Making Your Home a Haven

One of the blogs I enjoy, Women Living Well, is hosting a fall challenge called "Making Your Home a Haven.  I am accepting the challenge and if you would like to also, just click here  This challenge is actually starting Monday, October 4th so you have time to link up and participate!

Art Prize and More.

We ended our crazy week with some relaxing time too.  On Friday evening (since the kids were with the Grandparents) we took time to walk around ArtPrize in downtown Grand Rapids.  There is some really awesome art!.

The Giant Flying Pig outside "The Bob"

The Creepy Guy who moves (he's real!)

I just like elephants

The Wolrds biggest greeting card - it was really cool!

A cool looking sculpture . . really.

The Peacock - my favorite piece that I saw - it was just stunning.

Than, on Saturday we attended a wedding for one of the girls in the group that Darryl plays in.  The group provided special music.  It was a bit cool out but the wedding was just beautiful!

Who needs power?

It's been a crazy week. First, we were interrupted by this:

On Tuesday night, a HUGE storm came through.  It came up so fast, Darryl and I didn't have time to react before my curtains were whipping, screens were shaking, Josh's door was sucked open and than, the transformer blew outside our window.  The culpert was this lovely branch.  We lost power at 9:30 pm on Tuesday and didn't regain it until Thursday morning at 5:30 AM.  So, does it really matter?

(A Cute Nathan)

Well, Nathan didn't really care that there wasn't power.  He just played and slept like he always does!

(Josh saying "Turn that power back on!)

 He really didn't care either.  I had a radio with batteries playing some music and he just played in his favorite window.  Granted, at nap time his room was just too quiet to sleep  By 3:00 Wednesday afternoon, we made the call to send both boys to my parents house a day early (They were supposed to go on Thursday anyway)  Trying to put two kids to bed in the dark . . .didn't really appeal to me.

My exhausted Husband

It DID matter to big kid in the house that the power was out.  Tuesday night was a rough night.  The house was HOT and there complete silence.  He ended up "sleeping" on the couch but didn't get much sleep.  By the time he got home Wednesday, he could hardly walk he was so tired.  He laid down for a few moments before we headed to practice (where we charged our phones!)

So I asked myself, who really needs a refrigerator??

 A toilet?

 A shower?  (we have a well which means - no power = no water)

 Lights?

 Or even a TV?

Guess what ??? I DO!!!!  I love my modern things that make my life easier and missed them greatly over the 32 hours we had no power.  And yes, we lost food but that is what good insurance is for :-)

All I can say now, is that I'm glad my lights are on, my TV is working, and I can relax this evening!

Show Us Your Life -Master Bedrooms

Wow - I had this almost done and trying to use the new picture editer erased my whole post :-(

So, lets try this again. Over here at Kelly's Korner, she is hosting a "Show us your life" Fridays.  Currently it is on showing our homes.  When I saw that this week was the master bedroom, I considered skipping.  I don't have a huge master bedroom, no master bath, or big closet.  But as I started to take pictures for this post I realized there are so many things I love.  Would I love more space - aboslulty!  Do I wish I had my own bathroom - YES!  How about that master walk-in closet . .. of course!  For now, I am happy with what I have and I think it is beautiful!

Here we go :-)

This is the view into the room from the door.  I love my Bed.  I purchased it when I was still single and loved it too much to change it when I got married.  Another thing I love about our room is the bedding.  It is so rich and classy.

And the view from one corner of the room.  I love my full length mirror and so do my kids - they both like to make faces into that mirror and make it move.  My bookshelf is there for the sole reason of storage - a place to store my candles (and it makes my room smell good) plus my Creative Memories Albums which eventually I will put in the living room so that people can actually see them.

The view from the other corner.  When our second son was born, we had to move things around and the Treadmill got squeezed into our room.  Despite the tight fit I kinda like it in our room.  I can shut the door and have "mommy" time while I walk :-)

This is one of my favorites - our dresser.  This was our wedding gift from my parents and I just love the style and look of it.  And yes, we have a TV in our room and we love it :-)

This is another thing I love :-) Hehehe - he was following me around while I took pictures so I couldn't resist.  For whatever reason this picture flipped when it was loaded, sorry!  I do love my carpet for real though - it is so thick and soft!

My lamps are some of my favorites.  They look so elegant and they give off soft light.  I love it in the winter when the snow is flying - turning on the lights and lighting some candles just makes the room so cozy.

My husband purchased this for me on one of our first dates.  We went to the Detroit Art Institute and walked around.  We had seen a picture we wanted to purchase a print of and than I saw this one.  He bought me both.  I just love the peacefulness that this picture shows. 

And my closet.  I picked this closet organizer out when we first moved into our room and  it took me 4 years to get it.  When our 2nd son was born, we considered putting both boys in this room and moving us to a smaller room; I couldn't bear losing my closet though :-)  It has lots of room and I make the most of it for storage and it is also my "make-up" counter.

