Blueberry Season

Last week we had the opportunity to pick blueberries at our friends' farm in Northeast Missouri, Lost Branch Blueberry Farm. The day was beautiful with sun shining and a time of cherished fellowship. The blueberry bushes were loaded with ripe berries ready for picking, and my children didn't hesitate to jump right in with buckets in hand. While we chatted and picked, the kids enjoyed running up and down the rows rejoicing over each plump, purple treasure they found. By the end of our time the load of berries we brought home was enough to make a fresh pie, eat tons by the handful, and still stick some in the freezer for blueberry pancakes or muffins at a later date.

A wonderful day with great friends. Thank you, Price Family!

Make sure to stop by and pick your own if you are anywhere within the northeast Missouri region, or just need a good excuse to be =)

Music to Share

I recently heard about the music group Page CXIV over at Thoughts On the Way, and decided to do some further investigating into their music. On their website they state the following:The hymns they sing are incredible blessings and an excellent resource for praising our Lord. Here is a sample.

Find out more and support the project at Page CXVI.

Knockout Entrepreneur by George Foreman

Building a business. Venturing out. Striving for more.

These are all themes found in the Knockout Entrepreneur.

This book is an autobiographical look at building a business and a better life through perseverance in difficult situations. It is a motivational push to pursue entrepreneurial ventures against the odds. In his personal writing style, Foreman, with Ken Abraham, presents the reader with a host of tips and advice for overcoming defeat or moments of indecision. "Successful people, however, realize that rejection means that you move on to the next opportunity." Overall this book is a challenge to become a stronger person when life presents new heights to be gained.

While encouragement is always refreshing, this book may rank a bit higher for those who have an interest in boxing as Foreman often refers to his own life and the lessons he has learned along the way. I found the material to be a bit more focused on Foreman's history than I had originally hoped when I got the book. Certainly we can all learn from the lives of others, but this didn't quite suit me personally. The book is one of Thomas Nelson's Nelson FREE books which means you are really buying 3 books in one- hard copy, ebook, and audio. This might not be a top rating book on my shelves, but the exposure to the Nelson FREE material is certainly incentive to pursue more of their books in that program.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Let's Play "Spot the Difference"

I had hoped to post images of the second remodel before now, but life is moving along at break-neck speed currently. So amidst blood, sweat and tears the second bathroom remodel was completed. We are thrilled with the results!
You may not initially see a huge difference in the photos, but look closely. You will find that we changed out horrible looking linoleum with tile, the trim is now white with bead-board, and while you can't see the change from the first photo, the cabinet has been painted white with a new counter-top, sink and faucet installed. (Bead-board is a pain to paint, but has a glamorous aesthetic =)

And, voila, we have brought our bathroom to the 2010's! It is such a refreshing change we do wish we would have taken the time to do it sooner. Ah, but that is how all household projects go, especially when one is seeking to make it look as appealing to a buyers market as possible.
On to the next project- fresh coat of paint in the laundry room...

Crazy Life!

Old Bathroom

Things have been a bit busy around our place as we work to sell our home and move a few hours north of where we currently reside. Along with packing, cleaning, homeschooling, work and other duties of life we also decided to update our Master Bathroom. Thankfully this is the smallest room of the house, so it didn't take too incredibly long. We replaced the flooring, sink and vanity. The whole room got a fresh coat of paint (actually three coats after removing wallpaper border and covering the dark tan it was before). We are pleased to see the improvements and are praying a buyer will be pleased soon as well.

New Bathroom

Celebrating Passover

We are a non-denominational, Bible-believing Christian family that seeks to serve the Lord through continued understanding of His Word and the blessings of the Almighty. With all that said, we celebrated the Passover earlier this week as a tribute to the Jewish tradition and a reflection on the Ultimate Sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ, who came to save those who are lost. This event occurred through much reflection on the history of Passover and the Biblical context of the holiday. We used the book Biblical Holidays from Heart of Wisdom as our main resource for planning the holiday. We also did a lot of online research and Bible reading to further determine our evening plans. The result was a full night of celebration, focused on the Passover and the symbolism that points toward Christ as the Messiah.

Here are a few photos of our evening and a menu that we used to put together our Seder. The Matza Tash and Afikomen covers were made using supplies I had on hand. The Afikomen wrap says "Messiah" in Hebrew. The last photo here doesn't really show the food well. (I forgot to take a photo until after the meal had begun.)
.Our menu included-

• Matzo Ball Soup
• Potato Kugel
• Roast Beef
• Steamed Asparagus w/ Red Wine Vinegar
• Apricot Jello Mold
  
• Passover Chocolate Torte- This was delicious
  
• Kisses - Meringue Treats from Joy of Cooking

While this was a fun menu for our first Passover, I imagine there will be changes to it in the years to come. Feel free to ask questions in the comment section if you are curious. I will answer them if I am able.

The 39 Clues

For my oldest son's 8th birthday he wanted a detective theme. The party went well with a mystery to solve as our main activity. Along these lines my husband's mother, aunt and uncle sent a theme-appropriate gift, the first 4 audiobooks of The 39 Clues. With a bit of skepticism I have begun to learn more about these books and have to admit I am intrigued by the depth of thought put into each book and the surrounding activities. Anyone captivated by National Treasure movies can appreciate the type of "what's-coming-next suspense" these childrens' books depict. As we begin this next adventure of discovery my sons have been hooked into a world of espionage, mystery, and problem solving. More to come as the tale unfolds. Learn more for yourself at The 39 Clues homepage.