Summer With A Purpose: Week Seven

Oh, I can't believe it's Friday already! This week has flown by so quickly. By God's grace, I accomplished a lot since last Friday's SWAP post. :-) I had fun practicing my sewing skills as I made an apron for Desiree's apron swap. This Thursday and Friday were public holidays in Bermuda so I had to mail the apron earlier than planned. In the rush I forgot to take finished photos but the girl receiving it said she'll take photos once it reaches her. :-) 


Once I completed the apron, I sewed a skirt for myself using some beautiful fabric Mom bought for me a few weeks ago. I used a simple pattern that I found online and I think it turned out lovely. 

In between sewing projects, I've also been working away at my summer book list. I finally finished the book Ships of Mercy by Don Stephens which is about a Christian ship ministry that provides free medical care to poor countries. It was a blessing to read about how God has led willing men and women to serve Him and help others using the skills and talents that they have.

The next book I've begun reading is In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham. The book is a true story about a Christina couple that was kidnapped in the Philippines while on vacation. They were held against their will by a terrorist group for over a year. They remained hostages for over a year before Gracia was rescued and her husband tragically killed during the rescue attempt. The book tells of how the author relied on her faith in God and maintained her trust in Him even while she was under very trying circumstances. It's been interesting reading the book so far and I'll be sure to tell you all when I'm finished!


Another goal I met this week was my Project Ride classes. I took the riding test on Monday and, I must admit that I was nervous but I passed the first time. Praise God! I got my youth riding license which I was really excited about! All the time and work I put into learning finally paid off! :-D


I've also been in contact with Hand of Help which is the ministry I mentioned in last week's SWAP post. I'm planning to organize yet another knit/crochet along --this time to benefit the orphans of Botosani, Romania. I have some fun ideas and will be providing more details early next month so stay tuned!


Thank you to everyone who let me know that they can still view my blog. It was a relief to know that you all are still there! I haven't been able to figure out why we're having this problem but hopefully it will be fixed soon.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Important!

UPDATE (Aug. 12' 10): The technical glitch has been fixed and you can visit my blog by either clicking on the post title or the blog name. Please let me know if you are still have difficulty visiting my blog or if it displays incorrectly.

To read this post, please click on "Growing in Him" just above these words ^.  Apparently, there's a technical glitch that's making it difficult to view my latest blog post by using the direct link on my Blogger Dashboard. Whenever someone clicks on the title of my post (e.g. A Visit to Fort St. Catherine), a blank blog page opens up. It's annoying but there's a way around this glitch. Instead of clicking on the title of the post, please click on my blog name (Growing in Him). See example below. This should take you to my blog's homepage which automatically displays my latest blog post.

I'm not sure what's causing this problem or how it can be fixed but I've noticed a drop in comments over the past week or so which means that you all are probably having problems getting to my blog. If you're reading this post, please leave a comment letting me know that you're still able to visit. And if you have any idea how I can fix this problem, please, please let me know that too in a comment!

So go ahead and let me know you're all still out there reading my blog!

Thanks in advance!

A Visit to Fort St. Catherine

Last Friday, another home school family and a couple of friends joined us for a visit to Fort St. Catherine located in St. George's parish. We've been wanting to see this fort for quite awhile so we were all excited to be finally going there! Fort St. Catherine was built shortly after the first settlers arrived on the island making it almost 400 years old. It was rebuilt and extended over the centuries to accommodate new weapons and methods of war. However, not long after the World War II, it was abandoned and remained so for several years before it was reopened as a museum and tourist attraction. I particularly enjoyed looking at life-size displays showing the life of a soldier in the fort. Gun collections, artifacts, and ammunition make the museum and fort one interesting place! Once we were finished reading all about the fort and looking over the displays, we enjoyed a breath-taking view from the keep's roof. From there, we were able to see the Dockyard which is at the opposite end of Bermuda! After touring the fort, we enjoyed a simple picnic lunch just outside the fort grounds. It was hot on Friday but Mom came prepared with semi-frozen mixed fruit. It was a delicious ending to an enjoyable trip!

A rifle disply

A cannon pointed out to sea

Display showing the soldier's cook house

Ammunition

These windy stairs lead to the breathtaking
view below...
 

We enjoyed this beautiful view from the keep's roof

A lovely beach nearby the fort!

What is one of your more memorable field trips? What made it fun and enjoyable?

Hope everyone's staying cool this week!

Summer With A Purpose: Week Six

Gazania: Sign of life in our garden!

