due date, but the doctor thinks it will be soon. :)

I am hearing...Buddy barking at every car that drives past our house.

Around the house...laundry; a ton of ironing (that's what happens when you get a little lazy); deep cleaning the master suite.

One of my favorite things...homemade butter creme frosting.

A few plans for the rest of the week...work on a couple of church-related projects; learn with my preschooler; story time at the library; write a few letters; help Bookworm gather resources for her science project; catch some sunshine out by the pool.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...~~oOo~~
Thank you for reading my Daybook entry! To read more, visit The Simple Woman.

Labels: Daybook

I've been looking forward to the Fall Into Reading challenge for quite some time. Last year I had so much fun participating as I tackled my book basket with gusto. I came across quite a few new-to-me-reads listed by other participants that I added to my reading list and have read this past year. The craziness of the last few months as we moved and settled into our home has given way to a routine once again, and I now have time to read! :) Here are the books that I have planned to read between now and the end of the year: Non-Fiction The Ministry Of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson Susanna Wesley by Arnold A Dallimore Circumference of Time by Maret Dinsmore From Where I Stand by James Knox Mrs. C. H. Spurgeon by Charles Ray Fiction Ester Ried by Isabella Alden The Exact Truth by Isabella Alden All She Ever Wanted by Lynn Austin Hidden Places by Lynn Austin Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin Sunset by Karen Kingsbury The Longing by Beverly Lewis Waiting for Summer's Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer When the Soul Mends by Cindy Woodsmall ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you would like to participate in this year's reading challenge or see what others are reading, visit Katrina's blog Callapidder Days. Participation guidelines for the challenge can be found here. If you're visiting Riverbend Ramblings for the first time, I hope you'll stop by again! :)

Labels: Reading Challenge

My handsome hubby turned 35 this past Saturday. We had a small family get-together that night to celebrate. He had to wait until last night to get his biggest gift from me: tickets to watch the Boston Red Sox. Back in the early '90s Mr. C worked in the Red Sox clubhouse at their spring training facility-- a very cool job for a baseball-playin' college kid. He's been a huge Sox fan ever since. A few years later the team moved farther south for spring training, so he hasn't been to a game in long time. While he would much rather attend a game at Fenway Park, watching them play in St. Petersburg was just fine with him. ;) Our moms graciously watched the children for us since we would return home in the wee hours of the morning. We had a nice ride over to the Tampa area and enjoyed an early supper at Outback Steakhouse. We hadn't eaten at Outback in a long time, so this was a real treat! My steak was cooked to perfection and the sweet potato melted in my mouth. ;) Next we headed to the stadium just a couple of miles away. We arrived early and enjoyed watching batting practice. We had a great view from our seats overlooking the Red Sox bull pen. The game was tied 1-1 in the ninth inning, so we hung around until the game winning hit by the Rays. Not quite the ending we were hoping for, but we still had a blast. After the game it took us about an hour to get from the parking lot to the interstate. Not fun, but not so bad, either. We had plenty of time to chat and enjoy each other's company. We stopped for a late-night bite to eat on the way home and got in around 1 a.m. I am thankful that my hubby and I were able to have a fun night out together. I am blessed beyond measure to be married to a wonderful, loving, godly man. Here are some pictures from our evening.

Labels: Special Days

Happy Tuesday! This morning I hit the ground running--well, I guess it was more like walking. :) I get so much more accomplished during the day if I get an early start. Lately it has been my goal to have the majority of the housework done by 9 a.m. so that I can focus on Lil' Nut. More detailed projects like ironing can wait until she's having her afternoon quiet time. So far the plan has been working out well. This morning the vacuum was my cleaning companion. Together we tackled some of my least favorite chores upstairs in hopes of ridding the house of dust bunnies. Mickey's allergies have gotten so bad since we've moved back to Florida that he has had to go back on allergy medicine. I need to purchase some Kleenex stock. :) Several years ago we owned a two-story house, and I always dreaded cleaning the stairs. One time I fell backward, and the vacuum fell right on top of me! I wasn't hurt, but it scared me to death! I don't have a cordless stick vacuum, so thankfully my vacuum is lightweight and there is a runner on the steps. We have a huge staircase, but it only took about 3 minutes to vacuum it. Sometimes I put off a job because I think it will take a long time when really it doesn't take long at all. Do you do that, too? The bedrooms in our home have bi-fold closet doors. The dust really seems to attract to them so quickly! The brush attachment on the vacuum works great for these. The door panels and crown molding also got a good cleaning. The molding seems to blend in with the walls which are still white. I haven't quite gotten into the painting mode yet. I need to get with it because the holidays will be here before we know it, and I will still have white walls (shrudder). Now that my morning housekeeping tasks are completed, I can focus on some BIG plans for the rest of the day. I'll share all about it tomorrow. Here's a clue to get your wheels turning. :) Have a great day! :) Image from here.

