Company Girl Coffee

I have missed linking up the past couple of months.  I’ve done some traveling and just been busy and Home Sanctuary has been pushed to the side.  My home has suffered as a result, so I am back and motivated!  It’s been a week that I have stayed caught up and I am determined to keep going this time!  I loved this task.  What fun being creative in ways to create change!  What was your favorite change?  I even gave myself permission to change my dinner plans!

Life has been busy!  Two girls in high school marching band means about 8 hours of practice a week, plus competitions (12-15 hour day on Saturdays) and weekly football games (another 6 hours).  One of these same band kids also does cross country (15-20 hours a week), plus classes starting at 6:45 a.m.  There is no “down time” and I can’t quite remember the last time either of these kids watched TV.  Our Wii has more dust on it than I’d care to admit to.  It is not uncommon for homework to be finished at midnight, leaving me with two girls who are slowly wearing out.  The good news is that band and cross country will both end at the same time, with the state XC meet being the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  It looks like our team will be participating, but the meet next Thursday will be the test.  Our daughter (Kaylie) has had her best season ever and we pray she stays healthy and uninjured for the rest of the season!

I have also launched my new Etsy shop – scroll down to the next post to see some of the goodies I have for sale!  If you’re in the market for a cozy baby blanket, let me know!  If you don’t see one that you like, message me and let’s see what we can find!  Coming soon…decorative pillowcases – a fun gift idea for all ages!

Have a blessed week!

Cheryl

Company Girl Coffee, 07-03-09

Thanks for stopping by! There's a pitcher of iced tea or iced coffee in the fridge. Please help yourself!

Things haven't slowed down since our vacation and I'm not quite sure how it became JULY already. It's a month that we won't have much going on, so I'm hoping to relax a bit before the back to school rush starts up. What about YOU? Do you have any trips planned? Any big Independence Day plans? Our day will consist of swimming, BBQ, and going to a fireworks show with some friends. Hope your day is special...I am so thankful to live in America - may I never lose sight of why this country was formed, or the men and women who keep it safe.

Our last 6 weeks have consisted of:

Prom in May...Layne (17) and Kaylie (15) attended with guy friends Jon and John.

Layne (17) graduated high school the first part of June. Here we are with the graduate. My husband refuses to take a 'real' picture. He says he looks funny when he smiles, so ... yeah.

Last sunset of our 12-day Hawaiian vacation. This was taken between Lahaina and Ka'anapali and there were huge sea turtles swimming just off the shore, so we had fun watching them.

More vacation pix to come as time permits.

Please pray for this family: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mcraekate/journal I do not know them, but just read their story today and it broke my heart to see what they are going through with their 5yo (brain tumor).

Blessings,

Cheryl

Company Girl Coffee ~ May 22, 2009

Welcome to my place for coffee! Thanks for taking the time to stop by! Over at Home Sanctuary this week, we were challenged to do something "half-way". Well, for me, that's GREAT...because...sometimes I simply don't do a job because I know I don't have the time, energy, or money to do it the "right" way. Our master bedroom desperately needed some time spent in it. Now, let me preface this with a couple of things. 1) I struggle to keep a clean bedroom. 2) Hubby and I definitely have 'his' and 'hers' sides of the room and we have each agreed to be responsible for our own sides. That said, my side is the right side...and here are the before and after pix. It still needs more work, which is a goal of mine for the long weekend. I have new art for over the bed. I need to find something decorative to put at the end of the bed so we stop using it as a place to pile clothes, shoes, etc. BUT...it's half-way done...and felt great to have permission to only do that much.

Yesterday we were challenged to wipe out kitchen drawers...empty out the crumbs (where DO they come from?) that migrate to our silverware organizers. I did all 9 drawers in my kitchen. I now present my 'best' 3 drawers:

Go to http://www.companygirl.com/ and check out the photo contest! There are already some precious photos that have been uploaded!

An old hymn has been playing over and over through my head this week:

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

For me it was in the garden
He prayed: “Not My will, but Thine.”
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat drops of blood for mine.

In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To comfort Him in the sorrows
He bore for my soul that night.

He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary,
And suffered and died alone.

