Sarah & DrewB

fresh flowers

2012-02-13T14:22:00.000-05:00

Fresh flowers make a difference. I love how they complete the look of a room. I wish I had a garden (that was magically self-maintained) where beautiful flowers grew year round and I could bring in fresh flowers as I pleased. Still, I appreciate the occasional sentiment the gift of flowers bring.

kid's table

2012-01-20T11:13:00.000-05:00

I decided to chop the legs off of a small writing desk
we had in the house to make a table for Miles.
DrewB kindly obliged.
Now Miles has a place to have his coffee and check the stocks every morning.

This was the before as Drew assessed the project. He removed the legs from the table first, cut them down, and then reattached them. Simple enough. Good work Drew!

sand and sunshine

2012-01-15T10:22:00.000-05:00

These pictures are from our trip to Florida over Christmas to visit my parents. Miles loved the sand on the beach. Throwing it up into his hair was his favorite.

It was a last-minute trip (as we booked our tickets the day of) and well worth it. This winter has definitely been full of much sunshine for us. Not only the week of Florida sunshine but the real snow has definitely held off (up until now) here in Erie and there have surprisingly been many sunshine-filled days this winter. Enough weather talk. That's the last thing I want to update you on.

adoption day

2012-01-02T11:37:00.000-05:00

   It is with overwhelming joy that we share this testament of the good Lord's special gift to us...
   On the sixteenth day of December, two thousand and eleven Miles Benjamin Lynne legally entered into our family. It gives us great confidence to know that the Lord orchestrated his adoption from the very beginning. We are so privileged to have caught a glimpse of God's mighty hand at work through Miles' beautiful story (see that story here).
   In addition, the Lord's timeliness for the process is a blessed testament all its own - in under a year God opened our hearts to begin the adoption process, matched us with our son, brought him home to live with us, and arranged the legal finalization of the adoption! We are in awe every time we recount this incredible miracle. Praise the good Lord!

Adoption day was one happy day! We were so blessed by our brothers and sisters that shared in all the joy with us.
Enjoy a picture video of the special day here.

PS Thank you, Brooklyn, for taking these great pictures!

sled ride

2011-12-11T18:33:00.000-05:00

Some real snow finally showed up this season
so Drew took Miles out for a ride on the sled.

Coming up on the big day at the end of the week - Miles' adoption day! We've been pleasantly surprised at how quickly it's come up and we couldn't be more grateful to celebrate this amazing event during the holiday season! Can't wait to share all about the big day!

advent calendar and gingerbread houses

2011-12-03T11:07:00.000-05:00

For years we've wanted to do an advent calendar. So this year I cracked down and put this together. It was simple - just some clothespins, tiny tags, stamps, and striped paper. The hardest part was coming up with 24 activities to include for each day (nothing google couldn't help with).

It's been so much fun opening up each one

and doing a Christmas activity together.

Yesterday's activity was to build gingerbread houses.

So we raided the cupboards and got to work.

It was a big mess and so much fun that we worked well into the night.

Hard at work.

Miles was a natural.

So creative!

Miles' gingerbread house:

Drew's looked good enough to eat.

And seriously impressive!

first birthday

2011-12-02T08:17:00.000-05:00

Back in October we celebrated Miles' first birthday
with a carnival inspired birthday party.
(See the invitations here.)

So thankful for wonderful friends and family to celebrate such a special day!
(And thankful to Brooke for capturing the fun.)

Miles took care of the cost and

declared it free admission to all.

Isn't he great?

It was a brisk windy day,

but we were determined to party outdoors.

It was well worth it. The sun even peaked out a few times.

We served classic fair food
with the main focus on the sweets.

And we had enough pie for a pie eating contest.
Cherry pie, Pecan pie, Pumpkin pie, and Apple pie.
All homemade and freshly baked by Grandma!

Let the fun begin:

Balloon popping dart toss.

The poor fish for the ping pong ball toss.

A fire to warm things up.

And then it was time to bring out the ~~big~~ BB guns for some target shooting fun.

Some serious shooting.

How cute are these little guys?

Some football action.

Free wagon rides.

And then it was time for the main event...

...with the main man:

He had no idea...

...and no interest, at all.

It was a happy birthday!

we've decked the halls

2011-11-25T13:12:00.001-05:00

Christmas is coming. 29 days to go!

See last years' Christmas decor here.

hands are full

2011-11-23T09:37:00.001-05:00

Almost forgot I have a blog. Life has been crazy busy. All is well, just speeding by. Seems we're constantly on the go. In the rare chance you've wondered what we've been up to lately - besides the usual everyday ongoings, there have been numerous weekly doctor's appointments along with the weekly therapist and social worker visits. And it's also interview season for Drew. All the while, we spent a long weekend out of town visiting family. All that amounts to a lot of travel. And a lot to be thankful for!

With the holidays here, I don't know that we'll be slowing down anytime soon. We are happy to be celebrating Thanksgiving with our Erie family this week! Our hands are definitely full right now, but so are our hearts. Cheesy, but true.

