It’s been four months since I’ve created a new post for this blog.

Sometimes life just takes over and you need a break from things.

This blog has been a great outlet as a place of expression for me, and I’ve had a great time running it and interacting with my readers.

Over the last few months, I’ve felt less needful of an outlet, but have been starving for intake, and quiet reflection. I’ve been reading a lot, which tends to go by the wayside when I’m writing a lot. It’s difficult to fit both in amongst mothering, home schooling, homemaking, etc. I’ve been cherishing my family and all the blessings in my life, and have been preparing for a new little member who I will give birth to this summer.

I just wanted to pass on this little update and let my visitors know, that life is great and I’m still here, striving to be grateful for simple daily blessings. Life has seasons, and recently I’ve been in a quiet one.

Thanks so much for stopping by and please have a look around while you’re here! There are plenty of posts to check out such as:

fun and fancy cupcake recipes,

party ideas,

home schooling finds,

my novice gardening adventures, and

the beginning of my love story.

Whatever you’re interested in, I hope you find some things that make you smile.

Please feel free to comment, I love hearing from visitors, and thanks so much for stopping by MommyTopics.com.

Blessings,

Rachymommy

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I’ve been sick for a week and a half. I didn’t cook one, single, thing this Thanksgiving because I felt so terrible. It was all I could do to drag myself to Nana’s Thanksgiving table for dinner.

This has been the nastiest, meanest cold I have ever experienced in my entire life. But… even amidst the misery, there have been small comforts to be grateful for which have made going through this sickness, bearable.

Gratitude continues here…

569. hot tea with honey

570. throat lozenges

571. pizza prepared by someone else and ready for pick up in twenty minutes

572. soft tissues

573. hot showers with steam

574. saltine crackers

575. cough syrup

576. an amazing husband who loves spending time with our children

577. a cool bedroom with warm bedding

578. grace from all

Have you read these other posts yet?

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The feast, the special pies, and the gathering of extended family on Thanksgiving, are unique to this annual celebration. The giving of thanks has become a practice of every day. Gratitude continues here, beginning with this…

540. that thankfulness has become a way of life

541. the emotion of warmth and idealism invoked from Norman Rockwell paintings

542. old recipes handed down from one generation to the next

543. new recipes to discover and turn into an heirloom

544. hidden treasures

545. a sturdy shelter from the elements

546. a day of restored health after a week of sickness

547. a mother in law who prays in power and authority

548. working on a love story

549. learning about love languages

550. rain outside my window

551. cold cups of clean water anytime day or night

552. soft, cozy, blankets that bundle us together on couches

553. little hearts eager to celebrate the season

554. embracing the celebration of Christmas several weeks earlier than usual, in order to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year for several weeks longer than usual

555. Christmas carols in the car

556. striped pajama pants size 2T

557. bold words from small mouths

558. little concentrated expressions on small faces

559. Saturdays that have returned to restful and unscheduled after months of soccer season

560. the gathering of family from distances to celebrate together

561. the opportunity to give and how it robs us of nothing

562. fresh crisp veggies

563. sweet pies

564. moist turkey

565. creamy mashed potatoes

566. sweet potatoes that are served with dinner but taste more like dessert

567. the altered perspective of joy and peace that comes from a lifestyle of purposefull gratitude

568. that the practice of thankfulness can ever increase leading to greater peace and greater joy

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It is such a gift to live in the United States of America, and it is a gift which must be protected by an awake and vigilant “We the People,” in order to be retained.

-

Impress upon children the truth that the exercise of the elective franchise is a social duty of as solemn a nature as man can be called to perform; that a man may not innocently trifle with his vote; that every elector is a trustee as well for others as himself and that every measure he supports has an important bearing on the interests of others as well as on his own. – Daniel Webster

Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature. – James Garfield

In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. . . . When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known immorality he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor, he betrays the interest of his country. – Noah Webster

When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, “just men who will rule in the fear of God.” The preservation of government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty; if the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be sqandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded. – Noah Webster

We electors have an important constitutional power placed in our hands… It becomes necessary to every subject then, to be in some degree a statesman: and to examine and judge for himself of the tendencies of political principles and measures.- John Adams

Want to find out which candidates in your district have the values most similar to yours? Take a quick quiz on 12 important issues and immediately see how candidates in your district rank in similarity to your views:

(click here) Project Vote Smart – Vote Easy

Be a responsible Statesman or woman. Don’t just get out and vote… Vote Smart!

