March 10, 2008
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Monday
Another weekend has come and gone, and it’s back to Monday again. Oh Wonderful Monday! I truly do love Mondays. A chance to rest after a usually busy weekend, normally sleep in a bit, the cleaning is not needing to be done since I just did clean. Although I could clean again after the youth and young marrieds were here for supper last night, I’ll just let it slide. Until Wednesday. I like to do my cleaning on Wednesdays for some reason. That gives me the beginning of the week to do some of my fun projects, and leaves the weekends free. Totally a mind thing, I know! But it does relieve this mind of mine.
Oh, but there are graham crackers on the floor. I had just done my cleaning last Wednesday, put Zoe’ in her high chair in the kitchen with some graham crackers, and I checked on her a little while later only to discover quite a few of the graham crackers on the floor! This was the first time she’s made a mess like that. Ben came home that night and I solemnly announced to him that “Today marks a new beginning in our lives. From this time forward until 20 years from now, we’ll probably always have graham crackers on our floors. The Era of Clean Floors has ended.” It just struck me somehow. I’m in the real mommy stage now, you know?
But it’s a Monday where I meander through the house, singing my heart out to some favorite songs, glad that only Zoe’ can hear my heart-felt rendition of “Think of Me,” hardly venturing outside but perfectly content to be a bit lazy, enjoying my Sunshine Baby Who Does Nothing But Smile, playing toys with her on the floor, a happy feeling that supper is leftovers and therefore very low prep work… This is a good Monday.
So, I’m back a week now after being in Pennsylvania a week and a half. It’s been a wonderful week at home, at home every night this past week, which is a very rare and very welcomed thing in this family, after being gone almost every night of the week for several months. Zoe’ loves being back with her daddy, she just can’t take her eyes off of him when he comes home from work. And Zoe’s mommy rather likes being with the daddy too.
//This was precious. Ben went out early in the morning before work and bought Zoe’ a little Valentine’s Day gift//Some pictures from our darling trip…
//Aunt Claudia and Zoe’//
//enjoying some time at Starbucks//
//and it wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Central Market//
//David enjoyed being with the girls//
//Central Market in the rain//
//of course, Prince St. Cafe’//
//Ginger Peach Tea with milk and sugar, thank you very much//
// these expressions are classic//
//cheering for Uncle David at his Bible Quizzing//
//a lovely morning spent with these dear ladies for Beth’s birthday//
// Mary Jo and myself with our kiddos//
// “…I wanna hold your hand…”//
// Sweet Cousins pretty in [matching] pink – Mariana and Zoe’//
//Brooklynn, Zoe’, the Jayster
//
//Esther and Dietrich//
//on the floor at Carters. what fun for moms and babies!//Looking at these pictures makes me happy!
We were anticipating a very busy spring, thinking we were buying a house and would begin working on it the beginning of February. Now we’re in the middle of March already, and it’s been a good, relaxing winter (if you could call Georgian winters “winter. But you understand my general time frame: after Christmas, before the spring flowers). But I was very excited about all the projects we were going to do – have a red kitchen again, maybe some brown walls as well, green, blue, among other colors. I love color! I know we live in a nice rental, but you can only fall in love with a rental house to a small degree. And I don’t think I’ve fallen yet.
But to help the creative itch, I’ve gotten out some projects around here and been working on them. There is something in me that has to be hands-on and doing something, or I feel like my soul will die. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration and I certainly don’t claim to be Martha Stewart’s relation, but I truly love working with my hands, doing fun projects, being creative. So, for those of you who haven’t been to my house, come take a peep…
//my husband’s ultimate delight to see upon returning from work//
//embroidery//
//monogram embroidery//
//two together for the crib//
//the high chair we painted and antiqued//
//the chairs and dinette table we painted, added the square adornment, and antiqued//
//the finished product (er, never mind the stuff under the hutch)//
//scrapbooking begins on Zoe’s album//
//and the baby food jars transformed into scrapbook-supply-holders//
//we aren’t allowed to paint in this house, so the pink circles are actually paper that we, um, glued to the walls, crib is borrowed for now//
//close-up of the ribbon mobile I made//
//pictures pertaining to Zoe’ or my pregnancy//
//the office was moved into the closet, the baby room uses the rest of the space//
//new pillows were made for the living room//
//in the living room//And to all - enjoy your Monday!
Comments (30)
My, you are very creative. I like your taste in decorating and your bread looks fabulous!
You have a sweet house…I love your style! We’re having the youth group Sunday night, so if you have menu ideas, I’d love to hear them!!
Wow, you’re house is gorgeous, even without color! And the bread…. mmmmmm!! How can you make such perfect loaves? Enjoyed your post!
your house is SO cute! i love it.
What a delightful tour – I feel like now I can picture you going about your day in your cozy little house……the dinette is amazing and your creative touches throughout are so charming….you inspire me!! Your little girl is so precious – please kiss her chubby li’l cheeks for us……a light little pinch too from Gaylord :0)makes me wanna see you now! btw, that heart thingy is a meringue bottom and sides baked and then filled with cool whip,cream cheese and cherries on top…its a valentines tradition around here.Grandma Barkman used to make them – the recipe is in the cookbook that Ervina put together.Oh my, this is getting quite long, ~ know that you’re on my heart alot and prayers are said for you at times – may Jesus meet every need of your heart. love!
was so *wonderful* to see you again. and i just *love* the projects you’ve been working on. makes me wish (again) that we’d live close to each other so that I could learn a few things off of you! cheers to happy mondays! i love mondays too!!
such lovely pictures dahhlin. such lovely pictures. makes me miss you. but i missed you without pictures too, it just makes me miss you more. only a month more! [ahh]
“i laughed. i cried. you moved me, bob.”
your house is delightful. your life is delightful. your family is delightful. you are delightful.
words can’t explain how very much i miss you right now.
so i won’t even try. just know that you are loved!
oh and that one picture of mariana and zoe in the matching pink…
my dearest niece looks quite like a little rabbit, she does, with those ribbon ears sticking up.
i giggled. zoe the bunny. it made my entire day.
ah, i love your house girl! you do a fine job! I’m with you on the monday thing. its usually a very relaxed day (i think i had 2 naps yesterday and did a little bit of nothing…)! enjoy the rest of your week.
