Monday February 6, 2006
Well I finally did it, got my own blog!
What better way to have family and friends keep up to date on what is
going on with us, than having a place where they can come to, right?!?!
Well at least that's my plan. I'm an Air Force Wife and stay at home mom to our wonderful children. Jasmine who is 6 years old and halfway through First Grade, and Nicholas who is 2 years old, but going on at least 10. Yeah, you see for the longest time I kept wondering when he would start talking, cause I would see all the other 2 year old's blabbling away, and then as if from night to day it happened.
Now there are days that we have to tell him to be quiet, cause he just won't stop. LOL
But that's ok, it's just another part of being a parent.
So, this is my plan. Have this online blog where I can come to every day and let everyone know what is going on back here in Potato Land.
Well at least that's my plan. I'm an Air Force Wife and stay at home mom to our wonderful children. Jasmine who is 6 years old and halfway through First Grade, and Nicholas who is 2 years old, but going on at least 10. Yeah, you see for the longest time I kept wondering when he would start talking, cause I would see all the other 2 year old's blabbling away, and then as if from night to day it happened.
Now there are days that we have to tell him to be quiet, cause he just won't stop. LOL
But that's ok, it's just another part of being a parent.
So, this is my plan. Have this online blog where I can come to every day and let everyone know what is going on back here in Potato Land.
20 years ago today, I made my very first blog post. I was a young mom, with littles and needed a way to connect with other women on the same path that I was on.
I don't know how it happened, but I came upon blogs and was fascinated. These women were my age, had children around the same age and they shared their lives, their recipes, their tips and tricks and their beautiful homes. If they could do it, so could I, so I jumped in without a second thought, I had no clue what I was doing, where this was headed and I certainly did not think that I would be sitting here 20 years later, still typing, still sharing, still fumbling around life but with grown adult children and a completely different life, in a completely different State.
I have shared so much over the past twenty years. So much has happened, so much has changed, I've changed, I've grown, I've learned so much and I feel tremendously blessed to have stuck with this blog for 20 years. That is incredible if I do say so myself.
I know some of you have been around since the beginning, some have come in halfway and some are new readers. To all of you welcome back, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here, for taking time out to comment, to read, share your thoughts with me.
When I started this blog, I had no idea what God would have me do, and actually I wasn't very close to God at the time either. We've had this back and forth kind of relationship since I got water baptized when I was around 15 years old. Thankfully, when Covid came around, and certain things happened in our family, I pulled closer to Him and never let go. The past few years as a devoted Christian woman of God have been some of the hardest, difficult, soul bearing years of my life, but also the most blessed, rewarding, saving, incredible too. I would not change this for the world, so I am still here going along with His plan and His will and typing and posting and just letting Him lead me where He needs to.
I have known for a long time that God wanted me to use this platform as a way to encourage other women, young and old, to live a life that is glorifying to Him and to our families. To bring home the fact that what we do as homemakers, as wives and mothers, is so important to Him. We don't need to be ashamed of our lives, we don't need to hide the fact that we stay home, and we don't need to be intimidated by others success. What we do is something to be proud of and admired.
Being a homemaker is monotonous, there is no lie in that, but how we approach our daily chores and ins and outs of running a home, is what matters. Choose to love where you are planted, love your home, love your life, love the laundry and the dishes and the messy house, it means you have a family and a home and a life.
I don't know if I have managed to inspire others to see things this way, if I have managed to inspire others to love being a homemaker, to turn to God more, to spend more time doing what is probably starting to feel like lost arts such as crochet and knitting, to watch more mindful family oriented TV and not the trash we see. My hope is that if I have done that for even just one person, then I have served my purpose with this blog.
In honor of my 20th year blog anniversary, I thought it would be fun to take a look back over the past twenty years. I am just going to dive into the blog and pick out whatever pulls me from 2006 all through this year. Shall we take a ride together?
A wagon ride at our local Pumpkin Patch in Idaho
A trip to the zoo in Boise, Idaho
My trip back home to South Africa, where my kids got to see where I grew up and meet their grandparents, greatgrandma, cousins and uncles and aunts
A trip to Sahuaro Ranch with my sweet mother in law and father in law
My brother Miguel and his family visited us in Arizona and we took a trip to Grand Canyon
Life in Arizona, Nick learned to ride a bike
Our yearly trip to Flagstaff for snow and the Christmas tree
Trip to the same Pumpkin patch we went to when we were first stationed at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
Just a normal day in the life in Idaho
Another day in the life but just a year later in Texas
Just a slow day in the life, and a picture of my sweetest Lola
Shelling pecans, something I quite enjoy doing
A sweet review that produced the cutest family pictures, ones I will treasure forever
When I really started getting into gardening
Losing my mother in law was one of the hardest things for me
I just picked the first random post I saw, because 2021 is when we lost Marley, and I still can't bring myself to look at the posts that year.
