A Peppermint Summer

Now on Etsy! http://www.felicitycottage.etsy.com

Mint Chocolate

Now Available!! http://www.felicitycottage.etsy.com

Yet Another Item on Etsy. ;-)

You can check out the listing by clicking HERE

New Item up on Etsy!

Please take a look at my shop on Etsy. I have these culottes/split skirt up for sale on there. I will remake them in the size you need from 2T-8. Thank you for looking! :)

Felicity Cottage Creations

Tackle It Tuesday~Pots and Pans

My Pot and Pan cupboard had been a source of irritation to many. Me... I have mommy brain, so I just really didn't care at the time. I figured it was going to get messy again any way. But I needed to show some care and consideration to others living in my household. ;-)

So, at Target, I found this little handy dandy thingamajig:

Thing is, I bought it thinking it would hold my "pots" not "pans". So I brought it home all excited that there was some solution to my problem. Well a few of my "pots" didn't fit. But MOST of them did. Yippie!!

I turned the thingamajig on it's side, rather than straight up and down.

Here is my before picture.

You can tell, I "really" didn't care. Many of my friends think I am "Martha Stewart" because I like to make whole wheat bread, and decorate cakes, and sew, and stuff. But there are some areas in my life that is weak. ;-)

So....Here is the after:

See my neat little areo pointing to my "pot" rack? Nifty, huh?

Also, my closet got a good cleaning, but I didn't take any before and after pictures of that. Besides, that is a bit way too personal for me to share. ;-)

To see what others are tackling please visit Five Minutes for Mom.

Simple Woman's Day Book

FOR TODAY~March 23rd, 2009...

*note:
I am getting this up late. Sorry about that, but it was a full and busy day. I didn't *have* to put this up on my blog, but, hey! I like blogging! ♥

Outside my window...

It's grey and a bit blustery. Sweetie is outside pretending something. She LOVES the outdoors. Fritz is out there as well. He loves to be around his family when they are outside

I am thinking...

that life used to be alot more simpler when I was a child.

I am thankful for...

real and genuine people

From the learning rooms...
Sweetie has been picking up alot of "practical learning" this past week. She has also been thoroughly enjoying her free art lessons that a lady in our home school support group has been giving. I am thankful for these opportunities.

From the kitchen... It's defend for yourself night, LOL!. I am probably going to have a bowl of cereal, and most likely the kids will have eggs and toast. I don't feel bad though, because I treated them to Chick-Fil-A today. :D

I am wearing...
comfy denim, and a eggplant purple tunic blouse. No shoes, but white socks. ;-)

I am creating...
I am going to be doing some more sewing this week. I will post my photos of finished products from last week below.

I am going...
To my friend's Katie's house for a Bible Study

I am reading...
Still working on Captivating. And reading tid bits here and there of various books. Some herbal books, some books on gardening. I am having a major bout of ADD when it comes to reading. Also, I am reading "The Doll House People" or something like that to Sweetie. She has really been enjoying it. So have I! :)

I am hoping...
To save some extra cash for something special I have in mind

I am hearing...
The washing machine, and Bean getting a "Boo Boo pack" cause she has a headache. :(

Around the house...
Bean and Tiny Boy are watching Thomas the Train. Last week I purged out my closet, and cleaned my pots and pans cabinet. I am hoping to do some more de-cluttering this week as well.

One of my favorite things...
Chick Fil A Sweet Tea with LOTS of lemon! YUM!

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Work on implementing the Family Circles that I blogged about a few weeks ago. Make a batch of homemade wholewheat bread, and do some crafts with the kids.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Bean Modeling my one of kind outfit that I sold on Etsy three hours after I listed it! I am planning on making more, and I'll be sure to let you know when I do! :)

An Apron I made for my best friend Esther....this was supposed to be her Christmas present, but LOL, she got it now instead. But that's ok. She's my best friend of four little ones herself, and so understands why it was late. ;-)

A Baby Dress and Hat and Shoes that I made for my Sister in Law for her little baby girl due anytime now!The Shoes Upclose

To read more day books, please visit The Simple Woman's Day Book.

