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  • Welcome to the Gigi Blog!

    Mother to six Little Women and Two Little Men. Married to a Happy Mortician. Caretaker to goats, chickens and many, MANY bunnies. Photographer. Homeschooler. Lover of Jesus, coffee & tea and all things pink & vintage.

Problems in Society

 

Spring time birds were singing and the sun was beginning to shine. School was finished for the day and I was outside, raking up the front yard, welcoming the sunshine on my skin after a long (but lovely) winter.  All of the younger children were playing around the yard or helping their father with our current outdoor household project.

 

Looking up from my raking, I noticed a neighbour, who I had recently met, had pulled into the driveway. She had come over to return something and we ended up chatting and getting to know each other a little better.  With only a few weeks left in her first pregnancy, she had many questions regarding babies and having children in our current world (which is not the most positive time in history, as I am sure you have noticed).

 

 

“I was wondering, do any of your children have cell phones?” the young woman asked, obviously curious about a different way of life. Surprised,  I said no and explained that I do not have a cell phone either – only my husband has one. “That’s great,” she replied. “My husband is addicted to his and it drives me crazy… he has to have it everywhere with him!”

I was saddened to hear this – with their first baby expected soon, I know how hard and detrimental it will be to their newly-formed family if the soon-to-be dad stays addicted to his smartphone.

 

 

 

In fact, it has really been bothering me lately to see so many parents and adults constantly on their smartphones, not to mention the younger and vulnerable generation. It really does not matter where or what the situation is, their fancy smartphone is easily slipped into their hands and time is quickly taken up by their scrolling and screen time. We have made an effort to explain to our older children why we do not want them to have a cell phone.

Ladies, do you recognize this nation-wide problem?
Do you understand how detrimental this smart phone addiction is to our children and to ourselves?

 

I do wish we could go back to the early 200s when smart cellphones did not rule the households. I still have a landline so if you want to call me, you may do so! No texting required!

If you do a quick study on the addiction of smart phones, you will see how dangerous they are, not to mention the radiation that is emitted from the devices.  In many ways, your smart phone is mini computer and a telephone all in one. Can you imagine if we all carried a computer around with us so we can look up any information or watch a you tube video at any point in the day? Can you picture yourself bringing your home phone to a restaurant and putting it in your table and answering calls while you are out for dinner? What if you were on a canoe ride – would you take your home phone with you, lug it about and put it next to you in the canoe? Would you bring your computer to church so you could look up the latest news and report what is happening on the other side of the world?

Oh yes, cell phones are handy and can be very useful. Of course, they are; the technology is amazing and has been created so well – you do not have to think anymore as the smart phone does it for you. You do not need a library – just look it up on the phone. You do not need to write down any one’s phone number or even memorize it – it is stored in your phone. Who needs a cookbook when there are millions of recipes on your phone? You could argue how wonderful smart phones are and probably win that argument without much of a fight. However, what has the smart phone taken away from society? What has been robbed from our lives?

It has stripped us of our ability to communicate naturally. It has taken away the younger children’s desire to socialize in a real-life setting. It has removed decency and politeness (have you ever noticed how rude someone can talk to you in an email or text, when they would probably not speak so boldly to your face in real life?) in many situations. It has created learning troubles in little children and stunted their mental development. Teenagers are definitely at risk!

 

Cell phones have been designed to be addictive, along with social media sites such as Facebook, instagram and TikTok.  Along with this addictive habit, it has a dangerous consequence on your health.   It is particularly dangerous for your children. 

 

I was in the dentist office this week – and sadly, I was the only person in the waiting room that was not looking at a cell phone. Instead, I took some crocheting and kept my fingers busy while I waited for my appointment. When my appointment was finished, I had the receptionist call my husband  – ladies, I survived without a cell phone. 😉

 

Perhaps you feel you are mature enough and old enough to have a smart phone – but what about the younger generation that has never know the over adult generation to be without a cell phone in their hands? How does that affect relationships or even just the child’s view of the society? Is it so natural to have a cell phone in your hand that your child would not even consider life to be normal without such a device sitting beside their parent or grandparent’s plate at the dinner table?

 

As you can read, I feel very strongly about this topic. I know it is not a popular opinion and I may receive some negative remarks for stating my opinion.

I urge you to think and pray about this situation and prevalent addiction. It takes a lot of strength to go against the tide of modern society. Do you have enough courage to raise your children outdoors in the fresh air, indoors with books in their hands, playing like regular children, learning in a natural way? Can you survive – as a parent – without a cell phone in your back pocket?

 

 

 

Is it time to unplug that cell phone and go back to simpler living? We lived without smart phones before – can we do it again? I could only pray for such a day.

 

 

April 29, 2025 - 10:45 am

Gigi Laura, that makes complete sense. It is always nice to feel safe while driving and have access to reaching our husband! 😉

April 28, 2025 - 8:19 pm

Laura I agree with everything you’ve said here Gillian, but I also must admit that I do have an old cell phone. I was one of those odd people who had never owned a cell phone whatsoever, and managed alright, until only last summer, when my adult daughter gave me her old iPhone (I think it’s 10 years old). I decided to fire it up because I often feel nervous about driving my van, which is usually in need of repairs, when there is no way to contact my husband if it breaks down. Now that I have a phone, I find it comforting, because I know I could never be stranded somewhere alone, and I also find it convenient. But I really only use it for texting my husband! I have the cheapest possible plan, and I don’t use it for Internet or anything like that. I generally like it, but still, if I had to do without it again I know I would do just fine.

