My Maggie

.Today is officially girls day.  Tonight the boys are going on a father/son campout and it will just be us girls!  We have plans...oh yes we do...well I am going to wait and see what she wants to do...I hope it involves eating out!  Usually girls night consists of painting nails and watching princess movies.  We never get to watch girl movies around here.  Boys always take over because we are way out numbered.  I love the fact that I have a girl.  I don't know what I would do without her.  She reminds me of the fact that I have to teach her to be a woman.  Therefore...I need to be a better woman.  If it was just boys around here I would probably just completely morph into a tom boy.  (which is a natural inclination)

Maggie is fun to watch and I don't worry about her too much YET!  She can be sweet as pie and in the next second (if someone does her wrong) she really lets them have it!  She can stand up for herself...well at least with her brothers, which I hope will transfer over at some point. 

I know that things will change here very quickly...she is nine now.  The next few years might be bumpy.  I remember things being bumpy for me.  I hope they aren't bumpy for her...but they probably will be at some point.  I thought babies were hard, teens are hard.  It is hard to watch them go through "stuff."  I just want to protect them from things that hurt them, just like I did when they were small.  Teens usually have to go through it and live through it and find their way. I hate that!

Doug and Steve are having some bonding time in Washington DC.  I hope they are having fun.  I can't wait to see the pictures and hear the stories. 

Well I have a million loads of laundry to fold...ugh!  So I guess I should go and try to get that done before my great girl night out!!  Whoo Hoo! 

Sometimes I like to whine...

A warm wind is blowing. The windows are open...the lawn mower is humming and I feel like throwing everything away...it must be spring.

No matter how much I chuck it seems like stuff just keeps coming in...I really need to muster energy to go through closets again, take out winter wear and make sure everyone has what they need for summer. I need to limit the outfits in the closets so my laundry doesn't overwhelm me. I need to clear out our coat closet, which is overflowing...does everyone need 3 or 4 coats? I need to put some away. We do save coats to pass down to the next kiddo, it is hard to know what size they will be the next year.

Also on the organizing agenda...Christmas stuff. I used to have a big victorian house...long long ago and far away. I used to decorate a ton...but now that we are in our century old farm house and the kids are getting older and I have been simplifying so much of my life, it is time to let some of them go. I perfer simply and organic decorations now. I would rather have a basket of pine cones from the backyard than fake evergreen wreath. So that needs to be hauled out and use the space for something more useful.

Also hubby's tools. They are everywhere, but mostly near and intruding into my laundry area! WE need to orgainize them and find a place where they can be found and put away. By WE I mean him. :)

I can't wait to put up the laundry line again. It is coming soon. It is suppose to rain for at least the next week so I am not going to bother right now. I have a hankering for sun dried sheets and a nice clean bed.

Like I said already the windows are open and I seriously hope it is blowing the dust away as we speak. Sometimes I love cleaning, other times I get resentful and irritated.

I guess I just would like someone to respect the work I do around here, instead of just trashing everything and leaving it for me. Yeah I am complaining. sorry.

Back to spring....and nice things. I also need to rake up the flower beds, plan some sort of back porch/deck/ patio...and hopefully get a chicken run done this year.

Oh yeah and the garden...

Well by the fact that my list gets longer and longer the longer I sit here and think about it...I guess it is time to go!

Thanks for listening.

His Sacred Name - An Easter Declaration

Food Storage

We have been working on our food storage more seriously.  Steve has turned into the coupon king. Like most things...my idea and he follows through.  Sorry this is a bit blurry.  We took a lot of empty canning jars out and put them in a different spot...awaiting goodies later.  We have more things on other shelves but it wasn't picture ready yet.  Promise to post when we get everything cleaned up and in order. 

This picture is a bit clearer.  This is the smallest space in the house and tends to collect the most junk.  Whatever we don't know what to do with...goes here.  We need to break ourselves of this habit, and just keep this a nice organized space.  Here's hoping...

Bedroom redecorating...just a little

I love trees for some reason.  So when I saw these branches I had to have them.  I wish I was more talented and could just draw them on the wall and/or paint them myself, but I don't dare try.  So I will stick to the decales.  I love the little birds sitting on the branches.

I needed some new artwork for my walls.  I love my kids and I love SIMPLE projects.  So I found some fabric and traced their hands.  Jacob's was so big I had to put it sideways in an 8x10 frame.  Geez!  I think they look simple and cute. 

That's all for now until I take more pictures of the rest of the house.  Maggie's room is redone...still need pictures of that.  I will get to it I promise.

It's time to celebrate Spring!

Fresh Flowers always make me happy.

Slipcovers in light colors lighten up the space.

I added a new chair to the mix so our whole family can sit in the living room at the same time. 

I love baskets too.

How do you decorate for Spring?  I am not usually a flower type person, but I think my likes are changing!

So much has happened...

Let's see. Curt had a concert that I video taped and it refuses to upload to my blog! I have been redecorating again and moving furniture. I cleaned the whole house for spring. I love when the house is fresh and clean, of course it didn't stay that way long. I have some pictures from my trip to Virginia to see my parents. They loaded into the computer but I can't find them. Today was so warm,last night we slept with the windows open, it was like heaven! We redid maggie's room again. I did some "artwork" for my room. Oh I am sure more has happened that I am not thinking of... I am learning how to post from my I pod touch, it is weird and going slowly. I hope to do a quick cleaning tomorrow and then get some pictures posted of the things I am talking about. I dont know if I can post pictures from this thing, I will have to try it out. Goodnight.

Today's Curtism

Today we are off to the sewing expo....Curt and Steve are staying behind.  I asked Curt if he was going to help Dad with projects today.

