5/1/11 - 6/1/11

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31.5.11

Tuesday Tea 29~ Memorial Day Account from Afghanistan

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Welcome new readers and old for Tuesday Tea! I hope you will have time to sit for a visit and a nice cup of tea.  I’m enjoying a quiet afternoon…the beauty of a lovely bouquet of flowers from Dear Hubby, and the sweetness of a hot cup of Tazo tea.  

If you would like to link up your tea post..please join me right here. :o) If you have family members overseas, feel free to link up their page or a post here too so we can be praying for them.


DSC07506-2000 Rebekah’s freshly cut zinnia’s from her flower garden…

I didn’t get to visit all of you who linked up last week and I’m very regretful about that. However, I was sick right up until the grandkids arrived. But I will certainly visit today and link up to all these great tea parties! Do drop by for a lovely visit around bloggy land! You will see the most gorgeous teas ever put on by a dozen ladies!

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Some of the passages from my book, Power Prayers for Mothers, have really encouraged me today. It’s hard not to worry when your children are in such extremely difficult circumstances and there is so little you can do for them

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Memorial day certainly brings with it a lot of thoughts and prayers for our men and women overseas. I wanted to share this email from my son yesterday, but it was a very busy day and it couldn’t be worked out.  


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Our family made two trips to the airport yesterday! I woke at 5:30am to send Jacob, my 18 yr.old off to San Diego for a National Speech and Debate tournament. (No word yet about his application to the Texas Army National Guard.)  Then Tim, my husband, took our DIL and grandkids to the airport a few hours later, to help her get home to Seattle and our son, Andrew who had to go home early for work. 

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Every day finds our children farther and farther from home! The need for prayer is obvious I’m sure.  Afghanistan is the farthest from home that any of my children have been.  My thoughts are often out there in that desert..praying for Matthew’s safety…praying for wisdom…strength…courage…endurance. He needs all of that and more! All of those guys do!  (Thanks Millicent for this wonderful book!)

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I know many of you are going through the same thing. It’s yet another ‘stage’ in the life of mothers. Do send me your family member’s names..or just link up their photos if you have posted about them as part of our tea party. :o)

Matthew Amanda and the kids Matthew, Amanda, Nikolai, Brennan, and Colin (in December)

How grateful, I’m sure, we all are to our service men and women! They make our world a much safer place to live for so many..not just Americans but for families of many countries.   It’s the right thing to do. The strong need to be willing to stand up for those who are defenseless. 

Here’s a letter that my son sent me describing what daily life in Afghanistan is like for our military folks. Perhaps this will help you as you pray for them this week. :o) It’s not a pretty story..but very accurate. As a mom, it makes me cry. That’s all I can say about that. But I’m more proud of our guys and girls than ever! 

It is Memorial day, so though this might not be the most pleasant reading for a tea time..it is important, I think, that we do so. It’s the least we can do for them.   At the bottom of this post, I will give you some ideas for more ways to help. :o)


IMAG0384 Here’s Matthew’s account of daily life in the Marines in Afghanistan…

Sitting here, thinking of what to write, it came to me suddenly that most of you don't really know what Afghanistan is like (and God willing, never will). I think I can help you get an idea, though.
However, here where I'm at, in southern Helmand Province, the effect is not the wonderful magic that one feels coming from forested mountains and wide rivers; this is a more terrible, miserable magic; djinn sorcery at its blackest. Even without the Taliban and drugrunners burying 100 pound home-made explosive death-traps in the roads and footpaths, the soldiers, sailors, and Marines who serve combat tours in Helmand province have a myriad of other opposing factors to face in order to make it day-to-day

Normal deployment woes such as separation from loved ones and no time off (7 to 14 months of pure stress, constant, 24/7, no weekends,lol) notwithstanding, we who serve here have a myriad of different difficulties to deal with.
Many are not direct obstacles by themselves, but together in a package they serve to lower morale, make life miserable, and grind away at one's motivation with every hour that passes


being funny   Matthew...a little stir crazy..and posing for a ‘funny’ photo. 

Factor these into the daily equation: being in a camp that you can walk the circumference of in less than four minutes, and you have a jail - no change of scenery. The food comes twice a day, sometimes once, and is in very small amounts - no seconds allowed.