April 28, 2025 - 10:45 am

Michelle Thank you so much for this Gigi! Let me say first that this is me! I have been/am addicted to, not necessarily a phone per say, but to the internet as far as looking and looking, not anything bad but using my time(much time) on this instead of being the godly wife, mother, home keeper and home schoolteacher that I should be! And now I see this “sin”(making it an idol in my life) and the consequences being passed on to my children. I can’t change what has happened in the past but praise the Lord…I can repent and change the now and the future. You are right in everything you have shared in this post. It is a real problem for us adults and how can we expect our children to do better. It is so sad to see this in godly families. I just love and appreciate and thank you for sharing your heart on this matter. It has helped me see what I need to do differently in my life and home. My husband has a problem with this, I think more so than myself, but I can’t change him. I can only work on my life but maybe with my change and doing what I should, will make a difference in his life and our children. I wish we had like-minded families to share our lives with as well. Most of who we are in contact with even at church, are also addicted to phones, Facebook, Instagram etc….It is tough!! It would take a VERY disciplined person to use phones/internet responsibly! We can pray and be obedient to what the Lord would have us to do, and I think He will bless and honor our requests in this area. Thank you again for this post! If for nobody else, IT IS FOR ME! You and your family are such a blessing to me! I appreciate you and your posts!

April 25, 2025 - 7:01 pm

Gigi Hi Rebecca, a regular old cell phone (no internet) is a great idea, if you need emergency phone service! I agree with you – everything pushes us to use a smartphone. I remember, once in a pregnancy, needing bloodwork and I had to sign in through a phone and then wait for them to text me to come in – well, I had no phone. I just went to the office and sat there until they could see me (I explained I had no phone for texting). I think, for your Azure order, perhaps email could work. You will never know until you try. 🙂 I have done bulk ordering organizing and it has all been through email. Of course, somethings cannot be ignored and if you need that Smartphone for a reason, I’m sure you can work out how to use it responsibly. I do see it as being an aggressive problem – so I am quite happy to just wash my hands of it (but I am a bit extreme in this area, I am sure!).

April 25, 2025 - 2:36 pm

Rebecca I love this post. I shared it with several of my like-minded friends. None of us allow our children to have cell phones but we struggle with how we mom’s are to manage our lives without a device. For example, we have an Azure group (organic bulk groceries in the US) that we coordinate and we use an app on our iphones to communicate to the group. Would others in the group be ok if we went back to email communication only? Not everyone shares our desire to get rid of our smart phones. And of course, the app we use to communicate doesn’t work on a computer unless it’s also connected to a smart phone. Technology is always pushing you towards using their newest and “greatest” technology by making older technologies obsolete (such as several of us have old iphones that now can’t be updated and we don’t want the new ones with face recognition, a huge price tag, etc). These are the questions we are trying to work out. How can we manage our modern lives, but maybe switch to “dumb” phones for when we travel and want the ability to call our husbands if we break down (a real concern in Alaska!)? Thank you for this post. It’s given us more to discuss and think about!

April 24, 2025 - 10:24 am

Regina I miss the days of no smartphones. I feel like life was so much simpler. I see couples out at restaurants instead of engaging each other, they would be on their phones. Families out together each on their phones. I originally refused to get a smartphone when they first came out but ended up with a free one back in 2010 I think when Tracfone (my cell provider) contacted their customers thst they were sending free smartphones because they were updating their systems and our current phones would no longer work.
Smartphones have come a long way but I feel like they are such an annoyance. Its especially awful when people are out in public. Do I really need to know that so and so drinks too much? Its like people have forgotten about discretion.

April 24, 2025 - 4:10 am

Kate I agree with you Gigi. It is very sad to see how the cell phone has taken over peoples lives and taken people away from God. I am 60 years old but, when I lived at home as a younger girl we had a party line. You had to wait your turn to use the phone line. I miss those times. Thank you for the lovely post that you always share.

April 23, 2025 - 1:31 pm

Rose I completely agree with you.

April 23, 2025 - 9:12 am

Monica First of all, beautiful photos of your lovely children and home! Thank you for writing about this. I honestly think that we are in a black hole with this, the entire society is addicted (as a whole) and most people would rather have access to their devices than to even have food (especially young people). Sometimes I wonder if the only thing that will get us out of this addiction is, drumroll… a new and “better” addiction—some newfangled device that is better and greater than the smartphone. I think of the book, Fahrenheit 451 where books were outlawed and people had tv for walls instead of actual walls to decorate. So when they went from room to room, they could watch tv on their walls. Devastating.
As Christians, we pray for grace to use technology wisely and to have modesty in all areas of our lives. It’s a constant struggle to live in society today where everything is in excess. May the Lord grant us grace to be sober and vigilant. Being on guard while raising children today is an absolute must. If our children see us on our smartphones all of the time, how can we expect them to use wisdom and discretion when they have one? The biggest danger of smartphones with teenagers (boys) is the immediate display of pornography at the touch of a button. It is not wise to give your children these devices and “hope for the best” of to think “they would never…” We are to be watchful over their souls.
It’s a true problem today. We must trust the Lord and do our part within our own families and pray by our examples, others will feel the desire to lead their own families in a godly manner. And may God grant those of us who do have smartphones, grace to lay them down and to use them wisely when we have to and not allow them to become idols.
Thank you for this post, my dear friend. xo

April 23, 2025 - 4:10 am

Gigi Annie, I understand that peer pressure is a real thing – even amongst adults. As my dad used to say, “Friends are the nails in our coffin.” In other words, find good friends – godly friends! Godly families with strong like-minded faith that will strengthen you, instead of pull you towards the world. We are blessed to have our little group of like minded friends. We found them first, just through the Lord bringing them to our church as visitors; we then invited them over for dinner, knowing we had like minded thinking and shared similar convictions. Others are friends through penpal writing, which has progressed to real life friends. If you are in the US, I know there are many family camps available that would have families with strong faith and convictions, living contrary to modern society; that may be a good place to start. I will pray you find some like minded friends!

