Catching Up: Projects

Where did we leave off? 


Moving, sick, Independence Day...


The weekend immediately following the holiday Hadley was tickled-pink to spend some time with her cousin and best bud, Noelle. {Known in this house as "Noellie-Bellie"} I like to refer to the girls as "the twins"... not because they look anything alike, but because they are only 6 days apart in birth.

Cousin Love

That same weekend Nick's parents were so gracious to come and help with a couple of projects. Well, two. How much can you really cram into one Saturday? {One day we'll test that}

I had asked Nick to build me a dining room table. A big, rustic ol' farm-house table. A mix between Pottery Barn's Benchwright and Cortona tables, with enough room to sit 8-10 people. I have dreams of the dinners, game nights, holidays, and high-chairs that will fill this space!

So my builder-husband and carpenter-father-in-law got right to work. And isn't she a beauty?

All ready to be sanded and stained! I love the character of the wood. Oh, and it seats 10-12. Happy wife here!

Unfortunately, I did not record the process... but you can find a simliar tutorial here. 

So, where is this monstrosity of a table gonna go? Well we're parking in our formal dining room. 

This room is one big canvas of walls and floor. But we've got some plans brewing.

Meanwhile... my mother-in-law and I were inside making some stripes happen. 

On the staircase wall -opposite the dining room- we measured up every 10 inches and then taped inside the not-to-be-painted  stripes with blue painters tape.

Next, using our fingers we ran some caulking {very little} along the the inside edges of the to-be-painted stripes. {Learned this trick from our builder} This part took the longest, but it was worth it. Doing this makes for sharp, clean lines once the tape is removed. 

We were very pleased with the results!

Hoping to find an old sideboard to replace the pitiful entry table.

I hear the baby crying, so that's it for today. We'll catch up more tomorrow.

Feeling inspired,

Kaylee

Catching Up: Moving In & Holiday

Forgive me, Reader, I have sinned. Its been a month and a half since my last post. {Whoops}


What's been going on? Well one crazy appraisal story, a few hotels, and my parents' guest-room later... we are finally. home. 


And though we've been home for about four weeks now, we are just getting somewhat settled. 


The day we moved in my husband and sister-in-love were both sick. Nick recovered quickly; Rachel was sick all weekend. Then the baby and I got it. Hadley was sick on and off for about a week. Just about when we felt she was "all better" we would take her out and she'd start throwing up again; like a load of pancakes all over the carpet of my father's office. {Sorry Dad} Needless to say... we did a lot of lying around.

Once we were feeling healthy again it was the holiday week! I unpacked about half my kitchen for the 4th of July and we baked, diced, and grilled. 


Like these yummy Honey-Lime Chicken Skewers 

Rachel's Tomato-Basil Salad

 And some Corn-Avocado Salsa {I tripled the batch to make it a salad}

Watermelon of course

Here's what my plate looked like {oh yes, and my honey grilled some brisket}

IS YOUR MOUTH WATERING YET? Yum!


I had been waiting for just the right occasion to try these Watermelon Cake Pops. I let me tell you, they do not disappoint!

And it wouldn't be a celebration in this house without some red velvet. Rachel's Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Butter-cream Frosting. OH. YAH.

 

 Okay, okay.... I'll stop with the food pictures now.




After prancing around the house for days showing every one her new Independence Day dress, Hadley was thrilled to finally be able to wear it.

Hadley with her favorite girls

And after the fourth, well.... 


I'll tell you the rest tomorrow. :) 


And soon to come are my "Room by Room" posts. Follow me as I make our new house a home one room {or project} at a time.

Happy Wednesday!
Kaylee

Moving Day

Today is moving day, and I am going to miss this ol' house. 

So many changes and memories made here that it feels as though we have lived here much longer than just two years.


Memories we'll take

• Roasting marshmallows over our fire pit on the back patio almost every night in the summer
•  Nicholas turning the big 3-0
• Rachel and I learning to make cake-pops, past midnight, in a delirious state
• Susan teaching me to sew at the kitchen table- my first project: Hadley's crib bedding
• Nick and I learning about our pregnancy, baby, and birth in the comfort of our living room where our Bradley teacher, Twylla, was so kind to meet us {for 12 straight weeks}
• Feeling our baby's first kick, sitting on the couch in the living room in the middle of a sunny day
• Bringing home our Hadley for the first time, Mom there to greet us with Nick's favorite dinner, and the following days of being pampered and waited on by two fabulous  sister-in-laws
• Hadley's first smile- holding her while sitting at the kitchen table
• All of her baby landmarks- crawling, solid foods, walking, running, etc. in this home
• Our first Christmas as parents {every holiday for that matter}

Our second night home

We are excited for what lies ahead, but this home with always hold a special place in our hearts. Its full of warm, loving memories.


