post #502

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Oops! I missed my 500th post! It was two entries ago. I knew it was coming, but it got by me. My three year anniversary of blogging is coming in March, too. So, I believe we have more than enough reason to celebrate! So, how about a give away? Haven't done one in a while and this seems like the ideal time for one!

We will make it easy... just leave a comment between now and next Wed, March 6. I'll draw a name and announce the winner on Thurs, March 7. Can't wait to see who wins!!

Headed to the grandboy's first soccer game tonight and to Tenn tomorrow for grandgirlie #2's birthday! So grateful for the opportunity to be a part of their big moments!

Thanks for your support and encouragement these three years. I had no idea when I started that I would enjoy it so much. Getting to know all of you has been one of the greatest joys! :-)

So, let the celebration begin...leave your comment now!! :-)

for love of a mantle

I love mantles! I have always wanted one. I like the way they look and I always thought I would enjoy decorating one...especially at Christmas. All three of my children have one, but I'm not jealous at all...well, maybe a little bit! :-) A couple of weeks ago, I looked at the top of our TV stand and thought..."There's my mantle!" So, I started thinking about what I had and shopping for other things.
Sunday afternoon, I put it together and I'm pretty happy with it. 

I had the pitcher and the plate. The plaque in front of the plate was a "hand me down" from my daughter. The birds and the book they are sitting on and the plate easel are from Michael's. The hydrangeas, bike, and the letter M (for our last name) are from Hobby Lobby. The M was plain paper mache. I dressed it up with paint, scrapbook paper, and mod podge.

 

Several of you have asked about pictures of our addition. Since I am re-purposing furniture, it is taking longer to get things in place. Until that happens, I can't really hang much on the walls. Also, the plantation shutters we ordered are in and the Hubby will be installing them soon. So, I said all that to say this...I would like to wait until it's all finished to post pictures. But I have been giving you some glimpses and I will continue to do that. I appreciate your interest and can't wait to share the really "finished product " with you!

vroom, vroom!

Saturday, the Monster Trucks came to town!

Colten and Chief were there to see them!

(You have to wear ear protection or ear plugs

 because they are so loud)

 

 Those trucks jumped and raced and one carried a

fire breathing monster who liked to eat cars!

 I think that got his attention!

They had a great time and made some

 wonderful memories.

I think the grandboy will be talking

 about it for a while!

find a rug...how hard can it be?

When we chose wood laminate for the flooring in our new addition, I knew I wanted to buy an area rug. I thought the colors in it would help me choose my other decorative accessories. I have never bought a large rug before, so I didn't know there would be so many choices or that they would be so expensive!

I started looking at 9 x 12's. Didn't take me long to decide that an
8 x 10 would work just fine! :-) Also, though I wanted color, I kept being drawn to the neutrals because that is what our carpet has always been. I had to keep reminding myself..."color, remember you want color!" Then I would try to imagine what it was going to look like in our room with our furniture. One saleswoman told me..."you will probably have to take several home before you find the one you're happy with. I had to take four home and kept the one I liked the least in the store." Oh, joy! That's just what I wanted to do! 

After looking at several stores and numerous sites on line, our daughter suggested I look at Lowe's. I found two liked....
one...okay I admit it...was mostly beige with a little color on the sides. But, the other was more color than beige. I came home, slept on it (the decision, not the rug!), went back the next day, and brought this home...

 It's perfect! The size is good, the colors are great and it added just the right amount of...what is it they say on HGTV..."pop" to our room! Oh, and last but not least...it cost less than any other rug I looked at! 

I'm learning a lot during this re-modeling, re-decorating project. Some of the knowledge I will use again, some of it I probably won't. But, I am trying to enjoy it and remember that there is no deadline. We waited a long time for this room and I have the rest of my life to furnish and decorate it just the way I want it!! :-)

today's gifts

These are a few of the things I am grateful for today:

151. Pretty flowers from my Hubby delivered at work on Valentine's Day

152. knowing God is in control...all the time!

153. having hope when situations seem hopeless

154. nachos bel grande from Taco Bell...yum!

155. surprises in the mail

156. phone calls from my grandchildren :-)

157. a good night's sleep

158. smiles on the faces of the people I love

159. warm, snuggly sweaters

160. sweet and encouraging comments from all of you!! :-)

"You are blessed when you care. At the moment you find

 yourself caring, you are cared for."

Matt. 5:7

The Message Bible

re-purpose #1

 In an earlier post I talked about some re-purposing

 projects I had planned. I have finished two of them. 

I promised to share them if things went according to plan. 

Well, I am happy to say that...we are two for two!!

So, here is the first one!

Our daughter and her hubby bought a "pub" style

 dining table when they were first married

 2 1/2 years ago.

If you don't know what that is...

it is a high, square table with stool type chairs.

