Since early September she’s been using it – too ugly (paint started peeling from the first moment of setting the laptop on it), too small (notice laptop sitting on small table to left of desk), with a keyboard pull out…

back on track… I asked Him to help me get a desk for her ‘today’, the kids have their High School Retreat this weekend – so I knew I had tonight and all day tomorrow to clean and organize.

He did!

He blessed beyond what I could imagine. Target had the desk I wanted, but it was $30 more in the store than online and online was a sale making it actually $50 more. I decided wasn’t going to to it. Then I turned around, and there was the matching bookshelf with 2 doors I’ve watched since it came out – on clearance for $46, not $146, but $46!!!! but there wasn’t one in the box on the shelf, so I took the paper to customer service to ask if they had more. They did! In the process I found out they would honor the online price for the desk too. I got both the desk and shelf hutch for less than the original cost of the desk in the store!

This is the whole of my living room since putting the couch this way in September, to accommodate a second desk. It was always a mess. I couldn’t stand it. See those two boxes – that’s the desk and shelf. They don’t look that big on the shelves in Target :-). It was like this 24 hours – several of those hours my two youngest nieces were here – put a damper on playing (so I was that auntie and let them watch a movie in the morning), but they made a nice place to color and eat snacks :-D!

Besides all that – am so excited for another reason! I am starting to understand His love for me, as His daughter, more and He cares for the “little” things too.

I realize a desk I like in my living room is not earth-shattering by any stretch of my imagination. I am not a go-out-and-buy whatever person (even if I had the money, I wouldn’t). I am cheap, cheap, cheap and like to come up with my own solutions, but I have exhausted all my options not including buying a ready-made desk.

• I still have to earn an income. (should I not have spent money on a desk?)
• I still have to learn how to run a business. (income I’m getting now is soon going to go away – elections are here in just over 3 weeks)
• Groceries & gas prices continue to go up. (this just flat out scares me, I can’t cut any more out.)

There are much more urgent needs than a desk, I’ve listed just a few….but, He is bigger than all of those. Those are circumstances. He is God.

Guess what I’m doing tonight :-D?!

Day 10 of 31 Days

The post Blessed Beyond appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

I’m not so sure compartmentalizing is a good thing; but it is how I process and organize life in my head. Everything has a place and everything belongs in it’s place. I have enough OCD tendencies to be bothered by what isn’t in place. [it really should be CDO – duh, put them alphabetically!]

Remember that snow globe I talked about? well. since then it is as if someone has shaken my snow globe mercilessly, then pulled the plug so all the water drained out. Last week I felt as if I was the snowman in the globe: all of a sudden I couldn’t breathe, everyone was looking at me [not really, just felt that way] and I needed to get my “stuff” [the snow all over, stuck to the sides, not where it belongs] put away. For several days I wasn’t sure if the globe had even been set down right-side up. I was that shaken.

All I could remember and focus on was:

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

He is in control. All is for His glory.

He will meet me where I am. [it is not about what I can or can’t do]

Because of His grace and forgiveness, I get to spend eternity in heaven.

I couldn’t come up with references. I just knew them to be true facts and the core of my foundation. He met me where I was and didn’t expect me to get it right, let alone be perfect.

I did end up having an emotional breakthrough/breakdown with a dear group of women who prayed very graciously for my children & I – after I fell apart sobbing. Not something I appreciate doing, especially in a group. The Lord then gifted me with getting to have my two sweet nieces (2.5 & 3 mos) for a few hours that same day – I got to snuggle baby while we both slept. It was heavenly. I was exhausted as we continued the ‘normal’ routine of life. When I woke up the next morning feeling renewed & refreshed in life.

I’ve had five days of trying to get caught up on all the things I’d planned to do the first week of January. I hardly have commitments out of the house, but man you get a little bit behind and it is hard to catch up! So anyway – today. Today, I found out because of federal regulations, I have to have a ‘real’/finished floor in my living room.

Shouldn’t this be exciting?!

