Bible Study and Worship with Kids

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Abbie

Mark and I have been blessed to have a date night just about every week this past year. On one of our date nights this past summer, Mark asked what would help me get things done both on the computer and at home. We brainstormed and both decided that a few hours outside of the house to re-charge and work on stuff on the computer (blogging, ministry things, schoolwork/planning) would really help. We started in July. Ya’ll, it has been a definite attitude changer for me To have a weekly time to get away and focus on God first and then the other things I need to do has been nothing short of a blessing.

Mark had two Sundays he had to work this past summer. He has worked at the same place for over 16 years and this is one of a few times he has had to work weekends. His job is good but his co-workers are awesome. Anyway, so those two Sundays I loaded up our tribe by myself and headed to church. While in worship, I started taking notes on how our younger kiddos were “listening” and decided to help this listen better. We drove to church for several weeks after that going over the things we should do and the way we should act in church and then I made up these sermon notebooks. The little kids have a place to draw a picture about the sermon but can also check off key words our pastor may say. The bigger kids also have a space to draw or doodle (which is how I learn…visual learner trick that works for me) but they also have more space to take notes. Our pastor tries to print out an outline and there is plenty of space in their notebook to copy it out. I think I did it so that one notebook is for a full year…we’ll see (I really can’t remember). Anyway, I made a pdf of the notebook and sent it to Office Depot to print (because I have a good teacher discount deal. Thanks HSLDA membership!). I have them put the clear cover on the front and spiral bind it. So far it is working and eliminating a lot of distractions that they were having with each or others around them. If anyone would like a copy of what we use, I can send it to you! Just leave a comment or shoot me a message with your email.

Re-do Little Boys

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Abbie

This is how it all started: We need a larger table to fit us all around. We don’t have room in our dining room to fit a bigger table, UNLESS we move the school desk and school shelves out. Where are we going to put those? Oh, we can put them in our playroom where the sewing stuff and toys are. Where are we going to put the toys in the playroom? And the sewing stuff? Ah, in the hall closet upstairs where the clothes are and in an armoire in our bedroom. Where are we going to put the clothes? In the kids’ rooms. So, we built clothes boxes (thanks to Ana White) and reorganized the walk-in closets. And this is what started it all.

We are slowly updating different rooms in the house because of the above info. Fresh paint, cleaning/organizing closets etc. Tobin, Malachi, and Bryant share a bedroom and before Tobin moved into the room, we Art in progress. Malachi and Bryant agreed to a vintage train motif. We opted to paint both boy bedrooms the same colors to simplify. Just different decor. I used one of our cube storage shelves and turned into a quick diaper changing area. We moved our rocker to their room temporarily (it’s usually in the living rooms). Beside the rocker is Tobin’s clothes box. He was going through clothes so fast the first six months that there were usually clothes hanging off of it. Each kid has three baskets with their clothes and these boxes stack fairly well.

This is one of my favorite places to hang out. It’s comfy and happy. The boys seem to love it too.

Hurricane Party

Posted on October 30, 2017 by Abbie

September meant that we got a little visit from Hurricane Irma’s aftermath. We live far enough inland that we really only saw rain and a lot of wind and were without water for less than twenty-four hours.
We did food prep.

Me: Hey Ceili Rain! Do you want to make some chocolate chip cookies for Irma?

Ceili Rain: Sure! Just let me quadruple the recipe!

When the chocolate chip cookies didn’t fill us up, we resorted to cooking on our camp stoves…in the garage.

And s’mores with neighbors on the porch.

We were so grateful that we didn’t have to deal with any big damage or days without power. So many people suffered through a lot this hurricane season and are continuing to rebuild and recover.

Step On It

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Abbie

We set July for our biggest project to date…removing and installing new floors on our first floor. Our engineered hardwood was holding up okay (could have been better) but the carpet and the linoleum in the great room and kitchen were showing the wear and tear of eleven people plus animals. We had been saving money and doing research and this month was the month to start.

First of all, we went with luxury vinyl wood look planks. Scratching your heads yet? Yeah we did too. When we started our research, I spoke with a sales associate at Lowe’s and gave her our demographics. She introduced us to vinyl plank floors and I went home to do the research. The more I learned, the more I knew that these floors would be a good fit for our family. They are around the same price as engineered hardwood and laminate flooring. Durable is an understatement. Waterproof is a definite. I ordered a ton of samples from Build Direct and finally landed on one that I loved. However, in my pregnant brain, I ordered a different one. To save money, we picked up the flooring in Atlanta and when Mark brought it home, I just sat and cried and cried. However, I seriously did not want Mark to take another day to drive to Atlanta and back to return and pick up flooring. So, I pulled up my big girl panties (as the saying goes) and decided to be happy with what Providence (and my negligence) brought us.