April 23, 2025 - 3:33 am

Penny Price I so agree with this Gigi, we are only now finding the huge negatives to do with smartphones and the inability to put them down. When our daughters were young they would come home from school complaining that everyone else had a phone except them. We explained our rules and reasonings and stood firm, after all we were the adults. In due course they bought their own phones as adults but they have a better more detached relationship to them than their peers and thank us for our steadfast attitude when they were growing up. Our first grandchild has been born and they are really strict about no screen on in the room with the child, whether that be phone, TV or computer. Good parenting cascades down the generations. Well done Gigi!

April 22, 2025 - 10:11 pm

Annie Gigi, as a mother to a young daughter, I totally agree with you here. Can I ask whether your children feel “left out” of friend groups, or otherwise influenced by friends to have a phone and participate in modern trends? I hope to find a strong group for my children as they get older, so they don’t feel a desire for a phone because their lives are full of good things and people instead! But as time goes on and we’re not yet able to give her siblings on earth, I am curious how others are able to find strong friends outside of family so their kids don’t feel the need to be connected online. I appreciate your thoughts!

April 22, 2025 - 6:39 pm

Gigi HELLO GIGI, WHAT A WONDERFUL MESSAGE AND RESPECTED OPINION, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU¡¡¡¡¡ I AM 65 YEARS OLD AND A LONG TIME AGO WE DID NOT HAVE A SMARTPHONE, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THERE IS TODAY, OUR HOBBY WAS BOOKS, PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK WITH FRIENDS, RIDING A BIKE, FLYING KITES, PLAYING HOPSCOTCH, JUMPING ROPE ECT. GAMES SO BEAUTIFUL THAT THEY CAN’T BE SEEN ANYMORE, WHAT A SHAME, MY GRANDCHILDREN ARE LIKE CRAZY WITH CELL PHONES, I TALK TO MY DAUGHTERS NOT TO GIVE THEM TO THEM, BUT SINCE THEY ARE VERY BUSY, THEY SAY THAT THEY ENTERTAIN THEM AND LEAVE THEM ALONE FOR A WHILE, IT IS SAD WHAT I SAY BUT IT IS THE REAL LIFE OF THIS SOCIETY IN WHICH WE LIVE. I BELIEVE WE ARE FACING A FUTURE OF AUTOMATON CHILDREN BEING DIRECTED BY A SMALL DEVICE THAT CONTROLS THEIR LIVES, THEIR BRAINS AND EMOTIONS……. IT MAKES ME VERY SAD. I LOVE YOUR BLOG AND YOUR LIFESTYLE, I ALSO LIKE TO LIVE LIKE THIS, ALTHOUGH THEY CALL ME OLD-FASHIONED, I’M FROM THE CAVE TIMES HAHAHA. BLESSINGS FROM A DISTANCE.

April 22, 2025 - 6:33 pm

ANA HOLA GIGI, QUE MARAVILLOSO MENSAJE Y RESPETADA OPINION, ESTOY TOTALMENTE DE ACUERDO CONTIGO¡¡¡¡¡ YO TENGO 65 AÑOS Y HACE MUCHO TIEMPO NO TENIAMOS TELEFONO INTELIGENTE, NI NADA DE LO QUE HAY HOY EN DIA, NUESTRO PASATIEMPO ERAN LOS LIBROS,JUGAR CON AMIGOS A LAS ESCONDIDAS, ANDAR EN BICICLETA, REMONTAR BARRILETES, JUGAR A LA RAYUELA, SALTAR A LA SOGA ECT.JUEGOS TAN HERMOSOS QUE YA NO SE VEN QUE PENA, MIS NIETOS ESTAN COMO LOCOS CON LOS CELULARES, YO LES HABLO A MIS HIJAS QUE NO SE LOS DEN, PERO COMO ESTAN MUY OCUPADAS, DICEN QUE ESO LO ENTRETIENEN Y LAS DEJA TRANQUILAS POR UN RATO, ES TRISTE LO QUE DIGO PERO ES LA VIDA REAL DE ESTA SOCIEDAD EN LA QUE VIVIMOS. CREO QUE NOS ESTAMOS ENFRENTANDO A UN FUTURO DE NIÑOS AUTOMATAS SIENDO DIRIGIDOS POR UN PEQUEÑO APARATO QUE CONTROLA SUS VIDAS,SU CEREBRO Y EMOCIONES……. ME DA MUCHA PENA. ME ENCANTA TU BLOG Y TU ESTILO DE VIDA, TAMBIEN ME GUSTA VIVIR ASI, AUNQUE ME DICEN ANTICUADA, QUE SOY DE LAS EPOCAS DE LAS CAVERNAS JAJAJA. BENDICIONES A LA DISTANCIA.

Merry Month of March

“In March, it is wise to clean cupboards, and cabinets. The closets need a good airing
and all the clothes need to be hung on the line in the backyard. 

I like to do all the ceilings with a vacuum cleaner one week in March and strike that from my list of undone things.
If there are lights in the ceiling, they need special attention. It is strange how dust will gather everywhere,
and in the spring we have to go to war against it.”

~The Home Has a Heart

 

 

Right now, my bedroom window is open and I can hear the melting of winter.  Sparkling layers of ice are loosing their grip under the gentle spring sunshine, making for a beautiful sound this March afternoon. Earlier this week, spring rain washed all barren trees and brown lands free of any remnants of snow piles we may have in our yards. However, overnight, we received a beautiful layer of ice rain and has now frozen our emerging spring and slowed down island life for a little while. Although it makes for an unpleasant day outdoors if you are travelling, the mixture of the sun, peeking through the clouds, and the ice rain is so beautiful … washing away the layers of the winter grime that has shown up under the melted snow.

 

And just like that … we’re entering spring.

March is a beautiful month, full of promise.

Old Man Winter is slowly saying farewell as we usher in a gentle spring season into our lives. If you live in Canada, you know this big Change is just on the verge of your doorstep, no matter how muddy it may be (we have so much mud in the spring!). While the trees are just waking up and the ground is unthawing, outside the air is vibrant, fresh and clean; it begs for windows to be flung open and curtains to be washed.

In our little home, we have already begun the spring cleaning. While March is not the warmest outdoors, it is the absolute perfect month to spring clean indoors. I have always done things this way – use the end of February and March as my time to deep clean the inside of the home. In April and May, when the weather warms, we all rush outdoors to enjoy the gentle sun beams and admire the rebirth of our earth. Come the warm weather, I cannot bear to be inside, cleaning or organizing, when our warmer days of spring and summer are beckoning the entire family outdoors.  So that means, all the hard labour of spring cleaning must be done before spring actually arrives.

Earlier, I managed to ‘spring clean’ the boys’ bedroom and repaint all the walls, which were badly needed. If felt absolutely amazing to have the entire room cleaned … I also repainted the living room and some ceilings and am slowly spring cleaning in the front rooms. While they are daily used during the winter season, they are also cleaned daily and do nott tend to become very dirty. So, cleaning such rooms does not take much effort. My husband did purchase a steam cleaner this month and I have been steam cleaning the cushions and fabrics of all our couches and chairs.

 

 

I have heard of the idea to clean one full room a day, but with homeschooling and extra chores, sometimes it is not possible to do an entire room in one day. I work little by little, here  a little, there a little and eventually, it does add up to a cleaner household. Sometimes, we just need to tackle the task we see that needs be finished.  In spring, all the curtains need washing and airing on the laundry line, windows need washing and wiping on both the indoor and outdoor … cupboards need wiping and organizing … winter clothes need sorting and put away … homeschool cupboards will be cleaned and organized. We, as mothers, just need to keep working every day at the details and make the best of the spare hours we have.

I have just finished steam cleaning all the living room furniture – it is always amazing how much dirt comes out of fabric couches, especially after a season of daily use. I plan to steam clean all the furniture this week. Every piece of our furniture is either antique or vintage so it certainly does need cleaning!

 

We do the all bedding weekly, however, this week, if the weather allows it, I will steam clean, flip and air the mattresses and wash all the pillows and dry on the laundry line. 

Cleaning my home is not a chore to me – it is a daily practice that I take joy in, rather than looking at the task at hand as drudgery. I feel blessed to have a home to clean and a family that fills it! Yes, I do get tired of the endless dirt that is tracked into the back porch – that is only human nature. However, I do think it is wise to keep our grumbling and complaining to a minimum (if at all!) over the job you are facing.

Believe it or not, I actually enjoy cleaning our ceiling lights!

 

 

Most importantly, do not compare your home to anything you see online. Remember, real life happens in your home; just aim to have a reasonably clean and tidy home, as one of my mentors calls it. We are not perfect, but we will aim to be clean.

One tip I have for others facing spring cleaning … is to reward yourself at the end of a big task. Pour some tea, light a candle, enjoy some quiet moments in your clean home, buy some clean tea towels for your kitchen – perhaps even flowers for your table.

 

As spring begins tomorrow officially, one of my daughters baked special treats for the First Day of Spring. Of course, Lariah was delighted to be rewarded for her cleaning duties and duties of dusting… 🙂

 

Happy Spring cleaning, my friends!

March 25, 2025 - 5:17 pm

Ruthie Little Lariah is such a sweeetie!
We tackled a daunting project this past weekend as well. It was all the homeschool books that I had used over the years. Everything is emotional with me and causes me to procrastinate, so a friend helped Megan and I with that this past weekend. It is done and there’s satisfaction with a clean and dusted area and having free space in my hutch to finally put out my good dishes. I guess that’s our reward, room for a few nice things.
Thankyou, Gigi, for sharing your home and family with us.

March 21, 2025 - 4:11 pm

Cathy Spring cleaning our homes has many applications in other areas too. Spiritually especially. The blood of Jesus never loses its power in our ongoing cleaning /cleansing. Yet, we are instructed in HIs Word to keep ourselves clean by living lives that are obedient, pure and holy. There are several scriptures about the importance of cleaning/cleasning the heart and the Old Testament has direct examples of practical and required cleanliness routines and rituals.
I too deeply enjoy and embrace those days I can clean all those nitty gritty areas in my home with more than just a lick and a promise. It is a privilege to tend to our homes and
” spring cleaning” with is calendar of the approaching Resurrection Day that we celebrate is simply a good thing.
Just like Lariah’s grandmother says above,”love Lariah’s face when she sees those amazing yummy cupcakes”…I loved seeing her face too! Blessings to you Gigi!

March 21, 2025 - 9:31 am

Regina Your home is lovely. I’m inspired to do some spring cleaning and one thing I need to do is donate several items. Welcome to Spring!

March 20, 2025 - 8:27 am

Monica Your home is a true haven from the outside world. You have worked hard to make it so beautiful and full of memories. And it’s clean and tidy, to boot. Your children will always think fondly of home. Thank you for sharing these pictures, I *might* be inspired. 😉 Love, Monica

March 20, 2025 - 3:58 am

Gigi With so much action in the home, it is a good thing I like cleaning! 😉 You always had a clean home, mom – I learned from you!xoxo

March 19, 2025 - 9:03 pm

Brenda (Gigi’s Momma) I LOVE spring cleaning also!! Nothing like clean and sparkly. Love Lariah’s face when she sees those amazing yummy cupcakes 🙂 Your home is always clean, Gillian. Thank you for making a beautiful home for your beautiful family. xoxo

Animal Crackers

“Animal crackers and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers I think;
When I’m grown up and can have what I please
I think I shall always insist upon these.
What do YOU choose when you’re offered a treat?
When Mother says, ‘What would you like best to eat?’
Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast?
It’s cocoa and animals that I love most!