Instead I’m silly & grieving. Shame on me for being so whiny. But I really like my floor. I have it unfinished on purpose. My floor is a shabby painted plywood subfloor. It helps me think of my house as a cabin getaway, it is comforting to me to come home to.

Let me back up a bit, in August 2011 I ripped the carpet out of my living room. I hadn’t liked it for several years; it was 14 years old, I’d lived on it for the last 12 of those 14 years. I hadn’t liked it for about 9 of those 14 years. Got the point? I didn’t like the carpet. [I also suspected it was a large source of headaches for me. I’d been well being gone from home for 6 weeks, walked in the door and had an instant headache. It wasn’t just dislike for my carpet.] Well, there was a bit of mis-communication and I thought it was okay with my dad – as long as he didn’t get roped into bailing me out. After it was done and over, too late to go back – I found out this wasn’t the case. He was sure I would hate the plywood, I was sure I wouldn’t. I lived on the bare plywood for a while. [note: the reason my dad’s opinion matters is because, ultimately, it is his house. He really isn’t a freak. However, he does like things done right and finished all the way. He doesn’t do half jobs.]

Then I found $5 mistint paint in the perfect color & I did a horrible job painting, which just made it better! I have LOVED my living room floor. I feel as if my living room has character. Other than frustrating my dad, I have never, ever regretted ripping the carpet out. Not one teensy, weensy bit.

Yes, some would think my unfinished floor is icky.

No, it’s not perfect.

No, it’s not ‘normal’.

No it’s not polished.

No, it’s not finished.

Yes, there is a gap between the subfloor & the trim and there have been no trim pieces put in for transition into kitchen, bath, or bed room.

But, I love it just the way it is. It is reflective of me, and Jesus loves me just the way I am.

It has “character”. It makes me smile each time I come home. It feels comfy to me. If I like it then it should be fine – right?  Yes, I realize it is ‘normal’ to have finished floors, in particular most these days have laminate flooring. While, I would prefer laminate over carpet, I like the uniqueness of my floor. The freedom to not have to be worried about scratching it. It seldom looks dirty, even painted as light as it is. I love the laminate in my kitchen. But I really, really like my rough, painted, plywood floor.

However, “they” say it isn’t good enough. One person marked it on a form as unfinished, another won’t let it go.

So. Today, I am grieving the fact I have to put in a normal, finished floor.

Yes. I am silly, but I’m being honest.

For some reason WordPress isn’t uploading any pictures for me right now – and I want to go to bed. So, here is a recent’ish photo of the corner of my living room with my shabby painted floor. My floor I like. My floor I have to give up.

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Ironically – in my mind don’t put blogs in the same classification – even though they are a virtual relationship as well.  I guess because you can’t fake it as long and posts are more deliberately thought out.  You see a more real side of a person through their blog – what drives them to write, how they write about life’s experiences, etc.  As time goes on – readers can sense the writer’s heart, whether they are insincere, down, or encouraged about something.

So, on that note….  Donna from Funky Junk Interiors put out a challenge last week – pick out a scary thing in life that we’ve been wanting to do but have numerous reasons {excuses} not to do, and do it within the week.   I wouldn’t classify this in the status of a dream want to do…but of necessity.  And it scares me.

What is that big, scary thing that I’ve been putting off & needed the nudge to do? It’s actually pretty simple…facebook for my blog – I have had a personal facebook account for several years, I just don’t use it.  I got it when I was a youth group leader to communicate with my kids, since they’ve all graduated I login when I want to message someone, or they message me.  So basically, I’m dead weight on facebook.  Is that too weird?  Are there others of you who understand what I’m saying?

However, because I blog (and in general spend way too much time online) I see the benifits, and so many people having fun and enjoying more day-to-day life friendships/relationships with their blog friends.  I tend to sit on the outskirts, the sidelines, and watch &/or listen in crowds in real life – no different really in blogging.  I’ve been on the sidelines for a while.  To me, posting a status update on facebook is too much like getting up on stage and commanding attention (how is this different on a blog?  I don’t know, other than you choose to come see me rather than me forcing conversation).  I guess I extend that “okay’ness” to a blog related facebook.  Again, only those who really want to be there will.

