because this one should come first ... even if I am a month late

A little over a month ago, on September 17th, we celebrated LB's 12th birthday, but I failed to blog about it, so I am doing it today, on D's 6th birthday, before I write about him sometime this week (I hope!!!).

So, we've entered new territory with this girl of ours.  In less than one year eleven months, there will be a teen-ager living in our house!  But, I am trying not to spend too much time dwelling on such a disturbing thought and I am also not sold on what seems to be the general concensus that if you have a teen, you have to put up with, ahem, shall we say, difficult behavior until those terrible years have passed.  I am just not sure that being rude, disrespectful and generally disrupting the rest of the family has to come with the territory.

Anyway, off my soapbox and back to my girl.

It has been a big year.  LB is growing into a young woman in every way.  She is learning to cook and help out around the house.  Most importantly, she is growing in her sensitivity to others.  This is important, but it does also make some things harder.

I am proud of the young woman she is becoming, but I probably don't tell her that often enough.  I do love the fact that she still loves to play dolls and I think she would still play dress-up if any of her old dress-up clothes still fit :o).   She hasn't started asking to wear make up yet and she had the guts (or just didn't know better than) to tell some friends last month that her Mama doesn't want her dressing hot to attract boys.  One of the girls then told her that she didn't understand because she is home schooled ... well, maybe that is true, but it certainly isn't a bad thing!  This little incident opened the door for a good discussion about her future and the things that her Daddy and I think are important for her to know.

Many times in the last year, my Mama and I have talked about how our little girl has disappeared and been replaced by this preteen girl who is still struggling to figure out who she is and where she is going.  It would be a lie for me to say that I don't miss the bubbly motor-mouth of days gone by, but I know that this transformation is necessary.  The older she gets, the more I realize the need for me to pray harder and more for her as she navigates waters that seem much muddier for her generation than they were for mine.  Still, there can be no doubt that God has a plan for her life and even though I sometimes feel a sadness for the little girl, I can't wait to see where He will lead her.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.  Philippians 1:6

Complimentary Caramel Pie ... after supper at O'Charley's

The set of Julie books Grandmother and Papa gave LB

Her gently used Nikki and Sprocket (American Girl) doll that her Daddy
and I bought from a family member for LB



JW chose a set of American Girl paper flowers for LB
(are you seeing the theme here?)



D actually went a little different and gave her a set of stamps ... which she
used today to make his birthday card!

some people show goats ...

Us?  We do crafts.

Two years ago, I had no idea that ordinary people could enter their craft items to be judged and displayed at the fair.  I have seen the displays before, but never paid a whole lot of attention to them until Marie and Donna started talking about their Keepers group and the items that they would work on as fair entries.  Last year we dabbled in the idea of fair entries ~ LB entered 4 items and I entered 2.  We decided that we really like doing it, so this year we did a few more ... 13 for LB and 11 for me.  JW even entered two items - a glass etching and a painted wooden sailboat - and was surprised with blue ribbons on both.  LB received 7 blue ribbons and 6 red ribbons ... and just for the record, she has already spent her prize money at least 10 different ways, but the top of her list is a trip to the American Girl store when we go to Atlanta next month for a short vacation and to work in the OCC processing center.  All in all, we were quite pleased with the results of this year's fair and we spent a lot of time looking at the projects displayed and talking about the things we can do for next year.

JW and D worked together to paint the sailboat



LB's small crocheted purse ... I may have helped with this one just a little

The little glass jar in the middle is JW's etching

 

LB's "hobo" bag ...

she made it with some help from her Grandmother



LB's mosaic picture frame

LB's quilling ... she also painted the picture frame

LB's string art

My very first doily

My tin punch ... I think this could be a pretty good stress reliever



The set of multi-colored coasters in the center is mine ...
the off-white ones to the left of mine were made by my friend Donna



 

This is my quilling ... and it is my favorite of all my fair entries this year.


 Next year I plan to enter more crocheted items ... especially the larger ones like an afghan and a baby blanket.  I would also like to do a dresser scarf or table runner in the fine thread category.  JW is all excited about entering things next year since he now realizes that there is money involved!  We'll just have to wait and see if he can maintain his excitement long enough to actually get things made all next next year.

daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...

It is an absolutely beautiful day!  Fall is in the air and

while it may not be here to stay, I am going to enjoy it while I can.

I am thinking...

about D's birthday coming up and the fact that I still haven't posted about LB's birthday.

I am thankful...

for home schooling friends who remind me what is important.

From the learning rooms...

today we will begin reading about famous explorers as we prepare for Book-It next week.

In the kitchen...

Ronnie brought home about 8 huge bags of frozen onions from work last week (he works for a trucking company and sometimes they get to use things from undeliverable loads) so I think I'll make him some french onion soup for supper tonight and maybe I'll get really energetic and make fresh bread to go with it ... now I just have to decide what to fix for the kiddos who wouldn't touch the soup with a ten-foot pole!

I am wearing...

gray sweats, orange t-shirt

I am creating...

I'm working on a crocheted doll blanket for one of my shoe boxes

 and a small afghan for my mom's birthday

I am going...

nowhere today ... Ronnie has my van!

I am wondering...

why some things have to be so complicated!

I am reading...

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

I am hoping...

for many things ... one thing in particular is that LB is happy with the

results from her fair entries.  Last year she entered 4 items, this year she had 13.

I am looking forward to...

working the fair booth for Operation Christmas Child this Saturday.

I am hearing...

the boys playing the wii and LB talking about her dog.

Around the house...

we are going to need to find somewhere to display the

completed fair projects we'll be bringing home in a couple of weeks.

I am pondering...

how to handle an uncomfortable situation with the right attitude.

One of my favorite things...

FALL!

A few plans for the rest of the week:

going to see our fair entries displayed on Thursday,

then to the pumpkin patch on Friday, and the fair on Saturday.

Here is picture I am sharing...

Before and after pics of the boys' recent haircuts ...

no offense to any long-haired boys/men out there,
but I have to tell you that I like them better with short hair!

 Don't forget to check out other daybooks over at The Simple Woman's Daybook.