Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Time Flies



It was a lazy day, not the kind when one is lazily enjoying the company of family, but the kind of laziness that kept me from doing anything interactive at all. My dishes were everywhere, my house was a disaster (yard sale consequences), and my kiddos were left to their own devices.


I was lost in blog land, for hours it seemed. And then I got to one blog written by a single mother (not single by choice) of four boys. She wrote about how she has to work five jobs to stay in her house and how she worries for her boys. She spoke of the strain she sees of divorce on her children. She voiced her hurt. She also lovingly described the ways she stops everything she's doing when she is home with them and looks them each in the face, and reads stories, prays with them, and tickles them. Because time flies and she didn't want to miss their childhood.


That's when I left my computer.

I don't want to be near my children in body, but never engaging their hearts.


I joined my little people outside and in my haste to be with them, locked us out of the house.


Now, hubby was gone helping a family member with a house project, and that left me, outside with no cell phone. I knew he would be home in about an hour, so I thought we'd just sit in the shade and enjoy it.


It's amazing how attitude can make or break an opportunity like that. When I first told my kids we were locked out, one said "Oh no, now we'll never get in!" Isn't that just like us? To see the negative first? Another one said, "But we'll be bored out here!" Really? It seems to me that we were given imaginations for a reason. Yet another one said, "If you guys would have just checked the door knob before you closed the door... " Shift the blame onto someone else, that's the way it's done.



Okay, that last one was me.

At that moment, I had a choice: to admit it was my doing and change the attitude atmosphere, or to keep the scowl on.


Thankfully, I chose wisely and admitted it was my fault we were locked out. And changed my tactic to, hey, let's be together!


I turned the sprinkler on and let them at it with their clothing on. That changed everything. I could have been further tempted to scowl when I realized that my little guy had done his "dooty" in his diaper. Literally, the flies were swarming around him, folks. But, again, I decided to relax because I couldn't change a darn-tootin thing at that moment.


When I ponder how quickly time is flying by, it gives me pause. I think about how I can only remember small fragments from even when my little guy was a babe. That was only 2.5 years ago! How my firstborn looked as a baby, I seem to recall only in the photos I see of her.


So, my prayer is that I would learn this lesson early and learn it well. And even in the harried moments, remember...


Babies don't keep.


~christa jean







Thursday, July 7, 2011

Transforme

We have lived in our new house now for just over a month. In that span of time I've unloaded millions of boxes (more like 160 or something), while filling up more boxes for a G-sale. I've found that I kept too much stuff. Time to simplify!

I've also painted four rooms (with help!), ironed seven sets of curtains, organized (and re-organized) twenty kitchen drawers.

I have probably had a dozen meltdowns, mainly because, my house is in process.

Seems to be a sloooooow process.
Isn't that just like us? We are being changed from "glory to glory", only, I seem to be so impatient. I want it done NOW!

Take a tour with me through some of our house "process" and help me say "NO" to perfectionism.
Sweet little hutch we found on Craigslist. With my dishes here, I have more room for food in the kitchen! I have plans to paint the backdrop behind the dishes to make them pop. Gee, maybe that will happen by December.

This is the wall directly facing the front door. It's all jumbled right now, but once the mirror is hung, it will feel more put together. I'm thinkin' I will paint that table a funky color, like coral!


This is probably the first thing you see when you enter the house. I LOVE it, but haven't quite figured out how to arrange all the "tchotkes" or "neeners" or "knick knacks", whatevah you call 'em. I like that this gives the illusion of an entry way so that we don't just walk into the living room furniture.


Aaaannnnnd, then, there is the other area that you see when you walk through the door. These are the "last stand" of boxes. They were all hiding in the office/guest room/drum room, but we painted that room over the weekend and decided to put them right where I would pull my hair out every time I walked by. It's been working! The pile is half that now and, hey, I still have my hair.




I am fond of quaint conversation nooks. This is directly behind the cube shelf in our faux entry way. The fur is only temporary. I just draped them over the chairs because, dagnabit! I'm tired of them. They remind me of denim blue. If they don't sell on Craigs, they are going in the G-sale!





Not sure what to do with this corner and the beautiful antique, albeit, sad looking rocking chair. I soooooo wanna re-upholster it! But, I DO NOT want to attempt it on my own. I have some fabric I already like, if I could just find someone to do it for me, for, say $100. That would be stellar!



This funky little love seat was scored down in OR at the G.W. for a whopping 10 bucks! Not the most comfortable seat, but sassy all the same.





The lighting is off in this pic, but as you can see I have more blue "denim" in my living room than is acceptable. Although, I do still love the bones on this couch. I aim to keep it for as long as I can and just keep adding different pillows when the mood hits me. Hey, when the pillows are only 5 bucks (the blue ones), I think I can handle that!


Again, stinky lighting, but I'm trying to show you the panel curtains (which are only partly done) from IKEA.


Oh, so sweet garden stool, where to put you?!



I didn't take a picture of the whole living room because there were books and boxes still around. Drat, perfectionism! I loathe thee! But, you would be proud of me, I've actually had quite a few guests over, even in what feels to me to be barely organized chaos. That's progress, people!






Vintage inspired canisters that were super cheap at Tuesday Morning. I adore the crystalline blue soap that I found at fancy WINCO.


I think I like birds. They tend to pop up here and there in my house.


Hubby talked me into the curved shower curtain rods and I really love the look. They give you more arm room too! Towels scored on clearance at Tarjay.







And then there's me... trying so hard to figure out where to look that my eyes are going buggy and my smile is forced. Ah well, THIS is how big I am.


I'm supposed to just get bigger they say.


Two more months.


Now, if I could just get the baby room done!


~ christa jean

Friday, July 1, 2011

Trendsetter

Here is my crafty sister, looking stunning in one of her new creations! I haven't figured out if I'm daring enough to pull off this retro look, but I'm workin' up to it slowly.

My Gracefull Girl got to be a model too, though the sun was making her eyes water.

Ya gotta love those naturally red lips. She will never have to wear lipstick. I'm just slightly green with envy. ;-D

Then there's the other blue eyed sis. All ravishing, I tell ya!


Click the red etsy button to your right to catch a glimpse of the other colors.


Happy Creating!


~christa jean