{ Why I am still blogging }

 

 

In just 3 short days, I will have been blogging for 20 years.  I can't believe it's been that long, and I don't know how I have managed to hold onto this little slice of the internet for that long, without giving up, walking away, or deleting the blog like so many others have in the past.

 

Looking back on it, it is a huge achievement.  In a world where everything is so fast paced, and constantly changing from one thing to the next, it is a true testament to stay in place, to hold on to your morals, your values and your roots, so to speak, and not give in to the need for the next new big thing.

 

When I started this blog I was a young mom, with a 7 and a 3 year old.  Life was hectic, I was trying to find my way, learning as I went, and blogging had just kicked off.  It was my place to come and share my day, to sit and take a breather between blowing noses and giving out snacks.  I was exhausted and needed a way to relax and to be with like minded women.

 

I started sharing daily posts, never anything super interesting just what we were eating, what I was crocheting, making, thinking doing, my tips and tricks as a homemaker, wife and mother.

 

Through the years I have changed so much, things I loved I no longer enjoy, things I never thought I would enjoy I now love.  It's funny isn't it, we change so much as we get older, it's like becoming a whole new person at times and trying to learn to live with them.

 

The one thing that has always remained in my love for sharing my homemaking life, in hopes to inspire or motivate someone to look at their homes as a place of love and hope.  A place that is kept as a haven for the family, and most importantly a place to honor and glorify God.  Everything I do is always with Him in mind and for Him.

 

I have seen so many others give up on their blogs, just walk away, delete it all and not look back.  I don't think I would ever have the courage to do, because within these pages, in this little corner of the vast internet is a life, a life of 20 years filled with memories, photographs, ups and downs, moves and joys and losses.  And I don't believe that is something to be thrown away, but rather cherished.

This blog is filled with so many interesting posts made over the last 20 years and I'm sure if you love homemaking and family as much as I do, you will surely find something here to enjoy reading or looking through.

 

So why am I still blogging after all these years?  Why not just walk away?

 

Well, I love sharing my life, I love using this platform to inspire others and I truly believe that God wants me to remain here, doing exactly what I've been doing for al these years, and as long as I feel that pull from Him, I will continue here in this little corner.

 

I will have a post up on the actual blogiversary on the 6th of February, and will take you back in time to some older posts.  I also want to have a little giveaway on that day, just to say thank you to all my readers who have stuck around for this long.  

 

If that's something that interests you, be sure to come back and check out that post.

 

I'll end this post with a little snippet of what I have been up to today:

 

Paid bills

Got my 10k steps in

Did laundry and cleaned the house

Watched some tv

Read a few more pages in my book

Received a few more books in the mail

 

Now, I have a Walmart delivery that just arrived, so I need to go and grab that from the front door and put it away.  

 

I hope you're all having a blessed Tuesday, if you're a blogger too which I'm assuming most of you are, how long have you been blogging and what keeps you here?  Would love to know ♥ 

{ What am I going to post about? }

 

    I think these are thoughts every blogger has had, at one point or another. Especially if you've been blogging as long as I have. I was about to sit down and start typing and that thought popped into my mind.  It seems to do that a lot lately, maybe because I'm not used to blogging consistently.

 

    So what I did was sit for a moment and think back to when I first started and many years after. I never had an issue wondering what I was blogging about on that day, I just took pictures, sat down and the words flowed. What was it that made it so easy back then as opposed to today? 

 

     And then it hit me. I wasn't putting any pressure on myself to come up with any sort of theme or subject I had to discuss.

    If you go back and read my earlier posts, I really just took photos of my every day life and shared it every morning or evening. Whatever I was doing, is what I was sharing. Why do we make things so much more difficult for ourselves? Isn't it crazy? 

    I then realized that I need to just sit and talk about my day, no matter what hapened, big or small, exciting or boring. The point here, and it has always been the idea, is for me to keep a record of my life that I can one day pass on to my children, or even read myself, when I'm old. 

 

    So with that in mind, I grabbed my camera this morning, and just took photos as I went about my day.  I was just thinking yesterday that I haven't been recording some of our biggest battles the past few years, or important dates etc. 

    What that means is that when I get to transfer my posts to my blog books, there are going to be chunks of time throughout the years, that there is nothing to show. That's sad to me. But it's also life. No use crying over spilled milk right? 

 

    I'm just going to jump right in and sit down every night or every morning to talk about my day and if I have photos to share too, even better. I don't know if it's because of the horrid year we've had, or what, but I am actually quite looking forward to Christmas. 

    I am already thinking, planning, figuring out what I'm going to cook and so on. Thanksgiving however, we are giving a miss this year. Neither my husband, nor I, are in the mood to celebrate. Don't get me wrong, we have a lot to be thankful for, but it is also the first year without my sweet mother in law and it's going to be a really difficult day for us. 

