Miscellaneous Lately

Life has been full around here.  Not necessarily busy, but full.  T took off work last week, and we enjoyed lots of family time.  On each end of the week, we celebrated the graduations of two of my family members...brother-in-law, Jeremy, from PT school and my youngest sister, Valerie, from high school (for those of you who have known my sister since my college days and prior, can you believe she is college bound!?!)  We spent a few days relaxing in Kansas City and a few days working and playing around our house.

We tackled a handful of projects here at home, and did a bit of Spring cleaning in preparation for a big garage sale this next weekend.  My favorite project I worked on was this $10 Craigslist find of an old beat-up dresser that I lovingly painted and turned into a TV unit with toy storage.  I have also started to hang some pieces on the wall.  We've had naked walls for more than a year.  It has felt so good to start adding some smaller personal touches.  I'm still sticking to these accessorizing guidelines, and am really excited about my ideas (of course).

While at my parents' house for graduation festivities, I borrowed our housemate's DSLR camera.  It was fun to take some farm shots with.  We also snagged some old barn wood and such from a shed that is soon to be burnt down.  Of course, we have ideas about what to make with it someday.  I don't think we will ever be lacking for project ideas!  :)

My recent reading has included One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  Oh my, she is poetic!  Her writing speaks directly to my soul in such a gentle, eloquent way.  I love her personality that shines through, and her story-telling is captivating.  My heart has been really encouraged by what I've read so far, and I am intentionally choosing gratitude throughout the moments of my days.  It is affecting me.  I'm noticing God more.  Her words and honesty help me feel so much more at peace with myself.  If you want a little teaser as to what she offers through her writing, check out her blog, A Holy Experience.  I've been daily praying through her Manifesto of Joyful Parenting as well...that may sound intimidating, but read it...it is so centering for me.

I love the back wall of our house...SO many windows featuring SO many trees.  They are finally all leafed out and gorgeous!  The birds are always crazy singing back there.  And speaking of, we've had quite the variety of colorful birds flying around thanks to our master-bird-feeding neighbors.  Hannah and I hung out a feeder yesterday, but I've yet to see any birds at it.  I need to pick the brains of our neighbors, I suppose.

Spring has given us a few little tastes of summer's heat recently.  The kids and I made a late afternoon run to the neighborhood pool yesterday.  It was our first trip of the season and got me so excited for the months to come!  Neighbors gather and chat so freely there.  Walls that have built up during our winter hibernation get stripped away (as we strip off our clothes, exposing our pale swimsuit clad bodies).  And the kids play so freely.  They get to make new neighborhood friends as toys are shared and faces get splashed.  Of course, it will soon be sweltering, and people (probably me included) won't be so excited about the pool being their only comfortable outdoor option, but for now, it's exciting.

We're having a spread of leftovers for dinner tonight, and it feels so luxurious not to have to prep for the evening meal.  We did make some banana bread this afternoon though.

And now kids are stirring from naps and the sun is coming out after a rainy morning.  Maybe a walk is in store.  Later!