{diy} paper lantern hot air balloons

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I know our minds are cramming with recipes and fall centerpieces, crafts and meaningful family traditions, but I needed a little break from all the autumn awesomeness, is that ok?  When I get a craft inspiration I gotta go with it while I've got the itch or it's gone.  To say I love hot air balloons would only be the understatement of the year.  To say I love, love, loooovvve them is getting closer.  In grade school I wrote a short children's story about a sheep, a chicken, a pig, and a duck who all accidentally hijacked a hot air balloon.  It's still one of my favorite stories.  In fact, I think there's a book out now with that same story idea...they stole it.  Hahahaha, okay, I'm sorta kidding about that last part.  Oh if only I could travel around the world in a hot air ballon...one covered in vintage fabric of course.  It would probably look a lot like these.  I got this idea from my friend Abbey (the very same fabulous and creative gal who made me my picnic quilt).  Her hot air ballon is way more awesome than mine, she doesn't take short cuts like I do.  She sewed the little basket on the bottom out of burlap and added burlap patches to her balloon to make it more "boyish".  She even gave me these lanterns that she had left over from a business venture and they're the really good kind--the ones covered in fabric instead of paper.  Thanks, Abbey!

Originally I had wanted to post a little tutorial on how I made these because I couldn't find one on the web, but I know they must be out there somewhere.  Unfortunately, tutorials and toddlers don't always mix.  But we gave it a good try.  I must warn you, I am not a perfectionist.  I'm usually more concerned with how the overall finished piece will look than I am about the details leading up to that point.  So just a note to all the perfectionists out there:  a)  you are awesome  b) this tutorial will probably drive you crazy.

P.S.  I think I'm moving into Legend's room now.  I seriously love these.

P.S. #2  I'm making more for Boston and Astair's room.

Linking up to loveliness here:

oh my oh my oh apple pie oh

Dear Betty Crocker,

Hi, I'm Joye and I'm culinarily challenged (if that word even exists).  But as slow of a learner in the kitchen as I am, I've always been a fan of your vintage cookbooks.  Mainly for the bright and happy 1950's illustrations of adorable mommies in poodle skirts and perfect loaves of bread magically flying out of ovens.

Oh yes.  I do love the illustrations (remind me to upload them on this here little blog of mine, will you Betty?)  I loved them so much I took pictures of them.  Lots of pictures, page by page.  Barely glanced at the recipes, I have to admit.  But the pictures of your cookbook turned out beautifully, by the way.  And then your lovely recipe books sat on my shelf collecting dust.  But you are a smart one, dear Betty.  You knew those darling illustrations would draw me in.  You knew the whole happy, homey, vintage warm and fuzzies would eventually inspire even a kitchen klutz like me.

It is a pity, Betty, that home economics was no longer taught the year I attended high school.  The one class I could have benefited the most from!  The majority of my day is not spent on calculating pythagorean theorems or on understanding the theory of relativity (although I may have that to look forward to).  No, Betty, I became the keeper of my home, a constant chef, without even the basic knowledge of how to boil an egg.  My fault, I am sure.  But it made the task of learning how to cook seem daunting and unattainable.  Slowly, though, I am taking more risks, venturing out and experimenting with recipes.   I have now successfully baked three finger lickin' good apple pies.  Along with sweet potato cupcakes with spiced buttercream frosting.

So, thank you, Betty, fabulous icon of retro housewives everywhere.

Thank you more for the inspiration than anything else.

-A happy homemaker and apple pie baker

Psssssttt.....don't tell Betty, but this apple pie recipe isn't one of hers.

It's super easy and I made it with pre-made pillsbury pie crust dough.

I followed the recipe on the box, only changing it slightly.

The Perfect Apple Pie Recipe  from Pillsbury (with a few tweeks)

For the filling: 

7 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (about 4 granny smith, 4 gala)
3/4 c. sugar
2 T.  all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/4 T. freshly squeezed juice of one lemon

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Press one pre-made pie crust into the pie plate.  Use a fork to poke several holes along sides and bottom.  Pour filling into pie plate and top with second pie crust.  Cut off any excess dough under the rim.  Flute the edges by pushing the dough along the rim toward the middle of the pie with your left forefinger while placing the forefinger and middle finger of your right hand on the opposite side of the rim.  Cut shapes or designs in the top crust.  Cover the edges of your pie with 2" strips of foil to keep them from burning.  Stick it in the oven for about 40 minutes.  Serve with ice cream.  Don't skip that last part.

