Comment verification

I just wanted to give you all a head's up... comment verification has been implemented for the time being as the spam has increased exponentially.   Once it slows back down (or stops completely) I'll drop off the verification.  Thank you so very  much for understanding!  I hope that each and every one of you are enjoying the preparations of this holiday season as it quickly approaches!

Have a wonderful day!

A little dining room bling.... my parent's old chandelier!

Happy Wednesday!

First of all, is it really December?  Because I am sure it has been in the 60's for the past few days.... :)

Okay to be honest I've enjoyed being able to open the windows but a certain fellow in our household is really missing winter.  Okay, make that 3 certain fellows! :)

Not a lot noteworthy going on around here, just pitter pattering about finishing up lots of little projects, going to sporting events, sorting, and such.  One of those projects was getting the old chandelier fixed and put up.  You see when my folks were back here in May for Ian's graduation Mom brought it up rather off-handedly.  In fact her exact words were...

"You don't want that old chandelier, do you?"

I jumped at it immediately... "YES!!, I love it... in fact Chris and I were just talking about it not too long ago."

"Why didn't you say something before we drove up? Oh I knew I should have asked you..."

So after more discussion it was decided that it would be shipped.... a few weeks later it arrives.  Over the years the rivets have loosened and I'm sure its jostling in through the post didn't help any.  Its old shiny brass finish was a worn in places but I didn't care I LOVED it!

So fast forward several months, different colors of spray paint, a hot glue episode, a bit of rewiring, bits of reinforcement and reattaching of all the crystals. 

And now she hangs proudly in our dining room.  You see this old gal has a bit of a history... my parents bought her in 1976 while living in Germany.  She is a bit of a world traveler as she graced our homes in... West Germany, Florida, North Carolina, a long stop in Colorado, a time tucked away in Louisiana.    Fast forward to November of 2010 and she now is proudly graces our home.... in Indiana. And who knows where our travels will take us but she will be sure to come along.

(can you tell we're a bit slow in starting the Christmas decoration process? ha ha! but we are getting there... slowly but surely!)

Have a wonderful week!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Today as I sit here watching the sunrise through the fog shrouded fields I can't help but think of all the many blessings bestowed upon us.  Some little, some large but all precious just the same!

• a husband who has served his country well and is once again able to be at home to spend this holiday with our family.
• a son who is employed in this precarious economy, able to work today
• friends who opened their home to us so that we might share this day with them
• family far and wide, even though we don't get to see them often we love them dearly and cherish the times when we are together
• a roof over our heads, small by the standard of some but DEFINITELY more than large enough for our needs... a veritable mansion by the standards of so much of the world... a place we love to call HOME!!
• a LORD who willingly gave HIS own life as a sacrifice and rose again defeating death, ultimately paying the price for my sin and yours.... a gift, as long as we are willing to accept it.  to ask forgiveness, and have HIM as LORD and SAVIOR of our lives!
• a country where we are currently able to worship freely and speak freely about our relationship with the LORD, without fear of reprisal and persecution.
• for another with my family!
• for friends, near and far... in real life and blog wide.  so many near and dear to my heart!

So THANK YOU!  

and have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Family room and general updates

Good morning!  Can you believe today is the day?  Election day!  Which means its November!  And the year is almost over... How can that be?!  I know I've been pretty quiet here... okay, really quiet but we also know that isn't all that uncommon for me.  In fact I've discovered something recently.  I'm like this in real life too... sometimes the chatterbox but often times quiet and contemplative.  That's okay because life if moving so quickly right now that its needed!

So what all has been going on... marching band season is over, swim practice (or rather diving practice) has begun, election day, more clutter clearing, family room decorating, Christmas present making, precious times with family, cooking from scratch (FINALLY again!!),  online courses, prepping for traveling abroad (paris in the spring with the middlest),  painting furniture, weekend day trips, youth activities, making apple sauce, and just enjoying life with my family!

The family room has really come along... most of us like the new layout.  There are a few finishing details to attend to such as the sanding of a set of metal drawers and an old chair, playing a game of darts, getting the chandelier fixed, and hanging said chandelier. Oh I forgot to mention dying the remaining set of curtains.  All in time... :)

So in the past few weeks we have gone from this.....

and this....

(functional but something was missing)

to this

Are we 100% done?  No not yet.  Do you see the light fixture on the orange pillow?  

That would be this piece of loveliness!  It was hanging in most of my childhood homes... well my mom sent it to me recently and yes it does need a little work on it, a bit of re-soldiering in a few places, old broken bulbs removed and then this beauty will be hanging in our family room.  Or maybe the dining room.  We are still trying to decide if we should move the ceiling fan into the family room and hang the chandelier in the dining room or just leave things be.  We shall see... all in due time.

Have a wonderful day!  See you at the polls!!

