{ Summer Days }

Our summer days, here on High Street, have been such a busy time.  

There are so many projects underway, things that desperately need to be taken care of that haven't been done in many, many years, but that will last for many, many years or our lifetime once they're finished.  I am posting this mostly for me to remember.  I never want to forget how hard my husband is working to take care of his family.  He has chosen, mostly out of necessity, to do most of the repairs himself.  

Let me just list the projects:

Replace the furnace that quit in May

Repair the chimney

Insert a chimney liner

Replace all of the duct work in the basement

Replace the main water line to our house

Put in attic vents on the roof

Remove and kill the moss on our roof

Clean out the gutters

Collect firewood in his "spare" time

Act as mechanic to replace several parts on our vehicle

All this on top of working his normal job and coming home and helping me with the kids, keeping up with our substantial lawns, and helping with dishes, diapers and laundry.

In case I have or ever will doubt that I am married to an amazing man,

he is living proof.

 

Some of these projects are completed.  Most of them are still in progress. 

{ The chimney repair:  We hired a mason who allowed Tim to assist him.  We were able to save a substantial amount of money this way.  Tim carried all of the brick and mortar up the ladder. }

{ Here is the inside of the chimney and what it looked like before it was rebuilt.  When they went to tear it down, they literally picked up the brick by hand, no demolition needed.  Yeah, it was time to replace it! }

{ After the chimney was finished, a chimney liner had to be added.  Here are a couple guys from church helping Tim carry it up. }

{ Here is Tim cutting holes in the roof to put in attic vents.  He is amazing!  It was over 90 degrees that day and that is smoke as well as dust you see.  He had burns on his arms from the asphalt shingles. }

I think we would love to experience the lazy days of summer,

but then again, neither of us likes to sit still, so we can see that this life if probably best for us.

The timing has been perfect on these projects and God is clearly, unmistakable leading each

step of the way.  We have saved literally thousands of dollars and thus far remained debt 

free, which is nothing but the loving provision of God.

All of this has also brought us closer together.  We've actually spent more time as a family.

Don't get me wrong.  All of this has been a challenge, too.

It has pushed us to... and often past our limit, but I'm so thankful 

for the opportunity to get some of the ugliness out of my heart and and an adjustment for 

my attitude.  We're learning to work together as a team and juggle marriage, and kids, and home.

 Aside from projects, we've been having plenty of summery fun.

We've spent evenings at parks,

watched sunsets,

tried new wines,

played in the kids' little pool,

had a family backyard water fight,

played frisbee,

and planned our vacation.

We are picking raspberries,

enjoying our flower gardens,

going out for ice cream,

spending time with friends and the kids' grandparents,

and enjoying shorter work hours for Tim.

I am also enjoying more energy this summer.

This is the first summer since we got married that I am not pregnant!

We've still been living with less sleep.  What am I saying? With kids, less sleep is pretty much normal!

This week that sleep has gone to comforting while teeth come in:

Katy's first two teeth

and Oliver's molars

We are also putting both kids to bed in the same room.

This is to prepare for our first family vacation, 

which we leave for on Monday.

There have been several very long evenings

and plenty of tears while they adjusted,

but they are doing great now, and I am

actually hopeful that all of us in one room,

in a different place every night for a week 

is going to be possible!

To say we are excited to take a vacation would be an understatement!

To say we are still a little nervous about traveling with two little kids is also true,

but I am sure it will be so worth it!

 It has been a wonderful summer and I'm so looking forward to the rest of it!

{ A Day of Our Life :: July }

1. Visual reminder to pick up my camera

2. Breakfast

3. Messes

4. It's a good day when I have dinner ready to pull out of the freezer!

5.Cleaning the kitchen

6. Laundry

7. Outside chores

~ Our "Catalina" roses blooming

~Oliver cheering on the tree trimmers across the street

~ Fresh raspberries right off the vine

8. Play Time
9. Tim home for lunch

~Reading up on the manual for one of our many house repair projects

10. Story Time

11. Family time after dinner/dress up

{ Getting Ready for Baby }

Today I completed a gift I'm sending off to a far-away friend who is expecting her first baby. It was so much fun to put my creativity to work and to sew for a girl! I admit they were a little difficult to part with, because they turned out so cute. I guarantee I'll be making another giraffe! Wanna see?

