Winner - "Favorite Things Giveaway"

Wow! I loved all your sweet comments on the 100th Post. Thank you.

But onto more important matters . . . winner of the giveaway!

I used a Random Number Generator for complete, utter, and total accuracy, and it tells me the winner is:

#10!!

And #10 just so happens to be:

LACEY

who blogs at

PONDERING PARENTING

Check out her blog. With 6 kids (and 5 of them age 6 and under!) there is never a dull moment. Lacey makes me laugh and I love the way she thinks and writes!

Lacey, just e-mail me (look on blog sidebar) and let me know if you want chocolate hazelnut or cranberry pecan biscotti or a mixture of both.

More "favorite things" giveaways to come! I can't think of anything more fun than sharing some of my favorite things with you!!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Painting and Perspective

There's nothing like 93 degree weather, splinters in your knees, and the smell of oil-based stain to give you a little perspective.

The Man of the House left us with instructions to please stain the deck. I immediately nominated Oldest Son and Middle Son to help out. Oooh, it is good to have a homegrown labor force.

Oldest Son does not complain. He plunges in to the work like a mule resigned to the plow and gets going. I heard him once mutter, "Could this be any more uncomfortable?" as he balanced on one knee, a heel, and the palm of his right hand while painting with his left. But the rest was head down, nose to the grindstone. Hard worker.

(wait, I just complimented you for working . . . were you really just listening to music?)

Middle Son does complain . . . and loudly. He questioned everything. Why we hadn't hired someone for this horrific job, why we hadn't rented a sprayer, why we chose an oil-base over a latex base, why having a deck was preferable over exiting the back door and jumping into open air. This probably means he will be a brilliant problem solver in the future, but for today it just meant I had to answer too many questions and justify too many decisions.

My blood started to boil . . . right along with the mercury in the outdoor thermometer. My mind went on a little tirade about ungrateful, selfish children.

However, when it was all over my complainer's section was well done and thorough . . . followed instructions to the letter . . . stain beautifully applied. Job well executed.

On the other hand, I had to call my cheerful worker back to get the stain down in between the cracks. I had given very specific instructions about that. The instructions appeared to have been completely ignored (maybe he hadn't heard me over his i-pod!!).

My blood started to boil . . . right along with the mercury in the outdoor thermometer. My mind went on a little tirade about ungrateful, selfish children. (Wait, this is starting to sound familiar.)

However, when I called my cheerful worker back and showed him his error, he responded beautifully. "Sure, Mom." He got to work in the, by now, blazing afternoon sun. Not a complaint. Redid his work. Got it right this time.

Okay, I'm getting it. It's living with imperfection again. Seeing my kids' strengths. Appreciating them. Seeing my kids' weaknesses. Accepting them, giving grace, watching God grow and change them, knowing none of us will ever be perfect this side of Heaven. Letting the grumbling roll off my back and loving the job well done. Patiently accepting slivers of board left unstained and loving the heart that is willing to work.

No, there's nothing like 93 degree weather, splinters in your knees, and the smell of oil-based stain to give you a little perspective on this business of mothering . . . of loving . . . of living with imperfection.

(p.s. Don't forget to leave a comment on the giveaway if you'd like to be entered!! Ends at midnight Friday.)

100th Post and "Favorite Things" Giveaway!!

Wow!! Five months have gone by and I'm already to my 100th post!! My short-lived blogging journey has been interesting and fun and thought-provoking.

Here are a couple of mosaics of some good memories:




Indulge me with one more mosaic!



These pictures bring back a smile or a smirk or a sigh!

After my brief 5 months of blogging, I have a list of 5 things I love about blogging:

1. Blogging is a great way to chronicle what's going on in our lives on a daily basis. I certainly wasn't doing this kind of journaling before!!

2. You readers have been a blast! You make me laugh, give great advice and give me little peeks into your own world. It's so enjoyable to meet people from all over the globe whose lives you would never touch without this amazing, slightly surreal, world of blogging.

3. My commitment to "finding humor, beauty, and joy in the everyday-ness of life" has required me to keep my eyes "peeled" to actually find these treasures. And as a result, I've been richly rewarded in the finding.

4. Blogging is a wonderful, creative outlet when I've had just a little too much vacuuming of dog hair out of carpets, collecting wet towels from various corners of the house, or scraping burnt waffles out of the waffle iron (please tell me why I should have to grease a non-stick appliance!)

5. Blogging gives me something to do with my free time : )!! Ha!

So, to celebrate 100 posts I'm going to do a "Favorite Things" Giveaway. I thought it'd be fun to share some of my favorite things with you.

First off, since you know I love knitting and crochet, I have knitted a dishcloth:

And crocheted a dishcloth just for you:

Remember when I was knitting at the pool and getting a thrill from the blue and the green together? Well, that was all for you, my dears! You were on my mind!

These were knitted/crocheted from the luscious Blue Sky Alpaca 100% organic cotton yarn in the color "pear." Most yummy cotton yarn ever created, I do believe.

If you've read my gardening posts, you know that I have been gifted with neither great desire nor great ability in this area. However, my theory is, if you can't do something well at least look good while doing it. These gloves are included in the giveaway, and they make me look like a downright professional! They're thin and tight so you can do things like tie your tomato plants onto stakes, but they also give your hands great protection.

And if your hands are still a little work-worn, whether it's gardening or bread baking or carpool driving you're doing, here is my favorite, favorite hand cream. A true classic. Your hands will thank you.

Lastly, you might remember me posting about my fabulous brother's fabulous bakery.

I'll be sticking in this little giveaway package some of his delicious freshly-baked biscotti, of course all organic and hand-made, in your choice of chocolate hazelnut or cranberry pecan. I can't show you a picture of the biscotti because I'm going to buy it fresh the day I mail the package!