Returning from Influence... changed

As I sit here this morning watching the sun rise and the mist evaporate off the fields I can't help but be filled with lingering thoughts.  This weekend was powerful, to say the least!  I've had to take a few days to gather my thoughts and my wits about me.... you see this past weekend I went to the Influence Conference.  It was a weekend of discovery for me.  An emotional weekend.   A time where I met incredible women.  women who influenced me more than they can every know. women who i would dearly like to get to know better.  speakers who provoked deep, soul searching moments (which still continue.) A time where I walked away wrecked yet renewed.  It was a time filled with regret. loss. vulnerability. anticipation. longing. passion. discovery.   Regret.... that i allowed overwhelming fear and anxiety to reduce me to someone i'm not.  Loss... of opportunity to be real, to connect, to reach out to others.  Vulnerable... in discovering that "old demons" had crept back in.  Anticipation... of the days ahead growing closer to the Lord and "returning daily to the cross!" longing... for something that i can't quite put my finger on yet but knowing that God is doing a mighty, mighty work right now!!! Passion... deep and abiding for the man I love and for family (sometimes it takes being away to realize how much you miss them and love them..) Discovering... and knowing... that God has a plan! that it would scare the bejeebas out of me to know it all, but finally, FINALLY being content with that. not a complacent contentment but an all abiding, secure in HIS arms contentment! 

So in the days ahead you will be seeing some changes... what?  I'm not sure.... i just know that the Lord is working on me right now and HE has mighty plans for us.  Yes, I do say us... because I know He is working in our family... on our family.  I can tell you this... its not an easy process. and Satan is working hard as well... he doesn't want to see us submit to the Lord's will.  Will I share all that is going on?  No.... some things are too close to my heart.  Will you still find crafts? and projects? painted furniture? food? the occasional recipe? Most definitely YES!  But that is not all... because there are other things in the works.  ideas ruminating. projects & plans forming. lessons being taught. Exciting days!!  yes the days ahead can be (and will be) frightening but that fear will NO longer control me!!! 

So my hope is that you will embrace the changes with me... because changes there will be most definitely be.   and that you will pray for me... to be true to the changes ahead...  to be open to whatever and where ever the LORD leads... to be fearless in the approaching days.

Thank you...

Influence Conference.... ABC's

Wow, can you believe it is Monday already?  Okay so now its Monday night...(hmm how did that happen?!) Thursday is just around the corner... literally!  

Here is another one of the get to know you questions.... 
A- Accent you wish you had
B- Baking or Cooking?
C- Can't Get Enough.....
D- Drink you can't go without
E-Emotion you get when those Hallmark commercials come on
F-Fictional Character you relate to
G-Guilty Pleasure
H- Hometown
I- Ice Cream Flavor
J- Jumpstart Go To (aka how you get your day started)
K- Keepsake Item
L- Life Verse(s)
M-Memory that makes you smile
N- Non-fiction writer you want to have dinner with
O- Opulent Item You Want (something that is way out of your price range)
P-Pattern You Love
Q- Quirk You Have
R- Relaxing Spot
S- Snow or Sun?
T- TV show you miss
U- Unique Fact About You
V- Valentine's Day ...big deal or not?
W- What's Your Love Language?
X- X-Factor Song You Would Sing (sidenote: I don't watch the show...)
Y- Yoga or Not?
Z- Zealous Dream You Have


A- accent??? I would say Australian but then again maybe an Irish brogue would be interesting... growing up we moved a bit so I had an interesting accent which no one could quite place.  As an adult, my southern accent comes out when I'm tired.
B- Baking or Cooking? both but baking is my passion or preserving... as in making delicious jams & jellies!
C- Can't Get Enough.....family vacations/travel especially since our eldest leaves for college next fall & then the middlest graduates.
D- Drink you can't go without...can't come up with anything here.  love coffee, Constant Comment tea, and Italian sodas though!
E-Emotion you get when those Hallmark commercials come on... all warm & fuzzy inside
F-Fictional Character you relate to... 
G-Guilty Pleasure... sleeping in. (gelato)
H- Hometown... I have no hometown as I'm an Army brat, was in the AF for 6 years, and am married to a military man.
I- Ice Cream Flavor... vanilla because you can add so much to it to customize the flavor each & every time.. think nutella or pumpkin pie spice.  (better yet would be gelato!)
J- Jumpstart Go To (aka how you get your day started) ideally... listening to the birds chirp while watching the sunrise with my fingers wrapped around a hot cup of coffee at my husband's side.
K- Keepsake Item... my grandma's quilt she made my parents & all her hankies, our hutch (hubby's family since civil war)
L- Life Verse(s) Isaiah 40:31
M-Memory that makes you smile.... playing in the "irrigation ditch" at my grandparents.
N- Non-fiction writer you want to have dinner with.... ???? 
O- Opulent Item You Want (something that is way out of your price range) the opportunity to live in Europe (Italy, Ireland, France, and Scotland) or Australia/NZ for a year with my family.
P-Pattern You Love....circles, abstract mushrooms, and solids
Q- Quirk You Have... talking with my hands.
R- Relaxing Spot.... curled up in the corner of the sofa w/ a book on a fall day
S- Snow or Sun? having lived in Florida & Alaska this is hard... so I would have to say its 50/50!
T- TV show you miss  The Walton's & JAG
U- Unique Fact About You... 
V- Valentine's Day ...big deal or not? NOT... why show love only one day a year.
W- What's Your Love Language? physical touch, affirmation, & quality time
X- X-Factor Song You Would Sing (sidenote: I don't watch the show...) never seen the show
Y- Yoga or Not? definitely NOT
Z- Zealous Dream You Have.... to own a coffee/tea shop that served sandwiches (think chicken salad w/ dried cranberries, roasted pecans, and bits of granny smith or crispin apple served on hearty whole grain or croissant) tasty pastries and shelves lined with good books for sale & reading, crafts, and all things paper.

