Why is this so hard for me?

You would think that if I really wanted to blog that would actually do it. I have stopped and started more times than I care to admit, but here I go once again.

Some changes have taken place in our family since I last posted. We are expecting a new baby in November (hopefully, mid-October). We will welcome a sweet little boy into our fold. He will be our second son and 12 years younger than our first child. Talk about starting over! We are very thankful for the Lord's blessing and pray for his safe arrival.

I will also be teaching elementary art this fall, with a short break when baby comes, at our Christian School. Looking forward to exploring this new venture and a little nervous about juggling it with the baby coming--please pray!

Well that's the 15 second catch-up with the Smith's and hopefully I will see you soon.

Christmas card

Candy Cane Fun Christmas Card

Make a statement with Shutterfly Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Swim Team

This past Saturday, the girls competed in a district GRPA swim meet. Swim meets are truly the longest days ever! I read a slogan on a T-shirt that said: "If today is my last day left to live, let it be at a swim meet because they last FOREVER!" It's so true. It is a very long day, especially in 100 degree heat and 100% humidity.

Holly and Hannah did very well and will advance to the state meet in Tifton at the end of July. It was Hannah's first meet after only being on the team for a few months now. They have worked very hard and greatly improved their strokes and their times. Competition in Holly's age group is fierce, but she is holding her own and proving herself along the way. I am super proud of their dedication and I love all the great exercise they are getting. It is such a good sport to exercise all areas and not mention the great cardio vascular benefits. There is a saying: "If you think your sport is hard, try doing it holding your breath." It doesn't matter to me whether or not they want to participate in the meets, but I do see the benefits of being part of a team and learning how to compete and be a good sport. And the best part of swimming competition is: "Winning is beating your own time." Whether you come in first or not is not the goal, it's all about doing your best and seeing the small improvements along the way.

Seeds

One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides.

~W.E. Johns, The Passing Show

I have started the first seeds of the spring and summer growing seasons. I planted basil (can't wait for this year's round of fresh pesto), grape or jelly bean tomato, Roma tomato, chives, sage, zinnia, sweet pea, and lavender. I love the idea of seeds, taking something so tiny and of seemingly little value and watching it become a full grown flower or fruit producing wonder. It is always amazing and surprising to me when my seeds spout and grow. Last year, my herbs really flourished and we enjoyed the flavors of the season on many lovely dishes. I hope to expand the garden this year adding some other things to the mix. I have started with these few things, as not to be overwhelmed with too much to plant at once. I will plant new seeds when these reach germination.

Gardening is sort of new to me. I began herb gardening in containers in an effort not to pay the ridiculous prices for pitiful quality and quantity herbs in the grocery store. I also wanted to make sure my herbs and veggies were organic. I kept a dutiful eye on my perennial plants all winter making sure they stayed warm and healthy, so I don't have to start completely over with my herbs. My neighbor, who loves to garden, has been a great encourager. She gives me advice and babysits my seeds or plants if I have to be out of town. It is such a blessing to share tips with each other.

I am also a sucker for all the beautiful flowering plants. I love all the bright colors and wonderful smells. Flowers make me smile. I hope to spend more time this spring on creating some nice flower beds as well as tending to the veggies and herbs.


Even though I am not a particularly skilled gardener, I do enjoy the fruits of my labor and the satisfaction of the hard work that comes with the task. It is a real joy and makes me think of the scripture verse from I Corinthians 3:6 "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." I pray this truth for my garden and my life.

Holly Sews

For Christmas, I bought the girls a sewing machine, nothing fancy, just a simple machine to teach them how to do something very useful that I love. They are both taken with all sorts of crafts and most homemaking endeavors, so I thought it fitting. They love to use the machine, much to my delight! Holly made, for her first project, a bag or purse that is really cute and she did a very good job. Today, she made a fabulous apron. It was much more challenging than the bag because of the curves and she had to make bias binding. I helped a little more than I had to with the bag, but she did all the sewing herself. I helped with the ironing and pinning. I am proud of her work and so is she! So cute, good girl.

Knitting

This is my friend's precious new little girl and the sweater and bonnet she is wearing is my latest creation. I am fairly adept at most sewing hand arts such as cross stitch, smocking, embroidery and the like; however, I had never learned to knit. This past summer I decided to teach myself to knit. A friend and neighbor who knits got me started and let me borrow some books and needles and I was off to a great start. Knitting is fun and very addictive. I made some scarves, nothing very hard, and then decided that I wanted to make my friend a knitted layette for her sweet baby girl. Baby things are fun to make because they don't take quite as long and they are so darn cute! It turned out quite well, even if I do say so myself.

Heading in a different direction....

I am going to return to the blog that I have started and restarted a hundred times. I am working on revamping my ideas and changing my perspective about what I want this blog to feature. I am thinking of more of a home/sewing/cooking/gardening theme....more to come soon...I hope. And with this new direction, I need a new blog title...any suggestions?