A few months ago, her in-laws gave them

 a bigger table and four chairs and they were kind

 enough to give their "pub" table to us.

First, the hubby cut the legs off to make them shorter

and them I lightly sanded it...

 primed it...

painted it black and sealed it with polyurethane...

and...voila! a new coffee table!!

I've always wanted one, but never had the space.

Now, with our addition, I finally do...and I love it!

It's not perfect, but I am pleased with the results

 and I think it will serve us well.

As a matter of fact, two of the grands have already

broken it in for us and it seems to be holding up! :-) 

 

The rug is new, too...

more on that later!!

it started with two

 This vinyl decal is the first thing I've put on the walls

 of our new addition.

It reminds me, every time I see it, how blessed we are!

 We are not perfect...

but we love each other anyway.

 

We like to celebrate together ...

and be quiet together.

 We like to play together...

we like to smile...

 

and show off a bit...when we have a reason to! :-)

And it all started with a divine appointment about 41 years ago

when two young people bumped into each other at the post office!

A lot has happened since then...

 

Thank you God for the sweet gift of family!

two little ladies

Monday, Little E and Little L came to visit.

They are so cute together! Being only 5 mos apart,

we expect them to be best buddies.

Right now, it's just fun watching them play together.

What joy and delight they bring to our home!

We love them so! :-)

today's gifts

These are some of the things I am grateful for today:


141. a new sidewalk
142. feeling better after being sick 
143. having sick leave at work
144. soft socks
145. diet ginger ale...my mom always gave ginger ale to us when we were sick. I had forgotten how good it is! Happy to find the diet kind.
146. having a washer and dryer
147. having the resources to pay our property taxes...we have neighbors who are struggling with this
148. the two inches of rain yesterday
149. a friend being home from the hospital after a month's stay
150. the assurance that my God is always with me!

"...be content with what you have, for He has said

I will never leave you or forsake you."

Heb 13:5

Have a blessed weekend!

rack 'em up!

 I love the clearance rack at our local Kroger grocery store.

 You never know what you will find there.

There are always grocery items, but other things make their way there, too.

Among other things, I've found a kitchen clock,

 light bulbs, a baby blanket, toys,

iPad accessories, Pyrex cookware, and

this Mexican serving platter...

 Yesterday, a friend told me about her latest find there...

three bins full of baby clothes.

Quality knit play wear for $1 a piece.

The price tag said they were $10 ...I probably

would not have paid that. But even at $5, a buck is a bargain!

So, I picked out a few things for our two babies...

18 pieces...$18!

I repeat, I love the clearance rack at Kroger!! :-)

do you re-store?

 Do you have a Habitat for Humanity ReStore near you?

 We have a small one here, 

but there is a much larger one in Macon

 where my daughter lives.

 We visited it last week with her and Little E.

 They have building products that have been donated

 and left overs from some of their construction.

Tubs and windows...

furniture and cabinets...

 

sinks and counter tops...

 

 toilet lids in any color you desire ...

and much, much more. 

The prices are great and all the money goes

back into their ministry.

It's a good resource for those re-purposing 

projects that are so popular these days.

My daughter bought an old drawer and half

of a wooden bi-fold door...

can't wait to see what they become! :-)

I didn't buy anything...this time!

But I am sure I will go back!

"Cause a visit to the ReStore makes you want to

"restore" something!!

fishing...sort of!

The Hubby, or Chief as he is known to the grands, gets

great enjoyment from our Koi pond.

He likes watching the fish, feeding them, and, yes, 

petting them. They will let him hold them in the water

and they suck on his fingers!

When our three oldest grands were little,

 the first thing they wanted to do when they got here was

to feed the fish with Chief.

Well, it's not so novel with them anymore, but he has

 two more little ones, Little E and Little L, to teach.

At 15 months, Little E has caught on!

When she came to visit Friday, she got excited

when she saw the Chief and

 started pointing toward the back door!

We knew what she wanted to do!

So, she carried the food (in the coffee can) and 

out the door they went!

She has learned that the food is for the fish and not her.

So, she doesn't try to eat it anymore! :-)

She carefully drops it in and watches them eat.

Then she laughs and wants to do it again!

As you can see in the first picture, they both 

had big smiles on their faces...

I'm not sure who enjoys it more!

Well actually I think I do...

and he's not 15 months old!! :-)

wintry day surprise

A while back, I talked about the Encore azaleas

 that we planted last spring.

I mentioned them because we were happy to find

 an azalea that bloomed more than once a year,

 But, who would have thought they would be

 blooming in Feb?

We have had some 75+degree days

 (which is not unusual for Middle Georgia)

 and I guess they got confused!

 

This week we are having freezing temperatures at night.

Hope it doesn't ruin these buds waiting to open!

It was quite a surprise to find this promise

 of Spring on a wintry day...

and I love surprises!