Have a great day!

Get to Know You Part 2... the Influence Conference

Get to Know You Part 2

I have to say I am really enjoying this "series" as there are some vibrant ladies out there that I am getting to know a little better or just meeting in the first place.  I have to admit I am a little nervous!  I mean yes my children are older and I HAVE been away from them before but this coming weekend has a lot going on.  I mean it will be the first time I won't be there for the ISSMA regional marching band competition.  This is big for me.... you see this might be our last year as Sean is undecided about band in his senior year.  I love watching him perform, the smile it brings to his face, and add to it that I won't be there for this weekend's competition (hubby is on crutches due to foot injury) well it makes it hard for me.  But I know in my heart this is what I need to do.... (so pray for me because this is really big.)  Add in the fact that I may actually end up staying down at the conference instead of driving home each night is something even bigger.  Crazy!  but I really am a homebody who truly enjoys being surrounded by her family, even if they are in a different room.  I know that this time next year our eldest will be away at Liberty University studying to be an aviation missionary (yes there have been some great changes since graduation!), our middle will be a senior contemplating his future (possibly helicopters in the Army),  our youngest will just be starting high school and my sweet hubby will be either starring retirement from active duty in the face (or within 3 years of it.)  So change is here for me... and I'm not too sure how I'm doing with it.  But the Lord is truly my strength and I am learning more and more how to lean on Him daily.

So enough of the heavy stuff... lets take a look at today's questions.

What was your favorite food when you were a child?

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time?

Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad but it turned out to be for the best?

What is your favorite body part?

If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?

1. My favorite food as child??? Wow, that is really hard because I have always liked pretty much everything... and to be honest, childhood was a few years ago and honestly my Mom is a great cook and I LOVED all of her food.  Maybe it would have to be spaghetti with my Mom's homemade sauce because it is the one thing that I can remember asking to eat for my birthday... otherwise it would have to be my Mom's pizza.  Mom always made our pizza from scratch and as far as I was concerned there was nothing better than homemade pizza and a night of playing board games.  (they always seemed to go hand in hand!)

2. 30 minutes of free time?  Yes, I have to admit our boys of an age now that 30 minutes of free time is pretty common place.  and what do I do?  read! whether it be a blog post or one of the many books I always have checked out of the library, you will find me reading. (once the family room is complete you will find me crafting once again!!)

3. Have I ever had anything bad happen that turned out for the best?  Yes, meeting my husband and getting married.  Okay that sounds weird but you see I was in a really bad time in my life.  I was angry with God but wouldn't admit it or couldn't admit it... so I was living life my way.... and was miserable.  When I met Chris I was not following the Lord in any way, shape, or fashion.  But the Lord was working on me, bringing people into my life... one of which was Chris whom He was working on as well.  You see Chris accepted the Lord as his personal Lord and Savior within 6 months of our getting married.  It was during that time that I realized how wrong I had been and turned back to the Lord.  Do I regret the life I lived for a number of years... yes because I wasn't serving my Lord but I am so thankful for the husband I have and the man Chris has become in the Lord!

4. Favorite body part?  Eyes.. hands down!  Mine are hazel but they change from brown with a ring of dark grey with gold flecks to green depending on what I am wearing or my mood or how tired I am.  Its kinda funny looking at our family though... my husband has dark brown eyes but our boys' eyes are dark brown, blue, and green. but then if you saw the guys together you would think that they were cousins at the most or maybe friends as they have different color eyes, hair, and complexions!  I have to admit even though the nose isn't my favorite body part on others it is something that I always notice... please don't ask me why because I seriously can't tell you! :)  I just notice noses....

5.  a certain age forever?  Sorry but I just couldn't pick... I think every age has had its good and bad.  I loved being a child, a teenager, a young adult, and now middle aged (ugh, did i actually admit to being middle aged?  did you feel the earth move?  i sure did, ha ha!)  So picking just one certain age is almost impossible... but maybe when I was really young and my parents were still together and we got to spend time on my grandparents farm or on the beaches in southern california.  

So what are your answers?  Let me know... I would love to read your responses in the comments section and have the opportunity to get to know you just a little better!