Gratitude continues here…

525. very brave families who migrated to the New World all those years ago

526. the kindness of the Native Americans who made European survival possible

527. lessons learned from the past

528. those who keep the truth of history alive so we may learn from it, and teach it to the next generation

529. the possibility and hope of not repeating the greatest mistakes of our past

530. storytellers

531. journal keepers

532. freedom of speech

533. civil discourse

534. honorable statesmen

535. living in a nation founded with the hope of honoring God, amidst it’s governing principles

537. those who oppose the fundamental transformation of the United States of America

538. faithful parents committed to raising honorable leaders and statesmen

539. the opportunity to vote for what is good, what is right, what is noble

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I did not grow up in a home where prayers were said at meal times.

As a teenager I learned to thank the Lord for my food before eating, from peers I went to school and church with. Even to this day, in my thirties, I often forget to pray before I take my first bite. The practice has for some reason never become second nature to me.

My eight year old on the other hand, who we taught to give thanks before his meals from about nine months old, never forgets. He wont even eat a snack without first closing his eyes and silently giving thanks to the Lord. He is often the one who reminds me.

This year, for the first time ever, my children and I planted our very own garden of pumpkins, sunflowers, sugar peas, and watermelons. We’ve spent many days outside together, tilling the soil, picking out seeds, mapping where each crop should be sewn, noticing the snails, loathing the gopher holes, contemplating the circling birds, trying to ensure right amounts of water, weeding, worrying, hovering, and hoping.

One day a few months back, I came inside from gardening just a bit after noon, cleaned up the kids and laid them down for naps, and entered the kitchen famished. I quickly prepared a meal for myself distracted the entire time by thoughts of the garden. Had I done everything right? Was there still work to do today? Would everything be okay? Would something be attacked by critters tonight? Should I research some natural pesticides? Would those make my pumpkins taste bad? Had I remembered to put my tools away? Will anything really, truly grow out there?

As all these thoughts swirled in my head I sat down, my plate of prepared food before me, I picked up my fork thinking… pumpkins, sunflowers, weeds, gophers, water, sun, soil…

And then I froze.

I was genuinely awestricken, by my food.

The most unplanned, non-cohearsed, spontaneous prayer, spilled from me. No plan to do it, no thought put in what to say, no ability to hold back the words even if I’d wanted to.

“Lord… what a miracle this food is! Thank you! It is truly amazing. The intricacies in your creation that allow thousands of different seeds to develop into thousands of different edible provisions. Each bean that made it to full maturity despite weather, bugs, and rodents. The hard work that has gone into this tortilla and into most everything we quickly and carelessly purchase, in a bag or a box, from a store. I never give thought to the farmer, the gleaner, the baker, the science that has developed the cheese and the sour cream. Not only am I nourished, but I am lavished with flavor and an absurd amount of variety. On a simple afternoon… at a simple time of day… by myself as I sit to eat… I am humbled. I am amazed. I am so, very, grateful. This meal, is a miracle.”

This year harvest time means something so much more to my family than it ever has before, all thanks to spending time outside together learning, in our garden.

A harvest of gratitude can be easily reaped every day from the bountiful life I’ve been blessed with, if only I am awake enough, humbled enough, faithful enough, to notice and offer praise to God, to whom it is due. I am purposing to continue with gratitude here…

505. a long week of rain in Southern California

506. a stretch of good health in our household

507. the excitement and soon arrival of baby number two for one of my dearest friends

508. the gifts of the Spirit

509. a message on unity and the reminder to first and foremost pursue love

510. the funny things four year olds say

511. the farmers and bakers who make our lives so easy

512. seeds

513. coming days filled with plans of new adventures and fun

514. the opportunity to revisit my youth, at my old high school football game

515. home gardens

516. pumpkins

517. bees

518. sprinklers

519. recipes

520. old fashioned donuts

521. grande non-fat latte, two pumps pumpkin spice, two pumps white mocha

522. sparkle

523. caramel apples

524. autumn in full bloom

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Happy One Year Blog-iversary MommyTopics.com !!!

It’s been one year since I began this new blogging adventure, and it’s been SO MUCH FUN!!! I’ve learned a ton about the blogging world, as well as the fact that there is still so much to learn!

I’m so grateful to all of you who have been my visitors, readers, contest enterers, and comment leavers. Your encouragement and love has fueled my passion to keep-on-bloggin’.

I’m still trying to make a name for myself in the great, vast, world that is the blogosphere, and today I’m asking you for a little help…

Nominations have just opened up at the Homeschool Post, a blog for the Homeschool Blogging community, where readers can nominate their favorite home school blogs. I would love it if you would help me get some exposure in this community by nominating my blog as BEST NEW HOME SCHOOL BLOG.

All you have to do to help is

1. click the image below

2. enter in your info at the top

3. scroll down to the category that says BEST NEW HOME SCHOOL BLOG, and enter in:

Blog Name: MommyTopics.com

Blog URL: http://www.mommytopics.com

You can only nominate my blog in one category, so as much as you might like to help me out and nominate me down their page in several categories, those nominations will not be accepted. But if several of you nominate me in the the same category of BEST NEW HOME SCHOOL BLOG, then I have a better chance of becoming a nominee.

