Clover Cottage

A Child's Outlook on Success

2011-03-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Nancy is a 62 year old woman who most people would not consider a financial success. She has never married, is still working full time, renting in a lower income area of town, and mostly lives paycheck to paycheck. My six year old daughter, however, has perceived this woman as being a success of sorts. You see, Nancy invites a couple of children from our church to spend each Sunday afternoon in her humble home. At what financial cost? A dollar or two extra for the meal and maybe a couple more for the icecream she always seems to have in her freezer that is just for these special times! She chooses to give. Giving doesn't have to be flashy or expensive. The children entertain themselves with free activities throughout the afternoon and are simply making memories and building this precious relationship with an older woman who loves God. Nancy understands that serving God and others isn't about dollars, but time and words and love.
What does Nancy have to do with success? The average person may not see a connection, but I admire the simple understanding of my daughter, who, at age six, saw that Nancy's success is true inner success. My daughter can be very outspoken around friends she is comfortable talking to and this led to the following conversation. Nancy shared with my daughter that she, at age 62, is considering purchasing a home. My daughter's response: "Nancy, maybe you can help my grandma. Grandma and Papa can't afford to buy a house, so maybe you can help them." Just to lay out a few facts, Grandma and Papa are both about ten years younger than Nancy and both could hold full time jobs or even earn money through entrepreneural work if desired. So, why would this child with her simple understanding suggest for Nancy to help others? Because Nancy is already serving others in a genuine way. Nancy doesn't complain about the cost of the icecream as she scoops it into the bowls for the children. Nancy provides a nice meal without pointing out the cost of the cheese on top of the lasagna. It isn't about the money, but the relationship. Is the meal frugal? Yes! Does my daughter realize that the meal is low cost? No! It is served with love and joy. My conclusion: A person's words can determine how others perceive that person and her success.

Shutterfly FREE Christmas Cards

2010-12-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

My blogger friend, Christy, told me about this awesome offer from Shutterfly!

I am so excited. I have wanted to try Shutterfly for a few years. We have been living on less and cutting out most optional things including really great Christmas cards. Go get yours by the 10th!

Living Room Make Over

2010-07-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

Before

This is a solid wood table that I am very thankful to have been give and I am thankful to be painting it with my Oops paint that said black and turned out to be a dark gray-blue and that's okay too!

You can see my helpers are taking a bike break!

After Pics

Coffee table turned tv stand

in a small-ish living room that definitely gets lived in.

Soon I'll show you the decorated mantle and new-to-me $2 lamp in this room!

Chick-Fil-A Cow Appreciation Day 2010

2010-07-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Gotta love some free food. And some fun while we're at it!

My Princess

My Puddle Duck

My cute (rotten) nephew!

Elephant Garlic

2010-06-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's an alien!!! Ha!

But really, those are some tall stems!

These are pictures from our yard.

We have lived here just over two years.

We got a good price on this home in part because the yard was overgrown and will take time and energy to tame.

The great thing is all the surprise plants like this one that pop up on their own.

A work in progress as always!

I had no idea what these crazy things were for months

so I began taking pictures to compare to online photos.

I even sweetly asked my hubbie to mow around them.

And he did!

Gotta shout out my love for that eucalyptus tree peeking at me in the right corner.

The "skin" came off and revealed these tiny blooms.

I still had no idea what this was, but it was a fun flower to have around.

Then, I tuned in to an episode of Making It Grow.

MIG is a local gardening program here in South Carolina.

There on the screen was my flower!

Elephant garlic, they called it.

So, after some research, I decided to find out first hand about this plant.

We cut off the pretty part to put in the vase and enjoy.

Then we dug up the bulb.

And...

Cleaned it.

And...

Counted 'em, and measured 'em, and spelled it, and pretty much applied it to all the learning areas for the day as a good little homeschool Mommy would do!

Oh, and chopped it...

Special thanks to my nephew, Ironman.
He loved taking something from nature and using it in a meal.

He spends most days in a public classroom and loved this hands-on way of learning.

The kids decided it would be fun to make soup.

Ironman chopped the chicken and carrots.

Princess chopped the potatoes.

Puddle Duck chopped the turnips.
Note: My girls are young so I cut the potatoes and turnips into pieces that would allow them to finish using just a butter knife.
Safety first!

Voila! Lunch is served.

Hey, can I count that as a homeschool French lesson? ha!

101 Easy Makeovers

2010-06-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

If you wanna try to win a new kitchen, go here.

Note that they are hoping you will subscribe to the magazine too.

Also, House Beautiful has these 101 ideas for how to make instant changes to our rooms. Enjoy!