So, I started a facebook for my blog a while back….but didn’t make it public.  I got frustrated trying to figure out if when I post on the blog facebook will everyone on my other facebook account see it — I don’t want them too.  I feel as if I’ve intruded into others’ privacy when I see every article, you tube, pin to pinterest, or a conversation between people that should be private on facebook.  But I see so many other blogs’ talk about facebook – you guys have made it all look so enticing, I want to join the fun……{can you tell I’m scared to death here?}…. I’m stalling.and rambling.big time.  *deep breathe*

Okay, keep breathing…I’m trying to talk myself into writing this – committing myself to it.  Honestly, this is stupid, I’m teary from fear! Ugh…


This is the thing — I want to participate with other blogs, with like minded blogger-friends.  Not broadcast everything I’m doing, looking at, or reading to everyone who knows me (or my family) personally — so many of my real-life friends don’t blog or homeschool, so they don’t want to necessarily see/read the things I do.  To do it anyway was too much like standing up in the middle of a seated crowd and screaming to get attention – for me.

So – my facebook & pinterest are now “public”.  *phew*  I did it.

Actually, I can not lie – in the end I accidentally published the facebook page.  I clicked on what I thought was a ‘learn more’ link, but it published the page. — so ha! the joke’s on me.  All that and no computer melt down or large crashing sound to signal it’s published, or I did something wrong.  Now what do I do?

I have to explain about the pinterest account – for some reason when I originally tried to sign up it kept rejecting my facebook login…so I had to start a Twitter account so I could have Pinterest.  Every variation of my name I could think of was already in use, so I’m Alaskamom.  I just tried changing the username of my Pinerest, but it can only be 15 characters and my blog name is 17.  I didn’t want to re-start with new pin boards, so I am linking to my existing account.  You, my reader-friends, please, if you’re so inclined – go find me, so I can know who you are.

Next on my list…get this blog moved over to my new domain, and figure out those cute buttons I see everywhere for facebook & Pinterest.  …okay, here goes.  I’m going to hit publish…maybe.

Well, if you’re actually reading this – I finally did it! {sigh}, why are some simple things, so incredibly difficult?  Thank you for walking with me through this.

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{Important Note} I want to make a simple statement with complex depth – I know I am incredibly blessed.Not only does my immediate family get along well and love each other incredibly; my extended family is no different.There are now 29 of us (first cousins, spouses, and children) plus our 2 sets of parents; we have an amazing family heritage that none of us take for granted.We currently live in 3 states; 6 towns/cities; and 2 countries.

(our 2011 continued…)

mid-June: We landed late Friday night the 16th, my cousin J picked us up and took us to their house. My aunt & uncle were there as well for overnight because they’d driven up from Madison, WI. Saturday morning we all (11 of us – 5 adults + 6 children) piled into two suburbans and drove to N & C’s, house 2 hours away.We spent a couple days there with all of us (18) in one house and had a blast!

A little note of explanation: I grew up with my two brothers, three boy cousins (there are two more cousins, but I didn’t grow up with them), and family friends with three boys. At the time my cousins lived just up the road from us, I have many fond memories of all our family gatherings. They were good years with many good times. Now, 25+ years later we all have children and our kids all get along very well. Eight years ago my kids and I were living in my old childhood home to help take care of my grandparents (my dad’s parents). Three weeks after we got there my grandma passed away; shortly after my grandpa started kidney dialysis three times per week. My kids and I were able to stay on and help with his adjustment of not having grandma after nearly 60 years of marriage and the effects of dialysis. At that time N & C lived across the field and we got to know each other real well; it was so much fun.It was fun to have an adult relationship with my cousin; his wife, C, and I get along real well and have similar interests.