The water, on lucky occasion, is lukewarm, if you drink it at night. However, during the day it reaches 85 to 90 degrees, and it becomes miserable to drink. Bathing is rationed, once per week if you're lucky, due to water rationing.

The generators that would be used to run AC in at least a couple of tents suddenly show their age, and stand no chance against the driving dust and sand that sweeps across the camp, and they soon die, leaving you victim to the 120 + degree heat of the "Dasht" (afghan word for Desert).

As a result, sleeping becomes a desperate attempt to pass out before the temperature reaches 105 and heads to 120 degrees - after that, you're pouring too much sweat to sleep, as it drips in your eyes and you have to wipe it out.
Work is done at night if you're not patrolling, as lack of AC means much of your equipment will overheat and burn itself out (including laptops, radios, etc.) without some sort of coolant, so sleeping moves to the daylight hours, in shifts.
IMAG0408 Still smiling in spite of the misery…That’s my boy!

If you get to sleep by 6:30 am, it will be around 85-90 degrees in the tent, which is manageable. However, by noon, the temperature can easily have risen to 115 to 125 in the tent, and your body forces itself out of slumber, and you awake covered in sweat, dust, and flies.
I tried to walk from my sleep tent to my work tent (20 feet) in bare feet and have blisters on both soles – that's the level of heat we deal with here.

We pass time listlessly when work is slow, trying to move around as little as is possible, sitting in the shade, attempting to keep our bodies cooled down. The only movement you're likely to hear is the slap of a Marine trying to off a pesky fly, gnat, or mosquito as it lands on his head, arms, legs, nose, or eyelid, trying to feed off the salt-laden sweat.

By early evening, the bugs have arrived in full force, coming from the nearby canal in the village outside camp to feed on trash and sweaty bodies. The slapping and swatting increases in volume until finally the whole camp resembles a troop of medieval monks performing self-flagellation for their sins. When in camp, you carry a fly swatter around as much as your weapon itself.
Sand storms and dust devils roam the desert at random, covering every exposed surface of anything, including us, in a thick,suffocating film of dust. Waking up always means blowing your nose to remove the dirt clods that have accumulated in your nostrils, making it nearly impossible to breathe freely. My pillow is so stiff with sweat that the dust adheres to it like glue, making it a stinking, nasty head-rest that must constantly be turned over to find a dry side.

This is our life.
We would like to come home soon, but in spite of all, we are US Servicemen and women with the pride that comes with that, and we will complete our time, do our jobs, to the best of our ability, until it's time to go home. I love all y'all! Corporal(Cpl) Matt Rodgers, USMC krogers
Yes…my heart aches reading this…how I wish I could spare him and his friends some of this misery..or do something to help. How can we help you ask? Well..you already did. You left so many sweet heartfelt comments. I printed them all and sent them to Matthew. I don’t think he has them yet..but he will get them soon.
Our family is packing a box of packaged food, photos, and letters from us. If you would like to send a letter..just email me and I’ll include it or send it later.
Krogers has a fund raising campaign going on to raise funds for the USO which they say send things to our service people overseas. You can read about it HERE. 
I know this wasn’t the most pleasant tea time reading…but war, Afghanistan, and military life are not exactly pleasant. Just for today, I wanted you and I to reflect outside of our ‘comfort zone’ for the sake of those who are serving in our place.
Let’s pray…write…send boxes..send money… 
DSC07509-2000 Matthew..at age 18..just graduated from boot camp… seven years ago! This photo sits on our piano
This Memorial day…while we are remembering those who have served and fought for us in the past…

Let’s not forget those who are serving and fighting..and dying..NOW. They need us.
  
They need to know we don’t look down on them regardless of our political affiliations, faith, or ethnicity. They need to know we haven’t forgotten them..that we are Proud of them! 
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We are, after all Americans, and this is part of who we are as a country and what we do.Enjoy your tea of course…but let’s do just a little more today… :o) You are such wonderful women and I so appreciate your generous hearts!
Linking with these wonderful tea parties or visiting their tea posts. Thanks for joining!
Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday
The Plumed Pen's  Tea for Two
Rose Chintz Tea Time Tuesday
Kathy’s A Delightsome Life: A Return to Loveliness
Amy of Tea Girl in a Coffee World 
Tracie at Fishtail Cottage
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Back from Bloggy Vacation... Tea Post Coming Soon!