Wordless Wednesday~ Teamwork!!

To See more Wordless Wednesday Pictures please Visit Five Minutes For Mom. :)

Simple Woman's Daybook~ March 16th, 2009

FOR TODAY~March 16,2009...
Outside my window... Fritz is outside doing his doggie business. It's sunny and very warm.

I am thinking... About so much stuff. Not sure how to put it in writing because my thoughts are swarming around like bees with no direction of where they are going, LOL!

I am thankful for... My husband. He's a good guy that has such a learning heart.

From the learning rooms...We have been working on the "Three R's" Sweetie is getting very proficient in reading. She just gets discouraged too easily before trying. I am wondering how to overcome that?
We have also begun some drawing lessons that a lady in our home school group is teaching for free! Sweetie *really* enjoyed the first lesson.

From the kitchen... Swamp Soup (Aka Split Pea Soup)

I am wearing... Still in my PJ's (blushing)

I am creating... I just got finished with one sewing project. I can't tell about it yet, but hopefully, I will be able to on Show and Tell Friday. I am going to start on another sewing project that I can't tell about yet, but will hopefully on Friday as well! :)

I am going... To the Post Office to Mail my Sister in Law's baby shower gift. I am also going to take Sweetie to another drawing Lesson later this week. Tonight I am going to my friend's house for a Bible Study. Whew! Busy, Busy, Busy!!

I am reading... "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge

I am hoping... To untangle all those busy thoughts in my brain

I am hearing... Tiny Boy playing with Play-Dough next to me. And the girls are watching a Veggie Tales Video

Around the house... Oh man! I *NEED* to clean out my closet or someone will be seriously hurt from the avalanche of stuff that could crush them when they open the closet door!

One of my favorite things... Tiny Boy's spontaneous affection and cuddles

A few plans for the rest of the week: Organize the Pot and Pan cabinet. Somehow someway. *sigh*. Make a batch of bread, and catch up laundry.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Tiny Boy trying to sit at the table like a *BIG* boy without a booster, and upset that I dare to take his picture.

Please visit The Simple Woman's Day Book to read what other's are up to today. :)

Tippiecanoe

"Enjoy Your Childhood!"

Ever remember your parents saying that to you? I tried...I honestly did! But now that I am an adult...well I didn't appreciate childhood as I should of.

~

This is me on my horse Tippicanoe around the age of 13 or 14. I think almost every little girl now adays dreams of horses. Their ultimate fantasy.

I was *extremely* blessed to be able to have a couple of horses in my childhood. And I believe those horses were part of my "positive" shaping in my life.

~

They taught me soooo many things:

1. Discipline

2. Cleaning up "stinky" stuff. ;-)

3. Life and Death

4. Safety is a HUGE goal, but not a guarantee in life

5. To enjoy the creation that God gave to man

6. God answers prayer

7. Friendship

8. Took lots of time, so kept me out of lots of trouble. ;-)

~

This horse in particular. He was such a character!

In his lifetime of me owning him, he:

~

1. broke into a garage and started to eat the dog food

2. Caused another horse to have surgery on their leg...twice! (Same horse)

3. Broke a window

4. Tore a pipe out of the ground

5. Pushed the wire fence off of the top wooden board, and crawled under the fence, and escaped

6. Would wake me up every morning by kicking the gate in front of my bedroom window to feed him.

~

I miss this guy!

He was terribly afraid of vaccinations. When we bought him we had a really good lady vet. She couldn't handle him for shots, so we had to find a strong man vet to administer the vaccinations, LOL!

~

When I got married....we as a married couple could not afford him. It wasn't fair to my parents to continue paying for feed, and upkeep.

~

So...I gave him to a Christian Bible Camp for children. I am sooo glad I did. He is *still* there after seven (almost eight) years of marriage. He is one of the children's favorite horses. He has lots of land to run and play, and he now is giving another child a positive influence in their lives. Yes, the Lord can use a horse. ♥

~

Rev 6:2
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

Family Circles

Doorposts is a neat little company that puts out many products that encourages a home to base everything they do in scripture. One neat little thing they have is called Family Circles.