AND, I'm so excited for Christmas! (The tree has only been up since the beginning of the month). Don't get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving, but I am very thankful for Christmas!

Speaking of, Miles met Santa yesterday. Oh the excitement!

Happy Thanksgiving!

halloween party people

2011-11-04T11:29:00.000-04:00

This year marked the 4th annual halloween party at our house. It was bittersweet as it coincides with the 4th and final year of medical school. Don't know what next year holds but this halloween we partied like it was 1999.

Check out all the amazing costumes!

national adoption month

2011-11-01T11:52:00.000-04:00

Crazy it's November 1st today. I don't know where all the time is going. My days are busy and all a blur.

I'm happy to celebrate this month as national adoption month. It is such a blessing to be directly affected by adoption - both spiritually as an adopted child of God and as a newly adoptive parent. Adoption is such a great gift from the Lord. Praying more families will choose to experience firsthand the blessed road of adoption.

trick or treat

2011-10-31T14:22:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween!

Really he's enjoying himself. I promise.
Don't let that grumpy chicky face fool you.

halloween party 2011

2011-10-30T12:57:00.000-04:00

This year's party scene:
(See previous years' here and here.)

Up next, the party people.

happiest birthday

2011-10-19T11:51:00.000-04:00

We couldn't be happier to share in this special day!
Now it's time to get this party started!

family photos

2011-10-13T17:01:00.000-04:00

So grateful to our talented friend Shawna Morath for capturing these great pictures!

Check out Shawna's site here.

fall fun

2011-10-11T07:39:00.001-04:00

Taking in all the fall fun this time of year.

Checking out the animals.

Hay sittin'.

Playing in the corn.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins.

The guys.

The weather has been great. We're enjoying the warm sunshine on these beautiful fall days.

AND we're gearing up for some serious celebrations right around the corner - Miles' carnival birthday in just a couple weeks and then the annual halloween party the following week! October is packed!

2 and a 1/2 weeks

2011-10-08T20:14:00.000-04:00

It's been amazing.
Two and a half weeks home.
Miles is doing great.
We're praising the Lord for such a smooth transition.

In a lot of ways it feels like he's always been here and then there are moments when Drew and I look at each other and we wonder how the heck he got here.

It's been a whirlwind.
Still it's hard to believe that it was only seven months ago that we opened our hearts and began praying for what we now know to be this little man:

Amazing.
Now we're parents and it's awesome.
God is so good.

some fall

2011-09-28T08:00:00.001-04:00

get your tickets

2011-09-26T07:26:00.000-04:00

The carnival is coming!

This October Miles turns one

and we CANNOT wait to celebrate!

welcome home

2011-09-21T12:34:00.000-04:00

Look who came home today!

Praise the good Lord! We are over the moon!

the end's in sight

2011-09-14T07:58:00.000-04:00

This transition is finally wrapping itself up. For those wondering when we'll have our son permanently, the answer is soon! Prayerfully by mid next week we'll be welcoming home our favorite boy! It's been a challenging 8 weeks filled with numerous painful goodbyes, misdirected false end dates, and the constant holding of our tongues. We can't wait to celebrate! The Lord is faithful!

handsome

2011-09-03T17:54:00.000-04:00

Can you tell this guy is one happy ham?

He keeps us smiling.

the nursery

2011-08-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

To see the room previously click here.

transition

2011-08-29T09:19:00.000-04:00

I had no idea how challenging a foster-adoption transition would be. Saying goodbye after each visit and missing this precious boy has been difficult. Here we are six weeks in. We have felt both frustrated and annoyed all throughout the process. We are constantly reminded how much none of this has anything to do with our selfish selves. The Lord is good. The Lord loves Miles. We are blessed to be a part. Praising the Lord for bringing us through up to this point and so thankful he'll continue to see us through to the end.

a year later

2011-08-18T08:38:00.000-04:00

Pleasantly surprised that I managed to stick to blogging.

Happy to say today marks one full year at it.

Happy birthday, blog!

pear pickin' time

2011-08-09T09:14:00.000-04:00

There is a pear tree at the side of our house. We love the pear tree, minus the bees and bugs. And we enjoy the free fruit - the buckets and buckets of free fruit - hey friends, come getcha' some!

blessing

2011-08-04T10:35:00.000-04:00

I still can't wrap my mind around
this blessing the Lord is drowning us in.
I just can't comprehend it.
God's goodness is overwhelming.

It has been incredible to witness a glimpse of the Lord's hand in our life through this process. Most of the time my simple-minded self is too preoccupied to pay much attention, and then there are moments when God's abundant grace gifts us with a vision of his divine direction.
And we are humbled.

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

THAT is amazing.
We are so undeserving of this great love.
And in the midst our sin, God pours out blessing.
Incredible.

1 John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!

baskets

2011-08-03T09:13:00.000-04:00

Off to the market or out for a picnic,

I love a good basket.

