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Earth Day 2010

April 24, 2010 By Laura 4 Comments

earth-day-activity-ideas-17 A few years back, we decided to invest some ‘extra’ personal efforts of our own, on Earth Day, to help preserve and protect our environment.

 It has become a tradition of ours, every year since.  Somehow, we’ve been blessed with perfect weather to revel in every year on April 22, as well.   This year was no exception.


earth day ideas

Typically, our Earth Day starts with heading out into our neighborhood in the late morning, with our poke sticks and big trash barrel on wheels, to clean up all of the litter we can find.

As we work our way down the side roads, people drive slowly by, and smile at us, through their puzzled expressions.  As if they are thinking, “What on earth, are they all doing?” (No pun intended. lol).  Some actually roll down their windows, and ask us out loud.  Others get it right away and already know and say, “Are you cleaning up because it is Earth Day?”….to which all the kids say in unison, “Yesssss.”  And they usually say something like, “That’s so niiiiice.  Thank you.”  And again in unison they say, “You’re welcommmme.”

earth day ideas It’s downright sad, to easily find all we do.

We know some escaped the back of a truck on the way to the dump, or blew off someone’s deck by accident, etc.

earth day ideas

We also know how many people just carelessly toss out their vehicle window, anything they are done with.

earth day ideas

We love the part where we get to our beach.

earth day ideas

We don’t find a whole lot of trash on the shore, but some.  There are often adults, settled with their chairs and blankets at the beach, on (school) days as warm and fine as these.  So most of them strike up a conversation with us.  They first group thought we were a real crew, hired to clean up the beach, because of their colored shirts.  But the kids explained, they were trying to wear “Earth Day colors”.  Then they got it…”Ohhhh.  It’s Earth Day….that’s right.”

I know the awareness of Earth Day has slowly grown since the 1960’s.  But it seems we have a ways to go!  For ALL to be aware not only of Earth Day, it’s history and purpose, but to contribute to it’s success every day of the year, through our daily habits.  That’s the goal.

earth day ideas

earth day ideas

For us, our rituals of global love include not only cleaning up, to beautify our environment….

earth day ideas

….but appreciating the beauty and Creation by God already all around us.  Like this huge sea snail I spotted in the rocks, left behind by the receding tide,  as we made or way down the shoreline.  O.k., ‘beauty’ may be a stretch, for a sea snail.  Sure, in it’s shell, it verges on pretty.

earth day ideas

But I am quite sure, out of it’s shell, it’s about as ugly and nasty as the dickens.

earth day ideas The kids studied the sea snail meticulously….

earth day ideas

…and had lengthy discussions about how interesting it was. And big!  Then they decided it would be kind, to return the snail to it’s safe-haven home:  the sea.

earth day ideas

So that’s just what they did, even though it was a bit of a hike to the water line, as the tide was going out.

earth day ideas

But the sea snail seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, or perhaps a thank you, as bubbles quickly rose from it’s shell, to the surface of the water.

earth day ideas

Like any gorgeous weathered day around here by the shore, it’s hard not to feel so blessed, and amazed, at all God has created, for us.  We sure do love it.

Soon, we headed home, ate some lunch, and later on, baked some Earth Day treats!  Cupcakes.

earth day ideas

The cupcakes were deviled food cake mix, aiming for an earthy color.   Then we colored ‘whipped’ vanilla frosting from a can, and got creative.  Going with the whipped was a wise choice.  It was so easier to work with.

I do love the “EARTH” ones, that Michael/Daddy did.

earth day ideas

Michael, {A} and I designed the rest.

earth day ideas

earth day ideas

These 2 were a couple of my favorites.   By sight, and bite.   : )

earth day ideas

Our Earth Day has been  as simple as this, but I have some bigger ideas for the future.  We know many others do special things on Earth Day, and still others do nothing special, but are just good “earthlings” all year long.  (And we appreciate that!)   Did YOU or your kids do anything in particular, at home or at school, for more global awareness, appreciation or nurturing, on Earth Day?

Year round, we try to recycle, conserve energy (for our bills too, lol),  reuse materials, and do other clean-ups on our street now and then, and we never, ever litter!  (We also let anyone we see littering, really ‘have it’.  “Excuse me. Pick that back up, please. NOW!!! <throat clear>. Thank you.”)   Michael wants to put a rain barrel in the ground, to use for watering our gardens.

We hope you had a wonderful EARTH DAY!!  Feel free to share with us anything about your day this year, or any and all tips or habits you use throughout the year, that benefits us all, as we preserve and protect the beauty of our world, together.