Then we went multiple directions for the week. My aunt & uncle returned to Madison and my kids and I followed J & K back to their house, near the border of MN and WI. It was really fun to hang out with J & K and their kids. We didn’t know them as well because we hadn’t had the chance while living with Grandpa to spend time together. On Monday evening K & I, with the kids, joined J at the Science Museum in Minneapolis. WOW! We’ve never been to such a big museum – it was a ton of fun. J explained so much more to the kids and made it so much fun – Science is his thing. 🙂 The rest of the week was spent getting to know each other better, late night visits, and my first antique store visit – in general lots of just hanging out together. It was cool & rainy and so much fun to spend the time just drinking coffee, visiting, and holding baby Gregory. One day we went to walk along the river, but there was a painting class all set up along the bank and at the “mouth” of the trail we had planned to walk – because it was cold & windy we decided not to disturb them to get 6 children past, just to turn around and come back … but we got good cousin pictures by the bridge :-)!

On Friday, my kids & I headed out to Madison on our own. It was very strange, it is landscape I recognize, remember, and love – so much farm country; yet it seemed so foreign too. We drove it several times when we were living there six years ago, but this time it was just us – without Grandpa. We went to Madison to celebrate my Uncle’s retirement. It was a wonderful weekend with many friends and family. Saturday morning a family friend (my aunts best friend) invited all of us to breakfast, then she took Christine & I to the capital for a tour. I didn’t know this was an interest of Christine’s but she LOVED it!  Then we went to Hobby Lobby (my first time ever!), we had to be quick …it was so hard. There was so much that was fun, but it wouldn’t fit in my luggage to get back to Alaska! When we got back to the house, N & C had arrived with their kids. My aunt & uncle’s landlord are very good friends of theirs; they have lived side-by-side in the duplex for nearly 20 years. Anyway, the landlord’s friends had invited us (kids and our children) to use their pool on Saturday afternoon. All of the kids loved the heated pool on a beautiful, sunny day. They played hard for a couple hours. Then we all went back and started to get everything finished up for Sunday’s party. C and I ran out to get a few more groceries and other items needed for the party. We did sneak another quick trip into Hobby Lobby, then Wal-mart, and brought back dinner. Sunday after church was the retirement party, clean up, and a late evening bonfire. So many friends and family were there, some I hadn’t seen since I was in 6^th grade. Then on Monday the guys were doing some packing and loading trucks, so we girls (16 of us) went to Olbrich Gardens. It was so much fun. My aunt, cousin, Christine & I went when we visited with Grandpa once and it was fun to go back. The rest of them had gone in different groups over the last year as well. When we got back to the house it was time for lunch and then N, C, and I with all our children (7 total) piled into the two vehicles and headed north. Only two came with C & I in the car, N took the other 5 and pulled the trailer. It was fun – so much happened in such a short amount of time!

N and C live near where I spent many happy childhood years growing up in northern Wisconsin. We spent the week hanging out, they live on a lake and the kids were wet and/or fishing most of every day. Tuesday evening C & I drove an hour to Sam’s Club in Duluth, MN, just to find they had closed a half hour before we got there. We were getting the groceries needed for the upcoming 4^th of July weekend…so we did a little other shopping and headed back home knowing we’d head back up Friday morning when the guys were going to go south to get a bunch of wheat. The weekend ahead was going to be 30 of us all staying at the same house. We spent the next couple days just relaxing and enjoying hanging out, much like the week prior – just a different family of cousins. Thursday night we had a plan and all was going well – my uncle would be coming in early AM, from Madison, and the guys, all of them even the 2 year old, were going to drive south to get the wheat. By noon, C & I and the 4 girls (ages 12, 10, 9, & 7) were going to drive north to do a girl day of shopping and get the groceries we didn’t get on Tues. The other 19 family/friends would then arrive Saturday morning.

