Pinterest

If you haven't discovered Pinterest yet, welcome.  If you have, you're already pinning and having a grand time.  Looking for inspirational ideas for your home, wardrobe, kids?  Look no further.

Pinterest is a web site dedicated to gathering pictures of stuff.  In my account, I have 6 folders dedicated to home decor, kids, great ideas, etc.  If I see something interesting in the browsing section, I can pin it to my folders.  In just two weeks I've filled the folders with such fun things.  And with a great Pinterest phone app, it's been my best friend in Dr. waiting rooms recently.  I love browsing through the stuff and gathering the ideas.

Here are some examples of what I've found.

Included in my great ideas folder:

I must do this--now!

Tension rod, brilliant!

Um....yes.
And it's at Ana-White--building plans with measurements and cutting diagrams included.

There is another picture of one built into a cabinet with doors to hide the baskets.  Like it better.

My mom is looking for bunk bed ideas for her basement.  No problem.

Simply search for bunk, and about 80 pictures pop up that have been pinned in the last few days.

Or how about home decor ideas that inspire you?

I like this kitchen, light airy, great details.
 I adore transoms and think they should be in every house.

I also love high contrast with punches of color.  Clean lines.
Yes, this is me.

Or maybe it inspires others in your life.

 I actually found a room that Gem likes.  It's okay at least.  Planning on implementing some stuff from here.

And here.

But maybe you are a quote fan.  I have an entire folder dedicated to signs.

I've laughed for two days about this.
Is your sense of humor like mine? Jon didn't get it, but Gem laughed.

Can you read this one?  When I blew it up, it looked all pixily.  The punch line says, "correct punctuation can save a person's life."

So, go pin and enjoy.

Here's the link to my files if you want to check them out.

A Little Water Goes a Long Way

We don't belong to a pool.  My kids love swimming, but three of them can't swim.  With one being two years old and me being pregnant, it's just not easy negotiating areas with water.  The ocean last week was the PERFECT setup for us.  Lots of sand, a tide pool that came up to my knees and ocean surf.  Something for everyone in an easy to keep everyone safe environment.

So after church today Jon took Sinatra with him to shop at Sam's.  Imagine how huge his little eyes got when he asked for the pool and Jon said, "Sure!"  They came home and blew it up with the compressor and then to swimsuits and the back yard.

Blowing it up.

Little Mr. Happy Man

I just had to add this picture.  Little boy.  So precious.

The fun begins.

She learned to say "cheese" when the camera is pointed in her direction.  She also tilts her head just like Sinatra always has--posing at two.  What a ham!

Just having fun, fun!

They will be in there until it's time for bed.  What a great father on Father's Day!

Catching Up

It's been awhile since I last blogged. Here are a few picts. to catch you up.

We took down that tree.







Hidden away in the Gator.



Sinatra.



Going to football practice or games has been a constant--4 days a week until the end of the month. Number 63 is our favorite. Shakespeare usually plays offense and makes his blocks about 80% of the time. He loves it.



Here is his sister watching the game.




Can you guess what is on his finger? Nope, not that.



Please pardon the long nails.



It's an inch worm. Popcorn and Sinatra vied for possession of this "little booger" for an hour. Then after torturing the small creature with tug-of-war someone accidentally dropped it in the grass and it was lost.



Here's some Sugar sweetness.



and some more.



and a Gem.


and our 10 lb. Annie. We go on walks every morning before anyone else in the house is up. What a great treat for the dog and for me.



And these last two shots are of the kids doing their VBS presentation--Saddle Ridge Ranch was the theme.

While Away the Weather

92 in the shade and our upstairs AC is out. I think we'll inflate the blow up mattress and camp in the playroom tonight. Glad it's not the downstairs AC.

Someone once said that air conditioning settled the south. I believe them. Scarlet O'Hara looks so beguiling in her green and white hoop skirts and flouncy straw hat, but I bet she smelled horrific, sweltering in that Georgia heat! I swear that I'm dripping wet by the time I get the mail and come back to the house. I can't imagine living in Louisiana.

I've debated for years about whether I tolerate winter or summer better (love spring and fall), and I've finally come to a conclusion (I think). I like summer better. I discovered that this morning while walking the dog. I only had on a tank top and shorts at 7am and was completely comfortable. In winter I have to bundle up with layers and layers. Ugg! Also, everything is green and sunny in summer--a major advantage over winter.

Over the years I've put parameters around my decision making. One rule is that I can't make up my mind about these two seasons when I'm in another one. In other words, I have to decide I like summer on one of those blazing hot days. And I have to decide I like winter on the 7th day straight of ice, wind and snow. I try to avoid romanticizing them from afar.

So, my favorite seasons in order of favorite to least: spring, fall, summer, winter (I think). I'll let you know for sure around the end of January.

The Rest of the Story

Yep, we had snakes. Thankfully, we also have Rex! Rex used to work for a zoo and help people handle the snakes. He also worked in the army with animals. So, whenever we need snake removal or a bomb dog, we call Rex. If you don't have a friend like this, I would recommend finding one. To say the least, we were thankful for his unique set of skills.

