Sunday, February 19, 2012

Alcove Decorating

Ok, so here is what I have done as far as the alcove in my entry way is concerned.  I hung the bird cage.  I got a longer table so that the lamp could stay but you could visualize all of the decorating pieces in the alcove.  I added some vinyl wording above the alcove.  So, what do you professional mommy decorators out there think?  Honesty is important!




I would love to hear your thoughts!  Maybe I am finished, maybe I am not!

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Some of My Fav's



We have quite a few projects that we are in the middle of!  Isn't that the usual, we have such great ideas and start something and then we find it so difficult to finish anything quickly.  It usually takes a while to get things done!  Grrrr!  Frustrating sometimes! 

So, my projects right now are:
  1. Finish Decorating the new Homeschool room
  2. Decorating the Foyer (have done some... you've seen the posts, I'm sure!)
  3. Finish Cleaning out the old school room (Maddie's new room)
  4. Paint Maddie's new room
As far as Finishing to decorate the new Homeschool room, I have ordered some ABC signs.  I went through and picked out all my favorite one's on Etsy.  I thought I would share them with you.  You'll find the one all the way at the bottom the one that I purchased.

I also wanted to mention that in sharing my projects, it will help me be better about finishing these projects that I have in the works!  Do you all have any projects that you would like to share?  I would love to see a link or a picture!

Cute As A Button Art


Bedlam Country Crafts
Spunky Fluff
Stevens Signs
Lola Decor
          And Here is My Fav!

  
The House of Belonging
 So, what do you all think?



                                   

                   

          

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Marriage is Like a Garden

Marriage is hard!  Truth be told, marriage really does take work!  I can say that because I have been married for 20 years.  We have had some tough times and some amazing times. 

I have come to the conclusion that marriage is like a garden, if we sit back and expect it to take care of itself, it will be in ruin.  If we weed the garden, it will thrive.  If we water and feed the garden, it will grow.  But, if we forget about our garden or make something else a priority, it will die and what we will have is a garden (marriage) that is a complete mess, a garden or a relationship that is choked by weeds as the result of a lack of care.  The garden must be taken care of to flourish.  This is the same for a marriage!  Ok, you get it!

My husband and I recently started watching "Staying in Love" by Andy Stanley.  He is the pastor of Northpoint in Atlanta, Georgia.  He makes some statements that really help to put marriage in perspective.  He says we need to make love a verb.  I thought, what does that mean?  Well, it is so true!  Are we loving our husbands, are they loving us?  What do we need to do to love someone?  We have to show it!  Some of you are saying, well, he is not lovable.  Why should I love him when he does nothing for me? 

Well, Andy Stanley says that when we first get married or start dating, it is easy to be in love but staying in love is a challenge.  As time goes on and life happens, things change and it takes work to continue to have that feeling of being in love.  Couples find themselves in a spot where they feel like they didn't choose the right person.  We hear it all the time, "I am not in love anymore" or "I must hove chosen the wrong person."  He says that once you choose to stay with that person and make it work you are doing right thing.  By making love a verb, we are trying to love that person, not just having the feeling.  God's word in John 13:34 commands us to Love One Another, it is an imperative, a command. 

It also commands us to submit to one another in Ephesians 5:21. What does that mean?  Does that mean I have to serve my husband?  Yes, but that doesn't mean we do it alone!  God will help us! We must mutually submit to each other.  It means we both need to, but sometimes God calls us to step up and be the first.  That means I must choose my husband over everything else! 

I would love for each of you to watch this four part series with your husband!  If your spouse says, no thanks then I would love for you to take a look at these.  I bet your husband will begin saying, "There is something different about you."  What do you have to lose?

My hope in writing this post is that each of you think about what your marriage is like.  Does it need work?  Have we taken care of our "garden?"  Are we allowing the world to dictate what is right for our marriages?  When we don't have that "in love" feeling anymore are we too quick as a culture to give up and start again, looking for that feeling?  That feeling can come back, trust me, I know!  God can restore that "in love" feeling even if you think He can't!  I want to share with you what I have learned.

Remember, the garden needs care!  What are you doing to take care of your "garden" today?

key words: staying in love, andy stanley, marriage, marriage is like a garden, love, valentines day