{the tutorial is over here}

{ready to go}

{all wrapped up}

This has gotten me thinking of all the projects I'd like to do for our January baby. It's sad but true that I have yet to start anything. Life is a lot busier this time around, granted, but my mothering instinct wants to welcome this little bundle of joy with some special items just for him or her.

I have visions for the nursery, too. Some that Oliver will appreciate most and of course I need to create of nest for the new one. I'll keep you posted as these projects, hopefully, develop.

{ All Boy }

Yesterday was a good day to be Oliver! He discovered dirt for the first time and it was love at first sight.

Tim came home for lunch and worked a little more on his latest project: more raised flower beds. He started these before we got married. They were (are) my wedding present. The plan is to go around the entire front of our house. It's a major project, but what is finished so far is just wonderful.

While Tim worked, Oliver and I sat out in the yard to keep him company. It didn't take him long to crawl over to the dirt... and then into it.

Growing up with one sister and no brothers, this world of boys is all new to me, but it is SUCH a joy to watch him explore his world.

After he had had enough of the dirt, he was off to explore the machinery!

{ Sunny Weekend }

The sun came out in glory over the weekend. It's gone now and a bit cold again, but somehow it doesn't matter so much. Sun on the weekend is the best kind of sun.

Saturday morning, while Oliver napped, I sat on the hood of my husband's car and watched him take the bearings off of our new-to-us fixer-up trailer. I wore a big floppy orange hat and read my book between chatting, and enjoyed the brilliantly blue sky that I couldn't find a cloud in. It was a good just-happy-to-be-together morning.

Through the trailer (which we're so thankful to own now... so it can haul in our at least 7 cords of wood for the winter) we experienced the answer to our prayers for wisdom. As projects go it's costing more than expected, but just as we were getting super overwhelmed, the money was provided. Our God is so good... over and over again!

Later on we had a delicious bbq in the backyard. Big burgers that don't fit in the mouth and require multiple napkins.

I don't have much photo evidence of the day, but we ended it with a beautiful springtime hike.

Hope your weekend was pleasant too!

{ Making Spring }

This little spot has been long neglected.
I've missed it. Life has been busy.
I know I am not the only one
who feels like the gray and rain is
going to last forever. With so much in my life to be
thankful for, however, I have been counting my blessings and
doing what I can to dispel the clouds.

I am helping decorate for a baby
shower this weekend. We are
making these flowers in orange... the mama's favorite color.
In fact, everything about her shower will be orange. Fun!

{SOURCE}

Because spring has been difficult to find,
I have been creating it as much as possible indoors.
Oliver and I ventured out for just a minute
yesterday to pick a sunny bouquet of daffodils and
grape hyacinth.

{ Our dining room }

In our breakfast nook we are making progress. Want to see?

{ We really had no idea how we were supposed to cut our bead board around the
windows. Lots of measuring maybe? Santa Christmas wrapping paper seemed
a lot easier. Here is Tim making a template. It worked great! }

{ Nailing: I learned something as a carpenter's daughter :) }

{This look tells me he was pleased to have conquered these lights! They went up last night. We were up until 10 pm playing with electricity.
Also, notice the paint. We weren't sure we liked these lights when we went to
bed last night, but this morning we did. It's a little early to judge anyway. We have
a long way to go. }

Last week Tim had a couple of long days, so I took
the opportunity to visit my parents overnight. It
was a wonderful time and included one day of 75 degrees
and a trip to the park. Oliver's first day to go to the park!
We will be without Tim this weekend as well, but we are
looking forward to spending more time with them.

My heart has been desiring more fellowship since
I moved to my new town after getting married.
I left behind a wonderful group of mentors and have
been praying that God would provide new ones.
Now that I am a wife and mother, I am so desirous
of the experience and wisdom of women who
have years behind them. Just today that prayer
was answered. God has provided a gold mine of
wonderful godly women. Today was my first morning
with them. I am excited to continue.