Lovely projects….I feel like I am still living in student accomodations (which we are) with little creativity….I miss the chance to be creative…
what a neat post! your baby is darling. isnt motherhood just grand and so rewarding. your creative touches were so inspiring.
Ok~ So you don’t know me~ But I just HAD to comment!! Your baby is adorable!!!
Later~Selah
Has anyone ever told you you have a gift with words? I love reading your posts! Quite honestly it makes me enjoy my life a little more — I think just to hear someone rave over the pleasures of the daily life of a mother! Some days it is so easy to forget!
Looks like you had a splendid time at “home”! But, for me, it’s always good to come home to our little house again. Your home looks so inviting!! The interior looks so warm and inviting….and of course your beautiful person gracing it…makes it gorgeous! Are you still house hunting? It is nice when you can call it your very own and do whatever your heart jolly well wants to it!
We had an ultrasound yesterday….I’m so excited, and I’m going to post soon!! “/
Enjoyed all of your pictures!
And your decor truly has transformed that house! Your creativity amazes me!!
this was of my favorite posts to look at! i just love when people post pictures of creative things they did. especially when they take something ugly and make it beautiful. i enjoy doing projects like that but not near like you do.
there is nothing as sweet as seeing babies growing up with yours. she looks dear, cuddly, and so loved.
your little zoe is so pretty.
her little brown mary janes, the finished dining chairs, the baby food jars and monogrammed pillows were my favorites.
thanks for sharing!
Oh, I loved this post. I identified with that mommy moment when you realize that something so small becomes almost monumental.
And, wow, I love your creativity. You are a very talented lady. I can relate to the boredome of white walled, rented houses, but you have transformed your place!
We have this little, antique table that was given to us. It’s stained, and not really attractive. The other day I was staring at it and wondering how someone from the Better Homes and Gardens decor team would transform it.
I was thinking about painting it and when I saw your high chair I was quite smitten. I’d love to try something like that. What is involved in the antiqueing process?
Oh to be so creative! I usually like new things that are already done b/c they make it so easy to pull your house together,but so admire those who can take something old and unattractive and turn it into something beautiful and unique! Loved the pictures!!! Sandra
I love how you decorated Zoe’s room. How did you make that mobile? It is so pretty!
hey there, saw you subscribed and thought I’d stop by to say hi. I LOVED this post. I loved all the things you have created, and your house, and all your little projects. My MIL and I love doing stuff like this.
Anyway, feel like I know you because of all the people in your pictures that are also part of my world….Bethany lives w/ my in-laws, and also we also go to church with her, Chris, and Rebecca and Jeremy. And of course, there’s Dietrich, with whose mommy I scrapbook w/ about once a month or so. It amazes me sometimes what a small world it is that we live in
Anyway, hope you don’t mind if I subscribe back.
Thelms
I love how you threw in the orange/red color to go with the neutral living room. It just adds enough color but isn’t overdone.
This post was fun!! And all your projects… I do say, now is the time to enjoy them! For me, those small projects are taking longer to complete with all my other ‘projects’!! I wouldn’t trade ‘them’ for anything though. Have a wonderful Monday tomorrow!!
i adore those pictures and that post! so awesome …
thank you for the comment … luv you guys!!
I love seeing all your projects – I love the idea of doing stuff like that and i often make plans, but it seems that they seldom come to fruitation.
In answer to your question about my hair – the lady that owns the salon where i got it cut actually has curly hair herself, so she gave me a few pointers. I use shampoo only every other time I wash my hair and only wash my hair about 2 or 3 times a week. Curly hair has a problem staying hydrated and dries out quickly. I also use Redken shampoo and conditioner – fresh curls is the name. It’s expensive, but if you’re not washing your hair everyday it lasts longer. After I wash it I run my hands through it and spray on KMS California curlup spray – that’s also more expensive, but it keeps the curl with no frizz and still keeps it soft to the touch. I hate crunchy hair personally. If I have less than an hour before I need to leave, I’ll blow dry my hair with a diffuser, but my preference is so to just grab a bunch of hair on the top of my head and scrunch it up and put a couple clips in there to hold it and let it air dry that way for a while. It seems like it turns out better that way. Pretty basic really, I always think that you have such cute hair and make it look so easy, so I’m flattered that you asked me. Good Luck
Thanks for taking the time to tell me how to make that mobile! Looks like my kind of project.
Redken products you can get at Target I think, and CVS – the KMS California brand I think is only at the salon. If you have an ULTA Salon/store in your area, they sell those products in big containers – My sister has one close to her and she got me the Redken shampoo and conditioner in big containers for at least 1/2 the price of buying it in the little small containers.
Anytime you want to borrow that little lens I keep talking about, let me know!
That’s what I used to get the shallow depth of focus.
hi. i saw from your post on richk’s site that you have a zoe and i was curious what she looked like. very sweet girl! i have a zoe too and she is 2. it looks like your hubby’s name is ben, which is the name of my 6 year old.
your baby girl is SO adorable and your house is cute!! i love your sense of style… how did you monogram those pillows?