(P.S.   After commenting, don’t forget to visit the Home Page!  XO)

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Filed Under: Elementary Homeschooling, Field Trips, Homeschooling, Life In General, The Big Picture, Traditions Tagged With: don't-litter, Earth Day, earth-day-activity-ideas, earth-day-cupcakes, Earth-Day-neighborhood-clean-up, earth-day-snacks, homeschooling, homeschooling-earth-day

Giveaway Winner / Live, Love, Laugh & Win

April 21, 2010 By Laura 3 Comments

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We’re so excited that the time has come to announce the winner of our latest give-away, for this beautiful stationary card set and fancy pen!  But before we get to that, we just wanted to say…..

We never anticipated the heart-warming stories you all have shared with us.  It was evident that every one of you shared a little piece of your heart.  Whether you spoke of romantic love letters, special cards, or little notes that expressed affection in one way or another, from loved ones you have loved deeply, and maybe have lost……they all came from the most special places in your hearts. We felt it.  A few of you spoke of written keepsakes from ones we too know and love, some have been lost, and others spoke of their loved ones we have never known.  But the pictures you painted made us feel a little bit like we did too.  Some stories gave us lumps in our throats, and some made us shed a tear on our keyboard.  We want you to know each one touched us, and it matters to us that you could share such meaningful bits of your lives.

With that said, by using the random dot org number generator, the winner of this give-away is….

random-org-winner-2010-4-20

Commenter number 8 was MARIA!

Congratulations Maria!! Please e-mail us with your home address, and we will ship your gift right to your door!

Thank you all, again, for participating.  In time, we hope our blog grows enough to be able to give-away bigger, better, or multiple give-away gifts.  But for now, we are enjoying doing what we can, to brighten someone’s day now and then.  It can be fun just taking part, with a hope that you might win! One of these times, it just may be YOU!

We hope in some ways, you were all reminded of how much written words, from someone you love, can grow to mean, as time passes.  In reflecting on these memories and the keepsakes that mean the most to you, may you be inspired to leave a little of your own love and legacy, for those you love, in writing.

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Filed Under: Giveaways, The Big Picture

Live, Love, Laugh and Win

April 12, 2010 By Laura 14 Comments

1_letters

Hand written notes and letters, have virtually become a thing of the past, with the speed and convenience of technology communications today.  I admit, I am all about using the computer, especially, for communication.  I do love it.  The phone, not so much.   But there are some folks in my life, who are not going to e-mail with me, anytime soon in their lifetime. Meaning, never!

For example, one of those people, is my beloved Godmother.  First of all, I am blessed beyond all reason, to be able to call her my Godmother.  Although she has Godchildren that number in the double digits, (which is a testimony to the kind of beautiful, loving person she is), she has always made me feel like her only one. She has always made me feel extremely special to her, and unconditionally loved, forever.  She is now in her 70’s.  She is not into the computer much at all.  And I thank God for it, because her fairly frequent notes and letters are some of my most precious possessions I have.  They always fill me in on how she and my Godfather are, what they have been doing, and they ask about varied details of my life at the time as well. But most of all, from the greeting to the closing, they express her sincere and abundant love for me. For our whole family.  Her love, and promise of being included in her daily prayers, is not only in her eloquent words, that so adequately express as much.  It’s in the very flow of her handwriting.  It’s in the sound of her voice that I always hear in my head, as I read her mail.  It’s in her little drawn signature heart, that is always beside her name.  She not only writes to me, but she and {A} have been pen-pals for some years now.  Yes, she’s a faithful writer.   Even though she admittedly says her hand shakes as she writes due to age now, and she doesn’t write quite as often, her need to express how much she cares about us, (and others, I imagine) encourages her to keep on.

2_stationary_cardset

Oh, she calls on the phone now and then, too.  Oh, her voice.  I can’t tell you how sweet, this woman’s voice is. Again….you can hear the love for you that she has, in every single word she speaks.   So much so, that we have no less than 3 messages on our answering machine, that no one can bear to delete! It would just feel….wrong!  A couple are at least 5 years old. So we hear them every time we listen to all of our messages.  Maybe someday, we’ll delete them, although I can’t imagine.  But her letters, and cards, I will keep forever.

I have letters, cards with written sentiments,  and drawings from other loved ones as well.  I have several boxes stuffed with precious pieces of postal mail, although it’s not often I need to lift the lid anymore, to stuff another one in, with the few true writers left in the world. Except from my Godmother, of course.

3_stationary_open

Do you have very meaningful handwritten mail, that you have saved?  Could you think of a hand-written letter or note that you have received, right now, that meant so much to you?  Do e-mails give you quite the same warm-fuzzies, as the personal mail you find in your street mailbox or post office box?

