A Little Randomness ~ 1996

This week's year is 1996! Here are some memories that I have of that year in list form.

Image by Harisankar Sahoo from Pixabay

• Our son turned 5. At the time, we didn't have any other children, but he was praying for a sister.

• We made the decision to homeschool kindergarten. After lots of research, I chose to read lots of books together, and I took a lots of hands on and experiential learning approach that year.

• My husband was working for a company that had sent him to Branson, Missouri to work for four months. He lived in a condo there. 

• We bought Silver Dollar City passes. Matthew and I would often visit, and we would go to the park.

• My mother found out that her breast cancer had returned as bone cancer. This rocked my world like nothing before ever had. This began two heart wrenching years. The good is that both she and my step-dad got saved. He is still loving and serving Jesus. He was able to help me through my fight with breast cancer that I began in 2017. 

• Beanie Babies were one of the hottest toys for Christmas as was Nintendo 64. We bought Matthew a Beanie Baby. We never did buy video games for the kids.

• We bought our first computer and learned about dial up internet. I used to "Ask Jeeves" as I was learning to search.

• The first Twister film was one of the top films of the year. We watched it. Living in tornado alley, it was scary!

It was an exciting time to be alive, full of hope, some fear, and lots of prayer. I miss those days of having our little family of three and teaching my little boy and learning a whole lot in the process!

God is good through the good times and the hard times.

Blessed be the name of the LORD JESUS!

What do YOU remember about 1996?

I can't wait to read your responses.

Laura

Clueless About Superbowl Mania...

That's me.  Clueless about Super Bowl mania.  I was surprised yesterday to see a sign as I went into Wal-Mart stating there was just 1 shopping day until Super Bowl.  There were lots of people shopping, too.  When did Super Bowl become a holiday?  For me, it was a regular grocery shopping day.  Just prior to Wal-Mart, I'd been at Aldi where the checker told me I had the healthiest things in my cart she'd seen all day. ~smile~  Everyone was buying chips and junk food.  I was taking advantage of the broccoli, celery, and veggies that were on sale as well as apples, oranges, bananas, and the cream and cottage cheese I use so frequently with Trim Healthy Mama.

Even at church today the sermon was about the church family being a team much like the unrecognized support people that make the football games happen.  Well, I'm not a football person, but I am going to the church Super Bowl party.  I'm taking a big pot of chili and crackers as promised by my husband.  I'm also taking yarn and a crochet hook.  I'm expecting there will be lots of other ladies who don't have a care about the game to talk with.  We'll also be having our own half-time with Minute to Win It games. 

So, for our family, it will be about the fellowship. 

How about yours?  Are you football folks or clueless like I am?

Blessings,
Laura

Happy at Home

True Confessions

1.  I absolutely love hot homemade cocoa all year long, even summer!  My Grandma Mamie got me hooked when I was a girl. 

2.  I am really enjoying Professor Horton's Bible reading program.  It's available on youversion.com; but I'm using my Bible.  Basically, I'm reading a chapter a day in each of ten different spots in the Bible.  I have been amazed how I keep hearing people refer to verses I've just read!

3.  I like creamy peanut butter best.

4.  My windows need to be washed.

5.  This month my reading list looks like it did in college.  I'm reading the following books for reviews:  Four Letter Words, One Month to Live, and The Circle Maker.  I'm also reading 10 chapters of Bible a day. 

6.  I'm feeling guilty; because, I want snow.  I know there's a lot of rebuilding being done in Joplin; but, couldn't we have a few inches in Carthage?  Please God? 

7.  I love listening to Paul Cardall.  His music is so relaxing. 


True Confessions inspired by Lizzie at A Dusty Frame.

Fall Homemaking...

Fall homemaking is much like homemaking any time of year.  There's the regular cleaning, the laundry, the dishes, the floors and the like.  What makes fall homemaking unique for me is the feeling of nesting that I get as the breezes become cooler, the colors become warmer, and the days become shorter. 

I want to open my windows more to let in fresh cool air.  I want to bring in the warmth of pumpkin oranges, maple leaf reds, and wildflower golds.  I want to snuggle up on the sofa with a good book at the end of the day as the darkness falls earlier and earlier.

