To see the slideshow of all this week’s great sketches, go here. And if you want to join us next week, for  sketching, go here to learn the details.

This is the most popular page on my blog!  It cracks me up that everyday that I take a look, my stats list Mr Gallon as the most viewed page by far.

Have you ever met this guy?  We discovered him 2 or 3 years ago when Mae was deep in the learning to exchange cups for pints for quarts for gallons in all those challenging math word problems.  Now it is Petal Rose’s turn and since I am printing Mr Gallon for her notebook, I thought I’d share him here,

http://teachhouston.uh.edu/TeachHouston_document/lesson_plans1/Capacity_Mr_Gallon_Man.html.

You’ll need to scroll pretty far down the page to find him 🙂

for the Hard Times

and the song I sing…even on the good days,  (please scroll to the bottom of the page to quiet the player or click to listen at youtube)

My sin,  not in part
but the WHOLE
is nailed to the CROSS
and i bear it NO MORE

PRAISE The LORD

It is Well, It is Well with my Soul.

and this…”The only true disability in life is a bad attitude.”

The Purex UltraPacks Laundry Detergent free product coupons are AubreyLaine(entry #10)  and Jay(entry #2)

please email me at byquietwaters at gmail dot com with your mailing address, put Blog Giveway in the subject line (to keep it out of the spam folder) and I will pop these right into the mail!

{this moment} – Tucked in here most Fridays, photos from an ordinary, or not so ordinary, moment from the week. A moment I want to linger on, press into, and offer thanks for..

Leaving my retreat center (bedroom & master bathroom), ready for the day I went into Mae’s room to encourage her to rise and shine.  This is what I found,

Now who would jump right out of bed with that warm bundle of fur resting so sweetly on one’s back?

Entering the living room to get my camera for the above photo I found Petal Rose snuggled on the sofa with Madeline snuggled tight on her belly, nose to nose they were. When I pointed the camera, Madeline quickly jumped down and ran off. This is a photo I took a few evenings ago during our bedtime read aloud. She’s afraid of the black box and runs off before most photos.

Sometimes I get grumpy at these animals, their messes, their demands (black cat up there is very vocal), and forget the joy and comfort they offer.  I am thankful for the warm snuggles they give my daughters, for the opportunity to love and care for the needs of another life that pets give children.  I am thankful for the added color these cats add to the landscape of our lives.

linking with SouleMama and Amy’s Finer Things and joining Laura for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Awhile back I blogged about the new Purex Ultra Packs Laundry Detergent that we recieved to test out and review.  If you would like to read the review, you can click here. 

We’ve been pretty happy with the product, especially while we are teaching our two youngest daughters to do the laundry. These Ultra Packs make adding laundry detergent to the machine easy and mess free!  As busy as our household is in this season, I am thankful for this little gift in the laundry room.

We have 2 coupons for FREE Purex UltraPacks detergent that we like to give away this week, 1 each to 2 different visitors.  

If you would like to win one of these coupons, please share with me a tip you have in teaching kids to do their laundry, or other household tasks.

The drawing will be held on Friday February 10 and announced here on the blog.   Drawing winners will need to email us with mailing information.

I’m excited to share these coupons with you!

Petal Rose with Kyoshi Haynes, Mrs. Nance her first Karate instructor and Sensie Nester

In the course of a week we celebrated achievements of all the students at our dojo’s winter award ceremony, recieved new belt ranks in our classes and enjoyed International Tutu Day, which was celebrated by ballerinas in tutus of all colors and styles. 

With Beloved Builder’s help, I typed up a hefty reading list for 2012.  After reading A Thomas Jefferson Education last fall, my desire to read to learn became hard to satisfy, what with reading to kids, making meals, driving to classes.  But I’m carving out the time because I now understand that my own education and growth is also very important, as an example to my kids, as a person and it is just plain enjoyable.

This month I have read:

Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman.
I read this story on my iTouch via the Kindle app as we travelled home from visiting my Kansas family over New Year’s week.  It is the story of Mary Beth’s journey to hope, after the tragic death of her little Maria.  My heart grieved as the story unfolded, such heartache this family, and others, have been given to carry.  At the same time I was very encouraged by Mary Beth’s REALness.  She shared so openly about her struggles with anger, pain, and depression and the faith that keeps her moving forward.  An encouraging book.

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp
This is a book that will be on my mind for a long time.  There is so much to think and act on that my heart and head are full.  Again, I was surprised by and encouraged as Ann shared so openly about her own struggles.  We really are not alone in these dark places we find ourselves.  So many of us have different circumstances, but the same struggles.  Eucharisteo has become a song in my mind, as I am learning to look deeply for the gift in the daily grind, in the desperate pain I see all around and in the sweet moments that abound in each day.  Joy is increasing as I search out the gifts the Father has lavished right here, where I am.

Money Saving Mom’s Budget by Crystal Paine.  While much of what Crystal Paine has to say in this book is material on her blog or in other resources I’ve read, there are some points she expands on that really build upon basics that I know or am learning.  The chapter on time management has me looking at my own schedules and habits more closely with the intent to redeem more of my 24 hours per day for productivity, relationships and eternal focus.  The charts in the back of the book are great tools, to use as they are printed, or to springboard from. 

This book is one that I plan to have my daughters read.  Crystal is a young woman who is a homemaker and a business woman, with a far reaching platform.  She is also a woman who recognizes what she has been given, and offers it back to the Lord.  It brings me great joy to be able to introduce my daughters to women who are living in faith, wisdom and fear of the Lord. 

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
What a fabulous time we had reading The Hobbit in January as our family read aloud.  My precious, those sweet people who share life with me, have made reading a great story together the best of time!  During the month we enjoyed quoting poor Bilbo, discussing our favorite dwarves and playing the riddle game with our Karate instructor. 

The movie is scheduled to be released in December, so we may have to read the book again next fall.

~~~~~~~
Audiobooks

Driving kids to here and there, actually the driving after we’ve reached their drop off point, or before they’s hopped back in the van, is a time I’ve decided to fill with Audiobooks.  We have a rather large collection of audiobooks on cd, and downloads on the computer that I chose from.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
One of my great enjoyments in recent months is the discovery of classic literature.  This was indeed a swashbuckling tale that I enjoyed during the hours of driving to and from ballet & piano classes.  This story has enriched several conversations with my family and I look forward to spending time with more classics on my own, and with the kids!

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
This recording by Ancient Faith Radio, has been delightful.  It is one of my goals this year to listen to all of The Chronicles of Narnia and I am excited about these recordings by Dr. Chrissi Hart.  The Chronicles of Narnia are available as podcast for free download from Ancient Faith Radio. 

made with Sculpey by Chica’s loving hands

When we had shared a little about the search for a doll family,  Chica told us, “I just couldn’t tell the Doll family they would have to move out. They are my doll family.”  The search is over, we have found the perfect dolls.

linking up with SouleMama, and Amy Finer Things.