Exciting Achievements and Activities ahead...

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Well... if this don't make a Mamma family excited and proud... I don't know what does? 

Our 6 yr old came home from school, just yesterday, with this (surprise!) Invitation and congratulatory message regarding artwork that she, Aubrey, had done recently in school.

Dear Aubrey,

Congratulations!  Your artwork has been selected to be displayed in this year's Youth Art Month Exhibit.  This exhibit showcases outstanding work by SASD artists in Kindergarten through 12th Grade and honors creativity and artistic achievement.

((Please attend the Artist Reception on March 5th!))...

Congratulations on the artistic excellence you have demonstrated to attain this honor! 

 Sincerely, 

Ms. Sxxxxxxxx

Work on display: Butterfly

So, we're extending the Invitation to you, as well... to all our local friends!

Come on out to Indian Valley Public Library to view this fine exhibit anytime during regular library hours from March 1st through March 30th.

I'll update this post as soon as I am able - with photos of the actual artwork and the budding artist, herself.   Aubrey's been talking about this Butterfly piece she's been working on, in school, but we as a family have yet to see it.

I'm super excited to view this exhibit, myself...
It feels like we're having our own Anne (of Green Gables) moment!

I'm so proud of my little girl!
HERE IS OUR UPDATE of PHOTOS!
She was learning symmetry in her art class... and this is how or why her entry was selected.

The Butterfly!

***
In other news...
All of us, but the youngest, are looking forward to going on a weekend (one-night, one day) overnight excursion with our son's Scout Pack, on this coming Friday night!  My husband is Cubmaster.  We'll be touring and sleeping on the Battleship New Jersey.  A little nervous excitement going on around here - to say the least.  Pictures will be sure to follow - although, I'm not making any promises...not sure if I'll be taking my camera as of yet.
Caleb says (in jest) he'll be sure I, as mom, will either walk the plank or swab the poop deck.  All I answer is, Arrggg Matey!

I'm praying that my ear issue will calm down - before this!

Jayne (3yrs) is super-duper excited to be going to Grandma's overnight... her first time for this, that she remembers!!  She's been talking about this 24/7 since she's first heard about this and her bags are packed with every teddy bear and stuffed animal she can think of... :)
She is not one bit concerned that she isn't going where the rest of us are.


May you have a wonderful weekend, and God's richest blessings be yours!

Liebster Award

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A couple of weeks? ago I was nominated for a Liebster Award!  

 

What is a Liebster Award?

A Liebster Award is a traveling award that is awarded to new bloggers (although, I'm not that new!!) with less than 200 followers. Those nominated then pass the award on to 11 other bloggers who also have less than 200 followers.

I was nominated by my great blogging bud - Kaitlin, from Homemaker Design. Thank you, so much, for your nomination!

Along with the nomination, there are a few rules I have to follow within this post.

THE RULES:

1. Post eleven facts about yourself.
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you and create eleven questions for people you’ve nominated.
3. Choose eleven people (with fewer than 200 followers) to give this award to and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. Remember, no tag backs.

11 FACTS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME:

• Green is my favorite color - but only certain shades.
• I'm not a Scaredy Cat.  I mean, I don't mind bugs, earthworms, mice (dead or alive), snakes, ants, dust bunnies, hairballs, etc.  I just don't always like it when they're out of their territory and in mine.
• I have never had to shave my face..true!  :)
• I wish I could play piano or guitar.  Preferably acoustic guitar..
• my first car was a Silver Plymouth Arrow (or Mitsubishi Jet), 5-speed.  That is what I learned to drive on.
• oh, and I failed my drivers' test minutes before even taking the road/course test. I had to come back another day.  Long story.. true.  That.
• I was twenty-three years old when my dad passed away. I am the oldest of nine children: six girls first and then my three brothers followed. (freebie fact for you, there).
• I make (and eat!) SPAM - at least once, every other week.  The kids love it!  Spamburgers is what we call them.
• About 18 yrs ago, I traveled as a Nanny for a Prison Ministry Team, based out of Goshen, Indiana for about 6 months. I helped to care for their three young children.  Imagine this: Five adults and three kids on an 8' x 45' bus...talk about needing to grow in flexibility!  Wonderful experience...for sure.