 So there it is.  Grandma, this one's for you.  You tried to teach me, bless your heart.  And I remember more from your lessons than I thought.  You're the real Betty Crocker after all.

we are the woods people

The Picture Story

of

our wonderful,

wild,

weekend woods adventure.

(because it took really long to upload and I felt too lazy to add words...just sayin')

>>>>>>> my camera runs out of juice at this point, so we switch to Joel's iphone <<<<<<<<

Back to civilization we go, though reluctant we are...

We could live in the woods very happily.

They remind me just how wildly beautiful our God really is.

I'm humbled that His Spirit lives in me.

You have to hear this song by Daniel Bashta (I've linked the David Crowder version but it was written by Daniel).

"My God's not dead

He's surely alive

And He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion" 

-Like a Lion by Daniel Bastha

gotta tell ya

Okay, so have you heard enough answered prayers yet?  Haha, nope, didn't think so.  They just keep on coming so I better keep on tellin' bout em.  Somebody shout a "hallelujah!", "amen", and "thank you, Jesus!"  I've been taking pictures with my iphone for the past nine months because my slr camera broke and it would cost more than it was worth to fix it.  Real bummer.  But you know, I fell in love with hipstamatic and instagram filters.  I was just starting to really appreciate my camera that is constantly with me, when my phone broke.  Yes, it was a very sad day.  I went to bed that night as low as ever.  I'm addicted to taking pictures.  No phone equals no fun for me.  I started thinking about all the scenes I missed that day and in my overactive imagination I saw images of my children growing up right under my nose and getting married and having babies and all this with absolutely no pictures to remember them by.  None.  Nada.  Entire years of their development missing.  So that's when I prayed for a camera. 

And the next day my brother called me and told me he was sending me his camera because he had just bought a new one.

It came in the mail yesterday.  And I got to play.

End of a beautiful story.

epilogue:  It's not a professional camera, but I'm not a professional photographer, just a wanna-be, and it does have a manual setting, so we are getting along just fine.  Just fine and dandy.

At our hangout:  the churchyard across the street from our house...

our house that Joel built  {oh, yeah.  we still have christmas lights up.  it's how we roll.}

Have an answered prayer?  Or maybe a prayer request?

Please share!  I'd love to praise and pray with you.

leaves in her hair and more answered prayer

So, we're throwing a party over here.

A break-out-the-chocolate-chip-cookie-mix and

play-that-funky-worship kinda party!

God answered our prayers and Joel found work.

It's temporary, but we're praising God for it and we know

He is able to bring the right job at the right time.

He is Able.  Period.

I'm all for celebrating when God answers prayer...

and even when you're waiting on the answer.

Last week was intense for us, lots of prayers and tears and

trying not to worry but sometimes failing miserably.

I remember waking up last Wednesday and thinking

"I am not going to allow this spirit of despair to steal my joy

and my peace."

I gathered the kids together and announced that today was

going to be a day of rejoicing.

All day long.

God is good and always worthy of our praise.

Of course, they were all for it as long as it meant lots of

loud praise music, dancing, and beating on pots and pans for 

long periods of time.

And it did.

We marched.

We sang.

We shouted hallelujah.

We danced like we had no cares,

beat homemade drums 

(till mommy got a head ache and hid every 

last spoon in the house),

played the kazoo.  And the air guitar too.

It felt right.

My faith needed the boost that

praise always brings.

My heart needed the peace.

 I pray I will sing of God's glory

in every season of this life.

"Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom."