House Love

2010-06-03T20:31:00.000-07:00

Am I the only person who looks at the MLS just for fun? I should seriously become a real estate agent when the economy improves, my kids grow up, or I finally decide to just go for it. I fell in love with this house the second I saw it. Get your napkins ready, you're gonna need to wipe some drool off your chin too!

Love this church pew.

This kitchen makes me speechless.

Okay, now I've recovered.

Love the open shelves painted that punch of green.

Even my husband would get a bit giddy if I'd really have a deer head on my kitchen wall.

Check out the lighting over the island. Love.

What do you think of the table against the wall?

Nice display area.
Not sure if we'd really sit there much but it gives balance to the space.

All that character plus updated appliances.

Wish I could win this place in a drawing!

If I lived here I'd definitely include
this washroom in the home tour.

Every bathroom needs something really great to look at, right?

This light is it!

It's great to dream.

For now I'm enjoying my lovely little home.

Making memories and loving the ones I share this home with.

Mother's Day-An Investment

2010-05-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Mom,

Mother's Day has passed and I enjoyed our phone call. We may be states apart, but I'm thankful we can stay close in spirit. I want you to know that since I'm a Mommy now -five years and running- I've learned that time is one of our most precious treasures and tools. Time can be used to show those around us what is truly our heart's desire. I invested my time on this Mother's Day to start the day with words of love to the sweet girls I have been given to raise. My investment continued as I used my time to take my children to learn about God. Teaching them that what makes me happiest on the day set aside for Moms is to see them obey God and His word. When my daughters become Mommies they can look back at Mother's Days past and see my hope for them. A life of investment in the souls and hearts of those we love. After attending a morning church service and being encouraged to be a Mother who puts God first, we had some great family time-a picnic outside and simple fun together. Some rest helped our little family to keep God the focus of our day so we could enjoy an evening encouraging other Christians and being encouraged too. Wait, shouldn't Mom be the focus on Mother's Day? Consider that, if He is the center of the day, we all grow closer and endure in this world's often daunting days. My investment-Make God and Mama proud on Mother's Day.

Love,
Chastity

Cheerleader Part 2

2010-05-07T03:14:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed to have two little cheerleaders who forgive me daily for my flaws. My two daughters are ages four and five and since I am homeschooling them, the three of us spend many, many hours together. You can read about my most longstanding cheerleader in Cheerleader Part 1.
I have learned a few things in the last five years as "Mommy." I once heard the saying, "Children 'pick-up' more than they are taught." The two year-old is learning how to navigate the world. The playground or play group is a small world where the child can practice interacting with others. I remember going into the store with my Princess a few years ago when she was two. A little girl had brought a really cute child-size shopping cart from home. I know it looked very fun to push behind her Mommy's shopping cart and Princess immediately wanted to push one too. Of course, that store didn't sell any that we could just use. I was thankful for the opportunity to teach my two-year-old that life isn't always candy-coated. Someone will always have something we don't. As an adult, it may be a nicer home or car or clothing. As a child it is the toy or the piece of gum. These little interactions can have a huge influence on a child. I am humbled at the fact that I am a major influence on these little lives. Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it. If my actions don't agree with my words, the child will learn my errors and shortcomings.

Thanksgiving in March

2010-03-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

In a magazine advertisement for Wall Words, I read this quote:

Today, I Wish You a Day of Ordinary Miracles.

As a stay-at-home mom of two, with a lot of days that don't seem so amazing, I am actually surrounded by many miracles.

Meekness

2010-03-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

Meekness, what a term to define. Just trying to explain it is humbling. However, I recently heard it explained as this:

Meekness: Having strength that is shown through gentleness.

I found that description to paint a picture of just how beautiful a life of meekness can be as it comes into contact with many people always attempting to leave the other person encouraged in some way.

It's Been A Long Year/Friendship

2010-03-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize that it has been an entire year since I have posted on here. I have been tossed between the often fake smile and the truly happy moments. I know I have driven my mom crazy by calling her five days a week with nothing to talk about. (I love you, Mom. Thanks for listening.) Constantly pushing everyone away. Trusting no one. A whole year. Why now? Why am I now writing here? I am awake again. I care. I want to succeed. I want to be a successful wife, mother, daughter, niece, cousin, aunt, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, and friend. Yes, I have a friend. That is, truly, why I am here. Someone who thinks like me, yet stretches my mind. Someone I find interesting, funny, and smart. I haven't valued anyone's opinion in quite awhile. Ultimately, God brought along two people who had hearts open to genuine friendship. Someday, I hope we are cute little 70 year old ladies sipping coffee and still laughing, talking about decorating, thrift store finds, and memories.

