The Cottage on the Hill

Here's the cover I designed:

Ah, pregnancy insomnia. But I don't mind now. I have obligations and duties to fulfill tomorrow, but thankfully they're on a loose schedule. I'm getting used to this being awake. I can't even remember the last time I slept through the night! At least I'm getting prepared for nighttime feedings! This is actually a blessing because my SIL and brother are heavy sleepers. She will wake up when the baby cries, but it's very difficult for her. I NEED 8 hours a night, but thankfully it doesn't have to be all at once. Also, I can function on fewer, but I usually end up having a "crash day" where I sleep for a long time during the day. They say you can't make up sleep, but I think that only applies to willingly being up. Like when someone parties, or when hubby and I go see a movie and don't get home until late. When my body forces me awake at one time, it asks me to sleep at another. I've also noticed that my insomnia is sometimes l

I just want to throw out my arms and sing out a note! Maybe even twirl around like Julie Andrews on the hill in Sound of Music. I'm so excited about the new year and new opportunities ahead of me. My prayer is that I will not forget how I longed to come home while working outside the home. I pray I will not become lazy and passive in the home, but be active and happy. I pray that I will find new venues and opportunities for growth and development in the home and that my conversations with hubby will not become stagnant. I'm so happy to be finally done with work! Especially since my boss was an hour late without warning! Sheesh! She just never showed up until I had worked an extra hour! Oh well, I'm done!! Now I can REALLY focus on my home and write about that in my blog rather than complaints about work. ;) It bothers me that I'm immediately pegged as "close-minded" when someone finds out my religious and/or political standpoint. This is odd because

As Christians, we're called to not hide our light. We're not supposed to hide the fact that we are Christians. Lately, though, I've begun to feel that the world is trying to hide it for us. More often, I find myself holding my tongue because we're not supposed to offend someone by mentioning our faith. Social organizations in New York State are trying to disallow the public display of religion, even if it's on our own property (like a Christmas nativity). I know people who find the Christian fish on cars to be overly offensive. Really! A young lady I know was telling me how her father is a confirmed atheist. She said she doesn't mind that, but she can't stand that he becomes very upset and disruptive when a Christian is around, or speaks their mind. I asked her what she meant. She said that he complains bitterly when they're traveling and someone has something Christian on their car. I asked her what she meant by that. She said, "Like a b

Hubby said something so sweet! He says he's proud of my pregnant belly! That means a lot to me. It's a big boost to my self-esteem. I do love my pregnant figure, but knowing that hubby loves it too, and loves the fact that I am pregnant really helps me feel all that much more better about myself, our marriage, and our future, and even my delivery. It's true that coaching begins long before the baby's due. ladyscott

Yesterday, I got my first garden catalog in the mail! I've already poured through it several times. This one is mostly for trees and shrubs, particularly fruit trees and flowering shrubs. I want to order a ton of stuff out of it and turn my yard into a fruitful garden. But I have to remember two things: 1. I'm pregnant and will give birth during planting season. 2. Hubby has his own ideas about our yard, especially in some tree removal. He can't remove the trees when I have baby plants all over the place! Next year should probably be yard clean-up year. There was an old shed in the back corner of our property. It fell down and a good deal of it is still down there. That needs to be taken out. There's a volkswagon chassy down there, too. My brother has to haul that out along with loads of his VW stuff piled on the side of a garage. We don't mind keeping it, but I think next year will be a great year to load it up and haul it out. I also want to eliminate t

No wonder it's called "warfare!" For years, I've been struggling with a certain temptation and sin. For years, I've been praying to be done with it. True repentance. Yesterday, I was faced with the temptation again and fought it tooth and nail. I ended up sleeping or very tired most of the day, and I think this warfare was part of it. I was about to give in, and praise the Lord, He convicted me strongly. So I gave in to the Lord instead. When I came out victorious (as we always do in the Lord), I felt a new sense of strength and wakefulness! No more heavy burden on my shoulders! The funny thing was the fight actually made my muscles sore, as if I was physically fighting it. But, through God I did it! Today, the temptation is once again there, but I laugh in its face. I overcame it yesterday, I can overcome it today!! ladyscott

Hubby and I did have a very Merry Christmas! On the 23rd, we got to attend the family dinner at my parents' house. My almost 2 year old nephew was my little buddy nearly the whole evening. My dad dressed as Santa Claus and handed out gifts to the little ones. Hubby was able to relax and just have a special evening off. It was such a blessing. The best news, though was little Hannah being born! On the 24th, hubby's father and step-mother came to visit us. They blessed us with a photo album of old pictures, and some new ones of our neice, and hubby's sister's family. They also blessed us with some baby clothes and a video camera! Hubby loves the video camera. Yet another blessing was hubby and I got to visit my brother, SIL and their new daughter in the hospital! We exchanged gifts there. On the 25th, I was blessed with hubby going to church with me. We also used the video camera to tape our dog opening gifts. Hubby and I had already given each other ours.

You Are Cream Pie You're the perfect combo of simplicity and divinity Those who like you life for understated pleasures What Kind of Pie Are You? You Should Learn Swedish Fantastisk! You're laid back about learning a language - and about life in general. Peaceful, beautiful Sweden is ideal for you... And you won't even have to speak perfect Swedish to get around! What Language Should You Learn? You are a Believer You believe in God and your chosen religion. Whether you're Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Hindu.. Your convictions are strong and unwavering. You think your religion is the one true way, for everyone. What's" Your Religious Philosophy?