Here is their description of the product:

Do you ever wonder if you are spending enough time with each of your
children individually? Do you ever feel like you should set aside your work
sooner in order to spend more time with your children or spouse? Do you ever
feel like you really don’t know the people you live with?
This little kit,
combined with your resolve, could change the whole atmosphere of your home. It
is designed to help you set aside time each day for each of your children and
for your spouse.
It is simply two circles mounted on a piece of paper. The
large circle is divided into sections for each child in your family. The smaller
circle is divided into sections listing activities to share with your spouse.
Around the outside of the large circle different activities are written. As
you turn the circle each day, it will tell you what special thing to do with
each person that day.
We can’t tell you how much this has affected our
family! We are getting to know each other in a way we never have before. It has
helped us to spend time with each child each day. And it has renewed our
marriage. (Really! This isn’t just sales hype!)
We know you could do this
yourself--we’re just trying to make it easier for you! This kit gives you:
A
more detailed description of the idea and its results
Circles already drawn
and marked for dividing into the desired number of sections
Suggestions for
profitable activities to rotate
Drawings to paste onto each section so that
eager non-readers will know what they "get to do with Daddy today"
Instructions for assembly
All you need is scissors, ruler, pen, paste,
and a brad fastener!

So I have set one up for our little family, and we will see how it plays out. I really like this idea. I know I need to spend time more one on one time with each child. I tend to spend more with one or the other on any given week. Depending on who is "acting" out more, LOL!

I have six different activities to do with each child each week. So we will see how it goes. But I thought I would let anyone out there know about it, and maybe they too could give it a try. :)

Wordless Wednesday~Myrtle Beach

I have been playing around with Photo Shop. I am not sure if it is considered "good". But I like it, and that's what counts, right? ;-)

Before

After

For More Wordless Wednesday photo's, be sure to visit Five Minutes For Mom

A Man may Work from Sun to Sun, but a Woman's Work is *Never* Done!

" *Sigh* Will I ever catch up with the laundry? Wait! What?! Do I see something in there? Do you?"

"Why, it looks like a little Bean in there! Does it to you?"

"I guess she makes my work worthy to do!" ♥

Pro 14:4
Where no oxen [are], the crib [is] clean: but much increase [is] by the strength of the ox.

Peace and Healing

My last post~ I *Wanted* to be Amish; it is just a smidgen of who I have become today. It's part of my history.

I am convinced that all of human life on this earth are in pursuit of something, and that is "peace".

Peace is such a pretty word too. Whenever I hear it, I always think of soft breezes, the warm glow of the late afternoon sun. The smell of jasmine wafting in the breeze. Children laughing and playing the neighborhood as an occasional dog barks.

Or I think of a log cabin with smoke drifting out of it's chimney in the twilight hours. Horses grazing and hearing the "munch munch" sound.

But reality is....it isn't *always* that picture perfect.

I am *such* an idealistic perfectionist, that when I "grew up" I had a pretty hard blow to my head when I entered "reality".

Before I entered life in the world of cruelty, I think I was a bit like Anne Shirley. But Anne kept her "dreamy" ways despite the hard cruel world. And there was no Mariella to firmly but gently help guide me back to the "real world". ;-)

So. I didn't stay in my "dreamy" ways after adulthood. In fact, to be blunt and honest. I about lost my mind. ;-) My little duckies didn't all line up in a row. In fact, they were stubborn little things! Most of the swam in directions that I wasn't anticipating and others out right flew away from me! (The ducks being my " idealistic dreams") And my imagination just wouldn't cooperate. (Like Ann, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't seem to imagine her red hair away)

I have a very strong sense of "right" and "wrong", "truth" and "lies".

And if there was any breech in these qualities, in my own character, my idealistic perfectionism would take over, and my conscience would be overwhelmingly guilty. I couldn't seem to imagine away the wrong that I had done either. Nor did I feel I had the right to imagine away my guilt. That too would be a sin.