The Tongue: Such a Small Member

2009-03-11T19:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks for checking back in with my blog. I have had lots going on. February has been a crazy month and I'm still adjusting eleven days into March. I was just introduced to a blog by Heather and her post today was a great reminder to me about the power of my words. Just "letting off steam" or complaining can have a ripple effect on those around me.
God bless each of you as you live for Him today.

Making a Difference?

2009-01-07T08:20:00.000-08:00

I had to spend the morning at the Health Department turning in paperwork - paperwork that actually only took about two minutes, but since the waiting room is crowded and loud, I spent about an hour there. I'd like to think I made the best of the language barriers, loud kids, tired mom, crazy lady, and sad-looking woman. Please let me explain!
Of course after signing in (to assure my place in line!!!) I had to find a place to wait. I spotted an empty seat at the back of the room with an empty seat next to it and then a Hispanic mother with two cute kids. So, that seemed like the perfect spot for me. I was hoping to review some memorizing that I am doing. I gave a friendly smile and sat down. I immediately realized that studying wouldn't be so easy with the four loud siblings in front of me. Their mom looked like she was at her wit's end. So, I smiled at the kids and tried to study. The memorizing wasn't making into my brain through the noise, so I asked one of the girls her age. Five - since I have a 4 year-old I used that to start talking to her - anything to give the mom a little break. Then I realized the girl's sister was two - I also have a two-year-old. That reminded me that I had a few pictures in my purse of when my girls had dressed up as princesses and pirates and just having fun, so with the four loud kiddos crowded around me we all looked at the pictures. That was a lot of fun, actually. Well, as kids like to ask questions, these outspoken children were interested in the Hispanic family next to me, but everytime the five-year-old girl asked the mom or child a question they just looked at her with a blank face, so I figured that they must not understand. Let me mention that I have taken Spanish in high school and college and had some real practice during a mission trip, but I don't actually SPEAK Spanish. I decided to give it a try, though! I translated the questions about how old the children are and if she has more children. Then I went out on a limb and told her that her baby boy has a pretty smile. I was really proud of myself when she even spoke back to me telling me that he likes watching all the other children. The key part was that I even understood her, yeah! Oh, and the other kids that it was neat that I could speak Spanish. Well, I was feeling pretty great about then, but there was still the lady across the aisle from me who kept talking to herself or, I was afraid, talking to the girl two seats away from her. That poor girl looked like she had nothing to be happy about. I was really sad that the lady would talk so meanly to the girl. The lady's comments were so random. I figured maybe she's just crazy. Well, they called my name, so off I went. Oh, it's not that easy. I still had to wait to receive some other papers, of course! So, my seat was taken and I decided to stand against the wall by the sad-looking girl. A new angle on the crazy lady would be nice, too. Ha ha ha - crazy lady is wearing an ear phone thing (obviously I've never had one). She must have been talking on the non-existent phone and not to the sad girl! So, I decided to sit down next to the sad girl and just be friendly. The room got quiet (I think my loud friends from earlier finally settled down!). So, I said, it sure got quiet in here. (Just testing the waters for friendliness.) Sad girl brightened up and was really nice. We talked for just a minute when I finally got my papers and could go.
Making the best of crowded waiting areas and even people who look tired, crazy, sad, or just neutral are probably just waiting to be friendly if each of us show ourselves to be friendly.

Christmas 2008

2008-12-27T17:18:00.000-08:00

The Reason For the Season

Jesus Christ was Born

A Photo from Christmas Past (Two Years Ago)

My cuties were so excited they woke up around 6 am.

Well, I was already awake anyway!

Our Country Kitchen

Two excited girls who had to wait for Daddy to get up!

Our 9 foot Christmas tree fits perfectly into this empty corner.

Sweet Sisters!!!

Wrapping Paper Fun!

Life Sized Cinderella Puzzle

Toy Nativity Set!!!

I bought this a year ahead so I'm glad it went over well.

Princess is really into nativities this year.

Yeah for Coloring Books!

Cheerleader Part I

2008-09-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

I am blessed to have my own, personal cheerleader. She is my mom. She tells me that I am a good writer and a good housekeeper. A good wife and mother. A good cook and gardener. She taught me to meet my obligations, pay my bills, keep my promises, be on time, and not to be the center of attention. She has many friends, but doesn't understand why so many people like her. She thinks she is boring. She has lots of friends because she cares about them and listens to them instead of talking about herself all the time. She genuinely finds a conversation about others more interesting than talking about herself. She is on my team no matter what - that doesn't mean she would always make the same decision. She knows how to love without smothering. She is my mom and she is also a daughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, grandmother and friend to many. She would rather blend in, but I want to give her a moment in the spotlight. I love you, Mom. Thank you for being my most faithful reader.

