Watch Where You Step

 I am kinda on a roll.  Once Pete came home and loved the changes I had an extra charge of energy. I focused my energy on my own school/sewing room. The room is one of those rooms that the builder calls an office and we were like, "Who can work at our house in an office?"  So we first tried to make it a "school room".  We put a table, 6 chairs, 3 bookshelves and lots of little people in this room and promptly realized it was WAY TO SMALL for a school room.  So we moved ALL that furniture into the basement and I TRIED to make that a "schoolish" space. But basement means somewhat UNDERGROUND and that means NO light and I HATED it....so we stopped doing school...(just kidding).

 I spent most of my days running from downstairs to the basement to upstairs because things were all over the place.  I knew we had to change things up but I was not sure how to.

 Before Pete left we made a trip to IKEA and found the perfect solution.  There is always a perfect solution at IKEA!!  We added things up and left the store promising to be back in a few weeks to purchase our perfect solution.  Meanwhile the "office" was empty. There was a Swifter plugged in there because , hey there was NOTHING else in the room!!!

 Pete leaves. I change the house.  I store some furniture in the empty office while I am deciding what to do with it.  Suddenly I realize I OWN THE PERFECT solution.  I have book shelves!!  I have an old library table from 1848 (stamped on bottom).  I have various chairs in a modest state of disrepair.  I got excited.  I stole lamps from other rooms.  I grabbed a carpet from another room ....and suddenly I had a school room.  And even better I had a SEWING room.  I could leave my gear out and ready to work at any time!!  I was just recently complaining to a friend about not being able to sew because the set up/ break down took more time than sewing!!

Pete was thrilled.  Which I was a little nervous about because I thought he really loved what we found at IKEA and I was not sure if he was going to like what I had done!!  But he did.  He came home and immediately said, "I need to paint that room for you!!"....kiss, kiss, swoon, swoon!!  He paints and then yesterday we headed to Goodwill for some picture frames for some kid art...

Well...I found 3 wall shelves for $9.  I asked Pete if we could hang these in my school/sewing room.  He said they would be perfect!!  (Then I found a dresser($35) that I bought so I could finally get Drew's clothes out of 2 laundry baskets next to my bed!!  His dresser came with pink drawers with a gray background..which will be converted TODAY!! Which this has nothing to do with my school room..but I got excited and decided to share).

Anyway...I put the finishing touches on the room last night and I basically wanted to SLEEP THERE!!

I have a sewing room...now all I need is better sewing skills!!

But I do have a ladder filled with yarn...

And how much of an eye opener it was when I realized I have tons of the same color yarn....I clearly have a hard time going out on a limb when it comes to color choices...no more!!  I want my ladder to have more than just BLUE!!

I also have painted and HUNG shelves...brackets are from Lowe's for $4 each.  I painted the shelves from Goodwill white and sanded them....

All the while being careful not to step on little people LAYING on the floor 2 ft. from you AT ALL TIMES!!

Whole room pictures are coming soon.  I am not loving whole room pictures because I am NOT GOOD AT TAKING THEM!!

A House ReArranged

I took out my camera the other day to get pictures of my new and improved living room.   I laid the baby down on the couch next to me and started getting myself in all positions to capture the TRUE change that has undergone my home.  Here is what I realized...

#1  Andrew looked so cute laying there that I spent most of my time taking his picture and trying to make him laugh...like a lot of time ...and 1 million pictures!!!

#2 I then realized that taking pictures of your house is very difficult.  Especially when you walk around saying, "Oh, let me get a picture of that knob." And when you are done taking a picture of "the knob" you walk over and begin shooting several pictures of scrap material and buttons.  Not exactly capturing the rearrangement of furniture you were hoping to present.  But fun camera practice!!

#3 Then you walk out of button jar, knob room and into the room where 2 girls are sitting and reading looking so cute and wanting to be silly.  They were teasing each other about who knows what and enjoying the new arrangement of books and cozy spots to read them in.  And yet again I walk out of that room with little to show in way of house changes...but a really cute red head all dressed up to go get her daddy from the airport.

#4  The changes are way more "wow" in person than on Sim card.  But I have to say Pete LOVED it.  LIKE REALLY LOVED IT!!  The biggest change we made was moving the kitchen table, swapping the 2 rugs, putting the couch up against the wall.  I bought some yellow pillows and lamp to help bring the yellow/gold color from the kitchen into the living room.  I must have been like 7 months pregnant when I agreed to go SO red in the living room. I am in a way more neutral mood right now...but with the new arrangement of furniture I am way happier with the red.

I stole lamps from all over the house to add to this space.  I grabbed a blue lamp from the basement and then I remember seeing these cute blue tables at Target.  I loaded all the kids up and rushed to Target to get the little blue tables. I got them home and wondered how I ever lived without these 2 blue tables??

 And do you see that room behind the living room??  The one with the blue chairs??  Well that is my new sewing/school room!!  I took furniture from 2 other rooms and put it together in that room and now I have a space for all sorts of mess to be made.

I could go on and on...but to you guys it probably looks pretty much the same...but to me..it is a whole new world.

At one point this was the living room...

And to the guy who I am hoping helps me convince Pete to take a sander to these floors this summer...
"Do you see how shiny the floors are?? HELP!!  Soon!!"