Here is the Home School Post’s explanation of who should be nominated as BEST NEW HOME SCHOOL BLOG…

18. Best NEW Homeschool Blog
It is hard making a name for yourself in the blogosphere. A lot of times, you feel as if you are writing and no one is out there. If you have stumbled upon a great new blogger who has a lot of potential and you want to share them with the rest of us… please consider nominating them for this category! [A new blog is one that appeared on the scene during or after last awards season.]

Hey that’s me!!!

I sure would appreciate your nomination!

And I sure do appreciate you!

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“Hallelujah”

by Bethany Dillon (emphasis added)

Who can hold the stars
And my weary heart ?
Who can see everything ?
I’ve fallen so hard
Sometimes I feel so far
But not beyond Your reach.

And I could climb a mountain
Swim the ocean, do anything
But it’s when You hold me
I start unfolding
All that I can say is

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Whatever’s in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah.

The same sun
Rises over castles, welcomes the day
Spills over buildings, into the streets
Where orphans play
And only You
Can see the good
In broken things

You took my heart of stone
And You made it home
Set this prisoner free…

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Whatever’s in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah.
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Whatever’s in front of me
I’ll choose to sing hallelujah

(Hallelujah)
Help me, Help me to sing…
(Hallelujah)

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Whatever’s in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah
Ohhhh

Hallelujah
Hallelu…
Whatever’s in front of me
I’ll choose to sing hallelujah

Mmmmm…

——————————————-

I choose to continue in my gratitude… my hallelujahs… here…

441. the weariness that sinks us but in the end leads us to finally look up

442. the peace that passes all understanding

443. pianos, guitars, and poets

444. hardness softened

445. humility

446. order

447. the beauty and freedom in submission to good, to forgiveness, to love

448. Sundays

449. tears from awe, and wonder, and gratitude

500. dreams that tell us things

501. hope

502. promises

503. warmth

504. the moments I wake up and stop worrying about what has happened, or what will happen, but am just aware only of now and of everything that is so beautiful… so precious… so dear

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Gratitude continues here for life’s daily blessings…

423. cinnamon and sugar

424. butterfly soccer gear

425.pigtails on the soccer field

426. homemade hair bows

427. misting squirt bottles for hot days

428. when she tries to smile for a photo

429. the french press

430. kettle corn

431. a tiny cowboy in my living room squealing “Yee-haw!”

432. when the cowboy puts his hat on me and says proudly, “You a cowboy Mom. You a cowboy.”

433. cleaned and organized closets

434. new clothes for fall

435. pink sparkle shoes

436. a family night out at the baseball game

437. cotton candy

438. the double stroller and long evening walks

439. the joy on his little face when he reaches the end of the playground slide all on his own

440. gardening with my kids

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He eats oatmeal watching Sesame Street, hair tossled from sleep. Each spoonful a risk, waiting to see if it will reach his mouth full, or dribble onto tray, lap, or shirt. The outcome goes unnoticed, his eyes fixed on the letter for today, spoonfuls continuing. Some make it past lips and teeth to nourishment, and some do not.

She talks to daddy on the phone. He’s called to say good morning and he can’t see how she flits to talk with him. How she wanders all around the room on tippy toe, delighted and feeling so grown up to have a phone call of her own.

The morning hours so typical, and yet each one a miracle of it’s own, with precious details to notice and be grateful for.
Gratitude continues here for life’s, though simple, still always miraculous pleasures…

405. babies small and sweet

406. little hands

407. a good bill of health

408. good sleep

409. little arms that reach for Mommy in the morning, to be lifted out, to be gathered, to be held

410. reminders of God’s goodness in small details beautiful and joy inducing

411. babies singing

412. the sound of siblings happily playing in the bedroom together, imaginations wandering through distant lands, together

413. scripture stored in little hearts and uttered from remembrance when they are unaware anyone is listening

414. wrong lyrics sung in confidence

415. phonics understood and unlocking the world of books to little readers

416. when counting and consuming candy becomes a math lesson undetected

417. the mysterious world of dinosaurs

418. ordering library book in multitudes online

419. discovering our heritage in history

420. little fingers pointing to new wonders as little hearts and mouths utter, “Mommy! Look!”

421. the whisperings of autumn in the near distance

422. pumpkin in so many things… gardens,patches, little t-shirts, hairbows, decorations, muffins, pies, cupcakes, pancakes, and LATTES!!!

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Recently we celebrated Llany’s 2nd birthday.