Hi Friends! It's great to be back from my 'bloggy vacation' though I will miss the grandkids and Andrew and Ebeth. They are safely home now I'm sure.  I'm all rested up and am tackling the laundry pile and the paperwork of course. Funny how the mail just keeps pouring in even if you don't open it..LoL!

Right now, I'm typing up a special tea time post with a fascinating (and poignant) account of what life is like in Afghanistan for our military guys and gals. Matthew, my son, sent it for me to share. Since we just celebrated Memorial day, I thought this would be a good day to share it.

What's coming for this week? Well how about...

  • How to Re-Cover Patio Furniture
  • Super Cheap Way to Buy Flea Meds for Your Pets 
  • Easy PinWheel Puff Dessert Recipe
  • Sweet Blooms in the Flower Garden
  • Re-Introducing our Weight Loss Support Blog
 Coming Soon...
  • How to Make Your Own Hula Hoop (Adult Sized)
  • My Living Room Makeover
  • No-Sew Fabric Basket Covers
I'll see you this afternoon for a nice cup of tea...

26.5.11

Sew Mama Sew Winner and Grandchildren Pix

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Well, I did the drawing this morning and our winner is Zees5. I don’t know who she is as she is not a blogger, but anyone is allowed to enter if they can leave a comment. fabric giveaway 011-3000

She is an avid FOLLOWER of quite a few blogs. :o)  I’ve sent an email off to notify her. If I don’t hear back in a few days, I’ll send the gift to the next winner in line.

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I use Random. org and actually type in the numbers because the list randomizer is MORE truly random than an algorithm  drawing. It’s a little more trouble but more fair in my mind. :o) How I wish I could give away more gifts! I do love sending goodies your way. :o)

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Since I had to post anyway, I thought I’d share a few photos of our trip to the mall with the grandkids..and a couple of extra just for fun.

I do hope you are all having a great week. I look forward to next week when I’ll be back to a regular posting schedule.

Cake, pinwheel, Augy and Lena 039-2000And we’ll have lots of fun things to do… a great new trick to overcoming procrastination, sewing tutorials, lovely glass jewelry, and I’ve got a new dessert to share with you. 

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I’ll show a quick how-to for the graduation cake and the bomb cake as well. LoL! 

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Plus, Rebekah’s flower garden is blooming so nicely! I can’t wait to show you. :o)  We also made a trip to a historic Jail in Coldspring, Tx. I’m sure you’ll enjoy photos of all the family on our trip last week.

I’ll see you after my ‘bloggy’ vacation!

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24.5.11

Tuesday Tea ~ A Reflection on Living Well and a Bloggy Vacation

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Hi friends!  As I may have mentioned, my grandchildren and DIL are here visiting so we are certainly having a lot of fun. And it’s pretty busy all day. :o) (This is an understatement of course.)

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The children have grown so much in just two months since they moved! August is crawling and loves to play in the wading pool out on the back deck. And he’s acquiring a taste for solid food..which means he really loves ‘playing’ with food. 

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Lena and I have been cutting out pretend cookies with playdough, ‘reading’ lots of books…really..she is just into make believe. Her little pigtails just are too darling..and I can’t get over how articulate she is. She’s 2.
Ebeth and I are just enjoying hanging out. She is making some visits to friends during the day but mornings and evenings we just have some fun together. 

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For this week, I’m pretty committed to just spending time with them, so I’m taking a ‘bloggy vacation’. I’ll be back up and running by next Tuesday. Monday is the day we take her and the kids to the airport and then we are attending a Memorial Day picnic. 

The only post I’ll be doing..is just a quick announcement on Thursday of our winner for the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway which ends on midnight of Wednesday. Click here to leave a comment and enter.  :o)

Before I go, I will tell you that I’ve been spending a lot of time with the Lord this last week. It has really changed my focus from just ‘getting through the day’ so I can do some ‘fun’ things or what I want….to trying to do what I know pleases the Lord..doing things that mean more…  

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The book that really inspired me the most this last month, is The Imitation of Christ. Yes, it’s quite old..but the advice is strangely practical to people today. It has really gotten my attention! Here’s an excerpt…
“If you do not overcome small, trifling things, how will you overcome the more difficult? Resist temptations in the beginning, and unlearn the evil habit lest perhaps, little by little, it lead to a more evil one.

