HomeSpun-Threads: Things I Love

Showing posts with label Things I Love. Show all posts

I started back to running today. This time last year, I started C25k and within a month I was easily doing 5k and in 2 months, 10k. I know my body can do it. Since this time last year I have shed nearly 70 pounds. I still have around 50 to go. What has changed is my mindset.

The reason I love running is because once my body subjects itself to the torture and relinquishes the endorphins over, my mind clears and I can focus on finding an answer to something that's plaguing me.

Today, it was food.

I know that God provides us with everything on earth we need to survive and more. Our nourishment and answer to our health problems is found within our food. However, so much is being done to what God made perfect that it is becoming harmful to us.

I know that God provides us with what we need to survive but we over stock our fridge and pantries with things that will go to waste. It's okay to store up in planning ahead but without a plan it is wasteful.

I know that I lived to eat. I love food, flavors and textures. I love a colorful, full plate but do I eat it all, should I eat it all? That depends.

Today, I thought of gluttony!!

Gluttony is what leads to obesity. It's what led me there. Gluttony is severely frowned upon in the Bible just like other lifestyles that are not of God. A person who is a glutton is a disgrace to his father, lazy, becomes poor, and it is better to put a knife to your throat than to become a glutton. That sounds harsh but becoming a slave to food is a slow painful death even with the pleasure the food gives us. Proverbs 23:2, 21, 28:7, Titus 1:12.

The mindset must change.

We must re-educate ourselves on what is healthy, portions and we must learn to eat to live, not live to eat. The changes are gradual sometimes and sometimes we dive right in. My body is a temple and I should treat it as such. I should respect that God created it perfectly and that He gave me the tools to better health. I strive to buy food in a manner that is not wasteful and clean as well as growing our own. I am eating leaner to become leaner and to have the energy to have the clear mind to become closer to Christ so that he can continue to show the way.

Food is Fuel!

I've always wanted a medicine cabinet in my bathroom but it just wouldn't work. A while back I put this little shelf up to hold items I use everyday. It came with the two blocks above it. I thought, I'd just hang these babies up today and now I have an "Open Medicine Cabinet". Using a few pretty containers lets me hides the unsightly stuff. I think maybe even the white strips are pretty on display in their shine silver package.

My little friend Ansley has been working so hard to raise money for St. Jude. Her heart would love to give so much more if she had it to give. I was touched by the sight of this at her birthday party.

I have had some HomeSpun-Threads readers donate to her cause and we have raised together a grand total of $245 that will be sent directly to St. Jude through her Trike-A-Thon next week. If you would love to help us reach the goal of $300 by next Friday, please click the button below and donate whatever amount you can. Any amount helps us greatly...$1 to maybe even a generous donation of $55 to help us reach the goal.

Click the button and help fill her jar...we love and appreciate your giving to the sweet babies at St. Jude that are sick and suffering and longing for a cure. We all know someone who has had a sick child who would love you dearly for the little donation you could so graciously make. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts.

About a year ago I purchased white painted, wooden shelf supports. I thought they were pretty and for about a year they have been shuffled around the house, thrown into baskets, placed in the cupboard, etc. I just could not figure out how I wanted to use them...until now.

I laid them in my shelf standing tall and standing short and stood back to look, then I let them sit for a few days to see if they truly belonged there. When I had decided that was the best place for them, I got out my trusty tools. I drilled pilot holes in the bottom of the shelf and one in the back of the shelf. I used a special tool that helps counter sink the screw and drills the hole at the same time...everyone needs one of these baby's'.

Measuring the same distance for each side of the shelf (7"), I attached my wall brackets and voile'.

I can not express my love for old doors (and windows). The feeling is just too enormous. This door was my sewing table. Now it is just adding a touch of beautiful to my living room. It all started with that sad little phone...it needed a table, the table needed a friend. My husband hated this table in our entry way but he LOVES it here. He's happy, I'm happy!

In case you are wondering, I have a new sewing table from another door and this time, I covered it with one large sheet of salvaged plexi-glass. My sewing room is now in the old nursery with beautiful periwinkle blue walls and clouds that look like they are floating by...you need pictures.

I have decided that I should no longer decorate in the fall, the oranges and yellows in a house with dark floors and not enough white doesn't suit my moods. I've found that I NEED calming colors, cool hues and clean whites. Now, if I can just get 3 little boys to help me keep it that way.

Also, I collect those beautiful blue jars, I think they are almost in every room of my house...I love them too!

And the winner was "Paint it White!" So I did. I drug the old table out and started painting it as soon as it was warm enough out side. We still had snow on the ground but it was the perfect temp outside for me!

I'm not a good painter and I'm not patient at ALL. So, I took the old antique-it approach. I know, I know, it was already an antique but because you can tell when I spray paint something that it has been spray painted, I have to hide my mistakes. To do that, I got out my sand paper. Easy enough!

So this was transformed into this...

After every light coat of paint I sanded with a 100 grit sandpaper. On my final coat of paint, I used a 220 grit sandpaper and then sprayed a clear coat over the entire table. This project took most of the day but for me that's better than days and days.

