Friday, May 31, 2013

Release the Butterflies

Release the Butterflies is a wonderful digital scrapbook kit that I was pleased to receive for free, being a Creative Team member has its perks. I am a member of the Digi Cyber Scraps team and get one or more free kits a month in order to do pages and promote the kits Carolyn creates.

I decided to feature some lovely photos my dh took of our then 3 year old daughter.

We have never had much money and could not afford to take our kids to get 'professional' photos taken at someplace really nice. We have had photos taken at Kmart and Wallmart. A couple times when my dd Rachel was young we had photos taken in our home or by a professional when we got a really good deal and a coupon from somewhere. Mostly we take candid at home shots.

My dear husband is a wonderful photographer and even had training in this area and he has, over the years, taken photos of our kids that look just as good, if not better, than the professional ones we have. My dd Jessica has his artistic eye and does wonderful photos as well.

My hubby set up these shots. I am not sure what table he used (I don't recognize it) and I am not sure what he used for a background either. Maybe he will come leave a comment and tell us. But I just LOVE the expressions he caught on our daughters face. Cute, Adorable, Mischievous, Playful, Sweet, and Precious. I think this girl could have been in commercials, maybe I am prejudice as her mom, but we didn't want that life for our daughter so we never pursued it..








Dcs_release_the_butterfiles_kit
I used My Memories software to create these kits.
You can purchase the software and the kit I used at this site.
Release the Butterflies

There are also 2 Addons
You will find the addon kits
just under the Release the Butterflies kit
where it says
Related Products

Also
Visit Digi Cyber Scraps Home
to see more wonderful products
by clicking the blinky box below
Digi Cyber Scraps


 all content on my blog is ©

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Think Back Thursday ~ Yellow



Today's Theme  - Yellow

I was surprised to find so many yellow photos. I have even more to do this theme again some day and I didn't even look through ALL my photos. Most of the photos are flowers but I did find 2 that were not. I enjoyed this theme


Adorable daughter Jessica
back in 1990



Silly boys at the Zoo
Christopher on the left, Nathan on the right
October 2006


An now for the beautiful flowers!!!
from 2011 and 2012
all from Longwood Gardens



 lovely, bright orchid











Love the dark red center, then gray and white swirling into the bright yellow
Stunning


soft and lovely








love the raindrops on these 2 tulip photos


That's it for this time.
I hope you enjoyed my Yellow Photos
Now it is your turn...
http://zaazu.com

Future Themes
June 6 - Memorial Day/Patriotic
June 13 - Exercise/Phys. Ed.
June 20 - Science 
(if you don't homeschool, or if you don't want to do science, then you can do Nature)
June 27 - Vacation







all content on my blog is ©

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Think Back Thursday Reminder



Tomorrow's Theme
May 30 - Yellow

http://zaazu.com

Future Themes
June 6 - Memorial Day/Patriotic
June 13 - Exercise/Phys. Ed.
June 20 - Science 
(if you don't homeschool, or if you don't want to do science, then you can do Nature)
June 27 - Vacation

all content on my blog is ©

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Mother's Faith, a review

This book was given to me to for free to review for my friend, the author of the book, Sharon White. The links to the book are to amazon and I used my affiliate link so I get a very, very small portion of the book sales if you purchase through my link. Your price for the book remains the same. The fact that the book was given for me to review, and given by a friend, did not influence my review. My thoughts and feelings about the book are true and honest.


Mother's Faith: Essays, Lamentations, and Encouragement From a Christian Mother of Waywards is a collection of essays from a homeschooling mother of five, who has suffered through heartbreak and worry over her teenagers and young adults. Here you will find encouragement, hope, and support in your efforts at raising a godly generation in this difficult world. From "Sitting Alone at the Kitchen Table," to "How a Godly Mother May Guide an Imperfect Family" in 13 steps, you will read about real life and the source of real happiness while waiting for your children to grow in the Lord. This small book will inspire courage for the weary mother. Forget about harsh ideas when dealing with teenagers. We need mothers who will guide their children with holy love and patience.

The books has 102 pages and 22 short, but wonderful, chapters. You can sit down and read the book in a day or reach a short chapter each day as part of your devotions. I read it in a few short chunks of 5-9 chapters at a time. And... I have gone back and re-read parts as well. I Love this book.

Do you have wayward children?

We all do.

