Inactive Knitting

I haven't been knitting as of late, but a few days ago I grabbed some of my cheap yarn and cast on a simple ribbed scarf. I like it because I don't have to think about it, which means less slipped stitches. It will probably take me forever, but I don't have anything else to knit or crochet, so I don't mind.

I am currently reading two books, one of which I will finish today. Robinson Crusoe I have been reading a little while, and I am really enjoying it. Daniel Defoe's writing style is simple, yet the wording and structure of the story is far beyond anything a modern writer could accomplish.

The second book I bought last night on the kindle, and I am reading it on my IPad. It's titled Have Your Cake and Lose Weight Too, by Danelle Wolford. I follow Danelle's blog, and last night I found out the ebook was on sale for a really great price. So far I am enjoying it immensely. I don't need to lose any weight at all, but I love learning about nutrition, which I know will help me in keeping my future family healthy.

 

Update...

I can't believe it's been six months or more since I last posted. I've been so busy with life that I made excuses for not working harder. That, and in October we lost our camera, never to be found again. Sigh. Not to worry, I'm borrowing my grandmother's camera for now, so I can still post some nice pictures.

Life has been pretty hectic since I last posted, and I could never find something to write about. But this blog is supposed to be an outlet for me to share my thoughts about lessons I've learned, things I'm doing, and my life as a young Christian girl whose trying to serve the Lord. I no longer have writers block (hopefully), and my brain is brimming with all the things I can share. When I started this blog I would write pretty much anything that came to mind. Not such a good idea when you have a specific plan on what you wish to write. I'm hoping, now, to be an encouragement to girls my age, or even women who are older than me, about being the women God has called us to be. 

 

Now that I've established what I plan on doing with this piece of the internet, let me finish with what I've been up to lately. 

I've created a few New Year's goals instead of resolutions, in order for them to actually work for me for the rest of the year. One of which has been to only use my IPad once a week...for only ONE hour. Let me tell ya, it hasn't been that easy. I've slipped several times in my attempt to do more things than just stare at a screen, but that's why it's a goal. I'll just keep trying until I don't even think about my IPad any more. 

One hobby I've recently come to love is Pilates. For those of you that don't know what that is, it's a style of exercise that builds muscle without weights. I absolutely love it, and even though I didn't need to lose any weight, I've noticed I can do more physically than when I didn't exercise at all. Now to tackle my diet...

I hope to post regularly once or twice a week. I have so many ideas to share with ya'll and can't wait to get started! 

Blackberries

     About a week ago, my grandmother wanted to take us to a local blackberry farm. My mother and baby sister couldn't come, but we bought lots of berries.

 At this farm we get to pick the berries ourselves. It was a pretty long walk from the entrance, but it was relaxing.

      The blackberries were huge, and tasted so sweet. Some of them were tart, but what can you do?

     We each carried our own bucket, except for my dad who wanted to help Caleb pick his batch of berries. My grandmother and Josiah were the ones who ended up with the most.

     I wasn't completely sure who was more excited, us children or my grandmother. We had a blast, and ended up with ten pounds of berries! My grandmother kept her four pounds she picked, so altogether we had about fourteen pounds.

     The day after we went was my little Josiah's birthday, and being the odd person he is, wanted a blackberry cobbler for his cake. Oh, he only wanted it to be made with his bucket of berries. 

     Sorry I don't have a picture of it cut open, but you can certainly take my word for it. It was amazing!

Waffles & Laundry

     Recently our dryer for our clothes broke down. Laundry is one of my chores so it really stinks.

     But, we were able to purchase some clothesline and clothespins, hanging it in the back yard. I think it's old fashioned, but in a good way. Nostalgic I guess. Lately though, it's been raining really hard, which counteracts the drying of the clothes.

      Several weeks ago we went to visit some family in Louisiana, and my aunt had an extra Japan plum sapling. I showed an interest in the tree, so she gave me the little tree. It's so cute, and really sturdy. I can't wait till it's big enough to plant.

     The other day we had waffles for dinner. I can never eat things normal like most people. I went ahead and decked it out with peanut butter, banana, a dusting of coco powder, and some syrup. It was so good. I'll have to share the full recipe with you really soon.

    

Yarn Along

     We recently ended our school (we're home-schooled), and I have a lot more free time to read and work on knitting.

     I've read most of the books in the house, so naturally I look for books at the library. The last time I went, I discovered a new series. I finished the first one, but the one I'm currently reading is House of Secrets: Battle of the Beasts. I found it in the kids section, because most books found in the young adult fiction are just plain trash. Not always, but this time i found this and am really enjoying it. I love finding books nobody has heard of before, rather than reading books everyone and there mother read. 

   Needle work hasn't been on my agenda recently, but I'm making myself finish all the projects I have in the works. I am knitting a shawl that I haven't worked on in awhile. So long, that I messed up on the pattern. Thankfully I have a brain, and made a few changes to what I am going to do. Not a big deal, I think it'll turn out just fine.

Tie Dye

     Sorry I have been gone for so long. I kept making excuses for not posting. 

                           

     Today, we decided to finally create our tie dye shirts that were supposed to be done a year ago. My mom had gotten a kit from Hobby Lobby, so it was really easy to do. 

     We were originally going to do it outside, but it's been raining cats and dogs. My mom remembered that there was a tin baking pan in the laundry room, so we wrapped up our shirts in the rubber bands and tie dyed that way. It worked really well, and I think there was less mess than if we had done it on the grass.

     I love the way mine turned out. I can show you the shirt on me in a later post.

Birthdays

I turned 16!! Well, last week anyway. I have been procrastinating and have not posted about my birthday.

I don't think I've ever had a store bought cake for my birthday. For a long time at least. 

     My cake was a chocolate cake, filled with strawberries and whipped cream. The icing was a strawberry butter cream, and finally topped off with chocolate ganache. It was amazing. I am salivating right now just thinking about it. My mom got the recipe from this pinterest pin.

I got a soap making kit for my birthday, and I made the soap. I will take pictures when its done curing and tell you how it turned out.

I've finally finished another sewing project! I was invited to a birthday party awhile back, and so I sewed her a little pencil case, or in this case (tee hee hee) a pen case. I wasn't able to fit any pencils in it, but pens fit nicely. There is something about a handmade gift that seems more touching than a gift bought at a store. It only took about a day to finish the whole project.

this is the inside.

Now that I am 16, I am hoping to get a job this summer. I have been accumulating a very large list of things I want, and the only thing standing in my way is money. We'll see how that goes.

     I am hoping to start more sewing/knitting projects and finish them, as well as posting more recipes. I have been on a writing kick lately, and I am hoping to post more often.

     Now I must go start my new book, while drinking a nice hot cup of tea.