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
’Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!

I am so grateful for our God's overwhelming love and grace. May I always keep this at the forefront of my mind.

Have a wonderful weekend. If you know a soldier, please thank them for their sacrifice and service.

Praying today for: G (swine flu); family of C; N (dizziness); G&B (to know the Lord).

Company Girl Coffee ~ April 24, 2009

Thanks for stopping by. I've got fresh Starbuck's coffee and several different syrups. No pastries, as I am really trying to get back to eating right. I do NOT want to go to Hawaii in June looking like I do right now. :o(

My week has been busy with: working on senior pictures with Layne; work, sewing Binky Patrol (http://www.binkypatrol.org/) quilt tops; and...hmm. It's been a really busy week, but I can't quite think of anything substantial that I have to show for it. Sometimes it seems like I'm spinning my wheels and not doing anything with an eternal value. Like dieting, it's time for a new beginning with everything I do...

Like the rest of the nation, I have been enchanted by Susan Boyle's beautiful voice. It's doubtful there are any left who haven't seen the clip, but just in case:

I hope everyone has a blessed week. Make the most of every opportunity!

Cheryl

Praying today for: D.M. (congestive heart failure, hospice); C.A. (car accident earlier this week); T.J. (young mother whose entire body is septic and she is in critical condition); M.G. (11 year old girl hit by a car, critical condition).

Company Girl Coffee...4-17-09

Sanctuary on a Shoestring...pretty well sums up my life, that's for sure! There are a LOT of things I do to save money - Once a month cooking, shopping at the you-bag-it grocery stores, shopping at discount stores. BUT something that has made a huge difference is that our kids receive an allowance. How can paying money OUT save money? Before we did official allowances, we would buy things for the kids. Nothing major, but a new CD or DVD, a cute t-shirt, etc. With 4 kids, this could add up fast. We switched to an allowance system so the kids could learn to budget their money and prioritize how they wanted to spend it. They get a pretty generous allowance ($2 for each year of life) at the beginning of the month (coincides with hubby's payday). They are encouraged to tithe, save, and then spend the rest how they would like. They have learned quite well how to make their money last. I didn't mention, but if they want to buy food at school, they also must use their own money. I learned long ago that when they had "lunch money," it typically went to buy a brownie, a pack of donuts, or something else as nutritious as those options. Instead of lunch money, we provide sandwich fixings, fruit, veggies, drinks, etc. This has been a lifesaver for us. When we're shopping and they want something, they think very carefully about it, knowing it will cost THEM and not ME.

Wishing you all a very blessed weekend!

Cheryl

Praying today for: Dora, in CCU and very frail; John & Sharon, leaving tomorrow for an 8-week trip to Europe; Randy & family, auto accident.

Company Girl Coffee, April 3, 2009

Welcome, ladies!  I hope you have had a productive week.  I have been busy, and I'll admit the Home Sanctuary tasks have been hard for me this week and I have had to get very creative.  Sad to say, but today to gather trash or donations, I cleaned the fridge.  When did I buy this fresh broccoli?  I'm thinking it was for the twins' birthday party last month and it never got made into a veggie tray.  Why is this new'ish bag of potatoes mushy?  Is this sprouting sweet potato the same one I bought around the holidays?  If not, where did it come from?

*Warning: political opinions ahead*

In other news, if ya'll take a close look at your recent paychecks, you'll probably see what we saw this week:  a little note stating that due to the economic bailout plan, federal taxes have gone up effective immediately.  Higher taxes, California's 10% paycut, and an IRS bill.  I guess this is the economic stimulus that we've all been hearing about.  The only stimulating we will be doing in the economy is buying more Top Ramen and less fresh broccoli.

In spite of my rantings, we ARE blessed,

Cheryl

Praying for:  G., hip replacement surgery; R.B., double bypass surgery; E.C., results; Praise: N., ovarian mass is NOT cancer!; B., PET scan today; safe travels for those traveling for Easter (us included!).