Keep it Clover!

Oh, Nuts!

2008-09-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm not the best at thinking of witty titles, but I have been harvesting lots of chestnuts and some not-yet-ripe walnuts and pecans. "Harvesting" sounds so much more interesting than just saying that I've been wandering around in the yard with a bucket and a pair of tongs!

If you aren't familiar with chestnuts they have an outer spiky, sharp layer that will often still be attached when the nuts fall from the tree. I never planned on having nut trees, but we were blessed with them when we purchased our home several months ago. As for the pecans and walnuts, I am hoping that they will ripen while I keep them safe from harm (squirrels a.k.a. The Enemy).

My princess is planting some Magnolia seeds. As I wandered in the yard staring at the dirt in search of nuts, I began to notice small red pieces of candy. I thought maybe some neighborhood kids had dropped some cinnamon candy in our yard, but they were so spread out that I became a little concerned and confused. I was relieved when I continued my online research and found a picture of magnolia seeds. Guess it wasn't candy after all!

So, my apologies to all my neighbors who are driving by as I am harvesting, if you know what I mean.

Keep it Clover!

9-11-01

2008-09-11T18:38:00.000-07:00

My first class of the morning was at 9 am. I was glad for the extra hour to get ready before heading out during my Junior year of college. I spent the morning exercising, studying, and dressing without any thought of contact with the outside world. I actually made it to class a little early. The first one in the room, in fact. A few moments later, Zack came in. I didn't know him well, but at the time he was dating a friend of mine. He had spent the last hour at the campus snack shop watching the news channel's live account of two airplanes flying into a couple of buildings. That was all he said with a chuckle. . . as if it was a staged scene from a movie. "Ummm, wouldn't people have died if a plane flew into a huge building?" I asked. He just said, "Oh, yeah, I guess so." Now, Zack wasn't a terrible person, but he wasn't thinking either. I wonder how many twenty-somethings neglected to realize how that moment would change millions of lives. Well, after class ended we headed to a chapel hour at our Christian university. There the seriousness of this day was realized. Our classes were cancelled and prayer hours were set up for groups to gather. I don't know anyone in New York or Washington so I headed out to meet my friend Tabitha for lunch. We met in her room, but when I arrived she was have a deep phone conversation. . . She doesn't usually ignore plans she has made so I was concerned and confused - then I saw her tears. She ended her phone call somewhat reluctantly and shared her story with me. . .
Tabitha's father is a pastor in New Jersey and was scheduled for a meeting of national pastors at the Pentagon THAT MORNING. Noone had heard from her father for hours before a plane was known to have crashed into and through the Pentagon. Tabitha had been talking to her mother and of course her father would have reassured his wife of his safety had he knowingly survived such a catastrophe. As Tabitha and her family wonder about the safety of this pillar of their home, he sits in a meeting in a building some miles from the Pentagon where his meeting had been relocated at the last minute. To my knowledge, there was no outside contact during the meeting which lasted for many hours. My heart was aching for my friend. I had no idea what to say or do and had not experienced a loss of anyone very near to me. Late evening the good news arrived that Tabitha's father was safe and had not been in an attacked building. Praise God from whom all blessing flow!
Another memory from that day which is very clear in my mind is my roommate Jasmine's reaction to the attack. Jasmine had lived in Alaska her entire life and has great pride in her home state. Because of the physical distance from the continental U.S., I was shocked at how deeply she felt the wound of the attack on our country and the lives lost although none were her friends or relatives. I have great respect for her love for this land that we each should appreciate more. I found that my focus was on moving forward and keeping life "normal" in order to minimize the "deer in the headlights" syndrome I was seeing around me, but I may have been a bit calloused compared to my compassionate roommate.

I remember asking my mother and others about when they heard of JFK's shooting, but I never thought my lifetime would bring another tragedy of a magnitude where every one remembers their circumstances.

God Bless America (although we may not deserve it)

2008-08-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

Remember my thrift store finds?

I love this urn with the aged mossy look. It is ceramic and was just $3.

Oh, and the picture in the background was a $1 find for frame, matting and print!!!

Keep it clover!

2008-08-20T04:46:00.000-07:00

All of you frugal deal finders out there will want to get in on a giveaway I just found. You have to comment on Jenna's blog today to enter to win a $25 CVS gift card. Go to her Newlyweds blog now!!!