A quiet Saturday
The year we finally got chickens and I was beside myself with happiness
A morning at the base dog park
The simple things I love
I loved looking back on my life here on the blog, the different houses, the way we have all grown up and changed, our moves, our lives in Idaho, Arizona and now Texas. Our pets, the ones that have passed on and the ones that we have now. Just everything is a part of who I am and who I have become and I wouldn't change that at all.
I think it's easy to think that we would rather not have gone through some of the losses and the difficult trials, but they're all lessons and they have made us stronger.
So, now that we've had a look back, and by the way if you want to read the posts those pictures are from, you can click on the dates and it will take you to the actual blog posts....but anyway, as I was about to say, I want to end again by expressing my utmost gratitude to each and every single one of you, you have made me feel so loved and appreciated and I couldn't imagine being on this 20 year blogging journey without you all. I love you each and every one of you.
For the giveaway, I will run it for a week, will close it next week Friday. I am not going to make you jump through hoops like some bloggers do, you don't have to go climb Mount Everest, or find an extinct fossil to be entered into the contest.
I just want to know if you are a blogger, how long you've been blogging, and what if anything you like about my blog that has kept you here for all these years.
The winner will be picked at random using a generator online, and will receive a package from me with tidbits that represent who I am and the things I love.
- My favorite book
- A candle
- My favorite chocolate
- Something to do with cooking and baking
- A memento from Sheppard AFB
- Something crocheted by me
- And anything else I may think of to put in there
It's not much, but it's just a show of my love and appreciation for you all!
Contest is open to US only, I wish I could open it internationally but shipping would be crazy if I did. Sorry my friends overseas.
Thank you again for stopping by and good luck ♥
6 comments:
Oh, Sandra, I so enjoyed coming across your blog years ago. I often popped in (didn't comment much) when I took my blog break. You were one of the few I still always come back to for the style, the nostalgia of the better days of blogging (to me) and I always loved your period theme books, shows, and recommendations you always had.
CONGRATS for being dedicated in the highs and lows and many years of blogging. SUPER AMAZING!!!
I am blogging. I have had a lot of ups and downs with it but you always inspire me to come back more than you know. I love the Monday morning link up. I don't always participate but I read everyone's and found another fellow blogger I love to visit (Carrie) and it is what always keeps me coming back.
I started blogging in 2004 and blogged consistently and I mean almost daily or at least weekly until 2012. Life happened and I was not able to be consistent and then my blog was messed up with a hacker and I had to shut down all those wonderful memories and posts. I get so sad thinking of it. In 2015 I picked up again and started a new blog. But I got wrapped up in life with teens and being a Pastor's wife, it just didn't stick. In 2020, I started back off and on here and I try hard to pop in as much as I can. Ministry takes huge place in my life so I truly have to be very proactive or I forget. But I am trying my hardest to make it stick this time.
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity and congrats again.
First off, congrats on 20 years! What a milestone. I’m not a blogger but have read yours for years. I was drawn to it because my 2 oldest children are the age of yours. And I married a soldier so I understood the military life part. I just enjoy the everyday life and that it’s God centered. So much more to say, but enough for now. Anyway was fun looking back! ~Gerlyn
I loved looking at those photos because it's what I remember from years ago and how I still picture your kids.
I've been blogging since 2008 and started following you then. I still do Cooking Thursday. :) At some point I lost my feed and a bunch of people that I followed, so I was happy when you popped up in comments and I found you again! I love how you show joy in working at home and making your home a happy place.
I have been blogging since 2006! Wow! I had to look it up and take a little journey down memory lane. *smile*
There are so many reason why I keep coming back again, and again. Number one is I am big fan of finding joy in the ordinary. When I read through your post that is exactly what I see.. you finding joy in the ordinary, every day moments of being a homemaker.
It was fun looking back at your life through the years. I don't understand how our children grew up so quickly!
What a lovely blogpost. I have been posting since 2008 and like the fact that since I joined your HHM it is like a journal for me AND I get to meet think-alike bloggers. By the way I was going to say do not add me to the giveaway because the shipping to here in Canada is prohibitive.
Sandra i have followed you for years and always really excited to see your posts, you've always made homemaking so special. I love looking at your pictures and how you've always made something beautiful to decorate your home. I don't blog but ive often thought about starting. You are my favorite blogger, I have always enjoyed your recipes and seeing your crochet. I always liked when you would show the homemade things that you were going to make for Christmas presents for your children and family. Home and taking care of the home and family is so important, I could always see in your pictures and reading your blog that it is to you as well, God bless.
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