i love my home... a little bit more!

I was inspired by a month long challenge that started on feb. 1, over at a fresh start.  It was called 28 days to love your home.  You all know, I LOVE our new home. But as of today, we have lived in it for 8 and a half months and at the beginning of this month it still looked pretty much the same as when we first moved in(minus the Valentine's decorations).  Not for lack of ideas rolling around in my head!   So I decided to spend February implementing some of those ideas...

First, we all know I really wanted a creative crafty space.

Nothing big. (for now)

I was inspired by this closet redo.

But

1) I didn't have the extra $100 right now to buy the supplies.

and

2) My hallway closet currently houses my big ol' Dyson and a folding card table and four chairs.

Then I was in Walmart and saw a four pack of those boxes in a smaller size for just $6, so I grabbed them.  I used one right away for the growing pile of colored socks thrown on top of the older girls' bureau. 

That's much better.

They think it's cool to wear mismatched colored socks now.  They thought they made that up.  Then I told them about the 80's and how I used to wear four socks every day- criss crossed the colors and slouched them all down.  They think that sounds ugly. Hmph.

I digress.

I slowly but steadily added to my eclectic mug collection...

and I finally bought the covered cake stand I've had my eye on...

unfortunately, the cake didn't last the time it took to find my camera. ;)

I spotted this cute little bowl on etsy and planned to buy it (along with an all scarlet one)...

which inspired the color theme for my kitchen this Spring...

(I'll be throwing in a little aqua too.)

I found a fun use for some funky scarves the ladies had lying around...

window mistreatments.

Then I finally stopped waiting-

 for more money,

more time,

and more space

and just addressed my creative needs...

turns out I don't need much space right now anyways, lol.

So it was on to find that space.

A little space that could be my space.

It's funny what you find when you look hard enough.

And see that the bottom two shelves here...

could easily become this...

hooray!

Last, but not least,

I embraced the roses John bought us...

(we girls split a dozen)

even though I can't arrange flowers to save my life.

But I do know how to enjoy them.

And my home. A little bit more than before!

Could you enjoy your home a little bit more in March?

*This post is linked to http://theinspiredroom.net/2010/02/25/inspired-by-simple-creativity-diy-wallpaper-decals/.

this week has been NUTS!

if it wasn't for scheduled posting, I wouldn't have posted anything.





lots of doctors appointments for the ladies-
some scheduled, some unplanned but neccessary.

one whole day spent in the er.


such is life.

I was overwhelmed by your thoughtful responses and support to my a call to religion posts.  I was dissappointed in my lack of of time to respond to each and every one of them and visit of your blogs. I missed taking pictures and resorted to this...

getting quick fixes in public restrooms.

(Who says blogging isn't addictive? You might see my family on INTERVENTION some day soon.)

to give you a small idea of the chaos,

this was breakfast yesterday...

Yup, I had to make an Australian flag before setting off  to the er,

because I had committed on Wednesday to bringing it to the GS leader on Friday afternoon. 

Thankfully John was able to actually deliver it for me. (Thanks honey, you rock!)

And for those of you who might be interested...

Mackenna is scheduled to get her adnoids out.

Shaye is scheduled to get her tonsils and adnoids out.

We ruled some stuff out for Gianna,
now she needs to follow up with a GI doctor for more tests - and hopefully a diagnosis?!?

all in March.

Along with Shaye's brithday, Shaye's birthday party,  Girl Scout Sunday,  Little House on the Prairie day, 
and more that I am sure I am forgetting as I type this.

Nothing to complain about, in fact I am thankful at how (relatively)minor everything is.

And I am looking forward to Spring!

Now comment away

and I promise to find time to visit each and every person who does!!

a call to religion. part three

How do you explain abortion to a seven year old?!??

I took a deep breath and then, very calmy, said, "It's when a woman decides that she can not or does not want to have the baby growing in her stomach, so a doctor takes the baby out early and, because it is not done growing, it can not live, so it  goes straight to Heaven."  I realized I was still holding my breath.

With a baffled look on her face,  she looked straight into my eyes and asked , "Why can't the Mommy just have the baby and give it to someone who can or does want it?"

"That, my sweet Shaye, would make you a pro-lifer." was what I said out loud.  I was thinking, "But sometimes it's not that simple."

Then I looked at her in all of her innocence...

 and thought, "Or is it?"

For so long, I have held the belief that our brains and what we know to be true,  must, in all common sense, overrule  our hearts and what we feel and what we believe to be true. 

So what that organized religion had more to do with power when it came to be, if, today, it can bring my family a sense of belonging and comfort and stability in these crazy modern times.  If the Catholic powers-that-were created rules and scripture to conviently support their views and ambitions. Don't I technically do the same thing when I comfort my daughters, and myself, with the words -  Papa is in Heaven? When I pray for the health of my friend's baby?  When I bless myself when I hear an ambulance siren? When I thank God, every night, after my girls are in bed and I am lying in the arms of a man who gave me and shares the life I have today, for all that I do have?

Is it so wrong to formally, publicly, acknowledge my Faith? Faith that there is something, someone, out there greater than I?  Can't I agree to disagree with some of the points that the Church and I don't see eye to eye on? Although, the older I get and the more I see, I certainly disagree with some of those teachings less and less.

These are the things that I can't get out of my mind right now.

Girl Scout Sunday is being hosted at a local Catholic church in a few weeks.

We plan on attending.