July 1^st – 6:45am Friday morning started a bit stressful and not very fun, and the day went downhill from there – with an absolutely wonderful afternoon in the middle. So, very early in the morning N realized the water pump had gone out during the night. He was able to get a hold of a family friend who has a plumbing business, he said he’d stop by on his way to another job. He actually had the part and was able to get the pump fixed and up and running. Then we all loaded up to head out, the guys to the south and the girls to the north. We girls had a blast; I have never been on a shopping trip like that before. So much fun to just go from girly place to girly place and hear our girls’ hearts being filled with love just from hangin’ with us. We even found a few good deals and some more summer clothes (we hadn’t taken cool enough clothes for mid-west summer). When we walked out of the mall it was starting to sprinkle, one of the little ones was so excited to have a new umbrella and wanted to use it….well, the rain went from little sprinkles to DUMPING about half way to the car! She got to use her umbrella and many were taking cover with her before getting to the car. Those of us not under the umbrella were soaked, thoroughly. It continued to dump, hard. We decided to not go to a restaurant for dinner, but just head to Sam’s Club, the girls were all so content they were fine with just eating at Sam’s. We got our groceries and when we were leaving Sam’s it was raining so hard C could barely see while driving down the hill out of Duluth and across the bridge. It was about 7pm and we were headed back towards the house, but first needed to stop at Wal-mart (in Superior) to get a few more items. By the time we got to town we were aware there was really unfriendly weather all around us. Icky colored sky and dumping rain with thunder & lightening. We started hearing on the news there were tornado warnings and the wind was starting to blow like crazy….We were doing lots of praying and singing along with KLOVE to keep from going totally over the edge of being freaked. We knew Who was in control of all the circumstances and we just kept reminding ourselves & each other. C was in contact with her family who were camped at a campground near her house and found out they had just been told to leave, she told them to all go to her house even though there was no power in the area. In talking to C’s brother-in-law, who was on his way to her house (instead of the campground), he had to cut his way down the highway with his chainsaw. Okay, we were freaked. However, God had everything so orchestrated — we met up with our guys at the crossroads of the two highways – us driving south, them coming north, and we all needed to drive east. We were able to pass them some snacks and then we were off; from that point on we followed them. As they drove north they saw the mass destruction from the storm, where we came from the north and it was just rain. As we followed them, we often had to drive on the opposite side of the road because only the tops of the trees had been cut and that was just to clear one side of the road. By the time we got to the house it was 10pm. (what should have been a 30-45 min drive had been nearly 2 hours) There were three trees across the driveway that C’s BIL cut to get into the driveway. We then had to unload all the groceries in the pitch black with just headlights and flashlights to see with. All the freezer/frig food was sorted so it could all be put into the frig/freezer at once. As we drove and saw the destruction we knew the power would not be back on any time soon. The next morning the guys got us a generator and the rest of our family came. We proceeded to have a wonderful weekend! We spent the 4^th of July floating down the Namekagon River (and getting majorly sunburned!).

The rest of our time was spent enjoying each other; coffee and diet coke with lime; lots of hanging out; visiting; coffee and diet coke; swimming; fishing; enjoying the pontoon boat, with coffee or diet coke (of course) depending on time of day – morning, afternoon, or evening. After all the other families returned to their homes and we got the house back into order after a weekend of no water or power, but LOTS of fellowship; C and I took the kids into Superior. Superior is where I spent seven wonderful years of childhood; it was so fun to see places that are familiar and things really haven’t changed much. It’s not a city. I got to go into my first ever quilt store with the intention of buying material. We let the kids watch a movie in the car while we went in – it was soooo much fun to see all the variety, choose some, and then actually purchase it! {That could be addicting!!!!} I’m used to going in to touch and feel, but not buy. I’ve typically purchased fabric from Jo-Ann’s and their selection of good feeling material is much smaller {sigh} Anyway, the next day we went to another town half way to J & K’s (we had to do some return kid swapping) and went into an antique store, another quilt store and then the three of us took all 11 children to see Cars2. In the end the three youngest didn’t do so well in the movie, so it was eight children and myself who watched it all then walked the couple blocks to the scrapbook store……oh, the fun of tons of kids and family and all being together. Love it! After that, we had just a week of hanging and being slow when it was time to pack and head to J & K’s again for the last couple days. J was gone on a business trip so C and her kids joined in staying at J & K’s. The last couple days was more hanging (with coffee and diet coke with lime), packing (with coffee and diet coke with lime), and visiting (with more coffee and diet coke with lime) – what we didn’t do was sleep. The last afternoon K took the kids & I to the airport – it was so hard to say goodbye. Is it not a most amazing blessing to spend a month with family and still have it hard to say goodbye – on both sides?! Thank you C and K for your amazing, generous, and kind hearts – I love you both so much!