Installation was easy…but we did learn a lot. First of all, do not start in the middle of the room and make sure you are staggering (don’t have two long pieces between a short pieces). A vinyl floor cutter would make the process go smoother and a little faster. Keep a tight fit on the pieces but also leave a small gap by the walls to allow for expansion.

Mark and his dad got the carpet pulled up. All of us worked to get the linoleum up.

The biggest chore were the hardwoods. Glued to a concrete slab and not wanting to permanently damage the concrete to where no one could glue anything down again, Mark had to work hard. We tried everything. In the end,the best was renting a “stripper” and good ol’ elbow grease. Mark worked one Saturday for eight hours. A couple of weekends later,our pastor/friend came over and worked with Mark making the process go a lot faster.

So, here’s how we did the installation. I will admit I spent the first week every night in tears. We were trying to learn how to install. My ever expanding belly and standing and sitting to install were getting to me. And I was just convinced that we wouldn’t be able to finish before school started or Tobin arrived. Mark was ever so patient. The kids were amazing and little by little we were able to finish a few days before we planned to start school. So, Mark and I worked late in to the evening. The kids and I worked an hour or two in the morning and then an hour or two in the afternoon. When my back couldn’t take much more and our school deadline approached, Mark came home early and got the big work done.

This was after the first night and my first panic attack. Zoe and Ace were invaluable! We figured out the underlayment and they were my backbones to get it installed. Then when we worked big spaces, we quickly came up with a routine on how to lay/cut/install while Silas ran planks between us. Rearranging furniture brought in more organization for me. See the pantry door? I figured out…on my own…how to work around it. The dining room went fast but we still had to get quarter round down and then realized we had to paint the trim…my trim looks brand new now though! Dining room/School room all done. Now to get ready for school 2017 to 2018! Mark got the quarter round around the island painted a few days before Tobin was born. Now, I can officially say our island is done! Everything is finished!

While I didn’t get the rustic look I originally wanted, I’m thrilled with the end product! Mark and I learned, that while this project was a little draining, we can actually work together and our kids are super about working with us! It feels great to know we did it!

Island Adventures

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Abbie

Here it is! The long awaited kitchen island renovation. We started work on the island in April. I planned out two weeks without a dishwasher and island and Mark worked hard to get us working by then. I think he did a great job! Regardless, we didn’t get it fully finished until May. Even now, we need to install our disposal button and fix a little bit of a leak.

So before:

The wonky angled sink and the the extremely high bar made the island counter space pretty much useless. (note our sweet Sunny girl who passed away at the end of May. She was our sweet baby.)

And close to after. Right now, the floors are all torn up…new flooring is going in this month.

Here’s the process:

Getting the tile in. We used white ceramic tile and some beautiful hand painted talavera tiles.We bought the cabinets and Mark started the planning process

Yes, I would have loved a farmhouse sink, but we found this one and the size and style was perfect. We thought we wanted a double sink, but we did a lot more research and talking to others (i.e. surveying friends and Facebook peeps) and realized a large one bowl sink may be what will work. After using it for over two months, I am in love with it. We go the largest and deepest sink and it’s great for our large pans and dishes! It’s also going to make a sweet bath for baby Tobin!

Industrial? Commerical? Sure, but it was just the style I wanted.

Demo day. Mark got the bar granite removed while I was away but I got to watch the rest of the island come down.

Bye, bye crazy island set up.

Putting the cabinets in place. We did very little moving of the plumbing and Mark built a box around it to make it easy to get to if needed. Saved us thousands of dollars in plumbing re-location. One of the joys of a concrete slab. Since I know next to nothing about how to construct things, I got to paint. See, I’m the visionary and Mark is the one who makes it happen.

The night before we tiled the counter, was spent arranging, rearranging and sending pictures to friends for approvals and ideas.

Finally decided what we wanted.

The next morning, we go to work. I did most of the tiling. Mark did a lot of the cutting.

The couple who grouts together, stays together…right?! After we finished grouting the whole thing, we we went out on our cruise. We were exhausted but it was the perfect way to relax.

Mark turned gray from a day of cutting tile!

My parents have a lot of stuff because they have an antique booth, go to estate sales, and are frequent auction attendees. As such, when I mentioned I needed drawer pulls, my mom told me to shop with them first. And I did. I found these brass and ceramic pulls that I thought would look great with our already decked out island. Just needed some slight updating.

A good ol’ cleaning eraser and some oil-rubbed bronze spray paint….Ta Da! Brand new drawer pulls.

This island has been wonderful! We have plenty of room to do meal preps, and all the other things we need to do. Because we took out the bar, and set it at a proper rectangle, we also have a much wider space. Our living room looks huge! I can not wait to get the floors in and see it all finished up (and to get my house put back together.).