{ Improvements }

Ever since we got married, I have been planning to paint the kitchen and breakfast nook.

A year ago I cleaned the walls.

Picked out paint samples.

Decided on colors.

Took a long, long break to plan and consider other color schemes.

Saved up money.

Then Oliver came and life got wonderfully busy.

The day before spring arrived Tim and I got a bug to start the project. An hour later we were at the store buying the paint.

Today I cleaned the walls again.

We're so excited! It's going to be a huge amount of work and it will go slowly, as I will work on it during nap time, but the finished project will be so worth the wait!

{ What we have to show for our labors so far }

Project #1 Breakfast Nook
Soon these lovely colors will be brightening up this space

{Pastimes}

This past week Tim and I decided, on a whim, that it was time to become a little more technologically advanced and join the world of Skyping. We were sitting together a few evenings ago, enjoying our much more rare just -the -two -of -us times, discussing our holidays plans, and Tim decided he should run to Walmart and get a camera for our computer. Yes, our computer is "old" enough not to have one built in.

We were prompted to take this step because we have been so excited for Tim's parents to meet their new little grandson. We are super excited that they are planning to join us for Thanksgiving. With the weather the way it is, though, there is the unfortunate possibility that they will be unable to make the drive. Skype has been a tremendous way to fill the gap. It was so sweet to see Tim's sheer joy as he showed his parents Oliver for the first time. There's just really nothing to top moments like that in life! Oliver has since met two sets of aunts and uncles this way, which was very special as well.

Speaking of aunts, tomorrow Oliver will meet his Auntie B. for the first time. We are super excited to see her! We have been anticipating this visit for a long time now. I am looking forward to sister time for a week. We plan to pull out our projects while Oliver naps. I realized this morning as I was thinking about what I would like to work on, that it has been YEARS since we have had an opportunity to create together. Years!! Growing up it was a daily pleasure. Such fun.



I will be working on Oliver's baby quilt. I have given up hand-quilting it and am resorting to my machine. I want him to be able to use it this winter, if you know what I mean? Beth will no doubt be buried in cards. I know I'm biased, but she is a master in my mind. I was recently tickled pink to receive a "just because" package in the mail of cards she'd made with me in mind. There is always a dilemma with her cards... I want to send them to special people in my life because they're so beautiful, I also want to keep them because they're so beautiful. I usually break down and send them, and am happy I did, but there are a few I've not been able to part with, and I've had them for a couple of years!




My sister has become enamored with owls lately. I thought it was just her, but I've since discovered owls everywhere I go. They are very cute, but I have to ask myself what made them popular all of a sudden? Trends are a great mystery to me! Does someone at the top of the fashion industry keep a hat on their desk with little folded pieces of paper in it? Did they pull out "owls" at the beginning of 2010? Regardless, Oliver and I are going to welcome her with a little owl party tomorrow. I can't wait to surprise her with this cookie project! Which reminds me... I need to get almonds and chocolate chips.



Speaking of grocery stores, I was at WinCo the other day and was getting positively giddy in the bulk section. Christmas candy, nuts, fruit, chocolate is everywhere, not to mention pumpkin filling, cream cheese, sugar, sprinkles, and frosting. I wanted to take it all home with me, turn on Christmas music and bake, and bake, and bake! It didn't help that we woke up to snow yesterday with another skiff this morning. Tim and I already decided this morning that we can't wait until the day after Thanksgiving to start listening to Christmas music. I'll let you in on a little secret... (we already have some of our Christmas bows hung outside).

While I was at WinCo, I restocked our supply of tea. It was such fun. I am hosting the Christmas tea for my mom's group the first week of December! I'm so excited! I had to find a tea that would be perfect. As I was finishing my perusal of the shelves, I found "Constant Comment", a Bigelow blend. With orange and spices it sounds like the perfect Christmas tea and with a name like that I couldn't pass it up for a group of ladies.




Well, I have lots of company to prepare for and my house isn't ready. I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving!