Around Here

It seems that when life gets busy, the blog is the first thing to suffer. Sorry I've been so scarce around here. I have a mental list of about 12 different things I want to blog about, but haven't found the time. I saw this somewhere on another blog the other day and thought it was a fun (and easy!) way to share some of the things I would love to write about if I had more time.

on my windowsill...

Scripture memory cards made using this tool and found via A Holy Experience. It makes memorizing so much easier and helps me better use all of that time I spend at the kitchen sink!

on my walls... (for those of you who have asked)

Hidden Peak by Behr, although it is much less blue and more gray in person. Our den doesn't get a ton of natural light so it stays darkish during the day. If if were up to me, I'd live in a house flooded with natural light all day long and have white paint on all the walls (it would also be a walk from the beach and filled with about 6 children, but yada yada yada, it isn't all up to me.) I have brought more paint samples home trying to find a good color for over two years now.

Seriously, the paint man at Home Depot probably thinks we have about 20 rooms in our home as often as I'm bringing home samples! He knows the girls and I on a first name basis, yes really, it is that bad.

Will wanted me to just embrace the darkness and paint it a darker color. We had read somewhere that no matter how bright you paint a dark room, it will never look bright so just go ahead and make it cozy and dark. Will was set on a dark blue color and in a desperate attempt to prove him wrong and hush the debate, I brought home a this paint sample just to show him how bad it would look. Wouldn't you know, he was right??!?! It actually does look better a darker color. :)

on my countertop...

and in my oven...

on my sewing machine...

A thrifted skirt we are currently transforming into an Aerial costume. You will never, and I do mean ever, guess how much this skirt cost to begin with! (more to come after Halloween...)

on my walk...

so many of the old farmhouses and barns that I love around where we live have recently been put for sale or already sold. Then, one of the old houses down the street burned down a few weeks ago and a crew came out on Monday to clear the debris. Now there is just an empty lot sitting where history once stood. It makes my heart heavy every time I drive by. :(

also on my walk...

another empty lot, but this one makes my heart happy. It is my most favorite spot to look at the lake. It has a gorgeous view of the water, the picture does not do it justice. If somebody doesn't build on it soon, I'm going to pitch a tent and live there until they do!

on my porch...

our little family of pumpkins

on my bedside table...

I stayed up last night until 2 am reading because it is so good. I can not put it down!!

on the girls' bedside table...

Last winter we read through all of the Little House books. This spring and summer we've read through many other children's literature classics, but Anna Cate doesn't love any of the them the way she loves her "Laura books." We are starting back at the beginning again and I don't know who is more excited, me or her!

on my heart...

My sweet girls.

Specifically, mothering both my girls in way that they will grow up to be strong women of faith and be equipped to be "keepers of their homes."

in my dvd player...

Wowza! Charlee gave me this workout DVD this summer and I regret to say that I've just started to use it. It is only 20 minutes long, but I am as sore after I've done this workout as I am from the full hour workout at the Firm.

These two chickadees keep me motivated. Anna Cate loves to exercise along with me and asks me every day when we are going to do our workout. :) And of course, Caroline has to do everything Anna Cate does, so they both bounce and jump around the room while I'm trying to focus on the video. Also notice the toilet paper rolls in their hands. These are their dumbells! :)

That is all for now, but I have so much swirling around in my head I hope to be back soon!

Trip to Tiger Town

Clemson's homecoming was this past weekend and we thought it would be a great game to take the girls to (first actual game for both girls). We drove up on Friday and stayed with Charlee and Robbie and then headed over to Clemson the next morning.

Our first stop was Bowman Field to see all of the floats! Some of my most favorite memories from Clemson are from working on FCA's float during homecoming week. I got the worst case of homesickness this year just being on campus. I really almost cried during several different moments during the day because I miss it so much.

Isn't this just the greatest family picture?

Can you tell the sun was in our eyes? :)

Uncle Ben! :)

The girls were great all morning and had a blast running around on Bowman. Things were still looking promising when we took them into the stadium. Anna Cate loved watching the tigers run down the hill and all of the balloons fill the sky. She loved watching the cheerleaders and the marching band.

And then Clemson scored a touch down and the stadium got LOUD and she completely melted down. She just cried and cried, "Mama it is too loud. It hurts my ears."

So I got to take both girls out and walked them around campus until the game was over. Yep, three whole quarters of nothing but fun with two tired little cranky and hungry girls.

I tried everything I could think of to get them to fall asleep and take a nap. Wouldn't you know they only passed out right as the game was ending. And when I say passed out, I mean PASSED OUT.

I guess that is what I get for putting them both in a single stroller!

Oh well, I'll be better prepared next time...

****

Quote of the day:

"Mama, when the tigers run down the hill, will they be in cages?"

:)

Fluffing for Fall

The weather is finally hinting that fall temperatures are on the way, so the girls and I have had fun this week seeing how we could cozy up the house on a budget.

Basket of apples and pumpkins on a burlap table runner. And let me recommend these yummy candles, Pumpkin Spice, from Wal-mart. They smell scrumdiddlyumptous! (and I usually don't like any other scent than plain old vanilla)

Do you know how ridiculously expensive wreaths can be?!? I was shocked when I saw the price tags for $60 - $100 in Hobby Lobby!

...on to plan B...

We made this one with some burlap, fabric scraps, and a straw wreath from the thrift store for under $8.00. And I LOVE it more than anything I found in the stores. :) Used this tutorial as inspiration, but tweaked it to make our own.

With some branches from the yard, a few pumpkins, and flowers we gussied up the mantel. I'm not loving the flowers in the branches, but they needed a little something on them. I'm still looking for something else to put up there...

and oh yes, we painted our den. Not for fall, though the bluish-grey color definitely cozies the room up significantly.