I also want to fill my home with the aroma of homemade cinnamon rolls with lots of butter, cinnamon, and sugar.  I do this every Friday morning.  I'm up at 4:00, measuring, mixing, rolling and baking.  Praise God, I have a Bosch mixer* that does the kneading for me.  My husband comes home from work around 6:30 a.m. and gets to enjoy a hot roll before making our deliveries.

My husband's taste buds are tantalized by the aroma of garlic and onions sauteing.  He knows homemade soup, chili, stew, spaghetti sauce, or salsa is being created.  Would you believe, I didn't have garlic until I was 14?  Now, I couldn't imagine my kitchen without it.

Ah well, there are so many things I enjoy about this cozy season.  I shall have to share more as time allows.

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you as you trust in Him for salvation, for hope, for your every need.

Laura
Thankful to be Home

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May I suggest?

D is for Do It!

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*I am no longer an Amazon affiliate.

2016 Fabulous Fall Party

I Admit It!

I cannot wait!

I've been trying to wait, really, I have. It's all my friend Joyce's fault! I went to her house Wednesday for Bible Study. She'd done it! Her house was a fall wonderland! So, I've decorated for fall, too. I'm looking forward to adding some pumpkins and a mum or two.

I've been looking around for great blogs. I've added some to my lists at the side. Do take a look. I've just found the statistics bar on the design page. I'm starting there. Did you know that you can now see who is sending readers to you? I'm visiting all you that comment as well.

Crocus...The Hope of Spring

Just thinking of Spring gives my heart a little pitter pattery flutter of happiness. Just this morning, on my way to the library, I was thrilled to see that the park's floor had transformed into a carpet of lilac crocus. Ah the little crocus. What a joyful reminder that Spring will indeed return.

This and That

My what a busy week it's been. We've had doctor appointments, trips to two campuses for books, shopping, cleaning, a little studying, a little reading, cooking, and now I need to put up some things from the garden. Lowell's been doing some temporary work at night; so, evenings have been pretty low key with an early dinner.

It looks like our computer will be up and running in a short while. It was a dead hard drive. I'll check in when it's all back in order.

Blessings,
Laura

Rambling Thoughts About a Beach Ball

Thoughts About a Beach Ball....

As a kid, beach balls were a great symbol of summer fun. They were so versatile. First there was the excitement of getting a new one each year. Funny, they never seemed to last from year to year. Next, the inflating. I remember blowing and blowing and feeling like it would never be inflated fully. Of course, I had to make it just as hard as I could. There was always the challenge of getting the little hole plugged before too much air came out. Then at last it was ready for play.

My brother, John, and I loved to play with balls. Beach balls, baseballs, basketballs, plain old rubber balls, super balls, and tennis balls all enhanced our fun. Beach balls were especially fun in the water. I do mean in the water. We'd do our best to completely submerge the ball, then let it go and watch it pop up into the air. It was great fun to see who could send it the highest. We'd bat it back and forth to each other, push it in the water, make a whirlpool in our little pool and watch it go round and round.

Ah childhood, when fun was found in a simple beach ball.  I think I'll look for one this week for my little kiddles. ~smile~

Let's take some time out for fun!  Let's make memories with our children.

Laura
Happy at Home

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May I suggest?

Rambling... Stream of Consciosness 

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Ramblings...Stream of Consciousness

I'm sitting in the library staring at a blank page. I don't exactly have writer's block; but, nothing is coming easily to my mind this morning. I'm going to do a little stream of consciousness writing like we did in college. Have you ever done that? It's just writing whatever thoughts come into your mind. The idea behind it is to get you writing something, anything, to push through the blank page problem and get your mind working.

I remember when I was younger, thinking that I think best with a pencil in my hand, or a pen, or now a keyboard! It's almost as though the very act of moving my fingers helps me to think more clearly, to focus my thoughts. I think that is why I also enjoy needlework. When I quilt, for instance, I am able to lose myself deep within my thoughts as my fingers move meditatively through the motions of making the tiny stitches. The stitches must be tiny, not toenail catchers, as my quilting teacher told me. My grandma used to look at the back of the quilt to examine the stitches better and see how close they were.

I was up late last night crocheting another washcloth. I'm going to pin my husband down and have him show me how to put the photos on the computer so that I can offer them in the Shop.
I've also got an idea or two for a couple of new items that I'm going to try to work up over the next few days. Be watching....

Blessings to you!

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

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May I suggest?

5 Minute Friday:  Roar

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