Rest of July & August:We flew back to Alaska on the 15^th. Within 18 hours of landing (at 11pm) we had come home, unpacked, washed laundry, slept a couple hours, got up, re-packed, re-loaded the van and headed to our family cabin six hours away. It is a six hour drive, then a half hour boat ride, then a half mile hike up the hill…At that point, I slept. Two days later Vince turned 14! Two days after that Christine, my mom, and I headed back home.Vince stayed to work on the new cabin with my dad. Once home again I started some house projects and minimal organizing…as well as finishing unpacking and actually putting some stuff away.(Finally, just three days ago I finished putting away some things from our trip that I’d unpacked, set down, and never got back to!) I actually started my first house project I’ve wanted to do for several years. I will post more on this later, but the end of July I ripped out my living room carpet! My dad wasn’t (still isn’t) impressed. I love it! My living room is just the plywood sub-floor (now painted), but I love it, Love IT, LOVE IT!

September: Before I knew it, it was time to start school! Then an opportunity came up for Vince and I to join my dad on a trip to Washington DC. I was so excited! I have wanted to go to Washington DC and the East Coast for forever (seriously, since I was like 8). Many hours were spent deciding what we would do in our time there. September went really fast with all kinds of life – cleaning, school, the fair, work, some projects, and lots of DC planning.

October: We had four days of exploring and a day before and after for travel days. Did you know that it takes 10 hours to get from Anchorage to DC and that was with a fairly quick stop over in Seattle; the trip back took us 18 hours! (we had an added stop over in LA) Christine stayed with mom; she didn’t want to go with us – she didn’t want to do the massive walking we were going to be doing. It was really cool to go and be with Vince; he was amazing on the subway! There were times I got a bit freaked about how far below ground we were – and going under a river – ack! We never got lost- once we were a block off from where we thought we’d come up from underground, but yea for my iPhone – we were able to find our location in moments. We didn’t make it into as many of the Smithsonian’s as I would have tried to see; I let Vince be the ‘driver’ of where we went and what we saw. We went to the Air & Space Museum – twice :-D! We stood in line and went into the Capital, but once we were inside we decided we really wanted to wait for someday, with Christine. She loves seeing capital buildings. It was close to 70* each day, we didn’t bring cool enough clothes – it was October. I brought layers, but the lightest ones were more than we needed. We were warm and walked lots! By the time we returned from DC we were four weeks from my brother Zach and his wife and kids to come home from the Philippines. This was the magical month I got to get my new camera – a Nikon D3100! So excited and anxious to learn more!! Lots more house projects, organizing, and cleaning were started, but I also had an unexpected increase in my work load which really changed things up.

November & December: Zach, Jane, and their kids arrived on the 7^th of November. Since then it has been lots of family – all day, every day. Five adults, five children, three generations, three sets of parents, three sets of siblings, two spousal sets, and a set of cousins all living in the same main 1600sf house (my apartment and the cabin in the back yard are not included in that) makes for fun times. When my other brother, his wife, and their little one come here that adds another parental set, spousal set, and cousin set to the mix of our immediate family of 13. We have had an incredibly, abundantly more than we could imagine, family-full holiday season. In November I was able to get my new sewing machine – for 14 years I’ve used a 1942 Viking Husqvarna. I still love that machine greatly – however, I really needed more than straight front and back stitching. {I’m sure more will come on this later :-D} Within three weeks it will be just my brother Matt and his family and my kids and I here. We will be back to living in two countries and two towns in Alaska. Crazy how accessible the world is now. I remember when cheap communication was snail mail and that took at least a week to get from the lower 48 to Alaska…now we can instantly talk to family via video when they’re in the Philippines – for free.

