The Writing Is On the Wall

Or the various chalkboards I've made recently. I think I'm addicted! I'm on a mission to find a use, or a new home, for some of the stuff I've been hanging onto (which is a slow process by the way). It turns out a few of those items make great chalkboards.

It all started with this frame. Mom had the idea of making it a chalkboard, and passed it on to me. It was a gold frame with a piece of cardboard in the back. I painted the cardboard with chalkboard paint and painted the frame.  We used it for our Memorial Day party.

While I was painting that frame, I thought it would be fun to have a large board to use outside. I had this old shelf that no longer had a home. Now it gets to make special announcements outside.

This week I decided to turn this picture into an indoor chalkboard, of course inspired from Pinterest.

 I bought the picture at a yard sale a few years ago for $5. It was perfect in my dining room in Harvest, and there's just something I like about the colors. But, it hasn't had a home in this house and the hubs would like for it to stay that way. Apparently he isn't a fan of fruit, who knew. So I took the board out, painted the back with chalkboard paint (preserving the nice fruit just in case the hubs has a change of heart), sanded and painted the frame with some trim paint, and gave our dining room a little something new.

Independence Day

How are you planning to celebrate on the 4th? We're still finalizing/deciding our plans.It seems kind of tricky with the big day falling on Wednesday.  I think we are going to keep things a little smaller this year and switch up the menu. There will be some key people missing so I kind of want to change it all. For the past three years, we have done BBQ from Southern Hickory. You can't beat that for a crowd. This year I think we may try a shrimp boil. We actually did one a few weeks ago with our supper club and LOVED it. If the pool isn't boiling by then, I'm sure there will be some splish splashing. Maybe we can make it to a fireworks show before we crash!

I love all things Americana in the summer.

 I've added a new red, white, and blue decoration to my stash this year.

I'm in love with pennants right now, and they are so easy to make. I used scrap fabric I had, cut triangles, folded the top over a piece of jute yarn, and sewed a straight line just under the yarn. You could use fabric glue also I think. I made a short one for this cabinet and a longer one that I hang outside. There's just something about red, white, and blue, and summertime! Happy Summer!

What's In a Name

A blog name that is. I don't know that I've ever explained how our blog got it's name, but this summer if you could read my mind it would be self-explanatory. I'm a planner, I'm a dreamer, I like things my way, I don't particularly like uncertainty. But I have this friend, more like a Father really, who knows me so well. He knows my imperfections, my weaknesses, my greatest desires, and my plans. He also knows my future, my needs before I even express them, and even the number of hairs on my head. He knows where I need to grow and change in my life, and he knows exactly when everything should happen.  Above all, he knows what He has Planned for me.

At the time I started this blog, God was revealing more of his plan in my life. I was married to a godly man I greatly desired but had almost given up on finding, and was expecting a baby that I greatly desired and had so feared I would never get to have. I was preparing to move back to the area where I grew up, something I would have never imagined just a few years earlier. I was moving to the street where I had pretended I lived as a little girl, but hadn't given a second thought since. Soon I found myself with not just a desire, but a need to be a stay at home mom that could not be ignored. I had never even considered staying home before.  It didn't happen in my time, but in God's time that need was met. With each of those life changes, I knew it had to be God's plan because it was more than I could even imagine. Over the last year I've marveled at how much better his plan is than mine ever was.

Of course, I've also continued to try to make my own plans. My plan was to go to a three day technology conference last week while my aunt kept Brennan. My plan has been to stay home until Brennan is at least four and a half. My plan was to keep marking projects off our to do list. My plan was to already have the hall bath redone, the carport painted, the back porch finished, and our bedroom completed. My to do list even had dates next to each project! My plan included a fall vacation again. My plan included seeking His plan for our family. Is one child enough? Should we have one more? And I hoped to have that answer by now because I'm not getting any younger, and spring birthdays seem nice!

God's plan.....a little refining moment, a little test of faith, a little reminder that he is in control. The first thing that comes to mind is a whole lot of uncertainty. I don't know if my aunt will ever be able to keep Brennan again, I don't know if we'll have an income in two months, I don't know if these changes are his answer about another baby for us. In moments of weakness, I fear all of these unknowns. I fear that I should be going back to work to ensure an income,  I fear that I will have to go back to work and miss out on this job at home. Then I remember God's promise to never leave or forsake us. I know he has a plan for us, that his plan will be perfect, and that it will be revealed in his time. He has already answered prayers daily from the smallest to the largest. Some of those answers have been so instant and so exact that any doubt of his power for us I might let creep in is instantly erased. I believe he guides our desires and plans to align with his when we seek him. That's my plan right now, just seek his will and let him do the rest through me. I know it may or may not go as I would like, but This Life He Planned is pretty great!  Even through the storms he reigns!

If You Need To Find Me.....

I'll probably be sitting out here.

This has become my favorite outdoor spot! It is a porch to the barn. It's behind the house, beside the pool, and a great location to keep an eye on a toddler. There are two high powered fans that keep the air cool and the bugs sparse. The furniture is what Mike bought when he proposed in my backyard in Harvest. The little bench/coffee table, tall bird feeder, and side tables are from my grandparents. I'm loving the white impatiens there this year. I don't usually get to sit for long, but I try to stop and sit a bit every day.

This big guy thinks it's a pretty good hangout as well. He turned nine last week, so he's pretty much a master at hanging out.

And this is what I photographed around to make it look all relaxing. Ha! Ha! Actually there was a toddler on a "cell phone", a dog with a Capri Sun pouch, and numerous toys scattered all around. Got to keep it real!