Psalm 145:3

God hears

Meet Dakota, the newest addition to our family.  She's the answer to a little boy's prayer several months ago for a dog.  We found her in our local pound, barely a year old and abandoned.  She's a white german shepherd with the sweetest disposition and the playfulness of a pup.  She has set her heart upon Thaddeus and he loves her with all the love of a little boy who has found a best friend.  Joel brought her home on Saturday, his main objective had been to find a guard dog as well as a dog that would be gentle with our kids because we've been victimized by theft in our neighborhood.  In the last month, Joel has had over four thousand dollars worth of tools stolen, making it difficult to return to his former self employment and leaving us still searching for a reliable job.  But little did he know, God had already picked this dog out with a certain six year old, two three year olds, and a one year old in mind.  Dakota's a perfect fit for our family.  I feel safe having her with us and hearing her bark of alert at night.  She's our gift, an answer to prayer.  

And I'm believing many more answered prayers are on their way.  God loves to come to our rescue.  He delights in showing us mercy.  (Micah 7:18)

"I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.
Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me.
I saw only trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord: "Please, LORD, save me!'
How kind the LORD is!  How good he is!
So merciful, this God of ours!
The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.  Let my soul be at rest again, for the LORD has been good to me.
He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
And so I walk in the LORD's presence as I live here on earth!

I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord."

                                                                                           Psalm 116:1-9, 17 

What are you praying and believing God for?  

He Hears your voice.

He bends down to listen.

how to get more done in less time

Okay, so when I initially found this random cassette, the first thought that popped into my head was not "I have to hear this!" but "I have to take a picture of this!"  For some reason (oh, I don't know, maybe for four little reasons) I thought this was absolutely hilarious.  For one, there is no way I would ever have enough time to listen to it, I would get considerably less done in more time.   So I decided to waste time anyway and take a picture of it.  But I did get more done with that one picture in less time than it would have taken me to hear it...

Little did I know, God had plans to reveal this very secret to me.  And it will take more than one hour of a cassette to learn it.  It will take a lifetime.  It started when I asked the Lord to teach me how to really pray.  I've been praying since I was a baby, conversing with God and sharing life, battling in the heavenlies, and petitioning on my knees.  But lately my prayers have become lazy, lukewarm, and half-hearted.  God has been impressing me with the importance  of a more purposeful, more diligent, more earnest and consistent prayer life.  And it doesn't happen overnight.

In fact, circumstances and situations have escalated to such heights that I MUST pray.  Joel's job that he was promised ended up not being secure and we are once again searching.  And I am left with only one arsenal, only one option, only one course of action when all else has failed and that is prayer.  Prayer is the one thing needed and the only thing available.  Be careful when you ask God to teach you to pray--He won't waste any time in doing just that!  So I am learning.  I'm learning how to press in to the Holy of Holies and to lay all my fears at the feet of Jesus.  I'm learning how to labor in prayer.  To set aside time for that purpose only and to praise, repent, petition, and proclaim.  And then to allow my spirit to remain in that open communion with my Father throughout my day.

I've been humbled lately by an incredible collection of volumes called They Knew Their God by E.F. and L. Harvey.  In it, the authors have compiled historical biographical sketches of men and women who accomplished much for God's glory in their lifetimes.  Their testimonies have caused an earthquake in my soul!!  A common characteristic of all these ordinary servants of God was that they were absolutely devoted to prayer and bible study.  Many would spend hours each day in diligent prayer.  Here are a couple quotes taken from Volume 1:

“Those who have left the deepest impression on this sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer.”  --D. L. Moody

“Those who spend enough time in actual communion with God to become really conscious of their absolute dependence on Him shall change the mere energy of the flesh for the power of God...

It is indeed true that that he that saveth his time from prayer shall lose it.  And he that loseth his time, for communion with God, shall find it again in added blessing and power and fruitfulness.” --John R. Mott


"When I bow to God, God stoops to me."  --Robert Cleaver Chapman

There is a way after all to get more done and it is by spending more not less, time in prayer.

Lord, teach me how to pray.

Things As They Are

original cover of the book "Things As They Are" by Amy Carmichael

From the time I was a little girl, I was fascinated with the story of Amy Carmichael.  She had brown eyes, and like my 10 year old self, she wished God had given her blue eyes.  I remember lamenting to my mother my woe that my eye color did not match her own.  "But Amy Carmichael had eyes like yours."  my mom had answered me.  And she began to tell me the story how a young girl met Jesus and didn't want to hoard His love all to herself.  She just had to tell the world.  Amy felt God calling her to India where she would spend the majority of her life living among the Indian people, spreading the Gospel.  She later thanked God for her brown eyes because they made her acceptance in India a little easier.