 

    Anyway, so today I took Jasmine to work in the morning, then pottered around the house a bit. FYI, before I continue, can I just say that I am really disliking this new blogger layout? 

    I really wish they would stop messing with things or at the very least allow us the option of continuing with the old interface. I am so completely lost right now, can't find half the things I need to post, to change the template. Anyone else? 

But back to what I was saying. I reorganized some of my kitchen cabinets. I don't know why but I feel that as time goes by, the layouts I pick at first, stop being functional so I have to go back in and change, throw out some things, move others around and so forth. 

    However, I was dealing with some cramping (women stuff), and Curt gave me some pain meds to take after my lunch. I came to sit on my bed just to ease the cramping and woke up 2 hours later with a sore neck. LOL I completely conked out for 2 hours with both the cat and the dog with me. By the time I woke up, it was time to get dinner started. 

    I have been filming my meals this week for my Weekly Meals video, so it takes a bit more setup when I got into the kitchen, instead of just walking in, making the meal and sitting down to eat. But I do enjoy making the videos, so it's all good. We ate dinner, then had to run back out to pick up Jasmine. So not exactly a lot going on today, it was a bit of a laid back one, especially for me.

    Wanted to get the recipes on the blog, and ended up not even getting around to that, so it's on my list for tomorrow.

    See, this is what happens when you stop doing something for so long.  Jeez it's hard to get back on track, but I'll get there.

    I hope you enjoyed my little glimpse at my day, and I guess this is what you can expect moving forward, more hodgepodge, random posts with snippets of what I'm doing.  I don't think I've ever been able to stick to a specific topic, I always jump from this to that and back again.

    To be fair, isn't that how we talk in real life?  Does anyone ever sit down to chat with a friend, and stick to just one thing?  I know I don't and half the time I wonder how we even get onto some topics  Hahaha

    Well friends, I am going to end his one here.  It's almost 9 o' clock, and I am going to watch a quick video on Youtube, read my Bible and go to sleep.

No Reply Blogger

Alright blog readers, I need to talk to you all about something.

See I love getting comments and I don't usually reply back in the comment section because I figure you are like me, you make a comment and then move on and don't go back and check again.

I much prefer to reply through email and it's sad when I try to do that and get the "No Reply Blogger", which means if I reply to you, the email will end up somewhere in a black hole in cyberspace.  Not good.

I love replying, I love letting people know that I appreciate them taking the time to stop by and leave me a note, but I have a feeling that many of you may find me to be the rudest blogger alive, because you don't hear back from me.

Not for lack of trying, trust me.

So, if you could do me a huge favor, and it's no biggie because when I first started blogging I did the same thing and then people wanted to reply to me and hit the same brick wall.

This is very easily fixed.

Click on your blogger profile, click edit and then make sure "show my email" is checked.  That's it!

Now when you leave me a comment, I can quickly reply to you through email :)

And while we're on the subject, I've also ran into the problem where one of my readers will ask me to check out their blogs, but when I go to do so, I run into the empty profile window, no blogs showing.

This is also a quick fix.  Again in your profile, click "select blogs to display", then select the blog you want to be shown and save settings.

Now when someone wants to visit you back, they'll be able to do so :)

Deal??????

Hey Blogger, just a thought.....

but do you think you could maybe, just maybe, try using verification words that require normal eyesight and not x-ray or telescopic one ????

See I am a Stay at Home Mom and contrary to belief that we sit on the couch eating bonbons, I'm usually quite busy and sneak in a little blog time when I can, so it defeats the purpose if I spend oh....10 minutes just trying to get the right word combination out? Your m's look like n's....your r's look like I don't know what, so I tend to just go with what MY eyes are seeing, but apparently it's not up to your standard because you keep spitting out my comment and telling me to "Enter the letters as they are shown in the image."

So while attempting AGAIN to decipher your verification word, the conversation between me and Jasmine went something like this.....


Me - Dagnabit what is that?
Jasmine - Mommy that's a M...see?

*I type in blah blah blah M blah blah and enter, wrong........I did it wrong*

Me sighing - that was not a M. Jasmine - Well....that's what it looks like..... Me with my eyes almost glued to the monitor..... - it's an I and a N but it's stuck together so it looked like an M right? I mean that's what it was? Jasmine - I don't know, can I just go back to reading my book now.?


Pffttt, if I could SEE the right words I may get it, but as it is, I usually only get it right after the 5th or so attempt in every single blog I go to that uses these words. See this is affecting mother/daughter relationships everywhere. So please, fix it?

Guess I'll get an email from Blogger saying "it's not us it's YOU". I'm ready for it! Those are fighting words LOL



Now that my vent is out of the way, why don't you come on in, I promise I won't make you verify words to enter my house *snicker*

It's a nice day outside, we're still a little cloudy but it's hot and no rain in sight, which makes it a joy to be outdoors.