Company Girl Coffee 3-27-09

TGIF!  I'm not quite sure where this week went, let alone this month.  Even my kids have remarked that time seems to be going faster lately.  My theory (ok, it's a dream) is that God is just fast forwarding time for us and we will soon see Jesus return for us.  I am weary - weary of day to day things, money concerns, taxes, the sin I see in society.  That's not to say I am a "doom and gloom" kind of gal.  That's not the case at all.  I love life and am very blessed.  But...wouldn't it be cool to just go on to Heaven now? 

Yeah, that's the mood I'm in.

Have a blessed weekend.

Praying today for:  B., mass, trying to determine just what it is; N., possible ovarian cancer; Praise: N.'s biopsy showed no cancer!; Praise: J. found a job!

Company Girl Coffee - March 20

Hello!  Welcome!  It's been a busy week playing catch-up since I spent last week visiting my mom and sister in Texas.  En route, I had a few hours to sit at DFW and Rachel Anne was sweet enough to come meet me at the airport.  She is as sweet in person as she is on her blog.  She was an amazing 'hostess' as we walked our way around the airport in search of a cup of coffee.  I felt like I already knew her, having read her blog for the last year.  What an encouragement she is - and FUN!  We Company Girls definitely need to think about a retreat - somewhere, somehow!  If anyone wants to come to Central California, I'll blow up air mattresses and warm up the chocolate fountain.  :o)

While in Texas, I was able to pick up my finished quilt and deliver it to my sister.  The quilter did an amazing job and I look forward to sending her more in the future.  It was fun to give a homemade gift and not clutter that my sister will eventually have to throw away!

I'd better get busy around here - have a blessed weekend.

Cheryl

Praying for: K., test results for spinal tap; B., unsaved stroke victim; N.B., skin biopsy; N.Y., pain; J., looking for a job; C., broken ankle/mobility; N., job interview next week.

Company Girl Coffee

Thanks for stopping by!  I'm running late today and it's not even 9am!  I'm not running late for anything in particular, I just started my day late and that makes me feel behind. 

My post today will fit right in with today's small thing:  Do something bad.  My intentions were to write a lovely ('good') post about how my youngest daughters (twins) turned 15 this week, post beautiful pictures of them on their birthday, etc.  Here's the glitch:  I don't have 'beautiful' pictures of them from their birthday.  They left in the morning wearing new tops, hair done extra special, etc.  They came home in PE and track clothes, hair ruined, and, rather smelling like they just came from PE and track.  :o)  But this is the reality of our life and ... frankly ... I think our life is beautiful, so that counts.

So, in honor of my beautiful twin daughters turning 15 on Monday, I would like for you to meet MY Company Girls:

Taylor is actually the second-born twin, but because she always comes last in name order, I thought I'd cut her a break and list her first.  Taylor loves music and can play piano, clarinet, violin and trombone.  Her goal for high school is to learn as many instruments so she can go on to become a music major.  I pray she uses her love and talent for music for the Lord.  She has a heart for Him and is truly a light to all of those around her.

Kaylie is my runner daughter.  This girl is an amazing runner, like her daddy.  She has an amazing work ethic and gives 100% to everything she does.  She plays the flute beautifully, and has a soft heart for animals of any shape and size.  She wants to be a Zookeeper when she is older.  They will be the best kept zoo animals ever!  She loves the Lord and will NOT go to bed at night until she has read her Bible.

Here is a BAD quality picture from my cell phone at their birthday dinner on Sunday at Macaroni Grill:

Thanks for letting me brag on two of my favorite four daughters!  I'll brag on the other two favorites as their birthdays come up!  Have a blessed weekend!

Cheryl

Company Girl Coffee

Thanks for stopping by!  I feel like all week I have been running late, so this is even being posted a little later than usual.

It is early afternoon and I just came from lunch with a friend, and I am having a handful of trail mix.  Well, to be accurate, I am picking out my favorite things from a bag of trail mix.  So I'm eating cashews and peanuts, but no M&Ms or raisins.  My husband always wonders where the cashews go.  Hehehe

It's been a crazy week with my 9th grade daughters working hard to finish a huge science project that is due tonight.  It will consume the rest of my day, hence taking the time for virtual coffee and cashews.  In spite of that, I managed to keep up with Home Sanctuary.  I have noticed that with each "small thing" I participate in, I find myself looking around and taking it a step further.  The task of sweeping baseboards soon had me using an electric broom on all the floors, then a quick mop job.  Not only did it get me up and moving (when did I become so out of shape?), but my floors got the cleaning they needed.  After following the challenges diligently all month, I can say that there is a difference in our home and in my attitude toward keeping up with things.