And that wraps up 2011. None of what I have written even goes into all the personal growth I experienced this last year, or even so many things I learned. What I feel comfortable broadcasting on the internet will come out in bits and pieces as time goes by I’m sure. For now though this is a nutshell of the big events of our last year.

….notice none of this very long winded year in review covered anything basic like crafting, organizing, home school, and being a mom to two. :-D! I promise, I won’t have more posts that are this long winded. And, I will start putting in photos of projects that have happened around this house over the last year and new projects I’ve been working on — like the doll clothes I made last week. So fun! Thanks for reading – if you’ve actually read all of this you’ve learned more about me :-).

The post More states, more family…more of 2011’s many adventures appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

Fall – one of many favorite times of year for me.
I am always ready for fall and the color changes…it also signals school supplies, books, and schedules (more favorites for me) :)!

A beautiful day on our local lake.
Bumpa with all his grand kids checking out how the boat rides.
Getting ready to head to Whittier. 4 of the 5 boys in our family went for a guy’s only trip with the boat to Whittier.

These were the two boys who couldn’t contain their grins, the big boys were excited too – they just didn’t show it quite as much. They had a beautiful day and a wonderful time was had by all. 

Vince created this ‘bread bowl’ for the campaign dinner mom & dad had last week. It is his cabbage leaves inside a birch basket. He really enjoys cooking and presenting food – this is a good thing :).Christine has started Rhythmic Gymnastics and is loving it! For several years she has wanted to do this, I’ve held off because I figured she was too young to really appreciate and practice what she learned. I think it worked – she is practicing all the time, she’s stretching further and further. She can hula hoop for a long time and controlled balance spin it on her hand too.

She has come so far in such a short time! Yes, she is hula hooping 2 hoops at the same time. That is a bridge on her toes!!!!

This was my creative outlet this weekend…3 pairs of jeans became 2 skirts for CJ.

To make a long skirt I had to use 2 pairs of jeans. Somewhere I saw this online, but I couldn’t find it again. Doesn’t matter, I probably wouldn’t have followed the directions anyway. 🙂 Christine loved that she got to pick the heart shaped stitching for the hem and the zig-zag is decorative.

This was a pair of Vince’s painter pants. I loved that I could keep the side pocket. The opposite leg had a hole split totally across the knee it was close, but I got it to work. The ruffle I had sitting done already, it was for a flower girl dress I didn’t make because we found one instead – and it was the perfect size! Vince isn’t real sure what he thinks of his jeans’ 2nd life. (I think he’s secretly pleased :)…shhhh!) He’s informed me I won’t disgrace his Carharts….we’ll see. 🙂 The other skirt was my favorite, until I made this one. 

There have been many changes for our little family of 3 this fall. I worked all but 2 days of the fair – wow! That was a really fun experience and I got to work with a wonderful team of people. Mom kept my kids, thanks Mom!! They were long days, but we all are able to now really appreciate I don’t have to work 10-12 hour days all the time for us just to live.

We are entering 6 weeks of school times 2. We are home schooling and enjoying life. In August I became a full-time student too, my classes are all online so I’m home with the kids and we do school together. I’ve also just started working a part-time job. It is a job the kids can come with me and so far they are enjoying working along side me. This is a new venture for us – for me to work outside our home, long-term, not just for a couple weeks. We are also working around 2 youth group schedules. My kids are Seniors this year and Vince is Middle School! Yes, I’m tired, but content and know these are all things that were waiting for the right timing. For whatever reason the right timing is now – all at once! The kids are old enough for this to work and we are happy. God is in control and He puts His plan in front of us. It is up to us what we choose to do with that direction.