Vintage Market Basket

Vintage baskets from The Blue Basket -

perfect for storage and everyday use.

lately

2011-07-31T21:07:00.000-04:00

What we've been up to:

Spending time with Drew's folks -
surprising them with the introduction
of their first grandson:

Cherishing visits with our precious son:

Celebrating seven years of marital bliss:

July 2004

July 2011

Happy and blessed are we.

we're all smiles

2011-07-27T11:26:00.000-04:00

to introduce our son Miles:

Our hearts are full and beyond blessed.

We couldn't be happier to welcome this joy to the family!

We love you Miles Benjamin!

big-fat secret

2011-07-23T09:09:00.001-04:00

I've been keeping a big-fat secret.

Let me explain...

So back in February 2011 (only 5 months ago!) I met with a friend who had gone through the same type of adoption (adoption through the foster care system) to glean some insight. At the time, my intentions were just to get an idea of the process out of pure curiosity. That night this friend filled me in on her blessed experiences through adoption, as well as the uncertainties and risks involved in the delicate process. She also shared that she had just learned of a baby boy that was in need of a home immediately if only we were through the process and ready to adopt. This was encouraging news to hear as it is supposedly uncommon to hear of infants ready for adoption. That night I shared all about the information I had learned about the foster-adoption process with Drew which in turn initiated our deep discussion that caused us to open our hearts and begin the process.

Shortly after, Drew and I met with our caseworker and eagerly began the training classes at the beginning of March. Since day one we have been overwhelmed by the Lord's clear direction and timeliness for this blessed path. Through each step of the process as we completed the classes, our homestudy, the paperwork, etc. the Lord has continually affirmed our convictions for this direction through the support and encouragement of friends and family and through the peace of his precious Holy Spirit.

Looking back it's unbelievable to me to see that several times during the process, I would hear again and again about a baby boy in need of a home. Honestly, I didn't think much of it until my friend assured me that this was the same baby boy I had heard of from the beginning. We completed the process in May, 3 months after we started, and we were approved and officially waiting by the beginning of July. Exactly a week after we got the "congratulations, you're officially waiting" call on July 6th, we got another very special call. The call was for a precious baby boy. We met our son the following Wednesday, July 20th! To say we are overwhelmed by the Lord's goodness is an understatement. This precious child is truly a gift from God. We are humbled to be called to serve as his parents.

Our updated timeline:

February 16

The beginning, aka the "conception" date.

Drew and I "conceived" our decision to pursue adoption through the foster care system.

February 17

Contacted a caseworker to begin the process.

February 28

Met with our caseworker for the first time to
open our case.

March 3

Began week 1 of our 10-week training class.

March 10

Week 2 of our training class.

March 17

Week 3 of our training class.

March 24

Week 4 of our training class.

March 31

Week 5 of our training class.

April 4

Completed our application and met with our caseworker
to discuss our application.

April 7

Week 6 of our training classes.

April 14

Week 7 of our training classes.

April 19

Submitted our individual autobiographies.

Sarah's individual interview with caseworker.

April 28

Week 8 of our training classes.

April 30

Super surprised and blessed with a celebration from
our supportive friend-family!

May 5

Drew's individual interview.

Week 9 of our training class.

May 12

Week 10 of our training class.

May 16

Home Inspection/Marital Interview.

End of May - June

Unofficially waiting.

July 6

Homestudy complete. Officially waiting and ready for placement!

July 13

Received the call for a baby boy!

July 18

Met with our caseworker and baby Cisco's caseworker.

July 20

Met our son for the first time!

Still to come:

End of July - August

Transition from foster family home to our home.

August - September

Permanently placed in our home!

Spring 2012

Adoption!

God is soooooo good.
Thank you all for your many prayers!
You are such blessings!

psalm 118:24

2011-07-20T11:16:00.001-04:00

This is the day that the LORD has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

blue table legs

2011-07-07T13:07:00.000-04:00

On impulse, I painted the dining room table legs.

I love that paint isn't permanent.

I'm more than willing to paint something just to paint it back if I don't like it (proof here).

So this is my go at blue table legs. We'll see if it sticks.

The table legs before in white:

And here's the table back when it was in a dark stain:

The dining room sure has changed since then.
And that was only 7ish months ago.

This was the inspiration for the paint job:

Photo by Brooke

due date

2011-07-06T13:19:00.002-04:00

We received the call today that our homestudy has been approved.

And...

We are officially expecting now!

Like officially!

We are officially waiting!

Meaning it could happen any day (or week, or month, or year) now!

I guess our due date is anybody's guess.

See our timeline here and this post here, to track our ride thus far.
Also, for your enjoyment, check out these videos here.

neutral kid's room

2011-07-03T08:28:00.015-04:00

This is the bedroom upstairs that we plan to use for our future family member. We have yet to know who we're expecting - boy or girl, infant or toddler.

So this is the room in it's neutral state readily awaiting to be occupied. Looking forward to the eventual changes according to age/gender.

bedroom

2011-07-02T11:09:00.000-04:00

Big shock: we rearranged our bedroom.
You can see the previous state of our bedroom here.

quilt display

2011-06-28T08:00:00.001-04:00

I've been wanting to display this beautiful old patchwork quilt for a while. The large wall along the stairway seemed the perfect place.