 This is hard to come up with stuff.  I must have led (am still leading) a very boring life..  Let's see, what do I have so far?  Nine facts?  Okay..two more..

• I met my husband on eHarmony!!  almost nine years ago.  That was the best thing I could have ever done.  Tell me, I ain't right...
• Shhh!  Fact #11.  I'm not really sure if I'm ready to share this yet or not... but I think I'm really close to writing (finishing up) a General Interest/House and Home sort of Coffee-Table type of book...Lord Willing, something will come of it one day.  Maybe only in my dreams... but it is okay to dream, pray! and see what might come of it... right?

These are the questions that my friend Kaitlin asked of me..

1. Why do you love living where you do?
It's where I grew up.  I know EVERYBODY - or so it seems.  My "circle" goes pretty far..., too.  So - my hubby (who is from the South) says, "I can't take you anywhere without you knowing someone or recognizing them or better yet, that you're related to".
2. Quilt, comforter or duvet?
Quilt girl all the way...
I'm so grateful that I've been blessed to have been given a "taste" into quilt-making.  The Art-form that it is... and I sure do wish I had room in my home to set up to do more of it..
3. What is your cooking style? And your favorite ‘recipe’?
My cooking style?  Do you not know? Have you not heard??  I am a "dump" cook... all thanks to my Grammy.  You can read more about it HERE!  My favorite recipe (at the time) is the one that is being asked for by someone who just enjoyed the dish!
4. Coffee or tea – and how do you take it? 
HOT.  I'm assuming this question is referring to hot over cold.  I will take Black Coffee - anytime of day. Thank you!  ;)
5. What kind(s) of music do you enjoy?
I grew up singing Acappella - four part harmony.  So to find music that I can sing along with comfortably is:  Southern Gospel, Country Gospel, some Country music and Praise & Worship.  I enjoy Contemporary Christian Music, too, don't get me wrong.  But there are very few groups/singers out there that I can harmonize with.. in that genre.
6. Company calls – they’ll be there in 20 minutes – what do you do?
First, I would have to take a deep breath.  Knowing that my house may not be ready... but making sure that my heart is...I would quickly throw around a few "food ideas" of what I could serve to eat and prep the coffee maker.  :)
7. What is one skill, which you do not possess, that you admire in others?
Oh boy... I guess it would be to ask right questions; interesting questions, to draw others out more.  To keep a conversation going... well.  I don't engage the way I think I would like to... and I love it when I there are those out there who can keep a meaningful conversation going and it makes sense.  Its not all fumbly and mumbly like I so often bring to the table.
8. You have a free afternoon – no hubby, no kids, no responsibilities- how do you spend it?
Ahh!  this has happened for me... and I admit, I don't even know where to start.  There is much I would like to do, want to do, have to do (this is not responsibilities!)... and so I usually waste a lot of time figuring out, like I said, where to begin and what to do first.
9. What is your favorite piece of furniture that you own and why?
This one is hard.  It's not so much the furniture we own - because it can feel so random - but it is those random pieces that have been handed down from family.  Heirloom pieces?
10. Current reading material?
I'm still soaking up the material we "gathered" from the Weekend to Remember.  Books from there on Marriage and Relationships.   Oh, and also, our small group (with Church) is going through the Five Love Languages book, by Gary Chapman.
11. What is your go-to scripture verse? 
I would have to say, probably Isaiah 43:1-4, 18-19 and 45:2-12
Again, that is so hard.. to answer.  There is so much I cling to... and yet, not hard enough.  You know?