My idealistic perfectionism geared towards my "spiritual life". At first, the spiritual walk that I had chosen seemed to be working quite well.

But as time went on, my mind began to become affected with wrong thinking about myself and about God himself, and it lead into a deep, dark, and l-o-n-g depression.

Finally, after what seemed forever, I found peace. But despite the fact that I had peace, I needed to "heal" from some major wounds. Some of those wounds I had inflicted upon myself, and some wounds, from others who ignorantly wounded me.

But the funny thing is...all of us humans... all of us on the journey to find real peace, we also seem to need some kind of "healing" as well.

My story is different than yours I am sure. But I am also sure that almost everyone that I come in contact with has a story. And most of the time that story involves pain from wounds in their past.

The good news is...there is hope. There *is* healing.

Luke 4:18
The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

I *Wanted* to be Amish

I am a "weird" girl. I guess I have always been strange. My brother would always chide me, "Mom dresses you funny" and I really didn't care, because I liked the way my mom dressed me. :-P

And then when mom pulled me out of public school to home school me, my weirdness only got weirder. ;-)

I guess my fascination with the Amish began when my mom, as part of my "history" lessons sat me on the couch and would read hours upon hours of Laura Ingalls Wilder to me.

She and I began to dream of "yesteryear" and how much more "fun" it would be to live in a cabin, sew our own clothes, and be content with the "simpler" things of life.

Then mom introduced me to Kirsten of the American Doll series, and that only fed my love for that time period in American History.

I would pretend to go to "school" in a one room school house while doing my lessons. My sister, an artist, had old quill pens and ink bottles, and I would write "journals" with them.
My mother invested in sewing lessons for me, and I sewed a pioneer dress, and sun bonnet to play my fantasies out.

Then my mom found the Mandie series. Historical, Mystery Fiction. Ah, I was in heaven!

I wished with a "passion" we could go back to the "good old days"

One year, we visited my grandmother who lived about two hours from Lancaster Pennsylvania. She asked us if we wanted to go spend about four days there and see the "Amish". I was about 13 at the time, and I asked "What's the Amish"

Mom explained to me that they were people living out the "simple" life like Laura Ingalls did. They didn't have electricity, they drove horse and buggies, grew their own food.

I couldn't believe it! Really and Truly there were people "alive today" that lived like that! Of course I wanted to go!

Those four days were more fascinating and "happy" than anytime I went to Disney World. We bought tons of books about the Amish. We toured an Amish "farm", we followed Amish Buggies around, and even took an authentic buggy ride!
We learned there were different "sects" of Amish, and that each had their own "rules" to follow.

One rule that seemed to be prevalent in MOST Amish/Mennonite communities was that the women always covered their head with a little hat. I thought it was kind of quaint...but I didn't know that they did it because they thought that the Bible said to do that. (I Corinthians 11)

When my mother showed me this scripture passage, I wondered why we didn't. We were Christians weren't we? Why didn't we wear that little hat?

We went home, and I devoured all the books that we had bought in Pennsylvania. It only fed my thirst for that type of life "more". I discovered that Mennonites had publishing companies such as Rod and Staff, and Christian Light.

They even had tapes, explaining biblicaly why they did all the stuff that they did. As I read this and devoured this, I became dissatisfied with my own "spiritual" life. Compared to the Amish it seemed "vain" and "empty".

I started to wear only dresses, and I tried making little head coverings to wear, but my dad wouldn't let me out of the house with it on, lol!

I started to grow my hair and never cut it. I had read in one of their tracts to even have bangs was "cutting of the hair" and I wasn't satisfied with the hairline that God had given me. Although I had a protruding forehead, and a high hairline.

I began to read my Bible more, and praying more. I discovered other things to fuel my "religious conservatism" Magazines, pen pals, books, sermons on tapes, etc.