Quest: Accomplished

2008-08-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

I didn't do any yard saling Saturday, but I am excited about our outing. We are headed to a water-themed youth rally with our church youth group. I spent time with several ladies and enjoyed some kid-free time.

My goal was to find a gift for a single guy friend of ours. I know his interests are the Bible, music specifically violin, and sports. So several months ago I found this. An old pencil sharpener. And it still has the box! The lady at the antique shop said her mom had collected these die cast pencil sharpeners. She had all kinds and at just $3.49 each I knew this would be perfect.
So, whether this is a cello, violin, or viola. It's perfect. I hope!

Keep it clover!

Frugal Finds

2008-08-15T12:40:00.001-07:00

I am so excited about today's visit to a thrift store, antique shop, and supermarket clearance buggy. (Buggy???) That is Southern for shopping cart. My Hoosier roots are giving way to some southern sayings.
Organic, pure maple syrup on clearance! Just $1.99. If you are near Belton, SC head to Ingles for this bargain.

Tomorrow I'll let you know more about these deals!

Keep it clover!

Bathing Beauty

2008-08-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

So, What Do You Think? A while back I finally visited a really great flea market in Liberty, SC. I love the atmosphere out there. As I stepped out of the van, I could feel the antiques in the air and the bargains too. These mirrors were such a great find at the perfect time. Our home is great and was a good price, but did not include any mirrors. So, when I saw these two I knew I would like them in our master bath and at $14 for the pair I loaded up my bargains. My husband is 6'5'' so I wanted a tall mirror that would not make hime scrunch down to shave and stuff. I didn't like the cheap looking gold paint finish on these babies, though. So, I bought my very first cans of black spray paint and worked the magic.

Other deals in this room: The porcelain watering can was $2.99 new including bath salts. And I love my thrift store candle holder for 50 cents. Oh, and the clearance candle whose scent makes me smile!

I am thinking of painting the cabinet black. Please give me your opinion. Would I have to paint the side of the bathtub surround black also?

We are thrilled to have a jetted tub that works great on tired muscles. We are trying to live such that we get rid of our credit card debt so we shopped for a house below our means. That is easier said than done. Nicer homes are always alluring.

Thank you to my hubbie for hanging the mirrors and to my mom for buying them for us.

I love you both.

Did you all catch the bit of cuteness in the first pic? I'll give you a hint: orange.

Keep it clover!

Kitchen Changes II

2008-07-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

Still working on my kitchen mantle. I think I need to put something above the mounted brackets. If anyone knows what I should call these metal hanging things let me know! I am also trying to decide about window treatments (or mistreatments). Then, I am thinking of painting the brick on the fireplace white or the brick and mantle black.

My super low mantle budget (items found over several years):

*metal wall decor: free from family member

(who received it free when someone stopped loving it)

*white plates: $1 each

*pictures: 25 cents each!

*candles: $2 each new (not the biggest bargain, but they work great)

*"Living Simply" decorative box: about $5 new

*small urns: 39 cents each!

*small pitcher: $1.99

*blueberry pie plate: about $6 new

*Rejoice in the Lord ceramic stepping stone: $1 new

*dust and cobwebs: Free!

Sense of Humor is very important as a parent.

I dusted some after the photos (for any Hazel's out there!!!)

Welcome to my appliance corner. Some day I hope this will be a breakfast nook. Well, it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful, as the Nester says. I would love an orangy terra cotta color for my kitchen walls. I am afraid of wasting money if I hate the paint color.

I've Mistreated My Windows!

2008-07-18T06:22:00.000-07:00

The Nester says it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. So, here are my unironed, inexpensive bedroom window mistreatments! We decided to not have blinds for now, so I set out on a journey of meeting an immediate need. Cover those windows as inexpensively as possible. I was shocked by the prices of curtain rods...even at discount places. So, as I wandered through the garden area of the discount store, I found these six foot bamboo poles for $5. For the mathematically challenged, that is less than a dollar each! They were meant to hold up a young tree, but I think they are doing pretty great holding up my drapes. Now, I must confess my decorating ignorance. I had heard of curtain rings once or twice on television decorating shows, but had not considered that "real people" may use them! Well, if the Nester can do it, so can I. The rod is held up by plater hooks which are like extra large cup hooks. I finally bought the curtain rings when I found them on clearance for $3.50 for a pack of 7. I had not expected them to originally cost $8.99. I am definitely gonna watch for these secondhand.

Now that the neighbors don't get a free show from our bedroom, I can mistreat some kitchen windows! I decided to try the Nester's upholstery tack idea. In this case, I was thrilled with the price for the tacks. The "curtain" is a table runner from Old Time Pottery.