See the former display on this wall here.

Drew fashioned this quilt rack using 2 brackets, a dowel rod, and a wood board for a shelf.

View in the mirror at the top of the stairs:

framed TV

2011-06-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

This weekend's project was to mount and frame the TV.
I was inspired to find a new purpose for this frame here.

And the end result:

This was a before picture of the TV as it rested on top of the console:

Drew did all the work.

Here it is nicely framed on the wall:

Then we covered the exposed wires for a cleaner look:

Movie time!

happy renters

2011-06-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

Our landlord put this shed in last fall at our request. Drew calls it "the barn". It's definitely his man space.

It houses the lawn & garden equipment, as well as his collection of outdoor games.

We're ever so grateful to have a large yard,

even if it entails plenty of yardwork.

There he is, the man in action. Taking care of business.

He's always going.

the porch

2011-06-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

We love porch-time around our home.

Summer time is the best for enjoying the porch.

Enjoy the tour:

Front side of the porch, facing the street.

Left side of porch.

Right side of porch, near entrance to house.

Our main sitting area.

Full view of right side of porch.

The family swings.

Our newest swing.

the deets

2011-06-02T08:00:00.023-04:00

Los detalles, the details:

If you'll refer to our timeline, you'll notice that we've made it passed the application process, through the classes, around the interviews, over the paperwork, and as of May 16th across the home inspection/marital interview. It feels glorious to look back and have these pieces of the puzzle behind us. We're very happy to have entered the mysterious waiting portion of the process.

Currently, we are unofficially waiting. As in we are done on our end and are waiting on our caseworker to complete our homestudy so that we can soon officially wait. As soon as our case is finalized and we are officially waiting-legit-adoptive-parents, we'll happily share the news.

The future looks bright!

Thanks friends/family for continually sharing in
the excitement through each step of the process.

We're excited and enjoying the ride!

Be joyful in hope,
patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12

shabby chandelier (the after)

2011-05-31T08:00:00.003-04:00

Rewired, spit-shined, and as good as new.

See the before of the chandelier here.

Happily hanging in our bedroom.

Right at home.

Nicely done, DrewB!

shabby chandelier

2011-05-25T08:00:00.004-04:00

A friend stumbled upon this fancy find at a garage sale recently and passed it along our way. We were sad to have missed out on that thrill of the hunt but we couldn't be happier to house the new addition.

It's full of great potential. Just needs some handyman help from the DrewB and she'll soon be shining bright.

Consider this the "before" and we'll fill you in as soon as we have the beauty hung in our bedroom.

surprised

2011-05-10T12:28:00.001-04:00

A couple weekends ago we thought we were headed to the Ackley's for a casual Saturday hangout, but instead we were surprised by our friend-family with an adoption celebration!

We were definitely caught off guard (as we had just finished a long day of yard work and I was still recovering from a slumber party the previous night - good thing we didn't cancel:)). We just weren't expecting it at all. It was the perfect surprise!

My homegirls did an amazing job of personalizing the party. It was extremely thoughtful.

Needless to say, we feel incredibly blessed by the support from our Erie-family in this process.

All our favorites - food & drinks.

You got us good!

Some of my amazing homegirls.

Even ended the night with a fire. Perfect.

(All pictures stolen from Brooke.)

See more pictures from the fun here.

slumber party 2011

2011-05-05T08:23:00.005-04:00

UPDATE: see more party pictures here.

This past Friday was our:
"3rd Annual Girls Group Slumber Party"!

(See pictures from previous years here and here).

What's Girls Group, you may ask? Allow me to break it down. Girls Group, or GG, is a group of besties brought together through the bond of medical school (most of the homegirls are partners to a medical student). We meet weekly to support each other through thick and thin during the season of medical school. It's an honor to be a part of this beautiful group of girls. They are truly a blessing from Lord.

(Read more about the GG here.)

This cosmic event is one for the history books. It's an all-nighter of fun full of dancing, and munching, and laughing, and plenty of girl-talk. We even created a mix-tape of music to serenade the night away. And of course, we made friendship bracelets.

Check these scenes from this year's party:

The set-up pre-party-food.

Simple party decor.

Sangria and margaritas go here:

Jumping-up-and-down-excitement as we welcome
our special guest!

(I think Brooke is hurling in the corner here?
Perhaps, too star-struck?)

Is our "Bieber Fever" showing?

LYLAS!

timeline

2011-05-03T08:24:00.003-04:00

There are a number of steps in the process of becoming adoptive parents through foster care (i.e. interviews, meetings, a home inspection, background checks, doctor's visits, paperwork, and more paperwork).
Another hurdle in the process is the 10-week training class. So far we've completed 8 of 10 of the training sessions (I can't believe we only have 2 left)!
While the classes can be much of what seems to be common knowledge (in other words, a drag), they can also be really informative. I am very thankful for the discussions that the classes spark between Drew and I. And sometimes it's fun to feel like we're too cool for school and we're back in college taking a lame-o night class together. The classes have definitely given us much to think about and process through regarding this life-changing decision. Despite the lengthy 3-hour Thursday nights, we're happy to be doing them especially given that we have a lot to learn as first-time parents.