Prayer requests today:  B., stroke victim whose health is declining; the family of Ella, a toddler who died as the result of an accident this week.

In the meantime, have a great weekend.

Blessings,

Cheryl

Company Girl Coffee

Good morning - thanks for stopping by!  No sweets today - my favorite jeans are tighter than they should be.  I guess last week's cookies weren't calorie-free after all!  It's hot tea and fresh orange slices.

Another great week with Home Sanctuary and I am really beginning to feel like things are coming together and my home really IS turning into a Sanctuary.  My favorite small thing this week was to clean out the cabinet under the kitchen sink.  It really wasn't as bad as I expected, taking only about 15 minutes, but forcing me to sort out what I actually USE ... and what I HAVE.  I have had a bottle of pure ammonia for 13 years.  I've not used it yet, so it safely went to the "Leftover" bin that will be offered to a friend of mine.

 

(Those aren't water stains - I tend to leave my dust/oil rag under the sink and don't always set it on top of something.)

 

Before you leave, would you join me in praying today for:  B., stroke victim who is failing; Baby R., born at 24 weeks and is growing - praise God! - her parents are not believers; J., cellulitis in his leg; J., strangulated hernias, waiting to see a surgeon.  Thank you!

Blessings,

Cheryl

Company Girl Coffee - come on in!

Good morning, friends!  Today we're sipping Starbucks coffee with Dulce de Leche creamer.  Oh my is it yummy!  We also have some Valentine's Day cookies to nibble on.  They're calorie-free, of course, because they are for a holiday and that cuts the calories out.  (You're welcome.)

It has been a week of ups and downs in our home, with God shining through even tough situations.  Praise Him for His faithfulness!

 

I got my quilt shipped to Texas where a lady is going to do the hard part - the actual quilting.  That's one thing I am not interested in tackling (yet?), so I am glad to have found a wonderful seamstress ... and she is excited at the chance to earn a little pocket change for her efforts!  In the meantime, another lady about an hour from my town was cleaning out her stash of fabric and selling yard increments for .50/yard.  The fabric was BEAUTIFUL and will make many lovely quilts for Binky Patrol.  I spent $60, which gives me well over 100 yards of fabric.  My husband is very patient.  Actually, he mentioned the amount and I asked if he'd like for the two of us to discuss the state of the garage and why he has THREE bikes, ONE of which he rides. :)

 

I am proud to say I am still on track with Home Sanctuary!  Usually by now, I forget to record points, or go through a day and forget to do the challenge.  Not this month!  The prize would look WAY too good in my office for me to be a slacker!  Yesterday's challenge for something sticky was fun and my creative juices got flowing!  I printed two pages of silly Valentine's Day riddles out for my kids and hung them in their bathroom.  They're teenagers, but will get a kick out of their silliness.  AND we used some sticky frosting to frost some more cookies (so glad I baked up all of the dough earlier in the week!).  We'll have plenty to share with the neighbors tomorrow.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Have a blessed weekend!

Cheryl

P.S.  Will the Macy*s saga never end?  Why, oh why, should I get a bill stating I owe the full amount...when this was paid days before the bill was generated?  Goodness, Macy*s!  I sure hope the 7000 people you laid off aren't in your Collections Department because I have a feeling I'm headed back there!

Company Girl Coffee

Where did the week go?  Seriously - how did it get to Friday already?  Oh how I love Mondays.  I start every week with such wonderful intentions.  I decide that "This is the week I will do every Home Sanctuary challenge!"  If you've had any interest in becoming a Company Girl, this is the time to do it!  Rachel Anne is holding our hands and teaching us home organization skills step by step.  Take a minute and go read this post and see what you think!  It's something that even I can do!  We'd love to have you join us.