And now I am asking for help. I asked for my husband's help in hanging these metal, ummm, things (I'm not sure what to call them - rods?). So, I did not communicate that I wanted space between them for a somewhat large framed picture. He isn't very happy about moving them for me. Should I just try to move them myself? I may just wait and move them when I decorate for fall so that I will be changing the plates and all.

Lastly, a bit of cuteness. Keep it clover!

Portrait?

2008-07-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

My sweet Princess was so excited to show me the picture she drew... of me!
So, what do all of you think of my new look? Whiskers and all! Just as I headed to the mirror to check for unsightly facial hair, the Princess told me the story about her picture. "Mommy, it's you dressed up in a lion costume!" Now that is much easier to live with than real whiskers.

I am so glad I could capture this moment in a photo since the chalk drawing won't last forever. I love being a Mommy even in the midst of difficult moments, there is always the next hug to come.

This reminds me of a recent thrift store visit with the girls. Of course they were fighting "like sisters" in the van as we arrived, but in the checkout line they were hugging "like sisters". "So sweet" was the comment by a lady behind me. I simply said that as long as a hug or two comes between the fights and teasing, we will be okay!

Peanut Butter Play-Dough

2008-07-08T05:45:00.000-07:00

I decided to try a new-to-me recipe Edible Play-Dough. To remind the children that not all play-dough is edible, we are putting peanut butter right into the name of this stuff. I figured this process would be pretty clean, but as you can see, the flour made a big mess, but cleans up pretty easily.

I did use a green scratchy to get rid of any stuck-on dough, but the clean-up was a rather simple one. I found that my Puddle Duck truly doesn't sit still for long no matter how fun and edible the activity seems! Overall, we had a lot of fun and some cute pics to show for it!

Oh, and a bit in the hair! No activity seems to be complete without it. I forgot to put a pony tail in my Princess' hair. Too bad 50% was still failing in school. In some cases half is pretty good during motherhood.

Flag Parade 2008

2008-07-03T06:38:00.000-07:00

I am in a parade! Thanks for coming to see me waltz my way along with flag in hand. Saluting those who appreciate the greatness of this country more than I. May God continue to bless America although we don't deserve it. His mercy does much more abound.
You can see more of this parade at Kari and Kijsa's blog.

The picture above looks pretty cute. I have to confess that it is in my bathroom. Complete with my little Puddle Duck playing with a doll! I found that I needed to have some storage for hair stuff which would be at hand and separate the barettes from the pony tail holders and ribbons. These work great and were just a buck each at Dollar Tree. Before we moved, this coat rack was near our front door and was always overloaded with jackets and, well, junk. Now, I'm lovin' it!

I am open to suggestions on how to rotate a picture on here!

The Clover Cottage Name

2008-07-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

http://irish-stuff.net/clover-vine-heart.jpg at http://irish-stuff.net/irish-decor.htm

How do we choose our Blog Name? It must be easy to remember. Afterall, I have to be able to remember it in the midst of our craziness. Then, it should be cute, right? Oh, and it ought to reflect something about the writer. I chose Clover Cottage since we just purchased our first home (after renting for five years). I was very excited about the mature trees in our yard and just about flipped when we found out that we had fruit and nut trees! Then, nine year old Bekah came over to slave away, I mean, help clean our house before we moved in. She was sweeping the front porch (pictured here) when I heard her shout excitedly. I went to see what was up when she announced that she had just found the biggest clover of her life. Sure enough, there is huge clover growing by our front steps. I felt pretty lucky to have such a great home and great friends who let their kids come clean my house!

So, at dictionary.com clover is defined as being "in clover, enjoying luxury or comfort; wealthy or well-off: They struggled to make their fortune, and now they're in clover."

Our wealth may not be in dollars, but we are rich in God, family, and friends.

Yard Work at the Cottage

2008-07-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

We had to get some trees trimmed and our evening family time this week has been "invested" in cleaning up the debris. The joys of owning a home. Yes, I really am enjoying our time despite the mosquito bites!

2008-06-30T06:13:00.000-07:00

Hey, my last post on organization has been echoed by The Lazy Organizer. Check out her great suggestions!

Yesterday's accomplishment: All dishes washed before going to bed!

Keep it Clover!

Better Planning

2008-06-26T02:34:00.000-07:00

I have tried to follow daily job lists several times in the last five years. I have not done very well at sticking with them, but am trying again thanks to largefamilylogistics.blogspot.com.
This lady can really explain things well and seems to have made time for all the household work. She doesn't allow tons of time for unnecessary shopping or time wasters. So, family time and cleaning are the focus. I am glad she is helping me improve in these areas - my weaknesses. She also has great general advice.