For those curious, here's some TMI or a timeline detailing where we've come in the process and where we're headed:

February 16

The beginning, aka the "conception" date.

Drew and I "conceived" our decision to pursue adoption through the foster care system.

February 17

Contacted a caseworker to begin the process.

February 28

Met with our caseworker for the first time to
open our case.

March 3

Began week 1 of our 10-week training class.

March 10

Week 2 of our training class.

March 17

Week 3 of our training class.

March 24

Week 4 of our training class.

March 31

Week 5 of our training class.

April 4

Completed our application and met with our caseworker to discuss our application.

April 7

Week 6 of our training classes.

April 14

Week 7 of our training classes.

April 19

Submitted our individual autobiographies.

Sarah's individual interview with caseworker.

April 28

Week 8 of our training classes.

April 30

Super surprised and blessed with a celebration from
our supportive friend-family!
(See pictures below. We have an amazing family!)

And still to come:

May 5

Drew has his individual interview.

Week 9 of our training class.

May 12

Week 10 of our training class.

June 2011

Complete process and ready for placement.

Wait on the Lord.

It's crazy to me that this has all happened only over the last couple months. It seems fast. I'm still surprised daily that it is all really happening and that we're expecting. All in all, we are overwhelmed by the Lord's goodness throughout this process.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

Ephesians 3:20-21

This melts my heart.

Brothers & Sisters, thank you for your continued

prayer and support! You truly bless our life!

easter

2011-05-02T11:47:00.001-04:00

It was a very blessed Easter with
our friends-family this year.

Check out some more scenes from Easter here.

orphanology

2011-04-26T09:04:00.000-04:00

Thank you, THANK YOU!

Seriously, I feel extremely blessed by all the many comments/emails that we've received after our big announcement. It's so encouraging to hear that you all are excited right along with us!

On that note, I've recently read an amazing book called "Orphanology" (I highly recommend it, seriously, go buy it, now.) It's all about the church's responsibility for orphan care. It is such a neat book full of testimonies on adoption, as well as tangible ways to support and love on orphans directly and indirectly. And of course it's given us much affirmation of our conviction to adopt! If there is one thing we've noticed as we've begun the process, it's that the enemy is constantly trying to steal our joy for pursuing this journey. So I am very thankful for our wonderful family and friends that have reached out to encourage us! Thank you all!

a public announcement

2011-04-19T08:24:00.006-04:00

After much hesitation, we have decided to "go public" with a very personal (and wonderful) piece of our life. Our reservations stem from a number of reasons, solely selfish and mainly being out of fear. More specifically, fear of negative reactions from others and fear of not having all the answers to all of the questions. Those fears aside, we also have this overwhelming confidence from the Lord, and therefore, we are compelled to share this wonderfully blessed journey with you.

The truth is that this story of our life, is not ours, it belongs to the Lord. And it is extremely comforting to know that our faithful Lord has every detail carefully planned out. With that being said (ready, get excited!) the Lord has led us to pursue adoption! For some time we have been praying and considering options for our family and we have decided to begin with adoption as our first choice. We are thrilled that the Lord has opened this door with this opportunity for growth in our family!

We've begun the lengthy process through a foster adoption program. There are a number of unknowns as far as a timeline, but the Lord has given us peace with the unknown. And honestly, the mystery of it all has been one of the most thrilling things about the whole process (I do looove surprises (well, the good kind)). Anyway, we are extremely hopeful and expectant. Since late February when we stepped out and began this journey, it has been nothing but a big blessing. The Lord has often reminded us of his provision through it all, as well as his clear direction for it. This whole process is still very new for us and everyday we can hardly believe we're really in it. It's an incredible blessing.

So now we hope to share the many details of this adventure with any listening ear. That means I'm hoping to document the process on here as we have news to share. The blog will most likely shift to include more of our personal life (specifically this adoption journey) in the mix with our various vintage finds and decorating projects.

1 Corinthians 2:9

If you care to know more of the story of how we came to start this journey, check it out here.

shelf show-n-tell

2011-04-12T08:17:00.002-04:00

Put up a shelf above the large mirror in the living room.

See:

Drew gets the credit here as with all hanging projects.

It's a great place for a collection of white pitchers.

There you have it, 1 board and 2 brackets make one simple weekend project.

Happy Tuesday!

vintage market basket

2011-04-07T07:55:00.001-04:00

Check it out here.

dining room

2011-04-05T08:27:00.006-04:00

Some views of our dining room:

living room

2011-04-04T08:31:00.005-04:00

Some views of our living room

all polished and pretty and free of clutter.

garden plans

2011-03-29T08:10:00.000-04:00

Definitely more than ready for this weather to warm up so we can get this garden started. Drew and I have been dreaming up garden plans for a while now.