If you but consider what peace a good life will bring to yourself and what joy it will give to others, I think you will be more concerned about your spiritual progress.”
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I know it probably sounds strange, but I’ve been focused on obedience this month. Or in other words, doing what I ‘ought’ rather than what I want. Romans chapter 7 talks a lot about how hard that is.
18And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.d I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22I love God’s law with all my heart. 23But there is another powere within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord!. a Romans 7:18-25a
I’ve been ‘taking stock’ of my character…and wow—I need a lot of work! Lol!  But it isn’t discouraging..just rather exciting!

Every moment of the day, I ask myself…what ought I be doing?

And then, if I don’t want to do it..I pray and ask the Lord to help me ‘want’ to. You’d be amazed how quickly the Lord will answer that prayer!

It’s had huge implications for how I clean, how I deal with the ‘backlog’ of to do items on my ‘list’…how I respond to the kids or hubby…


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This morning I marveled at the fact that when you live in a way that you hope pleases the Lord in everything, you just naturally find yourself being a better wife, mother, friend, daughter, sibling..etc.
Living for myself, I’ve discovered, is not very fulfilling or rewarding. In fact, it mostly makes me cranky. LoL! :o)

Since Tuesday is usually our little chat and tea time, I thought I’d share what the Lord has been working on in my life this last couple of weeks. My husband said, “Honey, That’s called ‘revival’.”   

Hmmm… such a wise hubby. :o)

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I’m having tea…but it was AFTER the babies were fed, dressed, and put down for naps. Life’s a little different with little ones for sure. But I did finally get to my devotional book.  It’s not WHEN we take time to relax and reflect…but that we DO it! 

If you would like to link up, here’s the linky party. I’ll certainly be visiting blogs this week, though I won’t be posting. 



If you like hearing about our daily adventures, you are welcome to visit me at my Comin’ Home facebook page. I often post a photo or update there.
Have a lovely week…and a lovely tea.

Thanks for joining me! I'm linking with these great tea parties. Check out their amazing tea sets, china, recipes, and even Victorian decor. 

Thanks so much for joining me!
Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday
The Plumed Pen's  Tea for Two
Rose Chintz Tea Time Tuesday
Kathy’s A Delightsome Life: A Return to Loveliness

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23.5.11

Sew Mama Sew Give Away Starts Monday!

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Welcome everyone--friends and new visitors alike to my homemaking blog, Comin’ Home!  I’m so glad you dropped by today. I’m joining Sew Mama Sew for the annual give away extravaganza!  

I’m giving away some fun sewing supplies….everything you see at the top here. :o) It’s already packed and ready to ship. :o)  Read all about it….

Embroidering Quilt block for Baby Quilt

Comin’ Home is not a ‘sewing’ blog per se..but I am an avid seamstress and quilter! I try to post a good sewing tutorial or show and tell every week. My archives are chock full of tutorials like


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tote bag gift


In fact, I recently posted how to make a dishtowel tote bag and I have three or four tutorials coming up in the next month or so..how to cover patio furniture, make throw pillows for the couch….


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make fabric wall art and how to do a sew or no sew cover for office baskets. :o) I’ve been doing a LOT of sewing this month.  (Sew much fun!! Pun intended.LoL!)


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I’d like to invite you to enter my giveaway which is part of a huge sewing/crafty/homemade items giveaway put on by Sew Mama Sew. Several hundred bloggers and crafters will be listing their giveaways at Sew Mama Sew’s website


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The prizes will be in three categories and you can choose which blogs you want to visit based on what they offer:
  • Hand crafted Items
  • Crafty Supplies and Materials
  • Sewing Supplies and Materials 
The giveaways start Monday the 23rd at 9:00am Eastern Time and closes May 25th by midnight.  THREE DAYS of Fun! I'll announce the winners the next day and I'll ship out my gift by May 30th.  Yes, I will ship internationally.  Just leave a comment on this post..and you are entered! 


