Happy St. Valentine's Day

I know so many people believe it to be a "Hallmark" holiday, but it truly is a celebration of St. Valentine. He was a real person!

 

This what I found in Wikipedia, that may explain the background of St. Valentine a bit better than Hallmark...wink!

~The feast of St. Valentine of February 14 was first established in 496 by Pope Gelasius I, who included Valentine among all those "... whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God." As Gelasius implies, nothing was yet known to him about his life.

He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner – until Valentinus tried to convert the Emperor – whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stones; when that failed to kill him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate. Various dates are given for the martyrdom or martyrdoms: 269, 270, or 273.^[16]

On that pleasant note...

To most of us, Valentine's Day is a happy childhood reminder of elementary school, where we made valentine boxes out of old tissue boxes, and passed out Valentines to all our classmates. Then of course, there was the much anticipated Valentine's Day party, where most of us wore some form of the Valentines Day color theme of pink, red, and white; and finally, had the chance to share and laugh over our funny conversation candy hearts!

These are some Valentine's I received from my pres-school in 1977.

What about Valentine's Day as an adult? Isn't it just a way to get you to spend needless money on a worthless holiday? {This is not my opinion, but rather what I hear echoed on television shows, news, etc.}

Well, I've never felt it was anything but, a great excuse to show your love for the "loves" in your life. That can be a friendship that you love that you have in your life, your children, parents, grandparents, teachers etc. etc.

I personally celebrate Valentine's Day by baking, and surprising my guys with valentines. I'm also making a nice dinner for the 4 of us tonight and yummy desserts. Valentine's Day is another excuse to hug on them and show them how much I love them.

But most importantly, to show how thankful I am that God gave me the gift of having them in my life!

 

Poor Landen is trying to enjoy his cupcake in peace....unsuccessfully!

Even their favorite ball is no match to the cupcake!

These were from Glen to me! I just love the addition of the red carnations.

Don't fall victim to propaganda! Valentine's Day is a REAL day to celebrate our freedom as Christians and any religion, to love one another. And a chance to take another opportunity to show and tell our loved ones how much they matter to us.

Because, none of us knows what tomorrow will bring and we must cherish every day we have with those we love. So having 1 day a year reminding of this specifically? Well, I think it's a gift!

Have A Happy St. Valentine's Day With Your Loved Ones!

 

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Motivational Monday: What is your "real comfort"?

I go to my Pinterest page for my motivational or inspirations for the week. This week, I noticed so many of my friends, family, and myself included, talking about how tired we all are! How we all feel like it is a struggle to get going in the morning or even get out of bed. I find myself not wanting to go anywhere, and just stay home!

The conclusion I came to, is that we were meant to hibernate in the Winter.

I truly believe we were meant to sit by the fire, read, relax, drink coffee or tea and wait for Spring! If you read like I do lately, which is all about American History, I am reading about all the work that is done before Winter...then, you wait for Spring to start that hard work all over again. Now we have things called grocery stores, electricity, and gas log fireplaces, so there is no fear of going hungry from lack of stored food or dying of cold from not enough wood. So even though this seems like we should be happy...I find myself envious of staying in, and wondering why some people can't stand it.

I know...I'm not like everyone else wanting Summer sun. Here in Texas that equals 100+ degree heat!

So today, I was inspired by this quote. Appreciate staying at home, find comfort in being at home. With the strange amount of Winter weather, I know many people have cabin fever. But, maybe we need to see the silver lining, we have grocery stores to stock up on food and supplies, we have electric heat, wood burning heat and gas heat...we most likely have options for staying warm. So, try and find the comfort in being at home.

I personally love Winter! You can add layers...taking off too many layers in Summer can be offensive....

Here is why I love Winter~

My dogs trying to figure out how to walk on ice...

Ice looking as beautiful as snow and making us stay home, like a "snow day". Why is this good? We almost never get a real snow that's this pretty. It's usually a dusting and ice here almost always starts like rain. So this kept us home and looked pretty!

Scarlett warming by the faux fire, but luckily, it does give off heat in the school room.

I love the snow on the gate...

Our backyard fountain with snow just looks so serene...

Our cardinal family still visits in Winter, and always thankful that we put out provisions.

This is also why I like staying home...Snow, (not ice), is somewhat of an enigma to Texans! It took me 1 1/2 hours from point A to point B, in what normally with traffic is 30 minutes!

My Mr. Darby and Miss Bonnie snuggling by the fire.

How do you find "Comfort"?

Happy late Monday!

 

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How to Decorate for FREE!

I love decorating and decorating in a way that looks collected. Sometimes a collected look that adds lots of character to a home, can be pricey. But I tell my clients to try and find items for FREE!

I know this sounds crazy, but it's easier than it sounds. I have a reputation for wanting things old and new. I make sure to tell all my friends, family and even my neighbors...

"Before you throw it out or give it away, please ask me first!"