  "Yeah." he said. I said, " what projects does he have planned?"

 Curt said, " I don't know what projects he has planned, you are the one who sleeps with him 365 days a year."

Well said.

Things coming up.

Tomorrow we will be attending a sewing expo.  The kids are entering their outfits for judging and they will be participating in the fashion show.  I hope we have fun and find lots of things to do there all day.  I will post some pictures when I have time. 

Then on Sun we are traveling to my parents house to see them.  I can't wait to be there.  I just hate the drive. Hopefully I will have lots of pictures of that too.

I really hope when we return that spring will have sprung.  I am really tired of cold weather!  Yes I am complaining!!!! 

I am exhausted today from laundry and packing and getting ready for the expo. 

Good night.

Pie Auction and Chili Cookoff

A few weeks ago the Boy Scouts had their annual pie auction and chili cookoff.  It is always fun!  Steve made all the pies.  We try and donate as many as we can because this year we have two boys going to boy scout camp. People are very generous and bit lots of money on pies and other sweets.

Pumpkin

Apple

Peach

Blueberry

Here is my chili.  I was so excited to win 2nd place in the cookoff.

It doesn't sound like much, but I am not known for my cooking...and there certainly are lots of people at our church that are awesome cooks.  So it was a pretty amazing night.  They also raised enough money for all the boys to attend camp this year.  That is the most awesome part.

Winter's still pretty...

 Scenes from around the house.

You didn't think I would venture outside, did you????

Princess Ball 2011

Here is Steve and Maggie at the Princess Ball in 2011.  They had a blast.  This year Steve could dance.  Last year he had just had his foot operated on right before the ball.  This year they danced the night away.  Steve even did the hokey pokey...which means he must really love his daughter!!!!  He hates the hokey pokey.  They also did the chicken dance.  It was good for them to have some daddy daughter time together!

Sorry it has been awhile...

I guess I should post something.  Things have been busy around here. I need to take pictures and document things but life is getting in the way.  We have been trying to lose weight...which seems like a full time job.  We are also working on the basement...(still), laundry is piling up and I am finally getting to it today.  We have been dealing with school bullies ( of the girl persuasion) and general stress of life.  Plus Steve has been a couponing king...so we have been doing lots of stocking up on bargains.

I need to get my camera out and get going...I know...I know...

The sun is shining today even though it is cold...it is suppose to get in the 40's today I think.  I can't wait for the furnace to go off for good.  Warm weather and sunshine.  I need sunlight!!!

So I guess you could say I have the end of winter blahs and am just surviving until Spring gets here.

Have a great day!

$3 Makeover

Here is some pictures of Maggie's room.  I found a pretty sheet at the goodwill and then found a duvet cover that matched.  The cover was $2 and the sheet was $1.  I  made valances and pillows with the sheet and just put the cover over her princess comforter that she didn't like so much anymore.  What do you think?  I am still going to make a dresser scarf with the valance fabric and we are going to make some accessories for her doll house...so everything matches. :)

Doug's 12th Birthday!

Doug is 12 years old now.  Boy time flies!  He is loving middle school and not being treated like a baby any more.  He is doing quite well, a trend I hope continues.  He is attending his first young men's meeting at church tonight.  Amazing! 

Maggie's new glasses

This is the first year that she didn't pick purple or pink glasses.  I am still getting used to them.  She loves them and can see much better! 

Feeling Crafty

I felt like being crafty last night.  I made this for over the mantle. 

 Now I wish I could tell you that I felt so crafty that I made this.  I have been trying to learn to crochet.  Let's just say I am crochet challanged.  Everything I make or try to make comes out crooked and weird.  I am only trying very simple things.  I don't think crocheting is in my future. 

I found this lovely throw at a store in town for $3.99.  It is what I hoped a throw blanket would look like that I was trying to make.  Sooooooo.  I got it.   For $3.99 I have a lot less frustration and  I couldn't have bought all the yarn for that price.

This is better.  The project of the throw is now done, and my family can stop making fun of my crooked and miss stiched creations.

Rag Rolling

We rag rolled Maggie's hair last night for something fun to do.  It came out cute and really curly.  I figured she would hate it, but she liked it.  So we left it kind of messy and fun looking.  It is so much easier than sitting there with a curling iron.  It worked much better and less pulling and complaining.  I am sure we can get better at getting the sections just right so it is the same curl overall.  We pulled up the back out of the way, she didn't cut her hair...it is still long. 

Read Your Labels

We were buying soda. (oh I forgot I am in Ohio now) We were buying pop at the store.  We needed to buy so much to get money back at CVS.  There wasn't much left.  We grabbed some diet pop and some other kinds, and the last we grabbed was this.  We figured it was diet so, OK.  Well the "MAX" means it has way more caffeine than Mt. Dew.  I read the label after the kids downed a bunch of them and they all weren't tired to go to bed.  Hmmmmm.  Next time I will look harder at the label.

The move to Ohio

When we moved to Ohio we knew it would be a big change. We were moving from a postage stamp lot in the burbs to 6 acres and a 100 year old farm house. The land has a barn, garages, fruit trees, berry bushes and gardens. The kitchen needed updating and that is the first project we took on. We have been doing projects ever since. (although this isn't much of a change in life, we have been remodeling since we were married)

We love the old floor boards. We love the openess of the rooms, which is unusual for an old farm house.

What I did not know, or could truly understand when we moved here is that these would become part of all our wardrobes.

I can't believe we have these.

I can't believe I can make this.

I can't believe we help with all this.

I can't believe I learned how to do this.

I can't believe the kids aren't upset by finding this.

I can't believe I am not freaked out by this.

or this

I can't believe this is starting to feel like home. Finally. (sometimes)