 

The kitchen’s the cosiest place that I know;
The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow,
And there in the twilight, how jolly to see
The cocoa and animals waiting for me.”
-Christopher Morley

 

 

The January snow was falling gently outside the kitchen window, covering our yard with a fresh dusting of pure white sparkles. Inside, we were warm and cozy, snuggled away from the cold. On this Friday morning, our kitchen was especially busy as little washed hands eagerly helped pat out the dough for their cookies.
A weekly tradition this winter is making the little ones some animal crackers. I have fond memories of munching away on animal crackers as a child! A homemade version is even more tasty – and healthier!

 

I was thinking — while the dough was being rolled out – how fun it is to still have itty bitty children in the house! It is a season of a second motherhood, in a way. It is so delightful to be blessed with little ones in the family. We have great adventures together!
When our family goes out in public, yes, we do draw attention with the amount of children. Why, I was asked recently,  DID you have so many children?

Yes, 10 babies.

Oh my, I feel so blessed. How can I explain the goodness of the Lord in His amazing blessings of our children?
Why did we have so many babies? 

Here is a good quote to ponder …

“We fancy that God can only manage His world by big battalions abroad,
when all the while He is doing it by beautiful babies at home. When a wrong wants righting, or a truth wants preaching,
or a continent wants opening, GOD SENDS A BABY INTO THE WORLD TO DO IT.
That is why long, long ago, a Babe was born in Bethlehem.”

 

 

Goosebumps form on my arms when I think of adding to God’s kingdom, one baby at a time. Children are blessings, not a burden – and raising them as Kingdom Children is the greatest – and most humbling – honour.

P.S. Here is the recipe for the tasty animal crackers. 🙂 The animal shapes were purchased from Amazon.

Animal Cracker recipe 

  • 9 tablespoons (butter, softened
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamonMix the wet and dry ingredients separately. Mix together and chill the dough in the fridge for 20 minutes.
    Roll out dough (not too thick) on a floured surface and cut out with animal shapes. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool & enjoy!
February 7, 2025 - 12:14 am

Rachel Hunt Thank you for yet another little glimpse into sweet projects that nurture the hearts of the babes that make a difference in our world!

February 4, 2025 - 11:47 pm

Teresa @ SF Children are truly a gift from God, your heart and home is full of love and blessed. Thank you for the recipe! Lovely post!

February 3, 2025 - 8:42 am

Penny Price Baking inside while it snows outside, nothing could be nicer.

February 1, 2025 - 7:18 pm

Mrs. White This is so precious. The children are a joy. Your home is full of blessings. I also loved Ana’s comment. God bless!

February 1, 2025 - 2:13 pm

Linda Tucker Precious little hands. I have goosebumps too.

February 1, 2025 - 5:44 am

Roxana This is the most adorable thing I have seen today! Love to see those little hands getting busy and those little faces all scrunched up in concentration! Thank you for the recipe, something for me to try with my niece this weekend!

January 31, 2025 - 8:28 pm

Gigi HI GIGI: YOUR KIDS ARE ADORABLE AND HARD WORKING, I LOVE SEEING KIDS ENJOY COOKING, IT’S A FUN WAY TO LEARN. I HAVE ALSO BEEN ASKED MANY TIMES WHY WE HAVE SO MANY CHILDREN (9 BIOLOGICAL AND 3 ADOPTED) MANY TIMES THEY ASK HOW HOW CAN THEY HAVE SO MANY LIKE THE ECONOMY OF LIFE? WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AND HAD SOME CHILDREN, IT BOTHERED ME THAT THEY ASKED ME WHY I HAD SO MANY, OVER THE YEARS I STOPPED CARING, I KNOW THAT GOD LOVES CHILDREN AND THAT THEY ARE BLESSINGS IN OUR LIVES, I HAD MY LAST SON AT 45 YEARS OLD AND I KNOW THAT I WAS VERY CRITICIZED, BY MY FAMILY AND ACQUAINTANCES, I WAS THE HAPPIEST WOMAN WHEN MY BEAUTIFUL SON WAS BORN, TODAY HE IS 19 YEARS OLD AND I AM VERY PROUD OF HIM. NOW I HAVE 17 GRANDCHILDREN AND 1 GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, WE ARE MORE THAN BLESSED WITH MY HUSBAND, LET PEOPLE TALK, WHO ALWAYS DO. DON’T YOU THINK) BLESSINGS.

January 31, 2025 - 7:16 pm

ANA HOLA GIGI: TUS HIJOS SON ADORABLES Y MUY TRABAJADORES,ME ENCANTA VER A LOS NIÑOS DISFRUTAR DE LA COCINA, ES UNA FORMA DIVERTIDA DE APRENDER. A MI TAMBIEN ME HAN PREGUNTADO MUCHAS VECES PORQUE TENEMOS TANTOS HIJOS (9BIOLOGICOS Y 3 ADOPTADOS) MUCHAS VECES PREGUNTAN COMO ¿COMO PUEDEN TENER TANTOS COMO ESTA LA ECONOMIA DE LA VIDA? CUANDO ERA MAS JOVEN Y TENIA ALGUNOS HIJOS, ME MOLESTABA QUE ME PREGUNTARAN PORQUE TENIA TANTOS,CON EL CORRER DE LOS AÑOS DEJO DE IMPORTARME,SE QUE DIOS AMA A LOS NIÑOS Y QUE SON BENDICIONES EN NUESTRAS VIDAS,TUVE A MI ULTIMO HIJO A LOS 45 AÑOS Y SE QUE FUI MUY CRITICADA,POR MI FAMILIA Y POR CONOCIDOS, FUI LA MUJER MAS FELIZ CUANDO NACIO MI HERMOSO HIJO,HOY TIENE 19AÑOS Y ESTOY MUY ORGULLOSA DE EL. AHORA TENGO 17 NIETOS Y 1 BISNIETA,SOMOS MAS QUE BENDECIDOS CON MI ESPOSO,QUE LA GENTE HABLE, QUE MAS DA SIEMPRE LO HACEN. ¿NO LO CREES) BENDICIONES.

