Linkity, link, link.

Happy reading!

For Fun:

Oct 09 Popular Tips - Tipnut.com

I Love Advent Calendars - Just Organize Yourself

Bald Headed Blues - Especially Heather (this also kind of makes you think :)

Decorating:

Doorway Drapes and Silouhette Art - Room Remix

Ask Liz: Collecting Vintage Pottery And Glass - Mabel's House

Trash to Treasure:Wall Art - Reinvented

Easy Christmas Decorating Projects - The Nester

Recipes:

Mushrooms Stuffed With Brie - Pioneer Women

Organize:

Empty Your Brain - Simple Mom

Here is a pic of us on our honeymoon in Hawaii, Mar 05 - behind us are rice fields.

I {heart} Summer

If you've known me very long, you'd know that I am ALWAYS cold. Always. No, seriously.

I wore a hoodie almost the whole time on our honeymoon in Hawaii. Seriously. Granted, it was during their winter, but still..

This was our first day in Hawaii. Hours after getting off of the plane. :)

(As a side note, I kind of wish my hair was this long again.)

I was even cold during my whole pregnancy. And I had gained 50 pounds!! Not sure if that has anything to do with being warm, but it sounds good. I was so waiting to be the hot (literally not figuratively) pregnant girl! FINALLY - I wouldn't be cold!! Never happened. *sigh*

After reading this post from For Love Or Funny, I decided I would like to add to this list of things to do while waiting for Spring to come.

I could have seriously written that post. I have ALWAYS said I would much more enjoy Fall if I knew it didn't bring *enter doomsday music* WINTER. Ugh.

That said.. here is my list of things to do:

1. Count down on your calendar the days till Summer officially begins. (although we all know it doesn't really get warm till WEEKS after that - maybe months!)

2. Complain to your hubby about how cold it is.

3. Complain to your friends about how cold it is.

4. Eat comfort food while complaining that you are cold.

5. Think about how maybe you might enjoy winter a little more if you had a "winter hobby". i.e. skiing, snowboarding. And then convince yourself that it's too cold to do any of that.

6. Read a good book covered in a hundred blankets while sipping hot cocoa and asking hubby to turn up the heat.

7. Get into a discussion with hubby about how winter in Wisconsin actually lasts for NINE months a year, not THREE. We all know it doesn't get warm till June.

8. Knit. (to keep hands warm)

9. Complain about how cold it is. Did I mention this one??

10. Pray that God will decide that Winter isn't really necessary anymore.

What about you?? Can you not wait for Summer????? Or are you a cold weather person?

As I Always Say.. Parenting Is Not For The Faint Of Heart

I love MOPS. I feel so renewed and inspired afterwards.

If you are unfamiliar with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), to make it short and sweet, it's a group that is devoted to encouraging and helping moms with children from the ages of birth-5yrs.

Today we had a "Panel of Moms". Three "seasoned", if you will, mothers (one of them was Amy's mom :) who answered a few questions pertaining to motherhood.

I thought I would share a few things that really hit home with me today:

• Once you lose your self-control, your child has gained control. First, as a parent, I need to be in control always - not to dominate, but for my child's safety and to earn her trust. Second, what am I teaching her by losing control and getting angry?
• I'm representing Jesus to my child(ren) while they are young. (no pressure. ;) How do I want her to later view God? As a harsh dictator? Or a patient, loving, compassionate Father who loves unconditionally.
• My child(ren) are VIP's. VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE. Very important. After the Lord and my husband, of course, they come first. This means before hobbies, things that "have" to get done, (i.e. cleaning, organizing, etc.) I only have them for a short time. I need to make the very most of the time we do have together.
• Treat them how I want to be treated. Seems obvious, I know. But I've seen it in my life and other peoples - oftentimes the ones closest to us get treated the worst. Would I appreciate someone talking down to me and being aggressive while trying to "teach me a lesson"? Absolutely not. And I would never treat my friends this way! Respect is a two way street. I believe this wholeheardetly. Kids are people too.
• Don't expect too much out of them, but at the same time have confidence in them. As Amy would say, don't expect them to use "adult reasoning". Should they automatically know they shouldn't yell at the dinner table? Probably not. The first hundred time(s) they do it, explain gently why it isn't appropriate instead of getting angry because they're not acting how you think they should. But have confidence in them by trusting them with a little more each day and trusting God to speak to them and guide them as well.