I have been living 2009 as if it's my last year.  No, I'm not picking clothes to be buried in - but I AM looking at my "stuff" with new eyes.  What MESSES would I leaving behind for my family to deal with?  I know I have at least 100 yards of fabric.  Wouldn't they rather find completed quilts instead of a stash of fabric?  What about these skeins of yarn?  Maybe baby blankets for future grandchildren?  Do I really still need papers from the homeschooling days?  Notsomuch.  A dear friend is using this in her email signature line: 

Make it do; clean it out; use it up; do without! 

I think I've unofficially adopted this mentality.  With a 10% pay cut now approved for my husband, it's time to get creative and be careful about what we need to spend money on.

UPDATE ON THE MACY*S SAGA:

I sent copies of my blog to Macy*s in New York.  Funny how quickly I was contacted.  They *finally* sent me a bill.  It was even for the right month.  I even walked into our Macy*s and paid it.  With a check.  I was too lazy to go to the bank and request $39 worth of nickels.  Farewell, Macy*s.

Have a blessed weekend,

Cheryl

Company Girl Coffee

Thanks for stopping by!  Today we're having hot tea.  The Christmas dishes are already packed away, so you'll have to make due with my regular mugs.

 

Although I shared it on my Christmas pictures blog, I will share the story behind my favorite Christmas picture:

Our home is situated so that the bedrooms are all down one hall.  Our Christmas morning 'rule' is that the kids can't go into the living room until we're all up and going together.  Although our oldest is now 20 and living on her own, she came over and spent Christmas Eve with us and dutifully lined up in the hall with her sisters.  I love that at 20, 17, 14, and 14, our kids are still excited to see what "Santa" brought.

Happy New Year!

Cheryl

Company Girl Coffee

Come on in!  Today we're having Hot Spiced Tea.  Grab a cup!   This week I was determined to stay caught up with Home Sanctuary.  Thankfully, Rachel Anne blessed us with some easy days.  Yesterday's involved lighting a Christmas candle.  While I often have a candle lit, yesterday I had a daughter home, not feeling well, so lit scented candles in the rooms we were in, had a nice fire going, and just enjoyed the ambiance the combination offered.  As the other girls got home from school, the first thing they said was, "The house smells so good!"  The sense of smell is so important and many of my favorite childhood memories go back to various scents.  (OK, in all honestly, most of these are food related, but that's another issue!)  I hope my daughters remember things like walking into a home that smells of cinnamon and cloves. 

Remember the reason for the season.  JESUS!

Have a very blessed and peaceful week.

Cheryl

Coffee's On - come on in!

I'm so glad you stopped by!  I've got Creme Brulee flavored coffee on the stove, quietly perking along.   Please grab a Christmas mug and join me!

My biggest accomplishment this week was my response to Rachel Anne's "Haul Ass" post.  (Ass, in the Biblical sense!)  I decided it was time to make a serious dent in my shopping.  Imagine my surprise when at one of the stores, I was told if I took my receipt to our local mall, I would receive raffle tickets - 1 for every $10 spent in my city.  Wow - I managed to get 31 tickets in the drawing for prizes like gas vouchers, flat screen TV, surround sound system, DVD player, etc.  It was FREEZING and you had to be present to win...so hubby and I ventured to stand in the cold and listen for our number(s).  I'll cut to the chase.  NO, I didn't win anything but feet that were frozen and painful for the next few hours.  BUT it is rare that hubby and I just do 'nothing.'  It was a nice time to just have fun and grab a bite to eat.  I also got a lot of my shopping done, so it was well worth a day of Hauling...

I'd better get busy around here today, too.  I want to sew a couple of Christmas pillowcases and wrap a few presents.

Blessings,

Cheryl

Over at Home Sanctuary this month...

Home Sanctuary

Our verse this month comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, a book which seems to have a little bit of a "cynical" tone.  It was written by Solomon, a king who had seen it all and pretty much knew it all. Some scholars say that this book is based on human wisdom (as opposed to Divine wisdom), but there are nuggets in it that are pure gold, no matter how you slice it.  Solomon observes:

This scripture appears to be talking about the unfairness of life.  At first glance, it's a "hard luck" verse. It makes me think of the USA women's track team who were shoo-ins for the 4x100 gold medal in the 2008 Olympics, but dropped the baton in the qualifying race in a case of bad luck.  What a heartbreak!

