Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Day 30- "Thank the Lord for Children"

Thank You Lord for Children!!
What a blessing He has given us with these glorious youthful children!
I have been so blessed with so many opportunities to share my life with the young and innocent.
I have such a love for children, I know that Children are part of the reason I was put on this earth.
To teach, to advocate, to love, and learn from Gods children.

But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. - Luke 18:16

This week we got out the little people nativity set.
We also opened up our Children's Bible to the story of the birth of baby Jesus. He loved it and I love sharing and teaching the story of Christmas.


This week my little angel was sick with a flu bug and last night I too came down with the bug. I was up all night sick, but still made it in to spend the morning with him while his Momma went to work for a while. He was such a sweetheart, he snuggled me and helped take care of me:)


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Day 29- "Be thankful for special surprises."

I love special surprises! 
Today, I received some packages in the mail....gifts for family members.
 I also received a couple Christmas Cards in the mail!
 I love how little surprises can totally make my day!
Some of the best surprises today were from my husband!
 He went to the store and surprised me with coconut encrusted Salmon tonight for supper.
 He also helped me put up our Christmas lights outside this evening.
Tonight, Josh even watched Rudolph with me!!!
I am thankful for all the special surprises in my life.


Rudolph cast
 

Monday, November 28, 2011

Day 28-"Be thankful after a hard day."

It was my first day back to work in a week and a half. First days back are always hard.
Today, the little boy was sick. Stomach flu sick. Three sets of sheets, two loads of laundry, and a couple changes of outfits later he was finally starting to feel a little better. I pushed the pedialite Popsicles and water, but he didn't seem to have an appetite for anything.

The phone rang, it was mom. She was on her way to the University of Minnesota hospital. Grandma was already there. It was uncle Daryl. He was airlifted this morning, another stroke, bleeding in the brain. They were rushing him in for emergency surgery and she would call when she had more news. She said..." I don't know if he's going to make it, it sounds pretty bad."

I felt so helpless. I say a prayer, for him, for Grandma, for mom. I try to think positive, what good can come from this? I know God is with us all.

Cousin Stephanie texts, her dad is stable, and resting. My heart aches for her, but I know she has found peace and happiness in life.  Mom calls, he is still unable to talk to move his body. He will be in the ICU for a few more days and then they will try therapy to start working on his speech. Mom drove Grandma home, I am sure she is exhausted. Mom had a lot to say, she had been praying all day, Grandma had too. She prayed for changes in both her brothers lives. She prayed that good could come from this hardship.

I am thankful for this day and these experiences, so that I may be reminded that we never walk alone. He is always with us, and carries us through our hard days just as he brings joy to us on our easy days.

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12



Sunday, November 27, 2011

Day 26 and 27-"Thank the Lord for he is Good and Thank Him for a new day."



Thank You, Lord for this new day. 
Thank you for new beginnings.
Thank You for relaxation and comfort.
Thank you for this day of sabbath.

MY FAVORITE CHILDREN'S CLOTHING WEBSITES!

Dimples and Dandelions Chic Boutique


www.etsy.com
Of course, this is one of my favorite shops online because there is so much variety! I love vintage children's clothing and the reasonable prices.

http://www.dimplesanddandelions.com/
It is a little more expensive but the clothing is AMAZING and they have wonderful photography ideas, their hand bands are amazing! This is my all time favorite website. (The above pic is from this website.)

www.patticakeposh.com
It is very reasonably priced and super cute clothes, organic clothes too. Also they have a cute selection for boys too, unlike a lot of boutique sites.

http://www.labellaflorachildrensboutique.com
 I love this site because you can browse by designer... my all time favorite is Persnickety Clothing, it is vintage inspired and it is adorable!!

http://www.littleskyechildrensboutique.com
This one you can shop by designer too. This website has a good sale selection.

http://www.thefrogandtheprincess.com
I love this websites Tutu and Costume section, they have tutu dresses for birthdays, parties, special party hats, every holiday.

http://www.teacupsandmudpies.com
This sweet website has adorable accessories!