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Serves 1:
Be blessed with amazing friends – the ones God gives you.
Excess of emotion – good or bad, what ever quantity is leaking out
Not enough sleep – only if you want to be extra loopy 🙂
Pain mixed with joy – NOT in equal amounts, God determines how much of each
Enough of God’s grace to cover everything
Mix with prayer & choose to focus on the glory of Christ.
Share with a friend or 2 who have mixed up their own batch. (otherwise this will fail)

Hickory – he really is a good puppy.

My very first rose bud! It smelled so wonderful!

Mom’s flowers on her deck – they’re just pretty.

It started to rain, not just a little bit, but DUMPING rain!

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Fall – one of many favorite times of year for me.
I am always ready for fall and the color changes…it also signals school supplies, books, and schedules (more favorites for me) :)!

A beautiful day on the lake.
Bumpa with all his grand kids checking out how the boat rides.

Getting ready to head to Whittier. 4 of the 5 boys in our family went for a guy’s only trip with the boat to Whittier.

These were the two boys who couldn’t contain their grins, the big boys were excited too – they just didn’t show it quite as much. They had a beautiful day and a wonderful time was had by all.

Vince created this ‘bread bowl’ for the campaign dinner mom & dad had last week. It is his cabbage leaves inside a birch basket. He really enjoys cooking and presenting food – this is a good thing :).

Christine has started Rhythmic Gymnastics and is loving it! For several years she has wanted to do this, I’ve held off because I figured she was too young to really appreciate and practice what she learned. I think it worked – she is practicing all the time, she’s stretching further and further. She can hula hoop for a long time and controlled balance spin it on her hand too.

She has come so far in such a short time! Yes, she is hula hooping 2 hoops at the same time. That is a bridge on her toes!!!!

This was my creative outlet this weekend…3 pairs of jeans became 2 skirts for CJ.

To make a long skirt I had to use 2 pairs of jeans. Somewhere I saw this online, but I couldn’t find it again. Doesn’t matter, I probably wouldn’t have followed the directions anyway. 🙂 Christine loved that she got to pick the heart shaped stitching for the hem and the zig-zag is decorative.

This was a pair of Vince’s painter pants. I loved that I could keep the side pocket. The opposite leg had a hole split totally across the knee it was close, but I got it to work. The ruffle I had sitting done already, it was for a flower girl dress I didn’t make because we found one instead – and it was the perfect size! Vince isn’t real sure what he thinks of his jeans’ 2nd life. (I think he’s secretly pleased :)…shhhh!) He’s informed me I won’t disgrace his Carharts….we’ll see. 🙂 The other skirt was my favorite, until I made this one.

There have been many changes for our little family of 3 this fall. I worked all but 2 days of the fair – wow! That was a really fun experience and I got to work with a wonderful team of people. Mom kept my kids, thanks Mom!! They were long days, but we all are able to now really appreciate I don’t have to work 10-12 hour days all the time for us just to live.

We are entering 6 weeks of school times 2. We are home schooling and enjoying life. In August I became a full-time student too, my classes are all online so I’m home with the kids and we do school together. I’ve also just started working a part-time job. It is a job the kids can come with me and so far they are enjoying working along side me. This is a new venture for us – for me to work outside our home, long-term, not just for a couple weeks. We are also working around 2 youth group schedules. My kids are Seniors this year and Vince is Middle School! Yes, I’m tired, but content and know these are all things that were waiting for the right timing. For whatever reason the right timing is now – all at once! The kids are old enough for this to work and we are happy. God is in control and He puts His plan in front of us. It is up to us what we choose to do with that direction.

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July 11, 2009

God blessed us with the absolutely most gorgeous day possible.

The guys went clam digging early this morning.

We girls slept and got up leisurely.

Sun. Heat. Perfect Breezes. All day long.

Walk along the beach at 9pm.

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