Last year we didn't do a vegetable garden - we just stuck to maintaining the flower beds. So this year we're going all out - well not completely all out like we did 2 years ago when we attempted to do (almost) every vegetable under the sun.

The plan for the vegetable garden this year is to do tomatoes, peas, lettuce, corn, and asparagus. And for the flower beds we've already picked up some climbing roses and some peonies all in shades of pink.

pillow projects

2011-03-17T08:12:00.000-04:00

Made a few pillows over the weekend.

This one was a no-sew project made using my fold and tuck method as seen here.

And these ginormous pillows were made at Drew's request (he's been wanting a large pillow that you can sit on the floor with). I got this awesome old fabric, enough for two large pillows for only $5. This makes me super happy.

random

2011-03-16T08:07:00.000-04:00

I can hear the birds outside this morning. Must be spring headed our way soon. I can't wait!

Happy Wednesday.

Linking here today.

happy birthday drewb

2011-03-14T08:07:00.000-04:00

Needless to say, it's a very special day! Drew's birthday is shared with the finale of The Bachelor tonight. And it could not be more appropriate as Drew secretly loves this show - at least this season. This is pretty funny if you know Drew (not your typical Bachelor fan).

Will you accept this rose?

Happy Birthday, DrewB!

mint green

2011-03-10T07:42:00.000-05:00

I want to paint something mint green.

bhg

country living

bhg

I can feel the weekend coming and I'm up for a project.

some spring

2011-03-08T07:52:00.000-05:00

Getting excited to do some gardening this year.

It's still really early, but I'm really looking forward to it as soon as the weather warms up.

Picked up a begonia plant and hoping that spring will be here soon.

quick frame fill

2011-03-07T08:37:00.001-05:00

And here's what we've done with that great frame we picked up recently.

Just tacked an old seed sack to the frame.

Happy with a quick and easy makeover!

white console

2011-03-02T08:02:00.000-05:00

I've done it. I've finally painted the TV console in the living room.

Still considering glass knobs to replace these.

This is the usual view with the door open.

See some before pictures of the console here.

Linking here today.

frame to fill

2011-03-01T07:53:00.000-05:00

Picked up this awesome frame a couple of weekends back. $8! I think I've figured out what to do with it (at least temporarily and I will be showing you that soon.)

I initially thought it would go on this wall replacing our stairway picture display. So Drew and I went ahead and took down all the pictures and filled the holes. But, plans have changed, as they usually do when we get working on a project.

Now I've placed it on another wall entirely and this wall is a blank canvas. I do love a blank canvas and as soon as I get a moment I'll be working on filling it.

PS - No, I did not paint it and I will not be painting it. I think.

kitchen details

2011-02-23T08:59:00.000-05:00

I think I'm really beginning to like our kitchen a whole heck of a lot more. (See the before & after transformation here.) While we're only renting this home, it can be challenging to deal with things we wish we could change about a space. The challenge in the kitchen has been finding a way to add more of what I love - white-shabby-country-charm without painting the oak cabinets. I'm finding that it's all in the details.

I'm linking here today.

Don't forget to enter this giveaway.

It ends tomorrow!

a fan

2011-02-22T15:06:00.000-05:00

I like to think I'm a fan of change.

Undoubtedly so, at least around our home.

Vintage Electric Fan

Today marks the end of an old job.

I'm ready for some change.

Time to celebrate! Super "fan"-tastic, right!

giveaway

2011-02-18T09:32:00.000-05:00

Dearest readers in the US and Canada:

For this giveaway you have a chance to win a $45 gift certificate to use as you wish in any of the 200 + CSN stores where you can find everything from swingsets to fantastic housewares and home decor!

All you have to do is post a comment below before Thursday, 2/24, and you could win this chance toward one of these lovely white pitchers!

Happy, happy Friday!

mint green mirror

2011-02-16T07:56:00.001-05:00

We picked up this lovely mint green mirror
a couple weekends back.

It's sitting on our buffet in the dining room.

Happy Wednesday!

Linking here today.

cupboard without the doors

2011-02-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Although I'm usually skeptical, Drew has some great suggestions when it comes to decorating.

Like when he told me right away when we got the cupboard

that we should take the doors off.

(See pictures of the cupboard before with the doors here.)

It took me a few weeks to get on board with the idea,

but it really looks better without the doors.

He was right.

valentine

2011-02-14T08:33:00.000-05:00

spring cleaning mode

2011-02-10T09:29:00.001-05:00

Lots of the typical changes going on around our household.

The most major of the changes occurring in our living room including the addition of new curtains, more white, and a slight rearranging of the furniture.

Also, I’ve been busy covering 3 new chairs with white paint.

And we’ve added a new mirror to the dining room.

The stairway display is under some major construction.

We're also attempting to tackle the upstairs rooms.

And forever on our to-do list is our bedroom.

Projects, projects, projects.

