Hospitality, Friendship, Encouragement

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Making Our Homes Warm And Inviting

I was reading Brenda's Sunday Afternoon Tea post, and it made me want to write this post.  You see Brenda, and I have a lot of the same beliefs about our homes being havens for our families, our guests, and ourselves!

 I believe that while we should not be obsessed with our homes, we should make our homes as special and wonderful as we can.  I like to use thrifted silver, flowers, tea cups....



 I also love to use old birdhouses and inexpensive plates like this red checked one.

 This photo of the light over the sink in the kitchen was taken tonight.  I love the ivy, the name photo, the beautiful wood trim that my husband put up.
Our home makes us happy.  The things we have in our home, the photos, the books, the china, all work together to remind us of wonderful times together, and they continue to help us make new memories, to help us to reach out and welcome others into our home and into our family life.

I believe that as a believer our homes should be places of beauty and creativity, after all we are made in His image and He is the Creator of Beauty!

My home will not look like yours, and it shouldn't.  Your home should reflect the interests and items that your family finds beautiful, fun, and that you want to share with others.

Isn't that great?

So what kinds of things do you like to surround yourself with?

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Back To Normal?

Well, what passes for normal in my neck of the woods anyway!  I am happy to be able to get back to some fun activities that were sadly neglected the last year and a half!

I bought yarn last week and have started a wrap for myself.  I am hoping to take it to Scotland in August, so I'll have to knit quickly. It probably won't be finished but I like to be busy with my hands so I am enjoying the work.

It's a deep blackberry color and I love it!

I am already thinking ahead to Christmas (shhh, don't tell) because I have decided to make a lot of my gifts this year.  

Look what I found in the dollar bin at our local craft store..

Two luscious skeins of a coral chenille!  Won't that make a girl happy?  I can envision a nice scarf or a cute hat.  I wished they had more of this - I dug through and this was all they had!

Okay, so enough Christmas talk for now, but feel free to comment and tell me if you are working on anything handmade or semi handmade for you know what!


This and That

As you can see I went back to the old template.  I really liked the new one, but so many were having trouble commenting, and that's no fun!  I LOVE getting comments more than I liked the new template.

Lindsay injured herself Tuesday afternoon in her team competition on the obstacle course.  She said her knee just gave out.  She was so happy that with help from her team she was able to finish and their team had the fastest time!

She has it in an immobilizer and went to see a sports medicine doctor on Wednesday evening.  After xrays the doc said that nothing is broken, and they don't believe it is the ACL, and believes it is the meniscus but the swelling is so great they can't really tell.  So she stays using the immobilizer, and some crutches. She is also to keep using IB and ice to reduce the swelling.  She'll follow up with a doctor here at home next week.  I'm sure she'd appreciate your prayers for her too!


We are praying that it's nothing that requires surgery or much time off from work.  She said tonight "my animals need me."  She loves her work!

Both Lindsay and Emily said that the sessions have been really good, and Lindsay was bummed that by going to the doctor, she was missing their evening session last night.  They have three different speakers and the topics have been finding your identity in Christ, Prayer, and Purity.  The evenings are testimonies.  It is such a blessing to have girls who love the Lord and want to grow in Him. 

We got to spend a few days with my brother in law and niece who travelled out to visit and ride horses, and I got a great visit in with my friend Jennifer.  She and her girls are visiting in the area and we got some of their time tonight!  We love them so much!

We are doing well closing the store.  We are selling off the display shelves and anything that's left we will bring home and store in the basement, until we can sell it off Craig's List.  We meet with the property management people on the 1st to turn in our keys, and then we are done.

I'll be grateful to slow down.

We went to a lovely memorial service this afternoon for the wife of our associate pastor.  She had Parkinson's and I had only meet her once.  They had been married for 67 years.  What an example and a blessing he has been of marital faithfulness and loving care.  He has been saying the long good bye for 14 years, the last 7 of which she has gotten progressively worse with her dementia.  It's a blessing to know I'll really get to know her one day.


Guess what?  My HYDRANGEA are blooming!

So beautiful!

Have a great day everyone!

Monday, June 24, 2013

These Three




had a great trip down to their youth conference.

We had updates all along the way and photos of lots of eating in the car!

Thank you for your prayers for them.  They are all pretty special and at their young ages of 21, 19, and 19, they love Jesus and want to walk in His ways.