Maybe yours are not so wayward as some others. That does not matter. There is no comparing. All mothers have times of being discouraged about the slowness of the maturing process our children must go through. I know I do. Some children struggle more than others.... but they all struggle. Each child struggles with different areas as well. This little book was a great encouragement. It is not a book that tells you how to 'fix' your kids it is a book that helps you keep going. Encouraging you/me to keep following the Lord. A reminder of things I knew, but forgot, or was not practicing. My daughters are wonderful young women. Strong in their faith. My sons are still growing and finding their own way.

Here is a favorite quote.
"The trials my children are going through is God working in and through their lives to mold them and make them into his image. And yet, the fiery furnace singes me at times and I am hurt. But I must remain peaceful and trust my precious Lord that all will be well in the end.
I must retain my composure and stop letting their foolishness get to me. I must take it to God, let go of it, and then laugh and be cheerful and enjoy my Bible, prayers, and hymns. One day, these children will be mature. They will also be spiritually mature and I will finally reap that harvest I have been waiting for all these years." pg 35-36
 I must take the boys struggles to the Lord, my daughters struggles as well for though they are more mature spiritually they are not perfect. God is working in all of us. He is not through with any of us yet. I must remember how precious they are to me... even when we are in the midst of a struggle. I must remember...
"...no matter what the "seeming" heathens do, we have to live His way, even if it looks like no one else is." pg 51
I need to follow God and trust Him to lead the 'heathens' living in my home. I need to do my part to keep myself strong in Him, to work for Him, to work for my family, to follow Him. This books was a good reminder of the things I need to do. My hope is in the Lord, not in myself, but I have a part to play. I do loose my temper. I apologize. My children struggle and loose their temper and think their father and I are 'old fashioned' or don't understand them. I must keep praying for them... and keep being their mom. Here for them... creating a home they will want to live in, a home they will want to come home to. Imparting the word of God into their lives as I have opportunity to do so. Be a good example to them.

My husband has been unemployed for 3+ years and we have all had bad days. I struggle, and so does my hubby and children. But, God is good. He is working in each of us. We are all growing. I have let to many things go that I should do. We have not been eating well. I don't always cook... we just fend for ourselves. I escape into computer games and movies and Facebook. I haven't read my Bible for a couple weeks and I have felt so lost and unsure. I am sure I would have felt better if I had just gone to God instead of avoiding Him. I have let the house get a mess and not done the kitchen chores (though they are mostly caught up now).

I will give myself a little grace, but I will also try and do better in the days and weeks ahead. This book was an encouragement and a reminder, a 'kick in the pants' that I needed. I hope you will check it out and consider buying it. I want to be a Mother who one day "reaps a harvest of joy". (quote from the introduction, pg 8)

I highly recommend this book. I loved this book. It is good for all mothers, with or without wayward children. A reminder of the important things in life and how we can be an encouragement and example to our children. I love this book. Did I say that already?? I hope you will purchase a copy. I know it will encourage you as it did me.

Get the book here at Amazon - Mother's Faith: Essays, Lamentations, and Encouragement From a Christian Mother of Waywards


The author blogs at The Legacy of Home


all content on my blog is ©

Monday, May 27, 2013

Goal Planning Monday ~ Memorial Day


 Time to write some goals and strive to accomplish them this coming week??

The Goal Planning Monday link up has moved. I am proud to announce that the creator of GPM is putting it on hiatus on her blog and is going to allow me to host it here in the meantime. So I will be working on a new button but for now you can use the old buttons and just link it up to my site here... http://debbiesdigest.blogspot.com/search/label/Goals

For more information about Goal Planning Monday click the link to go to my directions page (taken from Katrina's original directions) - Goal Planning Monday


Today is Memorial Day. My father died on Memorial Day in 1976. I was only 14 years old. My, how I miss him. This year we will go up to PA, pick up one of my daughters that is helping take care of her grandmother, go to the parade in my hometown, then visit my father's grave. After that we are going back to my sister's house for lunch. My girls are staying with my mom until next Monday.