Keep it Clover!

Chairs to Inspire

2008-06-25T10:30:00.001-07:00

I just can't resist anouncing the great deal I got yesterday. Chairs for $2 each. That's right sturdy wood dining chairs for just two bucks at the local resale shop. Awesome! I am going to recover the seats and will post pics.

In the mean time, here are some chairs and vignettes (one of my favorite words) that have inspired me.

The Gardening Continues

2008-06-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

Got up and planted my new additions to the garden today. I hope I did okay. I was told to leave some soft dirt for the roots to get into.

I went out to admire the garden this afternoon and was sad to see a pepper plant drooping. I mean, this thing looked dead. So, although I have been told that I shouldn't water plants in the middle of the day, I did. The poor plant looked like it needed a transplant or something. Ha ha ha. Get it, transplant? I have always loved puns.

I think the cucumber plant is dying, however. A moment of silence, please.

Gardening

2008-06-04T19:44:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about our garden that Mr. Greg and CarolAnn dug up with a big tiller thing yesterday. The plot is huge! At least it sure seems that way compared to the five plants I had to put in it. Seriously, in one corner I put a cucumber plant and in the opposite (diagonal) corner are two tomato and two sweet pepper plants. It is actually kinda sad to look at. I hadn't really expected such a large space to plant in. So, off I went today to search out some more inexpensive vegetable plant options. (After lunch with the kids, hubbie, and -in-laws, then to the car mechanic and three plant nurseries later...) I found a 4-pack of zucchini, I think, for $1.99 and a 6-pack of sweet peppers for $1.99. Hope they survive!

I am looking at the bright side, if our car doesn't work, I can have a garden to supply the groceries, right? I may be stretching things a bit, but I am very excited with this new hobby. I mean, really, gardening is not very expensive (it helps to have friends with equipment), provides nutrition in the edible stuff, and lots of exercise (my thighs are soo sore!!!). Oh, my favorite, family bonding. My girls have really enjoyed picking grass and weeds from the garden. We actually saw a couple of worms too!

Nothing To Wear

2008-05-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

It seems that at some time most children give their parents gifts that are actually bought by the parent who is receiving the gift. I thought that was so funny as a child, but I loved giving a "real" gift to my mom. Now as a mom myself I know that a scribbled page from my toddler is more precious than any store-bought item, but from a child's point of view, giving a present from a store's shelf made me feel more grown up.

This reminds me of a young boy, about ten years old, who came through the line at KMart where I cashiered during my college summer and winter breaks. It was Christmas season and he had chosen some slippers and jeans and a shirt for his mom. So sweet! Unfortunately when he gave me his money to pay, he was several dollars short. When I asked him if he had more money (I didn't have any cash or anything--for those of you who may want to scalp me for not just paying for the kid's stuff.) he looked sad and started to put all the items back. I quickly told him that he had enough for the jeans and shirt if he wanted to leave off the slippers and his big smile showed how happy and relieved he was. It was one of the most loving things I have ever seen. I could tell that he really loved his mom and wanted to give her a token of that love.

As a young girl, I once gave my mom a gift of a nightshirt. You know, those screenprint shirts with a witty saying and picture. This particular bit of humor said "I have nothing to wear!" as a woman stands in front of an overstuffed closet. Well, I must admit that I AM THAT WOMAN. That's right, tonight I literally became the woman who can't find space to hang up all of her clothes, yet has "nothing to wear." Amusing, yet sad, I suppose. So, I decided to begin a pile of clothing to give to charity and also boxed up all of my winter items since summer is just beginning. How valiant of me! Well, as I finished my task, I am proud to announce that I have a box full of winter clothes to put in storage for a few months (then I will try to stuff them back in my closet!) and two shirts to give to Goodwill. Wow. Maybe I didn't succeed as I thought, but I am setting yet another goal of trying on two outfits a week and making a final decision. Should I allow myself the option of just stuffing it back in the closet?

A Hard Day's Work

2008-05-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

No pictures this post.

A symbol of a battery with a slash through it means no more battery power and when that symbol shows up on the screen of the camera it means no more picture power. So, I'm gonna be emptying some more boxes to look for the battery charger. Very exciting. I realized this camera situation this morning when I was hoping to take some photos of my girls helping with the yard work. Princess did such a great job of picking up broken bricks and loading them into her wagon to tote over to the pile across the yard. I firmly believe that real life situations are the best teachers, hence, my desire for animals and a garden.