I devoured everything I could read about Amy Carmichael and I was convinced that I was to be a missionary like her one day.  God reminded me of those books and writings I have kept of hers and led me to re-read them.  I've been challenged and humbled all over again.  One book in particular, "Things As They Are", in which she describes the painstaking journey of missionary work in a dark and destitute India of the 1800's, has shaken me to my core.  I just have to share an excerpt from her book, a chapter that has been haunting my mind and tugging at my soul.  She describes a prophetic dream the Lord gave her and it reaches through the centuries to convict my heart...

"...I stood on a grassy sward, and at my feet a precipice broke sheer down into infinite space.  I looked, but saw no bottom; only cloud shapes, black and furiously coiled, and great shadow-shrouded hollows, and unfathomable depths.  Back I drew, dizzy at the depth.

Then I saw forms of people moving single file along the grass.  They were making for the edge.  There was a woman with a baby in her arms and another little child holding on to her dress.  She was on the very verge.  Then I saw that she was blind.  She lifted her foot for the next step... it trod air.  She was over, and the children over with her.  Oh, the cry as they went over!

Then I saw more streams of people flowing from all quarters.  All were blind, stone blind; all made straight for the precipice edge.  There were shrieks as they suddenly knew themselves falling, and a tossing up of helpless arms, catching, clutching at empty air.  But some went over quickly, and fell without a sound.

Then I wondered, with a wonder that was simply agony, why no one stopped them at the edge.  I could not.  I was glued to the ground, and I could not call; though I strained and tried, only a whisper would come.  Then I saw that along the edge there were sentries set at intervals.  But the intervals were far too great; there were wide, unguarded gaps between.  And over these gaps the people fell in their blindness, quite unwarned; and the green grass seemed blood-red to me, and the gulf yawned like the mouth of hell.

Then I saw, like a little picture of peace, a group of people under some trees, with their back turned towards the gulf.  They were making daisy chains.  Sometimes when a piercing shriek cut the quiet air and reached them it disturbed them, and they thought it a rather vulgar noise.  And if one of their number started up and wanted to go and do something to help, then all the others would pull that one down, "Why should you get so excited about it?  You must wait for a definite call to go!  You haven't finished your daisy chains yet.  It would be really selfish," they said, "to leave us to finish the work alone."

There was another group.  It was made up of people whose great desire was to get more sentries out; but they found that very few wanted to go, and sometimes there were no sentries set for miles and miles of the edge.

Once a girl stood alone in her place, waving the people back; but her mother and other relations called, and reminded her that her furlough was due; she must not break the rules.  And being tired and needing a change, she had to go rest for awhile; but no one was sent to guard her gap, and over and over the people fell, like a waterfall of souls.

Once a child caught at a tuft of grass that grew at the very brink of the gulf; it clung convulsively, and it called--but nobody seemed to hear.  Then the roots of the grass gave way, and with a cry the child went over, its two little hands still holding tight to the torn-off bunch of grass.  And the girl who longed to be back in her gap thought she heard the little one cry, and she sprang up and wanted to go; at which they reproved her, reminding her that no one is necessary anywhere; the gap would be well taken care of, they knew.  And then they sang a hymn.

Then through the hymn came another sound like the pain of a million broken hearts wrung out in one full drop, one sob.  And a horror of great darkness was upon me, for I knew what it was--the Cry of the Blood.

Then thundered a Voice, the Voice of the Lord: "And He said, What has thou done?  The voice of thy brothers' blood crieth unto Me from the ground."

God forgive us!  God arouse us!  Shame us out of our callousness!  Shame us out of our sin!"

sidenote:  I just noticed that the unreached people of the day (in my left sidebar) to pray for are the Teli of India.  Amazing how God works!  And I just received a comment from a missionary family in India.  Let's pray for them and for more workers to be sent out into the harvest.