Labels: Keeping the Home, Special Days

For Today: September 15, 2008
Outside my window...the sun is beating down mercilessly.

I am thinking...about how ready I am for autumn to arrive.

I am thankful for...good friends.

From the kitchen...banana bread and a cold glass of milk.

I am wearing...a brown shirt, khaki skirt, and brown sandals.

I am creating...a new system for organizing my coupons. Lately I have been blessed with tons of coupons, but now I'm almost overwhelmed with keeping them straight. There's nothing more frustrating than knowing that you have a coupon for an item, but you just don't know where it is.

I am going...to rest this afternoon.

I am reading...in my Bible: Revelation; just for fun: some hand-me-down magazines.

I am hoping...that we get some rain this week.

I am hearing...a DVD that Lil' Nut is watching. She's not feeling well today and is resting on the couch.

Around the house...laundry needs to be put away. I also need to tidy the formal dining/den/schoolroom. This is where the kids do their homework, but it also has become a room where things seem to get dumped.

One of my favorite things...quality makeup brushes. You really can tell a difference. :)

A few plans for the rest of the week...fun preschool with the letter "B"; story time at the library; a really BIG outing with my hubby.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...
This is a large Brugmansia bush out near the pool. It almost looks like a small tree. It is also commonly called Angel's Trumpet. It is poisonous, so the kids are not allowed to touch it. The flowers look so lovely early in the morning before the heat causes them to shrivel up.
~~oOo~~
Thank you for reading my Daybook entry! To read more, visit The Simple Woman.

Labels: Daybook

Those who know me know that I l-o-v-e to read. My favorite books are like dear friends that never grow old or boring. Over the years I have added a variety of books to my personal library. Most of the books I have purchased are not available through the public library. I have a hard time spending money on books that I can borrow for free, but there are a few special exceptions. :) Several months ago I asked my friend Michele for some book suggestions as I find it quite challenging to find Christ-honoring reading material. She recommended that I check out Keepers of the Faith. I've been saving my money and finally placed an order. I received my much-anticipated package in the mail just a few days ago. I'm looking forward to enjoying these books in the coming days. Maybe I'll even post a few book reviews.

Labels: Favorite Things, My Book Basket

For Today: September 8, 2008
Outside my window...it's a hot, sunny day.

I am thinking...about how good it feels to have a productive morning. :)

I am thankful for...being married to a man who loves his family so very much.

From the kitchen...the weekly menu is on the fridge. Tonight we'll be having tacos with all the fixings. Sure beats that oh!-my!-it's-5 o'clock-what-in-the-world-are-we-going-to-have-for-supper moment of panic. :)

I am wearing...a pastel striped shirt, khaki skirt, and brown sandals.

I am creating...a list of books to order from the library.

I am going...to go visit my mom in a little while.

I am reading...in my Bible: Revelation; just for fun: Homespun Gifts from the Heart.

I am hoping...that there are still some fresh tomatoes left when I get to the produce stand.

I am hearing...birds tweeting outside.

Around the house...I've gotten a lot done today! Both the upstairs and downstairs have been vacuumed, two loads of laundry have been cared for, the bathrooms have been cleaned, the downstairs has been dusted, and the kids rooms have gotten an extra tidy from Mom. I think they'll be surprised when they get home from school and find that I cleaned their rooms for them today. ;)

One of my favorite things...talking with my husband about his day.

A few plans for the rest of the week...school, housekeeping, storytime at the library, piano lessons, and birthday parties.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...
gardenias in bloom
Thanks for reading my Daybook! For more Daybook entries, visit The Simple Woman.