At times, my mom thought it was "cute" when I wanted to be Amish, but as it drug on into my early teen years, she probably thought she created a monster! ;-)

Thankfully, that "Amish" phase passed. I now no longer believe modern convinces are a sin, and I no longer think that I have to be a certain "way" to be acceptable to God. But some of those "Amish Philosophies" lingered *LONG* after I ditched the prospects of ever becoming Amish. ;-)

And I'll continue on in my story at a later date:

But... in the meantime, I STRONGLY recommend that you read Beverly Lewis who is a Christian fictional writer who writes fiction about the Amish. After all my research of the Amish, and reading respected sources of the Amish, Beverly Lewis truly gets into the minds and ways of the Amish, without "romanticizing" things. And also gracefully shows the errors in their thinking about God. My favorite series that she wrote was Abram's Daughters. That really clued me in! ♥

Wordless Wednesday~Bean's Build An Elephant! ♥

Be Sure to Visit Five Minutes For Mom to see other Wordless Wednesday pictures. ♥

Oatmeal Goodness

As promised, here is a post on how I Roll/crush my oatmeal ♥

First I have my Bosch Universal Mixer. This baby is waaay better than Kitchen Aide. I had Kitchen Aide when we were first married and I enjoyed it immensely. But when I began to bake my own bread I read in several places that the Kitchen Aide would not cut it when I wanted to mix dough with my Whole Wheat Flour. It would burn the moter out.

Bosch has been around for years, and it comes with a limited lifetime warranty. My husband bought ours with a tax return when we were pretty poor. They are fairly pricey. Around $500, but sooooo worth the price!

The attachments that you see next to my Bosch mixer are from the Family Grain Mill. The Family Grain Mill is a versatile hand cranked mill and oat roller/flaker. You don't need a BOSCH to Roll your own oats.

The Family Grain Mill was given to me by my parents as a graduation gift from college. I know. I am a weird girl. I actually asked that from them when they asked me what I wanted, LOL!

When my husband bought me the BOSCH he also bought the connector that allows the Family Grain Mill and Flaker to become motorized through the BOSCH mixer

So here it is all set up to roll the oats.

We buy our Oat Groats in 5 gal Pails that are CO2 packed. The place we buy them from is The Bread Becker's out of Woodstock Georgia. They have several co-op groups through the South and South East. If you visit their website, they give a list of where their co-ops are at.Here are whole oat groats

These are what Whole Oat Groats look like

In the hopper ready to be crushed and rolled and flaked

Coming out of the Roller into a glass pan

All the oats have been crushed and rolled

Now, I have a pan of boiling water going, and I add the oats to the water

I let simmer about four minutes

Then let it set five more minutes to cool down

Add some Raw uncooked honey

Add some pure vanilla extract. My husband actually makes ours. Yum!!!

Add lots of Cinnamon. Cinnamon is *VERY* good for you.

Organic Milk

And Raisins to mine. The kids don't like Raisins in theirs.

So there you have it. That's how I Crush/roll my oats. ♥

Simple Woman Day Book~March 2nd 2009

FOR TODAY ~March 2nd, 2009...

Outside my window...It is early early morning. It is dark, cold and blustery

I am thinking...About alot of things on my mind, and the wisdom that I need to take the correct direction

I am thankful for... God's Grace, and Help in times of need

From the learning rooms...This week we will be working on more reading, writing and math. Working more on our "fish" lap books

From the kitchen...Rice and sausage and black beans.

I am wearing... My PJ's

I am creating...I did alot of "creating" last week and I am pooped out. So I may just have some "fun" with the kids this week. ♥

I am going... Hopefully No Where. I need to stay at home and focus on the family and managing the home.

I am reading... Tid Bits here and there. Some of Charlotte Masons Companion

I am hoping... To find a solution to some issues that have come up

I am hearing... Our Grandfather clock gently ticking the time away

Around the house... Everyone is still sleeping

One of my favorite things... When a friend gets happy news ♥

A few plans for the rest of the week: Make Bread, and stay on top of my Motivated Moms List

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Tiny Boy's and Bean's birthday Cakes

To Read More Day Books please visit: The Simple Woman's Day Book