***

Well, there you have my eleven little known facts, about me... and my answers to Kaitlin's questions.
I thought of several people... whom I would love to pass this on to.  I hope they'll accept this award...
and, I'm sorry if I don't follow all of the rules.  This won't be 11 other bloggers (I don't think) and I'm not so sure they all have less than 200 followers.
But here we go!!

Kelli - Learning as We Go
Jenny - Baily and Me 2  (Where I live and Create)
Clarita - The Cottage at 341 South
Katy - The Country Blossom
Hope - Hopeful Things
Mary Ann - Mary Ann's House
Mrs. Brown - Roller Mill Farms
Leanna - Thoughts and Whatnots  (I understand, you just had a new baby a couple of weeks ago.)
Christine - Vista Woman
Dori - The Red Feedsack

Alright - so I will hit eleven..  Last, but not least..

Dee - Collector of Moments  (Dee, I know you're gone for a month or two - but I'll wait to hear from you, later..)

Shew!  Here are my eleven questions.  I'll contact each of these ladies on their individual blogs, letting them know I nominated them for this fine Liebster Award and hopefully they'll accept it and take it from there.

1. Your blog title/name?  How did it come about... is there a story?
2. Books.  Who is your favorite author?  What is your style?
3. Speaking of Style.  Who/what inspires you in your wardrobe selection?
4. If you're a mom! - Any advice you could share?  If you're not... What do you wish you could share?
5. In blogging.. Do you share your Faith?  Why or Why not?
6. Collections... What is yours?  Baskets?  Cookbooks?  - How did you get started?
7. Do you have that one "best friend" - what makes her a great friend?  Give me just two-three words.
8. Pizza or Stromboli? Would that be homemade or "Take Out"?
9. Camera advice...is needed.  What would you recommend?
10. And your favorite flower is...?
11. Tell me that one idiosyncrasy you LOVE about yourself..

***
Thank you again, Kaitlin - for nominating me.  This was lots of fun... and way to time consuming.. eeks!  By the way,,, Kaitlin is doing a NEW thing over on her blog.  She is calling it a 1000 Words - A Visual Journey of the Everyday.  Basically it means linking up with a single photo, once a week, that speaks in it's own way - a Thousand Words.  Check it out!!  I'm sure she wouldn't mind if a few more would join in.

The Versatile Blogger Award

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Happy 1st day of November to you all!

I've decided to "pass on the love" here today... hope you don't mind.

First off, a huge thank you to Shirley, from Under an English Sky, for nominating me for this award.  This is the second award I've ever received and I'm not sure what to say - but Thanks!  I was thrilled.

There are a few rules to receiving this one...so it seems...and so here I go to follow through. 

Thank the person(s) who nominated you and link back up them. Tell Readers 7 things about yourself. Pass this award onto 15 newly discovered bloggers and let them know.

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The seven things you always wanted to know about me... but didn't until now.

 

1.  I've been made fun of over this one.  But, MY SNIFFER (my keen sense of smell- which I'm passing on to my daughter Aubrey and wow! is she good.) has been a fun gift from the Lord.  I absolutely love the smell of skunk(s).  All farm smells are not near strong enough.  A cup of coffee - I can smell it a mile away.  And my nose is the best oven timer there is - for any baking done in the kitchen.  I can tell when it's finished baking - just by smelling it. ;)

 

2.  Washing dishes is VERY therapeutic for me.  The same goes for making my/our bed(s) in the morning.  I feel like the day just can't get off to a good start if it doesn't.  In a way, this is what I say about washing dishes... if they're not done the night before, coming downstairs to a counter laden with a job of dirty dishes to do is very exhausting... before the day even starts.  I'm quirky like this... I know!

 

3.  I like to try out new recipes (ones I've never made before) on guests.  I have my reasons... and they're good ones.

 

4.  I hate wearing socks!  Winter coats are a close second to that.  And...oh, am I ever grateful that the Lord answered my prayers for a man who would not give me competition in my kitchen.

 

5.  If only the mini-van that we drive were a stick-shift.  I would be in high heaven.  I grew up learning to drive a stick and that has been my love ever since. 