I'm excited to hear all He is going to do in their lives.  

I'm already missing the girls, and I have it on good authority Ben's family is missing him.  His little brother Asher loved doing FaceTime with them yesterday and kept saying "Let's call Ben."  He loved seeing them.  

What a blessing technology is!  


Sunday, June 23, 2013

Happy Sunday!

The store did amazingly this week, especially yesterday!  Nothing like a store closing sale to bring out the shoppers.  Thanks for your encouragement and prayers for me!

Today Lindsay, Emily and a young man from our church named Ben are heading to South Carolina for a youth conference.  I am excited to see what the Lord has for them this week.  The girls and I'm sure Ben are tired from a long work week, and so I'm wondering if you'll pray with me for their safety as they travel.   They all will take turns driving so the 10 hour trip will be divided up nicely and they are all fun so they should have a great time!

God is so good, and I am thankful for His tender care!
 

Saturday, June 22, 2013

While I'm In The Store Tomorrow

I will be longing to read these!

Dee Henderson's latest book, the July/August issue of Victoria, and  Eat Fat Lose Fat by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon the authors of Nourishing Traditions.

I may pack them along tomorrow, but I think I will be busy on the last day of Fab Fashion.  



Friday, June 21, 2013

Happy Summer!

It's officially summer!

We are waiting for Camp Geezer to open their pool, and then we'll be all set!

Today we are heading to Chick-fil-A to get our free breakfast entree's and then we have some shopping and errands to do.

We have two more days in our store and then it is closed.  It's been such a good sanctifying tool in our lives, and we are grateful.  

I am looking forward to being able to be home again and to show my cottage some love!  It needs it!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Blue Heaven





I have been looking for these jars everywhere! They are the vintage style jars that the Ball Canning Company makes.   I finally had decided I was just going to have to buy them from Amazon and pay for shipping.

While waiting for my hair appointment time the other day, I popped into Christmas Tree Shops to look around.  Well, these were the best find that day!  

I love them and they were inexpensive at only $9.99 for 6 jars.  I am a happy girl.  I bought two sets. 

I love to use canning jars to drink out of, or to put fresh cut flowers in from the garden.  They make taking a salad to work easy for my girls, and we just enjoy their color.

Do you use canning jars for decor or the table?  Do you have the new 'vintage' style.



*photos courtesy of Lindsay Rabe

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Vee's Note Card Party for June 2013





These photos were taken by my daughter Lindsay of her horse Sandy and of our 2 week old chicks.  I've long wanted to try scripture or other verse with her photos!  Note Cards are a great way to do this!

Join us every month at Vee's!



A Haven for Vee
It's so fun!

Monday, June 17, 2013

Winner Announced, Lindsay's Dream Job and The Goodness of God




I got my man to draw the winner of the Hand Milled Soap.

 The winner is....


 Jaclyn Hicks!  I'm so excited for you to get to use this wonderful soap!  Email me with your contact information and I'll get the soap mailed off this week!

******************************************************
In other news I wanted to share about Lindsay and her dream job.

Lindsay has always been an animal lover - it's a part of her DNA I think.  Horses, dogs, cats, birds, chickens, you name it - she is interested and loving it!

Here are a series of photos she took yesterday of her horse Sandy.  You can tell when Lindsay whistles for her and she turns and comes to her.













She has worked since a young teen at first a corn maze and then at
 Sight and Sound Theatres in concessions.  She has wonderful customer service skills, and has excelled in her position.  But she hasn't loved it nor did she love working in our shoppe.

After we decided to close our business, she noticed a job opening at her work in the animal handling department. 

 Seriously.  

They use live animals in all their shows and have a whole department that trains and cares for the animals.  She applied and they called her right away with "We were so excited to see your application!"  Apparently this job had been listed for 2 months!  They interviewed her right away, and though they had made a job offer to another person, they offered her a job as well!  Full time!

She gets to work with horses, camels, a young Brahma bull, parrots, llama's, dogs, sheep....

She even has costumes she has to wear at two different times in the show.  She leads a governor on horse back into Nod, then later retrieves a donkey from the set.  Out of sight, she retrieves animals during the loading the ark scene, haltering llama's and taking them back to the holding area...she is responsible for sending Noah's dog out to him on stage in the ark...

