This and That

 

 

It hardly seems possible, but as we ready for church camps this summer, I'm reminded that summer is quickly drawing to a close. When we return from our campout the end of this month, it will be time to look at ordering supplies for our students. I have soooo enjoyed the break from school! I do love teaching and I crave the structure and schedule it lends to our lives, but I have been able to get some things crossed off my to-do list and that also feels good!

 

One of the things I have done this summer is paint. We had paint and scraps left from our remodel projects, so with a little help from the hubby, I was able to transform all the dreary dull brown spaces to bright white cheer.

 

 

For those of you who have seen those doors, you might know what I mean. Gorgeous in 1975, not so much now. Definitely not something we wanted to spend a lot of money on, but hard work only costs time so away I went. There were a few times sanding and painting, that  I doubted my sanity, but once we started, there was no turning back.

 

 

Closet doors before

 

 

Closet doors after.

Kaderick lobbied for his doors to be red. He asked me why I always used white paint and not his favorite, red. I told him that I use red once in a while. He said, "I wish you'd just use red TWICE in a while!"

 

 

I did use gray in the older girls' room and for the entryway.

 

 

I think the front hallway is where this made the biggest difference. It is so much brighter and cleaner feeling in there.

 

 

Before

 

 

After

 

Hubby helped me add the scrap pieces of beadboard and trim. It really made a huge difference!

 

These next three pictures are from the back hallway. Kalli and I re-did the pantry and laundry cabinets some time ago, but the large doors now match.

 

 

 
 

 

The next picture is the door to our little furnace room. It is right in my kitchen, so I thought it would be sweet to make it look at home. The design was all my idea, but as usual, I needed help with the execution, so hubby helped me cut and nail thin boards to the door giving it a sort of screen door/chicken coop/barn door look. The only investment here was a barn door style handle. I free-handed on the chalkboard art. I kinda love it!

 

 

We also did some more landscaping, which included a chain saw and lots of tree trimming. Then, I snagged this old spool from someone's trash last week and after about a day of washing and sanding repeat X100, I stained it and found a spot for it on our front porch. I love how well it matches the front door which yes, I also painted. In 50 years someone is going to despise me and my paint as much as I did whoever hung all the wallpaper around here 40 years ago. LOL

 

 

Do you use a menu? I couldn't live without mine. I've kept one all of my married life. It saves me so much time and confusion....the hubby so much money. Our summer menu's have lots of salads and cooler cooking items. I love that, but I'm also looking forward to fall colors and soup menu season. I've always wanted a magnetic dry erase menu, but never found one I liked or at least not for a price I liked until recently. I am really liking this!

 

 

Kaderick brought me his fishing game the other day and said, "I'm concerned that we may not have batteries for this." Haha! Concerned. I love his vocabulary.

 

 

We went out for breakfast to celebrate Kalli's birthday. Kaderick got a cinnamon roll. We told him that he was going to have to eat a healthy lunch after that sweet breakfast and he said, "I don't plan to BE at lunch. I'll be playing Legos."

 

 

Kalli made us Crème Brulee for Sunday dessert. She had asked for real vanilla for her birthday to use in it. It was super yummy!

 

 

Kaite and Kaderick have become two little peas in a pod this summer. He loves having her free to play. They were having a little snack together the other day and I heard him say,

 "I'll sit by you and you sit by me, I'll look at your cute face and you can look at mine."

 

Kaderick told his daddy the other evening, "I am having to do all the work around here. Well, except mommy does SOME if it." I think I'd probably made him pick up a bit more than usual that day because Kayla and Kalli were both at work. HAHA!

 

 

Here are some notes I took from a message my pastor preached last Sunday. He is so faithful. Both God and the pastor. Smile.

 

"We do our best listening in the dark. Perhaps because in the dark, we don't see as well. In the light, we allow what we see to influence what we hear, but in the dark, our sense of hearing becomes stronger. So when the dark times come, remember to listen, for we live by faith and not by sight. Then when the light shines, go out and speak in the light the things ye have heard in the dark. Matthew 10:17"

 

Well, that will be about enough of my useless rambling. It's Sunday afternoon and I was taking a nap until a certain little boy came and lifted my head up by my hair "because he wanted to see if I was sleeping." Poor fellow isn't feeling good today and has required lots of snuggles. Kayla brought home a fever and cold bug several weeks ago and it has been ever so slowly working it's way through the household.