P.S. In response to a question about the wall plaque. The making of that piece is here.

Next time you see a brightly colored lamp with a hideous old lampshade...try a simple shade redo. P.S. Don't you love Paula Prass Prints.

I have had many, many sewing spaces.

This is my current sewing corner.

I pray it does not get downsized again.

My favorite feature...my cabinets with the twinkle lights underneath

and

they are on a timer so I will see them all of the time.

The other 3 corners of the room is our Home Classroom!

Just wanted to share!

I just finished this chair for the kids. It was an old rocking chair, I couldn't even guess the age. It could be from the 70's or it could be older. It was hideous but it had a great rocker underneath that allowed the chair to be stationary but rock on springs underneath. I wanted it to match our bonus room which I'm in the process of redoing for our new classroom. How awesome is this chair going to be to encourage my little ones to "read", with a red basket of books next to it, it will at least be tempting. Here's the scary before picture and read how I made the changes.

Yesterday I talked about my recent yard sale experience and mentioned an antique chair like my grandmothers. I've always needed a chair to go with my husbands antique desk that he got from his grandfather. Although the two aren't similar so much in style, the are from the same decade and is pretty darn close for me, cause the 40's were along time ago in the terms of furniture. In saying that, these two are kinda like my husband and I, two different styles from the same decade that compliment each other.

This little beauty has a story...about a month or so ago, on every corner for 100's of miles was a yard sale. People across the south east open their garage doors, set out their used, worn, tired or perfectly good stuff and sell it. This once a year extravaganza is worth going to. Some people say, head out with a plan, know what you are looking for and budget your money by wheeling and dealing. I'm here to tell you that is not my way. First, I do only stop if something I like catches my eye. I do not stop for just any ol' sale. Then, I simply ask the price if it's not marked and I don't haggle. If the price is close to anything I'd pay, I take it. If it's not, then I walk away. You won't find me haggling or stopping on every corner. I don't care if I blow my whole budget on one stop as long as the stuff is good. During this

I'm in love with silhouettes. I have been for years and after I was asked to do a class full of them for a VBS my children were attending, I thought I would go ahead and do all three. My how they have changed...

...here is a sample of a few of my favorites I have seen over the years. If you are interested in doing your own silhouettes there is a tutorial here or e-mail me.

When I look at this picture I took of my husband and I, I see a happy couple. I have many, many pictures like this one. I have noticed that we have changed. As much as I do not like the idea of getting older, I love the idea of getting older with him. No matter what! For that...I love him!

I think we have matching wrinkles from the happy times and maybe his worry lines are deeper. For these, I love him!

Can you tell where we are? We left the kids with some friends for a bit and visited the Biltmore Estate. It was hard to imagine that any one person in the United States had enough money to built such grandeour. It was magnificient! Did I mention how much we missed the kids? We could not get home fast enough...is that wrong? I think some of our friends think we are crazy because we do not take more time for ourselves without the kids but in the 9 years we have been marriend, we have not felt the need to be away from them more than a few hours. Until recently, we even took our littlest on dates with us and even find that we enjoy other peoples children when we are out alone. It's mutual. For this...I love him!

We had a conversation while we were alone together. I wanted to clarify to him how much I loved that he was the man I always knew he would be. I never felt the need to change him. From the day we both realized we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together, we knew we loved each other for who we were at that moment and if nothing changed, we would be happy. The things we loved about each other then are still true today. The things that were important to me still hold true, he loves me, he respects me, he works hard at everything he does and I could go on and on. The things he loves about me are still the same, I love him, I respect him, I trust him and I work for my family...

There was a time in our marriage when I wanted things to be different but did not know what exactly needed to be changed. I wanted my husband to do more around the house, to love me more, to pay attention to things he did not notice and the list goes on...then one day...that changed. I studied on what God wanted in my marriage. I read about the changes I could make to be a better helper for him and when I realized that he was still the man I feel in love with and that I was expecting something different, I changed. I am not his helper in every way I can be...I may not always be sufficient but I try and he knows that and for that he loves and respects me. He could never love and respect me for trying to do things better than he could or belittleing his efforts or not honoring the things I love about him. I had to stop saying...can you help me...and then complaining he did not do it like I wanted. I had to be happy with his efforts and as a result...I received more. For this...I love him!

I love him! I love him for being the man of my dreams, for being my friend, my partner, my lover, a father and the man I feel in love with.

Happy Anniversary My Love!

Never in my life as a mom have I encouraged my children to get attached to an object other than their pacifiers. Which, they have given up all on their own. They have thrown those "sassies' away. It could be a bad thing I guess to let them get attached to something and then for it to go away

it could simply be a fact of life and a lesson learned.

In the last few months or so my little man Jake has pretty much kept a close eye on a new lovey.

His name is "Doggy" and doggy likes to go to movies, eat Popsicles and read Goodnight Moon.

Doggy has been around a long time, he is almost 8 years old. However, he just never found the right "master".