http://www.adorableschildren.com
This website has all kinds of designers and has infant, and girls clothing up to size 12.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Glinda



This is Glinda. She is my 1988 Danbury Fairy Godmother Doll. I found her in an antique store in Crosby, MN. She is beautiful, she stands about 23 inches tall and is dressed in a light pink gown with sparkles and a princess hat. She was named after her resemblance to Glinda the good witch on the Wizard of Oz. 
Her value is somewhere around $150.00-$200.00.
 She is made by Danbury Mint, which is a company that makes all kinds of collectibles including dolls. It was founded in 1969 and got its start making collectibles for Apollo 11.

Betsy

Meet Betsy. She is a 1965 Vogue Doll. She was my Grandmother Jane's doll, that I was given when my grandma moved into an apartment building. This was my favorite doll of my grandmas when I was growing up. She is a large doll, bigger than a real baby. She used to sleep in a cradle that my grandma had in the basement. I loved her. She wears a handmade gown that my grandmother had made especially for her. Today, she lives in my doll room and I cherish her.


Vogue Dolls were started by Jennie Graves in 1922. The company is known for it's Ginny Dolls. Success followed success until 1948, when a sales dip in her line of existing dolls inspired Mrs. Graves to introduce an 8" plastic doll, the forerunner to Ginny. Store owners and consumers alike loved the new doll, and in 1951, Ginny was officially born, named after Jennie's daughter Virginia. From a point in 1949 where a 15,000 square foot warehouse was needed and Vogue employed 50 regular workers plus from 100 to 200 home sewers and did a sales volume of $239,000 a year, Vogue grew to a point in 1953 where annual volume reached $2,113,904. Ginny’s success was assured.Mrs. Graves decided to retire in 1960, and her daughter Virginia and son in law Edwin Nelson continued to lead the company until Mrs. Virginia Carlson's retirement in 1966. The company was then run entirely by Mr. Nelson until 1972 when the Vogue name was sold to Tonka Corporation.

I loved Betsy so much that when I saw an identical doll, Patsy in the basement of an antique store, also a 1965 Vogue Doll, I had to take her home. Their faces are just so similar. They are each worth somewhere around $50.00-$65.00 dollars.


Day 25- "Be thankful for each hour."

I am thankful for the hour that I woke up this morning.
 I am thankful for that morning run.
I am thankful for the hour car ride with the family, laughing, and joking.
I am thankful for the couple hours spent at Goldman's Tree Farm finding the perfect Christmas Tree.
I am thankful for the hour spent with my parents and their animals at their loving home.
I am thankful for the hour scenic drive, searching for the perfect piece of property for us.
I am thankful for the afternoon spent with my husband.
I am thankful for an early supper, of leftover turkey.
I am thankful for an evening spent decorating the tree, with music singing of His birth and glory.
I am thankful for each hour that makes this day the Lord created for me.

 



Thursday, November 24, 2011

Day 23 and 24- "Thank God for His Power and Grace!"

 Happy Thanksgiving.  I must speak wonders of His Power and Grace. His power is ever almighty and today at Thanksgiving service the message was so clear. We must be thankful for everything. The good the bad and the ugly... because it is Gods power that directs our life. He is everywhere. It is such a challenge to know that all things in our life our lead by Gods plan for us. Today at service, the Pastor invited members of the church to share stories of Gods Power in giving thanks. One of my favorite stories was about a woman who had a very difficult job. She was getting so negative about her job until one day she decided to praise and give thanks to God in all his glory on her way to work. She shouted to the Lord as scripture has said to do! When she got to work, the situation hadn't changed... but she personally had, through the power of giving thanks to the power of God. She had lost her negativity, her attitude had changed, and with that so did her ability to handle the challenges of life. God is so powerful.

I would like to personally say I am so happy that I found this Thanksgiving challenge on my friend, Jens, blog. I think that by giving thanks to God daily on here, it has definitely strengthened our relationship and I feel closer to Him. I liked a saying I heard today, I am not sure where it was from but it was very meaningful to me: Climb upon the the Lord's lap and rest your head upon his shoulder, and listen to the heartbeats. It just seemed so calming and I am thankful that through my thanksgiving I have taken the time to relax in the comfort of my God.

Gods Grace is getting the pardon that we do not deserve. If you know Jesus as your Savior, you can be thankful that God saved you by His grace. The Bible says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith . . ." (Ephesians 2:8). You can also depend on God each day for the grace you need to live for Him. Because God shows His grace to you, you should show His grace to others. Have you ever thanked God for His grace in your life? Today, is just the day! I am happy that this country has a day set aside for giving Thanks.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Day 22- "Thank God for the little things"

Today, I am thankful for all the little things. I am thankful for waking up in a warm bed, next to a my little white dog. I am thankful for the motivation to get up and go for a run this morning, in the beautiful crisp air. I am thankful for having a family to call on the phone and share my day with. I am thankful for all my possessions. I am thankful for my hot meal tonight. I am thankful for little surprises throughout my day and all the little things that make up my life.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Day 21-"Thank the Lord for Refuge"

Thank You Lord for being my saftey, my shelter, and my strength when I am in need. You are an almighty refuge, and to you I owe my life. Thank You for lifting me up when I am down.
  


Isaiah 33:16 this is the man who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. His bread will be supplied, and water will not fail him.
 
Jeremiah 16:19 O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.






Turkeys


Some Turkey cookies I made for ECFE class. They are made from a chocolate kiss with a Carmel lightly melted and pressed on the top of the kiss. Then you press on the candy corn beak, and striped cookie on the back. Ideally, if you can find a scalloped edge cookie with stripes that would be perfect, however I couldn't find any of them!

 





Sunday, November 20, 2011

Day 20- "Be thankful for rest"

On the Seventh day He rested.
 I am thankful for days of rest, such as today. Rest is so very important for the mind and body to collect thoughts and restore ourselves to a healthy state of being. Today, I was able to rest, and collect my thoughts. A typical day of rest includes sleeping in (anytime past 5:30AM) , resting, spending quality time with my husband, and making time to do one of my many hobbies.

Today, I slept in and was able to spend the morning listening to some of my favorite music! Some Casting Crowns, Christmas music, and some new music that touched my soul by David Nail. I was also able to do some light organizing, and spend some time with my husband. This evening Josh made ground turkey tacos salads, a very healthy option. We also peaked into a couple Christmas bins and reminisced on a few pieces of speical decor.

 I am beyond thankful to have this entire week off from work. I hope to rest, get some household items finished up, and of course spend Thanksgiving with my wonderful family. We are going to Church on Thanksgiving Day with both sides of our families so that is super exciting! Thank you God for days of rest!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Day 19- "Give Thanks to God for His Creation"

I am so thankful for God's Creation....It is always so great to read the story of creation in Genesis. From Earth, to animals, trees, heaven, food, and humans, I am so thankful for all of His Creation.

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:1-31

Day 18- "Thank God for Marriage"




Thank You, Dear Lord, for my marriage.
And for the wonderful examples of matrimony that have inspired me.
Thank You for teaching us unconditional love and bringing Josh into my life.
Josh is so many things that I am not.
 He is my warmth and my comfort.
He is my chef, and my dry cleaner.
 He is my forgiveness even when I do not deserve it.
He is my strength when I am weak and my map when I am lost.
He reminds me to follow my heart and live my life for the purpose that you intend of me.
He is a warm hug, laughter, and smiles every day.
He has a heart that shines, through his good deeds.




But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own
 wife, and each woman her own husband.
Corinthians 7:2


Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." Matthew 19:4-6



Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

Day 17-" Thank God for Family"

 Thank You God for the most amazing family and extended family.
 What a wonderful blessing you have given me in this life.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Day 16- Be thankful for this Home!

Thank You God for providing this warm and loving home for us to live in. We often times take this home for granted and today we take the time to appreciate all the wonderful gifts that make this house a home. It is through God, that we have received this blessing and we appreciate having this house, which is way more than we deserve.



