HELP

I know I  should be working on Big Sisters (my oldest daughter) room and not worrying about other rooms in the house, but I can't seem to help myself.

It is the addiction that I have, well that and coffee, Diet Coke, chocola.......

anyway back to my problem.

I need you lovelies to give me your opinion

So here is the problem, through out my entire house I have stained trim, windows and doors.  It seems very dark.  I want to honor the caracter of this house but possibly lighten thing up by painting the trim work cream, I have no plans to paint the doors they are solid wood stain grade doors and I can not paint them, I also do not plan to paint the windows, the trim around them but not them.

Here are some examples of what I hope it would look like.

See the stained door with the cream trim, I love it.

but am I brave enough, help

last three photos Southern Living

I know these are not perfect pictures but it is hard to find it done often.  So what do you think (BTW we have the dark wood floors through out the entire house also), so I get out the sandpaper and paint brushes?

WHERE I AM SPENDING MY DAYS AND NIGHTS

I am working on Big Sister's (my oldest daughter) bedroom,

We got started on it this past fall

and then ran out of time and energy,

so the goal is to focus only on her room until it is finished.

I am easily sidetrack so pray that I find a way to stay on task and make a Tween age girls dream come true

Much decluttering will be done

Bed skirts will be made along with pillows.

The floor will be swept....maybe

I made these drapes last fall you can read about them here

and this closet, oh are there enough words for what this closet needs,

hopeful we can wade through and do something with it.

I will be sharing soon

Cha Cha

UPDATE

If you didn't read yesterdays post go do it now or this will leave you LOST.

When hubby got home yesterday I had him read Ann's post, which is amazing because he is a man of numbers not words, and that post was long (for him) and she is deep, so you already know he must really love me.

Then I clicked him over to my post and had him read it, poor guy, any more reading and he would have ran away.

At the end of my post there was a small tear in his eye and a heart felt word which was quickly overshadowed by him saying.........

THAT'S A BIG BOX.

Our box has new new home under my bedside table.

Cha Cha

P.S. Thank you letting me share this other side of myself, the comments, and emails have been so encouraging and thoughtful.  This was a hard side to share so openly.

ANNIVERSARY

My sweet husband and I celebrated 12 years of marriage this past Sunday.  They have been 12 years marked with joy and happiness, but there have been plenty of bumps along the way, also.  We would both do it again without hesitation and knowing what we know now would save each other many unnecessary heartbreaks along the way.  Looking back there is something beautiful about learning with each other and holding each other up when one is not able to own their own stand tall.  In all the learning there come seasons of life, seasons of feast and seasons of what seems to be famine.

We are in a new season of our marriage one with freedom (no small children under foot, we were pregnant at 5 months of marriage) we have never known.  It is a season with great excitement and renewal.  As I have reflected on our anniversary this week I have longed for a way to mark the occasion (we decided not to do gifts this year) when I read Ann Voskamp post today (go read it now or the rest of this will make no sense, it is long but each word has great importance, read them all)

I have decided to give my husband this box tonight as our anniversary gift.

This dirty sad little suitcase is one from my childhood, I have the entire set.

I love that our box is something with a history and represents my life and the experiences that have made me the person I am.

So, I started cleaning the box, as I scrubbed away the dirt and grime from the box, God was scrubbing away the ugly baggage I brought into my marriage.

Tonight this box represents this new season in our lives.

A season where yes has new meaning and love will grow strong.

I hope you were inspired by Ann's words. I read her work often, she has a way with words that softens my hard heart and helps me look at life in a new way.

I hope you and your husband plan a trip for the future.

Cha Cha

LET'S CATCH UP PART TWO

So where did I leave off, oh yes thats right

We pulled our exhausted children out of bed,

brushed their hair and teeth,

slid dresses over their heads took them to early service at church.

The poor things actually even paid attention, such good girls.

10.  Dress rehearsal for dance recital

11.  cleaned and decorated my moms screened in porch for Mother's Day  (post on this coming soon)

12.  made new friends

this is George, we had him in the basement bath tub all day

but remember I said friends not friend

Do you see her?  The cute little slug that is along for the ride, we couldn't believe it when we found George with Sally the Slug on top.

Sadly, mommy made the girls return our friends back to the wild, this did not make me popular.

13.  filled up on Mexican Food before dance recital

14.  finished getting ready

15.  danced perfectly

16.  put our beautiful flowers in water

17.  slept

18.  got up early packed up the car

19.  headed out the door for a road trip

                                stay tuned to find out where we went,  why we went, and when we went





                                                                                         Cha Cha

LET'S CATCH UP PART ONE

Yes, I am still alive,

 no I have not been kidnapped,

 just overwhelmed with life the last week or two.

  So I will try to bring you all up to speed on what has been going on around here.

1.  The girls last day of Timothy (their homeschool school), they loved there classes and each of their

      teachers.  Thank each of you for all your hard work and for your love of God and children.

2.  I also said good bye to the 17 sweet girls I had the pleasure of teaching this year.  I love each of you girls

     and will miss you greatly.  Thank you for letting me learn with you.

                                      food from my class's last day party in honor of our moms    

3.  We signed up for next  years classes

    -  I will be teaching 3 classes of Beyond Beautiful Girlhood a character development class for girls 3rd-

        7th grade

    - Big Sister signed up for    Ballet, Science, Beyond Beautiful Girlhood, and a Writing Class

    -Little Sister signed up for   Ballet, Sugar and Spice ( the younger version of my class), Science, and

      American Girl ( History taught through The AG book series)

      We are all very excited about next years classes

4.  We spent an afternoon and evening with our friends who are moving away

                               This is a picture of all the girls from last Christmas, we love having girly days 

 

5.  We watched little boys play baseball

This is my nephews team, btw he hit one out of the park tonight, great job Budro

6.  had fun at a friends birthday party

7.  went to an amazing musical

8.  Got to hang out with one of the stars

you did a great job sweet girl, I am so proud of you

9.woke up early to go to early service to meet a friend there

tired girls waiting to leave for church

Okay, I am worn out again just writing about it all.

This all happened in just a few short days,

Oh, I forgot to mention the school work, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, bathing, eating, breathing........

I will try to have part two up soon.

Cha Cha

SUMMER IN A PUNCH BOWL

Do you have things that make you think of summer?  I do, my friend Tara introduced me to the most wonderful Summer Punch a few years ago and I have been hooked ever since.  As soon as the weather starts getting warm I start craving this punch, it is the perfect tangy refreshment.  Hope you enjoy.

Indgredients

Ice Ring
1 bag of frozen strawberries
1 can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1 bundt pan
   water


Punch
1 bag frozen strawberries
1 2 liter of ginger ale
1 can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1 can of water

 

To make the ice ring

add 1 bag of frozen strawberries to a bundt pan

then pour in 1 can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate

add water to finish filling the pan

cover with plastic wrap and freeze

To make Punch

remove ice ring from freezer

run outside of pan under hot water until ice releases

place ice ring in punch bowl

add 1 can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate

and 1 can of water

pour in a 2 liter of giner ale, and 1 bag of frozen strawberries, then mix

and now you are ready for a

SUMMER PARTY

Cha Cha