The snakes were after the baby birds that are in the fern on our porch. The chicks hatched about three weeks ago. Hence, the snake climbing up the side of the house.











Now the black racers (not poisonous) live in another woods!

Thank you, Rex!

What's Wrong with this picture?

Use your "Where's Waldo" eyes and find two things that do NOT belong in this picture.

...and Who's on First?

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, And Nobody

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Presidential Walking

We (the kids and I) decided to do the presidential fitness challenge. Adults are required to do 30 min./day, 5 days a week, for 6/8 weeks in order to meet the goal. Kids have to do 1 hr. of activity. So, for every school day (except Tues. for our homeschool group day) we get up and walk before school. It's been a wonderful way to jump start our days and to get exercise. The boys usually ride their bikes and Gem and Sinatra and I walk. Sugar either rides along in the stroller or in a pack on my back.



We often walk a lovely trail that follows the watershed and weaves through the woods and along the creek. We also sometimes follow the trail to the middle school close by--especially if it's 8:15 and all the buses are arriving. Sinatra loves to watch them and wave at the drivers. They honk and wave back. Big fun!

Go to Bed!!!

Okay, Lori and Mark and the person from Winston-Salem that lurks on my blog at all hours (I love you, whoever you are)...GO TO BED!!! It's 1am. What are we thinking?????? Stacy, are you the Winston person? I've been wondering for a while who the lurker in Winston is. Anyway, we're up waaaaaaay too late. I posted my last entry moments ago and my stat counter says that you have already read it. I order us to bed--unless you're just recovering from having 4 kids talk your ear off all day long. Come, come, WS person. Who are you?

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A Yard Sale-ing I Go

This morning I set out at 6:30, looking for a dresser and bookshelf. The deals were plentiful. I could have bought a large botanical print for $4 or shoes for $2, but I chose these things:

Not pictured: $3-my color Mary Kay blush, $4-2 car jacks that I used to replace the wood supports under Gem's queen bed frame.

$1, 12 picture announcements
$1, Scrapbook with pages and stickers



$1, some Summer reading for Shakespeare--and a very hopeful book for Sinatra:



$.05, a small ceramic watering can that will be spray painted white and added to my pot of tulips on the front stoop:



Now we come to a find that elicits two opposite emotions for me: delight and cringe, delight because I LOVE this thick, blousy, quality bunting hanging on each section of my front porch (I bought three), and cringe because I paid $25 for the set. (Yes, Jon, you read that wrong--think $2.50, my Love) She asked for $30. As I walked away I knew in my gut that she would have taken $15. BUT...every year on the 4th of July and on flag day I will not feel cringe, just delight.

2, 1/2 Weeks

In the next two and a half weeks I have to:
Get a dresser
Get a bookcase
Change out kid seasonal clothes
Spot and wash all infant clothes
Administer state testing for Gem and Shakespeare
Continue decluttering my house
Find color chips for baby room and bathroom
Find someone to do the wainscotting in the bathroom
Buy new mirrors and fixtures for the bathroom
Host an informational meeting for my homeschool group
Nail down my husband about the baby's name
Finish school for the year

...laugh a lot
...breathe
...not take life too seriously
...enjoy every day
...remember to look at the stars, the sunset, the blue sky and the birds
...snuggle with each member of my family
...raid my chocolate stash
...read my Bible and rest in His provision

Then the baby will be here.

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

Well, maybe crying is allowed for a newly opened gallon of milk poured over the wood floor and under the refrigerator 10 minutes before company rings the doorbell.

Sinatra likes to get the milk out an carry it to the counter. I wasn't in the room when he decided to do it this time. When I found the mess I mopped up the damage and had my friend move the refrigerator so I could get behind it to finish the job--or so I thought.



My friend was at our house for about three hours. After she left I walked into the kitchen by the refrigerator and noticed a good sized puddle on the carpet just inside the doorway to the school room. How we stepped over it numerous times without anyone noticing it I will never know. So, three hours of soaking into the carpet and padding--nice.

I sucked it up for about 10 minutes, rinsing frequently and sucking up more.

Two days later I walked into the house and about fell over with the smell. I looked to see if the compost bucket under the sink hadn't been emptied--nope. I searched the refrigerator--nope. The trash can? I wish. Of course, it was the spot.

Jon brought the extractor from work and I sucked out milky water for 45 min.--until it was clear.

Two days later--still stank when I got close to the refrigerator. Suck up more--still stinks.

Jon had his housekeeping manager come by and dump some good smelling stuff with enzymes to help break up and lift the stench. Two days later--still stinks, but only when you stoop down near the stain.

Here's the thing: the carpet is not really worth saving. It needed replaced the day we moved in, but with potty training children and spillers of juice in abundance we opted to do different home improvement projects instead of spending the cash on the carpet. But this may push the issue to the forefront. We're considering extending the hard wood floor. (Can you hear my mom cheering in the background--No, that's not the wind outside, it's the faint sound of my delighted mom, celebrating in Indiana. She has wanted rid of my carpet for years). This would seriously put a damper on painting the kitchen cabinets and getting granite countertops. We'll see. The housekeeping guy is coming back tomorrow for one last try.