I know my little girl is only a little over a year, but I really need to start these good habits NOW. I pray that she will forgive me for getting angry in the past, but, Praise God, today is a new day! If you think of it, would you pray for me, too? Pray that God will give me patience and grace so I can pass it along! :) Thanks!

Gilly was "helping" Mama rake the yard. :)

I am Woman! Hear me.....spraypaint??

I have been a painting fool lately!!

I've been so inspired by The Nester and Liz @ Mabel's House. <---if you haven't checked out this blog yet - you have to! Right now!! :) You'll thank me later.

Here are some FREE (the best kind) frames that I received a week or so ago.

And here they are painted. SO much better.

Here's the "Free" bakers rack my Ma gave me. More on that later.

A basket that used to be gold. Yuck.

This shelf used to brown.

Another used-to-be-brown basket.

And you can't really see it in this pic, but there is a now black candle holder that was green.

I'm really digging white these days. Can you tell???

Ok, now on to the "Free" bakers rack. I use the term "free" loosely.

I had some copper spray paint left over from a project I did 3 years ago, and I thought,
"I'll just use this up and buy another can and I'll be done!" Ha! Yeah right.

Here is the "Before".

As you can see, it's a nice shade of Hunter Green.
Not really my bag.

Not too excited about the apples either.

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

The leaves were welded on and I was trying to think of a way I could hide

the holes where the apples screwed on.

Enter handyman hubby.

He got to work and bondo'ed (sp?) and sanded and...

and sanded some more.. (doesn't it look great?)

Finally after 4 MORE cans of paint it was finally done!!!!

Baker's Rack - Free

4 Cans of Copper Spray Paint - $20

Lesson learned about receiving "free" items you have to change the appearance of? - Priceless.

SOTW - Heart

Heart by Jars Of Clay

I let it get dark,
So you'll see the stars
They'll say we're in love,
We probably are

No mountains to climb,
Papers to sign
Offer your heart,
I've given you mine

One flag left to burn,
One country to fall
One soul to pour out,
One love to catch all

No walls to defend,
Wars to align
Give me your heart,
you already have mine

Jars of Clay has to be one of my fave bands. They're ever changing and I love that. Not boxed in by any one thing. If you get a chance you should give'em a listen. It will be worth your time. I promise. :)

A couple of great sites where can you listen to music for free is http://www.lala.com/ and http://www.pandora.com/

Happy listening!

Friends Unwrapped

As I sit here trying to see the world "Unwrapped", I'm looking forward to going over to my friend, Amy's, house this morning and chatting.

That's all we do.

Talk. Chat. Converse. Gab. Jabber.

And it's WONDERFUL.

We could probably do it all day. (Well, I know I could.) But then not much else would get done. *sigh*

I love that we're comfortable enough to "just talk."

She doesn't feel the need to scrub her house down from top to bottom before I come - (at least, I hope she doesn't.. teehee.) another sign of "comfortable". (I would do her the same courtesy and not clean! HAHA! - How does that make you feel, Amy?? :)

This pic is almost two years old, which reminds me... we need to get a newer pic of the two of us..

It's a very pregnant "me".

Totally need to get a better pic. :)

The man of many friends [a friend of all the world] will prove himself a bad friend,

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

~Proverbs 18:24

(Amplified Bible)

My Faves From Last Week

You know the drill. :)

Decorating:
Thanksgiving Table Decor

Homemaking:
Homemade Cough & Cold Syrup
More Uses For Herbs
How To Wash Your Broom - I can honestly say this has never occured to me - gross!

Fun:
100 FREE (yes, FREE) Photo Christmas Cards!!!
A Great List Of Easy "Neighborly" Gifts

Makes Ya Think:
Carrying Burdens That Don't Belong To Us

Have a loverly weekend!!!