The Find

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Abbie

We have a neighborhood trade page on Facebook. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. You know, you run across a thingamajig that can do whatsit and it’s only a buck. So, you grab it and throw it in a cabinet never to be heard from again, or at least until you reach in, find it, and then list it on the trade page for fifty cents.

That may be the bad, but the good can go oh, so good. For instance:

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This beautiful armoire was $25! Yes, that’s right, TWENTY-FIVE SMACKAROOS! I snagged it in April with the intention of painting and selling it for profit. As it sat and I brainstormed what to do with it, I decided I couldn’t let it go.

And a plan came together… img_20160418_222311088

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And a project piece armoire became…

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A dress-up closet.

We tallied the cost and with the paint, scrapbook paper, stain and poly, we were under $100 for the whole project. The kids love it! I love it! And I definitely think it went from trash to treasure. Woo-hoo!

End of the Rainbow

Posted on May 21, 2016 by Abbie

Spring! There is nothing like it as we soak in the cool days, blooming flowers and the smell of rain. After the rain, comes the rainbow. For some reason, the past few years have brought many beautiful rainbows to our area. At the beginning of May, I even drove through one! I had never seen a double rainbow until a year a few years ago. Now, we see them at least once a year.

In March, we were heading out after a thunderstorm in the early evening and got to spot another double rainbow. There’s so much joy and hope that we experience when we see that rainbow (double or not).
IMG_20160314_183856514 Emmie had had her surgery. We were through that hurdle. We were waiting. Watching. Healing. And then we see the rainbow. A reminder that God is there. That He is in control. Every time I see a rainbow, I am reminded of God’s everlasting love and care for us. No matter what we go through, He is there. IMG_20160314_183915462_HDR I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. -Genesis 9:13

Thanksgiving 2015

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Abbie

IMG_20151126_124215207_HDR IMG_20151126_131151973_HDR It took me a good week to sleep off the jet lag which meant that when Thanksgiving came around, I was just coming out of the fog. We managed to pull together a spread for our family. We rotate our Thanksgiving every year. One year we’ll hit up Grandmere and Papa’s house. The next year is Ge and Granddaddy’s turn and then the third year is at home. I love to cook Thanksgiving dinner. It’s my absolute favorite meal. This year, despite the fog, was no exception. The only thing that could have made the day even more awesome would have been having Y home.

We made the most of it. I even made homemade cranberry sauce which was yummy and super easy!

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Mark enjoyed the turkey leg. Renaissance faire, anyone?!

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I made pies. While they looked lovely, they did not taste too yummy. Oh well, we’ll try for next year.

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We played outside with neighbors and made silly faces… IMG_20151126_172047512 IMG_20151126_172051905_HDR until it got dark. Then we made a fire and roasted marshmallows! IMG_20151126_185956352

After Zoe got a couple of hours of sleep, I woke her up and we hit the sales (don’t freak out. It was midnight). IMG_20151127_043414069

We shopped with my friend, Tracy, until 7 in the morning! And we missed all the crowds but still got all the deals. Insane exhaustion ensued but we had a wonderful time!

Fancy Schmancy

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Abbie

We recently purchased the new Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook and also re-vamped our supper meals. We’re doing themes for each night. It makes planning a bit easier and it keeps us from having tacos one night and enchiladas the next and fajitas the night after. Flipping through the cookbook, Zoe found a recipe for crepes and then all the other kids saw it too. That was the number one request for Breakfast Night.

Sure, I think. I can do this. I made crepes in high school. And then I remembered. I didn’t make crepes in high school. Our French class did and there were a ton of kids who got it right. But not our group. Our group had some issues.

This all came to light as I went through five or more crepes that ended their miserable life in the trash. It was so bad, a neighbor heard my pleas and attempted to help. She too threw in the white flag.

Just when I was about to quit, I found my groove.

And my springform pan. And voila! Success!

We’ll definitely try this again and not wait over 20 years either!

A Post about the Cat

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Abbie

I know. But all our newest members deserve a post or two solely devoted to them. Even if they are the four legged kind.

This cat, ya’ll. Could not have been a better fit to our family. He is the weirdest cat we have ever had. He refuses to drink out of a water bowl but prefers to drink from the faucet. He loves to sneak up behind Zoe and just stand there. Only he belongs on counters. He has decided that 5:30 is my wake up time. Every. single. day.

And the kids. He tolerates them so well. They will scoop him up and he just goes with the flow. None of our cats have ever done that. They will usually wiggle, hiss, or scratch to get down if a child just grabs them up any ol’ way.

Feet are his favorite toy. And Josiah’s school box (appropriately covered in cat fabric) is his favorite hiding place. Boxes work too. And we can spend a ton of money on cat toys but he prefers pretty much anything.