I have to admit…….we get some pretty meaningful, warm-fuzzy e-mails (as discussed on the HOME PAGE right now. If you haven’t been there today, please read there as well if you have the time this visit.)

But I can tell you, that one of my very most treasured messages, was a little note my mother wrote to me, in a book that she gave me, at a very difficult time in my life.  The book itself was full of lovely images and press-printed text of poems and quotes, that I know were all meant for me.  But it was her written words in that book, that spoke to my heart the most.  They were the words I needed to ‘hear’ so much at that time, that I had not even allowed myself to realize it, until I read them on that page.

cards-variety

I want to encourage you all, to re-embrace once again, writing to those you love.  Perhaps not all of the time. But more-so.  Maybe a note to let someone know you’ve been thinking of them.  Or a dated love letter for your children, to stick in their box of baby things, to find and read when they are older.  A quick thank you, to someone who took the time to do something nice for you, even though a quick e-mail would suffice.

And so, I’d like to give away, this beautiful set of cards seen in these photos.  They come in a nice and sturdy keepsake box, with a velcro closure.  There is 16 cards and envelopes, and a variety of 4 designs.

4-cards They all depict beautiful, carefree artwork, and express sweet little reminders of the joys of life.  Just writing in one, will bring cheer to your own heart.  Never mind how you’ll brighten someone’s day, when they open their mailbox, or find it in a surprise place unexpectedly.

6_danceasif I love how even the inside of these cards, have design.  They aren’t just a little something on the front, only to open to a plain white inside.   That blank white space that makes you feel pressure. lol

7_wishit No…..they are all as lovely on the inside, as they are on the outsides.

8_dayslaughter

9_livelovelaugh

10_cardback Even the backs, are pretty!

Of course, I would never send you this beautiful stationary card set, only for you to have the excuse of, “Well, I don’t have a good pen to write with.”

11_writing_pen
So, a brand new fine Paper Mate pen, will be sent with your gift.
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12_note

I’ll even write you a hand-written note, myself,  and it send along with your card set and pen.  Oh don’t worry, I didn’t write on one of YOUR cards in the set.  You can bet when I came across a stationary card set this cute, I got one for myself!  After all, if I’m going to talk the talk, I’ll have to walk the walk, too.  No pressure to stuff my note in your box of keepsake letters, though. (Although you can-if-you-want-to-ooo.)   My only goal, is for YOU, to write notes, that OTHERS want to stuff in their boxes.  For you to leave a little hand-written legacy of love behind in your life.

To enter to win, just tell us a little about the most meaningful hand-written note or letter you have ever gotten.  The one, or one of the ones (if you are blessed enough to have a collection), that you treasure the most.  The details are not necessary, if you are uncomfortable sharing that much. (Although you know we’d all eat that up. ; ).  But a brief mention of who it was from, maybe what occasion, if there was one. Whatever you’d like to share.

That’s it!  If you can do that, you are entered to win all of the above.

Remember……..the 3 L’s, whatever you do.

13_stationarycrdset But also remember……if you don’t play, you can’t win! Don’t you love free stuff?    We do!  And we’d love to send these gifts to YOUR door step!  WE LOVE DOING STUFF LIKE THIS!!  So please join in on the fun!

Entries for this drawing will be accepted until the close of Tuesday, April 20, 2010. A winner will be announced sometime the next day, on Wednesday, April 21st.

GOOD LUCK!

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Filed Under: Giveaways, The Big Picture Tagged With: old-fashion-mail, stationary

Big Picture | Easter Photo Series

April 6, 2010 By Laura 6 Comments

Another round for the Easter Photo Series!
Hope you enjoy!

5_easter-steeple

6_heisrisen

7_tabernacle

1_easterkids

2_easter_kids

3_easterbaskets

4_kids

8_cross_easteregg

9_eastereggintree

10_speckledegg

11_floweregg_intree

12_egg_mailbox

13_easteregghunt

14_easteregghunt

15_easter_egg_hunt

16_easteregg_count

17_spring_buds
We just feel so blessed, all over the place.
Thanks for the visit!

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Filed Under: Celebrations, Faith, Holidays, Photography, Photography & Lettering, The Big Picture Tagged With: Catholic-Easter, Easter, Easter photos, egg-hunts

Easter Homestead Decor Photos

April 6, 2010 By Laura 5 Comments

Now sharing just a few Easter Homestead Photos.

easter-tree

kitchen-cross

palm-cross

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Filed Under: Home Decor, Photography, Photography & Lettering, Seasonal Home decor, SPRING Home Decor, The Homestead Tagged With: Easter, Easter-decorating, Easter-home-decor, easter-tree

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