On December 12th, my nephew, Nathan was born! On December 23rd, my neice, Hannah was born! Still in the womb are: my cousin Alexander my cousin Evan and my own son, Donald. God is so good!

Hubby has mentioned a few times working at the farm next door. Hubby currently has a good job that he likes and a boss he's friends with. On the weekends, however, he works at the farm and he enjoys it there too. The men on the farm enjoy his company and work ethic so much, they've offered him a job. Both hubby and I have fantasized about his working there. However, it would mean a nearly 50% cut in wages and a loss of his medical, dental, retirement, and life insurance benefits. So, what's the debate, then? I can hear the "wise" people of the world asking. Financially, he needs to stay at his current job. Even on paper, this seems logical, with a $700.00 a month mortgage, a baby on the way and the need for a new vehicle. Well, I already did the math and we could probably make it if we cut hubby's allowance (which he volunteered to do) got rid of a vehicle, and cut a few extras in our lives. But where's the good that comes out of this? Hubby would

I am convinced that God had to kick me out of the house to get me to realize this. As I approach the end of my employment outside the home, I realize how important my home is, and how joyful I feel when I take care of it. I'm also thankful that God has not provided us with the means to completely fix up the house all at once. I enjoy doing things step by step, one by one. And I look forward to when I can come home to be able to do such things! I think it really struck me yesterday when I solved a dilemma that's been plaguing my husband and I for months. You see, we don't have a heated mud room, and we have very little closet space. Our coats and hats ended up hanging off the dining room chairs. We both hated that. They're dining room chairs, not closets! I was putting something away in the drawer and I found a cast iron planter hook. Aha! Right next to the kitchen door is a little alcove between the wall and the fridge. Here I keep a box for recycling papers

Only 5 more days of work, and then I'm done! I'm so excited, and so ready to come home! I am thoroughly enjoying my pregnancy, but I can enjoy it more at home when I can do things at my own pace. I actually get quite a bit done when I'm home, and even find time to exercise and rest. (I need to lay down mid-day to help ease back pain and diaphragm pressure). Days when I feel strong, I can do heavier work. Days when I feel weak, I can do lighter work. At work, I have to do whatever the customer or my boss wants me to. I already told my boss that lifting mannequins is out of the question for me. Well, today, I had to lift a mannequin. :( Now, I'm done in for the rest of the day. I also can't lay down when I need to. Working where I do is just not conducive to my particular pregnancy. I do feel badly for women who have to work during pregnancy, and I feel bad for those who think they have to work. Pregnancy should be enjoyed and homes should be enjoyed. It&

I've got a fight in me! I am very upset at the political correctness that is going too far and manifesting itself as discrimination in sheep's clothing. The minority rules in this country now. The squeeky wheel gets the oil. And the rest of us are quietly complaining in our living rooms rather than standing up and saying and doing something! This has been going on, not just with Christmas. There's been a mass effort to be rid of Christianity. We just sit idly by and let it happen. We're letting them pick away at our religious freedoms, and one day we'll be scratching our heads as to where it all went. It saddens me that it's taken the attacks on Christmas to get me to stand up and take notice! I'm ashamed of myself, but willing to take a stand now. Don't think it's really happening? As I hear or read about them, I'm going to be posting how Christianity is being attacked this Christmas season: First of all, last night I drove more than

It struck me yesterday that after nearly 4 years of marriage, I'm finally getting the hang of housework. I never realized how much work it really is, and how much I didn't know, and how little discipline I had in that area. Growing up, I used to play house and dream of keeping my own, tidy home. However, I couldn't even keep my bed fixed and my room neat! I used to whip up imaginary gourmet dinners, but I was almost a teenager before mom let me make my own grilled cheese sandwiches. I promised I'd keep my house neat and clean, but even as I type, I'm in a grand scale decluttering and organizing situation. I was taught some housekeeping skills, washing clothes, ironing, vacuuming, dusting, washing dishes, cooking, etc. But I was never taught the VALUE of them. Simply making me do them was just a chore. It took a lot of scrambling to clean up when someone called to say they were stopping in, and plenty of embarrassing moments when someone stopped in unexpected

I just found out on Wednesday that hubby and I are having a boy!! This is just what hubby was hoping for and he's so happy! I'm just excited to be one step closer to being prepared. Somehow, for me, knowing the gender makes me feel as if I can organize better, even though most of what we're getting for baby will be unisex for starters since it has to last through 4 children!

Ok, so it was just in my backyard and I took it really easy, but I still got to ski! It feels good to be active again! It's amazing how out of shape I got in just 4 months! This is getting just plain ridiculous! The "PC Christmas" oh, excuse me, the "holiday" season. We're not allowed to say "Christmas" anymore! I'm fed up. It's CHRISTMAS!!! It's bad enough they've secularized Christmas so much to make it more palatable to the general non-religious and quasi-religious public, but now they want to completely remove it! What really gets my goat is that they say we have to be rid of it because it's religious and religion has no place in the public square. However, I see MORE of other religions coming out as the reduction of Christ is being made. What gets me laughing is that the "proper" term for today is "Happy Holidays" because it's "religiously neutral." However, "holiday" i