Tennessee... a Home like no other!

Sometimes I wonder, "How am I so blessed?"...

Living in Tennessee is a dream! Our family and friends have a thought because it is the "bible belt" and we are conservative and Christian that we moved here... that is a plus for us personally, but we really moved here because our dream is to have land of our very own to raise children on and to one day have a flock of sheep so I can pursue my spinning addiction (no intervention, please! haha) and because we love sheep!

 Here in Tennessee, the people are so sweet and kind and always willing to give a helping hand, that sometimes it's a conviction to me! I always thought I was very personable with people, but not as much as the people here! They will stop whatever it is that they are doing to have a lovely chat with you (however long it may be! No one is in any rush) and swap recipes and ideas on what colors would go well with what kind of yarn or quilting pattern, and give their "secrets" passed down from their mama's and grandmothers on how to raise children the correct way (even though we don't have children just yet!)... There is so much love here, you can't escape it! 

Our friends are blessed to live on this land with their own lake to fish from!

The countryside here is exquisite... Tennessee is blessed with over abundance of fresh water that rains from the heavens and graces the land with life giving water that penetrates this rich fertile soil and out from it grows the most colorful landscape! 

Not too long ago, we drove by this very small family farm that had cattle and horses and some alpaca contently grazing the lush grass, and I didn't envy this farm, I thank God for them. For this family obviously worked hard to get what they have now, and thus inspires others that the dream of owning land and working it to sustain itself is doable! 

An old barn still standing! Gorgeous!

Sometimes I look outside my front window and can't help but shed happy tears... My life has never been perfect, has never been "easy" but by the grace of my Lord, Jesus Christ... I am reaping the blessings... to store for myself? No! To share with others and to sow in their lives... 

 I daily pray that I may be a blessing to others either in deed or word... that all I do bring honor to the Lover of my soul! 

 Look around you, and count your blessings!

Spring has finally arrived!!!!

Forgive the cluttered coffee table,but on the first day of Spring I did some spring cleaning and spring decorating! Can you spot Sadie?

 Winter... Winter made quite a show this year!

You see, I come from sunny California! Our winter is (if lucky), maybe hits the late 40's and some snow way up on the mountains, but usually we get a cool mid 50's and in that it's still very chilly!
In San Diego winter I would wear jeans, flip flops, a zip up thin jacket over a tank top and maybe a beanie. Oh! How naive I was!

 I remember on the drive to Tennessee we drove up toward Flagstaff, AZ and it was 19 degree weather!!! In our SUV it was nice and warm and cozy so of course I was wearing shorts and flip flops (wearing closed toe shoes or even walking shoes felt claustrophobic to me! Yes, I was spoiled!), Ha ha, I remember we spent the night at a rest stop and it was about 1am and I needed to run to the ladies room and I thought, "Oh, it's really not that cold!", so I opened the door with a light jacket, shorts and flip flops and in that exact moment, I knew, this cold was about to be the death of me!

 I closed the door and tried to look for my socks, walking shoes, jeans, sweater... ANYTHING, but I was desperate because...well, I couldn't hold it!

dried lavender on the living room window!

 Unfortunately, I did not even find one sock in my rush so... I decided to brave it. Be proud of me, my fellow read, for I braved the element with extreme bravery. I looked at my husband who gazed at me with half admiration at what I was about to do, and half "you're kidding."... I told him, "I love you, if I don't return in 15 minutes... pull the car around cos i'm not coming back in this cold." Hahaha!

 It all was like slow motion... I opened the door... I stepped my foot out on the road... every fiber of my being was screaming, "IT'S SO COLD!!!!", I tried to walk with the dignity and poise of a Lady with my head held high...when I closed the door a gust of freezing wind overtook me and I RAN like there was no tomorrow!

 As I was running I was puzzled at the sound the wind was making... "I didn't know the wind can scream like that! That scream would send chills up any persons spine", until I realized that scream came from me as I was running as fast as I could to the warmth of the restrooms, yes, it was that COLD!

Mason jars (I painted and distressed) with dried flowers on top of distressed pallet I made back in San Diego!

 Upon returning to the car, I didn't even care if I looked like I fool, I ran back to the SUV, one trucker walking past me bundled up gave me a double take and said, "GIRL! What are you wearing! Get your sweater!", how right he was!!!!

 Going through my first Ice Storm was amazing, everything was so... white. Well, no duh. But I mean i'm not used to white in the winter time! San Diego is always brown (hardly any rain)!

 Now, SPRING HAS COME! And Tennessee is absolutely GORGEOUS!!!

Life is awakening!

"How can this girl write so much on Spring?", Because I have to tell you... i've never seen so much GREEN and wild flowers! It just gives you something to be thankful for, I am thankful to call Tennessee, Home!

 One of our desires is to plant a summer veggie garden (we've been blessed to have a neighbor who is a professional gardner, so she was schooling us in the fun and excitement of growing our own food!) and dual chickens (for meat and eggs)! We  are hoping to get to it soon because self sufficient as much as we possibly can is our dream!