I always offer to pay for the items I want, but often I find people are wanting to get them out of their house. These can be items people no longer have a use for or just get tired of. Sometimes people find it easier to toss items than donate. So, I tell my friends to call me first!

This also turns into my friends and family telling their friends about my want of seconds and junk. This works for my homeschooling materials too! It's great! It never hurts to ask or just put it out there...

I also find things in my neighbors trash. I know his sounds disgusting. Now don't picture me digging through my neighbors trash..., LOL! I'm finding these items on the curb. I either knock on the door and ask if I can snag it, or I text message them. Most of the time they just laugh at me and say "sure, no problem!" Then, I find them texting me with pictures, saying do you want this....before I throw it out?

I LOVE that!!!

So what do I have that was FREE?

This awesome copper pot has a small patch of black paint on the back, and my neighbor had it in her trash. Lucky me, I saw it first!

{Bonnie is a picture hog, and was following me taking pictures around the house...so funny!}

French antique table I'm sure I've bragged about before. But I seriously adore this table! I got this for free from a friend of a family member. She was redecorating, got tired of the table and wanted it gone before her new table arrived. According to the family member, she paid $10,000.00 ....OMG! I got it and the dining chairs she was tired of too, for FREE!

These chairs had a wine bottle print fabric on them. I recovered them and paired them with a table my husband found on ebay. They were not my favorite style, but I bought two arm chairs to coordinate, and the fact that I got 6 dining chairs for free, is fabulous!

When we built the house, we had leftover plywood. I asked the trim carpenter to cut me a HUGE circle out of it. I painted the face of the clock, purchased the mechanism from a local clock repairman, it required a much larger mechanism than the hobby stores sold, and the nail heads were some I found laying around an antique shop...only a couple nailheads, but it adds to the distressed look. I get asked a lot where I got the clock from. So not completely free...but mostly free!

Thanks to my sister Heather, I got these awesome baskets for the..."oh my gosh, what do I put there?"...space, above our front door.

These urns, I'm sure I've mentioned before too; but, I got these out of my other neighbors trash before she moved. I called her and asked permission to grab them, and YAY, they were mine! I use them all over my house. They've been on my back patio, various centerpieces on dining and entrance tables, as well as above my living room entertainment center.

This bed, I got for free from a friend who was tired of it. I painted it a deep red and I think it turned out to be the perfect fit for another twin in my sons room. This added another sleeping spot for cousin sleep-overs too!

The tiny roll top desk was my grandfather's, my Dad's, and now my sons get to have it. The chair I found for $10 at an antique mall, to finish off the look. Not quite the right height...but it works!

So don't be afraid to ask for Free items, or used items you can acquire for inexpensive. Once you get the word out, people remember, and will ask you if you want their stuff!

Don't be afraid to look past the fabric, paint, and any minor imperfections. A little paint, glue, and fabric can go a long way. Plus some imperfections give an item age and character. This is true for modern design as well. If you want a more modern look, a glossy white or black paint really changes even the most traditional pieces.

So have fun getting the word out that your Cheap...I mean Frugal; and are looking for unique items for free or a great Low price!

Happy Hunting and Have a Fantastic Week!

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Do You Teach Music & Foreign Languages in Your Homeschool?

Most of us have seen the Duggars. They were my first real look at homeschooling.

Intimidating much?

They are ALL so well mannered, self-sufficient, self-motivated, musical...extremely musical and they study foreign languages too!

When you are new to homeschooling, you realize very quickly, that most children that were homeschooled from an early age, know how to play musical instruments very well, they know a foreign language, and are involved in many extra curricular activities.

I thought this was HOMEschool?

Watching and hearing about these familes can be intimidating, as a first time homeschooler. In public school, I had my boys home, in the driveway, at 4pm. There was hardly any time left for anything but homework.

At first I felt obligated to try many things...but mostly excited at all the opportunities we have available to round out their education.

We picked guitar, then piano and piano has been fantastic. It is also fantastic that their piano teacher comes to the home too!

So rule #1: find an instrument they like and stick with it! Consistency for a college resume is KEY! You read enough articles and you figure this rule out, really quickly!

Now what about a foreign language? I heard: wait until high school, start as soon as possible, learn Latin, etc..... At first, I had suggestions from others, that French was the go to language...but, we live in Texas, huh?...Now that I'm thoroughly confused...what do I do? ACK!

I finally got advice from my wonderful sister in law Hannah, who is currently at Harvard. She recommended, as did her friend, another student at Harvard that was homeschooled, *committing, to a foreign language that is a living language, ie. not Latin!

~ A living language, is a language that is spoken daily around the world. eg. Spanish, German, French, Japanese, etc.

* {A long term commitment in musical instruments and a foreign language is key to a great looking college resume!}

Me: "No Latin? But, so many homeschoolers push Latin..is it bad if we don't?"

Their explanation on this recommendation is this:

Latin is great for doctors and lawyers, but a living language will open doors to travel, and career opportunities, as well as career advancement. Here in Texas, Spanish is a great option. They have signs in Espanol at our local stores.