But for another team, who had trained just as hard and wanted that gold just as much, that race was a case of having the BEST luck imaginable!  Why, the unthinkable happened!  The gold did not go to the swiftest on that day, and the Russians were ultimately crowned the champions.  Time and chance went their way.

I certainly don't delight in anyone's "bad luck."  In fact, I don't even believe in luck at all.

But Time and Chance?  Now, there's another story.

You see, I believe in the God of Time and Chance.  I believe that there is a Supreme Being who defies all limits of time, who is INIFINITE and all-powerful, and who knows all about my battles here on this earth.  He creates opportunities, chances, if you will, for things to happen.

I absolutely LOVE Ecclesiates 9:11 because I know I am not the swiftest runner in the race.  I know I am not the strongest, or the smartest, or the most capable.  The odds are against me being a successful competitor.  The gold will most assuredly be given to someone else.

But I have a heart that wants to win, and a soul that is giving God every opportunity to make me a "winner."  My job is to stay in the race when my inclination is to drop out after comparing myself to the others.  They seem so much more together.  So much smarter.  So much more connected and well-educated.  Look at me!  I'm a nobody!  I'll never win.

Ah!  But you never know when the God of Time and Chance will say, "This is YOUR day!  This is YOUR time!  This is YOUR race!  RUN, girl, RUN!"

God will put you in a position to succeed if you just keep preparing yourself.  Be willing to do the hard work of conditioning, even though the odds are against you.  Show up for the race, even when no one gives you a chance of winning. Get on the starting blocks and then run with all your might. 

Because "Time and Chance" happen to everyone!  Give all your best to God and let Him take care of the outcome. 
He will put you in the right place at the right time.
He will give you the opportunities you've been waiting for.
You see, this "hard luck" verse is really about a door being left open for all of us, at any given point in our lives.  When we are a David facing a Goliath, or a Gideon facing a huge army of Midianites.  When the deck is stacked against us and there is no hope of winning.  Except.
Except that we believe in the God of Time and Chance, who holds victory in His hands.

Company Girl Coffee

Dispensing....this small thing was one I did NOT want to do.  My procrastination was ridiculous because I knew there were 6 soap dispensers and it would take me no time at all.  (I'm OCD and tend to keep my dispensers pretty clean anyway.)  I put this off in a state of rebellion until after dinner...at which time I took the less-than-10-minutes to give them a nice scrubbing.  How easy was THAT?  Come join the Company Girls!

Company Girl Coffee...Come on in!

Rachel Anne Ridge over at Home Sanctuary has an amazing thing going.  "Small things."  Huh?  Small things?  What do they matter?  They matter a LOT.  Monday through Friday Rachel gives each of her "company girls" a "small thing" to do.  Yes, that's all.  Just one small thing to turn our homes into sanctuaries.  The things are easy, do-able.  Today's small thing is to do something silly over the weekend.  Huh?  Yes, do something silly to create an atmosphere of you in your home.  Rachel has captured what many of the housecleaning email lists have missed out on:  Choose one simple activity that will help make your home a sanctuary for your family.  (I'm thinking a game of Pretty Pretty Princess with my hubby and teenage daughters may be in order!)

This week I had a favorite small thing.  "How do you pick up the floor?"  Because we have new flooring, our floors have stayed pretty well picked up (this is also because not all of our furniture is back in place yet).  But it was a great reminder of how nice it looks when it's picked up and I spent about 15 minutes walking around each room and picking up a stray item here and there.  Know what?  It took very little time.  And it became a habit that I've been doing each day.

If turning my home into a sanctuary wasn't enough, Rachel Anne has PRIZES!  Oooh how I love a good prize.  Did I mention these are GOOD prizes?  Each day you participate, you track your points and send them in at the end of the month.  (I even won a couple of months back!)  If you haven't checked out the site, go do so.  It's surprisingly easy ... and a whole lot of fun.

Blessings,

Cheryl