I guess you could call it some early spring cleaning.
I’m in serious organization/transformation mode.

Pictures coming soon!

frosty flea

2011-02-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

Allow me to set the scene…

A frosty and frigid February morn. Heavy snow covers the stretch of a large abandoned parking lot. Temps hover below freezing. Enter several bundled venders setting up shop – in the snow – as in outside – in the winter – in the freezing cold.

Perfect weather for an outdoor flea market, right? You think I kid, but this was the scene this past Sunday morning as Drew and I were visiting Buffalo on a thrift hunt. We are almost embarrassed (not really even close) to admit that no matter how fond we claim to be of flea markets, the hardy-hardcore people of Buffalo, NY have us beat. We hadn’t even a fraction of the guts needed to brave the blustery cold temperatures for this one. Instead, we watched in disbelief as they shoveled snow to set up their booths. All too highly entertaining. This is one crazy winter activity.

chandelier

2011-02-02T11:05:00.001-05:00

As promised, more detailed pictures of our weekend find:

And all lit up:

PS: there are new items in the etsy shop.

PPS: I'm linking up here today.

another one down

2011-02-01T07:51:00.000-05:00

That's right, another piece loses to the white paint.

Are you surprised?

It’s no wonder white has become my “go-to” paint color.
So far white has yet disappoint on any piece of furniture.

You can see the before of the buffet here.

I’m liking the buffet in its white phase with the clear glass knobs.

While I really did like the before version of the buffet, it was no longer working with the rest of the room, so something needed to change – in fact Drew insisted it needed to be whitewashed! I was surprised at what a hard time I had convincing myself to do it. I kept reminding myself that if I ever want it back to its former appearance, I still have the paint and the knobs to do it. And now that its done, I have no regrets. What can I say, white's a winner.

the thrill of the hunt

2011-01-31T08:51:00.001-05:00

We ventured out, as we do most Saturdays, to hunt for thrifty finds. For the most part, we try to treasure hunt in areas we’ve never explored. It makes for a fun adventure and usually ends up being a road trip as the distance increases each time. The hunt is very exciting and is filled with your average road trip goodness –coffee, snacks, chats, and sing-a-longs. Treasure hunts are our kind of date. While most places end up being misses, the occasional hit is well worth it.

A peek at our find of the weekend:

Thrilled to finally have some overhead lighting in our living room!

More (better) pictures to follow.

and so it goes

2011-01-27T12:41:00.003-05:00

It’s been a week – not all that busy, but full.

And not as productive as had hoped.

Been meaning to share news about some changes to this buffet and add some new items to the etsy shop.

And so life goes – for one reason or another, just haven’t gotten around to it.

Instead, dreaming of sunshine to fill our house today…

And longing for the weekend...

happy wednesday

2011-01-26T08:02:00.001-05:00

This sign coming soon to an etsy shop near you.

replacement cupboard

2011-01-24T10:45:00.002-05:00

So it wasn't long (it never is) before we moved on from this piece and found a replacement – a large lovely farmhouse cupboard with plenty of great shelving.

And here's the evidence of our fabulous finding over the weekend:

Of course I did consider painting the interior at first. But I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I’m enjoying it just the way it is.

So many charming details.

I'm loving the contrast of the white dishes against the wood and painted paneling.

The dishes fit right at home here.

And a full view of the piece.

Not so impressive with the doors closed.

The end.

favorite cabinet and happy friday

2011-01-21T08:12:00.006-05:00

Ready to get this weekend underway. Hopefully we'll venture out in search of a replacement for the long-gone dining room china hutch. If we're lucky perhaps we'll stumble upon something great like this favorite piece:

Happy weekend!

china cabinet turnover

2011-01-19T08:09:00.001-05:00

Two months ago we came across a great piece –

this lovely china hutch.

We purchased it as a replacement for our old china cabinet. And now that we’ve fixed it up and enjoyed it for a short while, I feel ready to move on in hopes of finding another piece to love. Fortunately we were able to sell this one and are now on the lookout for its replacement.

For those of you who'd like to reminisce about the transformation of the piece, you can view the before & after here!

I really didn't intend to start a trend of buying and selling china cabinets. But I'm really loving it! DrewB isn't as thrilled.

kitchen dreams

2011-01-18T09:33:00.001-05:00

Been dreaming about revamping our kitchen. Ideally those dreams would include some paint on the cabinets. However, I’m exploring my realistic options for concealing the overwhelming area of wood cabinets in the kitchen – I can't stand how they overpower the space.

I’ve come up with 2 realistic possibilities for the cabinets. One – replace some of the cabinet doors with curtains. And two – take off some of the cabinet doors and leave the cabinets as open shelving.

Here's what I toyed with over the weekend:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I removed the cabinet doors on either side of the window above the sink and left the cabinets as open shelving. I also removed the doors below the sink replacing the doors with a fabric skirt.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I replaced the blue curtain with a white curtain

with small pink floral detail.

