validation, encouragment, and catalyst

I just finished reading a most excellent book just yesterday.  I've never read a book that spoke more to who I am right now.  And that is a keeper of this home.  I am a mother.  I stay at home.  I keep this home.  I care for this family.  That is what I do.  I thought this book would be dull because of the topic, but I was wrong.  Margaret Kim Peterson validated exactly what I do everyday.  She expelled the thought of this life as drudgery or slave labor, the dregs that nobody wants to do and showed how beautiful this life can be.  How provisional my life is.  How reflective of the Father, my life can be.  So I walk away from this book validated.  I walk away encouraged.  And this book has become a catalyst to me to urge me on to more and more of this work that I do, happily, hopefully, lovingly. 
Not that I attained that today, but tomorrow is a new day.
If you are a woman who keeps her home, this book is waiting to bless you.
Keeping House: The Litany of Everyday Life

the stocking

Found this little pattern and tutorial on Pinterest.   I really like the instructions and I think it turned out cute.  It was going to be for Muffy, but I just don't know if she's going to get anything for Christmas.  Maybe if I love her more then. :p
Tutorial and pattern from Diaryofaquilter.com

to pie



Bowl O Pumpkin

Mini Pumpkin Pies

I made a royal mess of my oven because all I did was stick my whole pumpkin in the oven in a much too small pan.  I wouldn't recommend that unless you're just really itchin' to clean your oven or you're blessed to have a double oven that you can cook out of until you have time to clean it....guess what I'm doing?  Let's just say that the bottom oven has gotten more use since Wednesday than it has since we moved into this house.
But I was so pleased with all my pumpkin.  It makes me want to take the two pumpkins off the stoop and shove them into the oven.  Although, I'm not sure we would eat that much pumpkin, even over a whole year.  Just from this one, I got 8 cups.  Next up is pumpkin muffins.

peter peter pumpkin eater

I've been blog negligent because, well, I've been busy with life on the other side of the screen. 

More later, I've got a three year old saying, "I'm hungry, Mommy."