Making Winter Wonderful {Work with Your Hands}

“Useful and ornamental needlework, knitting, and netting are capable of being made, not only sources of personal gratification,
but of high moral benefit, and the means of developing in surpassing loveliness and grace,
some of the highest and noblest feelings of the soul.”
~ The Ladies’ Work Table Book, 1845

 

The snow is gently falling out my bedroom window. I have a little one napping beside me and a hot cup of tea to drink and a pile of crochet yarn to tackle. It is a wonderful way to spend a few quiet hours in the afternoon.

When I discussed with my daughters what makes winter special for our family, one of the girls said, “How can you not like winter?! I would never get to sew if we didn’t have winter!”

 

It is true. Our winter afternoons are filled with handiwork pleasure.

On the topic of winter and enjoying the season as of such, I must mention that we have a quiet time in our home during the littlest one’s nap time. Everyone indoors is encouraged to do something quietly, the boys can play outside or work with their legos, or help their dad with a project. For the girls, we use this time to enjoy our handiwork. If you do not have a quiet time in your house (and especially if you have a large, busy family!), you should try it – it’s a blissful hour or two where everyone can work on something that they enjoy, no loud noises, a peaceful reprieve from a regular busy day. I make sure we do not have to cook at this time – that the cleaning is done (the house is never perfect, but the majority of the work is done before this) and all the girls know we will have a break to do our cozy crafts.

 

 

{sewing a new dress}

Somewhere along the motherhood journey  — thank to the teaching of my grandma, who patiently helped teach nearly all of my daughters how to crochet — and our creation of a family, handiwork became something so enjoyable for us. Some of the girls sew, others crochet or work on embroidery, some paint and make homemade soaps … but whatever we do, it is a relaxing and wonderful day to spend our winter afternoons. There is no pressure that they must accomplish this task ; this is something they enjoy – and something we cannot do in the summer hours when our fingers are stained with garden dirt at the sunshine at the seashore beckons us for a romp and swim.

 

{A crocheted Bible case}

Indeed,  winter afternoon hours are the perfect opportunity to work on our homey projects … the girls will listen to audio dramas or simply just have quiet time while they work on their projects or sometimes they will just be curled up in a cozy corner of the house, enjoying their time.

 

 

 

 

Perhaps you have already read about the health benefits of working with your hands, actually producing something with your fingers. It is very relaxing, of course, it teaches patient and encourages my girls to be creative. For me, I find crocheting to be very calming.  Passing these skills down to our daughters – or learning it for ourselves – helps keep these crafts alive, passing down the information and the know-how from generation to generation.

 

 

So there you have it – we love winter for our down time, the carefully guarded lifestyle of quiet afternoons slotted for beautiful, creative moments.

January 30, 2025 - 1:35 pm

Rachel What a beautiful beckon to cultivate loveliness and harmony in a happy home! Thank you for sharing!

January 22, 2025 - 2:47 am

Ruthie Dear Gigi, You’ve taught your young ladies to be so industrious! I love the different skills being used. The soaps are darling, the dresses and blankets are so lovely. The Bible case is a treasure around a treasure. Thankyou for sharing these moments.
Ruthie

January 21, 2025 - 9:54 pm

Lily Taylor Aw, i love this post! And yes Winter is such a good time to do crafts and i love listening to audio drama’s while i do it too 🙂
From lily, 14

January 20, 2025 - 4:14 pm

Penny Price There’s a saying isn’t there
Out of your head and into your hands
So good to pursue crafts for peace of mind

January 19, 2025 - 5:58 am

Gigi Ana, you are so blessed with so many grandchildren! God is good! I hope I, too, one day have a life full of grandchildren! 🙂 You sound like a very wise woman … we have found someone to help teaching knitting to our girls, as I cannot knit, but only crochet. Both skills are valuable!
P.S. That is very hot, indeed! Stay cool!

January 19, 2025 - 5:57 am

Gigi I LEARNED TO KNIT WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD AND THE FIRST THING I REMEMBER I MADE WAS A DRESS FOR A DOLL THAT MY AUNT AND MY MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER SHOWED ME, SINCE THEN I HAVE NOT STOPPED AND TODAY I KNIT FOR THE WHOLE EXTENDED FAMILY, I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT I HAVE 9 CHILDREN OF MY OWN AND 3 ADOPTED, AND I HAVE 16 GRANDCHILDREN AND THE NUMBER 17 WILL BE BORN BETWEEN THE END OF APRIL AND THE BEGINNING OF MAY, WE ARE VERY BLESSED AND I THANK GOD FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY THAT HE HAS GIVEN ME. BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS. A HUG FROM HOT BUENOS AIRES (WE HAD 38 CENTIGRADES 2 DAYS AGO) VERY HOT RIGHT?

January 19, 2025 - 5:56 am

Gigi HI GIGI, WHAT A LOVELY MESSAGE, FULL OF PEACE, HARMONY AND LEARNING. WINTER IS MY FAVORITE SEASON AND I KNIT A LOT NEAR MY WOOD STOVE, ALTHOUGH IN THE SUMMER I ALSO DO IT, ALTHOUGH NOT WITH THE STOVE ON, BUT SITTING IN THE BACKYARD OF MY HOUSE. I LOVE CROCHET, KNITTING WITH 2 NEEDLES AND SEWING DOING MANY DIFFERENT CRAFTS, IT IS A TRADE THAT IS BEING LOST, BUT WE AS MOTHERS MUST INSTILL KNOWLEDGE IN OUR DAUGHTERS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS (IN MY CASE).

