Do you make memories with your children and family? Memories that will last a life time that they will cherish when they have their own children. I was thinking this morning of a time when my Dad, was addicted to Waffle House coffee. On Saturday mornings he would yell out, “Who is coming to Waffle House with me”. Mind you this was at 4 am. Back then I remember thinking, “you have got to be kidding me”. Yet the times when I did go, I loved it. It was time with just me and my Dad and the other crazy 4 am coffee drinkers. Everyone that came into Waffle House knew his name. We would all chat and laugh and I would get a handful of quarters to play songs on the jukebox. It is a fond memory for me.

My Dad & Sugar Plum Fairy (Making Memories)

I was reading a blog recently about as a family they go out to eat once a week at the same restaurant. Actually here is the post, My Home Sweet Home. Just had to give you the link, she is a good read. The point I loved about this post was community. They are making memories with their family but they are also building lifetime friendships and bonds. So many times nowadays we get caught up with ways not to make friendships, (twitter, facebook, google+, tv, smartphones, blogs, email, texting, etc.) or build communities face to face. It almost feels like this generation is losing the art of communicating face to face, even with family.

Take the time to spend quality time with your family, friends, children, parents, strangers each week. People is where life is lived. Where bonds are formed and memories are forged. In fifty years, heck 10 years, are you going to remember that facebook status or are you going to remember that time with that guy and the thing that brings a smile to your face.

What ways do you spend quality time with your family? How do you build community? Me and my bunch have a day of the week that we have family night. As for community, that is something I want to start. I would love to begin a weekly or bimonthly time where we meet in the same place at the same time and with friends and family where we bond, share, and play.

I am writing this post as much for me as I am for you. I write this thinking do I have the time? And, then I think in my wee little brain. What does God say? Time is like the mist. It is fleeting. With that fleeting time I need to spend it wisely. Other than God, people are the most important thing on this planet. Telling them about God, showing God’s love and compassion to them. If we do not take and make time for the people in our lives and the strangers on this planet how can we ever be called children of God ourselves. My mission and only mission as His child is to love and obey Him. Part of obeying Him is reaching out to others. Reaching out is not preaching to them. It is showing them His love. Being a friend in need, a hand to help, a smile, a hug, an ear. By building a community where I can spend time with others can also lead me to be there when people need God’s love. I would love to start a community that may start with friends and family but where those friends and family can and will feel comfortable to bring their friends and family and that community grows.

So, for the next 30 days, I am going to pray and write about ways to make time in my life for others. I am hoping that with God’s help I can start building that community.

This small family has a very huge heart and they are currently being blessedly used by Christ. They have been given the opportunity to be His hands and feet in a small area of the Dominican Republic. I have wanted to share them with you for sometime now and God really laid it on my heart this morning that I write this post.

I have known the Fernandez family for nigh on 20 years. I have seen Kelly & Shawn grow into these amazing harvesters for God. I am blessed to know them. I would love for you to get to know them as well and what God is doing in their lives and the lives of those around them. Let God inspire you today through them. Please also pray for them and their work in the Dominican Republic.

Go visit them on their …

Facebook page.
Three Sixteen Missions Blog
or
Three Sixteen Missions Website

Is everyone watching the last NASA launch? I so wish I was there. I have friends and family there and many other fellow bloggers. I like many of you will be watching vicariously through others.

My Dad is one of the very lucky few that will be up close and personal. He got the opportunity of going in with a TV crew to watch and document the launch.

Isn’t he just the dashing giant? (Like my Genius brother pointed out, he is and will always be a giant to me.)

Speaking of Mr. Genius, he led me to a website that you might want to check out quickly, today is the last day – you can have your picture possibly sent up with others on today’s launch. The site is through NASA and its the Face in Space Program.

Jenn over at Daze of Adventure, just posted a quick video of her at the NASA tweetup site. She shows some background pictures of the area where she is.

I will hopefully be posting some more pictures soon (through my Dad) of the launch.

Happy Watching! Launch time is 11:26 am EDT – eastern standard time.

~If you want to watch the launch, NASA casts it live at NASA.gov

This is my first year to attend the Ultimate Blog Party. I started with hashtag tweeting last night before the official Party started, thanks to Meghan who tweeted about it. I had meant to go to bed last night at a normal hour, especially since I have a cold/flu, but I was having way too much fun. I think I finally got to sleep sometime after midnight.

Okay, now a little about me.

I would describe myself as a christian, homeschooling mom of 3 beautiful kiddos, Gardener, Crafting Sewy Type of Crazy Person, and Learning Chemist in the Kitchen. I love to blog about homeschooling, cooking, crafts, frugal finds, and my family. I live in a small town most people have never heard of in TN on 18 acres that we want to hopefully fill up one day with flora & fauna of all shapes and sizes.

You can find me online at these locales:
1. Twitter
2. Facebook – I just recently started my facebook page, so I am not up to 25 Like’s yet (without 25 Like’s you do not get your own URL). So, please search facebook for LadyoftheBarn and feel free to like me.

I am really really excited about meeting new people and getting to know a bunch of other bloggers. Please leave a comment for me, so I can get to know you. Let me know where I can find you, what some of your likes are, and if your willing to give up your health to blog/party.

Come join us!

This was my first time swapping and I had such a wonderful swap buddy. I just wanted to thank the The Homeschool Post for having this wonderful idea and implementing it. Kelli (my swap buddy), sent me some great stuff for the kiddos and some yummy green tea for me (because lately, I have been a green tea fanatic).

Here is the list of our goodies:

1. Pomegranate Green Tea – delicious
2. Crayons – Cause you can never have enough, especially when my two year old breaks them into little bits every chance she gets.
3. “A busy Cow’s ABC’s” – book
4. A sticker book – Kelli has no idea what she has done here.  My sugar plum fairy is a sticker queen, I am sure she would walk around every day covered head to toe in stickers.
5. “Worlds greatest Bible Stories and Songs” -DVD
6. Foam Art Craft Set – Time to bring out the stick glue…
7. “Songs for Saplings” – CD (not pictured) – great music designed to teach little ones the Word of God as they study their ABC’s

I just wanted to thank Kelli again for the great conversations, even if they were via email and all of the prayers. Thanks to The Homeschool Post, for letting me meet and hopefully make a lifetime friend.