So that is it.  I will say I spent some money.  Pete and I had been saving to buy this whole fancy shelf/desk system from Ikea.  To do the whole school/sewing space it was going to cost $1600.  I rearranged everything, used what I had and spent about $500.  I  bought yellow pillows (6), 2 tables, a gray blanket, a fake flower arrangement , a little yellow side sitting puff thing (total sucker buy that I LOVE!!), a new rug for in front of the front door (not shown here...yet), a new table runner ...

A new yellow lamp and lamp shade that I must say MAKES the entire room.  It was spendy...but I am glad I went for it.  I had to get 2 new basket/bucket things for the school/sewing room because I have more yarn than I realized.

So all this was taken from the money we were saving for the IKEA shelf/desk system.  So I am feeling pretty good about saving us a bundle.  Plus we used what we already had and I got to freshen up THE WHOLE house for a fraction of what were were getting ready to spend.

I am sure I could have shopped and gotten better prices on some stuff...but I was on a roll. Besides, in my line of work, when I have all the kids in the store, and I am ready to buy,  I try not to prolong the torture for any of us.

My Home Story

One of my favorite little sayings is "Home is Where Your Story Begins".  I love thinking of life as a story.  I love thinking that the setting for that story is your home.

This past week Pete has been traveling.  He was in Europe for 8 days.  We did not talk very much and e-mail were far and few between.  I was not dreading this week at all.  I was so excited for him to go to Europe.  I was looking forward to the week with just me and my kids. I knew this week would be a different sort of story for the both of us.

On the first night of him not being here my mom and I rearranged the ENTIRE downstairs.  We moved furniture, swapped carpets, switched rooms.  It was so fun.  Pete has no idea.  EVERYTHING looks different.

Making a new house your own takes some time and patience.  Things from the "old" house are still with us but they need to be used in a different way in the "new" house.  It takes some sorting.  And this week I SORTED and SORTED!!  I loved every minute of it.  Changing one thing leads to changing another and before you know it EVERYTHING feels new and exciting.

A FULL update will be posted as soon as he sees it.  I have been DYING to takes pictures ALL week but I knew he would probably check the blog if he could and I did not want to ruin anything...but just imagine a little bit of color mixed up!!

My story is very much linked to my home and by making a few changes the story feels fresh and exciting...

stay tuned...

Wish I Were There

To My Friend Who Called Today:

Thank you for calling when you were crying!  Thank you for thinking me important enough to share your struggles with.  Nothing makes me feel closer to someone than when I get the chance to be the one they come to just to cry.

It is never a bother to hear what is making you sad.  I learn so much from you and hearing that you sometimes need a good cry makes me feel..."normal" for needing one too.

You think you have made all these mistakes and you "blew" it.  You have not my dear friend.  All the times you told them the truth and constantly pointed them to the right and Godly way of thinking...those times are all you NOT BLOWING IT!!  And these moments of you showing them them and teaching them happen way more than the mistakes do.

I know I have told you this in the past and you always laugh and blow me off, but you changed my life.  In the short time we got to be in each other's daily life, you helped make me who I am right now.  I learned so much from you even when you were not meaning to teach me...just from me watching you  be you.  Your kids got that chance everyday...you have made them who they are...and they are so good!!

God gave you to each other.  Do not forget that.  He choose you to make them into His son and His daughter.  And you have done that with His grace.  He has been with you through each moment, the good and the bad.

I can not imagine the day when my first born leaves this house.  What will my life look like then.  Will I have regret?  Will I wish time to stand still?  I can only hope that the next part of her life will be a new chapter of her story and she will make all the best moments I gave her the ones she remembers.


I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
 2Timothy 4:7


Remember that....you have kept the faith.  You can say this.  You can own this !! You DID THIS!!


Wish I were walking with you tomorrow. In those woods.  In that weather.


 And I wish I were there on Monday when your oldest finishes his own race!!  My prayers and heart are with you.

Call to cry anytime.  Lord knows I have!!

And just a little side note: I love this verse!!! I thought you might too!

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

I Corinthians 9:24

Yarn And Book..Oh MY

I am still coming down from my Piper's Journey that I knit for my mom. Happy Day!!

 And I now have officially fallen in love with my yellow yarn from Quince.  I am working on the Oakleaf Shawl.  I am taking forever on it because I want this to be a big shawl. I ordered 6 skeins for a sweater and then I started this shawl instead....so I want to use all the yarn I can.

I knit a little bit everyday.  I have been grabbing it when I sit down with Jack to read.  I need something to help me from going INSANE.  It is SLOW going getting him to pick up the pace and regular sight word recognition.  Practice...practice...practice.  And we are...I like the knit and purl ease of this shawl so I can just keep at it as I help my little guy sound out whatever words that stump him.

And reading....I am super excited to have all kids in bed tonight so I can pour over my new Sunday Morning Quilts book.  I have forever wanted to start quilting and I am ready to start really going down that road.  I decided on Sunday I would just make a quick little scrap quilt sample thing...just to see some of the steps come together quickly.  I need to do the binding and then I will feel a little bit better about my official step into quilting.  But binding seems SO SCARY to me...just like lace knitting.  Why I wonder??  It is just a technique..no biggy??

I also have been reading through the MODG 6th grade syllabus...and thinking, "I have a 6th grader!!" I officially remember LOTS of things about 6th grade..NONE OF THEM ACADEMIC!!

Happy Knitting ...and reading!!

Join Ginny for way more knitting fun!!