Until recently.

and now he has a new best friend.

I think Doggy is happy!

When I say my life is chaotic, I mean it! It could be worse, I could enroll my children in sports but that's coming soon enough, I'm just praising God it's not right now. So, the last few weeks I've barely been in my sewing room, which is my haven. But I did manage to whip up a few new beauties. Along with some others and I have some special ones I made for my cousins baby shower this weekend. OH CRAP! I forgot to put it on the calendar...doing that now! Whew! That was close...anyway...they are more stunning than any I have made and I can't wait to share them with you! But that'll be later.

Obviously anyone that has a 2 year old and crafts has this problem right?!

For almost a solid week, Jake would walk up to me and show me his art work...usually around the eyes. Not sure where he's finding all of these markers but it resulted in a clean out of all the toy boxes.

After finding about 15 markers in this toy box alone, I decided it was good thing I checked...I'm really overly tired of Magic Erasing my walls. They are now just works of art! I know I'm not the only one, right?

What is amazing though is when I start to use my camera and I have to change my batteries again because they are low and I'm thinking "wow, they sure wear down fast." and then I discover why...my 7 year old is taking pictures of book selves, light fixtures, TV's on and off, window treatments and himself...

Jake did not feel good Friday...ran a fever so after his big brothers left...

I got down the crystal biscuit bucket filled 1/3rd full with Easter candy and let him have at it.

and I don't know about you but that picture alone made me feel better. Let me just say he didn't eat that purple marshmallow egg after all...who would? YUCK!

But bless him, he felt bad!

By Saturday night he was better and we went to Alabama. Yes, Alabama!

It is absolutely beautiful there but my favorite picture from the whole weekend was my baby and his cousin eating lunch on a cardboard box like a couple of hobo's. No offense to hobo's. Aren't they sweet. Right there in the gravel!

See, cause Sunday all the big folk where smokin' the ribs, BBQing everything, the chicken and bologna! Yes...it's a family favorite. BBQed bologna...I'll post about it upon request...it's divine and Paula Deen can't beat it! But those babies where hungry and didn't want to wait on BBQ all day...so Maw/Mamie (me) fixed lunch for those hungry fella's and NO ONE was willing to pull them up a chair so they just squatted.

Also, I made Jake where his "Crabby" shirt!

Guess why?!

Oh remember the writing on the wall...see it there!

But my favorite picture for the whole two weeks is how my camera took this beautiful picture of my son and his heavenly features! He's mine...all mine!

and now back to my regularly scheduled program of the boring life of a supermom/grad student/self proclaimed amazing wife! Looks like fun, aye!

Actually, I'm enjoying the learning part...not the "WHERE"D MY TIME GO" part.

I'll be back...

My hiatus is still in affect....

ya, right!

I pulled this painting out of Evan's bag today!

I almost cried.

Somehow there is something special about this one, lone, colored raindrop.

I love rain!

I love thunderstorms.

I think they are heavenly...put that's just me.

Lighting is like sparks and not danger to me, just something beautiful from a distance.

So, I love this picture.

I'm sad it was waded up in an orderly manner.

on another note

the same.

My front flower bed looked so fresh after our little rain.

It's funny how a little dusty of rain can make things look so pretty.

One of my favorite ladies in the world said...

I love it!

So, remember on your "rainy" days that without them we wouldn't appreciate the sunshine so much.

I pulled this old photo out of a frame yesterday. It's been folded up for many years with just me and James smiling out of its window. That's my friend from high school, April and her date an old dear friend of mine Mark. They really didn't know each other but April was dumped at the last minute...how rude, and Mark was very gracious to go with us. What a sport! But we had a blast! Anyway, I've been think alot about love the last few days, probably because Cooper and I have been making what feels like 100's of Valentines cards and really there's just like 30. So, I found these pictures of James and I all dressed up and ready for prom in 1995, yes 14 years ago.

We knew then that we would be together forever. We talked about our babies, our aspirations, our dreams, desires, everything. I'm even dying to get out some old letters, back then we used to write letters. Texting wasn't an option. I wrote poems and letters and folded them like the Victorians did with their valentines and in so many intricate ways. James could always refold them perfectly! What a man! I always wonder if this is how he still sees me? Does he still see the young girl, he feel in love with? You know, I still see him that way but it's different somehow? I can't put my finger on it. Is it age or the extra 20 or 30 pounds? No, it's more of the deeper laugh lines I think. The very worked hands. The tired in his eyes. The things I love him for are how hard he works, how he can be patient with the kids when I'm not, how he doesn't mind to mop and sweep because I'm terrible at it. It's little things that make me love him more and more. I could probably make a list of things that irritate me, starting with how he's TOO realistic only I call it pessimistic, but I'm not going there. He's the sort of man that can fix anything...anything I tell you. If he'd had parents that pushed him a little harder in school, or even cared at all, he could have been some sort of engineer. He really wanted to be a meteorologist. Oh well...we are where we are today because of the cards we are dealt...we just have to remember to play our cards right!