Jasmine is home sick today, she's been coughing and was a little warm today, she also complained of a headache and this is a child that LOVES school, so unless she's really feeling sick, she won't ask to stay home.

She's laying on the couch watching her favorite movie "Sky High". She LOVES anything to do with Super Heroes, Justice League and X-Men, Superman and Spiderman, Catwoman and Wonder Woman and all of the above. But she never watches movies alone, the pugs love watching tv with her, so if she's on the couch, we will always find one or both of the pugs with her.

This is Jasmine and Lola, the youngest Pug, she's such a lovable animal, she'll be perfectly content laying in someone's arms all day.

Nicholas is playing on the computer while his sister watches tv. He said she could, he was allowing her to watch her movie, I would just like to know since when has he become the master of the house, the one that makes these decisions LOL



I have never seen a 4 year old that is so good with computers. This child has been around computers and technology since he could walk and he's developed a real understanding of it.

He can turn on the computer on his own, go to the internet, click on his kid websites, play his games....turn them off, go to another website etc.

Before you freak out, we have a blocker on that doesn't allow ANY x-rated or weird sites to show up, so he only goes to the kid friendly ones.

But it's not just that, he has managed to do things to our computers that we have NO IDEA how to do ourselves. Nothing like that to make me feel like an idiot LOL



I'm taking it easy today, yesterday Curt took the kids over to the neighbors for their little girl's 4th birthday party. He knows how much I prefer staying home and having some time to myself, so he always takes the kids for me.

While he was gone, I finished all my laundry, put it all away, changed all the bed linens, swept and mopped the floors and watched "Matilda" on TV. I love that movie, it's so cute.

So today I have a sparkling clean house and all that I have to worry about is fixing lunch, dinner and snacks. Pretty neat huh?

I'm hoping to get some more reading on my "The Constant Princess" by Phillipa Gregory. The first 2 or 3 pages were a little boring for me, but now it's starting to get really good, so I'm excited to watch.


For dinner tonight I'm fixing good ol' spaghetti, garlic bread and a salad. It's easy and it's quick and everyone loves it.

For lunch I'm about to go make some scrambled eggs with sausage, cheese, onion, green pepper and bean sprouts.....I'll make some mixed veggies too. Everything the kids like.

But now I'm heading out, I need to print out some coloring pages for the kiddos so they'll be entertained while I make their lunch.

God bless,

JUST HOW DID YOU GET HERE???

Well before I tell you just how I got to this point in my life, why don't you come on in and make yourselves at home, I have coffee and I have cinnamon pancakes AND I promise to keep you entertained, for I'm about to give you a lesson, in love and life.....I think LOL

You know I've been asked that question so many times, and I figured since I'm on this mission of sharing my life and where I've been, I might as well explain just how I ended up in the USA.

Back in 1997, I had just started delving into the Internet and all the possibilities of being able to chat and interact with people from all over the world. I still remember the Mirc and Pirch chats, I would go into one and just sit and watch everybody else.....until one day, I decided to take a leap of faith and jump right in. One of the first people to talk to me was none other than my hubby. Yes you see where this is going right???

So 9 years ago, I had just started using the internet and becoming familiar with chat rooms. After lurking around for a few months, I decided to join MIRC Webchat. It was August 12, 1997.
After chatting for a few minutes with some people, I get a private message. It was Curt.
My chat handle was Koala, so his first question was "are you from australia?". LOL
I told him that I was not, that I was in South Africa, and we started chatting, we hit it off and during the next year we talked on the phone, wrote letters, emails, sent packages and photographs.
Now that may sound like your usual internet love match, BUT there was an obstacle. I was christian and Curt was a Pagan third degree priest. I told him that I was not comfortable with that and that nothing could ever happen between us while he was involved in the Wiccan/Paganism Religion.
I didn't give him an ultimatum, that wouldn't be my place to do so, but I was also not about to immerse myself into that belief.

And so it started. A whole year of questions, endless questions about the bible and why MY way was the best? Why MY God was the right one?
I felt overwhelmed, I loved him but I honestly did not know how to answer some of the questions, so before we talked everyday, I prayed to God to give me the right words to reach Curt. He obliged!!!!
I knew the right scriptures to quote, I knew the right things to say and I didn't give up. It took time and patience, but he is now a devoted Christian like I am.
One of the best examples of the power of God working in our relationship, was when Curt was deployed to Bahrain. He called me in the afternoon, and I was talking to him on the fax machine phone, which was plugged in to the power outlet.
We talked for about an hour, and when I got off the phone, my grandmother walked up to me.