A Couple Photos of My Angel!



Today, the little guy picked out his Choo Choo shirt and was too adorable not to snap a couple photos! Maybe his parents will use one for a Christmas card, he is so cute!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Day 15- "Give thanks for His wise ways!"


Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out! -Romans 11:33

Thank you God for teaching us your wise ways! God is good and wise in ways unmatchable. I am so thankful to have Gods guidance in my life. Thank you for opening my heart to your wisdom!

A couple words from My husband, Joshua Solie:

 Thank you, God, for your wise ways in guiding my relationships in life. No matter what the problem is, God will get me turned in the right direction. I can always follow him and I am happy that he leads us in the right direction to help others and live his will.


While reading in Romans tonight I also found another favorite verse I figured I would share!

Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. -Roman 12:9

Monday, November 14, 2011

Day 14- "Thank God for a Friend."

Today, I am thanking God for my friend Ashley. She has been a wonderful friend to me since elementary school. At times, as with any friendship, we have had our ups and downs. We are not as close as I would like to be, but when we are together I feel very close to her. She knows me very well, and I know personality just the same. Over the years she has grown to be part of my extended family.

She is always a blast to be around, (like this past weekend) but there is much more to her then that. One of the things that I really like about Ashley is her heart. She always wants the best for all of her friends and family members. She is a great listener, even though I tend to make her cry with all my sappy talk. She also knows God, and knows all about forgiveness, and love. And in general I think that we both want the same things from life, a family, a house, and to be a good person and live happily. Thank You God for bring Ashley into my life, so that we may support one another in friendship.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Baby Kewpie Doll


Kewpie dolls and figurines are based on comical strip-like illustrations by Rose O'Neill that appeared in Ladies' Home Journal in 1909. There name comes from Cupid the roman god of love. The small dolls were extremely popular in the early 1900s. They were first produced in Ohrdruf, a small town in Germany, then famous for its toy-manufacturers. They are highly collectible, and old versions are worth thousands of dollars.

My baby kewpie came from my Grandma Jane. She is super cute, and small. I haven't been able to find any other kewpies exactly like her with the "feed me" outfit on but I think her value is something around 15 dollars.

Day 13-"Be Thankful For This Day."

Thank you for this wonderful day!
 I am so blessed to wake up this morning and have this wonderful life!
 It is all thanks to you God!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Day 12- "Give Thanks To God For Something Simple"

Thank you Lord for all the basics that you provide us with.
 We take so many simple things for granted.
Today, I would like to thank you God for music.
 Music is truly an amazing gift, that I take for granted everyday.
 You have blessed so many people with musical talents and I am so grateful that you give them the gift of sharing their music with the world!
 I simply adore all kinds of music, it is amazing how I can relate so much with a song, that I could have written it myself!
 Music touches my soul in ways that other things cannot.
It invokes such emotions that I never knew existed.
 Not only does music help me to praise God, but it helps me to relate to others I love too. 
 Every time I turn on the radio, listen to a CD, attend Church service, and listen to my iPhone, I will be mindful of the simple gifts you provide us with every day.


Friday, November 11, 2011

Day 11- "Thank the Lord for his Love."

Thank You Lord for loving me so much.
 I shall never know a love so great as the love that He has for me.
A love so great that it knows no boundaries.
A love so forgiving that I only need to ask, and I shall be granted redemption.
A love so intimate that it was present before my birth.
And a love so powerful, that prayer alone unites us.

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
 Ephesians 3:17-19

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Day Ten- "Thank God for the unexpected."


Thank You Dear Lord for surprises and unexpected gifts. Though I may not understand all of the unexpected gifts I receive I know that it is the plan that God has for me. Today, I received an unexpected gift from my husband that was the perfect pick me up I needed, a love note! Thank You God for working through Josh to give me the hope and love that I needed today.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

An Evening With Mom

 My Mom and I spent last weekend together as all of the men were gone hunting. My Mom brought all the materials to help me make a winter display in my new pot. We used pine branches, cedar branches, and various berries found around my parents house. We used dryed hydrangeas as well. It was so much fun making this display, Thank You Mom!