 Summer Gardening begins end of April, so lets pray we can begin by then! Here's to hopin!

Spinning my own Yarn

 

After spinning and plying I got my result! Still have a lot to learn but i'm proud of how this came out!

I am enjoying my new spinning adventure! 5 hours after being gifted my spinning wheel I figured out how to spin and began to ply!

 My sweet husband (with the help of my daddy) made me a blending hackle under $20, that would have cost me $200 if bought commercially! 

 I hope to soon learn to wash and card my own fleece and dye my own colors (natural dyes i'm more interested in) and blend them into lovely batts! 

I love this wheel!

My first time spinning!

The best kind of view! Beautiful Christmas tree, a gorgeous fire and spinning wheel!

I didn't want to purchase a niddy noddy right away so I used my dining room chair instead!

my husband's homemade blending  hackle he made me!

Blending different colors!

The result of blending different color roving!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

We had a joyous Christmas!

Christmas and New Years was an amazing blessing! First, we got to spend Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years in our new home state of Tennessee, and we also had the blessing to have my parents drive all the way here for 2 weeks!!!

My parents on the Appalachian Trail on Smoky Mountain at the Tennessee / North Carolina state line!

 We missed them SO MUCH! Though we saw them last a month ago, but being one day away from them has been hard on Dustin and I, and sometimes it was harder on Dustin because he became very close to them since moving to California from Hawaii.

My husband doing what he does best... being goofy! He can always make my mom laugh, she loves him so much! He's an amazing son to her.

 But I think the one person they missed the most was not Dustin or I... but Sadie. My goodness how much they missed her! Right when Sadie heard their voices, i've never seen her go that crazy!!!!  We had to hurry and let her out of her crate or else she would bend it (she's quite strong), she made a beeline for them and was so excited she was running in circles and between their legs and licking their hands and faces, she was practically crying for joy! She's obviously their baby. I've been over ruled now as the baby in their lives. HaHa! 

My parents "grand dogger", Sadie! She has them wrapped around her paw. She was ecstatic to see them, she missed them so much!

My parents are our best friends, we look up to them so much, their wisdom and giving hearts and selflessness is inspiring and I can't help but beam with pride that I was raised by them and I hope I have made them proud of the daughter they raised!

In our living room playing Apples to Apples, watching reruns of the Office and having amazing family time! When us four are together, it's always fun. Haha!

 Dustin and I talked in our first year of marriage about Christmas. We decided that we won't be giving out gifts unless it's from the heart. We don't believe in going into debt over gifts that really doesn't come out of love but obligation. We have not only enjoyed Christmas more this way but have sometimes pitied those who felt obligated to give or else they will offend! So sad!

 But anyways, my parents have known since September how I desire to own a spinning wheel and make my own yarn! I want to process, dye and spin my own art yarn and have a small home business to sell my designs, for months i've researched and did my homework and already knew the wheel I desired! 

 Christmas morning I woke up and did my morning routine, and as I walked out to the living room, I stopped in my tracks and completely flipped for the amazing gift I saw underneath our tree...
 There was my dream wheel... an Ashford Kiwi 2!

 I felt my heart fluttering, and my mouth slowly opened and I didn't know if I would scream, cry, laugh, or speak in tongues! HaHa! I was so excited and in an overwhelming shock, nothing dramatic came out of my mouth but a whisper, "Is this for real?", to my mama smiling ear to ear and saying, "Merry Christmas!"...

 This was absolutely the best Christmas ever! I was spending it in my dream home, with my dream man, with my dream dog, my dream state, my dream city, and my amazing parents to gift me my dream spinning wheel!!! To God be the Glory!!!

My Ashford Kiwi 2 Spinning Wheel!

 My parents didn't have the instructions for the wheel (as the ladies at the place they purchased it from, were in on the surprise and they had to sneak the wheel from its resting place to their vehicle without me knowing, and they didn't have time to get into a box, they had to get it off display quickly before I found out anything... They have a sweet little shop in Gatlinburg, TN. www.smokymountainspinnery.com), but that didn't stop me!

 Months of watching videos on spinning and blogs and articles, I kind of had an idea... after almost 5 hours of investigating the wheel and refreshing my memory with youtube videos, I began to spin my first yarn from a merino top and hand dyed wool. The next day I finished the spinning and began to ply with another yarn that I spun on my drop spindle some weeks ago!





 There is so much more I need to learn and practice hands on, but i'm excited for it!!!

 For New Years us four went to fellowship with other believers and enjoyed fireworks and a bonfire and yummy food, and rang int the new year with the most amazing worship and prophetic prayer! Oh, how grateful I am to know them and call them my friends and family!!!! 

Amazing Worship!

 I am ready... SO READY for 2015! This year has been full of growth and learning new things, I am now ready to apply certain things in this new year and see what other surprises will come our way, no matter what in all things we give thanks to the Almighty for giving us the blessing of living a new year in Him and whatever comes our way and whatever things we will be experiencing... To God be the Glory!!!!!

My Beloved making the fire!

These 3 are the best family in my life!

Mom and Dad always make the best turkey meals!

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