Updated Pea pod Cozy

Bev's Newborn Pea-Pod Cozy -Two versions.
Copyright 2009 Beverly A. Qualheim - All Rights Reserved. Do not sell pattern or items made from pattern

These are wonderful for newborns to age 3 months or so and can be used instead of a blanket when outdoors.

Size 15 Circular needles - 24", 3 oz of each yarn Worsted weight yarn (for pink one I used Bernat Soft Boucle and Caron One Pound) - 2 strands held together

Peapod: Cast on 45 sts - leave a long tail for weaving in and gathering later. This will be the top of the 'cozy'. You are knitting in the ROUND.
Knit for 15", knitting in the round, then decrease for 2 rows as follows:

(Knit 1, knit 2 stitches together) repeat this around. Do another decrease row like this.

Then cut 15" of the yarn and thread through remaining stitches on needle using a large eyed needle, removing stitches from needle as you go. Pull closed tightly and weave the tail in and out around, then on the inside to secure.

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These are wonderful for your babies, grandbabies, and for homeless shelters and hospitals near you. You can find this, and a 2nd version with a blanket-hood on this page:

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/bevs-peapod-cozy.html

HUG THE ONES YOU LOVE

Bev

Blessings...

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times" Charles Dickens- A Tale of Two Cities.

Many are going through tough times right now. My family are facing a few 'demons' of our own right now, financially especially.

But I wanted to post a few of my thoughts on it. I once told a good friend of mine that I was grateful for my trials. She asked me if I really meant that. I thought long and hard about it, and I thought I could honestly say I did. But just as a teenager thinks she knows all about life, and grown up things, we all soon discover we know very little. That is how it was with how I felt then, and how I feel today.

Harder times hit.

My husband's accident last year, tough family times at Christmas, and then this year deeper financial trials trying to get a business off the ground so we can live. Heavenly Father allows us to pass through these learning experiences so we CAN become great someday. He allows trials, and He stands there ready to assist in the best ways for us, if we only ask. And we can learn from all things we are called to pass through.

I have learned personally there there truly are so many immense blessings in our going through these many trials, especially the financial ones. I used to complain because we didn't ever seem to get ahead money wise, but do you know what, we had enough to pay the bills, all of them!

Little did I know how very blessed we were to be able to not worry about paying the bills. We didn't have luxuries but we had enough, you know.

Now, as we struggle and do without things we used to take for granted I wish I had been more grateful. You know what though, now I WILL not take things for granted and I am so thankful for the little things, like not having to go to the doctor, and money for basic foods, for a food storage with much of what we need to eat! So many in the world never have enough to eat, and yet, we, are never hungry. What a blessing. We have a roof over our heads for right now, and it is enough. We both have jobs that we love and we have a wonderful family whom we love - even the ones we never see.

You know, we are 51 years old, and standing on the edge of a dark precipice and we can either look up at the sunshine or the stars at night twinkling and beautiful, or we can look down at the possible darkness, the fall and pain.

I've decided I need to look up. My Heavenly Father is up there and He knows what the Qualheims are going through no matter what happens. For those of you who are struggling with trials, He also knows your troubles and pain, and He is there. Pray to Him and feel the peace He can give your mind. Never give up.

I heard yesterday I am going to be grandma to a little girl, and how wonderful is that I took out the pink yar!? They live far away so I will not be able to see her, or hold her, but just to know she is part of our family will be enough for now.

We can feel joy and peace as we serve Him through serving His children in whatever ways we are able. I will be telling you in the next couple of days about the most wonderful opportunity to reach out and help those who are currently displaced, and "down on their luck." So if you knit or crochet, this will be for you!

HUG THE ONES YOU LOVE!
Bev
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com

Thought for today

“It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. . . .“Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2009 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Gordon B Hinckley also was once asked why we don't use the cross as the symbol of our religion. His answer was:

“ ‘I do not wish to give offense to any of my Christian brethren who use the cross on the steeples of their cathedrals and at the altars of their chapels, who wear it on their vestments, and imprint it on their books and other literature. But for us, the cross is the symbol of the dying Christ, while our message is a declaration of the living Christ.’

He was then asked ‘If you do not use the cross, what is the symbol of your religion?’

His answer was:

“ the lives of our people must become the only meaningful expression of our faith and, in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship” (“The Symbol of Christ,” New Era, Apr. 1990, p. 4).

OUR lives must let others know we are disciples of Jesus Christ! The way we are living, the way we treat others, the things we think, and say, and do, all tell people who we are. We all make mistakes, and we can repent thanks to Jesus Christ's Atonement. But generally how we conduct ourselves from day to day speaks volumes about who we are.

How do you treat your spouse, your children, your friends?

Do you hang on to old grudges, and dredge them up for ammunition each time you are angry?

It's time to STOP that!! It's time to forgive and make things right. And never hang on to arguments or wrongs you feel your spouse has done... NEVER! This life is too short and fragile to hold on to garbage... throw it away.

Treat your spouse like the king or queen they may become someday, glorified in our Fathers Kingdom. This has been on my mind a lot lately as I see friends marriages breaking up. My heart aches for all involved. There are times when there is abuse (physical and mental and emotional) going on, infidelity, breaking of covenants, and so on, when the spouse will not change; when Bishops/Church leaders, should be consulted, divorce should be considered for the childrens sake. No child should ever have to grow up being subjected to any of that, thinking it is normal...

So today, please treat those around you with love and caring, and gentleness. Go out of your way to do something wonderful for them.

And as always, HUG THE ONES YOU LOVE!! and pray for this world....



Bev
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com

Marriage

I know I have written about marriage before, but I feel there are more things to say.

Adam and Eve were married in the garden of Eden. They were not yet subject to death and therefore their marriage was intended to last for forever.

Our marriages are also supposed to last forever.

In The Family: A Proclamation to the World the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints state:

"The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity."

As morals in our society crumble, as more people accept secular teachings as their 'gospel' and way of life, the Lord declares through His Church leaders that marriage and family as essential to His eternal plan! I believe that statement.

Mike and I have been married as of Aug 11 th for 30 years. People sometimes gasp when I tell them that. They tell me how lucky we are. Luck has nothing to do with it. We work hard at our marriage to keep it alive and important. It has never been luck, and it has never been easy. We have had many trials, many slams against us to succeed, but instead of turning off each other, or pulling away, we pull closer together and try to work together to make things work.

We are not of the same faith.
We come from pretty different backgrounds.
We have different hobbies, but enough in common to keep us happy
We have never had enough money to live high on the hog; and still rarely even go out to eat. Our dates are watching Star Trek next Generation on DVD's I get from the library.
We feel blessed when there is enough money to pay the bills each month.
We have 5 children, 1 still at home, and I was able until recently, able to stay home to care for them - unusual these days.
We both work, and work hard!

We still love each other, and mean the world to each other. Also unusual, but great!

Do I just want to run away with Mike and go to Hawaii or someplace--have a 2nd honeymoon... YES!! Every single day. We are committed to each other and to those vows we took so long ago, to love and cherish one another, in good times and bad, for better and for worse... we actually MEANT that when we said 'I do'.

Take time for each other.
Wives, do things for your husbands... make him feel loved. Make his favorite dinner. Do the little things... iron his hankies if he likes them that way, put little love notes in his lunch, hug him and tell him of your love for him. Be faithful in your thoughts, and words, and deeds.
Husbands, cherish your wives as Christ cherished the Church. Open doors for her. Help her with the housecleaning without being asked. Hug her. Tell her how much you love her. Be there for her. Be faithful to your wife in every action and thought. Treat her as a Princess.
Both- Work hard and be self reliant. Earn the things you own. Stay out of debt.

As I look back on these past 30 years, I am so grateful for the life Mike and I share; that we trust each other, and go out of our way to show that we care. It isn't easy, but our marriage is good because we don't look outside of the marriage for fulfillment of any kind. That's important.

May your love grow every day as you work to ensure that happens, and may the Lord watch over you and yours.

HUG THE ONES YOU LOVE! and pray for them every day.
Bev
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com

and don't forget the HATS!
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/hats.html