Wow, has it really been six weeks since the start of summer?! It's so hard to believe that six weeks has flown by and August is just around the corner. Summer can be so much fun --especially when you're trying to be productive. ;-)

I know that my Friday SWAP posts are getting a bit repetitive, but I've been making progress on many of the same goals each week. Since we started in mid-June, I've finished reading through the Bible, completed the 9-patch baby blanket, discovered new favorite recipes, have been working on my homemaking skills, and finished reading a couple of books! Here are some new goals I'd like to meet between now and the end of August:

1. Organize a knit/crochet along to benefit orphans in Romania.

My family has known of Hand of Help's ministry for several years now

and have supported children in the orphanage that they run for needy kids

and orphans in Botosani, Romania. One summer, my sister Sara and I

decided to knit several hat and scarf sets and mailed them to the orphanage.

Needless to say, the clothing was greatly appreciated and we learned

just how easy it is bless others and be an encouragement. I'm planning to 

organize and host a knit/crochet along to encourage others to do be a blessing

 and use our talents wisely. Look out for more details on this next month! 

2. Continue progress on the friendship afghan.

Truth be told, I've managed to procrastinate a bit here. However, I'm hoping

to finish at least two squares next week. And I'll probably have even more

free time to crochet after my surgery...

3. Improve my piano skills and learn new songs.

I truly enjoy playing piano and creating new renditions of

my favorite hymns and Christian songs. I'm planning to

practice a few songs and then videotape them for you all to listen to here 

on my blog!

4. Continue working on my sewing skills and try new techniques and projects.

I'm just beginning to learn to sew and it's been soooo much fun! :-)

By the end of this summer, I would like to make at least one new skirt

and sew a handbag (or two!) and hopefully learn a few techniques

along the way. 

5. Read at least three books before the end of summer.

I still have quite a few unread books from when the book ship Logos Hope

was here. So I'm hoping to make some progress on the list and read

at least three books before summer ends!

I finally got an appointment date for my surgery: August 2nd. I'm so happy that the appointment is less than a week and a half from now as I won't have to think about it for too long. I'm praying that everything goes well and I don't have a rough recovery. Thanks for your continued support and encouragement. I've been blessed by the comments you all leave and it's a blessing to know that others are thinking of you and praying that everything goes well.

Have a blessed weekend, friends!

Long Summer Days

This shady tree in our front yard is a favorite summer spot for us!

Oh the long, hot days of summer! The temperature this week has been hovering around 85 degrees which isn't too bad by itself, but Bermuda is famous for it's high level of humidity and heat plus humidity can make for some not-so-pleasant summer weather! We've been trying to stay cool and comfortable by swimming in the afternoons and staying near the fans and air conditioning during the hottest hours of the day! While indoors, I've been working steadily on both the friendship afghan and apron swap, studying, and reading lots of books. It's so easy to slip into the "lazy summer" attitude but I've been striving to be productive and remain cool at the same time!

Many of my afternoons are occupied with Project Ride classes. I'm preparing for the riding test that I'll be taking on Friday. I've been working with the instructor for almost 2 weeks now and really look forward to passing the test and getting my license so I can ride a motorbike!

Because of the heat, gardening has been somewhat neglected over the past few weeks. We try to do most of our outdoor activities early in the morning or shortly before sunset when it's a bit cooler. Exercise, swimming, and trips out to the post office, grocery store, and field trips are all done during the more comfortable times of day leaving little time for gardening and other hard outdoor jobs. So the garden has taken a seat on the back-burner for now. When the weather cools a bit, we'll continue once more as I really enjoy gardening!

Mom took these photos for me while we had fun in the pool:

I'm staying cool and having fun at the same time!

Leah & Jude enjoy playing with each other in the pool!

On a quick side note: I would like to thank everyone who has left an encouraging comment for me on my last post about my upcoming surgery. Mom signed the consent forms on Monday and now we're just waiting for an appointment. Because we only have one medical hospital on the island, all the surgeons have to wait for open time slots in the OR. But I'm praying that I get an appointment sooner rather than later...

Hope everyone is having a blessed, productive week!

Summer With A Purpose: Week Five and Surgery Update

This week I purchased fabric for the apron swap and also got some more yarn for the friendship afghan project. It's always fun to work with new fabric and yarn and I've been enjoying these two projects. So far, I've made almost 3 afghan squares and I'm about halfway finished the apron. Mom also purchased some additional fabric for me so I can make another skirt! Thanks Mom!!! :-D I'm trying a new pattern for each afghan square, and it's been fun to figure out different stitches and discover the new textures they produce.