Reminiscing,
Kaylee

Scripture Lullabies

Hadley  is down for her morning nap and I am sitting here, sipping my hot tea, enjoying the soft music coming from her room. 


About a month ago, a mom I follow shared "Hidden In My Heart" a CD of Lullabies taken from Scripture. We loved the idea of the Word of God being sung over Hadley as she sleeps, and quickly ordered our copy. 

Click Photo To Preview Songs

I have to tell you, we love our CD! 

Orchestrated like a movie score, each song flows right into the next with no pause in transitions. It is so soothing. Peaceful. 

I wasn't aware Hadley knew how to turn the CD player on, till one day I heard Scripture Lullabies suddenly playing. She wanted to listen while she played. :)

Some of our favorites are: 1) Be Still And Know, 2) And the Peace of God, and 5) Love the Lord.

On the back cover you can find the Scripture reference listed under each title. 

I am so excited about this that I have been sharing with all my mommy friends... and now you too!

Kaylee

Moving

We're moving! Again. But this time for good!


After years of leasing we are finally purchasing our first {together} home. :)))
{More about that later}


We. Are. Moving.


NEXT WEEK!


And I have just started packing.


It's slow going over here since the Baby and I have caught colds.
So our current materials lists consists of:

• Moving Boxes
• Purging Boxes - for items to Goodwill
• Packing tape & Large Sharpie
• Pen, Paper, & Brightly colored labels 
• HUGE box of Kleenex
• Ricola Cough Drops {Honey Herb of course}
• And an abundant supply of hot tea

I am striving for some solid organization in the packing process... but my head is feeling a bit fuzzy. 

Thank goodness for Emilie Barnes! {Survival For Busy Women} Using her system, every box has a number with a corresponding index card {I'm just using a notebook} listing its contents . I now know where every item is located without having to dig through boxes- I just flip through my handy-dandy list. 

Each box is also color-coded with bright stickers to easily and at-glance indicate which room it belongs to. Example: Blue- Office; Yellow- Kitchen; Orange- Family Room, etc. 

Simple Brilliance. 

Do you have any moving/packing tips to share? I am all ears! Allow me glean from your pearls of moving wisdom! 

Happy Wednesday,

Kaylee

Peace that Passeth Freak-Out-/Pull-Your-Hair-Out/Meltdown Mode

You know those days?


We've been having them in sequence around here. 


When you would prefer to be in control, but the only answer you have is, "I don't know."


I should be stressed out. I should be nervous. I should be renting my clothes and putting on satcloth and ashes.


Every situation of those dear to us -even our own position- screams anxiety.


Yet, we're okay. Really. In fact... we even have joy. 


Why? How? 


We have been given the perfect remedy.

"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice."


We're rejoicing.



"Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful {stressed} for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."


We are choosing to give thanks. And in turn, its making us thankful. :)


"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."


We're accepting peace.


"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."


We're setting our minds on truth. His report. His promises. 


And we're holding on to this...


"Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Philippians 4:4-9


Embracing His Peace,
Kaylee

Slander

Slander. Gossip. Babble. Its everywhere.


And its seems this worldly, fleshly craving has been creeping into what should be a safe haven... the church.


I will admit to you that I have been wanting to broach this subject for a while, but I've waited. I needed to calm down first.


Slander has been showing its ugly face in different circles of my friends and acquaintances, and honestly?? I doesn't make me sad. It makes me angry.

"The words of a whisperer or slanderer are like dainty morsels or words of sport [to some, but to others are like deadly wounds]; and they go down into the innermost parts of the body [or of the victim’s nature]."- Proverbs 26:22

"With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor..." Proverbs 11:9a

Pardon my directness in saying...
It's not concern. It's not encouraging. Its not love. Its not Christ-like. Its fake.

" If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religious service is worthless (futile, barren)." - James 1:26

Why do we keep talking? I began to wonder if the excess of communication tools at our finger-tips has caused us to over-communicate... but I see this problem has been around for generations.


How do we put a stop to this epidemic?


We stop talking. Stop criticizing. Stop informing. Stop "sharing."

"For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention ceases." Proverbs 26:20

We stop listening. We hang up the phone. Delete the text. Maybe we find some new friends.

"He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore associate not with him who talks too freely." Proverbs 20:19

We pray for discernment. If they're talking to you, they're probably taking about you.

"Rumors are dainty morsels  that sink deep into one’s heart.

Smooth^[a] words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.^[b]

While their hatred may be concealed by trickery,  their wrongdoing will be exposed in public. If you set a trap for others,     you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead. A lying tongue hates its victims,    and flattering words cause ruin." Proverbs 26:22-28

We commit to closing down the blabber and using our words to uplift, encourage, and love others.

 ^"Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.

³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).

³¹ Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).

³² And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:29-32

Its time to exercise some boldness.

You with me???

Love,

Kaylee