I must say, even my friends who are Dr.s have said it's not necessary to learn Latin for medical school early on. When you learn a foreign language like Spanish or French, they are Latin based, so learning Latin terms later, is easy. So focus on the living languages.

Rule #2: Follow your children's interests and take into consideration where you live. I hear French is great for East Coast residents, I guess because of European travelers?? But here in Texas, Spanish made the most sense!

Chosing Spanish was the easy part. Now where do we find the right instructor?

There are many avenues for a foreign language study.

There is the Rosetta Stone route, or through your local library, there may be online free language programs. Our library had Mango. We used Mango on and off over the last year. We also used a tutoring facility that connected us with a Spanish tutor. She was fantastic, but it just was a little too costly. When you use a tutoring facility, you are paying them to do the research, the use of the building, and don't forget they have to make a profit!

You have to remember, I'm cheap! My husband always tells me to say, FRUGAL...not cheap!

So we took a long break, and realized after trying it on our own, we needed a live tutor. Spanish is not my first language, nor my second. So me trying to help with pronunciation was reallllly funny!

I decided to try and find someone who could come to the house. I began by using my gift of chatting and started asking!

I mentioned it in talking with the boys hairdresser, who mentioned it to another client, and that client is now our Spanish tutor! Luckily, she is a trained teacher and travels to students homes.

Jasmine, our new Spanish tutor, has only given them one lesson, but I can already see that she is a great fit! She will come to our home once a week and give homework. They were very anxious to get started and couldn't stop talking about how much fun she made the class.

This week it's making flashcards and working on memorizing them.

We are excited for the boys to get a foreign language under their belt and we are grateful for having wonderful people around us, always helping us get closer to our goals.

It takes a village!

So, the key in homeschooling your children is networking, chatting, & always putting out there what your needs are...you never know what will land in your lap.

Happy Saturday! Or should I say...Felize Sabado!

 

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Inspirational Monday: Keep Calm~

Keep Calm!...Ya right!

The "Keep Calm..." campaign seems to be everywhere; but, this t-shirt one I found on Pinterest just made me laugh! It was describing ME!

I think it's funny how, no matter how much I plan or organize, I'm always worried I've forgotten something. I guess that is just part of being a busy mom and wife. However, it is nice to have a laugh about my nerves and at the same time, I'm also very thankful for smart phones and calendar alerts!

Here are a few reasons from the last two weeks, that I may be having a little anxiety and yet, they make me SMILE!

~ Miss Bonnie got spayed. It seemed easy enough until they said 4 days of bed rest. Are you kidding me? It was certainly a challenge!

~ Mr. Darby decided he was a mole hunter...poor mole. And a bath it is!

~ After a quick bath, Mr. Darby, {not even completely dry}, was ringing the bell to go out, vigorously! He was recruiting Miss Bonnie to help hunt for critters...ummm, NO!

 

~ This is BEFORE the boys got their braces on...yes, both at the same time...what was I thinking? Poor guys were in pain for 4 days! And not exactly happy.

~ This was them AFTER, 4 days later and eating a liquid lunch before their golf lesson.

~ The never ending laundry! I sure wish my bank account would keep accumulating unexpectedly, like my laundry basket! It is never done...

Oh, and did I mention that I homeschool, LOL! I have to continually research, lesson plan, grade papers, etc. So the moments when I'm asking myself why I'm feeling overwhelmed, {like lately}, I look at my last two weeks and I'm reminded...oh, yes...that's why!

But, then it's those moments I remind myself, that someone has a crazier schedule than me, and life just IS crazy busy. So deal with it...hopefully not making me nuts in the process, heehee!

So this is how I "Stay Calm":

~ Occasionally I get to try new baking recipes...which by the way, this cake was fantastic! It is part of my husbands and my wheat free diet.

A lemon, ricotta, and almond flourless cake. I have this pinned on my Wheat Free board on Pinterest. The color in this picture came out strange, those are sliced almonds on top. I didn't use the powdered sugar, but it was so delicious with coffee and tea!

~ I also turn on one of my favorite movies, "Sense and Sensibility" or "Pride and Prejudice", to relax and fold a little laundry at the same time...trying to kill to birds with one stone.

~ And occasionally I get to take me time too...in my favorite clawfoot tub! I take a detox bath several times a week. It helps with my dry skin from my asthma medications, and supposedly helps rid you of toxins. All I know, is it makes my skin feel great and it relaxes me.

I use Epsom Salts, Hydrogen Peroxide and a dash of Mr. Bubble, it reminds me of being a little girl, I love the smell!

Monday's Inspiration:

Try not to stress, but if you do, try to laugh at yourself! Remind yourself, that life's daily stresses are usually linked to people, animals, and things we love; so in the end, it's worth your time. Life is short, so take a long hot bath, {showers tend to make me feel rushed}. And maybe try to learn something new, like a fun recipe, which may give you another excuse to slow down and watch your favorite "feel good" movie.

Happy Monday and Keep Calm~

 

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