When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."

Erma Bombeck

I have been sick the last few days with a cold/flu so have not been able to do much posting. I am looking forward to feeling better and being able to do some updating! Have a wonderful weekend.


~ Erin

A Mother's Advice

--- by Elizabeth Allen from Twenty Three and Soaring

I've grown up reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books. Honestly, I cannot remember when I first read Little House in the Big Woods... oh, yes, I just did! I remember reading it for the first time when I was seven years old. But I definitely don't remember seeing it on my parents' bookshelf for the first time! It's always been there .. part of my life... for all of my life. I'd read all the books by the time I was ten years old, on which birthday my family gave me a complete set of the books, all inscribed with loving birthday messages in the front covers. Needless to say, I still have the Little House books on my bookshelf!

I was fourteen years old, and I re-read the 'Little House' books for the hundredth time and - for the first time - really noticed Laura's Ma, Caroline Ingalls. As I read the books, I looked at her and her life and thought, "That's what I want to be like when grown-up - especially when I'm a wife and a mother!" If you have not have read the Little House books, believe me when I say that Laura's Ma is amazing... she's quite young and very pretty (according to Laura), but brave and courageous; she's calm and capable; she's gentle and firm. Although she wants to settle down in one place, she follows Laura's Pa - Charles Ingalls - across America, making a home for her family, being a wife, a mother, a lady and being the refuge for her husband and children on the Western Frontier. She is amazing and although I haven't read the Little House books for a while, I still remember Laura's Ma and think, "That's what I want to be like!"

So... when I discovered that someone has written a series of books about Caroline Ingalls, of course I had to read them! It's been so much fun getting to know Laura's Ma before she was Laura's Ma, when she was Caroline Quiner... a serious, thoughtful, steady little girl, like Laura's Ma in so many ways... but younger, softer, freer. My favourite bit of all the Caroline books is at the end of the last book in the series, A Little House of Their Own, when Charles Ingalls has asked Caroline Quiner to marry him and go West with him. She loves him, but she's afraid of going West. While working in the garden, Caroline and her Ma have a heart-to-heart talk:

"Caroline, we cannot live out lives worrying about 'what if'!" Mother said emphatically. "Grandma Tucker would never have had the courage to leave Scotland and make the perilous voyage to this country if she had worried about what might happen. And I would never have journeyed west myself. Then I would never have had the joy of raising eight wonderful children."

"There has been a great deal of sorrow with the joy," Caroline said in a quiet voice.

"Yes," Mother said, sighing. "But perhaps the joy would not seem so sweet without the sorrow." Mother's gaze focused intently on Caroline again. "Sorrow and joy are both a part of life, Caroline. And life is what we choose to make of it."

--- from "A Little House of Their Own" by Celia Wilkins

Reading aloud was a big part of our home schooling. We always had a "good read" going in the afternoon and evenings. Mom and Dad would take turns reading aloud. The Caroline Series is my Mom's and my favorite series of all of The Little House Books. I can remember when the Caroline Series first came out. We could hardly wait for the next book to be released... ~ Erin

New Recipe!

Go check out a recipe for Chocolate Balls on my recipe blog ~

A Wedding Shower for Deanna

This past Sunday Mom and I along with dear friends Margaret and her daughter Mary-Beth held a shower for Deanna. We have known both of their families for years so it was nice to be a part of this special time for Deanna and Jon. There were about 21 ladies in attendance. It was a very enjoyable afternoon and great to talk to some people that we had not seen for awhile! Some of the pictures were a little washed out so here are the best ones.

Both sides of the family, from L - R ~ Elise (sister of the bride), Irene (mother of the bride), Deanna (the Bride!), Shanna (sister of the bride), Vanessa and little Samuel (sister of the groom), Jenny (sister of the groom), Niki (mother of the groom)





Playing the "apron" game :)

Deanna and her sister Elise

Hugs for Samuel

The....Hat!

Good Friends :) From L - R Niki, Mom and Margaret.

CONGRATULATIONS AND ALL THE BEST TO DEANNA AND JON!!!

The Cottage

I am sorry that his post has taken so long in getting up. We have been busy getting ready for a wedding shower! Post to follow.

This picture was taken after church before we went to the cottage that afternoon.

The view from the dock





On the paddle boat

Scott fighting a fish!

Our Goofy parents :)

Scott and Ralph

Nana and Papa came over a couple of times during our stay and we were able to get a nice picture of them

Mom and Nana

Dad and I playing cards

Mom

We had a wonderful vacation together as a family. After a week Mom and Dad brought Scott to school and finished getting him settled in. We really miss him but we will be seeing him on Wednesday!

Fall Wins!

On my sidebar I did a recent blog poll asking your favorite season of the year. Here they are in order of seasons. Thank-you for participating!

Spring ~ 2

Summer ~ 3

Fall ~ 8

Winter ~ 1

We are back

We have been at a cottage the past 9 days. It was a very nice vacation! While we were gone the internet got fixed.

We took some family pictures while we were there. I will hopefully have a cottage post up in the next day or so along with news about Scott now being in University! Quite a change...

-Erin

We have not had internet for the past couple of weeks and are not likely to have any for a little while... I am so looking forward to getting everything fixed and being able to post pictures and updates!


-Erin

Lunch With Friends...

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though she knows that you are slightly cracked... :)

- Unknown