Can I just say that she is in heaven?  She is using her considerable skills already and is getting on the job training as well.  Every night there are stories of the horses worked with, camels that she is doing ground work with, a near catastrophe in the back of the ark when some sheep ran under the camels' legs to get to their food, and the camel freaked out!  Never a dull moment!

This job is so *her*.  Completely.

We are thanking God for providing meaningful work for her using the gifts and interests he has instilled in her.  

Oh, and when they do Moses next year?  She'll be driving a chariot onstage during the show...she is really beside herself with excitement!

Here at home she is busy with the horses and giving riding lessons on Mondays, our rooster and hen take her attention as do the chicks we bought.



Now here are two photos that are just plain cute and show off my granddaughter who turned three on Saturday!





I am so thankful for these days of blessing and joy.  I try to stay focused on the Lord's goodness in the midst of struggle, and his leading in times of uncertainty.  This is where we find daily joys.  He is good, He has a plan, and He is working His plan for my life.  I can and do trust Him with it.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Hand Milled Soap Giveaway!

I have amazing friends.  

Becky makes fantastic candles - You can find her at her Etsy store here.  I know some of you know her and buy her candles, they are the greatest!

Now I want to introduce you to my friends who make soap! 

 John and Bonnie have been making soap for their family for several years and keeping all the amazing goodness to themselves.  Becky had the idea of them try to match some of her candle scents with their soap.  I told them I'd sell it in our store and voila!  A business was born - Laurel Hill Naturals.



This soap is wonderful.  In fact we love it so much that I had to hide the bars for the giveaway from Lindsay!  She is out of her last bar of the Citrus and was looking for more!



The ingredients are simple - listed on the back of the soaps.  It lathers beautifully and smells great!



Because I love you I want you to experience the delightfulness of their soap as well.

There are four bars to give away - Lavendar Vanilla, Citrus, Oatmeal and Unscented.  Winner takes all!



Leave a comment if you want to be entered to win.  Feel free to spread the word, or not if you want a better chance at winning!  

I'll draw the winner on Monday!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

I Am An Older Woman


That's quite a statement isn't it?  It's very true.  I'll be 50 this year in the Autumn.

I've been doing a bit of pondering and have come to realize that I am glad I am older.  There is comfort and peace having some wisdom that comes from walking with the Lord, of being in a happy and satisfying marriage, and raising a family.  I am a grandma, too, of one sweet little girl who will be three this Saturday.

I am not the same woman I was when I was 24 and newly married...and I thank God for that!  He has taken my life and made it into what He had planned for me.  

Philippians 2:13- for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

I sometimes find myself feeling caught in the middle - I have adult kids and younger ones still.  I wonder what kind of blogger am I?  Am I a Mommy blogger?  A house blogger?  A granny blogger?  Can I be all of the above?

I have found myself recently reading some new to me blogs and some older ones I don't often read and I don't think I fit into the above categories.  I am not youngish or hip, I am not one who can spend lots of time and money to follow the trends of home decorating.

I guess I will just be me.

Almost 50.

Raising a family still. 

Loving my husband.

Being a good friend.

Offering hospitality.

Encouraging others, hopefully.

And by His grace, following Him.


Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Ice Cream Social


 My granddaughter, Kamryn enjoying her ice cream.

 Emma, Rachel and  Sarah  - Lindsay is the photographer on all these photos.

 Love this one of Sarah!

 Our friend John and his two girls!  Aren't they adorable?

 They had a jump rope competition...



 This Dad has 5 daughters and he knows how to jump rope!  Look how high they are!

 Jeremiah's plan to hold Molly while they jumped worked....

 The Hospitality Lane folk - Chelsea and Warren did well too.  I hear Warren was in a jump off after tying in the ice cream desserts quiz!
 The cute set up for photos....Sonja...

 Molly....

 The room!  Turquoise, hot pink and lime green!  We made the hanging ice cream cones out of paper lanterns and scrapbook paper!  The hanging records were scrapbook paper too!

Emily's green polka dot wrap dress completely went with the colors!  So cute!

Amy is going to send me some of her photos.  She took the dad/daughters photos and I can't wait to see them!  I just love and appreciate these men so much.  They have such great hearts for their families.

I was home riding herd on a rowdy group of boys chasing each other with stinky socks, so I was happy to see these fun photos from a successful party!


Information Friday

  We saw the beautiful northern lights tonight! It was incredible! So thankful to experience this amazing act of nature! I'm having some...