Baby Stuff

I had fun this weekend making a gift for a baby shower. I used this pattern and changed it up a bit for the rosebud booties. I made mine from flannel instead of felt and I lined them. I used my own pattern to make the matching bib. The white felt booties are an adaptation of this pattern. Here you will find the directions. I did some adjusting to the size, changed the back of the shoe and made mine from felt instead of flannel, and did button hole stitching around the edges to finish. I had forgotten how fun it is to make things for babies.

LIfe In The Shallows.

Is there is change in the air? Could there be a shift toward frugal thinking? Has the world finally "got it" or is it just that the economy isn't cooperating with our spending habits? Maybe it is something more. This New York Times article calls the economy "fitful" and talks about the changes that so many are having to make in their budgets due to the fact that they have been living far above their means Pulling out all their home equity and maxing out their credit cards has left many in a state of despair .

Patty at Morning Ramble wrote interesting post about peer pressure that addresses the reasons that many people slip onto this treadmill of debt. This is a subject that my friends and I have been discussing lately. Specifically how to help our children avoid the trap of thinking that they have to live a certain lifestyle to be successful and to understand clearly where real success in life lies.

Financial responsibility is helped by emotional maturity; but another factor that isn't often addressed as having a impact is our spiritual maturity or awareness, the ability to live life in a more meaningful way.

Martha Beck wrote an interesting article on Oprah.com about the book The Secret. I'll admit that I not too sure about the philosophy behind this book. I still haven't read it; but I thoroughly enjoyed Martha's article.

The article gives a description of different levels of existence, or awareness, of how we live our lives and how the laws of attraction work. The surface level is called "The Shallows" The way I understand it is that the Shallows is a place where we live our lives on the most superficial level. A place where we live life with a great deal of fear and surround ourselves with unnecessary things, relationship drama, food, or even drugs or alcohol in an effort to satisfy those desires or squelch the feelings we don't know how to handle.

On this level there is no peace to be found. We keep feeding these feelings what we think they need but the desires are never satisfied for along.

Martha goes on to describe the "Ring of Fire" we must go through to reach the place in life where we can live a life of gratitude, satisfaction and the laws of attraction.

The law of Attraction is where I have difficulty. Supposedly we can reach a place where the wants and "needs" of living in the Shallows disappear and we have enough. Then what we need and/or desire will come to us.

It reminds me of the bible verses where we are told not to worry about the basics of clothing and food but to consider the birds of the fields and how their needs are met. Instead we should focus on the things of importance in life and have faith that God will provide.

I'm interested in reading this book and seeing if it supports my idea of it. If anyone has read it or seen the video let me know what you think.

What I Saw: Alabama State Capitol

Pictures: Alabama State Capitol. Next to last picture is of a brass star that marks the spot where Jefferson Davis took oath as the President of the Confederate states.

What I Saw: Staircase

We were greeted by the sweetest volunteer who was eager to share his knowledge of the building and it's history. He was indeed a true Southern gentleman. I do so miss hearing that drawl and worry that I will someday completely lose mine.

What I Saw: Alabama Capitol Dome

The architecture of the building is beautiful. Around the dome are murals depicting the history of Alabama.

What I Saw: Southern Charm

The Camellia starts blooming in January in southern Alabama.

On our trip last month I found it an unexpected bit of beauty in the middle of winter.

The bush in the picture was at least 8 feet tall and filled with beautiful crimson blooms.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Singing The Blogging Blues

I'm just not feeling this blogging gig these days. Since Christmas I have been trying to get back into the swing of posting regularly and it just hasn't happened. I know my family and a few others read on a fairly regular basis, so I will just have to apologize and promise to try to do better.

The thing is, for a change, I actually have lots of stuff outside my home to do. We work, live, sleep, and play here. All day, everyday. So I relish the opportunity to do something outside these walls. If I don't, I don't really have anything to write about.

Honestly, writing about the latest coupon adventure, pantry reorganizing, or decorating project just isn't floating my boat these days. I never intended for this blog to become all about those things. I just got so excited when I found all those blogs about the things I am interested in that I jumped in with both feet. Taking part and enjoying all the comradery and learning lots as well.

My blog started out to be what the title implies, a look through my life. My thoughts, feelings, opinions and interest, the things I do and think about. As shocking as it may seem to some...it isn't my house, pantry or kitchen all the time. LOL. Recently that has been more about reading, painting, singing and daydreaming and planning my future than anything else.

I never really even thought about people really reading or commenting on what I wrote but when they did I felt a lot of pressure to continue to produce a blog that would be interesting to others and frankly that in itself became a burden to me. I need to get back to what I intended in the beginning whether it is interesting to others or not. It has to be real for me before I can really enjoy doing it.

So, if there is anyone out there, besides my family, still reading this I hope you will bear with me as I go through some changes here. Hopefully for the better. But I'm not making ANY promises!

Oh My Gosh!

This is an actual news report. I don't know why but this is so funny to me. I laughed so hard I cried.

What I Saw: Consulation Church

Pics: Consulation Church (Reportedly one of Alabama's most haunted places. Scroll down until you find Red Level)

Bottom 2: My Great-Great Grandparents. Their names in the Lee family Bible.

Awww Shucks!

Patty over at Morning Ramble passed this along to me last weekend.

I was taking a last browse over the blogs I read before we were on our way out the door to visit our families in Alabama. I didn't have time to respond then. We just got home last night, so I want to thank Patty, send her a big hug.

I'm passing this along to: My real life friend, Angie, who has been through so much this past year, at Simple Living Through God, to Michelle, a fellow Tennessean, at Life's Accidental Journey, and Rebecca, who is so patiently waiting for her new daughter to be able to come home, at Globe Trotting Army Wife.