Budget Breakdown:

bag of 5 small pumpkins- $2.78 Wal-mart

bag of 3 yellow pumpkins - $2.78 Wal-mart

2 medium sized pumpkins - $2.50 Wal-mart

2 pumpkin spice candles - $5.00 Wal-mart

1 1/2 yards of burlap - $3.00 Joanns

poly satin remnants for flowers - $1.00 Joanns

wreath from goodwill - $0.80 Goodwill

basket from goodwill - $1.00 Goodwill

1 bunch of fake flowers & leaves - $1.00 Dollar Tree

branches on mantel - free our yard :)

Grand Total = $19.86...just under our $20 budget!

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And speaking of things for the home, this was delivered to my front door yesterday:

Carrie introduced me to this stuff a year ago. Not only does it smell devine, but it cleans like nobody's business! I haven't found any other natural cleaner that leaves my countertops and table shiny and smelling so dog-gone good. I'm serious, I'll look for things to clean in my house just so I can smell the stuff. :)

Target now carries the Caldrea line, but they don't offer the Sea Salt Neroli scent and I'm addicted to that particular scent. I finally broke down and bought a bottle of my very own and it arrived yesterday. I found it online at Organize.com, and the bottle is $12.00 and will last you about a year. My package came with a $5 off code if anybody else is interested in ordering any. The first person to e-mail me gets the code. :) it would basically cover shipping

*****

update: code has already been spoken for! but it is still a good deal without the coupon because this stuff lasts sooooo long.

Exercise for the Soul - for myself and those who love them too

He is 93. She is 87.

We visit in the afternoons, bringing smiles and distraction from the waiting.

The girls run circles, squeal, and turn flips on the floor where they play. They crawl up into the wheelchair and walker and take turns pushing each other around the room.

How long do we have and how many more visits like this? The mingling of ages between these extremes - the very beginning and the very end.

And with a heavy heart I rejoice

Thank you Lord for this moment. For the opportunity to share my grandparents with my children. To hear the same stories that were told to me 20 years ago, to hear them again, and from the same voice.

And will she remember?

Will you teach me how to knit Caws?

Her tiny, white fingers next to the gnarled and spotted ones, full of wisdom from a life full lived.

You take this piece of yarn,…yes, like this, and hold it over…

that’s right.

And she asks all the questions so similar to the ones I also had.

But what did you do, a long long time ago before grocery stores?

For vegetables, we had a garden. For meat, we had chickens.

But what about for milk, I’m saying?

Oh, for milk? Yes, well we had a cow.

Lord, thank you, thank you for this time, for this family, for this intertwining of generations and for all the love unspoken.

And I watch, taking it all in and experiencing them as great-grandparents to little ones. Getting to witness first hand what it must have been like when I was so young, but memories are too faded to remember.

Hey pretty girl! he teases and she squeals and eyes sparkle.

He reaches out from his confined chair to tickle her with the same hands I remember well.

I can close my eyes and can feel those hands, dirty from the weeding, looking over the rash or cut that needed to be cared for. People would tell me of his hands. His miracle-worker hands. The ones that saved them from their cancer, the ones that healed and stitched and played God. But I never knew that man.

To me, he was the one who made the garden grow.

Not many words were shared, but a magnitude of awe and respect.

I would run through fresh rows, trying to remember to stay off of the top part so as to not crush the new life blooming in the soft mounds.

Would you like some coke Dandy?

Well, thank you shug. It’s hot out here today he would say he as leaned back on the tractor, finishing the glass in one gulp.

And handing me back the empty glass, with his deep southern drawl he would offer I thank you mam!

Yes sir.

I would take the empty glass back, crossing over the broken earth, filled with a haunting awe for a man that I did not really know.

The same short conversation played over every day.

But now he is softened, and so is she.

As they hang here at the end of life, there is a sweetness there that wasn’t present before, and I am allowed the privilege to bear witness as they delight in their great-grands.

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

Proverbs 17:6

Love at First Site

As soon as I saw this print on etsy, I knew I had to have it to hang in the playroom by the bookcases.

Wonder why? ;)

and P.S. - the print is just as precious in person. You can find it here.

Twinkies on a Trike

These were taken yesterday morning while playing outside in the yard before heading off to school.

Anna Cate wore braids for the first time and she asked me to take a picture.

I love this picture and all of these sweet girls!

We had an impromptu picnic after school and I had my camera in the car from taking pictures earlier in the morning.

I love that the "big" girls are holding the "little" girls' hands.

Somebody Started School

Anna Cate started pre-school last Tuesday so we had a little family celebration the night before with a picnic at the lake. I realize now (thank you Will) ;) that it was a little over-the-top, but I think I process things by creating "distractions" for myself. To say I was emotional about my first born starting school would be an understatement so I think I overcompensated by planning something special to celebrate! Instead of dwelling on the fact that she is growing up, I busied myself with glitter, frosting, and scrap-booking paper. I seriously didn't think it was that bad until the people driving by in the boat (in the last picture) yelled out "Happy Birthday!" and I just got "the look" from Will. :) Ok, well, guess he was right.

We did make some fun memories that night and I hope it will become a tradition for our family.

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First Day of School Picture

"Anna Cate, smile sweetie!"

"Ok, good job, but try to look at me and keep your eyes open."

"Sweetheart, a smile, I need a smile.

Aren't you excited to start your first day of school?"

"great job!"

The first day wasn't so bad after all...both she and I did great! And it is nice to have some one-on-one time with Caroline. I forgot how easy it is with just one at home! :)