January 18, 2025 - 8:41 pm

ANA HOLA GIGI, QUE ENCANTADOR MENSAJE, LLENO DE PAZ, ARMONIA Y APRENDIZAJE. EL INVIERNO ES MI ESTACION PREFERIDA Y TEJO MUCHO CERCA DE MI ESTUFA A LEÑA, AUNQUE EN EL VERANO TAMBIEN LO HAGO, AUNQUE NO CON LA ESTUFA ENCENDIDA, SINO SENTADA EN EL PATIO TRASERO DE MI CASA. AMO EL CROCHET, TEJER CON 2 AGUJAS Y COSER HACIENDO MUCHAS Y DIFERENTES MANUALIDADES, ES UN OFICIO QUE SE ESTA PERDIENDO, PERO NOSOTRAS COMO MADRES DEBEMOS INFUNDIR CONOCIMIENTO A NUESTRAS HIJAS Y NIETAS (EN MI CASO). YO APRENDI A TEJER CUANDO TENIA 11 AÑOS Y LO PRIMERO QUE RECUERDO QUE HICE FUE UN VESTIDO PARA UNA MUÑECA QUE ME ENSEÑO MI TIA Y MI ABUELA MATERNA, DESDE ENTONCES NO HE PARADO Y HOY KLES TEJO A TODA LA FAMILIA EXTENDIDA, YA TE DIJE QUE TENGO 9 HIJOS PROPIOS Y 3 ADOPTADOS, Y TENGO 16 NIETOS Y EL NUMERO 17 NACERA ENTRE FINES DE ABRIL Y PRINCIPIO DE MAYO, SOMOS MUY BENDECIDOS Y AGRADEZO A DIOS POR ESTA HERMOSA FAMILIA QUE ME HA DADO. BENDICIONES PARA TI Y LOS TUYOS. UN ABRAZO DESDE LA CALUROSA BUENOS AIRES (TUVIMOS 38 CENTIGRADOS HACE 2 DIAS) MUCHA CALOR VERDAD?

January 18, 2025 - 7:55 pm

Brenda Awh, my heart is full xoxo

January 18, 2025 - 10:57 am

Susan lane Winter is such a special time to do handicrafts, lovely quiet afternoons by the fire with some knitting or crochet. I find working seasonally so helpful, the busyness of summer and autumn in the garden and preserving food, then the peace of winter to rest and time to enjoy hobbies. God bless you all. Sue from UK.

Making a Home Cozy

 
“We who live in quiet places have the opportunity to become acquainted with ourselves,
to think our own thoughts and live our own lives
in a way that is not possible for those keeping up with the crowd.”
― Laura Ingalls Wilder
In a previous blog post, I had mentioned a portrait of our winter lifestyle, a season of change that I truly love. While the spring and summer months are filled with wonderful adventures of bountiful gardening and new farm life, fantastic outdoor living, exploring the ocean shores and beautiful summer nights … winter is the opposite.
And yet, it is one of my favourite seasons! In fact, all my children love winter.
It is more structured, there is school to be accomplished, music lessons are arranged, the days are darker earlier, the sunlight times are shorter; however there so many sweet blessings in the winter season.
Sseeing as we do not have to garden in our province from November to May, we are blessed with a season of cocooning in the home. This season brings us bountiful time to enjoy life. All those fun, lovely details will be discussed in detail later.
Let’s just start off by suggesting that you need to love being home. The Bible commands that women are to be keepers at home, to be busy with our hands and to mind our own business. The world will tell you otherwise and tempt you to roam away from home. We need to be wise and guard our time as mothers and Keepers of the Home. Too many outings, too many church events, too many social engagements, too many going-to-the-store moments will rob you of your valuable and precious time at home. Your home needs you. Your family needs you at home.
If you are not happy at home, it may be time to start praying and asking the Lord to give you a desire to be the home keeper you need to be.
But what if you don’t like your home? Let’s start off with some practical ideas, because if you are not happy WITH your home in the winter, it will be challenging to be happy AT home.
In the winter, I spend much more time indoors – in the summer, we’re outside all the time – therefore, the winter is my time to refresh rooms and make the house a home.
 Is your home clean and tidy and filled with good smelling food, awaiting the next dinner?
Or is your home cluttered and dirty? When is the last time you refreshed a room to your liking? Do you see beauty when you walk into your home or do you see piles of clutter and junk, papers that need to be put away or stinky shoes that are not stored properly at the back door (that can be a problem in our house with 12 people! I am constantly tidying up the back room area where people enter and exit our home.)
Does your home look nice to you?
Does it smell nice?
Does it smell clean and fresh or musty and dirty?
For me, this little room picture here on the post is very important because it is one of our entryways.
Yes, it is the laundry room.
It is also the bridgeway room between the sunporch , where people enter our home, and the kitchen, where we usually welcome those who are visiting. Therefore, this room needed to be bright and cheerful, clean and tidy and 90% of the time, free of dirty laundry from any surprise visitors. For some strange reason, I have always had a laundry room that is visible to the visiting public of our home. In every house, my laundry room has been on the main floor, just off the kitchen or at least near the door where people enter. I have grown accustomed to keeping my laundry very clean and tidy and realizing it is a public location.
And I will admit that keeping up with the laundry, with a dozen people in this house, is never ending. I have, however, created a system of order out of chaos and our laundry is not a big dilemma for me. Every day, I make sure to do two loads of laundry. The summer schedule is different, but we are talking about winter right now.