So that is the grand tour.  Hope you enjoyed it :-)

Frozen Hot Chocolate

I've heard about the signature dessert from Serendipity in Manhattan several times as I watch a lot of Food Network.  It intriqued me but I never thought to look for a recipe.  I found this recipe in a magazine for a slimmed down version and we tried it last night.  Wow - this beats any frozen drink I've made yet.  And, for those of you that don't like coffee, this is your drink!


1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups ice cubes
Garnish: reduced-fat whipped topping and dark chocolate shavings

Combine everything but the garnish items and blend until smooth.  Pour into glasses and garnish, if desired.  This made 2 large glasses.  I had enough of the milk left to make a 1/2 batch this morning :-)

Worship Wednesday - Better Than a Hallelujah

This weeks song is "Better Than a Hallelujah" by Amy Grant.  Darryl and I heard this song on the radio when it first came  out and fell in love with it.  It is another one of those songs that, when it comes one, all talking ceases, and we crank the radio. 

This coming Sunday, I have special music and church and this is the song that God has laid on my heart.  I have so enjoyed learning it and singing it.  Singing in church is such a wonderful thing for me.  Many people ask how I can stand to get up and sing in front of so many people and it comes down to the fact that it is my ministry - I can share God's love, His word, His love - all through songs.  I take the "job" of choosing my song very seriously. . .I have close to 100 soundtracks in my collections; many I have sung over the years; many I bought because I loved the song but God just turns me to something else at the time.  I've learned over the years that when I try to pick the song it doesn't go well but when I follow God's leading it goes so much better.  Sure there are problems - soundtracks not working; the sound not working, the sound guy turning the soundtrack off half way through, wrong notes, starting over - but ultimately, it is all of the glory of God.  Do I still get nervous after singing solos for close to 30 years?  Yes.  If you attend church with me, you may notice that in the moments before it is time for special music I "stop" - if we are singing, I stop, if we are reading scripture, I stop.  What am I doing?  I stop, I take a deep breath and I pray "Lord, please use me to reach just one person today but take ME out of the picture"  As the music starts moments later, God eases my soul and I just sing.  I am so thankful for the ability God has given me - a ministry I truly enjoy!

So, here's a link to this weeks song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm5kx3xqmg0&ob=av2n

Enjoy, and if you are free - come to Smyrna Bible Church on Sunday :-)

Being Crafty for Fall

Well, I did it.  After searching through some blogs endlessly and making many lists of some crafts (both Fall related and not) I went shopping yesterday and picked up a bunch of stuff (Half of it will be returned since I either couldn't get all of the supplies or, I've made enough for this year ;-) ).  Today, I made the things that I had all the right supplies for and decorated.  Here are my three lovely crafts:

Aren't these cute?  ANd they were SOOOO easy!  The top set of pumpkins:
1) Find scrap wood that your husband won't miss ;-) LOL
2) Spray paint it orange (Suggestion - don't spray paint on the sidewalk right in front of your front door, just saying, that's all)
3) Cut a limb off of a tree (where no one will notice) and trim it down
4) Hot glue the piece of tree limb to the top of the wood
5) Tie raffia or ribbon around the stem

The second set of pumpkins were EXPENSIVE to make (hehehehe) 
1) Find two rolls of Toilet Paper in your house (stash them if you must!)
2) Using fabric or Napkins (I found a set of two napkins at walmart for $3.00)
3) Set the TP roll in the middle of the napkin/fabric square and tuck each corner down into the center of the TP roll.
4) I used more of the same tree limb and stuck the pieces into the center to hold the napkin in place
5) Tie raffia or ribbon around the limb.  (After Thanksgiving, you can even get your TP back!)

The Picture took a little more work but was still easy
1) Find an old frame and spray paint it black
2) Cut scrapbook paper to the size of the frame and also cut a mat a little smaller and attach to the frame/glass
3) Find a book you don't want, like or just don't want to read.  (I would suggest that you find one that you don't mind the whole world reading!!)
4) Make a pattern of a pumpkin (or some other symmetrical item) and fold it in half
5) Tear about 100 pages out of the book (leaving the binding in tack) tear off the front and/or back covers as needed. 
6) Lay the template on the book so that the edge lines up with the binding or the book
7) Cut away until you have cut out the whole thing
8) Glue the front and back pages to the frame and fan out the pages

Isn't that so cool????  I might have to try it with a Christmas tree for the next holiday.

So here are my before an after photos!

Before . . .                                                                     After . . .

Before . . ..                                            After . ..

And than one from my dining room.

There are a few more decorations up but it is kinda hard to get it all.  There is at least one more craft I'd like to try and do but I'll have to decide whether I will get to it or if I need to return that stuff too :-)

Lesson learned:  Only plan one craft at a time and get those supplies AND finish it before moving on to the next one! (Like I didn't already know it . . .I was just really excited to do crafts!)