Labels: Daybook

Hi, everybody! My mommy is typing for me because I don't know how to do it yet. I know my ABC's, but I don't know how to put them all together yet. Today I helped my mommy in the kitchen. Wanna see what we made? Mommy wanted to do some baking because it was raining outside. She'll use any excuse to make something sweet. She decided we would make apple crisp. That yellow thing up in the picture is a lemon off one of our trees. We squeezed some juice from it to use when we baked. Mommy said you're supposed to use sour apples when you make an apple crisp, but she just used Royal Gala since that's what we had. Mommy let me use a funny looking thing to mix with, and then I used a great big spoon to stir stuff together in a bowl. I licked the spoon when I was done. Mommy wouldn't let me stir with that spoon again because she said it had germs on it. I do not have germs! She put the baking dish in the oven because that's too dangerous for me to do. After hours and hours the timer finally beeped. I wanted to taste the apple crisp right away, but Mommy wouldn't let me. She said it had to cool off first. Here's what it looked like. After a little bit Mommy put some in a bowl and put a scoop of ice cream on top. She said I could have it if I promised to eat all my lunch later since it was only ten o'clock in the morning. Mommy never lets me eat dessert before lunch!!! What's going on???? Mommy must be sick or something. Mommy ate some, too, but hers was in a great big bowl. I guess she gets a bunch 'cause she's the mommy. Here I am eating my yummy apple crisp and ice cream. Cooking is a lot of fun, but eating is even better. Just wait 'till my brother and sisters get home and see what I've been up to! Thank you for joining me in the kitchen! Mommy said to tell you to have a good weekend. She'll be back on Monday.

Labels: In the Kitchen, The Kiddos

"When you keep house you use your head, your heart, and your hands together to create a home- the place where you live the most important parts of your private life. Housekeeping is an art: it combines intutition and physical skill to create comfort, health, beauty, order, and safety."

from Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelson Image from AllPosters.

Labels: Quotes

Ahhh...The Sunshine State I received this email today. Not quite as funny when you're preparing for a storm, but I think all Floridians can relate. :)

Labels: Daily Life

Have you ever been scared by an animal? How about by a turtle?? This one scared the daylights out of me!Lil' Nut actually discovered it as we were leaving the house. Since the turtle was directly in the path of the rear tires on my 'Burban, I couldn't exactly go anywhere right at that moment. I ran back in the house and grabbed my camera. I figured we might as well fit in a science lesson before I "helped" the turtle out of the way. Me: "Let's look at the nice turtle." Lil' Nut: "Mommy, it's not a turtle! It's a scary animal-thing." Me: "It is a turtle. It won't hurt you!" Lil' Nut: "It is NOT a turtle! Turtles don't jump, and I saw it jump before you came out here when Buddy was barking at it!" (That explained why the dog had been barking non-stop for the past 20 minutes.) After putting Buddy in his kennel so that I could hear myself think, I slowly walked toward the turtle. He looked kind of mean and was about 18 inches long. As I squatted down to take a picture, the critter jumped right up off the driveway landed a few inches forward. He didn't just scoot, he jumped. I jumped, too, and screamed. :) Lil' Nut said, "I told you, Mommy! It jumped!" She was right. I'm pretty sure that it was a Florida Softshell (Apalone ferox). This species is pretty aggressive, and when they stick their heads out of the water they look like baby alligators. There are a ton of them in the pond behind the house. I decided that I didn't want to be too close to Mr. Turtle after all. As I debated about grabbing a stick to help prod him out of the way, he took off at a brisk pace toward the pond. I learned something new today; turtles can jump. Maybe that's how the tortoise beat the hare. :)

Labels: Outdoor Life, The Kiddos

For Today: September 1, 2008
Outside my window...it's slightly overcast, but the sun is trying to peek through.

I am thinking...about how much I'm going to enjoy spending the day with my family.

I am thankful for...the Lord sparing us from Hurricane Gustav. In the midst of my thankfulness, as a Florida native who has lived through many hurricanes, I feel very sorry for those who are in Gustav's path. They will be in my prayers today.

From the kitchen...My in-laws will be joining us for a cookout today. We'll be having hamburgers, baked beans, oven fried potatoes, coleslaw, banana pudding, brownies, and sweet tea.

I am wearing...a white blouse, denim skirt, and comfy brown Cr*cs flip flops.

I am creating...a list of activities for Lil' Nut and me to work on during our preschool time this week.

I am going...to relax today.

I am reading...in my Bible: John; just for fun: A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin.

I am hoping...that the weather will be nice enough today for the kids to swim in the pool.

I am hearing...voices from the Weather Channel reporting on the hurricane.

Around the house...it is very quiet as the children are sleeping in. They got to stay up late last night to watch a movie since there is no school today.

One of my favorite things...watching my children sleep. Last night my youngest fell asleep on my lap during the evening church service. She was resting so peacefully without a care in the world. She looked like an angel.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Lord-willing I'll spend some time working at the church, get together with a friend to go over some music, take Lil' Nut to the library, visit the chiropractor, work on laundry and housekeeping, and attend our Christian school's first home football game of the season.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

a rainy Saturday

Thank you for reading about my day! You can read more Daybook posts by visiting The Simple Woman.

Labels: Daybook