Grandma: "What were you doing on the phone?"
Me: "Talking to Curt"
Grandma: "Really? Are you sure? How long have you been talking to him?"
Me: "Oh I don't know, maybe an hour? Why?"
Grandma: "Well I don't know how to tell you this but we have had a power outtage for the past hour, there's no way you could have talked to him on that phone"

I was stunned, I picked up the receiver and brought it to my ear, SILENCE!!!! The phone/fax machine was indeed dead.
Wow, to this day it gives me goosebumps to remember that. How amazing?
So exactly one year to the day we met, on August 12, 1998, Curt flew to South Africa and we got married.

One month later, I packed my bags, already pregnant with Jasmine, and moved to the States. I left my family, my house, my friends, everything behind. It was the scariest thing on earth for me, I was and still am, extremely close to my family, and leaving everything I knew behind was terrifying. BUT I did it, I held my head up high, I moved to where my husband was stationed and 2 kids and 2 dogs down the road, we are still happily married :)
I thank God everyday, for my life and my family!!!

So there you have it, now you know how I went from Johannesburg, South Africa to Idaho, USA. Isn't it just amazing how life works and the ups and downs and lefts and rights you take?

Before I go on, Barb I am so frustrated, I tried to get on your blog countless times yesterday and kept getting a 500 Error. 500???? What is up with that??? Anyway, I just want you to know that I'm going to keep trying today and hopefully get a comment in.

It wasn't just Barb either, some of the blogger sites were not working for me...anyone else have that problem yesterday? Or was it "pick on Sandra" day without me even knowing??? LOL

So since some of you showed interest in having a friday "Greatest Places on Earth" I decided to go ahead. I'm doing it as much for you all as for me, because I'm so thrilled just thinking that we can all go on a tour together, every week.....wouldn't that be awesome?
My kids are excited too, they get to learn about new places and see photos and video too, they're looking forward to where mommy is taking them.

I'm always trying to come up with a new way to spend time with the kids, a family activity that everyone will enjoy....and this is definitely a way to have them with me on the computer. We've decided that we'll get some popcorn and drinks, we'll watch the videos and learn about that country and then that weekend we will do a craft from that country. Don't worry, I'll share the pictures and if any of you decide to play along, you can share yours too, would love to see them :)

Don't forget about Slow Cooking Thursday tomorrow, can't wait to see all your recipes. As for me, I'm out of here, still trying to finish the pile of paperwork I have. BTW, my email is not working right, I can receive emails but I can't send any.....MSN is up to it's old tricks again.

Lori, for the Slow Cooker Thursday, I will have the post up tomorrow, all you do is enter your name and a link to your recipe post. The reason why you can't add your name to Mr Linky on previous posts is because he has it where the links get disabled the day after the post is up.

Anyway, ladies have a great wednesday, I'm heading out for the rest of the day, have tons of places to go and things to do.

Before I go though, I just have to say I LOVE American Idol, I laugh so hard at some of those people. What was UP with them yesterday, half of them you couldn't understand a word they were saying LOL Another one that cracks me up is Ryan Seacrest LOL The way he just sits there sometimes staring at them without saying a word.....boy do I love this show. Can't wait for tonight.

God Bless,

What is UP with Blogger?!?!?!?

I had the best of intentions yesterday, after I was done posting here, I grabbed my coffee cup and went about visiting you all.

Tried leaving comments and NOTHING.....I could not get Blogger to cooperate, must be that time of the month again.

It's SO frustrating, I must have written the same comment 3 or 4 times and couldn't get through, by the 5th blog, I just gave up trying.

I will try again this morning, so please don't think I didn't visit, I did, just couldn't say hi.

Well my voice is back, croaky and weird but at least people can hear me, though I don't know that they enjoy it, sounds like I was hitting the whiskey bottle all night long LOL
The kids just laugh at me and try to imitate me which is just hilarious.....especially when they've done something and I'm trying to sound all tough and mean then come out sounding like a cartoon character. *Sigh*

This is going to be a REALLY short post, seems that my cold is migrating south....started with a headache, moved to my sinus and now it's all in my chest, staying awake at night coughing is NO fun. What is it with coughing and nighttime, I mean I'm ok during the day, cough once in a while but nothing major, not those cough attacks that have me gagging and keeping the family awake. Think it's time for some Nyquil LOL

Anyway, I really wish I could stay longer but I want to run by your blogs and see if I can leave comments today, if not, I apologize in advance but I'll keep trying until I succeed.

I leave you with quote from the book I'm reading....it's something I have to keep reminding myself of and I've actually printed it out and hung in on my refrigerator.

God answers our prayers according to His infinite wisdom rather than our limited foresight.

For dinner I'm fixing the Portuguese Chicken and Rice, and yes, for those that asked, I've posted the recipe at my food blog.....go run on over and check it out :)


Filing paperwork
Changing Bed linens
Resting