Friday's Favorite Five #4

This week I'm thankful for quiet, anticipation, girl time, blogging, and sharing the fun.  You can read what I mean about each one over at This Simple Home!

Friday's Favorite Five #3

Hmm...I like to take the time to write this post throughout the week; instead I'm just winging it Thursday night after the Big Kids are tucked into bed.

1. Time away.  I had a really refreshing and relaxing time away last weekend with the baby and three friends.  It was really special to not be distracted by other children and really focus on the baby.

2.  Leftovers.  I only make a few meals a week because we eat a lot of leftovers.  I am so thankful that my husband doesn't mind in the least.  Last night and tonight we had chicken pot pie.  I added biscuits tonight to change things up a bit.

3.  Friends' input on choosing blog names for my children.  Below are some options in the order of M, E, and the baby.
~One, Two, and Three (downside...wouldn't they all want to be One?)
~M5, E3, E0 (Initial and age...not creative, but easy for everyone to identify each child.)
~Big Sis, Brother, Little Sis (Simple...)
~Maud, Lewis, and Harper (for some favorite authors...I'm sure you can name them, but Maud Hart ~Lovelace/ L.M. Montgomery, C.S. Lewis, and Harper Lee.  (Louisa May Alcott could be another option.)
~Pippi (Longstocking), Gilbert (from Anne of Green Gables) or Atticus (from To Kill a Mockingbird), and Tacy (from Betsy-Tacy) or Emily (from Emily of Deep Valley)
Please share your opinion as a reader if you have any thoughts!  I am leaning toward two sets especially (Big/Little/Brother and the authors) but you might sway me!

4.  The anticipation of my new blog's debut.  It is waiting on a few things (like personality through a header), but if you want to see it you can.  It's called This Simple Home.  (I will be sharing about my reasons for a new blog sometime in the future; for now, just know that I'm excited.)

5. Enjoying Anne of Green Gables with my Big Kids.  We are only halfway through (it's three hours!), but the children and I are enjoying it!

I'm linking up over at Living to Tell the Story!  Thanks, Susanne for hosting!

Friday's Favorite Five #2

1. Instant gratification and NCIS.  This past summer we borrowed season 1 of NCIS on DVD from my mother-in-law.  We have plowed through these wonderful shows and have just started season 8.   There is a HUGE benefit coming to a book or television series late- instant gratification!  You don't have to wait for the next show or book to be published or aired to know what happens next!  (What book or TV/movie series do you love??)


2. Candlelights in the windows of our house.  After Christmas my husband granted one of my long time wishes.  We now have candles in each of our windows in the front of the house.  They are battery operated and work on a timer!  On clearance, they cost $4 each at the local hardware store.  For the last twenty years or so I have admired homes with candles in the windows.  They are so inviting!  (And if the Underground Rail Road is near, they will know we are a safe house.  Okay, that is just a bit of humor there...)


3. Friends who are positive.  I would hope that all of my friends have a positive influence on me, but I am especially grateful for one friend who is very purposeful in staying positive.  In a recent email (which was not all good news) she made sure to end on a positive note.  She made me stop and think about how often I just type an email and don't really consider the impact of my rushed tone and words.  Attitude is everything!


4. Anticipation of time with friends.  Today I leave for an overnight girls get-away!  I will be taking my baby with me, but still look forward to the time away in Lancaster, PA.  As much as I would like to be off-duty this weekend, I know that I would not want to be left alone with all three children all weekend, so I can't ask that of my husband, especially since our baby is still rather fussy (though the screaming has stopped).


5. Most of all, my husband.  Tomorrow is he turns 32.

(Um.  That's right.  I'm leaving my husband the weekend of his birthday!  What an awful wife!  I had committed to any weekend in January before I realized his birthday was on a Saturday...and the cabin was already booked.  He is totally okay with it; he may be more okay with it than me...)

Derek is an incredible father and husband.  I do not thank God for him nearly enough.  But truly, I am blessed, even if I always feel "old" compared to him with the four years age difference.

Visit Living to Tell the Story for more Friday's Favorites!

Friday's Favorite Five

I'm hoping to add some personal thoughts most weeks by jumping in with Friday's Fave Five hosted by Living to Tell the Story.

Some favorites this week...

1. Our church.  I love all of it, but today will be my first time at Bible study since October (due to baby's arrival).  Despite the distance, I really appreciate our church.  (Someday I do hope that we will have a church  closer to home so we can be more active and develop more relationships.  We didn't always live 35-40 minutes from the church.)

2. Routine.  I miss Derek's long vacation at home and having our five year old at home, too.  But really, it is good to get back into routine even if I am on duty all night with the baby and there is no more sleeping in until 8 o'clock.  But really, routine is good for all of us, right?  It's also great when that baby broke "routine" the other night and slept till 6 AM, a full 1 1/2 hours past her daddy!

3. De-cluttered bedroom.  While my husband was home for eleven days from work, I finally put several piles of clothes in their rightful places, including my maternity clothes in the basement!

4. Sharing from our abundance.  I dropped several bags of adult clothes, toys, and miscellaneous household items to our local thrift store.  A box of toys are waiting for my sister.  It feels good to share from our abundance!

5. Reading the Bible SLOWLY.  After reading through the Bible in one year, I am thankful to be taking it slowly.  I will be reading and thinking on just one chapter a day!  My Bible 360 blog is also helping to make this a bit interactive with some nice discussions.  This is working well for now, but I know if I want to stay in one book or even one chapter or verse for an extended period of study, I will be flexible.  Join us?


Have a great weekend!