Ah, the joys of sewing!

The needle at work :-)

The two finished afghan squares... I love the shades
of blue!

Thank you to everyone who left comments on my last post about the appointment with my oral surgeon. Truth be told, my appointment didn't go as I anticipated. When I went in to his office, we were planning to discuss a minor surgery which involves placing a small orthodontic screw in my mouth so my orthodontist can finish her work with the braces. However, when he took an x-ray he discovered that all of my four wisdom teeth need to be removed because two of them are coming in at an unnatural angle and the other two don't have enough space. In order to pull out all four teeth and place the screw in my mouth, he will be performing the surgery while I'm under a general anesthetic at our local hospital. I'm am very nervous about the whole procedure as I've never been under general anesthesia before. Actually, I've never been admitted to the hospital for any surgery or other procedures! Again, I'm praying that I get an early appointment as the hospital operating rooms are usually booked weeks in advance. It's difficult to think about waiting a long time for an appointment while being very nervous but I'm praying that God gives me peace about the whole situation and that He will give me the courage I need to go through with it. Please pray for me that I won't be anxious about all of this. 

Hope everyone had a blessed week! 

Did you have to get your wisdom teeth pulled? Have you had to go under general

anesthesia before? Share your experiences and stories below!

Comments and Oral Surgery :(

I'm sorry that I haven't been able to leave many comments on my friends' blogs lately! I've been very busy this past few days with riding lessons every evening which is usually an hour long...and it takes me about half an hour in transit each way. In addition, I'm trying to remain consistent in my GED studies, and also working on the friendship afghan and apron swap in my spare time. I'm still reading all your posts and emails but just don't have the time to reply to all  of them right away. So please don't worry, I'm still here and I'm hoping next week will be a bit quieter and I can do some catching on blogging and emails!

Tomorrow morning, I'll be going in for a consultation with an oral surgeon for minor oral surgery that I'll be having soon. I've had braces on for almost 3 years and I have to get this minor surgery done to hopefully finish up with them. I'm hoping that I get an appointment for the surgery earlier rather than later...as I would like to get it done soon so I can continue with my braces. I had oral surgery about 3 years ago when I first got my braces, but this procedure will be different (hopefully, easier!). I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing, so please pray that everything will go well. I should have an appointment for the surgery tomorrow and will keep you all updated. Thanks for your prayers!

Have you had braces on before? How long did you wear them and did you need oral surgery too? 

Share your experiences in a comment below!

Watermelon Pineapple Blend

My sister Sara and I were playing around in the kitchen earlier this summer and discovered that pineapple and watermelon make a mouth-watering blend! After a bit more experimentation, I came up with this recipe. We all love this refreshing summer treat and it tastes delicious when frozen in an ice cube tray too!

All you need is a couple of simple ingredients:

1/8 watermelon, cubed
1 can of Dole pineapple slices (in juice)
5-6 ice cubes

Step 1: Cut the watermelon into large cubes.

Step 2: Add the watermelon cubes and pineapple slices to blender. 

Step 3: Add pineapple juice from can and blend. Then add ice cubes and

blend again.

Serve immediately or place in fridge. This recipe tastes delicious frozen! :-) Enjoy!

(Makes about 3 eight ounce servings)

Give this recipe a try, and please let me know if you enjoy it!

Summer With A Purpose: Week Four

Thanks to everyone who left sweet comments on my last post about sewing. I appreciate all your tips and helpful information and will be sure to look back on those comments as I continue my sewing journey. I did start working on the jumper without a pattern and hopefully it'll turn out the way I want it to. :-) It's quite challenging, but I'm sure I can finish it by God's grace.

This week, I was also able to finish Project Pearl. And now I've started reading Ships of Mercy and I enjoy reading every page! It's a really good book about how the Mercy Ships mission was started and how God helped them along the way.



I'm sure you all know by now that I finally finished the 9-Patch Baby Throw this week! I've been working on this project for quite a while now so I was really happy to complete it. I've started the friendship afghan squares and will post photos of them soon!

This week, I spent two evenings at Project Ride which is a motorcycle riding course that is mandatory for teens who wish to ride bikes. Most Bermudians teenagers take this course and then get their own motorbike --which is the most common mode of transportation around our island. I'm looking forward to finishing the course and passing the test!

When I'm not reading or learning something new like bike riding or sewing, you can find me working on studying for the GED and trying out even more recipes in the kitchen. I'll be posting yet another recipe here soon that you all are sure to enjoy!