My top priorities are marked with a *

My goals for this coming week:
Spiritual Goals   
  1. *Morning Devotions - including Bible reading, prayer, listening to music and reading a spiritual book. Read through Proverbs each month. Prayer will be a focus this year as that is my word for 2013. I am reading Praying God's Word: Breaking Free from Spiritual Strongholds by Beth Moore Done
  2. Keep up with my Hello Mornings group the best that I can. Not Done
  3. Participate in the Joy Dare in 2013. Writing down 3 things each day that are gifts from God, things to be thankful for totaling more than 1000 gifts in 2013. Not Done
Homeschool Goals
  • No homeschool goals at this time. We are done school for the year. I will have some goals later this summer but for the next 2 weeks I will not be worrying about that.
Fitness Goals
  • *Exercise at least 3 days 15 min each time. I hope to work up to doing much more than this. It is time to get serious about my health. Hubby has already started working on his diet, though he can't exercise until after he gets his other stent in. I am starting also. Partly Done
  • Make at least one Weight Watchers meal/dessert/snack. Not Done
  • Eat fruit and veggies and drink water. Done
Blog Goals    
  1. Comment on everyone's blog that links up to the Goal Planning Monday linky. Done - I am counting this as done because I would have done it if anyone linked up.
  2. Post reminder and future themes for Think Back Thursday on Wed. Done
  3. Post Think Back Thursday. Done
  4. Comment on each person's post that links up for Think Back Thursday. Done
  5. *Post some good content on my blog. Done
  6. Link up to a few good linkies/memes that I used to enjoy. Done
Personal/Other Goals 
  1. *Read. Done - I got a lot of reading done this week.
  2. Save files to my external drive. Not Done
  3. Take my daughters up to stay with my mom for 12 days while my sister is away. Done
  4. Spend time with my hubby and boys while my girls are at my mom's. I will miss them, a lot, but I want to take this time to spend some special time with my boys, especially Christopher who will be home all day while Nathan works. Done
For this week that is 11 Done, 1 Partly Done, and 4 Not Done.

My goals for this coming week:
Spiritual Goals   
  1. *Morning Devotions - including Bible reading, prayer, listening to music and reading a spiritual book. Read through Proverbs each month. Prayer will be a focus this year as that is my word for 2013. I am reading Praying God's Word: Breaking Free from Spiritual Strongholds by Beth Moore
  2. Keep up with my Hello Mornings group the best that I can.
  3. Participate in the Joy Dare in 2013. Writing down 3 things each day that are gifts from God, things to be thankful for totaling more than 1000 gifts in 2013. 
Homeschool Goals
  • No homeschool goals at this time. We are done school for the year. I will have some goals later this summer but for the next 2 weeks I will not be worrying about that.
Fitness Goals
  • *Exercise at least 3 days 15 min each time. I hope to work up to doing much more than this. It is time to get serious about my health. Hubby has already started working on his diet, though he can't exercise until after he gets his other stent in. I am starting also.
  • Make at least one Weight Watchers meal/dessert/snack.
  • Eat fruit and veggies and drink water.
Blog Goals    
  1. Comment on everyone's blog that links up to the Goal Planning Monday linky.
  2. Post reminder and future themes for Think Back Thursday on Wed.
  3. Post Think Back Thursday.
  4. Comment on each person's post that links up for Think Back Thursday. 
  5. *Post some good content on my blog.
  6. Link up to a few good linkies/memes that I used to enjoy.
Personal/Other Goals 
  1. *Read. 
  2. Save files to my external drive.
  3. Spend time with my hubby and boys while my girls are at my mom's. I will miss them, a lot, but I want to take this time to spend some special time with my boys, especially Christopher who will be home all day while Nathan works.
  4. Do 2 digital scrapbook pages for my CT job for Cyber Digi Scraps. 
  5. Added - Post Yearly Goals May update
  6. Added - Post May Reading Goal update



all content on my blog is ©

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Think Back Thursday ~ Landscape



Today's Theme is
Landscape

I have a lot of landscapes. I love pictures of my family but landscapes bring me peace and I love the beauty of God's creation. All the photos I am sharing today were taken at Winterthur.

Enjoy the lovely vistas






I love the white flowers on this tree. I have taken a number of pictures of it... here are a couple...







Lush Green Forest



 The Pond


 I love this little bridge


That bench is one of the loveliest places to sit and rest and enjoy the view.

Now it is your turn...
The rules are simple...
and down below.

http://zaazu.com

Future Themes
May 30 - Yellow
June 6 - Memorial Day/Patriotic
June 13 - Exercise/Phys. Ed.
June 20 - Science 
(if you don't homeschool, or if you don't want to do science, then you can do Nature)
June 27 - Vacation






all content on my blog is ©

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