I went with a robot theme because Llany LOVES robots. It all started after he saw a Bachyardigans episode called, “Robot Rampage” about a robot repair man. He was hooked… instantly. He wanted to watch that episode all day, every day, from then on. Lucky for him he has a responsible mother who would never allow such a magnitude of irresponsible TV watching.

Huh!

All day, every day. Not on my watch!

Just a couple times every day is plenty.

Llany just so happened to have one single shirt with a robot on it, and once he knew what a robot was from the Backyardigans cartoon, that became the only shirt he wanted to wear.

Check out this awesome new robot shirt I found for him on Zazzle.com. He loved it!

Sadly my local party store didn’t have any robot balloons, so naturally I did what any intelligent parent would do… I opted for one of Mickey.

Cause who doesn’t love Mickey? Right?!

Just because I’m throwing a robot birthday and didn’t plan far enough ahead to find a robot balloon like an organized, party planning maven of a mother would have, doesn’t mean there’s no room for Mickey. Mickey is always welcome.

And besides, Llany loves Mickey. And Llany doesn’t know anything about the silly adult world with confining rules such as, “Pick a party theme and stick with it.”

My husband does a great Mickey impression and calls the kids on the phone once in a while pretending to be Mickey. They love it. They really think Mickey calls them.

I know… we’re liars. We’re terrible, dark, evil, deceptive, Mickey liars.

We’ll come clean with them soon.

I promise.

I decided to take some pictures of the party this year from the perspective of the birthday boy. I thought it would be fun to have some photos to remember the day, that show him his birthday, from his vantage point at the time.

Try it. Just lay down and shoot your party from the ground up. It’s fun… If you’re weird like me.

The party store also did happen to have one balloon left of a Backyardigans character… when I called to order them… the day of the party…. like three hours before the party… because I plan… because I’m awesome.

See?

See!

Here’s where I planned.

I ordered these robot cupcake toppers from Amazon.com, totally before the party. Like, entire days before the party. Like I wasn’t waiting, clenching my teeth, praying they would arrive in time for the party, at all. Nope. Not me.

Nope.

What could be better for a two year old birthday than confetti cupcakes arranged as a robot army right?!

Using the display tree made them appear a bit more peaceful and ready to party.

Although, up close they still looked pretty serious.

And look what else Llany got as gifts…

Another robot shirt…

Robot pajamas…

An actual robot…

A robot Super Why…

This guy is really cool. When you push the button on his chest, his cape flies behind him while he talks. He was almost the favorite present of the birthday boy, but…

This robot Mickey Mouse Club birthday card was hands down Llany’s favorite gift.

I call it a robot card because it’s one of those that sings a song when you open it. Llany already knows the old school Mickey Mouse Club theme song, because I sing it to him often during diaper changes. A few other old school and out of date diaper change song selections I provide my children are, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”, “How Much is that Doggy in the Window?”, “Rise and Shine”, and the “Bear in the Big Blue House” theme song.

He opened this card first and we thought we would never get to any of the other presents. He just wanted to keep reopening the card and replaying the  song.

“Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me, M-I-C-K-E-Y… M-O-U-S-E….”

Even after all the presents were open, Llany left them at the table and went marching all around the living room singing and dancing with this birthday card. He was still doing that very thing with the card today in our school room.

Llany also received these robot dinosaurs. This was unquestionably my favorite gift of the night.

These dinosaurs are AMAZING!!!

They’re from the PBS kids show, “Dinosaur Train.” What’s amazing about these particular dinosaurs is that if you have more than one of them, and you set them near each other, they begin a dialogue back and forth. Each of these dinosaurs individually says over fifty different things. And the conversations they have are so educational. An example of some of what I’ve heard between the two of them goes something like this,

“Hey Borris, I’m Morris.”

“Hey Morris, I’m Borris.”

“Hey Borris, what do you eat?”

“I’m an herbavore which means I only eat plants.”

“Whoa, cool. I’m a carnivore which means I eat meat.”

“I weigh seven tons, how much do you weigh?”

“When I’m full grown, I’ll weigh seven tons.”

They go on and on, and on, back and forth. Sometimes they ask each other questions, and sometimes they say things together.

Someone out there has got to take this technology and create some talking Tea Party friends. Can you picture it?

“Trixie, it’s fine weather we’ve been having.”

“Oh yes Pixie, I just adore the Spring.”

“Trixie would you pass the sugar please?”

“Of course, do you prefer one lump or two?”

To any toy manufacturers out there reading this, you can email me about where to send the royalty check, and… you’re welcome.

There are more ideas where that one came from people. Lots of  ’em!

Just ask me about the machine idea I have that will revolutionize the laundry dilemma… oh yes… there are sketches available.

So, that was my weekend.

What did you do?

Have you read these other posts yet?

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