Our Simplicity, Our Frugality, and our Integrity

"May Heaven permit you and me to enjoy the cool of the evening of life in tranquility, undisturbed by by the cares of politics and war - and above all with the sweetest of all reflections that neither ambition, nor vanity, nor any base motive, or sordid passion through the whole course of great and terrible events that have attended it, have drawn us aside from the line of duty and the dictates of our consciences. Let us have ambition enough to keep our simplicity, our frugality, and our integrity, and transmit these virtues as the fairest of inheritance to our children." 

    -  John Adams in a letter to his wife Abigail.

I just love this quote - second to passing on to my children a genuine faith in Christ, I hope that Tim and I can pass along a love for simplicity, frugality and integrity as virtues.  What a blessed inheritance that would be!

 This morning Tim and I went out for breakfast early and then headed home for family worship. The morning was beautiful - cool, fresh, sunny...he suggested we go out to the picnic table, so we did!  It was beautiful.  We read Proverbs 14 - with all of us taking turns reading.  Even Kyle read a bit!  

"The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands." verse 1.

"He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is perverse in his ways despises Him." verse 2

"A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, but knowledge is easy to him who understands." verse 6

"Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor." verse 9


I could go on and on...such goodness to start the day.

 This is an old recipe and obviously a well loved one here in our house!  It's our brownie recipe - given to me years ago by a dear friend.  I need to type it out soon, I almost can't read it anymore.

 It makes fudgy brownies that are so, so good!  But we can't leave well enough alone, so I added a few milk chocolate chips and chopped walnuts!

 The girls have a game night they are going to, and need to bring something to share so I told them I would make brownies.  Emily usually makes them, so I was glad to see that I haven't lost my touch!

 Yes, I made a giant pan of brownies.  See, when I started making them for the girls to take, the younger folk around here started to say "Can I have a brownie?"  How could I not just double the recipe and make everyone happy?  Tim will be delighted to take some of these in his lunches this weekend!  


And to show you what a thrilling and exciting life I live I will show you what I did while the brownies were baking...

 How is that?  I cleaned my fridge!  It needed it badly, and it does make me happy to see it all organized and clean!


Lindsay, Rachel, Sarah and Kyle weeded the veggies today - it was in need, and it looks great now.  Time to plant some more veggies!  Ruth asked about my corn, and I am sad to say we never got it planted this year.  We weren't sure where to put it, as Tim didn't want it where we had been thinking about putting it. But I think we have it worked out for next year!  

They also found a snapping turtle...it will not be staying long.  Don't want to lose any little fingers, or big ones for that matter.


I also wanted to share a blog post I read today on the Desiring God blog, called "Motherhood Is A Calling (And Where Your Children Rank)". 
It is very thought provoking.  Come back and let me know what you think.