I Wear My Sunglasses At Night

Brennan is a hoot these days. His favorite accessory is sunglasses. He wears them all the time!

He can also be found in various locations wearing his bike helmet. Safety first!

He is experimenting with language like crazy, and can sound so grown up. A few recent or common Brennanisms I want to remember.

Pirate talk:
"Where me are?"

Me: Are you finished with your cup?
B: "Well of course I am Mommy."

At lunch: "These chips are so refreshing."

First thing this morning he came to our bed to announce: "We have a french door refrigerator!"

This week we have been eating "rich dark chocolate party cake".

Every time we pass a Lowe's or Lowe's truck he announces,"Lowe's-never stop improving."

Living A Little Lighter

As I mentioned in this post, our living room recently got a little makeover. I had not been happy with the wall color since we painted it three years ago when we moved into this house. We had decided to live with it and see if it grew on us. The color was a nice color, but was just a little too dark for the room. We ended up living with it for three years (because a living room gets a lot of living and it's hard to pull apart a much used room). Finally, after a year at home, I was ready to see the light. I decided one week while Mike was traveling to get this project done. It took five days of nap times to get it done, but it is done. I ended up using the same color we already had in our dining room and hallway. The living room has two large openings into each of these areas, so I was hoping to tie it all together for a larger look. I think it worked somewhat. The room is definitely brighter. It's a long, narrow room. It still has old, ugly carpet. I'm not done, but it's a start. I just can't seem to get a pulled together finished look in there, but trying is part of the fun I guess. I'm definitely open to suggestions!

Before:

AND So far:

View from middle of the room. The doorway to the dining room is on the left.

This is probably the closest to the actual paint color also.

The other end of the room from the middle, and the doorway to the foyer. The dining room is on the right.

I did restyle the bookcases a little bit, changed out a couple of tables, moved the chaise downstairs, gave the train table a different spot, and rearranged the gallery wall. We've realized the train table really works best in the living room for now, even though there is a nice playroom downstairs. B plays with it the most of all his toys, and he can't go downstairs alone yet, so it provides a nice little play area. I'm much happier with it now that it isn't the center of the room also. Like I said, there is plenty of tweaking to still be done. In our long range plans, this room becomes a dining room and the family room moves downstairs. That's part of why we haven't put a lot of money into it yet, but I'm not sure how long the range may be.

Feel free to start following this blog and give me your suggestions in the comments! I would love to hear from you!

New Paint: Glidden Historic Tan

HF&M

HF&M, otherwise known by the scary name Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, has invaded our fun holiday weekend and CRASHED our BASH. Instead of going to the hot air balloon glow and having a party, we are quarantined with a rather uncomfortable, grumpy toddler. Our days have included lots of Disney movies, lots of cuddling, a good bit of crying (from the toddler), a good bit of sleeping (more from the mommy than the toddler), and some swimming thrown in to beat the heat. It's been nice to have Mike home through this, since B thinks he hung the moon and we've been able to tag team. It hasn't  been so nice that this is how we are spending his time off. The poor little guy looks pitiful. I'll spare you the pictures, but it's actually quite scary looking. Thankfully he does seem to be feeling better today.

This is one strange illness. I don't remember ever hearing of it until the last few years. It sort of seems like what Chicken Pox was for our generation, but maybe less dangerous and reoccurring.  I've heard other moms talk about it, and always hoped we wouldn't experience it. Once we did, I was glad I knew of others who had gone through it. As these things always happen for us, I realized B had HF&M about 4 o'clock Friday afternoon, the start of not only a weekend but a long holiday weekend. I was able to find some info online, but some of it was contradictory. I did find enough info to know without a doubt that he had HF&M. I also realized it's a pretty lengthy illness.

Thursday, 3 a.m.: B woke up crying. He felt really hot to the touch but didn't have a fever according to the thermometer. He went back to sleep quickly.

Thursday, 9 a.m.: B woke up an hour later than normal and was clingy. He ate and became very excited to run errands with us. He was a little sick to his stomach, but it seemed more like sinus issues.

Throughout the day Thursday he became lethargic, wanted to sleep earlier than normal, and generally acted ill. He would also perk back up on occasion and seem normal. When I asked what felt bad he would say his mouth (my first clue it might be HF&M).

Friday he woke up acting normal and feeling good. At the grocery store he was really quiet, and then suddenly yelled out that his foot hurt. He took his shoe off and wouldn't put it back on. His feet looked normal. Later in the afternoon he got sick to his stomach again. I also noticed a rash when I changed his diaper. A couple of hours later the rash started on his hands and feet. He also had blisters on his arm and leg.

So about 36 hours after this all began, we finally knew what was going on. I had suspected an ear infection, but thankfully didn't let him play with anyone just in case it was more. The start of the rash also started his major discomfort. Friday night we gave him Benadryl, but he still didn't sleep until the second dose about 3 a.m. He layed around almost all day Saturday. Finally, Saturday afternoon he got a burst of energy and was wild. I had called the doctor to find out what the best pain relief was, how long it would be contagious, and if he could swim. I knew we were all going to need some relief, and swimming was the answer. The doctor suggested alternating Tylenol and Motrin. He also said B could swim at home with us, but did not suggest it in public. He said the contagious part was a little tricky, but basically 5 or 6 days.

Today he has gotten several more sores. There are none on his torso, but basically everywhere else. He hasn't been sick to his stomach again, and is eating and drinking ok. Especially the "rich dark chocolate cake" I made for his "party" today. I read that the last day or two were the worst for sores, so we are still in that stage I guess. It's not the weekend we imagined, but we are getting a lot of restful, family time.