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I’m giving away a yard and a half of darling fabric..very lightweight and sparkly…just perfect for the spring! I was wanting some new and stylish spring fabric for a nice Sunday skirt. So I splurged a little. :o) I bought two pieces of fabric. One piece of fabric got used for the skirt below.  


Donna and Lena in new skirt-3000 My granddaughter Lena and I..She liked my ‘coordinating’ ruffle flower. :o) 
I was planning to make another tiered skirt for myself with the second piece of fabric..and then my good friend Trudy of Sewing With Trudy reminded me about the contest.  So instead, I’m passing on this gorgeous fabric…to you!

But that’s not all…I’m also including some extra notions I had on hand..just to add to the fun. There’s a 14 inch zipper, ribbon, buttons, new needles and thread..and other goodies to use as you like. :o)


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If you like to sew..or you like handmade things, be sure to join us this week. If you are a regular reader and would like to enter my contest..just leave a note.  You don’t have to be a regular visitor of Sew Mama Sew to enter. 


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But be sure to drop by Sew Mama Sew for a list of all the great bloggers and ETSY shop owners who are hosting giveaways if you can. You can enter as many giveaways as you like! :o)  

Remember…the contest STARTS on Monday May 23 and ENDS on May 25th!
You've got three days..so have fun!

PS. I do apologize to my subscribers who are getting this twice. I needed to re-post it for Monday. :o)

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20.5.11

The Surprising Side Effects of Artificial Sweeteners

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Many of us like our tea or coffee sweet…but not with sugar. The usual substitute of choice has been Sweet-n-low, Splenda, or some other aspartame based sweetener. This is great for avoiding calories or the side effects of sugar. But this is not so great in other ways.

We’ve all heard that Sweet-n-Low and other sweeteners might cause cancer but are there other side effects?  Are you having unexplained muscle pain or cramps?


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After 20 years of continual artificial sweetener usage, I’ve discovered that there are side effects to using this stuff that you don’t hear about in the news-- like chronic muscle pain and cramps.  When I switched to a natural sweetener like Stevia, the pain disappeared.

I should know—I’ve drunk a LOT of Sweet-n-Low in the last 20 years!  I’m not a lab rat, but I’d consider myself a better ‘guinea pig’ for this experiment than a rat.  In college I was diagnosed with borderline low blood sugar. The doctors said to cut out sugar and use Sweet-n-Low instead.
 
Move forward 20 years… I begin to have severe cramps and muscle pain in my right leg. It built up gradually over a year's time. One day I had uncontrollable charley horses in my right foot. That was it—I called my  nutritionist friend, Debra Raybern.
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In our meeting, she said, “Oh—That’s easy!” Stop drinking sweet-n-low. ( Noooo! Don’t say that!--I LOVED my sweetener and had never been willing to consider quitting in spite of concerned friends.)

She said that Sweet-n-Low and other artificial sweeteners are neurotoxins. The pain I was feeling came from nerve damage. The body doesn’t digest it—it just builds up in the joints and nerves. Hence the ‘shooting pains’. 

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I’d always refused to consider my little pink packages a problem, but now I knew I had to at least try to switch. She suggested a natural no calorie sweetener—Stevia. Stevia comes in powdered or liquid form and is extracted from the stevia plant. You can buy it like ‘tea leaves’ too and just add it to your tea ball.

Switching worked like a charm! The pains were gone in a week.  

Skeptical?  A year later,  I started having problems again, while traveling for three weeks. This time it was terribly sharp pains in my ankle. I wondered what the problem was, then realized I had been drinking a lot of diet coke and restaurant tea using whatever was available to sweeten it with. 


I stopped at a store and stocked up on Stevia—and cut out the diet soda. The pain went away immediately.


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It seems that no amount of sweetener will not cause a reoccurrence of the problem. After that, I knew it was going to have to be a lifetime decision. No more artificial sweeteners in my tea… EVER! 


Note: You WILL get used to the new ‘taste’ in about two weeks. At first Stevia did not taste sweet at all, but after two weeks, the Sweet-n-low tasted bland and the Stevia tasted great. Give your taste buds a chance to adjust. :o)


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“There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.” ~ Margaret Sangster

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