Springtime...

Unexpected Delight

I entered a contest - a blog naming contest at a blog I have followed for a couple of years. I've mentioned it before...

Our Quiverful is the family blog of the Estes family. This lovely family of ten home schools, has their own family business, and deeply love the Lord. Noah, their youngest boy has a mitochondrial disease and is often very sick. Mrs. Estes has often been an great encouragement as she shares what the Lord is doing in their lives, and is teaching them.

So, when she announced she was having a blog-naming contest for a blog on Biblical womanhood, I knew I wanted to enter...

& in the Lord's very kind Providence,

I won!!!

That was at the beginning of February, and I'm still excited! :)

On top of the joy of my blog title being chosen, there was a prize - a $50 Amazon gift certificate! I was planning on purchasing books, but Mother counseled me to think beyond books (is that possible?). Therefore, it took me a bit longer to choose and at the end of February I had decided, I ordered and in less time than expected - they arrived!

Cath Kidston stationary and a very special muffin tin...

I'm now hijacking some of your most valuable time to show you. :)

In the Lord's Providence, I'll be using these sweet roses for a wedding shower on Saturday. :)

Thank you again, Mrs. Estes. I'm very thankful for and am praying for you all... <3>



Make certain you check this link so you can read In Ruby Slippers when it's officially launched!

Our First Tutorial

Received a query concerning the purpose of marbles in baking a cake. :)

Ideally,to make a cake like the one below, one will use two 9-inch round cake pans and two 9-inch square pans.

You will then need either one large cake recipe or two boxed cake mixes.
Please allow me to take a moment recommend the rich cake recipe from my 1920's high school home economics textbook - Everyday Foods.

Once baked and cooled, cut both round cake pans in half. Take one square and two half-circles, assemble as above. Ice top, then next layer, assembling as the first layer.

Ice as any other cake and devour.

But, you say... What about those marbles?

Well, I will tell you. Only in ideal situations will you posses two round and two square cake pans. We posses two round and one square cake pans. Since we've only made this cake as a one layer before, it hasn't been a problem. Mia longed for a two layered heart cake so, necessity being the mother of invention, we busied ourselves with finding a solution.


The solution? Marbles. In a 9 x 13 pan. A "compartment" of aluminum foil kept them contained and out of the cake.


Just to refresh your memory...


It worked perfectly.





Hopefully, we have inspired you make your own heart-shaped cakes...


Have fun!


Note: We knew this was safe as we've baked with marbles before. Ordinary cupcakes in paper wrappers can become heart shaped if before baking a marble or two (stacked, not side by side) is positioned between the wrapper and the baking tin....

And Here it Is!

Mia's cake. Our resident linguist wrote

Herzlichen Glückwunsch

Happy Birthday or Congratulations in German... :)

Happy New Year!

2010... Seems to be a date from science fiction novel, doesn't it?

Here at the Carey's House, we're ushering in the New Year by watching a family favorite - a stirring story of Good battling Evil against all odds- namely, Lord of the Rings. It's Murray's first time through the trilogy, and he's stayed in the room for 3/4 of the movies. Last night we watched the Fellowship, today we viewed the Two Towers, and tomorrow we will finish the trilogy with Return of the King.

This past year has been brimming with blessings, joy, and surprises. We can't wait to see what our Lord will do in the next twelve months!

As soon as I am able to gather photos I will recommence posting. I've several posts written and they are eager to be read. Soon...

One Family's Thanksgiving...

While listening to some old Thanksgiving radio shows, we found this Father Knows Best. While the TV episode (in this clip, anyway) differs slightly from the radio program, the prayer Father prays (probably the best prayer I've heard in a movie) is the same one he prayed on the radio.

We hope you all enjoy it.




Have a happy Thanksgiving giving thanks for all the blessings our Heavenly Father has bestowed!

Happy Independence Day!!!!

[It] will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

~ John Adams on celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence to his wife Abigail ~

Likes # 7 ~ Historical Exploration

Fort Necessity - Washington's First Command

Inside the museum- It was very well done and enjoyable to walk through and learn from.

Outside the Reconstructed Fort

Just behind the mound.

The Good "Guys" and... The Bad Ones
Sadly, the folks on the right won.

Following the walking trail from the fort, we came to an inn along the National Road.

Just the thing for weary travelers.

I believe this is all from the early 1800's.

The last stop on our National Road travels was a toll station.

Here we are standing outside the closed toll station. The other photo is a close up of a reproduction of the original sign. It's to the left, and partially covered by a pillar in the left hand photograph.

The only site we explored post 1865, Arthurdale was Eleanore Roosevelt's pet project. Primarily an unsuccesful government-funded utopian community, the Historical Explorer is made to ponder the purpose, result, and future of Arthurdale...

The Forge, view of an Aurthurdale farm, the ruins of an Arthurdale factory.

Afterwards, it was back to the 1700's. Namely, the Albert Gallatin beloved house, Friendship Hill. Gallatin was a secretary of the treasury and masterminded ways for the fledging United States to stay debt free. We should know more of this man.


The original part of the house is to the left. At the right is Gallatin's son's addition (his father was much less than pleased - he'd set his son to build a Georgian addition, not a peasant's cottage).




One of the rooms in Friendship Hill and a pleasant Gazebo overlooking the Mon (a foursome could squaredance inside).



After enjoying Friendship Hill's lovely museum, we went outside to the pleasant grounds and several miles of walking trails. From left to right, Kate admiring the Gallatin's well (the well, though formerly used by the family, is boarded up, but still lovely. Then we girls sat and pondered the fate of Gallatin's first wife. Following the trail beyond, we came to a lovely trail and hiked some miles through the woods. Such fun.



On our last day, we visited a Kincell Family Favorite - Prickett's Fort. It was soon to become one of our favorites.

Prickett's Fort is a living History Museum. Though quite small, it remined me of Williamsburg's ability to transport one back in history. We Carey Girls can hardly wait to take our family there. How Murray would love to throw a tomahawk!

N.B. Each of these sites deserves multiple postings of its own. Sadly, this is not possible. Hence the hyperlinks on each of the sites. I hope you find them informative and inspire your own Historical Explorations!