Day 8- "Thank Him for Forgivness"

I am so thankful for forgiveness! It is such an amazing gift He has given us! To love us so much that He can forgive our sins and continue to teach us The Word is simply amazing. God takes away the sins of the world, and grants us peace. Thank You Lord.  

If you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:14.)

“Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained” (John 20:22-23).

While many Christians do not believe in confession, I was raised Catholic and grew up going to confession. (Sacrament of Reconciliation.) Confession is often misunderstood but from my perspective it is the reconciling of us to God. When we sin, we deprive ourselves of God’s grace. And by doing so, we make it even easier to sin some more. The only way out of this downward cycle is to acknowledge our sins, to repent of them, and to ask God’s forgiveness. Then, in the Sacrament of Confession, grace can be restored to our souls, and we can once again resist sin. Of course we can always talk to God and ask for forgiveness, we should do this often, not only at Confession. The sacrament is believed to be a gift from God, and we should embrace it. We use confession to make a fearless moral inventory, ask for forgiveness, and do penance. One of the first prayers I learned was an Act of Contrition and is a powerful prayer which I try to recite often to ask for forgiveness, and make amends. I am so thankful for Gods forgiveness.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Autumn Crafts this Year

Some of the art projects that we made this fall! I love childrens projects! They are too cute not to share!






The little guy is learning to skate!



Today, we took the little boy out for his first skate on the ice at 19 months old! He really seemed to enjoy it! He loved going fast with his dad, and trying to walk with his skates on the ice. He wasn't quite sure about the helmet but he kept it on. He was so adorable!!! I am excited for him to learn how to skate!

Day 8- " Be thankful for His Words."

In the beginning was the Word,'
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.

John 1:3






Where would we be without the word of God? We would'nt be here. I am so thankful that I grew up hearing the Word of the Lord. Thank You for teaching us through your words in the Bible.

I have many favorite verses and I find that everytime I open my bible, God has a plan for me. 

I have a deep love for this Bible, as it was my very first personal Bible, given to me at my confirmation. While it may be a bit worn, the words on each page are clear as day.



Monday, November 7, 2011

Day 7- "Give Thanks for Daily Bread."

Our bodies hunger for food; our souls hunger for God. God will fulfill both hungers because He is our Father. He can fulfill both hungers because he is Almighty. We must ask for our daily bread, from Our Father who gives us our most basic necessities. The Lords Prayer appears in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke and it is one of the first prayers that we are taught as children. I remember practicing my prayers over and over for catechism class. It isn't until you are a little older that you actually understand what you are praying for. I love the Lords Prayer because it teaches us humility and truth. Thank you, for giving us daily bread Father.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Day 5- "Thank God for His Provisions"

God, thank you for all the provisions you have provided me with. From the basics of food and shelter to the luxury's of the fine linens I lay my head on at night, everything that I own, along with all people in my life, come to me through the power of You. You have provided me with so many blessings. I have so much more than I deserve. Thank You Lord, for granting me such provisions, despite my sins. God is an almighty provider and an ever forgiving God, and it is because of His grace that I am here today. Thank You for my home, my food, my possessions, my safety, my health, and all people in my life that you have provided me with.

Welcome Home Patsy!

Today, tucked deep in the basement of  the Downtown Elk River Antique Store was an old little baby just waiting for a loving home! I took one look at her and new that she was my baby Betsy's sister! Betsy, originally my Grandmothers doll, is gift that I absolutely adore. In the midst of the dirt on her face and smell of musty linens I had a vision of her cleaning up to be a beauty. I also happen to find the perfect gown for her the next booth over. A baptismal gown and bonnet trimmed with lace, and a netting slip. I took her home and got straight to work.

 We needed some soft scrub to get this little girl cleaned up!

 And a nice little afternoon at the spa, which included ears cleaned, and a hair wash!


The new clean hair, combed out! So fresh!
                       
 Introducing Ms. Patsy, my new adopted doll. She is adorable!