Family and Goals

2008-05-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

Just showing off a few of my favorite family snapshots! Princess has a pretty funny personality. She is a real sweetheart who loves to snuggle.
Today, however, her mischievous side came out when I was attempting to hang some curtains in our bedroom (more of that adventure in a future post!) and both girls ended up out in the car. So, off we went to do some errands and then to church when I realize neither of my lovely, sweet, wonderful daugters is wearing shoes! Thankfully I had packed an emergency bag with some decent clothes and some shoes for Princess earlier in the day. They had spent the night at Grandma's and I never know what they will come home wearing! So, at least I only ended up carrying the smaller of the two girls across the gravel parking area at our church.

Oh, another thing I have learned is that it is easier to put the pictures on here first then add the text. Well, I'm gettin' there!

Since moving into our new home, I have set a daily goal:
One Psalm
One Proverb
One Project

We all have the every day dishes, laundry, and such, but I am going to try to complete at least one other task each day. Monday was a success as I met my goal of vaccuuming all the baseboards and corners and basically all the floors. After all of our guests earlier this week, there was plenty of dirt tracked in on shoes.

Today's goal was to wash the kitchen cabinet doors really well, but I think that is getting moved to tomorrow. However, I moved a lot of stuff from our old house to this new one and even put away two boxes of stuff. Oh, and hung curtains and grocery shopped and just shopped period! I did not fail. I took a detour!

Oh, this is Puddle Duck and her "I'm up to something as usual" face! She was actually pretending to throw birthday cake at Daddy. Well, she may have been intending to actually do it, but as far as I remember it never happened. And I think I would definitely remember...

Here's hoping for a good night's rest.

Keep it clover!

Settlin' In

2008-05-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from the real estate site where I first decided to visit this home during my stressful-at-times home search. I wasn't sure about the wood burning insert in the kitchen fireplace, but now I love it. It just feels so country!

Well, here are my little ones, although this is an older picture. Basically, Princess, now almost four, looks the same, but older and Puddle Duck, age two, looks just like this picture of Princess. So funny. I am an only child so I never realized how sibling can look alike, but act so different and any mixture thereof.

My own home. As I write this blog, I am enjoying my first entire day in our new home. Yesterday we decided to have about four families come over to christen our abode. Was I insane when I agreed to invite what totalled (spelling?) almost thirty people into our home on our third day of settling in? Well, we enjoyed our hotdogs, corn on the cob (courtesy of my good friend Christa), potato chips, and brownies, oh, and I almost forgot the watermelon (also from Christa!). No major catastrophes, but I did find out that our sand pile has evidence of kitty visits. Ewww yuck! Yep, we are official country folk. I am luvin' it! Grandpa Jim even helped me start a compost pile yesterday. I am such a city girl, yet the country life seems so romantic. I have even been checking out farmer-type blogs and sites about raising goats and chickens. I think Iwill just start with some tomatoes and sweet peppers for now! Hope they actually grow. I definitely do not have a green thumb.

So, I tried to use the word "well" a few less times in this blog. I am already improving!

I have continued to learn from fellow bloggers Like Merchant Ships and Homeschool Hacks.

Thanks to all!

Keep it Clover!

Now Presenting Clover Cottage: My First Blog

2008-05-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

Well, life is a bit hectic, but I am taking this Sunday afternoon to try out this blogging business. I know, I'm a bit behind the times. Over the past week I realized how informative and helpful blogs can be. I have learned decorating and gardening ideas and just plain been encouraged by several bloggers who I may never meet, yet I feel that I know them already.

My life currently consists of parenting, potty training our two-year-old, settling into our first home, being wife and homemaker, and learning to garden and decorate.

Well, every day is interesting in the world of parenting. I know there are many methods of potty training, but we are just taking it as it comes for now. I think this time around is much easier than with our first daughter, The Princess, who is now almost four years old. Yep, The Puddle Duck just turned two last month and is already in full potty training mode. Of course, we have tons of accidents such as yesterday's wet chair incident, but looking at the positive side,she has kept her diaper dry through naps and even through the night last night. Her body is ready, but consistency is key. So, I am thankful to have my assistant, Joy, who loves to boss her younger sister around, and is taking full advantage of her own potty knowledge to show her own superiority. It is a rather comical time.

Well, before beginning this post I was able to put the shelves back into our refrigerator. Ever tried just opening the fridge and piling groceries in the bottom? Chaos! So, during our two days of transition to the new house (our own home we are buying, yeah!) we had a rather crazy time with meal prep. All is well now and... I think I need to go grocery shopping. Spreading the food out on shelves makes the refrigerator look very empty!

Thanks so much to Nester at Nesting Place and June among others whose blogs inspired me to begin my own.