 

6.  I've been known to have been a matchmaker for a couple of my friends... it's funny though, how my matchmaking skills didn't quite work out for myself - like I would've expected.  I actually met my wonderful husband through eHarm*ny. They had to do it for me. What goes around comes around - I guess.  All in all... I am convinced that was God's Sovereignty at work.

 

7.  Mothering?  A dream come true...yes!  But sometimes in their play my kids call me "monster mom".  And sometimes I think that that ain't too far off from the truth.  It's a hard calling - but one I'm grateful for - to be given the opportunity to try and do my best.

 

****

 

With this, I present this award to 15 others.  This was {so}hard to narrow down and pick just 15 of my personal favorites...but I tried to be versatile. ;)  Make sure you stop by at each one of their beautiful and inspiring blogs and let them know I sent you there.

 

Homegrown and Beeyoutiful

 

Oh my nervous system!

 

Learning As We Go

 

Life in Joyful Chaos

 

Baileyandme2

Homemaker Design

 

Blissfully Content

 

Stella's Apron Strings

 

A Country Girl's Ramblings

THE BLESSED HEARTH

as for me and my house

A Blooming Spirit | by Linen & Verbena

Collector of Moments

no spring chicken

Tales from the Coop Keeper

Again, as I said, this was hard to do.  But fun!!  Thank you, again Shirley, for the nomination.  I was really blessed to be thought of like that from you -  from over the pond.

Random thoughts and results

If you missed me yesterday - I wasn't home.  I was out doing our monthly grocery shop, in Lancaster Co., ...getting ready for our friends from TN to come visit in about a week. ;)

While there, I got a phone call from my Dr.  She was calling with results of my Colposcopy/Biopsy from last week.  I didn't realize it was her calling...  I answered and it the conversation went something like this.

"Hello Beverly?  This is Dr. Dee calling with your results".  I inject..."oh Hi!  - how are you?" and she quickly retorts.  "Good.  And so are you".  ((sigh - thank you Lord Jesus!))

They ruled out dysplesia.  It was so mild and I can't remember if I had mentioned this part before.  But while she was doing the "exam" - she mumbled something about {it}disappearing right before her eyes.  So, I asked her about {that} again.  Yes!  that was true... and because it was so mild and so unimpressive...the tissue sample for the biopsy was 'excellent'... then, she doesn't want to see me for another 6 months.

I am so grateful to God for his sustaining grace.  It was a long week of waiting and trusting.  I thank you all for your kind thoughts, prayers and concerns.

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"Bags by Bevy" has left the scene.  All bags are headed west - to Harrisburg, PA- for a REALLY LARGE home school convention.  So, we'll see what this weekend brings.  ;)  I love the idea that you'll are sitting there, in your little ole homes, with your fingers crossed. 


In other words, thank you, all,  for you're encouraging support on my behalf.  I greatly appreciate it.

************

We have another busy day ahead.  Heading out to Lancaster Co. again this evening for a benefit concert/banquet supporting Gospel Echoes Prison Ministry.  This is their fortieth year of ministry.

And, this ministry is especially dear to my heart as I was a nanny for the Harvest Team (going on 16 years ago).  They have not met Scott nor the little ones and of course, by now, the 3 kids that I was in charge of, back then, are fully grown and singing/playing instruments as part of the group.


Oh, the memories...

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The other day, I was thrilled to receive this beautiful blogger award.  A wonderful gift -presented from Melanie.  Thank you, so much, Melanie!  I have never received such an award, and this truly made my day. ;)  I just haven't had a chance to "pass it on" and gee, I would have an awful hard time deciding "to whom". 

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I need to sign off of here anyway.  I've been typing one-handed for the last little while... while holding a sick little girl.  Allergies.  She's pleasant - but you can tell she's not herself.  She actually is trying to fall asleep on my shoulder. 

Thanks for listening to my ramblings, today.