AFTER:

A view of the open cabinet on the other side of the sink.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I eliminated some of the oak and a lot of the blues and incorporated subtle floral prints and touches of pink. It feels much softer and a lot closer to my dream for an all-white kitchen.

bare

2011-01-10T12:18:00.002-05:00

   My mind has been at a loss with the naked house since the elimination of the Christmas decor. I have all these intentions for getting creative and spinning the bare spaces into eye-popping wonders. So it's not for the lack of inspiration and ideas. I have plenty of those. Just not the time enough to execute my creative fantasies.
    Besides, first I’d have to clean up the house and get some chores done before I can even think about pulling out a paint brush or moving a piece of furniture. And frankly the thought of all that I’d have to go through before I can get to the fun stuff is just plain overwhelming.
   So instead, I’ve been sitting on my bum for much of my free time lately. Which is also fun. I can’t complain. BUT, I am seriously itching to get creative! I’m shooting for this weekend (it’s a 3-day weekend for me) to get motivated and get some projects underway. I’m bored with all the bareness.

PS: check out this post from The Wicker House.

featured over at:

2011-01-07T07:51:00.001-05:00

(Click here to link to post.)

Thanks Miss Mustard Seed for featuring my china hutch today!

resolutions

2011-01-04T17:53:00.002-05:00

Initial thoughts on resolutions surrounding the blog for this year:

Generally speaking – tackling lots-a projects around the house
and the liberal incorporation of more white.

More specifically for “show and tell” I hope to share these projects
(not in any particular order):

1. Take pictures of our guest room and office
to complete the home tour.
Obviously not our guest room, but a great inspiration:

(via Country Living)

2. Update the outdated pictures from the home tour.
An outdated picture of our living room:

3. Paint the TV console a lovely shade of white.
The console now:

4. (Probably) sell the dining room china cabinet (again)
and pick up a new project to substitute.
The current china cabinet:

5. Make some chair seat covers for the dining room chairs.
Perhaps something along these lines:

(via Country Living)

6. Dream up some new window treatments for the kitchen
   and be content with the things we can't change.
   AND pray for a miracle
   (that the landlord would allow us to paint the cabinets).
   The drab kitchen now:

7. Shop more second-hand –
hit up auctions, thrift stores,
garage sales, and flea markets.

8. Rearrange and redecorate the house repeatedly
and document the evolution.
Pictures to follow!

*Additional impulsive projects to be determined.
*All resolutions are guaranteed to fluctuate.

welcome 2011

2011-01-03T14:08:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!

It was a great Christmas holiday with the family. We said our good-byes over the weekend and packed up the Christmas decor – the house feels pretty naked after the removal of the Christmas decor. Already, I'm missing both the family and the Christmas decorations.

What a handsome family I have, no?

And now, it really feels like a new year with Christmas behind us and the reality of getting back to the daily grind. I'm happy and hopeful to see what the Lord has in store this year.

PS: Winner of the CSN giveaway is Ashley!

a giveaway

2010-12-26T09:05:00.002-05:00

Dearest readers in the US and Canada:

For this giveaway you have a chance to win a $45 gift certificate to use as you wish in any of the 200 + CSN stores where you can find everything from a chic leather briefcase to fantastic housewares and home decor!

All you have to do is post a comment below before midnight on New Years Eve! Gooood luck!

Pretty Rose Pillow

oh by golly

2010-12-24T08:03:00.005-05:00

Wishing you the merriest of Christmases!

and heaven and nature sing

2010-12-23T10:28:00.001-05:00

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth recieve her king.

Let every heart prepare him room.

so this is christmas

2010-12-21T08:10:00.001-05:00

I'm a little sad that Christmas is already this Saturday!

I just need more Christmas. More get togethers and celebrations. More cups of cheer. More glitter and twinkling lights. More baking. More gift wrapping. More jingle bells and Christmas carols.

The magic just seems to dissapear after the 25th.

Santa and I went to a Christmas party over the weekend at B&F's.

It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

a favor

2010-12-20T18:48:00.002-05:00

Pretty please check out this photography contest and vote for my sweet friends Kristen and Dan here!

a tisket, a tasket

2010-12-20T13:22:00.001-05:00

Isn't this a great yellow basket?

Yellow Basket

here comes santa claus

2010-12-18T09:25:00.001-05:00

Getting ready for a Christmas party tonight!

DrewB's outfit:

some christmas cheer

2010-12-14T08:04:00.002-05:00

Christmas in the living room.

And a view of the rest of the room.

The TV console desperately needs a white treatment.

And the newest addition to the living room is on the left.

It's a new Christmas cabinet from DrewB!

I just love the window-paned doors.

Merry Christmas!

the most wonderful time of the year

2010-12-13T14:39:00.002-05:00

Ah, Christmas time is here and

I'm looking forward to seeing family next week!

red & white

2010-12-09T07:48:00.001-05:00

In the mood for some Christmas baking.

Wouldn't these canisters make great gift containers for Christmas goodies?

Red & White Tin Canisters

And what's Christmas baking without some Christmas kitchen towels?

Red & White Kitchen Towels