In the winter, I start my laundry load right after dinner, after everyone has taken their baths and showers. The wash is done even before we finish our Bible devotions as a family. A few of the girls and I will hang the laundry beside the kitchen wood-burning stove to dry the clothes overnight. My husband is in the middle of installing a second system to dry clothes, but right now, we are at a limit where eI need to use the dryer and the drying rack at the same time (and this is a huge Mennonites-style drying rack). This ensure that when I wake up in the morning, even before breakfast, the two clean loads from the night before are dried and folded and ready to be put away.

[For bedding, the older girls are in charge of washing their own bedding. We all wash our sheets and bedding weekly. I do the three boy beds all on one day (Fridays) and my bed on Mondays. We can still use the laundry line outside for some of the bedding, especially airing out duvets and wool blankets,  and also use the indoor drying rack to help dry the large quilts, if the weather is not agreeable.]

Seeing as our laundry room is visible to everyone, it needs to be clean and tidy, cheerful and welcoming. And even if no one ever saw my laundry room, I would still want it to be a welcoming room, one that is inviting and not depressing.
{The white cupboard to the left is our Milk Cupboard, where we store our milking supplies for our cow.}
I make my own candles; which is a lovely hobby. Here is a little candle I made – clean cotton scent – for the laundry room, using an antique canning jar. I store the laundry soap in the Anchor Hocking glass jar and vinegar in the antique milk bottle. Sometimes I will also use the glass milk jar to hold stain remover.
{Here is my sweet sink that is just an absolute favourite of mine. My husband bought it from an old college that was closing.
The sink is deep and oh so sturdy. It fits all the milk buckets just perfectly and is a dream to clean up!}
{Seeing as everyone passes through the laundry room to the kitchen,
I covered the washing machine and dryer with some lace curtains.  My husband built the countertop to be used a works surface. I find it very practical and also helps the laundry room look less industrial.

Personally, I don’t prefer the look of appliances so I wanted cover them.
The large laundry basket, hanging on the wall, is something I prayed for for three years.
I finally found one used and was so grateful.
It is a gem to me!}
{You can see the dutch door leads to the mud room/sun porch – and to the right of the photo is the entrance to the kitchen.}
{I love to incorporate and use antiques in our daily life.
I could not resist this adorable carpet sweeper when I saw it on a used site. Here is some fascinating history on this carpet sweeper.}
{My husband and I found this antique ceiling light at a local barn sale. It was painted white and although I think white has it’s place, I knew
I wanted to clean it up and strip the paint off to reveal the brass. I used a crockpot method, where you soak the brass in warm, soapy water over night. The next morning, the layers of paint peeled off very easily. I polished the brass and was so pleased when my husband installed it.}
{All my little plant starts, staying cozy in some milk vases I have collected.}
Right now, we have a snowstorm and winds howling outside. It’s just lovely. A wonderful winter storm is brewing! It will not bother me in the slightest to be snowed in for a few days.
And so, I have a task for you this week: start creating your home to be a lovely place for you and your family, a place that is comfortable for you while you are at home. As you are indoors more in the winter, this is the perfect time to start on that project that will help refresh your home.
Learn to love being home and these winter days will be so much more appealing.
I have so many more things to say about winter … but today is my daughter’s birthday and we are off to celebrate. I will be writing more. Please do share your thoughts and join me on this journey of Loving Winter.
January 15, 2025 - 12:09 pm

Teresa @ SF Gigi, each and every detail has a touch of love in your entrance way. I loved how you share about caring for the home in the winter…you gave me much to think about! It is good to see that others pray about things of need, such as a basket. I have sought the Lord for this as well. He has been faithful to let me find them at the Goodwill or at Thrift stores. God loves to give good gifts to His children. Winter here has been bitterly cold and we have snow currently. All summer long I prepare for winter as the ant does in the Bible, when winter comes, my home is ready. Thank you for sharing your heart with us, so many new moms need this lovely guidance on how to care for their homes. HUG stay warm!

January 10, 2025 - 6:39 pm

Lynnea Winter is my favorite season, also. I have such fond memories of ice skating, sledding, building snow houses and snowmen, and just watching the beauty of it falling from the sky! I love being able to stay inside more, away from the hustle and bustle. Your laundry room looks cozy and lovely – a room one wouldn’t mind going into for sure.
I feel better about my home, even it’s just simply adding a fresh clean dishtowel or tablecloth….every little bit helps!
Looking forward to more of “Loving Winter”

January 8, 2025 - 6:07 am

Penny Price This is so timely Gigi. I need to sort out my laundry room and was just thinking in terms of clearing and cleaning but it could be so much better than that. Your beautiful post and photos are an inspiration. Thank you for this theme.

January 6, 2025 - 11:48 am

Teresa Lovely, heartwarming post! Safe warm and safe Gigi!

January 6, 2025 - 9:55 am

Monica I’m so excited for this series! 🙂 Your laundry area is so very pretty. What a joy to stand there and do laundry! I love this post and couldn’t agree more. I think people get so concerned these days about taking stuff OUT of the home to minimalize it or to keep it from being cluttered but then they fail to FILL it with things they love. This would give the cozy aspect! I know you are filling your home with what you love. How refreshing to come in to your laundry room when folks walk in. Love, Monica What a great winter series!

January 6, 2025 - 1:15 am

Brenda (Gigi’s Momma) Gigi, your home is always so inviting … I love coming to visit and enjoying the cozy loving atmosphere. thanks for sharing xoxo

January 5, 2025 - 6:04 pm

Cathy Gigi,
When I first saw the word cozy in your blog’s title my mind was thinking something entirely different because I had just asked my husband yesterday what did he think of when he heard the word cozy. Cozy is a very popular word these days.
But what you wrote is like a tall spreading oak tree with strong branches and deep roots.
You are encouraging women to do what the LORD has instructed and when we submit to His will and begin doing what He desires for our lives we will be happy and blessed while delight and want to are birthed as a consequence.
Your laundry room is a place of beauty and service…and a part of your cozy-made home!
Blessings, Cathy