Mom Saves Money: Giveaway & Review! Lilla Rose Flexi Clip!

Mom Saves Money: Giveaway & Review! Lilla Rose Flexi Clip!

I don't often do giveaways... I think this is my second one ever.. but it really is a clever hair clip!

Education and Imagination

I think I got this off of Facebook.. don't remember now who linked to it, but it was quite fascinating. I don't know if I agree with everything in this video, and I was a little confused by the mixed American/English symbols (and the map of America?!) but it was very thought provoking. He provides a striking argument against traditional public schools.

Hyadrangea love

Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea

I was reading BHG in the PT's office today and came across this stunner of a hydrangea...

The photo in the magazine was slightly more coral, but man, it's gorgeous.

I wasn't always a hydrangea fan, but this house came with one, and I've since then learned to love them. They (at least here) seem to be easy to grow, they bloom prolifically as long as you snip them regulalry and are a blessing to the lazy flower arranger. One snip, one bloom, one vase and bam, you're done!

It really looks more like a lilac in this picture, now that I come to think of it.

I think I need to buy me one.

The start of something

This may not look like much, but it's the start of Hannah W's and my spectacular (so we imagine!) vegetable garden.

Hannah and I are partnering together this year and we are both so excited to be doing it together. I'm so excited. Yup, it's been fun. And it's going to get even better.

Herbert looses a spring

This may not look like much, but it's time for a Herbert update.

Yes, my poor horse trailer that had sadly gotten moved to the back burner thanks to my concussion.

But not anymore!

We have sheep to take to the butcher in three weeks and we need a trailer to take them.

Enter Scott.

Scott spent about four hours (bless his soul) working on some welding issues. Basically this is the door/ramp leaning against the frame and the spring/hinge at the bottom had rusted off.

He's fixing it with his magical welding abilities.

Which hopefully I'll get to learn soon... (that was part of the reason for getting Herbert in the first place) but I guess I just have to be patient.

Looking good links

Inspiring article on why lookin' good is an important witness to the world.
Betty Beguiles: The Value of Image - Vintage-inspired modest fashion, marriage inspiration and more!

Also a fun and quick necklace...
Springtime accessories: fabric necklace tutorial

And a cute article!
Fashion lessons from our grandmothers

Mama Mia!

Yesterday I finished watching Mama Mia.

I enjoyed it until the last 30 minutes. I could tell it wasn't going to end the way I wanted it to.

It was pretty funny really... I mean the whole idea of doing a movie based off of a British (I believe) musical featuring a Swedish rock band's songs (sung in English) on a Grecian island (with Mr. Darcy, no less) was pretty ridiculous in a good way.



So anyways, I was watching one of the songs when I realized how much Colin Firth (pictured above) looks like Seely Booth from Bones. Doesn't he? From this angle wearing Aviator sunglasses? For a second I thought he was Booth with longer hair!

There was also fantastic scenery. One of my "favoritest" authors (Gerald Durrell) writes about his childhood growing up on Corfu, so it was awesome to see the topography.

Here's the church that is featured in the movie. It's pretty amazing!

Anyways... I wouldn't just recommend the movie to everyone, but it was certainly entertaining and amusing.

Duckies!

They're quite grown up now...

Truffles

When I visited my dear friend Rebekah in Spokane last January, we had fun making truffle filling together. She just happens to have a culinary institute degree thingy, so she knows all about these sort of things. We made a Bailey's Irish Cream base and it was so yummy!

So for my birthday, she sent me two truffle fillings, a Bailey's Irish Creme and a Earl Grey filling. And today I finally got the Bailey's coated with a mostly dark chocolate coating. You can see a caramel coated one too. That was Andrew's contribution. :)

We ate some while we watched the new Sherlock Holmes tonight and we thoroughly enjoyed both. Thanks, Rebekah!

Kitties

Topaz and Pippi

After being majorly allergic to cats the first 20 years of my life, I'm still surprised when I walk in my room and see a kitty snoozing on my bed, in my wardrobe or on my chairs.

This is what greeted me when I walked upstairs this evening.

There was also a cat sleeping on the bed.

When I was younger, any cat would always want to be petted by me and they would often rub up against my legs. I would joke that they knew just who didn't want to be by them, while trying not to sneeze. :) But now that I'm not allergic anymore, I've decided they must like me because they are always hanging around in my room, much my cat lover brother's dismay who would like them to always hang out in his room.

I'm not sure if it's a compliment to be liked by cats though, because I'm guessing it means I either smell like cat nip or a rodent....

Bloesem: Let's Get Personal in France with Alon and Betsy's country house...

Lately I've been drooling over French houses... The outsides are simply adorable!

Bloesem: Let's Get Personal in France with Alon and Betsy's country house...


La Cressonnière

Make Your Own Moleskine-Like-Notebook

I'm thinking of doing something like this: Make Your Own Moleskine-Like-Notebook thanks to this inspirational post from MommyCoddle.

A little update

Topaz enjoying my heating pad.

This is where I spend the majority of each day.

So I haven't been posting for a number of reasons. First, nothing interesting has happened in the last, oh I don't know, two or three weeks since I last posted. Second, as my concussions symptoms have died down (hardly any headaches, yay!) other symptoms have been rearing their ugly head. And as much fun as these things are, it's probably just not that entertaining unless you live with me. And even then that might be stretching it. But I did want to do a little update for the sake of keeping a record of God's faithfulness on my blog and to keep those lovely friends (you know who you are) updated who I don't get to see every Sunday. So feel free not to read the following. :)

So here's the update, in bullet points because I can't type for long.

• I'm mostly done with headaches. I'm so thankful that area of my concussion has healed.
• Still working on the dizzy/lightheadedness.
• Trying to figure out if it's coming from my eyes or the nerves at the base of my skull (or should it be head?).
• Hoping to figure that stuff out by seeing an optometrist who does vision therapy and maybe Mom's neurologist.
• Also, the optometrist should be able to help with being able to read. Still can't read for more than 10 minutes without my eyes giving up on me. Bleh.
• Still can't look down well. Thankfully this still gets me out of doing dishes, cooking or laundry. Actually, I really miss all of those and I can't even garden. Which really stinks.
• And I forgot to add earlier - I'm so thankful for this little laser therapy pen we have from our chiropractor. I've been able to use on accupressure points and it's made a huge difference in my pain levels. Never would have thought accupressure points would be so helpful!

So there you have it. At least what I can remember. Hopefully it makes sense. :D

I'm making good use of my time now. My brains functioning enough that I don't always want to watch mindless shows, so I've been watching some videos at Khan Academy which is super awesome. And I'm going through the Luke sermon series at Mars Hill. I've been brushing up on my French. I've discovered that I enjoy chick flicks a lot more if there's foreign subtitles on the screen or its in a foreign language with English subtitles. I actually have three out from the library to watch... go me!

Yummy!

 
 

Fika time : Lotta Jansdotter

http://www.jansdotter.com/en/workbook/470

Screen clipping taken: 3/4/2011 7:16 PM