I found a cool Twitter widget that allows me to post Twitter updates to my blog sidebar. I enjoy sharing my favorite Scripture verses, quotes, and what ever else is on my mind. ;-) So have a look at in in my right sidebar!

Hope all of you have a blessed weekend!

P.S. Lady Helen Mar over at Thoughts from Ellerslie has joined us in the Friendship Afghans project so we are no longer looking for a participant. Thanks for joining us Lady Helen and thank you to everyone who helped spread the word!

Crocheting, Cooking, and Sewing

Between crocheting, sewing, and having fun in the kitchen I've been quite busy lately. Yesterday, I put the finishing touches on the 9-Patch Baby Throw that I had started for the knit/crochet along that I hosted in February. But soon I had to put the project on hold because I broke my arm. Anyway, I'm really glad it's finally done.

I love the pink and cream together!

Lovely squares!

I added a thin edge in alternating colors!

While I do pretty well with crocheting and cooking, I haven't quite mastered the art of sewing. :-) Actually, I'm just beginning to learn how to sew. Sure, I've made a couple of skirts and an apron but nothing particularly complicated. :-) The next project I'd like to sew is a jumper dress. I haven't decided on a pattern...maybe I won't use one at all, but before I start I thought to ask you all for some tips. If you are good at sewing, please leave a tip or two in the comments section that you think I'd find helpful when sewing my jumper dress. General sewing pointers would be appreciated too! :-) I already have lots of fabric for the project and have an idea on how I'd like it to look but not sure how to make it all come together. :-)

How are you all doing with your friendship afghans? One of our participants, Melody at Vivdry, had to pull out because she has other projects she needs to finish before she starts college later this year. In order for us to continue, we need a new participant to take her place. If we can't find anyone else who's interested we won't have enough squares to trade and will have to make and assemble our own squares. :( So if you think you might like to join us, please click here for the guidelines and other information. Then leave a comment so I can put your name on the list of participants.

Hope you all are having a blessed day!

Date and Coconut Bars

As promised, here's the recipe for the snack bars I mentioned in Friday's post. I made this recipe after some experimenting in the kitchen. We all enjoy eating them and think your family would too!

To start, here's what you'll need:

1 bag of pitted dates (8oz. or about 30 dates)
1/3 cup of carob powder
2/3 cup of coconut flakes (unsweetened)
1/2 cup of rice milk
1 cup of mixed nuts (grounded)
1/4 cup of coconut flakes (for garnishing)

Step 1: Place dates in a small pot and add water to (just enough to cover the dates halfway). Boil for about 5mins.

Step 2: Allow the dates to cool for a bit before placing them in the blender. Add 1/2 cup of milk (I used rice milk) and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Step 3: Without using water, blend the mixed nuts to make them a bit smaller than your regular "chopped nuts".

Step 4: Mix blended dates and carob powder thoroughly. Then add the mixed nuts and the 2/3 cup of coconut flakes. Again, mix the ingredients together until they are completely mixed.

Step 5:  Place the mixture in a 9" x 13" dish and even it out with the back of a spoon. Add the 1/4 cup of coconut on top making a garnish.

Step 6: Place in fridge at least 2 hours to cool and set. I usually leave mine in overnight.

Step 7: Once it is finished "setting", remove from fridge and cut into bars!

These are great for dessert after a hearty lunch and they add a tasty touch to a light evening supper. Go ahead, give them a try! Let me know how you enjoyed this recipe!

Three Top Tips

Melody over at Vivdry is encouraging everyone to post three tips that would be helpful to a beginner blogger. This is a brilliant idea and I hope that my pointers would help someone starting out!

{1} Try to avoid cluttering your blog with too many blog buttons and widgets. While buttons make a great addition to any blog and help you advertise your friends' blogs, too many will make your sidebars look crowded and will be distracting to your readers.

{2} Always re-read and preview your blog post before hitting "publish"! While the handy Blogger spell-check feature gets most spelling errors, it doesn't highlight grammatical errors so you will need to read through each post to make sure it says what you intend! While you're looking over your post, click on "preview" to see how the post will look on your blog. I've found this really helpful because sometimes pictures won't fit or look skewed if they aren't placed correctly in the blog post.

{3} To get more readers and meet people who would enjoy visiting your blog, visit blogs that have similar interests and values to yours. Leave a comment, introduce yourself, and (if you want to) become a follower. Visit the blogs you follow often and comment on the posts you enjoyed reading. After all, most bloggers love learning more about their readers and will probably visit your blog too!

Did you find these tips helpful? Is so, let me know! Thanks again for hosting this, Melody!