So, there you have it! Can't wait to send this package of dishcloths, gardening gloves, hand cream, and biscotti off to one of you! Just leave a comment on this post to be entered. But do it by Friday because at the end of the day Friday the giveaway will be closed. (And for those of you who like to comment by e-mail instead of on the post, feel free to enter by e-mail.)

Woo-hoo! Here's to another Happy 100!

The Best Thing About Summer Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping in the summer is a treat!! Bins of large, fuzzy peaches; strawberries sold in 2-pound boxes; plums in every color of the rainbow. But by far the biggest treat of the summer is the blueberries!

And at the height of blueberry season they are available for an unbelievable $2/pint!! Handfuls of fresh, sweet blueberries for less than I can drive through Starbucks and order a coffee.

When the other groceries are tucked into the back of the vehicle, the blueberries come and sit with me in the front seat for just a few tastes of their summer sweetness.

In the parking lot of the grocery store:

"Oh, yummm! Just look at those blue, blueberries against my blue, blue jeans! I'll open the top and eat that big one over on the right."

Before turning out of the parking lot onto the road:

"Okay, I'm going to pick out all the biggest and sweetest ones and eat them on the way home."

At the first traffic light:

"Wow, that was a lot of biggest and sweetest ones. But, mmmmmmmm, nothing says 'summer' like a handful of blueberries!"

At the second traffic light:

"Okay, another handful to celebrate summer."

Turning off the main road toward my subdivision:

"Oh, my! Blueberries really disappear quickly when you're eating them by the handful! Guess I'll just finish these off!"

Turning in to my subdivision:

"Ah, summer, sweet summer. At least no one sees my secret summer indulgence!"

Pulling in to the driveway:

"Mom, mom, mom! You're back!! Did you bring home any of those yummy blueberries???"

An Easy Way to Bring a Smile

I have a dear friend who is a widow. She has no children at home. And I got to wondering the other day what she eats for meals. So while at her house, I made a visit to her refrigerator. Do you know what I found? Bottled water!!! And I think there may have been a full squeeze-bottle of mustard and maybe a half-empty container of salad dressing. Gasp!

This is not for lack of time. This is not for lack of money. No, this is for lack of desire. Because sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it to cook "just for me." And because the act of cooking a meal and eating it all by yourself can make your loneliness increase three-fold.

Yes, she is eating, but they're usually meals eaten out, where at least there are people around.

I thought of the large meals cranked out in my kitchen on a daily basis and wondered why I hadn't thought before of sharing some of this home-cooked goodness.

Yes, we've had her over for meals, but I'm not sure our rabble-scrabble dinner table is just the thing for her nerves. She's refined. I don't know that I could use that word to describe our dinner table . . . or the seven people around it. :: sigh:: At our table you are likely to find a child carving a great gouge out of the top of the butter stick, instead of making a neat slice from the front. Or you might see a hand, an arm, and half a body stretch clear across the table to get the last of the watermelon, instead of asking for it politely. And I know I've seen a chocolate chip waffle be tossed across the table when someone asked for the plate to be passed. There's lots of noise and chatter and somewhere along the line something will be spilled or food covertly slipped to one of the dogs. No, my refined widow friend can take our meals only in occasional doses.

But this night I was making Black Bean Soup . . . spicy, fragrant, nourishing. I made a little extra and put it into 3 empty (and clean!) salsa jars. I added a nice, thick slice of watermelon, my very favorite multigrain sourdough bread from Publix, and a small container of sour cream (because this soup is even better with some of this creamy goodness!).

It was so easy and inexpensive . . . goodness, it was what I was already serving!! And I think I got more joy than she when I saw her delighted face and knew that she would enjoy 3 home-cooked meals with a little family love stirred in for good measure.

It's an easy way to pass on comfort and bring a smile to someone who could use it. I must remember to do this more often!

Simple Joys Along the Way

There is delight in looking for, and finding, joy in the simple, the everyday, even the mundane.

To my great surprise, I find that when I am intent on finding these little pleasures in the everyday, I begin to find them in abundance. Each day can become a treasure hunt. And each find a surprising gift.

Here are some of the simple joys I have stumbled upon lately. I would've missed them if I wasn't looking.

Flowers that by a dictionary definition would be called weeds but when

picked by the hands of Youngest Son and Youngest Daughter, stuffed into

miscellaneous vases and salt shakers, and placed "up high" so as to be

best seen become sweet objects of art.

Laundry hanging in the summer sunshine behind a tiny,

wood-heated house down the road.

The slowly unfurling, waxy petals of the magnolia

blossoms in the backyard.

The look of awestruck wonder on the face of a child allowed to eat her entire bag of Skittles.

Who knew you could find beauty while

walking the aisles of Sam's??

Icy cold bottled water taken in refreshing gulps

in the muggy heat of summer.

Large, barely blushing dahlias just cut

from My Mom's garden.

A riotous celebration of the ability to do your hair "all by myself."

"Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father . . . "

My Hero

Some women want their heroes to come dashing in on a stunning white stallion.




I'll take mine in a small VW bug with a logo on the side.




Some women want a shiny, silver shield over their hero's arm.






I'm satisfied with a badge.





Some women want their hero to be suave, debonair, and buff.

(Hmmm, this does look pretty appealing.)

I'm pleased with slightly portly and plump.





Some women would be thrilled to be rescued by a man wearing strong, sturdy combat boots.

I'm currently attracted to black shoes, white socks and slightly too-short black pants.

Sometimes you just can't be choosy when it comes to being rescued.

All I know is this man restored my internet service, and he is my hero.

(So sorry not to give you a good face shot. This hero is shy like that.)